Importance Of The Internet Essay

The Internet is very helpful for businesses all over the world. It helps speed up many processes in a cost-effective way. Yet the usefulness of the Internet depends on what types of services and products each business. And how they take advantage of what is available. Many businesses may benefit a great deal more than others may. And there are many different benefits depending upon the types of the business, whether it is a supplier, a distributor, or a retailer. Some of the benefits could be; creating a new client base, product analysis, market analysis, expert advice and help, recruiting new employees, fast information access, wide scale information dissemination, fast communications, cost-effective document transfer, peer communications, and new business opportunities. Finding new clients is not as easy as most may think. This process involves an in depth market analysis, product marketing and consumer base testing. Where if a business where to use the Internet it would be much easier because the Internet has several million people from all over the world looking for businesses to invest or subscribe to. It is very easily recruit new clients or customers if your presence on the Internet is known. If your business was on the Internet you will be able to do product analyses and comparisons and report your findings on the net. You may also be able to find at least one other person who will be familiar with a product that you Thompson, 2 are testing or about to purchase or invest in. You can get first hand reports on each product before you purchase it. The Internet has many surveys for an analysis of the market for a new product or idea. These surveys are easy to reach many people so you are able to determine the satisfaction of the users of each product. This will enable you to be able to satisfy your customers easily because most of these are anonymous you will be able to get accurate information to help you understand what is preferred by your customers. The Internet has many experts on it who make it very easy for you to find them. You may even be able to get free advice and help with problems you might have come across from the same people who are paid very highly for  their consulting services to large organizations. There are many web sites that have job listings online for employers. Qualified employees always post new resumes to the site. This may inform the employers of the skills hopeful employees will have to offer. So the employee will not have much trouble looking for prospective employers. Getting information over the Internet is much faster on most occasions than doing it via fax or postal courier services. Countries around the world are available to interact with. You can lessen the possibility of the receiver not getting the information needed. You can place documents on the Internet and make them instantly accessible to millions of users. This provides an effective method to present information to the public. This also will improve the availability Thompson, 3 of the documents to a client base larger than the circulation of many major newspapers. Electronic mail, also known as email has provided to be an effective solution to the problem of telephone tag. This still has the speed of telephone conversations and still provides the semi-permanence of postal mail. This can be sent from just about anywhere where there is an Internet service. This takes a very short period of time and saves a lot of money over postal or courier services, which can also suffer late deliveries, loss or damage. So as you can see the Internet is very valuable to many businesses all around the world. It allows things to be processed faster and for the most part much safer. I think that it would be in the best interest of most businesses to participate actively in the Internet.

Impressionism †Monet and Renoir Essay

Impressionism was the name given to one of the most important movements in art history. It was the first of modern movements. Its aim was to achieve ever greater naturalism by a detailed study of tone and colour and, by an exact rendering of the way light falls on different surfaces. This interest in colour and light was greatly influenced by the scientific discoveries of the French physicist ‘Chevreul’ and by paintings by Delacroix. Instead of painting dark shadows using mainly different tones of grey and black, the Impressionists- like Delacroix – realised that when an object casts a shadow, that shadow will be tinged with the complemntary colour of the object. They did not use firmly drawn outlines but instead applied paint in small brightly coloured dabs, even in shadowy areas of their pictures. This lack of outline and multiplicity of small dabs of pure colour, when combined wih the impressionists interest in fleeting effects of light, give their pictures a c onstant air of movement and life, but also of Impermanence. There was nothing as formal as a manifesto or even an agreed programme among the Impressionists. They were all individual artists working in their own way, developing their own style. They were, however, agreed in a general way on a number of points regarding subject matter. Their work should be modern, observed with detachment, and not historical or emotional. The view being that the subject itself is not of particular interest, but the way in which the light and colour decorate it, as described by Monet, â€Å"for me, it is only the surrounding atmosphere which gives subjects their true value†. The impressionist artists often painted together in small groups, depicting open-air scenes on the banks of the Seine and in the parks and recreation places of the middle classes around Paris. The bathing place and floating restaurant at La Grenouillà ©re provided the location for a number of sketching trips for Monet and Renoir. In the later years of Claude Monet’s life, he devoted himself to creating a beautiful water garden at his home in Giverny, and painted this garden continuously. ‘Water Lily Pond – Harmony in Green’ is one of the many paintings of his garden and truly epitomizes the characteristics of the Impressionist style. The painting depicts a Japanese style bridge(which he designed himself) with a small pond, largely covered in lilies, running underneath it. Monet had a huge collection of Japanese prints, with many of the plants in his garden being ones that he saw in these prints. It is quite possible that this painting was inspired by one of these prints. In the painting, the weeping willows in the background are reflected in the water between the lilies. Although Monet loved plants and flowers and collected rare species, he was not interested in distinguishing them in a painting. It was their reflections in the water which interested him. The surface of the painting is a rich carpet of colour, with brush strokes of yellow, pink and lavender woven in with the shimmering green of the plants. The colours reflect a brilliant sunshine with the flowers indicated by blobs of white tinged with yellow and pink. He painted this view of the bridge from a small boat he kept moored for painting the water. Auguste Renoir (1841-1919), painted ‘Luncheon of the Boating Party’ in 1881 and it marks the end of his Impressionist phase. The painting is one of his last in an Impressionist style and truly captures the concepts and styles native to the movement. Soon after, he and Pissarro would divert from the ideals of Impressionism and change the course of their art. The scene is set in a restaurant at the riverside. This was a favourite spot for boating enthusiasts and their girlfriends. It is the end of the lunch and the remains of the food and drink are on the table. All appear to be enjoying themselves after the boating expedition. The composition of the picture is linked together by the interchange of glances among the members of the group. The girl in the centre leaning on the rail leads the eye to the three on the right. A relationship of some kind seems to be suggested by the artist. Among the group is the actress Ellen Andrà ©e, who posed in ‘Absinthe’ for Degas. The woman on the left-hand side with the dog is Aline Charigot, Renoir’s future wife and favourite model. The figures are posed in a natural manner and the composition is open, so the spectator feels part of the group. Both Monet and Renoir, were two of the leading members of the Impressionist movement, both epitomizing the ideals and characteristics of Impressionism in their art work. With the examples discussed above, the brushwork and colouring styles of the Impressionists are clearly shown in Monet’s ‘Water Lily Pond-Harmony in Green’. Equally significant, the subject matter and content agreed upon by the members of the movement, can be seen in Renoir’s ‘Luncheon of the Boating Party’, the painting being free of emotion, historical reference, it is viewed with detatchment and depicts the modernity of the time. Personally, I believe both Renoir and Monet to be some of the greatest artists of their time, adopting the different styles and establishing Impressionism, they were truly at the forefront of the movement. With all its characterists of the movement evident in their work, they are the perfect representation of the Impressionism.

Identify any Changes in the CEO during the Past Three Years Essay

Identify any Changes in the CEO during the Past Three Years - Essay Example The auditor and his partner performed the audit services for three years in the company and their financial reporting implications are as under: I examined the audit report 2009 of the firm because this is the last year of the Mark & Co. as an auditor with its partner NA Calder. In this report they examined concise financial statement first, according to them concise financial statement has been prepared in accordance with Accounting Standards AASB 1039: Concise Financial Report, and the Corporation Act 20012. They also acknowledge that the financial report of the company and controlled entities comply with all Australian equivalents to International Financial Reporting Standards (AIFRS) and the currency presentation used in the reports is Australian dollars. Auditor and its partner report that company’s financial statements have been prepared under going concern concept, which excogitate the routine business activities and realization of assets and the settlement of obligatio ns in the normal way of business. Further, revenue for the current year is declined by 22%3 as compared to previous year due to decline in production, on-going pump issues and oil price declining trend via global uncertainty. Company wants to enhance its revenue; in this regard they formed joint ventures with Kakadu/Didgeridoo and Ash Creek for the development work and well testing to increase revenues with based on production. As per depreciation policy, Oil and gas properties, plant and equipment, other than freehold land are depreciated on a unit of production basis. The remaining assets are depreciated under the diminishing balance method. As per auditor’s findings company already spend $4,122,903 on the extensive work program with The Grieve Oil Field, the result of this work are expected by the end of the current year and the present work is unsuccessful. In this way, company has to impair this amount because financial statement doesn’t reflect any adjustment yet . In 2010 PKF appointed was the auditor with Bruce Gorden as a partner. I examined their report as well and found the following implications in their report. They examined the company’s financial statement and acknowledge that company maintained its financial statements in accordance with Accounting Standard AASB 101 Presentation of Financial Statements, that compliance with Australian Equivalents to International Financial Reporting Standards and in accordance with Corporation Act 20014. They mentioned that group incurred a net loss $3,264,663 for the year and had net cash outflows of $2,111,538. As per their opinion group didn’t maintain its appropriate levels of funding and have a doubt about the group’s ability to continue as going concern because they are unable to realize its assets and discharge its liabilities in the normal course of business. As per financial report, it didn’t include any adjustment regarding the recoverability and classification of recorded assets and liabilities. As per the auditor, it is necessary if the company does not continue as a going concern. These are the above findings have been observed due to the auditor’s changing during the year. iii. Note any non-audit services and their relative value provided by the auditor and comment on the implications for auditor-independence In 2009 the board of directors was satisfied that the provision of non audit services, which was

The Current Status of Literacy in Mathematics Research Paper

The Current Status of Literacy in Mathematics - Research Paper Example Despite the application of the important factor in education, knowledge remains to be a fundamental part as it provides the foundation for people to practice their own calling or profession. It means that a significant portion of profession gives importance to literacy. People can only function to the extent of what they know. It also shows that research on education is very important. Research is done to improve the literacy and education globally. It has also recognized the recent developments in technology that allows the information to be disseminated in a wider scope using the internet. It has bloomed the concept of interconnectedness which has significantly improved the business, work and overall living of people worldwide. In short, it can also be used to improve the education system. The same interconnectedness has also been known across fields of specializations and body of knowledge. Science can be used in music which means systematic ways of doing things in making songs ma y entail the use of both science and music. Some may even use music in learning the subject matter like in language. Singing can be used to easily remember the important concepts like a song on nouns for a language class.Literacy has been connected with learning and education although its roots can be traced back to the concept of language. In the present, it has been synonymous with the level of understanding in certain subject areas like science, math and much more.  Since literacy has been connected to language, it can be applied to the content of mathematics. For example, a branch of mathematics called geometry may need the language and literacy to improve its standards. Its content may deal with the geometrical terms. Having the shapes and concepts in geometry may be hard to deal with for some students. To improve it, the use of songs may be used to understand the terms and connect them with their respective elements. Some literacy games may also be done to connect the right terms to the right elements. Another goal would be the analysis of the characteristics of shapes in two dimensions and three dimensions which can be done through the use of technology-based applications or software. The same goes with the content of the shapes when they are needed to be compared like understanding how two shape are the same or different. They can also be classified with the aid of the software like computer games and shape-modeling software (Brozo 160). It shows how important to improve the content through literacy like words and terms and even use the technology for learning. Content plays the key role in learning certain subject matter so it is very important to focus on it. It contributes greatly in comprehension of the learners about particular subject matter (Conley 5). Learning is really affected by the quality of the content and how it is delivered. It is really applicable to mathematics. For instance,

United Nations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

United Nations - Essay Example ome states together with other interest groups, for instance, have lobbied and convinced others to vote against certain issues of common good and interest of the US. For example, the US proposed amendment to change the Rome Statute so that they could join was opposed by many. These polarization and blocs have, therefore, undermined the original values stood for by the UN as an institution (Patrick & Forman, 2002). Despite these challenges, the UN remains one of the greatest platforms to implement the US multilateralism. With most major global threats such as nuclear and terrorism increasing, forums like the UN are, therefore, important for US. The above complications, therefore, results in the need for smart multilateralism. In implementing this, US have to make some hard decisions and determinations like asking for help but at the same time, not remaining vulnerable. Its leaders and policy makers in the diplomatic forums must also be strategic, consistent in their pursuit and remain respectful. While ensuring all these, they must still find avenues of preventing tyranny in voting blocs, thus, preventing countering its interest and weakening its priorities and efforts (Fallon & Gayle, 2010). In providing best options for achieving best outcomes, the US should, therefore, create a number of options such as; creating alternatives to the following issues of concern. Better human rights, community of democracies transformation, security structures and refurbishment of economic systems at the international levels (Fallon & Gayle, 2010). Fallon, W. J., & Gayle, H. D. (2010). Report of the CSIS Commission on Smart Global Health Policy: A Healthier, Safer, and More Prosperous World. Washington, D.C: Center for Strategic and International

Managing Working Capital Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing Working Capital - Essay Example The working capital management takes the concept of managing inventories, cash, receivables and payables and the short term funding. Inventory management is quite important for an organisation. Maintaining a high level of inventory can incur higher cost for the firm, while a low inventory level can put a hindrance on the way to meet the customer needs. So it is very much necessary to have ideal inventory level to meet the customer demands at a minimum possible cost. In a similar way, the receivables would indicate about the willingness of the organisation to offer products or services on credit based. This credit sale is quite risky if not managed well. On the other hand sometimes firms have to offer their products or services on credit basis, as that would fetch more customers to increase the business volume. This again is a risk return trade-off for the organisation. Cash is an important component of the current assets on balance sheet. This is the most liquid asset that a company can avail in troubled situation. On the other end, having an excess level of cash can block to use that as operating capital. So having an optimum cash level is necessary for proper business functioning. Cash and short term securities management is very much needed from liquidity point of view. In all, a proper management of working capital is very much necessary to generate cash and improve profits at a reduced risk level. The allocation can be changed with due change in the financial and operational environment. For an instance in recession time, firms would like to cut down their inventory levels, delay the debt payment and at the same time would like to accelerate the payments from debtors. So different periods can have different working capital needs. Even this can vary depending upon the industry or depending upon the size of the organisation. For an instance retail

The importance of innovation along with evaluating the same in the Essay

The importance of innovation along with evaluating the same in the growth and development of Fairfax Media Limited - Essay Example The paper tells that innovation is often considered as the way towards the success. However, it is important to identify the impact and influence of innovation in every sense. Innovation can be used in the operational framework by adding technological values and at the same time can be used in business processes and stakeholder management to take it to the next level in the competitive business environment. However, it becomes important to identify the need and importance of innovation that will be followed by great number of changes within and outside the organisation. Change is inevitable and cannot be controlled and sustained for a long period of time. At the same time, changes should be implemented and defined in a clear and systematic manner to avoid resistance and complications. It becomes important to understand and analyse the impact and influence of internal and external factors that play an important role in change management process in the short as well as in the long run. The media industry has been changing at a rapid pace with the rise of technology changing the dynamics of the industry. Fairfax Media Limited has been operating in the media industry for more than 150 years. It operates in publishing news, information and entertainment. It’s Australian and New Zealand newspapers include; The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Australian Financial Review, The Dominion Post and The Press. It also published regional and community newspapers along with few magazines. The company is also engaged in online business where readers can read newspapers. Overall, it can be said that the organsiation has a diversified portfolio with a balanced mixture of traditional and innovative business strategies helping it to make a mark in the competitive business environment. 1.1: General Imperatives in the Industry Sector As per the research conducted by the Sydney Investment Group (2011), there are strong signs that print media is dying with the rise and accep tance of technology and online platforms cannibalizing revenues. Australian newspaper circulation has declined rapidly in last few quarters. This trend is more visible in foreign

The Cold War (US History) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Cold War (US History) - Assignment Example Therefore, U.S involvement in the Korean War was an indirect message to the Soviets that America would not allow the spread of communism in around the world. (2) TRUMAN-When he left office on January 20, 1953, Harry Trumans popularity rating stood at just 22%. In the decades since his presidency he has risen to between 6-8 in most historians rankings. What was it about his presidency that caused this revaluation of him? President Harry S. Truman’s is more popular today because he is credited dropping two atomic bombs in Japan that ended World War II. Truman’s strong support of the Marshall plan for rebuilding Europe, the creation of the United Nations, the â€Å"containment† of communism, the founding of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO and the creation of the State of Israel also helped his popularity. (3) NATIONAL SECURITY-Was there any way to insure national security against the communist threat than the methods used during the late 1940s and 1950s (sometimes called, collectively, "McCarthyism")? Explain, With the benefit of hindsight, the ‘containment’ policy of the U.S was the best option to confronting the spread of communism. The eventual success of American cold war policy supports this assertion. Although, it is possible the U.S could have achieved success with more diplomatic overtures towards communist regimes like the Soviet Union and China. There is little proof that this method would have been more effective however. McPhee I. (2008). Harry Trumans First Term: The Rising Popularity of One of Americas Great President. Retrieved from http://americanhistory.suite101.com/article.cfm/harry_trumans_first_term#ixzz0DjFR0hJc&B The National Archives. Teaching With Documents: The United States Enters the Korean Conflict. [Online]. The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, MD 20740-6001. Retrieved from

Ethical Challenges for Non-Profits Research Paper

Ethical Challenges for Non-Profits - Research Paper Example These organizations perform a vital function and oftentimes subject only the guidance of their benefactors. Their workers fight many fronts, in diverse fields, such as helping eliminate racial discrimination, poverty, diseases, hunger and political persecution, for example. They provide an important service which is often not very much appreciated and in many instances, overlooked because they work without much fanfare. A good example are religious organizations which provide food or soup kitchens, helping homeless people get a warm meal in the middle of winter. Their efforts cannot be underestimated for they fill in the gaps where the government and the private sectors fail at times. By working and aiding the marginalized sectors of society, they provide hope and meaning to many lives. There are many pitfalls and benefits to capitalism but one of the most egregious failures is that certain sectors of society can get left out. Globalisation has been increasing due to the big innovati ons in communications and technology which helped move people, goods and services much easier worldwide, as shown by higher flows of capital in foreign direct investments (FDI) but one drawback is that in some instances, some people ended up poorer instead of being richer. People with conscience are rightly concerned with this inequality and this gave rise to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and this paper takes a deeper look at one aspect of this issue. Discussion Corporate social responsibility had become a buzzword in business sectors because it is now considered a part of doing business; it is one form how an economic entity gives back to the community which has sustained it and is now generally conceded a part of continuing success. A good number of big or global organizations have adopted CSR as a part of their business model. It is now an integral part of doing business, and in this connection, many of them had developed their own models of doing so. The lofty goals of C SR evolved from its own attempts of having a good code of ethics in the wake of some previously questionable business practices; the goals are intended to make a company compliant with legal regulations, ethical and moral standards, and a good way to practice and embrace generally-accepted international norms of doing business. The prevalence of CSR today had been partly due to the active advocacies of nonprofit groups in the prior years which are now bearing the fruits of their work only today. A good CSR policy put in place guides the firm in making the best decisions for all stakeholders involved. A business firm can opt for several modes in how to go about implementing its CSR but three forms have been suggested within the context of this issue in which there are some nagging concerns on how best to execute a CSR policy in view of their profit motives as for-profit firms. A key issue involved is one of costs, in which funds and resources devoted to this policy can be evaluated i n terms of their efficiency and effectiveness. Activities and funds related to CSR must be maximized and the three options are to contribute (giving to charitable or nonprofit groups), to collaborate (by working closely and partnering with a chosen nonprofit organization) or lastly, to just build up an in-house program

Describe some of the highs and lows of the week Essay Example for Free

Describe some of the highs and lows of the week Essay Describe some of the highs and lows of the week. Aim to bring to life each situation by describing the atmosphere, the event and your reactions. Avoid writing a simple chronological account. I finally had the chance to see what life is like out of school, and what life will be like in the future. Sothebys Billingshurst and to Sothebys Olympia in London was where I went for my one week work experience. It was a truly enjoyable experience and an excellent opportunity to see how the business operates, and also an opportunity for me to learn. The best part of the week was taking part in a live auction. The least exciting task was helping the gallery staff, as this only involved patrolling the gallery. The auction was the highlight of the week. It was a two day sale selling mostly garden statuary, but there were also some very interesting Jurassic fossils. The fossils I became most fascinated with were six fossilised dinosaur eggs, which managed to gain 2,400. I expected them to sell for more. During the auction I did the currency conversion. This is where I had to listen to the auctioneer say every price for each lot, for example. I would have to type these numbers into the computer and then they would be converted. The prices for each currency and the image of the lot selling would be shown to the buyers on a huge plasma screen. I also got the chance to step up onto the rostrum several times. This was an excellent opportunity for me. I was the sales clerk, so I had to record the money obtained for each lot, and bid information. I really enjoyed being part of the auction. The sale became especially exciting when two buyers were bidding against each other for a lot worth. Overall the total money from the auction was over a million pounds. Another experience I liked was going to Sothebys Olympia in London. The reason for this is fewer sales take place at Billingshurst, so there is more happening in Olympia. The day began when I joined other commuters at the train station on the 6. 45am train to Kensington Olympia. I quickly realised that this must be the most tedious and time consuming part of the working day. I thought how soul destroying this would be to have to repeat this journey every day of a working lifetime. When I got off the train everyone seemed to be rushing to where they were going. The pace of life had changed and I was aware that I was in the fast moving centre of a huge capital city. When I arrived at Olympia it surprised me to see the size of the building where this international company was based in stark contrast to the Victorian manor house in the Sussex countryside where I had my first taste of the auction business. The offices were modern and open plan. I was introduced to some of the staff, and met Lord Dalmeny, chairman of Sothebys Olympia, and one of the countrys richest men. He referred to me as boy, which I thought sounded a little old fashioned. The work I did was firstly filing, which was rather boring, but a job that had to be done. Then I had lunch in the restaurant, which was far superior to Bishop Luffas canteen. After lunch I helped the gallery staff label all thee lots, ranging from an eighteenth century sundial to an unusual Perspex spherical ceiling light from the swinging sixties. The day went in a flash and I soon joined my fellow commuters homeward bound. One of the disadvantages of being in the world of work as opposed to school is the long hours. Although I started later I finished later too, and I was working eight or nine hours, instead of six hours with far fewer breaks in between. I also had to do several jobs at once, unlike school where I would be doing one. I found it more tiring than school, and would have to go to bed earlier than I normally would. There were a lot of mundane jobs that had to be done that were not very interesting, but a necessary part of the smooth running of the day to day business. There were also unexpected interruptions that stopped me in the middle of some jobs. The most thrilling part of the week was undoubtedly the live auction, with a room full of people listening to the auctioneer who had complete command of the auction. It was staggering to think that people could even afford the items on offer, and it made me aware of the different life styles people experience, for example; it was an every day event for clients to drop in by helicopter. The hardest part was the long hours, as I am not used to them. My work experience was very rewarding and enlightening, and I was disappointed to see the week over.

The integration process of immigrants in Spain

The integration process of immigrants in Spain Immigration Spain Emigration A social analysis of the integration process of immigrants in Spain. The way in which ‘the problem’ of immigration in Spain affects the integration of immigrants. Over the last fifteen years, Spain has gone from being a country of emigration to a country of immigration. In recent years few European countries have experienced as dramatic a rise in immigration as Spain. Spain has been among the most open countries in the European Union, admitting 650,000 immigrants last year alone and granting residency permits to 560,000 more who were in the country illegally. Although the percentage of immigrants is still relatively low compared to other European countries (6.1% of the population in 2005) the growth of immigration experienced over the last five years has led experts to consider the country as a â€Å"new immigration centre.† The economic and historical connections with North Africa and South America have been the principal triggers of immigration flows, with almost 2/3 of immigrants coming from outside the EU. Europeans also represent a large number of immigrants in Spain. Attracted to the Costa del Sol’s climate and low cost of living, many come to retire. There are three basic causes for this substantial change in the position of Spain as a new centre of immigration. The first is the continuous economic development of the country and the fact that it belongs to one of the most developed regions in the world, the EU. Secondly, Spain is considered as an alternative to other European countries with high levels of immigration where there now exist increasingly strong restrictions on immigration, especially those originating from outside Europe. Thirdly, Spain’s geographical situation means that it has become the ‘back door’ for immigrants’ intent on reaching the rest of Europe. The significant increase of the foreign population since 2000 has resulted in a growing awareness that immigration is a structural phenomenon and Spain: a multicultural country. Recent Spanish opinion polls reveal the distortion between the reality and nationals’ perception of the extent of this immigration. In the book ‘Europeos e Inmigrantes,’ the authors study local’s opinion on immigration and conclude with the following results: approximately 55% of Spanish society perceive Spain as having ‘a lot’ of immigrants- though not too many- and 25% of them consider the number of immigrants to be too high. The number of immigrants, but more specific still the presence of immigrants, is suggested to be a ‘problem.’ This study will be looking at the perception of immigration as a ‘problem,’ and the consequence of this perception on the integration of immigrants in Spain. I am interested in the integration of immigrants on a social level: the ways in which social constructions of the ‘other’ are reflected in the social integration process of the immigrant population. In the end, I hope to make sense not just of immigrants’ marginal status in Spain; but also how the concept of culture and society shapes the integration process. Despite common belief that Spain is being met by an invasion of newcomers, the percentage of immigrants to the total national population remains the lowest within the EU. By 2001, immigrants in Spain made up 2.5% of the population, contrasted with 4.2% for the UK, 4.3 for the Netherlands, 5.6 for France, and 8.9 for Germany. Overall, the European average is three times higher than the Spanish average. Despite the fact that illegal immigrants are seen as a threat to the growing population, illegal entrance into Spain counts for only 4% of the immigrants entering legally. Yet today, immigration is among the top three mentioned problems and has been referred to as a cultural problem. The media has had, and continues to have, a great influence on the nation’s interpretation of immigration and the prominence of immigration in national politics and people’s consciousness reflects the extent to which the subject of immigration is covered by Spanish media. No other medium is able to send a determined message out to the masses, or has so much power as to make everyone value their freedom of speech. Those who have studied ‘public opinion’ have said, â€Å"Although people think they have formulated their own opinion, in actual fact their opinion and argument is more or less echoed from a favoured political leader or party.† National newspapers go as far as to include a section on ‘the immigration problem’ aimed at keeping track of the number of illegal immigrants apprehended by the police. The Spanish newspaper, ‘El Paà ­s’ uses headlines such as: ‘Interceptados 76 inmigrantes en las costas de Granada y Canarias en las à ºltimas horas, and frequently describes the arrival of ‘nueva oleadas de pateras que intentan alcanzar Espaà ±a. On television, the Spanish public are supplied with regular images of illegal immigrants attempting to enter the country illegally. The constant focus on immigration in political discourse and in the mass media has created a sense of migratory pressure amongst the public, a sense that there are floods of people banging on the border doors to get in. â€Å"Las puertas de Europa Espaà ±a y nueve paà ­ses europeos han acordado establecer un operativo para patrullar toda la zona del à frica atlà ¡ntica susceptible de ser punto de origen de pateras y cayucos que viajan hacia Europa y, sobre todo, hacia Canarias, que acusa casi cada dà ­a la presià ³n de esta avalancha migratoria.† This pressure is fuelled by both a fear of security and a fear of immigrants affecting the Spanish labour market (which I will discuss later on). This fear is often translated into panic and irrational conclusions for those ignorant of the reality of the situation. Evidence of illegal immigrants in Spain has created confusion between attitudes towards illegal and legal immigrants, and often the two groups are treated as one. Following the 9/11 tragedy, race stereotypes have once again become commonplace and through pure ignorance and fear, immigrants are seen as a threat to the public’s safety, often being associated with Islamic fundamentalism. Public insecurity due to misinformation has manifested itself in violence and xenophobic feelings against the immigrants. An example of this took place in 2000, in El Ejido (Andalucia), where locals violently attacked newly settled immigrants, following a young girl’s murder by a Moroccan. The dissemination of these negative perceptions has helped conjure up a sensation of invasion, which does not mirror the reality of the situation. The reality of the situation (which I have already discussed) is that this existing fear is unjustified. It is a representation of the ignorance surrounding the perception of immigration linking the race of an immigrant group with the safety of a country. Immigration has also been considered a threat to the structure of the labour market. During the 1980s and 1990s, when immigration to Spain was at its highest, the country was experiencing a profound economic crisis characterized above all by high levels of unemployment. The presence of immigrants and the misconception that they were invading the Spanish labour market, added further tension to the relationship between the two groups, and was therefore considered an economic and social problem. â€Å"More than any other factor, unemployment is generally seen as the root cause behind the electoral successes of the radical Right across Europe and is credited with casing an existence of a negative, anti immigrant attitude in Spain.† Immigration in Spain has also been treated as a cultural problem â€Å"where the idea of having immigrants in the country is not perceived as a positive multicultural phenomenon but as a threat to the integrity of the Spanish cultural identity.† The Spanish fear that the increasing presence of other national cultures will overshadow and stifle their own traditions. The immigrants have brought their own culture to Spain, which they expect to be respected and recognised so that they may practice their traditions in harmony with the rest of society. Spaniards fear that the integration of immigrants will entail the growth of alien religious infrastructures and more conflict between locals and immigrants. The social integration of Muslims in particular is perceived as difficult, because of the demands for their own religious infrastructure. The constructions of mosques render the development of a multicultural society even more obvious. Since the terrorist attacks in Madrid 2004, Islam has been presented as an alien civilization, with mosques feared as centres of terrorism. This fear often translates into irrational conclusions. â€Å"As it generally does in other European countries, the association of North Africans with Islamic fundamentalism, terrorism and crime tends to breed hostility and suspicion from the Spanish public.† In summary, the immigration problem revolves around an insecurity bred by the sense of invasion. People feel threatened by the implications of immigrants in the labour market, and what ‘integration’ really entails for the culture and society dynamics of Spain. I am now going to address the concept of integration and how the perception of immigration already discussed has affected this process. In order to assess how this is affecting the integration process I will be looking at the topic from an anthropological perspective. Among those who attempt to define the concept of integration, there is considerable disagreement. In the context of Spanish immigration it has taken on many meanings, some implying that it is reached when the immigrant is able to ‘fit in,’ others suggesting that it hinges on natives’ open-mindedness and tolerance, and still others prioritising the accessibility of social services and basic necessities. Often, the term is simply used as a synonym for settlement, or establishing physical and social roots. A Spanish social scientist and immigration expert defines it this way: ‘We can say that immigrants are integrated into a host society when they do not face additional obstacles due to their foreign origin in the main aspects of their social, economic, and family life, when compared to the native-born population.’ Law plays a central role in the immigrants’ integration on all levels and has been seen as â€Å"formally codifying them as different at several levels.† Spain had several attempts at immigration legalisation: the first, ‘the Ley de Extranjeria,’ focussing primarily on control over immigrants rather than integration. Immigration laws designated some people as non-citizens with a limited set of rights and privileges. Others were declared to be illegal and unwelcome altogether and those who did achieve legal status found their position unstable, as they are vulnerable to frequent changes in legislation and status. When in 1998 the issue of integration was finally addressed, the focus was still on the integration of ‘non-EU foreigners’ rather than the immigrant group as a whole, stigmatising the non-EU immigrants as the problem group. Perez, in his article, â€Å"Spain: Forging an Immigration Policy,† goes as far as to say that the ‘Law on the rights and Freedoms of Foreigners in Spain and their Integration’ passed in January 2000, was not so much ‘because of the law’s acknowledgement of immigrant rights but because of its conception of immigration as a permanent phenomenon.’ Still today immigrants struggle against policy restrictions. Despite the common belief that immigrants create problems in the Spanish labour market, the reality of the situation is that the immigrant work force is largely responsible for Spain’s economic growth. This growth, over the last decade, has been among the fastest in the EU. â€Å"It is not a coincidence that the strong economic growth and increase in employment rate has increased with the arrival of immigrants into Spain.† Having said this, statistics show that in 2006 the unemployment rate for Spaniards was 8% compared to 12% for foreigners. The lack of facilities for Spanish employers to contract foreigners and the difficulty such employers face accessing Spanish labour has resulted in irregular immigration flows and labour markets. In addition to the disparity between the unemployment rates for Spanish and Immigrant workers, there is also a difference in the nature of work. The restructuring of the Spanish economy after the accession to the European Community has resulted in an increase in the demand for labour in sectors of the economy where nationals no longer wish to work. Spanish laws make it virtually impossible to gain admission as legal residents outside of the quota system that is largely confined to those willing to work in agriculture, domestic help, and construction, i.e. those sectors where wages and working conditions are inadequate to attract sufficient local workers. These laws thus guarantee that immigrant workers labour under conditions that are shunned by most of the working class, an arrangement that furthermore highlights their economic alienation and their exclusion from reasonable housing, health care and other basic necessities further distancing there chances on reaching integration. Furthermore, there is little stability for immigrants in the labour market with most of them receiving only temporal jobs. There is also a significant difference in wages. It has been noted that non-communitarians earn 33% less than Spanish citizens. These forms of discrimination have resulted in the exploitation of undocumented workers: considerably lower payments, a lack of safety standards, labour security and worker rights. One of the main problems with the way in which immigration is perceived in Spain is that not much is known about the immigrant as an individual. Because of this lack of knowledge, realities are distorted and often the outsider is assumed to be the culprit for society’s ills. â€Å"In endeavouring to reduce environmental complexity to a manageable size, when bombarded with environmental stimuli, untested cognitive short-cuts come to be employed which have a tendency to become self fulfilling.† In order for immigration to be perceived accurately by any social group there must be a basis of knowledge; not hearsay. As most of the media coverage on the immigrant population relates to violence and delinquency, it is understandable why the average Spaniard, adopts a defensive stance. To gain an accurate, or at least fair representation of the immigrant population, these negative portrayals ought to be contested with representations from the minority groups. A lack of organisation and funds are said to explain the lack of minority media produced in Spain. Whether this is the case, or whether the lack of initiative to produce a platform for the minority groups to speak out from is the manifestation of another social inequality. The danger of a ‘general’ perception of the immigrant group is that incorrect assumptions are made and stereotypes formed. Generalisations on immigrants’ nationalities create a belief that each nation has one culture shared by all inhabitants. Similar generalisations are made towards the second generation of immigrants. The children of the immigrants, who have never immigrated, and who were born in Spain are assumed to be of foreign origin. These stereotypes also include the concept that others’ cultural traits are strange and not worthy of exploring because they are not necessary to the already comfortable, established concepts that the society possesses. The cultural traits that cause the most ‘problems’ are those most different, usually those from non-European countries. This is because, in everyday life, they are the most conspicuous (with regards to the fact that in Spain the colour of one’s skin is still associated with being ‘foreign’) reminding nationals that Spain is becoming a multicultural country. Spanish researcher and anthropologist, Damian Omar Martinez, explores the concept that on a social level, non- European immigrants are discriminated against more because they are considered further away from integration: the integration that sees immigrants conforming to the Spanish way of life. With the transformation of the European Union, the free movement of Europeans between borders means that to a certain extent relationships between different European cultures are less tense. European citizens are increasingly viewed as being part of a European community. The borders between themselves and ‘the others’ have almost been extended up to the exterior borders of Europe. McGrance argues that there is a distinct Western thought process. He argues that: ‘there is the superior Western culture, and then there are all the rest as contrast. A sharp divide is created, with epistemological privilege always on the side of the West. With these analyses in mind, one realises the extent of the difficulties immigrants face in becoming integrated into Spanish society. Adding to the discussion on integration and what impedes this process for immigrants, I am interested in how a national population is able to control a minority population. When talking of integration, it is impossible to say when an immigrant is fully integrated as an essential part of this process is determined by non- controllable factors such as the native population’s response. It seems the first step to any kind of integration for minority groups (the immigrants), is acceptance from the majority (the nationals). However, when integration can be defined as a concept that calls for the absence of racism and tolerance for minority groups, the question is raised as to whether it is integration we are talking about or tolerance. Is the immigration in Spain a case of ‘integrating’ immigrants or merely ‘tolerating’ them? If it is a case of tolerating immigrants, there is little hope of integration for immigrants on a social level. This brings me onto the concepts of ‘society’ and ‘community,’ which seem to influence the process of integration of immigrants. Calavita writes that the concept of culture and community is difficult to define. She quotes Walzer’s attempt at defining the term: â€Å" that at a minimum a community consists of like-minded members, with some special commitment to one another and some special sense of their common life.† The term community deals with the concept of belonging and not belonging: the member whom is accepted and part of something, and the outsider whom is striving to be part of something that is not necessarily clear. The Europe we see developing today is a prime example of a ‘community’ of nations pushing for one identity. Cris Shore explores the idea that this very existing identity is one of the main culprits for the problem of integration of immigrant. â€Å"Identity is represented as a process of classification involving boundaries of inclusion and exclusion.† Shore goes on further to explore the terms European and non- European. Though there is no official definition for these terms, ‘ a more coherent applied definition can be seen emerging at the borders and boundaries of the new Europe.’ With the distinction of European and non-European groups becoming clear, so to is the distinction between the insider and the outsider. These terms are used to reiterate the fact that the immigrant is from outside, it is used to make the distinction between the group of ‘Us’ (national population) and ‘Them’ (the immigrant), and it has been used by Spaniards to remind themselves of what they are not. One must ask to what extent the integration of immigrants is a process of selection, and to what extent the national population influences this process. Nowadays the significance and relevance of being a member of a community has been devalued somewhat, as it is increasingly difficult to define this term. Calavita quotes Bauman and others as arguing, â€Å"that this kind of community is on the decline, as globalisation, with its collapsing cultural boundaries, and the diminishing significance of the nation-state, erodes its boundaries and disintegrates its ties, leaving little structure to the foundations of this group.† ‘The diminishing significance of the nation state’ refers to the developing ‘European identity’ the EU are pushing for today. This united centre requires the breaking down of national barriers to ensure full communication between nations in an effort for them to work together and be successful as one. Arguments put forward suggesting immigration is a ‘cultural problem’ because of its effect on the authenticity of Spanish culture, are unsound, as the very Europe that Spain forms part of, is doing just that. Considering immigration as a ‘problem,’ has severely affected the process of integration of immigrants in Spain. The real concern lies in the general public’s perception of immigrants. The strength of a nation’s perception is based on a sentiment cultivated over many years; can this national sentiment towards immigration be changed? It does not make sense to see a city or country as an integrated body of citizens, a group you can enter once you have completed cultural, economic requirements. It is the discussion of immigration as a problem, and the questioning of whether immigrants integrate or not that creates the phenomenon of immigration and puts such pressure on the social groups involved to form a position on the issue. When analysing the immigration issue in Spain, it should not be the question of whether the immigrants are a problem, or whether they are integrated or not, but what there role is in society.

Violence In The Media :: essays research papers

Violence in the Media In my essay I will be examining the controversy of violence levels in the media. Although there are many people who express the opinion that there is way too much violence in television for example, there are just as many who feel differently. Without viewer statistics, television would not be what it is. The viewers choose what they want to watch and that is taken into consideration. The more people tune into high violence-filled programs, the higher the ratings for violence become. Surely that cannot be pinned upon the show’s producers. Television prides itself in giving America what it wants, and America wants violence. Around the year 1923, the Federal Radio Commission was formed. They were in charge of regulating what could and could not be aired over the radio. When television came along, the name of the organization was changed to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). They set the standards of television viewing and also provide options for those who disagree. Last year, the FCC adopted rules requiring all television sets with screens 13 inches or larger to be equipped with features to block the display of television programming based upon its rating. This technology is known as the "V-Chip." The V-Chip reads information encoded in the rated program and blocks programs from the set based upon the rating selected by the parent. Thus, the FCC allows violence but also provides an alternative for parents who think their child is exposed to too much violence (whatever that threshold may be, as it is determined by the parent, whereas the V-Chip is programmed by the parents.) Though I do not watch much TV, I am aware of the rising display of violent content on TV. Whether it is through prime time sitcoms or cartoon channels, one can not deny that there is more violence. Cartoon violence used to be very fictional and easy to distinguish as the opposite of reality. Now however, in gruesome, explicit, and too often unrealistic portrayals of death and violence, the flexible minds of children are being not being torn by the moral issues of violence and anger, but the line between reality and fiction has become severely blurred. Death is seen as temporary in most cases, such as cartoons where the character killed comes back week after week only to be killed. But that’s what America wants! Our thresholds of violence are becoming more and more expanded as we see something, get over the initial â€Å"shock† it may have and crave more.

The Functions of Stereotypes in Propaganda Essay -- Media Stereotypes

The Functions of Stereotypes in Propaganda "A leader with no followers is a guy taking a walk". Good leaders whether it be opinion or political, rarely if ever walk by themselves. The information theydisseminate more often than not leaves them with a hoard of followers that conform to their ideas or cause. The circulated information is known as propaganda. The Webster dictionary defines propaganda as, "ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further ones cause or to damage an opposing cause". Propaganda has been around for a long time; the earliest use of the word was in connection with religious missionary activity in the 16th century (Hardwood). Contemporary propaganda for the most part is information or disinformation, spread by leaders through their mouth pieces such as spokespeople or public relations firms. Contemporary propaganda is frequently created with stereotypes that can be easily understood, in order to reach the greatest number of people. Stereotypes and propaganda are like peanut butter and jam, wh en put together stereotypes function very well in propaganda. This essay will look at the relationship between stereotypes and propaganda, how stereotypes function in propaganda and how well they function in propaganda tactics. In other words, this essay will look at how stereotypes function in propaganda. History has shown that stereotypes and propaganda have an exceptionally close relationship. Propaganda is most easily understood when kept simple by using stereotypes. A stereotype is a ready made image of a person or relationship that is instantly recognizable. (Roth) When these two mechanisms are paired together it results in a strong message that can be easily understood by the masses. Propagandi... ...ment and industries that wish to broadcast propaganda" (Savich) Works Cited Brandon, Karen. "Protesting war, groups battle stereotypes too." Chicago Tribune 17 Jan. 2003. 17 Mar. 2004 . Ellul, Jacques. Propaganda: The Formation of Mens Attitudes . Paris: Press, 1965. 3 -9. Hardwood, Childs L. "Propaganda." Encarta . Redmond: Microsoft, 2003. CD-ROM. Roth, Jen. Beyond Stereotypes . 14 July 2001. 29 Mar. 2004 . Savich, Carl K. War,Journalism and Propaganda . 11 Jan. 2000. 19 Mar. 2004 . Shaw, Anup . Media, Propaganda and September 11 . 26 July 2002. 27 Mar. 2004 .

Building and Maintaining a Putting Green Essay -- turf glass, USGA gre

There are many steps involved in building and maintaining a putting green. The first step that the Superintendent and Golf Professional staff needs to understand is that research and studying their options is the most important part to building a successful golf course and putting green. Without research for the grass and soil, diseases would run rampant, courses would be using dated technology, the grass would not be as easy to maintain, and costumer satisfaction would decrease causing a decrease in revenue. The facility could even choose the wrong grass if they didn’t pay close attention to their soil quality, known local diseases, and temperature zone. The facility needs to research which method of green they would like to build and how much it is going to cost. For example a lower end municipal course might chose to make push-up green which doesn’t guarantee the longevity of the grasses survival, but it is within their budget and suits their needs just fine. A five star resort will want to build a USGA green that costs more, but certifies the survival of the greens. A facility will be aware of the amount of research needed to build a green from scratch but once they build the green, research will still need to be taking place in order to help the greens survive. Research needs to be continuously taking place in order to provide the cheapest, safest, and best quality playing surfaces. People pay for the visual and performance quality of the grass, the turf and golf staff need to be constantly ask how can we improve the conditions in order to provide the ideal image that the player is expecting. Research consists of the daily practices all the way to conducting a funded study on different cultivars or the watering needs of the f... ...cations to allow the other areas of the green to heal and to prevent too much wear and tear to one area of the green. Golf courses should consider everything from the location of the green, people traffic, soil, top gravel and draining areas before starting the construction process. Works Cited Gains, T. 1987. Putting Green Topoil Mixtures that Meet USGA Specifications. Carolinas Newsletter. Green Section Staff & Moore, James. Building the USGA Green: Tips For Success. United States Golf Association. 1-32. Moore, James. May 2004. Building and Maintaining the Truly Affordable Golf Course. United States Golf Association. Murphy, James. June 2007. Rootzone Amendments for Putting Green Construction. United States Golf Association. 1-7. United States Golf Association. 2004. Turf Management FAQs. United States Golf Association. 1-3.

Friend Classification

Friend Classification Having friends is an important part of life. It is friends that I share everything with. There are many types of people in the world and many types of friends. Knowing that, it becomes all the more important to select the right people so that I might have the correct friends. A friend is somebody that will always be there for me. I always have a great bunch of friends but sometimes some people are more of a friend then others. I have my general acquaintance friends and then I have my best friends. What is the difference between a best friend and a general acquaintances friend? A best friend is a person that I know well and regard with affection and trust. My best friend knows me better than anyone, definitely better than my parents, and sometimes better than I know myself. For best friends there is a feeling, and an emotion for every event shared together: a feeling of love, a feeling of happiness and a feeling of remorse; a feeling of laughter, and a feeling of tears. My best friend has seen me at my worst, and helped me be my best. My best friend will always tell me that I look good, even on my worst days. My best friend is someone with whom I've shared my most intimate secrets with, and laughed the loudest. I've already made plans to name one of my children after her, in hopes that my next of one is a girl. And although we may grow apart and not talk to each other as much, it is safe to say that true best friends are the ones you have for life. My best friend always understands me, or at least pretends to, and she is always willing to listen to my opinions and never criticizes them, even if they are a little weird. We have a secret language with special codes that no one would ever be able to crack. She was with me and held my hand when I got my belly button pierced and she was there with me when my dad threatened to rip it out. She comes to all my family functions like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter and makes fun of my strange great-aunts with me. When we go through these emotions together, we learn and grow from them and become closer than ever before. A general acquaintance friend is just simply an acquaintance. This means that I basically only know their name. I might not even remember what they look like if I go away for a short vacation. Usually, I meet these types of friends in school, at work, on the bus, in the gym, or anywhere else I might be. I normally would not mind having a cup of coffee with them, but if anything else came up, I usually would have no problem parting company. I normally don’t miss them when they are elsewhere. It is also this type of friends who give me the most amount of aggravation. Since most of the time I am placed in a position where you have to act friendly, such as school or work, I would not normally tell an acquaintance when he or she is doing something aggravating, such as tapping the fingers a table or chewing gum loudly. This is why I call them â€Å"pest friends. A general acquaintance friend is not someone I would ever really consider hanging out with a lot or getting to know more than I have to. Human survival is based on some kind of friendship. From the highest authority to the lowest bums living on the streets all of us have experienced in some way or the other one of these different kinds of friendships. I take this friendship for granted because it is something that exists naturally in society and I never really have to actually go out into the world looking for a friend. My personal realization came when I had to start life in a new city, in different surroundings. The feeling of loneliness I had was enough to drive a person to near madness. So in conclusion what I’m trying to say is that we cannot thrive successfully as individuals or as a society without having some form of friendship with other individuals rather it be general acquaintance friends or best friends.

High School and Competition Essay

Competition makes people try to be better than others and forces them to beat themselves. People will work on giving their best; therefore, they will always make their best effort. As a result, success will come. People will never stay the same when forced to compete; they will become better, improving themselves to be the best they can be. Cooperation is important, I can realize that, but isn’t the recipe to succeed. As you help other ones, they will help you; however no one can make you successful; success comes through individual determination. Cooperation makes you focus on the group, not in your objective that is to succeed. Cooperation could be helpful, but without competition it makes them forget where are you going to and where you want to get to while competition provides the opposite. An example of why competition grants more success than cooperation relates to children. In a world where competition is appearing more frequently, children must learn how to assert themselves. Although cooperation is taught in elementary school and used throughout their grade school lives, it doesn’t teach the child that in the real world, competition is used to determine whether they get a job or what college they go to. Obviously, cooperation helps a child develop social skills, but competition develops a drive to do better and succeed in everything that they do. The idea of competition will bring some benefits such as independence and self-confidence in their character and will develop as an important part in their future. Achieving success in competition is also prevalent in admission factors for colleges. As the rate of people that are going to college rises, so does the competition that helps you get into those colleges. For this, cooperation does not get you anywhere when going to college. Competition helps because it is based on many factors: GPA, SAT, extracurricular activities, and community service. These factors are not achieved by cooperation, but by individual determination. This makes applicants competitive to get into colleges. As a result, the more competitive you are, the greater the chance that a good college will accept you, and a greater chance that you will succeed in life. In conclusion, competition gives a person a greater chance at succeeding at life than cooperation. Without competition, everyone is the same and everyone lacks individuality. However, with competition, people are given the opportunity to rise above a person who is not achieving and eliminates equal academic standards. It lets people go above and beyond and gives the person more room to see more opportunities.

Differences in Business Practices in Islamic Countries Compared to the United States Essay

The purpose of this paper is to give professionals working in Islamic countries a better understanding of the business system in those countries. The Islamic world may be complex as its 1.3 billion people, but there is one rule is straightforward for all Westerners and should never be broken if you want to do business in this area. â€Å"One thing you do not bring up is the Palestinian-Israeli situation.† Advised Samuel L. Hayes III, an expert on Islamic finance and an emeritus professor of investment banking at Harvard Business School. (Lagace, 2002) Business people, particularly Westerners who work in this region of the world or do business with an Islamic business person, need to understand the extent to which religion and Islamic law are intertwined at all levels of society, including commerce, to greater and lesser degrees depending on the country. â€Å"This law is seen as deriving from direct, divine command.† Said Vogel. â€Å"This is important to grasp.† (Lagace, 2002) Keywords: Koran, Islamic Law, Islamic World When doing business within an Islamic country you must understand the basic tenets of the Islamic religion as it relates to commerce. Knowing this you will have an easier time abroad. Contracts should be fair to all parties. A partnership is preferred over hierarchical claims. (Lagace, 2002) Any type of speculation is prohibited. There is no gambling. â€Å"For instance, if you invested in an Islamic mutual fund, among those industries which would be barred from representation as funds would be the gambling industry. But gambling also relates to futures to currency hedging; so it’s a major situation that you have to be aware of† (Lagace, 2002) this is also found in the Qur’an. â€Å"O you who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, sacrificing to stones, and divination by arrows are an abomination of Satan’s handiwork. Eschew such abomination, that you may prosper† (Qur’an 5:90). Interest is prohibited. â€Å"Those who devour usury will not stand†¦.Allah has permitted trade and forbidden usury†¦. Allah will deprive usury of all blessing, but will give increase for deeds of charity†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Qur’an 2:275-6). â€Å"O you who believe! Devour not usury, doubled and multiplied. But fear Allah, that you may really prosper† (Qur’an 3:130) this isn’t always practiced, but it is the theory. Compassion is required when a business is in trouble. â€Å"Those who devour usury cannot stand†¦. That is because they say, trade is only like usury; yet Allah has allowed trade and forbidden usury†¦. Allah does not bless usury, and He causes charitable deeds to prosper, and Allah does not love any ungrateful sinner. Oh you who believe! Be careful of your duty to Allah and relinquish what remains due from usury, if you are believers. If the debtor is in difficulty, grant him time until it is easy for him to repay. But if you remit it by way of charity, that is best for you if you only knew.† Qur’an 2:275-280 In conclusion, there are basic rules when dealing in an Islamic country that must be followed. Never mention the Palestinian-Israeli situation. Speak English when making deals; this is a status for them to speak English. Send a woman to do a man’s job. Appreciate the intertwining of religion and Islamic law. Show compassion for a business in trouble. (Coady, 2013) These basic principles that the Islamic countries follow are not the bias principles that we here in the States follow. We are taught to make a profit and anything much less is a failure in the business world. We must understand to do business with other countries, especially Islamic countries where religion and business go hand and hand we sometimes have to forget our ways and be flexible. When in Rome, do as the Romans.

Expresso Espresso Essay

The specialty coffee industry had seen steady growth for years and the trend was expected to continue until at least 2015. Of the various segments within the specialty coffee industry, most of the growth was attributable to beverage retailers â€Å"Coffee and kiosks†. In 1979 there were approximately 250 specialty coffee retailers. The number quadrupled by 1989 to approx 1000 outlets, and it exploded to roughly 15000 by 2002. Nationally, specialty coffee sales totaled over $ 10 billion in 2005. For specialty coffee beverage services, including coffee, espresso, tea, chai and granite the leading drinks in 2004 were espresso-based beverages with average with an average of $50395/store. The second best selling drinks were drip-brewed coffee beverages at $ 333336 / Store, and the third were cold and iced coffee beverages with an average of $22061 / Store. b- The Industry According to the national coffee association, 54 % of adults in America consumed coffee daily, with over 18 % buying specialty coffee beverages. Specialty coffee buyers were generally more affluent, well educated, and worked in urban areas. Research indicates that individuals with college degrees purchased almost 50 % more specialty coffee more than those without college degrees. The link to education was even greater for people with some postgraduate education. In addition to education, households with two working parents and kids were more likely to purchase specialty coffee. Accordingly the market was an educated urban resident with disposable income to spend on fine coffee. 1- Rival of competitors Starbucks cooperation was the premier coffee retailer in the USA. Industry analysis generally credited it for popularizing specialty coffee and legitimizing higher drink prices. Starbucks expect revenues to grow 20 % / year and to increase its dominating 40 % market share. Starbucks has strong profits and cash flow that it planned to use to open company owned and licensed stores domestically and abroad. Diedrich coffee roasted and sold various brands of coffee through company retail stores and through  distributors, restaurants, mail order, and specialty stores. It is a company with revenue of 52.5 M in 2005 with growth 3 % more than 2004. Caribou coffee went public in 2005 reporting sales of $ 191 M in 2005. The firm expects to add 40 new outlets in 2005 and another 130 in 2006. Coffee Beanery was a franchise; with over 200 branches in 2005 expect 40 new stores in 2006. Peet coffee & Tea was another competitor with 111 retail stores. Also there were large restaurants trying to fin d ways to capitalize on the specialty coffee industry i.e.: Macdonalds, Krisspy, Dunkin, Donuts †¦.. 2- Threat of substitute product As mentioned above, the specialty coffee industry had seen steady growth for years and the trend was expected to continue. 3- Bargaining power of Suppliers There is no mention of suppliers in the case 4- Threat of new entrants Entering the market requires heavy investment in establishing a name and make lots of outlets. It is a growing market with lots of pioneers that can make branches anywhere and threat the other chain in there selling areas. 5- Bargaining power of buyers There is a threat of bargaining power of buyers as there is a lot of competitors, which give the choice to convert from one chain to another. Moreover, chains are working strongly in the promotion, price, opening branches everywhere, developing the product, and cares regarding quality. It is a hard competition. c- The Organization The specialty coffee industry had seen steady growth for years and the trend was expected to continue until at least 2015. Of the various segments within the specialty coffee industry, most of the growth was attributable to beverage retailers â€Å"Coffee and kiosks†. In 1979 there were approximately 250 specialty coffee retailers. The number quadrupled by 1989 to approx 1000 outlets, and it exploded to roughly 15000 by 2002. Nationally, specialty coffee sales totaled over $ 10 billion in 2005. For specialty coffee beverage services, including coffee, espresso, tea, chai and granite the leading drinks in 2004 were espresso-based beverages with average with an  average of $50395/store. The second best selling drinks were drip-brewed coffee beverages at $ 333336 / Store, and the third were cold and iced coffee beverages with an average of $22061 / Store. d- The marketing strategy 1- Product Todd tried to remain the purist in developing his product. He preferred to make fresh drinks from Espresso instead of drip-brewed coffee although it is less cost. Expresso menu offered traditional European style which is half caramel and half chocolate. Todd was following starbucks new product developments since people use to come and ask him for the same. i.e.; green tea cappuccino, iced tea, spiced cappuccino, pumpkin cappuccino and eggnog cappuccino. In addition to traditional coffee drinks, the shop also sold teas, smoothies and muffins, lemon bars, cookies and brownies. Todd did not present sandwiches or soups. Also he presented retail items such as T-shirts and coffee mugs with humorous coffee related sayings on them. 2- Prices Todd went looking at everyone else’s prices. He made sure that his prices were 10 % lower than any competitor. He believed that having a low price was important in attracting new customers. 3- Promotion Todd offered product with prices 10 % less than competitors as he thinks it is more direct than using a â€Å"buyer cards† used by competitors. He says to customers â€Å"Our prices are already 10 % lower than everybody so I am giving you a discount now† Other promotion, Expresso Espresso advertised on the local radio station that Todd believed it had a strong student’s audience. In addition the company placed ads in the campus. Flyers typically showed the menu and contained a 10 % off coupons. Another promotion idea , Todd was having live music. Band play was on Fridays and Saturdays nights during summer. 4- Publicity Todd created a policy whereby he would give away all tips. A huge coffee cup sat on the front counter with a sign indicating the charity of the week. Todd would collect whatever people chose to give and pass it on to good cause. The local paper considered this approach so novel that it ran an article on the practice. Customers had the opportunity to help others as they treated themselves. This had a considerable Feel good value for those participating. e- Primary Problem The specialty coffee industry had seen steady growth for years and the trend was expected to continue until at least 2015. Of the various segments within the specialty coffee industry, most of the growth was attributable to beverage retailers â€Å"Coffee and kiosks†. f- Secondary Problem There is a huge competition, and competitors such as Starbucks and other big companies are getting outlets everywhere expanding to get a higher market share. Expresso Espresso got another competitor â€Å"Satori Coffee House† half a mile away, also Carpe Diem is another competitor near to it, third one is Daily Gring which is very near to the University of South Alabama, Beaners is a franchise operation competing with Expresso Espresso. Perhaps the competitor that worried Todd the most was Starbucks. It is located in the busiest road in Mobil, which announced plans to build a drive through store on old shell road about 400 feet east of Expresso Espresso. Todd was concerned that Starbucks would take customers from Expresso’s drive through window. g- Alternative Solutions The importance of complete the order within 45 sec. for the drive through. The consistent of serving high quality drinks, although the expensive ingredients they put but better taste. The kitchen should support making items like breakfast foods and sandwiches; expected spending on kitchen development can increase by 30% of fixed asset. The expected increase in sales would be from 15 to 20% as of the increase in the current market. Todd must start work in financials to understand what sales he need to reach profitability. Keep invest in advertising and PR.

Chinese history final essay based on film to live Movie Review

Chinese history final essay based on film to live - Movie Review Example China had conflicts with the USSR with regard to its border. During this period land was freely given to the poor, who engaged in farming. Mao, who had declared to be a Leninist, led discussion on the performance of the party. The educated citizens’ criticism led him to arrest several people. The educated group was under siege. The Mao led group was branded anti-rightists. The educated citizens were threatened of being denied promotions if they were to persist in their demand for their rights. The poor people in the old china had low status in society given that their high social class counterparts controlled them culturally. The communist group was despised regardless of the affluence of their members. The nationalist group was vibrant and determined to fight the radical communist group. According Yimou, the people in the old China held the subjective feudal autocratic perspective that communism was naturally the only way people could be governed (29). The animosity between t he nationalist and the communists compelled the nationalists to consolidate support from the Taiwan and the US government, to defeat the communist group. In addition, the pre-cultural revolution of China was aimed at challenging the male dominance in Chinese society. Women had no option of deciding their position in society because it is the male who decided everything concerning the lifestyles of the women. The pre-cultural China society was male-dominated given that no woman could become emperor of China during that time. In fact, even the juvenile female Chinese could not be given recognition. The negative effects of civil animosity in China were many. This aspect led to great disparities in the social realm. In this regard, the poor were exploited because of lack of financial power. Democracy was not practiced because the majority was poor; hence, they could not manage to marshal required numbers to oppose the rich. Even the labor unions could not protect the rights of the vulne rable workforce because the industrial leaders were corrupt. However, the oppression of the wealthy became unbearable culminating in reprisals from the workforce, and other groups. They capitalized on politics in their advances. For instance, they used the Communist People’s party to present their grievances to the Authorities. These groups faced oppression of different forms like prejudice and social segregation and discrimination. The emphasis of a class society was also a means of oppression and exploitation, especially in their workplaces (Â  Yimou, 25). The unskilled and the skilled Chinese people were discriminated, and their work was not recognized. On the other hand, women were required to take up only housework and other related domestic chores. Moreover, there arose the aspect of socialism which was also a tool of oppression of the poor. This meant that survival was guaranteed only for the elite. The understanding of the oppressors was that competition was warrante d in order for the social and financially fit people to survive while the poor forever remained in anguish and agony. In this regard, any support for the poor from the government side was highly criticized by the high social class people. This implied that it was the wish of the poor to remain in their low social status. However, the farmers who were also oppressed were discouraged by their fellow Chinese

Contrasts in Two Native American Tribes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Contrasts in Two Native American Tribes - Essay Example The researcher of this essay compares two Native American tribes, that were found on the continent when the first explorers arrived to the New World. Firstly, it was common practice to think of all Native Americans as one cultural group united by the simple idea that they all lived on the new common continent before the coming of the Europeans. However, just like the Europeans, though, Native American tribes found on the continent when the first explorers arrived were often very different from each other. The researcher states that tribes, such as the Apache and the Ottawa were very different from each other based not only on their geographic homeland, but also in their lifestyles and connections with Europeans. The researcher then aims to establish their cultural differencies and present them to the reader in a comparitive manner. For example, while both the Apache Indians and the Ottawas were established Native American tribes since well before the Europeans came, they had organize d themselves differently based to a large degree upon their locations. The Apache Indians lived in bands primarily on the North American plains of the Southwest, ranging â€Å"from southern Colorado to the Texas border and the Chiracahua also extended into Arizona. Western Apache lived in east-central Arizona, where they grew far more like the Navajo than the eastern Apache did. The reseracher then compares these tribes on the topic of cultural differencies and historic associations with each other as well as with Europeans.

Correlation of Birth order and Motor development Research Paper

Correlation of Birth order and Motor development - Research Paper Example Development of movements are often invisible and aren’t recognizable at an early age. These physical impairments create numerous challenges for children affecting their psychological and physical development. Thus, Development Coordination Disorder (DCD) enables slow motor development, in children. It affects both intellectual and physical progress of a child. Children born with extreme low weight are more inclined to motor, cognitive and behavioral impairments and they increase with age. Therefore, recent record shows that preterm children are persistently diagnosed with deficient motor skills. Children have to go through a neuro-motor exam, which establishes their standard of DCD for treatment (Dewey et al., 2011).  Ã‚   Lehman has described birth order as customary environment and parental influence on children. The difference in behavior and physical growth is directly affected by the presence of siblings. However, these affects can differ due to optimistic and pessimist ic environment around the child. It also includes school’s environment, and its impact on child’s psychological and motor development. However, evaluation of relationship between birth order and academic achievements has shown pessimistic results. Investment of quality time by parents with higher order sibling has been observed less, which has resulted in negative and measured development of children (Lehmann et al, 2012).Child’s position in the family and sibling’s gender are important factors that affect development. However, psychological.

3 supreme court briefs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

3 supreme court briefs - Essay Example in this case is whether it is right to consider a person sold as a slave a citizen of the mentioned state and therefore, entitled to enjoy rights and privileges alongside immunities granted under the constitution of the United States. The key issue in this case is; â€Å"Can a slave duly be considered as a citizen and entitled to all benefits granted to United States citizens under the constitution? The overall decision in this case was that black slaves were not recognized as legitimate citizens of the United States, but were merely considered as property. Therefore, in answer to the key issue the court’s decision was simply â€Å"no†, Dred Scott was not considered as a citizen. In this case, there were seven votes for Sandford and only 2 voted against the ruling. Justice Taney argued on the fact that there is no right to citizenship to those who descended from an American slave according to Article III (Delaney). There are national norms specifically instituted for the purposes of creating legal frameworks safeguarding issues on citizenship. Therefore, Missouri Compromise was held unconstitutional by the court, for reasons of ending slavery question. The constitution never provided for slaves under the word ‘citizens’, this is since by the time of framing and adoption of the constitution slaves were considered an inferior class. In this case the Lochner was sued for breaching the Bakeshop Act under New York state labor law. The defendant (Lochner) gave an employee permission to work in his bakery for more than sixty hours per week. The legal provision in this case is based on Bakeshop Act of 1897; no employee in the bakery sector was permitted to work more than ten hours in a day or sixty hours in a week. Lochner appealed his case under the Due Process Clause of the 14th, on the grounds that the law breached his freedom in the process of contracting employees (Delaney). The key issue is determination of key legislations that seeks to impose restrictions

Five key factors to team effectiveness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Five key factors to team effectiveness - Essay Example This article will firstly give brief explanation of team and teamwork, and try to find out some key conditions of developing effective team through collating early literature. The focus will be in the scope of human resource management even though much research discussed team combining consideration of organizations and leadership etc. The characteristics of effective team will be assessed and continually some issues will be arisen and viewed as challenges for managers examining. Debates also arise in the parts of the autonomy and reward. Finally the conclusion will mention the required change in the managers' roles in a changing environment. A team is a group of people assigned a task or a set of tasks to accomplish and often 'granted autonomy over how to accomplish their assignment' (Baron & Kreps, 1999). Harris and Harris define teamwork as 'a work group or unit with a common purpose through which members develop mutual relationships for the achievement of goals/tasks' (Tarricone & Luca, 2002). Combining the concept of autonomy, the definition of teamwork is chosen here for providing a simple, conceptual notion to discuss work teams with various purposes and types in business environment context. Since team-working has been widely ... Study has identified effective teamwork as one of the underlying elements of businesses with high performance. In other words, successful corporations 'rely on teamwork as an essential basis for everyday operations (Tarricone & Luca, 2002).' Therefore, the characteristics of effective team-working have been drawn and listed in tremendous amount of research. The conditions included in this article are listed and discussed next. 1. Mission clarity Some studies list the mission clarity as one of the necessary conditions (Sundstorm, Meuse & Futrell, 1990; Gustafson & Kleiner, 1994; Natale, Libertella & Rothschild, 1995; Borrelli, Cable & Higgs, 1995; ) or the most important one (Davis & Scase, 2000) while discussing effective team. Mission clarity means all team members fully and clearly perceive the purpose, goal and task. Purpose is that team members need to know why they are gathered to form a team, which means team formation (Gustafson & Kleiner, 1994). Goal is the target which members need to achieve, and it includes the match of short-term objectives and long-term strategies. Task contains deciding what should be done and assigning work. 2. Rewards and recognition Rewards occur while team tasks or goals are accomplished and the achievement appeals to be significant for the team or organization. Rewards may contain praise for team success, pay, time off and promotion etc. These outcomes are 'bestowed by people other than group members', and they 'do not include any benefits derived from within the group.'(Shea & Guzzo, 1987) Recognition is that 'individual contributions to the team and team contributions to the

How would a change in the executive-legislative relationship in Research Paper

How would a change in the executive-legislative relationship in Honduras have an outcome of more democratic stability in the cou - Research Paper Example As a function of discussing and analyzing the case of Honduras, the following analysis will be concentric upon the manner in which a change in the legislative – executive relationship that exists within Honduras would ultimately be beneficial to the democratic stability of the nation. As a function of this particular piece of analysis and research, it is the hope of this author that the reader will gain a more informed and nuanced understanding with respect to the way in which this unicameral and executive led structure of government works, the means through which abuse ultimately exists, and a key prescription for growth and change that could be engaged as a means of ameliorating these issues. Rather than coming to the understanding of the fact that anyone nations democratic system is invariably better than another’s, the analysis will strictly focus upon known and measurable shortcomings that exist and means through which these shortcomings can be addressed in order t o promote efficiency, utility, equity, and fairness within the nation of Honduras. Like many nations throughout Central America, Honduras exhibit a surprising lack of diversity. For instance, the broad majority of Hondurans, approximately 90%, can be described as mestizos (a mixture between natives and European background). The remaining 10% of the population is split between indigenous peoples, Amerindians – comprising 7% of the total population, black Africans, comprising 2% of the total population, and whites – comprising 1% of the population.1 Accordingly, this relative lack of diversity creates a situation in which the minority needs of key individuals throughout society are likely brushed aside within a democratically elected government; due to the fact that these diverse stakeholders are not able to have a powerful enough voice within the nation’s unicameral legislature in order to promote the rights and interests that they deem most important. Historical ly speaking, Honduras has had, as with so many Central American nations, something of a rugged past.2 From the late 1960s until the early 1980s, a military junta held complete and total control over the internal and external affairs that this small nation exhibited. Ultimately, this junta was propped up and supported by the United States due to his the opposition to any communism or Marxist ideology within the nation of Honduras. The overall level of importance that this rugged past has had upon the development and governmental structure of Honduras is profound. The underlying reason for this has to do with the fact that individuals within Honduras have come to experience something of a shared history in which a powerful and dynamic government has defined and structured the way in which life, business, and politics have taken place. Such a collective understanding of governance is perhaps one of the causal and most definitive stumbling blocks in seeking to engender a further level o f Democratic change and representation of the people within Honduras. As described briefly within the introduction of this analysis, the current executive – legislative institution relationship in Honduras is one that places an undue level of control within the hands of a single individual; namely the president.3 Even though it is true that the president of Honduras is a democratically

What is the role of celebrity endorsement in media communication Essay

What is the role of celebrity endorsement in media communication - Essay Example e recent past as a result of being endorsed by many different companies and corporations to advertise their products and introduce different brands to the market place. The essay will examine the role of these celebrity endorsements to the media communication and how all these can be of benefit to the companies and the general public. Endorsement is the act of picking up an individual to promote a particular brand using different media channels. This is majorly used as a marketing technique but what matters most is the media channel used to carry out the endorsement communication. If the wrong form of media is chosen such as radio and which many people do not listen to, whatever is being endorsed is bound to fail to attract the targeted people (Okorie, Oyedepo & Akhidenor, 2012). Celebrities are being endorsed to carry out the advertisements. Their use is much more effective than regular people as they have large followers worldwide. These celebrities include athletes, movie stars; reality shows stars, famous business personalities and musicians among other celebrities. It is guaranteed that with their endorsement, they are bound to attract an even larger following and whatever they have endorsed will accepted by the people. When choosing the celebrities to use to endorse whatever product is being advertised, it is important to look at their media usage and the following they have on each of these media particularly the social media. This is important because celebrities are endorsed with a lot of money even millions of dollars and hence it is important to know that the people are getting their money’s worth. According to research by (Chan, Leung Ng & Luk, 2013), most companies target young adults as they are the ones who are most likely to identify with the celebrities and they find these celebrities appealing. Media communication refers to exchange of information from one person to another or to a group of people for the purpose of passing on a message. In

Han Dynasty and Roman Empire Essay Example for Free

Han Dynasty and Roman Empire Essay Both the Han dynasty and the Roman Empire were bureaucratic. The central rulers all eventually became hereditary and both empires had rulers that oppressed the peasants in order to boost political control. However, the two empires differ in that the emperors had varying justifications for ruling and rose to power in different ways. The Han Dynasty and The Roman Empire both were able to expand and develop their empires with their distinctive governing methods and control. To China, the centerpiece that supervised everything was knows as Confucianism. With all dependability focused on the emperor and society serving as a family unit, Han Chinas political system was known for a centralized, closed unit. It was ruled by an emperor who greatly observed the Mandate of Heaven. The Han developed a supply of soldiers, which kept their borders secured and made them capable to exchange with others from time to time. On the other hand, Rome had a centralized, blended structure. The main focus points of the Roman Society were operated by a Roman Republic, which was more like a monarchy, who controlled their complex structure. The Roman Society had more residents and rights than the Hans, Romans political control lay in the hands of the wealthy, which then they were elected to a political seat. The governors were picked from family networks. The only way Romans could accomplish anything big in a certain time span was to make strong changes in their community. It was an enormous weight on Romes resources and power, when they had to stress over big wins. For example, when there was barely any food to support the developing empire. The Romans and the Hans both had their wealthiest people control over their peasants, which caused a social distribution to each and every one, and could have leaded to outbreaks in little battles, wars between the communities, and what not. This was entirely not beneficial on each empires part and especially their social interaction. The political structures of both Rome and Han China were based on bureaucratic systems with a strong monarchy set of succession. They strengthened their control by reducing the land holdings of old aristocratic families. However, the reversal of this process led to breakdown of authority in the central government. During its reign of power, the central bureaucracy promoted trading with neighboring societies. However, Rome was more aggressive with its role in trading in the Mediterranean verses Han China’s river trade. Rome’s trade led to a much greater technology, culture, and general transfer of knowledge in areas surrounding the Mediterranean which in turn led to a much longer lasting influence on the world. Under the Han Dynasty, the power of the emperor and bureaucracy were emphasized. The organized structure of government allowed such a large territory to be effectively governed, even though it was the largest political system in the world at the time. The Hans political framework stressed male dominated families. Han rulers didnt support local warrior-landlords, believing that they were corrupt. Because bureaucracy was so important, civil service exams were first given, a tradition that would be incorporated into modern politics. Not only did bureaucracy effectively govern, but it had a sort of checks and balance on the upper class. Chinese bureaucracy from the Han Dynasty lasted well into the twentieth century. The imperial government sponsored intellectual life, such as astronomy and mathematics. Han rulers promoted Confucianism, with the idea that they were in charge of their subjects beliefs. The administration also took part in the economy. It organized production, standardized currency and measures, sponsored public works like canal systems and irrigation, and tried to regulate agricultural supplies to control price increases. The Roman republic allowed all citizens to meet in assemblies to elect magistrates. The most important legislative body was the Senate, made up of aristocrats. Public service and participation, political ethics, uncorrupt government, and oratory were extremely important. Roman leaders were very tolerant of local customs and religions and believed that well-made laws could hold the lands together. Aristocratic leaders supported legal codes to protect private property as well as their poor subjects. It was a sort of check on the upper class. They believed that laws should evolve to keep up with the demands of the changing society. Imperial law codes also controlled property rights and trade. The law of the land was fair and equal for everyone, for the most part. The Roman government also supported public works like roads and harbors to facilitate transport and commerce. It also supported an official religion, but tolerated others as long as they didnt interfere with loyalty to the state. Unlike the Chinese, the Romans didnt emphasize as much on hierarchy, obedience, or bureaucracy, but more on participation. However, some of the Romans political writing did resemble Confucianism. Both governments also supported government funded public works.