Billy Bathegate by EL Doctorow Essay -- Essays Papers

Billy Bathegate by EL Doctorow Billy Bathgate is an important American novel in it’s portrayal of one young man’s evolution from boyhood to maturity. The novel is about a fifteen year old boy that gets taken under the wing of Dutch Schultz, a 1930’s gangster trying to keep a hold of his diminishing empire. As the novel unfolds, so does the rising maturity of the tough young man introduced to us as Billy Bathgate. Billy finds himself in situations that most of us never see in our whole life. In difference to the reactions that most people would have in these situations, Billy learns from them in order to better his role in the crime family. It is for these reasons that the young fifteen year old boy quickly develops into a man. Author Overview The novel was written in 1989 by a contemporaneous author named E. L. Doctorow. Doctorow was born in 1931 and fantasized about the 1930’s crime life as a child. He is an American novelist, short story writer, editor, essayist, as well as a dramatist. His works include Big as Life, The Book of Daniel, Ragtime, Loon Lake, World’s Fair, , Lives of the Poets: Six Stories and a Novella, a play entitled Drinks Before Dinner and of course his most recent work Billy Bathgate. Billy Bathgate is Doctorow’s most famous piece of literature. In fact, the book grasped so much attention that it was later made into a movie with an all star cast including Bruce Willis, Dustin Hoffman and Nicole Kidman. Although the film left out a lot of detail, as so many movies based on novels tend to do, it was interesting to see the elaborate detail given to the clothing, attitude, and backdrop that so accurately reflect the inner city Bronx in the 1930’s. Doctorow’s ex plicit, graphic detail show his almost fascination with crime and murder. He almost glamorizes the life of crime in Billy Bathgate. Critical Analisys Although Billy Bathgate was written quite recently, there is an influx of critical opinion reflecting the admiration of Doctorow’s artistry in literature. "Critics marveled at Doctorow’s vivid description of New York City in the 1930’s and of the horrific murders committed by Dutch and his gang."(CLC volume 65 Author Overview) "Billy Bathgate is intended as pure myth, a sort of Robin Hood for grown-ups. Other novels may be more psychologically subtle or emotionally resonant. But few of those ... ...sting novel that I have ever had the pleasure of reading. It is one of those novels that you just can not put down if you try. Billy Bathgate is a vital American novel in it’s portrayal of a boy’s journey to become a man. Bibliography: Bemrose, John. "Growing Up in Gangland." in Maclean’s Magazine. March 1989: 58-9. Vol. 102, No 12 Clifford, Andrew. "True-ish Crime Stories." in The Listener. September 1989: p.29. vol. 122, no. 3131. Eder, Richard. "Siege Perilous in the Court of Dutch Schultz." in Los Angeles Times Book Review. March 1989. p. 3. Kazin, Alfred. "Huck in the Bronx." in The New Republic. March 1989. Pp.40-2. Leonard, John. "Bye Bye Billy." in The Nation. April 1989. pp. 40-2. Vol. 200 no. 12 Pease, Donald E. "Billy Bathgate- a Review" America. May 1989. P. 458-59 Rubin, Merle. "Bathgate: Technique Surpasses Tale." The Christian Science Monitor. March 1989. p. 13 Rushdie, Salman. "Billy the Streetwise Kid." The Observer. September 1989. P.51 Tonkin, Boyd. "A Round Table Story." New Statesman & Society. September 1989. P. 37 Tyler, Anne. "An American Boy in Gangland." The New York Times Book Review. February 1989. P. 1, 46

Competitive advantage of IKEA Essay

INTRODUCTION In this modern hypercompetitive marketplace, a company must be a powerful competitor to survive. A company must possess a powerful strategy in order to become a powerful competitor. But what makes a good strategy for the company? A good business strategy would be that to attain a competitive advantage over other competitors. So what is a competitive advantage? And how company can be able to have a competitive advantage over other competitors? This essay would now discuss what a competitive advantage is and how a company can build a competitive advantage over other competitors in the same industry by using two furnishing stores, Ikea and Courts as examples. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE Definition A company is said have competitive advantage over its competitors when the company earns profits that are above the normal average in the industry where it competes. Types of competitive advantages According to Michael Porter, there are two basic types of competitive advantage, namely: Cost Advantage- A cost advantage is the ability of the firm to deliver the same product or services at lower cost than competitors. This can be achieved through using economies of scale, production efficiencies, low labor cost or better access to raw material and etc. Differentiation advantage- A differentiation advantage is the ability of the firm to deliver products or services that are different from the product mix of competitors. Due to the added costs in achieving differentiation for the  product or services, differentiated products or services are often marketed at premium prices. Model of Competitive Advantage Source: www.quickmba.com Competitive advantage derives out of value a firm is able to create for its buyers that exceeds the firm’s cost of creating it. Value is what buyers are willing to pay, and superior value stems from offering lower prices than competitors for equivalent benefits or providing unique benefits that reduce the price sensitivity of the buyer. Value can be achieved though utilizing the firm resources and capabilities that would then become core competencies of the particular firm. The core competencies created will allow the firm to position either as a cost leader or differentiation leader in the industry and this will in turn create value for the buyers which will become the firm competitive advantage in the industry. Resources and capabilities A firm needs to possess resources and capabilities that are better than its competitors in order to develop a competitive advantage over them. Any competitive advantage will disappear if the competitors can easily imitate what the firm was doing. Resources are assets of the company that its competitors cannot easily acquire. Some examples of a firm resource include the firm’s reputation, loyal customer base, patent and trademarks and strong branding. Capabilities refer to the ability of the firm to make the most of its resources. One good example of the capabilities of a firm is the ability to carry out a successful marketing campaign. The combination of both capabilities and resource will become the distinctive competencies of the firm. The competencies will allow the firm to achieve  innovation, efficiency, quality and customer responsiveness. The core competencies created will allowed the firm to position either as a cost leader or differentiation leader in the industry Cost advantage and differentiation advantage A firm will position itself as a cost leader or differentiation leader in the industry based on the distinctive competencies formed using its resources and capabilities which become the firm competitive advantage against other competitors. Value creation Value is created by firm through performing a series of value creating activities that Porter identified as the value chain. The value chain comprises 4 supporting activities (procurement, technology development, human resource and firm infrastructure) and 5 primary activities (inbound logistics, operation, outbound logistics, marketing as well as sales and service). On top of the firm own value creating activities, the firm operates in a value system of vertical activities including those of upstream suppliers and downstream channel members. In order to achieve competitive advantage, a firm must perform one or more value-creating activity that is more superior compared to other competitors. Superior value is created through lower costs or superior benefits to the buyers. IKEA Profile Ikea, the Swedish furniture giant was founded in 1943. It is the world’s largest furniture retailer that sells stylish but inexpensive Scandinavian designed furniture. It has outlets in 35 countries, including Singapore. The company is, perhaps, one of the World’s most successful multinational retailing firms operating as a global organization based on its unique concept that the furniture is sold in knock down form that are to be  assembled by the customer at home. Ikea mission statement Ikea’s mission is to offer a wide range of home furnishing items of good design and function, excellent quality and durability, at prices so low that as many people as possible can afford to buy them (www.ikea.com) Ikea competitive advantage Ikea’s success in the retail furniture industry can be attributed to its vast experience in the retail market and its ability to integrate both product differentiation and cost leadership strategies successfully. As pointed out in Ikea’s mission statement, the company is in business to produce high quality products at a low cost. This would support a cost leadership strategy. However, the company is also applying differentiation strategy due to its unique way of incorporating the customer in the value chain and unique marketing strategies Cost advantage Ikea cost leadership strategy allowed it to have a competitive edge over other competitors in term of pricing. Ikea achieved this through tight cost control and production efficiencies. Under Ikea’s global strategy, suppliers are usually located in low-cost nations, with close proximity to raw material and reliable access to distribution channels. These suppliers produce highly standardized products intended for the global market, including Ikea. This allows Ikea to take advantage of economies of scale. Ikea also practice tight cost control in order to keeps its product price low and affordable. Some key cost control measures undertaken by Ikea includes: * Locating their outlet outside the city area on places where the lease or the cost of the land is cheaper * Flat packaging of its product allows Ikea to transport its goods from suppliers to its outlet at low cost as it efficiently maximizes the space during transportation. Flat packaging also means lower warehousing costs for them. * â€Å"No waste† policy when Ikea develops product. For example, the remnants of fabrics that are left over the heart shaped FAMNIG cushion, one of Ikea product, are used to make smaller FAMNIG cushion. Door manufacturer are used by Ikea to make their table-top with the leftover raw material thus reducing production cost. In addition to tight cost control and production efficiencies, Ikea also incorporate customer into the value chain approach as a mean of reducing costs. Customers are to use the information on the product price tag to collect from the racks in the store self-service area, transport the items themselves back home and to assemble by themselves. The costs saved are passed back to the consumer in term of charging lower price for their product rather then including the labor costs and delivery costs into the selling price, a usual practice of other furniture stores. Differentiation advantage Ikea had also successfully integrated its cost leadership strategy with differentiation strategy that allowed it to further distinguish itself from other furniture stores and develop a strong branding for the firm. Ikea differentiate itself from other competitors by performing the following: * As mentioned earlier in page 6, Ikea incorporate customer into the value chain approach to reduce cost. Customers are to use the information on the product price tag to collect from the racks in the store self-service area, transport the items themselves back home and to do assembling of the  furniture. Ikea is the only furniture store that adopts this practice in Singapore and it is accepted by all Ikea customers as they understood it as a cost saving method through education by Ikea to the customer on their catalogues. * Ikea adopted different marketing communication strategy from the rest of its competitors. Instead of choosing to advertise every weekend in the newspaper to reach out to consumer, which is the norm of most of the popular furniture stores in Singapore, Ikea main communication strategy lies in the complimentary catalogue mail to every household in Singapore annually. This allowed customer to read the catalogue at the comfort of their home. Furthermore, the dimensions of the furnitures are indicates in the catalogue that allowed the customer to measure up their place for the furniture and come up with a systematic shopping list. Thus, the catalogue is the best way to prepare the customer for a visit to Ikea compare to newspaper advertisement used by other competitors. * Ikea provides child care services and supervised play area in their outlets to ensure parents can focus on their shopping in Ikea store without having any worries for their children. * In-store restaurant (Rare among furniture stores), Burger King as in the case of Singapore, offer a chance for shoppers to take meal breaks without the hassle of leaving the store. Summary The cost leadership strategy adopted by Ikea allows it to set attractive price for their product compare to other competitors in the same industry. By setting attractive price, it also reduces the price sensitivity of the consumer. The cost advantage is achieved by Ikea through tight cost control and production efficiencies. The differentiation strategy approach such as the Ikea catalogue, in-store restaurant, the incorporation of customer in the value chain and providing of child care services undertaken by Ikea helps to create a highly differentiated picture of Ikea in the target  market’s mind. Ikea through successfully integrating cost leadership and differentiation strategy had become one of the most successful international furniture retailers.

Smart Car

‘ Case 10-2) 1 The Smart Car In 1991, Nicolas Hayek, chairman of Swatch, announced an agreement with Volkswagen to develop a battery-powered â€Å"Swatch car. † At the time, Hayek said his goal was to build â€Å"an ecologically inoffensive, highquality city car for two people† that would sell for about $6,400. The Swatchmobile concept was based on Hayek's conviction that consumers become emotionally attached to cars just as they do to watches. Like the Swatch, the Swatchmobile (officially named â€Å"Smart†) was designed to be affordable, durable, and stylish. Early on,Hayek noted that safety would be another key selling point, declaring, â€Å"This car will have the crash security of a Mercedes. † Composite exterior panels mounted on a cage like body frame would allow owners to change colors by switching panels. Further, Hayek envisioned a car that emitted almost no pollutants, thanks to its electric engine. The car would also be capable of gasolin epowered operation, using a highly efficient, miniaturized engine capable of achieving speeds of 80 miles per hour. Hayek predicted that worldwide sales would reach one million units, with the United States ccounting for about half the market. Some observers attributed the hoopla surrounding the Swatchmobile concept to Hayek's charismatic personality. His automotive vision was dismissed as being overly optimistic; less ambitious attempts at extending the Swatch brand name to new categories, including a brightly colored unisex clothing line, had flopped. Other products such as Swatch telephones, pagers, and sunglasses also met with lukewarm consumer acceptance. The Swatchmobile represented Hayek's attempt to pioneer a completely new market segment. Industry observers warned, oreover, that the Swatch name could be hurt i f the Smart car were plagued by recall or safety problems. In 1993, the alliance with Volkswagen was dissolved; Hayek claimed it was because of disagreement on the co ncept of the car (Volkswagen officials said low profit projections were the problem). In the spring of 1994, Hayek announced that he had lined up a new joint venture partner. The Mercedes-Benz unit of Daimler-Benz A G would invest 7 5 0 million Deutsche marks in a new factory in Hambach-Saargemuend, France. In November 1998, after several months of production delays nd repeated cost overruns, Hayek sold Swatch's remaining 19 percent stake in the venture, officially known as Micro Compact Car GmBH [MCC), to Mercedes. A spokesman indicated that Mercedes' refusal to pursue the hybrid gasoline/battery engine was the reason Swatch withdrew from the project. The decision by Mercedes executives to take full control of the venture was consistent with its strategy for leveraging its engineering skills and broadening the company's appeal beyond the luxury segment of the automobile market. As Mercedes chairman Helmut Werner said, â€Å"With the new car,Mercedes wants to combine ecology, emoti on, and intellect. † Approximately 8 0 percent of the Smart's parts are components and modules engineered by and sourced from outside suppliers and subcontractors known as â€Å"system partners. † The decision to locate the assembly plant in France disappointed German labor unions, but Mercedes executives expected to save 500 marks per car. The reason: French workers are on the i ob 2 75 days per year, while German workers average only 242 days; also, overall labor costs are 40 percent lower in France than in Germany.MCC claims that at Smart Ville, as the factory is known, only 7. 5 hours are required to complete a vehicle. This is 25 percent less time than required by the world's best automakers. The first 3 hours of the process are performed by systems partners. A Canadian company, Magna International, starts by welding the structural components, which are then painted by Eisenmann, a German company. Both operations are performed outside the central assembly hall; the body is then passed by conveyer into the main hall. There VDO, another German company, installs the instrument panel.At this point, modules and parts manufactured by Krupp-Hoesch, Bosch, Dynamit Nobel, and Ymos are delivered for assembly by MCC employees. To encourage integration of MCC employees and system partners and to underscore the need for quality, both groups share a common dining room overlooking the main assembly hall. The Smart City Coupe officially went on sale in Europe in October 1998. Sales got off to a slow start amid concerns about the vehicle's stability. That problem was solved with a sophisticated electronic package that monitors wheel slippage. Late-night TV comedians gave the odd-looking car o respect and referred to it as â€Å"a motorized ski boot† and â€Å"a backpack on wheels. † During the first quarter of 1999, the 150 Smart dealers in 19 countries in continental Europe sold a total of 8,400 cars, an average of 5 6 cars each. Thesales pictu re was brightest in the United Kingdom, where a London dealer sold 160 vehicles between the Smart launch in October 1998 and M a y 1999. The brisk sales pace in Britain was especially noteworthy because MCC was only building left-hand drive models (the United Kingdom is the only country in Europe in which right-hand drive cars are the norm).Industry observers noted that Brits' affection for the Austin Mini, a tiny vehicle that first appeared in the 1 9 60s, a ppeared to have been extended to the Smart. M C C reduced its annual sales target from 130,000 to 100,000. Robert Easton, joint chairman of DaimlerChrysler, went on record as being skeptical of the vehicle's future. In an interview with Automotive News, he said, â€Å"It's possible we'll conclude that it's a good idea but one whose time simply hasn't come. † In 2000, the Smart exceeded its revised sales target, and interest in the vehicle was growing. Wolf-GartenGmbH & Company, a German gardening equipment company, annou nced plans to convert the Smart to a lawn mower suitable for use on golf courses. A convertible and diesel-engine edition have been added to the product line. In 2001, executives at DaimlerChrysler announced plans to research the U. S. market to determine prospects for the Smart. The announcement came as Americans face steep increases in gasoline prices. Visit the Web site www. smart. com Discussion Questions 1 . Assess the U. S. market potential for the Smart. Do you think the car will be a success? Why or why not? 2.Identify other target markets where you would introduce this car. What sequence of countries would you recommend for the introduction? Sources: D n McCosh, â€Å"Get Smart: Buyers Ty to J m the Queue,† f ie New York Times a r up (March 19, 2004), p. Dl; Nicholas Foulkes â€Å"Smart S t G t Ee Smarter,† finonciol Times e e vn s (February 14-15, 2004), p W10; W Pinkston a d S o Miler, â€Å"DaimlerChrysler Se r . il n ct t es T w r ‘Smart' Debut in U . S. ,† The Woll Street Journol (August 20, 2001), pp. B 1, B4; o ad Miler, â€Å"Daimler May Roll O t Its Tiny Cr Here,† f ie Woll Street Journol (June 9, 2001), u a p.B1; Miler, â€Å"DaimlerChrysler'sSmart Cr M y Have a New Use,† f ie WollStreetlournol aa (February 15, 2001), pp. B1, B4; Haig Simonian, â€Å"Carmakers' Smart Move,† Financial Times (July 1,1997), p. 12; William Taylor, â€Å"Message a d Muscle: A Interviewwith S ac n n w th Itan Nicolm Hayek,† Horvord Business ~ eview ~ o r c h ~1993), pp. 99-1 10; Kevin ( ~ril Helliker, â€Å"Swiss Movement: Cn Wriiatch Whiz Switch Swatch Cachet to a Automobile? † a n f ie Woll Street Journal (March 4,1994), pp. A1,A3; Ferdinand Protrman, â€Å"Off the Wrist, w th n O t the Road: A S ac o Wheels,† f ie New York Times (March4,1994), p. (1. no Smart Car ‘ Case 10-2) 1 The Smart Car In 1991, Nicolas Hayek, chairman of Swatch, announced an agreement with Volkswagen to develop a battery-powered â€Å"Swatch car. † At the time, Hayek said his goal was to build â€Å"an ecologically inoffensive, highquality city car for two people† that would sell for about $6,400. The Swatchmobile concept was based on Hayek's conviction that consumers become emotionally attached to cars just as they do to watches. Like the Swatch, the Swatchmobile (officially named â€Å"Smart†) was designed to be affordable, durable, and stylish. Early on,Hayek noted that safety would be another key selling point, declaring, â€Å"This car will have the crash security of a Mercedes. † Composite exterior panels mounted on a cage like body frame would allow owners to change colors by switching panels. Further, Hayek envisioned a car that emitted almost no pollutants, thanks to its electric engine. The car would also be capable of gasolin epowered operation, using a highly efficient, miniaturized engine capable of achieving speeds of 80 miles per hour. Hayek predicted that worldwide sales would reach one million units, with the United States ccounting for about half the market. Some observers attributed the hoopla surrounding the Swatchmobile concept to Hayek's charismatic personality. His automotive vision was dismissed as being overly optimistic; less ambitious attempts at extending the Swatch brand name to new categories, including a brightly colored unisex clothing line, had flopped. Other products such as Swatch telephones, pagers, and sunglasses also met with lukewarm consumer acceptance. The Swatchmobile represented Hayek's attempt to pioneer a completely new market segment. Industry observers warned, oreover, that the Swatch name could be hurt i f the Smart car were plagued by recall or safety problems. In 1993, the alliance with Volkswagen was dissolved; Hayek claimed it was because of disagreement on the co ncept of the car (Volkswagen officials said low profit projections were the problem). In the spring of 1994, Hayek announced that he had lined up a new joint venture partner. The Mercedes-Benz unit of Daimler-Benz A G would invest 7 5 0 million Deutsche marks in a new factory in Hambach-Saargemuend, France. In November 1998, after several months of production delays nd repeated cost overruns, Hayek sold Swatch's remaining 19 percent stake in the venture, officially known as Micro Compact Car GmBH [MCC), to Mercedes. A spokesman indicated that Mercedes' refusal to pursue the hybrid gasoline/battery engine was the reason Swatch withdrew from the project. The decision by Mercedes executives to take full control of the venture was consistent with its strategy for leveraging its engineering skills and broadening the company's appeal beyond the luxury segment of the automobile market. As Mercedes chairman Helmut Werner said, â€Å"With the new car,Mercedes wants to combine ecology, emoti on, and intellect. † Approximately 8 0 percent of the Smart's parts are components and modules engineered by and sourced from outside suppliers and subcontractors known as â€Å"system partners. † The decision to locate the assembly plant in France disappointed German labor unions, but Mercedes executives expected to save 500 marks per car. The reason: French workers are on the i ob 2 75 days per year, while German workers average only 242 days; also, overall labor costs are 40 percent lower in France than in Germany.MCC claims that at Smart Ville, as the factory is known, only 7. 5 hours are required to complete a vehicle. This is 25 percent less time than required by the world's best automakers. The first 3 hours of the process are performed by systems partners. A Canadian company, Magna International, starts by welding the structural components, which are then painted by Eisenmann, a German company. Both operations are performed outside the central assembly hall; the body is then passed by conveyer into the main hall. There VDO, another German company, installs the instrument panel.At this point, modules and parts manufactured by Krupp-Hoesch, Bosch, Dynamit Nobel, and Ymos are delivered for assembly by MCC employees. To encourage integration of MCC employees and system partners and to underscore the need for quality, both groups share a common dining room overlooking the main assembly hall. The Smart City Coupe officially went on sale in Europe in October 1998. Sales got off to a slow start amid concerns about the vehicle's stability. That problem was solved with a sophisticated electronic package that monitors wheel slippage. Late-night TV comedians gave the odd-looking car o respect and referred to it as â€Å"a motorized ski boot† and â€Å"a backpack on wheels. † During the first quarter of 1999, the 150 Smart dealers in 19 countries in continental Europe sold a total of 8,400 cars, an average of 5 6 cars each. Thesales pictu re was brightest in the United Kingdom, where a London dealer sold 160 vehicles between the Smart launch in October 1998 and M a y 1999. The brisk sales pace in Britain was especially noteworthy because MCC was only building left-hand drive models (the United Kingdom is the only country in Europe in which right-hand drive cars are the norm).Industry observers noted that Brits' affection for the Austin Mini, a tiny vehicle that first appeared in the 1 9 60s, a ppeared to have been extended to the Smart. M C C reduced its annual sales target from 130,000 to 100,000. Robert Easton, joint chairman of DaimlerChrysler, went on record as being skeptical of the vehicle's future. In an interview with Automotive News, he said, â€Å"It's possible we'll conclude that it's a good idea but one whose time simply hasn't come. † In 2000, the Smart exceeded its revised sales target, and interest in the vehicle was growing. Wolf-GartenGmbH & Company, a German gardening equipment company, annou nced plans to convert the Smart to a lawn mower suitable for use on golf courses. A convertible and diesel-engine edition have been added to the product line. In 2001, executives at DaimlerChrysler announced plans to research the U. S. market to determine prospects for the Smart. The announcement came as Americans face steep increases in gasoline prices. Visit the Web site www. smart. com Discussion Questions 1 . Assess the U. S. market potential for the Smart. Do you think the car will be a success? Why or why not? 2.Identify other target markets where you would introduce this car. What sequence of countries would you recommend for the introduction? Sources: D n McCosh, â€Å"Get Smart: Buyers Ty to J m the Queue,† f ie New York Times a r up (March 19, 2004), p. Dl; Nicholas Foulkes â€Å"Smart S t G t Ee Smarter,† finonciol Times e e vn s (February 14-15, 2004), p W10; W Pinkston a d S o Miler, â€Å"DaimlerChrysler Se r . il n ct t es T w r ‘Smart' Debut in U . S. ,† The Woll Street Journol (August 20, 2001), pp. B 1, B4; o ad Miler, â€Å"Daimler May Roll O t Its Tiny Cr Here,† f ie Woll Street Journol (June 9, 2001), u a p.B1; Miler, â€Å"DaimlerChrysler'sSmart Cr M y Have a New Use,† f ie WollStreetlournol aa (February 15, 2001), pp. B1, B4; Haig Simonian, â€Å"Carmakers' Smart Move,† Financial Times (July 1,1997), p. 12; William Taylor, â€Å"Message a d Muscle: A Interviewwith S ac n n w th Itan Nicolm Hayek,† Horvord Business ~ eview ~ o r c h ~1993), pp. 99-1 10; Kevin ( ~ril Helliker, â€Å"Swiss Movement: Cn Wriiatch Whiz Switch Swatch Cachet to a Automobile? † a n f ie Woll Street Journal (March 4,1994), pp. A1,A3; Ferdinand Protrman, â€Å"Off the Wrist, w th n O t the Road: A S ac o Wheels,† f ie New York Times (March4,1994), p. (1. no

Politics by other means essays

Politics by other means essays In 1990 a new political theory began being argued. It was based upon the idea that elections had become supplanted by other forms of political conflict between contending interests. The 2000 election was the first true fit to this new theory. The post-election, the 5 week period between the times the voters went to the polls and when the Supreme Court ultimately decided the winner. It can be argued that the election was actually less important and represented less than the court case which directly followed the election. Ginsburg and Shefter began their argument by recognizing that American politics had undergone another transformation in the historical line of its existence. They suggested that competitors in the political process no longer sought victory by solely out-mobilizing their opponents in the political arena. Rather, the participants sought to rely on institutional weapons of political struggle as legislative investigations, media revelations, and judicial proceedings to weaken their political rivals and gain power for themselves. They blame this transition on the electoral process and not the combatants. From the 1930s to the 1060s, political power was dependant on winning elections. The powers of the past, such as the Democratic majority enjoyed by Andrew Jackson, the post-Civil War Republican majority, and the Democratic coalition of Roosevelt, owed its authority and power to the voters alone. These coalitions were controlled by self-interested parties which carried across racial boundaries. Once the issues of race and civil rights came to the forefront of American politics in the 1960s, these alliances soon feel apart. There were two parties of equal ability that emerged from the break-up of Roosevelts New Deal coalition. Democrats represented the ideas of organized labor, racial minorities, government employees, and middle class liberals. The...

Entrepreneurship - Creative Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Entrepreneurship - Creative Journal - Essay Example In business, most managers believe that this is the most significant mark of a successful entrepreneur (Mazzarol, 2007). Achievement can also be enhanced by giving rewards, salary increment, bonuses and rises to most successful employees. Employers also play significant roles in developing employees’ skills and talents. They can collude with learning institutions to support and supervise research done by their employees, or through transversal skill development (Mazzarol, 2007). Human resource managers also need to provide clear hiring and exit procedures, but more notable is to retain current employees through a set of institutional benefits like competitive wage, support for international mobility, and supplementary pension schemes (Mazzarol, 2007). Locus of control describes the extent to which a person believes that the outcome results are influenced by their own behaviors, or from their external surrounding. Managers, therefore, need to create an environment that motivate s its employees to work hard towards achieving the organization’s goals (Mazzarol, 2007). Locus of control is usually low when change strategies are being implemented within the organization. In order to solve this problem, managers have to create an effective means of communication that informs the employees on the strategies and processes required for the implementation of that change. As the work environment changes, I realized that I can either contribute to the success or failure of a business. My attitude towards the impacts of external influences on the quality of work and the success of the business is the key factor that influences my contributions to the success of the business. Positive external influences enhance my efficiency and productivity within a short period, as compared to negative external influences that still require consultations and decision making process in order to be resolved. This process involves much time, and this slows down employees’ morale towards achieving the organizational goals and objectives (Mazzarol, 2007). Second Journal Entry Set Small and large firms play ever-increasing roles in innovation. Innovation is mainly driven by market dynamics and technology. Currently, recommendable advancements have been made in several areas that include multimedia, computers and electronic devices. Of all the innovations that have been done, internet is one of the innovations that have significantly influenced my daily life. The internet has changed the way I learn, shop, communicate and conduct my business. In the modern world, internet is the most famous and effective means of spreading information, fact or fiction (Mazzarol, 2007). In the past centuries, people were once limited to news of the local television channels and newspapers. However, anybody can currently search the globe, international markets, foreign products, different cultures, international jobs and so on. Through the internet, it is much easier and c heaper to communicate with friends and relatives more than telephones and letters. The internet has given me an opportunity to meet several friends both locally and internationally. It is possible to directly communicate to distance friends face-to-face, or through chatting. In other words, internet has limited both geographical and political boundaries that earlier

Free Will, Determinism and Moral Responsibility Term Paper

Free Will, Determinism and Moral Responsibility - Term Paper Example The paper tells that on one hand, free will can be defined as an ability that an individual harnesses or on the other, free will can be constructed as a possession inherent in a person. The reasoning faculty of humans facilitates and empowers free will. Causal events are attributed to the exercise and natural outcomes of free will. If rational human actions are assumed to arise from free will, then that would mean that free will is contingent on those events. That position leads to the belief that a person acting freely essentially manifests the working of his or her free will. The implications of free will are moral responsibility, legal accountability and self-determinism. Self-determinism is a principle founded on free will and self-influenced decision and action. In religion, the possession and exercise of free will places man in a position to either follow the divine will or go against it. Free will makes man liable for his choices and answerable to an authority. Free will also frees man to a certain extent from passivity of man, seing that he is characterized an active moral agent who can make changes in his life and that of others. Philosopher Thomas Hobbes asserts this theory by stating that all free-willed actions are based or influenced by external factors compelling an individual to act. However, one might dispute this approach because these actions are spurred by two distinct types of freedom: freedom of will and freedom of action. The disparity between freedom of will and freedom of action in the context of causality is underlined by the fact that agents can have free will but no freedom of action.3 For example, if a person wants to go to the store and buy an item at the mall, he or she is free to do so. However, if the said individual is tied fast to a chair or does not have the money to buy anything, these conditions directly hinder his liberty to act on his free will. The individual still has the free will to steal the item or attempt to break f ree from restraint. According to Hobbes’ theory, external factors such as the person’s pressing necessity for that item or someone else’s request have influenced the individual to come to the decision to go to the mall. In both cases, the individual retains the free will to execute the action, nevertheless agencies outside the individual’s control impacts on the final outcome. The fundamental question here is the leveling of responsibility at an individual for actions arising not from his own free will, but from exterior environmental factors over which he has no control. The simple answer would be these individuals are not responsible for their actions, however unpopular this view may be. If one were to introduce a system of reward and punishment to instigate or control action, then, no one can be praised or blamed owing to the incentive or disincentive. 4 However, an exception to Hobbes’ theory lies in the premise of causal determinism proposed b y the British analytic philosopher Galen Strawson. The premise implies that current events are fixed outcomes since events are actuated by a cause and the cause

Business Ethics In an Organisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business Ethics In an Organisation - Essay Example TCF has to its credit more than 330 schools to date and it plans to build a total of 1000 schools before it decides to go on the support mode – meaning whereby it would just look after the schools already built and not construct any further. TCF schools are a mark of quality and dedication – built from strength to strength of the organizational employees, its varied stakeholders and the innumerable donors who have done more than they could in such a short period of time. For TCF to remain committed to its cause of providing state of the art and free education there is a dire need to comprehend the fact that TCF remains ethically correct in all its actions, behaviors and talks. For this, there are several departments working within its realms which take care of these facets from time to time. In fact the vision is set on a very proactive level within the lengths and breadths of TCF itself. TCF provides complete financial details and break up of the tasks to it donors on a periodic basis and makes sure that the donors remain on board with the ethical domains of the organization at all times. There is a separate department that looks at the way these donors are managed. It is known as the Resource Mobilization department which essentially takes care of the donors and the resources that are mobilized through them towards the schools that they build in either their own name or of their company’s. Coming to the quarters of understanding the ethical undertakings within the business realms of TCF itself, one finds that TCF has long adhered to the principle of being transparent to all its stakeholders and thus the fact that its annual reports, financial ledgers and other similar resources are shared not only within the organization itself but also with the stakeholders and the general public at large. What this does is to have a proper one-on-one interaction with the people who want to donate just about anything under the banner of