Tuesday, December 24, 2019

The Invasion Of World War II - 1914 Words

The invasion by the German military into Poland on September 1, 1939 is frequently recognized as the legitimate beginning to World War II, as Britain and France formally declared war on Germany following Germany’s invasion into Poland. However, although Hitler’s hostile military action toward Poland triggered the outbreak of World War II, this does not necessarily mean that Hitler intended to start a world war in 1939. Indeed, historians debate whether Hitler planned to provoke a word war when he invaded Poland. In order to better understand Hitler’s motivations, it is necessary to gain a broader of understanding of the geopolitical and economic environment leading up to World War II. The events that led to World War II are closely connected to the roots of World War I. Germany and its leader, Kaiser Wilhelm II, and its allies, were defeated by the United Kingdom and France in World War I. Germany was the scapegoat of the war, and after the Treaty of Versaille s, Germany was forced to pay heavy war reparations ($30 billion) and to disarm. In addition, land was taken away from Germany and given to other countries. There were additional restrictions on Germany, i.e., it could not form a union with Austria. The Germans resented the Treaty, and the reparations had an impact on Germany’s economy which was struggling in the wake of the Great Depression of 1929, which led to high unemployment and general discontentment in the population. It is not surprising then that in theShow MoreRelatedThe Invasion of Normandy in World War II Essay1014 Words   |  5 PagesInvasion of Normandy The Invasion of Normandy was the most decisive battle of World War II in Western Europe. The importance of the location help to diminish Nazi power. The attack was postponed several times due to weather. Was the order to â€Å"Go† given to soon based off an incorrect Weather report? The planning of Operation Overlord was an idea that formed early in 1942. One of the key points that helped move the planning along was the idea that the German U-Bats were no longer a threat toRead MoreThe Invasion Of France During World War II2549 Words   |  11 PagesAt the beginning of spring 1944, the Allies had an aim to mislead the Nazis about the location of the invasion of France with Operation Bodyguard; Hitler was deceived into thinking that the real invasion, which took place on the beaches of Normandy was actually a diversion, and he believed the attacks would actually occur at Pas-de-Calais. Afterwards, in June 6, 1944 the Allies started Operation Overlord with the attack against the Nazi-occupied France above the beaches of Normandy. (Unit 5) EvenRead MoreThe Invasion Of Poland During The World War II2386 Words   |  10 PagesGermany commenced their invasion of Poland (Bethell 1). The events that ushered in this invasion are complex, and help explain Hitlerâ€℠¢s intentions and goals. The invasion was preceded by Germany’s vast re-equipment, as well as its numerous diplomatic efforts. Hitler’s September invasion was predicated on his strong belief that the war would be limited to a single enemy, Poland. Aware of Germany’s economic and militaristic limitations, Hitler did not intend to start World War II when he invaded PolandRead MoreThe War Of The Second World War II Essay1744 Words   |  7 Pagesthe United States’ involvement in World War II was made known in 1940, Congress imposed a draft for men ages eighteen to thirty-seven. This was a way for them to join the fight against the axis powers. This particular war is noted as the most brutal war throughout all of history. Out of the men who registered to draft, many of them were also involved in what would be called the most popular battle of the Second World War, or the invasion of Normandy. The Invasion of Normandy, other wise referred toRead MoreWorld War II : The End Of The War975 Words   |  4 Pages World War II was a war that had started for the first. With two sides the Allied Powers versus the Axis Powers. The end of the war went out with a bang. World War II was a gigantic fascinating process of events; the war itself started on September 1, 1939 to September 2, 1945. There are many fascinating things about World War II, but the beginning is always interesting. Coming just two decades after the last great global conflict World War I. The Second World War was the most widespread and deadliestRead MoreThe War Of World War II1640 Words   |  7 Pages After becoming Reich Chancellor in 1933, Hitler swiftly consolidated power, anointing himself Fà ¼hrer (supreme leader) in 1934. Obsessed with the idea of the superiority of the â€Å"pure† German race, which he called â€Å"Aryan,† Hitler believed that war was the only way to gain the necessary â€Å"Lebensraum,† or living space, for that race to expand. In the mid-1930s, he began the rearmament of Germany, secretly and in violation of the Versailles Treaty. After signing alliances with Italy and Japan againstRead MoreD-Day The Invasion Of Normandy Essay1550 Words   |  7 Pages The Battle of Normandy was a turning point in World War II. Canada, America, and Great Britain arrived at the beaches of Normandy and their main objective was to push the Nazi’s out of France. The Invasion at Normandy by the Allied Powers winning this battle lead to the liberation of France and Western Europe. Most importantly Hitler was being attacked from both the eastern and western front, and caused him to lose power. If the Allied Powers did not succeed On D-Day, Hitler would’ve taken overRead MoreRobert Leckie, Book Review of Okinawa: the Last Battle of World War Ii1002 Words   |  5 PagesOkinawa: The Last Battle of World War II, is entirely about one of World War II’s most brutally fought battles. On April 1, 1945, the U.S. invaded Japan, attacking the island of Okinawa with 540,000 U.S. Army and Marines, and 1,600 ships. â€Å" L Day† was the official name for this day. The L stood for â€Å"Landing,† but the Americans who invaded the Hag ushi Beaches that day without any trouble from the Japanese, called it â€Å"Love Day.† This battle was the last battle of World War II and lasted a whopping eighty-threeRead MoreThe Battle Of The Allied Powers During World War II1528 Words   |  7 Pagesin World War II, the idea of an amphibious landing was explored thoroughly and determined to be the only way to get a foothold into Hitler’s empire. The invasion was a bloody 3 day encounter on 5 beaches that resulted in an enormous exchange between Hitler and the Allies. Because of this, it gave a rise to the power to the Allies in Europe when D-day was victorious. From 1941-1944 the Allies goal was to defeat Germany first. For many months, the Allies were trying to plan a massive invasion of NorthwestRead MoreCauses And Effects Of World War II1370 Words   |  6 PagesCauses and Effects of World War II World War II has been considered one of the worst things to ever occur in history. Violence, death and aggression took place in the 1930s and 1940s in certain European nations. German leader, Hitler played an important, yet a very big role during this time. With the rise and domination of fascism in Germany and Italy, the goal was to maintain peace, established by the Treaty of Versailles ended up in major disaster. World War II began with the poor economic conditions

Monday, December 16, 2019

The Effects of Price Control In Japan Free Essays

If supply is greater than demand, the price of a product will decrease. If demand is greater than supply, the price of a product will increase. This is a simple rule that determines the price of almost all consumer goods. We will write a custom essay sample on The Effects of Price Control In Japan or any similar topic only for you Order Now But what happens if the price is too high. What happens if there is a massive shortage or if a war breaks out and the price of everyday products such as sugar or bread skyrockets. Who will protect the consumer? And vice versa, who will protect the seller. This is where the government steps in and imposes price controls. Price controls are imposed to help or protect particular parts of the population which would be treated unequally by the unfettered price system. With today’s technology, many farmers around the world find themselves producing far more than they can sell or a surplus and this drives down prices. Therefore to support the farmers, many governments have created price floors to increase the income of their farmers who without them would fail to make a living profit. Japanese agricultural policy so far has focused on maintaining agricultural income by price controls. During the 1960s, Japan was in a stage of extraordinarily rapid growth. But Japanese farmers still produced more crops, namely rice, then they could sell, and this drove prices down and dwindled their profits. All the while, the industrial sector began creating massive profits. As a result, the income gap between the two was widening. Politicians knew that social and political unrest would result if the situation worsened. And so they began to resort to price controls to protect agriculture. To increase the farmers’ income, the government placed price floors or price supports on rice and other crops. Therefore, the price of rice would not be determined by the free market but by this set price. The Japanese government set the price floor higher than the equilibrium price or the price of rice in the free market. By doing this they were sure to increase the income of farmers. But this policy had its drawbacks. The price policy impaired the basic market mechanisms. The increased price drew away buyers, resulting in an excessive surplus of rice. In fact, rice surplus amounted to approximately seven million tons in storage, and that required three trillion yen of tax money for its disposal. Although this policy helped farmers, it became a great strain on the government and taxpayers. The Japanese government began to implement a new policy. The only way to avoid surplus under such a high price policy is to limit production. Hence, a policy to cut back on rice acreage was introduced. But this policy also ran into problems. Reduced production was forced onto the producers and served only to dampen their motivation to produce and to hinder their drive. Another hindrance in price control is a segregated overseas and domestic market. The only way for the government to retain this kind of price policy and maintain agricultural income is by closing off its borders form imports. With this price control the government ran into many problems. It therefore abolished the Food Staple Control Act which implemented this price policy and replaced it with the New Food Staple Control Act in November 1995. This new act liberated distribution and limited the government’s role to just the purchase and management of rice reserves. In conclusion, Japan’s price control policy was created with the best intentions to improve agriculture income. While it succeeded in that aspect, the government and its people were hurt more by this policy. Even the farmers themselves who had their production limited became unmotivated. We see from this case scenario that sometimes the government needs to take a step back and play a limited role in the economy or practice laissez-faire economics. How to cite The Effects of Price Control In Japan, Essay examples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

The Practice of Clinical Psychology free essay sample

What are at least two legal issues associated with clinical psychology? Provide an example of a situation that could be legal but unethical. Explain your response. Two legal issues associated with clinical psychology include maintaining records and avoid inappropriate dual relationships. An example of a situation that could be legal but unethical would be for a clinical psychologist to engage in a personal or romantic relationship with a former or current patient. 2. What are at least two ethical issues associated with clinical psychology? Provide an example of a situation that could be ethical but illegal. Explain your response. An example of an ethical issue associated with clinical psychology is insurance/fee misbehavior. 3. Define professional boundaries, boundary crossings, and boundary violations. What effects do boundaries have on the therapeutic relationship? Professional boundaries are specific outlines or guidelines between a professional, such as a psychologist who assesses and treats patients and/or clients, or formal clients on a professional level only (The Australian Psychological Society, 2004). We will write a custom essay sample on The Practice of Clinical Psychology or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page . What are at least two cultural limitations associated with assessment and treatment? In your response, discuss the use or misuse of assessment instruments, therapy techniques, research results, or any other facet of clinical practice that could have potentially harmful, culture-specific implications. Two cultural limitations associated with assessment and treatment barriers between communication concerning the psychologist and the client, and differences in backgrounds, race, or religion.

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Steel War Essay Example

Steel War Essay Domestic steel firms and the United Steelworkers of America (the steelworkers union) have called this a battle for the future of American steel. It Is a battle that pits many competing domestic and foreign groups against one another: domestic versus foreign steel firms; U. S. Versus foreign governments; as well as steel- producing versus steel-consuming domestic firms. Recent Events In the U. S. Steel Market Exalt 1 and Exhibit 2 show domestic shipments and foreign Imports of steel In the U. S. Market, while Exhibit 3 shows U. S. Employment In the steel Industry. Exhibit 1 totes that steel imports spiked in mid-1998 as a result of worldwide overcapacity during the Asian economic crisis. Exhibits 2 and 3 indicate that steel employment has been falling steadily since the early 1 sass; however, domestic steel shipments have been slowly trending upward. This dichotomy is explained by improving productivity in the Industry. Both domestic shipments and Imports fell In 2001 as a result of sluggish domestic demand during the 2001 recession; however, Imports as a share of total U. S. Apparent supply fell from 22. 3 percent in 2000 to 20. 2 percent in 2001. In mineral, the import share of new supply has remained fairly stable throughout the asses, and actually fell in 2001 relative to recent trend. Thus, although steel production has been hurt by the fall in domestic demand, there has been no recent surge in Imports. U. S. Steel producers point to declines in employment In steel- producing Industries as the reason for the need for Import protection. Recent percent of American steel-producing capacity have filed 02004 by the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. This case was prepared by Professors Anvil AY-Ninjas and Sandmen Baling and research assistant Chris Forman 02. We will write a custom essay sample on Steel War specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Steel War specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Steel War specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Cases are developed solely as the basis for class discussion. Cases are not intended to serve as endorsements, sources of primary data, or illustrations of effective or ineffective management. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, call 800-545-7685 (or 617-783-7600 outside the United States or Canada) or e-mail [emailprotected] Harvard. Du. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means?electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise?without the permission of the Kellogg School of Management. These behemoths use the rotational combination of blast furnaces, coke ovens, and oxygen furnaces to produce steel from iron ore, coal, and limestone. These firms are famous for large, bureaucratic organizations and highly unionized workforces. Exhibit 4 shows that the cost per ton of these companies remains much higher than their competitors costs. Moreover, the integrated producers are burdened with ruinous legacy costs?the future healthcare and pension benefits steel companies have promised their workforces. Their capacity has fallen to about 60 million tons of capacity from 145 million tons 20 years ago. In contrast, the recent performance of the smaller, younger U. S. Mint-mills has been better. These mint-mills have grown rapidly since they were first introduced in the mid-asses, and in 1999 accounted for roughly 45 percent of U. S. Carbon-steel capacity. These plants are much more efficient than those of the integrated producers; production costs are a fraction of those of the integrated firms. Their workforce is also much smaller than that of the integrated mills?they employ only about 30,000 workers, compared to the roughly 105,000 employed by the integrated producers. Moreover, because these firms produce new tell from used steel, they are relatively insulated from gyrations in the price of steel. Drops in the steel prices impact revenues, but lower steel costs as well. Section 201 Filing injured or threatened with serious injury by increased imports may petition the TIC for import relief. The TIC determines whether the product in question is being imported in sufficient quantities to be a substantial cause of serious injury to the domestic industry. If the commission agrees that the domestic industry is threatened by imports, it makes a recommendation to the president that would permit remedy of he injury and help aid industry adjustment to the import competition. Such recommendations may involve, for example, an increase in duties, imposition of a quota, imposition of a tariff-rate quota, or other trade adjustment assistance. Section 201 does not require the finding of unfair trade practices against foreign firms. However, the commission does require a high standard to find in favor of domestic industry, because it requires that the injury be serious and also that imports be a substantial cause of the serious injury. 2 While it is rare for the JUST to initiate a Section 201 investigation, it is not unprecedented. The JUST made prior requests against apple Juice imports in 1985, stainless steel in 1982, and mushrooms in 1976. Section 201 investigations are not country-specific, and so affect all importers. The commissions findings and remedy recommendations must be forwarded to the president within 180 days of receipt of the request from the JUST. 2 Robert Crandall, Whistling Past Big Steels Graveyard, opinion piece, Wall Street Journal, March 19, 1999. The commission defines substantial cause to mean important and not less than any other cause. KELLOGG SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT Arguments Against Import Controls Perhaps the simplest argument against protecting the steel industry is that such policies undermine the global free trade system that the United States has tried to build. Europe is furious over the potential implications of a Section 201 finding. More than a third of its $4 billion in steel exports is at risk. Moreover, protection for U. S. Markets would undoubtedly cause Rupees market to be flooded with diverted steel. In addition to the Europeans, the Brazilian, Russians, Japanese, and many others have lined up to oppose the policy. Many worry that the imposition of steel tariffs November 2001) round of global trade talks at risk. Domestic steel-consuming producers are also furious over the prospect of steel tariffs. Firms such as Emerson Electric, Caterpillar Inc. , and Illinois Tool Works Inc. Have strongly opposed a Section 201 remedy. For firms such as Caterpillar, the concerns are twofold. Higher steel prices raise the cost of producing heavy equipment. Moreover, retaliatory tariff strikes from foreign governments may be directed at Caterpillar equipment. Steel importers and dealers would also be hurt by the imposition of tariffs or quotas. Domestic producers have sponsored a number of studies illustrating the potential costs of steel tariffs. One study that has received notable attention was sponsored by the Consuming Industries Trade Action Coalition (ACTA). The ACTA study estimates that steel tariffs would lead to a loss of between 36,200 to 74,200 U. S. Jobs (depending on tariff size), or eight Jobs for every one steel Job protected. 3 Moreover, the ACTA study indicates steel tariffs would do little to save the domestic industry, calculating domestic steel prices would rise Just 0. 2 to 0. 4 percent while shipments rise 2. 9 to 5. 9 recent. The study estimates that proposed tariff remedies would decrease GAP by $0. Billion to $1. 4 billion per year. Other studies criticize steel industry complaints about foreign subsidies. A report by the American Institute for International Steel (ASSS), a domestic trade group of international importers and exporters of steel, lists the subsidies enjoyed by domestic steel producers. One recent example of how American steel is subsidized comes from the Emergency Steel and Oil and Gas G uaranteed Loan Program Act of 1999, which establishes a program of loan guarantees for steel companies that is estimated to cost up to $1 billion. The Steel and Aluminum Energy Conservation and Technology Competitiveness Act of 1988 provided funding for research and development to increase the competitiveness of steel, at an estimated cost of $155. 4 million. Moreover, many U. S. States provide steel companies with generous incentives to operate in-state. For example, a 1994 Alabama incentive package to Trick Steel Co. Was estimated to cost state taxpayers between $85 million and $112 million. 4 Many economists argue that the biggest danger to domestic integrated steel producers is not foreign steel, but rather U. S. Into-mill producers. As Exhibit 4 shows, U. S. Mint-mill producers are much more efficient than their integrated cousins. Brooking Institute economist Robert Crandall notes that inflation-adjusted steel prices have fallen 40 percent over the last 20 years. He attributes much of this dramatic decline not to foreign steel, but rather to falling input prices and competition from mini-mills. 5 The dramatic declines in steel employment may also be the result 3 Joseph Franà §ois and Laura Bagman, Estimated Effects of Proposed Import Relief Remedies for Steel, study prepared for the Consuming Industries Trade Action Coalition by Trade Partnership Worldwide, LLC, 2001. 4 Robert Matthews, U. S. Steel Industry Itself Gets Billions in Public Subsidies, Study Concludes, Wall Street Journal, November 29, 1999. 5 Robert Crandall, Whistling Past Big Steels Graveyard, The Wall Street Journal, March 3 of mint-mill competition rather than as a result of import competition. For example, when steel quotas were in place from 1984 to 1992, imports as a percentage of new supply fell from 26. 2 percent in 1984 to 17. 2 percent in 1992, while employment in the steel industry over the same period fell by 78,300. Arguments in Favor of Import Controls One common argument for import controls is that foreign governments unfairly subsidize their steel producers, effectively lowering their costs of production. U. S. Steel producers argue that this puts American steel at a competitive disadvantage in the marketplace. The American Iron and Steel Institute (ASSAI) argues that more than $100 billion in subsidies had been gi ven to foreign steel makers between 1980 and 1992. The ASSAI maintains that the European Union (ELI) has approved or acknowledged more than $11 billion in governmental assistance to European producers. Pro-steel economists argue that more than 325,000 U. S. Jobs are at risk if the steel industry is not protected. 7 Experts for the steel industry also dispute the credibility of studies that estimate the impact of higher steel prices on downstream industry producers. Noted MIT economist Jerry Houseman has argued that the ACTA study does not reliably estimate the effects of steel tariffs on the U. S. Economy, arguing that a steel price increase of 0. 2 to 0. 4 percent of the sort assumed in the ACTA study would have little effect on the costs of steel-consuming industries. He argues that if, for example, steels share of input costs is 20 percent and steel prices rise by 0. Percent, then (assuming no change in input mix) costs for the steel-consuming firm would increase by 0. 06 percent. Professor Houseman notes, This minor price increase would have almost no effect on demand, especially since demand price elasticity for most goods that use steel are not particularly high. In sum, Professor Houseman notes that a steel price increase of 0. 2 percent to 0. 4 percent would have almost no effect on U. S. Jobs or economic output. 8 The ASSAI goes further, saying, The ACTA and Crandall studies are totally lacking in credibility. They should not be taken seriously by anyone. 9 Ironically, many in the Bush administration argue that protecting American steel will benefit free trade. This is primarily for political reasons. One motive for supporting requires that Congress vote on a trade package without making amendments, allowing the administration to put a trade deal before Congress without it being picked apart line by line. Fast-track authority is considered essential for the administration to negotiate trade deals at the Doth round of international trade talks. The ASSAI argues that loss of the steel industry would have many other negative effects on the U. S. Economy. It contends that failure of the U. S. Steel industry would have a direct impact on Americas national security. It further argues that if the United States were to lose its domestic steel industry, downstream steel-using industries would be harmed, held hostage to the policies and practices of foreign producers who are practiced in the art of cartel behavior. The ASSAI Brink Lindsey, Daniel Griswold, and Aaron Lukas, The Steel Crisis and the Costs of Protectionism, Coat Institute Trade briefing paper, April 16, 1999. 7 Robert Blacker, Jobs at Risk: The Necessity of Effective Relief for the American Steel Industry, position paper, American University, Washington, D. C. 8 Jerry Houseman, Critique of ACTA Study, position paper, January 31, 2 002. 9 The Latest ACTA and Crandall Studies on the Costs and Benefits of Steel Trade Relief: Flawed Models, Biased Conclusions? Again! position paper, American Iron and Steel Institute, January 24, 2002. 4 goes on to say that loss of domestic steel would cause Americas technological leadership to suffer, damage the world environment, and hurt worldwide welfare. Potential Remedies There are several potential remedies the TIC could recommend to protect U. S. Steel. Tariffs and tariff rate quotas (TRY) would protect the steel industry by imposing duties on imported products. Tariffs are simply taxes, reducing imports indirectly by increasing a products price. You have heard from reliable sources that if the TIC commissioners decide to take action, they are considering tariffs in the range of 20 to 40 percent. Trust are tariffs that use a nonlinear taxation scheme to induce imports to remain below a certain level. Under a TRY, imports below some preset level enter the country at a lower tariff level while imports above the target threshold enter at a Quotas reduce imports by setting hard limits on the quantity of imported steel that can enter the country. One proposal has been to limit monthly steel imports from all nations to 1997 levels. These quotas would remain in effect for a period of three years. The imposition of quotas such as these would probably constitute a violation of the U. S. International trading commitments to the World Trade Organization (WTFO). Another possibility would be to negotiate voluntary export restraints, or Ever, with other countries. Under this approach, U. S. Negotiators attempt to persuade foreign overspent to reduce exports to the United States. Of course, EVER are generally not voluntary and also constitute another violation of WTFO rules. As part of its investigation, the TIC has called for opinions on remedy options from domestic and foreign producers. Exhibit 5 provides a summary of some of the recommendations for flat steel products. Discussion Questions What is your assessment of what the TIC should do? What factors should the TIC consider when making its decision? Do you believe that remedies are called for? If so, what sort of remedies would you impose: tariffs, quotas, or some other mechanism? To help you with your analysis, you are invited to work through the problems below. 1 . U. S. Anti-dumping law allows domestic producers to petition against imports sold below fair market value. Fair value is defined as the price in the home market or the cost of production plus some reasonable profit. The critical question is: what does this cost include? To help understand this point, consider the following simple costs for steel. The demand in Country I, when I run supply is: Is = O S = 60 for Pi 20 = 100 Pi and the short- That is, minimum PVC is 20 for all producers in each country, and capacity is fixed at 0. Assume that 40 is the minimum price necessary for firms to cover all fixed and variable costs. A. What is the competitive equilibrium in each market, assuming no trade is possible? B. Now suppose that demand in Country 1 falls to ODL = 70- Pl . Assuming no trade, what is the short and long run equilibrium in Country 1? C. What would the result be if demand falls as in (b), but trade was now permitted between the two countries? What is the new world market price, quantity sold, and imports and exports in each country? 2. Exhibit 6 and Exhibit 7 include data on quantity, revenue, demand, and supply elasticity for certain flat steel products. The TIC has recommended a tariff that would increase the average domestic price of plate steel by $5 per ton on plate steel, from $401. 36 to $406. 36 per ton. The data in Exhibit 7 show that 6,023,568 tons were shipped by domestic producers at the world price, while 6,974,335 tons were consumed. Use the data in Exhibits 6 and 7 to calculate the change in consumer and producer surplus on plate steel as a result of this policy. For simplicity sake, assume that domestic and foreign steel are perfect substitutes, and that all purchases of steel represent final demand. You may further assume that the demand and supply curves are linear. For demand and supply elasticity, use the midpoint of the ranges provided in Exhibit 6. 3. MIT economist Jerry Houseman said, This minor price increase [of 0. 2 percent to 0. 4 percent] would have almost no effect on demand, especially since demand price elasticity for most goods that use steel are not particularly high. This question will show why an inelastic demand curve implies that changes in steel prices have little impact on the quantity demanded in steel- consuming industries. Consider a supply curve Q = P and the demand curve Q = 100 6 a. What are the domestic price, supply, and demand assuming a closed market under which steel trade is not allowed? B. Now assume the world price is 30. What is the new domestic supply and demand at this price? What are total imports? What is the elasticity of demand at the world price? C. Suppose the U. S. Government imposes a tariff of 33. 33 percent on foreign imports. What are the domestic price, supply, and demand at the new price? What are total imports under this policy? How much does demand change under this policy and what is the dead weight loss? D. Now suppose demand is equal to Q = 75 P/6. Calculate domestic demand under he free trade and tariff policies. What is the elasticity of demand at the world price? How does the change in demand from a free trade to tariff environment compare to that in part (c)? What is the deadweight loss as a result of this policy, and how does it compare to part (c)? Can you explain the reason for the difference in answers in parts (c) and (d)? 4. A common argument made by U. S. Steel companies is that U. S. Steel producers are as efficient as foreign firms; however, foreign subsidies are creating an unfair playing field in the steel market. This question illustrates the effects that subsidies an have on the steel market, and how they can drive efficient producers out of the market over the long run. Again, consider two countries that face symmetrical demands and costs for steel. The demand in Country I, when I = 1,2, is Did = 1000 pip. All firms in both countries use identical production technologies; firms in both markets have cost functions C(Q) = 400 + Q, C(O) = 400, with MAC = Q. A. Find the long-run equilibrium in both markets under free trade. What are the long- run price, total quantity, and equilibrium number of firms in both markets? B. Now suppose Country 2 decides to subsidize its steel industry. It initiates a policy of paying domestic steel producers 10 for each unit produced, effectively lowering the marginal cost of production by 10. Assuming no world trade, what is the equilibrium price and quantity in each market? Excluding the effects of subsidies, what is the highest marginal cost of production found among firms in Country 1 and Country 2? C. If Country 2 follows the subsidy policy described in (b), what is the short-run equilibrium in the world market if free trade is permitted? Excluding the effects of subsidies, what is the highest marginal cost of production for firms in Country 2?

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

New Years resolutions for career success in 2018

New Years resolutions for career success in 2018 A new year is often looked at as an opportunity for making positive changes, and we’re all familiar with the tradition of making New Year’s resolutions- as we end each year and look forward to the next, we take stock of the things we want to improve upon or change in our lives. Those among us who are diligent enough to take things one step further set a plan for achieving our resolutions, and some among us actually follow through by putting in the time and effort to achieve our stated goals. And for the most dedicated and focused among us, sometimes a positive change and lasting result is achieved. Our New Year’s resolutions can vary across an endless array of categories- from finding love, making new friends, and moving to a new city to acquiring a new hobby or skill set. Among the most popular resolutions that people make involve job- and career-related goals. However, while making a New Year’s resolution for career change and success can be the beginnin g of a wonderful new chapter in our lives, it’s really just the first step.Positive intent can be a powerful motivating force for change and growth in our lives, but the truth is that it’s often not enough- this is the reason why the majority of us fail to completely commit and follow through on the resolutions we make each year. The truth is, most resolutions flounder in the starting gate without any real forward progress ever being made, and many others are met with a feeble, half-hearted effort that eventually goes nowhere.) We need more than a positive attitude and hope- we need a plan.According to a recent article on The Muse, â€Å"Those who took meaningful steps to achieve their resolutions- setting step-by-step goals or telling their friends and family, for example- were far more likely to achieve their desires than those who made no specific commitments†¦ So if you really want to see results this year, it’s critical that you set your goals with si ncerity, and set yourself up for success.†What are your New Year’s resolutions for career success in 2018? More importantly, do you have a plan for achieving them? Let’s take a closer look at some of the most popular career-related resolutions, and some advice for taking them past the â€Å"good idea† stage and closer to the â€Å"goal achieved† category.I want a promotion.Who among us doesn’t want a loftier position with a more impressive sounding title and a higher salary, regardless of where we currently work? The truth is, this isn’t always an immediately attainable reality for everyone- maybe you’re just getting started at your current job and it’s too soon to start thinking about a promotion, or maybe the place you work at is small and there’s no clear upward trajectory. Whatever the reason, if you’re seeking a promotion and there’s no obvious path for growth for you in your current job, perhaps this means you should make a more drastic change as part of your New Year’s resolution planning.However, if there are opportunities for growth on the horizon for you, then take a step back and a deep breath and think carefully before blindly charging into your boss’s office and demanding a promotion.Take stock of your current situation- have you spent the last year working hard to convince your boss that you are ready, willing, and able to take the next step to a new job with greater responsibility? Has your boss been giving you positive feedback all year about how valuable you are to the company and how everyone is impressed with the job you’ve been doing? If so, then you’ve already been working hard to achieve your goal of getting a promotion- the next step is choosing the right time, place, and method for asking for one. This is highly subjective and based on your individual job situation. Do you have annual review meetings with your boss to discuss s uch issues? If so, then this would be the ideal time to broach this subject. Or perhaps your boss is open to feedback and discussions whenever they arise. If so, choose a day when your boss seems to be in a good mood and go for it!Maybe you haven’t been getting great signals that your boss would be terribly receptive to the idea of you asking for a promotion. If this sounds more like your reality, then it may be wise to concoct a more long-term plan. Spend the next several months- maybe even the entire next year- anticipating your boss’s needs, doing your job to the absolute best of your ability, and sowing the seeds for popping the big â€Å"promotion question† next year. Like we said earlier, sometimes you need a plan, and there’s nothing quite as defeating or draining as asking for a promotion before you’re ready and meeting rejection.I want a new job.Okay so maybe you’ve reached as high and as far as you can possibly go in your current j ob, faced every challenge, conquered every obstacle, and mastered every skill that you could possible acquire. It’s time–you’re ready for a change. It happens, and it’s a perfectly natural and healthy part of any career path. In fact, job changes are often great opportunities to climb to the next rung on your career ladder. However you should  consider some advance planning before you race out of your current job screaming, â€Å"I quit!†Get a feel for the current job market in your field and area. Are there a wealth of opportunities available, or is it slim pickings? Take a subtle poll of the folks in your peer network who work at other companies. Does it sound like you may be able to go after an opportunity through your contacts?If conditions out in the job market seem great, then plan for your next steps- polish up your resume and cover letter, make sure your interview clothes still fit, and get out there! However, if you’re seeing some warning signs that right now might not be the best time to jump ship, then bide your time and plan accordingly. Don’t forget, you can do some subtle and covert planning for your next job while you’re at your current one so when the iron is hot you’ll be prepared to strike!I want to make a major job or career change.Perhaps you’re just not feeling completely happy or fulfilled in your current industry, and something is telling you that perhaps now is the time to make a major change. This could be a good thing- the truth is, job unhappiness is often a major cause of mental and physical distress and could have a wide range of negative effects on our health and well-being.According to a recent Huffington Post blog post by Alexander Kjerulf, founder and Chief Happiness Officer of Woohoo inc, â€Å"Way too many people hate their jobs. Exactly how many is hard to say, but depending on which study you believe, somewhere between 20 percent and 40 percent of empl oyees are miserable at work.† Kjerulf goes on to say that hating your job can weaken your immune system, make you gain weight, rob you of sleep, ruin your personal relationships, and even increase your risk of serious illness. Not a good way to ring in the New Year!So, if you’re eager to make a major job or career change†¦ you guessed it, make a plan. Consider making a list of pros and cons for taking the plunge. If everything in your life is pointing to making a major change, figure out what new goal makes the most sense for you. Take an inventory of your skills and experience, along with your interests and aspirations, and figure out which careers/industries you best align with. Do you have any friends or family who have jobs that sound potentially intriguing to you? If so, ask them more about it. Do your research- the Internet is a great source of information for researching new companies and careers.Although making a big career change can be a wonderful moment in your life, acting impulsively could really backfire. There are countless stories of people who made quick decisions to leave their current working worlds for new ones, only to discover that they were ill-informed and really had no idea what they were getting into and wound up being just as unhappy- or even unhappier- as they were before. Don’t become just another unfortunate member of this group. Plan wisely and carefully, and you’ll be setting yourself up for a real shot at positive and lasting change.I want to build new job skills.This is a great goal for most of us and can really help put you in a better position to achieve the other resolutions on this list in the future- getting a promotion or a new job, or even changing industries. And even if none of these goals are in your immediate future, acquiring new skills can be a rewarding and fulfilling enterprise on its own and help us feel more empowered and effective in our current positions.If you’re looki ng to acquire new job skills in the new year, consider the following. Do you want to acquire skills that will make you more effective at your current job or a new one? Your answer to this question will help you determine which skills you should look at. Also, are you looking to invest money towards acquiring new skills? If so, there are a wealth of career and adult education/skill-development programs available across the country; a great place to start is researching the offerings at colleges and universities in your area. You’ll likely come across a wealth of options, both in class and online- you just need to decide which are right for you.If money is an issue and you’re looking for a more cost-effective approach, there are some great free and low-cost options online. One great resource is Skillshare, an online learning community created, maintained, and curated by veterans and experts in their respective fields who are dedicated to teaching others the skills theyâ €™ve acquired.Here’s the bottom line- many folks who are unhappy with their work lives or who are just eager for a fresh start or new challenge take the new year as an opportunity to make a change, and it’s a great time to do so! Because so many people are focused on career changes at the beginning of a new year, many companies and industries ramp up their hiring during this time- and those among us who are serious and dedicated can take full advantage of this reality. If this sounds like you, perhaps now is a great time to move forward- but do so wisely and plan accordingly. Good luck and Happy New Year!

Friday, November 22, 2019

How Much of My Novel Should I Post Online

How Much of My Novel Should I Post Online This is a hard question to answer because it isnt black and white. There are mixed messages on giving away your novel. Ive listened to agents speak about discovering good writers via serial releases of a novel. What they dont clarify when they say it can be done is this: Theyre only interested when the public gets lit up, afire with the material so that the blog explodes with interest and starts trend setting. If you only have twenty people reading your blog, waiting for the next chapter, you havent achieved what an agent seeks. Good means you are gathering several thousand followers because of how remarkably your work teases them to return for more. People dont just come to you because you posted your story somewhere. You have to work the system and coax people to come to you. That means lots of social media, maybe even a newsletter. You have to act as if the book has been published and you are seeking readers to buy. This is always such a long shot unless you have a platform already or youre pretty darn savvy and willing to work relentlessly to snare readers. What a Catch 22, right? You need to be published to sell well, so whats a writer to do if not post the book online to build afollowing? The problem here is that you take a chance. When you approach an agent about this book, and its been marketed online via your website or blog, or even self-published in eBook form, that agent will ask how many people read/bought your book. If you gathered 450 readers and a dozen reviews, you may be telling an agent you cant sell the book OR the book isnt marketable enough. You take a risk here. For every one person that does well using this tactic to make a name for himself, there are a thousand who crashed and burned. I tend to suggest to new novelists to seek a mid-size publisher that is willing to go the long-haul with you (the long tail business approach look it up). Mid-size and smaller presses want authors for a long time, for multiple books, and they work and cooperate with you as you build your platform through branding, social media, deals with Amazon, etc. That is the route Im taking. Youd think Id have a big platform, but my editors didnt have a clue what FundsforWriters was, and treated me like a newbie. So Ive been in the process for the past year of showing them how hard I can market. And remember this. If people already read the book for free, why would they buy it later when its published? Theyre waiting for book two. Id stick to the straight and narrow. Post other writing to build a following, but not the book youre trying to sell.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Do corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports provide shareholders Essay - 1

Do corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports provide shareholders and stakeholders with useful information on corporate soci - Essay Example Emphasizing on the corporate social responsibility has become a core part of the public policies for development of private sectors within the framework of the international cooperation development. It is considered a deliberate choice for an enterprise to give back to the community and to respond the environment crises while maintaining relations with the shareholders and stakeholders based on dialogue and transparency (Godfrey, Merrill & Hansen 2009). A CSR report, therefore, consists of all activities that the company has taken part. This includes the whole of their chain of value and it considers the effects on ecological, economic, and social parameters in dialogue with the shareholders and stakeholders. The report conveys the following information to the public and to the stakeholders: consumer interest, environmental care, air operating practices such as corruption and bribery, involvement to the community and firm’s governance. A company will therefore, use the report to reach to its consumers, shareholders, and stakeholders. Corporate managers and leaders have taken the initiative to call upon the government, as a stakeholder, to recognize their CSR participation and achievements. The companies can only achieve that by creating a CSR report that communicates to the society on its CSR activities. The government has gone ahead to encourage, support and to enforce Corporate Social Responsibility behavior of firms (Turker 2009). This has therefore resulted to multiple rationales, such as deregulation and competitiveness in companies by including their CSR reports in their annual reports. However, the legal standards and frameworks have been put in place in order to ensure the companies include the appropriate information. This is because some of the stakeholders and shareholders are non-profit agencies which require in knowing the benefit of the company to the community before investing in it. The government also requires knowing how the company res ponds to environmental issues such as pollution and global warming. It is important to note that most stakeholders including investors, community, markets, NGOs and the government need to know the role of a company to the society and their role in ensuring the environment is maintained. For instance, the mentioned groups expect organizations to put efforts in fighting global warming and feeding the poor. It is humble call for a company to do that, but it has a great effect to the consumers and to the investors. Consumers want to be associated with a company that understand their needs and which cares for their future. As well, investor will invest in a company that has responsible management and that which takes part in CSR activities. Background information Since the early years of 1990, an increase in the environmental awareness and development of sustainable economic growth redirected firms into environmental sensitivity. The recent economic events have resulted to a greater emph asis on the Corporate Social Responsibility in redefining the future of the society. Whereas companies and business organizations are responsible of creating wealth for the shareholders and driving company’ progress, they are directed and guided by regulations and governments, green consumer pressure and society pressure groups (Henriques & Sadorsky1999). A balance between needs of the society and economic growth attracts

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

The corporate social responsibility of Formosa Plastic Corporation Essay

The corporate social responsibility of Formosa Plastic Corporation - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that in pursuit of environmental protection, Formosa Plastics Corporation adheres to initiatives that are targeted towards improving the environment. For example, the corporation in the areas of energy and water conservation invested about the US $ 0.57 billion from 1999 to 2012, which saw the completion of more than 6,356 improvement projects. This enabled the corporation to save 287,000 tons in terms of daily water usage and decreased carbon-dioxide emissions by about 8.064 million tons yearly. The corporation intends to implement another 772 improvement projects in the future. This will save about another 13,000 tons of projected daily water usage and lower carbon-dioxide emissions yearly emissions by another 1.371 tons. The corporation prevents and proactively controls pollution in all stages of its manufacturing processes. It has established comprehensive garbage classifications and kitchen waste recycling initiative. The corporation h as established Formosa Environmental Technology initiative that recycles kitchen waste into organic fertilizers for growing organic vegetables and fruits. The corporation’s management understands the fact that there is need to give back to the society. The corporation understands that in the region they operate there is lack of medical and industrial talent, which has resulted in substandard healthcare resources.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Hitler Became Chancellor in January Essay Example for Free

Hitler Became Chancellor in January Essay It signified unity and support behind a cause – unseen since the beginning of the Great War. No longer were nationalists vying for the implausible return of a Kaiser, but joining behind Hitler. Furthermore Nazi support far exceeded that of the parties on the fragmented Left. Whilst in 1930 the SPD retained their lead on the NSDAP by two million votes, in 1932 the Nazi vote was almost double of the SPD’s, with 7 million more votes. By leading the most popular party, Hitler had the confidence of almost 14 million people which was an undeniable force. Then again, Hitler had not gained the 50% majority needed to become Chancellor. Democracy did not bring Hitler to power and 63. 6% of Germans had not voted for Hitler. Debatably, it was only a protest vote. The loss of two million votes from the July to the November 1932 elections demonstrates how the popularity of the party was perhaps more a symbolic facade which Hitler took advantage of. Some would argue that it was not the quantity of supporters that brought him power but the importance of individual groups. Having Nazi supporters in crucial interest groups such as industrialists, the army and Hindenburg’s own family was also important for funding and for political sway. Most important of these was popularity in military circles. Essentially the army’s acquiescence and partial support for Nazis meant that when the SA surrounded Berlin in January 1933 threatening to seize power, Wilhelmstra? e was left with little choice. There was as many as four times the number of Stormtroopers as Reichswehr, although the army had machine guns and flame throwers. The most pressing fact was that General von Hammerstein had told Hindenburg that many soldiers may refuse to obey an order to crush the SA. Whilst the threat of a violent coup pressurized government, that the army was not loyal arguably made Hitler’s appointment inevitable. Ruth Henig argues that it wasn’t the strength of its enemies that brought down the Republic as much as the striking absence of its friends. Not quite a â€Å"Republic without Republicans†, but the political naivety of both parties and individuals in failing to cooperate was a considerable factor in Nazi success. Specifically, the SPD’s refusal as one of the strongholds of democracy: in November 1932 the left combined had 13. 5 million votes, whereas the right had 12 million. By uniting, the Communists and Socialists had potentially the ability to overrule the Nationalists. Stalin’s preference of Hitler over the SPD, who he believed were the real enemy, ensured complete disunity. Arguably a more decisive factor was Von Papen’s active role. His plan to â€Å"frame in† the Nazis to utilize their mass support and then dispense with Hitler was short-sighted and naive. Meeting with Kurt Von Schroder, Papen not only in turn helped solve the Nazi financial debts to ensure the continuation of the party, but presented an opportunity to Hitler which he otherwise would not have been offered. Papen convinced Hindenburg the Nazi support could be harnessed and that its ambitions and extremist policies contained through safety features. The President agreed to only meet with Hitler when the Vice Chancellor, Von Papen, was present. Only two cabinet ministers were included. By offering this, Von Papen made perhaps the most fatal underestimation of the 20th century. He had had the responsibility of being decisive, thorough and unfaltering when Hindenburg could not be and so his weak acceptance of Hitler’s demands – when he was perhaps not even in a position to demand – is surely a cause of Hitler’s appointment. Debatably, this arrangement was a production of Hitler’s own political skill as opposed to, or as well as, Papen’s great failure. Hitler’s opportunism, vehement desire for power and ability to manipulate people was crucial for his success. Meeting with Von Papen in December 1932, he resolutely demanded the Chancellorship. Whereas Strasser faltered in making botched agreements with Von Schleicher for a lesser position, Hitler held out against odds. Additionally Hitler’s chameleon nature meant that he was successfully demanding with Von Papen, yet very respectful with Hindenburg, bowing down to him publicly. Popularity got Hitler through the door, but Hitler’s opportunism and manipulation brought his triumph. In summary, Nazi popularity gave Hitler the advantage. It offered him access to Germany’s leaders so that he was able to exploit the scheming nature of Von Papen and ailing of Hindenburg. Nevertheless, Hitler failed to command a majority and thus his appointment of Chancellor was left to the decisions of incapable and self-seeking men. Perhaps Hitler succeeded because in that dire political situation, those in power could not ignore Hitler’s strength. However the President’s and Papen’s inadequacy and underestimation of Hitler in the face of his resounding obstinacy, as well as the threat his Stormtroopers, were the decisive forces.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Interest groups and politics :: essays research papers

Interest Groups and Politics As we approach the 2004 presidential election everyone is getting in line to throw their money into the Proverbial feeding trough that all politicians take from. Campaigns are made and broke depending on how much money they have to spend. Fundraising is one way for politicians to receive contributions from your typical everyday blue collar citizen, but where do the four and five figure contributions come from? They come from intrest groups and lobbyists. These are the people, companies, and organizations that control our government whether they admit it or not. Campaign are run by this money and their agendas are the ones that congress on both the state and national level. The best way to sum up how all this works is "You’re one of 435 ants in the House, and unless you’re on the right committee a lot of these people don’t even return your phone calls." — Rep. Joe Scarborough (R-Fla.), on raising money from PAC directors ("Speaking Freely, 2nd Ed." by Larry Makinson (Center for Responsive Politics, 2003)). Interest groups give what is called â€Å"soft money† to candidates; in return these candidates push the issues that the interest groups hold important. For instance, recently on 60 MINUTES they ran a special on the prescription drug companies and the government. It is shown that the United Sates pays double for medication what the rest of the world pays for the same thing. The reason this is occurring is due to the fact that these drug manufacturers are pumping hundreds of thousands of dollars in to these campaigns. Since 1999 certain legislators have received more then one and a half million dollars in campaign contributions from pharmaceutical companies. President Bush personally has received half a million dollars. (60Minutes, CBS News). It is quite amazing that if you look at the top 100 overall donators in 2002 that seven of them are the largest drug manufactors in the world, and the are all heavy republican supporters. On the same side to this is the insurance companies . They also give large contributions to politicians. In 2002, companies such as Blue Cross / Blue Shield, AFLAC, and Cigna, were all huge contributors to the Republican Party. Since the late 80’s republican have always been able to raise more soft money. In 2002 alone democrats raised 217 million dollars, while the republicans raised a whopping 442 million in soft money (opensecrets.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Gold and Diamond Mines

diamonds Modern Africa is known for its huge mineral wealth, which overshadows all its other resources. In 1886 diamonds were discovered. The name De Beer became associated with the diamond find. De Beer was a Boer farmer whose barren farm had suddenly revealed that diamonds were beneath it. He soon sold his land and the diamond rush was on. H. V. Morton described it as the strangest looking trek in South African history. Sailors deserted their ships, soldiers their regiments, merchants their shops, clerks their offices, farmers their land, and the weirdest crowd ever seen in South Africa, good and bad, came over the mountains on horseback, on foot, in Cape carts, ox wagons, stage-coaches anything that would take them to the biggest lucky dip in history. † Kimberley became the world ‘s diamond capital. The place was named after the first earl of Kimberley (1826-1902), who was a British statesman and colonial secretary. The early years at Kimberley were a chaos of individu al miners.The thousands of men who had rushed there from all parts of the world each bought little claims and began to sink shafts. Not God, the â€Å"Rock of Ages’, but the new source of hope became the rock â€Å"diamond. † When the newly discovered 83 carat diamond, which would subsequently be known as the 2 â€Å"Star of Africa,† was held up before the House of Assembly in Cape Town, the colonial secretary declared, â€Å"Gentlemen, this is the rock upon which the future success of South Africa will be built. † But the diamond industry didn ‘t bring peace and happiness.Instead, it established the future pattern of white employment in South Africa as surely as it was done for the blacks. Poor whites would always be protected from the competition of even poorer blacks by formal job discrimination. †¢ In 1859 the first diamond discovery was made in South Africa; however South Africa's diamond heritage stems from a pretty little pebble picked up on the bank of the Orange River in 1867, not far from Hopetown. Erasmus Jacobs, fifteen years old and the son of a poor labourer, took it home as a plaything.The stone was then given to a neighbouring farmer, Schalk van Niekerk, a casual collector of unusual stones. He in turn entrusted it to the trader John O'Reilly, who sent it (in an unsealed envelope! ) to Dr. G. W. Atherstone, a Grahamstown physician and one of the few people in the Cape Colony who knew anything about minerals. The stone was judged a ‘veritable diamond' of 21. 25 carats and valued at ?500. Once cut, the stone weighing 10. 73 carats, was called The Eureka and is now kept at the Library of Parliament in Cape Town. The news triggered a flurry of excitement in the Hopetown area, but eager prospectors found only a few small stones to reward their efforts and drifted away disillusioned. The discovery must have been a hoax, it was suggested: everyone knew diamonds came only from India and Brazil! Almost three years later in March 1869, a Griqua shepherd named Booi, from the farm Zandfontein, picked up a pebble that caught his eye, he first tried to barter the stone for a place to sleep, then for breakfast – everyone turned him down.He ultimately found his way to Schalk van Niekerk. By now Schalk had learned something of precious stones and bought it for virtually all that he possessed: 10 oxen, a horse and 500 sheep. The discovery of this stone set off the diamond rush that transformed South Africa from a struggling agricultural state to a leading industrial nation. Van Niekerk, in turn, sold it to a firm of local jewellers for ? 11200. The 83. 50 carat diamond, to be named ‘The Star of Africa' found its way to England, where it was bought by the Earl of Dudley for the then princely sum of ? 5000. Said Colonel Secretary Sir Richard Southey to his political colleagues, â€Å"Gentleman, this is the rock on which the future success of South Africa will be built. † How r ight he was, without the diamond finds there would be no Kimberley; without Kimberley there would have been no capital to finance the gold mines of the Reef; and without the Reef and its industries there would be no South Africa as we know it. Diggers flocked to the area and staked their claims along the banks of the Orange and then the Vaal River and its tributaries to the north.They lived in tent communities in very harsh conditions; blistering heat during the day followed by icy cold nights. Most made little for their efforts, some made modest fortunes. It was only 30km's from the Vaal River where the first significant finds were made, dry diggings on three farms, one of which was called Vooruitzicht. This farm was bought ten years prior for only ? 50 by two De Beer's brothers who found themselves beleaguered by a swarm of gem-hungry diggers. They hurriedly sold it for ? 6300, a good profit but a drop in the ocean compared to the ? 0 million it would yield over the following year s. Nearby was the discovery of ‘Colesburg Kopje', site of the future Kimberley and the richest treasure house of high quality gem diamonds the world had ever known. The year was 1871 and the ‘New Rush' had begun. The diggings attracted hordes of fortune seekers who came from all walks of life and many countries. By 1872 some 50000 men had encamped in the area. Soon the tents were replaced by corrugated iron and mud-brick houses and rudimentary hotels, bars, brothels, banks, stores, a church, a school, the famed Kimberly Club and the stock exchange.The haphazard nature of the diggings were dangerous and could not be worked at all during the rainy season until an enterprising 19 year old Englishman named Cecil John Rhodes imported a steam operated pump to keep the diggings dry. That inspiration in turn set him on the road to fortune; Rhodes became a well known, high powered businessman and more famously an explorer who funded some of his expeditions through his involvement in the diamond industry. Some time later, Rhodes had decided that consolidation was the key to the success of the diamond fields.Along with his associates he linked hands with a hard-headed diamond buyer called Alfred Beit, and so the monopolisation process began. By 1885, with Rhodes as chairman, the De Beers Mining Company was the major claimholder in the De †¢ †¢ Beers mine (named after the original owners of the farm Zandfontein) and had complete control by 1887. Barney Isaacs better known as Barney Barnato had successfully plied his trade as a ‘kopje-walloper' (under-the-counter middleman between buyer and digger) and a claim-dealing entrepreneur.Like Rhodes, showing remarkable business acumen Barnato became a multi-millionaire, and within five years of arriving in Kimberley he controlled Kimberley Mine. Kimberley Mine has been closed for decades but is now a popular tourist attraction known as ‘The Big Hole'. †¢ By 1889, the future of the diamond wo rld depended on the outcome of a battle for total control between Rhodes' De Beers and Barnato's Kimberley Mines, each backed by powerful overseas interests. Rhodes emerged the victor, a cheque for ? 5 338 650 changed hands and the two mines were brought under the control of a ew company, De Beers Consolidated Mines, the company which today, almost 110 years later still has its registered office in Stockdale Street, Kimberley. With Rhodes as chairman and Barnato and Alfred Beit as life governors De Beers Consolidate Mines won control of the other two major mines in the area and soon after a recently discovered fifth mine. Virtually the entire industry was united and the near monopoly was complete. In 1902 a young German-born diamond buyer arrived at Kimberley as the representative of a London diamond broking firm.Ernest Oppenheimer's family had been involved in South Africa's diamond industry for many years. He decided to settle in South Africa and soon became mayor of Kimberley. In 1917, he moved to Johannesburg and was chiefly instrumental in founding Anglo American, initially a gold mining house but planned from the outset as a power in the diamond world. After the First World War, South Africa was granted a League of Nations mandate over German South West Africa (now Namibia), whose alluvial deposits now began to attract serious attention.A syndicate, led by Anglo American, formed Consolidated Diamond Mines (CDM) in 1919 to exploit the deposits, and amalgamated eleven mines north of the Orange River. Later, when diamond discoveries were made in the Belgian Congo (formerly Zaire, now the Domocratic Republic of Congo) and Angola, De Beers underestimated the significance of these developments, while Anglo American moved in. When huge deposits of alluvial diamonds were located in Namaqualand on South Africa's west coast and, in 1927, near Lichtenburg in the western Transvaal, Oppenheimer's Anglo American again made its claim.Oppenheimer was soon becoming the l eading light in the diamond world, and in spite of opposition from De Beers directors who resented his swift progress was soon elevated to the board. As if to confirm his supremacy, Anglo American geologists working north of the Orange River found new deposits of gemstones even richer than those of Namaqualand. It was only a matter of three years before Oppenheimer was elected chairman of De Beers. Ernest Oppenheimer remained at the helm until his death in 1957, when his son, Harry, took over to run the giant conglomerate with outstanding success for the next quarter of a century.Today it is run by Nicky Oppenheimer, who became chairman of De Beers on the 1st of January 1998. †¢ †¢ gold †¢ The discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand in 1886 was a turning point in South African history. Far more than diamonds, this changed South Africa from an agricultural society to become the largest gold-producer in the world. Gold increased trade between South Africa and the rest of the world. For the main trading nations ie the Europe and the United States, gold was of value because their currencies were backed by gold. This was known as the gold standard.Under the gold standard, these countries had to keep gold in a bank vault to the value of the currencythey issued. For example, if the government of a country wanted to print more money, it had to buy gold to back that money. If that country did not produce gold itself, it had to import gold from another country. Under the gold standard the price of gold was fixed internationally. It was kept low as this benefited nations in Europe and the United States amongst others. These strong nations did not produce gold and had to buy it from elsewhere to back their own currency.In the 1930s many countries abandoned the gold standard. The effect that this had on the South African economy will be examined later on this feature. The Gold Rush On summer's day in 1886, two prospectors discovered gold on a Transvaal farm c alled Langlaagte. Gold was not new to the Transvaal. African had mined gold hundreds of years earlier. More recently, gold had been found in the Eastern Transvaal. In most cases this gold ran out, forcing small mining towns to close down. The gold found at langlaagte was different. The gold discovered there ran for miles and miles underground, ‘an endless treasure of gold'.The Richest Gold-Mining Area in the World. Gold changed the face of the Transvaal. Before 1886 it was a poor, struggling Boer republic but ten years later, it was the richest gold mining area in the world. As news of the gold find spread throughout South Africa and the rest of the world, men made their way to the Transvaal. They walked, rode on horse back, or came by ox-wagon. Ships no longer passed South Africa on their to Australia and New Zealand. Instead, boatloads of men arrived at ports and hurried to catch the next coach to the Transvaal, hoping to find the riches of their dreams. †¢ †¢ â₠¬ ¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢The importance of the gold-mining industry The South African goldfields, 1996 (click on the map to see it larger, and to do the next exercise) A few years after the discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand, a string of mining towns marked out the gold-bearing Reef. The map that follows shows that the gold-mining towns formed a curve starting from the East Rand in Heidelberg, extending westwards across to †¢ Krugersdorp and Randfontein. Later more gold mines were discovered further south and east. As a result of this ‘endless treasure of gold', gold mining very quickly became the largest and most important part of the economy. †¢ The world's gold production for 1930 Percentage of the world's gold produced in the Transvaal from 1895 to 1940YEARVALUE (POUNDS)TRANSVAAL (%)18954084300021,01900523120002,819057775600026,819109333200034,31915972180 0039,719206973900049,719258081700050,41935131 68000034,8194017335400034 ,4The nature of gold mining on the Witwatersrand The gold mining on the Witwatersrand had to soon evolve. The gold that was mined was very near to the surface of the ground. As with the diamond mining in Kimberley, the first stage of gold mining took the form of outcrop harvesting.Under the supervision of a prospector, labourers would dig up the ground with picks and shovels in order to reach the gold-bearing ore. Deep-level mining Before long it became necessary to dig a lot deeper to reach the gold, even as much as a kilometre beneath the ground. This became known as deep-level mining. Deep-level mining required new and expensive machines. Machines were used to sink shafts hundreds of metres beneath the ground. By 1906 the Robinson Deep Mine just off Eloff Street in Johannesburg had become, at 800 metres, the deepest producing mine in the world.Because of the heat and the gases underground, ventilationwas necessary for people working at such depths. Also, the deeper the line was, the more water was encountered. Special pumps had to be imported to remove the rater. Low-grade ore The rock from which the gold is extracted is called ore. The gold can be described as being ‘trapped' in ore. A characteristic of the ore in the Witwatersrand is that it is low-grade. This means that a very large amount of ore always has to be dug up and crushed in order to get a small amount of gold.Even today in some mines in Gauteng, as little as 3 grams of gold is obtained from 1 ton of ore. ‘An endless treasure of gold' Although the ore is low-grade, the gold reef stretches for over 400 kilometres from Evander in Mpumalanga to Virginia in the Free State. This area produces most of the gold in the world. Depending on the gold price, people could carry on mining here years to come. The needs of the gold mines follows below. It shows the huge amount of money needed start a gold mine along with a supply of cheap labour. Without these, gold mining in South Africa would not have been profitable. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ The needs of the gold mines The problem of mining, since the discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand, has been to make the poor ore product profitable. Some historians believe that if such poor ore had been found anywhere else in the world, it would have not have been mined at all. The plentiful supply of cheap labour available to the gold mines in South Africa made this viable. Who invested money in the gold mines? The amount of money needed to develop a mine was very large. Most mines were owned initially by investors who brought money in from other countries, hoping to profit from the new mining industry.This money was spent on things like importing special machines for sinking shafts in order to reach the gold-bearing org in the depths of the earth. In addition, the mines needed people who were skilled at deep level mining. These people were mainly immigrants and their l abour was expensive. Skilled workers came from Australia, America, Eastern Europe and especially Britain. In Britain the tin mines in Cornwall were closing down the same time as the gold mines in South Africa were starting up. So many skilled miners from Cornwall came to work on the Witwatersrand.Because of the gold standard, the price of gold was internationally controlled and remained fixed for long periods of time. This meant that an increase in working costs could not be passed on to the buyers by increasing the price of gold. It soon became clear that the only way of mining profitably on the Witwatersrand was to secure a very large supply cheap, unskilled labour. How the mines got their labour In order to be profitable, the mines needed an ongoing supply of cheap labour. The mine owners therefore had to think very carefully about when they would get labour from and how they would make it cheap. We must have labour. The mining industry without labour is as †¦ it would be to imagine that you could get milk without cows. ‘ President of the Chamber of Mines, March 1912 The problem that faced the mine owners was that there was no ready-made supply of workers whom they could recruit to work in the mines. They had to use many different methods to create and keep a supply of cheap labour. Workers in turn resisted these methods in various ways. Few Africans were willing to leave their fields to work underground. Most African farmers were not interested in working in the mines while they still had land.Some, like the Pedi, had been prepared to work as migrants for short periods on the diamond mines in order to get money to buy farming implements, as well as guns to defend themselves. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Even mine owners had to find a way of turning the migrant system into a cheap one. In the years between 1890 and 1899 the number of African mineworkers rose from 14 000 to 100 000. This s ection shows how mine owners managed torecruitthose 100 000 migrant workers and how the migrant labour system was turned into a cheap one.The governments (both Boer and British) and the mine owners worked together to guarantee the mines an ongoing supply of cheap labour. The conquest of the African kingdoms African independence was largely destroyed by the 1880s. Two examples of this were the conquest of the Pedi and the Zulu kingdoms. The methods used to force Africans to become migrant labourers included taking advantage of internal conflicts within African kingdoms. Going to war against the African kingdoms was another method used by both the Boers and the British. Once the African kingdoms had been defeated, the Boer and British governments taxes and land control easures left people with few options for survival except to seek work in the towns. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Control over land By the 1880s the Boers had formed governments in the Transvaal and th e Orange Free State. The British ruled over the Cape Colony and Natal. The Boers and the British were slowly extending their control over the land and the people living in these areas. By 1900 most of the land in South Africa had been taken over by white farmers, mining companies, land companies and by the government. In the Cape and Natal in areas like the Transkei and Zululand, land still belonged to African farmers but there was much less of it.There were some Africans involved in commercial farming in the Orange Free State and the Transvaal. But Africans did not farm their own land in these provinces. Most of them farmed land that belonged to white farmers or unused land that belonged to land companies or the government. They were like the tenant farmers in Britain. Imposition of taxes Soon the Boer and the British governments started to impose taxes on their ‘subjects'. They made new laws that demanded taxes be paid in cash and not in cattle. Africans had to pay a hut tax of R1 per year for every hut.It took a man about three months on the mines to earn this and many men went to work on the mines to pay the hut tax. Every man over 18 years old, black or white had to pay a poll tax of R2 a year. Black unskilled workers were earning between 5c and 19c a day on the mines. They had to use most of this money to buy food and clothes for themselves. It therefore took them months of extra work on the mines to pay the poll tax. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ The third form of tax was the labour tax. In the Cape, the then Prime minister, Rhodes, passed a law called the Glen Grey Act in 1894.Among other things, this law forced all Africans in the Cape to pay R1 to the government every year. However, they did not have to pay this tax if they proved that they worked for wages for at least three months of the year. †¢ Most African men therefore either had to: †¢ earn money to pay the hut tax and the poll tax by selling produce, or worki ng for a short time either on white farms or in towns, or avoid paying the labour tax by working for wages for short periods either on farms or in towns. In these ways thousands of men were forced to become migrant workers.Most chose to go to the mines rather than to do farm labour because they could earn higher wages on the mines. They would go to the mines for specific lengths of time as short as three months or as long as two years while their wives and children stayed at home keeping the farms going. As result more and more men were separated from their families for increasingly long periods. Rhodes claimed that these taxes were meant to encourage independent African farmers to work for wages and to use the cash that they earned to ay for ‘wise and good government'. Early attempts at recruiting From Vusi goes back, Prezanian Comix/E.D. A. Because of the very large supply of labour that the mines needed, the mine owners had to ensure that a sufficient number of men would sp end enough time working on the mines every year. There was competition for labour between the richer mines and the poorer mines. The richer mines were usually able to attract workers by offering higher wages. At the same time, the very existence of the poorer mines depended on reducing working costs by keeping wages as low as possible. The mine owners solved this tension between the richer and the poorer mines by flooding the market with recruited workers.These were workers who were encouraged to come and work on the mines by special agents or ‘touts'. ‘Touts' were paid by recruiting agencies for every worker they recruited. In this way mine owners created a situation where there were more workers than jobs so that workers would be forced to work for lower wages. The mining industry was a major taxpayer to the Transvaal. As a result, the Kruger government co-operated with the mine owners. Although the government was concerned to ensure that the mines did not take African labour away from Boer farmers, it did agree to recruit labour for the mines.This included allowing foreign labour from neighbouring countries to work on the mines. The Kruger government also introduced and policed a pass system. Africans were required to carry passes, a form of document, which allowed them to †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ travel and find jobs only with the approval of the government or an employer. This was designed to control the number of Africans coming to the urban areas. The pass system remained in place in one form or another until 1986. †¢ †¢ The rinderpest Another blow to those farmers who were able to hold onto their independence came with the rinderpest epidemic of 1896-7.This cattle disease reduced many herders to poverty and starvation and many were forced to seek work on white farms or in the mines. Explaining causes Many causes or reasons have been provided to explain why thousands of African farmers went unwillingly to work on the mines every year from the late 1880s onwards. Some of these causes may have had a greater effect on people's lives than others. Behind the scenes of the world of the workers 1897: Lord Miner became governor of the Cape Colony and British High Commissioner in South Africa. He was known for his dislike of Kruger, president of the Transvaal.He also had a strong desire to expand Britain's sphere of influence in South Africa. 1899-1902: The South African War (previously called the Anglo-Boer War) broke out and lasted for three years. An important cause of the war was the struggle for control over the goldfields. The mines were forced to close during the war. Workers returned home. This affected productivity and cost the mine owners and the economy millions of rands. Some say the war paved the way for the Cape Colony, Natal, the Transvaal and the Orange Free State to form one state. 904-1908: South Africa had to be rebuilt or reconstructed after the war. A s part of its reconstruction programme the government under Milner secured cheap indentured labour from China. This enabled the mines to lower wages and ignore the demands of Southern African workers for higher pay and better working conditions. Milner's reconstruction programme was similar in some ways to the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP). Milner's government had to tackle the task of rebuilding the country after the South African War.Africans did not accept the loss of their land or the imposition of taxes, passively. But it was hard for them to fight back because of the strength of the British and the Boers. The development of the mining industry largely destroyed independent farming as a way of life. It changed previous patterns of trade to produce a new economy and a new political system. This new system was controlled by whites. And, particularly during the period from the 1860s to 1910, Britain (and internationally-based companies) had a great influence over the way the country was governed. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Meaning to Human Life Essay

Is there any meaning to human life? After listening to the first two lectures I gathered what I felt to be Professor Amrbosio’s definitions of the hero and the saint. I took notes and after going back through and reading them it helped me to put a few things together. He asks the question about whether or not human existence is meaningful or absurd. We live in a hostile and deadly environment so we try to find our purpose and meaning so we have some sense of security. It is a defense mechanism. Why is there so much evil in this world? We have the good and the bad. The good being our loving parents and the soldiers who put their lives at risk to defend our freedom and our lives. But then you have the bad and the evil such as the homeless people and the terrorist attacks and the holocaust. It is unfair how there are so many people with nothing and living on the streets when there are just as many people who have much more then they need to survive. The hero and the saint represent traits that can and will be inherited and passed on across different cultures and over time. The hero and the saint are metaphors that humans have used to search for the meaning of life. With the hero, reality is formed and driven by the struggle of humans. They believe in honor and self-esteem along with self-fulfillment and admiration. They always run up against bad things and they believe the good guys will come in last. The Saint believes that reality is made up of our personal and loving relationships. These relationships are based around unconditional trust. They feel like humans really have no goal but they have a purpose. Love and gratitude define them. Some people say life is a wrong turn and it’s down a dead end street. Saints and heroes show us ways we can share and participate in living every day and still asking our questions about life. The best we can do is to live the most meaningful life. Make every day count and always tell the ones you love how much you love them because you never know when it could be the last time that you are able to tell them. Sometimes you just have to trust that our life has a purpose.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Essay about PT CAP CitiBankAccount

Essay about PT CAP CitiBankAccount Essay about PT CAP CitiBankAccount There’s only one thing you need to help manage your fees. The facts. Citibank Account Package: Summary of Common Fees and Features Account Opening and Usage Minimum Deposit Needed to Open Account $0 Monthly Service Fee Waived When Requirements Are Met $20* $0 Pays Interest Yes for Interest Checking; No for Regular Checking Citibank ATM Fee $0 Get cash with no surcharge fee through our network of 34,000 ATMs in the U.S. Locate one near you at www.citibank.com/locations Non-Citibank ATM Fee $2.50 or waived Per withdrawal fee for using a Non-Citibank ATM. Waived if combined average monthly balance requirements are met. (No fee for Citibank transfers or balance inquires). Other banks may assess a third party ATM surcharge fee Deposited Check Returned Unpaid $12 Per check you deposit that is returned unpaid Stop Payment Fee $30 Per item you ask to stop payment on For Debit Card Purchases and ATM Withdrawals $0 If you do not have available funds to cover a debit card purchase or ATM transaction, we will decline the transaction at no cost to you. Fee will not be assessed more than 4 times per day when you do not have enough funds in your account. There are two types of fees: For Checks, ACH Debits, Service Fees or other transactions Overdraft Policies Waived if you have $15,000* in combined average monthly balances (see eligible linked products in Helpful Ways to Avoid or Reduce Fees section below) * Effective with your statement period that begins on or after January 1, 2015, the monthly service fee will increase to $25 and effective January 1, 2015, the average monthly balance to waive the monthly service fee and Non-Citibank ATM fee will be decreased to $10,000. Overdraft Fee (paid despite insufficient funds) Insufficient Funds Fee Overdraft Protection Transfer Fee (If you are enrolled in our Checking Plus line of credit or Safety Check linked checking to savings overdraft protection program) The order in which your deposits and withdrawals are processed $34 $34 An overdraft fee occurs when we pay the item despite insufficient funds An insufficient funds fee occurs when we do not pay the item $10 For each day we transfer funds to cover an overdraft in your checking account through your Checking Plus line of credit, linked savings account or money market account Transfer amount is a minimum of $100 or rounded up to the nearest $100 to cover the overdrawn balance and $10 overdraft protection transfer fee (i.e., if you overdraw your checking account by $52, we will transfer $100. If you overdraw your account by $225, we will transfer $300). Generally they are processed as follows: First: Deposits made before the cut-off time are added to your account balance Second: Transactions received real: ATM, debit PIN or teller withdrawals including cashed checks; transfers or Citibank Online bill payments initiated by you, debit card purchases at a merchant and most ACH debits* that we receive throughout the day Third: Fees for services we provide that have not already been debited from your account are deducted from your available balance Fourth: Checks presented for payment and any ACH debit* not deducted during the day are deducted from your remaining available balance in the order of lowest to highest dollar amount *ACH (Automated Clearing House) debits are received electronically through a merchant you have instructed to bill your checking account - i.e., for your utility or phone bill. Your Deposits and Withdrawals When your deposits to your checking account become available Cash Deposit with Teller Generally available immediately on same business day of deposit Cash Deposit at ATM Generally available immediately, but no later than next business day after the business day of deposit Check Deposit with Teller Generally available immediately on same business day of

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Reflection paper on a movie Life is beautiful by Roberto Benigni Essay

Reflection paper on a movie Life is beautiful by Roberto Benigni - Essay Example The setting of the story means that the writing was undertaking a World War II tragicomedy to exemplify some of the very acts of society in those times that he found worth addressing through the medium of filmmaking. On the whole, the film may be seen as being written in what may be seen as roughness of composition because the writer devised a strategy to ensure that the rather horrific theme of war and national agony is presented in a much comic format. In this reflection, a person opinion on the value of the film is presented. There is also an attempt to critic the film with an aim of giving personal opinion as to whether or not I liked the movie. To make the reflection coherent and well organized, specific aspects of the movie shall be selected for analysis including style of writing, themes and value of the film. Critique of Style of Presentation The style of presentation used by Roberto Benigni can generally be regarded as juvenile, freestyle and down to earth. This is because t here were no uses of complex technicalities that require audience and viewers to crack a puzzle while watching the movie. In general tense, the movie was presented in a manner that was easy to understand. A number of strategies were used to achieve this simplicity in presentation. The first was the fact that the writer avoided the use of complex storyline but focused on a direct story revolving around the characters of Guido and Dora and the romantic love that brewed between them. Another strategy that was seen from the style of presentation that made it very simplistic was the fact that the story was clearly divided into two parts of plot sections. This is because in the first hour of the film, the viewer is given much on the romance relationship between Guido and Dora but in the second hour, there is a twist in the plot as much of the sad moments of the setting were introduced. The filmmaker could have easily interrelated these two parts of the film but it would clearly have made it difficult to understand. Reflection on Movie Theme The movie touches on a theme that is directly resounded in its title and that is the theme of life’s beauty. As much as possible, the filmmaker emphasized on the theme of human conviction and the power that the human being has to make life of great worth for himself regardless of undeserving situations and circumstances that they may be confronted with. This theme was empowered around the tragic aspect of the movie, which was the genocide that took place at the time of the Nazi reign in Germany. Not even going into the specifics of the genocide, it can be said that the filmmaker had a mentality of justifying the power of the human conviction above some of the events and situations that were are faced in life with, of which we describe as agonizing and horrifying. This is because as events in the World War II put the rather beautiful relationship revolving around Dora, Dora’s mother, Guildo, Eliseo and Joshua apart, Guido was perceived as having much power in his personal motivation towards life, not to be depressed by events of the war. There is also a theme on human survival in the very moments of times that only the fittest can survive. This is because at the camp, Guildo saw the wisdom in keeping the true situation of the situation between himself and Dora from his son so as to protect their safety. Value of the Film The movie gives a value of hope for the future and the need for mankind to see

Thursday, October 31, 2019

The Heineken Marketing Dispute Over Product Cost Essay - 2

The Heineken Marketing Dispute Over Product Cost - Essay Example Heineken refused to supply Forty Foot, a newly owned pub of Wetherspoon’s. Heineken could lose a lot of profits if it ends its relationship with the pub chains of Ireland. Wetherspoon’s chain is well known for selling food and drinks at cheap prices in the UK. It’s an entry into the Irish market would mean that competition would increase and prices would be driven down; Heineken is not happy with this, so it has demanded its distributors in Ireland including Wetherspoon’s and Dublin to sell its products at high prices (Pogatchnik 2014). Wetherspoon’s has a plan of opening 30 pubs in Ireland by buying failed businesses in the country as an entry strategy. This article is relevant to the concept of marketing channels. The types of marketing channels are direct selling, selling through intermediaries, dual distribution, and reverse channels. The method used by Heineken in this article is the dual distribution mechanism whereby the company uses more than one channel simultaneously in the same market. For example, Heineken sells to Whetherspoon’s and Duplin at the same time to reach the market of Ireland. The concept of marketing channels suggests that the dual distribution channel may cause conflict among channels (Venugopal 2001, p.67). This is what happened with Heineken as some of its distributors rejected its products. The company also utilizes intermediaries and agents to sell its products which involve Manufacturer-Agent-Wholesaler-Retailer-Consumer. This marketing channel is used to reach the market indirectly to target markets (Venugopal 2001, p.130). For example, Heineken sells to the market through pubs such as Duplin and Whetherspoon’s which in turn sell to retailers or sell directly to consumers.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Complete standartisation of offerings and marketing interactions in Essay

Complete standartisation of offerings and marketing interactions in International Marketing strategy is always the main goal to - Essay Example The economic reforms adopted by the governments in different economies across the world led to the inflow of investments by the companies in the foreign countries which opened up the global markets for the companies of different sizes across the world. The transformation in the business environment led to the modification in the international strategies adopted by the companies. Thus the marketing environment and the culture of the companies underwent rapid changes over the period of time. The developments in the market environment and the strategies adopted by the organizations have come up in order to respond to the changes in the consumer behaviour and demands of the customers in the economy. The advancement in communication technologies and other online applications as a result of strategic implementations in the global markets have changed the outlook of the customers of the companies. The customers have become more aware of the information on the products and the services offer ed in the global arena. The level of awareness of the customers has increased and they have started to weigh the different options for the products and services offered by the companies in the international markets. The customers have learnt to define their needs in a far better manner and seek solution to satisfy their wants on a consistent basis (Andrus, 1990, p.430). Apart from this, there have an increase in the competition among the business houses for offering the products and services in the market. In order to gain competitive advantage, the companies started to focus on their strategies to avoid duplication of information on the products and services offered by the company. This led to the standardization of the offerings and marketing interactions as an important trend in the international marketing strategies of the companies. International Marketing strategy The standardization of product offerings and marketing interactions is extremely important for the multinational c ompanies in order to increase the acceptability of the business in the eyes of their customers. As the approach of standardization helps the companies to achieve success in the business operations, the multinational companies include this approach in the international marketing strategies designed by the multinational organizations. The companies that have wide spread operations in various markets across international boundaries considers the changing trends of consumer behaviour in order to design international marketing strategies that are important for achieving successful and sustainable business operations. The experience and learning gathered by the companies in the local markets are applied to the several foreign markets where the company has expanded its operations. The companies ensure that there is no duplication of the information available to the customer on the product and service offerings of the company in different international markets. The international marketing s trategy also takes into account the activities of promotion and marketing interaction done by the executive in several foreign markets. The sequence of penetration and expansion of the business in the foreign markets are important part of the international marketing strategy (Cavusgil, 1994, p.20). The multinational companies that operate in the different foreign market are faced with situations of varying market demands and consumer behaviour