Life in the Orange Prison Essay

I never really liked that eerie-looking building that always stood towering over me. Its orange walls and antique framework did not give me an comfortable feeling, although my imagination of a 5 year old told me that it did try to present a fai ade of spurious geniality with those wide welcoming staircases leading to the front door and the colourful flowers skirting the yard. My inner self sent a shiver down the spine as I reluctantly followed my parents through Hell’s gates. I sincerely believed that the building, which was to be my school for the next six years, was not much better than an internment camp. So, on the first day of school, I was directed to my cell. The classroom was filled with a group of children of my size sitting on a circular carpet. The sight was peculiar – the collection of boys and girls from all over the world gathered in a room no bigger than my flat back in Hong Kong. It was like a tossed salad, with potatoes from Japan, cabbage from Australia, lettuce from Canada, tomatoes from Europe, and now there’s me – rice from China. I sat on the floor among the other fidgety bodies. In front of us sat a tall woman with blond hair and a pointy nose. She pointed at a board with apples and numbers on it and asked a question, which I identified because of the raised pitch towards the end of the phrase. Oh no, and then her watery blue eyes smiled at me. She’d chosen me! I could feel heat rushing towards my face and for a moment I thought tears would betray my composure. But I simply stared back at her; looking from the numbered apple to her face, then from her face back to the apple. â€Å"What does she want? † My gaze at her yelled for help, pleading for excuse. It wasn’t after a few weeks of continuous pointing to a new numbered apple on the board that I realized the whole thing represented a calendar. Then, it made all sense to me. Day school was not the worst part yet, because eventually I learned to speak English fluently with other students. We never had homework to do and the challenge in school was really to have fun. At first I struggled hard, as I lacked the means of communication. But eventually the language was programmed into my head and subconsciously I became a fluent English speaker. As I have mentioned, there was another part of my childhood which was even gloomier than day school. And that also took place in the very same building that I sensed to become the bane of my young carefree life. Upon arriving in Vancouver for 6 months, my mom introduced me to Chinese school. The idea baffled me. We were black haired people moving to a white skinned territory learning the yellow skinned language. Like many things that were beyond my comprehension and control, I complied with my mom’s decision. For whatever reason I was learning Chinese in Canada, I loathed the idea and did not look forward to the classes. My instincts did not lie to me. After the first 2 hours of class I was determined that I would never ever spend another minute with that old, squeaky voiced teacher, with that cheesy pictured book, and with those curvy, criss-cross, inscrutable characters. I absolutely despised Chinese. But, with as much conviction a little of girl of my size could hold, I did in the end return to that very intimidating classroom, pick up that very unattractive book, and learned those very perplexing characters. Once a week we would have dictation of the chapter we learned the previous class. The teacher would simply read out a paragraph while we tried to write down each word perfectly. To put it bluntly, we were to learn the chapter verbatim. As pointless as it may sound, it was not an easy thing for me to do. In fact, it was painful. Absolutely flesh pinching. Each night before the dictation, I’d be sitting at my crowded desk with a lamp shining precisely over my head, and staring at the jumble of words. Sitting there, I would circle all the words that I didn’t know how to write, and copy it over and over again until I could trace the word with my eyes closed. It was a tedious task for me because the chapter usually ended up with circles around every other word, if not every word. Worse yet, my mom would be sitting right next to me. With each mistake I made, either forgetting a simply word or missing a dot on the line, she would scorn at me. Of course, with that kind of chaperoning, I only became more frustrated and angry – both at myself for being dumb, and my mom for being impatient. Now, looking back I don’t blame her; it took me over one hour to learn one single paragraph. Dictation was not the toughest part of Chinese class because what I wrote and what mark I received would only remain between the teacher and me. However, reading aloud in class was a different story. It was like stripping in front of the entire class and exposing the most embarrassing flaws of my body to them for scrutiny. Whenever it was reading time, my stomach would lurch, and as each student finished his or her part, my intestines would tie yet another knot – until finally when it was my turn – my body would be so tangled that I could no longer work my diaphragms properly to speak. I made as little noise as possible, thinking that if I spoke quiet enough the teacher would condone my mistakes and let me pass. However, the teacher was not easily satisfied; she made me read again, this time only louder. Protruding my voice in front of the class was as hard as asking a five year old to lift a 50 pound dumbbell. My hands became clammy and I felt as if a furnace was working inside me. I could imagine other students seeing lucent flames embodying me. Once the teacher asked me to stop, the relief was indescribable – everything seemed to stop, the flames ceased to burn me and nothing else around me mattered anymore. I was done reading; I was out of the spotlight. My aversion for Chinese school never alleviated. As the paragraphs in the chapters grew longer and the characters more complex, my understanding of the language only became more dubious. I was like a defeated salmon that could not swim against the current and as a result was pushed backwards. But a lucky salmon I was, a savior from my class rescued me. Her name was Katy. Each time we received our dictation marks, I would be grateful if hers was less than 20 marks higher than mine. As the older girl, she was very bossy in front of me. And I, always been the submissive one, yielded to her, but I did not mind because I thought what I got in return was worth it. Katy helped me with my Chinese homework. She would help me copy those hand killing notes, and during dictation she would peek at what I didn’t get and write the answer on a scrap piece of paper and inconspicuously nudge it over. I was indebted to her. As life in that confinement became easier, an unsettling sense of guilt started to stir inside me. Once every year, the Chinese school principle would organize a dinner party at the school cafeteria. There were lots of fun at those parties; there was a magician pulling ribbons from hat, gift exchanges between anonymous people, long tables of homemade spaghetti, chicken wings, sausages, cookies, and pudding. However, no matter how hard I tried, I could never fully enjoy myself at the party. Throughout the party I would be worrying about the closing speech that the principle would make. I was tormented by the fear that he might expose my cheating to my fellow classmates and most importantly, to my mom. A part of me really anticipated this humiliation or devastation. Each time the principle spoke my stomach flinched as a natural reflex, but of course, not once did he mention my name or the notion of cheating on tests. Call me gullible, nai ve or whatever you want, but that instinctive feeling of being exposed really haunted me. At the end of the six years spent in Van Horne Elementary School, now head overlooking other heads, voice overcoming other voices, I once again stepped through the gates of Hell. Only this time, I stepped into the blinding sunlight and the honking of cars. I no longer felt the building towering over me.

Mattel’s China Experience: A Crisis in Toyland Essay

In 2007, Mattel a California based toy company shockingly recalled 19 million toys that had been manufactured in China. Mattel was founded in 1944, and has produced iconic toys such as Barbie and Hot Wheels. The company had a long established trust with their consumers that had been forged from decades of reliability. However, when the company recalled 19 million toys due to health and safety violations, consumer confusion and outrage soared. The public wanted to know how such an established company’s safety regulations could fail, how Mattel was addressing the issue, and whether consumers could trust Mattel to produce reliable toys in the future. Mattel had been a long time leader in the toy industry. Mattel and its main competitor Hasbro held control of over a third of the toy market, even in an industry with over 900 manufactures. However, there had been shifting trends in the toy industry. New electronics and video games were becoming increasingly popular among older children. Since Mattel manufactured classic toys such as dolls, the shifting trend forced the company to focus on marketing towards young children under the age of 12. While this segment responds well to Mattel’s products, they also are the most at risk of endangering themselves. The younger the children, the more likely they are to put toys in their mouth. This behavior puts children at risk of choking or ingesting harmful chemicals. Even with new adversities in the toy industry, Mattel remained a global leader. As seen in Exhibit A, a SWOT analysis of the company, Mattel had many different strengths that kept it a favorite among consumers. Some of its most significant strengths included its reputable brand name among consumers and its successful marketing of toys through children’s entertainment. Even with changing toy preferences, Mattel was growing internationally. In Exhibit B you can see Mattel’s global sales. While Asia only made up a quarter of Mattel’s sales, they were forecasted to grow 25% annually. Sales in Asia could help combat Mattel’s plateauing market in the United States. The company seemed like it was in a strong position. As early as the 1970s Mattel was manufacturing products in China in order to  take advantage of lower costs and enable corporate resources to focus on establishing the brand. By 2007, nearly 65% of Mattel products were produced in China. Mattel used a combination of company-run plants and a network of contract manufacturers. Exhibit C displays a simplified example of Mattel’s supply chain after moving production to China. Global production obviously had major benefits for Mattel, the country factors of China gave it a comparative cost advantage over producing in the U.S., and outsourcing enabled Mattel to remain profitable in an increasingly competitive toy industry. However, outsourcing does have disadvantages, a global supply chain increases the challenges to regulate and enforce quality. While Mattel had been a leader in safety standard and regulation, even collaborating with the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) as well as establishing Global Manufacturin g Principals (GMPs) the regulatory standards in place were not thorough enough. In 2007, quality issues surfaced within Mattel as various products were found to contain levels way beyond U.S. federal toy safety regulations. During the year, other issues surfaced with Mattel products surrounding the safety hazard of magnetic pieces used in their toys. By the end of 2007 Mattel recalled over 19 million toys. The recall of such large quantities of product left consumers shocked and demanding to know how Mattel could be so unreliable. The reason for the safety hazards in Mattel’s products was do to their lack of direct oversight of contract manufactures in China. Mattel wanted to cut manufacturing costs and decrease lead time, which resulted in increasing pressure by their contracted manufactures to find inexpensive materials quickly. Under the same cost-saving initiatives, Mattel was increasing the amount of goods at distribution centers making it more difficult to preform thorough quality checks. Had Mattel ensured their contracted manufactures were sourcing from proper suppliers, and preformed quality checks before products went to retailers, the recall most likely could have been avoided. Instead, Mattel set guidelines, and hoped on little more than good faith that they GMPs were followed. Hasbro, Mattel’s main competitor has a similar supply chain in place, but avoided the lead paint crisis due to their commitment to inspection. Hasbro set standards for lead paint that were higher than U.S. regulatory standards, and took proper measures to make sure their foreign contractors were also following the same standard. Hasbro  placed their own quality assurance inspectors on factory floors, and inspects each product again before it went to retailers. Hasbro’s extra commitment to quality helps the company deliver a safe and reliable product to customers. Due to the lack of quality management Mattel announced a voluntary recall of some products. While they did report the safety hazard, they reportedly took months to gather information and investigate the problem before publically announcing it. However, under regulatory rules, even potentially hazardous products are supposed to be reported within 24 hours. Mattel did explain to the customers that the lead paint was due to bad behavior by their contracted manufactures in China, easing many parents minds that Mattel would correct the issue. Then, Mattel actually apologized to regulatory officials in China, taking the blame for the quality management issue, especially since the dangerous magnetic toy component was Mattel’s design. This action left many customers wondering who was at fault and if they could trust Mattel again. While Mattel’s contracted manufactures should have been following the GMPs regulations set by the company, it is ultimately the responsibility of the company to ensure their employees are preforming to the proper standard. Parents just want to be sure that their young children will be safe playing with Mattel toys, even if the child puts the toy in its mouth. Establishing quality checks similar to Hasbro will enable Mattel to deliver a better regulated, and ultimately safer product to their customers. Exhibit D shows how where Mattel should place quality checks in their supply chain. Quality check one will ensure that the materials being sourced meet U.S. regulatory standards, even abroad. These types of checks could have helped Mattel avoid the lead paint recall. Quality check 2 ensures the overall standard of the product; this type of check could have helped the company avoid the flawed magnetic design recall. Having a global supply chain gives companies like Mattel many comparative advantages, such as lower production costs, but also comes with more responsibility to ensure product quality regulations. When Mattel failed to  take the proper precautions to thoroughly inspect their products they put young children at risk of exposure to hazardous materials. While this significantly damaged Mattel’s public reputation, the company can still take measures to improve its process. By implementing more quality inspections throughout their supply chain Mattel can avoid future scandals like the 2007 recalls, and gain back the trust of their customers. Exhibits: Exhibit A Mattel SWOT Analysis Exhibit B Exhibit C Mattel’s Supply Chain Exhibit D Mattel’s Improved Supply Chain Work Cited Vollmer, Sabine. â€Å"How to Become One of the World’s Most Ethical Companies.† How to Become One of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. CGMA Magazine, 27 Mar. 2014. Web. 03 Apr. 2014. â€Å"Toy Safety.† Safe Kids Worldwide RSS. Safe Kids Worldwide, n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014. Hill, Charles W. L. Global Business Today. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2006. Print. Teagarden, Mary. â€Å"Mattel’s China Experience: A Crisis in Toyland.† Mattel’s China Experience: A Crisis in Toyland (2007): n. pag. Print.

Imrerial Russia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Imrerial Russia - Essay Example Caucasus was composed of areas such as Bashkirstan, Tartarstan, Central Asia as well as Siberia. A considerable proportion of the population within the Empire belonged to the peasant group which accounted for about 81.6 percent of the total population within the Empire. The other category was composed as follows; Clergy which accounted for 0.9 percent, nobility, accounted for about 1.3 percent, merchants and burghers all of whom accounted for approximately 9.3 percent of the total population within the Empire. The military on the other hand accounted for about 6.1 percent. According to Resnick and Richard (76) it is estimated that more than 88 million individuals were peasants during this time. Of this group, approximately 10,447,149 were males all of whom were formally serfs while the remaining group was the state peasants. Statistics further indicate that this group was about 9,941,891 males and the type of peasants domain accounted for about 842,740 according to the Empire statistics of the year 1858. One of the major changes that the Russian society underwent in the year 1861 was the famous emancipation of the serfs. It is imperative to note that the problem of serfdom was spread throughout the entire Empire. By mid 19th century, it had become apparent for the rulers within this Empire that this problem could not be ignored in the event that Russia wanted to be modernized and reformed as argued by Resnick and Richard (153). In this regard, the issue of the serfs being freed took center stage throughout the entire Empire. Hence, against this backdrop, serfdom was abolished by Tsar Alexander II during this year. Evidence from literature indicates that Czar Alexander actually managed to emancipate about 44 million peasants from the state oppression. Perhaps this can be attributed to the fact that the said Czar knew very well that the only way for Russia to the rest of the world was indeed ready for modernization and was through the abolishment of such a system of oppression. Though the move was noble, it caused several problems within the Empire. This was further aggravated by the fact that majority of the freed peasants were uneducated. One of these problems was that the land provided to this group was actually quite small in comparison to what they had been allocated as plots when they were serfs to the Empire. In a nutshell, each plot averaged about 8 acres which was a far cry of what was being offered to them after their indictment. Other than ensuring that the serfs were emancipated in mainland Russia, Czar Alexander was also concerned with this problem in Georgia. The process of liberating the serf in Georgia called for delicate negotiations to ensure that he did not loose the much earned nobility loyalty and whose leadership power greatly depended on the readily available labor from the serfs . The other challenge which the Czar was faced with was finding a workable solution that would be agreeable to the land-owners within the Empire. However, fr om the evidence provided above, it is justifiable to state that he failed in this issue of land ownership. Although he eventually succeeded in liberating serfs in Georgia as well, his inability to solve the land problem brought more harm than good. Most notably, he brought them under the colonization of their landlords since most of them still had to work for

Collateralized Loan Obligations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Collateralized Loan Obligations - Essay Example The shareholders look for the assets which give higher yield and the companies take benefit of low borrowing rates. Collateralized mortgage obligations are same as the overflow marketplace of the predetermined product world. Strong trade of obscure products have helped increase investor’s enthusiasm for leveraged mortgages just as the regulators are cautioning about potentially agitated credit markets (Financial times, 2014). The paper aims at providing the nature of collateralized loan obligations and their role during the time of financial crisis. It will also highlight the changes which has taken place in the regulations to prevent the re-occurring of crisis. Further, the reasons behind the latest growth in the collateralized loan obligations market have also been discussed. Bank are gradually more employing securitization structure of a novel asset known as collateralized loan obligation (CLO) in order to fulfil their financial goals. Collateralized loan obligations allow banks to sell part of huge portfolios of the commercial loans directly in the global capital markets. CLOs provide banks a way of attaining a broad choice of financial objectives, comprising the decrease of regulatory capital needs and requirements, access to a proficient funding base for lending activities, accounting treatment of off-balance sheet, as well as increased liquidity (Kohler, 1998). The rationale behind the formation of collateralized loan obligations was to augment the supply of keen business lenders in order to decrease the price of loans/mortgages to companies and to facilitate banks more frequently to instantly sell loans to the external lenders/investors. This will facilitate providing of money to the business clients and therefore earn price or fee with no risk or little risk towards themselves. A collateralized loan obligation is made of various high risk business loans which are grouped together and sliced into diverse sectors which carry dissimilar credit

Critical Incident Analysis Definition, Models and Frameworks Essay

Critical Incident Analysis Definition, Models and Frameworks - Essay Example In doing critical incident analysis, several models have been offered. Models serve as frameworks that will guide the person in analysing the event. It is the paradigm in which the event is made understandable. In other words, model is the lens that people use as they try to understand and make sense of their experiences of the world. As mentioned, the event acts as the precipitator of the analysis. However, the reflection in critical incident is not just a reflection of one’s self per se. It is deemed as reflection of one’s self in the context of one’s work. It is a purposive looking into the event and after the event in order to arrive at the possible things that can be learned from the critical incident. In this regard, the ethos behind undertaking analysis/reflection of the critical incident is to arrive at knowledge that can be gleaned from what had happened. This is made possible because reflection becomes an â€Å"active, persistent and careful considerat ion of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in light of the grounds that support it". For this paper, Gibbs Model (1988) has been chosen because it affords a step-by-step approach in doing reflection. It is holistic as encompass all the essential elements in the incident – the critical incident, the person, the things learned and the action. Lastly, the model allows for a continuous re-evaluation of the incident and as such, the model makes room for filtering and    re-assessment of the events and the actions undertaken.... In this regard, the ethos behind undertaking analysis/reflection of the critical incident is to arrive at knowledge that can be gleaned from what had happened. This is made possible because reflection becomes an â€Å"active, persistent and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in light of the grounds that support it and the further consequences to which it leads† (Dewey 1933, p. 9). The Choice: Gibb’s Model For this paper, Gibbs Model (1988) has been chosen because it affords a step-by-step approach in doing reflection. It is holistic as encompass all the essential elements in the incident – the critical incident, the person, the things learned and the action. Lastly, the model allows for a continuous re-evaluation of the incident and as such, the model makes room for filtering and re-assessment of the events and the actions undertaken. Description: What Happened? The patient was considered in critical condition because of the patient ’s suicidal tendency. As a plan of action, the patient was given a one-on-one CNA to protect the patient from self-harm. However, despite the ‘guarding’, the patient was able to commit suicide. Feelings: What did you feel? I felt fear, anguish and worry all coming together trying to find the answer, how could it happen? It was numbing. I felt and knew that when the tasks is to care for the patient, a care that is developed and built on knowledge, technical skills and ability to perform one’s duty to the utmost of your ability, something like that do not happen. However, why it happened? I felt terrible during that incident because the patient was able to commit suicide when the major care plan was to watch the

Operation management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Operation management - Essay Example This research deals with the operation management issues at Wal-Mart. The organization implemented several unique strategies in the business operation processes in order to gain competitive advantages. A primary data collection process has been adopted in this study to understand the view of the respondents who have participated in the interview process. Managers, employees and customers of Walmart have been chosen as the respondents. The respondents discussed about several reasons behind the growing operational management issues in Walmart. The report has analyzed each and every response that is gathered during the data collection process. Finally, some recommendation plans have been proposed for the operation management team of Walmart in order to improve the present scenario. Introduction Wal-Mart is one of the leading retail giants across the globe and is regarded as one of the most valued businesses in the world. The highly efficient performance of the company is mainly driven b y its state-of the art operations management and logistics system. The retail industry is a highly concentrated industry with a number of major players like Wal-Mart, Carrefour, Home Depot, Royal Ahold N.V., Metro etc. Wal-Mart has established itself as a market leader in the industry. The companies can be classified as market qualifiers and the market order winners based on the strategic perspective. The market order winners are those companies that are clearly distinguishable from the competitor companies and have more potential to be chosen as the source of buying by the consumers. The market qualifiers are those companies which have the minimum requirements to be considered as a potential source of buying by the customers. The factors driving the capabilities of a business as a market qualifier or a market order winner are given below. (Source: Kapner 51) Clearly, Wal-Mart is a market order winner because of the high quality, service and operational processes used in the busines s. The company has a robust technology system to forecast demand, supply, determine optimum inventory levels, determine efficient transportation routes and maintain customer relations efficiently. The efficient operations management in Wal-Mart has benefited the company in many ways like keeping the product cost low, reduced storage costs, ability to maintain a variety of stock and providing it at a competitive pricing. Wal-Mart continuously monitors and improves its technology so that all its operational systems function as per the demand and it does not lose out on even a single customer by not providing the right product at the right time and at the right place. The operations strategy of the company is particularly critical in driving the success of Wal-Mart as an established market order winner and is represented in Appendix 1. The main objective of the study is to find out the different operational and strategic issues faced by the operations manager in Wal-Mart. Other objecti ves are to find out the process of operations management and service delivery in the organization. Operational Issues The operations management of Wal-Mart is much superior as compared to the other players in the industry. The company has established an efficient supply chain thereby delivering excellent service quality to

ADVOCACY LETTER TO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Essay

ADVOCACY LETTER TO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - Essay Example Students with special needs or those who are mentally/ physically retarded, require special attention. Their care and concern should be kept at the highest priority. Expecting these children to study side by side normal children who do not require any special needs shatters their confidence. In such environments normal children often mock about the children with special needs. As stated in ‘Educational Needs’ (n.d.), the specific issues that may affect a special child’s learning are: In spite the fact the children with special needs are often far more intelligent than normal children, it is just a particular manner in which they need to be dealt with in order to prove their mettle and enable their skills to nurture and prosper. If the learning needs of these children are properly addressed, their level of literacy, self- help skills, mobility, confidence and orientation can all be polished to mature levels. This further on, enables these citizens to become contributing and productive citizens of the society. The Solution to the above mentioned grave concerns is the devising of a plan that would be in the best interest of the student in the educational process. Special education services can be formulated that suit every individual child’s particular needs. A Special Education Advocate can be assigned some like natured special children. A Special Education Advocate’s primary responsibilities are the caring of the basic rights of the children with special needs. Once kids are assigned with a Special Education Advocate it becomes easier for schools to organize the special children. A Good Special Education Advocate is well versed in the legal issues pertaining to the rights of a special child. This assists each person connected to the child to be able to realize the laws regarding the handling of the child. These advocated have the ability to search specific legal issues that may be central to a child’s particular case

Destination marketing evaluate the implementation of destination Essay

Destination marketing evaluate the implementation of destination branding in Bournemouth - Essay Example However, research on both small and micro businesses has been able to indicate that not all groups of stakeholders have interests on the viability of the destination especially when their principle objective for the business operation is a lifestyle. Nevertheless, it is apparent that success of an individual tourism venture and cooperatives will depend upon the extent of competitiveness of the destination in conjunction with the leadership of the amalgam of the stakeholders that are subject to associate with the tourism industry (Neuhofer et al., 2014, p. 347). The paper is going to conduct and evaluation and analysis of the implementation of destination branding in Bournemouth. Bournemouth remains to be the most visited part of Dorset, having an estimate of 3.46m visitors per annum, according to their 2012 financial report. The total number of visitors includes both day and staying visitors. Following closely is West Dorset whom in their 2012 report received 2.87m visitors. Followed closely is Poole, who reported having received 2.08m visitors, while Purbeck reported having received 2.01m visitors in the same year. Bournemouth is also a high-quality family resort that has a large stock of accommodation together with the international conference centre. Both Poole and Weymouth remain to be the key centers of both national and international importance when it comes to all things related to the maritime tourism (Neuhofer et al., 2014, p. 349). Similarly, there is a varied commitment into the tourism per se that starts from the eight unitary and distinct authorities. Bournemouth commits its significant resources to this sector. Through the implementation of destination branding in Bournemouth, it has come to emerge that the initial stimulus for its destination marketing emerged from the experience of the germane area of tourism marketing, with its evolution being the subject of excellent synthesis. These excellent

Modern Educational System Essay Example for Free

Modern Educational System Essay I decided to write about education system in Ukraine because I think it is very common problem and because I’m a student as well. Educational system in Ukraine at the present stage is sufficiently complex and hard-to-reach for citizens. Despite the fact that officially education is considered to be free of charges on all levels for children, in reality parents confront series of problems that are not so easy to deal with, unless they have certain savings of money. So for example, parents are obliged to reserve places in kindergartens even before the children are born. Because if you do not do this by the time your child is three years old there will be no more vacant place left. And of course we must not forget that all institutions of preschool educations under one reason or another demand financial contribution for various needs. The same range of problems is applied to school education with distinction that parents are forced to purchase different teaching material on their own in many cases. Another very important subject matter is related to the field of physical activity for children and teenagers. It is well known that for everyone, who is nearly six or seven years old, immovable pastime on the lessons for forty five minutes is nearly a torture and fifteen minutes of break are not enough for proper progress and harmony of such a young and growing organism. But even in spite of this it makes no difference to us and we continue to insist on such unnatural methods â€Å"doctrine of torment† for our children. The question is why? Against the background of this day’s schedule we are confronting the constant cases of children’s overwork and fatal outcomes. The structure of higher education in Ukraine according to its ideology and goals corresponds to the structure of education in most developed countries of the world. It is very important that in March, 2005 Ukraine has joined the Bologna system and became an active participant of development of the all-European space in the sphere of higher education. For today there are 951 higher educational institutions of different levels of accreditation in Ukraine which conduct preparation of qualified experts of more than 500 specialties. But even more difficult tasks are in prospect to be solved in the system of higher education, so as to adjust proximate planed dependence from demand and offer of experts in different spheres of activity. Nowadays in our country we experience luck of teachers, medical workers, and profile engineers in various sectors and in the same time we have overabundance of such professions as economists, lawyers and others. It’s not a secret that education is not an exception, as well as other â€Å"systems† in our country, where we confront corruption. This issue is one of the most problematic and hard-to-solve for Ukrainian population. For example, Prime Minister of Ukraine N. Azarov has signed a decree of the Cabinet of Ministers aimed at improving the quality of IT professionals, strengthening cooperation between business and education, bringing education to the needs of industry and labor market. One of the key barriers of IT industry development is lack of human resources. The level of IT graduates rarely meets the requirements of the labor market today. Lack of practical training, insufficient level of English proficiency, miss of skills working in the team – all lead to the fact that only 25% of graduates are to work in IT industry and this is very low index. Most likely that we lost true value of the word â€Å"education† – is educating, that means to create and give new image or character to people but not impose them with unlimited amount of knowledge and information that sometimes is not only interesting but unnecessary. English word â€Å"education† or Latin word â€Å"educo† in comparison with the Russian equivalent, expose more precise definition of the notion we putting in this concept by nurturing. It is the purpose of education in every country – rising new spiritual and moral generation – this is our ultimate aim. One of the most vivid examples of such a high-quality education were times of imperial Russia in the middle of XVIII century, where upbringing of high level ecclesiastical and ethical patriots was not restricted by place of birth or nationality of the person. The biggest delusion in our times is the false idea of scientific and technical progress. Under the pretence of it specialization of each tendency narrows with every day. Workers of such a limited in profile become easy-to-handle manipulators and with their help it is possible to comply almost every conception without their understanding and â€Å"thinking into the truth†. Integration to another educational system, like most of European countries, the tests structure, leads to these consequences. As specialists themselves say, one of the most serious problems of integration of the Ukrainian system of education in the Bologna process – is unawareness of officials of the current situation in the Ukrainian and European education, as well as the objectives of the Bologna process. The system of education in the former USSR was considered to be one of the best in the world. It was not declared by other countries by variety of reasons; some of the main ones were political convictions and disinclination to recognize its effectiveness in every way.

Japanese Management System Essay Example for Free

Japanese Management System Essay Management Styles Corporation management is necessary for an institution to survive during times of change as it is the role of management to provide a plan of action, leadership and delegation of authority. Management structure ensures growth will be maintained for the organization and that the corporation will continue to function. Multiple styles of management are determined by who has the responsibility for the delegation of responsibility for decision-making as well as the degree of participation in the decision-making processes across the company. In general, management systems appear to be impacted upon by the aims of the corporation, the magnitude of the organization and the cultural context the organization operates within (Kim, pp. 538-39). Optimal management style is essential to a corporation as the style used will determine how the institutions processes are organized, as well as how efficiently employees will work cooperatively or in competition with each other. Work experiences such as employee cooperation, corporation leadership and employee loyalty to the company will be dependant on the style of management used by the corporation. As such, it is important for different nations to develop human resource management practices that reflect their local circumstances and socio-cultural, political and economic situations. For example, some Asian nations such as South Korea, Taiwan and Japan have adopted a HRM strategy that is grounded in Confucian values of respect for the family foremost, and an emphasis on obligations to the collective (Rowden, pp. 163-64). Japanese Management System Japan is a democratic nation and has a highly refined and formalized culture that is in many ways restrained. The work ethics of Japanese business appears to focus dealing with work pressures in ways that are remarkably different to those of western industries. This is due to the lifetime socialization of Japanese citizens to think in terms of the collective, and behaviours that resemble individualism are highly discouraged. One way to ensure that its people conform to the practice of â€Å"maintaining face† is by the use of ostracism to disengage the non-conforming individualist from the group. Hence, team work and cooperative practices are very salient within the Japanese society. Especially, employees work with a high commitment to their organization, and also display a commitment to the economic welfare of their nation. The Japanese legal system maintains the labour standards that currently exist, a principle one being lifetime employment. Although some employees would prefer a different system to lifetime employment, the ingrained cultural management means that the practice is likely to remain. In fact the government and industry work together most cooperatively. The overall aim of the nation and its industries appears to be steady and continuous growth rather than a focus on profits, shareholder interests are secondary, and investors appear to be content with making minimal profits as long as growth is the focus. The form of management appears to be quite paternal and authoritarian (Mroczkowski, pp. 21-22). Japan tends to be very authoritarian in management style, and so there is little dispersion of power sharing across the company. Redundancy does not seem to be a concern for employees, as lifetime employment ensures that they are receiving a wage at home or they are relegated to another part of the company. As part of lifetime employment the homes of employees may likely be owned by the corporation that they work for. Employees tend to go on leisure trips as a group. Many areas of employee’s lives are influenced by the corporation that they work with. This is one of the ways conformity is expected. There is an emphasis on a team-oriented approach to corporate running. This incorporates Common and consistent goals, Organizational commitment, Role clarity among team members, Team leadership, Mutual accountability with the team, Complementary knowledge and skills, Reinforcement of required behavioural competencies and shared rewards. It s expected that such approaches fulfil the familial and community need that there is a gap present in today’s society, and so the company can fulfil a basic human need. Kaizen   The Japanese style of management is clearly characteristic of its collectivist cultural background. Foremost, the most prominent characteristic of the Japanese corporation is that it is family like in quality. As such, the Japanese corporation can be described as an â€Å"entity† firm, in contrast to a â€Å"property† firm. As an entity, the corporation functions as an institution in that it is maintained across time and has an identity of its own, that is separate and non-dependant on the employees and managers who work within it. This system of corporate governance has existed by way of lifetime employment, seniority of wages and promotion, as well as enterprise-based unions. Lifetime employment is characterized by management being primarily of employees who have spent their entire career within the firm. In this way the seniority wage system could be utilized as a promotion process by way of seniority of age and on the job task ability. Performance merit remained and rivalry was highly dependant on ones ability to cooperate with others (Bamber, p. 303).    What Is The Japanese Management System? This segment sketches the chief management practices that are mostly agreed to have applied in Japan until now, at least in large corporations in the manufacturing sector. As we shall notice afterward, the system as illustrated here is currently experiencing significant amendments. Employment and Personnel Practices Amongst many prominent features of the Japanese management structure, one is the lifetime service. The expression is, however, something of a misnomer and is better expressed as enduring employment with a particular firm. In comparison with much western practice, large firms in Japan aim to sign up all their employees, both blue and white collar, directly from the learning system. Regular workers enter the firm at its minor levels and are then projected to keep with it for the rest of their operational lives. Though some movement between firms is bearable, this is generally restricted to immature employees at the start of their profession. Apart from this, there is an indulgent between employer and employee that to depart the firm amounts to a severe contravene of mutual commitment. This system is self-maintaining because large firms hardly ever enlist personnel from other corporations. Once the preliminary exploration phase is over, employees cannot leave without rigorously damaging their profession prospects. To westerners, life span employment seems perplexing, not least because it appears to restrain a firms capability to amend its employment costs in response to varying business surroundings. But the system is underpinned by the use of transitory workers who can be laid off as the need arises. Lifetime service is therefore far from worldwide in Japan, even in large manufacturing companies. Furthermore, women are expelled from the system. Some approximations have indicated that only 40 to 60% of those functioning in large firms and trading houses are covered by lifetime employment (Coad, pp. 314-16). New employees are given exhaustive technical guidance plus a more general orientation into the firms culture covering such subjects as its history and values. Additional training is offered during each step of the employees livelihood, and is anticipated to be taken very sincerely. For example, upgrading to better levels may depend on successful completion of the firms encouragement examinations. Job-rotation is another major trait of Japanese management approach and is not limited to ground levels and carries on all the way through an employees live of business. Besides rewards of job-security, pay and position, Japanese firms offer a broad range of safety benefits. These may consist of financial support with housing and schooling, medicinal facilities, free transportation and social conveniences. Retirement profits are, however, insufficient by western principles. As with life span employment, welfare necessities express the paternalistic relationship among employer and employee, although momentary workers are not permitted to obtain these benefits. They are also disqualified from membership of the organization union.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Finally, the Japanese policy to decision-making involves wide communication and discussion. Suggestions for change are disseminated within the organization and intricate attempts are made to secure agreement from the parties that are likely to be influenced. Ideas for enhancement to operating actions are encouraged from underneath and are considered at every stage until an agreement is completed (House, pp. 6-7). Taken collectively, practices such as lifetime service, constant teaching and job-rotation, seniority-based pay and sponsorship, wide-range welfare necessities, and agreement decision-making provide centre employees with employment sanctuary, non-stop upgrading in pay and status over a long period, extensive all-encompassing safety benefits, proficiency development through training, and a grade of contribution in decision-making. In return, employees are predicted to display full commitment to their job and to their company. Japanese Management in Japan The well-known advocates of learning from Japan be predisposed to assume that Japans employment and personnel practices and the Japanese management style were the foremost causes of the success of large firms, and hence of national success. Although Japans economy has been triumphant, its industry has not been uniformly so. Industrial and hi-tech competitiveness is one of the burning current issues in Japan. Japans dominance in manufacturing has been displayed chiefly in the mass-production and high-technology industries. This could signify that firms in less successful industries have not applied the employment and personnel practices of Japanese management in the way that those in flourishing industries have (Grein and Takada, pp. 19-20). But an alternative and more reasonable possibility is that these practices are less important to success than has been assumed. Conclusion Yet, the Japanese management system should not be conceptualized as if it is composed only by practices within firms. Japans system of alliance capitalism comprises commonly supportive networks of industrial and financial firms and relations with government which play a momentous role in the economys operation.   Theorists argued that Japans system is adjusting to new conditions but that its basic model of corporate governance, struggle and employment remains largely intact. So even if the personnel practices practiced by large Japanese firms are uniting with those of the Western States, Japans overall management system looks likely to retain its pre-eminent character. Works Cited Bamber, G. and Leggett, C. (2001), Changing employment relations in the Asia-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Pacific Region, International Journal of Management, Vol. 22 No.4, pp. 303. Coad, A.F. (2002), Not everything is black and white for falling dominoes, Leadership and Organization Development Journal, Vol. 21 No.6, pp. 314-16. Grein, A.F. and Takada, H. (2001), Integration and responsiveness: marketing strategies of Japanese and European automobile manufacturers, Journal of International Marketing, Vol. 9 No.2, pp.19-20. House, R. (2002), Understanding cultures and implicit leadership theories across the globe: an introduction to project GLOBE, Journal of World Business, Vol. 37 No.1, pp. 6-7. Kim, J. (2000), Perceptions of Japanese organizational culture, Journal of Managerial Culture, Vol. 15 No.6, pp. 538–39. Mroczkowski, T. and Hanaoka, M. (1998), The End of Japanese Management: How Soon? Human Resource Planning, Vol. 21 No. 3, pp. 21-22. Rowden, R.W. (2002), The strategic role of human resource management in developing a global corporate culture, International Journal of Management, Vol. 19 No. 2, pp.163-164.

Globalization Theory on Welfare Provision

Globalization Theory on Welfare Provision Globalization theory implies that the nation has little autonomy in organizing its  welfare provision. Evaluate this statement, referring to at least two welfare regimes. At first glance this statement appears to be true when applied to the welfare states of both Germany and Sweden. For nearly a century the Swedish welfare system was the world’s pre-eminent example of the ‘social-democratic’ model of welfare provision; likewise Germany’s welfare regime was a classic instance of the ‘Conservative’ model. Yet in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s both models were aggressively assailed by serious economic difficulties. These difficulties have been attributed to the effects of globalization and they have been cited as evidence that idiosyncratic and distinctive national welfare schemes cannot resist world economic and social forces. Economic evidence appears to uphold this statement. Sweden’s unemployment figures rose for instance from less that 1% in the late 1980’s to over 12.5% in 1993. In Germany workers contributed 26% of their income to welfare in 1970 and over 40% by 1990. Faced with such figures Swedish and German governments have felt massive pressure to cut back on systems of benefits that their accustomed citizens have deemed essential for more than fifty years. Authors such as Esping Anderson argue however that – at least in the case of Sweden and other ‘social-democracies’ – the present economic difficulties of these systems are temporary phenomenon made more severe by a combination of unfortunate events in the world economy in the 1990’s. These pressures are ephemeral and when they pass away it will be possible to maintain the universal level of welfare guaranteed by the social-democratic model. Less optimism can be expressed for the German model which faces the enormous difficulties with its ageing population, rising tax-burdens and assimilation of East Germany. The term ‘globalization’ has become something of a bloated monster with many different heads each meaning for the people who use them slightly or considerably different things from the others. Even a casual glance at the literature will show that the term is associated with the spread of each of the following: internationalization, liberalization, universalization, westernization, modernization or deterritorialization (Held, 1999). There is little space in this essay to discuss these terms in depth, and so it is best here to give a consensus definition that draws from each of them. When referred to welfare regimes globalization signifies an economic and social compression and condensing of the world whereby financial and social interaction between states is intensified. The World Bank for example defines globalization as the â€Å"Freedom and ability of individuals and firms to initiate voluntary economic transactions with residents of other countries†[1]. Globali zation means that there is a greater flow of commodities and influence across the borders of countries. Economically, this means that free trade, migration, capital and technology have a far greater power to influence individual states and nations than they had before. National economies and institutions (such as welfare systems) are more susceptible to international pressures and are often forced to conform or modify themselves so as to be competitive with these general trends. In social terms, globalization imposes upon individual nations the need to conform to international attitudes, for instance, towards the rights of women. Acceptance of such impositions often requires profound changes to the structure of traditional national institutions or ways of life. Authors on globalization have been equally vociferous in their support and condemnation of the movement. Noam Chomsky, for instance, is publicly critical of the tendency of globalization to remove freedom and choice from the individual and to transfer it to transnational corporations. Chomsky argues that global organizations such as the Bretton Wood institutions, the IMF and the World Bank, have promoted the ‘Washington Consensus’ whereby poor countries have to reduce welfare provisions to meet debt payments to richer nations (Chomsky, 1999). Accordingly, the WTO, GATT and NAFTA are agencies that seek to acquire privileges for elites rather than those of the third-world. In contrast, those who promote globalization, such as the leaders of the institutions listed above, argue that globalization means a golden opportunity to build a platform for worldwide and universal democracy, healthcare, pension provision and all of the other basic rights expected by citizens of Western welfare regimes. Esping Anderson’s The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism (Esping-Anderson, 1990) is a seminal text in the literature of welfare states. As its title suggest, Esping’s book divides the various kinds of welfare regimes in developed nations into three types: Liberal, Conservative (Corporate), and Social Democratic. Examples of countries with Liberal welfare regimes are the United States, Canada and Australia. These systems support means-measured-assistance that issue benefits for mainly the poor or those incapable of self-assistance. Government intervention in the welfare system is limited since government institutions are seen as unsuited for the dispersal of benefits; private welfare initiatives are as such much encouraged. The liberal model is predominantly individualistic and market-orientated. Examples of the Conservative type include Germany, France and Italy. In this model welfare benefits are related to social position and employment status. This model depends heav ily upon the work of the Church which is intimately linked to the distribution of welfare – particularly provision for the poor. So too the family is a vital source welfare. Sweden, Denmark and Norway are examples of countries that practice the Social Democratic model of welfare provision. Referred to also as the ‘Scandinavian Model’ or the ‘Swedish Model’, this type of provision demands the intimate public involvement of its citizens in the economy and society of the nation. In such models the welfare state is an umbrella that protects the whole nation. For instance, education is universally free (or very cheap) and of such a uniformly excellent level that it is unnecessary to maintain private schools. Healthcare, childcare allowances and old-age pensions are available to all citizens. The philosophy of the social democratic model is that its institutions should be egalitarian whereby the standard of living for the whole nation is leveled as much as possible. Esping’s model has been highly influential upon the thought of scholars writing about the welfare state and upon practitioners within it. Esping’s work is also significant because he suggests that the social-democratic model may be able to weather the difficulties it has undergone by globalization since the early 1990’s. These ideas are now discussed with reference to the particular welfare regimes of Sweden and Germany. The German welfare regime is a classic example of the conservative model of welfare provision. Originating with Chancellor Otto von Bismarck during the 1880’s the German welfare regime gradually established compulsory insurance schemes for healthcare, accidents, disability and old-age. After Bismarck the German welfare state was further expanded during the years of the Weimar Republic and the Nazi dictatorship. In 1957 Chancellor Adenauer passed the Pension Reform Law which aimed to distribute on an egalitarian basis the wealth of the ‘economic miracle’ that Germany was experiencing at the time. This was a momentous and controversial decision that would lead to successive German chancellor’s competing to offer better and better – and more unrealistic and more unrealistic! – welfare provisions and retirement packages to German workers. Adenauer replaced Bismarck’s limited system of helping only the elderly or desperately poor with pensio n schemes linked to wages referred to as ‘pay-as-you-go’ (Beck, 1995). These schemes were highly successful during the boom times of the 1950’s and 1960’s and up until the 1970’s. The 1980’s and 1990’s however saw the beginning of a series of serious economic challenges to the German welfare model: the German economy began to slow, the re-unification of East Germany meant huge extra burdens for the system and the German population was ageing quickly. In these years pension contributions for German workers went up from 26% in 1970 to 40% in 1990 (Crew, 1998). German politicians failed to see and so prepare for these events. Chancellors Helmut Schmidt and Helmut Kohl sought to improve things by extravagant pensions promises that they knew they could not could not fulfill. Chancellor Kohl for instance famously claimed in his 1990 Unity Campaign that ‘When I say that we will not increase taxes, it means we will not increase taxesâ₠¬â„¢ (Bleses, 2004). Within a year gasoline, tobacco and insurance taxes had been raised as well as the solidarity surcharge added. Globalization became a major problem for the German welfare system in the early 1990’s when the world-recession hit Germany’s economy hard and made it difficult for her to sustain her generous welfare provision. Germany initially responded to the pressures of globalization by raising taxes steeply. Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder’s has recently sought to introduce comprehensive reforms of the welfare system – Hartz 1V[2] for instance to respond to globalization. German trade unions are intractably opposed to such reforms and have staged huge street protests against them. The ‘Swedish model’ of welfare provision is a classic example of the social-democratic type. The history of the Swedish model is closely bound to the aims of the Swedish Social Democratic Party which was founded in 1889. The SDP was set up by industrial workers who aimed to guarantee every Swedish worker (and later every Swede) medical insurance, pensions in old-age, redundancy protection and various other benefits that guarded them against poverty and hunger. The SDP based the Swedish welfare system upon very high taxation (as it remains today) and Swedes pay up to 60% of their total income to the government. 90% of businesses in Sweden are privately owned and pay large corporate taxes to the government also. The SDP’s interpretation of the welfare state was based upon high taxation and was referred to as the ‘People’s Home’. The SDP became the dominant political force in Sweden in the 1930’s (lasting in power for sixty years) and in 19 37 the Riksdag (Swedish parliament) passed a pensions scheme for the elderly that continues to the present. After World War II the SDP extensively enlarged the welfare regime. This extension included mandatory health insurance, dental insurance, child-care subsidies, five-week vacation periods and so on. Thus by the 1970’s the dream of the ‘People’s Home’ had been substantially realized. Nearly sixty years of near blissful conditions in Sweden’s welfare system were seriously threatened in the 1990’s by a series of economic difficulties which were attributed to globalization and adduced as evidence that individual national monetary policies cannot survive the effects of globalization (Rydenfelt, 1981). Sweden is the classic example of the social-democratic model ‘third-way’ between conservatism and laissez-faire and so if Sweden fails to protect its distinctive system then all others of this type are likely to fail also. Globalization is seen to have forced Sweden to reduce full-employment provisions and to slash benefits in its welfare regime. The electoral defeat of the SDP for the first time in sixty years was seen as further evidence of the ability of globalization to affect well-rooted national institutions. Evidence for the crisis caused by globalization appears convincing. Between 1990-1995 national growth was viscous at 0.4% GDP, une mployment soared from 1.6% in 1990 to 12.5% in 1993. Government expenditure measured in GDP climbed from 60% in 1989 to 74.1% in 1993 (Crew, 1993). These events had three principal causes. Firstly, the volatility of Swedish currency internationally in expectation of the finalization of the European Single Market and also the act of Sweden’s joining the EU. Second, the far-stretched depression of the early 1990’s that reached globally. Thirdly, the difficulties of maintaining the level of the Krona next to the Deutschmark after competitive devaluations were ditched in the 1980’s. This evidence can be interpreted in two ways. Some argue that the Swedish crisis is an inevitable consequence of lavish public spending and impossibly high welfare provisions. The other school, represented by Esping-Anderson for instance, argues that the Swedish crisis is temporary and that its welfare state is capable of surviving present economic difficulties. Events for this school ar e conjunctural (Esping-Anderson, 1990). Sweden is not the victim of globalization, but of a particularly unlucky set of economic coincidences. Finally it must be said that neither Sweden nor Germany has yet determined with certainty whether they will be able to resist the pressure of globalization to modify or replace their idiosyncratic national welfare models. Sweden and Germany face pressure from within and without. Globalization from the outside, and the absolute demand of their citizens for a continuation of the present generosity of their respective welfare systems. If Esping Anderson is right, Sweden may weather the storm and preserve its social-democratic model. For Germany the external pressures are greater and the rescue of its conservative model far less certain. Bibliography Beck, H. (1995) The Origins of the Authoritarian Welfare State in Prussia. Ann Arbor,  University of Michigan Press. Bleses, P. (2004) The Dual Transformation of the German Welfare State. Palgrave Macmillan,  Basingstoke. Castells, M. (1996). Information Technology and Global Capitalism’ in W. Hutton A.  Giddens (eds.) On the Edge: Living with Global Capitalism. Vintage, London. Crew, D. F. (1998). Germans on Welfare. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Chomsky, N. (2003). Hegemony or Survival. Metropolitan Books, New York. Chomsky, N. (1999). Profit Over People. Seven Stories Press, New York. Chossudovsky, M. (1997). The Globalization of Poverty. Impacts of the IMF and World Bank   Reforms. Zed Books, London. Esping-Anderson, G. (1990). The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism. Polity Press,  Cambridge. Hajighasemi, A. N. (2002). The Transformation of the Swedish Welfare System: Fact or   Fiction? University of Durham, Durham. Held, D (et al.). (1999). Global Transformations – Politics, Economics and Culture. Polity  Press, Cambridge. Kelner, D. (1997). Globalization and the Postmodern Turn. UCLA, Los Angeles. Kuttner, R. (2002). Globalization and Poverty. The American Prospect Online.  www.prospect.org./print/V13/1/global-intro.html/ Liebfried, S. (2003). Limits to Globalization: Welfare States and the World Economy. Polity  Press, Cambridge. Rydenfelt, S. (1981). The Rise and Decline of the Swedish Welfare State. Lund University  Press, Lund. Rydenfelt, S. (1980). The Limits of Taxation: Lessons from the Swedish Welfare State. Lund  University Press, Lund. [1] www.worldbank.org/globalization/definition [2] Hartz IV, Federal Agency for Labour: a law that offers reduced unemployment benefits at different levels in East and West Germany.

Letter From a Birminham Jail Essay -- essays research papers

Summary of â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† by Martin Luther King, Jr. In Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail, he responds to a letter entitled Statement by Alabama Clergymen. In King’s letter, he makes it clear that he does not usually answer letters of criticism, but because this one came from educated men he felt the need to clarify his purposes, actions, and goals of this civil rights campaign. King first states he is in Birmingham because he has affiliates there who asked him to come. His goal is to spread the word of freedom like Paul spread the Word of God. King and other African American leaders had tried to negotiate with city leaders, but only to be offered broken promises. Their only choice is to organize nonviolent campaigns and create enough tension so the city...

Students and the Civil Rights Movement During the 1960s Essay

The 1960's was a decade of tremendous social and political upheaval. In the United States, many movements occurred by groups of people seeking to make positive changes in society. During this decade, the Civil Rights movement continued to gain momentum. The black community was continually persecuted and discriminated against by prejudice white individuals and figures of authority. Blacks everywhere struggled to end discrimination. They demanded the right to vote, to receive quality education, and to become respected individuals in the community which shunned them. (Sitkoff 35) Students, in particular, played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement during the 1960's. Many college students were outraged by social injustices and the intolerance shown by their universities. Many individuals participated in boycotts and sit-ins in an attempt to change their community for the better. (Blumberg 18) The young people during the 1960?s greatly influenced the course of the Civil Rights movement by their efforts and actions. Students played a large role in the desegregation of both public grade schools and universities. College students also form ed and took part in new political groups such as the Black Panther Party and Students for a Democratic Society. (Blumberg 73) Because of their heavy political involvement in the Civil Rights Movement, students across the country created a new institution: the political university. (Curry 77) During the 1960?s, many student riots occurred on college campuses. The majority of the rioters were middle class students seeking a voice in the administration of their school. These riots were violent and sometimes fatal. A major issue during the Civil... ...fectiveness. The 1960?s were a time of great disorder among the young people of the America. Students began to stand up for their rights and fight to improve society, even if it meant turning their backs on the government. During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960?s a new pattern was brought forth in many universities. The university was no longer just a community of learners and educators, but is suddenly became a political arena. But many tend to forget that the majority of the nations 6,700,000 college students were studying peacefully and not causing any trouble in the community (Curry 106). During this time, many changes were brought about in society, some being positive and others being negative. Because of their great passion and effort, students may be considered the most influential group of people during this critical period in history.

Organizing, Researching, and Illustrating your Materials Essay

1. Last month, four clients complained the Roanoke Branch due to low quality of work produced. 2. Three months ago, Roanoke Branch’s Art Director and Account Executive left the agency. Also, three graphic designers and four copywriters wanted to quit due to internal problems. 3. The branch accepts new clients without any form of evaluation that may affect new accounts of the workload that the branch produces. 4. The administrative group is being insensitive to the needs of its employees in terms of their benefits and good performance. The branch became focus on the internal problem of the company that manifest within their production of work. Facts and Causes: The administrative group us being insensitive to the needs of its employees in terms of their benefits and good performance. †¢ As what Mr. Forest said in his elaboration of the internal problem of the branch, some of the employees (especially those who are the branch’s best producers) left the company. †¢ Based on the surveys that were conducted, the employees were not given good benefits and opportunities once they have good performance. †¢ The most important thing in the company is profit and not on how to manage both employees and clients. Impact and Effects: Because of the company’s insensitivity to the needs of its employees, the quality of the production declined from 89% to 63% quarterly. It was seen in the survey that the employees could not have their good performances due to internal problem of the company that caused them trouble in both professional and financial problems. In terms of professional problems the case increases to 78% this year from 43% last year. When it comes to financial problems, the annual production went down to $167,000 in 2006 from $256,000 in 2005. Because of this, both professional and financial stability are having trouble due to employee and client production and communication. Solutions: 1. The administration must conduct a new philosophy when it comes to their employees’ needs and benefits because the company lives because of the employees who produce the works. 2. There must be a quarterly reviews and inspections in order to discuss the situation and problems of the company so that it could solve the problem immediately. 3. The administration should also provide any liable agreements and justifications to any form of action that they wanted to do especially if it could affect their employees to avoid circumstances and misunderstandings between them and their employees. Illustration The probable illustration that can be use in this research is table in order to compare and contrast the difference of production and cost of production from the recent years to the present year along with the employees’ performance and circulation. Work Cited Robert G. Turner. Organizing, Researching, and Illustrating your Material.

Laser Intruder Alarm System

[LASER BASED SECURITY ALARM SYSTEM] This Document contains Project Report of Autumn 2012 of Course CT-111. PROJECT REPORT LASER BASED SECURITY ALARM ? An Alarm is a type of security equipment that can be used to safeguard houses and property. ? Now a days Burglar Crimes are continually rising with each passing day. ? Many have lost homes and families through violent burglaries in many countries ? Some of them lost most precious things such as Jewelry, Vehicles, huge investments in banks etc.. ? This led to the development of ALARM SYSTEM Basic circuit Alarm Interface: ? We used LDR to detect Laser Light. LDR pin was Fed to Op-Amp input leg. ? Clock pulse to 4017 was taken from Op-Amp output pin. Light Dependent Resistor (LDR) ? LDRs or Light Dependent Resistors are very useful especially in light/dark sensor circuits. Normally the resistance of an LDR is very high, sometimes as high as 1000 000 ohms, but when they are illuminated with light resistance drops dramatically. ? Which acts as an sensor for our circuit. Op-Amp-741 ? The OP AMP is a ‘Linear Amplifier ? Its main purpose is to amplify (increase) a weak signal ? The OP-AMP has two inputs, INVERTING -2nd pin and NONINVERTING – 3rd pin, and one output at pin 6 1.An inverting amplifier ? Leg two is the input and the output is always reversed. In an inverting amplifier the voltage enters the 741 chip through leg two and comes out of the 741 chip at leg six. If the polarity is positive going into the chip, it becomes negative by the time it comes out through leg six. The polarity has been ‘inverted’. 2. A non-inverting amplifier ? Leg three is the input and the output is not reversed. In a non-inverting amplifier the voltage enters the 741 chip through leg three and leaves the 741 chip through leg six. This time if it is positive going into the 741 then it is still positive coming out.Polarity remains the same. How it helps ? ? When the illumination on LDR stops its resistance increas es so the leg 2 of Op-Amp gets less voltage. ? Then it acts as non-Inverting amplifier. ? It gives high voltage to transistor which ultimately passes current to buzzer and the buzzer buzzes. 4017-Timer ? The 4017 decade counter has ten outputs which go HIGH in sequence when a source of pulses is connected to the CLOCK input and when suitable logic levels are applied to the RESET and ENABLE inputs. ? Internally, the 4017 contains five bi-stable subunits. These are interconnected in a pattern known as a Johnson counter.The outputs of the bi-stables are decoded to give the ten individual outputs. Operating voltages and currents of 4017 Timer: ? Minimum-6v ? Maximum-15v ? Max current-15mA ? Max speed of operation-5MHz Pin Configuration: Output waveforms of 4017 Timer: Sensor Interface.. ? What if some Authentic Person want to enter into say some Bank-Locker system in some Banks. ? Here we will provide a unique Identification card. ? We used a sensor to recognize and electronic prototype d platform to switch off the Alarm system. Basic Circuit for Slot Sensor: Slot Sensor Working Principle: It contains an Infrared Light Emitting Diode and an photo transistor. ? When power is supplied to the IR-LED it emits IR rays towards the photo transistor. ? There is a finite voltage drop across resistor. ? In the absence of light, output carrier has high voltage. What is arduino? ? It is an open-sourced free electronic prototyping platform. ? In our project we used the arduino uno microcontroller. ? Uno has five analog inputs. ? Six pwm signal outputs. ? In our project Uno facilitates the use of the slot sensors. Code: ? The code consists of two parts, both mandatory o o ? ? ? 1. setup() 2. loop() etup() is used to set the various ports of the uno as i/o. loop()- this part of the code is run indefinetly. void setup() { pinMode(8,OUTPUT); pinMode(A0,INPUT); pinMode(A1,INPUT); pinMode(A2,INPUT); pinMode(A3,INPUT); Serial. begin(9600); } // sets pin 8 as OUTPUT port. // sets A0-5 // †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. // as INPUTS. They take in analog inputs // from the slot sensors and OpAmp out. /* a communication link between Uno and computer is set at 9600 baud. */ void loop() { int a0=analogRead(A0); int a1=analogRead(A1); int a2=analogRead(A2); // four variables a0-a3 are integer variables // these take in analog input values from the // corresponding ports. nt a3=analogRead(A3); // the input voltage what ever voltage is represented as a 0-1024 bit value. if( ! (a0>300 && a1>300 && a2>300 )) { If(a3>500) { tone(8,1000); buzzer at 8 /* a pwm signal with duty-cycle 50% is sent to a port with a time period of 1sec. */ delay(100); } } noTone(8); Transmitter & Receiver Interface: ? Say in some apartments or malls if we use Laser alarm system, if there is any robbery the alarm should beep at the security guard/control room. ? We will transmit the message to all security systems in the mall/apartment So that we can alert them. We used RF-Transmitter and Receiver to transmit the message. ? We used Encoding and Decoding Schemes for protected transmission. ? For that we used HT12E(Encoder), HT12D(Decoder). ? For Demonstration purpose we are using LED’s to show the received message. Transmitter & Receiver: ? RF module comprises of an RF Transmitter and an RF Receiver. The transmitter/receiver (Tx/Rx) pair operates at a frequency of 434 MHz. ? In this RF system, the digital data is represented as variations in the amplitude of carrier wave. This kind of modulation is known as Amplitude Shift Keying (ASK). An RF transmitter receives serial data and transmits it wirelessly through RF through its antenna connected at pin4. ? The transmission occurs at the rate of 1Kbps – 10Kbps. The transmitted data is received by an RF receiver operating at the same frequency as that of the transmitter. Overall view of Transmitter and Receiver: TWS-434 Transmitter: ? TWS-434: The transmitter output is up to 8mW at 433. 92MHz with a range of approximately 400 foot (o pen area) outdoors. Indoors, the range is approximately 200 foot ? The TWS-434 transmitter accepts digital inputs, can operate from 1. 5 to 12 Volts-DC Encoder-HT12E: This 18 pin IC consists of 8 address pins and 4 data pins with a transmission enable(TE) and oscillator pins ? Transmission takes place from DOUT pin only when TE pin is grounded. ? Address bits are significant because at the receiver the decoder matches the address bits and latch the output only when address bits are matched. Transmitter Circuit: †¢ The message is present at the Data pins in the form of logic state (1 or 0). †¢ Whenever a data pin is grounded along with TE, a 12 bit message signal is generated with its first 8 bits representing the address state and last 4 bits containing the data. The 0 state is encoded as a pulse higher duration and 1 state is encoded as pulse with shorter duration RWS-434 Receiver: †¢ RWS-434: The receiver also operates at 433. 92MHz, and has a sensitivity of 3uV. Th e RWS-434 receiver operates from 4. 5 to 5. 5 voltsDC, and has both linear and digital outputs. Decoder-HT12D: ? The decoder receives serial address and data from a RF receiver which catches data through antenna. ? It compares the serial input data 3 times continuously with its local address. If no error or matched codes are found then the input data codes are decoded and then transferred to the output pin. The VT pin also goes high to indicate a Valid Transmission (VT). Soldering: ? ? We used chip sockets for Soldering purpose, So that we can prevent chips burning out while soldering. We used female strip for soldering in order to prevent RF-Transmitter and Receiver from burning off’s. Individual Contributions Nagendra Chowdary Before deciding on this project of LASER based intruder detection and security system, we had ideas about two or three other projects. We sat down in group and took up this project because we could divide work to each and every member in this project. I came up with the idea of using RF Transmitter and receiver so that in case of intruder detection, we can alarm the security person at some other place. I also spent considerable time on studying about the Slot Sensors which we have used to validate the entry of an authentic person. Apart from this, soldering was not an easy task for us as we were doing it for the first time. We made mistakes during soldering and had to de-soldering the circuit many times. Due to this, we all had to contribute to soldering part in turns.Circuit assembling was the most important aspect of our project. Earlier we had taken up a circuit from â€Å"Electronics For You† magazine. We spent almost two days on assembling that circuit but it didn’t work. After that we decided to change the circuit and instead of using LASER detecting diode, we used photo resistors. We tried to make the circuit simpler, so I studied all the components of the circuit and tried to remove some of them to see if th e circuit was still functioning. Apart from this, I compiled the data given by my group members to make the final presentation.Abhinav Tripathi Id: 201101001. We had decide to make a LASER based intruder detection alarm but I thought that it will be better to make it into a security system to validate the entry of authentic people. For this purpose I thought of making a card swapping system using LED and photoresistors so that when a person comes with a valid card the buzzer should not beep. Later, we searched internet and I decided to use slot sensors for this purpose. All the group members, suggested ways of integrating the buzzer and the sensor interface to ensure desired functionality.Soldering seemed to be tough task for us. I started with the soldering and was later joined by other group members too. I also made contribution in debugging the circuit several times when it didn’t work. All of us studied about the various components of the circuit. I did focused study of t he Timer- 4017 and the encoder used in RF transmitter. Apart from this, I also devoted time to understand the functioning of the slot sensors and finding equivalent resistance for slot sensor circuit, implemented it in our circuit. Srinivas SriVasthav Bontula Id-201101025.After we decided on the topic that is Laser Based Intruder Alarm. I came up the Circuit . Our first attempt was a failure. In our first attempt we used Voltage Regulator IC-7805 , Phototransistor L14F1, Opamp IC-LM356, Timer IC-555, Transistor – BC548. Then we searched for various others circuits, finally while watching some videos on Laser Alarms We found out a circuit . In our second attempt we connected this circuit and it worked. The components we used in this circuit are – Counter – 4017, instead of Phototransistor in the previous circuits we used a LDR( light dependantResistor) , Opamp IC-741. After we finished the basic Laser Circuit we came up with this idea of using an RF Transmitter a nd Reciever , so that we detect the alarm at the place we want. I also spent some time in studying and understanding the circuit. I did my part in connecting the circuit. We assigned tasks to every member of our group regarding the working principles of Laser Circuit, Transmitter , Reciever , Slot Sensor. My task was to study and understand the working of Laser Alarm circuit. First we connected everything on the Breadboard and checked whether the circuit worked.And then finally we soldered the RF transmitter and Reciever on the PCB. I also helped in soldering the circuit. Even after we finished everything our circuit didn’t function properly twice or thrice at that time I helped in debugging the circuit. Karan J. Dave ID: 201101019 I was very excited to do project after we decided the project of Laser Based Security Alarm. First of all I tried to find some circuits of such project in Google and YouTube. We found some 2-3 circuits from different source but in 2 of them we chas ed many problems regarding to buzz on and off alarm. Finally we got one circuit from YouTube.I studied about chips which are used in that circuit. I studied about LDR, OP-AMP and 4017 TIMER. I got the chance to know about inverting and non-inverting OP-AMP. I studied about 4017 TIMER from its datasheet got from the internet and I had known about that from my friends also. I studied about HT12E (Encoder) which was used in RF-Transmitter and HT12D (Decoder) used in RF-Receiver. I did soldering of some of the circuits. I did circuit assembling and debugging with my friends. I did also resource-management work for our project. I really enjoyed the whole project by doing this all things.Thanks to you sir for giving us this wonderful opportunity. From our project we have learnt team-work, time-management and we could feel that now we are the engineers. T Pavan Nagaraju Id: 201101024 Initially I helped in connecting a Alarm Based circuit Interface which consists of Voltage Regulator IC-780 5 , Phototransistor L14F1, Opamp IC-LM356, Timer IC-555, Transistor – BC548. But we are unable to get The Desired Output from It then We Switched to a circuit that does the work of alarm and many of our group mates were not able to understand the working of IC 4017 Timer.Which works using Jonson Counter I understood the Concept and working principle of the Jonson Counter Which is basically made of 5 bi-stable (D-Flip flops) I understood that which a Logic from this 10 states of the Jonson Counter the output pins get hot coded high output. And get to know how this reset button be useful and Implemented in this IC 4017 . As This IC 4017 is made of n-MOS I applied my Digital Logic Knowledge and come to know that there will be some Dynamic Hazards. I had soldered the Receiver part in the RF Receiver And understood why encoding is necessary In any signal transmission .So we can have Bit recovery and Safe Signal transmission. I worked in circuit assembling and debugging circuits. I did the documentation part for the presentation regarding 4017-Timer and Receiver part. Archit Bakliwal ID: 201101005. When we started our project, our key concern was to make a security alarm. But as we proceed further, we also used the idea of slot sensing which is mainly used for the entry of authentic person in banks, buildings etc. But later on, all of sudden, I thought that there is no part of communication in out project. Then everyone realized that we have to do something more than just making an alarm.So, Then, I, along with one of my friend, came up with the idea of making receiver and transmission interface in our project. Soldering is referred as major part of making a circuit. Initially, it seemed to be difficult task because chips were more likely to burn but as I had a little experience with it, so it didn’t remain a tough task for us. I have also played keen role in assembling the circuit which was not an easy task. I have also contributed in making the circu it and have done detailed study on functionality of various components of the circuit.Specially regarding Timer4017,LM71 Opamp, HT12e Encoder, HT12d Decoder, RWS 434 receiver, TWS 434 transmitter etc. This detailed study helped me to know about the components and analyzing the circuit for resource management and documentation. DHARMIK THAKKAR Id: 201101006 Our Project was LASER BASED INTRUDER DETECTION ALARM which could be used for security system in building apartments, banks, malls, etc. The project was extended to validate the entry of some authentic person such that a person with valid card enters the buzzer shouldn’t buzz. For this purpose slot sensors were used to keep a check upon valid entry.The project further used RF Transmitter and Receiver interface so that if some unauthentic entry takes place security system is alerted which was accomplished by glowing LED’s at Receiver interface. My role for the project was study of chips which included analysing availab ility and functionalities of LDR, TWS TRANSMITTER 434, RWS RECEIVER 434 and DECODER HT12D. I helped my team mates in Soldering purpose as it seemed to be tough task for us. Soldering purpose was successfully accomplished without burning chips by the use of chip sockets and female strips. I collected information regarding various phases i. . Alarm, Sensor and RF Transmitter and Receiver interfaces of our project and analysed the circuit for Resource Management and Documentation that could be used for Slide Preparation. I also helped in Circuit Assembling. Prasoon Id: 201101036 After lots of idea's our group stick to the topic that is Laser Based Intruder Detector Alarm in which we created a body which contained a main circuit that produced voltage when light didn’t fall on the LDR. The circuit contained many component that need to be study so I helped in understanding the function of opamp LM 741.The material for our project was hard to find sometime so I was the one of the pr ime candidate for fetching these material. Our circuit also contained audrino board, Slot sensor(for security system) and RF transmitter and receiver these circuits were also hard to make but our group combined to make it look easy. I helped in assembling these circuit many times. Soldering also was a main part of our project which was a difficult task, I helped in many parts of the task also we needed to remove mistake from the circuit and documentation which was also a combined effort, In presentation every one had there slides to make.At the last it’s a combined effort by our group. Ankit Chaparwal ID: 201101017. For the project everybody came up with new innovative ideas, at last we decided to make a laser based intruder detection alarm, but in group discussion we decided to make it in a security system to validate entry of an authentic person. For this purpose we used slot sensors. In the project I helped the Group members in soldering . Other then that I had assembled t he receivers circuit with one of the Group members and also prepared Slide for presentation on LDR .Studied on LDR and thought about how it can be used as a sensor in our circuit. Anuroop Kuppam My involvement in the project , coding the Arduino micro-controller. In our project Arduino provides an interface between the slot sensors and the alarm system. So the micro-controller needs to be coded. The micro-controller takes the input from the slot sensors and then decides whether to enable the alarm system or not. Hence the operating voltages margins of the micro-controller needs to be determined manually.After this was done we used these margins in making the micro-controller work accordingly. Having seen a lot of coding samples on the INTERNET , I came up with a code which serves the purpose of the project . The code then was debugged in certain places and further processed and fine tuned to fit perfectly and decrease various delays that we have encountered in the course of making t he alarm system. I also soldered the various components of the RF receiver and the slot sensor onto the perforated circuit board and debugged the circuit to make it work.

Analysis using Porter’s five forces model in Marketing

On analyzing the case we will seek to look at two relevant barriers to entry; namely, product differentiation and economies of scale. The economy of scale refers to the decline per unit in product cost as the volume of production increases. Levi’s could have exploited opportunities to outsource their production facilities where labour is cheaper, in order to mass produce and have a cost advantages. Volumes of jeans have been produced in this market because other labels such as Arizona Jeans have exploited the opportunity. If they exploit the opportunity it means that they could produce for less and sell at a higher cost to their profitability. The Levi’s brand has product differentiation because there is a history of brand loyalty; the product carries enough clout to justify a reasonable price premium. They had embarked on a project to create a niche market to attract higher income customers who were willing to pay a premium for a perfect fit. In this case the threat would be brand loyalty because there are a lot of producers of jeans. Threat of Rivalry Threat of rivalry includes all distributors and stores that sell jeans. Example of stores is the likes of JC Penny stores who were once a business alliance, they have sought out cheaper alternatives such as the Arizona brand of jeans and have become their competitor; there is also Gap, Lee and Wrangler. Each of these brands has their own market or customer base. With all of these competitors in the market there is likely competitive pricing for the product. Threat of Substitutes There are other forms of clothing that can substitute for jeans example cotton, linen and other forms of material that makes clothing. In this case though Levi’s has created a â€Å"personal pair for a perfect fit† this proposal has created the niche market for Levi’s through a jeans customization program with their strategic alliance partner Technology Corporation. With this partner they will be able to achieve a competitive advantage. Threat of Suppliers Threat of suppliers all depends on the amount of raw materials. Since Levi’s now has a strategic partner, Technology Corporation they are the ones who take the orders and manufactures the customized jeans at their location. The threat is that they have to rely on another organization to complete the process at a separate location. The benefit though is that this company is a joint venture where each partner has a vested interest in the success of the business thus minimizing risks. However; on the other hand the partner may decide to cheat if they see a more valuable venture for themselves in starting their own line of business. There is also the threat of an increase salary and benefit for employees as well as retention of trained personnel in the area of sales and manufacturing. Threat of Buyers Threat of buyers relies on the marketing of the brand. If Levi’s has a good marketing strategy then customers and suppliers are more likely to purchase their goods. The company has begun to engage in a joint venture with another company therefore once they start receiving orders they will be able to meet the demand to supply stores and retail customers alike. According to the case, the brand Levi is one of the most recognizable brands worldwide since the 1950’s. The jeans had established a political and ashion statement as an American icon. Levi’s has become synonymous with the term â€Å"authentic,† â€Å"genuine,† and â€Å"original. † They are the largest brand-apparel company in the world and the number one purveyor of blue jeans. Levi’s has an image of quality and durability. The image of the company is valuable and rare. Perhaps no other firm has been able to duplicate the Levi brand and the firm uses this image to their competitive advantage as not many firms are able to imitate that image. Despite competetition from low cost rivals who are able to produce more cheaply at overseas facilities, Levi has organized its cost structure and business by using technology and joint venture to their advantage. They have established value creating activities by way of market revitalization and have established a corporate reputation, established links with their suppliers and buyers and invested in high technological equipment and information support systems.

World War I and the War in Iraq

World War I was the great armed conflict of 1914-18. Until World War II, it was often called the Great War because it was the most destructive and widespread war the world had ever seen. Wold War I began as a local conflict over a minor issue. Eventually it engulfed much of Europe and drew in, directly or indirectly, the entire major powers of the world. The first declaration of war was made by Austria-Hungary against Serbia (now part of Yugoslavia) on July 28, 1914. Before the armistice was signed on November 11, 1918, 28 nations (counting the British Empire as one nation) were directly engaged in the conflict (Roth, pp. 216-218/ 2003). On one side were France, Belgium, the British Empire, Russia, and Serbia; and, later, Japan, Italy, the United States, and 16 other countries. They were called the Allied and Associated Powers, or the Allies. The opposing side consisted of Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire (Turkey, and Bulgaria. They were known as the Central Powers. After the war, there were reduced to small separate states and Czechoslovakia was created from Austro-Hungarian territory in Central Europe. The Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (which became Yugoslavia in 1929) was established, comprising Austro-Hungarian lands in the Balkans and the kingdoms of Serbia and Montenegro. Poland, which had been partitioned among the Germans, Austrians, and Russians in the 18th century, was re-established along its historical borders (Brook-Shepard, pp. 64-67/ 2002). Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania were freed from Russian domination. In the Middle East, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Hejaz, (a territory within modern Saudi Arabia), Transjordan (modern Jordan), and Palestine were carved out of the Ottoman Empire. France’s quick defeat in World War II has been attributed, at least in part, to the devastation it suffered in World War I. The vast system of overseas holdings of Great Britain began to change from an empire to a commonwealth. The war was at least partly responsible for the success of the Russian revolution and the rise of Communism. The United States, after the war, its first experience of being involved in European affairs, declined to take a role as a world leader and retreated into isolationism, refusing to join the League of Nations (Robbins, pp. 161-164/ 2004). Many people thought of World War I as â€Å"the war to end all wars,† fought â€Å"to make the world safe for democracy. † Because of an overly harsh peace treaty, the weakness of the League of Nations, a worldwide economic depression, and the rise of fascism, the war had the opposite effect. It made the Second World War almost inevitable. About four years ago, on the 20th of March 2003, a multinational military force marched in to Iraq. More than 40 countries joined in together to form a coalition force, with the US providing the most number of invading forces to oust Saddam Hussein’s regime. Amidst protests and anti-war campaigns around the world, the coalition force led by the United States and United Kingdom — plunged in to the Iraq War. Official statements given by U. S. President George W. Bush’s administration, as to the reasons for the invasion, were primarily to: †¢ remove Iraq’s alleged production and accumulation of weapons of mass destruction †¢ stop Saddam Hussein’s support on terrorist activities †¢ give freedom to the Iraqi people from Saddam’s reign of terror (â€Å"President Discusses Beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom†) Due to the unpopularity of the government’s decision and the subsequent turn of events, the public continuous to give other speculations as to why the invasion had to be done. In U. K. initial public support was mainly based on the issue that Britain had a moral case to uphold in behalf of other nations (â€Å"Moral Case for Iraq War, Key to Initial UK Support†). But those that consider the possible long-term damage concerning their country’s welfare believed the need to refrain from getting involved: that it might eventually endanger civilian lives in case of retaliation by terrorist groups, and the economic cost of war. After the military attack on Iraqi soil, evidence to support the Bush government’s justification for the invasion was still lacking, insufficient, and vague. Had the purported danger been present, it would not have taken only 21 days to topple down Saddam’s government with minimal loss on the coalition’s forces. Saddam’s Soviet-built armaments were ill-equipped and no match for the invading forces, disproving the US claim. For most, it did succeed to eliminate Saddam, but nevertheless, failed to eliminate the problem in Iraq or helped the plight of the Iraqis, who now have to contend with not one but many oppressive guerilla-group factions that try to rule in Iraq.