Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Case Analysis (Global Management) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Case Analysis (Global Management) - Essay Example Instead of attempting to over-reach the company’s total capacity, seeking opportunities to maximize its current market position would be the most appropriate. Why is this? Chabros established a competitive pricing model that was aligned with an acceptable operating margin. Coupled with this competitive advantage, Chabros also maintained a quality-focused customer relationship management process that included flexible payment terms and no requests for letters of credit. This was a sustainable strategy until the global economic recession in 2009 which radically reduced sales in certain subsidiaries. As a proven business model of CRM and the ability to establish very competitive pricing in key markets, the business would only require adjustment of its current sales and marketing strategy to achieve the desired improvements in revenues. With the business always being at risk of changing currency values, market demand, and recessionary concerns, improving capacity would add more expenditures to the operating budget that would not, likely, offset gains by simply improving output capacity for its high revenue-producing production facilities. The most appropriate strategy for Chabros is to pursue a market penetration strategy to achieve its desired results. By maximizing capacity, increases in salaries and other associated labor would be highly detrimental to achieving market success. Chabros was considering entering the Moroccan market as a means of expanding its market presence, however there are factors that could seriously impede progress in finding rapid sales success there. Firstly, tariffs are extremely high on both products, especially veneer, which would have to translate into higher pricing in order to offset these new costs. Add to this a value-added tax rate of 14 percent, it is not likely that the same competitive advantages as related to pricing would work in this market when having to incur all of these

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Advantages of Group Decision-Making Essay Example for Free

Advantages of Group Decision-Making Essay Firstly, group decision making from experts in different areas is beneficial to solve complicate problems. For instance, in a small company, boss often makes suggestions by himself; the result of his behavior relies on the ability of the boss. So there are cases when he can’t make things right, which may be serious fault to the operation of a company. However, people with different backgrounds consider the problems more carefully and comprehensively, as a result, running the company will be in less risk. Secondly, people making decisions in groups are eager to bear more risks individually. Decisions come with risks. People who make the wrong decision will take the responsibility. A contradiction rises up when they attempt to avoid being wrong and at the same time, solve problems correctly. As a result, people will somewhat not dare to make the final decision. Nevertheless, group decision makers can share the risks because each of them has responsibility for the suggestions to the problem. Moreover, individual risks are decreased when some others rectify the suggestion for him or her. 2.Disadvantages of group decision-making Firstly, low efficiency in decision-making, everyone has his own opinions and under certain circumstances such as brainstorming, it costs more time to decide what to do by group decision-making than by personal decision-making. If things go well, the results will come out quickly. But if each of them in a group can’t comprise in the end, nothing will be achieved. For example, there is news from CCTV about the 2012 DOHA Climate Change Conference, †Nearly 200 countries haggling over how to stop climate change and how to pay for it failed to reach a deal on schedule Friday. That sets the stage for the wrangling to continue late into the night.† Things like these are usually occurred when a large number of people attend. Finally, the conference extended until they arrive at an agreement. Secondly, group decision-making will lose effectiveness when people are not likely to put up with suggestions out of some reasons. In such cases, the leader of the group will be the only one who does decision-making, which has no diffidence with personal decision-making. All the members of the group should have equal opportunities and are willing to speak out. Then, group decision-making functions better in dealing with problems.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Analysis of the UK Banking System

Analysis of the UK Banking System A strong and efficient Banking system is a key to progress in a country.To achieve an efficient a banking system one should analyze the internal and external factors of that country. For this issue I have chosen ENGLAND banking system to know its internal and external factors faced by its banks? what kinds of banks are operating in uk?,what kinds of activities are performed by them?what are the sources of finance in uk?what is the evolution of banking in uk?what is the role of central bank in uk?etc First of all a question raise in our mind what is meant by system?System is an integrated collection of different part of a body which performed specific function for example banking system of uk it has many banks in parts which perform different functions like commercial banking,investment banking,specialized banking and central bank collectively known as banking system of uk.In uk banking system it has a central bank which is Bank of England .IT is the head of all the banks it control and regulate the affair of all schedule banks like HSBC, Barclay Bank and ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND all these banks deals in day to day functions of receiving deposits and advancing finances to the public.Banking system stability depend upon the external factors such as saving ,national income,industrial growth and development,government policies and internal factors such as bank ability to channel the deposit safely to the borrowers normally industrial sector. Benefits of a strong banking system in uk is that it will channelize the idle funds from the hands of depositor to the one who required such finances to invest It in that place which is useful for the development of the uk.Strong banking system of uk is playing an important role in increasing the saving of the people by providing incentives by giving them attractive interest rates.The banking system of uk is also helpful for the creation of new industries by providing finances to the industrial sector.The banking system of uk is also providing finances for the promotion of trade and commerce. Banks provide finance to the industry and the public as well and charge interest on it and earn profit for the bank.A question comes in our mind are banks main finance provider for the industry externally or other sector contribute in it the most.i have gone through an article of colin mayer.in this article he compare the investment activities and sources of getting the finance in venture capital in some countries like uk, germany japan and other countries he concluded that the souces of funds and investment differ in different countries due to financial system,economic condition, geographical factors and sectors difference.For example the amount of fund required in germany and japan are mainly cover from banks,corporation sources in Israel and pension funds sources in UK. Sources of finance analysis In ENGLAND 44% OF THE FINANCES ARE COVER FROM BANKS BUT MAIN SOUCE IS PENSION FUNDS WHICH SHOWS 49% FINANCIAL SOURCING MEAN IN INDUSTRY. Following data displays the sources of external finance for the industry in the four diferrent countries,showed some important facts. In Germany, banks provide the main source of finance for the VC industry, and pension funds. By contrast, in the ENGLAND pension funds provide the main source of finance for the VC industry, other institutional investors, and individual investors PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN FINACEING THE INDUSTRY OF MANY COUNTRIES as many companies as banks. Contrary to popular views, government atorities also play an important role for (typically local authority) funding plays a more important role in the United Kingdom than it does in Germany, and is negligible in the other countries. Table 1. Sources of external funds for the VC industry This table reports sources of funds of VC firms in Germany, Israel, Japan and the United Kingdom based on binary and not mutually exclusive responses to a question of whether or not a particular fund uses a certain source. Panel A displays the proportion of funds that report using a given source. Panel B displays the percentage of funds using one, two, three, or four or more sources. Mean values which are statistically different from those of the United Kingdom at the 10% level. Mean values which are statistically different from those of the United Kingdom at the 5% level. Sources of funds for the Israeli VC are banks from the above figure it is shown, with industrial corporations (typically from the United States) being the single most popular source of funds. In Japan, non banking financial institutions (e.g., securities firms, credit card or leasing companies and mortgage institutions) are the single most important category of finance among Japanese funds, followed by banks and insurance companies.9 It is quite common in Japan for the owners/providers of finance for Japanese VC funds to be all affiliated with the same bank-centered corporate group, or to be otherwise related to each other. In over half of the Japanese funds in our sample, at least three of the five largest shareholder providers of finance are related to each other or affiliated with the same group. VC funds in Germany tend on average to use fewer sources of funds than do VCs in other countries (Table 1, Panel B). By contrast, funds in Israel, Japan and the United Kingdom tend to use many sources of finance; in particular, about a third of the UK funds report using at least four different sources.10 Relying exclusively on bank finance is also very common in Germany: over 60% of the VC funds that raise money from banks use this source exclusively; the corresponding figure for the United Kingdom is about one-third, and for Israel about one-fifth. Surprisingly, despite the typical characterization of the Japanese economy as bank dominated (like Germany), only one-seventh of the Japanese VC funds in our sample rely exclusively on bank finance. EVOLUTION OF BANKING IN UK AND ITS DEVELOPMENT STAGES : The birth of modern UK Banks Strange as it may seem, UK banking can trace its origins back to the days of the Roman conquest. During the period of the Roman conquest of Britain, Romans conducted two forms of banking business: one, called argentarii, of a professional nature; the other, called feneratores, of an amateur nature run by the elite nobles of the Roman Empire. What was said to characterise this institution was the two-fold service of (a) receiving deposits and (b) advancing credit. Modern UK banks evolved in the 1530s., it was not really until approximately 400 years ago, during the mid-1600s, that London really started to make its position as a financial backbone of importance when goldsmith bankers started to emerge, following King Charles I seizure of gold deposited in the Tower of London and the English Civil War, as a safe-haven (away from the clutching arms of the Crown!) for the gentry and aristocracy to deposit their money and valuables. Shortly after this period (circa. 1677), there were a recorded 44 goldsmith bankers in London acting as keepers of running cash who ran their business on a personal liability basis. However, strict legal controls on how big goldsmith bankers could become (because of the strict personal liability basis), together with poor transportation and communication, combined to restrict the growth of these i nto national UK banks [evidenced of this can be seen in the fact that in 1784 the total number of UK banks exceed 100; but only 7 had more than one office]. The wind of change Following a number of prominent UK bank collapses in the early 1820s, parliament finally relaxed the laws governing who could own banks to allow for joint stock banking (1826) [A notable exception to this was the establishment of the Bank of England as a joint stock bank some 200 years before this legislation]. Importantly, joint stock banking allowed the owners of UK banks to spread the risk among a number of proprietors. This, combined with the Industrial Revolution, better transportation and faster means of communication all resulted in a growth of more national banks in the UK. Prominent among these was the foundation, in 1833, of the National Provincial Bank of England (later to become National Westminster Bank NatWest), the first UK bank established with the specific agenda of being a national bank. Although UK banks began to expand nationally during this period, the services they (did and could) offered did not. Consequently, it was also around this time that another division in UK banks began to emerge; namely the formation of the Big Three banking sectors: Clearing High Street Banks even as recently as 1900 there were a reported 250 private and joint stock banks operating in the UK; Merchant Banks; and Other financial institutions; such as Building Societies which came into being following 1874 legislation The Bank of England founded in 1694 to act as the Governments banker and debt-manager. Since then its role has developed and evolved, centred on the management of the nations currency and its position at the centre of the UKs financial system. The history of the Bank is very interesting one. Events and circumstances over the last three hundred or so years have change and influenced the role and responsibilities of the Bank. They have adopted the culture and traditions, as well as the expertise, of the Bank which are relevant to its reputation and effectiveness and responsibilities a central bank in the early years of the 21st century.The history of the Bank passed different situation and circumstances of to the economic and financial history, political history, of the United Kingdom. If you want to get closer to the Banks history and are visiting London, the Banks Museum provides a unique insight into the history of the Bank and its business, alongside a great deal of material about the Bank today. Key moments in the Banks history a brief guide King William Queen Mary When William and Mary came in 1688, public finances were not strong. The system of money deposit and advancing it(credit) was in not working efficiently. At that time a national bank was needed to mobilize the saving and investment,the nations resources. MR Willium Peterson William Paterson proposed a loan of  £1,200,000 to the Government. In return the subscribers would be able to incorporate the Governor and Company of the Bank of England. The Royal Charter The money was raised in a some weeks and the Royal Charter was sealed on 27th July 1694. The Banking started life as the Governments banker and debt-manager, with 17 clerks and 2 gatekeepers. In 1734 the Bank moved to Thread-needle Street, gradually acquiring land and premises to create the site seen today. Commercial functions of the banks The Bank managed the accounts of that time Governments and made loans available to finance spending at times of peace and war. A commercial bank took deposits and issued notes. The 18th Century During the 18th Century the Government borrowed more and more money. These outstanding loans were called the National Debt. 1781: renewal of the Banks Charter Dependency on the Bank of England was such that when its charter was renewed in 1781 it was define as the public ex chequer. The bankers bank By now the Bank was acting as the bankers bank too. It was liable to fail if all its depositors decided to withdraw their money at the same time. But the Bank made sure it kept enough gold to pay its notes on demand. The Restriction Period By 1797 war with France had drained the gold reserves. The Government prohibited the Bank from paying claims of its notes in gold. This Restriction Period lasted until 1821. The 19th Century The 1844 Bank Charter Act tied the note issue to the Banks gold reserves. The Bank was required to keep the accounts of the note issue separate from those of its banking operations and produce a weekly summary of both accounts. The Bank Return, as its called, is still published every week. Lender of last resort In the 19th Century the Bank took on the role of lender of last resort, providing stability during several financial crises. The First World War: 1914-18 During the First World War the National Debt jumped to  £7 billion. The Bank helped manage Government borrowing and resist inflationary pressures. Gold In 1931 the United Kingdom left the gold standard; its gold and foreign exchange reserves were transferred to the Treasury. But their management was still handled by the Bank and this remains the case today. Nationalisation 1946 After the Second World War the bank was nationalised. It remained the Treasurys adviser, agent and debt manager. Financial crises During the 1970s, the Bank played a key role during several banking crises. The Bank was at the fore when monetary policy again became a central part of Government policy in the 1980s. Operational independence May 1997 In May 1997 the Government gave the Bank responsibility for setting interest rates to meet the Governments stated inflation target. The was enshrined in the 1998 Bank of England Act. Managing the modern bank The Banks governing body, the Court of Directors, as its known, is made up of the Banks Governor and 2 Deputy Governors, and 9 Non-Executive Directors (under the Banking Act 2009 There are different kinds of banks which are working in different parts of the world main banks are as follows all these banks are specialize in performing speacialized functions of banks.on the basis of different types of functions we have the following bank Bank of England is the central bank of England perform fuctions of monetory policy,fiscal policy.issue of notes,bankers banks,lender of last resort to other banks Alliance HYPERLINK http://www.alliance-leicester-group.co.uk/HYPERLINK http://www.alliance-leicester-group.co.uk/ Leicester plc Based in the UK, provides personal and business customers a comprehensive range of mortgage, investment, personal banking and insurance products, cash transmission services and corporate banking facilities. BankHYPERLINK http://www.bank-of-ireland.co.uk/ of Ireland Personal and business banking in Britain. British HYPERLINK http://www.bankfacts.org.uk/BankersHYPERLINK http://www.bankfacts.org.uk/ Association Principal representative body for banks active in the UK, with over 300 member banks from more than 60 countries. HSBC Midland HYPERLINK http://www.banking.hsbc.co.uk/Bank Personal and business banking division of HSBC. BankHYPERLINK http://www.bankofireland.co.uk/ of Ireland Northern Ireland Bank that provides private and corporate services worldwide. BankHYPERLINK http://www.bankofscotland.co.uk/ of Scotland Financial institution that provides personal banking, small-business banking and corporate services. Barclays Bank offers personal banking, student banking and international corporate banking. Bermuda Monetary Authority Responsible for the licensing of banks, deposit companies and investment businesses. Bradford HYPERLINK http://www.bradford-bingley-int.co.im/HYPERLINK http://www.bradford-bingley-int.co.im/ Bingley International Subsidiary of Bradford Bingley Building Society, a savings and loan bank. Bristol HYPERLINK http://www.bristol-west.co.uk/HYPERLINK http://www.bristol-west.co.uk/ West Specialists in mortgages, savings and investments. Cheltenham HYPERLINK http://www.cheltglos.co.uk/HYPERLINK http://www.cheltglos.co.uk/ Gloucester Provides mortgages, investments, savings and loans. HSBC Investment HYPERLINK http://www.cibm.hsbc.com/hsbcBank Provides the advisory and financing, equity securities, asset management, private banking and trustee, foreign exchange and capital markets trading, debt funding and treasury activities of the HSBC Group. Citibank UK Provides personal banking in the UK. Co-operative HYPERLINK http://www.co-operativebank.co.uk/Bank Provides banking services including Internet banking. BankNet Provides on-line Banking Service. A joint venture between MarketNet and Secure Trust Bank PLC. Coutts Group International private banking arm of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group offering investment, fiduciary and banking products. First Direct Member HSBC Group. Halifax Financial institution that provides personal financial services including mortgages, long-term savings accounts, home, motor and creditor insurance, retail banking, consumer credit and share dealing. Hamilton Direct HYPERLINK http://www.hdb.co.uk/Bank Division of HFC Bank PLC which provides unsecured personal loans and credit card products in the UK. Julian Hodge HYPERLINK http://www.jhb.co.uk/BankHYPERLINK http://www.jhb.co.uk/ Group Banking and financial services group owned by the Carlyle Trust. Legal HYPERLINK http://www.landg.com/HYPERLINK http://www.landg.com/ General Assurance Society Insurance company offering financial products including mortgage, investment, savings and home, life and health insurance. Leeds City Credit Union Financial cooperative offering savings and loans products to employees of selected employers in the Leeds area. Lloyds HYPERLINK http://www.lloydstsb.com/homepage/0,1001,general,00.htmlBank Financial institution that provides personal banking, small-business banking and corporate services. Lombard Financial institution that provides personal banking, small-business banking and corporate services. National Savings HYPERLINK http://www.nationalsavings.co.uk/HYPERLINK http://www.nationalsavings.co.uk/ Investments One of the largest savings organisation in the UK that offers savings and investment products guaranteed by the Government to personal savers and investors while contributing towards the Governments funding needs. NatWest Financial institution that provides personal banking, small-business banking and corporate services. Northern Rock Bank that offers savings accounts, deposit accounts, residential mortgages, investment mortgages and offshore savings accounts. Prudential Provider of portfolio management services, financial advice, mortgages and personal loans. Royal HYPERLINK http://www.rbos.co.uk/BankHYPERLINK http://www.rbos.co.uk/ of Scotland Bank specializes in corporate, private and offshore banking, as well as retail banking and private motor insurance. Scotiabank Group International Canadian banking group that provides retail, commercial, corporate, investment and international banking services to customers around the globe. Smile Internet bank, part of the Co-operative Bank PLC. Standard HYPERLINK http://www.standardbank.com/BankHYPERLINK http://www.standardbank.com/ London International merchant bank of the Standard Bank Group that offers specialist banking services and promotes trade, investment and business flows with an emerging market focus on a worldwide basis. Standard Chartered HYPERLINK http://www.standardchartered.com/Bank International commercial banking group providing consumer, corporate and institutional banking and treasury products and services with a focus on emerging markets in Asia, the sub-continent, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. Standard Life HYPERLINK http://www.standardlifebank.com/Bank Subsidiary of The Standard Life Assurance Company that provides mortgages, savings and online banking. Triodos HYPERLINK http://www.triodos.co.uk/Bank UK branch of the Dutch trust bank that offers savings accounts and investments products financing projects with social and environmental benefits. Virgin Direct Personal Financial Service Ltd. Bank that offers savings accounts, deposit accounts, residential mortgages, investment mortgages and offshore savings accounts. Woolwich Financial services organization that provides mortgages, loans, investments, banking and insurance products and services. LIST OF BANKS OF ALL THE BANKS IN ENGLAND OPERATING TILL 2010 Uk major banks THERE ARE 116 BANKS OPERATE IN UK ACCORDING TO FSA website There are three types of banks, High Street Banks, Building Societies, and  Direct Banks. High Street Banks are the main banks, such as Royal Bank of  Scotland, HSBC, NatWest, Citibank, and Barclays. Building Societies such as  Woolich, Abbey National, and Halifax were created for those who wanted to  save in order to buy a house and offer pretty much the same services as the  other banks. Direct Banks such as Co-op (Smile.co.uk) and First Direct  dont have branches, but you can bank at First Direct at the Post Office  and Co-op bank at their grocery outlets. They are telephone banks which  have grown in popularity over the last few years Different Types of Banks * High Street Banks and Building Societies High Street banks and building societies are commercial banking businesses  whose primary market is consumer finance. These are the most common banks  you will encounter. * Investment Banks An investment bank is a financial company, securities firm or brokerage  house that purchases new issues of securities from private corporations and  offers them to their clients. They form a syndicate in order to sell these  securities to their customers and the general public. * Private Banks Private Banks typically provide a more personal and customised set of  services than high street banks. Marketed to individuals with large incomes  or high personal wealth, opening a private bank account usually requires a  very large minimum deposit. * Online-Only Banks Online-only banks offer the same services as traditional High Street banks  or building societies through electronic banking and the Internet. They  normally do not have branches for their clients to use. Besides online-only  banks however, a number of High Street banks also offer online services. The banking system in the UK is highly concentrated with the top 10 banks having over 90% of market share.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Essay on Portrayal of Women in The Glass Menagerie and A Streetcar Name

Portrayal of Women in The Glass Menagerie and A Streetcar Named Desire      Ã‚  Ã‚   The plays of Tennessee Williams are often controversial because of his preoccupation with sex and violence. Basic female character types often reappear throughout each of his plays. The women featured in the plays, The Glass Menagerie and A Streetcar Named Desire all suffer from physical or emotional mutilation and seek fulfillment from a man.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   An influential factor in Tennessee Williams's writing was his own personal experience. The Glass Menagerie is a play that originated in the memory of the author. Williams drew heavily on his own family experiences, describing the lives of his mother, sister, and himself. Many aspects of the play resemble some of Williams's past experiences during childhood. The apartment that Amanda, Laura, and Tom Wingfield share is in the middle of the city, and it is among many dark alleys with fire escapes. Tom and Laura do not like the dark atmosphere of their living conditions, and their mother tries to make it as pleasant as possible. This apartment is almost a mirror image of one of the apartments that the Williams family lived in St. Louis, Missouri (American Writers IV). Amanda Wingfield is a typical Southern belle who fantasizes about her seventeen gentlemen callers back in Blue Mountain. She regularly attends meetings of the Daughters of the Am erican Revolution (DAR), which are important outlets for her social activities. Amanda believes that Laura needs to have some gentlemen callers visiting their apartment because she does not want Laura to become an old, unmarried spinster. Williams's mother, Edwina, had also been accepted into the Daughters of the American Revolution, and she was occupied... ...emale characters in The Glass Menagerie and A Streetcar Named Desire. The dependency of Williams's female characters on men is also very evident because they view not having a mate as being a disgrace and a failure. The life experiences of each of Williams's female characters is unique. However, what the characters have in common is an emotional or physical mutilation that they seek to fulfill by finding a suitable mate.    Works Cited: Falk, Signi. Tennessee Williams. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1961. Spoto, Julius. Understanding Tennessee Williams. New York: Harcort Brace Jovanovich, 1971. Stanton, Charles. Rethinking Literary Biography. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1972. Tharpe, Jac, ed. Tennessee Williams: A Tribute. Jackson, Mississippi: University Press of Mississippi, 1980. "Williams, Tennessee." American Writers. Volume IV 1985.   

Saturday, October 12, 2019

The Enormous Lie Exposed in The Enormous Radio :: Enormous Radio

The Enormous Lie Exposed in The Enormous Radio John Cheever’s "The Enormous Radio" begins with the Westcotts appearing like the perfect "all-American" family. Cheever describes them as "the kind of people who seem to strike that satisfactory average of income, endeavor, and respectability" (Cheever 817). What is ironic about this story is the Westcotts are far from being the "perfect family," and the community they try to conform to is just as flawed as the Westcotts themselves. A way the Westcotts try to conform to their society is by keeping secret the fact that they listen to the radio and attend musical events. This is because these activities were not something members of their community did, much less talked about. The reader knows this because Cheever says the "Westcotts differed from their friends, their classmates, and their neighbors only in an interest in music. They went to a great many concerts although they never mentioned this to anyone" (817). A particular instance that shows the Westcotts aren’t the "perfect family" and the society they try to conform to is just as imperfect, is the fight between the Osborns. This shows the Westcotts’ community is flawed because Mr. Osborn is overheard being an abusive husband. Irene tells Jim: "Mr. Osborn’s beating his wife! They’ve been quarreling, and now he’s hitting her" (822). This incident also causes the Westcotts to question the "perfection" of their own marriage, and Jim and Irene end up having a disagreement about dishonesty. And it is widely accepted that dishonesty and physical abuse are not qualities of a "perfect" marriage. Another way it is shown that the Westcotts are not flawless is when Jim makes his enraged speech to Irene. This speech entails how he’s "sick" of her addiction to the radio and disgusted about her stealing jewelry and money from her sister and about the nonchalant manner in which she went to have an abortion (824). Even her coat is symbolic in showing the true nature of the Westcotts. Irene’s coat was "of fitch skins, dyed to resemble mink" (817). The fact that the coat was dyed to resemble something of higher status than it really was can be used as a metaphor to describe the Westcotts’ nature: they were one way when presenting themselves to society (high class and socially conscientious, like the coat and the Westcotts’ marriage both appeared), and another way when they were in the privacy of their own home (not well made, like the coat and how their marriage really was). The Enormous Lie Exposed in The Enormous Radio :: Enormous Radio The Enormous Lie Exposed in The Enormous Radio John Cheever’s "The Enormous Radio" begins with the Westcotts appearing like the perfect "all-American" family. Cheever describes them as "the kind of people who seem to strike that satisfactory average of income, endeavor, and respectability" (Cheever 817). What is ironic about this story is the Westcotts are far from being the "perfect family," and the community they try to conform to is just as flawed as the Westcotts themselves. A way the Westcotts try to conform to their society is by keeping secret the fact that they listen to the radio and attend musical events. This is because these activities were not something members of their community did, much less talked about. The reader knows this because Cheever says the "Westcotts differed from their friends, their classmates, and their neighbors only in an interest in music. They went to a great many concerts although they never mentioned this to anyone" (817). A particular instance that shows the Westcotts aren’t the "perfect family" and the society they try to conform to is just as imperfect, is the fight between the Osborns. This shows the Westcotts’ community is flawed because Mr. Osborn is overheard being an abusive husband. Irene tells Jim: "Mr. Osborn’s beating his wife! They’ve been quarreling, and now he’s hitting her" (822). This incident also causes the Westcotts to question the "perfection" of their own marriage, and Jim and Irene end up having a disagreement about dishonesty. And it is widely accepted that dishonesty and physical abuse are not qualities of a "perfect" marriage. Another way it is shown that the Westcotts are not flawless is when Jim makes his enraged speech to Irene. This speech entails how he’s "sick" of her addiction to the radio and disgusted about her stealing jewelry and money from her sister and about the nonchalant manner in which she went to have an abortion (824). Even her coat is symbolic in showing the true nature of the Westcotts. Irene’s coat was "of fitch skins, dyed to resemble mink" (817). The fact that the coat was dyed to resemble something of higher status than it really was can be used as a metaphor to describe the Westcotts’ nature: they were one way when presenting themselves to society (high class and socially conscientious, like the coat and the Westcotts’ marriage both appeared), and another way when they were in the privacy of their own home (not well made, like the coat and how their marriage really was).

Friday, October 11, 2019

Events of WWII Meless

On the morning of August 19, 1942 -? a convoy Of 237 ships reached Dipped and the German ships opened fire and woke the German soldiers. When the troops reached land the Germans were ready with a crossfire of bullets and artillery shells. 901 Canadians were killed, 2000 were captured, and only 221 1 soldiers made it back to England. Who German troops, Allied Troops (US, Britain, Canada and Russia) Why – British commanders who planned the raid had little or no experience. The sea battle took away the surprise attack, and the German troops were ready and waiting y the time the allied troops reached land.Relevance -? Learning experience for the Allied commanders, Allies learned that the Nazi's were well -prepped for future attacks on the French occupied coast and that any future attacks would have to be massive and well-organized. The failure of Dipped will help the planning of successful D-day. D-Day When – June 6, 1944 Where – Normandy France (Operation Overlord) Who – Germans, Americans, British and Canadians and American General Dwight D. Eisenhower What – Fought German troops, landing place had been pet secret and the Germans did not expect the attack.Invading troops had the massive support and protection. Landing was successful and within one month, more than one million allied Troops Were steadily pushing German armies out of France. Germans faced ;o major fronts and the Allied demanded Germany's unconditional surrender. In the end, Hitler shot himself and Mussolini and his wife ended up getting caught by the Italians underground resistance fighters and were later killed. Hitler committed suicide by shooting himself and finally the Europeans celebrated.This lead to V-E day (Victory in Europe Day) Relevance – Highly successful and well- planning battle, Germans were bombed and had to surrender – Ultimately this began the end for the European front of the War, leading to V-E day. Japan continues the Fight (A-bo mb) Where – Pacific (Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan) What -? Americans continued to fight the Japanese (who had never surrender policy, Kamikaze fighter pilots). Eventually, the Americans detonated the American bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima When – August 6, 1945 in Hiroshima and soon after in Nagasaki.Japan officially surrendered on August 14, 1945. Who – President Truman (USA), The US Military, Japan and Japanese Civilians (90 000 people died from the a-bomb in Hiroshima) Why – Americans wanted to shorten the war as it was still going on despite the German defeat. By dropping the A-bombs, Americans the first to use nuclear weapons in a war. Relevance -? Use of A-bombs helped the Americans defeat the Asian but at a high civilian cost. Ended WI. Revolutionized modern warfare and it was the foundation of Cubism (fear of nuclear weapons in General).

Thursday, October 10, 2019

ECCB & Property Development in Malaysia Essay

Marketers are either directly or indirectly involved in the efforts to promote environmentally conscious behavior amongst the consumers with a view to addressing the global concerns about the global warming (Rauschelbach, 2002). Governments have come up with various policies on climate change that companies and corporations, both national and multinational, must comply with. Consumers in Malaysia and other countries have started being environment conscious by consuming environmentally friendly products (Woolley & Kimmins). The environmentally conscious consumer behavior is a way the consumers ensure that environment around them is preserved, especially in view of escalating challenges of garbage disposal and depletion of the available natural resources. It is important to note that consumers are involved in environmentally conscious consumption because they have acknowledged personal responsibility for the environmental pollution problem (Hoyer, 2008). The influence on consumers to adopt the approach of environmentally friendly consumption has been enhanced by media campaigns organized by various stakeholders in collaboration with relevant government institutions. Producing and supplying environmentally friendly products is one of the effective selling points for most corporations all over the world. This paper will therefore discuss ways in which property development companies can target and then position themselves into the growing market arising from Environmentally Conscious Consumer Behavior in Malaysia. How property development companies can target and then, position themselves into the growing market arising from the ECCB in Malaysia Producing eco-friendly products is one of the most important promotional points for the 21st century corporations. This is facilitated by the fact that most product consumers in Malaysia are increasingly becoming aware of the need to conserve the environment, especially with respect to climate change; and the trend is the same all over the world. Consequently, this has resulted into a market where consumers are more drawn to environmentally friendly products than ever. Going by the statistics provided by the United Nations Environmental Programme (2007) property developments industry contributes approximately 30%-40% of the total global carbon dioxide emission arising from energy consumption. Coupled with the market arising from Environmentally Conscious Consumer Behavior, the property development sector is forced to reconsider the products it avails to the consumers in the property market. There are arrange of options available to the property developers in Malaysia that can enable them to target and position themselves in the Malaysian market arising from Environmentally Conscious Consumer Behavior. It is important to note that consumers are increasingly becoming concerned about global warming and one way through which they can effective participate is by holding producers accountable to global warming paying attention to whether the production process leads to increased greenhouse gas emissions (Fischer & Black, 1995). One of the ways through which the property development companies in Malaysia can use to target and position themselves in Malaysian market is reducing energy usage for the property in offer. The companies can ensure the lighting systems in their property utilize more environmental friendly energy sources. For instance, they can face out the use of traditional incandescent bulbs and replace them with compact fluorescent lighting tubes (Kelly, 2009). It is also crucial to note that a larger percentage of energy consumptions take place during the period buildings are in use than during the construction process. The energy usage during the life time of a building, energy usage may include heating, ventilation, cooling and lighting amongst other energy using appliances. In order to target and position themselves in the Malaysian property market, the companies can adopt the use of the most advanced technologies like thermal insulation, utilize solar shading and also fit their property with energy efficient appliances (Kelly, 2009). The Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM) came up with a labeling program in which products are verified as environmentally friendly. The property companies ensure that they purchase their fittings from such suppliers whose products are genuinely labeled as environment friendly; this should be informed by the fact that as many of Malaysian consumers as possible are becoming aware of the labeling programme and hence are cautious with their consumption behavior. Besides, this can be reinforced by engaging more in environmental campaigns to convince the consumers that they seriously committed to the conservation of environment and its resources (Abdullah, 1999). The materials used in constructing property are very crucial in terms of environmental concerns. The property companies should use non-toxic construction materials that do not contain chemicals and substances like mercury and the in the process of marketing they should emphasize on such characteristics. Moreover, it is important to note that environment conservation groups are slowly increasing in number; these groups have attracted the attention of the advertising firms. It is of great benefit for property companies in Malaysia to use these groups and or advertise through the firms that have strong link with such groups (Wells, 2007). Disposal of household wastes are an important component of environmental conservation. Property companies should ensure that their buildings are equipped with safe, efficient and eco-friendly means of disposing wastes. This may include mobile waste bins which can be emptied in a track and waste transported to appropriate places. In addition to this, the sewerage systems should also encourage hygiene and have no health risks which are some of the major concerns for most consumers (Snyder, 2000). There are also a number of activities that companies can initiate and support amongst the Malaysian communities. They can fund eco-friendly initiatives like planting of trees and facilitating research towards finding alternative energy sources. Again, the companies can ensure that their property is located in a clean neighborhood. This has the potential to attract more of the Environmentally Conscious Consumers (ECC). Conclusion Environmentally Conscious Consumer Behavior has had significant effects on how property companies strategize on penetrating the market. The companies have to ensure their products are environmentally friendly so as to attract the Malaysian property buyers. However, there are range strategies that can assist the companies in targeting and positioning themselves in the Malaysian property market where consumers are increasing getting concerned with the conservation of environment. When the buildings are constructed with harmless materials which do not contain chemicals and substances like mercury, the companies are highly likely to get more buyers. Moreover, with label identity policy for eco-friendly products in Malaysia, most consumers will check on such labels before finally making purchase. It is therefore imperative that property companies should partner with such suppliers whose products meet the labeling standards (Abdullah, 1999). The companies can also ensure that lighting systems in their property are energy efficient. Instead of using the traditional lighting bulbs like incandescent, the companies can fit their buildings with energy efficient fluorescent tubes (Kelly, 2009). Besides, they can also support environment conservation initiatives in communities; this can also include using advertising firms that have strong links with environment conservation groups. References Abdullah, M. (1999). Small and medium enterprises in Malaysia: policy issues and challenges. Malaysia: Ashgate. Fischer, F. & Black, M. (1995). Greening environmental policy: the politics of a sustainable future. United States: Palgrave Macmillan. 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