Animal Farm as a History essays

Animal Farm as a History essays ...But some are more equal than others... Ever since Animal Farm by George Orwell was first published in 1945, a small, subconscious voice has uttered this phrase to urge the rethinking of equality. This closing thought and the events of Animal Farm closely parallel the history of the Russian Revolution and Communist Russias first steps. An allegory can evoke a unique and enlightening view of a famous historical event. Through symbolism in this allegory, communism is analyzed from another perspective. Old Major, an aged boar symbolic of Marx and Lenin, shares with the farm animals his dream of a golden future. The Animalist revolution of which he spoke soon occurred. After Mr. Jones, the owner of the farm, gets drunk and neglects to feed the animals for three days, the animals break into the food stores and chase Jones off the farm. The animals revolution against Mr. Jones clearly represents the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the book, Mr. Jones represents Czar Nicolas II, who lived a life of luxury and ignored his suffering people. Similarly, Mr. Jones was often intoxicated and ignored the animals. Historical connections made themselves known very early in the book. The animals were ecstatic upon acquiring the farm, but it soon became clear that organization and rules were needed to maintain order. The pigs, who considered themselves the smartest on the farm, took it upon themselves to lead the animals. Orwell clearly used satire when representing the communist leaders as pigs (not very respectable animals). Soon, there was a skirmish between Mr. Joness men and the animals as the humans tried to retake farm, but the animals were victorious. The Battle of Cowshed, as it was dubbed, represents the White Russian Revolution, in which non-communists attempted to regain control of Russia and overthrow communism. One of the heroes in this battle was Snowball, a boar who had led the attack but was grazed ...

Benazir Bhutto - Former Prime Minister of Pakistan

Benazir Bhutto - Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto was born into one of South Asias great political dynasties, Pakistans equivalent of the Nehru/Gandhi dynasty in India. Her father was president of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973, and Prime Minister from 1973 to 1977; his father, in turn, was prime minister of a princely state before independence and the Partition of India. Politics in Pakistan, however, is a dangerous game. In the end, Benazir, her father, and both of her brothers would die violently. Early Life Benazir Bhutto was born on June 21, 1953 in Karachi, Pakistan, the first child of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Begum Nusrat Ispahani. Nusrat was from Iran, and practiced Shia Islam, while her husband (and most other Pakistanis) practiced Sunni Islam. They raised Benazir and their other children as Sunnis  but in an open-minded and non-doctrinaire fashion. The couple later would have two sons and another daughter: Murtaza (born in 1954), daughter Sanam (born in 1957), and Shahnawaz (born in 1958). As the eldest child, Benazir was expected to do very well in her studies, regardless of her gender. Benazir went to school in Karachi through high school, then attended Radcliffe College (now part of Harvard University) in the United States, where she studied comparative government. Bhutto later said that her experience in Boston reconfirmed her belief in the power of democracy. After graduating from Radcliffe in 1973, Benazir Bhutto spent several additional years studying at Oxford University in Great Britain. She took a wide variety of courses in international law and diplomacy, economics, philosophy and politics. Entry into Politics Four years into Benazirs studies in England, the Pakistani military overthrew her fathers government in a coup. The coup leader, General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, imposed martial law on Pakistan and had Zulfikar Ali Bhutto arrested on trumped-up conspiracy charges. Benazir returned home, where she and her brother Murtaza worked for 18 months to rally public opinion in support of their jailed father. The Supreme Court of Pakistan, meanwhile, convicted Zulfikar Ali Bhutto of conspiracy to commit murder  and sentenced him to death by hanging. Due to their activism on behalf of their father, Benazir and Murtaza were placed under house arrest off and on. As Zulfikars designated execution date of April 4, 1979 drew closer, Benazir, her mother, and her younger siblings were all arrested and imprisoned in a police camp. Imprisonment Despite an international outcry, General Zias government hanged Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on April 4, 1979. Benazir, her brother, and her mother were in prison at the time  and were not allowed to prepare the former prime ministers body for burial in accordance with Islamic law. When Bhuttos Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) won local elections that spring, Zia canceled national elections and sent the surviving members of the Bhutto family to prison in Larkana, about 460 kilometers (285 miles) north of Karachi. Over the next five years, Benazir Bhutto would be held either in prison or under house arrest. Her worst experience was in a desert prison at Sukkur, where she was held in solitary confinement for six months of 1981, including the worst of the summer heat. Tormented by insects, and with her hair falling out and skin peeling off from the baking temperatures, Bhutto had to be hospitalized for several months after this experience. Once Benazir was sufficiently recovered from her term at Sukkur Jail, Zias government sent her back to the Karachi Central Jail, then to Larkana once more, and back to Karachi under house arrest. Meanwhile, her mother, who had also been held at Sukkur, was diagnosed with lung cancer. Benazir herself had developed an inner ear problem that required surgery. International pressure mounted for Zia to allow them to leave Pakistan to seek medical care. Finally, after six years of moving the Bhutto family from one form of imprisonment to the next, General Zia allowed them to go into exile in order to get treatment. Exile Benazir Bhutto and her mother went to London in January of 1984 to begin their self-imposed medical exile. As soon as Benazirs ear problem was remedied, she began to publicly advocate against the Zia regime. Tragedy touched the family once more on July 18, 1985. After a family picnic, Benazirs youngest brother, the 27-year-old Shah Nawaz Bhutto, died of poisoning in his home in France. His family believed that his Afghan princess wife, Rehana, had murdered Shah Nawaz at the behest of the Zia regime; although French police held her in custody for some time, no charges were ever brought against her. Despite her grief, Benazir Bhutto continued her political involvement. She became the leader in exile of her fathers Pakistan Peoples Party. Marriage Family Life Between the assassinations of her close relatives and Benazirs own frantically busy political schedule, she had no time for dating or meeting men. In fact, by the time she entered her 30s, Benazir Bhutto had begun to assume that she would never marry; politics would be her lifes work and only love. However, her family had other ideas. An auntie advocated for a fellow Sindhi and scion of a landed family, a young man named Asif Ali Zardari. Benazir refused to even meet him at first, but after a concerted effort by her family and his, the marriage was arranged (despite Benazirs feminist qualms about arranged marriages). The marriage was a happy one, and the couple had three children - a son, Bilawal (born 1988), and two daughters, Bakhtawar (born 1990) and Aseefa (born 1993). They had hoped for a larger family, but Asif Zardari was imprisoned for seven years, so they were unable to have more children. Return and Election as Prime Minister On August 17, 1988, the Bhuttos received a favor from the heavens, as it were. A C-130 carrying General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq and several of his top military commanders, along with US Ambassador to Pakistan Arnold Lewis Raphel, crashed near Bahawalpur, in the Punjab region of Pakistan. No definitive cause was ever established, although theories included sabotage, Indian missile strike, or a suicidal pilot. Simple mechanical failure seems the most likely cause, however. Zias unexpected death cleared the way for Benazir and her mother to lead the PPP to victory in the November 16, 1988 parliamentary elections. Benazir became Pakistans eleventh prime minister on December 2, 1988. Not only was she Pakistans first female Prime Minister, but also the first woman to lead a Muslim nation in modern times. She focused on social and political reforms, which rankled more traditional or Islamist politicians. Prime Minister Bhutto faced a number of international policy problems during her first tenure in office, including the Soviet and American withdrawal from Afghanistan and the resulting chaos. Bhutto reached out to India, establishing a good working relationship with Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, but that initiative failed when he was voted out of office, and then assassinated by Tamil Tigers in 1991. Pakistans relationship with the United States, already strained by the situation in Afghanistan, broke altogether in 1990 over the issue of nuclear weapons. Benazir Bhutto firmly believed that Pakistan needed a credible nuclear deterrent, since India had already tested a nuclear bomb in 1974. Corruption Charges On the domestic front, Prime Minister Bhutto sought to improve human rights and the position of women in Pakistani society. She restored freedom of the press  and allowed labor unions and student groups to meet openly once again. Prime Minister Bhutto also working assiduously to weaken the ultra-conservative president of Pakistan, Ghulam Ishaq Khan, and his allies in the military leadership. However, Khan had veto power over parliamentary actions, which severely restricted Benazirs effectiveness on matters of political reform. In November of 1990, Khan dismissed Benazir Bhutto from the Prime Ministership and called new elections. She was charged with corruption and nepotism under the Eighth Amendment to the Pakistani Constitution; Bhutto always maintained that the charges were purely political. The conservative parliamentarian Nawaz Sharif became the new prime minister, while Benazir Bhutto was relegated to being the opposition leader for five years. When Sharif also tried to repeal the Eighth Amendment, President Ghulam Ishaq Khan used it to recall his government in 1993, just as he had done to Bhuttos government three years earlier. As a result, Bhutto and Sharif joined forces to oust President Khan in 1993. Second Term as Prime Minister In October of 1993, Benazir Bhuttos PPP got a plurality of the parliamentary seats  and formed a coalition government. Once again, Bhutto became prime minister. Her hand-picked candidate for the presidency, Farooq Leghari, took office in the place of Khan. In 1995, an alleged conspiracy to oust Bhutto in a military coup was exposed, and the leaders tried and jailed for sentences of two to fourteen years. Some observers believe that the putative coup was simply an excuse for Benazir to rid the military of some of her opponents. On the other hand, she had first-hand knowledge of the danger a military coup could pose, considering her fathers fate. Tragedy struck the Bhuttos once more on September 20, 1996, when Karachi police shot dead Benazirs surviving brother, Mir Ghulam Murtaza Bhutto. Murtaza had not gotten along well with Benazirs husband, which sparked conspiracy theories about his assassination. Even Benazir Bhuttos own mother accused the prime minister and her husband of causing Murtazas death. In 1997, Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was dismissed from office once more, this time by President Leghari, whom she had supported. Again, she was charged with corruption; her husband, Asif Ali Zardari, was also implicated. Leghari reportedly believed that the couple was implicated in Murtaza Bhuttos assassination. Exile Once More Benazir Bhutto stood for parliamentary elections in February of 1997  but was defeated. Meanwhile, her husband had been arrested trying to get to Dubai  and went on trial for corruption. While in prison, Zardari won a parliamentary seat. In April of 1999, both Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari were convicted of corruption  and were fined $8.6 million US each. They were both sentenced to five years in prison. However, Bhutto was already in Dubai, which refused to extradite her back to Pakistan, so only Zardari served his sentence. In 2004, after his release, he joined his wife in exile in Dubai. Return to Pakistan On October 5, 2007, General and President Pervez Musharraf granted Benazir Bhutto amnesty from all of her corruption convictions. Two weeks later, Bhutto returned to Pakistan to campaign for the 2008 elections. On the day she landed at Karachi, a suicide bomber attacked her convoy surrounded by well-wishers, killing 136 and injuring 450; Bhutto escaped unharmed. In response, Musharraf declared a state of emergency on November 3. Bhutto criticized the declaration  and called Musharraf a dictator. Five days later, Benazir Bhutto was placed under house arrest to prevent her from rallying her supporters against the state of emergency. Bhutto was freed from house arrest the following day, but the state of emergency remained in effect until December 16, 2007. In the meantime, however, Musharraf gave up his post as a general in the army, affirming his intention to rule as a civilian. The Assassination of Benazir Bhutto On December 27, 2007, Bhutto appeared at an election rally in the park known as Liaquat National Bagh in Rawalpindi. As she was leaving the rally, she stood up to wave to supporters through the sunroof of her SUV. A gunman shot her three times, and then explosives went off all around the vehicle. Twenty people died on the scene; Benazir Bhutto passed away about an hour later in the hospital. Her cause of death was not the gunshot wounds but rather blunt force head trauma. The blast of the explosions had slammed her head into the edge of the sunroof with terrible force. Benazir Bhutto died at the age of 54, leaving behind a complicated legacy. The charges of corruption leveled against her husband and herself do not seem to have been entirely invented for political reasons, despite Bhuttos assertions to the contrary in her autobiography. We may never know whether she had any fore-knowledge about her brothers assassination. In the end, though, nobody can question Benazir Bhuttos bravery. She and her family endured tremendous hardships, and whatever her faults as a leader, she genuinely did strive to improve life for the ordinary people of Pakistan. For more information about women in power in Asia, see this list of Female Heads of State. Sources Bahadur, Kalim. Democracy in Pakistan: Crises and Conflicts, New Delhi: Har-Anand Publications, 1998. Obituary: Benazir Bhutto, BBC News, Dec. 27, 2007. Bhutto, Benazir. Daughter of Destiny: An Autobiography, 2nd ed., New York: Harper Collins, 2008. Bhutto, Benazir. Reconciliation: Islam, Democracy, and the West, New York: Harper Collins, 2008. Englar, Mary. Benazir Bhutto: Pakistani Prime Minister and Activist, Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books, 2006.

Essay style Why has the European Union been particularly active in its

Style Why has the European Union been particularly active in its employment anti-discrimination measures Set out the ma - Essay Example The diverse nature of conflicts within the European requires some form of moderation in order to achieve a level playing ground that can effectively lead towards the attainment of the shared goals (Salama & Council of Europe 2011, p. 121). The EU membership comprises of countries that speak different languages, which imply different cultures and worldviews. Some of the countries have had some historical challenges that could threaten the harmonious coexistence within the Union. Concerns over the possible dominance of some countries over others and presumed imbalances in various aspects of life such as business, global influence, and resources have fueled concerns of prejudice, preferential treatment, and discrimination within the union. It is because of this that the EU endeavors to enhance its operations in ways that foster unity and balance among member countries. Discrimination is largely a factor of competitive advantage (European Commission, 2008, p. 65). Discrimination is most likely to occur in conditions where many nationalities come together towards the attainment of certain objectives. Internal competitions and power struggles will tend to surface in ways that make it problematic for countries to articulate their concerns more effectively. The constituent members within the Union seek the attainment of certain political goals, social goals, and economic goals. The reality of discrimination places a direct hurdle towards the attainment of these goals. Tendencies of cultural supremacy and fears of cultural inferiority have, in the past, slowed down the integration of the EU members. Some countries have expressed reservations that the current operational climate is skewed in favor of particular countries (Corry, 1996). Internal differences between Anglophone members of the EU and other countries have led to fears of discrimination, which are because some countries are likely to benefit from undue advantage over others. It is for this reason that the EU s ought to draft specific legislations that provide sufficient safeguards against the possibility of lapsing into acts of discrimination based on language, culture, or country of origin (Fella & Ruzza, 2012, p. 40). These specific safeguards are meant to assure the member countries of fairness in the treatment of their citizens and countries in terms of certain benefits that relate to the specific issues that connect with the mutual interests that connect with the union. Discrimination usually imposes structural and systematic obstacles to the victims (Kahn, 2008). It curves out a system that provides privileges to some people or groups while subjecting others under unfair treatments. On this score, the EU sought to prevent the possibility of discrimination, as a way of encouraging the full participation and impartial treatment of its member countries and the citizens of the same countries as they moved about within the region covered geographically by the union (Falkner, Treib, & Hol zleithner, 2008). Efforts to determine the real extent of EU’s power should be understood from the fact that the union embodies certain qualities and virtues that must be upheld for the sake of its sustenance. The realization of the projected ends of the union depends significantly on the manner in which the unions operate and the balance of power and relations between them. The handling of matters of discriminati

Case analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Case analysis - Assignment Example During the same time 2011, the internet sales increased by 12%. By 2004 online sales made 50% of the total books sold in the US. Currently, websites owned by independent used books account for 9% of total books sold online. Currently, Amazon is the leading online bookseller of used and new books. There has been lots of competition with many authors opting to include shipping costs for their consumers in order to increase their sales. Ironically, most of the consumers preferred purchasing used books due to their low prices. It is argued that despite the book being used the information still remains the same. According to reliable sources of information Amazon generated 49% of its revenue through sales of used books. By 2010, most of the consumers used bookstores as their main sources of book which accounted for 30% of total sales. During the same year34 million customers bought books online. For quite a long time Amazon has been dominating this business since its inception in 1995. The entry of Google Books in the field of online sales and books is also creating competition (Deahl). This is because Google enjoys the largest search engine in the world and their ability to provide online books at cheaper rates is creating a lot of competition for Amazon and other booksellers. Bookstore channel made significant strides and more sales with American company Barnes and Noble enjoying up to 1,700 stores in the US which accounted for 30% of total sales in the years 2010. In the previous year 2009 the company was the best seller of online books which accounted for $5.8 billion and an operating profit of 0.63%. Amazingly, only 10% came from online shops while the rest were made from the physical bookstores which are spread all over US. The bookstores were large enough ranging from 3000 square feet to 60,000 square feet meaning that the stores could make up to 200,000 different titles in their shelves. The increase in sales and

Sociological Theories of social inequality Essay Example for Free

Sociological Theories of social inequality Essay Explain sociological theories of social inequality – is it a good or bad thing? – Functionalism, Marxism, Weberianism and Feminism. Social stratification is a system in society which is based on a hierarchy of power, privilege, and prestige; this then leads on to what is called social inequality. Social inequality is commonly tied to ethnicity, class and gender. White men being at the top of major corporations and black females working in the elderly care sector can and will raise debates of social inequality. Why is it mainly white males as the predominant directors and CEO’s of Fortune 500 companies? This essay will look into and critique social inequality and what certain theorists have to say about it. Unequal opportunities are what is mentioned a lot when social inequality is brought up; unequal opportunities for different social status’ as well as different ethnicities. Moreover, the majority of the Upper Class and Middle Class in this country are white families and the South Asian community and African as well as Eastern European so being treated differently in regard to social status links in very heavily to ethnicity as it coincides to an extent. There are a lot of opportunities that certain people in society do not have. Inequality of opportunities in Lehman’s terms is not getting the same chance at a better life because of your skin colour or gender or social class. As previously mentioned, why is a black male who was publicly educated more likely to spend time in prison than a white man who in return had a private education as therefore he is more likely to ascribe wealth and success because of this inequality of opportunities? The proletariat are the workers in society and the bourgeoisie are the ‘affluent’ business owners and doctors and lawyers of society. Karl Marx, who was a Marxist and started the movement, said that society has two classes of people and they are the two which have just been mentioned.

Madness and Insanity in Shakespeares Hamlet - From Obsession to Insani

From Obsession to Madness in Hamlet      Ã‚   In Shakespeare's play Hamlet, there are several questions that come to the reader's mind regarding the emotional state of Hamlet.   Was Hamlet really suffering from madness, as many of his friends and family thought?   Was he mad or just pretending to be mad?   Did Hamlet start out pretending to be mad, and his obsession drove him to madness?   The reader gets insight into Hamlet's mental status through other characters and through Hamlet himself. If the characters had the information that Hamlet had about the murder of his father, would they have thought differently of his actions and his sanity?      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Early in the play, King Claudius and Queen Gertrude show their concern for Hamlet's emotional state.   Hamlet had just recently lost his father and his mother had married his father's brother.   When Claudius asks Hamlet "How is it that the clouds still hang on you?" (1.2.66), he is attempting to determine why Hamlet is sad or depressed.   At this point the reader does not see any signs of madness but is starting to see that Hamlet isn't his usual self.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After Claudius and Gertrude leave there is a chance to see how Hamlet really feels. In talking to himself, Hamlet states:      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   O that this too too sullied flesh would melt,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thaw and resolve itself into dew,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   His canon 'gainst self-slaughter. O God! God!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   How weary, stale flat, and unprofitable   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Seem to me all the uses of this world! (1.2.129-133)    Here you begin to get a glimpse of the turmoil that Hamlet is going through. But at this point there are legi... ...peare. Ed. Gerald Chapman. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1965. Epstein, Norrie. "One of Destiny's Casualties." Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. of The Friendly Shakespeare: A Thoroughly Painless to the Best of the Bard. New York: Viking Penguin, 1993. p. 332-34. Gooch, Bryan N. S. "Review of The Shapes of Revenge: Victimization, Vengeance, and Vindictiveness in Shakespeare." Early Modern Literary Studies 4.1 (May, 1998): 5.1-6   http://purl.oclc.org/emls/04-1/rev_goo6.html. Gordon, Edward J. Introduction to Tragedy. Rochelle Park, NJ: Hayden Book Co., Inc., 1973. Jorgensen, Paul A. "Hamlet." William Shakespeare: the Tragedies. Boston: Twayne Publ., 1985. N. pag. http://www.freehomepages.com/hamlet/other/jorg-hamlet.html Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Ed. T. J. B. Spencer. New York: Penguin, 1996.

Relflection Paper Essay

When enrolling into a new class, it is normal to have expectations. I am excited and nervous at the same time. I understand that the upcoming semester will provide many challenges I will have to face. I am excited to see how I will grow academically over the course of the semester. I find myself eager about learning new things and refreshing my knowledge on things I have forgotten. It has been a long time since I have studied the growth and development of humans. I have strengths to bring to this class as well as weaknesses that I plan to work on during this class. By the end of this course I expect to be able to apply what I learn in counseling and become a better writer. While this class will be more stimulating than what I have been used to I hope that with the help of my classmates and my professor I can make this class a positive learning experience. During my undergraduate career, I took many psychology classes involving the human development. In one of my undergraduate classes, Lifespan Development, we went through the lifespan of people from birth until death. I took this class online and the class involved a lot of self-teaching. Because the class was online, assignments consisted of mostly online tests. While I learned a lot, I do not feel as if I learned all that I could. I am looking forward to taking this class on a more challenging level and having a deeper understanding in human growth and development. One of my biggest weaknesses is engaging in class discussions and presentations. Although I have an extroverted personality, I am very shy when it comes presentations. It takes time for me to get comfortable speaking in front a group of people. While doing presentations and engaging in class discussions, I get very nervous. In this class, a big part of my grade comes from this. Therefore, in this class I expect to get over my fear of public speaking. I hope that with the help of my professor I gain confidence about speaking in front of groups of people. I want to be able to take what I have learned in this class, apply it to counseling and also have a better understanding of what I have learned. This class will be an introduction of what to look forward to for the next three years. I am not used to writing papers and having to do so much reflective thinking. I believe this experience will help me become a better writer. In order for me to achieve all of my expectations, it is important that my professor help me when I need it, challenge me and give me constructive critism. In addition, if I want to take all that I can from this class it is imperative for me to give this class all that I have and spend time reading and completing my projects. I know that during this semester, there will be challenges but with the instruction of my professor, I plan to grow in my profession.

Japan Net Bank Case Analysis Essay

The banking market, especially Internet-only bank sector, in Japan was going through a period of rapid growth after the Japanese government initiated the famous â€Å"Big Bang† deregulation of the financial market. JNB, which began operation in October 2000, aimed at winning one million accounts and one trillion yen deposits and becoming profitable by the financial year 2002. However, in order to achieve that long-term success, it needed to resolved a number of issues and strengthen its competitive position in face of stiff competition from brick-and-mortar banks and new Internet-only banks. Therefore, this report focuses on the following three issues: †¢ An assessment of the present situation in Japan   regarding the Internet-only model of retail banking, †¢ An analysis of JNB’s competitive advantages, †¢ Recommendations of what alliance strategies to develop to overcome competition from traditional and other online banks. The data in this report was collected by assessing the information of the case â€Å"Japan Net Bank: Japan’ First Internet-only Bank† by Vincent Mark and Pauline Ng under the supervision of Dr. AH F. Farhoomand and surveying relevant materials from the Internet. I have divided my report into three main sections. Firstly, we would assess the potential for Internet-only model of retail banking in Japan. Secondly, we present and analyze JNB’s competitive advantages meticulously in this particular Japanese market. Finally, we would suggest some viable propositions of what alliance strategies that JNB should develop to surpass and obtain the market leader. Internet banking in Japan. 4 Conservative consumer banking behavior 5 Low level of credit card usage Japan did not use credit cards a great deal. By 2001, credit card purchases accounted for just eight per cent of consumer spending in Japan, compared with 14 percent in Europe and 21 percent in the US (The Economist, 2001). Borrowing was considered shameful in a culture much bound by traditional concept, so paying by credit card in public could be an embarrassment. In many cases, credit card users could only repay in one-go or in fixed installments. Therefore, such the culture preferred repaying card debt s in one-go quickly if they could afford it. Card companies’ lack of good marketing accentuated the problem: although there were schemes involving credit cards points, customers could only use their points to redeem low-quality gifts. In contrast, the consumer loan market in Japan was doing much better since it was worth 7 trillion yen by early 2001, double the market size of credit card. 6 The availability of ATMs for cash withdrawals Japanese consumers generally preferred to pay by cash or money transfers. A survey conducted in summer 2000 asked respondents which Internet bank they would deposit their money in. The 3,825 respondents were mostly in their 20s and 30s. Figure 1 illustrates the results: the attractiveness of the online banks in Japan in 2000. [pic] The pie chart illustrates that the success of a Japanese bank relied heavily on its ATM services. Determinant included whether the ATMs were conveniently located, whether they charged a small or no handling fee, whether they were open for long hours, etc. That leads to the wide distributions of ATMs services in Japan. We could recognize that the brand equity also played an important role to attract the customers. 7 Internet usage in Japan On-line banking with limited services-as an extension of traditional banking-was already available in Japan in 1997 with Sumitomo Bank. The total number of Internet accounts at major commercial banks reached 1. 4 million at that time. According to a Nielsen/NetRatings report, the Internet population in Japan was some 38 million in January 2001, and 41% of them were active users. However, a study by Yankee Group in early 2001 found out that some 20% of all Japanese households had a fixed line Internet connection at the end of 2000, less than the 50% Internet penetration in the US. Low penetration of fixed line Internet connections had driven a lot of people to use i-mode, which could cost only about several hundred yens a month. I-mode was a cellular Internet service offered by NTT DoCoMo, allowing emails and other Internet functions to be carried out via handsets. It had more than 22 million subscribers by April 2001. In fact, i-mode becomes so popular that Miyai, director of JNB, once said â€Å"Internet banking is really â€Å"cellular banking† in Japan†. 8 The competitive situation Competition from traditional banks JNB nevertheless had to face stiff competition with well-known bricks-and-mortar banks in a crowed banking market even though it was considered as the Japan’s first Internet bank without physical branches. Banking habits and conservative consumer culture in Japan facilitate traditional banks to gain competitive advantage in the market. Furthermore, traditional banks were making their services more convenient by installing m ore and more ATMs and providing a variety of value-added financial services. The most primary factors which make JNB’s competitors pay attention to JNB seemed to be lower overheads, competitive rates, lower fees and strong alliance backing. 10 Competition from domestic Internet banks Sony Bank JNB also had to compete with new entrants that provided similar services, One of those competitors was Sony Bank, an Internet-only bank with 37. 5 billion capital investment expected to start operation in mid-June 2001. Sony Bank’s strategy was similar to that of JNB in terms of higher interest rates, lower fees, a small workforce and no physical branches. In particular, the new bank’s management stressed customized, one-to-one services. Sony bank took advantage of its strategic stakeholders to deliver high-quality services to consumer. For example, customers of Sony Banks could use SMBC’s ATMs at â€Å"am/pm† convenience store chain as contact point, or J. P. Morgan Chase, one of its important stakeholders, would provide personal financial advice through the Web or Sony Bank obviously benefited from the Sony Empire by utilizing Sony Bank’s settlement service to purchase Sony products online. IY Bank Another Internet-only bank to enter the fray was IY bank, whose â€Å"internet† was predominantly a sprawling ATM network although Internet-based transactions would also be possible. It was expected to install round-the-clock ATMs in 3659s Ito-Yokado supermarkets and Seven-Eleven convenient stores within two years of operation. It had already joined up with a combined network of nine city banks, including one of the Japan’s largest commercial banks Sanwa, and charged commission whenever a customer of another bank in the network withdrew money from an IY Bank ATM. IY Bank intended to be settlement-focused and would develop loan and card business and Internet-based services later. IY Bank planned to install 24-hour ATMs at 3650 stores under the group by spring 2002 and at 7150 stores within five years of operation. Its target seemed to be practical since it could take advantage of the Ito-Yokado group’s existing customer base, which is 10 million customers per day, and its low-cost operation. 1 Competition from international Internet banks Another Internet-only bank, called eBank, was expected to start operation in June 2001. It would specialize in the settlement of payments for small-value online purchases worth up to 100,000 yens and would charge a lower commission than ordinary bank. eBANK was operate by Japan Electronics Settlement Planning Inc and invested by Japan Telecom, Yamato Transport and Ericsson Holding International. Its capital was about US$37 million. Japan Net Bank’s competitive advantages JBN, one of the core Internet businesses of parent company SMBC, aimed to build up its independent, own brand name and aspired to become the de facto standard of the Japanese-style â€Å"Internet Specialized Bank† for 21st Century’s Internet community. Therefore, the bank adopted the customer-centric principle seriously in order to survive and develop. JNB differentiated its financial products and services from those of its competitors by its distinguished characteristics: 3 24/7 availability JNB customers enjoyed seamless financial functions and 24/7 accessibility to their accounts through the Internet. They could carry out transactions or check their accounts through multiple access channels, including physical channels (ATMs or the Head Office) and mobile internet service (i-mode). The interfaces were designed to be very user-friendly. Moreover, JNB began to diversify into services other than basic bank transactions such as ordinary and term deposits. For example, it allowed on-line payment for bills and services of Tokyo Electric Power, Nomura Securities and Nifty Corp. ’s on-line shopping mall. 4 Competitive interest rate JNB offered attractive interest rates and fees compared with conventional Japanese banks [see Exhibit 3]. Its deposit interest rates were more than twice that of the average rates offered by major Japanese banks, and its charges for fund transfer were less than half those of conventional banks. Customized services Every customer had his/her own specific information page on the Web. Customers would receive e-mail notifications of transaction details such as receipt of fund transfers, expiration of term deposits, errors in automatic account debits, etc. 6 Confidentiality of usage The confidentiality of JNB customers’ private information was strictly secured; private information could not be used without customers’ agreement. Information transferred through the network was encrypted by 128-bit SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). The database and servers storing JNB customers’ information were protected by a firewall and an access-surveillance system. All Internet banking transactions could not be processed without a password. Moreover, the last login date and time was always indicated at every login to a JNB account, so customers would know whether their accounts had been accessed illegally. 7 Flexible organization and IT system JNB maintained a flexible, flat, and team-like structure which had a very low cost base. Its management style was different from the top-down approach of traditional Japanese corporations. Its structure allowed for the contingency between different departments in the organization to coordinate and solve problems. JNB also adopted a flexible, open information technology system which is divided systematically and functionally. The building of JNB’s IT application was quite innovative since it is mostly outsourced under the supervision of IT Department staff. Strategic alliances to develop In the face of fierce competition, JNB had the advantage of strong, broad, strategically important and multi-industry alliances. An appropriate strategic alliance would increase its revenues and market share. The advantages of strategic alliance include: †¢ Allowing each partner to concentrate on activities that best match their capabilities. †¢ Learning from partners and developing competences that may be more widely exploited elsewhere †¢ Adequacy a suitability of the resources and competencies of an organization for it to survive. 9 Shareholder alliance JNB has been forming alliances and partnerships with many blue-chip corporations possessing huge customer bases. Since JNB could acquire customers through its shareholder alliances, it had relatively low reliance on mass-media marketing and therefore had low marketing budget. In next five years, it should continue diversifying its alliances from different sectors of economy to broaden its business and utilize its alliance’s customer base. For instance, JNB might negotiate with ORIX Corporation RIX, one of the Japan’s largest leasing and diversified financial services conglomerate, to obtain equity strategic alliance. This alliance will enable the company to capture a larger share of the Japanese consumer finance market, and make consumer finance operations more efficient and responsive to the financing needs of creditworthy consumers. 10 Global strategic alliances SMBC, as a major stakeholder of JNB, signed a memorandum of mutual understanding (MOMU) on a strategic partnership with The Bank of East Asia (BEA) to co-develop their business potentials in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan and other countries. In China, SMBC established a wholly owned subsidiary, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (China) Limited, in April 2009. SMBC has formed alliances with Kookmin Bank in Korea, First Commercial Bank in Taiwan, The Bank of East Asia in Hong Kong, PT Bank Central Asia Tbk (BCA) in Indonesia and other Asian banks. With Barclays, a major British financial institution, the company is exploring venues of cooperation in wealth management, operations in South Africa and other business fields. JNB should take of advantage of this opportunity to establish its relationship with these foreign banks to market and expand its business to international. These strategic alliances would enable the company to expand its market hare and generate incremental revenues. 11 Non-shareholding alliances Ageing population in Japan likely to increase demand for insurance and pension products The Japanese population is ageing fast. The 65 and over age group as a percentage of total population is expected to increase from an estimated 21% in 2005 to 35. 7% in 2050. Moreover pension assets under management in the Asia Pacific region ar e expected to grow from current E1, 100 billion to E2, 900 billion in 2015. Ageing population in Japan would boost demand for the pension products of the company. The bank should cooperate and offer pension plans services, through Japan Pension Navigator Company to gain a certain advantage. Discerning that changing demographic profile of Japan profoundly therefore would increase demand for JNB’s business. Conclusion Japan Net Bank (JNB), Japan’s first Internet bank without physical branches, began operation in October 2000. It attracted mainly young customers looking for convenient, round-the-clock bank services with much more competitive interest rates and transaction charges than traditional Japanese banks. Its access channels included the mobile Internet service i-mode and fixed-line Internet. JNB relied on flexible, open computer systems and a young workforce of only 100 people to minimize operational costs. Its stakeholders, including parent company Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) and NTT DoCoMo (provider of i-mode), were all large companies from different industry sectors. This stakeholder base gave JNB market exposure and access to their established customer bases. By April 2001 JNB had 130,000 customers. It aimed at winning one million accounts and ? 1 trillion deposits and becoming profitable by the financial year 2002. But it needed to resolve a number of issues before it were able to achieve long-term success in the face of strong competition from bricks-and-mortar banks and new Internet-only banks. One of crucial issues was about how to meet with wide fluctuations in usage without over-investing; the other was alliance management, how to co-operate with alliance partners to achieve competitive advantage.

Pollution and Green Chemistry Science Fair Projects

Pollution and Green Chemistry Science Fair Projects You can design a science fair project that studies pollution or addresses green chemistry. Topics include air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, and green chemistry, which seeks to minimize the pollution generated by chemical processes. What type of car antifreeze is safest to the environment?Does the presence of detergent in water affect plant growth?How effective are natural mosquito repellents? Are they safer for the environment?What is the effect of a certain chemical in water on algae growth?How is biodiversity affected by the level of pollution?How closely does the pH of soil relate to the pH of the water around the soil? Which types of soils resist pH changes from pollution the best?What are some natural herbicides, pesticides, or algicides? How effective are they? How safe are they for the environment?How effective are house plants at reducing the concentration of organic air pollutants? Is the level of air pollutants lower in areas with a large number of trees compared with relatively nearby areas that have few plants?What might you do to detoxify run-off?Do the chemical preservatives used in packaging break down or do they remain in soil after the packaging has been composted?

How to Get Good Grades

How to Get Good Grades 5 Tips for Boosting Your Grades Getting good grades in school isnt something that just happens. It takes persistence, patience and a lot of effort on your part. Going from getting mediocre grades into good grades isnt going to happen overnight. It takes time to get yourself organized and develop the skills you need to succeed. To help you boost your grades, here are a few simple tips you can start implementing today. TIPS FOR USING THE CONTROL PANEL 1. Attendance Isnt Optional You cant expect to learn anything if you arent actually in the classroom to take in the information being taught. Being present in the classroom is crucial to improving your grades. By just listening to what the teacher has to say, you stand a chance of being able to walk away with at least a C. When you take notes and study further about the subject matter at hand, you are going to boost your grade even further. The skipping class will cause you to lose points and make your grade suffer further. 2. Keep Distractions to a Minimum If there is anything around you that could be a distraction and prevent you from learning, you need to get rid of it. Dont play around with your phone, listen to music or sit so far back in the classroom that you cant see or hear what the teacher is talking about. Sit closer to the front of the room to make sure you can hear what the teacher is saying and take accurate notes. Dont allow other classmates who might not be interested in learning to distract you from bettering yourself. 3. Pay Attention to Your Note-Taking Whatever the teacher talks about in class, you can plan on it being on the exam. Because of this, you need to make sure you are taking accurate notes that you can study from before the exam. Most of the time, teachers discuss the things that they feel are the most important. With accurate notes, you should have no problem passing the test. Go over everything the teacher discussed and make sure you know the material inside and out. Make note cards, discuss the material with the teacher or a friend, do whatever it takes to come out ahead and make sure the material is embedded in your brain. 4. Read through Your Textbooks Regardless of how much your teacher might try to fit everything into their class session, it isnt going to happen. They only have so much time to go over all of the material. Because of this, you have to take it upon yourself to go through the textbook provided and do your own research and studying. For many students, the thought of reading through pages upon pages of text can be intimidating and overwhelming. This is where you need to implement techniques like scanning, skimming and spotting keywords. Skimming involves going through and reading just the most important parts of the content. Reading the first sentence of every paragraph can help you pick up what the text is about quickly. Scanning is where you look through the main parts in a book to figure out whether it relates to your given topic. By reading the preface, index, intro and conclusion, you can get a good idea whether the book is going to help you or not. Spotting keywords involve going through and picking out the important phrases or words within the text. Anything highlight in italics or bold tends to be the most significant piece of information in the text. Pay attention for this formatting when reading the text. 5. Compare Your Notes with the Textbooks The key to mastering the material at hand is reading, analyzing and memorizing the materials. Read through your notes, write down any questions you might have and ask your teacher for the answers. You can also search your textbook for answers to your questions. This will help your brain to retain all of the information being taught in class. So, what are the things we should remember in order to get good grades? By going through the tips above, you can begin improving your grades in no time at all. Before you know it, you will have the grades you want and be on your way to a new grade point average. There is also another way to get your A become our customer! Our team of professional writers and 24/7 support cant wait to help you!

Leadership Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Leadership - Term Paper Example There has to be an individual in which the team can place its complete confidence and on whose instructions, they can work irrespective of their individualistic differences for the greater cause i.e. the achievement of the goal. That individual is leader. Leadership is manifested in the thinking and ideology of the leader. For some reason, the leader is superior to the followers. â€Å"Plato proposed that leadership requires a special talent, and only those few who possess such talent should be trained toward its proper utilization. Having rigorously developed this talent, the philosopher-kings, the guardians, should rule† (Cawthon, 2002, p. 10). This superiority may come from greater experience, knowledge, skills, or some other quality that is of great value and significance in the achievement of the goal that the leader and the followers are mutually interested in achieving. In the absence of leadership, the team becomes just a crowd or a bunch of people with conflicting vie ws and ideas. They might have all the skills required to achieve the goal, but their skills cannot be put to the right use without proper leadership. There are certain skills that are extremely important for an individual to attain to be effective as a leader. Some of these skills include; knowing where to draw the line between the leader and the followers, maintaining integrity as a leader, carrying out negotiation effectively, the ability to constantly motivate the followers, and emotional intelligence. A leader has to distinguish himself from the followers in order to retain his status as a leader. If he does not know where to draw the line while interacting with the followers, he may practically weaken his role as a leader even if he theoretically is supposedly a leader. This skill is more in-born than taught. It requires right decision-making while dealing with the followers. The leader should know how to interpret his strategy for the followers, how much information to give to the followers, to what extent can the followers be involved in the decision making, and where the relationship between the leader and the followers transforms from casual to strictly professional. This line is difficult to draw particularly in the social networking age of today where the leader and the followers come at the same level being friends at the social networking websites. Leadership is a full time job. One cannot be a leader just at the workplace and not be a leader outside the premises of the workplace. What an individual does elsewhere sends messages and signals to the followers about the philosophy, ideology, and character of their leader. Followers tend to judge the leaders from their dealing with others in everyday life and not just at work. This makes maintaining integrity as a leader difficult since one is prone to making mistakes as a human being. No individual can succeed as a leader without having sound negotiation skills. The most important skill that makes an individual an effective leader, in my opinion, is the negotiation skill. In the present age, a leader faces many challenges with respect to negotiation that are embedded not only in the differences of views, personality traits, and cultures of the leader and the followers but also in the limits on language competences while working in a culturally diverse environment. Cultural diversity is one of the most fundamental features of the workplace in the contemporary age. In order to understand the followers

Delegation Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Delegation Paper - Essay Example However, there has been a significant transformation in management style and approach of MGM Transport's managers. After attending a management seminar, most of the managers adapted a new way of dealing with their team members or subordinates most especially in the manner the delegated tasks to their subordinates. Delegation in MGM Transport is now all about asking questions and hearing out what the employees have to say regarding specific concerns. Managers in the company now place more value on what the employees have to say. So before they dish out orders left and right, the managers consult their people, ask them questions, and make them give their suggestions as to how the issue will be solved. As early as the planning stages, the managers now involve their team members. The plan of action which used to be the responsibility of the manager has now become collaboration between the manager and the employees. A specific instance that will demonstrate how such delegation process occurs in MGM is when the issue of the need to expand the company's less-than-a-truckload (LTL) services. John Adams, a member of the sales team, was tasked to study the need to expand the company's LTL services and which regions or areas must be considered. Before coming up with any decision or plan of action, John called for a meeting with his team. He told them of the situation and asked them what they have to say about it. Adams asked them for suggestion as to how to proceed with the task. When everyone had said their piece, John and his team worked out a plan that will resolve the issue at hand. By involving his team in the planning process, John was able to eliminate possible misunderstandings that commonly occur when the team members do not have sufficient knowledge or background on the task that needs to be done. It was only after the consultation process did John divide the tasks among the team members. E ach member was assigned to do things that fit into his area of expertise the best. No one person was given too much or too little duties. Delegation in MGM used to be a big concern and a weakness of the managers. However, this has greatly changed. Today, delegation has been utilized by MGM managers as an effective tool that will increase the productivity of the company. II. Delegation in Other Areas and Activities The case of MGM Transport demonstrates a situation wherein delegation was effectively used in the planning stage. Delegation, however, is applicable not just to the planning phase. Delegation can be used in several other phases and stages in an organization. There are various ways by which delegation can be valuable to an organization and the various processes embedded in its operations. As seen in the example of MGM, delegating in planning requires the involvement of key employees whose skills and capabilities are necessary for the resolution of a particular issue. When in the planning process, it is vital for the manager to be aware of the various perspectives and points of view of an issue. Moreover, any manager in any organization would want that he would have as much suggestions and ideas from as many angles and sides when he makes decisions on certain issues. It is in this case wherein delegation can ease the planning process. Not only will delegation reduce the pressure on the