Truth-in-Sentencing Laws Do Not Deter Crime

Truth-in-Sentencing Laws Do Not Deter Crimes Nain Lizette Ritchey CJA/204 November 12, 2012 University of Phoenix Truth-in-Sentencing Laws Do Not Deter Crimes In the process of knowing whether or not sentencing laws deter crime, that fact in the United States (U. S. ), in the last 20 years, shows that longer sentences do not deter crime. After years of increased sentences and drain on the state’s treasury, we need to acknowledge this fact. In New York and many other states, the â€Å"tough† policies have produced a combination of large-scale prison overcrowding without meaningful reductions in our crime rate.The U. S. now has the highest rate of incarceration of any technologically advanced country in the world except the Soviet Union and South Africa, and except for the extremely poor countries such as the Caribbean, Latin America and Africa, we also have the highest violent-crime rate. This does not prove that high rates of incarceration cause high crime rates, but it surely indicates that high rates of incarceration do not cause low crime rates.We need to acknowledge that the kind of treatment criminals receive from the state can affect their subsequent conduct. Some rehabilitation programs do work. Some individuals clearly need to be removed from society. Alternatives to incarceration are less expensive and they provide critical opportunities for those who can be reformed. Corrections systems in some of the most conservative states in the country have begun to move away from policies based on the promise that â€Å"tougher† sentences reduce crime.Though many are moving away from this belief, that fact still remains to show that the overcrowding of the jails and prisons is becoming an issue worldwide. The crimes are not being reduced nor are they becoming of lesser status. The age range is becoming younger, within the age of 18-25. A lot of these criminals are returning and are labeled as returned offenders without consequences. The stat e of North Carolina is one of the few states that are using the three strikes rule, meaning that no matter what the offenses are, the criminal will receive a life sentence.Has this deterred those in this state to reduce crime? Or do we all need to use this system to help them be deterred? Whatever the issue at hand may be, we all need to come to a common ground as to what will help reduce our crime rates and reduce the overcrowding of prisons and jails. This is a very costly matter and the funds can be used for programs to help those that want to be helped. Reference www. NYTimes. com. (September 2010). Longer Sentences Do Not Deter Crime. Retrieved from http://www. nytimes. com

Final global business plan Essay

The ASEAN was founded in 1967 to promote the alliances of the countries in Southeast Asia. The current members of the ASEAN are the Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam (ASEAN, 2010) Physical Environment The physical environment of Southeast Asia is primarily a warm climate other than the high elevation areas (Andaya, 2009). The physical environment also differs from the ocean and jungle geographical areas. A primary concern within the physical environment is the availability of safe drinking water in many areas of Southeast Asia and the air quality. Political Stability The political stability within Southwest Asia is very questionable in many areas of the region due to the terrorist activities; however with the support of the U.S. and other countries the threat is reduced just not eliminated. A scoring system was used to evaluate the region based on data that was provided by AMB Country Risk Reports. The rating system is; One – Very Low Risk, two – Low Risk, three – Moderate Risk, four – High Risk, and five -Very High Risk. The country leads the region with are risk score of one is Singapore followed by Indonesia two, Malaysia and Thailand three, Philippines and Viet Nam 4. The Philippines and Viet Nam have significant political risks that need to be taken into consideration (A.M. Best, 2010). Economic Conditions The economic risks within major countries of Southeast Asia are moderate at best. In the recent economic downward trend Southeast Asia is seeing the effects the slowing economic trend with their major trading partners the United States and Europe. The demands for exports are decreasing and forecasts for 2009-2010 expect this trend to continue (A.M. Best, 2010). A scoring system was used to evaluate the region based on data that was provided by AMB Country Risk Reports the rating system is; One – Very Low Risk, two – Low Risk, three – Moderate Risk, four – High Risk, and five -Very High Risk.† The country leads the region with are risk score of one is Singapore, followed by Indonesia two, Malaysia and Thailand three, Philippines and Viet Nam four. The Philippines and Viet Nam have significant economic risks that need to be taken into consideration (A.M. Best, 2010). Financial Options and Risks The financial system within the Southeast Asia region indicates a moderate to high risk on average other than the country of Singapore. As the global economy tightens credit requirements, this can have a significant impact on the financial stability in the region (Country Risk, 2010). A scoring system was used to evaluate the region based on data that was provided by AMB Country Risk Reports. The rating system is; One – Very Low Risk, two – Low Risk, three – Moderate Risk, four – High Risk, and five -Very High Risk. The country leads the region with are risk score of one is Singapore, followed by, Malaysia and Thailand three, Philippines and Indonesia four, and Viet Nam- five. The Philippines, Indonesia, and Viet Nam have significant financial risks that need to be taken into consideration (A.M. Best, 2010). Political stability There is a constant threat of terrorism according to the U.S. Department of State diplomacy in action website: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2794.htm, but the political stability is stable because of the continued efforts of the U.S. and other international entities such as the International Monitoring team. Economic conditions The economic conditions are stable; the Philippine government has been working over the past few years to reduce its deficits down to 0.2% of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and is continuously working to balance its budget. Finance options available According to an article Philippines: Types of Business Organizations that Foreign Investors may Establish in the Philippines there are several financial options available that are: These include the establishment by a foreign corporation of a (i) local subsidiary through a domestic corporation, (ii) a branch office, (iii) a representative office, (iv) a regional or area headquarters, or (v) a regional operating headquarters. Entry into the Philippines can also be achieved through joint ventures with other domestic corporations (Manalastas, and Guinto, 2000). Physical environment and its affect on trade The locality of the Philippines creates some environmental issues that needs to be taken into consideration there are three main issues the first two are seasonal; the typhoon season from June through November, the monsoon rain season from July through December. The third issue that is unpredictable is the volcanic eruptions that can happen at any time (The Philippines, 2010). Social, health, and environmental conditions The majority of the Philippine people do live in poverty and the mortality rate for babies is high; however the health care is improving the Philippines have been recognized for eliminating Polio (The Philippines, 2010). Although there is a pollution problem, the government of the Philippines is stepping in to help reduce pollution by enacting and enforcing laws that actually is helping clean up their environment. Cultural considerations When doing business in the Philippines there is a couple of cultural consideration to keep in mind such as it is unacceptable behavior to correct a person in public, to cause a person to lose face by refusing or saying no to a person, and do not accept an invitation to a family meal when first asked, if the invitation is asked a second time then it is all right to accept (The Philippines, 2010). Organizational Description Apple Computer, Inc. is headquartered in Cupertino, California. The company is a worldwide producer, designs, markets, manufactures computers, digital music and video players. Founded on April 1, 1976 by Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs, and Ron Wayne, apple sells to all consumers small, mid-sized, and large businesses. The company sells its products through retail stores, online stores, and also third party wholesalers. The increase in awareness of value of the internet, and convenience it gives to its users will soon bring more to the table for the Philippines. Since the internet has been a big expansion for many markets many businesses have found use to this to expand their business overseas. Since 2000 to 2009 the internet usage has gone up from 2,000,000 (2.6%) to 24,000,000 (24.5%) in the Philippines. Apple’s line of digital music players has taken advantage by providing iPod users to download digital music files to their iPods. Apple Inc., sales a line of iPod digital music and video players to both the Windows and Mac users that also provides online services that can, as described in this article Reuters Profile: Apple INC. (AAPL.O) which states; â€Å"distribute third-party music, audio books, music videos, television shows, movies, podcasts, and applications† (Reuters, 2010), through the iTunes Store. ITunes is a digital music application for downloading and playing digital audio and video files. Since Philippines have about 24,000,000 internet users as of June 2009 which is about 24.5% of the population in the Philippines there is potential growth for this market to grow. With new information about Netflix possibly signing an agreement with Apple Inc. sales can possibly increase since there will be more possibilities for iPod users to download through Netflix servers. Risk Analysis Week 3 The purpose of this document is to analyze the risks that are involved in establishing a global business operation in a foreign country of the Philippines. The document will detail the risks of introducing Apple Incorporated and the iPod to the Philippines. The risks that will be covered include political risks, legal risks, exchange rate financial risks, and taxation risks. The document will also detail a variety of additional risks, specific marketing strategies and performance measurement that will impact the overall success of Apple Incorporated within the country of the Philippines. Political/Legal/Regulatory risks The Philippines is a bureaucratic country. It has a complex network of regulations, permissions, procedures, and authorities with approval procedures. Many of these restrictions are designed to bar off newcomers entering the country’s existing industries. This will not be the case for Apple Inc. The political, legal, and regulatory risks of opening an Apple store in the Philippines vary. Apple’s plan is to acquire an existing retail store and moving under the Apple brand. Even though the political risk is high Apple Inc. is in no way threatening to the political climate in the Philippines. The Philippines has been working in developing relationships with neighboring countries, â€Å"build close ties with neighboring countries in Southeast Asia through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)† (A.M. Best Company, Inc, 2009).Legally, the risk associated with opening the store could be great, and the company must make sure it is in compliance with rules and regulations regarding the opening and operation of the store. The most immediate regulatory risk to business is because of mandated price agreements used by the government to combat inflation. Apple Inc. sees Philippines as a country poised for a great economic turn-around in the Internet and electronics market. Indicators such as World Stats forecast that the country is on a steady uphill swing. Exchange/ Repatriation of Funds Risks Exchange rates and repatriation of funds needs to be considered with Apple opening a store in the Philippines. Philippines are very open to foreign investors as a way to grow the local economy. However on January 2007, in an ongoing effort to promote two key goals, â€Å"the Philippine government has issued the Seventh Regular Foreign Investment Negative List† (Baleva, 2007), protecting domestic industries and encouraging foreign investors to participate in certain areas of enterprise. Pricing will also be a factor if the company bases there pricing by US standards. Exchange rate on US dollars to Pesos needs to factor in. Competitive Risk Assessment Apple’s key competitors are already doing business in the Philippines and creating a strong and profitable presence. Competitors such as Sony, Samsung, and Sansa have been doing business in the Philippines for many years. Apple’s target entrance into the market will give consumers more options and encourage more competition within the market. Taxation/Double Taxation Risks The agreement of double taxation outlines what taxes are covered, defines who the parties are and the context of the agreement and itemizes what is covered under the agreement. Underlining the rules under which a business’ profits are taxed and when double taxation comes into action. The double taxation agreement defines the establishment of permanent residence, which Apple Inc. would seek to have by opening a store in the country on a permanent basis. HM revenue & customs defines permanent establishment as, â€Å"a fixed place of business in which the business of the enterprise is wholly or partly carried on† (HM Revenue & Customs, n.d.). Based on the information contained in the agreement it is possible that Apple will be possibly doubled taxed. Market risks (four Ps price, place, promotion, and product) One of the risks that every business needs to address when selling their product in a foreign country is pricing the product to high that only a small portion of customers can afford to buy the product. According to the article Manila’s living costs, wages among the lowest it states; â€Å"To illustrate, workers in Zurich are paid $22.60 per hour ($30.30 gross), while workers in Geneva are paid $20.40 per hour ($29.20 gross)—a far cry from what average workers in Manila are paid: $1.40 per hour ($1.60 gross)† (Victoria, 2009). One of the ways to address this issue is to buy in large quantity, so that cost can be driven down. Currently the Philippines is experiencing a power crisis, which is a risk within itself in the article Philippines’ power at crisis point of the Asian Times it states; â€Å"Recent electricity outages in the Philippines has sparked concern that the country is on its way to its second power crisis in 20 years† (Rubrico, 2010). If there is no electricity, it will be hard to sell iPods to customers especially in the dark. Our company can purchase generators that can be used during the power outages. The Ipods are very popular and expensive in the Philippines, which has created a market of iPod thieves. According to Davao Today article iPod Thieves on the Rise in RP that states; â€Å"iPods may now be joining wallets and mobile phones as attractive targets for thieves and pickpockets† (No author mentioned, 2010). Train both employees and customers how to avoid being a victim, this will show the customers we just don’t think of them as a sale but as a person. Marketing Research Approach The marketing research approach for the Apple Store is a five step process that includes defining potential problems, developing a research plan, collecting relevant information by specifying data, developing findings, and taking marketing actions based on the analysis of data findings (Marketing Research, 2006). The research objectives will be to determine if there is a demand for the products offered by the Apple Store. The research plan will consist of surveying a minimum of 1,000 to 2,000 consumers in the target region of the Philippines. Contact information will be gathered to later obtain positive or negative feedback on the products that are offered by the Apple Store. An online survey will also be conducted through the Apple Store via the internet. This will assist in later developing marketing strategies applicable to the products offer by the Apple Store that are in demand in the target region. Some types of questions that will be asked during the Apple Store survey are as follows: 1) What is your age? 2) What is your gender? 3) Would you purchase the products offered by the Apple Store? 4) What did you like about the product? 5) What did you dislike about the product? 6.) Was the product easy to use? 7.) What would you change about the product, if anything? 8.) Will you continue to use the product? 9.) Would you recommend the product to a friend? 10.) What would you consider a fair price for the product? Apple Store Marketing Mix The marketing mix of product, price, place, and promotion is a crucial part of the introduction of the products being offered at the proposed Apple Store. A strong strategic marketing plan developed by the marketing team will assist the Apple Store in getting of to a positive start. The products offered by the Apple Store will include all items that a consumer can purchase through the on-line Apple Store web address http://store.apple.com/ph. The products include the wide variety of iPod products, iPhones, and Mac products. The physical location of the Apple Store needs to be in a high traffic public area that will attract many customers. The pricing strategy of the products offered at the Apple Store in the Philippines will targeted to under cut the competition in the region during the first 6 months of operation while still maintaining reasonable profit margins on the Apple Store products. This strategy will help in initially establishing the presence of the Apple Store in the target region. Apple Store executives will consistently monitor the progress of the Apple Store in the Philippines during the first 6 months of operations and recommend solutions to any potential risks that come up during this time period. After the first 6 months of operation in the region the product pricing strategy will be revisited. The location of the Apple Store will be critical to the overall financial success of the business. The attributes that are desirable for the physical location of the Apple Store include a highly visible location with heavy consumer traffic. An additional attribute is needs to be considered is the location of the store will be easily accessible for ease of the distribution channels to replenish inventory needs with minimal risk. In selecting a location with these attributes the Apple Store will have a higher probability of meeting or exceeding business goals and objectives. The strategic marketing plan will identify specific dates that will provide the best dates for a promotional sale grand opening of the Apple Store in the Philippines. To start the promotional period the marketing team will start advertising the grand opening of the Apple store several weeks prior to the grand opening. Apple Store products will be advertised by using magazine ads, internet and television spots, and any other means of promotion detailed as a strong promotional tactic in the region. The marketing team will need to pay close attention to see how quickly the product inventory will move from the shelves during the first few weeks of operation if the Apple Store is approved for implementation in the Philippines. The marketing strategy also needs to verify that there is sufficient demand for the Apple Store products. Distribution and supply chain risks There are a few items that make distribution and supply risky in the Philippines, as stated in the Spend Matters article Apple’s Risky iPod Supply Chain; What types of risk? Well, try an active volcano located less than 20 miles away, proximity within an earthquake zone (which makes San Francisco’s seismic activity look tame), and the very real threat of tropic storms and typhoons. And that’s not even considering that the area around the plants is â€Å"subject to regular flooding from storm water, blocking ingress of people and egress of goods †¦ [the factories] even sends people home early when a serious storm is forecast, because of the risk that the roads will be impassable.† (Busch, J. 2006) No one can prevent Mother Nature from happening, but we can be prepared by staying updated on the weather reports and staying alert to nature’s surroundings. By staying prepared and knowing what to do in the event of a natural disaster, will prevent pe rsonal injuries to employees and customers as well as minimizing damages to our product. Distribution Channel Management The marketing team will perform extensive research before the introduction of the Apple Store begins business operations in the Philippines. Determining a reliable distribution channel in a global business operation is an important formula for success. The main distribution channel will start in the United States and products will be distributed to the Philippines based on inventory needs transmitted through an electronic data base. The distribution of the Apple Store products from shipping destination within the Philippines to the Apple store location is an addition characteristic that needs to be considered because of the threat of theft that exists within the target country. Once the store headquarters has been established then logistics such as shipping, receiving, and storage in smaller warehouses will be considered based on distribution risk factors have been evaluated. One prime objective of the Apple Store in the Philippines is to meet or exceed our customers’ needs. Physical and environmental challenges to entering and operating in a target market There are several physical and environmental challenges when operating a business in the Philippines, some of the physical challenges include political unrest, corruption, terrorism, and extortion these are just a few that needs to be address. The environmental challenges include pollution (water and air), natural disasters (volcano eruptions and flooding), unemployment according to Index munbdi: Philippines unemployment rate that shows for 2010 to be an estimated 7.5% (No author mentioned, 2010). Staying informed is key to handling these types of risks, some things can be handled by local authorities and others will have to be dealt with the best way possible depending on the situation. Social and cultural risks In the social and cultural circle, the risk of misunderstanding in many categories is very easily done such as those listed in the article Centre for intercultural learning: Cultural Information – Philippines that are: â€Å"Conversation, Communications Styles, Display of Emotions, Dress, Punctuality, Formality, and Decision Making† (No author mentioned, 2009). Not knowing how to address each of these items can lead to offending the Filipino people, which will cause problems in doing business in the community. Common sense and proper communications will just about handle each of these risk, also by participating in community events and helping the community during a time of crisis will promote unity between the company and the local people. Cyber or Technology Stealing technology and cyber attacks are a big risks, the government of the Philippines still needs to catch up the laws concerning today’s technology. In the article, Experts Call for Stringent Laws against Cyber Crime in Philippines states that; â€Å"The security researchers states that these kinds of e-mail attacks occur more commonly across the Philippines since there aren’t any cyber crime laws in the country to catch and prosecute Internet criminals, particularly e-mail fraudsters† (No author mentioned, 2010). Common sense applies to these risks as well, making sure that our computer systems maintain the most recent updates on security programs and training the employees to never give out passwords and shut down the computer every night before going home are just some suggestions that will prevent problems down the road. Define and clarify mission and objectives The Mission Statement of Apple Incorporated will remain the same as researches through multiple sources according to Investor Relation of Apple (located on the FAQ page) it states that; Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market this year with its revolutionary iPhone (Apple-History, 2010 6). Philippines Internet use has grown remarkably throughout the years. Internet World Stats estimated as of March 2009, there are 20.6 million Internet users coming to about 21.5% of the entire population in the Philippines. Apple Inc. has selected the Philippines to begin expansion providing stores and Internet downloading over the web for users to download digital audio, video, and podcast files. The primary business objective is to establish a 15% profit margin in the first year of operation within the Philippines. In each subsequent year after the first a 5% increase to the profit margin has been established as a goal until the profit margin reaches a 30%. Additional objectives include obtaining a 10% market share of the products offered by Apple Incorporated and a 4% increase per year over the next 3 years. Customer satisfaction has also been established at a target percentage of 97%. SWOTT Analysis SWOTT analysis is a useful tool to determine the strengths, weaknesses. Opportunities and threats that exist within a global business entity or region are being evaluated for risk factors. The team has developed a SWOTT analysis for the target region to identify these factors prior to engaging in any business operation within the Philippines. This will assist the team in identifying key characteristics in the structure and development of Apple Incorporated within the Philippines. Current Competitors Competitive Landscape The competitive landscape for Apple Store are the following companies that have a strong hold on a large portion of the population that Apple Store will have to compete with in the global market place. These companies manufacture similar technology devices that Apple Store is competing for to increase global market share. Their products are known throughout the global technology market where competition is extremely competitive. Competitors’ of the Apple Store include Dell Incorporated, Hewlett Packard, and Gateway. The engineering development of new improved technology will assist the Apple Store in gaining competitive advantage over the competitors. Customer satisfaction is a primary objective at the Apple Store. A recent survey conducted in 2008 by the University of Michigan named the American Customer Satisfaction Index ACSI indicated that Apple had a ten point advantage over its closest competitor (Computerworld, 2010). The Apple Store that is being considered in the Philippines will have the same target goal in reference to customer satisfaction in the target region. Strategy Selection The strategy selection of Apple Incorporated is to establish a base store that strategically reports back sales results and inventory needs to a home base location within the United States electronically. The strategy of the company will be to promote the iPod through lower price cost structures than existing competitors. The company will also launch a marketing campaign to promote this strategy through established marketing structures that exist within the Philippenes. This will assist Apple Incorporated in notifying consumers of company existence in the region while promoting our lower priced product. The mode of entry to develop Apple Incorporated to enter the Phillipenes will be the direct investment mode. Apple Incorporated will be establishing a location within the country and then based on all business results will determine if additional locations within the country are needed to meet customer demand. Advantages of this mode of entry include high sales potential, low political risk, and the company could be viwed as an insider (Quick MBA, 2010). Because of some of the high risk elements that exist within the Philippenes Apple Incorporated will need to be cautious by limiting the amount capital that the company will spend in the direct investment mode. Control and Evaluation Specific measures will be monitored on a weekly basis to track the progress and continous improvement opportunities that exist to set up operations within the Phillipenes. The key characteristics that impact overall business results will be evaltated to establish a proactive approach to issues that will have an impact these results. The key characteristics will include sales, inventory, taxes, and process limitations. This will assist Apple Incorporated in providing a quick responsive action to any underlying problems that need to be resolved. Sales goals and profit margins will also be evaluated to determine the overall success within the Phillipenes. Contigency Plan Apple Incorporated will need a contigency plan to account for risk factors that have some probability of resulting in business profitability not reaching overall expectations. The contigency plan that Apple Incorporated has in place consists of closing the existing store if business objectives are not achieved with leaving options open for changing the mode of entry into the Phillipenes to exporting the product through established distribution channels. This contigency plan still allows the company to establish sales within the Phillipenes while reducing investment risk. Financial Overview Apple has the possibility for a strong financial investment in the expansion into the Philippines. The risks associated with the investment into the Philippines do not outweigh the benefits that can realistically be achieved. After thoroughly researching the Pilipino market, the Ayala Group, one of the largest firms in the Philippines is supposedly involved in a project to put up an official Apple store in the Philippines (Technograph, 2009). This is beneficial because less money will have to be invested in research and development, as well as marketing and advertising since the organization is already known throughout the Philippines. The economy in the Philippines has not shown extreme changes or any sudden implications that the economy is getting stronger. The Philippine GDP for the year 2009 has barely risen 1% but has, â€Å"weathered the 2008-09 global recessions better than its regional peers due to minimal exposure to securities issued by troubled global financial institutions† (index mundi, 2008). Operating Expenses As projected for expenses for one apple store, the budget chart shows total operating expenses at $5, 482 and operating income at $11,740 and other income and expenses at $326. There are many providers that impact operating expenses such as utilities, taxes, and advertisement. Apple has projected a total operating expense at $5,482 for one apple store. When assembling a budget chart, it is essential to take into account all factors to properly manage a business. It is important to trust that focused investments in Research and Development (R&D) are significant to a company’s future competitive and expansion position in a foreign market and are directed towards the development of new and improved products that are central to the company’s core business strategy. As such, Apple expects to make further investments in R&D to expand and remain competitive in the Filipino market. Other factors of influence that can help expand Apple into the foreign market, is the company’s persistent expansion of its retail division in both international and domestic markets, top stock-based return expenses and higher spending on marketing and advertising (Apple Investor 2010). The chart below shows the estimated monthly general budget of the operation of one store in the Philippines, providing that the decision is made to proceed with the plans to set up and begin operations. This is a rough estimate, because of the many factors that may and will fluctuate either in a positive or negative way can cause a change on the expense side, however the further we proceed the more accurate our budget will become. Financial Overview General Budget Foreign Exchange Risk Studies have found that many Asian-Pacific businesses are exposed to one or more of the world’s major currencies: the Euro, the US dollar, the British pound, and the Japanese Yen. Some of the greatest dangers were produce by fluctuations in the US dollar. This impacted 58 percent in the Philippines, â€Å"currency fluctuations affected the profitability of companies whose financial assets and liabilities (most notably debt) were held in foreign currencies† (Vanderbilt, 2007). When choosing to invest in the Philippines, the foreign exchange risks associated with business ventures are significant because of an Asian financial crisis during (1996-1998), â€Å"more than half of the studied companies in Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines, and about a third of those in Japan and Singapore, were exposed to the dollar, and about a quarter of the firms in Singapore were exposed to the yen† (Vanderbilt, 2007). Risk Management Transaction risk refers to the fact that the cash flow value of foreign currency contracts may change due to exchange rate fluctuations. Additionally, since the organization will be buying and selling goods in foreign currency to a certain extent, the foreign exchange risk increases. The potential negative aspects associated with doing business in the Philippines are significant since the business will be using Filipino Pesos, which has an inflation rate of 4.4 percent. As a result, there is a risk that the exchange rate as with any currency may change unfavorably before the currency is actually exchanged. However, these risks can be counteracted by utilizing forward hedging, which is a way to lock in an exchange rate on an agreed future date. This will allow the organization to be completely aware of future cash inflows and outflows, as well as the value of the organization’s profits in US currency since the exchange rate will not change due to the purchase of forward hedging. Financing Given the current international economic instability, the choice of choosing from domestic or international financing is tough because there are significant risks associated with each. The European Investment Bank (EIB) has offered financing opportunities to the Philippines; currently the EIB has one billion euro allocations in 18 Asian countries including the Philippines. If the company chooses to move forward with the international venture, the company would choose to finance through the EIB. The EIB, â€Å"has provided over 600 million euros in funding for multiple projects in the country coursed through the government and private sector† (European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, 2009). Centralized versus Decentral ized The parent company and its iPod department within the parent company, both works as a centralized organization because having an effective control is essential to the everyday operations for both the domestic and global sectors. It would be essential for the parent company to make the final decisions regarding all aspects of the company’s operation, because every unit and sub-unit such as manufacturing plant located in Mexico and the shipping department located in the U.S. of the company has to report all information of their daily operations to the parent company allowing the parent company to know what the left and right hand is doing basically at the same time and can make an informative decision for whatever situation may arise. Both the domestic and global units and sub-units operate as a decentralize company, because certain situations such as environmental changes, customer needs, or political unrest will cause problems and disrupt a part of the company operations or even all parts of the company operations these problems to be addressed immediately and cannot wait for the parent company on the other side of the world to make an informed decision, even if the problem had happened before at a different location because what may work domestically may not work globally and vice versa. When making an informed decision whether at the unit, sub-unit, or the parent company level there is a need for a communication chain of command, starting with the employee who is out in the field working upwards to the parent company which may be the CEO (chief executive officer) who usually has the authority to make final decisions that will affect the company or the owner if there is no CEO available. The line of communications should always remain open, in the event of a minor glitch or a major emergency. Regardless of the value of the information, if the line is broken then a decision cannot be made in a timely manner or may not be made at all causing a problem to grow bigger or missing a profitable opportunity. The communication chart below shows the chain of command from the field representative to the parent company, not all information will reach the top because some decisions can be made at lower levels, for example; the parent company should not be bothered with whether a field representative needs office supplies. Exit Strategies The future is unknown, even if there is a planned exit strategy years from now does not guarantee it will happen as planned. Depending on the situation that is either planned, forced or requires our business in the Philippines to implement its exit strategy would determine the best strategy to use. In the event of a political uprising or civil unrest that results in raising the level of possible war, then the shutting down procedure would be best since it involve very little (if any) paper work and is the fastest way for U.S. employees and their families to get out of the country. If there is no time at all complete abandonment might be forced, either course of action will involve a monetary loss. If time allows and there is no rush in exiting the Philippines, handing the business over to our joint venture partner would be the best, this exit does involve legal paper work and would minimize loss (if any), it would also leave the path open for possible future ventures back into the co untry based on a friendly and healthy transfer of the business. Recommendation The Philippine iPod risk analysis team recommends proceeding with entering the Philippines market. After the exhausting task of finding the risks of entering the country, we had found that the benefits (profits) do exceed the risks (costs) even during the economic troubles that the U.S. is currently experiencing. Although we are not the first iPod and iPhone Company to enter the Philippines market, we still can become a major player and take a large percentage of the market. With the Apple Company creating a direct store that basically eliminates the middle man and develops a presence in the area that shows the potential customer that they will get the original iPhone without the worry of receiving a fake and less dependable copycat, which is a major problem in this region. Having direct shipping, of iPhones and iPods from the parent company will help with the recovery costs and to make a profit quicker. The company will gain additional profits once the store becomes fully operational and service contracts are purchased by new customers. Finally with the current economic stability of the Philippines, this is a good time for Apple to enter into this market because like our domestic customers love to have the latest technology, the Filipinos consumers also love to have the latest technology too. Because no other local company can offer the security or the guarantee of authenticity of the iPhone products, this gives our company a very unique position in the Philippine market. The company will be experiencing and dealing with many issues brought up by our customer base, because of the one on one contact with the customers this will help our operation on a global level allowing our technical department to learn from these new problems and coming up with new solutions this will make our product better and easier to sale globally. Conclusion In analyzing the risks invoved with Apple Incorporated conducting business within the Philippines the company will be in a better position to achieve the financial success. The process of risk assessment provides a clearer picture of the obstacles that need to be overcome within the Philipines. Strategic marketing plans can assist the company in establishing positive sales results in the target country. Electronic communication to proactively respond to business needs and issues will lead to satisfied customers. The initial mode of entry and an alternate mode of entry detailed in the contingency plan also indicate the company’s preparation. Establishing key business characteristcs to monitor on a regular basis will identify continous improvement opportunities for the company in conjuction with items identified in the SWOTT analysis. The combination of these critical factors will guide Apple Incorporated to make a more informative decision based on all the factual information c ollected. References Andaya, Barbara, 2009. Introduction to Southeast Asia. Retrieved April 4, 2010 from http://www.asiasociety.org/countries-history/traditions/introduction-southeast-asia A.M. Best Company. Ratings and Analysis Center: Country Risk, Retrieved April 4, 2010 from http://www3.ambest.com/ratings/cr/crisk.aspx ASEAN, 2009. ASEAN Member States. Retrieved April 4, 2010 from http://www.aseansec.org/18619.htm Manalastas, J. M. and Guinto, B. L. 2000, Philippines: Types of Business Organizations that Foreign Investors may Establish in the Philippines. Retrieved April 3, 2010, from website: http://www.mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=9340&login=true&nogo=1 No Author Mentioned, 2009, TDS: Philippines Asia, Economy. Retrieved April 3, 2010, from website: http://www.traveldocs.com/ph/economy.htm No Author Mentioned, 2010, The Philippines. Retrieved April 3, 2010, from website: http://www.everyculture.com/No-Sa/The-Philippines.html Internet World Stats. (2010). Asia Marketing Research, Internet Usage, Population Statistics and Information. Retrieved from http://www.internetworldstats.com/asia.htm#ph Thomas Reuters. (2010). Apple Inc. (AAPL.O). Retrieved from http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/companyProfile?rpc=66&symbol=AAPL.O Internet World Stats. (2009). Internet Usage Stats and Marketing Report. Retrieved from http://www.internetworldstats.com/asia/ph.htm Kian, C.C. (2004). Internet market in the Philippines shows full potential for growth. IDC. Retrieved from http://www.idc.com.my/philippines/press/IDC%20Philippines%20-%20Internet.asp A.M. Best Company, Inc. (2009). AMB Country Risk Report. Retrieved from http://www3.ambest.com/ratings/cr/reports/Philippines.pdf Baleva, M. (2007). Philippines Issues Foreign Investment List for 2007-2009. ALBLegalNews. Retrieved from http://au.legalbusinessonline.com/law-firms/philippines-issues-foreign-investment-list-for-2007-2009/1076/23599 Busch, J. (2006), Apple’s Risky iPod Supply Chain. Retrieved April 10, 2010, from http://www.spendmatters.com/index.cfm/2006/11/3/Apples-Risky-iPod-Supply-Chain Hicks, R. (2009). Philippines launches study on internet use. futureGOV. Retrieved from http://www.futuregov.net/articles/2009/jul/27/philippines-launches-study-internet-use/ HM Revenue & Customs. (n.d.). DT15354 – DT: Philippines: double taxation agreement, Article 5: Permanent Establishment. Retrieved from http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/dtmanual/DT15354.htm Rubrico, J.G.U. (2010), Philippines’ power at crisis point. Retrieved April 10, 2010, from http://atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/LD10Ae01.html Toby C. Monsod, (2009). The Philippine Bureaucracy: Incentive structures and implications for performance (4th ed.). Quezon City, Diliman: Human Development Network. Victoria, E. (2009), Manila’s living costs, wages among the lowest. Retrieved April 8, 2010, from http://www.asianjournal.com/dateline-philippines/headlines/2767-manilas-living- costs- wages-among-the-lowest-.html No author mentioned (2009), Centre for intercultural learning: Cultural Information – Philippine. Retrieved April 11, 2010, from http://www.intercultures.ca/cil-cai/ci-ic-eng.asp?iso=ph No author mentioned (2010), Experts Call for Stringent Laws against Cyber Crime in Philippines. Retrieved April 11, 2010, from http://www.spamfighter.com/News-13688- Experts-Call-for-Stringent-Laws-Against-Cyber-Crime-in-Philippines.htm No author mentioned (2010), Index Munbdi: Philippines unemployment rate. Retrieved April 10, 2010, from http://www.indexmundi.com/philippines/unemployment_rate.html No author mentioned, Foreign Market Entry Modes, Retrieved April 12, 2010 from http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/global/marketentry/ No author mentioned (2010) What is Apple’s Mission Statement. Retrieved April 12, 2010 from http://www.apple-history.com/?page=faq#1500 Index mundi. (2008). Philippines Economy Profile 2010. Retrieved from http://www.indexmundi.com/philippines/economy_profile.html Technograph. (2009). Official Apple Store to Supposedly Open in the Philippines. Retrieved from http://technogra.ph/2009/05/05/official-apple-store-to-supposedly-open-in-the-philippines/ Apple Investor Relations Annual Reports. (2010). Investor Relations. Retrieved from http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=107357&p=irol-reports Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. (2005). Philippines-Central Bank of Philippines. Retrieved from http://www.bsp.gov.ph/ Vanderbilt. (2007). Foreign Exchange Risk of Firms in Asia-Pacific. Retrieved from http://mba.vanderbilt.edu/vanderbilt/About/faculty-research/featured-research

Critically evaluate the extent to which workplace bullying is Essay

Critically evaluate the extent to which workplace bullying is facilitated by Organizational rather than individual factors - Essay Example In the article entitled Organizational, Work Group Related and Personal Causes of Mobbing/Bullying at Work, Zapf, D (1999) stated BULLYING is defined as the severe form of social work stress maker. Bullying last very long and often times escalates conflict with frequent harrassing actions that are aimed at one specific person. According to Zapf (1999) further clarifies that the causes of the Bullying is the work place itself, the social system, the bully perpetrator and the victim itself. The unwiling victim employee needs work to feed his or her family. The perpetrator supervisor is given the power to hire or fire the victim subordinate. As a consequence the supervisor is tempted to ask favors which are sometimes immoral or illegal. The supervisor could have been given the same cold bully and victim treatment when the supervisor was just a new subordinate in the company. The supervisor may just want to play the same game but this time he is the supervisor and his subordinate is the new victim. The social system is also cause because the victim employee is forced to endure and accept his or her predicament because it is very difficult to find a job. The victim prefers to swallow his or her pride in return for money to feed his or her hungry family. A survey of two samples of bully victims and bullies have supported this thesis. It is further discussed that bullying cannot be explained well without discussing the other parts of the bullying system (work place itself, the social system, the bully perpetrator and the victim itself)There are a few supervisors who unfairly use their position to exert power to abuse or bully some of his or her subordinates. The supervisor will abusively ask favors which are against the labor law and other discrimination laws in exchange for job retention. The refusal of the employee to obey such illegal overtures may cause the removal of his or her job.Bullying in the workplace can be done many ways. One-way is for the bully to threaten the victim that he may be lost his job or be demoted if the bully supervisor or co-worker's overtures are not followed. Another bullying move is threaten the person's personal work standing such as threatening the victim's work due to the victim's age or sex. Another bully move is to isolate the individual or victim form g etting information, opportunities, outings, and others. Bully could also give impossible project deadlines, make the victim produce more work within the same time schedule and other undue pressure because the victim would not accept the love proposals of the workplace supervisor. The superior feels that the victim is helpless because of the difficulty of finding another job.Still another bully move by the supervisor is to undermine the individual or give a below standard work performance grade for a job excellently done or to give difficult project benchmarks so the victim will fail. The victim can either bow down to the overtures of the supervisor for special favors like having dinner in an expensive restaurant and the like. EFFECTS OF BULLYING IN THE WORKPLACE Bullying will have a long-term psychological effect

Construction of Gender and Sexual Studies Essay

Construction of Gender and Sexual Studies - Essay Example The very idea of gender studies would be to contribute to reducing the significance or even, in some social situations and contexts, abolishing the identities of man and women. The new social perspective on sexuality was advanced by social activists. One possibility in gender studies would be to minimize or at least reduce the use of the labels of man and woman, except when used by the ‘natives’. There is a risk of gender studies producing gender stereotypes rather than revealing them through an excessive and insensitive theory – governed interpretation of the gendered meaning of everything in management, organization, work and society at large. Against the naturalistic view of gender and sexuality, feminist argued that society, not nature, creates gender and sexual differences. In particular, , feminist argued that women’s sexuality is socially shaped in ways that sustain men’s political and social dominance. In short, women’s sexuality, like men, is not is fixed by nature but shaped by social forces and circumstances, by factors such as economic independence, social values, peers or family culture. Social construction on sexuality The social construction approach, quite simply, is about understanding the historical context which shapes the sexuality. The starting point is the assumption that sexuality, far from being a force of natural external to society, is in fact always inevitably central to the social and cultural, and malleable to them. Sexuality is a highly social phenomenon and as society changes so must sexuality. Sexuality builds on biological potentials, and is subject to psychosocial organizations, so both biology and psychology can no doubt help understand individual sexual development. But we must also recognize that sexuality, like everything else, attains meaning only in culture. Social constructionist at its simplest is an attempt to understand the process through which social and individual meaning an d practices of the erotic are shaped and reshaped in an ever changing history. What complicates the issue is that â€Å"sexuality† as a concept operates on two levels. It refers to the bundle of social phenomena that shapes erotic life ;laws, religion, norms and values, beliefs and ideologies, the social organizations of reproduction, family life, identities, domestic arrangements, diseases, violence and love – everything we evoke when we speak of sexuality of a culture. And it also refers to the level of individual- to the pleasures and pains that can shape our lives for good or ill. We just cannot understand sexuality if we reduce everything to the imperatives of nature brain or gene. As per Villanaueva(1997) â€Å"Sexuality is socially constructed, shaped by social, political and economic influences, and modified throughout life†. Feminism: the gender of sexuality Feminism offers a forceful social view of sexuality. Our gender identity is not a superficial pa rt of our lives, but shapes the personal and social aspects of our lives in important ways. Feminist believe that our sexual desires, feelings and preferences are imprinted by the gender. Feminists say that individuals acquire a sexual nature as they develop a gender identity. They believe sexuality as a product so men’s power: sex is a means by which men control women. Feminist criticize the notion that women’s sexual liberation is about claiming the right to pleasure or freedom to do as one pleases, an approach that expresses men’

Views of Cultural Ecologists on Religion and Magic Research Paper

Views of Cultural Ecologists on Religion and Magic - Research Paper Example The history of religions tends to adopt an evolutionary view where it appears that the horizon of religion developed from the earth to heavens. The evolutionary approach mainly supported by cultural ecologists tends to support the connection between religion and ecology. Cultural ecologists focus on discovering the similarities and differences of different cultures with the interest of understanding why people live the way they do and why certain things are unique to some cultures. Ecologists present different views on religion with a particular consistent disagreement with the thinking of outsiders that the more isolated tribe style cultures believe in magic. This paper shows how cultural ecologists view religion and magic, how they relate, as well as why some cultures might believe in one, or both. According to Debnath (2003), the oldest layer of religion, under headings, such as natural religion, hunting magic and agrarian religion, is intimately linked to the relationship between humans and nature. One of the renowned cultural ecologists, Marvin Harris takes pleasure in finding concrete ecological pragmatism everywhere in the history of religion, from Aztec human sacrifice to the Hindu veneration of the cows. The ritual engagement with nature, whether in hunting magic or agricultural fertility rites, often contains an element of magic and thus the attempt to gain power nature. Cultural ecologists view magic as an attempt to gain power over nature, a concept that greatly differs from the religious views where nature appears to influence the way things are and they are not. From an ecological perspective, magic remains an old dream of humankind which has been partially fulfilled in the modern error (Olson, 2010). Religion and magic are viewed as cognitively instrumental, where they provide an explanation of the world in terms of superhuman agency to believers and by extension a religious or magical technique by which they can exert significant control over th eir surroundings. A distinctive difference between religion and magic revolves around the concept of reason and faith in which the reason belongs to the latter while faith and rituals belong to religion (Debnath, 2003). Reasons Why Some Cultures Accept either Religion or Magic or Both Cultural ecologists assert that good or evil fortune follows from one’s choices of habitation. For example, Feng-shui is recognized to have a strong magical or religious component, in which it was believed that cutting down the Feng-shui grove often translates into a disaster to town, and the more old the trees were found the more good luck it conferred to the town residents (Sutton & Anderson, 2009). The magical component associated with the tree is widely accepted in south China, serving to persuade millions of peasants to sacrifice personal gains for the long-term community benefit. This example explains the connection between magic and environment and its role in the conservation of the ecos ystems. The Chinese community widely accepts the concept of magic than any other part of the world owing to its close association to their environment and the perceived benefits in believing in certain magic components in the ecosystem. In many case, religion is widely accepted due to its detachment from the individual figure compared to magic which focuses on the capabilities of the person performing the magic. In addition, the concept of realism and the basis fiction that surround magic further

Little Red Riding Hood Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Little Red Riding Hood - Assignment Example In the modern version, the girl finds herself in the woodland after sneaking from her grandmother’s cottage to taste strange fruits and wild berries. The girl in the traditional version of the story appears to experience anxiety after meeting the wolf, but sojourns on to reveal her identity and whereabouts of her grandmother, an action that later costs her dearly while in the modern version, the girl spots the wolf, instantaneously falls in love with him and runs to catch it just to spend jiffies together. Whereas in the traditional version it is the girl who admires the beauty of the imposed grandmother, in the other version it is the wolf that admires the physique of the girl. Unlike in the traditional version, the modern tale allows the grandmother and the girl to live after meeting the wolf; the girl enjoys life with the wolf, giving birth to Leroi, the first Loup. Noteworthy, a clear analysis and interpretation of the two stories indicate that the stories are the same. The main character remains the same. The aforementioned differences arise due to changes in time, culture and geographical location of the writers. The events have been slightly altered to suit or portray the differences in cultures, landscape, and time and the need to make it easy and relaxing for the audience to relate it to their real experiences. The second version seems to have been developed from the first version. Apparently, I used context, flow of events, and themes to establish the level of difference and sameness in the two versions of the story. The context of the story remains same; an untarnished consideration of the stories designate that the forest and village are an imperative setting. I further considered how the story unveils, for instance, how the girl meets the wolf and how the end is designed. Additionally, I considered the themes of disclosure of identity and the girl’s growth to adulthood. Therefore, using

To what extent can personality traits predict a persons leadership Essay

To what extent can personality traits predict a persons leadership abilities - Essay Example To begin with, it is important to explain why Hitler was a bad leader. He certainly was responsible for the deaths of millions of people. That in itself is bad. But we know above all that Hitler was a bad leader because he left his country in ruins. He, more than anyone else—including the allies—was the reason that Germany was a divided, destroyed country in 1945. His erratic, haughty, and morbid personality could have predicted that terrible result (Robertson 1963). To begin with, history is important to putting Hitler's personality into perspective. World War One was a disaster for Germany. Many say that the war began as a result of German aggression ended with a German defeat. The winners of the war, Britain and France, were not in a mood to forgive after the terrible destruction of previous four years. They wanted maximum reparations from the German people for their losses during the war. That is why they chose to impose the Treaty of Versailles. The treaty was dest ructive for the German economy. Into this mess came Hitler, promising a revival. He promised a new Germany that would last a thousands years and would be a guiding light to the world. What type of man was he? Hitler was a failed painter. He came from a background that was not very good. He behaved erratically and had trouble making good relationships with people. He had grandiose ideas about himself, but throughout his life until that point had been a failure in everything he did. These were not the personality traits one looks for in a leader. Usually, people seek leaders from good background, who have confidence and credentials. Hitler managed to appeal to people because he blamed other people for Germany's suffering. He told Germans that they were not responsible for the tragedy that had befallen them. He told them to look elsewhere. He said he would lead them out of the wilderness (Robertson 1963). This was all very appealing. He was able to take over by force based on this argu ments. Rather than revolt against him, Germans accepted him as their leader. But what his personality and his qualities gave to the German people was more death and more destruction. Because of his erratic personality and poor qualities, he made multiple mistakes in starting and prosecution the Second World War. His actions led to a new and this time total defeat for the German nation. He was the worst kind of leader and many of his personality qualities would have predicted this. Among the most serious mistakes Hitler made based on his personality was attacking the Soviet Union in 1941. The truth is that one of his main personality qualities was paranoia: this is not a good quality to have in a leader. He suspected everyone around him at all times, including the leaders of other countries with which he made deals, such as Stalin. Since the remilitarization of the Rhineland in 1936, Hitler had been on a roll, winning success after success. He had successfully taken over Czechoslovak ia and Austria, and he had done what seemed impossible: the invasion of Poland and France. His western front could be threatened only by Britain, which was in no position to do so. His major concern was with the Eastern front. That was not a problem because he had made peace with Stalin in what was called the Ribbentrop-Molotov compact. This had divided Poland. The truth was that Stalin didn't care what Hitler did to Europe. Stalin didn't care if Hitler took the whole continent so long as there was peace between the two

U.S. Embargo on Cuba Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

U.S. Embargo on Cuba - Term Paper Example In 1906, US again occupied Cuba, and literally governed it by promoting US business interests in this nation. This intervention made historians (Schwab, 1999, preface, p.7) observe that â€Å"in the late 1930s and 1940s, the mafia turned Cuba into an American gambling casino.† When Fulgensio Batista grabbed power in Cuba in 1952, through a military coup, â€Å"US government and corporate investors† enjoyed control over the whole of Cuba’s economy (Schwab, 1999, preface, p.7). In history, evidences abound regarding the US involvement in sustaining and controlling Colonel Batista. Schwab (1999, p.2) pointed to this fact when he said, â€Å"President Franklin. Soon after January 1, 1959, the date on which Cuban revolutionaries seized power from Batista, America announced an embargo against Cuba. That was in October 1960 by which, exports from US to Cuba were prohibited. The US-supported invasion of Bay of Pigs by Cuban exiles in 1961 followed but that attempt was defeated by Cuban army. The succeeding governments of US have stood by the embargo and ultimately, the Clinton administration turned this embargo into codified law through the 1996 Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act (Haney and Vanderbush, 2005, p.1). â€Å"Restrictions on travel to and from the island and on the sale of goods and services there, bans on investment in business ventures, constraints on immigration, limits on journalists and scholars going to Cuba† etc. are the major prohibitions enacted (Schwab, 1999, preface, p.11).

The Treaty of Westphalia present new diplomacy in Europe Essay

The Treaty of Westphalia present new diplomacy in Europe - Essay Example However, this assertion has been frequently been under attack from revisionists and politicians. The former questions the importance of the Peace while the latter criticizing the system adopted by Westphalia sovereign states. Every nation, however small, had equal representation in the General Assembly of the United Nation with each having one vote. Membership of the United Nation grew from 50 since its inception to 192 at the start of twentieth century. Some of the members were former colonies of the founders of the United Nation thus serving their interest instead of the aspirations of their people (Darby, 2001). Discussion Desire for self-determination by most of the states took center stage in the post colonization such that other important issues such as confederacy were shelved. Westphalia marked the end of monarchs’ view that states were their property and also ensured that the sovereignty of other states was observed. Imperialism did not end even after the treaty since most of the European countries administered one rule to their people but to the countries outside Europe they administered different forms of administration. Countries that believe in equal sharing of natural resources view Westphalia state as an hindrance; there is no country which is determined to act unless on their personal interest and most of them are not ready to give power to any outsider for they believe that this could threaten their sovereignty (Nye, 2000). Due to the large number of participants with various conflicting interests, it is difficult to determine a specific pattern of negotiation; however the fundamental aims of the participants can be narrowed. The major aim of the emperor was complete and final conclusion of peace process for he desperately needed religious and territorial settlements. Mazarin’s desire for ultimate peace ended when Spain terminated their negotiation in1646. Spain wanted to reach to an agreement with the Dutch and continue the war ( Darby, 2001). According to the Germans, the French preferred destruction of the Emperor’s influence through installation of imperial institutions. This had many setbacks because most of these Emperors preferred Holy Roman Empire and an appetite for emperor who did not pay allegiance to the French and Sweden. Count Maximilian Von Trauttsmannsdorf did not have any problem in restating these demands to the French. France wanted parts of the Alsace, and Lorraine, but they were modest since France was determined to acquire Spanish territory (Waltz, 1979). Mazarin broke a deal in 1646 with the emperor to have Habsburg domains in Alsace for 1.2 million thalers. Due to Queen Christina’s desire for immediate settlement, the Swedes were ready for a compromise with her. However the French were concerned about Sweden becoming powerful. Mazarin constructed Brandenburg to back up Swedish power on the February of 1647 and the envoy to Sweden was urged to partition Pomerania. Due to t ension between the allies Trauttmannsdorf seized the opportunity to exploit them in many ways. In Habsburg, especially in Bohemian, Sweden expected religious compromise. When the emperor learned that the French had no sympathy for the Swedish Protestants he resisted any attempt to enforce these demands. In light of religion, issues pertaining to territory and allegiance were adequately dealt with in Peace of Prague and at the Diet of Regensburg; however status of Calvinism and secularized areas remained

Nature Strongly Influences Early Human Development. Discuss Essay Example for Free

Nature Strongly Influences Early Human Development. Discuss Essay Both nature and nurture play an important role in early human development. However, people have always wondered that our gene which we inherited from our parents or environmental factors influenced the most. This has been a mysterious around the globe for centuries. This essay will analyze that nurture is the most important. Nature which is the heredity from our parents plays a huge role in the development. Our personal characteristics were determined by the genetic structure of the fertilized ovum. The decision of our sex, hair color, eyes color comes from the gene which we inherited from our parents. Another example for the affections of gene on the development of human is that, a twin who was separated for almost 35years with different life history still share the same interest and personality when they meet each other. Moreover, because of the genetically programmed maturation , children’s behavior after birth flows the same as the time schedule of their innate ability such as rolling over, sitting without support, standing while holding on to furniture, etc. Although we see that nature influenced human the most, what really influences the development is nurture. For instance, even if all children go through the same sequences of motor behaviors, different children will go through the same stage at different rates. What’s more, the extension of motor behaviors can be hastened by extra stimulation or practice that infants received. As we can see, a child who was given an extra practice of walking everyday began to walk earlier than children who didn’t practice. Also, the development of speech is accelerated if an infant is encouraged and stimulated to speak. According to the belief of John Locke, babies have blank minds after their births. Their minds only improved from what they’ve learned and experienced through their senses. They do not inherit from their parents. Similarly, according to John B. Waston and B. F. Skinner, the nature of human can be adaptable. It doesn’t really depend on the heredity of the child but it does depend on the training that the child has received. He also stated that he can turn any infants to any kind of specialists such as lawyer, doctor, artist, or even thief and beggar regarding to his training but not their race of ancestors, tendencies, talents or abilities. In conclusion, either nature or nurture influenced new born infants in their own ways. It seems they can back up with strong supports. However, nurture influences more than nature because it has a strong power to alter our natural form and can possibly turn us into somewhat different. In my opinion, I also believe that nurture has a strong impact on children’s development because from my personal experience, I have to study in order to get the knowledge and skills and my lifestyle just adapt to the environment around me.

Strategic Planning For An Information Systems Business Essay

Strategic Planning For An Information Systems Business Essay Over the past decade, the growth of information system has been tremendous. However, business organisations need to be cautious in adopting any form of technology so as to reap the benefits. They have to carefully study and decide which one is appropriate for an organisation to use. Thereby, enable any organisation to achieve its goal. Currently information systems are essential in any organisation unlike decades before. There are different types of information systems. Any company should have a clear understanding on the appropriate ones for the specific usage. Thereby, essential to have information technology experts or managers who will advice the company on what systems to use to be able to minimise costs and add value to a business organisation. More so, managers and staff would know how to accept the changes brought about by the information systems positively to enable them to work properly towards achieving the pre determined goals. The article gives an explanation as to what information system entails as pertaining to a business organisation or company and how it should be used hand in hand with the strategic planning to ensure the smooth running of any organisation and its success. It further entails and gives example of two companies and how they operate with regards to information systems and the strategic plans of a business. It is only limited to the technological aspect and the foreseen targets for the operation efficiency of an organisation, it does not incorporate other factors that enhance efficient management. Only two companies found in the UK were used to show case the study at hand. The article entails an evaluatory research of information systems and the strategic planning of two companies; Company A and Company B.Thereby, giving a basis of how the companies should use the two concurrently. It is also descriptive in the sense that it gives a clear picture on the application of eight tenets. The research in the article is interpretative in the sense that it the reader enlightens the reader on what is needed or expected to ensure efficiency on the management of information systems alongside with the strategic plans of the organisation. IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY Strategic planning is a tool used in any business organisation to show where the organisation wants to be or achieve in future. Most strategies are either short term or long term depending on the organisation itself. However, the business world is not as it used to be due to the technological changes and advancements. In some business organisations, departments have been done away with while others have newly emerged due to computerisation. Customers are able to deal with suppliers or producers directly thus eliminating the use intermediaries as was before. Furthermore; the internet has greatly changed the business scene. It is apparent that any organisation has to do modifications so as to keep up with the ever-changing and rising demand for technology. An organisation has to be abreast with its information system so that it can know its existing competitors in the current business situation. Basically, have an overview of the current situational needs and changes of an organisation resulting into identifying the strengths and weaknesses both internally and externally and if need be correct to ensure maximum success. The article clearly emphasizes on the need of both information system and strategic planning for the operational efficiency. It clearly shows the difficulties of managing the former since planning is systematic whilst technology is not. Some companies incorporate the two differently and are still successful while others do not. All this depends on the type, size and location of the business organisation. Much as both information system and strategic planning are instilled, an organisation needs to exploit the opportunities and threats to ensure its survival and success. This study is meant to provide a framework for the use of information systems in an organisation such that it will enhance effectiveness and efficiency. In view of this, good operational efficiency does not only entail strategic planning but also involves other factors like effective management as well, so as to enhance the success of any organisation. Other factors that need to be considered to ensure the smooth running of any organisation include good employer/employee relationship, good communication among staff and so on. DEGREE OF CONTRIBUTION AND ORIGINALITY In the 80s and 90s, as a result of infrastructure development of organizational capabilities there has become a necessity to expand the concept of information systems which have strategic importance in any business organisation. Later, with the expansion of efficacy of any type of computer system led to the strategic planning of information systems to become an important issue. The priorities in a plan of the development of systems need to be identified into specific projects planned for the future. For any company, it is very important to have a business plan in the capacity of a flexible and constant development of organizational capabilities which leads not only to profit and expansion of the company, but also it is one of the foundations of stable competitive advantage. Various authors who have made a big contribution into the development of Strategic Information Systems Planning such as John Ward, Joe Peppard, Martin J., Earl MJ, and George Philip. Moreover, an important contribution in this area has been made by authors or researchers such as Samandra Pant and Cheng Hsu. They presented their work on an international conference, which was a prerequisite for the large development Strategic Information Systems Planning. Consequently, a set of different theoretical and practical researches are seen. If a parallel is drawn between the two researches, most of the fore mentioned authors rely on the theoretical basis. However, among the listed authors only George Philip uses an academic theory in practice. The importance of his work lies in the fact that he is trying to reduce the distance between the theoretical approach to business processes and application to the two companies. George Philip has made research based on related literature on Strategic Information Systems Planning thus on basis of eight tenets by showing an example of two companies in the different areas of development. In analyzing the article it can be said that the level of the research was evaluated to give a clear meaning on the usage of information systems and strategic planning concurrently. The generated work by the author shows that there was summarization of the related sources in the area and created a new direction for any business organisation to forge ahead in the ever-changing technological world. While it is very difficult to describe that the approach is original it still creates a good overview of the information and creates awareness that in information systems more or new research has to be done always to keep up with the changes in business scene to match up with technology. THEORETICAL ARGUMENT As seen 8 tenets were used to show the utilization of both the strategic plans and information systems for the success of any business organisation. The researcher tries to create a perfect model of business development on how any business organisation can be successful by use of the tenets. However, any business organisation can still be successful without following the models. Various methodologies have been put forward towards the rationale of strategic planning and information systems. Thereby, any business organisation can choose any methodology to develop their business based on their capabilities and targets. The use of eight tenets and methodologies used is a clear indication of a grounded theory whereby the underlying belief is that the data holds the clue to the explanation. In this case, the eight tenets and that the explanations are meaningful to those whose actions are being studied. (Denscombe, 2003, pg124). This is not appropriate because little scope is given to other factors that also affect the performance of a business organisation like the economic factors and social factors. RESEARCH METHODS ADOPTED There are two methodologies information systems that is impact and align methodologies (Lee and Gough, 1993; Booth and Philip, 2005). The importance of impact methodology is to achieve competitive advantage through the usage of information technology whilst the main purpose of the align methodologies is to a establish symbiosis relationship between information system strategy and objectives of the business itself. (Reich and Benbasat, 2000). It is apparent that the most prevailing planning methods are the one that take a top-down business-led approach (Premkumar and King 1994), and are designed to bring about contribution between the information systems strategy and the business strategy. Align methodology includes the exploitation strategy, which generally goes through two main stages: Top-down analysis for clarifying business needs and identifying Information System requirements. Bottom-up evaluation of already existing Information System for evaluation their effectiveness. Impact methodology includes the exploration strategy which aims to provide the strategic or competitive advantage for the business. The research analysis used in the article was qualitative method. The method, in contrast to the quantitative method which focuses on the statistical measurements, relied on the understanding, explanation and interpretation of empirical data and the sources of the formation of hypotheses and productive ideas. In simple terms, qualitative method does not respond to the questions of How much? What? How? and why?. Furthermore, in qualitative method, researches widely use projective and enabling techniques. By exposing some facts from the article, it is evident to know the applicability of the method of research used. Various authors used for research case study, questionnaires, scientific articles, text, observation , documents and thereafter, resulted into 8 tenets for information systems planning, this shows that the qualitative research method was mostly used appropriately in the research of information systems. (Orlikowski and Baroudi, 1991; Alavi and Carlson, 1992).In addition the above said confirmed the following expression that: using the case study, as a problem-solving technique, which is seldom undertaken in organisations since case studies dealing with problems similar to the one experienced by a particular organisation of a particular size and in a particular type of setting are difficult to find. More to that, Secaran (2000) suggested that the data collection methods like personal interviews within various groups in the organisation (primary data), examination of companys reports, data, academic and industry reports (secondary data) were used as an example of the qualitative research methods. The basis of research was proposed by the two strategies: exploitation strategy and exploration strategy. In the article we have used primary sources (researches); Text and empirical data for interpretation. (http://wire.rutgers.edu/research_assignments_pri_second.html) and secondary sources (researches)-Research based on the work of others. Literature that interpret or comment upon the primary sources (http://wire.rutgers.edu/research_assignments_pri_second.html). There are always two types of validity which are internal validity and external validity. The former of this was an output made by the author after the study, or the result obtained on the basis of the study. In this article, it is seen on the use of two types of strategies and review of 8 tenets for successful information systems planning. The latter refers to generalization. External validity was seen as a conclusion made by the author after the cross comparison of the case study of the two companies. It is not clear enough whether to talk on the internal and external actions of the case, although the primary and secondary sources of data are available. The article does include any new methods. As seen, that the author used a more qualitative methods, with all its attendant properties. Thereby making the study based on the two strategies and the reviewing of eight tenets. KEY FINDINGS AND IMPLICATIONS Currently, the world is in the technological era. People and business organisations are using information systems to make life easier. In the article, there are some strategies used to have a very strategic information systems plan and making sure that those companies reach their goal. The discussion based on the study was on the exploitation and exploration strategies. According to the Galliers, (2001) the companys information systems strategy should employ the two strategies. The exploitation strategy, is mainly focused on how to improve the operational efficiency of a company whilst in exploration strategy, it is usually used to make any business organisation have a competitive advantage. (Philip, 2007) The case study emphasized the need for operational efficiency in any business organisation. Operational efficiency is when the company uses the right combination of people and technology to enhance the productivity of the business operation while making sure that they are still in the budget. (Ensynch, 2009) Companies must ensure that they have the right technology and people to be efficient in the effective running of any business organisation. However, companies are facing difficulties in obtaining qualified employees who have technological skills and knowledge. They always need to ascertain whether the employees have the right qualifications. (Ensynch, 2009). It dwelled on the Eight Tenets in having a successful Information system planning in order to be efficient when it comes to the operations of any business organisation. They are as follows: (Philip, 2007) Developing a Business and Information System Strategy concurrently. Using Top-Down and Bottom-Up Listening and Communication Developing a High-Level plan with broad principles, not specific actions. Should have the support of the Top-Management Using Opportunistic Methods. Mandate Proactive Implementation Build in a Frequent Review Process and Contingency Planning Information Technology Leaders are technology scouts and interpreters Developing a business and information system strategy concurrently, is when we ascertain that the business plan and the information system plan go hand in hand. The process involves the entire executive team with the Chief Information Officer. Communication is one factor that makes the plan successful. Taking to the employees would help them in their planning. The company needs to know what the employees think about a certain situation and also, those employees would help them to generate some ideas to make sure that the plan made would be successful. Getting feedback regarding the performance of the systems is also important so the company would know whether the system is doing fine or not and whether it needs improvement or not. Making sure that the plan made is high-level enough; meaning the plan should allow some changes when implementing the program without rewriting the whole plan. By doing this, they could focus on making a solution when they overcome a problem rather than making the plan again. Support from the top management is crucial in having a successful plan. The senior executives must be active and makes sure that they have the correct materials to make the plan. They should also take an immediate action when they faced a problem regarding the plan. The company should make sure that their plan is put into practice proactively in order to maximize the benefits of the plan. They should make sure that the implemented strategy is to be effective to avoid any problems or inconveniences when the plan is implemented. Reviewing the plan is also crucial. Normally, the company reviews their plan at least twice a year and managers and information technology personnel usually review the plan. The reviewing of plan help the Chief Information Officer to know if they are still on budget or not. Also, they would know whether the plan is doing great; whether they are reaching their goal or not. Lastly, the Chief Information Officer should have the knowledge when it comes to the development of the information systems plan. The Chief Information Officer acts like a technology scout in an organization. They should make sure that the technology used incorporates with the mission and vision of the company. The Chief Information Officer should also be aware of the latest technologies in the market. He/she should know the right time of investing a new technology. They should make sure that when they buy a new technology, it still fits within the organisations budget. The Chief Information Officer should know the business language and the technology language for proper interpretation and usage of both technological and business terms. LIMITATIONS Case studies have become extremely widespread in research. When researchers dwell on a case study they look into a set of related ideas and preferences thus when combined give the approach its distinctive character. However they are not unique in the sense that the basis of investing has always been done already. (Denscombe, 2003, pg 31). The article is clearly a case study on use and applicability of information systems and strategic planning for the operational efficiency of any business organisation. Various authors have put forward their opinions whilst theories written for justification purposes. However, no solid generalisations can be made; in the sense that it would depend on ones advantageous view point of the whole scenario and understanding as pertaining to any business organisation. A manager would chose to adopt whatever benefits the company. There is no exact formula or specific way of managing the two concurrently to achieve the organisations pre-determined goals. The other issue is that information represented in the case possibly is not fully reliable and accurate. There is always risk that case can contain errors and inaccuracy. Apparently, the article based the research work on a qualitative approach. However, two methods of approach should have been used, that is the qualitative approach and the quantitative approach, to produce an unbiased end result. In the former, it is always natural for the researcher view not to be eliminated in the process. The other limitation as clearly seen in the article is whereby only two companies from the UK have been used in the research work. This is not adequate. It should have involved more companies since planning and use of information systems is vital to any organisation. There was also a variation in the way he provided and collected the data in that the companies are internationally based but only sited the UK one. However, different approaches or theories may apply differently to different nationalities due to technological factors, cultural barriers, political barriers and so forth. Furthermore, the comparison made on the two articles lacked equality. The dates of the research analysis done were different, In company A it was dated 2003 whilst in Company B it was dated 2004.Since the author rated the performance of each companion on the technological basis, it was not appropriate because how a company performs depends also on other factors like inflation rate, the countrys fiscal year and perhaps the national income for 2003 may not have been the same as for 2004. It is logic for plans and the way information systems are handled to change from time to time in the sense of recent information. Information systems and plans of any article also provide recent information to be used but the research obtained dates back 5 years or 6 years or so. The article did not present how all these statements should change in the fast growing and developing business environments thus no exact description of how all this eight tenets can be effective. More so, the researcher should have used real life current situations to assert his reasoning and conclusions. Other theoretical findings should have been included to give a thorough and more precise understanding of the research at hand. Other limitations in the researchers article included the failure to discuss the possible effects that would happen to both companies given the tenets and that Company A did not follow most of the tenets but still remained successful. SUGGESTIONS In this current technological era, companies are using technology to make work easier and gain competitive advantage in any business world. However, there are some companies who are not using the full capacity of technology in terms of being competitive in the market. Companies are not enthusiastic in employing the Strategic Information Systems Planning due to the fact it is expensive and it will not help in the attainment of long term objectives. In addition, other companies do not use information system and strategic planning due to lack of proper knowledge of the technological factors or others may be due to ignorance. However, to be competitive in the market, Strategic Information System Planning needs to be incorporated to enhance the performance of the business and aid in the normal operations of a company thus ensuring efficiency. Other companies should have been used in the research process. It should not only be based on this two companies when using the eight tenets since every company is different on how they approach activities carried out in any business organisation. The researcher should have explained more on the eight tenets. It is not stated in the article on the effects of the eight tenets and the usefulness of the tenets on any business organisation. The researcher should also have emphasized more on the eight tenets and how it can affect the fast moving and developing companies. Companies should not only use the eight tenets just to make an information systems strategy, but try to look for ways on how to have an efficient operating system. CONCLUSSION Strategic planning and information systems are vital components in any companys goal in achieving operational efficiency and in giving assistance in the companys decision-making activities. However, prudency is needed when incorporating the two for the business to earn maximum benefits. In doing so, the researcher tried to explain on the relevance of information system and strategic planning, in the article, by the introduction of eight tenets acting as guidelines. Thereby, any business organisation would be able to decide the best ways on how to handle the two for operational efficiency of the organizations. Apart from the framework given, further explanations and an exhaustive research should have been brought to attention so as to make clear generalisations thereafter, thus make applicability in any business organisation easier to comprehend and follow. All in all, the message was still passed across by the researcher on the comparisons and differentiation on how different companies, in this case, Company A and Company B, apply the 8 tenets for successful information systems and the strategic planning for operational efficiency. Thereby, enabling an analysis to be done on such a case study.

The Tempest Essay -- essays research papers

Gonzalo states: "We are people of our own minds and no one else's," by this Gonzalo is telling everyone that no one can control what someone sees or does. This is true unless one is using magic to alter the minds and reality of anyone under the influence of magic. In the Tempest, by William Shakespeare, Prospero uses magic to alter the reality and delude the minds of characters. Love or guilt is a form of magic that naturally occurs in one's life. Prospero creates another magic that is placed in the audience's mind when he asks them to become the master magicians. Alonso and Gonzalo's minds are deluded by Prospero's spells to make them unaware of what is happening around them or aware of something out of the ordinary, and Caliban is affected by Prospero's spells physically. Gonzalo sees the things happening around him through a new prespective because of the spell that makes him see everything in a good light. Because of this spell Gonzalo states that their clothes are better than new, and that they are not stained with salt water. Gonzalo also brings up that the island is in excellent shape and is adequate for living on. Antonio and Sebastian tell Gonzalo he is lying about the clothes and the island being in such fantastic shape. They tell him this because they are not affected by the spell that Gonzalo is under. Spells don't always affect a person directly, but it still makes a person see their reality in a different perspective. Alonso is fooled by Prospero's magic too, but it is not directly aimed towards Alonso. Because of the magic that put Ferdinand in a glen where no one could see him; Alonso thinks that Ferdinand drowned at sea. Alonso thinks that Ferdinand is dead because no one saw Ferdinand make it to land safe. This is because Prospero used magic directly on Ferdinand, but not directly on Alonso. Alonso is in a bad mood because of this indirect magic for an entire act because Alonso's crew couldn't find Ferdinand. Meanwhile Ferdinand is following strange music that is leading him away from the others. Prospero has Ferdinand walk away from the others so he meets Miranda, and also so Alonso's crew can't find Ferdinand. This shows some of the powers of indirect magic, but direct magic can be more effective when trying to accomplish something very quickly; such as punishment or trying to teach somebody a lesson. Prospero casts spells on... ...ero tells the audience that they are making him real in their minds now and are becoming part of the play. Now the audience has total control to send Prospero back to Naples or keep him on the island. Prospero tells the audience all of this to make them see the world through his eyes. Without telling the audience these final words they would have never thought about making Prospero real in their minds. When they make Prospero real in their minds, they can live the life of Prospero on the island or in Naples. It is up to the audience where he is to go and what life he lives, this is the magic of the play. Magic can alter the reality and perspective how one looks at life. In the Tempest, Prospero has the ability to cast spells that alter one's perspective of reality. One may say that reality is intangible, but one can grasp the concept of what is stands for. Magic can throw that concept away. If one sees magic in progress it will alter the true vision of reality. Whenever magic verses reality a group can not describe what the feel or see. The concept of magic and reality is different to everyone. Reality or magic, they're both what one makes them to be.

The Benefits of Medicinal Marijuana Usage Essay -- Exploratory Essays

The Benefits of Medicinal Marijuana Usage All ears were listening intently at what the professor had to say on the subject. Many viewers were in shock and disbelief at what some of the potential medical uses of marijuana are. At the conclusion of the lecture, many whispers filled the courtroom and the judge entered from behind his desk and sat down. Richard Johnson sat in silence waiting in anticipation to hear what he had to say. Johnson and his wife Ellen, were arrested August 24 and charged with numerous drug-related offenses. Authorities seized approximately 1,030 live and dead marijuana plants, worth between $300,000 and $900,000, at their house. The judge positioned his glasses on the tip of his nose and stated, " The Johnsons have pleaded guilty to one charge of cultivating marijuana for the use of terminal cancer patients in conjunction with their chemotherapy treatment. At this time you may be dismissed and this case will resume next week." Richard and Ellen were handcuffed and taken back to their jail cells where they had plenty of time to think about their mishaps. Outside the courtroom, Johnson's attorney, Roger Simms, said he hoped Harvard psychiatry professor's testimony Monday would educate people on various medical benefits of marijuana. Simms stated that there are many books on the subject containing the history of medical use dating back 3,000 years in China. The Chinese emperor, Shen Neng, introduced many pharmaceutical drugs including marijuana. Emperor Shen Neng prescribed marijuana tea for malaria, beriberi, rheumatism, and curiously, poor memory (Earleywine, M. 2002). Marijuana eventually spread from China to India. The sacred Indian text, Atharvaveda, listed marijuana as a holy pl... ...ana. New York: Oxford University Eustice, Carol. (2004). Medicinal Marijuana: A Continuing Controversy. Retrieved March 11, 2004, from http://arthritis.about.com/cs/medmarijuana/a/ marijuanadebate.htm Medicinal marijuana: the struggle for legalization.(1997). Retrieved March 11, 2004, from http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9702/weed.wars/issues/background/ Medicinal Marijuana.(2000, August - September). Retrieved March 11, 2004, from http://www.hc-/sc.gc.ca/english/feature/magazine/2000_08/marijuana.htm Medicinal Marijuana. (2002). Retrieved March 11, 2004, from http://www.cannabis-/ seeds.biz/medicinal-marijuana.htm Roffman, R. (1982). Marijuana as Medicine. Washington: Madrona Pubishers Savage, David G. & Bailey, Eric. (2003, October). Medical Marijuana Cause Boosted. Retrieved March 30, 2004 from http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread 17573.shtml