Book Assesment Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Book Assesment Report - Essay Example The book that we are going to analyze is Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamond. Latesvology is a model that deals with the impacts of change in the society brought about by economical, technological and social changes. It further examines the dominant views and acceptable variance in the society related to economical or technological changes. Discussion The changing global economy has been of concern to the many people in different spheres of the global economy since these changes in the global economy have had an effect on the technological and social values within the society. The global world economy has grown tremendously over the years, and thus various sectors, such as the energy and mining sectors, have grown. However, these industries have experienced growth which has boosted the technology sector but has been detrimental to the society in terms of environmental pollution. The growth in the global economy impacted negatively the society in terms o f environmental degradation. This book specifically looks at the advancement of society during the past years and explains how economic growth has contributed to the collapse of different societies. ... Regions such as Europe grew in the past decades leading to the growth of agriculture, industry, technology and the society. As a result, to support this growth, many societies demanded more of resource allocation to be used in supporting industrial growth in order to accommodate the lifestyles of the society. However, growth in the economical aspect led to growth of industries and technology, and as a result, technology was used in the exploitation of resources. Technology was used in expanding industries as new forms of technology, such as growth in the transport systems paved way for industrial growth. As a means of sustaining the industrial growth and other forms of growth, minerals and other resources became the focal point of the development and search of these resources over the long period of time. Therefore, mining and other activities related to mineral extraction became major economic activities. The book in this case compares the race and rate of resource utilization durin g the Mayan, Vikings periods as equal to the current rate of resource utilization in the world (Diamond 187). The current global situation is that commodities and resources are the main drivers of the global economy. As a result, resources such as oil, steel and land are regarded as big economical factors in the development of societal life. Moreover, technology also assisted the development of the economical sector in that it was utilized in the process of acquiring resources from the earth easily for consumption. Consequently, the development of technology aided in the growth of the market economy within the business world. As the economy grew, the net effect in the society was the change in lifestyle and change of the standards of living. People began

Fundamental Elements of a Story Essay Example for Free

Fundamental Elements of a Story Essay This essay is going to talk about three different points: What are the types of effect that the writer can leave on his readers by his story? How important is the writers style to make his story access into his readers minds? What are the possible ways that the writer could use to make his theme noticed in his story? What are the Different Ways a Story’s Format Affects the Reader’s Comprehension? Positive effect The format of the story must be effective for the reader; if the form of the story is well organized the readers comprehension will be affected. The writer must organize the story elements and build a connection between all of these elements. Negative effect The format of the story could be not effective for the reader because of unorganized story structure. The way that the writer is telling his point of view doesnt affect readers properly. In What Ways do the Style and Point of View in a Story Format Effects the Delivery of that Story? The style and the point of view are important because the writer is the story teller. When the writers point of view is cleared and detailed his story becomes effective (Story, 2007). How can the Theme be Evident throughout a Story’s Elements? The theme can be evident depending on how the writer includes it in the story elements. For example, according to critics Joseph Conrad in his novel Heart of Darkness showed his racist personality and negative attitude towards women (Student Resources, 2008). Conclusion A story acceptance depends on the style of the author; maybe most readers will love it or hate it. The writer could write a story in 2 different ways with one 1 theme; the level of acceptance will not be the same in both cases. References Elements of the Short Story. (2007). Retrieved October 20, 2008, from http://www. scribblingwomen. org/elements. htm Student Resources. (2008). Retrieved October 20, 2008, from http://www. josephconradsociety. org/student_resources. htm

Simon Bolivar :: essays research papers

Throughout history there have been several leaders who used their cunning and sly intelligence to trick the general population into following them and their beliefs. Eventually, these leaders had so much support, they could no longer be called leaders, but absolute and dictatorial rulers. However, during the period of Enlightenment and of the French Revolution, non-maleficent ideas, created by Locke, Montesquieu, Voltaire, and other Enlightenment Philosophes, were spread throughout the European population. They stated the opposition to absolute monarchies as well as a new main focus on people’s innate rights and freedoms. Many leaders after this period of Enlightenment preached its ideas, while others simply used them to gain power. Simon Bolivar might have preached opinions that mainly reflected the ideas of the French Revolution. However, his actions contradicted these opinions, and revealed that his true intentions were selfish and illiberal. In several documents and speeches, Bolivar stated that he was very fond of freedom, liberty and equality. Clearly, it would seem that he desired democracy. This can be seen in his "Jamaican Letter", where he states "More than anyone I desire to see America fashioned into the greatest nation in the world, greatest not so much by virtue of her area and wealth as by her freedom and glory." However, he adds to this "love of freedom" in saying that it is "inconceivable" to set up such a government, simply because there is not enough political knowledge for a system such as that to run. Further, Bolivar says that he agrees with the ideas of Montesquieu, who played a very important role during the Enlightenment period, and states that he is against absolutism. In looking at the beliefs Bolivar spoke of, one could almost come to the conclusion that he directly lectured the ideas fought for in the French Revolution; opposition to absolute monarchies, natural rights and freedoms, ideas of Montesquieu, and ruling for the people’s best interest. Interestingly, however, Bolivar never actually put any of his "glorious ideas" into action. Instead of setting up a democracy, ideas of which he praised, he arranged a system in which his total control was made known. He declared himself president until he died, created a weak legislative body with almost no power, and limited the right to vote to the Creoles, who were American-born Spaniards. Not only did this contradict his great "Love of freedom" that he originally spoke of, but also his hate of monarchy, a system of government not too far off from the "paternal constitution" he himself created. Furthermore, this government system doesn’t reflect ideals fought for in the French Revolution, which he once agreed with. In a document written by Bolivar, he states that he fears Black

Jealousy in William Shakespeares Othello Essay examples -- Othello Sh

Shakespeare has an exceptional ability to compose plays full of deceit, trickery, murderous revenge, and jealousy. In Othello, one of his most recognized tragedies was consistently evolving around the central theme of jealousy. Jealousy in Othello is what the play was founded on. One of Shakespeare's most credible characteristics in his writing is his ability to compose a play in which has a story that originates, and strides on lies. As theses lies were unraveled the central theme of his play became distinct, and clearly visible. The central theme was based on the acts that characters had taken based on their jealous feelings. The flaws within all of the characters lied within their blindness to over look Iago's lies. What made each character jealous, was what they perceived as the truth. What adds to this great tragedy is that it is a love story as well. In which a man, Othello, loves Desdemona excessively and passionately, however he loves her unwisely. Love consumes all those who take part in it, and in Othello's case his flaws lie in his loving Desdemona so blindly. It is for that single reason that Iago knows that such a naà ¯ve man as Othello, who loves his wife so blindly and unrealistically, can be made to think whatever Iago wants Othello to believe. Just as Othello's flaws lied within his inability to see past his jealous feelings, so did most of the rest of characters, no matter what social ranking they were classified in. Even from the well-developed characters, such as Othello, to the lesser figures, such as Roderigo, envy and lust were feelings all of Shakespeare's characters were accountable of holding at one time or other in the play. Within each of the characters in Othello was a level of jealousy, which Iago c... ...o seek revenge, in the most gruesome way possible. All through Iago's manipulation to distort reality, is an intricate way to cause the vengeful Othello to take total control of the trustworthy, reliable, and faithful officer as well as husband named Othello Othello is a tragedy of numerous dimensions. The most dominant issues in Shakespeare's Othello are evil and jealousy. From these two dominant issues, it can be said that with the act of evil, beyond it to some degree, envy or jealousy can be held responsible. Jealousy of course is harming to oneself and most times is irrational. Demonstrating once again the "intrinsic instability of evil, the ultimate impotence of the jealous gods." (Godfrey D.R., Shakespeare for Students, pp.422)

Loss of Innocence in Lord of the Flies Essay

Within the novel innocence is progressively lost through the boys. The boys were placed in a situation where they had no other choice but to grow up, and grow up fast. These boys were put in a very traumatic situation and they had to learn on their own and from each other how to survive and almost create a thriving society all on their own. Slowly they learn that their needs to be a leader, but there are no adults to precede the role of authority. Therefore the children resume power and take the role of authority. All these things make the boys lose their innocence and become very violent. No one is completely innocent and everyone has the ability to turn violent, this is demonstrated in William Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies. Having their plane crash on an abandoned island with no civilization is something everyone would find traumatizing, especially boys from the ages of about 6-12. With no adults many of the boys do not know what to do. Being put in such a traumatizing situation they learn how to grow up very fast. This is where a lot of the boys innocence is lost simply because they do not know how to act as adults and because of this they act in a violent matter â€Å"You should have seen the blood!† (70). Here is an example of how the boys take violence as something exciting, something fun, when really there is nothing good or fun in violence. Very quickly the boys realize that they need to start some survival skills if they would like to stay alive. For some of the boys this is all new, some know nothing. Luckily others have been put in situations where they have needed survival skills so some can think creatively and use materialistic objects to survive. â€Å"His specs- use them as burning glasses!† (40) Here is an example for the boys using materials they have with them to survive on the island alone. They use Piggy’s glasses to create a fire by reflecting the sun off of them. With no adult or no authority to tell them what to do, the boys have to know how to survive on their own and work off of each other. These boys have never had to take over a role of authority that normally  adults have. They have never had such power to control people. This causes complete chaos and lots of violence breaks out due to the feud between Ralph and Jack. The problem with children resuming the roles of adults is that they do not have the experience or knowledge to resume these roles. There is a major lack of authority and power on the island. What happens is that both Jack and Ralph resume authority which divides up the group of boys. â€Å"’I’m chief,’ said Ralph, ‘because you chose me. And we were going to keep the fire going. Now you run after food—‘†(150). This is Ralph claiming his authority. â€Å"I ought to be chief,† said Jack with simple arrogance, â€Å"because I’m chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing C sharp.† (22). This is Jack claiming authority. Both boys believe that they have authority and they do not get along with one another. Jack turns quite violent in the novel and is violent towards the other boys. The violence that the boys have towards each other is a major part of their loss of innocence. I believe that the boys in Lord of the Flies suffered from loss of innocence in a very fast and drastic way. They had to learn how to move on from such a tragic and traumatizing situation and learn on the spot how to survive as well as well as how to thrive as a society and work together. Although the boys might not have succeeded in their objectives, but the efforts made to work towards these objectives are what caused their loss of innocence. There are people who will never be deemed violent, whether its because of their age or level of maturity. Small children are perceived as being innocent and adults are seen as mature and self-composed. Yet, William Golding presents a very different opinion in this novel. Golding suggests that under certain circumstances and in the right situation, anyone, even a child can become a savage. Everyone has the ability to turn violent it is just a matter of the situation and the circumstances. Works Cited Page Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. Toronto: Penguin, 2006. Print.

How School Leaders Can Improve Teacher Quality

How School Leaders Can Improve Teacher Quality School leaders want all of their teachers to be great teachers. Great teachers make a school leader’s job easier. Realistically, not every teacher is a great teacher. Greatness takes time to develop. A major component of a school leader’s job is to improve teacher quality. An effective school leader  has the ability to help any teacher take it to the next level. A good school leader will help a bad teacher become effective, an effective teacher become good, and a good teacher become great. They understand that this is a process that takes time, patience, and a lot of work. By improving teacher quality, they will naturally improve student learning outcomes. Improved input equals improved output. This is an essential component of school success. Continuous growth and improvement are necessary. There are many ways that a school leader can improve teacher quality within their building. Here, we examine seven ways that a school leader can help individual teachers grow and improve. Conduct Meaningful Evaluations It takes a lot of time to conduct a thorough teacher evaluation. School leaders are oftentimes overwhelmed with all their duties and evaluations are commonly placed on the backburner. However, evaluations are the single most crucial aspect when improving teacher quality. A school leader should routinely observe and evaluate a teacher’s classroom to identify areas of need and weakness and to create an individual plan for that teacher to improve in those areas. An evaluation should be thorough, especially for those teachers who have been identified as needing significant improvement. They should be created after a substantial number of observations that allow a school leader to see the entire picture of what a teacher is doing in their classroom. These evaluations should drive a school leader’s plan of the resources, suggestions, and professional development that is required to improve individual teacher quality. Offer Constructive Feedback/Suggestions A school leader must offer a list that includes any weaknesses which they find during the evaluation. A school leader should also give detailed suggestions to guide teacher improvement. If the list is exceedingly comprehensive, then pick a few of the things that you believe is the most important. Once those have improved to an area deemed effective, then you can move on to something else. This can be done both formally and informally and is not limited to what is in the evaluation. A school leader may see something that could improve the teacher on a quick visit to the classroom. The school leader may offer constructive feedback intended to address this smaller issue. Provide Meaningful Professional Development Engaging in professional development can improve teacher quality. It is necessary to note that there are a lot of terrible professional development opportunities. A school leader needs to look thoroughly at the professional development they are scheduling and determine if it will produce the intended results. Engaging professional development can foster dynamic changes for a teacher. It can motivate, provide innovative ideas and gives a fresh perspective from an outside source. There are professional development opportunities that cover just about any weakness a teacher has. Continuous growth and improvement is essential for all teachers and even more valuable for those who have gaps that need to be closed. Provide Adequate Resources All teachers need the appropriate tools to do their job effectively. School leaders must be able to give their teachers the resources they need. This can be challenging as we currently live in an era where educational funding is a significant issue. However, in the age of the Internet, there are more tools available to teachers than ever before. Teachers must be taught to use the Internet and other technologies as an educational resource in their classroom. Great teachers will find a way to cope without having all the resources they would like to have. However, school leaders should do everything they can to provide their teachers with the best resources or provide professional development to use the resources they do have effectively. Provide a Mentor Great veteran teachers can provide tremendous insight and encouragement to an inexperienced or struggling teacher. A school leader must develop veteran teachers who want to share best practices with other teachers. They must also build a trusting, encouraging atmosphere in which their entire faculty communicates, collaborates, and shares with each other. School leaders must make mentor connections in which both sides have similar personalities, or the connection may be counterproductive. A solid mentor connection can be a positive, learning venture for both the mentor and the mentee. These interactions are most effective when they are daily and ongoing. Establish Ongoing, Open Communication All school leaders should have an open door policy. They should encourage their teachers to discuss concerns or to seek advice at any time. They should engage their teachers in ongoing, dynamic dialogue. This dialogue should be continuous especially for those teachers who need improvement. School leaders should want to build engaging, trusting relationships with their teachers. This is essential for improving teacher quality. School leaders who do not have this sort of relationship with their teachers will not see improvement and growth. School leaders must be active listeners who offer encouragement, constructive criticism, and suggestions when appropriate. Encourage Journaling and Reflecting School leaders should encourage inexperienced or struggling teachers to journal. Journaling can be a powerful tool. It can help a teacher grow and improve through reflection. It can help them better recognize their individual strengths and weaknesses. It is also valuable as a reminder of things that worked and things that did not work so well in their classroom. Journaling can spark insight and understanding. It can be a dynamic game-changer for teachers who genuinely want to improve.

Conscription Australia essays

Conscription Australia essays Conscription is a system of compulsory enrolment of men and women into the armed forces. It is now a major issue in todays society due to the Great War, starting in 1914. At the moment Australia is totally relying on voluntary enlistment, now in 1916, two years into the war soldiers numbers are declining, and the need for more recruitments is required. Prior to this enlistments exceeded the numbers the army could accept! For us Australians we see the war as a great opportunity to win a place in the empires traditions! We all feel the need for the empires support to feel secure, safe and protected. How were we supposed to win a place in its traditions if we dont have enough men willing to fight for the country, let alone the empire!! All other countries in the war including Britain are fighting with conscripted military forces and we believe Australia should also take part in this system. Our main topics in our debate for conscription will cover issues such as politicians, political parties, pro-conscriptionists, loyalty to the empire, employment, mateship, heroic views, self-discipline and Australias independence. Conscription is a great system that entitles men to experience a once in a lifetime adventure as well as being able to fight for a great and noble cause! It also teaches young men self-discipline and life skills such as cooking, cleanliness, obeying rules, communication skills and co-operating with others. These skills allow individuals to have much more independence. It is unfair for men to be allowed to avoid their duty while family, mates and those who have volunteered are out there fighting for them!! This represents Australian men as cowardice, and very unegalitarian. These issues all take part in understanding why Australia desperately needs conscription in order to reach expectations of the empire. Without conscription Australia will be represented as ...

MP3 downloading essays

MP3 downloading essays (According to BBC news) In December of 1999, the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) sued Napster, one of the premier and most successful file sharing programs. Five months later, American rock band Metallica also sued Napster, including some of its users who were Metallica fans. Since then, Napster had been shut down and has faced countless lawsuits. What caused these problems? The answer is simple- the problem was, because of Napster, everyone had access to download mp3 files.. for free. Downloading mp3 files through share programs has become a serious issue. It is harming the music industry and is one of the most significant causes of the decline of record sales. It could also be regarded as theft, as those who use these programs do not pay for the music. The results of the survey from this class indicate that seven of you actually pay for mp3 files using programs such as itunes. However, research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill shows that over 60 million Americans above the age of twelve have downloaded music through share programs, and that the number of downloaders in the U.S. has doubled since 2000, the year after Napster was launched. Also, according to the RIAA, the number of CDs shipped in the U.S. fell 15%- from 940 million to 800 million between 2000 and 2002. The record industry has claimed that this decline is due to free downloading. Another reason free downloading is bad is that it puts musicians out of business, especially the independent artists. Although some may argue that downloading could be a method of promoting new artists, it could also be used against them as a method of emptying their pockets. Believe it or not, according to CNN.com, Dana Woodaman, an independent musician and a victim of free downloading, said, Ive sold a total of one CD online, and I think that's pretty typical. In addition, Tim Gallagher, former member of an underground band ca...

Leadership at BMW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Leadership at BMW - Essay Example While charismatic leaders are achievement-oriented visionaries who, by virtue of their characteristic aura and excellent communication, inspire their followers, and are also capable of taking a calculated risk, noncharismatic leaders are knowledgeable, confident and analytical. Unlike democratic leaders who believe in participative management style and encourage the involvement of subordinates in the decision-making process, autocratic leaders tend to use the power of their position to impose their verdict on subordinates. Leaders are seen as enablers when they inspire and empower subordinates, and controllers when they manipulate subordinates. These two contrasting styles can be correlated to some extent to autocratic and democratic styles. Finally, transactional leaders are those who incentivize the performance of employees and transformational leaders are motivators who aim at enriching the subordinates. In compliance with the German laws concerning publicly listed organizations, BMW has a supervisory board and a board of management (BOM). The BOM has six members who are led by the Chairman, Board of Management Dr. - Ing. Norbert Reithofer. The supervisory board consists of ten representatives of shareholders as well as employees (BMW-website-a, 2009). The chairman of the supervisory board is appointed by the Quandts and BMW employees comprise half of the board. The organizational structure of BMW is team oriented. The organization employs interrelated and multi-skilled work teams. Being a top-notch automobile company, BMW has institutionalized the concept of high-performance work groups which are self-organized.

Construction Safety Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 12

Construction Safety - Assignment Example There is need therefore to have a way of applying these in such a large project with many contractors. All contractors need to come together and establish compliance standards that revolve around waste management, hazards avoidance measures, spill management and cleanups etc. Contractors are supposed to ensure monitoring is done as routinely as possible (Chen and Li, 2006). This ensures that the standards are being followed: this can be through a neutral Site Inspector. Workers need to be trained together on the environmental safety and ISO standards to be upheld at the site. The contractors need to demand to know the construction safety record of fellow contractors so as to ensure that safety of their workers is not to be compromised. This way, only competent contractors are to be contracted. Contractors need to ensure that their individual employees are well qualified to offer the highest possible service in regards to environmental safety. Lastly but not the least is the need to have a regular evaluation process in place for all contractors to be evaluated on

Personal Reflection Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Personal Reflection - Research Paper Example The substantive aspect includes nurses’ knowledge, tough standards and guts to pursue directions regardless of opposition. According to Downey, Parslow, and Smart (2011), â€Å"Identification of nurses with leadership characteristics is important so that leadership development and mentoring can occur within the nursing profession† (p. 517). For me, the accomplishment of an organization depends mainly on value-based actions of the leader, as Grossman and Valiga (2009, p.5) assert, â€Å"Leaders are proactive in formulating goals, primarily because they typically arise out of some personal passion for a better world†. The goal of leadership is to make â€Å"practical effort† (Zaleznik, 1981, p.26) for the new comers to follow the way the leaders work. Grossman and Valiga (2009) affirm, â€Å"In their relationships with others, leaders are concerned with what events and decisions men to those who are affected by them† (p. 5). On the other hand, management is the process of determining goals and objectives while recognizing roles and responsibilities and meeting deadlines (Zaleznik, 2004). Managers stay in communication with employees; however, their vision about organizational objectives is much shorter than that of the leader (Grossman & Valiga, 2009). The ultimate goal of the leadership is to create such teams that work effectively to produce greater results. After taking these tests: â€Å"Leadership Skills: Rate Yourself† (Grossman & Valiga, 2009, p. 20) and â€Å"The Grossman & Valiga Leadership Characteristics and Skills Assessment† (Grossman & Valiga, 2009, pp. 16-19), I figured out that leadership and management are two different domains, but many people confuse one concept with the other. In first test, I scored 38, which means that I possess good leadership qualities. In second test, for part 1 I scored 52 as I confused leadership with management; however, for part two I scored

Market research analyst Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Market analyst - Research Paper Example The market research analyst is elementarily responsible for the formulation of data, its interpretation, and drawing recommendations based on the findings of a research. This paper will present the key responsibilities of market research analysts as well as their educational requirements and other legal aspects related to the career. It is the responsibility of a market researcher to maintain an effective communication with clients to comprehend and document the objectives of the business. They also formulate the analysis plans that will require client sign-off. It is the task of a market research analyst to design or aid in the formulation of questionnaires and guides to ensure that only the necessary data is captured. After data are collected, it is the role of the market research analyst to conduct an in-depth analysis of the data gathered using either the traditional or the advanced methods. After this course of action is complete, the market research analyst then authors reports containing feasible recommendations. The market research analyst also makes presentations on their drafted reports, answering questions and instilling confidence in consumers. Notably, â€Å"Market research analysts work primarily in professional environments, either as independent consultants or as employees of consulting firms, c orporations, or government organizations† (Pritchard). Market research analysts, â€Å"obtain consumer or employee data through one-on-one interviews, focus group meetings, questionnaires, and polls† (Pritchard). Notably, market research analysts work to ensure that companies understand their target market effectively. With the increasing need for companies to understand the needs of the customer, their psychographics, and demographics, the duties of a market research analyst come in. Practitioners in this career undertake a close analysis of the target

The transition from adolescence to adulthood Essay

The transition from adolescence to adulthood - Essay Example Assuredly, the people subjected to the transition are prone to many challenges that include drugs and alcohol abuse, sexual orientation, peer pressure, and other issues related to this age (Interactive Population Centre Web). However, they also tend to develop cognitively thus developing critical thinking and manifest increased knowhow in specific areas. Because of the dynamics associated with the transition, chances of misunderstanding by both parents and the adolescents, exaggerated freedom, and being self-minded may result to conflicts between the reference parties and thus a feeling of alienation is likely to develop. In this context, alienation refers to adolescents’ feeling of not belonging. This paper will discuss the aspect of alienation among three characters during their transition from adolescent to adulthood. Subsequently, the paper will explore the similarities and differences forthwith. In doing so, the paper will consider characters in "Sonnys Blues," "Teenage W asteland," and â€Å"Everyday Use†Ã‚  stories. In the story, "Sonnys Blues," we will look into the life experience of an adolescent, Sonny in relation to alienation. Indeed, at the time of his mother’s death, Sonny was an adolescent cruising to adulthood. Nevertheless, he was not yet ready to absorb adulthood responsibilities as his brother. Actually, just like his peers, Sonny got into drug addiction where the law caught up with him and imprisoned him for one year. This jail term alienated him from the society since nobody visited him including his brother. Hence, he suffered in loneliness. Indeed, the jail term hindered his swift transit to adulthood. It is arguably true that out of alienation Sonny would not quit drugs, as they were his comfort zone. Assuredly, when adolescent lack a better mode of expressing their feelings and worries, they tend to alienate themselves and result to unethical behaviors. Moreover, after his mother’s death Sonny would not live alone as

Market research analyst Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Market analyst - Research Paper Example The market research analyst is elementarily responsible for the formulation of data, its interpretation, and drawing recommendations based on the findings of a research. This paper will present the key responsibilities of market research analysts as well as their educational requirements and other legal aspects related to the career. It is the responsibility of a market researcher to maintain an effective communication with clients to comprehend and document the objectives of the business. They also formulate the analysis plans that will require client sign-off. It is the task of a market research analyst to design or aid in the formulation of questionnaires and guides to ensure that only the necessary data is captured. After data are collected, it is the role of the market research analyst to conduct an in-depth analysis of the data gathered using either the traditional or the advanced methods. After this course of action is complete, the market research analyst then authors reports containing feasible recommendations. The market research analyst also makes presentations on their drafted reports, answering questions and instilling confidence in consumers. Notably, â€Å"Market research analysts work primarily in professional environments, either as independent consultants or as employees of consulting firms, c orporations, or government organizations† (Pritchard). Market research analysts, â€Å"obtain consumer or employee data through one-on-one interviews, focus group meetings, questionnaires, and polls† (Pritchard). Notably, market research analysts work to ensure that companies understand their target market effectively. With the increasing need for companies to understand the needs of the customer, their psychographics, and demographics, the duties of a market research analyst come in. Practitioners in this career undertake a close analysis of the target

How influential is the United Nation to protect and implement the Dissertation

How influential is the United Nation to protect and implement the death penalty in regards to human rights - Dissertation Example Moreover, the nations aimed to achieve better standards of living, human rights and social progress. The UN has a unique international nature and it can intervene in a wide range of issues. It also provides a forum for its Member States to voice their opinion. This is facilitated by the General Assembly, the Security Council, and the other committees and bodies.1 Moreover, the influence of the UN is felt all over the world. The UN performs humanitarian assistance, conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. In addition, the UN and its system affect the world and tend to improve it. A large number of issues are dealt with by the UN. Some of these include, environment and refugee protection, sustainable development, disaster relief, counter terrorism, gender equality, human rights, governance, improving food production and the promotion of democracy. 2 In addition, the international human rights and humanitarian law clearly prohibit torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading trea tment or punishment. This prohibition applies to all the states and is independent of their treaty obligations. Several of the international and regional treaties have clearly included this prohibition. The regional systems and the UN have declared that some features of the death penalty cannot be permitted. These aspects have been considered to be cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment. 3 Some examples are the manner in which death row inmates are kept in their cells; the torment of being under the never ending threat of execution; and the confidential nature of the imposition of the death penalty. These factors have a tremendous effect upon the condemned person and his family. As a result, the UN Human Rights Committee addressed the states with the death penalty. It asked them to improve the conditions of detention of the individuals on death row.4 Such improvements had to comply with the requirements specified in the International Convention on Civil and Political R ights (ICCPR). Furthermore, the UN Human Rights Committee had declared unwarranted delay in informing a convicted person of a stay in execution, as an instance of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. Moreover, the UN Human Rights Committee has made a recommendation. This suggests that the condemned and their families are to be informed reasonably and sufficiently in advance regarding the date and time of the execution.5 Such advance notice, would provide them with sufficient time to prepare for the occurrence. In this regard, the important organs of the United Nations and their functions are described below. Functioning of the UN The principal bodies of the UN are the General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, Trusteeship Council, International Court of Justice and Secretariat. Among these the Security Council is responsible for international peace and security. Consequently, the Security Council may conduct a meeting, whenever a threat to international peac e and security is perceived.6 These six bodies do not have the same

Travel Market - Segmentation Essay Example for Free

Travel Market Segmentation Essay 1. The Travel Market can be segmented into 3 segments: Luxury travellers, Adventurers and Budget travellers. These segments are identified by demographics like age and income, psychological factors like personality, and benefits sought like needs and product features. Luxury travellers are usually older or middle-aged consumers who are already financially prosperous and look for relaxation and rejuvenation from their stressful positions. They can also be retirees. Luxury travellers will be willing to pay more for value, quality and service, and they look for quality relaxation and experience when looking for a place to reside while travelling. Luxury travellers will respond well to Banyan Holding’s Banyan and Laguna resorts and hotel line. Banyan tree hotels and resorts seek to have guests â€Å"pampered with a warm and friendly retreat experience† and are targeted to those â€Å"who place a premium on exclusive and unique localtes, with a penchant for the indulgent, luxurious and exotic† (Marketing in Asia 2nd Ed, p714-715). These high-end customers desire personalized service, ambience, and design, and a self-contained, personal retreat with private and tasteful amenities (Marketing in Asia 2nd Ed, p715). Luxury travellers who go on trips with their family members will prefer Laguna resorts and hotels as it provides a wide range of amenities for children to elderly, like the children’s suite, Laguna shopping centre and Angsana Spas. The Laguna hotels offers a wider range of services for a broader base of targeted audience, hence appealing to luxury travellers who travel with their family. Adv enturers are younger working adults around their twenties to late thirties who are financially independent and willing to spend. These consumers look for exotic places and place high emphasis on outdoor-recreation. They value authenticity and look for opportunities to immerse themselves in the local culture. People who go for adventure travelling would look for places that are less urbanized and richer in culture. Authenticity and thrill will be their main concern hence location and convenience would matter less. Adventurers will respond well to Banyan Tree’s sister brand, Angsana Hotels and resorts. The hotels are designed to be contemporary and which, and marketed with emphasis on outdoors-recreation which will appeal to such travellers. They also have a range of adventurous activities offered, like bungee jumping, white-water rafting and trekking. A great selling point of Angsana hotels is that it is located in unique world heritage site locales which offer adventurers a rustic experience with the added bonus of comfort and luxury. Budget travellers are identified to be in the lower to middle income group and are financially independent but not holding large amounts of disposable income for leisure activities. These travellers are sometimes young parents who hold tight budgets when it comes to travelling as they need to set aside large portions of their income for their children’s education and to support their own parents. They seek for benefits like low prices and promotions and do not always aim for quality or service. These consumers will not be prone to consume Banyan Tree Holding’s products and services as the products offered are generally high-end and too expensive. These consumers will likely to be working hard to support their families and hence unable to go for Angsana or Banyan spa treatments as well due to the lack of time. When travelling, these consumers will go for cheaper hotel options instead as they do not place high emphasis on special product features like adventurous amenities or quality of the services. 2. The attractiveness of the market segments can be assessed by the market size, the expected growth, the competitive position, the cost of reaching the segment and the compatibility with the Banyan Tree’s objectives and resources. In terms of market size, the budget travellers take up the largest percentage of leisure travellers while adventurers take up the least. In United States, the top 1% households own 35.4% of all privately held wealth (Domhoff, 2013). Wealth distribution is similar in the rest of the world; small proportion of people holding majority of the wealth. As such, the adventurers and luxury travellers take up a much smaller market size while budget travellers are aplenty. In terms of expected growth, the luxury travellers are expected to grow the fastest. Baby boomers, who are born between 1946 to 1964, are at their prime of their careers and some may already be retired. As these people age, the financially prosperous bunch of them will be expected to go travelling on retirement trips and they will have the financial capacity to spend on quality services and experiences. The luxury travellers will thus be expected to grow the fastest. The growth of the adventurers and budget travellers will then depend on the state of the economy and birth rate. Developed countries now face declining birth rates and an aging population, which causes both the adventurers and budget travellers to decrease in size or grow at a slower pace. For competitive position, the market for budget travellers will be the most competitive as most options are available. These competing hotels and motels are largely s imilar, providing homogenous amenities and services with price as the main selling point. Hence, it will be difficult to compete against these hotels as lowering price too much will start a price war, which in turn causes damage to all producers. Joining this market will not guarantee a significant market share as there are many firms and the products are mostly homogenous. In the luxury and adventure travelling segments, the hotels are largely different with their own selling points. For example the Maison Souvannaphoum Hotel in Luang Prabang would offer visitors a cultural and scenic experience of the Mekong River and hills of Laos, an experience that will not be found in any other hotels. The luxury hotels offer different scenic views and quality service, hence these hotels compete via product differentiation. There are less firms and hence more competition, but it also means that there will be a chance of getting a large market share should Banyan tree decide to invest in it. In terms of cost, marketing Banyan Tree’s products too all three different segments of consumers will take roughly the same costs. These will include advertising costs on websites, newspapers and tie-ups with travelling agencies. In terms of compatibility, reaching out to the budget travellers will be most costly as brand new budget hotels will have to be built, which requires a large amount of capital. Marketing Banyan Tree Holding’s hotels and services to the budget travellers will also not be effective as the product features of Banyan tree’s products are incompatible with the features these consumers are looking for. Reaching out to luxury travellers and adventurers will be easier as they will already be receptive to the products offered by Banyan Tree. In conclusion, Banyan Tree Holdings should focus on the Luxury Travellers market segment as they have the highest potential growth rate and the products which these consumers are looking for tally with the products Banyan Tree Holdings offer. 3. Companies in the travel industry can carry out product positioning by emphasizing on different aspects of their products and services, like the geographical location, the economic value, lifestyle, services and amenities, and environmental awareness. The geographical location of the company will include the cultural heritage of the host country in which the firm can use as a selling point to foreign visitors. The actual location of the hotel can also be used as a selling point for added convenience if the hotels are located just beside train or bus stations. The economic value refers to marketing the company’s products and services at a certain price which gives a similar level of satisfaction. Hotels can market themselves as budget hotels which are on the lower scale of the price range, or luxury hotels which gives consumers such a great experience and service that the consumers think the high price is worth it. Lifestyle and services can be marketed to consumers if the hotel provides visitors with a distinct, exotic experience or have unique facilities. Companies can also support environmentally friend codes of conduct to promote themselves as clean and green, giving off a positive reputation and image to the public and potential customers. Banyan Tree uses the product position strategy of geographic location, lifestyle and services and environmental awareness. According to Marketing in Asia 2nd Ed p714, each Banyan Tree property is designed to fit into it’s natural surroundings and the natural landscape is preserved as much as possible. This places emphasis on the location of the hotels and resorts, marketing itself to be exclusive and asian. For Angsana Hotels and Resorts, it is located in unique World heritage site locales which provide visitors with a coherent authentic experience of the local destination, serving as a large attraction. Secondly, Banyan tree also markets itself to pamper guests with a warm and friendly retreat experience that showcases Banyan Tree’s signature lend of romance, rejuvenation and exotic sensuality. This adds to lifestyle and experience. Thirdly, Banyan Tree sells itself with an environmentally friendly and conscious theme. Besides being environmentally friendly, Laguna Resorts and Hotels is also committed to providing for the health and educational needs of the children of its employees and local villages. This will attract consumers who care for the deterioration of nature and the welfare of developing countries. Banyan Tree’s products are highly distinctive as they emphasize themselves on being a luxury and premium brand. Banyan Tree previously marketed itself with the slog an of â€Å"Romance of Travel† which also emphasizes on rejuvenation and relaxation. Banyan Tree is consistent in all it’s different product types in the fact that it focuses on pampering the guest and providing the ultimate luxurious experience. To support the theme of luxury, Banyan Tree’s products are highly priced. This is because consumers usually associate higher priced products to be of better quality. Banyan Tree promoted themselves with the â€Å"Romance of Travel† campaign which emphasized on Banyan Tree’s brand of romance, intimacy and rejuvenation. Banyan Tree is also spread to other consumers through articles in many websites by travellers. Positive testimonies stir interest in potential customers, and can reach out to many due to the widespread use of internet today. To tap on the greater use of internet, Banyan Tree also offers direct bookings through popular resort websites for convenience and accessibility. To keep up with this inf ormal advertisement, Banyan Tree maintained it’s well-known quality of service which aided it to have good reviews. Banyan Tree also took part in eco and cultural tourism, and famous projects like the Tsunami Relief Project in 2004, projecting an image of awareness and goodwill for the company.

Supremacy of the US Dollar

Supremacy of the US Dollar ABSTRACT This assignment briefly discusses the supremacy of US Dollar. It includes suggestions and recommendations to its near future position, internationally. The proponents of the assignment are divided into the history of the US Dollar and its role as the dominating currency in the world. Ever since other currencies began to take part actively in the foreign exchange markets, they began to challenge the role of US Dollar. Arguments were put forward that the US Dollar would have to compete with the various emerging currencies to maintain its position as the most influential money dominator. The paper intends to discuss the currency contenders, which are the Euro, Japanese Yen Chinese Renminbi and the Russian Rouble and why are they the nearest competitors to challenge the US Dollar. Chapter 1 HISTORY The United States emerged from World War II not only as military victor but as an economic victor as well. It was by far the strongest economic power in the world. Under the Dollar standard, the Dollar standard, agreed to make the Dollar â€Å" as good as gold† redeemable on demand by any central bank at the rate of $35 an ounce in 1933. This meant that the dollar became the accepted medium of exchange for international transactions. This seemingly routine event was to have far reaching implications for the international financial system, certainly beyond what anyone would have imagined. According to James Grant the US dollar is the greatest monetary achievement in the history of the world. In year 1792 the first US dollar issued by the United States Mint which same in size and composition to the Spanish dollar. The US dollar was created and defined by the Coinage Act of 1972. The Coinage Act 1792 set the value of at 10 dollars, and the dollar at 1/10th eagle. It also called for 90% silver alloy coins in denominations of 1,  ½,  ¼, and 1/10. The timeline of US dollar currency will be discussed which as follows: I. Colonial Bills 1690 The Massachusetts Bay Colony, one of the Thirteen Original Colonies, issued the first paper money to cover costs of military expeditions. The practice of issuing paper bills spread to the other Colonies. II. Franklins Unique Counterfeit Deterrent 1739 Benjamin Franklins printing firm in Philadelphia printed colonial bills with nature printsunique raised impressions of patterns cast from actual leaves. This process added an innovative and effective counterfeit deterrent to bills, not completely understood until centuries later. III. British Ban 1764 Following years of restrictions on colonial paper currency, Britain finally ordered a complete ban on the issuance of paper money by the Colonies. IV. Continental Currency 1775 The Continental Congress issued paper currency to finance the Revolutionary War. Continental currency was denominated in Spanish milled dollars. Without solid backing and easily counterfeited, the bills quickly lost their value, giving rise to the phrase not worth a Continental. V. The Bank of North America 1781 Congress chartered the Bank of North America in Philadelphia as the first national bank, creating it to support the financial operations of the fledgling government. VI. The Dollar 1785 Congress adopted the dollar as the money unit of the United States. VII. First Central Bank 1791 Congress chartered the Bank of the United States for a 20-year period to serve as the U.S. Treasurys fiscal agent. The bank was the first to perform central bank functions for the government and operated until 1811, when Congress declined to renew the banks charter. Recognizing that a central banking system was still necessary to meet the nations financial needs, Congress chartered a second Bank of the United States in 1816 for another 20-year period. VIII. Monetary System 1792 The Coinage Act of 1792 created the U.S. Mint and established a federal monetary system, set denominations for coins, and specified the value of each coin in gold, silver, or copper. IX. Greenbacks 1861 The first general circulation of paper money by the federal government occurred in 1861.Pressed to finance the Civil War, Congress authorized the U.S. Treasury to issue non-interest-bearing Demand Bills. These bills acquired the nickname greenback because of their color. Today all U.S currency issued since 1861 remains valid and redeemable at full face value. X. First $10 Bills 1861 The first $10 bills were Demand Bills, issued in 1861 by the Treasury Department. A portrait of President Abraham Lincoln appeared on the face of the bills. XI. The Design 1862 By 1862, the design of U.S. currency incorporated fine-line engraving, intricate geometric lathe work patterns, a Treasury seal, and engraved signatures to aid in counterfeit deterrence. Since that time, the U.S. Treasury has continued to add features to thwart counterfeiting. XII. National Banking System 1863 Congress established a national banking system and authorized the U.S. Treasury to oversee the issuance of National Banknotes. This system established Federal guidelines for chartering and regulating national banks and authorized those banks to issue national currency secured by the purchase of United States bonds. XIII. Secret Service 1865 The United States Secret Service was established as a bureau of the Treasury for the purpose of controlling the counterfeiters whose activities were destroying the publics confidence in the nations currency. XIV. Bureau of Engraving and Printing 1877 The Department of the Treasurys Bureau of Engraving and Printing began printing all United States currency. XV. Paper Currency with Background Color 1905 The last United States paper money printed with background color was the $20 Gold Certificate, Series 1905, which had a golden tint and a red seal and serial number. XVI. Federal Reserve Act 1913 The Federal Reserve Act of 1913 created the Federal Reserve as the nations central bank and provided for a national banking system that was more responsive to the fluctuating financial needs of the country. The Federal Reserve Board issued new currency called Federal Reserve Notes. XVII. The first $10 Federal Reserve Notes 1914 The first $10 Federal Reserve notes were issued. These bills were larger than todays bills and featured a portrait of President Andrew Jackson on the face. XVIII. Standardized Design 1929 The first sweeping change to affect the appearance of all paper money occurred in 1929. In an effort to lower manufacturing costs, all currency was reduced in size by about 30 percent. In addition, standardized designs were instituted for each denomination across all classes of currency, decreasing the number of different designs in circulation. This standardization made it easier for the public to distinguish between genuine and counterfeit bills. XIX. In God We Trust 1957 The use of the National Motto In God We Trust on all currency has been required by law since 1955. It first appeared on paper money with the issuance of the $1 Silver Certificates, Series 1957, and began appearing on Federal Reserve Notes with the 1963 Series. Chapter 2 Characteristic of US Dollar Currency Introduction The U.S. dollar is the currency most used in international transactions. It is also used as the standard unit of currency in international markets for commodities such as gold and petroleum. There are also some Non-U.S. companies dealing in globalized markets, such as Airbus, list their prices in dollars cause of the international acceptance and the value of the dollar. At the present time, the U.S dollar remains the worlds foremost reserve currency. In addition to holdings by central banks and other institutions there are many private holdings which are believed to be mostly in $100 denominations. The majority of U.S. notes are actually held outside the United States. All holdings of US dollar bank deposits held by non-residents of the US are known as Eurodollars (not to be confused with the euro) regardless of the location of the bank holding the deposit (which may be inside or outside the US). Economist opinion said that demand for dollars allows the United States to maintain pers istent trade deficits without causing the value of the currency to depreciate and the flow of trade to readjust. Strong arguments do exist for why the dollar remains strong and still remain for world currency. There are (at least) three sources of demand for dollars that exert an exogenous force on normal balance of trade dynamics: * A demand for dollar liquidity for transaction needs; * A foreign desire for asset security found in the dollars role as a reserve currency; and * Developing country attempts to accelerate economic growth through an export dominated economy. To date all three factors have increased the incentive for foreigners to collect dollars (by selling goods and services in exchange for dollars) and decreased the incentive to dishoard dollars (by buying goods and services with the dollars). If these dynamics were to reverse, they would exert pressure to devalue the dollar above and beyond pressures exerted by the balance of trade dynamics. Before discuss further about the characteristics of US Dollar that makes it the worlds foremost reserve currency, a better understanding regarding the basic function of money is crucial. The main basic functions of money are: a) Medium of exchange When money is used to intermediate the exchange of goods and services, it is performing a function as a medium of exchange. It thereby avoids the inefficiencies of a barter system, such as the double coincidence of wants problem. b) Unit of account A unit of account is a standard numerical unit of measurement of the market value of goods, services, and other transactions. Also known as a measure or standard of relative worth and deferred payment, a unit of account is a necessary prerequisite for the formulation of commercial agreements that involve debt. c) Store of value To act as a store of value, money must be able to be reliably saved, stored, and retrieved. The value of the money must also remain stable over time. In that sense, inflation by reducing the value of money diminishes the ability of the money to function as a store of value. d) Standard of deferred payment Standard of deferred payment is distinguished as an accepted way to settle a debt a unit in which debts are denominated, and the status of money as legal tender, in those jurisdictions which have this concept, states that it may function for the discharge of debts. When debts are denominated in money, the real value of debts may change due to inflation and deflation, and for sovereign and international debts via debasement and devaluation. Based on the explanation above, there are some main characteristic of the currency shall have to be the main player. In this paper, we will discuss from the various aspects. a) Currency and asset substitution Currency and asset substitution are typically induced by past inflations, devaluations, currency confiscations and the growth of underground economies. The effective money supply is much larger than the domestic money supply and is, moreover, less easily controlled by the monetary authority because of the publics propensity to substitute foreign for domestic currency. To peg the exchange rate to the US dollar, authorities have to intervene and purchase foreign exchange, hence the accumulation of holdings of US foreign exchange reserves, US currency has many desirable properties. It has a reputation as a stable currency, and is therefore a reliable store of value. It is available in many countries, is widely accepted as a medium of exchange, and protects foreign users against the threat of domestic bank failures, devaluation and inflation. Cash usage preserves anonymity because it leaves no paper trail of the transaction for which it serves as the means of payment and is therefore the preferred medium of exchange in underground transactions. Indeed the very characteristics that make the US dollar a popular medium of exchange also makes it difficult to determine the exact amount and location of US notes circulating abroad. Nevertheless, there is a direct source of information that can be used to determine the approximate amounts of US cash in circulation in different countries. Currency substitution also has fiscal consequences that are particularly salient for transition countries. Foreign cash transactions reduce the costs of tax evasion and facilitate participation in the unreported or â€Å"underground† economy. This weakens the governments ability to command real resources from the private sector and deepens fiscal deficits. The shifting of economic activity toward the underground economy distorts macroeconomic information systems (Feige, 1990, 1997), thereby adding to the difficulty of formulating macroeconomic policy. b) International Reserve Currency Furthermore, another characteristic of US dollar as world currency is because of the international reserve currency. Over the past three decades, academic and financial analysis that argued the US would suffer dollar devaluation due to national consumption exceeding national production has been largely wrong. That such an intuitive argument has been so consistently wrong is the source of much frustration and consternation. What has become clear is that when discussing exchange rates and determinants of exchange rates, there is a necessary delineation between the dollar and the rest of the world currencies. Because the dollar is the world reserve currency, special dynamics exist for it in addition to the normal trade and monetary dynamics one would expect. The euro inherited this status from the German mark, and since its introduction, has increased its standing considerably, mostly at the expense of the dollar. Despite the dollars recent losses to the Euro, it is still by far the major international reserve currency; with an accumulation more than double that of the euro. In August 2007, two scholars affiliated with the government of the Peoples Republic of China threatened to sell its substantial reserves in American dollars in response to American legislative discussion of trade sanctions designed to revalue the Chinese yuan. The Chinese government denied that selling dollar-denominated assets would be an official policy in the foreseeable future. c) Usage of the US Dollar Other characteristic of US Dollar as a main currency is when there are a few nations besides the United States use the US Dollar as their official currency. For example, Ecuador, El Salvador and East Timor all adopted the currency independently; former members of the US-administered Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (namely Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands) decided that, despite their independence, they wanted to keep the U.S. dollar as their official currency. Additionally, local currencies of several states such as Bermuda, the Bahamas, Panama and a few other states can be freely exchanged at a 1:1 ratio for the U.S. dollar. d) Secure the Safety Trade As the so-called â€Å"safety trade† turn into dollars that occurred in the second half of 2008, made ironic event in two ways. The dollar represents security to foreign entities is partly due to historical good behaviour and partly due to wishful thinking on the part of foreign entities. Certainly through 1960, the US had a virtually unblemished record in paying its debts and honouring its obligations. This historical precedent combined with geopolitical considerations and force of habit has created the foreign perception that exists to this day that the US dollar is â€Å"as good as gold.† Thus, historically when a country suffered from a balance of payment crisis, the most common alternative to the home currency was the dollar. The list of countries whose private citizens hoard dollars as an alternative to the home currency is long. The reason for this hoarding is fairly easy to understand. If a country pegs its currency to the dollar and the peg is kept too high, citizens of the country will consume more than they produce and the country will run a current account deficit. Mirroring this current account deficit, a country will run a financial account surplus which decreases its supply of dollars. As the supply of dollars approaches a critical point, citizens will speculate that the peg cannot be maintained and will â€Å"make a run† on the currency, trading all of their domestic currency for dollars in anticipation of the devaluation. This is referred to as a balance of payments crisis, and results in a devaluation of the national currency. Examples of recent balance of payment crises include the Argentine economic crisis (2001-2002) and the Asian financial crisis (1997). Citizens in countries who have suffered balance of payment crises will often hold a portion or even a majority of their wealth in dollars in anticipation of currency devaluation. As an additional demand, it is commonly considered good practice for a developing country to carry reserves in excess of what is necessary for transactions as a preventative measure against balance of payments crises. Thus, there is actually an incentive to peg a currency too low, as a method for accumulating a protective supply of dollars to prevent balance of payment crises. e) Exchange Rate Dynamics While all other countries have two primary mechanisms that determine their exchange rate, the US dollar has five. The two mechanisms present for all currencies are: the relative supply of the currency (determined by the central bank); and the terms and attractiveness to foreigners of domestically produced goods and services. All else equal, the greater the supply of currency the higher the exchange rate (depreciated), and the more attractive the terms of domestically produced goods the lower the exchange rate (appreciated). Both of these mechanisms are reflected in the current account: if a country devalues its currency through an increase in money supply, it will have higher interest payments on foreign denominated assets. In this circumstance, a net debtor will generally see a deterioration in the current account, and a net creditor will see an improvement. If a country increases the attractiveness of terms on its production to foreigners, it will improve the current account. f) US Role As Most Develop Country In The World Financial and currency news are not just the only stories of news but interests to all. As for example, Foreign exchange (Forex) traders also have a lot of interest in political news that may have an impact on different countries currencies. Political events, such as the U.S. presidential election cycle has substantial consequences on the valuation of currency. The essence of money is purchasing power and power is at the heart of politics. Power goes to those who create money, those who receive it, those who spend it, and most of all, those who control it. Money, in other words, is anything but neutral. Money can be controlled or governed in very different ways; these systems of governance are described as monetary regimes. Chapter 3 BENCHMARKING THE US DOLLAR In order to understand the current international monetary system and its problems, one must realize that, for practical purposes, all international financial transactions are inextricably linked to the US Dollar. As the dollar goes, so goes the international financial system. Recently, as been mentioned earlier, the US Dollar remains the worlds foremost reserve currency. The US Dollar has been referred as the standard unit of currency in international markets for commodities such as gold and oil. Some non-U.S. companies dealing in globalized markets, such as Airbus, list their prices in US dollars. US Dollar has a value based on supply and demand of the market. As demand of US Dollar increase and more people willing to pay more to buy the US Dollar, then US Dollar will increase the value. We can also know the performance/value of US Dollar by using the benchmark in US Dollar. Benchmarking of the US Dollar means that we measure or evaluate the performance/value of US Dollar with another similar item in an impartial scientific manner. The US Dollar Index (US Dollar X) is type of index used as a benchmark in US Dollar. US Dollar Index is an index (or measure) of the value of the United States Dollar relative to a basket of foreign currencies. It is a weighted geometric mean of the dollars value compared only with Euro (EUR), 57.6% weight Japanese yen (JPY), 13.6% weight Pound sterling (GBP), 11.9% weight Canadian dollar (CAD), 9.1% weight Swedish krona (SEK), 4.2% weight and Swiss franc (CHF), 3.6% weight. (Source: Wikipedia) Like declining real estate or stock prices, the diminishing dollar is neither uniformly beneficial nor harmful. In an article written by Karen (2008), the author provided an example of Accor North America, Inc., a division of Paris-based Accor, a global hotel operator. She added that when the company needs extra funds, perhaps to make an acquisition, the declining dollar comes in handy. Taking advantage of the dollar devaluation means that its cheaper to borrow from our parent than a bank, says Stephen Manthey, senior vice president and treasurer with the Carrollton, Texas-based firm. This is because the parent companys Euros now are more valuable than they were a year or two ago (Karen, 2008). Animesh Ghoshal, a Professor of Economics at DePaul University, Chicago, once mentioned that exporters typically do well when their currency drops, as their products become more competitive outside their home markets. Conversely, importers take a hit, as the costs of their goods or materials rise. Karen (2008) also quoted a statement from Dean Baker, a co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Reseach, an independent research group in Washington, D.C. Dean mentioned that people think of a strong dollar like a strong body, but, theres no particular virtue in having a strong dollar. In November 2007, prices for imports from the European Union rose for the seventh consecutive month, increasing 0.2 percent, while prices for goods coming from Canada jumped 4.7 percent. For the year ending in November, the prices of imports from Canada were up 12.9 percent, while imports from the EU were up 3.3 percent. The rises can be attributed to higher fuel prices and the declining dollar, rep orts the Bureau of Labor Statistics. From 4 below, we can see that the US Dollars relative strength compared to Euro had been declining over the 2007. The declining US Dollar may bring more harm than benefits to the US importers. Chapter 4 Factors Affecting US Dollar Currency a) Trade Deficit A trade deficit occurs when a country imports more than the exports. This leads to a net outflow of a countrys currency. Countries on the other side of the transaction will typically sell the importing countrys currency on the open market. As supply of the countrys currency increases in the global market the currency depreciates. As a net importer, the US has seen its trade deficit grow rapidly over the last decade. In last year (2008), the United States had a record of trade deficit of $816 billion dollars. This trade deficit weakens the US dollar relative to other currencies since foreign goods are denominated in foreign currency. Thus raising of demand for foreign goods increases the demand for foreign currency and decreases the demand for US dollars. This causes the US dollar to depreciate. b) Budget Deficit Chart below show that US Public debt has grown substantially over time. When a countrys government spends more than it earns from taxes or other sources of revenues, it is forced to borrow from its citizens and/or from foreign entities. As a countrys debt load increases, the value of its currency may decrease as result of fears within the international community over its ability to repay the debt. In addition, by borrowing money from foreign countries, the US increases the demand for foreign currency in exchange for US Bonds. The US is the worlds largest debtor with approximately $12 trillion dollars in debt in total debt. Over half of this debt is owned by foreign countries and lenders. (Source: Wikipedia) c) China, Japan, and India may stop holding large US Dollar Reserves Japan ($349B) and China ($643B) are two of the largest purchasers of US debt. China in particular has exhibited a voracious appetite for US debt. Its rapidly growing economy is heavily dependent on exports, and the US is one of its largest trading partners. In any given year, the US imports much more from China than it exports to China. As a result there is a net flow of dollars to China. Normally, one might expect China to sell these dollars on the global market, causing the dollar to weaken. Instead China reinvests its dollars in US debt. In doing so, China strengthens the US dollar and limits the appreciation of its own currency. Chinese exports remain cheap to American consumers. However, due to large deficits many countries, China and India in particular, have begun to reconsider diversifying their reserves to protect themselves from a devaluation of the US Dollar. In November 2009, the Indian Central Bank announced that it would purchase $6.7B worth of Gold to diversify its reserves. China, which is the single largest purchaser of US Securities, has similarly increased its reserves of gold by 76% since 2003 and has hinted at further purchases. The decision of these large countries to shift increasingly towards Gold as a reserve currency greatly decreases the demand for US Dollars and weakens the US Dollar. d) Monetary Policy Inflation Demand for a countrys currency is highly dependent on the relative value of holding it, ie. the real, relative return of U.S. government bonds. Fear over higher inflation erodes the real value of bonds, which in turn decreases demand for US dollars. Similarly, tighter monetary policy raises the real interest rate on U.S. Gov. bonds, at which demand for US dollars increases until the relative, risk adjusted return on those bonds is equivalent to the return on bonds for another country. e) The Federal Reserve Rate The Federal Open Market Committee, comprising of the Chairman, Vice Chairman, and three other members, along with the chiefs of the regional branches of the Federal Reserve System, come together regularly to determine the Federal Funds Rate, which is the rate at which financial institutions with deposits at the Federal Reserve lend to each other. The release of the decision is usually accompanied by much media fanfare, analysis and commentary, and with good reason. Lending at the federal funds rate is the normal channel for banks with financing needs, and it represents the wholesale market for large financial institutions. The Federal Reserve Rate also determines the Dollar Libor rate which is the basis of many different types of financial transactions from complex derivative contracts, to credit card and mortgage interest rates. Libor is the cost of short-term unsecured interbank lending (where theres no collateral exchanged between counterparties). As such, it is one of the building blocks of the modern financial system. Although most transaction in the unsecured market are limited to a single month at most, the benchmarks themselves are regularly quoted and taken as a basis for contracts and agreements. f) Equity Market The equity market can impact the currency market in many different ways. For example, if a strong stock market rally happens in the U.S., with the Dow Jone and the Nasdaq registering impressive gains, we are likely to see a large influx of foreign money into the U.S., as international investors rush in to join the party. This influx of money would be very positive for the US DOLLAR, because in order to participate in the equity market rally, foreign investors would have to sell their own domestic currency and purchase U.S. dollars. The opposite also holds true: if the stock market in the U.S. is doing poorly, foreign investors will most likely rush to sell their U.S. Equity holdings and then reconvert the U.S. dollars into their domestic currency which would have a substantially negative impact on the greenback. Chapter 5 The impact of US Dollar a) Dollar Hegemony (Domination of the Dollar) The Bretton Woods negotiations at the end of the Second World War paved the way for establishing the dominance of the dollar as international money. This role was sustained by the confidence that the United States with its vast reserves of gold would honor the commitment to provide gold to foreign central banks in exchange for dollars at a fixed rate of $35 per ounce. By the end of the sixties, the growing trade deficit and the burdens of its military interventions in Vietnam created a huge dollar overhang abroad. In the face of increased demands for gold in exchange for dollars the United States unilaterally abandoned gold convertibility. This, however, did not lead to the dismantling of dollar hegemony. Instead, the refashioning of the international monetary system into a â€Å"floating dollar standard† in the post-Bretton Woods period was associated with the aggressive pursuit of liberalized financial markets in order to encourage private international capital flows denomin ated in dollars. In the 1970s the Eurodollar markets served as the principal means of recycling oil surpluses from the oil exporters to developing economies, particularly in Latin America. This process became a tool of resurgent U.S. political dominance. The 1970s military dictatorships in Chile, Indonesia, and Argentina, and the â€Å"Chicago School† free market regimes that followed, were bolstered by repression and supported by the readily available loans from U.S. banks flush with oil funds. Once this cheap bonanza of credit came to an end with the debt crisis in 1982, a new wave of neoliberal reforms and financial liberalization was imposed through the IMF-World Bank rescue packages. The crisis was deployed to further entrench the dominance of the dollar and U.S. imperialist agenda. In country after country the IMF and World Bank imposed â€Å"structural adjustment† policies during the crisis phase that destroyed all attempts at independent economic development while engulfing thei r financial systems in the ambit of dollar hegemony. This set in motion another surge of dollar denominated private capital flows to emerging markets and a fresh round of crisis in the 1990s when capital flowed back to the United States From 1973, up until about 2003 (the run-up to the present crisis) the periods when flows to emerging markets surged were also periods with a net efflux from the United States. As the surge comes to an end in the wake of capital flight and crisis, as in the Latin American debt crisis in 1982-83 and the Asian crisis in 1997-98, private capital flows are sucked back into the United States (see chart 2). The privileged role of the dollar provided the United States with an international line of credit that helped fuel a consumption binge. Cheap imports allowed consumption to be sustained despite stagnant or declining real wages. The export-led economies of Asia (first Japan, later East Asia and China) in turn depended on mass consumption in the United States to drive their economies. But the dependence on cheap imports precipitated growing trade de

Ubuntu :: Africa Philosophy Culture Papers

Ubuntu The decolonization of Africa, of which the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa is the most recent example, has led to a greater recognition of the wide variety of religions practising on its soil. When confronted with this plurality, and the corresponding plurality of claims to truth or credibility, believers often resort to absolutism. The absolutist evaluates the religious other in view of criteria which violate the self-understanding of the latter. The religious other is thus being colonized by a hegemony (i.e., an enforced homogeneity) of norms and values. This paper deals with an assessment of the faith of others which transcends absolutism without resorting to relativism. More specifically, it aims to show that an African philosophy and way of life called ‘Ubuntu’ (humanness) significantly overlaps with such a ‘decolonized’ assessment of the religious other, and that this assessment can therefore also be explained, motivated or underscored with re ference to the concept of Ubuntu. Introduction: A decolonized assessment The decolonization of Africa, of which the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa is a recent example, led to a greater recognition of the wide variety of religions practising on its soil. When confronted with this plurality, and the corresponding plurality of claims to truth or credibility, believers usually resort to either absolutism or relativism. The absolutist evaluates the religious other in view of criteria which violate the self-understanding of the latter. The religious other is thus being colonized by a hegemony (i.e. an enforced homogeneity) of norms and values. In an attempt to transcend this hegemonic colonization, the relativist, on the other hand, simply surrenders the evaluation of beliefs and practices to subjective arbitrariness. This paper deals with an assessment of the faith of others which transcends absolutism without resorting to relativism. More specifically, it aims to show that an African philosophy and way of life called "Ubuntu" (humanness) significantly overlaps with such a "decolonized" assessment of the religious other, and that this assessment can therefore also be explained, motivated or underscored with reference to the concept of Ubuntu. Much can and has already been said about the presuppositions and requirements of such an assessment. However, for the purposes of this paper I would like to concentrate on only three of these, viz.: (1) a respect for the other as a religious other; (2) an agreement on criteria, i.e. a common scale in view of which the adherents of different religious traditions may jointly judge these traditions; and (3) an interreligious dialogue or "mutual exposure" (cf.

Water Pollution in Canada Essay examples -- Environmental Pollution Ess

The industrialization of Canada is severely affecting the nations lakes, streams, and rivers. If something is not done to improve the situation it is going to have some severe environmental problems in its future. The following essay will be looking at the factors that cause pollution, and the effect that pollution has on the environment of Canada. It will also explore some of the methods used to treat and clean-up wastewater, and oil spills. Today pollution is very high in both inland and marine waters. All different types of water pollution are contributing factors in this problem. Here are some things that are associated with pollution: Pathogens: Pathogens are disease causing bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. They usually come from human sewage. As pathogen numbers increase, so does the risk of human health. Biochemical Oxygen Demand: Organic wastes that decay in a body of water. decrease the amount of oxygen found in it. The living things in the lake need oxygen to survive. If the oxygen level is depressed to zero, all fish in the lake die. Any decomposition that does not contain oxygen starts to generate noxious gases such as Hydrogen Sulfide. Pulp and paper mills, and municipal sewage causes BOD. Nutrients: Nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, enrich waters and accelerate the aging of lakes and streams. Also, the result of this is rich plant life which prohibits recreational activities. Plankton blooms depress oxygen levels (as mentioned before) and therefore, endanger living organisms. Major sources of nutrients are municipal sewage and agricultural runoff. Toxic Materials: Can affect the health of aquatic organisms and their consumers, and the people who drink the contaminated water. The toxicants include lead, mercury, DDT, PCB, benzopyrene, oil, and dibutyl phthalate. These chemicals enter the lake through dumping by the factories. Temperature Changes: Temperature changes from waste heat discharges (like from a nuclear power plant) can cause pollution. This happens if their elevation reduces dissolved-oxygen levels, and accelerates eustrophication, which in turn affects the ecological processes and blocks the migration path of fishes. Acidification: Acidification (acid rain etc.) Is caused by sulfur and nitrogen oxide in the rain, which is caused by automobiles and large industries. Temperature Changes: The... ... 40,000 gallons) per ton of steel manufactured. A typical metropolitan area discharges a volume of wastewater equal to about 60 to 80 percent of its total daily requirements! The rest is being used for washing cars, watering lawns, and for manufacturing processes such as food canning and bottling. Infiltration: This occurs when sewer lines are placed below the water table or when rainfall goes down through the earth to the pipe. We do not like it because it means that the piping system and the treatment plant have to work extra hard Storm Water Drainage: This is simply the water from rain, melted snow, etc. draining into our pipelines and sewers where it goes to a treatment plant to be treated, but there is nothing wrong with it. In conclusion, From all the points I have brought up it is easy to see that the more people there are in the world the more water pollution there is going to be. That doesn't mean that we have to stop having children, what it means is that we have to start watching where we drain our polluted water, and start to use our resources more wisely. We should also be more careful with hazardous chemicals , and things like oil drilling, etc.

Egalitarian Companies Are More Innovative

Discuss the pros and cons of the following statement: â€Å"Egalitarian companies are more innovative. † An egalitarian company exists with equal human rights for all employees, regardless of social economic income, race, origin, gender, religious or political beliefs. Most people view egalitarian as fair as it creates a friendly working environment. an egalitarian work environment doesn’t depend on job descriptions and traditional management roles. This allows employees to function as a more inclusive work force. it promoted shared responsibilities among workers and promotes team work. An egalitarian work environment doesn’t depend on job description and traditional management roles to define employees and structure workforce. This allows employees in a company to exist without hierarchies and function as more inclusive workforce. Employees may feel more appreciated and contribute ideas to the company’s growth and overall direction and operational strategies. Pros. In organizations, hierarchy is more than just a human predisposition, it’s a practical necessity. The purpose of an organization is to mobilize diverse talents and abilities in order to produce goods and services. In the modern world, we have technology to multiply this output. We need to divide up tasks, match them with the right people (since not all people have equal skills), and then integrate them for customers. Somebody has to provide the direction to make this happen effectively at every stage and level. This is where the role of the supervisor, manager, team leader, or executive comes in. Without this guidance and decision function, we would have disorganization. There are many, companies that have long shown success through their structure. In certain market environments there need strict adherence to standards, requirements, policies, etc. ierarchies can help ensure top quality is always present. ie health facilities. Additionally, utilizing specialists or experts inside an organization or network, is natural. Not everyone can do everything. Boundaries can be more permeable so that people can share information, resources, and ideas to make the whole enterprise more successful. Making this happen is never easy, but it can’t be done at all without leaders who have the authority to break the ties between groups and individuals who have different visions of what should be done. There is no better way to do this than through traditional hierarchy. Along with that, it may not be cost, time or quality abiding to let everyone roam free without direction. The right blend and balance for any one particular organization will depend on the pace of change in the industry, the capabilities of the employees, and the resources available to take action. The need for leadership will always exist. There will always be a need for visionaries, people who can influence others, and people who can execute. Cons. While hierarchies were the favored form of organizing in the past, they should not be the key design in business. Hierarchies, characterized by tight controls, centralized decision-making, and clear-cut job descriptions, often alienate employees and promote an individualistic work mentality. Traditional management systems are increasingly a vanishing breed, no longer valuable or relevant in today’s increasingly human-capital-centric workplace. The lack of job descriptions, flatter organizations, and flexible approach would likely fit better for organizational environments that are new, immature, or very rapidly evolving. With a lightning fast pace of change, constraining job descriptions may hold individuals back from taking action. Leadership is vital in driving forward principles that can be acted upon. With visionary approaches that allow for empowered action, many great things can be achieved. Identify three organizations that you perceive as being innovative. Organization innovation is the successful implementation of creative ideas in an organization. The three organizations that I perceive as being innovative are; Facebook, Apple and Microsoft. All three companies have managed to be creative and sustain a competitive advantage. They have also maintained quality and form of their service and product overtime. Identify the innovation and its impact upon each organization. Facebook innovation has attracted billions of members to their site. They have a continuing innovation of interactive face book communication that has created patterns of innovation overtime. Facebook has created a market competitive advantage. Facebook has used distinctive competitiveness to sustain its innovation and avoid duplication by competitors. Face book have maintained an incremental change by having their members sign in for free and also by improving the Facebook performance as a dominant website. Facebook is a social networking service and website. As of January 2012, Facebook had more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as friends, and exchange messages, including automatic notifications when they update their profile. Additionally, users may join common-interest user groups, organized by workplace, school or college, or other characteristics, and categorize their friends into lists such as â€Å"People from Work† or â€Å"Close Friends†. Face book innovation as attracted 7 billion user’s worldwide. It has also launched a Spanish version. Apple, one of the greatest innovators continue to launch new technology i. e. IPhones, iPods. Etc. over time Apple continues to create newer sustainable technology. Apple Inc. together with subsidiaries offers designs, manufactures, and markets mobile communication and media devices, personal computers, and portable digital music players; and sells related software, services, peripherals, networking solutions, and third-party digital content worldwide. Its products and services include iPhone, iPad, Mac, iPod, Apple TV, the iOS and Mac OS X operating systems, iCloud, and various accessory and support offerings, as well as a range of consumer and professional software applications. As of September 24, 2011, the company had 357 retail stores, including 245 stores in the United States and 112 stores internationally. Apple Inc. was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Cupertino, California. Microsoft Corporation develops, licenses, and supports a range of software products and services for various computing devices worldwide. The company’s Windows & Windows Live Division segment offers PC operating system that primarily includes Windows 7 and Windows Vista operating systems; Windows live suite of applications and Web services; and Microsoft PC hardware products. Its Microsoft’s Server and Tools segment provides Windows Server operating systems, Windows Azure, Microsoft SQL Server, SQL Azure, Windows Intune, Windows Embedded, Visual Studio, Silverlight, system center products, Microsoft consulting services, and product support services. This segment also offers enterprise consulting services; and training and certification to developers and information technology professionals, as well as builds standalone and software development lifecycle tools for software architects, developers, testers, and project managers. The company provides online information and content through Bing, MSN portals, and adCenter, as well as Atlas online tools for advertisers. Its Microsoft Business Division segment offers Microsoft office; Microsoft Exchange; Microsoft SharePoint; Microsoft Lync; Microsoft Dynamics ERP and CRM; and Microsoft Office Web Apps, as well as office 365, n online service, offering Microsoft Office, Exchange, SharePoint, and Lync. The company’s has created great inovative Entertainment and Devices Division segment provides Xbox 360 entertainment platform, which includes the Xbox 360 gaming and entertainment console, Kinect for Xbox 360, Xbox 360 video games, Xbox LIVE, and Xbox 360 accessories; Mediaroom, an Internet protocol television software; and Windows Phone that provide Microsoft Office and Xbox LIVE functionality. It markets and distributes its products and services through original equipment manufacturers, distributors, and resellers, as well as through online. Microsoft was founded in 1975 and is headquartered in Redmond, Washington. (www. mocrosoft. com) William Chuck,(management) 2010 Custom Edition.

A Comparison of Freedom: The Works of Frederick Douglass and David Walker Essay

One of the hottest and most discussed topics in American History is the issue of freedom. This is because of the fact that the young American nation, especially in the early and middle 19th century, witnessed different notions of freedom that is believed by her citizens; and most contrasting in this case is the notion of freedom by the industrial north (who favored the abolition of slavery), and the notion of freedom by the agricultural southern states (who favored slavery). It is well known that the United States is called the â€Å"home of the free and the land of the brave;† however, it is also well known that the institution of slavery and the racism against African Americans played a dominant part in the southern states of the country, dominated by cotton plantations (also known as the â€Å"deep south†). This paper would then discuss the notions of freedom according to two African Americans, one whom is slave: Frederick Douglass and David Walker. Frederick Douglass is one of the most famous former slaves in American History; he soon escaped from his masters, helped in the strengthening of the â€Å"underground railroad† (a secret route that helped slaves escape to freedom†), and joined the abolitionist movement. His personal accounts, as well as his notions of freedom, can be seen in his work My Bondage and My Freedom. Meanwhile, David Walker is also an abolitionist; but he was free unlike Douglass (his father was a slave, but his mother was free). Despite being a free man, he also witnessed the cruelties of slavery in his childhood, and advocated the abolishment of slavery, detailed in his work Walker’s Appeal, in Four Articles; Together with a Preamble, to the Colored Citizens of the world, but in Particular, and Very Expressly, to Those of the United States of America (also known as David Walker’s appeal). This essay would try to make an analytic comparison of their ideas on freedom based on these two works. 2. Frederick Douglass on Freedom One of the most compelling accounts of freedom as narrated by Frederick Douglass can be seen in Chapter XIX of his book My Bondage and My Freedom, entitled The Runaway Plot (Douglass 271-303). In this chapter, Douglass was actually reflecting upon his thoughts on New Year’s Eve, especially upon his thoughts on gaining freedom and liberty (Douglass 272). In his thoughts, Douglass actually stated one of the most important precepts of the freedom of every individual, in which each man has the right to be free ever since being born, and regardless of color (Douglass 272). According to Douglass, â€Å"I was not through the first month of this, my second year with the kind and gentlemanly Mr. Freeland, before I was earnestly considering and advising plans for gaining that freedom, which, when I was but a mere child, I had ascertained to be the natural and inborn right of every member of the human family. The desire for this freedom had been benumbed, while I was under the brutalizing dominion of Covey; and it had been postponed, and rendered inoperative, by my truly pleasant Sunday school engagements†¦It had, however, never entirely subsided. I hated slavery, always, and the desire for freedom only needed a favorable breeze, to fan it into a blaze, at any moment. † (Douglass 273). In this case, it can clearly be seen that Douglass strongly believed that every man is created equal, wherein every man also has the right to freedom, in the sole reason that he is human; this debunks the very notion of the racial basis of inequality and slavery. Douglass adds to this point by saying that â€Å"My faculties and powers of body and soul are not my own, but are the property of a fellow mortal, in no sense superior to me, except that he has the physical power to compel me to be owned and controlled by him. By the combined physical force of the community, I am his slave — a slave for life† (Douglass 272). This is where Douglass wants to be free, for he believes that the master owing him is not, in any sense, superior to him, but is dictated by circumstances and by institutions to be slaved. In addition, the notion of freedom according to Douglass, even though it is a natural right, must be fought for whenever it is taken away, this is the freedom that comes with action (Douglass 274). According to Douglass, â€Å"The intense desires, now felt, to be free, quickened by my present favorable circumstances, brought me to the determination to act, as well as to think and speak†¦This vow only bound me to make my escape individually; but the year spent with Mr. Freeland had attached me, as with â€Å"hooks of steel,† to my brother slaves†¦ and I felt it my duty to give them an opportunity to share in my virtuous determination by frankly disclosing to them my plans and purposes† (Douglass 274). In this case, freedom is not only to be fought for individually, but also for fellow men, for â€Å"brothers† whose freedom is actually taken away. Therefore, the idea of freedom by Douglass does not only end in recognizing your own personal right to freedom, but also for fighting for the freedom of other oppressed peoples. After he escaped into freedom from slavery, he put into action his words by joining the abolitionist movement, claiming victory when Abraham Lincoln officially abolished slavery at the end of the civil war. 3. David Walker on Freedom David Walker, famous for his David Walker’s Appeal, also expressed his notion of freedom in a very expressive way, earning the contempt of both white plantation owners and white supremacists. According to Walker, â€Å"All I ask is, for a candid and careful perusal of this the third and last edition of my Appeal, where the world may see that we, the Blacks or Coloured People, are treated more cruel by the white Christians of America, than devils themselves ever treated a set of men, women and children on this earth† (Walker 4). What lead Walker to express this kind of emotion to the institution of slavery? This is because of the fact that Walker believed the institution of slavery, as well as the cruelty to slaves (who were overwhelmingly colored peoples) violated the very foundation of the American republic, being the â€Å"land of liberty† (Walker 6). In this case, Walker also believed that it is the very â€Å"evil† institutions of slavery that has violated the right of freedom of men, stating that the system of slavery in itself is cruel and inhuman, and that it is even the source of all miseries and cruelties to all nations (Walker 6). Therefore, Walker argues that slavery must not be practiced at all, given that freedom is a right and it must not be violated. In addition, Walker also states that â€Å"All persons who are acquainted with history, and particularly the Bible, who are not blinded by the God of this world, and are not actuated solely by avarice–who are able to lay aside prejudice long enough to view candidly and impartially, things as they were, are, and probably will be– who are willing to admit that God made man to serve Him alone, and that man should have no other Lord or Lords but Himself–that God Almighty is the sole proprietor or master of the whole human family† (Walker 7). In this argument, Walker seeks a biblical explanation, wherein God created all men equal, and only God is superior to man; therefore, it also follows that it is only God who has the right to become master of man, to become the proprietor of man, to which slavery is a direct violation of it. 4. Conclusion One common aspect of the notion of freedom for both Frederick Douglass and David Walker is the fact that they both believe that freedom is a natural right of man, wherein racial or class origin does not count. Douglass emphasized its natural basis, while Walker seeks a biblical explanation to it. Also, Douglass emphasized the aspect of action, fighting for freedom not only of the self but for others, while Walker emphasized the wretchedness of man in slavery (Walker 32). Works Cited: Douglass, Frederick. My Bondage and My Freedom. New York: Miller, Orton & Mulligan, 1855. Print. Walker, David. Walker’s Appeal, in Four Articles; Together with a Preamble, to the Colored Citizens of the World, but in Particular, and Very Expressly, to Those of the United States of America. Boston: The Journal of Pan African Studies, 2009. eBook. Outline: 1. Introduction 2. Frederick Douglass on Freedom 3. David Walker on Freedom 4. Conclusion