Wireless Technology used in Business Application Essay

Wireless Technology used in Business Application - Essay Example Nevertheless, even usual e-mail applications corresponds as a security threat for a potential enterprise if hackers gain the access to the network, or feed the network with viruses or other malicious software. IT managers must carefully appraise security risks involved with wireless applications and try to maintain proper security for the networks as is needed. This paper will address the issues regarding wireless technology and tries to discuss the positive and negative points of using this technology for business purposes. Cellular systems were begin to be used more than a quarter of centaury ago and since that time, IT managers realized that the Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS) standard was not secure enough for authentication purposes because of caller fraud which was going to be increased. (Kurose, 2004) By the appearance of Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) which provided 128-bit encryption for security purposes and Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) provided encryption and the implementation of user authentication techniques as part of the wireless standard, security flaws also appeared and IT managers faced with unlawful use of communications by un-authorized users, so new standards were defined. Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) which specifies an unequalled code to each data packet and then disperses the packets thorough the air made it difficult for hackers to intercept the packages and brought more security for the devices which were designed to benefit from the wireless technology such as PDAs, Cell Phones and Laptops. (Kurose,2004) However the more technology improved, more and easier ways to intercept a wireless based structure appeared and this resulted companies to seek for more improved security if they wished to deploy their wireless networks. At the same time the wireless data networking is earning most of the marketplace notice, IT managers and the organizations which employ

Similaries of Ancient Worlds - China India Egypt Mesopotamia Essay Example for Free

Similaries of Ancient Worlds China India Egypt Mesopotamia Essay There are many major civilizations in the world today. The first four major civilizations all formed in river valleys. These civilizations are Egypt on the Nile River, China on the Huang He River, India on the Indus River, and Mesopotamia on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. River valleys were a necessity in Early civilizations. The Nile, a river that runs through Egypt played an important role in the creation of the civilization. The river was used for irrigation of their crops. The river made a good soil with a lot of silt. Egypt was called the breadbasket because it produced an incredible amount of grain and crops. The people of Egypt also new exact His code consisted of 282 sections dealing with most aspects of daily life, for example, Eye for an Eye and a Tooth for a Tooth. For example the river provided an irrigation system for the crops along the Fertile Crescent, the negative impact was that the people of Mesopotamia didnt know when the rivers would flood, so the flood ruined their crops and homes. They made a calendar of twelve months, and they were advanced in mortuary science or mummification. ly when it would flood, therefore the people were prepared for the dangerous floods. They needed a legal system and also needed a military. The Tigris and Euphrates, two rivers that ran along the Mesopotamia civilization gave positive and negative impacts on the civilization. Architects were needed to build monuments and farmers to produce food. Another important feature that led to the development of these early civilization was they needed to organize people, they made a government with government officials and a system of writing that helped keep records and scribes to write them. In conclusion the early civilizations had an advanced form of human culture, had some form of writing and were skilled in science and technology. Mesopotamia was mostly made up of citystates that were usually governed by representatives such as a council of nobles and an assembly of citizens. Many civilizations if not all of them were polytheistic, or believe in more than one god. Their king was not only a military official but a high priest as well. They had many achievements, A system of writing hieroglyphics; pyramids and monuments made for pharaohs. A major achievement in Mesopotamia was Hammurabis law code.

Isolation in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Essay -- English Literature M

Isolation in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, has several themes imbedded in the text. One major theme is of isolation. Many of the characters experience some time of isolation. The decisions and actions of some of these characters are the root cause of their isolation. They make choices that isolate themselves from everyone else. However, other characters are forced into isolation for reasons that are not in their control. The actions of another cause them to experience loneliness. The story begins with Robert Walton writing to his sister, Margaret, about his voyage to an undiscovered place. In these letters, as the voyage gets underway, he writes of his loneliness. Letter II states, ?I have no friend (Hunter 16; ch 1). He describes how his ?enthusiasm of success? will be experienced alone and also how he must suffer his disappointments alone. He states, ?I desire the company of a man? (Hunter 10; ch. 1 ). In another letter, Walton is telling his sister about a conversation he had with Frankenstein about friendship. Frankenstein tells Walton, ?I once had a friend (Hunter 16? ch. 1), implying that he no longer has any friends. Isolation is evident from the very beginning. Robert Walton chooses his isolation. He chooses to take this voyage. Walton has planned this trip for six years. He states in his first letter, ?I am required not only to raise the spirits of others, but sometimes to sustain my own (Hunter 9; ch. 1). He understands exactly what he is getting into and he chooses to continue anyway. George Levine states in his critical essay, ?Frankenstein and the Tradition of Realism,? that Walton is ?isolated from the rest of mankind by his ambition (... ...t is to come before he forces himself and his crew to experience this isolation and eventual death. Bibliography Hunter, J. Paul. ed. Frankenstein: Contexts, nineteenth century responses, criticism. By Mary Shelley. Norton Critical Edition. New York: New York. 1996. Levine, George. ?Frankenstein and the Tradition of Realism?. A Forum on Fiction, Vol. 7, no. 1 (1973): 17-23. Rpt. in Frankenstein: Contexts, nineteenth century responses, criticism. By Mary Shelley. Ed. J. Paul Hunter. Norton Critical Edition. New York: New York. 1996. 208-14. Poovey, Mary. ?My Hideous Progeny: The Lady And the Monster.? The Proper Lady and the Woman Writer. Chicago: U of Chicago P. (1984): 121-31. Rpt. in Frankenstein: Contexts, nineteenth century responses, criticism. By Mary Shelley. Ed. J. Paul Hunter. Norton Critical Edition. New York: New York. 1996. 251-61.

Analysis of Twain’s on the Decay of the Art of Lying

Critical Analysis On the Decay of the Art of Lying by Mark Twain â€Å"Lying is universal – we all do it. † In the essay, the author believes that all men lie because we must lie. There are many instances wherein men were prompted to lie at some point of their lives for the benefit of others. According to him, it’s better to give a good lie than a destructive truth. Lying for other’s advantage was given precedence than telling the truth at all times no matter how it hurts. Unfortunately, lying is easily covered with different alibis and given little thought of how destructive it might become on the long run. Twain considers lying as a noble art. It is the fourth grace and an eternal virtue. â€Å"Judicious lying is what the world needs,† he said. He’d sometimes think that it’s better not to lie if the lie will be destructive to others. For him, a habitual truth-teller [someone who speaks truthfully at all times] doesn’t exist and had never existed. The author gives us a simple look on how lying had become the fad of his generation. Even in the tiniest of things, people tend to lie. It goes to show that many are pretentious and still is today. However, the author overlooks one thing. True – a lie for the good of another might be reasonable – but lying will always be lying. Truth hurts indeed but a lie hurts even more when unveiled. As far as God is concerned, liars go to hell. A small lie can lead people to the lake of fire. Of course, God forgives sins. He forgives lying, too, so long as the person will repent from it. Avoiding lies might be hard to do with all the deception and temptation going on around but it’s not impossible. Fearing to tell the truth means that you’re afraid of what will happen to you. In order to protect one’s self from being punished or from hurting others, lying becomes the scapegoat. Eventually, it develops into a habit and you become a ‘master’ at it. For Twain, he is still a newbie in this game. He would like for this art to be cultivated in the forms of charitable and unselfish lying. Again, lying is always and has always been a manifestation of selfishness. Lastly, uttering lies won’t disappear in the years ahead but it’s elevation as a virtue might need some thinking. It is an agonizing fact that some think the same way as Twain does. The difference is that he (Twain) was able to voice out his opinions in a very artistic way through his writing while other people don’t care that much. This essay is an eye opener for all the people in this world about the art of lying. This form of art encompasses race, gender and culture. Different punishments await the liar but that never abolished it altogether. As long as people continue to let lies surround them, this art won’t be decaying soon. â€Å"For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak. † Psalm 59:12 KJV

Comparing the Elements of Fictional Stories and Essays Essay

In this comparison, I will discuss the comparison of fictional stories and nonfiction essays. I will also discuss how narrative is used very differently in both genres. Some of these fictional stories and nonfiction essays may be more superior to others when discussing workplace themes. I have chosen to write about A Delicate Balance by Jose Armas and The Boy and the Bank Officer by Phillip Ross. Why did I choose these stories, for one although one of them is fiction and the other non-fiction I can relate to them both on a personal level such as both writers did. In this paper I will discuss the difference between the way the characters were written about and portrayed and I will also compare some of the ways they acted alike. In my review of a Delicate Balance I found that in this story Jose Armas has two main characters, Romero Estrada the town sweeper and Seferino the eldest son of Barelas the town barber. Romero Estrada is the main character in this fiction story, whose part is featured throughout the story. The writer goes to great lengths to put great emphasis on how Romero takes care of the streets in the town of Golden Heights Centro where he lives, he pays great attention to detail and never ask for anything, but yet in return he has always been taken care of by the other shop owners of the town, making sure they have provided from him, by giving him things that he needs instead of money for his work. Although Romero volunteers his time and effort he loves and takes great pride in what he does. The next story I would like to discuss is The Boy and the Bank Teller in which no names are given and it seems that there is one main character. This character is a man who reflects on how a friend of his feels about banks as he himself enters a bank to open an account. There are two other characters which are the bank teller and the boy. At first, because of the title, I thought that  the boy was the main character. After reading it, it seems that the man who walked into the bank was the main character. He was the one who stepped up and was trying to represent the boy and his cause. In the end, though, he finds out that the bank teller was the one who was trying to protect the boy’s interests. The author draws attention to how a situation can be interpreted one way, but in reality, is something completely different. We all so often do this in real life. The main characters in these two stories are very loyal to their cause. One who takes pride in his work and the other who takes pride in defending someone’s cause. Although in the first story more detail is given so that the reader is getting all the facts and in the second story no names are given so that the reader can relate more to the cause and urgency of the boy and use ones imagination. The narrative in a fictional story can be superior in discussing workplace themes because of the attention to detail. Sometimes giving step-by-step instructions on how certain situations should be handled. The narrative in a nonfictional story can be superior because the reader is allowed to use their imagination and it also leaves room for more alternative and choices on dealing with real workplace situations. In conclusion, the literary writings of the past and the present pose a great point of view to the reader. These points of views from different times and the present serve as tools to our future.

Immigration Crisis essays

Immigration Crisis essays When the first time I came to Canada 7 years ago, I knew that Canada is a multi-culture country. Citizens and immigrants in different races come from variety countries. However, the government is considering cutting down the number of immigration each year. It ¡Ã‚ ¯s a controversy that had gone on for a long time. I believe most of this issue had to do with the incident about Chinese refugees coming to Canada on a boat long time ago. This had outraged some taxpayers because they didn ¡Ã‚ ¯t want to pay for the housing and clothing of these refugees. Also, immigration brings crimes to the city. But, I state that Canada shouldn ¡Ã‚ ¯t stop immigration just because of incidents like that because the population of Canada will either stop growing or start decreasing, the decreasing population will certainly cause the economic growth to go down, and lot ¡Ã‚ ¯s of the land in the middle Canada will stay undeveloped due to the lack of funds. Canada is a fairly large country with so little population. Taiwan, the place I came from, is a small island with 23 million people. However, there are only about 30 million in Canada. An average Canadian family has one to two children and it needs 2.6 children per family to keep the population steady. Without immigrations, the population will go straight down. Moreover, immigrations might not stay in Canada forever. Some of them will go back to their won country after 5 to 10 years living in Canada or go to another country. The reasons of this result are some of the landed residents have to go back to their own country in order to take care of their senior relatives, and others might have better job offer in another country. Also, the decreasing population will devastate the economy. Less people, less works. Immigration can help Canada ¡Ã‚ ¯s economic growth go higher. Since the economic growth is what a developed country needs, immigration brings the investment, technology, and the labors. ...

The war begins Essays

The war begins Essays The war begins Essay The war begins Essay Essay Topic: Rudyard Kipling Poems Thomas Hardy Poems The First World War began on 4th August 1914, after much anticipation it was going to take place. Before the war started people presumed that it would all be over by Christmas, and that Britain would ambush the Germans and teach them a lesson. When war was declared, people gathered in Trafalgar Square cheering and very few people were against the war. The only people who were against the war were businessmen and the liberal party. A group of people who lacked enthusiasm for the war was the poets, however many chose to write about their support for the war, which in turn became printed in magazines and newspapers quickly turning into propaganda. Many of the common themes written about were the honour they would experience. As this was at the beginning stages of the war, Britain did not know much about going to war and not many people at the time had any experience of it. Therefore they presumed war was going to be honourable and that none of the Britains would die, but would return an d be honoured for fighting for their country. They wrote about how honourable it is to go to war and many quotes in poetry reflect this. In the poem For The Fallen it explains about the dead who have died. But in it there the writer uses quotations and words, which make the reader want to join the war. Words like proud immortal laughing glory music thrill and royal which are all contained in the poem, make the war sound like fun, that fighting in it will make a solider immortal. The music and laughing are all fun words which are going to make the reader want to join, however the theme of honour is contained with words like proud and her spirit all put emphasis on how glorifying the war is made to seem. The theme of honour is carried out greatly because at that time of 1914, people were proud of their country and taught that England was the best country of all. It made men want to fight for it, and they felt a certain degree of patriotism and honour that they carry for their country. In the poem A Music Hall Song the phase for your king and your country is used, again reflecting at the time that people were willing to die for a country that is deemed the best. People felt patriotic towards Britain and proud to fight for it. Other themes are those of excitement and romance. At that time, young men did not know what to do with their lives and the war offered them something to be able to live and work for. The excitement of becoming a hero thrilled young men but also young people love to indulge in dangerous activities, obviously war being a perfect one. War was something never really experienced to Britains before, so they presumed that it would be exciting and glorious. One young man described it as the romance of it the mystery and uncertainty of it. This proves the concept of war was warped and unrealistic. When the Britains was well into war, thats when people began to realise the true horror of it. The tone of many poems in the early days of war was very much positive towards the war, urging people to join up and stating all the glories and reasons of why people should join the war. The tone of one of the poems in particular is very strong. In Wake Up England the tone is bouncy, and sometimes can be quite harsh and shouting sounding. At the end of each sentence there are exclamation marks reflecting the shouty nature of the poem, which could be the chants, or songs that were sung in aid of the war. The tone is once again positive for the war in this poem, there are also capitals used at the end, perhaps meaning the loudness of the chanting and emphasis of the message England stands for honour. God defend the right. This is also the tone of the poem as it tells themes of patriotism and honour for their country. The poem is mainly about telling the people of England to wake up and get out there and fight. There are many themes talked about in the poem, which explores the positivi sm toward war such as heroism and patriotism stand England for honour and glory fame of their fathers. Imagery is also used in the poems although this becomes more graphic as the war goes on. In the beginning stages of the war, many poets explored the images of the countryside, as it was something Britain was proud of. In England is Happy Now, images of the countryside are used such as evn the warm beauty of this spring and summer and her hills and rivers and her chafing sea. These images are used to make the reader feel strongly about protecting these areas of tranquillity and hopefully going to the war to fight to save these areas from being bombed. Although these areas are not best known to many of the army people who are used to factories, buildings and mines. Another image that frequently crops up is that of families. In the poems, families such as mothers and fathers are bought up to feel pride in the men so that they will go and fight. It could be perhaps that the fathers fought in a war too so perhaps the sons feel obliged to as well. This technique makes the reader feel more personal so that is also a reason why they may go and fight. In the poem Wake Up England it brings mothers and fathers into it to make the poem seem more personal to the reader The love of their mothers is strong to command, the fame of their fathers is might to their hand. This suggests that the love their mothers give the soldiers and the strength the dads give them, is what will bring them back to England safely. In this moment in time, nobody knew what the trenches and war zone was like because nobody was yet to experience it. Therefore there were no images of the horror of the war yet and only images of what were to be expected. The last image that crops up frequently is that of God and Religion. The British believe it was not right to fight, but justified it that God was on their side to punish the evil Germans. It is almost an image of God and the Devil, because the British are presented to be pure and good as gold while the Germans were said to be doing bad things and making up lies. In To the troubler of the war the quote we do not with Gods name make wanton play, we are not on such easy terms with heaven which suggests that they do not want to offend God, but for the sake of peace, they must fight and hope he will be on their side. To get people to join the army, many of the poems were called propaganda which is a subliminal message which is trying to promote something, in this case recruitments for the army. The government set up a organisation of writers who would write for the newspapers, poems and literature which would hopefully promote the war. Some of these writers were Thomas Hardy, H G Wells and Rudyard Kipling. People who read these poems were supposed to be inspired to join the war and fight, which must have worked because so many men wanted to join the army recruitment officers couldnt cope with the amounts of people. 100,000 men were needed but 2 million came forward, much because of the propaganda they were witnessing. It wasnt only poems but posters too. As we can see from the one below, a common image used in poems was also the focus on propaganda too. The poster shows the countryside and tries to prove these are the things, soldiers should fight for. In the other poster, it makes war out to be a game as we can see the solders are playing football and cricket instead of fighting again distorting the real view of war. It makes war out to be a game, which can be fun and rewarding and no harm of death at all. This view however was soon to be changed.

How To Stress Syllables in Japanese Pronunciation

How To Stress Syllables in Japanese Pronunciation For non-native Japanese speakers, learning the cadence of the spoken language can be very challenging.  Japanese has a pitch accent or musical accent, which can sound like a monotone to a new speakers ear. It is quite different from the stress accent found in English, other European languages and some Asian languages. This different accent system is also why Japanese speakers often struggle with putting the accent on the correct syllables when learning English.   A stress accent pronounces the syllable louder and holds it longer. English speakers speed up between accented syllables without really thinking about it, as a habit. But the pitch accent is based on the two relative pitch levels of high and low. Each syllable is pronounced with equal length, and each word has its own determined pitch and only one accent summit. Japanese sentences are constructed so that when spoken, the words sound almost like a melody, ​with rising and falling pitches. Unlike Englishs uneven, often halting rhythm, when spoken correctly Japanese sounds like a steadily flowing stream, particularly to the trained ear. The origin of the Japanese language has been a mystery to linguists for some time. Although it bears some similarities to Chinese, borrowing some Chinese characters in its written form, many linguists consider Japanese and so-called Japonic languages (most of which are considered dialects) to be a language isolate. Regional Japanese Dialects Japan has many regional dialects (hogen), and the  different dialects all have different accents. In Chinese, dialects (Mandarin, Cantonese, etc) vary so widely that speakers of different dialects are not able to understand each other.   But in Japanese, there are usually no  communication problems among people of different dialects since everybody understands standard Japanese (hyoujungo, a dialect spoken in Tokyo). In most cases, accentuation doesnt make a difference in the meaning of the words, and the Kyoto-Osaka dialects dont differ from Tokyo dialects in their vocabularies.   The one exception is the Ryukyuan versions of Japanese, spoken in Okinawa and the Amami Islands. While most Japanese speakers consider these to be dialects of the same language, these varieties may not be easily understood by those who speak Tokyo dialects. Even among the Ryukyuan dialects, there may be difficulty understanding each other. But the official stance of the Japanese government is that the Ryukyuan languages represent dialects of standard Japanese and are not separate languages.   Pronunciation of Japanese The pronunciation of Japanese is relatively easy compared with other aspects of the language. However, it requires an understanding of Japanese sounds, pitch accent, and intonation to sound like a native speaker. It also takes time and patience, and its easy to get frustrated. The best way to learn how to speak Japanese is to listen to the spoken language and try to imitate the way native speakers say and pronounce words.  A non-native speaker who focuses too much on the spelling or writing of Japanese without taking into account the pronunciation will have difficulty learning how to sound authentic.

English Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

English Law - Essay Example 80). In the past, the monarch’s signiture (a.k.a. Royal Assent) is required in passing a statutory law. Today, the Royal Assent is treated as some form of constitutional formality. A bill is actually referring to a â€Å"draft statute† (Faragher, 2010, p. 80). Before a bill can passed into law, the bill will first be reviewed by the Members of the Parliament (MPs) (i.e. the House of Commons) to check whether or not there are some amendments to be done on the bill (Appelbe and Wingfield, 2009, pp. 4 – 5). During the second reading, further debate and amendemtns will be made before the bill can reach the committee and report stage. As part of the third reading, the bill will be re-presented to the House for a brief discussion and minor changes before it will be transferred tot he House of Lords. After the House of Lords have received the bill, it will be given back to the House of Commons for the approval of amendments (Jones, 2011, pp. 46 – 47). If the bill passess both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the bill will immediately obtain the Royal Assent or the monarch’s signature before it will finally become a law (Jones, 2011, p. 47; Faragher, 2010, p. 80; Appelbe and Wingfield, 2009, p. 5). (See Figure I – Summary of Stages of the Bill on page 3) Figure I – Summary of Stages of the Bill Source: Jones, 2011, p. ... ntire United Kingdom whereas private acts are referring to laws that can be used to regulate the obligations and rights of each person and a corporate body (Faragher, 2010, p. 80). Since the 20th century, the number of statutes that were successfully passed into law has significantly increased. The purpose of this report is to examine the truth on whether or not the modern UK law on commercial property tenants are statute based. To give the readers a better understanding of this topic, the basic idea behind the UK land ownership practices will first be tackled followed by discussing that the modern UK law on commercial property tenants are very much heavily based on a statutory law. Since the purpose of this report is to examine the truth on whether or not the modern UK law on commercial property tenants are statute based, several real-life cases will be presented in this study as a concrete basis to the argument that the modern UK law on commercial property tenants can still be base d on a statutory law. Discussion The land ownership in UK is classified as either private property, state land, or coomunal or third sector (Fuller, Jonas and Lee, 2010, p. 243). Unlike in other countries, roughly one-sixth (1/6) of the land area throughout the United Kingdom are actually owned by the state (Home, 2009). Furthermore, the UK government reserves the right to guarantee land ownership of private property. Therefore, after seeking approval from the UK administration, the British nationals who wanted to purchase land in this country is possible either via leasehold or a freehold (Home, 2009; Foukona, 2007). In England and Wales, information related to land ownership is handled by the Land Registry of England and Wales (LREW) whereas the Registers of Scotland and the Land

To compose a proposal for research paper Assignment - 1

To compose a proposal for research paper - Assignment Example Literature Review: In this research it will entail studying and analyzing previous studies conducted in a similar research topic and evaluation of the theses and hypotheses developed by the authors. Articles, books and other relevant documents to the research problem will be identified, located and analyzed to determine what has already been done thus stimulating new ideas and approaches. Further, literature review will not only provide suggested recommendation but also form a framework for interpreting research findings. I plan to conduct proposal paper with the methodology of action research strategy, which is usually conducted with the aim of solving an immediate problem, in this case, treatment of special needs children. Data will be collected systematically from sources of similar law requirements using the probabilistic method of systematic random sampling. Using this strategy, the information will be selected randomly and ranked in accordance with its applicability in this health law so that an appropriate mechanism to create the law will be developed (World report on disability 21). The selection of relevant information will be crucial in this research thereby researchers will be required to apply judgmental evaluation while observing ethical research procedures. The planned proposed paper’s variables relating to the health law addressing treatment of special needs children will undergo analysis through two procedures; conceptualization and operationalization. This technique ensures that the findings will not only be valid to the entire concept but also reliable. Variables that may affect achievement of sufficient measurement and analysis consist of extraneous variables given they may be easily overlooked by the researcher and cause errors in applicability of the law. This research will statistically minimize their effects by considering every angle while establishing relevant

Bernard Montgomery Vs. Erwin Rommel Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Bernard Montgomery Vs. Erwin Rommel - Term Paper Example Montgomery was a fascinating organizer and an exceptional field commanding officer, whose knowledge and years of learning, writing and arranging for a forthcoming warfare distinguished him out as of his recreational colleagues as complete professional. A man of words and actions, Monty at all times spoke his thoughts, owned an inborn air of power and had a clear strength of mind to succeed which rapidly disabused those who considered that he was not capable enough. Montgomery was forever a general for soldier’s who acknowledged the vital significance of confidence and developed successful way of setting up a lasting connection of communal faith and self-assurance with his official and staff. He was an inspiring person in charge, an accomplished coach of parades and masterful diplomat, whose approval of how to carry out war below progressive circumstances made him as a rule effectual general that Britain appointed in Northwest Europe throughout World War 2. Comparatively Rommel ’s functioning in World War 1 deserve him a place in the minor post-war military of the Weimar Republic, the Reichswehr. Once more, he neither did extremely well nor was unsuccessful and would have mainly almost certainly finished his profession as a divisional or at greatest service chief officer if it wasn’t for his near affiliation with Hitler. Owing to his association he was offered authority of one of the ten divisions of Panzer that waged war and succeeded the movement in 1940 in the West in spring.

Readers response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Readers response - Essay Example Finally, the plotline has almost nothing to do with a love story. Faulkner introduces Miss Emily Grierson as a woman who has never been provided an opportunity to become comfortable or familiar with the world outside of her father’s old world ideals. This created a situation in which Miss Emily â€Å"got to be thirty and was still single† (437), forced to live in her maidenhood forever and lacking any connection to the rest of the world. Her inability to relate to the real world outside her fantasy is seen when she refuses to acknowledge her father’s death. This reaction was considered strange and unusual by the people of the town who are narrating the tale, but justified by the way in which she’d been treated by this man. But this strangeness was forgotten when Emily started behaving like normal by dating Homer Barron and her retreat back into her house after he left seems understandable. The final revelation that she had killed Homer Barron and then slept with the dead corpse for years is surprising, but not out of ch aracter. The idea that this old lady slept with the decaying corpse of the lover she’d killed is really gruesome but makes a lot of sense at the same time. It seems unnecessary to explain why the story seems very gruesome. However, it also makes sense as the old people of the antebellum South continued to have troubles adjusting to the changing rules of society. Miss Emily was forced to become an old maid because there weren’t any more families of the ‘old ways’ that were close enough to her family’s old social position. By the time her father died, she was incapable of accepting any kind of change like a lot of people of the Old South were. She tried to break the mold a little bit when she started dating Homer Barron. He was a northerner and someone of a much lower social class than what

How can scarcity be a problem in the capitalist economy when the shops Essay

How can scarcity be a problem in the capitalist economy when the shops are well stocked, there are over 2.5 million people unemp - Essay Example Thus the concept of exchange arises here. The capitalist countries on one hand have enough amount of capital but they have scarcity of labour which the socialist or the developing economies have. Thus there arises a concept of exchange that would ensure that the production takes place in both the economies in a successful manner. There have been paradoxical evidences however which shows that even in the capitalist countries there is excess supply of labour and the level of unemployment is quite high. This essay is an analysis of this paradox that arises in the context of capitalist economies and the level of scarcity. Discussion of the position In order to proceed with the main problem of the essay it is important to look into the different theories that are necessary to build up the argument. The economic system is a method of the allocation of limited resources of the necessary goods like grain and butter to the economic agents that make up the society. There are various types of e conomic systems like the socialist system, the capitalist system as well as the mixed economy system. In the socialist system the entire decision regarding the allocation of the resources lies with the government existing in the economy. The government acts as the owner of the means of production in such a case (Snooks, 1999, pp. 393-399). Thus the distribution of the grain and butter is mainly done by the government of the country to the people of the country. The production of even the basic grain and butter is done by the factories that are under the ownership of the government. Erstwhile China as well as Cuba and North Korea are examples of such economics where the principles of communism are being practised. The government in such countries is the sole decision maker regarding the level of production and the allocation of resources (Conklin, 1991, p. 427). Alternatively, in case of the capitalist economies the process of production is undertaken by the private players. In almos t all the capitalist economies there is a government but the function of the government is restricted to the regulatory aspects of the country and to ensure that the laws are obeyed. The main function is limited to the collection of the taxes and the protection of the citizens (Stephen, 1998, pp. 31-49). The market power lies mainly with the players that are dominant in the market. The UK, the US as well as the German economies constitute the capitalist nations (Slater and Tonkiss, 2001, pp. 31-40). The characteristics of these nations are that free market is allowed to operate and the prices in the economy are determined by the forces of the demand and supply. The prices of grain and butter would be determined by the market forces of demand and supply. Thus the optimal production would take place at the point where the quantity demanded would be equal to the quantity supplied. Therefore the intervention of the government is this context is almost zero. Source: Winch, 1984, p. 14 Th e optimal price of bread in this economy would be $2.50. However the buyers would be able to buy 2 breads at $3. But this would be subject to the budget constraint of the consumers who buy the product. Alternatively a developed country is one in which the major part of the GDP is contributed by the industry or the services sector rather than the agricultural sector. Thus the developed countries are those which have passed through the various stages of development

Readers response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Readers response - Essay Example Finally, the plotline has almost nothing to do with a love story. Faulkner introduces Miss Emily Grierson as a woman who has never been provided an opportunity to become comfortable or familiar with the world outside of her father’s old world ideals. This created a situation in which Miss Emily â€Å"got to be thirty and was still single† (437), forced to live in her maidenhood forever and lacking any connection to the rest of the world. Her inability to relate to the real world outside her fantasy is seen when she refuses to acknowledge her father’s death. This reaction was considered strange and unusual by the people of the town who are narrating the tale, but justified by the way in which she’d been treated by this man. But this strangeness was forgotten when Emily started behaving like normal by dating Homer Barron and her retreat back into her house after he left seems understandable. The final revelation that she had killed Homer Barron and then slept with the dead corpse for years is surprising, but not out of ch aracter. The idea that this old lady slept with the decaying corpse of the lover she’d killed is really gruesome but makes a lot of sense at the same time. It seems unnecessary to explain why the story seems very gruesome. However, it also makes sense as the old people of the antebellum South continued to have troubles adjusting to the changing rules of society. Miss Emily was forced to become an old maid because there weren’t any more families of the ‘old ways’ that were close enough to her family’s old social position. By the time her father died, she was incapable of accepting any kind of change like a lot of people of the Old South were. She tried to break the mold a little bit when she started dating Homer Barron. He was a northerner and someone of a much lower social class than what

Black Enlightenment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Black Enlightenment - Essay Example The role of Black intellectuals in the era of Black Enlightenment is extraordinary. Some of the prominent Black intellectual of the time were Phillis Wheatley and Benjamin Benneker. Phillis Wheatley was like a role model not only for the African Americans but also for the White Americans. She had transformed from a slave into a highly confident, courageous, and intellectually enriched poet and analyst. Phillis Wheatley wrote a letter to an American Indian minister named Samson Occom in 1774. At that time, tensions between England and the American colonies had increased. In her letter, Phillis Wheatley expressed her desire and need for personal liberty, natural rights, and establishment of the divine order. She believed that emergence of order in Africa and Christianity would mutually result in termination of the Atlantic trade of slaves. â€Å"How well the cry for Liberty, and the reverse Disposition for the exercise of oppressive Power over others agree, I humbly think it does not require the Penetration of a Philosopher to determine† (Wheatley cited in Gates 1987 p. 77). ... â€Å"decidedly negro† from his appearance, Benjamin Banneker mastered the Greek and Latin languages and alongside acquired good knowledge of French and German using his white neighbor’s library. Benjamin Banneker referred to the Declaration of Independence in these words holding Thomas Jefferson accountable for the continued existence of Black slavery in America, â€Å"You were then impressed with†¦the free possession of those blessings, to which you were entitled by nature; but, Sir, how pitiable is it to reflect, that although you were so fully convinced of the benevolence of the Father of Mankind, and of his equal and impartial distribution of these rights and privileges. . . that you should at the Same time counteract His mercies, in detaining by fraud and violence so numerous a part of my brethren, under groaning captivity and cruel oppression† (Banneker cited in Wallenfeldt 2011 p. 24). Black Enlightenment was the age when Black people came to realize through personal experience and witnessing that if they establish close ties with religion and education, they can solve their problems and work toward establishing a respectable lifestyle for themselves on equal basis with the White Americans. Although Black intellectuals had to overcome a lot of obstacles and muster up a lot of courage to speak on national and international platforms, yet with their courage and determination, they took such measures that left a powerful effect on the psychology and understanding toward the Black people of the White Americans. Black churches were not only the places of spiritual rejuvenation and practice of religious festivals, but also serves as places of union for the Black community where they could share their experiences and give each other love and hope. To conclude, Black

Stress Relief Essay Example for Free

Stress Relief Essay Stress affects human performance in so many ways that just to list the impact upon work would take half of this page. People under high stress become forgetful, are often late for work, miss appointments, have more sick days, have lower competence levels, are more irritable and difficult to get along with, are more likely to break things (by accident or intention) and are great candidates for the kinds of stress-related illnesses and accidents that drain Workers Compensation benefits. Stress reduction must be a constant, on-going process in all our lives. It helps us avoid pain, illness and accident. And, a low-stress (or low-distress) lifestyle is certainly the most pleasant. Once a client who was under a great deal of stress at the time said to me, urgently: Look, all these options youve shown me for stress management are getting to be too much. Its like using a technique to put a patch on me here and another to put a patch on me there. I dont need to get better six months from now after Ive learned a whole bunch of new things I need to be better now! The strength of that response varies with the kind and strength of the demand and the circumstances under which the demand is made. For example, a ringing phone is a demand. It gets a different strength of response depending upon when it rings. If you are taking a usual number of calls at the office at times you expect them, the demand is relatively low and your physical reaction is probably minimal. If the phone rings in the middle of the night when youre worried about a seriously ill loved-one in the hospital, the demand and your response are going to be high. The response is generally called the fight/flight response. It should be called the fight/flight/freeze/faint/fumble response, since those are the usual possible outcomes. But, whatever we call it, heres basically what happens in your body: * Your heart rate goes up. * Your blood pressure goes up. * You begin to perspire to help keep the body cool. * Blood is directed away from hands/feet/digestive system to power large muscles. * Your diaphragm (the muscle that works your lungs like a bellows) locks and your breathing becomes shallow and rapid. Your pupils dialate to help you see the enemy better. * Your awareness of hearing becomes more focused. * Your digestive system shuts down so the energy expended there can be used where its needed. (Or, alternatively, the system may attempt to void its contents, so youll be lighter and move faster. ) * Your immune and self-repair systems go on standby. After all, the processes of these systems are incompatible with heavy action. Besides, you need the energy to fight or run. If you really need to meet a physical threat, all this is great. It prepares your body to do the job. Then, after doing the job destroying or avoiding the stressor your body returns to normal. However, almost all our stressors (stressors are whatever cause stress) today are what psychologists call psychosocial. That is, they come from how we experience our selves, our work and other activities, and our relationships with other people. So, if your boss yells at you, your body is likely to react exactly the same as if you had to deal with a charging rhinoceros. Yet, you cant literally do what your bodys prepared to do: you cant throw your spear at him and run. That means youre going to carry some tension from the encounter around with you until you find a way to discharge it. Furthermore, you are likely to face many daily psychosocial stressors that cause the fight/flight response. If you dont find satisfying resolutions to your stressors, or if there are too many stressors, or if the response is too intense, eventually youre going to experience symptoms of stress-related illness. Stress symptoms may be physical or psychological. Physical symptoms range from muscle tension and headaches through high blood pressure and gastrointestinal ulcers to heart attacks and cancer. Psychological symptoms range from chronic anxiety through recurrent depression to complete nervous breakdowns. Physical activity is necessary to stress relief in helping to dissipate the stress reactions the flight/fight response. In addition, it helps you to: * Reduce muscular tension of sedentary functions. * Promote relaxation. * Sleep easier and better. * Concentrate better. * Reduce pain. * Raise mood. (Very important in anxiety and depression. ) * Reduce fatigue/restore energy. * Increase stamina, strength and suppleness to help make you stress-fit i. e. the fight/flight response is taken with greater ease and shaken with greater ease. Understanding this, you can see that a bit of physical activity might be worthwhile as a system of discharging the tensions of that fight/flight response. What exactly do you mean by physical activity? Exercise is a great idea if you can do, dont mind doing and dont overdo. A regular exercise program helps manage physical stress buildup, make s you feel better over all and probably live a longer and healthier life. But, if you really hate it and resent it, youre not going to follow through with it. You might as well try something else you find more pleasant. Participating in sports is a more enjoyable way of releasing stress and tension for many people. Regular participation is as good as a regular exercise program. Yoga, in a class or on your own, can also provide the benefits of a regular exercise program. It is, however, far less demanding for beginners, allowing the practitioner to slowly ease into the various stretches and poses. Moreover, you feel good while you are doing it and afterward. Done properly, yoga leaves muscles pleasantly stretched and stimulated. You want to say that in English? How and what you think determine how you feel (emotionally) and how you behave. If you have awareness of and control over your thinking process, then essentially you have control over everything that happens to you. In regard to the management of stress, this means that you can seize control of your reactions at the time of the flight/fight response and take the time to understand whats happening and what you want to do. (You must remember that the flight/fight response will occur automatically its a built-in survival mechanism. But you can reduce the occasions upon which it occurs in reaction to imaginary threats and you can reduce the intensity of the response to real threats that nevertheless do not affect your life, health or general well-being. ) Furthermore, since your body doesnt know the difference between real events and imaginary ones, you can use your thoughts to directly change whats happening in your body. For example, in self-hypnosis you can imagine your hands and feet becoming warmer and warmer. They will do so and at the same time you will be balancing the flow of blood throughout your body. What do I do to be a mind master, O Swami? There are a number of methods of gaining the ability to focus and control your mind, but no matter what approach seems to fit for you, they all accomplish the same tasks for stress management: Physical Benefits * Breathing slows and becomes deep and rhythmical. * Heart rate slows and blood pressure drops. * Brain waves slow to relaxed but alert level. * Muscle tension eases. * You become well relaxed. Psychological Benefits * Distressing emotion is inhibited remember, you cannot be relaxed and anxious or angry at the same time. * Calm envelopes you. Awareness is heightened and/or focused, depending on the method used. * Thought clarifies or is dispensed with, depending on the method of used. Meditation. Meditation is the method I most recommend to achieve focus and control in your thinking processes. There are many possible ways to meditate including Zen-style, chanting, mantra-repetition, awareness-training and contemplation. I recommend Zen-style. Its simple, quickly-learned, compact and easily portable. Well, O. K. , its simple to explain and you can learn how in less than a minute. But it takes a lifetime to master. However, you dont have to master the method to get the benefits you need for stress management; you just have to practice every day. Heres how: find a quiet, comfortable place to sit. Either close your eyes or allow your gaze to fall unfocused on the floor about three feet in front of you. Breathe normally and count your breaths thus: breathe in, do nothing, breathe out, count 1, repeat until you reach 4, then start over again from 1. Do nothing but breathe and count. Dont think, dont talk, dont look, dont listen. Just breathe and count. Continue for about ten minutes. Visualization. Instead of not thinking about anything, you think very specifically about one thing by making an imaginary movie in you head. For example, you might imagine yourself sitting on a tropical beach at dawn. You could see the changing colors in the sky as the sun rises, feel the soft warm breeze lift your hair away from your face, hear the plaintive cry of a gull, smell the saltiness of the water, hear the surf hitting the rocks beyond. If you can become proficient at putting yourself in such scenes, you can put yourself in scenes that make you feel anything you want to feel and you can modify any experience. Self-Hypnosis.

America and Multilateralism: A History

America and Multilateralism: A History Perhaps it is safe to surmise from the very beginning that there does not appear to be a country in the world that is not affected or has not been affected in one way or the other by the United States of America. Short of this, there most certainly does not remain in existence a country, people or society which has no knowledge, however limited, of the United States of America. No single day passes without the American power being addressed or diagnosed in one capacity or the other by the global media. Over time, but in particular, in more recent times, no other country’s political, domestic, economic defence or capabilities and abilities have been more studied or discussed than the extent at which America has been. In actual fact, it is safe to surmise that very few political issues today provoke such strong and diverse responses as the role of the United States of America in its attempt to re-shape world affairs.[1] The recent terrorist attack on America of grave consequence s, its reaction to it and the wars in Afghanistan as well as Iraq have intensified the debate about the nature and prospects of American super power. There remains a school of thought that continues to celebrate the United States’ achievements in proclaiming as well as bringing liberty, democracy and prosperity to every corner of the world. Others are more inclined towards condemnation of America’s pursuit of hegemonic status and its attempt to impose a single economic system and a narrow set of moral belief on other nations around the world. Whichever school of thought one belongs to re America’s performance on the international podium, most have arrived at the conclusion that the history of the twenty-first century will be determined to a large extent by the way American power is used, and by the way in which other major political players on the international front react to it. The nation has often been referred to as an imperial, an empire or hegemony. Most p eople still continue to perceive America as that democratic land of roses where ‘anything can happen’. Some still believe in, especially those outside the shores of the country and straining to one day be admitted into the great country, what they call the ‘American Dream’. It is supposedly a country where ‘anything is possible’. Often times however, America is no longer beheld with rose tinted spectacles. Given its recent history world over, this is hardly a surprise of any significance. The word which best comes to mind when America, that great nation is under discussion as it constantly is for diverse reasons, is hegemony. What, it might be useful to enquire at this juncture, is hegemony? In lay man’s terms, hegemony, succinctly put, is leadership by predominance (some might even say aggression) of smaller and weaker states or nations by naturally bigger nations in an effort to achieve world domination. Does America therefore stand ri ghtly accused of attempting to dominate the world through its conceptualisation of global politics, foreign policies and armed forces, or at least to dominate those nations which are considered smaller and weaker? It is common knowledge that while some countries practice communism or socialism, America was and remains a capitalist country where the motto right after ‘In God We Trust’ is a universally accepted but unspoken ‘survival of the fittest’. In the introductory words of G. John Ikenberry in his book ‘America Unrivalled’, â€Å"The pr-eminence of American power today is unprecedented in modern history. No other great power has enjoyed such formidable advantages in military, economic, technological, cultural or political capabilities. We live in a one-super power world, and there is no serious competition in sight†[2] These words immediately bring to mind perhaps the most controversial wars of all times and America’s gargantuan contribution or one might even dare say blatant single minded orchestration of the same, the Iraqi invasion (and on-going war till date) in 2003. It is worth reminiscing at this juncture how the world watched and waited with bated breath while the United Nations deliberated on whether or not the United States should be granted the authorisation to invade Iraq based on its reports about the so-called axis of evil and the weapons of mass destruction they supposedly had in the making which it further claimed posed un-foretold threats to the international world. It is yet another point in favour of the argument that America is fast becoming or indeed has all but attained the status of an hegemonic state that President George W. Bush announced to the world that regardless of the UN’s decision and that of its Member States, America will forge ahead in war against Ir aq and Afghanistan, alone if they had to. In his exact words, â€Å"†¦when it comes to our security, we really do not need anyone’s permission†[3] It was later argued that it would appear that even the United Nations, a so-called world moderator and international emblem of peace, is nothing but yet another tool in America’s already brimming tool box. Although at the time, this announcement from the Bush Administration sounded as arrogant and ‘above the law’ as it really was, there were many who felt America would be justified in its decision in the wake of the September 11 attack. September 11 2001 (hereafter referred to as 9/11) brought about the turning point in history, international law and the use of force against terrorism. The words of an American man considered very patriotic indeed comes to mind at this controversial stance of George W. Bush re brushing off the world’s opinion and/approval to its use of force in the name of figh ting terrorism. The man, none other than Richard Holbrooke, former United States ambassador to the United Nations, who once stated after careful observation, one should imagine, that the Bush administration threatens to make a â€Å"radical break with 55 years of a bipartisan tradition that sought international agreements and regimes of benefit to us†[4] Many years, loss of lives both civilian and military, reports of horrible treatments meted out to prisoners of war (PWO) by the American soldiers against every rule of Humanitarian Law and the Geneva Convention, America’s refusal to withdraw its troops even after the fall of Saddam Hussein (its greatest enemy) the question on everyone’s lips is whether the war was indeed for all the altruistic reasons quoted by America in its rather fabricated reports or for more reasons closer to home. The question can even be posed all the way back to Operation Desert Storm in the same Iraq in 1993. Did America invade Iraq on both occasions for economic gain and ultimately to place itself as the world’s super power. Although it appears now to the world that the Bush administration is the one responsible for dramatically drawing America away from multilateralism, a look back into the Clinton administration will confirm that this is not remotely true. Under the Clinton administration, America neither waited for the United Nation’s approval/authorisation before deploying the North Atlantic Treaty Operation (NATO) to Serbia in 1999 nor prior to its bomb attack on Iraq in 1998. There were also other Conventions, Acts and Treaties America rather conspicuously refrained from signing or ratifying such as the banning of further use of Land Mines (the Ottawa Convention of 1997). The difference perhaps would be where the Clinton administration adopted diplomacy in its delivery of such unilateral decisions; the Bush administration simply forges ahead with no regard for the world’s opinion, appro val or in most cases disapproval. In the era immediately after the World War (II), America’s strength was not only viewed during the war with the deployment of its armed forces, which later formed an alliance with the United Kingdom amongst others (the allied forces) but also after the war in its attempt to rebuild Germany as well as other war torn countries in the war aftermath. In this, America had strategised and was apparently successful in ensuring that the world did not revert to its closed regional dealings of the 1930s prior to the war. The founding of the United Nations on 24 October 1945 also saw to it that the beginning of what is now known as globalisation was established. A post war era of multilateral character and significance was thus built around economic and security agreements such as the Bretton Woods Agreement on monetary as well as trade relations among nations. The American-led NATO security pact followed much later. This international order which came into existence after the war (World War II) was effectively one which was multilateral in character. A more open system of trade and investments began to emerge, largely encouraged by America. Economic and security matters as well as political relations became indistinguishable and indivisible among nations in what is best described as an open world market or globalisation. This is evident in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) as well as the Bretton Woods agreement earlier mentioned. An alliance tie emerged between the United States and the Great Britain in particular and the European continent in general in a scenario one could simply put in lay man’s terms ‘rub my back and I will rub yours’. America’s economic as well as security assistance to the Asian region is also worth mentioning. America ensured and continues so to do, that weaker and smaller states are afforded security assistance, protection and granted access to its markets, technology and country in general. In th e wake of America’s Green Card Lottery scheme, the support and admiration of other smaller states for which the scheme was intended and who continues to benefit from the same was firmly secured. In a similar vein after the world war, citizens of many nations flocked in their thousands to America from world over and started life over again after the war. In what is not unlike the stone age ‘trade by barter’ arrangement, the participating states in turn continue to ensure that political stability is maintained in their relationship with the United States, making available to America their diplomatic, economic and logistical support in return. For instance, America has training grounds in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, perhaps as a lasting result of Operation Desert Storm. Going back in history however, it remains indelible that there were 5 world super powers including America itself. How then can Ikenberry infer that America has no competition in sight in its steady climb to the top in the international hemisphere? Who were the other four super powers and what became of them? The five major contenders when the United Nations was founded in 1945 were Russia, Great Britain, China, and France. It is accurate to say that the cold war put paid to Russia’s contention with America. The Great Britain, as exhibited more recently under the Tony Blair administration is more or less a lap-dog to American’s policies and remains a rather very friendly ally than a potential contender. Yet it will be nothing short of fallacious argument to say that America has no contender or is without competition in one form or the other. Worth remembering as well is Germany and France’s initial reluctance as well as refusal to throw their weight behind the Ir aqi invasion in 2003. America’s hegemonic state is therefore not without challenges as well as challengers, it is however the multifaceted character of America’s power that makes the country so far reaching, daunting, provocative and formidable to less equipped and smaller countries. The collapse of the Soviet Union in the Cold War saw an acute decline in rival ideologies and even tighter alliances formed between the United States and other regions. Following the Cold War, America continued to grow from strength to strength. In the 1990s its economy was commendably and successfully restructured. Also growing in significant progression alongside its economy is its armed forces and global recognition as a state to reckon with. By the turn of the millennium, America’s economic and military growth had wedged a seemingly insurmountable gulf between itself and other major players in world politics. While the late 90s saw Japan’s economy grow by 9 per cent, the European Union altogether by 15 per cent, American economy grew by a significant 27 per cent, nearly doubling and tripling that of the other regions.[5] This did not go unnoticed by the rest of the world. In fact literally doffing his hat to the United States in a speech in Paris (1999), the French Foreign Minister, Hubert Vedrine, observed that the growth witnessed by the world in America â€Å"is not comparable in terms of power and influence to anything known in modern history†[6] America’s devotion to its armed forces can by no means be ignored. America boasts an army that is better equipped and out numbers the armed troops of well over 14 countries put together. There are training grounds for the United States army in well over 40 locations world wide. This automatically means that when another weaker or slightly less advantageous state envisages itself in trouble, the first point of call for protection and assistance, when and if necessary is the United States of America. In its usual confidential, bordering on arrogant manner America’s National Security Strategy declared to the world that their forces will be strong enough to dissuade potential adversaries/would-be challengers from pursuing a military build-up in hopes of surpassing, or even remotely equalling, the power of the United States.[7] It is not impossible or even unthinkable for America to utilise its military capacity to impose its policies on other states in different regions of the world. It has been observed already that America spends on its armed forces more than the next fourteen countries combined and that the U.S. military expenditures will shortly be equal to the rest of the world combined.[8] Another scholar of repute, Paul Kennedy, also surmised that it is already the case that all the other navies in the world combined could not dent American maritime supremacy.[9] Still on the issue of security, expressing his own opinion and an opinion apparently shared by many others world over, Barry Possen has suggested that the United States’ command of the sea, space, and air forces is the ‘key military enabler of the U.S. global power position’.[10] Assuming its economic growth remains as healthy as it has been since the 90s, the concentration of world military power may continue for several decades yet. Even at the current level of U.S. capabilities, it is the general view that ‘the United States can shoulder the burden of maint aining global security without much help from Europe’ or the rest of the world for that matter.[11] It begins to appear obvious that perhaps America’s initial support for multilateralism in international trade and globalisation was borne of a grander strategic move to acquire and retain more power while legitimately promoting international reliance of one state on the other, one region on others for support, growth and assistance. A quick glimpse at major historical turning points such as 1919, the end of World War II in 1945 and the period immediately after the Cold War all but confirms this logic. It would appear that America promoted multilateralism in such a strategic way so as to signal restraint and commitment from other states.[12] This precipitated the acquisition of support, if not actual trust, acquiescence and cooperation of other weaker states. But surely when one country is placed so much higher than others in the case of all animals are equal but some more than others, there naturally arises the problem of balance of power or even equality before the law. What the majority of member states may attempt with the United Nations and come out facing adverse repercussions for is the same thing the United States will not only attempt but carry out and come out smelling of roses. For the sake of this discussion, should one be given to a flight of fancy however fleetingly and imagine or a moment that a member state such as Ghana or Nigeria threatens the use of force against Cameroon and declares to the world that the same will be effected whether or not the United Nations and indeed the world approves of its actions. At the very least, economic sanctions will immediately be placed on such a country. However in the name and under the umbrella of 9/11 it would appear that America is permitted to do and undo whatever catches its fancy and of course promotes its economic as well as military growth. How else can one begin to explain the issue of thousands held prisoner at the US military operated prison and indeed a recreation of Camp Delta, Guantanamo Bay, for years with neither charges nor trial in the name of fighting terrorism? America claims not to have jurisdiction in Cuba to try these prisoners yet it has the power and the authority to imprison them in Guantanamo Bay. What, one is right to ask, happened to the universal (at least in democratic states) ‘writ of habeas corpus’? Another example of America’s marked shift from multilateralism to unilateralism and establishing itself as a super power above the rest of the world is again glimpsed shortly after the controversial invasion of Iraq in 2003, when America was quick to submit allegations against North Korea as well as Iran for also becoming threats to the international community as they were manufacturing nuclear weapons. In an ironical twist however, in 1998, Japan, perhaps once one of America’s closest allies, was reportedly furious with America when its officials unilaterally decided that funding for North Korean Nuclear reactors was to con tinue despite Japan’s complaints that North Korea was firing missile over its territory.[13] What then can possibly put an end to America’s domination of the international stage and its rise towards a super power of hegemonic characteristics? It has been established that the two most important factors in the growth of any nation; its economy and defence, remain the two areas where America continues to excel and prosper rendering it even more of a force to reckon with by other nations of the world. Is it then any wonder that many are of the school of thought that it is only a matter of time before America seeks to completely dominate the world and by so doing, simply crush out weaker states of the world. It is enough to alert the world that more than any other administration before it, the Bush administration is significantly departing from materialism especially on agreements dealing with arms control and proliferation. Multilateralism, as Ikenberry’s book posed the debate, does indeed seem to be on the decline in America’s policy and political stance. I t has become to America a selective game where multilateralism is embraced when it adds to the muscles in its already bulky biceps and unilateralism at every other turn. As America continues to systematically depart from multilateralism and promote more unilateralism in its foreign policies and decisions on security affairs affecting not only its boundaries (assuming such a word as ‘boundary’ exists in the American dictionary) but also spread ashore to other nations of the world, the world may very well be moving rather rapidly towards the final unravelling of America as a hegemonic nation. What and who in the world can then possibly challenge America’s hegemony? Surely it would take a large scale war or a crucial global economic crisis to challenge or even come close to threatening America’s hegemony. While this might be very well put and even precise in theory, surely either option will definitely have grave repercussions on the international community. However, Ikenberry argues in his book, ‘America Unrivalled’, that there are limits to the United States’ hegemony such as it stands at the moment. He is of the opinion that a complete hegemonic order would require not just preponderant capabilities but also some significant degree of acquiescence on the part of other states, especially the other major players in world politics for the maintenance of such order. Following the Cold war, America acquired the support and cooperation of one of the major players in that region, Japan. Japan was once America’s closest ally as a result of this, however even Japan is becoming resentful, as presumably are the rest of the world, at America’s increased unilateralism (as in the North Korean case mentioned above) and the selective choice of multilateralism only when it favours the nation in one form of economic or security purpose or the other. It is therefore not impossible that other major players in the world, on examining their alternatives on how to best rid America of its hegemonic status and by so doing release the unsuspecting world from American domination, may very well challenge its hegemonic position. Capitalising on the regional and international relationships once promoted by America, the other major super powers in the Asian Region and the European Union could orchestrate an over throw of America’s position as an hegemonic state or at the very least challenge the same. Not ignoring the power and importance of smaller or weaker states however, they would quite naturally also have to be involved. This however would be an all scale war, the magnitude, repercussion and significance of which will tremble the world perhaps more than every previous wars put together! Any would-be hegemonic challenger would most naturally have already arrived at the very same conclusion. Apart from the fact that every single one of these would-be challengers rely on the United States for one as pect of its sustenance or the other, it would take a lot of consideration, meetings, strategising and concrete persuasion to convince every member state of the necessity of such a global war. With its present and ever growing resources both at home and abroad, it is therefore only a matter of time before America, at whom the war is intended, becomes aware of the plans and builds up enough or adequate defence against the same. While it is not impossible that several nations of the world may come together and challenge America’s build up to hegemony, to say that the world may never recover from such a large scale war may perhaps be the understatement of the existence of mankind. In a brief state of fantasy, were one to assume that this large scale war does take place and does remove America from the pinnacle of power it currently occupies, there is no telling how many decades or even centuries it would take to rebuild a world of international trade and globalisation. Another da nger in that is another country seizing the opportunity and rising very rapidly to the throne of hegemony, in this instance however, a country not so democratically inclined as America, for instance, China. The world as we know it now may cease to exist as a result of such a war. It is now 2008 yet traces of the Second World War still remain evident in some areas in the Eastern part of Germany as one imagines it does in other affected parts of the world. If the argument here is then that a full blown war against America’s hegemony may do the world greater harm than good, what then can possibly stop America’s climb to the top of the world? As mentioned earlier, the strength of any nation lies in its economic as well as military growth. One, quite naturally, is not devoid of the other however as training camps, gears and facilities will be difficult to procure without a booming economy. Should the world then experience a global economic crisis, the like of which it is yet to ever experience, perhaps this will in a way also bring America to the same level as other countries or at least less dominant? In this present day, at least the European Union and America are experiencing an economic crisis that has been likened to the worst in many decades till date. The Great Britain’s Royal Bank of Scotland recently announced that the country is indeed in recession. China and Japan have also reported major decline in sales and poor performances on their Wall Street equivalent. Japan has actually announced to the world, like Great Britain, that it is indeed in the middle of a torrid recession. While this economic crisis may very well be unpleasant and indeed wrecking a lot of harm on the economy of the countries involved, it will take much more than this to cripple America or to reduce its hegemonic status. Even at this point in time, the US Dollar continues to rise against the British Pound and the Euro. Should the world experience an economic crisis of such negative significance that all the major states as well as even the ones considered smaller and weaker are effectively affected, America’s hegemony, in my humble opinion, will most certainly be thoroughly challenged. This will be brought about by the fact that the international community in a bid to survive and revert to some semblance of normality will be forced to depend one on the other for that means to survival, America included. Such a scenario will almost take the world back in history to the early days when the advantages of globalisation and inter dependence of nations on one another was first discovered. Such an economic crisis w ill render it almost impossible for states to continue to concentrate on military training and equipments. One should imagine that nations will be more concerned with the immediate welfare of their people such as housing, medical care and social services as undoubtedly unemployment will rise astronomically in the face of an economic crisis of any significant magnitude. From everything hereinabove appearing and the examination of different (learned) opinions as well as scenarios, it is therefore perhaps appropriate to conclude by agreeing with the debate that should a full blown war orchestrated by would-be challengers of America’s hegemonic state fail, surely an economic crisis of significant global scale will not only challenge but also probably, however temporarily, bring an end to America’s hegemony. America will be forced to revert to the multilateralism way of international politics and to abandon unilateralism in a bid to promote globalisation and a closer knit international community. Bibliography John, G. Ikenberry, ‘America Unrivalled: The Future of the Balance of Power’ (Cornell University Press, 2002) John, Ikenberry, ‘Is American Multilateralism in Decline?’ Perspectives on Politics 1:3 (2003) ‘Hegemony or Empire’ The Redefinition of US Power under George W. Bush, Edited by Charles-Philippe David and David Grondin (2006) Richard Little, Michael Smith, ‘Perspectives on World Politics’ Ikenberry, G. John, ‘Liberalism and Empire: Logics of Order In The American Unipolar Age’, Review of International Studies (2004) Stephen M. Walt, ‘Keeping the World â€Å"Off-Balance†: Self-Restraint and U.S. Foreign Policy’, in Ikenberry, America Unrivalled, pp. 121-154. Charles A. Kupchan, ‘Hollow Hegemony or Stable Multipolarity?’, in G. John Ikenberry (ed.), America Unrivalled: The Future of the Balance of Power (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2002), p. 72. According to Kupchan, the European Union is emerging as the main competitor of the United States in a future multipolar international system. Whither American Power? David Held and Mathias Koenig-Archibugi Published in: American Power in the Twentieth-First Century, edited by David Held and Mathias Koenig-Archibugi, Cambridge: Polity Press, 2004. Kennedy, Paul, ‘The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers’ 1987 Footnotes [1] David Held and Mathias Koenig-Archibugi, ‘Whither American Power?’ In American Power in the Twentieth-First Century [2] G. John, Ikenberry ‘America Unrivalled’ Pp 1 [3] Quoted in Balz 2003, A1 [4] Purdum 2002., 1 [5] Ikenberry [6] Quoted in Craig R. Whitney, ‘NATO at 50’ With Nations at Odds, Is It A Misalliance? New York Times 2, 1999 [7] President of the United States, The National Security Strategy of the United States of America (Washington D.C.: White House, September 2002), p. 30. [8] G. John Ikenberry [9] Paul Kennedy, ‘The Greatest Superpower Ever’, New Perspectives Quarterly, 19 (2002). [10] Barry R. Posen, ‘Command of the Commons: The Military Foundation of U.S. Hegemony’, International Security, 28 (2003), pp. 5-46, p. 8. [11] On the durability of U.S. supremacy see William C. Wohlforth, ‘The Stability of a Unipolar World’, International Security, 24 (1999), pp. 5–41. [12] Argument was developed by Ikenberry 2001 [13] Marshall and Mann, ‘Goodwill Towards the United States is Dwindling Globally’

Development of automobile safety :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nowadays, along with the development and increase of economical level, the automobile has become an essential and important transport. Also, it leads to another problem: traffic accident. Over the last century, there were more crashes in U.S than the number of the wars that Americans have been through. Therefore, people started to notice that they need the automobile safety to protect themselves. Over the last 100 years, the automobile safety has changed a lot to give out the best protection that we’re using today. Below are 3 major features: safety glass, air bag and seat belt. Today safety glass, which will not splinter when exposed to shock, is in windshields for cars. Essential as it is, safety glass was the result of a clumsy mistake. In 1903, Edouard Benedictus, a French scientist inadvertently knocked a glass flask to the floor when fetching reagents. He heard the glass shatter, but later, he saw the broken pieces of the flask still hung together, more or less in their original contour. Then he learned that the flask had recently held a solution of cellulose nitrate, a liquid plastic, which had evaporated, apparently depositing a thin coating of plastic on the flask’s interior. He experimented with coating glass with liquid plastic, then shattering it and it was not broken. When Benedictus read that most of the drivers seriously injured had been cut by shattered glass windshields, he knew that his unique glass could save lives. Unfortunately, automakers were uninterested in the costly safety glass for windshields. It was not until the outbreak of World War I that safety glass found its first application: as the lenses for gas masks. After automobile executives examined the proven performance of the new glass under the extreme conditions of battle, safety glass’s major application became car windshields. It was very dangerous when something hit your car, the glass was broken and as a result, you would be sore and even dead. But with this unbreakable glass, now you don’t have to worry about this because nothing can touch you from the outside. An air bag is a high-speed inflation device hidden in the hub of the steering wheel or in the dash on the passenger’s side. Today they are installed on all new passenger cars sold in the United States. Some automobiles have side-impact air bags, located in doors or seats. The inflated bag creates a cushion between the occupant and the vehicle’s interior.

The Soldier by Rupert Brooke

â€Å"The Soldier† A Detailed Look at a Criticized Poem Grief, death, devastation: with the strong exception of Rupert Brooke, these were the themes reflected in most war poetry during WWI. Brooke laced his poetry with sentimentality and nationalism, which was very different from the themes of other works during the time. Many people love and admire his poems, but despite his poetry being criticized by the public, Rupert Brooke was a talented young poet throughout World War I. This poem was first published in Brooke’s book of sonnets, 1914 rightly named for the year they were authored. WWI was an influential time for poetry and a catalyst for an important movement in poetry; war poetry. The poetry of this time reflected the feelings of the general public at the commencement of WWI. Brooke’s â€Å"The Soldier,† though seen as a hymn to the great nation of England during WWI, is today seen as overly sentimental and as romanticizing the horrors of the war through strong figurative language and symbols (â€Å"The Soldier†). The theme reflected most prominently in â€Å"The Soldier,† patriotism, is seen again in many of Brooke’s war sonnets, but not commonly in the poetry of emerging poets during the war. Brooke is notorious for his use of sentimentality and nationalism in his war poetry. The voice in â€Å"The Soldier† talks about his untimely death in a fiercely patriotic manner, undaunted by his likely demise. When referring to the foreign field in which he will be buried, he describes it with â€Å"†¦there’s some corner of a foreign field that is forever England. There shall be in that rich earth a richer dust concealed† (Brooke). In these lines Brooke is saying that the dust, the earth, in which he is buried in will be richer because an English soldier lies in it; because a piece of England lies beneath the earth. Through this statement, Brooke is associating the soldier in the poem with England, making him not just English, but England. Patriotism shines through again in the next lines, â€Å"A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,/ Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam,/ A body of England’s, breathing English air†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Brooke). â€Å"A body of England’s† supports Brooke’s embodiment of soldiers as not only English, but England. It is these examples of Brooke’s strong patriotism reflected in his poetry that created the riticism for its maudlin nature (â€Å"The Soldier†). In continuation, the second most prominent theme employed by Brooke is the notion of transformation, which is distinguished clearly throughout â€Å"The Soldier. † The second stanza was a prime example of the conversion displayed in the poem. The line in the second stanza, â€Å"And think, this heart, all evil shed away† (Brooke) implies a tr ansformation from a soldier, ordinary and human, to a cleansed soul who will live forever through England. The second stanza is saying that with death for your country comes great honor and transformation into a pure soul, forever remembered for fighting to the end for their country. By making yourself a martyr, you have â€Å"cleansed your soul† and this is a great transformation. This idea is what inspired soldiers to be willing to die for their country, and to want to fight for England. Brooke is saying that there is a larger purpose that can be achieved through death, which is another example of Brooke romanticizing the war and death. To soldiers, the thought of being transformed into a great soul, forever linked to your nation because of your connection with England, is consistent throughout, which is why transformation is a prominent theme of the poem (â€Å"The Soldier†). The figurative language in â€Å"The Soldier† defines the poem and displays the message, but also supports the fact that Brooke’s poem approaches the horrors of war in an indirect and romantic manner. When Brooke refers to â€Å"some corner of a foreign field† he is using the field as a symbol for the simple graveyards soldiers were buried in. Here, Brooke is addressing the war in a lighter tone, which critic Chris Semansky criticized Brooke for. The line in â€Å"The Soldier† addressing how the earth in which an English soldier is richer again uses a light symbol for a serious subject of war. Brooke refers to dust as a body in the line, â€Å"In that rich earth a richer dust concealed;† (Brooke). Dust is used again in the next line, â€Å"A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Brooke). In both lines â€Å"dust† is a symbol for a dead soldier. Another example of Brooke’s figurative language is his repetition of England in his poem. This is another prime example of the theme of patriotism that is presented throughout in â€Å"The Soldier. † Critic Bruce Meyer calls attention to more use of symbols in the poem, including the line, â€Å"And think, this heart, all evil shed away† (Brooke) which is symbolizing a man being purified before offering himself as a lamb to the slaughter (Meyer). The poem also uses an Petrarchan and Shakespearean rhyme scheme, using an alternating rhyme scheme of ABABCDCD rhyme scheme in the first stanza, which is Shakespearean, and then in the second stanza, a EFGEFG rhyme scheme, which is Petrarchan. Many of Brooke’s poems use a Shakespearean alternation rhyme scheme consistently. The entire style of the poem remains â€Å"English,† polite and â€Å"gentlemanly,† and the style matches the figurative language and poetry techniques used: symbols to lighten the poetry’s subject and a Shakespearean rhyme scheme (â€Å"The Soldier†). Furthermore, the time in which Brooke’s â€Å"The Soldier† was written is crucial to understanding not only the poem, but why â€Å"The Soldier† has slipped from a famous to infamous piece of literature. The poem was written in 1914, at the beginning of WWI, during which Brooke had enlisted in the Royal Naval Division. Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Sarajevo, his wife, were murdered by Serbian nationalists, which had catapulted England into WWI (â€Å"The Soldier†). This was a time when England was sending their young men off to fight, without the assurance that they would return home. The public was coping with the deaths of their sons and husbands, and Brooke’s poem was playing to the times. It was a reassurance to the general public about the war and the death occurring, and its strong level of patriotism was met with the public’s own patriotism, as critic Semansky reiterates (â€Å"Semansky†). Brooke had war experience himself, through the Royal Naval Division, but was not fighting on the front lines or having any major experiences in war. He spent his first assignment assisting civilians in the evacuation of Antwerp, though he was originally assigned to help hold down the Channel ports with the navy. He did not complete his next assignment, to take back Constantinople from the Turks, because of his death, of fever, on the way to Gallipoli. Brooke did not have the immense war experience many other poets of the war had, and it influenced the demeanor of his poetry. Other war poets, Sassoon, Owens and Rosenburg did not adopt Brooke’s heavily patriotic views, but rather questioned his attitude towards the war. By the public, â€Å"The Soldier† was revered, but as the war continued, and eventually ended and the horrors of the war made themselves more evident, â€Å"The Soldier† was thought of as sentimental literature, and not as a personification of the war (â€Å"The Soldier†). In conclusion, Rupert Brooke’s â€Å"The Soldier† reflected the attitude of England during the start of WWI, a comparison which has made it both famous and infamous. The historical context of the poem, the background being WWI, is a key to complete understanding the poem and the reason for its notoriousness. â€Å"The Soldier† gives you a small insight into the ideology of soldiers and the public, who were looking for a deeper meaning for the death and destruction occurring. Through this, the poem informs your understanding of Rupert Brooke’s reactions to England, the war, and the mayhem of the beginning of the war. His general attitude towards the war was strongly patriotic, and criticized for being as sentimental as it was. Brooke, as you can determine through the poem, felt that death during the war was a sacrifice for England that would ultimately be rewarded in the afterlife, and that it was the greatest show of devotion that one could show for their country. He felt strongly for England, and appealed to the people, but his poetry lost its appeal as the war progressed and the lightness in which Brooke regarded the war was recognized (Semansky). Through the fact that â€Å"The Soldier† was accepted during 1914, you can make the connection that the public shared Brooke’s view of hope for a deeper meaning to the war and death. â€Å"The Soldier† meshes with Rupert Brooke’s ideology, experiences and style, as well as with the time period. Though Brooke’s fiercely patriotic and light take on WWI in â€Å"The Soldier† strongly appealed to the public as they coped with loss during the commencement of WWI, its sentimentality has been criticized for romanticizing the war and masking the true horrors England was experiencing. If I should die, think only this of me: That there's some corner of a foreign field That is for ever England. There shall be In that rich earth a richer dust concealed; A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware, Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam, A body of England's, breathing English air, Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home. And think, this heart, all evil shed away, A pulse in the eternal mind, no less Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given; Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day; And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness, In hearts at peace, under an English heaven. WORKS CITED: Brooke, Rupert. â€Å"The Soldier. † Poet’s Corner. 1914. http://www. theotherpages. org/poems/brooke01. html. Meyer, Bruce. â€Å"The Soldier. † Poetry for Students. Ed. Mary Ruby and Ira Milne. Vol. 7. Detroit: Thomson Gale, 2000. 217-227. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale. Springfield Township High School. 9 Nov. 2008 . Semansky, Chris. The Soldier. † Poetry for Students. Ed. Mary Ruby and Ira Milne. Vol. 7. Detroit: Thomson Gale, 2000. 217-227. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale. Springfield Township High School. 9 Nov. 2008 . â€Å"The Soldier. † Poetry for Students. Ed. Mary Ruby and Ira Milne. Vol. 7. Detroit: Thomson Gale, 2000. 217-227. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale. Springfield Township High School. 9 Nov. 2008 .

Factors That Impact on and Influence the Organisation

The business environment is often an uncertain one, where managers are faced with many factors that impact on and influence the organisation. The micro-environment includes suppliers, customers and stakeholders, all of which influence the organisation directly. The macro-environment, however, includes factors that influence the organisation but are out of its direct control. The micro-environment is often determined by the industry the organisation operates within. Competition becomes a critical influencing factor. Johnson et al (2002) states that managers should understand the competitive forces that exist between organisations in the same industry because this will determine its attractiveness. De Swaan Arons, et al (1999) refer to Porter’s Five Forces framework as a tool to assess profit potential within an organisation. These forces include; supplier and buyer power; threat of substitutes; and barriers to entry. At the centre of the five forces is competitive rivalry between organisations in the same industry/sector. The level of competitive aggressiveness will be determined by factors such as the number of competitors, industry growth, high fixed costs, and amount of differentiation (De Swaan Arons, et al, 1999, pp 3). According to Harrison (2003), success in the hotel industry is often provided by being located near existing hotel properties. This may be as a result of a tested market-place and assurance that if hotels can profit in that area, then it becomes an attractive market to enter. Supplier and buyer power are closely linked due to the resulting relationship they have in influencing the organisation. Porter’s Five Forces Framework states that supplier power is high when there is a concentration of suppliers within the same industry. However; following the comments of Harrison (2003), several hotel properties within the same geographic area will be competing for customers, often basing their strategy on price; hence the customer has the power to influence the supplier, otherwise known as buyer power. A high concentration of suppliers in one geographic area often results in a saturated market. The Life-Cycle Model highlights the importance between growth and maturity stages. Johnson et al (2002) illustrate that in market growth situations, an organisation is likely to achieve growth through the resulting growth of the marketplace. However, when markets are mature, organisational growth can only be achieved by taking market share from competitors. Research conducted within the Swiss Hotel Industry, (Sund, 2004), showed that it had been experiencing a period of stagnation and even decline. Sund (2004) suggests this is due to the concentration of hotel properties in the area as a result of increased international travel post-World War II and the increase in hotel chains and franchises. In research carried out by Audretsch et al (1996), where the innovative activity takes place is a key contributor to the phase of the industry life cycle. Substitution reduces demand for a particular type of product or service. For example, the presence of all-inclusive hotel resorts is a threat to small independent Bed & Bedfast establishments. Barriers to entry consist of a number of factors, for example; economies of scale, capital requirement, access to distribution channels, experience expected, retaliation, legislation/government action, and differentiation (Johnson et al, 2002, pp 115). For the hotel industry, the threat of entry is likely to be high in places where there is a high concentration of hotel accommodation. However; some may argue that high concentration may be a reason not to enter the market because competition is fierce. According to Harrison (2003), Porter’s Five Forces model has limitations in terms of its practical application. Although the five forces aims to provide organisations with a definition of competitive factors, it does not include an evaluation of other stakeholders equally as important. This may include unions, financial institutions, the media and local communities. Harrison (2003) also identifies the importance of political factors. Where micro analysis of the organisation consists of direct factors such as customers, stakeholders and competition, the macro environment considers elements of the environment on a wider scale. The PESTEL model is a useful tool for use in strategic decision making. It consists of political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal issues affecting drivers of change within an organisation. Political factors refer to governments, society or regulators that can take action to influence an organisation’s performance. Political decisions can also affect a company’s success and future planning as shown in many war zone scenarios. A country’s decision to go to war curbs travel and thus, hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions suffer. Harrison (2003) quotes the example of the 1991 war in the Persian Gulf. Hotels were left empty until the war ended and travellers felt confident to venture into that geographic region again. Economic factors include interest rates, taxation changes, economic growth, inflation and exchange rates. These factors can be critical to the success of companies operating within the hospitality industry. A hotel company may have to review its pricing strategy dependant on consumer demand. This relates to Porter’s forces where buyer and supplier power are linked as a result of where most of the concentration is. Social factors relate to social trends such as the demand for a company's products and services. Awareness of societal factors is also important in reputation management where a company aims to promote itself as interested in the values of its customers. Marriott Hotels (cited in Harrison, 2003), considered societal trends in its development of housing for people who may require a form of assisted living. This development was due to Marriott’s recognition of the ageing baby-boom era. Technological factors are important to consider when new markets are being established. New technologies create new products and new processes. Technological developments can benefit consumers as well as the organisations providing the products. In the hotel industry, technology advancement should be centred on customer service and the experience one should expect. According to Connolly et al (2000), the hospitality industry should be preparing for the future by readying itself for technological advancements. This way, hotel companies will be well positioned to meet the needs of their customers. One of the most popular advances in technology for the hotel industry would be computer advances and the wide use of Internet. Hotels are now expected to have online booking facilities, which are easy to use, install confidence and assurances for the online customer that their booking has been received and processed accordingly. Websites are commonly an organisation’s first point of contact with potential customers. Therefore, branding and corporate image is important. Customer relationship management is possible with the advancement of computer technology. Marketing strategies centre around the potential to follow-up on previous customer’s hotel stays by offering return offers and discounts for loyalty. The Ritz-Carlton, for example, uses their contact database to maintain customer profiles that details individual tastes and preferences (Harrison, 2003). They also use this technology to speed up check-in procedures for regular guests. Differentiation within the hotel industry is also possible through the use of technology. Harrison (2003) uses the example of Wingate Inns who attracted business customers by offering free to use, high-speed Internet in every room. Environmental factors such as climate change have the potential to impact on every industry and should be considered as a driver for change. Becoming ‘greener’ has been a significant change in the running of many hotel chains throughout the world. Advertising the use of environmentally friendly products and processes is affecting customer demand. This produces more business opportunities and creates greater supplier power. Legal factors are related to the legal environment in which companies operate. Health and Safety legislation is a major driver of change in all industries, especially service-based industries such as hospitality. Not only does this affect the company’s workforce, it also affects the customer and his/her experience. Hotel owners are duty holders in providing a safe environment for their employees and customers. In the event of an accident or a breach of legislation, a hotel company can incur substantial penalties, which will ultimately affect future profits and corporate reputation. Analysis of the external environment, using tools such as PESTEL, allows organisations to make important decisions and strategic changes to create competitive advantage. In evaluating growth strategies, an analysis involving suitability, acceptability and feasibility is vital. Although these models of analysis help organisations to understand the factors that may impact and influence their business strategies, it is also important to understand in more detail what will result in success and failure. One of the many approaches is to perform a SWOT analysis. Another is to identify opportunities and threats via strategic gaps. Johnson et al (2002) refer to this as identifying ‘new market space’. Strategic gaps are found by looking across the industry for potential substitutes, new product/service offerings and new market segments. According to Pryce (2001), many hotel operators are lagging behind other industries with regards to corporate sustainability. Research has suggested that there is a significant gap between attitudes and action (Pryce, 2001), which provides hotel owners with promotional opportunities and drivers for change to capitalise on environmental management.