EXAM 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

EXAM 2 - Essay Example The process comprises of three, which include procedural due process, substantive due process and equation protection of law (Hunter 34). Due process aids in protecting the accused from denied his or her primary rights without undergoing impartial and adequate informed legal process. These rights encompass those related to liberty, life and property (Hunter 35). Hence, prevent influential people from using state’s powers given by constitution as a platform to the disadvantage of fellow citizens. In addition, it plays an indispensable role in granting the accused to defend oneself according to the law and for the court to hear his or her plea as well as argument concerning presented charges. Consequently, leading to a fair judgment without the court favoring any of the sides especially the accused because prosecution cites the convicted has done an intolerable wrongdoing. The essence of due process also prompts masses to have confidence and trust with the judicial system as well as other regime institutions because one is sure he or she will receive fair

Analysis of how both companies meet their financial objectives and aims Essay Example for Free

Analysis of how both companies meet their financial objectives and aims Essay In this report I have decided to concentrate on two companies, Woolworths plc and WHSmith plc, I will be analysing and comparing the two companies on their objectives (what they say their objectives are, and how they meet those objectives set) and their performances (if they have made profit or loss). I will research all these from their annual report, which is provided on the Internet. An introduction of both companies Woolworths is known to be one of Britains leading general merchandise retailers, with great brands, strong market position and a powerful presence in home entertainment. The company has one of the highest customer shoppers performances of all UK retailers and today known to be the largest non-food retail chains. WHSmith is also one of the UKs leading retail groups incorporating market-leading companies in retailing publishing and news distributing. WHSmith has 1,464 stores world-wide; all these locate in place like the UK high street, airport, stations and countries outside of the United Kingdom such as North America and Asia The performance of the companies Last year was an eventful and challenging year for the Woolworth; the first half of the year when they were still part of Kingfishers plc was a moment of uncertainty as the future of the company was being decided. The company detached themselves from Kingfisher plc on 28 August 2001, leaving them with 200 million of debt, over ? 100 million of excess stock, loss marking new format and e-business. Woolworths formats are designed to appeal to the value-conscious consumer. Woolworths is a mass-market retailer with a leading brand and broad product offering at competitive prices. Their mission is to be at the heart of the community and the best loved retailer for kids, home and family leisure. The companys brand is known to be one of the best-recognised retail brands in the UK and proving this is on average, 6. 5 million customer transactions are made on tills per week. Woolworths business operates in the UK general merchandising market, which is both large and highly fragmented, with participants of varying sizes and covering different category mixes.

Social Psychology Theory Aggression Criminology Essay

Social Psychology Theory Aggression Criminology Essay Mass shootings are a unique feature of American life which has occurred consistently throughout history in every region of the country. The increased lethality of such incidents is made possible by the use of large capacity ammunition magazines (defined as more than 10-rounds) which enable a shooter to rapidly fire off as many as 100-rounds without having to reload the firearm. Designed for military use to kill greater numbers of people more effectively, large capacity ammunition magazines have facilitated some of the worst mass murders ever committed in the United States (Citizens Crime Commission of New York City, 2013). This essay will focus on the social psychology theory of aggression. Specific reference will be made to physical appearance of the shooter, psychological influences, social influences, external influences of the incident, gun usage, the setting, the profile of the victims and whether mass shootings are unique to American life or if other countries such as South Africa could be at risk for these type of incidents. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY THEORY: AGGRESSION Aggression is when a person intends to do harm to others. (Baron Branscombe, 2012) Social psychologists view aggression as stemming mainly from an external drive within people to harm others. This theory is indicated by different theories of aggression. These theories suggest that external conditions, such as frustration, seem to motivate people to cause others harms. This aggressive drive tends to lead to physical acts of aggression. The most well-known of these theories is the frustration-aggression hypothesis, which suggests that frustration leads to the arousal of a drive whose objective is to harm a person or an object. In addition the theory suggests that frustration is possibly the strongest and maybe single cause of aggression (Baron Branscombe, 2012). Hostile aggression has traditionally been conceived as being impulsive, spontaneous, anger driven, motived by the harming of a target, and occurring as a reaction to some perceived provocation. It is sometimes called affective, impulsive, or reactive aggression. Instrumental aggression is regarded as a calculated method of achieving some goal other than harming the victim, and being proactive rather than reactive. (Anderson Bushman, 2002) Social Learning Theory The social learning theory states that human were not born with large range of aggressive behaviour, rather they acquire them through direct experience or by observing others behaviour. As such, depending on a persons past experiences and their culture, people learn (1) various ways of seeking to harm others, (2) which people or groups are appropriate targets for aggression, (3) what actions by others justify retaliation or vengeance on their part, and (4) what situations or contexts are ones in which aggression is permitted or even approved (Baron Branscombe, 2012). General aggression model (GAM) is a framework that has been built on the social learning theory. This theory posits that a sequence of events that may lead to overt aggression can be initiated by two types of input variables: (1) factors that are related to the current situation (situational factors) and factors that are related to the people involved (person factors). Frustration, provocation of some sort, witnessing o thers peoples aggressive behaviour and any other experiences that may cause discomfort, fall under the first category. Traits that predispose individual towards aggression, particular attitudes and beliefs about violence, the inclination perceive others behaviour as hostile and certain skills related to aggression, make up the second category. The GAM states that these situational and personal factors lead to overt aggressive behaviour through their impact on the following three processes: arousal physiological arousal or excitement, affective states provoke hostile feelings and their outward manifestation, and cognition bring up hostile thoughts. Thus, an individuals appraisal of a situation may either lead to restraining the anger or overt aggressive action. (Baron Branscombe, 2012) Script Theory According to the script theory, scripts are sets of well-rehearsed, highly associated concepts in memory, often involving causal links, goals, and action plans. When items are so strongly linked that they form a script, they become a single concept in semantic memory. Moreover, even a few script rehearsals can change a persons expectations and intentions involving important social behaviours. A frequently rehearsed script gains accessibility strength in two ways. Numerous rehearsals create additional links to other concepts in memory, as such they increase the number of paths by which it can be activated. Numerous rehearsals also intensify the strength of the links themselves. This theory is particularly useful in accounting for the generalization of social learning processes and the automatic (and simplified) complex of perception-judgment-decision-behavioural processes. This includes an example of one simple aggression script involving retaliation. (Anderson Bushman, 2002) Social Interaction Theory Tedeschi Felsons social interaction theory interprets aggressive behaviour (also known as coercive action) as social influence behaviour, namely an actor uses aggressive behaviour to produce some change in the targets behaviour. A person can use coercive actions to acquire something of value (e.g., information, money, goods, sex, services, safety), to get revenge for perceived wrongs, or to bring about desired social and self-identities (e.g., toughness, competence). According to this theory, the person whose choices are directed by the expected rewards, costs, and probabilities of obtaining different outcomes is the decision-maker. Social interaction theory offers an explanation that aggressive behaviours are motivated by higher level goals. Even hostile aggression might have some rational goal behind it, for instance punishing the person provoking them in order to reduce the likelihood of future provocations. This theory provides an excellent way to understand recent findings that aggression is often the result of threats to high self-esteem, especially to unjustified high self-esteem (i.e., narcissism). (Anderson Bushman, 2002) Person Factors Person factors include all the characteristics a person brings to the situation, such as personality traits, attitudes, and genetic predispositions (Anderson Bushman, 2002). Stable person factors are consistent over time, across situations, or both. The main outcome of the persons consistent use of schemas, scripts, and other knowledge structures is this consistency. In this sense, personality is the totality of a persons knowledge structures. Further contributing to trait-like consistency, knowledge structures also influence what situations a person will seek out and what situations will be avoided. Together, person factors consist of an individuals readiness to aggress. (Anderson Bushman, 2002) Environmental Factors Family, community and cultural environment: Children draw inferences about the acceptability of aggression and aggressive behaviour from beliefs expressed by parents and peers. Although parents and peers are the closest influences on the socialisation of the youth, the community and culture also influence children through the childs connection to school, church, and the media. As such cultural variations of the acceptance of aggressive behaviour are relatively large. (Anderson Huesmann, 2003) Media violence: Observation of violence in mass media does not only arouse aggressive behaviour on a short term basis by priming aggressive scripts, and schemas, but it also arouses aggressive behaviour on a long term basis by altering scripts, schemas, and beliefs about aggression. (Anderson Huesmann, 2003) Maladaptive families/parenting: Parents use of poor discipline methods and inadequate monitoring of the childrens activities are among the key problems linked to the development of life-long aggression. Caretakers with indifferent attitudes towards the child, permissiveness of aggression by the child, and physical punishment and other power-assertive disciplinary techniques are some of the factors identified by Olweus (1995) that create bullies. Children who have been abused or neglected are more likely to become abusive and neglectful parents and violent criminals. (Anderson Huesmann, 2003) Extreme social environments: Factors such as poverty, living in a violent neighbourhood, deviant peers, lack of safe recreational areas, and lack of social support tend to promote the development of aggressive personalities. (Anderson Huesmann, 2003) Situational Factors Aggressive cues: Items that prime aggression-related ideas in memory are called aggressive cues. For example, Berkowitz LePage (1967) found that just the presence of guns alone increased the aggressive behaviour of enraged research participants. More recently, this study has enhanced our understanding of the weapons effect by discovering that weapon pictures and words automatically prime aggressive thoughts. There are other situational variables that increase aggression, for instance exposure to violent television, movies, or video games, also appear to do so via cognitive cueing effects. (Anderson Bushman, 2002) Provocation: The single most important cause of human aggression is interpersonal provocation. Provocations include insults, slights, and other forms of verbal aggression, physical aggression, and interference with ones attempts to reach an important goal. (Anderson Bushman, 2002) Frustration: Frustration can be defined as the obstruction of attaining a goal. Most provocations can be seen as a type of frustration in which a person has been identified as the cause for the failure to achieve the goal. Even frustrations that are fully warranted have been shown to increase aggression against the cause of the frustration and against a person who was not responsible for the failure to achieve the goal. More recent work has shown that displaced aggression, wherein the target of aggression is not the person who caused the initial frustration, is a robust phenomenon (Anderson Bushman, 2002). Incentives: The advertisement industry rests on the goal of making people want more things. By increasing the value of an object, one changes the implicit or explicit observed cost/benefit ratios, thus increasing intentional, instrumental aggression. Brief appearances of an incentive, for example money left on a table, can also influence aggression in a less deliberate way. (Anderson Bushman, 2002) PHYSICAL PROFILE OF PERPETRATORS Most perpetrators of mass gun shootings at schools seem to fit a similar physical profile. According to Rocque (2012), they tend to be white, males and of middle to lower class economic standing. Bjelopera et al. (2013) seem to agree that perpetrators of mass gun shootings are white males. They state that perpetrators ranged in age from 11 to 66, with the average age of perpetrators being 33.5 years. PSYCHOLOGICAL INFLUENCE The majority of perpetrators have experienced some major loss before the incident. Even though most did not receive any services, the majority had a history of suicide attempts in their past or a documented history of significant depression. As such, the perpetrator can be depicted as a mentally disturbed person who has not received sufficient services and is depressed and/or suicidal. Depressive symptoms combined with a history of antisocial personality traits are predictive of violence. Most perpetrators place the blame for their personal problems on other people. Otherwise, they would take their own lives, but not the lives of others. Because they consider life to be miserable, they seek to commit suicide. But before doing so, they set out to kill those individuals they regard as the source of their misery (Fox, Burgess, Levin Wong, 2006). Thus, data from all sources available, imperfect though certainly they are, converge upon certain psychological characteristics: long-term anti social traits, current depression, recent loss, and (more speculatively) perception that others are to blame for problems or are persecuting them (Ferguson, Coulson Barnett, 2011). In many cases the perpetrators had engaged in other behaviours that caused alarm in friends, parents, teachers, or mental health professionals. These include fantasizing about violence, especially towards innocent people. (Ferguson, Coulson Barnett, 2011) The impact of frustration or goal-blockage on aggressive behaviour has been well-documented in the literature. Individuals who live frustrating lives tend to be more hostile, angry and aggressive than those who are able to achieve their central goals (Fox, Burgess, Levin Wong, 2006). Further research on school shooters has shown several similarities in personality, such as poor control of anger, lack of empathy, and a combined sense of persecution, righteous indignation, and superiority (Wike Fraser, 2009). Nearly every mass shooting incident in the past twenty years, and multiple other instances of suicide and isolated shootings all share one thing in common, and its not the weapons used. The majority of evidence points to the single largest common factor in all of these incidents are the fact that all of the perpetrators were either actively taking powerful psychotropic drugs or had been at some point just before they committed their crimes. Many studies going back more than a decade, as well as documents from pharmaceutical companies that suppressed the information show that SSRI drugs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) have well known, but unreported side effects, including but not limited to suicide and other violent behaviour. The most common psychotropic drugs that perpetrators are likely to take include Prozac, Zoloft and Ritalin. (Roberts, 2013) SOCIAL INFLUENCES Rejection by peers may weakly predict violent behaviour, including school shootings. Studies show that peer rejection has a developmental associate with anxiety, depression, aggression and antisocial behaviour. Furthermore the termination of romantic relationships-a form of peer rejection-is linked to depression and loneliness. Several case studies indicate that failed peer relationships and humiliation tend to led to many shooting events. (Wike Fraser, 2009) Student perpetrators tend to have lower social status with peers, and they are more likely to have been harassed by peers. That is they have been teased, taunted, or bullied. The Safe School Initiative found that 71% of attackers had experienced bullying and harassment (Wike Fraser, 2009). Because peer harassment is a common occurrence in schools peer harassment is probably best thought of as risk factor that elevates isolation and anger. Most mass killers are socially isolated, consistent with the loner stereotype. They either live by themselves or, if living with friends or family, they do not typically share their problems and frustration. For some reason, they are withdrawn or isolated and feel they have no place to turn when they get into trouble. (Fox, Burgess, Levin Wong, 2006) It has been estimated that in 95% of mass murders, there is a precipitating event such as a divorce or job termination that occurred prior to the mass killing. (Duwe, 2005) Researchers are attempting to explain school rampage shootings in terms of the social-psychological notion of imitation. There is evidence of this copycat factor, in which young people try to imitate high profile school shootings. In a sense, this notion of imitation and the influence of the media are related to social learning, which has been applied to criminal behaviour. Social learning is also concerned with the effect of peers on behaviour. (Rocque, 2012) The social construction masculine identity is a cultural factor that researchers have pointed to as an explanation of school shootings. School mass shooters tend to demonstrate their hegemonic masculinity through violent actions. It is often the case that these perpetrators have been denied traditional male status and have perhaps had their sexuality questioned. It is interesting to note that most of the school rampage shootings have taken place in red or conservative states with a specific emphasis on masculinity and gun culture. Kimmel and Mahler (2003) argue, homophobia being constantly threatened and bullied as if you are gay as well as the homophobic desire to make sure that others know that you are a real man plays a pivotal and understudied role in these school shootings. (Rocque, 2012) EXTERNAL INFLUENCES The majority of offenders showed an intense interest in violent media, including violent movies, music, video games, or books (Kidd Meyers, 2002). Fox et al. (2006) seems to think that it is not uncommon for rumours and unscientific theories to surface in the wake of an act that seems so inexplicablespeculations about the influence of violence in movies, games or musical lyrics, the role of alcohol and prescription or recreational drugs, or psychiatric/behavioural disorders resulting from chemicals or even neurological abnormalities. GUN USAGE One of the factors that characterize the perpetrators of school shootings is fascination with guns, bombs, and other explosives. For example, the perpetrators of the violence at Columbine High School appear to have been deeply involved with violent video games and guns. The duo hoarded bombs, explosives, and guns in their homes for a year while they planned their attack. Writings found after the attack contained references to death, violence, superiority, and hate (Wike Fraser, 2009). Researchers suggest that many children have easy access to firearms. They stated that most offenders used firearms owned by a family member to commit their crime. These researchers suggested that the availability of guns may contribute to feelings of toughness and may give that assailant a high status. It is apparent that many of the offenders were, in fact, seeking status among their peers. (Kidd Meyers, 2002) According to research studies a semiautomatic firearm is the weapon of choice for someone who looking to commit a mass murder. Most mass killers have been training in gun usage and have access to guns-they might go hunting, be military veterans, engage in target shooting, or work in a field of security. (Fox, Burgess, Levin Wong, 2006) SETTING From the Bjelopera et al. (2013) report, public mass shootings happen in relatively public settings. These settings generally include schools, workplaces, restaurants, parking lots, public transit, even private parties that include at least some guests who are not family members of the shooter. Hawdon et al. 2012, states that mass shootings are particularly distressing and that not only were they acts of extreme violence, they all occurred in settings where violence of any kind is relatively rare. Furthermore, they also occurred in institutions-schools and a shopping mall-that are expected to be safe. VICTIM PROFILE One of the major characteristics of mass shootings is that the target is generally symbolic in nature. In other words, the perpetrator is not seeking to exact revenge on particular people, but they are rather looking to make a statement with violence-it may not matter who the ultimate victims are. This is in contrast to other types of inner city school violence, which often involves two or more individuals with specific grievances toward one another (Rocque, 2012). According to the report conducted by Bjelopera et al. (2013), a killers relationship to his or her victims is important. Perpetrators are usually driven by a desire for revenge and/or power; some killers may target family members or close friends. The incidents described in this report of public mass shootings, the gunmen cannot only kill such individuals. This particularly rules out cases of domestic violence-instances only involving family members either inside or outside the home- from consideration as public mass shootings (Bjelopera et al. 2013). As a result perpetrators in public mass shootings rather select their victims at random. For example, a student assailant involved in a public mass shooting plans on killing particular teachers, while simultaneously staging a wider assault on his school (Bjelopera et al. 2013). CONCLUSION Although mass shootings appear to afflict the United States more than most other countries, they are by no means a uniquely American phenomenon. In 1996 sixteen kindergarten children were shot and killed in Dunblane, Scotland, and in 2011 69 teenagers were killed on an island retreat in Norway (Mesoudi, 2013). This essay has discussed how social psychology theory of aggression can be applied to mass shootings. The essay described aggression and its cause, and then later applied the theory into the practical example of mass shootings. This essay shows how perpetrators of mass killings generally seem to share a similar physical appearance; they tend to be white males. Psychological influences include loss before the incident, depression, suicidal thoughts, frustration and the intake of psychotropic drugs, such as SSRI. The social factors that seem to influence the majority of perpetrators include social rejection, isolation, low social status, precipitating events, imitation as well as the construction of masculinity. External factors that may lead to or influence mass shooting include violent media, such as violent movies, music, video games and books. Perpetrators prior to incident tend to have a fascination with guns and bombs. Mass shootings generally take place in public settings, like schools, malls, parking lots etc. It seems as though certain perpetrators may select the victims and in others they do not. There are a number of variables that lead to mass shootings, many of which can be prevent or sufficiently dealt with. Mass shootings have devastating results on communities, as a result society as a whole needs to unite to prevent these incidents from reoccurring.

American Industrialization Essay -- American History

Between 1865 and 1920, industrialization caused significant changes in many people’s lives. First, the development of a new railroad system help settle the west and made it more accessible to people. Second, public transit systems in big cities provided an outlet from congested cities. Last, the discovery of a method for transmitting electricity helped to light up our daily lives. I feel that these are three of the most important changes in people’s lives caused by industrialization. First, the building of railroads out west played a huge part in the successful expansion of our country and the fulfillment of American dreams. Priot to the development of a more efficient railroad system, the movement of people and freight were relatively slow, difficult, and costly. Because of different rail gauges, sometimes freight had to be unloaded and then reloaded on boxcars. Second, most goods had to be produced and provided locally on a small scale. As a result, prices for products were very high. Nevertheless, with the help of federal grants, railroad promoters were able to build a more efficient railroad system that would connect the settled east with the unsettled west. After the completion of the new railroads system, farmers were in reasonable distance of railroad depots, which meant manufacturers could locate their plants anywhere and be able to bring in raw materials and send their products wherever they could find customers. Also, freight and passengers could travel by rai...

Income elasticity of demand Essay

World trade for wheat is greater than for all other crops combined and is cultivated in 128 counties. A farming company specializing in wheat and barley production (Silo Pty Ltd), one of many producers in the international market, is greatly affected by storms in the U.S and South America. These storms have reduced the global wheat yield by 50 per cent. Wheat continues to be the most important food grain resource as it is used in a large majority of foods around the world. Its production leads other crops such as rice, maize and potatoes. Despite wheat’s great importance in the food industry, it would still be regarded as being price ‘elastic’ and have a positive income elasticity, as there are many competitive suppliers around the world, which could possibly lead to fluctuations in prices and prevent large shortages. Price elasticity of demand arises due to the responsiveness of the quantity demanded of a good to change its price, when all other influences on buyers’ plans stay the same. Income elasticity of demand is the responsiveness of demand due to a change in income. Factors that generally affect the supply of goods or services include, the price of factors of production, the prices of related goods produced, expected future prices, the number of suppliers, technology and the state of nature. Demand is also effected by such factors as, the prices of related goods, expected future prices, income, expected future income and credit, population and preferences. If ever there were a shortage of wheat due to bad weather or storms, such that has happened to Silo Pty Ltd, other crops such as barley or maize could be used as an alternative resource, thus the supply would decrease and eventually the demand would decrease slightly as well as there are alternative resources at possibly cheaper prices. This would result in wheat being considered as a normal good in western society as for which demand increases as income increases. Graph 1 shows the situation before the storms hit and the effects after the storms. The demand curve is D and the original supply curve is labelled S0. After the storms hit, the supply curve shifted left to S1. This represents the supply decreasing, further increasing the price. Graph 2 shows the effects of the expected future price rise. Demand increases, shifting from D0 to D1, supply decreases shifting the supply curve from S1 to S2.

Environmental Risks From Mine Tailings

Environmental Risks From Mine Tailings Tailings are a type of rock waste from the mining industry. When a mineral product is mined, the valuable portion is usually embedded in a rock matrix called ore. Once the ore has been stripped of its valuable minerals, sometimes through the addition of chemicals, it is piled up into tailings. Tailings can reach immense proportions, appearing in the form of large hills (or sometimes ponds) on the landscape. Tailings deposited as large piles can cause a variety of environmental problems: Slumps, landslides. Tailing piles can be unstable, and experience landslides. In 1966, in Aberfan, Wales, a hill of mining debris famously collapsed onto buildings, resulting in 144 deaths. There are also cases where wintertime avalanches occurred on tailings, with loss of life for residents below.Dust. Dry tailing deposits contain small particles that are picked up by the wind, transported, and deposited on communities nearby. In the tailings of some silver mines, arsenic and lead is present in the dust in high enough concentrations to cause serious health problems.Leaching. When rain falls on tailings, it leaches away materials that can create water pollution, for example, lead, arsenic, and mercury. Sulfuric acid is sometimes produced when water interacts with tailings, or it can be a by-product of ore processing. As a result, highly acidic water leaks from the tailings and disrupts aquatic life downstream. Tailings from copper and uranium mining often produce measurable levels of radioactivity. Tailing Ponds Some mining wastes become very fine after they have been ground up during processing. The fine particles are then generally mixed with water and piped into impoundments as a slurry or sludge. This method cuts down on dust problems, and at least in theory, the impoundments are engineered to let excess water flow out without leaking tailings. Coal ash, while not a type of tailing, is a coal burning by-product stored the same way, and carrying similar environmental risks. In reality, tailing ponds also carry several environmental risks: Dam failure. There have been numerous instances where the dam holding back the impoundment collapsed. The consequences to the aquatic communities below can be serious, for example in the case of the Mount Polly Mine Disaster.  Leaks. Tailing ponds can be hundreds of acres in size, and in those cases, leaks into surface and ground waters are probably inevitable. The heavy metals, acids, and other contaminants end up polluting groundwater, lakes, streams, and rivers. Some very large ponds in Canada’s tar sands operations leak large amounts of tailings in the underlying soil, in the aquifer, and ultimately into the nearby Athabasca River.Wildlife exposure. Migrating waterfowl has been known to land on tailing ponds, and in some cases with dramatic consequences. In 2008, about 1,600 ducks died after landing on a tar sands tailing pond in Alberta, contaminated by floating bitumen, a tar-like substance. However, simple deterrent measures can reduce that risk significantly.

Plane Crash Essays - Boeing 747, Boeing 747-8, Fatigue, Stall

Plane Crash Essays - Boeing 747, Boeing 747-8, Fatigue, Stall Plane Crash Instructor: Greg Alston Abstract This paper examines the in-flight separation of the number two pylon and engine from a Boeing 747-121 shortly after takeoff from the Anchorage International Airport on March 31, 1993. The safety issues discussed focus on the inspection of Boeing 747 engine pylons, meteorological hazards to aircraft, the lateral load-carrying capability of engine pylon structures, and aircraft departure routes at Anchorage International Airport during turbulent weather conditions. Shortly after noon on March 31, 1993 the number two engine and pylon separated from Japan Airlines Inc. flight 46E shortly after departure from the Anchorage International Airport. The aircraft, a Boeing 747-121, had been leased from Evergreen International Airlines Inc. The flight was a scheduled cargo flight from Anchorage to Chicago-O'Hare International Airport. On board the airplane was the flight crew and two nonrevenue company employees. The airplane was substantialy damaged during the separation of the engine but no one on board the airplane or on the ground was injured. Flight 46E departed Anchorage about 1224 local time. The flight release and weather package provided to the pilots by Evergreen operations contained a forecast for severe turbulence. As fight 46E taxied onto the runway to await its takeoff clearance, the local controller informed the flight crew that the pilot of another Evergreen aircraft reported severe turbulence at 2,500 feet while climbing out from runway 6R. After takeoff, at an altitude of about 2,000 feet, the airplane experienced an uncommanded left bank of approximately fifty degrees. Although the desired air speed was 183 knots, the air speed fluctuated from a high of 245 knots to a low of 170 knots. Shortly thereafter the flight crew reported the number two throttle slammed to its aft stop, the number two thrust reverse indication showed thrust reverser deployment, and the number two engine electrical bus failed. Several witnesses on the ground reported that the airplane experienced several severe pitch and roll oscillations before the engine separated. Shortly after the engine separated from the airplane, the flight crew declared an emergency, and the captain initiated a large radius turn to the left to return and land on runway 6R. The number one engine was maintained at maximum power. While on the downwind portion of the landing pattern bank angles momentarily exceeded forty degrees alternating with wings level. About twenty minutes after takeoff flight 46E advised the tower they were on the runway. The aircraft was substantially damaged as a result of the separation of the number two engine. Estimated repair costs exceeded twelve million dollars. In addition, several private dwellings, automobiles, and landscaping were damaged by the impact of the number two engine and various parts of the engine pylon and the wing leading edge devices. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined the probable cause of this accident was the lateral separation of the number two engine pylon due to an encounter with severe or possibly extreme turbulence. This resulted in dynamic lateral loadings coming from many directions that exceeded the lateral load-carrying capability of the pylon. It was later discovered that the load-carrying capability of the pylon was already reduced by the presence of the fatigue crack near the forward end of the pylon's forward firewall web. As a result of this investigation the NTSB made seven recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), including the inspection of Boeing 747 engine pylons, the potential meteorological hazards to aircraft, an increase in the lateral load capability of engine pylon structures, and the modification of the aircraft departure routes at Anchorage International Airport during periods of moderate or severe turbulence. The NTSB also recommended that the National Weather Service (NWS) use the WSR-88D Doppler weather radar system to document mountain-generated wind fields in the Anchorage area and to develop detailed low altitude turbulence forecasts. In the course of the investigation the NTSB explored virtually every contributing factor contributing to the aircraft accident. These included weather, mechanical failure, design deficiencies, and human factors. The flight crew was properly trained and qualified for this fight. None of the crew members' Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records contained any history of accidents, incidents, or violations. The flight crew and the mechanics who had worked on the airplane before the flight volunteered to be tested for the presence of alcohol and both lawful and illegal drugs. All of the test results were negative. The investigation revealed that the flight crew was in good health. The airplane, registration N473EV, was a Boeing model

Understanding The Power of Brand

Understanding The Power of Brand Free Online Research Papers The brand is often cited as one of the most important factors of successful businesses. But what exactly is a brand? Brand is defined as a name, symbol, association or other feature that distinguishes companies’ products and services. Nowadays consumers have more access to information and more choices than ever before. Therefore businesses need an eye-catching, unusual and special brand that can capture customer’s awareness; moreover they need to create a positive emotional attachment to the brand. In fact, marketing studies indicate that people attribute a â€Å"personality† and build up emotional attachments to certain brands; in this way the trademark also act as a guarantee of quality into their consciousness. To some extent this is true, but without maintain the brand up-to-date and in line with customers’ needs and preferences, even the most famous and popular company can slowly lose its importance. To illustrate with a specific example Coca-Cola brand has been invented in 1885 and in more than a century the company has changed logo, graphics, slogan and advertising million of times and is still changing to matches customers’ expectation. This is the reviewing process: it consists in regular reviews of the brand that can cause the decision of re-branding the company. This essay will first of all talk about how can companies modify their brand. Then why and when should they do that and finally which are the risks of this process. There are different ways in which companies can re-brand their self. As mentioned above, in the Coca-Cola example, businesses can decide to create a different logo, advertising, graphics and slogan; moreover their images can change simply modify company packaging, livery or uniforms, but also via new products or services. All of these modifications can help a company to be always up-to-date and maintain a number of affectionate consumers and a good reputation in a very competitive market. Research Papers on Understanding The Power of BrandMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaThe Project Managment Office SystemAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementTwilight of the UAWIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalDefinition of Export QuotasOpen Architechture a white paperThree Concepts of PsychodynamicBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of Self

The Economy of Leesville Louisiana Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

The Economy of Leesville Louisiana - Essay Example Hubbard for grinding corn and sawing lumber. The first commodity store was opened by Daniel brown and his brother in the year 1868. On the west bank of the creek Newburn H. Guinnthe divided the land and sold out by making allotment for various business ventures. In 1870 he named the society as Leesburg. A post office was set up in 1873 and in the year 1874 the name was changed to Leesville. Growing cotton became the major occupation in this area after the Civil War. In 1900 railway construction was developed and by mid-1930s highways was also set up. Ranching, peanut and melon farming are the major occupations in Leesville. During 1968 to 1990 the population of the city was 150 and by the year 2000 it had seven rated business (Brown, n.d.). There is diversification of business within Louisiana. The government is very cooperating and keeps the upcoming entrepreneurs posted with the resources available for developing an enterprise within the state. The state of Louisiana is basically an industry based economy. The industry is mainly based on the natural resources like timber, natural gas, oil and water. The gross state product in 2001 was $148.7 billion out of which mining contributed $28.1 billion (Louisiana Economy, n.d.). In spite of a worsening economic situation across Unites States, many residents of Leesville are enjoying abatement from the pain of fiscal suffering. According to Rand Alford, the owner of Alford Motors, Leesville’s condition is much better than many other states of America. His auto sales business has won recognition for his successful business ventures from the Leesville Rotary Club. He considered the city of Leesville to be safer and secured due to the presence of military in their area. Most of the business persons are of opinion that people of Leesville are fortunate enough to rescue to some extent from the economic crisis that has affected the national economy. As stated by Tammy Brafa, the managing broker of Magnolia

Management Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Management Questions - Essay Example Concentration is a unit of summary measures that connects proportion with numbers. Regardless of the knowledge on customer's risks of individuals with high accuracy degree or knowledge on the relationship between customers' risks a reduced concentration will lead to an overall reduction on the organizations credit risk exposure and its range of receivables thus increasing the firm's diversification The management should be deeply concerned in overcoming initial pitfalls and in provision of the finances required in the export process. These he can do by closely monitoring the efforts towards international marketing. The management should seek export guidance from qualified personnel which will assist them in developing a good marketing strategy prior to the start of the export business. The developed strategy should incorporate the export objectives plus expected 'negatives'. The management should be extra cautious when selecting distributors from overseas. Best distributors are those who are very independent in their work. However, the international distributors should be given the same treatment as the domestic counterparts with much emphasis on orderly growth and profitable ventures. The management should never hold assumptions that given product marketing techniques will obviously succeed in all countries i.e. what works in Israel may fail in Korea. It is therefore important for the management to treat each market separately in order to succeed. Since each country has a different culture and therefore a different cultural preference the management should have the willingness to modify their products so as to meet the said differences. The management should take advantage of economies of scale. This can be made possible through the enlargement of the overall sales base so as to spread the exports fixed costs. Question five The management might be required to divert its key personnel from the domestic responsibilities so as they can help in developing the company's export procedures. The initial procedures and start-up decisions might end up consuming most of the company's precious time a thing that will slow its operations. The whole excise might turn out to be very expensive since the sales promotion material, brochures and catalogues will be required to be translated in the many foreign languages involved in the exporting business. Together with these the company might need to add its plant facilities so as to cope with the now expanding market. Export will definitely require additional funds because it is known to be a very expensive exercise which involves regular product modifications so as to meet the varying specifications of the foreign markets. The management will be required to allow credit terms so as to keep pace with the highly competitive global market, the local customs authority and the travel arrangements. Question six Where transportation means are not available the company will make low sales. Also when the transportation costs are too high the company will be constrained on the amount to

The restructuring of toyota,nissan and ford in the global auto market Research Paper

The restructuring of toyota,nissan and ford in the global auto market - Research Paper Example In the outer fringe the supply chain systems consist of the third tier that generally focus on the delivery of certain parts to the assemblers or the tier two supplying units for the automobile companies. Toyota like all other large automobile companies revolutionized herein to create and sustain specialized supplying units that would only focus on supplying of a specialized or certain unit to the assembly centers. Dependency on a specialized supplying partner for delivery of needed components made it possible for the company to effectively initiate the ‘Just-in-Time’ quality system in its production methodologies (â€Å"The machine that ran too hot†). Toyota in terms of selecting the most able supplier to supply automobile parts to its assembly units located round the world works on a set of training and development activities to enhance its relationship with the supply chain units. Through the training and development functions the management of Toyota focuses o n making the supply chain units understands the need for supply of quality materials on time so as to effectively meet the objectives of the concern in times of changing competitive business and social environment. Maintenance of effective relationships tends to build long term commitment from its specialized supply chain units (Tsai, Chen and Yang 9-10; Roh 134). Restructuring activities pertaining to the ambit of global supply chain activities for automobile company Toyota relate to aligning a range of key supplier bodies that would contribute to the delivery of common parts for all its vehicles produced across the globe. This strategy is aimed at reduction in the number of varieties relating to same parts required for the same category of vehicles thereby standardizing on the quality of the supplies. Toyota in an example has focused on reducing the number of radiators sought from 100 to 21 through a system of closed networking and monitoring activities of its suppliers groups. Th is strategy further contributes in the reduction of overall cost of operations and supply chain functions for the company (â€Å"Suppliers key to Toyota restructure†). Restructuring plans for Toyota relating to the development of relationship with the supply chain units consisted of not only maintaining sustained relationship activities both in an online fashion and also through the enhancement of training and information sharing programs but also through other strategic activities. The set of other strategic activities related to Toyota’s new supply chain mechanism functionaries relate to the formation of effective joint venture relationships with key supply chain units. Through effective joint venture operations Toyota focuses on gaining a total control over the entire gamut of supply chain functions related to the supply of individual key parts to the assembly mechanisms and also in enhancing its dealer networks for augmenting sales of its vehicles in foreign countr ies (Gupta, Wakayama and Rangan 135). The above analysis for restructuring initiatives related to the supply chain functions for Toyota reflect that the company has taken resort to the dimensions of Lean Supply Chain strategies. Through the use of Lean Supply

The Important of a business plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Important of a business plan - Essay Example For such a person the importance of a business plan can be limited though not essentially irrelevant. A business plan generally consists of cover page along with a table of contents and an abstract. It further has a description or an introduction, an analysis of the corporate environment along with a detailed study of the industry such as banking, finance, toys or even a home based business like the online service provision or domestic manufacturing. Next it will have a competitor analysis which would give a description of the nature and the extent of the competitive environment. It will also have a marketing plan, a financial plan, operational and management strategy, a policy approach and finally alternative possibilities of change (Berry, 2008). A potential entrepreneur will have to consider a number of possibilities and probabilities before he launches the operations connected with the business. Therefore he has to consider a number of things to be initiated before the actual business activity starts. A business plan is primarily important due to the following reasons. In the first place a potential businessman or an entrepreneur ought to have a well defined approach to understanding the kind of business that he or she is going to do. For example a potential businessman has to gather as much information as possible on the business environment and the nature of the industry before he himself set up the business. This will be helpful to him by way of creating a certainty about what he is going to do. The inability to clearly define the nature of the business and understand the connected implications often leads to business failure. Secondly a business plan enables a potential businessman to identify and isolate the type of relationships that he will have to develop once the business is launched. For example a sole proprietor operating from home would still have to deal with a bank or a number of banks, a supplier or a number of suppliers, a

Make one up Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Make one up - Essay Example Particularly, the soul is immoral in the aspect that people represent the wholeness of all the others in the entire world. In simple terms, take for example the analogy of an ocean. The ocean comprises of many drops of water; every drop is a single entity and at the same time, forms at least a part of the entire ocean. Thus, in this ocean filled with life, human beings are little drops. This doctrine indicates that every person must identify himself with life for in everything that lives, the majesty of life in God’s presence perpetuates. Scholars point out that blood and flesh do not have the power to inherit God’s Kingdom. Additionally, they go ahead to state that the perishable cannot inherit the imperishable. For instance, many Greeks rejected Pluto’s argument towards death. To those who opposed, death’s prospect caused a sense of terror, thus clarifying the mystery (96).This means that our mortal bodies do not have the ability to inherit the Kingdom o f God as well as that which is perishable cannot what is imperishable. This shows that the soul is imperishable and immoral in that, when people talk of inheriting the kingdom of God, they do not exactly mean they will go physically to claim it. However, their souls will claim God’s kingdom. Agreeably, people die after serving their life existence in this world (86). Therefore, for them to inherit God’s kingdom, their souls need to remain in existence in order to fulfill this quest. Ideally, the need to inherit the kingdom of God makes the soul remain immoral and imperishable. The argument of life after death is not something new but existed anciently. This was a common perception with Greeks. Nevertheless, Stewards argues that the doctrine was not hopeful. This doctrine was objected by some of the Greeks despite the fact that a reasonable number followed the soul’s immortality doctrine. In addition, it is undoubtedly unwise to question the will power of Almight y God. When people talk of resurrection during the end days, they refer to resurrection of the soul. According to scriptures, the soul will come back to life as opposed to our physical bodies. As noted, our bodies are subject to sickness, diseases, and decay and thus cannot inherit the kingdom of God, as they are perishable. Nevertheless, our spiritual bodies shall rise again gloriously and dwell afterwards in the kingdom of God. In simpler terms, that who neglects the life present in the soul simply casts away the present good. This highlights that this kind of person refuses to live for God and squanders all that he has. Under this spectrum, the soul is immoral and imperishable in the way that those who neglect the life in it squander the life in their bodies and bodies do not last forever. In conclusion, noting that the souls that sin shall die is imperative. It is arguable that righteousness shall be upon those who do right and wickedness shall be upon those who do wickedness (8 8). Likely, Go manifests his presence in innumerable states in the universe. Every manifestation commands people’s spontaneous reverence. In the same way God is everlasting, the soul that inhabits and manifests its presence is indeed imperishable. David Stewart asserts that this world of sense is perpetually changing and every moment is coming to a state of flux hence indicating that it is immoral (96). The way in which this happens is another way in which the soul is immor

THE GLOBALIZATION OF PRODUCTION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7000 words

THE GLOBALIZATION OF PRODUCTION - Essay Example In fact globalization, in the sense of participation of the world communities in exchange of culture, thoughts, theory, and trade has been there for several centuries. Yet the concept of globalization has undergone radical changes in the past century. Now it stands for something more than just the diffusion and osmosis of the economic, social, and political theories, practices, and technologies. Now every country is as much part of globalization as globalization has become a part of every country. Globalization is as much a universal phenomenon as it is an internal phenomenon. It is not only the exchange of knowledge or adoption of better technologies. The meaning of globalization is not only limited to the idea of modernization or imitating a certain culture or practice. Globalization in itself has become a culture in its own rights and it has managed to bring the world closer. Now events happening at a distant geography are part of the local affair of the people. The development of technology has paved the way for this massive spread of cultural and economic activity. The amount and nature of interaction has changed fundamentally in the past century due to the rapid technological advancement that the world has seen. There has been an immense development in the world of technologies. Transport and logistics have developed substantially. The modes of communication have become extremely complex yet the diversity and speed that has been achieved was beyond imagination for the past generations. The entire world has come under a single network, which has facilitated social and cultural exchange, political interaction, and economic participation to a large extent (Globalization, n.d.). Free trade as a mode of development has gained wide popularity in the context of globalization and the volume of trade in the world is huge. The global market has become a very important force for the economic development of any country and all the countries is in the world are expose d to a certain extent or the other to the climate of the global market. The global markets have a tremendous influence on the financial status and the economic policies of a country. Therefore the sovereign states have to consider the global scenario during the construction of their economic plans. The emergence of advanced transport and communication system has revolutionized the factor markets. The factors of production are now able to transcend the geographical and political borders of a country at ease. This has made the nations follow the terms of the global markets and the supremacy of the nation states has given way to the domination of a handful of enterprises called the transnational corporations. Globalization has also led to the transformation of the multinational corporations to transnational corporations. These transnational corporations have become one of the major players of the global economy. They control a large chunk of the global markets. However their management and capital are not tied to any country. They are managed internationally, from various parts of the world wherever they have a location advantage. Similarly they can also shift their capital and other factors to places where they can have a factor market advantage. Therefore their production and marketing strategies adopt a global perspective. The transnational corporations therefore cater to the global market by operating globally.

The Important of a business plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Important of a business plan - Essay Example For such a person the importance of a business plan can be limited though not essentially irrelevant. A business plan generally consists of cover page along with a table of contents and an abstract. It further has a description or an introduction, an analysis of the corporate environment along with a detailed study of the industry such as banking, finance, toys or even a home based business like the online service provision or domestic manufacturing. Next it will have a competitor analysis which would give a description of the nature and the extent of the competitive environment. It will also have a marketing plan, a financial plan, operational and management strategy, a policy approach and finally alternative possibilities of change (Berry, 2008). A potential entrepreneur will have to consider a number of possibilities and probabilities before he launches the operations connected with the business. Therefore he has to consider a number of things to be initiated before the actual business activity starts. A business plan is primarily important due to the following reasons. In the first place a potential businessman or an entrepreneur ought to have a well defined approach to understanding the kind of business that he or she is going to do. For example a potential businessman has to gather as much information as possible on the business environment and the nature of the industry before he himself set up the business. This will be helpful to him by way of creating a certainty about what he is going to do. The inability to clearly define the nature of the business and understand the connected implications often leads to business failure. Secondly a business plan enables a potential businessman to identify and isolate the type of relationships that he will have to develop once the business is launched. For example a sole proprietor operating from home would still have to deal with a bank or a number of banks, a supplier or a number of suppliers, a

THE GLOBALIZATION OF PRODUCTION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7000 words

THE GLOBALIZATION OF PRODUCTION - Essay Example In fact globalization, in the sense of participation of the world communities in exchange of culture, thoughts, theory, and trade has been there for several centuries. Yet the concept of globalization has undergone radical changes in the past century. Now it stands for something more than just the diffusion and osmosis of the economic, social, and political theories, practices, and technologies. Now every country is as much part of globalization as globalization has become a part of every country. Globalization is as much a universal phenomenon as it is an internal phenomenon. It is not only the exchange of knowledge or adoption of better technologies. The meaning of globalization is not only limited to the idea of modernization or imitating a certain culture or practice. Globalization in itself has become a culture in its own rights and it has managed to bring the world closer. Now events happening at a distant geography are part of the local affair of the people. The development of technology has paved the way for this massive spread of cultural and economic activity. The amount and nature of interaction has changed fundamentally in the past century due to the rapid technological advancement that the world has seen. There has been an immense development in the world of technologies. Transport and logistics have developed substantially. The modes of communication have become extremely complex yet the diversity and speed that has been achieved was beyond imagination for the past generations. The entire world has come under a single network, which has facilitated social and cultural exchange, political interaction, and economic participation to a large extent (Globalization, n.d.). Free trade as a mode of development has gained wide popularity in the context of globalization and the volume of trade in the world is huge. The global market has become a very important force for the economic development of any country and all the countries is in the world are expose d to a certain extent or the other to the climate of the global market. The global markets have a tremendous influence on the financial status and the economic policies of a country. Therefore the sovereign states have to consider the global scenario during the construction of their economic plans. The emergence of advanced transport and communication system has revolutionized the factor markets. The factors of production are now able to transcend the geographical and political borders of a country at ease. This has made the nations follow the terms of the global markets and the supremacy of the nation states has given way to the domination of a handful of enterprises called the transnational corporations. Globalization has also led to the transformation of the multinational corporations to transnational corporations. These transnational corporations have become one of the major players of the global economy. They control a large chunk of the global markets. However their management and capital are not tied to any country. They are managed internationally, from various parts of the world wherever they have a location advantage. Similarly they can also shift their capital and other factors to places where they can have a factor market advantage. Therefore their production and marketing strategies adopt a global perspective. The transnational corporations therefore cater to the global market by operating globally.

Cantonese opera Essay Example for Free

Cantonese opera Essay Most foreign people know what Bejing opera is, but Chinese national Opera has a long history and 275 species of Chinese operas have been saved, there are a wide range of operas were not extended yet, Cantonese opera is very popular in the south of China, many Chinese people prefer Cantonese opera to Beijing Opera. The biggest difference between Beijing Opera and Cantonese Opera is language, the Beijing Opera use Mandarin, the Cantonese Opera use Cantonese. Cantonese opera is local opera in Han Dynasty is formerly known as drama or Guangdong opera from the Southern Opera. Cantonese opera began to appear in Guangdong, Guangxi from AD 1522 to 1566 (Ming Dynasty Jiajing) included singing, read, hit musicians ,soundtrack, stage costumes, The abstract body performing arts. Each Cantonese opera role has its own unique costumes dress. The initial performance language is Zhongyuan phonological, also called matshed Mandarin. At the end of the Qing Dynasty, the intellectuals changed the opera language to Guangzhou language in order to facilitate their revolution, also aimed to make Cantonese understand easier. Cantonese opera ranked into national intangible cultural heritage on May 20, 2006. The UNESCO add Cantonese opera in the human intangible cultural heritage list on September 30, 2009. Cantonese opera originated in the Chinese folk songs which called Qi folk songs, the earliest folk songs can be traced back to the Book of Songs from pre-Qin Dynasty, but this is the common origin of all Chinese opera, such as Beijing opera, Cantonese opera, class opera, Shanghai opera, Shaoxing opera, and Huangmei opera. The stage art style is impressionistic. The scenery is simple, the play provides situational by virtual performance program, or write captions on board like riverside, alpine instead of stage background. Performances who in the city called GD-HK learned drama, opera and movies to improved their performance and made theme reflect contemporary life. Later, people Change falsetto into true voice in Cantonese opera. The men sing like relatively stable, low; women sing like very delicate and mellow. As some Cantonese opera are very favorite in new media, these famous Cantonese opera has recomposed in movies, TV series, dramas, and music. For example, Princess Chang Ping Purple Hairpin Peony Pavilion , Gemini worship the Moon, The Reincarnation of Hongmei mind Butterfly and Red Pear Hanada Baxi Xiangluo Otsuka Red Cherry broken heart A Dry White Begonia Red, A Dream of Red Mansions the Sanxiao marriage White Rabbit Guizhi complain Dou E Yuan (also known as June Feishuang or June Snow ), also included the first national intangible cultural heritage Butterfly Lovers.

Impact of FDI Flows Outflow on the Indian Economy

Impact of FDI Flows Outflow on the Indian Economy Abstract This paper discusses the trends in Indias outward FDI over the last decade and attempts to identify the factors for the same. The main aim is to help policy makers with insights regarding levers which will help in improving FDI outflows and to stimulate further research in foreign investment from emerging economies. 287 conditions of investment from India by Indian companies in 17 sectors have been taken for the analysis. The paper elaborates on the concept of studying the impact of ownership, location and internalization variables on Indias foreign investment. An analysis of sector wise of entry strategy, reason of entry and geographical analysis has been performed. Overall, it has been found that acquisitions was the major way of entry for Indian firms who are investing abroad and seeking new markets. The paper also describes the policy changes which had impacted FDI flow from India and the relation of outward FDI with macro-economic indicators like Fischer Open Differential and GD P. Objective of the study We would like to study outward FDI flows from the emerging economies, specifically to the Indian context. An analysis of FDI flows from different sectors of the Indian Economy will be done To see what is the intent of investment, the mode of entry, and the macroeconomic factors that affect FDI flow. To find out the impact of the Fischer Open Differential due to the FDI flow. Introduction The first overseas Indian venture was a textile mill set up in Ethiopia in 1959 by the Birla Group of companies, Indias second largest business conglomerate at the time (kudaisya 2003). The following year, the Birla Group set up an engineering unit in Kenya. Sustained growth in Indian overseas investment could be seen starting around the late 1970s when the industrial licensing system became much more stringent as part of the governments move to control big businesses. By 1983, there were 140 foreign investment projects in operation and another 88 in various stages of implementation (lall 1986). The total number of approved projects had reached 229 by 1990 (kumar 2007). Most of the foreign affiliates set up during this period were small- or medium-scale ventures; total approved equity during the period 1975-1990/1991 amounted to only $220 million. The second wave of internationalization of Indian firms began from about 1995 and gathered momentum as foreign exchange restrictions on ca pital transfers for overseas acquisitions liberalized in successive stages from 2000 (nagaraj 2006). There was a surge in outward investment from 2005. The number of approved projects increased from 220 in 1990/1991 to 395 in 1999/2000 and to 1,595 in 2007/2008 (kumar 2008). Total FDI outflow from India increased from about $25 million in the early 1990s to nearly $14 billion in 2007. Indias share in total developing economy FDI outflows remained below 0.5 percent throughout the 1990s, but increased continuously since, reaching nearly 6.0% in 2007 (see table 1 and Figure 1). India remains a net FDI recipient, even though the gap between outflows and inflows has been sharply narrowing over the past few years. In 1990, annual outflows, on average, amounted to 7 percent of inflows. This increased from about 30 percent to 60 percent between 2000-2005 and 2005-2007. The data in table 1 help in understanding Indias relative position in the world as a source country of FDI. In the early 1990s, Indias share in FDI outflows from developing economies was the lowest compared to the four large emerging market economies used as comparators (Brazil, Peoples Republic of china [PRC], Mexico, and South Africa). Over the ensuing years, Indias share has grown faster than those of the comparators. In 2004-2005, it surpassed that of South Africa and in 2006-2007, it surpassed that of Mexico. The share of FDI outflows in gross domestic capital formation (GDCF) in India has likewise increased much faster than the other four economies and the average for all developing economies during the period 1994-2007. Figure 2 compares the outward FDI from the PRC and India in terms of the percentage contribution to total developing economy outward FDI and relative to GDCF in each economy. During 2006-2007, on average, the PRC accounted for 7.3 percent of the total outward FDI from developing countries compared to 3.2 percent for India, although the gap has been narrowing over the years. By contrast, relative to GDCF, outward FDI from India on average is larger compared to that from the PRC. The difference widened sharply following the significant liberalization of the outward FDI regime in India during 2004-2005. During 2005-2006, the contribution of outward FDI to GDCF in India (4.4 percent) was more than twice as large as that of the PRC (1.7 percent). Theories of FDI flows The paper on FDI outflows by John Dunning in which he explains the same through the OLI (Ownership, Location and Internalization) framework. DUNNINGS Concept OWNERSHIP An MNC faces several disadvantages them moment they entrench the domestic firm when it enters a external market different from its country of origin. However, a firm chooses to enter a foreign market if it has advantages which outweigh the disadvantages outlined above. These include access to natural resources, intellectual property, strong domestic / global brand which become a competitive advantage for the companies. LOCATION The location specific concept involves the attractiveness of the foreign market as a destination for entry by a firm. There are 3 ways how a foreign market can differentiate itself- 1. Economic Size of the foreign market, market concentration, growth rate, availability of talent, infrastructure, competitive cost structures etc. 2. Political These include the political risk of the country, the judicial mechanisms and their transparency, ease of doing business, labour laws etc. 3. Social These include similarities of culture, ways of doing business, social structure between the country of origin of the firm and the foreign country etc. INTERNALIZATION A firm has to choose between various entries modes into foreign markets starting from marketing alliances, licensing and greenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ field ventures and to full blown acquisitions. The decisions are made keeping in view the tradeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ off of transaction costs versus internalization costs. In poorly operating markets firms prefer to avoid high costs of external transactions. The intensity of the regulation of the foreign market is another parameter which determines the internalization decision. HYMERS THEORY Hymers theory explains that MNEs are elements of market imperfections. There are two causes for imperfections removal of competition and monopolistic powers. Hymer states that investment made abroad gives them the ability to use its worldwide operations to separate markets and reduce competition. MNEs control assets to minimize risks and increase their monopolistic power by creating entry barriers. Hymers analysis is based on structural imperfections which are caused by large scale economies, having knowledge, wide distribution networks, product diversification and credit advantages ALIBERS MODEL Alibers theory says that MNCs invest in foreign assets as the MNCs have the ability to hold assets in different currencies and thus take advantage of structural and transactional imperfections in foreign exchange markets. He also outlines that the firm will face the same operational problems abroad as in the domestic market and that is not a decision making criterion for firms. VERNERS THEORY Vernons location theory says that a MNEs often acquire low cost resources than that of nations company as the cost to a MNE is just the marginal cost to the system This helps the NEs acquire factor inputs and resources at a cost prevailing in the home country while MNEs acquire them at the best price worldwide having lower labor and input costs. This difference between national cost and marginal cost will be a key driver of FDI worldwide. Literature Review We have come across various articles and research papers related to our topic: The papers explore the uneven beginnings of FDI in India and examine the developments (economic and political) relating to the trends in two sectors: Industry and Infrastructure and sub sector Telecom. The papers laid the relation between institutions in emerging markets and the entry strategies chosen by foreign direct investors. The merits of alternative strategies from investors perspective as well as the impact on the host country were investigated. For this purpose FDI strategies were investigated and were compared with four important emerging markets India, Egypt, South Africa and Vietnam. The papers also enlightened the sector wise FDI inflows in India and the reasons for industrial sectors attracting the highest FDI inflows. The best part of the analysis was in its specific focus on the implications of changes in trade and investment policy regimes and the overall investment climate for internationalization of domestic companies and the nature of their global operations. The findings cast doubt on the popular perception of the recent surge in outward foreign direct investment from India as an unmixed economic blessing, given the remaining distortion in the domestic investment climate. Foreign Direct Investment in India: A Critical Analysis of FDI from 1995-2005 by Kulwindar Singh (Center for Civil Society, New Delhi Research Internship Programme, 2005) Survey of FDI in India by Sumon K. Bhaumik (London Business School, 2003). Foreign Direct Investment Inflows in India- Opportunities and Benefits by Syed Khaja Safiuddin (Assistant Professor, Department of Management and Commerce, 2010) Outward Foreign Direct Investment from India by Prema- Chandra Athukorala (Asian Development Bank, 2009) Scope of the study The scope of the study was restricted to analyzing the dependence of foreign investment on ownership variables only .The scope of the study was further restricted owing to the lack of availability of data on foreign investment by Indian firms. There was, 287 data of foreign investment from India were collected. The data spans across 17 sectors as will be discussed later. The lack of data posed several restrictions on the scope of the study such as: It was not possible to do trend analysis for foreign investment from India The data was available for only 99 records. The size of the investment could be found for 65 records. Indias Outbound Data: Trends and Empirical Data A majority FDI outflows has been for quest for raw materials as India is a raw material scarce country. For instance, Tata Steel was more into securing coal assets in Indonesia with better quality coal which was not available in the country where private players are not allowed and there was too much of regulation. The Pharmaceutical sector has gone on an acquisition spree mainly for IP and access to markets including distribution networks. In recent times Indias FDI have been in acquisitions in the IT and IT services sectors. Indian enterprises have developed expertise and capabilities in IT services which they leverage and enter global markets. This gives them the opportunity to find newer clients at lower costs as a consequence of a booming local stock market and low P/Es in economies abroad. For example HCL Technologies acquired Axon for 440 million pounds. Indias FDI flows in recent times has been to acquire crude oil assets in a bid to secure the energy needs of the country through ONGC Videsh Ltd. Figure I: FDI outflows are expected to double over the next 5 years with a CAGR of 16.7% Source: EIU Country Data    Actual Figures Projected Figures Values Row Labels Sum of Inward FDI Sum of Outward FDI 1996 2125 119 1997 2525 240 1998 3619 113 1999 2633 47 2000 2168 80 2001 3585 509 2002 5472 1397 2003 5627 1669 2004 4323 1879 2005 5771 2179 2006 7606 2978 2007 19622 12842 2008 22950 13649 Grand Total 88026 37701 Indias FDI Inflows and Outflows (US $ Millions) Source: UNCTAD 2008 Figure II: Graph showing the FDI outflow in the next 5 years. Research Methodology A large number of data on the FDI outflows have been gathered (about 300) using press releases from the firms websites and annual reports, news articles and clippings, databases such as Thompson Reuters and Capitaline, industry forums and various other sources. The variables of ownership, location and internalization were further elaborated in detail later. These have been filtered by virtue of their sales, with those having sales greater than 100 crores making it to the final list of firms. This data has been gathered from Center for Monitoring of Indian Economy (CMIE). For this study, number of sectors was limited to 17 as shown in Table I below. Number of instances IT 36 Pharmaceuticals 37 Auto Components 20 Construction 32 Telecom 28 Petroleum Products 7 Oil Gas Mining 24 Steel 20 Dyes 4 Paints 3 Machinery/Capital Goods 14 Non Ferrous Metals 2 Auto 30 Cosmetics, toiletries, etc. 8 Tyres Tubes 6 Diversified 1 Food Products 15 TOTAL 287 Table I: Total foreign investment by each sector We have restricted the research to determining the impact of ownership variables on FDI outflows from India. Two types of research were qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative research includes the trend of FDI flows, which has been shown through different modes of entry and further was analyzed for specific trends within sectors. This shows why different sectors use different routes for entering into foreign markets for example, pharmaceutical companies enter through alliances while manufacturing firms go for acquisitions and IT firms go for both routes depending on the objectives. For quantitative analysis, this is done in the broad section of determining whether there is an outward flow of foreign direct investment from India. Another analysis has been done on the lifecycle of the firm. The mode of entry might also depend on the risk taking ability of the management. The research objectives were translated into the following questions, which were then tested using statistical analysis: Q1: Whether FDI is the preferred mode of entry for foreign investment by Indian companies? Q2: Whether the intent of foreign investment by Indian companies is market seeking, product, brand or resource seeking or technology seeking? Q3: Whether foreign investment by Indian companies is more towards less income countries as well as in certain cases where FDI by Indian companies is attributed towards certain geographical aspect? Q 4: Whether FDI is related to other macroeconomic indicators such as GDP (non agricultural)? Q 1: MODE OF ENTRY In total 287 instances of FDI outflow was classified into the following categories: Greenfield: It refers to the opening up of a new branch, office or setting up of a new wholly owned subsidiary in the target country Alliance: Alliances are arrangements such as Memorandum of Understanding signed with the universities for technological research Joint Venture Expansion: This refers to the instance which is related to the expansion of its existing operations such as opening up of a new office. Acquisition: Acquisition if the Indian company refers to acquiring a majority stake in the equity of the foreign company or acquiring assets of a foreign company or acquired. Minority Stake Here we can see that, the main entry mode for India firms has been acquisitions accounting for 33.80% of the total Indian outward investment from the instances studied. This is closely followed by joint ventures, Greenfield operations and expansion for 19.86%, 17.07% and 16.03% respectively. Table II presents a detailed sectoral picture of the instances based on the way of entry. Figure III: Indias outward direct investment based on mode of entry Table  II:  Sectoral break up of foreign investment depending on the mode of entry Due to limited amount of data, a sector wise analysis to identify trends within each sector in the case of the mode of entry could not be done. However, based on the data available following trends (see Table 3) were discovered: Acquisitions were the most common modes of foreign investment in case of automobile components, pharmaceuticals, capital goods, cosmetics food products and tyres tubes. Greenfield investments are selected mode of investment in case of IT, Petroleum Products and Oil Gas Mining. Joint ventures accounting for around 60.71% of the entire foreign investment of telecom companies Construction companies resorted to expansion of existing foreign operations Sectors most likely show foreign direct investment include auto auto components, fast moving consumer goods, technology based companies such as pharmaceuticals, IT, and capital goods. Table  III:  Sectoral distribution of mode of entry Q 2: INTENT OF INVESTMENT The main reason for investing abroad was identified as follows: Market Seeking: This is driven by gaining access to local or regional market which would help prevent some operational costs eg: distribution cost. Technology or Brand Seeking: Companies also invest in order to gain access to new technology or acquisition of some brands or products. Resource Seeking: This is driven by gaining access to natural resources. In each of the 287 instances of investment was evaluated based on available information. In certain cases, investment was found out to have multiple characteristics or intents. For instance, a foreign investment could be made to both get access to a new market as well as to a new technology. Same weight age was given to each of the elements: therefore, in this case both market seeking and technology seeking will get a score of 0.5. The results, are given below Table  IV:  Foreign investment based on investment Figure 4 below summarizes the intent of entry for the instances studied. It can be seen, the foreign investments made by Indian companies have been mainly market seeking. Over 52% of the total investments made abroad were for market seeking while 32% of the investments are made to seek new technologies, brands or products. Resource seeking investments form only 16% of the total investments made by Indian companies as a whole. Figure IV: Foreign investment based on investment A sector wise analysis of the foreign investment offers more insights as follows (see Table 5): Market seeking foreign investment is the driving force in case of IT, pharmaceuticals, auto components, construction, telecom, and tyres tubes. Technology or brand or new product seeking kind of foreign investment intent is predominant in case of capital goods, auto and toiletries and food products. As expected, oil and gas mining, petroleum products and non ferrous metals exhibit resource seeking as their predominant intent of foreign investment. Table V: Sectoral distribution for investment Q 3: TARGET COUNTRY The target countries of investment were classified based on two parameters: Income Continent INCOME OF COUNTRY Based on income, the target countries were classified into three categories (based on United Nations Human Development Report 2007à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ 08): High Income: The high income countries are those with GNI per capita of USD 10,726 or more in 2005. Middle Income: These are countries with GNI per capita of USD 876 to USD 10,275 in 2005 Low Income: These are countries with GNI per capita of USD 875 or less in 2005 Based on the above classification; India is categorized as a low income country. The target country of the 287 conditions of foreign investment was determined. The data is as shown in Table VI. The overall results are also summarized in Figure V. Table VI: Investment based on country Figure V: Foreign Investment based on income Figure V show that most of the foreign investment from India has been to countries with high income. As seen in Table VI, high income countries account for 61.32% of the total foreign investment from India. Table VII helps us analyze the sector wise trends in terms of target country of investment. The following inferences can be drawn based on the data available: The IT, pharmaceuticals, auto auto components, toiletries food products, capital goods and construction sector had most of the foreign investment is made to high income countries include. The sectors where majority of the investment has been made to middle income countries include oil gas mining. Petroleum products have invested mainly in low income countries For metals (ferrous nonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ferrous) sectors, the investment has been equally distributed between high income countries on one side and middle low income countries on the other. Table VII: Table showing foreign investment based on the countrys income TARGET COUNTRY CONTINENT A geographical analysis of the collated data was also done. The target countries were identified into 6 major geographies as follows: North America South America Asia Europe Middle East Africa Table VIII and Figure VI summarize the inferences drawn from this data. In certain instances, the target country could not be singularly identified for instance if a JV is formed among three countries. As a result, the total no of instances is 290 instead of 287 (See Table VII) Table VIII: Foreign investment based on geography Figure VI shows that Europe and Asia together account for about 54.48% of the instances of foreign investment, while North America accounts for another 20.69%. Figure VI: Foreign investment based on geography Table IX shows the sector wise percentage distribution of geography of investment. From the table it is apparent that: Sectors like non ferrous metals, IT, cosmetics toiletries and pharmaceuticals have major investments in North America. South American investments largely have oil gas mining In Asia, paints, metals (steel and nonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ferrous metals), telecom and tyres tubes predominant sectors from India Europe is a preferred destination for companies in sectors such as capital goods, auto and auto components Construction companies target their foreign investment in Middle East. Foreign investment from Indian companies in petroleum products occurs in Africa Table IX: Sectoral distribution of foreign investment depending upon geography Q4: CORRELATION WITH OTHER MACROECONOMIC INDICATORS Indias outward FDI was correlated against Indias non agricultural GDP and portfolio investments out of India to assess the impact of growth in the economy on Indias outward FDI. Indias outward FDI and Non agricultural GDP The results are summarized in the table below. From the correlation results, it can be concluded that Indias outward FDI has a positive relation with the Indias non agricultural GDP. However, the negative coefficient in the equation implies that FDI out of India starts only after a certain threshold of INR 3, 59, 468 crores is crossed. Table X: Indias outward FDI vs. GDP (Non-Agricultural) IMPACT OF POLICY CHANGE Changes in the regulation policies in India have also been a major contributor to the observed increase in investment outflow from India, especially the year 2000 onwards. Some of the key policy changes which have impacted investment outflow from India are: Reserve Bank of India Notification No. FEMA.40/2001 ­RB; 2 March 2001 Overseas investments are allowed to be funded up to 100% by American The three years profitability condition requirement has been removed for Indian companies making overseas investments under the automatic route Overseas investments are opened to registered partnership firms and companies that provide professional services. The minimum net worth of Rs. 150 million for Indian companies engaged in financial sector activities in India has been removed for investment abroad in financial sector Depository Receipt/General Depository Receipt proceeds; up from the previous ceiling of 50%. Reserve Bank of India Notification No. FEMA.49/2002 ­RB; 19 January 2002 Indian companies in Special Economic Zones can freely make overseas investment up to any amount without the restriction of the $100 million ceiling under the automatic route, provided the funding is done out of the Exchange Earners Foreign Currency Account balances Reserve Bank of India Notification No. FEMA.53/2002 ­RB; 1 March 2002 and FEMA.79/2002 ­RB;10 December 2002 The annual limit on overseas investment has been raised to $100 million (up from $50 million) and the limit for direct investments in South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation countries (excluding Pakistan) and Myanmar has been raised to $150 million (up from $75 million); for Rupee investments in Nepal and Bhutan the limit has been raised to Rs. 700 crores (up from Rs. 350 crores) under the automatic route Reserve Bank of India Notification No. FEMA.49/2002 ­RB; 2 March 2001 An Indian party which has exhausted the limit of $100 million in a year may apply to the Reserve Bank of India for a block allocation of foreign exchange subject to such terms and conditions as may be necessary Reserve Bank of India Notification No. 83/RB 2003; 1 March 2003 Indian companies can make overseas investments by market purchases of foreign exchange without prior approval of the Reserve Bank of India up to 100% of their net worth; up from the previous limit of 50% An Indian company with a proven trackà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ record is allowed to invest up to 100% of its net worth within the overall limit of $100 million by way of market purchases for investment in a foreign entity engaged in any bona fide business activity starting fiscal year 2003à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ 2004. The provision restricting overseas investments in the same activity as its core activity at home of the Indian company are removed. Listed Indian companies, residents and mutual funds are permitted to invest abroad in companies listed on a recognized stock exchange and in company which has the shareholding of at least 10% in an Indian company listed on a recognized stock exchange in India. Changes brought about in fiscal year 2003 ­2004 Indian firms are allowed to undertake agricultural activities, which was previously restricted, either directly or through an overseas branch Investments in joint venture or whollyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ owned subsidiary abroad by way of share swap are permitted under the automatic route; In January 2004, the Reserve Bank of India further relaxed the monetary ceiling on Indian companies investment abroad. With effect from fiscal year 2003-2004, Indian companies can invest up to 100% of their net worth without any separate monetary ceiling even if the investment exceeds the $100 million ceiling previously imposed. Furthermore, Indian companies can now invest or make acquisitions abroad in areas unrelated to their business at home. In 2005, banks were permitted to lend money to Indian companies for acquisition of equity in overseas joint ventures, wholly owned subsidiaries or in other overseas companies as strategic investment. In 2006, the automatic route of disinvestments was further liberalized. Indian companies are now permitted to disinvest without prior approval of the RBI in select categories. To encourage large and important exporters, proprietary/unregistered partnership firms have been allowed to set up a JV/WOS outside Indian with the prior approval of RBI. In 2007, the ceiling of investment by Indian entities was revised from 100 per cent of the net worth to 200 per cent of the net worth of the investing company under the automatic route of overseas investment. The limit of 200 per cent of the net worth of the Indian party was enhanced to 300 per cent of the net worth in June 2007 under automatic route (200 per cent in case of revisited partnership firms). In September 2007, this was further enhanced to 400 per cent of the net worth of the Indian party. The Liberalized Remittance Scheme (LRS) for Resident individuals was further liberalized by enhancing the existing limit of US$ 100.00 per financial year to US$ 200.00 per financial year (Aprilà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ March) in September 2007. The limit of portfolio investment by listed Indian companies in the equity of listed foreign companies was raised in September 2007 from 35 per cent to 50 per cent of the net worth of the investing company as on the date of its last audited balance sheet. Furthermore, the requirement of reciprocal 10 per cent shareholding in Indian companies has been dispensed with. The aggregate ceiling for overseas investment by mutual funds, registered with SEBI, was enhanced from US$ 4 billion to US$ 5 billion in September 2007. This was further raised to US$ 7 billion in April 2008. The existing facility to allow a limited number of qualified Indian mutual funds to invest cumulatively up to US$ 1 billion in overseas Exchange Traded Funds, as may be permitted by the SEBI would continue. The investments would be subject to the terms and conditions and operational guidelines as issued by SEBI. Registered Trusts and Societies engaged in manufacturing/educational sector have been allowed in June 2008 to make investment in the same sector(s) in a Joint Venture or Wholly Owned Subsidiary outside India, with the prior approval of the Reserve Bank. Registered Trusts and Societies which have set up hospital(s) in India have been allowed in August 2008 to make investment in the same sector(s) in a JV/WOS outside India, with the prior approval of the Reserve Bank. As can been seen from the above chart, the outward FDI in India really picked up after Q1 2006. CONCLUSIONS The major mode of entry for India firms in the last 5 years has been acquisitions which are around 33.80% of the total Indian outward investment from the instances studied; this is closely followed by joint ventures. This shows that Indian firms have the confidence to venture abroad and maintain operational control of the acquired company Most foreign investments made by Indian companies have been market seeking. Over 50% of the total investments made abroad are for market seeking while 33.78% of the investments are into seeking new technologies, brands or products. This is seen mainly towards the service sector showing that the required competencies are being built at home while small forei

Tennessee Williams: One of the Greatest and Most Controversial Playwrig

Tennessee Williams was known as one of the greatest and most controversial playwrights in American history. He once said â€Å"I believe that writing or any form of creative work was never meant by nature to be a man’s way of making a living, that when it becomes one it almost certainly loses a measure of purity† (Lewis 54). This statement shows that Williams was a genuine writer who wrote with finesse. He used his plays and poems to express his own thoughts and did not stifle an idea because the public would not agree with it. Williams was known for his Southern Gothic writing style. This is â€Å"a style of writing practiced by many writers of the American South whose stories set in that region are characterized by grotesque, macabre, or fantastic incidents† (â€Å"Southern gothic†). Some critics believe that Williams had sacrificed his talent to prosper in wealth; however, other critics believe his writings were original works of art. When Williamsâ₠¬â„¢ lover Frank Merlo died, he became very despondent and his writing began to languish. His plays were becoming less and less desirable and the amount of time each was on Broadway was decreasing little by little. Williams’ beginning writings were works of art, but they became predictable as time went on. Although he did use a lot of recurring themes and symbols, each individual piece had a life and moral value of its’ own. Williams was born March 26, 1911. His mother and father were Edwina and Cornelius Williams respectively. His mother was the divine essence of a southern belle whose main focus was being of high social standards. His father was a besotted shoe salesman who would later be claimed as the reason for Williams’ homosexuality. Williams’ siblings include Rose and Dakin Williams. It is ... ...odreads Inc, 2007. Web. 31 Mar. 2012. . Shmoop Editorial Team. "Tennessee Williams Awards" Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 1 Apr. 2012. Smith, Nicole. "The Tragic Figure of Laura in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams." Article Myriad. Article Myriad, 6 Dec. 2011. Web. 01 Apr. 2012. . "Southern gothic." Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 01 Apr. 2012. . Print. "Tennessee Williams." - Quotes, Biography, Quote, Works, Festival, Poetry, Poems, Bio, Writing Style, Autobiography, Bibliography. N. p. Web. 28 Mar. 2012. .

Religious Meaning Of The Birthright Story :: essays research papers

Religious Meaning of the Birthright Story Genesis Ch 25:27-34 As the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man who lived in the open; whereas Jacob was a simple man, who kept to his tents. Isaac preferred Esau, because he was fond of game; but Rebekah preferred Jacob. Once, when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the open, famished. He said to Jacob, "Let me gulp down some of that red stuff; I'm starving." (That is why he was called Edom.) But Jacob replied, "First give me your birthright in exchange for it." "Look," Esau said, "I'm on the point of dying, what good will any birthright do me?" But Jacob insisted, "Swear to me first!" So he sold Jacob his birthright under oath. Jacob then gave him some bread and the lentil stew; and Esau cared little for his birthright. This Old Testament story holds significant meaning for all of us. There is the obvious conflict within the family of two brothers who are very different personality types, parents who show partiality toward each of their favorite sons and the way that God allows events to happen as He relates to each of the characters involved. Exploring both the surface story and the deeper implications it has as it relates to our own lives, we can hopefully derive some deeper meaning which God working through the author intends. On the surface, we see a story of rivalry that is typical even in modern times, yet we can also look to some valuable truths that are revealed about how God sees our personal motives and actions through the characters of Jacob and Esau. Gaining an understanding of the characters, their motives and the overall big picture of God's plan, we can better find some spiritual lessons of our own life. Jacob was the third link in God's plan of the patriarchs. In Gn 25:23, the Lord tells Jacob's mother, Rebekah, that she has twins. The Lord tells her that the younger one will overtake the second. The favoritism of the children shows weakness on the part of the parents that can contribute in a large part to the discord between Jacob and Esau. It is no surprise that when parents are in conflict, the entire peace of the family is in jeopardy. Jacob's name means "Grabber." Possibly this shows how he and Esau were in competition from the start. This seems appropriate for two brothers in a small family and their sibling rivalry is understandable in light of the benefits derived from being born first. Religious Meaning Of The Birthright Story :: essays research papers Religious Meaning of the Birthright Story Genesis Ch 25:27-34 As the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man who lived in the open; whereas Jacob was a simple man, who kept to his tents. Isaac preferred Esau, because he was fond of game; but Rebekah preferred Jacob. Once, when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the open, famished. He said to Jacob, "Let me gulp down some of that red stuff; I'm starving." (That is why he was called Edom.) But Jacob replied, "First give me your birthright in exchange for it." "Look," Esau said, "I'm on the point of dying, what good will any birthright do me?" But Jacob insisted, "Swear to me first!" So he sold Jacob his birthright under oath. Jacob then gave him some bread and the lentil stew; and Esau cared little for his birthright. This Old Testament story holds significant meaning for all of us. There is the obvious conflict within the family of two brothers who are very different personality types, parents who show partiality toward each of their favorite sons and the way that God allows events to happen as He relates to each of the characters involved. Exploring both the surface story and the deeper implications it has as it relates to our own lives, we can hopefully derive some deeper meaning which God working through the author intends. On the surface, we see a story of rivalry that is typical even in modern times, yet we can also look to some valuable truths that are revealed about how God sees our personal motives and actions through the characters of Jacob and Esau. Gaining an understanding of the characters, their motives and the overall big picture of God's plan, we can better find some spiritual lessons of our own life. Jacob was the third link in God's plan of the patriarchs. In Gn 25:23, the Lord tells Jacob's mother, Rebekah, that she has twins. The Lord tells her that the younger one will overtake the second. The favoritism of the children shows weakness on the part of the parents that can contribute in a large part to the discord between Jacob and Esau. It is no surprise that when parents are in conflict, the entire peace of the family is in jeopardy. Jacob's name means "Grabber." Possibly this shows how he and Esau were in competition from the start. This seems appropriate for two brothers in a small family and their sibling rivalry is understandable in light of the benefits derived from being born first.