A Non-Bourgeois Analysis of Tout Va Bien

Jose Alvarez English 2 David Lau A Non-Bourgeois Analysis of Tout Va Bien In the 21st century modern cinematic film industry an audience is enabled to experience a wide array of films beholding an eminently developed Hollywood perspective. Hollywood blockbusters assuredly dominate the United States film industry for various reasons. The general population absorbing modern Hollywood movies may manage to argue that the highly advanced state of the art techniques that blockbuster films utilize in order to enhance and flourish their big screen cinemas are the ideal justifications of their success.Such film techniques can vary widely from exquisite execution of state of the art animation, proficient synchronization of movie scores and progressive character augmentation just to name a few. These Hollywood methods tend to be harmonized collectively and conglomeratized for the constantly recycled concept of progressive plot development. Although many filmmakers have effectively exploited sim ilar progressive concepts for years, it has also inspired other filmmakers to create inverted juxtapositional styled films.The collaborative film Tout Va Bien by the Dziga Vertov Group which consists of Jean-Luc Godard and Jean-Pierre Gorin is an exemplification of such a counter Hollywood style film. Brian Henderson a film critic and writer of â€Å"Towards a Non-Bourgeois Camera Style,† characterized Godard’s approach on certain films as â€Å"non-bourgeois† for various reasons. Henderson’s essential point was concerned with Godard’s camera style, yet there is also other demonstrations of Godard’s non-bourgeois approach to filmmaking.Additional elements outside of camera style range from political topics, adoption of Brectian mechanisms and the use of other deviant aesthetic filmmaking devices. When considering Henderson’s term â€Å"non-bourgeois,† its primary and essential definition is when filmmakers develop anti-illusion ary and authentically realistic films. Godard’s films from 1967 onwards had this anti-illusionary perspective because of multiple reasons. The first reason to consider in regards to Godard’s non-bourgeois approach stemmed from student protests that broke out in France during the May of 1968. According to CollinMacCabe, writer of Postscript to May 1968 â€Å"French students occupied the administrative offices of the University of the Sorbonne in protest against planned government reforms of the university† (MacCabe 19. ) This modest student protest progressively gained support and cooperation from hundreds of thousands of workers. It eventually turned into a massive revolt that brought the French economy to a temporary halt and almost collapsed France’s government of the time. The repercussions of these events had a sizeable impact on Godard since it conveyed his proceeding films to become more political.Godard not only politicized his work by subject matt er but more dominantly by the aesthetic process of â€Å"creating a film politically. † Godard utilized various aesthetic strategies to express his political intentions. One specific approach that embodied the non-bourgeois political aspect in Tout Va Bien was the camera style. Henderson described this camera style as a â€Å"slow tracking shot that moves purely laterally-usually in one direction†¦over a scene that does not itself move, or strictly speaking, that does not move in any relation to the camera’s movement. According to Henderson this unique camera style enhances an anti-illusionary perspective due to its flatness and avoidance of depth. Two big scenes from Tout Va Bien that make use of this aesthetic approach are the final supermarket scene and the Barbie house styled factory set during the strike. A secondary non-bourgeois political device that Godard and Gorin utilized in Tout Va Bien was Brecthian distanciation. This method which was adopted from B ertolt Brecth is when actors actively express and represent themselves as actors, therefore estranging and distancing the audience.The purpose of this device intends to ruin illusion and inform the audience that the movie is an aesthetic work of art and not a real life situation. Another utilized device similar to Brechtian distanciation was the conceptual approach of breaking the fourth wall. This concept, which was also adopted from Brecht, is the acknowledgement and interaction between the actors and the audience in order to raise awareness of fiction. One major way that Tout Va Bien broke the fourth wall was by having actors look and talk straight into the camera.The scenes that utilized this concept exceedingly well where the ones which showcased one-sided interviews such as the ones with Jacques the filmmaker, the union representative, the Salumi factory boss and a female worker. A third aspect that made Tout Va Bien a non-bourgeois style film was its editing style. Godard and Gorin progressed their scenes strangely and often left the viewer open-ended towards the ultimate meaning. It seems that they intended to lead their audience vaguely by placing subtle hints of the films direction and leaving it open for the audience to interpret.The editing of the scenes really demanded activation from the audience since they usually had clever little inferences towards the filmmakers aesthetic intentions. One scene that really presented this unconventional editing style was when the boss needed to urinate. Due to factory workers blocking access to restrooms, the boss eventually broke a window inside of his own office in order to urinate out of it. A few scenes later however, the same window in the boss’s office is no longer broken.An earlier scene that also displayed this grotesque editing style had the camera locked on Susan while a conversation between Jacques and the boss was being heard. Susan eventually joined the conversation auditorially but you coul d not visually see her mouth moving with the pronunciation of the words. Lastly, of the reasons that Tout Va Bien is considered to be non-bourgeois is the political subject matter. Many classical Hollywood films hardly touch on political content but Tout Va Bien’s central plot revolved around the concept of class struggle.Conversations of class struggle were established throughout the film from various political perspectives ranging from that of the workers, the boss and the union representative. From the workers perspective many of them politicized about the negative aspects of their job, such as exhaustion, injuries and bad wages. In the boss’s perspective his political argument criticized that class struggle had become irrelevant and that Marxist philosophies where long gone. In the final political perspective, the union representative stated his agreement with the workers opinions but disapproved of their approach in starting the wildcat strike.Analyzing Tout Va Bi en from a non-bourgeois perspective, it was undoubtedly created in antagonism of Hollywood cinema. Many of the ways the film was directed and edited embraced deviance from what classical Hollywood films would consider norms. Everything from using political topics to presenting some of the film in non-chronological order contributed to the non-bourgeois perspective. This approach is quite possibly a conscious critique towards classical cinema since it juxtaposes Hollywood culture and exposes its artificiality.It emphasizes self-reflexive interpretation to draw out activation from its audience and promotes didacticism, which often lacks in Hollywood films. Tout Va Bien is fundamentally embedded with political arguments against Hollywood cinema, capitalism and class structure. It may very well be that the film was ultimately created to inform and stimulate activism. Works Cited Henderson, Brian, â€Å"Towards a Non-Bourgeois Camera Style. † Film Theory and Criticism MacCabe, Col in, â€Å"Postscript to May 1968. † English 2 Reader Spring 2012: 19-22.

Marketing Strategies Essay

A.1) By using PESTEL analysis we can analyze the macro factors affecting KFC Political Factors: Political factors refer to the government policies such as degree of intervention in the economy. KFC is asked to tell the people safety and health guidelines, KFC is also asked to label the genetically modified food (GM food). It follows the Animal rights campaigns by the government. Economic Factors: These include taxation changes, interest rates, inflation and exchange rates, economic growth. Social Factors: Social factors can have effect on the firms availability of the products, demand of the products and the availability and willingness of individuals to work. In UK the population has been ageing. This change has affected the cost of the firms due to the pension payment to their old age employees because the firms is committed to the employees who work with the firm from a long cycle period. Some firms have started recruiting old age employees to balance the labor pool. The ageing population has also affected demand, for example the demand for medicines and sheltered accommodation has increased whereas the demand for toys and other young age products has fallen. Technological Factors: New technology brings up new products and new processes of production. MP3 players, high definition TV, online business are all new innovations created by technological advancements. Technology can reduce the cost, improve the quality and lead to innovation of new products. These technological advancements can benefit the consumer as well as the organization. Environmental Factors: Environmental factors include the change in climate and weather. The changes in the temperature can impact many organizations such as farming, tourism, and insurance, with major climate changed due to global warming and with more and more environmental awareness this external factor is becoming a big issue for the companies to consider. The desire of saving the natural resources and environment is having an impact on many industries such as tourism and transportation, for example more taxes are  being imposed on air travel and the success of hybrid cars. and the move towards more eco-friendly products and creating an issue in demand and making new business opportunities. Legal factors: This is related to the legal environment in which the business operates. In recent years the legal changes in UK has affected many firms. The introduction of new age discrimination and disability discrimination legislation, an increase in the minimum wage of the employees and greater requirement for a firm to recycle has affected organization. Such legal changes affect the cost of the organization

Cultural Leadership

CONTENTS 1. Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2 2. Culture†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 3 Definition Dimensions of culture 3. Cultural leadership†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 8 Globalisation Global leadership behavior 4. Conclusions †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 9 5. References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 10 1. Introduction Cultural leadership is a study in which I sumarry colected some related ideas about culture, leadership and the impact of culture on leadership process. The project is structurared in two chapters, follow by a conclusion and bibliography. The first chapter begins by defining culture and describing the dimensions of culture with specific examples in every aria. Determining the basic dimensions or characteristics of different cultures is the first step in being able to understand the relationships between them. Because it is an abstract term, the word culture it is hard to define, and different people often define it in dissimilar ways. A definition which captured my attention is one which defined culture as the learned beliefs, values, rules, norms, symbols, and traditions that are common to a group of people. It is these shared qualities of a group that make them unique. Culture is dynamic and transmitted to others. In short, culture is the way of life, customs, and script of a group of people. (Gudykunst & Ting-Toomey, 1988). Next, in the second chapter, I found it necesarry to talk about how leadership varies across cultures and which specific leadership attributes cultures universally endorse as desirable and undesirable. As individuals we have implicit beliefs and convictions about the attributes and beliefs that distinguish leaders from non-leaders and effective leaders from ineffective leaders. So, from the perspective of this theory, leadership is in the eye of the beholder. Leadership refers to what people see in others when they are exhibiting leadership behaviors. Because of that, I have presented in this chapter six types of leadership accepted worldwide based upon Global Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness –GLOBAL- Research Program. I chose this specific topic, because I am interested in the domains presented, culture and leadership, and I considered this occasion, like being a great opportunity to discover more information or facts regarding them. 2. Culture Definition Anthropologists, scientist, sociologists and many others have debated the meaning of the word culture. Because it is an abstract term, it is hard to define, and different people often define it in dissimilar ways. Below, I have tried to find out some definitions of culture as follows: Kroeber, A. L. , & Kluckhohn (1952). Culture: A critical review of concepts and definitions :† Culture consists of patterns, explicit and implicit, of and for behavior acquired and transmitted by symbols, constituting the distinctive achievements of human groups, including their embodiments in artifacts; the essential core of culture consists of traditional (i. e. historically derived and selected) ideas and especially their attached values; culture systems may, on the one hand, be considered as products of action, and on the other as conditioning elements of further action’’. Banks, J. A. & McGee (1989). Multicultural education. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon: â€Å"Most social scientists today view culture as consisting primarily of the symbolic, ideational, and intangible aspects of human societies. The essence of a culture is not its artifacts, tools, or other tangible cultural elements but how the members of the group interpret, use, and perceive them. It is the values, symbols, interpretations, and perspectives that distinguish one people from another in modernized societies; it is not material objects and other tangible aspects of human societies. People within a culture usually interpret the meaning of symbols, artifacts, and behaviors in the same or in similar ways. † Linton, R. (1945, p. 32). The Cultural Background of Personality: â€Å"A culture is a configuration of learned behaviors and results of behavior whose component elements are shared and transmitted by the members of a particular society† From a business view, when leading a multicultural group, it is important to be aware of the norms, beliefs, and values that the participants bring with them to the setting. These norms, beliefs, and values not only shape identity but they also affect perceptions, attitudes and assumptions. These aspects of individuals and groups are typically not visible and yet, they are extremely important to take into consideration during the planning and facilitative processes. Other aspects of culture implies institution, religion, education, language, material culture and life-style. Dimensions of culture Hofstede (1994) identified four dimensions of culture: The first one, individualism versus collectivism, refers to how people define themselves and their relationships with others. In an individualist culture, the interest of the individual prevails over the interests of the group. Ties between individuals are loose. People look after themselves and their immediate families. For example, a student from Colombia may study in the United States and earn a Ph. D. , teach at a distinguished university, and publish important books, but when he returns to visit Colombia, people to whom he is introduced will want to know to whom he is related. Colombians want to know who his family is because that places him in society much more so than any of his accomplishments in the United States. Individualistic cultures like USA and France are more self-centered and emphasize mostly on their individual goals. This kind of cultures tend to think only of themselves as individuals and as â€Å"I† distinctive from other people. They define people by what they have done, their accomplishments, what kind of car they drive. Individualist cultures are more remote and distant. Collectivistic cultures have a great emphasize on groups and think more in terms of â€Å"we†. In China, for example it is out of question to disagree with someone’s opinion in public. You will do that in a more private and personal atmosphere to protect a person from the â€Å"loss of face†. In collectivistic cultures a direct confrontation will be always avoided. The second dimension that the author presents is the one which indicates the extent to which dominant values in a society tend to be assertive and look more interested in things than in concerning for people and the quality of life. â€Å"Masculinity is the opposite of femininity; together, they form one of the dimensions of national cultures. Masculinity stands for a society which social gender roles are dearly distinct: men are supposed to be more modest, tender, and concerned with the quality of life. â€Å"Femininity stands for a society where gender roles overlap: both men and women are supposed to be modest, tender and concerned with the quality of life. † The Masculinity and Femininity dimension describes how cultures differentiate on not between gender roles. Masculine cultures tend to be ambitious and need to excel. Members of these cultures have a tendency to polarize and consider big and fast to be beautiful. In workplaces employees emphasize their work to a great extent (live in order to work) and they admire achievers who accomplished their tasks. Feminine cultures consider quality of life and helping others to be very important. The country which strives the most for maximal distinction between what women and men are expected to do, the culture that place high values on masculine traits stress assertiveness, competition, and material success is Japan, the last country being Sweden. The third dimension is power distance, or the way the culture deals with inequalities. Hofstede (1997,p. 28) defines power distance as â€Å"the extent to which less powerful members of institutions and organizations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally†. Hofstede believes that power distance is learned early in families. In high power distance cultures, children are expected to be obedient toward parents versus being treated more or less as equals. In high power distance cultures, people are expected to display respect for those of higher status. For example, in countries such as Cambodia and Thailand, people are expected to display respect for monks by greeting and taking leave of monks with ritualistic greetings, removing hats in the presence of a monk, dressing modestly, seating monks at a higher level, and using a vocabulary that shows respect. In a high power distance culture, company bosses are â€Å"kings† and employees â€Å"loyal subjects† who don’t speak out. In the low power distance workplace, subordinates expect to be consulted, and ideal bosses are democratic. In more democratic organizations, leaders are physically more accessible. And finally, the last dimension is about uncertainty avoidance which expresses the deficit that people tolerate ambiguous situations and need formal rules. Uncertainty is â€Å"the extent to which the members of a culture fell threatened by uncertain or unknown situations. One of the dimensions of national cultures (from weak to strong). †. Some cultures need to have a strong uncertainty avoidance like France. In France many strict regulations are used and tasks are heavily centralized in companies and for meetings it is important to consider that. They are very careful with the details or any circumstances which could cause any kind of uncertainty for French business people. Germans and Finns have a less level of uncertainty avoidance and a medium level of power distance have the need for clearly specified competence to avoid uncertainty. They need specific procedures and distributions of tasks, instructions and rules. The co-ordination and control can be achieved through standardization and certification measurers. Americans and Chinese (Hong Kong) have a lower need for uncertainty avoidance and rather avoid too many rules and formalities. They are more likely to stimulate innovations and emphasize new ideas. They are more flexible and more acting than reacting on changes occurring inside and outside of business. In contrast cultures with very strong uncertainty avoidance display their emotions in the way that everything that is different, is dangerous. They resist in changes and worry about their future. 3. Cultural leadership Are leaders made or born? I think this is a question that most of us asked in a moment or another. In my opinion leaders are made but they must have some skills before that process too. If somebody have the desire and willpower, he can become an effective leader. Good leaders develop through a never ending process of self-study, education, training, and experience. To inspire your workers into higher levels of teamwork, there are certain things a leader must be, know, and, do. These do not come naturally, but are acquired through continual work and study. Good leaders are continually working and studying to improve their leadership skills. Leadership is a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent. Leaders carry out this process by applying their leadership attributes, such as beliefs, values, ethics, character, knowledge, and skills. We can affirm that culture is a long-term, complex phenomenon. Culture represents the shared expectations and self-image of the organization. The mature values that create â€Å"tradition† or the â€Å"way we do things here† because as we should know things are done differently in every organization. The collective vision and common folklore that define the institution are a reflection of culture. Individual leaders, cannot easily create or change culture because culture is a part of the organization. Culture influences the characteristics of the climate by its effect on the actions and thought processes of the leader. But, everything somebody dose as a leader will affect the climate of the organization. For instance, the cultural diversity of employees found in worldwide multinational organizations presents a substantial challenge with respect to the design of multinational organizations and their leadership. In my opinion, given the increased globalization of industrial organizations and increased interdependencies among nations, the need for better understanding of cultural influences on leadership and organizational practices is getting higher. Situations that leaders must face are highly complex, constantly changing, and difficult to interpret. More than ever before, managers of international firms face fierce and rapidly changing international competition. Globalization has also created the need for leaders to become competent in cross-cultural awareness and practice. Adler and Bartholomew (1992, p. 53) contend that global leaders need to develop five cross-cultural competencies. First, leaders need to understand business, political, and cultural environments worldwide. Second, they need to learn the perspectives, tastes, trends, and technologies of many other cultures. Third, they need to be able to work simultaneously with people from many cultures. Fourth, leaders must be able to adapt to living and communicating in other cultures. Fifth, they need to learn to relate to people from other cultures from a position of equality rather than cultural superiority. Additionally, global leaders need to be skilled in creating trans cultural visions. They need to develop communication competencies that will enable them to articulate and implement their vision in a diverse workplace. In sum, today’s leaders need to acquire a challenging set of competencies if they intend to be effective in present-day global societies. GLOBE (Global Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness) started a research program in order to describe how different cultures view leadership behaviors in others, and they identified six global leadership behaviors: charismatic/ value based, team oriented, participative, humane oriented, autonomous, and self-protective. These global leadership behaviors were defined as follows: Charismatic/value-based leadership reflects the ability to inspire, to motivate, and to expect high performance from others based on strongly held core values. This kind of leadership includes being visionary, inspirational, self-sacrificing, trustworthy, decisive, and performance oriented. Team-oriented leadership emphasizes team building and a common purpose among team members. This kind of leadership includes being collaborative, integrative, diplomatic and administratively competent. Participative leadership reflects the degree to which leaders involve others in making and implementing decisions. It includes being participative and non-autocratic. Humane-oriented leadership emphasizes being supportive, considerate, compassionate, and generous. This type of leadership includes modesty and sensitivity to people. Autonomous leadership refers to independent and individualistic leadership, which includes being autonomous and unique. Self-protective leadership reflects behaviors that ensure the safety and security of the leader and the group. It includes leadership that is self-centered, status conscious, conflict inducing, face saving, and procedural. Below, you have examples with leadership styles in different cultures: The countries from Eastern European have the idea of a leader which is moderately charismatic/value-based team-oriented, and people-oriented yet largely uninterested in involving others in the decision-making process. To sum up, this culture describes a leader as one who is highly autonomous, makes decisions independently, and is to a certain degree inspiring, team-oriented, and attentive to human needs. Quite different from the Eastern European countries, the Latin American countries place the most importance on team-oriented, charismatic/value based, and self-protective leadership and the least importance on autonomous leadership. As a fact ,those leaders tend to be moderately interested in people and their participation in decision making. An ideal example of leadership for the Nordic European countries is leadership that is highly visionary and participative while being somewhat independent and diplomatic. For these countries, it is less important that their leaders be people oriented or protective of their office. Nordic Europeans prefer leaders who are inspiring and involve others in decision making. They do not expect their leaders to be exceedingly compassionate, nor do they expect them to be concerned with status and other self-centered attributes. For countries in Africa, an ideal leader is modest, compassionate, and sensitive to the people. In addition, they believe a leader should be relatively charismatic/value-based, team oriented, participative, and self-protective. Leaders who act independently or act alone are viewed as less effective in these countries. In short, the African profile characterizes effective leadership as caring leadership. Like many other countries, these countries believe leaders should be inspirational, collaborative, and not excessively self-centered. Leaders who act autonomously are seen as ineffective in African countries. The leadership profile for the Middle Eastern countries differs significantly from the profiles of the other regions. Middle Eastern countries find self-attributes such as face saving and status are important characteristics of effective leadership. They also value being independent and familial. However, they find charisma, collaboration, and participative decision making less essential for effective leadership. To sum up, the Middle Eastern profile of leadership emphasizes status and face saving and de-emphasizes charismatic/value-based and group-oriented leadership. As we can see above, the dominant cultural norms endorsed by societal cultures induce global leader behavior patterns and organizational practices that are differentially expected and viewed as legitimate among cultures. Thus, the attributes and behaviors of leaders are, in part, a reflection of the organizational practices, which in turn are a reflection of societal cultures. 4. Conclusions After I have done this paper I realized that culture and leadership are like the two sides of the same coin. I believe that culture have a significant impact on leadership. First of all, culture shapes an individual ‘s self-definition of a leader through fundamental ideas about self and work. Second, the norms, values, beliefs or assumption an individual already learnt in the culture, makes him pass through cultural filters so that he perceive the world of work and leadership development different, meaning we don’t see the world through the same lens. We talked about culture, its definitions from different points of view, dimensions of culture and cultural leadership. Here we touched arias like: globalization, leadership’s styles accepted all over the world with regional examples. After all, the core of this project can be summarized in a couple of phrases, like the ones below. Leaders are immersed in their own societal culture, and they are most likely to enact the global leader behavior patterns that are favored in that culture. Founders influence the behavior of subordinate leaders and subsequent leaders by use of selective management selection criteria, role modeling, and socialization. Further, the dominant cultural norms endorsed by societal cultures induce global leader behavior patterns and organizational practices that are differentially expected and viewed as legitimate among cultures. Thus, the attributes and behaviors of leaders are, in part, a reflection of the organizational practices, which in turn are a reflection of societal cultures. At the present time, there is a greater need for effective international and cross-cultural collaboration, communication and cooperation, not only for the effective practice of leadership, but also for the betterment of the human conditions. As we view in this project, globalization has let its mark on the cultures of the world, which are getting more and more interconnected. As a conclusion, nowadays leaders should be encouraged or take initiative to reflect on their own values, see that multicultural differences exist and work to improve culture for all. 5. References Cultures and Organizations – Intercultural Cooperation and its Importance for Survival† Hofstede, Geert (1994) http://books. google. ro Cross-cultural approaches to leadership development by Clyde Brooklyn Derr http://www. cribd. com/doc/17743776/Nature-of-Culture-Its-Impact-on-Business http://www. via-web. de/conceptualization-of-culture/ http://www. ramergroup. com/pdfs/Concepts-of-Leadership. pdf http://www. online-leadership-tools. com/develop-leadership. html http://www. nwlink. com/~donclark/leader/leadcon. html :Concepts of Leadership http://www. thunderbird. edu/wwwfiles/sites/globe/pdf/process. pdf – Cultural Influences on Lea dership and Organizations: Project GLOBE ——————————————–

Managing Finance....Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Managing Finance....Accounting - Essay Example break even volume is equal to fixed costs divided by the differences of the unit sales price and the unit variable costs. Since no proportion is given as regards the sales of the hotel whether for single or double occupancy, the 70% occupancy rate of rooms is computed for single occupancy. This gives a break even sales volume of 25480. With the fixed costs being '5600000 and the unit variable costs at '15, computing it algebraically, the unit sales price is '234.78 in order for the hotel to achieve break even. Since the consortium requires 20% ROCE, the assumption that the whole '50 million belongs to shareholder funds, without any other loans to finance it gives a required profit before interest and taxes of '10,000,000 in order to meet the ROCE. After the PBIT has been determined, in order to compute for the unit selling price to achieve it, the hotel can use the break even equation. The PBIT will then be added to the fixed costs. Computing algebraically, the unit sales price in order to generate a PBIT of '10,000,000 is equal to '627.24. Since depreciation is deducted from the contribution margin as part of the fixed costs, the PBIT figure is not the hotel's annual operating cash flow. In order to get the hotel's annual operating cash flow, the depreciation has to be added back. ... In order to get the hotel's annual operating cash flow, the depreciation has to be added back. In reality, where there is presence of taxes, depreciation has some effect on the hotel's total operating cash flow. Since no tax rate is stated, the assumption of a tax-free economy is made. By adding back the depreciation to the PBIT, which is essentially the net income, because of the absence of taxes, the total annual operating cash flow is '12,800,000. After determining the annual operating cash flow of the hotel, the present value of these cash flows is determined. With the horizon of ten years, and the minimum weighted average cost of capital of 12% as the hurdle rate, the present value of the annual operating cash flows amount to '72,322.854.76. After computing for the present value of annual operating cash flow, the initial outlay of '50 million should be deducted to get the net present value. The net present value of this cash flow stream amounts to '22,322,854.76. A positive net present value denotes an internal rate of return which is higher than the hurdle rate, thus it can be safely concluded that the IRR for this project is higher than 12%. The actual IRR of the cash flow stream is 22.13% for the ten year period. D. Evaluate the possibility of a hotel charging '80 per night on Fridays and Saturdays. With Fridays and Saturdays offering a different rate compared to the other days, the capacity has to be revised, under the assumption of full occupancy again. This revision gives a volume of 7280: 2 days for every week, multiplied by 52 weeks, multiplied by 70 rooms. This will constitute one segment of the revenue. For Sundays

Socrates and Glaucon on Differences of Human Nature Essay

Socrates and Glaucon on Differences of Human Nature - Essay Example It is, however, possible to give historical examples when women have acted successfully in the fields that are not typical of them, and the same state of affairs is true about men. This tendency develops today as well. It is also possible to suggest that, upon the lack of the necessary quantity of persons of either sex, there is a chance to evaluate this theoretical finding on practice. From this point of view, the qualitative balance of the society would not be broken, for all the vacant positions would be occupied, but the question of the quality remains open. This is also the matter of which the philosophers, that is, the state governors, as per Plato’s theory of the state governing, must think hard. On one hand, the argument that men and women are different by nature scores against the suggestion that the same things may and shall be done by the representatives of different sexes. On the other hand, the contradiction to which as a result of the dialogue the philosophers co me, that is, the statement that different nature determines everyone’s occupation does not permit shifting between, for example, the roles of a child rearing mother and a warrior fighting on the frontline. The state in such situation is at a risk of losses if the shift is permitted, for if the mother dies her skills cannot be applied anymore, and the father is not available to substitute her because of his being busy with breadwinning. On the contrary, the warrior is likely to lose his combat skills and knowledge.

Tuskegee syphilis experiment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Tuskegee syphilis experiment - Essay Example Search the internet for a site that you find useful and provide the link to your classmates. Along with the link, give a brief synopsis of why you chose this site (i.e., what it contains, why it's useful). One of the most important and highly useful websites in the field of immunology is www.iuisonline.org. It contains the information on activities of International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS) related to the research and basic information on immunology. IUIS is the umbrella organization for many of the regional and national societies of immunology through out the world. This site is useful in providing information on organizing international cooperation on immunology, and in providing communication between immunology and its allied branches. It also helps in coordinating various societies of the world working in the area of immunology. 1. What was the Tuskegee Syphilis Study What was the original study aim What did the study end up being about How many people were enrolled How many were alive at the end What were the major ethical issues surrounding this study The Tuskegee syphilis study was a medical clin... The main aim of this study was to study the treatment, natural history, response and biological changes exhibited by patients suffering from syphilis disease with out intimating them the original reason of study. The patients were intentionally not given the treatment for curing syphilis. The study ended in 1972 after 40 years with the reporting of responses of patients suffering from syphilis. However it became controversial with the report of New York Times in 1972 regarding unethical issues and because of which the study was stopped. 600 black men (African American sharecroppers) were enrolled under this study out of which 400 people were suffering from syphilis and 200 people were free from syphilis. It was reported that only 74 of the test subjects survived, and others died and the disease was spread to their wives and children. The main ethical issues surrounding the study are as follows: (a) The patients were not given information on the original purpose of medical study and their consent was not taken. (b) There was a forceful non-treatment for syphilis even though pencillin was invented in 1940s which is very effective against syphilis. (c) The wives and children of black men were also affected, even then the truth was not disclosed. 2. What is the name of the virus that causes AIDS In relatively general terms, how does that virus cause AIDS The name of the virus causing AIDS is Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). It has 2 forms i.e. HIV1 and HIV2 out of which HIV1 is more virulent and pandemic strain of HIV. Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV) is considered to be the origin of HIV. SIVcpz is the form SIV present in chimpanzee. It is reported that the

The Evolution of Legacy Acknowledged System of Systems to Directed Research Paper

The Evolution of Legacy Acknowledged System of Systems to Directed - Research Paper Example However, managing emergent behavior of SoS is also necessary since it is capable of generating exclusive benefits. On the contrary, this behavior opens new horizons for engineers to experiment with in order to support the needs of users. This behavior contributes to the deciding factors regarding the methodologies and approach that users will adopt in future to conduct the business. Moreover, they enable engineers to identify those weaker areas of system which are source of hindrance for users to meet their needs and where further nurturing resources must be deployed. It enables the system to combat threats demonstrated by interoperation and attain traits such as flexibility, scalability and cost leadership. Emergence is mostly unavoidable; therefore it is pivotal that engineers learn how to coexist with it, effectively using this phenomenon to establish an invulnerable and highly elastic SoS that can easily respond to changing environment. If emergent behavior is managed effectively , systems forming SoS interact with each other, creating a synergetic effect that enables the entire network to fulfill its essential purposes that cannot be possibly attained in isolation as a standalone system. Therefore, it is only fair to state that the evolutionary process of SoS is a direct product of effective management of its emergent behavior. Figure 2: Simple example of emergent behavior of SoS (Thwink.org) Emergent behavior has largely been researched into and many experiments have revealed different definitions and characteristics to it. Dyson and George claimed that it is a behavior shown by SoS which is not easy to foresee and analyse through evaluation of its components; instead, it must be seen as a single system on the whole. They... This paper stresses that SoS is a complex network of systems that individually have different characteristics but collectively display entirely distinct behavior. This behavior emerges due to synergetic effect of interaction between these systems and components of SoS. This behavior is so strong that it is capable of ripping the entire system apart through cascade effects. High coordination among stakeholders and components and distributed control are required by system engineers to manage it. Researching and harnessing on this issue is vital for SoS to be successful in achieving its primary purposes. This report makes a conclusion that agent modeling devices and simulation settings are prime tools that can be used to mitigate consequences connected with emergent behavior by speculating it beforehand and developing strategies to undermine its effects. If controlled effectively through these engineering tactics, the SoS has high potential to achieve levels of flexibility, cost leadership and scalability that cannot be possibly attained via conventional systems. This paper shall be a source of great contribution towards SoSE Body of Knowledge since it addresses the most crucial obstacle faced by SoS and due to its highly radical and dynamic nature, still to date the researchers and engineers have not been able to fully attain grip and certainty over projecting behavioral patterns and interactive process. Since it is a replication technique and small scale research, only limited assurance can be assumed on results achieved. Nonetheless, further research is required in this field to b e in a better position to draw conclusions.

Foreign Enterprise Manage the JV Company with State Owned Background Dissertation

Foreign Enterprise Manage the JV Company with State Owned Background -Veolia Water's Business Model in China for its Long Term - Dissertation Example The measures thus adopted by the joint venture entity of Veolia Water for the better performance of the company so as to fulfil the demand for water in China. The business model of Veolia water over the span of five years starting from 2002 to 2007 especially has been a remarkable one. This has led to the success of the parent organisations with respect to the operations carried out by Veolia Water in China. The performance of the company is a matter of great concern for it. This has resulted in the company adaption to the Competence Based Training of the employees, where the requirement of the employees will be first assessed and thereafter training will be provided in the area concerned. In order to detect more parameters in water the company has invested in the high-end technologies which in the long-run will benefit the company in providing adequate water supply in the country of China. The economic situation of China has attracted a lot of joint ventures and foreign investments to take place in the country. Through joint venture with the foreign enterprise the country has benefitted by financial capital being invested in the country. The job opportunities over the year have also increased to a great extent. Through this case study we can observe that Veolia Water has been successful enough in creating value by setting up of joint ventures in emerging economy like China. The company takes initiative in controlling the cost and the capital expenditure of the company along with the adoption of the sustainable value appropriation policies. This has helped Veolia to effectively design and implement the international joint venture strategies in emerging economy like China. The management of Veolia Water developed against the international joint venture in China led to the emphasis on the cross cultural management whereby the company had to respect the values of the local authority and the culture of its place of operation. So as to keep pace with the cross cultu re the company has implemented effective human resource management for the company which helps the company keep pace with the changing external requirements for the company. The joint venture has also benefitted Veolia Water in terms of availing cheap labour and the already available natural resources. With Veolia Water entering the market of China, the country gained in terms of diversified capital investment with the unprecedented opportunity to observe the nature of the competitive strategies in the form of joint venture. Thus studying the advantages and the disadvantages of Veolia Water in the economy of China we can make a comparative analysis of its effects on the strategies of joint venture thus adopted by the company. Table of Contents Abstract 2 1. Introduction 6 1.1 Background of the Study 6 1.2 Aim and Objective of the Study 7 1.3 Research Questions 9 1.4 Significance of the Study 9 1.5 Research Structure 10 2. Literature Review 15 2.1 International Joint Ventures 15 2.2 Chinese-Foreign Joint Ventures 16 2.2.1 Legal and Operational Issues in context of Chinese-Foreign Joint Ventures 19 2.3 Influence of Chinese culture on Chinese-Foreign Joint Ventures 23 2.4 Evaluation of Joint Venture Performance 25 2.5 Measures of Performance 28 2.6 Synopsis of Measures in Prior Joint Venture Performance Studies 30 2.7 Summary 32 3. Research Methodology 33 3.2 Introduction 33 3.2 Research Methods 34 3.3 Data Analysis Strategy 37 3.4 Research

Social Awareness Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Social Awareness - Assignment Example waited without having any interaction with his spouse or girlfriend, he was more or less relaxed with an open stance; however, as soon as she appeared, he closed his legs, removed his arm from the back of the bench and acted as if he were immediately in a more formal setting. With regards to the social awareness that the situation presented, it is the belief of this observer that the level of awareness was directly exhibited by the man on the bench with regards to how the situation changed for him as soon as his wife or girlfriend returned from her shopping experience. As has been previously discussed, the situation itself was more or less informal as it too place within a relatively busy shopping mall and both participants knew each other reasonably well due to the fact that they exhibited being in a relationship. However, even though a level of familiarity existed between the individuals, an analysis of the social awareness that was exhibited by the male specifically helped this observer to quickly note that his overall level of comfort with the situation and/or with seeing his wife or girlfriend was not as easy or as informal as the situation itself dictated. Although the conversation between the two individuals was within earshot of me while I observed the given communication and signals that were transmitted, it was the nonverbal communication that most effectively told me what was truly going on within the given situation. As a result of the male’s actions and non verbal stance with regards to seeing the female return, I was able to form a rather rapid determination of my impression of the pair based upon this observation. The second interaction that I observed was that of a general manager of a grocery store discussing the way in which a return could not be accepted due to the fact that the customer was unable to present a valid receipt for the item. What took place between the two individuals was a situational misunderstanding, disagreement, and

Life Is What You Make It Essay Example for Free

Life Is What You Make It Essay It When thinking about my view of the world, there is a jumble of different philosophies, beliefs, and ideas going on in my head. There is so much to take into consideration, and it seems that everything is connected but also scattered in a way that it is hard to really be able to dig deep and explain on paper what my worldview is. After many headaches and deep thoughts, I boiled it down to the things that I could not get out of my head. No matter how hard I tried, I could not get rid of these thoughts when thinking about what to say. These key parts of my worldview are that I believe in the theory of evolution and the big bang theory, not that God created Earth. I believe there is not a higher figure that determines where you go when you die. I also believe in a person’s right to make choices regarding their own life. Although my values and beliefs may have been shaped from the people around me, I feel that I have values and beliefs that are truly my own and are not what other’s want me to value and believe in. One of the first things that comes to my mind when hearing the word worldview, is my view on whether or not there is a god and an afterlife. When I was a baby, I was baptised in the Catholic church,but I do not attend church on a weekly basis, and never have. Because of never going to church, I have very little knowledge of the Bible, and the beliefs of Catholicism. Having this little knowledge about religion versus the facts that I have learned in science class makes it very easy for me to believe in the scientific theory of evolution. I have a hard time believing that God created Earth and all its creatures, and even that there is a God. Which leads me into my view on afterlife and how you get there. I believe that there is somewhere you go when you die. I do not believe that you just rot in the ground. However, I do not necessarily think that it is heaven and hell, but I’m not quite sure what it is yet. As far as getting to the afterlife, I do not believe that there is one figure deciding where you go when you die based on the way you lived your life. Since my values were not based on religion, I believe in the freedom for a person’s right to choose regarding their life and death. Abortion, assisted suicide, homo and heterosexuality are all examples of the freedom of choices that I believe in. I think people have the right to make their own choices regarding their personal life, without the judgement from God or even other people. Another very strong value that I have is that I think it is wrong to judge someone based on their skin color, religion, body type, sexuality and even the opinions they have. I think that it is right to abide by rules and laws. If the majority of our society did not follow the laws that we have, America would be in chaos. I like the idea of a democracy, that everyone who wants a say gets one, but yet there is a group of people who keep society organized. In my opinion, my values, beliefs and what I think is right and wrong have been shaped from different influences. Obviously, the first influence came from my parents. Growing up in their household has definitely shaped my beliefs. For example, my parents taught me to abide by the rules given to you. But there are also some things that I do not agree with my parents on. For example, my father thinks being gay is wrong, I strongly disagree with that. Another factor influencing my values and beliefs is my peers. My values resemble my closest friends’ values and beliefs and because we have common views and that is why we are so connected. I grew accustomed to their values and beliefs because of being around my friends so often. In conclusion, my worldview is that there is no higher figure that determines your fate during life and when you die. Each individual personally has the right to make choices regarding his or her own destiny in life. I believe that my knowledge from science classes taught me that the Earth was created because of a big bang in the universe which is more powerful than my knowledge of how God created Earth and it’s species. My values and beliefs are truly my own, yet they would not be the same if I did not have the guidance and knowledge from my parents and peers.

Case Study: Energy Drink Industry

Case Study: Energy Drink Industry No serious and lasting achievement or success one ever achieves without the friendly guidance and co-operation of so many people involved in work. Foremost of all, I express my gratitude to the Almighty for his blessings and foresting wisdom in all my wishes. I am also thankful to my Subject Teacher ABHAY TIWARI , who has helped me a lot each and every time when I had some difficulty. Words are not sufficient to register my sincere regards to my loving parents for their deep affection and unabated inspiration that really kept me going. They were and unending source of strength and perseverance during the course of the study. I place my thanks to al l those who spared their time and made it convenient for me to complete the research. I deeply acknowledge their concern for my research. Last but not the least, I also wish to red cord my gratitude for any person(s), my memory has failed to recall, who rendered his/her/ their support and services. History of energy drinks: Packed with caffeine, taurine and vitamins-B, energy drinks are the current fuel of choice of the todays generation. More energy mean for work and more productivity. So, life gets pace quickly and the energy drinks market expands .It all started in Japan when Taisho pharmaceuticals released a drink called Lipovitan-D in 1962. It contained a mix of b1, b2 and b6 vitamins, along with niacin and taurine all are concentrated and boost energy. Tonic drink is popularly grown up in Asia. In 1987, an Australian named Dietrich Mateschitz took the same concept but added sugar and caffeine to it and formulated red bull, which quickly popular in the Europe. Around the same time, Americans were accessorizing their all-night Atari marathons with Jolt Cola, which was advertised as having all the sugar and twice the caffeine of Coke. When Red Bull hit the market in the U.S., they had to carve the niche alone, so traditional marketing and branding strategies wouldnt work. They started sponsoring non-traditional athletes(no, not in-line skaters; more like kite sailors and sky surfers) and began an annual event called Flug tag, in which amateur aviators build their own stylized aircraft and compete to see who can fly the farthest over water. And , when Red Bull started marketing their drink to bars as a cocktail mixer. Red Bull remains the top name in energy drinks to this day, with global sales estimated at about $2 billion annually. Thats not to say there isnt competition. Dozens upon dozens of brands flood the energy drink market. Its hard to say how many, exactly, because upstart companies come and go, but heavy-hitters like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Anheuser-Busch have all developed their own energy drinks. Jolt Cola has been re-branded as an energy drink; it now comes in a can shaped like a big battery. Hansen, a natural soda company, entered the game with Monster Energy. Rockstar, the first energy drink to make itself available in 16- and 24-ounce cans, has been in third place behind Red Bull and Monster for a while, but Coca-Cola recently inked a deal to distribute the drink. Yes, Rockstar has finally signed with a major label. All the marketing in the world, however, hasnt convinced the French, Danish, or Norwegian governments to legalize high caffeine energy drinks in their countries, and Argentina recently became the fourth country to outlaw such beverages. Other governments and food safety agencies have also raised concerns about whether the drinks pose health risks. To research such a matter is to wade through a scientific point/counterpoint debate so thick that one would need a 24-ounce can of low-carb Monster just to read through all the applicable articles. While many are apprehensive about potential dangers, the bottom line seems to be that energy drinks are probably no worse for you than strong coffee, and should therefore be treated accordingly. Taurine, one of the main ingredients in most energy drinks, hasnt been the subject of any long-term studies, so the jury is still out on that one. On one hand, taurine is produced naturally in the body, so it should be harmless, but on the other hand it i s possible that too much taurine could be a bad thing, and the effect of combining it with caffeine and other ingredients has yet to be fully explored. But even if a major news story were to break tomorrow claiming that all energy drinks are made from the blood of orphans and that taurine causes hair loss and acute leprosy, the stuff is undoubtedly here to stay. With any luck, theyll keep our nations scientists awake long enough to finally give us our damn jet packs! Porters five forces for energy drink industry The energy drink industry is very competitive for all corporations involved, with the greatest competition being that from rivalry sellers within the industry. All energy drink companies have to think about the pressures; that from rival seller within the industry, new entrants to the industry, substitutes of the products, buyers and sellers. New entrant: New entry is not a strong competitive pressure for the energy drink industry because;there are so,many brand who are entering into the market such as cloud 9,xxx,phantom and so many. Red bull and few other energy drinks are dominate the industry with their strong brand name and great distribution channels. Energy drink is fully saturated and growth is low. It is very difficult for new and unknown entrant to start competing against the existing firms. Some another barrier are also their such as high fixed cost of warehouse and other so many expenses and economies of scale. New entrant cannot compete in price without economies of scale. These high capital requirement and market saturation make it extremely difficult for the new company to enter the energy drink industry. Substitute: Substitute products are those products competitors which are not present in the energy drink industry. Substitute of this industry are strong competitors. Such substitute of energy drinks industry products are fruit juices, water bottle, soft drinks, coffee and tea. Substitutes are strong for energy drinks industry because; Water bottle, soft drinks, fruit juices, coffee are increasingly popular with trend to be a more health conscious consumers. There are progressively more varieties in fruit juices and coffee that appeal to different consumers tastes but appears healthier than energy drinks. Coffee and tea are competitive substitute because they also provide caffeine that provided by energy drinks also. The consumer who consumes lot of energy drinks may substitute coffee because if they want to keep caffeine and lose the sugar and according to the taste. Specially blend coffee becoming very famous and popular because of so many coffee cafà © are opened and offers many different taste to the consumers. Intake of coffee and fruit juices instead of energy drinks very healthier and very cheap in cost also. Suppliers power: Suppliers bargaining power is higher because there is huge number of firms present in the energy drinks industry. Supplier for the energy drinks industry holds much competitive pressures. The bargaining power of suppliers is higher because; There is large number of energy drinks firms and most of them are using tin and aluminum mix cans for their packaging, which is not much availability because thousands of other industry are using tin and aluminum for their packaging the products. Supplier of tin and aluminum are few so bargaining power suppliers is high. It is difficult to switch other suppliers. Because it will take more time to supply and deals. Buyers power: Bar gaining power of energy drinks industry are mainly large grocers, discount stores and restaurants. The energy drinks companies distributed to beverages to these stores for resale to the consumers. The bargaining power is very strong because large grocers and discount stores buy large numbers of energy drinks, allowing them to buy at lower price. There is another reason also that many number of firms are in the energy drink industry so, different brand of energy drinks are available in the market. Rivalry: The competitive pressure from rivalry sellers is greatest competition that faced by the firms present in the energy drink because red bull acquiring most of the market in this industry and few other companies are also growth at the faster rate because of that the rivalry competition will be more in this industry, red bull, cloud9, Gatorade, monsters, tab, Rockstar, these are major players in the industry. The rivalry will be higher because; Brand name loyalty is competitive pressure because brand key customers loyalty survey shows that brand with the greatest customers loyalty in industry. Red bull, rockstar, monster, these drinks have greater loyalty than other energy drinks and famous brand name. Distribution channels are very vast and because of this they are competing with each others. Another companies are also growing and acquiring market share and increasing the distributing channels with variety in products so it the major competing thing in the industry. Major players in market: There are many players in the energy drinks industry worldwide red bull, monster, rockstar, amp and tab these are the rating series of energy drinks but in Indian market these are few major player who are playing vital role in Indian market by confidently except red bull because red bull is exceptional case because it is the oldest energy drink and very major player but other are try to competing with each others and increasing their market share. Major Players in Indian markets are: Red bull: red bull is acquiring most of the market share among all other energy drinks and the market share of red bull in market of energy drink is 42.6 (based on dollar sales). Cloud 9. Gatorade. Xxx. Red bull: Red bull is the oldest product in the market and capturing the industry share almost half of the other products. Logo: two charging bulls. Target market: long strenuous night shift audience. Slogan: red bull gives you wings. SWOT analysis of red bull company: Strength: From this we can say that what the strength of the company is; Fashionable brand image and image for high standard. Oldest energy drink in the industry capturing the largest share of the industry. High revenue as price is set 10% than other energy drinks, which increase the revenue of the company. So many market shares are sold to different countries. Famous for more caffeine and dangerous ingredient are added in it named edge. Brand equity and brand loyalty. Weakness: what are the weaknesses of the company due to? Red bull may have lost its edge because of government accepted as being safe because many customers like strong ingredient and some are using light so its depend on person to person. Lack of patent. No campaign are organized, all the sales and revenue are getting by only the brand image. Very high price, low level of income cannot consume. Opportunities: it can show us what are the opportunities of the company by which they can raise more in the market? They have the opportunity to introduce more product variants or more flavor like others are doing to increase their consumers. Expanding their brand into different countries. Consumer recognize through sponsorship of sports and event. They should increase their consumption by more advertising. Threats: Threats of the company are; Consumer purchases other illegal energy drink instead of red bull containing more taurine and caffeine. Now a days safe would be accepted by many of people instead of red bull edge it may lost its consumers. Market share would be decrease due to some many other substitute and competitors are available in the market. New entrant is also coming in Indian market and other countries this may cause in the decrease in the market share. Todays new organic energy drinks market is coming into the market which may snatch the red bull market. Substitute like soft drinks and fruit juices. Gatorade: First made in 1965, for the university of Florida football. It developed to replace the fluids and help prevent from dehydration. Target market: athletes Logo: lightning Current slogan: Is it in you. SWOT analysis of Gatorade Company: Strength: It means what is the strength of the company by which company are getting benefit and got many benefits. Loyal customers, we saw many players are using Gatorade while playing sports and doing activities. Strong brand equity. Innovations, we can say that Gatorade became famous by their flavors they introduced so many flavors such as berry, lemon, orange and black cherry. Supply chain is very good of the company. Unique products are also available such as Gatorade thirst quenchers, fierce, frost, xtremo. Weakness: what is the weakness of the company due to that reasons company are not growing at much higher rate. Non-diversified product line. Poor exposure and promotion because its only promote in abroad such as in usa and it is known by in India but not much very less promotion campaign are settled by the company. Distribution channel is not good enough if we comparing to red bull and other drinks. Opportunities: what are the opportunities by which company can increase their growth? Expand their brand by which people come to know because there are many region and areas where people dont know about the brand. They should increase their product because many flavors are not available in all the places and they should increase their services also. Threats: Competitors are the major threat because many companies are present in this industry are large number of players are present in the market. New entrant are interesting in the market and this wiil be the greater threat to the company because life becoming busy and everybody need drinks with full of energy which attracts other companies to attract toward the industry. SJ xxx: A very new product in the industry of energy rinks and one of the most fast growing energy drinks in the market. It is the Indian product by JMJ GROUPS and introduced this year in the 4-5 state and the result in seen good for the product in the market. It was sponsored team Kolkata knight rides in Indian premier league in 2010 which really works for xxx. They kept price in comparison to red bull and introduce two variants in same drink. Logo: xxx in column wise. Target market: people with age between 15-40. Slogan: extreme drink for extreme people. SWOT analysis of SJ XXX energy drink: Strength: strength of the company; Good reputation of the marketing group. The entire launch is very successful for the brand. Xxx seen as young and trendy look and motivate the teen and Youngers to go through. Attraction design and name is very attractive. Brand endorsed by very famous celebrity SHAHRUKH KHAN. Weakness: weakness of the company; Concentrate only on few states such as Goa, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Delhi. Low investment on advertising promotion. Very high prices at the starting knowing this that there are many present in the market. Very less awareness among all the other products. Huge gap between existing firms takes much time to grow. Opportunities: XXX-nicofix variant of company reduces the tobacco craze in youngster and it may helps in increase the favorability. XXX-rejuve variant of company are good option to improve immune system which creates awareness of using xxx. This new product in the market so it is the good opportunity for company to positioning and placing their product. New events and sports events are yet to come in the market and by sponsoring them regularly they can build their image in the market. Threats: Existing firms who are well stabled in the market from last many of years like red bull, Gatorade and cloud9 and others also. If they are thinking to launch in abroad so much higher threat are to company because many of strongest competitors are present already in the market and strong competitors and have brand loyalty. Substitute is also present in the market so it also gives the competition. Cloud9: it is manufactured by Goldwin healthcare Pvt. Ltd. This company is specialists in the manufacturing of 100% natural lifestyle energy drinks and caffeine free cola. In the future, cloud 9 plans, itself to the peak of the industry where the sky not finished. Cloud 9 grows it Indian presence all the expanding into the overseas market. Logo: Its name cloud9. Target market: youth and athletes. Slogan: heaven meets earth. SWOT analysis of the cloud9: Strength: Good flavor taste, it is much better taste and comparative red bull bit same but not similar. Good consumer awareness. Sponsored in big events of India such as fashion events, sports. Good investment on advertisement. Well known parent company. Availability in small cans also like other energy drinks are not available in small packing but this drink is available. Low prices comparative to other energy drinks mostly than red bull , rockstar, Sj xxx. Weakness: Low area coverage by the promotional strategy. Competition within its own variable brands. Low level of distribution channels because not available in so many areas and cities. Opportunities: Only brand available in the market with the five flavor. No other brand is providing this kind of flavor only Gatorade does but not all available in Indian market. Associated it in different award functions and organized itself in different event and parties. It has brand ambassadors like shilpa shetty. Being the first energy drink brand in the Indian market. It would b put positive effect on the Indian consumers. Threats: New entrants in the market the rapid growth of the market attracting so many companies to launching their drinks so it is the biggest threat of the existing firms to new entrants. New favours from other brand which increase their growth rate by innovative the new flavor brand with different technology and ingredient like xxx-rejuve which improve the immune system. So many brand which being global and some are coming toward our country which is also a threat and if we thought to launch our products in the foreign market this is also the threat because of globalization.

Features of a CIF contract

Features of a CIF contract The central feature of a CIF contract is that it is a shipment contract. This fact explains virtually every contractual and legal feature of the contract. Even if the CIF contract was the only standard form of shipping contract, which it is not, it would be very difficult to agree with the above statement; the contractual and legal features of this contract are explained by its title rather than its industry application. The acronym C.I.F. stands for cost, insurance, freight and represents those features which are included in the cost-price of the goods to be purchased[1]. ‘Cost’ simply pertains to the actual cost of the goods being purchased, ‘insurance’ quite literally means that the goods will be protected by an insurance policy during their transit and ‘freight’ refers to the cost of shipping the goods by carrier to the final delivery point. The best way to explain and understand the contractual and legal features of the C.I.F. contract is by way of an example. Consider the following: A. Ltd. [based in Ireland] offers to sell to B. Ltd. [based in England] 10,000 Kilograms of King Edward potatoes [A-grade quality] for  £2000 C.I.F. Liverpool. B Ltd. accepts the offer in writing. A legally binding contract has thus been formed. Let us now examine every stage of the execution of this contract, with particular focus of the respective contractual duties of A. Ltd., the seller, and B. Ltd. the buyer. Clearly, the first duty of A. Ltd is to appropriate 10,000 Kilos of A-grade quality King Edward potatoes. It may be that A. Ltd. already has this quantity of potatoes stocked in one of its warehouses in Ireland. Alternatively, A. Ltd. may know of a carrier which is on its way to Liverpool carrying this quantity of potatoes on board, in which case, A. Ltd. might choose to purchase them from their current owner while they are afloat. Alternatively, A. Ltd. may have already dispatched a shipment of potatoes to Liverpool, in which case, it may simply choose to assign the appropriate quantity of potatoes to meet B. Ltd.’s order. In light of the fact that the contract stipulates both the quantity, namely 10,000 kilos, and the quality, namely A-grade quality King Edward variety potatoes, the seller is under a duty to ensure not only that the goods dispatched/purchased/assigned meet this description, but also that they will continue to meet this description on delivery; in the case of Mash Murrell Ltd. v. Joseph I. Emanuel Ltd. [1961][2] it was held that there is an implied term in all C.I.F. shipping contracts that, at the ‘time of shipment’, the goods are of a sufficient quality to survive normal transit. A. Ltd., having appropriated the 10,000 kilos of potatoes, must then arrange for these potatoes to be shipped to Liverpool, the destination stipulated in the contract, and it is A. Ltd.’s duty to pay for the cost of this shipment, i.e. the freight. In return for this shipment fee, the carrier must provide to A. Ltd. a valid[3] Bill of Lading. A Bill of Lading is a document which contains the terms of the contract of carriage, as well as a statement that the goods have actually been shipped[4]. Essentially this document serves at the title of ownership, i.e. whoever possesses this document is entitled to take possession of the goods. In the case of Hansson v. Hamel Horley [1922] A.C. 36, the House of Lords held that once the seller has transferred the Bill of Lading to the buyer, conferred on they buyer are two distinct rights; â€Å"(a) a right to receive the goods[5], and (b) a right against the shipowner, who carries the goods, should the goods be damaged or not delivered. †¦ Regarding the former right, it therefore follows that this document be freely transferable [Soproma SpA v Marine Animal By-Products Corp. [1966] 1 Lloyds Rep. 367]. Regarding the latter right, it therefore follows that the Bill of Lading, when pr ocured by the seller, in our example A. Ltd., must be an accurate reflection of the state of affairs at the time of shipment. This principle was confirmed by the Court of Appeal in the case of The Galatia [1980] 1 W.L.R. 495. In this case it was held that the Bill of Lading must include a factually accurate statement as to the quality and quantity of goods which have been shipped. Where any quality or quantity is listed as ‘unknown’ on the Bill of Lading, the Court has tended to infer a presumption that the presumed state of the goods is â€Å"not wildly at odds† with the quantity or quality in fact loaded[6]; be â€Å"not wildly at odds† with the quantity in fact loaded. Returning to our example: A. Ltd. has thus far appropriated the cargo of potatoes, has made/procured a contract of carriage, at his own cost, and has received a valid Bill of Lading from the carrier, as receipt of shipment. A. Ltd. must now, as part of his final contractual duties, secure an insurance policy, again at his own cost, to protect the potatoes from all ‘usual risks[7]’ which might occur during their transit from the point of shipment to delivery at the port of Liverpool[8]. It is also important that the type of insurance policy secured is fully transferable, i.e. assignable by endorsement under S. 50(3) of the Marine Insurance Act 1906[9]; after all, after the goods have been delivered to B. Ltd., this company may wish to transfer the goods to a third party, who may then need to rely on the insurance cover, should it later transpire that the potatoes were damaged during their voyage at sea. These documents having been obtained, A. Ltd.’s final contractual duty is to ensure that these documents are sent and delivered to B. Ltd. I good time, so that they will have them in their possession at the moment the carrier delivers the potatoes to Liverpool[10]. Having discussed the contractual duties of the seller under a C.I.F. contract, let us now turn to examine the contractual duties of the buyer, B. Ltd: The first thing to note is that the buyer does not buy the goods themselves, but rather buys the documents pertaining to the goods, namely the Bills of Lading and the Insurance policy. Thus the buyer, B. Ltd., is under a duty to accept these documents from A Ltd. and pay for them. This duty is not absolute; the buyer has a right to reject these documents if they indicate that the cargo has been shipped late (i.e. later than the shipping date stipulated by the contract). This was confirmed by the High Court in the case of Kwei Tek Chao v. British Traders Shippers Ltd. [1954] 2 QB 459. Likewise, the buyer has a right to reject improperly tendered documents: In the case of Alkali Export Corp. v. Fl. Bourgeois [1921] 3 K.B. 443, the High Court held that the buyer was within his right to reject the documents for they did not contain a valid insurance policy, but rather an insurance certificate. Interestingly, under this conception of the C.I.F. contract, the buyer has a duty to pay against the documents even if he has not yet had a chance to inspect the goods[11]. This principle was confirmed in the case of Biddell Bros v E Clemens Horst Co. [1911] 1 K.B. 214, and was reiterated in the case of Manbre Saccharine v. Corn Products [1919] 1 K.B. 198, in which it was held that the buyer must pay against the documents even where the goods are damaged upon arrival. Prima facie, this might seem somewhat unfair; after all, why should a buyer pay for goods which have arrived in a damaged condition. However, if one considers the mechanisms operating under the C.I.F. contract, in particular the seller’s duty to secure appropriate insurance documents, one can see that the interests of the buyer are still protected regardless of his duty to pay for the documents prior to inspection; if the goods are faulty, and the Bill of Lading states that the goods were shipped in good conditio n, then the insurance company will reimburse the purchaser for any[12] damage to the goods which was caused in transit. If the Bill of Lading indicated damage prior to shipment, then the Buyer can take out action against the seller to reclaim his monies. This does not mean that the buyer must necessarily accept the goods once hey have arrived however. Unless the terms of the contract stipulate that the buyer cannot reject the goods[13], they buyer is entitled to refuse to take possession of the goods if, at the moment of delivery[14], an inspection reveals that the goods are not of the quantity and/or quality which was contracted for, e.g. if only 5,000 Kilos of B-grade Desiree potatoes were in fact delivered by the chartered carrier to B. Ltd. The statutory remedy which is available in relation to this right is provided by s53(3) of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 (as amended), pertaining to an implied warranty over the quality of goods purchased. S53(3) of this Act states: â€Å"(3) I n the case of breach of warranty of quality such loss is prima facie the difference between the value of the goods at the time of delivery to the buyer and the value they would have had if they had fulfilled the warranty.† One final point regarding the duty of the buyer under a C.I.F. contract: it is the responsibility of the buyer to secure all the necessary import licences which are legally required for the product(s) in question. If any stage of the delivery is stalled as a result of the buyer’s failure to secure the necessary Custom permissions, then any resultant damage to the goods, e.g. from their having to stay on board the carrier for an extended period of time and thus perishing, will be deemed, at law, his fault. In conclusion, whilst we have not been able to examine every single contractual and legal feature of the C.I.F. shipping contract, the above provides a near comprehensive description of the workings of such a contract in the real world. The C.I.F. contract is a standard termed tool which has been designed and evolved to ensure that the interests of each party to a shipping contract are protected, and also that the practical difficulties which would otherwise be faced by importers and exporters are somewhat mitigated. In response to the statement offered at the top of this paper: I hope I have argued convincingly that this statement is absolutely incorrect. The fact that a C.I.F. contract is a shipping contract is merely a description of its specific industry application; this description does not explain any of the complex and multifarious contractual and legal features of such a commercial arrangement. Perhaps what the statement meant to express what the fact that most of the legal and contractual features of a shipping contract are explained by the fact that it is a C.I.F. contract; in that case, the statement would certainly be more correct, although event then, the complexities regarding the duties of rejection and the procurement of valid documents cannot be gleaned from this description alone. I would argue, in final conclusion, that one should not attempt to explain the workings of the C.I.F. contract in one sentence alone. Such an endeavour will only serve to omit certain vital informatio n and lead to a poor understanding of the contractual and legal features thereof. References/ Bibliography: Alastair C.L. Mullis. (1997). Termination for Breach of Contract in C.I.F. Contracts Under the Vienna Convention and English Law; Is There a Substantial Difference? Published in Lomnicka / Morse ed., Contemporary Issues in Commercial Law (Essays in honour of Prof. A.G. Guest), Sweet Maxwell: London (1997) 137-160. John Adams ‘The Negligent Carrier: The Buyers Success’ The Modern Law Review, Vol. 45, No. 6 (Nov., 1982), pp. 690-693. Sassoon, David M., (2006). C.I.F. and F.O.B. contracts (London: Sweet Maxwell, 5th Ed. 2006) Footnotes [1] T. D. Bailey, Son Co. v. Ross T. Smyth Co., Ltd. (1940) 67 Ll. L. Rep. 147. [2] 1 W.L.R. 862 (QBD). [3] In the case of Arnhold Karberg Co v Blythe Green Jourdain Co [1916] 1 K.B. 495 the Court of Appeal confirmed, at 495, that under a C.I.F. contract, â€Å"the seller is obliged to tender documents representing contracts which are valid and effective at the time of tender.† [4] Diamond Alkali Export Corp. v. Fl. Bourgeois [1921] 3 K.B. 443. [5] On this point, Mullis (1997) p139 writes: â€Å"The c.i.f. contract is a type of sales contract where, although physical delivery is contemplated, the contract is performed by the delivery of documents† Termination for Breach of Contract in C.I.F. Contracts Under the Vienna Convention and English Law; Is There a Substantial Difference? Alastair C.L. Mullis. Published in Lomnicka / Morse ed., Contemporary Issues in Commercial Law (Essays in honour of Prof. A.G. Guest), Sweet Maxwell: London (1997) 137-160. [6] As per Phillips J at 615: The Sirina [1988] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 613. [7] Law Bonar, Ltd. v. British American Tobacco Company, Ltd. [1916] 2 K.B. 605. [8] In the case of Belgian Grain Produce Company, Ltd. v. Cox Co. (France), Ltd. (1919) 1 Ll. L. Rep. 546, it was held that the insurance policy must cover the goods for the continuous journey, i.e. from shipment to delivery. [9] The importance of assignability within the context of commercial C.I.F. contracts was discussed, at length, in Diamond Alkali Export Corp. v. Fl. Bourgeois [1921]. [10] After all, the Bill of Lading represents the title in the goods and so B. Ltd. will not be able to take possession of the potatoes without these documents to verify his ownership. [11] However the buyer does not, and indeed should not, accept the documents if they have been tendered incorrectly. A rule in regards to this point was most elegantly expressed by McCardie in his famous and oft quoted dicta from the case of Mandre Saccharine Co. Ltd. v Corn Products Co. Ltd [1919] 1 KB 198. He stated: â€Å"there may be cases in which the buyer must pay the full price for the delivery of the documents, though he can get nothing out of them, and though in any intelligible sense no property in the goods can ever pass to him – i.e., if the goods have been lost by a peril excepted by the bill of landing, and by peril not insured by the policy, the bill of landing and the policy yet being in the proper commercial form called for by the contract.† [12] This is strictly true; the insurance document will only cover the goods against all usual risks, and therefore, if the damage caused was due to an exception circumstance, there will be no form of financial redress for the buyer. If the exceptional circumstances were caused by the carrier, the buyer may sue this company in the tort of negligence or even in contract law [s2(1) Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 1992 removes the normal rules of Privity to allow the ‘right to sue’ in such cases to be transferable]. [13] Shipton, Anderson Co. v. John Weston Co. (1922) 10 Ll. L. Rep. 762 [14] In the case of Kwei Tek Chao v. British Traders Shippers Ltd. [1954] 2 QB 459, the High Court held that this right arises the moment the goods are passed over the ships rail on delivery.

The Mozart Effect Essay -- Biology Essays Research Papers

The Mozart Effect Ever since human intelligence has been a factor for survival, people have been trying to think of new, innovative ways to increase their mental capabilities. In the past, people have taken pills, prepared home-made concoctions, and have even shaven their heads to clear their minds. Even now, new ideas, such as magnetic mattresses for better blood circulation to the brain, are patented and sold promising mental wellness and stability – and making money for the inventor. When scientists find something that enhances intelligence the general public is interested. This is perhaps why a small study out of the University of California, Irvine procured so much attention. In 1993 Gordon Shaw, a physicist, and Frances Rauscher, a former concert cellist and an expert on cognitive development, studied the effects the Mozart Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major had on a few dozen college students. They performed this study to see whether "brief exposure to certain music could increase a cognitive ability" (3). They study took thirty-six college students and divided them up into three groups. Each group spent ten minutes listening to different sounds: the first group listened to the afore mentioned Mozart sonata, the second group listened to a tape of relaxation instructions and the third group sat in silence. Directly following these ten minutes the students were tested on spatial/temporal reasoning (more specifically the Stanford-Binet Test). Simply put, the "subject has to imagine that a single sheet of paper has been folded several times and then vario us cut-outs are made with scissors" (3). The object for the students is to correctly guess the pattern of cut-outs if the paper were unfolded. In the end, the scores o... ... widely shared by the media and the general pubic. The new inventions centered around Mozart's music are becoming more scarce, and it's much harder to find "Mozart for the LSATs" at an average CD retailer. After spending almost a decade in the spot light, The Mozart Effect is beginning to loose ground, and will soon be replaced by a new study proving that skittles stimulate the right-frontal lobe and every parent will be happy to give their kids some candy. References 1) http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9908/25/mozart.iq 2) http://parenting-baby.com/Parenting-Baby-Music-Research/index1.html 3) http://www.musica.uci.edu/mrn/V7I1W00.html 4) http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf? file=/nature/journal/v400/n6747/full/400826a0_r.html&filetype=&dynoptions= 5) http://skepdic.com/mozart.html 6) http://www.usatoday.com/life/2003-08-19-mozart_x.htm

Comparing Two Types of Nokia Cell Phones :: Compare Contrast Comparison Essays

Comparing Two Types of Nokia Cell Phones Today, the cell phone has become a common device in the U.S. Almost all people in the U.S. use cell phones. By using these phones, people can be reached everywhere they go. Because of the development of technology, now there are many kinds of cell phones from different brands. Every cell phone company offers their products from the cheapest to the most expensive one with their advantages and disadvantages. So now, people can choose from many types of cell phones. In this paper, I will compare two different types of cell phone from Nokia. I decided to choose Nokia cell phones because I personally like this brand. It offers many types of cell phones, so we can have many choices when buying a cell phone. I chose Nokia 6600 and 6820 for comparisons because they both are the new products from Nokia. Like the pictures above show, Nokia 6600 and 6820 have different appearance. Nokia 6600 has a fat and short shape. Its buttons are arranged in a horizontal manner. Nokia 6820 has a thin and long shape. Its buttons are arranged in vertical manner. They have some differences in the specification. Nokia 6600 has 4.30 ounces weight and 4.28 inches long x 2.29 inches wide x 0.93 inch thick. It has a large color display with 176 X 208 pixel resolution, up to 65,536 colors. In addition, it has internal antenna and vibrating alert and 5-way joystick navigation. It applies the Symbian Operating System 7.0s, Series 60 platform. It uses extended Li-Ion Battery 850 mAh with digital talk time up to 4 hours and digital standby up to 8 days. For the service, Nokia 6600 has service for GSM/GPRS/HSCSD 900/1800/1900 MHz. Nokia 6820 has 3.5 ounces weight, 4.69 inches long x 2.17 inches wide x 0.91 inch thick. It has a high-resolution color display: 128 x 128 pixels, up to 4,096 colors. It also has 5-way joystick for easy navigation, internal antenna and vibrating alert. It uses extended Li-Ion Battery 850 mAh with digital talk time up to 3 hours and digital standby up to 12 days. It has service for GSM 850/1800/1900 MHz or GSM 900/1800/19 00 MHz. They also have different features. In the voice feature, Nokia 6600 has voice dialing and commands, integrated handsfree speakerphone for convenient communication, record and send memos, conversations, and sound clips3, record memos and conversations for up to 90 seconds.

Divorce and American Culture

Culture surrounds us everywhere we go. It reflects the people of the times and when it changes, so do the very people it reflects. A general definition would say that culture, related to society, is a set of norms that govern behavior. Within this set of norms the people of a society do certain rituals and behaviors to fit in with the world around them. Different trends rule the times. Whether it be anti-war protests, to civil rights movements, to legalization of same sex civil unions and even divorce-the people of the times roll with many different ideas and tendencies. The idea of marriage is an old and sacred one. In the Bible, a marriage is seen a holy sacrament between a man and woman that leads to the raising of a family. There is one man and one-woman involved- then with the addition of the holy spirit, the union is supposed to be ever lasting. â€Å"Christian marriage is a sacrament (sacred act approved by God). As a result marriage was very difficult to end, and before the nineteenth century usually ended with death,† (Chan and Haplin, 2001). In the world today, marriage is interpreted in many different ways. Very rarely is it seen as an everlasting contract that can withstand all tests. The revolutions of the 60s, 70s, up through today have severely changed the way people think of marriage. The drug culture has helped redefine the meaning of peace and love and of course, holy unions. People today do not get married out of the idea of love. If they do, it is most often between two young and naive children or young adults that believe that love can conquer all. â€Å"People expect too much from specialized love marriages, and when the love goes so might the marriage. Other cultures unite families through arranged marriages, and these social functions may make them more stable,† (Chan and Haplin, 2001). People have begun to take advantage of the system and get married because of benefits they can receive. For the military couple, extra cash is a big incentive as well as extra leave time. A lot of times the benefits outweigh the costs and people today go into marriages knowing that it will be just as easy to exit the marriage. For a marriage to end, there needs to be either a death or a cause for divorce. Grounds for divorce include; a cheating spouse, an abusive partner, and mishandling of funds. Every so often though, there is no direct cause, but instead the couples just are not compatible. The constant fighting and disagreements make it difficult to raise a family and have a stable home. As society grows and culture changes, divorce still remains. In the early parts of the 20th century, divorce was a taboo idea that meant that you ultimately failed as a wife or husband. People viewed it as the easy way out and very rarely did they agree with it. In the 1950s, divorce was only 5 per 1000 women, as opposed to the rate of 20 per every 1000 women in the early 21st century (Relationships, 2008). The times influenced peoples decisions and instead of doing what might have been best for all the parties involved, couples stayed together so that they would not be viewed as such a failure to their friends, family and children. Culture put the message out to society that a divorce is an end all be all decision that means that you have failed. Of course, logically that is not true. Occasionally things do not go according to plan and you have to change your idea of the future accordingly. The idea of being a failure comes from the society that surrounds the couple. As the times began to change, so did the overall idea of separation and divorce. The more married couples got divorced, the more casual the idea has become. When a couple divorces and they have children, the children see the process and although it might hurt them tremendously, it also makes them learn and see things. As they see the process, the idea becomes to seem â€Å"normal† to them. According to a recent journal article, â€Å"growing-up in a divorced family can instill offspring with less unfavorable attitudes towards divorce (Greenberg and Nay 1982, Amato 1988, Trent and South 1989, Axinn and Thornton 1996, Kapinus 2004 as cited by Hiller and Recoules 2011). Sometimes the children involved begin to think that this is a normal thing that happens and makes it easier to do themselves. This could explain the rising divorce rates today. On the other hand, often times when a child witnesses the struggles of divorce, they are sometimes more reluctant to get a divorce themselves (Hiller and Recoules, 2011). The inevitable hurt and suffering from witnessing countless hours of parental figures fighting, getting sometimes physical, and the mental and emotional strains that the fighting causes sends some children into a downwards spiral. Their whole attitude on love in general is questioned. And from first hand experience, the sanctity of marriage itself is questioned. An idea that some children used to find so uplifting and amazing, now seems bleak and not worth it. If the two people I love the most in the whole world cannot seem to get along, and cannot make it work, then what are the chances that my marriage will fail? What is the point in even trying? Is love just another silly Disney ideation that really cannot exist in our world today? â€Å"American society may have erased the stigma that once accompanied divorce, but it can no longer ignore divorce's massive effects† (Fagan and Rector, 2000). Married couples do not always understand that their fighting and arguments are a lot bigger than just the two of them. It reaches out and branches down to all the people they know. Subsequent relationships between children and their partners become affected. Sometimes girls go crazy and give up on the concept of love and become promiscuous at a young age. They eventually fall into a routine and thanks to the invention of birth control, have no qualms and avoid the pregnancy scare that might have once deterred them otherwise. Boys may become rude and hostile towards their partners and begin to treat their ladies badly in response to how they see their fathers treat their mothers. Coworkers, neighbors, children, friends, everyone is affected. Some articles claim that the divorce rates among young adults today are lower than that of the past. This might be true, but this does not take into account the idea of young relationships failing. Couples that never got married, but might have had children at a young age with no intention of getting married and consequently leading to a single parent and broken home anyways. There was no sacrament done, but the damage still is the same. Repeatedly it is seen that parents will reluctantly â€Å"stay together† for the kids. This is a great idea on paper. It would seem that if the parents were to stay together, that the children would not suffer from the emotional and psychological damage done to a child because of a divorce. What is often overlooked is the fact that if parents stay together, and clearly are not compatible and cannot communicate like adults and actually raise the children, then the child will most likely suffer just as much or even more so than the child with divorced parents. Often times negative traits are learned from the parents during times of arguments that will debilitate the growth of the child. Negative traits would include, harsh tempers, awful communication skill development, and negative views of either parent based on the idea that parents will most likely isolate the children and try to get each on â€Å"their side. The strain of choosing between the two parents puts many over the edge. Children will sometimes develop different drinking or substance abuse problems in order to deal with the problems that they are facing at home leading to failing or dropping out of school, unwanted pregnancies, and even dangerous automobile accidents. â€Å"†Don't stay together just f or the sake of the children. † â€Å"If divorce is better for you, it will be better for your kids. † (Spohn, n. d. ) As the times are continually changing, so do the basic ideas that fuel society as a whole. Divorce rates will rise and fall with the times depending on society and culture. It is a trend that cannot be predicted and cannot be ignored. The overall effect of divorce is an everlasting one and before any decision is made about either marriage or divorce, all the options and pros and cons should always be weighed. Reference: Hughes, R. (2008, August 20). What is the current divorce rate in the United States? Has the divorce rate changed much over the past 5 to 10 years?. MissouriFamilies. org Home. Retrieved July 20, 2011, from http://missourifamilies. org/quick/divorceqa/divorceqa3. tm Fagan, P. , ; Rector, R. (n. d. ). World and I Magazine – The Effects of Divorce in America. Online Magazine: The World ; I Online Magazine. Retrieved July 20, 2011, from http://www. worldandi. com/specialreport/divorce/divorce. html Sociology of Divorce (GCSE). (n. d. ). The Adrian Worsfold Website. Retrieved July 20, 2011, from http://www. change. freeuk. com/learning/socthink/divorcesi mpler. html Spohn, W. C. (n. d. ). The American Myth of Divorce. Santa Clara University – Welcome. Retrieved July 16, 2011, from http://www. scu. edu/ethics/publications/iie/v9n2/divorce. html