Philosophy of education timeline analysis Essay

Philosophy of education timeline analysis - Essay Example I will carry this theme further in my essay and will trace its origins and development. The later part of the essay will explore the role naturalism plays in the current educational world. The East and West have rich ethical traditions (Brannigan, 2005). Some like the Confucianism developed in a certain area- China in the case of Confucianism (Confucianism, 2010)- whereas others like naturalism were developed and promoted by philosophers all over the world. Naturalism is that branch of philosophy that adheres to the notion that everything can be explained scientifically. It can be portrayed as the ideology that everything constitutes a part of nature and there is no reality that is beyond the scope of nature (Goetz & Taliaferro, 2008). The philosophical paradigm denounces the supernatural, supporting the ideology that everything in nature can be accounted for by a scientific cause. The philosophy relies on empirical and evidence-based science to prove and ratify the natural phenomena around us. Naturalists believe that everything in the universe is governed through scientific principles and even the social and behavioral elements that constitute an individual’s thought process and rationality have a scientific basis. Naturalism does not have a priori approach to explain the natural world; rather it attempts to provide a scientific justification through knowledge that does not involve the special senses. It is also known as materialism and its basic definition encompasses the tenet that individuals are a completely natural phenomena. In the past centuries, scientific discoveries have replaced many of the myths and superstitions by concrete scientific explanations. The rate at which science has progressed is exponential; as a result, the theory of naturalism has received more factual data to support it. Naturalism has developed overtime by such advances in technology and by the works of many

Starbucks Coffee Company Essay Example for Free

Starbucks Coffee Company Essay It’s an American global coffee company and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world ahead of UK rival Costa Coffee, with 23,305 stores in 65 countries and territories, including 13,049 in the United States, 1,909 in China, 1,555 in Canada, 1,089 in Japan and 927 in the United Kingdom. Starbucks locations serve hot and cold beverages, whole-bean coffee. Most stores also sell pre-packaged food items, hot and cold sandwiches, and items such as mugs and tumblers. Starbucks. Through the Starbucks Entertainment division and Hear Music brand, the company also markets books, music, and film. Many of the companys products are seasonal or specific to the locality of the store. Starbucks-brand ice cream and coffee are also offered at grocery stores. Starbucks had been profitable as a local company in Seattle. By the time it expanded into California in 1991 it had become trendy. The first store outside the United States or Canada opened in Tokyo in 1996, and overseas stores now constitute almost one third of Starbucks stores. The company planned to open a net of 900 new stores outside of the United States in 2009, but has announced 300 store closures in the United States since 2008. How the organization is organized Starbucks Organizational Chart Identify the activities of the functional areas Functional areas: Each organization is radically different ways by the structures, rules, positions and recognized chains of dynamic structures in which the communications staff of the organization is divided into fixed and is expected instead to keep width according to requirement. The basic methods of the organization are the people on the basis of the methods  according to geographical areas of the product Human resources: In Human Resources, they’re all about their partners. They have more than 500 partners working in groups such as Staffing, Learning and Development, Total Pay (Comp and Benefits), Organizational Development and Human Services. Each of us is a strategic partner to the business – no matter if we’re in a generalist or more specialist role. Together, we build programs that help our partners around the globe become their personal best. Finance: In Finance, theyll have the opportunity to work with their retail operations, consumer products and i nternational businesses. Their team is a key part of continued growth and profitability. There are more than 500 professionals working in fields such as accounting, business unit finance, corporate development, finance services, internal audit, investor relations, tax and customs, treasury and risk management, and safety and security. Marketing: Starbucks has a team of over 200 developing the strategy for all customer touch points in a Starbucks store and in the digital space. This includes campaigns for their products (like a favorite, the Pumpkin Spice Latte) or digital marketing campaigns like social media, promotions, as well as programs like Starbucks Card, CRM, ecommerce and mobile (Digital Ventures). Whether it’s on a mobile device or in one of their stores, they strive to deliver genuine moments of connection with their customers while driving transactions. One innovative thing they’ve done recently is partner with Square to launch mobile payments in their retail stores. Costumer Service: The Customer Service team receives and shares feedback that helps the company stand apart and grow. They listen to their customers and respond in kind. They analyze information and provide insights so that they continue to create inspired moments around the world every day. Sales: The Starbucks Sales team wo rks with retailers all over the world to launch their products in places like grocery stores, airlines and school campuses. They even serve Starbucks Coffee at The White House, Pentagon and on Air Force One. Production: This group of people as a team for the products they produce. As each company has different departments and groups are divided by service. Describe the relations between them The relations between these functional areas you can see as a kind of tracking system. Because every department is helping the other one work, The Human Recourses arranges everything inside the company and the opposite of that one is the department Marketing, they are looking for information outside the company. Eventually the marketing department can help the customer service to improve their service and the Human Recourses can help the Sales department and Production work better. Al last the Finance keeps everything around the company in control if it’s about the outcomes or revenue or the labor costs of the employers. P4 Explain how their style of organization makes it possible for them to fulfil their purposes. The Starbucks Mission Statement: Today, Starbucks Coffee Company has published two mission statements, one for the company and one that defines their commitment to the environment: â€Å"To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time† – Starbucks Coffee â€Å"Starbucks is committed to a role of environmental leadership in all facets of our business.† – Starbucks Environmental Mission Statement How the Organization Starbucks works Toward Its Mission Starbucks works on a certain way to make their purposes work. This way requires a lot of planning and work. Below I mentioned how the organization is working to fulfil their purposes: Our Coffee – High quality has always been the passion of Starbucks coffee, and hard work has been done to maintain and improve that. Our Partners – Everyone who works for Starbucks are partners because they all share a passion to create a place where everyone is treated to a standard that includes respect and dignity. Our Customers – Although Starbucks holds customer satisfaction through quality-made beverages as important, they also focus on the significance of human connection. Our Stores – The Starbucks mission statement also focuses on making their stores a â€Å"haven† for people to go to whenever necessary. Our Neighborhood – Starbucks considers their  stores as part of the community it is in, and are very passionate about doing their part and being responsible about it. Our Shareholders – Starbucks believes that actions towards success rewards everyone involved in the company. Therefore, Starbucks is fully accountable to uphol d its principles to the benefit of everyone connected with Starbucks. Onward – The Starbucks Mission Statement page leaves this without an explanation – but for good reason. The future may be unknown, but Starbucks regards it as important, and all decisions and actions have to contribute to making a better future for Starbucks and all its partners. Starbucks history has shown that having values, and practicing those values, will lead to success. ( All this information according to the Starbucks site itself) Describe how two businesses are organize. Identify the activities of the functional areas , and describe the relations between them. The next organization I chose is Greenpeace About Greenpeace: Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organization that wants to change attitudes and behavior and they want to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace by: (According to http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/about/) Accelerating an energy revolution to refer the number one threat facing our planet: climate change. Defending our oceans by challenging wasteful and destructive fishing, and creating a global network of marine reserves. Protecting the worlds ancient forests and the animals, plants and people that depend on them. Working for disarmament and peace by tackling the causes of conflict and calling for the elimination of all nuclear weapons. Creating a toxic free future with safer alternatives to hazardous chemicals in todays products and manufacturing. Campaigning for sustainable agriculture by rejecting genetically engineered organisms, protecting biodiversity and encouraging socially responsible farming. Greenpeace is in 40 countries across Eu rope, the Americas, Asia, Africa and the Pacific. Greenpeace doesn’t want donations from governments or corporations but they get their money from contributions from individual supporters and foundation grants. How the organization is organized Identify the activities of the functional areas ( all this information according to the Greenpeace site itself) Human Recourses: The mission of the Human Resources (HR) department is to support Greenpeace’s strategic vision and goals by recruiting and retaining diverse, passionate and exceptional team members; providing proactive services that foster a friendly and collaborative work experience; administering policies and benefits that protect both staff and the organization; and promoting a strategic and interactive staff development program to aid staff in reaching their full potential. The Human Resources intern will assist the HR department in reaching its goals through a combination of administrative support, research and project work. Marketing: The Direct Marketing team is an integral part of Greenpeaces Development Department, and is responsible for the management of fundraising for monthly and one-time donors at the $1-$499.99 level. The Direct Marketing team works with several out-of-house vendors to coordinate the mailing and telemarketing cultivation and solicitation of these donors. The team is also responsible for acquiring new donors, and for testing new methods of acquisition. Finance: Finance, Greenpeaces finance program, instrumentally increases the financial and political work of Greenpeace by raise new members on the street. Members of the finance department give monthly donations which support Greenpeace, online actions, phone banking, events and more. The Finance team provides administrative support to the Frontline program by tracking performanc e, liaising with other departments of Greenpeace, organizing, checking and submitting Finance payroll. The Finance intern will work closely with the Frontline Operations Team, the National Canvass Director, the Frontline Project Director, and the Frontline Training and Recruitment Coordinator and will report to a member of the Frontline Operations Team. Describe the relations between them. Because Greenpeace is a non-profit organization they don’t really focus on having a lot customers and revenue. So they have a kind of basic system for their organization. The relations between the functional is thereby very close to each other. Namely The Human Resources takes care of the distribution into the company, That makes it possible that the people can do exactly there work what’s needed by the company. For example the marketing employers are so divided that they can do their work what is asked from the company. P4 Explain how their style of organization makes it possible for them to fulfil their purposes. Greenpeace purposes: Greenpeace has a couple purposes that they want to reach: Halt climate change. Greenpeace, like most environmental organizations, places fighting global warming at the top of its list Protect oceans. Greenpeace is perhaps best known for its campaigns to protect whales and other large aquatic animals from hunters and trappers Save ancient forests. Logging and clear-cutting of ancient forests drive species of plants and animals toward extinction and threaten the lives of people whose survival depends on the forests resources Achieve disarmament and peace. The world maintains an armory of 30,000 nuclear weapons, and several countries actively pursue the technology to develop even more. Reduce toxic materials in products. Many electronics and other products contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals that are difficult to dispose of and impossible to recycle. Encourage sustainable agriculture. Greenpeace believes genetically modified crops decrease biodiversity and pose a threat to the food supply. This purposes can only be reached if the organization works together with each other, so Greenpeace has clearly purposes so it’s easy for them to work towards something. Because the Greenpeace doesn’t accepts money from the government it’s important for them that they make the Marketing work good, because they have to inspire and motivate people to donate money and support the organization. Greenpeace is already doing a good job at that because they’ve reached a lot of their purposes already. Next up is the Finance department: They make sure that the company spends their money at the right  place so that they can full their purposes. It’s not only for their purposes but also for the employers who have to get paid eventually. Only on that way the can make the company work. Al last the most important part I think is the Human Resources the make sure that the Finance, Marketing, Production, Service departments are doing their job. And helps them furt her.

Eudora Weltys A Worn Path Essay -- Eudora Welty Worn Path Essays

Eudora Welty's "A Worn Path" Throughout time, people have traveled the trodden course of life, overcoming obstacles along the way and grasping onto hope to strengthen their steps. In her short story â€Å"A Worn Path†, Eudora Welty communicates this timeless theme through the protagonist, Phoenix, who has traveled this path many times. Through her usage of dialogue and symbolism, Welty illustrates the lasting concept that people conquer hardships in life and ultimately prevail. Welty utilizes dialogue to portray how others belittle Phoenix and attempt to destroy her dignity in vain. Along her journey, Phoenix meets several people with look down on her for her old age. First, the Satan figure, the hunter calls her â€Å"Granny† and encourages her to return home. He also mocks her race when he claims he â€Å"know[s] you old colored people.† However, Phoenix is not discouraged by the hunter as evident in her fearlessness when the hunter carelessly points his gun at her. This is also obvious when she refuses to return home in the face of the hunter’s persuasion. Welty uses the hunte...

Explication on “Living in Sin” by Adrienne Rich Essay

The poem tells the story of the lovers that starts just after the fairytale of their lives has ended. Actually, it reveals the continuation of relationship where fairytale usually cuts the story at the kisses and declaration of love followed by â€Å"The End† (a story of a Princess which has to wash dishes on a day after a romantic ball). It is important to point out that the speaker is not actually the woman spoken of in the poem. The narrator here depicts the events in this couple’s daily life. Yet, it is obviously a woman, due to the tone of the poem: how she sees the careless husband and notices household disorder. Being in variance with many modern text analysts, I must say that the poem ‘Living in Sin’ is completely autobiographic. It has been written by Adrienne Rich during the first months of her own marriage and conveys her own disappointment in what is left after the romantic prelude.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To understand the poem one must notice that it is wholly built on the contrasts the author uses from sentence to sentence. The most evident contrast resides in the mood of the heroes: the indifferent, careless husband (‘he, with a yawn†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢) who seems not to notice the miserable surroundings and only shrugs his shoulders at the mirror admitting the piano out of tune, and the pensive and sad wife who is distressed   with the routine circle of everyday cleaning and watching the back of her lover leaving each morning for the trivial   cigarettes: â€Å" [he] rubbed at his beard, went out for cigarettes; while she, jeered by the minor demons, pulled back the sheets and made the bed and found a towel to dust the table-top†¦Ã¢â‚¬  . Adrienne Rich has been influenced by the popular image contrast of artist and his woman (generally, a family). Their married life goes in the studio, a huge room without walls or borders, without anything to confirm one’s privacy. Here we obviously see a family of artists where the woman has to play the subordinate role imposed by the society. As means to manipulate women into submitting to housekeeping roles, society promotes a male-dominant view. Most traditional societies expect all women to feign fulfillment in this biological role of a domestic apparatus. Therefore, like the woman in the poem, many women in society accept (although, quite reluctantly) this role of a home caretaker.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The images of dusted furniture, dried cheese and empty bottles, overboiled pot etc. produce low, pessimistic tones of the poem – all these trifle seems to be powerful enough to spoil woman’s life and even to kill love: â€Å"By evening she was back in love again, though not so wholly but throughout the night she woke sometimes to feel the daylight coming like a relentless milkman up the stairs†. Here appears another pair of contrasting images: Day and Night that are parallel to Reality and Dream. This woman actually lives double life, enjoying night demonstrations of love and being not able to change the obtrusive tedium of the day which comes like the â€Å"relentless milkman† upon the creaking stair and ruins the fragile dreams of the romantic supper. The piano (summoned by him) seems to be out of tune just like their love. The grime at their window panes is as hard to remove as to bring back the brightness and romantics to the life. Comparatively, each of the household items is dingy. Everything illuminated by the day is out of this light in a paradoxical way – on the contrary, it strives for the night unconsciousness and inempiricalness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   So, now it is possible to explain the name of the poem. â€Å"Living in Sin† means to face the day and not to do anything about it, just to see the things go on and to be afraid to make any changes. The woman submits to this role of absolute responsibility without resistance, keeping her resentment and anger to herself. Her constant expenditure of energy with no satisfactory results leads to disappointment. The heroine of the poem is completely unsatisfied but what with she is not quite sure†¦ We, as a reader, can only guess what exactly bothers her: a bunch of disappointing details or the whole picture of their relationship. I think that the last thing does. Everyday dusting, which she has to take around the studio, symolizes the ‘dusting’ of the relationship that is also needed to keep the love alive. Undoubtedly, family life needs refreshment not to be sepulchered by the lay of ‘dust’ and similar days. The woman’s futile efforts result in her â€Å"living in sin†. She sinfully accepts what society dictates and does not try to escape and improve her circumstances. By lettig this miserable life to continue, she denies herself and her individuality. And such self-sacrifice is the biggest sin for an artistic and thoughtful woman.

The Significance of the Title to the Novel the Pearl

The significance of the title to the novel ‘The Pearl’. The novel ‘The Pearl’ by John Steinbeck is such a novel that really interest me as a reader. What is really appropriate is the title itself which incorporate ‘the pearl’, the essence of the story. The pearl is very significant to the title because without ‘the pearl of the world’, the story just would not exist. The novel could not stand by itself if the pearl is not found. We can also see that any story would not be interesting without conflicts.The pearl has created conflicts among the characters in the novel. Thus, it can be said that it is the pearl that moves the story. The characters are nothing without the pearl. The pearl is the beginning and the end of the novel. As readers, we can see that the pearl appears as something significant when Kino found it. The finding of the pearl is described vividly in the story. Its colour and shape are shown by the writer graphically. The response from Kino who clinched his fist triumphantly and his friends who come in drove show the importance of the pearl.We realized that the story revolves around the pearl. This continues till the end of the story. The disappearance of the pearl when it was thrown by Kino marks the end of the story. Therefore, the pearl is a single entity which is very important to the novel. The pearl is crucial as the title as it differentiate between good and evil and between the poor and the wealthy. It becomes a priceless commodity that turns the character into who they are. Those who wish to be evil use the pearl for evil purposes whereas the good just need it for their normal life.Thus the pearl is very significant to both parties, and to the title of the novel. A novel energy lies in the existence of powerful characters and plot. Although the pearl is not a character, its involvement in nearly all the important happenings is a statement that it is the energy that drives the story forwa rd. Those who touch it become obsess with it and those who haven’t are willing to do anything to get it. Kino becomes obsessed with the pearl promises and the doctor is willing to sacrifice his professional etiquette to obtain the pearl.It seems that the energy of the pearl is uncontrollable. This makes ‘The Pearl’ a remarkable tale that interest readers. A story needs a suitable setting which suit the period. The pearl is a perfect instrument that suits a story that takes place in La Paz, an important pearl producer in American Continent. We can imagine that if the pearl is replaced with other thing, the novel would become dull and the story becomes irrelevant. It is an important tool that require by many people in La Paz, including the natives and the wealthy immigrants.Kino himself said that the pearl is his soul. The pearl that drives the economy of La Paz is also the one that drives the plot of ‘The Pearl’. The points above have shown that the t itle of the novel ‘The Pearl’ which uses the pearl of the world as its main ingredient is rightly chosen. The title ‘The Pearl’ perfectly suits the story plot. It also provides the right ingredient for conflicts and a foundation for a never ending quests for a good life.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) In order to get a patent or trademark or to register a copyright in America, inventors, creators, and artists must apply through the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in Alexandria, Virginia; in general, patents are only effective in the country for which they are granted. Ever since the first U.S. patent was granted in 1790 to Samuel Hopkins of Philadelphia for making pot and pearl ashes- a cleaning formula used in soapmaking- over eight million patents have been registered in at the USPTO. A patent gives an inventor the right to exclude all others from making, using, importing, selling, or offering to sell the invention for up to 20 years without the inventors permission- however, a patent is not required to sell a product or process, it simply protects these inventions from being stolen. This gives the inventor the opportunity to produce and market the invention himself, or license others to do so, and to make a profit. However, a patent does not guarantee monetary success by itself. An inventor gets paid by either selling the invention or by licensing or selling (assigning) the patent rights to someone else. Not all inventions are commercially successful, and in fact, the invention may actually cost the inventor more money than he or she makes unless a strong business and marketing plan is created. Patent Requirements One of the most-often overlooked requirements for submitting a successful patent is the cost associated, which can be very high for some people. Although fees for the patent application, issue, and maintenance are reduced by 50 percent when the applicant is a small business or individual inventor, you can expect to pay the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office a minimum of about $4,000 over the life of the patent. A patent may be obtained for any new, useful, unobvious invention, though it generally cannot be obtained for the laws of nature, physical phenomena, and abstract ideas; a new mineral or a new plant found in the wild; inventions useful solely in the utilization of special nuclear material or atomic energy for weapons; a machine that is not useful; printed matter; or human beings. There are specific requirements for all patent applications. An application must include a specification, including a description and claim(s); an oath or declaration identifying the applicant(s) believing to be the original inventor(s); a drawing when necessary; and the filing fee. Prior to 1870, a model of the invention was required as well, but today, a model is almost never required. Naming an invention- another requirement of submitting a patent- actually involves developing at least two names: the generic name and the brand name or trademark. For example, Pepsi ® and Coke ® are brand names; cola or soda  is  the generic or product name. Big Mac ® and Whopper ® are brand names; hamburger is the generic or product name. Nike ® and Reebok ® are brand names; sneaker or athletic shoe are generic or product names. Time is another factor of patent requests. In general, it takes the  6,500 employees of the USPTO upwards of 22 months to process and approve a patent application, and oftentimes this time can be longer since many first drafts of patents are rejected and need to be sent back with corrections. There are no age restrictions on applying for a patent, but only the true inventor is entitled to a patent, and the youngest person to be granted a patent is a four-year-old girl from Houston, Texas, for aid for grasping round knobs. Proving an Original Invention Another requirement of all applications for patents is that the product or process being patented must be unique in that no other similar inventions have been patented before it. When the Patent and Trademark Office receives two patent applications for the same inventions, the cases go into an interference proceeding. The Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences then determines the first inventor who thus may be entitled to a patent based on the information provided by the inventors, which is why it is so important for inventors to keep good records. Inventors can make a search of patents already granted, textbooks, journals, and other publications to be sure that someone else has not already invented their idea. They can also hire someone to do it for them or may do this themselves at the Public Search Room of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Arlington, Virginia, on the PTO web page on the Internet, or at one of the Patent and Trademark Depository Libraries across the country. Similarly, with trademarks, the USPTO determines whether there is a conflict between two marks by evaluating whether consumers would be likely to confuse the goods or services of one party with those of the other party as a result of the use of the marks at issue by both parties. Patent Pending and the Risk of Not Having a Patent Patent Pending is a phrase that often appears on manufactured items. It means that someone has applied for a patent on an invention that is contained in the manufactured item and serves as a warning that a patent may issue that would cover the item and that copiers should be careful because they might infringe if the patent issues. Once the patent is approved, the patent owner will stop using the phrase patent pending and start using a phrase such as covered by U.S. Patent Number XXXXXXX. Applying the patent pending phrase to an item when no patent application has been made can result in a fine from the USPTO. Although you do not need to have a patent to sell an invention in the United States, you run the risk of someone stealing your idea and marketing themselves if you do not get one. In some cases, you could keep your invention a secret like the Coca-Cola Company keeps the formula for Coke a secret, which is called a trade secret, but otherwise, without a patent, you run a risk of someone else copying your invention with no rewards to you as the inventor. If you do have a patent and think someone has infringed on your patent rights, then you can sue that person or company in federal court and get reparations for profits lost as well as claim their profits from selling your patented product or process. Renewing or Removing Patents You cant renew a patent after it expires. However, patents may be extended by a special act of Congress and under certain  circumstances, certain pharmaceutical patents may be extended to make up the time lost during the Food and Drug Administrations approval process. After the patent expires, the inventor loses exclusive rights to the invention. An inventor probably wouldnt want to lose patent rights on a product. However, a patent may be lost if determined to be invalid by the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks. For example, as a result of a  reexamination  proceeding or if the patentee fails to pay the required maintenance fees the patent may be lost; a court may also determine that a patent invalid. In any case, each employee at the Patent and Trademark Office takes an oath of office to uphold the laws of the United States and are prohibited from applying for patents themselves, so you can be sure to trust these individuals with your new invention- no matter how great or stealable you may think it is!

History of the Green Bay Packers Essay Example

History of the Green Bay Packers Essay Example History of the Green Bay Packers Essay History of the Green Bay Packers Essay Green Bay, Wisconsin, home to just over 100,000 people is the smallest market in any major sports league in the United States. Dubbed in the mid-sixties as â€Å"Title town, USA†, Green Bay is the proud home of the National Football League’s Green Bay Packers. Such a small town allows for many unique experiences. Only in Green Bay will you see a professional football player riding the bike of a six-year-old to the Clark Hinkle practice field. The team’s helmet is also present on the official city flag, along with a wedge of cheese, a roll of paper and a ship. Such a small town and a big name franchise once purchased for 250 dollars is now worth over 125 million. A big name franchise started from humble beginnings, a conversation between two men, and a drive for excellence. On August 11, 1919, Curly Lambeau and George Calhoun gathered young athletes from around the area, in a close editorial room of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, to discuss the creation of a professional football team. Several weeks before, in a casual street-corner conversation, they had discussed the idea, but hadn’t given it much thought. From that room, one of the proudest and most storied NFL franchise. In order to start the team, the two would need financial backing. Lambeau approached his employer, the Indian Packing Company, for the necessary funds to buy the team jerseys. The company agreed to purchase uniforms, and to allow the use of their private athletic field. In exchange for the resources, the team was named the Green Bay Packers. The newly formed Green Bay Packers played opponents from Michigan and Wisconsin on an open field without stands or fences. By going 10-1 in their first ever season, losing only to the Beloit Fairies in the last game, the Packers gained the backing of the Indian Packing Company once again in pursuit of an official franchise in the National Pro Football League on August 27, 1921. The players split the money collected by donation at the end of the season; each player received 16 dollars, a far cry from the money needed to pay their own medical bills. Unfortunately, the team fell into financial troubles and had to be forfeited at the end of the season, the first of many troubles to come for the young team. In 1920 Curly Lambeau found a new company to support the franchise, and paid 205 dollars to readmit the team, including 50 dollars from Lambeau’s own pocket. In the team’s second season, in a time of smash-mouth football, the Packers broke the mold and threw the ball. Opponents didn’t take kindly to Lambeau’s aerial assault, calling him a sissy for not handing the ball off. During the 1921 season, Curly Lambeau got in trouble for paying college students to play under assumed names, and the franchise was once again revoked. Lambeau apologized, and reapplied for admission into the newly named NFL with 250 dollars he borrowed from a friend. At the time of reinstatement, the Packers’ rivals the Decatur Staley’s had been moved by George Halas to Chicago and were renamed the Bears. At this time the NFL was growing, and the competition for athletes became more competitive, and recruiting players out of college was a necessity. As luck would have it, Curly Lambeau had a knack for spotting star players and convincing them that Green Bay was the place to be. Such an acquisition was the feared Johnny â€Å"Blood† McNally. With the combination of quarterback Red Dunn, to McNally, the Green Bay Packers were one of the most dominant teams of the era, and cruised to three straight NFL Championships in 1929, ’30 and ’31. Then, in the 1933 season, the Dunn-McNally duo was replaced with Don Hutson through the air, and Clark Hinkle on the ground. The Green Bay Packers once again were the cream-of-the-crop, and won three more Championships in the next nine years. In the mid 1920s, the team once again had fallen into debt. In a last-ditch attempt to save the team from bankruptcy, Lambeau turned the Packers into a non-profit organization, and sold the company into local stock to keep it afloat. In the late 1940s, with the Packers finally stable financially, thanks greatly to the NFL beginning to create lucrative TV contracts, Curly tried to buy back his beloved Green Bay team. The stock holders wouldn’t hear of it, and Curly departed Wisconsin. Most locals had come to believe that Curly had become too arrogant, and high-brow, living a luxurious life in California. The man, who had rescued the Packers from debt several times, left Green Bay. With Lambeau gone, he took one Packers tradition with him, winning. In 1958, the Green Bay Packers won only one game. The stage was set for arguably the greatest football coach in the history of the National Football League, Vince Lombardi. February 2, 1959, the Packers hired Vince Lombardi as the new head coach. In Lombardi’s first season as the Packers head coach, the team finished with a 7-5 record. Lombardi was the unanimous decision for the National Football League ‘Coach of the Year’. Vince Lombardi demanded respect, authority and perfection. The moment he arrived, Lombardi met with the board of directors and stated: â€Å"I want it understood that I am in complete command here, and from that moment on, he was. Vince became the General Manager, as well as the head coach. Henry Jordan, an offensive tackle for the Packers at the time, told reporters When he says sit down, I dont even look for a chair. In Lombardi’s time in Green Bay, he followed the precedent set by Lambeau before him; he raised the bar. Green Bay became the most dominant team in the NFL, setting a new standard of excellence. During his 1960 second season in Green Bay, Lombardi led the Packers to the NFL title game, but they fell short, losing to the Philadelphia Eagles. After the game, the players gathered around Lombardi: â€Å"Perhaps you didn’t realize you could have won this game. But I think there’s no doubt in your minds now. And that’s why you will win it all next year. This will never happen again. You will never lose another championship. † True to his word, they never did. Vince Lombardi and the Green Bay Packers rebounded to win world championships in 1961, ’62, ’65, ’66 and ’67. From 1960 on, his team never finished lower than second. Lombardi ended his career with a 96-34-6 (. 728) for the second best winning percentage in the history of the game. After Vince Lombardi finished his tenure with the Packers by winning three straight titles, including the first to Super Bowls, the head coaching duties were given to Phil Bengtson, who left the Packers one year later with a 20-21-1 record. The next man was Dan Devine, who was one of the most successful college coaches at the time. After a less-than-stellar record his first year (4-8-2) Devine led the Packers back towards the top, winning the Central Division title for the first time since Lombardi’s departure. Unfortunately nothing materialized and, slowly but surely, the Packers began to recess back into their losing ways. Through 1974, the Packers finished 11-15-2 (. 429), and Dan Devine resigned. The Devine years were followed by one of the most successful Packers players, when Bart Starr accepted the head coaching job in Green Bay. As the quarterback for the Packers, Bart Starr won five world championships from 1961-1967, and looked to bring them back to the glory days as he signed a three year contract as coach and general manager in December 1974. When Starr signed on, he asked for only â€Å"†¦the prayers and patience of Packer fans everywhere†¦Ã¢â‚¬  the team would earn everything else. In his first season, the Packers finished 4-10, however winning three of the last five games. And so a massive rebuilding effort began. Starr continued to restore the positive and winning attitude in the locker room. After several years of improvement, in 1978, the Packers posted there first wining season since 1972, one game above . 500. Unfortunately the injury bug bit the Packers the next two seasons and they once again failed to end with winning records. In 1981 however, the Packers rebounded strongly, with a dramatic midseason comeback but yet again fell short of the playoffs. The following year, a strike-interrupted season, the Packers finally reached the postseason. In the first round to the NFL Super Bowl Tournament, the Packers routed the St. Louis Cardinals in their first game, only to drop to Dallas 37-27. December 19, 1983 Starr was relived of his coaching duties after the Packers failed to reach the postseason one last time. Bart Starr was succeeded by one of his old teammates, and one of the best offensive tackles in the history of the NFL, when Forrest Gregg became the Packers’ ninth head coach. Gregg had previously led the Cincinnati Bengals to Super Bowl XVI, and left with the best team in pro football for a five-year contract with Green Bay. The following seasons were characterized by slow starts and strong finishes to finish just short of the playoffs. After several seasons filled with mediocrity, the Packers coach resigned January 1988 to become the coach at his alma mater, Southern Methodist University. Only nineteen days after Gregg left, Lindy Infante, seen as a brilliant innovator across the NFL signed a five-year contract, in hopes of successfully rebuilding a team that had been treading water. In Infante’s second season with the Packers, the team finished with a 10-6 record- their best in 17 years- but, once again, one game short of the playoffs. In 1990, there were high hopes for the first postseason berth in almost two decades, the team finished the season with five straight losses finishing 6-10. The team continued to decline, and Infante was fired December 22, 1991 by new executive vice president/general manager Ron Wolf. Following the termination, Wolf would finally begin to bring the Packers back to the top, and hired Mike Holmgren, who had built San Francisco’s four-time Super Bowl champion teams, to a five-year contract. In Holmgren’s first season he directed the Packers to a 9-7 record, and became only the third Green Bay coach with a winning record in his first season. In 1993, the Packers finished, once again, with a 9-7 record earning its first playoff berth in ten years. The Packers beat the Detroit Lions, but would be eliminated by the Dallas Cowboys 27-17 in the divisional round. In 1994, the Packers finished with their third straight 9-7 season and- for the first time since Lombardi and the days of Title Town- earned a second straight playoff berth, once again beating the Detroit Lions. The teams Super Bowl hopes were crushed the next week courtesy of the Dallas Cowboys. The next year the Packers would finish 11-5 winning the Central Division crown for the first time since 1972, only to fall short once again to Dallas, 38-27. In 1996 the Green Bay Packers were poised for the Super Bowl. In a preseason press conference Brett Favre, the Packers’ quarterback told the media that they were ready, and if they didn’t think so to just bet against them. True to his word, any reporters who had done as advised were about to lose a lot of money. The Green Bay Packers and leader Brett Favre led the Packers to a league-best 13-3 record through the regular season. The Packers also had the highest-scoring offense in the NFL and a defense that gave up a league low 179 points, a mere 12 per game. The Green Bay Packers steamrolled their opponents as fans watched Favre set an NFL record for touchdowns on their way to the postseason. Throughout the next three games, the Packers would nearly double up their opponent’s point total as they advanced to Super Bowl XXXI. The Packers continued their dominance, dismantling the New England Patriots in a 35-14 victory less than one hour from Favre’s home hometown Kiln, Mississippi. In 1997, the Packers finished the season with a 13-3 record for the second straight season, and seemed primed for another Super Bowl appearance. The Packers once again cruised through the playoffs, and met the Denver Broncos in San Diego for Super Bowl XXXII. Unfortunately, their second Super Bowl trip didn’t go according to script, as they lost to the Broncos 31-24. At the start of the 1998 season, the Packers had their sights set on the Super Bowl XXXIII, but finished 11-5 and lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the playoffs on a late touchdown with only three seconds remaining. Only five days after the loss in the Wild Card round, Mike Holmgren resigned only five days later, after being denied an additional role as the organization’s general manager, to join the Seattle Seahawks. Holmgren was replaced later by Ray Rhodes, a former Eagles head coach and defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers. After a promising start, the Packers ended the season 8-8 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 1992. Wolf was relieved at the end of the season. After falling one game short of the playoffs in the new head coach Mike Sherman’s first season, General Manager Ron Wolf retired, leaving behind the best record since his arrival in Green Bay. Mike Sherman was given the GM duties that Holmgren had requested just two years before. In Sherman’s six seasons in Green Bay, he took the Packers to the playoffs four straight years, but failed to advance the team past the Divisional Playoff Round. After an injury ravaged 2005 season, the team finished 4-12 and Mike Sherman was relieved as head coach. Ted Thompson would hire Mike McCarthy to become the franchise’s fourteenth head coach in its eighty-eight year history. McCarthy infused talent, utilizing the NFL draft to field the youngest team in the NFL. In his first season, the Packers finished 8-8, and were eliminated from the playoff picture with only seven hours remaining the regular season. The team sent two players to the Pro Bowl, wide receiver Donald Driver, and Defensive End Aaron Kampman, both of whom posted career high statistics. In Mike McCarthy’s second season, another strong draft class, and a revitalized Pro Bowl-bound Brett Favre, the Packers sit at 12-2, good for second place in the NFC. To date, the Green Bay Packers have clinched the NFC North Division Title, as well as a first-round bye in the playoffs. Other Pro Bowl selections for 2008 include Donald Driver and Aaron Kampman again, as well as first-time cornerback Al Harris. All indications show the Green Bay Packers are on the rise, and looking to bring the Lombardi Trophy, named after their former coach, back to its home in Green Bay. Bengtson, Phil. Packer Dynasty. Garden City, New York: Doubleday Company, 1969. Behreandt, Denise L. Coaching with conviction: Vince Lombardis extraordinary success as the legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers demonstrates the dramatic difference principle-based leadership can make. The New American 21. 12 (June 13, 2005): 32(7). Student Edition. Gale. SDLN, South Dakota State Library. 6 Dec. 007 http://find. galegroup. com/ips/start. do? prodId=IPS. Birth of a Team a Legend. Packers. com. 7 Dec. 2007 packers. com/history/birth_of_a_team_and_a_legend/#chapter10. Doherty, Jim. In chilly Green Bay, Curlys old team is still packing them in. Smithsonian 22. n5 (August 1991): 80(10). Student Edition. Gale. SDLN, South Dakota State Library. 7 Dec. 2007 http://find. galegroup. com/ips/start. do? prodId=IPS. Lombardi Jr , Vince. What it takes to be #1: Vince Lombardi on Leadership. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2001. 205.

Yet More Testing Center Problems for June 6 SAT

Yet More Testing Center Problems for June 6 SAT SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips We've written at length about the June 6 SAT misprint snafuand SAT testing center problems. Our SAT experts who took the SAT on June 6th noted major problems in how the test was administered, leading to potential imbalances in test performance and equality. As we suspected, these problems extend throughout the country. A reader wrote in with his terrible College Board testing experience with his son. The belowletter was directly sent to the College Board as a complaint: My son took a SAT Subject test on June 6, 2015 at UC Irvine in Irvine, California. The test was to be an hour. I assumed the total time he would be there would be no more than 2 hours. On the testing day, there were hundreds of students there. They were testing for all subject tests plus the SAT itself. Checking in the students was a nightmare. Initially, there was only one extremely long line of students. I dropped my son off and saw him get in line. Since we arrived early, he was behind approximately 50-75 students. When I drove by 30 minutes later, I was shocked to see the line at least five times longer and my son still standing in line. At that point, I thought there was nothing I could do, and it wasn't until FOUR hours later when he texted me that he had finished, that I discovered what he had to go through. After he waited an hour in line waiting to be checked in, he said suddenly many students started running to another building. He then heard someone yell that SAT subject test takers need to go to another building. By the time he ran over to the other building, he then was at the back of a new long line. He said nowhere were signs posted or people giving instructions to the students as they arrived as to where they should go to check in. Once he got into the room for the test about an hour later, he said he sat through 40 minutes of instructions, including instructions about calculators and having the calculators physically examined. My son was not there to take a math subject test, but a history test. Yet he had to sit through lengthy instructions that did not even pertain to his test. So after being dropped off to take the test, he was not able to begin the test until hours later. That alone would make a student not only tired but even more apprehensive. The desk he had to sit in had a very small surface area, less than the size of a sheet of notebook paper. He said it wasn't even enough room for his scantron and his arm had to hang off the side. He had to put his test booklet in his lap, without anything underneath it to provide a harder writing surface. When I asked how he marked in his test booklet (for marking eliminations and notes), he said he had to do it in his lap and it was extremely uncomfortable. My son said he didn't want to take any further subject tests because of the experience. I tried to assure him that we will find a different test center next time, but I have no way of knowing what he might encounter elsewhere and it could be even worse. We have heard the many stories of proctors listening to audible music while the test is being administered, issues with the correct time being given, noise from outside not being addressed and other unfair conditions. At this point, we don't yet know how he fared on the SAT subject test he took. But regardless, these testing conditions and disorganization are unfair and completely unacceptable. We expected the process to be professional, especially since the College Board has been administering these tests for many years. It's very likely that this reader's son was severely disadvantaged compared to students at other, better-run SAT testing centers in the country. If the College Board is serious about reducing inequality in testing, one place it needs to look is testing conditions as test centers. Have a similar experience? Share it as a comment below. When you take the SAT or ACT, make sure you know your rights. Speak up if any of these problems happen to you. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Sharpeville Massacre Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Sharpeville Massacre - Essay Example Although this event in itself acted as a turning point in the struggle of black South Africans towards restoring dignity, but there were certain events which happened before Sharpeville massacre that caused widespread frustration and resentment in the black African community. This antipathy, hatred, bitterness, resentment, frustration and loss of self-determination mustered up slowly and gradually and was the cause that strengthened the will and determination of black Africans and helped them to fight tirelessly after the incident of Sharpeville, this incident in a way helped them to open up and made them realize that this cannot go on forever. It is a natural instinct that when all is lost, courage is regained. To what went on in South Africa, Jawaharlal Nehru,the Indianprime minister commented in his speech to Lok-Sabha that "There is the racial policy of the Union of South Africa, which is in no sense different from the racial policy of Hitler, except that they have not gone to those extremes that Hitler went to." In my view the events that happened before Sharpeville massacre were the ones which caused Sharpeville incident to act as a turning point of South African history, although there were many efforts made after the incident which eventually led to liberation, but it were the events of the past which gave them the drive to carry on with their effort and face obstacles head on. In this light, we'll look at two incidents or decisions of the past which hold significance importance and are a key factor in massacre that happened on 1960. Pass laws The story starts way back in 1760, when the first pass laws in South Africa was introduced in an attempt to exclude all natives from the Cape Colony. Later on, the Native Urban Areas Act 1923 deemed urban areas in South Africa as white and forced all black African men in cities and towns to carry permits called passes. The black South Africans were required to carry these passbooks ("dom pas", meaning dumb pass) all the time whenever they went outside their designated areas or compounds as a permit or a proof that they were authorized to move or live in white South Africa. Anyone found without a pass would be arrested immediately and sent to a rural area. These laws were designed to segregate the population among black and white people and severely limit the movements of the non-white populace in urban areas. Another one of its clause stated that black Africans could not hold a higher business position within a company than the lowest white employee. This legislation was one of the dominant features of the country's apartheid system, which we will discuss shortly. These laws also affected other non-Caucasian populace like Indian people who were also barred from moving in the white South Africa. It is obvious that these discriminatory regulations were bound to spark outrage from the black population, consequence to which many demonstrations, acts of passive resistance, and uprisings were directed at the pass system. In 1930, for example, the Communist Party organized a mass burning of passes on Dingane's Day, a day celebrated in honour of the Zulu chief Dingane. A major anti-pass campaign was mounted in 1944 also.

Violence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Violence - Essay Example It also won in the critical award giving body Cannes Film Festival with the award â€Å"the Palme dOr. The film Inglorious Basterds is more recent film (shown in 2009) and again written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It starred Brad Pitt as Lt. Aldo Raine, Christoph Waltz as Col. Hans Landa), Eli Roth as Sgt. Donny Donowitz, Michael Fassbender as Lt. Archie Hicox, Diane Kruger as Bridget von Hammersmark, Daniel Brà ¼hl as Fredrick Zoller, Mà ©lanie Laurent as Shosanna Dreyfus, Denis Menochet as Perrier LaPadite, Sylvester Groth as Joseph Goebbels,  Mike Myers  as Gen. Ed Fenech and Rod Taylor (Winston Churchill). Although the film directed against the German Nazi’s, the movie still got a positive review from the German press when it was shown in German theatres (Itzkoff). Both films contained Tarantino’s â€Å"hyperbolic violence . . . [being] a constituent of his work as the reams of dialogue† (Dargis). The films were situated in separate settings and different time in history yet both have the same central appeal of violence. Although Tarantino is already renowned for making quality and almost surreal films, this â€Å"hyperbolic violence† which is always present in Tarantino’s film is just too prevalent and used too casually to the point of nondescript that it desensitizes his audience. These two films are set in violent circumstances. The more acclaimed film Pulp Fiction was set against the backdrop of Los Angel mobsters where criminality is rampant and the â€Å"Boss† rules the day. This makes the theme of violence convenient because violence is the language spoken and understood by the mob. The script is also peppered by expletives and even if it displayed wit and humor, it still promoted the culture of gangsterism where hoodlums were not depicted to be profane but seemingly an acceptable people. Allan Stone in his review about the violence in Pulp Fiction observed that Tarantino

Metro H and Res Marketing Plan Extending To India Essay

Metro H and Res Marketing Plan Extending To India - Essay Example According to the paper findings  the company will do well after a fruitful market research that will identify the strong areas to invest in. India has wide global market that records a high growth rate over the last few years with its GDP rising to 9%. Its rapid growth has ranked it third amongst the fastest growing economies (Shanker & De, 2011). India’s population is tremendous with a population that is growing above 1.2 billion. The high population creates a good market for the Metro H and Res Company. Industrial growth is also recommendable in India as there are lots of established industries and many more growing. The hospitality industry is one of the leading economic segments that contribute largely to the national income.As the discussion highlights the tourism sector which encompasses the hospitality industry contributes about 6.23% of the GDP. The vast tourism industries thus create an opportunity for the company to establish its business.  The business plans aim s at attracting the hotel operators as well as have direct sales to potential customers. India’s population comprises of a large proportion of the young people in the bracket of 15 to 29 years. The company establishing its location in the towns will be of great advantage as the country is facing a trend in which people are migrating to urban regions. The people will thus be close to the company’s product creating a better market for the company.... The hospitality industry is one of the leading economic segments that contribute largely to the national income (Hospitality India, 2013). The tourism sector which encompasses the hospitality industry contributes about 6.23% of the GDP. The vast tourism industries thus create an opportunity for the company to establish its business. Primary Data. An interview was conducted with a few hotel chain agents in India and they participated in answering questions about their opinions on the Metro H and Res Company and its operations. They also discussed the trends of the company, its recent developments and how these were relevant to its development and status in the Indian market. 2.1 Customers The business plans aims at attracting the hotel operators as well as have direct sales to potential customers. India’s population comprises of a large proportion of the young people in the bracket of 15 to 29 years. These age brackets comprise of the energetic persons with great ability to wor k and hence are likely to have to have high income which will be of benefit to the company products. The company will thus be in a position continuously selling its products without the market dying as the country is deemed to remain young over a long period of time (Shanker & De, 2011). The data below shows the population in India. Similarly, the company establishing its location in the towns will be of great advantage as the country is facing a trend in which people are migrating to urban regions. The people will thus be close to the company’s product creating a better market for the company. The company will also have reduced expenses in transporting its products to the rural regions as few people are found

Seven Years War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Seven Years War - Essay Example During these seven years of battle, Britain and France differed and took parallel side in battle because both of them were eyeing North America as a colony of choice. India was dragged into war since it was a place of colonial interest by the major European powers, Britain and France. France got involved in the seven year’s war because it was interested in the colonies which by coincidence were also the target of Britain. 3Because of this conflict of colonial interest with each of the two counties wanting to have a larger sphere of influence, war was inevitable. In this case India was just a victim of circumstances, drawn into war unprepared and unwillingly. The war ended with the signing of the Franco-British Treaty in 1963. In this treaty, Britain took Canada and Florida initially controlled by France and Spain respectively. France controlled the West Indian cane islands allowing Spain take Louisiana. Britain won the war as it managed to take both North America and India as its colonies4. The seven years war crowned Britain the master in abroad colonies. Frederick II the Great retained Silesia affirming Russia’s as the main European

Georgia Recreation and Park Association Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Georgia Recreation and Park Association - Essay Example These members are drawn from public enterprises, private businesses, academia, etc. Not only do they strive to provide recreation opportunities but also participate in fundraising and technical assistance activities.Bill McNair is the President of GRPA. The Presidentship is shared by Danny Jones and James Dodson. Other prominent members of the top brass include Michael Coleman, Jimmy Gisi, and Steve Card. They are supported by a group of trustees and District Commissioners, who in turn administer other local representatives.The members and Board of Trustees make a combined effort to fulfill GRPA's fundamental purpose, which is "promoting healthy lifestyles through the utilization of park facilities and recreation services for the well being of each citizen individually and the community as a whole, ensuring that park and recreation services are available, and providing organized, supervised activity as a means of prevention for a number of circumstances (disease, stress, etc.) includ ing the prevention of juvenile delinquency." Another function of GRPA is to lobby in Congress to pass new legislation that recognizes the therapeutic value of recreation.   The lobby also interacts with policymakers to allow substantial budgets to support recreation programs and services.   They also work with other non-profits within the state to "continue and/or initiate recreation programs and functions with health and wellness objectives and positive outcomes".   The GRPA also coordinates with the National Recreation and Park Association and lends a helping hand by sponsoring "special events which demonstrate or reinforce recreation, health and wellness relationships."

How has globalisation changed the fashion media Essay

How has globalisation changed the fashion media - Essay Example Fashion writers are conscious about associating the culture of each nation to a season’s fashion to ensure there is a national identity for the products (Niessen, S. A. 2003 p.219). Advertisement is a mass media because it reaches a mass market. The notion that advertising is non-targeted and non personal is a wrong implication. Advertising luxury brands in mass media like television and magazine targets a narrow group comprising of the specific luxury consumer market. Advertisement is a method of communicating the brand history, personality, products, image and services that increase the visibility of the bands. Traditionally advertisements of superior brands usually appear in business publications, fashion magazines, high end publications and airline in-flight magazines focusing target audience (Okonkwo, U. 2007 p.145). Some of the modern communication strategies are Push Trade promotion, Pull Customer promotion and Profile Stakeholder promotion. In push trade promotion the brand is promoted through traditional print advertising. The prospective customer gains knowledge about new brands from advertisements. In pull customer promotion, the prospective market is attracted to the brand through methods like internet promotional campaigns. In profile stakeholder promotion, the broad market is target through promotional methods (Okonkwo, U. 2007 p.144). With the beginning of globalisation and increase in intercultural influences, digital media and international travel there has been a considerable change in the fashion consumption patterns. Cultural awareness through various media has led to increased need for overstated fashion. In the 1990s the luxury consumer market widened and matured with a fashion consumption that followed a global outlook inspired by factors such as globalisation, information technology, digital media and

Georgia Recreation and Park Association Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Georgia Recreation and Park Association - Essay Example These members are drawn from public enterprises, private businesses, academia, etc. Not only do they strive to provide recreation opportunities but also participate in fundraising and technical assistance activities.Bill McNair is the President of GRPA. The Presidentship is shared by Danny Jones and James Dodson. Other prominent members of the top brass include Michael Coleman, Jimmy Gisi, and Steve Card. They are supported by a group of trustees and District Commissioners, who in turn administer other local representatives.The members and Board of Trustees make a combined effort to fulfill GRPA's fundamental purpose, which is "promoting healthy lifestyles through the utilization of park facilities and recreation services for the well being of each citizen individually and the community as a whole, ensuring that park and recreation services are available, and providing organized, supervised activity as a means of prevention for a number of circumstances (disease, stress, etc.) includ ing the prevention of juvenile delinquency." Another function of GRPA is to lobby in Congress to pass new legislation that recognizes the therapeutic value of recreation.   The lobby also interacts with policymakers to allow substantial budgets to support recreation programs and services.   They also work with other non-profits within the state to "continue and/or initiate recreation programs and functions with health and wellness objectives and positive outcomes".   The GRPA also coordinates with the National Recreation and Park Association and lends a helping hand by sponsoring "special events which demonstrate or reinforce recreation, health and wellness relationships."

Diamond Producing in South Africa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Diamond Producing in South Africa - Essay Example The UK-based company owns stakes in leading global producers of gold (42%, AngloGold Ashanti), platinum (75%, Anglo Platinum), and diamonds (45%, De Beers Consolidated). In addition, Anglo American has interests in paper and packaging goods (more than 20% of sales), ferrous and base metals, and industrial minerals. It also is one of the world's largest independent coal miners. The company controls assets around the world. Descendants of the founding Oppenheimer family no longer control Anglo American, although Nicky Oppenheimer, who chairs De Beers, sits on the company's board. How western democracies have supplied arms, created a state of lawlessness, and taken advantage of the escalating confusion to swindle away more mines. When tension is high massive looting is coordinated at extremely mediocre rates. Increased 'beneficiation' or downstream value added by the diamond industry has become an important issue for the South African government in recent years Though diamonds are beneficial there are also shortcomings of the trade. The United States is heavily dependent upon South Africa for key minerals including chrome, manganese, vanadium and platinum. Though two decades old, the following /New York Times/ report highlights not only U.S. dependence on South African strategic minerals, but its vulnerability to any future Russian-South African blockade. Written at the time of sanctions against South Africa in the apartheid era, the 5. Regulatory issues A new Diamond Act became effective in 2000. The Act provides for the establishment of a Diamond Board and spells out its objectives, powers, duties and functions. The Act also provides for control measures in respect of the possession, purchase and sale, as well as the processing and the import and export of diamonds. 6. Security issues The trade in illicit and conflict diamonds in South Africa is a complex issue. There is emerging evidence, however, that there is an extensive illicit trade in domestic rough diamonds, and in conflict diamonds. This same type of trade has led into wars in diamond producing countries

Geography and the Development of Human Civilization Essay Example for Free

Geography and the Development of Human Civilization Essay A. Without argument, the most significant geographic or environmental factor of Ancient Egypt to shape early civilization is the Nile River. The Nile has been referred to as lifes blood for the Egyptian civilization. (Fassbender, 2008). To begin understanding how the Nile River was the greatest factor, one must understand a few facts about the River itself. It starts from two separate sourcesÍ ¾ first the lakes of central Africa, called the White Nile, and second the Blue NileÍ ¾ that comes from the mountains of Ethiopia. The Blue Nile and the White Nile come together and flow northward to the Nile delta, starting the 4,000 mile length of the life blood of EgyptÍ ¾ finally spilling into the Mediterranean Sea. The Egyptian climate does not offer much in rainfall, averaging less than 2 inches per year in some areas and non existent in other areas. The early human civilizations were able to farm near the banks of the Nile River with much success compared to the outlying harsh climates of the Sahara and Arabian deserts on both sides of Egypt. Each summer the Nile River would swell as the rain fell and the snow melted in the mountains. Overflowing its banks and lightly flooding the land with fresh water and thick rich deposits of alluvial soil created a land that could yield two harvests before winter (Kreis, 2006)Í ¾ creating an ideal location for early human civilizations to settle and prosper. This flooding of the Nile River did more than create agriculture wealth for the early Egyptians, it also helped create some very early inventions such as the calendarÍ ¾ (Keita, n.d.) created from the expected annual nature of the floods, the end of the second harvest and the 2 winters. The Nile River also gave the people a sense of direction, creating the north, south , east and west concepts we now use. The flow of the Nile is basically south to north and the daily rising and falling of the sun from east to west created a concrete sense of direction for the Egyptians. (Fassbender, 2008). Egypt offered easy access to most of the resources it needed for survival and success which guaranteed the development of a large pop ulation. The promise of a harvest climate, new inventions, security of the deserts on both sides, transportation provided by the river into the sea, the Nile River was the greatest factor creating early civilization for Ancient Egypt. B. Tea is the most popular drink in the world, second only to waterÍ ¾ got its start in China as nothing more than a mere accident and has since traveled the world, started wars, and created millions of dollars for governments and plantation owners. The origin of tea dates back around 4,000 years ago ( History Future  ­ When did people start having tea?, n.d.). According to legend the Chinese Emperor Shen Nong discovered tea in 2737 BC while he was boiling water in the shade of a tree †¦ when a light breeze caused some leaves to fall into the water (Origins of Tea, 2012). The emperor tasted it and thought it was delicious, and so began the tea adventure. At that time, tea was bitter and mostly used for its health properties as a medicine for problems su ch as eyesight and stomach issues. At the end of the fifth century, tea was traded and exported with Mongolian and Turkish merchants. By the eighth century it was exported to far regions like Japan, Central Asia and Tibet. Tea began to spread further west with other foreign traders, missionaries, and ambassadors that were given samples and gifts of it to try and take home for others to try. The first agreement to export and trade tea was between China and 3 Russia. In the mid 1850s, Chinese immigrants heading to Taiwan would bring tea seedlings, tea growing and processing skills and the tea culture with them. In the seventeenth century, green tea was exported into Europe and was mostly used as a medicinal drink due to the bitter taste and the health properties it offered. The Dutch started to buy tea in Japan and China and then shipped it and sold it in France, Germany, and England. The Dutch also introduced tea to New Amsterdam in the 1650s. During this time tea was usually only for the very wealthy because it was so expensive, until the 1750s when it became a more modern drink with more availability for larger gr oups of people. (Saberi, 2010), (Origins of Tea, 2012), and ( History Future  ­ When did people start having tea?, n.d.). In the eighteenth century tea became popular in countries like North America and EuropeÍ ¾ however, China was the only country selling tea to other countries. Chinas tea business was soaring until India stepped into the tea business. When the British started ruling India, they found some tea plants in Assam (found in the North Eastern area of India) and decided that these tea plants had a sweeter taste. Tea plantations started growing in Assam, then Ceylon (now known as Sri Lanka), Sumatra, Java and Formosa. It was discovered that the plants in China grew 5 meters shorter in height than those in IndiaÍ ¾ so the tea business naturally shifted there. This was very good for the British because their demand for the drink was huge, creating a huge deficit for them with China. The British government now had the surplus of tea, from the plantations in India (and the areas around there) and the trade agreements with China. The British now sold to other countries, like North America  ­ on ly they levied a sales tax on the tea leaves that they couldnt sale anywhere else and try to sale to the new American coloniesÍ ¾ this was faced with a fierce resistance  ­ known as the Boston Tea Party. (The Spread of Tea from 4 China, 2012). Tea was first created with a leaf in boiling water, then it was dried and steeped, then as the drink was being traded and sold  ­ tea leaves and buds were dried, pressed and packaged for shipping, including bricks of dried, crushed tea leaves. Each time the seedlings were taken to a new climate or country, new flavors were established and new ways of serving the drink were created. For instance, the Chinese sip it from tiny cups, the Japanese whisk it. In America they serve it iced. The Tibetans add butter. The Russians serve with lemon. Mint is added in North Africa. Afghans flavour it with cardamom. The Irish and the British drink it by the gallon with milk and sugar. The Indians boil it with condensed milk. In Australia it is brewed in a billy can (Saberi, 2010). The diffusion of tea may have started as a bitter, medicinal emperors drink, yet it has traveled the world, been raised or farmed in multiple corners of the globe, transformed from a drink for the wealthy to a world ­ wide drink of choice for all classes and races  ­ from bitter to sweet, from medicinal to being a part of the social sceneÍ ¾ including having restaurants, tea rooms, and clubs created just for the enjoyment of those that want a cup of the worlds most popular drinkTea. C1. One of the environmental factors that contributed to the expansion of the United States was the devastating Dust Bowl of the 1930s. The Dust Bowl, also referred to as the dirty thirties, Black Roller or the Black Blizzard, (Buonanduci, 2009 and Baumhardt, 2003) happened when a severe drought in 1930 to 1936 (to 1940 in some areas) caused extreme dust storms over the prairie lands of Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, and the border areas of Colorado and New Mexico. When the dust storms hit, visibility was reduced to a few feet or less and millions of farmland became uselessÍ ¾ the storms caused major ecological and agricultural damage to over 5 100,000,000 acres of farmland (Buonanduci, 2009). In addition to a severe drought, the people had over farmed without needed crop rotation or other farming techniques to prevent erosion which then created the inevitable wide ­spread disaster. This coupled with the Great Depression left the government without a lot of options to help the people of the prairie lands who were suffering from extraordinary financial difficulties. In a span of about five years over 500,000 Americans were forced to flee the area. About half of those people headed west to California where many settled into farming the Central Valley and Los Angeles areas. (Simkin, 1997). In response to the devastation of the Dust Bowl, President Franklin D. Roosevelts first 100 days in office (in 1933), were spent creating government programs designed to restore the ecological balance by encouraging diversified agricultural crop production using tested practices and improved tools (Baumhardt, 2003) The Dust Bowl created expansion of the U.S. when hundreds of thousands moved west to California bringing the lessons learned from farming successes and failures with themÍ ¾ it also contributed to the development of the U.S. as the entire country took the essential agricultural lessons learned and established programs to ensure the same mistakes would not be repeated again. C2. The Irish Potato Famine of 1845  ­ 1849 also contributed to the develop ment and expansion of the United States because of the nearly a million Irish that arrived in the United States (Gavin, 2000). The large number of people helped literally develop our county through the blood, sweat, and tears that hard work and desire brings to those making a home of peace and happiness for their families. In the early 17th century, the Irish were quite dependent on food exported from other 6 countries  ­ mainly the potato from America. However, by the 19th century about a third of Ireland was dedicated to potato farming, turning this into Irelands primary cropthe potato supported massive population expansion within Ireland. Within that time, the population doubled from four million to eight million citizens (Hawkes, 2012). The first report of the potato blight was recorded on August 20, 1845, and by October one ­third of the potato crop was lost to the blight. At first there was still enough food for the Irish people despite the potato blight, the problem for most of those who had the diseased crops was the fact that they didnt have enough money to buy other food. The blight reduced the Irish potato harvest by about 30%. This drastic loss caused many farmers to eat the potato seedlings that they were going to plant in the upcoming year. Now the starving people resorted to slaughtering their pigs and cows to keep from starving through the harsh winter, they also knew they wouldnt have food to feed their starving their animals. The situation in Ireland became grim, by this time the blight wasnt spreading any longer, but the farmers werent planting or harvesting enough potatoes to have enough food to feed the people of their country. Lasting about six years, the Irish Potato Famine had killed over a million people from a combination of starvation and diseaseÍ ¾ causing another million people to migrate to the United States (Smith, 2011), (Gavin, 2000) and (Hawkes, 2012). The Irish immigrants came to America to escape the certain death that they faced there, and for a promised future of the American dreamÍ ¾ however, it was not a welcoming place for many, instead it was a brutally hard, unkind and unwelcoming place for many. Boston might have been the hardest and most cruel place for those coming from Ireland, but New York wasnt that much easier in the end. One of the turning points for the unwelcomed Irish people was the Civil WarÍ ¾ over 140,000 enlisted in the Union Army, while those in the South enrolled in the 7 Confederate ranks (Gavin, 2000) and (Hawkes, 2012). The Irish immigrants provided many laborers needed for the backbreaking work that was needed for the American expansion that was happening at that time. The immigrants saw this move to America as permanent and brought over several hundreds of thousands of Irish immigrants during the following decades (Smith, 2011). Politically the Irish now had the numbers to influence votes, welcome at first or not, the Irish people could no longer be ignored. The Potato Famine started as a deadly killer in Ireland, turning into a large exodus of people immigrating to the United StatesÍ ¾ changing the face of the American laborers and changing who was running and winning political offices. The Anti ­Irish sentiment would be quieted at last when an Irish Potato Famine immigrants descendant was elected President of the United States  ­ President John F. Kennedy was that person. He is the great ­grandson of Patrick Kennedy, a farmer from County Wexford who had left Ireland in 1849 (Gavin, 2000). The Irish are considered the first large group of poor refugees to come to the United States and they paved the way for all the many refugees and immigrants that would follow their footsteps. Today, after years of hard work to overcome numerous amount of obstacles to find freedom, peace and happiness  ­ Americans of Irish descent are the third largest ethnic group in the country. Unfortunately, Ireland stayed a very sad place after the famine for decades. (Gavin, 2000). References Baumhardt, R. L. (2003). USDA  ­ The Official Website for The Conservation and Production Research Laboratory DUST BOWL ERA. Retrieved June 16, 2014, from http://www.cprl.ars.usda.gov/ Buonanduci, M. (2009, April 27). Dust Bowl. Retrieved June 16, 2014, from http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/151818/ Fassbender, M. (2008, September 11). Physical Geography Ancient Egypt by Michael Fassbender | Humanities 360. Retrieved June 15, 2014, from http://www.humanities360.com/index.php/physical ­geography ­ancient ­egypt ­50663/ Gavin, G. (2000). The History Place  ­ Irish Potato Famine. Retrieved June 16, 2014, from 9 http://www.historyplace.com/worldhistory/famine/ Hawkes, S. (2012, August 28). Fatal Potatoes: The Nineteenth ­Century Irish Potato Famine | US History Scene. Retrieved June 16, 2014, from http://www.ushistoryscene.com/uncategorized/fatalpotatoes/ History Future  ­ When did people start having tea? (n.d.). Retrieved June 15, 2014, from http://humantouchofchemis try.com/when ­did ­people ­start ­having ­tea.htm Irish Potato Famine. (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2014, from http://courses.soomopublishing.com/ Keita, M. (n.d.). Rise of Civilizations and Empires in Mesopotamia. Retrieved June 15, 2014, from http://history ­world.org/rise_of_civilizations.htm Kreis, S. (2006, October 11). Lecture 3: Egyptian Civilization. Retrieved June 15, 2014, from http://www.historyguide.org/ancient/lecture3b.html Origins of Tea. (2012). Retrieved June 15, 2014, from http://www.higgins ­burke.com/About ­Our ­Tea/Pages/Origin ­of ­Tea.aspx PBS (2009, November 15). Video: Surviving the Dust Bowl | Watch American Experience Online | PBS Video [Video file]. Retrieved from http://video.pbs.org/video/1311363860/?starttime=1200000 Saberi, H. (2010). Chapter 2 China. In Tea: A global history (pp. 27 ­41). Retrieved from http://lrps.wgu/provision/8539375 Saberi, H. (2010). Chapter 5 Tea Comes to the West. In Tea: A global history (pp. 85 ­124). 10 Retrieved from http://lrps.wgu/provision/8539375 Simkin, J. (1997, September). The Dust Bowl. Retrieved June 16, 2014, from http://spartacus ­educational.com/USAdust.htm Smith, A. F. (2011). Potato: A global history. Retrieved from http://lrps.wgu.edu/provision/8539677 The Spread Of Tea From China. (2012, September 13). Retrieved June 15, 2014, from http://thespreadofteafromchina.blogspot.com/

Report into Strategy and Social Responsibility of British Petroleum

Report into Strategy and Social Responsibility of British Petroleum This project examines the operation of British Petroleum (BP) in the light of established international business theories. Two major aspects are considered; Globalisation strategy and corporate social responsibility ethics. Although certain failings are highlighted BP is assessed to perform optimally on both counts. A conclusion is drawn and certain recommendations with respect to the style of research are made in the final section. Report Contents The report assesses the operations of British Petroleum to establish to which degree the operations of BP are in line with related management theory. The project starts with a brief introduction on the business of BP. This sets a stage and develops a context for further discussion. The second section discusses the research method adopted in the preparation of this project. Several methods are explored and the most feasible selected as the method of choice. The third section looks at BPs operations in two respects; international trade and globalisation strategy, and corporate responsibility and ethics. The final section of the project is a conclusion that summarises the main themes highlighted in the work, noting its achievements and limitations and sets the stage for future research. At this stage some recommendations are also made. Introduction British Petroleum (BP) is a global Oil and Gas company with its headquarters in the UK. It is one of the worlds largest businesses by virtue of its revenues. On is corporate website, it terms its self as one of the worlds largest companies, providing its customers with fuel for transportation, energy for heat and light, retail services and petrochemical products for everyday items. As of its financial year end 2009, it owned 22400 service stations around the globe, it owned operations in 30 countries around the world, it employed 80,300 people in different countries, it owned 16 refineries around the world (with the biggest in Houston Texas), it produces 2.3 million barrels per day and owned oil reserves of about 18.3 Billion barrels (BP web 2010) Research Methods This project aims to assess the operations of BP. It takes into focus two major issues in global business and strategy; International trade globalisation strategy and ethics including aspects of corporate social responsibility. The management literature proposes several qualitative research methodologies (Bryman, 2004). These methodologies include; surveys, questionnaires, case studies, focus groups, experiments and interviews (Bryman, 2004). Pursuant to the aims of this project, a case study approach is employed in which I consult several documents which discuss management theory (detailed in Hill, 2009) and I examine how their application in practice basing on the case of British Petroleum. I use the BP website as a core source to derive information for this purpose. Given the lack of resources, other research methods such as interviews, questionnaires and focus groups are impractical. The next section details the operations of BP and the related theoretical underpinnings. British Petroleums globalisation strategy Globalisation refers to the current trend where the world is becoming a global village by effectively inter-knitting, national boundaries are being relaxed and countries are increasingly dependent on each other for survival. Globalisation presents significant opportunities to businesses as well as challenges. Firms that can cope with the trend enjoy larger markets, cheaper resources and therefore higher profitability. Firms that are unable to compete efficiently are faced out. As highlighted above BP is a global company with a highly acclaimed globalisation strategy. The success of this strategy could be attributed several (three main) factors as discussed below. First-mover advantage The history of BP can be traced back to the establishment of the Anglo Persian Oil Company, a subsidiary of the Burmah Oil Company in 1909. This firm explored the Persian golf for many years and was converted to the British Petroleum company after the Second World War. Scanty reports show that the firm expanded tremendously by 1960 developing its operations beyond the Persian golf into North America. Most importantly it established a significant presence in the North Sea by being the first company to find Oil in Alaska (BP web, 2010). The above indicates the length to which BP has gone to establish itself as one of the worlds biggest and most successful companies. New Trade theory suggests that first movers can benefit enormously from certain economic and strategic advantages in terms of operations. The theory argues that for those products where economies of scale are significant and represent a substantial portion of world demand, the first movers in an industry can gain a scale based cost advantage that later entrants find almost impossible to match (Hill, 2009. p 187). First mover advantage can potentially explain the structure of the Oil and Gas industry. The industry is made up of few big players and many small players in the Western world where competition is free. In other countries such as Kuwait, Saudi, Russia, China, Iraq and Qatar competition in the industry is restricted and the major oil exploiters are government owned. BP has established itself in most of the western world due to its first mover advantage. It is able to cut costs in its operations and derive benefits from economies of scale and scope. Many firms can compete effectively in Oil exploitation, exploration, extraction and refining, and therefore they turn to engage in the provision of support services such as distribution or the derivation of chemicals for other manufacturing industries. Competitive advantage Porters findings on national competitive advantage can be extended to understand why BP locates in the regions it does. BP is a global firm but has operations at varying degrees in about 30 different countries world wide (BP web, 2010). Despite operating significantly in 30 countries, its products and services are available in over 100 countries (BP web, 2010). Porters diamond asserts that the degree to which a nation is likely to achieve international success in a certain industry is a function of the combined impact of factor endowments, domestic demand conditions, related and supporting industries and domestic rivalry (Hill, 2009. p 191). Hill (2009) argues that based porters theory a profit seeking firm should localize its operations in those countries where such activities can be performed optimally. BP operates in Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, North America and South America. In Africa, it operates in Joint Ventures with firms in Egypt, Angola and Algeria. Its choice to operate only in join ventures in this country can be explained by the political economy of these countries. These countries cannot be termed as full democracies and are often susceptible to civil crisis. Operating as a joint venture, curbs the firms risk in the event of a political crisis but allows it to enjoy the revenues to be derived from its operations. It also has a huge presence in the Southern regions of Africa but in these regions it engages more with the marketing of its solar energy concepts. This region is rich in natural resources (sunshine) but the development of energy networks is very poor. The countries in this region rely heavily on hydroelectricity which is usually not sufficient to provide for industries and households. BP also operates as joint ventures in Asia with operations in Pakistan, Vietnam, Indonesia, China, South Korea and Malaysia. It manufactures lubricants and solar panels in China and India where labour is cheap. BP does not explore petroleum in Australasia. Its operations in this region are geared towards the provision of solar energy. BP operates as a stand alone entity in much of Europe. Its operations in Russia are partly owned (joint venture) by a Russian company. It has major exploration and production facilities in Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela and Columbia. These regions are rich in natural gas and oil necessitating BPs localisation to the areas. Products Hill (2009) noted that Raymond Vernon developed the product lifecycle theory after his realisation that firms had to keep innovating in order to maintain a demand for their products and ensure growth in revenues. The theory can be used to explain the globalisation trends, innovation drive and product mix of British Petroleum. BP currently produces a wide range of energy products including oil, natural gas, wind energy, solar energy, bio fuels and petroleum based lubricants. Two decades ago, its primary product was Oil. Research and development in the industry has led to the introduction of cleaner and more sustainable forms of energy. These forms of energy are widely regarded as the future of the Oil and Gas industry. Speculators believe that at some point in time oil will be faced out as coal was faced out with the discovery of oil. BP has realised the fact that oil as a product has reached its maturity stage and its demand might diminish with the advent of new forms of energy. The firm has taken a colossal position in the new energy market by running a major portfolio of energy products representing the mix of all bespoke and innovative new forms of energy. Unlike televisions for example, Oil cannot be re-engineered and further developed. Innovation by modification is therefore difficult. BP has turned the focus on energy efficiency i.e. researching and developing ways in which energy can be saved. Instead of devising faster or stronger energy which might be impossible BP has turned the focus to the development of equipment and usage techniques that will save energy through low consumption. This encompasses innovation that fuels the demand for its products. Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility As Hill (2009) emphasized ethical issues in international business are brought about by political, legal, economic and cultural differences in between countries- what is considered normal practice in one country might be considered unethical in another (p. 124). The ethical challenge, I will argue, is significantly increased for global firms. BP for example operates in all the different continents of the world. In keeping with Hills argument ethics is relative and context dependent. In certain countries, it is ethical to employ young people. In the UK, all employees must be above the legal age of 18 to gain full employment. The legal age changes significantly between countries varying from 16 to 21. Most multi national firms deal with this challenge by devising a set of corporate values which govern their operations in all regions. BP web (2010) argues that the company is driven by four major values; progressive, responsible, innovative and performance driven. In terms of being responsible, BP asserts that We are committed to the safety and development of our people and the communities and societies in which we operate. We aim for no accidents, no harm to people and no damage to the environment. This commitment can be seen in the fact that BP reporting covers all aspects beyond financial reporting including health, safety, human rights, environment and energy. BP is at the forefront of the cleaner energy debate. It does its bit by engaging in energy saving initiatives and constantly researching on cleaner ways in which energy can be produced and delivered. It has diversified strongly into the green energy industry engaging in the production of liquefied petroleum gas, fossil fuels and renewable energy. A major part of corporate ethics that has been pervasive in the management literature in recent years is corporate social responsibility. Hill (2009) argues that multinational corporations such as BP have power that comes from their operations and their ability to move production from country to country. Considering for an instance the revenues generated by BP annually, I find that the corporations revenues is higher than the GDP of many countries. Social responsibility advocates that managers should consider more than just the economic consequences of their decisions (hill, 2009). More importantly, importance should be placed on the social consequences of decision making. The European commission defines corporate social responsibility as A concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis (EC website, 2010). It basically refers to the companys interactions with its surrounding communities and looks at how the company strives to promote development and social cohesion and participates in maintaining the environment within such communities. A firms community is a major stakeholder of the firm and thus needs to be considered. BPs financial reporting incorporates major aspects such as its social responsibility, its strive for cleaner energy, its contributions towards preserving the environment and its strive to improve sustainable extraction of energy. Communities take corporate social responsibilities seriously especially when it comes to Oil and Gas firms. This is largely as a result of the potential dangers that can arise from their operations with these communities. Recent crises have ranged from large explosions with severe casualties to major spillages with the destruction of flora and fauna. -A review of the BP 2010 Oil spill crisis BP faced a deep water horizon drilling rig explosion which killed 11 of its off shore workers and injured 17 other workers. The rig gushed out over 5 million barrels of crude oil into the Mexican Golf between April and July 2010. The spill was catastrophic and so were its effect on wild life, the fishing industry, the tourism sector and the surrounding neighbourhoods. In response to this BP set up a crisis management program. It publicly apologized for the distress it caused and undertook to foot the clean up costs. The company has currently set up a $20 Billion dollar fund to manage the after-effects of the crisis. During the crisis, BP showed effort employing several techniques to attempt to stop the leakage. It also arranged a compensation plan for those affected by the crisis. This attests to the fact that BP takes its corporate social responsibility and ethics very strongly. Hill (2009) also notes the social contributions or social investments of BP in Algeria. Hill notes that BP realised its communities in Algeria lacked clean drinking water and created two desalination plants to produce clean what for the public. To add to this, the company provided water cans to help residents transport water from plants to their homes. Conclusions Summary of findings This study has examined the operations of BP in the global context to see how certain management concepts are applied in practice. Two aspects; globalisation strategy and corporate social responsibility were reviewed. BP is found to have a sophisticated globalisation strategy which it has fortified over the years. This helps it to compete efficiently and to remain one the worlds leading corporations. Again, BP is found to have a robust stance towards corporate social responsibility and ethics. Its industry is hazardous and it is pruned to corporate disasters such as spills and explosions. BP has managed to keep these to a minimum and when they do occur, BP has taken necessary steps to manage the crisis and limit the damage Limitations This work is limited in the fact that it strongly relies on public information sources to assess the operations of BP. Several aspects could have been better scrutinized and invaluable insights drawn through other research methods such as interviews with key workers and focus groups to draw varied opinion. Due to the limitations in space (number of words) the aspects discussed can not be reviewed in greater detail. Future research Recommendations This research has examined BPs operations in light of established theory but has not confirmed if such a method of operation is optimal. It might be interesting to investigate whether the product strategy, globalisation strategy or their approach to ethics and corporate social responsibility affect their performance or contributes significantly towards the achievement of organisational goals and objectives. The limitations highlighted above also provide avenues for future research into the area. Several theories have been propounded in the management literature. Their understanding will only be facilitated by examining how these theories are applied in practice or by investigating the contributions of such theories to management practice. In light of this argument, this form of study is encouraged.