History Extended Essay free essay sample

Although these massive architectural masterpieces hold a legacy that resonates magnificence throughout the architectural aspects of Stalin’s era, the Seven Sisters hold a controversial history behind them, considering the fact that the housing needs of the proletariat were disregarded after 1945 up until Khrushchev’s epoch. I have thus decided to investigate the means in which Stalin’s Seven Sister buildings transformed Moscow into a modern city whilst displaying Soviet communism to the world. Therefore, the subsequent question that comprehensively investigates the social, political and economic impacts of the Seven Sisters is: How did the creation of Stalin’s ‘Seven Sisters’ transform Moscow into a contemporary city while simultaneously presenting Soviet Communism to the world from 1947-1957? This paper will investigate all the different aspects surrounding the creation of the Vysotki, and analyze the subsequent impacts on Soviet culture. This will be achieved by analyzing various primary and secondary sources regarding the Seven Sisters, along with a comprehensive interpretation of a lecture given in the Moscow Shchusev Architectural Museum that I attended on October 10th, 2012. We will write a custom essay sample on History Extended Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Although the progression of Moscow into a contemporary European city is characterized by numerous different aspects, including the Moscow metro system and other forms of Stalinist architecture, the Seven Sisters ultimately defined Moscow with an architectural legacy that remains evident to present day. Therefore, Stalin’s Vysotki played a significant role in the creation of Moscow into a contemporary city, and presented Soviet Communism in Russia with architectural grandeur and magnificence. Abstract Word Count: 271 2. Introduction How did the creation of Stalin’s ‘Seven Sisters’ transform Moscow into a contemporary city while simultaneously presenting Soviet Communism to the world from 1947 to 1957? In order to conceptualize the political, economic and social status of the Soviet Union after World War II, it is essential to evaluate the impact of the war on the USSR in multiple aspects. In 1945, while the Red Army controlled all of Eastern Europe and occupied such cities as Riga, Vilnius, Tallinn, Sofia, Budapest, Prague, Vienna and Warsaw, much of Russia’s European cities lay destroyed from 4 years of war. The Soviet population suffered an estimated 25 million deaths during the course of the war; a statistic that significantly exceeds the number of deaths of any other country in the world during the war. Similar to the decimation of its population, the Soviet Union’s economy was substantially depleted after the war. Approximately one fourth of Russia’s capital resources were destroyed, subsequently causing a dramatic decrease in the Soviet Union’s industrial and agricultural output, contrary to the output goals set forth by the Five Year Plans. On the other hand, the political status of the Soviet government had relatively positive prospects, as the Soviet Union was virtually the only power in Continental Europe to emerge from the war with the same political regime it had at the start of the war. Stalin remained in power throughout the course of the war, and essentially continued his oppressive rule after 1945, sending national minorities and even Soviet prisoners of war suspected of supporting fascism to mass exile. Despite the economic depression of the Soviet Union after World War II, Joseph Stalin thought the USSR needed a strategy to glorify its capital, Moscow, to celebrate the great victory and send a message to its former allies who were rapidly becoming its geopolitical rivals the US and Western European Allies. Stalin’s architectural ideology at this point was not to resolve the crushing housing crisis and rebuild the devastated nation, but to spend a major portion of government funding on the building of what would become Moscow’s Seven Sister buildings, or Vysotki (literally translated as â€Å"high-rise buildings†). The original planning for the Seven Sisters was based on Boris Iofan’s prize-winning plan for the Palace of Soviets building, a grand political edifice that was meant to exceed the Empire State Building in overall height. Essentially, the creation of the Vysotki would allow Stalin to leave his own personal imprint on the city’s skyline, and to rival many other world powers at the time such as Great Britain and the United States, which had their own prized architectural landmarks recognized the world over. While the Palace of Soviets was never built, its construction repeatedly delayed by the onset of the war and diversion of steel to the munitions and weapons factories, the process did leave an indelible imprint on the city, as the monumental Cathedral of Christ the Savior was torn down to make room for the Palace. . Background Information Figure 2 – Ministry of Foreign Affairs Figure 2 – Ministry of Foreign Affairs The erection of the Vysotki started in 1947, two years after the end of World War II. The prospective plans for the creation of the Seven Sisters included three ministries, three hotels and one multi-purpose governmental building. In terms of location, the general pla n for the placement of the buildings was to arrange the Seven Sisters in a circle, surrounding the center of Moscow. This plan was done to aesthetically balance the skyline of Moscow, as most of the buildings in the city at the time were at most six or seven stories in height. Strategically placing these huge, innovative structures evenly throughout the city would give Moscow a new aura to it after the war, and would essentially transform Moscow into a modern European city. The first of the Seven Sisters to be finished was the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building (see Figure 2), which was built from 1947 to 1954. The main architects behind this building were V. G. Gelfreih  and  A. B. Minkus, and the creation of this building ultimately set the benchmark for the next six Vysotki, as it stood out in the city with both magnificence and its grand scale. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs building had certain stylistic features that influenced the plans for the other six Vysotki, such as obelisks in the main entrance, the Soviet hammer and sickle on the sides of the building, and the massive spire on top of the central tower. The specific use of the hammer and sickle symbol on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building suggests the Soviet Union’s strength, as it projected the power of the Soviet diplomacy world over. The building reached a total of 172 meters, including 27 stories, making it the tallest building in Moscow at the time. The second of the ministries, after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is the Red Gates (Krasniye Vorota) administrative building. Designed by Alexei Dushkin, this administrative building is 133 meters tall, containing 24 usable floors. The method in which this Vysotka was built is particularly innovative, as Dushkin proposed erecting the building initially tilted to one side, so that the weak soil of Moscow would not have a negative impact on the structural stability of the building. More than 200 holes were drilled and filled with ice under the foundation of the building, to maintain the soil’s strength while the building was being constructed. As this Vysotka concluded construction, the ice was deliberately melted and the tilted building shifted into an upright state, in which it currently stands. The purpose of this building was to house the Ministry of Railways, with whose officials Alexei Dushkin himself cooperated during the design and construction. Dushkin is known mostly for his work on the Moscow Metro stations; however, the Ministry of Railways holds a well-respected place in his architectural legacy. Although the initial plans for the Seven Sisters included three ministry buildings, only two were built, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Railways. The third ministry building was replaced by the Moscow State (Lomonosov) University building, upon Stalin’s demand. Drafted by Boris Iofan and inaugurated in 1953, the Lomonosov University building is 236 meters tall, with 36 floors. The sheer magnitude of this building dominated the Moscow skyline in its early years and is visible from many points of the city to this day. It still holds the title of being the world’s largest educational building. In this respect, Stalin partially achieved one of his objectives: the recognition of Moscow as a contemporary European city on a global scale. 4. Influences of Stalinist Architecture In order to analyze the effect of the Seven Sisters on the transition of Moscow to a contemporary European city, it is essential to establish Stalinist Architecture as a short-lived architectural style that experienced a definite starting point and definite end. This aspect of Stalinist architecture is specifically unique, as other styles of architecture are typically dispersed throughout long periods of history, without defined start and end dates. Therefore, the defined beginning of Stalinist architecture, sometimes referred to as Stalinist Gothic or Socialist Classicism, originated in 1933, with Boris Iofan’s design for the massive Palace of Soviets building. Throughout a defined 20 year time period, Socialist Classicism reigned dominant in the Soviet Union as the preferred style of architecture. However, in 1955, two years after Stalin’s death, Nikita Khrushchev issued a decree â€Å"On Excesses in Architecture† that deemed Stalinist architecture extinct and began the start of a new architectural age in Moscow and the rest of the Soviet Union. Khrushchev’s preferred style of architecture, compared to Stalin’s love for architectural magnificence and grandiose Roman Empire inspired design, was significantly more conservative, as Khrushchev and his administration focused on a pragmatic solution to the lack of housing for the masses in the Soviet Union. The architecture in Moscow after 1955 was therefore relatively simplistic and practical, and was ultimately defined by the khrushchyovka, 5 story, identical, pre-fabricated apartment buildings meant to house a significant amount of families in relatively tight quarters. Named after Khruschev himself, the key element of these buildings was the rapid production of their concrete panels in manufacturing plants and rapid assembly on site. The intent of these buildings was to resolve the housing shortage rapidly, as their life span was projected as 40 years – an architectural and construction strategy whose impact is now being acutely felt in modern Russia, as these building are now crumbling and require replacement. Figure 3 – Boris Iofan’s winning design for the never-built Palace of Soviets – Recreated in 3D Max as a modern rendering of what the building would look like if it were constructed20. Figure 3 – Boris Iofan’s winning design for the never-built Palace of Soviets – Recreated in 3D Max as a modern rendering of what the building would look like if it were constructed20. Shifting to the influences on Socialist Classicism as an architectural style, it is essential to consider the effect of Ancient Greek and Roman style on Soviet Architects from 1933 to 1955. As Boris Iofan’s winning design for the Palace of Soviets building essentially defined the boundaries of Stalinist architecture, Iofan’s individual influences must be taken into consideration (see Figure 3). After visiting New York, Chicago, Rome and Berlin, Iofan remarked in an issue of the Soviet newspaper Pravda that â€Å"wherever I [Iofan] might travel, whatever I might see, I approached everything from a particular point of view: what of all this has to be ‘taken home’ to the Soviet Union†. Therefore, Iofan’s ideology essentially reflects upon Stalinist architecture with influences from American, Italian (subsequently Roman), and German architecture. Although Stalin marveled at the Seven Sisters and Iofan’s Palace of Soviets plan, he ultimately contradicted himself and disregarded Iofan’s work as being too â€Å"cosmopolitan† (Western-influenced) and lacking stylistic features individual to the Soviet Union. 5. Relevance of Stalinist Architecture In order to assess the relevance of Stalinist architecture between 1945-1957, it is important to put the events of the Cold War into context. First of all, tension between the United States and the Soviet Union continuously rose from 1945 to 1957, starting with the disagreements between the USA and the USSR at the Yalta conference in February 1945 and the Potsdam conference in July 1945. For instance, at the Yalta conference, Roosevelt and Churchill did not accept Stalin’s proposal to annex Eastern Poland. Furthermore, at the Potsdam conference, Stalin promised free elections past the Oder-Neisse line. However, free elections were never held and the Soviet government eventually persecuted Polish nationalists. In terms of economic reconstruction, the Soviet Union had joined the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 1944. However, when the Soviet Union applied for a $6 billion loan from the United States, America immediately imposed conditions on the loan. These conditions included the opening of eastern European markets to American products, which in effect reflected the â€Å"dollar diplomacy† strategy of the United States – using its economic power and intact industry to reach its geopolitical goals on the devastated European continent. Stalin’s reaction to the forced conditions on the six billion dollar loan was undoubtedly negative. However, the Soviet Union was in great need of funding after its economy was significantly depleted after the war. However, Stalin had controversial aims as to what would be done with all government funding regarding the reconstruction of Russia after World War II. With millions of people deceased and hundreds of thousands of homes destroyed, it is argued by many historians that the building of Khrushchyovka, small and simplistic residential buildings built to maximize housing space and housing multiple families in communal apartments, would more rapidly reconstruct Russia after the war. However, Stalin focused more on the creation of the Vysotki rather than Khrushchyovka, thus using a substantially larger portion of the government’s money on expensive, grand buildings, yet not spending enough on building pragmatic housing solutions that would have helped a much larger share of Soviet population. For example, the entire city of Stalingrad took approximately 2 billion Russian rubles to completely reconstruct after the war, however in comparison, the Moscow State Lomonosov University building took about 2. 6 billion Russian rubles alone, approximating 415 million British pounds in contemporary monetary terms. Stalin’s method of spending billions of rubles on the building of the Seven Sisters was immensely controversial. Nonetheless, while he remained in power very few people dared to oppose any of his decisions or his architectural ideology. In other words, up until March 1953, when Joseph Stalin died, Stalin’s cult of personality ultimately undermined any attempt to consider spending less governmental funds on the creation of the Vysotki. Public opinion after Stalin’s death was split, as one side favored the Seven Sisters, claiming that the new high-rise buildings essentially beautified the capital of Soviet Russia. Many others agreed with the new Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev that Stalin’s spending spree on a few grand buildings did not benefit the Soviet Union and ultimately did more damage than good. One simple reason to criticize the Seven Sister project is that two of the grand buildings were built as hotels – Leningradskaya and Ukraine – catering to foreign tourists. However, the Cold War tensions slowed any tourism from the West to a trickle and the two hotels stood largely vacant, while millions of Russians struggled without adequate housing, their homes destroyed in the war. 6. Incorporation of the Seven Sisters into the City of Moscow In the architectural realm of the Soviet Union, the main project was to rebuild Moscow in an innovative and idealistically planned manner. This massive project to rebuild Moscow was placed in the hands of the Communist Party’s Central Committee, and in June 1931, a resolution was generated that essentially provided the guidelines of how each city was going to be rebuilt. The Union of Soviet Architects subsequently utilized these plans to determine the amounts of funding to be spent on the rebuilding of each Soviet city. Although the plans to reconstruct the city of Leningrad were considered the most prominent, the majority of funding was given to Moscow, as it was the nation’s capital. Therefore, the city of Moscow was to be deemed as the ideal â€Å"socialist city†, a utopia that reflected the ideology of Socialism and conveyed the positive link between architectural grandeur and Soviet achievements in all other realms of life – education, government, science, industry and the arts. However this model of a â€Å"socialist city† contained numerous ironies, due to the General Plan for Moscow’s components. The plan envisioned a relatively non-industrial landscape, as factories and other industrial plants were to be banned in central Moscow and mass housing (Kommunalka) significantly reduced. These plans, in effect, resembled the typical contemporary city of a capitalist society, such as the United States. Considering the incorporation of the Seven Sisters into Moscow in aesthetic terms, the general plans for rebuilding Moscow called for the Vysotki to be the predominant elements of the city’s skyline. Relating back to the initial plans of the prospective Seven Sisters, the design consisted of the seven high-rise buildings to be aligned in a circular formation. Although this was mainly done in order to balance the skyline of Moscow, thus avoiding the clutter of skyscrapers in a condensed area, Stalin proposed that this circular formation would psychologically and visually coronate the capital city of Russia. The Seven Sisters, would therefore â€Å"crown† Moscow, representing architectural jewels, much like the composition of a literal crown. This idea of crowning Moscow suggests multiple things, including Stalin’s vision for Soviet pride in the victory in World War II and nationalistic ideology, as well as the suggestion that Moscow with its Seven Sisters is superior and more grandiose in contrast with other contemporary European cities. Figure 4 – Moscow State University (Lomonosov University) 7. Moscow’s Progression into a Contemporary European City Figure 5 – Moscow Metro, Kievskaya Station Figure 5 – Moscow Metro, Kievskaya Station With consideration to Moscow’s gradual progression into a contemporary European city, the Seven Sisters and numerous other architectural projects all contributed to the innovative re-imaging and rebuilding of Stalin’s showpiece city. Perhaps one of the most glorious aspects of Muscovite architecture in a way that affects the city’s enormous 15 million population to this day is the Moscow city metro system (see Figure 5). Initially opened for use in 1935, the Moscow Metro was the first underground railway system in the Soviet Union. Although not only pragmatic in its use, moving close to 4 million people a day in 2012, the metro system in Moscow is famous for its stations’ architectural and artistic magnificence, complete with bronze chandeliers, marble floors and mosaic and sculptural art works unimaginable in the drab, utilitarian metro systems of New York or London. Furthermore, adding to the practicalities of the new Moscow, the urban planning of the city ultimately helped define Moscow as a modern European city. More specifically, it was the Moscow Master Plan of 1935 that ultimately outlined the way Moscow was to be reconstructed. Stalin instigated a numerable amount of changes to the urban planning of Moscow, which in turn supported his funding of expensive â€Å"ensemble† projects, thus favoring luxury over the needs of millions of middle and lower class workers in the city. For instance, city blocks were to be increased from 2 hectares up to 15 hectares, and the population density was limited to 400 people per 1 hectare. Additionally, all new buildings were required to be at least 6 stories high, while first-rate streets (embankments) had to be 10 or 14 stories high. These new rules effectively banned the production of inexpensive and mass constructed housing units, as well as single-family houses. 8. Conclusion Figure 6 – Triumph Palace Figure 6 – Triumph Palace When evaluating the city of Moscow from an aesthetic point of view, it is the Seven Sisters that generally stand out most prominently among the vast skyline of Moscow. The Vysotki did not only leave a strong visual impact on the city, they also left both an architectural and social legacy that has proven to influence modern architecture throughout the world. There are numerous positive and negative impacts caused by the building of the Seven Sisters, which ultimately define the legacy of the massive Stalinist high-rises. First of all, Stalin’s Vysotki delivered a newfound architectural magnificence into the capital city of Moscow. With influences from Ancient Greek and Roman architecture, the Seven Sisters gave the city a luxuriously grand aura. The stylistic features of the Seven Sister buildings have been repeated several times in modern architecture globally, thus proving to be an influential legacy left by the Vysotki. For instance, the Triumph Palace in Moscow, built in 2004, takes the architectural magnificence of the Vysotki and converts the features into a modern representation of a Seven Sister building (see Figure 6). This massive apartment building purposefully resembles a Seven Sister building, and is sometimes referred to as the â€Å"Eighth† Sister. However, relative to the issues challenging the nation at the time of the construction of Stalin’s Seven Sisters, the Vysotki left unanswered the more pragmatic and humanistic problems, as the housing crisis after World War II was not resolved. As mentioned previously, the total funding of the Lomonosov State University building exceeded the total funding for the reconstruction of the entire city of Stalingrad. Of course Stalingrad did not have nearly as many plans for grand buildings as Moscow, however the lack of housing in Stalingrad was resolved much more effectively than in Moscow, in light of a relatively lower need for funding in comparison with the capital city. In terms of Stalin’s architectural preferences, Moscow was to be reconstructed as the ideal socialist city, with all unattractive mass housing units moved to the outskirts of the city. Although these buildings eventually solved the issue of the lack of housing, the dull nature of the Khrushchyovka was criticized by many, claiming that the buildings constructed under Khrushchev and Leonid Brezhnev were aesthetically unpleasant. The method of constructing these mass housing units was parodied by the Soviet popular film â€Å"Irony of Fate†, which was produced in 1975, approximately 20 years after the initial implementation of these buildings. When determining the relevance of Stalin’s Seven Sister buildings, the question must be asked: How did the creation of Stalin’s ‘Seven Sisters’ transform Moscow into a contemporary city while simultaneously presenting Soviet Communism to the world from 1947-1957? Although the gradual transformation of Moscow into a modern European city is characterized by various different aspects, such as the urban planning and architecture of Moscow, the conclusion can be made that the Seven Sisters played a significant role in Moscow’s progression.

Factory Hours for children Essay Example

Factory Hours for children Essay Example Factory Hours for children Essay Factory Hours for children Essay During the 18th century the government was interested in defending the country. On account of this they collected taxes and in law and order. They did not think it was their place to interfere in other peoples lives. The government thought that it was none of their business to say how many hours people worked it did not occur to them that it was a problem. Before mills were built people worked at home so their working hours and conditions were unknown because they were somewhat isolated. When the Mills were built the owners main concern was to make money and most of the time, little attention was paid to the conditions or hours of the workers. Mills were crowded and soon the bad conditions became obvious. Conditions were varied not all mill owners were cruel and heartless, but by the 1830s it became clear that something had to be done to regulate the conditions in the mills and textile trade. Some employers felt it was their religious duty to take care of their workers. Robert Peel was one of those men and he employed most of Bury which included 1000 children. Peel was so shocked by the maltreatment of apprentices in other mills that he worked to get the 1802 Health and Morals of the Apprentices Act passed. Many reformers were not trying to stop the employment of children but just the excessive hours and poor treatment of them. Robert Peel was also interested in improving their behaviour and morality. Samuel Greg agreed with this bill. His apprentices were already on a twelve hour day and he has made provision for their health and morality. When the Apprentice House was set up in 1790, all his apprentices had schooling and they all went to church on Sundays. : A pressure campaign was spearheaded outside Parliament by Richard Oastler. Oastler wanted to acquire a ten hour day for workers. He started with children because they were easier to get support for and he hoped that then other workers hours would have to be shortened to match. Children were the biggest employers in the textile mills. If there was change in the cotton industry it would mean change in other industries. Inside Parliament the campaign was led by mill owner Michael Sadler and then by Lord Ashley, later the Earl of Shaftesbury. They were all worried about the excessive hours and the lack of protection given to them by the law. They perceived this to be the lack of morality among the child workers. They thought it was their religious duty to do improve all this.  1832 The House of Commons set up a committee to enquire into the case for a shorter working week.  1833 The dreadful conditions in factories were highlighted in a published report but some M.P.s said it was biased in favour of workers because no mill owners had been called to give evidence. A new Royal Commission was set up so both points of view could be heard. It was reported that two months later enough evidence had been gathered about the damage done to children and young people by the long working hours and harsh conditions. Parliament accepted something had to be done.  In the 1833 Factory Act, factories laid down hours of work for young people. Children under nine years of ages could not work. Children aged between nine or twelve could work only eight hours a day. Thirteen to eighteen year olds could work for no more than twelve hours a day. Working children had to have two hours of schooling a day. This was one of the many reasons why civil registration of births and deaths began in 1837. Mill owners could keep their factories open for the same number of hours, and women still had to work for as long as before and sometimes even longer. The 1844 Factory Act applied to textile mills. It started that women were not to work for more than 12 hours a day. To do this, factory owners had to be made a concession, the age at which children could be employed was lowered from nine to eight. But, these children were only allowed to work for six and a half hours a day instead on nine. Three hours of schooling a day was still compulsory. Mill owners could still organise shifts of child workers but because women were not allowed to work for more than twelve hours a day, it was hard to keep the mills open for as long as before. The 1847 Factory Act stated that women and young people could not work for longer than ten hours a day. In some mills this meant a ten-hour day. Many mill owners claimed that they could not make a profit if their mills only worked for ten hours. By working out a shift system for the women and children and by making the men work a fifteen or sixteen hour day, they got around the act. The 1850 Factory Acts was a something of a compromise. Parliament had agreed to an act which increased the amount of time women and children had to work but reduced the hours which men worked, a ten and a half hour day was to be worked in all mills by men, women and young people.

CASE NOTE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CASE NOTE - Essay Example I learned that Leadership styles in different culture varies in midst of cultures because it is based on values that are different. Most people have leadership in other cultures have given a promise to people that have allowed them to be leaders. Guthrie points out attributes that should be in habit to ensure that an individual becomes a successful leader. Leadership is stemmed for experience or the desire to succeed beyond others. In sports, leadership is fuelled by motivation to be the best, make peers proud, and have the gratification to be the best. Leaderships is undeniably stemmed from an inner motivation to excel and lead a group of individuals to a collaborative success. One of the main conclusions I derived from this case study is the fact that good leadership comes from empowerment, in which Dashman clearly lacks. Motivating employees is one of the major concerns of any organizations who seeks to be a dominant force in that industry. Employee morale and motivation plays a crucial role in the success of the organization. Employees became impulsive as disrupted organizational culture plagued the morality of the employees. My solution would to be embed best practices and to embed a solution that would change the logistics of the organization. In any organization, operation process management is one of the most crucial elements for organizations as they progress to 21st century. Dashman never got any notices sent to executives, which created a huge issue. The organization should focus on demand planning, forecasting, and inventory management. It is clear that organizations conducts forecasts estimate customer demand for a particular product during a time span forecasts are compared to inventory levels to ensure that distribution centers have enough products to sell but not overcrowd its inventory. So how does the organization dominate this strategy? One of the most premier things it does is create a dashboard that accommodates the needs

Financing Options for Larger Purchases Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financing Options for Larger Purchases - Essay Example It is like a contract between two parties written for engaging in a transaction. The selling party must fulfill all the obligations written in the contract for the transaction while the buyers must also engage themselves in the particular transaction. Different financing options have different prices depending upon the value of the asset which is to be bought or sold. Usually the values of asset are currency or bonds or it may be future contracts along with a premium package till the expiry of the contract. When the option is exercised within due time, the other party collects its premium from the buyer & deliver the asset to the buyer. If the option is not fulfilled into the due time of expiry, the contract is considered void. There are such types of options too in which the actual buyer of an asset sell it to someone else, this is known as the exchange of option. Usually, all kinds of financial options are provided by finance corporations or by investment banks. Whenever there is a contract held between two parties considering any of the financial options, the terms of the option are required to write down. It must always mention the quantity & type of asset to be purchased & at what value it is going to be sold out. The expiry date is also mentioned in the contract & also some other terms & conditions upon which the whole contract is written, like the premium amount, the interest rate etc. The options are mainly of two types, the exchange-traded options which have a set of pre-defined contracts like stock options, bond options, index options etc, & the over the counter option which is not on an exchange & is simply between two parties. There can be as many terms & conditions in the latter one as both the parties want, depending upon their particular situation & the kind of valuable asset. There are also employee stock options typically in US which are in a form of an incentive from a company to its employees (PETCHERS. 2003). Purchasing of a house or a car o r something big like these always require some time to stop & think deeply what & which kind of financial option will suit according to the current situation anyone is facing. They are a real necessity & thus cannot be avoided. On the other hand, one must look into his/her budget & the actual need for that very item. One should not get tempted from the luxurious items which are out of range & should not get over spend. The one who has the money should be the one to decide what option will better suit him/her & what will not. At what interest rate can anyone afford the installments & thus before signing over any contract the details must be well read by the purchaser. Personal finances such as house, car, large electronic appliances etc need a lot of financial planning with respect to the budget & savings & considering future financial risks. Several ways to earn right amount of financial assistance at right time include insurance policies, investments in some business or in stock ma rket, social security plans & benefits, saving accounts & consumer loans etc. When looking for financing of  large purchases, the easiest & the best way is the exchange-trade option, which is always standardized & the set of rules is pre-defined very clearly so that there would be no ambiguity remains in the contract. There can be installments procedure in which there are 3 months, 6 months or sometimes a 9 month installment can be made in order to cover the whole price of the asset. As there has been throughout computerized

Intercultural Communications assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Intercultural Communications - Assignment Example The Canadian culture is under individual culture. This is clearly seen when people meet for the first time, they always want to know what the person does, their accomplishments, individualist culture, and where they live. These items become basis of defining a person. In this country there are also few family names and people are not often defined by their family name but by their accomplishments. Power distance theory analyses the way different cultures deal with inequalities. This is the extent to which people from the minority group in a country accept and expect that there is unequal distribution of power. Canadian culture is characterized with a low power distance. This is evident in workplaces where every employee has equal rights. Company employees have the right to speak out if they are not satisfies with the working conditions. This can be directly or through trade unions. Uncertainty avoidance theory analyses the extent to which people within a culture feel that they are threatened by unknown situations. Canada culture is weak in uncertainty mainly because of the diversity among people. People are more relaxed because they respect each other’s cultural background. Ethiopia is a country that has a diverse mix of linguistic and ethnic background. This country is estimated to have more than 80 different ethnic groups, each having its own culture, language, custom, and tradition (Teum Teklehaimanot, 2015). Ethiopia has a collective culture where relationship among people is emphasized at a greater degree. People are defined by their family names and extended families are the focus of the country’s social system. Relatives from both sides of the family and close friends usually have a close relationship. Quit often when people marry, they live with their families so that there is a group to turn to when need arises. In Ethiopia, there is high power distance, which means that people are expected to respect those who are in power

Relationship Between Political Socialization And Political Culture Sociology Essay

Relationship Between Political Socialization And Political Culture Sociology Essay This paper has sought to identify the relationship between political socialization and political culture. We have succeeded in establishing that the way a child is socialized, and the environment definitely impacts on his political culture. It is a widely known and accepted fact that man is a social creature and his identity and culture are formed in the society from which he develops and almost all of his activities and functions are directed through the society; there are few human activities which are not affected by community. Topic: Define the concepts political culture and political socialization. How would political scientists describe the connection between political socialization and political culture? The term Political Culture means the attitudes, feelings, ideas, and values that people have about politics, government, and their own role, and more generally about authority in all its various forms (Munroe, 1985). Political culture has further been referred to as the beliefs, habits, behavioural patterns, values and overall distinguishing attributes that make up and characterize a political community. A political culture is the way in which the individuals within the social setting view their political system, the way in which they perceive it to function and the level of acceptance that pervades as a result. The political culture of a people is more than just their collective opinions, it is the way in which they choose to live as a result of their political beliefs, and it is the measure of what they are willing to accept, it guides they general thinking of a people (politically) and is somewhat steady in nature; i.e. the beliefs of the parents would more than likely be passed on to their offspring. Though the culture may be the same within in a society this does not in any way mean that the people would agree on the same issues or that what may be important to one individual would be important to another, it simply means that the way in which they choose to approach and deal with these issues would be in essence quite similar. Political culture usually means that they people have basically the same level of awareness of their rights, obligations and expectations as citizens. One must bear in mind also that Political culture varies from one country to another simply because the beliefs, feelings, attitudes and values of people vary. For example; the political culture of Grenada would be different from that of America or Japan for instance, just as it would vary between those two. One cannot understand the politics of a country without first looking at its political culture (Munroe, 1985). Political Socialization on the other hand is termed as the process whereby society develops attitudes and feelings towards politics in each of its members (Munroe, 1985). This basically means that political socialization is the process by which political culture is developed and maintained. It is what is taught to the people through their interactions with one another, through the media and through observation. Whereas Political culture deals with the collective, political socialization deals with the individual, it focusses on the upbringing of and interactions of the individual that result in the adherence to and acceptance of the political culture. Those groups and institutions which contribute to the process of political socialization are known as the agents of socialization. These sources affect the development of political values and attitudes differently, but they all contribute to the individuals understanding of and orientations toward politics. The primary agents of socialization are those that directly develop specific political orientations such as the family. Whereas, the secondary agents of socialization tend to be less personal and involved in the process of socialization in a more indirect manner such as the media (Wake Forest University, 2006). Political socialization has two distinguishing levels; these are primary and secondary. Primary socialization takes place through relationships with others, this is usually mostly informal relationships like peer groups, family members, social groups, etc. This form of influence is most often subliminal; the persons are usually unaware that they are being conditioned to think a certain way about their political system, situation and or standing. Individuals develop a basic attitude toward authority and power through this form of socialization and as a result this is what is emanated further in their political views and attitude towards politics. The secondary level of political socialization is more formal in nature and is found mostly in the wider social network. These range from schools, churches, media, political parties, social groups, etc. The way in which a person reacts to and interacts with their political system is heavily influences by what they hear and observe from others within their society. For example, depending on the religious beliefs of an individual their political views will be affected as such, depending on the influence of their instructors in school they will be affected, the influence of the media is a major factor in the ways an individual views the social system he operates in and so is the case for social groups and the policies and views pushed forth by political parties. Another major factor in political socialization is social status/standing; this has a major influence on the way in which a person would choose to deal with social issues, and the way in which they would try to influence policy. Demographics also play an important part in the way people respond to politics as their different situations are affects differently by their political system. A personà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s race, gender, age, economic standing, country and education would have a significant effect on what they view as important to them and what they would like to be done for them through their political system. By looking at both these concepts we can see how they are directly intertwined and co-dependent on each other. Without political culture there would be no political socialization and without political socialization there would be no political culture. They work hand-in-hand to develop a political system in which everyone accepts the basic underworking of the way in which the political machine runs. Political Socialization forms political culture and political culture influences political socialization. Political socialization is part of the continuous process of social order which is responsible for teaching certain political behaviours to the new members of a society in order to make them think in keeping with the changing political system they are living in (Almond Verba, 1963). It appears that every society may succeed in maintaining its political culture through the process of political socialization; because by accessing cultural transfer channels of the society, the means to improving those set of values that contribute to the political stability and solidity of a society may be obtained (Verba, Schlozman, Brady, 1995). Through political socialization, an individual will take on a particular political personality which leads the individual to accepting a certain role in the framework of the political system. Accordingly, people knowingly adopt a certain status and position in the political structure of the society; a process which is completed by the family, school, mass media, government, political societies, parties, state organizations, local agencies, occupations, etc. (Ulzurrun, 2002).As Almond and Verba view it, political socialization is the process of maintaining or changing political cultures. Through political socialization people enter political culture and their orientations toward political objectives are formed (Almond Verba, 1963). This paper has sought to identify the relationship between political socialization and political culture. We have succeeded in establishing that the way a child is socialized, and the environment definitely impacts on his political culture. It is a widely known and accepted fact that man is a social creature and his identity and culture are formed in the society from which he develops and almost all of his activities and functions are directed through the society; there are few human activities which are not affected by community. Therefore, society is crucial for human beings because it is associated with their survival. In this regard, family plays the most important role in spreading socialization. The type relationship formed in family influences the early stages of childrenà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s life and formation of their personality and thereby prepares them to abide by social norms and rules and to have a successful and effective presence in society. Parents are the first models for a child whose manner of treating others, conduct, culture, politics, norms and values are all formed in family environment. If a family fails to play its role in this respect, socialization will be impaired right from the start. To sum, one of the most important and effective factors influencing political culture is socializing different political subjects in families.

jackie robinson :: essays research papers

The first man to break the color barrier in Major League Baseball in the 20th century, Jackie Robinson is one of the most celebrated baseball players in history. Jim, the moral center of Mark Twain’s The Adventure’s of Huckleberry Finn .Who doesn’t portray a baseball player, yet both Jackie Robinson and Jim both share the same heroic qualities. Both are courageous, noble, and strong-minded. Jackie Robinson was born in Cairo, Georgia on January 31, 1919 and grew up in Pasadena, California, where he attended UCLA. While attending there he won letters in football, baseball, basketball, and track. He was regarded as the most all-around athlete in the U.S. at the time. After serving three years in the army, he began playing baseball with the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro leagues. After hid successful season in 1946 with the team’s Farmclub he became the first African American major league baseball player since the 19th century. In 1947 he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers. But before Jackie Robinson there was Moses Fleetwood Walker, he was the 1st African American major league baseball player to play baseball in the late 1800’s. On April 15, 1947 Jackie Robinson became the 1st African American to play major league baseball. He broke the color line, which led to many white teams playing against all black teams or interracial teams: Jackie Robinson caught many Americans attention and his story was widely retold through American culture in many different forms. Such as through movies, radio talk shows, sheet music, comic books, and sports magazines. Even though many of Jackie’s fans showed their support towards him, many who hated him sent him death threats or even threw things at him. While under all this pressure Jackie still focused on baseball and showed everyone that he was a great baseball player:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å" Baseball was just part of my life. Thank God that I didn’t allow a sport or a business or any part of my life to dominate me completely †¦ I felt that I had my time in the athletics and that was it.† He won a lot of peoples respect and also became a symbol of black opportunity. Even the magazine Sporting News, which was against black baseball players, acknowledged his great skill and ability in the game of baseball and awarded him with the Rookie of the Year award in 1947. Robinson’s outstanding ten-year career compiled a .

Issues on Paid College Athletes

Should college athletes be paid? Many have different opinions on this subject. Some feel that a fully paid scholarship is enough for these talented individuals. But for the athletes it†s not enough. Allen Sack, a former football player said: † No matter their economic circumstances, college scholarship athletes, almost universally agree that there needs to be a way for money to find its way into their hands ligitimatley.† But what most the public doesn†t know is that intercollegiate athletics is a primary source of income for colleges and universities in the United States, and the athletes aren†t seeing a penny of it. The N.C.A.A. is what†s keeping the athletes from seeing some of the money they deserve by calling it â€Å"Amateurism.† Rule 2.9 says: † The principal of Amateurism Student athletes shall be amateurs in an intercollegiate sport, and their participation should be motivated primarily by education and the physical, mental and social benefits to be derives. Student participation in intercollegiate athletics is an avocation, and student athletes should be protected from exploitation by professional and commercial enterprises.† These rules show you how the N.C.A.A. controls the actions of the student athletes, only to allow them to be manipulated by their universities and take away their freedom to earn money on their own. College athletes who come from low-income families have little or no money, leading them to accept money and gifts illegally. Presidents of division I schools are allowing boosters to offer big money to talented athletes for competing on the fields of play, and try to attract wealthy TV networks to commercialize the sports and make Billions off the consumers. College athletes are young and naive and maybe that†s why they accept money and gifts. Maybe they feel they deserve it and lack the fear of any consequences or maybe they truly need the money since they can†t make it elsewhere. Athletes know they have a scholarship, but they also know that a scholarship doesn†t give you any money for normal everyday spending. For whatever reason student athletes accept money, whether good or bad, they still take it and they always will as long as it†s offered. The star athlete is basically hired to bring success to a certain sports program, regardless of his or her educational goals or intellectual background. Technically it is a phrase describing an individual student who engages in a sport for the academic institution they represent. But the problem that haunts the N.C.A.A. is the realization that the student athlete is truly two different words, describing two different groups of people and one day they will have to admit that they are separate. The bottom line is winning, and winning requires talented athletes, but some athletes realize their value and demand some compensation for their efforts. With all their long hours of hard work and endless practice, they put everything on the line. They risk life and limb for the university they represent and for what? Why undergo the stress and strain of a season, year after year, to only be tossed aside after their eligibility or talent is used up? Obviously for some, it†s that small possibility one day turning professional, but for others it†s the question of why can†t I get paid for my work now? Universities realize that they take in millions of dollars in revenue, and in return all the athlete gets is a scholarship. It all adds up from grants-in-aid to student athletes which generates about 5 million dollars a year. Add that to the millions spent on travel, housing, equipment, health care and other costs, pretty soon were talking about real money. According to the Bureau of Census is that the free education a scholarship athlete has, typically generates an extra $500,000 or more in that persons future. An education is priceless, and the student athletes at American colleges and universities reap the benefits of the finest higher education system in the world. So the knowledge that a student athlete gains in the classroom is something that will never depreciate. What paying players would do is free them from a system in which they do most of the work and assume all of the risk, yet are prevented from sharing in the results of their labor. This in effect, would terminate any forms off corruption and exploitation of intercollegiate athletics. It would also benefit the universities, while still profiting from their athletic programs they would also be scandal free and have the pressures of winning taken off their shoulders. The majority of the pressure would be carried by the already high paid coaches and soon to be high paid athletes. The N.C.A.A. could benefit by engaging in more high profit venues and would be relived of enormous amounts of pressure due to an employee situation within the system. Overall, a system of salary paid athletes put into intercollegiate athletics would change the views of many. Whether it would benefit society depends on such a proposal. I see no reason why such a proposal could not be created.

Free Essays on Inquiry Project

. Also when we introduce ourselves to the ladies it’s more of a laid back hi instead of a load what’s up. But when we introduce our selves to authority figures (like professors) both of my friends greeted them with hand shakes. But during all these greetings I did something I don’t normally do I watched there their facial expressions and noticed they changed with different people they were saying hi to. Like with a female they had a nice little smile to there face when they said hi to her but other males they just kept a straight face. After I seen this I started watching other males (just because I’m a curious person) and almost all males that I seen don’t show and kind of emotion towards other males when they say hi unless there family or really close but females where just walking up to each other smiling every time they seen someone they knew. I wondered why do this so I asked this girl why women are more energetic with there hellos and why the show a little more emotion when they greet people. She could no... Free Essays on Inquiry Project Free Essays on Inquiry Project My final inquiry project will be about how I and my friends interact with one in different environments one being school the other being away from school and around women. I will not tell my friends what I'm doing until after I have gathered all my information so that way I will not contaminate my information. I will complete this study over a five week interval so I can of plenty of information. Once I started this project I noticed we act totally different in school then we do when where are just together and we also act different when we are surrounded by women. During school most of us greet each other informally with what’s up the same way we do when we are not at school. But our tones are totally different during school we have a more of a calm tone to our words but outside of school its more of a load tone to almost everything we say. But when the ladies come around we try to add a real smooth tone to our words. Also when we introduce ourselves to the ladies it’s more of a laid back hi instead of a load what’s up. But when we introduce our selves to authority figures (like professors) both of my friends greeted them with hand shakes. But during all these greetings I did something I don’t normally do I watched there their facial expressions and noticed they changed with different people they were saying hi to. Like with a female they had a nice little smile to there face when they said hi to her but other males they just kept a straight face. After I seen this I started watching other males (just because I’m a curious person) and almost all males that I seen don’t show and kind of emotion towards other males when they say hi unless there family or really close but females where just walking up to each other smiling every time they seen someone they knew. I wondered why do this so I asked this girl why women are more energetic with there hellos and why the show a little more emotion when they greet people. She coul d no...

Free Essays on Henry Ford

In 1896, a horseless carriage drove through the streets of Detroit attracting crowds wherever it went. The police tried to get the driver, Henry Ford, to get a license. This car was the first of many automobiles he would create. Henry Ford was born on a farm near Dearborn, Michigan on July 30, 1863. His mother died when he was only twelve years old. In the summer Henry helped on the farm, and in the winter he went to a one room school. Henry went around repairing machinery for no charge just to play around with it. At the age of sixteen young Henry Ford was apprenticed to a mechanic, and worked for a watchmaker in the night. Next he worked in an engine shop setting up steam engines for farms. In 1884 Henry's father gave him his ranch. He got married and got settled down. After two years Henry went to work for the Detroit Edison Company. Gasoline engines started to be popular, and Henry Ford was awed by them. He built his first gasoline engine in a small shed behind his house. In 1899 Henry helped organize the Detroit Automobile Company. He wanted to make the automobiles at an affordable price so everyone could buy one. The company did not like the idea so Henry withdrew from the company. In 1903 Henry organized the Ford Motor Company. Henry Ford idea was to have mass production, and replaced men with machines anyway he could. He gave each person that worked for him one job so that they did it over and over again. In World War I and World War II Henry Ford's company was one of the major producers of war material. In 1904 Henry Ford gave the presidency of Ford Motor Company to his grandson Henry Ford II. He died at the age of 83 on April 7, 1947.... Free Essays on Henry Ford Free Essays on Henry Ford Henry Ford, the son of a farmer, was born in Greenfield, Michigan on the 30th of July 1863. He left school at age 15 to work on his father's farm but in 1879 he moved to Detroit where he became an apprentice in a machine shop. To help him survive on his low wages he spent his evenings repairing clocks and watches. Ford was diagnosed with dyslexia at an early age. He learned to cope with this disability over the years. His problems in reading comprehension, math, listening skills, and speaking impeded upon the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge. So Ford did most of his learning with his hands and by using visuals. Ford returned to Greenfield after his father gave him 40 acres to start his own farm. Unable to settle at Greenfield, Ford returned to Detroit to work as an engineer for the Edison Illuminating Company. During this period Ford read an article in the World of Science about how the German engineer, Nicholas Otto, had built an internal combustion engine. Ford had somewhat of an understanding for the internal combustion engine from his experience at the machine shop. Ford now spent his spare time trying to build a petrol-driven motorcar. His first car, finished in 1896, was built in a little brick shed in his garden. Driven by a two-cylinder, four-cycle motor, it was mounted on bicycle wheels. Named the Thin Lizzie, the car had no reverse gear or brakes. By August 1899, Ford had raised enough money to start his own company. His first group of investors withdrew after Ford had spent $86,000 without producing a car that could be sold. After overcoming this obstacle, Ford found 12 new investors willing to invest a total of $28,000 in another motor company. Ford now began production of the Model A car. The car sold well and the company flourished and by 1907 the profits reached $1,100,000. Initially it took 14 hours to assemble a Model T car. By improving his mas... Free Essays on Henry Ford In 1896, a horseless carriage drove through the streets of Detroit attracting crowds wherever it went. The police tried to get the driver, Henry Ford, to get a license. This car was the first of many automobiles he would create. Henry Ford was born on a farm near Dearborn, Michigan on July 30, 1863. His mother died when he was only twelve years old. In the summer Henry helped on the farm, and in the winter he went to a one room school. Henry went around repairing machinery for no charge just to play around with it. At the age of sixteen young Henry Ford was apprenticed to a mechanic, and worked for a watchmaker in the night. Next he worked in an engine shop setting up steam engines for farms. In 1884 Henry's father gave him his ranch. He got married and got settled down. After two years Henry went to work for the Detroit Edison Company. Gasoline engines started to be popular, and Henry Ford was awed by them. He built his first gasoline engine in a small shed behind his house. In 1899 Henry helped organize the Detroit Automobile Company. He wanted to make the automobiles at an affordable price so everyone could buy one. The company did not like the idea so Henry withdrew from the company. In 1903 Henry organized the Ford Motor Company. Henry Ford idea was to have mass production, and replaced men with machines anyway he could. He gave each person that worked for him one job so that they did it over and over again. In World War I and World War II Henry Ford's company was one of the major producers of war material. In 1904 Henry Ford gave the presidency of Ford Motor Company to his grandson Henry Ford II. He died at the age of 83 on April 7, 1947.... Free Essays on Henry Ford -Henry Ford Henry Ford's parents left Ireland during the potato famine and settled in the Detroit area in the 1840s. Henry Ford, born July 30, 1863, was the first of William and Mary Ford's six children. He grew up on a prosperous family farm in what is today Dearborn, Michigan. Henry enjoyed a childhood typical of the rural nineteenth century, spending days in a one-room school and doing farm chores. At an early age, he showed an interest in mechanical things and a dislike for farm work. He had an intelligent, inquisitive nature and was energized by the huge growth of industry occurring in the Detroit area. He was also an avid experimenter. Once, in order to prove the power of steam, he plugged up the spout of a teakettle full of boiling water and it blew apart! As he grew up his father allowed him to "tinker" with many of the tools on the farm. Ford's mother called him a "born mechanic" and provided him with darning needles and corset stays to make into tools for his watch repair w ork. Probably the most dramatic event in Henry Ford's life happened in 1876 when he was thirteen years old. While riding with his father in a wagon, they saw a steam engine traveling along the road under its own power! Ford jumped off the wagon and excitedly began to question the driver about this remarkable engine. Used for stationary purposes such as sawing wood, the engine had been mounted on wheels to propel itself. The engineer explained all about the machine and even let Ford fire the engine and run it. Ford later said, "That showed me that I was by instinct an engineer." The seed was planted that there could be a self-propelled vehicle and that thought would haunt his imagination for years. Although he yearned to go to Detroit and work in the machine shops, Ford stayed on the farm helping the family until he was seventeen. Then, with his father's blessing, he moved to Detroit and started working at the Michigan Car Company for $1.10 a day. He was fire...

Strategic Management Issues at British American Tabaco Essay

Strategic Management Issues at British American Tabaco - Essay Example The strategies chosen by the managers should be able to make the company achieve better performances. The process of strategic management is continuous. The process of strategic management is aimed at appraising industries and business that an organization is involved in. Strategic management appraises the environment that an organization is based in. The process of strategic management analyses the competitors by setting goals and objectives that will enable an organization to gain and maintain competitive advantage over its current and future competition. The strategic management process is concerned with environmental scanning, strategy formulation, strategy implementation and strategy evaluation. Environmental scanning is the process of availing information for strategic decision making purposes (Hit, et al 306). Information about the external and internal environment is collected, scrutinized and presented to the managers for strategic decision making. After the environment has been scanned the managers use the information presented to formulate the strategies. The formulation of a particular strategy is realized after reaching a consensus between managers on the best strategy to implement. The course of action chosen should best exploit the organization’s ability to accomplish organizational goals and objectives. ... The most famous brands of cigarettes that the company produces include lucky Strike, State Express 555, Kool, John Player Field, Rothmans, Dunhill, Viceroy, Benson & Hedges, Winfield, and Peter Stuyvesant. The major brands for the British American Tobacco that are produced in local markets include Embassy (Kenya),Jockey Club(Argentina),Wills(India), Xon(Uzbekistan), GPC(US), Ardath(Indonesia), North State(Finland), du Maurier (Canada), Stradbroke (Australia) among other brands. The company also produces other types of products such as cigars, cut tobacco and pipe tobacco. The company’s products are sold in major supermarkets, hotels, restaurants, bars, hotels, and duty free shops such as army barracks, convenience stores, tobacconists, and cafes. The British American Tobacco company has a strong presence in the world and hence holds a strong market share in the tobacco industry. The company has a robust position in the market as the demand for the tobacco products is high and continuous. BAT is thus assured of high sales volume and profits every year. The company has continued with its strategy to diversify its products market. Recently, the company is eying investing in China. The company has made sure that it is well rooted in major countries in the world. For instance, the company has strong roots in Western Europe, Eastern Europe and North America. To maintain its position in the market, BAT management has ensured that it remains the best buyer of tobacco leafs from the farmers. The main advantage of buying farmers produce at a reasonable price has ensured that the company is ahead in most countries over its competitors. BAT has offered many farmers an

Civilians On The Battlefield Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Civilians On The Battlefield - Essay Example The growing dependence on contractors in today's nonlinear battlefield, combined with its explicit inclusion stated in the current military strategy, provides the need to critically examine the subject of contractors on the battlefield. There are many challenges with civilians on the battlefield; however, increased use of civilians has changed the face of combat for the military because Global War on Terror (GWOT) has advocated an increasing number of civilians on the nonlinear battlefield. The growing dependence on contractors in today's nonlinear battlefield, combined with its explicit inclusion stated in the current military strategy, provides the need to critically examine the subject of contractors on the battlefield. To bind this complex area of study, this paper will briefly discuss the background of contractor support to the military and review the current policies and doctrine involving logistical services provided by contractors in combat operations, specifically focused on the United States Army. The use of contractors for operational support is an acceptable risk for the combatant commander as the contractors are generally achieving their mission. Current force structure requires the use of contractors for contingency operations and there are many considerations to ensure the combatant commander is properly supported Civilians have participated in military operations from t... During the Revolutionary War civilians were called "Camp Followers" as they followed the Army from camp to camp. They were most often wives and children of the soldiers and they functioned as cooks, nurses, and mended clothes. Some were even paid for their services. (Van Cortland House Museum) Prior to Operation Desert Shield/Storm policies and procedures that governed civilian personnel during combat operations were ambivalent or nonexistent. Civilian contractors were used extensively during the Vietnam War. "The heavy use of contractors during that War led the Army to determine that a need existed for a preplanned method for utilizing Contractors on the Battlefield" (GlobalSecurity.org, 1). Policies and procedures codified in directives and regulations following Desert Shield/Storm were a vast improvement over previous documents. During this war there were many contracts awarded for logistics support. This resulted in uneven results. The need for a regulated system to award contracts was evident. Current policies and procedures provide clarity and direction. Issues exist with compensation, Emergency-Essential (E-E) position designation, and accountability. Given that the Army is operating in an asymmetric environment, policies and Procedures that govern E-E civilians must change to meet the new environment. II. Civilian contractors are an asset and combat multipliers. Civilian contractors are assets to combat commanders especially when it comes to logistics. LTG Walker (Commander, 8th US Army, Korean War) said it nicely: ""There is no one but yourself to keep your back door open. You can live without food, but you cannot last long without ammunition." Logistics are vital to war fighting. Civilian contracted logistics