Islamic Law Essay

Quran and Sunnah are the fundamental sources of Islamic Shariah. When the solution to the arising problems is not available in these sources, Ijtihad is used to reach an appropriate solution in Islamic jurisprudence. Secondary sources of Islamic Shariah like Ijma, Qiyas, Istihsan and Maslahah are also forms of Ijtihad. These secondary sources provide a sequence and a data base to the Mujtahid to reach to a solution of a problem in the most appropriate way and at the same time assist in formulation of Islamic law and development of system of Shariah as a whole. Introduction Quran and Sunnah (in the form of Hadith) are the two fundamental sources of Shariah. Generally the definition and acceptability of all other sources of Shariah varies in various sects of Islam. According to Sunni school of thought, the fundamental sources of Islam include Quran, Sunnah and Ijtihad, whereas according to Shiite school of thought, Quran and Sunnah are the only authentic sources of Shariah and Ijtihad can only be a contributing factor and that too only in some circumstances. Ijtihad can be defined as use of one’s own utmost abilities in deriving secondary opinions from the four fundamental sources of Islamic law, namely Quran, Sunnah, Ijma and Qiyas†. Can the Secondary Sources be Characterized as Forms of Ijtihad In the eyes of majority of Muslim scholars, especially Sunni Muslims, all the secondary sources including Ijma, Qiyas, Istihsan and Maslahah are forms   of Ijtihad. Rather all these secondary sources in one form or the other contribute towards Ijtihad. For example, in case of an event for which no authentic proof is available in Quran and Sunnah, the only option available is Ijtaihad. This Ijtaihad will either be supported by consensus of different learned scholars of Islam, or it will be done by comparing and drawing similarities or differences in the different events of past which occurred during the times of Prophet or His companions. In case no previous event is available, and consensus does not occur among the scholars on the issue, then the only way out is to either look for the ‘good by one’s own deliberations’ (Istihsan) or to determine what is in the interests of human welfare (Istislah or Maslahah). Therefore, it will not be wrong to say that all the four secondary sources can be characterized as forms of Ijtihad and all contribute towards it. Importance of Having so Many Different Sources to Represent Ijtihad Ijtihad is a very complex phenomenon and that is why, very strict criteria have been set in Islam for a person to be a Mujtahid. Therefore, while making a judgment a Mujtahid needs to evaluate the available data before he proceeds to make a judgment. Now the most authentic and fundamental sources i. e. Quran and Sunnah have already been ruled out for the reason that if a solution was present is those sources, there was no need for Ijtihad. In the absence of those two sources, a Mujtahid needs some additional sources in order to formulate the judgment, though Quran and Sunnah must be kept at the back of the mind. These additional sources like Ijma, Qiyas, Istihsan and Maslahah provide the Mujtahid with a data base and a sequence to analyze the event and lead him logically to an acceptable solution which is not conflicting with the teachings of Quran and Sunnah. Therefore, it is extremely important to have multiple sources to represent Ijtihad. Importance of Secondary Sources in Creating Law and Development of System of Shariah While studying the Islamic law, one must keep in mind that the times have changed a lot since the era of Prophet Muhammad and with the passage of time many situations came up which were not there in the times of Prophet. For example in the times of Prophet, there was not concept of photography and only thing that was available was â€Å"Tasweer† that is the hand painted pictures and the person who made those pictures was known as â€Å"Mussawir†. The Prophet prohibited the â€Å"Tasweer† in that time and He was quoted as saying that a person who will make a â€Å"Tasweer† will be asked on the Day of Judgment to bring life into that â€Å"Tasweer†. Today, we know that in the present era photography is a compulsion in passport and identity cards etc. Therefore, Islamic scholars reached a conclusion through Ijtihad that what was prohibited was â€Å"Tasweer| and not the photography. Photography, as per modern science, is actually the image preserved on a paper and even the companions of the Prophet used to see the image in mirror or in the water, so according to scholars, it is not prohibited in Islam. Similarly there are many other problems which needed solution in the present time due to modernization and advent of technology. If these secondary sources were not used in creation of Islamic law, the Islamic law will become stagnant and will not be able to meet the requirements of changing scenario and modern developments of science and technology. Hence, the basis characteristics of these secondary sources i. e. consensus, measurement and comparison, equity and public policy are all extremely important in formulation of Islamic law. Side by side, it will also help in development of system of Shariah as a whole so as to meet the requirement of pragmatism, practicality and need of the changing times. Conclusion According to Holy Quran, Prophet Muhammad has been sent as a Prophet for whole universe and this is not possible till the time his teachings are applicable to all the times. This applicability for all the times is only possible if the teachings can be interpreted according to changing times. All this is only possible through these secondary sources, if used correctly in accordance with the basic teachings of Quran and Sunnah. Hence, these secondary sources are part and parcel of Islamic law and must be taken as such. References References have not been cited as per the requirement of the client. Original language has been used without quotations.

Bal-A-Vis-X

Trying to minimize which program is the most effective lies in the opinion and experience of the teacher under the policies of each school district. Currently, my professional peers use Brain Gym, Go Noodle, Move It or some form of a self-designed kinesthetic curriculum in their classroom as a management technique to reduce or minimize undesirable behaviors and create healthy environments. Another reason to incorporate movement is to engage multiple areas of the brain and to use both sides of the brain. Exercise increases blood flow and oxygen to the brain resulting in improve academic performance. There is a plethora of programs designed to accomplish this concept with integrating kinesthetic lessons into education.It has been proven and evidence supports that movement using multi-sensory techniques increases cognitive functions of the brain. Ultimately, this is the desired outcome or goal for the educator and student.Hubert, Bill.  Cues for Learning and Teaching in Flow. Wichita, KS: Bal-A-Vis-X, 2014. Print.   Bal-A-Vis-X was developed by a teacher in Wichita, Kansas named Bill Hubert. Bill Hubert uses cognitive exercises which encompass the integration of balance, auditory, and vision exercises using racquetballs, balance boards, hand-sized sandbags and various complexity of rhythmic exercises. The exercises focus on rhythm, patterning, balance and visual teaming. The combination of 300 various exercises increase in complexity as the student masters the fundamental skills. The exercises can be reduced to accommodate the student with varying disabilities. The program is designed to help individuals who struggle with academics, post-traumatic stress, physical and social impairments. (Hubert, 2007)Bill Hubert suggest the lack of flow within a person can trigger the stressful occurrences which may cause the cognitive debilitation of an individual. (Hubert, 2007). He further explains what he believes are the series of physical and developmental movement which occur and how this movement contributes to the cognitive aspects of the individual to perform a required task.In Bill Hubert's book Bal-A-Vis-X Rhythmic Balance/Auditory/Vision/eXercises for Brain and Brain-Body Integration, he mentions neurophysiologist Carla Hannaford. She wrote an excerpt about how the brain and body worked which inspired him: A most fundamental and mysterious aspect of the mind, thought, creativity and intelligence are not processes of the brain alone, but the whole body. Sensations, moments, emotions, and brain integrative functions are grounded in the body. The human qualities we associate with the mind can never exists separate from the body, it is our movements that express knowledge and facilitate greater cognitive function as they increase in complexity. (Hubert 2014) The principals of the program are to introduce midline crossings in three dimensions which are designed to follow steady rhythm using the whole mind-body system creating the flow with in the student aligning the mind with the body. The idea is to listen to the rhythm of the sound of the balls bouncing or the sandbags being passed while simultaneously integrating patterned movement involving the whole body.†Making an Intervention Report.†Ã‚  WWC | Find What Works!  US Department of Education, n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2018. One reliable intervention resource for Special Education teachers is the website, What Works Clearinghouse created by the Department of Education. The information presented on this website shares interventions which are research based with data which has been proven to be effective and reliable across multiple categories. Another resource is the National Intervention Institute in Florida. They have collected and presented a multitude of research supporting the Response to Intervention tiered System academically and behaviorally. I did not find any data on either of these websites for Bal-A-Vis-X. Searching for data and information seemed to come from the founder himself, testimonials of educators and parents, and other graduate students conducting their own research. I felt the information could be bias and not authentic or reliable. I questioned if Bal-A-Vis-X was possibly just another product to entice the movement program generation to incorporate it in their interventions in schools, nursing homes, care facilities and physical therapy centers. Several of the testimonials were extremely emotional and supportive that Bal-A-Vis-X is remarkable in its entirety. Web. 14 Mar. 2018.  Norsworthy, Francis, and Bill Hubert. The Illustrated Bal-A-Vis-X: Rhythmic Balance/auditory/vision Exercises for Brain and Brain-body Integration. Wichita, Kan.: Bal-A-Vis-X, 2009. Print.  The founder, Bill Hubert claims it takes approximately three years to master all the skills of the program. (Hubert, 2007) I started my project first with viewing the first disc in the series of three. Each disc is a video recording of the founder Bill Hubert and his students demonstrating the first foundational exercises. He demonstrates the target skill precisely. He then demonstrates variations of the skill with modifications to accommodate students who struggle with the skill. Bill Hubert strives for three main goals with the program First, it is important to test a student for visual tracking. This is very important for a student to be able to visually track. Starting from the beginning basic skills visual tracking is essential for the student to be able to follow with their eyes the direction of the bean bags or balls while engaging their body in various other movements simultaneously in multiple directions and abilities. The next goal is to have discipline parameters. Classroom management is necessary. Students must be paying attention to the instructor and responding to exactly what is being demonstrated exactly the way it is intended. The student must be able to hear the rhythm of the bean bags slapping, the balls bouncing, and feel the flow from all of the components of the program working together with the student similar to pendulum swinging. When mind and body are working together harmony will occur in the body and mind to create a sense overall balance. In conclusion of training elementary students in the basic skill activities of Bal-A-Vis-X, I have discovered intensive individualized instruction is needed for optimal results. My fidelity of the training was challenged in the setting I provided for the instruction to the participating students. The parameters of what was needed was comprised by instructing in a group setting for the initial training. In addition, I was unaware at first that I would be losing one training a week per grade level due to Keyboarding class at the same time. I had originally planned on the group training two days a week, for sixteen weeks, for fifteen minutes prior to their physical education class. In the beginning I randomly drew from a jar which had each student's name printed on it from the targeted grade level fourth, fifth and sixth grades. One group would participate and one group would not participate in Bal-A-Vis-X skills. I administered all students an assessment an oral reading fluency probe and a silent reading comprehension probe. There were no significant positive results from the reading data which validated that Bal-A-Vis-X improved the students reading skills comparing from the beginning to end reading skills assessments. There were no significant differences comparing the Bal-A-Vis-X group to the non-Bal-A-Vis-X group either. Even though I did not get the intended results I was hoping for with this intervention program for reading, I did observe other positive outcomes. These observations were my personal observations from watching the students perform the skills. One observation example was a sixth grade girl with Autism. She is high functioning but just rebuts physical activity. She continually argued how all the skills were stupid or hard. I put her on the end to practice by herself or where I could be her partner. She repetitively could not perform the tasks asked without restarting several times, dropping of the beanbags or balls. She couldn't balance herself on the board and refused to even try. Each time I worked with her I broke the task down in smaller increments of movements. Eventually, the complaining decreased and she willing participated. One day at recess, which she stands and typically watches her peers play a popular competitive speed basketball game of shooting hoops, she stepped forward and joined. Remarkably, she hit the hoop every time she attempted to hit the hoop. This was a very first for her. She was so excited and her peers even noticed and were awed by her success. This was the first time I saw her happy and excited to engage with her peers in a physical activity. There were a few other coordination observations I made during the sixteen weeks. In knowledge I have obtained from the results first hand from this program, I have decided to peruse professional development of this program so I can teach it more reliably next year. I would like to teach it one on one to my special needs students. Many of the skills taught on the CD disc I personally struggled with performing them myself. I received as much satisfaction from inter personal learning as I did from learning from the students as they were performing the skills. Over all, I cannot say at this time in my personal opinion, observation, and results from reading assessments that Bal-A-Vis-X will improve a student's reading performance. However, I have not determined that it is not effective either. I will need more time and specific measurable obtainable data implementing the program in a individualized specialized setting for the best results.

Chesapeake Energy Corporation

Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE: CHK), headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, â€Å"owns 1.1 trillion cubic feet equivalent (tcfe) of proved oil and gas reserves, one of the largest inventories of onshore U.S. natural gas† {Chesapeake Annual Report, 1998, p. 1}. Recently, Chesapeake finished the transformation from an aggressive exploration company focused on developing short-reserve life, to a lower-risk, longer reserve life natural gas producer. Chesapeake†s operations are focused on â€Å"developmental drilling and producing property acquisitions.† These operations are â€Å"concentrated in three major areas: the Mid-continent, the onshore Gulf of Mexico and far northeastern British Columbia, Canada† [Chesapeake Annual Report, 1998, p. 1]. Aubrey K. McClendon is Chesapeake†s Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and Director. Tom L. Ward is the President, Chief Operating Officer and Director. â€Å"McClendon met cofounder Tom Ward in the 1980†³s. Both were independent oil producers; they teamed up in 1983† [Morgenson, p. 2]. They each have more than 16 years of experience in the oil and natural gas industry. All other members of the management team have multiple years of experience in the industry. Chesapeake has concentrated on expanding its holdings in natural gas since the company†s incorporation in 1989. Chesapeake thinks that natural gas will be the fuel choice of the 21st century. The company has been highly competitive in both its exploration activities and efforts to increase its inventory of undeveloped leasehold land. This combination should enable Chesapeake to remain a competitive force in the energy producing industry. New technology in the oil and gas industry has made exploration and production more profitable. This is key for the survival of American businesses that compete with OPEC and other foreign cartels that have very low production costs. New technology, including three-dimensional imaging, which has greater resolution than the previously existing technology, will enable Chesapeake to detect reserves more accurately. Also, horizontal drilling has enabled companies to drain more than one reserve at a time. With profits continuing to be squeezed within this industry, new technology is necessary to help American businesses compete on a global scale. The oil and gas industry is truly a global market. The industry boosted gains in 1999 from increased production efficiency and a decrease in the current supply. U.S. firms, along with OPEC, have voluntarily reduced their total production, which has increased the price. OPEC currently supplies approximately 40% of the world oil production. If OPEC chooses to produce at a lower output, Chesapeake could easily increase production with its low production costs and huge reserves. Many other nations are emerging as competitors, such as the former Soviet Union and Latin American countries. The continuing increase in supply from other nations would potentially saturate the market, causing lower prices and lower profits. Demand is expected to rise only slightly more than two percent through the year 2005. The outlook for this industry is for increased competition domestically (from smaller companies) and internationally from emerging nations. The U.S. has superior technology, which will help keep profits up as supply increases and demand remains relatively constant. Natural gas makes up 72% of Chesapeake†s revenue. They usually sell the product to third parties and are not dependent on any one buyer. Less than 10% of their revenues are generated from two buyers. Governmental Regulations – Operational and Labor Relations The oil and gas industries are subject to considerable government regulation. These laws and regulations are primarily directed toward â€Å"the handling and disposal of drilling and production waste products and waste created by water and air pollution control devices† [Chesapeake 10-K, 1998, p. 10]. The oil and gas industry is accountable to numerous government agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of the Interior, the Department of Energy, the State Department and the Department of Commerce. Virtually every aspect of operations is subject to complex and ever changing regulations. The oil and gas industry is tightly regulated in regard to labor relations by government department and agencies, including the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Some states have their own state sponsored occupational safety plans, while the remainder must comply with federal OSHA regulations. Some of the topics covered under OSHA include personal protective equipment, hazardous communication (HAZCOM) and safety process training. Chesapeake had 453 employees as of March 15, 1999. None of these employees were represented by organized labor unions. The company considers its employee relations to be good [Chesapeake 10-K, 1998, p. 13]. Unocal (NYSE: UCL) employed 7,880 people as of December 31, 1998, of which 575 were represented by various U.S. labor unions [Unocal 10-K, 1998, p. 12]. Both companies are subject to new laws and regulations regarding the environment and labor. Chesapeake and Unocal cannot predict what adverse financial conditions the new laws and regulations will bring. However, short-term and long-term costs will increase as companies improve existing operations to become and remain compliant with government regulations. As a result, all companies in petro-chemical industries are experiencing tremendous difficulty operating profitable businesses. Several businesses have ceased operations as a result of increased regulation coupled with poor profit margins. Chesapeake is at a higher risk regarding this scenario since most of its operations are domestic. Unocal, although a U.S. based company, operations are concentrated primarily overseas, and therefore experience increased leniency regarding environmental and labor regulations. During the last two years, Chesapeake Corporation took a significant hit in terms of earnings, stock price and credit ratings. Positive 1996 earnings turned to a loss in 1997 and tumbled to a bigger loss of $10 per share in 1998. This earnings decline caused the stock price and credit rating to plummet. The company also faces a class action lawsuit stemming from alleged violations of federal securities laws. Top management and directors are accused of using insider information to sell personal holdings in the company at artificially inflated prices. Chesapeake had very disappointing years in 1997 and 1998 as evidenced by the fall in the stock price. The company underwent a substantial repositioning to increase natural gas holdings and reduce risk. As a result of this repositioning, Chesapeake incurred considerable debt and is dependent on the market prices of oil and natural gas to increase, and in effect, improve profit margins. Additionally, in 1997, Chesapeake changed their fiscal year end from June 30th to December 31st. As part of the repositioning, Chesapeake increased long term debt over $400 million to a total of $920 million, coupled with a short-term indebtedness of $25 million. This increased borrowing drastically reduced the company†s ability to obtain additional financing. Standard & Poor†s and Moody†s placed Chesapeake on review with a negative outlook. The ability to meet obligations for this additional debt will depend on the production and financial performance of the company, market prices of oil and natural gas, and general economic conditions. Common Size Income Statement Analysis Chesapeake had an extremely large write-down of assets (impairment) as a result of reduced oil and gas prices during the past few years. This charge increased operating costs by over $1.2 billion during 1997-98 with 72% of that cost coming in 1998. The asset write-down, combined with expense increases in production, marketing and interest, were the main contributors of total operating costs to be over three times total revenue. The result was 1998 EBIT of ($920) million, and a non-existent ROE, since the company had a net loss approaching $1 billion. Unocal†s ROE was 5.9% in 1998 and 25.1% in 1997. The impairment cost reported by Chesapeake is questionable because of the very large amount that was charged. In perspective, Unocal with over $5 billion in property assets recorded an impairment charge of $97 million during 1998. If oil and gas prices rise in the near future, the impairment costs may be reversed giving the impression that the company is doing very well. Future investors of Chesapeake equities should consider this fact prior to making any investment decisions. Chesapeake had a $140 million reduction to both sides of the balance sheet. The repositioning of the firm focused on increasing inventory of natural gas reserves, â€Å"the fuel of choice for the 21st century† [1998 Annual Report, pg. 18]. Oil and gas properties nearly doubled from 1997 to 1998, totaling $2.2 billion. However, nearly $1.6 billion was depreciated, depleted and amortized. Additionally, cash decreased nearly $100 million, short-term investments were liquidated, and paid-in capital exceeded $1.1 billion over the past two years to provide additional cash for purchases of gas reserves. As a result, total property, plant and equipment was 85% of total assets in 1998 compared to 77% in 1997. In comparison, Unocal†s PP&E was 66% and 64% of total assets respectively. Long-term debt increased over $400 million in 1998, totaling $920 million compared to $510 million in 1997. The $920 million was 113% in relation to total liabilities and owners equity of $813 million. In 1998, current liabilities were $131 million compared to current assets of $118 million. This resulted in a reduced current ratio of .90 from a 1997 ratio of 1.42. The Unocal current ratios during 1998 and 1997 were 1.01 and 1.29 respectively. Chesapeake has relied primarily on cash flow through financing activities during the past few years. Cash flow from operations was approximately $95 million in 1998 and $180 million in 1997, while cash flow from financing was $365 million and $278 million respectively. Sales accounted for $378 million in 1998 and appear to be rising approximately 35% annually from 1996 and 1997. However, an accurate comparison is unavailable because of the change in the company†s fiscal year end. Low oil and gas prices forced Chesapeake to borrow, sell equity, and liquidate short-term investments in order to continue operations and invest in oil and gas properties. The company is dependent on the rise of prices during 1999 to continue operations and provide shareholder wealth. The company has several restrictions from being able to borrow additional funds. Additionally, the price of stock has dropped from a high of $34 in 1996 to a low of $.63 in 1998. This has further reduced the company†s ability to generate cash. The current ratios for Chesapeake Energy are as follows: 1.00 (June 96), 2.03 (June 97), 1.42 (December 97), and .90 (December 98). Current liabilities remained constant over this period, ranging from a high of 19% (June 96) to a low of 15% (June 97), with the current level at 16% of total assets. Extreme levels of change in current assets caused the current ratio to fluctuate drastically. Current assets declined from a high of $297 million (31% of total assets) to a current low of $117 million (15% of total assets). This decline in current assets caused the deterioration of the current ratio. The acid test ratios are as follows: .94 (June 96), 2.00 (June 97), 1.37 (December 97), and .81 (December 98). As previously mentioned, current liabilities remained constant. Net accounts receivable remained flat as a percentage of total assets: 9% in 1996, 7% in 1997 (Both June & December), and 9% in 1998. Marketable securities were sold off during the past three years, decreasing from 11% ($104 million) of total assets to zero. Cash decreased from 13% ($124 million) of total assets in 1997 (both June & December) to 4% in 1998. The combination of severe decreases in both cash and marketable securities are the reasons that the acid test ratio decreased so dramatically. The quick ratios are as follows: .96 (June 96), 2.00 (June 97), 1.38 (December 97), and .86 (December 98). As mentioned previously, current liabilities remained constant and current assets declined. As with the current ratio, the main reason for the deterioration of the quick ratio is the continued loss of current assets. The above ratios and the reasons for their poor trends indicate Chesapeake is currently in a liquidity crisis. This, in combination with the increased debt liabilities, is an extreme warning to both investors and management. This condition also adds to the suspicion that assets are being sold off to fund current debt obligations. The firm†s ability to meet its obligations with cash, as they come due, is approximated by the cash flow liquidity ratio. As previously mentioned, solvency improved and then deteriorated as indicated by the current and quick ratios. The trends are confirmed when looking at cash flow. From 1995 to 1997, Chesapeake†s cash flow liquidity improved from 1.47 to 1.8. 1997 to 1998 showed a large drop in liquidity from 1.8 to 0.95. The company†s financial statement data gives an indication as to why. From 1995 to 1997, short-term solvency improved from 1.47 to 1.8. When looking at the data, cash from operations rose from $55 million in 1995, to $139 million in 1997. The 1997 rise was due to a change in the accounting period. During this same period, cash on hand rose from $56 million to $123 million and marketable securities rose from zero to $13 million. While cash was increasing, current liabilities rose from $75 million to $153 million. Current liabilities doubled during this period, while cash flow increased 150%. The larger increase in cash flow, relative to short-term obligations, accounts for the improvement in solvency during the 1995 to 1997 period. During the 1997 and 1998 periods, liquidity deteriorated as shown by the decrease in the cash flow liquidity ratio from 1.8 to 0.95. The data indicates that cash from operations dropped approximately 32% to $95 million. When looking at the Cash Flow Statement, the large decrease in operating cash is mainly due to the large net loss incurred during the period. At the same time, cash dropped 76% to $30 million while marketable securities fell to zero. Much of the cash appears to have gone to fund the company†s payables and accrued liabilities. Current liabilities were reduced 15% to $131 million. The larger reduction in cash flow relative to current obligations accounts for the deterioration in short-term solvency. The cash flow data confirms that Chesapeake†s liquidity suffered severe deterioration. A reduction in current liabilities is a good sign, but the little amount of cash generated and being used to fund current obligations is not enough. Cash assets are being used to fund these obligations as well. In comparison to the industry debt ratio of .31, Chesapeake ended with a debt ratio of 1.31 in 1998 compared to .71 in 1997. The long-term debt to total capitalization ratio increased from .64 in 1997 to 1.37 in 1998, while the industry average was .44. The tremendous increase in debt was attributable to significantly lower oil and gas prices during the past three years, and a failed drilling venture known as the Louisiana Trend. The company was forced to liquidate assets and take on a substantial amount of debt to meet operational expenses and increase oil and gas field reserves. Chesapeake was added to the Standard & Poor†s â€Å"CreditWatch with negative implications† [Yahoo Finance, Nov. 14, 1999] in December of 1998. The low price of fuel during fiscal years 1996 through 1998 was the primary reason for Chesapeake†s troubles. The debt incurred has covenants restricting the company from seeking additional debt and from paying dividends to preferred stock holders. Principal on a large portion of the outstanding debt is not due until 2004 allowing the company time to improve operations. This will also give fuel prices a chance to rise, which is determinant to the company†s survival. The industry average for times interest earned is 5.2, while Chesapeake†s operating profit was ($856) million. The ratio equated to well below zero in 1997 and 1998. In 1998, interest payments were more than $68 million. The financial leverage index could not be computed since there was not a return on equity. Chesapeake overextended their credit by substantially financing with debt and has jeopardized their ability to make obligated payments for their debt and fixed costs.

Odin and Jesus comparison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Odin and Jesus comparison - Essay Example One of the most recognized similarities between Jesus and Odin occurs in terms of the crucifixion. In the Jesus myth the Bible depicts Jesus as being crucified by Roman soldiers after being turned in by his disciple Judas. While the Biblical articulation of the Jesus myth is well understood, less is understood of the Odin myth. Still, scholars recognize many similarities between Jesus crucifixion and Odin’s; it’s noted that:   The parallels between Odin’s death and Christ’s crucifixion are striking: both die  voluntarily; Odin is pierced with a spear, so is Christ; Odin alludes to the lack of reviving drink and Christ gets vinegar; Odin screeches or shrieks before he dies, and Christ cries out ‘in a loud voice (Crossely-Holland, p. 187). The above secondary source indicates some of the significant similarities that have been identified between the two myths. There is the recognition that in some instances there is not a direct parallel; subsequen tly it is important to consider that some of the above established similarities may be the cause of confirmation bias. Still, the Odin emerged two-hundred fifty years before the Jesus myth and could easily have influenced the apostles when they were constructing the books of the New Testament. This perspective is further heightened by the recognition that Christian missionaries may have used portions of the Odin myth to convince individuals living in Germanic territories to convert to Christianity. In this way the Odin myth could have had a subtle influence on the way the Christian Jesus myth was articulated. When examining both crucifixion stories further there is the recognition that there are increasing similarities. In terms of spear piercing, Odin is recognized as having pierced his own side. This is contrasted with the Jesus myth, where a Roman centurion is the one who injures Jesus. Still, the effect of pain and suffering is one that remains constitute throughout both myths. In speaking of Odin hanging the myth indicates that Odin was hanged from a tree. After this occurs the Odin indicates, â€Å"With spear I was wounded, and offered I was† (Bellows, p. 60). There is the recognition that in both Jesus’ and Odin’s story a spear was used. There is also a similar qualitative consideration between the two myths. Jesus’ image on the cross is indelibly positioned with Western consciousness; a similar embodiment of suffering occurs with Odin as he hangs from the tree indicating that, â€Å"None made me happy with loaf or horn† (Bellows, p. 60). In both instances there is the image of the deity as suffering without help. Still, perhaps more significant is the underlining thematic recognition that in both instances the figure’s death constitutes a sacrifice for a greater cause. In the Jesus myth Jesus dies for the sins of humanity. This is contrasted with Odin who, â€Å"offered I was To Othin, myself to myself† (Bellows, p. 60). Here Odin is indicating that he sacrificed himself to himself. While the purpose for the sacrifice could ostensibly argued to be different between the myths, for Odin his death is done to gain knowledge for humanity. In both instances then there is the recognition that the death occurs to benefit humanity. In conclusion, this essay has compared the deities Odin and Jesus. Within this spectrum of examination the essay has demonstrated that both individuals share a number of

Argentinian Financial Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Argentinian Financial Crisis - Essay Example Three years after the fiasco, Argentina's economy is growing steadily. The growth is still under 10%, but there is growth and a growing sense of safety and responsibility from the government, creating a very positive outlook for Argentina to emerge in years to come as a dominant presence in Latin America. Globalization is a series of links that a country has with foreign countries. Globalization in essence links a country's economy to other economies so that there is a web of interdependence throughout all linked economies thereby creating a global economy. In a recent report in Latin Business Chronicle (LBC), Argentina was ranked as the 'least-globalise' country in Latin America (Bamrud, 2005). LBC utilized 6 factors to measure each country's level of globalization. These factors included: This is an important Index that LBC created in that it allows investors, and other interested parties an opportunity to view Argentina in an extremely objective light. Remittances, money sent back home by family members working abroad, is an area that is steadily growing for Argentina. A report prepared by the American Immigration Law Foundation (AILF) states, 'remittances area sign of family values, a part of human nature. They are a form of helping one's family. Remittances increase both the income of the recipient and the foreign exchange reserves of the recipient's country. "If remittances are invested, they contribute to output growth, and if they are consumed, then also they generate positive multiplier effects," notes economist, Dilip Ratha in Global Development Finance 2003, a World Bank publication ("Role of Remittances", 2003). By using this 6-step process to cull globalization indexes, one can get a larger view of the financial status of Argentina. LBC report states that Argentina has the lowest import rates in Latin America, it has a low export rate, foreign investment is low (1.2% of GDP) and it has one of the lowest remittance rates in the region as well. Even tourism levels are down (Bamrud, 2005). While Argentina is not facing imminent meltdown, it is still toddling its way back from its financial disaster 3 years ago. However, its economy is rallying. According to the U.S. Department of State's website, Argentina had an annual real growth rate of +9% in 2004, and their GDP stands at $150.0 billion. To give a bit more background, globalization is supposed to help keep countries in line and disciplined because if they have solid economic practices, the assumption is that government will be favoured by foreign investment. If the government does not practice sound economic policies, the reverse is supposed to be true - monies will either not be invested, or will be pulled from that country (Blustein, 2003). This did not happen in Argentina in the years leading up to the crisis, in fact, due to inflated expectations and selective reporting of the country's true financial state, globalization helped to create the massive Argentine downfall. II. What Happened

Organizing PhD Thesis Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Organizing PhD Thesis - Literature review Example The central contention was to come up with a mathematical model that could be used to reliably tabulate the fuel consumption of a passenger vehicle. Using a comparison, the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) was taken as the basic framework for testing. The proposed mathematical model was tested against real life driving conditions which proved the reliability of the mathematical model. With the application of this tested model it would be easier and convenient to control pollution considerably. The present situation is grave enough to consider such a preventive measure to control pollution. Otherwise it would degrade the Earth to the extent of its demolition. This mathematical model would help in controlling pollution and thus balancing the environment. It would be a way to sustainable development without causing harm to the environment. This dissertation paper has been divided into a number of chapters each chapter dealing with a separate topic. The chapters studies and discusses th e intricate issues related to the subject so as to form a profound understanding of the subject being studied in this paper. The information and data are also represented in the form of graphs illustrating the study and making it easier to understand the stated discussions. Tables are also used in this paper to present the figures and make way for easy understanding of the information. I dedicate this work to my dear parents for the lifelong and boundless love that I received from them as well their unwavering support. This work is also dedicated to my wife for her unfaltering encouragement throughout my study and my son Abu Bakr and daughters Yakootha and Remas. Without their support reaching this point would not have been possible. Few goals are ever achieved without the help of teachers, mentors, colleagues, family, and friends. For the assistance, support, and guidance I have received while completing my postgraduate studies I am indebted to my

Prejudice at the Work Place Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Prejudice at the Work Place - Essay Example Prejudice mainly comes because of comments that discriminate against sex, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or gender. Prejudice at the work place is exhibited in a number of ways. An employee may be uncomfortable with a fellow employee, or the employee may be skeptical about the ability of his colleague. The provision or sharing of resources also shows how the work place can be discriminative.One way of reducing prejudice at the workplace is to speak out against ills meted out against a fellow workmate; this is the surest way to ensure there is smooth running of the work place. Silence is often taken as consent to the discriminative acts of employees against their colleagues; therefore, it is important that all employees take it upon themselves to put a stop to acts or conversations that might be construed as prejudicial to others.Intensive reading helps in reducing prejudice in the work place that may be hurtful to persons or destructive in the productivity of hu man resource. Therefore, it is important that all employees take it upon themselves to find information that will promote easy understanding of the different demographic aspects of everyone. This is made easier because authors write books from different backgrounds, thus enabling the reader to appreciate the culture and norms of everyone. Another way of reducing prejudice at the work place is to seek and consider opinions or viewpoints that may differ from what you hold

The broad thematic perspective Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The broad thematic perspective - Movie Review Example The overall cost of the movie was around  £900,000 which is equivalent to  £11.4 million today. It was first broadcasted on ITV in 1973. The documentary interviewed significant members of Axis and Allied campaigns, comprising eyewitness accounts by enlisted men, civilians, politicians, and officers among others. Major historians were Stephen Ambrose and Adolf Galland (Ambruster 17). The series â€Å"The World at War,† entails a DVD set by Jeremy Isaac explaining the priorities given to examinations and interviews with surviving assistants and aides other than recognized figures. Karl Wolff who was Heinrich Himmler’s adjutant was the most difficult interviewee to persuade and locate. During the examination, he accepted to be among the significant witnesses in mass genocide, in Himmler’s presence. In the later part of the series, Isaacs showed satisfaction with the entails of the series. He also added that the content entailed unclassified information in reference to British code-breaking. The documentary is listed among the top programmes in British television under the compilation of British Film Institute in 2000 (Ambruster 5). This is a situation whereby nations look for alternative means of solving conflicts. This is a crucial theme that prevails in all of the four clips. Violence was as a result of conflict of ideas and ways of doing things. But in this case, violence evolves as a result of conflict of interest. The subjects were made to do things they were not willing by their masters. Peace prevailed after the submission of the Nazi forces who were Germans. Massive killings such as those illustrated in â€Å"Whirlwind: Bombing Germany† which is the twelve episode are some of the activities that came to a stop leading to prevalence of peace. The episode emphasizes on massive bombings by the British and American army in Germany. Interviews from witnesses such as Albert Speer, William Reid and James Stewart explain how innocent lives were taken

Philosphy research paper Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Philosphy paper - Research Proposal Example These two prominent enlightenment philosophers are chosen for several reasons. First, Locke is believed to be the precursor of American values because his naturalist ethics was the philosophical basis of the Declaration of Independence of which this country was built. Hume on the other hand is selected because of his ethical concept of â€Å"what to be† or what is the ideal as contained in his famous work â€Å"A Treatise of Human Nature†. He is also naturalistic just like Locke and such, would make a good case whether their ethical theories are still valid today. It is important to examine the validity of their theories because modern ethical theories are built on their philosophical theories. If proven otherwise, it would imply that current literature about ethics will fall on academic musing that does not hold validity in real world. If they are, then the works of this philosophers should be made more familiar to the modern student. As a starting point of research about the related literature of the topic, it would be appropriate to begin with David Hume’s A Treatise of Human Nature which was published in 1739. It would also be appropriate to examine in detail the contents of the Declaration of Independence on how closely it relates to Locke’s ethical theory and whether modern Americal values are still consistent with that perspective of morality. In the process, several literature related with the subject shall be considered such as the works cited below which more than adequately explain the ethical theories of Hume and

Competitors Analysis Critical Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Competitors Analysis Critical Review - Essay Example A way in which this can be done is through competitor analysis. This review attempts to find the common ground or differences in approach between the authors and checks them against the background of the strategic needs of organisations for sustaining competitive advantage. maintaining and improving profitability targets. In the face of fierce competition, the market place is merciless in changing the fortunes of companies. If firms ignore or neglect strategic moves by competitors, they can find their market share and profitability disappear in quick time. Competition can be in many forms such as new entrants, new products / services, more economical processes that offer cheaper alternatives to customers, new marketing or distribution channels, newer strategic associations or markets, etc. While the challenge of keeping track of so many variables may be daunting, it is comforting to remember that generally each business has its own limited set of rivals. Largely, this depends upon its own profile of size & operations. It is this universe of potential rivals that is important to a firm’s competitive position. According to Porter, â€Å"Strategy is an internally consistent configuration of activities that distinguishes a firm from its rivals† (Porter, M E. 2004, p.vi). Porter’s theory identifies a firm as one based on activities and points out that it is these activities that create opportunities for a firm to offer value to a customer (Porter, M E. 2004). To this extent, analysis of a firm’s own or its rival’s activities can be considered as essential as strategic to a firm’s competitive advantage. The question then is ‘when or how often should one conduct such an analysis?’ and the answer should be that it must be an on-going process in view of the constantly emerging competitors’ challenges. Competitor analysis is the management

Health promotion Essay Example for Free

Health promotion Essay Diversity among individuals, as well as cultures, provides a challenge for nurses when it comes to delivering meaningful health promotion and illness prevention-based education. How do teaching principles, varied learning styles (for both nurses and patients), and teaching methodologies impact the approach to education? How do health care providers overcome differing points of view regarding health promotion and disease prevention? Provide an exampleAccess to health care to obtain a complete physical examination before starting to exercise and the quality of the work or neighborhood environment available for exercise can contribute to success or failure of this objective. This objective is related to other objectives such as nutrition, obesity, and stroke prevention. Additionally, current knowledge about physical activity and specific populations was considered when creating the Healthy People 2020 objectives. Women, low-income populations, Black and Hispanic people, people with disabilities, and those older than age 75 exercise less than do White men with moderate-to-high incomes (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012). These health disparities can influence the number of people in these groups who develop high cholesterol or high blood pressure measurements, which further increases their risk of heart disease and stroke. Although this objective addresses adults, other objectives address the need for beginning exercise activities at an early age and encouraging young adults to be actively engaged in exercise. How might this objective be adjusted to the needs of an older adult population? (Edelman 7) Edelman, Carole, Elizabeth Kudzma, Carol Mandle. Health Promotion Throughout the Life Span, 8th Edition. Mosby, 2014. VitalBook file.

Romantic Poetry Essay Example for Free

Romantic Poetry Essay Romanticism was an artistic movement that originated in the late 18th century. It helped people express strong emotions and rebel against the industrial revolution in Britain. This caused poor living conditions and unhappiness among the people at the time. People therefore, looked to nature for beauty and improvement in society. Another factor that contributed to the development of this movement was the French Revolution, which celebrated individualism and freedom of expression. Romantic poetry was concerned with ordinary people in everyday locations, therefore the majority of society could relate to it. It focused on imagination, and relates to the Power of God, and philosophy. The poets were able to catch a moment in time and elaborate on it with imaginative words and phrases. Of the several poems I have studied, the two Romantic poems I have chosen to represent a typical Romantic style are, The Daffodils by William Wordsworth and I am by John Clare. Firstly, I will look at the titles of the poems. In both poems the writer has used a simple title, indicating directly what the poem is about. This enables a larger audience to be engaged to the poem, as less literate people could find the title easier to understand. Both poems are mostly similar because of their links to the Romantic genre, in their theme and style although still continue to have an individual account. William Wordsworth and John Clare both focus on their emotions and solitude, John Clare, And een the dearest-that I loved the best-Are strange-nay, rather stranger than the rest and William Wordsworth, I wandered lonely as a cloud. The theme of William Wordsworths The Daffodils focuses on nature and his recognition of a moment in time. He uses the Power of imagination and memories to project his thoughts onto paper through poetry, we see this in his language and mood. His theme is as a result, cheerful and full of life. He also celebrates the beauty of nature and what man can gain from it. The theme of John Clares I am focuses on himself and memories of past deeds. He takes another perspective on the typical Romantic poetry theme, he talks of, nothingness of scorn and noise, and a memory lost. he creates a sad, lonely tone with this. The mood is therefore different to The Daffodils as I get the impression that Clare is talking about the oppression at the time of its writing. The first two stanzas describe his lonely and depressed situation. He describes that even in a world surrounded by people, he still feels isolated and alone, as if he hates the world he lives in and wishes for something uncontaminated by mans corruption, I long for scenes where man has never trod. He uses words such as oblivious and oblivion to describe the emptiness he feels. I will now look at the language and style of the two poems. Both poems have simple language, which as the titles accomplish, make the poem more available to a less literate lower class reader. The rhyme schemes are regular throughout the poems, The Daffodils, ABABCC and I am, ABABBB. The punctuation is also similar, as they both create a slow pace by using a small amount of punctuation. The Daffodils has eight syllables in each line, whereas I am does not have a precise amount. The Daffodils uses similes, as a cloud and as the stars that shine. by using these he enables the reader to compare what he sees to something they see. In his language he uses onomatopoeia, such as fluttering and twinkle, this enables the reader to almost hear the sounds as they are reading the words. He also uses personification; this makes the flowers seem to be. He also uses words such as, jocund company and continuous as the stars that shine. This relates to his everlasting memory of these beautiful daffodils that no one can take away from him. The two poems have different structures; The Daffodils has four sestet stanzas and I am has three sestet stanzas, John Clare uses enjambment, making the first and second verse flow into each other. In his last stanza he wishes to go to an untouched place, were man has never trod. He wishes for beauty and tranquillity not for what he sees in the world at that moment in time. He uses a metaphor, But the vast shipwreck of my lifes, this lets the reader picture how troubled he is in this world and wishes for a better place.

Business Leadership: Chanda Kochar

Business Leadership: Chanda Kochar If one monitors much of the success that most recognized products have had in the past, one would realize that all these products have relied on proper financial planning to make it happen. It requires a style of its own, a craftsmanship that can aid in distinguishing a product from every other in the market. The role of the leader who manages this is very significant in making it happen. This raises the interest in me to pursue a career leading me to be the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of a company. The sort of leadership skills necessary in making it happen is exhaustive in nature. It covers areas related to sales management, product management, advertisement, promotions, channel management, financial planning and accountancy. With such diversity, a CFOs role is highly challenging from a leaders perspective. He is required to be highly analytical in his day-to-day approach as well as equally creative in planning his finances to lead the company to success. Even those areas which d o not have a direct impact on finance and accounting are in some manner associated with reaching the financial objectives. So, a CFO has to co-ordinate with even such departments including information technology, public affair, HR management, marketing management, production etc. This certainly helps in understanding the challenges that a CFO has to take care of. One can very well understand this in terms of co-ordination that the CFO needs to have with the information technology department. Every promotional ad that is made these days is dependent on the extent to which a company can afford it. As for example the famous zuzu ads given by Vodafone are highly technology dependent. In other words, a CFO, rite from the time he is chosen as one has to deal with the most complex of the challenges of the corporate world. (McGirt, 2007) As far as my personal leadership philosophy is concerned, a leader is required to be a system thinker. He is required to take care of all the people working under him. The entire organization should be worked as centralized and problems related to all need to be solved by a leader. This can be seen from all the leadership dimensions persistent in the company. As far as motivation is concerned, there should be no rivalry on grounds of favouritism in this regard. In terms of operations, a leader has to ensure that there is equal contribution from all. It is only a leader and his ways that can make this a possibility. Also, a leader should ensure that every individual works to the best of his abilities no matter what group or team he is working for. At the same time, he should keep the organizational strategy at the broader level in mind before taking any decisions. Precisely, a leader is supposed to take charge of resolving all brainstorming sessions resulting due to conflicts in views at the organizational level. Also, with strong domain knowledge, a leader is supposed to ensure that any deficiency in terms of talent and expertise in the organization is sorted with immediate effect. Another important parameter here is that a leader is expected to have integrity in his approach. This is because only then would he be able to set an example for his followers. Once the leader is honest in his own ways, his team would work to the best of its capabilities. This is expected to be truer for a job like that of a chief financial officer who has a big team to follow and integrity becomes the most essential part in all the team members. Five Most important leadership skills In the modern world of today, where one can just not afford to lose out on any grounds with the competitors, an organization has to do all that it can so as to turn out most effective. Under the conditions, effective leadership has been found to be the most significant trait to deal with the issues in the internal organization. This has been seen in case of a CFO and is viable for every other designation a person might hold. We are all aware of the fact that an organization can just not do with a half-hearted approach of the members. To make the organizations streamlined, a leader has to play an important role. Leader is a very common personality essential in every area of an organization. Leadership is the inherent quality which has to be possessed in abundance for effective leadership. The most important functionality of leadership is to motivate people to work so as to have enough efficiency from the organizations perspective. This is a characteristic which is common in all the sk ills that a leader carries. Leadership can also be said to be the process by which a leader has the social influence on the people by providing them support and aids who are working for the accomplishment of a common goal. It is leadership that draws maximum contribution from an individual. A leader must possess quality leadership. He could also provide people working for him the social security so that they feel secure under him and should also be able to motivate them for common beliefs. Also, leaders enjoy a number of powers in an organization. With these powers leaders are said to be engaged in power-politics that is using the authority for its own sake. Some authors reflect it to be unethical use of administrative power. Leaders face a lot of problems in an organization in terms of issues related to power and politics. The first one is favoring of own people in organization. Others are related to unethical use of the authority in business process. Looking at the diversities in which a CFO has to deal in, it is highly likely that there would be cases pertaining to power and politics. A leader has to be skilled enough to deal with the same. Considering all these different situations and responsibilities, it is certain that a leader requires having at least some basic skills in him so as to deal with corporate culture effectively. These traits have been listed as follows: (Mason, 2011) Systems Thinker: A leader should take the entire organization into account before addressing any issue. Considering the competition in every field, every corner of an organization needs to be checked of its operations so as to provide the best possible final services or products. This does not only include those areas that are internal to an organization. External interaction has included the outside stakeholders in the organization system as well. A leader has to take care of this region with equal zeal as he does of the internal region of the organization. Every bit of favouritism should be avoided and performance appraisal methods should felicitate only those employees who deserve. (Shead, 2010). From this, perspective, there are eight different traits required in a leader to be a systems thinker. These have been listed as follows: Forward looking: This guides the leader toward successful completion of the project or work. By having an optimistic idea of the entire organization, a leader is expected to raise the level of confidence in the team members as well as in him. Ultimately, it is the overall progress of the organization which is expected by a leader. Honest: This helps in building a non-partial and efficient relationship with both the upper administration and employees hence completing the entire internal organization. Having this approach would set examples for the team members to follow. This would be beneficial in the long run. So, this trait of a systems thinker increases a leaders probability of success. Broad-minded: It is necessary for a leader to be broad-minded so that small matters do not create hurdles during work. At times, a leader is expected to ignore a number of activities in the system for the ultimate benefit of the system. So, ignorance accompanied by patience helps in making this happen. Ambitious: An ambitious leader can handle new and creative projects more willingly. Being a systems thinker, a leader can very well distribute work load amongst the organizational members. This would make it easy for the new projects to be handled. A reason for the same is that only a leader who is a systems thinker would be able to know distinguished qualities of every individual within an organization, thus using his ambitious nature to work it best for overall success. Competent: There is competition in business everywhere. The leader must be competitive in order to survive. Only a systems thinker can afford to be competitive. He would thus know the areas which would serve as core competencies for his team and improve accordingly to beat the competitors in every respect. Caring: A caring leader motivates and manages workforce more efficiently. Here, caring does not only refer to the employees. It also relates to the reputation of the organization. This is where a systems approach comes into play. It is the emotion that a leader develops for the benefit of the organization that takes his team forward. Inspiring: A leader who inspires his workforce better can extract more from his employees. Here again, the mentioned workforce is in totality. The motivation appeals of systems thinker is highly significant in making it happen. Communication Skills: A leader should be able to communicate all his ideas and perspective so that it reaches even the bottom most classification of employees. In fact personal interaction should be most possible so that it is justifiable to all. Communication skills required in a leader can be better understood as follows: Interpersonal Role: This is a role of a leader that provides information to all the other parts of the organization. Also its purpose is to receive feedback from the rest of the organization. The following characteristics come under this: -Figurehead: A leader should create an impression amongst the organizational members so that his orders are respected and he is considered worthy enough to have the final say in organizational issues. This can be developed by giving equal opportunities to all the members. In other words, a leader has to be a common favorite for an organization to succeed. Here, the concept of election can be taken into account for getting the best results. One must understand that it is the job of a leader to create an employee friendly environment. This is much associated with the organizational success. The reason for the same is that once the employees are contented enough, they would be ready to deliver the best possible and hence make the best fortunes for the organization. (Communication skills for the Leader and Manager , 2011) -Liaison: Communication skills are not only handy within the organization. An equitable responsibility exists for maintaining outside relations. A leader is a representative of the organization. The ways in which he deals with the people external to the organization, decides the forward link. Patience as well as intelligence at the same time is extremely fruitful in making this a possibility. None of the functionalities in a system would be required if a leader lacks in this very requisite. Informational Role: This performs a processing on the information provided by the organization and gives it to decisional authority. Its basic functions are: -Monitor: There are numerous activities going around in the vicinity of an organization. A leader is expected to manage them all. But when the strength of an organization is big, monitoring every department would not be possible for a leader. Here team work becomes important. A leader would monitor the different teams in on organization by maintaining terms with the sub level leaders. -Disseminator: Every bit of information that originates from a leader should be disseminated at an appropriate time to all the departments of the organization. This has a number of benefits associated with it. The first is that once the shop floor staff knows the strategies of the organization, they would be able to incline themselves accordingly. Also, they would develop respect for the leader having been given the privilege to have access to vital information about the organization. This ultimately lifts the work spirit of the entire organization. The skill also lies in laying the boundary between the confidential information about the organization and access of the same to the employees. Every level should certainly have authenticity of information. So, a leader has to establish a trade-off between accessibility and security at the same time. This is where the disseminator quality of a leader comes into play. (Forster, 2010) -Spokesperson: This is another important communication skill of a leader. No matter who does the backhand work and the scripting, it is finally the leader who is the spokesperson. So, this trait determines the presentation skills of a leader. It marks the beginning of association of an organization with another. Good Listener: A leader should give equal opportunities to all his team members so that they can contribute to the organizations welfare. A direct interaction of a simple salesman with customers could be very useful for the leader to incorporate changes if required. The following are the common errors made by the leaders at the workplace which results in disturbed organization of employees and colleagues sometimes when a leader is not a good listener. This typically reduces the loyalty of employees towards the leader. It also makes the employees less satisfied by the job environment and thus results in increased job turnover and thus decreased productivity. Feeling that the leader alone is responsible for carrying out the responsibilities of an organization can widen the gap between the employees and the leader. All the skills that have been discussed so far would go for a waste if this persists in a system. If a leader wants everybody to like him, he would probably never be happy with his team. This would result in failure of substantial magnitude. Whenever there is a brainstorming session, there would have to be a solution. It is the job of a leader to be wise enough to get to the correct conclusion, but this is likely to create dissatisfaction for those speaking against the final solution. The leader has to make an attempt to convince the opposition but not waste resources in overdoing it. Until or unless there is no bit of favoritism involved in it, it would be safe for the organization. Excess socializing can also be a hindrance for the organization. It is a challenge for a leader to be able to draw the line between the organization and its external associations. An excess of socialization would reduce the bargaining power of the system. It can have a magnitude of affecting the core competency of the system as well. Also, if a leader is always in a spree to prove that he has the best solution, would go for nullifying his effect. A leader should always appreciate others solutions and only under suitable conditions he should discard others says. Becoming friend of the employees is never a good practice. A leader is supposed to create an interactive atmosphere but here again; there should always be a difference between the leader and the team members. If this does not persist, the team would lose accountability. There would be nobody reporting to the leader and the work discipline would vanish. Hence, here again a leader has to maintain a balance in the work culture. A leader is not supposed to do everything himself. This would increase the probability of dissatisfaction amongst the team members because of work scarcity. Also, a feeling of mistrust starts to exist under the conditions. So, a leader is supposed to trust his team mates and distribute work justifiably between each member. These are the common errors made by the leaders at the workplace which results in disturbed organization of employees and colleagues sometimes. This typically reduces the loyalty of employees towards the leader. Hence, a leader is expected to keep his ears open to every requirement of the organization and as seen in almost all the cases maintain a balance in communication. (POSNER, 2007) Innovation: In this world of today where demand lives on the direction of innovation, a leader is expected to be highly innovative in his means to be able to replace every function as soon as it becomes traditional no matter how quickly it happens. Innovation does not only relate to using new technology in improving the pace at which an organization works. (Forster, 2010) In fact every dimension of the system requires innovation. If one considers the human resource system for example, it would need innovation in its management. In the recent days, there used to trade unions in every organization. Today there is no room for such trade unions. As soon as the corporate world saw the need to put it to an end, it did so which has made todays smarter employees easy to be managed. Also, the style of leadership needs to be innovative these days. The old system of tall hierarchies should be removed completely. The degree of customization in this respect depends upon the perception of the lead er about his team members. Also, the degree of motivation in the employees suggests the type of organizational structure followed. For an organization where the employees are motivated from initial times, a flat hierarchy could be followed. For others it would be customized as required. Also, a leader is expected to show innovation in the manner in which he approaches the external world. Even in B2C businesses, the customers are smart enough to seek value addition whenever they are approached. Innovation in terms of technology, work process and delivery is highly material under the circumstances. If this does not take place, the organization is bound to succumb to competition. Also, managing a business requires innovation. The entire supply chain from procurement to customer service requires innovation. A very recent manner is the use of innovative IT solutions in the operational process. This can be possible by using innovative solutions of ERP, CRM etc. It would automate the proce ss as and when a leader feels that one should incorporate changes in the same, he should go for some innovative measures of doing it. (Lee, 2011) Decision-making abilities: A leader should have the prowess to be fast in decision making at the same time consider all the pros and cons of the decisions. A lot of the organizations effectiveness depends on the decision making capabilities of the leader. Here again, there should be consensus of the entire team before a decision is made. This means that whenever required, a leader should have the confidence to gather the entire team at work and reach to the most viable decision taking every constraint into account before reaching to conclusions. There a number if errors a leader is likely to incur in this area. They have been mentioned as follows: (Forster, 2010) Making natural decision-The world is changing every moment. Under such situations, it is not feasible for a leader to make natural decisions. There are a number of occasions where what seems likely is not what is suitable. This requires that a leader is not lethargic in his ways. A natural decision would never lead to accelerated progress. Current demands which are mostly latent in nature do not recommend such form of decision making. So, a leader should be appropriate rather than predictable which is also a threat from the competitive point of view. Being defensive when mistaken- A leaders confidence is seen during times when he is actually mistaken. Rather than becoming defensive under such conditions, a leader is expected to react in the best possible way so as to resurrect from this situation. This will test the leader of his ability to adapt to change in policy. Also, it is fact that learning comes from failures. A leader is expected to believe in this fact and follow the same so that his team members also get the inner strength to get over their mistakes hence improving the morale of their entire team. Giving praise to employees for their answers- There is always a difference between appreciation and praising. A leader is expected to maintain this difference so that none of his team mates develop an impression of favoritism in any of his deeds. Consistent appreciation for good work would result into a healthy competition within the organizational environment where as praising a person again and again can even lead to high attrition rates. Development of three leadership skills Communication Skills: This can be developed by consistently understanding the needs of the corporate both within and outside the organization. The reason for the same is that once there is sufficient understanding, communication would be made easier. It is not easy to develop communication skills in a system where there is substantial bit of diversity. We have seen the case of a Chief Financial Officer. The team or the group of teams that he has to handle is huge. So, understanding the needs of every person would be highly complex if one takes personal interviews. A consistent round of questionnaire should thus be distributed amongst all the team members from time to time. This questionnaire should include all aspects of work culture. Also, it should have a portion for personal views of each employee. This is highly important because better communication can only be established if a leader is able to understand the views of all the employees and the other team members who work under him. Even the factors which are taken into consideration in the questionnaire should depend on the type of situation existing in the industry at the time of survey. The reason for the same is that, it will fetch the latest problems that people have and be more effective in decision making. As for example, during the period of recession the requirements of team members would have been different from otherwise normal occasions. As such periods are highly critical; a leader needs to have even better communication with the team members. So, questionnaires need to be customized accordingly to reflect the time of distribution. Also, there should be training period to improve communication. Working with a diversity of people would mean that there would be different levels of communication between the team members. This could be with respect to language, motivation, level of understanding etc. This can be developed in a span of 4-5 years by getting across all the different situations of business that can arise in an organization. Communication can also be improved by shifting designations. In a span of around 4-5 years, if a person shifts his position in the company, he would get to interact with a greater diversity of population. As a result of this, he would be acquainted with more number of situations in hence develop into a better communicator of things. The position of a CFO should only be given to that person who has the experience of leading different categories of teams so that his experience can be put to use. If every coveted place of an organization is given on the basis of diversities in which a person has been under, it would not only increase the team spirit in the individuals but also make them better communicators. (Leadership Communication Skills The Importance of Connection, 2008) Innovation: Innovation is a part of the original thought-process of an individual. But, it can be developed with respect to an industry depending upon the experience and the honesty of work so that a leader is able to understand the marker better and come up with suitable ideas at the time it is required. It is never an easy task to develop a project or a product for a company. It is also true that this cant be done alone by practising any form of leadership. As it has been mentioned earlier, a leader is expected to have interactions with the research and development department of the company. This is one of the areas from where an innovation proceeds. A leader should be aware of all these innovations and make note of the reactions of the market after every new innovation made in the company. This would give him a better view of the corporate environment which in turn would develop his innovation skills in about 4 to 5 years time. This is a reactive approach towards innovation. A lea der can also look for some proactive approaches in this regard. As for example, if in about 2 years, a leader feels that he is capable enough to understand the latent demands of the customers, he can design products that have no relevance with the past. A lot of stress would have to be given on reliability tests of the product before it is launched. Here, again the communication skills of the leader are under scrutiny considering the challenge behind taking up the job. There could be various example of doing this. For example the introduction of i-phone was a complete innovation of its leader, Steve Jobs who has enough experience to go for such risky innovations. The basic factor for success of this gadget is that it completely satisfies the latent demand of the customers of the product. Similarly, when Reliance introduced a phone in India that was priced as low as 75 Dhms, it sent a wave of demand across the nation. Here again proactive form of leadership can be seen in use. Not only in the form of products, but innovation can be seen in the form of marketing to a large extent. As for example, the different forms of advertisements would largely follow innovation. We have all seen the latest zuzu ad given by Vodafone. This form of advertisement had never been seen before. But, no matter what age group one might belong to, it is highly appreciated by all. So, this teaches a lesson to all the leaders that one can make innovations not only in the form of introducing new products or services in a company. This can also be done by presenting the same product but in an innovative manner so as to attract the crowd even further. Innovation within the organization management has also become highly important these days. HR system would not work in the same manner as mentioned earlier. A company should always use measures like free shares of the company to its employees to show them a variety of benefits. This would raise the level of satisfaction. Benefits like holiday packages, free passes, increased breaks, special meals etc can add to innovative practices in increasing HR satisfaction. Only an experience of 4-5 years would make one understand the relevance of each of these approaches in the HR system. Decision-making capabilities: This trait can also be developed over time, concentrating more on the necessities of the customers and the requirements of the employees at the same time. Decision-making abilities develop as a result of confidence. One needs to be confident in his own mental abilities so that he can envision the situation around him which would give him the guts to take decisions. Being in the industry for about 4-5 years would mean that a leader would be able to analyse the world around him. One cant state the level of analysis that a leader would be able to do. It all depends on how much he can break down a situation, looking at the individual parts and then providing an overview of all of them. Also, decision making can be improved by thinking critically. This means that a leader must develop the ability to be an optimist and a pessimist at the same time. Years of experience would bring forward all the possible consequences and the good possibilities of a decision. A leader should be able to grasp those that are more likely to occur before he can make a decision. For example, for every movie that is released at the box office, there is always a critical review made. If in a span of 4-5 years time a leader can make such a critical review before even the release of a movie, he can consider himself a good decision maker. Development of decision-making skills would also come from being able to understand the value of research. Rather than wasting too much in a particular direction, a good decision maker would know exactly what would be most beneficial. Research conducted by Coke and Pepsi is a highly suitable example to showcase the developed leadership abilities in this respect. Also, a leader can develop decision making by being able to manage the conflicts that arise within him and in the world around him. All these characteristics make up the decisive behaviour techniques including all the assumptions of risk in it. The developed parameters of a capable decision making leader would be his self-awareness, skill acquisition and improved competence. Also, an ability to appreciate decentralized decision making developed over a period of 4-5 years with the above mentioned characteristics completes a leader in this context. (Lessons in Leadership: Decision Making A Must for Success, 2010) Woman Business Leader Here, I would talk about the highly capable Chanda Kochar who is the MD and CEO of ICICI Bank in India. This great business leader even without completing a half century of her life holds this herculean responsibility. Also, ICICI bank, that she leads is the largest private bank in India and on an overall basis, it is the second largest bank in the entire nation. She is the head of the Corporate Centre of this bank. She was born and brought up in a city called Jaipur in western Rajasthan in India. She received a bachelors degree from Jai Hind College in Mumbai and subsequently pursued Cost Accountancy in the year 1982. She has done her MBA from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai. She has a financial background. In her academic career itself, she received two of the most prestigious awards of all times. She was the proud winner of Wockhardt Gold Medal for Excellence in Management Studies and also the J.N. Bose Gold Medal in Cost Accountancy for being the topper in that very year. The best of all this is that both these awards come in the same year which just personifies her domain knowledge proficiency. Mrs. Kochar has consistently appeared in the Fortunes List of Most Powerful Women in Business from 2005. This is even before she got her current authority. Moreover, she started from the twentieth position in Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women list in 2009. She has also been dignified with Padma Bhushan award which is the third highest civilian award in India. (Directors Profile, 2010) Mrs. Kochars professional career started in the year 1984 and can be divided into 3 phases. The first phase is that from 1984-1993. It was in the year 1984 that she joined The Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India Ltd (ICICI Ltd.) as a management trainee. From the early years itself she got the herculean task of Project Appraisal and Monitoring. This shows the mark of leadership in an individual who is given such tasks also in diversified ranging from Petrochemicals to Cement including Textile and Paper. The second phase was that from 1993 to 2006. It was in this intermediate phase of her life that she was sent to be a part of the core team of the bank and set it right. After 10 years of working in the same bank she was given the responsibility to be the General Manager in 1994 followed by which she became the Deputy General Manager in the year 1996. At that time she was heading the Infrastructure Industry Group of the bank. Her basic focus was to create expertise in Power, Telecom and Transportation sectors. Then the major turn round in her career was seen in the year 1988 when she became the General Manager of the bank and was considered suitable enough to lead the Major Client Group. In about a decade from then she started to handle Strategy and E-Commerce divisions of the bank as well. It was under her leadership in the year 2000 that ICICI started Retail business and in only 5 years it became the largest retail finance in India. Then in 2001, her qualities gave her the position of Executive Director from where she heads the entire bank. Finally, the third phase started from 2006 and c

Why Is Vatican Ii So Significant In The Modern Church? :: essays research papers fc

Why is Vatican II so Significant in the Modern Church? INTRODUCTION: VATICAN II Vatican II was the 21st ecumenical council recognized by the Roman Catholic church, which became the symbol of the church's openness to the modern world. The council was announced by Pope John XXIII on January 25, 1959, and held 178 meetings in the autumn of each of four successive years. The first gathering was on October 11, 1962, and the last on December 8, 1965. Of 2908 bishops and others eligible to attend, 2540 from all parts of the world participated in the opening meeting. The U.S. delegation of 241 members was second in size only to that of Italy. Asian and African bishops played a prominent role in the council's deliberations. Only Communist nations were sparsely represented, the result of government pressures. The average attendance at the meetings was 2200. ESSAY Vatican II, as we can clearly see from the above information, was a very large and important meeting in the Roman Catholic Church. Vatican II has altered the Roman Catholic Church more that any other council that took place. It has great significance as it made the church more reasonable and realistic. The Church, after the council, was much more down-to-earth and open-minded. One of Vatican II's changes that took place was that Mass became vernacular. This change was very important because it made people feel more at a personal level when mass was held seeing as though the priest was speaking their language. It made them feel more at home and increased their understanding and ability to respond. Another very major and important change that took place due to Vatican II was the relationship with the Church and the world. "The Church is a human organization steered by the Holy Spirit and composed of the gifts and talents of its members. It is acknowledged that at this time the Church community has not yet reached its highest potential and is faced with the limitations and of human shortcomings and temporal constrictions. With an understanding of its abilities and its boundaries, the Church seeks to work with the world community to come closer to the life to which God calls the world." As this quote from one of the Documents in Vatican II states, the Church need have a relationship with the "outside world" as the Church itself is comprised of humans. And that the Church having a good relationship with the outside world is necessary for the Church to reach its highest potential. These are some of the changes that took place in Vatican II and naming

Regulations of Prescription Drug Advertising Essay example -- Birth Co

Regulations of Prescription Drug Advertising This particular morning, Sheri*, a Northeastern senior, is able to get out of bed. With difficulty, she pushes past the chronic pain in her back and shoulder muscles and manages to get dressed. The clothes she wears are not the trendy, youthful clothes of a normal 22-year-old girl in college, but instead a baggy grey sweat suit that hides the nearly 20-pound weight gain she is still trying to work off. She covers her face in makeup to conceal the painful acne that has flared up once again. The advertisement for Depo-Provera, a contraceptive vaccination, sounded appealing to Sheri, as she had trouble remembering to take her current form of birth control. â€Å"It said that I would not have to worry about taking a pill every day, that it was more effective than other forms of birth control, and that the main side effect was that my period might completely go away,† Sheri said. â€Å"That sounded wonderful to me.† Depo-Provera is a form of birth control that requires an injection every three months. Each shot prevents pregnancy for 12 weeks, and it is completely reversible. Depo is cited by Planned Parenthood as one of the most effective forms of reversible birth control. So Sheri did as the advertisement directed her to do and asked her doctor about it. She made sure to ask plenty of questions during the consultation. She was told that she simply might gain a minimal amount of weight, possibly five pounds, and that her menses would indeed diminish or even just not occur. However, the side effects she began to encounter after her second shot were much more serious, and she is not alone. Sheri belongs to an online support group called â€Å"Depo Provera Horror Stories,† a site composed o... ...f birth control in order to cleanse her body of the chemicals she had such a harsh reaction to. â€Å"I am just starting to feel normal again,† she said. â€Å"If I had known that this had happened to other women on Depo, I never would have taken it.† Doctors have told her that the side effects should stop occurring 12 to 14 weeks after discontinuing the medication, but that she would probably not be able to conceive for close to a year. Fortunately for Sheri, her mother is a nutritionist, and has helped her make lifestyle choices to aide in detoxification. â€Å"If it wasn’t for my mom, and some good doctors along the way, I never would have made it. I would have went crazy thinking I was getting sick over nothing,† Sheri said. â€Å"I am trying to stay far away from prescription drugs now, unless I am absolutely certain that I need them.† *Last name withheld on request.

Martin Luther King :: essays research papers

How Did Martin Luther Challenge Loyalty To The Roman Catholic Church   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In our society today, it is ruled with a firm hand. Similar aspects of our modern society and how our society was. Back then in the early fifteen - hundreds were similar. Such as today the public has the right to free speech and to build and choose a strong democracy, and a responsible loyal leader. The people in our life want to seek independence and live their own life from the ruler. In a unique way, all things have a ruler for instance the church in our case for Catholics, Pope John Paul is the Catholic religion ruler; and as it was back in the fifteen- Hundreds, a man named Martin Luther became an important ruler. In the year of fifteen-seventeen, a German monk named Martin Luther wrote a reformation that changed the life of the Roman Catholic Church.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Martin Luther was born in Eisleben on November 10,1483 (Beers, Burton page 246). Luther’s family was peasants but still being peasants they were wealthy. Luther was survived by his father Hans Luther his occupation was a copper miner(Flowers page 27). When Luther got older, his father sent him out to study law at the University of Wittenburg; not interested in the idea of law school, Luther dropped the class sold his learning books and left school. After Luther left school he later joined a monastery. The reason why Luther decided to join a monastery was one night, while walking home a storm began to brew from up above while not taking shelter, lightning struck Luther and in fear Luther cried â€Å" Saint Anne, help me; For I will become a monk†(Beers page 247). Being true to his words Luther joined a monastery where he taught Bible studies and studied theology in order to become a professor. His friends and family were shocked by his actions. While in training Luther began to believe that a person’s sin cannot be removed by just doing good deeds but to have faith in god. With Luther’s beliefs he then accuses the selling of indulgences or the removal of sin after death in purgatory through money which was made by the church. That is one way Luther is loyal to the church but in this case Luther can do the opposite.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Luther challenges loyalty against the church by composing ninety-five questions for arguments against the

Impressionism: Art and Literature Essay

Impressionism, the history started in the 19th century. A group of French artists has rebelled in their work of art by painting the things around them. Among them are Berthe Morisot, Cezanne, Degas, Monet, Pissarro, and Renoir. The term ‘impressionism’ was coined by an art critic named Louis Leroy regarding a painting from Monet in 1873, the ‘Impression: Sunrise (‘Impression, Soleil Levant’). According to Louis Leroy the paintings from the group lacked details, unfinished and did not show the hard works that were exerted in traditional arts. Impression I was certain of it. I was just telling myself that, since I was impressed, there had to be some impression in it — and what freedom, what ease of workmanship! A preliminary drawing for a wallpaper pattern is more finished than this seascape. (Leroy, 1874) However, other critics were more sympathetic of the Impressionism art of the group describing them to stamp on the senses. Impressionism art spread on other western countries fast. The Impressionism was adopted in literature. The incorporation of impressionism in poems, prose and other literary works were applied whereas the literary appeals on the feelings, thoughts, impressions, emotions, sensations and impressions of the character. Impressionist literatures are characterized when actions, scenes or characters are portrayed to view reality subjectively. The characteristic of such works are subsumed in some categories including Symbolism. Among the writers who adapted such style are Baudelaire, Laforgue, Mallarme, Rimbaud and Verlaine. Novels like The Lagoon by Joseph Conrad and Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf are great examples of this genre since the comprehension of their novels are not easy. Conclusion The connection of both arts and literatures under the Impressionism genre is the way the works are conveyed to the viewers or readers. The way the Impressionism literatures allow the readers to use their senses allows stimulating different intellectual interpretation from one person to the other rather than conveying in plain words the character or scenes detailed in the written works. The same were applied to the early work of arts of Impressionism. Therefore, I disagree on the description of the unfriendly critic Louis Leroy when he said that the early work of arts do not have the hard work in traditional artworks because to stimulate the thinking and emotions through artworks and literary is a challenge for every artist and writer into Impressionism.

Alibaba: Competing in China and Beyond Essay

Introduction In this report I will examine the case â€Å"Alibaba: Competing in China and Beyond.† Alibaba under the leadership of Jack Ma, its founder has transformed into one of the most successful e-commerce companies in China. In the 2000s Alibaba had emerged as the largest e-commerce company in China. The company tailored its strategies to meet the needs of the customers and made a mark because of its understanding of the Chinese language and culture. However, some experts have also raised doubts over the sustainability of Alibaba’s business model. In my report I will critically analyze the factors that led to Alibaba sustaining its leadership position in the Chinese e-commerce market. I will Discuss the rationale behind Ma establishing Taobao.com. I will examine the factors that led to Taoboa’s success in the Chinese online auctions market. Furthermore, with Baidu’s entry into the e-commerce market, I will discuss the challenges that Alibaba faces with regard to sustaining its position in the growing e-commerce market in China. Finally I will critically examine Alibaba’s business model, possibilities of global expansion and the overall sustainability of the company. Questions 1. One of the most significant factors that lead Alibaba Group sustaining its leadership positioning in the Chinese e-commerce market was its ability to understand the Chinese market itself. Jack Ma, Alibaba Groups founder understood that Chinese consumers and their preferences distinguished them selves from those in other countries. Other companies such as eBay did not appreciate the local market circumstances in China; instead, they were using the strategies that were working in the United States. I believe for this reason Alibaba Group was able to sustain its leadership position. Many of the competitors lacked understanding of the Chinese language as well as the culture. Moreover, Alibaba.com made its services extremely easy for its customers to use. Ma, himself, was a non-technical person and this helped him keep the websites more user-friendly. In the article Ma refers to this stating: (Deresky, 2010). â€Å"If you follow Google’s way, you always be a follower†¦ We have to make the Yahoo! Search engine more human, more interactive†¦ something for the 1.3 billion people in China who aren’t technology-oriented, who don’t know how to ask the right question to a search engine — for people who are like me.† (p.320) An added factor is the services that Alibaba.com offered. The company believed that the first thing to do was to build a devoted customer base. Therefore, before adding any charges, a lot of the services were free of charge. Alibaba.com offered many services such as email and listings of products/services free of charge. In addition, e-commerce was vulnerable due to the fact that sellers and buyers did not trust the idea of sending money before receiving their products and the sellers wanted the money before they shipped their products. For these purposes, Alibaba.com launched Alipay in 2004, which was an online payment solution that allowed the users to make money transactions in an easy, quick and safe way. All and all Alibaba.com basically concentrated greatly on increasing costumer satisfaction even on the expense of not gaining maximum profitability. The company made its customer and getting to know what customers want its number one. Question 2. Jack Ma established Taobao.com in May 2003 to enter the profitable e-commerce market. Taobao.com also symbolized a part of Ma’s Alibaba.com business model of joining SMEs, customers together, and helping SMEs grow. Taoboa’s goal was to generate an online trading platform for both B2C and C2C models. Several factors lead to Taoboa’s success over the rival eBay in the Chinese auctions market. First, Ma managed to raise a substantial investment of 56 million dollars from Softbank and teamed up with Masayoshi Son the founder and CEO of Softbank who had previously helped to defeat eBay in Japan (which lead to eBay leaving Japan in 2002). Also again Ma decided to build a loyal customer base before really attempting to make a profit; he did this by offering free listings as opposed to eBay, which charged for listings (Deresky, 2010). A major factors in Taoboa’s success was Alibaba Groups better management of the trust factor involved in e-commerce trading and better understanding of the local Chinese market. eBbay positioned its standard business model that was used in the United States and other countries. Taoboa, instead, established its own payment escrow service. With AliPay buyers paid into an escrow account that did not pay the seller until the buyer noted he had received the product; therefore, making the transaction thrust worthy since the money was in escrow until the transaction was completed (Deresky, 2010). Furthermore, Taoboa offered e-mail and chat services between users unlike eBay, which concealed identities and only had an offline messaging system. Taoboa also advertised aggressively through websites and billboards in major population areas something eBay did not do. The final steps of defeat for eBay was when Taobao offered three years of free listings and when Taoboa launched its B2C services in 2006. Moreover Taoboa had a large list of companies supporting it and also Alibaba.com members that could join easily. Overall Taoboa’s success over eBay has been attributed its ability to know the local Chinese market and adapt to it as opposed to eBay’s strategies of using a inefficient model that could not adapt to the Chinese market (Deresky, 2010). However, now Taoboa is facing competition from a company that knows the Chinese market very well. Taoboa’s main competitor Baidu, is the largest search engine market share holder in China. Baidu has a large, loyal customer base to work with and has ability to advertise and link its own ecommerce website. Taoboa will have many challenges facing the competition from Baidu. Never the less Alibaba Groups strong and evident presence in the Chinese e-comercial market signifies the company’s ability overtake its competitors by combining all services and maintaining the user-friendliness of its services in B2B, C2C and B2C markets. Question 3. Absolutely it is sustainable. As Alibaba Group now further develops and expands its various web services, it must also additionally develop the various products within each website. Alibaba Group should have one department focusing one website development aspect and another department focusing on product development aspect. The company can still capitalize on his legacy sites that have millions of monthly subscribers. The intention for the company should be to find a way to raise the monthly run rate on each customer on a yearly basis, this would allow Alibaba Group to use these profits to fund the company’s efforts to expand. In my opinion Alibaba Group should focus on moving into Russia first, using their political ties to their advantage. Russia has many raw materials but few factory centers like China. If they could move into Russia, this would effectively provide geographical access to the Middle East and Northern Europe in the future. However, after Russia, I would mainly focus on expanding through Southeast Asia all the way down to Australia. This would fundamentally provide an ecommerce solution that can link B2B, C2C, B2C, sales across the entire Eastern part of the world. Conclusion After reading the case and answering to the questions it seems like the case is too good to be true. Even though Jack Ma had proven his capability of  being a good leader and business man it is impressive how he started from scratch and was able to gather good people around him and develop this successful multinational company. I truly believe that Ma’s and Alibab Groups key to success were the founder people in the company. Overall I see Alibaba Groups story as a big success. It is truly a inspirational story. In the words of Ma’s business partner Masayoshi Son: (Deresky, 2010). â€Å"If there’s a company outside of America that can introduce a new business model to the world, it is Alibaba.† (Founder and CEO of Softbank Corporation, in Japan 2005.) Reference: Deresky, H (2010). International Management: Managing Across Borders and Cultures. 7th ed. Pearson Boston. 310-322.