What is Black History Month?

Surprisingly, the answer to that seemingly simple question would have a multitude of different answers, varying in degrees from full support to total outrage, depending on who was asked. The extreme fluctuation in emotional reaction to what appears on the outside to be a month long celebration of heritage lies in the different opinions of some very complex issues. Arguments over the benefits versus harm, and the definition of black history itself are at the core of this heated debate.The month long focus on the history of Black Americans, known as Black History Month, was brought to life by Dr. Carter G. Woodson. Dr. Woodson, â€Å"one of the first black Americans to receive a Ph. D. from Harvard university† (Gearing Up For Black History Month, 2007), was disturbed in the lack of knowledge and availability of Black History in America of any kind. Woodson felt strongly about this lack of history for an entire ethnic group and felt the need to create a forum that would, â€Å"h ighlight the contributions of black Americans to our nation and the world.His goal was to bring to light the â€Å"‘hidden history and culture† of the American people, and through this special observance, help all Americans to appreciate their ethnic roots and develop a mutual respect among the races. † (Gearing Up for Black History Month, 2008) He chose the second week in February because of its association with two great men who had a great impact on the destiny of African Americans: Abraham Lincoln and abolitionist, Frederick Douglas. Today it is even more fitting that this remembrance beobserved in February, as it holds many great achievements for Black Americans including; the birth of a great civil rights leader W. E. B. DuBois, the month that the 15th amendment was passed allowing black’s to vote, the acceptance of the first black senator, and the death of militant leader Malcolm X, naming just a few. (Infoplease, 2009) From the beginning, Woodsonâ⠂¬â„¢s motivation in launching Negro History Week was an, â€Å"initiative to bring national attention to the contributions of black people throughout American history. † (â€Å"Black History Month†, 2000)Prior to that time Black history had been relatively unexplored except for the representation of blacks as slaves or in low and insignificant social positions. (Wikipedia, 2009). However, even from its inception as Negro History Week, this period of remembrance has been a source of contention. Annually, this heated debate over the, â€Å"continued usefulness and fairness of a designated month dedicated to the history of one race† (Wikipedia, 2009) has broken itself down into three major arguments. The first and most hotly debated topic is mainly that of purpose.What is the real underlying purpose of this celebration? One side proposes the benefits of self-identity while the other argues degradation of society. Those who argue on the side of identity feel strong ly that the affects of â€Å"historical amnesia† is the root of the problem. Their position that the long term affects of slavery on the mentality of the people had a more devastating effect than generally understood. (Pitre, 2002) Black History serves the purpose of helping African Americans understand themselves by looking at the uniqueness and origin of their history in relation to the development of world history.Black history would encourage Black Americans to embrace their personal identity as opposed to self-negating one's self (Karenga, 1982). (Pitre, 2002) Connecting with their larger past will give Black Americans the ability to see themselves as part of a repeating cycle of world history that is everchanging and full of opportunity for freedom and productivity. (Pitre, 2002) It is this great power for healing found in our histories that is so indispensable. For history is the substance and mirror of a people's humanity in others' eyes as well as in their own eyes.I t is then, not only what they have done, but also a reflection of who they are, what they can do, and equally important what they can become as a result of the past which reveals their possibilities (Karenga, 1982, 69). (Pitre, 2002) With the desire to let Black Americans have the opportunity to see themselves in a better, broader light and thus inspire all Americans to achieve to become better, proponents of Black History Month encourage schools and educators to enlighten the minds of America’s youth by learning about American history through another ethnic perspective.The aim of a multicultural education is not just an â€Å"appreciation for cultural diversity† (Pitre, 2002) but also a more compassionate perspective that will lead to a more equitable America. It is important to note, however, that in a quest for real multiculturism, learning about Black history is not merely a recitation of a handful of accomplished Black Americans. It is much more than a compilation of inspiring stories, and more of a frank and honest look at the often horrifying realities of the past. It is by looking at history in an unbiased way that truths can be taught, and real lessons learned.For example, one Southern high school committed to multicultural program fought back against the tendency to use a watered down method of inviting speakers with limited knowledge of Black American history or who teach history within the acceptable set framework of the dominant culture. Instead, the high school students chose a non-traditional, Islamic speaker to share historic facts and how they related to the struggles of Black Americans today. The result was outstanding. The reaction of the students was an emotional self-realization that resulted in a life-changing experience. (Pitre, 2002)However, this opportunity to candidly look at the past and see the effects it has had on the present appears to be the root of the problem for those that oppose the observance of Black History Month. Among some of the most ardent fears is the supposition that teaching students the realities of history will color both Europe and the U. S. as bad actors on the world stage. They accuse Black American scholars of having the intention of rewriting history. Disturbingly, at the same time they proffer the weak argument that taking time out for multicultural education takes time away from basic work skills education.(Pitre, 2002) Furthermore, they strongly suggest that teaching Blacks about the â€Å"historical injustices perpetrated against them† (Pitre, 2002) will inspire vengeance against Whites. Any program or curriculum that induces people of African descent to group themselves in opposition to White policies must be squashed in the name of our mutual safety as White people (Kincheloe & Steinberg, 1997, 7). (Pitre, 2002). In addition to these arguments are the attacks that the honoring of Black History Month is nothing more than an opportunity for a marketing device.U nfortunately, this is perfectly illustrated in a flyer encouraging the observance of Black History Month: A community is only as strong as the traditions that hold it together. Procter & Gamble products such as Tide, Bounce and Downy have been a part of the traditions celebrated by African-American families for generations. (Black History Month: Reminds Us of Our Common Experiences and Hopes, 2005) Furthermore, this heated debate over the beneficial versus detrimental perspectives on Black History Month is often subsequently followed by the controversial question of, â€Å"What is Black History?† In one historians point of view, Black History should be understood as Black History that focuses on Black people, their identity, their culture, their social life, their psychology, and the way they have used these ethnic, group, and personal attributes to make history in America and to contribute to histories, countries, and peoples elsewhere on the globe. (Wright, 2002) This very important ideal holds that as Blacks uncover and reveal the truth of their history awareness of White people in American history will also be enlightened.By motivating Black historians to present the truth in a scholarly manner and thus provide the moral guidelines for Black political behavior in America, the racism that scarred the country and the attitudes and beliefs of its people can begin to heal. (Wright, 2002) This ever-present problem of seeking identity through the looking glass of the past is not just an American issue. In the United Kingdom, with large communities of many different ethnic groups the struggle to celebrate Black History Month sheds light on this question of identity in a much clearer way.In an effort to teach Black History and keep school programs alive, they have confronted the issue that their traditional teaching of Black History month focusing on Caribbean Black History is â€Å"failing to connect with the new migrant communities such as the Somalis. T he compelling questions are about making sense of a world whose problems seem dominated by historic questions of identity. †(Hunt, 2006) This search for identity runs deep. As Black Americans struggle to find an acceptable way to identify themselves today and build a stronger foundation for the future, the debate will go on.However, there are still some basic issues with name identity that appear to add to the confusion. For instance, just the identification as Blacks, Black Americans, African Americans, Afro Americans or the orthographical capitalization of the letter â€Å"B† as in black Americans, has caused a strain on the black American community. The suggestion by some black historians that all black Americans are African American became a popular reference even though most Blacks disagreed and saw themselves only as Black Americans, and not identifying themselves in relation to Africa at all.(Wright, 2002) Obviously identity is an important part of viewing not on ly the past, but more importantly, the future. Perhaps this is the reason there is so much disagreement and conjecture. Moreover, it is also obvious that until agreements and decisions can be made, the unity that is necessary to achieve the identity so desperately sought after will remain elusive. Regardless of the debate that forges on, and will one day find a resolution; it seems clear that whether it is black history or white history, it is all American history. ReferencesBlack History Month: Reminds Us of Our Common Experiences and Hopes. (2005, February). Ebony, 60, 46+. Retrieved March 4, 2009, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=5008550464 â€Å"Black History Month: the History of Black History. † Infoplease.  © 2000–2007 Pearson Education, publishing as Infoplease. 04 Mar. 2009 . Black History Month. (2009, March 3). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 18:05, March 4, 2009, from http://en. wikipedia. org/w/index. php? tit le=Black_History_Month&oldid=274609871Gearing Up for Black History Month in February 2008. (2007, December). Curriculum Review, 47, 14+. Retrieved March 4, 2009, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=5024613228 Hunt, T. (2006, October). Whose History Is It Anyway? as Part of the Ongoing Debate over Black History Month, Tristram Hunt Asks for Greater Dialogue between Politicians and Academics concerning the Place of History in Modern Britain. History Today, 56, 28+. Retrieved March 4, 2009, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=5017655596 Pitre, A. , & Ray, R. (2002).The Controversy around Black History. The Western Journal of Black Studies, 26(3), 149+. Retrieved March 4, 2009, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=5000644111 Wright, W. D. (2002). Black History and Black Identity : A Call for a New Historiography /. Westport, CT: Praeger. Retrieved March 4, 2009, from Questia database: http://www. questia. co m/PM. qst? a=o&d=101983241 Wright, W. D. (2002). Critical Reflections on Black History /. Westport, CT: Praeger. Retrieved March 4, 2009, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=101985175

Information Technology and Modalisation of Organizational Behavior Essay

Information technology can alter an organizations capacity to act effectively and achieve its performance goals. The article analyses the shaping of organizational behavior and effectiveness around the use of information technology. There are various forms of competences and constraints presented in organizational behavior and the functions of informational technology systems. This article proposes a new framework for carrying out a qualitative analysis of information technology based organizational functioning in terms of social dimensions of behavior (Corea, 2006). The framework, in particular, aims to treat certain aspects of the constitution of organizational capacity or effectiveness such as: the way organizational performance in the use of information technology is shaped by conflicts or contradictions that arise in the course of action (Corea, 2006). The purpose of the author’s research is to expand the theorizing of information technology based practice and to work on a perspective that semiotic theory is not merely restricted to a study of communication, but encompasses the more global phenomena of social behavior or cultural practices (Corea, 2006). In order to enlighten individuals concerning behavior in information technology based practices Corea utilized work from Greimas, Orlikowski and Robey. Greimas, a French semiotician, wrote on the structural organization of human behavior. Greimas’ work encompassed more of a global phenomenon of social behavior or cultural practices. Greimas extended his interpretive paradigm to include the structure of social action, creating a general semiotic approach to all of culture (Corea, 2006).† Orlikowski and Robey originally brought to light the shaping of information technology based organizational activities from a behavioral standpoint, in relation to the significance or meaning that organizational actors ascribe to information technology systems and their features of use (Corea, 2006). Corea reviews theoretical understanding on the shaping of information technology based organizational effectiveness and the requirements for further development. The new framework Corea presents is then introduced and illustrated utilizing tables based on organizational modalisation and modalities of information technology capacity. The modalities of information technology captures the significant behavioral outcomes associated with the use of information technology systems. The framework Corea presented provided analytical tools that information system studies could adopt, to incorporate a more inclusive account of social dynamics, and highlight the inconsistencies or conflicts that pertain to the use of information technology and the shaping of organizational effectiveness in specific contexts. The research process in Coria’s article tends to be more qualitative. Corea explores analyzing the shaping of organizational behaviors and its effectiveness around the use of technology. His structure is more flexible as his analysis persists. The organization I work for would find these studies relevant. I am faculty in a cosmetology department but, we are a part of the technology division of campus. Being in the technology division organizational behavior and the effective use of information technology is an ongoing concern. The impact of technology on the department as a team is evaluated regularly to make the classroom more efficient as well as the department. For example, the instructors as a whole are learning a new system which will allow the dismissal of paper timecards to keep record of each student operations. This system will be amazing, but, half an hour out of class will be spent not interacting with student because of needing to input student operations each day. Organizational behavior and the effective use of information technology is still a work in progress, weighing the positive and negative repercussions.

Newly diagnosed with Multiply Myeloma, information on your planned Essay

Newly diagnosed with Multiply Myeloma, information on your planned treatment with Lenalidomide 2 - Essay Example There is also elevated levels of antibodies and also other plasma proteins. In vitro, effects of lenalidomide 2 include direct anti-tumor action. It inhibits the microenvironment support for the thriving of the tumor cells. It plays an immunomudulary role. In vivo, it leads to the apoptosis of tumor cells both directly and indirectly. It does this by inhibition of support for bone marrow stromal cells. It also has anti-osteocaltrogenic, anti-angiogenic, and immunomodulary activities. The choice of chemotherapy would depend on factors such as the health of the patients, future ability to undergo stem cell transplantation, age and also disease characteristics that indicate a high risk to MM. Treatment options for patients with high risk of multiple myeloma is indistinct. It is recommended that patients of that nature enrol in clinical trials. Patients who are unwilling to participate in clinical trials would have a regimen that should include a combination that has bortezomib. After initial chemotherapy, stem cell transplanataton is recommended. For standard risk MM, the treatment options include a drug without melphalan, such as lenalidomide 2 and dexamethasone (RD), or cyclophosphamide , dexamethasone and bortezomib (VCD). In case the patient would not undergo stem cell transplantation, treatment should include thalidomide, melphalan and prednisone (MPT) or prednisone, bortezomib and melphalan (VMP). Another suitable combination is lenalidomide 2, with dexamethasone in low doses (RD). Lenalidomide 2, an immunomudalting agent, is usually effective in the treatment of MM. It is most often used in combination with dexamethasone. The combination is taken in the form of pills for between 3 to 4 weeks, dexamethasone being taken weekly. Due to the tendency to lead to formation of clots, warfarin or aspirin is given to reduce the risk. Kumar, S., Flinn, I.W., Hari, P.N. et al (2009). Novel three- and four-drug combinations of bortezomib, dexamethasone,

Law- jurisprudence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Law- jurisprudence - Essay Example Self – interests, include the acquisition of pleasure and happiness. A society is a group of individuals who strive hard to obtain the maximum benefit from the resources at their disposal (Utiliatarianism, 2000). The relationships they form with other individuals are aimed at achieving the objective of happiness. The concept of utilitarianism states that deriving pleasure and happiness from life is the best way to lead one’s life (Utiliatarianism, 2000). Utilitarians, in addition to promoting this way of life, declare that if individuals strive to use their rational self – interests, then it will benefit society at large. Jeremy Bentham was a renowned British thinker and reformer. He propounded a moral theory, which promoted the thought that the outcome of human action determined the value of such action. Consequently, humans undertake acts that provide them with happiness, whilst avoiding pain or suffering. The hedonistic value of any act could be determined by considering various factors, such as the intensity of the pleasure experienced, the time for which such pleasure lasts, and the possibility it holds out for avoiding collateral harm (Kemerling, 2002). According to Bentham, the happiness of any community is the sum of its individual human interests. The utilitarian principle provides a definition of the moral obligation of individuals. The happiness of a community is based on the actions of its members, which can be harmed by the actions of individuals in the community. Bentham conjectured that social policies could also be evaluated in a similar manner (Kemerling, 2002). It was his considered opinion that these could be assessed by their effect on the well being of the community and the individuals living in it. The objective behind inflicting punishment on criminals was to reduce crime. Punishment effectively reduces crime as it discourages individuals from committing criminal acts. As such, punishment drastically alters the

World Regional Georgraphy Unit 6 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

World Regional Georgraphy Unit 6 - Research Paper Example When the British colonizers came in 1795, the laws became more powerful thus, further racial segregation. During this time, Africans were separated from the white settlers and were forced to live in different areas that were later referred to as reserves. Land Act of 1913 facilitated this separation further (Beinart & Dubow, 1995). The economic woes brought about by the World War II increased the racial segregation in South Africa. When National Party gained power in 1948, the new government enacted the apartheid law that ensured that the white race dominated. This law also ensured that the white lived in different areas from the Africans. South Africans were also divided along the tribal lines and their powers decreased. The Population Registration Act was enacted in 1950 and it required all South African races to be classified as black (Africans), whites or colored. Those who failed to adhere to this law were punished harshly. The Department of Home Affairs was responsible for this act. Another core of the apartheid policy was the Group Areas Act which was formed in 1950. This act marked the areas of land based on the race that occupy the areas. The other laws that placed more restrictions on the black South Africans were the Natives Urban Areas Act and the Natives Labor Act from in 1952 and 1953 respectively (Berridge, 1992). Some political parties were against this apartheid policy and they formed a movement to resist the policy. These parties included ANC (African National Congress) of 1912 and PAC (Pan Africanist Congress) of 1958. These two movements managed to ban the South African government through violent campaigns (Berridge, 1992). SASO (South African Students Association) which was formed in 1960 also joined the other parties in resisting the policy. Apartheid policy ended in 1994 when all adults were allowed to vote during that election. The late Nelson Mandela was voted as the

The Free-Trade Area of the Americas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Free-Trade Area of the Americas - Essay Example For the past few years, diplomats from 34 nations have been working hard to push for the establishment of a free trade area. The following are reasons why governments across the Americas are pushing for the free trade area. First, a country will only specialize in selling goods and services which it can do be and trade with other nations for its wants. This is a representation of actual supply and demand of free trade market. This is because when a certain country concentrates the products that it can do best, such a country takes economy of scale advantage and manufactures their products at reduced production costs. Secondly, these governments argue that free trade area will lead to increased imports and exports, thus increasing the availability of products in the involved nations, therefore, bringing healthier competition. Another reason why governments across the Americas are pushing for a free trade area is that it will reduce living costs, thus increasing economic growth. This i s because it will do away with governmental interventions such as taxes and tariffs thus enabling consumers to purchase products at reduced costs. This will also bring good bond between the involved countries leading to healthier governance and diplomatic global ties. Anti-FTAA group claims that free trade agreement extends treaties that were already adopted (NAFTA and FTA) from the acute North of Tierra del Fuego, Canada, and NAFTA had noxious outcomes with Mexico and the impacts negatively workers in the United States and in Canada. Therefore, the protests argue that from this example, it is evident that the FTAA will bring disastrous effects on Latin America. From the protests point of view, the accords of Free Trade are Globalization masterpieces and thus they will allow deregulation as well as the opening of new markets through the elimination of trade barriers such as worker rights and environmental protection. Additionally, these accords will contribute to commodification and privatization of things such as education and healthcare services and due to globalization, Free Trade aims at enriching â€Å"world masters† called big capitalists and financiers.

Benefits provided by Mafia to the American society Essay

Benefits provided by Mafia to the American society - Essay Example In Mafia no body is associated with each other as a friend or brother, if you would look closely to the history of Mafia you would find the leaders of Mafia killed either by their own family members or people relatively closer to them, "a world in which a man's murderer was most apt to be his best friend. Intrigue was the name of the game, and the intricate deals that were hatched threaded the national and international scene" (Cook 3). These people of Mafia work as a unit for the benefits of their own, and not for the society, they often have conferences for the planning of events they would be doing in that year or so, "On December 8, 1959, some 150 Mafia dons gathered in secret session in a suite of fifteen rented rooms in a hotel in Worcester, Massachusetts. Their night-long conclave was later described by Attorney General Edward J. McCormack, of Massachusetts, as a "Little Apalachin" conference" (Cook 36). It seems very strange to hear that Mafia can help anyone, but in fact Maf ia has helped numerous countries of the world. In United States of America there are about 26 cities in which Mafia is working, "When some people think of the Mafia, they think of New York City, or may be Chicago. But for a long time, there were roughly twenty-six American Mafia "families" going strong across the United States and in Canada"(26 Family Cities). It would be really unfair to say that Mafia helped the people of the society in a direct manner but somehow it did benefit few people of the society and mentioning here that not every person in the society was helped by the Mafia but only people who had status and powers, however in future most of the people benefited from the activities of Mafia, there were two way benefits that were quite prominent, people helped the Mafia and Mafia helped the people, in an interview I heard that, Mafia used to kill people for the benefits of few people who were previously in negative relations with the people who asked to be killed, at numerous occasion mafia helped tycoons to win their bets, perhaps by persuading or threatening the player who was betted upon, and at numerous occasion it has been seen that the Mafia themselves prepared tycoons in the business world. (Barringham) So these points are justifying few of the bitter realities of the American society, it is quite obvious that fewer people of the society were helped by the Mafia directly, so it would be unfair to say that every one was helped by Mafia but relatively upper society is getting the benefits. There are few more points to justify that who is helped by the Mafia, "In 1957 Joseph Barbara was a successful immigrant living near Binghamton. His hilltop estate boasted seven bedrooms and two horse barns. He also was "connected": He had friends in what would come to be known as La Cosa Nostra [mafia]" (Jack Kelly). There is another interesting point that I would like to bring in your view and that is the related to the money, when the underworld dons or Mafia leaders smuggled different materials, perhaps drugs, precious gems etc. they brought a lot of money in the country which could be very useful for stabilizing the economy of

Reflected Best Self Exercise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflected Best Self Exercise - Essay Example I have the ability to adapt to any situation when carrying out any responsibility given to me. In this case, I can work in an environment filled with pressure and be able to deliver without compromising the required standards. Therefore, I am able to remain calm and work situations out while levelheaded instead of becoming a hothead and failing to deliver. This effectively means that I am patient and ready to face the situation despite any inauspicious existing circumstances, which may affect my performance of certain roles and activities. One of my friends supports this view and pointed to me that I â€Å"try to maintain calmness and ask your colleagues to exercise patient regardless of the prevailing situation.† I like understanding other people well, and one of the things that I try to do is to show people compassion. Hence, I like putting myself in another individual’s shoes in order for me to experience their emotions. This way, I will be able to help them since I have ensured that I experienced their emotions, and there is the connection between us, which is the bond that sets the foundation for cooperation. In addition, understanding people well by showing compassion ensures that I am able to influence the choices and decisions that they made. In one situation, my cousin remembers how I influenced her decision to study law by making sure that I listened to her, understood her emotions, and influenced her to making the right decision. In creating relationships with other people, I try to get the sense of the people during our first interaction. In this case, I try to be as candid and open as I can in order to create a feeling of trust, honesty, and good-natured between my acquaintances and me. This way, I am able to cultivate a relationship based on trust, openness, and honesty. In view of this fact, a colleague whom I have developed a deep relationship with while in school, told me that he regarded me as an open and

Risk Study Report (occupational health and safety) Research Paper

Risk Study Report (occupational health and safety) - Research Paper Example Individual and commercial insurance is a good way to reduce the personal as well as commercial financial risks. I have selected the J. Paul Getty Museum as the visiting location. The location is situated in Los-Angeles. Los Angeles itself is blessed with beautiful landscapes and the building of the museum is made uniquely so that it would attract as many visitors as the museum can hold. On the other hand the entry to the museum is absolutely free, while visitors are charged $15 for the parking. However, after 5p.m the parking is free too. Museums are good places to find cultural, religious and ancient aspects of the location. Around 1.3 million people visit the museum each year (The J. Paul Getty Museum, 2012). The most significant feature of the tourism business is the capability of the operators to deal with the risks and associated factors regarding the tourism business. It is equally viable for the operators to maintain a smooth, receptive and cost efficient insurance that will ensure to meet the legal necessities and requirements. Risk management ensures to make clear reduction in the unnecessary and unintentional events. However, it is important for the risk managers to develop such strategies to reduce the impacts of the unplanned events. The third important perspective of the risk management is to improve the capability to have full control on all the events and associated risks and maintain cost-efficient insurance within the business environment. Risk management strategies will ensure to enhance the recognition of the risks, analyze the risks and the make strategies to reduce the risk. It not only benefits the organization but also the individuals. On the other hand, the risk management techniques will help to face the accident and help us to be prepared for any accidents. The techniques will also reduce the severity and the after effects of the accidents. Financial damages are heavily influenced by the

Teleconferencing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Teleconferencing - Research Paper Example Same way, lack of communication results in failure of the organization to know more about the employee needs. Internal organizational communication can occur both in the verbal and nonverbal forms. Some people have the misconception that the internal organizational communication occurs through paper works alone. In fact paper works is only one among the so many internal communication methods available. This paper analyses teleconferencing as an internal organizational communication method. Teleconferencing is the process of telephonic communication between more than two parties. Private Branch Exchange (PBX) systems available in organizations help the employees of an organization to communicate properly through teleconferencing method. Every telephone is wired to the PBX system so that all the people who attend the different telephone lines can talk each other. While normal teleconferencing methods provide only the audio exchanges, video teleconferencing methods can exchange video also. In other words, video teleconferencing enables an organization to communicate each other face to face. The figure given below illustrates a typical teleconferencing system in an organization. There are basically three kinds of teleconferencing device: one that allows audio conferencing and verbal communication, which is carried out using the telephone, one that allows video conferencing, and one that allows computer and printed conferencing via computer terminals (Furnem). Modern technologies allowing fast streaming of audio and video media and hence the quality of teleconferencing has improved a lot. It is possible to communicate instantly without any interruption using videoconferencing or audio conferencing methods now. Teleconferencings advantages are that the technology is familiar to anyone who uses a phone, its easy to set up, and it offers good audio interactivity for small groups (Teleconferencing). Teleconferencing

The Effect On the Viewer of the Film Twister Essay Example for Free

The Effect On the Viewer of the Film Twister Essay In this essay I am going to consider the effect on the viewer and discuss how the film creates suspense at the beginning of the film Twister. The background was just grey clouds that suddenly got swept away. All the effects are computer generated. Behind a classical song you could hear the sound of gushing wind and thunders. This was done to set the right atmosphere for the film. The title twister is an American saying for a cyclone. Cyclone is a more geographical word that would be used as a title for a documentary. The word twister gives us more of an idea of what the movie is about. The letters of the title get swept away. This also sets an atmosphere of the film. The camera slowly focuses on the title with a background sound of a low slow sound as it gets closer and closer to the title. This keeps the viewer in suspense as the film starts. The opening shots of the film were the surroundings of the farm. It is all at different times as well. The first shot was in the morning where the sky was all blue, the second shot was a lake with woods in the background, the birds were singing and the frogs were croaking. This indicated a peaceful countryside. The next shot was of dark clouds and nightfall had begun, you could hear the crickets singing as the storm approached. The last shot was of thunder and howling winds. It sounded like there was no life left on the farm. All the wildlife had disappeared. This gave the viewers an impression that something was going to happen. The farmhouse has trees surrounding it with lighting striking above the house. This makes the house seem sinister. When the camera shows the viewers, inside the house it changes the viewers opinions into thinking that it is not the house that is sinister its the movie, because it shows us a young girl sleeping peacefully next to a dog. The dog represents peace and a cozy family. There were pictures on the walls that add that cozy atmosphere of the house. It was a family of three and a dog. The mother and child were asleep upstairs with the dog; the father was drinking tea watching the news. When the warnings came on the T.V. the farmer gets his wife and child. This gives the viewers more information about the film. The presenter on the news talks about the surrounding states that have been struck by this cyclone. The mood suddenly changes. The dog starts to whine and the mother rushes in to get the little girl out of the house. The mood changes from calm, peaceful and homely to frantic, stressed and hectic. The father shouts orders as the family tries to get out of the house as quickly as possible. We need to get down to the storeroom NOW! This type of atmosphere creates tension amongst its viewers. To give the viewers empathy the mother had flowers on her nightgown and the little girl had teddy bears on it. The little girl was worried about what was going on, and the mother was saying things like: come on sweetie and Mummys got you. These words were used to pity the viewers. This gives the viewers suspense into getting the family out of the house for safety. The father rushed them to the storeroom. The trees were falling behind them leaving the dog behind. As they were rushing to the storeroom they were passing a toy tractor. This would make the viewers think about the playful child that might not live through the big storm. Just as they left the house the camera focused on the television telling people in that area to find shelter. As they were running to the storeroom the camera focused on the trees falling down on to cable wires and storage tanks. On the side of the storage tanks they said express oil LTD. This added to more fear to its viewers. This made the film seem more savage. When they were running the mother kept on looking behind her to see if any trees were falling near her. This tells the viewers that the family was running from the fierceness and savageness of the storm. As if some monster was after them and they were running for their lives. To add more tension the chickens were running around helplessly as if they had just had their heads cut off. To give the viewers more of an idea of how hard the wind was blowing the camera focused on the wind ventilator above the storeroom. In the first scene it focuses onto a farmhouse. . When they were in the storeroom they had left the dog outside. This was done to create some distress to its viewers. The dogs name was Toby. This is used to create some sympathy over the dog. It would be different if the dog were called Rex because the name isnt as soft as Toby. Rex represents a fierce character and Toby represents a cute cuddly character. In the store room the family was very tense. You could see that because the camera focused on each character one by one. First the dog who was barking, then the mother and child who were holding each other with fear. Then the father who was putting all his strength into hold the door closed. The family looked scared and helpless. When they opened the door there was two sides of atmosphere. On one side there was danger with gushing wind and loud thunders. On the other side was safety with a quiet family that was helpless. They were sweating from nervousness. The camera had a close up of the doors hinges coming loose. The door was shaking violently and there were loud thunders that sounded like growls. This made it seem as if they were trapped and nowhere to go and the dark side was trying to get in scratching, pulling at the door. The father was holding the door, but the hinges were about to come off. He shouted, I cant hold it any more! As it got louder and louder as the eye of the storm was getting closer and closer. He said this several times. This was to keep the viewer in suspense because they knew the door could come off at any moment. As he was saying this, the lighting was giving the room a short burst of light. This film creates a lot of suspense. This is done to keep the viewer interested throughout the whole film. In a review of the film it was described as only one word, Intense. The films effects were very unrealistic according to geologists. Unlike some films twister got right to the point. Every cyclone they predicted they were correct. In real life you miss more cyclones than you encounter them. I think the suspense and distress was the key thing in the film and without it, it would be a very successful movie.

Hong Kong Proposal Essay Example for Free

Hong Kong Proposal Essay INTRODUCTION and BRIEF BACKGROUND Hong Kong was a Crown Colony of the United Kingdom from 1842 to 1997, when it was returned to the People’s Republic of China.  Ã‚   This handover of Hong Kong back to China is supported by two governing laws: the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law of Hong Kong. Both laws uphold the policy of â€Å"one country, two systems,† which requires that Hong Kong will operate on its own until 2047, which is fifty years after its reversion back to China.    This means that the Central People’s Government will be responsible for the strategic defense and foreign affairs of Hong Kong while Hong Kong will retain control over its legal system, police force, monetary system, and policies on customs, immigration and delegates to various international organizations and events. The return of Hong Kong to China was received with different reactions both from its own citizens and from the international scene.   As to any situation, there are always two sides to a coin: the advantages and disadvantages of the Hong Kong handover.   This paper will present the positive and negative effects of the handover on the political, social, cultural and economic spheres of Hong Kong between 1997 and 2002.   The conclusion will deal with POLITICAL SCENE There were growing concerns with regard to the integration of a democratic system of government into the political culture of Hong Kong.   The international sphere remained skeptic about the effectiveness of democracy in Hong Kong and the number of local supporters have then declined as well. These concerns are mainly caused by the failure to solve domestic problems through democratic means and the inability of various democratic factions to come up with enticing operations to attract more supporters.   It is submitted that if the foundations of democracy cannot be held strongly by its political advocates, then democracy in Hong Kong may be even more difficult as expected, if not impossible at all. Tied with the difficulty of evolving into a democratic system is the challenge to have an independent judicial system.   There has been a loss of faith in the judicial system of Hong Kong with the rampant overruling of the decisions of the Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong by the courts of Mainland China.   Such loss of faith leads to the loss of credibility of the Hong Kong judicial system, which worries the locals and some international organizations. HUMAN RIGHTS The term â€Å"human rights† is not limited to rights against self-incrimination, warrantless arrests, searches and seizures.   The term â€Å"human rights† includes freedom of speech and of the press.   Although human rights is highly regarded by Hong Kong, its local policies and practices cause   its own decline. The government of Hong Kong is so high strung on preventing factors that may cause social instability that it already contributes to the unprotection of human rights within its territory.   There had been reports of arrests of overstaying citizens of Mainland China, and the arrests of people who are campaigning for various social, economic and political issues by using the Public Order Ordinance to clothe such arrests with a faint tint of legality. There has also been the censorship of the media, whether by the government or by themselves, often called â€Å"self-censorship.†Ã‚   Media practitioners are so wary about overstepping the boundaries of local news that they, themselves, censor their own news on political affairs so as not to offend or stir any commotion with the leaders of the Mainland. ECONOMIC The handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997 was actually twinned with the great Asian Financial Crisis.   And the handover did not improve the economic situation of Hong Kong during the said crisis.   Despite the recovery of EU-US relations, improvement of the Mainland economy, and high-valued activities, there is still an increasing unemployment rate.   And this unemployment rate has been present even prior to the handover of Hong Kong to China.   It seems that there is little change in the economic life of Hong Kong. SOCIAL It cannot be discounted that for over a century, Hong Kong was influenced more by the British than by their Mainland people.   This is due to the obvious fact that Hong Kong was run by the British and not by the Chinese.   But since the handover, official visits of Mainland officials to Hong Kong paved way for a greater integration for both societies. Even the adoption of Mainland of development plans, which, in great part, includes Hong Kong has caused an opening of good relationships between the two.   Moreover, the loosening of travel restrictions allowed Mainland citizens to explore Hong Kong, and vice versa, so as to realize that there is no more British barrier and that they are all just from one culture.   It must be noted that apart from Mainland China, Hong Kong is building ties with Taiwan as well. CONCLUSION It’s been almost ten years since the reversion of Hong Kong back to China and with the fifty-year program of â€Å"one country, two systems,† it is quite early to tell whether or not the reversion is purely advantageous or disadvantageous to Hong Kong, and to China as well.

What Location Influences Foreign Direct Investment?

What Location Influences Foreign Direct Investment? Chapter 1 Introduction This chapter offers an introduction to the research, with paragraph 1.2 detailing the problem it focuses on, leading to the research question in paragraph 1.3. Paragraph 1.4 discusses the relevance of the research. The chapter ends with an outline of the thesis. The next paragraphs contain the various purposes and the general research design, and finish with the disposition of the study. 1.1 Background Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is an important source of capital and economic growth in recent business. It provides a package of new technologies, management techniques, finance and market access for the production of goods and services. However, attracting FDI is a major challenge for most host countries as they face the challenge of identifying the major factors that motivate and affect the FDI location decision. Nowadays, regions try to attract Foreign Direct Investments to stimulate their economic development (OECD, 2002a). Certain regions consider the ecological issues as well and promote sustainable FDI. Recently, while working at AgentschapNL, an agency of the Dutch secretary of Economic Affairs, the awareness for sustainable investment rose. AgentschapNL promotes sustainable development and innovation, both in the Netherlands and abroad. One region that is engaged in an initiative to attract FDI is the Swedish province Jà ¤mtland. This initiative is called Midscand and it involves stimulating business investments and cooperation (joint ventures, business development, acquisitions, strategic alliances, outsourcing and new start-ups). One of their target countries is the Netherlands. The activities that are discussed are the sectors: cleantech, tourism, mechanical industry, forestry and call centres. The scope of this research is limited to the cleantech sector. This sector deals with sustainable innovations and investments in Jà ¤mtland, with special focus on wind and bio energy. The main goal of this project is to attract new investments from the Netherlands to Swedish regions. 1.2 Problem Indication The literature dealing with FDI can be classified in two main streams, as pointed out by Agiomirgianakis, Asteriou and Papathoma (2003): the first explains the effect of FDI on the process of economic growth, while the second one goes in depth into the study of the determinants of FDI. This thesis focuses on the second part of literature. Among all the factors influencing the location decisions of FDI, the location-specific determinants need particular exploration, since they can help the host governments to attract and increase FDI inflows using several instruments (Chakrabarti, 2001). Location-specific factors will always influence the decision to enter or exit a location for investment purposes (Audretsch and Fritsch, 2002). FDI is a key element of the international economic relations as it is an engine of employment, technology transfer and improvement of productivity, which ultimately leads to economic growth. The need to attract FDI forces governments to provide a favourable climate for business activities (Nordstrom, 1991). The foreign firms can be influenced by the political and economic institutional framework of the host country, which could affect the choice of where to invest their capital (Makino and Chan, 2004). The challenge of this research is to explore which location determinants make a region attractive for FDI. The definition of the problem is: What should Swedish regions do to positively influence FDI? By presenting a thorough overview of FDI and the determinants that could influence the location choice for a company, this research aims to provide a framework, tested in interviews for the applicability of investments. 1.3 Research questions To solve the problem the following research questions are answered: What is FDI? Based on a literature review that provides theoretical information on this phenomenon. What are the location factors? Galan and Gonzales (2007) are used as basis for the location factors. Several other papers on location factors are evaluated and criticized. What does Sweden have to offer? This final question deals with the application of the theoretical framework to Swedish region as case study and the relationship between the factors they possess and the factors they need to stimulate to influence FDI. 1.4 Purpose and Objective The purpose of this thesis is to examine which regional factors influence foreign direct investments. Theories regarding FDI and location-specific characteristics will be reviewed and analysed in the theoretical framework. A thorough overview of the location factors will be part of the framework that can be used by regions, willing to attract sustainable investments. But first of all, the objective as described in the definition of the problem is to give recommendations to Swedish regions regarding the factors they should highlight to attract or influence direct foreign investment. 1.5 Research Design The literature framework is based on relevant papers. According to Ghauri (2005), theoretical data will be used to understand and interpret the research question, and it will help to â€Å"broaden the base from which scientific conclusion can be drawn†. The relevance of the papers will be based on quality. To reach the goal of collection qualitative data for the research question, a phased selection is made. The emphasis of the courses Corporate Level Strategy and Research Methods of Strategy within the master Strategic Management is on testing all data on quality. By examining the relevance, publication form and impact factor of the information, the quality of the paper will be showed. The research is divided into two parts: (1) the literature research and (2) a case study. The first part of the research is explorative, because it is intended to gain more information on the situation and to get familiar with the research area. Qualitative studies -observations and interviews- are used to gain more knowledge of the research topic (Sekaran, 2003). The research mainly relies on secondary data; books and articles by various authors are considered. Literature is compared and new insights are gained. Interviews are conducted for the verification of the interests, which are characterized as primary data. In this research, qualitative data is the main source. The time dimension of this research is cross-sectional, which implies that the research is conducted at one particular moment in time. For useful literature, the data will be collected on acknowledged databases (e.g. ABI/Inform, JCR, Web of Science). The keywords that will be used during the search period are â€Å"FDI†, â€Å"entry modes†, â€Å"choice of country†, â€Å"region†, and â€Å"location determinants†. All literature sources can be found in the list of references. The theory will be examined by a qualitative case study. Case studies are used to understand a specific case under particular circumstances (Patton, 2002). 1.6 Disposition In chapter 2 the contemporary theory that has been evaluated and reviewed is presented. An introduction will be followed by a presentation of FDI and the factors that influence the location choice, followed by the location factors that are important for wind and bio-energy. In chapter 3 the methodology is elaborated and provides a description of the way this thesis was written and the choices that are made. In the second paragraph the data and sample size are explained. Theoretical and empirical frameworks are discussed, as well as the reliability and validity of this study. In chapter 4 the participating respondents are interviewed, which leads to an analysis and concludes the empirical results. Chapter 5 includes the results of the findings and the discussion that compares the theoretical statements that were researched and found necessary for this research presented in chapter 2. The mode of procedure is explained and the model of the empirical results is presented in this part. Chapter 6 includes the answers of this research by modifying the analysis model. The conclusion is based on the discussion in chapter 5. The answers serve as a proposal for further research in a broader context and give an opportunity of generalization. Chapter 2 Theoretical framework The literature review provides the foundation for this research, through discussions of previous studies on FDI and international business. Section 2.2 offers a review of studies regarding FDI. Next, it is essential to identify the location factors that influence that move, as it contains the answer to the second research question: What are location factors? The third paragraph contains a detailed overview of the location factors. An overview of the selected factors can be found in table 1. The list contains determinants to measure the impact on the location factors and their impact on FDI. The last paragraph contains a summary of the findings and a conclusion. 2.1 What is FDI? Modern day literature increasingly concentrates on subjects covering the globalization of markets and the internationalization of companies. Governments contribute to this situation by opening their regulations with the intention to profit from a more open economy (Dunning and Nurala, 2002). The growing number of liberal policies is a driving force for companies to go abroad and make FDI (Galà ¡n and Gonzà ¡lez-Benito, 2001). There are several definitions of a foreign direct investment presented by a number of researchers. A central theme of the definitions available on FDI, with the one illustrated by Moosa (2002) as a typical example, is that the companies undertaking such a venture aspire to gain a controlling stake in the asset or entity purchased. An FDI is not to be confused with an international or portfolio investment, where the aim merely is to diversify the holdings of the firm and make a financially sound investment (Buckley, 1998). FDI is defined as a firm based in one country (the home country) owning ten per cent (10%) or more of the stock of a company located in a foreign country (the host country). This amount of stock is generally enough to give the home country firm significant control over the host country firm. Most FDI is in wholly owned or nearly wholly owned subsidiaries. Other non-equity forms of FDI include: subcontracting, management contracts, franchising, and licensing and product sharing .In view of the above, FDI can be either inward or outward. FDI is measured either as a flow (amount of investment made in one year) or a stock (the total investment accumulation at the end of the year). Outward FDI can take various forms, home country residents can: purchase existing assets in a foreign country; make new investment in property, plant equipment in a foreign country; participate in a joint venture with a local partner in a foreign country (Dunning, 1976). 2.2 Location factors 2.2.1 Introduction There is considerable literature on the determinants of location factors for multinational Corporations (MNCs) when they choose their foreign market location, but very little on the relative importance of the location factors for FDI in a specific country and industry. It is widely believed that the trend towards globalized production and marketing has major implications for the attraction of developing countries to FDI inflows. The relative importance of FDI location determinants have changed. Even though traditional determinants and the types of FDI associated with them have not disappeared as a result of globalization, their importance is said to be on the decline. More specifically, one of the most important traditional FDI determinants, the size of national markets, has decreased in importance. At the same time, cost differences between locations, the quality of infrastructure, the ease of doing business and the availability of skills have become more important (UNCTAD 1996). Li kewise, Dunning (1999) argues that the motives for and the determinants of FDI have changed. Buckley and Ghauri (2004) point to the limited attention researchers have given to the FDI location factors in the literature. They suggest that international business strategy is distinct from main stream or single country business strategy only because of differences of location. Hence, location specifics are essential to the possibility of international strategy having a distinctive content. They, too, suggest that a focus on location, and possibly the question of why locations differ, could be a response to the issue of what forms the next big question in international business research. Dunning (2008) suggests that the more recent lack of attention to location by IB scholars could have arisen from an assumption that the location decision principles are the same for both international and domestic locations. Thus, scholars were either satisfied with existing explanations or as Dunning (1998) points out maybe theywere just not interested. In attempting to determine the relevant set of location factors, Michael Porters (1990) work cited in Hodgetts (1993) offers a valuable starting point. Porter notes that success for a given industry in international competition depends on the relative strength of that industry with regards to a set of business-related features or drivers of competitiveness, namely factor conditions; demand conditions; related and supporting industries; and firm strategy, structure, and rivalry. Government and chance are seen to influence competitiveness through their impact on the above four basic drivers. This framework the drivers of competitiveness has been used in a number of studies of industries and individual economies. Porters competitiveness framework has been the subject of major criticisms. Paul Krugman (1994) specifically criticized the idea that nations, or locations, compete in the same way as firms do, and his wide-ranging critique attacks this concept. Also, the empirical evidence for national competitiveness and the policies that follow are what Krugman (1994) describes as a dangerous obsession. Another criticism is that Porter places government involvement in international business outside of the core determinants. Many authors have claimed that Porters framework pays insufficient attention to relevant specific location factors such as globalization (Dunning, 1993), multinational companies (Dunning, 1993; RugmanVerbeke, 1993), technology (Narula, 1993. Several authors have questioned the validity of the model, and the conclusions drawn from the model, for countries such as Austria (Bellak Weiss, 1993), Canada (Rugman dCruz, 1993), Hong Kong (Redding, 1994) and Mexico (Hodgetts, 1993). A lot of research interested in providing the determining factors for FDI loca tion decisions is seen to be done by managers. Some of the major studies are the following (Dunning, 2000): theories of risk diversification (Rugman, 1979); agglomeration theories (Krugman, 1993; Porter, 1994, 1996); theories related to government-induced incentives (Loree and Guisinger, 1995); and theories of location (Dunning, 1997). All these new theories are certainly insightful, but they are all context-specific, and interested solely in stressing the relevance of certain factors to the detriment of others that may be equally significant. None of them has yet provided a satisfactory explanation of the relative importance of specific factors that lead managers to locate their investments via FDI in a specific country and industry (Dunning, 2008). Dunning (2008) believes that â€Å"it is not possible to formulate a single operationally testable theory that can explain all forms of foreign-owned production any more than it is possible to construct a generalized theory to explain all forms of trade or the behaviour of all kinds of firms.† Cohen (2007) believes that location factors for a specific location and industry that affect the location decision are based on the perceptions of a small group of senior managers, not a scientific formula. Furthermore, Buckly et al(2007) argue that studying a single firm or group of firms in the same industry is the best way to identify the most important factors, because firms in the same industry usually follow a systematic process for location choices, and seek to prioritize certain location factors as they become more internationally mature. Cohen (2007) argues, â€Å"No standard set of attributes, each with an assigned relative weight of importance, exists in the many lists of what matters in location published by business groups, international organizations, and scholars. Determining where to invest is a case-by-case decision†. Cohen (2007) also suggests that no single formula exists because specific strengths and weaknesses of a country or region might receive high priority by one team of corporate evaluators and can be ignored by another, depending on what kind of investment is contemplated, which in turn will determine a subsidiarys objectives and operational needs. Furthermore, individual corporate cultures will assign a different relative importance to what attributes they require in a country, what they would like to see, what negatives they can work around, and what is unequivocally unacceptable. Calculating trade-offs between positive and negative location characteristics is an art, not a science. Galan et al (2007) conducted an empirical research into location factors that has been researched by several theorists. This list provides a detailed overview of the main location factors and sub factors considered by several empirical studies that have examined their positive or negative influence on the location decisions of MNE managers in both DCs and LDCs. All these factors are usually included in the analyses made via the eclectic paradigm (Galan et al, 2007). They recognise that MNE managers motivation to eventually choose either or both groups of host countries will depend on the specific location factors available in them. These location factors are classified in the following categories: Cost factors Market factors Infrastructure and technological factors Political and legal factors Social Cultural factors The order of this list is random. According to Noorbakhshs, Paloni and Youssef (2001), foreign investors are attracted to regions that offer a combination of the location factors. The location factors are discussed separately in the next paragraph. 2.2.1 Cost factors This paragraph contains theoretical information about the cost factor as one of the location factors. The determinants that are criticized are labour costs and cost of materials. 2.2.1.1 Labour Cost The costs linked with the profitability of investment are one of the major determinants of investment (Asidu, 2002) . The rate of return on investment in a host economy influences the FDI decision. Asiedu (2002) noted that the lower the GDP per capita, the higher the rate of return and, therefore, the FDI inflow. Charkrabarti (2001) claims that wage as an indicator of labour cost has been the most arguable of all the potential determinants of FDI. There is no unanimity even among the comparatively small number of studies that have explored the role of wage in affecting FDI: results range from higher host country wages discouraging inbound FDI, to having no significant effect or even a positive association ( Dunning, 1989). Goldsbrough (1979) and Shamsuddin (1994) demonstrate that higher wages discourage FDI. Tsai (1994) obtains strong support for the cheap-labour hypothesis over the period 1983 to 1986, but weak support from 1975 to 1978. Charkrabarti (2001) stated that empirical res earch has found relative labour costs to be statistically significant, particularly for foreign investment in labour-intensive industries and for export-oriented subsidiaries. However, when the cost of labour is relatively irrelevant (when wage rates vary little from country to country), the skills of the labour force are expected to have an impact on decisions concerning FDI location. This is not the case for the investments in this case study, which is more knowledge based than labour intensive. Cheap labour is another important determinant of FDI flow to developing countries. A high wage-adjusted productivity of labour attracts efficiency-seeking FDI both aiming to produce for the host economy and for export from host countries. Studies by Wheeler and Mody (1992), Schneider and Frey (1985), and Loree and Guisinger (1995) show a positive impact of labour cost on FDI inflow. Countries with a large supply of skilled human capital attract more FDI, particularly in sectors that are relatively intensive in the use of skilled labour. 2.2.1.2 Cost of Materials The analysis above leads to two variables that can be measured to determine the importance of the cost factor that is labour cost (wages). The availability of raw material and cheap labour can be of crucial importance in the choice of location. The return on investments is not important for this study, because this is not region-constrained, so it is not an important factor for a location choice. FDI uses low labour costs and available raw materials for export promotion, leading to overall output growth. 2.2.2 Market Factors This paragraph contains theoretical information about the market factor as one of the location factors. The determinants that are criticized are market size, openness of the market, labour market and economic growth. 2.3.2.1 Market size The size of the host country market is a relevant determinant to the extent that the FDI is destined to serve the host market and not merely to set up an export platform. Larger markets should attract FDI because firms face economies of scale as FDI entails sunk costs (for example, in terms of adapting management to local conditions or getting familiar with host country legislation). Market growth should work in the same direction. Nunnenkamp (2002), Chakrabarti (2001) Campos and Kinoshita (2003), Braga Nonnenberg and Cardoso de Mendonca (2004), Addison and Heshmati (2003), Kolstad and Villanger, (2004) all find market size and/or growth to be relevant determinants of FDI. An economy with a large market size (along with other factors) should, therefore, attract more FDI. Market size is important for FDI as it provides potential for local sales, greater profitability of local sales to export sales and relatively diverse resources, which make local sourcing more feasible (Pfefferman and Madarassy 1992). A large market size provides more opportunities for sales and profit to foreign firms, and in doing so attracts FDI (Wang and Swain, 1995: Moore, 1993; Schneider and Frey, 1985; Frey, 1984). FDI inflow in any period is a function of market size (Wang and Swain, 1995). However, studies by Edwards (1990) and Asidu (2002) show that there is no significant impact of growth or market size on FDI inflows. Further, Loree and Guisinger (1995) and Wei (2000) find that market size and growth impact differ under different conditions. Artige and Nicolini (2005) state that market size, as measured by GDP or GDP per capita, seems to be the most robust FDI determinant in econometric studies. This is the main determinant for horizontal FDI. Jordaan (2004) mentions that FDI will move to countries with larger and expanding markets and greater purchasing power, where firms can potentially receive a higher return on their capital and by implication receive higher profit on their investments. Charkrabarti (2001) states that the market-size hypothesis supports an idea that a large market is required for efficient utilization of resources and exploitation of economies of scale: as the market-size grows to some critical value, FDI will start to increase with its further expansion. This is a questionable conclusion, because there are firms who are looking for niche markets for their products and a large expanding market is a disadvantage to them. Concluding the size of the market and the GDP of a region are not important determinants for the location choice. 2.2.2.2 Openness of the Market There is mixed evidence concerning the significance of openness, which is measured mostly by the ratio of exports plus imports to GDP, in determining FDI as well (Charkrabarti 2001). Jordaan (2004) claims that the impact of openness on FDI depends on the type of investment. If the investments are market-seeking oriented, trade restrictions (and therefore less openness) could have an impact on FDI. The reason stems from the â€Å"tariff jumping† hypothesis, which argues that foreign firms that seek to serve local markets may decide to set up subsidiaries in the host country if it is difficult to import their products into the country. In distinction, multinational firms involved in export-oriented investments may choose to invest in a more liberal economy since increased imperfections that accompany trade protection generally imply higher transaction costs associated with exporting. Wheeler and Mody (1992) observe a strong positive support for this theory in the manufacturing s ector, but a weak negative link in the electronic sector. Kravis and Lipsey (1982), Culem (1988), Edwards (1990) find a strong positive effect of openness on FDI and Schmitz and Bieri (1972) obtain a weak positive link. Trade openness generally has a positive influence on the export-oriented FDI inflow into an economy (Edwards (1990), Gastanaga et al. (1998), Housmann and Fernandez-arias (2000), Asidu (2001)). In general, the empirical literature reveals that one of the important factors for attracting FDI is trade policy reform in the host country. Theoretical literature has explored the trade openness or the restrictiveness of trade policies (Bhagwati, 1973; 1994; Brecher and Diaz-Alejandro, 1977; Brecher and Findley; 1983). Investors in general prefer big markets to invest in and they like countries that have regional trade integration, as well as countries with greater investment provisions in their trade agreements. Theory does not give any clear-cut answer to the question how trade barriers affect the level of FDI flows. â€Å"Horizontal† FDI tends to replace exports if the costs of market access through exports are higher than the net costs of setting up a local plant and doing business in a foreign environment. Traditionally, governments have used trade barriers to induce â€Å"tariff-jumping FDI†, i.e. horizontal FDI that takes place to circumvent trade barriers. On the other hand, â€Å"vertical† FDI relies on a constant flow of intermediate products in and out of the host country and therefore benefits from a liberal trade environment. In that case, trade barriers should encourage â€Å"horizontal FDI† and discourage â€Å"vertical FDI† and its effect on the aggregate level of FDI depends on which type of FDI dominates. Empirical studies, however, support a positive effect of openness on FDI. Chakrabarti (2001) finds the sum of imports and exports as a share of GDP to be the variable most likely to be positively co rrelated with FDI besides market size in an extreme bounds analysis. Braga Nonnenberg and Cardoso de Mendonca (2004) and Addison and Heshemati (2003) also find this variable to be positively correlated with FDI. The problem with using trade as a share of GDP as a measure of trade policies is that it reveals a trade policy outcome, rather than trade guidelines. The openness of a market is clearly linked with the policy regulations of the potential market. Pà ¤rletun (2008) finds that trade openness is positive but statistically significant from zero. Moosa (2002) states that while access to specific markets is important, domestic market factors are predictably much less relevant in export-oriented foreign firms. A range of surveys suggests a widespread perception that â€Å"open† economies encourage more foreign investment (Moosa, 2002).Therefore, the openness of a market is relevant to the appeal of a region. Restrictions will decrease the appeal of the region. 2.2.2.3 Labour market Labour is also a determinant for market factors according to Majocchi and Presutti (2009), they investigated whether entrepreneurial culture plays a role in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI). Multinationals are a network of distributed assets that contain entrepreneurial potential and are highly innovative to increase competitiveness (Rugman and Verbeke, 2001). Firms and entrepreneurs are valuable in gaining access to local knowledge. However, entrepreneurial culture may also rely on resources in the local environment, which is not mentioned in particular by Majocchi et al. (2009). In this respect, natural resources are taken for granted. The availability of a cheap workforce (particularly an educated one), personnel policy, female participation and ageing influences investment decisions and in doing so are a determinant that influences the FDI inflow. A negative effect of these determinants will lead to an increase in wages and a decline in the return of investments in the future. Due to the static framework of this thesis, these determinants are not investigated. 2.2.2.4 Economic Growth If the host countrys market has a high-growth rate, it attracts more investors on a long-term basis (Chen, 2007). Economic environment growth in a country serves underlying factors when company decide which country to enter (Erramilli 1991).The role of growth in attracting FDI has also been the subject of controversy. Charkrabarti (2001) states that the growth hypothesis developed by Lim (1983) maintains that a rapidly growing economy provides relatively better opportunities for making profits than the ones growing slowly or not growing at all. Lunn (1980), Schneider and Frey (1985) and Culem (1988) find a significantly positive effect of growth on FDI, while Tsai (1994) obtains a strong support for the hypothesis over the period 1983 to 1986, but only a weak link from 1975 to 1978. On the other hand, Nigh (1985) reports a weak positive correlation for the less developed economies and a weak negative correlation for the developed countries. Gastanagaet et al. (1998) and Schneider and Frey (1985) found positive significant effects of growth on FDI FDI has the ability stimulate economic growth only in the short run while the economy is shifting from one short-lived equilibrium to another. The only source of long-term economic growth is technological progress, which is considered to be independent of investment activities. This factor is discussed in the next paragraph. However, in endogenous growth theory, the diminishing returns on investment can be avoided if there are positive externalities associated with investments (Oxelheim, 1996). If investment brings enough new knowledge and technologies, it can lead to long-term economic growth. As, typically, FDI brings new technologies and knowledge, in accordance with endogenous growth theory it can be viewed as a catalyst of long-term economic growth in a host economy. Economic growth will improve the ability to compete with other regions and this will increase the quality and ability of other location factors. The relevance of economic growth for FDI is not very clear: it depends on the distribution of the new capital. The analysis above leads to four validated variables that determine the relevance of market factors: (a) market size, (b) openness of the market, labour market and (c) economic growth. Market size is the only variable that is less important. The openness of a market and the economic growth are very important, these variables are positively linked with political, infrastructural and technological factors. An open market as well as a positive economic growth will lead to more FDI in a region. 2.2.3 Infrastructure Technologic

Essay --

I’ve heard it said that even the greatest of men are wise enough to fear the dark; whether that fear is rational or not, I’m not sure I’m worthy to judge. But until you’ve felt the dark and experienced the cold depths of it enveloping your soul, I’m not really sure you truly know what it is to fear. Manhattan, New York, 1977. The sweltering July summer left the dense city feeling sluggish and apathetic. I’d spent the day switching between my new television set and my open window (of course our a/c would break in the hottest month of the year), and I planned on walking a few blocks over to my friend’s house so I could spend the night in her wonderful air conditioned home. My mom was at work, probably wouldn’t be back until dawn, and so I was alone when dusk came, the sky still aglow from the bright lights of the city and the last remnants of daylight. I grabbed my duffel bag and headed out, eager to get to Jenny’s and relax in the cool air. I had just stepped into the hallway outside the apartment when it happened; there was a sort of jolt in the air. Suddenly, a buzzing noise could be heard, growing louder each passing second, as if someone was turning up the bass on an exponentially-loud amplifier. As the sound grew in decibels, the lights in the hallway flickered and became brighter, brighter, brighter, so bright I had to wince to look up at them. I swung open the door to the apartment to find all the lights on full blast, shining so brightly my skin began to burn. Slamming the door shut, I slid 2 down to the floor in the hallway and shut my eyes tight, too frightened to leave my apartment building. I was scared, sure, but soon I would find out what real fear feels like. A few minutes passed when, finally, the glare behind m... ...e, when I saw a single figure hunched over on the subway bench. Every instinct in my mind told me not to approach the shade before me. I pictured ghosts and spirits around it, waiting to prey on me, the Good Samaritan, very, very, far from Kansas. But I knew that I had to reach out and touch her, my mother had taught me that much. At their darkest hour, the wisest of men are no different than us, the same battery acid pumps through their veins, and the same fear cripples them. What we all feel together remains unanimous. At that moment, when I reached out to that sobbing woman, I saw my mother, and that dark subway tunnel was brighter than any human eye could have observed. There we sat together, until the lights shuttered their return, holding one another in utter darkness, not saying a word or identifying each other, but hearing and seeing the love between us.

Teen Sexual Activity Causes Sexually Transmitted Diseases, AIDS, Pregnancy, and Emotional Trauma :: Expository Cause Effect Essays

Teen Sexual Activity Causes Sexually Transmitted Diseases, AIDS, Pregnancy, and Emotional Trauma Set aside the moral imperatives, the screams and shouts of the conservative masses, the legislators on Capitol Hill who know what's best, and religious scripture that denounces physical pleasure and there exists a very basic premise: Human beings have a preoccupation with sex. It was once stated that "our concern with sex is innate, as much a part of is as the blood and bone with which we were born." An absolutely truthful statement, the subject of sex has become prevalent in today's society. Prevalent, because every aspect, voice, form of communication, law passed, and free thought, expresses the opinion on the subject. Maybe centuries of society's need for "sexual oppression" which led to the "sexual revolution" of the twentieth century, is the cause for the entrance of human sexuality into the mainstream. Regardless of the when's, why's, and how's, the bottom line is that sex and the issues revolving, affect every human life, from pornography and abortion, teen pregnancy and laws concerning sexual violence. These heavily weighted issues that plague the minds of parents, lawmakers, teenagers, and religious leaders, often operate under the premise that everyone is having sex, and that no one believes in abstaining until marriage. So where is the lost voice that cries out and defends the small minority of young people that want to wait, and further doesn't anyone believe there are benefits to waiting to have sex? Those who condemn teenage sex and support abstinence are the same people who answer "yes" to the question. Unfortunately, that voice is not the voice that represents the teenage population. Young people who chose to wait have many different reasons why, and believe that there do exist positive effects of abstaining from sex until marriage. One of the most important reasons young people wait, is to avoid the risk of poor or unfavorable physical health. Sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, and AIDS are all factors that claim the lives of millions of people every year. Avoidance of these health risks is an incentive to young people and probably the most positive effect of abstaining. No one doubts that sexual desire and needs do not exist, but there are alternatives to sexual intercourse. Teenagers can have a very healthy and active physical relationship with their partner and not have sex. These activities, which can be just as satisfying, carry a 100% less risk factor that sexual intercourse. Teen Sexual Activity Causes Sexually Transmitted Diseases, AIDS, Pregnancy, and Emotional Trauma :: Expository Cause Effect Essays Teen Sexual Activity Causes Sexually Transmitted Diseases, AIDS, Pregnancy, and Emotional Trauma Set aside the moral imperatives, the screams and shouts of the conservative masses, the legislators on Capitol Hill who know what's best, and religious scripture that denounces physical pleasure and there exists a very basic premise: Human beings have a preoccupation with sex. It was once stated that "our concern with sex is innate, as much a part of is as the blood and bone with which we were born." An absolutely truthful statement, the subject of sex has become prevalent in today's society. Prevalent, because every aspect, voice, form of communication, law passed, and free thought, expresses the opinion on the subject. Maybe centuries of society's need for "sexual oppression" which led to the "sexual revolution" of the twentieth century, is the cause for the entrance of human sexuality into the mainstream. Regardless of the when's, why's, and how's, the bottom line is that sex and the issues revolving, affect every human life, from pornography and abortion, teen pregnancy and laws concerning sexual violence. These heavily weighted issues that plague the minds of parents, lawmakers, teenagers, and religious leaders, often operate under the premise that everyone is having sex, and that no one believes in abstaining until marriage. So where is the lost voice that cries out and defends the small minority of young people that want to wait, and further doesn't anyone believe there are benefits to waiting to have sex? Those who condemn teenage sex and support abstinence are the same people who answer "yes" to the question. Unfortunately, that voice is not the voice that represents the teenage population. Young people who chose to wait have many different reasons why, and believe that there do exist positive effects of abstaining from sex until marriage. One of the most important reasons young people wait, is to avoid the risk of poor or unfavorable physical health. Sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, and AIDS are all factors that claim the lives of millions of people every year. Avoidance of these health risks is an incentive to young people and probably the most positive effect of abstaining. No one doubts that sexual desire and needs do not exist, but there are alternatives to sexual intercourse. Teenagers can have a very healthy and active physical relationship with their partner and not have sex. These activities, which can be just as satisfying, carry a 100% less risk factor that sexual intercourse.

Glorifying the Tudor Dynasty: Shakespeares Richard III and the Perfect

Arts in England flourished and prospered during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Furthermore, â€Å"The Golden Age† was characterized by the Queen’s patronizing of theatre, which lead it to gain popularity among England. The sixteenth and early seventeenth century witnessed a period of English nationalism, evidently shown through diffused texts in the English language, rather than in Latin. Additionally, the Queen supported playwrights such as William Shakespeare, which lead to depictions of Elizabethan society in his plays. Consequently, influences from London and the royal family influenced plays such as Richard III. Specifically, the play affected the glorification of the Tudors, leading to the villanization of former king Richard III. This paper discusses and argues the effects of Elizabethan England on the plot, villain, and gender roles- all leading to the glorification of the Tudor dynasty. Firstly, Niccollo Machiavelli’s influences on England during the Elizabethan Era transmit in the plot of the play. Machiavelli, an Italian politician, published Il Principe, which established guidelines on how a prince could get and secure his power. Machiavellian ideas diffused among the political elite of England during Elizabeth’s reign (â€Å"The Influence of Machiavelli on Shakespeare†). Consequently, Shakespeare adapted these influences to produce the character of King Richard III. The principal influence of Machiavelli on Shakespeare’s version of Richard is the Machiavellian concept of â€Å"the ends justify the means† (â€Å"The Influence of Machiavelli on Shakespeare†). When Richard outlines his plans that will lead him to the throne of the kingdom, Shakespeare shows the influence of this concept because he shows willingness to do anything in ord... ... plot, the characters, and the overall conflicts. Culturally London is present in the events and characters of the play, since Shakespeare manages to take influences from historians and his patron to target a historical figure. Finally, while embedding historical events in his plot, Shakespeare manages to legitimize the rule of the reining dynasty. Works Cited Mclean, Ralph. â€Å"The Influence of Machiavelli On Shakespeare.† Britain In Print, n.d. Web. 6 Apr. 2014 Preis, Dorothea. â€Å"Richard III Society of NSW.† Richard III Society of NSW RSS. HSC History Extension, 7 Nov. 2012. Web. 6 Apr. 2014 Shakespeare, William. Richard III. Cambridge: U, 1954. Print. Shapiro, Susan. â€Å"Feminism in Elizabethan England.† History Today. History Today, n.d. Web. 6 Apr. 2014 â€Å"The Richard III Society.† Richard III Society of NSW RSS. HRH. The Duke of Clougester, n.d Web. 07 Apr. 2014

Importance of Military Rules and Regulations

Why it is important to Obey Military Rules and Regulation Military discipline and effectiveness is built on the foundation of obedience to orders. Recruits are taught to obey, immediately and without question, orders from their superiors, right from day-one of boot camp. Which is why we work so well by following orders from the more experienced leaders who have been doing this for years. We have plenty of obedience in Charlie company and I feel it is one of the best units I have been in. It has made me want to persue a carreer in the military and I no rules and regulations is what is going to make me move up the ranks and make me a all around better soldier. I no I need to work on discapile sometimes and am doing corrective training right now to make me become a better sodier. So in my essay I have listed many chararistics which in the history and present day made what the army is today. I feel the army values have a big role in rules and regulations because if you follow the values you will not stray off in being disobedient. It's very important to follow directions, or else the world would be in chaos. When some tells you that you must follow directions so that everything can go in an orderly fashion, it's important do because they know what's going to happen if you don't. It's important to follow directions because if you don't something can go wrong, it's important follow directions because if you don't you'll get in trouble, and it's also important to follow directions because if you don't you'll be writing this essay too. It's important to follow directions because if you don't something can go wrong. If you decide to cross the street and someone tells you not to, their telling you for a reason, maybe so that you won't get hit by a car or get shot at in a drive by shooting. It's important follow directions because if you don't you'll get in trouble. If you decide to cross the street after they told you not to, you'll suffer the consequences. In this case the consequences is getting hit by a car our getting shot in a drive by shooting. If you don't suffer the consequences that way you'll suffer another way. Finally, it's important to follow directions because if you don't you'll be writing this essay too. If you didn't suffer the consequences by getting shot at or getting ran over, you'll suffer by writing this essay. By writing this essay you'll be missing many important television shows. Even if you weren't talking in class while taking the test, because you we're the last one taking the test, you'll have to write this essay too. In the end, it's important to follow directions, because if you don't something can go wrong. They're telling you to listen to them for a reason, because they probably know more than you do. It's important follow directions because if you don't you'll get in trouble. You might get hit by a car while crossing the street or get shot at in a drive by shooting. It's also important to follow directions because if you don't you'll be writing this essay too. By writing an essay like this on, it will take up you're time and you'll miss a lot of your favorite television shows. SO FOLLOW DIRECTIONS. When one enlists in the United States Military, active duty or reserve, they take the following oath: I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Officers, upon commission, swear to the following: I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. Military members who fail to obey the lawful orders of their superiors risk serious consequences. Article 90 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) makes it a crime for a military member to WILLFULLY disobey a superior commissioned officer. Article 91 makes it a crime to WILLFULLY disobey a superior Noncommissioned or Warrant Officer. Article 92 makes it a crime to disobey any lawful order (the disobedience does not have to be â€Å"willful† under this article). In fact, under Article 90, during times of war, a military member who willfully disobeys a superior commissioned officer can be sentenced to death. The importance of rules and regulations in the military are there so a soldier knows how to act and behave while in the military. We have rules and regulations to instill upon a soldier how to properly conduct him/herself while in the military uniform. We are put on a higher pedestal than civilians at all times. We are to behave in a different manner than anybody. We are to at all times conduct ourselves in ways that most people would not understand. The rules and regulations are put out so that we know what we can and cannot do at all times. We are to behave at all times in a professional manner and dress properly. The Army is a uniformed service where discipline is judged, in part, by the manner in which a soldier wears a prescribed uniform, as well as by the individual’s personal appearance. Therefore, a neat and well-groomed appearance by all soldiers is fundamental to the Army and contributes to building the pride and esprit essential to an effective military force. A vital ingredient of the Army’s strength and military effectiveness is the pride and self-discipline that American soldiers bring to their Service through a conservative military image. So we are to uphold an image that makes us stand out and look professional at all times. On duty and off duty. Our hair is to be groomed and be in a well kept manner also. Males hair is to be kept short and not touching the ears or touching the collar. The hair on top of the head must be neatly groomed. The length and bulk of the hair may not be excessive or present a ragged, unkempt, or extreme appearance. The hair must present a tapered appearance. A tapered appearance is one where the outline of the soldier’s hair conforms to the shape of the head, curving inward to the natural termination point at the base of the neck. When the hair is combed, it will not fall over the ears or eyebrows, or touch the collar, except for the closely cut hair at the back of the neck. Males will keep sideburns neatly trimmed. Sideburns may not be flared; the base of the sideburn will be a clean shaven, horizontal line. Sideburns will not extend below the lowest part of the exterior ear opening. all clothing will have a proper fit and always be in a serviceable manner at all times. We will maintain a high standard of dress and appearance. Uniforms will fit properly; trousers, pants, or skirts should not fit tightly; and personnel must keep uniforms clean and serviceable and press them as necessary. Soldiers must project a military image that leaves no doubt that they live by a common military standard and are responsible to military order and discipline. Soldiers will ensure that articles carried in pockets do not protrude from the pocket or present a bulky appearance. The trousers are to have a proper fit and not to look baggy. This uniform is designed to fit loosely; alterations to make the uniform fit tightly are not authorized. A tight fit reduces the airflow needed for ventilation and cooling. The coat is worn outside the trousers. Soldiers will not wear a belt with this uniform. Soldiers will wear the trousers bloused, using the draw cords or blousing rubbers, if the trousers are not tucked into the boots. Personnel will not wrap the trouser legs around the leg tightly enough to present a straight appearance. Soldiers will not blouse the boots so that the trouser leg extends down to the ankle area. When bloused, the trousers should not extend below the third eyelet from the top of the boot. So that is an example of how a soldier is to look at all times. We are to maintain a proper appearance at all times. This goes to show how the military works. If we did not have rules and regulations, we would not have a proper working military. We have rules and regulations for a reason, they are there so a soldier knows how to act and dress at all times. Also we are to conduct ourselves in a different way when we are at war too. There is a such thing as rules of engagement. It states that we are not engage upon enemies unless engaged upon first. It has to be the same amount of force as the enemy has used. If they shoot, we are allowed to return fire. But, if they throw rocks and other objects then all we are allowed to do is yell at them. If we did not have that rule we would be using force that is not necessary. We would shoot or kill people that that does not deserve to be shot or killed. If that was the case we would be a Hitlerism nation. We would not care how we won a war or who we had to kill to get to that point. We have rules and regulations on how to keep clean in the field. That’s one regulation you do not want to disobey. It says that if you do not take care of yourself, your living area, or your food, you can get very sick. Your water can start to grow bacteria and different kinds of fungus. Not to mention that if you do no wash your self good enough, you can get some crazy infections. I am surprised that there is not a regulation on how to breath properly on a daily basis. But I would not be either. The regulations are put out there so every one knows what the military life is supposed to like. We have to abide by them at all times day in day out. To me the rules and regulations are to be enforced so that no body is messing up and always in the right. Plus, if there is some thing that you get questioned on, then you can pull up the ar670-1. Like here is a story for you; I had a lt. colonel tell me that I was out of regulations to wear a thumb ring. I told that it was authorized to wear because according to ar670-1 paragraph 14 sub B it states that your authorized to wear two rings. One on each hand, and a wedding set (a bridal set) counts as one. But it does not state that you can or cannot have a ring on your thumb. And also my First sergeant told me that we were not allowed to wear a bracelet. Well I looked it up and come to find out that you are not authorized to wear a bracelet unless it is an identifying bracelet. So I found a loop hole, I made a bracelet with a dog tag on it. Now I was in regulation. Then there is a hair color regulation too. It says that you are not authorized to color your hair unless it is a natural color. Your not allowed to have weird colors like pink or bright red. This one girl got an article 15 for having three different colors in her hair and for destruction to government property. If that is the case then we should not be allowed to have tattoos, because your putting permanent markings on your body. And, also females should not be able to get piercings, because they are causing permanent damage to there bodies. But that is the way the military works. We have to follow the regulations regardless if we agree with them or not. Good leadership promotes professionalism—a relation of standards, involving quality of life, service, discipline and total commitment to our Army and the United States of America. This really sucks because they know that I’m not going to be able to get ten thousand words on one subject. Now if it was like three or more I am sure that it would not be to hard. Seems like pretty good motivation to obey any order you're given, right? Nope. These articles require the obedience of LAWFUL orders. An order which is unlawful not only does not need to be obeyed, but obeying such an order can result in criminal prosecution of the one who obeys it. Military courts have long held that military members are accountable for their actions even while following orders — if the order was illegal. â€Å"I was only following orders,† has been unsuccessfully used as a legal defense in hundreds of cases (probably most notably by Nazi leaders at the Nuremberg tribunals following World War II). The defense didn't work for them, nor has it worked in hundreds of cases since. The first recorded case of a United States Military officer using the â€Å"I was only following orders† defense dates back to 1799. During the War with France, Congress passed a law making it permissible to seize ships bound to any French Port. However, when President John Adams wrote the order to authorize the U. S. Navy to do so, he wrote that Navy ships were authorized to seize any vessel bound for a French port, or traveling from a French port. Pursuant to the President's instructions, a U. S. Navy captain seized a Danish Ship (the Flying Fish), which was en route from a French Port. The owners of the ship sued the Navy captain in U. S. maritime court for trespass. They won, and the United States Supreme Court upheld the decision. The U. S. Supreme Court held that Navy commanders â€Å"act at their own peril† when obeying presidential orders when such orders are illegal. The Vietnam War presented the United States military courts with more cases of the â€Å"I was only following orders† defense than any previous conflict. The decisions during these cases reaffirmed that following manifestly illegal orders is not a viable defense from criminal prosecution. In United States v. Keenan, the accused (Keenan) was found guilty of murder after he obeyed in order to shoot and kill an elderly Vietnamese citizen. The Court of Military Appeals held that â€Å"the justification for acts done pursuant to orders does not exist if the order was of such a nature that a man of ordinary sense and understanding would know it to be illegal. † (Interestingly, the soldier who gave Keenan the order, Corporal Luczko, was acquitted by reason of insanity). Probably the most famous case of the â€Å"I was only following orders† defense was the court-martial (and conviction for premeditated murder) of First Lieutenant William Calley for his part in the My Lai Massacre on March 16, 1968. The military court rejected Calley's argument of obeying the order of his superiors. On March 29, 1971, Calley was sentenced to life in prison. However, the public outcry in the United States following this very publicized and controversial trial was such that President Nixon granted him clemency. Calley wound up spending 3 1/2 years under house arrest at Fort Benning Georgia, where a federal judge ultimately ordered his release. In 2004, the military began court-martials of several military members deployed to Iraq for mistreating prisoners and detainees. Several members claimed that they were only following the orders of military intelligence officials. Unfortunately (for them), that defense won't fly. The mistreatment of prisoners is a crime under both international law, and the Uniform Code of Military Justice (see Article 93 — Cruelty and Maltreatment). It's clear, under military law, that military members can be held accountable for crimes committed under the guise of â€Å"obeying orders,† and there is no requirement to obey orders which are unlawful. However, here's the rub: A military member disobeys such orders at his/her own peril. Ultimately, it's not whether or not the military member thinks the order is illegal or unlawful, it's whether military superiors (and courts) think the order was illegal or unlawful. Take the case of Michael New. In 1995, Spec-4 Michael New was serving with the 1/15 Battalion of the 3rd infantry Division of the U. S. Army at Schweinfurt, Germany. When assigned as part of a multi-national peacekeeping mission about to be deployed to Macedonia, Spec-4 New and the other soldiers in his unit were ordered to wear United Nations (U. N. ) Helmets and arm bands. New refused the order, contending that it was an illegal order. New's superiors disagreed. Ultimately, so did the court-martial panel. New was found guilty of disobeying a lawful order and sentenced to a bad conduct discharge. The Army Court of Criminal Appeals upheld the conviction, as did the Court of Appeals of the Armed Forces. What about an order to participate in a dangerous mission? Can the military legally order one to go on a â€Å"suicide mission? † You bet they can. In October 2004, the Army announced that they it were investigating up to 19 members of a platoon from the 343rd Quartermaster Company based in Rock Hill, South Carolina, for refusing to transport supplies in a dangerous area of Iraq. According to family members, some of the troops thought the mission was â€Å"too dangerous† because their vehicles were unarmored (or had little armor), and the route they were scheduled to take is one of the most dangerous in Iraq. According to reports, these members simply failed to show up for the pre-departure briefing for the mission. Can they be punished for this? They certainly can. An order to perform a dangerous mission is lawful, because it's not an order to commit a crime. Under current law, and the Manual for Courts-Martial, â€Å"An order requiring the performance of a military duty r act may be inferred to be lawful and it is disobeyed at the peril of the subordinate. This inference does not apply to a patently illegal order, such as one that directs the commission of a crime. † In fact, if it can be shown that one or more of the soldiers influenced others to disobey, they may find the crime of Mutiny, under Article 94 added to the list of charges. Mutiny carries the death penalty, even in â€Å"peace time. † , to obey, or not to obey? It depends on the order. Military members disobey orders at their own risk. They also obey orders at their own risk. An order to commit a crime is unlawful. An order to perform a military duty, no matter how dangerous is lawful, as long as it doesn't involve commission of a crime. Military Discipline is a state of order and obedience existing within a command. It involves the ready subordination of the will of the individual for the good of the group. Military discipline is an extension and specialized application of the discipline demands habitual but reasoned obedience that preserves initiative and functions unfalteringly even in the absence of the commander. Discipline is created within a command by instilling a sense of confidence and responsibility in each individual. Discipline demands correct performance of duty. The need for discipline is best inculcated in individual by appealing to his sense of reason. In the few instances where appeal to reason fail, the use of punishment is effective in causing a recalcitrant individual to conform and perhaps appreciate the need for discipline. Condemnation and earned praise from senior to his subordinate, either individually or collectively, for tasks well done serve to strengthen the disciplinary bonds which bind together the smooth functioning team. Max Anders says, â€Å"Only the disciplined ever get really good at anything. Everything in life requires some sort of discipline. Whether it is hitting a baseball, climbing a mountain, playing a musical instrument, making good grades or brushing your teeth it all comes down to a matter of discipline. â€Å"The core of a soldier is moral discipline. It is intertwined with the discipline of physical and mental achievem.. The Army is an old institution. In th is country it dates back to the Washington’s time in 1775—76 when the Revolutionary War took place to proclaim our freedom from the British. One particular thing which Washington’s Army had in common with our modern Army today is discipline. This is very important in order to keep our forces organized. A well—disciplined army will always come out the victor in battle. Take a look at Musolini’s army in Italy in the last War. When the going got tough, their troops got disorganized, failed to obey orders, and finally decided it was time to surrender. And so it happened with Hitler’s Third Reich. His troops got disorganized from the lack of proper discipline and as the proverb goes, â€Å"United We Stand, Divided We Fall†. The Third Reich fell. Our American Army is a well—organized fighting force and always will be, with the proper kind of discipline which we have now. The officers in charge of each Army, Corps, Division, Regiment, down to the Platoon and Squad are all experienced, level—headed men and women, whose job it is to keep the men and women under them disciplined as well as informed as to what is going on and thereby gaining the men's and women's cooperation. From the five—star General down to the â€Å"lowly† Private, it is his duty to see that whatever his job is, it will be done properly. With such a fighting force, how can we lose? Remember, â€Å"United We Stand, Divided We Fall†. We SHALL NOT Fall. It is so that you know what you are allowed to do and not to do, and to maintain control. It is the same in life, they call that the law. To me I joined the military because I was ture to the oath Bear true faith and allegiance to the U. S. Constitution, the Army, your unit and other Soldiers. Bearing true faith and allegiance is a matter of believing in and devoting yourself to something or someone. A loyal Soldier is one who supports the leadership and stands up for fellow Soldiers. By wearing the uniform of the U. S. Army you are expressing your loyalty. And by doing your share, you show your loyalty to your unit. Face fear, danger or adversity (physical or moral). Personal courage has long been associated with our Army. With physical courage, it is a matter of enduring physical duress and at times risking personal safety. Facing moral fear or adversity may be a long, slow process of continuing forward on the right path, especially if taking those actions is not popular with others. You can build your personal courage by daily standing up for and acting upon the things that you know are honorable that a potential Soldier should understand the basics about service before they enlist. if it appeals to you! What it Means to be a Soldier Serving in the Army is a life-changing experience—and a serious commitment. So it stands to reason The Army is an elite group of warriors who dedicate a portion of their time to serving their nation. Each state has its own Guard, as required by the Constitution; in fact, it is the only branch of the military whose What is existence is actually required by the Constitution. Review all of our info about the National Guard and see Nation The first and foremost responsibility will be protecting and defending American interests. This may mean deployment out of state or overseas. If they’re called up, they'll be ready. Community Nearly 400 years ago, the Guard mobilized for the first time to help neighbors in times of need. This is still our main role: helping the community during natural disasters and civil emergencies. Qualifications Physical fitness, age, education, height and weight are the primary factors that determine whether a would-be member can join the Guard. Visit our Standards page for more information. Where Do They Serve? Usually, a Soldier serves where they live. There's a National Guard in all 50 American states, as well as in the four territories, so typically, they'll live at home and drill once a month at the nearest armory. If mobilized by the federal government, they may serve out of state or overseas. Three to six years is typical but length of service depends on the enlistment option they chose at the time of enlistment. College, career and other personal commitments are also factors, but I plan to make a carreer out of the military so rules and regulations are very important to me, There is a long and noble history of the United States Army serving at home and abroad to ensure the safety and freedom of their fellow citizens. They have combated natural disasters, supported Army troops and, when called upon, borne arms against their nation’s enemies. Proud Soldier Since 1636, the army has brought glory and honor upon itself and its soldiers through quiet and selfless service. Do you think you have what it takes to be a member of this select group? In the army you become a Soldier. What does it mean to be a Soldier? It’s being a part of noble tradition of service extending back almost 400 years. It means you become a member of the best trained, best equipped, and most respected military force in history. It means you will make a difference and follow commands of others. Following Orders The importance of following orders cannot be emphasized enough. In the military world this is key to mission success. When a competent authority issues an order, it is issued with the understanding that subordinates will carry out that order, effectively and efficiently. When or where that order is issued does not make a difference on the importance of that order. The orders issued in garrison are just as important as the ones being issued in a combat zone. It is important that the order be understood and done when told to, to avoid further problems. Military discipline and effectiveness is built on the foundation of obedience to orders. Recruits are taught to obey, immediately and without question, orders from their superiors, right from day one of boot camp. Military members who fail to obey the lawful orders of their superiors risk serious consequences. Article 90 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) makes it a crime for a military member to willfully disobey a superior commissioned officer. Article 91 makes it a crime to willfully disobey a superior Noncommissioned or Warrant Officer. Article 92 makes it a crime to disobey any lawful order (the disobedience does not have to be â€Å"willful† under this article). In fact, under Article 90, during times of war, a military member who willfully disobeys a superior commissioned officer can be sentenced to death. These articles require the obedience of lawful orders. An order which is unlawful not only does not need to be obeyed, but obeying such an order can result in criminal prosecution of the one who obeys it. Military courts have long held that military members are accountable for their actions even while following orders, even if the order was illegal. Orders can have a variety of purposes, most of which builds discipline. Whether a Marine is told to clean the head or to bring in gear, the orders given are to instill good character in the Marines. When it comes down to it, there are orders issued for almost everything in the military. Since this practice is so frequent, Marines have learned to make it part of their instinct to follow orders when given. It is written in the promotion warrants that subordinates will render obedience to orders given from superiors, so it is difficult to say that Marines are not reminded of it. Following orders can apply to almost everything you do in life. Everyone follows orders, even the Commandant. So if a four star General has to follow orders, its automatic that everyone below him must do the same. Even before you join the military following orders is part of life. In school the teachers give orders to students, it may not be the same as the military but they are orders. Listening to your parents when they told you to do something was following orders. Sometimes it is hard to cope with the orders that are given, but the judgment of those issuing orders needs to be trusted. I think following direct orders is important because for starters nothing would ever get done because everyone would gaf everyone else off and it might not sound that bad but if you were to put the scenario into a combat situation marines would die all because someone didn’t follow a direct order, for instance if you were told to hold a position with your marines and you moved anyway’s you could cost everyone their lives and loose a war. To obey someone means to comply with or fulfill the commands, restrictions, wishes, or instructions of that specific person. We are taught as children to obey our higher-ups. Starting from our parents, teachers, managers, police officers and so on. So how does this relate to the military? Well, when a person enlists in the United States Military, they take the following oath; â€Å"I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Right there you are making a promise to the United States Military. Before you even put on the uniform, you promise you’ll obey the orders of the President and the orders of the officers appointed over you. Military discipline and effectiveness is built on the foundation of obedience to orders. Brand new privates are taught to obey, immediately and without question, orders from their superiors, right f rom the start. Almost any devil can tell you that obedience was drilled into their heads at one point or another. For example, no talking on the phone while walking, don’t put your hands in your pockets, and stand a parade rest. Those are just the simple orders you are made to obey in the military. Greater orders mean bigger consequences. Military members who fail to obey the lawful orders of their superiors risk serious consequences. I know that knowing the rules and regulations is what is going to make me move up the rank and make me a all around better marine. I need to work on discipline sometimes and am going to correct my unacceptable behavior . So in my essay I have listed many characteristics and examples of how following orders is important. I feel the Marine Corps values have a big role in rules and regulations because if you follow the values you will not have as difficult a time in the corps It's very important to follow directions, or else the world would be in chaos. When someone tells you that you must follow directions so that everything can go in an orderly fashion, it's important to do so because they know what's going to happen if you don't. It's important to follow directions because if you don't something can go wrong, it's important follow directions because if you don't you'll get in trouble, and it's also important to follow directions because if you don't you'll be writing this essay too. If you decide to cross the street and someone tells you not to, their telling you for a reason, maybe so that you won't get hit by a car or get shot at in a drive by shooting. It's important follow directions because if you don't you'll get in trouble. Thank you very much for taking time to read my essay on following orders.