Analysis Of The Poem Alaska - 1113 Words

Alaska. The word conjures images of majestic mountains, deep-blue glaciers, adventure, and quite possibly the most extreme and rugged place on Earth. My family spent one of the greatest weeks of our lives there this past summer. Homer is the last stop along the Alaskan highway system, five hours southwest of Anchorage. It isn’t much, just a couple hundred houses nestled high up on the hillside, and a sandy spit, jutting five miles into the sea. Across the bay from Homer lies Kachemak Bay State Park, 400,000 acres of rugged mountains and flowing ice fields. The place where we stayed rested on the outskirts, right on the ocean. We had plans for all but one of the days we spent across the bay. When the day arrived, most of my family prepared†¦show more content†¦I finished the apple I’d been working on and we headed off. From the trail’s official terminus, the ridge flattened out before rising sharply. This repeated several times, each time stretching higher and steeper, before finally flattening out a thousand feet above our position. On this final shelf sat the summit, hidden from view by thick clouds. On we hiked towards the cloud cover, passing by crystal clear ponds and fields of snow, left over from the winter before. As we gained elevation the temperature dropped and a wind came up out of the south, forcing us to stop after a few minutes to put on our extra jackets. We did our best to stick to the center of the ridge from that point onwards. If it hadn’t been as wide, we would have had to turn back for fear of being blown off the edge. The worsening conditions made continuing difficult, but we did so nevertheless. Carefully, we picked our way through the snowfields and knee-high brush until we began to notice wisps of fog around us. We had entered the cloud. Soon, all we could see when we looked behind us were streams of pale white. When the clouds cleared for a moment I managed to get a picture. The ridge stretched back behind us, dotted with blue-white ice, and off in the distance the bright Homer spit stretched into the deep blue ocean like a knife through butter. I don’t know if I have seen anything more beautiful before or sinceShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Poem Looking For Alaska 1543 Words   |  7 Pagesperhaps in a girl named Alaska Young, and this is where the book Looking for Alaska’s story begins to unfold its intricate layers of narrative. Though it is possible for a middle schooler to read this book, themes such as intimacy, suffering, and closure resound through the chapters on many different levels that critical thinking is a must to truly understand the in-de pth narration in the head of Miles Halter. One hundred twenty-eight days before. Our protagonist Miles meets Alaska and immediately rantsRead More 1950-1960 Essay1699 Words   |  7 PagesUnited States experienced great change with the end of World War II, making it difficult to label the busy decade. America was the most powerful nation in the world and it was a time of complacency. The United States accepted two new states, Hawaii and Alaska (www.fifties.com). The science world boomed with new inventions; televisions broadcast nationally; rock n roll was popular; commercial hotel and fast food chains became common; the car industry exploded; vaccinations for measles and polio were discovered;Read More Nuala Nà ­ Dhomhnaill’s The Astrakhan Cloak Essay2381 Words   |  10 Pagescollection of poems by Nuala Nà ­ Dhomhnaill. Several aspects of the book deserve notice from the reader, including structural and thematic elements that work to develop an overall sense of mystery, wonder, and loss. 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Iowa Of mice and men essay Lubbock of mice and men essay Idaho writing essay bridgeport, Dumfries Galloway, North Las Vegas, essay pollution 100 words, Fort Wayne project help austin. college essay help state of alaska Salisbury. Montana Of mice and men essay New Hampshire New Richmond technical report writing topics for electrical engineering North Vancouver. thesis writing tips pdf Of mice and men essay Rhode Island Lothian Of mice and men essay West VirginiaRead MoreGrade 10 History Notes3557 Words   |  15 Pageswould help them in the Alaska Boundary Dispute. †¢ French-Canadian Nationalists: Did not wish to support the British war. Did not agree with Chamberlain’s goal of conquering South Africa. Felt Canada should not get involved in matters that did not concern them. †¢ Laurier attempted to compromise and sent â€Å"unofficial help†- 1000 volunteers equipment †¢ Imperialists not happy, felt that Laurier didn’t do enough. Nationalists thought he shouldn’t have done anything. The Alaska Boundary Dispute (1903) Read MorePast, Present Future Role of Computers in Fisheries13859 Words   |  56 Pagesfisheries laboratories, it is common for scientists to use multiple computers in their personal offices, a desktop B.A. Megrey (*) U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service; Alaska Fisheries Science Center, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, BIN C15700, Seattle, WA 98115, USA B.A. Megrey, E. Moksness (eds.), Computers in Fisheries Research, 2nd ed., DOI 10.1007/978-1-4020-8636-6_1, Ó Springer Scienceà ¾Business Media B.V. 2009 1 Read MoreConsumer Behavior Essay15664 Words   |  63 Pagesmarketers use measures of recognition and recall to study the extent of consumer learning? Q5. (b) What is market Segmentation? How is the practice of market segmentation related to the marketing concept? Q6. (a) What is cross- cultures consumer analysis? 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Write a short essay that weighs the pros and cons and then comes to a decision about whether there should be more or less public celebration (by Americans and their institutions) on Columbus

Human Resources Management Human Resource Management

What is the one of the most fundamental aspects of administering a business efficiently? Human Resource Management (HRM). Human Resources is the solid foundation that practically oversees the entire organization, whether its managing employees to surveilling the progress of every single department. There are six principle functions that Human Resource take into account: employee relations, recruitment, compliance, compensation and benefits, training and development, and safety (policies/regulations). Over time Human Resource Management has taken a new role into other functions, â€Å"they are looking at HRM as a means to support a company’s strategy- its plan for meeting broad goals such as profitability, quality, and market share† (Noe 40). Not all businesses easily sail through storms; they have to forecast, identify situations that affect the business goals or objectives, and implement solutions to those problems that arise. Therefore, there are currently six strateg ic business issues that affect Human Resource Management: total quality management, mergers and acquisitions, downsizing, reengineering, outsourcing, and international expansion. Human Resource Management has become competent in managing organizations to stay afloat while in any economic business cycle. An organization always strives to be efficient and effective for its operations. Consumers always want their products, or services to have high quality standards. Companies want to be able to provide thoseShow MoreRelatedHuman Resources Management And Human Resource Management2123 Words   |  9 PagesIntroduction The study of human resource management becomes a major topic of the science of management at the beginning of 20th century and keeps attracting researchers’ attention (Merkle, 1980). The new models of human resource management derive from the advance of management theories and the accumulation of practices and experiences. With the development of global economy, the economic situation of each country deeply affects the world and becomes closely connected. In addition, the needs of customersRead MoreHuman Resources Management : Human Resource Management1138 Words   |  5 PagesHuman Resources Management Hilti continues to grasp on success and expand globally, but their path weren’t always well defined. The company began in 1941 and historically they’ve kept to traditional strategies when it came to recognizing human resource requirements. In the early 2000’s, the company established a new set initiatives, aimed at doubling revenue and operating profits. Hilti also recognized that this type of growth would require invigorating ideas to employ human resourcing requirementsRead MoreHuman Resource Management And Human Resources Management941 Words   |  4 PagesHuman Resources Management is one of the most important aspects of any organization, whether it be non-profit, not for profit, or profit. 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BBMak free essay sample

BBMak. What does that mean exactly? After attending arecent concert, I know exactly what the name of this up-and-coming band means.Harmonious voices, enthusiasm and guy next door appeal combined withraw talent all define BBMak. I had an amazing time at the concert and walked awaywith an appreciation for the band and a newfound love of music. BBMakconsists of Englishmen Christian Burns, Ste McNally and Mark Barry. They recentlycame to America looking for success and armed with great voices. They are bestknown for their first hit, Back Here, but that is slowly changing asfans catch on to their undeniable talent. The guys are with HollywoodRecords, where my aunt works. She asked if I was interested in going to theirconcert. I knew of BBMak and, hey, the tickets were free! So I went with my mom,sister and friend. We all expected a decent show, but had no idea how good itwould really be. We will write a custom essay sample on BBMak or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They opened with Im Not in Love, afast-paced song from their album Sooner or Later that shows off theguys excellent guitar skills. It was a good tune to set the mood for the rest ofthe night. The guys played every song on the album; I Can Tell andGhost of You and Me were two standouts. I was very impressedwith the fact that they play their own instruments, and play them well. All threeplay the guitar and Mark also plays the bagpipes (very cool in concert!) and theIrish whistle. I could tell BBMak genuinely love making music. The looks on theirfaces and their body language showed the audience they enjoyed performing for us,and that enthusiasm from a band was refreshing. The feeling spread to thespectators and made for a comfortable concert atmosphere. Back Herewas the last song, but the guys came back for two encores, including their latestsingle, Still on Your Side. The concert was amazing, but thehighlight of the night was going backstage to meet the band. My aunt had arrangedfor VIP passes and the guys were as nice as could be! They autographed mysisters poster and posed for pictures. They were down-to-earth and generous,guys who seemed unaccustomed to fame. As fans, it was nice to beappreciated. The concerts only weakness was the amount of time it tookBBMak to get on stage two hours after the starting time. But that annoyance wasquickly forgotten when they started playing. The BBMak concert was anincredible experience. Their great voices and enthusiastic fans made for anevening I will never forget. I definitely recommend seeing BBMak if you have thechance. Their still-fresh attitude on fame and love of music make them veryappealing. Go out and buy their CD, too; you will enjoy their self-written andself-produced songs. The boys of BBMak are here to stay.

Is EUs Development Policy a Neo

Introduction The European Union (EU) has an expansive history of development cooperation with the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states, with available literature demonstrating that the Union is in fact the world’s largest provider of Official Development Assistance mostly targeted at poverty reduction, sustainable development, democracy and good governance (Hurt 2003; Dearden 2008; Hurt 2010).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Is EU’s Development Policy a Neo-Colonial Project? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is without doubt that the EU has over the years taken the initiative to develop and implement more enduring partnerships with ACP countries, while at the same time ensuring that the relevant financial regulations targeted at aid recipient countries continue to be streamlined with the view to enhancing administrative efficiency (Dearden 2008). However, it is now becoming increas ingly clear that the EU’s credibility as the world’s largest provider of development assistance continues to be heavily damaged by the discrepancy between its own protectionist agricultural, fisheries and trade policies (Forwood 2001), as well as by its demonstration of the highly unequal and political nature of a relationship that was officially perceived as non-political (Hurt 2003). This report illuminates some neo-colonial perspectives predominant in ACP states (e.g., economic influence, political interference, financial dependence, and security concerns) to demonstrate why the EU’s development policy is largely perceived as a neo-colonial project. Overview of the EU’s Development Policy The EU’s development policy towards ACP states is centred on two major agreements, namely the Lome’ Convention and the Cotonou Agreement. Available literature demonstrates that the Lome’ Convention was a trade and aid agreement between the EC and 71 ACP countries first signed in February 1975 in Lome’, Togo, while the Cotonou agreement came into existence in June 2000 to define the new relationship between the EU and ACP nations after the expiry of the Lome’ Convention (Hurt 2003). The first Lome’ Convention (Lome’ 1) and the subsequent renegotiated agreements (Lome’ II, Lome’ III and Lome’ IV) were basically structured around non-reciprocal trade preferences, while the Cotonou Agreement was structured around regional free trade agreements to be negotiated by the EU and a multiplicity of groupings in ACP countries (Forwood 2001). A number of researchers are in agreement that the EU’s development cooperation in both agreements was intrinsically tied to a number of factors or conditionalities that seemed to perpetuate a neo-colonialism perspective (Forwood 2001).Advertising Looking for research paper on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For instance, available literature demonstrates that, after the end of the Cold War, the EC/EU policy towards Africa broadened â€Å"from the original goal of promoting economic and social development increasingly towards giving priority to the promotion of stability, security and democracy† (Olsen 2004, p. 426). This author further argues that the reorientation of the EC/EU’s policy towards Africa was to a large extent influenced by the new international system in the 1990s and subsequent attempt by the Community to become a significant international actor by relying more on instruments related to foreign and security policy, rather than the traditional instrument of development assistance. Following a Statement on Development Policy developed in 2000, â€Å"poverty reduction was recognised as the main objective of community development policy with seven areas identified as demonstrating the EC comparative advantage â€⠀œ trade and development, regional integration, macroeconomic support, transport, rural development, health, and education and institutional capacity building† (Dearden 2008, p. 188). The Statement, according to this author, further reiterated the EU’s unwavering dedication to coherence, coordination and complementarity in its development policy to ACP states, and also to the orientation of aid programming in the direction of achieving mutually fulfilling results by the development and implementation of an appraisal culture. Moving on, it is important to note that most of the development cooperation under the Cotonou Agreement is tied to the respect for democratic principles, the rule of law and human rights; however, the narrow national interests of the individual EU member states toward ACP countries place clear limitations on how far it is possible to commence common policy initiatives that would benefit aid recipient countries (Forwood 2001). Although the EU still p ursues this development assistance approach in ACP countries, it is increasingly being tied to a number of new goals and objectives that, in the view of critics, are neo-colonialist in nature and scope (Elgstrom Pilegaard 2008). The subsequent section provides evidence to demonstrate why the EU’s development policy in ACP states is a neo-colonial project. Understanding Neo-Colonialism and its Characteristics In the wake of the EU’s rapid expansion as the world’s largest provider of Official Development Assistance and of its mounting role in the global geo-political and economic domains, there are escalating passionate debates around the world on whether the Union’s development policy is actually a neo-colonial project (Olsen 2008; Scheipers Sicurelli, 2008).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Is EU’s Development Policy a Neo-Colonial Project? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn M ore So, in essence, it is important to define the concept of neo-colonialism and its characteristics with the view to establishing whether indeed the EU’s development policy is laced with neo-colonial connotations. Various authors have attempted to define the concept of neo-colonialism, though up to date there is no universally agreed upon definition of the concept. As demonstrated in the literature, the first official description of neo-colonialism was conceptualised in the 1961 Resolution on Neo-Colonialism Conference, with actors describing it â€Å"as the survival of the colonial system in spite of formal recognition of the political independence in emerging countries, which become victims of an indirect and subtle form of domination by political, economic, social, military, or technical means† (Haag 2011, p. 9). Since then, the concept has been defined differentially, with a major highlight being that of Kwame Nkrumah, who argued that â€Å"the essence of neo-c olonialism consists in that the state subject to it is officially independent and sovereign, while its economy and political policy are controlled from outside† (Haag 2011, p. 9). Consequently, drawing on the works of Rodney (2011), the main characteristics of neo-colonialism can be listed as (1) existence of ongoing influence of the former colonial powers long after the colonised nations gain independence, (2) excessive exploitation of resources found on formerly colonised nations by former colonial powers, (3) inhibition of independent political and economic policies in former colonies, and (4) maintaining the former colonies in a dependent position which allows for economic exploitation. Perspectives of Neo-Colonialism EU’s Development Aid The justifications for assuming the approach that the EU’s development policy is a neo-colonial project are many and varied. One critical argument projected by McKinlay and Little (1979), cited extensively in Olsen (2004, p . 427), is that â€Å"the amount of aid received by any low-income country is proportional to the level of interest to the donor.† Furthermore, it is evident that the aid motivations literature extensively cited in European studies and international relations acknowledges that ‘donor interests’ and not ‘recipient needs’ have always served as the main motivators of the EU to provide development aid to third world countries (Olsen 2008; Scheipers Sicurelli 2008). It has also been acknowledged in the literature that most of these ‘donor interests’ are selfish in nature (Olsen 2004), thus are most driven by a neo-colonialist connotation (Hurt 2012).Advertising Looking for research paper on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Indeed, according to Hurt (2003), it is increasingly becoming clear that the language of the Cotonou Agreement mixes notions of consent and coercion to propagate the interests of the EU at the expense of aid recipient ACP countries. Consent is attained through the conceptions of ‘dialogue’, ‘partnership’ and of ACP nations ‘owning’ their development strategies, while coercion is present in the EU’s presentation of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) as the only feasible alternative, phased programming of aid, and also through the implementation of frequent reviews of aid provision that have conditionalities attached. The subsequent sections of this report discuss the relevant neo-colonial perspectives predominant in most ACP states and how they lend credence to the assertion that EU’s development policy is laced with neo-colonial connotations. The perspectives that will be reviewed under the following subtopics include economic influence, political interference, financial dependence, and security concerns. Economic Influence From an economic standpoint, it can be argued that the Cotonou Agreement is basically a continuation of the neoliberalisation of the EU-ACP relationship as it builds on trends that have developed over the course of the various Lome’ Conventions, particularly apparent during Lome’ IV in the 1990s (Hurt 2003). As postulated by this author, one of the most fundamental inclusions within this agreement was to use part of the European Development Fund (EDF) to provide support to World Bank-imposed structural adjustment programmes (SAPS) that are remembered for disrupting the economic and social orientation of ACP nations. Although the EC had been accused of lacking clear objectives particularly in reducing poverty in ACP states (Dearden 2008), its successor, the EU, went ahead to support SAPS and in the process widen poverty gaps and economic stagnation in aid recipient countr ies (Bogayoko Gibert, 2009). It is evident that EU’s economic strategies in its development policy are firmly embedded in the â€Å"Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), which [resulted] from the decision in the Cotonou Agreement to replace the preferential trade agreements that defined the relationship in the past with reciprocal free trade agreements (FTAs) between the EU and seven sub-regions of the ACP group† (Hurt 2010, p. 161). However, although the EU looks at the EPAs as comprehensive development partnerships, they have nevertheless being accused of focussing too much on Africa and the trade-related features of EPAs rather than on the more familiar deliberations over market access. But while economic considerations of the EU are illuminated more broadly, it becomes apparent that a concern for the needs of developing countries under the ACP flagship is often of secondary nature and importance. For example, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has had a damagi ng effect on many developing countries, with available literature demonstrating that EU subsidies have often led to overproduction of products that are later ‘dumped’ in developing countries (Hurt, 2010). Moreover, the tough sanitary, phyto-sanitary and environmental standards imposed by the EU present additional challenges for ACP countries attempting to gain access to European markets (Elgstrom Pilegaard 2008; Elgstrom 2009; Carbone 2010). Consequently, it is justifiable to suggest that the perceived economic partnerships between EU and ACP member countries, though largely beneficial to countries in the developing world, are masked in neo-colonial connotations as most of the former colonies are maintained in a dependent position, thus allowing for economic exploitation. Economic issues cannot be divorced from trade. The EU has emerged as an important and distinctive player in the Doha Development Round of multilateral trade negotiations, with available literature dem onstrating that the Union â€Å"has been the most persistent and vigorous advocate of a broad trade agenda, going beyond the built-in agenda on agriculture and services, to include non-agricultural products, competition policy, investment, government procurement and trade facilitation (the Singapore issues)† (Young 2007, p. 769). However, the Union continues to adopt a liberal position as well as the deployment of liberal rhetoric with respect to some aspects of the agenda, leading to a situation whereby the EU is perceived as offering too few concessions particularly in agriculture, labour, education, healthcare and audio-visual services. In the view of critics, such protectionist interests projected by the EU are increasingly making the Union to be perceived as a power through trade, rather than as the most powerful trading bloc in the world (Meunier Nicolaidis 2006; Elgstrom 2009). Additionally, the EU is increasingly being accused of using â€Å"market access as a barga ining chip to obtain changes in the domestic arena of its trading partners, from labour standards to development policies, and in the international arena, from global governance to foreign policy† (Meunier Nicolaidis 2006, p. 906). When such orientations are targeted at international trade partners in the ACP countries, it is justifiable to suggest that they are neo-colonial as they demonstrate the use of economic issues to control and influence former colonies in the developing world. Political Interference In the mid-term review following the Lome IV negotiations and agreements of the 1990s, it became clear that the high-profile partnership between the EU/European Commission and ACP countries was increasingly being pegged on non-financial elements such as observation of rules of democracy and respect for human rights (Olsen, 2004).This author notes that â€Å"the introduction of such political conditionalities moved the Convention one step further away from its original co ncept of political neutrality† (p. 429). The introduction of politically-oriented performance-based policy on aid to ACP countries diverted substantially from the original Lome ´ model that was originally grounded on the principles of partnership. As noted by Olsen (2004), such a development coming from the mid-term review was perhaps meant to show that most EU/EC countries had lost faith in the capability of the ACP countries to take sole responsibility for enhancing their own development. However, as acknowledged by Meunier and Nicholas (2006), this could have served as the basis for the introduction of the neo-colonialism paradigm in the guise of shifting the global context of EU’s development assistance. It is important to note that the reality of democracy/political facilitation in ACP member countries is far less exciting than the rhetorical assertions made by the EU insinuate (Hurt 2010). Olsen (2004, p. 430) argues that, ‘as in its predecessor, the non-f inancial elements of the Cotonou Agreement represented an additional step towards tightening the conditionalities for receiving development assistance from the Union.† Other politically-oriented measures introduced under the Cotonou Agreement included anti-corruption, good governance, political dialogue, fight against drugs, peace building, and conflict prevention. However, while such measures could pass as some of the most highly profiled policies of the EU/EC during the 1990s and 2000s, their implementation have at best been weak and inconsistent, leading to the conclusion that Europeans have a neo-colonial agenda particularly in ACP countries (Olsen 2008; Scheipers Sicurelli 2008). For example, although the 1993 Maastricht Treaty underlined that the development and consolidation of democracy, the rule of law and observance of human rights and elementary freedoms were among the most imperative objectives of the development policy of the EU, it is evident that the amount of aid channelled into enhancing democracy and respect for human rights was astonishingly constrained and the implementation was deeply flawed (Olsen 2004). Hurt (2003, p. 171) argues that the political conditionalities that came with these changes have functioned in two major ways: â€Å"first in targeting aid towards projects that have the direct aim of improving human rights and the practice of democracy, and second by the introduction of sanctions on aid, if violations of these core principles are observed.† However, it is argued here that such politically-oriented conditionalities have only served to further EU’s neo-colonialism agenda in most ACP states. The examples to support this claim are many and varied. In Uganda, for example, most EU-member states are threatening to withdraw their development aid due to the passing of a bill that criminalises gay acts as unnatural. The main point here is not whether gay acts should be criminalised or not; rather, it is how th e EU has continued to use threats of introducing sanctions on aid to force the political leadership in Uganda to change its position and agree to gay relationships (Africa Review 2014). The shallow interests of the EU in Uganda are further exhibited by the fact that it now wants the Ugandan people to adopt practices that are against their culture and tradition, yet it is the same EU that professes respect for human rights and capacity of ACP countries to take control over their own development. Such political interference in the guise of development aid, in my view, is neo-colonialist in nature and scope. Overall, the global context of aid provision has been reflected in the Cotonou Agreement, with politics now firmly embedded in the EU-ACP relationship concerning the political elements that need to be met by ACP states so as to benefit from development aid. As already mentioned elsewhere, the fundamental political components of the Cotonou Agreement include the â€Å"respect for h uman rights as defined in international law, the promotion of universal democratic principles and the independent rule of law† (Hurt 2003, p. 171). Although the agreement allows for the suspension of development aid if any of these fundamental components is violated, it nevertheless fails to define the components in sufficient detail, giving room for neoliberal interpretations to be adopted by the EU. Some of these neoliberal interpretations qualify the EU’s development policy to be perceived in the context of a neo-colonial project due to frequent political interference in ACP states (Nunn Price 2004; Carbone 2010). During the 2013 general elections in Kenya, for example, the EU and other aid donors were quoted in the mainstream media as attempting to use development cooperation to sway the results of the presidential election in favour of their ‘preferred’ presidential candidate (Africa Review 2013). While this may be an isolated case, it nevertheless de monstrates how the EU may indeed be using its development policy to further its shallow interests in Africa and other ACP states without regard to the will of the people. Again, such an orientation is neo-colonialist in nature and scope, as it demonstrates an ongoing influence of the former colonial powers that to a large extent inhibits an independent political policy in ACP states. Financial Dependence Following Lome IV (1990-2000) negotiations, there was little doubt the negotiating positions assumed by many EU member states â€Å"reflected widespread disquiet about the effectiveness of common development assistance in general, as well as strong scepticism about the effects of giving aid to Africa in particular† (Olsen 2004, p. 428). But even after the realisation that providing financial aid to ACP countries was not solving the multiplicity of challenges affecting these countries, the EU went ahead to provide more financial packages to developing nations that were perceiv ed to be implementing the various policies and approaches agreed upon in the Cotonou Agreement (Hadfield 2007; Carbone 2008). It is argued in the literature that such an orientation made many ACP states to become increasingly dependent on financial aid from the EU (Hadfield 2007; Hurt 2012). Subsequently, the EU gained more control over the political and economic affairs of these countries as most could no longer function without the financial packages. Although today most ACP member countries are becoming less dependent on the financial incentives in the form of aid (Faber Orbie, 2008; Gibert 2009), it is clear that the EU has used its development cooperation as a neo-colonial tool to further its agenda and influence major political and economic decisions in the developing world (Carbone 2010). Indeed, it is argued that the political conditionalities attached to the financial aid have so far not scored highly in ensuring the aid recipient countries (1) take clearer leadership on m aking aid more effective for development results, (2) become fully accountable to domestic stakeholders, (3) mobilise domestic resources for development, and (4) continue to improve their systems on financial management, procurement, monitoring and evaluation, as well as fighting corruption (Carbone 2008; Bogayoko Gibert 2009). Instead of transforming lives, the financial aid provided by the EU has perpetuated a cycle of dependency and subsequent exploitation for economic gains. This is one of the hallmarks of neo-colonialism. Security Concerns Available literature demonstrates that, â€Å"in the post-cold war era, the EU has special (national) security interests in weak postcolonial states because as a postmodern state it is exposed to turmoil and general instability† (Olsen 2004, p. 428). In recent years, especially after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the EU and other international aid donors have increasingly paid attention to the so called ‘fragile states’ to pre-empt a situation where these states could collapse, thus providing an enabling environment for crime and terrorism to develop (Hout 2010). Overall, according to Hout (2010, p. 141), â€Å"†¦the focus on fragility is part of a more general trend of securitisation of development, which is preoccupied with creating conditions for stability in the developing world.† However, instead of stabilising the fragile states through the implementation of policies and approaches aimed at reducing poverty, satisfying basic needs, strengthening economic sustainability and creating representative civil institutions, the EU has largely incorporated governance issues into its strategies, with a highly technocratic character as well as a strong emphasis on public sector reform and public finance (Faber Orbie 2008; Holland 2008; Versluys 2008; Gibert 2009). This approach, it is argued here, is in stark contrast to the international recognised standards for the promotion of human securit y, provision of global security, and attainment of basic needs. Although security is the first condition for development as acknowledged in Hout (2010), there is need for the EU to take a comprehensive approach in addressing security concerns facing the fragile states instead of coming up with a whole raft of conditionalities related to governance issues as these states have unique challenges. Furthermore, some of the EU support strategies in fragile states, including decentralisation, electoral support and civil society support, have been accused of interfering in legally elected governments in ACP countries by supporting opposition figures and funding civil unrest (Hurt 2012). In Kenya and Zimbabwe, for example, the EU and other international donor agencies have been accused of propagating a neo-colonial perspective through their funding of governance programs that end up triggering civil unrest. Consequently, it can be argued that the EU’s development policy of funding gov ernance issues with the view to dealing with security concerns in the so called fragile states is neo-colonial due to the approaches used. Conclusion This report has illuminated some neo-colonial perspectives predominant in most ACP countries under the EU development aid to demonstrate why the EU’s development policy is largely perceived as laced with neo-colonial connotations. The neo-colonial perspectives that have been reviewed in this report include economic influence, political interference, financial dependence, and security concerns. An overview of the EU’s development agenda has demonstrated that the Union’s development policy towards ACP member countries is centered on two major agreements, including the Lome’ Convention of 1975 and the Cotonou Agreement of 2000. By and large, it has been well demonstrated how the EU’s development policy is often perceived by many as a neo-colonial project. In the economic influence perspective, for exampl e, it has been demonstrated that the perceived economic partnerships between EU and ACP member countries, though largely beneficial to countries in the developing world, are masked in neo-colonial connotations as most of the former colonies are maintained in a dependent position, thus allowing for economic exploitation. In the political interference perspective, it has been demonstrated how the various political conditionalities imposed by the EU under the guise of development cooperation end up compromising the political leadership and the rule of law in most ACP states, with examples of Kenya and Uganda provided to reinforce the assertion. In the financial dependency perspective, it has been demonstrated how the EU has used its development cooperation as a neo-colonialist tool to further its agenda and influence major political and economic decisions in the developing world. Lastly, in the security concerns perspective, it has been demonstrated how some of the EU’s security support strategies in fragile states, such as decentralisation, electoral support and civil society support, end up interfering with legally elected governments in ACP countries by supporting opposition figures and funding civil unrest. This report does not wish to portray that all of the EU’s strategies embedded in its development policy and relationships with ACP member countries are neo-colonial in nature and scope. However, evidence has been adduced to the fact that some of the Union’s strategies embedded in its development policy are indeed laced with neo-colonial connotations. The task therefore is for the EU to embrace more inclusivity and involvement of interested parties as it goes about designing future strategies and approaches for deployment in its development policy. Reference List Africa Review 2013, ‘Kenya cautions foreigners against interfering with elections’. Web. Africa Review 2014, ‘EU backs Uganda, Nigeria sanctions over gaysâ⠂¬â„¢. Web. Bogayoko, N Gibert MV 2009, ‘The linkage between security, governance, and development: The European Union in Africa’, Journal of Development Studies, vol. 45 no. 3, pp. 789-814. Carbone, M 2008, ‘Mission impossible: The European Union and Policy Coherence for Development’, Journal of European Integration, vol. 30 no. 3, pp. 323-342. Carbone, M 2010, ‘The European Union, good governance and aid coordination’, Third World Quarterly, vol. 31 no. 1, pp. 13-29. Dearden, SJH 2008, ‘Introduction: European Union development aid policy: The challenge of implementation’, Journal of International Development, vol. 20, pp. 187-192. Elgstrom, O Pilegaard, J 2008, ‘Imposed coherence: Negotiating economic partnership agreements’, Journal of European Integration, vol. 30 no. 3, pp. 363-380. Elgstrom, O 2009, ‘Trade and aid? The negotiated construction of EU policy on economic partnership agreements’, Intern ational Politics, vol. 46 no. 4, pp. 451-468. Faber, G Orbie, J 2008, ‘The new trade and development agenda of the European Union’, Perspectives on European Politics and Society, vol. 9 no. 2, pp. 197-207. Forwood, G 2001, ‘The road to Cotonou: Negotiating a successor to Lome’, Journal of Common Market Studies, vol. 39 no. 3, pp. 423-442. Gibert, MV 2009, ‘The Securitisation of the EU’s development agenda in Africa: Insights from Guinea-Bissau’, Perspectives on European Politics and Society, vol. 10 no. 4, pp. 621-637. Haag, D 2011, Mechanisms of neo-colonialism: Current French and British influence in Cameroon and Ghana. Web. Hadfield, A 2007, ‘Janus advances? An analysis of EC development policy and the 2005 amended Cotonou partnership agreement’, European Foreign Affairs Review, vol. 12, pp. 39-66. Holland, M 2008, ‘The EU and the global development agenda’, Journal of European Integration, vol. 30 no. 3, pp . 343-362. Hout, W 2010, ‘Between development and security: The European Union, governance, and fragile states’, Third World Quarterly, vol. 31 no. 1, pp. 141-157. Hurt, SR 2003, ‘Cooperation and coercion? The Cotonou agreement between the European Union and ACP states and the end of Lome convention’, Third World Quarterly, vol. 24 no. 1, pp. 161-176. Hurt, SR 2010, ‘Understanding EU development policy: History, global context, and self interest?’, Third World Quarterly, vol. 31 no. 1, pp. 159-168. Hurt, SR 2012, ‘The EU-SADC economic partnership agreement negotiations: ‘Locking in’ the neoliberal development model in Southern Africa’, Third World Quarterly, vol. 33 no. 3, pp. 495-510. Meunier, S Nicolaidis, K 2006, ‘The European Union as a conflicted trade power’, Journal of European Public Policy, vol. 13 no. 6, pp. 906-925. Nunn, A Price, S 2004, ‘Managing development: EU and African relations t hrough the evolution of the Lome and Cotonou agreements’, Historical Materialism, vol. 12 no. 4, pp. 203-230. Olsen, GR 2004, ‘Challenges to traditional policy options, opportunities for new choices: The Africa policy of the EU’, The Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs, vol. 93 no. 375, pp. 425-436. Olsen, GR 2008, ‘Coherence, consistency and political will in foreign policy: The European Union’s policy towards Africa’, Perspectives on European Politics and Society, vol. 9 no. 2, pp. 157-171. Rodney, W 2011, How Europe underdeveloped Africa, Black Classic Press, Baltimore, MD. Scheipers, S Sicurelli, D 2008, ‘Empowering Africa: Normative power in EU-Africa relations’, Journal of European Public Policy, vol. 15 no. 4, pp. 607-623. Versluys, H 2008, ‘Depoliticising and europeanising humanitarian aid: Success or failure?’, Perspectives on European Politics and Society, vol. 9 no. 2, pp. 208-22 4. Young, AR 2007, ‘Trade politics aint what it used to be: The European Union in the Doha round’, Journal of Common Market Studies, vol. 45 no. 4, pp. 789-811. This research paper on Is EU’s Development Policy a Neo-Colonial Project? was written and submitted by user Abr1l to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Conrads Heart Of Darkness Essays - Joseph Conrad, Congo Free State

Conrads Heart Of Darkness Conrad's Heart of Darkness Conrad's novel, Heart of Darkness, relies on his knowledge of history in order to describe its protagonist, Charlie Marlow, and his struggle. Marlow's feeling in the novel, as he goes to the Congo, rests on how he visualizes the effects of what is going on around him. Meaning that his attitude will be change during his experiences and his thoughts will change with everything that he learns. Marlow's change as caused by his exposure to the historical period in which he lived is important to his views of the situation, especially with his view of Kurtz. Marlow is asked by the company, the organization for whom he works, to travel to the Congo river and report back to them about Mr. Kurtz, a top notch officer of theirs. When he sets sail, he doesn't know what to expect. When his journey is completed, this little trip will have changed Marlow forever. Heart of Darkness is a story of one man's journey through the African Congo and the enlightenment of his soul. It begins with Charlie Marlow, along with a few of his comrades, cruising aboard the Nellie, a traditional sailboat. On the boat, Marlow begins to tell of his experiences in the Congo. Conrad uses Marlow to reveal all the personal thoughts and emotions that he wants to portray while Marlow goes on this voyage of a lifetime. Marlow begins his voyage as an ordinary English sailor who is traveling to the African Congo on a business trip. He is an Englishman who has never been exposed to any alternative form of culture similar to the one he will encounter in Africa, and he has no idea about the drastically different culture which exists out there. Throughout the book, Conrad, via Marlow's observations, reveals to the reader the naive mentality shared by every European. However, after only a short period of time in the Congo, he realizes the ignorance he and all his crew have. We first recognize the general na?ve attitude of the Europeans when Marlow's aunt is seeing him for the last time before he embarks on his journey. Marlow's aunt is under the assumption that the voyage is a mission to wean those ignorant millions from their horrid ways (Conrad 760). In reality, however, the Europeans main objective is to earn a substantial profit by collecting all the ivory in Africa. Suspense picks up when Marlow becomes closer to meeting Kurtz. He hears Mr. Kurtz being refereed to as that man. Although Marlow hasn't met Kurtz yet, he has heard of his greatness from the people who were in the company back home. He now realizes that by these men calling him that man, they strip him of all his attributes. When one hears Kurtz, they think of a very remarkable person. These men are now, by not referring to him by his name, denying Kurtz's accomplishments. Marlow lacked this authority to name. Mr. Kurtz is the Chief of the Inner Station. He is a universal genius, a prodigy, an emissary of pity science and progress. It is Kurtz who will teach Marlow what a name is, for one simple reason. The man presented himself as a voice...of all his gifts, the one that stood out preeminently, that carried with it a sense of real presence, was his ability to talk, his words---the gift of expression, the bewildering, the illuminating... (Conrad 760). Indeed, Kurtz gives Marlow everything Marlow is looking for. However, he does it in a very unconventional way. Kurtz teaches Marlow the lesson with his last words. The horror! The horror! (Conrad 795). These last words are Kurtz's own judgment, judgment on the life that he has lived. He has evaluated his life, and he has pronounced a judgment upon the adventures of his soul on this earth (Conrad 795). Marlow sees Kurtz open his mouth wide---it gave him a weirdly voracious aspect, as though he wanted to swallow all the air, all the earth, all the men before him... (Conrad 795). Kurtz takes everything in. He takes his life, and puts it all out on the table. Kurtz's last words are his way of teaching Marlow the essence of a name. A name

Bid for the 2014 World Cup †Brazil

Bid for the 2014 World Cup – Brazil Introduction Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) world cup is an event of a global inclination. This is a major sporting event that has the highest number of spectators in the world. It is a football competition that is contested by national football teams of men (Wong, 2009).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Bid for the 2014 World Cup – Brazil specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The nations that participate in this event are members of FIFA. The World Cup is classified as one of the biggest events in the world (Clark, 2008). It is also one of the longest international events in the world whose magnitude has been growing with time from the time the event was incepted. The event has been taking place for 82 years since its inception back in the year 1930 (Lisi, 2011). FIFA is the overall organization that governs football in the world. The federation does the overall administration of the world cup socce r event. The first world cup was held in the year 1930. From then, the event was scheduled to be taking place after every four years. The event has been taking place except for two seasons that are the 1942 world cup and the 1946 event that did not take place due to the Second World War which was going on that time (Stroud and Hein, 2009). The number of participating teams has been increasing from the inception time. The number of teams that do participate in the sport has been standardized at 32. The 32 teams come from all the five continents of the globe. World cup football matches are held in different venues – stadiums within the hosting nation(s). The event takes duration of a month. However there are a lot of events that precede and come after the event. A total of 19 world events have taken place and hosted by different countries with a number of countries having hosted the event more than once (Stroud and Hein, 2010). The 2014 world cup final will be the twentieth wor ld cup since the inception of the event. The football matches will be played in different stadiums across different cities in Brazil. The cities include Brasilia and Cuiaba which lie in the central west region of the country, Manaus that is in the North region, Fortazela, Natal and Salvador that are found in the Northeast region of Brazil, Curitiba, Porto and Porto Alegre in the South region of the country and Belo Hoerizonte, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo that are found in the Northeast region of the country (Thorpe and Thorpe, 2010).Advertising Looking for report on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Generally, Brazil is a football loving nation. Brazil is the best performer in the world cup competition having won the world cup trophy 5 times which is the highest number of times that a country has won the trophy in the history of the tournament. The country is the only country to have qualified to and p articipated in all the world cup tournaments since the world cup event was initiated in 1930. Brazil is home to great football in the world. All good football and footballing skills are linked to the country. It has the best talents when it comes to football. Football us the most liked sport in Brazil with the highest number of fans in comparison to other sports (Woods, 2010). Majority of the most talented players come from Brazil. These players include Ronaldo Luà ­s Nazrio de Lima Comonly known as Ronaldo, Ronaldo de Assis Moreira commonly known as Ronaldinho Gaucho, Romario de Souza Faria commonly known as Romario among many others other talented players who are playing in different leading football leagues in the world. Brazil hosted the world cup event of 1950 (St, 2010). A number of cities that hosted the event are still among the potential cities to host the event in the year 2014. The 2014 event cannot in anyway compared to the 1950 world cup event because the 1950 event ha d less number of participating teams. The 1950 event had only thirteen participating teams and a total of twenty two games to be played in only six arenas. The 2014 world cup will have a total of 32 participating teams and a total of 64 football matches that will be played in a potential eleven locations. However from the time the country hosted the 1950 world cup, there are many economic developments which includes a lot of infrastructure development. This has raised the capacity of Brazil and put it in a better place to host the world cup event (St, 2010). Conception of the Bid The FIFA world cup is an event of a big magnitude that is held in different countries across the world. The countries that do host the event are supported by FIFA though most of the initiatives are done by the hosting nation. I am making a bid for Brazil to host the event in the year 2014. I am the leader of an event administration and organizing firm. The government has contracted my company to my company to make a bid for the country for hosting the event. Therefore the whole responsibility of researching and making an analysis of the country is done by my company in order to make a report (bid) for the country to host the world cup. The bid will then be presented to the government which will forward it to FIFA for assessment in comparison with other bids from different countries that have interests of hosting the event.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Bid for the 2014 World Cup – Brazil specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is a one month event which entails a lot of logistical issues because of the large attendance which is attracted by such an event as it was witnessed in the last world cup final event in South Africa where more than one million foreigners attended the event. Therefore the responsibility that is upon my company is carrying out a thorough assessment of Brazil as a country in terms of many aspects that include infrastructure which includes the transport infrastructure and the sporting infrastructure in terms of the sporting grounds and other sporting facilities, the security, the hospitality industry that is important because of the high number of guests among many other aspects. All the research that will be carried out will bring out the potential of the country in terms of the structure that is already in place and the ongoing infrastructural projects as to put the country in a better place to host the event. Therefore a comprehensive quantitative as well as the qualitative study will be done in the general country and more emphasis will be put on the cities that have the potential of hosting the event. A comprehensive report will then be compiled compile that will reflect the picture of the readiness of Brazil to host world cup event. Findings: The Political and Economic Factors of Brazil Political Factors of Brazil Brazil covers an area whose size is approximated to be 8.5 million square kilometers. The size of the country almost doubles the size occupied by European Union states. The country has a very large population. The population of the country is approximated to be 200 million people. It is the 11th most populated country in the world (Forest, 2012). Brazil has a democratic system of governance. The country has consolidated institutions of governance that have been behind sound administration and political stability. Brazil has good political relations with other countries. It has never involved itself in interstate war since the times of the Second World War (Organization for Economic Cooperation an., 2011). The country has a federal system of governance. It has 26 states that make the federation. Brazil has a president who is elected and whose mandate lasts for a period of four years. The country has a stable government and a good foreign policy that aims to increase its presence at the international stage. The foreign policy of Br azil bases on commercial collaboration principle. The country has set up embassies in seventy four countries in the world (Organization for Economic Cooperation an, 2011). Economic factors The country has vast portions of natural resources which include oil and iron ore. These form part of the basis of economic development of the country. The country has fertile lands for agricultural production which is averaged at over 300 million hectares. The country is safe in the sense that it is not prone to natural calamities and or hazards and disasters. This puts the economy of Brazil in a better position when it comes to competition in the global market (OECD, 2011).Advertising Looking for report on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The country has a positive outlook in terms of the growth of its economy. Brazil has attained a big growth in the economy more so from the year 2000 to date. Its real Gross Domestic Product has been rising; it has doubled from 724 billion US dollars to 1.5 trillion US dollars for the period ranging from the year 2002 to 2009. The country has had a constant economic growth from the year 2004. The country has the largest economy in the Latin America Region. When looked at in comparison to all the economies of the world, Brazil is classified at number ten in terms of the size of the economy globally. The United Nations Development Program has classified the country as having the highest human development index when compared to other industrializing nations (LoÃŒ pez-Claros, 2010). The country plays a big role in the global market in sectors like aerospace, mining, energy and agriculture. The domestic market of the country has been expanding. This has resulted from sound policies that relate to economic growth and the distribution of income. The household consumption has grown to reach 236 billion US dollars by the year 2009. The country has a promising economy which has enticed foreign Direct Investors. The foreign direct investment in the country has risen to more than double for the last five years – from 2005 to 2010. The country has good trade relations with other countries of the world. It has formed trade partnerships with different countries across all the continents. The major trade partners of Brazil include the larger Europe, China, United States, Japan and South America. This is according to the Brazil’s Ministry of Development, Industry and Trade (International Business Publications, 2005). In spite of having a business environment which is functioning well the country the study has indicated that the country has wide spread bribery and corruption which hinders business and development of the country. However, there are positive develop ments concerning corruption. The country has been cited for developing a strong legal base for mitigating corruption. Brazil is more often than not used as model for the development of legal anti-corruption frameworks by other developing states of the world. Brazil has anti-corruption frameworks that are generally well developed. President Lula who is the current president of the country has shown serious commitments of fighting the vice of corruption. The country is still working on other legislations of ensuring that there is the participation of citizens in ensuring that the government s accountable and in sealing the loopholes for corruption (Yadav, 2011). Brazil has a god communication network. The country has diverse means of communication across its different cities. Extensive means of communication that are used include landline phones, faxes, cell phones, the television and the radio. The use of computers in communication has been increasing. The use of internet and the soc ial network in Brazil has gained fame in the country (ACC and Abraham, 2011). Social Environment of Brazil Brazil as a country has a rich culture. The country has a racial mixture. The also has different ethnicities. This brings a lot of diversities. The races in Brazil have a very thin line between them because here have been a lot of intermarriages between the races thus facing off individual races. Brazilians are friendly people who like to interact with different people. Social classes in Brazil are determined by the economic status as well as the color of the skin. There are elements of racial discrimination in Brazil. The people with dark skin are the victims of discrimination and form majority of those who make up the low class in the country (Douglas, 2011). The general religion of the country is Roman Catholic and most of the civil laws of the country bases on the Roman – German traditions. The commitment of Brazil for hosting the event has been going on for quite a long time from the year 2003. All government sectors and departments are showing commitments of hosting the event. The citizens of the country are also showing lots of interests and commitments of having the event hosted in the country (Douglas, 2011). Brazil has high rates of criminal activities. Crime is the major problem to the security of the country more so in the big cities the capital being one of the cities that is mostly affected. A ray of criminal activities that are common in the country include murder, carjacking, kidnappings, burglary and armed assaults. The media and the media have reported increase in criminal incidences in the country. The nature of violence has shifted from gang-on-gang and criminal activities are targeting civilians. Organized crime is aggravated by drug barons and gungs who mostly operate in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. Homicide in Brazil has been on decline in the recent times. Very violent crimes have dropped in recent times therefore the count ry is no longer classified as a very dangerous country in terms of crime (Human Rights Watch, 2011). Most of the cities that will potentially hold the world cup events do not have high rates of crime. Crime is only prevalent in two of the cities which are Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The government of Brazil has launched a security plan that is geared towards combating crime and increasing the general security of the country. The government has taken two approaches in tackling the security problem which are the increasing and deployment of security forces and the launching of preventive social programs. The government has launched a national security campaign and has planned to invest more than 3.3 million US dollars to bring down crime in the affected regions of the country. The plan is expected to have cut down crime in a big way by the end of the year 2012 (Conflict, security and development, 2011). Moreover, the country is putting in place enough security details in places like the stadiums, main hotels and media centers which will be hosting a big number of guests who attending the event (Conflict, security and development, 2011). Brazil as a country does not have terrorist activities. There are no terrorist groups that have been reported to be in the country. The country does not have alignment with enemies therefore this puts the country out of the dangers of being attacked and or terrorized by radical terrorist groups (Conflict, security and development, 2011). Infrastructure of Brazil Hosting cities have good infrastructure. The country has good air and land transport. The airports of the potential hosting cities are in a fairly good condition. This is a plus because the host cities have no proper hotel infrastructure in terms of the spacing and the quality to accommodate the anticipated large number of guests who will be attending the matches which will be played in the cities. In general, the country has put in place transport and logistical measur es to solve the anticipated transport problem which include the possibility of airlifting of fans to the cities as well as the transportation by road (United Nations Human Settlements Programme, 2010). Given that Brazil has a good football and footballing culture for both men and women, the country has numerous football training centers. These training centers are stadiums that belong to the local clubs in Brazil which are participating in the Brazilian league. The country has good football infrastructure. Brazil has eighteen football stadiums that have the potential of hosting the world cup football matches. Fourteen of the stadiums are old stadium which have been operating for quite a long time. There are other four stadiums that are still under construction. The old stadiums have been undergoing reconstruction to ensure that they are brought back to an excellent status in readiness for holding big events of the world cup caliber. The country lacks enough media facilities in the s tadiums that have the potential of hosting the world cup event. There are good projects that are ongoing to address media requirements. The country also has excellent football training facilities that have been in use for quite long. Some of these facilities have grown old and are being improved. Environment and Geography of Brazil The country has good geography and a good climate. The country has a varied topography which is inclusive of mountains, highlands, rivers, plains, savannas, grasslands and rainforests. It has a big coastal stretch which covers a distance of 7,367 kilometers. The country has a big rainforest – the amazon rainforest which covers most of the terrain of the country in the north region. Brazil has a total of five climatic regions. The climatic regions include tropical, equatorial, highland tropical, semi arid and the subtropical climatic regions. The different climatic regions have varying climatic conditions (Petersen, Sack and Gabler, 2012). Sustainab le Opportunities accruing from Hosting of the world cup event By the virtue of hosting the event, Brazil as a country could benefit a lot as in many developments will be brought about by the event. This can be looked at in relation to the development that has taken place in South Africa due to hosting the event in the year 2010. Brazil is a country which is in the transition stage as in relation to economic development. Brazil is a country that is developing at a relatively faster rate. South Africa is also a country that is in transition from a developing to a middle income economy. The infrastructural growth which is a vital component of economic growth was boosted in a very big way as in the preparation to hosting the world cup event in 2010. This includes the construction of world class stadiums, the transport infrastructure which includes the upgrading of the airports to international standards as well as the roads and railway networks. There was also tremendous development in the hotel industry which has boosted tourism in the country therefore increasing the earnings from tourism thence economic development. Social and Economic Impacts The study conducted indicates the world cup event when hosted in Brazil will produce a positive impact on investments inn the country. The result of the study shows that if the e vent is hosted in the country, the economy of Brazil will increase five folds in terms of the total amount of direct investment in the events that are related to the hosting of the world cup. This will result directly and indirectly impact on the development of other industries. Brazil will have to spend a total of R$ 22.6 billion in developing to ensure adequate infrastructure and the organization for the world cup. The event is estimated to bring to the Brazilian economy R$ 112.79 Billion. Also, another R$ 142.79 billion is projected to flow to the country as a result of the event. The flow of money in the economy will generate an approximate o f 3.6 million jobs per year. This will greatly aid in solving the unemployment crisis in the country. Furthermore an income of R$ 63.48 billion is expected from the event. This income for the population will impact positively on the consumer market at the domestic level. The amounts of tax collected by the local, state as well as the federal government is expected to rise by R$18.13 billion. The direct impact of hosting the event on the Gross Domestic Product of Brazil is estimated to reach R$ 64.5 billion. The sectors that will majorly benefit from the event include the construction sector, the hospitality sector which includes the food and beverages, the business services sector, the utilities sector that entail water, sanitation, gas and urban hygiene. The information services sector will also benefit from the event. The general output of these sectors will increase by R$ 50.18 billion. Analysis of finding and justification From the findings, it can be deduced that Brazil is a fo otball loving nation. The country has passionate football lovers. The history of Brazil cannot be complete without mentioning football. This is a positive point that perhaps explains why the country is the favorite in hosting this kind of an event. One of the most important factors of success for the world cup event is the number of people who buy tickets and or attends the event as the event aims at raising money for the football governing body. Therefore apart from foreign spectators, a big number of tickets will be bought by the Brazilians boosting the earnings from the event. Also being a footballing nation, Brazil has a well developed football league. The country has a fairly good football infrastructure. This includes the stadiums and other football training facilities. These facilities are a good basis for hosting the event. The stadiums that are owned by the Brazilian football clubs are being upgraded to standards that are required to host the event. This is a plus to Brazil when compared to other countries that do not have well developed local football where an overhaul of infrastructure will need to be undertaken. What is only needed and which the country is doing is the construction of ac few other stadiums. Drawing from the findings of the research, it has been noted that Brazil as a country has never been attacked and or targeted by extremist and terrorism groups. This is an important considering the fact that terrorism has become an issue of international concern and that terrorist groups do target places with big gatherings as will be during the world cup event. The country is mostly marked with internal criminal activities that are more prevalent in only two of the cities that will be hosting the world cup event. it has however been that the government of Brazil is investing a lot in issues to do with security and it has so far achieved remarkable success. Brazil has had stable politics for a long period of time. It has a stable government and good foreign relations with almost all countries of the world. The country has a good record of human rights with absence of civil wars and or conflicts. This makes the country to have a neutralist view by other countries of the world and thus an attracting factor to foreigners who do attend the event. Brazil has different climates owing to the different climatic regions that the country has. Moreover, the country has a long coastal stretch. All these are attraction factors for foreigners who will not only come as football spectators but also to explore the nature of the country. Federalism has helped the country to attain widespread development throughout the country. Therefore the country has god infrastructure. Brazil has good airports. The government is working on expansion of other airports across the potential world cup hosting cities across the country. The country also has good roads which are being improved. Generally the infrastructure of the country is fairly good and the weak pints in infrastructure are being worked onto bring them to good standards. The country has good hotels and restaurants. The hotels are however not well spread across the country. The transport infrastructure will aid in movement of spectators from stadiums to the hotels. Brazil is doing a lot in marketing the event both through the internet and other audio-visual media. Conclusion Brazil is a country whose development is accelerating at a faster pace. The country has a good economy and good infrastructure. The country has a stable government. The country has adopted and embraced modern technologies in development. When all these factors are coupled with the football culture of the country, it puts the country in a better place to host a successful world cup in 2014. Reference List ACC and Abraham, 2011, Advances in computing and communications: First international conference, ACC 2011, Kochi, India, July 22-24, 2011 : proceedings. Heidelberg: Springer. Clark, G., 2008, Local development benefits from staging global events. Paris: OECD. Conflict, security and development., 2011, Washington, DC: World Bank. Douglas, I., 2011, Global usability. London: Springer. Forest, C, 2012, Brazil. Edina, Minn: ABDO Pub. Co. Human Rights Watch., 2011, World Report 2011. Seven Stories Pr. International Business Publications., 2005, Brazil tax guide. Washington, D.C: International Business Publications.Lisi, C. A., 2011, A history of the World Cup, 1930-2010. Lanham, Md: Scarecrow Press. LoÃŒ pez-Claros, A., 2010, The innovation for development report 2010-2011: Innovation as a driver of productivity and economic growth. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. OECD., 2011, OECD economic surveys: Brazil. Paris: OECD. Organization for Economic Cooperation an., 2011, Government at a Glance 2011. Organization for Economic. Petersen, J. F., Sack, D. I., and Gabler, R. E., 2012, Physical geography. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning. St, L. R., 2010, Brazil. Footscray, Vic: Lonely Planet. Stroud, J., and Hein, D., 2010, History of the FIFA World Cup. Scoresby, Vic: Five Mile Press. Stroud, J., and Hein, D., 2009, History of the FIFA World Cup. Stirling, SA (Australia: Murray Books. Thorpe, E., and Thorpe, S., 2010, The Pearson General Knowledge Manual. South Asia: Dorling Kindersley. United Nations Human Settlements Programme., 2010, The state of the worlds cities 2010/11: Cities for all: bridging the urban divide. London: Earthscan. Wong, G. M., 2009, The comprehensive guide to careers in sports. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Woods, S., 2010, World cup companion: The essential guide for all England fans 2010. Aylesbury: ShieldCrest. Yadav, V., 2011, Political parties, business groups, and corruption in developing countries. New York: Oxford University Press.

I want you to choose a suitable topic for each page Assignment

I want you to choose a suitable topic for each page - Assignment Example I think the film exhibits Curley more as a â€Å"Mayor of the Poor† evident in the way he offers himself to be the most approachable person of that rank in comparison to others that assumed the same position before. This is evident in the way he constantly makes contact with the people whom he thought desperately needed money and voted for him immensely. Hence, disentangle them from what they were struggling with in financially. Literally, he had no business with the rich but more specifically the poor who comprised the immigrants and supported him politically in maintaining his mayoral position. Curley extensively utilized his charismatic and magnetic speaking prowess in outdoing his competitors (Allison & Bulger 33). Hence, it is for this reason he manages to offer series of speeches throughout the city and country to win people’s heart. One incident that he successfully managed to outdo his competitor was when he was challenging Kenny. He took his speech and read impeccably to the people besides later repeating how Kenny would have done while repeating sections and statements that his competitor showed flaws in delivering it. Hence, revealing the dull and weakness side of Kenny. Curley’s house is a metaphorical representation of his life and political career. It signifies his rise in politics and personal life from a poor background to the level he is at the top of everybody by being a mayor in Boston. Similar to any political career that has a climax, this also happens to Curley whereby after loosing power, skills as well as other political antics becomes obsolete to the extent together with his wife moves to a small house. This is shifting of power from one personality to another especially, which is a common scenario when attached its attachment encompasses material and position. The film utilizes Curley’s climax in his political career in revealing the true traits of this charismatic mayor. This is because while he was poor and

MSc.SERVICE QUALITY Total Quality Management Case Study Essay

MSc.SERVICE QUALITY Total Quality Management Case Study - Essay Example Communication Channels provides a comprehensive framework to an organisation for exchanging views and information. An effective communication channel is identified as one that provides a quick, easy, reliable and noise-free network among the stakeholders. The message gets to the receiver without delay and with minimum cost and is interpreted appropriately. Effective communication has following functions (Dickinson College, n.d.): Motivation – a simple appreciation email by management to recognize the hard work of an employee that circulates through the entire email system will surely motivate that particular employee and many others towards work achievements. Denis is advised to develop two-tier communication architecture. A call center should be established where a customer can call anytime. A relationship manager will be available for customer who will provide all the required support and will also take new orders. This would ensure highly personalized quality of service and customer satisfaction as the relationship manager will have first hand knowledge about all the customers they have been assigned. In the second tier, Denis is advised to develop an intranet coupled with an internal email system. The intranet can be used for effective top-down vertical communication where Denis can send policy or guideline to all the employees, and can also be used for effective upward and horizontal communication as the employees can share information, expertise and can provide feedback to the management. This will create an open culture where employees will feel more empowered, equalised participation will be possible and relationships among emplo yees will be solidified. Denis can make use of a variety of quality concepts, tools, and techniques. However, four techniques and models are proposed; each of these provides a complete quality framework that covers not one but all aspects of an organisation’s

Women in Fashion and Photography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Women in Fashion and Photography - Essay Example The essay "Women in Fashion and Photography" talks about the woman in fashion photography and analyzes the gender issue in this context. Through this discussion, it is planned by the researcher to find better resources which could actually make a great impact on how the understanding of men and women status in the society becomes likely controlled through media works. Men were particularly known as the supreme gender in the human society. As the population belonging to the supreme gender, men are expected to have special responsibilities as well as advantages with regards the activities that they are able to do. Men were expected to have responsibilities of providing for those that belong to them. This includes their families and other people that are living around them. On the other hand, they benefit form the authority that is given to them. The power to control others, especially women has naturally given them pride when it comes to the thought of being able to rule over several s ectors of the human society. Through the pages of the human history, men of different races and different ages have primarily been able to change the ways by which humans perceive their purpose in living. Indeed, men have naturally drawn the different demarcation lines of limitations and possibilities that identify each human individual’s capability of living. Most likely, the powerful sense of being of the appearance of man has naturally affected the characteristic and the attitude that he perceives upon others. Within the paragraphs that follow, the different roles of men within the American society shall be outlined in clarity to be able to assist in the understanding of what actually is the important part that men plays in the advancement of the human civilization towards progress. II.A. Men as Key Agents of Family Strength The family is one of the basic units of social relationship within the human generations. It could be observed that men are appointed as head of the family. As head of the family, a man has the responsibility of providing the guidance that the members of the family need to be able to get through with the challenges of life. Aside from this, men also stand as the basic source of spiritual and intellectual aspects of life when it comes to taking care of the younger generations of the family. Not to mention, men are also viewed as the major providers of the needs of the family in terms of finances, shelter, food and clothing. From this particular point of view, it could be observed that men are indeed given high regards by the human society especially in terms of the role that they play in the family. At some point, they work as complimentary personnel to the fulfillment of the dream of their wives and their children. They are the primary source of strength for their family members and from them comes the most valuable advices of life that would naturally help the members of the family get along with the ups and downs of living in a more eased and controlled procedure. Certainly, men are given the chance to handle the most complicated responsibilities within the family arrangements. The challenges are really not that easy to face. However, with the strong conviction and determination of men to succeed in this particular responsibility shall give them the reputation that they need to be able

Chips Are Down For Gambling Industry

Chips Are Down For Gambling Industry Recent events in global finance have impacted heavily on Australias gambling industry. As Australian consumes reduce their discretionary spending, gambling providers have witnessed a commensurate decline in revenues. The phenomenon is not limited to Australia, with gaming facilities in Las Vegas, Macau and Japan also reporting significant declines in revenues. This downturn has also revising profit forecasts for the future. The decline in revenues extends beyond casinos to other forms of gambling, such as Tattslotto, Keno and horse racing. Other forces are also challenging the viability of the industry, such as government moves to deregulate the industry, and the growth in online gambling, and the equine influenza outbreak. Q1: The general and environment conditions: Organisations have both an external and an internal environment. The external environment consists of two layers the general environment and task environment. General environment of broad dimension and forces in an organisation that created its overall context. The general environment of most organisations has economic technological, sociocultural political-legal and international dimension. The task environment specific organisation of group affects the organisation. It includes competitors customers, suppliers, regulators and increasingly, strategic allies. There are five parts in the general environment, economic. Global financial crisis challenging economic conditions, crown casino revenue is down and increased household cost so less money for gambling. Technological internet gambling does not need licence international. Trends in gambling decline in Las Vegas, Macau revenue down Political-legal government laws. There are five parts in the task environment, suppliers less on ever ything its competitors Q2: Porters Five Forces: Since the early 1980s, Michael Porters Five Forces (Porter, 1980) has brought break through for the concept of normal business strategy, and became the bible to guide business leaders nearly every industry effective implementation of strategic analysis. Five forces model is generic and applying sufficient to explain the behaviour of many different market. Peters five forces model views the business from outside. It focuses on assessing competitive position within industry. Peters 5 forces model, they are barriers to entry, threat of substitutes, bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power if suppliers and rivalry among the existing players. Force 1: The extent to which switching costs and brand loyalty affect the likelihood of customers adopting substitutes products and services. The ease or difficulty with which new competitors can enter an industry. Barriers to entry, what measures are easy or how difficult. It is for new entrants into industries related to government policies and taxes, which require access to productive inputs and finance. Furthermore, patents branding and image also falls into this category. A barrier to entry is the only industry characteristics that determine industry. Barriers reduce the rate of entry of new firms, thus maintaining a level of profit for those already in the industry. Barriers to entry arise from several sources such as government created barriers; Patents and proprietary knowledge serve to restrict entry into an industry, asset specific inhibition of an industry scale and organization of the local economy. The possible use of patents and other resources owned property specialty firms (Porter, 1980, 1985) Forces 2: The extent to which switching costs and brand loyalty affect the likelihood of customers adopting substitutes products and services. Threat of substitutes, if a produce can be easily substituted, then it is a threat to the company because it can complete with price only. Therefore, price elasticity of products affected by substitute products as more substitutes become available, demand becomes elastic since customers have alternatives more. A close substitute product manufacturing capabilities of companies in the industry to increase prices. The competition engendered by a threat of substitute products from outside the industry. For example, the revenue of casinos is limited by financial crisis. Internet gambling itself started as a replacement of the casinos it provides other facilities and resources for similar services, or information (Kyle, 2002) Force 3: The degree to which buyers have the market strength to hold sway over and influence competitors in an industry. In general, when buyer power has strong associations with industry production is close to what an economic on a monophony a market which has many suppliers and buyers. Force 4: The number of buyers relative to suppliers and the threat of replacement and new areas affecting the relationship buyer-supplier and the power of the state provides virtually no current because the gambling industry is not bad consumers want to buy their machines. They can only be completed together with prices can prolong the life of their business but not for profit does not sell well and gaming machines. Forces 5: Intensity of competition between the increase in growth when industry demand, slow down, good products and prices. Rivalry among existing players. It analyzes the level of competition between existing players in the industry. In this force, it analyzes the speed of industry development, how your customers with your brand identity. Do you think the gambling industry is an attractive industry for new entrants? Gambling industry is always attractive to new entrant because it can earn big money. They always get money in and win as long as they have customers come to their business in a fair amount. It is big cheese cake but participant is limited due to capital, government legislation and regulations. At present, it is still attractive but people do not have enough confidence and requirement money to step in this industry. It needs sufficient capital to subsidize their operating business and start up of business life. They need good relationship elsewhere and government support to be able to open it. Recently, financial crisis has caused the decline of gambling industry. People spend less and gamble less. In fact they do not have strong financial standing and stable income, job as before. Furthermore, the increasing of internet gamble has become a big obstacle for gambling business as people tend to play though the net while sitting at home. There is no pressure or camera when playing at home. Consequently, at this stage financial world has gone down and affected every business around. It used to be a good market but not anymore at current stage. Its recovery is only better when peoples financial get better which they have more stable money to spend. Q3: Advice: I would like to advice the casino to offer same free products or services to the customers such as if there is a customer who plays a huge budget for gambling, the casino should offer a hotel bedroom for the customer. Due to the internet is flooding the market, the casino should advertise the advantages of gambling face to face in the casino, such as gambling face to face is much more stimulating. At the same time, point out the disadvantages of gambling on the interest such as gambling online may get hacked. How should they weather the storm of the global economic downturn? At the moment, it is a bad time for gambling industry but this does not mean an end to this industry. People in the industry whom own business face a huge chance of making loss but to be survive through this period, they have to be steady and liquidity. The might have to face corruption but if they use efficiency their money on other cash flow activities such as investing. For example, during bad financial period, people are inability to pay the household mortgage. Moreover, it could be good time to reduce cost and wait for the storm to be gone. In fact, they have to keep their own business in low performance as well. It would be a cut-off of wages, sections (if business is large and multifunctional). Flatten management level, reduce waste and increase efficiency. Do right thing for advertising to attract more customer. Business is a battle; to be able to survive other has to be terminated. However, self-development is required. They have to open more services or link to expand to ne w trend. Q4: discuss another organisation that has been impact on a similar way to the gambling industry by the current economic trends. Steel industry has been impacted on similar way to the gambling industry in the development of situation due to financial crisis is unshared in a positive factor. The financial crisis effects the real economy development and damaged to market confidence. The domestic economic slowdown in the growth of steel industry production growth rates a downward trend in steel exports. The domestic market caused by a certain degree of stress excessive market competition order irregularities are caused by factor such as domestic steel prices plummeted by the main factors. In addition, steel prices have fallen substantially by the impact of iron and steel production by price.

My First Day at Work

Will Fu Interactive: Core Lab 1 February 2010 Interface, defined by the dictionary as a common boundary or interconnection between systems, equipment, concepts, or human beings. It is what allows two very different objects to share a connection. How can the word interface be applied to exhibits at museums? I quickly realized that answer after paying a visit to the American Museum of Natural History. At the museum, there are these galleries consisting of various taxidermies of animals. Each animal had its own display case and the case was decorated and painted to look as close to its natural habitat as possible. As I stop to look at these animals in their display cases and appreciate the work that the artists put in to emulate its surroundings, I began to feel as if I am in the plains of Africa, standing next to a zebra, or in the deep woods of the Rocky Mountains in front of a Grizzly Bear. I began to imagine what it would be like if I were actually at these places that these animals lived. Then as I walk into the oceanic section, they had the same setup for the marine life. There was this particular showcase that for some reason was so powerful to me that it sent chills down my spine. It was of a whale and a giant squid tangled in a deep-sea battle. The longer I stared at it the more I felt this battle was actually happening in front of me as if any moment, these two animals going to come to life. The reason I chose to talk about these animal showcases is because the way that it made me feel. The animals posed so naturally and the realistic installations served as an interface between me and the deep-sea animals and the wildlife of the jungle. I think these showcases are good examples of interface in museums because it helped me visualize what these places are like in real life.