Macbeth †Victim or Villain? Essay

As the scenes of ‘Macbeth’, is slowly scene by scene revealed to the audience; Shakespeare wittily shows Macbeth’s personality as two different characters, the victim,to Lady Macbeth and the witches and as the villain, througout the play; but with both characters clearley portrayed so that one from the audience may say Macbeth is a victim to greater powers; Lady Macbeth, the witches and his own greed, wheras another may say Macbeth is a villain, who was happy of committing all the bad deeds doing so with his own free will, with various points to confirm their views. Initially, right from the start we hear of Macbeth’s goodness before we even meet him; â€Å"good and hardy soldier† and † Brave cousin† all show how brave Macbeth is and how he is patriotic, which obviously a villain wouldn’t be, caring, loving or doing anything for their country; they would be caring for themselves and their needs, someone who loves their country will not try and kill the king of the country, especailly a king like Duncan; who was always thinking of the country’s needs and views first. Secondly, the fact that Macbeth wasn’t so sure on the plan that Lady Macbeth suggested; because even though he had suggested killing Duncan, right before the murder he was thinking about how bad the deed is,he was very confused and he decided not to the deed but it was under the influence of Lady Macbeth’s greed that he gave in and committed the inhuman act; † And live a coward in thine own esteem,† which attached Macbeth’s masculinity and so therefore Macbeth becomes so angry that he doesn’t really do the deed with his own free will, anger drove him to do it. Furthermore the fact that he actually thinks and lists the positive and the negative sides of doing the deed or not shows unlike villains he does have a ‘human’ side and that he does care and know about right and wrong; as he thinks to himself † He’s here in double trust; First as I am his kinsman and his subject Strong both against the deed; then as his host Who should against his murder shut the door, Not bear the knife himself.† This shows that he feels guilty about this; and because of this, he decides that he wouldn’t kill Duncan, but Lady Macbeth persuades him, which further proves that he is a victim. Macbeth was also under the influence of the three witches; because they appeared so inhuman and magical, † Speak if you can What are you?† that when Macbeth heard the predictions he thought as the first prediction † All hail Macbeth, hail to thee Thane of Glamis.†, and the second prediction † All hail Macbeth, hail to thee Thane of Cawdor,† both seemed and came true, so Macbeth thought why wouldn’t the third † All hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!† come true? Did not the witches speak words of wisdom before with the other two predictions? Don’t they seem magical? So Macbeth was victim to the witches throughout the play, thinking about their encounter. If the witches and Macbeth hadn’t met, Macbeth wouldn’t have killed Duncan, Banquo and nor would he have committed all the bad deeds he did. The fact that Lady Macbeth, to add on to Macbeth’s lack of manliness gives an example as to what she can do if she’s promised to do something † Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums, and dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you have done to this.† She says this to make him angry and feel ashamed of lacking masculinity so therefore in order to prove he isn’t to himself and to Lady Macbeth he becomes determined and does the deed. Moreover at the end, when Macbeth dies you can see clearley he is a victim who has lost everything, power, family,life the fact that Macbeth is totally disheartened shows he is really upset and (to the audience) seems like a victim. On the other hand, Macbeth can also be thought of a villain, there are many points in the play as to how this is proven. When the three weird sisters are making their last prediction † All hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter† his villainous mind quickly starts thinking of the possibilities of becoming king and how to reach this; he immediately suggests this plan to his wife, when she suggests the plans Macbeth immediately agrees to it also when she asks him to leave everything upto her † Leave all the rest to me† he agrees to it all. Furthermore if Macbeth wasn’t a villain he wouldn’t have been persuaded so easily to kill Duncan; even though women in shakesperean time were supposed to be weak and lesser then men Macbeth chose to listen to his wife, which in Shakesperean time men wouldn’t do. Additionally, after Macbeth killed Duncan instead of learning from and not sinning anymore he carries on to think and plan about killing Banquo his close friend; because Banquo was starting to suspect Macbeth and the fact that Banquo’s sons would be kings. It is a villainous deed to kill or attempt to kill your best friend and his son. Macbeth’s courage becomes so great he doesn’t even inform his wife Lady Macbeth when planning to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. Mostly when ‘good’ people have a special power or belonging they try to be satisfied with it and not to want more, especailly if the way to achieve it isn’t good, wheras Macbeth through his actions constantly shows that he wants more power and that his greed is unstoppably growing, therefore proving he is a villain. Macbeth constantly tries to fight and control fate; instead of leaving it, enjoying and appreciating what he already has he goes to the witches the second time himself instead of avoiding them, † I conjure you, by that which you profess, However you come to know it, answer me† here he is clearly due to his greed desperate for some sort of ‘sign or miracle’ to happen from the witches so fate is on his side again. Similarly like a general villain, Macbeth instead of worrying for his wife, Lady Macbeth, when the doctor tells him that Lady Macbeth is in need of a priest, Macbeth doesn’t ask for details he changed the subject to Scotland being in need of help; to add on to the point when Seyton brings the news that Lady Macbeth has finally died, Macbeth says â€Å"She should have died hereafter, There would have been a time for such a word† this is one of the most cruelest responses anyone can give to a friend’s death let alone a wife’s, it just shows how like other villains Macbeth is cold hearted and he has also started to be carried away with his power and greed that he actually states she should have died later in a more appropriate time; which further proves he really has no feelings, which relates to him being a villain. Consequently, I think that overall Macbeth is both a victim and villain; as there are many points to prove both views but isn’t definitely one (a victim or a villain) but a mixture of both. The fact that at the end Macbeth is so sure of the witches’ predictions show that he is a victim; and a villain for believing what three weird sisters have said, for no proof of what they are but only because they’ve said something beneficial to him. Without one victimised deed he wouldn’t have done a villainous deed and the same the other way round, Macbeth is both a victim and a villain just like some animals who can both be predator and prey.

Marriage and Ancient Greek Culture

Marriage is when a man and a woman are religiously committed to each other. In ancient Greek culture, this reflected on the relationship of the King and Queen, and Odysseus and Penelope, but they weren’t quite similar. The King and Queen had a closer relationship, while Odysseus and Penelope were always separated. Odysseus and Penelope’s marriage was nothing like the King and Queens. Odysseus wasn’t really faithful while trying to get back to his wife. For example, the first time Odysseus wasn’t faithful was when he was captured by Calypso. In The Odyssey, it said â€Å"Even as he spoke, the sun set and the darkness swept the earth. And now, withdrawing into the cavern’s deep recesses, long in each other’s arms they lost themselves in love†. That basically says that they had a sexual relationship. This wasn’t really good of Odysseus due to the fact that he’s married. On the other hand, Penelope is at home waiting for him, and making up excuses that she will marry someone new. To make the other people believe that she unsows her quilt to take longer. The better relationship is between the King and Queen. Unlike Penelope and Odysseus, they live together. In The Odyssey, they said â€Å"Alcinous slept in chambers deep in his loft house where the queen his wife arranged and share their bed. † That showed that they didn’t sleep in different beds, but that they slept together and shared it. The King and Queen are an example of what marriage should be like. Men and woman play different roles. In The Odyssey, there are different roles. For example, woman had to be seen with their husband and not any other man, because then they would be called a bad name. Also, men shouldn’t change in front of other woman while he’s married because it doesn’t show respect for their self and their wife. Ancient Greek culture had many rules, and they were better if you followed them. Marriage and courtship is very important to Greek culture. Not everyone takes it serious, for instance, Odysseus. He wasn’t faithful, and showed he doesn’t care for his wife back home. The King shows he’s very loving to his wife because they live together. Not all marriages are the same, and not everyone takes it as a commitment.

Contemporary politics with a focus on Europe Essay

Contemporary politics with a focus on Europe Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Contemporary comparative politics can only be well understood through a critical analysis of the European politics right from the ancient time to the current world. European politics brings a clear picture of different elements and features of politics because it is the origin of all forms of politics that have been in existence in the world. The post-1945 political systems, wars and economic movements in Europe give a detailed explanation of contemporary issues in politics. The issue of democracy is one of the most common issue that is well addressed by the analyzing the political situations in European, there a lot of studies that have been conducted in relation to that and thus there is detailed information about the issue of democracy. Other issues like the relationship between the economy and the government, and the issue of modern monopoly states are well explained through the wide topic of European politics. The object of the paper is to discuss the surrender paradox using the German case, the explanation of modern monopoly states by the economist, explanation of paradox of democratic Exuberance, explanation of market failure and government failure and lastly, the explanation of the linkage and the demand of democracy. Surrender paradox using the German case   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The surrender paradox is well explained using the German case and a brief explanation of the German case would offer a good platform for understanding the case well. The German surrender paradox means is derived from situation where the Germans were not supposed to surrender but it was a must for them to surrender. The statement sounds contradicting but it is the statement that explains the whole concept of surrender paradox. The Germans were the main party that was involved in the Second World War, with the leadership of Hitler and the military and economic strength that Germans had, it managed to conquer many states and territories in the war (Hart, 45).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hitler had vowed that he will never surrender to any military group in his life as the German leader. This made him to involve all the Germans who were also referred to as Nazi people in the war, many young men were involved as soldiers while the rest were involved indirect through provision of resources. However, the energy of Hitler in the war lusted until 1944. The Nazi troops had conquered many territories during the war and thus they were much diverted in many place of Europe, this made it easy for the Allies who were fighting them to conquer them. There are a number of reasons that made the Germans to surrender, the pearl harbor attack by the Japanese was one of the main reason, this because the United State who were very powerful got involved in the war. The USSR broke form the German side and thus it started attacking Germany on one side, the France and Italy troops also attacked the Germans on another side. The United States and t he allies eventually managed to push Germany out of all territories that it had occupied. As a result of this failure the German were forced to retreat to their own territory and their leader by the name Hitler committed suicide to avoid the shame of surrender and the punishment which the Allies could subject to him. He left his assistant in command who signed the unconditional surrender agreement which marked the end of war in Europe. The above German case gives a clear picture of surrender paradox especially in the statement which stated that the Germans could not surrender but it was a must for them to surrender. Origin of modern monopoly states according to economist   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Monopoly states is where the government gains a full control of the territory it is ruling including the people in that territory. There is the old monopoly state which was exercised in 19th century and the modern monopoly state that is currently exercised. The origin of modern monopoly states is addressed by the historian, politicians and economist but they all address the issue in different perspectives. In this paper the economist perspective on the origin of modern monopoly states will be the main focus. Many economists had given their views concerning the origin of monopoly states but they all give the same idea and that is why it is called the economist modern monopoly states perspective (Bell, 12). Economists deal with the issue of economy when they are addressing any issue irrespective of the origin of the topic. In this case, the economist addresses the origin of modern monopoly states in relation to economic sector that happened in 1930s.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The economist explains that in 1930, the famous economic depression occurred. The depression affected the economy of the whole world in a greater way where many countries were left unstable in their economy. The politicians and the economist at that time urged the government not to interfere with the situation because it would solve itself. The government had no other option but to let the situation solve itself. However, instead of the situation going back to normal, it started deteriorating, citizens started complaining on the economic situation in the world and that is where the government took charge of the situation. The economist later concluded that the government intervention was the only way to control the economic crises.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This conclusion gave the government the total power to control all sectors of economy because it initially concentrated more on the security and political part of the country. That is where the modern monopoly states emerged because the government gained the power to control the all areas of countries economy (Beaudreau, 112). Modern monopoly states can also be associated with socialism though some features of socialism are not included in the modern monopoly states. The overall perspective of the origin of modern monopoly states is the 1930s depression that led to economic crises in the whole world. The historian holds a different view because they explains that the modern monopoly states originated form the two world wars and other political factors and that is where the difference comes between the historian and economist point of view in this issue. Paradox of Democratic Exuberance   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   European political history gives a clear picture of the paradox of democratic exuberance in the past and in the modern world. A lot of studies have been done on the issue of democracy where democracy in retreat history book by Joshua J gives a detailed concept of paradox of exuberance. Paradox of democratic exuberance means the cheerfulness of having a democracy which indeed is of no help to the people. The situation was identified during the Post-1945 during the development of democracy in many European countries. Democracy means ruling of people where people of middle class are given a chance to raise their views on issues of their concern. The paradox of democratic exuberance is found in many situations and the common one is when the political leaders go against the democracy. Violation of democracy by the political leaders means that the rights of middle class people are prone to violation and thus they will just the boosting of democr acy which is of no help. A good example is the demonstrations that were organized in Philistines and Thailand because of the misuse of democracy by the leaders. Irrespective of the kind of democracy, it should protect the middle class people and they should have voice on government matters. When a democracy fails to meet the above requirements, irrespective of its structure, the situation is referred to as paradox of democratic exuberance. Paradox of democratic exuberance is well explained by the people of middle class and the way it favors them. If it is does not benefit them in any way, then it becomes a democratic paradox. Generally, people should be cheerful for a democracy that is important to them (Carens, 6). Market failure and government failure   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Market and government failure are interrelated and each term can explain another. Market failure can cause government failure and government failure can cause market failure and they are both common in the current world. Market failure refers to a situation where the quantity demanded in the market by consumers exceeds the quantity supplied by the suppliers (Winston, 33). On the other hand, government failure refers to a condition where the government intervention in the market makes the market condition to be worse. In most cases the political situation in any given country determines the failure or success of any market. The paper will mainly concentrate with how government failure can cause market failure because the topic relates to political issues.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are many situations where the government can cause market failure. The main one is political self-interest. When politicians have self-interest like gaining fame, exploring more territories and gaining financially, they can make decisions that can cause market failure instead of success. A good example is the 19030s depression crisis (Kurlantzick, 331). The crisis was caused by political self-interest where leaders used all the finance of their countries in order to finance the war without any consideration of the economic situation. This led the 1930s depression which marked the greatest market failure ever in the world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Market failure that is as a result of government failure can also be caused by careless investments by the government in the market. A government may decide to finance a certain deteriorating company. The financing of the particular company makes it to become a monopoly in the market and as a result of that; many potential investors in the market are scared away and this cause an overall market failure. The government has a tendency of addressing economic problems using short term plans and goals. This is very dangerous because it causes future market failure which is very hard to solve. The short term goals that were used to handle the 19th and 20th century market problems are the main causes of today market failure. The market failure that is caused by other factors other than the government intervention can cause market failure; this is because the government uses a lot of funds to finance the market and these results to government fail ure (Kotsonis, 55). Linkage and demand for democracy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Demand for democracy emerged when people of the middle class started demanding for their rights. The demand of democracy can be linked with the development of democracy from ancient times. The development of democracy started during the time of village’s administration to the time of empire administration. However, some countries were left behind in this development and that is why the issue of demand of democracy started. Officially this demand started after the fall of Berlin war during the world war. People of different countries compared their countries with countries that were developed like Canada and United States. They identified that the countries which were developed had well established democracies and thus they demanded for democracy. They suggested for democracies that would consider their rights and democracies that could give them a chance to raise their views in the government. Human rights organizations were also in the first line in the demand of democracy and this boosted the efforts of the middle class people in this demand. This led to the establishment of new democracies which were different but they all considered the issue of equality and safeguarding human rights. The demand led to the establishment of two types of democracies, direct and representative, according to the type of government structure that had been established in those countries (Boix, 440). Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To wrap it up, contemporary comparative of politics focusing in Europe is a wide topic that covers many areas of political sectors in Europe and the whole world at large. Every situation that happened in the post-1945 in Europe has a significant meaning in this topic. For instance, the German surrender incident explains the whole concept of surrender paradox. Issues like the modern monopoly, paradox of democratic exuberance and demand for democracy are well understood though critical analysis of European political issues from ancient times to the current time. References Hart, R., Hart, S., & In O’Neill, R. J. World War II. New York: Rosen Pub, 2010 Boix, Carles and Susan Stokes. Endogenous Democratization. World Politics. 2013 55: 5-549, doi:10.1353/wp.2003.0019. Bell, Daniel. The Coming of Post-Industrial Society. A Venture in Social Forecasting. New York: Basic Books, press 1999 Kurlantzick, Joshua. Democracy in Retreat: The Revolt of the Middle Class and the Worldwide Decline of Representative Government. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2013. Print. Kotsonis, Yanni. States of Obligation: Taxes and Citizenship in the Russian Empire and Early Soviet Republic. , 2014. Print. Beaudreau, Bernard C. How the Republicans Caused the Stock Market Crash of 1929: Gpt’s, Failed Transitions, and Commercial Policy. New York: iUniverse, Inc, 2005. Print Winston, Clifford. Government Failure Versus Market Failure: Microeconomics Policy Research and Government Performance. Washington, D.C: AEI-Brookings Joint Center for Regulatory Studies, 2006. Internet resource. Carens, Joseph H. Democracy and Possessive Individualism: The Intellectual Legacy of C.b. Macpherson. Albany: State Univ. of New York Press, 1993. Print. Source document

Cyber Attacks Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Cyber Attacks - Term Paper Example A background of origin of tense environment between America and the world of terrorism sharply identifies foreign variables in defining the current conditions in the country. The implementation gap on effective anti-terrorism policies identifies in detail the nature of evolving terror environment backed by technology and online computer usage to support the magnitude of current terror threats (Saskia, 2011). The nature of legislation and criminal justice system with respect to provisions of the constitution dominate the remaining sections of the discourse, with case laws illustrating the standoff to flawless war on terror. Two classical cases that defined the interaction between the fight against terror and legally supported government polices illustrate the apparent standoff. Finally, opinion is given on different issues touching on the overall global status of US effort in fighting terrorism. The Department of Homeland Security is a constitutional establishment that takes up the task of ensuring that the country wards off crime and potentially harmful actions, in accordance with the requirements of the constitution with regard to provision of protection by national government. The government deploys resources within its control for provision of a safe environment through the Department of Homeland Security. Internal threats precipitated by actions happening within the country or beyond the borders constitute the concerns of the Department at all times. It is increasingly impossible for America to remain safe, with the impact of foreign intrusions dwelling on the country than ever before. In view of the state of threats to national security, America devotes the largest fraction of its national budget to fund departments entrusted with ensuring that America is safe. If the country did not perceive such threats to be as serious, perhaps the proportion of budgetary allocatio n across the other departments would not show such a huge disparity. Aggression against

American Unjust Drug War Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

American Unjust Drug War - Research Paper Example Such premises, as will be discussed below, are stronger than those which seek to justify the state’s tough anti-drug laws. II Thesis This paper asserts that America’s war against illegal drug use is unjust because it does not simply violates but violently repress the drug user’s inherent right to choose, putting the American society at greater risk. This argument strongly weakens the popular assertion of prohibitionists that illegal drug use poses extreme harm not only against users but the society as a whole, thus must be prohibited at all costs (Huemer 135). Moreover, this vividly illustrate that a law founded on distorted truth could create more rather than resolve problem, demonizing rather than humanizing society. Essentially so, the end could not justify the means; neither the means could justify the end. Democracy, which the American society proudly upholds, is founded on giving due respect to the inherent rights of every individual, as enshrined in the Bi ll of Rights of the Unites States Constitution. Violating any of these fundamental rights contradicts American principles on civil liberties, that could weaken the very foundation of this powerful nation. One of the rights inherent in every individual is no other than the right to choose, as this acknowledges the individual’s freedom to make personal decisions. This means, the body, self and life of the individual is his/hers alone. Whatever he/she would like to do about it is his/her sole right. Meaning, an individual has the fundamental right to choose and the freedom to decide whether or not he/she will use drugs, despite knowing the harm such choice may effect on him/her. As such, the government has no business over an individual’s decision on what to do with his/her body, self, and life. Therefore, America’s war against drug is unjust, because anti-drug laws do not simply deny but violently attack drug users of their personal autonomy, subsequently violatin g their other basic human rights such as the right to liberty and the right to life. This is not to say that criminalizing drug use unjustly tarnishes the user’s reputation, causing him/her to be socially isolated and depriving him/her of opportunities and decent life. Furthermore, since the right to choose is inherent in every individual, no one – not even the majority will and not even legislation – can take away this right from an individual; only the individual him/herself can surrender this right if he/she freely chooses to do so. Meaning, if the individual knowingly decides to subject him/herself to drug use regulation or prohibition, for example under medical care, then that is the only time that his/her drug use, specifically related only to the health problem being medicated, can become the business of the authority – in this case the medical health professional. But even under such circumstance, the failure of the individual to regulate or forbi d him/herself of drug use as medically prescribed does not make him/her a criminal. If the prohibition of drug use already violates the individual’s right to choose, criminalizing it is tantamount to state repression, further proving therefore, that America’

Theories and ethnographies on the gift (economic anthropology) Research Paper

Theories and ethnographies on the gift (economic anthropology) - Research Paper Example Therefore, gift in this context can be defined as goods and services that are exchanged with the intention of affirming a social relationship and status. Hence, gifts are a reciprocated system where citizens of any given community will be perpetually indebted to another person. Ethnographers have studied many different interpretations of the gift in traditional societies. The complicated factors of ‘the gift’ in archaic society have attracted debates throughout different fields of study. In addition, several professionals including anthropologists, sociologists, philosophers, as well as economists have researched the issue. A sense of duty bounds these relationships together although these communities may be otherwise hostile towards one another. Marcel Mauss, a French anthropologist and a sociologist, carefully studied the facts on the gift in traditional primitive societies; following Durkheim’s model on the sacred, he theorized that gifts are of a moral, religi ous, and economic nature in natural economic systems; with a sacred quality to exchange and contracts. Mauss presents the idea of a system of obligatory service provision i.e. one provides a service because it is their moral responsibility to do so, this system brings together distinguished characteristics identified based on religion, justification, and economic status. An example is doing voluntary work in the community, Hann et al. (2011) notes, â€Å"... It is groups, and not individuals, which carry on the exchange, make contracts, and are bound by obligations the person represented in the contracts are moral persons- clans, tribes and families; the groups, or the chiefs as intermediaries for the groups, confront and oppose each other† (p.50). He visualized a unique connection between the gift and the recipient and emphasized on the power embedded on the gift that would propel the recipient to reciprocate the act of giving (Mauss, 1925. p.3). With this idea, he stipulate d that the giver not only gives the gift, but part of them is also torn away from them in the process of giving. Due to this, he said that there was no complete separation of the gift from the giver (Mauss, 1925). He further argued that, what they exchange is not exclusively goods and wealth, real and personal property, and things of economic value. They exchange rather courtesies, entertainments, ritual, military assistance, women, children, dances and feasts, in which the market is merely one element and the circulation of wealth, but one part of a wide and enduring contract. Finally, although the social facts and their opposing factors take place under a voluntary guise, they are in essence strictly obligatory, and their sanction is private or open warfare. We propose to call this system of total presentation.† (Mauss, 1926) There is not only an obligation to repay gifts, but also to give and receive them willingly, to refuse to do so could mean refusing to accept the other into one's community and could cause war. However, by giving, the community shows itself as deserving and worthy of respect and generosity. Failure to give will mean to end their partnership and refuse any future gifts. Gift- giving contests have come together on this basis such as the famous North- West Coast Native American Potlatch as well as the Kula Ring in the Trobriand Islands. Malinowski also researched the Trobriand islanders, found the exchange between islanders of the Kula Ring

Shopping is a complex and contradictory activity which cannot be Essay

Shopping is a complex and contradictory activity which cannot be reduced simply to the act of buying goods or services - Essay Example Shopping on the other hand is a term which is often used in a recreational context , as in : "it's a pleasant afternoon, why don't we go shopping". Shopping necessarily does not mean purchasing objects of requirements; rather, it pertains to purchasing objects of desire and interest. Shopping is an integral part of every vacation, celebration and for most people, even part of their free time. Shopping in these contexts is classified under leisure activities. In most cases shopping is a harmless and sometimes a relaxing activity but on the other hand it is not uncommon to see "pathological shoppers" who tend to go over the top with their buying spree irrespective of requirement, available finances and affordability. Shopping has a dark side too, just like all other leisure activities when done in excess. In some cases, uncontrolled habits may transform into mental disorders and even dependency which eventually require psychological intervention. Compulsive shoppers may feel a false and temporary phase of happiness just by attaining ownership of a particular object but most often than not, this phase is followed by regret and remorse over monetary wastage. For the typical shopper, that Tracy Reese dress or Prada bag may just be a piece of merchandise but for a shopaholic it is medication. Women often joke about "retail therapy." But that laughter may actually be a disguise to veil depression, loneliness or boredom. Shopping is an easy way to numb ourselves or boost our self-esteem, even if relief only lasts until buyer's remorse sets in. Shopaholics try to fill in their emptiness with "stuff" they might not even need. That void, in reality, may be from years of emotional or spiritual deprivation: fear that there's never enough, whether its money, material objects, recognition or love. Retail therapy is shopping with the primary purpose of uplifting the buyers' mood or disposition (Oxford Dictionary). It is a short lived habit and is often seen in people during periods of depression or transition. Items purchased during periods of retail therapy are called "comfort buys". Retail therapy was first used as a term in the 1980's: "we have become a nation measuring out our lives in shopping bags and nursing our psychic ills through retail therapy" (Chicago Tribune, 1986). In a study by European Union revealed that 33 percent of shoppers surveyed had "high level of addiction to rash or unnecessary consumption" (Observer, 2001) which eventually ran them into debts. Melbourne University researchers have coined a term "oniomania" to this psychological disorder, also known as compulsive shopping disorder. For a generation, 'retail therapy' has been the ultimate source of salvation from the stresses of modern living. But a major new study now suggests that for millions of people, binge shopping is no longer an emotional cure, rather it may make an individual feel worse. Retail therapy is actually an expensive way of distracting oneself from life's problems which one would eventually have to face and solve anyway! In short, it is a method of escapism. The pleasure is short lived and shallow in nature. Materialistic belongings can never bring peace and true happiness. Moreover, the sense of ownership imparts a false sense of pride which can be addictive as well as

Strategic Information Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strategic Information Systems - Essay Example Therefore, the most important element among those perquisites is a secure, well designed and well managed website. It is through a user friendly website that a firm can attract more traffic to the website. This report presents an investigation into the extent to which e-commerce is currently being used in the computer hardware and the banking industry. The Computer Hardware industry is as much a commodity market as it is a technology market. It is somewhat misleading to assume that research and development alone decides the success of a PC manufacturing company. R&D is most definitely required for future improvements but perhaps is not the sole determinant of a company's success. In the PC industry, apart from excellent R&D and customer care, it is marketing of the product that would matter. Dell has been one of the prime examples of success in e-commerce. The business objective of Dell is to eliminate the retailers and sell directly to the consumers. By eliminating the middle layers, Dell has brought about epochal changes in the PC industry. Communicating directly with the consumer helps the business become more agile, and also helps cut cost of sales. In this endeavor, the only tool in the hands of Dell is the Internet. Dell has unique business strategies and models to support the growth process of the organization. From $1000 to $30 billion, the growth rate of Dell has been phenomenal. Dell mainly concentrates on activities that would add more value to the organization and also result in good-looking market returns. Over the years there have been many companies in the PC/server industry following the footsteps of Dell. However most of them failed in their endeavor (Woodgrange Technologies Ltd., 2005). Simply replicating the business model never serves the purpose of making something successful. Dell has a competitive advantage in its cost advantage and greater efficiency. As such it emerged as the cost leader in the market. Dell was the first one to offer world-class PCs at dream prices to the consumers. However selling directly to the consumers were more of a revolution than a religion. As such Dell has continued to surprise their customer base with unique and intelligent offers. Recently Dell has signed up Best Buy as a retail partner (Dell, 2007c). This is a major historical shift for Dell who had been preaching the values of direct selling for more than two decades. With the

Homework25 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Homework25 - Coursework Example The German aggression threatened every nation in Europe such as France, but the British vowed not to let German undermine its sovereignty (Roark 6). In its annexation, German invaded Poland and America feared that if British were left alone to fight against German, it might suffer so much because it did not have enough resources to go to war. Therefore, the U.S reversed its neutrality policy and allowed its allies to buy supplies and ammunition to fight off German aggression. The war had dire consequences for women and family. The husband left their families to the battle ground thus making their families vulnerable of the challenges in the society, to struggle for food, shelter and education. Moreover, it is the American citizen who bore the greatest burden because resources that were diverted to the war were meant to help in the development of the domestic economy. In addition, the attack by Japan on Pearl Harbour made mothers lost their husbands and sons who were the bread winner of their

Influence of Mergers on Firm Performance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Influence of Mergers on Firm Performance - Essay Example The result of a merger may therefore have a positive or negative influence on a firm’s productivity. This paper draws on theory and evidence in evaluating the extent to which mergers influence the performance of firms. Influence of Mergers on Firm Performance Mergers increase market power of firms, which is the ability to influence the price and supply of a commodity in the market without affecting customer loyalty (Peterson, 2002). The merging firms within a particular industry are able to establish a monopoly that is capable of controlling the quantities and prices of commodities produced. On the other hand, as DePamphilis (2002) observes, merging increases the competitive advantage of firms over competitors. A market leader results from mergers so long as government policy favors a monopolistic market and hence with the perspective of market power, mergers can be considered to have a positive influence on a firm’s performance. Organizational effectiveness can also be accomplished through mergers that pool resources from the merging organizations to form one firm with a strong resource base. A firm that has success to sufficient resources is capable of maintaining a competitive advantage. ... This allows the firm to have sufficient time to test the applicability of emerging inventions; hence it can not incur heavy losses. Moreover, merging firms enjoy the economies of scale due to the combined production (Sudarsanam, 2004). Mergers increase the new firm’s market share as a result of the amalgamation of the different levels of market share existing before the merger. In other words, firms do not lose their customers after the merger. A successful merger requires that each firm accounts for its input in to the merger, including its human resources and customers. A greater market share resulting from the merger leads to economies of scale, increased turnover and hence increased profitability (Bruner & Perella, 2004). Tax reduction has significant implications on a firm’s profitability. Each firm submits tax as a single entity depending on the level of profits. When a firm’s external environment is unfavorable and makes losses yet it continues paying taxe s, a merger comes in hardy to save it from collapse. Merging with a larger profit making company enables the loss making firm to continue producing while the larger firm enjoys a tax advantage. This may not be a favorable merger for the loss making firm and hence it may not have any positive impact on performance (Sudarsanam, 2004). Mergers develop a positive outlook of the new organization with regards to the stock market. The larger organization has the capacity to maintain stock stability than the original smaller firms. This stability is significant in maintaining the confidence of investors in the stock market, which on the other hand translates to a strong capital base that is necessary for a firm’s long term strategic

Passover Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Passover - Research Paper Example The words uttered by God show the essence of Passover, the Passover recipe and acts. The Israelites were commanded by Yahweh to consume roasted meat, along with bitter greens and unleavened bread with haste, sandals on their feet, their cloaks tucked into their belts, and staffs on their hands (Exodus 12: 8-13). According to Murray, the Passover was a celebration, to commemorate God’s mighty acts of salvation for his chosen people (p.4). The word Passover has consequently, the very same meaning with the Egyptian term for â€Å"spreading the wings over and protecting." The Passover feast outlined the sacrificial act that Jesus performed with his death, redeeming mankind. In reference to the Passover during the period of the Israelites, the theme of redemption is clearly shown in our everyday life when faced with trying moments. As a young man, Moses fled Egypt in disgrace under a death penalty for killing an Egyptian. When God summoned him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, he had been away from Egypt’s culture and sophistication for forty years. Moses was to go back to Egypt and confront the successor to the Pharaoh with the words: â€Å"let my people go" (Exodus 5:1-5). To save His people from Egypt, God chose a man who was, in many mannerisms, similar an Egyptian. Moses was born an Israelite, but he grew up adulthood in the house of Pharaoh’s daughter. His Hebrew mother raised him; however, he was tutored worldly wisdom from Egyptian teachers. He was chosen by God to deliver Israelites to show all people that the Lord makes a distinction between Egyptians and Israelites (Exodus 11-7). Moses heeded Yahweh’s command and went to Egypt to plea for the release of the Jews. Pharaoh completely refused to let the Israelites go, the Lord showed his might by bringing down judgment on Egypt’s false gods. Via Moses, he turned water into blood, showing the Egyptians that he was greater than the Nile that the

Teen pregnancy Research Paper Essay Example for Free

Teen pregnancy Research Paper Essay Since 1997 the federal government has invested millions of dollars in Abstinence Only Education programs which have been proven to be ineffective programs. Even though abstinence is the best option for teens not to get pregnant, most teens tend to experiment with sex at young ages. Teens naturally have a sense of curiosity about their bodies and the opposite sex, not to mention that their bodies are going through hormonal changes (puberty). After the Obama Administration created a budget for sex education programs, teen pregnancies have been declining further than with just the contraception movement. As Molly Hennessy-Fiske reported in the Los Angeles Times, â€Å"Sex education in schools has helped teens decrease teen pregnancies by 52% in states like California† (LA Times). Not all states are cooperating with teaching this new curriculum to kids, as shown by Dr. Brian Carr who has said about abstinence only programs, â€Å"†¦the birthrate among Texas teens is the 3rd highest in the nation (63.4 per 1,000) with the repeat teen birth rate being the 2nd highest in the nation† (Carr). This topic is talked about in today’s times because the teen pregnancy rate has dropped drastically in the U.S., but there is still a need for it to drop it down even further. I propose that not only sex education should be taught in every state, but should also start to be taught to younger age ranges. In the US there are more teen pregnancies than in any other country. Marjorie Valbrun states, â€Å"Despite the decline, the U.S. teen birth rate is still much higher than in other developed countries, including Canada, where the rate averaged 14.1 per 1,000 in 2002-2011; Germany, where it was 8.9, and Italy, where the rate was 6.8. The US numbers are 31.3 births per 1,000 girls ages 15-19 in 2011† (Valbrun). There has been a decline in the U.S. in teen pregnancies, most of which is a result of contraceptive use. The other big reason there is a drop is because of sex education programs. Advocates of Abstinence Only Education programs argue that their programs are responsible for the recent dramatic decline in teen pregnancy since 1991. As Marcia Clemmitt finds, â€Å"A study showed that improved contraceptive use, to prevent HIV/AIDS, is responsible for 86 percent of the decline in the U.S. adolescent pregnancy rate between 1995 and 2002† (Clemmitt). In 2012,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"There were 29.4 births for every 1,000 adolescent females ages 15-19, or 305,388 babies born to females in this age group† (U.S. Department of Health Human Services). This is the lowest level in teen pregnancies in seven decades for the U.S. See figure below. This information does not tell the whole story in every state though. Carr has found why a state like Texas is on the opposite side of the drop, â€Å"†¦a survey found that a ‘quiet revolution’ was underway in Texas with abstinence-only instruction being replaced by abstinence-plus sex education programs (although abstinence-only programs continue to be the predominant approach in the state)† (Carr). Titania Kumeh writes, â€Å"Unlike in Texas, California’s schools teach comprehensive sex education (29 births per 1,000 teen girls)† (Los Angeles Times, 2013). Prevention works by teaching teens how and why to delay sex and the steps that they need to take if they bec ome sexually active. The program that has been shown to work is sex education. In a survey that my classmates and I conducted for the ACE Program, we found that the public has shown 71% interest for sex education to be introduced to ages 7 to 14. 93% of the surveyed believe that sex education is a need in our classrooms. Sex education is important for helping teens to understand the changes in their bodies and in their relationships before and during the teenage years. Sex education helps teens to make healthy choices about relationships and sex. There is research to prove that comprehensive sex education programs give young people the tools they need to protect themselves from negative sexual health outcomes. Within our survey we found that the people who mainly learn about sex from their friends are more likely to have sex at an earlier age, whereas if people learned from a teacher or a parent they were more likely to wait and also to use contraceptives. Sex education should be started well before the teenage years. Starting with children, parents should have age appropriate discussions with them about love, relationships, values, and physical anatomy. It is more appropriate to be open and honest while talking to children and teens than to keep the information from them. Boys and girls should know what a penis, scrotum, and vagina are without using substitutes like calling them wee-wee or pee-pee.† Parents should not be afraid to answer their kids questions about their bodies or the opposite sex. Withholding the information results in ignorance and, with something as purely natural as sexuality, there is not really a reason not  to teach about it. Parents should answer their kids more in-depth questions when they are asked (i.e. â€Å"Where do babies come from?†) regardless of the age. If the honest answer is good enough, or the kid is a little confused but wanders off satisfied with the answer, which is great. If children continue to ask more questions, the answers should continue to be honest and presented in a way the kid can understand. If parents make sex education an open topic with their children, the kids will feel more comfortable talking and asking questions about sex and their body changes when they turn into teens. If parents discourage talking or answering questions, teenagers will be looking for answers from their friends and the media. In our survey we found, in the filtered information, that teens are twice as likely to have unprotected sex at younger ages when taught by their friends. It is an important factor to make sure that are kids our taught properly to prevent teen pregnancies. Our country can reduce teen pregnancies by requiring sex education programs in schools and making sure that these schools teach them. My team’s research has shown that sex education will work by teaching kids about their bodies, contraception, and making healthy choices. If sex education is started at earlier ages, parents and teens will have a better understanding towards one another and will make healthier choices. I believe that someday, if our country works toward these goals, we all can benefit from the outcomes of fewer teen pregnancies. Works Cited Dr. Brian Carr; http://lubbockonline.com/interact/blog-post/dr-brian-carr/2013- 08-02/blind-facts-sex-education-texas-public-schools. Web. Marjorie Valbrun; Document APA Citation — See Alternate Citation Style Teen sex. (2013, June 15). CQ Researcher. Retrieved from http://0- library.cqpress.com.library.cabrillo.edu/cqresearcher/ . Web. Marcia Clemmitt. (2010, March 26). Teen pregnancy. CQ Researcher, 20, 265- 288. Retrieved from http://0 library.cqpress.com.library.cabrillo.edu/cqresearcher/ Molly Hennessy-Fiske. The Los Angeles Times 2/1/2011. Web. Titania Kumeh. The Los Angeles Times 2013. Web. Advocates for Youth. http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/publications/publications-a-z/409-the-truth-about-abstinence-only-programs. Web. U.S. Department of Health Human Services. http://www.hhs.gov. Web. Graph: Birth rates per 1,000 females ages 15-19, by race/ethnicity, 1990-2012. Source: Hamilton, B. E., Martin, J. A., Ventura, S. J.(2013). Births: Preliminary data for 2012. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. Web

CSR Policy At BHP Billiton

CSR Policy At BHP Billiton After thorough deliberation of the research, the analysis indicates that BHP boasts of a good CSR reputation. However the activities that feature in this report are questionable CSR practices and there is a growing gap between BHPs rhetoric and the reality of its operations. The report also evaluates why these controversial activities have not had a significant effect on BHPs corporate image. In particular, outlining BHPs use of its CSR Policy as a Public Relations (PR) tool to manage its reputation. Table of Contents Introduction BHP Billiton was formed in 2001 through the merger of the BHP (a natural resource company) and Billiton (mining company). It now operates in 25 countries, employs approximately 41,000 people and has a market value of over 250 billion (BHP Billiton, Our business n.d.). Milton Friedman describes CSR as a fundamentally subversive doctrine and states that there is one and only one social responsibility of business which is to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so as long as it stays within the rules of the game, which is to say, engages in open and free competition without deception or fraud (Hamilton Fitzgerald 2005). While many leading companies are genuinely moving in this direction, others are simply seeking a relatively short-term improved public perception of their operations. Increasingly CSR has become a major concern in the global mining economy because of the heightened awareness of unethical business behaviour. Most recent examples of this include the devastating oil spill in 2010 by British Petroleum (BP) in the Gulf of Mexico (BP, Gulf of Mexico Restoration n.d.). Price Waterhouse Coopers identify a number of challenges BHP and many other natural resource companies face in todays environment: improving safety and reducing the environmental impact improving performance and operational effectiveness managing risk complying with regulatory reporting requirements and addressing sustainability issues. (Price Waterhouse Coopers, n.d) BHP Billiton BHP responds to community expectations with a combination of policys including a code of conduct, sustainable development policy and many others designed to set the standard of which it conducts its business. At the forefront of this approach stands BHPs CSR Policy. CSR Policy BHP define its CSR Policy as a requirement to address risks, explicitly stating it has zero tolerance for the misconduct of: child labour, forced or compulsory labour, treatment of employees, living wages, workplace health and safety, freedom of association, world heritage sites and protected areas, biofuels, corruption, bribery and extortion, compliance with laws, discrimination, indigenous rights and the environment (BHP Billiton, Corporate social responsibility requirements n.d). Communication and Advertisement BHP uses four communication channels on its website to advertise its CSR Policy: reports, which reference CSR information for stakeholders, announcements, available on its home page which are designed to provide updates on their CSR performance and activities, multimedia, the website also offers effective use of multimedia to enhance their CSR information through relevant images, interviews and other media, feedback, BHP invites stakeholders to provide feedback via their website by submitting online questions (BHP Billiton, Our business n.d.). Uniqueness of CSR Policy The level of CSR differs from each company, however after comparing BHP with Shell and British Petroleum, two of its natural resource competitors; it is clear all three competitors are trying to get value from their CSR reporting by focusing on the environmental and social concerns of their stakeholders. This includes such things as political, economic, environmental, social, legal and cultural factors. Drivers of CSR (Benn Dunphy 2007) argue that corporate social responsibility may in fact be the consequence of profitability rather than the cause. So the question stands, is BHPs CSR Policy driven by true concern for society, or is it another way to increase corporate profit? BHP argue that its decision to report on Corporate Social Responsibility is based on: consideration of the key health, safety, environment, community and socio-economic risks of our business consideration of stakeholder feedback and commentary with regards to issues of materiality a desire to continually improve reporting standards Evidence of Commitment to CSR BHP uses a number of methods to ensure it complies with its CSR Policy. This includes but is not limited to: conducting a progress assessment on its performance in relation to the UN Global Compact principle and the Global Reporting Initiative which are designed to align their operations. holding an annual Forum on Corporate Responsibility (FCR) that brings together representatives of senior management and key non-government organisations and community opinion leaders to discuss and debate social and environmental matters relevant to BHP. Investing in community projects and recording its community contributions spend against the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG), this presents a consistent framework for measuring tangible progress. The reporting methods noted above are publically available on BHPs website, this is proof that BHP acknowledges the challenges in the nature of its operations. Assurance BHP commissioned the URS in 2006 to provide an independent review of its Sustainability Report (URS Australia, n.d). The results indicated that BHPs Sustainability Report fairly represents the health and safety, environment, community and socio-economic impacts of its operations. Rhetoric or Reality BHP Billiton has argued in theory that it abides by its strong corporate responsibility; however there is a growing gap between its rhetoric and the reality of its activities. The following cases are examples of challenges faced by BHPs operations when policy does not equate to practice: Natural Resource Industry BHPs core business is to provide natural resources, an industry which has had increased social pressures to act responsibly. It can be argued that BHPs CSR Policy was produced as a public relations tool to mitigate the negative impacts of its core business activities and also to maximise profits for its stakeholders. The real test here is does BHP act ethically when it has the opportunity to make a profit (Pratt Nikolova 2006). This was demonstrated most recently when BHP advised of its intentions to supply the Chinese energy market with an additional 10,500 tonnes of uranium annually. The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) warn that once the uranium enters China it will disappear from the safeguards radar, this could potentially lead to devastating outcomes such as nuclear proliferation. Clearly BHP has a greater CSR here but unfortunately the $80 million in revenue was more important than its public image or the health of the wider community. Economic Influence BHPs CSR Policy specifically prohibits the influence of government officials to support the company practices. Most recently in 2010 the Australian Federal Government proposed a super profit mining tax estimating to have made $100 billion in revenue between 2012-13 and 2020-21. However the government was subsequently influenced by three major mining companies including BHP, who explicitly opposed the tax proposal, threatening Australias investment capital (The mining company that cried poor 16 February 2011). As a result the Prime Minister slashed 30 per cent of the tax which means the Australian taxpayers will take a forecast revenue hit of $60 billion over a decade while BHP reports over $10 billion profit for the second half of 2010. Corruption, Bribery and Extortion Clarke (2007) argues that the debate concerning the true extent of the accountability and responsibility continues to the present day. BHP states that: All contract related transactions and payments, including those in connection with gifts and hospitality and other expenditures, must be accurately recorded in reasonable detail in the books and records of any supplier who works on behalf of BHP Billiton (BHP Bilton, Corporate social responsibility requirements). However in April 2010 BHP was investigated by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission after Cambodias Minister for Water Resources told the countrys National Assembly that BHP Billiton had paid US$2.5 million in unofficial payments, to the government, to secure a mining concession (An Alternative Annual Report 2010). BHP has not revealed what over payment was for but controversially the countries BHP operates in have poor records on corruptions and are desperately in need of foreign investment. Protection of the Environment BHP states that: Protection of the Environment: The supplier must operate in a manner that is protective of the environment and comply with all applicable environmental laws, regulations and standards, environmental permitting and re porting (BHP Bilton, Corporate social responsibility requirements). However in 1996 it was sued by Slater and Gordon for one of worlds most devastating environmental disasters when it discharged over one billion tonnes of tailings and waste material into the source of the Ok Tedi River in Papua New Guinea (PNG). This caused more than 3,000 square kilometres of deforestation, turned the tropical rain forests into savannahs, caused 95% decline in fish population (An Alternative Annual Report 2010). Workplace Health and Safety BHP states that it must ensure: the provision of safe and healthy working facilities and appropriate precautionary measures to protect employees from work-related hazards and anticipated dangers in the workplace (BHP Billiton, Corporate social responsibility requirements). However five of its workers in the Western Australia operations died in fatal injuries due to unsafe working practices from 2008-2010 (An Alternative Annual Report 2010). BHP also states that it must ensure: workers receive regular and recorded health and safety training (BHP Billiton, Corporate social responsibility requirements). However in its South African operations employees were not informed about the health and safety risks of handling a chemical element called manganese which causes illnesses such as Parkinsons Disease (An Alternative Annual Report 2010). Effectiveness of BHPs CSR Policy Despite its bad history BHP has usually maintained a good CSR reputation. In fact the Australian Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility went so far as to list BHP in the 2010/11 Top 20 Australian Listed Companies based on its advanced CSR capabilities (State of CSR in Australia Annual Review 2010/11). The real question here is has BHP earned its right to good CSR reputation? History of Public Relations It is a well-known fact that many companies spend a lot of money on Public Relations (PR) to manage their reputation. In the late 1990s BHP employed the Ecos Corp, an environmental PR company founded by former Greenpeace International Executive Director Paul Gilding to help repair its reputation after the OK Tedi Mine disaster in PNG (Ecos 2007). The public relations was aimed at countering the bad publicity through campaigns including advertisements in business publications such as the Financial Review and Australian TV. BHP also offered legal support to the PNG Government for the development of new environmental laws. Unfortunately for BHP, this resulted in an even bigger public outcry, as the company was accused of interfering with its legislation in an effort to protect its own interests (Quester et al 2001). Evaluation The evaluation of BHPs CSR Policy resides in the adequacy of its reporting standards. Clarke (2007) argues that in order for a company to receive creditability they must disclose their processes, procedures and assumptions in reporting. It can be argued that BHP has intentionally chosen not to transparently report on the cases as mentioned in this report, for the simple fact that it leaves it open to more risk and public scrutiny. However this lack of acknowledgement effectively contradicts its stewardship and attests its reliability. Increased public awareness demands that CSR reporting will no longer be used as a public relations tool. This can be seen, as mentioned previously, through the introduction of the Australian Federal Government Mining Tax and other legislation such as the UK Bribery Act, both will inevitably have a significant impact on the way BHP conducts its business. Additionally important are organisations such as BHP Billiton Watch, which was formed to deal with the prominent concerns of communities and organisations across the world regarding BHPs activities (BHP Billiton Watch n.d). Conclusion It is inevitable that organisations such as BHP, in controversial industries such as mining, are never going to be holistically accepted. However, todays forward thinking generation recognise the impacts and challenges of CSR including safety, environmental, community and socio-economic issues. Stakeholders including shareholders demand greater accountability than simply financial returns. Therefore verification and transparency are key to BHPs success and the credibility of its CSR. BHP boasts of a strong reputation and has an opportunity and increased responsibility to enhance and contribute to a safe renewable environment and set an example for other companies alike.

Spiritual War :: essays research papers

War is any active hostility, contention, or struggle. Throughout our lives we wage a constant mental war. This 'spiritual'; war is a languid process that shapes our lives and engenders many journeys in life. Conflict arises within our vibrant minds through decisions and emotions that we make from a day to day basis. This battlefield promotes failure and success.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Decisions make up the main bulk of our inner conflict. In making a decision, two possible situations come to mind--one can either do this or that. The decisions can either be one of great complexity or a fairly simple one. An example of a complex decision can be the choice to take or refuse drugs if asked by a peer to use them. By refusing to take the drugs it shows self-confidence and strong character. A simple decision can be thinking of what to have for lunch. Complex or simple, regret accompanies the wrong choice. One fine example from the novel A Separate Peace comes when Gene made the decision to jounce the limb and make Finny fall from the tree. This, in the end, caused much of Gene's regret and ignorance because it finished Finny's athletic career and later causes Finny to die. Another decision in the novel came when Finny forgave Gene. Even though Gene ruined Finny's life, Finny made the hard choice to forgive and forget what Gene had done. The human mind is a cave swarming with a multifarious amount of emotions, from love to misery. Of all the emotions, misery becomes the greatest battle we wage in our war. We are most vulnerable to misery and depression. In one point in time we will come up against misery. Learning to cope with misery becomes one of the hardest stages in life. Misery is a hole that we must learn to climb out of. By continuing to remain miserable only digs this hole deeper and deeper until we are unable to get out. For example, in A Separate Peace, Finny dealt with his misery of a broken leg and no sports, by telling Gene to play sports for him. Another major fight going through our mind is against jealousy. Jealousy, no matter the amount, makes up the minds insidious side. The side that drives us to hurt others, like when Gene's jealousy drove him to cause Finny fall off the tree.

Huck Finn :: essays papers

Huck Finn This story started out sometime in the mid-1800s in the small town of Hannibal, Missouri. A few months earlier Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn discovered a chest full of gold. The two adventurous boys split the twelve-thousand dollars, and Judge Thatcher was keeping their money safe in a trust. In the meantime, Widow Douglas and her sister, Miss Watson, realizing Huck's unsophisticated ways, took him into their home to try to "sivilize" him. Huck learned to read and write and even acquired some religion, but he didn't like it too much that Miss Watson continually tried to vanquish his smoking and swearing. One day Huck saw footprints in the snow and realized that his father was back in town. This made Huck very uncomfortable because his father stayed drunk and beat him whenever he felt like it (which was most of the time). Huck knew the only reason his Pap came back was to collect his son's money. After finding out about his Pap, Huck went quickly over to Judge Thatcher's house to sign away the right to his share of the twelve thousand dollars. Since he had no money now, he figured his father wouldn't bother him. A few nights later, Huck found his Pap, looking very rough and ragged, sitting in a chair in his room. Pap was very angry with Huck for becoming smarter than his father and threatened to beat him if he didn't quit learning. Pap took Huck's only dollar and left, but showed up the next day at Judge Thatcher's house claiming to be Huck's legal guardian. Pap demanded the money that was in Huck's name, but the judge refused. A while later, Pap became desperate and kidnapped his son. He took him to a one-room log hut where Huck was kept locked up whenever Pap had to leave. Huck didn't like this too much, nor did he like the daily beatings he received when Pap was drunk. Despite this, Huck rather enjoyed not having to be civilized anymore. One night after Pap threatened to kill Huck, the boy decided he had taken enough; he was going to escape. The next night while Pap was in town, Huck found a saw and cut out a piece of one of the walls. He crawled through the hole and replaced the piece of wood so that Pap wouldn't notice it.

Free Hamlet Essays: Complex Hamlet :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

Complex Hamlet There are many factors that lead Hamlet into putting himself in a difficult position. There are many incidents where it’s not Hamlet’s poor attitude that gets him in trouble, but his great ambition to uncover the truth. Once Hamlet discovers that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are spying on him, he never lets them out of his sight. Hamlet suspects that his mother, Gertrude, was an accomplice for the murder of his father. Polonius was slain by Hamlet who had mistaken him for Claudius. His pretense of madness drove Ophelia to her death. All of these incidents show that its Hamlet’s great ambition to uncover the truth that gets himself in difficult positions. Hamlet would not show mercy even when confronted by his best friends from his childhood. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were sent by the King and Queen to spy on Hamlet to discover the reason for his disturbing behavior. Hamlet isn’t fooled by their sudden arrival and gives them a chance to show their loyalty to him by admitting they were sent by the king. "That you must teach me. But let me conjure you by the.... be even and direct with me whether you were sent for or no." (II-ii.274-278) Hamlet is aware of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s alliance with the king. He sends them to England, replacing the letter that they carried with a forgery of the king’s seal stating that the bearers of the letter should be killed. He felt no guilt or remorse for the sudden loss of his two best friends. "They are not near my conscience; their defeat does by their own insinuation grow." (V-ii.58-59) Hamlet’s curiosity caused him to not only suspect his mother, but also kill poor Polonius. He believed Gertrude was an accomplice in the murder of his father.Hamlet has violent outbursts towards his mother. His anger increased as Gertrude misinterpreted the situation. She believed that she was in danger of being assaulted and therefore cries out for help. Hamlet, who was full of rage, runs his dagger through the arras and kills Polonius, mistaking him for Claudius. "O me, what hast tho done/Nay, I know not. Is it the king?" (III-iv.27-28) Hamlet's passion was furiously aroused, and his words to his mother grew increasingly bitter and sharp. His words acted like daggers that shattered Gertrude's peace of mind. "Nay, but to live in the rank sweat of an enseamed bed, stewed in corruption, honeying and making love over the nasty sty.

Case Study of the Spanish Retail Chain Zara

The Spanish retail chain, Zara, owned by Inditex is a retailer that has been so successful in our world of globalization and new technologies today by simply adopting a new approach in the industry. With their simple business model of speed, flexibility, and high fashion, Zara has the competitive advantage to be sustainable. Zara was founded by Amancio Ortega Gaona (Ortega), in 1975 and went on to become the flagship brand of the holding company, Industria de Diseno Textil, SA, popularly called Inditex, which was founded in 1979. As of 2002, Inditex operated six separate chains, that being, Zara, Massimo Dutti, Pull & Bear, Bershka, Stradivarius, and Oysho. However, each chain operates independently and is responsible for its own strategy, product design, sourcing and manufacturing, distribution, image, personnel, and financial results. Zara, which contributes around 80 per cent of group sales (Grant 2005, p. 398), is by far the largest, most profitable, and most internationalized of the chains. Its stores can now be found in the most important shopping districts of more than 400 cities in Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa. With year-on-year sales increasing at around 25% over the last 5 years, it has become one of the world’s fastest growing retailers (University of Cambridge Institute for Manufacturing). Discussion The global apparel market is a consumer-driven industry (Criag, Jones & Nieto, 2004) in which profits derived from â€Å"unique combinations of high-value research, design, sales, marketing, and financial services that allow retailers, branded marketers, and branded manufacturers to act as strategic brokers in linking overseas factories†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ with markets (Collins 2003, p. 44). Zara's business model can be broken down into three basic components: concept, capabilities, and value drivers. Zara's fundamental concept is to maintain design, production, and distribution processes that will enable Zara to respond quickly to shifts in consumer demands and tastes. The main business tactics of the company in context of its business model is:- (i) Short lead time: More fashionable clothes and embracing quick changing customer's tastes. (ii) Decentralized Management: Taking advantage of the intelligence and trust the judgment of employees. (iii) Lower quantities: Inventory will be formidable burden in perishable products. (iv) More styles: Providing more choices for customers and more chances of meeting the customers taste. At the heart of Zara's success is a vertically integrated business model spanning design, just-in-time production, marketing and sales. The distinctive vertical integration feature of Zara’s business model, has allowed the company to successfully develop a strong merchandising strategy. This strategy has led Zara to create a climate of scarcity and opportunity as well as a fast-fashion system. Currently, H&M is Inditex’s major competitor. Swedish retailer H&M has been growing at an average rate of 20% annually in the past two decades. These two European retailers are known for their ‘fast fashion’ had unique business models and growth strategies which have enabled them to expand quickly and successfully beyond their own borders. With the European markets becoming saturated, Both companies are expanding outside Europe and establish their hegemony in the world market. Yet what is it that distinguishes Zara from H&M and its other competitors? In its process of expanding globally, Zara, unlike its competitors such as Gap, Benetton, and H&M, does not use cheap Asian outsourcing. Eighty percent of Zara’s materials are manufactured in Europe, with fifty percent made in Zara controlled facilities in the Galicia region of Spain near headquarters. Though the cost of production in Spain more expensive compared to Asia, Zara still manages to maintain competitive advantage over its competitors in regards to operations. Zara maintains local strategic partnerships with manufacturers and suppliers in Europe and this proximity gives Zara great flexibility in adapting their product lines based on up to date market trends and consumer behaviour while decreasing costs of holding inventory. This proximity effect and the flexibility give Zara its competitive edge in comparison to their peers. However, the business strategies adopted by Zara, does have its setbacks to Zara’s success. The vertical integration concept often leads to the inability to acquire economies of scale, which means Zara cannot gain the advantages of producing large quantities of goods for a discounted rate which leads to higher costs being incurred as they have to set a higher pricing of Zara products outside of Europe in order to cover supply costs. Zara has not invested in distribution facilities to support their global expansion. As a result, despite being able to quickly supply their stores at present, they may not be able to supply to a larger number of retail locations due to their â€Å"centralized logistic† model. Even though Zara has been successful at scaling up its distribution system, the centralized logistics system might eventually be subject to diseconomies of scale as Zara continues to open stores all around the world and ships product from its single Distribution Center in Europe. This system may work well with the current number of stores because majority of the stores are centralised in Europe. However, Zara won’t be benefiting from short lead times and low operational cost with a single central Distribution Center model in terms of globalisation and branching out into other countries. Conclusion To successfully expand globally, Zara should focus on one country at a time. Our team concludes that Zara’s current focus should be international expansion in a country that has an open trade market with well formed trade regulations as this provides a safer business environment. During the globalization process, Zara should maintain short lead time, quick inventory turnover, leading fashion brand and low advertising cost as its competitive advantage. As a result of their product cycle, Zara gives their customers the feeling of scarcity because new items are presented weekly and are often not restocked, and this encourages customers to come to the stores and buy frequently. As such, Zara invests more in their store layouts as compared to marketing. Their cost advantage and ability to maintain brand recognition and customer loyalty along with other factors such as regional distribution center, vertical integration, outsourcing and eye-catching window displays are essential elements for Zara to build value in the company and to continue to re-invent and innovate themselves to stay fresh in the apparel industry.

Hispanic Cuisine: a Significant Ingredient in Like Water for Chocolate

Hispanic Cuisine: A Significant Ingredient in Like Water for Chocolate Eating is a fundamental activity. Food, itself, is a major component of survival, for without it there would be no life on this earth. Throughout the evolution of man, it has come to have a greater importance with multiple significances to human beings. In fact, it has become a defining factor for families, classes, and cultures all through history. Hispanic societies are no exception. Furthermore, Hispanic women writers have written articles, screenplays, and novels using cuisine as their driving force. A great example is Laura Esquivel’s novel, Like Water For Chocolate. First of all, the title of the novel makes reference to food, but it also has a deeper meaning. Images of heat and fire permeate the novel as expressions of intense emotion. Heat is necessary during the preparation of many foods. In the science of cooking, heat is a force to be used precisely; the novel's title phrase â€Å"like water for chocolate,† refers to the fact that water must be brought to the threshold of boiling and lowered three times before cacao powder can be added to make hot chocolate. However, the many forms of heat involved in the tale cannot be so controlled. Heat is used as a symbol for desire and physical love throughout the narrative. Some example can be found in Gertrudis' rush to the ranch showers then escape from the entire ranch itself, in Pedro's lust for Tita, and the death of Pedro after he and Tita passion is finally realized. This heat is used as a source of power and one of destruction. The epitome of this detail in the novel, where death and desire are paired together, occurs when the love between Tita and Pedro is actualized. Secondly, the recurrence of recipes of Hispanic delicacies throughout Esquivel’s book parallels their importance in Mexican culture. Anne Goldman asserts that â€Å"the very domestic and commonplace quality of cooking makes it an attractive metonym for culture† (Lawless 213). It is no coincidence that the setting of this novel takes place at the same time as the Mexican Revolution. This event was an important modernizing force in Mexican history and is considered to be â€Å"the crucible of social cohesion†¦in modern Mexico† (Pilcher 88). As a result of the revolution, a unifying national identity was desired. Defining cultural cuisines go hand in hand with cultural definitions. Like forming a national identity, or writing a novel, deciding on recipes that will define a nation is a long process. The recipes, that Esquivel ultimately chose to be included, represent the Mexican culture well and show their importance in defining it. Like most nationalities, there are delicacies that the Hispanic culture is known for. As mentioned above, in her novel, Esquivel makes reference to several traditional Hispanic recipes. These recipes introduce each chapter and assist in continuing the novel’s flow. Through these cuisines, the narrator is able to associate another anecdote that forces the tale to carry on. Without the food, the story would be at a stand still because so much of the narrative revolves around the food. Moreover, Esquivel’s usage of magic realism enhances the importance of the mentioned cuisines. Not only does she mention the food, it also has a profound affect on those that consume the entrees. Therefore, they have a profound affect on the entire story itself. One notable example is the Chabela Wedding Cake Tita bakes for the unfortunate union of Pedro and, her sister, Rosaura. The release of her tears in the batter is a release of the immense loss she feels. Because of this added ingredient, the guests who consume the cake are overwhelmed by the same emotion that Tita feels. Making anecdotes, such as this one, in connection with a certain dish, impresses a lasting memory of these dishes in the reader. Also, Hispanic culture places an importance in the transfer of recipes from one generation down to the next. In this narrative, the tradition continues through Nacha, the De La Garzas’ cook, on to Tita. Because Tita’s mother is sinister, unaffectionate, and unable to produce breastmilk for her daughter, Tita is driven into Nacha’s open arms. Maria Elena does not pass down the recipes. Instead, Tita is nourished and educated in the art of cooking through her surrogate mother. Nacha teaches Tita through cultural recipes and secrets of the kitchen. The reader finds that the traditions have been passed down because the omniscient narrator of the tale is Tita’s great-niece. In the tale’s beginning, she introduces a recipe for Christmas rolls. Like a cookbook’s author would, the narrator comments on the onions and how they should be chopped up fine for the Christmas rolls and suggests that a little bit of onion should be placed on the reader’s head to keep from crying when dealing with onion. The trouble with crying over an onion,† she states matter-of-factly, â€Å"is that once the chopping gets you started and the tears begin†¦the next thing you know you just can’t stop. † She adds, â€Å"I was especially sensitive†¦like my great-aunt, Tita† (Esquivel 3). And so the main character is introduced and the s tory can begin. This description is an allusion to Tita’s tear-filled life and her tear-jerking situation. At the story’s end, Tita’s great-niece mentions that as long as someone cooks her recipes, Tita legacy will live on. â€Å"Like a story, a recipe needs†¦a reason to be† (Jaffe 223). For Tita’s descendents, the reason for this narrative is the continued remembrance of Tita. Additionally, this onion description is how the reader is invited to become a part of the tradition. As a professor, Cecelia Lawless has noticed firsthand the effect Esquivel’s novel has on its reader and its â€Å"potential to provide a base for community building. † (215). Her students not only took interest in the story, they also wanted to cook the dishes themselves. They were interested in sharing their own personal recipes they had learned from their family members. Through this Esquivel’s text, which is also considered to be a cookbook, the recipes are sure to be enjoyed for decades. Furthermore, Like Water for Chocolate asserts women as insightful, productive, powerful, sexual, loving individuals through its incorporation of Latino cuisine. In this story, the kitchen is explored as a â€Å"space of creative power [for Hispanic women] rather than merely confinement† as said by the well-known poet, Rosario Castellanos (Jaffe 221). â€Å"It wasn't easy for a person who knew life by way of the kitchen to understand the outside world. This gigantic world which began from the kitchen door toward the inside of the house, because the one that lay adjacent to the back door of the kitchen and that overlooked the patio, the fruit garden, the vegetable garden, yes it belonged completely to her, she controlled it. † (Esquivel 5). Tita uses the culinary arts as a way to express herself and she effectively does so. â€Å"†¦Esquivel subverts tradition by ennobling a ‘domestic’ skill and turning it into an art form† (Glenn 41). For example, at one point in the novel, her love, Pedro presents her with roses to hearten Tita after Nacha’s death and as a symbol of his love for her. Maria Elena immediately sends Tita to throw them away. However, Tita does not want to. Instead, she incorporates her gift into an elaborate dish of quail in rose petal sauce, which turns out to be absolutely divine. She is able to save her present and consummates her love with Pedro through the food she serves. â€Å"That was the way she entered Pedro’s body, hot, voluptuous, perfumed, totally sensuous (Esquivel 48). In addition, this amazing dish sends Gertrudis, Tita’s second sister, running towards the shower outside to cool off. Because she is so hot, the water does not even touch her and the ranch shower is set ablaze. As she runs away, she encounters Juan, a soldier that had been drawn to her scent. Here, Gertrudis exposes her sensuality and courage. She defies social conventions and escapes the oppressive hacienda to pursue what she desires and her independence. And, although, the reader discovers that Gertrudis had run off to a brothel in order to satisfy her desires, she proudly returns, having turned her life around, as Juan’s wife and as a general from the revolution. She informs her family that earned her commission â€Å"by hard work, and fought like mad on the field of battle. Leadership was in her blood† (175). Additionally, Chencha, the ranch maid of the De La Garzas, is shown to possess power through food. An example is Chencha’s soup. Chencha had a firm belief that good soup could cure any illness. In one scene in the story, Tita goes mad after the death of Roberto. She is fed up with her mother, who Tita believes is the reason for Roberto’s death. Tita is sent to stay at Dr. John Brown’s house. Later, Chencha brings Tita the ox-tail soup that she made especially for Tita. With that, Tita returns to her senses. Although, Chencha is in a lower class than the women of the De La Garzas’, Esquivel still empowers this character. Her ability to help Tita is another example of the transformation of an apparent limitation of the kitchen into knowledge, enriched by cooking. The famous Mexican nun, Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, describes the importance of the kitchen for Latin American women and the power it provides. But, Madam, what is there for us women to know, if not bits of kitchen philosophy? †¦And I always say, when I see these details: If Aristotle had been a cook, he would have written much more. † (Lawless 217). In conclusion, Esquivel, through Like Water for Chocolate, was effectively able to connect food, culture, and society together. Her decision to portray the novel as if it was also a cookbook energized the tale’s flow, heightened its suspense, a nd conveyed the importance of cuisine in the lives of human beings. Because of her brilliance, it has been internationally acclaimed, and righteously so. Like the tradition of passing down culinary secrets has kept the legacies of families, communities, and cultures alive, so will the study and appreciation of Like Water for Chocolate continue to thrive. Works Cited Esquivel, Laura. Like Water for Chocolate: A Novel in Monthly Installments with Recipes, Romances and Home Remedies. Trans. Christensen Christensen. New York: Double Day, 1992. Fernandez-Armesto, Felipe. Near a Thousand Tables: A History of Food. New York: The Free Press, 2002. Jaffe, Janice. â€Å"Hispanic American Woman Writers’ Novel Recipes and Laura Esquivel’s Como Agua Para Chocolate. † Women’s Studies 22. 2 (1993): 217+. Lawless, Cecelia. â€Å"Cooking, Community, Culture: A Reading of Like Water for Chocolate† Recipes for Reading: Community Cookbooks, Stories, Histories. (1997) 213-21. Pilcher, Jeffrey M. Que vivan los tamales! : Food and the Making of Mexican Identity. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1998. Sceats, Sarah. Food, Consumption and the Body in Contemporary Women’s Fiction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000.

Knowledge of Programming Fundamentals

The article â€Å"Future Developments: Tomorrow’s IT Stars Will Need More Than Mere Skills† published in eWeek (2004) likens the science of application development to basic reading and writing skills that all educated people have developed.   This is not to say that all people are today equipped with the knowledge of programming fundamentals.   Rather, the author of the article makes the point that since writing an enterprise application requires a mere set of rules and directions such as those that car drivers are acquainted with, it is possible that every educated person in the near future will be equipped with the knowledge of programming fundamentals.By following a set of rules and directions, therefore, every person who needs to write an enterprise application or software program would be able to find his way.   In that case, what would be the job of trained programmers?   The author describes the programmers of tomorrow as masters in their science.   Lik e â€Å"master tour guides,† these individuals would be akin to the â€Å"Formula 1 racers who can push their enabling technology to new limits.†Ã‚   So yes, there will be need in the days to come for trained computer scientists.   All the same, today’s programmer must seek to be a master in the science – one who knows more about the technology than laymen who merely follow the guidelines to programming.Given that the layman, too, should be able to follow specific rules to write applications, it is wise to let the computer software be divided into operating systems and applications.   This makes it easier for anyone who is not a master in computer science to easily use both operating systems and applications, each with their own guidelines for operation.   If applications and  operating systems were integrated, the layman would have to learn much more than he would be willing to learn about programming anyhow.Lastly, Coffee (2004) asks if knowledg e of programming fundamentals would be required in the same way in the future that reading and writing are taken for granted today as basic skills.   Based on the summary of the article above, the answer to the question is: Yes, every working professional who wishes to follow the set of rules and directions to write his own program in the future would be able to do so almost perfectly.   However, unlike reading and writing skills that are acquired by both working and unemployed people, the skill of writing programs by following a set of guidelines is not expected to be acquired by all people.

Bureaucratic Politics and Intelligence in The Bay of Pigs

In 1961 at the Bay of Pigs, exiles from Cuba performed an amphibious physical attack. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had done the recruitment, training and equipping of these Cuban exiles brigade. Moreover, pilots from America in support of the invasion flew some combat missions. However, in not more than three days, the Cuban president, Fidel Castro, had intervened and crushed the invasion but there were reports of hundred exiles that died. Besides, the assault force survivors spent the subsequent one and a half years languishing in the prisons of Havana.The then U. S. presidents, Kennedy, R. , was troubled within himself for having had approved this operation that morally, intellectually and tactically was bankrupt from its inauguration. Bureaucratic politics, a national security policy models by Graham Allison, helps clarify the dilemmas of Kennedy’s shadowy vacation. The use of analogical reasoning in this ill-fated invasion based on the past successes that were con cealed revealed the faultiness of enacting foreign policies in decision making.The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) may have misguided President Kennedy to result to the wrong policy decisions in dealing with Cuba and her president (Johnson, 1983, 25). Analogical reasoning by the way of process tracing could have aided Kennedy in making up his final decision. Though the press had been informed of the progress of the preparations of the invasion, it downplayed the same more specifically to the Cuban expatriates who had exiled the Miami political representatives in the interest of the national security.Further revisiting the unfolding of events in the Bay of Pigs (Bahia de Cochmos) leaned more on a political outcome than a decision arrived at rationally. The present struggles between the different governments’ officials’ gave birth to this Bahia de Cochmos since each independent side had its priorities, problems and perceptions totally conflicting with the othersâ€⠄¢. This invasion was a unitary rational actor’s unconscious policy decision emerging from coalition, compromise, confusion and competition among the aforesaid officials of the government who had different perceptions of the issue at hand (Blight, 1999, 7).Though no acting solely, these parties were in a common competitive game as elaborated by the model of bureaucratic politics. Endorsements by Eisenhower, an Indian, some staffers and the CIA funding held more significant roles invasion than the chiefs in the determination of the final outcome though they had no elaborate intention in the invasion. For instance, Eisenhower only supported the attempts of destabilizing Cuba while Nixon, a U. S. presidential nominee of the Republicans foresaw the benefits he was to enjoy once the toppling of Castro was successful prior the general elections.Another active participant of the Cuban program included Bissell, a former Yale’s economist and the CIA deputy director who worked t owards the programs expansion. He was determined, having the hopes of being Kennedy’s selected successor, to overthrow the government of Cuba through an amphibious invasion. He later collaborated with Eisenhower to fuel the assault force with heavy firepower. All through even after the eventful inauguration, President Kennedy supported the plan by his issuance of the relevant guidelines though he was doubtful of the invasion success.As the operation matured, various last minute changes had to be adopted. These were a reflection of the hidebound interests of individual players and organizations. Air strikes were prompted with the aim of eradicating on the ground any intervening attempts by the air force in the Castro’s government (Halperin, 1974, 14). The risks facing Kennedy’s political arena equaled those of the military. Confusion and competition between the officials resulted about the operation since each bureaucracy had its own goals that it promoted for it s interests.However, amidst all these, the ruinous upshot exploded. This invasion succeeded because of the collaboration of the bureaucrats. Though Kennedy thought that his infiltration of the Cuban exiles was quiet, the CIA kept the press updated and sent battle communiques to the Cuban political front based in Miami. Kennedy also perceived that was the invasion to face a bounce-back, guerrilla operations would work out. Other stakeholders like the air force staff played it well. The role of intelligence in the InvasionIntelligence calls for use of analogical reasoning and the utilization of the history properly in coming up with decisions especially foreign policy decisions. However, of the two reasoning by analogy seems to take a greater portion. In the Bay of Pigs, Kennedy placed less trust in advice given to him and suggestions from various administrations. For instance, he chose to independently deal with the Laotian foreign policy resolutions when the joint chiefs and the sta ffers seemed to be reluctant in updating him the happenings in the Bay of Pigs.He goes further to reflect on the European crises and not only the crisis in Cuba on missiles. Robert Kennedy stands out to be a statesman capable of escaping single analogy confines. Although a foreign policy maker, Kennedy employs historical reasoning in his policy decision making and this proves to be superficial as compared to reasoning by analogy. Besides, it is an ordinary phenomenon. The problems that were at hand in Cuba invasion could not have been perceived and recognized since the stakeholders merely made observations and their reasoning was logical with no analogical reasoning.They never referred from the past similar incident’s problems in order to handle the current in a more reasonable manner. Even though Kennedy was sympathetic with the operation’s motives and had no apprehensiveness about Castro’s overthrowing by the U. S. , the CIA plan was never persuasive to him. H e was focused on the probabilities of accomplishing the operation and also attaining political success (Vandenbroucke, 1984, 7). He favored smaller teams infiltration than undertaking an amphibious assault.The CIA managed to maneuver tactfully and shrewdly in the operations preparation and execution without loosing. This agency enjoyed the information monopoly on the Cuban issue. Furthermore, its officials were more passionate about the problem than the rest thus remained to be very convincing to the others. Besides, other key players like Bissell, a doctorate degree holder, with their divergent values, goals and stakes and power resources had reliable decision inputs. Besides, Bissell’s personality was superb. Schlesinger defines his intelligence as superbly clean organized and articulated.These activists were gurus in intelligence works and concealed operations. Despite the undoubted fact that the operation was highly risky, the CIA culture of accurately calculating and pro viding for these perils was utilized. With the president being at some points being unenthusiastic, the bureaucratic players involved in the operation could easily access him and influence his decisions through the OSSs and the Ivy League ties (Murgado, 2003, 8). This would time and again prompt him to react to the favor of the operation.The channel that was used for decision making was tightly concealed from the Cuban expertise civilian decision makers’ sources. This ensured that Cuban civilians could not forecast of the catastrophe that faced their country. In addition, through the wisdom of various players, the landings were successful; with Castro’s air force being down away with on the ground since an air strike had been called prior. In conclusion, the landings in the Bay of Pigs justifies the outcomes realized from a bureaucratic progression that a single actor or organization would have hardly accomplished.On the other hand, future foreign policy decision maker s have to learn from past mistakes so as to avoid echoing the lamentations of Kennedy. Though history and historical reasoning are reliable in the making of these policy decisions, they greatly remain to be superficial. Consequently, reasoning from analogy can help these foreign policy decision makers come up with more relevant and rational decisions. References Blight, J 1999, Politics of Illussion: The Bay of Pigs Invasion Reexamined. Lynne Rienner, Boulder, COHalperin, M 1974, Bureaucratic Politics and Foreign Policy. Brookings Institution, Washington, DC Johnson, L 1983, Seven Sins of Strategic Intelligence, World Affairs, Vol. 146, p. 23-28 Murgado, A 2003, The Bay of Pigs Invasion: A Case Study in Foreign Policy Decision-Making. Columbia College, viewed 5 August 2010 from Vandenbroucke, L. S. (1984). Anatomy of a Failure: The Decision to Land at the Bay of Pigs, viewed 5 august 2010 from