Main Cultural Differences Between Arab and Us Managers

ISCTE – SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT COMPARATIVE INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT Similarities and Differences between Arab and American Managers Predominant Characteristics 1 2 3 Leadership Style Arab Stereotype Egalitarian, emphasis on peer approval and gain personal acceptance. Consultative Ritual, display a high desired for long-term relations, affective, e. g. , appeals to emotions and feelings, concession seeking. Hard work is a virtue in the light of the needs of man and the necessity to establish equilibrium in one's individual and social life. Family and work are the center of life. Necessary to avoid chaos and to build a family-type environment.American Stereotype Materialistic likes â€Å"wheeling and dealing,† emphasis on opportunities to get ahead. Participative Direct, seeking short-term relations, emphasis on facts and logical analysis,; concessions are made on occasion. Decision Style Negotiation Style 4 Work Orientation Hard work is a virtue by itself, work is the cent er of life. 5 Attitudes Toward Organizational Authority Important to the extent that it facilitates work, less emphasis on hierarchical relations and rules. Impersonal, emphasis on results, thriving on competition, gamesmanship, calculated risks, and maneuvering, documentation is highly valued.All directions written, routine, formal, engages in manipulation of facts, which is justified through the manipulative â€Å"flexible ethics. † Seniority increases in pay are not as effective as merit, incentive awards, opportunity for advancement, and money is extremely important because it's the â€Å"name of the game. † 6 Business Conduct Highly personalized, emphasis on honesty, moral aspects, and verbal commitment, documentation is not highly regarded. Face-to-face, informal, urgent, emphasis on human interest, and stress actual case studies or examples of how programs have benefited the people.Accept longevity and seniority oriented pay increases, emphasis on recognition by the superior for a good job by the group and personal growth as a part of humanity . Motivation comes from social relations, interpersonal transactions, egalitarian value, and opportunity to get paid for helping other. Informal, generally judgment based, emphasis on human relations aspect of the individual performance. Highly subjective, selection depends on personal contacts, nepotism, regionalism, and family name. A sign of something is going wrong, used only in crisis situation. 7 Communication System 8 Reward Systems Motivational System Motivation comes from high achievement, hierarchical advancement and material gains. 10 Performance Appraisal A goal-oriented and wrapped into the organization's planning system, generally objective-based and emphasis on immediate feedback. Relatively objective, standard developed, merit and experience are considered. 11 Recruitment of Personnel Use of Management Consultants 12 Highly regarded and used frequently. Abbas Ali (1988): â€Å"A CROS S-NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE OF MANAGERIAL WORK VALUE SYSTEMS† In Advances in International Comparative Management, Vol. 3, pages 151-169. 5

Air Canada Summary Essay

This paper is an in-depth analysis of the General Conditions of Carriage and all the clauses that one must abide by when flying with Air Canada. Each clause will be looked at and explained to see what it means and what is implied by the clause. All the business law concepts that we have learned in class will then be applied to the contract to help understand all the risks that Air Canada may or may not be vulnerable to and what further steps they can take to defend themselves. I will then make recommendations to both Air Canada on how they can improve their contract, as well as the customer, warning them about the dangers that can arise if they take the terms and conditions lightly when signing a contract or in this case, purchasing a plane ticket. Air Canada gives the customer fair warning that they should familiarize and feel comfortable with their rules and regulations before purchasing a ticket, and most people overlook this step. The lessons I have learned after looking into the clauses and analyzing them will then be looked at. These lessons will help me as the customer when dealing with an organization such as Air Canada. Finally, we will be looking at the legal corrective measures that can be used to fix the contractual issues that have been found in Air Canada’s General Conditions of Carriage. These measures are there to not only clarify any clauses that may be unclear that may cause confusion, but also to help put Air Canada in a better position, so that they don’t have to be responsible or take liability for any unfortunate events or situations that may occur on one of their flights. These corrective measures will also help the customer as well so they will feel more safe, secure and comfortable when flying with Air Canada and their staff. The objectives of this paper are to analyze all the clauses that Air Canada has provided when flying with their airlines. I want to be able to read and understand each one carefully. If there is any vagueness with one of their rules than it will be brought up as a point of discussion. Another goal is just to understand all the clauses and learn something that I did not know to begin with. I quickly became aware just after scanning over the conditions quickly that there are many rules I did not know existed and most people would be shocked to learn that they have to give up that right when flying with Air Canada. I also want to look at the clauses and see if I consider them to be fair. Most people would be shocked to learn of some of the clauses including the fact that in almost all situations where the end result is bodily harm or even death, Air Canada is protected and does not need to assume any responsibility for what happened. Of course, if something like this happens just due to negligence on the part of an Air Canada employee, that is a whole other story that will be discussed later on. If I find that I don’t think a point is fair, it will be a topic of discussion where I will recommend a solution that can help both parties. For the most part, customers and passengers of Air Canada must understand that they are not being forced to take a flight with their airlines. Air Canada is performing a service for them and if they decide to accept this service then they must be willing to abide and play with Air Canada’s rules. This is because the main objective of Air Canada when writing up this contract is to provide a service where they can make a profit, but do it in a way where they are not at risk and cannot get into legal trouble. People must remember that the contract is not being drawn up for their well being, it is being drawn up for the well being of the company so that they are protected at all times. Air Canada has done a pretty good job of this as will be discussed later. It is important to look into all this as a student in commerce because Air Canada is more than just an airlines, it’s a business. All businesses have the same mentality, whether it’s an airlines, a law firm or an ice cream service; this mentality is that they must look out first for number one which is themselves, make sure that they cannot be hurt by the legal system, and then secondly, attempt to satisfy their customers to the best of their ability. This General Conditions of Carriage for Air Canada is a very good example for a student like myself in a commerce program about how the business world really works. The reason for this is because we are studying an actual contract for an actual company in the real world that have to deal with all the concepts and principles we talk about in class on an everyday basis. General Conditions of Carriage for Air Canada Air Canada’s General Conditions of Carriage starts off with its â€Å"Important Conditions† section. The first point is that passengers must get their boarding pass and check in baggage by their check-in deadline. The deadline varies depending on where the plane is departing from and going to. If you are flying within Canada, the check-in deadline is 30 minutes prior to the plane’s departure with a boarding gate deadline of 20 minutes. If you are flying from Canada to the United States or vice-versa, the check-in deadline is 60 minutes prior to take-off with a boarding gate deadline of 20 minutes. Finally, if you are flying from Canada to anywhere else in the world, the baggage check-in deadline is 60 minutes with a boarding gate deadline of 30 minutes. All this is just to ensure that the flight can take-off promptly at the planned time so that there would be no unnecessary delays and so the airlines can continue running smoothly. Obviously, it takes longer to prepare a plane when it is going to a foreign country versus just staying in Canada. That is why the deadline for check in as well as the recommended check in times are both greater when flying outside of the country. The second point is that they strongly recommend that passengers reconfirm their flight prior to the day of their flight. Passengers can check their flight status online or call their flight information system number. This is so that customers can feel safe that they are on the flight. Also, when calling in, they can ask any questions they have about their flight. By doing this prior to the day of the flight, this can help speed up the boarding process on the day of. The third condition is that the passenger’s assigned seat is not a guarantee and can possibly change without notice. If this does happen, Air Canada will do their best to transfer the person to a seat close by, and will try to make it of the same class or service. Any applicable fees will be refunded. This would be an unfortunate event but sometimes these situations cannot be avoided. If this happens, the only option Air Canada has would be to try and offer you the closest possible arrangement that you were expecting and paid for. The fourth condition is that any travel credits banked for unused tickets are not transferable. When the credit is used, it must be used by the same person whose name appears on the original ticket or document. Air Canada has put this clause in their so that people can not just work together, building up credits and having it be used on one person and essentially getting to fly free because of all the credit that has been built up. This also encourages people to save up their credit so that they can get a larger discount on a flight in the future. The fifth condition is that voluntary changes to a passenger’s flying program may require the payment of additional fees for upgrades. If the person has a non refundable ticket, and this incident results in an unexpected trip cancellation or emergency, Air Canada will not be able to make any exceptions and the fee will still need to be paid. For this reason, travel insurance is strongly recommended. This condition is notifying the customer that trip cancellations, whether it is the customer’s fault or not, may still require that the person pays the ticket. This is the reason why travel insurance is important and is offered. Of course, they recommend this travel insurance because it is another way for them to make money for the company. The General Conditions of Carriage then discusses the Checked Baggage Policy. This policy says that passengers are entitled to a free checked baggage allowance depending by the person’s fare, destination, date of flight and frequent flyer status. If the passenger has paid more for the flight, they are entitled to more free checked baggage. I would assume that if the destination that they are travelling to is farther away, they would also offer more checked baggage since destinations that are farther away usually indicate that people will be staying there longer. For example, a vacation to Australia would most likely be longer than a trip to Calgary. The date of the flight also has something to do with the amount of free checked baggage one can bring with them on the flight. The busier the day is, the less flexibility a passenger would have with being allowed to bring a large number of luggage with them. Finally, people with a better frequent flyer status are also entitled to more free checked baggage because this indicates that they are a loyal customer that continues to go back to Air Canada and the company would like to reward them for that loyalty. Passengers who travel on a codeshare flight, which is an Air Canada flight number but is operated by another airline, the person is subject to the rules of the airline operating the first flight of their flying program. If at anytime the person must recheck their baggage with another airline for their next connecting flight, the rules of that airline applies. You can tell if your flight is being run by a codeshare partner by looking for the â€Å"Operated by† note appearing when you are selecting flights on aircanada. com. The checked baggage limitations are broken up into two classes, economy class and executive first class. For economy class, the maximum overall measurement (length+width+height) cannot exceed 158cm and the maximum weight is 50 pounds. For executive first class, the maximum measurement cannot exceed 158cm as well but the maximum weight is 70 pounds. If these limits have been exceeded, additional checked baggage charges will apply. Again, Air Canada is rewarding people that buy a higher priced ticket by allowing them to bring more with them onto the plane. They are probably also assuming that the majority of people riding in first class are flying for business related reasons and may require to have more things brought with them on the trip. If a passenger chooses to bring additional baggage, then Air Canada requests that they show up 120 minutes before departure. Each additional bag that a person checks may cost up to $100. This is a not a refundable transaction so if the additional bags are delayed the cost stands as is. A small suggestion would be that Air Canada should notify the customer about why some additional baggage costs more than others so customers can plan ahead to see if they want to explore this option. Codeshare flights have the same rules as previously stated. If these additional bags exceed the weight and size limitations, the passenger will need to contact their local Air Canada Cargo sales office for the shipment of the bags. Air Canada also stresses that all your checked baggage are properly identified. Air Canada tries their best to make sure that the person and their baggage is transported on the same flight, however, many things can make this task challenging and sometimes it cannot be avoided. Since this does occur from time to time, they suggest that a passenger should put their information inside the bags as well because sometimes external tags can be damaged or detached. If the tags on the outside of the bag are damaged it can sometimes be impossible to locate who the owner of the bag is. Many people have the same type of baggage so this can lead to even more confusion. Air Canada does not take responsibility for lost baggage but they are at least trying to help their customers so this type of thing doesn’t happen. There are some items that must be brought in your carry-on baggage which is what you bring with you on the plane to your seat. These items include laptops, house and car keys, medication, cash and high valued items such as cameras, jewellery and electronic devices. The reason why Air Canada wants these high valued and often breakable items to be carried with the passenger is so that if a checked bag gets lost, there would be a lot more complaints since that bag could potentially contain hundreds of dollars worth of stuff. If something inside the bag breaks, Air Canada does not want to be responsible for that. Air Canada makes it clear that oversized carry-on bags are not allowed as this can take up too much space, cause trouble and ultimately delay flights. Each person can carry two pieces of carry-on luggage with them on the plane. This includes one carry-on bag or suitcase which cannot weigh more than 22 pounds and cannot have dimensions larger than 23cm by 40cm by 55cm. A back pack, duffle bag or one of those over the shoulder purses would fall under this category. They may also bring along a personal article like a briefcase, laptop, camera case or something of that nature. This article cannot weigh more than 22 pounds and cannot have dimensions larger than 16cm by 33cm by 43cm. Items that may also be brought onto the plane in addition to your carry-on items include coats, infant care system, cell phones, mp3 players or a special need item. Special need items include objects that a person would need for mobility such as a cane, crutch or communication device. Generally anything that is small enough to fit inside your pocket or can easily be carried by hand is acceptable. A container carrying life sustaining items or personal medication is obviously acceptable as well. Ever since the terrorists attacks of 9/11, security and precautions for boarding an airplane are tighter and more thorough than they’ve ever been to prevent anything like that from ever happening again. This is why a new policy has been put into place which doesn’t allow passengers to bring liquid or gels in containers over 100ml/100g with them when boarding the plane. These items will be confiscated at the security checkpoint and additional charges may be applied in order to check the items’ safety. Bombs and other dangerous weapons can be made from certain types of liquids and Air Canada does not want to take any chances. Air Canada advises that passengers that are waiting for connecting flights do not buy these types of items until they reach their destination because this can be a waste of money if they are confiscated once again while boarding for the connecting flight. There are a list of items that are prohibited from being brought on as a carry-on item. These items should be stored in the passenger’s checked baggage. Some of these items include sharp, piercing or cutting objects such as scissors, knives, saws and drills as well as potentially dangerous sporting equipment such as ice skates or hunting equipment such as rifles and hunting gear of that nature. The only exceptions to this rule are syringes or needles that are for personal medical use. This must be accompanied by the prescription medication. Electronic devices that can interfere with the plane’s navigational or communication equipment are also not allowed. The use of Bluetooth headsets, radio transmitters and laser pointers will not be tolerated as they can interfere with the flight systems or the staff aboard the plane. These items should be stored in the checked baggage, however, as previously stated, Air Canada is not responsible for the destruction or loss of these items. There are other items considered dangerous goods that will be brought up. There are also items that are acceptable items to bring with you as carry-on items that people may be confused about. These items include electronic devices for entertainment such as cameras, portable video game devices, laptops and mp3 devices. One book of matches per person as well as a specific type of lighter are also items that are allowed to be brought with you on the plane. Everything else that cannot physically harm another person or are small enough to fit the size requirements of carry-on baggage are always acceptable. Passengers may also bring their cats or small dogs with them provided that they stay in its carrier under the owner’s seat at all times. For one way travel within Canada or to the United States, bringing a pet along costs $50, cannot weigh more than 22 pounds (carrier included) and the carrier cannot have dimensions larger than 23cm by 40cm by 55cm. This is because the airline attendants must be able to comfortably move around the plane as well as the fellow passengers. For one way travel to anywhere else, bringing a pet along costs $100 with the same limitations. For certain destinations such as Hawaii, pets must be stored under the plane with the checked baggage. To be eligible for this, the passenger will need to register their pet within 24 hours of booking the flight with Air Canada Reservations. The pet must be at least 8 weeks old and fully weaned as well. Other implications involve having to arrive 30 minutes prior to the recommended check in time as well as always be bestowed under the passenger’s seat. These requirements are for the pet’s safety as younger pets are not full developed, are weaker and may be more susceptible to sickness. There cannot be more than one pet per passenger and unaccompanied minors cannot bring a pet with them. No pets are allowed in the Executive First Suite and the carrier will count as the person’s one standard carry-on item. The reason why no pets are allowed in the Executive First Class Suites is because the people in first class have paid good money for these seats and they should not have to deal with the noise or nuisance that another passenger’s pet may cause. Since there are many allergy sufferers, Air Canada advises that you advise the agent at the check-in gate prior to departure and they will try as hard as possible to move you or the pet owner. Air Canada makes it clear that they will not be responsible for the loss, sickness or death of any pet even if it was accepted for transportation. For safety reasons, many items have been deemed dangerous goods and must not be brought in the checked baggage as well as carry-on baggage. These dangerous goods include compressed gases, explosives, flammable liquids, poisons or briefcases with installed alarm devices. Firearms, alcohol and oxidizing materials are all examples of items not allowed on a plane for obvious reasons. The last thing Air Canada would want is an unfortunate situation where one of their passengers have been seriously hurt because they allowed a dangerous item on board that clearly should not have been allowed. Air Canada is subject to the rules of the Montreal Convention and Warsaw Convention. These are both conventions that regulate the liability for international carriage of persons, baggage or goods performed by an aircraft. These rules are here to protect the airline if an accident occurs and bodily harm or damage to goods result. Going back to the General Conditions of Carriage, Air Canada states that they are not liable for perishables or liquids, nor are they responsible for the loss of valuable items such as money, jewellery, computers, business documents and so on. Air Canada also states that they are not responsible for the bodily harm or even death of one of their customers. When travelling, Air Canada requires that passengers provide information about themselves before boarding a plane. It is the passenger’s responsibility to provide these travel documents as well as the documents of any children travelling with them. Additional documents may be needed depending on the person’s country of origin. The passport is the best accepted piece of documentation proving a person’s citizenship. Air Canada indicates that a customer must bring their passport as part of their proof of citizenship. For Canadian and American citizens, a valid passport is always needed. Some other countries require that your passport be valid for at least 6 months prior to flying to their country. This is so that there will be no complications once arriving in their country that can cause unnecessary and lengthy delays. Children must also have their own documentation and cannot get by with just their parents documentation. Some countries allow this but this is not the case in Canada. For children, birth certificates showing the names of both parents, legal documents referring to custody and parental consent (if child is travelling with only one or neither of their parents) are all documents that must be showed on behalf of the child. The reason for this is they do not want one of the parents to have the authority or opportunity to leave the country with their child if they’ve had a feud with the other parent. There have been stories of couples that have gotten divorced and one of the parents take the child and leave to an unknown destination. Air Canada does not want to have to take responsibility for something like that happening on their airlines. For Visas, different countries have different rules and Air Canada suggests that you check with your travel agents for visa requirements of the countries you are planning to drive through. Some general rules include obtaining your visa well in advance to your flight because this may involve mailing your passport in briefly as well as the chance that there may be a long delay if you apply for a visa from a third country while travelling. Upon arrival in a foreign country, it may be required that a passenger must prove that they have sufficient funds to support themselves for their intended stay. This can include showing proof of a visa for that country if that is a requirement. The reason for this is countries don’t want to accept people that are going to end up stranded in their country because they don’t have the money to leave. This can only lead to trouble which they understandably do no want to deal with. Only Canadian permanent residents from non visa-waiver countries travelling outside Canada are required to carry a valid Canadian permanent resident card in addition to a valid passport to return to Canada from a commercial flight. This card proves your immigration status. Without it, the person will be unable to board the plane. Though most people are fit to take a plane, Air Canada realizes that there are some customers that may have special needs and they will try their best to accommodate these people. This assistance can include special meals or assistance for minors travelling without their parents. Anyone that may need assistance about checking in and boarding the plane will get the help they need as well as routine check ups to make sure they are doing fine. If a customer has a disability such as having to use an electric wheelchair, needs medical oxygen or has a severe medical or mental disability, it is important that they give 48 hours notice before departure as well as check in 2 hours before departure. This will give Air Canada and its employees enough time to plan and prepare for the passengers arrival so that there will be no delays and so that they can make the person’s flight experience as enjoyable as possible. If Air Canada decides that the person is in such a bad state that they think flying would be detrimental to their health, I believe Air Canada will not allow them to fly with their airlines for the benefit of the customer, but also for the benefit of their fellow passengers as well as the flight staff that would have to deal with this problem. There is also a section of the General Conditions of Carriage that talks about tariff regulations. The Montreal Convention or the Warsaw Convention system may be applicable to your journey. This may limit the liability that Air Canada carries for death or bodily injury as well as loss or damage to baggage as well as delays. If the Montreal Convention and Warsaw Convention systems both do not apply, the liability limit for loss or damage to baggage is $1500 per person. Any actions that one brings up in court must happen within 2 years of the date of arrival of the flight you were on. There is one final section in the General Conditions of Carriage which is an â€Å"Overbooking Notice†. This indicates that flights may become overbooked and there is a small chance that a seat may not be available for a person that has a confirmed reservation. No one will be denied a seat until an employee asked if there is anyone willing to give up there seat for that flight. If there are not enough volunteers, passengers will be denied according to the airlines boarding priority list. Passengers denied clearance for the flight will be compensated. The full rules are available at all airport ticket counters and boarding locations. The problem with this rule is that the boarding priority list is they give priority to the passengers that paid more for their ticket. This can be viewed as social discrimination as generally speaking, people that have more money to spend on luxury items will be the ones buying the more expensive ticket. This problem will be looked at and analyzed later on in the article.

Application Letter Essay

I am writing to apply for the job of camp monitor at your residential summer camp advertised on your website. As requested I am enclosing my C.V. and all the certifications and references. I am a language student at the Official Language School (EOI) of Gandia. I have a good level of English, both written and spoken, therefore I can speak English very fluently. I also speak Spanish as my first language and German at Basic level. As you will see from my CV I have some relevant experience working with children as I have worked as a manager in a youth football team for two years, I also have worked teaching children how to swim, so I am used to work with them and prepare physical activities or games specially for them. I believe I would be suitable for the job advertised as, apart from my experience, I am a cheerful person who gets on well with children and enjoys working with them, I am very good working in a team and not only I can teach them how to swim, play football, and other sports or games, I also know some useful survival skills I can teach in an entertaining way, so they can learn while having fun. I attach a full CV, and if you require any further information, I would be happy to provide it. I can be reached anytime via email at adrianbesos@gmail.com.

London is now a more global city than New York Essay

London is now a more global city than New York - Essay Example The criteria used for identification is usually based on a yardstick value which considers the producer service sector or the imminent determination which basically compares the productivity of the cities. There are a number of global cities in the world including London and New York.Economic characteristics of a global city†¢ A global city serves as the corporate headquarter for multinational corporations, financial institutions, stock exchanges, law firms and conglomerates that influence the economy of the world as a whole.London offers major business and financial services for example; it is home to more than 33% of European headquarters of Global Fortune 500.†¢ To be a global city, it should also be able to contribute some considerable financial output to the city’s regions and the nation’s GDP†¢ A global city needs to appear at the top of the cost of living.†¢ It should be home to major stock markets.More than 40% of the world's foreign equities and shares are traded in London, more than are traded in New York.Over 30% of the world's foreign exchanges take place in London, which is more than Tokyo and New York put together. New York, same to Tokyo rely mainly on their large American and Asian domestic markets while around 80% of London’s business is international.  Political characteristics†¢ London, Berlin, Tokyo, Paris among others, feature among the cities that have achieved this. New York is not among them. The standards of living or the quality of life should be considerably high.

When jobs are illegal, only illegals will have jobs Essay

When jobs are illegal, only illegals will have jobs - Essay Example es to unskilled workers is overburdening the employers because many of these workers do not know how to perform the job and are ineffective and inefficient. The author states that providing employees with so many benefits is overburdening the employers and this is leading to increase in their cost of production. The author states that the inequality in the wages that are being paid to different employees is resulting in unemployment of unskilled workers because employers do not have enough money to pay the unskilled labor force. Since the unskilled jobs are paid less, the natives are not willing to take up these jobs and these jobs are being taken by immigrant populations. This situation is quite clearly reflected in the region of United States because in United States people who work in the suburban centers are mostly illegal immigrants because suburban employers prefer paying low wages and the requirement of paying high wages to American citizens is discouraging them to employ the unskilled population of United

Globalization and Arab Spring Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Globalization and Arab Spring - Research Paper Example dared to rebel, especially because they knew that their messages and videos, uploaded to YouTube, which could be seen abroad and the worldwide media among others (Till, 2011). Consequently, the elements of globalization turned out to be decisive in inflicting a final blow to the cruel political systems prevailing in the Arab world. Social media, Mayfield (2008) asserts, could be stated as a group of new kinds of online media, which share the characteristics including participation, openness, conversation, community and connectedness, and brings the like-minded people closer to one another through its platform. Before embarking upon the topic under analysis, it would be advisable to define and discuss globalization and its impact on the Arab spring in a precise way, which is as following. The term globalization simply concentrates upon the expansion of multiculturalism in the wake of tremendous technological advancements that have paved the way towards fast communication processes bet ween the individuals and nations belonging to the pole-apart regions of the globe. In other words, globalization stands for the interconnectedness of the people at global scale through the sharing of technological equipments, corporate activities, cultural traits, social norms, political systems, religious values, traditional rituals and conventions at large. The term globalization, according to Brainpan, is not confined to few financial and industrial cooperation pacts between the nations; rather, the term refers to the integration of economies of the world through uninhibited trade and financial flows, as also through mutual exchange of technology and knowledge (Goyal, 2006:168). While expected by the political analysts one day or the other, the rebellions in Arab states were somewhat... The term globalization simply concentrates upon the expansion of multiculturalism in the wake of tremendous technological advancements that have paved the way towards fast communication processes between the individuals and nations belonging to the pole-apart regions of the globe. In other words, globalization stands for the interconnectedness of the people at global scale through the sharing of technological equipments, corporate activities, cultural traits, social norms, political systems, religious values, traditional rituals and conventions at large. The term globalization, according to Brainpan, is not confined to few financial and industrial cooperation pacts between the nations; rather, the term refers to the integration of economies of the world through uninhibited trade and financial flows, as also through mutual exchange of technology and knowledge (Goyal, 2006:168). While expected by the political analysts one day or the other, the rebellions in Arab states were somewhat horrendous for the world at large, which could not anticipate any dauntlessness move from the oppressed and suppressed subjects had been leading a miserable and pathetic life under the longstanding dictatorial regimes. Recent upheavals in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen and Libya, according to Hoover (2011), have caught many by surprise as the order of things has proven protean in a way that official experts and conventional wisdom were largely blind to.

Pathophysiology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Pathophysiology - Essay Example The two tests will be crucial in the diagnosis of the retinal detachment in Mr. Ally’s eyes. The presence of the floaters and dark areas is a possible indication that the vitreous has pulled away from the retina. The shrinkage of the vitreous results in tugging on the retina, and can lead to retinal detachment (Kreissig, 2005). In addition, the floaters might show that the retina has dislodged from the inner part of the eye, which contains oxygen, blood, and nutrition for healthy functioning of the eyes. The symptoms that Mr. Ally manifest point to the presence of the retinal detachment. The doctor should treat Mr. Ally with a laser surgery or vitrectomy. Laser surgery is important in reattaching the retina to its right place in the eye (2005). The doctor should also perform vitrectomy by making an incision in the white part of the eye. Then, the physician should use an instrument to remove the vitreous and inject gas into the eye to facilitate the reattachment of Mr. Ally’s

Unemployment in UK auses and effects on economy Assignment

Unemployment in UK auses and effects on economy - Assignment Example Unemployment is one of the challenging and serious issues that usually effect a country's economic development in negative manner and the countries having high rate of unemployment often face sharp economic downturn. In this regard the paper presents an overview of the unemployment situation in the country and discusses the causes and effects of unemployment on the economic development of the country. Furthermore, the paper also describes some possible ways that can help the country in reducing the unemployment rate.This paper is intended to identify the main causes of unemployment in the United Kingdom.The history of unemployment in the UK tells that during Great Depression the rate of unemployment was very high in the country. It reached to the level of 25 percent but after that time, unemployment rate used to remain at low level and with the help of different policies and strategies the government of the UK succeeded to attain more or less full employment level until 1970s. Howeve r, after oil prices fluctuation in 1970s the unemployment rate was also badly affected and gradually it began to rise. The recent rise in the unemployment rate is highest during the last decade and the country is facing worst situation with respect to unemployment crisis in the country (Pettinger, p2, 2009). The following table shows the United Kingdom unemployment rate during last three years and it is clearly seen in the table that unemployment rate is continuously increasing in the country with each passing year. Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2009 3.80 2008 2.50 2.50 2.50 2.50 2.60 2.60 2.70 2.80 2.90 3.10 3.30 3.60 2007 2.90 2.90 2.80 2.80 2.70 2.70 2.60 2.60 2.60 2.60 2.50 2.50 2006 2.80 2.90 2.90 2.90 2.90 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 3.00 2.90 2.90 The recent statistics also show that the unemployment is recorded at highest rate in last eight years. The rate of unemployment is rising at alarming pace due to which the year 2009 is also expected as a stagnant year for the economy of United Kingdom. (Monaghan, p1, 2008) The country while responding towards the global financial crisis is witnessing worst situation of unemployment and there is high level of concerns and worries at all level regarding the rise of unemployment rate. The following chart shows the current situation of unemployment in the country that is expected to rise even more. Causes of Unemployment in United Kingdom Unemployment is closely related with the economic development of a country. When economy faces recessions, the rate of unemployment also increases. Thus, the economic recession is the major cause behind the high rate of unemployment in the UK and it is expected that if the UK will face deep economic recession in 2009 then the unemployment will also reached the level of 3 million. (Pettinger, p2, 2009) Hence, the recent economic instability can be sought as one of the major causes of unemployment in the UK. Furthermore, the credit crunch is also viewed as an important cause of rise in the unemployment rate in the country. Due to market uncertainty it has become difficult for the investors to get loans and credits from the banks and financial institutions. The financial instruments in the UK economy are witnessing worst effects of global financial crisis due to which the credit and mortgage market is also going through a recession phase. The banks in the UK are now reluctant towards le nding loans, credits and mortgages to the people and business that led to reduction in the consumer spending. The investment level is also very low and many of the bid investment projects are delayed. This entire situation is responsible for reduction in productivity and demand for labor in the country.

Analyzing a Supply Network Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Analyzing a Supply Network - Research Paper Example All these requirements have been imbued upon the companies so as to ensure their continuity. In light of the above discussion, for companies it has become imperative that they streamline their operations to match the dynamics of their business environment. The degree of coordination required between different functions of the business has never been higher (Simchi-Levi, Kaminsky, and Simchi-levi, 2007). Not only is coordination required between different functions of the business but also it is required between different channel partners. This coordination between departments and channel partners should result in the sharing of accurate and timely information (Halldorsson, Kotzab, Mikkola, and Skjoett-Larsen, 2007). This information should enable a channel partner to adjust its operations to fit the requirements created by the new change. In this current globalised environment a holistic view a business entails a supplier, manufacturer, distributors and customer. This makes up the su pply chain of a business. The extended supply chain of a business would be supplier suppliers and customer customers. Thus, in this highly complex and vast supply chain it becomes imperative for supply chain partners to share information between each other so that they could serve their customers effectively. The current business environment has brought previously local companies in contact with international customers and suppliers. These local businesses which previously were confined to their national borders have now transcended across these borders to advantageous of the opportunities present in the international market. But since these businesses are unaware of these landscapes they need to collaborate with local businesses that have a much more cultural familiarity of these landscapes. In order to facilitate communication and information sharing between trans-national channel partners it is important for these channel partners to have supply chain management system in place t o link them up (Gundlach, Bolumole, Eltantawy, and Frankel, 2006). Organizations are facing several supply chain issues and challenges. The preferences of customers are changing at the rapid rate at the same time there are additional cost pressures on the organizations. This in turn has created dilemma for the organizations that either they should go for increasing the responsiveness and adaptability of the supply chain or should incorporate cost effective strategies. The organizations are looking for an optimal place in the middle of both important variables. In this paper an attempt has been made to understand the overall process of supply chain management and associated issues. For this purpose, the analysis of the supply chain management of Beri has been presented in this paper. In this way it will become easier to comprehend the important concepts. Supply Chain Management and Drivers of Supply Chain Management: It is important for the organizations to manage the overall supply chain in effective and efficient manager. Different key players are involved in the whole supply chain and in order to make sure that the supply chain is appropriately managed all players should be integrated to each other. While devising the supply chain strategy there is always a tradeoff between the cost effectiveness and high responsiveness. The elements of supply chain can be either designed in such a way that the overall suppl

Animal Abuse Essay Example for Free

Animal Abuse Essay The Greyhound is an ancient breed of dog. It is the only dog mentioned in the Bible, and has been depicted in many ancient Egyptian paintings, dating back over 4,000 years. Greyhounds were so revered, that the Greyhounds were allowed to share their tents. In ancient Arabic countries, the birth of a son was the most important event, the second was the birth of a Greyhound. The history of dog racing can be traced back to Queen Elizabeth I in the 16th century when Greyhounds were brought over to England from Egypt, where her majesty created the first formal rules of dog coursing, naming it the â€Å"Sport of Queens†. In the 18th century, England exported the sport to America, and soon the sport was comprised of racing and gambling. In 1912, the dog racing as it is known today, was established by Owen Patrick Smith, the man who invented the mechanical lure used in today’s dog racing. The first official dog track was opened in 1919 in California, and in 1931, wagering was legalized in Florida, paving the way for the development of the Palm Beach Kennel Club. The Palm Beach Kennel Club operated permits for dog racing, which officially started in America in 1932. Unfortunately, the once grandeur and majesty of the sport is tarnished with the unethical abuse these animals endure. The definition of animal abuse is â€Å"the crime of inflicting physical pain, suffering or death on an animal, usually a tame one, beyond necessity for normal discipline. It can include neglect that is so monstrous (withholding food and water) that the animal has suffered, died or been put in imminent danger of death. † (Hill, 2005). Many Greyhounds are the subject of abuse in the racing world. The Greyhounds are subject to horrible conditions. Many people enjoy watching a good race. The anticipation of the race and the thrill of their prized dog winning would make anyone want to attend a race. But it’s what happens before and after the race that has many people up in arms over the whole dog racing scene. When the dogs are not racing, they are kept in crates stacked one on top of the other. The dogs are not exercised regularly; the only exercise they get is from racing, and a race lasts for only a few minutes. If an Greyhound is injured during practice or during the race, the dog is killed and ground up for food for the other dogs. Many Greyhounds also die during the race due to exhaustion and dehydration. It is important to address this issue because animal abuse is a crime, and most people who commit these heinous acts are never brought to justice. It is also important to understand why someone could harm an innocent animal. According to the ASPCA, there are three main reasons why someone would be cruel to animals in their article titled, Why people abuse animals. The first reason is that some people abuse animals is that they do not know they are abusing the animal. Some people just don’t think about what they are doing to the animal, and others think excessive force is necessary to maintain control of the animal. A person who hits their dog when he or she does something wrong, like poop in the house, will use excessive force to show the animal that what he or she did was bad. Other people forget to roll down a window on a hot day with the animal in the car. The second reason a person would abuse animals is that the person will do it purposefully, but not for a continuous amount of time. Young kids who throw rocks at cats or kick a dog are an example of this type of abuser. Many young children can be taught through support groups and educational programs to show how an animal feels when it is abused in such a way, and many children learn to respect animals. The third reason a person would abuse an animal is the most serious form of animal cruelty. The third reason a person would abuse an animal is for power. Many of these types of people enjoy hurting the weak and helpless animals, as it makes them feel in control. Most of these people who intentionally hurt an animal have serious psychological issues that need to be addressed. If left unchecked, these issues may lead to more serious acts of violence. According the article, most people that were mentioned in the first and second reason for animal abuse can be educated through materials, counselors and educational classes. But even with the educational classes, what most people don’t understand is the psychological effects of the abuse has on animals. All animals want is to be loved and cared for, especially dogs. Humans have breed dogs to be our companions, and are the only animal that sets out to please us. When a human abuses an animal, we lose that trust that the animal places in us. The main psychological effect abuse has on dogs can be devastating. A dog may feel threatened by any human that it comes in contact with, and the dog can turn aggressive out of fear. Other dogs are fearful and maintain their fearfulness throughout the rest of their lives. These dogs may cower away from humans, shunning away when a human has an object in their hand or hide when they hear raised voices. L. Kalef wrote an article titled Psychological effects of animal cruelty, and in the article, he talked about the effects of animal abuse in Eastern Europe. For those who have traveled to Eastern European countries, it is not uncommon to be privy to packs of dogs roaming in some of the major cities, and sometimes being aggressive out of fear, hunger or abuse have led to provoke a similar reaction by the population by way of harm and abuse. Sadly, these neglected animals are under constant scrutiny and possible attack, which has become all too common. For years, welfare activists have been speaking up for the plight of the strays and the brutal inhumane abuse and killings; but no one until now has suggested that the constant exposure of this violence may instigate other and further violent activity within the community. In other words, growing up in a society being exposed to animal abuse causes further abuse and lack of compassion. (Kalef, 2012) But there are many people who argue that dog racing is not the only animal sport that has animal abuse and that it is part of the sport. Throughout the world of animal sports, there are some instances of animal abuse. In Mexico, bullfighting is a very popular sport, where the object of the game is to kill the bull or else the Matador will be stampeded or stabbed by the bulls horns. The bulls are starved and tortured, and they meaner the bull becomes, the more entertaining the sport. Also, horse racing has had its fair share of animal abuse cases. Many Thoroughbreds that receive an injury are killed, just like the Greyhounds, and made into meat that is sold for human consumption. J. Frater wrote an article titled 10 Debated acts of animal cruelty, which outlines a few instances that can be considered animal abuse. For those who have traveled to Eastern European countries, it is not uncommon to be privy to packs of dogs roaming in some of the major cities, and sometimes being aggressive out of fear, hunger or abuse have led to provoke a similar reaction by the population by way of harm and abuse. Sadly, these neglected animals are under constant scrutiny and possible attack, which has become all too common. For years, welfare activists have been speaking up for the plight of the strays and the brutal inhumane abuse and killings; but no one until now has suggested that the constant exposure of this violence may instigate other and further violent activity within the community. In other words, growing up in a society being exposed to animal abuse causes further abuse and lack of compassion. (Frater, 2010). But to most people, that is just the way the sport is. What is someone going to do with a prized race horse that has a broken leg and can no longer race? Why take the money to fix the injury, when the owner can make money off of selling the animal for food? It’s just part of the sport. But there is one question that needs to be answered. Which side is right? The truth is both sides are right. There will always be animal abuse in sports, as well as throughout the world. We as a people will not be able to completely stop the abuse, we can just diminish the amount of animals are abused. Through the use of stricter laws and more regulations, we as humans can help the voiceless. In conclusion, though there is no one way to solve animal cruelty in the world. There will always be animal cruelty in the sporting world, but as long as we humans can educate the younger generations, the amount of cases of animal cruelty will drastically decrease. Only one can hope that the â€Å"Sport of Queens† can return once again to the grandeur and majesty that the sport once was.

The Dc Motor Speed Control Methods Engineering Essay

The Dc Motor Speed Control Methods Engineering Essay ABSTRACT This paper describes the Matlab and simulink converts into actuality of the DC motor speed control methods, namely field resistance, armature resistance control methods and armature voltage, and feedback control system for DC motor drives and this paper describes mathematical modelling, simulation of DC motor system using computer simulations Matlab and simulink, by this system response to change various parameters like system stability, disturbances, analysis and optimization of model parameters with respect to the quality of control. If simulation techniques are used for determining the control parameters a simulation model is necessary, which has to be constructed from the analytical model. INTRODUCTION DC Motor is an electrical motor and it most commonly used in an electrical device for easy to drive the instruments, steel rolling mills, electric cranes, and robotic manipulators due to precise, wide, simple, and continuous control characteristics. To control the speed of low power DC Motor rheostatic armature control method were used. The basic parts of the DC motor are- axle, rotor (armature), stator, commutator, field magnet, and brushes. In the geometry of brushes, commutator contacts, and rotor windings are arranged in such a manner so that when power is applied then polarities of the energized winding and the stator magnets are misaligned and the rotor will start to rotate until it is almost aligned with the stators field magnets. When the rotor reaches to alignment, the brushes move to next commutator contacts, and energize the next winding. There are variable types of DC Motor available in market with the good and bad qualities. Bad quality means lag in efficiency. To recover or stop this kind efficiency problem controller is introduce in the system. Brushed DC motors are most widely used in applications and its ranging from toys to push-button adjustable car seats. Brushed DC (BDC) motors are inexpensive but easy to drive. Brushed DC motors are easily available in all size and shape with the wide range from large-scale industrial models to small motors for light applications (such as 12 V DC motors). . BDC motors are most commonly used in easy to drive, with variable speed and high start-up torque applications. OBJECTIVE The Fig.1 shows the analogues electrical circuit. MODELLING The circuit which was given is drawn in the Matlab by using simulink. In the circuit diagram the flow of current BLOCK DIAGRAM Figure shows the block diagram of DC motor TRANSFER FUNCTION K/{(Ls+R)(Js+f)+K2}  Ã‚ ± 1/s Vapp Fig 4.1. Transfer Function STATE SPACE MODEL As we know that, V- .†¦. (1) †¦.. (2) Substituting equation (2) in (1) †¦. (3) .†¦ (4) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. (5) Substituting (5) in (4) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ (6) Differentiating (6), we get †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. (7) Putting (3) in (7), we get †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ (8) Now †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ (9) Substituting (9) in (8), we get We know that x=Ax + Bu Y=Cx + Du X= The State Space Model represents by the linear equation and it is written as. x= Ax + Bu y = Cx + Du Below figure shows the state space model (Calculation is in appendix) Figure 5.1 State Space Model PHYSICAL SYSTEM Consider a DC Motor, in this electrical circuit of the armature and free body diagram of rotor are shown in figure below. http://zone.ni.com/cms/images/devzone/tut/mpm-2-motor1.gif Fixture: DC Motor is a common actuator in control systems. Brushed DC Motor fundamentals A Brushed DC Motor consists of stationary fixed permanent magnets i.e. stator, a rotating electromagnetic i.e. rotor and flux, which is concentrated by metal. Rotor rotate by the attraction of the opposite poles and repulsion of the like poles, it cause to generate torque and torque acts on rotor and then make it turn. As the rotor start to rotate or turn then fixed brushes make and breaks the contact in such a way that with the rotating segments (commutation). The rotor coil of the brushed motor energized and de-energized in such a way so that the rotor start to turns. By transferring the power to the motor, current generate in rotor coils and therefore the north and south poles are reversed and because of the motor change the direction. From the Strength of the magnetic field, speed and torque of the motor depend Figure (1) Brushed DC Motor PRINCIPLE OPERATION Construction and operation of the Brushed DC Motor is shown below in figure (2).for the construction of the BDC motor always the same components are required i.e. Stator, rotor, commutator and brush. Figure (2) Simple two-pole brushed DC Motor Stator The rotor surrounded by the stationary magnetic field which is generated by the stator and this filed is generated by the permanent magnet or electromagnetic winding. On the construction of the stator, different types of BDC distinguish. Rotor Rotor is also known as an armature and it is made up of one or more windings. Magnetic field is produce when they energized. When the opposite pole of the magnetic poles, attract to each other which is generated by the stator, and causing the rotor to turns. The opposite poles are always attracting to each other. As the motor turns, the windings are being constantly energized. This deviation of the field in the rotor is called as an armature. Brushes and commutator There is no requirement of controller in BDC to switch current in motor winding. The commutation winding of the BDC motor is done mechanically. Reside on the axel of rotor there is a segmented copper sleeves called commutator. Carbon brushes slides over the commutator coming in a contact with the different segments of the commutator as the motor starts to turn. When the voltage is applied across the brushes of the motor then dynamic magnetic field is generated inside the motor. Brushes and commutator are the most important parts of the BDC motor that are most prone to wear because they are the sliding part to each other. SPEED CONTROL The Speed of a DC Motor is directly proportional to the voltage. By using the digital controller voltage can be control and to generate the average voltage pulse-width modulated (PWM) signal is used. In motor there is a motor winding which acts as a low pass filter so PWM develop a suitable current in the motor winding. ADVANTAGES Cheap in price because low cost of construction. Extend a life by replacing a brush. Inexpensive motor and simple control. Speed/Torque is normal at high speed. On fixed speed no control is required, Controller is required only at variable speed in this condition same controller can be used. DISADVANTAGES Maintenance is required for brushed DC Motor because of brush. If the brush friction increases, reduce the useful torque. Heat dissipation is poor because of internal rotor construction. Speed range is limited because of the mechanical limitation on brushes. Life is also shorter. Noise is generated due to brush. Application examples: moving toys, fans, printers, robots, electric bikes, -doors, -windows, -sun roofs, -seats, mixers, food processors, can openers, blenders, vacuum cleaners, toothbrushes, razors, coffee grinders, etc. Physical Parameters Moment of inertia of the motor (J) = 9.89 E-7 kg Nm s/rad Damping ratio of the mechanical system (b) = 5.84E-7 Nm s/rad Electromotive force or motor constant (K=Ke=Kt) = 0.008 Nm/-w Electric resistance (R) = 0.80 ohms Electric inductance (L) = 0.00041H Friction coefficient, f Input (V): Source Voltage Output (theta): position of shaft the rotor and shaft are assumed to be rigid CONCLUSION Brushed DC motors are very simple to use and easy to control, which makes them a short design-in item. PIC microcontrollers, especially those with CCP or ECCP modules are ideally suited for driving BDC motors. Refference Circuit Diagram for DC Motor Control by A. Collins http://www.nxp.com/documents/application_note/AN10513.pdf http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/AppNotes/00905a.pdf http://www.orientalmotor.com/MotionControl101/AC-brushless-brushed-motors.html http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/AppNotes/00885a.pdf http://www.dynetic.com/brushless%20vs%20brushed.htm file:///D:/matlab/index.php.htm

Key Areas That Affect Profitability And Continued Growth Marketing Essay

Key Areas That Affect Profitability And Continued Growth Marketing Essay The objective of this report is to discuss key areas that affect profitability and continued growth at Starbucks and to provide strategic recommendations. This report can be used to analyze current strategic decision making effectiveness as well as provide a roadmap for Starbucks continued success. Company Background Starbucks is a publicly traded company (SBUX) founded in 1971 in Seattle, WA and is a purchaser and roaster of whole bean coffees. Starbucks produces and roasts high-quality whole bean coffees and sells them along with food items and coffee related accessories through over 7000 plus company operated retail stores. Starbucks also licenses its trademark through other channels known as specialty operations. Industry Definition Starbucks has a variety of industry code classifications including SIC code: 2095 -roasted coffee and NAICS code:  311920 Coffee and Tea Manufacturing. Starbucks is a specialty eatery serving both food and beverage products. Mission Statement Analysis Starbucks mission statement is simple; to inspire and nurture the human spirit- one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time. Backing Starbucks mission statement are its six principles on how they operate found in Appendix A. These principles encompass their product, customers, partners, stores, communities, and shareholders and provide the company vision. A well defined company mission statement should include the companys product, market and areas of emphasis that reflects the values of the strategic decision makers in the company (Regis University, 2009). Pearce and Robinson define a mission statement as a unique purpose that sets a company apart from others of its type and identifies the scope of its operations (Regis University, p. 18). As a result of our analysis, we found that Starbucks mission statement coupled with their principles defines the scope of the company operations and aligns with there current strategies. External Environment Porters Five Forces Analysis The Porter 5 forces analysis is a framework for industry analysis and business strategy development developed by Michael E. Porter in 1979. Michael Porters framework sees five major factors that influence a business: threat of substitute products, bargaining power of suppliers and buyers, rivalry between competitors and threat of new entrants to a market. The porters five forces model will help identify where improvements can be made through the current competitive force, threat of potential entrants, bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers and the threat of substitute products. Using Porters framework as a guide, Starbucks should consider the following: Power of Suppliers: Starbucks prides itself on its guiding principles one of which states, Our Coffee-It has always been, and will always be, about quality. Were passionate about ethically sourcing the finest coffee beans, roasting them with great care, and improving the lives of people who grow them. Therefore, in keeping with their mission and principles, Starbucks must ensure that the type and quality of coffee it offers is always the same. This means they would use the same suppliers that integrate their standards. Coffee is one of the largest traded commodities in the world. Starbucks is directly affected by Central America in terms of production of the Arabica beans they purchase. The bargaining power of suppliers to the specialty coffee industry would be exerted by either an increase in the price of the beans which are used in the production process, or by a threat of decline in the quality or quantity of the coffee beans themselves. An over-populated market could also give the suppliers more bargaining power. Starbucks needs to be aware of supplier power and potential price increases. Power of Buyers/Customers: A buyer group is powerful if the industrys product does not save the buyer money (Pearce and Robinson, 2007) This is a plus for Starbucks as their coffee products are higher in price and considered a luxury brand. Starbucks is much more concerned with the quality of their product versus price. However; the other consideration is small local coffee companies that were around before Starbucks took over the marketplace. These smaller coffee shops may have their core customers who will not give their business to anyone else. Available Substitutes: Starbucks must be aware of substitute products. Given the current grave economic crisis, consumers are vying towards less expensive alternatives than the luxury coffee Starbucks provides. This effect could alter Starbucks current pricing strategies.   As more substitutes become available, the current pricing model would become more elastic since customers have more alternatives.   Potential substitutes include bottled water, healthy water/juice drinks, and at home espresso machines.  Ã‚   Current Competitors: While companies like Dazbog and Caribou Coffee appear to be the most obvious competitors, McDonalds and Dunkin Doughnuts are Starbucks tops competitors. Both these organizations can compete with Starbucks in terms of sandwich items and coffee related products. More of a concern with these two competitors is their pricing modules. Both competitors are priced less than Starbucks products. Threat of New Entrants: Starbucks provides a luxury good that consumers often scale back on when they want to save money. In 2007, Starbucks saw its shares fall more than 30% partly down to customers deserting it for cheaper rivals. As McDonalds and other chains like Dunkin Doughnuts realize the money in luxury coffee more companies will begin to enter the marketplace offering similar product lines for less cost. Remote Environmental Factors Economic- Economic factors concern the nature and direction of the economy in which a firm operates. Current recession trends imply a reason for concern for a luxury brand like Starbucks with regard to the companys financials. Social- Promoting the health benefits of coffee remains a challenge for the industry and consumers are often confused with the myths propagated by the media. Social concerns regarding caffeine, and it addictive properties also need to be considered. Political-Current tensions in the Middle East and boycotts of American made products are strategic concerns for Starbucks globalization plans. Starbucks also imports their coffee beans and thus any changes in import laws should also demand special attention.    Ecological Factors- Starbucks also has a strong environmental mission statement. Starbucks promotes ethical sourcing, contributes heavily to their communities, as well as continually strives to buy, sell and use environmentally friendly products. Starbucks uses key performance indicators to be sure they are measuring the degree to which they fulfill their social and environmental responsibilities. Starbucks should maintain abreast of any changing environmental legislation that could impact their corporate strategies.   Ã‚   Technological Factors -Starbucks has been continually looking for ways to enhance the customer experience. They have also expanded their partnership with ATT. ATT offered consumers WiFi service in more than 7,000 Starbucks locations in the U.S. in spring of 2008. Industry and Competitive Environments When in a recession, luxury products tend to decline and coffee is no exception. Consumers dont find as much worth in spending $4.35 for a cup of coffee when they can purchase the same size coffee at 7-eleven for $1. 75. However, Starbucks has an immediate plan for continued growth including the introduction of its instant coffee line. Despite the challenging economic environment, Starbucks is profitable, has a strong balance sheet and generates solid cash from operations, said Schultz, CEO of Starbucks Corporation. The company is also making strategic investments in key initiatives by: Entering the $17 billion instant coffee market earlier this month with the launch of Starbucks VIAà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ Ready Brew instant coffee; Growing its consumer products, licensed stores and foodservice channels; and Focusing on disciplined global store expansion in key markets. Operating Environment Pearce and Robinson (2007) stated, The operating environment factors in the immediate competitive situation that affects a firms success in acquiring needed resources. Starbucks current operating environment includes threats from competitors and rising expenses including fluctuating costs of dairy products. Price increases could have a negative impact on traffic. As of 2007, Starbucks has less than a 10% share of all of the coffee consumption in North American, and less than 1% internationally. International Environment Starbucks is an organization that operates in an international market both with regard to retail locations and use of international suppliers. Thus, Starbucks needs to consider the countries involved in its international partnerships and the impact it can have on their business strategies with regard to political, social, economic and legal locality concerns and events. Internal Analysis SWOT is an acronym for the internal strengths and weaknesses of a firm and the environmental opportunities and threats facing that firm (Pearce Robinson, 2007, p.153). Starbucks has several strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that are listed in Appendix B. Strengths: Key strengths for Starbucks include the value of their employees and their corporate culture. Starbucks considers its employees partners which provides a sense of inclusion for those who work there. Also, Starbucks was one of the first organizations to offer full benefits for part-time employees. Another key strength for Starbucks is brand loyalty and name recognition. Howard Schultz, CEO, has created an every day item and turned it into a mega brand similar to Nike. Starbucks is on every street corner, in your local supermarket, and in your bookstores and campuses nation wide. Weaknesses: A key weakness for Starbucks is weakened innovation and creativity. According to Schultz, the Starbucks experience is about passion for a quality product, excellent customer service, and people. With over 4500 coffeehouses in 47 countries Starbucks coffee becomes somewhat of a commodity. In a February 2007 memo, Schultz warned top executives about over saturation of the brand. Diminishing growth opportunities are likely. Opportunities: Starbucks is a global corporation that sells its coffee in more than 16,000 coffee shops in more than 35 countries. Continued global expansion is an important opportunity. Starbucks has established relationships with PepsiCo, Barnes and Nobles, Dreyers Ice Cream and other major brands. Opportunities include continued co-branding with major manufacturers of food and drinks that have greater potential and enable further global expansion. Finally, another key opportunity is the creation of additional coffee related products and an expanded menu. Threats: Substitute products influence the demand for a companys product. More substitutes offer a bigger choice for customers and thus Starbucks has to be aware of potential substitutes available. Given the weakened economy, these substitutes become more desirable if they are a lesser cost than Starbucks offerings. With a weakened economy also comes an increase in purchasing cost for coffee related products and dairy products; both of which impact the return on investment and profits for Starbucks. Resource Based View (RBV) Analysis Resources are the distinct combination of assets, skills, capabilities and intangibles of an organization (Pearce Robinsons, 2007, p. 164). Examination of Starbucks resources can provide a method to analyze strategic advantages and assist with strategic planning. There are three basic resources reviewed when using this method; tangible assets, intangible assets, and organizational capabilities. Tangible Resources-Tangible resources are the physical and financial means a company uses to provide value to its customers (Pearce Robinsons, 2007, p. 165). Examination of Starbucks balance sheet shows inventories make up largest portion of their assets at 692.8 million of the 1, 748 billion in total current assets. Interestingly, cash and cash equivalents make up a mere 269.8 million of current assets. Starbucks owns 5 Roasting and Distribution locations, 9000, company operated retail stores, 205, 000 sq foot office building with 36,000 sq ft plot of land totally 2,956.4 million in net assets. Intangible Resources: A companys intangible resources are also important to the overall business advantage. Brand recognition is a key intangible resource for Starbucks. Starbucks reputation is positive and they are known for high quality coffee coupled with high quality customer service day in and day out. Starbucks has also used their brand recognition to introduce new products including bottled coffee drinks ice-cream products, and home espresso machines, and this intangible asset provides overall reliability that is difficult for competitors to penetrate. Other intangibles include quality of locations; skill at citing new shops; employee training, skill at customer service, and morale; employer of choice-Forbes 100 Best Companies to Work for 2007, 2008. Organizational Capabilities: Howard Schultz continues to strengthen Starbucks top management team, hiring people with extensive experience in managing and expanding retail chains. Starbucks also maintains and continues to expand its ownership of desirable locations so location analysis is a capability which allows the company the ability to increase quality of the same input factors as their competitors. Value Chain Analysis The term value chain describes a way of looking at a business as a chain of activities that transform inputs into outputs that customers value (Pearce and Robinson, 2007, p.158). Primary Functions Include: High quality product, Ethical coffee sourcing and fair trade, global responsibility, and Baristas (quality of customer service).  Inbound logistics: negotiation with coffee providers, purchasing, receiving, processing, distributing raw materials to service sites.   Support Functions Include: Coffee Master training program, desirable locations, and modern technologies and research and development. Plus traditional organizational support functions such as HR admin, accounting and finance, marketing, etc. Strengths of the value chain for Starbucks include their high quality product and the sourcing and creation of their product. Starbucks is committed to ethical sourcing and fair trade. Starbucks is also globally responsible and has introduced a shared planet program thus producing a sustainable image. This differentiates their product from their competitors. Weakness of the value chain for Starbucks include over saturation of the brand and diminishing growth opportunities due to buying out their competitors in prime real estate locations. Financial Analysis Liquidity Starbucks 2008 Industry Median Current Ratio 0.80 0.89 Quick Ratio 0.50 0.50 A current ratio measures how well Starbucks is able to meet its short term obligations. A quick ratio measures the same, minus inventories. Starbucks current ratio aligns with the industry median which means their current ratio is considered a norm for the industry. Their quick ratio also aligns with the industry median suggesting that the company doesnt have too much of its liquid assets tied up in inventory and that they are not dependent on the sale of that inventory to finance operations. The ratios above generally imply that Starbucks is able to pay its short term obligations including items such as vendor bills, rent, utilities and payroll. This number also indicates that Starbucks is credit worthy because they have enough cash to pay off their short term debt and suggestive that they pay their bills on time. Activity Starbucks 2008 Industry Median Inventory Turnover 8.3 29.2 Total Asset Turnover 1 1.2 Inventory Turnover Ratio describes how quickly product is being sold. Starbucks inventory turnover is 8.3. The industry median is 29.2; suggesting that Starbucks is lagging in ability to turn over its inventory compared to its competitors. With a ratio of 8.3, Starbucks essentially filled and sold everything on its shelves eight times in the year 2008, while the competition filled and sold 29 times. Total Asset Turnover offers managers a measure of how well the firm is utilizing its assets in order to generate sales revenue. An increasing ratio would indicate that the firm is using its assets more efficiently. Starbucks 2008 ratio was 1, slightly lower than the industry median, and their 2007 ratio was 1. This implies that Starbucks hasnt changed the way its using its assets. As this number also indicates pricing strategy and thus suggests that Starbucks has not changed its pricing strategy in the past two years of data. Profitability Starbucks 2008 Industry Median Gross Profit Margin 55.30% 42.16% Net Profit Margin 0.88% 7.67% Gross Profit Margin represents a firms money left over after the cost of goods sold. Gross Profit Margin helps the company pay for future liabilities and future savings. Starbucks earned 10,383 million in revenue for 2008. Their ratio of 55% indicates that they made roughly a little more than 50 cents for every dollar earned after the cost of goods sold was subtracted. Net Profit Margin Ratio depicts how much of every dollar earned a company keeps in earnings. Starbucks is much lower than its industry median. A higher profit margin indicates a more profitable company that  has better control over  its costs compared to  its competitors. As Starbucks markets itself as a luxury brand and charges on average four dollars for a cup of coffee, its no wonder its much lower than its competitors. This number can also indicate that Starbucks operating costs to produce their luxury coffee is increasing in cost. These items include dairy products, coffee beans, cups, syrups etc. Finally Starbucks has a high gross profit compared to a low net profit. This could suggest that Starbucks isnt very good a controlling their expenses. Leverage, Earnings Per Share, Price/Earnings Starbucks 2008 Industry Median Debt to Equity 1.28 1.17 Debt to Assets 0.56 The debt/equity ratio shows how much a firm has borrowed as a percentage of its stock equity. Often, the lower, the better. Starbucks ratio suggests that it is not borrowing heavily against the stock equity compared to its competitors. Debt to assets ratio shows what portion of funds is being provided by creditors. Starbucks ratio shows that they are using very little credit. Price to Earnings Ratio: 127 According to Benjamin Graham, and investment is considered speculative stock when it has a P/E higher than 15, regardless of industry. Warren Buffet currently trades on this rationale. Using this rationale, that would suggest that Starbucks is severely overvalued. If we were to follow Benjamin Grahams theory on speculative stock, Starbucks should be trading at a 1.80 per share. The industry average for P/E is approx 20-25 under current finance ratios. This number fluctuates based on current stock price. Therefore Starbucks range should be from 2.40-3.00 per share. Earnings Per Share-12 Cents (1 Q, 2009) Earnings Per Share shows how many dollars in profit were earned per outstanding shares of the common stock. The current EPS would show that Starbucks business has pulled back considered since 2008s quarterly reports which listed EPS at 43 cents per share. Therefore, based on this information, an investor could make the assumption that Starbucks debt is virtually equal to there income. And given one more or two more quarters of loss, the income would be less than the debt and would set the company up for a loss. This could generate from closed stores, overstock of inventory, and inflation. Strategy Recommendation A generic strategy is a core idea about how a firm can best compete in its current marketplace (Pearce Robinson, 2007). While Starbucks has many different strategies to consider, a generic strategy is currently recommended below given the research found in this report. Recommended Strategy For Starbucks: Differentiation Starbucks can best achieve its long terms strategies by continuing to strive to create and market unique coffee based products to varied customer groups through differentiation. The following direction points will be the basis for the competitive strategy: Rivalry will be reduced with successful differentiation. As Starbucks markets itself as a luxury brand and experience, customers will be less sensitive to prices if Starbucks products are successfully differentiated. Starbucks differentiation and focus strategy pushes customers to brand loyalty which will make it difficult for new entrants to overcome. Starbucks currently exhibits and utilizes both differentiation strategy and the focus strategy. Starbucks has developed a customer loyalty that enables the firm to charge a premium price for its products. Starbucks demographic composition of their consumer base is narrow in direction. Their target consumer is middle to upper class and an educated coffee drinker who prefers quality and customer service over a low-cost price. This suggests that the firm is using a focus strategy anchored in a differentiation base because they attend to the needs of this demographic. Starbucks has differentiated themselves from their competitors by providing an image of the luxury coffee experience and should continue this approach for long term growth and profit. Implementation With regard to implementation, the following outline is recommended. initiate specific functional tactics outsource nonessential functions communicate policies to all partners design effective rewards Starbucks can successfully implement their implementation plan by turning their strategy into action by following the steps below: continue to provide and create new products perceived of higher value to buyers create a new products business unit for streamlined product development introduction analyze current economies of scale to reduce costs continue to develop and motivate there partners as they are there best assets. continue closing of under performing stores as needed increase global presence in prime locations to wash out weakening domestic economy issues Evaluation and Control Starbucks should evaluate these goals quarterly beginning in 2009 to avoid potential losses and provide for ample time for development of contingency controls. Starbucks can measure success by analyzing the following metrics with regard to new strategies and products: Return on Investment Net Profits Partner Feedback-Starbucks values its partners and considers and considers them one of their greatest strengths. Customer Feedback-Continued customer satisfaction is key to the success of the business. Leadership and Ethical Concerns Howard Schultz is a CEO who embraces change and someone who has a strong strategic plan. His vision is currently being announced in his transformation agenda which essential brings Starbucks backs to its roots. It is a simple plan and it is compelling. His ethical standards are directly tied to the culture of the company and at present is not a concern. Starbucks guiding principles found in Appendix A keep the company focus driven on providing high ethical standards across all business operations.

Total Effect of The Tragedy of Macbeth :: essays research papers

The Shadow   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The Tragedy of Macbeth†, written by William Shakespeare, gives the reader an impact of the horror at the darkness in humans. In the story, the most dominant literary element is the theme. The theme brings out the impact of horror, while the other literary elements support it. One of the most evident quotes that made me think of the horror of darkness in humans was said by Macbeth, â€Å"Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This quote showed that Macbeth was heavily influenced by his ambitions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The theme, being the most dominant literary element, shows how the darkness in people has been drawn out. Themes such as appearance versus reality, attempts to control the future, human responses to supernatural powers and loyalty show how we can be easily taken over by the evil in us. After the death of King Duncan, Macbeth tries to convince himself that he did the right thing. He murdered his king in cold blood and regained his consciousness for a brief moment. â€Å"Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?† this quote, also spoken by Macbeth, gives the reader a sense that he regained his ego and was exposed with extreme guilt. It also gives a sense that he was possessed by a demon. This can be backed up by the theme of human responses to supernatural powers. Although the witches contribute greatly here, I would want to talk about hallucinations first. (In psychology, hallucinations are a form of supernatural powers.) The soliloquy in Act II Scene I show Macbeth hallucinating of an imaginary, bloody dagger. â€Å"Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle towards my hand?† This was his illusion of what was upcoming, the murdering of King Duncan. This illusion gives the reader a sense that he is possessed by his alter-ego that he is going to kill the king. The witches foretold the future, and that their prophecies of Macbeth let his own â€Å"shadow† take over himself. Being that Macbeth went crazy from murdering his king, he also became aware that this murdering might also happen to him. This he decided to try and control his future – well, at least in several attempts, but always ended up half done. â€Å"To be thus is nothing, but to be safely thus†¦Ã¢â‚¬  this quote shows that Macbeth is in fear, and he tries to overcome this fear by eliminating anyone that was a threat to him.

Sexual Exploitation of Women in the Developing World Essay -- Sex Slav

Exploitation of Women in the Developing World The modern world today is proud to recognize the equality that has been acknowledged between age, gender, and race. Women are beginning to be treated as equals with men, in new customs, lifestyle, society, and economy. Today, women are freer and are liberated from their traditional roles as housewives, and are pursuing their hopes and dreams. However, this is not the case in many regions of the world. In the developing countries, thousands of females are dehumanized by prostitution and the trafficking of women and children is dehumanizing which serves only to benefit men. It exploits and violates the rights of women in the developing world. Sexual exploitation, which includes sex tourism, bride trade, temporary marriages, and sexual violence such as rape, incest, and sexual harassment, has escalated throughout the 20th century and has become an enormous concern. Today, slavery is defined as a â€Å"social and economic relationship in which a person is controlled through violence or its threat, paid nothing, and economically exploited†¦sex trafficking is a modern day form of slavery† (Bales). The reason why governments do not help the women in prostitution is because the sex industry generates profits amounting to billions of dollars, necessary to pay off the country’s debts. The governments convince themselves, and the public, that they help facilitate women’s employment opportunities and statistics by legitimizing prostitution. Politically vulnerable and economically weak countries were opened up as tourist destinations, and large numbers or male tourists bought sexual adventure in foreign countries as the businesses of the sex tourism were established. The promotion of sex tourism generated generous amounts of income for the sex industry as well as for the government, due to the vacations that people from developed countries take to take advantage of these foreign prostitutes. In some cultures, the established role of females has been long facilitated by the traditional systems of religion, resulting to prostitution. Trafficking is assisted by recruiters (who accompany the woman to the new country), the traffickers, and the pimps who are in charge of the brothels and sex clubs that the women end up in. Although there is an extensive amount of evidence that these people are in charge of the continuation o... ...uld not be tolerated; they have the human right to live freely in a society without turning to prostitution as the only way to survive. Works Cited Bales, Kevin. New Slavery: A Reference Book. California, 2000. Budapest Group, The Relationship Between Organized Crime and Trafficking in Aliens. Austria: International Centre for Migration Policy Development, June 1999. Canadian Woman Studies, Migration, Labour and exploitation, Trafficking in Women and Girls. York University Publication, 2004. Clark, Bruce and Wallace, John. Global Connections: Canadian and World Issues. Prentice Hall, Toronto, 2003. Pearson Education Canada Hechler, David. Child Sex Tourism. New York: Don’t Buy Thai. May 2001 International Organization for Migration, Trafficking and Prostitution: The Growing exploitation of migrant women from Central & Eastern Europe, 1995. International Organizations for Migration Lucky Star Online Casino, Prostitution and the Sexual Exploitation of Women, 2002. People’s Daily Online, Chinese Proposes Efforts to Eliminate Sexual Exploitation against Women, 2003. World Revolution, Overview of Global Issues, human rights and social justice, 2002.

Gender Roles Seen in Toys

Gender Roles and Toys By Shawna Robb English 101 Professor Solomon One room has pretty pink wallpaper with a princess border; the other is blue with monster trucks on one-wall and sports pictures on another. It is not hard to tell which room is female and which room is male. Male and female are used in this instance to define genders. Gender, unlike sex, is a universal guideline upon which individuals are placed. Gender refers to the socially constructed roles, behavior, and activities that a particular society considers appropriate for men and women. When the pressure of gender stereotypes is open to debate some say there are prenatal influences that are gender based. What is obvious is that gender plays a significant role when it comes to the toys people select for their children and the way that toy companies market them. â€Å"Toys-R-Us† is a United States based toy company who has been taken to task for marketing designs that reflect or promote gender specific toys. It is wrong that toy stores, like â€Å"Toy’s-R-Us†, clearly divides the toys by gender in stores and in toy advertisements because it teaches children how they are supposed to be in order to be accepted by society, promotes aggressive behavior for males and a passive attitude for females. Stereotypical boy toys are things like action figures and toy cars. These are both active and aggressive, which is â€Å"masculine† representing how men are supposed to be in society. Girl’s toys are often dolls, dress up, and toys that mimic household duties. That is stereotypical because its saying girls are passive, not active. It is setting standards that girls belong in the home for their future while boys get doctor kits or chemistry sets that give them higher goals. Introducing children to these gender role ideas this early is shaping them for the rest of their lives. The world’s leading fast food franchise has an interest in the gender of its young customers. At McDonalds a very popular child’s meal is the happy meal. When a Happy Meal is ordered the worker always asks if the child is a boy or a girl. This lets the worker know what type of toy to put in with the meal. The McDonalds worker could ask if the customer wants a hot wheels or a mini Barbie but instead they learn the gender of the customer and stereotypically provide the toy. Toy stores separate their store by toys for girls and toys for boys. The girl isle has stereotypical girl colors like pink, purple, and yellow. All of these colors are light when the boy’s section has colors like red, blue’s, black, brown and green. All of the boy’s colors are darker and less â€Å"pretty†. Just from that quick look down the isle one can notice which is for girls versus boys. The dark colors are less southing and action oriented. The girl colors, are lighter making them much more calm and subdued. This same pattern can be seen in advertisements on television. Female directed commercials are light colors, with softer music usually having lyrics that explain the toy and giving passive examples for what can be done with the toy. Boy’s commercials however have the message that they are going to go out and do something active with the toy. The music for masculine toys is generally uplifting and motivating, which makes a boy excited to play with the toy. Commercials cannot be avoided and they reach almost all boys and girls on a day-to-day basis. One interesting area in looking at the influences of toys and gender is the advertising of toys relative to levels of aggression. The television airwaves are filled with toy advertising. Is there a relationship between this advertising and levels of violence, does this relationship show a gender bias? For example a parent might wonder if the purchase of â€Å"boy oriented† toys for their child might increase the child’s risk for becoming violent. The parent might also wonder if merely watching the advertisements themselves increase children’s risk for becoming violent. In 2001 Kilinger, Hamilton and Cantrell offered the observation that the use of commercials to sell children’s toy products could have a socialization impact on children similar to that of television programming. Bandura’s Social Learning Theory says, â€Å"human behavior is transmitted, whether deliberately or inadvertently, largely through exposure to social models†(Bandura 1). When a child thinks that a behavior will be punished versus rewarded but instead is not even acknowledged they will perceive it as a reward. Children usually continue rewarded behavior to receive more praise. Television is seen as a â€Å"super tutor† to Bandura, the child will model what they see on television, not knowing if it is good or bad. For those children whose parents are not good role models, the television becomes the behavioral role model. If violence and aggression is viewed on the television, it is more likely that children will engage in violent and aggressive behavior. While television can model appropriate behavior, there is a well-documented tendency for violence and aggression. Advertisements are difficult to avoid since they are interwoven in shows and they tend to emphasize violent and aggressive behavior (Kilinger 13). In the study by Kilinger, Hamilton and Cantrell they observed â€Å"children’s perceptions of aggressive content, stereotypic sex-role behavior, and appropriateness of television toy commercials†(Kilinger, 11). The results of the study support the notion that there is a gender bias in terms of aggressive content and consequently aggression potential. The results did show that toys and the advertisements for them aimed toward boys were more aggressive than that of the toys that are gender neutral or aimed toward girls. The commercials shown were clearly sex role stereotyped. This is consistent with other research that has supported the idea that boys are more socialized toward aggression. Boys may be more desensitized to aggression as a result of gender stereotyped toy commercials as well as their toy selections in the past. Again, this is a reason for concern since commercials are unavoidable while watching television. While the promotion of aggression is certainly an adequate reason to exercise great care when it comes to toy and gender, it is not the only reason. Parents do support gender bias toys from the time the child is born. More often than not, a boy will receive toys that are focused towards boys and girls will receive stereotypical girl toys. The children do not go out and buy this themselves; their parents will pick out their toys until the child is already taught what they should like. Parent’s will find out they are having a boy or a girl then base everything around that detail, like the room color example, children and baby clothes are also gender biased as well as their toys. When the girl is playing with girl toys she will be rewarded for the â€Å"right† interests, as would a boy playing with a boy toy. They will then continue this behavior to get their parent’s approval. If a father see’s their son playing with a Barbie doll or asking to be a princess, their father might redirect them saying those are girl things urging them to play with a male biased toy. One thing Social Learning Theory has assumed is that reinforcement and punishment is the means by which parents socialize children. The study named â€Å"Parental Socialization of Young Children’s Play†, done by Eisenberg, Wolchik, Hernandez and Pasternack, observed the parent’s involvement with enforcing gender stereotypes. This study found that parents do reward their children for same-sex toy play. It is not only the toy companies that enforce gender roles in toys; the people raising the child are also responsible for teaching stereotypical thinking. The idea that cross-sexed interests are wrong does come from society and children start learning this from the time they are born. (Eisenberg, Wolchik, Hernandez and Pasternack 1506). A thirteen-year-old Swedish boy, Hannes Psajd, spoke out about the gender focused toys in â€Å"Toys-R-Us†. Hannes said that the 2008 â€Å"Toys-R-Us† Christmas Catalog showed boys playing with different toys than girls do. The boy said that he and his sister always play with the same toys and there is nothing wrong with that. Psajd said that it sends the wrong message to girls, since they are playing with only passive toys. Hannes stated â€Å"boys want to be princesses sometimes†(Landes 1), demonstrating that this store does not only discriminate against girls. When the claim was looked into by a regulatory committee they stated that, â€Å"Toys-R-Us discriminates based on gender and counteracts positive social behavior, lifestyles, and attitudes†(1). This shows that children do recognize this problem if it is brought to their attention. The problem of toys defining gender roles does not completely rest  rest with â€Å"Toys-R-Us† but is a societal problem. Society has created the gender roles we now have and these roles are often strict. While it will take time to make fundamental changes in gender bias a starting point could be the creation of more gender-neutral toys. These toys would have to find their way into homes and that could be a function of the advertising that is currently part of the problem. Parents need to be educated to nurture more flexible gender roles and allow children to explore their interests, even if this interest violates stereotypical norms. Boys and girls should have equal opportunity to play with a doll or a monster truck. Children are taught gender roles from the time they are born, toys are one way that this is taught to them. In a toy store like â€Å"Toys-R-Us†, it is clear to see which isle is for boys and which one is for girls. The colors and stereotypical gender bias toys show the clear division in the store between feminine versus masculine toys. Television advertisements depict females as being passive while they promote aggressive behavior for males, this can lead to boys acting violently in the future. Parents sometimes scold children who play with cross-sex toys, which will teach the child not to repeat this behavior. Gender roles teach a child what they are supposed to be, feminine or masculine, and toys to play a part in enforcing these gender stereotypes. Works Cited Bandura, Albert. â€Å"Psychological Modeling: Conflicting Theories†. Chicago: Aldine Atherton, 1971. Print. Eisenberg, Nancy, Walchik, Sharlene A. Hernandez, Robert, Pasternack, Jeannette F. â€Å"Parental Socialization of Young Children's Play: A Short-Term Longitudinal Study. † Child Development 56. 6 (1985): 1506-13. ERIC. EBSCO. Web. 5 Apr. 2011. Klinger, Lori J. , James A. Hamilton, Cantrell, Peggy J. â€Å"Children's Perceptions of Aggressive and Gender-Specific Content in Toy Commercials. † Social Behavior and Personality 29. 1 (2001): 11-20. PsycINFO. EBSCO. Web. 5 Apr. 2011. Landes, David. â€Å"Toys‘R’Us Scolded for Gender Discrimination. † The Local: Sweden’s News in English. 6 October 2009. Print.