Blood Diamond Essay

In history, it was on 1866 that the first diamond was officially discovered and in the South Africa. Hope Town, South Africa claimed that the first dazzling gems were found in their place. At the early times, South African people’s way of existence was through agriculture. The whole evolution and the development of the contemporary Industrial South Africa have begun with the discovery of this diamonds in the Kimberley area. The discovery of the diamonds was said to be the most intense, vivid and the brightest spot in the South Africa’s economic history in the mid-to-late 1800s. The actual stones are millions of years old and were brought to the earth’s surface through volcanic eruptions of molten rock. The diamond makes up kimberlite or the primary deposit along with alluvial deposits, also known as secondary deposits. The results of erosion from the primary deposit are those that are commonly found in rivers or any watercourse that are along the shoreline. Diamond mining has become an advantage to South Africa and elsewhere in the African continent. On the other hand, this valuable gem had become a source of horror and becomes a dreadful alarm, terrorizing the nations such as Sierra Leone, Angola, as well in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Blood diamond also known as the conflict diamond, the dirty diamond and the war diamond is the diamond which can be mined and excavated in a war zone and be sold. The control over the diamond mines has become linked to the bloody civil wars filled with abuses, hostility, resentment and violence. Blood diamond also known as the conflict diamonds are from areas wherein the recognized government is being opposed. This diamonds are all used to support and finance all kinds of the military actions in opposition to those governments. In a universal point of view, diamonds are valued and are symbols of love as well as elegance and wealth of the beholder. But blood diamonds are actually be implicated with hate, violence and destructions. In several African nations diamond has become the means to power. Because diamonds are transferable, undetectable, easily obscured it lends themselves to smuggling, corruption, a reason to terrorized millions of innocent civilians and financing some of the world’s brutal terrorist. It is said that most of the African warlords uses blood diamonds in order to finance wars. It had been recorded that thousands of people had been forced by the armies to search or mine diamonds. Another sad fact is that the reward of theses people of the hard work of mining diamonds was more or less a mere cup of rice per day. During the civil war, part of the trade of the blood diamonds, people of Sierra Leone were maltreated by rebels, some had also lost there hands, arms and other body parts in the hands of the rebels. In 1998, the United Nations forbid countries to diamonds from Angola. It can be said that it was the first resolution made by the United Nations regarding the support received by rebels through the blood diamonds. In 1990, it was reported that the percentage of the illicit diamond trade had fallen to around 1%. The very first blood diamond that had been found can be tracked down to the year 1866 near Kimberley in Africa. Today, millions of people are employed in mining diamonds across the Sub Saharan Africa because of the gems value and quality. Diamonds travels pick up today-from the mine up to the market place and finally to the hand of the people and nation who are enthusiast and extreme to pay big amount of money and riches just to have such gem. Diamonds are representation of different kinds of images from love and passion to disaster, catastrophe, rivalry, battle and war. The most interesting about diamonds that is also common to all is that all diamonds had travelled a course that is rough-shorn and also, every piece has its own fascinating and interesting story. References Bakhtiar, R. (2001). Diamonds lure wealth, conflict to african nations. Retrieved January 19, 2008 from http://cnnstudentnews. cnn. com/2001/fyi/news/11/22/diamond. history/index. htm Cahill, P. (no date). A diamond’s journey begins. Retrieved January 19, 2008 from http://www. msnbc. msn. com/id/15842523/

Return to paradise Ethics and morality Essay

In the movie Return to paradise directed by Michael Asimow, Asimow raises profound questions about the gulf between law and justice and about personal moral responsibility. Some of the main ethical questions raised in the movie are, Are we being ethnocentric about how the Malaysian chief treat the case, should Sheriff go to prison for Lewis? And did Beth unethically trick sheriff into going by getting into an affair and not telling the full truth. Sheriff seems to be a nice relaxed guy and seems to be your average guy who knows his place in the world, but when Beth confronts him about Lewis’s situation, his whole life changes and he begins off as a shallow coward and over time begins to emerge. For eight days he goes through a spiritual transformation, sheriff decides to accept his fate. He comes to the conclusion that he will stay for Lewis due to the guilt. Lewis is still executed, but we are left with the impression that sheriff has found peace within his heart. Tony is a married man and works as an architect. When Beth confronts him, like sheriff, he is deeply disturbed by the decision he will have to make, and does not know what to do. He agrees to return to Malaysia, but only if Sheriff returns too. Sheriff remains resistant to the idea, and so Tony decides to accept the full six years. After much soul-searching sheriff eventually accepts his share of responsibility. After Beth is revealed as the sister of Lewis, Tony freaks out and flees the country, leaving sheriff and Lewis to suffer. The fact that he left Lewis to die because he found out Beth was his sister shows that he may never wanted to go back, and was waiting for and excuse to escape. Beth is the sister and lawyer of Lewis. Through love of her brother and her skill as a lawyer Beth tries her hardest to keep her brother off death row. She wins Tony over at first, and tries to get sheriff to join as well- using guilt, logic, money, and even sex to shift his mind. Over time she convinces both of them to return for lewis and after all her desperate attempts to save lewis due to the ruthless and heatless newspaper journalist lewis is still hung. When sheriff was faced with the possibility of prison in a third world country, he sought council from his distant father, who told him to go to prison and suffer the consequences of his actions. Tony talked to his wife about the idea, and Beth relied on her own instincts to do what she thought was right. Initially, and for a majority film, sherif’s answer was no. This was mostly because of fear and the unknown of prison. After discussing it with his wife  Tony agrees to the three-year sentence, and then after sheriff declines, decides on his own to take the full six years in order to save him. Beth decides to continually pursues both men, despite the fact that Tony has already agreed. She does this to decrease the scentence for both men. Sheriffs decision was influenced by no one but himself. His, father, Beth, Tony and Tony’s wife all insisted that he accept the sentence, but out of selfishness he thought of only his safety and declined. Tony’s decision came initially out of discussion with his wife, but was eventually persuaded through guilt to accept the full sentence. Beth came to her decision through love of her brother, but also respect and compassion for Tony and sheriff who would have to suffer for lewis’s life. Although this film certainly holds no happy ending, the bond between sheriff and beth is now strong and she has agreed to wait for his freedom.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Quantitative And Qualitative Methods Psychology Essay

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Quantitative And Qualitative Methods Psychology Essay The idea is that you analyse quantitative methods in general, noting the disadvantages and advantages of quantitative research and to illustrate your points you then use examples such as surveys, or structured interviews, or quantitative content analysis. Then you do the same with qualitative methods. And either after or somewhere between this you compare the advantages adn disadvantages. Despite the apparent distinctions between Quantitative and Qualitative research, they both complement each other. But the important question for any researcher is which research methodology to use and what is relevant to my particular study. According to Dawson, C (2002), who’s book is a step to step guide of mastering research, states that it fundamental to decided what research technique to use, â€Å"Don’t fall into the trap which many beginning (and experienced) researchers do in thinking that quantitative research is ‘better’ than qualitative research. Neither is be tter than the other- they are just different and both have strengths and weaknesses.† When I think of qualitative research I think of subjective form of research, based on someone’s own point of view. A good definition I picked out is â€Å"Usually emphasizes quantification in the collection and analysis of data.† Example of the use this type of research would be in the recent elections, have a up-to date polling survey, measuring the success of election candidates, http://www.ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/. Secondly Quantitative research projects often include larger numbers of respondents, and covers a larger geographical area. Therefore can give and indication of views of a larger population, rather than minority opinions. This therefore enhances the generalisation of the results. For example surveys, a quantitative research â€Å"in which researcher systematically asks a large amount of people the same questions and then records their answers.† A closed q uestionnaire was conducted to people in Britain, asking whether they are going to vote in the general election and for which party. This data was transferred into stats which were compared between different cities and counties, and opinions for different areas were compared. This is very useful as it gives a overall picture and understanding of what research concludes making it easy to draw comparisons, project trends and recognize differences among communities and groups. An example used was in Mcqueen, R and Knussen (2002) p28, Box2.1, comparing the two types research view points, on the same scenario. When looking that the results made by the quantitative researcher, it is a complete mystery on what the numbers are trying to represent and the results only make small conclusions. However looking at the Qualitative researchers result, there is a much deeper understanding, by me the reader, to what he is discussing, clearly seeing his conclusion, and I have gained a broader understa nding of this research topic. This is bad because the researcher can be enticed to manipulate the participant’s answers to suit the research. The normal questions researcher employs, can lead to biasness and false depiction of the data, which reflects the view of the researcher, than the participant. In essence quantitative research method can encourage the researcher could influence the subject’s answers to go with the research.

Three Arms of Authority Controlling the Public Education Systems Case Study

Three Arms of Authority Controlling the Public Education Systems - Case Study Example NCLB is a foundation project that serves as a federal intervention within the various states in America (Kowalski, 2004, P1, L6). This paper provides insight into the operation structure of the NCLB with a specific case study of individual Superintendents within various public education systems. Â  The case study involved between Dr. Stacy and Billy Pratt yielded various responses with effect to the introduction and implementation of the NCLB act. Dr. Stacy Barstow is instrumental in enforcing instructional improvement and engaging staff development. This is a positive approach as stated in the NCLB act where an education superintendent is significant curriculum personnel. Dr. Stacy also engaged positive approaches by supporting the NCLB objectives through positive remarks during a meeting with school heads. According to the case study, Superintendent Billy Pratt refutes the NCLB act, claiming that the law appeared inconsistent and incompetent (Kowalski, 2004, P3, L9). His arguments draw justification from the provided programs of the special education and other bilingual students. His arguments also criticized ignorance by the federal government on matters of local control. Billy Pratt’s justification may serve as an indicator to demand government careful involvemen t in future acts and educational policies. Â  Superintendent Dr. Stacy’s decision to avoid negative remarks towards the NCLB act shows an unrealistic approach to sensitive educational matters. As such, the move triggered differences among other secondary principals and elementary principals. The decision by Dr. Stacy also signifies an unreliable personality trait that would question individual leadership attributes. Billy Pratt decision to publicly criticize NCLB policies shows disrespect to a given law (Kowalski, 2004, P3, L10).

Enterprise Computing Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Enterprise Computing Systems - Essay Example It continued to command a strong market position and post profits in-an industry which was already struggling with declining sales and billions of dollars running in losses. Today, Dell directly sales around 90% of it’s PCs directly to the final customer. It has efficiently streamlined it’s supply chain in it’s favor by by-passing the re-seller channel which is a norm in the PC industry. The key to Dell’s success is it’s business model. This model gives Dell it’s competitive edge over the indirect PC sales. Dell’s efficiency was one of the primary reasons behind it’s success. It’s efficiency allowed the company to operate and a excel in a negative trading cycle. For it’s inventory management Dell adopted a Just In Time Approach. This approach helped Dell create a â€Å"pull† for it’s personal computers. Just-In-Time system also helped them save costs on storage incase of excess inventory. They were ab le to let the sales float irrespective of rising demand. The customization policy proved to be very successful for Dell. It turned out to be their value-added feature. They were better able to have an idea of what the customers wanted and were able to adapt themselves and their business processes accordingly. However in this rapidly changing world, the business environment keeps changing. Policies and models have to be hence revamped to adapt to the changing business model. During the course of 2006, Dell suffered a set back and significant decline in their sales in the PC market, and with that the continuous decline of PC sales prices too. This was coupled with other factors such as rising customer dissatisfaction, changing trends, less techno-savvy consumers, rising preference for mobile computing and less need for customization. Market analysts realized that Dell’s problems focused more on cost competition without providing value added customer service, efficiency without innovation and a reluctance

American Imperialism and American Democracy Article

American Imperialism and American Democracy - Article Example The case of American regional imperialism is perhaps most evident when it comes to Latin America. Of course it remains quite obvious that American governments have always had a role to play in international politics even though they had been warned by their greatest leader not to interfere in the matters of other nations. Buschini (2000) notes the American influence over the Middle East as well as Latin America and notes that in historical terms, â€Å"Between the end of the Spanish-American War and the dawn of the Great Depression, the United States sent troops to Latin American countries thirty-two times (Buschini, 2000, Pg. 1)†. The consequences for such actions both home and abroad only became clear when the changes to the Latin American politics became evident. For the American people, intervention and the idea of sending soldiers to fight and die in a foreign land had to be given some explanation. This explanation came from the Monroe Doctrine as it was fed to the public by Roosevelt and other presidents who did not see imperialism as imperialism. In fact, American intervention was seen as necessary, a positive force for change and the American people were taught to see themselves as liberators as well as the protectors of democracy (Kinzer, 2006). As a consequence of having imperialist policies, America was made out in the media to be the defender of civilization in a world which was full of chronic wrongdoing and mischief done by others. The nobility of the American government was essentially a myth fed to the people and many of them gladly accepted it as fact. In this manner, even in a democratic society, a government which was hesitant to intervene in the matters of other nations would be seen as lacking the courage to make strong decisions (Kinzer, 2006). For governments willing to intervene, the idea of bringing democratic values to other

Snowblower Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Snowblower - Essay Example Every project faces constraints at the drawing stage. Constraints are the challenges or obstacles that affect an undertaking. It is therefore very important to analyze all constraints that a project may encounter before it begins. However, constraints do not imply a failure but they act as a guide to success. That being said, designing a snow blower is not an easy task because of the various designs in the market. Before we started the project, we were determined in producing an electric snow blower for a start before further engaging in producing gasoline or diesel powered snow blower machines. The following are just but a few of the constraints encountered and their significance (Kolisch, 1995). These constraints generally focus on architecture decisions that have a tendency to limit the project’s solution design. They therefore tend not to be flexible and static. They have a great impact on the implementation of the solution (Kolisch, 1995). Technical constraints in our case included materials, design, whether manual or computerized, type of engine whether electric or gasoline powered and the size of the snow blowers. This was very challenging because the mentioned constraints are very significant for the success of the project. These types of constraints are required due to the fact that the theme of our project aimed at designing something unique and not available in the market. This was a driving force for further innovation in the design of the snow blower. Quality is a vital constraint in a project because in designing a product, quality is fundamental for the customers to accept the product. It was very significant because our snow blower had to be a state of the yard invention that delivers the required workload as expected in a short time frame. Under this constraint, the idea was whether to develop a single stage or a two stage snow blower. Single stage machines use

Financial Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Financial Plan - Assignment Example Vending machine being the most important asset is the first to be purchased. A vendor machine cost 200 and purchases for fifty machines were made and distributed at each location. Products provide are; meals, drinks and snacks at each vendor. As I begin, drinks are bought at four dollars and sold at five dollars realizing a profit of a dollar per drink. Meals are bought at .75 and sold at a dollar similarly to snacks realizing a profit of a .25 dollar per meal and snack. The units per the product served rise at a half percent in semiannual basis during the five year period. After every 6 months we increased purchases by half of the previous period up to the third year. For the fourth year and fifth year, the purchases were 400 units, 2000 units and 2000 units per month for meals, snacks and drinks respectively. This help account for business growth and development of the business. At the starting periods many variable assets are inclusive thus the reason of lower starting stock, as p rogress is made profits are realized within the period thus on the third year we replaced 10 vending machines that were

Theory paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Theory - Term Paper Example Activists in international associations seek to influence outcomes of policy as well as change the terms and the character of debate. The various attributes of networks constitute core network conception represented in Keck and Sikkink theory of transnational activism. One of the key values to the theory is values, which motivate network actors to work together because of shared values or principle idea embedded in international human rights laws. Keck and Sikkink works revolve around ideas or values to diffuse progressive ideas in order to aid institutionalize value in political process and bring government practice to comply with established norms. Network is made of various types of actors like international and domestic non-governmental organizations, private foundations, local movements, media, churches, intellectuals and parts of governmental apparatus and politicians. Hence, international and domestic NGOs play a significant role since they are characterized by coordination an d cooperation between actors in the network and exchange information, services, resources and personnel (Tang 229-230). Transnational human rights associations are capable of doing a lot in guaranteeing the protection of human rights. For instance, transnational human rights network participate in drafting international human rights laws, advocate and diffuse norms inherent in laws and promote socialization of norms in domestic politics. Moreover, transnational networks place human rights problems of a nation on the international agenda, legitimize and empower the claims of repressed groups in a country and mobilizes international pressure against nations that violate the norms. Since most members in transnational activism networks have no economic or military power, one may wonder how transnational activism accomplishes their task in a world filled with power struggles. First, actors in transnational activism derive moral authority from the legitimacy inherent in international norm s of human rights. Since ideas and norms have constructive power to define state identities and interests transnational activists use their persuasive power to enforce policy changes. Transnational activists are â€Å"teachers of norms† as well as authors of norms thus they persuade policy makers to change their minds regarding what is right and alter public perception of what governments do. Hence, transnational activism makes difference by standing on the right side and defining what is right (Tang 231-232). Nevertheless, moral power of transnational activists never guarantees moral success in actual political processes; hence, members of the network of international activists employ sets of strategies to gain from strengths of norms in order to change certain human rights practices. Strategies for transnational activists on human rights fall in two categories soft politics and hard politics, with soft politics refereeing to strategies that depend on information and moral p ersuasion. Contract between domestic and international organizations, transnational activists uncover facts human rights violations within a country and circulate information regarding state repression unknown to the outside world. These transnational activists of human rights then embark on campaigns that aim at shaming the international community by exposing inconsistency of state behavior and values it claims to aspire. Transnational activists employ hard politics with essential strategy in this area being leverage politics where network members

Novels and god Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Novels and god - Essay Example In this context, the author quotes and correlates the Bible by stating, â€Å"Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think, â€Å"Who sees us? Who will know?† (Isaiah 29:15). This gives us a great understanding of God and morality that behind human actions, this itself is free will. I think one can sense the serenity of Susie and other authors on acceptance of faith even though they had the misfortune of this terrible crime such as Susie in Lovely Bones. However, some readers may feel angry and even frustrated about religion and morality. It almost seems that one can be mad about God not punishing these killers. On the contrary, nothing is ever hidden from God and this world is just an illusion. Some readers understand that everyone must give account to God and it may seem that they get away with their heinous crimes, but that is not the reality of the matter. "The Lovely Bones also known as "Lovely Bone," "Lovely Bones," "Desde mi cielo," "Amabili resti," "Cennetimden Bakarken," "Flickan frÃÆ' ¥n ovan," "In meinem Himmel," "Oma taivas," "PevnÃÆ' © pouto," "Um Olhar do ParaÃÆ' ­so," "V mojih nebesih," "Visto do CÃÆ' ©u"." The Lovely Bones (2009) ...review and/or viewer comments à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Christian Spotlight on the Movies à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ ChristianAnswers.Net. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 June 2014.

Marketing Solution Essay Example for Free

Marketing Solution Essay This paper will use a problem solving model to solve Classic Airline’s marketing problem. The company is suffering within the airline industry due to several factors, a couple being the massive increase of costs for fuel and labor. The resolution in conquering the airlines dilemma will be addressed in a comprehensive nine-step problem solving model. This model will include Defining the Problem, Gathering Facts, Feelings, and Opinion, Identifying the Real Problem, Generate Possible Solutions, Generate Possible Solutions, Evaluate Alternatives, Select Best Alternatives, Gain Approval and Support, Implement Decision and Evaluate Results. The factors of this difficulty in the marketing of this company will be identified, analyzed, followed by a robust decision on the strategy to resolve Classic Airlines’ crisis. Step One: The Problem There has been a reduction in employee morale (which is at an all time low), the increase in fuel and labor has contributed to the increase in expenses these factors have the airline in a tailspin within the industry. This is not all due to marketing the company can not be held accountable for the price of fuel nor can it take responsibility for the scrutiny on the airlines from the sectors of the economy outside of the airline industry. According to the American Marketing Association Board of Directors (2012), Marketing research is the function that links the consumer, customer, and public to the marketer through information used to identify and define marketing opportunities and problems; generate, refine, and evaluate marketing actions; monitor marketing performance; and improve understanding of marketing as a process (Definition of Marketing Research, sec. 2). The research in marketing is vital to Classic Airline’s ability to correct most of its problems it will not only bring loyal customers back but provide other opportunities for the airline to further stabilize itself within the airline industry. The key to the research required for the airline is to be as in depth as possible with the opinion of the public, it will also require the company to find the most cost effective resources for fuel and labor. The research shows that economic conditions have contributed to a reduction of ticket purchases however it is not the price of the ticket that has caused the decline. Step Two: Gathering the Facts, Feelings and Opinions The position in the airline industry of Classic Airlines is that it is the 5th largest airline in the world. The leader with the airlines comprises more than 375 jets that travel to 240 cities and run in excess of 2,300 flights a day (University of Phoenix, 2012). The company employs about 32,000 professionals to maintain its massive operation. This industry colossal earned over $10 million in profit on $8. 7 billion in ticket sales. In spite of the leader position in the business Classic Airlines is experiencing some negative changes recently. In the last year, the Classic Reward Program saw a 19% decline in the number of members and the current members purchased 21% less flights (University of Phoenix, 2012). The feelings of the employees are based on the public’s opinion of the airline industry which has caused them to have doubts about their line of work and the stability of the business. The Labor Union is the focal point in gathering the feelings of the employees, which are the airline greatest assets. Classic Airlines can increase moral by addressing the employees’ labor contracts to show their staff that they are appreciated. During the Shareholders meeting the company officials can hear the opinions of the group of people that do not control the everyday operation of the company but provide vital capital to the airline. In many ways the opinion of the Shareholders are a direct reflection of the publics’ view of the industry and the company. Shareholders are the owners of a business and are the ultimate decision-makers on the direction of a company. While the management of a company has the day-to-day decision-making power, shareholders guide the strategy, financing and selection of management of the firm. In many cases, shareholders are the management of the firm (Azcentral. com 2013). The opinion of the upper management via the CEO, Amanda Miller, and CFO, Catherine Simpson, are strictly addressing the problem through looking at the numbers and trying to make adjustments accordingly. This is of the opposite opinion on the CMO, Kevin Boyle, who feels that marketing will regain the trust of the general public, the employees and the shareholders to increase confidence in the airline. The conflict for Classic Airlines lies in whether or not the vastly different opinions on how to provide a olution to the company can be merged or selectively decided upon. Step Three: Identify the Real Problem The facts have been gathered and it has previously been stated that the confidence in the industry has not been the same across the board. This is due to events that have nothing to do directly with the 5th largest airline in the world, Classic Airlines, or any other company in the business. The othe r side effect of the catastrophe of September 11th caused the economy to shift in a downward motion which triggered prices to rise. The effects of the economy and the disaster have caused a serious predicament in the increase in expenses for materials, fuel, labor, costs of goods and services, and labor which also reduced customer confidence. The Classic Rewards Program is suffering losses every year and the frequent flier association has suffered a loss of around 20% of its members (University of Phoenix, 2012). The feelings of the employees are likewise a reflection of the lack of confidence the general public feels towards the industry and Classic Airlines is not developing confidence by refusing to address its labor issues to stabilize their employees. The Shareholders are also not confident in the company not because it was not preserving its market share or position in the industry however the external factors caused them to be a bit more cautious in investing their money. The final real problem is the polarization in upper management which has to be resolved immediately to not only reflect a positive direction for shareholders but that will result in a solution that sets Classic Airlines apart from its competition. Another real problem for example, is the data system the company uses which is the Customer Relationship Management system (CRM) that has not been utilized properly and in doing so has allowed the company to not actualize what is causing their customer’s dissatisfaction. In correlation to the opinion of the CMO, Kevin Boyle, in addressing the needs of the customer could provide profitability and the ability to give their customers what they are lacking. The upper management should not look at this time as a number crunching session nor should it drift away in contentment. Conversely Classic Airline should take this opportunity to explore new ideas and options that will solidify the fact that they are one of the industry leaders for a reason. If all these real problems are address correctly the company will maintain or even increase its place in the airline industry. Step Four: Generate Possible Solutions There are several possibilities that will affect the profitability of the airline. They can merge with another airline or downsize the company by separating the domestic and international businesses with the possibility of selling off the lower producing divisions. Sell the less used planes and equipment to generate immediate income for the company to use in other areas. The shareholders can deem the Upper Management as underachieving and begin to replace them with what they would consider more qualified candidates, in hopes of getting into the correct position within the airline industry. Classic Airlines can concentrate its focus on the employees and customers to increase their confidence. The company could look at the financial picture of the company and make adjustments to make the streamline the firm. Selling off the plane and equipment may be risky because of the lack of customer confidence. Classic could also look to expand globally to gain a larger market share in the foreign market. The shareholder removing the Upper Management would be too time consuming and too much of a chance if in fact the replacement can not improve the missteps of the original managers. Concentrating on the employees and costumers may be the cornerstone of success for the company because the employees are already familiar with their duties and the customers were loyal in the past. This simply means that the pieces are already in place to stabilize the company but the strategies must be implemented. Step Five: Evaluate Alternatives Downsizing is almost like throwing in the towel for the 5th largest airline in the world and it probably would not be cost effective with the climate in the airline industry. Merging with another company within reason may help to increase the overall scope of the company if the opportunity to maintain market share was present. The company could streamline its resources and utilize every tool that is accessible to them in order to run a more efficient organization. Global expansion could bring in more revenue with a slight transference in the amount of flights from low producing locations. Step Six: Best Alternatives The solution to this vast problem within Classic Airlines starts with Upper Management. The management team needs to get on the same page, committed to gearing the company in a positive direction and being open minded then good things will follow for the company. The first problem to be addressed begins with the most valuable asset of any company, the employees. The CEO and CFO need to hold a meeting with the CMO to get an idea of why the employee moral is so low and what issues they have with the Labor Union. In doing so, they can form a strategy to allow the opinions of the employees to be heard but having themselves prepared to meet their employees’ demands and needs within reason. The next step in providing a possible solution is to gather as much data on the customers as possible to get them back to flying with Classic. The Customer Relationship Management system (CRM) needs to have a direct Administrator that is specifically in charge of gathering data about the customers. This information plays a major role in exploring the customer’s needs and wants. The administrator will provide the information to Upper Management so they will be informed of why they are loosing business yearly. Once the information is collected and documented management can strategize on meeting the customer’s needs. The airline may have to give away a few trips, coupons, provide better seating or more beer on longer flights, nonetheless if the company provides what the customer demands it will surely gain the business that it has lost and probably more than anticipated. Classic Airlines would not exist without its customers or its employees, therefore these problems should be address immediately. According to new research from the University of Missouri (MU), CEOs who pay attention to employees job satisfaction are able to boost both customer satisfaction and increase the number of customers who intend to do repeat business with the company (www. usinessnewsdaily. com 2013). The next problem can be solved by executing the previous solutions which will gain confidence in the marketplace and peak the interest of potential investors to start looking into Classic Airlines once again. Upper Management needs to hold a Shareholders meeting to address the changes that were identified in the two previous solutions and what that has provided for the company’s revenue potential. Hold the meeting will show the investors that they are up for the task as Upper Management and provide the investors with the confidence that hey desperately needed in the airline. The CMO, Keith Boyle has a former colleague, Osef Wymann, Marketing Executive of Skyway Airlines in Switzerland that can expand the business globally (University of Phoenix 2012). This opportunity can increase the European scope of the company and allow for growth in that arena. Implementing these solutions could increase the total profitability of Classic Airlines and curtail the financial difficulties that the company is currently confronting. Step Seven: Gain Approval and Support The solutions provided in the previous section would be presented to Upper Management, Employees and Shareholders alike. The company as a whole would be an open book and all opinions are addressed and heard throughout the process. It is the job of Upper Management to research and know the concerns of all contributors to the operation of the company. In any given situation everyone will not agree, however if the collect issues are addressed and met then the ideals, goals and expectations are set and should be fairly easy to implement. Step Eight: Implement Decision After Upper Management has gained the support of all of its contributors it is now time to implement the solutions. Weekly meetings will be held by all departments of the airline with all employees to reiterate what the goals of the company are moving forward. There will be monthly meetings with mid and upper management to discuss the results of the meetings and gather data on the success and the short comings. The CRM administrator should provide a daily report to the executives of Classic Airlines to insure customer satisfaction. The international venture with Skyway Airlines will be supervised by the CMO selecting a staff and monitoring the successes or failures. Eventually this will be removed as a responsibility of the CMO but because of the relationship he has with the executive of Skyway it would make sense for him to begin the business model. It is imperative that Upper Management address the labor Union and the shareholders to make sure their needs are being met on a quarterly basis. Step Nine: Evaluate Results In every facet of Classic Airlines there will be surveys, customer service inquiries, polling, advertisement offering a toll free customer service number, internet contact information for opinions on the customer’s experience. In every meeting room from the local employees’ weekly meeting to the quarterly shareholder gala there will be comment cards and surveys. This data will be collected and put into document form so that Upper Management will remain aware of there level of success. With all of these provisions in place Classic Airline is sure to overcome its current problems and fly above the competition.

What Makes Up Marine Ecosystems Environmental Sciences Essay

What Makes Up Marine Ecosystems Environmental Sciences Essay An ecosystem can be defined as an area where there is an interaction between all the non-living and living components. The complete group of organisms inhabiting the ecosystem can be called a community. The abiotic non-living components include such items as air, water, soil sunlight all of which may be critical to the survival of the organisms (Soper et al 1997). Odum (1969) described the ecosystem as a single entity composed of many different parts dynamically interacting with transfers of energy and considers the ecosystem to be a unit of biological organization made up of all the organisms in a given area (that is community) interacting with the physical environment so that a flow of energy leads to characteristic trophic structure and material cycles within the system. This more elaborate explanation is still applied today and is more relevant as it takes into account the important issue of energy flow between the components. Marine ecosystems include oceans, coral reefs, estuar ies and coastal areas such as lagoons and kelp beds. An appreciation of the fundamental definition described above allows us to understand how the ecosystem concept can be extrapolated from smaller marine ecosystems such as coral reefs or sea grass beds to bigger ones such as the Caribbean Large Marin Ecosystem (CLME) which is an interconnected complex of these and many other smaller ecosystems. Duda (2002) describes the large marine ecosystem (LME) as a vast marine area which begins with and includes coastal regions and estuaries and eventually stretches out to continental shelf limits and areas dominated by coastal current systems. Sherman et al (2004) use the following more detailed factors to develop criteria for demarcating LMEs ; bathymetry, hydrography, productivity, and trophically dependent populations. Several of the 64 LMEs spread out across the globe also occupy spaces which are semi-enclosed seas for example the Caribbean and Baltic seas are two semi enclosed seas which form the respective CLME and Baltic Sea LME (BSLME). Another factor used in determining the seaward extent of LMEs is the area affected by the major ocean currents of the world, hence, for example the North Brazil Shelf LME (NBSLME) is delimited by the North Brazil Current system and its extent. This factor therefore sometimes supercedes the 200 nautical mile of EEZ fisheries zone limits criteria. The understanding of the concept of the LME is fundamental to this study as the area of interest transcends the boundary between two adjacent LMEs namely the CLME and the NBSLME (see figure 1.) (Polygon delimiting actual study area needs to be inserted on this diagram) Figure 1. The Caribbean and adjacent Large Marine Ecosystems. (Fanning et al. 2009) Resources and Ecosystems Seagrass, coral reefs and mangroves are very common marine coastal ecosystems within the CLME. The outflows of two of the largest river systems in the world, the Orinoco and the Amazon have a great impact the LME of the Caribbean (CLME, 2007)., the former having the greater effect due to its closer proximity, approximately 100 km from the south coast of the island of Trinidad. The North Equatorial Current moves in a generally westward direction from the mid Atlantic region into the Caribbean basin through the Lesser Antilles and thus many of the islands within this area are impacted by its nutrient poor nature (see fig 2). The islands of the South Eastern Caribbean however, especially the twin island nation of Trinidad and Tobago are heavily impacted by the Guiana Current which enters the Caribbean along the northern coast of South America (fig 3). It has been stated that the freshwater outflows from the Amazon and Orinoco has a significant impact on the Guiana current (Morrison and Smith 1990). Muller-Karger et al. (1988) illsutrate that the Amazon River discharges the most amount of freshwater into the ocean from any single point source. The North Equatorial Current (NEC) as represented by the Mariano Global Surface Velocity Analysis (MGSVA). The NEC is the broad westward flow that is the southern component of the N. Atlantic subtropical gyre. It is fed by the Canary Current and its waters eventually end up in the Gulf Stream system, either via the Antilles current or through the Caribbean via the Guiana current. (Bischof et al. 2004) South equatorial current, North Brazil Current and North Brazilian Current are all terms which have been applied to the Guyana current. Flagg et al. (1986) suggest that the misappropriation of the names is due mainly to the seasonal nature of the adjacent currents. The Guyana Current starts off as the North Brazil Current which carries along the south American coastline up to the region of French Guiana where part of it diverges and rejoins the North Equatorial Counter Current. The Guiana Current is formed from the remainder which continues along the coast in a northwestward direction (Condie 1991) The Caribbean current as represented by the Mariano Global Surface Velocity Analysis (MGSVA). The Caribbean Current transports significant amounts of water northwestward through the Caribbean Sea and into the Gulf of Mexico, via the Yucatan Current. The source water for the Caribbean Current is from the equatorial Atlantic Ocean via the North Equatorial, North Brazil, and Guiana Currents. The counter-clockwise circulation of the Columbia-Panama Gyre is evident off-shore of southern Central America (Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama) and northern Colombia. (Gyory et al. 2004) (Gyory et al. 2004) The Caribbean exhibits a great degree of spatial and temporal differences when it comes to its marine environment. Coral reefs are a prime example of the diversity of its ecosystems and its species as most of the corals and associated species found in the region are endemic making this biodiversity of international importance (Burke and Maidens 2004) The interdependence and flow of energy from the nearshore more productive habitats such as the reefs, mangroves and seagrass beds to the less productive open ocean areas such as the planktonic and pelagic systems and the environmental conditions that influence them are not well understood at this point. Why conserve and manage marine ecosystems? The importance of marine ecosystems and hence the need for their sustainable management can be best illustrated by two main factors; the direct and indirect services they provide and the ensuing natural and human based stressors that they face. Marine ecosystem services Humans often view the oceans as a huge waste bin while simultaneously as a perpetual source of food. With five percent of the worlds protein supply coming from the sea and up to 15 percent is selected areas such as China and Japan our dependence on the ocean for food is immense. There is a wide range of services apart from being a food source that humans garner from the oceans, to fully appreciate these one must first come to terms with the varying scales of spatial distribution and time which these services may be provided. Obviously different regions will provide various services due to their different physical makeup and constituents for example near shore coastal ecosystems provide most of the services of a particular type due to their highly productive nature whereas open ocean areas provide most of the regulating services and chemical balancing mainly due to its immense size. The medical, spiritual, aesthetic values of the ocean are also great but often receive lesser attention. Recently much interest has been placed in carbon sequestration and the role of the oceans and marine ecosystems in acting as carbon sinks slowing the global climate change process Garcia and Cochrane (2005) mentions this and categorizes ecosystem services into four main areas; provisioning, supporting, regulating or cultural. The function of coral reefs, mangroves and even salt marshes in buffering coastal areas from wave and storm damage was apparent during the 2004 Asian tsunami and the 2005 Gulf of Mexico Hurricanes. It is well known that coastal habitats such as mangroves, salt marshes, coral reefs, and sea grass beds act as nurseries for young fish and other species while also providing a source of income and employment generation. The fisheries sectors of many a nation is fuelled by the highly productive upwelling zones mainly in and around New Zealand, Chile/Peru, South Afr ica and the western United States. Also in terms of biodiversity 16 of the 36 animal Phyla that exist occur only in the oceans, this fact has implications for the biochemical and medical fields for human use (Baskett et al 2005). Marine ecosystem stressors Most of the worlds population lives in or near to coastal areas for many different reasons. Primarily most of the jobs exist in and around the coastal zone as this is where many of the major cities and ports occur. Also food and recreation and leisure activities are gained quite easily from the seas. As a result of the high population densities experienced by the coastal regions a lot of the significant ecosystems and coastal marine communities are being negatively impacted due to human activities (Halpern et al., 2007, 2008). Pollution of various forms have caused increase nutrient enrichment, eutrophication, sedimentation due to land degradation and mismanagement and changes in the hydrological patterns. Climate ahnge is another signifjicant contributor the the deterioration of the marine ecosystems and have taken a heavy toll on coral reef systems in particular (Baker et al. 2008). GESAMP (2001) lists the modification and demolition of habitats, sewage run off and impacts on human health, rising eutrophication and nutrient enrichment and the decrease in fish stocks as well as alteration of sedimentation pattern due to hydrological changes and land degradation as some of the most significant issues facing coastal and marine areas and ecosystems. How are they Managed? Ecosystem Based Management (EBM) Conventional types of natural resource management have been replaced over the years by a more rounded approach ecosystem based management (EBM) which focuses not only on specific sectors but is more all inclusive. Traditionally, activities that influence the management process have been engaged independently and have not considered the collective impacts on the ecosystem (Curtin and Prezello 2010). EBM is a new approach that considers a broader range of contributing factors (ecological, environmental and anthropogenic) in designing a management technique. Management techniques including coastal management, fisheries management and the designation of marine protected areas (MPAs) help to drive EBM related models. Christie et al. (2007) also stress that ecological function and pertinent scales must be considered in the EBM process. Arkema et al (2006) summarize it most effectively: Ecosystem based management represents a much broader view than how marine ecosystems have been managed tr adition- ally, taking into account the interconnectedness and inter- dependent nature of the components of ecosystems, and the fundamental importance of ecosystem structure and functioning in providing humans with the broad range of services that are taken for granted. Cury et al. (2005) notes three key issues that must be adhered to in EBM; establishing lasting goals that are pertinent to the particular ecosystem, defining meaningful indicators, and determining suitable models, data gathering tools and means for analysis. INDENT (2006) provides an assessment of a wide range of indicators, while mechanisms for marine ecosystem management and monitoring are outlined by Hoffman and Gaines (2008). Biological monitoring makes use of indicator species and also considers numbers of particular species, this is especially useful in fisheries monitoring to detect when a disturbance in a specific area in this regard fisheries monitoring is considered a tool on its own. Tracking variations in the water quality or physical habitat is termed environmental monitoring and is separate from biological and fisheries monitoring. The multitude of stressors which influence the marine environment can have many sources, including estuaries, coastal areas and even far away areas such as watersheds. At the highest level therefore EBM should take into account watershed impacts (Guery et al. 2005). Also from a management perspective it has been suggested that an approach which begins at the lowest scale and then makes its way up to the level of large marine ecosystems thereby allowing a greater number of stressors and the services that they impact to be considered Agardy (2007) and Rosenberg (2006). Sustainable management and application of marine ecosystem services always need to consider the relationship between the socioeconomic and ecological parts of the entire system across the various scales involved. Indicators The fisheries resources within an ecosystem are directly related to the primary productivity of that ecosystem (Pauly and Christensen 1995). The ever increasing problem of coastal eutrophication can be monitored by utilizing ecosystem productivity as an indicator. Ecosystem characteristics can be observed through the use of satellite data. Satellite data that has been tuned to a specific region can provide data on nutrients, productivity, phytoplankton, and sea surface temperature (Aiken et al. 1999; Berman and Sherman 2001; Melrose et al. 2006). The 2004 National Coastal Condition Report II illustrates the use of five indices for coastal assessment put forward by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). These include water quality, sediment quality, benthic communities, coastal habitat, and fish tissue contaminants. These indicators and the entire methodology are gradually being applied to the international global environment facility (GEF) funded LME projects. The Gulf of Mexico LME and many European LMEs have suffered due to nitrogen overenrichment over recent decades. The 1970s Green Revolution which saw much of the wetlands of the world being transformed to agricultural lands and the subsequent fertilizer and livestock increase are said to be the major contributors to this process (Howarth et al. 2000 and Duda and El-Ashry 2000) with other contributors coming from urban sewage sources and automobile exhaust. Indicators used for Marine Management The increasing range and intensity of human uses has led to a need for efficient management of marine ecosystems in the region. Marine ecosystem indicators can play a key role in improving the planning and management practices within the marine environment for sustainable use (Borja et al. 2008b; 2009). Indicators enable managers and stakeholders to monitor the condition of an ecosystem and the impacts of its associated human activities. Indicators can also be used to support planning and decision-making for ecosystem-based management, including problem identification and policy implementation. More than a decade ago the chief method employed in assessing marine quality was the use of indicator species collected from the benthic communities. A wider approach is now being undertaken with the inclusion of the physical components as well as a greater range of biological components (Pinto et al., 2009). Fishes, phytoplankton and zooplankton are biological components that are now part of the ecosystem assessment process and are being used as indicators for marine quality evaluation (Borja et al 2009). True marine quality assessment is usually done by incorporating the various physico-chemical and biological elements of the system (Borja, 2005, 2006). Moloney and Shillington (2007) show that it is necessary to have indicators for ecosystem health however, individual indices can be applied for various aspects of the physical and chemical environment. Further work is required for the establishment of an effective method of defining the single indicator for assessment of marine qual ity (Borja et al., 2008a). The past approach had several deficiencies chief of which was it usually was based on just a few indicator organisms which may not have been a true representation of the ecosystem condition. On the other hand developing several indices based on several different organisms has seen a proliferation of indices (Diaz et al., 2004). Another key point to consider is the validation and testing of an index once it has been developed to ensure its accuracy. Obviously the usefulness or applicability of an index lies in its ability to accurately transmit the information about the quality of the study area for which it was designed (see Borja and Dauer, 2008). It is important to note that local scale indices have been generated in abundance in recent times not taking into account the interconnected nature of the larger marine ecosystems. A key step in index development is the multivariate analysis over areas where the ecosystem compositions are close by comparison. Borja et al (2009) have illustrated clearly that stakeholders and decision makers often need information on larger regions that cross habitat boundaries and thus scale is an important factor in index development. Nextà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Indicators for marine management derived from Satellite Remote Sensing

Micro Environment Of HSBC

Micro Environment Of HSBC The whole world is now getting so much competitive and diversified. So the business organization doing business globally must have to make their strategy in different way that will give them competitive advantage in the competitive global market. So the aim of this assignment is to show how an organization is making its global strategy and what the competitive advantages are they getting from this business strategy. As required, Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) is selected and analyzed in this assignment. The HSBC Group has a history, which is unique. Many of its principal companies opened for business over a century ago and they have a history rich in variety and achievement. The inspiration behind the founding of the bank was Thomas Sutherland, a Scot who was then working as the Hong Kong Superintendent of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company. Realizing the considerable demand for local banking facilities both in Hong Kong and along the China coast and he helped to establish the bank in March 1865. Then, as now, the banks headquarters were at 1 Queens Road Central in Hong Kong and a branch was opened one month later in Shanghai. Throughout the late nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries, the bank established a network of agencies and branches based mainly in China and South East Asia but also with representation in the Indian sub-continent, Japan, Europe and North America. In many of its branches the bank was the pioneer of modern banking practices (Company overview) This assignment includes analysis of the business environment of this organisation by analysis of the micro and macro environments and using different analysis techniques. Such as: SWOT Analysis, PEST Analysis etc. This also covers the analysis of the industry of the organization, the impact of globalization on the organization, and the international market where it operates its business. 1.1 Micro Environment of HSBC Group Stakeholders: Stakeholders of HSBC are always getting the preference. There are different stakeholders of HSBC. Such as: Shareholders Media Publics Government Citizen-action publics Local publics General publics Internal publics Suppliers: suppliers form an important link in the companys overall customer value delivery system. HSBC maintains a strong relationship with all the suppliers of this bank around the world. So they always cooperates the bank in any type of needed. Customers: The bank tries to target mainly five types of customer markets. These are as: Consumers, business clients, reseller market, Government, and international customers. HSBC mainly maintains strong relationship with international customers for long term profitability. Competitors: Competitors are the people to make the business environment dynamic and lead them to identify different new ideas of doing business. They always make a good competitive environment and maintain a formal and cooperative situation of business. Market intermediaries: Marketing intermediaries are composed of all the individuals or companies who help in the promotion, selling, and distribution of the companys products or services. They play an important role to make sure the growth of the organization. 1.2 Macro Environment of HSBC Group External climate: A key part of the Groups business strategy, announced in 1998, is the creation of a global brand featuring the HSBC name and hexagon symbol. The symbol is now a familiar sight around the world. The Group has embarked on the next phase making the HSBC brand universally synonymous with its core values of integrity, trust and excellent customer service. Economic: Through the process of listening to individuals needs and then acting in partnership to deliver the right solutions, HSBC is committed to help the clients make the most of their financial assets. This states the most favorable economic situation. Political and legal environment: HSBC operate on a global basis, but also work on a local level to ensure the cross-border differences are identified and any related benefits exploited. HSBC teams of specialists ensure that whether you need solutions across the world, regionally, or locally, and they have the skills, expertise, and resources to deliver them. They automate as many functions as possible, even as ensuring retains control. So they have to cope up with the political and legal environment of the whole world. Cultural environment: HSBC claims that they are the people to talk to if anyone wants the following: Global cash flow co-ordination Enhanced risk management Improved security and audit controls Minimized costs and reduced operating expenses Maximized liquidity, returns and interest benefits This culture makes the organization popular to the customer and the customer can be satisfied by the service of the bank. Resources (capital, people and natural): The Hexagon logo of HSBC derives from HSBCs traditionally flag, a white rectangle divided diagonally. The design of the flag was based on the cross of ST. Andrew, The Patron Saint of Scotland. HSBC brand corporate identity represents what HSBC wants its brand to mean to its customer. It is derived from the group. Without these resources it has also a large amount of capital resources and a large group of expert and trained employees. Technology: HSBCs basic drives are Higher Productivity, Team Orientation, and Creative Organization, Customer Orientation. The essence of HSBC brand is integrity, trust, and excellent customer service. It gives confidence to customers, value to investors, comfort to colleagues. HSBC is a prudent, cost conscious, ethically grounded, conservative, trustworthy international builder of long-term customer relationships. 1.3 SWOT Analysis of HSBC SWOT analysis is a process of situational analysis. Evaluating a firms strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats through a SWOT analysis is an easy process that provides valuable insights relating to critical issues affecting an organization. SWOT analysis: The internal and external situations can provide valuable information which can come in handy at times. The SWOT analysis categorizes the internal organizational factors as strengths and weaknesses and the external situational aspects as opportunities or threats. The strengths can be used for building a competitive advantage, whereas weakness may hinder the process. The purpose of SWOT analysis is to identify crucial factors for realizing the goals. The internal factors of an organization can be considered as strengths or weaknesses depending upon their impact on the organization. These may include all 4Ps, personnel, manufacturing capabilities, finance, etc, whereas external factors are technological changes, macroeconomic factors, socio-cultural changes and legislation, as well as changes occurring in the marketplace. SWOT analyses of HSBC are as follow: Strengths HSBCs strengths are its resources that lie in: Cost advantages from proprietary know how is very favorable. It has a great value of Patents and trademark HSBC has Influential brand names It also has access to natural resources Accessible distribution network Weakness The weakness can be lack of certain strengths that include: Lack of patent protection Deprived of access to main distribution channels Weak brand name High cost structure Inaccessible natural resources Opportunities The assessment of external environment may bring forth certain new opportunities for HSBC, which are as follows: Technologies innovations Elimination of international trade barriers An untapped market need Threats Unfavorable changes in external environment may pose threat to the organization. Some of them are as follows: Consumers shift to different brand Arrival of substitutes Strict regulations Growing trade barriers 1.4 PEST Analysis of HSBC 1. Political Factors This exercise dissects the political, governmental, and legal aspects of a particular business. Both local and global environments are studied because federal, state, local, and foreign governments are major regulators, deregulators, subsidizers, employers. 2. Economic Factors Economic analysis, a comprehensive study of national, regional, and global economic performance and trends, represents a highly important phase of strategy development for planned, start-up, and growing businesses 3. Social Factors The social component of strategic analysis relates to assessing the social, cultural, demographic, and environmental profiles of addressable markets. 4. Technological Factors Technology is a business enabler that has revolutionary impact on the actual conduct of business. It contributes to achieving desired business productivity and efficiency. Technology is one of the key drivers of modern business firm. As an international organization HSBC try to adopt modern technology always. So this will give preference to the firm. 2.1 History of Bank Industry The history of banking begins with the first prototype banks of merchants of the ancient world, which made grain loans to farmers and traders who carried goods between cities. This began around 2000 BC in Assyria and Babylonia. Later, in ancient Greece and during the Roman Empire, lenders based in temples made loans and added two important innovations: they accepted deposits and changed money. Archaeology from this period in ancient China and India also shows evidence of money lending activity(Peter Garber, 2001). Banking, in the modern sense of the word, can be traced to medieval and early Renaissance Italy, to the rich cities in the north such as Florence, Venice and Genoa. Perhaps the most famous Italian bank was the Medici bank, established by Giovanni Medici in 1397. The development of banking spread from northern Italy through Europe and a number of important innovations took place in Amsterdam during the Dutch Republic in the 16th century and in London in the 17th century. The financial crisis of 2007-2008 caused many bank failures, including some of the worlds largest banks, and provoked much debate about bank regulation. In the Late-2000s financial crisis caused significant stress on banks around the world. The failure of a large number of major banks resulted in government bail-outs. The collapse and fire sale of Bear Stearns to JP Morgan Chase in March 2008 and the collapse of Lehman Brothers in September that same year led to a credit crunch and global banking crises (Jean-Charles Rochet, 2008). In response governments around the world bailed-out, nationalized or arranged fire sales for a large number of major banks. These events spawned the term too big to fail and resulted in a lot of discussion about the moral hazard of these actions. 2.2 The Extent of Globalization and Current Internal Issues According to Modelski, globalization is a historical process which is characterized by a growing engagement between peoples on all corners of the globe (Modelski, 2003, pp.55-59). However, as Heywood points out, it can refer to various things such as processes, policies, strategies, an occurrence or an ideology. He suggests, its elusive meaning lays in the fact that it is not so much and it as a team (2007, p.143). The reason for the elusiveness of the term is that, as Heywood pints out, it involves many different facets which many different academics proclaim as its defining features. This provides the best summary of what globalization is and what it involves; however, different perspectives on globalization view these processes in different ways and provide competing explanations of their significance. The first of these to be outlined is the hyper globalist perspective (Held, D. and McGrew, A. (2003). Each perspective differs however on how the globalization process impacts on politics. The hyper globalists argue that globalization is leading the world into a period which will see the end of the nation state and the emergence of a global governance system. The transformation lists on the other hand reject this idea, and instead claim that the nation state is still relevant in a globalised world, but needs to adapt to the challenges that the increasing flows of capital and culture impose. On the issue of cultural flows there is again divergence amongst the perspectives. For hyper globalists, the path towards a homogenous world culture is inevitable as globalization develops. For transformation lists, the process of globalization is creating a world community of diverse cultures whilst for the skeptics, cultural interaction and integration is nothing new. On the question on the extent the world is actually globalised, there is also agreement and disagreement (Peter Garber, 2001). For both the hyper globalists and the transformation lists, the contemporary world is more globalised than ever before, with economics, politics and culture never more connected than in this age of mass media, internet and rapid communication. Globalization, they argue, has touched every corner of the globe, and will continue on that trajectory into the future. For the skeptics however, the world is not actually globalised but is instead regionalized. To back up this claim, they point to the massive inequalities between countries in the western world, and those in the developing world. 2.3 The International Markets In Which It Operates HSBCs International Network The HSBC Groups international network comprises of some 7,000 offices in 80 countries. A brief list is presented below: Fig 2: HSBCs International Networks Country Classifications To ensure that the key resources (management time, capital, human resources and information technology) are correctly allocated and that the exchange of best practice is accelerated between entities, the group has classified the countries where it operates into 3 categories: the large, the major and the international. These classifications are a function of sustainable, attributable earnings, the number of retail clients, balance sheet and size of operation. A brief presentation of this classification is shown below: Figure 3: Map of HSBCs Country Classifications Large: United Kingdom, USA and Hong Kong SAR/Mainland China. Definition More than one million personal clients Sustainable earnings greater than US$ 200 million Business Focus Concentrated group resources on wealth management Be a top 10 player in any market or region served Develop cross selling, loyalty programs and value added products. Major: Argentina, Canada, Malaysia, India, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Singapore and United Arab Emirates. Definition Sustainable earnings between US$ 100 200 million Business Focus Universal banks (personal, corporate, and investment banking with domestic business) Platforms for international group business Next generation of large companies Stable self funding entities Onshore HQ International: The rest of the world Definition Æ’ËÅ" Earnings below US$ 100 million Business Focus Platforms for international group business Limited domestic presence Nursery for developing management Tomorrows major businesses Supported by offshore HQ Banks under the HSBC Group Many of the members have changed their name into HSBC, The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited to introduce the whole group under one brand name. Midland Bank HSBC Holdings acquired Midland Bank one of the principal UK clearing banks in 1992. Headquartered in London, the bank has a personal customer base of five and a half million, business customers of over half a million, and a network of almost 1,700 branches in the United Kingdom. Midland has offices in 28 countries and territories, principally in continental Europe, with a number of offices in Latin America. Hang Seng Bank Hang Seng Bank, in which Hongkong Bank has a 62.1% equity interest, maintains a network of 146 branches in the Hong Kong SAR, where it is the second largest locally incorporated bank after Hongkong Bank. Hang Seng Bank also has a branch in Singapore and two branches and two representative offices in China. Marine Midland Bank Marine Midland Bank headquartered in Buffalo, New York, has 380 banking locations statewide. The bank serves over two million personal customers and 120,000 commercial and institutional customers in New York State and, in selected businesses, throughout the United States. Hongkong Bank of Canada Hongkong Bank of Canada is the largest foreign-owned bank in Canada and the countrys seventh-largest bank. With headquarters in Vancouver, it has 116 branches across Canada and two branches in the western United States. Banco HSBC Bamerindus Banco HSBC Bamerindus was established in Brazil in 1997. The bank has network of some 1,900 branches and sub-branches, the second largest in Brazil. Hongkong Bank Malaysia Hongkong Bank Malaysia is the largest foreign-owned bank in Malaysia and the countrys fifth-largest bank, with 36 branches. The British Bank of the Middle East (British Bank) The British Bank of the Middle East (British Bank) is the largest and most widely represented international bank in the Middle East, with 31 branches throughout the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, Lebanon and the Palestinian Autonomous Area, including an offshore banking unit in Bahrain. The bank also has branches in Mumbai and Trivandrum, India, and Baku, Azerbaijan, as well as private banking operations in London and Geneva. HSBC Banco Roberts HSBC Banco Roberts was acquired in 1997. Based in Buenos Aires, it is one of Argentinas largest privately owned banks, with 60 branches throughout the country. Hongkong Bank of Australia Hongkong Bank of Australia has 16 branches across Australia. It is the flagship of the HSBC Groups businesses there, operating under the name HSBC Australia, and providing a complete range of financial services. The Saudi British Bank The Saudi British Bank, a 40%-owned member of the HSBC Group, has 63 branches throughout Saudi Arabia and a branch in London. Figure 1: Banks under the HSBC Group Other associated Group banks are British Arab Commercial Bank, The Cyprus Popular Bank and Egyptian British Bank. Customer Segments of HSBC Group Personal Financial Services HSBC provides a full range of personal financial services, including current and savings account, mortgages, insurance, credit cards, loans, pensions and investments. In 2000, residential mortgages across the Group excluding Household grew by 15%, while non-mortgage personal lending increased by over 20%. Credit cards in issue grew by 20% worldwide. Sales of repayment protection insurance and deposit growth reached record levels. Current account balances in the UK exceeded  £ 10 billion for the first time at year-end 2000. The number of customers registered for e-banking services via the internet and telephone more than trebled in 2000. The internet generated sales of over 2.3 million products and 87 million transactions. Consumer Finance Through Household International, Inc., HSBC is now a major provider of consumer finance and a top 10 issuer of credit cards in the USA. Household provides consumer loans, credit cards, vehicle finance, mortgage financing and credit insurance to middle America. During 2004, Household achieved good organic loan growth, which it supplemented with portfolio acquisitions. The strongest growth was in the real estate portfolio and the mortgage services business, and also in branch-based consumer lending. Synergy benefits with HSBC included store cards and point-of-sale financing. Commercial Banking The provision of services to small and medium-sized enterprises around the world is core strength of HSBC. During 2000, HSBC increased its leading position in the UK business start-up market to 21% and attracted record levels of business current and deposit account balances. Business internet banking was offered in 20 countries and territories, and the number of registered users more than doubled to 600,000. Money transmission revenues, trade finance fees, wealth, savings and insurance products all showing growth during 2000. Corporate, Investment Banking and Markets This customer group comprises four main business lines Corporate and Institutional Banking, Global Investment Banking, Global Markets and Global Transaction Banking which focus on long-term relationships with major international corporations and institutions. Record results were achieved in 2000. The Global Markets business excelled, particularly in international debt issuance, risk management and structured products, and foreign exchange. Global Investment Banking was entrusted with a number of landmark deals in capital restructuring, corporate reorganization and strategic advice. Private Banking This customer group provides world-class financial services to high net worth individuals and their families. In 2000, Private Banking posted improved financial results in all regions, led by Asia, which had a record year. New business initiatives and a general improvement in investment markets led to increased client activity across a range of products. An increase in discretionary mandates, together with a strong demand for client-tailored structured products, contributed to higher fee revenues and dealing income. Funds under management grew by 18%, reflecting both net inflows of client assets and improving market conditions. 2.4 The Impact of Globalization on HSBC Corporate banking is the most profitable segment of HSBC, since it has globally recognized brand name and it has competitive advantage in international trade and finance. But the nature of competition in financial service is changing dramatically. Most competitive advantages are not creating long-term benefits and at best are temporarily improving yesterdays business. From the study it seemed to me that personal financial products of HSBC are mainly basic since it is less focused. Using the brand name and widening the personal financial product range, HSBC bank has the potential to become the leader in consumer banking market of the country. So, the concerned department should formulate strategy and policies to compete better with the challenging opportunities of the future. 3.1 Moral and ethical questions As an international organization HSBC sometimes faces some problems in different geographical location. This problem is the moral and ethical question. The bank operates in different conservative countries. The sociological limitations of these countries make some ethical dilemma for the bank. The bank always tries to involve with different corporate social affairs. So their different strategies sometimes have a little conflict with the existing ethical framework of those countries. 3.2 Conflicts When the bank started the journey in Africa in had to face a lot of problems in operation. Because the people of Africa have different social values and culture. So the bank had to gradually cope up with the existing culture. The climate change of Africa also made some problems. The general business policy had to change due to the conflict of the existing sociological forces. Though the bank is still changing their policy but still now there have some ethical and moral conflict. The anti-globalism policy of some countries makes the conflict with the globalized policy of the bank. 3.3 Legislation Corporate social responsibility is the one of the key marketing policy of HSBC. The banks main focus is to involve with more international corporate affairs by means of CSR. This planning has the impact on global marketing. But the corporate social responsibility issue is not always smooth in all in the countries. Different countries and region have some legislation and bindings in regulations relating to corporate social responsibility. In Asia the business policy sometimes faces some legislative obstacles and the bank have to face some problems in operations. Conclusion During the Second World War the bank was forced to close many branches and its head office was temporarily moved to London. However, after the war the bank played a key role in the reconstruction of the Hong Kong economy and began to further diversify the geographical spread of the bank. The post-war political and economic changes in the world forced the bank to analyze its strategy for continued growth in the 1950s. The bank diversified both its business and its geographical spread through acquisitions and alliances. This strategy culminated in 1992 with one of the largest bank acquisitions in history when HSBC Holdings acquired the UKs Midland Bank plc (now called HSBC Bank plc). However, it remained committed to its historical markets and played an important part in the reconstruction of Hong Kong where its branch network continued to expand. HSBC understands that there are many challenges facing todays youth as they prepare to engage in the increasingly changing and complex aspects of the real world. Recognizing the importance of educating, inspiring and equipping youth of all backgrounds to succeed in a global economy, we began a partnership with Junior Achievement USA (Junior Achievement) in 1942. We expanded this partnership to launch a global initiative in 2006 and began working with JA Worldwide.

Essay --

Breast Cancer As defined by Majure, breast cancer is an â€Å"uncontrolled growth of abnormal breast cells† (Majure: 110). It is also one of the cancers that women fear the most. Not only do women get diagnosed with breast cancer, men do too. However, it isn't as bad, or as common, in men as it is in women so doctors don’t recommend screening for men. In the U.S more than one thousand men get affected by breast cancer every year and about two hundred thousand women are affected by breast cancer every year. Women are most likely to get diagnosed with it in their forties and fifties while some may be diagnosed with breast cancer in their twenties, if they started their menstrual cycles at an early age like 14. Typically, men are diagnosed with breast cancer in their sixties or seventies. Historically speaking breast cancer has been around for hundreds of years. Thankfully the treatment has improved. Patients who get the cancer removed and take care of themselves after, for example, by exercising and eating healthy, will live longer. There are many risks that increase the likelihood of developing breast cancer, for instance, age, family history, and race. A women who made history with breast cancer was Betty Ford, Betty was one of the first lady’s to speak openly about her disease. Betty encouraged women who have been affected with the disease to go to their doctor as soon as possible and told women who had shared that they didn’t have breast cancer to do self breast exams regularly and get mammograms. She also said when women get diagnosed with it don’t be embarrassed. Treatments in the past were pretty good and quite the same compared to the treatments given to people now, for instance, mastectomy’s which was the primary... ...lso recommend that their patients get an x-ray for the untreated breast as well. Doctors and patients are relieved quite a few times because a majority of breast cancers don’t recur, yet minorities of breast cancers do recur after several years. This is why doctors encourage their patients to come to their follow-ups. Doctors aren’t really sure that if the disease doesn’t recur in a few years it doesn’t mean it won’t. This cancer is slow growing so the disease may recur in about 10 to 20 years; however time does affect the likelihood of recurrence so if there are no signs of the cancer in the x-ray then there is a chance the disease won’t recur. Doctors and medical professionals can offer only so much support and every woman who has been diagnosed with is deals with the consequences of treatment and diagnosis no matter how strong she is needs emotional support.

College Writing in the 21st century :: Education Writers Essays

College Writing in the 21st century How should it be thought and taught? With the diverse world we live in, I can only see one thing we all possess. The one thing that everyone has in one form or another is his or her individuality. A lot of people have different cultures that make them more of an individualistic group in a modern society. America would scare me out my mind if I came from a society not like Americas, from Japan or areas of the Middle East. I would have to go into a whole different frame of mind to try to survive in this society and be successful. For children or young adults this would be a tough time for them to adapt themselves to our school system. When it comes to college writing, I think teachers in the most part understand they have a cross-cultural influenced student body. With the Students point of view, it's hard to accept people who seem different or blocked from normal social events or interactions. When I was in High school, we had 14 different nationalities within it. It was interesting to have a class with such a wide range of people, beliefs, and learning styles. I would feel bad for the teachers and other students mostly because the new kids that didn't speak nglish very well struggled to communicate with everyone. This caused problems with the teachers trying to teach them and keep them equal in the classroom. This caused some teachers to give up a little bit and not treat them like normal students. When I read Amy Tans essay " Mother Tongue", I noticed that she said that she spoke very good nglish but her mother did not. This caused many problems for her mother like the kids in my school, because people wouldn't take her seriously. This caused a lot of embarrassing moments for Mrs. Tan. She pointed out that when she was a child that her teachers would try to point her in the math and science direction because she showed that she was stronger in those areas which most Japa nese or Chinese are stronger in. Amy expressed that she didn't want to go into math or science she wanted to write. Her teachers tried to sway her decision but she stood strong. People should be able to come into a class and feel not only welcome but also secure with the people around them.

The Worlds Fight Against Microbes Essay -- Research Papers Science Bi

The World's Fight Against Microbes   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many infectious diseases that were nearly eradicated from the industrialized world, and newly emerging diseases are now breaking out all over the world due to the misuse of medicines, such as antibiotics and antivirals, the destruction of our environment, and shortsighted political action and/or inaction.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Viral hemorrhagic fevers are a group of diseases caused by viruses from four distinct families of viruses: filoviruses, arenaviruses, flaviviruses, and bunyaviruses. The usual hosts for most of these viruses are rodents or arthropods, and in some viruses, such as the Ebola virus, the natural host is not known. All forms of viral hemorrhagic fever begin with fever and muscle aches, and depending on the particular virus, the disease can progress until the patient becomes deathly ill with respiratory problems, severe bleeding, kidney problems, and shock. The severity of these diseases can range from a mild illness to death (CDC I).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Ebola virus is a member of a family of RNA (ribonucleic acid) viruses known as filoviruses. When these viruses are magnified several thousand times by an electron microscope they have the appearance of long filaments or threads. Filoviruses can cause hemorrhagic fever in humans and animals, and because of this they are extremely hazardous. Laboratory studies of these viruses must be carried out in special maximum containment facilities, such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia and the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), at Fort Detrick in Frederick, Maryland (CDC I,II).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Ebola hemorrhagic fever in humans is a severe, systemic illness caused by infection with Ebola virus. There are four subtypes of Ebola virus (Ebola-Zaire, Ebola-Sudan, Ebola-Ivory Coast, and Ebola-Reston), which are not just variations of a single virus, but four distinct viruses. Three of these subtypes are known to cause disease in humans, and they are the Zaire, Sudan, and Ivory Coast subtypes. Out of all the different viral hemorrhagic fevers known to occur in humans , those caused by filoviruses have been associated with the highest case-fatality rates. These rates can be as high as 90 percent for epidemics of hemorrhagic fever caused by Ebola-Zaire virus. No vaccine exists to protect from... ... Yet a bacterium can kill a whale ... Such is the adaptability and versatility of microorganisms as compared with humans and other so called "higher" organisms, that they will doubtless continue to colonise and alter the face of the Earth long after we and the rest of our cohabitants have left the stage forever. Microbes, not macrobes, rule the world. - Bernard Dixon, 1994 Works Cited CDC(I).Ebola Virus Hemorrhagic Fever: General Information. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/virlfv/ebolainf.htm[1996, November 20]. CDC(II). Filoviruses in Nonhuman Primates: Overview of the Investigation in Texas.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/virlfvr/ebola528.htm[1996, November 20]. Garrett, Laurie. The Coming Plague. Farrar, Straus. and Giroux: New York, 1994. Mosby’s Medical, Mursing, and Allied Health Dictionary 4th Ed. .  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mosby-Year Book, Inc.: St.Louis,1994. Preston, Richard. The Hot Zone. Random House Inc.: New York, 1994. Roizman, Bernard. Infectious Diseases in an Age of Change. National Academy Press:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Washington,D.C., 1995. Top, Franklin H. . Communicable and Infectious Diseases. C.V. Mosby Company: St.Louis, 1964.

Art Essay

Why should we make art? What is the purpose? How does it affect our culture , generation and or world? Art is an expression of oneself that is shared between people due to many did efferent personal reasons that contribute to the happiness and satisfaction felt from c aerating, viewing and pondering art. Some of these personal reasons that people have to justify the creation of art is the pleasure it provides, the creativity it gives you, the feeling of freedom, and the lifelong challenge or self growth.Art effects are culture because it helps defines era's through t he way what kind of art was created and how the art was created. Art provides great pleasure for those who create art because of its relaxing an true. It gives you time to yourself and time away from stressful jobs, classes and relations pips that all require a substantial amount of energy from you. It simply gives you time to be alone a ND in solitude from the world.It allows you to think deeper than just the superficia l expression of he art and allows you to solve problems in other areas of your life through the simple relaxing nature of creating and viewing art. Art can give you an excess of creativity to use in other aspects of life. As you c intention to view and ponder art, you keep pushing yourself to see the art in different ways.

Fundamentals of Microeconomics Essay

Macroeconomics defined as â€Å"the study of the economy as a whole, which includes inflation, unemployment, business cycles, and growth† (Colander, G-5). There are many fundamentals that affect the economy in both a good and bad way. These fundamentals affect the economy, and they also show the growth of the economy. The fundamentals are gross domestic product (GDP), real gross domestic product, nominal gross domestic product, unemployment rate, inflation rate, and interest rate. Defining the fundamentals Gross Domestic Product is â€Å"the total market value of all final goods and services produced in an economy in a one-year period† (Colander, G-3). GDP calculation is very important because it calculates the growth, decline, or stand still have the economy. When the GDP is calculate, it is base on previous numbers not future numbers. For example, the GDP is +2%, which means a growth of 2% for the previous year. Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is â€Å"the market value of final goods and services produced in an economy, stated in the prices of the giver year† (Colander, G-7). Real GDP is an inflation measure of the production of goods and services in the economy. It reflects price changes throughout the year. The real GDP is base more on realistic numbers instead of a guess. The calculation is more accurate concerning the gross domestic product for the previous year. Nominal gross domestic product is calculate at existing prices. Nominal GDP does not reflect inflation and is known as â€Å"current dollar GDP.† Nominal GDP can either be higher or lower than the GDP. When nominal GDP is calculate without reflecting inflation, which can show a higher growth in the economy when it is lower or at a standstill. Unemployment rate is â€Å"the percentage of people in the economy who are willing and able to work but who are not working† (Colander, G-9). The unemployment rate is calculate every month, and it shows the people who are looking for work. This rate does not include individual like the elderly, people working only a few hours a week or people who do not send resumes into different business. The unemployment rate shows that based on the number of people in the United States, a certain percentage is actively looking for work but has not found work. Inflation Rate is the percentage rate of change in price over a certain period usually a year. The inflation rate is calculate using last year price for a particular item to determine how much it will cost. Inflation rate determines the price of many things that include the price of the dollar. When individual calculates the inflation rate, it can help others determine if it is better to buy certain products today or later. Interest Rate is â€Å"the price paid for the use of financial asset† (Colander, G-4). Interest rate is a certain percentage that an individual has to pay on borrowing money or purchasing something. The interest rate is base on the credit score and the item purchase. The rate can go from being a very low number to as high as 10 percent. Purchasing of Groceries The purchase of groceries affects government, households, and business daily. The government determines the tax placed when household purchase groceries. Every household in the United States purchase groceries to survive. The businesses are affected by grocery purchase through the purchase. The business is affected by the purchases made because it shows what is being purchase more and what is being purchase less. The flow of resources take place in continues circular motion. The groceries are receive by the business from the local food processing plants. The employees at the local business placed the items on the shelves and groceries are ready for sell. The household members purchase the groceries from the business and pay the taxes government placed on the items. This continues to take place daily and will always continue. Massive layoff of employees The flow of resources takes place, and it affects businesses in both good and bad ways. Most business can employee the previous laid-off employees to allow taxes to be paid. When businesses are not able to employ more employees, unemployed do not demand good and services. When employees are layoff, there is no income coming into the household. The household is affected because there is no income, which in return means less good and service that can be purchase. When massive layoffs of employees take place in the economy, it affects government because they are paying unemployment benefits, Medicaid, and giving food stamps and more welfare to those eligible. Decrease in taxes When the government decides to decrease tax, it affects everyone differently. Government is affected in a good way, but it occurs in the long-run supply and demand curve. The government is losing more because taxes are lower but more money is being receive. In the long-run supply and demand, the government receives more money because the household is purchasing more good and services. The household is excite because more money is coming into the household because taxes are lower. The lower the tax, the more income, which mean more good and services are being purchase. Businesses are excite because more goods and services are being purchase. The flow of resources occurs and is affected in the long-run supply and demand curve. References Colander, D.C. (2010). Macroeconomics (8th ed.) Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Of Mice and Men: The Failure of the American Dream Essay

Thesis Statement : The novel Of Mice and Men was John Steinbeck a message to the world of how the American Dream is dead and unattainable. The nation had seen one of the biggest spending sprees in the nineteen twenties and the following decade the results were crashing down on the nation. People were losing everything that they owned and starving. The American Dream is defined as â€Å"The American Dream is â€Å"that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. (What Is the American Dream) Because of that, it seemed like the American Dream was dead and there was never a better novel to illustrate it than Of Mice and Men. George and Lennie, the co protagonist of the novel, aspire to the American Dream, but because few people believe in its attainability, few are surprised when they fall short of its achievement. To understand how the American Dream is shown to be unattainable in the novel Of Mice and Men, it must be understood. There are several definitions of the American Dream. According to Merriam Webster’s â€Å"an American social ideal that stresses egalitarianism and especially material prosperity; also: the prosperity or life that is the realization of this ideal. † (Merriam Webster). The other part of that materialistic idea is that if one works hard enough, he/she can achieve absolutely anything. George and Lennie have a dream that completely embodies the concept of the American Dream. They are two men who are migrant workers during the Great Depression who have a dream of owning their own farm. The actual ownership of the farm is only a small part of the dream. The fact that they will not be owned by another person is the allure of the dream. All kin’s a vegetable in the garden, and if we want a little whisky we can sell a few eggs or something, or some milk. We’d jus’ live there. We’d belong there. There wouldn’t be no more runnin’ round the country and gettin’ fed by a Jap cook. No, sir, we’d have our own place where we belonged and not sleep in no bunk house. (Steinbeck p. 63) Because of their situation of being migrant workers, every aspect of their lives were dictated by their boss. Their need for money to survive, set them up for ownership as if they were slaves. George realized this more than Lennie. Lennie brought innocence to the dream. He wanted nothing more than to tend the rabbits because petting soft things brought him pleasure. He did not care about materialism or having control of his life. Pleasure of the moment was his goal for life and the American Dream took on its purest form through him. They remind themselves daily of this dream. Lennie begs for George to tell him the story even though he knows it as if hearing it will make it so. George tells it as if each time he tells it the dream will become more and more real. Yet they are chasing an illusion. The characters have survived in the world so far because of their belief that the American Dream is alive and well. George and Lennie cannot imagine that their hard work will not pay off in the end. Society had told children for generations that hard work would take an individual to the top of society and many times it did. Then came the Great Depression and everything changed. People worked hard and they did what they thought was right, but at that time it did not take them anywhere but backward. George and Lennie try to save, but it takes every dime to survive. Once they meet Candy, who offers to add money to the cause, they know that with the money they have coming, they will be able to have their dream, but just as it was time to make their purchase, tragedy strikes. Their work has gotten them nowhere. It is apparent throughout the novel that the dream is not attainable. From the incident in weed to the killing of the puppy, everything that George and Lennie do ends up becoming a disaster. It is obvious that the dream of the farm will be as well. As George says: â€Å"-I think I knowed from the very first. I think I knowed we’d never do her. He usta like to hear about it so much I got to thinking maybe we would† (103). The unattainable American Dream is not limited to George and Lennie and that is symbolic that most people will not attain it. There are other characters who also have their American Dream crushed. Curly’s wife had a dream of fame and fortune. She also wants to be loved. She married a man who was to inherit his father’s farm and he seemed to want her, but after she marries him, she realizes that he only cares about himself. She does everything in her power to get his attention because of her need. He is jealous of other men, but not because of the love for his wife. Love, marriage, and producing a family is part of the American Dream and all Curly and his wife have is the legal part of the institution. The dream that she imagined did not materialize with her marriage and that left her lonely and seeking the attention of other men. If I catch any one man, and he’s alone, I get along fine with him. But just let two of the guys get together an’ you won’t talk. Jus’ nothing but mad. You’re all scared of each other, that’s what. Ever’ one of you’s scared the rest is goin’ to get something on you† (85). Crooks wants his part of the American Dream where all men will be equal and he thinks that he gets close to this the night Lennie and Candy end up in his room and share the dream of the farm with him. It does not take long for him to have to face the reality that there is no equality in the world. George and Lennie prove that the American Dream is unattainable. To obtain it one’s life would be perfect and there is no perfection in the world. There are always going to problems and hardships in life and this makes the dream just that; a dream. Of course the American Dream has become less of a reality in this country since the beginning of the Great Depression, but it was really just a fantasy from the start. There were always people who seemed to achieve it, yet underlying problems were always present. George and Lennie prove that problems will always come to the surface.