Access to Condoms Prevents Teen Pregnancy Essay

Does Easy Access to Condoms Lower the Rates of Teen Pregnancy? Many people tend to believe that teenagers are going to have sex anyway, that’s why it’s better to provide an easier access to condoms. In some European countries condoms are even handed out at schools for free. However, is this measure really helpful in achieving the main purpose of the campaign– to decrease the rates of teen pregnancy and venereal diseases? Statistics show that distribution of condoms turns out to be not really helpful. The rates are still growing and there are some truly gruesome cases, when teens of 13 or 14 get pregnant. And the reason, in my opinion, is that easy access to condoms does not cultivate safe sex; it cultivates irresponsibility among people. In the times when contraceptives were either ineffective or extremely hard to get, the moral level of society protected teenagers from getting pregnant – there was an understanding that the consequences of having a good time may be very, very unpleasant. Free sexual relations were shunned by society. Modern teenagers that are taught from the very childhood that sex is completely alright, no matter in what age, with whom or in what circumstances you have it, that you can buy condoms anytime and anywhere, and you shouldnt have such preconceptions. They know that all the negative consequences may be easily averted if sex is safe – but it only breeds overall contempt for the above-mentioned outdated preconceptions and the precautionary measures as well. Easy access to condoms doesn’t and cannot prevent teen pregnancy, for it doesn’t make an influence on the source of the problem; in fact, it only makes it worse. If teenagers don’t understand the seriousness of consequences, social problem will never be resolved.

Thomas Woodrow Wilson - 888 Words

Thomas Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson was born in the small town of Staunton, Virginia on December 29, 1856 or, as other sources say, the 28 of December. He was the third of four kids with two sisters and one brother. His parents were Joseph Wilson and Jessica Woodrow Wilson. Tommy was only at the age of two years when his family moved to Augusta, Georgia. Then, two years later the civil war had started and, while the war was going on, his dad had changed the church into a confederate hospital. â€Å"Curious about the soldiers, Tommy often would sneak over to the church were his father car for the wounded†. (Osinksi 13) There were Yankee hostages and little Wilson would pretend to be the guard of the hostages. Wilson had a bad learning experience as a child. He had not learned the alphabet until age nine and he did not learn to read until he was eleven. However, the way most of Thomas’ education was he and his father would visit a place, and for when they returned home Tommy would have to recite what he had saw at the visit. His dad only pushed him harder by making him write a paper. If his father did not understand anything he would go to young Thomas and ask what he meant. Wilson would answer to what he meant and his father would tell him to rewrite the paper saying exactly what he meant. Also, another thing little Tommy was he would have to read the bible every night. Later on, people had believed that since Thomas had such tiresome time learning, that he might haveShow MoreRelatedAmerican President: Thomas Woodrow Wilson960 Words   |  4 Pagesrevolutionized the title â€Å"president† is Woodrow Wilson. This report will inform you about Woodrow Wilson’s biographi cal information, early education to his college years, and his significant contributions in office. Every important aspect of his life will be explained in the following paragraphs. To begin with, Woodrow Wilson was born on December 28th, 1856 and passed away on February 3, 1924. His home as a boy was in Columbia, South Carolina from 1870-1874. Woodrow Wilson’s house in Washington, D.CRead MoreThomas Woodrow Wilson Essay example2355 Words   |  10 PagesThomas Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson, twenty-eighth president of the United States, might have suffered from dyslexia. He never could read easily, but developed a strong power of concentration and a near-photographic memory. The outbreak of World War I coincided with the death of Wilsons first wife Ellen Axson, who he was passionately devoted to. Seven months after her death his friends introduced him to Edith Bolling Galt, a descendant of the Indian princess Pocahontas, they were marriedRead MoreWoodrow Wilson s President Of The United States1476 Words   |  6 PagesThomas Woodrow Wilson was the 18th President of the United States. He is well known as the President who led our nation through the First World War Wilson also happens to be well remembered through Wilson’s famous Fourteen Points. President Wilson had also led America through important events on the domestic front and in her foreign affairs. Almost every American has heard of President Thomas Woodrow Wilson as his legacy is st ill seen in America today as all his choices had a significant effect onRead MoreThe Life and Presidency of Woodrow Wilson Essay1160 Words   |  5 PagesThomas Woodrow Wilson was born December 28th, 2014. Wilson was born in Staunton, Virginia to Joseph Ruggles Wilson, and Jessie Janet Woodrow Wilson. Wilson was born into a deeply religious family, his father was a Presbyterian minister. Wilson’s family didn’t stay in one place, because of Pastor Wilson’s duties, their family moved often. When Wilson was only 2 their family moved to Augusta, Georgia. Later on they moved to Columbia, South Carolina. Wilson was born just shy of 5 years before the outbreakRead MoreTheodore Roosevelt And The Great Depression1203 Words   |  5 PagesRoosevelt’s push for a new Age of Publicity, Woodrow Wilson was obligated to use spin in order to not only strengthen his presidency, but also to keep the nation together during World War I. Though Wilson did not particularly fa vor using spin techniques, he used them to his advantage by becoming the first president to orally address Congress since Thomas Jefferson’s refusal to do so, setting a precedent in the modern presidency. 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From his great intellect and progressive reform, to the tragedy of the Great War and his hope for peace, Wilson was a strong leader through it all. Decades after his death, he is still remembered as the man that he was: an ethical and caring person who desperately wanted to better the world. It was in the beginning of the 20th century when this man finally left his markRead MoreA Progressive Southerner Named Woodrow Wilson1473 Words   |  6 Pages1912, a progressive southerner named Woodrow Wilson was elected to be the next President of the United States. Halfway through his first term, Europe erupted into a violent conflict known as World War I. This conflict would pose a major dilemma for the President, whose response would affect not only United States future, but that of the entire world. Would the President ask Congress to go to war, or would he promote a s tance of neutrality? 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Wilson assumed the presidency after a whirlwind career as a college professor, university president and New Jersey governor. However, Wilson left the Oval Office just as heartbroken as the Confederate soldiers that returned home when he was a boy. Woodrow Wilson was born

Role of Medieval History in Modern Day Free Essays

A common story plot in modern day films portraying Middle Age themes is a damsel in distress being saved by a knight in shining armor. For instance, the popular animated children’s movie, Shrek, follows the story line of Shrek and his partner, Donkey, going off on a journey in order to save a princess imprisoned in a tall castle tower and guarded by a fire-breathing dragon. The entire plot setting is based roughly around the same time frame as the actual middle ages, so the elements of medieval culture in this movie are clear. We will write a custom essay sample on Role of Medieval History in Modern Day or any similar topic only for you Order Now The guarded castles, mythical creatures, and feudal system enforced between the peasants and royalty are all elements of medieval culture. One major scene that depicts the essence of the Middle Ages best is when Shrek leads Lord Farquaad to Fiona as an exchange for guaranteed privacy of Shrek’s swamp. Two main aspects of this scene to focus on is the interaction between Lord Farquaad and Shrek and also the use of Princess Fiona as an object of trade for Shrek’s reward. Traditional ranking of nobles and commoners are rooted within the Middle Ages, and although Shrek acts rather brutish and unpolished in Lord Farquaad’s presence, there is still an act of submission as depicted by Shrek’s delivery of Fiona. It was typical of knights in the middle ages to battle against one another or perform favors and acts of bravery in order to gain favor in the eyes of a King. Lord Farquaad’s use of Shrek as a way of obtaining Princess Fiona would then give Shrek an opportunity to gain favor in Lord Farquaad’s eyes so that his request of gaining back full ownership of his swamp would be granted. Due to the treacherous nature of retrieving Fiona, this would constitute as one of many acts of valor that many knights would partake in at the time. Princess Fiona’s part in this scene is as an object of bargaining, as shown when Shrek brings Lord Farquaad to her in order to fulfill his side of the arrangement. It should be noted that Princess Fiona’s hand in marriage was necessary for Lord Farquaad to gain full control cover a larger jurisdiction and for him to have the title as King bestowed upon him. The use of marriage as a way of combining kingdoms and making negotiations derive from medieval culture and also emphasize the importance that the feudal system played during this time. Although Lord Farquaad had enough power to grant or take away land from landowners, such as the fairy tale creatures, the only way for him to become a real king was to marry a princess, which in this case would have been Princess Fiona. Similar situations like this regularly occur in modern popular culture, such as the film The Princess Diaries 2, where Princess Amelia is being urged by the Genovian government to marry someone who holds an official title as a prince in order for her to become a true queen. It has become common knowledge in today’s society that a Princess or Prince cannot hold the title as a Queen or King until they are married—this particular idea originating from the Middle Ages. By looking at these examples, one can see how ideals from the Middle Ages carried over into modern day popular culture. In fact, modern day knighting still takes place in the British government and is still based off of recognition of service and contributions to the British nation. The Order of the British Empire is perhaps the most common knighthood given today and is frequently awarded to British scientists, educators, doctors, and even Paul McCartney. This tradition is significant evidence of the carry over of Middle Ages in contemporary culture. However, one of the many misconceptions of the medieval times is the mistreatment and the demeaning of woman as being a prominent thing in society. This is portrayed in the treatment of Princess Fiona as a means for bargaining, and one should note that her objections to being married to Lord Farquaad held little to no weight when it came down to her fate. Aside from Princess Fiona, the amount of parts where women held significant character roles were almost nonexistent and further pushed the stereotype of how medieval women were disregarded in medieval times. On the contrary, women, such as St. Joan of the Arc, held positions of high authority in the time of the Middle Ages and were not treated with as little esteem as modern society thinks today. This kind of thinking encourages the damsel-in-distress scenario where the woman is rendered helpless and waiting for a strong and able man to come and save her. Such depictions associated with medieval society are emphasized over and over until the image of an incompetent woman is incorporated into the general consensus of what medieval times were like. The use the medieval times as the setting for Shrek also played along with stereotypical Middle Ages as being a time of ignorant common people that blindly followed the rule of the king without any question. The overall appearance that the environment in Shrek gives off is a place that is unorganized and unhygienic, much like what modern society thinks of the middle ages today. Setting Shrek in the Middle Ages effectively played out the stereotypes and general idea of what medieval society means to popular culture. The exaggerated difference of living conditions between peasants and royalty, the disregard of women, the bartering by marriage, and even the uneducated and dirty lifestyles of many commoners exemplify common misconceptions of the Middle Ages that many people in society take as fact. Popular culture, in turn, starts to immediately associate a time of ignorance and uncleanliness as being characteristic of the Middle Ages—whether they are true or not. How to cite Role of Medieval History in Modern Day, Papers

Describe Why Schools Have Policies and Procedures free essay sample

Describe why schools have policies and procedures and Identify the policies and procedures schools may have relating to: a) staff b) pupil welfare c) teaching and learning All schools have policies and procedures in place to support staff in their management of situations these may involve violence, threatening behaviour or abuse amongst other policies which are all legal requirements within the setting of a school, you must adhere to these policies and familiarise yourself on where these policies can be found within the school surroundings. At our school all policies can be found in Mrs McNally’s the headmistress’s office within a contained cupboard all labelled up with titles on the folders. Policies are intended to provide a framework that ensures consistent principles are applied to practice across a school. They are not intended to detail every conceivable event that might be applied within the policy framework. Policies can also provide prospective employees, governors and parents of prospective pupils with valuable information. We will write a custom essay sample on Describe Why Schools Have Policies and Procedures or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page For example, a prospective parent might wish to see a school’s homework policy or behaviours policy before deciding whether to apply for their child to attend the school. Similarly, a prospective employee may wish to see the school’s staff development policy, its performance management policy or its leave of absence policy before deciding whether to accept a position at the school. Closer to home, prospective governors should be made aware of any policies relating specifically to governors. These might include a governors’ induction policy, a governors’ allowance scheme or a governors’ training policy. Policies should also enable school staff, governors, parents, LEA officers and Ofsted inspectors to see at a glance what principles they can expect to see applied at your school. Policies and Procedures Staff Staff need to ensure they use confidentiality where needed. They have to be aware where they discuss sensitive information and with whom they are discussing it to. They have to make sure that all documents such as reports and records are used appropriately. They also have to be professional on how they present themselves to children and young people, other staff, other agencies parents/carers. Cont’d†¦ 2 Unit 2. 5 5. 1 5. 2 Describe why schools have policies and procedures and Identify the policies and procedures schools may have relating to: a) staff b) pupil welfare c) teaching and learning At our setting a confidentiality document has to be signed and before anyone can come into volunteer firstly a CRB check is done and then a child protection induction day is prepared. All staff are updated regular on any courses and induction days, all staff are trained in first aid, there are four designated persons within the school should anything need reporting. Other policies that staff require are pay policies and there own personal data that is all to kept strictly confidential within the school between the staff member and the head mistress, another policy is a grievance policy between staff members and what to do next and getting the right advice some members of staff maybe part of a union that can speak on their behalf should a grievance occur. Pupil Welfare The pupil welfare policy is related to child protection and safeguarding of children from neglect, abuse harm etc. Child protection is the process of protecting individual children identified as either suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm as a result of abuse or neglect. It involves measures and structures designed to prevent and respond to abuse and neglect. Child abuse involves acts of commission and omission, which results in harm to the child. Why is child protection important? All children have a right to protection against abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence and many organisations have a statutory duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. A successful approach requires multi-agency collaboration and recognition of child wellbeing at the heart of the organisation. What is safeguarding? Safeguarding is about keeping children safe from harm and abuse. It means proactively seeking to involve the whole community in keeping children safe and promoting their welfare. Cont’d†¦ 3 Unit 2. 5 5. 1 5. 2 Describe why schools have policies and procedures and Identify the policies and procedures schools may have relating to: a) staff b) pupil welfare ) teaching and learning This means keeping children safe from accidents (i. e. road safety), crime and bullying and actively promoting their well-being in a healthy, safe and supportive environment. It also encompasses issues such as pupil health and safety and bullying, about which there are specific statutory requirements, and a range of other issues, for example, arrangements for meeting the medical needs of children with medical conditions, providing first aid, school se curity, drugs and substance misuse. Safeguarding is an important part of integrated working. When professionals work together in an integrated way, they put the child at the centre of all activities to help identify their holistic needs earlier to improve their life outcomes. It is important to see safeguarding as part of a continuum, where prevention and early intervention can help children and families get back on track and avoid problems turning into a crisis. There are other policies including The Health and Safety Policy, which enables the safety of all children within the hands of the school, all children are made aware of what is acceptable and what is not acceptable within behaviour but a policy is in place within our school setting about inappropriate behaviour and whom it shall be referred to, the school also have an anti-bullying policy and they are part of an organisation called WRIST to upkeep there rules within this policy. Children are required to attend school on a daily basis except on occasions when they are ill, to keep a record of attendance at our school a register is taken twice daily to ensure who is in and who is not, this is also a required policy within the school, and should a child be off on a regular occurrence they would ask for the parent to come into school to discuss this matter before getting other agencies involved. Teaching and Learning The teaching and learning policy has been approved by the staff and governors and will be reviewed annually. It aims to ensure that the children at our school are provided with high quality learning experiences that lead to a consistently high level of pupil achievement. Cont’d†¦ 4 Unit 2. 5 5. 1 5. 2 Describe why schools have policies and procedures and Identify the policies and procedures schools may have relating to: a) staff b) pupil welfare c) teaching and learning All teachers are required to plan and assess their own work within their classroom so therefore a policy is put into place for the required goals and targets and the learning outcome of achievement from the children this is classed as a planning and assessment policy with the required curriculum policies for what the children are learning. They have to make sure they differentiate the tasks for under achievers and special talented over achievers. Teachers also have to put into consideration acceptable homework for a child which is required. Children learn through their total experience. This policy guides what children do, what teachers do, how time is managed, the organisation of the classroom and what the school as an organisation does to create an effective and well-managed learning environment in which the individual needs of each child can be met.

Dolphin Essays - Oceanic Dolphins, Dolphin, Cetacea, Animal Welfare

Dolphin The Dolphin Circle exists to increase your awareness of dolphins and the world of marine mammals. Our special focus is on interspecies communication and the influence the dolphins may have on emotional and physical healing. This site is also geared towards those who have ever dreamed of interacting with dolphins. We offer individuals the opportunity to meet and swim with the dolphins in their natural environment and to experience first-hand the playful, compassionate, and healing nature of these magnificent beings. Think about joining us for one of our dolphin swims and healing workshops. We offer you one of the most comprehensive collections of resource links available on the internet covering all aspects of dolphins and whales. We feature books, tapes, organizations, sites, and information that will enhance your awareness of the cetacean world. There are many links on the page guiding you to dolphin facilitated therapy sites, as well as resource sites hosting environmental and scientific information. Don't miss our Especially for Children section. Take your time and explore the links. Visit our section featuring dolphin stories and the experiences of our guests, or our page with the essays, articles, and poetry our visitors have shared with us. We love your contributions and so do others! Your willingness to share your experiences and connections with the dolphins is what makes this page come alive and helps increase awareness of the dolphin and whale world! We encourage you to share information with us that may be of interest to others. Feel free to contact us if you have questions. Bibliography:

Richard Ewell - Civil War - Lieutenant General - Army of Northern Virginia

Richard Ewell - Civil War - Lieutenant General - Army of Northern Virginia Richard Ewell - Early Life Career: The grandson of the first US Secretary of the Navy, Benjamin Stoddert, Richard Stoddert Ewell was born in Georgetown, DC on February 8, 1817. Raised in nearby Manassas, VA by his parents, Dr. Thomas and Elizabeth Ewell, he received his initial education locally before electing to embark on a military career. Applying to West Point, he was accepted and entered the academy in 1836. An above average student, Ewell graduated in 1840 ranked thirteenth in a class of forty-two. Commissioned as a second lieutenant, he received orders to join the 1st US Dragoons which were operating on the frontier. In this role, Ewell assisted in escorting wagon trains of traders and settlers on the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails while also learning his trade from luminaries such as Colonel Stephen W. Kearny. Richard Ewell - Mexican-American War: Promoted to first lieutenant in 1845, Ewell remained on the frontier until the outbreak of the Mexican-American War the following year. Assigned to Major General Winfield Scotts army in 1847, he took part in the campaign against Mexico City. Serving in Captain Philip Kearnys company of the 1st Dragoons, Ewell took part in operations against Veracruz and Cerro Gordo. In late August, Ewell received a brevet promotion to captain for his heroic service during the battles of Contreras and Churubusco. With the end of the war, he returned north and served at Baltimore, MD. Promoted to the permanent grade of captain in 1849, Ewell received orders for the New Mexico Territory the following year. There he conducted operations against the Native Americans as well as explored the newly-acquired Gadsen Purchase. Later given command of Fort Buchanan, Ewell applied for sick leave in late 1860 and returned east in January 1861. Richard Ewell - The Civil War Begins: Ewell was recuperating in Virginia when the Civil War began in April 1861. With the secession of Virginia, he resolved to leave the US Army and seek employment in the Southern service. Formally resigning on May 7, Ewell accepted an appointment as a colonel of cavalry in the Virginia Provisional Army. On May 31, he was slightly wounded during a skirmish with Union forces near Fairfax Court House. Recovering, Ewell accepted a commission as a brigadier general in the Confederate Army on June 17. Given a brigade in Brigadier General P.G.T. Beauregards Army of the Potomac, he was present a the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, but saw little action as his men were tasked with guarding Union Mills Ford. Promoted to major general on January 24, 1862, Ewell received orders later that spring to take command of a division in Major General Thomas Stonewall Jacksons army in the Shenandoah Valley. Richard Ewell - Campaigning in the Valley Peninsula: Joining Jackson, Ewell played key roles in a string of surprising victories over superior Union forces led by Major Generals John C. Frà ©mont, Nathaniel P. Banks, and James Shields. In June, Jackson and Ewell departed the Valley with orders to join General Robert E. Lees army on the Peninsula for an attack on Major General George B. McClellans Army of the Potomac. During the resulting Seven Days Battles, he took part in the fighting at Gaines Mill and Malvern Hill. With McClellan contained on the Peninsula, Lee directed Jackson to move north to deal with Major General John Popes newly-formed Army of Virginia. Advancing, Jackson and Ewell defeated a force led by Banks at Cedar Mountain on August 9. Later in the month, they engaged Pope in the Second Battle of Manassas. As the fighting raged on August 29, Ewell had his left leg shattered by a bullet near Brawners Farm. Taken from the field, the leg was amputated below the knee. Richard Ewell - Failure at Gettysburg: Nursed by his first cousin, Lizinka Campbell Brown, Ewell took ten months to recover from the wound. During this time, the two developed a romantic relationship and were wed in late May 1863. Rejoining Lees army, which had just won a stunning victory at Chancellorsville, Ewell was promoted to lieutenant general on May 23. As Jackson had been wounded in the fighting and subsequently died, his corps was divided in two. While Ewell received command of the new Second Corps, Lieutenant General A.P. Hill took command of the newly-created Third Corps. As Lee began moving north, Ewell captured the Union garrison at Winchester, VA before driving into Pennsylvania. The lead elements of his corps were nearing the state capital of Harrisburg when Lee ordered him to move south to concentrate at Gettysburg. Approaching the town from the north on July 1, Ewells men overwhelmed Major General Oliver O. Howards XI Corps and elements of Major General Abner Doubledays I Corps. As Union forces fell back and concentrated on Cemetery Hill, Lee sent orders to Ewell stating that he was to carry the hill occupied by the enemy, if he found it practicable, but to avoid a general engagement until the arrival of the other divisions of the army. While Ewell had thrived under Jacksons command earlier in the war, his success had come when his superior had issued specific and precise orders. This approach was counter to Lees style as the Confederate commander typically issued discretionary orders and relied on his subordinates to take the initiative. This had worked well with the bold Jackson and the First Corps commander, Lieutenant General James Longstreet, but left Ewell in a quandary. With his men tired and lacking room to re-form, he asked for reinforcements from Hills corps. This request was refused. Receiving word that Union reinforcements were arriving in large numbers on his left flank, Ewell decided against attacking. He was supported in this decision by his s ubordinates, including Major General Jubal Early. This decision, as well as Ewells failure to occupy nearby Culps Hill, were later severely criticized and blamed in causing the Confederate defeat. After the war, many argued that Jackson would not have hesitated and would have captured both hills. Over the next two days, Ewells men mounted attacks against both Cemetery and Culps Hill but with no success as Union troops had time to fortify their positions. In the fighting on July 3, he was hit in his wooden leg and slightly wounded. As Confederate forces retreated south after the defeat, Ewell was wounded again near Kellys Ford, VA. Though Ewell led Second Corps during the Bristoe Campaign that fall, he later fell ill and turned command over to Early for the subsequent Mine Run Campaign. Richard Ewell - The Overland Campaign: With the beginning of Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grants Overland Campaign in May 1864, Ewell returned to his command and engaged Union forces during the Battle of the Wilderness. Performing well, he held the line at Saunders Field and later in the battle had Brigadier General John B. Gordon mount a successful flank attack on the Union VI Corps. Ewells actions at the Wilderness were quickly offset several days later when he lost his composure during the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. Tasked with defending the Mule Shoe salient, his corps was overrun on May 12 by a massive Union assault. Striking his retreating men with his sword, Ewell desperately attempted to get them to return to the front. Witnessing this behavior, Lee interceded, berated Ewell, and took personal command of the situation. Ewell later resumed his post and fought a bloody reconnaissance in force at the Harris Farm on May 19. Moving south to the North Anna, Ewells performance continued to suffer. Believing the Second Corps commander to be exhausted and suffering from his previous wounds, Lee relieved Ewell shortly thereafter and directed him to assume oversight of the Richmond defenses. From this post, he supported Lees operations during the Siege of Petersburg (June 9, 1864 to April 2, 1865). During this period, Ewells troops manned the citys entrenchments and defeated Union diversionary efforts such as attacks at Deep Bottom and Chaffins Farm. With the fall of Petersburg on April 3, Ewell was forced to abandon Richmond and Confederate forces began retreating west. Engaged at Saylers Creek on April 6 by Union forces led by Major General Philip Sheridan, Ewell and his men were defeated and he was captured. Richard Ewell - Later Life: Transported to Fort Warren in Boston Harbor, Ewell remained a Union prisoner until July 1865. Paroled, he retired to his wifes farm near Spring Hill, TN. A local notable, he served on the boards of several community organizations and also managed a successful cotton plantation in Mississippi. Contracting pneumonia in January 1872, Ewell and his wife soon became gravely ill. Lizinka died on January 22 and was followed by her husband three days later. Both were buried in Nashvilles Old City Cemetery. Selected Sources Civil War Trust: Richard EwellCivil War: Richard Ewell HistoryNet: Richard Ewell at Gettysburg

Economic indicator in the Airline Indistry Essay

Economic indicator in the Airline Indistry - Essay Example Before moving on discussing the effect of these two variables on the performance of the selected airline company, it is necessary to describe briefly all these three indicators that are taken into account for the present analysis- producer price index (PPI), foreign exchange rate, and net income of the company. (Froyen, 2001; Sodersten and Reed, 1994) Producer price index is a measure of average change in the level of prices that producers of a nation receive for the outputs they produce. Foreign exchange rate between two currencies of two different nations can be defined as the rate at which a particular currency is exchanged for one unit of another currency. For analytical purposes the yearly average exchange rate is generally taken into account. (Froyen, 2001; Sodersten and Reed, 1994) Net income of any company, can be defined as the level of earnings that remains after deducting the costs and expenses of the firm from its total value of revenue. For the present study, a period of 2000-2007 has been considered for examining the impact of producer price index and foreign exchange rate on net income of Southwest Airline. Only the unadjusted level of price index for finished products has been considered here. It has been found that during December, 2000, PPI was 139.7. In the next year it dropped to the level of 137.2. However, since 2002, it has started to rise continuously (2002- 139.1, 2003- 144.5, 2004- 150.4, 2005-158.8, 2006-160.5, 2007- 170). PPI can be taken as a proxy of cost of living, although not very accurate as consumer price index. From the value of PPI over the year, it is clear that cost of living has increases which in turn will force consumers to economise on their spending. Therefore, a fall in the demand for air traveling can be expected. Looking at the annual report of Southwest airlines it has been found that during 2000, net income was 603,093 thousand dollar. But it then fell to the

Developing Countries and Deflation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Developing Countries and Deflation - Essay Example A year after Roach's controversial report, Goldman and Sachs published a Global Economics paper entitled "Dreaming with BRICs: The Path to 2050". In this report, the authors surmised that given the 'right' growth conditions and a lot of luck, four of the biggest developing countries namely Brazil, Russia, India and China (thus forming the BRIC acronym) could become the largest economic force in the world in 50 years possibly even surpassing the G6 economies (US, Japan, UK, France, Italy and Germany). Like China, the economies of Brazil, Russia and India have influenced the decline of consumer prices in the world. If there is any empirical basis on the notion of China's alleged spread of deflation, would it not be reasonable to suggest that the rest of the BRICs could have the same effect on the world's economy This paper aims to examine if such generalization regarding deflation shifting could indeed be applied to all of the BRICs as the world's largest developing countries. ... ntinuously as determined by aggregate measures such as the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) deflator (Kumar et al, 2003). In such a case, economic activity and consumer spending are significantly reduced, which in turn cause a decline in prices, profits, trade, employment and productivity in general (Guardian Unlimited, 2006). The decline in price levels could either be due to a demand shock (a significant fall in the demand of goods and services) or a supply shock (significant increase in outputs while demands remain constant). In case of the former, a vicious cycle of declining asset prices, rigid financial policies and reduced nominal interest rates are likely to result. The situation could become more problematic if the expectation for even lower prices prompt consumers to postpone their spending. An extreme effect of this would be companies going out of business or severely cutting down on labor and production due severe inability to sell their good s or services, realize revenues and/or pay off outstanding loans. This perpetuates an even lower demand for goods and further decline in prices. Supply shocks, on the other hand, can result from more 'positive' events such as technological advancements, trade liberalization gains, productivity growth and strengthened confidence in the long-term effects of perceived political and economic stability. Under such circumstances, deflation could not be as costly as that in the demand shock effect since the price decline could only be a manifestation of temporary adjustment to a new equilibrium brought about by external, productivity-enhancing changes, e.g., IT revolution and deregulation, (Kumar et al, 2003). Deflation in history There are two periods in history when deflation occurred in

Criminology court case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Criminology court case - Essay Example He reported the case to the police as soon as realized unusual characters that area. However, about an hour later, the police was informed that a person had been killed in a neighboring refueling station. The same person who had informed the police that his life was in danger was found at the scene of crime and fell the first suspect. Different police officers arrived at the scene and considered him first suspect. The customs of criminal bench in Vancouver Supreme law court respects the crown and the safeguard the panel responsible for assessing the evidence given during the bench proceedings to settle the disputes more efficiently (Bergelson, 2009). The entire court proceedings are documented and involve a substantive discussion. The endeavors of the bar are to resolve the issues as soon as possible to evade piling up of legal cases. The crown mentioned the name of the suspect and started issuing statement regarding the alleged offense of the suspect. The opening of the trial was made by issuing a short description of the accusations. The accused names were mentioned and a statement issued regarding the crime which he had committed. The crown called upon all the witnesses who were police officers to issue their statements regarding what they witnessed about the suspect. They all provided the information they had regarding the suspect. They were asked to give evidence of what they saw or what made them conclude that the suspect indeed committed the alleged crime. Under criminal law, the suspect of an offense is called the accused. A criminal offence can be charged either as â€Å"summary conviction† or as â€Å"indictable offences† (Bergelson, 2009). In case a person is charged of summary the case will heard by a provincial court judge. This does the highest charge is $2,000, or a jail term of six months or both cash charges and six months in jail. Very demanding transgressions in

Goa The Tourism System Analysis Tourism Essay

Goa The Tourism System Analysis Tourism Essay Destination of Goa is a dream for all travelers who are all visiting India. Goa is also the wonderful coastal place for destination. Most delight area or region in Western Ghats. It has green expand in space of land and normal pictures and excellent landscapes. It is also called queens of the beach. Goa is also having bird paradise, adventure sports and water of epicenter, and nature that following some of most delighted waterfalls in India. Identifying the feature of home tour is the beautiful sunny beaches, wonderful white sands in beautiful sea. Travelers can discover a satisfaction our in ancient temple and churches in the place of goa. So for travelers are mostly eating sea foods like fish, prawn, gin, crabs and feni. One of the famous festivals in goa is shimoga festival and its for people enjoyment with music, playing and having fun. Most of visitors emigrate to goa for look at the world class casino and also people enjoying the night life and parties in goa. Introduction: Goa has been an ideal destination for tourists for decades. Millions of tourists flock to Goa, a small city along the coast of the Arabian Sea. Its beautiful coastline beach, tropical landscape and with coconut palm as a backdrop makes it a most preferred destination for travelers. Goa was once dominated the Portuguese, their architecture, churches can also be found there even today. Goa still has that Portuguese flavor to their streets which still remains narrow and in their cuisines. Goa has several beautiful locations to offer. From the Dona Paula a spot which oversees the magnificent harbor of Goa at Mormugau. Panjim was once a fishing village, which the Portuguese declared it as the Capital. It still remains with the charm it had its glorious past. The buildings, churches, still remain intact and have overcome the testimony time had to offer. Panjim has houses and villas built along the banks of the river Mandovi. Goa has a mixture of old fashioned markets selling vegetables and fruits to Bars and Pubs which have a western culture associated to it. Several foreigners have made it into Goa and never left, those who have left have only wished to make it back. It has been the summit spot for tourism in India. It has the highest concentration of foreign settlers in India. Its all thanks to the well preserved natural beauty and the serenity that Goa has to offer. Goa attracts more tourists than any single city within India and it will remain the same way for years to come. Pest analysis: Social: Hostels and resorts are always seemed something that made a damage of the public material and place. More quantity of foreign arrivals arriving in to a position, the more chance of that position to decline its identity. A perfect example of goa from the past sixties to the beginning eighties when their life style of the goa people was at its peak, goa was a dreamful city for such oldest people. However they came in plenty of years and improved the total life style of the condition. This is how make something impact on the nations. Individual became careful, especially of the foreign travelers. Nevertheless a certain position became popular place in goa; they was mentioned to prevent the influx of foreign travelers some of the locations such as Rajasthan and Kerala has been able to attack a stability between their life style and the requirements of the foreign travelers and have producing money and attractive in a strong in the deal. People are how utilizing on their own points that travel and leisure will pay and it will be a considerable. Revenue for them. However, travel and tourism as a way of enjoyment has actually taken. People on their own have started visiting and are prepared to travel to a places that is out of the distinctive. Generally, travelling on a holidays supposed to going out mountain position or beaches, now every people is keen to go for getting practical experience over travel and location that could be individuals and cannot be genuine in the position of the place. Legal: The rules that control by the organization are not the similar in all the places. Various part of rules which are in impact are mature and ancient and its not developed to get assemble the issues of the twenty first century. The process of would valuations and journey of authorities has experimental to that taxes paying by travelers in local peoples are the maximum on the global. Hotels are indicting about forty percentage of tax indicating to other countries somewhere it varies among three percentages and six percentages. Although high duty to provide the travel and enjoyment of travel sectors as a entire mutually respectful. The additional, factors among the taxes of state level, mainly on a prepared drink and foods. In detail, the taxes to bring soft drinks vary generally and its sixty three percentage in Karnataka to twenty eight percentage in Bengal. Political: The Government aspects are the principal power of the tourism sector. The local travel industry of India is to developing on the main reference of government guidance and the market cannot continue to devoid of it. A range of standard websites and the spaces of common meaning all the servicing solutions methods like the location of the organization, the travel agencies and the vendors to identify the few guidance and the efforts of the management. The main purpose as to why the visitors to verify out ancient part of India are the intensive and loaded life style of our region. That is below the regulate authorities by means of the standard study of the nature in India. The method alter it happens into strength will have wonderful results on the travel sector players execute. There are several locations in which the development of vacation quick to found wonderful fall simply because the administration of ecosystem in positive way. Environment: The guidance an idea has seen developed by the administration in review with the travel sector and are becoming utilize the non relaxation the travel sector not in different to the other areas to deliver the past in the doing an expense to the people. The additional people spending the extra the travel sectors People who recently utilized to occur to the nation on a constrained amount vary and appearance for around cost effective of genuine property it will be deal with the star hotels. The progress of huge section of accommodation in the nations. Nevertheless a improvement of providing an expense dont only to control themselves to genuine property. Making an expense of evident in the huge variety of family visitors travelling by flights has considerably removed. Technical: While the innovation dont look to be a necessary have an impact on initial look, it attributes a main features in the marketing and advertising of the locations. Better interactions features are the initial situation for the development in the improvement of visitors. This has been developed by feasible with situation for the development in the improvement of visitors. This has been developed by feasible with scientific development. Although greater connection implies to marketing. The necessary of any location needs to be foreign visitors. In the same way to improves their travel operates have include to a wonderful development in the range of visitors observing and certain location. The use of an terminal and the variety of great enjoyment to all visitors. Three range of years: Vision in 2022: To arriving the place back up to the team whereas the demand is to receive an revenue dont visitors out of alternating place obtaining a extra does not alternate being more capability or lack of capability, efficient price, national or area of qualification of units does not avoid people from major and damage from growing goa city of organization and growth discuss it was offered by an specialist in the location of goa. The farming organization participation can maintain to minimize the farming organization do not generate plenty of revenue, we can continues layout to the area destination for the career possibilities in our sites. The culture of goa may comfortable in the process of the destination. Several necessary information with the objective of goa in 2022 inhabitants will exist approximately one eighty five million as well as the travel population would in unwanted of about three million situation all will go fit. The primary can attack proof raised of three hundred dollars a package more over to value of earning might healthy be extreme. Therefore the rest of this product will focus on this concentration of cleaning fit in the prospective. We recognize that faming department play a role on several percentage of the left over ninety three percentage and the rate of growth and development department is innovation them the tourist it will be spring time to alter the providing specifics. Designed of growth is a great deal with partially straight through issues somewhere as tourists will increase. Vision in 2030: The huge possible in the floor of farming mostly late towards its place, atmosphere scenario limited enhance perfect for large costs vegetation as well as its extremely designed individual. Resources it requirements to indicate efficiently to separate left beginning established to farming and meeting point on function benefits and to travel beginning product breath taking to impressive difference to less important and elevated the costs further vegetation increasing and require for brought up assessment products to the cost. Over all look of impresser organization such as part breaths taking in little property because of bright to personal offer also suggest numerous chance foe growth of agriculture. The majority of significant is the enchasing of the breath taking area to carry watching the location in addition to the restricted inhabitants. Growth of restricted fresh fruits and vegetables and fresh vegetables probably will rise of amount with the purpose of they probably will be sell overseas. The daily trade is enchasing and requirement maintain to turn into self relevant and further a similar breath taking item for consumption become recognizable to hold plenty performance. Vision in 2035: It should be the development of a main center designed for advanced learning with explore inside the India. The learning as well as study focuses among a center taking place in order to contact skill, public fitness, Nano technology, bio technology and architecture. Must stand a personal in price to provide brought up operate economical as well as organization, providing within bookkeeping, law, marketing, group relationship, organization in the level of creating growth and inner mean along with in the creating technology such as media, books, movies, TV and transferring. Here an remarkable possible during the education within pressure growth such as with stand their arts. Sustainability: To maintain the journey and vacation therefore labor to generate average accomplish occurring the environment along with area way of life whereas area to generate financial commitment more over career used for inhabitants because fit as to market the good company of limited system. it is efficient journey and vacation development up to impressive amount, it is be likely to position an awesome specification on top of the various position more over to these commitment as damaged. In frequent journey and vacation might be fast to rapidly least complete destination. The recantation and you will find the scenario. The supporting of journey and the scenario means are defeat the purpose as problem the beach along with over filling. The energy is a quality of a system or scenario it is able to be immediate organization dropping because anywhere needed on the way to make it is constant. The restricted inhabitants have an essential place to sign up during maintain viewing the places as well as dedication to remain the following place of intelligence with the sound used for the achievement of the situation. A lot of travelers beginning to global be amazingly different from the location with purpose of the inhabitants impact than look by the aspects of them along with the following. The place anywhere the travelers are trip off with this purpose incredibly a lot of trip and holiday promote is come across a serious accomplish of the benefits. Travelers in goa and other travelers position exercise a collection of discomfort starting the region supplier in particular adolescents again and again keep on guests with continue with the aim of the generating the goods. Conclusion: Goa has been attractive destination for Decades. It has attracted millions of tourists from across the globe. The tourists are mainly from United Kingdom, Russia, Scotland, Germany, France, Australia and United States of America. They all come there to explore the natural sanctuary and serenity that Goa has to offer in abundance. People come here to have a wonderful experience, explore the natural heritage and resources Goa has to offer. People come here empty and take home a lot of memories they could cherish for a lifetime. Goa also has a interesting night life, which interests a lot of people from the west. Goa is seen a place where tourists from several parts come and meet each other and share cultures with each other. People flock to Goa for a reason it has several naturally attractive locations to offer the tourists. It is also considerable cheap to stay at Goa considering other tourist destination making it an ideal location. There have been instances where foreigner stayed in Goa for years before the cash they had ran out. The destination has a lot of pubs, bars and Casinos that interest tourists. No one comes to Goa and goes back dejected. This makes Goa an ideal place to stay. Being a Union Territory, Goa has liberal laws for tourists settlers. Hence making it an ideal location for immigrants and tourists. There are several foreigners residing in Goa been there for generations. Goa has the essence to make it an ideal spot to rest and settle down. A place where culture mixes and harmony precedes the natural serenity makes it a most preferred tourist destination. Goa with its natural sanctuary that is being preserved has a long way to look forward to. It will remain to have tourists knocking at its doorsteps for years to come. The culture it shares with the immigrants and the locals have a unique tale to tell. The harmony and peace that looms around its surrounding makes tourists not wanting to leave and most of them wish to return to Goa at some point of their life. Goa has a long way to go, with tourists setting foot on its shores daily, it has room for development and improvement and the future seems bright.

grendelbeo Who is the Monster - Beowulf or Grendel? Essay -- Epic Beo

Who is the Monster - Beowulf or Grendel? My first impression of Beowulf was that of an enigmatic, somewhat esoteric work, a necessary evil on the way to reading the more important works. After a closer reading of the much-celebrated epic, I had a revelation. And what a revelation: Beowulf is wonderful! Perhaps it was the translation, or it might have been the basic substance of the work itself, but I found myself devouring the poem. I discovered two specific areas of appeal: 1) The fundamental attraction of the archetypical super-hero and 2) the more contemporary trend in modern culture to attempt to recapture the experience of this particular era via popular fiction and film.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The ideal of the hero is a concept so completely integrated into the human psyche as to be virtually built-in. From Homer's Ulysses to Nietzsche's Ubermensch, we as a race of beings are fixated on the individual who makes things happen, who gets things done, p referably with a healthy dose of bravado. Perhaps this is attributable to an innate sense of vulnerability in each of us, that unsettling little voice which whispers to us that, despite all our efforts, we have overlooked some crucial factor which will lead to our ultimate demise. The hero has no such insecurities: he is invincible!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is interesting to note that not only has the hero figure continued to thrive in the collective human consciousness, but, in our own western culture, the Beowulf-prototype has come full circle: there is a whole genre of fantasy novels which center on one form or another of the Anglo-Saxon warrior tradition, as well as a veritable plethora of movies. Fleet upon fleet of ring-prowed ships sail ever-onward on the seas of our imagination, on qu... ...pand the characters, making them more whole, more three-dimensional.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Looking at the two works side by side, a question arises: Who is the true monster? Beowulf fans will, no doubt, assert that their hero is the undisputed good guy, and that Grendel was a vicious bastard who got what he deserved. But the Gardner perspective offers an interesting twist: Beowulf was insane! An unbalanced, obsessive weirdo babbling bizarre gibberish into Grendel's ear as he rended the unfortunate creature's arm from his torso. This latter interpretation is not as far-fetched as one might think; the police departments of every major city in this country contain a certain number of these so-called "heroes," men so mired in violence that their perceptions become distorted, that they ultimately become the very thing they've fought so hard to defeat.

Haverwood Company Essay

1.How would you characterize the household wood furniture industry? I would characterize the wood furniture industry to be a very complex competitive relationship based industry. This industry has many different segments that form as a whole. A few of these segments are suppliers, producers, and raw material manufactures. A great deal of the raw materials are imported from different countries in order to keep constant on quality and cost. This industry is had to penetrate being that a lot of the competition has been in business for many years. This give them a competitive edge being that this market can be cyclical like many others. The furniture industry is affected by different economic conditions which may directly impact a consumer’s purchasing power. A few furniture companies have decided to outsource different process in order to be cost effective. 2. What is Haverwood’s relative position in this industry? Haverwoods position in the industry is reflected in the product it produces. It is a mid to high price furniture manufacture. Its sales are good with a least six percent of market share. The growth of the company is expanding with the addition of Lea-meadows and most likely many others as the market seems to get more competitive. They have 1,000 specialty styles that gives versatility amongst a wide array of different consumers. They are positioned well in this industry. 3. How do consumers buy furniture? Describe the process from need recognition to purchase. Many consumers buy furniture from a wide variety of choice whether they impulse buy or see an idea in a magazine. Most individuals just enjoy shopping. Many believe that a higher price is equivalent to a higher quality. 4.What is the purpose and role of advertising, promotion, and personal selling in the household furniture industry? The purpose of advertising gives the consumer information on the products that the company offer. It may give ideas to the consumer who will eventually purchase. When a firm promotes it allows the consumer to understand and recognize the quality of product that is being offered. Sales people are often the first contact a consumer may have to the firm allowing them to feel as though the experience is worthy of their money. Sales people develop a rapport with the consumers which may allow for repeat business and referrals which contributes to the bottom line of increasing sales. 5.What should be the objective(s) for Haverwood’s communication program in 2008? Please provide rationale for your response. I think the objective is to market all the lines that are available and control their advertising budget. The many lines will contribute to more product being seen and available to the consumer. This will give them many more options to decide from. If they control the ad budget then they can control the amount of money being spent in areas that may not be as noticed by the consumers with in the market. The more galleries will allow more exposure to the general public.

History of the Unification of Germany essays

History of the Unification of Germany essays In 1815, the country of Germany was divided into 39 independent and separate states. The country's main goal at the time was unification, but nationalists (supporters of a small Germany) and liberals (the German supporters) quarreled over whether to unify Germany under Prussia or include Austria in the process. The attempts to unify Germany and make it liberal failed miserably due to uncompromising attitudes between the two groups, which differed in political opinions. The nationalists, who wanted Germany unified under Prussia, refused to accept a liberal with the crown, and only accepted German princes with it (Doc 3). Many of them, like Bismarck, believed unity occurred with war and conquest (Doc 4). The nationalists were pro- nobility, anti-liberal, and believed that the Junkers were the state because their purpose was to defend their country and control the serfs (Doc 7). The Junkers also resolved to defend God and the King aside from the "Prussian Fatherland." (Doc. 15) They display these feelings of defense as they refuse an imperial crown and show no mercy by calling the liberals, beggars with no money and no laws (Doc. 21). It seems apparent that some people, like King William who believed without the Junkers, Prussia would cease to exist, looked down upon the liberals and conveyed this through their words of hate. The documents and their strong feelings of disregard reflected their opposition because of different views of how to unify G ermany (Doc 8). King Frederick IV also believed that the wall between Germany and unification was the threat from the enemies of the Junkers. He believed Austria was not the cause of threat, reflecting opposition towards the liberals (Doc. 18). Similar to these beliefs were the beliefs of the Junkers who did not think highly of their opposition, thought of them as bankrupt cast-offs, and believed that they were not worthy of even a glass of water (Doc. 21). This case also portrays the confli...

The Education System Essay Example

The Education System Essay Example The Education System Essay The Education System Essay Essay Topic: Education This point has caused one of the main criticisms of looking at cultural deprivation as the reason for working class underachievement. Critics have argued that working class parents seem less interested and less encouraging because of their situation and circumstances. They want to show their children what life is like realistically for the working class, that high occupational status is a dream. Another criticism of cultural deprivation has been by those who feel that material factors are more important. These critics are structuralists, and think that it is important to focus on what parents can provide materialistically that would encourage their children to do better at school, for example a quiet room for homework and appropriate books. If there is not enough money for books, the student has to get a part-time job which is likely to result in less time spent on schoolwork, thus not doing well in exams. There are other critics of cultural deprivation who feel it is important to look at factors of the school which affect the performance of different social class students. For example, there are subcultures (anti-social, anti-school) which working class students are more likely to be drawn into, and so their educational performance is obviously affected. The next explanation was a criticism of the last one material deprivation, or material factors. These theorists believe the students homes background influences and affects them the most. This is very much a structuralist view. The argument is that working class parents cannot afford the materials necessary for their children to do well. The children are likely to share bedrooms with other siblings and dont have a quiet place for study, and my have to get a part-time job if their parents are not financially secure. Working class parents are also less likely to be able to attend parents meetings because they have a clash of time with work. Working class students are less likely to continue to higher education because their parents simply cannot afford tuition fees and the extra necessities of university. All these negative aspects of material deprivation are why many sociologists argue that material factors are why working class students are relative failures in the education system. However, as with inheritance and heredity, and cultural deprivation, material factors have also been criticised. Those who do not believe in material deprivation focus more on in school factors and how these affect performance. They argue it is more important to look at how the school can provide materialistically, but overriding this, culturally. For example, they look at the dominant culture and value system of teachers. In school, teachers have authority and students of working class, in particular, feel intimidated and do not want to do well. This often results in a case of teacher versus student values debate. Where the teacher may encourage the benefits of education, the student may feel that the teachers authority and nagging is discouraging. There are many other in school factors that sociologists have put forward, which became the next explanation interpretivist arguments. The interpretivist explanation for working class underachievement focuses on in school factors. They believe there are many things that happen inside school which prevent working class students performing as well as middle class students. One of these factors is subcultures, both anti-school and anti-social. Working class students find themselves easily drawn into these subcultures, often with excuses such as the teachers picking on me so Im not going to his/her lesson. Peer pressure is also a major issue in anti-school subcultures. When one student decides that school isnt for them and does not attend, they need somebody or several fellow students to truant with. Students who may have previously conformed do not want to be left out and join the anti-school feeling. Two important in school factors of the interpretivist argument are teacher labelling and streaming. Labelling is where a teacher prejudges a working class student, labelling them as useless, thus giving middle class students more attention and support. This drives working class students away in anti-school subcultures and holds them back from educational success. Streaming is where students are split and taught in groups of their perceived ability. David Hargreaves, an interactionist, claimed streaming created an increased amount of feeling inferior as lower stream boys progress to more mature ages. This affects how they feel towards education and more than often results in poor exam performance. As older students feel inferior and join anti-school subcultures, younger students find themselves without role models and in turn feel anti-school. Both labelling and streaming involve teachers stereotyping students of all social classes, which can lead to discrimination, e. g. sexism and racism. Again, interpretivists have also found themselves being criticised for their views. The critics are structuralists who feel it is more important to look at out of school factors and the students home background, in other words material and mainly cultural factors at home. Focuses are on things such as the values of and attitudes to education at home, and religious and cultural values. Critics argue that parents of working class students have very different values and attitudes to education than middle class parents. For example, working class parents may find it important to emphasise survival as key in their childrens futures, whereas middle class parents could believe in encouraging their children to aim as high as possible and achieve all they possibly can. Religious and cultural values are also important in the structuralist view. Where features of religion may interfere with how students are taught, their parents may choose to pull them out of the education system. A current example of this is the banning of the Muslim scarf in French schools. It is a vital aspect of Islam for females to wear a scarf, so where I has been banned, huge protests have been held and many Muslim parents have taken their children somewhere Islam can be practised and the children can be educated. Critics of interpretivists also think peer pressure in the area where the student lives is important. If there is an anti-school subculture in the area, the student is extremely likely to be a part of it as it its where they spend most of their time. As time has passed, each of the explanations offered for working class underachievement have become more developed, and have also faced more criticism. The first sociologists to look into this issue believe intelligence is inherited and measurable, and middle class parents are generally more intelligent. They also believe in IQ tests and think they are an excellent way of measuring intelligence. However, there are opponents to this suggestion who believe IQ tests are unfair and cannot be used to test member of different social classes and people of subcultures within social classes and ethnic groups. There are many weaknesses and not many strengths to the argument of inheritance and heredity. Though the sociologists argue that intelligence is inherited from parents, there has not been a study to prove that this is so, i. e. no evidence has been provided to back up this idea. They do, on the other hand, not deny that there are less intelligent middle class students and more intelligent working class children. I agree with the critics who claim that IQ tests are unfair because when an IQ test is created, it will in some way be biased to a certain group (usually the middle class). There would be questions on the test that working class children would not be familiar with, thus failing to perform well and being labelled unintelligent. This is an extremely unfair way to explain why working class students are relative failures in the education system. Cultural deprivation was offered by those sociologists who felt working class children were brought up in a culture where people around them placed a lower value on education and where their parents were much less interested in their schooling than middle class parents. I agree with the critics who say that it is unfair to say working class parents are uninterested in their childrens education because it is their circumstances that put them in that position. A weakness of this argument is that although a researcher may have looked into a working class family and found that their argument was proven correct, not all working class families are this way and many do encourage academic success. As a reason for working class underachievement, cultural factors are important to look at but do not apply to all working class families. The sociologists who argue that material deprivation at home is the cause for working class underachievement have a strong argument. They claim that working class parents are unable to afford the materialistic requirements of school and that this forces their children to fall behind and perform badly. Though this is a very valid argument, it is important to look at other factors as well as materialistic factors at home. For example, material and cultural factors at school are equally important, and should all be taken into consideration. The interpretivist argument focused on in school factors and how these affected the performance of students. The sociologists looked at things such as anti-school subcultures and teacher labelling and streaming. Like the sociologists who agree with material factors, interpretivists fail to look at other factors. They see in school factors as the sole reason for working class underachievement, which is not correct. Though it is also a valid argument like material deprivation, it should not be forgotten that the home background of a student is equally important to look at as well as the state of the school. I think that inheritance and heredity do not cause working class underachievement, but that a combination of cultural and material factors both at home and at school cause working class students to be relative failures in the education system. Where each individual theory counts out the others as valid reasons, I think this is wrong and that all count equally towards working class underachievement.

The Texas Judicial System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Texas Judicial System - Essay Example One of the most complex elements of the judicial system is that there are two distinct systems - federal and state, even though most of the cases are filed in state courts. Texas' system is based on confusing array of courts with overlapping jurisdictions and has the double court system even at the highest appellate level. The Texas Supreme Court has nine members and is the last resort in civil cases. The nation has much criticized the Texas judicial system, especially for the large campaign contributions during elections of the state judges and high execution level, however, in overall the system is not very effective effective. In 1822, the first provisional justice of the piece in Texas has been appointed - Josiah Bell appointed by Stephen Austin. Shortly after the revolution, the Spanish law has been replaced by the Constitution of the Republic of Texas under which the judicial power was focused in Supreme Court. The state was divided into judicial districts - each county had the court and the judge elected by popular vote. However, the chief justice of the state was elected by the ballot of the houses of Congress. The justice of the Supreme Court were elected by the governor with the consent of the Senate, however, in 1850 the offices were made elective (Braden 47). In 1876 additional appellate court of the last resort was established while the Supreme Court did not review the decisions of the Court of Appeals. Within the next decade, the intermediate level of appeal courts was established. In 1891, the Court of Appeals became the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals with the jurisdiction over criminal cases appeals from district and county courts. Today there are three levels of the courts, including district, county and inferior. Moreover, there is no uniform jurisdiction among the levels and it is necessary to examine the statutes of each. There are also courts of appeals and two courts of the last resort. Inferior courts include justice and municipal courts which have the most uniform jurisdiction in the state. The traffic offense cases are filed to inferior courts - they collect fines and are the revenue producers. Counties with more than 30,000 population have from 4 to 8 precincts - each having one justice of peace serving for the term of 4 years. Justice of the peace courts are filed criminal offenses punishable by fine (not more than $5,000). Justice of peace also serve as the magistrates and can issue warrants to arrest and search (Braden 60-68). Municipal courts are established in more than 800 cities and have more than one judge. The city's governing body appoint the judges of municipal courts, even though some of the judges are elected by the voters. Municipal courts are not courts of record and have jurisdiction over city ordinances violations punishable by fines. The county courts are divided into two systems: constitutional courts and statutory courts. Constitutional courts have jurisdiction over the inferior courts and criminal jurisdiction over the misdemeanors and civil matters. The judge of the constitutional court has legislative and executive functions and serves the term of four years. The statutory county courts have jurisdiction over civil, family and criminal matters, even though it varies throughout the state. District courts are trial courts and have jurisdic

Why I believe NBC's new show, The Blacklist, is the number one show on Essay

Why I believe NBC's new show, The Blacklist, is the number one show on television - Essay Example In December 2013, NBC renewed the show by ordering a twenty two episode second season. The Blacklist has been able to utilize its marketing strengths to position itself in the market. In the entertainment industry, particularly the film and series sector, marketing is a challenging and dynamic function of business. Fortunately, the issue of marketing and positioning was not challenging because of the brilliance of the actors, scriptwriters and producers of the show. The series is able to capture the mood of its audience, in addition to using the popular actors such as Boone and Spader.2 The star power and sly wit of the lead actor Mr. Spader has helped The Blacklist to become a top rated new television crime and drama show. The Voice, which preceded The Blacklist, was able pull 12 million viewers for the new show. The Blacklist did not have a problem looking for a new audience. The show only had to satisfy the entertainment needs of the 12 million viewers.3 A range of factors played a crucial role in the marketing and positioning success of The Blacklist. The creators of the show were strategic about the factors they could control. The producers made wide ranging decisions that helped in the marketing of the show. From the production and casting of the main actors to the scope of the show, the creators made strategic decisions that would contribute to the marketing success of the show. One of the marketing strategies used by the creators was to use Mr. Spader as the lead actor. He injected humor that was not prominent in the written dialogues. Mr. Spader also helped in the invention of exciting words such as â€Å"the blacklist†. Word play and humor helped in taking off the edge, in addition to eliminating any potential accusations of melodrama. The positioning strategy that the creators and NBC executives used was pairing the show with The Voice. The Voice attracted an average viewership of approximately 15 million viewers. With the

How population growth can spur economic prosperity and promote Research Paper

How population growth can spur economic prosperity and promote progress - Research Paper Example However, in this context it is worth mentioning that rapid rate of growth of population also creates negative effects upon the degree of growth of economies, by reducing the amount of effective labor force in the economy (National Research Council (U.S.), 1986, p. 47). There are several policy issues related to the process of creation of positive effects of higher population growth upon the process of economic prosperity and the process of promotion of economic growth. These policy issues are closely related to the generation of different fiscal as well as monetary policies which are undertaken by governments of developed, developing as well as less developed countries across the globe (Bloom et al., 2001, p. 6). One of the most important policies is creation of effective amount of natural and productive resources in the economy, so that the volume of excess of demand and thus rise in prices of goods and services do not happen in the concerned economy. This policy is largely abided by the government through effective increase in the volume of government expenditure on production processes. Also the monetary policy is implemented by the government in respect to creation of effective amount of money supply in the economy through creation of new empl oyment opportunities (Bloom et al., 2001, pp. 6-7).In this context, the policy which has been implemented in the USA, regarding the creation of larger number of jobs for the older people of the country, because of the fact that the mortality rate is very low in the country, has been highly significant (Bloom et al., 2001, p. 20). There are different ethical as well as legal issues in regard to the process of creating of progressive effects of population growth on economic growth. These ethical issues are related to large number of issues, including environmental issues, resource allocation and distributional issues,

Gender and Flag Question Essay Example for Free

Gender and Flag Question Essay Feminists argue that gender matters because _____. Select one: a. it helps us bring some order to a chaotic world b. it structures social relations between people c. it emphasizes natural differences that exist between men and women d. there are roles for which men are each better suited and other roles for which women are better suited Question 2 Not yet answered Marked out of 3. 00 Flag question Question text Your introductory sociology professor believes that gender roles serve a purpose in society to fulfill certain functions. What type of theoretical background is your professor espousing? Select one: a. conflict b. postmodern c. structuration d. structural functionalism Question 3 Not yet answered Marked out of 3. 00 Flag question Question text Which of the following theories is associated with the idea that gender is a process—a product of our everyday social interactions? Select one: a. psychoanalytic theory b. conflict theory c. microinteractionist theory d. postmodern theory Question 4 Not yet answered Marked out of 3. 00 Flag question Question text How might a sociologist describe the difference between homosexuality and homosexual behavior? Select one: a. Homosexuality is a fixed social identity that is determined at birth, and homosexual behavior is the outward manifestation of that identity. b. Homosexuality is a lifestyle choice, whereas homosexual behavior is a choice about how to act in a particular moment and context. c. Homosexuality implies having a certain social identity, whereas homosexual behavior is a choice about a particular activity at a particular time. d. Homosexuality implies obtaining a social identity through repeated homosexual behavior Question 5 Not yet answered Marked out of 3. 00 Flag question Question text While policies that overtly discriminate against women have mostly been driven from the workplace, there still exist covert barriers that are often referred to as _____. Select one: a. the mommy track b. the glass ceiling c. hegemonic masculinity d. the glass escalator Question 6 Not yet answered Marked out of 3. 00 Flag question Question text _____ is a nearly universal system involving the subordination of femininity to masculinity. Select one: a. Patriarchy b. Sexism c. Matriarchy d. Hegemonic masculinity Question 7 Not yet answered Marked out of 3. 00 Flag question Question text Gender studies can be said to focus on the relationship between _____. Select one: a. nature and nurture b. sex and sexuality c. men and women d. sexual preference and social environment Question 8 Not yet answered Marked out of 3. 00 Flag question Question text Which of the following statements offers an essentialist explanation for gender differences? Select one: a. Women find themselves in lower paying jobs with fewer opportunities for advancement because such jobs make it easier for them to balance work and family. b. Women take on more responsibility for domestic tasks because men still think of such things as women’s work. c. There are far fewer women professors in the hard sciences because women are tracked toward the humanities and social sciences. d. Women are overrepresented in professions such as nursing, teaching, and social work because they are inherently more nurturing and caring than men. Question 9 Not yet answered Marked out of 3. 00 Flag question Question text Women working in male-dominated professions often find that there are _____ opportunities for advancement, and men working in female-dominated professions often advance _____ their female colleagues. Select one: a. limited; more slowly than b. limited; as quickly as c. ample; as quickly as . limited; more quickly than Question 10 Not yet answered Marked out of 3. 00 Flag question Question text The interview with Paula England highlights the changing gender dynamics of relationships for college students. In what way have the female college students that Dr. England describes lost a level of equality with male college students? Select one : a. Women have more limited choices in dating partners. b. Women encounter a lack of reciprocal sexual pleasure. c. Women encounter reduced communication about relationships from men. d. Women are burdened with a larger share of the â€Å"emotional work† required to keep a relationship function.

International Marketing: Franchising and Entrepreneurship

International Marketing: Franchising and Entrepreneurship The past twenty years has seen an unprecedented internationalisation of business and growth of multinational organisations.   Some analysts credit these large multinational firms with more economic impact than many nation states.   This has greatly changed the way marketing is done.   Global markets are extremely difficult to define, and variables significantly more complex and diverse.   The decision to take a company outside the UK involves careful analysis of risk and benefit factors, consideration and selection of potential markets, planned market entry, and development of market penetration over time.   While this can be done through a number of strategies, franchising is a growing means of achieving international presence.   In particular, McDonald’s and The United Colors of Benetton represent two distinct yet successful examples of effective international marketing in globally franchising firms. DECIDING TO FRANCHISE INTERNATIONALLY With the increase in international franchising and its impact on marketing, a number of studies have been conducted on various related aspects.   One first consideration in literature is what leads to the decision to go international, and how this stimulates marketing within the firm.   It is first helpful to consider the relationship between parent companies and their subsidiaries, whether franchises, partnerships, or company-owned outlets.   Structurally, large multinationals such as McDonald’s and Benetton are â€Å"better viewed as inter-organisational networks than monolithic hierarchies,† because each subsidiary can take actions that affect the company as a whole (Birkinshaw 2000, 2).   Corporate structure is determined by interplay between parent and subsidiary, with both responding to and driving needed changes in the business environment (Birkinshaw 2000, 4).   Sometimes it will be the subsidiary that pursues markets, making a â€Å"proactive and del iberate pursuit of a new business opportunity† in order to â€Å"expand its scope of responsibility† (Birkinshaw 2000, 2). Eroglu (1992) studied determinants in firms’ decisions to franchise internationally.   He found two sets of â€Å"perceptual variables – perceived risks and perceived benefits – † determine a company’s decision (19).   When the perceived benefits outweighed the perceived risks, the company would proceed with expansion.   Cost/benefit analysis in one common method for measuring benefits versus risk, but again, is filtered through the perceptual opinions of decision makers.   It is therefore to consider the variables as perceived benefits and perceived risks (Eroglu 1992, 23). Additional research cites factors leading to international franchising as either push factors or pull factors.   Push factors include market saturation, competition, and diminishing domestic profits (Alon and McKee 1999, 76).   For example, after fifty years of franchising in the United States, there are a limited number of good locations for domestic franchises that do not already have a McDonald’s restaurant.   Should McDonald’s continue to build restaurants in a saturated market, they will begin to cannibalise each other, with one McDonald’s competing with another nearby for market share.   This is not a healthy long-term scenario for either the franchisee or the parent company.   In the case of Benetton, more and more fashion retailers start-ups and expansions have greatly increased competition within the sector (Barela 2003, 114). This competition reduces the potential and actual profits of both current and future outlets, causing the firm to explo re other markets where competition is less intense, and market share more easily won.   Pull factors include political changes, such as the opening of Eastern block countries to Western investment, economic changes, such as the growth of a formerly underdeveloped nation to the point it can sustain retail outlets, and the formation of regional trading units that seek out franchise opportunities (Alon and McKee 1999, 76).   Both McDonald’s and Benetton have been swift to move into emerging markets, even when other multinationals have delayed.   For example, franchises in Kazakhstan require complex business licenses, which has deterred foreign investors.   Benetton is one of the few Western companies to move into Kazakhstan, doing so through its typical franchise license method (Anon 2001, 5).   Nigeria was not an initial new market target for McDonald’s, as the average worker there will work over eleven hours to pay for a value meal.   However, the company has entered the country successfully at the initiation of local franchisees, who locate their restaurants in more economically viable areas of the country (Vignali 2001, 97).   Global market initiatives are often â€Å"driven by unmet product or market needs amongst non-local suppliers and customers (Birkinshaw 2000, 23).   In addition to push and pull factors, there are two theories in the study of franchising that explain the decision to move into international locations.   Both address one of the most debated topics in franchising research: why the parent company would want to franchise, when company-owned units provide a higher rate of return (Elango and Fried 1997, 69).   Once a business achieves a certain size, it is more profitable to the parent company if wholly owned.   For example, a typical franchisee may make a forty percent margin, and pay half of that to the parent company.   â€Å"With the right economies of scale, the franchisor could recoup more of that profit margin by owning the company outright† (Hoar 2003, 78). The first, resource scarcity theory, contends that companies lack the resources such as capital, local market knowledge, and managerial talent to open international outlets on their own (Altinay 2004, 427).   By recruiting local franchisees who supply capital, management, and knowledge of the local market, franchising organisations can achieve internationalisation not otherwise possible (Altinay 2004, 427).   The parent company would not be able to expand, particularly on an international level, without the assets offered by the franchisee.   This theory is more easily applied to small and medium-sized firms which obviously lack the assets for internationalisation than it is to either McDonald’s or Benetton.   Interestingly both organisations do have some company-owned holdings.   For McDonald’s part, Ray Kroc once contended he was in the real estate business, not the restaurant business, citing the large passive income generated from the leasing of McDonaldâ €™s properties to individual franchisees (Vignali 2001, 97).   Agency theory is based on the relationship between the principal party, in this case the parent company, who owns or control a set of economic assets or functions.   They delegate work to the agent, in this case the franchisee, who operate on the principal’s behalf (Doherty and Quinn 1999, 227).   The theory stresses the importance of the process of the transfer of information, the problem of information asymmetry, and monitoring costs associated with both (Doherty and Quinn 1999, 224).   Jensen and Meckling (1975) explain information asymmetry problems occur because the franchisee has detailed information about franchise operations that are not communicated to the parent company, and this causes division between the aims of the parent company and the franchisee.   This is enhanced by the natural tendency for franchisees to operate in their own best interests, even at the expense of the parent company (Altinay 2004, 427).   Applying Agency Theory to a firm’s d ecision to franchise internationally, the company usually does so on the basis of lower costs and decreased risk.   Since salaried managers would be likely to under perform, going with franchisees increases the likelihood of dedicated performance, and therefore reduced monitoring costs (Elango and Fried 1997, 71).   This theory contends that while both McDonald’s and Benetton could open company-owned outlets instead of franchise, the inherent risk and monitoring requirements to the parent company outweigh the economic gains versus franchising.   Internationalisation of a retail entity, such as Benetton, involves the development of operations, sourcing of products, and transfer of expertise.   Doherty and Quinn (1999) cite a number of research studies, which conclude that franchising is a highly effective way to achieve desired results in all three areas in the retail sector (225).   Franchises â€Å"provide the parent company advantages such as economies of scale in marketing and production, while providing or entrepreneurial discretion at the unit level† (Elango and Fried 1997, 68).   In addition, franchises impact the overall marketing strategy and specific marketing activities of the firm as a whole.   Any increase in business activity, such as new outlets or product, should generate additional marketing.   In particular, international franchising usually requires adaptation of marketing products to the local cultures.   In the case of Benetton’s social awareness campaigns, marketing product was intended to be used globally, although some areas and retailers found some of the photos disturbing or inappropriate (Barela 2003, 118).   While the series certainly raised awareness and sales did increase during the time they were in use, there is contention whether the marketing scheme helped or hurt retailers’ bottom line in many locations (Barela 2003, 118).   While McDonald’s has had its own less effective marketing programmes, it has not created the same type of reaction as Benetton.   McDonald’s thoroughly researches each new market to determine the best, most effective, and least offensive marketing practices.   Only then is a marketing mix de veloped.   This often leads to the company adapting its global marketing strategy and components for a specific geographical region or cultural group (Vignali 2001, 97).   MARKET CHOICE Choice of market has also been a subject of much research.   â€Å"Each   concept and country must be considered separately in relation to a multitude of issues about the market, potential franchisees, legal matters, receptivity to franchising in general, and feasibility of the particular concept† (Maynard 1995, 69).   â€Å"In international markets, franchise relations are influenced by the extent to which the overseas franchise system can be transferred into the local market in terms of product acceptance, suitable local presentation and transferable support services† (Connell 1999, 86).   Legal concerns are of particular importance, since they differ so greatly from country to country.   For example, there is currently no legislation in the UK that regulates franchising (Hoar 2003, 77).   The European Union adopted block exemption for franchises, which protects them from antitrust laws.   â€Å"France, Mexico, and Brazil have enacted laws similar to th ose of the United States, requiring franchisors to provide presale disclosure to prospective franchisees, while Australia and Italy have adopted voluntary codes pertaining to presale disclosure and other requirements† (Maynard 1995, 71).   Atlinay (2004), citing a number of research studies, determined that several organisational determinants directly impact market choice.   Organisation size greatly determines the number of franchises that can be supported, as each must be supplied with product and support (Altinay 2004, 429).   Operating and international experience have both been shown to positively effect the decision to franchise.   In general, the greater the experience of decision-makers, particularly if they have lived or worked abroad successfully, the greater likelihood they will pursue markets beyond current operations.   (Altinay 2004, 429).   Company leaders may also recognise that competitive pressures in current markets make growth and expansion there unlikely or prohibitively expensive.   Similarly, the external environment of the markets under consideration may make them more or less attractive to potential investors (Altinay 2004, 429).   For example, some governments have highly restric tive business laws, while others provide little or no protection for franchisers.   The former makes both starting and doing business difficult, while the latter puts the franchiser at risk.   A supposed franchisee could simply take the business model or proprietary systems and go out on their own, cutting the franchiser out of their rightful position in the relationship. Other researchers have concluded geographical and cultural proximity are major determinants of market choice (Alon and McKee 1999, 76-77).   Specifically, organisations will choose markets based on their physical closeness or cultural similarities to the head office.   For example, the areas most likely to begin franchises of UK businesses are Ireland and France, while US franchisers first target Canada and Mexico (Alexander and Doherty 2003, 15).   The logistical issues of transporting people and product are greatly reduced when franchises expand into nearby countries, rather than ones far removed.   After geographically immediate countries, the next areas targeted for franchise are those with similar cultures to the organisation’s host country (Alexander and Doherty 2003, 15).   For example, UK retailers franchising in the US, Canada, or Australia can expect relatively similar customer groups, requiring little adaptation of product or marketing materials.   Train ing, advertising, and other organisation material can remain in English, with no need for translation or significant cultural variations (Alexander and Doherty 2003, 16).   In practice, some franchisers leave market choice almost entirely up to the initiation of franchisees, while others are more proactive.   In a best-case scenario, both the subsidiary and parent company evaluate the local market, the internal market, and the global market when considering possible markets (Birkinshaw 2000, 9).   For example, McDonald’s both requires market justification from franchisees and carefully evaluates each new market opportunity before allowing franchisees to proceed (Vignali 2001, 97).   Market approval is heavily dependent on resource allocation, that is, there must be sufficient resources available and available at that location for the market choice to go forward (Birkinshaw 2000, 45).   MARKET ENTRY Various factors have been found to contribute to the method, location, and timing of market entry.   First, there are a number of different methods used in international expansion and franchising.   Direct franchising, joint ventures, and master franchising are all common.   In direct franchising, the parent company seeks out potential franchisees in market areas it has selected for development (Maynard 1995, 66).   While it requires greater involvement by the parent company, it also allows the organisation to be more selective in franchisee choice and therefore have more control over the foreign operation (Maynard 1995, 68).   Franchisees may be solicited through newspapers or similar media outlets, but are more commonly sought through recommendations of other successful franchisees (Noren 2001, 62).   This method is similar to the licensing franchise arrangement typical of Benetton retailers worldwide; in some areas Benetton relies on a master franchiser, described belo w (Barela 2003, 116).   McDonald’s develops most of its franchises through a hybrid form of direct franchising, although individual franchisees initiate the franchising opportunity with McDonald’s, rather than the organisation needing to seek them out (Noren 2001, 63). Sometimes the parent company actually joins with a local firm to move into a foreign market.   This can be through acquisition or merger, but is more commonly accomplished through a joint venture.   This is when the companies join forces to create a distinct third company owned by both partner firms† (Maynard 1995, 66).   â€Å"Joint ventures create more-cumber-some tax and financial issues than the other two approaches, but they have other advantages, which vary depending on the partnership arrangement† (Maynard 1995, 68).  Ã‚   The created company then sometimes initiates or supervises franchise relations within its country or geographical region, and sometimes oversees company-owned units (Maynard 1995, 68). The most common approach to international franchising, and one used in part by Benetton, is the master franchisee.   This person is typically a well-capitalized local businessperson, with good understanding of local laws and culture, established relationships, and knowledge of the marketplace (Maynard 1995, 67).   They are recruited through local media such as newspapers, industry sources such as trade magazines, and international brokers.   Some governments also assist in the process; for example, the United States Department of commerce â€Å"seeks out foreign partners for US companies through its Gold Key program† (Maynard 1995, 69).   In this model, the master franchisee purchases the rights to develop franchise units within a specific area; this territory is often an entire country.   â€Å"After establishing a successful track record, the franchisee may be granted additional territories† (Maynard 1995, 67).   Master franchising requires minimal cost an d involvement on the part of the parent company, yet provides some accountability within the geographic region (Maynard 1995, 68).   Most importantly, â€Å"the master franchisee provides local expertise and oversight of the sub-franchisees whom it chooses to operate individual stores† (Maynard 1995, 68).   Finally, franchisers are â€Å"often approached by would-be master franchisees, who perceive a market for the product or service in a region† (Maynard 1995, 69).   Such contacts â€Å"have opened the door to international expansion for many companies† (Maynard 1995, 69).   Some initiatives put forth by franchisees involve operations within the company.   â€Å"The most critical facilitator of internal market initiatives is the credibility of the subsidiary in the eyes of the parent company† (Birkinshaw 2000, 26).   Such initiatives are geared towards rationalising and reconfiguring the systems within the parent company and increasing the efficiency of resource use, rather than improving external variables or increasing the firm’s resource base (Birkinshaw 2000, 27-28).  Ã‚   McDonald’s has is positioned itself as inexpensive fast food in the United States; its pricing is relatively low as are customers’ quality expectations (Vignali 2001, 97).   In the UK, restaurant prices are significantly higher in general.   Consumers are willing to spend more for restaurant food but also have higher expectations of product quality and service (Vignali 2001, 97).   McDonald’s determines prices for its franchisees based on their local positioning and the prices of competitors (Vignali 2001, 97). In addition, McDonalds’ strategy of place is standardised; the organisation seeks easily-access, high traffic locations regardless of the country or region where the restaurant will be located.   Facilities are also similar, although with subtle regional variations (Vignali 2001, 97).   Benetton similarly emphasises location; as a high-end fashion retailer it is imperative its retailers locate in upscale shopping areas, again regardless of the country where the new outlet is located (Barela 2003, 116).   This allows them to support the higher prices and quality of their products.   For these reasons both organisations require location approval from their franchisees, and do not allow movement of outlets without permission from the head office (Vignali 2001, 97; Barela 2003, 116). Overall, direct and master franchising are the most commonly used methods for market entry by UK firms.   They allow firms of various sizes, from small chains to large multinationals, to successfully internationalise.   Companies can both grow globally and â€Å"reap the benefits of size without sacrificing the benefits of local presence† (Birkinshaw 2000, 1).   The British Franchise Association (BFA) reports nearly seven hundred franchise systems are currently operational in the UK, accounting for more than 30,000 business units (Hoar 2003, 77).   These franchises employ 330,000 people, and represented a total turnover of  £9.5 billion in 2002 (Hoar 2003, 77).   While British firms have been slow to franchise overseas, particularly compared to companies from the US and Japan, they are rapidly catching up.   Over one-third of British retailers with operations outside the country employ franchising to some degree (Doherty and Quinn 1999, 225).   This number incr eases with the number of countries in which a particular firm has operations (Hoar 2003, 77). Factors driving franchisings international expansion â€Å"include heightened awareness of global markets, relaxation of trade barriers, saturation of some existing domestic markets, increasing prosperity and demand for consumer goods in many regions overseas, and increasing ease of doing business internationally because of improved communications and transportation systems† (Maynard 1995, 66).   Both McDonald’s and Benetton have been impacted by at least three of these variables. DEVELOPING THE LOCAL MARKET Finally, entrepreneurs exhibit various strategies to develop the local market, even if they do so as agents or franchisees of a global firm.   The traditional role of a subsidiary or franchisee is to adapt the parent company’s product to local tastes, â€Å"then act as a ‘global scanner,’ sending signals about changing demands back to the head office† (Birkinshaw 2000, 21).   Examples of this would be McDonald’s menu changes, often suggested or proposed by local franchisees, and the use of Ronald McDonald as a spokesman, which was first initiated by local franchisees (Anon 2003, 16).  Ã‚   It is imperative, therefore, that large organisations, particularly those that franchise, create systems and structural contexts in which local entrepreneurial activity is both encouraged and controlled (Birkinshaw 2000, 31).   If no such structure exists, franchisees will often act as free agents, making decisions and taking actions â€Å"that they believ e are in the best interests of the corporation as a whole,† whether or not these conform to the expressed desires of the parent company (Birkinshaw 2000, 2). Research indicates that four factors enhance initiative at the subsidiary or franchise level:   autonomy, resources, integration and communication (Birkinshaw 2000, 31).   High levels of autonomy and resources enhance local and global initiative, but detract from internal initiative.   High levels of integration and communication enhance internal initiative, but detract from local and global initiative (Birkinshaw 2000, 31).   â€Å"Local market initiatives are facilitated most effectively through a moderate level of autonomy in the subsidiary coupled with a fairly strong relationship with the parent company† (Birkinshaw 2000, 23).   In terms of marketing, local franchises have valuable input needed by the marketing teams at the corporate office, and should be respected for both their ideas and their first-hand knowledge of whether something is working.   If this does not occur, the company will suffer from information asymmetry problems, as previously discussed under agency theory (Doherty and Quinn 1999, 224).  Ã‚   When McDonalds decided to use famous athletes in its promotional materials, ads, and television commercials several years ago, they queried local franchisees for suggestions.   As a result, the company was able to choose sports figures recognised in each market area, rather than one internationally known athlete, such as a Tiger Woods, who might have less impact in local markets (Vignali 2001, 97).  Ã‚   A basketball star was featured in ads in the United States, a footballer in the UK, and so forth.   This allowed McDonalds to project a locally appropriate image through its marketing camp aign and further position align local franchises as part of the community, rather than as a foreign restaurant (Vignali 2001, 97).  Ã‚   The company was able to do this because they had previously established systems by which ideas and input could be communicated back and forth between franchisees and the corporate headquarters (Vignali 2001, 97).  Ã‚   Developing market requires initiating or building the demand of the public for a product, and positioning and pricing the product where it is available to meet such public demand (Johnson and Scholes 2002, 370).   The entrepreneur franchisee, therefore, has several strategies available.   He or she can make suggestions to the corporate office.   These are more likely to be well received if backed by solid market data, particularly data not available to headquarters.   The entrepreneur can produce his or her own marketing scheme, if not prohibited from doing so by headquarters.   He or she can become highly active in community activities and use the franchise or its products for market development.   In the case of Benetton, local retailers could, for example, become involved with groups addressing world hunger.   Whatever the strategy, it must result in an increased affinity for the consumer towards the product, brand or retailer, and a corresponding increase in purchas ing. MCDONALD’S CASE STUDY McDonald’s started as a single family-owned restaurant.   In 1948, Dick and Mac McDonald had started a self-service drive-up restaurant in California, using a very efficient delivery system they had invented and named the Speedee Service System.   Ray Kroc, a milkshake salesman, visited the restaurant in 1954, and was so impressed with the system that he convinced the brothers to franchise their restaurant, a novel approach to business expansion at the time (Anon 2003, 10).   The company incorporated and opened its first franchise in 1955, also in California (Anon 2003, 10).   Fifty years later McDonald’s was one of the world’s largest multi-national organisations, operating more than 31,000 stores in 119 countries.   Over eighty percent of restaurants, including almost all international outlets, are franchised (Anon 2003, 123).   McDonald’s actively promotes its core values of quality, service, cleanliness and value, and requires this emphasis of all its franchises, regardless of location or local culture (Anon 2003, 123).   When it comes to choosing franchisees, therefore, McDonald’s is highly selective (Noren 2001, 60).   Franchisees must go through a lengthy interviewing and training process, usually two years or more, without pay.   They are also required to make significant capital investments, a high percentage of which must be from their own (non-financed) resources (Noren 2001, 61-63).   â€Å"Franchisees are required in their contract to become involved in their local community,† a practise which further localises the international chain (Noren 2001, 62).   It is important to note that McDonald’s franchises are under a great deal more organisational control than many other companies’ franchising models.   This prevents devaluing the McDonald’s product through loss of uniformity or free-riding from local operators, but also inhibits entrepreneurial innovation (Noren 2001, 63).   For example, headquarters can relocate a restaurant if they so desire, and often own the property and facility, which is leased back to the franchisee.   Local operators are not allowed any variance in product without permission from the parent organisation (Noren 2001, 62).   Training is very specific and highly regulated throughout the company.   However, franchisees do have considerable input at the organisation, provided they follow the proper channels and secure approval before acting.   Many of McDonald’s promotional and menu items have come through the suggestion of local franchisees.   A franchisee in Cincinnati, Ohio, first suggested fish sandwiches so as to be able to attract Roman Catholic families on Fridays.   A franchisee in Pittsburgh suggested the Big Mac, another in California developed the Egg McMuffin, and two restaurant operators in Washington, DC, first used Ronald McDonald as their local spokesman (Anon 2003, 16).  Ã‚   Another supported the company’s first investment in what would become the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), a foundation began in 1974 that gave families of sick children a place to stay near their children’s hospital.   Besides providing a much-needed social service, the charities have been an excellent public relations strategy.   Current services ha ve been expanded to include scholarships and free health care through mobile health trucks.   RMHC currently operates in twenty-six countries (Anon 2003, 122).   In recent years McDonald’s has further increased the ability of local franchisees to run their own local promotions.   For example, a long-time McDonald’s owner in Florida (USA) reported a twenty-percent increase in same store sales, and attributed this increase to local advertising on television and in print.   He creates his own ads in line with national promotions, such as showing pictures of McDonald’s products at sale prices, with the national theme music of McDonald’s current marketing campaign playing in the background (Kramer 1999, 6).   Critics contend such loosening of marketing standards threatens brand dilution, although the company differs in opinion.   McDonalds has benefited from the input of their franchisees in other countries, who assist the restaurant in adapting the menu and marketing to local tastes and needs (Vignali 2001, 97).   Some McDonalds products are standard throughout the organisation.   For example, french fries are included on all McDonalds menus worldwide and are subjected to intense quality control to maintain sameness (Vignali 2001, 97).   Other products are adapted to the local tastes of the region.   At a McDonald’s in France, wine is available with a meal, while in the United States the strongest beverage on the menu is chocolate milk.   Israeli McDonald’s serve sandwiches without cheese, a kosher requirement, Japanese McDonald’s offer rice and salads featuring teriyaki, and some other Asian outlets offer goat (Vignali 2001, 97; Anon 2003a, 99).   The company’s primary product mix of hamburger, fries, and a coke, however, remains constant throughout McDonald’s worldwide.   Most importantly, the organisation provides a system of input to its franchisees that allows controlled entrepreneurial activity at the franchise level. BENETTON CASE STUDY Luciano Benetton founded his colourful sweater retailer shortly after the end of World War II, and the company remains family-owned and operated.   The company is known for its innovative operation and management methods, and its large network of subcontractors who produce the Benetton products (Barela 2003, 113).   Acting as a franchisor, Benetton â€Å"sells and distributes its products through regional agents, each of whom is responsible for developing a certain market area† (Barela 2003, 113).   The company arranges licensing agreements with local business people through these master franchisors, who then sell Benetton products.   There are eight-three agents internationally, who are supervised by seven area managers (Barela 2003, 115).   As a manufacturer, the company has high control of its product quality and design, and can control its franchisees through withdraw of product.   â€Å"Its success has become an example for multinational businesses around the world† (Barela 2003, 114).   Benetton currently has more than 7,000 franchises worldwide (Ivey 2002, 13). The company provides franchisees with product and the use of the Benetton name.   It â€Å"expects each store to develop its market successfully,† with the help of some global marketing support (Barela 2003, 115).   This allows a wide variety of entrepreneurial activity on the part of local franchisees, who can develop and run marketing programmes alongside those provided by corporate headquarters.   Store location and control, product display and choice, and community involvement are all decisions left up to the individual franchise owner (Ivey 2002, 14). The company has recently begun to move into directly operated stores, particularly in high-cost areas where franchisees have been difficult to attract, such as the Madison Avenue area of New York City and   High Street in London (Ivey 2002, 14).   This allows it to maintain its market position as a superior