Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Finance, planning and budgeting of construction of houses in urban Essay

Finance, planning and budgeting of construction of houses in urban areas - Essay Example Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the University. Signed __________________ Date _________________ Abstract In this study we try to explore the concept of â€Å"Finance, planning and budgeting of construction of houses in urban areas† in a holistic context. The main focus of the research is on â€Å"Construction of the houses† and its relation with â€Å"Urban Areas†. The research also analyzes the difficulties faced by the â€Å"Construction of Houses† and tries to gauge its effect in â€Å"Urban Cities†. This study focuses on the planning and budgeting for the construction of houses in the urban cities. The major requirements and the barriers are also defined and discussed. Table of Contents Acknowledgement ii DECLARATION iii Abstract iv CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1 Background of the research 1 Problem Statement 1 Aims and Objectives 1 Restrains Affecting the Thesis 2 Ethical Concern 2 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIE W 4 Sustainable urban development 4 Roadmap for sustainable development 5 Documentation for Planning and Integrated 7 Planning and Building Control 8 Sections of the work 10 Personal and Financial Programs 13 Main Controls 15 New Urbanism 17 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 19 Research Method 20 Research Instruments 20 Sampling 20 CHAPTER 4: DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS 21 Construction 21 Residential Houses: Constructional procedure 23 Quality features of the process 24 Quality features of the product 25 Aims and Rationale for Budgeting 26 Principles of Change with Impact on Budgeting 27 Leadership Challenges in Budgeting 27 Space Personalization 936w 28 Decorating Trends 28 Building a Home Construction Budget 550w 31 Statistics and Housing 33 Mortgage Economics 34 Government Policy 36 Housing Boom and Bust 39 Upcoming Research Prospects 42 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION 44 Analytical Conclusion 47 BIBLIOGRAPHY 48 Heather, S.  and  Bachelor, L. (2007) Housing boom over' as UK bank chaos grows, the obse rver (sep 2007) from http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2007/sep/16/houseprices.business 53 APPENDIX 59 Budgeting Cycle 59 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Background of the research Urban development in this model is the possibility of a given population, meeting basic needs: food, health, education, employment, housing, culture. Urban development is to create a habitat in a harmonious environment, which respects the human rights of individuals, there is no overcrowding, abandoned children, beggars, pollution, crime or all these activities are minimal, that there is a reasonable and balance level of environment that respect the dignity of human ecology, safety and welfare. This can be achieved based on aligning the strategic planning of public interest and private interest. Urban development is sustainable with design and implementation of urban plans to support the ecological environment in the short, medium and long term, fulfilling the principles of equity, decentralism, provision of basic services throughout the country, generating jobs and consultation with social partners for development. Problem Statement One of the reasons for the urban chaos is that both authorities and citizens never respected urban planning. Urban law is an essential element of planning. To date a large number of standards that guide local development does not fully comply or abide with it. The law as part of the superstructure has been shown to be an instrument of change and renewal. Aims and Objectiv

Monday, October 28, 2019

The Controversies in Juvenile Justice Essay Example for Free

The Controversies in Juvenile Justice Essay Each year, thousands of adolescents in the United States have been tried and sentenced to life in prison without parole, a punishment that has many of its own controversies. Debates are held on whether or not these kids should be tried and sentenced in the same way that adults are tried and sentenced. Many justices say that since children are emotionally, physically and mentally different than adults, they should never be tried in the same way that adults are. Other justices argue that if these children are capable of committing murder, they are also capable of undergoing the same punishment that an adult would undergo. However, the Supreme Court has ruled that sentencing juveniles to life in prison without parole is unconstitutional because it violates the ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Adolescents deserve to be tried differently simply because of the fact that they are not adults, and the legal system shouldn’t treat them as such. Furthermore, juveniles should not be sentenced to life in prison without parole because they have not yet reached their full maturity, they are capable of rehabilitation, and if they were sentenced as adults, they should be given the same privileges as adults in the first place. Adolescence is defined as a transitional period in human development and maturity. This is a time where teenagers are rapidly undergoing change, specifically in the brain. Paul Thompson, a writer for The Sacramento Bee, includes in one of his articles that there is a â€Å"massive loss of brain tissue that occurs in the teenage years.† This explains why teenagers often act with impulsive and erratic behavior. This brain tissue is gray matter, which aids in regulating self-control and impulses, and it is being purged at fast rates. Thompson goes on to say, â€Å"These Nailling 2  frontal lobes, which inhibit our violent passions, rash actions, and regulate our emotions, are vastly immature throughout the teenage years.† There are obviously huge differences in the maturity levels of an adolescent and an  adult; therefore it is unfair to sentence an immature adolescent to life in prison without parole because he or she will never be able to reach that maturity level that adults are already at. Regardless of this type of tissue loss and brain developm ent in general, teens should still be held accountable for the crimes they commit, just not to the same extent or in the same way that adults are. Rehabilitation is perhaps the most hopeful form of change that a juvenile could be granted. Because of the fact that they are so young, it is fair to say that all adolescents have the capacity of changing their bad habits and their lifestyles. Gail Garinger, a juvenile court judge and the state of Massachusetts’ child advocate, writes in the New York Times that children are â€Å"promising candidates for rehabilitation.† As a child, to be sentenced to life in prison without parole is equivalent to taking away any form of hope for them to change, which most of them are capable of if they could all just be given a chance. Garinger also states that adolescents’ â€Å"characters are still in formation.† She means that because of this formation that is taking place in the teenage years, this is the best time for them to be offered a chance to rehabilitate themselves before it is too late and they are locked up in prison for their entire life. It is one thing to sentence an adult to life without parole, but to give that same verdict to a child is simply unjust. Many juveniles across the country are unfairly being tried as adults. These kids, who clearly have not yet reached adulthood, have not experienced any type of freedom that grown-ups have, are being condemned and sentenced to a life in prison without parole. Marjie Lundstrom, a columnist for The Sacramento Bee, covers the controversial topic of juveniles who are convicted as adults in their court cases. She implies that it is unfair for a child to be tried as Nailling 3  an adult and to be held by the same standards as an adult would be in court. In one of her articles, she points out how kids â€Å"can’t smoke, or drink, or go to R movies†¦can’t vote, have curfews†¦Ã¢â‚¬  yet, many of these kids, who all have these restrictions, are being treated like they are adults who have none of these restrictions. What’s the point of having a juvenile system in the first place if kids are going to be punished the same exact way as adults are? Lundstrom says, â€Å"Kids are different. Their reasoning is not  fully developed. They are not adults.† It cannot be made any clearer than that, the fact that they are only kids, and they have the right to be treated differently than adults. There is a huge gap between the age of seventeen and eighteen. Between a child and an adult. Between immaturity and maturity. This gap is a disparity that the juvenile system is entitled to recognize. It is crucial to understand that juveniles should not be tried as adults and sentenced to life in prison without parole because these adolescents haven’t yet reached their full maturity, because they are capable of rehabilitation, and because it is unjust to be tried as an adult but not be allowed the same legal privileges that all adults have. Works Cited Thompson, Paul. Startling Finds on Teenage Brains. The Sacramento Bee 25 May 2001: n. pag. Print. Garinger, Gail. Juveniles Dont Deserve Life Sentences. The New York Times 14 Mar. 2012: n. pag. Print. Lundstrom, Marjie. Kids Are Kids Until They Commit Crimes. The Sacramento Bee 1 Mar. 2001: n. pag. Print.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim’s Point and A

Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s â€Å"The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim’s Point" and "A Castaway" In the early Victorian period, a number of poems were composed which served to highlight a specific troubled spot in society. The poets often wrote for human rights groups and the like in order to convey a message to those members of society who could make a difference, namely, the educated white men. Among these poems is Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s â€Å"The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim’s Point.† This piece deals with a female slave who has killed her newborn son and fled to Pilgrim’s Point, where she speaks of her feelings leading up to the present moment. Another poem, which can be placed in comparison to Browning’s, is Augusta Webster’s â€Å"A Castaway,† a dramatic monologue of a prostitute who struggles to justify her lifestyle both to herself and to her reader. In each of these works, the female speaker has acted in a morally questionable manner that initially appears condemnable. However, the issue is not clearly defined; many q uestions arise as to the motives behind and the circumstances surrounding each woman’s behavior. Do the choices made assert the freedom of each woman? That is to say, is the woman to be held entirely accountable for her actions based on the idea that she has freely chosen to carry them out? Upon careful reading of the two poems in question, the answer becomes much clearer. The choices made by the castaway and the runaway slave are in reality not the uninhibited decisions they at first appear. Restricted on all sides by their respective society’s powerful men, each woman faces very limited options. In each of the poems, the idea of choice (and subsequently, the question of its validity) emerges in the areas of materna... ...both â€Å"The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim’s Point† and â€Å"A Castaway,† the women make choices based on only a few limited options, which can be seen in their approaches to maternity, God, and freedom. Generally speaking, each woman is held accountable for her actions, but the issues have actually stemmed from larger scale problems. Even the castaway, a white woman, has no real freedom in deciding how to live her life. She chooses prostitution out of a need to support herself while still maintaining individuality. As for the runaway slave, she has run away seeking freedom, but finds none and will be killed for her insolence. Many of the factors leading to each woman’s decisions are based on the outside influences of her world. Therefore, neither woman can be entirely blamed for the bad choices she has made; she could not choose better because a better choice does not exist.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

CIPD Notes Essay

Terms of Reference To investigate how an HR practitioner within East Surrey College (ESC) should ensure that they deliver timely and effective HR services to meet user’s needs. The report was requested by Charles Sleet, HR Director, on 11/11/2013 to be presented on 14/01/2014. Procedure 1. Understanding different customer needs in HR. 2. Communicating effectively in HR. 3. Building and maintaining effective service in HR. 1. Two HR colleagues were interviewed in order to determine who the 3 main customers of the HR department were. Furthermore, requests and enquiries that came through to HR were recorded via the same HR colleagues to identify the main needs of the customers during a period of three weeks from 13th November to 4th December. The way in which these needs are prioritised was recorded. 2. A questionnaire was issued to 20 members of staff to discover the most effective communication method. Staff members were chosen through random sampling. 3. An interview was held with the HR Business Partner to gain insight into the main areas of effective service delivery and how it is constructed. Findings 1. Understanding Customers needs After interviews with the two HR Practitioners, the three main customers of the HR Department were identified as follows: Type of customer Key needs Candidates for interview Gaining information on the outcome of their interview A swift pre-employment check process, ensuring a quick start into a new job Heads of Department (HoD) Absence levels of employees Monitoring online training completion Employees Requesting a copy of their own CPD log – these are updated and kept on HR records Enquiring about upcoming training events The HR practitioners highlighted that the needs of different customers may conflict. An example could be a HoD enquiring about the completion of a member of staffs online training courses conflicting with an enquiry coming in at the same time of a staff member urgently trying to find out when the next ‘Teaching and Learning’ forum is due to take place. Maximum service delivery has to be initiated with regards to these needs – therefore the HR practitioners advised on the ways these needs are prioritised. These prioritise are; Timescales – some requests may have longer timescales than others. These timescales therefore contribute to the importance of the arisen needs. Consequence and risk to the company – discovering the consequences and risks to the company helps prioritise incoming needs and enquiries. For example, it would be seen as more important to provide a HoD with an absence level report for their department than it would to advise a member of staff on their current CPD record. 2. Methods of communication After analysing feedback from the completed questionnaires, highlighted below are 3 methods of communication appropriate to employees at ESC at different levels: Communication method Advantages Disadvantages Face-to-face Immediate feedback Gives a personal touch, body language can be read Can use facial expressions to enhance communication Can be lengthy if certain attendees are unavailable to meet No chance to go away and think about an answer No privacy as someone could overhear Email Can take time over response Large amounts of information can be sent e.g. attachments Able to pass on information without interrupting someone Lack of body language and tone Impersonal Emails can be misinterpreted Phone Immediate interaction with someone far away More personal than an email Ability to transfer calls across locations/conference calls Can be disrupted by hindrance of poor signal Lots of details over the phone can be hard to record 3. The key components of effective HR Service Delivery Delivering service on time – SLAs need to be SMART, in particular they should be realistic and achievable. For example, in the HR Department at ESC HR practitioners aim employ a new member of staff in, at most, 4 weeks from the  date they were verbally offered the role. This is important as it earns the department respect and often means customers will look to reply in the same, efficient way. Delivering service on budget – It is important to ensure that you keep within budget but still deliver a high level of service as going over budget can incur costs financially. Costs that need rectifying mean that other areas would then be restricted to an even lower budget. Dealing with difficult customers – Identify the problem, stay calm, and understand how it can be resolved. Handing and resolving complaints – With the secure SLA in place, the query should be met in a timely way to elude complaints. Any complaints that do arise should be dealt with in an equally timely and professional way . Keeping customers in the loop with updates on progress is key. Conclusions 1. ESC use all 3 methods identified (phone, email, face-to-face) to communicate to employees at all levels, making sure the correct method is used 2. Consequences and timescales were key as methods used to prioritise conflicting needs in the workplace. 3. the HR Business Partner delivers and expresses a high level of service that fits with the four outlined objectives.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Historical Theory Essay

What is nursing Science? According to Barnett, nursing science is an identifiable with distinct knowledge that comprise of frameworks, theory and paradigms. In order to understand nursing science, I will discuss the historical development and explain the relationship between nursing profession and nursing science. Also, I will discuss how other disciplines can influence nursing science. This will help understand how theoretical thinking has evolved. Theory development and theory thinking was first intiated by Florence Nightingale. She presented the first nursing theory, the environmental theory. Her theory focused on the physical environment such as air, light, and warmth to restore the individuals health (George, 2011). Her work directed nursing practice for over a hundred and fifty years. As we jumped to the 1950’s, graduates from Columbia University developed the first concept of nursing theory. Theorists such as Hildegard E. Peplau, Faye Abdellah, and Lydia Hall are one of many theorists who used the biomedical model. This model focuses on what nurses do and their functional role (George, 2011). Hildegard Peplau focused on the professional relationship between the patient and nurse by focusing on the patients needs, feelings, problems and ideas. Faye Abdellah, however, focused on patient-centered care (George, 2011). While Lydia Hall uses the circle of care, core and cure. She uses the three circles to involve nurses and patients to care for illness. In the 1960s, theorists such as, Virginia Henderson, Ida Jean Orlando, and Ernestine Widenbach focused on nurse-patient relationship. Their theories focused on what nurses do and how patients perceives them (Walker and Avant, 2011). In 1965 the American Nurses Association (ANA) recommended two levels of education, the baccalaureate degree (the professional nurse), and the associated degree (the technical nurse). As a result of this, doctored prepared nurses became the next wave of nursing theorists (Walker and Avant, 2011). As we look into the 1970’s, this was an era were many theorists were first  presented, including Dorethea Orem, Jean Watson, and Patricia Benner. During this time, the understanding of research and knowledge of development increased. There was an understanding that research and theory together were required to produce nursing science. In the mid 1970s, the National League for Nursing (NLN) required all nursing schools to meet the accreditation standards by chosing, developing and implementing a conceptual framework. (George, 2011). This allowed students to apply theory to his/her nursing education (Walker and Avant, 2011). Towards the late 1970s, the first published journal, Advances in Nursing Science focuses on theory building, analysis and theory application. This journal was used as a forum for debate and discussion about theoretical thinking in nursing (Walker and Avant, 2011). This journal gave awareness of the need for concept and theory development. In the 1980s many theories were being reviewed and expanded. This was a period of major developments in nursing theory from the pre-paradigm to the paradigm period. To further the development of nursing, paradigms (models) provided perspectives in nursing practice, administration, and research (Alligod, 2011). This includes the work of Patricia Benner, Madeline Leininger, and Martha Rogers. There theories focused on the body of theoretical thought in nursing. As we get to the 1990s numerous nursing theories expaned and research studies were being tested. Middle-range theories guides clinical practice, while the circle of theory-research-practice provides the foundation of evidence-based and best practices(George, 2011). Theorists such as Martha Rogers, Ida King, and Patricia Benner, made revisions and refinements of their theories to implicate practice, research, education and the future. Now in the 21st century, nursing theory became more diverse. Diversity is now being accepted and embraced after many years of struggling with theories (George, 2011). The discipline of nursing now focuses on the humans, health, illness, relationships, therapeutics, caring, interactions, ethics and diversity, to provide a fertile ground for the development of research and evidence-based and research practices (George, 2011). Now that I have discussed the historical perspectives in nursing science, there is a relationship between nursing science and the profession. The goal of nursing science is to gain knowledge about human experiences through creative conceptualization and research. By applying nursing framework and theories will provide the foundation for professional nursing practice (George, 2011). It guides nurses in procedures, interpersonal engagement and value of professional practice. Also, Nursing theories will implement the critical thinking structures to direct clinical decision making for professional nursing and nursing practices (George, 2011). As we discussed the relationship between nursing science and the profession, theorists are influenced by other disciplines. Disciplines that theorist used are anthropology, philosophy, religion, education, social sciences and psychology. Madeline Leiniger used anthropology, philosophy, social science, religion and education to develop a discipline in transcultural nursing also known as culture care theory. Sister Callista Roy and Betty Neuman provided conceptual framework for nursing education and science (Eun-Ok,&Ju, 2012). In psychology, Nola Pender developed the Health Promotion model with the goal of achieving outcomes of health promoting behavior (George, 2011) By adapting these disciplines it allows theorists to build theories and framework in order to enhance nursing practice (George, 2011). I have explained the historical development of nursing science and the relationship between nursing science and the procession. As well as, the influences of anthropology, philosophy, psychology, social science, religion and education on nursing science to provide us and guide us in nursing practice.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Continental Philosophy’s Existentialism and Phenomenology Essay Essays

Continental Philosophy’s Existentialism and Phenomenology Essay Essays Continental Philosophy’s Existentialism and Phenomenology Essay Essay Continental Philosophy’s Existentialism and Phenomenology Essay Essay Assorted identifiable schools of idea such as: existential philosophy. phenomenology. hermeneutics. deconstruction. and critical theory can be found within Continental doctrine. Existentialism and phenomenology can be traced back to the nineteenth century and to the pre-Socratics. A few of the chief subjects from existential philosophy are:  ·Traditional and academic doctrine is unfertile and remote from the concerns of existent life.  ·Philosophy must concentrate on the person in her or hi confrontation with the universe.  ·The universe is absurd. in the sense that no ultimate account can be given for why it is the manner it is.  ·Senselessness. emptiness. pettiness. separation. and inability to pass on pervade human being. giving birth to anxiousness. apprehension. diffidence. and desperation.  ·The single confronts. as the most of import fact of human being. the necessity to take how he or she is to populate within this absurd and irrational universe. Many of these subjects were introduced by Arthur Schopenhauer. Soren Kierkegaard. and Friedrich Nietzsche. Kierkegaard emphasized the person and particularly the individual’s will and necessitate to do of import picks. Georg Hegel rejected the construct of the â€Å"thing-in-itself† and held that all world is the look of idea or ground. World. for Hegel. is non a group of independent specifics or provinces of personal businesss. but instead like a coherent idea system such as mathematics it is an incorporate whole in which each proposition is logically connected with all the remainder. Where Hegel was abstract to a grade seldom found outside mathematics. Kierkgaard was concerned with how and what the single really chooses in the face of uncertainty and uncertainness. One subscriber to Continental doctrine was Friedrich Nietzche. Nietzche disagreed with all of Hegel’s theories of idealism. He believed the universe is driven and determined by the will-to-power. He besides believed we have no entree to absolute truth and that there are non facts. lone readings. There were several existential philosophers in the 19th and twentieth centuries. Albert Camus. Jean-Paul Sartre. Gabriel Marcel and Simone de Beauvoir in France. Karl Jaspers in Switzerland. Martin Heidegger in Germany. Miguel de Unamuno and Jose Ortega Y Gasset in Spain. and Nicola Abbagnano in Italy. Two philosophers I want to discourse are Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre. Camus did non understand why the human race spent their lives in desperation and heartache but were ever optimistic about life. He believed there is no ultimate ground that things are the manner they are and that we must do picks and make up ones mind how to move in a valueless universe and absurd universe. This is called â€Å"existential quandary. † Even though Camus asked himself. â€Å"Is there any ground non perpetrate self-destruction? † he regarded suicide as unacceptable. Rebeling against the absurdness and calamity of life would perchance give life significance and value. Sartre was a adult male that thought God did non be and that adult male was â€Å"abandoned. † Harmonizing to Sartre. the non-existence of God has four philosophical deductions. First. there is no shaper of adult male. so there is such thing as human nature. The individual must bring forth his or her ain kernel. because no God created human existences in conformity with a Godhead construct. Second. since there is no God. there is no ground why things are the manner they are non some other manner. A human being has â€Å"being-for-itself† . which means that a human being is a witting topic that creates its ain hereafter. Third. adult male is â€Å"condemned to be free. † Nothing forces us to make what we do. so hence. we can non pardon our actions by stating there were fortunes for what we did. Forth. there is no nonsubjective criterion for values. Since it is a Godless universe. we must come up with our ain values. To Sartre. making our ain values is a great duty for world. To happen significance in our lives. we must make our values by doing reliable picks. Edmund Husserl was the first great phenomenologist. Phenomenology comes from constructions found within witting experience. Phenomena are the constructions that manifest themselves on the premises and presuppositions of scientific discipline. They are thought of as the manner a thing is instantly experient and the manner it â€Å"is. † Phenomenology is a manner to research the witting experience with out doing any metaphysical premises. Husserl investigated phenomena without doing premises about the universe. This is called nonnatural phenomenology. Martin Heidegger besides wanted to see things without givens. but he was non convinced by Husserl’s theory of phenomena ; he believed the beginning of seeing things this manner was Bing itself. Heidegger’s theory was that worlds are caught up in their ain thoughts and Being has been reduced to a universe of â€Å"objects† dominated by worlds through their ain logics. Worlds are fundamentally nescient to the true nature of Being. Emmanuel Levinas is chiefly responsible for presenting phenomenology into France. He had an influence on many other philosophers. His theories centered on the sense of being cognizant of what and how we worlds exist in the universe. He believed. unlike Heidegger. that doctrine began with the experiences of our distinctness. and God exists as an Absolute Otherness that can neer be breached. He did non hold with the theory of Being because that would do the Other a mere object for consciousness. Mentions

Monday, October 21, 2019

Wealth management Essays

Wealth management Essays Wealth management Essay Wealth management Essay The business expansion strategy is to make advantages of their strength in intermediary businesses, such as international business settlement, agency and wealth management, then drive the development of traditional commercial banking services, so that they can attract more premier foreign and local customers. Compared with Chinas banks, foreign banks dont have a branch network around the country, but they have stronger capabilities in products innovation, more professional expertise of international financial market trading and wealth management, etc, also they have a huge branch network around the world. Therefore, foreign banks firstly focus on international business settlement, foreign exchange trading. By providing those extra services that Chinas banks can not make, foreign banks can attract those premier customers that have oversea businesses and strong need for wealth management, then these customers may transfer their other businesses that are currently based at local banks, including RMB settlement, deposits and loans, etc, to foreign banks. The customer expansion strategy of foreign banks is to approach multinationals, joint ventures, foreign funded enterprises and Chinas leading domestic firms. Multinationals, joint ventures and foreign funded enterprises are first targets of foreign banks, not only because those firms have good business performance and credit records, but also their mother companies usually have strong link with those foreign banks. Foreign banks are also keen on Chinas leading firms, including those national teams that have strong oversea businesses, mighty private companies and premier high-tech firms. Obviously, foreign banks would not take risk to expand their business to all corporate customers. In a press conference held by Citibank in 2002, Mr. Huang Xiaoguang, the CEO of its Shanghai Branch stated, we merely focus on three categories of firms, including foreign global giants, Chinas big global firms and those domestic companies with strong international business, in which we can make full use of our global network advantage. We wont break through this customer territory and to do business with other general firms even after Chinas financial market is open completely after 2006. Current status of foreign banks businesses in China A recent survey conducted by FCSSIC (Financial Center of Social Science Institute of China) showed most of foreign banks had successfully extended their businesses in China, though their performance was very different from one another. Overall, the following characters can reflect the current status of foreign banks businesses in China by now: Firstly, the activity domain of foreign banks mainly concentrated in coastal cities. By the end of 2002, there are about 190 foreign banks have conducted their businesses in China. In particular, about 27 among 54 world top banks that are listed in the US Fortune world 500 have also operated in the country. It is obvious that most foreign banks are still keen on coastal cities, such as Shanghai, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Dalian, etc, while many inland cities, excluding several top cities, such as Wuhan, Chongqing, Xian, their presence was rarely seen though these cities were on the governments opening outside list as well. Secondly, the business categories are extending quickly from foreign currency businesses to RMB businesses. In 1982, China government began to permit foreign banks to set up operating offices and conduct foreign currency businesses, their foreign money businesses have developed a lot ever since then. Currently, the main foreign exchange businesses of foreign banks covers financing business, loan and savings, international business settlement, investment, guarantee, business bills and consulting, etc. Then in 2002, some foreign banks were permitted to provide RMB business service to foreign customers in Shanhai, Shenzhen and Gaungzhou, and in fact, they extended this business to many foreign customers very quickly. Their customers were not only from those mentioned cities, but also from their neighbor provinces, such as Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Hunan and Guangxi. This fact witnessed that foreign banks have strong capability to expand their business. In February 2003, several top global giants, such as HSBC and Citibank, announced their grants of RMB businesses for Chinas domestic firms. Thirdly, the customers focus of foreign banks is mainly on first class joint ventures, multinationals, and Chinas big foreign-oriented firms, together with some public companies. Taking several top banks, for example, HSBC is keen on serving BP, Shell, Citibank focuses on GE, IBM, Software and Ford. The global banks are also very interested in such Chinas big state firms with oversea business, such as CNPC, Sinopech and COSCO. According to Chinas governments commitment, foreign banks are able to provide foreign exchange businesses for both domestic firms and residents early from Chinas WTO entrance, but the restrictions of areas and customers in RMB businesses will not be canceled until the end of 2006, therefore, the current competitions between Chinas banks and their global rivals are mainly reflected in foreign exchange businesses, especially concentrating on international business settlement and foreign exchange loan and savings, and the competing level is different in different cities. As the most advanced and international city in China, Shanghai sees most presence of foreign banks in this country, and the competition here is also most fierce. By the end 2002, there have been 53 operating foreign banks branches. 12 among which, including HSBC and Citibank, getting the permission of conducting comprehensive foreign currency businesses in the same year, covering both corporate banking and personal banking, local firms and local residents. A recent statistic provided by Shanghai Branch of Peoples Bank of China, showed that the growth rate of foreign currency savings of foreign banks had surpassed that of domestic banks in Shanghai in early 2002. Furthermore, some foreign banks in Shanghai have extended their businesses to the nearby provinces, including Zhejiang and Jiangsu, the most powerful economies of China. In the end of 2003, the total assets of foreign banks in Shanghai were about $27. 49 b, increasing by 35. 69% compared with a year ago. Total amount of loans were up to $12. 1b, growing by 15. 16% compared with 2002. Total savings was $7. 14b, growing at 56. 53%. In the same year, operating profit before tax of all foreign banks was $107m, in which the contribution of RMB business exceeded 50%, reflecting rapid growth of their RMB business. With the expansion of business and customers, foreign banks achieved great performance. In 2003, their market share in Shanghai banking sector in terms of total assets, savings and loans was 11. 84%, 3. 86% and 8. 64% respectively, much higher than a year ago. Shenzhen, as the symbol of Chinas opening to the outside world, owns the second largest scale of foreign banks in terms of both foreign currency assets and savings. Ever since the foundation of Shenzhen Branch of Hongkong Southsea Bank, the first foreign bank in the city, the amount of foreign banks has been growing. Up to early 2004, there were 25 foreign banks that have operating branches, together with 7 representative offices. The total staff of foreign banks are about 830, occupying 2. 6% of whole staff of Shenzhen banking sector. It was stated by Shenzhen Bureau of Banking Regulation, in the end of 2003, the total assets of foreign banks in Shenzhen were $7. 32b, total savings was $2. 33b. Thereinto, the absolute amount of savings enhanced by $0. 84b, with a growth rate of 55. 99% compared with last year. As a traditional financial center of North China, many eyes of foreign banks have turned to the city for years. By the end of 2002, there were about 14 foreign banks got presence in Tianjin, and 4 of which was authorized to conduct RMB business. Foreign banks firstly extended their international settlement business very quickly. In the end of 2002, market share of big four state banks in total foreign exchange assets was 82%, while foreign banks gained 0ver 10%. In terms of foreign currency loans, big four banks occupied 67%, compared with foreign banks 33%, which reflects Chinas domestic banks face heavy stress from foreign banks to compete in foreign exchange businesses.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

General Book Club Questions for Study and Discussion

General Book Club Questions for Study and Discussion As a member or leader of a book club, you are likely to be reading books on a wide variety of topics, both fiction and nonfiction. No matter the genre, age, notoriety, or length of the book of the moment, book club questions can kickstart or enhance your group discussion. Whether you are discussing characters and their actions, setting, theme, or images, having a guide to questions that will lead to fruitful exchanges on your enjoyment - or lack thereof - of the book, plot, and even its moral implications can help make your discussion more productive and keep it on track. Before Diving In Before you dive into the heavy plot points, character development, themes, or other weighty subjects, start off your book club discussion by finding out everyones  first impression of the book, advises Sadie Trombetta, via Bustle. Doing so, and starting slowly, will give you a jumping-off point to discuss what about the selection kept you turning the pages, she says, or what made the book difficult to get through. These introductory questions can help you ease into the more detailed book discussion. Did you enjoy the book? Why or why not?What were your expectations for this book? Did the book fulfill  them?How would you briefly describe the book to a friend?In a book in which the author was not a character or was not doing first-person reporting, was the author present in the book anyway? Was the presence of the author disruptive? Or did it seem appropriate or fitting?How would you describe the plot? Did it pull you in, or did you feel you had to force yourself to read the book? Characters  and Their Actions Before other elements of the book, such as the  setting, plot, and  theme, the characters who inhabit the book will either infuse the work with life or drag it down to dull reading. Your book club may encounter many types of characters:  you may have a round, flat, or stock character, or even a traditional  protagonist. Knowing what kinds of characters the author has used to populate her novel or book is key to understanding the story she is trying to tell. After asking introductory questions as discussed above, put the following book club questions before your group members.   How realistic was the characterization? Would you want to meet any of the characters? Did you like them? Hate them?If the book was nonfiction, do you think the characters accurately portrayed the real events upon which the book was based? If not, what would you have changed to make the book more accurate?Who was your favorite character?Which character did you relate to most and why?Did the actions of the characters seem plausible? Why? Why not?If one (or more) of the characters made a choice that had moral implications, would you have made the same decision? Why? Why not?If you were making a movie of this book, who would you cast? Setting, Theme, and Images Many  writers  believe that the setting is the most important element of any fictional work. Whether or not you agree - for example, if you believe the storys characters are the most significant element - setting can have considerable influence over the events, feeling, and mood of a story. If the setting is a horse racing track, such as with a Dick Francis novel, youre sure to find yourself reading about horse owners and trainers, jockeys, and stablehands working hard to prepare their mounts, as well as spirited and competitive races. If the setting is London, events may be influenced by the heavy fog and damp, dank cold that city experiences. Just as importantly, a books theme is the main idea that flows through the narrative and connects the components of the story.  Any imagery the author uses is sure to be connected to the characters, setting, and theme. So, focus your next set of book club questions on these three elements. Following are a few ideas: How does the setting figure in the book?  If the book was nonfiction, do you feel the author did enough to describe the setting and how it might have influenced the plot or narrative of the book?How would the book have been different if it had taken place in a different time or place?What are some of the books themes? How important were they?How are the books images symbolically significant? Do the images help to develop the plot or help to define characters? Summarizing Your Reading Experience One of the most enjoyable aspects of a book club - indeed, the very essence of why books clubs exist - is to talk to others who have collectively read a given work about their impressions, feelings, and beliefs. The shared experience of reading a single book gives members a chance to discuss how it made them feel, what they might have changed, and, significantly, whether they believe that reading the book altered their own lives or perspectives in some way. Dont move on to your next book until youve thoroughly hashed out some of these conclusion-type questions. Did the book end the way you expected?If the book was based on real events, what did you already know about this book’s subject before you read this book? Did the story reflect what you already knew? Do you feel the book helped enhance your knowledge and understanding of the subject?If the book was nonfiction, what did you think about the author’s research? Do you think s/he did an adequate job of gathering the information? Were the sources credible?At which point of the book were you most engaged?Conversely, were there any parts of the book that you felt dragged?How would you describe the pace of the book?What three words would you use to summarize this book?What, if anything, set this book apart from others youve read in a similar genre?What other books have you read by this author? How did they compare to this book?  What did you think of the book’s length? If it’s too long, what would you cut? If too short, what would you add?Would you recommend this book to other readers? To your close friend? Why or why not?

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Leadership and Management of the Company Case Study

Leadership and Management of the Company - Case Study Example The President of the company, Gaziano, is practically a one-man-army at the top, while the experienced founder and director of the company, Rev. Whipple has not involved himself at the corporate strategy level. The reverend is passionately engrossed in research and development, which is but one of the functions of business only. Great companies are created from great business models. Prelude Corporation must understand that it is not in the lobsters business, but in the foods business. Its business model must be at par with or excel that of other food giants in the world. The company must evaluate its export opportunities, as the product can be packaged and preserved for a long time. As the local competition is intense and profit margins are low, the company needs to find niche markets for its product all over the world, in order to achieve better price realizations. At the same time, the top management must be constantly engaged in the task of assessing and identifying new growth platforms that are consistent with the company's business model. Just by milking the existing cash cow, the company is limiting its future growth potential, and leaving the field open for other competitors to seize the initiative and competitive advantage over it. Prelude Corporation is involved in a capital-intensive business. ... Size and scale of operations is critical to long-term survival in the business that Prelude Corporation is engaged in. Therefore, the company needs to develop a strong business plan and proposal, and seek out substantive equity partners in the market who are willing to invest funds in the company for the long-term, against a shareholding in the company. Once the private equity funds are successfully employed and the company's financial condition improves, the company must gear up to expand its capital base further by approaching the public equity markets, with an aim to raise funds to reduce its debt financing burdens, and to invest for its future growth plans. Raising finances at a cheaper cost, and diluting the company's equity is not a task of a faint-hearted management. It requires tremendous patience, conviction and intense persuasiveness to achieve success with private equity financiers and make them partners in your future growth. In absence of such aggressive pursuit of its financial goals, the death-knell of a company is sure to be sounded sooner or later, owing to the over-burdening of expensive debts. Human Resource Strategy and Peoples Strategy Prelude Corporation needs to differentiate itself from the rest of the unorganized lobster industry and create innovative incentive schemes to motivate its employees. The human resource strategy often differentiates a good company from a great company. Each employee, including the lowest level fisherman, of the company must be made to feel that he is a part of the family, and his needs and grievances must be attended to with sincerity. Cheap employees in the end prove to be more costly in the long run. Therefore, considering the size, scope and ambition of Prelude Corporation, it

A Tempest Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

A Tempest - Essay Example Caliban represents negritude. Decolonization is at the heart of A Tempest. Caliban struggles for freedom while Ariel collaborates for his freedom. The world of man usually thinks in hierarchical terms. This leads to constant power struggles and revolution when the time is ripe. The black devil-god, Eshu comes along to shake up the hierarchal structure set forth by the colonizer and to promote Caliban's revolution. A Tempest also reflects Cesaire's disillusionment with Communism and his desire for a colonial uprising. Cesaire uses the characters in A Tempest to represent the major ideals dominating the imperial world of the twentieth century. Prospero is the character that represents imperialism. Although Prospero did not voluntarily leave his native country for the purpose of colonizing another land, he fits the criteria of colonizer. Prospero believes that if it were not for him Ariel would still be held captive in a tree and Caliban would be nothing more than a beast. Prospero, the Empire, is: powerful, knowledgeable, strong, and magical. In Act I scene 2 of A Tempest, Ariel expresses regret at the fact that Prospero came and conquered. Ariel wishes that he could have stayed captive in the tree because after all he might have become a real tree in the end. Colonized people surely must have wondered to what heights they would have grown to on their own without the empire crushing down on them. Throughout A Tempest Prospero and Caliban are locked in a constant struggle. Prospero is angry that Ca liban will not accept his position of supposed superiority over him. It's obvious that Prospero has knowledge of magic since he captures, the sprite, Ariel, but one has to wonder if ninety percent of the magic Prospero has over Caliban is actually scientific knowledge that Prospero greedily holds on to and uses to keep Caliban in place. Prospero wants Caliban to believe that he has rescued Caliban from savagery. In a fine example of negritude Caliban proclaims who is mother is; where he came from, and the fact that he would be king of the island if it were not for Prospero. In the book titled Postwar: A History of Europe since 1945, author Tony Judt quotes Charles De Gaulle as saying, " 'In French Africa [] there can be no true progress unless men are able to benefit from it morally and materially on their native soil, unless they can raise themselves little by little to a level where they can partake in the management of their own affairs' " (283). The most remarkable person that Prospero has conquered is Ariel, because Ariel is hardly a person, Ariel is a sprite. Ariel represents the hope that colonized people felt. The hope that one day their freedom would be granted if they performed loyally to the empire and the hope that one day the empire would see them as their equals. The only way that an empire will let go of its hold over a people is to acknowledge the empire's wrong-doing in the first place. Through Ariel's non-violent struggle he believes that he can actually help Prospero gain a conscious. There is a struggle between Ariel and Prospero throughout the text, but it is much more subtle that Caliban's struggle against Prospero. Ariel and Caliban have an understanding that Prospero is the corrupt one. In Robin Kelley's introduction of A Tempest, Kelley paraphrases Cesaire's literary work titled Discourse on Colonialism, "The instruments of colonial power rely on barbaric, brutal

Friday, October 18, 2019

Safety Not Guaranteed Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Safety Not Guaranteed - Movie Review Example After the Seattle Magazine’s editor Bridget screams on its staff for getting new ideas, Jeff springs up with an idea of writing an article about a queer advertisement that was posted in a newspaper. Bridget agrees and two interns including Darius and Arnau to work with Jeff in finding out about the advertisement poster. For this purpose the three of them go to a small town in order to look for the poster of the advertisement and Jeff is also determined to look for Liz. After watching out for the post office box, Darius and Arnau area able to identify the man who posted the advertisement – Kenneth, a queer man who has great interest in physics and quantum mechanics. Jeff goes to meet Kenneth at his house as a travelling partner but he is turned down. Jeff sends Darius thinking she is more suitable in piquing Kenneth’s interest. It happens that Darius and Kenneth soon bond and later, although it is not explicitly stated, Darius and Kenneth travel across time togeth er. ... Stage 2 occurs as Darius is able to interest him so that after she leaves her phone number on a soup can, Kenneth calls her. Darius pretends to have read the advertisement and have come as a travelling partner with Kenneth and when Kenneth calls Darius they both decide on a meeting spot to discuss about their â€Å"mission†. Kenneth believes that government agents are after him for discovering a way to travel back in time and so he is also a little suspicious of Darius. It happens that when Darius drives off to meet Kenneth, her car is being followed by people making Kenneth paranoid so that he cancels their meeting. At this point, Darius seems to have passed stage 3 of friendship and seems to be going towards a more romantic type of a relationship where the stage 1 has already been initiated with their meetings and interactions. Their next interaction occurs when the two decide to meet at a restaurant to discuss about their mission. The two have a friendly conversation althou gh Kenneth seems not to want to disclose much information. Kenneth then feels a sudden instinct to reach out to his car but Darius stops and reassures him thereby enabling the building of trust. There is an intense increase in their communication and closeness as the two prepare for their mission running through woods, learning to shoot at the bottles, and learning to prevent getting caught by the government agencies. This allows Kenneth and Darius to bond so intensely that Darius starts loving Kenneth and this relationship goes to a new step of commitment as in the end it implicitly seems that Kenneth now lets go of his efforts to be with Belinda, Kenneth’s girlfriend, as he has Darius with him now who has travelled with him back

Sam 488 unit 5 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sam 488 unit 5 - Assignment Example As argued by Fay (2011), the mechanism that defines the user access control is based on the elements that are necessary for an effective visitor access control system. Some of these elements include the access control directory, specific users, specific locations, and AICs principles. It is also important to note that these elements directly operate under the access control principles. In this case, the authentication provided by the user in the bind operation, when the security server receives a request that is defined in the server, allows or deny access to directory information. The Selection, purchase, installation, and operation of security devices that promote restricted security for safety are very critical to the security system. In this case, the purchase and installation of the locking devices for security purposes also depends on a number of factors. Some of these factors include the security cameras to be used, type of the locking devices, card readers, and a proper response protocol (Fay, 2011). Motion detectors are employed to successfully guard an in-house perimeter that has proven highly unpredictable for a circuit alarms. Using the reflective effects of certain waves, the motion detector is a device that seeks a disturbance situation in the room when an intruder enters the parameter, and the reflection pattern is disturbed. The sensor sends a signal, when this happens, and the door opens to send an alarm signal ultimately (Fay, 2011). The ultrasonic motion detectors work or s employed efficiently using the sound waves. When the movements disrupt the air and the sound waves, the sensors sound alerts of intrusion. Automatically, the waves strike objects within the field of detection and as long as there is no movement, the waves are not disrupted. Otherwise, the sound waves become interrupted and are reflected back to the receiver of the security system. The principle

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Globalization - Essay Example Globalization is mostly related to economic globalization however this is not the case; globalization presents a much wider concept. It is a combination and amalgamation of political, economic, biological and cultural factors which are being shared and circulated globally. Globalization is a very relative term and can be used in a number of ways depending on the factor it is being applied to. For instance, if taken from an economic perspective, globalization is the removal of hindrances and barriers existing between two nations so that the flow of services, manpower and merchandise can be enhanced and taken to a higher level for the attainment of mutual benefit and progress. The concept of globalization has changed paces; it took a start in the nineteenth century and deliberated during the era of the First World War. It again accelerated in the middle of the 20th century, the reason many economists present for its varying trends is the changing attitude of the economists who sometime s backed off from this practice so as to protect the policies and regulations of their organizations. Globalization took a turn after World War II; this was due to the combined efforts of the politicians who made deliberate attempts to eliminate the borders obstructing trade. Bretton Woods Conference further paved way for this since politicians from all over the world signed the petition to carry out foreign trade and commerce and numerous institutions were also developed in order to view and invigilate the procedure of globalization. Multinationals organizations have also taken part and are responsible for its worldwide growth and development; the corporations in Europe and United States of America exchanged strategies related to science and technology and gave birth to a new era of globalization. Radio, television, music, films and all other means of media also played a great role in the exchange of cultures especially in the western countries. Two more factors that have contribut ed greatly in this regard are telecommunication which greatly enhanced the effects of this phenomenon which are even prominent in the current era. One of the greatest benefits of the intervention of technology in globalization is that it has made trade and other means of communication very accessible and easy. Globalization has not only revolutionized the economic sector but has also contributed to a great deal as far as political, social and cultural diversity is concerned. (Malcolm, 2001) ADVANTAGES OF GLOBALIZATION Globalization has both advantages and disadvantages; it has become a contentious term mainly because the disadvantages seem to overshadow the advantages. Before knowing the reason behind this issue, let’s have a look at the advantages of this controversial issue. The advantages are as stated; trade has become easier due to globalization since trade and business affairs can be carried out more easily owing to the efficient means of transportation and communicatio n. Goods and other services can be easily carried from one place to the other. The relationship between nations and states becomes more stable due to effective interaction; old rivalries can be sorted out and resolved which in turn reduces the chances of war. The trend of free trade gains popularity and

The topic is below Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The topic is below - Essay Example The actions of Arabic and English language is analysed to indicate the entire difference. Arabic is an official language in scores of nations which include Egypt, Iraq, Libya, Saudi Arabia and Morocco (Al-Baldawi, & Saidat, 185). This is still the language spoken and written in Koran. This therefore implies that, Muslim followers originating from all countries, for instance, Indonesia are conversant in Arabic Language. There are numerous Arabic dialects. However, there exists only one adaptation of Arabic Language that students learn in schools. In addition to this, there are additional dialects that the media practitioners use in many Arab countries across the world (Al-Baldawi, et al., 186). Arabic Language originates from the Semites language trend (Ibrahim, 46). This fact explains why it consists of diverse types of grammar as compared to the ordinary English language. This disparity goes beyond the American language on the basis of grammar. For instance, alphabetically, the Arabic language encompasses 28 consonants, whereas English has only 24 consonants (Shoebottom, 87). Arabic Language also has 8 vowels/diphthongs whereas English encompasses 22 (Shoebottom, 88). On the contrary, short vowels are less important in Arabic, and in fact do not come out in narrative writing. Texts are, as well, read from right to left and put on paper in a cursive handwriting. There is no distinction flanked by upper and lower case. In addition, the punctuation set of laws are grammatical flouted as compared to English Language. It is evident that these basic disparities flanked by Arabic and English information and narrative writing create learning problems to Arab students. The Arab s tudents normally require additional time to read and write as compared to English speaking students, originating from European Language groups (Hasan, 98). English

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Globalization - Essay Example Globalization is mostly related to economic globalization however this is not the case; globalization presents a much wider concept. It is a combination and amalgamation of political, economic, biological and cultural factors which are being shared and circulated globally. Globalization is a very relative term and can be used in a number of ways depending on the factor it is being applied to. For instance, if taken from an economic perspective, globalization is the removal of hindrances and barriers existing between two nations so that the flow of services, manpower and merchandise can be enhanced and taken to a higher level for the attainment of mutual benefit and progress. The concept of globalization has changed paces; it took a start in the nineteenth century and deliberated during the era of the First World War. It again accelerated in the middle of the 20th century, the reason many economists present for its varying trends is the changing attitude of the economists who sometime s backed off from this practice so as to protect the policies and regulations of their organizations. Globalization took a turn after World War II; this was due to the combined efforts of the politicians who made deliberate attempts to eliminate the borders obstructing trade. Bretton Woods Conference further paved way for this since politicians from all over the world signed the petition to carry out foreign trade and commerce and numerous institutions were also developed in order to view and invigilate the procedure of globalization. Multinationals organizations have also taken part and are responsible for its worldwide growth and development; the corporations in Europe and United States of America exchanged strategies related to science and technology and gave birth to a new era of globalization. Radio, television, music, films and all other means of media also played a great role in the exchange of cultures especially in the western countries. Two more factors that have contribut ed greatly in this regard are telecommunication which greatly enhanced the effects of this phenomenon which are even prominent in the current era. One of the greatest benefits of the intervention of technology in globalization is that it has made trade and other means of communication very accessible and easy. Globalization has not only revolutionized the economic sector but has also contributed to a great deal as far as political, social and cultural diversity is concerned. (Malcolm, 2001) ADVANTAGES OF GLOBALIZATION Globalization has both advantages and disadvantages; it has become a contentious term mainly because the disadvantages seem to overshadow the advantages. Before knowing the reason behind this issue, let’s have a look at the advantages of this controversial issue. The advantages are as stated; trade has become easier due to globalization since trade and business affairs can be carried out more easily owing to the efficient means of transportation and communicatio n. Goods and other services can be easily carried from one place to the other. The relationship between nations and states becomes more stable due to effective interaction; old rivalries can be sorted out and resolved which in turn reduces the chances of war. The trend of free trade gains popularity and

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Assignment 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Assignment 1 - Essay Example The passages 34-38 (Quinones 460) prove the fact that Jeremy had no intention to make himself a hero, he was truly worried about the kids and did his best to save them. The same intentions I noticed in the interview with that fireman I read years ago and this was really surprising for me, because usually when people do something good they want others to see their good actions and evaluate the person who does something moral as a virtuous kind of personality. However, the fireman from that article was extremely unpretentious telling the stories about all those people he had saved like it was his routine working responsibilities. Thus he claimed that it was just his job, like if it was something equal in its value to what people do in offices or something like that. The fireman wasn’t thinking of being a hero, he was just doing his job, as well as Jeremy was doing what he knew he had to do, so he wasn’t even considering any other options except helping those kids. Iâ€⠄¢m pretty sure that in that moment he wasn’t even thinking â€Å"I have to save the kids†, he was just doing it without thinking, as his actions were absolutely automatic. Hence, it is possible to say that the actions of both the fireman and John were truly heroic, as there wasn’t the intention to become a hero in none of them, because real heroism is essentially simply kind and thoughtful. The Michaej’s Weiskopf story about him losing his hand and saving the three other people in fact reveals an interesting definition of heroism as a â€Å"quick response to a changing environment† (Weiskopf, 467). Probably, the story indeed proves the thesis, however, the story of another journalist, Robert Cox, demonstrates the kind of journalistic heroism that is not engaged with self-preservation instinct but the one based on sacrifice of one’s own life for the sake of justice and truth. Robert Cox was

Monday, October 14, 2019

High Noon Essay Example for Free

High Noon Essay This is a case of a company, which is operating in Malaysia by the name of Alpha Plantations Sdn Bhd. The company has its origin in Britain and has been operational for over forty years now. This subsidiary located in Malaysia consists of one palm oil mill and one oil palm estate. According to the owners of the company, the main purpose of opening this subsidiary is to supply the mother company with crude palm oil. The mother company is involved in production of detergents. The subsidiary in Malaysia operates in three shifts and each shift has about 25 people manned by one supervisor.  In addition, majority of the top management persons working at the Malaysian subsidiary come from the United Kingdom where the mother company is. Issues This organization has been in operation for decades and it has perfectly performed. With the changes that are taking place within the company because of the new manager, workers will also experience some new changes in the way they will execute their duties. Issues arise from the fact that this new management wants to change even the structure of the organization. These changes bring conflict in the way the workers used to perform and in the process affect their team performance and rapport. (McShane, S. et al, 2006) This frustrates Mr. Ang who has worked with the company for over four decades. The results are his firing after a confrontation. The reason for his firing stated as misconduct. However, this misconduct resulted from the mixed up duties and responsibilities that he experiences on his line of duty. As McShane, S. et al, (2006), says it is necessary to have a clearly spelled out duties and responsibilities. This is the only way that the workers will be able to avoid conflict and confrontation. This does not happen in this company. In addition, the managerial team executes these changes so quickly such that the workers do not have time to adjust thereby resulting to frustrations. Analysis Over the years, the company has faced many problems. However, the recent one was the massive loss that the company was undergoing. The main cause of this loss is the current low prices of gases that were experience at that time, then in 1999. During this time, Captain Chubb was the manager of the company. He claimed that he had done all that he could but the prices were the one which pulled the company down. The top management of the company sort to hire a new manager the following year by the name of Ian Davison. They thought that the previous manager failed to perform. Even though he did not have any experience in management of an agricultural company, he had worked and succeeded in the detergent company and therefore the management expected much from him. To achieve this, he had to lower the cost of production and the only way was to make some recommendation. He therefore made recommendations some of which were beyond the company’s control. For instance, he claimed that the company allowed too much machine breakdown. It is advisable to note that wear and tear is normal processes and we can do absolutely nothing to prevent it. However, he offered a practical solution of reducing the workforce and introducing new machines. This is the point where issues cropped up. With the introduction of new machines and reduction of the number of workers per shift, the workers first adapted to the process but later moved back to their old habits. However, this time, the problem was bigger in that there were fewer workers. They no longer worked in a team and this created a big problem, as the workload was now bigger. In addition, with the new introduced structure in the organization, workers were now able to have a direct access to the manager. This reduced the powers that Mr. Ang had who has always been the supervisor for the company. He was not in a position to control the works anymore and this frustrated him. Furthermore, the workers would not fully respect his directions, as they knew they could still get directions directly from the manager. As McShane, S. et al, (2006) in their book says, poor communication will always affect our behavior towards each other at our places of work. They go ahead and say that leaders will tend to vent their frustration to their subordinate. This communication breakdown affected the relationship between Mr. Ang and the workers and at the end resulted to dictatorship type of ruling where Mr. Ang would make all the decision for the workers. The worst is that Mr. Ang was to blame for all this. The result is that Mr. Ang was devastated and become silent, unproductive to the company and the company fires him. Drive theory explains the reason why Mr. Ang feels frustrated by the actions of the manager. He was highly valued by the workers and after he goes home, the company somehow collapses. Solutions The current problems that are experienced are a serious loss and this is not due to local company structure but global factors that are beyond the company control. We can therefore argue that the methods that used to deal with this problem are way out of track. It is a good idea though to look for machines that are using new technology and to downsize the number of workers in the company. However, it is not a good idea to change the company structure, as this has nothing to do with the workers’ performance. (McShane, S. et al, 2006) The best solution for this problem therefore would have been the purchase of the machines using new technology, downsizing the firm and then leaving the workers to report to the supervisor who they have reported to all these years. This would have prevented the confrontation that Mr. Ang had with the top officials at the head office and the other confrontation that he had with the manager and therefore prevent the company from collapsing. Recommendation However, now that Mr.  Ang has already gone home and things are not working well at all at the company, it is a clear indication that even though during the last days, Mr. Ang seemed quiet, he was important and his presence was recognized by all the workers. In addition, Mr. Ang was never given time to explain what was happening. It would be recommendable to try to summon Mr. Ang, give him a chance to explain his point of view and give him back his job. He is the only one who can mobilize the team and make them work. Drive theory explains the reason why the company collapses because the workers are not motivated. They have nothing to drive them to work harder.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Nietzsche Essay -- Philosophy, On Truth and Lies in a Nonmoral Sense

An Analysis of Nietzsche’s On Truth and Lies in a Nonmoral Sense Friedrich Nietzsche’s On Truth and Lies in a Nonmoral Sense represents a deconstruction of the modern epistemological project. Instead of seeking for truth, he suggests that the ultimate truth is that we have to live without such truth, and without a sense of longing for that truth. This revolutionary work of his is divided into two main sections. The first part deals with the question on what is truth? Here he discusses the implication of language to our acquisition of knowledge. The second part deals with the dual nature of man, i.e. the rational and the intuitive. He establishes that neither rational nor intuitive man is ever successful in their pursuit of knowledge due to our illusion of truth. Therefore, Nietzsche concludes that all we can claim to know are interpretations of truth and not truth itself. Analysis In the first part of his work, Nietzsche asserts that: â€Å"The pride connected with knowing and sensing lies like a blinding fog over the eyes and senses of men, thus deceiving them concerning the value of existence† (Nietzsche 451-452). Here, it seems that Nietzsche is trying to reject any empirical sense of gaining knowledge. For example, I know that I am sitting on a wooden chair because I can see the chair, feel the texture of the wood, touch it, and even smell the aroma of it. But Nietzsche argues that we only perceive the surface of things, and our â€Å"senses nowhere lead to the truth" (Nietzsche 452). This is what Nietzsche meant by using the analogy of our senses being like a â€Å"blinding fog over the eyes† and thus deceiving us on our knowledge about things. But how do we know what is true from what is false? What is truth as opposed to lies? Her... ... something when it fact, we never ask ourselves why we know it. We tend to take for granted what counts the most in this world, that is, knowing ourselves. Human beings think that knowledge of things will lead them to enlightenment. But in reality, it is nothing but an illusion made by man himself to create a kind of path towards success. Those who follow this path will get nowhere close to success, rather, they bring upon suffering along the way, pulling us farther from ourselves. Thus, if only we were aware of this deceptive nature of language and metaphor to that of knowledge, we would come to understand that truth indeed is nothing but a man-made word and is therefore a mere figment of our imagination. The facts do not count, only our interpretations of them. So it seems that Reality then isn’t so far from our dreams, perhaps it’s really the other way around.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Sympathy to the Young and Negativity to the Adults in the film Stand By Me :: essays research papers

The Director of the film â€Å" Stand By Me† invites us to sympathize with younger people whilst portraying adults in a negative manner. Discuss. The film â€Å"Stand By Me† invites us to sympathize with younger people. The movie tells the story of four young boys Teddy, Vern, Gordy and Chris. The movie is based around the character of Gordy who relives the events of their past years through his writing, Gordy is criticized by his family because they want him to be like his older brother Danny who died in a car accident. Teddy who has had some trouble in the past with his Father is sympathized against as the son of a loony. Vern is shown sympathy towards the fact that he is so emotionally immature and vulnerable. You and particularly feel sympathy towards Chris due to his families horrible reputation when Chris would like to be known as his own person. Their adventure began and ended in two completely different levels of maturity for all of the boys. â€Å" We knew exactly who we were and exactly where we were going.† Gordy is the main protagonist in this film he tells the story of their adventure to find Ray Browler’s dead body when they were 12 years old. Gordy was always compared to his older brother Danny his parents were continually paying more attention to Danny than Gordy, they seemed to care more about Danny’s football career than Gordy’s outstanding writing. When Gordy’s brother Danny died his parents could not seem to move on. â€Å" †¦four months after Danny’s death my parents still haven’t been able to put the pieces back together.† Gordy’s parents placed pressure on Gordy to make him feel partially responsible for Danny’s death, they were always pushing him to be more like Danny, especially when he was gone. They were unhappy with his friends and his attitude toward life. â€Å"Why can’t you have friends like Danny’s? Their alright Dad. What? A thief and two feiebs?† Gordy is sympathized against due to the fact that he was 12 and had such a large amount of responsibility and pressure on his shoulders and such a young age. Teddy was the mysterious quarter of the group, always wanting to risk his life in dangerous stunts. Teddy was always out to prove something, he tried to dodge a train that was speeding toward him, until Chris pulled him out of the way.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Plato’s and Aristotle’s Views on Knowledge

Plato and Aristotle view knowledge and the process whereby it is obtained. They both point out that many epistemological concepts which they believe where knowledge comes from and what it is actually. Most of them have been astonished me in certain ways, but I found that rationalism and â€Å"wisdom consists in knowing the cause which made a material thing to be what it is† make the most sense to me regarding the nature of knowledge. As the following, we will discuss about why these two philosophical viewpoints are superior and the others are inferior. Aristotle believes that sensory perception of material objects is knowledge and he says, â€Å"Our senses begin the process of finding the answer, because they are physically close to our minds. † However, sensations and feelings are very subjective, and the results of sensation vary from person to person and even within the same person, depending on the circumstances. What to one person is cold might be warm to another, one person may be more fatigued in the afternoon than in the morning, so that his or her perceptions may temporarily less accurate. Therefore one cannot claim that sensations provide sure knowledge for human beings. | On the other hand, Aristotle sustains that the perceptions of the senses form the foundation which leads to true knowledge. The senses â€Å"give the most authoritative knowledge of particulars† (individual material objects). The senses, especially sight, â€Å"make us know and bring to light many differences between things. † The senses thus provide a foundation that will ensure that human knowledge is true or accurate. Back and forth, we have already discussed that sensations cannot provide true knowledge for humans because of subjectivity, as in this case, this is not necessarily that perceptions of senses form the foundation which leads to true knowledge for humans. Plato believes that innate knowledge of eternal Forms that exist separately from material objects is true knowledge because innate knowledge does not require that the mind interact with the external world in order to be apprehended. It is present in the mind at birth, for it is God given, and has always been resident in the mind. Nevertheless, how does one know there is a God? For all we know, the existence of god cannot be proven by scientific methods, and this is for certain. In this case, how can humans get knowledge from god or gods? Therefore, innate knowledge should not be viewed as the origin of knowledge nor to help one to obtain true knowledge. For Aristotle's substance, it states that when one knows the substance (matter and form) or essential nature of a material object, one knows the first cause that made it to be what it is. This knowledge is true wisdom and is therefore true knowledge. I felt this philosophical viewpoint when I first saw it; however, this knowledge begins in sensory perception. Stated in premise, sensations and feelings cannot assist individuals to acquire true knowledge. For this reason, I do not fall in this epistemological concept afterwards. Moreover, a syllogism also cannot help one to acquire human knowledge. To Aristotle, these universal ideas are self-evident. The mind, having received appropriate sensory input, immediately sees that they are true. Although premises are formed as the result of inductive reasoning, it is based on sensory perception. Consequently, human beings cannot acquire knowledge by a syllogism. I personally fall with rationalism and wisdom lead us to attain knowledge. Plato and Aristotle both believe that thinking, defined as true opinion supported by rational explanation is true knowledge; however, Plato is a rationalist but Aristotle is not. Plato thinks that the external world can be obtained proceeding from the inside out. Thus, the foundation of true knowledge for the rationalists is that it originates in the faculty of reason. Furthermore, reason has the capacity to discover ideas or beliefs independently of the senses. These ideas or beliefs are self-validating and therefore have the status of knowledge because the rational faculty, which has discovered them, is the most accurate of the means by which human beings obtain knowledge. In Plato's Theaetetus, he says, â€Å"Any one forms the true opinion of anything without rational explanation, you may say that his mind is truly exercised, but has no knowledge. † This is quite true that when one can state a true opinion supported by a rational explanation, one's opinion constitutes knowledge, since perceptions of senses are excluding in this case. Moreover, a rational explanation does not contain any subjectivity, it is an objective entity for humans to understand true knowledge. For this reason, I fall with rationalism and believe it is a superior philosophical viewpoint about the nature of knowledge. Aristotle sustains that wisdom consists in knowing the cause which made a material thing to be what it is. For Aristotle, wise people know more than just what something is; they also know why it is what it is, or what causes it to be what it is. People with wisdom, for instance, a master worker understand not only that fire is hot, but also know why it is hot. Those with experience only, who do not know why something works in a certain manner, cannot teach. Say physicians understand that there is a relationship between the medical condition of this class of patients and the ingredients in this particular drug. They are then motivated to learn why the drug works on these people, or what causes it to be more effective with this group of patients than with others. In achieving this knowledge, one achieves wisdom. Once the physicians found out what causes the drug works, it will increase the confidence of other physicians to use it with similar patients of their own. If they just used it because it â€Å"works,† they might be more hesitant. Knowing why it works makes them feel more certain that it will be helpful. Moreover, by understanding how the ingredients work, another researcher might find another use for the drug on a related but different medical infirmity. Thus, the ability to teach something is important to one because it implies that the person who teaches has knowledge. In these cases, I believe wisdom is the ability to teach something to someone and it also contains a path for one to acquire true knowledge, therefore, it is also a superior philosophical viewpoint for individual to understand true knowledge. In my own life, I believe that one's knowledge is taught by parents, teachers, peers, and culture, and this is the reason for humans to have education. Our knowledge is received from the earlier generation to the next generation and so on. When I was a kid, I did not know why I had acne at that time. Now I am a teen, I know that during adolescence, hormones called androgens become active and stimulate oil glands in one's skin, increasing oil production. This, in turn, clogs pores, causing pimples and blackheads. I am educated in school and I understand the causes of acne now. In this case, I have true knowledge about what acne is and the causes of it because I have the ability to teach someone about acne, and it constitutes wisdom. This example fits in Aristotle's thought which wisdom consists in knowing the cause which made a material thing to be what it is, and therefore, the origin of knowledge. On the other hand, a study states that sunlight can prevent some types of cancer because vitamin D is manufactured in the skin when it is exposed to sunlight and it is this vitamin that may have a protective effect against certain cancers by preventing the overproduction of cells. In this case, a true opinion is supported by a rational explanation, and this study can help one to acquire knowledge because the study itself is knowledge. In this essay, we have examined different epistemological concepts of Plato and Aristotle about what knowledge is and the process whereby it is obtained. Since sensations are subjective, many of their philosophical viewpoints have been objected. Rationalism and â€Å"wisdom consists in knowing the cause which made a material thing to be what it is† make the most sense to me because they are not perceived by sensations, and they can be observed in our daily lives. Those are the reasons that I found these two concepts are superior to others.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Porters 5 Forces Essay

Five Forces analysis for IT industry Wipro Technologies is a global information technology (IT) services company. It provides custom application design and development, IT consulting, systems integration, technology infrastructure out sourcing, software products and BPO services. Michael Porter’s Five Forces Model looks at five key areas- the threat of entry, the power of buyers, the power of suppliers, the threat of substitutes, and competitive rivalry. Threat of new entrants: New entrant in the market may have an effect on share of older counterparts Threat of substitute: Due to technological advances, Quality constraints or cost effectiveness there can be a threat of the substitute on the industry. Bargaining Power of customer: This is the bargaining power of the customer -one who is consumer of the goods. Bargaining Power of suppliers: This is the bargaining power of the supplier -one who supplies sources that are needed for finished goods. Comparative Rivalry within Industry: It tells about extent of competition in between firms in an industry. Porters Five Forces helps to analyse how these forces act together to cause the company to increase or decrease profitability of the company. The strategy of the company should be to influence these forces to maximise profitability. Hence below is a study of the IT industry and study of profitability in custom application design development, systems integration, technology infrastructure management segments of IT Threats and barriers to entry Economies of scale and Capital Investment Requirements: IT requires very low investment and hence we have hundreds of startups starting every year. While it is easy to invest and start a software company sustaining growth does not come easy. All these start-ups also play in an area where Wipro does not compete like low value projects or in subcontracted work. Hence they are not a threat to the profitability of Wipro. India is the favourite destination for off shoring Information Technology (IT) and IT enabled Services. The Indian IT/ITES industry commands more than 50% of global ITES off shoring market share. The IT/ITES exports are set to cross USD 60 billion by 2010 and Nasscom (The National Association for Software and Services Companies), estimates that the industry will account for USD 63. 7 billion of revenues and direct employment is expected to reach nearly 2. 3 million. The IT industry contributes around 26 per cent of India’s total exports and was around 6. 1 percent of India’s GDP for financial year 2009-2010 (NASSCOM, 2010). 2 Customer switching costs Wipro works across verticals like telecom, BFSI, Media and Communication, Automobiles, Government, Technology, Manufacturing, Energy, Healthcare, Hospitality etc and has several ODC or offshore development centres for nearly all top companies in the world. These offshore development centres have thousands of resources working with multi year projects earning millions of dollars of revenue a year. The cost of shifting or switching even a part of these projects to other companies would involve huge set up, transitioning costs with no guaranteed results. Wipro has quality certifications like Cmmi Level 5, PCMM Level 5,BS9977 etc and new entrants will face a barrier in this regard. Global contracts will not be given to companies with the lack of certification. The lack of security certifications will cause customers to have security related concerns while sending data offshore. 3 Access to distribution channels and technology This poses no difficulty. Many top business unit heads have previously quit from Wipro and spawned off their own company which has grown and sometimes taken a part of the market share of Wipro. Since the industry thrives on knowledge workers when a senior person leave he takes access and knowledge of customer base and customer contacts with him. The Internet is present everywhere and software technology in the era of open source is easily accessible to all. 4 Government Subsidies and policies Current favourable policy by government for new ITES-BPO firms is creating competitive situation for Wipro and other established players in the India IT industry. The reforms have reduced licensing requirements and made foreign technology accessible. The reforms have also removed restrictions on investment and made the process of investment easier. This has tremendously helped the IT industries. The Indian government is actively promoting FDI and investments from NRIs (Non-Resident Indians). FDI can be brought in through the automatic route, based on powers accorded to the Reserve Bank of India. Improvement and reach of telecommunication can aid new entrants into the IT industry. Similary improvements in infrastructure and power sector can also aid new entrants into the IT industry. Recognizing the importance of Venture Capital Funding, the Ministry of Information Technology has set up a National Venture Fund for the Software and IT Industry with a corpus of Rs. 100 crore. The main aim of the venture capital Fund is to provide Venture Capital to start up software professionals and small IT units. Nasscom (most important promoter of the IT/BPO industry) has been playing a crucial role in helping the IT industry achieve the IT and ITES vision and make India far ahead of other players in the field of IT and BPO. But new entrants and start ups can never be in the league of Wipro which adds 20-30 new customers every quarter and earns revenue in the range 0f 50-60 billon USD every quarter. 5 Brand Loyalty Since Wipro is in multi year relationships with most of it’s customers and since the relationship is driven top down from CEO level and exists sometimes with entire IT organisation of the customer, there is a deep brand loyalty that cannot be forsaken. Wipro trades on NYSE and is a well respected global company. Threat of Substitute Price is most often the main differentiator among key players in the software industry quality of service being the same. Indian IT firms like Wipro face stiff competitions from their counterpart in other emerging market like Russia, Brazil, Mexico, Philippines and China. The IT providers in these markets charge competitive rates as compared to Wipro. But Wipro has development centres in China , Philippines so that they can leverage the same advantage. At the same time Wipro attracts a huge pool of resources from the many leading technical institutions across India . These resources are trained to work in many technologies and also are very flexible with respect to work timings. Additionally, the Wipro has been exceptionally quality focused being the first Indian Cmmi Level 5 company with high-skilled pool of knowledge workers with English speaking Hence it has an upper edge over other offshore locations like China, Philippines or Latin American countries 1 Quality/Value proposition While start-ups work like a flash in the pan and sometimes do attract a first time IT outsourcer it is MNCs like IBM and Cognizant which can be identified as substitutes for Wipro. Cognizant with it’s steady and continued growth rate has taken a part of the market share of companies like Wipro. An MNC with a formidable history and background can e work as substitute for Wipro in the software industry due to the differentiation that they bring in terms of delivery models, senior people/leadership in the organisation, R;D focus, steady focus on not yet mature verticals (like healthcare in Cognizant’s case for example) and pumping back money into the business. These MNC bring a better value to the customer and engage the customer at a more strategic level . Buyer’s willingness and relative price/performance of substitute As per a report in Economic Times Emerging near shore rivals, including Ness Technologies of Israel, CPM Braxis of Brazil and Mexico-headquartered Softtek are increasingly becoming attractive for top outsourcing customers such as GE, Citibank and several others seeking to work with local, specialised vendors instead of sending all projects to offshore locations like India. Though Wipro is growing it’s presence in the emerging markets of Latin America, Eastern Europe and Asia, they face stiff competition from these newer rivals. For many customers who already have significant presence in offshore locations like India, it’s a risk diversification, Some customers having 70-80 per cent of their offshore resources in India are realising that they need to look at the third category of suppliers that are local and niche. Over the past two years, companies such as CPM Braxis, EPAM Systems, Ness Technologies, Softtek, Merchants and Spi Global have emerged as stronger rivals for Indian tech firms, especially while bidding for an outsourcing contract being fleshed out by a ‘first-time outsourcer’. Brazilian firm CPM Braxis, for instance, which counts GE, ABN Amro and Whirlpool as clients, reported revenues of around $567 million in 2008. One of the top four Brazilian banks, Bradesco, is also among the biggest customers for the company. While these emerging outsourcing rivals are not yet in the big league of mega, multi-year contracts, they are still able to gain business because of their niche and local market expertise. On an average, these companies are able to win contracts worth $2-5 million in annual contract value. Bargaining power of customer Concentration of buyers and sellers There are a large numbers of playes in the software industry. While India and Indian software companies with demonstrated performance are the lead runners, players across the world and especially from other developing countries like Brazil etc are in the run. Hence the customer has huge bargaining power. 2 Profitability of buyer OF late due to the cut in IT spending, while IT spend of the custome rs may have reduced, the number of players are vying for the same budget. Hence cost advantages become very major and customer drives the billing rates. This is because most of the projects are in maintenance or integration and quality differentiation may not be there among number of players. 3 Switching Costs But for existing projects where switching costs are high , new higher billing rates have been worked on on contract renewal even in the recession period. Also with a tighter monitoring of IT spend of customers and in an effort to distribute the risks customers also rarely give an entire project to one customer often distributing the project to all key players hence igniting rivalry and competition. Forward Integration Many captive companies have leveraged the same advantage as companies like Wipro of resource availability at low costs and have opened their captive centres in India, which acts as an IT wing of their company and develops software for them. Examples are many like Shell , JP Morgan, man international banks, Bosch, Boeing etc. Bargaining power of supplier 1 Concentration of suppliers and demand Since there are a lar ge number of technical institutions campus recruitments bring in thousands of entry level people at low salaries. But at the same time attrition is very high in the software field since with experience resources may move to greener pastures. 2 Profitability of suppliers There is a huge demand for experienced professionals in key skill areas. Companies need to continually invest in resource development and training in upcoming technologies and keep them from leaving the company by attractive remunerations, trips abroad etc. Since many of the suppliers who support the IT service industry -are local and IT industry earning capitalize on the rupee dollar difference . The suppliers are happy to be in engagement with the IT company and are happy with what they are offered though it is a miniscule of what the IT company earns. Example are cab companies. Rivalry or Competition 1 Structure of competition The key players in the IT industry are in intense competition with each other. All the major players like TCS, Infosys etc have the same kind of delivery models, verticals focus, billing rates and also almost the same customer base, geographical presence etc. So most of the competition is around excelling in domain knowledge, gaining thought leadership in technology areas and building customer relationships. But the large players are only a few in number who are clear market leaders. Still Startups concentrate on niche technologies and domains and beat inroads into the IT companies market share. Start-ups thrive on a hire and fire policy where the resources are taken on at the beginning of a project at high salaries and fired after it’s completion. Since there is no service differentiation the customer believes in divide and rule policy where the each key player is given a near equal piece of the pie, pitching one player against the other and igniting intense rivalry. The key to getting good projects is good experienced resources, number of people with a specific skill etc. Hence resource poaching is a common phenomenon. 2 Cost structure of the Industry Companies like Wipro have high overheads owing to it’s size and complex organisation structure. New companies with none of the legacy of Wipro, can come in with niche focus and take a portion of maket share related to R;D, innovation where creativity, technicall prowess is more key than standard processes, certifications etc. So time and again projects are lost to smaller companies who are more nimble and lean and once that happens it can plot the growth story of a new rival in that specific domain for Wipro. Wipro thrives majorly on large offshore multi-year dollar contracts in application maintenance, infrastructure management where skills are not high end. The requirement is to maintain large bench strength to quickly source these projects. This adds to the cost of most key players in the Indian IT scene. 3 Strategic Objectives For the past 5 years Wipro and other key players have had relatively lesser focus on moving up the value chain. All key players are still milking the standard IT services industry demand for maintenance, testing, infra management contracts with global companies in an primarly offshore model. Growth strategies are mainly to expand to newer geographies access the same standard IT services demand. Growth of all key players have been demand driven and more or less uniform. There have been few acquisitions but no aggressive growth stories amongst competing players. It can be concluded that Wipro is a key player in the IT industry and carries on with it’s brand name, sheer size and momentum as also it’s leadership and service quality. But to up the ante key differentiations have to be brought in – which needs to be paradigm shift in the way business is done. Whether the innovation is thru new technologies like cloud computing or whether it is through the review of business models to emerge as a product and/or consulting company where it engages with the customer strategically – change is to be brought in. Else the MNCS like Cognizant, near shore companies like Ness etc may soon catch up or take a part of the pie.