Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Moby Dick Book Report Free Essays
ââ¬Å"Call me Ishmael,â⬠Moby-Dick begins, in one of the most recognizable opening lines in English-language literature. The narrator, an observant young man setting out from Manhattan, has experience in the merchant marine but has recently decided his next voyage will be on a whaling ship. On a cold, gloomy night in December, he arrives at the Spouter-Inn in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and agrees to share a bed with a then-absent stranger. We will write a custom essay sample on Moby Dick Book Report or any similar topic only for you Order Now When his bunk mate, a heavily tattooed Polynesian harpooner named Queequeg, returns very late and discovers Ishmael beneath his covers, both men are alarmed, but the two quickly become close friends and decide to sail together from Nantucket, Massachusetts on a whaling voyage. In Nantucket, the pair signs on with the Pequod, a whaling ship that is soon to leave port. The shipââ¬â¢s captain, Ahab, is nowhere to be seen; nevertheless, they are told of him ââ¬â a ââ¬Å"grand, ungodly, godlike man,â⬠according to one of the owners, who has ââ¬Å"been in colleges as well as ââ¬Ëmong the cannibals. The two friends encounter a mysterious man named Elijah on the dock after they sign their papers and he hints at troubles to come with Ahab. The mystery grows on Christmas morning when Ishmael spots dark figures in the mist, apparently boarding the Pequod shortly before it sets sail that day. The shipââ¬â¢s officers direct the early voyage while Ahab stays in his cabin. The c hief mate is Starbuck, a serious, sincere Quaker and fine leader; second mate is Stubb, happy-go-lucky and cheerful and always smoking his pipe; the third mate is Flask, short and stout but thoroughly reliable. Each mate is responsible for a whaling boat, and each whaling boat of the Pequodhas its own pagan harpooneer assigned to it. Some time after sailing, Ahab finally appears on the quarter-deck one morning, an imposing, frightening figure whose haunted visage sends shivers over the narrator. (A white scar, reportedly from a thunderbolt, runs down his face and it is hinted that it continues the length of his body. ) One of his legs is missing from the knee down and has been replaced by a prosthesis fashioned from a sperm whaleââ¬â¢s jawbone. Soon gathering the crewmen together, with a rousing speech Ahab secures their support for his single, secret purpose for this voyage: hunting down and killing Moby Dick, an old, very large sperm whale, with a snow-white hump and mottled skin, that crippled Ahab on his last whaling voyage. Only Starbuck shows any sign of resistance to the charismatic but monomaniacal captain. The first mate argues repeatedly that the shipââ¬â¢s purpose should be to hunt whales for their oil, with luck returning home profitably, safely, and quickly, but not to seek out and kill Moby Dick in particular ââ¬â and especially not for revenge. Eventually even Starbuck acquiesces to Ahabââ¬â¢s will, though harboring misgivings. The mystery of the dark figures seen before the Pequod set sail is explained during the voyageââ¬â¢s first lowering for whales. Ahab has secretly brought along his own boat crew, including a mysterious harpooneer named Fedallah, an inscrutable figure with a sinister influence over Ahab. Later, while watching one night over a captured whale carcass, Fedallah darkly prophecies to Ahab hints regarding their twin deaths. The novel describes numerous ââ¬Å"gams,â⬠social meetings of two ships on the open sea. Crews normally visit each other during a gam, captains on one vessel and chief mates on the other. Mail may be exchanged and the men talk of whale sightings or other news. For Ahab, however, there is but one relevant question to ask of another ship: ââ¬Å"Hast seen the White Whale? â⬠After meeting several other whaling ships, which have their own peculiar stories, the Pequod enters the Pacific Ocean. Queequeg becomes deathly ill and requests that a coffin be built for him by the shipââ¬â¢s carpenter. Just as everyone has given up hope, Queequeg changes his mind, deciding to live after all, and recovers quickly. His coffin becomes his sea chest, and is later caulked and pitched to replace the Pequodââ¬â¢s life buoy. Soon word is heard from other whalers of Moby Dick. The jolly Captain Boomer of the Samuel Enderby has lost an arm to the whale, and is stunned at Ahabââ¬â¢s burning need for revenge. Next they meet the Rachel, which has seen Moby Dick very recently. As a result of the encounter, one of its boats is missing; the captainââ¬â¢s youngest son had been aboard. The Rachelââ¬â¢s captain begs Ahab to aid in the search for the missing boat, but Ahab is resolute. The Pequodââ¬â¢s captain is very near the White Whale now and will not stop to help. Finally the Delight is met, even as its captain buries a sailor who had been killed by Moby Dick. Starbuck begs Ahab one final time to reconsider his thirst for vengeance, but to no avail. The next day, the Pequod meets Moby Dick. For two days, the Pequodââ¬â¢s crew pursues the whale, which wreaks widespread destruction, including the disappearance of Fedallah. On the third day, Moby Dick rises up to reveal Fedallah tied to him by harpoon ropes, clearly dead. Even after the initial battle on the third day, as Moby Dick swims away from the Pequod, Starbuck exhorts Ahab one last time to desist, observing that ââ¬Å"Moby-Dick seeks thee not. It is thou, thou, that madly seekest him! â⬠Ahab ignores this voice of reason and continues with his ill-fated chase. As the three boats sail out to hunt him, Moby Dick damages two of them, forcing them to go back to the ship and leaving only Ahabââ¬â¢s vessel intact. Ahab harpoons the whale, but the harpoon-line breaks. Moby Dick then rams the Pequod itself, which begins to sink. As Ahab harpoons the whale again, the unfolding harpoon-line catches him around his neck and he is dragged into the depths of the sea by the diving Moby Dick. The boat is caught up in the whirlpool of the sinking ship, which takes almost all the crew to their deaths. Only Ishmael survives, clinging to Queequegââ¬â¢s coffin-turned-life buoy for an entire day and night before the Rachel rescues him. How to cite Moby Dick Book Report, Papers
Friday, May 1, 2020
Demand And Supply Of Oil And Factors That Affect The Demand Supply
Question: Discuss about theDemand And Supply Of Oil And Factors That Affect The Demand And Supply Sides Of The Market. Answer: Demand and supply of a commodity can be identified as the crucial factors determining the price of products. The mechanism of pricing can be controlled by demand and supply side of a product in a particular market. Significantly, several factors are affecting the demand and supply of a product in a target market (Zhang, Zhao, 2009). Due to the change in demand and supply side of a commodity, price fluctuation can be noticed. In this particular study paper, the demand and supply side of crude oil has been evaluated determining the factors affecting the demand and supply channel of the commodity in the Australian market. The selected article written by Uren (2016) has reviewed the current scenario of the global oil market and the leading factors controlling the falling oil prices at the international level. Notably, in a span of mere eighteen months, crude oil prices slipped from US$110 to as low as US$30 a barrel due to uncertainties in the global market and growth worries. In the discussion, a summary of the entire article has been presented to evaluate the factors affecting the demand and supply of crude oil. Besides, demand and supply graph has been drawn to conclude the market equilibrium price and quantity. The identified article reflects the existing crude oil market and the growth aspects for the companies associated with the oil business. Precisely, the article evaluates that the output of finite oil resources has been maximum. As a result of the scenario, the price of the commodity is tumbling down (Uren, 2016). Due to falling oil prices, emerging nations are investing capitals in the energy sector. Therefore, the Australian Regulatory Committee has imposed strict limits on foreign investment. According to OPEC, the slump in the crude oil price is not permanent. Meanwhile, due to massive output of oil and technological improvement, the price of oil will remain under pressure for a while. The demand for oil can be affected by a number of factors leading to price volatility. First of all, growth aspects of global economies have largely contributed to rising in demand. If the leading economies are performing well, the demand for oil will automatically increase. Secondly, speculative buying from the emerging nations has influenced the demand side of crude. Thirdly, the changes in the financial market have a significant impact on demand for oil. A sound financial market can improve the demand for oil (Bolle, 2011). Fourthly, the Non-OEDC demand can contribute to the demand side of crude oil. The rise in consumption in the Non-OEDC countries can increase the demand for oil products. Similarly, the supply side of crude is also influenced by several factors. Most importantly, the crude output decision made by OPEC can be the leading factor affecting the supply of crude. A cut in production of crude can reduce the supply fuelling the price to surge. Secondly, a future reserve of oil can make a massive impact on the supply of crude oil. Alternatively, the rise in demand from the leading oil-consuming nations such as the USA, China, India, and Japan, etc. can increase the supply side of the commodity. Lastly, geopolitical issues and concerns can be identified as one of the biggest factors affecting the supply side of crude. For instance, a war situation in a major oil producing country can reduce the supply of oil fuelling the price of the commodity. According to Uren (2016), the demand for Oil is reducing due to the development of technology and introduction of electric and bio-fuel cars. On the other hand, the fall in the demand for oil in the international market is resulting in the oversupply of oil in the Australian market (Adil, 2016). A diagram has been presented below for better understanding: Figure: Demand and Supply curve Source: (Parkin, 2014) It can be seen from the above diagram, the fall in the quantity demanded for oil has resulted in a leftward shift in the demand curve from D to D1. On the other hand, the oversupply of oil in the global as well as Australian market has resulted in a rightward shift in the supply curve from S to S1. Hence, a huge fall in the price of oil can be evident without affecting the quantity demanded or supplied due to the shift in the market equilibrium from E to E1. Meanwhile, it is important to note that there is almost no change in the quantity demanded or supplied of oil due to the inelastic demand of fossil fuels (Pirog, 2008). Irrespective of the developing technology and shift in the demand curve, the vehicles that are already in the market needs fossil fuel (Ravindra, Iyer, 2014). On the other hand, the developing technology is further controlling the growing demand of oil in the market irrespective of the falling price of fossil fuels. Therefore, a minimum change can be evident in the quantity of consumption of oil (Bochet, ?lk?l?, Moulin, Sethuraman, 2012). In other words, the inelastic demand of oil has resulted in the shift of demand and supply curve, but has resulted in no or little change in the actual consumption of oil. Figure: Inelastic demand of Oil Source: (Parkin, 2014) It can be seen from the above diagram that a change of 30 percent in the price results in the change of only 10 percent in the quantity demanded for oil. Hence, the elasticity of demand for oil is less than 1, which states that oil has an inelastic demand. By considering the above analysis, the development of technology and alternative energy sources has resulted in the fall in the demand for oil. On the other hand, the falling demand for oil can become a major challenge for the oil producing organisations across the globe. Meanwhile, it will result in a price war in the global oil market. Hence, it is important for the government of different countries to take necessary steps in order to control the demand and supply of oil to stop the price war in the oil and energy sector for maintaining an economic balance in the nation. References Adil, J. (2016).Supply and demand(1st ed.). Mankato, Minn.: Capstone Press. Bochet, O., ?lk?l?, R., Moulin, H., Sethuraman, J. (2012). Balancing supply and demand under bilateral constraints.Theoretical Economics,7(3), 395-423. Bolle, F. (2011). Competition with supply and demand functions.Energy Economics,23(3), 253-277. Parkin, M. (2014). Economics (1st ed.). Boston: Pearson. Pirog, R. (2008).Gasoline and oil prices(1st ed.). Washington: Congressional Research Service. Ravindra, K., Iyer, P. (2014). Decentralized demandsupply matching using community microgrids and consumer demand response: A scenario analysis.Energy,76, 32-41. Uren, D. (2016).Oil to burn but demand is dying.Theaustralian.com.au. Retrieved April 2017, from https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/opinion/david-uren-economics/oil-to-burn-but-demand-is-dying-as-technology-improves/news-story/22edee003d303ee677161471f4f441af Zhang, X., Zhao, Y. (2009). The Impact of External Demand Information on Parallel Supply Chains with Interacting Demand.Production And Operations Management,19(4), 463-479.
Saturday, March 21, 2020
Aldi and Lidl Essays
Aldi and Lidl Essays Aldi and Lidl Paper Aldi and Lidl Paper In our globalized world it Is becoming more and more challenging for companies to create their own unique brand. Competition is high and companies have to decide which strategy is the best for their business evolvement. This report is focused on two different companies Lidl and Aldi operating in the food retailing industry. Lidl and Aldi mostly was entering markets through Greenfield investments. These two companies chose greenfield investment as they wanted to have a full control over their business, promote their own brand and manage their business on their own. Advantages and disadvantages of entering market through greenfield investment is included in this report. Aldiââ¬â¢s main objective, when entering other market like UK and Switzerland, is ââ¬Ërecognising customers needs and meeting the requirements of the demand in that countryââ¬â¢. Lidl and Aldi have completely different strategies in global expansion. Aldi was entering big markets like the USA and Australia and this was good strategy for companyââ¬â¢s expansion as target markets of such countries are much bigger than European target market. But it takes much more effort to control such big markets. As for Lidlââ¬â¢s future I would recommend to expand in other European countries before entering big markets like Russia, although it would be a great opportunity for Lidl to enter Russian market. About Aldi and Lidl Both companies Aldi and Lidl were founded in Germany. Aldi was founded in 1946 by two Albrecht brothers and Lidl was founded eleven years after Aldi was founded by Dieter Schwarz. These two companies were opening and still open, grocery discount stores which means selling products at the lowest price possible reducing its costs on companies promotion, rental fees or purchasing prices of properties as well as having a basic outlet format stores. German company Aldi started to go global after Second World War, time characterised by common market in European countries, which means it was time when trade barriers were reduced and goods and production factors ( labour, capital, technology) could freely move from country to country. As this company was already big enough to invest in other country it firstly invested in Austria, country which borders on Germany. Austria was mostly influenced by Germany culture, so it was a good idea for the companyââ¬â¢s first experience in investing abroad as the culture differences were not so big. The same as Aldi, Lidl company focuses on discount markets, larger supermarkets and cash and carry wholesale markets. At first, Lidl copied Aldi as much as possible, although in time Lidl took completely different strategy and added more articles to their assortment and new innovative approaches. 1. a Market entry strategy of Aldi and Lidl FDI (foreign direct investment)is an equity mode for companies which want to export their products or services. Aldi and Lidl decided to invest abroad to expand their business and some of the benefits of doing so are : cheaper labour costs, infrastructure quality , economic growth or market size of the host country. Aldi and Lidl are both ââ¬Ëgrocery discountersââ¬â¢ and to save money these companies build up their stores in suburban areas and remote districts where they can save money on rent or on purchase prices of properties and being a ââ¬Ëgrocery discounterââ¬â¢ Is a good strategy to expand their business abroad. Economic and political environment in the home country is influential on companyââ¬â¢s decision to go international. Power and prestige is another influence on Aldiââ¬â¢s and Lidl decision going global. The companies want to become successful, popular and powerful. They want to become an example for the rest of the world and gain global market power. That is why Aldi and Lidl decided to go global. Aldi and Lidl were mostly entering other countries markets through Greenfield investment. Greenfield investment is a form of foreign direct investment which means setting up an entirely new foreign facility in the host country. These two companies wanted to keep their brand all over the world and have full control over their business. Although Greenfield investment is not always the best way to enter the foreign market. Although in Aldiââ¬â¢s and Lidlââ¬â¢s case it was the best way to enter the foreign market, as the primarily aim for these two companies was to promote their own brand and to manage their business in the way these two companies wanted. So in some cases companies should go for Greenfield type investment and in other cases acquisitions are more beneficial. Advantages and disadvantages of entering market through greenfield investment are discussed further. . b Advantages and disadvantages of greenfield investment For the host country, it is beneficial if a company invests through greenfield type of investment, although the effects of FDI (foreign direct investment) differ in different regions and countries. For example, Brazil have attracted foreign direct investment but mostly it was non Greenfield, while India attracted mostly Greenfield investments although it is possible to suggest that generally it has failed to attract any FDI. But Indian economy is growing whereas Brazil has remained without any improvements. So some examples also show that Greenfield investments are more beneficial for the host countries. Although such point of view can be argued. As, for example, in Aldiââ¬â¢s case entering different countries markets in 1950th (after the Second World War, when the time faced shortage of goods) was beneficial for host countries as such companies as Aldi was bringing market growth to the host country at that time. Comparing to acquisitionââ¬â¢s type of investment Traditionally acquisitions or privatizations of stated-owned enterprises were considered as evolvement of developed countries , although in years the situation had changed. It became beneficial for developed countries invest in developing countries through cross-border acquisitions , as these countries could buy enterprises assets at cheap prices . But it was also beneficial for developing countries for their opportunity for market growth. Investing through cross-border acquisitions can be beneficial for those who want to enrich their multinational experience, international strategy , cultural differences between the home country and host country and other. That is why Aldi entered Austria (first country abroad) via acquisition. This company did not have any multinational experience and entering through acquisition helped them to learn a lot about different country, understand how other markets operate and gain experience in creating new international strategies. Andersson and Svensson (1996) came to the conclusion that a firm with strong organizational skills prefer acquiring an existing company in the host country, while firms with strong technological skills favour greenfield operations. Applying this study it is possible to consider that Aldi and Lidl have strong technological skills. Investing through greenfield investment means operating fast, being organised and meet the requirements of the demanding customers. And case study proves that: ââ¬Ëwith their altered product and service strategies, Lidl and Aldi are trying to meet the requirements of their demanding local customers. ââ¬â¢ Another interesting finding is that Greenfield FDI has a stronger positive impact on GDP compared to that of domestic investment, (as in Austria where Aldi invested. It is one of the richest countries comparing Gross domestic product per capita ), a country with strong and stable economy attracts Greenfield investment more, whereas Greenfield investment is more attractive for underdeveloped countries. Advantages of greenfield investment The economic growth of the host country is one of the most important determinants for Greenfield investment considerations. Such investment was primarily considered by Aldi and then by lidl because the companies wanted to promote their own brand, and they promoted their names in the host countries. These companies did not need to share any profit with anyone else as well as controlled and operated their business and organizational culture in their own way and in the way they wanted it to. They also created new production capacity and linkages to the global marketplace. For the host countries where Lidl and Aldi invested, greenfield investment was beneficial as such investments create new job opportunities , the companies invest in research and development and invest in additional capital programs. Disadvantages of greenfield investmentà Although starting from the scratch ( investing through the Greenfield type investment) was not easy for them. Aldi and Lidl did not understand anything about the host countryââ¬â¢s culture, market or countryââ¬â¢s regulations in which they wanted to invest. Investing in the host country through the Greenfield investment was also risky because the companies did not know how well local companies were established in the country, they did not understand how did everything work in that country , so it took a long time for them getting to know that country. So reactive reasons ( actions for getting the information about the foreign market) were not enough to get understanding of the foreign market. Also Greenfield investment costs much more than cross-border acquisition investment, so mostly only big companies ( like Aldi and Lidl) which can invest good amount of money in another country can afford to invest through the Greenfield investment. Also such investments were dangerous for domestic companies, as competition was growing and domestic companies could lose their market share while international companies Aldi and Lidl were growing and expanding in the home country. . a Aldiââ¬â¢s strategy in the UK and Switzerland Entering such markets as UK or Swiss high-price market, meant creating a new strategy of enlarging Aldiââ¬â¢s products and offering higher level of service. As for example, Switzerland market was mostly shared by three largest companies Micros, Coop and Denner ( 80% of market) , so it was firstly, brave enough entering such market, and secondly, if entering such market that meant creating new more attractive product offers for customers with high level of services. Aldi in UK and Switzerland was trying to concentrate on 700 products for daily use in these two countries as well as adapting to new eating habits and consumption habits typical for the customers. As from the case study, director Martin Bailie explained : ââ¬ËItââ¬â¢s not all pan-European buying; we have to look what UK customers wantââ¬â¢. Also it is important to note that entering Swiss market meant making prices higher so that they could adapt to Swiss market and provide necessary level of service. Having said so, the company had strategy to become the cheapest underclass-discounter in UK and Switzerland fulfilling costumers needs. Buying goods in great volume from the same supplier , not spending money on brand promotion and fancy displays approach helped Aldi to achieve their guaranteed price range and become successful in the markets. Buying goods from the same supplier gave them opportunity to investigate product quality in special test kitchens and improve products quality if it was necessary. Saving money on fancy displays and advertisements helped them reduce goods prices. As from the case study, Aldi realized that by adaptation to local needs the company can successfully develop a foreign market and become prospering in different countries, as Switzerland and UK. 2. b risks of taking such strategy It is clear that UK and Switzerland have different culture than Germany, so customers approach to shopping also differs. As from the case study : ââ¬ËIn Germany, cheap equates to value. By contrast, in the UK low prices are not necessarily equated with value and are more associated with poor quality. ââ¬â¢ That is why grocery discounter may seem suspicious for them. People might think that low price goods means not really good quality, especially if customers realise that the company grows and prospers. So customers might not want to buy bad quality products (especially food) even knowing that it is cheaper. So the biggest risk for grocery discounter in such countries is bad reputation. 3. a Aldi and Lidl Internationalisation Although it is possible to say that Lidl copied Aldiââ¬â¢s business their strategy became completely different. Achieving strategic advantage was primarily influence on Aldi deciding to open stores in Europe, Australia and in the USA or on Lidl restricting their expansion in particular European countries till 2009. Strategy decision-making depended on companyââ¬â¢s targets , planning and volume of expansion . Aldi and Lidl are competitors so it was obvious that these two companies would try to differ their strategies in different ways. It is possible to consider that Lidl was trying to build its strategy decision-making on Aldiââ¬â¢s experience, but Lidlââ¬â¢s strategic advantage achievements became more adventurous . So Aldiââ¬â¢s and Lidlââ¬â¢s strategies were focused on different goals. As from the case study, Lidl was focused on expansion in markets where ââ¬Ëno competitor had been present previouslyââ¬â¢, whereas Aldi would wait till retail sector matured. Also as it was said previously, Lidl was mostly focused on expansion in European countries whereas Aldi expanded in USA, Australia and Europe. There are advantages and disadvantages of Aldiââ¬â¢s strategy. Advantages The USA and Australia are very big countries and these countries have huge target market. Exporting there means selling more than in Europe. Consumers in these countries are generally interested in products as in UK, and Aldi has experience in selling its products in UK. So selling in these countries for Aldi means selling more goods and better promote the brand. Disadvantages So Aldi promotes its brand worldwide, but to that the company needs a lot of resources to control it. It is much harder to control the business in the USA and Australia as these countries are very big. Whereas selling in Europe is easier to control and manage. Also controlling the company in such countries as USA and Australia means creating strategies for each region separately whereas selling in Europe Lidl can create only one strategy for all countries . So it is a huge responsibility for Aldi to manage its business all over the world. 3. b Lidl strategy until 2020 The impact of the Lidl name outside the German borders is astonishing when considering that very little information is leaked to the publicity about its future plans. ââ¬â¢ (M. Moesgaard Andersen Flemming Poulfelt, 2006) Although from the case study it is clear that Lidl plans are to expand its business in Brazil, Mexico, Russia and the USA. The countries where Lidl want to export are culturally completely different as well as geographically much bigger than Europe. So internationalisation to these countries needs new and well-organised strategies to each of the countries. As Lidl was mostly focusing on Europe it will be a big challenge for the company to enter these markets. So considering this, firstly, I would recommend to expand its business in countries where its main competitor Aldi hasnââ¬â¢t stores. Countries in which Lidl operates at the moment. This map shows in which countries Lidl operates at the moment. There is a list of countries in which ALdi operates at the moment: Australia Austria Belgium Denmark France Germany Great Britain Hungary Ireland Luxemburg Netherlands Poland Portugal Slovenia Spain Switzerland USA As from the map it is clear that Lidl was mostly focusing on Western countries, so I would recommend to enter Baltic countries markets and other Eastern European countries first. There is no Aldi in Baltic countries as well, and if talking about these countries markets they are not as competitive as other European countries. So it would be a great opportunity for Lidl. Entering the Baltic countries markets and other Eastern European countries would help Lidl to gain recognition of European countries as ââ¬Ëstrong brand throughout Europeââ¬â¢. Afterwards, I would recommend to enter Russian market. Russia is the biggest country in the world and target market is huge. Russia doesnââ¬â¢t have very competitive market and supermarkets, I would say , would become very popular over there. Also Aldi doesnââ¬â¢t have any store there. Although this countryââ¬â¢s culture differs from other European countries and at first it would very challenging for Lidl. Conclusion To conclude with, the grocery retailing industry will always be profitable, especially knowing that worldwide annual sales volume ofâ⠬ 3. trillion in 2007 and an average annual sales growth is 2. 7 percent during the past ten years. And it is obviously the most important sector in the world as people cannot survive without food , drinks and other groceries. Although companies operating in this sector and considering going global must decide which strategy would be best for their expansion, promotion and prosperity. Lidlââ¬â¢s and Aldiââ¬â¢s expansion became very successful and for the future these two companies must consider their expansion very carefully to achieve their goals and enlarge their revenues.
Thursday, March 5, 2020
Different Areas of Knowledge Essays
Different Areas of Knowledge Essays Different Areas of Knowledge Essay Different Areas of Knowledge Essay After reading the topic question, straight away a thought came to my mind. Are numbers, pictures, lines, dots, characters, images, music a form of language? That is the ultimate knowledge issue when it comes to language. What is language? What does it consist of? There is no way to define language so that our entire society can conform to it. This creates a situation where this knowledge issue is almost insoluble. People communicate using many tools and methods. They understand each other with sounds as well as pictures. But does this make one more of a language then the other? To be able to make a clear argument, I will define language as a tool of communicating ideas, objects and actions. Within the IB Program there are only a certain number of Areas of Knowledge. I for one am taking a full diploma with six subjects. One of my subjects is English. In English we mostly discuss literature, English and international, and there is a lot of analyzing that takes place. I think that language in a language course obviously plays a tremendously huge role. We need to read, write and share our opinions. A lot of the work I do in that class consists of personal response. I read passages, novels, plays, articles, journals and with every piece of information I gain, a form an opinion. This opinion then needs to be supported by using the work as back up. To do every single part and aspect of that class, language is required. Language in the sense of the communicating tool required to read, and write. A counterclaim to this argument would be that when we do personal responses and we write about what we feel, we are not necessarily sharing it with anyone else. Many times authors will write things and then he will have an audience that will read his work. What the audience understands might be completely different than what the author intended. He did not communicate anything with them in this case. According to my definition of language, if the author portrayed his ideas and it was misinterpreted, then there was limited communication that occurred. There might have been some form of exchange but the communication was frayed and broken. You could argue then that personal response papers and anything that is an interpretation of another work is therefore not language. It is more a method of keeping track of emotions. To counter that counterclaim however, I would argue that even though the author isnt communicating what he wanted to, to me, I am still getting information from what he has written. He might not be giving me what he intended, but he is giving me something. That sharing of information is considered communication. The whole point of writing novels and plays is for them to be shared. Regardless of what is passed on, something is transferred from one being to another through the work.
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Sweatshops Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1
Sweatshops - Essay Example Out-of-date facilities and poor labor education often lead to workers being injured. In turn, employers rarely provide health insurance, and the burden of recovery expenses lies entirely on the employee. Lethal cases are also frequent. Thus, over 400 were buried alive after an apparel factory collapsed in Dhaka in May 2013 (Kazmin). Secondly, since the poorer countries are dependent on the foreign cash inflows, huge multinational corporations can satisfy their selfish motifs deriving the most benefit out of the host country. As far as the third-world countries share similarly appalling economic conditions, it gives companies the scope to choose the location of their plant. To win a tough competition, governments and local authorities have to draw the attention of the organizations offering greater financial benefits. Unfortunately, fundamental laborerââ¬â¢s rights, such as a minimum salary and adequate workload are often neglected, and employees get unfairly exploited. Some of the most ludicrous concessions may even include unlimited tax holidays. Additionally, the firms do not bring technology that the local population could take advantage of. The deficit of education mixed with the lack of skill conduces to a situation where no economic growth is possible. Furthermore, employing nearly 165 million children worldwide, sweatshops have a detrimental impact on education. For instance, four in every five Bangladeshi kids aged 10 and below attend school. However, of those employed only 20% are capable of combining work with classes (Salmon). The lack of education limits a personââ¬â¢s further employment opportunities and enables only to be a worker qualified enough for a sweatshop, where mainly low-skilled work is performed. Superficially, it may seem that sweatshops help to resolve the issue of unemployment in the absence of better alternatives, but digging deeper, one realizes that they only launch the vicious
Monday, February 3, 2020
Contemporary Study of the Impact of Standardization and Harmonization Dissertation
Contemporary Study of the Impact of Standardization and Harmonization of Accounting Standards - Dissertation Example However, the existence of dissimilar accounting practices can be a crucial challenge linked with the aforesaid procedure. In this similar context, ethical dilemma plays an imperative part in harmonising along with standardising the accounting standards as it concerns certain significant moral values that include honesty, reliability, durability and integrity among others. From research methodological viewpoint, both quantitative as well as qualitative research approaches have been taken into concern. Moreover, valuable data associated with this research study has been collected through the execution of structured interviews in the form of questionnaires that has been administered to the officials of the companies following different accounting standards like IASB and IFRS among others. Besides, hypothesis testing by utilising a statistical tool of correlation as a form of meta-analysis has also been considered for this particular research study. Table of Contents Abstract 2 Chapter 1 : Introduction 5 1.1Background 5 1.2Research Problems 6 1.3Research Aims and Objectives 7 1.4Methodological Overview 8 Chapter 2: Literature Review 10 2.1 Importance of Standardization and Harmonization of Accounting Standards 10 2.2 Advantages of Standardization and Harmonization of the Accounting Standards 12 2.3 Challenges of Standardization and Harmonization of the Accounting Standards 14 2.4 Role of Ethical Dilemma in Standardization and Harmonization of the Accounting Standards 15 2.5 External Influencing Factors to Support or To Oppose the Benefits of Standardization and Harmonization 17 Chapter 3: Research Methodology 19 3.1 Research Design 19 3.2 Data Collection and Evaluation 22 3.3 Ethical Consideration 24 Chapter 4: Findings 25 4.1. Benefit of Standardisation and Harmonisation to Its Users 25 4.2 Benefits Accordingly Achieved by Companies in the Recent Phenomenon 26 4.3. Role of Ethical Dilemma in Obtaining the Benefits from Standardisation and Harmonisation 29 4.4. Exte rnal Influencing Factors to Support or To Oppose the Benefits of Standardization and Harmonization 30 4.5 Hypothesis Testing 37 Chapter 5: Discussion 40 5.1. Reasons or Motivations behind Standardisation and Harmonisation of the Accounting Standards 40 5.2. Advantages and Challenges of Standardization and Harmonization of the Accounting Standards 43 Chapter 6: Conclusion and Recommendations 49 References 53 Bibliography 61 Appendix 64 Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Background The perception of standardisation is fundamentally described as the process of creating uniform business methods throughout different locations or divisions. This particular concept tends to diminish the jeopardy of failure by consistently complying with the business related operational expenditures as well as the performance based objectives (Richen & Steinhorst, 2005). Relatively, the conception of harmonisation is commonly described as the adjustment of the inconsistencies or the differences prevailing amid var ious business policy standards, procedures, specifications and protocols (NSCA, n.d.). Contextually, the Accounting Standards (ASs) are primarily recognised as the specific guidelines which are duly authorised by the skilled professionals relating to any accounting, regulatory or government body. The ASs comprises the significant
Sunday, January 26, 2020
Zimmerman Telegraph Impact and Summary
Zimmerman Telegraph Impact and Summary Michael Dean Dennis G. Medina The Zimmerman Telegraph was the catalyst that threw the United States into World War I. In the Zimmerman Telegraph, the German Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs sends to the German Minister of Mexico a telegram stating that they want Mexico to become their ally and in turn Mexico would regain their lost territory from the United States (Zimmerman, 1917).Ã This caused the American public, who were against the war, to become enraged and want to join the fray. The historical context of this document is that the United States was trying to stay out of World War I, and the general consensus of Americans did not want the United States to go to war.Ã However, with the finding of this telegram Americans became outraged and wanted to join the war.Ã Many historians say that without the telegraph the United States would not have joined the war.Ã The primary source document, being the Zimmerman Telegraph, is contextually important to this time due to the fact that without it being found the United States might not have gone to war. The Zimmerman Telegraph is a piece of text sent from the German Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the German Minister of Mexico.Ã It was sent in 1917, and its purpose was to gain an alliance with Mexico.Ã A summary of this document is that the Germans were going to start unrestricted submarine warfare the 1st of February.Ã The document also went to state that if the United States became un-neutral that they would ally themselves with Mexico, and in turn they would help Mexico retake their original territories of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.Ã The document closed by saying that the President of Mexico should also reach out to Japan to enter the war as an ally as well (Zimmerman, 1917). This source was incredibly important when it was uncovered.Ã Due to this document, the United States entered World War I.Ã This source is also important because it showed how important intelligence gathering is and was during wartime.Ã Due to Britain having a deciphering means for the German cipher, they were able to accurately break the encryption on the telegram.Ã This priority on intelligence has been a main focus during war times.Ã The evidence that this provides for the society that produced it was that the Germans were terrified of the United States entering the war.Ã We can see this due to the fact that they did not want America to join the war, and if they were to join they wanted Mexico to be an ally to help fight the United States (Zimmerman, 1917).Ã The consequences of send the telegram and the telegram being deciphered was the United States entered World War I.Ã Because the United States entered the war, the Allies were able to defeat the Germans a nd their own allies. The evaluation that I give to this primary sources is that it was an extremely important intelligence victory for the Allies.Ã Due to the uncovering of the telegram, the United States was able to make sure Mexico did not attack them.Ã As well due to the outrage of the American public, the United States entered World War I.Ã What I inferred from the document was that the Germans were scared of America.Ã They were terrified of the United States entering the war, because they knew of the power that Americans troops would bring to the fight.Ã This is why they were going to try and get Mexico to attack American soil.Ã Due to the efforts of the intelligence professionals who discovered the telegram, the war took a turn for the best for the Allied armies. Primary Source Document Zimmermann, Arthur. 2009. Zimmermann Telegram, 1917. Zimmerman Note, 1917 1. Points of View Reference Center, EBSCOhost (accessed March 19, 2017).Ã Ã Ã Ã Ã Ã Ã Ã Ã Ã Ã Ã Ã https://proxy.nvc.alamo.edu:4443/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=pwhAN=21213051site=eds-live Primary Source Document Foreign Relations of the United States, 1917, Supplement I, p. 147-148 The Ambassador in Great Britain (Page) to the Secretary of State London, February 24, 1917, 1 p.m. [Received 8:30 p.m.] 5747. My 5746, February 24, 8 a.m. For the President and the Secretary of State. Balfour had handed me the text of a cipher telegram from Zimmermann, German Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, to the German Minister of Mexico, which was sent via Washington and relayed by Bernstorff of January 19. You can probably obtain a copy of the text relayed by Bernstorff from the cable office in Washington. The first group is the number of the telegram, 130, and the second is 13042, indicating the number of the code used. The last group but two is 97556, which Zimmermanns signature. I shall send you by mail a copy of the cipher text and of the decode into German and meanwhile I give you the English translation as follows: We intend to begin on the 1st of February unrestricted submarine warfare. We shall endeavor in spite of this to keep the United States of America neutral. In the event of this not succeeding, we make Mexico a proposal of alliance on the following basis: make war together, make peace together, generous financial support and an understanding on our part that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The settlement in detail is left to you. You will inform the President of the above most secretly as soon as the outbreak of war with the United States of America is certain and add the suggestion that he should, on his own initiative, invite Japan to immediate adherence and at the same time mediate between Japan and ourselves. Please call the Presidents attention to the fact that the ruthless employment of our submarines now offers the prospect of compelling England in a few months to make peace. Signed Zimmermann. The receipt of this information has so greatly exercised the British Government that they have lost no time in communicating it to me to transmit to you, in order that our Government may be able without delay to make such disposition as may be necessary in view of the threatened invasion of our territory. Early in the war, the British Government obtained possession of a copy of the German cipher code used in the above message and have made it their business to obtain copies of Bernstorffs cipher telegrams to Mexico, amongst others, which are sent back to London and deciphered here. This accounts for their being able to decipher this telegram from the German Government to their representative in Mexico and also for the delay from January 19 until now in their receiving information. This system has hitherto been a jealously guarded secret and is only divulged now to you by the British Government in view of the extraordinary circumstances and their friendly feeling towards the United States. They earnestly request that you will keep the source of your information and the British Governments method of obtaining it profoundly secret, but they put no prohibition on the publication of Zimmermanns telegram itself. The copies of this and other telegrams were not obtained in Washington but were brought in Mexico. I have thanked Balfour for the service his Government has rendered us and suggest that a private official message of thanks from our Government to him would be beneficial. I am informed that this information has not yet been given to the Japanese Government but I think it not unlikely that when it reaches them they may make a public statement on it in order to clear up their position regarding the United States and prove their good faith to their Allies. The Essential Documents of American History was compiled by Norman P. Desmarais and James H. McGovern of Providence College.
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