Saturday, December 28, 2019

Essay on World Phone Hacking Scandal - 2506 Words

In March of 2002, Milly Dowler, a 13 year old student, was abducted and later murdered. From the time of the abduction until her body was found in September of that year, her family and friends had maintained hope through the fact that Milly’s voicemails were being deleted, giving them hope that Milly may have still been alive. However, in July of 2011, it was reported that it was in fact reporters from the Rupert Murdoch owned News of the World paper checking the phone messages and inadvertently deleting them. This was when the public became aware of an ongoing investigation into a scandal that had started years before. Every corporation faces ethical decisions on a daily basis, including the news media. While a news outlet may not have†¦show more content†¦Except in limited circumstances, we do not use hidden cameras; any exceptions should first be discussed with the top newsroom manager and the legal department (New York Times, 2005). By hacking into voicemails and wiretapping individuals, News of the World employees were breaking ethical standards in journalism. The decisions made by a few individuals instilled a corporate culture that eventually ended up affecting an entire industry. Rupert Murdoch is said to believe that â€Å"in the newsroom, where you do whatever it takes to get the story, take no prisoners, destroy the competition, and the end will justify the means†. That being said, most forms of information gathering practices are sent from â€Å"the top down†, meaning the person in charge of the paper tells the rest of the employees how they can or cannot get information about a story (Bernstein, 2011). Newspapers are highly competitive, and Murdoch’s empire is one of the most well-known and most lucrative media outlets. Whether Murdoch knew nothing of the hacking (as he continues to testify) or not, the chance for the large amount of financial gains and potential losses from scooping competitors can make a person pursue unethical behaviors. These individual factors played a huge role in the creation of organizational factors for which Murdoch may or may not have been aware of. Murdoch’s philosophy created a corporate culture t hat ignored industry standards in ethicalShow MoreRelatedThe News of the World Phone Hacking Scandal from Business Ethics and Csr Point of View3483 Words   |  14 PagesThe News of the World Phone Hacking Scandal from Business Ethics and CSR Point of View Date: 21 June 2012 Executive Summary The focus of the project you’re about to read is on the recently phone hacking scandal of famous UK News agency, - The News of The World. The report include a brief explanation of what has happened based on pre-selected online articles, analysis of the scandal from Business Ethics point of view by using various CSR theories discussed during the CSR course in period fourRead MoreEssay about Ethics and Gatekeeping in The Media1533 Words   |  7 PagesIn 2011, News Corp. suffered a scandal of ethical proportions when it was revealed that members of the News of the World staff, a paper owned by News Corp. were participating and engaging in illegal phone hacking in order to find stories. It was reported that close to 4000 individuals ranging from sport stars to politicians and celebrities were hacked (BBC). The scandal eventually led to the end of the paper which ceased publication on July 10th 2011. This scandal at News Corp. raises ethical issuesRead MoreContemporary Issues in Business5466 Words   |  22 PagesEvents- The Phone Hacking Scandal 3. What is management? 3.1. Management Ideologies 3.2. Humanistic versus Economistic Ideologies 3.3 Scientific Management Theories 3.4. Critical Management Studies 3.5 Managers as Actors 3.6 Managers as Discursive Subjectivies 4. Ethical Theories 4.1. Consequentialist Theories 4.2. Non Consequentialist Theories 5. Conclusion 6. Recommendations 7. References 1.Introduction This report will discuss the events that took place during the phone hacking scandalRead MoreCorporate Ethical Issues and Ensuing Influence-Case Study of Murdochs Phone Hacking Scandal2819 Words   |  12 PagesCorporate Ethical Issues and Ensuing influence-Case study of Murdochs phone hacking scandal 1. Research Background The business ethics refers to the ethics of enterprise operation. Not only for the enterprises, all organizations related to business are supposed to have ethical issues. As long as the groups of people are having business activities,there are always exist ethical issues in essence(Drucker,1981,pp66). A moral enterprise should pay attention to the human nature,avoid conflict and frictionRead MoreCode of Ethics at News Limited2994 Words   |  12 Pagesstockholders are duly and fully informed of the goings of the Company. Stockholders play an important part in corporate governance (News Corporation). Statement of Business Conduct In response to the trust the Company receives from people all over the world, News Corporation conducts business with integrity (News Corporation 2011). Chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch stated that the Company observes general principles holding up the culture of trust. He emphasized that these standards assist them to avoidRead MoreEssay on Investigative Reporting is the Driving Force in Journalism2455 Words   |  10 Pagesthere was two major investigations that have continued to be cited as exemplars; the first was of the triangular relationship between a government minister, Profumo, a Russian secret agent and a call girl. It was extensively researched by News of the World investigative journalist Peter Earle. The second was an exclusive by Sunday Times Insight, whose reporter Ron Hall detailed the methods used by a criminal landlord, Peter Rachman, to terrorise tenants. These examples set a trend and by the late 1960sRead MoreFreedom Of Expression Is Protected By Article 10 Of T he European Convention On Human Rights1447 Words   |  6 Pagesbecame widely known as ‘The Leveson Inquiry’. The inquiry was a result of the preceding phone hacking scandals from the News of the World, into both celebrities and victims such as Mollie Dowler. The inquiry, whilst being deeply intrusive into the businesses practices and attitudes of the press, highlighted the issue of newspapers breaching phone owners’ private lives, often not public figures. The phone hacking was an offence in itself under Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA), andRead MoreRupert Murdoch : Corporate Governance1562 Words   |  7 Pages27, 2016 â€Æ' For me, prior to the summer of 2011, The NewsCorp did not seek to operate under any type of organizational values - implied or explicit. After the hacking scandal, the News Corp began to use the slogan Fair Balanced and a mission statement Creating and distributing top-quality news, sports and entertainment around the world.† What role, if any, did organizational culture play in the demise of this organization? What can be said for leadership? According to the Columbia JournalismRead MoreThe Leveson inquiry is a public judicial inquiry into the culture practice and ethics of the700 Words   |  3 Pagesis a public judicial inquiry into the culture practice and ethics of the British press, chaired by Lord Justice Leveson. The inquiry was established by current Prime Minister David Cameron, in the wake of former tabloid News of the World’s phone-hacking scandal. A press release made public on the 14th September 2011 stated that the Leveson enquiry was to investigate the ethical practices of the press, including the working relationships that police and politicians had towards the British Press. TheRead MoreThe Information Age : How Safe Are We?1525 Words   |  7 Pagesto the internet. Body: I. (Main point one) The security of information stored on and shared on cellphones is dubious at best. A. Almost as soon as Bluetooth technology arrived someone developed a way to hack its signal and â€Å"listen in† on texts and phone calls on any Bluetooth enabled device. While this has supposedly been corrected, it was the first indication of the dangers of transmitting information wirelessly over a supposedly secure network. B. There are apps for almost anything you can think

Friday, December 20, 2019

Adolf Hitler Essay 20 - 6213 Words

INTRODUCTION Hitler, Adolf (1889-1945), German political and military leader and one of the 20th centurys most powerful dictators. Hitler converted Germany into a fully militarized society and launched World War II in 1939 (see Federal Republic of Germany). He made anti-Semitism a keystone of his propaganda and policies and built the Nazi Party (see National Socialism) into a mass movement. He hoped to conquer the entire world, and for a time dominated most of Europe and much of North Africa. He instituted sterilization and euthanasia measures to enforce his idea of racial purity among German people and caused the slaughter of millions of Jews, Sinti and Roma (Gypsies), Slavic peoples, and many others, all of whom he considered inferior.†¦show more content†¦Hitler saw trench warfare as a form of the struggle for survival among races, a struggle that he was coming to see as the essence of existence. At the same time, his anti-Semitic feelings were growing extreme. When Germ any was defeated in 1918, Hitler was lying in a military hospital, temporarily blinded by mustard gas. He decided Jews had caused Germanys defeat and that he would enter politics to save the country. Hitler returned to Munich after the war. He was selected to be a political speaker by the local army headquarters, given special training, and provided with opportunities to practice his public speaking before returning prisoners of war. His speaking successes led to his selection as an observer of political groups in the Munich area. In this capacity, he investigated the German Workers PartyÂâ€"one of the many nationalist, racist groups that developed in Munich in the postwar years. C Beginnings of the Nazi Party The German Workers Party, later renamed the National Socialist German Workers Party (abbreviated NSDAP or Nazi Party), became Hitlers political focus. Here he found an outlet for his talents in political agitation and party organization. The party espoused essentially the same ideas Hitler had picked up in Vienna: violent racial nationalism and anti-Semitism. He also shared the Nazis opposition to the liberal democracy of the GermanShow MoreRelatedHitler s Influence On The World War II966 Words   |  4 Pageshowever Hitler’s rise to power is assumed to have had a significant impact on the outbreak. Adolf Hitler was leader of the Nazi party, and his efforts to transform Germany’s society into one based on race resulted in Holocaust and world war. Using his position as Chancellor Hitler created a legal dictatorship. Not anyone could have seized power in Germany at that time. During Germany’s economic crisis, Hitler used his personal traits and propaganda to gain support and rise to power. This can be seenRead MoreAdolf Hitler : Mein Kampf, Nation And Race1108 Words   |  5 PagesJennifer Mills College Writing Dec 11, 2014 Adolf Hitler: Mein Kampf, Nation and Race Adolf Hitler was born in Austria, on April 20, 1889. He was the fourth child of the six children from Alois Hitler and Klara Polzl. When Adolf was three years old, his whole family moved into Germany. In his young age, he had many arguments with his father until he became detached and introverted when his young brother died in 1900. (HistoryLearningSite, 2014) Adolf was interested in fine arts than business, soRead More Adolf Hitlers Leadership and the Government that Follows Essay1163 Words   |  5 Pagesthe satire Animal Farm. The spoof is based on a totalitarian leadership. The four main characters in this book are the pigs on the farm. They go against Napoleon’s will and represent the white movement. The reason this story becomes prevalent in the essay is because it shows how few people can turn around a society. Orwell describes in animal farm just how he got his idea for the novel. â€Å"I saw a little boy, perhaps ten years old, driving a huge cart-horse along a nar row path, whipping it whenever itRead MoreWhy Is The Killing Of A Million A Lesser Crime?1440 Words   |  6 PagesGenocide Essay â€Å"Why is the killing of a million a lesser crime than the killing of an individual?† -Raphael Lemkin referring to genocides. Genocides are organized exterminations committed with intent to destroy a whole group based on religion, ethnicity, and race. The Holocaust, the Armenian genocide, Darfur, and the Rwanda genocide were all terrible events in history, but why did they occur? The form of genocide had existed since the perception of superiority and inferiority was known. AsRead MoreIs Learning About The Second World War Important?1221 Words   |  5 Pagesimportant? The Second World War began in 1940, and ended in 1945. The main reason why the war started was that a man called Adolf Hitler were against all the Jews. He meant that the Jews had good educations, and got all the important and big jobs in the society. It is important that we learn about this happening, in that way we can try to not make it happened again. In this essay, I am going to write more about why we should learn about the Second World War, what the final solution did to the Jews andRead MoreHitler Adolf Hitler is possibly the most infamous name in history. Undoubtedly the first thing1100 Words   |  5 PagesHitler Adolf Hitler is possibly the most infamous name in history. Undoubtedly the first thing that appears in one’s head at the sound of this horrible name is a swastika, or his mustache. That extremely fashionable way to style one’s facial hair was so easily ruined by one man alone: Hitler. He was a truly evil man. The clearest villain in modern history. How did someone as evil as Hitler rise to power? Surely someone would have stopped him before he rose all the way to emperor of Germany. WeRead MoreThe Rise Of Fascism During Nazi Germany And Germany1623 Words   |  7 Pagessociety? Explain how these social roles were reflected in both individuals and organisations. This will be easiest by exploring their power structures and methods of operation. COMMUNICATION Ensure you structure your presentation appropriately. Essays, Posters and PowerPoints all need to include: †¢ an introduction to the topic; †¢ supporting evidence for your point of view; †¢ a conclusion. These should be coherent and relevant arguments. Use subject-specific language, by talking about the politicalRead More War and Peace Essay791 Words   |  4 PagesWar and Peace The greater threat to world peace in the 20s, 30s, and 40s is a point that could be argued and debated upon for essays on piles of essays. The true threats of world peace were those who were naà ¯ve enough to believe that a people can be totally humiliated as the Germans were in the Treaty of Versailles following World War I and not be subject to promises of regained glory. Throughout the 1920s, the world was relatively peaceful—save perhaps the Italian â€Å"revolution† byRead MoreHitler Was An Almighty Dictator1477 Words   |  6 Pagesdevoted to portraying Adolf Hitler as an almighty leader with calmative power with the view of ‘one leader, one party and one ideology’. This image of Hitler was easy to conceive giving the result of the holocaust and the creation of the Nazi state. However, leaving propaganda aside, there have been many historiographical debates as to whether Adolf Hitler was a weak or strong dictator, from Norman Rich clai ming he was a master in the Third Reich, to Hans Mommsen who stated Hitler was a weak dictatorRead MoreHitlers Rise to Power Essay1443 Words   |  6 Pagestime as it marked the onset of Nazi ideology, an ideology that would be advocated by radical leaders such as Adolf Hitler to maintain power of Germany. Hitler would use National Socialism, which renounced Marxist ideals, as a basis to formulate his own basic views of a philosophy which he would bolster for the rest of his life. As a strong anti-Semite, and an ardent German nationalist, Hitler recognized the importance in the need for struggle and emphasized a crude Social Darwinism; the world was

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Parents are the best teachers free essay sample

When children are infants, their parents teach them how to crawl, stand, walk or talk. The parents always look after their children and surround them so the children imitate what their parents do. As the result, parents influence on childrens character is significant. For example, if parents always play with their children, encourage them in time, the children will definitely be more confident than those whose parents are always busy and let them stay home alone.Parents are always aware of the importance of choosing right careers for their childrens future. They are always beside their children, understand them and offer them with their best advices. Thanks to that the children can become useful people for society. However, parents are not the best teachers for their children, as they need far more professional knowledge that only teachers at the colleges, or universities can teach them. No one can master all the wide range of immense knowledge sources. We will write a custom essay sample on Parents are the best teachers or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page So part from acquiring the knowledge and experience that their parents give, they also have to learn from their teachers, their peers and other people in society. In conclusion, parents obviously are essential teachers for their children. They should be aware of what their parents offer them as the parents always love them and take care of them. However, parents can not teach everything they need, they have to make their best effort to learn from their teachers, their acquaintances and many others in the society.

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Conference Industry of China-Free-Samples-Myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Conference Industry of China. Answer: Introduction The conference industry is in its peak state. With the increase in awareness among people and the inquisitive nature has lead to the growth of the sector. Conferences are being held on a variety of topics and each topic is being shown and discussed round the globe. This report aims at analyzing the conference industry in Shanghai, China (Allen et al., 2012). The report introduces the concept of a conference and the nature of the industry. Trends around the globe as well as in the city have been discussed. The next section follows the demand and supply problems and suggestions on how to manage them. Recommendations have been made to show a road ahead for the city in this sector. Literature Review The event industry According to Davidson (2002), the event industry is one of the largest industries in the globe. It comprises of various events like a job fair, a festival, a social event, a business conference or a management event. The industry is often referred to as the event management or event planning. The industry consists of one-person planner to large companies engaged in creating experiences for the people. The events organized by them may be a corporate event or a social event depending on the need. The conference industry The conference industry forms a major part of the event industry. In the 21st century, where the world has become a global village, conferences form an essential part of the success of an organization. Various organizations like Deloitte, Pepsi, Ali baba, Amazon, and Microsoft and so on hold various conferences throughout the year (Fenich, 2014). These conferences need to be arranged and organized thereby increasing the importance of the event management sector. To begin with, the definition of a conference will be provided. A conference can be described as a meeting of group members or people who discuss or confer about a topic. Confer refers to an exchange of ideas and discussions about a relevant topic. This topic can range from sustainable management issues, news conferences, academic conferences and so on. Some of the types of conferences have been given below: Convention- refers to a meeting of people in a group belonging to a company in a particular field. Academic conference- Usually referring to the domain of science where relevant topics are discussed Parent-teacher conference- Conducted by the school where the administration informs the parents about their latest development (Rogers, 2013). Professional Conference- referring to the professional council of the country regarding a new act. Trade fair- Between various sellers Athletic Conference- a competitive group of teams generally spread geographically. The booming industry According to the US Statistics, events, conferences and conventions are expected to rise by 44% in 2020, which is far ahead of the projected growth of other industries. The demand of conference space has been increasing and various hotels like Ritz Carlton and Montage have received various bookings for their conference rooms. The conference industry encompasses a variety of fields with almost exhaust any conference goer person (Jones, 2014). It has been observed that almost every day some conference takes place in a certain corner of the world. . A conference goer could travel to a new city every week and attend a conference based on smart grid, cloud computing, farming methods, mathematics and ageing. The conference industry can conduct its own award and natural conferences. Various companies like Google, Apple and Microsoft have become the conference hosts. These conferences help these giants to improve their distribution chain and to strengthen their ties. Conferences are believed to be seminars, which can help a company to meet thousands of people at one time. Wurman is planning to conduct a conference called 555, which will be providing a platform to five global leaders in five cities on consecutive five Mondays that will encourage intellectual ideas and talk about architecture, future travel and energy (Hiller, 1995). The conference industry has faced various difficulties. It faced a boom during the 1990s and took a bad turn during after 9/11. Risks involved According to Lee (2006), there is certain amount of risks involved in the industry. The success of a conference is extremely essential in order to earn profits for the firm (Homburg, Vollmayr, Hahn, 2014). Many times the conference might get cancelled which may then threaten the efforts of the organizers. Trends of conference industry The conference industry has been doing well in the last few years with its growth parallel with the growth of internet. The number of conference has been increasing in size and the numbers of conferences that have been taking place are increasingly tremendously (Getz Page, 2016). These conferences have been increasing because they have gone global and are not restricted to limited topic discussed by a company in their domain or relating to their company issues. These conferences have been dealing with a variety of topics like renewable energy, sea plundering. The new trend is that the conferences might also have an online component. There needs to be a pre-reading component available online so that the members of the conference can read about the conference and come prepared for it. The online preview will also provide various details about the speakers and members. Conferences are beneficial because they help to share knowledge and bring about awareness for the people. Generally, the knowledge about a particular field remains restricted to the particular field. However, the aim of some of the conferences is to break these barriers and foster knowledge as well as creativity (Getz Page, 2016). The new concept of TED Conferences has developed and brought about thousands of people together under one roof. These people share their experiences and bring about convocation of ideas. The TED conferences started from an economic forum and have transformed itself into an idea fest attended by thousands of speakers including the head of states. Various discussions take place by Panelists like human longevity, cell phone app industry, and economic investment in Africa and so on. These types of topics are helpful for students who can apply their theoretical knowledge and use it to discuss these topics among themselves and get real world information. Earlier these conferences were restricted to those who attended the meetings but now it is not so. Every moment of the conference is posted online and filmed for public banter. Other advantages include these conferences have lead to worldwide awareness and funding. Many medical science conferences have brought about findings from all around the globe, which has helped in collaboration (Ahmad et al., 2012). This collaboration has formed various documents. According to Jones (2014), the information is being spread around to various body of organizations and people around the globe as well as people are becoming better informed and those who are not informed it is instigating them and it gives rise to a sense of necessity to get together and discuss about the various topics so that the world becomes closer. Latest conferencing trends in Shanghai, China The use of technology has become extremely important in order to enhance the experience of the conference goers. The events are being made more interactive which is better for the learning process. User-friendly applications are also being used by the organizers and sponsors as well as members alike in order to keep a track of the events and this makes the movement paperless. Sending live videos and building up content is another trend popular in China for the various conferences. With the growing popularity if Facebook and Instagram, this trend was bound to become popular. As conferences are becoming increasingly popular, the conferences are asking for larger rooms and additional space for offering healthy mails for the attendees (Andersson et al., 2015). The tastes of the conference goers also vary and therefore these needs have to be taken care of by the conference management team. Video and teleconferencing techniques are also extremely popular in the city. Other experts suggest that due to the advent of technology, the event organizers are able to start the conversation even before it is possible to with the help of technology. Another remarkable trend in the industry is the unique themes and venues (Chon Weber, 2014).Earlier the conferences use to take place in more professional environments, however these days the options have become more ordinary like places in museums, building sites and many more. In China, gift taking is generally not acceptable however, the participants attending the seminar need to be encouraged and they can be welcomed with a personal note or a gift like a diary. They can also be provided with coupons and reservations of their choice (Weber, 2001). There are various demands for AV equipments with the members making use of voting keypads, WebEx streaming and photo booths. Corporate in China expect to get more out of the management and want to get full value for money. Airbnb trend has also had a huge impact on the particular industry with group reservations made with hotels replaced by delegates paying for their own accommodation. The latest trend in the industry at China has been that the companies engaging in the conference prefer attending a conference that lasts for more than two days rather than attending a conference that is based on a single day (Davidson, 2002). They enjoy dinners that are more formal rather than informal ones. The dinner trends have been evolving in China with people opting for healthier food and therefore this has affected the industry greatly (Lee, Kao Yang, 2014). Various conferences taking place in China: International Conference On Software And Information Engineering ((ICSIE-17)) This conference is based on knowledge sharing based on the field of Engineering. It is usually held in Swiss hotel Grand Shanghai. International Conference on Business, Economics, Social Science Humanities (BESSH) Based on the field of economics and science, this seminar will be held at Leisure Inn and discuss about the world economy. China Marketing Summit This summit is held in China every year and it is necessary attend conference for any group of people who want to attend to market of China (Best, 2012). Global Sources Summit This is a great opportunity for the entrepreneurs and small businesses who want to build a business. Various strategic ideas are discussed to help these entrepreneurs to build a business. Managing Supply and Demand Issues in the Conference Industry in Shanghai According to Park Boo (2010), the main reasons why the supply and demand problems take place are the nature of the service industries. What makes these industries is that they are required immediately. Managing this difference is difficult to manage and the company should make sure that it is able to adhere to the needs of the consumers. As the Event industry has become the new sought after industry, there have been many companies who engage themselves in this operation and thus the supply side has been exceeding. This could be stated as the trend say 5 years back. However, as per the latest trend the conference industry has been doing extremely well and therefore, the demand for arranging conferences has been increasing (Kotler, 2012). As these demands have been increasing, the existing industries have been finding it extremely difficult to cope up with the needs of the demand. The demand and supply occurs in China because: Services are direct, they cannot be stored therefore, and this leads the managers without an alert as to when these services may be demanded. There is a huge amount of producer and consumer interaction in services such as a conference and the consumer provides constant input as to how the task has to be done. This is a mixed blessing as on one hand it provides a source of ideas but on the other it provides interference for the managers. The consumption of goods and services can be delayed however; the services have to be delivered instantly. This is the reason why there is a lot of problem because the conference sponsors find it difficult to find the right event managers who will deliver the conference of their choice. According to Rompf, Brieter Severt (2008), managing this demand and supply can be a difficult task hence it is better is better to form a creative solution and expand the base so that the company can manage the business. The manager can alter the demand by developing an off-peak pricing system whereby complementary services are offered so that the customers are attracted (Kay, 2005). They can even create a non-peak demand, which will help the firm to balance the business. The supply that is being created can also be controlled so that so that the demand can be matched with it. In order to manage a huge supply, the part time employees can be employed so that during the peak seasons the demand can be balanced. Efficiency has to be managed and improved so that the balance can be removed and during the peak season lot of mistakes can be made and therefore, during the lean season the company can improve their skills and manage to gear up for the peak season. Recommendations- How to stay ahead in the conference industry: The following can be applied by the conference industry in China so as to adopt better efficiency and race ahead and stead in the conference industry Adopt Data Analytics Data analytics can be applied in the field of event management. The previous year trends can be observed and a pattern can be formed in order to anticipate the demand, which is present. Data is a new field whereby analysis of data can help in decision-making. Build up Architecture As the numbers of conferences, which are being held, are increasing tremendously and therefore it should be seen that the required architecture for the industry is being prepared for so that the demand for the increased conferences can be met with easily. Use technology The technology should be applied in every field of conferencing. Videos. Mails, applications, AV. These all should be made use of so that the consumers can be dealt with easily and all the data can be kept under one umbrella (Mullins, Walker Boyd Jr, 2012). For separate conferences, an application can be formed which can be shared with the goers as well as the organizers. The schedule and various other data can be presented on the application for easy use. Conclusion Therefore, from the discussion it can be stated that the conference industry emerged as a popular topic in the 90s. During the 2007-2008 periods, it was under a dull period. Again post 2015, the conference industry has been doing well. With the upcoming trends and latest technology, the industry has become one of the most sought after industries. In Shanghai, the industry has been doing well. Shanghai is a host to various conferences on a variety of topics. The Chinese have applied various trends into their process of doing business and thereby performed well. Following the stated recommendations and suggestions, the industry will be able to perform even better in Shanghai. References Ahmad, N. L., Yusuf, A. N. M., Shobri, N. D. M., Wahab, S. (2012). The relationship between time management and job performance in event management.Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences,65, 937-941. Allen, J., O'toole, W., Harris, R., McDonnell, I. (2012).Festival and Special Event Management, Google eBook. John Wiley Sons. Andersson, A., Deng, J., Du, K., Zheng, M., Yan, C., Sko?ld, M., Gustafsson, O. (2015). Regionally-varying combustion sources of the January 2013 severe haze events over eastern China.Environmental science technology,49(4), 2038-2043. Best, R. (2012).Market-based management. Pearson Higher Ed. Chon, K. S., Weber, K. (2014).Convention tourism: International research and industry perspectives. Routledge. Davidson, R (2002) Leisure Extensions to Business Trips, English Tourism council. Fenich, G. G. (2014).Planning and management of meetings, expositions, events and conventions. Pearson Higher Ed. Getz, D., Page, S. J. (2016).Event studies: Theory, research and policy for planned events. Routledge. Hiller, H (1995) `Conventions as mega events: A new model for convention host city relationships`, Tourism Management(16:5) pp 375-379 Homburg, C., Vollmayr, J., Hahn, A. (2014). Firm value creation through major channel expansions: evidence from an event study in the United States, Germany, and China.Journal of Marketing,78(3), 38-61. Jones, M. (2014).Sustainable event management: A practical guide. Routledge. Kay, A (2005) ` China`s Convention and Exhibition Centre Boom`, Journal of Convention and Event Tourism 7 (1) Kotler, P. (2012). Marketing Management, millenium edition: Custom Edition for University of Phoenix. Lee, J., Kao, H. A., Yang, S. (2014). Service innovation and smart analytics for industry 4.0 and big data environment.Procedia Cirp,16, 3-8. Lee, M J (2006) `Analytical Reflections on the Economic Impact Assessment of Conventions and Special Evnts`, Journal of Convention Event Tourism (8:3) pp 71-85 Park, E Boo, S (2010) ` An assessment of convention tourism`s potential contribution to environmentally sustainable growth` Journal of Sustainable Tourism, (18:1) pp 95-113 Rogers, T. (2013).Conferences and Conventions 3rd edition: A Global Industry. Routledge. Rompf, P, Brieter, D Severt, K (2008) ` Destination selection criteria: key success factors evolve and dominate Event Management ,(12) pp 27-38 Weber K (2001) `Meeting planners` use and evaluation of convention and visitor bureaus`. Tourism Management 22(6)

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Qantas free essay sample

Lowest price without jeopardizing the quality. 2. Better quality, simple way of operation and better look that means ability to be creative and innovative. According to Porter (1985) all generic competitive strategies have different way of cresting sustainable competitive advantage. And a company must always choose a strategy or else it will be stuck in the middle without coherent strategy (Acquaah amp; Yasai – Ardekani, 2006). Many companies for example Wal – Mart and AirAsia have been implementing a single strategy very successfully. Examples of companies which has used differentiation strategy as single strategy successfully: * Differentiation by Brand: Harley Davidson and Mercedes Benz * Differentiation by Design: Titan watches – with gold studded gems, diamonds, precious metals. * Differentiation by Positioning: Domino Pizza ‘ 30 minutes delivery’ * Differentiation by Technology: Apple Computers * Differentiation by Innovation: 3M. Furthermore there are successful companies which apply hybrid – strategy which implies both cost leadership amp; differentiation strategy at the same time. Eg: German’s Automotive, Tesco supermarket, IKEA. We will write a custom essay sample on Qantas or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Competitive Strategy: It is the way by which firms choose to accomplish and hold their competitive advantage. Regarding competitive strategy Porter stated that â€Å"taking offence or defensive actions to create a defendable position in an industry, to cope with †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦competitive forces and thereby yield a superior return for the firm†. Companies have established different approaches to competitive strategy, as per the crisis companies should apply respective strategy. The basic of generic strategy: Porter stated that company’s strength is divided into two attributes: cost advantage and differentiation. By applying these attributes in a broad and narrow focus, three generic strategies result: cost leadership, differentiation and focus. They do not represent any industry nor they are specific to any company. PORTER’S GENERIC STRATEGIES: Diagram 1: (Porter, 1980) Normally means â€Å"pursue a quality approach†. Enables a price premium to be charged for the quality difference. Normally means â€Å"pursue a quality approach†. Enables a price premium to be charged for the quality difference. Aim to have lowest cost-base industry. Will facilitate favourable / cheaper pricing and thus grow market share in elastic industries particularly. Aim to have lowest cost-base industry. Will facilitate favourable / cheaper pricing and thus grow market share in elastic industries particularly. Competitive Advantage Competitive Advantage Differentiation Differentiation Lower Cost Lower Cost Broad Target Broad Target 1. Cost Leadership| Competitive Score Competitive Score 2. Differentiation| Narrow Target Narrow Target 3 A. Cost Focus| 3 B. Differentiation Focus| Concentrate on one or a small number of market segments. Can be differentiation or cost leadership. Concentrate on one or a small number of market segments. Can be differentiation or cost leadership. Porter initially advised Firms to avoid attempting both Strategies Stuck in the Middle as out and out differentiators and cost leaders will tend to be more competitive. The success of Japanese (and other) firms with JIT, Kaizen and TQM techniques appears to provide evidence contrary to this view. Requirements for generic competitive strategies: Generic Strategy| Commodity Required Skills and Resources| Common Organizational Requirements| Overall cost leadership| Sustained capital investment access to capital| Tight cost control| | Process engineering skills| Frequent, detailed control reports| | Intense supervision of labour| Structured organization and responsibilities| | Products designed for ease | Incentives based on meeting strict quantitative| | Low-cost distribution system| targets in manufacture| Differentiation| Strong marketing abilities| Strong coordination among functions in Ramp;D, product development, and marketing| | Product ngineering| | | Creative flare | | | Strong capability in basic research| Subjective measurement andincentives instead of quantitative measures| | Corporate reputation for quality or technological leadership| Amenities to attract highly skilled labour, scientists, or creative people| | Long tradition in the industryor unique combination of skills drawn from other businesses| | | Strong co operation fromchannels| | Focus| Combination of the above policies directed at the particular strategic target| Combination of the above policies directed at the regular strategic target| Four strategic types and their approaches to strategy (Miles and Snow)? : 1. Defender: * protect market share * hold current position 2. Analyser: * seek market opportunities but protect existing areas * hold market share but with some innovation 3. Prospector: * find new opportunities * exploit and take risks 4. Reactor: * respond only to other * often late and inadequate COST AND DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGY: Cost Leadership Strategy The cost leadership strategy represents cost control and efficiency in all areas of operation (Porter, 1980). A company that decides to follow cost leadership actually achieves it by performing important value chain activities with lower cost (Porter, 1985). Cost – Leadership strategy strives to supply a standard, no frills, high volume product with a competitive price to customers (Bingxin Li amp; Juan Li, 2008) which is preferred in developing countries India, China, Indonesia amp; Malaysia. This make product more competitive than others with brand image and good service (Hutchinson et al. 2007; Frambach et al. 2003; Porter, 1980). Cost Leadership aim requires strong focus on supply side as oppose to demand side of market – with high level competitor orientation (Day amp; Wendley, 1988). Cost Leadership strategy used by companies must benchmark them in a profitable position in the market place. As per Porter (1980), efficient cost leadership strategy minimizes cost in areas like Ramp;D, Services, Sales and Advertising. In Japan, Toyota Company has successfully implemented cost leadership strategy with increased efficiency (Schonberger, 1994) which is a different factor make up in this strategy when compared to the western countries. Allen amp; Helms, 2001) Differentiation Strategy – The generic of differentiation strategy can be based upon design and brand image, distribution amp; so forth (Frambach. Et al. 2003). It involves by creating a place in the market that is realized as being different in the industry and has the capability to endure for a long run (Porter, 1980). The effectiveness of str ategy depends on competitive offering to customers (Slater amp; Olson, 2001) with unique product for varied customer groups. This is with the aim to create minimum price of product in order to develop satisfaction and loyalty. A firm with differentiation strategy creates superior characteristics in terms of image, reputation, reliability and equality (Dean amp; Evans, 1994; Sashi and Stern, 1995). This creates qualitative difference in products amp; service, engaged in advertising programs, marketing techniques with premium prices (Miller, 1986). According to Acquaah and Yasai – Ardekani (2006). Firms with competitive strategies has advantage over their rivals as they realized how unique their products and services are. The differentiation strategy has been successfully implemented in France, Sweden, Canada with companies having advantage of Financial and technology resources, human capital and modern management (Aulakh et al, 2000) Focus Porter defined focus as one of the generis strategies but later on mentioned it as moderator of cost leadership and differentiation strategy, Companies which apply this strategy normally focus on the market where there are less competition. (Pearson, 1999). Firms uses this strategy to stress on a specific positioning in the market and so it offers quality and specialized products for that position. Therefore sometimes focus strategy is referred as niche strategy (Lynch, 2003). This strategy allows the firm the possibility to charge a premium price for its specialized products. Ferrari and Rolls – Royce are examples of company using such strategy. The only problem with the strategy is that niche characteristic is not sufficient to justify company’s attention. Stuck in the middle – When a company fails to make a choice between the strategies then it is implied that the company is stuck in the middle. Thus affecting its profitability and resulting poor financial performance. (Peter, 1980) THE COMBINATION (HYBRID) STRATEGY: The Porter Generic competitive Strategies (1980, 1985) can’t be given excessive prominence. Competitive forces ( Allen and Helms, 2006; Miller, 1992; Spanos, et al. , 2004) has been termed â€Å" hybrid, mixed, integrated or combination strategies. (Kim. Et al. , 2004; Spanos, et al. , 2004). They combine both low cost and differentiation elements (Gopalakrishna and Subramanian, 2001; Proff, 2000). A combination of cost leadership and differentiation strategies should be distinguish from ‘stuck in the middle’ where firm fails to successfully pursue both. (Acquaah amp; Yasai – Ardekani, 2006). A combination or hybrid strategy has been proved to be viable and profitable (Kim et al. , 2004; Miller amp; Dess, 1993; Wright et al. , 1991). Firms pursuing combined strategy achieved higher performance than the other firms which apply single strategy. Combined strategy also helps the firm to minimize their vulnerability due to reliance on cost – based advantages only (Yasai – Ardekani amp; Nystrom, 1996). This hybrid strategy success depends on ability to deliver enhanced benefit to customers with low price and sufficient margins to reinvestment. Tesco Supermarket is following same the same strategy (Strategy Explorer, 2010) THE APPLICATION OF SINGLE STARTEGY: Cost Leadership Strategy: The cost leadership strategy is the basis for long – run compare to price competition. Price competition is easily duplicated (Porter, 1980; Ellis amp; Kelly, 1992). In retail business cost reduction must be exploited which minimizes cost throughout value chain activities. Important issues in retail business are related with cost of goods sold. (COGS). Large retail business achieve more easily cost leadership due to more power supplier to secure low procurement prices for purchased goods (Ellis amp; Kelley, 1992; Anderer, 1997). Datuk Tony Fernandez as CEO of AirAsia Berhad said â€Å"Before business can grow it needs to have its cost under control, efficient and profitable and also it must create value†. AirAsia leader of LCC in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia will face competition from existing and new players and it need to make consideration amp; more stressed for the point of becoming the low cost carrier in the airline industries. Differentiation Strategy: It emphasis several dimensions such as image, gain customer loyalty, innovation and level of service (Kim et al. , 2004) by generating differences n product through intensive marketing amp; image management (Miller 1988) and creating products which are innovative, dependable, durable, and serviceable (Beal amp; Yasai – Ardekani, 2000) In retail business company, as for manufacturing companies two main arguments against Porter framework have emerged (Mintzberg, 1996; Worztel, 1987; Zentes and Anderer, 1994) – * Strategies that co mbine several competitive advantages are not considered by Porter. * The reduction of possible competitive advantage to two basic types is simplistic amp; especially differentiation advantages can be reached in different ways. The implementation of combination of Cost Leadership and Differentiation Strategy (Hybrid Strategy): This new hybrid strategy may become even more important and more popular as Global competition increase. With generic strategy company improve their ability to adapt quick environment changes and learn new skills and technologies involving customer’s value with products at low cost compare to competitor’s products. Cost leadership enables the company to charge the lowest competitive price and achieving competitive advantage by delivering value to customers based on both product features and low price. Competitive strategy is not only feasible but generates superior incremental performance result in multiple sources of competitive advantage. This will generate superior performance over the inability to success. The success of Japanese companies such as Toyota, Canon and Honda are best examples of cost leadership and differentiation strategies. (Ishikura, 1983). Porter’s Generic Strategies in Hospitality Industry: 1. Cost Leadership Strategy: Hotelier such as Fairfield Inns, Etap offer services which are basics. Thus by doing so, they keep the cost at minimum and attract lot of market segment. . Differentiation Strategy: Chain of hotels such as Marriott and Hilton apply this strategy by providing guests with high quality and special service and experience. 3. Focus Strategy: Four Seasons only stress on elite guests and Burj Al Arab hotel only target guests such as royal families, celebrities, and rich industrialists. Five Forces Analysis: Porter developed this model as a fram ework to understand the profitability about the industry. Mentioned below are the five forces: * Supplier’s power * Buyer’s power * The threat of substitutes * The ease of entry to the market The intensity of rivalry in the market Porter Five Forces that shape industry competition: Example of a pharmaceutical company in US: †¢ Potential New Entrants: There are high barriers for entry especially in the US market due to the regulatory compliance, patent laws and the risk associated with the industry this remains a weak competitive force. The cost related to the Ramp;D also limits the Potentials New Entrants. †¢ Suppliers: Supplier power in low as the majority of the pharmaceutical sale is among the ten large pharmaceutical companies also they remain the major costumer for the chemical industry. Buyers: The power of the buyers is a moderate competitive force. Increasing pressure is being applied on the manufacturers to reduce the prices. In the pharmaceutical in dustry the end-user of the product has very low power as they buy the drugs that the decision maker or the doctor prescribes. †¢ Substitutes: This competitive power is weak when the products have the patent production but gets medium when they are off patent. CONCLUSION: Successful organization adopts a combination of competitive aspect to build a hybrid strategy. i. e. Design and low cost, quality and price . Only competing on price is not good enough (Daan Assens’s Learning , 2010). Cost leadership and differentiation strategies are very successful in much different kind of industries, for developing, transition and developed economics. Cost leadership, Differentiation and hybrid strategies have been successfully applied for very broad range of products and services from retail products to luxury products. TABLE 1: STRATEGIES USED BY THE COMPANIES No. | Strategy| Where has the strategy been applied | Products/Services that the strategy has been applied | 1. Cost Leadership| Developing, Transition and developed economics (worldwide)| Cars Industry (Toyota), Airline Business (Air Asia), Retail Business (Giant and Carrefour Supermarket)| 2. | Differentiation| Developing, Transition and developed economics (worldwide)| Cars and Motor cycle Mercedes Benz, Harley Davidson, Titan Watches, Domino Pizza, Apple , 3M| 3. | Hybrid – (Combination of Cost Leadership and Differentiation S trategy)| Developing, Transition and developed economics (worldwide)| Car Industry – Toyota, Honda, Furniture Industry IKEA| REFERENCES: Acquaah, M. amp; Yasai-Ardekani, M. (2006). Does the implementation of a combination competitive strategy yield incremental performance benefit? A new perspective from transition economy in Sub-Saharan Africa. Journal of Business Research 61, 346 – 354. * Anderer, M. (1997). Internationaliseerung im Einzelhandel. Deutscher Fachverlag, Frankfurt. * Aulakh, Preet S. , Masaaki Kotabe. amp; Hildy Teegen. (2000). Export Strategies and Performance of Firms from Emerging Economies: Evidence from Brazil, Chile and Mexico. Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 3 (3), 342-61. * Bingxin Li, C. amp; Juan Li, J. (2008). Achieving Superior Financial Performance in China : Differentiation, Cost Leadership or Both? American Marketing Association, Journal of International Marketing, Vol. 16(3), 1-22. * Daan Assen’s Learning, (2010). Hybrid strat egy: sustainable competitive advantage. http://www. daanassen. com/hybrid-strategy-sustainable-competitive-advantage (3 Jan, 2011). * Dess, G. , G. amp; Davis, P. S. (1984). Porter’s (1980) generic strategies as determinants of strategic group memberships and organizational performance. Academic of Management Journal 27, 467-488. * Frambach, Ruud T. , Jaideep Prabhu. amp; Theo M. M. Verhallen. (2003). The Influence of Business Strategy on New Product Activity: The Role of Market Orientation. International Journal of Research in Marketing, Vol. 20 (4), 377-97. * Hutchinson, Karise, Nicholas Alexander, Barry Quinn amp; Anne Marie Doherty. (2007). Internalization Motives and Facilitating Factors: Qualitative Evidence from Smaller Specialist Retailers. Journal of International Marketing, Vol. 15 (3), 96-122. * Kim, E. , Nam, D. amp; Stimpert, J. L. (2004). Testing the Applicability of Porter’s Generic Strategies in the Digital Age: a Study of Korean Cyber Malls. Journal of Business Strategies, Vol. 21, 19-45. * Miller, A. amp; Dess, G. (1993). Academy of Management Assessing Porter’s (1980) Model in terms of its Generalizability, Accuracy and Simplicity. Journal 36 (4), 763-788. * Mintzberg, H. (1996). Generic Business Strategies. In: Mintzberg, H. , Quinn, J. (Eds), The Strategy Process, thirded. Prentice Hall International, Upper Saddle River/Nj, 83-92. * Morshett, D. , Benhard Swoboda amp; Hanna Schramm-Klein. (2006). Competitive Strategy in Retailing – An Investigation of the Applicability of Porter Framework for Food Retailers. Science Direct. Journal of Retailing and Customer Services 13, 275-287. * Nayyar, P. R. (1993). Performance Effect on Information Asymmetry and scope in diversified Service Firms. Academy of Management Journal, 36, 28 -58. * Pearce, J. amp; Robinson, R. (1994). Strategic Management–Formulation, Implementation and Control, Fifth Edition. Irwin, Burr Ridge/IL. * Porter ME. (1985). Creating and sustaining superior performance. Competitive Advantage. New York : Free Press. Schonberger, R. (1994). Human Resource Management Lessons from a Decade of Total Quality Management and Reengineering. California Management Review, Vol. 36 (4), 109-134. * Worztel, L. 1987. Retailing Strategies for to Day’s Mature Market Place. Journal of Business Strategy 8 (Spring), 45-56. * Yasai-Ardekani, M. , Nystrom, PC. (1996). Design for Environmental Scanning Systems: Test of a Contingency Theory. Management Science, 187-204. * Zentes, J, amp; Anderer, M. (1994). Retail Monitoring 1/94: Customer Service as a Way Out of Crises. GDI-Retailer- Trendletter, Vol. 2(1), 1-29.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

The History of Halloween or Samhain, Day of the Dead

The History of Halloween or Samhain, Day of the Dead Halloween or Samhain had its beginnings in an ancient, pre-Christian Celtic festival of the dead. The Celtic peoples, who were once found all over Europe, divided the year by four major holidays. According to their calendar, the year began on a day corresponding to Nov. 1 on our present calendar. The date marked the beginning of winter. Since they were pastoral people, it was a time when cattle and sheep had to be moved to closer pastures and all livestock had to be secured for the winter months. Crops were harvested and stored. The date marked both an ending and a beginning in an eternal cycle. Samhain The festival observed at this time was called Samhain (pronounced Sah-ween). It was the biggest and most significant holiday of the Celtic year. The Celts believed that at the time of Samhain, more so than any other time of the year, the ghosts of the dead were able to mingle with the living, because at Samhain the souls of those who had died during the year traveled into the otherworld. People gathered to sacrifice animals, fruits, and vegetables. They also lit bonfires in honor of the dead, to aid them on their journey, and to keep them away from the living. On that day all manner of beings were abroad: ghosts, fairies, and demonsall part of the dark and dread. How Samhain Became Halloween Samhain became the Halloween we are familiar with when Christian missionaries attempted to change the religious practices of the Celtic people. In the early centuries of the first millennium A.D., before missionaries such as St. Patrick and St. Columcille converted them to Christianity, the Celts practiced an elaborate religion through their priestly caste, the Druids, who were priests, poets, scientists and scholars all at once. As religious leaders, ritual specialists, and bearers of learning, the Druids were not unlike the very missionaries and monks who were to Christianize their people and brand them evil devil worshippers. Pope Gregory the First As a result of their efforts to wipe out pagan holidays, such as Samhain, the Christians succeeded in effecting major transformations in it. In 601 A.D. Pope Gregory the First issued a now famous edict to his missionaries concerning the native beliefs and customs of the peoples he hoped to convert. Rather than try to obliterate native peoples customs and beliefs, the pope instructed his missionaries to use them: if a group of people worshiped a tree, rather than cut it down, he advised them to consecrate it to Christ and allow its continued worship. In terms of spreading Christianity, this was a brilliant concept and it became a basic approach used in Catholic missionary work. Church holy days were purposely set to coincide with native holy days. Christmas, for instance, was assigned the arbitrary date of December 25th because it corresponded with the mid-winter celebration of many peoples. Likewise, St. Johns Day was set on the summer solstice. Good Vs Evil - Druids, Christians, and Samhain Samhain, with its emphasis on the supernatural, was decidedly pagan. While missionaries identified their holy days with those observed by the Celts, they branded the earlier religions supernatural deities as evil and associated them with the devil. As representatives of the rival religion, Druids were considered evil worshippers of devilish or demonic gods and spirits. The Celtic underworld inevitably became identified with the Christian Hell. The effects of this policy were to diminish but not totally eradicate the beliefs of the traditional gods. Celtic belief in supernatural creatures persisted, while the church made deliberate attempts to define them as being not merely dangerous, but malicious. Followers of the old religion went into hiding and were branded as witches. Feast of All Saints The Christian feast of All Saints was assigned to No. 1. The day honored every Christian saint, especially those that did not otherwise have a special day devoted to them. This feast day was meant to substitute for Samhain, to draw the devotion of the Celtic peoples, and, finally, to replace it forever. That did not happen, but the traditional Celtic deities diminished in status, becoming fairies or leprechauns of more recent traditions. The old beliefs associated with Samhain never died out entirely. The powerful symbolism of the traveling dead was too strong, and perhaps too basic to the human psyche, to be satisfied with the new, more abstract Catholic feast honoring saints. Recognizing that something that would subsume the original energy of Samhain was necessary, the church tried again to supplant it with a Christian feast day in the 9th century. This time it established November 2nd as All Souls Day -a day when the living prayed for the souls of all the dead. But, once again, the practice of retaining traditional customs while attempting to redefine them had a sustaining effect: the traditional beliefs and customs lived on, in new guises. All Saints Day - All Hallows All Saints Day, otherwise known as All Hallows (hallowed means sanctified or holy), continued the ancient Celtic traditions. The evening prior to the day was the time of the most intense activity, both human and supernatural. People continued to celebrate All Hallows Eve as a time of the wandering dead, but the supernatural beings were now thought to be evil. The folk continued to propitiate those spirits (and their masked impersonators) by setting out gifts of food and drink. Subsequently, All Hallows Eve became Hallow Evening, which became Halloweenan ancient Celtic, pre-Christian New Years Day in contemporary dress. Many supernatural creatures became associated with All Hallows. In Ireland, fairies were numbered among the legendary creatures who roamed on Halloween. An old folk ballad called Allison Gross tells the story of how the fairy queen saved a man from a witchs spell on Halloween. Allison Gross O Allison Gross, that lives in yon towerthe ugliest witch int he North Country...Shes turned me into an ugly wormand gard me toddle around a tree...But as it fell out last Hallow evenWhen the seely [fairy] court was riding by,the Queen lighted down on a gowany bankNot far from the tree where I wont to lie...Shes change me again to my own proper shapeAnd I no more toddle about the tree. In old England, cakes were made for the wandering souls, and people went a soulin for these soul cakes. Halloween, a time of magic, also became a day of divination, with a host of magical beliefs: for instance, if persons hold a mirror on Halloween and walk backward down the stairs to the basement, the face that appears in the mirror will be their next lover. Halloween - Celtic Day of the Dead Virtually all present Halloween traditions can be traced to the ancient Celtic day of the dead. Halloween is a holiday of many mysterious customs, but each one has a history, or at least a story behind it. The wearing of costumes, for instance, and roaming from door to door demanding treats can be traced to the Celtic period and the first few centuries of the Christian era, when it was thought that the souls of the dead were out and around, along with fairies, witches, and demons. Offerings of food and drink were left out to placate them. As the centuries wore on, people began dressing like these dreadful creatures, performing antics in exchange for food and drink. This practice is called mumming, from which the practice of trick-or-treating evolved. To this day, witches, ghosts, and skeleton figures of the dead are among the favorite disguises. Halloween also retains some features that harken back to the original harvest holiday of Samhain, such as the customs of bobbing for apples and carving vegetables, as well as the fruits, nuts, and spices cider associated with the day. Modern Halloween Today Halloween is becoming once again and adult holiday or masquerade, like Mardi Gras. Men and women in every disguise imaginable are taking to the streets of big American cities and parading past grinningly carved, candlelit jack olanterns, re-enacting customs with a lengthy pedigree. Their masked antics challenge, mock, tease and appease the dread forces of the night, of the soul, and of the otherworld that becomes our world on this night of reversible possibilities, inverted roles, and transcendency. In so doing, they are reaffirming death and its place as a part of life in an exhilarating celebration of a holy and magic evening.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Expanding Walmart into Turkey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Expanding Walmart into Turkey - Essay Example For instance, the company operates as Walmex in Mexico, Asda in United Kingdom, Seiyu in Japan and Best Price in India. It is worth mentioning that till date the business is located in around 15 countries under 55 different names (Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 2013). The Republic of Turkey generally known as Turkey is a transcontinental nation located in the western part of Asia. The country is considered to be a democratic, secular, unitary constitutional republic with diverse cultural heritage. Turkey is measured to be the official language that almost 85% of the people use and English is the secondary language. In terms of the present day statistics, the nation is listed in the 15th position in accordance with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) and is placed in the 17th position concerning nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Istanbul is considered to be the most populated state in the nation. In terms of education, turkey is determined to be one of the most literate countries having a literacy rate of almost 94.1% as of 2011, additionally the current health care suspect of the country is considered to be quite sound in comparison with the past. It is worth mentioning that two of the universities of turkey are glo bally recognized as the best universities in the world (CIA, 2013; ZÃ ¼rcher, 2004). The main objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive analysis of Turkey that would facilitate in understanding the various factors that are essential for a business to evaluate before establishing in any nation. The study would also provide a recommendation section that would help in understanding whether Walmart’s plan to expand in Turkey would be profitable for the company in the long run or not. Cultural facet is considered to be one of the major constituents that any business needs to consider before expanding in a new country. The vital reason behind this is that it plays a major role in the dynamics of the way in