Saturday, August 31, 2019
Life is like a box of chocolates Essay
At first glance the quote ‘life is like a box of chocolates seems’ rather silly. How could such a large and complicated concept such as life be compared to something as small and simple as a box of chocolates? There have been two opposing viewpoints in regards to the meaning of this quote, and each viewpoint comes about by a different analysis of what life and chocolates represent as well as what they mean in today’s world. The conclusion to the question can only come about through a thorough examination of the quote itself along with its possible entailments to see what both groups of people deem important and what they choose to ignore. Both arguments seem to work well to counter the other and show the flaws in the other explanation’s theory. According to the World Book Encyclopedia, life is ‘a state, existence, or principle of existence conceived as belonging to the soul.’ Most people, when questioned about life would not have a very clear or concise answer because life is not something that is wholly tangible. In general life is considered to be everything that happens to a person from the moment they are born to the moment they die. All of their interactions with the world and all of their thoughts and actions. There does not seem to be any plan or order to these events, just everything that happens. Everything. Life is a long process with good, bad and indifferent points. According to the World Book Encyclopedia, a box is ‘a container, usually with four stiff sides, a bottom, and a lid to pack or put things in,’ and chocolate is ‘a substance made by roasting and grinding cacao seeds.’ A box of chocolates would logically be a container which holds cacao products. A scientific dissection of a box of chocolates would show a box (usually rectangular or heart shaped) filled with anywhere from one to dozens of small, individually wrapped chocolates. Usually the type of chocolate and the filling of each individual varies inside a given package. In America however, a box of chocolates means much more then this simple addition of definitions and a direct visual analysis would lead one to believe. A box of chocolates, in our referent system, is a symbol. It generally symbolizes love, and through metonymy, has been made to mean love. When a gift of a box of chocolates is given on Valentine’s Day, it more than symbolizes love, it actually means love. The meanings have become blurred over the years as chocolate has become a standard gift. It is not an original thought to give someone chocolate, but more a means of showing love. Not an act of love, but merely an expression of love. The first group of people generally finish the simile ‘life is like a box of chocolates’ with the conclusion ‘you never know what you’re gonna get.’ This group views all the meanings of life and of the box of chocolates and found the best compilation to be that both in life, and in chocolates, there is randomness and a lack of order. When a person walks out of the front door of his house on a Monday morning, there is no way for him to know if he is going to find a hundred dollar bill tucked under his doormat, or a large meteor that has fallen and crushed his car. It’s hard to know if a day is going to be a good day or a bad day, you just know that it will be a day. The same holds true for eating a box of chocolates. When you open a box of chocolates, there are rows of non-differentiated chocolates. They all look the same, and yet you know some are filled with cream, some with caramel and some with coconut. When you pick one up, much like when the man opens his front door, there is no way of knowing if you will get a good chocolate (cream) or a bad chocolate (coconut), you just know you’ll get a chocolate. For both examples it will not be easy to tell if it was good or bad until the chocolate, or the day, has been completed. You never know what will happen. The second group of people generally finish the simile ‘life is like a box of chocolates’ with the conclusion ‘a thoughtless perfunctory gift that nobody really wants.’ This group takes up an opposing analysis and says that the important part of chocolates is not the randomness of them within the package, but instead the symbol that people don’t really think in life, but instead just perform as they are expected to. Since chocolates have come to mean love, people no longer do creative things to express their love. They simple buy chocolates. Once the chocolates are delivered, then what. People don’t actually want the chocolates, they want the love. Since the chocolates have assumed the meaning of love, the chocolates themselves go to waste. Who wants to eat their love? Instead of being eaten immediately, as chocolates are truly intended to be, they are showed to friends and relatives, and eventually put on a shelf or in a cabinet. They will get eaten if someone shows desire, but it’s not important. Under this interpretation, life is pointless and merely for show. People don’t do things because it is what they feel that they should, people do things because they are expected to (just as the lover is expected to give chocolate). It is better to put up an lofty facade, then to be true and honest to the people around you.
Friday, August 30, 2019
Parties and party systems: A framework for analysis Essay
Political parties Introduction            Political parties are present in nations all over the world and politicians use parties as a way to outline their efforts in order to be elected. Political parties can be seen as social movements, with politicians trying to persuade people to consider their party. However, they have created legitimacy in a nation with widespread approval of institutional or government power. Although political parties have varying ranks of participation in their corresponding governments, many nations are used to permit members of several political parties to be represented in the ratio with a prevalent electoral vote. Moreover, other nations comprise of only one political party and still other nations are controlled by a small number of political parties. Consequently, political system of America has extensively been described as a â€Å"two political parties’ nation. This has endured persistent, although the political parties which were in charge have been modified and there are a number of outlooks as to why this is so (De Leon, 2004).            The two major parties in the United State have failed to meet the expectations of their followers. Their supporters are looking forward for a day when other political parties will have a say in the United State, a day when they will vote for a president from another party other than the Democrat or Republican. Is not that they are no other political parties in the United State, but there are small parties that cannot fit in the current political system (Mann, 2013). Two-party system was introduced in the United State by Alexander Hamilton’s with an aim of introducing a new political era. The system was effective because there was healthy competition between the Republicans and the Democrats for many years. However, this system has been misused by the current political leaders.            According to Popkin (2012), in the past, Republican were known for their interest on matters of private enterprise and government while the Democrats were well known for their fighting spirit when it comes to the issues of the common man and labor rights. Currently there has been a dramatic change in these responsibilities because politicians of both parties have become selfish, self-centered and corrupt. Republicans leader’s supports lobbying groups which they well know that they have huge number of followers; a good example is the gay marriage group which was in support by the republicans in 2012 presidential elections. The common people are left to suffer and that is a good reason why voters are looking for another presidential candidate from a different party other than republicans or democrats.            United State needs another party which will be moderate. Citizens need a party that will consider the rights of all citizens regardless of their race, gender or financial status. A party that will not support lobbying groups and its leaders will not be self-centered or corrupt. The moderate party will be run with transparency and thus they will be free to tell the truth to its followers. This party will force the democrats and the republicans to change their leadership system, and thus the Democrats and the Republican will try to copy the moderate party policies. All that is the dream of the voters who are tired of the two-party system in the United State and maybe it will come to reality one day (Ornstein, 2013).            The republicans and the democrats have a strong influence in the government because they believe if they are in the government, they have the rules. This slogan makes it hard for other parties to rise inthe United States (Mair, 2005). The two parties are rich and thus they have all the money to support their presidential candidates. This enhances the popularity of the candidate and thus they end up winning the elections. The solution to this dominance of the two political parties is that all the presidential candidates should be publically funded so that they can be given equal amount of money for their campaigns. Voters now will be free to elect leaders not because of their political parties or financial status but because of their ideology.            The topic of the two political parties in the United State and the demand for a change from the voters is interesting to everybody in the whole world. People all over the world find this topic of political system in the United State interesting because of its uniqueness. Many democratic countries have multi-party system where various political parties are involved in the government compared to the United State where there are only two horses. A lot of people tend to study this topic in order to know how the government is run by the two parties, how elections are conducted with only two candidates and why the other parties fail to rise in this system. Demand by voters for another moderate party is the most interesting issue in this topic, but will the current dominance of the republicans and democrats allow this change? And who will introduce this moderate party? This is the most interesting topic in the Americans politics (McAuliffe, 2007) .            The current evolution of politics in the United States must include numerous political parties to vie for the presidency position and other positions. The idea of considering only two parties does not fulfill the rights of political development in any governing nation and inclusion of third parties should mostly be deliberated. Though the American political structure has reliably been in this two party system, third parties occasionally stimulate elections and the candidates for those third party still sometime obtain elected posts in various states. The two party system is an influential system of politics because the two parties recognizes their mutual interests and they can keep for third party from gaining popularity and impact (Holt, 1992). New parties bring new ideas and philosophies in the world of politics. Collaboration of the two main parties to keep any other competitor party from gaining ground extremely brings a difficult chal lenge to any incoming third party.            Since the representation of the Green Party in the 1984 election, where it acted as the third party, deduction can be made that third parties have lacked interest in politics. Inclusion of third parties comprises much significance to many citizens and the same time offer great threat to the dominating parties. Third parties embrace people who feel strongly about a certain issue because that party focuses exclusively on it and this party can be closely tied to a particular region, which can raise their appeal. A third political party suggests numerous government practices and policies which lead to progress in a state generally. Third parties accomplish an impression on the political landscape and they have been having more achievement in elections than before (Conor and Lem, 2006).            If there is an inclusion of a third party in the current politics of the United States, major and prominent parties (Republican and Democrat) can address positively on divisible problems due to pressure and stiff competition. Moreover, third party like the Green Party can challenge one of the dominant party on various issues such as social justice while the other third party can position problems to the other major party. In simple terms, candidates of third party speak more honestly and freely than their major party opponents, addressing issues and facts that the foremost parties would often prefer to disregard. The reason behind this is because third parties usually consider themselves as having little chance of winning thus displaying their infidelity to the citizens (Hirano, 2007).            Snyder and Hirano (2007) have stated various factors which have potentially contributed to the existence of a two party system in the United States. One of the factors that influence mostly is the state of the economy in America. The state of the economy in America discourages the third party due to its necessities since third parties are just developing parties. Therefore, they do not have adequate funds to manage the status of the economy. High cost of political campaigns contributes greatly to lack of third political in the politics of the United States. The cost of managing and maintaining campaigns in all states of America is extremely high and this is a disadvantage to third parties because of inadequate funds. In addition, the rise of candidate-centered politics and political power at the national level has resulted to the two party system. However, electoral legislation which has influenced America is the Australian ballot whereby it involves restrictions as to who can appear on it. These limits create high obstacles which can only be controlled by any political with high amount of money.            In conclusion, these views and opinions can be considered as theory which needs to be validated in the political system of America. All factors leading to the deterioration of third parties can be tied to diversity. A great compact of resistance happens between political parties due to pressure on competition of generating voters thus strengthening the democracy of a nation. Existence of political parties ensures that there is no political perspective ignored and may be the reason the two party systems is well accepted in America. Generally, the dominance of third party in the political system of America will highly influence and modify its development. The foundation of all factors that are hindering the existence of a third party is based on the current political system in America and this gives an impression that with most factors considered, it is possible for things to change. References De Leon, C. (2004). â€Å"Radicals in Our Midst: the American Critique of Capitalism in Hirano, S. and James M. Snyder, Jr. (2007). â€Å"The Decline of Third-Party Voting in the United States†The Journal of Politics, 69:1.Holt, M. F. (1992). Political parties and American political development: From the age of Jackson to the age of Lincoln. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press. Lem, S. B., and Conor M. D. (2006). â€Å"Picking Their Spots: Minor PartyCandidates in Gubernatorial Elections†Political Research Quarterly, 59:3. Saved April 6, 2012. Available: JSTOR Mann, T. E., & Ornstein, N. J. (2013). It’s even worse than it looks: How the American constitutional system collided with the new politics of extremism. New York: Basic Books. McAuliffe, T., & Kettmann, S. (2007). What a party!: My life among Democrats : presidents, candidates, donors, activists, alligators, and other wild animals. New York: Thomas Dunne Books. Popkin, S. L. (2012). The candidate: What it takes to win, and hold, the White House. New York: Oxford University Press. Sartori, G., & Mair, P. (2005). Parties and party systems: A framework for analysis. Colchester: ECPR. The Chicago Two-Party System, 1833-1867.†Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association San Francisco, California. Source document
Thursday, August 29, 2019
How to Invest Like Warren Buffett Essay
Introduction Simplicity is the best word to describe the life of philanthropist and mega-billionaire Warren Buffett. The same single word also depicts his multi-billion worth of investment principles and strategies (Cunningham, 2008, p. 18). For more than fifty years Buffett was able to build a multi-billion investment empire with his simple investment philosophy. Like his more than 60 billion dollar fortune under his name, Buffett, who is by far the greatest philanthropist of all time for donating almost all of his wealth to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is also one of the most observed and most admired personalities in business with countless of articles, books and blogs written about him. If most common people look at him as the most generous man in the world today, people in the corporate world regard him as the greatest guru or even ‘God’ in the realm of investment. With his great fortune, he is considered ‘God’ in investment because of his ability to spot real value when everybody focuses their attention on market movements and because of his unparalleled skills and knowledge to transform simplicity into greatness. If most billionaires like Bill Gates and Lakshmi Mittal built their business empires through managing profitable technology corporations and industrial firms, Buffett made billions by simply knowing how and when to invest his money. How He Started To know more about the investing secrets of Warren Buffett, it is necessary to look at how he managed his most precious property his life, and how he lives it (Schroeder, 2008, p.1). He learned how and when to earn money at an early age, and he filed his first income tax return when he was only 13 (Sosik, 2006, p.149). Buffett’s value investment career started when he put his money in Berkshire Hathaway, a little known and ignored holding company based in Omaha, Nebraska in the 60’s. Now everybody is startled to know that if you invested $10,000 in the company in 1965, the value of that money today would be more than $30 million (Investopedia Staff, 2007). If his close billionaire friend Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard University to focus on Microsoft Corporation, Buffett, who is known in the business world as ‘Oracle of Omaha,’ was rejected by Harvard Business School. This experience somehow taught him a great deal not only about business but also about life. To most people Harvard is one of the best, if not the best, schools in the world, but Buffett thought otherwise his basis of choosing school was not the institution, but the people who would impart the requisite knowledge and values. So when asked about his mentors, Buffett only had three people on top of his mind his father, Benjamin Graham, and Phil Fisher. His father Howard Buffett taught him the positive values he needed to live, while Graham and Fisher taught him the basic principles in investment and how to make money in this profession. His investment style is consisted in the following rubric think outside the box. When he graduated from college, he wanted to make money in Wall Street, but his father and Graham discouraged him (Miles, 2004, p. 30). The two believed that there were great opportunities waiting for him outside Wall Street. That was the time when everybody wanted to work on Wall Street and when everybody focused their attention on the stock market. Buffett believes that stocks are more than just an asset or capital; it is business. His Philosophy It would be futile to know the secrets of his billion dollar secrets without knowing how he thinks and what he believes in. Unfortunately, most of his biographers failed miserably to look into what is in the mind of the world’s greatest investor. In fact, a review of some literatures and articles would reveal that they just focus on the extrinsic side of Warren Buffett; they failed to look at the intrinsic aspect of his life. Many believe that his philosophy is consisted in these two major Buffet rules first, never lose capital; and second, don’t ever forget the first rule (Miles, 2004, p. 70). It would be best to say that this does not embody Buffett’s philosophy but rather his tactical investment approach. A business philosophy is something that one holds as his primary direction in life the fountainhead of his concepts and beliefs, the beacon of his goal, and the reason for living. Buffertt’s business philosophy can be expressed by his following simple quote â€Å"Be feaful when others are greedy and be greedy when others are fearful†(Hagstrom, 1997, p. 52). Essentially this buffett-line expresses the inherent nature of free-market system, which he and his friend Bill Gates have in common. Under a free-market system, it is rational and ethical to be greedy, since the primary goal of a capitalist is not just to earn profit but to expand it and ensure that it creates limitless profits and opportunities. For some this statement may sound ironic or paradoxical since it contradicts the popular or media-fed persona of Warren Buffett. With this belief that greed is good, Buffett was able to transform his meager investment into a multi-billion dollar empire that even exceeded that of Gates and Mittal. His investment experience proves that by creatively and greedily investing one’s money one can make a good or even great fortune out of creative value investment. So what does it take to be like Warren Buffett? Definitely it takes a rational and moral philosophy, proper knowledge, and non-conventional investment point of view to follow the billion dollar investment footsteps of Buffett. But what is the role of philosophy in Warren Buffett’s billion dollar investment strategy? The problem with most people is that they tend to mainly focus on tips, secrets, or strategies. Most successful people did not achieve their status by keeping ‘success secrets’ or ‘strategies’ but by putting into action a rational philosophy that motivates and creates values. A simple look at the life and investment career of Buffett would reveal that it is his rational philosophy that continues to motivate him that keeps on pushing him to do what he does best. As what Fridson said, budding investors must focus on â€Å"uncompromisingly rational investment philosophy†of Warren Buffett. This is because investment secrets or strategies can be absorbed or learned in a very short span of time or even overnight, but it takes an indefinite period of time to absorb and embody a rational philosophy to translate these secrets or strategies to reality. Of course, this billionaire will not exactly say what people would like to know. Contrary to the many written articles about his investment secrets or strategies, Buffett’s secret is in fact consisted only of three simple words that should be practiced everyday â€Å"read, research, and think†(Miles, 2004, p. 70). Vague and ambiguous as it may seem but this three-pronged strategy is what Buffet practiced and embodied throughout his more than fifty years in the world of investment. That is why it is stressed in this paper that simplicity best describes the life and investment principles of Buffett. For example, this read-research-think approach of Buffett is the essential element of his cigar-butt investment method. Buffett in fact creatively applied this three-pronged approach in his early years as a value investor. Unlike most investors, Buffett put much premium on his rational judgment than on what most people see in the market. His investment style can be likened to that of a diamond prospector. He knows how to assess which diamond is real or not in just a single glance. He reads, he researches, and he thinks. His Investment Strategy Buffett’s investment strategy is governed by two rules and a number of principles. These dual rules have been mentioned above. This sets the difference between his investment philosophy and his investment strategy. Thus in this paper, Buffett’s investment strategy is composed of rules and principles. Under his primary rule, it is not sensible or moral for an investor to invest and then later on lose his money. Thus this can be avoided by paying attention to his three-pronged investment approach read, research, and think. By following the aforementioned approach, a young investor may be able to discover several things that are essential in investment’s decision-making process. Buffett considered Graham as his investing mentor. According to Miles (2004, p. 72), it was the Graham school from which Buffett learned not just the basics but also the quantitative principles in investment. On the other hand, he learned a great deal about Fisher’s qualitative side of investment, such as brand, management skills, soft skills, and competition. Thus he said: â€Å"I am an active reader of everything Phil Fisher has to say†(Miles, 2004, p. 72). Now every promising and even established investor is eager to hear what he has to say. Despite his unparalleled success as an investor, he still gives credit to his two mentors, as he likes to say that he is 85 percent Graham and 15 percent Fisher (Hagstrom, 1997, p. 27). The reason why it is important to read, research and think is because in investment, it is highly indispensable to consider the following aspects: a) study the business; b) know well who runs it; c) put money in profits; and the most important of all d) have self-esteem. On the other hand, Buffett’s basic steps when investing are the following (Miles, 2004, p. 70): Determine how much you own Conduct research before buying Focus on business ownership not on stock ownership Simplify investments to manageable proportions Keep a single decision to hold a stock and be a continuing holder For example, before investing his money, Buffett researched first the nature and potentials of Gillette, which is still the world’s top producer of razor blade. Warren’s holding company Berkshire Hathaway invested $600 million in Gillette in 1989; four years ago it already owned 11 percent of said company. This means that from the original $600 million investment, Warren’s holding company’s investment grew up to over $3 billion. When he decided to purchase Gillette, he did not mind its value in the market but the potential profits it could muster in the long run. As a value investor, Buffett put money in securities with low prices according to their intrinsic value. In determining the value of a stock, there is no commonly acknowledged method to get the right figure. Basically, the focus of value investors is not on what the market says but on what the company’s potentials and fundamentals offer. This is because there are some companies that are undervalued by the market yet with good potentials to grow and rake in long-term profits. This is the attitude that Buffett showed to modern investors. Markets only reflect the short-term value of a company, and it takes proper knowledge, better understanding, and courage to discover which company is undervalued and has the capacity to establish a long-term profit-making success. His investment methodology Buffett’s methodology is composed of quantitative aspects in value investment. Under this process, he considers the relation between a stock’s quality and its value. Based on his method, the return on equity is equivalent to net income over shareholder’s equity (Investopedia Staff, 2007). One thing that Buffett considers is debt/equity. Before investing, he conducts research whether a company kept away from excess obligation. This is actually a basic principle in investment do not invest in a company with huge debt. To Buffett, a debt-ridden company has a low capacity to guarantee return on equity. Debt/equity can be measured by dividing the total amount of obligations by shareholders’ equity (Investopedia Staff, 2007). If a company has more debt than equity, it is not advisable to put money in such company since it uses debt to finance its assets and operations. For instance, a company that has a higher ratio of debt vis-à -vis equity has an unpredictable earning capacity and is prone to high interest expenses (Vick, 2000, p. 169). When one is investing in a particular company, it is advisable to look at the long-term obligation rather than the total amount of debt. Another aspect that is considered by Buffett is the profit margin. However it is not only important to know if a company’s profit margin is high, what is more important is to know whether it is growing. The capacity of a company to earn long-term profits relies not merely on having a positive profit margin but on constantly expanding this profit scope as well. The attitude of Buffett towards investment can be explained by how he managed Berkshire Hathaway. He purchases stocks to keep the same and he does not look at stocks as a commodity that can be bought and sold but as a business entity. His investment style is simple he buys stocks and treats them as his own business, and this business makes profits not just for a short span of time but for as long as it stays profitable. He also considers the age of the company the longer the better. Those that stay in the business for at least ten years are good investment opportunities. Since Buffett admits that he only has a limited knowledge in technology corporations he only puts money in a business which he absolutely understands. He puts much premium on longevity, and this principle brought him where he is right now. When he invested in Berkshire Hathaway, he envisioned of a long-term business that could earn a limitless amount of profit. This is what he learned from Graham, which most researchers consider as the proponent of old school in investment. Perhaps the new school in investment is the buy-and-sell style of most investors wherein profits are short-term and limited. Interestingly, Buffett also looks at the nature of business of a particular company. If most investors usually look at numerical figures, Buffett focuses on the qualitative sides of a company. For example, if a company depends on a commodity like gas and oil, he thinks that such company only offers limited returns on equity (Investopedia Staff, 2007). If the product of a company is identical from those of its market rivals, he thinks that competition would hamper the profit-making ability of such company. To understand the importance of this approach in investment, it is necessary to look at the biggest stock holdings of Berkshire Hathaway. The holding company owns 9.5 percent of Gillette, which is the leader in razor blade industry (Jubak, 2004). It also owns 9.2 percent or $10.1 billion of Coca-Cola, which is one of the biggest companies in the beverage industry. The other companies which Berkshire has shareholdings are the following: American Express, American Standard, Ameriprise Financial, Anheuser Busch, Burlington Northern, Comcast, Comdisco, Conoco Phillips, Diageo, First Data Corp., Gannett Inc., GAP, H&R Block, Home Depot Inc., Ingersoll-Rd Co., Iron Mountain, Johnson & Johnson, among many others (Losch Management Co., 2006). Conclusion Billionaire Warren Buffett is indeed an unconventional value investor who thinks outside the box. At a time when most people paid attention to what the stock market says, Buffett relied only on his competent judgment, on his rational philosophy, and on his self-styled investment principles and strategies. That investment philosophy be greedy when others are fearful put him to where he is right now, with billions of dollars in his. Despite his unmatched success, he remains humble and still retains the ethical values he learned from his father (Boroson, 2002, p. 18). In business, greed is moral and good. In contrast, fear is something that must be overcome to earn limitless profits from investment. Indeed, Buffett attained his unparalleled success by being ‘greedy’ while others cowered in fear of losing their money.  Taken as a whole, his investment tactic can be summarized into three essential principles a) make your strategy simple and understandable; b) be consistent with your operations and approaches; c) focus on positive long-standing prospects. One interesting point to take into account is that Buffett’s philosophy and investment strategies never contradict each other. When he advises new investors to be ‘greedy,’ he means profits and business. And when he tells people who would like to follow his footsteps to read, research, and think, he would like them to rely on their own judgment and not be affected by other people’s opinion and market trends. With his more than fifty years in business, Buffett introduced the importance of self-esteem in investment. That it is important to rely on one’s moral judgment. By relying on his own judgment, Buffett maximized his profit-making capacity through Berkshire Hathaway. This means that there is no difference between the work ethics and potentials of a value investor and an industrialist. If Bill Gates and Lakshmi Mittal both create technology through their colossal industrial empires, Buffett creates limitless potentials through his creative and self-inspired investment principles. REFERENCES Boroson, W. (2002). J.K. Lasser’s Pick Stock Like Warren Buffett. New York: Wiley Cunningham, L.A. (2002). How to Think Lke Benjamin Graham and Invest Like Warren Buffett. New York: McGrawhill Professional. Losch Management Co. (2006). Berkshire Hathaway Stock Holdings 2006. Retrieved December 11, 2008, from http://www.loschmanagement.com/Berkshire%20Hathaway/Berkshire%20Holdings/2006.pdf Hagstrom, R.G. (1997). The Warren Buffett Way: The Investment Strategies of the World’s Greatest Investor. New York: Wiley. Investopedia Staff (2007, September 21). Warren Buffett: How He Does It. International Business Times. Retrieved December 11, 2008, from http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20070921/how-he-does-it.htm Miles, R.P. (2004). Warren Buffett Wealth. Principles and Tactical Methods Used by the World’s Greatest Investor. London: Wiley Sosik, J.J. (2006). Leading With Character. North Carolina: Information Age Publishing. Vick, T.P. (2000). How to Pick Stock Like Warren Buffett. New York: McGrawhill Professional.
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
HRM Outsourcing Paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
HRM Outsourcing - Term Paper Example The question on what should be outsourced has always been a widely debated issue. This paper will explore the issues around human resource outsourcing, particularly those concerned with firm’s performance, strategic direction, ethics and corporate social responsibility. It will also evaluate these issues with regard to how they can be addressed and balanced to achieve the best performance, productivity, and efficiency. An Evaluation of HR Outsourcing One of the ultimate gains of outsourcing is the division of work and skill/expertise specialization, which results in a better outcome and performance. Business process outsourcing (BPO) including HR outsourcing is not only aimed at financial value; relevance of a strong relationship management is that it leads to value addition such as innovation and customer satisfaction (Enlow & Ertel, 2006). The importance of a healthy relationship management cannot be overlooked. According to McKinsey & Company, as quoted by Enlow and Ertel ( 2006), 50% of outsourced services fail to create the expected value. Firms find value when specialists, who can be more effective in providing services that were previously handled internally, are engaged because both the firm and the supplier can focus on what they do best to improve performance. HR outsourcing is beneficial to any firm and whatever the size of the organization, outsourcing must follow phases for it to succeed. According to Anonymous (2007, July), the use of outsourcing as a strategy proved beneficial in a large funeral and cemetery company, Service Corp. International. The company boasted of the workforce of 2,400 employees in 2,500 locations. The funeral company decided to outsource human resources services; through an advisory firm, various sources of outsourcing were used while focusing on the various phases of the outsourcing process. Because of the many administrative tasks of the company, HR outsourcing led to a reduction in costs. Outsourcing and shared ser vices provide avenues for reducing cost while enhancing efficiency in organizations. Cost cutting associated with outsourcing occurs when staff is assigned with other tasks through involvement of experts or by saving money (Anonymous, 2007, April). While outsourced members focus on their areas of expertise, organization’s staff members focus on core responsibilities. Information Technology investments may not yield results for a long time. Thus, outsourced IT services help to avoid colossal capital investment costs. Equally, the use of shared services appears to be advantageous to organizations by reducing the need for maintaining a massive workforce leading to a reduction in costs through sharing of talents and resources and enhancing productivity (Anonymous, 2007, April). Ethical issues that have been associated with HR outsourcing have included loss of employment in the host country where firms are outsourcing human resource. The practice of getting expertise and staff fro m other places in order to save costs has been perceived negatively from a social point of view by the local communities from which the outsourcing firm hails, particularly when outsourcing involves expertise or skills that are also available locally. Cultural differences are another concern of outsourcing, which has been mentioned especially among multicultural environments where different skill sets are in existence (Adobor, 2012, p.245). For example, there exist immense
Money judgment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Money judgment - Assignment Example Unless you make a will, your favourite persons may fall in problem when you will be no more in the world because the laws of intestacy suggests that your estate will not automat-you to realize easily what's the result of not making a will. Before making a will you need to be sure of the total sum of the property you have and you would like to distribute. Furthermore, you also have to know the fact among whom persons you can distribute the property by making a will. I think it's better for you to make a reciprocal will so that you and Jennifer can mirror each other in that case when one of you will die the property will go to the survivor and then to your children. There are certain elements what make a will legal. -"You should never attach anything to your Will by way of a paper clip, pin or otherwise or in any way leave any mark on it. Such marks can cause great difficulty when it comes to prove your Will in the probate registry. -You should have an idea about the tax liability on your death as many married people are quite unaware of the potential tax bill they leave to their family on the death of the second partner" (Life Insurance.com.uk., n.d.). In spite of achieving cherished effect it contains mentionable draw back from inheritance tax system, because the liability goes to inheritance tax that's why in the time of next death of the survivor, this tax will go to your join property. It has been decided in the tax year of 2006/2007 inheritance tax is not necessary to pay between the spouse. "Transfer between spouses is generally free of inheritance tax. If an individual simply leaves all their estate to their surviving spouse then the nil-rate band is effectively wasted" (Deloitte, 2007). When (Mr. Hoames) you will die having made no chargeable transfers when your survivors will not be benefited by this nil-rate band. If you leave your enter estate to Mrs Jennifer and she will set 312000 of nil rate band against her inheritance tax estate. However, this tax liability may go to the others (such as your relatives) if the total value of the property exceeds 285,00 (2006-2007). And excess value above the nil rate band up to 312000 (2008-2009) is liable to inheritance tax at 40%. This figure is called "nil rate band" HM revenue and customs: rates and allowances (HMRC (HM Revenue & Customs). (n.d.). "Alternatively, it may be possible to pass on some of the assets on first death but enable your spouse to still have financial security after your death by using your will trust" (Money Minder, 2005). You can use the nil rate band by making an effective will and in this way you can save 114,000 and control your own inheritance tax planning. I hope, you
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Inequality of Sexual Orientation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Inequality of Sexual Orientation - Essay Example They are common terms that are used by teenager without understanding the real meaning of the word. According to the author, the use of these words on someone is attributed to some of the characters that the person exhibits that can be linked to the real construction of a gay person in the society. The author shows that if one if short or too tall, too fast or too skinny, one becomes a target by others in school and will always be referred to in bad words. This means that there are some contractions by the society which leads people to identify someone with some kind of sexual orientation unlike others. However it has been shown that most of the young people use these words in two different ways. First they can use these words for derogatory purposes and second they can be used for purpose of sexual orientation. Although schools have put in place hard polite to deal with the use of these world, they usually face a hard time in trying to curtail the use of the words (Cass, 1999). The use of antigay languages is therefore linked not to the real aspect of student being gay but is it used for the about two purpose. When use for general derogatory remarks, anti gay words generally lead to a lot of emotional strain for student. This is because it leads the student to think how the other is seeing them though it is not what they are. In case an inequality in these sense that student start to think that they are gay while in the actual sense they are not. But when it used for the purpose of sexual orientation, it shows that there are some particular characteristics that the person is bearing that rely can be closely associated with the gays even if they may not be gay themselves. In the other case about the Indian Muslim woman, the author also gives a number of factors that can be attributed to be the main causes of inequality due to sexual orientation. The other brings our the social constitution of a Muslim woman in which it is shows that Muslim women in a hijab for example ill not be considered as a first class citizen but would be relegated below man. The author brings this kind of construction to show how the Muslim society sees the position of a woman in the society. This is a sexual orientation that puts women below men. That author brings out a struggle scenario where we have the woman tiring to find a new sense of identity in another society. It is shown that the women in this case are living in two different works which result from the way the society has constructed the perception of woman. The Indian Muslim is faced with the reality of living a double standard life which is actually a conflicting world between Muslims and the American society. The American woman is not the same as the Indian Muslim though they are living in the same society (Bollough, 1996). The feminist construction in the western world and in Islam results to a sharp conflict between the two worlds with a high level of inequality. The Muslim society has a different construction of a good woman and the western societies well has a different consorting of the same woman. The inequality between the tow sides comes in the fact that the Muslim society wants a woman who lives by the standards dictated by the religion
Monday, August 26, 2019
SDiverse learners as challenges and opportunities Research Paper
SDiverse learners as challenges and opportunities - Research Paper Example Thus, in this situation, the implications that the provided students’ characteristics would have for me as a facilitator of learning are providing the education within the vicious circle and initiating a standardized education regimen (Merriam & Grace, 2011). Certain challenges are likely to be faced by me while taking adult English as an ESL class with diverse learners. In this regard, one of such challenges can be determining appropriate goal settings of the individual learners. This is mainly owing to the reason of possessing diverse goals by different learners (Sample, 2002). Apart from this, I can also face the challenge of imparting basic psychological based concepts along with theories to such learners, as the learners belong to different cultural background and native places (Jackson, 2009). The opportunities that are present in the aforementioned context include acquiring the idea about how community or adult education is being imparted to the learners holding different cultural backgrounds and also exploring distinct problems or issues that tend to generate democratic learning spaces in the stated procedure. Apart from this, the learners might present the opportunity of carefully examine any sort of prevailing structural inequality in the learning procedure (Grace & Wells, 2007; Gouthro, 2007). Grace, A. P., & Wells, K. (2011). Using Freirean pedagogy of just ire to inform critical social learning in arts-informed community education for sexual minorities. Adult Education Quarterly, 57(2),
Sunday, August 25, 2019
Relationship between Business Level Strategy, Corporate Level Strategy Essay
Relationship between Business Level Strategy, Corporate Level Strategy and Network Level Strategy - Essay Example As the report discusses successful business level strategies depend on sound customer base. Identification of the groups of customers, the needs and preferences of those customer groups and the core competencies that the firm will be using to satisfy the customer needs form the basis of the business level strategies. Thus the key issues the firm should address while deciding on the business level strategies are the nature of goods and services the firm wants to offer the customers, how to produce such goods and services and how the goods and services can be efficiently be distributed. Once formed the business level strategy reflects where and how the firm has an advantage over its rivals. This paper stresses that Corporate Level Strategy specifies actions the firm takes to gain a competitive advantage by selecting and managing a group of different businesses competing in several industries and product markets. A corporate level strategy value is determined by the degree to which the different segments of businesses will prove worth to continue under the same management of the company than they would be under any other form of organization or ownership. Thus an effective corporate level strategy creates across all the business units of the firm cumulative returns that will exceed those returns which the company would earn without the corporate strategy. It also contributes to the strategic competitiveness of the firm. The firm’s ability to earn above-average returns would also be improved.... Once formed the business level strategy reflects where and how the firm has an advantage over its rivals. (Slater and Olsen 2000) 3.0 Corporate Level Strategy: Corporate Level Strategy specifies actions the firm takes to gain a competitive advantage by selecting and managing a group of different businesses competing in several industries and product markets. Markides (1997) describes that a corporate level strategy is expected to help the firm earn above-average returns by creating values just as with the diversified firm's business level strategies. A corporate level strategy value is determined by the degree to which the different segments of businesses will prove worth to continue under the same management of the company than they would be under any other form of organization or ownership. Thus an effective corporate level strategy creates across all the business units of the firm cumulative returns that will exceed those returns which the company would earn without the corporate strategy. It also contributes to the strategic competitiveness of the firm. The firm's ability to earn above-average returns would also be improved. 4.0 Network level Strategy: The Network level strategy defines inter-organizational relationships. Having access to multiple collaborations increases the likely-hood that additional competitive advantages will be formed as the set of resources and capabilities being shared expand. (Rudberg & Olihager 2003) One of the primary benefits of a network level strategy is the firm's opportunity to gain access to a multitude of firms' resources and capabilities. When this happens the probability greatly increases, that partners will find unique ways to uniquely share their resources and capabilities to form competitive advantages.
Saturday, August 24, 2019
Human Resource Case Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Human Resource Case Studies - Essay Example Implementation of pay equity legislation for state jobs in some states of US such as Minnesota (Pay Equity and Comparable Worth) as well as some provinces in Canada brought pressure on the human resource managers in private sector to implement similar schemes. The pressure stems from the fact that these companies compete in the same marketplace for human resources. This pressure and its implications in implementation are evident in the discussion between Janet Sawyer and Charles Cooper in the case study. Two levels of challenges can be identified in comparable worth implementation in an organization. The first is at the planning stage and relates to whether any comparable worth program is actually fair and accurate or not ? The second level is at the implementation stage and questions whether these changes are perceived to be fair ? Adjusting pay for equally valued jobs lies at the core of the comparable worth concept. While several approaches have been taken, studies show that evaluation procedures to measure inherent worth of jobs do not always produce accurate results nor can be defined objectively (Arnault et al 806-815). It is also claimed that traditional job evaluation systems inherently contain a sex bias (Bose and Spitze 184). Human resource managers face their first challenge in ensuring that their measurement of value for jobs is accurate and fair, free of bias, and must select the right parameters, studies and consultants to reach their conclusions. The second challenge arises once the program is being implemented. While the program is aimed at bringing equity in compensation for a disadvantaged group, changes in the usual wage increase patterns may introduce a perception of inequitable distribution in other groups (Koziara 14). For instance, Koziara notes that higher paid groups may perceive that any wage increases for women are being made at the cost of their potential wage increase or that they may even face pay cuts. The
Friday, August 23, 2019
Experience economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words
Experience economy - Essay Example Commerce includes all those activities, which are connected with trade and auxiliaries to trade such as transport, warehousing, insurance and banking and finance. Trade involves buying and selling of goods and its purpose is to bridge the gap between persons, i.e. the producers and the consumers can concentrate on their own occupations and at the same time buy goods to satisfy their consumption needs. The farmers can both enjoy each other's products with the help of traders. For example there are different types of cotton; jute, hides and skins are supplies to the producers of cotton textiles, gunny bags and shoes respectively. At the same time manufactured goods, which have been produced with the raw materials, are supplied to the consumers. Producers buy raw materials, machinery and equipment as well as stores and spare parts for machinery fro trading agencies and consumers buy practically all articles required for their daily use from traders. Goods are produced on a large scale in anticipation of demand. The markets for products are now spread over the length and breadth of the country and even extended to countries across the international borders. Hence direct sale of goods by the producers to the consumers is not possible. Without the help of traders and merchants engaged in trade it would be impossible for the system of large-scale production to continue. The trader involved in the actual operation of purchasing goods from producers and selling them to consumers. Traders and consumers are interdependent. Importance of trade Trade is of great significance for production as well as consumption of goods. It is through trade that goods produced at particular places are equitably distributed among users. With the help of trade goods are made available to consumers at the time of their need. It removes the hindrance of persons by bringing together producers and consumers who are widely scattered. Advantages of trade Advantages of trade are outlined below: It enables the producers to concentrate on their production activities; otherwise they would have to go in search of consumers for goods they produce. Trade makes goods available to consumers who can concentrate on their own occupations It results in specialization and large-scale production as the markets are now spread over wide territories. Sale of goods from one country and purchase of goods form other countries. It provides avenues of employment to various persons. It increases the standard of living of people as they can avail of goods of various kinds produces by different producers. Distinction between Home trade and foreign trade a. Home trade is concerned with trade between people of the same country while foreign trade is concerned with trade between people of two different countries. b. In home trade the buyer has to pay for the goods in home currency while in foreign trade buyer ha to make payment in foreign currency. c. Payment in home trade is simpler and less time consuming while in foreign trade, payment is not a simple process and hence is more time consuming. d. Home trade is not subject to restrictions, which exist in case of foreign trade such as tariffs, quotas, etc. e. Transport costs are relatively much less in home trade than in foreign trade. Development in different sectors like Information Technology, Steel industry, etc., has resulted a sharp rise in the usage of harmful substances.
Thursday, August 22, 2019
Statement of Purpose Essay Example for Free
Statement of Purpose Essay To whom it may concern, Im a student at Paris Polytechnic University specializing in Computer Science. Right from the very first time I heard about your double degree program I was very interested. Not only given the opportunity to study a year abroad, immersing myself into another culture, but also receiving an american masters degree by a top institution would sure add a lot of value to my professional options. The more I found out about it the more I believed it a perfect fit for me. This last year I complemented my studies with an internship at Accenture Technology Solutions. During this internship I realized that although Ive always enjoyed my studies in Computer Science I needed also to broaden my knowledge with business subjects. Thats how I finally decided for the Masters in Computer Science with specialization in Business. The summer before university I went to Johns Hopkins University for their Pre-College Summer Student Program where I studied Programming in Java and Astronomy so I feel confident Ill be able to adapt to having classes in English and done in the american learning style which implies more work done from the student. During my years in university Ive always enjoyed the extra-curricular activities offered by my school. I joined the Rugby team the first year and for the last two was appointed second captain and responsible for the teams trainings. Afterwards I joined the photography and film club where I was able to share my interest about movies with others. On my third year I wanted to help organize our university trip to Mexico, so I took the duties of treasurer and helped raise money to cheapen the trip. Doing so many activities helped me better manage my time and learn to prioritize in order to never neglect my studies. The experience I got during my internship made me think about what I wanted to do after I got my degree and because I enjoyed it so much I think consulting could be a very good option but as Ive stated before in order to pursue that I would need to complement my technological knowledge with business and managerial subjects which is why I believe IIT, the Computer Science with Business specialization Masters and me are a perfect fit for each other. Ive already taken the tests required for admission and believe I have scores above the minimum stated for this program so I really hope you take my candidacy into consideration since Im really looking forward to study at your institution.
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Ferguson Case Study Essay Example for Free
Ferguson Case Study Essay Ferguson biggest reason for drop in income of 1980 was the cost of goods sold. It accounted for $2,568 (U. S. $millions) of cost and expenses on the income statement. The reason for this high cost of goods sold is because of the decline in value of the U. S. dollar in relation to other countries in which the firm was operating in. For instance a good majority of their product was made in England at a time when the pound was at an all-time high which made the cost of selling the good in the U. S. ollar extremely expensive to American firms. Also their operations in Germany were halted because they German mark was appreciating in value at the same time the United States dollar was depreciating which made it too hard to sell the products for Massey- Ferguson at a profit. 2. Massey- Ferguson market value of common stock at the end of the fiscal year of 1980 was 176. 9 million dollars. This number was much lower than its book value of equity because the market was unsure of the company’s ability to pay back its short and long term debt causing a plunge in its market value. The debt was being used to expand its operations before 1980 and because of this the book value of equity in the company was high because they had a lot of assets that they had purchased in the company’s growth period. 3. The Canadian government had a big incentive in helping to refinance Massey- Ferguson Company. They wanted to keep them operating in Canada because they provided a lot of jobs to Canada and because it was politically convenient because an election was about to take place. Another big reason was because Argus Company was invested in Massey – Ferguson and if they had to provide more cash for Massey- Ferguson to not go under they may scale back some of their growth and possibly lay people off or pursue other opportunities elsewhere so that cost of making their products is even lower than Canada. 4. It would be hard for Massey-Ferguson to pay down their debt by issuing equity because of the lack of new ways to pay for the new debt that they are acquiring. Many investors were already weary of the ability for Massey-Ferguson to become competitive again because of the massive amount of debt that they already had. Also borrowing more to pay the debt that is already owed is not a good strategy for reparining a decaying company. Furthermore they had failed to pierce the US market which provided a lot of new revenue and continued to fail at adjusting to foreign markets which were outperforming the US at the time making it hard for them to compete because of the exchange rate between the foreign country and the US firm.
The Octopus Cards Limited Information Technology Essay
The Octopus Cards Limited Information Technology Essay Octopus Cards Limited is wholly owned by Octopus Holdings Limited. The Octopus Cards is a contactless smartcard which can be used for public transport and for others payment and nonpayment application. The Octopus smartcard system was launched in September 1997. Octopus Cards system is the most popular smartcard system in the world with more than 95% market share in Hong Kong. Octopus Cards Limited has over 10m daily transactions and values over HK$90m. In this discussion paper, the innovation and creativity technology adopted by the Octopus Cards limited in Hong Kong will be addressed. Radical and Product innovation Awareness of problem and identify Market needs Being an international financial center, Hong Kong has a well-developed and efficient public transportation network. The increasing number of passengers has created a need and opportunity for transport operators to develop a more comprehensive ticketing system. Ideas Generation of Octopus Cards In the past, besides the use of coins for fare payment, MTR used magnetic plastic cards technology for single journey and its stored value ticket. However, the magnetic plastic cards only can be used in the MTR. In 1993 the MTR took the lead in reviewing its fare collection technology and it was found out the contactless smartcard technology is the most appropriate platform for future need. In 1994, MTR joined with other four major public transport operators namely, KCRC, KMB, Citybus and Hong Kong Yaumati Ferry (HKF) to form a joint venture company named Creative Star Limited (later as Octopus Cards Limited in 2002) to oversee the contactless smartcard systems development and implementation. (Ref: Appendix I) Octopus Technology-Product innovation The Octopus Cards is manufactured by Sony. It has a built-in IC chip and can communicate with different fare processors through the use of card reader/writer. User simply holds the Octopus Card over a reader after hearing a Dong sound, the correct fare amount will be deducted from the card automatically. The features of Octopus Cards are convenient and fast, secure and reliable, efficient and accurate, cost saving, contactless, multi-usage, easy reloading, and can be applied on discounts/loyalty programmes. The reasons for Octopus Cards success Octopus card fulfills the Cooper and Kleinschmidt (1991) three key factors for innovation success: product unique feature, proficiency of predevelopment and market needs (Szeto R. Cheng E., From Creative People to Innovative Organisations, 2010, Pg 157). The company also does well on below: Joint Ventures with other-synergies effect New technology is often risky and when the cost of entry into a new market or the cost of a new product becomes too large, the stakes become too high for a single organization. (Szeto R. Cheng E., From Creative People to Innovative Organisations, 2010, Pg 135) Use Co-operation strategies lead to the success of Octopus. When the MTR management developed the payment system, they co-operated with other transport operators rather than self development of own payment system. Another benefit from joint venture was widen the business network. Octopus system technology allows passengers to travel across multiple public transport modes using one single card. With wide system coverage and support for the public transport operator, Octopus system becomes popular and gains fast acceptance to public. Identify the market needs and consumer behavior. In previous years, the consumer only can use credit card and EPS as an electronic payment tools. However the credit card and EPS cannot be used for small amount of payment. Moreover the credit card company has to review the applicant credit status before approval. Octopus Cards can tackle these market loopholes. Most of passengers are not willing to carry lots of coins, with the advantage of Octopus Cards, it provides a convenient way to them. With its security features, same as store value card, the customers are more willing to use Octopus Cards to buy small value things. In addition, the contactless design also provides convenience to passengers without withdrawing cards from wallets. Innovation and multi usage function Octopus Cards IC chips can storage difference data. As a result, octopus system can be widely used in transport, parking, retail, self service business, leisure facilities, wet markets, school and property access control. Current innovation business Octopus Cards Limited is a newly formed company. The company has clear goal Continuously innovate and delight our customers. Its slogan is Making Everyday Life Easier. Nowadays, 95% of Hong Kong people have at least one Octopus Cards. The company targets on two types of customers: B2B (retail shops, KCR, MTR, etc) and B2C (public). The product life cycle and market has seemed to reach maturity. To sustain the business, the Octopus Cards Limited has adopted customer diffusion to extend the customer base. In October 2005, Octopus Holdings Limited formed three new subsidiaries to target non-payment business of Octopus, which includes Octopus Rewards Limited, Octopus International Projects Limited and Octopus China Investment Limited. (Ref: Appendix II) Non-payment Application The Octopus Rewards Programme is a type of loyalty programme. It allows customers to earn and redeem cash reward, regardless of payment means. With this common platform, participating merchants can offer tailor-made discounts or special offers to their consumers without having any new rewards systems. Over 2.3 million customers have registered for the programme and they can enjoy the benefits at over 20 participating merchants. Incremental product The Octopus Cards Limited broadens their income source by targeting the business on Sold Octopus and Bank Issued Octopus and corporate custom-made octopus. Sold Octopus Cards The Sold octopus is a specially designed Octopus Cards, including key chains, ornaments, watches and commemorative limited edition cards, theres an Octopus to suit your lifestyle. For example: Hello Kitty Octopus Cards. Octopus Cards is not only for the purpose of payment but also becomes a kind of fashion. Bank Issued Octopus Today most people have registered the Automatic Add Value Service (AAVS) to reload the Octopus Cards values. Octopus starts to cross over their products with Credit Card Company. For example: Citibank Octopus Visa card. The customer can enjoy both octopus reward and credit card benefit. Octopus for corporation The Octopus Company creates a compelling marketing tool with a Corporate Octopus, Corporate Mini Octopus, or customized Octopus premium to enhance the corporate image. Process Innovation In the past, Octopus system only can be used on large chain store, e.g., Cafà © De Coral or 7-Eleven etc. The Octopus Cards Limited does not have enough resources to broaden their business to some small stores or small business areas. The expensive installation and monthly charges also create the barrier for the small business to use their product. Recently, Octopus Cards Limited appointed four Octopus service providers: Bank of China, Hang Seng Bank, PCCW, Union Cash Register Co., Ltd. The providers can help rent the octopus reader with a much cheaper monthly fee. Octopus Cards Limited can take advantage of the synergies effect by using the strength of the service providers to penetrate all segments of retail sectors faster. Ideas recommendation for future opportunity Incremental product Resizing the Card Reader Octopus Cards Limited can redesign the current card reader. Octopus Cards involves many design mini-Octopus Cards. But the size card reader and design remain unchanged. The company can design slim size reader, support wireless and 3Generation network. The slim size and 3Gs Octopus Cards Reader can apply in Charity Flag Day, Taxi fare payment or in Newspaper Hawker. In addition, it can be used on online shopping or TV shopping. The slim size card reader can also be installed in laptop and television. The public may use the octopus card reader at home to settle the payment in future. Multi Currencies Support Octopus Cards can use some creative swiping techniques such as Dual Currency Debit Card(à ©Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ¢â€ž ¢Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ £Ãƒ ¥Ã‚  ¡) technique. People can use two types currency Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) or Renminbi (RMB). The Octopus Cards Limited can partner with China Bank to issue these types of Dual Currency Octopus Cards. Cross over Product The Octopus Cards Limited can cooperate with Phone Company. Most peoples have mobile phone and Octopus Cards. These two things become necessary for Hong Kong Peoples lives. Cross over product like the octopus mobile phone can be a future trend. For the process innovation Alliance with credit card company Besides the product innovation, Octopus system can join alliance with Credit Card Company. As credit card system with advance technology and well-developed global network, sharing experience can enhance Octopus system to penetrate to global market easier. Consultancy services Octopus Cards Limited is a success and experienced company on smartcard technology. The company can use its knowledge to provide consultancy service to other countries and to share their technology and services for potential customer. VIP membership card service Nowadays, most people have over a dozen of discount or VIP cards for various shops or restaurants. Carrying them all around is impractical. Octopus can try to develop VIP or loyalty cards. In future, peoples can bring one Octopus Cards to enjoy shopping and VIP service. For the merchant, it can be easier for them to track the consumer usage and spending pattern. Increase customer Satisfaction Today Octopus holder can only check balance and transaction in Octopus Enquiry Machines at MTR stations, some 7-Eleven or Circle-K outlet or PCCW eye device. To enhance the customer needs, Octopus Card can establish platform for card user s to download the transaction statement via the Internet. In addition, with the needs of global market and concern on security issues, the company should shorten the lost card processing time, say, from now 6 hours to real time block card. Conclusion Innovation is the cornerstone of Octopus success. With a clear goal, Octopus Card becomes the most famous innovation product. Product feature and the innovation strategy both are important for the company. In future, Octopus can utilize their competitive advantage and market leader position to formulate more creativity ideas to make our lives easier. Appendix Joint venture shareholder of Octopus Holdings Limited Source from: Octopus Holiding Limited Corporate Structure of Octopus Holdings Limited Source from: Octopus Holiding Limited
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
The Causes And Effects Of Divorce Essay -- Family Psychology
For thousands of years until present day, the best way to officially be the partner of someone is marriage. People have been practicing marriage for a long time. It is the best act to celebrate the love of one couple until death tears them apart. However, people do not manage to keep the marriage promise forever. This situation leads to the phenomenon called divorce, which unfortunately is becoming more common than ever before, and it is drastically bringing new effects in the lives of those individuals involved. Some causes for divorce vary from couple to couple, but the most frequent ones tend to be, change of women’s role in society, lack of communication, and lack of trust in the relationship. One significant cause that leads to divorce is the change in women’s roles. In the past, women depended only on their husbands’ earnings. Meanwhile, they had to do most of the housework. In other words, men took care of providing financially while the women would take care of the family. Nowadays, equality between women and men is less of an issue. Women can have jobs, they can earn their own money, and are able to finance their living costs. Meanwhile, men can do the same household jobs that women used to focus on, such as caring for children, washing, cleaning and cooking. Furthermore, another major cause contributing to divorce is the lack of communication. Communication is very important, especially in relationships such as marriage. Imagine a football or baseball game; it is important for the players of the team to have effective communication between each other if they want to successfully run their plays. If they communicate properly they can win the games, the same way we can solve our problems in our relationships. Som... ...b. 22 Oct. 2014. Lore Van Praag, et al. "Divorce, divorce rates, and professional care seeking for mental health problems in Europe: a cross-sectional population-based study." BMC Public Health 10.(2010): 224-235. Academic Search Elite. EBSCO. Web. 31 Oct. 2014. Woody, Robert Henley. "A Review Of â€Å"Divorce: Causes And Consequences†." American Journal Of Family Therapy 37.5 (2009): 444-446. Academic Search Elite. Web. 1 Nov. 2014. Amato, Paul R., and Jacob E. Cheadle. "Parental Divorce, Marital Conflict And Children's Behavior Problems: A Comparison Of Adopted And Biological Children." Social Forces 86.3 (2008): 1139-1161. Academic Search Elite. Web. 1 Nov. 2014. Gohn, Sandra, and Eileen D. O'brien. "Trusts in the Context of Divorce (Part II: Looking Back)." American Journal of Family Law 25.2 (2011): 34-41. Academic Search Elite. EBSCO. Web. 31 Oct. 2014.
Monday, August 19, 2019
The Partys Denial Of A Persons Natural Rights :: essays research papers
The novel 1984 touches on many disturbing aspects about the denial of a person's natural rights. In today's society people are granted certain rights which the government or anyone else can not take away. These rights are the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In the novel 1984 the government which the people of Oceania live under has taken away all of the rights of people, including natural rights. The right to life has been taken away in the sense that a persons life is the party. A person is born for the party, works for the party, and dies for the party. Liberty is taken away by not allowing the privacy of thought or action. To coin the phrase "Big Brother is watching you". The right of a person pursuing happiness is unquestionably taken away because all forms of pleasure (games, sex, laughter) are illegal. The government promotes hate and unhappiness. The life of a person living in Oceania is strictly controlled. A person does not choose what they do for a living, or who they associate with. The party is the center of everybody's life. The only reason anyone marries or has children is so that the children can live for the party. The children grow up learning how to defy and betray everyone for the party. Children will tell on anybody, even their parents if they see them acting in a unorthodox or peculiar way. When Winston was in the Ministry of Love he discovers that a co-worker of his, a man by the name of Parsons, who had been turned in for thoughtcrime by his own daughter. This is a quite disturbing incident because Parsons was proud of his child and happy that he had been sent to the Ministry of love before he had committed any other thoughtcrime. He is a prime example of a person whose entire life was for the party and for Big Brother. Even though Winston and Julia were enemies of the party their lives were still spent doing work for the party. They would still participate in the two minute hates and would still do their jobs, which both helped the party brainwash more and more people. No one ever outwardly betrayed the party. Liberty can be defined as exemption from control of another, freedom from external restraint, and the power of choice. All of these definitions defy the very basis of the party.
Sunday, August 18, 2019
Transportations Impact on Our World Essay -- Exploratory Essays Resea
Transportation's Impact on Our World Methods of transportation have always occupied a certain niche in society. Beyond their obvious practical use, transports from horses to speed boats to sports cars embody the romance and intrigue of travel. However, beyond the obvious effect low fuel-efficiency standards have had on pollution in the United States and elsewhere, the environmental impacts of transportation are rarely taken into account. Advances in transportation have had two main effects on the environment. Technological advances in transportation are some of the direct reasons behind particulate emissions, global warming and other pollution problems of the industrial age. In addition, transportation has neutralized barriers to diffusion across the world, ensuring the spread of innovation, technology and disease around the world. As transportation has become more mechanized, and as we have increased our use of fossil fuels to support that mechanization, its effects on the environment have become clear. As Al Gore clearly stated, he believes that the internal combustion engine was the worst invention humans ever made. From an environmental standpoint, he has something of a point, albeit a rather misguided one. As of yet advances of transportation have had the side effect of large amounts of pollution. I say side effects not to degrade the seriousness of the pollution that we spew out daily, but simply because I doubt very seriously whether engineers planned or were in any way aware of the possible implications their inventions would have. However that does not mitigate the damage their creations have caused. Shipbuilding in the middle ages led to the deforestation of massive amounts of Europe, Britain, and parts of the U... ...uest to South America. His advantage in ships shaped the future of Latin America. Global transportation opens the door to more than technology. The diffusion of disease has also depended on the advantages transportation provides. As Europeans expanded beyond their cold dreary continent, they unfortunately brought their disease with them. Smallpox, measles, influenza, typhus, and the bubonic plague were all introduced from Europe to the Americas, leading to massive deaths in the native population. Even today, as the threat of Sars (severe acute respiratory syndrome) spreads rapidly from Hong Kong, it is clear that transportation has more effects beyond merely moving from place to place. Considering the effects it has had in the past and continues to have today, its importance and the emphasis we place on its efficiency and pollution can have global consequences.
Saturday, August 17, 2019
Report Essay
Introduction Like other schools around the nation, Beech Grove Intermediate School is experiencing a serious problem with attendance. This has been cited as a problem and something that needs to be addressed so that Beech Grove Intermediate can achieve the attendance rate they need to become a Four-Star status school. Currently, the attendance at Beech Grove Intermediate is averaging around 95 percent. The rate needs to increase to 97 percent for the school to achieve Four-Star status. Beech Grove Intermediate does have an attendance policy; however, other strategies could be implemented to increase the attendance. Attendance is an important part of children’s and parents’ everyday responsibilities, and poor attendance habits cause lifelong consequences. Many schools around the nation report low attendance and high tardiness rates. This problem needs to be addressed in order to help our children do well in school and become responsible adults. Children who are habitually late or chronically absent miss out on much that is learned in school. Even being 5 to 10 minutes late each day creates a situation where children can lose a considerable amount of time that is being spent on their schooling. Also, it is known that children with poor attendance rates in elementary and high school continue to show problems of tardiness and even proficiency later in life once they go to college or pursue a career. Changes in the attendance program at Beech Grove are needed, and the following report is intended to propose tactics for increasing the attendance rate at Beech Grove Intermediate School. Methodology For this report we surveyed teachers from six local elementary and secondary schools to get an idea of what other schools were doing to increase their attendance. We received 50 completed questionnaires. We also searched scholarly databases such as ERIC to find relevant articles on the problem of increasing attendance. These articles outline several solutions to increasing attendance in schools. Review of the Literature This review of recently published literature on attendance addresses causes, effective policies, parental contact, community involvement, teacher/student relationships, and rewards and incentives to increase student attendance. Causes of Absenteeism All the literature agrees that absenteeism is an all too common problem for schools around the country. This can be traced to a range of causes from unsupportive school environment to poor health of the student. According to John Doughtery (1999), home dynamics play a key role in absenteeism. The parents are the key to how often a child attends class (Doughtery, 1999, p. 10). Janet Ford and Richard Sutphen (1996) agree with this and list parent influence on absenteeism as number two on their list for reasons for absence. They go on to state that lack of caring by the parents, or parents who are not home to see the child off to school are major reasons for students not to go to class, especially with younger students (Ford & Sutphen, 1996, p. 96). Other than home life, illness of the child is also given as a common reason for absenteeism in the literature. Also, appointments and vacations are listed as top reasons in the literature as well. Doughtery attests to this in saying, â€Å" It is now common practice for students to miss school for general appointments to avoid tests and assignments†(1999, p. 10). Two authors noted that homeless students or students who live in a family that move very frequently are more likely to be chronically absent from school (Epstien, Sheldon, 2002, p. 311). Some of the authors also agree that if a student is not succeeding in school then they are less likely to want to come to school. This also goes along with schools that do not give praise to students or interact with the students so that no one feels left out, and help to see that everyone succeeds (Doughtery, 1999, p. 10). In short, all of the authors agree that parental involvement and student-teacher interaction is very important in keeping absenteeism down. Effective Policies and Parental Contact As schools seek new programs and ideas for increasing student attendance, one of the two most frequently mentioned tactics in the literature are having an effective attendance policy and increasing communication with parents and guardians. According to Dan Vandivier (2003), a high school principal, attendance policies must be stringent and must also be persistently adhered to. He states that policies must be fair and also have â€Å"flexibility to accommodate mitigating circumstances†(Vandivier, 2003, p. 81). Vandivier’s new attendance policy no longer distinguished between excused and unexcused and allowed administration discretion in dealing with excessive absences for legitimate reasons (Vandivier, 2003, p. 81). Dougherty (1999) agrees that schools must produce a clear fair attendance policy that is up to date and standardized and communicate it. Many studies have also shown a correlation between increased parental contact and increased attendance (Smerka, 1993; Epstein & Sheldon, 2002). Smerka (1993) noted that after mailing notices to all parents informing them of the success of the attendance program and asking for their support, the perfect attendance rate increased to 13.9 percent (p. 96.) He claimed that the key to good attendance is promoting it everywhere to everyone (Smerka, 1993, p. 96). Another study also found that â€Å"the degree to which schools overcame the challenge of communicating effectively with families was related to gains in student attendance and declines in chronic absenteeism†(Epstein & Sheldon, 2002, p.315). The study noted that providing families with someone to talk to at the school about attendance or other issues was effective in increasing attendance (Epstein & Sheldon, 2002, p.315). In addition to simply having contact with parents, many authors agree that it is the responsibility of the parents to monitor their student’s absenteeism (Dougherty, 1999; Ford & Sutphen,1996; Kube & Radgan,1992). Dougherty (1999) says that parents â€Å"must be responsible for their child’s daily attendance and promptly inform the school attendance office when the student is absent†(p. 11). One study shows that increasing communication with parents and involving them in the student’s education are strategies for increasing attendance. This study also cited the use of a letter to parents informing them of the policy and encouraging them to discuss the importance of good attendance with their children (Ford & Sutphen, 1996, p. 96). Another study also said that parents â€Å"must be responsible for the student’s daily attendance†and they must â€Å"stress the importance of daily attendance to their children†(Kube & Radgan, 1992). C reating effective attendance policies that are reviewed and renewed regularly and establishing parental contact are very important stepping stones for increasing attendance in schools. Community Involvement While it is not crucial to the success of an attendance program, many of our authors agree that solid community involvement can positively impact attendance rates. Many schools work with businesses in the community to offer incentives for students with good or perfect attendance (â€Å"Raising School Attendance,†2002). John Daugherty (1999), an education professor at Linden-wood College, refers to programs which offer a series of incentives for attendance, ranging from fast-food coupons to entertainment centers which were offered at a discount from local businesses (p. 16). A different form of contribution is noted in Bob Maggi’s (1991) case study of a school in Missouri. A local company contributed $500 to fund their mentoring/ adoption program. Seeing how successful the project was, the company doubled the amount it contributes to the program. Another article suggests that schools work with law enforcement and local businesses. The author states, â€Å"With their support, children who should be in school will be in school†(â€Å"Raising School Attendance,†2002). Joyce Epstein and Steven Sheldon from The Johns Hopkins University agree, saying, â€Å"Developing productive school-family-community connections has become one of the most commonly embraced policy initiatives in schools and school districts†(2002, p. 308). There are times when the community involvement takes a much more negative but still necessary angle. Often, students will be habitually absent and schools are now working to address that issue. Janet Ford and Richard Sutphen, social work professors at the University of Kentucky, mention that in some states or districts parents of students will face fines or even jail time if they fail to adhere to attendance laws (1996, p. 95). Dougherty suggests other tactics, such as â€Å"implementing police sweeps, involving local agencies and the media and notifying juvenile authorities†(1999). Of course, these tactics are usually implemented in only severe cases of absenteeism. Community involvement and support can be a wonderful addition to attendance policies if tailored to meet the school’s needs and the student’s desires. Teacher/Student Relationships While family and community involvement both play important roles in maintaining good student attendance, our sources all agree that student-teacher relationships are also very important. Several authors encourage one on one meetings, or mentoring students who have attendance problems. In fact, at least one study (Maggi, 1991) is devoted entirely to this practice and with great results, while others (â€Å"Raising school attendance,†2001 and Vandiver, 2003) simply add it into their attendance programs. Authors agree that to curb poor attendance teachers should lecture students every day about the importance of attending school daily. Kube and Ratigan (1992) insist, â€Å"Teachers must let students know that they are missed when they have been absent. They must ensure that important learning experiences occur each day in their classes†(p.3), while Dougherty (2003) concurs and adds, â€Å"And they must value and reward good attendance†(p.76). According to the literature, the teachers are also responsible for coming up with new and creative ways to entice children into coming to school every day. These enticements run the gamut from Vandiver’s (2003) idea of being exempt from having to take the final exams if the student has perfect attendance to Ford and Sutphin’s (1996) strategy of giving tokens to students with good attendance so that they could cash them in on prizes at the end of the week (p.98). In the end, authors agree that in order to keep attendance under control, educators need not only to regularly come up with new and innovative ideas to keep students coming to school but to consistently tell the students how important it is for them to be present every day. Rewards and Incentives Research has shown that attendance increases when schools incorporate incentive programs into their attendance policies. Bob Maggi (1998), principal at Jarrett High School, began a program which encouraged teachers to adopt a student. Maggi (1998) claimed that â€Å"A $500 grant from Southwestern Bell Foundation was distributed to the adopting teachers to be used to their discretion: for birthday or holiday gifts, for taking student out for dinner or a show, or to buy a sweatshirt or dance ticket†(p.12). It only took one year for Jarrett High School to receive the results they were searching for. Terrance Smerke (1993, p.95), principal of Aurora Middle School, along with other schools found it effective to reward the children with positive letters of their accomplishments (Best Practices for School Attendance, 1998). According to Janet Ford, PhD, and Richard Sutphen, PhD, both assistant professors, other types of incentives are posting student’s names in the hallway or reading them over the public address system (1996). One observation mentioned in the article â€Å"Raising School Attendance†(2002), was that Monday and Friday â€Å"are typically the days with the highest absenteeism. Planning special events for these days could improve attendance.†Vandivier (2003), principal of Twin Rivers High School, and John Dougherty (1999), professor of education at Linden-wood College, agree that rewards such as movie tickets, food coupons, and gift certificates will increase attendance. The article How do you improve student attendance, claims that one way to boost attendance is to put all the students’ names with perfect attendance into a drawing (2001, p.26). Ann Kube, math teacher at North Scott High School, and Gary Radigan, principle at Ankeny High School, agree that incentives encourage students to attend school regularly (1992). As most of the authors stated, incentives have been proven to increase attendance. Punishments/Consequences All of our authors agree that absenteeism has negative consequences for students, schools and society. In the article â€Å"Early Intervention to Improve Attendance In Elementary School for At risk Children,†Janet Ford and Richard V. Sutphen discuss the effects on students. They say that non-attendees generally fall behind their peers in academic achievement and the development of social competence (Ford & Sutphen, 1996, p. 95). Consequences for parents include fines and jail time; consequences for schools are loss of funds, and for society higher rates of unemployment, poverty and lack of preparation to enter the work force (Ford & Sutphen, 1996, p. 95). Dougherty agrees that habits of absenteeism and tardiness affect work performance when youngsters become adults (1999, p. 7). In Dan Vandivier’s article entitled â€Å"Improving Attendance, A Formula that Worked†he discusses an attendance policy at Twin Rivers High School in Brosely, Montana. Policies state d that students that miss more than six days in a semester are not considered to have earned credit, and no distinction is made between excused and unexcused absences (2003, p. 81). As for students and specific punishments our authors disagreed with suspension. Dougherty states, â€Å"that suspending a student is giving them what he wants, a vacation†(1999, p. 9). As most of the authors conclude, there is some form of punishment given to a student that misses excessive days. Conclusion In conclusion, the above research findings all agree that attendance is a very important issue for students. The literature indicated that the following topics are important factors in increasing attendance: effective policies, parental contact, community involvement, teacher/student relationships, rewards and incentives, and punishments/consequences.
Friday, August 16, 2019
The Difference Between the Lumiere Brothers and George Melies
Explain the main differences between the approach the Lumiere Brothers and George Melies had towards the potential of the very first cameras and projectors. Explain the impact of this difference for the history of narrative film. In 1895, two brothers, Auguste and Louis Lumiere invented a variation on Edison's Peephole Kinetoscope film camera on the behest of their father Antoine, who had seen Edison's effort on display in Paris a year earlier. They called it the Cinematographe and they duly patented it in February of that year.They began to make films with the Cinematographe and displayed them to private audiences. One member of such an audience was George Melies. He was immediately taken by the phenomenon and attempted to purchase the Cinematographe from the Lumiere brothers without success and so set about trying to invent one himself, which he did by 1896, the Kinetographe Robert-Houdin. He would later discard the bulky and noisy camera only a year later choosing instead to purch ase more advanced cameras that were made by none other than the Lumiere brothers amongst others.The Lumiere brothers’ style of filmmaking was to reflect daily life with common scenes such as a train arriving at the platform and passengers disembarking as seen in their first film in 1895, L’Arrivee d’un train en gare. Another was the depiction of hundreds of their father’s employees leaving the factory after a days work. This style depicting ‘actuality’, was filmed outdoors with just one long shot and very little if any camera movement. Also in keeping with their penchant for realism, no actors were used in their films. A particular highlight of the brothers first film was the angled shot of the train oming into the station which showed a beautiful perspective to the audience. It should be noted that the audience, far from being bored by such straightforward visual capturing, was excited just to see moving images for the first time and their e xcited reactions reflected this. George Melies on the other hand used his affinity with magic to try to recreate plots based on fantasy that included techniques that showed actors disappearing in a puff of smoke as in his film A Trip To The Moon. Melies experimented with film to tell a story or unfold a plot using actors and special effects.He would edit his scenes with jump cuts as well as using stop motion technique to great effect. All in an effort to tell a story via the mise en scene. Melies’ films were filmed in a studio setting with elaborate backdrops to match his elaborate plots. It is fair to say that Melies took filmmaking too another level in terms of technique. On the one hand we had the Lumiere brothers capturing reality and on the other hand you had Melies capturing fantasy. Clearly this separation of styles has impacted the history of narrative film.In 1903 Edwin S Porter’s The great Train Robbery was a film that included sophisticated camera work and e xcellent editing. This was the first film where scenes were not shot in order and were edited to enhance storyline and dramatic effect. There was also a cast of over 40 actors working to an actual script. Porter made the film while working as a Director and Producer at Edison’s East 21st Street Skylight Studio. In order to truly appreciate the impact Melies’ approach to filmmaking had on the history of narrative film, one would only have to look at the mergence of the great film studios in the years after he started making films. In particular Thomas Edison’s Motion Picture Patents Company and then Paramount Studios and Universal Studios and MGM – all of which began between 1896 and 1924. The emergence of these big studios dominated filmmaking and in so doing limited the reach of the independent filmmaker who was not attached to any of them. One could argue the style portrayed by the Lumiere brothers, that of a documentary, was being overshadowed by the m ore extravagant narrative style portrayed by George Melies, that was adopted by the big studios.Not until the US Supreme Court decision in 1948, did the grip of the big studios loosen on the film industry and allow smaller independent filmmakers a path back to the cinema and a wider audience. Whilst narrative film still has the lions share of the backing from big film studios across the world, filmmakers documenting reality have made their mark in the film industry with some of the most memorable films ever made and they have solidified their place and their audience thanks largely to the growing media, and in particular the emergence of the internet and the ability to ‘do it yourself’ successfully.
Thursday, August 15, 2019
Why was there a successful revolution in February 1917 in Russia?
By 1917, Russia in a state where demonstrations were becoming more frequent each week. Many of these demonstrations happened in Petrograd over food shortages and oppositions grew against the Tsar as this happened. The number of demonstrators rose to nearly of quarter of a million. The Russian people were constantly being let down by the Tsar and the depression grew. The war caused most of these food shortages, as any available food would be taken to soldiers instead of the rest of the population. The strains from the war caused an impact on all societies. The peasants suffered most of the hardships of the war and so became much more radical and revolutionary groups began. Many of the concessions made by Tsar to the middle class societies were still controlled by the Tsar like the Dumas and so the growth political opposition grew. These are some of the cause of why the February revolution was a success. The Tsar was not a very good ruler of the country. He listened to others for advice and rarely made his own decisions. The personality of the tsar was clearly an aspect that contributed to the deterioration of the Russian government. He was often a charming person but very weak. Nicholas believed in the firm system of autocracy. Nicholas exercised his power through the army, the secret police and the Russian Orthodox Church. The tsarist regime was resist to change and the repression of the tsarist system like the Okhrana (secret police) caused many people to think about the system. The effects of the war generally the main reason why there was a revolution in 1917. When Russia first joined the war in 1914, there was patriotism and loyalty to the tsar and for the war. People wanted a short and victorious war but they were still behind in technology and agriculture for of at least 50 years. But when Russia had lost their first battle, the morale of the army and also the population of the country were low. The low morale continued as the war progressed. Russia was continuing to have high casualties and kept losing supplies and food and the fact that they had no good quality weapons meant that they were not going to be successful in the war. The war caused a shortage of food; this was because any food available would go straight to the soldiers. The war speeded up the process of change- people had soon had enough of the tsar and of what they thought was a pointless war. There was also an economic collapse, which affected all societies after Russia pulled out of the war. The landowners of large estates were hit by a collapse in the value of land. Many industrialists realised that when they failed to secure government orders for war goods, they found themselves disappearing of the markets and many small businesses found themselves bankrupt. The food shortage led the prices of meat and flour rising by 300 per cent. The war also caused wages to fall and so strikes and protests occurred. The growth of political opposition grew. Many groups got organised. The liberals, the social revolutionists, the socialists, Bolsheviks and Mensheviks all had a problem with the Tsar and its regime. The political opposition started happening from 1905. This was because of the 1905 revolt called ‘bloody Sunday'. In 1905 the Tsar's government had introduced new economic policies which were aimed at strengthening the regime. But these changes were still to create tension in the future as they were still confined by the autocracy system. Even though the tsar had given the Bourgeoisie a Duma it was still controlled by the Tsar so there was still resentment and also there was no change in the government, even when the Tsar left. There was too much weakness in the economic system and there were too many pressures of the social and economic change like the industry. Before the war, the common strikes were for overworking conditions. In February, on the 23rd, there was an emergence of a ‘focus' for political opposition. They all had a main focus, or goal. Here on the 23rd, Petrograd was at stand still. The attempts to stop the demonstrators were hinder by the police and army and so the Tsars traditional allies were breaking up even the middle class were against the Tsar. In a way, When the Tsar entered Russia into the war this would be the turning point for the 1917 revolution. This is because the war would cause food shortages and low morale of the army and the Russian people and this would just be the starting of Russia problems. It would also cause hyperinflation and the revolts. But there many other factors to be included like the repression of the tsarist government and the weakness in the economic system. It would seem like that further on Tsarism will not exist anymore in Russia. It could be said that the ultimate defeat of Tsarism was Tsarism. This was because the Tsar's system was too harsh and unfair to peasants.
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