Business assessment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Business assessment - Assignment Example Recommendations 15 8. References 16 9. Appendix 19 1.0 Introduction Purpose of the Report The purpose of this report is to provide a critical comparative analysis of two organisations in the way they are operated and managed. This is to help us in discovering what causes success or failure for organisations and how different organisations adapt to dynamic environment. Organisations not flexible enough to adapt to the environment are unable to attract and retain talented employees or take advantage of available opportunities hence cannot achieve organisational effectiveness. Scope of the Report To analyse the operation and management of the two organisations the report will consider how they are structured and designed so as to show the interrelationships between roles and departments and lines of authority. Secondly, report will cover organisation of work especially the use of teams and team working. Thirdly, it will analyse the approaches to leadership and management adopted by the organisations as this determines their success or failure. The report will then analyse the organisational culture and its impact on the organisations operations and lastly, conclusions and recommendations will be made on how to improve operations and management. Organisations Background Biogenta is a manufacturing company producing crop-protection products and whose mission is to be the most trusted provider of crop-protection products in the world. It has manufacturing facilities in 10 countries and employees in over 80 countries. Contrary to popular belief that large size companies are bureaucratic in nature, Biogenta has an organic structure and a matrix design where individuals belong to a functional area and a project team. The chief executive officer, Jane Morgan is an effective leader and manager whose encouragement of creativity and innovation has pushed the company to greater heights. The company has a very strong culture which emphasizes on learning and development, diver sity and corporate social responsibility. Outback Inc is a traditional organisation run by family members. It offers tourism services to wide range of clients and operates in a very turbulent environment. Being a small organisation, it is expected to have an organic structure but instead, it is bureaucratic in nature with a functional design and little or no teamwork. Creativity and innovation is hindered by its autocratic leadership style. The company has no vision or mission and has a high turnover culture due to lack of opportunity for advancement and employee voice. 2.0 Organisational Design and Structure Benowitz (2011, p.70) defines an organization structure as â€Å"the configuration and interrelationships of positions and departments†. An organisation design on the other hand, is the change of an organization structure to enable it to respond effectively to environmental changes. A poor organization design and structure can lead to lack of co-ordination among function s, slow decision making, and role confusion (Corkindale, 2011). Types of Organisation structure An organisation structure is determined by the degree of complexity, formalisation, and centralisation. Complexity reflects the amount of differentiation in an organisation; formalisation shows the degree to which an organisation uses rules and procedures to direct behaviour while centralisation reflects how power and authority is distributed in an organisation. Gitman and McDaniel (2008) recognise two kinds of

Minds Are Opened Only When Hearts Are Opened Essay Example for Free

Minds Are Opened Only When Hearts Are Opened Essay â€Å"Minds are like parachutes. They only function when they are open.† James Dewar To create the life that you want, growing as a human being and regularly experiencing a prosperous lifestyle, you will need a mind open to other people, possibilities, ideas and opinions around you. When you have an open mind you allow yourself to attract and follow up on opportunities. When you work with the power of the conscious and subconscious mind you will attract opportunities that will bring you what you need; for what you radiate you will constantly attract. When you are prepared to become creative you will create a vibrant life, while eliminating negative and unwanted situations. Most people think they already listen to others with an open mind, merely by paying close attention to what is being said. In fact, keeping an open mind is not easy to do if you are happy with the way you are doing things and do not see the point of changing. We all have moments, however, when we do listen with an open heart and mind, for example, we are more open to listening to someone we trust. An open mind is an understanding mind which will develop a genuine appreciation for people. When you take the trouble to think of other people’s feelings, their viewpoints and their desires you are saying â€Å"people are important†. An open mind will accept other people unconditionally. It requires the letting go of likes and dislikes and other similar emotions. When you do this you discipline your emotions and you allow people to be who they are with all their idiosyncrasies, differences and irritations. When you are communicating with others there can often be misunderstandings and these can lead to failure in your relations with others. We expect others to react and respond and come to the same conclusions we do over a given set of facts. Unfortunately, no one reacts to things as they are but to their own mental images; they are responding appropriately to what they see as the truth about the situation. An open-minded person will ask themselves â€Å"How does this appear to that person?† or, â€Å"How does that person interpret the situation?† and they will try to understand why someone might act differently to the way they expected. Many small business owners have faced extinction because they thought they knew it all and were not prepared to have an open mind and listen to others who had been down that path before them. When you are open minded you are always prepared to be teachable, to learn something new and take advantage of opportunities that present themselves. An open mind is the doorway to expansion of ideas. When you open your mind you are not compromising your ethics and values. It just means that you begin to practice a greater sense of awareness and in doing so you are prepared to look at your world a little differently. Test opportunities that are presented to you and examine where the message is coming from. It may be from a friend, a neutral party or from a source about which you are sceptical. If you are not sure, instruct your subconscious mind to guide you by simply saying, â€Å"I am making the right decision.† Focus on what you want, not on what you don’t want. A Closed Mind â€Å"A closed mind is like a closed book; just a block of wood. – Chinese Proverb. We have all been given the power to develop ideas and exercise free will. Unfortunately too often those ideas die as a seed and people use their free will to close their mind to the tremendous opportunities surrounding them. This stubbornness prevents them from achieving the goals that they want for themselves and so the opportunity for success is greatly decreased. In our formative years we grow and develop egos that maintain very particular ideas about ourselves in relation to the world around us. Your ego is your conscious mind, that which controls your behaviour and tries to give meaning to your external, material reality. It is powerful and can control your life if you allow it. Your external reality is a direct result of your mental and spiritual self so if the latter two are not where you want them to be your external and material self will suffer. The ego cannot improve the quality of your mental and spiritual life. When you close your mind you essentially become stubborn and become a victim of the ego mind which says, â€Å"My attitude is right despite what anyone else has to say†. The ego mind, although it thinks it knows better than anyone else, is never prepared to leave its comfort zone and so is not open to new ideas nor will it welcome others into its world. This kind of attitude shuts you off from the process of life and nature which is about growing and experiencing new possibilities. Think about how many times you were resistant to trying something new only to eventually give in and discover that you really enjoyed the process. Limitations are the jail of the mind so if you can throw off the shackles and open your mind to new and exciting ideas, your possibilities become limitless. When the mind is shackled and limited it affects every part of your life, for example, work presentations can lack innovation and impact and even every-day conversations are less productive and rewarding. Conversations often become defensive as the mind closes off to what is being said by others. Society today gives out a negative message that everyone is out to ‘take you down’ and that if it ‘looks to good to be true, it probably is’. This causes many to close their minds to everything beyond their current knowledge. An open mind is a mind that is aware that the current knowledge is not all there is to know and will eagerly investigate possibilities. When you have a closed mind to new and exciting possibilities you essentially tell yourself that you are not willing to go the extra mile – that you are not willing to grow and experience new things. You have now switched off the power within you and there can be no change and no progress in life and things will never improve. Such people become very introspective and weak. The old recordings of the past can, however, be changed. If you choose, you can wipe the old record clean, put on a new record and make a decision to activate the positive thoughts which lead to a relaxed and open view of the world. Remember, the past explains how you got to the present but where you go from here is your responsibility. In his book A Vision of Power Glory, John Kehoe gives a Zen parable about two monks who are on a journey together when they come to a river. By the river there is a beautiful woman. The woman asks them, â€Å"Please will one of you monks carry me across the river? The river is too wide and the current too swift.† The two monks look at one another, because they have taken a sacred vow to not so much as even touch a woman. Then, abruptly, the older monk picks up the woman, carries her across the river and puts her down on the other side. They continue on their journey. The younger monk is flabbergasted. He can’t believe it. An hour goes by and not a word is spoken between them. Two hours. Three hours. And finally, after four hours, he turns to the older monk and blurts out, â€Å"How could you have done that? How could you have carried that woman?† â€Å"Oh?† responds his companion, â€Å"Are you still carrying her? I put her down four hours ago.† John Kehoe goes on to say, â€Å"How much are we still carrying around inside us that should have been put down a long time ago? Disappointments; regrets; failures; grudges. How much junk are we carrying around inside us and how long are we going to carry it? All our life?† If you want to change and improve your attitude to life then it is imperative that you keep an open mind. That is not to say you will be taken in by every ‘fly-by-night’ scheme that may be put before you. An open mind is curious and investigative and examines new things. Your creative power system uses your conscious and subconscious mind to attract, explore and check out new opportunities so that you can begin achieving your goals and creating the life you want. Don’t limit yourself; learn how to attract new possibilities and make the right decisions by developing the power of your mind and heart. If you move in your community with an open mind and an open heart you can learn to accept others. You don’t have to agree with them, but accept who they are and feel free to express yourself. I remember a friend of ours who has passed on now, who was well-known and well-liked in community affairs. He met many people as he moved around and sometimes in a gathering he would be heard to say, â€Å"There’s a fellow over there I met recently and I didn’t like him; I must go over and get to know him better†. He would always come away with a new-found friend; now that’s an open mind and open heart.

Death, Decay and Disease in Hamlet :: Shakespeare Hamlet Essays

Death, Decay and Disease in Hamlet Within ‘Hamlet’, Shakespeare makes a number of references to Denmark's degraded state due to the deceit that lies within. These references are made by Hamlet, Horatio as well as the apparition, thus enforcing the strong theme of death, decay and disease. As aforementioned Hamlets makes a number of references to Denmark. Preceding the death of his father and the marriage of his mother, his mental state begins to fall into demise . Although he appears to not have much courage at first, his focus remains on avenging his father whose murder is described as being "most foul." As noted in one of Hamlet's first soliloquies, his downward spiral has already began and already he is contemplating suicide; "O that this too too sullied flesh would melt, thaw, and resolve itself into a dew (I, II, 130)" and "seems to me all the uses of this world... Things rank and gross in nature posses it merely (I, II, 136)." To be degrading to be thinking of imagery including flesh melting shows that Hamlet is not in the state that he ought to be in. Furthermore Shakespeare encourages us to empathize with these emotions by using such rich descriptions. It could be perhaps argued that Hamlet's state of mind which has become debased, but this is until Horatio claims, "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark (I, IV, 90)." The notion of festering carrion being a metaphor for King Hamlets death epitomizes this notion. The ghost furthers this idea by stating at the moment of his death, his skin became "Most lazar-like with vile and loathsome crust all my smooth body (I, V, 72)." This attempts the elucidate on the feeling of death almost like becoming like a leper before death finally takes its toll. Decay also becomes a strong theme weighing heavily on Hamlet's mind. Whilst talking to Polonius he says, "For if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, being a good kissing carrion (II, II, 182)." Although Polonius' appears not to notice this, we can see the constant references to death being made by Shakespeare’s tools, i.e. the characters. Moreover associated with Shakespeare's use of decay and disease imagery is his use of horror, "Roasted in wrath and fire thus o'ersized with coagulate gore (II, II, 431)," is a perfect example of this.

Reflection of Team Work

The team project determined to be an excellent example of teamwork. Teamwork is essential in any type of career, and by doing team projects while still in school will continue to help me prepare for my future. The John Deere Dealership Program that I helped work on proved to be a success. Not only did the team learn how to work as a team; the team is leaving something at this university that will help students in the future. I feel that if this program is implemented, many students can benefit from this internship experience. I just wish that this program had been implemented four years ago so my colleagues or I might have had a chance to participate in this program. The project itself turned out to be a great learning experience for every member of my team, including myself. A student’s school and work schedule is tough enough to work out, but when there are four different schedules to work around one must collaborate with the other three to work out meeting times. The team I participated with worked out meeting times the best we could. I believe that this is an experience that each member should remember in the future, especially when we have to form meetings with colleagues in our career. While working on this team project conflict arose, and we had to overcome these conflicts. Conflicts are a big part of any team because of the amount of people working as a team. Conflicts are bound to arise, and each person must realize that their idea is not always right. I believe that knowing ahead of time that conflicts will arise that team should run a lot smoother. Communication is also a key to a successful team. If a person is reluctant to communicate with the rest of the team, his of her ideas will not be expressed in a completed project. I feel that in small teams like we had, it helps a backward person become involved due to the small amount of people in the group. I believe that every person’s opinion is important in running a team, and I will try to get every person’s input before a final decision is made. The presentations that each team gave in front of the class proved to be a good experience for every member of each group. Some people are more comfortable than others in public speaking, but through the presentations, a backward speaker gets experience in speaking in front of people. I believe that experience is the only way to become comfortable speaking in front of eople. Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed this project. Each step of completion from the ground up was a great experience. I enjoy seeing our finished product, and enjoy people liking what our finished product looks like. I think all the hard work and conflicts pay off when I see a completed project. It has been a great team building experience for me, and I feel that the completion of this team project will help me in future team oriented projects.

Applications of amortization

amortization Definitions (2) 1. The gradual elimination of a liability, such as a mortgage, in regular payments over a specified period of time. Such payments must be sufficient to cover both principal and interest. 2. Writing off an intangible asset investment over the projected life of the assets. Read more: http://www. investorwords. com/200/amortization. html#ixzz2GXWACfP2 Applications of amortization In business, amortization refers to spreading payments over multiple periods. The term is used for two separate processes: amortization of loans and amortization of intangible assets. Amortization of loansIn lending, amortization is the distribution of payment into multiple cash flow installments, as determined by an amortization schedule. Unlike other repayment models, each repayment installment consists of both principal and interest. Amortization is chiefly used in loan repayments (a common example being a mortgage loan) and in sinking funds. Payments are divided into equal amoun ts for the duration of the loan, making it the simplest repayment model. A greater amount of the payment is applied to interest at the beginning of the amortization schedule, while more money is applied to principal at the end.Commonly it is known as EMI or Equated Monthly Installment. [1] or, equivalently, where: P is the principal amount borrowed, A is the periodic payment, r is the periodic interest rate divided by 100 (annual interest rate also divided by 12 in case of monthly installments), and n is the total number of payments (for a 30-year loan with monthly payments n = 30 ? 12 = 360). Negative amortization (also called deferred interest) occurs if the payments made do not cover the interest due. The remaining interest owed is added to the outstanding loan balance, making it larger than the original loan amount.If the repayment model for a loan is â€Å"fully amortized,† then the very last payment (which, if the schedule was calculated correctly, should be equal to al l others) pays off all remaining principal and interest on the loan. If the repayment model on a loan is not fully amortized, then the last payment due may be a large balloon payment of all remaining principal and interest. If the borrower lacks the funds or assets to immediately make that payment, or adequate credit to refinance the balance into a new loan, the borrower may end up in default. Amortization of intangible assetsIn accounting, amortization refers to expensing the acquisition cost minus the residual value of intangible assets (often intellectual property such as patents and trademarks or copyrights) in a systematic manner over their estimated useful economic lives so as to reflect their consumption, expiry, obsolescence or other decline in value as a result of use or the passage of time. A corresponding concept for tangible assets is depreciation. Methodologies for allocating amortization to each accounting period are generally the same as for depreciation.However, many intangible assets such as goodwill or certain brands may be deemed to have an indefinite useful life and are therefore not subject to amortization (although goodwill is subjected to an impairment test every year). Amortization is recorded in the financial statements of an entity as a reduction in the carrying value of the intangible asset in the balance sheet and as an expense in the income statement. Under International Financial Reporting Standards, guidance on accounting for the amortization of intangible assets is contained in IAS 38. 2] Under United States generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), the primary guidance is contained in FAS 142. [3] While theoretically amortization is used to account for the decreasing value of an intangible asset over its useful life, in practice, many companies will â€Å"amortize† what would otherwise be one-time expenses by listing them as a capital expense on the cash flow statement and paying off the cost through amortization, thereby improving the company's net income in the fiscal year or quarter of the expense Amortization schedule An amortization schedule is a table detailing each periodic payment on an amortizing loan (typically a mortgage), as generated by an amortization calculator. Amortization refers to the process of paying off a debt (often from a loan or mortgage) over time through regular payments. A portion of each payment is for interest while the remaining amount is applied towards the principal balance. The percentage of interest versus principal in each payment is determined in an amortization schedule.While a portion of every payment is applied towards both the interest and the principal balance of the loan, the exact amount applied to principal each time varies (with the remainder going to interest). An amortization schedule reveals the specific monetary amount put towards interest, as well as the specific amount put towards the principal balance, with each payment. Initially, a large portion of each payment is devoted to interest. As the loan matures, larger portions go towards paying down the principal Methods of amortizationThere are different methods in which to arrive at an amortization schedule. These include: †¢Straight line (linear) †¢Declining balance †¢Annuity †¢Bullet (all at once) †¢Balloon (amortization payments and large end payment) †¢Increasing balance (negative amortization) Amortization schedules run in chronological order. The first payment is assumed to take place one full payment period after the loan was taken out, not on the first day (the amortization date) of the loan. The last payment completely pays off the remainder of the loan.Often, the last payment will be a slightly different amount than all earlier payments. In addition to breaking down each payment into interest and principal portions, an amortization schedule also reveals interest-paid-to-date, principal-paid-to-date, and the remaining principal ba lance on each payment date. Example amortization schedule This amortization schedule is based on the following assumptions: First, it should be known that rounding errors occur and depending how the lender ccumulates these errors, the blended payment (principal + interest) may vary slightly some months to keep these errors from accumulating; or, the accumulated errors are adjusted for at the end of each year, or at the final loan payment. There are a few crucial points worth noting when mortgaging a home with an amortized loan. First, there is substantial disparate allocation of the monthly payments toward the interest, especially during the first 18 years of the mortgage. In the example above, payment 1 allocates about 80-90% of the total payment towards interest and only $67. 9 (or 10-20%) toward the Principal balance. The exact percentage allocated towards payment of the principal depends on the interest rate. Not until payment 257 or 21 years into the loan does the payment alloc ation towards principal and interest even out and subsequently tip the majority of the monthly payment toward Principal balance pay down. Second, understanding the above statement, the repetitive refinancing of an amortized mortgage loan, even with decreasing interest rates and decreasing Principal balance, can cause the borrower to pay over 500% of the value of the original loan amount. Re-amortization' or restarting the amortization schedule via a refinance causes the entire schedule to restart: the new loan will be 30 years from the refinance date, and initial payments on this loan will again be largely interest, not principal. If the rate is the same, say 8%, then the interest/principal allocation will be the same as at the start of the original loan (say, 90/10). This economically unfavorable situation is often mitigated by the apparent decrease in monthly payment and interest rate of a refinance, when in fact the borrower is increasing the total cost of the property.This fact is often (understandably) overlooked by borrowers. Third, the payment on an amortized mortgage loan remains the same for the entire loan term, regardless of Principal balance owed but only for a fixed rate, fully amortizing loan. For example, the payment on the above scenario will remain $733. 76 regardless if the Principal balance is $100,000 or $50,000. Paying down large chunks of the Principal balance in no way affects the monthly payment, it simply reduces the term of the loan and reduces the amount of interest that can be charged by the lender resulting in a quicker payoff.To avoid these caveats of an amortizing mortgage loan many borrowers are choosing an interest-only loan to satisfy their mortgage financing needs. Interest-only loans have their caveats as well which must be understood before choosing the mortgage payment term that is right for the individual borrower. 3 Amortization calculator An amortization calculator is used to determine the periodic payment amount due on a loan (typically a mortgage), based on the amortization process. The amortization repayment model factors varying amounts of both interest and principal into every installment, though the total amount of each payment is the same.An amortization schedule calculator is often used to adjust the loan amount until the monthly payments will fit comfortably into budget, and can vary the interest rate to see the difference a better rate might make in the kind of home or car one can afford. An amortization calculator can also reveal the exact dollar amount that goes towards interest and the exact dollar amount that goes towards principal out of each individual payment. The amortization schedule is a table delineating these figures across the duration of the loan in chronological order.The formula The calculation used to arrive at the periodic payment amount assumes that the first payment is not due on the first day of the loan, but rather one full payment period into the loan. While normal ly used to solve for A, (the payment, given the terms) it can be used to solve for any single variable in the equation provided that all other variables are known. One can rearrange the formula to solve for any one term, except for i, for which one can use a root-finding algorithm. The annuity formula is: Where: †¢A = periodic payment amount P = amount of principal, net of initial payments, meaning â€Å"subtract any down-payments† †¢i = periodic interest rate †¢n = total number of payments This formula is valid if i > 0. If i = 0 then simply A = P / n. For a 30-year loan with monthly payments, Note that the interest rate is commonly referred to as an annual percentage rate (e. g. 8% APR), but in the above formula, since the payments are monthly, the rate must be in terms of a monthly percent. Converting an annual interest rate (that is to say, annual percentage yield or APY) to the onthly rate is not as simple as dividing by 12, see the formula and discussion in APR. However if the rate is stated in terms of â€Å"APR† and not â€Å"annual interest rate†, then dividing by 12 is an appropriate means of determining the monthly interest rate. Derivation of the formula The formula for the periodic payment amount is derived as follows. For an amortization schedule, we can define a function that represents the principal amount remaining at time . We can then derive a formula for this function given an unknown payment amount and .We can generalize this to Applying the substitution (see geometric progressions) We end up with For payment periods, we expect the principal amount will be completely paid off at the last payment period, or Solving for A, we get or After substitution and simplification we get 4 Negative amortization In finance, negative amortization, also known as NegAm, deferred interest or graduated payment mortgage, occurs whenever the loan payment for any period is less than the interest charged over that period so th at the outstanding balance of the loan increases.As an amortization method the shorted amount (difference between interest and repayment) is then added to the total amount owed to the lender. [1] Such a practice would have to be agreed upon before shorting the payment so as to avoid default on payment. This method is generally used in an introductory period before loan payments exceed interest and the loan becomes self-amortizing. The term is most often used for mortgage loans; corporate loans which have negative amortization are called PIK loans. Amortization refers to the process of paying off a debt (often from a loan or mortgage) over time through regular payments.A portion of each payment is for interest while the remaining amount is applied towards the principal balance. The percentage of interest versus principal in each payment is determined in an amortization schedule. 5. Amortizing loan In banking and finance, an amortizing loan is a loan where the principal of the loan is paid down over the life of the loan (that is, amortized) according to some amortization schedule, typically through equal payments. Similarly, an amortizing bond is a bond that repays part of the principal (face value) along with the coupon payments.Compare with a sinking fund, which amortizes the total debt outstanding by repurchasing some bonds. Each payment to the lender will consist of a portion of interest and a portion of principal. Mortgage loans are typically amortizing loans. The calculations for an amortizing loan are those of an annuity using the time value of money formulas, and can be done using an amortization calculator. An amortizing loan should be contrasted with a bullet loan, where a large portion of the loan will be paid at the final maturity date instead of being paid down gradually over the loan's life.An accumulated amortization loan represents the amount of amortization expense that has been claimed since the acquisition of the asset. Effects Amortization of debt has two major effects: Credit risk First and most importantly, it substantially reduces the credit risk of the loan or bond. In a bullet loan (or bullet bond), the bulk of the credit risk is in the repayment of the principal at maturity, at which point the debt must either be paid off in full or rolled over. By paying off the principal over time, this risk is mitigated. Interest rate riskA secondary effect is that amortization reduces the duration of the debt, reducing the debt's sensitivity to interest rate risk, as compared to debt with the same maturity and coupon rate. This is because there are smaller payments in the future, so the weighted-average maturity of the cash flows is lower. Weighted-average life Main article: Weighted-average life The number weighted average of the times of the principal repayments of an amortizing loan is referred to as the weighted-average life (WAL), also called â€Å"average life†. It's the average time until a dollar of principal is repaid. In a formula, where: †¢ is the principal, is the principal repayment in coupon , hence †¢ is the fraction of the principal repaid in coupon , and †¢ is the time from the start to coupon †¢ 6. Amortization (tax law) In tax law, amortization refers to the cost recovery system for intangible property. Although the theory behind cost recovery deductions of amortization is to deduct from basis in a systematic manner over an asset's estimated useful economic life so as to reflect its consumption, expiration, obsolescence or other decline in value as a result of use or the passage of time, many times a perfect match of income and deductions does not occur for policy reasons.Depreciation A corresponding concept for tangible assets is depreciation. Methodologies for allocating amortization to each tax period are generally the same as for depreciation. However, many intangible assets such as goodwill or certain brands may be deemed to have an indefinite useful lif e, or â€Å"self-created† and are therefore not subject to amortization

Strategic Thinking And Change Management The WritePass Journal

Strategic Thinking And Change Management Abstract Strategic Thinking And Change Management ). Threat of substitutes With intense competition in the Market, there is a potential threat of substitute products. In fact, as Netflix and Blockbuster battle it out, others are gaining ground in substitute offerings as seen with Video-on-demand which has grown at double digit rates in the past two years. Bargaining power of suppliers Suppliers are likely to have less purchase power especially given the acquisition of Movielink. If this acquisition leads to more online downloads, the company will have little need for plastic cases and DVDs and as such, the bargaining power of suppliers is likely to reduce (Janjua 2012). Intensity of competitive rivalry The rivalry in the market is definitely high. Already, Blockbuster has lost many of its customers to Netflix. The company must reinvent and implement strategies that would sway back customers. How Blockbuster can realign itself to the needs of the external environment The corporate strategy would require the company to capitalize on innovative emergent technologies to provide it with strategic breakthroughs in the competitive business environment, while not losing sight of its in-store operations (Fryman 2010). As such, a click and brick strategy would be more suitable for the company. Blockbuster must realigns its business processes with IT and use it in their favour. In realigning their business processes with IT, the company must access the strategic alignment model in terms of purpose, initiatives, project leadership, infrastructure and goals that will create a paradigm shift (Carr 2010). The realignment process must enable the company to embrace online opportunities which Netflix and Redbox have already perfected. Realigning business process with IT (Kalakota 2011) Whilst Blockbuster seems to have already embedded IT into their core business model as seen with the total access program which enhances online customers experience, this has not helped much as the company has lost most of its customers to online retailers such as Netflix and Lovefilm .The failure by the company to quickly adapt to the changing business environment and consumer habits is suggested to have been the main problem. The company took long to transform its business model and when it did, the competitive landscape had already been fundamentally altered and the tradition model destroyed by the new platform model (Carr 2010). The company needs to conduct a massive marketing campaign which should focus on growing their online rental subscriber base. The company could also form an alliance with cell phone companies and arranging with these companies to allow customers to stream movies on their cell phones.   This would be a great idea considering that people have their cell phones all the time. With larger cell phone screens, customers would be able to stream movies from anywhere including in the subways, bus stations and even at workplaces. Viewing could be per subscription or pay-per-view (Clark et al. 2013). Another strategic move would be to partner with airline companies in order to implement a blue box program at airports such as the Redboxes at McDonalds (Jordan 2011). The blue box program would enable travelers to pick up a movie at one airport and to return it to another airport or blockbuster store. Further, the company should focus on strengthening customer relationship management by implementing a business strategy that maintains relevant value across all its customer groupings and introducing new customer proposition initiatives that would provide them with an edge over their competitors (Afuah 2009). Additionally, Blockbuster needs to implement an ERP system that will enable it to track their inventories. The system can be implemented incrementally from one region to another. This will reduce the time and duplications that the company currently has, thereby increasing efficiency. Currently, for customers to check out their movies from different blockbusters, they are required to register with each store individually.   Given that the ERP system integrates data and allows for sharing of information across multiple departments, this may benefit the company through quicker processing of orders and faster shipments. . Whilst recognizing the need to realign business process with IT, the company should not to lose sight of its in-store operations. Customers of today have become savvier and are increasingly taking charge of their own shopping experience (Deloitte 2011). Retail stores must equally evolve to become part of the complex relationship between the retailer and customer by providing new ways of experiencing breadth and depth of range (Deloitte 2011). In-store theatre and a touch and feel experience around the product item should be able to sway more consumers back to shopping in high streets. Provision of personalized services and guided shopping experience should equally encourage more consumers to go back for rental services from the stores. Critique of contemporary strategic management research and practice But while strategic thinking and change management has a greater role to play in resuscitating high street retail stores, such practices are not always successful. For example, while the ERP system may increase the efficiency and effectiveness of management decisions, failure of such systems may adversely impact on the organization resulting in cost overruns and supply chain problems (Morgan Smith 2002). Moreover, a strategy formulation that positions a firm in a niche may narrow the firm’s perspective (Mintzberg et al., 1995). That is, such a strategy may overlook opportunity if they are only concentrating on a certain group of market. Another criticism is that strategic planning systems are designed as top-down planning systems and as such strategic decisions are only relegated to top management (Morgan Smith 2002). This implies that the planning systems serve to fulfill only the goals and interests of the top management and not that of the organization. Strategic management is based on rational decision making. But because most of the time we have incomplete information, fully rational decisions may not be possible and change process may result in adverse effects (Jofre 2011). Hence whilst change management may be intended at increasing the firms adaptability, structures developed to promote rationality may have opposite effect (Jofre 2011). Nonetheless, it is clear that high street retailers need to realign their business processes to meet demands of the changing business environment. Conclusion There is no doubt that the past few years have seen a crisis as major high street chains such as Blockbusters, Jessops, JJB sport, and Comet among many others go into administration. The collapse of well-known retailers into receivership is a clear indication of a declining fortune of Britains high streets. All these retailers which have gone into administration do share certain commonalities. They all tend to have a significant number of stores and have all had difficulty adapting to the changing business environment and retail habits. For these retailers to continue to thrive in the industry, they must reinvent and realign themselves to the needs of the external environment. For example, Blockbuster needs to realign its business processes with IT and use it in their favour. The company should adopt a click and brick strategy. That is, the company must embrace online opportunities without losing sight of its in-store operations. The company could also form alliances with cell phone companies to allow customers to stream movies on their cell phones. The company may as well partner with airlines and implement a blue box programs at the airports such as the Redboxes at McDonald. The company may also implement ERP systems to increase their efficiency and effectiveness of management decisions. Its retail stores must also evolve and should be able to provide customers with new ways of experiencing breadth and depth. In-store theatre and a touch and feel experience around the product item should be able to sway more consumers back to shopping in high streets. Provision of personalized services and guided shopping experience should equally encourage more consumers to go back for rental services from the stores. Reference Afuah, A., 2009. Strategic innovation: new game strategies for competitive advantage. University of Michigan. NewYork: Routledge publishers Anon 2013. A strategy life-cycle: Blockbuster. [Viewed on 22nd May 2013] available from http://strategydynamics.com/info/blockbusters-strategy.aspx Anon, 2013. The death of the high street or the birth of a new kind of retailer? [Viewed on 19th May 2013] available from enterprisenation.com/blog/the-death-of-the-high-street-or-the-birth-of-a-new-kind-of-retailer/ Janjua, A., 2012. Make it a blockbuster night. Blockbuster Carr, A., 2010. Blockbuster CEO, Jim Keyes, on competition from Apple, Netflix, Nintendo,  and Redbox. [Viewed on 19th May 2013] available from fastcompany.com/1656502/an-interview-with-blockbuster-ceo-jim-keyes-part-ii Clark, M., McKelvey, L., Robinson, B., Sampson-Rasberry, S., 2013. Blockbuster analysis. [Viewed on 20th May 2013] available from http://laurenmckelvey.wordpress.com/2012/05/01/blockbuster-analysis/ Deloitte, 2011. The changing face of retail. The store of the future: the new role of the store in a multichannel environment. Deloitte LLP. Ferrell, O.C. and Hartline, M., 2007. Marketing strategy. 4th edition. Cengage   Learning publishers Fryman, 2010. Transitioning business models: Are there any  businesses that successfully transitioned from brick-and-mortar to completely online? [Viewed on 19th May 2013] available from http://ask.metafilter.com/167587/Transitioning-business-models Hawkes, S., 2011. Jane Norman is high street fashion victim. The Sun. [viewed on 18th May 2013] available from thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/money/3663189/Fashion-chain-Jane-Norman-becomes-the-latest-high-street-casualty.html Jofre, S., 2011. Strategic management: the theory and practice of strategy in (business) organizations. University of Denmark Jordan, A., 2011. The Effects of Netflix and Blockbuster Strategies on Firm Value. Claremont McKenna College Kalakota, R., 2011. ‘Brick, Click and Mobile: multi-channel strategies for satisfying your customers’. In: Mbusiness: the race to mobility. [viewedd on 20th May 2013] available from www.ebstrategy.com Konsynski, B.R., 1993. ‘Strategic control in the extended enterprise’. IBM Systems Journal, vol.32 (1), pp. 111-142 Miller, Y., 2010. Blockbuster analysis. [Viewed on 19th May 2013] available from keeparticles.com/blockbuster-analysis_a13497.htm Minton, A., Skelton, D., Sennett, R., Umunna, C. and Jones, E., 2013. How can we save the street? The Guardian. [viewed on 18th May 2013] available from guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jan/15/how-can-we-save-high-street Mintzberg, H., Quinn, J.B. and Ghoshal, S. 1995. The Strategy Process (European Edition), London : Prenctice-Hall. Morgan, N. and Smith, E., 2002. Contemporary issues in strategic management. Kagiso publishers Pettigrew, A.M., Homas, H. and Whittington, R., 2001. Handbook of strategy and management. Sage publications Porter, M. 1979. ‘How Competitive Forces Shape Strategy’, Harvard Business Review, vol.57 (2): 37-145. Shrivastava, P., 1986. ‘Is strategic management ideological?’ Journal of Management, vol.12 (3), 367-377 Todnem, R., 2005. ‘Organizational change management: a critical review’. Journal of Change Management, vol.5 (4), 369-380 Watkis, N., 2013. What can marketers learn from the surge of high street store closures? [Viewed on the 19th May 2013] available from mycustomer.com/topic/marketing/what-can-marketers-learn-high-street-store-closures/161721

Remake of Kolya essays

Remake of Kolya essays In the original film, Louka is 55 year old play boy who has nothing going for him. He used to work as a cellist for the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra until he got kicked out. These days, he plays funerals at the city crematorium. Strapped for cash and lacking many material comforts, Louka frequently indulges himself with the company of other men's wives. His change from within happens when he is left to care for a 5 year old boy left to him by his wife from a fake marriage. The boy, Kolya, teaches him to grow up, to mature, to be responsible, and to give up his bachelor lifestyle. To remake this film, I would set it in modern day New York perhaps. In this film, its about an Italian Mafia Godfather, played by Al Pacino, like Michael Corleone of The Godfather, who gets stuck with his estranged daughters child. In the life of this man, he is caught up in the day-to-day dealings with his dysfunctional family, his businesses both legal and illegal. He has no time to take a step back from everything and assess his life. Its one rollercoaster ride after the next. All his children have grown up. His sons are already enmeshed in the Mafia way of life. As for his daughter, she has chosen to disown her family because she doesnt approve of the lifestyle they live. Yes, they have all the comforts of material things, in fact they live quite lavishly but her moral conscience cannot take the idea that shes living in the lap of luxury because of blood money or other illegal means. The estrangement between father and daughter hurts the Godfather, of course. He blames his son-in-law for stealing his only daughter and decides to have him killed. Once this happens, his daughter goes crazy and he finds himself in the middle of the courtroom. The judge orders that shes unfit to look after her child and is placed in an asylum, while custody of her only child, a girl, played by Dakota Fanning, goes to ...

7 Different Types of Crimes

7 Different Types of Crimes A crime is defined as any act that is contrary to legal code or laws. There are many different types of crimes, from crimes against persons to victimless crimes and violent crimes to white collar crimes. The study of crime and deviance is a large subfield within sociology, with much attention paid to who commits which types of crimes and why. Crimes Against Persons Crimes against persons also called personal crimes, include murder, aggravated assault, rape, and robbery. Personal crimes are unevenly distributed in the United States, with young, urban, poor, and racial minorities both more often affected by these crimes and arrested for them  than white, middle- and upper-class people are. Crimes Against Property Property crimes involve the theft of property without bodily harm, such as burglary, larceny, auto theft, and arson. Like personal crimes, young, urban, poor, and racial minorities are arrested for these crimes more than others. Hate Crimes Hate crimes are crimes against persons or property that are committed while invoking prejudices of  race, gender or gender identity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or ethnicity. The rate of hate crimes in the U.S. remains fairly constant from year to year, but there have been a few events that have caused surges in hate crimes. In 2016, the election of Donald Trump was followed by an uptick in hate crimes. Crimes Against Morality Crimes against morality are also called victimless crimes because there is no  complainant or victim. Prostitution, illegal gambling, and illegal drug use are all examples of victimless crimes. White-Collar Crime White-collar crimes are crimes committed by people of high social status who commit their crimes in the context of their occupation. This includes embezzling (stealing money from one’s employer), insider trading, tax evasion, and other violations of income tax laws. White-collar crimes generally generate less concern in the public mind than other types of crime, however, in terms of total dollars, white-collar crimes are even more consequential for society. For example, the Great Recession can be understood as in part the result of a variety of white-collar crimes committed within the home mortgage industry. Nonetheless, these crimes are generally the least investigated and least prosecuted because they are protected by a combination of privileges of race, class, and gender. Organized Crime Organized crime is committed by structured groups typically involving the distribution and sale of illegal goods and services. Many people think of the Mafia when they think of organized crime, but the term can refer to any group that exercises control over large illegal enterprises (such as the drug trade, illegal gambling, prostitution, weapons smuggling, or money laundering). A key sociological concept in the study or organized crime is that these industries are organized along the same lines as legitimate businesses and take on a corporate form. There are typically senior partners who control profits, employees who manage and work for the business, and clients who buy the goods and services that the organization provides. A Sociological Look at Crime Arrest data show a clear pattern of arrests in terms of race, gender, and class. For instance, as mentioned above, young, urban, poor, and racial minorities are arrested and convicted more than others for personal and property crimes. To sociologists, the question posed by this data is whether this reflects actual differences in committing crimes among different groups, or whether this reflects differential treatment by the criminal justice system. Studies show that the answer is â€Å"both.† Certain groups are in fact more likely to commit crimes than others because crime​ often looked to as a survival strategy, is linked to patterns of inequality in the United States. However, the process of prosecution in the criminal justice system is also significantly related to patterns of race, class, and gender inequality. We see this in the official arrest statistics, in treatment by the police, in sentencing patterns, and in studies of imprisonment.

Information technology statistical analysis Essay

Information technology statistical analysis - Essay Example Using both patterns in a single study can be expensive, time-consuming, and lengthy (Blaxter, 2001). Moreover, researchers are seldom trained in the skills necessary to conduct studies based on more than one paradigm. Due to the limited resources and financial support, the researcher is comfortable with the rules and guidelines for conducting a quantitative research. With considerations as time, skills and the overall size of this study, the researcher chose a single research paradigm for the study. Certainly, the use of job satisfaction questionnaires is so prevalent that often too little thought is given to the construction of them (Neuman, 2003). To prevent such a problem and to prove the usefulness and meaningfulness of the data obtained from the questionnaire, the researcher has focused on several principles of the generation of the questionnaire for this study. For Job satisfaction survey study in United State, the data was collected via a questionnaire survey. The participants are requested to respond to questions on mainly 9 questions, given below. Five questions that measures demographic data, remaining were related to job satisfaction level. (1) Gender , (2) Age , (3) Department , (4) Position, (5) Tenure, (6) Overall Job Satisfaction, (7) Intrinsic Job Satisfaction - Satisfaction with the actual performance of the job, (8) Extrinsic Job Satisfaction- Things external to the job, e.g., office location, your work colleagues, your own office etc, and (9) Benefits - Satisfaction relating health insurance, pension plan, vacation, sick days, etc. Variables Independent Variables - For this study of job satisfaction we are taking Gender, Age, Department, Position and Tenure as independent variables. Dependent Variables - For this particular study of job satisfaction we are taking ong 10101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010verall Job Satisfaction, Intrinsic Job Satisfaction - Satisfaction with the actual performance of the job, Extrinsic Job Satisfaction things external to the job, e.g., office location, your work colleagues, your own office (cubicle/hard walled office, etc), and Benefits - Health insurance, pension plan, vacation, sick days, etc as dependent variables.10101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010 Data Analyses All analysis are conducting by using SPSS for Windows (SPSS, 2000) were utilized to conduct statistical analyses. Descriptive statistics were calculated for the employment background and the job satisfaction variables. Frequency tables also show the data analysis results. Descriptive Statistics Descriptive statis

The role of insurance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The role of insurance - Essay Example Broadly defining the term, it is the transfer of risk from one owner to another. This exchange from one entity to another is done by paying a premium to one party who is undertaking the contingent risk. In return, the person who is giving up on the loss and paying the premium gets the benefit of knowing either the extent of risk that is present and or preventing the loss at all.Insurance is one of the basic forms of risk management. In terms of position, an insurer is the person who undertakes the risk of loss; the policy holder is the person who buys the insurance and let's go of the risk that is associated. There is another term that is present, called the insurance rate; this factor is used to determine the charge that is charged for a certain kind of insurance. This extra charge is called the premium that the policy holder has to pay to let go of the risk that is present. All in all, the field of insurance and related risk management has evolved as a science. Insurance, along wit h risk management goes hand in hand. In other words, insurance is a product that is used to manage the risk that is associated with an expected event such a death, or an accident in which the prospective risks associated with the death and the accident would be the risk of the family losing a family member and the income that he or she brings. Also, the damage of the car in the accident will have to be paid. In such a case, where one knows the prospective hazards of something, it is better to insure the event so that the weight of paying for that risk at a later stage decreases. The risk premium that the policy holder has to pay depends upon the kinds of risk that the insurance company is covering. In short, the higher the risk, the higher the premium is to be paid to the insurance company and the events with a lower risk have to be adjusted with a lower premium. In evaluating the risk of an event, the insurance company makes sure that they take into account every quantifiable and qualitative factor that is present in the environment to come at a compensation that can be good enough today in order to cover the expenses in the future, if the event happens. Therefore, they insurance company greatly increases its value when the event that is being insured doesn't happen at all. For all this to take effect, the insurance providers undertake massive research regarding the insurance holder and the event that might take place. They insurance company also makes sure that they use statistical tools to evaluate the occurring of the events that may be insured, for exam ple the loss of an earning family member or an illness. Risk profiling is another major aspect of insurance. Companies who provide insurance makes sure that they do adequate risk profiling and consider it an important part. According to research and the Pareto principle, more than 80% of insurance claims arise from less than 20% of the profiles that are present. Thereofre, risk profiling helps the insurance companies understand which areas provide them greater risks of claims and which don't. Insurance providers' major aim is to develop an understanding regarding the subject that is being insured and gathering maximium possible and relevant knowledge so that they are able to better evaluate the potential risks that are present and also the likelihood of the occurrence of such events. Co-relations between different events, different factors, and summaries are presented to help the insurance providers with sound conclusions. Today, even artificial intelligence is being used in order to understand the correlation that is present between even ts that would help the insurance providers gauge the risk of an event happening. For example, the correlation between people having high amounts of alcohol everyday and

Needs Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Needs Assessment - Essay Example Some funds have also been set aside for purchasing the writing materials and other materials that will get used in the process of data analysis. The committee has been able to estimate the cost of materials that will get used in data representation and has set aside some funds to cater for this. The committee has budgeted for some energy drinks as well as refreshments, particularly for those who will be conduct face to face basis of interviews. The team has further hired individuals with counseling professions to offer their counseling service to those students who are at risk of alcohol use. Though limited to some extent, our budget has catered to ensure those taking alcohols will reduce their consumption and use of alcoholic products, with the aim of making them quit. Finally, the committee has been able to put aside some funds to cater for the rehabilitation programs for the students who are problem drinkers. The initiative has hired some physiologists, who are going to take medical intervention for those with medical and physiological conditions and since these require some particular attentions (Borck, 501). Borck, Cornelius. "Communicating the Modern Body: Fritz Kahns Popular Images of Human Physiology as an Industrialized World."  Canadian Journal of Communication  32.3 (2007): 495-520.  ProQuest.  Web. 19 Mar.

M3A1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

M3A1 - Essay Example Emotional intelligence, therefore, offers a way in which managers working in different cultural settings than their own can adapt and achieve success in their new setting. For example, Deirdre who works as a broadcast director for a London-based company was tasked to ensure all units adopt a single negotiating strategy. Instead of fighting it out with the managers who resisted this change, she had one-on-one meetings to find out their reasons for resisting. Later, she shared ideas with them and revised her negotiating methods to incorporate the approaches the managers had found successful. The managers chose to co-operate other than resist. An effective leader exhibits five components of emotional intelligence. These are self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, social skills and motivation (Hofstede, 1985). He further explains that emotional intelligence is necessary for building trust, solving problems with others, participating productively in a group and creating a sense of identity and efficacy. Emotional intelligence, however, has its weaknesses as shown by Earley & Mosakowski (2004). They give an example of an American expatriate engineer working with two German counterparts. After some time of the Germans shooting down other people’s ideas, the American mistakenly equated the action of the two as that of all Germans. With emotional intelligence alone, the manager is unable to show how much of the behavior of the engineers had been idiosyncratic and how much was culturally determined. He did not know how to influence their actions (Earley & Mosakowski, 2004). Earley and Mosakowski state that human actions, speech and gestures that a person encounters in a foreign setting are subject to wide interpretations that may make misunderstandings likely and cooperation impossible (Earley&Mosakowski, 2004). Hofstede states

The little school by Alcia Partnoy preface by Julia Alvarez Essay

The little school by Alcia Partnoy preface by Julia Alvarez - Essay Example "The little school" by Alcia Partnoy preface by Julia Alvarez The history reveals that most of the literature created during imprisonment attains the status of ‘master piece’ and ‘The Little School’ is one of them. Moreover, literary figures with their creative abilities give tough time to dictators even during their brutal regimes and leave everlasting images on history and literature. Deep observation and strong memory is considered an asset of any person. Alicia Partnoy proves in The Little School that she is not short of these qualities. From the first story of the novel, her kidnapping from the house, to the last story, she elaborated each and every detail of the event in artistic manners. She successfully points out the brutal aspects of the Dirty War. By utilizing her power of deep observation, she notices each and every incident during the course of her imprisonment; keeps them in her mind while using astonishing skill of memory and elaborated before readers after her release. â€Å"The guard’s shift was organized in three groups of four guards each† , the sentence shows her deep observation and memory. By giving a surprise to her admirers, she tells exact numbers of security guards in The Little School at different timelines of a day. By drawing a sketch of a security guard she writes, â€Å"Approximately 22 to 23 years old, 6 ft., 154 lbs., straight hairs, brown eyes, white complexion, regular features†

Explain what you have learned from your experience as member of a team Essay

Explain what you have learned from your experience as member of a team whose project was not completeted sucessfully - Essay Example The task was supposed to be finished overnight otherwise additional payments were to be incurred by the organization due to additional day of auditor’s visit. Our team failed to complete the assigned task within deadline, however somehow we were able to avoid the additional payment costs to the company. The reasons to this failure were later on studied in depth to extract results, inferences and lessons for future reference and better response. Next few paragraphs will discuss the lessons learned by the team. The first and far most important is the assignment of the task to a professional with appropriate skills and zeal to accomplish the assigned task. The initial assignment of the task seems to be a wrong assignment and lake of professionalism caused unnecessary delay in the completion of the investment report. An unfinished report was the ultimate result of this wrong assignment. Therefore purposeful evaluation of professional competence for a specific task is of core impor tance for the successful completion of the project. It is also evident from the findings that the project was not properly supervised for in time preparation of the investment report therefore the initial assignment was not completed.

The little school by Alcia Partnoy preface by Julia Alvarez Essay

The little school by Alcia Partnoy preface by Julia Alvarez - Essay Example "The little school" by Alcia Partnoy preface by Julia Alvarez The history reveals that most of the literature created during imprisonment attains the status of ‘master piece’ and ‘The Little School’ is one of them. Moreover, literary figures with their creative abilities give tough time to dictators even during their brutal regimes and leave everlasting images on history and literature. Deep observation and strong memory is considered an asset of any person. Alicia Partnoy proves in The Little School that she is not short of these qualities. From the first story of the novel, her kidnapping from the house, to the last story, she elaborated each and every detail of the event in artistic manners. She successfully points out the brutal aspects of the Dirty War. By utilizing her power of deep observation, she notices each and every incident during the course of her imprisonment; keeps them in her mind while using astonishing skill of memory and elaborated before readers after her release. â€Å"The guard’s shift was organized in three groups of four guards each† , the sentence shows her deep observation and memory. By giving a surprise to her admirers, she tells exact numbers of security guards in The Little School at different timelines of a day. By drawing a sketch of a security guard she writes, â€Å"Approximately 22 to 23 years old, 6 ft., 154 lbs., straight hairs, brown eyes, white complexion, regular features†

ENGLISH LEGAL SYSTEM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 3

ENGLISH LEGAL SYSTEM - Essay Example Solicitors were more concerned with office work such as the preparation of contracts for clients. Since 1991, solicitors with a little extra qualification have been allowed to act as advocates before the highest courts. On the other hand, barristers can now deal directly with professional clients without the intervention of a Solicitor. Many commentators believe that the two legal professions, once almost entirely separate, are slowly entering a state of gradual fusion as both are training and qualifying themselves to serve in the capacity of the other. Solicitors require a practicing certificate if they are to be involved in legal work. An exception is made for those in local government, commerce and industry. In 1996 there were 8702 firms of solicitors in England and Wales which earned at least  £15,000 per annum, with 4,377 of those firms classified as sole practitioners.1 There are also Legal Executives who qualify separately from both Barristers and Solicitors. Legal Executives carry out lower-level procedural or transactional work and must work under the supervision of a Solicitor. These functionaries are classified as paralegals in other countries. The practice of having Licensed Conveyancers started in 1986. They work separately from solicitors and are focused on domestic property transactions. The profession has its own system of qualification. The legal profession is largely self-regulated. The chief methods of regulation are; restrictions on entry, restrictions on advertising and other means of promoting a competitive process within the profession and restrictions on fee competition. The associations that regulate the practice of legal professionals are largely independent of government control. The main tool for regulation of the legal profession comprises the limitations imposed on who may enter into the legal profession. To become a solicitor one must take one of two degree routes or,

Online Learning V.S Traditional Classroom Learning Essay Example for Free

Online Learning V.S Traditional Classroom Learning Essay I think whether it is online learning or traditional class learning both should be taken into consideration when planning to further education. I personally did not consider the facts when I decided to further my education. I had started out in a traditional classroom but soon after realized it was not the right choice. It was hard to fully apply myself when I was attending a traditional classroom because I was a working wife and mother. Online learning and traditional learning will show that both of these are great options depending on who the student may be and which educational program the student has chosen. Online learning and traditional learning each have their merits and faults. Online degrees have become a perfect option for individuals who may not be able to enroll in a traditional classroom. When you compare the two learning classes, the biggest difference is that students studying online have the flexibility to attend classes at their own pace and time. In a campus-based classroom they require that students attend class a certain number of times every week, at specific times. Traditional class learning may not be the option for people who have children or work long hours. Learning online would be a better option for these people because they can make their own schedule for when they will attend class. Both online and traditional classes give students the opportunity to interact with other students and their professors. With a traditional classroom you can interact with students and professors face -to -face. In online learning there is no face- to -face interaction with classmates or instructors. Online learning interaction can consist of chat rooms, e-mail, main forums, and over the telephone. Traditional class students have a better advantage of understanding the materials because they can have that one –on- one time with the instructor face- to -face. It may be a little harder for online students to grasp the materials because they do not have that face- to -face interaction. Online learning and traditional class learning work assignments are similar and different in their own ways. In both online and traditional learning classes you still have assignments that have to be completed by a certain time. In the traditional class your assignments are done on paper and with online learning you have to submit your assignments on the computer. Also with traditional class learning one has the opportunity to present in front of their classmates, while online students do not have that option. They are only able to present their presentations to the instructors. In both classes you still have homework and you have to participate in class. Online learning requires you to participate and attend class a certain number of times but there is no specific times or days. They have the option to decide when that will be but with traditional class you have to attend class every day you are scheduled and participate every day. Earning a degree at a traditional college can be very expensive but obtaining a online degree can be a lot less expensive for students. Exceptionally less, but they offer students the same loan and grant benefits offered at a traditional college. Online schools and traditional schools offer the same financial aid packages. Students who attend a traditional class usually have to pay traveling cost and living cost. Online learning students do not have to pay these extra costs because they are learning from home and that requires no traveling. Also with online schools you do not have to pay for facilities like residence halls, dining halls, gyms and libraries. Most provide access to virtual libraries and some even have partnerships with local facilities. There are many similarities and differences between online learning and traditional class learning. The facts show that both are great options to consider, depending upon the person and his or her day- to- day schedule. One method to determine how well online learning and traditional class learning might work for you is to consider the benefits and disadvantages of both. Researching and planning ahead can help a person in deciding which would better fit his or her needs. I have found online learning to better fit my needs because I can make my own schedule concerning attending class. I am a mother and wife so I have many responsibilities and this option gives me time to take care of my household while still being able to obtain a degree at my own pace. Do the research to see which one is the right option for you at this time in your life. Most people think that their decision to go to college only affects them but it affects your family also. You have to still be able to do for your family and handle your business at home. I also suggest if you are attending a traditional college and it seems to be too overwhelming for you at times you should really consider trying the online learning. Becoming successful in life depends on the choices you make throughout life, whether they be good or bad choices. So choose wisely which learning class be it online learning or traditional learning is right for you and your family.

Research on Views of Food Packaging

Research on Views of Food Packaging Introduction To The Report: During the last two decades many important developments in the position of food in daily life of consumers and producers takes place. In earlier times consumers were self sufficient, but during the last two decades things have been changed and there was a rapid development in the industrialization of food packaging communication process. So this research study focuses on the area of Packaging which is one of the most important elements of marketing mix and many marketers had considered packaging as a fifth ‘P , while the other four Ps are Product, Placement, Promotional and Price. So packaging is used as an important marketing tool. In marketing terms, Packaging can be defined as: â€Å"All the activities of designing and producing the container or wrapper of a product, Packaging is a structure designed to contain a commercial food product, i.e. to make it easier and safer to transport, to protect the product against contamination or loss, degradation or damage and to produce a convenient way to dispense the product†. Packaging mainly can be divided into three main types, i.e. Consumer Packaging, Transport packaging and Food Packaging. This study is specified only to food packaging as food packaging industry requires packaging material that provides efficient barriers, preserves product effectively and therefore increases the shelf life of the product 1. However packaging is criticized largely from the environmental point of view, because many researchers think that packaging is depleting natural resources, as certain form of packages are health hazards, and there is a significant problem of disposing of these packages. Marketing researchers have to deal with these criticisms, and must enhance the positive features of packaging, like product protection, preservation, containment, communication, consumer convenience and marketing support 2. In context of above description, this study is basically consists of observations, surveys and interview from the consumers in order to determine how packaging contain, preserve, and communicate the buyer, the importance of packaging on their buying decision process, how they get influence, and how a good quality and attractive packaging convince them to buy particular FMCG food products. Background Of The Study: The professional fields are becoming more and more challenging and competitive in the present arena. So, in order to endure and be successful in any field, you must have the deep knowledge and appropriate skills of the concerned field. In fact this is true about the fields of management sciences, in which the Knowledge and skills of a person can be polished, if he goes through some practical experiences. Therefore this study is mainly conducted to have the knowledge of practical business situations, because the theoretical knowledge might not always match with the practical situations, where we do businesses. Therefore this would be the socialization to the market in a sense of applying our theoretical knowledge in the practical fields. In this regard, I have selected the area of Packaging for my research study which carries a great concern in the present arena because in the last one and half decade the importance of packaging has been actualized immensely and by having packaging knowledge and designing skills, practically you can enhance your capabilities. Packaging has covered all the consumer tangible goods in order to create and enhance the marketing efforts. According to â€Å"International Association of Packaging Research Institutes† IAPRI, the packaging technology has gone through a significant and fast exploitation in recent years, and globally the packaging material and machinery industry is estimated to be worth of $ 500 billion per year representing almost 1-2 % of the GDP industrialized country, and over 100, 00 packaging manufacturing companies have employed approx 5 million people to serve all packaging business manufacturers company 3. Introduction To The Topic: The topic for my research is â€Å"A Hypothetical Study on the Impact influence of FMCG food Packaging on Consumer Buying Behavior† in which we will try to explore the variables of packaging which attracts consumer behavior and influence them to buy. Importance Of Packaging: Many researchers together with Price, Promotion, Placement and Product considers Packaging as a fifth â€Å"P† as a marketing tools, because they think that packaging is a face of a product which actually refers to the material that servers to contain, identify, describe, protect, display and promote a specific product. The main objectives of packaging are to keep the food in good condition until it is sold or have been consumed and to encourage the consumer to buy it again and again. Correct packaging is essential to achieve above given objectives. Yearly billion of pounds are spent on packaging food. Functions Of Packaging: There are many protecting functions and purposes of packaging that influence consumers to buy a particular product. The various functions of packaging can be divided into three main types: Primary, secondary and tertiary (additional Functions). Primary functions concerned with the technical nature of the product while the secondary and tertiary functions are related to communications. The Primary Functions of packaging are to protect and storage of a product from loss, damage or any kind of deterioration from environmental conditions such as humidity, temperature, precipitation and solar radiation. i.e.; the durability of a package, because people wants material that will really protect the product they bought and something that can resist handling and shipping. The Secondary and Tertiary Functions of packaging are the sales, promotional, service and guarantee functions. The main intentions of sales function of package is to promote the sales processes and to make it more effective and efficient, therefore in designing a package promotional materials should be placed at right place, because it plays an important role to communicate about the product functions, features, and other informational elements. The various informational elements such as product features, manufacturing and expiry date, ingredients information, nutritional information, food labeling etc. provides the consumer with details about the contents and use of a particular product. Therefore these promotional materials should be properly placed on the package in order to attract the potential consumers attention and to have a positive impact on their buying behavior 4. Consumer Buying Behavior: The other main concern of the study is to know about consumer buying behavior or consumer decisions making process and how packaging can influence them to buy a particular product. Marella in one of her articles about packaging defines consumer buying behavior as the process by which â€Å"individuals search, select, purchase, use, and dispose of goods and services, in satisfaction of their need and want†. When consumers need to purchase something, they usually go for the brands which are trustworthy and try not to seek other products such as new products or   the brand which they dont know at all 5. Therefore at the point of purchase what communicates or influence consumer to buy particular product is only ‘Packaging. Quality judgments are significantly influence by the product characteristics reflected by the packaging. Because packaging acts as a communicator, and it underlines overall features and functions of a product that lies in it such as informational element s, product features, material used etc. so if the package is well design and attractive enough, consumer will likely to buy it especially in the case of new products. So, it is important that products should be well and attractive packaged to gain consumer attention. Purpose Of The Study: Success of a product depends on developing a strong relationship with consumer through an affective and efficient synergetic marketing mix, in which ‘Packaging† is one of the main elements to influence because packaging is the language of a product which only communicate to the consumer without any interpreter and has an immense effect on purchase decision. Most Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) is low involvement products. In low involvement, â€Å"consumers do not search extensively for information about the brands, evaluate their characteristics, and make a weighty decision on which brand to buy†, and as packaging plays an important role in success of a brand and on a retail shelf it is the last opportunity to influence the consumer to buy, so the main purpose of this research, so this study will be conducted with an idea of knowing the impact influence of packaging on the purchase decision of FMCG food products, which are mostly consumed frequently and also to know the experiences of the ultimate consumers about packaging. The research study is basically conducted to apply my theoretical knowledge of marketing in the practical field of professionals by interviewing different consumers and to know their views and preferences towards the importance of food packaging. The objective of the research study will be focused on: To know consumer awareness about packaging. To examine the influence of existing and new FMCG food products packaging on consumer buying behavior. To examine consumer experience of purchasing packaged food products. To understand how packaging can influence them to purchase their decision powers To know whether a good and attractive packaging of FMCG food products can influence consumers to buy it or not? Beside this the research is the partial fulfillment of the requirement for the Degree of Bachelors of Business Administration and the submission to the Institute of Management Sciences, Peshawar. Methodology Of The Report: This study has been conducted with the following procedures: Reading Articles Reading articles are the formation of the strongest foundation. For this research study I have been reading and looking at different articles and research studies both in libraries as well as through Internet and searching through digital libraries the literature of the my research study.  Ã‚   Questionnaires The data for my research study has been collected from a representative sample of 250 people, who are responsible for purchasing the household food products and are also the ultimate consumers of the packaged food products. The sample from population was derived from shoppers at different geographical areas of Peshawar. The questionnaire was initially put to pilot testing on 5 respondents for clarity and validity. Through the use of questions related to the study, the respondents were highly encouraged to express their opinions. The questionnaire comprised of few questions, grouped in five sections: Visual Impact, Brand Information, food labeling and nutrition information, and new products purchasing. The impact of these variables is analyzed in the Analysis section. Responses of the consumers have been converted to frequencies and percentages by using SPSS software through which I developed the Bar chart or Histogram in order to explain the degree of impact of mentioned variables on the purchase decision I have also used the Pie chart method in order to find the most influencing variable on the purchase decision. Scope Of The Study The Scope for my research study is limited to Peshawar city and the sample for my research has also been taken from the population of Peshawar city for collecting primary data. The market, which has been surveyed, is limited to the consumers in Peshawar region. The reader of this research report will be able to understand the preferences of consumers about the packaging especially the food packaging, because consumers are more connected to the food industry. And also they would be having better understanding that how packaging can influence consumers purchase decision? Besides, this research study will also show the knowledge and understanding of packaging features and roles in the marketing efforts and new demands from the packaging industries as far as consumers are concerned. Limitations The first hurdle that I have faced is the unavailability of the secondary data about our local markets consumers therefore, in this stage I had the difficulty to find the relevant data as far as my study of research is concerned. Another limitation is the difficulty in collecting primary data in the market as I have used Questionnaire method but mostly respondents were not familiar about that how to understand and respond to a question being asked. Third limitation is time constraint, which is again a pressure on us to finalize the research report which might caused this research report be deficient in order to cover every aspect of my research study but still I made the best of it. Sampling The study population comprised of 250 people who are the ultimate consumers of packaged food products. The sample has been drawn from supermarkets located in different geographical areas in Peshawar and also collected data from the respondents in the universities. Scheme Of Report (1) Full Text PDF. (2) Packaging PDF. (3) Article URL: http://www.iapriweb.org/packaging_research.html (4) Information URL: http://www.tis-gdv.de/tis_e/verpack/funktion/funktion.htm#anfang#anfang (5) Merella, Article URL: http://www.helium.com/items/1582891-packaging-affecting-consumer-behavior

Use of Clothing in Their Eyes Were Watching God :: Their Eyes Were Watching God Essays

Use of Clothing in Their Eyes Were Watching God      Ã‚  Ã‚   In the novel Their Eyes were watching God Zora Neale Hurston portrays a woman named Janie's search for love and freedom. Janie, throughout the novel, bounces through three different marriages, with a brief stint at being a widow in between. Throughout these episodes, Hurston uses Janie`s clothing as a visual bookmark of where Janie is in her search for true love and how she is being influenced by those around her.    Janie's first article of clothing is an apron that she wears while married to Logan Killiks as a hard working sixteen year old. Logan, who Janie describes as looking like "an `ol skullhead in de grave yard," (pg. 13) marries Janie to fulfill the role laid down by Janie's grandmother, a mule. Janie goes along with this for nearly a year, until change comes walking down the road in the form of Joe Starks. Joe is a "citified, stylish man with a hat set at an angle that didn't belong in those parts," and he wants to take Janie away. Joe's dream is to become "big man" and pleads Janie to take part in his dreams of the future. He proposes marriage to her, and arranges a rendezvous at the bottom of the road at sunup the next morning. Janie is torn because Jody "does not represent sun-up pollen and blooming trees, but he spoke of the far horizon....The memory of Nanny was still strong." (pg. 28) When Janie decides to leave the next morning for, if nothing else, a healthy change, she looks down and sees the apron which has stood for all the things she has had to do for Logan," and flung it on a small bush beside the road. Then she walked on, picking flowers and making a bouquet." (pg. 31) When Janie threw the apron on the bush, it represented a major change in Janie's life, and a progression from Logan. Janie is continuing her search for true love, although she knows already that Jody is not the perfect fulfillment of her dream, and how she has been affected by Jody already.    Life with Jody was a disappointment from the beginning of their marriage. As soon as they arrived in the sleepy burg of Eatonville, Jody was trying to gain

Aggression in the 1930s

Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin are two of the most prominent figures in world history.   Both are intimidating personalities recognized as dictators in their own countries.   Hitler and Stalin are also similar for having significant roles in the aggression in the 1930s that was World War II.   However, it must be noted that Hitler had a more distinct role in the World War II than Stalin.   Though both men were active dictators during the Second World War.Adolf Hitler had a bigger responsibility in the conflict than Joseph Stalin.Hitler and Stalin were both dictators.   It is appropriate to give them such title as they had absolute power over their respective countries.   They had similar strategies and motives in terms of their aggression that resulted in the war.For instance, both men were motivated by a superiority complex.   Hitler was a firm believer in the superiority of the German race (Weinberg, 2008).   He asserted that Germany needed vast areas of land for ex pansion, so he attacked other countries to create an expansive territory for Germans.   It was this attack which brought Hitler and Germany at the helm of the global conflict.Likewise, Stalin also had a superiority complex.   Immediately after succeeding Lenin as the head of the Soviet Union, Stalin inspired a culture of self-glorification (Perry, 1989).   It was therefore no surprise that Stalin entered into an agreement with Hitler.The German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact stated that the Soviet Union would not intervene with the German aggression against Poland on the grounds that it would receive half of the acquired Polish territory (Knight, 2008; Perry, 1989).However, despite the distinct similarity, there was a significant difference between the political roles they played in the Second World War.   Hitler proved to be the more aggressive dictator, as he initiated the war itself.   On the other hand, Stalin merely tolerated Hitler’s aggression.   Though the Sovi et Union had made an alliance with Germany, this did not guarantee immunity from the said aggression (Weinberg, 2008).Stalin and the rest of the Soviet Union were alarmed when Germans attacked them (Knight, 2008).   It became evident that Germany was in the center of the war, since it began to bypass the authority of the nations it had alliances with.Eventually, it was proven that Hitler had a more dominant political role in the war than Stalin.   Stalin was a mere participant in the German aggression; in time, he and his country became the victims.   It was Hitler who was in control of the war situation.Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin were dictators who took part in the aggression during the 1930s, resulting in the historical event known as World War II.Their aggression was both motivated by a sense of superiority, and their strategy included the participation in the war.   Nonetheless, there was a difference between the leaders.   Hitler had a more dominant political role in the war, since he started the international conflict.   He was powerful enough to undermine an alliance with the Soviet Union to further his ends.Meanwhile, Stalin’s aggression was only evident in the agreement with Germany.   Hence, Adolf Hitler had a bigger political role in the Second World War.ReferencesPerry, M. (1989). A History of the World.   Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin.Knight, A. (2008). Joseph Stalin. In Microsoft Encarta Online Dictionary. Retrieved December 18, 2008, from http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761559200/Stalin.htmlWeinberg, G. (2008). Adolf Hitler. In Microsoft Encarta Online Dictionary. Retrieved December 18, 2008, from http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761556540/Hitler.html

Paleolithic and Neolithic Ages Ap History

Paleolithic and Neolithic Ages The Neolithic Age changed the way people live now a days for many reasons. First of all, in this era agriculture was very important. People could farm instead of hunting and gathering and also they could settle down in one place. People also began to live in small communities. Settling down in one place meant more food and free time. This started trade because there were food surpluses and began the first forms of government. There were many things to be done so they divided work up among everyone in the small community.This was the very beginning of the way we live today. The Paleolithic Age is the Old Stone Age ending in 1200 B. C. E. were stone tools were used for hunting and gathering. People used tools such as clubs and choppers to crack open bones. Tools in this era were mainly made to use for shelter, defense, and keepings of food and clothing. These people believed in an afterlife which was similar to actual life on Earth because they were provi ded with all the tools, weapons and necessities needed to survive which was stated in document 1.In this age scholars believed that their ancestors lived in a world of spirits and shown in document 2 these people were hunters. The Neolithic Age is the New Stone Age between 8000 and 5000 B. C. E. were the adaptation of sedentary agriculture occurred and were domestication of plants and animals occurred. This is the era where people began to develop social groups and create civilizations and stop moving from place to place. Stated in the document 4 people began to depend more on animals and less on plants.They followed herds of animals instead of just one to get more food and eventually create a surplus. The animals that they herded gave them the fertilizer for agriculture. In document 5 it says that there were settled farming communities and they began to create a council to make decisions on what to harvest. Settled people had more personal property. These differences were so import ant because of the technology and ways of life that these people started to create.If the people from the Paleolithic and Neolithic ages didn’t discover the things that they did our world today would be totally different. There are many possibilities on what our life would be like today if these people didn’t start a foundation for us. In conclusion, as you can see the Neolithic age changed how we live greatly. They started the first forms of agriculture and created small communities of people. People settled in one place and began to trade for work. What do you think life would be like if people from these two eras didn’t start the things they did for us?

Corporate Responsibility and Society Essay

While commuting home from work, you take a detour through a residential area to avoid a congested main artery. Because only a few drivers take the detour, it removes several minutes from your commuting time due to the light traffic. Is your action generalizable? I do believe that my actions would be generalizable; therefore it would not pass the generalization test. According to Hooker, the meaning of generalization test is that the reason for your action should be consistent with the assumption that if everyone who has the same reason as you would act in the same manner (Business Ethics, 2011). The detour is not an area that is not allowed to be taken; it is there for anyone to take despite of the reason for taking it. Anyone that wanted to cut down their commute time in order to pick up a child from daycare, to get to school on time, to prepare dinner, or just because they no longer wanted to sit in traffic is irrelevant to the fact that they are able to take this route. In order to further put this generalization to the test we should see if it meets and passes all four Corollaries’. Corollary one states that an action is unethical if its general adoption would undermine a practice it presupposes. So everyone is free to take this detour through a residential neighborhood. Suppose everyone decided to take this detour, it would congest this neighborhood, children that normally ride their bikes on the side of the rode or play outdoors are more apt to being either hit by a car or injured by a vehicle in some way. This may pass the corollary test but it fails the generalization test. Corollary two states one shouldn’t be a free rider on the efforts of others. This corollary really doesn’t affect this example because every driver is free to make up his or her mind whether or not to take the detour. So this would pass corollary two. Corollary three states an action is unethical if generalizing the action is inconsistent with achieving its purpose. This actions is telling me that I take the detour when is best suites me, i.e. traffic is at its heaviest and I can achieve a shorter time commute by taking the detour. This action is then generalized when everyone who takes the regular congested route takes the detour when it best suites them. Thus my action of taking the detour is generalized, it would be impossible for those who take the detour when it best suites them to achieve the purpose of the action because the new detour would become congested and we are back to where we started. This action fails corollary three and the generalization test. Last but not least Corollary four states that an action is unethical if generalizing the action is inconsistent with the possibility that everyone who performs the action achieves its purpose. If this action is true then me taking the detour is ungeneralizable because it is impossible for everyone to enjoy the same avoidance of traffic congestion by taking the same detour. After completing all four Corollary test I have come to the conclusion that my action to avoid traffic by detouring through a residential area is ungeneralizable. Although my action may have passed a corollary test or two my action ultimately did not justify the action.

Gulf War History Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Gulf War History - Research Paper Example The main cause of the schism between several countries was the Shiite Sunni split which often led to conflicts and warfare in some cases. Since coming to power, Saddam Hussein, the then president of Iraq, represented the rejectionist Arab states and was considered as one of the most quarrelsome leaders of the gulf countries. He was also considered an arch enemy of Israel. Its hatred against Israel can be summarized by the rhetoric he used very often against the nation, one time saying that he will let fire eat half of Israel if it did anything against Iraq (Bard, 2011). For years, Iraq had considered Kuwait to be a part of its territory and continued to influence the internal politics and working of the state through several means. Furthermore, Iraq was becoming economically weak so it sought to identify alternatives to help strengthen its economic situation. This paper shall analyze how Kuwait was an option in allowing Iraq to recover from its situation. Iraq was considered to be th e belligerent state in this dispute and UN authorized a full fledged coalition attack that aimed to topple Iraq’s incursion into Kuwait and restore the situation as it was before the conflict. Reasons for conflict:- The quarrelsome nature of the Iraqi president, Saddam Hussein made the state prone to violence and unneeded interventions to further individual causes. Furthermore, the war with Iran that ended in 1988 had an enormous economic impact on Iraq and left it on the verge of bankruptcy (HistoryGuy, 2011). Kuwait as natural part of Iraq:- Iraq considered Kuwait its de-facto part for a long period of time despite the latter’s independence on the country. This claim led to numerous confrontations throughout several years and hampered any diplomatic ties between the two countries for years to come. In 1961, Iraq’s president Qasim threatened Kuwait of invoking old ottman claims that were a part of the system during British imperialism. The Iraqri government als o sought to play the role of savior by saying that the Kuwaiti Emir was a highly hated figure within the Kuwait population and that people sought his ouster. Iraq claimed that it would liberate the Kuwaiti country off his tyranny with its intervention (Lowry, 2008). In 1973, Iraq continued to persist with its stance and occupied as-Samitah, a border post on Kuwait-Iraq border. The real dispute, however, began when Iraq demanded to occupy Bubiyan and Warbah (Kuwaiti Islands). This claim got the Arab nations into action and the Arab league called its summit to discuss this quickly boiling situation. A consensus was reached on the point that Iraq will be demanded to withdraw its claims on the said regions (HistoryGuy, 2011). Situation between the two countries was relatively calm during the Iraq-Iran war and Kuwait supported Iraq during this battle. Dispute over Oil:- There was a constant lack of consensus over borders between the two oil rich states and conflicts over ownership of oil reserves was inevitable. The situation started to deteriorate when rich deposits of oil were found at the undefined border between the two states and when Iraq constantly claimed that the Kuwaiti drills were violating Iraq’s territorial integrity by moving across borders to excavate oil. This conflict was triggered by the nature of middle eastern borders, which are not very clearly distinguishable due to desserts and sand (HistoryGuy,