To reduce public debt, the welfare state has to be cut back. Discuss Essay

To reduce public debt, the welfare state has to be cut back. Discuss - Essay Example It shall discuss the reduction of public debt, and how cutting back on the welfare state can help reduce or manage it. High public debt can weigh heavily on economic growth. â€Å"While causality runs both ways, an important causal channel is taxation: high public debt implies the need to distort economic activity (labor, capital) to service the debt (either through taxation or cuts in productive spending) which dampens economic growth† (Ostry, Ghosh, Espinosa, 2015, p. 2). This reasoning also relates to the fact that establishing a basis for sustainable growth would call for payment made upfront for the reduction of current debts. For countries experiencing gaps in their economic structures while being burdened with public debts, an apparent tradeoff is usually observed between the establishment of public capital stock and the need to secure a basis for increased economic growth (Ostry, et.al., 2015). Based on an analysis of countries which have gone through economic stagnation, the issue of high public debt has been named as a major issue holding back the country’s progress (Ostry, e t.al., 2015). In Europe, the early 2000s brought about economic stagnation in the region (Busch, 2010). Such economic stagnation has had a negative effect on their social security processes not just in the region, but also in other parts of the world (Alcock, 2014). Since the 1990s, the welfare state in most industrialized nations have experienced significant pressure and strain due to the increase in population, changes in the demographic qualities of the population, the increase in public debt, and low rates of employment (Busch, 2010). As such, major reforms were implemented to address these issues. The mid-2000s saw an economic boom for the region, allowing pressure off the welfare state (Busch, 2010). However, this also meant a significant increase in public debt, including an increase in unemployment rates. Growth rates for the region were

The Hawala Extortion Method Essay Example for Free

The Hawala Extortion Method Essay Among the methods terrorists worldwide use to move money from regions that finance them to target countries some hardly leave any traceable trail. As regulators learned recently, one of the weak points in the payments chain through which illicit funds can enter is a system of traditional trust-based banking originating in southern Asia which is known as hawala. The word hawala is Hindi meaning trust or exchange. Often used in relation with the word hundi which stands for bill of exchange hawala is an unofficial alternative remittance and money exchange system enabling the transfer of funds without their actual physical move. Traditional financial institutions may be involved but more often the system is used to bypass banks. There are an estimated 3000 international hawala brokers operating in Asia. Allegedly the business is monopolized by migrants from India who mostly operate from countries in the Gulf and South East Asia. Networks include trading points in the financial centres of Singapore and Hong Kong, and some of the biggest family-based money-dealers are based in London. In principle, hawala works as follows: Individual brokers or operators†, known as hawaladers, collect funds at one end of the payment chain and others distribute the funds at the other. For example, an expatriate working in America or Kuwait who wants to send money back to his family in Pakistan or Syria turns to a moneylender or trader with contacts in both countries giving him the money. The trader calls a trusted partner in the home country who delivers the amount to the family, minus a commission. For identification and the details of the trade often a code is used. The two traders settle accounts either through reciprocal remittances, trade invoice manipulations, gold and precious gem smuggling, the conventional banking system, or by physical movement of currency. Usually, hawaladers operate independently of each other rather than as part of a larger organization. For Asian immigrants the hawala system provides a speedy, reliable and trustworthy method to remit money home. In principle, it allows cash delivered in one place to be made available elsewhere in the time it takes to make a telephone call or send a fax. The system proves superior to any Western banking operation: No identification needs to be presented, commissions are very low, transmission is very fast, and the system is in operation 24 hours a day and every day of the year even in regions where no banks or other financial institutions exist. The latter also explains why the system is not only used by expatriates, drug barons and terrorists, but in some countries is quite common in rural areas. For example, in the 1980s, about 70% of total credit outstanding in Pakistan were estimated to be in the informal sector, and about 80% of all informal credit were in agriculture. Hawala has been a traditional method of moving money in south Asia long before Western banking became established in the region protecting early merchants along the silk road against robbery. In ancient China it was known as fei qian or flying coins. The system spread throughout the world – to other Asian regions, the Middle East, eastern and southern Africa, Europe and North and South America – following immigration patterns. Based on a mans word there is strong market segmentation in that, for example, a Pashtun trusts only a Pashtun hawaladar, a Sikh only a Sikh one, and so on. These days, although mainly used for legitimate transfers and often operating in conjunction with Western banking operations, the hawala system is regarded as a key factor in money laundering, other financial crimes and financing of illegal organizations committed in and associated with South Asia. Hawaladars in Dubai, India and Pakistan are said to be forming a hawala triangle responsible for significant international money laundering activities that spread far beyond the region.

School Days are the Happiest Days of your Life? :: Creative Writing Examples

School Days are the Happiest Days of your Life? When I was given this assignment, my initial reaction was this is easy! Half an hours writing- homework complete. Fifteen minutes later I find that it is incredibly difficult to sort out the jumble of thoughts, memories and feelings, that are fighting each other in the race to be the first to blot this pristine white page.(melodramatic, but true) I suppose I could take the easy way out, and write that looking back; my school days were happy, carefree days. The sun always shone. I had no real worries. Friends were plentiful and life was all about, fun, fun, fun. Well I could, but that would entail not being completely honest. I mean, certainly a not immodest percentage of school, (compared with life today) was carefree but by no means all of it. My over-riding recollections of school are the memories of never quite fitting in; the never quite making it into the 'in crowd.' Not that I wanted in, you understand. I wanted to be different (not another lemming) just not so different that I stood out. I blame my mother for that mentality for she drummed it into us all. If I spoke the usual refrain," but all my friends are her response was always." if your friend stuck her hand in the fire- would you do it too?" Well the answer to that was no, and when you said so, mum would smile and say," of course not love, you have your own mind. You're not a lemming; don't be afraid to be different." I was left feeling proud of myself for being 'different', but oh God, I still wanted that denim jacket, or those Adidas trainers, or to stay out for that extra half an hour; or the myriad of other 'things' that would have enabled me to fit in. Money was always tight when I was at school. With four kids to buy for - I feel mum used the lemming story no us, just so she wouldn't have to say "I can't afford it." At school, every deficit, both real and imagined between you and the 'in crowd' made you insecure. It could be your haircut, shoes or even just the number of pleats our gym skirt had. (Mine had none.) Plain skirts were cheaper. Positive Body Image, or lack of it in my case, was a major problem. I went through school convinced that I was fat and ugly. Fat!? I was only 81/2 stones! I would kill to be that weight again - and as for my

Lebanon’s Social Problems Essay

Lebanon is a very beautiful country and an important destination for tourism. Lebanon or as the bible called it once â€Å"The land of milk and honey†. Beirut is the capital of the country and it’s also nicknamed â€Å"Paris of the East†. Famous people are originally half Lebanese such as the well known Columbian artist â€Å"Shakira†. There are five countries which surround Lebanon which are: Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Cyprus & Palestine (Israel). Several problems started to appear in Lebanon. In 1943-1948 after France got out from Lebanon the Christians took the balance of power in the country while Muslims haven’t much of a power back then, this caused some tensions between those two. The tension reached its limit in 1975 when a radical Christian group attacked a bus full of Palestinians and killed them. After this incident, some vengeful attacks were made as a respond for the Christians actions which led to more hate and no trust at all between Muslims and the other group. After seven years, exactly in 1985 The Israeli army invaded Beirut to remove the Palestinians Liberation Organization as they said. All those wars and conflicts and wars in the city and in the country in general led to very serious and sad results. Between 150-200 thousand people were killed while 300 thousand were wounded, that goes for the human cost but as for the economic cost was very heavy and it actually was paralyzed for many years which stroke hard to the whole country. The peace has finally come in 1989 which put off the furious flames of war. In the recent days, Lebanon began to recover from that savagery conflict which led to nothing but destruction and sadness. People came back to their homes after they left it because of the war. The buildings which were affected by the conflict are restored by the help of some other countries. The most important thing that tourism is finally revived and people now can enjoy everything in Beirut after the horror the city lived in the past several years. Tourists can relax and enjoy Skiing on the mountains, taking sunbath on the beach and also swim in the blue sea.

All Saints – Retail Environment

My Favourite Retail Environment: All Saints Before you enter the shop, All Saints have set their tone. Headless mannequins hang on chains, enclosed by dark grey walls; the window display at the front of the shop is bleak yet the simple nature portrays the beauty of the garments. The surrounding windows are tinted, therefore you can see out but not in; this gives the shop an exclusive feeling, contributing to the individual style of the clothes and the high price tags.The building is the main feature of All Saints which sets it apart from other high street shops; it’s a converted bank, however it’s been renovated to look and feel like a church, this view is gained from entry as you step through the huge wooden doors. The ceilings are high, the arches, pillars and cornices are incredible, the tiled floor is amazing, and the centre of the store has a beautiful round ceiling mural with a balcony surrounding and a trio of gold, goblet type ornaments.The shop is very gothic i n style and having every wall painted a dark grey colour contributes the styling of the clothes and the mood the shop puts you in; it’s like a fantasy world where the Victorian era meets modern Soho or downtown New York. Lighting in the store consists of spotlights on the ceiling pointing down at each fixture or display of clothing; this provides great contrast to the blandness of the colours and also highlights the garments beauty.The spotlights also contribute to the exclusive, almost celebrity feeling as they transform the store into a kind of set, depicting a story, as would be done in a movie. There is a hanging cruciform, created from very bright, stark naked bulbs. This creates a very artistic and creative view and a rock ‘n’ roll feel within the store, allowing the consumer to really understand the innovative and conceptual brand they are purchasing from.The theme of crosses is continued throughout the store and also features on the giant iron crest outsi de the store. The fixtures on the wall are created to be in the shape of a cross and the ends of each arm have a small cross logo. The fixtures are like scaffolding and the display cabinets are giant old wooden tables or big heavy draws and cupboards with huge locks and chains. The displays are incredible with huge butcher style hooks, warehouse style chains and metal, old head neck dummies ripping at the seams and skull candles.The store has depressive modern music playing in a relaxed manner, contributing to the contemporary feel and making the shopping experience more pleasant. There is no ‘perfumed’ smell to the store; yet it has a kind of musk which smells like old vs new. All Saints’ staff is incredibly attentive and great at selling in a non-pushy manner. Overall the store is very open plan; the distressed feel and glamour meets grunge cool is inspiring and that is what makes ‘All Saints’ my favourite retail environment.

Biography of Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th U.S. President

Biography of Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th U.S. President Lyndon Baines Johnson (Aug. 27, 1908–Jan. 22, 1973) was a fourth-generation Texas rancher, who became the 36th President of the United States on the death of his predecessor John F. Kennedy. He inherited a painfully divided country and is known both for his failures in Vietnam and his successes with civil rights. Fast Facts: Lyndon B. Johnson Known For: 36th President of the United StatesBorn:  August 27, 1908, Stonewall, Texas.  Parents: Rebekah Baines (1881–1958) and Samuel Ealy Johnson, Jr. (1877–1937).Died: January 22, 1973, Stonewall, Texas.Education: Southwest Texas State Teachers College (BS, 1930), studied law at Georgetown University from 1934–35.Spouse: Claudia Alta Lady Bird Taylor (1912–2007).Children: Lynda Bird Johnson (b. 1944), Luci Baines Johnson (b. 1947). Early Life Lyndon Johnson was born on Aug. 27, 1908, on his fathers ranch in rural southwestern Texas, the first of four children born to Samuel Ealy Johnson, Jr. and Rebekah Baines. His father was a politician, farmer, and broker, and  Rebekah was a journalist who graduated from Baylor University in 1907- a very rare circumstance. When Lyndon was born, his politician father was concluding his second term on the Texas legislature: His parents would go on to have four more children, three girls, and a boy. Johnson was a fourth-generation Texan: at the age of forty, Johnsons great-grandfather Robert Holmes Bunton came to what was then the Republic of Texas in 1838 to be a cattleman.   Lyndon worked throughout his youth to earn money for the family. His mother taught him to read at an early age. He went to local public schools, graduating from high school in 1924. He spent three years traveling around and working at odd jobs before going to the Southwest Texas State Teachers College in San Marcos. Introduction to Politics While Johnson was in college, he worked as a gofer for the president of Southwest Texas State, and he was the summer editor of the student paper. He used his credentials to attend his first Democratic convention in 1928,in Houston, with his then-current girlfriend, who ended the relationship shortly afterward.   Johnson dropped out of school to take a teaching job in a Mexican school in the Cotulla School District, where he was determined to build a sense of hope in the beaten-down children. He developed extracurricular activities, arranged a parent-teacher group, held spelling bees and organized a band, a debate club and baseball and softball games. After a year he left and returned to San Marcos and finished his degree in August of 1930.   During the depression, his family was hit hard. Johnson was a volunteer for Welly Hopkins, who was running for the state senate, and he obtained a job teaching public speaking and business arithmetic in Houston. But a position as what would today be called a staff director for a newly elected Texas congressman Richard Kleberg opened up, and Johnson was tapped to fill it. He arrived in Washington DC on Dec. 7, 1931, which is where he made his home for most of the next 37 years. Marriage and Family As Klebergs secretary, Johnson made several trips to and from Texas, and it was on one of those trips that he met Claudia Alta Taylor (1912–2007), known as Lady Bird, the daughter of a well-to-do Texas rancher, and holding degrees in journalism and history from Baylor University. They married on Nov. 17, 1934. Together they had two daughters:  Lynda Bird Johnson (born 1944) and Luci Baines Johnson (b. 1947). Political Career and Presidency While in Washington, Johnson lobbied hard for more power, making a few enemies and not finding much success. He was offered a partnership in an Austin Law firm if he obtained a law degree, and so he enrolled in evening classes at Georgetown University. But it didnt suit him and after a year he dropped out.   When he was named the Director of National Youth Administration in Texas (1935–37), he left Klebergs office. Building on that, Johnson was elected as a U.S. Representative where he served from 1937–49. While a congressman, he joined the navy to fight in World War II. He was awarded the Silver Star. In 1949, Johnson was elected to the U.S. Senate, becoming the Democratic Majority Leader in 1955. He served until 1961 when he became Vice-President under John F. Kennedy. On November 22, 1963, John F. Kennedy was assassinated and Johnson took over as president. The next year he was nominated to run for the Democratic Party for the presidency with Hubert Humphrey as his vice-president. He was opposed by Barry Goldwater. Johnson refused to debate Goldwater. and easily won with 61 percent of the popular vote and 486 of the electoral votes. Events and Accomplishments Johnson created the Great Society programs, which included antipoverty programs, civil rights legislation, the creation of Medicare and Medicaid, the passage of some environmental protection acts, and the creation of laws to help protect consumers. Three important pieces of  Civil Rights  legislation signed into law by Johnson were as follows: 1. The  Civil Rights Act of 1964, which did not allow  discrimination in employment  or in the use of public facilities. 2. The Voting Rights Act of 1965, which outlawed discriminatory practices that kept blacks from voting. 3. The  Civil Rights Act of 1968, which outlawed discrimination for housing. Also during Johnsons administration,  Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in 1968. For her part, Lady Bird was a huge proponent of the beautification program to try and improve the way America looked. She was also quite a savvy businesswoman.  She was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Gerald Ford and the  Congressional Gold Medal by President Ronald Reagan. The  Vietnam War  escalated during Johnsons administration. Troop levels which started with 3,500 in 1965 reached 550,000 by 1968. America was divided in support of the war. America, in the end, did not have a chance of winning. In 1968, Johnson announced he would not run for reelection in order to spend time to get peace in Vietnam. However, peace would not be achieved until  President Nixons  administration. Death and Legacy Johnson retired on January 20, 1969, to his ranch in Texas. He did not return to politics. He died on January 22, 1973, of a heart attack. Johnsons legacy includes his costly error in escalating the war in Vietnam in a vain attempt to win it and the fact that he eventually had to turn to peace when the U.S. was unable to achieve victory. He is also remembered for his Great Society policies where Medicare, Medicaid, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 1968 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were passed among other programs. Sources Caro, Robert A. The Passage of Power: The Years of Lyndon Johnson. New York: Random House, 2012.  Ã‚  -. The Path to Power: The Years of Lyndon Johnson. New York: Random House, 1990.Goodwin, Doris Kearns. Lyndon Johnson and the America Dream. New York: Open Road Media, 2015Peters, Charles. Lyndon B. Johnson: The American Presidents Series: The 36th President, 1963–1969. New York: Henry Holt, 2010.

How to Write a Lab Report Guide form Academic Writers - Paperell.com

How to Write a Lab Report Guide form Academic Writers Writing A Lab Report: Guidelines And Advices Lab reports is a document that was created to note and store the data from all scientific experiments that have been conducted in order to prevent other scientists from the necessity to repeat a study of a scientific concept that has been already discovered. Such paper describes a particular laboratory experiment in details, makes a reflection and analysis of it, and is used both in practice by real scientific groups as well as by students in the course of their studying process.Why do students receive such assignment? For university students, this paper is just another form of examination to show their knowledge, ability to conduct a research, ability to work individually or in a group, and gained skills. Such work usually contains the following:Data from an individual scientific research conducted by a student;An author’s hypothesis (one or more, depending on the topic) related to the studied subject;An overlook on the existing informational sources (mainly literature) that prove the possibility of the author’s hypothesis correctness;Application of the statistics and/or facts that prove a hypothesis;Details of an individually conducted experiment;Reflation and evaluation of the conducted study;Discussion of the outcome.What Is Lab Report Purpose?There are several reasons creating this paper. As was mentioned earlier, at various educational institutions it is mainly used to test students’ skills and knowledge but it is also widely used by scientists to archive the information about the work that has been done. There is also one more reason to be aware of. Often, in big companies, lab reports are widely used as a form of information transfer between the workers of laboratories and managers to give the second ones a quick overview of what work has been done. Also, such documents help the management of the company to understand a particular issue and make a decision easier, based on the results provided in the report.Report Format Preparing s uch document it is important to follow the right structure. The formatting is also an important thing to keep in mind. Often, due to the lack of experience, students can forget about these two nuances or even simply neglect their importance, which can directly influence the assessments they will get for this work. Therefore, we recommend you finding a good template to write a high-quality document, following all the recorded standards and requirements. Where to find one? You can look for a good template on the Internet or use the report of another person as an example to see how it should look in the end.However, if you lack time or do not want to look for a template, below you can also find an example of a good structure for such paper that should help you cope with the task easier, avoiding some most common mistakes that people make.Title PageThis page has to state the title of your lab report, located in the middle or at the top of the page, followed by your full name (also your partner’s name if needed), class, instructor’s name, your course, and the dates when the experiment was carried out.AbstractThis section gives a concise overview of the experiment, provides some statistical data or numbers, and helps the readers understand what you are going to talk about further.IntroductionIn this part, you should provide a concise insight on what experiment you are planning to conduct, making a clear statement of its main questions, objects, and goals. Besides, you have to give your readers a base for the understanding of your experiment (it usually consists of some theory and predictions of the outcome) and highlight the importance of a particular study.Materials and MethodsThis part describes the author’s approach to the study and experiment, and describes the procedures that were made in order to reach the result: what materials will be used and where they were found, what methods the author applied in the course of investigation, etc.Resu lts and DiscussionThis section is included in longer papers. Sometimes this section is divided into two separate parts but they can be included in one section if you have too many results and want to avoid unnecessary confusion. In general, this section presents the results you have obtained in your work, brings up the mistakes that have been made by the author, analyses each result, and discusses the implications of the obtained results.ConclusionUnlike the previous section, this part of your work does not make a simple overview of the results but gives and evaluation to them in the context of this particular experiment. This means that you will have to discuss the goals indicated in your introduction in order to define whether the experiment was successful or not, and, if not, explain the mistakes.Literature citedThis is the last section where you should include the bibliographical data of the sources of literature that you used in the body of your work to support your ideas. Othe rwise, you can face issues with plagiarism.Conclusion Preparing a lab report that would deserve the highest assessment is possible, although sometimes it takes too much of energy and time. Not always students have a chance to dedicate enough attention to this type of project and sometimes, especially if you are a freshman, do not even have a clue how to approach it right. This can be detrimental to your academic progress. Even if it seems like one poorly written paper can’t bring too much harm, you should understand that your final grade is determined by lots of such small projects and thus, even one failed lab report can change everything! That is why you have to approach lab report writing carefully and attentively.Is there another way to grant you a success? Fortunately, there is no such thing as insoluble problems and there is always a way out no matter how hopelessly you may feel – in the case with academic issues, the effective solution is our essay writing servi ce! If you ever struggle with another lab report, dissertation, course work or anything else, know that our professional team is always ready to back you up and help you reach the top!

Women Celebrities of World War II

Women Celebrities of World War II With the 20th centurys movie industry making many women (and men) into well-known celebrities, and the star system extended into other fields such as sports as well, it was only natural that some stars would find ways to use their celebrity to support the war effort. The Axis Actress In Germany, Hitler used propaganda to support his war effort. Actress, dancer, and photographer Leni Riefenstahl made documentary films for the Nazi Party during the 1930s and Hitlers consolidation of power. She escaped punishment after the war after a court found that she was not herself a Nazi party member. Acting Allies In America, films and plays promoting participation in the war and anti-Nazi films and plays were also part of the overall war effort. Women actresses played in many of these. Women also wrote some of them: Lillian Hellmans 1941 play, The Rhine, warned of the rise of the Nazis. Entertainer Josephine Baker worked with the French Resistance and entertained troops in Africa and the Middle East. Alice Marble, a tennis star, secretly married an intelligence operative and when he died, was convinced to spy on a former lover, a Swiss banker, suspected of having records of Nazi finances. She found such information and was shot in the back, but escaped and recovered. Her story was told only after her death in 1990. Carole Lombard made her final film as a satire about the Nazis and died in a plane crash after attending a war bond rally. President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared her the first woman to die in the line of duty in the war. Her new husband, Clark Gable, enlisted in the Air Force after her death. A ship was named in Lombards honor. Perhaps the most famous pin-up poster in World War II showed Betty Grable in a swimsuit from the back, looking over her shoulder. The Varga Girls, drawn by Alberto Vargas, were also popular, as were photos of Veronica Lake, Jane Russell, and Lane Turner. Fundraising In New Yorks theater world, Rachel Crothers started the Stage Womens War Relief. Others who helped to raise funds for war relief and the war effort included Tallulah Bankhead, Bette Davis, Lynn Fontaine, Helen Hayes, Katharine Hepburn, Hedy Lamarr, Gypsy Rose Lee, Ethel Merman, and the Andrews Sisters. Giving Back To the Troops The USO Tours or Camp Shows which entertained troops in the US and overseas drew many women entertainers, too. Rita Hayworth, Betty Grable, the Andrews Sisters, Ann Miller, Martha Raye, Marlene Dietrich, and many lesser-knowns were ​a  welcome relief for the soldiers. Several all-girl bands and orchestras toured, including the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, one of the rare racially-mixed groups.

Adult and Community Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Adult and Community Education - Essay Example Adult and Community Education helps in reduction of the obstacles which are faced by several people while aiming to access education and training so as to achieve occupational talents and qualifications. Other people may find Adult and Community Education courses to be rewarding because of the fact that they can achieve more personal or communal aims. Adult and Community Education proves to be a fine alterative for grown-ups who aim for informal type of learning. Sargant presented a study of UK provision according to which one of six persons try to gain knowledge informally; that may be at home, at vocation, or anywhere else (1991: 15).The literature and the practice of Adult and Community Education also include target groups. This is particularly the case in Australia (Sheared & Sissel, 2001). These target groups are conventionally seen as minorities, or those persons who have been disenfranchised due to past circumstances of domination and segregation. The idea of target groups hap pens to be a main principle of Australian educational policy and lies on the supposition of a steady core. The Australian Adult and Community Education (ACE) policy recognizes certain classes of adults who are not properly represented in employment and training. They require additional sufficient and approachable stipulation so as to assist them in fulfilling their needs. The categories are (Adult, Community and Further Education, 2004): Koories; Men aged over 45; People with a disability; People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds; Young people aged15 and over; and People aged over 55 These groups of people specifically require Adult and Community Education so as to help them on with surviving properly. Adult and Community Education results in plenty of advantages for the learners and they have major impact on their development. For example, Adult and Community Education can lead to social and economic welfare of people as well as the communities, it can produce social output and lifelong learning can be promoted through Adult and Community Education (Centre for Research and Learning in Regional Australia, n.d.). Therefore, it is important that equity groups also get an equal chance in participating in Adult and Community Education so as to improve themselves. For this reason there are boards and groups that enable this. One such is the Adult, Community and Further Education Board (ACFE) which encourages education and training for a variety of people, along with specially focussing on those who are included in the equity groups, that is, those who do not have full access to education. Around 450 community-owned and directed organisations are entitled to pass over adult and community education with ACFE Board funding. The government assists in Adult and Community Education provision. Since quite a few years the government has engaged itself a lot in Adult and Community Education, and it did this by providing the organisations with enough funds so as to allow them to educate the people. This has been very important and has enabled to broaden the position of Adult and Communi

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Research Paper

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - Research Paper Example The last program evidently receives the most attention in terms of payment for grants, as in 2007 it reached $1.22 billion and accounted for 61% of all donations (Gates Foundation, Annual report, 2007). Additionally, the Gates Foundation works to improve economic conditions around the world through agricultural developments, financial services, and technology services. In the United States, the Gates Foundation focuses on community grants in the Northwest, technology services in libraries, and education across the country (Hill, 2006). From the critical perspective, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation represents the modern ideal of giving and philanthropy, of what Payton and Moody eloquently described as "[it] is about ideas and values as well as about actionis always an effort to blend the idea and the practical" (Payton and Moody, 4). In 2000, the leadership of the Gates Foundation Education Division was committed to being the most publicly scrutinized philanthropy in American history. The main philanthropic goal of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's Education Program is to increase significantly the number of low-income minority students who graduate high school with academic skills needed for success in post secondary education and in the workplace (Smerdon and Means, 1). In February of 2005, Bill Gates spoke at a governor's conference in Washington, DC regarding the condition of American high schools (Hess, 2005). The 45 governors in attendance listened as Bill Gates declared America's high schools obsolete. He elaborated by saying, "By obsolete, I mean that our high schools - even when they're working exactly as designed - cannot teach our kids what they need to know today" (Rhodes et al, 7). Additionally, Gates reviewed some troubling evidence to support his comments regarding the lack of success in Ame rican high schools. Gates made his point with the nation's governors by stating that only 71% of students graduated high school in 2002, and only 34% were minimally prepared for college (Rhodes et al, 7). In addition to improving American high school system, the Gates Foundation actively seeks to change public policy regarding American schools, which include implementation of transparency in school finance, multiple independent school providers, and performance-based accountability (Hill, 2006). The Foundation's commitment to increasing the number of smaller, personalized high schools, and a knowledge base for success in these schools, has led to the National School District and Network Grants Program. This program is taking a twopronged approach with regard to grantee organizations: (a) grantee organizations are developing new, smaller high schools; and (b) grantee organizations are converting larger high schools into smaller learning communities. As a part of the new high school initiative, the foundation provides grants for Early College High Schools (ECHSs) (Smerdon and Means, 1). The Early College High School Initiative focuses specifically on increased academic rigor through blending high school and college education (Smerdon and Means, 1). The ECHSs are purposefully designed to provide students with a high school diploma and an associate's degree, or 2 years of

Enhancing Shareholder Value Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Enhancing Shareholder Value - Essay Example Another school of thought believes that dividends are adverse for the average shareholder as they attract taxes and cause fiscal disadvantages. Last but not the least the third group lauds large dividends as a positive signal to shareholders that all is well. So where does the modern shareholder value satisfaction stand in relation to dividend policies This is the one of the main issues which I will review in my paper below. Secondly my research is concerned with whether corporate governance is a mechanism to enhance shareholder wealth The fear of manager stockholder conflicts as being a threat to Shareholder wealth has been expressed by many academics as the quote below demonstrates, "The separation of ownership and control in a modern corporation often requires the delegation of significant decision-making authority to professional managers, which introduces the possibility that managers will have incentives to make decisions that benefit them at the expense of stockholders" (Byrd, Parrino and Pritsch, 1998). As this quote argues from the thesis by Byrd, Parrino and Pritsch, 1998 where the authors have argued that the separation of ownership and control in a modern corporate form will require the transfer of this responsibility to professional managers and this will introduce a stockholder-manager conflict with in the corporate structure. It has even been suggested that like most small investors, they would be likely to depend on free-rider benefits from the efforts of larger shareholders, who may have better expertise in corporate monitoring (Byrd, Parrino, & Pritsch,1998). My paper will defend the Berles and Means thesis and try to assess the truth in the statement given in the question. The modern corporate form finds itself dependant on the efficient allocation of resources by its agents of the funds which have been made available by the shareholders.The creation of new ventures and prudent investment becomes a focal aim of the established companies. This efficient allocation is dependant upon what the investors believe will be the returns as well as the trust that their company will be managed to maximize the investment and that the cash flows promised in exchange for the investment will effectively be returned.This trust will be established through a broad set of factors which will stem from the legal, institutional and regulatory environment that guarantees the investor protection.Accountability is the core concern that runs throughout the governance issues. Whether it is accountability of the management to the board, or the board to the shareholders, or even the employees to the employers, this is one issue that comes to fore whenever the subject is raised. Ac countability does not confine itself to financial matters alone. It covers the whole idea of responsibilities placed on a person, a group or even a department and the evaluation thereof to find out how these responsibilities were carried out or delivered. The third issue which I will deal briefly with is how corporate governance can enhance shareholder wealth and the role of the law

Quickly work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Quickly work - Essay Example Consumers tend to believe that goods and services with well known brand names are much better than the products whose names or brands are not well known. The process of evaluating or establishing if a given company’s brand name is well known by customers is known as Brand Equity (Aaker, 2009). If one examines the car industry, some brands have been in the market since the invention of automobiles. A good example of such a company is the Ford motor company which despite emergence of many companies, Ford has continued to experience success especially in the American market just as a result of its brand name. Other companies such as Toyota have been producing cheaper and better cars, but despite this, Ford is among the favorite car brands in the United State of America. There are various approaches to ensure brand equity in a company. One of the approaches is known as customer based equity brand approach. This approach was developed by Kevin Keller hence it is referred to as Kell er’s Brand Equity Model. The approach is best understood by using the diagram below; The above diagram simplifies the application of the customer based brand equity. In the first step, the goal of the company should be to create customer awareness or salience. This means the business establishment should ensure that its brand stands out, and it can be easily recognized by its customers. The second step involves identifying and communicating what the company’s brand means. This step is further subdivided into two, which are performance and imagery. Performance entails defining how well the company’s brand will fulfill consumer needs. Imagery involves showing how the business establishment’s products meet the needs of the consumer on a psychological and social level. The third step involves consumers responding to the brand in two ways. These are feelings and judgments. Consumers will always make judgments about a company’s product based on superiori ty, quality, and credibility. Consumers will also respond to a company’s brand based on how it makes them feel. The final step in the customer based model is resonance, which is the most difficult level to reach in brand equity. This is where consumers will have a psychological bond with the company’s brand. This usually takes many years for a company’s brand to attain this level. If a business establishment attains this stage, then brand equity will be realized in the company’s product. In conclusion, brand equity has been important over the years because it is believed that a brand is among the high value assets a business establishment can have. This is indeed a fact that is practiced in markets. Brand equity is applied in showing the extent to which consumers know about a product, and this goes a long way in attracting loyal customers and boosting sales. Question 2 Adaptive marketing communication strategies are approaches in marketing that adapt to c hanges in various factors as a result of time. One of the major factors that results in the use of adaptive strategies of communication is technological changes. Technology changes have revolutionized a lot not only in communication, but in almost all sectors of the economy. Adaptive marketing communication strategies make sure that a company is ready for any change in the communication sector of the

Discern the legal realtionships between landlords and tenants Essay

Discern the legal realtionships between landlords and tenants - Essay Example States normally ask for notices when a tenant decides to evict, vacate, repair or lease violations/charges (Maillard, 2008). The aim of these requirements is to form written records of fees, requests and events associated with the property that might cater as evidence in a court of law. When a tenant or the person, who has rented the house, dies any funds owed between the landlord and the tenant has to be determined by the tenants estate. Estate matters are settled through probate. This refers to the legal or lawful procedure through which a dead persons property is settled, as well as transferred, to new owners (Maillard, 2008). The Landlord and Tenant probate laws differ in different states. Therefore, when such a case arises, it is essential to talk to a lawyer in your state when you need legal advice regarding rents when a tenant dies (Maillard, 2008). In this matter of Ann, Ted should refund Ann’s security to her designated representative. Even though, the rule of probate differs in almost every state, in the United Sates, this is the universal reference in case such a matter

Literature Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Literature Review - Essay Example Illustrations are also given in the article such as how to attract viewers by personalizing the sites with music, pictures and information. As a reader, this article - although it is short and written simply – interests and excites me because of the way the writer expresses his ideas. The tips and examples given are really informative and useful. The second article is also written by Richard Lowe, Jr.; it is entitled â€Å"Web site Design: Who is your audience?†. The article intends to scrutinize the arguments propounded by the writer in defining the group audience expected to view the site. The article is written in an informal style and is a clearly understandable piece of work. The objective of the article is for the new web designers and creators, as well as for the old amateur web designers, to be on familiar terms with their audience. The article is presented with tips and example of the possible procedures. What makes it more interesting is that the explanations and the evidences written in the article are based on the author’s own experience since the author is the Webmaster of the Internet Tips And Secrets. The examples and contents are well developed, organized and structured; the framework is also explained clearly. Therefore, as a reader, the tips are pretty interesting since the discussion concerns the contemporary issues like the quality and attraction and of websites; subjects that are in demand at the moment. â€Å"Don’t lose visitors because of poor site design†, the article written by Tony Murtagih, is the third article I wish to review. The intention of the article is to help people in avoiding common mistakes that novice as well as expert designers make. The clearly stated article and the simple, informal writing is addressed to the entire website designer. The main aspects of the article include how website design influences the visitors to stay browsing within a website. The writer, Tony Murtagih, who has ten years of experience in

Discern the legal realtionships between landlords and tenants Essay

Discern the legal realtionships between landlords and tenants - Essay Example States normally ask for notices when a tenant decides to evict, vacate, repair or lease violations/charges (Maillard, 2008). The aim of these requirements is to form written records of fees, requests and events associated with the property that might cater as evidence in a court of law. When a tenant or the person, who has rented the house, dies any funds owed between the landlord and the tenant has to be determined by the tenants estate. Estate matters are settled through probate. This refers to the legal or lawful procedure through which a dead persons property is settled, as well as transferred, to new owners (Maillard, 2008). The Landlord and Tenant probate laws differ in different states. Therefore, when such a case arises, it is essential to talk to a lawyer in your state when you need legal advice regarding rents when a tenant dies (Maillard, 2008). In this matter of Ann, Ted should refund Ann’s security to her designated representative. Even though, the rule of probate differs in almost every state, in the United Sates, this is the universal reference in case such a matter

Controlling and Harmonising Brand Identity, Image, and Personality of Essay

Controlling and Harmonising Brand Identity, Image, and Personality of Apple 03041 - Essay Example Brand identity helps a company to bring out its individualism and for this reason; management and employees help to bring out the real brand image. The Apple Brand competes across the markets, while evolving and expanding its range of products and services. Aaker and Kaprer’s Brand identities Models are popular in the business world, and apple successfully continues their application as discussed below. Brand identity and brand personality remain contentious issues hence the need for Apple Brand to introduce new and effective branding strategies in this competitive market. As Viot (2011) reveals, a brand is the presentation of the product that goes far beyond its intrinsic characteristics. It provokes emotional feeling and attraction when the target clients sites such a product. Brand identity involves the visible elements of a brand including design, colours, name, logo, and symbol, which together identify while distinguishing the product in the client’s mind (Ghodeswar 2008). Identification of the brand roots on the brand produce, the individual, the corporation, or the symbol. There are diverse advantages that comes along with brand identity. Differentiation of the products heightens the products identification to the consumers (Chaudhuri & Holbrook 2001). Furthermore, the target users will have an informed opinion about the product, hence an already created product preference. Eventually, there is creation of value perception to the product users (Madhavaram et al. 2005). Most primarily, brand identity leads to the formation of intellectual property, an element that escalates the product value hence the firm has the mandate to controlling the value of purchase and utilization (Janonis et al. 2007). There are different models of identification including Aaker’s and Kapferer’s Brand identity Model. When it comes to strategic analysis of any company,

Lucent technology supply chain summary Essay Example for Free

Lucent technology supply chain summary Essay Lucent Technologies is a multinational telecommunication company which was spun off from ATT in 1996. Before restructure, as an integrated telecommunications services and equipment company, ATT had been primarily U. S. -centric market and more than half of income was generated by services in U. S. However, the restructure made Lucent focused on communications equipment globally. When Lucent expand into global market, its flagship product, the5ESS ® digital switch, was a market leader in worldwide telecommunication infrastructure equipment. While the 5ESS ® digital switch provided the company’s more competitive edge in global market. This custom configured, engineered-to-order product made only a portion of its assemblies could be built to stock. Moreover, 5ESS ® digital switch orders from Asian market had continued to grow rapidly, and Asia became an important part of Lucent’s business. U. S. -centric Supply Model Before Lucent’s independence from ATT, it established some joint ventures in four Asian countries to meet the increasing telecommunication equipment demand in Asian market. But this marketing entry mode just provided access to these markets. Most manufacturing continued to be done in Oklahoma City. The Asian joint ventures only performed final assembly and testing. It was believed that Lucent would benefit from the cost saving from economies of scale in manufacturing in US. However, as tremendous demand growth and intense competition arose from these countries, the delivery costs and lead time became two critical issues in this industry. The long distance inhibited the instant response. Delay means market losing. What’s more, increasing local content by having locally purchased parts would lower the costs and made product more locally attractive. Asian-centric Supply Model After 1996, asset management, product lead time and supply chain efficiency became more and more important for this new independent manufacturing firm. The primary market shifted from U. S to Asian market required a redesign of the Asian supply chain. First of all, it took a â€Å"hub-and spoke† model. Taiwan was the hub of the Asian supply chain. Custom engineering and manufacturing of Asian orders would be manufactured in Taiwan rather than Oklahoma City, and Asian orders were placed with Taiwan rather than U. S. Low volume assemblies remained in U. S. Secondly, different supply modes (inshore or outsource) were decided by different product volumes. And then it used local components (direct procurement) and local suppliers (local procurement). Last but not least, it insisted a strict quality control. Products manufactured by Asian joint ventures had the same quality standards. There were also some barriers for the redesign of supply chain. For example, the new manufacturing center in Asian mean losing job in U. S. The transfer of production to joint venture may reduce Lucent’s profits. And also the sales organization worried about the sales decreased because of losing â€Å"Made in USA† label. All of these barriers were addressed when the benefits of redesigning outweighed the costs. The redesign decreased the lead time, and customer satisfactions had improved a lot. Meanwhile, Taiwan joint venture reengineered its factory to improve the productivity. The increasing productivity and decreasing costs means the firm became more profitable. Also, support of Asian joint ventures helped Lucent win more business in Asia, and the huge capacity of Asian joint ventures can support Lucent’ global customer demand. So the all improvement by redesigning the supply chain made Lucent more competitive in global market. Summary and Recommendations Despite its success in the later 1990s, new challenges have arisen. How to response the changing demand in this complex business environment and how to expand its capacity in other emerging markets? The internet and IT tools caused fundamental changes in business models and traditional customer-supplier relationships. Contract manufacturing company in Asian provides new opportunity for the firm to outsourcing its manufacturing and logistics responsibility. In my view, outsourcing its assembly and component is a better way for Lucent to cope with new challenge. Because 5ESS ® digital switch was reaching its mature period in the product life cycle, and the intensive competition and changing environment forced telecommunication industry to devoted more time to new product research and marketing strategy. In its initial stage, the core product is the key to success and the supply chain redesign facilitate its further success. But nowadays, the product life cycle is shortening and the industry is changing at ever-increasing rate. Lucent has to improve researching, marketing strategy and supply chain management at the same rate to cope with the changing market. In addition, Lucent can use merging and acquisition strategy to integrate available resources to expand its business. Questions for group As Lucent shift its main supply chain from U. S to Asian market, how to compete with domestic rivalry Cisco? As more and more local telecommunication company grew up, how to cope with fierce industry competition with local firms, and some multinational telecommunication firms now target at Asian market, how to compete with them in global market? Should Lucent insist its in-source strategy or use outsourcing for the future supply chain management? Because its flagship products had reached its mature period, is it necessary for Lucent to build a main RD center in the emerging market like Cisco did?

SWOT Analysis of MTV

SWOT Analysis of MTV The first music channel to broadcast music television in Asia was the American music channel MTV. It entered the Indian market in 1991 via Star TVs satellite. But two years later, over a disagreement regarding the amount of local programming it left the scene and a new player emerged in the form of Star TVs own Channel V. this was after Rupert Murdochs News Corporation acquired Star TV. Since the MTVs approach to the market was global, channel V emphasis on local artistes and VJs and for a while enjoyed a monopoly position in the market. But this monopoly was not for long, MTV reentered the Asian market in 1995 with new strategies to gain competitive advantage and brand image. Since then the growth of MTV in the region has been tremendous. In 1999, the rivalry manifested itself in an escalating war of words between Steve Smith of Channel V and Frank Brown of MTV with each alleging that the other was misrepresenting distribution figures. The case documents this feud and its effect on advertisers in the context of the emerging Asian market for televised music. The Music Television Channel, MTV was created in collaboration of Media Company Warner Communication and Credit Card Company American Express on 1st August 1981. Within the next 10 years MTV had become a popular culture icon among the youth. It became a launch platform for artists and became a whole lifestyle in itself. MTV popularized music and changed the way audience conceived it before. Whereas Channel V, an international music channel chain, owned by Star TV network and is aired in many countries around Australia, Asia and the Middle East, played both mainstream and alternative music. There approach was local. Their target was the 15-24-age set, where it currently trails with its competitor, MTV. This funky channel is a craze among music loves and the young generation. The case also talks about the initial success of channel V which lead to a shift in MTVs programming mix and the various steps adopted by MTV that enabled it to become the market leader at the cost of channel V. INDUSTRY ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS Analyzing the case based on the porters five force model :- Suppliers A suppliers influence is defined by its ability to bargain price and influence availability of materials. Other strengths of the supplier include their ability to increase prices without suffering from a decrease in volume, reduce the quantity supplied, organize in a formal or informal manner, compete in an environment with relatively few substitutes, provide a product/material that is a critical part of the end product or service, impose switching costs on their customers when they depart, integrate downstream by purchasing or controlling the distribution channels. As such, every company that depends on the services and materials from key suppliers need to be sensitive on the variables that are highly important and considered by the suppliers. MTV and CHANNEL V Medium to high for record companies, music producers, and movie companies. The supplier is the music industry which provides content and programming. The decision-makers of the company should have a clear understanding of the business dynamics in which suppliers are directly involved in. These include the suppliers concentration or their focus and core business interests, variety of products and design offered, and the alternative resources that are available. In this light, it is most appropriate to build win-win relationships with suppliers or arrange the use multiple suppliers in order to protect the interests of both ends. Buyers It describes the impact customers have on an industry. Stronger the buying power stronger is the influence in determining the price. The bargaining power of buyers increases when they have the ability to make agreements with other companies providing similar products and services, purchase a product that represents a significant fraction of the expenses incurred by the company, purchase of a product that is undifferentiated, incur low changes in costs when they change vendors, be price sensitive by bearing in mind the options available, and Integration to purchase the goods of the suppliers. MTV and CHANNEL V- Teenagers to young adults, advertisers, satellite Cos, TV channels. Barganing Power of Buyers High for advertisers, satellite/TV channels especially due to the fierce competition between the two. New Entrants The competition is determined by the number of new companies entering the industry. Success can be determined by evaluating the methods of entry and exit for a new player. Although any company should be able to enter and exit the sector, each industry presents different levels of difficulty influenced by economics. These unique characteristics of the each industry are referred to as barriers to entry which may come from different aspects of the business ranging from supplies to technology. They seek to reduce the rate of entry of new entrants which leads to maintenance of a level of profits for the existing players. MTV and CHANNEL V -To enter in music TV channel industry needs huge investments to set up a TV channel. There are also strict government regulations especially in Asia on TV content. indeed the barriers to entry are low as more music channels are beginning to emerge.Several companies are pitching in with all the new digital platforms widely propagating in the entertainment industries. MTVs competitors can only multiply through substitute platforms that will attempt to topple down MTV due to viewing alternatives. Cheaper means to present music has since multiplied thanks to wireless solutions. As barrier to entry is low, MTV and channel V can definitely expect threats from other competing channels from all over the world. The government also will get in the way by regulating the channels entering their countries. Substitutes â€Å"Substitute products† as those that are available in other industries that meet an identical or similar need for the end user. Due to the availability and affordability of more substitutes, the demand becomes more elastic since customers have more alternatives. Other concerns in assessing the threat of substitutes include the presence of new technologies that can contribute to competition though more diverse and economical substitute products and services. A segment is unattractive when there are actual or potential substitutes for a product. MTV and CHANNEL V- Medium to high, people can enjoy music from other means like DVD, CD, and Radio etc. New cable networks had been fast emerging ever since the 1980s. Cable networks would enjoy enormous growth during the 90s to the dawn of the 21st century and they provide viewers, audience and markets other viewing options. Industry Competitors Firms strive to secure a competitive advantage over their rivals. The intensity of rivalry varies within each industry and these differences can be important in the development of strategy. Industries that are â€Å"concentrated,† versus â€Å"fragmented,† often display the highest level of rivalry. In pursuing an advantage over its rivals, a firm can choose from several competitive moves: changing prices, improving product differentiation, creatively using channels of distribution, exploiting relationships with suppliers. MTV and Channel V-Duopolistic competition among MTV and Channel V. Globalization has opened competition especially in the case of local channels. There is new technology to be exploited that will expand broadcasting capabilities. Locally produced material has become the goals of every TV channel in order to truly suit the personal tastes and sensibilities of the viewers. Governments also encourage local materials. Globalization has opened the doors for other entities internationally to join the competition as they are able to access new markets. Competition will perceivably become stiffer in the growth of new competition and rivals all around the world. STRATEGY OF MTV â€Å"I Want My MTV† MTV came up with a loyalty concept, a slogan that targeted the 12-34 age segments. The idea of â€Å"want† and â€Å"my† gives off the idea of a personalized desire that can be met by MTV. Its the individuality of this segment that wants them to declare it proudly. Therefore consumers seek for this distinctiveness and want to take part of the MTV revolution. Cable networks and advertisers alike cant help but to include MTV among its ranks. Network MTV can possibly capture a wider market share even beyond their 12-34 demographics, by forming more spin offs such as MTV dance and through channels like VH1 and Nickelodeon.Through VH1 they can reach out to the market older than 34, they are reportedly a group of loyal consumers at the same time they can win the appeal of those younger than 12 through the Nickelodeon channel and the online game called Neopets. To achieve all this, they can work towards mergers, alliances and acquisitions which leads to the next strategy. BUSINESS LEVEL STARTEGY Channel V had already established itself quite well by the time MTV re-entered Indian market. Commenting on Channel [V] becoming popular in MTVs absence, Peter Jamison, the then in-charge of MTV Asia commented, â€Å"I feel like the father who went to war and has come back to discover that his place in the family has been taken by another man.† In 1997, MTV was forced to announce a strategic shift in its programming mix and started airing Hindi film songs by the Channel [V]s growing popularity. However the MTV sources refused to accept this. MTV cashed well its more focused approach by understanding the pulse of the Indian music market in terms of programming mix whereas Channel V lost its focus and failed to do so. But we cannot hold the channel solely responsible for it. There were certain problems inherent in the organizational structure. The channel had a centralized structure, wherein almost all the programming decisions were made at the headquarters in Hong Kong. As a result, the channel found it difficult to track the latest popular songs and modify its programming mix accordingly. Channel Vs image as a music channel become so popular that it acted as a barrier while projecting its new image as a channel for youth and to change this perception by offering non-music programs was a big task. They had adopted this new concept but had no benchmark to judge its programs. MTVs programs attracted audience across all segments whereas Channel Vs programs appealed only to one section of the audience at a time. The ‘Back to Basics† strategy was initiated by the Star TV network which had a majority stake in Channel [V]. According to this strategy, the channel decided to take off all non-music programs off the air, as producing them was very costly compared to the music-based programs. Moreover, advertising time on Channel [V] was sold as a package along with other Star TV channels at a discount. For instance, an advertiser advertising on channel(s) under the Star TV network was offered spots on Channel [V] at concessional rates. As Stars channels such as Star Plus and Star Movies were very popular, Channel [V] hoped to cash in on their popularity. Bottom of Form LEVELS OF DIVERSIFICATION In order to establish themselves as the winner and sustain the position both the channels adopted new channels of diversification:- In 1998 channel V signed a deal with ALMA TV, to beam there international channel to 50000 homes in Kazakhstan. Brand extension by MTV in the form of record compilation such as â€Å"unplugged† series and the CD â€Å"MTV alternative nation† released by Seagrams. MTVs deal with Singapore telecommunication for licensing. MTV logo featured on merchandises in Philippines. Channel Vs brand extension includes albums and t-shirts which were showed in INDIA but there scale of licensing activities were considerably less than of MTV. Mergers MTV joined hands with CBS Corporation and was able to reach exposure through CBSs advantage in news, sports and distribution. The Multi-domestic strategy- MTV Asia associated with National Broadcasting Company of the Philippines in order to establish a terrestrial channel on the country. In doing so, NBC is able to impart their mastery in distribution and operational expertise in the Southeast Asian country. Through its Music awards it is also able to attract big time sponsors such as PepsiCo and Ford Motors. This would even attract more market. In PepsiCos case, its food and drink consumers and through Ford, car consumers. It has also been endorsing the channel through political and social causes for poverty and AIDS. Multi-domestic Strategy MTV expanded by telecasting local contents whichalso allowed them to divide and reach individual markets who will want a music channel who knows not only their music interests but also their locale. MTV then acknowledges its slogan â€Å"I want my MTV† as it is able to give consumers the MTV they really want based on their culture and not merely western or European. The consumers are clearly interested to a channel that knows them enough to speak their own language and sensibilities. SWOT Analysis It is an integral procedure and a very powerful tool for organizations and businesses to instigate effective marketing plans. It aims to comprehend the environmental as well as the organizational influences that surround a particular business establishment. There are actually two types of situational analysis that are both equally significant. One is the external analysis and the other focuses on the internal environment. When conducting an external situational analysis, the business customers, market and competitors are analyzed. Whereas, internal situational analysis focuses on the identification of the companys distinctive competencies, expected growth, their assets as well as their liabilities. It also illustrates the core values of a company so that these value can be enhanced or beneficial to the market. The evaluation of the internal environment of the company involves the analysis of the companys structure, culture and resources. When a strategy is selected for implementation, it must be appropriate given the way the organization is structured or the way an organization must be restructured. The strategy must be consistent with the organizations culture. Finally the organizational resources must be available to actually implement the strategy that was formulated. Without the proper people, skills, abilities, finances and physical resources, the strategy cannot be implemented (Buhler, 1994). The success of the business organization entails detailed understanding and examination of political, social and economic factors that influence the growth and continuous operations of the company. Studying the important consideration relevant to the organization to serve the purpose and objectives of the company will determine its success. Consequently, decision-makers of the company should be sensitive of the general trends and changes that are taking place in their industry. This will include efforts to maximize the opportunities available while reducing the risks that confront the business organization. The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and risks that characterize the operations of MTV are detailed in the discussions that follow. (S)trengths MTV dominates the young adult population who are some of the strongest money spenders due to its association of popular culture. MTV appealed to the population not only through the music but also through its coverage on lifestyle, film, fashion and other forms of leisure and entertainment that captured this market. MTV is a channel that has a personal appeal that cable networks and advertisers come knocking on MTVs door. MTV positioned itself as it gives the young adults what they want and at the same time, this market determines what MTV should show them. It was percieved that MTV is an empowering vehicle to the young adult market, which allows them to have a more pronounced self-esteem, power and personality which allows MTV to constantly claim the dominating position. One of its strength also MTVs appeal to its advertisers. During its many programs such as the Music awards, MTV has received sponsors from many companies that are confident to enjoy exposure in MTVs sought after programs.Ex- PepsiCo and Ford. MTV has been served as a launch pad of present favorites and successful artists. It expanded and exploited other media and entertainment forms other than music such as those brought by films and video games. Its constant mergers with companies such as the Philippines National Broadcasting Company will further localize MTV and fit the interests of its audience and bridging cultural as well as regional differences. MTV has since expanded to India and China and has been continuing its move towards alliances and mergers for wider distribution and for tailored products. Partnerships will allow MTV to cement its influence in a fast moving insatiable consumer market. MTVs constant support for social and political causes will allow greater relevance and presence. Its involvement with such issues strengthens its power and influence in the realm of entertainment media. Its expansion to other media forms will allow it to deliver more services other than just mere music. MTVs VH-1 will allow MTV to maintain its dominant position among other markets. (W)eaknesses MTV had encountered obstacles in reaching the local audience through their cultural misunderstandings therefore it started to lose its dominating power as there are other interest the markets and audience wants to be met. Thus MTV will need to find out what exactly these interests are and expand to this if they would want to maintain a dominating position. Cable Television offers several other choices that MTV is removed from its monopoly. They must understand the cultural background they are penetrating by making appropriate aspects such as advertising, brand, and cultural contexts. (O)pportunities Thes channels have an opportunity to merge into mobile and Internet companies for the wider distribution of their products and better solution what the market demands. At the same time, MTV may enjoy visibility in wireless technologies allowing the market to â€Å"have its MTV† when they want it. MTV can give an enhanced on-demand viewing experience the web and mobile. Globalization has helped MTV to get into international deals and the emerging markets such as China, India and Brazil having rich growth opportunities to venture into.Since two thirds of Asias population belongs to the 12-34 age group which is MTVs Target market.It will be a large market to explore and cater toand also due to Asia having interest in Western Products.Data says that MTV has up to 54 million homes in China. (T)hreats   Ã‚  Ã‚  Other substitute and the emergence of Digital cable will be a threat to MTVs current dominance. Germany had created their own local music channels that would be a threat to MTV. They have the advantage of their familiarity of the audience that MTV hardly has. Many Digital platforms provide other alternatives for the population to spend their past time and thus MTV must know well to penetrate this. For MTV to continue setting trends, it must be open to other possibilities as its consumers are known to be demanding and possessing short attention spans. New cable networks and channels have been eager to take a chunk out of MTVs advertising share. However, the advertising revenue has been decreased as cable networks lose their appeal. The presence of new digital and media forms provide advertisers other new and emerging ways and alternatives in marketing their products. The threat in MTVs chosen market is that the young adult stage is a turbulent and short-lived stage and the young adults sensibilities and interests are quick to change.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Production of more channels as a result of technology development allowing local cable and satellite technology to create more and increase bandwidth. Recommendations MTV must continue its expansion of local content as competition and rivals decide to attack MTV through local channels. Globalization has only increased the chances for MTV to meet its hungry competitors and it is easy to have the means to try to top MTV through new digital and media platforms. MTV has already its share of imitations from countries around the world and people may not mind this. By integrating these technologies and continuing its expansions throughout the world especially in emerging countries found in Latin American and Asia, it may continue to meet success. MTVs chance of success and survival is not as high in the 1980s and 1990s where MTV has been a pioneer of music television, and establish itself as a cultural icon. MTV must first correct its weaknesses foremost of which is its need to reach out to a local audience by researching about the market they are entering. This can be repaired through alliances with local companies such as the Philippines NBC. It also needs to appeal to the governments. In each country there is an obstacle or challenge waiting like the limitation of pay television and the propagation of free channels which will discourage purchase of MTV. The young generation or the 12-34 demographic is the hardest market to pin down due to changing trends and interests. They are inconstant with their desires and most likely, they would not be the slightest bit similar to the generation that popularized MTV. These are the children of digital and new technologies that would have a shorter attention span and fleeting interests. The 21st century is an even more distracting world. MTV must constantly reinvent itself and start something new in order to ride along the changes and the thirst towards innovations. In order to be the trend-setter it was in the past, it must be able to encompass or conquer its challenges of globalization and technology and create from here COMPETING IN CHINA China with its 330 million television sets is considered as the major growth market. Because of the vast size and growth potential both the channels actively competing for local partners in anticipation of reaping future benefits. But the Chinese market is strictly regulated by the central government, because of the communism in the country. Satellite broadcasts were officially banned so foreign satellite TV must be filtered through registered cable approved by state administration for film, radio and television. Unlike the road shows and dance parties in India, Chinese market has largely been in the form of hosting music award ceremonies (1999 onwards). CONCLUSION MTV has become a symbol of globalization. It adopted right international strategies and controls at the right time to regain its lost popularity, especially in non English speaking countries like India and Europe. The rationale behind MTVs localized approach is to â€Å"get inside the heads† of the local population and produce programming that matches their tastes and preferences. Whereas Channel V lacked to achieve this target till great extend.

Dialogic and Formal Analysis of Thomas Grays Elegy (Eulogy) Written in

Dialogic and Formal Analysis of Thomas Gray's Elegy (Eulogy) Written in a Country Churchyard By combining the formal and dialogical approaches, patterns and voices within the text seemingly interplay and overlap to reveal a deeper sense of the author's intentions. While the formalistic analysis focuses on the text and the unfolding themes within, the dialogical analysis recognizes "...the essential indeterminacy of meaning outside of the dialogic - and hence open - relationship between voices" (HCAL 349). When applied to "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard," these two approaches collaborate to emphasize recurring concepts and establish a twisted sense of authority. Formal analysis identifies the initial elements of a work and determines their significance in relation to what remains. By selecting such a title as an "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard," the author is providing the reader with an indication for what will follow. Amazingly, the poem is exactly what the title states. It is an "elegy," expressing grief and lamentation for the humble unknown villagers who hav... Dialogic and Formal Analysis of Thomas Gray's Elegy (Eulogy) Written in Dialogic and Formal Analysis of Thomas Gray's Elegy (Eulogy) Written in a Country Churchyard By combining the formal and dialogical approaches, patterns and voices within the text seemingly interplay and overlap to reveal a deeper sense of the author's intentions. While the formalistic analysis focuses on the text and the unfolding themes within, the dialogical analysis recognizes "...the essential indeterminacy of meaning outside of the dialogic - and hence open - relationship between voices" (HCAL 349). When applied to "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard," these two approaches collaborate to emphasize recurring concepts and establish a twisted sense of authority. Formal analysis identifies the initial elements of a work and determines their significance in relation to what remains. By selecting such a title as an "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard," the author is providing the reader with an indication for what will follow. Amazingly, the poem is exactly what the title states. It is an "elegy," expressing grief and lamentation for the humble unknown villagers who hav...

How Successful Were The Nazi Party In Carrying Out Their Aims Essay

During the 13 years they were in power, the Nazi party put forward a lot of opportunities and propaganda that would encourage children to be inspired and take part in the National Socialist movement. These were also aimed to turn young boys in to selfless, strong soldiers and young women in to the soldiers of the household and childbearing front. One of the first policies that the Nazi’s brought out was to instigate a Nazi cadet force. These young men that were aged from 13 – 18 would arrive and spend time learning a plethora of soldier making skills including, trench digging, grenade throwing, uses of dugouts and bayonet drill. Although having these skills was incredibly useful to them when it came to the upcoming war but the membership in 1938 were actually only 25% of students attended the meetings regularly. Despite this it can be argued that especially after it became compulsory in 1939, many students became fanatical over the idea of being a part of the German Reich, suggesting that when it really did matter, during the Second World War, the Nazi policies backing up the Hitler Youth were incredibly effective. Another aim of the Nazi party was to turn children in to anti-Semitics from the moment that they learn to think. They did this primarily through changing the education system. This entailed re-naming biology as race studies. This was a subject where the class would analyse the problems with the Jewish faith and what they have done wrong throughout the history of their religion. Largely speaking this was incredibly successful; this was because, in most children, it was easily to shape their minds. This ended up with a lot of them, snubbing their original Jewish friends, a lot of the time without having any good reason other than the fact that it was the anti-Semitic ideology that had been ingrained in to them. Fitness was an incredibly important of the Nazi society in all aspects of society and not just children. Despite this, children, especially males did have an incredibly hard regime to follow. These kinds of activities revolved around the centre point of a Nazi boy’s upbringing which was being ready for war. Throughout the future war, Hitler knew that a fit army was an efficient one and starting this mindset from an early age was an incredibly effective way of making sure this happened. Although this did turn them in to war ready, fit young men, some of the regimes were slightly excessive when you consider the range of ages. Especially when children were being evacuated in to the â€Å"countryside† they were actually being taken to Nazi camps, were generals would test out fitness programs for some of the elite regiments. This could lead to the suggestion that a lot of children were alienated by this and so was not entirely successful. When looking at Nazi policies towards young women, we can see that although they have a very different structure and content, the final result is the same. The Nazi’s wanted to create women that followed the Nazi ideology. The main way that they did this was to introduce their own kind of youth club. Despite being similar to the Hitler youth, the itinerary of the Jugmadelbund (the name of the organisation), was much more focused on improving skills to do with mother hood, cooking and other household jobs. This had mixed result as many of them only cam to the meetings to see friends and were not really interested in the propaganda message. On the other hand it can be argued that they were successful due to the fact that a lot more girls went to them than boys did to the Hitler Youth pre 1939. This resulted in a lot of becoming part of the Nazi ideal almost through accident. Adolf Hitler knew that children were the future of the German race, for this reason he spent a lot of time, money and effort in to securing this ideological legacy through numerous policies and organisations. Overall these were largely successful in getting across his message. The evidence for this is most prominent, towards the end of the war where children as young as 12 and 13 were taking part in the fighting. Even when the Soviet Red Army was knocking on the door of Berlin, children fought, almost fanatically to defend the Nazi ideal to their last breath, their minds shrouded by the fact that they had never really been apart of anything else but the German Third Reich.

Comparing Poems Essay

Identity is different for every person, it is what separates us all and makes us unique. Identity can be split into many categories. In the poem ‘Nothing’s Changed’, segregation is used to show us the poets feelings whereas ‘Half-Caste’ is mainly focused on racial equality.  Each of the poets structure their poems in ways that express their feelings and ideas about identity; the differences in each vary. ‘Half-Caste’ consists of 4 stanzas, written with a lack of punctuation and in patois dialect that allows the reader the freedom to express the poem in a way that they wish. Also, the haphazard, informal way that the poem is written suggests it should be read aloud. This reflects John Agard’s strive for freedom. The phrase, ‘Explain yuself/wha yu mean/when yu say half-caste’, is a refrain. This refrain is repeated throughout the poem to question the reader. It is an aggressive confrontation between the reader and the poet that elicits an answer from the reader. ‘Nothing’s Changed’ is written formally so that the poet can express a controlled anger. Segregation is used to show the separate identities of blacks and whites. It is set out in 7 stanzas. The formal punctuation and structure is very organised which makes the poem seem like a story. Language is used to a dramatic effect in both poems, it reveals the poet’s ideas about identity. Firstly, in ‘Half-Caste’ there is a pun of the half-caste weather, ‘yu mean when light an shadow/mix in de sky/is a half-caste weather/’, this play on words mocks the phrase ‘half-caste’ which emphasises the poets feelings about a half-caste identity. In ‘Nothing’s Changed’, throughout the first stanza there is a series of onomatopoeias that give the reader the image of a man walking in a baron place. The mood of the poet is very much reflected in the language of ‘Half-Caste’ and portrays the image of anger, confusion and annoyance. An example of this language is: ‘Ah listening to yu wid de keen/half of mih ear†¦why I offer yu half-a-hand’. This gives the reader the representation of a ridiculous happening, which is disrespectful to the opposing person. ‘Nothing’s Changed’ also shares a similar mood of anger and frustration. The poet writes:  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœand the skin about my bones/and  the soft labouring of my lungs,  /and the hot, white, inwards  turning/anger of my eyes.’  This includes within it repetition, powerful, angry words and references to body parts that identify the person’s feeling of a painful anger. The poets use language to reveal their feelings about identity in both similar and different ways. They both project anger and confusion about the attitude of today’s society knowing that equality is not present. In ‘Nothing’s Changed’ the poet writes:  Ã¢â‚¬ËœHands burn/for a stone, a bomb,  /to shiver down the glass. /  Nothing’s Changed.’  This begins with a metaphor; ‘Hands burn’ which shows the person is feeling angry. The words ‘a bomb,/to shiver down the glass.’ Are extremely effective as the glass acts as a symbolic barrier between colours and to ‘shiver down’ this glass would be to break the differences/barriers between people of different colours. The poem ends with ‘Nothing’s Changed’, which basically sums the whole theory up: there always has been and always will be inequality within the world. This is similar to ‘Half-Caste’ because throughout this poem John Agard is saying that people have no respect for each other and never will. He hopes though by saying ‘but yu must come back tomorrow†¦de other half/of my story’ that one day the prejudice might be put aside and people will come back with a better attitude towards each other. The identities that both poets show to reveal their feelings are similar because they both feel as though they have been victimized. The similarity is that in ‘Half-Caste’ the man emphasises his thoughts by expanding things out of proportion to prove a point: ‘Ah listening to yu wid de keen/half of mih ear†¦why I offer yu half-a-hand’, and in ‘Nothing’s Changed’ the person also takes things and changes them into something worse. An example of this is when it says ‘whites only inn/No sign says it is:/but we know where we belong.’ This is saying that the restaurant is only for rich, white people even though he knows there isn’t a sign saying so (He knows that if he goes in he will be laughed at). Both poems are similar also because they are based on black people being discriminated against by white. Both of these poems were very interesting and presented me with a question, which was how could I break down the barriers people have to make them better people? The poem I favoured was ‘Nothing’s Changed’ because it was easier to picture as a story and I feel that the majority of people have felt like an outsider at least once in their life. ‘Half-Caste’ did bring a strong point across but I believe that it was brought across in a bizarre and confusing way whereas ‘Nothing’s Changed ‘ was easier to relate to from a past event.

Informal Logic

Have you ever thought to wonder what will happen to you after death? Where will your soul go? Will you still have some form of existence to continue through a mental capacity? Most every person has sat to ponder this lifelong question at one time or another. In many peoples mind this can be a devastating thought, serious enough that they begin to contemplate believing what they know is true and what they would like to believe.Over the existence of man many people have followed different ideals ND practices to help cope with this daunting question. Religion is the basis for the preservation of a person's soul and gives comfort In a belief of a higher power that Is responsible for creation. Most religions such as Charlatanry believe that our soul Is sent to a higher place after death and gives mental relief from the life after death question. But ask yourself this, is religion real, or merely an ideal used to comfort the wandering human mind?Science is the theory of truth thru knowledg e, and many people only believe what they know is true thru factual evidence. According to Webster New Collegiate Dictionary, the definition of science is â€Å"knowledge attained through study or practice,† or â€Å"knowledge covering general truths of the operation of general laws, as obtained and tested through scientific method [and] concerned with the physical world. â€Å"(Science) So what's the answer? What concept is truth? Should you trust your soul in the concept of religion or science? More importantly are these two ideals In conflict?I would argue that both of these concepts are far beyond our humble minds to comprehend. We simply don't have enough knowledge regarding owe religious facts and scientific facts relate to each other regarding the creation of the universe. Because we have yet to fully understand the creation of the known universe and its relation to religious ideals they are not in conflict, and God could Just be the creator of science. The universe is a void of space filled with galaxies, stars, planets and vast amounts of never ending empty space; but how did the space we live in get there to begin with?How did all the star dust we are made up of come to being? These questions have been plaguing mankind for generations, and we have spent millions of dollars trying o find the answer. There are many theories such as the Big Bang that mathematically quantifies the expansion and creation of the known universe. This theory puts Into perspective how the universe dispersed Its matter to form the universe we know today. (Lieberman, 2013) These theories no matter how mathematically correct cannot explain how space and matter itself came into created from nothing or destroyed only converted in to energy.Because the known fact that matter cannot be created from nothing it would allude to the fact that all matter that is in the universe had to come from somewhere. Sahara, 2004) Even more mind boggling is the thought of where space and ti me exists itself, how was the big empty vacuum called space made and where does it go? So for arguments sake if science can only explain the expansion of the universe thru mathematical equations and experiments, that would mean that the ideal of god being the creator of the heavens is still sound.The theory of the Big Bang could in fact be an accurate mathematical equation of how god distributed matter he created throughout the universe. Until we have scientifically proven how matter came into existence in the iris place we can't logically prove how we came into existence one way or the other. This would lead us to the conclusion that the two ideas are not really in conflict per say, because we simply Just don't know yet. There is still a chance that science is merely a tool used by a higher power to create and distribute matter thought the universe.With that being said lets debate the so called â€Å"controversy' most people have heard about or even debated themselves. The relatio nship between science and the Catholic Church has been very intertwined for ages and is a controversial epic to many. The Catholic Church have vested time and money into many things scientific like hospitals and universities. It's a known fact that the Catholic Church remains the single greatest private provider of medical care and research facilities in the world.But in the beginning of the relationship between the Catholic Church and science there were many problems. While being funded by the church religious scientists began looking to the stars and developing theories to our existence. In fact a priest named Monsieur Georges Henry Joseph ?dotard Limiter proposed the Big Bang theory that explained the expansion of the universe. (Georges Limiter) Like Limiter, many other scientists made advancements in science in areas of astronomy and genetics, all while working under the close supervision of the Catholic Church.Another religious scientists working under the Catholic Church was a man named Friar Gregory Mendel who is known as the â€Å"father of modern genetics†, pioneered many fundamental principles in genetic research in plants. (Basic Principles of Genetics) Obviously the manipulation of a Gods creations in nature truck a harsh cord in the way of scientific research in the churches eyes. The Catholic Church then drafted an actual conflict thesis that proposes an intellectual conflict between the Church and science asserting that the Church has been in stated lifelong opposition to science.The public and well known thesis interprets the relationship between the Church and science as inevitably leading to public hostility, when religion aggressively challenges new scientific ideas in relation to creation and the evolution of mankind. What concept is truth? Should you trust your soul in the concept of religion or science? More importantly are these two ideals in conflict? Because the Catholic Church funded the research that developed facts that put t he concept of religious faith in God to question, an eternal conflict was struck in mankind in a battle of truth versus faith.Religion greatly outdoes early and modern science, but in the beginning of science as we now it, the two ideals were actually intertwined. Controversy between religion and science struck and became two arguments is a bit irrational due to the fact that one side of the argument is based on faith, and the other truth by what can be proven by science. McCall, 2011). Religious documents like the bible are one of the most historic documents of the known world. They give premise to the early beginning of man and woman, and by most accounts are the most circulated historical documents of mankind.While they do have a many revisions mostly due to the evolution of human language their stories have changed little over the last few thousands of years. (The Holy Bible) Religious documents like the bible are seen as factual documents to the religious community, and so brin g controversy with non-believers. Many teachings in the bible such as the age of the earth directly contradict what factual science has discovered over the last few hundred years (Hodge, 2007). This idea of conflict simply comes down to the interpretation of valid sources.The bible and other religious documents have claimed to be inaccurate by scientists due to the lack of control and validation when they were written. Many faulting factors like how many people had a hand in writing religious documents like the bible make it difficult for people to instill their faith in such a concept but in hindsight scientific documents have known o be Just as flawed. (McCall, 2011) Advancements in science have explained many things about the universe around us in a tangible way people can see and feel.Therefore until we are able to reach advancements in science that prove religion wrong there will always be some kind of hostile conflict between the religion and science. Let's face it the idea of where a person's soul will reside after death is a huge deal to most people. Most every person has had to of contemplated where they would go after they die and there is question it can make people seriously emotional. These emotions lead to public controversy that bleeds in to religious debates in almost every type of religion.Over the years the religious community has had my conflicts with concepts like Naturalism and Evolution because they offer a logical scientific explanation to how things have come to be on earth. But these conflicts can still go back to the main point that we truly don't know what or how started the creation of matter God in fact could have used science as a tool for creation. Over the last few hundred years we have made vast advancements in the way of science.We can now fly, split atoms, and actually live in space for an extended period of time. Such advancements have enabled us to peer into the very beginning of the universe almost to the very beginning of the Big Bang itself. Scientists have even been able to replicate a small scale Big Bang like scenario by smashing atoms together in hopes to create a small big bang of our own. (CERN, 2013) But with all of these amazing discoveries we have failed to answer the most important question of them all.Is god the real creator of the universe or can science explain it with mathematical facts or experiments? The argument of whether religion and science are in a conflict is realistically a moot point in today's day and age. The concept of science being the search of the truth and religion being a fundamental belief system is like comparing apples and oranges. Most religions are centered on the basis of faith that causes a false sense controversy with the hunt for the truth in science.One really doesn't have much to do with the other unless people want to stir up controversy by comparing the facts of science to the plausibility of religion, in fact they might Just be comments like the bible d o not give specific reference to how the heavens were created, you could deduct that we are only now learning the process of how god created matter, and spread it thru the universe. Scientific facts like the evolution of man and animals overtime can appear to create controversy but all take us back to the basis of the truth and our humble understanding of how matter was created and that we simply don't know.While there might be a perceived conflict between religion and science, this is merely a false comparison of the two. The two ideals do have mom independent characteristics that strike the human mind for comparison but not in a way that makes them competitive. Religions that are based on faith in a higher power, concede that they no longer search for the answer of our beginnings in space and time. In comparison scientific studies search to further our understanding of matter and how it was created thru facts that can be proved.Unlike belief systems science has no agenda, nothing to gain or lose, only the truth. How far that truth can be proved in a conclusion of the existence of matter itself Just might prove and endless Journey playing to the tune of faith in its own right. Unfortunately our own human nature has clouded our view of these daunting principles. Because of the importance and nature of the subject this topic will be evaluated until god comes or science finds him. I would argue that both of these concepts are far beyond our humble minds to understand to completion.Because we have yet to fully understand the creation of the known universe and its relation to religious ideals they are not in conflict, god could Just be the creator of science making them one in the same. The idea that these to giants are in conflict is more or less a confusion between the imperfections in man and not the truth itself.