The Woman With No Name free essay sample

There is a rusted iron ring where horses used to be tied, grown into the ground next to the Green. Maybe, with eyes closed, soldiers drilling could be imagined in front of the Congregational church, the paint on the Green’s white picket fence still fresh. With this image in mind, I can feel my small town’s history breathing as I bicycle through the Village with my sister at my side. We have always lived a short ride away from the Center of Town and in the past year, since my mom moved into her own house, a five minute walk. I even work at the Town Library, a historic building on Main Street. We park our bikes at the General Store; during the summer the store is our ice-tea supplier, but that’s not the only reason to visit. We get our drinks and approach the counter, the cashier turning. We will write a custom essay sample on The Woman With No Name or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page She smiles widely as she sees us and exclaims, â€Å"My girls! How are you?† We grin at the short, white-haired elderly woman and we take a minute to talk. This woman knows our grades in school, our passions for literature. She knows of our love to travel, especially to historic locations. She asks us about our future plans, if I’m still considering psychology, and how my Girl Scout troop is faring in our last, and thirteenth, year together. Even with all these exchanges, however, there is one flaw: I do not know her name. We have never exchanged our names, content with our roles of the cashier and the sisters. It’s a funny thing, though, how time can complete your picture of a person. I began to notice little things about her each time we talked, such as how she doesn’t have a ring. It was revealed that she always wanted to retire with her sister but the sister got married—even so, they ride at her sister’s horse farm and they both live in town. I can measure my growth by our relationship, how casual contact throughout su mmers has revealed small details. It’s a strange thing to realize your own progress, how the adults around you start to measure your maturity by the things they confide. This woman with no name has always been an integral facet of my life, as unchanging as the antique houses. But I have learned to measure time and I have shed my idea of immortality, simply from seeing how her hands tremble a little more than last year, and the new wrinkles that fan from her eyes. Nothing is permanent, not even the woman with no name. The permanent factor, however, is the imprint she has made on my childhood. She was a comforting routine that taught me the lesson of time and impermanence, and how a simple relationship can impact a person. I know that when I come back from college to visit, she may not be there anymore. But before that occurs, I would like to ask for her name. She may be the woman with no name in my memories, but at least I can use her name to thank her for the difference she h as made.

Christian Ethics - Smart Custom Writing Samples

Christian Ethics - Smart Custom Writing King Henry the FifthHenry’s early life Henry a son of Henry of Bolingbroke† Henry IV† and marry de bohun was born on either 9 august or 16 September 1387. His father was in exile when Richard II took him and treated him with care and kindness. As per the requirement of the treaty of Troyes, Henry married Catherine who was King Charles IV daughter in 1420. Henry became an outstanding soldier when he was young. As early as fourteen, Henry fought the Welsh forces of Owen ap Glendower. He was a commander by the age of sixteen commanding his father’s forces during the battle of Shrewsbury. Shortly after accession to power he brought down a major Lollard uprising and a plotted assassination by nobles who were still royal to Richard II. His proposal to mary Catherine came in 1415 and demanded Plantagenet lands of Normandy and Anjou as part of his dowry. When Catherine’s father refused this proposal Henry declared war which gave birth to another chapter of the ongoing hundred wars. Henry had two missions in his war with French: to conquer land that was lost in the previous battles and to divert attentions away from all his cousins’ loyal ambitions. Henry was very tactful in fighting and by the time he was winning the battle of Agincourt, he had already conquered many towns such as â€Å"Normandy, Picardy and much of the Capetian stronghold of the Ile-de-France†. Due to his defeat which forced a way for the treaty of Troyes in 1420, Charles not only accepted Henry as his son in law but also named him as an heir of France instead of his own son. If only Henry lived two months more he would have been crowned the king of two nations. Due to his hard living as a soldier, Henry prematurely became aged. He became ill and when returning home from another campaign in France he died. He only had one son which Catherine had bore him when he was still away and he died before seeing him. He is praised in many books and plays. Rafael Holinshed a historian termed him as a king of li fe without spot who was loved by all men and women. Who was never passed by an opportunity or chance and whom all his followers obeyed without questioning, (King Henry V 2010). Achievements of King Henry the fifthHenry only died at the peak of his achievements a few months after the death of France king Charles VI and his crowning as a king. He had shown a comprehensive management of the nation through hard work. Henry ruled with a detailed channel of council which helped him improve nationally and internationally. Henry showed a personality which motivated soldiers, balanced justice forgiveness reward and punishment which united the nation and provided a ground for his success and forward movement.   In his era he proved himself as a greatest commander and a planner who would keep his army fighting abroad for three years. Henry benefited greatly from the civil wars which in turn gave way to the signing of treaty of Troyes. This treaty gave him a wife and brought the battle into an end. Henry according to many writers fulfilled every criteria demanded of a good king, (about 1995). Henry V was one of the greatest English warrior kings of the Middle Ages who led England in the early decades of the 15th and conquered what his ancestors had tried for years. He succeeded in uniting thrones of England and France into one. In England when in power, Henry unified the kingdom which was still suffering from civil wars â€Å"the wars of the roses†. He promoted the use of English language in government and became the first king to use the language in his personal correspondence since the Norman conquest of 1006. In an English decisive victory of the Agincourt battle in 1415, King Henry the fifth was the commander of the English forces. For all the hundred years’ wars, this was a crucial one for the England. Henry successfully won the victory over the France following the treaty of Troyes of 1420. At this time France was led by king Charles VI  Ã‚   â€Å"the mad†. The treaty signed stipulated Henry as regent over Charles and heir to the French thron e. To secure his French throne, Henry married Katherine of Valois a daughter of Charles. In Shakespeare play â€Å"Henry the fifth†, Henry is glorified although he was an utterly ruthless man who had no tinge of compassion.Henry began to take a great share of politics in 1408 after his father’s illness. With the help of his uncles, Henry and Thomas the two sons of John of Gaunt he took practical control over the government. By this time he was still a prince but because of his foreign and domestic policies which differed from those of his father, he was discharged from the council by his father. His father, Henry IV died on 20 March 1413 and on the next day Henry V succeeded him and on 9th April, he was crowned the king at Westminster Abbey. During the ceremony, a terrible snow storm happened which confused the common people as to whether it was a bad or a good omen. This man built a wider domestic policy after consolidating all his domestic policies. He made it clear from the beginning that he would rule England as a united nation head. He let the earlier memories be forgotten by honourably reinterring Richard II and took the young Mortimer in his favour. He also took the heirs of those who had suffered in his father’s reign and restored them by giving back their tittles and their estates. To make his position as a ruler secure, he executed Henry’s old friend Sir John Oldcastle. He did this to â€Å"nip the movement in the bud†.After securing his domestic policies, he turned into foreign affairs. He was encouraged by ecclesiastical statesman to involve himself with French war so as he could divert his home problems. Emperor Sigimind however requested Henry to modify his demand against France and made it possible when Henry signed the treaty of Canterbury. Henry may have regarded the assertion of his own claims as part of his royal duty, but in any case, a permanent settlement of the national debate was essential to the succe ss of his foreign policy. Henry with the help of his force captured Harfleur in France on 22 September in 1415. After this, he marched with his forces across the French countryside towards calques ignoring the warnings of his council.   On his route he was intercepted by French army on 25th October 1415. Despite the army being so tired and outnumbered they overcame the French, deafened them and left them with severe losses. It is believed that French soldiers were bogged in the muddy battlefield, left out and rained on by heavy rain. This had negative impacts as it gave the English a way forward. They were hindered from going on many of them hacked to death as they stuck in the mud. This victory is viewed as Henry’s greatest ranking. However, Henry made a decision that tarnished his good reputation during the battle. His order that French prisoners be killed including most that were used as ransom tarnished his good name. It is argued that Henry thought that the prisoners would turn on to their captors when his soldiers were out there repelling a third wave of French troops. The victory of Agincourt is argued that it was a first step in the campaign to recover the possens of the French which initially belonged to them, (shakespear 2008). Henry’s command of the see was secured by driving the Genoese whom were close allies of the French out of his channel. Henry was busy on the ongoing peace negotiations in 1416. French and Genoese took advantage of this and invaded the harbor at English- garrisoned Harfleur. A French army also invaded the city. This made Henry to send his brother â€Å"John of Lancaster, the Duke of Bedford† on 14 august to raise a fleet and set sail from Beach. After a seven hour fight which followed the following day, the French-Genoese soldiers were defeated relieving Harfleur. Use of diplomacy by emperor Sigimund from France paved way to end the schism in church. So, with those two potential enemies gone, and after two years of patient preparation following Agincourt, Henry renewed the war on a larger scale in 1417. Lower Normandy was quickly conquered, and Rouen cut off from Paris and besieged. This siege raised a darker shadow on the reputation of the king than his order to slay th e French prisoners at Agincourt. Rouen, starving and unable to support the women and children of the town forced them out through the gates believing that Henry would allow them to pass through his army unmolested. Henry refused to allow this and the expelled women and children died of starvation in the ditches surrounding the town. The French were paralyzed by the disputes between Burgundians and Armagnacs. Henry skillfully played them off one against the other, without relaxing his warlike approach. In January 1419, Rouen fell. Those Norman French who had resisted were severely punished: Alan Blanchard, who had hanged English prisoners from the walls of Rouen, was summarily executed; Robert de Livet, Canon of Rouen, who had excommunicated the English king, was packed off to England and imprisoned for five years, (Ian 2009). Henry’s Victory As spoken in Shakespeare’s play, English were proud in the memory of the war that they won, that is, the Battle of Agincourt and connected this day with a holy day. This helped them to reinforce their fortunes during this historic war. It was a clash that portrayed divine intervention Henry’s force defeated the French in four times in a row. The hundred year’s war is ranked with the Amanda and the battle of Britain as one of the finest hours. Henry’s force was a threat to the French army than simple numbers would suggest. Following these circumstances the Britons had to win this battle. The battle was fought intermittently from 1337 and 1453 and is connected to the Plantagenet kings' although the French connected it to Edward II's marriage to Isabella, daughter of France's King Philip IV. When Henry got to power, he pressed on this claim through his Army. He conquered much of the France and went ahead to marrying the then kingâ€℠¢s daughter. The most decisive battle as discussed earlier was the one at Agincourt which was catalyzed by the French army who tried to block Henry’s advance. The morning of 25th October 1415 dawned wet and cold following a heavy rain the previous night. Both troops were in a terrible condition. The Britons had moved 270 miles moving in an average of 20 miles a day and had almost captured the Harfleur. Following the heavy rains throughout the month of March many of the troops were suffering from dysentery and also their food was running out. The French on the other hand were trying to cope with the situations though they could not make as good as the English did. The French troops hadn’t had enough sleep as they tried to keep their arms in dry and clean condition. The group started to misbehave and by 11.00 it was disorganized. The French were so confidence and sure that they would win over the small English troop. However poor management and leadership was an advantag e to the English and when all was not well for them they avoided their responsibilities other than restoring it. Henry was too bright to notice their problem and used it as a weapon taking it upon him and moving so fast. He ordered his troop to fire against the French causing chaos and disrupting them. By contrast, Henry's small army could easily deploy, allowing it to fight at full strength. And Henry had the perfect weapon to use against thickly massed enemy soldiersone that more than made up for his numerical disadvantage. Agincourt became famous as the greatest victory of British archers. 600 hundred years before this battle, the Welsh had introduced the longbow but this weapon had wrongly been misused and neglected. Before this battle, most of the fighters held their bows horizontally as they drew their arrows back to the waist. However Henry ordered his men to hold their bows vertically and draw the arrows back to the ears. It took the French by surprise as the English could shoot nine arrows per minute and hit targets at 400 yards. As the archers kept the French ranks away, Henry had time to neutralize the French powerful weapon, cavalry. English planned their weapons well having planted into the ground at an angle, wooden stakes which kept French soldiers off allowing the English troops to do their work unobstructed.   By noon the French army stood in despair as they lost to the English. Within a single hour the French had lost almost half of its troop while the English only suffered 500 casualties. Following good plans and natural factors, Henry won the battle. Even though the French were more in number to Henry this didn’t matter as he had strategies. With the French defeated, Henry moved on to dominate in France. Leadership of HenryHenry king of England made many decisions during his time which show that he is a good leader. He first decided that he had right of ruling in France and would control the land through invading it. After several wars, his troop suffered from injuries’ and lack of morale in fighting but like any other good leader, he continued encouraging them to fight giving them reasons as to why they should continue fighting. In the above discussed battle the English who were outnumbered five times by the French went ahead to win the battle .this was accomplished through his determination and inspiration. His soldiers had to fight in his reign whether willing or not. As a good manager, Henry new that his soldiers would fight well when they were forced other than when they had good reasons. With the perception connected to the king, Henry made it straight that they had to obey him. He used this as a key strategy in making them fight. He therefore managed his soldiers arguin g that his primary objective was the same as theirs as well as for the entire kingdom. To ensure his soldiers loyalty, Henry went in midst of them in disguise to evaluate what they were thinking. He could always put his men’s effort in the same level as his. This aspect motivated the entire force by encouraging them as they compared themselves with the king. Together with his followers he refused defeat and surrender. At the same time Henry ensured that French people were not harassed by his men and injustice from the military were not entertained. He also acted firmly on those who refused to follow his orders. Henry is seen as a leader who had mercy on French people. To him, he was not seeking to conquer France as an outsider but as a rightful king who should be leading the country as he had roots from France. By treating the French fairly even when his men were had not done things right was to show that he would rule the two nations with justice. His good will made him clai m his throne and maintain his reign.   As he died Henry’s last words were wish to rebuild Jerusalem. He is considered as a national king and a hero. His schemes however are seen as if they ended in a failure he died before accomplishing them. He had a constructive idea of a firm central government which would be supported by parliament. He also wanted reforms on the church based on conservative lines, commercial development and the continuation of the national reputation. If only he lived, Henry would have accomplished his aims on medieval lines. His personality was a key value to his success.   Henry could train leaders but at the time of his death, it is believed that nobody could have taken his position as a leader. His guidance led to success of wars, diplomacy and civil administration. It would be right to argue that if Henry was not the main founder of the Britain army, then he is the first to realize its role. If he was not the founder of the English navy he was one of the first to realize its true imp ortance.Henry required everyone below his power to obey him. It is said that he was merciless to anybody who was merciless to him. As a prince, Henry was opposed to harsh policy of Archbishop Arundel although when he was a king he was moderate although was still charged with cruelty as a religious persecutor. Lollard executions which happened when he was in power are more considered as political other than religious. In his personal conduct he was uncorrupted, moderate and genuinely moral. Henry had a good taste of culture, that is, music and art and also participated in games and exercises. Henry was buried in Westminster Abbey, (Shakespear 2008). ConclusionHenry V was one of the gifted men in the world who had a personality that built a self belief and ability to achieve. He is believed to be one of successful army commanders who acted with a sense of right unlike the current politicians. However his ambitions took him to another level of treaties making him forget his ability to achieve such as uniting the nations neighbouring him, initiating harmony and peace between crown and the parliament. Henry left a legacy which cannot be compared to political or military. Within forty years after Henry’s death, Valois re- conquered France and resumed the throne. While England collapsed into civil wars again as Lancastrian line lost their other crown.   Henry is indeed a legend one which the later generations were taught and tried to emu rate. One of the great of all is making Vernacular English into the parliament, (Barker 2020).    Bibliography About.com. â€Å"Medieval History.† historymedren.about.com. 14 may 1995. Barker, Juliet. Conquest: The English Kingdom of France in the Hundred Years War . London: Abacus , 2009. Ian, Mortimer. 1415: Henry V's Year of Glory. London: Bodley Head , 2009. â€Å"King Henry V.† britroyals.com. 19 march 2010. Shakespear, William. Henry V (Oxford World's Classics; the Oxford Shakespeare). Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. Shakespear, William. Henry V: The Life of King Henry the Fift. New Jersey: Forgotten Books , 2008.

Aurora- Light of Mystery

Aurora - Mysterious Light text box: This shuttle image shows the characteristic oval shape of Aurora. What is my aurora? Aurora or aurora is the emission of the upper atmosphere generated by the high latitudes of the two hemispheres. The northern hemisphere aurora is called aurora and the southern hemisphere aurora is called aurora. Aurora (Latin is dawn) is a beautifully magical light that you can see in the darkness of the polar sky. Aurora borealis is one of the most mysterious and interesting phenomena in nature and has been fascinated by Scandinavian tourists and locals from ancient Vikings. Watching a spectacular light show or discovering the aurora is only the beginning of your outstanding journey. For thousands of years European cuisine masterpieces have captivated travelers. From traditional cultural cuisine to contemporary cuisine specialties, it is a worthwhile travel to visit these delicious destinations. Bring a healthy appetite and enjoy a wonderful taste, sight and sce nt on this rich cooking trip Aurora is Aurora or Antarctica. These are ghostly lights that appear in the sky of the earth. These are extremes facing the earth. In the north, these auroras are called auroras. In the South these auroras are called aurora aurora. Amp; nbsp; These occur when there is a magnetic field outside the Earth 's atmosphere. After that, the solar wind attacked the magnetic field and released these aurora to the earth's south north pole. The color of the aurora depends only on the height of most of the collision of the streetlight and the neon sign emits light according to the amount of gas of the subject. If these auroral lights are about 300 kilometers tall they may turn red. This is very rare, but it will happen when the solar wind is at its maximum. The most common colors are yellow and green. All of these lights are called by oxygen, but they are all at low altitudes

Innovation and Enterprise (BBVA) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Innovation and Enterprise (BBVA) - Essay Example Innovation and Enterprise (BBVA) In most instances, innovation is commonly attributed to newness of a given aspect (Varis and Littunen, 2010, p. 128). However, they argue that there is no universally conclusive definition of the term since in the present world new knowledge is always coming up and not everything new can be classified as innovation. However, OEDC (2005, p. 101) described firm level innovation as planned change in an organization’s activities geared towards enhancing the organization performance. Innovation is differentiated based on main two aspects. The first looks at the object of change, such as product, market, process and organizational innovation (Oke, Burke and Myers, 2007, p. 735). Moreover, the type of innovation can be based on their how radical they are or their newness; that is based on the extent of change. According to Varis and Littunen (2010, p. 128), radical innovations usually bring up revolutionary changes and in some instances may trigger technological innovation. Basic ing redients of innovation are transferable and the most critical source of innovative ideas include the firm’s the employees, competitors and research (Beach, 2006, p. 1). Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria is a major retail bank in Spain that offers a wide range of financial services to both end-user clients and business customers. The bank was established in about one hundred and fifty years, and has grown significantly to open branches in USA, Mexico and South America. Currently, the bank is the largest in Mexico and is listed among the 25 major banks in US. Moreover, BBVA is among the few Western Banks operating successfully in Japan. By 2008, BBVA had 112, 000 employees serving more than 47 million countries in more than 30 countries (Ramis-Pujol and Droege, 2011, p.3). The bank has been able to balance its corporate principles while still focusing on customer service. In addition, BBVA views innovation as an engine for its future growth. Presently, BBBVA is one of the seven largest banks in the world measured in terms of market capitalization after joining this league in 2009. Types of Innovation by BBVA One of the types of innovation implemented by BBVA is product innovation when the bank came up with tu cuentas. Some years back, BBVA bank identified the great potential offered by internet technology to retail banking. The bank felt that its customers could appreciate more online banking services to better manage their financial activities and make them more open. The bank envisioned that customers could be more satisfied knowing what they spend their finances in, average money spent on different items in the budget and compare their spending trends with those of their peers. Moreover, the new product could help the customers develop strategies to optimize their spending habits. Tu cuentas was also developed to improve the user experience and increase its functionality and flexibility. Moreover, BBVA intended to allow its customers incorporate their banking information from other their accounts in other financial institutions. This last functionality was a unique service in retail banking. Given that the bank was financially and expertise constrained, it decided to

Global market and the isssue of off shore out sourcing Essay

Global market and the isssue of off shore out sourcing - Essay Example ss commentators defined the 20t century as the United States century, it is possible that the 21st century will now be defined as the era of Asian countries, especially India and China. While China is taking its place as the world’s manufacturing powerhouse, India is positioning itself as the global office (Lewin et al, 2011). Together, these two countries have a huge domestic market potential with cheap labour and administrations that are implementing policies that are capital friendly, leading many to believe that global markets are at a tipping point. It is evidently seen that Europe and the United States will no longer dominate the global markets that they have dominated in the last century, especially because they will have to compete in a global economy in which they are only responsible for a few inventions (Lewin et al, 2011). The future now requires that all countries embrace off-shoring of business processes across companies, cultures, borders, and disciplines. Those countries that will elect to narrow their focus on nationalism will not be successful in the new era of off-shoring and outsourcing. In addition, those countries that do not geographically diversify their activities (Lewin et al, 2011), while also developing strong international webs of innovation will fall short of competing in a market that is becoming increasingly global. Multinational corporations have for years made headlines with regards to skirting of environmental laws that are stringently implemented in industrialized nations through this process of off-shoring (Contractor, 2011). This involves off-shoring low cost and high polluting processes of manufacturing to countries with less stringent environmental laws, while also selling by-products with unacceptable toxicity, in developed countries, to less developed countries with weak laws. This particular problem, which can also be defined as off-shoring responsibility for environmental destruction is not part of the grand plan for

Patton-Fuller Community Hospital Essay Example for Free

Patton-Fuller Community Hospital Essay Team C has identified that the Human Resources Department of Patton-Fuller Community Hospital has primary system deficiencies with the information security and lack of information. The records are currently open to all system users, exposing personal information to the Internet through the public website. The requirements for updating the Human Resources operating system have been identified using a specification checklist for updating software for the department including payroll and accounting. Team C has gathered the business requirements to understand the needs of the Human Resources department. The department currently operates on an Apple iMac with 2 gigahertz, 350-megabyte hard drive wireless with Mac OS X including Leopard and Windows XP. All patient files are encrypted for storage using AES. Advanced Encryption Standard is highly secure using 256-bit AES encryption for sensitive data. The Human Resource department also needs to have their sensitive data secure. The Human Resources department performs many functions including all of the accounting for the hospital. The hospital accounting and finance needs to operate using a secure and sophisticated software system. Updating the software to be able to perform accounting records is crucial to determine the financial soundness of Patton-Fuller Community Hospital. Patient accounts and billing must be secure and the software to be modified and updated should be too easy to learn and work with. Further research needs to be conducted if off-the-shelf software should be purchased or if the software should be modified or developed specifically for the department. Marketing communication is relatively designed to sell the value and benefits of the project to the stakeholders, which includes the healthcare providers, insurance companies, and pharmacies that are willing to invest in an organization working towards an accessible, affordable healthcare system such as the one that will be provided by Fuller-Patton Community Hospital. Team C has chosen to use branding as the source of marketing communication since it is indeed known to be the most sophisticated. The primary purpose of branding is to establish an identity that conjures up a positive image (Mochal, 2007). Our purpose in implementing this new software system is to assure the stockholders with this positive image, reflection and emotion  when a person hears of the new product. In order for Team C to make sure that the positive image is captured we will need to ask one another some important questions such as:Will this new system require a change in the way people perform their jobs and will this project make the business workers nervous as a result of efficiencies that will ultimately require less people to do the same function? As long as Team C holds a steady stream of positive communication amongst one another during the implementation of this project for the Human Resource Department then the project will be successful and should help overcome any negative perceptions one may have about the project. As a marketing research strategy Team C should implement a survey or questioner on how consumers in the local and surrounding areas gather information regarding hospitals and healthcare, as well as to what type of documentation the consumers are getting the information from such as the Internet, family, newspapers, friends, television, radio and possible hospital pamphlets or flyers. Once the information from the survey or questionnaire is gathered it should supply us with the insight of just how much the consumers friends and families have on the organization and patient satisfaction. This will guide Team C into the direction that they need in order to come up with the best image to fit the needs of Patton-Fuller Community Hospital. Team C can also set their marketing research plans toward is employee satisfaction and increase administrative efficiency by implementing Magic Service Desk for the Human Resources department. Magic Service Desk has the ability to track all employee requests while providing him or her with instant answers to policies and procedure questions. This will be an instant way that Team C can improve Patton-Fullers organizational efficiency by automating the Human Resources processes and empowering all employees to help them with access to the knowledge base and retrieve the available FAQs that they so desperately need. Mochal, T. (2007). Use branding techniques to build a positive image for your project. BNET Business Network. Retrieved on 12 Oct 2008 from: http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10878_11-6162466.html

An Analysis of A Tale of Two Cities :: Tale Two Cities Essays

An Analysis of A Tale of Two Cities    By reading the novel A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, it gives us an understanding of the French Revolutionary War that cannot be found in textbooks.    By reading between the lines, each of the characters represents the stirring emotions and reactions of the people that were affected by the War.    Lucie Manett, who later becomes Lucie Darnay, is a tender and affectionate loving person. She is a very virtuous woman who reaches out to all human beings in need of love. Most of all the people she meets immediately have respect for and are loyal to her. From the French Revolutionary war point of view, Lucie represents family and bonds between lovers. She is what people are truly fighting for, to defeat the antagonist, battle for what they believe in and then go home to their loving families...Lucie. Lucie also symbolizes peace, when being with the one you love or knowing that they are there its makes people more at ease, it makes war and life a lot more easier to go through.    Charles Darnay is a French nobleman by birth. He is a righteous man who renounces his inheritance and his title, he chooses to earn an honest living as a tutor in England. Charles Darnay was falsely accused of treason. Dickens wrote this, to stand for all the people that were barely involved in the war but were unjustly accused of things they did not do. In the novel you felt what Darnay was portraying and how it affected the people that cared for him most. This showed that there were many people that had done wrong and were sentenced to death for it, yet there were also people who did not deserve to be there. These people were either killed or rescued. Fortunately Darnay was rescued to be with his love.    Like in all wars there is always evil to be present. Madam Defarge is all of the dreadful aspects of war put into one. As she slowly knits the names of her victims that need to die she plots revenge on the people who she watches. She seeks war but waits for the perfect time.

Geely Automobile Essay

   In the first part, the ECLIPTER factors including econography, culture, legal system, income profile, political risk, tax regime, exchange rate and restrictions, together with the multilateral institutions such as WTO, EU and ASEAN will be examined by using UK and Malaysia as examples. Then based on this analysis, it will provide an assessment of the company‘s overall international expansion strategy and process. In the second part, legal system and income profile, the two most important ECLIPTER factors on Geely‘ overseas operations, will be evaluated. Furthermore, the scheme which Geely used to deal with the impact of these two factors and leverage the multilateral institutions will be shown. Finally, this report will analyze whether the company‘s international adaptation of the business function is effective, and then give some recommendations and lessons. 2. ECLIPTER Factors Analysis 2. 1 Econography Econography refers to physical and human assets including distance from major markets, and natural resources of nations that affect industry performance. In the first, the close distance between parent company and foreign subsidiary can help the company to reduce the transport costs and overhead expenses; it also can improve the connection between them. If the parent company is in China, it is better to build a subsidiary in Asia such as Malaysia. Secondly, the natural resources used for making cars mainly include steel, copper, and aluminum. If the country owns rich mineral resources, it can greatly provide benefit in the production of automobiles. One of the major purposes for many multinational corporations establishing overseas subsidiaries is to exploit the foreign natural resources. This is good for companies to 5 International Business Environment II reduce production costs and get competitive advantages. As World Steel Association reported in 2009 that the crude steel production of United Kingdom is 13. 5 in 2008, whereas the crude steel production of Malaysia is 6. 1 in 2008. 2. 2 Culture This paragraph will analyze the effects of culture on auto industry through power distance index and saving rate. Firstly, power distance index measures the degree of inequality exists in a society (Hofstede, 1997). The power distance index is 80 in Malaysia whereas it is only 35 in UK (Hofstede, 2008). The unequal distribution of wealth makes most Malaysian citizens prefer to hold a commercial auto. So the inexpensive Geely auto could be a good option for them. Secondly, saving rate could be a standard to show the attitude of citizens. The saving rate of Malaysia was 47 per cent in the year 1998 which ranks second in Asia (Azia, 2004). In contrast, the saving rate in UK was significantly low, which was less than 10 percent in the past ten years. For instance, the saving rate of UK household in 2008 was only 1. 7 percent (chart 1)(Presser, 2008). So UK citizens are apt to consume a relatively high price car. Chart 1 Resource from Posser (2008) 6 International Business Environment II 2. 3 Legal system The auto industry has been affected by laws and government regulations since the 1960’s. The first safety act passed in 1966 by Congress and was called the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Highfill, 2004). This act forced manufacturers to improve the safety for the passengers, the driver visibility, and the braking of the car. Not only safety, but also environment is being growingly concerned even before the oil crisis. The Vehicle Air Pollution and Control Act passed in 1965 was the first act to set standards for automobile pollution. Then in the 1970’s, Congress passed the Clean Air Act that led to a 90% decrease in automobile emission within the next six years (ibid). In the 1970’s the oil crisis led to the approval of The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 which stated that all automobiles must meet a certain mileage per gallon. The act required that all automobiles had to meet a standard of 20mpg by the 1980 model and then 27. 5 mpg for the 1985 model (ibid). EU 2020 growth strategy also emphasizes the importance of low carbon automobile (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, 2010). There are also many special laws for auto industry in different countries, such as Malaysia, which has built a free trade area for production and assembly of products for export-oriented enterprises. Companies can enjoy the minimum tariffs, raw materials and simplified mechanical equipment import formalities. Nevertheless, the Malaysia government regulates that more than 80% products should export to other countries (Daily News, 2006). Furthermore, the UK Byers Acts Measures to cut the average price of a car by ? 1,100 and save private car buyers around ? 1 billion a year. Although it may lower the profitability of auto industry, the number of consumers will increase gradually (DTI, 2000). 2. 4 Income profile Since automobile is not inferior goods, the demand of automobile would rise when income increases. In the economic aspect, income could be an indicator of the purchasing power of individuals and nations. Data from UK national statistics office (2010) demonstrated that despite the contracted 4. 9 percent of GDP in the whole year, the GDP increased 0. 4 percent in 7 International Business Environment II the fourth quarter of 2009. Furthermore, Household expenditure also rose 0. 4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009 in UK (chart2). For Malaysia, the GDP growth in the fourth quarter of 2009 was 4. 5 though the figure was negative in the whole year (chart 3) (Malaysia statistics, 2010). It can be observed that the economy of both UK and Malaysia seem to recover from the global financial crisis. This positive signal predicts the growing demand and distensible market for Geely in both countries. Chart 2 Resource from UK statistics 2010 Chart3 Resource from Malaysia statistics 2010 8 International Business Environment II The core competitiveness of Geely automobile relies on its high performance-price ratio. Per capital GNI (Gross national income) in Malaysia was 25784 RM in 2008. By analyzing the 2004 United Nations Human Development (UNHDP) report, except the 20% population of richest and poorest class, Geely will be a better choice for the rest citizens in Malaysia(chart 4) (Lumpur, 2004). In comparison, the young people account for a great amount of population in UK. A source from HMRC shows the average income of under 20 years is ? 9,570 and 20-24 years is ? 13,200 which is below the average (chart 5). It implies that when young generation decide to buy a car, price is the first consideration factor. For medium quality car manufacture companies, young population in UK could be a potential group of customers. Chart 4 9 International Business Environment II Chart5 Median Age Band Under 20 years 20 – 24 ? 11,800 years 25 – 29 ? 17,000 years 30 -34 ? 19,500 years 35 – 39 ? 20,100 years 40-44 ? 20,200 years 45 – 49 ? 20,300 years Resource from Lumpur (2004) ? 28,600 ? 24,800 ? 35,400 ? 15,200 ? 20,100 ? 28,100 ? 24,600 ? 34,600 ? 14,900 ? 19,800 ? 26,800 ? 23,600 ? 31,700 ? 15,500 ? 20,100 ? 23,900 ? 21,600 ? 26,700 ? 16,400 ? 20,100 ? 19,300 ? 17,800 ? 20,600 ? 15,900 ? 17,800 ? 13,200 ? 12,400 ? 13,800 ? 11,200 ? 12,300 ? 8,130 ? 9,570 ? 8,490 ? 9,810 ? 7,990 ? 9,250 Median Income Mean Income Income (Men) (Men) (Women) (Women) Income Income Income Mean Median Mean 2. 5 Political risk According to Guinger (2001), political risk describes the stability of government institutions. It can be measured in a variety of ways such as likelihood of foreign aggression and civil insurrection. The Transparency International (2009) showed that UK and Malaysia both face some problems of political corruption, which adversely affects the efficiency of economic operation. World Bank estimates that corruption could cost Malaysia as much as RM10 10 International Business Environment II billion a year – an amount equivalent to 1 or 2 per cent of GDP. The corruption in the UK is lighter than Malaysia, which ranked 17, whereas Malaysia ranked 56 in world in 2009 based on Corruption Perceptions Index 2009. But the corruption in UK is not unheard. Surveys by Control Risks and Simmons & Simmons show that the awareness of UK laws against foreign bribery may be decreasing over time. In 2002, after the act came into force, 68 percent of respondents said they were familiar with its main points. But in 2006, 48 percent people said that they have totally ignored it (Global Corruption Report, 2009). 2. 6 Tax Regime Tax regime refers to the tax instruments that governments use to raise revenues from multinational firms, such as corporate taxes. The tax of Malaysia is transparent, the multinational corporate must be taxed 30% of the corporate income which is just the same as Malaysia companies Marketing directory, 2005) According to the tax incentive treaties, auto ( . industry may be eligible for pioneer status which is given by the way of an abatement of 70% of the profits for five years (ibid). The remaining 30% of the profits will be taxed at the prevailing corporate income tax rate. The profits abated are exempt from tax and will be available for distribution as tax-free dividends. In UK the resident corporate tax is the lowest in Europe, even the tax is zero for the small companies in 2002(Lawandtax-news, 2010). According to the tax treaties, multinational corporate which set up, purchase or control the companies in UK can follow the resident tax (Navstar, 2009). In the ordinary course of events, foreign companies cannot follow the low corporate tax, but with regard to double taxation and the agreement between UK and China, Chinese multinational corporates in UK now pay the low tax (ibid). 2. 7 Exchange rate Stable trade policies are extremely important for both the economic welfare of the countries and the multilateral trading system. Unfortunately, the liberalization measures were adopted by many countries. As Dornbusch‘s 1976 analysis has pointed out that when the exchange rate is used to provide protection for domestic firms, it is through undervaluation. An undervalued 11 International Business Environment II exchange rate protects domestic firms from imports and gives domestic firms greater incentives to export. For example, the Balance of Payments Committee of the WTO has received 39 requests from member countries for derogations from their international obligations and for a temporary increase in temporary protection. Moreover, several developing countries, such as Malaysia, have recently increased tariffs in response to financial crises even though the higher rates remain below the rates these countries bounded in the WTO. Moreover the analysis said China has become a great auto exporter, as a result of the huge subsidies, an undervalued exchange rate and dirt-cheap credit (Swaminathan, 2009). 2. 8 Restrictions Restrictions refer to the taxes and limitations that host governments place on foreign products and services or on foreign firms themselves when they enter or leave the host economy. Because of the policy of protecting their national automobile industry, the import tax of automobile is relatively high in Malaysia. Since 2004, Malaysia began to reduce the automobile import tax: for the import components the tax is reduce from 25% to 10%, and for the whole automobile the import tax is drop from 130% to 30% for the companies outside of Southeast Asia (MEI, 2009). In 2010, according to the agreement of ASEAN, the automobile import tax will be zero to all the regions of ASEAN. UK is a member of EU, it followed the economic agreement of EU which sets no import or export tax between members of EU and they must charge the same tax when they have business with the third country (European competitiveness, 2009). 12. International Business Environment II Scoring Analysis of UK and Malaysia Country Score Econography Culture Legal System Income Profile Political Risk Tax Regime Exchange Rate Restrictions Total (10) (10) (20) (20) (10) (10) (10) (10) (100) 8 7 18 8 8 8 7 7 71 7 6 16 15 5 9 8 9 75 UK Malaysia 3. Institutions 3. 1 WTO The major objectives of WTO‘s roles are ? the creation of a common automobile market through the elimination of barriers to intra-Community trade; the maintenance and expansion of a competitive world automobile industry; the use of voluntary import restrictions to prevent cheap imports and to maintain competitiveness? (European Commission, 2006). For example, in 2006, WTO announced the establishment of a panel to examine whether China’s tariffs on imported auto parts violate WTO trade rules, following a joint complaint made by the United States, the European Union and Canada, who accused China for its discriminatory charges on imported auto parts. After examining China‘s related regulations, WTO panel declared that China’s regulations are inconsistent with China’s WTO obligations. China has agreed to make the necessary regulatory changes by September 2009 (Herd, 2006). 13 International Business Environment II. WTO facilitates Geely‘s international expansion since the elimination of trade barriers has cleared its path to world market and made it integrated to the world economy. In 2002, after China joined into WTO, 100 automobiles of Geely exported to Syria (Luo, 2005). 3. 2 EU EU functions as a rule-imposer. It sets strict requirements and institute rules and regulations to improve vehicle safety. Besides the vehicle crash tests executed by Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Program backed by European Commission), there are also some regulations set to protect the environment. First, in order to respond to the gradual aggravation of greenhouse effect, the European commission developed a mandatory emission standard to limit the emission of one major kind of greenhouse gas, CO2. The regulation set a fleet-average CO2 emission target for passenger cars, which is 120 g/km to be reached by 2015 (European Commission, 2010). The vehicle manufacturers must reach the CO2 emission target of 130g/km, with an additional reduction of 10 g/km to be provided by supplementary measures, such as the use of hydrogen fuel. A long-term target of 95 g/km to be reached by 2020 is also established by the regulation (ibid). This regulation will take effect in 2012. From 2012 onwards, vehicle manufacturers who do not meet this target will have to pay penalty for their excess emissions. According to DieselNet (2010), from 2012 to 2018, the penalties are â‚ ¬5 per vehicle for the first g/km of CO2; â‚ ¬15 for the second gram; â‚ ¬25 for the third gram; â‚ ¬95 from the fourth gram onwards. From 2019, manufacturers will pay â‚ ¬95 for each g/km exceeding the target. Another congressional mandate imposed by European Commission requires tire pressure monitoring systems on all new cars in 2012. According to Europe‘s Information Society (2010), many road accidents resulting in fatalities and physical injuries are linked to tire defects. Furthermore, under-inflated tires can result in severely inefficient use of fuel and cause an extra two million tons of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere per year. So this mandate enhances vehicle safety and protects the environment. 14 International Business Environment II These regulations have incurred a rise in car prices since vehicle manufacturers are forced to increase price to offset the cost of upgrading. These regulations put Geely in an unfavorable position. Since Geely is better known for making low-tech and cheap cars, making eco-friendly cars is not included in the competencies of the company and huge R&D spending is inevitable for nurturing this competence. They set a high bar for the competition and limit Geely‘s ability to expand market in Europe. 3. 3 ASEAN ASEAN – Association of South East Asia Nations is a geo-political and economic organization of 10 countries located in Southeast Asia. China and ASEAN are both newly-emerged, rapidly-developing auto markets. Cooperation in auto industry between China and ASEAN will bring a win-win situation for the two sides and make their cars more competitive in a global competition. For instance, according to Xinhua News Agency (2006), a report released by the Ministry of Commerce Indonesia has announced that compared to the expensive Japanese sedans, the China-made ones gradually gain popularity for more favourable price-performance ratio. ASEAN country also needs investment from Chinese carmakers to expand local employment and for more price-favourable cars, said a Germany auto expert at the China-ASEAN Expo, 2006. Consequently, in general, ASEAN opens its gate to Chinese car companies including Geely to achieve a win-win situation. 4. Assessment of Geely’s overall international expansion strategy Geely‘s current international strategy is to produce affordable automobile, so the market size and consume power of a foreign market are highly valued by Geely. Malaysia automobile market resembles China more than UK, in the aspects such as the people‘s income, the similar culture, and the similar geographical position, etc. As by now most cars have been exported to some developing countries like South-East Asia, Ukraine, Russia, and Mexico, Malaysia will be good choice. Meanwhile, although UK does not represent a neighboring or ? home‘ market, 15 International Business Environment II as markets in South-East Asia do, UK could be seen as an interesting market with a potential for higher margins, higher price levels and a more mature market for branding, technology, etc, as the UK‘s income per capita, and the automobile sales volume are higher than that of Malaysia. Considering the future international development, Geely should focus on UK. Therefore, at first, it is better for Geely to develop its ? producing automobile which most of people can buy‘ strategy in Malaysia, and when Geely is able to enter high-end automobile market, UK will be a better choice. In terms of multilateral institution, after evaluating the influence of international organizations, we suggest that Malaysia is a better choice for Chinese car companies to exploit new markets. Firstly, a win-win situation guarantees a favourably corporate relationship between Geely and ASEAN (Eichengreen, 2006). Secondly, there are various quality-related requirements and constraints in EU and probably NAFTA, which puts up a strong challenge for those Asian auto makers. Moreover, by far, there is no evidence to prove the acquisition of Manganese Bronze and Volvo have considerably increased Geely‘s sale in developed nations. Thus considering the opportunities and threats faced by Geely, it is recommended that the company emphasizes on developing nations‘ markets, rather than the developed markets. 5. Marketing analysis 5. 1 Legal system According to Alistair Darling‘s pre-budget report, UK will bring new opportunities for the low-carbon industries. Through the Innovation Investment Fund and the Carbon Trust’s Venture Capital scheme, UK will invest at least ? 160m in low carbon projects (Guardian, 2009). They will also invest ? 90m in the European Investment Bank’s new 2020 fund, which will put 6. 5 billion Euros of finance in green infrastructure projects. In this report, there are alterations to the climate change levy, company car tax, and fuel benefit charge (ibid). This is good news for Geely because now it dedicates itself to produce high-tech and eco-friendly automobile. In 16 International Business Environment II UK the amount of car tax depends on the price and the discharge amount for carbon, which is from 9% for electric motor car to 10%-35% for petrochemical car. UK also has a successful car scrappage scheme, which gives consumers a ? 2,000 discount off. If they scrap their old vehicle, it will help up to 125,000 families replace their inefficient boilers with new models (Julia, 2009). Through the government‘s support of low-carbon industry, Geely has more opportunities to innovate high-tech and eco-friendly automobile. Furthermore, because of the low tax and car scrappage scheme, customer is inclined to buy or change an electric motor car,. In 22nd March 2006, Malaysia published the new automobile policy (MEI, 2009). Since that day, the import taxes of CBU (Complete Built Unit) are reduced from 20% to 5% for the ASEAN members and 50% to 30% for other countries. The import taxes of CKD (Completely Knock Down) are 10%. In 28th October 2009, Mustafa Mohamed announced many new policies for auto industry which will give much more preferences and subsidies for the new energy automobile companies (ibid). 5. 2 Income profile It is known that the success of Geely relies mostly on keeping low cost and offering the affordable cars. For instance, Geely’s best-selling four-door sedan, the King Kong, has been sold 6127 in April 2010 and the retail price is between 47,800RMB – 58,800RMB (Jiang, 2010). Geely sold 329,014 passenger cars in 2009, making it is the third largest domestic car producer (Zheng, 2010). However, Geely’s winning formula is under pressure in china because Chinese consumers are becoming wealthier; the higher-end models will gradually be affordable for them. Meanwhile, brands such as the Chery QQ, Ford Fiesta, and Honda Civic are threatening Geely‘s current market position. Geeky‘s winning formula is also challenged at the oversea markets like UK and Malaysia. Date from HMRC (HM Revenue & Customs) indicates that nearly 50% of the population in UK earns ? 16400 annually which is much higher than the middle class income of Malaysia. This group of population could be a dominant power in the automobile market in UK. It is not a wise choice to sell its inexpensive cars in UK considering that low price would not be 17 International Business Environment II attractive for these relatively rich citizens. The similar situation also happened in Malaysia which made Geely‘s low price cars less competitive. This is because that the predicted real GDP growth in 2010, 2011 and 2015 are 4. 7%, 5. 0% and 5. 0%, Malaysian people are becoming richer than before(IMF, 2010). Their increasing incomes will directly affect their car buying choice. People nowadays prefer the higher-end models and the market share of Geely‘s lower-end models are estimated to reduce gradually. 6. Geely’s reacts to the impact of the ECLIPTER First, since the middle of 2009, the sales of car exports decreased from 37940 in 2008 to 6297. Furthermore, although Geely exports to more than 50 countries, most of them are developing countries which are not so effective in the promotion of the brand image. In order to get rid of low-end image, Geely changed its strategy from ?produce automobile which most of people can buy‘ to ? do not produce cars which price is below 40000 Yuan‘ (Fang, 2009). Besides, Geely take over Volvo which also expressed its desire to promote the brand image. Geely‘s strategy changes starts in May 2007, which is focus on transforming its competitive advantage from price to technology. In 2007, Geely used three new motorcycle type—Yuan Jing, King Kong and Zi You Jian, which have relatively higher value added to substitute the Haoqing, Meiri and You Liou. For doing that, Geely scraped its old molds, jigs and production line which worth up to 8 billion Yuan. In 2008, the sales of these three new auto types grew 12% without discount marketing strategy (Geely annual report, 2009). Furthermore, in 2010, Geely will market 21 new auto types, and some of them were designed by Fabrizio Giugiaro, the Italy‘s famous auto manufacturer. Moreover, the new energy auto will also be produced in 2010, which will include Panda and DiHao (Wenqing, 2010). These new energy auto types have been showed in the Beijing car exhibition 2010 (Phoenix auto, 2010). In order to deal with these two factors, Geely also has a complementary strategy: cooperate or takeover other well-known international auto manufacturers. It will not only help Geely to promote its auto manufacture technology, but also improve its brand image. Geely has already cooperated with 18 International Business Environment II Britain‘s Manganese Bronze to produce luxurious brand-named taxi (China car Times, 2010) and assembled cars with Information Gateway Corp Sdn Bhd (IGC) in Malaysia, 2006 (Tan, 2006). 7. Leverage the multilateral institutions 7. 1 ASEAN One of the stunning news in 2005 was the political barriers Geely met in Malaysia, which was considered as the biggest challenge for its overseas expansion so far. Geely‘s President Li Shufu described Malaysia as ? an unexpected trap? because of Malaysia government‘s rejection on fulfilling the contract. After examining the ECLIPTER factors of Malaysia market, Li Shufu and his team regarded Malaysia as the first pillbox and cornerstone of its expansion to ASEAN countries. He believed the learning in Malaysia could be helpful. Therefore, in May 2005, Geely has made a joint contract with Malaysia IGC group for building CKD factory in Malaysia. However, Malaysia government denied the contract after a new document on automobile being published. According to the document, all cars made by foreign automobile manufacturers were prohibited to sell in Malaysia. Then the situation in Malaysia went against its expection of getting a huge sale. However, according to Geely officials, to some extent, ASEAN agreements have made Geely to reconsider the importance of Malaysia (Harwit). In South East Asia nations, there are some strict tariff-related regulations for automobile industry. Contrarily, tariff among ASEAN countries is in a minimum rate. According to an inner-ASEAN agreement, from 2003 to 2009, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippine, Singapore and Vietnam exempted auto import tariff for each other. From 2010, all ASEAN countries will implement zero auto import tariff for each other. At the same time, Indonesia, Thailand and some other ASEAN nations‘ demand of cars is increasing considerably (JAMA, 2008). Especially after an impressive increase in 2007, the car-sale in Indonesia becomes significantly dazzle. Therefore Geely 19 International Business Environment II planed to only manufacture cars in Malaysia and then export cars to other ASEAN countries, which seems like a forward-looking plan in a long-term development. Finally, Geely decided to move its Malaysia CKD manufacture center to Indonesia. However, its vision of leveraging ASEAN to pursue a sale performance in all ASEAN nations has not changed. 7. 2 EU In terms of EU regulations, since Geely has acquired 100% ownership of Volvo, the Sweden‘s company, Geely is no longer an outsider of European market. According to the EU Single market concept (European Commission, 2010), a free circulation of capital, labor, goods and services between EU members is granted. Geely now have got over tariff barriers and competes as an insider. 8. Implications and Recommendations One of the strategies of Geely is to promote new energy automobile, there are two advantages for this strategy: Firstly, Geely can get powerful support from government since the development of new energy is encouraged by the government. Secondly, since new energy automobile is environmental friendly goods, it not only reduces the carbon emissions, but also decreases the expenses on routine maintenance (Bond newspaper, 2010). However, there are also drawbacks, such as the inadequate facilities. Acquiring other world famous bands is the other strategy of Geely, which facilitates the company‘s global expansion. For instance, Volvo is well-known by its safety, which could provide Geely with a competitive advantage on its brand trust. It also provides a valuable, more upscale user image. Therefore, through merger or acquisition of international well-known brands, Geely can get greater international fame and advanced technology, integrate into the world market and attract more consumers. However, certain risks should be considered when Geely acquires Volvo. The first risk is that the culture conflicts between two countries. It has been reported that one of the hindering factors is that the union of Volvo in Sweden disagrees the acquisition for their reduced 20 International Business Environment II welfare and unemployment (Gasgoo, 2009). The second risk is that the value of acquired equity. It has been said that Volvo‘s vaunted reputation for safety has been challenged by other manufacturers which can also provide automobiles with same safety standard. In this case Volvo‘s ? safe? advantage may not be as competitive as before. 9. Conclusion To sum up, this essay has analyzed the ECLIPTER factors of Geely‘s two overseas markets, Britain and Malaysia, and examined influence of the related multilateral institutions. According to this matrix analysis, legal system and income profile have the most important impact on the auto industry. For multilateral institutions, ASEAN and WTO generally promote the Geely‘s international expansion strategy, while EU regulations are less favored in its expansion. Considering both ECLIPTER factors and related multilateral institutions, it is suitable for Geely to enter developing nations to acquire market share at its initial development. But for long-term development, Geely need to pay attention to research and develop higher-end models. With the development of Geely Company and the overall auto industry, Geely‘s focus will shift from developing countries to developed countries. Currently, Geely‘s low price strategy is challenged by the legal system and income profile of developed countries. Therefore, Geely is increasing its efforts in releasing new model cars and tapping into developed countries through merger or acquisition. Geely intends to promote its brand image and enlarge its market share through these strategic moves, although it has to face the risk of culture conflicts and the uncertainty of acquisition value. 21 International Business Environment II 10. References: Azia, A. Z. (2004) Malaysia-Encouraging Saving in a Dynamic Economy [Online]. Available at:< h.

Ideology in Desperate Housewives

Ideology In Desperate Housewives Every day, the public is unknowingly exposed to countless ideological messages. They come from all around, but the media remains ideology’s primary agent. In places such as magazines, commercials, billboards, movies and television shows, one can find evidence of ideological messages. According to theologist Louis Althusser, ideology places individuals into a certain position in society by a process called interpellation, where a specific subject (or group of people) is called out, or hailed.Althusser claims that ideology does this in order to â€Å"help people to live their own conditions of existence, to perform their assigned tasks, but also to ‘bear’ their conditions. † An example of this can be found in television dramas aimed at American middle-aged women, as found on ABC or Lifetime. One potent example comes from the drama Desperate Housewives. This show may seem like a glorified soap opera, as it primarily depicts the lives of four dynamic homemakers living in the same cal-de-sac in suburbia.However, the show’s purpose is not solely to entertain, but also to hail its audience of middle-aged women by telling them what kind of behavior is acceptable for their role in society. In the episode â€Å"You Must Meet My Wife,† each housewife struggles with a personal conflict as their natural desires and tendencies conflict with the type of behavior expected of them as spouses and mothers. We see these discrepancies unfold as the characters are confronted by sexual temptation, marital infidelity, discontent with their husbands and gender roles regarding family finances.In the end, we will see ideological norms reinstated by these women resisting their true feelings in order to act â€Å"appropriately. † On the surface, Bree Van de Kamp looks like the ideal housewife. Her house is always spotless and she cooks gourmet delicacies for her family’s dinner every night. However, as the series progresses, we learn that there is a lot more to Bree (as there is to any person). In this episode, Bree is seduced by her much younger and very attractive contractor. Bree is single, so this is not a matter of infidelity, but of general sexual urges.The narrator explains that Bree was brought up traditionally, learning to hide and suppress her desires in order to be a â€Å"lady. † Therefore, Bree denies her urges because she recognizes that as a woman, society does not approve of her being sexually outgoing. This point is hit home when she fires her contractor so that she is not tempted by his company. She lies and tells him she is letting him go because he is doing a sloppy job, unable to admit to him (or anyone) that she is having fantasies about him.Bree’s display of â€Å"weakness† makes the plot relatable and entertaining to the audience, since it is made up primarily of middle-aged women who feel the same pressure to be almost inhuman sexually . Ironically, that pressure is being reinforced by the ideological lesson that this episode teaches. Gabrielle Solis profiles a different kind of housewife. Her conflict arises when a nurse informs her that her daughter’s blood type indicates that she could not possibly be the child of Gabby and her husband, Carlos.Gauging Gabby’s reaction, the nurse assumes that the child must not belong to Carlos, and judgmentally implies that Gabby was unfaithful. The nurses actions are direct proof of the ideological message: if a housewife cheats on her husband, she loses worth. Panicking, Gabby concludes that she must have cheated on Carlos during a weekend away with her girlfriends when she was blackout drunk. Several ideological violations arise here. First, her role as a housewife does not permit weekends away with her friends where she gets wildly intoxicated. Second, cheating on your husband is of the utmost offense.Although women now have equal rights to match their equal c apabilities, our society is still predominantly patriarchal. Gabby pays for her indiscretions in this episode. Scared and deeply ashamed, she must deal with her overwhelming guilt. Her struggle reinforces ideological norms, teaching her (and consequently, the audience) that she should have been home with her family rather than out for a fun weekend with her friends. It turns out to have been all a mistake, and Gabby was not unfaithful, however her ideological lesson was learned the hard way.Yet another ideological message is presented through the life of Lynette Scavo. Strong, smart and opinionated, Lynette is the feminist who equates to (if not exceeds) her husband in most areas. However, she is not immune to the ideological restraints of being a housewife either. In this episode, her husband Tom is diagnosed with Post Part-um Depression due to the recent birth of their daughter. There is a comical quality to this, as Post Part-um Depression is mostly known as a disease for women. This works to make Tom look weak, while Lynette is exhausted taking care of the house and the kids.She laughs at Tom’s diagnosis, and he becomes offended, stating that she is always too critical. Lynette’s friend Renee becomes involved, telling Lynette that she needs to â€Å"demonstrate her abilities as a wife† and make it up to Tom. Renee’s character provides insight to the ideological belief that wives should be supportive and nurturing towards their husbands, even if it means sacrificing their own comfort or opinions. In the end, Lynette apologizes and listens to Tom complain for hours, just as a proper housewife is expected to do.The domestic role of women is reinstated again through Susan Delfino’s storyline. Unlike Bree and Gabby, Susan lives more of a working class lifestyle, and recently work has been slow for her husband Mike. Tight on money, Susan decides to pick up another job to supplement her income as a teacher. She does this by agre eing to do housekeeping in lingerie for a live-feed stream on the internet. Although this side-job is harmless and proving to be quite profitable, ideology tells her (and consequently, the audience) that this job is something she should be ashamed of.She lies to Mike and tells him she’s been selling homemade jewelry (more of a â€Å"lady-like† hobby) for extra money. It might make sense if Susan felt ashamed because the job might be degrading the sanctity of her body, but that is not the reason. She lies to Mike because if he knew she was using her body to make extra money for them, he might be embarrassed, upset, or even angry. As the ideology of a housewife maintains, a husband should be the main source of finances and his wife should keep him comfortable and happy. Susan breaks these rules, and it burdens her with guilt throughout the episode.She should not be ashamed to be making money in a time where finances are low, but since society does not deem it appropriate , Susan sacrifices her good conscience to be a good housewife. In conclusion, Desperate Housewives reinforces ideological norms of middle-aged women through every main character in the show. The audience might think they are only being entertained for an hour, but what they take away from it is so much deeper. They are impressed with the ideology that women of a certain aged should act, talk, and feel this way. The audience learns lessons through the characters.This particular episode taught us that fulfilling your role as a housewife is of the utmost importance, even if it means sacrificing your natural desires, freedoms, opinions, or capabilities. Desperate Housewives is not the first television show to promote this ideology. Throughout history, the ideal housewife has been depicted as static, obedient, asexual, and sometimes seemingly inhuman. However, a show centered on such a character would be dull. So Desperate Housewives takes some liberties, letting the characters run rampa nt and make mistakes, only to recoil back into their rightful places inside of their homes on Wisteria Lane.

Free Essays on Little Red-Cap

Once upon a time there was a dear little girl who was loved by every one who looked at her, but most of all by her grandmother, and there was nothing that she would not have given to the child. Once she gave her a little cap of red velvet, which suited her so well that she would never wear anything else. So she was always called little red-cap. One day her mother said to her, come, little red-cap, here is a piece of cake and a bottle of wine. Take them to your grandmother, she is ill and weak, and they will do her good. Set out before it gets hot, and when you are going, walk nicely and quietly and do not run off the path, or you may fall and break the bottle, and then your grandmother will get nothing. And when you go into her room, don't forget to say, good-morning, and don't peep into every corner before you do it. I will take great care, said little red-cap to her mother, and gave her hand on it. The grandmother lived out in the wood, half a league from the village, and just as little red-cap entered the wood, a wolf met her. Red-cap did not know what a wicked creature he was, and was not at all afraid of him. "Good-day, little red-cap," said he. "Thank you kindly, wolf." "Whither away so early, little red-cap?" "To my grandmother's." "What have you got in your apron?" "Cake and wine. Yesterday was baking-day, so poor sick grandmother is to have something good, to make her stronger." "Where does your grandmother live, little red-cap?" "A good quarter of a league farther on in the wood. Her house stands under the three large oak-trees, the nut-trees are just below. You surely must know it," replied little red-cap. The wolf thought to himself, what a tender young creature. What a nice plump mouthful, she will be better to eat than the old woman. I must act craftily, so as to catch both. So he walked for a short time by the side of little red-cap, and then he said, ... Free Essays on Little Red-Cap Free Essays on Little Red-Cap Once upon a time there was a dear little girl who was loved by every one who looked at her, but most of all by her grandmother, and there was nothing that she would not have given to the child. Once she gave her a little cap of red velvet, which suited her so well that she would never wear anything else. So she was always called little red-cap. One day her mother said to her, come, little red-cap, here is a piece of cake and a bottle of wine. Take them to your grandmother, she is ill and weak, and they will do her good. Set out before it gets hot, and when you are going, walk nicely and quietly and do not run off the path, or you may fall and break the bottle, and then your grandmother will get nothing. And when you go into her room, don't forget to say, good-morning, and don't peep into every corner before you do it. I will take great care, said little red-cap to her mother, and gave her hand on it. The grandmother lived out in the wood, half a league from the village, and just as little red-cap entered the wood, a wolf met her. Red-cap did not know what a wicked creature he was, and was not at all afraid of him. "Good-day, little red-cap," said he. "Thank you kindly, wolf." "Whither away so early, little red-cap?" "To my grandmother's." "What have you got in your apron?" "Cake and wine. Yesterday was baking-day, so poor sick grandmother is to have something good, to make her stronger." "Where does your grandmother live, little red-cap?" "A good quarter of a league farther on in the wood. Her house stands under the three large oak-trees, the nut-trees are just below. You surely must know it," replied little red-cap. The wolf thought to himself, what a tender young creature. What a nice plump mouthful, she will be better to eat than the old woman. I must act craftily, so as to catch both. So he walked for a short time by the side of little red-cap, and then he said, ...

Gun Control Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 3

Gun Control - Research Paper Example Many other American considered that viewpoint to stand in direct defiance of the 2nd Amendment, which guarantees a citizen’s right to bear arms. However, most Americans support a certain amount of gun control that does not prevent its citizens from gun ownership but can more effectively weed out those most likely to misuse or abuse the right. There are three areas most heavily debated concerning the issue of gun control; the focus being on how gun control influences and effects violent crime statistics, suicide rates, and finally the potential of â€Å"civil wars† or the encouragement of other civil uprisings. Human beings have always committed crimes against each other of one kind or another, were harmful to themselves, and were prone to armed rebellions since the beginnings of society. From wooden spears to sabers and swords, humanity has worked very hard at developing ways to fight and conquer others. The discovery of gun powder and the use of firearms it has only helped to perpetuate those historical traditions. Films like â€Å"Braveheart† and â€Å"Troy† have dramatized how bloody and extreme of the battles fought long before the modern era; the concept of hand guns and semi-automatic weaponry were not even a â€Å"twinkle† in the inventor’s eyes. However, guns may have changed how we fight, but not the reasons that we fought. They were committing acts of robbery and murder long before guns were invented. People who wanted to end their lives and found the means to do so long before guns were invented. People, most certainly, fought wars over civil issues, long before the invention of firearms (Borade 1). For this reason many experts feel that guns do not cause crimes to be committed. However, at the same time a gun gives wrong-doers an advantage over their victims when implemented. Violent crimes are being committed every few

Research methods Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Research methods - Assignment Example Besides, secondary materials are also going to be used to find out the requirements needed for the establishment of the facility among these, the historical background on tourism and hospitality development in the region, prospects in the development of the small scale hotels and bars in the region as well as the consumption trends and potentials of the people intended to use the facility upon its inception. An increasing trend has been purported in the United Kingdom over the last few years as a result of the rising trends in development and financial development in the region. The United Kingdom has been receiving a lot of international as well as regional attention as a destination for various persons and groups. Pegged on the fact that all persons visiting the united kingdom either on routine basis or occasionally has to stop over at some point for refreshment as well as for meals, establishing such a facility will be great option to generate money and build income base in the tourism sector. Tourism and hospitality sector has been experiences a booming demand in the region with the highest levels of demands registered during international and regional fairs such as during the United Kingdom’s public holidays and family days among others. Besides UK has been growing rapidly as an international destination for international fairs, conferences and workshops where several people always gather to participate in such related events and activities. Most of the big hotels and internationally recognized leisure and hospitality places in the region are very expensive offering classy services and accomplishments. These places are therefore not suitable for the quick- go services seekers who would want to take a little moment of their times for a stop over meals and drinks while on transit. There is therefore a big and prospective market for the restaurant and bar developers here given their limited number in some crucial points common