The Effects Of Video Games On Pop Culture - 1116 Words

Around the middle of the 20th Century man cultures started to grow beyond what they previously were thanks to different mediums (such as television and music) helping to push boundaries; with this came the birth of pop culture. Considering pop culture is a shortened version of popular culture it’s clear that many of the things in pop culture would be short lived. The short lived trends and happenings are labeled as â€Å"fads†. Strangely enough, some fads are made to transform and actually become a mainstay in the varying international cultures. One such example might be familiar as it is common in today’s society. This example is, indeed, video games. When video games were first being introduced to the general public they weren’t all that†¦show more content†¦This led to a market that was flooded with consoles and left many consumers confused. Adding to this confusion was the fact that there wasn’t many reliable sources for game informatio n. The market was overwhelmed with lackluster and poorly made games and no one was being informed as to which games these were. So eventually people just stopped buying games. All of this mixed with Atari manufacturing too many console units and games led to a market crash many call â€Å"The Video Game Crash of ‘83† causing many to label video games as a dying fad. Several years had passed and a Japanese company by the name of Nintendo decided it wanted to enter the market. Nintendo’s Family Computer, or Famicom, was doing well in Japan and Nintendo wanted to try and find success in North America. This proved to be difficult because America was still wary on the idea of game consoles after the crash. To try and avoid the skepticism that came with items labeled as a game console, Nintendo rebranded the Famicom as the Nintendo Entertainment System and marketed it as a toy. Believe it or not, this actually worked and Nintendo became a household name. In order to ke ep their success going Nintendo took steps to avoid another market crash. Nintendo would put developers under a contract that kept them on their console and would keep them from developing games for developers. Developers also had a limited amount of games they could release in a year as

Kurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse Five - 1250 Words

Irrational behavior is a huge part of Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-five because Billy Pilgrim’s character and the plot line are shaped by it throughout the book. The spastic ordering of his life story and the thorough belief that he was abducted by Tralfamadorian aliens are what shape this book’s story and Billy’s way of life. Although unreasonable, his behavior can be considered justified because of the time he spent in World War II. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, is common in veterans and, in Billy’s case, very serious. Billy is not at fault for the reaction his brain has to certain situations or that he suffers from flashbacks, sleep complications, and emotional numbness. PTSD is responsible for and justify Billy’s delusions and aberrant behavior. The abduction of Billy Pilgrim by the Tralfamadorians is a hallucination that could be a way to escape a world destroyed by war. Billy escapes there when he is stressed, from his e xperiences of war on earth. It’s a haven in the midst of all the madness around him. These aliens are what makes another world so intriguing, what get Billy out of our world that is plagued by war. This is justifiable because war is an awful experience and who wouldn t want an escape from the constant death, injury, and fighting. Billy gets into Kilgore Trout’s books before he even shows signs of PTSD. The books are already infused in his brain and Billy’s fantasies becomes his reality when he starts to have hallucinations. HeShow MoreRelatedKurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse Five 1490 Words   |  6 Pages4 April 2016 Vonnegut Reveals Suffering Through Billy Pilgrim Kurt Vonnegut was an American author who published a variety of works including novels, short stories, plays, and a few works of non-fiction. Kurt Vonnegut explains how war and the experiences that come with it can cause suffering to the minds of people that it affects. In his novel Slaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonnegut uses his novel to focus on his anti-war stance by showcasing humanity s suffering due to war. Vonnegut reveals this sufferingRead MoreKurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse Five902 Words   |  4 Pageswould do anything to avoid memories of trauma, including inventing an alternate planet. 2. Billy, the main character in Kurt Vonnegut’s novel Slaughterhouse-Five, experienced firsthand the trauma of war during the firebombing of Dresden. After this event, Billy created Tramfaladore, the planet where time does not exist. B. Summary 1. In Kurt Vonnegut s novel, Slaughterhouse-Five, he waves a story of destruction, war, mental health, and time travel to demonstrate the effects of posttraumatic wartimeRead MoreKurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse Five 1901 Words   |  8 PagesKurt Vonnegut developed his view of America through a history of personal loss and trauma that was largely endured at the same time by his characters. As a child, Kurt Vonnegut lived in Indianapolis, Indiana, which he would use in many of his later novels. His father was a prominent architect, while his mother came from the family of a wealthy brewer. After the depression hit, his father lost his business and gave up, his mother became addicted to alcohol and prescription drugs. In his teen yearsRead MoreKurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse Five1246 Words   |  5 PagesIn Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five, Billy Pilgrim becomes â€Å"unstuck† in time. The question here is, why? The fact of the matter is that he does not actually begi n to time-travel. Billy â€Å"becomes unstuck† as a coping mechanism to deal with his traumatic experiences during the war. Billy attempts to reorganize his life’s events and cope with a disorder known as post traumatic stress (PTSD). â€Å"Post traumatic stress disorder is a debilitating condition that follows a terrifying event† (Marilyn 8)Read MoreKurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse Five Essay2221 Words   |  9 Pagesphrase â€Å"so it goes† is repeated 106 times in Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five. From â€Å"dead† champagne to the massacre at Dresden, every death in the book is seemingly equalized with the phrase â€Å"so it goes†. The continuation of this phrase ties in with the general theme on indifference in the story. If the Tralfamadorian view of time is correct, then everyone is continuously living every moment of their life and dying is not the end. However, if Vonnegut believed in this idea, then he wouldn’t haveRead MoreAnalysis Of Kurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse Five 1634 Words   |  7 PagesKurt Vonnegut once said, â€Å"So it goes† to describe the unavoidableness of fate. This aspect of seeing terrible things and being able to continue on would b ecome a main theme in his novels. Vonnegut, as an author, received his essential voice by writing about his own experiences, using what would become his signature pessimistic yet humanist view. Vonnegut is described by Lindsay Clark as, â€Å"Worse than a pessimist†¦ he is an eternal optimist doomed to disappointment† (Clark, â€Å"Viewing Four Vonnegut NovelsRead MoreAnalysis Of Kurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse Five Essay2080 Words   |  9 PagesDraft Slaughterhouse-five War is a virus, a plagues our world and has experienced since the early ages of time. Once a war is cured a new strain begins stronger and more unforgiving as the last. Humans are creatures of habit which continue the violence. Kurt Vonnegut’s novel, slaughterhouse-five, is a deliberate and well developed statement against war as expressed through the tone, rhetoric, and characters, making anti war a prominent theme through the entirety of the novel. Slaughterhouse-fiveRead MoreKurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse Five Essay1905 Words   |  8 PagesKurt Vonnegut reflects his life during World War II as a German prisoner through his character Billy Pilgrim in the novel Slaughterhouse-Five. While enlisted in the US Army, Vonnegut had life threatening experiences that were inspiration for his writing. Vonnegut was a young boy during the Great Depression and was raised through the hardships of the time. As a child, Vonnegut’s father worked as an architect, but during the Gr eat Depression, the building industry was brought to a halt and Vonnegut’sRead MoreAnalysis Of Kurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse Five1134 Words   |  5 Pagesmoment, but that the same person is just fine in plenty of other moments. Now, when I myself hear that somebody is dead, I simply shrug and say what the Tralfamadorians say about dead people, which is so it goes. This quote, from Kurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse-five, has always stuck with me. Looking at the world through a softly tinted glass can brighten the edges. All the difficult and low stretches of life could be such a small fraction, if we would look at things from perspectives other thanRead MoreAnalysis Of Kurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse Five 1453 Words   |  6 Pagesbut the main traits of post-modernism are embracing skepticism and overturning conventions. With this in mind, Kurt Vonnegut explores war drawing parallels from his own past experience and depicts it through his character Billy Pilgrim allowing th e reader to see the dichotomy in reality and fiction, separating his novel from the normal layout of a linear novel. Also, Slaughterhouse-Five discusses the controversial military action as a post-modern novel, as it brings many perspectives to the bombing

Economic Co Operation and Development Society †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Economic Co Operation and Development Society. Answer: Introduction: Presently, New Zealand is not an egalitarian society. An egalitarian society is one where there are no social divisions and everyone has access to equal opportunities. Based on this definition, the increasing gap between the rich and the poor makes equality a fallacy in this country. The inequality is revealed by the difference in income received by the rich and the poor. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the ratio that indicates the difference between high income and low income (P80/P20) was approximately 3 in 2015. This indicates that there is a gap between the high and low-income earners. Additionally, the Gini coefficient which measures the level of inequality was at 0.3 in 2014. This inequality is reflected in education, health and housing sectors ("Income inequality(Indicator)", 2017). For example, low-income earners cannot afford to own homes and access quality education while high-income earners enjoy quality education and are homeowners. Housing affordability also proves that the country is not egalitarian. Due to rising house prices, most people are unable to own homes especially the middle and income earners. Based on the article, Does housing affordability really matter?, Kiwis place a lot of value on home ownership (Eaqub Eaqub, 2015). The inability to afford homes has affected their identity and made some to relocate to other countries. Moreover, it has created a generation of renters. In conclusion, the housing affordability in this country really matters since it affects the cultural norms of the society. Furthermore, the housing unaffordability is among the factors that have contributed to inequality. Finally, the government needs to create policies that reduce house prices and inequality. References Eaqub, S., Eaqub, S. (2015).Generation rent(pp. 66-90). Wellington, New Zealand. Income inequality(Indicator). (2017).theOECD. Retrieved 2 October 2017, from https://data.oecd.org/inequality/income-inequality.htm

The Shoemaker and the Revolution free essay sample

Young shows the mass civilian involvement that acted as a catalyst for the anti-British sentiment that swept the nation, and specifically Boston. Young uses George Hews, a lowly homemaker, as an example of the power each individual holds. Hews went from a shy apprentice, too scared to speak up in front of John Hancock, to an outspoken patriot powerhouse. II Critical Summary: Alfred F. Young uses Hews as a personification of the change in attitude that took place in the colonies during the revolutionary years.The main character, George Hews, is first introduced when he fixes John Hammocks shoe. Hancock was already a strong revolutionary figure by then, so naturally Hews was nervous and slightly intimidated upon first meeting him. It is dated that He sat down, scared all the while almost to death while Hancock put his hand into his breeches-pocket and pulled out a crown piece, which he placed softly in his hand, thanking him at the same time for his punctual attendance and his compliments. We will write a custom essay sample on The Shoemaker and the Revolution or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Hancock ends up taking a liking to Hews, and that is just the beginning of his transformation into an opinionated patriot. There were many factors that created disdain for England and unified the colonies against the European oppression. Young makes it clear that he believes it was not solely the high taxes that were revered, but also the literal presence of Englishmen in the colonies that led the citizens to transform from unwavering loyalists to unwavering independence- seekers.This change is apparent when George Hews goes from mending shoes to throwing chests of tea into the Boston Harbor in just a mere few years Of Parliamentary oppression. II Conclusion: This article outlined the possible actions that led George Hews to becoming an adamant and patriotic member of his society during the revolution and touched upon the actions of both England and the colonies that urged him to come so opinionated.Young did not counter argue or contend any viewpoints in particular, but clearly outlines factual information and reliable quotes with no visible weaknesses. Most other writers or historians rely heavily up on established testimonies from popular historic figures, so it was interesting to see the revolution through the eyes of a commonplace plebian. Enjoyed this article and I feel I now know more about the everyday actions and people that had a role leading up to and during the American Revolution.

The Business and Advertising of Amusement Parks

The Business and Advertising of Amusement Parks Free Online Research Papers Who doesn’t love an amusement park? Most people do enjoy going to various amusement parks for the thrill of their outstanding rides and tasty treats. Many others go for the visuals of the park. Have you ever thought about how amusement parks use symbols and signs, typography, cartoons and illustrations to sell their park? I will be discussing the many different visual tactics different amusement parks use in order to sell the idea of their parks. The two most well known parks would be that of the Disney franchise and Six Flags Great Adventure theme parks. There are 11 Disney theme parks located within 5 Disney resorts around the world. Although each one is a little different they have the same marketing techniques. First they use the well known and beloved Disney characters to promote their parks. For example those who do not like the idea of a theme park still migrate to these parks in order to see some of their favorite childhood characters such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck and Pluto. They have different functions with these characters. For example east breakfast with Chip and Dale of the rescue rangers, have a tea party with Cinderella, Ariel, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty or one of the many Disney princesses (Figure A) or watch a fantastic parade with the rest of the Disney gang. Within recent years Disney has been using it’s Disney Channel stars to promote their parks as well. They have done celebrate Miley Cyrus’s Sweet 16 in Disney Land (Figure B), a special performance from the adored Jonas Brothers in Disney World (Figure C), and many other promotions to entice children and adults alike to go to these parks. When a Disney billboard, commercial or print advertisement is done they use a specific font. This font is an Old English Font. This font is widely known as a font that represents Disney. Disney also has specific colors that they have copyrighted. For example there are specific pink and purples that correlate if Disney is marketing the Disney princess collection. The reason they use these specific colors is because pinks and purples are more geared towards girls in which the Disney Princess line is more geared towards. Also when these specific colors are seen it automatically makes people think of Disney. They also have certain symbols that represent Disney. The most famous symbol they use would be the shadow of the Mickey Mouse head. People automatically know that the shadow of Mickey Mouse is Disney. Another image they use is the picture of Cinderella’s castle (Figure D) from the Magic Kingdom view of this park. With their business in marketing Disney tries to make people feel they will have a magical time when they visit Disney theme parks. People feel this way before they even get there for the first time. Disney uses stars and whimsical lines across a page to make the consumer feel like magic is in the air. This is all Disney’s ploy to entice the public to buy their items as well as go to their theme parks. Disney is not the only cooperate giant to use images, infographics, typography, cartoons and illustrations to promote their facilities. There are many other amusement parks that use these same marketing and advertising techniques. One of the bigger franchises would be the Six Flags Great Adventure Theme Parks. Six Flags Great Adventure Theme Parks also knows just as Six Flags, uses many of the same exact techniques the Disney Theme Parks use. They are no strangers to these ploys. Now by the same exact techniques is referring to the cartoons, typography, infographics, the use of images, and illustrations to promote their parks. Six Flags also has specific characters they use in order to promote their parks. Six Flags bought the right to use the Warner Brother Co. characters such as Bugs Bunny (Figure E), Porky Pig, Tweety Bird, and Marvin the Martian. Six Flags actually has an extra trick up their sleeves. Not only do they have the Warner Brothers Co. characters to bank on they also have D.C. Comic characters such as Superman (Figure F), Batman, and the Hulk, to promote those specific amusement park. With the use of both lines of cartoons Six Flags can appeal to more patrons. They are covering the Saturday morning cartoon viewers, as well as the late night comic book readers. They also have similar functions to those of Disney world. They have meet and great the character segments as well as parades and musical entertainment. They have late night summer concerts as well as special attractions for certain days. They also have several shows that patrons can go sit down and enjoy that include their favorite characters. Six Flags also has a specific font and color they use to promote their theme parks. Their logo is very large bold font. It is also the color red. The color red is a very vibrant color and it visually attracts people. When babies are in the infant stage of life they only see in black and white. The only other color they can see if red. This would be the same tactic used in bull fighting. Not that Six Flags promotes bull fighting in anyway; this was referring to the use of the color red. The reason they use a large bold font is again to attract the populations’ eye. Of course the main symbols Six Flags uses to represent them would of course be flags. They use a symbol of six flags grouped together to represent them. The reason this is good is because you can visually see the six flags. They also use an image of a roller coaster (Figure G) to insure the consumer that there are roller coasters as well as other rides in their theme parks. The most recent commercials and slogan for Six Flags are more flags more fun. This is said and used as a visual on television by showing average every day activities as being boring and they use a rating system called the fun-o-meter (Figure H). This is one flag being the least fun and six flags being the most fun. So these normal day activities would be rated as a one then they show people having fun at a Six Flags Theme Park and rate it as six flags. This is clever because the visual of people having fun is an incentive to want to go have fun as well. A big difference between Disney’s’ techniques and Six Flags visual commercials is quite an obvious distinction. While Disney promotes a magical time and family togetherness, Six Flags promotes a thrilling time with action packed entertainment with friends. There are many more amusement parks, theme parks, as well as carnivals that promote using characters, images, typography, illustrations and signs to sell their amusement parks. Many of them use these same techniques. Big bold words, fun and exciting illustrations, and visual stimulants to make people want to attend these parks. IMAGES Figure A (Breakfast with the Disney Princesses) Figure B (Miley Cyrus’ Sweet 16 Celebration at Disney Land) Figure C (Jonas Brothers in Disney World) Figure D (Cinderella’s Castle gives a magical feel) Figure E (Bugs bunny promotes Six Flags) Figure F (DC Comic names new rides at Six Flags) Figure G (Roller Coasters show a thrill) Figure H (Six Flags Fun-o-Meter) References: Berger, Arthus. A (2008). Seeing is believing: An introduction to visual communication, third edition. The Mcgraw-Hill Companies, Inc. N/A, (2009). Six Flags Images. Six Flags: More Flags More Fun, Retrieved July 23, 2009, from sixflags.com/greatadventure/index.asp N/A, (2008). Disney. Retrieved July 18, 2009, from http://corporate.disney.go.com/corporate/complete_history_1.html Research Papers on The Business and Advertising of Amusement Parks19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraThe Spring and AutumnMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenThe Fifth HorsemanWhere Wild and West MeetHip-Hop is ArtDefinition of Export QuotasRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andQuebec and Canada

Delgado Surname Meaning and Origin

Delgado Surname Meaning and Origin The Delgado surname was originally bestowed as a  nickname for a thin person, from the Spanish/Portuguese delgado, meaning thin, slender. The term originated from the Latin delicatus, meaning dainty or exquisite. Delgado is the 46th most common Hispanic surname. Surname Origin:  Spanish, Portuguese Alternate Surname Spellings:  DELGATO, DELGADILLO, DELGARDO, DELEGADO, DELAGADO Famous People with the Surname DELGADO Carlos Delgado - Puerto Rican baseball playerIssac Delgado - Cuban salsa/timba starPedro Delgado - Spanish professional cyclist and former winner of the Tour de FranceHumberto da Silva Delgado - General of the Portuguese Air ForceJames Delgado -  maritime archaeologist, explorer and authorChiquinquir Delgado  - Venezuelan television host, actress and modelJosà © Manuel Rodrà ­guez Delgado - Spanish neuroscientist, famed for his research into electrical stimulation of the brain Where Do People With the DELGADO Surname Live? The surname distribution data at  Forebears  ranks Delgado as the 433rd most common surname in the world, identifying it as most prevalent in Mexico and with the highest density in Cape Verde. The Delgado surname is the 14th most common surname in Cape Verde, 26th in Ecuador, 30th in Cuba, 34th in Spain and 36th in Venezuela. The Delgato spelling is most prevalent in the United States, especially in California, Florida, Texas, New York and Pennsylvania. The Delgado surname is prevalent throughout most of Spain, according to  WorldNames PublicProfiler,  with the greatest numbers of individuals named Delgado found in the Canary Islands, followed by the provinces of western Spain. Genealogy Resources for the Surname DELGADO 100 Most Common Spanish Surnames: Have you ever wondered about your Spanish last name and how it came to be? This article describes common Spanish naming patterns and explores the meaning and origins of 100 common Spanish surnames.How to Research Hispanic Heritage: Learn how to get started researching  your Hispanic ancestors, including the basics of family tree research and country specific organizations, genealogical records, and resources for Spain, Latin America, Mexico, Brazil, the Caribbean, and other Spanish speaking countries.Delgado Family Crest - Its Not What You Think: Contrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Delgado family crest or coat of arms for the Delgado surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male-line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.  The Delgado DNA Project: The Delgado Family Project seeks to find common heritage among males with the Delgado last name through the sharing of information and DNA testing. DELGADO Family Genealogy Forum: Search this popular genealogy forum for the Delgado surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Delgado query.FamilySearch - DELGADO Genealogy: Access over 1.6 million free historical records and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Delgado surname and its variations on this free genealogy website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.DELGADO Surname Family Mailing Lists: This free mailing list for researchers of the Delgado surname and its variations includes subscription details and a searchable archives of past messages.DistantCousin.com - DELGADO Genealogy Family History: Explore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Delgado.The Delgado Genealogy and Family Tree Page: Browse family trees and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the last name Delgado from the website of Genealogy Today. -References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

WEEK 6 LEADERSHIP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

WEEK 6 LEADERSHIP - Essay Example The goal is not to eliminate feelings from the decision-making process. The more the decision maker knows about the decision-making process, the more the intuition (Parker, & Begnaud, 2004). In most cases, great decision makers are great leaders. Leadership entails dealing with people and making decisions that affect the organization. If a leader is not a good decision maker, organizational progress may be hampered. i. Directive style: this involves decision makers with low ambiguity tolerance. The decision-making style is rational, efficient, and employs a logical way of thinking. The style focuses on the short-term and rushes in making decisions. ii. Analytic style: the style has higher ambiguity tolerance. It involves careful decision-making that is well informed. It includes a thorough assessment of the options. The style involves coping with challenging situations (Parker, & Begnaud, 2004). I mainly use the analytic decision-making style. Before making a decision, I try to understand all the issues in depth and conduct a thorough assessment of the available alternatives. I think that some decision-making styles are better suited for public safety leaders that for CEOs of large companies. The behavioral style is best suited for public safety leadership because it entails consideration of all the parties involved in the decision-making process. A Chief Executive Officer of a popular company needs to employ the analytic style to ensure that the process impacts on the organization even in the

The Strategic Causes of Conflict - What caused the 1991 Gulf War Essay - 1

The Strategic Causes of Conflict - What caused the 1991 Gulf War - Essay Example Up today, the access of a country to chemical and nuclear weapons has caused severe oppositions and conflicts. There are those who support that all countries would have such right while others claim that only certain countries should be authorized to obtain such weapons. Current paper focuses on the identification and the analysis of the reasons that have led to the development of the 1991 Gulf war. The specific war, which was developed by US against Iraq seemed to be related to the latter’s efforts to develop chemical and nuclear weapons. However, other views have also appeared. For example, it has been noted that Iraq paid a high price for its efforts to become the region’s leader, a plan that would threaten the interests of other region’s countries, especially of Kuwait. There is also the view that the practice of Iraq to ignore the guidelines of international community in regard to the trade of the oil could not be tolerated. The views that have been develope d in regard to the causes of the 1991 Gulf war are analytically presented below using relevant literature. It is proved that the specific war was rather unavoidable since its causes were many and their elimination was not feasible, as explained below. In any case, the 1991 Gulf war revealed a series of problems and revealed the ineffectiveness of international community to resolve critical disputes by avoiding the use of military forces. 2. Gulf War of 1991 – Causes 2.1 1991 Gulf War – a brief overview of critical events In order to identify the causes of the 1991 Gulf war it is necessary to refer to a series of events that took place before the development of the war. In August of 1990 Iraqi troops entered in Kuwait; the specific initiative surprised international community and led to the immediate reaction of USA and UN.1 UN ‘warned Iraq to withdraw’.2 Severe sanctions were introduced, as a threat, so that Iraqi government is persuaded to change its plan s and to withdraw its troops from Kuwait; the sanctions were mostly economic while air force was involved for securing the inability of Iraq to seek for support by other countries.3 In addition, US troops were sent to the Gulf so that to secure that there would be no risk for the development of the crisis to the other countries of the region.4 Shortly, the US government developed a coalition, at international level, for deciding on the measures that should be taken against Iraq: Egypt and Saudi Arabia were among the Arab states that stated their willing to participate in such coalition since their security seemed to be threatened by Iraq.5 In addition, the Security Council of UN was asked to give its authorization for the use of military forces, an initiative that was developed in November 1990 and since Iraqi government refused to withdraw its troops from Kuwait.6 The Security Council set a deadline for the withdrawal of Iraqi troops from Kuwait: it was the 15th of January 1991; af ter that date the international community would have the right to use ‘any means for securing the withdrawal of Iraq from Kuwait’.7 In 16th January and since no response existed from Iraqi government President Bush ordered the beginning of ‘aerial bombardment’.8 These bombardments were continued for about 5 weeks with no success since Iraqi troops refused to leave Kuwait; a ground military operation was ordered, an initiative that finally led to the release of Kuwait from the Iraqi troops.9 The ground operation was terminated in February the 27th

A play Dennis Potter Essay Example for Free

A play Dennis Potter Essay Blue remembered hills is a play Dennis Potter. The title is taken from the poem Shropshire lad by A. E Houseman. It challenges the perception that childhood is innocent and that all children are pure and nice. One of the ways he does this is by using adults to play children so the unrealisticness of the play forces adults to focus on the meaning of everything going on in the play. The main meaning of the play is focused around the mindless cruelty of war and how this affects children living through it. The style of the play is flared narration. The play was originally a television play for the BBC in 1979. it was set in rural west country. For our play we are using bright lights to show that we are outside. We are also going to have some stones and sticks on the floor to play with to help us show the kids restlessness and constant movement. Could kick them etc. the setting is rural and in 1943 during the 2nd world war, this has affected the children a lot. There is a lot of racist speak about the Ities and the Japs. Then there are the games, also war related. Most of the games revolve around guns and violence. Lastly there is a lot of bragging that the boys do about what they are going to do in the army. In this essay I am also going to refer to my mother said I never should by charlotte Keatley and gum and goo by Howard Brenton. Charlotte Keatley was a feminist writer. My mother said I never should was first performed in 1087. In 1987 there were stronger roles for women and more active feminist movements in society. The play represents the plight of women and how women were treated in society, both by men and each other. The scene where the women are talking about menstrual cramps or the curse as they call it contrasts directly yet is similar to when the boys are talking about the war in blue remembered hills. Both plays show children discussing taboo subjects in an open and careless way. Howard Brenton play gum and goo was first performed in 1969. Adults didnt understand learning difficultys as well as they do now, in 1006. Ignorance leads to prejudice and eventually tragedy in gum and goo. This play is about an autistic girl who invents two friends, gum and goo, this character links directly to Raymond in blue remembered hills who has learning difficulties, maybe similar, but less severe to Michelles autism. . All three plays have adults playing children. This creates an objective distance so the unreality of the play is so obvious it doesnt allow the audience to get absorbed into the play. This was the audience is forced to concentrate on the issues and the challenged perceptions of childhood.

Essay --

What do we need to do to be closer to God? I find myself asking this on a somewhat daily basis. The book of Proverbs three describes several ways in which we can become closer to God and gain spiritual wisdom. In Proverbs three, there are thirty-five verses that can be analyzed in depth and discussed thoroughly; I however, will only be discussing the first twelve. Proverbs 3:1 states â€Å"do not forget my teaching,† and â€Å"let your heart keep my commandments,† these are two very bold statements both firm commands from the script of Proverbs himself. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown states, â€Å"law and commandments—all divine instructions / let thine heart keep—or sincerely observe† (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, www.biblehub.com, par. 5). This implies that we should think of all the divine teachings in our daily lives and sincerely observe God’s instruction. In Proverbs 3:2 the ESV’s wording was a bit peculiar so I went to the NIV and it articulated it rather well for me. The ESV said, â€Å"for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.† but the NIV said, â€Å"for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity.† The NIV introduced a more straightforward interpretation of the verse and made it easy to understand that if we recall what God ha s taught us, we will live long and prosperous lives. The significance of Proverbs 3:3 is very unequivocal, the NIV states â€Å"let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.† Clarke’s commentary states that, â€Å"Let not mercy and truth forsake thee - Let these be thy constant companions through life. / Bind them about thy neck - Keep them constantly in view. Write them upon the table of thine heart - let them be thy movin... ...m, par. 2). This is personally one of my favorite verses in the Bible because of the everlasting comfort it provides. Even though sometimes things don’t work out in our favor, God still loves us and always will because we are his children. Though there are 35 verses in the Book of Proverbs, the first 12 have always captured my interest because of the requests the script of the book makes of the people. If I did not know God, why would I want to tithe? I would not, because I would not recognize the benefits. If I did not know God, why would I leave my future in the hands of someone else? I would not, because I do not recognize the benefits. I think if every person were to read, even listen to, Proverbs 3:1-12, it might spark their interest in getting to know God better. My hope is for as many people as possible to find as much inspiration as I did in these verses.

A Brothers Murder Essay

In â€Å"A Brother’s Murder† by Brent Staples, found in Evergreen text book Brent Staples write’s about his younger brother, Blake, who took a very different path in life than his brother Brent did. In the beginning of the essay Brent writes that he receives a phone call that Blake has been murdered by being shot six times by a former – friend. The choices Blake Staples and his perception on life is what led to his death. It was just a matter of time before Blake either was to kill or be killed. The essay goes on to tell about the conditions in which Blake grew up. The neighborhood in which the brothers lived was violent, and young men grew into having a street life persona. Through-out Blake’s life he witnessed many situations caused by violence. Brent recalls a conversation he overheard there between two Vietnam veterans, in which one of them said how much he preferred to fight with young men from the inner city, who wear â€Å"their manhood on their sleeves. † They weren’t afraid to fight, believing that violence proved they were real men. Brent and Blake moved away from their home in Chester, Pennsylvania to escape the environment filled with violence and poverty. Whereas Brent moved to Chicago to better himself by becoming a journalist, Blake moved to Roanoke, Virginia into the same violent and drug infested environment. Blake chose his way of life by engaging and surrounding himself in negative behaviors such as drugs, guns, and gang violence. Blake’s actions provoked his death. When Brent came home to visit his brother sees that his Blake has been transformed and now hangs out with drug dealers and gangs. When Brent went to see his brother Blake in Roanoke, Virginia Brent realized his little brother was worse than when they left Chester, Pennsylvania. When Brent notices a wound on his brother’s hand, Blake shrugs it off as â€Å"kickback from a shotgun†. That he feared for his younger brother’s life and tried to talk some sense into him. Brent offered his younger brother a ticket to leave the dangerous drug infested projects and Blake refused never showing even though he said he would. My conclusion to this essay is that how two brother who faced the same struggles and who lived in the same environment can take two totally different paths in life by the choices that each of the individual’s take. Brent blames himself for his brother’s death feeling guilty and empty questioning himself what he could have done to prevent his brother’s murder and what if he intervened earlier offering him to leave the projects.

Problems Of The Ie Policy Formulation Education Essay

The hypothesis of this survey is stressing the jobs of the IE policy preparation and execution. It can be seen as a major root cause of hapless educational accomplishment among the PWDs is reasonably supported harmonizing to the research findings. However, the research worker discovered that there are more critical issues than the IE policy that affect the educational success of the handicapped kids in Myanmar. This chapter summarizes the research findings from the field work by measuring the hypothesis and aims of the research which determine whether the IE policy has been good implemented. It besides includes a decision of of several issues that hinder the educational chances for the PWDs and their degree of engagement in the policy preparation. In order to sit the interviewee with some respondents from DPOs, the challenges of accessing IE services the deficiency of sufficient instructors, the deficiency of committedness, and the deficiency of hope by agencies of instruction, poorness. Besides, human rights misdemeanors, the deficiency of public services, hapless execution of instruction policy, and the deficiency of relevant course of studies, and the deficiency of school liberty are major factors that influence the instruction development of CWDs. The first portion of this chapter summarizes the cardinal findings of the fieldwork on how the IE policy meets the challenges of better educational chances for the PWDs in Myanmar and what factors undermine the instruction development chance for the PWDs in primary and lower secondary degrees. The 2nd portion of the chapter covers a decision and recommendations related to the IE policy.DecisionBased on the research findings, it can be concluded that a demand for better educationa l substructure in Myanmar should be addressed every bit desperately as possible in order to make development chance for the PWDs. The construct of IE means welcoming all CWDs without favoritism in formal schools. Indeed, the focal point are on capacities, developmental demands, and potencies of all kids including the CWDs. IE ‘s efforts to suit the CWDs into the normal scenes can besides be a really ascendant factor over the public presentation ability and the rational accomplishments of the pupils with disablements. This research proved that the auxiliary supports for their disablements are needed for advancing the CWDs ‘ overall development in an optimum scene. These supports include a consideration of overall organisation, course of study and schoolroom pattern, support for larning and staff development. The survey calls for regard of difference and diverseness of single features and demands. Sing school related environmental issue, socio-cultural and poverty issue and other policy related factors, self-respect, equality and disablement rights are really of import because they provide a opportunity for the PWDs to relocate their involvement in larning. Sum uping the findings of this survey, current IE policy execution procedures might non be the most serious issue that direly undermines the learning ability of CWDs, but it does impact the attitudinal alterations and the guaranting educational chances for CWDs to acquire the societal interaction in the society. However, it would be well hard to make a genuinely inclusive educational environment for some handicapped kids depending on their disablements. This does non intend that the CWDs should be segregated in particular schools and isolated from all life in that environment. Even though Myanmar authorities signed Education for All, the practical execution is far from desired. Therefore, the research worker strongly argues that there should be an appropriate environment for PWDs that it would non be good to anyone if including it in the same puting every bit as other non-disabled people in both instruction and societal sectors. In fact, this is besides the rights of PWDs clearly determined by the international norms such as Declaration of Human Rights in which Myanmar already ratified and Bali Declaration on Inclusive Development for People with Disabilities and United Nation Convention on Right for People with Disabilities which were signed in 2011. In add-on, this survey has highlighted the challenges of the PWDs to make the end of EFA through IE policy in Myanmar. The existent challenge of the inclusive instruction is to run into the particular demands of all CWDs but now the authorities ‘s execution program has been hindered by both the nature of the policy itself and the insufficient support support. To work out these challenges, the authorities needs to get the better of all types of barriers mainly instruction policy reforming procedure, the altering procedure of social-cultural beliefs, poorness issues, and school related patterns and manners of acquisition of the CWDs. Furthermore, budget restriction is another of import factor impacting the execution of the IE policy. This survey found that the authorities ‘s budget allotment for instruction for the PWDs is less than wellness and rehabilitation services. Therefore, educational substructure is extremely required to be provided for the CWDs in order to accomplish their societal and educational development. In add-on, schools and sufficient instructors in all countries should be provided by the authorities and acquisition should be free for all non merely in theory but a stronger execution must be in topographic point to assure an equal acquisition chance. Limited apprehensions of the construct of disablement, negative attitudes toward the CWDs and a hard-boiled opposition to alter are the major barriers hindering inclusive instruction. Of peculiar concern is the fact that the attitudes of parents and instructors are seen as the decisive factors for successful inclusion. Since the research findings showed that IE instruction without proper version to the local context is still weak for the CWDs in prosecuting quality instruction, schools should hold specially trained instructors in disablement intervention, enabling them to give supports in learning in order to advance the pupil ‘s competence and larning ability in instruction. With regard to this, bing theories of inclusive instruction have been proven to be successful in other states. However, Myanmar IE policy alteration is non the lone issue to be addressed in advancing the educational criterion of the PWDs, but the perceptual experience of the parents in the public toward their kids sustainable development should besides be taken into consideration. In fact, based on the findings, the research worker strongly argues that there is besides a demand for legal protection of human rights misdemeanors against the CWDs since the research clearly identified that the equality and the just undermine acquisition chances for the CWDs which subsequently greatly affect on their single development. In add-on, the research worker strongly believes that there should be a better execution in instruction and larning procedure in which the CWDs are extremely motivated to larn through particular instruction. The current instruction and larning procedure does non turn to the single acquisition demands and the course of study lack the needed flexibleness to provide to the demands of the CWDs. There is small range for kids ‘s engagement in originative activities or critical thought and instructors lack preparation and experience in instruction and managing the CWDs. Furthermore, the high cost of disablement related stuffs was another discouraging factor of the CWDs to entree inclusive instruction services. With the strong committedness to the long term basic instruction development program and EFA-NAP, MOE tries at its best to raise the quality of basic instruction for all school-aged kids in both formal and non-formal instruction. The state ‘s educational resources for the PWDs should be strengthened and brought in line with the CRPD. In add-on, a house foundation for future growing of IE for all CWDs across the state should be put in topographic point now. In-depth research on IE for CWDs is a cardinal constituent to develop internal expertness and supply quality recommendations to the authorities and will press the authorities to go through the revised Universal Primary Education which provides the legal foundation for IE for CWDs. To sum up, the of import consequences of these findings are that inclusive instruction plan recognizes the demand for seting the larning plan to alter conditions in the society. The instruction system caters for all kids non merely in formal schools who because of the necessity of schooling in-migration for the particular schools and community acquisition centres. Thereby wholly neglected those in the rural countries where a great step of resources for development resides. Most underdeveloped states are in make bolding demand to develop national consciousness among the citizens. This has been one of the major obstructions to national development and integrating. Therefore, the research worker strongly argues that the major impact on educational accomplishment of the CWDs is the happier larning environment for them but it would besides make with a sense of regard, and self-respect among the community.RecommendationFrom the policy analyzing, single interviews, and concentrate group tre atment, the following are recommendations that are proposed by the research worker in order to inform all stakeholders who work in the inclusive instruction, irrespective of formal and particular instruction. At the same clip, this research is hoped that the information on disablement related issues will be of involvement and utile to me/LNGOs, DPOs, and other establishments to develop the disablement and instruction plans and community development plans.Datas on disablementAccurate informations is of import demands for advancing the handiness of the wider understanding about the current state of affairs and for making an analysis on the impacts of the current instruction policy toward the development of the PWDs. The current informations on disablement merely is based upon the First Myanmar National Disability Survey, so the research worker would extremely urge that farther study or research be done in order to propose a possible reform in instruction in the hereafter.School relate d factorsThe major recommendation is an constitution of a particular instruction plan in all authorities schools that would offer particular instruction categories in each mainstream school. All categories incorporating CWDs should hold a sensible ratio of instructors and pupils, and the instructors should be particularly trained to hold a disablement consciousness, particularly those instructors who taught kids with ocular damages, hearing damages and rational disablements. There needs to be a useable infinite for the varied demands of direction in the schools. The age of entry into and go forthing from the particular categories should be flexible. Besides, the schools should be equipped with appropriate instruction stuffs.Originating extra-curricular activities in and out of schoolParticular attempts should be made to affect the CWDs in particular athleticss and games. These activities help them bask school more and review their head, and construct their organic structures. In add -on, these extra-curricular activities for all CWDs are really indispensable. From the survey of best patterns, it is clear that the induction of inclusive patterns has been a consequence of concerted community consciousness. This is an of import parametric quantity non merely for advancing inclusion outside the schoolroom among kids, but besides for blossoming diverse potencies and endowments of both kids with and without disablements.Socio -cultural factorsThe engagement of parents, instructors and health professionals is really indispensable. Earlier surveies showed that for desirable partnership to predominate among instructors, parents and health professionals, a common sharing of cognition, accomplishments, experiences and decision-making is required ( Semakula, 1999 ) . Long-run and short-run developments of the educational plans are based non merely on the CWDs involvements and abilities, but besides their households ‘ supports and precedences. Obviously, the positive parental attitude toward schooling will supply a sound foundation for bettering the kids ‘s acquisition. Therefore, uninterrupted awareness-raising activities should non merely be for parents or health professionals, but besides for other community members.Policy factorsThe authorities should set in topographic point statute law that makes all CWDs as the donee of mandatory instruction so that there should besides be statute law to guarantee uninterrupted proviso of disablement friendly learning stuffs and the physical school substructures. Furthermore, the authorities should develop more adept instructors of particular demands instruction, and give them some particular motive about community mobilisation. The ultimate educational end for CWDs should be focused on either mainstreaming or particular schools and community based resource centres for a go oning long term shooting. Last, the authorities should supply more fiscal support and political protection to guarantee that th e particular tools and equipment necessary for the acquisition of CWDs become cheaper and more accessible. At the execution degree, it can be seen that the kid centre attack can make full the spread to the failure of the formal instruction system in linkage between instructors and the CWDs. The attack can be applied in many extents such as course of study reforms, active instruction manners, and significantly a infinite to use what they want to larn from their existent life patterns. At the national degree, along with the arguments, treatment, and the authorities ‘s strong will to take reform, reforming the whole dismantled instruction system will take the certain figure of old ages, using the lessons learned from current inclusive instruction plans. Apart from this, it should be really of import to make a policy and infinite where the cooperation among IE pilot undertakings, I/LNGOs, DPOs and the authorities.

Should Religion be in education Professor Ramos Blog

Should Religion be in education Growing up in today’s society kids have a lack of knowledge of the controversial topic that the world deals with on a daily basis. Religion is such a huge part of the different cultures around the world that it should be acceptable to inform students on what goes on in other areas of life. Many people believe that by hiding this topic it helps keep the peace in society, but it doesn’t. It’s like shoving dust under a rug, it’s still there. Being able to teach religion in schools can educate and influence kids to have an open mind that can affect their lives in a positive way. Students in todays society fail to understand the effect religion has in todays world. In the article â€Å"Why kids must learn about Religion much earlier† by Linda K.Wertheimer she explains, â€Å"The cost of not teaching children earlier about different faiths has too big of a price. As they grow, children carry on ignorance and bias opinions they hear elsewhere.† Religion plays a huge role in the way people act towards each other. Kids need to understand the affect it has on other peoples lives. Having a knowledge about other religions can help students when it comes to stepping out in the â€Å"real† world. They wont’t be so naive on what’s going on around them.   In this article it explains how during a basketball play off game fans from a Catholic school started to shout â€Å"you killed Jesus† to the opposing side who were Jewish. We are not born hating those who are different, we are taught that. Using religion as a core knowledge can educate students by using simple lessons to stop the hate because of the lack of understanding. There is a difference between teaching and preaching. It’s not to convey ones religion upon another but to have an understanding of the difference of opinions around the world. It can teach others to be better communicators by coming to others with an understanding heart. Hate divides but love unites. One thing we should consider is the evidence in some cases, that religion can help lower depression. This is not to say it is the cure for depression, but some people find it helpful. â€Å"First, the data generally reveals that greater involvement in religion is associated with less depression†(Hummer).   Depression and Suicide is a current problem the world is facing today. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death. Each year around 44,965 Americans die of suicide. Maybe its time we reach out and find ways to lower these rates. If Religion can inform others to feel a sense of meaning and purpose maybe its time we bring it to light in education. Some will argue that religion doesn’t have a place in school. The first amendment proclaims there should be separation between church and state.   However, teaching religion is not a practice to persuade anyones belief, or to practice ones religion. Its simply is a way to educate students about the different diversities around the world. Wertheimer, â€Å"Religion does have a place in school: as a part of lessons meant to show various religions’ place in history as well as their similarities and differences.† Sometimes people are afraid to talk about religion because they believe it can be more harm than good but it doesn’t change the fact that it’s still such a vital element in the world.   Not talking about this controversial topic, causes people to be sensitive and offended when it gets brought up in conversation. As a result, if schools were to teach religion it wouldn’t be as sensitive of a topic to bring up. People are often offended because of an arrogant attitude towards something they don’t understand or necessarily believe. At the end of the day, some religions teach morality. Which can help students react and respond in certain situations in their life that can be beneficial in a positive way. Students who study religion are more trained in the skills associated with data gathering and direct observation. Most professions want people with skills such as, gathering data, organizing, understanding, and presenting. When we study religion we are actually studying people and their many perspectives. Which is a vital importance when a job requires relating to others, reaching out, building bridges, or incorporating many perspectives at once. We live in a world that is full of violence. â€Å"Many scholars now acknowledge the link between religion and crime reduction†(Johnson). Everyday hate crime increases because people are so lost and confused. Mclauglin states, â€Å"If educators encourage students to understand and respect people of different religious beliefs, it will immensely help lower the percentage of these hate crimes. Without teaching religion in schools some children feel that crime is acceptable, along with acting out because they aren’t taught any better.† People can become so closed minded due to the fact they are simply naive about the way others view life. By teaching religion it can broadens someones way of thinking towards others and possibly put into perspective of the value of another ones life. We all matter in this world and we live for a purpose. People need to understand the value and morality of life. Students have the right of religion expression. So what makes it okay to shut something out that is evidently going on around the world? â€Å"Greater knowledge, not less, is the path to peace on Earth† (Ellis). Overall, religion is powerful, persistent, and it shows no signs of disappearing. In teaching religion in schools ultimately does more good than harm, it causes students to have an understanding and knowledge of one of the worlds biggest dilemmas that has been dealt with for years. Students will have a greater knowledge of important information that is faced in life. It teaches students to respect others that may think differently then them. It benefits them to acknowledge people can’t force others to change. Religion has been shown to lower depression and suicidal rates.   It shows that by ones heart towards another can make a difference on how others react and respond. It teaches morality and value of ones life, which can help lower crime rates. We live in a world that will always battle with this topic but the more we talk about it, the more it will become less offensive. People need to be exposed to the reality we live in and be aware on what is going on around the worl d to better help their growth in this life. Religion is an intensely curious phenomenon that calls out for better understanding.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  BIBLIOGRAPHY Linda K. Wertheimer. â€Å"Why kids learn about Religion much earlier,† (March 16, 2016) http://time.com/4261597/teaching-religion/ (accessed on May 12, 2018) Emma Mclaughlin, â€Å"Religion in Education,† (March 25, 2015) https://www.hastac.org/blogs/emmamclaughlin22/2015/03/25/religion-education (accessed on May 14, 2018) Craig Ellis, â€Å"Should religon be taught in school?† ( September 22, 2017)   https://www.standleague.org/blog/should-religion-be-taught-in-schools.html (accessed on May 14, 2018) Johnson, Byron R. More God, Less Crime†¯: Why Faith Matters and How It Could Matter More. Templeton Press, 2011. Hummer, Robert A., and Christopher G. Ellison. Religion, Families, and Health†¯: Population-Based Research in the United States. Rutgers University Press, 2010.

10 Facts About Africa

10 Facts About Africa Africa is an amazing continent. From its start as the heart of humanity, it is now home to more than a billion people. It has jungles and desert and even a glacier. It extends into all four hemispheres. It is a place of superlatives. Find out more from these 10 essential facts about the continent: 1) The East African Rift zone, which divides the Somalian and Nubian tectonic plates, is the location of several important discoveries of human ancestors by anthropologists. The active spreading rift valley is thought to be the heartland of humanity, where much human evolution likely took place millions of years ago. The discovery of the partial skeleton of Lucy in 1974 in Ethiopia sparked major research in the region. 2) If you divide the planet into seven continents, then Africa is the worlds second largest continent, covering about 11,677,239 square miles (30,244,049 square km). 3) Africa is located to the south of Europe and southwest of Asia. It is connected to Asia via the Sinai Peninsula in northeastern Egypt. The peninsula itself is usually considered part of Asia, with the Suez Canal and the Gulf of Suez as the dividing line between Asia and Africa. African countries are usually divided into two world regions. The countries of northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, are usually considered part of a region called North Africa and the Middle East, while countries south of the northernmost countries of Africa are usually considered part of the region called Sub-Saharan Africa. In the Gulf of Guinea off the coast of western Africa lies the intersection of the equator and the Prime Meridian. As the Prime Meridian is an artificial line, this point has no true significance. 4) Africa is also the second most populous continent on Earth, with about 1.256 billion people (2017). Africas population is growing faster than Asias population (4.5 billion), but Africa will not catch up to Asias population in the foreseeable future. For an example of Africas growth, Nigeria, currently, the worlds seventh most populous country on Earth, is expected to become the third most populous country by 2050. Africa is expected to grow to 2.5 billion people by 2050. Nine of the 10 highest total fertility rates on Earth are African countries, with Niger topping the list (6.49 births per woman as of 2017). 5) In addition to its high population growth rate, Africa also has the worlds lowest life expectancies. The average life expectancy for citizens of Africa is 61 years for males and 64 years for females, though its a little lower in some regions of Africa and higher in northern Africa (closer to the global average). The continent is home to the worlds highest rates of HIV/AIDS; more than two-thirds of all people infected are in Africa. Better treatment for HIV/AIDS is directly related to average life expectancy rising back to 1990 levels in southern Africa by 2020. 6) With the possible exceptions of Ethiopia and Liberia, all of Africa was colonized by non-African countries. The United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Germany, and Portugal all claimed to rule parts of Africa without the consent of the local population. In 1884–1885 the Berlin Conference was held among these powers to divide up the continent among the non-African powers. Over the following decades, and especially after World War II, African countries gradually regained their independence with the borders as established by the colonial powers. These borders, established without regard to local cultures, have caused numerous problems in Africa. Today, only a few islands and a very small territory on the Moroccan coast (which belongs to Spain) remain as territories of non-African countries. 7) With 196 independent countries on Earth, Africa is home to more than a quarter of these countries. There are 54 fully independent countries on mainland Africa and its surrounding islands. All 54 countries are members of the United Nations. Every country is a member of the African Union, including Morocco, which rejoined in 2017. 8) Africa is fairly non-urbanized. Only 43 percent of Africas population lives in urban areas. Africa is home to only a few megacities with a population greater than 10 million: Cairo, Egypt; Lagos, Nigeria; and Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Cairo and Lagos urban areas are around 20 million, and Kinshasa has about 13 million residents. 9) Mt. Kilimanjaro is the highest point in Africa. Located in Tanzania near the Kenyan border, this dormant volcano rises to an elevation of 19,341 feet (5,895 meters). Mt. Kilimanjaro is the location of Africas only glacier, although scientists predict that the ice on the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro will disappear by the 2030s due to global warming. 10) While the Sahara Desert is not the largest nor the driest desert on Earth, it is the most notable. The desert covers about 25 percent of the land of Africa.

Business Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Business Management - Assignment Example Leadership involves establishment of a clear vision, sharing and conveying the vision with the associates so that they can follow it enthusiastically, providing knowledge, information as well as describing the methods by which the vision can be realized, balancing the conflicts and coordinating with the stakeholders and other associated members. In this tumultuous business environment, the importance and necessity of efficient leadership cannot be denied. The complex and dynamic nature of business has further augmented the need of leadership in an organization. As a result of this, it has been observed that companies nowadays have started to instigate several leadership development trainings and programs which clearly points out that although off late, originations have been able to understand the extent to which efficient leadership adds to the efficiency and competence of an origination (Agard, 2010). Leadership is a vast area and its application is be found in different facets of an organization. However, there are huge differences between management and leadership styles. Moreover, the role played by leadership is different from that of the role of managing. Although the major role of leadership is to ensure people in n organization are working towards a common goal, but is not constrained or limited to only a single area. Leadership also plays several other roles and is crucial to an organization’s day to day activity. Some of the most crucial roles played by leadership in an organization are describe below. Management of the Workforce: - Leadership is extremely important in organizations to ensure proper management of the people. Leadership not only provides assistance in initiating actions within organizations, but also plays actives roles in motivating the workforce, providing them with guidance, building confidence, improving the morale, creating a healthy working environment and also coordinating with the employees for better outcome. Strategy Implementation: - The notion of leadership is also vital in the strategy implementation process of an organization. The implementation of stagey in organizations is equally important like that of strategy formulation. A strategy is generally formulated by the upper management but the implementation is in the hands of the leaders. They are the one who are accountable to implement and communicate the strategy to the entire organization. Hence, the role of leadership in strategy implementation is imperative. In the meantime, it has been also observed that, employees often resist the implementation of a new strategy thinking that this may dislocate their current state. In this context also leadership plays a crucial role in managing the resistance to the change offered by the employees thereby implementing the strategy successfully. The above discussion has made it evident that leadership practices are indeed significant for an organization. Therefore, it is also necessary to shed light on the different types of leadership. The type of leadership practices differ from one organization to the other. The leadership style or the type of leadership is greatly dependent upon the objectives of the organization and also the intentions of the organization. A number of authors in this context argue that the leadership style of an organization also depends upon the organizational culture. Echoing these thoughts, several other scholars have mentioned that the national culture of a country also

The Cost of War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Cost of War - Essay Example As an economic student, the cost of war does not end in the battlefield but it also affects those who are not involved with the war. The question here is the cost of war and who bear the cost. Is it America, the jihadists or the world? This perspective will enable you to explore the issue from an economist point of view. Global economy is indicated by various parameters. Such parameters are the only tool that we can use to determine the cost of war. Jim: I think Sam is heading in the right direction since the issue of cost of war should be linked with the question of who bears the cost. It is unfortunate that since the end of World War II, most wars have been between America and the so called the Arab world. The Asian continent or the Arab world plays a big role in the world’s economy. Nearly 50% of the global oil comes from the Arabian countries particularly Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia that. These countries have either been involved or affected by the war. This proves why global oil prices escalate whenever there is a conflict involving the Arab world and the Western League. Inflated oil prices increases the cost of production since oil is used in various stages of production such as manufacturing and transportation. High oil prices are reflected in consumer products as increase in retail prices. I consider this to be the actual cost of war† Peter: â€Å"your argument is correct however, you are more biased to answering the question of who bear the cost of war instead of the cost of war. Wars happen in reality and therefore analysis needs a realistic focus. The cost of war is the immediate impacts of war that changes the financial status of the parties involved in war. In this case the cost of war will be evaluated from the cost of damages resulting from a conflict and the cost of maintaining combatants in the battlefield or maintaining a frontline†. Simon: â€Å"I think the issue is

The Idea Behind The Veneration of Relics Research Paper

The Idea Behind The Veneration of Relics - Research Paper Example According to the New Testament, an old woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for quite a while found a way out. â€Å"Seeing Jesus in the crowds, she told herself "I only need to touch the hem of his garment, then I will be healed" and Jesus, who felt the power leave from him, turned to the woman and told her that her faith had healed her† (â€Å"The origin of relics†). Relics are present in almost every religion. Christians, Muslims, and Hindus have their own relics that have huge significance in the historical literature of these religions. Muslims consider the Holy Water of Zam Zam as sacred. It is also considered as an antidepressant. Hindus bathe in the River of Ganges because they believe that doing so would make them free of their sins and would purify their souls. People believe relics to be solutions for their problems as human beings. Relics are considered as the blessings of God Almighty. They are not just objects but are actually means of spiritual revival and enlightenment. For example, the Holy Water is thought to have many positive effects on the people who drink it. The veneration of relics People has huge regard for the relics as they are the belongings or in some way connected to the people they revere. People who possess relics show respect for them in many ways, which include placing the relic at an elevated place in the house and decorating the relic in beautiful and costly frames. Most people feel honored and blessed to have a relic while others are ready to pay any cost to attain one. The veneration of relics has sustained through history as a custom, which originally encouraged people to visit the martyrs’ graves in the reign of the apostles. It was and is still believed that God shows miracles related to the relics. â€Å"In all, relics remind us of the holiness of a saint and his cooperation in God’s work; at the same time, relics inspire us to ask for the prayers of that saint and to beg the grace of God to live the same kinda faith-filled life† (Saunders cited in â€Å"What is a Relic?†). However, some people go so ahead in their veneration for a relic that they overlook the significance of the Creator, whose obedience gave the saint the status that his relics are being preserved by people, and give the relic more importance. This makes it rather a sin. First class relics are composed of a saint’s physical body. It could also be the physical body of any individual whose sainthood cause is meant to be fostered. First class relics can be a range of features in the physical body that include but are not limited to a hair, fragment of a bone or dust collected from the coffin of the saint or the individual. The relic is held in place with the help of melted wax. â€Å"Any relic related to Our Lord is also considered first class. A splinter of the True Cross upon which Our Lord died is an example. The Eucharist is considered the highest first-class relic but it is never housed in a theca† (â€Å"First, Second, & Third†). Rather it is offered as Holy Communion to the people who practice religion.

Summary of Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell Essay Example for Free

Summary of Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell Essay Gladwell’s Outliers started with the introduction of the Roseto Mystery in which he presented the facts and findings of the physician, Stewart Wolf on how the Rosetans lived a life differently from Americans living in the city. Evidences and findings on how the Rosetans have a better life and little cases of heart diseases was not only due to the atmosphere of the place, the things they do, or the food they eat but simply the way Roseto is in which people greeted each other, go to church every day, and their strong family ties. In the first chapter, The Matthew Effect, we may glean from it the idea or phenomenon of â€Å"the rich becomes richer while the poor becomes poorer†. He mentioned about observations on the birth dates of Canadian hockey players and the eligibility of children to participate in youth hockey leagues. This was deemed important as it was a factor that would determine a child’s strength and ability on hockey since they were able to start earlier and they are most likely to be the ones to belong in the elite team in the future. Despite of the fact that birth date is an important factor, an individual’s own skill is really the key to reach the top. In the second chapter, The 10,000-Hour Rule, Gladwell presented that to become truly a master of something, an individual must undergo 10,000 hours of practice and mastery on a particular skill which is like doing 20 hours of work a week for 10 years. He cites examples like K. Anders Ericsson’s study at an elite Academy of Music in Berlin. The study was conducted on seeing the potential of music students by dividing them into three groups based on the potential they could see in them. According to the study, those students who belong in the elite/star group practiced more hours than the others that’s why by the age of twenty, these group of people will probably achieved mastery as they have totaled ten thousand hours of practice. Gladwell also mentioned the success of Bill Joy as he was a genius, and devoted time on computers and programming. Other examples were how the Beatles achieved the 10,000 hours rule due to the number of concerts and performances that they did. He also mentioned how William Henry â€Å"Bill† Gates achieved the 10,000 hours rule and it was not only that. According to his interview with Gates, he paved his way to success not only because of his penchant for computers but also of the opportunities opened to him during his lifetime. In the third and fourth chapter, The Trouble with Geniuses Parts 1 2, it was mentioned that being a genius is not enough to determine whether a person will truly be successful. He mentioned the story of Christopher Langan, a man with an IQ of 195 (higher than Einstein because he only had 150). Despite of Langan’s skills, he was not able to reach a high level of success because of the lack of opportunities and there is no one in his life to lead him to a higher level of success. In the fifth chapter, The Three Lessons from Joe Flom, presented three lessons according to Flom on how a person could achieve success. Lesson 1: The Importance of Being Jewish presents how Jewish people were exposed to work at an early age especially when it comes to clothing that lead them to their success in business. Lesson 2: Demographic Luck shows us how location can determine your place e.g. a place rich with gold and minerals possible for putting up a mining industry vs. a place with little natural resources. Lesson 3: Garment Industry and Meaningful Work presents how hard work is definitely an important factor to success. Reflection Looking at Gladwell’s observations, collection of ideas and stories from people about attaining success or being successful in life made me realize that one factor is not enough to be successful. According to the book, the date of birth, place of birth, how the individual was nurtured, social influences, interests, devotions, intellectual abilities, talents, etc are some of the many factors that determine one’s success Going back to Frank Lynch’s article on Social Acceptance Reconsidered, I realized that some of his points like Pakikisama is one of the factors that could help one become successful. Looking back at Chris Langan’s story, he wasn’t able to attain a higher level of success because he didn’t have someone to help him which means he lacks the value of Pakikisama. Let’s look at this: most successful business people not only in the Philippines but in the whole world achieve success not only by themselves but because of their partners or people who backed them up. Bill Gates too is one example since he had Paul Allen in putting up Microsoft Corporation. It is because of the value of Pakikisama that people achieve success because at times, we cannot accomplish things by depending only on ourselves. Thinking about the Philippines, I think that the ideals in the book, when applied can truly help our country towards development and prosperity. The Philippines is a country laden with a lot of natural resources which means that we possess the demographic luck. We also have some good universities that produce some of the brightest Filipinos that we have today. If only the Philippines would increase the way it encourages people and seek people’s potentials even at a young age, then we may be able to predict what we should mold our future human resources into so that by after 10 years on refining themselves on their chosen field, they could possibly achieve the 10,000 hours rule and achieve mastery on their field.

The Men Who Knew Two Much A Compairson of Hitchocks Classic Original an

The Men Who Knew Two Much A Compairson of Hitchocks Classic Original and Remake Many works of art can be considered artifacts that hold volumes of information regarding the culture of the people that created them and the historical context in which they lived. Films are also treasures of culture, filled with clues and insights into the attitudes and perceptions of the people of the day. While documentary films obviously present a historical record of people and events, dramatic fictional movies can also reveal the same. Comparing the main characters in Hitchcock's 1934 The Man Who knew Too Much with their 1955 counterparts unveils many differences between American and English cultures, expectations of their women and the pre- and post-war world view. THE HEROES [top] The heroes, heroines and villains portrayed in the two versions of the film were drawn quite differently. Lawrence (1934) was assertive and took control of the situation, while McKenna (1955) seemed to let the situation control him. When Lawrence got the message from his wife about the cryptic note, he immediately ran into Louis' room to get it. He used his resources and wit to get him through sticky situations, from standing up to the authority of Scotland Yard, to tangling with the dentist to the chair fight at the church. Lawrence even recruited Clive to do most of the dirty work such as getting a tooth pulled or being hypnotized by the 7-fold ray. Unlike Lawrence, McKenna was largely ineffectual and kind of bumbling at times. It wasn't until the very end that he actually took any risk when he went to the hitman's box at Albert Hall and then when he tripped up Mr. Dreighton on the stairs. McKenna's wife seemed the stronger and smarter one throughout as she was suspicious of Louis in Marrakech and later figured out Ambrose Chapel was a place instead of a person. THE VILLAINS [top] The portrayal of the villain was different in both versions as well. In the first one, the villain was singularly personified in the form of Abbot, but the second film's villain was shared by the Dreightons and the foreigner who wanted to become Ambassador. In contrast, the motive of Abbot was rather ambiguous and only referred to as "the cause," while the assassination of the Ambassador in the color version was clearly a means for personal advancement... ...and hugged. However, the role of women in 1995 America is a little bit 1934, a little bit 1955 and a lot of neither. The following generalizations are just that: Today in this society, women are expected to be sexy and smart,but not too much of either one. If a girl is very glamorous, she is not expected (or desired) by males to be smart, and women see her as hurting the liberation movement, perpetuating the "object" stereotype. On the other hand, a smart, assertive woman is often viewed as being unfeminine and bitchy, especially in the workplace. Hillary Clinton personifies this dichotomy - she was applauded for abandoning the subservient First Lady role and at the same time criticized for overstepping her bounds. Wonder Woman is perhaps the only cultural hero to solve this problem. She could be sexy and strong in her little Wonder Woman outfit and tiara, as well as loyal and subordinate in her glasses as Diana Prince. But she only succeeded by becoming two people. We still have a long way to go. Bibliography: Â ©1996 Chris Sheridan All views expressed are the opinions of the author. Feel free to link to this page. For educational and informational purposes only.

Ikea Management Analysis Essay

Abstract: This article is an analysis of the IKEA’s supply chain. IKEA’s supply chain is globally with sales in more than 250 own stores in 24 countries and 32 external franchisees in 16 countries. It has special supplier management, store design, and warehouse management. IKEA Supply Chain system includes IOS, TSO, material and suppliers, DC and IKEA store. IKEA global planning has seven processes. Sale planning and demand planning are in this article. IKEA’s supply chain was operated really successful, however, it still exist some problems, like lack of central coordination, inaccurate sale forecasts, and high inventory costs. In the end, this article will provide some recommendations to solve those problems. Introduction IKEA, founded in 1943, is one of the best home furniture company in the world whose, and its vision is â€Å"To provide better life for everyone†. IKEA provides modern and fashionable low cost furniture for over 38 countries with 301 stores. It is the largest furniture retail chain in the world and boasts a range of 12000 products, including home furniture, accessories and some other stuff. What’s more, it’s concern for people and environment lead to excellent use of raw material and energy, which result in their green targets and the overall environment. A supply chain is a network of retailers, distributors, transporters, storage facilities, and suppliers that participate in the production, delivery, and sale of a product to the consumer. The supply chain is typically made up of multiple companies who coordinate activities to set themselves apart from the competition. A supply chain has three key parts: Supply focuses on the raw materials supplied to manufacturing, including how, when, and from what location. Manufacturing focuses on converting these raw materials into finished products. Distribution focuses on ensuring these products reach the consumers through an organized network of distributors, warehouses, and retailers. Ikea is a worldwide company and its supply chain also deserves us to study. In this paper we are going to analyze the IKEA’s supply chain in the market and we will also analysis the strategy and plan of the company. In addition, we would give our proposed recommendation in the end. IKEA Supply Chain Strategy IKEA’s supply chain is global with sales in more than 250 own stores in 24 countries and 32 external franchisees in 16 countries. The stores are supplied through 31 distribution countries, or directly from the 1,350 suppliers in more than 50 countries. IKEA’s supply chain consequently has a global spread with both sales and purchasing in all major regions of the world. IKEA’s growth has been tremendous and sales are still growing. Currently IKEA plans to open 10-20 new stores every year with a goal to double sales within the coming five year. Considering the pace of growth in sales, the many stores and warehouses, and the fact that some business areas change up to 30% of its assortment every year, supply chain planning is a real challenge. The supply chain needs tight control and high levels of visibility to keep costs down and avoid obsolete inventory and/or stock outs. The IKEA supply chain is mainly make-to-stock (MTS) and only a few products are made to custo mer orders. Consequently, the entire supply chain is heavily dependent on forecasts. The regions and the stores have traditionally had a strong power and a high degree of local freedom in terms of planning and placing replenishment requests. This has led to a fragmented supply chain planning with local optimization and a lot of manual intervention with plans throughout the supply chain. Furthermore, due to frequent shortage situations some regions have purposely overestimated demand to ensure delivery, which in turn has led to imbalance in terms of demand coverage. Hence, some markets have suffered from stock outs during long periods, whereas other markets have ended up with obsolete inventories. Forecasting has been done on a regional level with approximately 120 users striving for different goals and using different methods. Part of the explanation to this is that IKEA has lacked a common and structured tactical planning of demand and replenishment. In terms of capacity planning, all different parts of the supply chain (stores, warehouses, regions, etc.) tried to optimize its own part of the supply chain, leading to a set of imbalanced supply plans with a low and unstable total throughput with long replenishment times for the supply chain as a whole. IKEA initiated a program (cluster of projects) aiming to taking better control of its supply chain, and enhance performance in terms of delivery service and costs. A new global planning concept was developed and is currently being implemented. Its cornerstones are mutually integrated planning processes, a centralized planning organization, focus on data quality and use of advanced software support. The purpose of this article is to outline IKEA’s global supply chain planning concept and describe the roles of the planning organization, data quality, software support and project and change management in the concept and its implementation. Supply Chain Management of IKEA Supplier Management IKEA has about 1400 suppliers from 33 countries, 64% of them are from European countries, with largest supplier markets in China and Poland. IKEA maintains lasting relationship with suppliers, and it has its own way to select suppliers from worldwide. After decide what product and material to be used, trading offices would find the suppliers in their respective regions and invite bids from them. IKEA has a principle, which is to choose suppliers of lowest cost at the same time, guarantee the quality. By placing orders directly on line, IKEA can always receive the deliveries within one to two weeks. On the other side, they ask suppliers to take inventory, so that suppliers can clearly know about the time, category, and amount of goods they have to fill up. IKEA also asks suppliers to deliver some of the goods straight to their stores, and this kind of managing would possibly save time, energy, and money considerably. They have formed a certain role to evaluate the performance of suppliers and point out standards and grades. Under such pressure, IKEA’s suppliers would be serious about their job and try their best to make sure the goods are of best quality and fastest delivery. By this kind of supplier management, IKEA would absolutely has high efficiency and quality. Store Design IKEA chose its store location on the city outskirts as the company’s stores were large and required huge parking spaces because IKEA realized that its customers were visiting stores in their cars. There is a typical feature of IKEA stores. [pic] The picture above is a map of some IKEA stores, in this, one can obviously see that customers entered into the stores, they would follow the arrow printed on the floor, and see through all products they exhibit. This kind of layout is called Racetrack layout, which has a main section that directs towards various section of the store, loops through the store and returns customers to the front of the store. It draws customers around the store and is commonly used in department stores. IKEA uses this to encourage customer to explore and move around IKEA at ease. The Racetrack Layout leads customers throughout the whole IKEA passing through different department. It makes sure that no section is missed out as the Racetrack Layout is design in a way that customer will have to follow the path in order to get to the end. The Loop allows customer to have different viewing angles and to catch a glance of every item in the store within a look. This encourages exploration and impulse buying. Thus this is strategic for IKEA as to capture customers. Warehouse Management IKEA has large warehouses like â€Å"DC008†, it has 19 input doors and 22 output doors. This separation makes the warehouse operation more effective. In the warehouses, there are many forklifts and they run fast and flexible. This also improves efficiency. Besides, IKEA seriously considered the safety of warehouses. It built a perfect security system. If some materials are not in right position, the red light will turn on and there will be an alarm ringing. Another significant warehouse management is space management. A system numbers every area, and all of them will be in the computers, so workers can clearly see wherever there is a vacancy. That ensures turn-around speed. The WMS (Warehouse Management System) in IKEA is so mature that it is used in every warehouse of IKEA’s. However, now IKEA need to figure out how to reduce inventory in order to save money. As for IKEA, there is a special kind of warehouse, which is self-serve warehouse. It is just in stores and keeps some inventory to give customers more choices. It can as well make customers enjoy pleasant about self-purchase. IKEA Supply Chain IKEA Supply Chain System (From the tree to the living room) IKEA is one of the leading home furnishing companies in the world and is expanding globally and fast gaining market share. Also IKEA’s supply chain has a global spread with both sales and purchasing in all major regions of the world. In IKEA Supply Chain system, firstï ¼Å'IOS is IKEA of Sweden, where decisions are made, such as the number of items, purchasing, suppliers, distribution, store coordination, and so on. Second, TSO (Trading), trading is responsible for the relationship with suppliers. Within trading there are 43 trading service offices in Europe, Asia and North America. Third is material and suppliers. They provide raw materials and manufacture the products. Co-workers in this area form a bridge between the factory floor and the products on the shelves at IKEA stores. They are responsible for ensuring reliable production methods that lead to high quality results, but which at the same time involve the min imum waste and maximum efficiency. Although not the most visible role within IKEA, this area is incredibly important for the company. The suppliers of IKEA and the good relations IKEA enjoy with them are among the company’s greatest assets. Fourth, in DC (Distribution centers), trucks, boats and trains are all needed to move products around. Coordinating these different means of transport to make the movement of goods as quick and efficient as possible is a real art. And DC are not enough just to make sure the goods arrive at the right stores and customers at the right time; they must also arrive in good shape, ready to be sold at the lowest possible price. Fifth is store. IKEA has more than 250 own stores in 24 countries and 32 external franchisees in 16 countries. To simplify, chart 1 shows the whole IKEA Supply Chain system described above. [pic] Chart1 IKEA Supply Chain system Moreover, in fifth part, In-store Logistics are also an important part in IKEA supply chain. In-store Logistics have seven steps (chart 2): Step1, create commitment with clear and qualified goods. Step2, develop an in-store logistics organization based on knowledge and competence. Step3, create balance between the space to range relation. Step4, place rational and correct orders. Step5, sales space management. Step6, establish routines for the most efficient goods flow. Step7, follow-up on performance. [pic] Chart 2 IKEA Supply Chain-In-store Logistics IKEA Supply Chain Planning Planning Concept Overview. According to IKEA’s characters, such as offer a wide range of home furnishings with good design and function and provide low prices, Ikea’s supply chain is in constant flux, with improvements being made whenever they are required or new technology appears. But generally, Ikea’s supply chain is mainly make-to-stock (MTS) and only a few products are made to customer orders. Consequently, the entire supply chain is heavily dependent on forecasts. IKEA focus on all forecasting activities and need calculations to control the entire supply chain inventory levels and replenishment. The global planning process (Chart1) is made by the central function of IKEA of Sweden. From the IKEA’s global supply chain planning (Chart1), we can figure out there are seven major processes (1) Sale planning; (2) Demand planning; (3) Need planning; (4) Supplier capacity planning; (5) The distribution supply chain planning (transport, warehouse, and store planning; 5a-c) and (7) Replenishment orders. In the following, we will talk about the processes separately into more details. But we will only focus on two parts Sales planning and Demand planning. [pic] Chart1 IKEA’s global supply chain planning concept and planning processes. Sales planning. The first step of sales planning is the corporate management of IKEA makes the overall sales forecast. The forecast is made on an aggregate level in terms of total sales volumes in monetary units for IKEA in total. It shows the expected sales increase in percentages. Ikea’s sales plan will be updated three times a year. The forecast is mainly determined by the strategic marketing plan and the remaining part of the current fiscal year plus five years into the future. So the current strategic business plan of Ikea is important for sales planning. At the end of the sales planning process, in order to achieve the business areas’ growth plans and expectation for the future, Demand Planners at IKEA of Sweden provide the data and information of forecasts for each of the business areas. Demand planning. In Ikea, there are 32 Demand Planners work in the tactical demand planning process, each one responsible for forecasting a certain part. The tactical forecast attach to IKEA of Sweden and is done on a rolling 84 weeks, with new historical sales data loaded once a week. In the end the forecasts on store levels are aggregated, reconciled, and compared with the sales frames on the retail forecast group level and on the distribution services region level. IKEA also has Retail Forecast Group, including one to several stores located geographically close to each other. In Europe, a retail Forecast Group normally corresponds to a country. IKEA in different countries own the right to have local event and activities. But, to let Demand Planners review the forecast on the regional level each week, the specific activity plans must be told at least six months in advance. In case that the forecast deviates considerably from actual sales, the Demand Planner looks for the reason and adjusts the sales figures or forecast model accordingly. Problems Lack of Central Coordination All we know IKEA is a hug international company. It provides modern and fashionable low cost furniture for over 38 countries with 301 stores. It emphasizes on local autonomy rather than a centralized coordinator. This method is easier for regions and store to plan and replenishes their own inventories. However, it also causes hundreds of subsystems inside the IKEA. Those subsystems include product design system from the headquarters; orders to suppliers system, orders to transport to the mall system, store management system and some accessory systems in each region or store. There are at least four hundreds complex subsystems inside the IKEA. These system’s databases is not well integrated, and do not have unified communications platform, that resulting in information separation, the low quality of information transmission, it is not conducive to the efficient operation of the supply chain. Lack of Accurate Sale Forecasts Due to changes in demand, sales forecasts data of the Swedish headquarters get deviation, if the forecasting data is bigger than the real, and this led to the warehouse overstock directly. If the mangers do not adjust the place orders plan that will cause serious problems by global warehouse overstock, retail shopping centers will immediately face to increase sales efforts to absorb the backlogged inventory. The other hand, in order to avoid some seasonal items out of stock, IKEA place large quantities of orders to suppliers, the mall immediately changed the stage from the under stock to overstock, However, the shopping center cannot sell them all, therefore, pass the season, there are still a lot of inventory backlog. Inventory Costs are too high IKEA purchases and sales too much, and often use the strategy of expand the inventory to cope with the uncertainty situation. IKEA worried about the inventory cannot be well satisfied the needs of the shopping centers, and if IKEA keep a low inventory level, it will increase the risk of lost sales opportunities, Therefore, IKEA maintain a high level of inventory to avoid the risk of under stock, That cause the shopping malls, the distribution center, and the central warehouse to maintain a considerable amount of inventory. Recommendations The urgent need for IKEA is to spend a large investment in the supply chain systems integration, make a great effort to integrate internal business systems, to achieve the company internal information sharing, built unified communications platform to make sure each subsystem can easy get the information from others, particular in transportation information and warehousing information. Ultimately achieve the comprehensive integration of manufacture, procurement, inventory, sales, financial and human resources management, logistics. That can make the ideal supply chain operations to become a reality. The supply chain systems integration can make each subsystems get the other subsystems information easily that really helpful for IKEA to forecast the sales in the future. In addition, IKEA also can get information from the date of the past sales, the public economic information, from customer and from suppliers. The supply chain systems integration also can help IKEA use those two strategies to reduce the cost of inventory. Firstly, IKEA requires the supplier to transport the production directly to the shopping malls, omitting the middle stage of the warehouse storage and handling. Use this strategy, IKEA do not have to establish the inventory and also do not have to maintain a safety stock to satisfy the demand of the shopping center. The delivery period becomes short, and easy to control. It also reduces the broken rate of the goods that ultimately improve the service level of the mall shopping centers. Secondly, IKEA also can use the strategy of vendor-managed inventory. It means suppliers according to IKEA’s the actual sales demand and safety inventory requirements to place the order to them. This strategy requires mutual trust between IKEA and supplier. IKEA can establish appropriate oversight mechanisms to make this strategy works well. This strategy can make both the IKEA and the suppliers’ benefit. References Laura Spinney (2011) The secret of IKEA’s success: we do the hard work, New scientist. Retrieved from: http://0-ehis.ebscohost.com.leopac.ulv.edu/eds/detail?vid=2&hid=23&sid=0dbc6e03-427b-4dec-9711-136b9cfedca8%40sessionmgr14&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#db=edselp&AN=S0262407911631783 Jonsson, P. and Gustavsson, M. (2008) â€Å"The impact of supply chain relationships and automatic data communication and registration on forecast information quality†, International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, 38 (4), 280-295. Steve Banker (2009 Nov) In-Store Logistics at IKEA. Retrieved from: http://logisticsviewpoints.com/2009/11/05/in-store-logistics-at-ikea/ IKEA’s Cost Efficient Supply Chain. Retrieved from http://www.icmrindia.org/casestudies/catalogue/Operations/OPER084.htm NYP IKEA: Merchandising Presentation and Store Design (Part 3), May 18 2012. Retrieved from http://ikea-escrapbook.blogspot.com/2011/07/merchandising-presentation-and-store_4586.html Patrik Jonsson, Martin Rudbergochï ¼Å'Stefan HolmbergGlobal, Supply chain planning at IKEA, Retrieved from http://www.plan.se/files/Jonsson_Rudberg _Holmberg_08.pdf Ikea supply chain-from the tree to the living room, Retrieved from http://www.slideserve.com/presentation/39927/IKEA-Supply-Chain–from-the-tree-to-the-living-room â€Å"IKEA | Purchasing.† IKEA | Purchasing. Web. 17 May 2012. Retrieved from http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_US/jobs/business_types/purchase/index.html Ikea, Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IKEA â€Å"Ikea.mov.† YouTube. YouTube, 15 Feb. 2010. Web. 18 May 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYr6JlJ1wlE. SWOT Analysis and Sustainable Business Planning An IKEA Case Study.† Weaknesses and Threats. Web. 18 May 2012. http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/ikea/swot-analysis-and-sustainable-business-planning/weaknesses-and-threats.html. â€Å"IKEA Distribution Improves Supply Chain Management.† IKEA Distribution Improves Supply Chain Management. Web. 18 May 2012. http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240083923/IKEA-Distribution-improves-supply-chain-management.