Modern Christian Movement

Christian Fundamentalism is both a movement and a code of rules, referring to the adherence to the religion and Biblical teachings (http://www.sullivan-county.com/news/index.htm, 2003). Nowadays, the term is often corrupted to describe extremists and terrorists, who attack multiculturalism, democracy and the basic concepts of family planning. The present paper is designed to discuss the movement and the underlying doctrine in details and compare it to the similar Islamic and Judaist religious movements and trends. The Modern Christian Movement emerged in the beginning of the 20th century in response to modernism, industrialization and the following reformations of social life towards democracy (Appleby et al, 2003). â€Å"The five â€Å"fundamentals† of Christian belief that were enumerated in a series of 12 paperback volumes containing scholarly essays on the Bible that appeared between 1910 and 1915. Those included: 1) Biblical inerrancy; 2) The divinity of Jesus; 3)The Virgin Birth; 4) The belief that Jesus died to redeem humankind; 5)An expectation of the Second Coming, or physical return, of Jesus Christ† (www.sullivan-county.com, 2003). Furthermore, the tracts contained the criticism of technological progress and modern theology and insisted upon the return to the initials, i.e. to the first century, when original Christianity was spreading.   The whole Bible was declared inerrant, in contrast to the other Christian movements, which refuted certain parts of the Gospel. Furthermore, fundamentalists had true hostility to those who didn’t share their beliefs up to the last point, as they alleged there was nothing redundant or useless in the Bible (Appleby et al, 2003), as the scriptures should have been viewed as instructions rather than edifying stories and narratives. The followers of the movement also believed in the sixth-day Creationism and therefore rejected the whole evolutionary science. More importantly, they asserted   that Bible should not have been interpreted, as it had to be understood literally, without searching any mystic contexts, as the scriptures were written specifically for ordinary people’s understanding (Appleby et al, 2003; Armstrong, 2001). Furthermore, fundamentalists prioritized faith over virtuous lifestyle, whereas the latter was nevertheless to correspond with the exact fundamentalist teachings. It also needs to be noted that fundamentalists viewed human being as basically sinful and violent: â€Å"Because Calvin, Luther, and Augustine all see humans as â€Å"depraved† and â€Å"born into sin† produced a very negative outlook on humanity. Also their idea of the â€Å"elect† creates an attitude that they are somehow â€Å"chosen† above all others. This puts them at odds with â€Å"mainline† or liberal Protestant churches that reject the Augustinian notions of human depravity† (www.sullivan-county.com, 2003). The history of the movement itself is also interesting and controversial. In the early 20th century, the disciples of the fundamentals began to establish churches and denominations in the United States and United Kingdom (Appleby et al, 2003). In 1910, the northern Presbyterian Church proclaimed the five aforementioned principal pillars. In 1919, the World’s Christian Association was found, and W.Riley agreed to head it. In 1920, the term â€Å"fundamentalist† was first used by Curtis Lee Laws, but the contemporary fundamentalists perceived the term ambivalently, as it sounded like a conceptually new religious movement (http://mb-soft.com/believe/text/fundamen.htm, 1997). Due to the penetration of liberalism into a number of American churches, fundamentalists began to criticize widely the transformation and peculiar ‘democratization’ of Baptist and Protestant churches. Furthermore, they rejected and even attempted to curb the contemporary efforts to re-interpret and reformulate the biblical teachings, and were themselves most consistent with the content of the King James Bible, published in 1611(Armstrong, 2001; Appleby et al, 2003). â€Å"Church struggles occurred in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the Protestant Episcopal Church, and even in the southern Presbyterian Church, but the grand battles were fought in the northern Presbyterian and northern Baptist denominations. Machen was the undisputed leader among Presbyterians, joined by Clarence E.Macartney† (mb-soft.com, 1997). Consequently, a number of organizations were created on the basis of the reformed Baptist and Presbyterian churches, which began to utilize the five fundamentals: the Fundamentalist Fellowship (1921), the National Federation of the Fundamentalists of the Northern Baptists (1921) and the Baptist Bible Union (1923). The unions developed their own policies in such issues as ordination of clergy ad education, and a number of particularly enthusiastic preachers denied the importance of literacy and declared Bible as their only ‘reader’ in the course of training (Armstrong, 2001; mb-soft.com, 1997). Approximately at the same time the fundamentalists began to interfere with the policies of public schools, specifically, with their curricula which included Darwinian evolution as a mandatory subject (Appleby et al, 2003). Since the 1940s, the fundamentalists split into two groups, the first one accepted the term â€Å"fundamentalism† and began to run to some extent separatist policies, whereas the second camp regarded the term as humiliating and positioning the followers of the movement as narrow-minded fanatics. The latter group, as one can understand, wished to expand the influence over Protestant churches and therefore declared their teaching as â€Å"evangelical†. This group soon ‘softened’ their hard-line Christian belief and gradually accepted the contemporary liberal ideas, expressed by a number of Protestant Church executives. Towards the late 1970s, there was a peak of the fundamentalists’ popularity, as   during Ronald Reagan campaign (Appleby et al , 2003), they were able to find answers to the most troublemaking issues like economic and social crises (in fact associated with the Vietnam War, but the adepts of the movement manipulated with the fall of the population’s moral and optimism and stated the contemporary mentality was erroneous). â€Å"They identified a new and more pervasive enemy, secular humanism, which they believed was responsible for eroding churches, schools, universities, the government, and above all families. They fought all enemies which they considered to be offspring of secular humanism, evolutionism, political and theological liberalism, loose personal morality, socialism and communism† (mb-soft.com, 1997). Thus, they employed the most powerful PR tools to influence public consciousness and arranged a number of protest actions, including the picketing family planning centers, certain education institutions and scientific laboratories in attempt to undermine the reputation of the mentioned organizations (Armstrong, 2001). Such religious activists as Jerry Falwell, pat Robertson and Hal Lindsey appeared on TV-screens as often as very popular politicians or the president and continued to encourage citizens to refuse from technological advancements, democratic ideology; the most radical fundamentalists even tried to curb immigration and force foreigners of different faith to leave the United States. The Fundamentalist Movement of the 1990s and the new millennium is still strong, but the organization has become much more ‘secluded’. Nowadays, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences has launched a new project that encourages scholars in the United States and around the world to study fundamentalism (http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/nrms/fund.html, 1998). They also theorized the religious doctrine and outlined the its basic characteristics, which include the manifestation of religious truth which must not be secreted, religious idealism as the major aspect of fundamentalist identity and demonization of any movements which diverge from the doctrine. Furthermore, â€Å"fundamentalists envision themselves as part of a cosmic struggle; they seize on historical moments and reinterpret them in the light of this cosmic struggle; they envy modernist cultural hegemony and try to overturn the distribution of power† (religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu, 1998). Appleby also discusses the major characteristics of the organized movement and stated and its primary course is the increase of the popularity of Christian religion. Furthermore, the members of the movement are selective and reject specific aspects of technological progress rather then modernity in general; the organization itself has â€Å"an elect or chosen membership; sharp group boundaries; charismatic authoritarian leaders and mandated behavioral requirement† (ibid, 1998). As one can understand, Christian fundamentalism has a lot in common with Islam and Judaism, especially in terms of the structure of the movement. For instance, both Orthodox Judaist and Islamic fundamentalist movements have the same organizational characteristics and regard themselves as the participants of a cosmic struggle. This trend, however, is not very notable in Judaism, whereas the most hard-line Muslim leaders (of radical organizations like al-Qaeda) wage true war against otherwise-minded, and, similarly to Christian fundamentalists, demonize anyone who dares challenge the teachings from the Holy Scriptures perceived as central. Judaism has always been less radical and its fundamentals are more related to the controversy over the origin of the Torah, which, as most Orthodox Judaists hold, derives actually from God rather than from humankind (Armstrong, 2001). Judaist Fundamentalism also includes â€Å"Laws of Rabbinic decree to better enforce Torah law (e.g. the prohibition of eating/cooking mixtures of milk and poultry); these laws are held to be created by the rabbis and are divinely inspired† (Armstrong, 2001, p. 385) and observes Rabbeinu Gershom’s prescriptions concerning the ban on reading letters, addressed to another person, the possibility of divorcing a female without her compliance and the regulation of eating habits. Islamic Fundamentalism refers to Sunni Islam, which recognized the Koran, Haddith and Sunnah and accordingly rejects the Shi’a laws. Similarly to the Christian Fundamentalism, the corresponding Islamic teaching includes the notion that â€Å"the problems of the world stem from secular influences. Further, the path to peace and justice lies in a return to the original message of Islam, combined with a scrupulous rejection of innovations† (Armstrong, 2001, p. 396). Technological progress is also partially rejected in the Judaist Fundamentalism – for instance, the Torah teaches that human face should not touch blade, that’s why Orthodox Jews avoid using razors and wear long beards. On the other hand, the Christian Fundamentalism has one unique feature, Messianism, which is not emphasized in the other two doctrines, as most Judaists do not view Christ as an influential religious person, whereas the concept of God’s son is absent is Islam. As one can understand, fundamentalism is to great extent synonymous to conservatism. Nevertheless, it is important to remember that the contemporary fundamentalist movement are based not purely upon the religious doctrines, but also on the aspects of PR, promotion and, if necessary, violence and compulsion. Furthermore, all of them enclose considerable restrictions upon human daily activities, – in Islam, for instance, practically all daily routines have certain algorithms; moreover, all of them challenge humanism and the principles of individual freedom, imposing personal responsibility and accountability to society or community (especially in Judaism) instead. Reference list Sullivan Country Resources. (2003). Christian Fundamentalism exposed. Available online at: http://www.sullivan-county.com/news/index.htm Religious Movements Homepage. (1998). Fundamentalism. Available online at: http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/nrms/fund.html Believe Web-Resources. (1997). (Christian) Fundamentalism. Available online at: http://mb-soft.com/believe/text/fundamen.htm Appleby, R., Almond, G. and Sivan, E. (2003). Strong Religion. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Armstrong, K. (2001). The Battle of God: A History of Fundamentalism. New York: Ballantine Books.            

Interpersonal interactions in health Essay

Language Barrier/ Overwhelming Language. Mrs Singh and her husband speak minimal English. This would firstly be a barrier between the MDT staff present at the meeting and themselves. The MDT team are using jargon and large words that neither Mrs Singh nor her husband can understand because of their lack of English language. They would have to try and guess what was being said through body language, facial expressions and tone of voice. What is being said can be completely misunderstood and can make the situation a lot worse. In this scenario a translator would have been effective in breaking the barrier between Mrs Singh, her husband and the doctors. The doctors are not including Mrs Singh and her husband in the conversation or checking that what is being said is understood by them. They are not using open questions to confirm their understanding. This is not a good feeling for them to be feeling and means that it has not been communicated effectively. Without the translator or the doctors making sure they understand, Mrs S ingh and her husband will be feeling very confused and nervous. Tone/Speed of Conversation The MDT team need to understand that not everything that is being said is being interpreted correctly and this conversation is not effective because of their lack of thought. When explaining and trying to organise the discharge package for Mrs Singh, it is quite clear that she does not understand what is being explained and discussed because of the bewildered look on her and her husband’s face. The MDT team need to slow down what they are saying and need to be clearer with explaining the package. They will  need to be patient because it will take Mrs Singh longer to understand what is being said because of the language barrier. Once again they will also need to ask open questions to solidify that Mrs Singh understands what is being said. As a team they will need to give Mrs Singh and her husband time to respond to the discussion and have a chance to ask question if they’re needed (which they should know). Tones of voice needs to be thought about as well because this i s how Mrs Singh would try and interpret what is being said because she won’t understand the language clearly. The Environment The main problem with where and when it was held in the public, ward day room at lunch time. The fact that it was in a public place is not helpful or ideal to the situation because it was very busy and not private or personal at all. It was also done at lunchtime, where the people involved in the conversation would most likely be hungry so would not be concentrating well and get distracted and this would not be helpful or best for the situation. The fact that there are a lot of people at the meeting (7 MDT team members and Mrs Singh and her husband) would usually be helpful because the more people, the more helpful it can be to the patient but the fact there was a lot of people in such a crowded situation makes it very overwhelming and can be unhelpful and intimidating. Because it was held at lunchtime, it was very noisy and the background noise was very distracting and unsettling. Not being able to hear made the ward nurse raise her voice which is very scary for Mrs Singh seeing as she doesn’t understand what is being said anyway. The fact that her voice had to be raised can also make Mrs Singh feel that there may be something wrong and if you cannot understand the language, you listen to the tone of voice and figure out what is trying to be explained so if they are shouting it creates a negative environment.

A Study in Scarlet Essay Example for Free

A Study in Scarlet Essay ? The great author Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle was born on the 22nd May 1859 in Edinburgh Scotland. He had graduated with a degree in medicine at Edinburgh University in 1881. His first short story was published in1879 however the first mystery featuring Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson, ‘A Study in Scarlet’, was not until 1887. He had married twice and fathered five children. Conan Doyle had died in 1930. People are drawn to the Sherlock Holmes mystery as Conan Doyle is able to make the reader feel part of the story. The suspense and tension in his stories raise questions in the readers mind. This piece of course work will trace why Conan Doyle writings are popular in the 21st century. One key feature that helped the popularity of Sherlock Holmes stories is Conan Doyle’s use of language, style of writing and its simplicity. In the man with the twisted lip, Mr. Boone was a horrific looking beggar described as â€Å"a broad wheel from an old scar ran right across it from an old scar ran right across it from eye to chin, and by contraction had turned up one side of the upper lip, so that three teeth were exposed in a perpetual snarl. A shock of very bright red hair grew low over his eyes and forehead. † Conan Doyle’s use of descriptive language enables the reader to put together a picture of this revolting beggar. In the Red Headed League John Clay, also known as Vincent Spaulding, the criminal had asked to be called with respect â€Å"Have the goodness also, when you address me always say ‘sir’ and ‘please’. † The use of language to introduce humour can be picked up from such comments. Also the idea that a red headed man had died and he wanted to give his inheritance to any other red headed man. Conan Doyle starts to put questions in the readers mind ‘Why would someone want to do this? ‘ This seems virtually impossible and farfetched; such reference continually adds flavour to his writing. In the speckled band Dr. Roylott tried to threaten Sherlock Holmes and called him names â€Å"I know you, you scoundrel! I have heard of you before. You are Holmes, the meddler†¦ Holmes, the busybody†¦ Holmes the Scotland Yard Jack-In-Office†. Through dialogue we are able to deduce the character of Dr. Grimsby Roylott and his aggressive attitude towards people. The reader begins to understand why Helen stoner was afraid of her step father and had come to Holmes without his permission. Sherlock Holmes was able to speak fluent Latin â€Å"omne ignotum pro magnifico†; in the Victorian era you had to be well educated to be able to articulate a word of Latin. Conan Doyle has used this technique to show the reader Holmes accomplishments and status in society. Language plays a very important role in all Conan Doyle’s stories which in many ways have added to the never ending success. It has helped to transform the stories the stories into pleasant readings for a wide range of audiences. In all the stories a similar pattern seems to emerge which helps create the perfect recipe for a mystery. The stories unfold in the most unusual way leaving the reader intrigued up to the very end. The themes in Conan Doyle’s stories are directed towards acts of injustice, crimes, the clever villains and innocent victims; all spiced with greed. In the speckled band the victim was Helen stoner, who had come to seek help relating to the sudden death of her sister Julia. The villain to the readers surprise was Dr. Grimsby Roylott. Mrs. Stoner, mother of Helen and Julia Stoner, had received â€Å"not less than 1000 pounds a year† she gave this money to Dr. Roylott. â€Å"a certain annual sum should be allowed† to each daughter after marriage; due to Dr. Roylott’s selfish needs he was responsible for the death of Julia and attempt to murder Helen. In the red headed league Mr. Jabez Wilson had consulted Sherlock Holmes to look into an advert that seemed peculiar. Mr. Jabez Wilson had taken a job because it offered double a normal wage, â€Å"4 pound a week†. To the readers it seemed a shock that Vincent Spaulding, who was the loyal employee, had been the criminal John Clay. John clay had planned to steal the French napoleons from the bank. He was a con man â€Å"he’ll crack a crib in Scotland one week, and be raising money to build an orphanage in Cornwall the next. † In the man with the twisted lip Mrs. Neville StClair, the victim, had approached Holmes because she needed help finding her husband. Boone, the beggar, was able to earn â€Å"700 pounds a year† where as Mr. Neville StClair, a journalist, earned â€Å"two pounds a week. † Mr. Neville StClair was the victim of his own deeds as he was not able to meet the expectation of society within the Victorian era. In the 21st century many people are not able to find time to read long novels. Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories are short and simple to read, anyone can find time for them. You can pick up a story and read it on your way to work or school. The stories start in a similar way; we are first introduced to the innocent victims who are always reassured by Sherlock Holmes with his sympatric and caring nature and in most cases in the company of Dr. Watson. There is always a mention of the residence of Sherlock Holmes. This is to create a make believe situation in the readers mind. The setting is always dark and gloomy when the client comes to seek for advice; this gives a cosy and calm atmosphere. Conan Doyle was taught how to make deductions about patients by observing them closely; this skill was transferred to his stories and injected into his main character Sherlock Holmes. Holmes carries out his investigation using simple means. His use of knowledge allows him to give an insight in the red headed league. Vincent Spaulding had worked for half wage; he was always â€Å"diving down into the cellar like a rabbit† and he was the one who showed Mr. Jabez Wilson the advert. When Sherlock Holmes went to ask for directions, under pretence just to come in contact with the so called assistant Vincent Spaulding, he was reassuring himself that what he was thinking was actually possible. Holmes was able to conclude on the note that Vincent Spaulding and John Clay was the same person. Sherlock Holmes has a special essence which draws the reader towards him. Sherlock Holmes is known as one of the world’s greatest detectives. His mission was always to help gain justice for his clients. He is an individual who is never after money but more interested in solving the crime â€Å"my profession is its own reward†. He was a guardian angel to all and everyone had total trust in his skill. There are two sides of Holmes, one which is the never quitting crime solver and other which just likes to relax. He also has many weaknesses â€Å"cocaine injections and all the little weaknesses†. In these three stories Conan Doyle has used Watson to narrate the story. We are able to learn what is in the Dr. Watsons mind towards Holmes. John Watson is a very close friend and assistant of Holmes. He has full trust in friend’s skills and has the same thirst for mysteries as Holmes; â€Å"Your cases have indeed been of the greatest interest to me† The mystery in most cases concludes on the note that Sherlock Holmes has solved the case. In the speckled band Helen stoner was able to live without fear of her stepfather. This pattern of a constant happy ending allows the reader to look forward to the end and they know that they can always rely on Holmes. In the 21st century Conan Doyle still rubs shoulder with many other famous detective stories such as â€Å"murder she wrote† and â€Å"C. S. I†. None of them however can beat Sherlock Holmes!!! Conan Doyle has out done himself. The Sherlock Holmes stories are suitable for all age groups. Worldwide he is an accomplished writer as the stories have been translated into over 60 different languages. Even today the famous residence 221b baker street is still known as the fictional home of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Now it is the site of the Sherlock Holmes museum. Such tributes have helped keep the stories alive to date. Neelam Hirani Page 1 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Miscellaneous section. A Study in Scarlet. (2017, Oct 30).

Spiro Agnew and Construction Kickbacks (ethic case study) Essay

Spiro Agnew and Construction Kickbacks (ethic case study) - Essay Example Matz responded by giving kickbacks to Agnew for every contract they were awarded. Matz faces no criminal prosecution for cooperating with the prosecution. Most contracting firms could no longer win contracts unless they participated in such activity in Maryland. Through their complains, ‘whistle blowing’, the Spiro Agnew and Construction kickbacks are revealed. Although this practice was common in Maryland, it is unacceptable. The fundamental canons in Engineer Ethics Code states that engineers hold paramount the welfare of the public as they perform their professional duties and be done in areas of competence. They should also build professional reputation on merit of their services and compete fairly with others. This practice is unfair since there is no fair competition for contracts. Whistle blowing is the best action. The engineer should alert relevant persons on the legal or moral corruption. This is a controversial issue that is challenging because of repercussions that the engineer might face. The legal body together with good political will help in such like situations. Competitive bidding creates a level play ground for contractors participating in a bidding competition. For this case, competitive bidding could not have solved the problem because of misuse of office by the politicians and engineers as well (Fleddermann, 2011). 4.14 What is the ethical status of a campaign contribution given to a politician to secure future business? Is this a bribe? Is it the same as a kickback? Perhaps line drawing would help answer this question. Many times, kickbacks are offered from an appreciation point of view after award of a contract. It is secretly given, mostly in terms of money for a particular assistance or work given. Unlike bribe which is given before a service is rendered. Campaign contribution given by a contractor to a politician to secure future business is a bribe since it is used to

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Small Business Review Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

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Finding differences Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

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Recommendations for a Company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Recommendations for a Company - Case Study Example Your firm is rather new in the market. Still, it should be carefully structured and monitored so that failures are identified early and appropriate solutions are given. Most important, the time spent on recovering from failures should be minimized otherwise there would be no time left for focusing on the firm’s expansion, a problem that you have already faced. As a leader, you have to emphasize on keeping the firm’s productivity at high levels (Schermerhorn 2011). You also have to ensure that the resources available are used appropriately so that organizational performance is high as possible (Schermerhorn 2011). In general, the management of organizations is based on four, key, functions: ‘a) planning, b) organizing, c) leading and d) controlling’ (Daft & Marcic 2012, p.9). This means that the leader who aims to secure the success of his business has to be able to respond to the demands of all the above management functions. Apart from the above functions, of particular importance for modern organizations is ‘the achievement of organizational goals’ (Dyck & Neubert 2008, p.7). ... In this way, the mistakes made will be identified and measures can be proposed for avoiding similar problems in the future. In regard to the mission statement of the organization the following comments could be made: a) although the mission statement responds to a basic need of the local market, i.e. the need for convenient accounting services, it seems to suffer at the following point: it does not refer, either directly or indirectly, to credibility, as a criterion of the services provided by the organization. In the specific sector, credibility is quite important at the level that any failure could lead to high penalties for the customer/ taxpayer. Therefore, the firm’s mission statement could be possible alternated. The phrase: ‘Credible management of your finances’ could be possible preferred instead of the firm’s existing mission statement: ‘Have laptop, will travel’; b) in its current form, the firm’s mission statement is related t o another problem: the mission statement is not supported by appropriate strategies, so that the statement’s enforcement becomes problematic. As noted above, planning is one of the key management functions (Daft & Marcic 2012). This means that each firm’s leader has the responsibility for the identification and the promotion of the firm’s mission statement, as also of the firm’s strategies and ethical rules. This means that you have to take measures for ensuring that the mission statement reflects the organization’s capabilities, as revealed through the firm’s performance. At the same time, you need to ensure that the firm is able to respond to the challenges that the above mission statement sets, i.e. the provision

Given in attatchment Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Given in attatchment - Case Study Example Hence the presence of wireless providers will become more evident. In addition, the demand for wireless and mobile services appears to reach all-time highs. In United Kingdom, Vodafone PLC is one of the most prominent mobile firms. The market value of Vodafone is over 84.7 billion (Vodafone PLC, 2007). By far, this is the biggest in the world among mobile telecommunication operators. As proof to its dominance, Vodafone is partnered with firms in 39 countries worldwide. The firm has been a picture of success in the mobile industry. There were several companies which have tried but failed to penetrate a diverse market. Vodafone's success is often attributed to its strategies and the commitment to make a difference in the industry. Further, Vodafone has dedicated all of its resources to ensure that its customers are provided with top-notch service and solutions. Vodafone understands the need to change because of competition. Changes in consumer preference also affect Vodafone's current direction. To ensure success, the firm amassed high quality resources from the technology used to the personnel delivering the services. Vodafone also assess its current strategies and reviews the performance of these techniques. The company follows a meticulous process to arrive at the best possible decisions for given circumstances. Vodafone PLC caters to approximately 200 million clients. ... In addition, the firm has to settle impairment charges and losses from discontinued operations. But Vodafone's operating revenues was positive in 2006. In fact, the firm has amassed sales of 29 billion during the said year. Of these revenues, 9.4 billion was recorded as operating profit before the mentioned costs and losses. In UK, Vodafone competes against O2, T-Mobile, Virgin Media, 3, and Orange. At present the firm controls 21% of the actual market share. It ranks second in terms of controlled market in UK. Vodafone is known as a partner to several other wireless companies operating across the world. It is affiliated with providers that are market leaders. Vodafone continues to transact with other mobile operators to further expand its presence (Sheth, 2006). III. SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis is defined as the scrutiny of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of an organisation (QuickMBA, 2007). This serves as an assessment of the firm's current market position. The primary strength of the company centres on innovation. The products developed by Vodafone identify the company. Another important strength of Vodafone PLC is linked to its reputation. The firm's links with other mobile providers in the world is a major strength. Instead of establishing a mobile network, Vodafone uses already established wireless firms in various markets. This save the company costs and allows Vodafone to make minimal investments with high returns. The brands developed by the firm are known to be of high quality. But Vodafone PLC has some obvious weaknesses. These include the weak performance of its partners. At times, Vodafone is dependent in the manner in which its partner

Income Distribution in the U.S Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Income Distribution in the U.S - Essay Example It looks at the income that the rich and the poor are getting. It also critically looks at the factors that can lead to income distribution inequalities like taxing, technology and globalization. It helps in explaining various theories like human capital and economic discrimination. For this purpose, it helps an economy to come up with ways to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor. It has been a global concern in fighting poverty. Even though poverty can not be fully eradicated it can be reduced. It is important to look at how factors of production are distributed within an economy. How easy it is for every individual to access these factors is another way to know how well the income is distributed within an economy (Richard, pp.345-450). It is important to look at the income distribution trends in America to find out how the gap between the rich and the poor can be reduced. Very many economists are interested in fighting the gap between the rich and the poor. The gross domestic product (GDP) has been refuted in telling if the citizens of a country are rich or poor. Many economists argue that a country can have a very high gross domestic product but it is only being produced by 10% of the citizens who are the elite and affluent people of the society. The Gini coefficient has been used by the American economists to tell if the country has equal distribution of income. It can simply be said that some professions are well paid but others earn very low wages (Richard, pp.345-450). It is notable that 1948 to 1968, the Gini coefficient reduced. When the Gini coefficient reduces then it means that the citizens’ income per citizen is increasing. Thus between those years the income inequality in America had reduced meaning that families were receiving more income than before. On the contrary, the Gini coefficient increased between 1968 and 1998, this meant that the

Five Forces Model for Industry Analysis Essay Example for Free

Five Forces Model for Industry Analysis Essay New Entrants The online bookstore industry that Amazon.com has pioneered in was, at first, very hard to penetrate. There were different barriers such as distributing capabilities and the variety of the selection offered that are supposed to be hurdled. Amazon successfully solved the tricky parameters as being the first one to get into the whole idea of online retail. With being the first, they had the luxury to set what were the norms for the industry. Factors that may lower these barrier tactics would be a wider selection and the ability to go to an actual bookstore to exchange or return books or other products. This network of actual retail spaces makes it easier for the consumer to return or exchange the products they were not satisfied with. These handicaps of Amazon were the basis for the emergence of book retail giants Barnes and Noble and Borders in the online shopping industry. Industry Competitors The major competitors of Amazon are Barnes and Noble and Borders. Barnes and Noble is a retail giant offering books and CDs both in their outlets all over the country. It opened their online industry in 1997 and has become the fourth largest e-commerce sites today. Focused largely on the sale of books, music, software, magazines, prints, posters, and related products, the company has capitalized on the recognized brand value of the Barnes Noble name to become the second largest, and one of the fastest growing, online distributors of books. Their advantage to Amazon is the brand name and the availability of actual retail outlets in which consumers could go in to exchange or return products easily. They also have an established book selection based in their retail operations. Borders is another multi-media retail store found in major cities around the country. Started out as a small bookshop in the college town of Ann Arbor, Michigan, it has since expanded into one of the finest bookstores. In 1992,  Borders was bought by the Kmart group which further flourished the company into a Multi Media Giant with a wide selection of Audio, Video and Books found throughout the United States. The Online Bookstore industry have become a fierce business which involves discounts, varied selections and fast delivery in which all three companies are challenging each other. Buyers The consumers of this industry can be found in every corner of the population. These are mostly people who have had some form of higher education and have access to the Internet and computers. The segment of online shoppers has increased dramatically in recent years due to the convenience of shopping in the comforts of the home and the accessibility of the Internet. These developments have made it easier for consumers to log on and buy on the Internet. Consumers also tend to compare prices among the retail leaders such that buyers are able to buy products with very big discounts compared to ones bought in actual retail outlets. The bargaining power of the consumer is based on the competitive strategies of each active firm in the industry. Thus, consumers can challenge one firm for charging more than the other one such that the firm will beat the price of the competing firm. Suppliers Amazons suppliers range from the publishing and media houses to electronics manufacturers. Amazon buys all their books, videos and audio CDs from the multi media houses and publishing giants such as Time Warner, Doubleday etc. Amazon also has alliances with other bookstores to cover orders that they cannot serve. Substitutes The substitutes for Amazon and other online bookstores are the actual book  retailers and music stores such as Barnes and Nobles, Virgin Megastore, Tower Records, Sam Goody and other small mom-and-pop outlets. With the rise of online retail, there will be little impact from these substitutes. One impact would be some consumers who would like to hold or listen to their purchases prior to buying and those who are into the whole shopping experience. Barnes and Nobles have jumped into online retail and have succeeded into diversifying into the new e-commerce industry. Industrial Organization Model Degree of Competition Due to the shift of focus for Amazon, it has become the Earths biggest anything store. Its competitors have expanded from just online book retailers Barnes and Nobles and Borders to top audio retailers CDNOW.com and online auction house EBAY.com. Amazon has an overall lead of 40% market share against the other online retail firms. Their international business has more than doubled over the past 2 years and this growth increased Amazons share in the online business market. Life Cycle Amazon, in its first years, had negative income but the rise of e-commerce sites and being the pioneer made the succeeding years led to boom time for them. Their growth period was during 1994 to 1995 when they were the first of its kind in the world. They incurred very high costs in terms of distributions to customers. Still with a negative income, Amazon went public in 1997 and had one of the biggest IPOs of the time. With investors banking on future positive cash flow for this company, Amazons market value soared. Many people caught on with the idea of online shopping, thus, Amazons success. Amazons success as an online retailer prompted bricks-and-mortar rivals Barnes and Noble and Borders to join in. Competition decreased Amazons profitability so in the past couple of years, Amazon has expanded to more than books, audio and video to electronics and other retail concepts. Social Relevance Amazons products are marketed for every consumer possible. Books, audio, video and electronics are appreciated by majority of the population especially those who have access to the Internet. Amazon is active in pursuing literacy programs for young children by collaborating with the makers of the Dr. Seuss books. They have actively participated in the Dr. Seuss shops, story telling sessions and Dr. Seuss days. Degree of Globalization Amazons strength internationally lies within its networks in major ports and cities around the Globe. Amazon first started out in Seattle but as soon as they have established a niche market, they have opened shop all over the nation and in cities such as London, Berlin, The Hague, Paris, Tokyo, Singapore and many more. These branches overseas improves their delivery service to a wide consumer base. Extent of Government Control There has not been many government regulations regarding online retailing. A group of CEOs whose firms that are engaged in such practices have formed an organization called Global Business Dialogue. This GBD group supports the development of a seamless global system that delivers the broadest array of goods and services to the largest number of consumers at the most competitive prices. This work effort will: offer recommendations to the WTO, including making the moratorium on online tariffs permanent; and collaborate with governments to target and eliminate discriminations against, or other non-tariff barriers to global trade in, electronic commerce. This working group will also provide an avenue for the GBDs to consider and promote the growth of the electronic marketplace in an environment unencumbered by detrimental taxation. Degree of Vertical Integration Amazons primary value chain includes purchasing/sourcing, marketing, distribution and after-sales services, which includes returns and exchanges from unsatisfied customers. Their main focus is in the purchasing/sourcing and in the distribution of the products to the consumers. Their investments are therefore, geared towards warehouses in key points of high consumer demand areas and an efficient delivery and distributing system to service all its consumers. Thus, Amazon controls most of its distributing system that spans across borders. Inter Organization of Network Economics Amazon in its efforts to sustain its market leadership in the online retailing industry has tied up with various online organizations. Netscape Navigator and Amazon will offer members of Netscape Netcenter a co-branded storefront where Earths Biggest Bookstore will be easily accessed through Netscape Netcenter (home.netscape.com). In addition, Amazon.com has multi-year exclusive and premier bookseller relationships with 5 of the top 6 sites on the World Wide Web: AOL.com, Yahoo!, Netscape, GeoCities, and Excite. These partnerships widen Amazons presence in the World Wide Web. Sensitivity to Business Cycles The Online retailing business has a very quick cyclical growth. Amazon being one of the firsts to venture in this type of commerce are all ready in what seems to be in their decline stage where market share is declining. Therefore, Amazon is expanding to different industries within online retailing. Amazon and other online retailing firms are very sensitive to business cycles due to the speed of technology involved in the services they offer. Dynamics of New Knowledge Generation Online retailing relies on the work of an excellent distribution system. Amazon has invested their money into expanding their network of distribution centers around the globe. They also have investments in creating better  technology for tracking orders and giving efficient delivery systems for their customers. Amazon.com has remained on top of the online retailing business despite the entrance of giants such as Barnes and Nobles and Borders. Their success is attributed to two factors; timing and continuing to invest heavily into the inventory and distribution systems. Amazon, by being the first of its kind, has a big lead over the nearest competitors due to their experience and its reputation as the first movers. Their thrust remains on improving efficient delivery systems across borders and to build name recognition as the number one retailing firm in the Internet. They have also ventured into different retail options to keep that lead. Marketing, Innovative inventory and distribution systems, and name recall have helped Amazon build a sustainable competitive advantage. In order for any online retail company to remain prosperous and income generating, they must invest a lot of time and money into research and development of more efficient operations and distributions systems. This proved to be key for the Market Leader in online retailing, Amazon.Com.

STA Travel Case Study Essay Example for Free

STA Travel Case Study Essay History/Situation: STA Travel is a subsidiary of a privately held company, Diethelm Keller Holding LTD, marketing as the worlds largest student travel organization helping students travel in over 90 countries. Historically, STA utilized retail travel agencies located near or on college campuses; however the Internet has introduced new online competitors. The internet is predicted to account for more bookings than offline alternatives. In response to STA’s global customer base, STA delegated the responsibility to the local level while using an integrated information system to provide global support and solutions. STA’s philosophy is â€Å"local as possible, global as necessary†. STA launched a business strategy, One Company, to align business operations with customer needs across the world. In support of this global standardization emerged BLUEe, a unified sales and booking system supporting every STA point of purchase backed by a single network, infrastructure, finance and reporting system. STA’s North American division developed STATRAVEL193.COM, an interactive website with video reports from STA customers about travel destinations. They also were the first to explore the Second Life (SL) marketing tool. STA’s Global Webmaster, Craig Hepburn, also welcomed the SL idea however he knew it would be a tough sell to marketing departments in other countries. STA had a two prong approach to utilize SL. One was to hold a movie making competition among SL residents which would highlight their virtual worlds. STA could then use the best of the videos to provide the services to the SL world as they do in the real world. The second element evolved into creating a separate orientation landing where new comers would be provided basic orientation information and then STA would lead them to exciting places in SL providing another opportunity to provide the services currently provided in the real world. Matt Nixon, Director of E-Commerce, STA Travels North America Division, needed to decide if STA should investment in SL. What is second life? SL is a virtual marketing tool which would provide STA a marketing presence in a computer-simulated virtual world. From the SL website, players can download client software for the game. Players are given a virtual self, an avatar, and a â€Å"second life†. There is a process for new players to get setu p with their avatar, name, account info, avatar accessories, orientation, and avatar skills before choosing to transport to  the mainland to begin their second lives. Players can purchase a premier membership status which provides players an opportunity to setup a business and participate in an economy exchanging US$1MM daily. Opportunities: There was strong evidence of network effect in SL. By early 2007, there were over 3 million â€Å"residents† registered on SL, of which 700,000 had visited SL in the previous 60 days and 12,000-18,000 were typically on line at any given time. Also, real life (RL) businesses, brands and not-for-profit organizations began to explore their own second lives. STA has an opportunity to be one of the first to market in the virtual world travel category. In doing so, they can begin to form partnerships with other RL businesses. As more businesses residents join, STA can continue to grow their partnerships and advertising within SL. Problems: SL is new technology and history shows that technology has a short life cycle. There is risk that SL will not continue to grow long enough for STA to cash in on this signif icant investment. SL could also have a negative impact on STA’s brand image if potential customers begin to identify STA with a virtual business and not a real life business that can provide real world travel services. STA’s real world revenue will be a key metric in measuring the impact of SL. Although, STA’s SL approach simulates the services they offer in the real world; I think it will be difficult for residents to make the connection from STA’s virtual world services to the real world services. Also, college students’ schedules are packed full with studies, work and socializing therefore majority will not have time to maintain a virtual second life. Finally, the current retail travel agencies will likely resist the SL marketing tool because the success of SL represents lost commissions for the retail agencies. What type of individuals make up the Second Life community? What do you believe will be the evolution of Second Life and other Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) in the near future? The primary users in SL are gamers and tech savvy individuals who spend a lot of time in at the computer. Those that prefer virtual reality often don’t have a desire to travel the world for several reasons; they don’t like flying, leaving home, they can’t afford it, or their schedule doesn’t allow enough time. I don’t believe the current SL users will seek out STA’s real world services. I also don’t believe there is an opportunity for STA to gain share through SL because those who enjoy traveling in real  life prefer to experience it in person not virtually. These two demographics are independent; therefore the virtual players cannot provide a read on travel trends for the real life traveler. I also don’t expect SL to continue long enough for STA to make any gains in market share. How do you propose that STA Travel should go about establishing a presence in Second Life? How can the firm spawn the traffic needed for generating revenues? I struggle to find any basis for STA to move forward with establishing a presence in SL which will appeal to their target audience and generate revenues. I believe there is a missing link between the virtual reality and the real world services. I also think STAs target audience will remain a minority in the SL virtual reality user community. Evaluate the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of this initiative. What would you propose to the executive team if you were Matt? Why? The SL actual costs not provided in this case, however the total cost of ownership must include the following: lease, setup, development, training of STA employees, maintenance, end of life, migration, integration with software programs, security, testing, data backup storage, insurance, marketing expense, global staffing to maintain site 24/7. I believe the cumulative cost of these categories will exceed the benefit because. How would you evaluate the value of Second Life to STA? At this time, I’d do not recommend moving forward on the basis that I do not find any value in SL. STAs target college audience is a minority in the SL user community. I evaluate the value of SL based on the projected increased revenue, profitability, market share and the risks or opportunities. The risks noted previously outweigh any potential advantage SL may provide. Class Material Online community- SL is a virtual reality community brought together by a common interest of wanting to escape reality. Pay for service- SL primary revenue model; they charge a membership to users who want to upgrade and participate in the SL economy which exchanges US$1MM daily. Disintermediation- Historically STA utilized retail travel agencies, however the Internet introduced new online competitors. Market efficiency- STA online competition provides lower costs researching trips. Rather than physically going to the retail travel agent, consumers can search for pricing and availability online. Two-way conversations- STA North America  has an interactive travel blog where customers can post videos of their travel experiences. Recommendation: I do not recommend SL because the risks exceed any gains that may exist. Also, there is not a link between the virtual and real world. I recommend that STA explore other online marketing opportunities.

Comparing Nuclear Energy To Other Energies Sources Environmental Sciences Essay

Comparing Nuclear Energy To Other Energies Sources Environmental Sciences Essay This report contains information on five different types of energy sources. It is a literature study that compares two renewable (solar and wind) sources and two non-renewable (coal and natural gas) sources to nuclear energy. The comparison is based on factors such as usage, cost (both capital costs and running costs), safety and stability, storage of waste and the impact on the environment. The sources are individually compared to nuclear energy. In the comparisons only the factors relevant to the two energy sources being compared at any given time are considered factors are not repeated in the comparison. It also looks at whether the medias portrayal of the dangers of nuclear energy is accurate or whether it overestimates the dangers involved in producing nuclear power. The aim of the report was to determine the viability of nuclear energy as a source of power to support electricity needs of the population in the future. This is a literature study addressing the portrayal of nuclear energy by the media and its viability as an energy source in comparison to other methods of generating electricity. The report compares Nuclear energy to energy generated by coal, natural gases, wind and the sun (i.e. solar energy). The energy types are individually compared to Nuclear energy. Each section highlights specific problems and advantages associated with Nuclear energy as it relates to the energy to which it is being compared. Factors taken into consideration include the costs involved with the various types of energy, how much it is being used globally, impact on the environment, storage of waste, safety and stability. The report was written to meet the requirements laid down by JSQ216, a second year engineering subject at the University of Pretoria. The report was completed by allocating each of the four group members a specific energy to research and compare to nuclear energy. The research was then completed by using journal articles, books, internet sites and approaching two engineers about the problem. The information was processed, the reliability of the sources assessed and a short portion of the report was generated by each group member. All four parts were then put together for the final report. Figure 1: Break down of solar energy[2]The sun has been around since the beginning of time but only recently has it been used as a source of renewable energy. Approximately 120000 TW of solar energy is absorbed by the Earths surface which is equal to 10000 times the total global demand for energy. Only 0.1% of this energy would be required to satisfy the worlds present consumption of fuels.[1] There are three main ways to harness the suns energy. These include solar cells which convert sunlight directly into electricity. Solar water heating where heat from the sun is used to heat water inside panels on roof tops. And lastly solar furnaces that make use of mirrors to concentrate the suns energy into a small space to produce high temperatures. As illustrated by figure 1. There are close to 440 nuclear power plants in the world today which supply 16% of the worlds energy demand, however only 1% is useable energy with the rest being nuclear waste. If 1% of the area where there is recoverable energy utilised solar energy devices all the worlds energy needs could be met with solar energy alone. If 10% of the area were to be utilised then in two years the electricity produced would be equal to all known reserves of fossil fuels.[1] Cost problems with solar energy are the high capital costs involved in the installation of solar panels which can be very expensive. The need to store energy because of solar availability due to factors such as time of day and weather conditions is also costly. Countries at higher altitudes with daily cloud cover will have an economic disadvantage due to long distance transfer of energy. Maintenance of panels also has to be considered. Nuclear energy is presently cheaper than solar power however the construction of the facilities and the disposal of radioactive waste is costly and can affect the environment.[3] Solar power is relatively safe to use as long as you do not look directly into the suns rays or come into contact with hot solar panels. In the case of nuclear power it is also safe to use as the nuclear reactors are equipped with redundant systems to make sure there is no nuclear meltdown. This makes it a very stable energy source. Nuclear energy starts to get more dangerous in the form of spent fuel rods and radioactive waste. Even though nuclear energy is reliable and stable as a whole, when something does go wrong it can become very serious and very dangerous. Solar energy does not have any form of waste as replaced panels and components can be reused or recycled. Nuclear energy has two types of waste products, the spent fuel rods which if not stored properly in pools of water to cool down could become very unstable. The other form is radioactive gasses and other waste products that if released into the atmosphere can pose various risks. Solar energy produces no waste or pollution. Waste from nuclear power must be sealed and stored underground for long periods of time. This waste must be kept safe from external factors and from human contact in order to prevent a threat. Such a threat is currently under way at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant in Japan where a pool of spent fuel rods caught fire this year. Solar power is a renewable power source therefore it is environmentally friendly. It is silent and requires no fuel therefore there is no pollution. It even decreases the amount of harmful green house gasses. Although there are many advantages to solar energy there is still the fact that a large amount of panels is required to produce the needed electricity. This becomes very costly. It is reliable and has no risks that are associated with nuclear energy. Nuclear energy on the other hand is not a renewable source and if not handled in the correct way could impact the environment in a negative way. Even though it does not contribute to global warming like other fossil fuels, the waste gasses it does produce could potentially cause radioactive sicknesses and cancer in humans and other life forms. A summary of the advantages and disadvantages of solar and nuclear energy can be found in the tables below Table 1: Advantages of Solar and Nuclear Energy Solar Energy Nuclear Energy Renewable energy source Does not emit green house gasses Has no volatile waste Plenty of resources available Once panels are in place the energy is free Cheaper than solar power Table 2: Disadvantages of Solar and Nuclear Energy Solar Energy Nuclear Energy Does not work at night Radioactive waste Currently very expensive Long-term storage required for waste products Requires big fields in order to harvest a suitable amount of energy Some reactors produce plutonium which can be used to make nuclear weapons All around the world we require every energy source that we can get including nuclear. All energy sources have both pros and cons. Even though nuclear energy is portrayed as an unstable source of energy it is in fact one of the most reliable and stable types in the world today. The downside is in its waste that if treated incorrectly could land in the hands of terrorists. In the next 20 years there will be emerging economies throughout the globe that will require low cost, environmentally friendly alternative energy sources and Nuclear power is expected to satisfy this demand. Wind Energy Wind power is the generation of electricity through the use of wind to spin turbines, which in turn, convert the winds kinetic energy into electricity. [1] The process of using wind as a power source has been in use throughout history from around the 12th century where windmills were used to mill grain. [2] Wind power generation uses wind turbines to make electricity, wind mills for mechanical power and wind pumps for pumping water. [2] It is a renewable energy source that not many countries have attempted to develop. Wind Power Worldwide June 2010 [3] Country Capacity (MW) USA 36.3 China 33.8 Germany 26.4 Spain 19.5 India 12.1 Rest of the World 46.9 Total 175.00Table 3: Wind Power Worldwide June 2010 In June 2010, The World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) published that 5 countries alone accounted for approximately 73% of the worlds total wind energy production namely USA, China, Germany, Spain and India. [3] Figure 2: World Electricity Production 2008 On the other hand, nuclear energy production seems to be far more popular in a lot of countries with some countries such as the USA and France having no less than 104 and 59 nuclear reactors in operation respectively [4] in early 2010. A study done in 2008 to find the percentage of each type of energy that is globally produced showed that wind forms part of only 2.8% whereas nuclear energy accounts for 13.4% of the worlds total power. The main disadvantage of wind power is the unreliability of the wind itself. In most areas the winds strength is too low to spin a turbine. However, if wind energy were to be used in unison with solar and/or geothermal energy it could be developed into a stable and reliable source of power. The wind turbines themselves are quite safe with only a few reported cases worldwide of damaged blades caused by bad weather, none of which has resulted in any known injuries. [5] Nuclear reactor plants make use of radioactive materials to generate electricity. The idea that these materials could become unstable and get out of control is one of the main concerns (along with radiation poisoning) for countries producing nuclear energy. The Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 1986 lead to better, more efficient protocols being put into practice leaving most countries to believe that they are now better prepared to handle any destabilizing of the nuclear materials. [6] Nonetheless, wind energy remains theoretically a lot safer than nuclear plants even with all the safety precautions they take. The consequences are much higher for a nuclear disaster than for a wind turbine failure. Wind turbines do not emit any waste products as they do not burn any sort of fossil fuels or radioactive materials, so there is no concern over where to store or dispose of emissions safely- unlike nuclear energy. The radioactive materials (like Uranium and Plutonium) that are used up in nuclear power plants continue to produce dangerous radiation for thousands of years after they have been used up as a fuel for nuclear energy. The most effective way to store these depleted materials has not yet been found but for now they are being kept in underground storage pools where they will not be harmful to anybody. [7] The initial setups of both wind turbines and nuclear power plants are quite costly. But once built, wind turbines are cheaper to maintain than the power plants, but they are both relatively cheaper to maintain than their fossil fuel counterparts with the nuclear materials lasting a very long time and with wind being a free resource to be used. Environmental Impact: Both wind and nuclear energy as it is being produced, is friendly to the surrounding environment (except in the tragic case where radiation is leaked from the power plant). However, wind turbines do make more noise than the power plants which is disruptive to any locals staying near the turbines. [8] The amount of space that a wind turbine takes is less than that of an average nuclear power plant and the disruption to the environment during construction is worse for the power plants because they take so much longer to be built. [8] Coal Energy Coal, the most abundant and affordable of the fossil fuels (1), is a non-renewable energy source. It has been used as a source of energy for thousands of years and has numerous important uses such as in electricity generation, steel and cement manufacture, and industrial process heating. Coal often proves to be the only alternative when low-cost, cleaner energy sources are unable to meet the growing energy demand faced with today (1). Fossil fuels are formed from the organic remains of prehistoric plants and animals that have undergone changes due to heat and pressure over millions of years. The process is still taking place today but the rate of energy storage is small. The annual biomass production stored this way represents only around 0.001% of the current world energy use (2). Even though charcoal can be made artificially, it is not possible to produce it at the rate of consumption (3). Therefore, coal is regarded as a non-renewable energy source and is bound to get depleted. According to BPs (British Petroleum) Statistical Review of World Energy 2010, there is a estimated 826001 million tons of proven coal reserves worldwide, or 119 years reserves-to-production ratio(length of time that the remaining coal reserves would last if production were to continue at the previous years rate )(4). However, compared to other fossil fuels, coal reserves are the largest ones and are more evenly distributed worldwide. Nuclear energy is also a non-renewable source as it is reliant upon a finite source of fuel that can be exhausted. Although, the worlds known uranium resources increased by 15% in two years to 2007 owing to increased mineral exploration The uranium (and sometimes plutonium) used in nuclear power is a natural resource and is a common metal found in rocks all over the world. The World Nuclear Association suggested that there is approximately (13) 160 years of supply at todays rate of consumption. Coal is mainly used as a solid fuel to produce electricity and heat. The coal is usually pulverized and then combusted in a furnace with a boiler for the generation of electricity. The steam which results from the combustion is then used to spin turbines, which drives the generators thus creating electricity. When coal is heated at approximately 1000 degrees Celsius in an airless environment, Coke is produced. The Coke is then used is used to smelt iron ore for the production of steel. A by-product of this heating is Coal gas, which is a composition of methane and hydrogen, is produced. Coal gas was used for residential lighting and cooking in the 1940s; but it was very costly and so it was stopped. However, in recent times, these gasification processes are being developed to be more cost effective and so coal gas is often used as fuel for engines. Nuclear power plants create electricity through a process called fission in which subatomic particles called neutrons split uranium atoms, producing tremendous amounts of energy. The result of the fission of these large atoms is the creation of smaller atoms and radiation. The energy produced is then absorbed by water which heats it and so stream is produced. The steam is then used to spin turbines as in the case with coal power plants. According to the Key World Energy Statistics 2010 (5), 27% of the worldwide energy demand was fulfilled by coal in 2009.Coal was the second largest source of energy followed by Oil supplying 33.2%. China is a major producer with coal with coal always playing a dominant role in its primary energy consumption. China consumed a high 46,9% of the coal supplied and produced the most coal (45,6%) according to the BP Statistical World Energy Review 2010. World primary energy demand is expected to continue to grow steadily, as it has over the last two decades According to the International Energy Outlook 2010 (an assessment by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) of the outlook for international energy markets through 2035), world consumption of coal increases by 56% over the next two decades(6). Nuclear energy supplies the world 5.8% of the worlds consumption which is less than a quarter of what coal supplies. This is expected as there are only 442 operable nuclear power stations world-wide, the first one being created about 50 years ago which is relatively recent. The extraction of coal involves two types of mining: surface (strip) mining and underground mining. Surface mining involves the removal of coal deposits close to earths surface whereas underground mining is removing deposits found hundreds of meters below the earths surface. Underground mining accounts to approximately 60% of the worlds coal production (7) and requires the creation of shafts and tunnels that are dug in to the coal layers. There have been numerous tragic occurrences in the history of coal mining as it is a very risky business and devastating accidents occur in all countries that produce commercial quantities of this mineral. Most mining accidents occur as a result of cave-ins, methane explosions, mine wall failures, vehicle collisions or the flooding of the mine shafts. Also suffocation, gas poisoning, respiratory ailments (mainly Black Lung Disease) were common. Over 100,000 miners have dies over the past century in coal-mining accidents in the U.S (2nd largest producers of coal) only (8). However, most of these risks have been reduced in present-day mines owing to modern technology and health and safety acts setting stricter standards. Nevertheless, in lesser developed countries and some developing countries, continue to experience significant numbers of mining fatalities each year. The abundance of coal makes it easily accessible and the use of cheaper modes of transportation makes this resource an inexpensive form of energy when compared to energies such as solar, wind or hydro. It is also slightly cheaper than the costs involved in producing nuclear energy. When comparing the economics in producing energy from these two sources, it is important to consider several different types costs associated with both coal and nuclear energy. This includes costs associated with the fuel used in the production of energy which tend to be lower in a nuclear plant even though more intricate steps are involved in the production of the fuel assemblies used in the reactors. Transportation costs are, however, high for coal because a significantly large amount of coal is needed to generate the same energy as with the nuclear fuel. The capital costs are the costs associated with the initial construction of the plant and the modifications forms an important part when comparing the costs. For a nuclear plant, these costs are usually higher than for any other energy forms as the buildings used for containment or the safety-related equipment need to meet higher standards than those met by traditional coal plants. On the other hand, coal plants are required to include scrubbers to remove airborne pollutants as a result of the burning of the coal. Another consideration is the operation and maintenance costs involved. These are the costs involved in the day-to-day operation of the coal and nuclear plants. This includes labour costs, material costs, government fees and property taxes. It is found that the costs are very similar in both the plants. The costs associated with the by-product waste should also be taken into account. For a coal plants, this is the coal ash and for a nuclear plant, these costs include a charge levied by the government for ultimate storage of the high level waste. This charge is a flat fee based on energy use. The waste costs for nuclear energy is considerably higher than the costs for coal plants. Thus, the costs involved in producing coal and nuclear energy are roughly the same (9). The burning of coal is known to contribute to global warming, and is linked to environmental and health issues such as acid rain, smog and asthma owing to the particulate emissions that are emitted from power stations. According to the World Health Organisation, it is estimated that air pollution kills more than 2 million people annually (10). Coal is the largest contributor to the human-made increase of CO2, a greenhouse gas which causes global warming and climate change in the air (11). Strip mining causes large areas of land to be temporarily disturbed and this causes soil erosion and impacts on local biodiversity as after the land has been scraped and quarried for coal, it is usually abandoned. The waste after coal has been combusted is often disposed of in landfills or surface impoundments, which are lined with compacted clay soil and a plastic sheet. As rain filters through the toxic ash pits over years, the toxic metals are leached out into the local environment. Coal sludge i s the liquid coal waste generated by washing coal and is known to contain toxins, and so leaks or spills can pollute underground and surface waters. (12) Natural Gas Energy The Natural Gas used in power production is a colourless, odourless and tasteless gas made primarily of methane and other hydrocarbons (including ethane, propane, butanes and pentanes). It also contains carbon dioxide, helium, hydrogen sulphide and nitrogen, in smaller quantities. Natural gas is a molecular compound with Van Der Waal attraction between its molecules[1]. It has a boiling point of -161oC and is stable at a wide variety of temperatures and pressures[1]. Natural gas is transported in its liquid form as it taken up 600 times less space as a liquid than it does as a gas and weighs 55% less than the same volume of water. It is a result of the decomposition of plants and animals and is found in pockets beneath the earth and ocean. Natural gas is an important source of power in the modern world. According to Makogen (2010:49) if we were to use 17 to 20% of the worlds natural gas resources, we would be able to provide the world with energy for 200 years. Although it currently only accounts for 20% of the worlds energy, the demand is expected to increase substantially over the next 20 years. It is a cleaner fuel source than any other fossil fuel[2] emitting nearly no sulphur dioxide and far less carbon dioxide and NHx than either oil or coal. Natural gases can also be used in conjunction with other power generation methods, such as biomass[3], to produce energy which will change the amount of pollutants emitted. Nuclear stations do not produce the same pollutants as fossil fuels do but waste management remains the primary concern in nuclear technology. The waste products of a nuclear station are isotopes with extremely long half-lives. The storage of these waste products means creating a safe storage space that needs to last longer than all the human civilisations combined. There are three different levels of nuclear waste, high level, medium level and low level. Low level waste is not very dangerous and disposing of it is not a problem. The danger comes in with high level radioactive waste. The waste is encased in concrete drums and buried up to a kilometre and a half into the ground[5]. However, high level radioactive waste cannot be stored near any other high level radioactive waste as it will interact with the other waste. It is also important to find stable ground in which to store the waste, as concrete can crack and break in the event of an earthquake or tremor. South Africa is one of the safer places to store nuclear waste as it has a geologically stable countryside. Some areas, like the northern Karoo, have experienced about 30 000 years of stability. In between the removal of the waste from use and the final storage of the waste it needs to be left to soak in water for a period of time, to get rid of some of the residual radiation. In this time the fuel rods need to be safely guarded as the waste products are used in the creation of dirty bombs and nuclear bombs. A dirty bomb is a normal bomb containing high level radioactive waste and is detonated above a city, allowing the radioactive particles to contaminate the water supply in addition to other damage. [5]Plutonium, one of the waste products of a nuclear power station, is a primary component in atom bombs and the rods often have to be processed to remove all plutonium before they can be disposed. The use to which the waste products can be used also means that measures need to be taken in ensuring that any country with a nuclear power station does not use the waste in a nuclear weapons program. It also leaves a country more vulnerable to nuclear attack as should a dirty or atom bomb land near a nuclear station the products of the two would react with each other, compounding damage. The waste from a nuclear station can be greatly reduced by the correct management of the station but it still remains a serious threat. Cold fusion could theoretically produce energy without radioactive waste but experiments with cold fusion have produced very little energy, not even enough to power a light bulb. Cold fusion is also regarded as a scam by many scientists and has the same notoriety as perpetual motion and free energy in many scientific circles[9]. The level of efficiency of natural gas as a power source is, however, very much dependent on the technology used to produce the power. In a comparison of different technologies[4] it was found that Natural Gas combined cycle technology was the most efficient of the Natural Gas technologies. The technologies were compared based on efficiency, capital costs, maintenance costs, the service life and electricity costs (calculated based on the cost of the fuel, the maintenance costs, capital cost and service life). The capital costs of the combined cycle technology were just over à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬500 with an expected maintenance cost of less than à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬0.005 per kilo Watt hour and a service life of 20 years (i.e. the time the plant operates before equipment needs to be replaced.) A nuclear station has to replace its one third of its fuel rods annually[5] Comparatively, a nuclear stations capital costs are higher than any other fuel source[6] but they produce electricity at a very low cost which offsets the initial high cost. This can be seen in figure 2, below, which shows a comparison of the cost to generate energy for various technologies. The cost of power from a nuclear plant also tends to remain stable[7] even if the cost of uranium varies as up top 75% of the fuel cost in a nuclear plant is to cover the start-up cost. On the other hand, natural gas prices are very dependent on the supply and so prices tend to vary. Natural gas is also subject to carbon taxes in some countries because of its emissions, which reduces its cost efficiency. Figure 3: Cost of Energy Generation for Different Technologies Location also plays a very important role in determining whether or not natural gas or nuclear energy is the most efficient solution of a country. A country that is abundant in fossil fuels and does not pay carbon taxes would find that natural gas was a far more suitable technology. However, when it becomes necessary to import natural gases, the supply security of the plant becomes compromised and it Nuclear may be a more financially viable option. Both Nuclear and Natural Gas sources have the advantages of being able to supply on demand. Most renewable energy resources are offered on an as-available basis[8]. This means that you do not need to run a coal station alongside a nuclear station in case it does not produce enough energy to meet demand. Conclusion Media is incorrect in portrayal, too extreme but still not safe Waste disposal is dangerous, careful consideration as to storage facilities Safety, security Vulnerability to nuclear attack

Has Technology Made Strategy Obsolete? Essay -- essays research papers

Has Technology Made Strategy Obsolete? It has been said that, "improvements in technology for waging war have made strategy increasingly irrelevant." This is not the case; strategy is actually becoming more important with the development of more sophisticated military technology. Firstly it must be clearly defined how strategy and technology relate to each other. There have been many different views on what, in effect, constitutes strategy. If one were to compare Sun Tzu's concepts of strategy and compare them to that of Clausewitz, it would be clear that the two defined strategy much differently. Sun Tzu viewed strategy as a much larger issue than did the Clausewitz. He believed that an overall strategy that utilized political alliances, misinformation, intelligence and strategic planning was the key to what he believed the pinnacle of military victory was; to win the war without ever having to fight. Clausewitz had a much narrower view of strategy, one that would more correctly be determined as tactics. Clausewitz believed in the supremacy of direct military conflict as the sole arena for states to resolve their differences and satisfy their ambitions. He focused then, on the best way to win the war, believing that war was inevitable. It is clear then, that wile both men wrote on the subject of war, their focus was on different levels of warfare, Sun Tzu's focus was on strategy, or grand strategy, while Clausewitz's focus was on the tactical level, or operational strategy. Technology is of a different ilk altogether than the closely related topics of tactics and strategy. Technology is the tools with which the war is waged. It can consist of not only mechanical instruments, but of nuclear, chemical and biological tools as well. Technology is an ever changing, constantly improving, element of warfare that has throughout history continually improved the efficiency with which mankind can kill one and other. Technology Strategy Tactics The key to understanding the issue is to understand how the three elements, technology, tactics and strategy are connected to each other and more specifically, how changes in one area of will drive changes in the other. Technology is the core to the whole process. A requirement is identified and a weapon, or weapons system is created in order to fill that requirement. Once this has been done, the military leader... ...s Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI) or "Star Wars" plan that finally broke the economically weaker USSR. Currently, the US Army's is driving toward the development of a Strategic Anti-missile System; resent successful tests of this new technology raise the specter of a return to the winnable war scenario. These new technologies has, as all technology is, been developed to finally and directly eliminate the threat generated by initial development of the nuclear strike capability. The question that now begs to be asked is weather this technology will once again change the strategic focus away from the economic arena and back to the military one? Technology has not rendered strategy obsolete. Certain military technological advances, which are continually reshaping the tactical realm, have managed, by the shear magnitude of their impact, reached beyond that area to change the Grande Strategy by which nations plan their success. As we see, strategy changed in order to counter the threat posed until a counter technology was developed. The interplay of tactics, technology and strategy is cyclical and symbiotic in nature with each element being driven by changes in the other.

Macbeth as the Aristotelian Tragic Hero Essay -- Macbeth essays

Macbeth as the Aristotelian Tragic Hero The first criterion that a tragic hero must comply to is that they must be above average. They must be Khrestos. Macbeth is khrestos. He is described as "valour's minion" 1-2 19. Valour's minion means bravery's favourite. Also he is spoken of as "brave" and "Bellona's bridegroom". Bellona was the goddess of war. Duncan, the king, describes Macbeth as "noble". And also uses a familiar term for Macbeth, as if he is in the kings family. "o' valiant cousin, worthy gentleman". These quotations from Duncan carry more weight as they are from the highest nobility, the monarch himself. These quotes evidence that Macbeth is khrestos. Everyone thinks highly of him and he is already Thane of Glamis, then he becomes Thane of Cawdor. The Thane of Cawdor is executed for being a traitor, so Macbeth inherits the label of a traitor, even though it is not known. Another condition of a tragic hero is that he must have a flaw in his character that will prove fatal to his life or status. This flaw is called Hamartia. Macbeth's hamartia is that he is ambitious. It is obvious that he has thought about being king before the predictions of the three witches. "if chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me without my stir". This quote evidences this fact. The best piece of evidence of Macbeth's hamartia is his line. "I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition which o'erleaps itself". It is also clear that he is ambitious, when he is at the castle of Duncan and Malcolm is named as the Prince of Cumberland, which is heir to the throne.... ...ies Macduff's son when he is stabbed by an assassin. We also feel fear and pity for Banquo when he is killed whilst on his innocent ride with Fleance. Both scenes before each respective murder are sweet and homely and make the reader feel doubly upset when the characters are murdered. Some people pity Macbeth during his anagnorisis, but not during his peripetiea when his relationship with his wife is falling apart, we tend to pity Lady Macbeth. "how now my lord, why do you keep alone" 3-2 l8. She sounds upset and innocent when we still really know that Lady Macbeth is pure evil and helped to corrupt her husband. I conclude, that I do believe Macbeth is a true tragic hero in the Aristotelian sense. Macbeth fits all the criteria and I do indeed experience catharsis, all the way through the play.

The Causes of World War II Essay -- American History, World War Two, p

From the Treaty of Versailles, to the rise of Hitler, and the failure of the League of Nations, there were many causes that lead up to World War II. World War I left Germany with many shortfalls, thus leaving them in the hands of the Treaty of Versailles. Rather unfair of a Treaty, this left Germany once again looking for another way out. A country resented by many had no other choice but to feel optimistic toward Adolph Hitlers empty promises†¦ making it substantially simple for him to gain power so quick. Throw in the Great Depression, and you have a vastly unstable world, which the Germans believed Hitler would lead them out of. After World War One, Germany was thrown into downward spiral. They were left with a monstrous amount of unemployed people, and they were still unhappy about being the scapegoat of World War One, thus according to the Treaty of Versailles. Looking for a way to rebuild, Hitler came in at a perfect time. Adolph Hitler made them many promises, ensuring them that in believing in him, Germany would be great once again. One of his many promises was that he would stimulate employment. To do this, he promised that he would employ the unemployed, by giving them jobs building roads, stadiums, etc. Hitler promised the middle class he would reinstate small business profits, and communist threat. He also promises farmers the reimbursement for their losses during the Great Depression, by raising the prices of their produce. Another one of Hitlers many promises was that he would destroy the Treaty of Versailles. The Treaty of Versailles basically blamed Germany for everything, stating that Germany accepted the guilt in causing the war. Germany signed under protest. It stated that Germany was to pay for the reparat... ... They weren't allowed any more than 100,000 men in their army, they were only entitled to keep six battleships, they were not to create and kind of powerful aircraft. The Germans believed this was only to keep them weak. Enter Hitler, and his obliterating the Treaty of Versailles. He led Germany in rearming in 1933, and Hitler proclaimed they would be ready for war by 1940. Hitler basically destroyed the Treaty of Versailles by 1939, and thus World War II began with the invasion of Poland. All in all, there were many events and a vast amount of problems that ignited World War II. It's amazing how so many different aspects can all snowball into having the same motive of causing a world war. With so many powerful individuals all wanting something different (peace, power), it was just a recipe for disaster. Evidently, a nation under stress isn't a sound nation at all.

CIPD Profession Map and HR/L&D practitioner services Essay

1. Introduction. The HR Map can be found on the CIPD website. It is an on-line self assessment tool created and based on research and collaboration with some of the organisations. It is continuously reviewed und updated. The HR Profession Map was developed by the profession for the profession. It was created by both specialists and generalists, working in the UK and globally, across the private sector public and third sectors. 2.The summarise the CIPD Profession Map. 2.1 The architecture of CIPD Profession Map. There are ten professional arrears which describes what need to be known for each area at four bands of professional competence and gives an extended definition of what HR people need to do and what they need to know for each area of the HR profession at four bands of professional competence. Each area gives a detailed explanation of the key requirements of people who work in that area. There some examples of areas. Strategies, Insights and Solutions – which must focus on the needs of the customers and employees, add value to the organisation, develop understanding of the organisation and use the insights to tailor strategy and solutions to meet organisational needs now and in the future. The other example is Leading and Managing the Human Resources – where HR professionals need to be able to leads and manage a fit for purpose HR function, act as a role- model leader, ensuring that the function has the right capability and organisation design. As the leader makes efforts within supporting, developing and works collaboratively to support each other, each understanding what their own role is and how it contributes to the overall organisation strategy. The Eight Behaviours There are eight behaviours which describe how HR people should carry out their activities. 2.2 How the Map works? The 4 Bands of Professional Competence define the contribution that professionals make at every stage of their HR career. For example within Band 1 you should be able to demonstrate supporting colleagues with administration and processes effectively manage information and data. At Band 2, should be able to advise on HR related issues and show a clear understanding of the evaluation process and the solutions available. At Band 3, should be able to lead a professional area, acting as a consultant or partner, addressing key HR challenges at an organisational level. At Band 4,  should be able to leading the function or professional area. 2.3 Comment on the one of the professional areas – Insights, strategy and solutions. For Insights, strategy and solutions, to build the picture of how my organisation is currently functioning on the market, from both business and HR related view. So I need a high level of curiosity. I analyse internally and externally my organisation and tried t o place the organisation in the bigger picture. I also try to match what is going on inside with the market by connecting with other specialists within my company using the credible behaviour. I used the analytical tools, experience and the necessary information to understand where my organisation is currently and what are the coming trends, business and HR related. I develop actionable insights so my curiosity to identify opportunities and risks, collaborate internally to choose appropriate priorities and activities. I used my curiosity to develop and implement situational HR solutions, by extensive research. Supported by the behaviour I am able to build capacity and capability. I am creative and seen as credible when I inspire others people, regardless the management level they are on. I inspire and help to develop not only colleagues in my team but also other teams such as payroll or operational. Managing people and helping them reach performance, means that I understand how each person works to do the task that I understand the goals and I can work using the appropriate tools. With my professionalism and curiosity, I can find the proper way to manage issues, situations and difficult situations than advise accordingly and support each individual, assess team culture and provide insights. Being curious means being very interested on how the business is working, how each department and individual is contributing within the organisation, how the business suits the market, how the competition or similar companies are working and functioning. Being curious means being up to date with the job requirements, including law, HR and others departments’ processes or company policies. Having the necessary knowledge and being constantly interested in understanding the changes, develops my credibility as an expert and professional in the area, where people rely on me. I understand the business and I am capable to implement changes. Being curious as an HR Professional I constantly seek feed-back to develop. Managing you, it is very important as HR professional, inside the organisation. Constantly developing yourself, growing and being seen as an important part of the  business while you represent HR is an important step. Being curious allows me to support the HR function design and service delivery, resource planning and development, delivering value and performance in groups and teams. Managing upwards and across means being the support point for fixing HR related issues to all levels of organisation. 3. How an HR Practitioner should ensure the services provided are timely and effective? 3.1 Different customers and their needs. From the definition that the customer is anyone, internal or external, who is affected by processes, products or services of HR, I had have a look who are our customers. The HR department in our company is a service department to a range of customers. We entertain a wide variety of customers within our company; the 3 key users that we deal with are the external candidates, who wish to work for our company, employees and management. Those who use HR’s services, whether staff, managers, candidates, etc., will have needs. External candidates except that the requirement process is easy to understand and that the induction could be helpful to understand the company strategy and values. Employees want professional HR support therefore HR needs to be responsive and clear about what services it offers. Employees except response quickly and effectively and want to contact to HR easy. Therefore it is very important to offer support to employees regarding equal opportunities to ensure all staff members have the same rights and privileges. Managers want an HR function which understands the workforce and can help management balance employee and business needs. They want HR team which help identifying the issues and works with managers to resolve them. They would like HR to help them with their most challenging people. Therefore providing management with correct and precise information regarding an employee’s duties, schedules, and expectations of the job itself and on the area the person would be working in is very important. As an HR practitioner it is important to indentify and manage properly the needs. 3.2 Prioritising conflicting needs. The needs of employees and managers sometimes could be conflicted. To prioritise conflicting needs effectively, the HR practitioner first has to determine what is the most important. Managers require high levels of  production and longer working hours. Therefore the target for employees has been increased. It is very difficult for employees as there a half term just has started and they want more time off to spend the quality time with children. HR department should work with managers and employees to find the right balance. First the conversation could be done, where everybody should concentrate on what can be done. A way of resolving this conflict is to focus on the needs of the organisation. Ensuring that the some workers from the agency are recruited will help this. Coaching and counselling employees and managers will also help and providing an effective reward and recognition system. Where there is the need for efficiency as well as effectiveness, there will always be conflicting needs. The better HR professionals are able to identify these conflicts, quickly and prioritise them. This in turn allows the HR person to manage time more effectively. 3.3 Effective communication. There are a range of communication methods and all of them need to be considered to ensure it is appropriate for the recipient. We should think what is the best method not straight away using the technology. Emails There are advantages to using emails; it is a convenient way to convey information to a wide audience. Information can be sent quickly and any time of the day. However the disadvantages are that it can be open for interpretation of information or tone. It is impersonal and there’s no guarantee that the recipient has read the email. Team briefings Team briefing can be an effective way of communicating information to a targeted audience. It can work well to provide key details that can be filtered. In my company the team briefing is done before each shift starts, The casual conversation. It is quite vital to spend some time with the customers, showing that you understand them, asking about the feedback in formal and informal way. Therefore the simple conversation is vital. 3.4 Effective service delivery. By providing HR services to employees and management, we need to be sure that the employees are happy with our service. Therefore it is vital to build trust with the users. If we provide confidential and good advice, the employee is more likely to stay with company for a long period of time. It will also allow for company to have a good name throughout the industry and encourage potential candidates to apply to work with us. Actively building and strengthening relationships with customers should be a focus of every HR function.