How Managers Can Apply Their Interpersonal, Informational and Essay

How Managers Can Apply Their Interpersonal, Informational and Decisional Roles to Influence the Performance of Their Organizatio - Essay Example Leadership is the process of manipulating other people to achieve specified objectives or goals. From a business point of view, a manager is a person, who has been given the mandate to influence the employees of a given organization in order to achieve the organization goals. Therefore, leadership roles are to communicate ideas, motivating employees, and gaining their commitment, enthusiasm, and acceptance so that they can support and implement the organizational goals and objectives. A manager should be a person who can perform the following roles; 1. Interpersonal roles: Should be able to perform, symbolic and ceremonial skills. Should also be one who can direct and monitor the subordinates, through communication and counsel, and be one who can maintain links in information through mail, meetings, and phone calls. 2. Informational roles: Can seek and receives information by maintaining personal contact with stakeholders and scanning periodicals and reports, transmits the informatio n to employees through reports, speeches and memos. 3. Decisional roles: An excellent manager is one who can come up with new ideas and delegate the idea responsibility to other persons. He should be one who can take the necessary action during crisis and disputes among his subordinates, a skilled negotiator who can represent his unit in budget, sales, purchases, and union contracts. Thematically, this paper seeks to show, by use of relevant case examples, how managers can influence successful performance of their organization through the application of the managerial skills discussed above. The three managerial roles will be discussed separately, in order to analyze each of them critically. Interpersonal roles Interpersonal skills are required, in order, for the manager to perform as a figurehead role in the organization, and this is considered to be a leading management function. An organization cannot succeed if the managers cannot direct and monitor their subordinates. In a case example; Intermatic Inc, a company located in spring Grove, Illinois was on the verge of bankruptcy. Jim miller, a former employee, was asked to return as president of the firm. He applied his interpersonal roles that enabled him to restructure the whole firm; he directed his staff and managed to bring the firm back from the edge of bankruptcy to its growth, profitability and survival (Lussier & Achua, 2010). For a manager to have strong interpersonal skills he should be capable of performing the following roles; 1. The figurehead role: Any manager or leader in an organization is capable of performing this role; it includes the caring out of basic tasks such as, presiding at meetings, and signing important documents (Davis, 2006). 2. The leader role: This is the role that influences how most leaders perform all other roles, the tasks that are preformed in this role include tasks like; evaluation of employee performance, coaching and giving instructions, training and hiring new empl oyees (Davis, 2006). 3. The liaison role: The liaison role is involved with the interacting and communicating with people outside the organization, and several tasks that include the developing of relationships, attending of professional meetings, maintaining contact with organizations and other people, and networking (Davis, 2006). Interpersonal skill is an individual’s capability to perform the above roles. In another case example, British airways hired a

Set Up and Operate a Business in Foreign Country Essay Example for Free

Set Up and Operate a Business in Foreign Country Essay This paper deals with the international business. It emphasizes on the means to start the business and the cost associated with the initiation of the business. It also describes the most important aspect of managing human resource. Because of the competitive environment, the need to do the business internationally has increased. This paper provides the overview of the two countries i. e. china and South Africa. Broad description of the legal processes that were supposed to be followed by the company to initiate business in the China has been explained. Apart from this, the staffing of local and expatriate staff along with the labor organization and legislation of the foreign country has been described. Therefore, the paper provides detailed analysis of the conditions that should be kept in mind while establishing business in the foreign country. Introduction International business is a term, which is used collectively to describe issues relating to the firm’s operations with interests in numerous countries. These firms are sometimes referred as multinational corporations. The main area of concern in the international business is the cultural considerations. These considerations include dissimilarity in law and legal systems, living standards, language barriers, climate and many more (Cherunilam, 2005). All these issues need to be overcome for an MNC in order to obtain success in an overseas venture. Nationwide economic growth and globalization of the economy provide an outstanding background for businesses in China as compared to the South Africa. Nevertheless, the growth of the company and sustainability can be hampered by the factors like industry consolidation, economic reform and globalization. The project of building substantial companies and integrating them effectively into the global marketplace is a complicated task. Reasons: Why Company Going Global Many companies and businesses get into international selling because of the existence of competitive environment. This environment compels the company to move further rather than staying at the same stage and size by just focusing on the quality. Another reason of growth and expansion is the fear of loosing the customers. If the company would not show sustainable growth, competitors would move ahead and chances of loosing of customers will increase (Cherunilam, 2005). Other general reasons for going international are: political changes like changes in the regulation of work and safety and economic changes that include cost of production. If there is an increase in the cost of production at home, company looks for places where cost of production is reasonable. The four major objectives that compel the company to go for international business are: to enlarge the sales, to successfully get hold of the resources, to diversify the sources of sales and to look for the diversifying the supplies (Kazmi, 2002). Overview Population China: China is a socialist republic and the most populous country with population over 1. 3 billion. It is having 90. 9% literacy rate (male: 95. 1% female: 86. 5%). The average educational achievement in China is low. South Africa: South Africa is a nation of diverse origins, languages, cultures and beliefs with population over 47-million. It is having 86. 4% literacy rate (male 87% female 85. 7%) of total population. The average educational achievement in South Africa is very low. Geographical Location  China: China is located in Eastern Asia bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea and South China Sea between North Korea and Vietnam. China has mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west and plains, deltas, and hills in eastern region. The geographic coordinates of China are 35 °00N, 105 °00E. The total area coverage of China is 9,596,960 square kilometers (land area is 9,326,410 square km and water is 270,550 square km). China is the worlds third-largest country in total area after Russia and Canada, and the second largest country by land area. The total land boundary is 22,117 km and the border countries are Afghanistan, Bhutan, Burma, India, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Vietnam. China’s coastline is 14,500 km (China, 2008). South Africa: South Africa is located at the southern region of Africa. The geographic coordinates of South Africa are 29 00 S, 24 00 E. The total area is 1,219,912 sq km. The total land boundary is 4,862 km and the border countries are Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. Its coastline is 2,798 km. South Africa’s northwest region is desert and eastern is well watered. GDP, Per Capital Income, Current Inflation Rate, Unemployment Rate China: The GDP is $3. 42 trillion and officially recorded GDP growth rate is 11. 4% in 2007, per capital income is $ 2000, inflation rate is 7% in 2007 and it has jumped to 8. 7 percent in February after severe winter storms disrupted the economy and worsened food shortages (Chinas inflation at decade high, 2008). Unemployment rate in urban area is 8%-10% (China Unemployment rate, 2008). South Africa: The GDP is $283 billion, real GDP growth rate is 5. % in 2007, per capita income is $ 5700, inflation rate is 7. 1% and unemployment rate is 23% in Sep. 2007 (South Africa: Profile, 2008). Type of Legal System China: The legal system is based on civil law system. It is derived from Soviet and continental civil code legal principles. The legislature holds the power to interpret the acts. There are seven categories of laws in china’s legal system; these are: the constitution and related laws, civil and commercial laws, administrative laws, economic laws, social laws, criminal laws, and litigation and non-litigation procedural laws (The Constitution and Legal System, 2008). South Africa: The legal system is based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law. There is an independent judiciary in South Africa. Constitutional Court and Supreme Court are the highest court in the country. Constitutional Court deals with constitutional matters and Supreme Court deals with the final appeals of all the other matters. The bill of rights provides fundamental political and social rights to South Africas citizens (South Africa, 2008). Type of Economic System China: China is a major economic power and it has great potential of the development. Previously, the public sector was in dominant position, but after 2001, a socialistic market economy is taking place in China and the intensive mode is replacing the extensive mode of economic growth (Economic System, 2008). South Africa: The South African economy is an industrialized and productive economy. It has inadequate distribution of income wealth. Labor is divided into formal and informal sector. Formal sector is more developed, which is based on agriculture, manufacturing, services and mining. South Africa is looking forward for privatization along with free arket economy and favorable investment climate (Economy: South Africa, 2008). Type of Political System China: The National People Congress is the highest authority of state power in China. The people congress system is the fundamental political system in China. The representatives are elected by people at all levels. South Africa: The South African Republic is a federal state constituting of a national government and nine provincial governments. The constitution of South Africa was adopted in 1996 and implemented officially on 4 February, 1997. President of South Africa is the executive head of the state and leads the cabinet. He is elected for a two five year terms by the parliament (South Africa, 2008). Estimates of Future Economic Growth General Economic Projects China: China has become the world’s fastest growing economy after the economic reforms in 1979. It has achieved 11. 4% GDP growth rare in 2007. Industrial manufacturing expansion has contributed in China’s rapid economic growth. European Union, Japan, United States, Hong Kong and ASEAN are the major trading partner of China. Rapid economic growth of China results in an increase in income, which in turn makes China a huge market for a variety of goods and services. So it would be beneficial for any company to start operation in China. South Africa: In previous years, South African economy was not doing well. Government was facing the problem of unemployment and poverty. But in recent years, country is seeking to achieve stable growth rate. To promote economic growth, South Africa is making optimal use of available resources and reducing completer dependence on primary sector industries. South African companies are now investing in retail, banking services, telecommunication and shipping industry. Government is seeking to liberalize its economic policies to attract FDI and increase future economic growth and now outsider companies may think to start its operations in South Africa. Social and Cultural Factors Social factor in China: In China, the main focus of the business entities is on the corporate social responsibility. The Chinese region has become the region full of opportunities for MNC’s in these days because of the rapid rise, elaborating receptiveness and growing consumer market. The social factors reflect the true picture of society’s attitude towards the corporate. The symmetrical society structure stimulates forces on businesses for concentrating on corporate social responsibility (Kyoon, 2007). Cultural factors in China: Understanding the culture of a country is one of the important factors in front of modern organizations. The traditions and customs vary among towns, cities and provinces in China. The social network structures in China assist in understanding the information sharing between the people (Kyoon, 2007). The Chinese environment is now open for the outsiders. The cultural values include the belief in God, unity, optimism and readiness to work together according to the rules of law. Social factor in South Africa: The social environment of South Africa is highly imbalanced and not much developed. It suffers from the problems of increasing population, poverty, illiteracy and lack of resources. The population of South Africa was 40. 6 million in 1996, which is growing rapidly at the rate of 2% per year. If the same trend continues, then by the year 2035, the population of South Africa will be approximately 86 million. This will be a problematic situation as the country has limited resources to support its increasing population. There is already a pressure on the resources to meet the needs and requirements of the people (Social Environment, 1999). Many people in the country live in informal and inadequate houses and just half of the population lives in towns and cities. Many people living in rural as well as urban areas even do not have access to water supply, electricity, sanitation and other services. Nowadays, the urban population of South Africa is rapidly increasing because of factors like growing employment opportunities, land reform and restitution and immigration from other countries. Unemployment and poverty are the major problems in South Africa that affect the social life of the people. The poverty level is the highest among the Black population of South Africa. It has reached up to a level of 60%. The education level of the country has increased as compared to the previous year levels, as the country has reformed its educational system. Almost, all South Africans now have access to education but still about 7. 5 million people are functionally illiterate. Such factors contribute to high crime rates in the country that have noticeably increased in the urban areas. These and other factors contribute to the high crime rates currently experienced in many urban centers. To promote sustainable development and reduce social imbalances such as poverty, unemployment and pressure on natural resources, the Government has developed a number of policies and passed a number of laws aiming at some constructive work in this direction. These include the Reconstruction and Development Programme, a White Paper on Population Policy, and the National Crime Prevention Strategy (Social Environment, 1999). Cultural Factor in South Africa: Africa has a diverse cultural environment with about 800 languages spoken all over the continent. Among these, South Africa have 11 official languages of its own, i. e. English, Afrikaans, Tsonga, Xhosa, Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Zulu, Tswana, Venda, Northern Sotho, and Swati. There are many cross-cultural challenges that are critical to success and organizations should be prepared to face these challenges. Analysis  The company has chosen china for its operations as china has successfully emerged as the best suitable market for the consumer products, especially in terms of the growth rate, potential and the market size. China is providing huge benefits to attract the players from the United States. The growth graph of the china depicts that the market of the consumer electronics is growing with a CAGR of 11. 7 percent from the year 2002 to 2006. Future also shows the greater intensity of market growth. There is a greater possibility of bright future in Consumer Products. The Company is willing to start its operation. Another major factor for establishing operation in china is the population as it is regarded the driving factor for any business. Apart from this, there is a well established market of credit card, which has increased the popularity of the consumer products in the country (Windsor Jones, 1999). China is the highly populous country and demands for consumer products are fuelling with greater pace. In china, urban centers are emerging which are called secondary cities, which comprise of 8 to 10 million people. These cities have huge buying power and industrial development. These cities would be best for the company’s operations and are located interiorly away from the cost. Tsingtao is a city, which is suitable for the operation of the company because its urban area is quickly expanding. It is also having excellent connections with the countryside. The disposable income of the people is quite similar to the people in the bigger cities. Another reason for selecting this place is that the people in this city show greater likeability towards the product of the United States and relate the product with greater degree of integrity. People show positive view and experience towards the U. S consumer products. Operations In order to establish operation in china, company’s chairperson should visit these cities, must talk to the local officials and begin networking. Apart from this, the most important thing is to analyze the competitors’ working and strategies. Another step that the company can adopt is subcontracting, which can be done by forming joint ventures with the manufacturers of china. If the company doesn’t possess enough resources for joint venture, company can go for forming the partnership or consortium in the United States. This consortium acts as the legal entity, which can form partnership with the Chinese manufacturer. The advantage of the consortium is that it reduces risk and the cost for the company (Barron, 2006). While selecting the operations, evaluation should be made based on the analysis of cash accounting and not on absorption accounting. As in absorption accounting, the fixed costs are prorated over small volume of production and thus the number obtained can deter company from moving production to a subcontractor. The other operations include: integrity of product and trade safety, fair balanced economic development, financial sector reform, security energy efficiency, sustainability in environment and bilateral investment. All the above mentioned reforms would help the company to establish business opportunities in china. The agreement between the United States and China that relates to conduction of business with extensive cooperation covers the issue of climate change, environmental sustainability and energy security. This type of agreement would advance the innovation in the technology and the acceptance of extremely-efficient and clean energy technology will encourage the development of technology so as to address the changes in the climate and promoting natural resources. Three major factors, which can determine the success in the Chinese market and should be kept in mind, are: †¢Culture: Understanding of Chinese culture and behavior can provide better option to fulfill the demands of the customers. †¢Value Proposition: This includes having the knowledge of technical know how and understanding the level of competitiveness. †¢Negotiation: The Company should implement negotiation technique as per the way of Chinese. Success of doing business in China depends greatly on the extent of adoption to the requirements of he local customs instead of the value proposition of foreign investors. Legal processes In the process of starting a new business, Legal and regulatory processes play a very vital role. Legal processes include several restrictions, intrusive bureaucracy, dissimilar understanding of regulations from place to place even between authorities and recent formulations of policies that are aimed at safeguarding the domestic companies. Therefore, before starting any operation in the foreign country (china) the company should understand regulations and their applications before entering into any agreement. The company should look for legal proposals from experienced professional firms. Due attention should be given to the financial and legal background and also on the reputation of key partners. Apart from this, partners and employees should be educated on the protection of the intellectual property. If required, the rights can be enforced but for this, all the terms and conditions should be well known. Management Organization Structure Organization structure plays a vital role in determining the success of the company in the host country. Therefore, there is a requirement of change in the organization structure in order to accommodate a firm’s internationalization approach in answer to the worldwide competition. Significant research has shown that the structure of the firm must be conducive to the strategy implementation. In simple words, it can be said that the structure should â€Å"fit† the strategy. Managers should work towards achieving the fit between the structure and the strategy (Gupta, 2007). Management organizational structure refers to the representation of a formal structure, which describes relationship inside an organization. The level to which authorization is assigned ascertains centralization and decentralization. Most of the MNC’s in their initial phases of globalization utilized an international section traversing certain regions of the world to manage the functions in those regions. Matrix organizational structure is very effective for the business. The structure of the organization is decentralized, which merge the advantages of being large with the agility and concentration of smaller organizations. The small segments of the business assist in concentrating more on the needs and equirements of the customers and employees effectively. The company’s employees are associated with the goals and objectives for an established global enterprise. The organization is mainly focusing on the way in which the products and services are delivered to the customers. The development and marketing of products and services in an effective provision provide specialized and quality services to external and internal customers. The autonomous operating companies broaden the geographic reach of the associates around the world and provide larger marketplace and product focus. This way, the employees get closer to the customers and business. The employees would be able to gain more sensation of ownership in driving the business. The employees are authorized to aim their business to fulfill the varying needs of customers inside their regions (Mathew, 2003). The decentralized operating companies, associates and business sections are joined in the organization structure, which ensures that the activities are aligned with the overall strategic objectives. All the employees perform their work systematically with the high ethical standards. As the company rises, the structure also develops, assuring the effective growth of the business portfolio. In recent years, the business sections have constituted shared service groups that raise and confirm the capabilities of the individual companies in the elementary domains of responsibility. The corporate headquarters in the U. S. function with the family of companies for producing great synergism and efficiency by collaboration, dispersion of better patterns and organization of shared business information. The corporate headquarters render direction and services in different critical areas, which include human resources, finance, advertising, and law. The consequences of environmental circumstance (instability of technology), industrial circumstance (production technology) and organization structure on the involvement of customer in product development are the main areas of concentration in China (Windsor Jones, 1999). The earlier results demonstrate that for going through customer orientation in the firms at China, the company has to modulate towards market driven economic entities.

Sociological Theories on Crime and Deviance

Sociological Theories on Crime and Deviance Sociologists investigate the effects of society on criminal and deviant behaviour and seek to understand individuals and their situations. They do this by gathering and utilizing information on age, gender, social class, race and ethnicity. Crime is specifically associated with behaviors that break the formal written laws of any given society; for example, British law states that seatbelts must be worn whilst driving a car. Deviance describes behaviors which infringe cultural norms and values but do not violate any written law; for instance, lying is considered by most individuals as wrong but is not against the law, unless while under oath in a court of law. As individuals even if we disagree with them we are required to abide by societies norms, values and laws. It is useful to think of deviance as a wide category of which crime is smaller part (sociology in perspective, p583) Individuals construct and learn how to fit into society through socialization within our cultures. Correct behavior, or norms and values, are learned through interaction with our family, peers and institutions, such as the education system. Norms are socially acceptable ways of behaving in any given situation, such as knowing we should be quiet in libraries. Values are the fundamental beliefs which underpin a community or society and provide the general principles for human behavior, such as the belief that stealing is wrong; as in the case of stealing, values often become laws. These norms and values and therefore behaviours considered deviant vary widely throughout history, societies, communities and cultures. For example, while one family may overlook belching at the dinner table another may be disgusted by such behavior. Moreover in Chinese culture belching during dinner is considered good manners and a sign of appreciation of the meal, Kwintessential [online]. Therefore, how behavior is regarded depends on the perspective of the people concerned. According to Becker from the perspective of Labelling Theory, no actions are by nature criminal or deviant but instead depends on the norms created by any given society. Therefore, deviance is only deviance if labelled as such through the process of interaction in which meaning is established (Sociology in perspective, pg 604). An example of this idea of labeling is public nudity; overall it is not wrong to be nude but society imposes strict rules on nudity in public places. If brave enough to go nude in publ ic you can be certain that the reactions of others would support this theory. In contrast some tribal communities such as those found in South America and Africa still dress in very little and would react little to public nudity. The idea that killing is wrong, as a fundamental human value, is a good example of how relative our belief systems are. Throughout history cultures such as the Aztecs carried out human sacrifice for their religious beliefs mnsu.edu [on line] and the religious sacrifice of animals still happens in some tribal communities today. Norms and values can become distorted and individuals may resort to stealing or even killing if there is a breakdown of norms, values or regulations. This breakdown of values shows in such cases as mercy killings and assisted suicides; individuals experience feelings of turmoil over their fundamental values and beliefs. There is much debate on the subject of assisted suicide being made legal in Britain, as is the case in countries such as Switzerland and the Netherlands, ask.com [online]. Also stealing is considered wrong by most individuals but again these values are easily distorted, as in the case of hurricane Katrina, Wikipedia [online]. Individuals, who had never stolen, were doing so because they were not able to attain essentials such as food and water, and it was not clear if the normal rules applied. Emile Durkheim, the Emile Durkheim Archive [online] investigated this breakdown and lack of social and moral norms and defined the term anomie. Individuals can deviate involuntarily as well as deliberately; for instance, those suffering from disorders such as Tourettes syndrome have little control over what might be considered deviant language. Whereas someone that steals a car attains their label of deviant through their own deliberate actions Subcultures are often regarded as deviant, for example, Mormon communities live relatively peacefully within wider society yet are often assigned as deviants. In contrast, subcultures such as criminal gangs are less compatible with wider society and cause social disharmony, therefore they attain their deviant label through deliberate actions. These subcultures have their own sets of norms and values to which they abide, these may not conform to the views of wider society but they are perfectly acceptable within their own cultures. Furthermore, individuals may be considered deviant because of their beliefs or sexuality. It could be argued than most religions consider their own beliefs as right and others as wrong. Homosexuality is considered to be deviant by some religions, cultures and individuals but not by others. Until the early 20th century the Siwans of North America expected all normal males to engage in homosexual intercourse, moreover they considered those that refused to be peculiar. In contrast the Rwalar Bedouins considered homosexuality as so abnormal that they put the participants to death. Functionalists argue that we need deviance to bring about social change; for example, suffragettes of the late 19th Century went to prison for their beliefs and helped to bring about womans right to vote. In some societies today such as Saudi Arabia women still do not have voting rights, wiki answers [online]. The plight of the suffragettes could also be used to emphasize a fundamental issue raised by Marxists which is, crime is the product of inadequate social conditions (Sociology in Perspective pg 608) The study of crime and sociology together seeks to understand why some individuals turn to crime and how society as a whole can prevent it. There are many types of crime which fall under three broad categories. The more physical crimes such as mugging and assault fall under Blue-collar crimes. Evidence shows that these types of crimes are most likely to be carried out by the lower or working classes; whereas white-collar crimes such as fraud and embezzlement are most likely to be carried out by the more affluent. Lastly, victimless crimes are crimes that are against the law, but no victim is seen to exist, such as Prostitution. Sociologist use statistics to obtain evidence that enables them to determine social trends such as those discussed above. Statistics can help to identify high crime areas which in turn may be used to help authorities such as the police service to reduce such crime. Lastly statistics are used to compile information for the public, such as advice on taking precautions against crime. However it is generally agreed that crime statistics are seriously flawed and it has been argued that they reveal more about the process and recording of crime than the extent of crime itself; the way police record incidents sometimes changes and so distorts information. The main difficulty is that statistics are derived from only reported crimes, British Crime Surveys show that only around 30% of crime is reported to the police (Sociology pg 181) therefore most crime goes unreported giving a unrealistic view of crime rates. There are many reasons that these crimes may go unreported, for example, people may not report crimes that they deem private or shameful such as domestic abuse. Sometimes a lack of faith in the police may prevent individuals from reporting crime. Also, some crimes go unnoticed, such as stealing from the workplace or drug dealing. Some crimes are more likely to be reported than others, which further distorts crime figures. Lastly, it has been argued that the poli ces own discretion on where to police, who to arrest and which category a crime fits can distort crime statistics. Consequently, statistics are difficult to interpret and questions should always be asked as to what they tell us and what other information should be considered when trying to extract valid information. Subsequently sociologists use other information to analyse the amount of crime in society. Self report studies involve confidential questionnaires that invite a sample of respondents to voluntarily record whether or not they have committed any of a list of offences in a particular time period. Those in favor of self-report studies would argue that they are a good method of determining the social characteristics of criminals but critics suggest they may be unreliable due to the participants exaggerating their answers or not admitting to committing criminal acts. Also the data may be biased as criminals may be less likely to answer questionnaires which may distort the information. It is argued that Crime Surveys or Victim Surveys provide a more accurate measurement of the level of crime in society, because they include hidden crime such as crimes that have not been reported to, or recorded by the police. Also their method of gathering data is consistent and is unaffected by changes in reporting or recording practices that can often hinder police statistics. Critics argue that Crime surveys still underestimate crime levels do to arbitrarily capping the number of crimes one can be victimized by in a given year; this capping can produce an unrealistic measurement in such cases as repeated domestic abuse. Crime surveys are also criticized for excluding under sixteens and those that live in communal establishments, such as nursing homes and university halls of residence. Lastly crime surveys fail to record crimes against victimless crimes such as drug trafficking, crimes against commercial premises or vehicles and because they are victim surveys murder and manslaug hter. Understanding crime and deviance is important as lower crime rates have positive effects on society; for example property values improve and money saved in the police or prison services could be made available for other social projects such as the education system.

Racism in Faulkner’s Dry September Essay -- Faulkner’s Dry September E

Racism in Faulkner’s Dry September When summer turns into autumn everyone knows that changes will occur. People start to wear heavier clothing, the leaves change colors and the most noticeable difference is the weather transformations. Dry September is a fitting title to this short story because numerous changes happen throughout the story as well as during the season. The imagery created provides a solid background for a reader to understand exactly what is going on during this time period. Racial tensions were obviously prevalent and disrespect towards black people was an everyday occurrence. â€Å"You damn niggerlover!† (170). The â€Å"n† word is used repeatedly used to describe Will Mayes and other black folks living in this town. From what I gathered, Mayes did not do anything to the white men; however, they demean his reputation and name. What exactly does the moon have to do with the story? On many occasions, a reference to the moon is made: â€Å"Below the east was a rumor of the twice-waxed moon,† and â€Å"The dark world seemed to lie stricken beneath the cold moon and the lidless stars† (175, 183). In the first quote it seems to me that the word â€Å"twice† is important. â€Å"Did it really happen†¦this ain’t the first man scare she ever had, like Hawkshaw says. Wasn’t there something about a man on the kitchen roof, watching her undress about a year ago† (171). The men in this town seem to think that Minnie Cooper is either lying or making the whole thing up. From reading about her background it seems like she never had any real, true friends and since she wasn’t married maybe yearns for a partner. The relevance of weather keeps popping up in the men’s conversations. â€Å"It’s this durn weather†¦it’s enough to make a man do anythin... ... barber again and again says that he knows Will Mayes and he would never do such a thing against a woman like Minnie Cooper, or anyone for that matter. If anything went wrong back during this time when racism was at its peak, a white man ALWAYS blamed a black man. White men had so many stereotypes and misconceptions about black people that it baffles me today. Just because someone is of a different color than you, why must a person insist in degrading and humiliating that person? The world is a very different place since this story was written however; sadly some people still believe that blacks do not deserve to have all the freedoms that they enjoy today. Dry September was a wonderful short story that included Faulkner’s many favorite subjects; racism and prejudices, colorful, outspoken characters and a storyline that keeps the reader attentive and interested.

F. Scott Fitzgerald and Gatsby S Business

Chapter 7 Questions: 1. Who is Pammy? How does Gatsby react when he sees her? How does her existence complicate Gatsby’s dream? Pammy is the daughter of Daisy and Tom Buchanan. Gatsby looks at Pammy with surprise when he meets her, Tom and Daisy's daughter. He is hurt that Daisy has moved on in life without him, while he remains trapped in the love he has had for her all those years. Pammy is living proof, something you cannot undo, and that is why it hurts Gatsby. 2. How does Tom suddenly come to realize that Daisy loves Gatsby? How does he react?Tom suddenly comes to realize that Daisy loves Gatsby when before lunch Gatsby eyes and Daisy's eyes meet, and â€Å"†¦ stare at each other, alone in space. † Tom realizes that they love each other. Their eyes reveal this to him. Tom reacts in shock and did not say anything. He opened his mouth, looked at Gatsby, then back to Daisy as if in disbelief. 3. What important discovery does Wilson make in this chapter? How does he react? Wilson discovers that his wife had an affair. He believes that Myrtle is unworthy. He needs money so he can go out West. 4. What things has Tom discovered about Gatsby’s business dealings?Tom perceives Gatsby as a low-class hustler, a bootlegger who will never be able to distance himself from his past. In Tom's selective mind, Gatsby is common and therefore his existence is meaningless. He comes from ordinary roots and can never change that. The illusion of Jay Gatsby comes tumbling down. In all of Gatsby's years of dreaming, he never once suspected that he might not have his way. He is no longer able to define himself because the dream defined him and now the dream is gone. 5. Why was Myrtle running towards Gatsby’s car? Who was driving the car that hit Myrtle Wilson? Who does Tom think was driving?Myrtle was running away from her husband because he would not let her go. Daisy was driving the car that hit Myrtle Wilson. Tom thought that Gatsby was driving th e car. 6. How does the accident seem to affect Jordan? Jordan doesn’t seem affected by the accident. She acts as if it is just another event in her partying-lifestyle. Nick refers to all of them as â€Å"rotten† because they are self-absorbed, uncaring, selfish, and dishonest people. Daisy killed Myrtle and doesn't seem to feel a thing. Analysis: 7. What has changed about Gatsby’s house? What might this change symbolize or foreshadow?Gatsby’s house has been overtaken by his dream. He let his own desires corrupt his internal sanctuary. 8. What does the author mean when he writes that Tom looked at Daisy â€Å"as if he had just recognized her as someone he knew a long time ago. † He saw the real Daisy, a person that has been covered up by everyone’s desires. She let people think what they want to feel a part of everything. She let people build up their own reputation for her rather than building it up herself. 9. Why do you think Fitzgerald re fers to Daisy as â€Å"the golden girl†? What does Gatsby say Daisy’s voice is â€Å"full of†?What does this comparison suggest about what really attracts men to her? I think that Fitzgerald refers to Daisy as â€Å"the golden girl† because, she was always expected to do everything perfect so that she did not mess up her family’s reputation. Many are drawn to the rich crowd even if they disapprove of them, like Nick. Daisy represents  material wealth  and all that comes with it. These things are class, beauty, comfort and power. Gatsby said that Daisy’s voice was full of money. This shows that she has power over men. Daisy has always had what she wanted growing up in a wealthy home, including her choice of men. 0. How has Gatsby’s dream died in this chapter? How has everyone else suffered loss in this chapter? Gatsby's dream leads him to the destruction, of both the dream and himself. Gatsby wants to be loved by everyone. He doesà ‚  want to have to earn  Daisy. He constantly wants to be the center of attention and have a reputation as a pillar of society. He wants to be wealthy and almost â€Å"god-like†. 11. After the confrontational scene in the hotel room, why do you think Fitzgerald has Nick report that he has turned thirty that day? What is ironic about Nick turning thirty in this particular chapter?It shows Nick maturing and realizing who everyonje really is rather than hiding in the background. It is ironic because as one is celebrating life others are mourning the death of Myrtle Wilson. 12. In this chapter, Gatsby’s car is described as the â€Å"death car. † If his car symbolizes materialism, how does this add meaning to that symbolism? Identify other â€Å"deaths† found in Chapter 7. Gatsby’s dream has become a death and Daisy’s covered up personality has as well. Gatsby’s car was just a role in this charade because Tom was trying to prove a point to everyone. 13. Why is Nick disgusted with Jordan in the end of the chapter?What has she done or said that irritates him? Nick is disgusted with Jordan in the end of chapter 7 because, he finds out that Jordan was dating  another man. Nick did not see Jordan for a long time. Nick is disgusted by the fact that Jordan is spoiled, dishonest, and careless. Jordan wants to win everything at the expense of honesty and trust. Therefore, she makes herself out to be a dishonest person who lies to get what she wants. 14. Chapter 7 parallels Chapter 1 in many ways. One example is the initial setting at the Buchanan’s; a second example is the heat. Identify at least three other similarities.What might be Fitzgerald’s purpose for this parallelism? Three other similarities are. I think that Fitzgerald’s purpose for this parallelism is, 15. How are Tom Buchanan and George Wilson alike? What might Fitzgerald be suggesting through these similarities? Tom used George to get to his wife Myrtle, who gave him the sense of vitality that he longed for, the sense of vitality that Daisy just could not give him. Tom meditated a devious plan to rid Gatsby from Daisy's life. He purposely took Gatsby's car to Wilson's garage so Myrtle would see it and think that it was Tom's new car. 6. How does Fitzgerald draw comparisons between Tom and Gatsby? What might he be suggesting through these similarities? Both want Daisy to be their very own. Being wealthy, wanting Daisy to be their own, and having hostile feelings towards one another. Both Gatsby and Tom strive to be financially successful. Both Gatsby and Tom find their high status in society important. Differences between one another can lead to negative consequences. They see the bad qualities in themselves and hate each other for it. 17. Compare and contrast the following two images.Identify where each occurs in the story and discuss the meaning behind the similarities and differences. 18 He put his hands in his c oat pockets and turned back eagerly to his scrutiny of the house, as though my presence marred the sacredness of the vigil. So I walked away and left him standing there in the moonlight—watching over nothing. 19 But I didn’t call to him, for he gave a sudden intimation that he was content to be alone—he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling.Involuntarily I glanced seaward— and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and faraway, that might have been the end of a dock. In both of these scenes Gatsby pushes away the help of others. He does not want people to see the real him or get too close. Everyone has feelings and Gatsby is hit hard when people get in between him and his dreams. Staring out into the big sky and open world helps him clear his head.

Autobiography of a 15 Year Old Essay Example

Autobiography of a 15 Year Old Essay Example Autobiography of a 15 Year Old Essay Autobiography of a 15 Year Old Essay Essay Topic: Autobiography of My Mother On 24th April 1998. merely earlier midnight. the female parent of a four twelvemonth old who had been due for the 3rd of May. felt like her 2nd kid was ready to come in the universe. but her father in-law. who had been among the most honorable doctors of the twenty-four hours. declared it to be false hurting. When the state of affairs got serious. she was eventually admitted. and gave birth to a male child. which was much to the captivation of her male parent in-law. who. now holding two grandchildren. could anticipate at least one of them going a physician in the hereafter. The male child was named Siddhant. and was the newest add-on to the Passey household. I must acknowledge that I had a really safe. and unafraid childhood. much like the dream of most. My male parent. Dr Rajiv Passey. who had given his really last test on the 24th. a twenty-four hours before my birth. was on the brink of a successful calling in cardiology. I have learnt a batch from him in the 15 old ages and 2 months of my being. but I shall come to that subsequently. My female parent. Dr Sarita Passey had been learning organic chemical science for the past 4 old ages and has become a good honoured associate professor today. She has been non merely an inspiration. but has inculcated in me assorted things about life on this planet. My brother. Rohan Passey. who is about five old ages senior to me. was in the same school as I between 6th and 12th criterion and is now making electronics and instrumentality technology from Birla Institute of Technology and Science. Pilani. While both my parents state me continuously that I have taken after merely his worst qualities. I believe that is non true. and he has been one of the most illustrative characters of my life. I have ever been told that I am a spot more cognizant for my age. whether in footings of football cognition. or merely cognizing the exact specifications of all the popular smart phones available. and I accredit that to my brother. Interrupting a stereotype I must state. I have really few distinguished memories of my gramps. One of the oldest distinguishable memory that I possess is of my first twenty-four hours at Sardar Patel Vidyalaya. Of class. that was the twenty-four hours when I met some of the people who are my closest friends today. but I besides remember that I became friends with a individual in the coach who was a twelvemonth older to me and over the twelvemonth. we grew highly close. But when the following session of school started I did non see him in the coach. I was told that his male parent had been transferred from Delhi. and therefore he had changed schools. I feel really ashamed at myself today that I can non even retrieve his name. but the lesson I learnt so is that sometimes you have to allow travel of things. whether they be an intangible facet like friendly relationship. or a touchable thing like my first guitar. which I do non possess any longer. more on that later. In 2002. when I was 4 old ages old. we got our first computing machine. and that I started playing the game Fifa 2002. As usual. it was merely an imitation of what my brother used to make. This game holds huge importance in my life as it was merely through this game that I developed a liking/fancy for football. the athletics which has become a really crucial/momentous facet of my life today. While playing Fifa. I used to retrieve the names of all the participants and squads. and at that clip. an Italian squad. AC Milan became my front-runner. and its star striker. Andriy Shevchenko. my favorite participant. This was the first clip when I dreamed about my hereafter. seeing myself as a football star which is in no manner the state of affairs any longer. But I get in front of myself. I supported AC Milan till 28 May 2006. when Shevchenko left Milan for Chelsea. one of the nines I am least fond of even today. and I had to happen a new nine. It was so that I started back uping a Spanish nine. FC Barcelona. While everybody sought out Ronaldinho as their best participant. my favorite participant was a 19 twelvemonth old. Lionel Messi. I even remember holding written an article in originative composing naming him my graven image. and believing that one twenty-four hours he would go the world’s best participant. This portion about football might look irrelevant. but football has become such a important portion of my life that I couldn’t have perchance written an autobiography without including it. Bing a pupil of Sardar Patel Vidyalaya. I did non hold to confront the awfulness of tests till category 6th. I sometimes feel that deficiency of scrutinies may perchance be the ground why I remember so less about my surveies before category 6th. About a twelvemonth ago. while cleaning my room. I found a few books of category 5 every bit good as category 6. While I could retrieve the exact category for most of the scientific discipline chapter of category 6th. I could hardly make the same for the category 5 book. It might look a small uneven. but I think the lone possible account for this occurring is that I did non truly care much about my surveies till I entered category 6th. which I feel is a good thing. because my early childhood was a clip of great merriment! It was merely when I got to category 6th that I truly started to give much attending to my surveies. I must acknowledge it. I was haunted by the thought of scrutinies. I recall holding one time asked my parents how they used to rank in their category during school. merely to hear that they both had ever come in the top three. I knew by looking at his study cards. that the state of affairs of my brother was more or less the same. I do non cognize whether it was merely a instance of utmost captivation coupled with fright of non being able to fit to my parents’ criterions in scrutiny. but I could non halt believing about the thought of tests till I really gave my first test. I got full Markss in Mathematics. and came second in my subdivision ( I got to cognize my rank merely after inquiring most others their per centums ) . I can state for certain that I would hold been really delighted at that point of clip. After giving a twosome more tests. I came to the decision that it would be really hard to retrieve each and every thing that I study so hard on. and since I did non desire all my attempts to travel waste. I decided I would do notes after every test on whatever perchance I could hold done better. And now that I take my ticker to every test and get down fixing early etc. . this thought could reasonably be responsible for the rise in my per centum. I had been introduced to the thought of competitory tests at in-between school degree by my brother. and the idea was reinforced when my best friend Pratyush told me about the assorted tests organised by the Science Olympiad Foundation including the National Science Olympiad ( NSO ) and International Mathematics Olympiad ( IMO ) . Our school did non organize it for categories below 6th so I gave both of them for the first clip that really twelvemonth. I did non fix really hard for the test and hence got a really mean consequence. and that was when I asked my brother every bit good as Pratyush for some tips sing such tests. and when I was selected for the Ramanujan test in category 7th. I prepared hard this clip and ended up procuring a bronze decoration from among all pupils of Delhi /NCR. It was around this clip that I foremost heard about the National Talent Search Exam ( NTSE ) which was held for category 8th and is considered to be the most esteemed test at school degree. I was really aroused to give the test when I heard about the scholarship it offers and idea I would analyze for the following whole twelvemonth. the manner I had studied about a month before the old test I had given in my school. It was as if clip flew when I found myself holding finished the category 8th first semester tests. with about two months to travel for the first ( province ) degree of NTSE. I told my father- who had ever been an of import usher in all types of studies- that I felt it was excessively late and asked him whether it was deserving it for me to get down fixing now. At that clip he told me. and I quote It is neer excessively late’ . That line gave me the inspiration to travel for it and analyze for the following two months with all my might. I gave the first degree of the test and got ranked 42nd among the 50 pupils selected from Delhi. I was told that if I had qualified the first degree from Delhi. it was really improbable for me to non acquire selected in the 2nd degree. Even so. I had some sum of fright in myself. but I gathered all the finding in myself confidently gave the second degree every bit good as I could hold perchance given it. When the consequences came out. all three of the pupils from our school who had qualified in the first degree. including me and Pratyush. got selected. I ranked highest from our school and 95th All India. among the 1000 pupils selected for scholarship. I had neer seen my parents more proud of me than when I gave them this intelligence. I even retrieve seeing a tear in my mothers’ oculus. but I guess I am excessively immature to grok her feelings at that point. Between the first and 2nd degree of NTSE. I besides gave the Aryabhatta test and came foremost from our school and among the top 50 from Delhi. During these long hours of surveies. my concentration was frequently broken by day-to-day bhajans from the mandir right following to our house. Besides. our tip to Vaishno Devi in 2008 was non precisely a good experience. There were about 20 of us. and we had planned on traveling up to the mandir by a chopper and when all of us except for a household friend had reached. it was announced that the following flights had been cancelled due to the development of a storm. and finally he had to come up on horseback. We had to go all the manner up to the mandir and so back in the heaviest storm I have seen in my life. These two incidents along with the general disposition towards the Godhead in the Indian society made me inquire about his being. I had been taught the Hanuman Chalisa by my female parent and late my female parent had taught me to declaim the undermentioned lines whenever I need God to assist me: Nam Myoho Renge Kyo’ She had been taught this by my Maasi. who had late taken to Buddhism as a 2nd faith. These two things have ever helped me in life and I would ever thank God after every test I passed. or after the smallest of things in which I had asked for his aid. So. after traveling through 100s of pictures on Youtube. and holding questioned my maasi a figure of times. I came to the decision that there will neer be a scientific cogent evidence for the presence or absence of God. We can merely organize our ain sentiment about the Almighty. And I personally believe that there is a God out at that place who does everything for a ground. The ground might look to be inauspicious for some people at first. but it ever has a much greater good’ attached with it. A recent lesson larning event in my life was related to football. I have supported Barcelona of all time since. and it was a dream semen true when my male parent told me we are traveling to Spain for our trip this really twelvemonth. Before traveling to the trip. my male parent arranged for the tickets of a lucifer that was traveling to be held in Barcelona. I had neer been so aroused in my life than when I heard my male parent give me this astonishing intelligence. We foremost went to Madrid. and we visited the whole museum nowadays in the bowl of Barcelona’s rival nine. Real Madrid. I was evidently aroused thought that we would see the museum of the nine that I fancy the most every bit good. But when we got to Barcelona. I realised that there was no clip left at all for us to see the museum. The lone twenty-four hours possible was the twenty-four hours of the lucifer. but my male parent rejected my supplications as the household we had come with ( my bua’s household ) had thought of it as a twenty-four hours of remainder. When eventually the twenty-four hours arrived. it rained really to a great extent. and in no manner would it hold been possible for us to see the museum. That twenty-four hours I realised that one can non hold everything. and one needs to remain content with what one has. I went to the lucifer that twenty-four hours and enjoyed it more than anything else in my life. I ab initio thought of this undertaking to be nil but a sheer waste of clip. But now that I’ve finished it. I’ve come to gain that it was an experience through which I could understand my life and the forces that have shaped me. and lay a foundation for a much more hard and ambitious life yet to come. the journey of going a physician. It is merely now that the undermentioned quotation mark by Fernando Pessoa makes sense to me: Direct experience is an equivocation. or a hiding topographic point. for those without any imaginativeness. To narrate is to make. while to populate is simply to be lived.

GECON 200 Essays

GECON 200 Essays GECON 200 Essay GECON 200 Essay Essay Topic: Rebuttal Name: Instructor: Course: Date: : GECON 200 Torre, Pablo. Indianapolis will bid to host 2018 Super Bowl. Sports Illustrated. July 18, 2012. Web. Accessed on July 18, 2012.The City of Indianapolis struggled to clinch the hosting of the 2018 Super Bowl tournament amid renewed economic and public relations scandals and controversies. The city had hosted previous Super Bowl competitions but due to economic problems, had lost the qualifications to do so over a period of three years. Led by the Mayor Greg Ballard, the city expressed their interest in presenting a formal bid on Wednesday amid cheers from different stakeholders such as organizers who assisted in the planning of the February 5th games and other events leading up to it. The financial benefit that was expected from hosting the Super Bowl reached up to $152 million in direct economic impacts and other related benefits.The Mayor made an approximate that around 84 cents in every dollar for the tournament stayed in Indianapolis. A study on the economic impact of clinching t he tender to host the 2018 Super Bowl estimated that over 100,000 visitors would grace the city within the ten days before the games begun and over 200,000 visitors during the course of the tournament. The host committee chairperson Mark Miles said in a separate comment that corporate donations had exceeded $ 1.8 million that would be allocated to the games in 2018.Retrieved from http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/football/nfl/07/18/indianapolis-super-bowl-2018-bid.ap/index.htmlFitzpatrick Dan Kapner Suzanne. Big Banks Prepare another Round of Cuts. Wall Street Journal. July 18, 2012. Web. Accessed on July 18, 2012.The Wall Street Journal ran an article on the proposed budget and expenditure cuts aimed at banks and other financial institutions. Global financial companies were preparing for downsizing programmes in the wake of unstable markets, shaky stock prices and skewed economic growth. Led by Credit Suisse Group AG and Bank Of America Corp., the drive to introduce new cost c uts was much later taken up by Citigroup and other financial institutions. Most notably was Goldman Sachs who made an outright admission that the economic times were dire and downsizing was critical to survival. Canadian biggest banks also took an inspection of the different ways in which their expenses could be lowered in the preparation of slower growth and profit margins. Analysis done by experts such as John Aiken predicted the grappling situation by most international banks needed a quick intervention which downsizing could easily offer. The head-count reduction was however not considered the first option that most banks had. Aiken mentioned that some banks were looking into fiscal measures such as altering their variable compensation structures to defer payments rather than cutting jobs.Retrieved from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444097904577535180303693776.html?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTWhatsNewsCollection#articleTabs%3DarticleFareed Zakaria Tax and Spend. Times Magazin e. July 23, 2012. Web. Accessed on July 18, 2012.The issue of job creation featured in an article on Times Magazine on Monday that signaled the lower rates of job creation that were beginning to be acceptable by the populace. Over the month of June, around 80, 000 jobs were created which showed a slowing down in the economic recovery of USA. The past recessions were always accompanied by a spring back that featured growth in the employment rates. However, the rate of employment after recessions has been on a receding trend. In the 19th century, jobs were available in less than fifteen months of climbing out of recessions. However, in the 20th century, this period tended to stretch up to 39 months.Currently, the Times put the employment availability period after the 2008 recession at sixty months. This information was seconded by a study done by McKinsey. Fareed, in the article, attributed this phenomenon to two major forces: globalization and the spread of the Information Age. These two factors were cited as being responsible for the economic growth for many previously third world countries in Asia and South America. They have also expanded the economic activities within America. The downside to the impact that these two forces had was that they made it easier for capital-intensive economic growth that made wageworkers a last resort within America.Retrieved from time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2119336,00.htmlRandall W. Forsyth. The Euro’s Fate Barrons. July 14th 2012. Web. Accessed on July 18, 2012.Amid the recent events happening in Europe particularly the elections in Greece, the economic recession and the European Union leaders summit, the announcement by Airbus to establish its first production firm in the U.S. was perhaps the most surprising and intriguing. This was the first sign that the economic crisis that plagued Europe had finally begun taking its toll on domestic companies. In following the footsteps of BMW and Mercedes-Benz, Airbus wa s not only running away from the harsh economic conditions but also the waning power of the Euro. The best solution to aid the rising unemployment rates and deficits in growth would be through monetary reflation. By lowering the bar to have a cheaper Euro, Europe would still be able to retain its competitiveness in the international financial arena, end its debt crisis and salvage the Euro in one move. This proposed solution had been applied earlier in the last decade with excellent results that bolstered the rate from $1.60 to around $1.22. Debasing the Euro may therefore be the best solution that Europe has in surviving the tough economic times.Retrieved from http://online.barrons.com/article/SB50001424053111904184504577519232109403716.html?mod=BOL_hpp_cover#articleTabs_article%3D1Dean Hoff Meyer. Capital One repays consumers to end card probe. Richmond Times Dispatch. July 19, 2012. Web. Accessed on July 18, 2012Capital One was on Monday compelled to compensate its customers over $120 million over federal charge claims that it tricked its shareholder into overspending on add-on services like credit monitoring and payment protection. Richmond’s largest private employer faced a charge against them presented by the court that had violated the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Act that was created to protect consumers from exploitative companies having hidden exorbitant fees. A large chunk of the compensation by Capital One was expected to go directly to the consumers. The McLean branch of Capital One was reported to have paid up to $150 million to consumers, $35 million to the Comptroller’s Office and $ 25 million to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.Richard Cordray, the director at Consumer Financial Protection Bureau commented in a press conference over the Capital One issue by saying that such problems were not isolated to Capital One and that he expected other companies to follow the same trend in compensating gullible customers who were unfairly taxed or coerced out of their money. A representative at the Clear Point Credit Counseling Services also pointed out that there were no requirements for consumers to add services to qualify for loans or credit.Retrieved from http://www2.timesdispatch.com/business/news/2012/jul/19/tdmain01-capital-one-repays-consumers-to-end-card–ar-2067611/Edward Wyatt. Despite Stronger Financial System, Report Cites Threats to U.S. Market Stability. New York Times. July 18, 2012. Web. Accessed on July 18, 2012 Among the biggest threats to the stability in the American financial markets was the uncertainness in the Euro zone countries, the fiscal uphill faced by America at the end of every fiscal year and a weakening federal regulatory panel. The assessment by the Financial Stability Oversight Council that was made up of regulatory heads forms the Exchange Commission. The Federal Reserve and other agencies painted a grim picture for the American economic future. The Council particularly mentioned cyber threat as an emerging threat as well as the fact that many financial institutions might have focused on complex trading strategies at the expense of their security that could result in losses due to a change in short-term interest rates. The council also cited certain financial market utilities as posing the largest threat and recommended the increased monitoring of these utilities. Most of them were clearing agencies that facilitate the operations of trades of financial instruments. Other outcomes of the study done included reforms for the money market funds that were expected to make the funds less susceptible to investors if they were to run losses. Greater customer protection and segregation of customer assets were other recommendations passed by the council. Retrieved from nytimes.com/2012/07/19/business/economy/report-cites-threats-to-market-stability.html?_r=1ref=business Helft Miguel. JC Penney CEO: It may get worse before it gets better. July 18, 2012. Web. Accessed on July 18, 2012In a conference at Fortune Brainstorm Tech, the JC Penney CEO, Ron Johnson predicted doom for one of America’s leading mobile and online application developer. The introduction of Ron Johnson as the head of Fortune Brainstorm Tech coincided with one of the worst times for the firm. The company had experienced setbacks in their marketing experiments that flopped dreadfully. The firm had also lost most of its customers by withdrawing the discounts and coupons that it previously offered. Sales had dropped sharply and the customer traffic to their stores had dipped significantly. In a rebuttal by critics, Johnson announced that he would stick to his plan of maintaining competitive prices in order to attract customers.Ron Johnson also mentioned the adjustments that were planned for regional stores. He announced the revamping of the technology infrastructure by installi ng an Oracle system that included an improved mobile checkout system and RFID tags that were expected to speed up purchases. However, even with these reforms, Johnson warned that the company might experience more losses before it fully recovered and recorded growth. Ron proposed a start-up approach that hinted the possibility of downsizing and a nod from the company board. He also negated claims that physical stores were being ousted by online retailing. Retrieved from http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2012/07/18/jc-penney-ron-johnson/ Paul R. La Monica. Will Facebook earnings be THAT bad? Money. June 18, 2012. Web. Accessed on July 18, 2012 The floating of shares by the world’s richest social networking site, Facebook was followed by predictions that the earnings from the shares would not be as rosy as expected. Basing their arguments on the behavior that the stock had in the two years since it debuted, most critics placed Facebook shares alongside similar flops such as Nokia, Yahoo and Hewlett- Packard. The Facebook shares went down more than 10% within a week and this was from a10percentage rise from its June low of $25.52 that triggered an alarm among economists on the future of its earnings. The sluggish global economy was one of the reasons for the dismal share performance that also affected other firms likewise. Facebook however had a problem with finding ways through which they could profit off mobile users even as the consequences of acquiring Instagram at exorbitant prices caught up with the compa ny. The poor performance in the stock market may be due to a realization that Facebook might have been a victim of too much publicity during its IPO period. However, the article stated that it might be too early to write off Facebook as a failure. On the contrary, the mistake lied in the way the IPO was poorly handled. The company will still be able to attract experts and invest in developers that will help it grow.Retrieved from http://buzz.money.cnn.com/2012/07/18/facebook-earnings/?iid=HP_MP_RiverLouboutin Christian. Duchess doesn’t need advice. People Magazine. May 24th, 2012. Web. Accessed on July 18, 2012Christian Louboutin commented on the sensational debate over whether the Duchess of Cambridge’s top-of-the-line fashion franchise might be in need of advice from top designers by pointing out the success that she has achieved so far by depending on her market skills. The thirty-year old duchess, Kate Middleton came into the international spotlight after launching the red-soled shoes that were posted at extravagant prices and purchased by prominent figures all over Europe. The sales figures for the branches of clothing lines, footwear and other fashion stalls that were owned by Miss Middleton showed a strong selling power even in the continuing economic instability in America and Europe. One of the stores, Debenhams adopted a cutomer-centered approach by meeting the customer’s needs and preferences especially on key events such as Christmas and Mother’s Day.The total investments by the royalty grew by 34.9% in the first quarter of 2012 and currently stand at 42%. The chief executive at Debenhams stated that their approach involved communication with customers alongside stocking great value increased their sales growth exponentially. Similar sentiments were echoed by the top leaders at Jenny Peckham. Kate Middleton became a significant economic figure in Europe after her economic activities were credited with giving the British economy over$1.6 billion boost through fashion sales.Retrieved from peoplemagazine.co.za/article.aspx?id=22325h=Louboutin:-Duchess-doesn%E2%80%99t-need-adviceChristopher S. Rugaber. US home construction makes slow, steady comeback. Daily News Record. July 18, 2012. Web. Accessed on July 18, 2012Within America, the general trend in the housing sector has been the increase I the erection of houses. This urgency to build housing facilities contributes to the long-awaited recovery that could boost the U.S. economy. Housing economists commented that the housing sector was expected to recover faster than it had. However, builders had started responding to buyers who were attracted by lower prices, lower mortgage rates and rising rents. This has increased the appeal for purchasing homes. The increased construction activities were reported to have coincided with higher stock prices for building firms and increased confidence in the housing sector.The bulk of the market was estimated to be s ingle-family homes who contributed the largest growth as was indicated by the highest number of permits taken since March 2010.This housing sector rejuvenation also influenced the Dow Jones industrial average which closed up at 103 point. The continued resurgence in the housing sector was predicted to benefit the flailing American economy that was weakened by lower consumer spending and slow employment rates.Retrieved from dnronline.com/hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-07-18-Housing%20Starts/id-93ebc4fd0d814560b100c0ffaa4e33f9 Preeti Kulkarni .Why top-up home loan is a better option in emergency. The Economic Times. July 18, 2012.Web. Accessed on July 18, 2012 The article Why top-up home loan is a better option in emergency discussed the hidden ramifications and benefits that a top-up home loan could have in times of an emergency. Most home loans are considered heaven-sent opportunities through which many people can own a house. Most financial g urus also advice individuals to take out these kinds of loans. The problem however would arise when they needed money urgently. Preeti urged new home owners who were interested in taking up such kinds of loans to consider additional loan or top-up loans. Banks generally offer top-ups at lower rates than the actual loan. One of the benefits of top-ups cited in the article included the extension of such loans to the existing home loan borrowers. This meant that it was only offered to existing clients of certain banks that would explain the comfortable tenure of top-ups loans that would sometimes go up to 20 years. In considering a potential candidate for a top-up loan, the banks consider the value of the property, the repayment trend, the outstanding initial loan and the ability to repay the top-up loan before approving the loan.Retrieved from http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/personal-finance/loan-centre/home-loans/analysis/why-top-up-home-loan-is-a-better-option-in-emergency/artic leshow/15036450.cms

Review Of Jobless Turn To Work Helping Others

Review Of Jobless Turn To Work Helping Others Review of "Jobless Turn to Work Helping Others" In a perfect economic situation nobody would face unemployment, but we don't live in a perfect world. In an ever-changing economy, there are good times; and then there are not so good times. If I learned anything about economics from this article, it would be to make the most of the good times; and do what you can in the less than good times. This article describes two twenty-something workers who found high paying jobs when the economy was booming in the late 1990's, and then lost those jobs in recent corporate layoffs. All was not lost because they found jobs where business is still booming.Michael Cagan, age 27, was working for the well known brokerage company Charles Schwab when he got the pink slip last September. Around the same time Hattie Washington, age 26, lost her job as an administrative assistant at TeleCheck International.English: The Frances Perkins Building of the U.S. ...In December they were both hired at Money Managem ent, a non-profit firm that provides nationwide credit counseling. Now they teach others what they had to learn about managing their finances. Cagan had a mortgage payment of $522 and a new salary, which was 40% less than what he was making. Washington had credit card debt of $3,000; she enrolled in Money Management's debt reduction program herself in the hopes of one-day qualifying for a home loan.According to U.S. Department of Labor statistics, about 1.15 workers ages 16 to 24 lost their jobs when employment for that age group was peaked at 20.8 million jobs in December 2000. Over about the same time period the workers age 25 and over suffered a loss of 1.5 million jobs after hitting a peak of 115.3 million jobs in March of 2001. It seems that younger workers have it...

Post-Modernist Architecture Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10000 words

Post-Modernist Architecture - Coursework Example In postmodern period, which is inherently marked by capitalistic symbolism of faade -the media is speaking in the background of the architecture A very genuine question emerges which requires an investigation; has faade become architecture or does the architecture become faade. The marriage of facade and architecture to target new consumerism is outstanding phenomenon of the new age and new culture. Chapter 1: Post-Modernist Approach to Architecture and Advertising: The post modernism is marked by strong cultural change which is reflected in the collective practices in the art, architecture, society, politics, ethics and the connectivity. It is a notion of more global expression which desires for quick attention and immediate results. The impact of post modernism is global as it's impact is seen and felt not just on one section of society rather the force of impact is felt on a much wider range including aesthetics and other dimensions of societies manifested in global sphere. " "Postmodern architecture" referred to a movement, emerging in the 1950s, that reacted against modem architecture, reasserting the importance of decoration, ornament, and expression against the prevailing taste for austere functionalism in capitalistic society"(Carrol, 1997) Architecture as an art form is very closely connected with consumerism, which is a vital force which stirs the momentum of the medi a in the present age of active field which has emerged as media architecture. The marriage of media and architecture has been the reflection of the changing society in the last few decades. The force of consumerism is very powerful, in organizing the momentum of architectural expression in the form of construction of buildings. In the present post modern phase of artistic expression 'high art architecture' has the power to make a bold statement to the world and in many ways can be said to have become a 'consumerist commodity itself'. Architecture has become faade in the light of modern consumerism and powerful influence of capitalism. The manipulative power of such consumerism in the current era is seen to overpower the artistic aspect of the building and the architecture. The new age architecture is not just a reminder of the classic and artistic feature of the olden times but are largely influenced by the images and displays provided in their background for public at large. The pr oduction of buildings is largely result of such consumerism; and they vary from dynamic structure like Time Square in New York and Allianz Arena in Germany to shopping malls which have the power to attract consumers and serve as a catch. The present day architecture has become as faade, which speaks through images and displays with the objective to communicate with the public and aim at certain impact to promote and stimulate consumerism. The role of the new postmodern phenomena, the increasing rise of capitalism and the dynamic introduction of the consumerism in the backdrop of architectural aesthetic which is dazzled by the illumination lights, messages and giant screens is aimed to hypnotize the consumer into action. The objective is purely commercial and economic and the outcome is a genre which buys into irrational urges overpowered by the faade, shinning and dazzling high above as a form of art to

What is the best way to educate American children Essay - 1

What is the best way to educate American children - Essay Example The individualism in this response makes it clear that there is no one right answer to the question and that choice is a necessary component to any functional system of education. For instance, the standards applied to one student may clearly fail to apply to another student of significantly diminished abilities, and for the latter child, special attention may be required. However, there are many proposed answers to the question of the best means to educate in our society, and many of them require universalizing a single means touted as the most effective or most efficient in all cases. While not the best for all cases, home-based education does offer the best chance for the average student to succeed and thrive in a comfortable and beneficial learning environment. Other solutions to the problem of education, namely independent (or private) schools and traditional (or public) schools, do not offer the same kind of benefits as home-based education. Moreover, these alternative solution s are based on philosophically opposed assumptions and thereby forge a gulf through which home-based education passes through and asserts itself as the ideal solution. Home-based education is superior with respect to two intellectually significant criteria. The first is educational performance, which, as identified in Henslin (2005), is demonstrably better in homeschooled children than in their peers educated in a public school system. In a testing scenario, targeting 21,000 home schooled children who had much higher proficiency on these tests than that of students in public schools, home schooled children outperformed their public school counterparts in every meaningful category of evaluation. In this study, the students highlighted scored in the 70th and 80th percentiles, which is 10 to 20 percentage points higher than when these tests were administered to public school students (Henslin, 2005, pp. 512-13). The second criterion is moral and ethical in nature: how does the

International Legal Aspects of Iraq's Sustainable Development Dissertation

International Legal Aspects of Iraq's Sustainable Development - Dissertation Example On another note, decades of stagnation and sanctions in the Saddam regime meant that further oil and gas exploration was not possible. In addition to Iraq’s proven reserves of oil and gas, it is expected that another 45 billion to 100 billion barrels of crude oil remain unexplored1. On another note, it is ironic that for the fiscal years 2009 and 2010, Iraq’s central government had to face a fiscal deficit even though there are vast oil and gas reserves in the country’s territory. The lack of effective frameworks to explore and exploit the oil and gas resources has led the Iraqi nation to a miserable state such that the Iraqi’s long term sustainable development is highly impaired. This chapter will look into various forms of international petroleum agreements to observe how they have been implemented throughout the world and in Iraq’s case. Given the fact that Iraq changed regimes, the international petroleum agreements binding it internationally al so changed. ... chapter will also look into how political factors, both external an internal, tend to affect petroleum agreements, especially, in the context of the friction between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the federal Iraqi government. This chapter will then explore the environmental clauses of Iraqi petroleum agreements and ascertain its bearing on community development and economic development targets. Lastly, the chapter will look into the various legal challenges that sustainable development of oil and gas resources face in Iraq at the present. Evolution of International Petroleum Agreements International petroleum agreements (IPA) have evolved over time as the relationship between suppliers and producers has transformed through its highs and lows. In the modern day, IPAs are well established tools of business and a narrow range of IPAs tends to provide for most business arrangements between petroleum producers and suppliers. The various legal arrangements utilised under internatio nal law and IPA to benefit the petroleum producer and supplier are being discussed in order to evaluate what kinds of legal arrangements are more sustainable than others. This will further be applied in Iraq’s case to decipher how Saddam era petroleum agreements tend to differ from modern oil and gas contracts, especially with reference to sustainability and sustainable development for the people of Iraq. Concession Agreements Since most nation states tend to assume control of any mineral resources discovered in their territory, it is a direct consequence that they tend to represent any such interests under international law. The discovery of oil over the globe in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century saw a number of nation states trying to conjure legal arrangements to

Concept of correlation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Concept of correlation - Essay Example An example of a perfectly positive correlation can be supply of good with respect to the price of good. As the price increase, the suppliers tend to supply more of the product. This graph above shows that the variables are perfectly negatively correlated as an increase in the value of the independent variable causes the value of dependent variable to decrease by the slope of the equation. An example of a perfectly negative correlation can be the demand of good with respect to the price of good. As the price increase, the consumers tend to less of the product. The correlation between two variables is weak if they are close to zero whether they are negative or positive. GDP and interest rates of the economy are correlated but the magnitude of correlation is very low. On the other side, there might be a strong correlation between smoking and lung cancer. 1) As per the government policy, the federal government subsidizes or gives free school lunches to students whose family income is below a certain level, usually close to the poverty level. So higher the number of eligible students for lunch, higher will be the amount of funding received by the school WidgeCorp can use this correlation analysis to effectively market its cold drinks in public schools. Since we know that there is a positive correlation between free school lunches and poverty level therefore WidgeCorp can approach the government to offer quality foods at affordable rates. There will be a stiff competition on the basis of price therefore as a case of bulk discounting WidgeCorp should offer quality foods to Government on competitive

Explain the difficulty in accounting for service trade versus tangible Essay

Explain the difficulty in accounting for service trade versus tangible goods in the Balance of Payments (BOP) framework - Essay Example Therefore, such transactions may not be reported, recorded, or even traced. As opposed to physical goods, the valuation of services is considered to be a difficult task as there may not be a single basis for measuring them and different companies within a single country may be using different approaches to recording of financial data. It is also impossible to deliver the same service or standard of service to customers which may create an argument that services may not recorded on a standardized manner (Arnold, 2011). It is also understood that the valuation of financial services including derivatives can have varying effects on balance of payments of different countries as they are based on different bases of measurement. Furthermore, there may be lacking of benchmarks which can be used for recording and measuring of services. Therefore, it is impossible to include all items of services in the current

Pearl Harbor Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Pearl Harbor - Research Paper Example From the research it can be comprehended that the attack on Pearl Harbor will forever spark imagination borne in mind; 4,000 Americans were wounded or killed. Much of how Pearl Harbor started bothers many since; there are various things that occurred before the attack. It is documented that, on September 1940, the United States imposed restriction on Japan towards prohibiting exporting of Scrap iron, steel, and fuel. On April 1941, the Japanese signed the neutrality treaty with Soviet Union to prevent the attack if they were to go to war with the United States or Britain. Toward the end of July 1941, the United States, Netherlands, and Britain froze Japanese resources. Eventually, Japan could not purchase oil, which in turn, crippled its army as well as, its air forces. Japan seized the opportunity to take Southeast Asia’s resources but, all was in vain. Typically, the U.S demanded that Japan withdraws from Indonesia and China, though this could be settled with a token not to take more territory. In essence, the Japanese military was requested to device the war pan and also get the oil embargo lifted precisely. In this context, the U.S knew that the attack was imminent bearing in mind; their relationship with the Japanese Military was broken. Prior to the attack, warnings had been sent from Washington, though it arrived late. Before the attack, Japanese planes were spotted, but it was implicated to be American’ Flights. ... Toward the end of July 1941, the United States, Netherlands, and Britain froze Japanese resources. Eventually, Japan could not purchase oil, which in turn, crippled its army as well as, its air forces. Japan seized the opportunity to take Southeast Asia’s resources but, all was in vain. Typically, the U.S demanded that Japan withdraws from Indonesia and China, though this could be settled with a token not to take more territory. In essence, the Japanese military was requested to device the war pan and also get the oil embargo lifted precisely. In this context, the U.S knew that the attack was imminent bearing in mind; their relationship with the Japanese Military was broken. Prior to the attack, warnings had been sent from Washington, though it arrived late. Before the attack, Japanese planes were spotted, but it was implicated to be American’ Flights. On December 7th 1941, it was a peaceful Sunday morning on the Hawaiian island. The first wave of the Japanese airplanes left six aircraft carriers with struck Pearl Harbor before 8 AM local time. After two waves of terror lasting, the disaster had occurred. Over 3, 500 Americans were badly damaged by 18 ships, and a lot of resources were destroyed. The attack lasted approximately 2 hours, from 7.55 A.M to 10.45 A.M. The first Wave struck Pearl Harbor at 7.55 .A.M, and the second one around 8.50 A.M. With no doubt; the attack on Pearl Harbor was military strike organized by the Japanese against the U.S. WHERE IT STARTED The attack on Pearl Harbor started at Hawaii, on a Sunday morning. Many American servicemen were either eating breakfast or still in pajama when the attack began. This stands out that,

Concept of correlation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Concept of correlation - Essay Example An example of a perfectly positive correlation can be supply of good with respect to the price of good. As the price increase, the suppliers tend to supply more of the product. This graph above shows that the variables are perfectly negatively correlated as an increase in the value of the independent variable causes the value of dependent variable to decrease by the slope of the equation. An example of a perfectly negative correlation can be the demand of good with respect to the price of good. As the price increase, the consumers tend to less of the product. The correlation between two variables is weak if they are close to zero whether they are negative or positive. GDP and interest rates of the economy are correlated but the magnitude of correlation is very low. On the other side, there might be a strong correlation between smoking and lung cancer. 1) As per the government policy, the federal government subsidizes or gives free school lunches to students whose family income is below a certain level, usually close to the poverty level. So higher the number of eligible students for lunch, higher will be the amount of funding received by the school WidgeCorp can use this correlation analysis to effectively market its cold drinks in public schools. Since we know that there is a positive correlation between free school lunches and poverty level therefore WidgeCorp can approach the government to offer quality foods at affordable rates. There will be a stiff competition on the basis of price therefore as a case of bulk discounting WidgeCorp should offer quality foods to Government on competitive

Pearl Harbor Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Pearl Harbor - Research Paper Example From the research it can be comprehended that the attack on Pearl Harbor will forever spark imagination borne in mind; 4,000 Americans were wounded or killed. Much of how Pearl Harbor started bothers many since; there are various things that occurred before the attack. It is documented that, on September 1940, the United States imposed restriction on Japan towards prohibiting exporting of Scrap iron, steel, and fuel. On April 1941, the Japanese signed the neutrality treaty with Soviet Union to prevent the attack if they were to go to war with the United States or Britain. Toward the end of July 1941, the United States, Netherlands, and Britain froze Japanese resources. Eventually, Japan could not purchase oil, which in turn, crippled its army as well as, its air forces. Japan seized the opportunity to take Southeast Asia’s resources but, all was in vain. Typically, the U.S demanded that Japan withdraws from Indonesia and China, though this could be settled with a token not to take more territory. In essence, the Japanese military was requested to device the war pan and also get the oil embargo lifted precisely. In this context, the U.S knew that the attack was imminent bearing in mind; their relationship with the Japanese Military was broken. Prior to the attack, warnings had been sent from Washington, though it arrived late. Before the attack, Japanese planes were spotted, but it was implicated to be American’ Flights. ... Toward the end of July 1941, the United States, Netherlands, and Britain froze Japanese resources. Eventually, Japan could not purchase oil, which in turn, crippled its army as well as, its air forces. Japan seized the opportunity to take Southeast Asia’s resources but, all was in vain. Typically, the U.S demanded that Japan withdraws from Indonesia and China, though this could be settled with a token not to take more territory. In essence, the Japanese military was requested to device the war pan and also get the oil embargo lifted precisely. In this context, the U.S knew that the attack was imminent bearing in mind; their relationship with the Japanese Military was broken. Prior to the attack, warnings had been sent from Washington, though it arrived late. Before the attack, Japanese planes were spotted, but it was implicated to be American’ Flights. On December 7th 1941, it was a peaceful Sunday morning on the Hawaiian island. The first wave of the Japanese airplanes left six aircraft carriers with struck Pearl Harbor before 8 AM local time. After two waves of terror lasting, the disaster had occurred. Over 3, 500 Americans were badly damaged by 18 ships, and a lot of resources were destroyed. The attack lasted approximately 2 hours, from 7.55 A.M to 10.45 A.M. The first Wave struck Pearl Harbor at 7.55 .A.M, and the second one around 8.50 A.M. With no doubt; the attack on Pearl Harbor was military strike organized by the Japanese against the U.S. WHERE IT STARTED The attack on Pearl Harbor started at Hawaii, on a Sunday morning. Many American servicemen were either eating breakfast or still in pajama when the attack began. This stands out that,

Chocolate liquor Essay Example for Free

Chocolate liquor Essay Chocolate is a confection made from cacao beans, the seeds of the cacao plant. There are a large number of products made from it on the market, from powdered cocoa for making drinks to white chocolate, and most markets carry a cross-section of confections for their customers. In addition to being available at general markets and grocery stores, chocolate can also be purchased from specialty companies which make luxury and distinctive confections. Making chocolate is a time consuming process. Cacao plants are grown on plantations in South America, where the plant is native, and in parts of Africa. There are actually several varieties of cacao plant, all of which produce chocolates with slightly different flavors, and the flavor is also impacted by where the plant it grown, how it is handled after harvest, and how it is processed. Companies invest a great deal of money in developing ideal blends of cacao beans to create the flavors their consumers are used to. Cacao beans grow in large pods which are harvested once they ripen and then allowed to ferment. Initially, the cacao beans are extremely bitter; the fermentation process softens the bitterness, allowing producers to move on the next steps, roasting and hulling. Roasting helps to develop the flavor of the beans, while shelling exposes the cacao nibs, the portion of the bean which has all the flavor. Once cacao nibs are extracted, they must be ground into a substance known as chocolate liquor. This liquor isnt something youd want to eat: it is extremely fatty, thanks to the cocoa butter it contains, and it is gritty and bitter. This liquid is then pressed to create what is known as press cake, a substance consisting primarily of cocoa solids, while the cocoa butter is allowed to drain away. Once press cake has been created, producers have a number of options. To make cocoa, they can squeeze the press cake even more to isolate the cocoa solids before allowing it to dry and then pulverizing it. They can also blend some of the cocoa butter back in, along with sugar and other ingredients, to produce eating chocolate, which is subjected to a process called conching to create a smooth, creamy confection without any traces of grittiness. Eating varieties can also be adulterated with milk, creating milk chocolate, and the level of sweetness can vary widely. For white chocolate, cocoa butter is mixed with vanilla and milk. The history of chocolate is almost as interesting as the confection itself. In its native South America, it was prepared in drinks reserved for royalty and high ranking members of society. When European explorers visited, they were introduced to chocolate, and upon bringing the food back to Europe, it became a big hit. Eventually, Europeans started experimenting, adding sugar and other ingredients and ultimately developing a process which would allow them to make bars in addition to drinks. With the development of bar chocolate, confectioners realized that it had a wide range of possibilities, from candy bar coating to truffles, and the once rare luxury turned into an extremely profitable global industry.