The Causes of Federation in Australia Are Both Pragmatic...

The causes of Federation in Australia are both pragmatic and ideological. Outline and analyse some of those causes as a rationale for federation. The federation of Australia was the development by which the six separate British self-governing colonies of New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and Queensland united together and formed one nation. The constitution of Australia came into force on the 1st of January 1901. There are many pragmatic and ideological reasons as to the cause of federation within Australia, which will be discussed in further detail and depth. The pragmatic causes that will be discussed include trade and transport, defense, and immigration. The trade and transport issues relate to†¦show more content†¦People travelling on the trains would have to change trains at the border of each colony, causing excessive inconvenience for the people travelling. Those who were using the trains for trading goods, had to unload and reload the goods at each colonial border. Therefore, the building of the railway system allowed for the railway to connect to each colony, making it mu ch easier for people to travel between the colonies. In the many years before 1901, Australia was shaped by the fear of invasion and the concern for the purity of the white race. Each colony within Australia had their own defense force, although the defence forces wouldn’t be strong enough to defend and protect Australia’s vast coastline. The colonies own forces didn’t have the men, armies or ammunition to provide adequate defence for their colony. Australia feared the invasion of Asian countries such as China and Japan. Japan were seen as a bigger threat and ‘the fear was fed by the growing power of Japan, which imitated Western economic and military techniques to defeat China and occupy Korea in 1895’ (Macintyre, 2009, p. 141). Australia would’ve normally been able to rely on Britain, but at the time Britain was forced to concentrate more of its naval strength closer to home. This meant that Australia had to become more self-sufficient. They had to raise their own troops, ‘which provided a stimulus for federation’ (Macintyre, 2009, p.Show MoreRelatedContemporary Issues in Management Accounting211377 Words   |  846 Pages978–0–19–928335–4 ISBN 0–19–928336–2 (Pbk.) 978–0–19–928336–1 (Pbk.) 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 3 FOREWORD ‘ Michael Bromwich is an exemplar of all that is good about the British tradition of academic accounting. Serious in intent, he has striven both to illuminate practice and to provide ways of improving it. Although always appealing to his economic understandings, he has been open to a wide variety of other ideas, recognizing their intellectual strengths and capabilities rather than making artificialRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesto be a very coherent unit. The beginnings and ends of what we choose to call centuries are almost invariably years of little significance. But there is little agreement over when the twentieth century c.e. arrived, and there were several points both before the year 2000 (the collapse of the Soviet Union, the reunification of Germany, the surge of globalization from the mid-1990s) and afterward (9/11, or the global recession of 2008) when one could quite plausibly argue that a new era had begunRead MoreLibrary Management204752 Words   |  820 Pages. . . . . . . . . . . . 182 Mechanistic Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185 Organic Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185 Modifying Library Bureaucracy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Some Commonly Used Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 Committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 Task Force . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 Matrix Organizational StructureRead MoreFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words   |  1056 PagesSelf-Managed Teams Reliability 171 Validity 171 Content Validity 171 Construct Validity 172 Criterion-Related Validity 172 Recruiting: A Global Perspective 146 DID YOU KNOW?: Posting Online Rà ©sumà ©s 147 Your Own Job Search 147 Preparing Your Rà ©sumà © 148 Some Final Remarks 149 Summary 149 Demonstrating Comprehension: Questions for Review 150 Key Terms 150 151 HRM Workshop 170 Key Elements for Successful Predictors 170 Linking Concepts to Practice: Discussion Questions 151 Developing DiagnosticRead MoreExploring Corporate Strategy - Case164366 Words   |  658 Pagesare managing strategic issues. The case studies which follow allow the reader to extend this linking of theory and practice further by analysing the strategic issues of speciï ¬ c organisations in much greater depth – and often providing ‘solutions’ to some of the problems or difï ¬ culties identiï ¬ ed in the case. There are also over 33 classic cases on the Companion Website. These are a selection of cases from recent editions of the book which remain relevant for teaching. The case studies are intended toRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesInc., Permissions Department, One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458, or you may fax your request to 201-236-3290. Many of the designations by man ufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and the publisher was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed in initial caps or all caps. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Robbins, Stephen P. Organizational behavior /

Being Heroic in the Right Time Essay - 802 Words

Being Heroic in the Right Time Heroes arise all around you from men that land a plane on the Hudson, to a twelve year old boy that dies trying to save his grandpa from a fire. Even kids see heroes, they have capes, and masks, and medals of honor. Growing up under a corrupted leader can be a hard life. Its hard to see heroes when the guy who is suppose to be the countries leader is corrupted. The Mirabal sister are able to step out and be heroes In a dark covering of Trujillo. To me Minerva is a great hero, she steps her to challenges. She stopped her friend from shooting Trujillo. She boldly Stands up to Trujillo when he tries to hit on her. Last after she stood up to him she still goes to the palace to free her father. That takes a lot†¦show more content†¦Saving Sinitas life was not the only thing that made Minerva a hero. Its hard to stand up to someone that has so much power over you, but Minerva wasnt going to let anybody treat her like she didnt want to be treated. No, no. El Jefe has invited you to his table. Patria and Dede exchange a scared look. ( pg. 63). This shows that Minerva has heroic characteristics. She gives everyone the benefit of the doubt. She goes to sit with Trujillo because he has power over her and she gives authority respect at first. Thats exactly what Im trying to convince Papa to do. In confess., playing this man against my father. If El a Jefe says he wants me to study. Papa will have to let me. Ive always wanted to study law. (Pg. 65). Real heroes always started out with having dreams. Some heroes dreamed their whole life of simply being heroes. She would be a hero to all women if she was the First Lady to attend a university. He yanks me by the wrist, thrusting his pelvis at me in a vulgar way, and if can see my hand in and endless slow motion rise. - a mind all of its own- and come down on the astonished made up face. ( pg. 67). By Minerva standing up to Trujillo it gives a lot of other women relief that someone will finally stand up to Him. She doesnt back down because someone has more power than her, but she stands up for what she knows is right. Minerva never let anybody treat her with disrespect, and when anybody treated her family with disrespect she stood up toShow MoreRelatedTo Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee1185 Words   |  5 Pagesand in the Deep South where racial discrimination is prominent. Hamlet is a tragic play, written about the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, involving incest, murder, and dishonesty. The above literatures are written during different periods of time and are contrastive in numerous aspects. However, both literatures are comprised of numerous scenes where the main characters deal with situations that test their morality and values. Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird and Hamlet in Hamlet, areRead MoreHeroism : A True Hero1283 Words   |  6 Pagesheroes cannot be someone who are too lazy to take the time to study how to make those discoveries or inventions. Heroism can be when people stand up for what they believe is right, no matter what other people think about them or their idea. Heroism is not when people are afraid of what other people might think about them or what they believe in. Finally, A true hero is someone who doesn’t leave anyone behind when their lives are at risk. Being a hero does not mean that you pick and choose who youRead MoreTaming Of The Shrew Vs Antigone Essay1122 Words   |  5 Pagesperson, who in the opinion of others, has special achievements, abilities, or personal qualities, and is regarded as a role model. (Dictionary.com) In the two plays and movie, Taming of the Shrew, Antigone, and The Long Walk Home, there are many heroic characters such as, Kate from Taming of the Shrew, Antigone from Antigone, and Miriam Thompson from The Long Walk Home. Taming of the Shrew is a play that tells of a tale of one of two sisters, Kate and Bianca, trying to get suitors to marry. HoweverRead MoreEssay on Honor and Glory in Homers Iliad1402 Words   |  6 Pagescut our lives short at any time, so the Greeks must have an example, a model mortal, to follow so as to make the most of their lives.A model mortal is one who lives his life accumulating the most honor and glory: he pressed for battle now where men win glory (4: 259).By strictly adhering to the honor/heroic code, a mortal can raise himself to become the model mortal. This hero, Diomedes, is the model mortal of the Greeks.    Diomedes follows the heroic code, finding glory and honorRead MoreOdysseus And The Heroic Cycle In Homers The Odyssey806 Words   |  4 Pageswe have learned that, The Odyssey, demonstrates a prime example of the heroic cycle. The story begins after the defeat of the Trojans in the Trojan War. The greek hero, Odysseus, embarks on his victorious journey back to his home land of Ithaca. Fatefully, Odysseus’s journey goes awry resulting in him being captured and held hostage for seven years by the greek goddess, Calypso. Ultimately, the gods of Mt. Olympus decide the time has come for Odysseus to return to Ithaca and be reunited with his familyRead MoreFarenheit 451 Paper1504 Words   |  7 PagesMontag, is an intellect. In the society he lives in, books are illegal. The government feels threatened by people with the knowledge that books promote. Montag has the infamous job of a fireman, an odd twist on our society’s fireman. Fireman in this time start fires rather t han stop them and the fuel for the fires are books. The government attempts to suppress thinkers; people who question orders given, people who question things that most just ignore. Montag’s job easily disguises his secret plots;Read MoreThe Rape Of The Lock1295 Words   |  6 PagesIn order to understand Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock, it is imperative that the reader comprehends the meaning of wit and its purpose, the resulting effect of rhymes, and what meanings and/or feelings are conveyed when reading a heroic couplet or the â€Å"coupletness† of the poem. For Pope, wit and couplets are overlapping, intersecting concepts. Pope employs vocabulary, syntax and style to bring wit to his poems, proving that form is not divisible from content. In The Rape of the Lock, PopeRead MoreThe Ramayana As A Hero Essay1508 Words   |  7 Pagesbeen subject to many changes, especially with respect to changes over time and in terms of how heroism is viewed by diff erent cultures. The thing being explored in this chapter, primarily through the analysis of major heroic archetypes and characters, is how the ancient Indian heroic society takes the ideas of heroism, with specific focus on the epic poem ‘The Ramayana’. Along with the examining of the major characterstics of heroic archetypes, specifically the hero who works with a partner or companionRead More Epic Vs. Modern Heroes Essay1008 Words   |  5 Pagescry from Monty Python’s Search for the Holy Grail, is a far a-hem cry from the modern day hero’s, the essence remains the same. Many aspects of culture have been wholly altered, but society’s quest for a hero has remained. Each people of the ancient times had a matchless idol that was unto his self the embodiment of cultural perfection. In more recent eras, where societies vary exceedingly, people have relied on scores of heroes. The United States is deemed the â€Å"melting pot† of the world due t o theRead MoreHeroism Essay743 Words   |  3 PagesWhat is being a hero mean? Heroism is to be brave when others are not willing to and being caring when other need it. Being a hero means you never back down and are not afraid. Every hero, big or small fights for something different, like rights that they deserve, to stand out from the crowd, doing what is right in their mind, or just doing what their gut tells them to. Rights are an important factor in life that everyone deserves but many individuals live without. Many beings will fight for it

Prejudicial Perceptions Essay Example For Students

Prejudicial Perceptions Essay March 31, 2004Expository EssayEnglish 1101The use of language is an incentive for prejudicial perceptions which bring many issues to the attention of people everywhere. People who do not understand certain languages want to either learn that language, or they feel apprehensive towards those who know more about other languages than they do. Some people are ashamed of their culture, family history, and wish that they could change it. They long for acceptance from todays harsh society. People who come from multi?cultural families who speak two or more languages are either ridiculed thought of as smart, or too smart, therefore causing a want to be common. Elizabeth Wong gave many examples of cultural separation or divorce as she would put it, in The Struggle to be an All?American Girl. She told of how she felt great disgrace for her Chinese ethnicity and culture. She wanted to be that All?American Girl to fit into our judgmental society. She felt hatred towards her mother for only knowing broken English. As she got older and matured, she learned to respect and be proud of her families culture.Most People have more respect for family and they realize that family is one of the most important things in life. When you are younger, family is important, but in a different type of way. Most people find themselves looking back on their childhood wishing that they could go back and relive it. They miss relying on their parents for support but on the other hand, they start looking forward to having a family of their own. Joyce Chang shared similar views to that of Elizabeth Wong. She was quite embarrassed by her families background. In Drive Becarefully, Joyce often thought twice before she spoke, because of being scolded by her teacher at an early age. She was taught to speak clearly and to make sure that the point was clearly stated and understood. She said: Having my teachers say that my mothers English was wrong had a lasting impression on me. When I went home that day, all I could think about when my mother spoke was the wrongness of her as a person. How horrible that must of been for someone to think of their mother as incorrect. Joyce wanted to fix every mistake her mother made and Americanize her. Joyce grew up, matured, and began to accept people for who they were, and not by how they spoke. She now tries to ignore the perhaps, awkward structure of their sentences, and not critique their every word. Chang and Wong are two authors with similar backgrounds. They were both of different cultures trying to live in an American society. They were both ashamed of their culture, language, and families at one time or another. Both changed their minds later in life as they matured and they began to appreciate their backgrounds and culture. People who separate themselves from their culture often find themselves going back to their roots and finally appreciating who they are and where they came from. AcknowledgmentsId like to thank the authors of this essays for their realizations of cultural divorces and for sharing them with us. Id also like to thank Basey, the weird guy in the back for making me laugh at his comments on my paper. Thanks!

Romeo And Juliet Essays (1105 words) - , Term Papers

Romeo And Juliet This assignment is on a scene of Romeo and Juliet I have split the scene into thirteen different sections. These sections include what the music and sound affects will be and what the lighting will be and even what sought of characters I am going to have to play the part. In section one I am having a medium shot that is at eye level to show Benvolio and Mercutio's conversation and to also see the expressions on their faces. The only music or sound affects I am having are the background sounds of a market and people muttering. The only symbols that are present are the clothes Mercutio are wearing which are red to symbolize he is loyal to Romeo and his family. For Benvolio I have picked an actor that is short, has brown hair, skinny, is caring and is always trying to have fun. Mercutio's actor has to be strong, tall has to strong, fit, tall, has black hair, is outgoing, loud, rough and has a good sense of humor. In this section lighting is used to show that it is the middle of the day and is also very hot. In section two I am having an extreme long shot and a dutch angle to show where everyone is situated and also to show the shock showed by Mercutio and Benvolio. There is also dramatic sinister music showing that he is the bad guy and is not liked by Mercutio and Benvolio. There are also footstep sound affects while Tybalt is walking over to Mercutio and Benvolio. The only props that are of any real significance would be the swords showing that they are prepared to fight. The main symbols are the red clothing worn by Mercutio and the Blue worn by Tybalt to show that he is loyal to Juliet and her family. Like that last scene the lighting shows that is around noon and is very hot. In the third section I am going to have a long shot at an eye level to see everyone talking and to also see some of the market in the background. Sinister music is still playing to show trouble is lurking just around the corner. Again the lighting is to show it is around noon and is hot. A tall skinny strong man that is fit and looks very sinister plays Tybalt's character. He also has a devilish attitude and not much of a conscious. In the fourth section of this scene I am having a close up on Romeo to show his surprising looks as he sees Tybalt. Innocent music is playing saying that Romeo has never done anything wrong in his life. There are still the background sound affects of the market. Again the lighting shows that it is the middle of a hot day, the lighting also shows all of Romeo's features. There is one symbol that is present and that is Romeo wearing the red showing he is a Montague For Romeo the actor has to be tall, have fair skin, strong, out going, skinny, innocent looking, have fine features and attractive. The fifth section has dramatic scary music playing to symbolize trouble is lurking just around the corner. The camera angle is a high angle to show everyone in the scene it is also a medium shot. Again the lighting is showing the heat and that it is in the middle of the day. In the sixth section I am having a long shot with a high angle again to show all that is going on and to show the crowd of people watching the fight. There is sinister dramatic music playing because of the fight. There are background sounds of people talking about the fight. The lighting is showing that it is in the middle of the day and is really hot, the lighting is also showing that Tybalt and Mercutio are sweating by the light gleaming off their sweaty heads. The seventh section has an extreme close up of Mercutio's face showing the pain and the expression on his face. Then there is another extreme close up of Romeo's face showing his shock and despair. There is then a medium shot at eye level showing

Clint Schaff (LA Times)

Why Marketers Should Think Like Publishers w/ Clint Schaff (LA Times) How do you create content? Plan for it? Identify what will resonate with your audience? Marketers need to think of themselves as content producers and publishers. They’re all trying to come up with a story that has an angle and narrative to provide insight or leadership. Today, we’re talking to Clint Schaff, vice president of strategy and research at the Los Angeles Times. Clint is a dynamic marketer and journalist who offers his perspective on marketers as content creators and publishers, and journalists and media storytellers as marketers. He shares processes around content planning, creation, and promotion. Doing social good by transforming relationships between consumers and brands; content creation is meant to serve an advocacy for communications Content to cover involves complicated collaboration, stories consistent with brand, and commercial viability Feedback from influencers and data on your audience help determine content Editorial calendar serves as a way to plan and manage content Return on investment (ROI) and generating revenue from content Create unique, exclusive content experiences through experimentation Leverage different mediums and promote content through social media, paid advertising, and other ways to get more content and generate attention Write weekly summary of what you did and what you’re going to do to make sure everyone on your team is moving in the same direction Be a better marketer by making a list of the most surprising things you could do to move toward your objective Links: Los Angeles Times Dirty John Podcast Chartbeat LA Times Festival of the Books What topics and guests do you want on the Actionable Marketing Podcast? Send me your suggestions! If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Clint Schaff: â€Å"It’s about content creation that’s meant to serve an advocacy for something. Advocacy for communications, whether that’d be for a brand or a cause or an idea or story.† â€Å"If you create amazing, impeccable journalism, but no one reads it, and you haven’t figured out how to meet a need in the market, well, that’s not a very good business.† â€Å"Our whole brand is based on credibility and trust.† â€Å"We’re turning on the dials, trying every possible way to get eyeballs on our content that people need to see.†

Sequence of Tenses in Spanish

Sequence of Tenses in Spanish Spanish has two basic tenses of the subjunctive mood in everyday use, the present subjunctive, and the imperfect subjunctive. (Although a future subjunctive form exists, it generally isnt used in speech, its use being limited primarily to formal legal documents.) Fortunately, knowing which tense to use is fairly easy to remember. Verbs in the subjunctive mood are typically in a part of a sentence (a dependent clause) that begins with que, which follows a verb in the indicative mood. The tense of the subjunctive verb depends on the tense of the verb in the first part of the sentence, as indicated in the following list of sentence structures. Present indicative verb que present subjunctive verb.Preterite indicative verb que imperfect subjunctive verb.Imperfect indicative verb que imperfect subjunctive verb.Future indicative verb que present subjunctive verb.Conditional indicative verb que imperfect subjunctive verb. Distinctions in the above list are often referred to as the sequence of tenses. Although there are exceptions as well as instances where the subjunctive mood is used with other sentence structures, these rules take into account the vast majority of cases where the subjunctive mood is used. Here are examples of sentences using each of the above structures: Present Indicative/Present Subjunctive Recomiendo que no estudies cuando comas. I recommend that you dont study when you eat. ¿Es buena idea que duerma con mi bebà ©? Is it a good idea for me to sleep with my baby?Todo est listo para que inicie el foro. Everything is ready for the forum to begin. Preterite Indicative/Imperfect Subjunctive Intentà © que ellos me entendieran. I tried to get them to understand me.Nunca mereciste que te amara, hasta ahora. You never deserved for me to love you, until now.Era mejor que te ensuciaras las manos. It was better that you got your hands dirty. Imperfect Indicative/Imperfect Subjunctive Yo querà ­a que cantaran juntos. I wanted them to sing together.Estaba yo en casa y esperaba que lloviera. I was at home and hoping it would rain.No aparecà ­a que hubiera tomado alcohol o sustancias tà ³xicas. It didnt appear that she had taken alcohol or poisonous substances. Future Indicative/Present Subjunctive Negarà © que seas mi hijo. I will deny that you are my son.Si suspende el examen, dudarà © que estudie mucho. If he flunks the test, I will doubt he studies much.Esperars que llegue la hora del dormir. You will hope that bedtime will come. Conditional Indicative/Imperfect Subjunctive​​ Hay 10 cosas que las mujeres desearà ­an que los hombres supieran sobre el amor. There are 10 things that women would want men to know about love. ¿Quià ©n dudarà ­a que tuviera un puesto en el equipo cubano? Who would doubt that he had a position on the Cuban team?Nunca querrà ­a que le quitaran la medalla. I would never want them to take the medal from him.

Should battered women be sent to prison for killing their abusers Research Proposal

Should battered women be sent to prison for killing their abusers - Research Proposal Example Therefore, the entire structure of the justice system changed and â€Å"police  officers,  prosecutors,  health  workers and  judges were encouraged to take action against intimate  abuse† (Dutton, 105). The changes in the justice system also gave rise to several challenges and here, a question arose that how battered women should be treated in the eyes of the law after killing their assaulters. The aim of this paper is to analyze the issue of battered women and sending them to prison if they murder their abusers. In order to understand the circumstances in which battered women kill their abusers, it is essential to understand the main features of a crime. In order to prove a crime, it is essential that the court determines whether the act was atrocious, against the law and illegitimate and was committed by the accused willingly, which would make him or her guilty (Jackson, 207). Research suggests that battered women develop mental disorders because of the abuse they experience. According to Jackson (221) , stress, depression, fear, anxiety and hopelessness are the most common psychological disorders found in these women. Furthermore, these women are most likely to experience chronic depression, which makes feel guilty (Dutton & Painter, 615). Furthermore, research suggests that sixty percent of these women remain with their abusive boyfriends or husbands and are unable to take any action because of their unstable mental condition. Research also suggests that these women are suicidal. Gillesp ie (100) suggests that more forty five percent of battered women are most likely to have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. As mentioned earlier, battered women are subjected to domestic violence and hence, they are most likely to suffer from psychological disorders, which may compel them to skill their assaulters after experiencing the abuse for a very long time. In order to define the psychological condition of battered women, the term

Htm421 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Htm421 - Essay Example 1). There could be other factors that influence food habits and how people from different culture develop a particular preference for food. In this regard, the current discourse aims to present the factors that influence food habits and culture, in general; and specifically in the State of California. In the simplest manner, ordinary people could acknowledge that there are common factors that influence food habits or choices. The factors include: the need to satisfy hunger; availability; income, prices of food, and convenience; advertisements and media; social and traditional practices; personal values and beliefs; and other factors (taste, psychological needs, and culture) (6 Factors That Affect Our Food Choice, 2013; Influences on food choices and food patterns, n.d.). Others categorize factors influencing food habits to be preponderant on social and cultural factors (Cassel, 1957; Latham, n.d.). Some factors are broadly classified according to physical needs, to satisfy the senses, as well as to meet psychological and social needs (Influences on food choices and food patterns, n.d.). From these factors, it could be deduced that these ranges from needs and drives that could be personal, influenced by the family, or the community on a broader context. In terms of psychological factors, there are a broad range of reasons that determine food habits and choices according to personality types. The table below summarizes the personality types, the food preferences, and the psychological reasons for eating; as well as the professional advice: contributory to the establishment and manifestation of food habits, preferences, and choices (Cassel, 1957; Latham, n.d.). Some of these cultural factors include consideration of nutritional value of food, suitability of the land to grow certain crops, knowledge in food technology, and even belief in taboos. For instance, it is emphasized that â€Å"a custom frequently

Products & United States Essay Example for Free

Products United States Essay The product selected for this particular study is Crest whitening toothpaste. Crest has been one of Proctor Gamble’s major global products since it was launched in the United States in 1955. Since then the product has changed in a few ways, namely in the active content of the product, and how it is marketed. This study will look at whether these changes were successful, and what strategies were used by Proctor Gamble to initiate these changes. In the last five to ten years, the Crest range of toothpastes has been expanded to include a variety of products which promote the whitening element of the core toothpaste product. These include the development of a long lasting mouthwash to complement Crest toothpaste as well as whitening strips which can be applied to teeth after brushing and mouth washing. The core product has also been changed, with a wider variety of Crest products, from sensitive whitening to weekly cleaning cream. These changes and the excellent brand management at Proctor Gamble have allowed the product to be developed slightly but clearly and concisely, without moving away from the core strategic elements of their corporate strategy, to deliver products which improve the lives of everyday people around the world. These changes have been made using a simple brand management strategy, which was not to try and develop the next big thing, but to focus on what Proctor Gamble are good at, and maintain the market share of the old staple products, such as Crest.   This strategy was implemented by the CEO Alan Lafley, who was appointed in 2000. He wanted to streamline the business around its core products, and Crest was one of those products. This brand building strategy was very successful and has helped Proctor Gamble become one of the biggest companies in the United States today.

Ayn Rand - A False Romantic Essay -- Biography Biographies Essays

Ayn Rand - A False Romantic The Romantic period at its height extended over just a bit more than a century, from the latter half of the eighteenth century through to nearly the end of the nineteenth century. During this period, a new school of poetry was forged, and with it, a new moral philosophy. But, as the nineteenth century wound down, the Romantic movement seemed to be proving itself far more dependent on the specific cultural events it spanned than many believed; that is, the movement was beginning to wind down in time with the ebbing of the industrial and urban boom in much the same way that the movement grew out of the initial period of industrial and urban growth. Thus, it would be easy to classify the Romantic movement as inherently tied to its cultural context. The difficulty, then, comes when poets and authors outside of this time period-and indeed in contexts quite different then those of the original Romantic poets-begin to label themselves as Romantics. The twentieth century author Ayn Rand, author of works such as The Fountainhead, Anthem, and Atlas Shrugged, is one such example of a self-labeled Romantic. In 1971 Rand published a collection of essays in a book she titled The Romantic Manifesto. This series of essays, with topics ranging from romantic art to the nature of a novel, carefully lays out Rand's conception of Romanticism and her place within it. The question one must ask, then, is how does Rand manage to write a work of nearly two hundred pages on the nature of Romanticism without ever once mentioning any of the key Romantic poets: Keats, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Shelley, and so on. The obvious answer would seem to be that Rand's conception of Romanticism must be diametrically opposed to that of... ...us, while one may draw valuable insights about some of the potential flaws of the Romantic's ideals and philosophy through a comparison with Rand, in the end it truly is a comparison of Rand and the Romantics, not a comparison of Rand and her fellow Romantics. Works Cited Bloom, Harold and Lionel Trilling, eds. Romantic Poetry and Prose. New York: Oxford University Press, 1973. Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged. New York: Dutton, 1957. Rand, Ayn. The Romantic Manifesto. New York: Signet Publishing, 1975. Footnotes: 1 Preface to Lyrical Ballad; Bloom & Trilling, p. 595 2 Preface; Bloom & Trilling, p. 596 3 Biographia Literaria; Bloom & Trilling, p. 649 4 A Defence of Poetry; Bloom & Trilling, p. 751 5 The Romantic Manifesto; Rand, p. 103 6 The Romantic Manifesto; Rand, p. 122 7 Atlas Shrugged; Rand, p. 282-283 8 Atlas Shrugged; Rand, p. 1036 Â  

Blade Runner and Frankenstein: A Comparison

Texts, in order to effectively convey a message, commonly reflect on social views, attitudes and contextual values. A comparison between Ridley Scotts sci-fi thriller â€Å"Blade Runner: the Directors Cut† and the Mary Shelley’s classic gothic novel â€Å"Frankenstein† will reveal that there are elements of human nature which will remain constant over time. These two texts reflect of the possibility of scientific and technological development and caution about possible physical and moral consequences of this development.The seductive nature of knowledge is explored in both texts as the fine line that separates man and monster is revealed as our capacity for true human emotion is questioned. As a critique of scientific and enlightened rationalism, Shelley’s gothic text â€Å"Frankenstein† explores the duality of the human condition as man is capable of both good and evil. Walton’s letters portray man’s capacity for arrogance and moral b lindness and foreshadow the subsequent folly committed by Dr Frankenstein. The sun is for ever visible, its broad disk just skirting the horizon, and diffusing a perpetual splendor† Walton’s romantic ideals are juxtaposed with his own arrogance as he refers to Shakespeare’s play Macbeth â€Å"but success shall crown my endeavors. Wherefore not? † Shelley’s intertextual allusion to Macbeth portrays the arrogance Walton holds about his voyages success. Just as Macbeth was ambition, so to does Walton lose his moral direction on his question for discovery. This aptitude is characteristic of romantic writers in the 1700’s who similarly used to romantic writing styles to contrast mans moral blindness.Similarly, Ridley Scott also explores the moral blindness of humans as the pragmatism of the 80’s is reflected though the loss of god in the dystopian 2019 Los Angles. Through corporate prosperity, Scott suggests that god has been replaced by th e creator, Tyrell. â€Å"Nothing the god of bio-mechanics wouldn’t let you in heaven for† the direct allusion of Tyrell to â€Å"the god of bio-mechanics† reflects that Tyrell, as the owner of the supreme corporation on earth has been elevated to a god like status, reflecting the importance of corporate dominance in the 80’s.As Roy confronts Tyrell, the creator plays with an extravagant, human like chess set, symbolic of his god like status over humans. Tyrell’s eyes are hidden behind the glare of his glasses as he peers over the figures, his tone as he confronts Roy is arrogant as he states â€Å"the light that burns twice as bright, burns half as long, and you have burned so bright† the objectification of Roy dehumanizes and belittles the replicant and portrays Tyrell’s control and dominance over humanity. Humanity has been embedded with the capacity to celebrate the divinity of nature and this appreciation of the natural world is a key element of the human spirit.Shelley’s text â€Å"Frankenstein† reflects the Romantic’s pantheistic view of god and nature as the two are inextricably linked. The Romantic belief that god is revealed through the natural world is shown as Frankenstein takes solace in the sublime beauty of nature. â€Å"The vary winds whispered in soothing accents, and maternal nature bade me weep no more† the personification of the wind and comparison of natural to a mother reflects the romantic influences over Shelley as nature is portrayed as divine and splendid. Similarly, other characters in the novel also marvel at the magnificence of nature.Walton, in his letters, reflects on the beauty of the Artic on his voyage â€Å"Sailing over a calm sea, we may be wafted to a land surpassing in wonders and in beauty every region hitherto discovered on the habitable globe† Walton fascination with the discovery and exploration of the Artic also reproduces Shelleyâ€⠄¢s romantic ideals, reflecting the romantic writers common pre-occupation with the unspoiled domain of the artic. The dangers of circumventing the natural order are also explored in Ridley Scotts â€Å"Blade Runner: The Directors Cut†. The text reflects how nature has been compromised for industrial profit of transnational corporations.The soaring oblique camera angle and the hellish image of fire, works with the dramatic, eerie music at the beginning of the film to suggest the capitalistic world has destroyed the natural world for the creation of profit. The film noir technique used throughout the film adds a sense of lifelessness to the Los Angles environment and offers contrast to Frankenstein, where nature is respected and revered. Scott uses his text to didactically warn the audience about the degradation of the natural environment as the capitalist world of Los Angles and the on world colony has become degraded urban sprawl devoid of natural life.In Blade Runner, the n atural world is represented by the breakdown of the physical environment. In Frankenstein, the natural world is broken down morally as the creator defies the natural order. Ultimately both texts caution against the perception that all progress is beneficial. Shelley’s Frankenstein and Ridley Scotts Blade Runner each challenge human supremacy as the created is portrayed as moral, emotionally and physically superior to their creator. The Replicants in Scotts Blade Runner challenge this Darwinian view of human supremacy as, in contrast to the humans of LA 2019; they are emotive, compassionate and moral. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain† the raw emotion shown by Roy as his image is silhouetted against filtered blue light life reflects the elements of humanity that have been lost in the dystopic world as the replicants are the only beings capable of true emotive, human behavior. Similarly, Shelley’s Frankenstein portrays the reversal of the D arwinian Theory with Frankenstein creating a being superior physically and emotionally to man.Shelley uses the Romantic belief of the loss of innocence, shown in the inter-textual allusion to Milton’s â€Å"Paradise lost† as the monster is portrayed as benevolent and being capable of both compassion and love, similar to man before his expulsion from the Garden of Eden. â€Å"I ought to be thy Adam; but I am rather the fallen angel, whom thou drivest from joy for no misdeed† the biblical allusion to Adam and the Devil portray the monsters human elements as he is shown as compassionate, intelligent and munificent â€Å"I was benevolent and good, misery made me a fiend† contrasting Frankenstein who seems incapable of showing human emotion.Shelley uses the rivalry between Victor and his Creature to reflect the hostility between the devil and god in Milton’s epic poem â€Å"Paradise lost†, Shelley was influenced by her husbands writing on the poe m and used his general interpretation to present the antagonism between Frankenstein and his monster.Despite the different contexts of both Shelly’s Frankenstein and Scott’s Blade Runner, each texts reflects similar themes and a further knowledge and greater understanding of context enables the reader to hold a deeper appreciation of the texts. Both texts challenge our assumption that knowledge is beneficial and expose the physical and moral consequences of circumventing the natural order. However the two texts question our more primal practices as each they question to what extent our human nature has remained the same.

Film techniques

A shot Of a person landing to set a bomb in a building would for instance require the film maker to use a close up or better still an extreme close up to show the tense feeling in the characters' eye. Using a long shot in this scene will not clearly bring out the message since the long shot does not reveal details or emotions. Any motion picture is made up of basic elements of a sequence referred to as the shots. This paper illustrates how various shots are used in film making to form a sequence and to convey different messages.Extreme long shot It is usually referred to as an establishing shot. This is because it orients the ewer to the location. It is an opening shot that is used to tell the viewer the exterior environment that the film is taking place. It therefore describes the location of the scene that could be the outside buildings, a geographical landscape of a town or city among other locations. It normally reveals landscapes. Usually a viewer cannot clearly see a specific o bject in this kind of shot though he or she sees the environment.It answers the question ‘Where?. The extreme long shot can also be used to set the atmosphere of the scene. An extreme shot of an arid land with wind and dust blowing up into the air an tell the audience that the place is a dry atmosphere probably a desert scene. The shot can also be used to show a broad range of action. For example a battle of soldiers fighting each other can be captured using this shot so that no action is missed. Every action and element on set is to be seen since each MIS -en- scene tells a story.The actors on field fighting create suspense, the color on set could be used to relate the environment with a familiar one in the viewers' mind, the props could be used to effect the mood and so every miser-I-scene is captured using the extreme long shot. It is also known as the wide shot. Eng Shot (L S) It is usually taken with a wide-angle lens and at times referred to as the full shot. If the subj ect is a human being the shot usually display from head to toe without revealing much of the surroundings. This kind of shot usually establishes a relationship between the subject and its environment.In most cases it answers the question ‘Who' because it reveals the subject to the viewer. The shot identifies the character in the story. It is used to create an illusion of reality in the audiences' mind. It depicts an image in a manner that ill occur in real life. Take for instance when in real life a visitor walks in an office. The human eye just like the lens of the camera will first tale a wide look of the entire office, before looking at Mr.. X seated in the office chair then lastly the eye will start looking at small details such as the pen on the desk, files on the shelves and other tiny details.A long shot may at times be used to demean the subject because the subject appears smaller than the surrounding. Generally it sets in motion the audience's perception of time, plac e and logical action of the scene that is about to take place. Medium Shot (MS) A medium shot is usually used in conversations to establish the relationship between characters on stage. The shot does not demean the subject on the contrary it places the audience on equal footing with the subject. It therefore answers the question ‘what' because it shows the relationship between actors and events in the story.If the subject is a human being the shot shows from waist up to the head. A normal lens is used for shooting the medium shot. It is also used to smoothly bridge the jump between the L'S and the M. S so as to create an illusion of a mutinous Story in the mind of the viewer. A continuous Story depicts reality and leads to greater understanding of the story line. A two shot A two shot is a type of medium shot used in dialogue scene between two actors by having them both in the frame as they carry on their conversation. It is a common shot in interviews.It consists of two actor s standing or sitting next to each other or a variation of an over-dosshouses shot where one actor's back is closer to the camera than the other actor facing the camera. Close-up (CUE) It is the heart of the picture. This shot shows a part of the subject. For example, a close up of a hand of a human body or face or leg, or wristwatch on the arm. It is used to emphasize a character's emotion and can effectively be used to create suspense in the viewers' mind. This type of shot can also be used to show intimacy and warmth.The shot takes the viewer to the mind of the character and this way the audience is made to feel comfortable with the character on set. Extreme Close-Up (SEC) This shot is taken using a telephoto lens and is tighter than a close up shot. It shows a small detail that would otherwise be missed in a wider shot. It is armorial referred to as a detail shot that shows emotions to the audience. The SEC is also used to create some emotion in the viewer% eyes. For instance a scene of a person crying, this sad emotion will clearly be depicted if the viewer notices the tears falling from a subject's eyes.In most cases it answers the question ‘To what effect' because it depicts emotions. An extreme close-up can also be used to bring about the dramatic aspect of a story. For instance two characters quarrelling in a film, the editor might decide to use an SEC of a knife on the table to create anxiety in the viewer's mind. The viewer is left anticipating what will happen next in the conflict and how the knife will be used. The SEC can also be used to achieve the editing principle of duration and pace. It is used in creating high tempo in a story.For instance when the storyline is approaching end of its climbing action, the duration of the shots are usually short and the action is ramping up, this is the time when an SEC is effectively used. They set up the pace of the film. For example a scene that involves police chasing kidnappers, the editor would us e SEC combined with other shots but cut at a fast speed to intensify the action. In a film that's mainly a documentary focusing on nature, an extreme close up is used to show viewers even the tiniest of creatures such as crawling insects. This is because it tends to enlarge the image.A good example is The National Geographic documented series that uses the SEC to capture images that are out Of eyes reach unless one uses the telephoto lens. Reaction shot A reaction shot such as a smiling lady would depict emotions to the viewer during a conversation on set. This type of shots are also used to tell a characters' trait . Let can also be a cut away or cut in. A cut away is a shot that is not part of the main action but is related to the scene. For example a shot of a clock on the wall when people are talking in a room is a cut away.It can also be a cut -in which on the other hand is related to the main action. For example a shot that's a close up of a lady grin her face as she prepares a fish meal and another one of her hands washing the fish. These two types of reaction shots are used to add interest in the story and to kill monotony of action. The eye likes variety. They shot helps the viewer not to get bored as they add interest to the story. Arc shot A shot in which the camera is usually placed at a higher angle, and it rotates the subject in a semi-circle.This shot reveals new details about the background that the subject is standing on and is effectively used to glue the audience to the scene. The shot creates a dramatic feel to the scene while drawing the audience attention. Dutch shot This is a shot where the camera is deliberately tilted on its side, to create an oblique angle. It is often used to suggest disorientation, to create a dramatic effect, to portray uneasiness, to create a frantic mood or to show a harassers' intoxication. Was commonly used by German Expressionism.It is usually used to show the psychological uneasiness or tension in the subject being filmed. Camera angles can also be used to give a variety of shots that pass a message to the viewer. A camera angle refers to the relationship between the camera and the object being shot. They are used to draw emotional feelings to the audience, to help the audience in judging the character on set and even their personality. The Bird's-Eye view A scene is shot from directly overhead. The subject is made to look insignificant and very small.The shot creates an illusion in the viewers' mind that a character is powerless and out of control of the situation. Filmmakers use this shot in horror scenes to show a victims' desperate situation. For example a character running from murderers may want to hide in a basement of a building out of fear of being killed; the compression will take his/ her shot using the birds view shot to show the desperate state. A High angle shot This shot usually looks slightly down upon a subject. It is usually shot using a crane, a compression standing o n a hill, or on a raised surface.The subjects appear smaller than they actually are in real life or under normal eye level view. Just like the birds eye view shot, it is normally used to create an illusion in the viewers' mind that the character is powerless. For example a scene of a mum scolding a child, the child can be taken using a high angle to show the viewer that the mum is more powerful than the child. A low angle shot This shot looks up to a subject and it gives power to the subject. It is normally taken with a camera placed lower than the subject's eye or as low as the ground (The worms view).

What Is Pre-Med Key Requirements for Medical School

What Is Pre-Med Key Requirements for Medical School SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips What is pre-med? When people say that they’re pre-med, what does that actually mean? If you’re planning to attend med school and become a doctor, it’s important that you understand the definition of pre-med and what you should be doing as a pre-med student. Read on to learn what it really means to be a pre-med, what you should be focusing on to get into med school, and what the best majors for pre-meds are and why. What Does Pre-Med Mean? "Pre-med" is the term people use to show that they want to go to med school and are taking the classes they need to get there. It’s primarily used by college students. There isn’t actually a major called "pre-med;" pre-med is just a term to let people know you have plans to be a doctor. You can be a biology major and a pre-med, a Spanish major and a pre-med, etc. Students say that they’re pre-med to let others know about their career goals and to make sure they’re taking the correct classes to get into med school. If you tell your advisor that you’re a biology major, she’ll focus on making sure you get all the requirements for that major completed, but if you let her know that you’re a biology major and also pre-med, she’ll work with you to also ensure you take all the classes needed to apply to med school. Similarly, if you’re applying to jobs or volunteer positions and state that you’re a pre-med, the people looking at applications will know that you plan on becoming a doctor, and they may be more likely to offer you a position that’s related to the medical field. What Do You Need to Get Into Med School? Once you’ve decided to be pre-med, your main focus will be preparing yourself to get into med school. Med schools are infamous for being competitive and only accepting the best, so you’ll want to be well prepared. In this section we’ll discuss all key things you need to get into med school. Classes As a pre-med, one of your most important responsibilities will be making sure you take all the prerequisite coursework required for med school. Each med school has slightly different requirements, so you should absolutely make sure you research each med school you’re interested in early on as a college student to make sure you’re on track to meet all their requirements. In general though, most med schools expect you to have taken the following classes: One year of biology with lab One year of general chemistry with lab One year of organic chemistry with lab One year of physics with lab At least one semester of biochemistry A math requirement (some schools require calculus, some require statistics, some require both) One year of English Remember, these are just the bare minimum of classes you need to meet basic requirements for med schools. You’ll likely need to take significantly more classes to meet the requirements for your major and fulfill the requirements/recommendations of all the med schools you’re applying to. Also remember that because med schools are so competitive, you never want to stop at just the bare minimum. You want to show med schools that you’re motivated to learn as much about the health field as you can and that you’ll be entering med school with a strong knowledge in a variety of subjects. Expect to take several science classes each semester in order to be fully prepared for med school. Examples of other classes you might take include genetics, public health, ethics, microbiology, human physiology, psychology, sociology, writing classes, and foreign language classes, to name a few. Test Scores The MCAT is the exam pre-meds take. Much like you did with the SAT/ACT, you’ll send your MCAT scores to med schools to show them your mastery of different subject areas. The MCAT is a 7.5 hour test that includes four sections: Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems; Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems; Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior; and Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills. The average score on the MCAT is 500 (out of a total of 528 points), and the average score for students accepted into med school is around a 509, so you should aim for at least that. Health-Related Extracurriculars Almost every med school will expect you to have some sort of scientific research experience and/or experience volunteering at a hospital or other medical setting. This shows them you’re committed to becoming a doctor and have the skills it takes to succeed as one. Letters of Recommendation You may have needed letters of recommendation when you applied to college, and they’re important for med school too. You’ll likely need at least three letters of rec when you apply, often two from science teachers and one from a non-science teacher. What Are the Best Pre-Med Majors? There are a small number of colleges who offer actual pre-med majors, but those programs tend to not be very strong (no major university offers an actual major called "pre-med"), and med schools aren't particularly impressed by these degrees since, as mentioned above, any major can be pre-med as long as you take the classes required to go to med school. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, just a little over half of all students applying to med school majored in the biological sciences. The others majored in a variety of areas, including humanities, math, social sciences, and physical sciences. Additionally, med school applicants who majored in biological sciences, on average, didn’t score any higher on the MCAT than students who majored in other areas. So what you major in doesn’t necessarily determine how well you’ll do on the MCAT. So if you’re pre-med and wondering what to major in, the best advice is to choose a major that you’re interested in and think you can do well in while completing all the pre-med requirements. However, there are some majors that are much more popular among pre-med students than others. Below are five of the best pre-med majors. Each of them will help give you the skills needed to succeed in med school and as a doctor. We consider these the best because they match the closest with pre-med requirements. This makes it easier for you to meet all your pre-med requirements and ensures you get a solid background in subjects doctors need to be masters in. Majoring in a different area, say, Russian Literature, isn’t necessarily a bad idea, but you may find it difficult to complete both your Russian Literature major requirements and pre-med requirements in four years. Human Biology If there was one major that you’d call the unofficial pre-med major, it’d be human biology. At many schools it’s the most common major for pre-meds to take because it focuses heavily on many of the subjects you’ll study as a med student. You’ll take classes in a variety of subjects, but the focus will be on the human body and human health. You may take classes in genetics, human physiology, and neurobiology, among other areas. Biology Biology is another solid choice for pre-meds, especially if your school doesn’t offer a Human Biology major and/or you want more a general biology background rather than focusing more specifically on human bodies. You’ll learn plenty about human health as a biology major, but you’ll also likely take classes in other areas such as ecology, evolution and/or microbiology. Psychology Many pre-meds major in psychology, especially those planning on becoming psychiatrists. However, psychology is a useful major regardless of what type of doctor you want to be since every medical professional can benefit from studying how humans think, make decisions, and react to different situations. Chemistry/Biochemistry The biological sciences are most popular with pre-meds, but you’ll also need to know a lot of chemistry as a pre-med and a med student. There’s an entire chemistry section on the MCAT, so it’s definitely an important subject to know. Philosophy Although it’s not a hard science, a strong knowledge of philosophy can be very helpful to pre-meds. You’ll learn about ethics and how to think critically, both of which are important for people in the medical field. Philosophy is a good choice if you want to be prepared for medical school but also get more of a liberal arts education. Summary What is pre-med? "Pre-med" is a term college students use to show that they plan on attending med school and are taking the right classes to do that. There are no official pre-med majors; instead students who are pre-med can major in whatever subject they want and just take the classes needed to apply to med school. There are multiple pre-med requirements needed to get into med school. The most important of these are the classes you take. Each med school has its own requirements, but you can expect to take at least one year of biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics (all with labs), along with biochemistry, math, and English classes. There is really no "best" pre-med majors, but there are some majors that are more popular with pre-med students and make it easier for you to reach pre-med requirements. These include human biology, psychology, biology, and chemistry. What's Next? Want to know what you should be doing right now to prepare for pre-med programs? Check out our complete guide on how to prepare for pre-med in high school. We also recommend the 7 books every pre-med student should read in this article. If you’re still figuring out whether a career as a physician is right for you, think about getting some hands-on experience. You may not think there’s much you can do as a high school student, but there is! Start by shadowing a physician, and check out our guide to 59 great med programs for students in high school. What's after med school? Check out our guide on the seven steps to becoming a doctor to see what you'll need to do once you're a pre-med. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Stink Bugs, Family Pentatomidae

Stink Bugs, Family Pentatomidae Whats more fun than a stink bug?! The insects of the family Pentatomidae do, indeed, stink. Spend a little time in your backyard or garden, and you are sure to encounter a stink bug sucking on your plants or sitting in wait of a caterpillar. About The name Pentatomidae, the stink bug family, comes from the Greek pente, meaning five and tomos, meaning section. Some entomologists say this refers to the 5-segmented antennae, while others believe it refers to the stink bugs body, which appears to have five sides or parts. Either way, adult stink bugs are easy to recognize, with wide bodies shaped like shields. A long, triangular scutellum characterizes an insect in the family Pentatomidae. Take a close look at a stink bug, and you will see the piercing, sucking mouthparts. Stink bug nymphs often resemble their adult counterparts but may lack the distinctive shield shape. Nymphs tend to stay close to the egg mass when they first emerge, but soon venture out in search of food. Look for masses of eggs on the undersides of leaves. Classification Kingdom - AnimaliaPhylum - ArthropodaClass - InsectaOrder - HemipteraFamily - Pentatomidae Diet To the gardener, stink bugs are a mixed blessing. As a group, stink bugs use their piercing, sucking mouthparts to feed on a variety of plants and insects. Most members of the family Pentatomidae suck sap from the fruiting parts of plants and can cause significant injury to the plants. Some damage foliage as well. However, predatory stink bugs overpower caterpillars or beetle larvae, keeping pest insects in check. A few stink bugs begin life as herbivores but become predators. Life Cycle Stink bugs, like all Hemipterans, undergo simple metamorphosis with three life stages: egg, nymph, and adult. The eggs are laid in groups, looking like neatly arranged rows of tiny barrels, on stems and the undersides of leaves. When nymphs emerge, they look similar to the adult stink bug but may appear rounder rather than shield-shaped. Nymphs go through five instars before becoming adults, usually in 4-5 weeks. The adult stink bug overwinters under boards, logs, or leaf litter. In some species, the nymphs may also overwinter. Special Adaptations and Defenses From the name stink bug, you can probably guess its most unique adaptation. Pentatomids expel a foul-smelling compound from special thoracic glands when threatened. In addition to deterring predators, this odor sends a chemical message to other stink bugs, alerting them to danger. These scent glands also play a role in attracting mates and even suppress attacks by harmful microorganisms. Range and Distribution Stink bugs live throughout the world, in fields, meadows, and yards. In North America, there are 250 species of stink bugs. Worldwide, entomologists describe over 4,700 species in nearly 900 genera.

To what extent do you think that Islamic political thought can be Essay

To what extent do you think that Islamic political thought can be reconciled with democracy - Essay Example In the analysis, different theories of democracy in the western world are given, and also, different approaches of Muslims to democracy are analysed. Then, after analysing one of the common arguments on Islam and democracy, an argument is built to show that the basic tenets of democracy and Islamic political thought are incompatible, and therefore, Islamic political thought and democracy are not compatible. Finally, a conclusion is made based on the findings in the paper. To what extent do you think that Islamic political thought can be reconciled with democracy? Before we explore and critically evaluate both arguments for and against the idea that Islam and democracy are, indeed, incompatible, it is necessary to first define and explain Islamic political thought, and the meaning of Democracy in the western world. This will enable us to give an objective and well considered opinion on the issue. First, let us look at the Islamic political thought as elucidated and practiced by Islami c movements such as Islamic brotherhood. The Islamic brotherhood movement, also known as, Hizb al-Ikhwan al-Muslimum, is one of the oldest and largest Islamic movements in the world, known for a supporting Jihad war all over the world (Muslim Brotherhood Movement, online). Some of the main objectives of this movement are to promote the socio-political integration of all Muslims in the world, to protect Islam as a religion, and to promote the economic well-being of all the Muslims in the world. However, besides these noble objectives of the movement, the main object of the Islamic Brotherhood movement is to subjugate the entire world to the Sharia law, which is the main Islamic law. The motto of the movements clearly summarizes the main objective of the movement (Muslim Brotherhood movement, online): Allah is our objective The prophet is our leader The Quran is our law Jihad is our way Dying in the way of Allah is our highest Hope. As it is clear from this motto, for the adherents of the Muslim Brotherhood movement, Allah is the supreme leader of the Muslims and Sharia is the main law or the constitution of the Muslims. And, although, the Muslim Brotherhood movement has exhibited some elements of extremism and has been severely criticised, the movement, however, espouses many real Islam ideals on politics and governance. The term Islam itself means submission (Dahmus, 1968). Islam as a religion requires its followers to unquestionably follow the guidelines of Allah, in all aspects of their lives, as given in the Holy book of the Muslims, the Quran. For this reason, even in matters of governance and politics, Muslims are supposed to follow the dictates of their Holy Book. And according to Quran, Allah is the sovereign ruler of the Muslims, and Sharia, given by Allah, is the constitution of the Muslims. Having explained the Islamic political thought, let us now turn to the Western theories of democracy, so as to compare the two political ideologies to find out wh ether they are compatible or not. Of recent years, democracy has been associated with the western world. However, the idea of Democracy was first mooted by the Greeks. According to Aristotle, one of the ancient Greek scholars and a severe critique of democracy, democracy is a rule of the people, by the people, and for the people

Personal development planing 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Personal development planing 2 - Essay Example Hearing her talk about her future sometimes makes me wonder how we could even be considered on the same path. Another friend of mine wants to work in management for a football club. He is obsessed with the sport, a sport that he is horrible at playing but loves watching. He feels that management in a club would be like working a dream job because he could be so close to the sport that he loves. I enjoy a good match every few days, but working in this environment seems to be very limited in scope, yet we are essentially on the same pathway. I see my future in my family business back home in Saudi Arabia. We have a diverse group of businesses that manages governmental contracting, infrastructure development, agricultural development and financial services such as insurance and investment. I am fortunate in that I have many opportunities available to me that most of my classmates do not have available to them. I do not believe that I have it any easier than my classmates, however. Not e veryone has a father that would willingly give them a high position in a construction firm or a financial services industry no matter how qualified. I know that my father would provide a position for me even if I did poorly at school and needed to drop out. That is not the person I wish to be, however. I want to do well within the family business and I have a desire to be an able manager in whatever position comes available. My first choice is to work in the infrastructure development branch of the company. Planning and implementing massive projects such as bridges, airports, desalinization plants and highways sounds exciting to me. This is my destination, but I need to follow the same pathway my classmates with different dreams have to follow. I can see that so far, one of the most important employability skills to development is a sense of integrity and an ethical sensitivity towards business decision making. I know that once I am working as a manager for my family company, I will be working with officials from the government because this is the single largest client for my family’s firm. Being dishonest in my dealings with these officials could do a lot of damage to my family’s company. One of the factors that come into play when bidding for government sponsored work in Saudi Arabia is the reputation for honesty the company has built up over generations. Acting without integrity could harm that reputation for many years to come. Integrity is important in a manager because I have learned that people in positions of leadership are often held to a higher standard than others. This may not be fair, because no one is perfect, but I have learned as I have travelled along this pathway that management is leadership and leadership requires faultless integrity if the support of subordinates is to be gained. A large part of my future career and something that I have enjoyed studying in this pathway is the ability to think critically and to apply problem- solving solutions to real life situations. As a manager in the family business, I will be confronted with a steady stream of problems to solve. What to do when suppliers do not come through with essential parts, how to resolve a conflict between supervisors and employees and operating within a budget while managing fluctuating supply and commodity prices are just a few of the problems I will need to solve. I have enjoyed the problems presented in some of my modules. I especially have been entertained and enlightened

Persuasive Speech Presentation - why men should start using Rogain Essay

Persuasive Speech Presentation - why men should start using Rogain hair product - Essay Example Men experience hair loss due to the male pattern baldness which is a type of hair loss caused by the combination of male sex hormones and genes (Hayes 4). Stress, drugs, anaemia, and intake of drugs are some other reasons why hair fall has become common in men. The reason for hair fall can differ in individuals as each individual has a different scalp. Hair loss is a medical problem which is common in men as they approach their middle ages. Some men also tend to experience hair fall since their 20s. An average individual loses about 50-100 hair everyday but more than 150 is counted as excessive hair fall which needs to be controlled (Whiting 165). Young men are especially looking for solutions that could help them to reduce or control their hair fall until their old age. Hair thinning is also a problem faced by men and young men are increasingly conscious about their hair as they look for solutions to solve their problem. Young men love styling their hair to impress women as they use different hairstyles, haircuts, and gels that give their hair artificial shine and a stylish look that would attract women. These products are also leading to hair fall. Once a man starts losing his hair, he feels his morale going down as they believe women wouldn’t like them now and baldness is a sign of ageing. The hair fall problem is increa sing among men and they need a solution soon (Hall 67). There are many solutions for hair fall especially for men, which include drugs, herbal remedies, and general tips that could be used in our daily routines. There are several drugs that have been introduced that artificially lead to hair growth and lesser hair fall. These drugs are strong and can have side effects for the body. Some doctors have also introduced herbal remedies such as using fresh aloe vera plant or herbal oils (Kingsley 107). Other techniques are washing hair regularly, not exposing too

Germany An International Business Plan Economics Essay

Germany An International Business Plan Economics Essay Abstract This paper will examine the country of Germany from the aspect of a corporation looking to do business there. It will consider aspects from the culture, people, technology, government, and their economic system. A business environment analysis report has been conducted to examine things corporations must consider when doing business in Germany. A report on opportunities for market entry has been conducted to identify potential import and export prospects for a potential firm in Germany. A market entry strategy assignment has also been conducted to develop a market strategy for launching new products in Germany. Germany: An International Business Plan MARKET INTELLIGENCE REPORT Profile The official name of Germany is the Federal Republic of Germany. The head of state is currently Christian Wulff and the head of government is Chancellor Angela Merkel. The population of Germany is 81.8 million people, with about 8% of the people being of foreign origin. Protestants and Catholics each make up third of the religious population, with an assortment of other religions filling the other third. German is the official language spoken in Germany; however, the vast majority of the population also speaks English. Geography Germany is a very temperate country located in Europe. It is much cooler and rainier than most of the United States. It is approximately 137,000 square miles, about the size of Montana. The largest city is Berlin with a population of about 3.5 million people. The next three largest cities, Munich, Cologne, and Hamburg all have populations over a million. As far as the terrain is concerned there are low plains in the north; high plains, hills, and basins in the center and east; mountainous alpine region in the south. People Most inhabitants of Germany are ethnic German. However, there are also more than 7 million foreign residents, a lot of those who are related to guest workers. Guest workers were foreign workers, mostly from Turkey, invited to Germany in the 1950s and 1960s to fill labor shortages) who remained in Germany. Germany has a sizable ethnic Turkish population (2.4% at the beginning of 2010). Germany is also a prime destination for political and economic refugees from many developing countries. An ethnic Danish minority lives in the north and a small Slavic minority known as the Sorbs lives in eastern Germany (Germany, 2012). Most foreigners do not have German citizenship, even if they were born and raised in Germany. This is due to highly restrictive German citizenship laws. However, change is coming, and with the citizenship and immigration law reforms that took place in 2002, many foreign citizens have been getting their citizenships and have gained the ability to naturalize. Germany has one of the worlds highest levels of education, technological development, and economic productivity. Since the end of World War II, the number of youths entering universities has more than tripled, and the trade and technical schools of the Federal Republic of Germany (F.R.G.) are among the worlds best (Germany, 2012). Germany, as country, is mainly middle class. The social welfare system that is set up in Germany provides universal medical care, generous unemployment compensation, and provides for many other social needs. Germans also travel extensively, and millions of Germans travel abroad every year. It is estimated that the population of Germany will decline from the current 81 million people to around 77 million people by 2050. Due to this demographic change, the available workforce aged 20-64 will shrink by more than six million by 2030, resulting in a marked shortage of skilled workers. In the absence of appropriate and timely policy action, demographic change threatens to become a constraining factor for prosperity and growth (Germany, 2012). When unification happened in 1990 Germany began a major undertaking. Their goal was to bring the standard of living of people living in the former German Democratic Republic to where it was in western Germany. This has really been a struggle for Germany because of how inefficient business had been in the former German Democratic Republic. There was also the issue of property ownership that had to be settled. On top of all of that, there was a tremendous amount of environmental damage from communist rule as well. Economic uncertainty in eastern Germany is often cited as one factor contributing to extremist violence, primarily from the political right. Confusion about the causes of the current hardships and a need to place blame has found expression in harassment and violence by some Germans directed toward foreigners, particularly non-Europeans. The vast majority of Germans condemn such violence (Germany, 2012). Economy Market Overview The state department has done a thorough overview of Germanys market and concluded the following: The German economy is the worlds fourth largest and, after the expansion of the EU, accounts for more than one-fifth of European Union GDP. Germany is the United States largest European trading partner and is the sixth largest market for U.S. exports. Germanys social market economy largely follows free-market principles, but with a considerable degree of government regulation and generous social welfare programs. The German economythe fifth largest in the world in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms and Europes largestis a leading exporter of machinery, vehicles, chemicals, and household equipment and benefits from a highly skilled labor force. Like its Western European neighbors, Germany faces significant demographic challenges to sustained long-term growth. Low fertility rates and declining net immigration are increasing pressure on the countrys social welfare system and have compelled the government to undertake structural reforms. The modernization and integration of the eastern German economywhere unemployment can exceed 20% in some municipalitiescontinues to be a costly and long-term process, with total transfers from west to east amounting to roughly $3 trillion so far. In 2011, gross domestic product grew by 2.7%. The countrys export-dependent economy is growing more quickly than the euro-zone average. In 2010, gross domestic product grew by 3.6%, and the German economy experienced its strongest rate of growth since reunification. Domestic demand is becoming a more prominent driver of growth. The German labor market also showed a strong performance in 2010 and 2011, with the unemployment rate dropping to 5.5% in October 2011. Economists attribute the decrease in unemployment to structural reforms implemented under the government of former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and to the use of government-sponsored short-time (Kurzarbeit) work programs. The German economy so far has been largely unaffected by the sovereign debt crisis in the Eurozone, but a recession or slowdown of Europes largest economy is expected for the winter half of the 2011-2012 year, mostly due to declining exports to the countrys European partners. The European Union (EU) gave Germany until 2013 to get its consolidated budget deficit below 3% of GDP, and the governments 4-year fiscal consolidation program worth approximately à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬80 billion (U.S. $109.6 billion) is intended to meet deficit targets. Germanys deficit decreased from 3.3% of GDP in 2010 to 2.0% of GDP (est.) in 2011 thanks to the strong economy and low unemployment. In May 2011, Chancellor Merkel announced Germanys plan to phase out nuclear energy power by 2022. It is expected that this policy will further accelerate the growth of the renewable energies sector. Germany is the largest consumer market in the European Union with a population of over 82 million. However, the significance of the German marketplace goes well beyond its borders. An enormous volume of worldwide trade is conducted in Germany at some of the worlds largest trade events, such as MEDICA, Hannover Fair, Automechanika, and the ITB Tourism Show. The volume of trade, number of consumers, and Germanys geographic location at the heart of a 27-member European Union make it a cornerstone around which many U.S. firms seek to build their European and worldwide expansion strategies. Market Challenges The German economy has improved markedly in recent years. The economy took a serious hit during the economic crisis, but recovered quickly. The German economy has been steadily improving recently. There was a serious setback during the economic crisis, but recovery occurred quickly. Like most other OECD countries GDP declined significantly in 2009 (by 4.7%), but grew by 3.6% in 2010, the highest rate since unification. Following a 3% growth in 2011, the pace of expansion is expected to slow in 2012 (Germany, 2012). Most of the market research organizations had been predicting the GDP of Germany in 2012 to be around 1%, but are lowering that to around 0.6%. Labor The United States State Department (2012) had this to say in regards to Germanys labor market: The labor market remained resilient during the economic crisis and continued to be strong in 2011. In addition to a series of labor and social reforms implemented in recent years, many experts credit the government-funded short-time work program for limiting unemployment. Other factors, such as moderate wage increases, flexibility in bargaining agreements, numerous company-level alliances to retain jobs, and employers willingness to accept higher unit labor costs, also contributed to the stability of the German labor market. Job cuts in logistics and manufacturing have been offset by job creation in other sectors, such as services and health care. Also due to a declining workforce, average unemployment dropped to 2.976 million over the course of last year, with an average jobless rate of 7.1% down from 7.7% in 2010. For 2012, the government expects unemployment to decline to an average of 6.8%. Although unemployment is still higher in the east of the country than the west (11.3% versus 6.0%), it dropped to the lowest level in 20 years. The number of persons in employment living in Germany reached an all-time high (about 41.6 million) in November 2011, an increase of 521,000 from a year ago. The wages in Germany, when compared to the rest of the world, are among the highest in the European Union and worldwide. German labor is also known to be very productive and highly skilled. German quality is known throughout the world. Labor Law The unions in Germany are incredibly large and powerful. Strong labor laws protect the workers and give them many rights. The laws in Germany are much more substantial than in the United States. Ordinary dismissal of workers must be preceded by notice, which depends on the duration of the time the employee was with the company. It may vary from 1-7 months. The employee may also challenge the dismissal in court. The Mother Protection Law grants a mother a total of 36 months leave. 6 weeks prior to birth and 8 weeks thereafter are on paid leave. The mother and the employer can agree on a parental leave (max. 36 months), after which the employer provides her with the same job prior to the birth of the child. Social Security and Health Care cost are equally split up between the employee and the employer. Average working hours are 37.5 hours/week and annual leave varies between 20 and 30 working days (Export.gov Home, 2012). Trade Barriers There really are not a lot of formal barriers concerning trade with the United States or investment. The only one that could be considered substantial would be Germanys participation in the EUs Common Agricultural Policy and their continued restrictions on biotech agricultural products. This does place some barriers on U.S. goods. Germany has continually tried to get the EU commission to ease up on the regulations to help and try to promote innovation and help the EU members become more competitive. The government under Merkel has made the case for widespread reform in Germany. Specifically, there is a drive to cut through the bureaucratic red tape and reduce the costs due to the complex nature of their bureaucracy. The complexity, in and of itself, offers a certain degree of protection to the local businesses because the complexity of the regulations makes it that much more difficult for foreign competitors to do business in Germany. There are very stringent safety standard and environmental standards that are zealously applied that cuts back on the access available to U.S. products. As a result, any American companies considering exporting to Germany really need to evaluate the standards that would be applicable to their products and insure that they met them on a timely basis. Foreign Relations Germany continues to be close with the United States of America. They maintain their membership in NATO, and they continue to be a vital component of the EU. Germany made sure that after the war that they were actively involved in closer cooperation politically, economically, and defensively with other countries of Western Europe. Germany has been, and will continue to be, one of the largest contributors to the EU budget. After the war, Germany made great effort to repair its relationship with the countries of Eastern Europe. They started by establishing trade agreements and worked their way up to actual diplomatic relationships. When Germany unified in 1990, their relationship with other democratic countries in Europe blossomed even further. Government The government is parliamentary, and a democratic constitution emphasizes the protection of individual liberty and division of powers in a federal structure. The chancellor (prime minister) heads the executive branch of the federal government. The duties of the president (chief of state) are largely ceremonial; the chancellor exercises executive power. The Bundestag (lower, principal chamber of the parliament) elects the chancellor. The president normally is elected every 5 years by the Federal Assembly, a body convoked only for this purpose, comprising the entire Bundestag and an equal number of state delegates (Germany, 2012). The Bundestag, which serves a 4-year term, consists of at least twice the number of electoral districts in the country (299). When parties directly elected seats exceed their proportional representation, they may receive additional seats. The number of seats in the Bundestag was reduced to 598 for the 2002 elections. The Bundesrat (upper chamber or Federal Council) consists of 69 members who are delegates of the 16 Laender (states). The legislature has powers of exclusive jurisdiction and concurrent jurisdiction with the Laender in areas specified in the Basic Law. The Bundestag has primary legislative authority. The Bundesrat must concur on legislation concerning revenue shared by federal and state governments and those imposing responsibilities on the states. Germany has an independent federal judiciary consisting of a constitutional court, a high court of justice, and courts with jurisdiction in administrative, financial, labor, and social matters. The highest court is the Bundesverfassungsgericht (Federal Constitutional Court), which ensures a uniform interpretation of constitutional provisions and protects the fundamental rights of the individual citizen as defined in the Basic Law (Germany, 2012). Technological Status Information technology, without a doubt, is the single most important factor in transforming the world into a global economy. As the rankings are starting to point out, how a company ranks as far as its advancement with information technology is also how it ranks in the overall global economy. Technology is what differentiates a superior economy from that of an inferior one. Technological innovation always lies at the core of any long-term potential of any economy, and Germany is no different. When looking at Europe as a whole, technological capability runs the gamut. In Great Britain and Ireland, they are much higher on capability than the rest of Europe. On the bottom end there is Greece, Italy, and Spain. Germany, and the rest of Europe, is somewhere in the middle. There is a lot of advancement in IT in fields that would necessitate that, such as aerospace, mobile phones, and pharmaceuticals. However, it is very poor in the service sectors. The general consensus is that Europes information technology infrastructure not only lags behind the U.S. and Japan, but that the technology gap is rapidly closing between Europe and Asias new tech powerhouses (like China, India and South Korea). Europe risks being squeezed between the high end challenge posed by the U.S. and Japan and the catch-up challenge posed by the rapidly developing countries (Hamilton Quinlan, 2008). Where Germany is a little stronger in the technological exports is within the realm of medium-high tech exports. According to Hamilton and Quinlan (2008): When it comes to high-tech exports, Germanys share (20.5%) lags behind the EU15 average (25.7%), and is well under the share of the U.S. (36.1%) and China (36%). Against this backdrop, as Germany edges closer to being a knowledge-based service economy, it must keep and embellish its competitive strengths in high-tech goods and services, or suffer a loss in average economic welfare. In a world economy where the application of technology and innovation increasingly dictates both the pace of change and the level of economic prosperity, Germany is challenged to raise its innovation-intensity production and capabilities, while continuing to attract the investment capital and IT core competencies of foreign technology leaders. However, this is not to say that Germany does not have its strengths. In fact, Germany was the third ranked company in 2006 for global patents. The regions in Germany account for nine of the 20 innovation regions in Europe. Germany is more advanced in IT usage and applications than most of Europe and is a favored destination for IT leaders looking to tap indigenous RD talent (Hamilton Quinlan, 2008). Germany is also way ahead of the rest of the EU in terms of their citizens using the internet and using computers at home and at work. Underpinning this dynamic, Germany is ahead of the EU in general in the use of the internet and computers at home and at work. Germany has also become the world leader in alternative energy technology, and has produced a third of all solar cells and half of all wind turbines worldwide. BUSINESS EVIRONMENT ANALYSIS REPORT Center of European Economy Largest Market in Europe. Of all the markets within Europe Germany is by far the largest. It makes up 20 percent of Europes gross domestic product. It also contains close to 20 percent of the total population of the European Union. The GDP has grown about 1.8% every year for the last five years. The economy of Germany is very industrialized, with a very heavy focus being on service and production. They are also very forward thinking in Germany, evidenced by the large amounts of money earmarked for research and development. Belief in Exportation Even though there has been a tremendous amount of shakiness in the world economy, Germany has somehow managed to stay stable. They continue to export worldwide on a grand basis. In fact, in 2003, Germany became the worlds leading exporter, having overtaken the United States for that title. Germanys biggest trading partners include France, UK, the Netherlands, Japan, China, and the United States. Foreign Direct Investment Preparing for FDI Free and Open Markets. An attractive part of the German business environment is how welcoming Germany is towards foreign direct investment. Foreign direct investment, in its classic definition, is defined as a company from one country making a physical investment into building a factory in another country. The direct investment in buildings, machinery and equipment is in contrast with making a portfolio investment, which is considered an indirect investment (Graham Spaulding, 2004). The interesting thing is that Germany treats German investment into business the same way as they treat foreign investment into business. There is no distinction made. There are also no restrictions or barriers to capital transactions or currency transfers, real estate purchases, repatriation of profits, or access to foreign exchanges (Germanys business environment:, 2009). Attracting FDI Globally. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Germany ranks among the worlds leading countries for foreign direct investments with more than EUR 476 billion in FDI stocks in 2008. Official German statistics further underscore Germanys attractiveness as a business location. Bundesbank (German Central Bank) FDI stock statistics indicate a growth of 2.2 percent in 2007 to EUR 459billion (Germanys business environment, 2009). New Investment Projects Foreign Direct Investment Projects. There are over 45,000 foreign companies that operate within the borders of Germany, and these companies employ over 3 million people. Every year more companies realize that operating from Germany is a financially sound decision. Diverse Industry Opportunities. When looking at the different markets that foreign companies are invested in, one will note that it is quite diversified, including 39 different industry sectors. Most of the new investment from foreign companies is invested in to the IT and software industry. In fact, this industry accounts for 20% of every foreign direct investment project in Germany. Business and financial services, and automotive and industrial machinery and equipment are the next top industries. Research and Development High-Tech Germany High Turnover with Innovative Products. Over 27 percent of German manufacturing company turnover is generated from innovative products. These products are new to the enterprise and to the market. In France and the UK, this ratio is comparatively low at around 16 percent, whereas in Finland the level is at 21 percent. The European average lies at 19 percent (Germanys business environment, 2009). Technological Leader. Germany has always been known for their high quality and innovation, and they are one of the worlds leaders in developing new technology. They are also one of the largest exporters of high-technology goods as well. In 2007, Germany exported high-tech goods to the value of EUR 114 billion -making it the top exporter in Europe and third worldwide (Germanys business environment, 2009). Knowledge Base of Workers. Germany is also known for the knowledge of their population, namely scientists. Germany has the largest population of scientists in all of Europe. German scientists work on projects all over the globe. Business Climate Cost Effectiveness High Productivity. In the last decade, Germany has become incredibly efficient in their industries. Their overall productivity rose much faster than the labor cost increase. Because of this, it costs them much less to produce things than many other countries. This gives them a competitive advantage. As a result, much of the world views Germany as having the best process technologies in action. Labor Costs. Another reason Germany is favored by many companies considering foreign direct investment is the stable and low labor costs. Germany has the lowest labor rate growth in the last decade in all of Europe, at two percent. This has not been the case for the rest of Europe. Since 2000 wages have risen in most European countries -at a rate significantly above that of the EU-27 average increase of 3.7 percent (Germanys business environment, 2009). Competitive Tax System. The tax system in Germany is one of the most competitive in the world. Corporations only have to pay a 30% tax rate. Trade taxes have also been drastically reduced. Labor Market Highly Skilled and Educated Workforce. The workforce in Germany contains over 40 million people, the largest amount of labor in Europe. However, the sheer volume of Germanys labor force is not the main attraction. Germanys work force is highly skilled and educated. Eighty percent of Germanys workforce has had vocational training or is a college graduate. German government ties the amount of investment into education to Germanys gross domestic product, ensuring that the two stay linked. Germany also has one of the highest rates of workers receiving doctoral degrees. Germany also employs what is known as a dual education system. In this system, workers receive on-the-job training while they are attending school, for a period of two to three years. This system has over 300 occupations that are accepted in this program, and because it is regulated, a certain level of quality is guaranteed. Closer to Market Logistics. With state-of-the-art transportation networks by road, rail, sea, and inland waterways as well as a dense network of both national and international airports, Germany provides easy access to domestic and international markets (Germanys business environment, 2009). As a result, Germany is a major player in the logistics game globally. Their logistics account for 28% of the European logistics market, making them a huge player in Europe. In fact, more goods pass through the country of Germany, than any other country in Europe. Germany has the second busiest port in Europe, located in Hamburg. They also have Europes largest port container terminal in Bremerhaven. If that was not enough to cement Germanys stature as a global logistics force, there are also the companies in Germany themselves. In fact, the worlds largest logistics services provider is a German company Deutsche Post World Net (DPWN). Deutsche Bahn is the worlds second largest transportation and logistics company and Lufthansa Cargo is the global air freight services leader (Germanys business environment, 2009). Excellent Business Environment Good Legal System. Germany has an incredibly stable and transparent legal environment, and has been globally ranked as one of the safest places to conduct business. Germans was also ranked as the safest country in the world concerning the security of intellectual property. Secure Place to Conduct Business. Germany has a growing business landscape and is becoming well known for the safety in which that business is conducted. White-collar crime is lower in Germany than most of its neighbors. Laws are upheld, and private property laws are strong. Easy Start Up. Corporations and enterprises looking to set up shop will find that the process to do so could not be easier. The rules and regulations for starting up an operation in Germany are simple and thus, very efficient and quick. REPORT ON OPPORTUNITIES FOR MARKET ENTRY An organization should not only determine whether the business environment of Germany is conducive to their operations but also whether their product is within the growing industries of Germany. There are many industries blooming in Germany, but two stand far above the rest: management consulting services and medical equipment. Management Consulting Services Germany is the largest consulting market in Europe. Consulting took off in Germany during 2011 and overall revenues were up around 10 percent. This growth trend is supposed to continue through 2012 as well. Demand was especially strong in the automotive (up 19 percent) and consumer goods (up 14.3 percent) industries. The two largest consulting fields are strategic and organizational/process consulting (Germanys business environment, 2009). Projects that have to deal with growth and innovation, or business development, have great growth potential. Medical Equipment Germany also has the largest European market for medical devices, and is third in the world. Demand will mainly be driven by demographics and a substantial increase in the number of patients and by the need for more efficient procedures. The German medical market expects a sales growth of approximately 6% this year, with continued upwards trends predicted for next year as well (Germanys business environment, 2009). This industry sector has the most potential for corporations that can bring innovative products to the table at competitive prices. The medical technology sector continues to be strong on innovation and growth and will provide excellent potential for U.S. suppliers of innovative and price-competitive products. MARKET ENTRY STRATEGY ASSIGNMENT When considering how to undertake a successful market entry into Germany, there are two things to consider: high quality and modern styling. Germans are responsive to the innovation and high technology evident in U.S. products, such as computers, computer software, electronic components, health care and medical devices, synthetic materials, and automotive technology (Germanys business environment, 2009). Price is not that high of a priority for German buyers, the emphasis remains on quality. Germany also has a very high rate of Internet access, and as more and more Germans gain access, products and services relating to that will grow as well. In speaking about the German market, the United States State Department (2012) had this to say: The German market is decentralized and diverse, with interests and tastes differing dramatically from one German state to another. Successful market strategies take into account regional differences as part of a strong national market presence. Experienced representation is a major asset to any market strategy, given that the primary competitors for most American products are domestic firms with established presences. U.S. firms can overcome such stiff competition by offering high-quality products, services at competitive prices, and locally based after-sales support. For investors, Germanys relatively high marginal tax rates and complicated tax laws may constitute an obstacle, although deductions, allowances and write-offs help to move effective tax rates to internationally competitive levels. Direct Marketing Germans do quite a bit of shopping from catalogs and they are starting to do more shopping online. Three-fourths of German companies use direct marketing in some fashion. Email marketing is by far the most common form of direct marketing and a company looking to gain market entry would be wise to consider the virtues of this method. Selling Strategies The key to selling in Germany is realizing that there has to be some form of long-term commitment. There is a feeling in Germany that U.S. corporations give preferential treatment to their domestic sales, at the expense of their global market. There is also the concern of corporations from the United States being in it for the long-haul and sticking around for after-sales support. Addressing these concerns will alleviate worry and establish credibility. The German customer also expects superior customer service. They expect to be able to call and talk with someone from the organization for help and would require this immediately. American exporters should avoid appointing distributors with impossibly large