Hobbes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Hobbes - Essay Example Thus, in his book, Morgan had tried to trace moral and political philosophy within realm of science and its numerous branches. He had also tried to establish civic peace as a way to direct mankind to fulfill their individual civic duties. To delineate these, Morgan has illustrated lifestyles and works of some of the greatest philosophers, sociologists, mathematics and scientists like- Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, etc. Through some selective excerpts of their works, Morgan has tried to establish his goal. Moreover, he has also attempted to motivate citizens in performing their civic duties by analyzing the aspects which makes thought and action of one individual different from another. Once goodness of soul is achieved, citizens will be able to establish civic peace in their societies (Matthews,. 4-27). History Philosophy and science were interrelated from the very beginning, so much so that philosophical ideas developed during seventeenth century has played a huge role in development of science and technology of modern times (Matthews,.1). It was during the beginning of seventeenth century that contradictory views of Plato and Aristotle were noticed by the modern world. At that time, philosophies theories and ideas were re-modeled due to two important contemporary movements- the European Renaissance and Scientific Revolution, with the latter supporting medieval thinking patterns of Plato. However, aspects of Aristotle’s views had more to offer regarding â€Å"empiricism, essentialism, naturalism and teleology† (Matthews, 5). Added to these, Aristotle’s thinking had directly influenced thinking of some of the greatest geniuses like Galileo, Newton, etc. who in turn contributed a lot to modern philosophy. The fact that science and philosophy are interrelated is proved again and again. For instance, the proposition that the stars do not twinkle because they are near or because the stars are so near that they do not twinkle. When there is no con version of the middle term with more relative non- explanatory term, or at times when the middle term is present outside, the proposition is proved by logic but the reason remains unexplained (Matthews, 31-32). Solution to this unexplained reason can be traced with help of different branches of science, like- optics can be related to geometry, mechanics to solid geometry, harmonics can be related to arithmetic and watching stars and comets could be linked to astronomy. This is what Morgan had tried to establish in his book. Putting moral and political philosophy on a scientific basis Appropriate upbringing is required for making good citizens. For this reason, people must learn to abstain from pleasure and pain generated by every single action. The same hypothesis is supported by medical treatments- the corrective treatments to be more precise. Thus, science has its own remedies for pleasures and pains as consequence of any action generated by excess of virtues. Virtue is a part of moral philosophy which pursues people to avoid anything that is wrong. The difficulty to fight pleasure makes both craft and virtue more challenging. This theory holds true for political science also (Morgan, 267). ‘Knowledge’ exists in two forms, namely of â€Å"fact† and of â€Å"consequence of one affirmation to another†. While the former one relies on individual’s sense and memory, the latter strictly relies on science. Philosophy and logic differs from science in the

Critically discuss the view that anti-globalisation arguments Essay - 8

Critically discuss the view that anti-globalisation arguments seriously undervalue the benefits that globalisation has delivered for all countries 02084 - Essay Example This stimulates an even platform for all countries in their endeavours to import or export products to or from other countries. The policy allows sharing of trade and imports or exports without extra cost, i.e., there is reduced cost in terms of trading items between countries (George & Wilding 2002). This policy of globalization enhances relationship and understanding amongst countries globally. In addition, it has created an opportunity for the formation of formal and informal international institution such as World Bank, International Monetary Fund, etc. These have played a significant role in ensuring that there is equitable distribution of resources across the world. Therefore, developed countries are now taken into consideration in the global platform. This has played reduced poverty levels in the world and improved the employment rates. A very good example is the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and the European Union. These two represent good examples of free trade and the p ath towards globalization. Currently, the world has experienced a lot of transformation as a result of globalization. The communication infrastructure has improved tremendously. Some of the remarkable changes in communication sector are the entry of internet and social media in the world. In addition, there is a great development of telecommunication sector in the world. People are now able to communicate with others who are located in different parts of the world. This factor has had a great transformation in the business sector. Entry of internet in the world has open up a platform for business to interact and market its products at very low costs (Germain 2000). The businesses are now able to get feedback from their clients an aspect that is enabling them to produce goods with features that are demanded in the market. This has played a crucial role in reducing loses that were incurred due to changes in consumption behaviours.

Discuss the Motivation for International Strategic Alliances

Discuss the Motivation for International Strategic Alliances Discuss the motivation for international strategic alliances ABSTRACT: To establish traditional international business in the market, businessmen do apply different strategies and one of the most common and emerging strategies that are being used now is the international strategic alliance. To study the ‘motivation of international strategic alliance, it has been made to systematically define the term ‘motive. This paper argues those studies of motivation of international strategic alliance, their advantages and disadvantages and how they are becoming beneficial in the global market place. This paper is an initial step to understand the definition of motivation in terms of the international strategic alliance by using the firms that have used this strategy. INTRODUCTION: An alliance can be defined as a business to business collaboration. In an alliance two or more companies agree to work together to achieve a common goal while not losing their individuality. Strategic alliance helps the both parties to gain the complementary strengths. Companies form alliances for joint marketing, joint sales or distribution, joint production, design collaboration, technology licensing and research and development. Strategic alliances have different forms, Contractual (non-equity- based) alliances (Alliances which are based on contracts and which do not involve the sharing of equity), Equity-based alliances (Strategic alliances which involves the use of equity), Cross-shareholding (Both partners invest in each other). ( Peng Mike W. Global Strategic Management, Second Edition, page 219) One form of Equity-based strategic alliances is the joint venture. The formation of the alliance is rich and fragmented. One of the main reasons behind the collaboration is to gain the competitive advantages. According to Williamson â€Å"Intermediate asset specificity and low uncertainty are conditions that may lead to a preference for hybrid forms of governance structure over both arms length transactions and internalization† (Williamson, 1991). Increasing the strategic alliances is one of the fastest trends in the business today and it is becoming an essential driver to grow for every industry. One of the main goals to form a relationship with other companies is strategic alliance where they combine the skills and expertise of the both companies and gain the cooperative venture. Then they enter the international market and share their costs. MOTIVATION for STRATEGIC ALLIANCES in the INTERNATIONAL MARKET PLACE The growing international marketing is becoming the norm in this time and these partnerships are leveraging the growth through alliances with international partners, where the both companies merge and gain the competitive advantage. They do it by licensing agreements, cross shareholder deals, cooperative arrangement and joint ventures. Rather than taking risks and wasting their time and investing a huge amount on of money for gaining this competitive advantage in business, they are entering the international markets by finding an appropriate alliance which is operating in the same market in another country. So they enter the market that they desire to enter and the main reason behind this is to share the knowledge, skills and expertise and also to gain the marketing advantage in the world. And its becoming another strategy to defeat the monopoly business in the global business within fraction of time, for example collaboration of Sony and Ericson. In the view of traditional industry, firms are independent and emphasize on maximizing their own performance. As competition in the market shrinks the profits of firms, they do not rival always against one another. For instance, in 1983 Toyota and GM establish a horizontal alliance on a limited basis to accomplish different targets of manufacturing small cars in the US. The intention of Toyota was to gain knowledge of running business in the American market. On the other hand, Gms objective was to learn manufacturing small cars profitably. Sometimes high entry barriers discourage individual companies. In that circumstance companies can build strategic alliances and networks to level this fence. Firms convert the relationship with suppliers to a mutual assistance and knowledge sharing, previously which was based on hard-bargaining. This liaison is known as upstream vertical alliance. In this case companies do not consider suppliers as threats. In the same way, now, downstream vertical alliances can bind the central firms, buyers and distributors together rather than treating them as possible threats. The market potential pushes the firms on alternative products to establish strategic alliance and networks to materialize the commercial prospective of new products. According to Resource-based consideration firms can get benefited from the alliance through value creation. â€Å"First, alliances may reduce costs, risks and uncertainties. Second, Alliances allow firms to tap complementary assets of partners. Third, alliances facilitate opportunities to learn from partners. Finally, â€Å"real option† an option is the right, but not obligation, to take some action in the future.† Real option gives the opportunity to the firms when they are not sure whether they will do acquisition or merge. The companies just need to pay a tiny portion of their assets (known as deposit). Through this temporary alliance they will judge its future profitability. If they are not satisfied, they can easily leave. There is no obligation to go on with this alliance or take further actions. Institutional based consideration includes two categories Formal Institutional based consideration and Informal Institutional based consideration. According to Peng â€Å"Strategic alliances and networks function within formal regulatory and legal frameworks.† In some countries, Governments impose restriction on Whole Owned Subsidiaries. In that circumstance international firms have only one option, which is, to make an alliance with a local firm in order to enter that market. Peng says â€Å"Informal institutions centre on collective norms supported by a normative and cognitive pillar.† When a firm decides to move on its own, it faces pressures and criticisms from peer, analysts, investors, and the media. In that situation firms make collaboration with other firms to enhance or protect its image in the market place. The firms do choose the target market they want to enter. After choosing the target market they come up with a strategic plan which will suit in the international market. They use all resources of both companies to exploit the existing resources and explore the new opportunities; the main concern for this exploitation is to increase the productivity and efficiency using the current employed capital and assets thought standards. When the both companies are big in size their integration level is also high which, vise versa, makes the higher level the degree of control. The difference between the integration and degree of control is making motivation for forming this strategic alliance. The ADVANTAGES of STRATEGIC ALLIANCE Many start-up companies do focus on emerging into the market and gaining a competitive advantage in the international market to beat the monopoly business around the world for the same products and nowadays it is becoming the most useful strategy to gain this competitive advantage. By which a firm can enter the target market faster and with less risk on the investment. Businesses use strategic alliances to: scope and speed the business process achieve advantages of scale in international market increase market penetration among other companies increase the competitiveness in domestic and global markets enhance product development by sharing the skills, knowledge, technology develop new business opportunities through new products and services and make it more competitive in the world market expand market development fast increase exports diversify create new businesses gain completive advantage in cost diversification into new markets improve cash flow Ability to move quickly The motivation of forming the international strategy varies from one country to another country. The main focuses of the join venture of the companies are to represent the companies in the various countries. But as the days passed the definition has changed because of the activities which became more prevalent. Because the international market the alliance can impart to the company in a relative advantage in size or by the size which makes the process to go faster or in other words it provides compliments to the areas which they are lacking. The motive behind increasing the international strategic alliance is not only gaining profit. The other factor which motive them are the competition among the competitors the fast changing market place industry convergence For an example an alliance between Sony (which is Japanese company, it was an electronic consumer company) Ericson (a Swedish telecommunication company) both giant companies planned to get an advantage in production and development which will prove their marketing skills. So once the joint venture is done with a legal manner it is similar in nature to a partial acquisition in consideration for shares. Because this combination has created the transaction, combining the relative advantages of both parties and ties their future together. They stopped making their own phones. They started to share their expertise and they have a research development teams in United States, Sweden, China, Japan, India, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The both companies were profitable on the first year but they had to face huge loss because of lack of investment and strategic plan. Once they have injected the money into their joint venture and came up with new idea which was to launch the built-in-digit al camera and with high features they started to enter to the market back but it still were a huge loses for them. So having the same strategic plan this joint venture did not work. They were struggling for the first three years. But walkman phones made them successful and made the 4th position in the world again. So here it proves that the giant companies do merge to gain competitive advantage but it is not always threat to the other companies which are already leading. It totally depends on the strategy they follow and implement. The DISADVANTAGES of STRATEGIC ALLAINCE Alliances are risky in term of cost, the reason is not due to cash being involved with another company and its not being in the companys hands, but it is due to returns from which they will get. First of all the company is to go throw the join venture which involves the investment. When a proper set of contracts, various transfer prices and incentive schemes from the partners to the joint alliance resolve most conflicts, most of the joint venture manages to entirely avoid conflicts between its respective parties. Managing the managerial position of both companies and resolving the possible conflict from the both parties due to the location and other factors of international market, Financial blocking is one of the major disadvantages in the international strategic alliance. Because most of the companies do not want to disclose their financing operations. For example, an alliance with SonyEricsson in the area of cellular communications could reduce the likelihood of contracts with Nokia, thereby putting the company at risk that if Ericsson is weakened, so will be all the companies that depend upon it. Alliance between competitors can be risky. Firms can access to the information, technology, business strategy, and database of each other. Therefore they acquire the knowledge of another company. One firm can plan to excel other firm by achieving the knowledge and skills of other firms business tricks. And then it can drop the other firm and may use the strategy against this firm. Strategic partners are often led by the company which is stronger in the international market. But they should come up with something unique by merging the both companies rather than starting from a start-up. But this strategy dose actually work with the every company depending on the market and company, like SonyEricsson came up with mobile when they merge but it was a huge loss in the market . They started losing their shares rather then gaining it. And it affected the job market. So they later on came up with cyber shoot which was the turning point of their company and also the walking walkman, which was different product then they used to launch. Because their main focus was to make competitive cell phone. But by the cyber shoot they have entered the market and now they are one of the giant companies with 4th position rank in the world. Sharing profits is another disadvantage. The revenue is being divided and goes to different country which does not help the country to boom up. But it dose have a great impact on it The decision is to be made by the both parties so there are always barriers for future financing opportunities. The distraction is the main disadvantage. The top level management is to take decision on behave of the both countries so they are to keep all the time in mind thinking about their own country when ever they are making decision. The both parties do not think alike because of the distraction that they are around by the competitors. As two or more companies are joint in this alliance, the decision is to be taken jointly so there is always a headache from the other partner. Because of the way they want take the company may not agree. To keep this mutual decision, the companies are to go through all this unexpected disappointments. Conclusion: The strategic alliance is one of the most implemented strategies in the global competitive market. And it is one of the mostly common used strategies which have an effect in the market to boom up the economy of a country. It has created the bond between the geographical territories. Where they can share their competitive advantages and bring out new polices and products for the consumers and increase the job market in this world. The advantages for this alliance is more then the disadvantages. So people are coming up of new policies where they can hide the disadvantages compared to the advantage. According to Pekar and Margulis â€Å"The fundamental purpose of an alliance is to facilitate collaboration and varying degrees of integration between companies without necessitating a merger or an acquisition, though it can often lead to a merger or acquisition. Bibliography Hill, Charles (2005), â€Å"International Business Competing in the Global Marketplace† Peng Mike W. â€Å"Global Strategic Management†, Second Edition, (page 216-240) http://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/jomstd/v33y1996i3p301-332.html http://www.smallbusinessnotes.com/operating/leadership/strategicalliances.html http://www.corporate-partnering.com/info/strategic-alliances-advantages-and-disadvantages.htm http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContentItem.do?contentType=ArticlehdAction=lnkhtmlcontentId=1515040 www.faqs.org/abstracts/Business-general/Strategic-motives-for-international-alliance-formation-The-limits-of-employee-involvement-profit-sha.html http://www.lotsofessays.com/essay_search/Conclusion_Strategic.html http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL_udi=B6VGK-4MBBYN6-1_user=10_rdoc=1_fmt=_orig=search_sort=d_docanchor=view=c_searchStrId=1123950549_rerunOrigin=google_acct=C000050221_version=1_urlVersion=0_userid=10md5=52af2b0a1c7e40ab036d752257b46fc1 http://www.smallbusinessnotes.com/operating/leadership/strategicalliances.html illiamson, O.E. 1991. Strategizing, economizing, and economic organization. Strategic Management Journal, Winter Special Issue, 12: 75-94 Peng Mike WGlobal Strategic Management, Second Edition, page 213 Peng Mike W Global Strategic Management, Second Edition, page 227 Pekar Peter Jr. and. Margulis Marc S, Equity alliances take center stage: The emergence of a new corporate growth model, IVEY MANAGEMENT SERVICES †¢ May/June 2003

Blindness and Sight - Lack of Insight in King Lear :: King Lear essays

King Lear:   The Theme of Blindness (Lack of Insight)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      In Shakespeare's classic tragedy, King Lear, the issue of sight and its relevance to clear vision is a recurring theme.   Shakespeare's principal means of portraying this theme is through the characters of Lear and Gloucester. Although Lear can physically see, he is blind in the sense that he lacks insight, understanding, and direction. In contrast, Gloucester becomes physically blind but gains the type of vision that Lear lacks. It is evident from these two characters that clear vision is not derived solely from physical sight. Lear's failure to understand this is the principal cause of his demise, while Gloucester learns to achieve clear vision, and consequently avoids a fate similar to Lear's. Throughout most of King Lear, Lear's vision is clouded by his lack of insight. Since he cannot see into other people's characters, he can never identify them for who they truly are. When Cordelia angers Lear, Kent tries to reason with Lear, who is too stubborn to remain open-minded. Lear responds to Kent's opposition with, "Out of my sight," to which Kent responds, "See better, Lear, and let me still remain" (I.i.160). Here, Lear is saying he never wants to see Kent again, but he could never truly see him for who he is. Kent was only trying to do what was best for Lear, but Lear could not see that. Kent's vision is not clouded, as is Lear's, and he knows that he can remain near Lear as long as he is in disguise. Later, Lear's vision is so superficial that the physical garments and simple disguise that Kent wears easily dupe him. Lear cannot see who Kent really is. He only learns of Kent's noble and honest character just prior to his death, when his vision is cleared. By this time, ho wever, it is too late for an honest relationship to be salvaged. Lear's vision is also marred by his lack of direction in life, and his poor foresight, his inability to predict the consequences of his actions. He cannot look far enough into the future to see the consequences of his actions. This, in addition to his lack of insight into other people, condemns his relationship with his most beloved daughter, Cordelia. When Lear asks his daughters who loves him most, he already thinks that Cordelia has the most love for him.

Review of The Epic of Eden Essay

The Epic of Eden: A Christian Entry into the Old Testament. Sandra L. Richter, Intervarsity press, 2008. ISBN: 978+8308-2577-6 Albert Einstein once said â€Å"Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding. † This is an extremely powerful quote, and I will seek to convey its strength, as applied to our lives as Christians, upon the careful review of Sandra L. Richter’s The Epic of Eden: A Christian Entry into the Old Testament. Richter designed this text as merely a tool by which we might further our understanding of the Old Testament narrative. With one minor glitch in her system, Richter handled the task as that of an expert in the field would – with patience, attention to central detail, and arresting dialogue designed to pull the reader in and leave them starving for more. Richter prefaced The Epic of Eden with a mind-boggling introduction that left no doubt in my mind that this was going to be an enlightening read, and I don’t say this casually. The second definition of the word enlighten, according to Merriam- Webster, is â€Å"to give spiritual insight to†, and Richter disguised a promise of nlightenment within the initial pages of this text. As a perfect example of this concealed assurance, Richter states that the end result of a church not knowing their Old Testament history is that â€Å"The church does not know who she is, because she does not know who she was†(17). These words resonate with the threat of a Christian identity crisis, while at the same time, the promise of an assured, powerful, Christian identity. One of the more profound ideas in Richter’s Epic of Eden is her use of an effective metaphor is chapter one. â€Å"†¦ we need to get past the great barrier – that hasm of history, language, and culture that separates us from our heroes in the faith† (21). This comparison seems to collect all of the hesitancies, the reservations, and the relative fear in understanding the Old Testament, and places them in a neat little package aptly titled the great barrier. Richter wasted no time in eliciting the appropriate internal response: there is a barrier to my knowledge of the Old Testament, and I am largely the reason that barrier exists. It became immediately obvious to me that, should I want to remove this barrier and learn more of who I am, nd where I came from, and dare I say, where I’m going, then I will require further reading. That promise of enlightenment, at this point, has become an extremely dominant theme. Richter takes a superb approach to answering the question of â€Å"How? † How will we, as Christians recognizing the need for Old Testament knowledge, come to understand the features of the Old Testament most relevant to who we are, where we have come from, and where we are going? Richter makes reference to the â€Å"dysfunctional closet syndrome† (18), a metaphor she uses to relate he idea that we possess a disorganized, collective array of varying thought and knowledge processes relevant to our Old Testament experience. In order to gain a full, working comprehension of our history, we must organize our ‘closets’, and become familiar with the pieces that are stuffed inside. Richter begins her teaching that we tend to see things through the lens of our own experiences, our own societies, our own cultures. This strengthens the great barrier in that we are not able to appreciate the events of the Old Testament, due in part to the differences between hat we know, and about that which we read. Richter points out that â€Å"†¦ to truly understand their story, we need to step back and allow their voices to be heard in the timbre in which they first spoke. We need to do our best to see their world through their eyes† (22). Richter allows the reader to identify this facet of the great barrier as more than a mere hindrance to understanding. Richter begins her breakdown of the Old Testament by stating the overall theme of the text- redemption. I would be hard pressed to find a more appropriate motivating factor in persuading one to truly nderstand the Old Testament. This is the ultimate goal in the life ofa Christian: to be redeemed by the Father for the wayward life lived as a human, who could never hope to prevail without it. Richter explains that the word redemption was actually adopted from â€Å"†¦ the laws and mores of Israel’s patriarchal, tribal culture† (40). She goes on to reference several popular stories from the Old Testament, in order to allow the reader to fully grasp the concept of redemption as it was applied in Old Testament text. The following are two examples: Ruth and Boaz – â€Å"But in his ntegrity, Boaz chooses to embrace the responsibility of a patriarch and become Ruth’s gdel – her ‘kinsman-redeemer† (42). Lot and Abraham – Lot and his household are invaded by a â€Å"†¦ oalition of Kings from Mesapotamia†¦ † (43), and Abraham, being Lot’s uncle, swoops in to save him (accompanied by hundreds of his family members). â€Å"So Abraham puts own household on the line, his own life on the line, in order to rescue his brother’s son from a strong enemy against whom he had no defense. This is anothe r expression of ‘redemption in Israel’s world† (43). The author uses these to nhance our understanding, on a more personal level, of the word redemption, and later, the impact it would have on the life of a faithful Christian when dealt by the hand of God. Richter begins to â€Å"organize our closets† by explaining the â€Å"†¦ real time and space – real people, real places, real faith† (47). In order to understand our Old Testament story, we must first â€Å"†¦ know something about the time and space our heroes occupied† (47). She does this by identifying the five â€Å"key players† (47): Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David, and their approximate time within the context of ur history. Richter, I believe, uses these figures as the framework of her explanation because each holds extreme value in the overall story of redemption. There are many stories involving other players in the Old Testament, but these five are the ones that have experiences directly relevant to our redemption. This was a masterfully crafted technique, and one I appreciate for its value in my own Old Testament comprehension. Next, Richter attempts to tackle the â€Å"real space† that these heroes occupied. Before delving into the topic, Richter acknowledges the idea that â€Å". eography is a trauma-inducing topic for some folks† (55). Remember in the first paragraph when I touched on the idea that there was a minor glitch in her system? Her attempt at wading through the waters of the geographical flood that stands ever- present in my mind failed miserably. Geography that we learn about in modern-day American education is one thing, and easy enough. Geography pertaining to the bible was an entirely different monster before reading Richter’s Epic of Eden, and it depictions of the space referenced in the text. But after her initial easy-to- nderstand reference of the pertinent places, the text became Jumbled, and I found myself constantly going back to check the maps, and then losing my train of thought. I continued on this annoying cycle throughout the entire explanation of space. I was ultimately left feeling confused and asking more questions, which resulted in the loss of information that I feel I should have been able to retain. Richter did an excellent job of keeping me entertained enough to forge ahead in my thirst for Old Testament knowledge by explaining in great detail the covenants that were held by the key layers of the Old Testament. To be quite honest, before reading Epic of Eden, I was only fully aware of the covenants between Adam and God, and between Noah and God, and I was only vaguely aware of the covenant between Abraham and God. I was delighted that Richter tackled these stories as someone with a strong passion for spreading the gospel. Because of the time and depth that she put into portraying each covenant, I am left with a broader understanding of each of the covenants, and of how they relate to my story, my redemption. Overall, Epic of Eden delivered on its (albeit hidden) promise of enlightenment. I have come a long way in the time it has taken me to read this book, and this can be attributed to the organized, complete set of facts that Richter pulled from the bible for use in aiding my comprehension, my enlightenment. I can now pick up the Old Testament, open to any page, and with my newfound knowledge, I can understand the story and know that it is also my story. An allusion to Einstein’s quote – I have found understanding, and so it is that I now experience peace.

Analyse the Pricipal Causes of the Spanish Civil War

Analyse the principal causes of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) Many historians have said that the Spanish Civil war was fuelled by political, economical, international ambitions and social conditions. The combat which was happening between socialism and fascism that dominated Europe, around the time of the war, only made matters worse. Spain was a monarchy in 1920 when King Alphonso XIII was in reign. The monarchy collapsed during 1931 due to the fact that the Spanish people detested the King and the dictatorial regimes which he supported.The monarchy was overthrown by the republicans once the downfall of General Miguel Primo de Rivera’s government came on the 29th January 1930. The Wall Street Crash is what led Rivera and his dictatorial regime to downfall it was only normal for King Alphonso XIII and the monarchy, which were in support of Rivera’s regime, to be targeted and overthrown. Where Spain stood politically, economically and socially reveals the prime cause s of the Spanish Civil War.Throughout this essay I will be analysing the principal causes of the Spanish Civil War by looking at the political, economical and social causes which contributed towards the war. After the monarchy was overthrown, the 2nd republic was created. The 2nd republic consisted of liberals and communists, also known as the left wing. This caused tension between the left and right wing due to the fact that the right wing mostly consisted of fascists and conservatives. The left wing however, realised that they did not possess all the power by simply leading the 2nd republic.The right wing consisted of the army and the Catholic party CEDA. The army was used to being in power especially when they were under the reign of King Alphonso XIII (because of his dictatorial means) so when the new government (led by Manuel Azana) decreased the army’s political importance and their costs were cut it only angered the right wing even further causing more of a tension bet ween both wings. CEDA, the right wing party, dedicated to protecting the authority of the Roman Catholic Church and landlords, was led by Gil Robles and had the support of many Spaniards from the upper classes.The government started addressing and attacking churches and land owners claiming that they had too much privileges in the society, the government only did this once they realised the power CEDA possessed and the influence and support that it has. The attack was seen as a means to alter and redeem some of the power which CEDA possessed, however this was a fail. This is when the fight between fascism and socialism began to take place; building up, along with other causes, to the Spanish Civil War.Spain’s economy was very poor and the Wall Street Crash only made it worse for Spain. Spain had an underdeveloped industrial sector that made them suffer economically. Industrial workers could not get jobs and the threat of inflation only made matters worse. The government wasnà ¢â‚¬â„¢t in support of peasants or landlords and this widened the gap between the poor and the rich. It became evident to the poor that the government were not supporting them resulting in the government losing support. All these issues were making Spain more and unstable both socially and economically.Spain suffered from agricultural poverty, land was owned by the wealthy and the wealthy preferred to benefit from their own wealth rather than grant land to peasants. The government introduced the Agrarian law of 1932 which was the distribution of land among peasant, this process however was failure and the government then introduced the Cases Viejas revolt during 1933, this however led to the suppression of members of the right wing by the government and this suppression lost them a great deal of support.Due to the great deal of support which the government lost, over the accusations of government troops killing 25 people in search of anarchists, Azana resigned from Prime Minister an d the elections which were called in November 1933 were won by CEDA. The most vital issue which caused social unrest was the independence which Basque and the province Catalonia region were demanding. These regions were culturally and ethically different from the rest of the country hence why they wanted to separate themselves and constitute their own government.This did not go down well with the army, who were in the right wing, due to the fact that they preferred the idea of unity instead of the idea of autonomy. The army’s state of thinking almost reflects Spain’s old-fashion social structure where the rich had the â€Å"bread† and left the peasants with â€Å"crumbs†. Wealthy landlords and ‘aristocracy’ had extensive political influence and used it in favour of themselves.The right wing, specifically CEDA and the army were representing the upper class as well as defending the Roman Catholic Church; the army played more of a role in taking full advantage of its power rather than defending the Roman Catholic Church or representing the upper class. The left wing, however, were willing to give Basque and Catalonia their independence. They were following in the footsteps of the British government in the sense they wanted everyone to be equal in the eyes of the law.The right wing did not accept any changes made after the monarchy was abolished as they were clear representatives of the privileged and the rich; this difference in interest between the two parties caused some social instability. To make matters worse the radical left wing had carried out and displayed many acts of violence, weakening the already feeble country. Overall, the difference of interest within the left, right wing and the radical left contributed to the arrival of the Spanish Civil war.The society was unsure and had little faith in Spain due to its poor and failing economy. The social tension which arose from Basque and Catalonia’s demand for independence, only added to the many other problems that Spain was already struggling to handle. The social, economical and political causes of the Spanish Civil war has been analysed in the essay and it can be summed up that the main causes was the social instability and the difference of interest between the political parties. BIBLIOGRAPHY http://ibhistory. wikidot. com/4

How I felt on September 11, 2001

How I felt on September 11, 2001 On the morning of September 11, 2001 I awoke thinking that this would yet be another typical Tuesday; little did I know that this day would change my life forever. Seeing two of our countries largest towers collapse was the scariest thing I have ever faced. After witnessing the pain and sorrow of that horrible day I realized now the same nightmares we see on television across the globe are actually happening in our own backyard.Over the course of the week following the attack, coverage of the search for victims and perpetrators was everywhere. Like most Americans I am sure, I was not able to tear myself away from the television until the real damage became apparent. Despite the media?s pleas for blood donations, they weren?t needed. There were barely any intact bodies found- let alone survivors.There are two images I still to this day cannot seem to get out of my mind.The Statue of Liberty front shot, on Liberty Islan...One is of a man in a suit jumping out of a top floor and falling to his death. He reminded me of a father who had put on his tie that morning in attempt to go to work in attempt to achieve the American Dream, only to be forced between burning alive or being killed upon the impact of his body with the momentum hitting the concrete sidewalk.The other image is of a girl my age with her mother and younger brother holding up a picture of her father, describing him while sobbing and begging for people to look for him in the surrounding hospitals. She looked so horrified and heart broken. I wanted so badly for her father to come home and say, ?Everything is okay.? More than anything, the attack has made me sad. I am sad for the victims?...

My Favorite Stephen Sondheim Musicals

My Favorite Stephen Sondheim Musicals Born March 22nd, 1930, Stephen Sondheim seemed destined to become one of America’s most beloved figures in American theater. When he was only ten years old, he moved with his mother to the Pennsylvanian countryside. There, he became neighbors and friends with the family of Oscar Hammerstein II. In his teens, Sondheim began writing musicals. When he showed Hammerstein his work, the famed lyricist explained that it was awful – but he also told him why it was awful. An amazing mentorship began. Hammerstein provided him one-on-one instruction and advice and gave Sondheim difficult yet creative challenges which honed the young artist’s songwriting skills. In 1956, Sondheim was chosen to write the lyrics for Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story. Soon after, he created the lyrics for the amazingly successful Gypsy. By the early 1960s, Stephen Sondheim was ready for his compositions to premiere on Broadway. Today, he is beloved among sophisticated audiences and performers alike. Here is a list of my favorite musicals by Stephen Sondheim: #1) Into the Woods I had the pleasure of watching the original Broadway production when I was 16 years old. At the time, I absolutely loved the first act, which plays like a wonderfully crafted and complex fairy tale comedy, ideal for the entire family. During the second half, however, I was quite disturbed by all the chaos and death. The story became too much like real life. And, of course, that’s the point of the show, a transition from fantasy to reality, or from adolescence to adulthood. Gradually, after listening to the soundtrack, and growing a bit older myself, I have come to love and appreciate both acts of this fun and fascinating musical. #2) Sweeney Todd It’s difficult to find a more violent musical than Sweeney Todd. And it’s difficult to find a more haunting melody than Sondheim’s â€Å"Johanna Reprise,† a hypnotic song that mixes beauty, longing, and murder. This is the story of a demented barber who seeks revenge, but goes way too far, driven mad in his lust for bloodshed. (It’s one thing to reap vengeance; it’s another thing to stuff people into meat pies.) Despite the carnage and cannibalism, there is a dark, infectious humor throughout Sweeney Todd, elevating this dreary story to genius. #3) A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum If you’re looking for a show that has a simple, laugh-out-loud happy ending, then Stephen Sondheim’s first success as composer/lyricist is the musical for you. During the show’s test run in Washington, D.C., Forum received negative reviews and apathetic reactions from the audience. Fortunately, director and self-proclaimed â€Å"play doctor† George Abbott suggested that they scrap the opening song, â€Å"Love Is in the Air.† Sondheim agreed and created the bouncy, hilarious number, â€Å"Comedy Tonight.† The new opening number energized Broadway audiences, eliciting laughter (and long lines at the box office). #4) Sunday in the Park with George Filled with beautiful songs and exquisite sets, Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George was inspired by the artwork of Georges Seurat, in particular his painting â€Å"A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.† I love stories that examine the lives of artistic geniuses – even if their history is fictionalized a great deal, as is the case with Sunday in the Park with George. The first act focuses on Seurat’s passions: his art and his mistress. The second act transitions to the 1980s, showing the struggles of a modern artist, George (the fictional grandson of Seaurat). Whenever I’m working on a creative project that takes a lot of concentration, I inevitably start to sing â€Å"Putting It Together,† one of my favorite Sondheim tunes, and an insightful commentary on the artistic process. #5) Company For me, this is the most â€Å"Sondheimish† of Stephen Sondheim’s musicals. The lyrics are funny, complicated, and emotional. Each song is like a cathartic experience for the characters. The basic premise: It’s Robert’s 35th birthday. He is still unmarried, and tonight all of his married friends will be throwing him a party. In the process, Robert analyzes his life and the relationships of his friends. It ran for 705 performances on Broadway, and earned six Tony Awards. So, why do I have it as my 5th favorite Sondheim musical? Perhaps it’s simply a personal thing. When I was a kid, listening to show-tunes such West Side Story and Sound of Music, I was vaguely familiar with Company. I liked the songs, but I could not connect with the characters. I assumed that when I became an adult that things would change, that I would eventually like to drink coffee, discuss real estate, and behave like the characters in Company. None of those things happened. Despite my own short comings, I still enjoy the songs and the non-linear storytelling style of Company. What’s Missing? Of course, there are many other great Sondheim works that didn’t make my personal list. Musicals such as Follies and Assassins never struck a chord with me. Tony Award winning Passion almost made my list, but because I’ve watched the video and not a live production, perhaps I wasn’t as entranced by the show as others have been. And what about Merrily We Roll Along? Although it flopped on Broadway, some would argue that it features Sondheim’s most heartfelt songs.

American Revolution or Evolution

Doesnt it enthrall one that a single word could bifurcate scholars and create factions amongst the erudite. Tort quo © (why? ) there must be a reason and there is! The answer is simple yet rational: Perspective. Albert Einstein, (the famous physicist) most remembered by his theory of relativity, concluded that distance and time were not absolute. History resides In the same niche. It Is more than a chronological account of past events of a period or a livelihood or development of a people, an institution, or a place. But what it is not is absolute. It is always left upon interpretation, scrutiny, analysis, probing and pondering. The perception or perspective gained through such rigorous processes is also subject to the base of a historian. It Is very uncommon to find historians sharing their bases of initial learning and therefore the effect of their own era, age, surroundings and upbringing must also be taken account of. A revolution, defined by Encyclopedia Britannica Is: a major. Sudden, and hence typically a violent alteration in government and in related associations and structures.On the other hand Oxford dictionary defines an evolution as: the gradual development of something, especially from a simple to a more complex form. Let us decide upon the usage of the word Revolution, which one can venture out to say, could be dated from the year 1775 with Its Ignition being the battle of Lexington and Concord and culmination being the ratification of the constitution of the states In 1782. Seemingly easy doesnt It? It doesnt really respond to how fundamentally did the thoughts, ideals, ideology and mindset of a 2. 5 million inhabitants change and led to the chain of events that became known as the American Revolution.What I believe Is that no people In the course of history have ever rebelled against a certain state, condition or Ideology without a buildup of grievances, resentment or a gradual shift of attitude towards accepting a better sadomasochism. Lets go back to the early 17th century when immigrations began to take place into the New World. Herds of folks comprising of German, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Jewish descent and not to mention the French Hugeness, began pouring into the lands in order to escape from the fetters of the Old World.They did not have any more an appetite for its rituals, its citrines, Its curbing of call liberties, and mostly the cost of living In It, One can even of the aforementioned causes. So it would be appropriate to say that a 17th ce ntury Europe was in revolution. Lets go further with this theory and say that the immigrants reaching the New World were revolutionaries. Almost 1 50 years of Paxar Americana (used strictly in context with the time period and not according to current usage) so to say was enjoyed by the colonists. During this time, some changes irrevocably did take place.This is evident from the fact that the language that the sorority of the immigrants originally spoke had evolved into a different dialect. So from this we can also entrust upon the belief that alongside linguistics political and socio-economic changes did also take place. A political change that actually began with the migrations was the rise of a political ideology known as Republicanism. Technically ruled by Great Britain or more accurately looked over, the colonies practiced the policy through their town halls and city councils. Very famous examples of such republican instruments were the Virginia House of Burgesses and theMassachusetts Assembly. These were regulated by either representative or direct democracy. The symbol of democracy at the time was looked upon as the House of Commons in England, however it did seem a bit more than contradicting to have the Bucking Palace towering high in the very country. The colonists did give their allegiances to the monarch but because of the fact that it was kind of conditional. Although they did not realize it nor was it formally declared but they remained docile because they were never tampered by British legislations.They had during this time, rated their own principles, created their own system of Jurisprudence, law, Justice, methods of trade, commerce, education, agriculture etc. When after the French and Indian war, the British began actively participating in the earlier enumerated colonial components of society; it wouldve obviously been not received glad hand edly by the Colonists as it did not. Lets now examine the economic evolution that took place to ensure Americas Independence. The 150 year old period was in terms of trade and commerce coined as a period of salutary neglect.For the colonists it brought economic prosperity and industrialization. For the British it was shooting themselves in the foot. Intentional lax in order to show the appreciation for economic freedom while regulating the policy of mercantilism. Does it make any sense? One would question Robert Walpole sanity between all of this; however he is not our subject of concern. What you shall so sow so shall you reap; a very old and passed around saying isnt it? But it does make sense in the context. The British for a very long period of time followed the policy and he colonist enjoyed its benefits.Smuggling was nothing out of the blue, very common. Other European nations also benefited from it, the Colonial agriculture products such as hay, wheat, barley, maize and cotton were valued highly in foreign markets. When the British annoyed at Colonial stubbornness to pay taxes, passed the writs of assistance; there was an outrage. There had to be one, like it did, smuggling was not put up with anymore and a flow of revenue generation created as a result of foreign trade stagnated. How were the merchants to run their businesses without the redeem of trading being allowed to them as it had always been?Hence there was an outcry by the merchants who went bankrupt as a result of such legislation. Somewhere or another. The country was not at all familiar with taxes; once again it is necessary to mention that when we talk about being not being tampered for almost 150 years it is meant more than it sounds. Citizens in Britain were obliged to pay taxes, however their brethren in the New World were not. I do at times believe that absolute freedom corrupts absolutely, there should be some harnesses or bridles put n in order to let civility root in or in this case for rule to sustain.When suddenly exposed to direct taxes such as Stamp Act and Sugar Acts why would it not cause havoc with in the colonists? It would lead to acrimony towards the crown like it did, it would lead to mass protests like it did and would lead to severing of ties like it did. In the beginning I wrote about how a historical event is subject to independent interpretation. How historians may or may not agree on something because of the different elements molding the shape of the basis for their knowledge.I must confess that it is no t arbitrary and applies to myself as it does to any other individual. I believe that evolution without revolution is lame and revolution without evolution blind, very similar to what Einstein said about religion and science. One thing is for certain though, nothing is by nature revolutionary. There has to be friction to beget fire. During the 150 year period evolutionary changes in political beliefs, social policies and economic mechanisms did take place otherwise the colonists wouldve never armed themselves to teeth and hoisted the flag of revolution.

Vodun and African culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Vodun and African culture - Essay Example They believe there exists a hierarchy of inferior creations, the vodun that vary in strength from Superior deities that govern nature forces and societies of men to the individual streams’ spirits, rocks and trees, an expression considered sacred. Another belief is that God cannot contend with the humans, which makes the Vodun the core of religious life. This element of Vodun religion bears a resemblance to Trinity and angles and saints intercession-making Vodun very compatible with Catholicism and generally Christianity. A strong syncretistic Haitian Vodou was conceived as a result. Tying of souls is another phenomenon in Vodun. They believe in tying a soul in something tangible and physical (Robinson, pg. 72). A person is linked to another person using a soul tie, which commonly links the living and the dead and it is a form of a curse. The key and core Vodun aspect is performing healing to the people from illnesses. Houngans and Mambo arguably have a dominant role in healing. Healing performed in Vodun is a combination of faith healing (using Iwa’s help and some other spirits), herbal medicine, and the western medicine is gaining popularity in many Vodun healing practices (McGee. pg. 28

The Criminal Justice System Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Criminal Justice System - Term Paper Example Even though, the administration is toothed with an exhaustive power to trace and punish criminals, many procedures have been set out by the American Constitution like right to engage a counsel , right to remain silence , right to appeal, etc. for an accused. The main intention of a criminal law is to safeguard society. One of the famous maxims about criminal law is that the punishment must fit the crime. Thus, this research study helps to evaluate what a criminal system is, a comparison between traditional and contemporary policing, legal, diversity and ethical issues associated with American criminal Justice System and about its intricacies in detail. [Summers &Hoffman, 2002, p.173]. Criminal justice system consists of a great number of actors executing different jobs like judges, police officers, probation officers, bondsman, etc. Each player in criminal justice system requires to gain assistance and cooperation of the other actors by assisting those players to accomplish their objectives. The federal system of the United States is founded on the substratum notion that the states administer the principal responsibility for criminal justice and hence , criminal justice is the nucleus of state and not national responsibility .[Barkow,2003,p.33]. Currently, there is no single criminal justice system in U.S.A as different states follow many systems that are identical but individually distinctive. However, court findings are based on the due process of justice that is guaranteed by the U.S constitution which is responsible for the administration of criminal justice. In U.S.A, criminal justice department consists of courts, police and corrections. Under criminal justice system, police performing roles like to look into reported crimes, gathering and safeguarding evidence, arresting the offenders and helping the prosecution that offenders get proper punishment and to keep law and order in the society. Court decides whether an individual is an offender or not and award a proper sentence to the offender and to interpret the law wherever it is necessary. Correction system offers protection and care for the convicted and to uphold the safeguards conferred by American constitution. Thus, role of criminal justice system’s functi ons is allocated differently across the state, local and federal governments Traditional Policing Customary policing focuses on individuals who commit crimes, and they will attempt to separate nonoffenders from offenders. One another old myth is that criminology spotlights on the community level. The purpose is not to identify why individual commit a crime but to recognize attributes in cities, neighborhood, nations and states that are responsible for higher magnitude of crime. (Samaha, 2005, p.56). According to

THE REAL VALUE OF INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL AND HOW IT IS INCLUDED IN A Essay - 1

THE REAL VALUE OF INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL AND HOW IT IS INCLUDED IN A COMPANYS FINANCIAL STATEMENT - Essay Example The knowledge of an organization is what is at time referred to as the brain power; therefore, intelligent capital can be viewed as the intangible assets used by the company in the making of its services and products. Intellectual capital, therefore, can be assumed to be the fundamental aspects of the company’s profit and loss statements, as well as its balance sheets. As such, the value of a business is, therefore, comprised of its revenue generated through its intellectual talents, financial assets, intellectual assets, and physical assets (Barney, et al., 2001). Three elements of intellectual capital include: Human capital mainly comprises of the values provided by business employees through application of expertise and skills ‘know how’. This component of intellectual capital is not owned by a company, and therefore when an employee leaves the company, the human capital consequently decreases (Peloso, 2008). Human capital can, therefore, be used to measure how effective a company is using its people resources as a measure of innovation and creativity. Structural includes the supportive infrastructures, databases and processes of an organization that enables the human capital to function. Components of structural capital include buildings, processes, software and so on. Additionally, structural capital also includes things such as information system, proprietary databases, research and development infrastructure facilities and organization’s image. The diversity of structural capital demands that it is broken down into: process, innovation, and organization capital. Process capital includes procedures of programs and the techniques that implement and enhance the delivery of services and goods. Innovation capital includes intangible assets and intellectual properties of the corporation. Organizational capital, on the other hand

Psychological Route to War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Psychological Route to War - Essay Example The act of war is a decision with the ultimate consequence. With such magnitude that comes with the declaration of war, it becomes imperative to understand the political and historical context that comes with such a decision. "The constitution makes the President Commander in chief of the armed forces but requires that Congress appropriate all money for the military. The president appoints ambassadors, but the Senate must confirm them. The president can sign treaties, but they have no meaning unless the Senate, by a two-thirds vote, ratifies them. Congress must 'declare' war, but the United States has often gone to war without any formal declaration. The reason is simple: America backs its fighting forces, and when they are put in harm's way, Congress pays their bills," (Wilson p.348). With such insurmountable risks at hand, the psychological reasoning behind resorting to a declaration of war to resolve conflict is an imperative idea to assess and analyze. To have one person be given the Godly role of placing people in a perilous situation, the psychology of what leads them there is tantalizing to contemplate. Humans by nature find themselves at one point in their lives being in the position of having to make a decision that has ramifications of monumental proportion. Psychology Today writes that, "War is probably the second most popular activity with the human race," says psychologist Lawrence LeShan, Ph.D., author of the recently published book, The Psychology of War (Helios Press, 2002). "Making love," he concedes, "is the first." In his book, LeShan argues that war's popularity stems from its unique ability to resolve two major psychological needs. It fulfills our sense of independence by assigning it a purpose, and it fulfills our need for community by establishing boundaries between 'us' and 'them,'" Adding that, "We say we love peace, but it doesn't actually excite us," says LeShan. "Even pacifists talk more about the horrors of war than the glories of peace." Battle generates perceptions so attractive that they can shift people from a rational perspective to one of "war mode," the idealized perception of crusading against evil. But as LeShan notes, After it's all over, you might have solved one problem, but you won't have solved all of the m," (Allen p.1). Humans, as a sign of their nature, can find themselves letting their subconscious desires filter into the decision making capabilities of their logical mindset on the outside. It is those unspoken desires which can lead the person into the most dangerous situations, with the direst of conclusions, or lead them into the most amazing of successes. In the end, as it comes down to it, the chips ultimately fall wherever they may and it is up to whomever is at the helm to make the important decisions with only their natural resolve, as well as the conviction of their psyches, to guide them as best as they see fit at the present time. To assess the psychological reasoning behind the act of declaring war, one must

The financial impact upon Menzies Hotel Dissertation

The financial impact upon Menzies Hotel - Dissertation Example Financial Ratios 36 Financial Impact of the Takeover 38 Chapter 6: Conclusions and recommendations 42 Bibliography 45 Appendices 51 Appendix A. Ten people crimes and Organisational result 52 Appendix B. Key Issues to Address in Post-Merger Integration 53 Appendix C. Trompenaars' Theories on culture 54 Appendix D. Survey Questionnaire 55 Tables 57 Table 1.1. Financial Ratios of Menzies Hotels PLC as of January 2005 58 Table 1.2. Financial Highlights Queens Moat Hotels Ltd. as of December 2004 59 Table 2. Criteria on Interviewee Selection 60 Table 3. Summary of responses to Interviews 61 Table 4. Summary of Secondary Data on Relevant Theories 63 List of terms Acquisition: When one business takes control of another, this is known as an acquisition. Investment banks and other financial institutions often have mergers and acquisitions (M & A) departments, to provide financial and other forms of support for these activities. Some acquisitions, like Daimler Benz's of Chrysler in 1998, are disguised as a merger for political reasons. Due Diligence: An internal analysis by a lender, such as a bank, of existing debts owed by a borrower in order to identify or re-evaluate the risk; an independent analysis of the current financial state and future prospects of a company in anticipation of a major investment of venture capital or a stock-exchange flotation; a Venture Capitalist firm's examination by its lawyers and auditors of the records, accounts and any legal documents of an existing business. Four-Star hotel: Stars are used to give the traveller an indication of the very least they can expect from the hotel. A four-star hotel is fully en-suite, with a Restaurant for cooked breakfast and dinner, often smallish with 50-80 bedrooms and friendlier places to... This discussion talks that people-related risks and liabilities have a substantial effect on the acquisition value - and the price. These need to be discovered with due diligence before the deal is closed. Suggests using a 360-degree due diligence to give the buyer a complete look at value and risk.Examined benefits accruing to target shareholders in the five-year period after the combination and recommend getting paid in cash, favor investing in acquirers that use tender offers, and that stock payments be used if overpriced. Target shareholders who receive cash must buy acquirer stock. Shows three ways to determine the value of something through financial valuation: an income approach, a cost approach, or a market approach. Companies that pay attention to revenues and delivering on total return to shareholders instead of focusing exclusively on cost cutting are more successful at acquisitions. Problems with receivables can eat into the cash flow - and future revenues - of a newly fo rmed company. Buyer must ensure all supporting documentation on receivables sent as fast as possible to the new company's consolidated credit group. Should pooling of interests accounting be allowed In essence, when two firms combine, there are two methods that can be used to account for the combined value of the firm? They are the purchase method and the pooling of interests method. In most cases, they yield radically different outcomes - with pooling resulting in a much better-looking income statement for years to come.

Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada Research Paper - 2

Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada - Research Paper Example It deals with the issues concerning its organizational culture that encourages excellence by shielding itself from a nefarious effect of political influence which can negatively affect its organizational objectives of providing an efficient transport system for the region's population not only today but fifty years from now. It had adopted transparency in all its transactions with the publication of all relevant data and information on its Web site regarding its activities, agenda and future plans so that all the agency's community investments are maximized. The paper also gives a brief background on the dynamic region of southern Nevada and how the RTCSN plays an important part in its vital transformation. The agency is well managed as an empowered organization through its internal advocacy (like re-organization) and external advocacy (in cases like plans for transport systems such as building new roads) to minimize traffic congestion and future transport challenges. Introduction Th e region of southern Nevada includes the five counties of Clark, Esmeralda, Nye, Mineral, and Lincoln; this is incidentally also the region where the majority of the state's population live due to the rest of the state being an inhabitable desert. This region encompasses the Las Vegas Valley and the region is a major educational center of the area. Moreover, most of its economy is based on the tourism-related industries of gaming (gambling), leisure, vacation (senior retirees), hotel, hospitality, and travel. This means there is a lot of movement within this region, which is a reason for existence of the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTCSN) to regulate and plan all the transport-related concerns of this region with regards to this sudden population expansion due to the influx of tourists (both local and foreign), migrants (temporary workers seeking jobs, mostly in construction) and those potential retirees attracted by the warm climate, no state taxes and na ture attractions at Lake Tahoe. It is estimated Nevada entices some five million visitors annually with revenues of about US$ 6 billion (Leong, 2008, p. 2). Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada is the agency mandated by state and federal governments for maintaining a continuing, cooperative and comprehensive (3C) transportation planning process. The RTCSN has been re-named (in 1981) as the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for southern Nevada in view of its expanded responsibilities. This new agency has to operate using the same modern management tools used in all big corporations and is the subject or topic of this paper. Among other things, it has to operate within budgets, use organizational skills to attract the best-qualified people to its ranks and obtain the cooperation of the riding public to achieve its goals of efficiency and sustainability (RTCSN, 2012, p. 1). Discussion The RTCSN has to be operated like any private enterprise in order to maximize all the resources given to it and achieve its mission of sustainability such as maintaining the air quality through encouragement of Club Ride Commuter Services that promotes walking, biking, pooling of cars and vans, and in the use of the mass transit system, which it operates and carries about 64 million passengers per year.  

The financial impact upon Menzies Hotel Dissertation

The financial impact upon Menzies Hotel - Dissertation Example Financial Ratios 36 Financial Impact of the Takeover 38 Chapter 6: Conclusions and recommendations 42 Bibliography 45 Appendices 51 Appendix A. Ten people crimes and Organisational result 52 Appendix B. Key Issues to Address in Post-Merger Integration 53 Appendix C. Trompenaars' Theories on culture 54 Appendix D. Survey Questionnaire 55 Tables 57 Table 1.1. Financial Ratios of Menzies Hotels PLC as of January 2005 58 Table 1.2. Financial Highlights Queens Moat Hotels Ltd. as of December 2004 59 Table 2. Criteria on Interviewee Selection 60 Table 3. Summary of responses to Interviews 61 Table 4. Summary of Secondary Data on Relevant Theories 63 List of terms Acquisition: When one business takes control of another, this is known as an acquisition. Investment banks and other financial institutions often have mergers and acquisitions (M & A) departments, to provide financial and other forms of support for these activities. Some acquisitions, like Daimler Benz's of Chrysler in 1998, are disguised as a merger for political reasons. Due Diligence: An internal analysis by a lender, such as a bank, of existing debts owed by a borrower in order to identify or re-evaluate the risk; an independent analysis of the current financial state and future prospects of a company in anticipation of a major investment of venture capital or a stock-exchange flotation; a Venture Capitalist firm's examination by its lawyers and auditors of the records, accounts and any legal documents of an existing business. Four-Star hotel: Stars are used to give the traveller an indication of the very least they can expect from the hotel. A four-star hotel is fully en-suite, with a Restaurant for cooked breakfast and dinner, often smallish with 50-80 bedrooms and friendlier places to... This discussion talks that people-related risks and liabilities have a substantial effect on the acquisition value - and the price. These need to be discovered with due diligence before the deal is closed. Suggests using a 360-degree due diligence to give the buyer a complete look at value and risk.Examined benefits accruing to target shareholders in the five-year period after the combination and recommend getting paid in cash, favor investing in acquirers that use tender offers, and that stock payments be used if overpriced. Target shareholders who receive cash must buy acquirer stock. Shows three ways to determine the value of something through financial valuation: an income approach, a cost approach, or a market approach. Companies that pay attention to revenues and delivering on total return to shareholders instead of focusing exclusively on cost cutting are more successful at acquisitions. Problems with receivables can eat into the cash flow - and future revenues - of a newly fo rmed company. Buyer must ensure all supporting documentation on receivables sent as fast as possible to the new company's consolidated credit group. Should pooling of interests accounting be allowed In essence, when two firms combine, there are two methods that can be used to account for the combined value of the firm? They are the purchase method and the pooling of interests method. In most cases, they yield radically different outcomes - with pooling resulting in a much better-looking income statement for years to come.

Ceo Fiat & Chrysler Analysis Essay Example for Free

Ceo Fiat Chrysler Analysis Essay Sergio Marchionne is well known for taking over struggling car companies and turning them around. His most recent endeavor was becoming the CEO of Fiat and Chrysler. His business idol, Steve Jobs, who much like himself, took a struggling computer company and turned it into a company that continues to change the way we live and communicate today. It is no surprise that Sergio’s idol is a transformational leader who had similar goals and charisma. Micromanagement One of Sergio’s early efforts was to transform the company from one that made large gas guzzling vehicles to one that made more energy efficient ones. He wanted to work closely with the engineers and managers that made the operational decisions and organizational design issues (DubBrin, 2013). Someone at his level typically makes more of the strategic decisions and relies more upon his management staff to handle the day-to-day operations and direct them as needed. Many managers aren’t able to easily let go of how they used to operate (Ashkenas, 2012). It seems that Sergio is trying to stay connected with the decisions and the people in his new role in a similar many he would have if he was still and manager and not the CEO. It also appears that he is afraid of losing touch with the operations of the organization. Ashkenas says that many in his position feel that they become more isolated in their higher up position so they compensate and satisfy their anxiety by attempting to stay as connected as much as possible (Ashkenas, 2012). When Sergio’s need for more direct contact and interaction unites with his old tendenci es to manage, then he becomes more of a micromanager whether he realizes it or not. Sergio is a very task oriented leader. DuBrin lists out 2 characteristics of a task oriented leader that fit Sergio well. Sergio is good at setting the direction of Fiat and Chrysler new mission to make more fuel efficient cars. He also provides a lot of hands-on guidance and feedback. When Sergio said that he wanted to work closely with the people making the day-to-day decisions, one of his executives was quoted saying â€Å"it shows me that he is going to be very hands-on† (DuBrin, 2013). His desire to remain in close contact with the operations can help enhance his technical knowledge, which Dubrin says is a very important leadership characteristic, however too much guidance and closely tied decision making is a sign of micromanagement. Concerns with door handle Sergio was very concerned about the door handle that was not water-tight. Some leaders wouldn’t want to waste time and money trying to fix something that could be easily ignored. In the early part of his career, Sergio said that this issue â€Å"would have probably been swept under the carpet,† but not anymore (DuBrin, 2013). Take a minute to think about Sergio’s idol, Steve Jobs. What made his company and his legacy into something that will be talked about and studied for years? It was not only his charisma and vision, but his attention to detail and his unwillingness to compromise until his products reached perfection. Jobs was quoted in a Smithsonian Magazine article saying â€Å"it takes a lot of hard work to make something simple, to truly understand the underlying challenges and come up with elegant solutions,† (Isaacson, 2012). It makes sense that Sergio would be as concerned about the door handle as he was. His idol was someone who wouldn’t stop until perfection was reached and it seemed like he tried to emulate Job’s management style. This may solidify as discussed above that he is more of a micromanager than he realizes. Looking at all of the history and success that Job’s brought to Apple, which almost went bankrupt (Shontell, 2011), how could you blame Sergio for being so concerned with Fiat’s and Chrysler’s design? Dual Citizenship As the CEO of 2 companies in 2 different countries, being a dual citizen of both countries has its benefits. By being a citizen of Italy Sergio has a unique opportunity as a businessman. He has better access to financial and investment opportunities in Italy that may benefit both countries which would otherwise be difficult to get for non-citizens. By being a citizen of a European Union country, Sergio is able to work or live anywhere in the European Union which expands his options when it comes to doing business and possibly trying to grow his business (italiandualcitizenship.com, 2013). He can travel between Canada and Italy with ease without having to get a work visa, so if a need arises where he need to quickly travel to either company, he can do so without any issues. As a citizen of each country, Sergio can identify himself with the people of Canada and Italy and be better able to fit in with the culture. Levi talks about a one key thing about teams that relates well with Sergio’s situation, group norms. Group norms help establish the group’s values, establish a common ground for operating, define appropriate behavior and create a distinct identity (Levi, 2011). Think of each country and business as a team or group. As a member of each group, Sergio would most likely have a better understanding of each country’s and businesses norms so he could better fit in as part of the team rather than an outsider. He may better be able to motivate his teams differently since they’re each part of different countries and get more productivity out of them. Conclusion Sergio has a unique opportunity by being the CEO of 2 different companies in 2 different countries. He invests much of himself in both Chrysler and Fiat. He is so concerned with his company’s day-to-day operations that he may miss out on most effectively managing the strategic initiatives between both companies. He is also concerned with both company’s products and performance the way his business idol was, Steve Jobs, that he risks being seen by many as a micromanager or micro-CEO which may be counter-productive. As a citizen of both Canada and Italy where both companies are located, Sergio is better able to take advantage of the ease of travel between counties, and has better access to financing and investment opportunities in each country that could benefit both Chrysler and Fiat. His dual citizenship may also give him a better understanding of the social norms in both countries so he can better manage and fit in within each company or team. Sergio has a lot of good qualities that benefit his position as CEO of 2 different companies. While he cares a lot about the product, quality and day-to-day operations, he needs to focus more on the strategic initiatives especially if he plans on integrating business operations between Fiat and Chrysler. He also has the benefit of being a citizen of both Italy and Canada so he can understand and fit in with the norms of each country, but being seen as a micromanager could hinder productivity and respect from his teams. Overall Sergio has great qualities and is positioned well to run both companies. As long as he doesn’t lose sight of the bigger picture, he will probably achieve what he set out to achieve. References DuBrin, A. (2013). Leadership research, findings, practice, and skills. (7th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western, Cengage Learning. Levi, D. (2011). Group dynamics for teams. U.S.A: Sage Publications Inc. Ashkenas, R. (2012, 11 19). Why no one admits to micromanaging. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/ronashkenas/2012/11/19/why-no-one-admits-to-micro-managing/ Isaacson, W. (2012, September). How Steve Jobs love of simplicity fueled a design revolution . Retrieved from http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/How-Steve-Jobs-Love-of-Simplicity-Fueled-A-Design-Revolution-166251016.html Shontell, A. (2011, January 19). The amazing story of how Steve Jobs took apple from near bankruptcy to billions in 13 years . Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/how-steve-jobs-took-apple-from-near-bankruptcy-to-billions-in-13-years-2011-1 Italian American Citizenship. (2013). Italian dual citizenship. Retrieved from http://www.italianamericancitizenship.com/Benefits.html http://www.italiandualcitizenship.com/id50.htm

Depictions of Paranoia in Art Exhibitions

Depictions of Paranoia in Art Exhibitions An essay relating a text from Art in Theory (ed. Harrison and Wood) to a current exhibition or work of art located in United Kingdom In this essay I will look at a selection of art from the exhibition entitled â€Å"Paranoia† situated at the Freud Museum. The exhibition is intended as an investigation of â€Å"suspicion, fear, trauma and delusion in the post 9/11 world† and investigates the abuses of political power and the media in generating a public consensus of good and evil in the world. In particular, I will look at the work of Franko B., a London based artist who uses paintings and performance to challenge perceptions of our bodies and of how the political relates to the artistic and the individual. In this exhibition there are exhibits of a couple of his black acrylic paintings. These paintings are heavily wrought, naively painted and concerned with depth and texture rather than with notions of prettiness. Because they eschew certain relationships between what comprises art, and are coupled with Franko B’s place as a performance artist, whose blood-letting performances in 2003 at Tate Modern, they challenge the aestheticism and the inability for the artist to be a politically relevant individual. A number of video installations also attempt to directly politicise art in crude rather than subtle ways. Jackie Salloom’s Planet of the Arabs and other works is a 20 minute video that pieces together stills from films, magazines, newspapers, television and advertising media, and functions to expose how myths and prejudices are developed and disseminated across society. Because I am interested in the political effects of art, and whether art can be established effectively as a critiquing tool to place against society, I will be looking in particular at how this exhibition relates to Joseph Buoys theories on the democratization of art, and upon whether performance based â€Å"Action Art† by artists such as Franko B. can effectively empower the individual, making him or her an artist him or herself. The 1960s signalled a movement away from the perception of the artist as a unique purveyor of singular genius towards a more inclusive, incorporative process that questioned the underlying mechanisms and mythologies of artistry. Andy Warhol in particular sought to fabricate the notion of the artist as a Promethean character; a sort-of demented idiot-savant, whose suffering brought light upon the world, by questioning the very foundations of the artist. Warhol’s techniques were designed to automate and remove any particular response from the art. Similar to the collage techniques of the futurists, the pop art movement could be seen as both an attempt to contemporize art and furthermore to erode or, at the very least, to change the perception of the artist and how he or she relates to the world around him. Politically this has important connotations. Because of Warhol’s techniques towards the mass dissemination of art and of factory produced Warhol pieces of art, the arti st is no longer seen as objective and singular, and the â€Å"truth† offered by the artist is no longer situated above society, but alongside it. Politically, this means that the sweeping and grandiose ideologies signified by futurism, cubism, surrealism and other modernist movements no longer have the same currency. Therefore, politics have changed and art has become a fusion of high and low forms of entertainment and politics. The video installation and performance-based art that looks to remanufacture the artifice of the artistic self is innately political in Joseph Beuy’s terminology because it seeks to confront and democratize the artistic world, making artists of everybody that interacts with it. â€Å"To impose forms on the world around us is the beginning of a process that continues into the political field. Discussion used to centre on the participation of the public and it became apparent that actionism as a sort of joint play was not enough; the participant must also have something to contribute from the resources of his own thought† (905). Therefore, in accordance with Buoys, the political field of art is in its struggle to empower and to transform others into artists. Buoys’ theory posits that, while there are people excluded from art, there can be no democracy. Thus, rather than art being a peripheral critique of society and politics, it forms a principle component of art i tself. He continues by saying that â€Å"A total work of art is only possible in the context of the whole of society. Everyone will be a necessary co-creator of a social architecture, and, so long as anyone cannot participate, the ideal form of democracy has not been reached† (905). At the exhibition, techniques are adopted which serve to democratize art. Two books are present in the museum in which people draw things related to their dreams. Also, in a more abstract way, much of the art leaves gaps and ambiguities into which the artist can place his or her engagements. The use of video footage and stills from mass market publications in Salloom’s Planet of the Arabs suggests that the artist is attempting to democratize the art in question. The intentionally crude collage nature of the work which juxtaposes images sharply, quickly and crudely also serves to denounce the role of the artist as talented, serving instead to perceive the artist as a facilitator to bring abo ut other artists. The use of footage that we are all familiar with; war torn countries, bombings, newspaper images and other forms of mass media serves to invoke a sense of feeling in the viewer, and the satirized nature of the piece helps the viewer confront one’s own prejudices, which in turn empowers the viewer and helps to denounce the controlling mechanisms of mass-media. â€Å"Truth† and the specific role of artist are further interrogated by the artist Tim Blake and his piece The Big Secret. This simply features an interview with the prominent conspiracy theorist David Icke. Although widely denounced in scientific communities for his â€Å"crackpot† theories, here David Icke is allowed to speak in an unmediated way about his theory that extraterrestrial insects control and govern the planet. Here Tim Blake attempts to provoke the viewer into a reaction by filming Icke in an unelaborated way. In the accompanying pamphlet, he uses a quotation from Freud: â€Å"The psycho-analyst, in the light of his knowledge of the psychoneuroses, approaches the subject with a suspicion that even thought-structures so extraordinary as these and so remote from our common modes of thinking are nevertheless derived from the most general and comprehensible impulses of the human mind† (1). Thus, here there is an attempt made to democratize humanity a nd to assume that all emerges from a general principle. Coupled with the absence of any particularly artist-like pretensions in the film, the question of artist is interrogated and jeopardised, allowing for democracy, in Buoys’ sense, to occur: â€Å"In a true democracy there are no other differences than capability; democracy can only develop freely when all restrictive mechanisms are gone. One of the greatest of these restrictive mechanisms is the present-day school, because it does not develop people but channels them† (905-6). In Franko B’s retrospective of his art, he posited that the best reaction to his work would be for somebody to mention themselves in relation to it. His work has always attempted to denigrate his own position as technical artist in favour of more openly politicised attempts to democratize his viewers. His work in multiple medias over the years, from performance art involving blood letting to mass-produced flags that he would stain with his own blood, to more â€Å"traditional† painting, suggests that he is attempting to transform the image of the artist and how it is conceived by the masses. As most people feel politically isolated from art, it is of especial importance that the artist relates to people outside of the artistic world. Franko B’s crude and naà ¯ve painting, his simple iconography, and his lacerating, self-sacrificing performance pieces attempts to achieve this by making his work both accessible and vague simultaneously. His massive black portraits echo Rothko in their minimalism, but are concerned with iconic and image based themes that Franko B. takes from his own life. Because these pieces don’t use any colour other than black, they appear more concerned about depth and line. Also, because they are made from blown up photographs, they also deny singular artistic talent in favour of a more inciting, democratic painterly technique. Buoys argues that â€Å"The times educate people to think in terms of abstract concepts†¦ most people think they have to comprehend art in intellectual terms – in many people the organs of sensory and emotional experience have atrophied† (905). Buoys attacks what he sees as â€Å"the prevailing scientific concepts†, which constrain and hamper the development of artistic imagination. According to Buoys, the concept of art must be widened to incorporate all things. The use of multimedia and various sources fragment the traditional role of artist as a singular paradigm of a truth that cannot be interacted with. Also, the conception of mass-produced art, which can be disseminated through video also serves a similar purpose – to allow for a larger audience to be incorporated into art, not as passive but as active components. The crudity of the art on offer at the museum, which directly and unambiguously interrogates the role mass media has to play in the f ormation of mechanisms of racial hate, terrorism and power, echoes the sentiments of Joseph Buoys. Works Cited Leaflet for Paranoia at the Freud Museum, 2007 Beuys, Joseph (1921-1986) ‘Not Just a Few Are Called, But Everyone’, Art in Theory, pp 903-6 Harrison, Charles Wood, Paul (2003), Art in Theory: 1900-2000: An Anthology of Changing Ideas, Oxford: Blackwell Publishers

Poetry Coursework :: English Literature

Poetry Coursework I am going to compare these two poems by thinking about the theme, purpose, mood, language and imagery. An extract from â€Å"The Ballad of Reading Gaol† by Oscar Wilde. In the first verse of this poem, the writer introduces us to a miserable setting of a prison, â€Å"the dripping wall, the leaden sky.† This sets us in the mood of how it was to be a prisoner at the end of the 19th century. Oscar Wilde introduces us to another character, a murderer. Throughout the poem, Wilde sympathizes with this character. We see this by the use of language. Wilde tells us about the wardens who watched this prisoner, â€Å"for fear the man might die.† â€Å"And by each side a warder walked.† Although the wardens knew that this man would be put to death, they still watched him in the event that the prisoner might take his own life. Wilde refers to this man as ‘prey’ thus giving the impression that the wardens are hunting this man’s blood. This use of language reveals that Wilde disapproves of the way the man is treated and sees this as an unjust act. The purpose of Wilde’s poem is to protest against the authorities and against the way the prisoners are treated. He writes about the harsh conditions, â€Å"We rubbed the door, and scrubbed the floors, And cleaning the shining rails: And, rank-by-rank, we soaped the plank, And clattered with the pails.† The rails were already shiny they didn’t need cleaning. Wilde also protests against the difficult and monotonous work. The structure, language and brisk rhythm in this poem give emphasis to the main point of Wilde’s poem. â€Å"And shaven heads and feet of lead Make a merry masquerade.† He uses harsh repetitive words that are difficult to pronounce. â€Å"With blunt and bleeding nails.† Just as this is difficult to say, it was difficult work to do. The thought of this cruelty makes you quiver. Oscar Wilde was in prison when he wrote this poem, and therefore he could not openly address his intended audience. Instead, He used a lot of irony in his writing. He questions the role of compassion through irony, in such a place with a definitely ironic tone, â€Å"And what should human pity do Pent up in a murderer’s hole? What word of grave in such a place Could help a brother’s sole?† Wilde is attacking the governor, the doctor, and the Chaplin for not having pity on the prisoners. He disapproves of their approaches by listing their actions coldly. A minister of church should be praying with him. Religious men have jobs to pray with him and accompany him. But the Chaplin isn’t doing his job.

Type 1 diabetes :: essays research papers

Squats Versus Lunge   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The purpose of my project grade sheet is to get a better understanding of the movement I chose which was squats versus lunges. The body of my research paper will give the reader a better understanding of the following for my specific movement. Anatomy: The origin and insertions that are involved include the Glutes- gluteus medius, gluteus maximus, Hamstrings- lliotibial band, biceps femoris, semitendinosus, adductor magnus, gracilis, semimembranosus. Calves- Gastrocnemius, soleus, peroneus brevis, flexor hallucis longus. Thighs- Pectineus, sartorius, adductor longus, tensor fasciae latae, gracilis, quadriceps, rectus femoris, vastus intermedius, vastus lateralis, and vastus medialis. These muscles originate just beneath the gluteus maximus on the pelvic bone and attach on the tibia. The primary functions are knee flexions which involve bringing the heel towards the gluteus maximus and hip extensions moving the leg to the rear end. Squats and lunges are a simple but very effective exercise for the lower bodies specifically the legs. It helps with balance and coordination which comes very useful for any sporting events as well as muscle development. The hamstrings, gluteus, and quadriceps muscles can be worked by using dumbb ells, barbells or just by simply using your own body weight, which we refer to as calisthenics. The most important point to remember about calisthenics is that if your muscles do not receive more stress than what they are used to, you are wasting your time. The advantages of using dumbbells and barbells are more effective in developing the smaller synergistic (helping) muscles and stabilizer muscles. Synergism is the combined effects of two or more parts of forces or agents which is greater than the sum of individual effects. The bone articulations that are involved include the pelvic bone, tibia bone and femur. The soft tissue ligaments (connects bone to bone) and tendons (connects muscle to bone) that are involved are the anterior and posterior cruciates, patella tendon connects quadriceps muscles to patella, and it also involves the shins. Kinetics: Sir Isaac Newton a scientist during the 1600’s, made observations about the world surrounding him. The observations he came up with and out of those he developed the three laws of motion. Newton’s laws of motion explain rest, constant motion, and acceleration motion; He described how balance and unbalanced forces act to cause the states of motions. In other words they are fundamental to understanding human movement. The laws that account for my movements are the law of inertia, which is the first law, it states â€Å"a body in motion tends to remain in motion at the same speed in a straight line unless acted on by a force; a body at rest tends to remain at rest unless acted on by a force†.

Ekpeye People of Nigeria Essay

It became a serious problem that the elderly indigenes of the town had to cry out for help so that their innocent youths would not be taught this new way of life. It is true that there are many tribes in Nigeria that are still holding to the moral standard of their culture. But in a country where a lot of people migrate everyday away from their tribe and culture to other people’s culture for reasons like admission into higher institutions of learning, youth service, employment, etc; it becomes imperative to consider and treat cohabitation as a very serious anomaly. The Ekpeye tribe, one of the numerous tribes in Rivers state of Nigeria is a very good example of the tribes that are now involved in cohabitation. Working among the Ekpeye youths, one will discover a high rate of premarital sexual relationship among the youths. Many of these youths cohabiting with one another are not unbelievers; many couples in the local churches are not married, at least according to the customary law. Majority of these young people came together as a result of premarital sexual relationships which resulted in unwanted pregnancy. Sad enough, many of these people are church members serving in one capacity or another; in fact, there are pastors among them. It has become the order of the day, a common thing that goes on from one town to the other. Majority of these youths, including Christians go into it with the knowledge of their parents and community leaders. This is gradually becoming a serious temptation to many Christian youths who want to uphold the standard of God for marriage and stay faithful to marriage vows. It  Ã‚   is also standing as a barrier to evangelize those outside the church. This research paper is focused on this people group with the intention of knowing their marriage custom, how cohabitation gained access into the culture, the way cohabitation is practiced and the effects that cohabitation has on the cohabiting families and the church. Ekpeye Tribe and Its Marriage Custom Ekpeye tribe is one of the local tribes in Rivers state. Ekpeye tribe as seen in the map is in Ahoada East and Ahoada West local government areas in Rivers state. There are four traditional groups in Ekpeye kingdom. They are Akoh, Ubie, Upata and Igbuduya. 8 The main occupations of Ekpeye traditional society are farming, hunting and fishing.