Violent Video Games Influence Violent Behavior in Children

Thiam 1 Solomon G. Thiam Professor Olsen Eng. 101 23 Nov. 2010 Violent Video Games Influence Violent Behavior in Children Many people still do not believe that violent video games could influence violent behavior in children. They think that video games are just for entertainment and nothing more than that. Even though there are several cases where video games have been blamed or held responsible for violent actions, some people fail to consider the fact that violent video games do influence violent actions. One perfect example where violent video (Doom) was listed as one of the factors that influenced a violent behavior can be seen in the â€Å"Columbine Massacre†, where two young high school students shot and killed twelve†¦show more content†¦I think in the act of playing violent video games, the actions that are executed by the character in the game are decided by the player himself. Depending on how much time the player spend on the game and how much urge the player develops to carry out extreme violence in the game, the player will automatically begin to harbor aggressive thoughts. In this case, if a player had any sort of previous knowledge playing violent video games, he/she will respond with a higher level of aggression whenever he/she encounters confrontation. When video games were introduced about 30 years ago, the characters in the games were all in black and white and because the technology at the time was not Thiam 5 advanced, it was very difficult to create images that are commonly seen in our societies today. As one writer puts it, the reality of virtual games is so improved that the characters are able to perform real life reactions to an effect. For example, when a character is shot in the neck, he falls to the ground face down clutching to his throat. Sometimes when the character is shot, a large spray of blood covers the walls and the floor where the body of character lies. In other instances where explosives are used, the character burst into small but recognizable body parts (Shin). Though video games are entertaining and increase the dexterity and computer level in people, there has been much harm that has come from violentShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Violent Video Games On Children And Adolescents Essay1325 Words   |  6 PagesOne of the hottest issues in the media in the past decade is violence in video games and how violent video games influence aggressive and violent behavior in children and adolescents. Some psychologists believe violent video games influence violent behavior in children through social learning and modeling behaviors after characters in video games that â€Å"glorify† violence and criminals (Schultz Schultz, 2013, p. 331). 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The Existence of Social Order Today - 798 Words

Cheriez Lucas Upper 6 Mr Chinapoo Sociology Discuss how sociologists explain the existence of social order today. Sociologists define social order as a set of linked social structures, social institutions and social practices which conserve, maintain and enforce ways of relating and behaving. A society which has social order is one where the persons within it accepts the norms and values and replicate them in their behaviour. In studying the theories of social order, there are three main perspectives, the functionalist, the Marxist and the interactionist perspectives. The first sociologist to come up with the term social order was Thomas Hobbes, in the 17th century. Hobbes was an English philosopher who based his theory†¦show more content†¦These were: adaption, goal attainment, integration and pattern maintenance. Through the institutions socialization occurs and values are passed on from generation to generation. 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Strategic Management And Leadership Strategy Evaluation - Free Soluti

Question: Discuss about the case study Strategic Management and Leadership for Strategy Evaluation. Answer: Introduction Singapore airline is regarded as a national symbol of Singapore and have its hub at Changi Airport of Singapore. It is the flag carrier of the country forming a group with several subsidiaries, like SIA Engineering Company which handles the maintenance and repair of aircraft and has joint ventures with 27 companies including Rolls-Royce and Boeing. The airline has grown over the last decades from a small regional airline to the worlds leading cargo and passenger carrier. The company has a fleet of modern aircraft and provides best service to Asia and other part of world. The Singapore Airlines has its origin in the year 1947 when the demand for airlines started growing and the market has developed the potentiality with the introduction of twin-engined Airspeed Consul between Ipoh, Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore by a Malayan Airways. Initially there was a joint shareholder of Malaysia Singapore Airlines between the government of Malaysia and Singapore (Wirtz and Heracleous 2013). However, in 1972, the joint venture had ended and two new airlines called as Malaysian Airline System and Singapore Airlines had started. In the beginning, Singapore airlines had a modern fleet of 10 aircraft with 6000 staff members and a route network around 18 countries and 22 cities. Soon the airline began to create its own brand name and maintaining its standards of service. Further with continuous product innovation and investment, the airline of a small island became a large multinational company. The paper describes the strategic plan of the Singapore airlines by discussing the several points like mission, vision and objectives of the company, environmental analysis at macro level, industry analysis, and capability analysis. The paper also states the proposed strategy and strategy evaluation method of the company. Vision, Mission and Objective Statement The Vision of the Singapore Airline is to place the airline in a globalised world with continuous growth and maintain loss free record. The vision statement of the airlines indicates that the company is responsible not only for attaining excellence in the airlines industry but also to be a good citizen by improving the lives of the people. Keeping this in mind the company has made commitments towards the health and welfare of the citizens and education and arts for the societies and all the countries where they operate (Rothaermel 2015). One of the main aims to achieve its vision is to preserve the environment and believe in sustainable development. The mission statement of the Singapore airlines states "Singapore Airlines is a global company dedicated to providing air transportation services of the highest quality and to maximizing returns for the benefit of its shareholders and employees." It indicates to satisfy the shareholder by giving them good returns by providing superior service at competitive price and generating a yield that helps in expansion and modernization of the airlines (Stauss 2013). These steps will keep the employees happy and motivated and they will be satisfied. The objective of the company is to ensure the security of the people and deliver the best of the service to the customers. The company aims to provide service that satisfy the need of the people and want to operate within their resources and deliver value for money. The other objectives are to see that the staffs are competent enough to perform their task effectively and optimize their potentiality (Mellahi and Frynas 2015). Moreover, the company aims to be a good citizen by taking care of the environment and believing in sustainable development. Macro Environmental Analysis: PESTEL The Pestle analysis helps to understand the effect of the macro environmental factors on the companys growth and development. It explains the political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental forces that affect the organization (Smit and Dula 2014). Political: The political factor plays a major role in the operations of the airlines in the industry. The airline carries the countrys flag as it represents a national carrier of the country and is headquartered at the capital city of the country to represent the country. Hence given the fact that airlines represent the nation, any political changes affects its brand (Ward and Peppard 2016). The government gives full support to the airlines and if withdraws its support then the airline faces heavy disaster Economic: As the airlines operate across the national boundaries, any change in economic conditions of national or international levels will affect the company due to the intense resources carried by them. One of the most potential threats is the price of crude oil that increases the fuel cost of the company. Any political disturbances in Arab countries lead to increase in crude oil price and affect the cost structure of the company. This rise in fuel cost could be handling by passing it to the customer but for Singapore Airlines, it is difficult as it already has a premium pricing strategy. Social: Changing social changes in the society affects the airline business to a large extent. Initially the travel by flights were availed by the richer section of the society but gradually with rising disposable income, even the middle income group people has started opting for air flits (Mellahi and Frynas 2015). Further, the customer now looks for a low cost carrier rather than a high cost carrier. Singapore airlines that have positioned itself as a premium airline has increased its shareholding in Tigeriar, a Southeast Asian low cost carrier to overcome the social issue. Technological: Technological innovation always helps the company to develop competitive position in the industry. Singapore airlines do continuous research and development by innovating new products and fleets to satisfy the customers. Some of its innovations are reclining seats, seatback entertainment system and headsets (Thomas2015). Legal: Airlines do get affected by the changes in the regulatory framework of the country. For security reasons, different countries have different regulatory requirements that need to be met by the airlines and thus affects its cost of operations. Environmental: The airlines need to be environmental friendly due to the national carbon reduction targets that have to be achieved to control global warming in the world. The airlines need to integrate the green issues in their strategies and corporate social responsibilities. Singapore airlines are slow in it and have to fasten up its strategy for sustainable environment. Industry Analysis: Porters Five Forces Michael Porter five forces analysis have identified the five forces of market that affects the performance of the companies. They are as follows: The threat of new entrant (weak): The threat of new entrant in airline industry is weak The air travel industry has reached the saturation point with national carriers that gets the support from the government, especially in long haul airlines passenger sector. Hence the traffic growth in airline industry generally comes from growth of national carriers and not by entry of new entrants due to the congestions in the skies and airport (Sengupta and Sengupta 2014). Further, airline industry demands huge capital investment for the nascent firm which does not become possible for the new firms. However, in short haul sector, there are some threat of new entrant like Air Asia and Jet Star due to low capital investment. The intensity of rivalry (high): There is intense rivalry in the airline industry but it varies according to routes. For routes where the airlines provide good service, the rivaly intensity increases, Like the route of London to Paris. Under the situation Singapore Airlines has adopted price-cutting strategies with high quality service. Some routes are monopolized by few carriers like the Kangaroo Route that connect Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia has been monopolized by Singapore airlines due to weak competition among the rivals. The Threat of Substitute Services (moderate): It refers to the extent by which the services can be replaced by another similar service. Inc case of short haul, the threat of substitute service is moderate due to increasing investment in transportation business along with Singapore Airlines (Ward and Peppard 2016). However, in case of long haul, there is less threat for substitute services and there has been increasing cons o business. The bargaining power of the Customer (moderate): The bargaining powers of the customer are moderate in the airline industry. The switching cost between airlines is very low as the information about the flights availability is easily available in the websites (Johnson 2014). Few websites also show the comparison between the flights rates, routes and services that makes the switching cost very less. Under the situations, the airlines need to start loyalty schemes where with the increase in the number of flights with the company, makes the customers earns loyalty points and lessen their fares. The bargaining power of Suppliers (strong): The bargaining powers of the suppliers are generally strong in case of airline industry due to few suppliers and large buyers (Hit, Ireland and Hoskisson 2012). It requires the supply of high end technology goods that is not available with many, like, fleets are supplied by Boeing and Airbus where duopoly exist and engines are supplied by few suppliers like, Pratt and Whitney, Rolls Royce and General Electric. SWOT Analysis The SWOT analysis of Singapore Airlines identifies that that the strength of the airline is its brand image, size and its positioning strategy. The company has always been benefitted by applying the first mover strategy and always being ahead of its competitors in terms of quality and price. However, the company faces a weakness in the market in terms of huge competition for short haul carrier and loses the customers due to large number of low cost carrier in the South East Asian markets (Abdi et al. 2013). The company is even not able to attract more passengers in the home land because the homeland customers are already matured and there is more demand for short haul route than the long haul route, which faces huge competition. Moreover, the company also faces huge competition in North American market and unable to develop competitive advantage against the rivals. Singapore airline has the opportunity to avail the resources of 24 members companies of the Star Alliance, which is the most successful airline strategic alliance. Though, the company is struggling in some market, in markets like India its flourishing in a joint venture with Tata Sons. The threat to the airlines is the rapid growth of several airlines of Middle East, like, Etihad and Emirates which are adopting similar positioning strategies as the Singapore airlines (Heracleous and Wirtz 2012). Initially the airline was the leader in business class products but now similar products are introduced by airlines like British Airways. Capabilities Analysis Singapore Airlines have been able to succeed and achieve a strong competitive position in the industry due to its efficient usage of resources. The major resources are discussed here under threshold capabilities and distinctive capabilities are discussed through value chain analysis. Threshold capabilities Physical resource: The physical resources that are available maintenance centre, hangar and catering centre. Both Singapore Airlines and Government have together invested in developing the infrastructure and physical resources in Changi Airport. Planes: Singapore airlines have 22% 747-400 aircrafts of the total world production. The planes have better fuel efficiency and greater flying range and quieter cabin than any other airlines (Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson 2012). The airlines have strong competitive power to attract customer with low cost and high quality service. Finance: The sources of finance are revenue and shareholders funds. The source of revenue is the sales which is not unique and depends on its marketing strategies. But the shareholders fund is able to establish a strong financial position for the company as it has grown at a rate of S$500 million every year (Sexton 2014). Te another strong point is the company has no debt. Such a financially strong position is unique in the airline industry. Human Resource: The Singapore Airlines have a comprehensive human resource management system that training and motivation programs for its employees. The companys labour cost is lowest as compared to other airlines (Hill, Jones and Schilling 2014). The company has got consecutive awards for its employee training programs and has spent enough in training the employees. It believes that the essential factor for success of any organization is human resource. To motivate the frontline staff, the company has started programs like, outstanding service on the ground floor which is unique and valuable in nature and is difficult for other company to imitate its culture. Technology: In terms of technology, Singapore Airlines is the first to launch several innovative products like, in-flight entertainment system for customers and global satellite in flight fax and telephone service (Hill and Jones 2013). Further, in regard to pre-flying service, the internet check-in service and centralized baggage tracing unit system was introduced by Singapore airlines which had made the management of handling baggage effective. Reputation: The Company has established a unique reputation and goodwill by winning about sixty awards in various categories at the national and international levels. Distinctive Capabilities VRIO Analysis VRIO analysis does a resource based study to understand the resources and its capabilities minutely and apply them for gaining competitive advantage. Value: indicates that only a company should concentrate mainly on value added resources as this will only bring competitive advantage. A Singapore airline has taken care of it and has gained competitive advantage in the market on its basis. The company has been able to create a value in the minds of customer that in-flight crews of the airline provide the best hospitality as compared to other airlines. This has been achieved by strategic brand positioning and advertising the products through the image of a Singapore Girl (Heracleous and Wirtz 2014). The after sales service by the airline is different and unique to retain the customer. Hence the companys employees are the most valuable resource for the company. Rarity: It refers to the consideration of those resources that are valuable and are capable of providing temporary competitive advantage. The company strategy of entering into membership with Star Alliance to share the lounges and terminals and expand the route network has given frequent benefits to the regular fliers and helped the company to spread the service globally and given it the chance to develop a rare resource which other competitors could not develop. Further, the company is able to provide best of the customer service by training its employees through rigorous training programs which had made them efficient and helped them to provide flawless service to the customer Imitability: The company should adopt develop such strategies which become difficult for the competitors to imitate. It then becomes the source of competitive advantage. Singapore Airlines is known for its differentiated customer service by providing innovative and premium quality service. Further, Singapore Airlines is able to maintain a fleet of latest aircraft with low maintenance cost and safety assurance from any kind of flight accidents. Thus has created the competitive advantage for the company in the industry. Organizational: The firm should be well organized to develop and leverage full potentiality of its resources and capabilities. Singapore Airlines infrastructure and technology application is highly advanced and has given the company the opportunity to utilize its resources aptly. Proposed Strategy The TOWS analysis can be drawn from the SWOT analysis which helps to identify the proposed strategy. The company can diversify their market by using their strength and opportunities. To overcome the threat, the company can adopt the strategy of merger and acquisition with some airline companies in South East Asian countries and North American region (Heracleous and Wirtz 2012). To avoid the weakness of low cost competition in short haul sector, it can apply the cost leadership strategy. Further, internal factors can be developed to overcome the threat and weakness of the company. Strength Brand image Size First Mover strategy Quality Weakness High cost for short haul carriers Huge competition in North American market Opportunities Strategic Alliance with Star Joint Venture with Tata Sons SO Strategies Use the alliances with Star to increase its size and improve its quality. Be the first mover in many developing countries by making similar joint venture as that with Tata sons WO Strategies Develop cost leadership strategy for short haul carriers Enter into joint venture in North American Market Threats Rapid growth of several low cost airlines in Middle East Imitation of its strategy by the competitors ST Strategies Adopt the strategy of merger and acquisition with airline companies in South East Asian countries. Use its first mover strategy to overcome the threat of imitators WT Strategies Develop internal factors to overcome the threat Adoption of modern technology to reduce cost Figure1: TOWS Matrix Source: Author Strategic Evaluation The evaluation of the strategies can be done by using SAF (suitability, acceptability, feasibility) model. The suitability evaluation of the strategies can be done by understanding the external environment analysis. It examines whether the strategic options are suitable under the given external environment (Fan and Lingblad 2016). The threat and opportunities can be most suitably dealt by availing the opportunities and encounter the threat by making alliances with the local companies. The company merger and acquisition strategy is most suitable to combat the threat from competitors. The company can also avail the resources of other member companies of Star alliance which is the most suitable strategy and can aim at obtaining cost leadership. Suitable Strategies Rank Merger and Acquisition 1 Utilization of resources from other members of Star Alliance 2 Development of alliances with local companies 3 Understanding the external environment analysis 4 Figure 2: Ranks of Suitable Strategies Source: Author Feasibility focuses on whether the company has the requisite resources to continue with the strategic choices. The feasibility analysis helps to evaluate the internal capacities of the organization. The strength and weakness of Singapore airlines helps to do the feasibility analysis. The most feasible strategy will be to adopt the policy of diversification and enter the market in alliance with domestic companies given the suitable external environment and internal resource capacity (David and David 2016). The Singapore Airlines has 88 destinations in 38 countries that create a suitable external environment to emphasize on diversifying their route to get the competitive advantage. Further the companys strength is its internal efficient resource and low cost operation which makes it feasible to diversify the products and expand its market. The company should however strengthen its asset turnover ratio to make diversification of product effective. Acceptability focuses on financial and shareholders aspects of the strategy. It examines the risk and return of the strategies and the reactions of the stakeholders towards the strategy (Eden and Ackermann 2013). The risk and return can be examined by capital budgeting techniques and then if it satisfies the conditions of the techniques then it can be evaluated. The reaction of the stakeholders is reflected through the share prices and if it is favourable then the strategies should be accepted. The financial tool that can be applied is Net Present value method, Internal Rate of Return Method, Payback method and others. Conclusion The paper describes the strategic plan of the Singapore airlines by discussing the several points like mission, vision and objectives of the company, environmental analysis at macro level, industry analysis, and capability analysis. The paper also states the proposed strategy and strategy evaluation method of the company. The vision statement of the airlines indicates that the company is responsible not only for attaining excellence in the airlines industry but also to be a good citizen by improving the lives of the people The mission statement means to satisfy the shareholder by giving them good returns by providing superior service at competitive price and generating a yield that helps in expansion and modernization of the airlines. Further, the objective of the company is to ensure the security of the people and deliver the best of the service to the customers. The environmental analysis is done through Pestle which explains the affect on the organization due to the changes in the external factors. The industry analysis is done through Porters Five Forces which identifies that the most strong and the most weak forces of the market that affects the growth and development of the company. The threshold capabilities and the distinctive capabilities of the organization s studied in terms of basic resource analysis and value chain analysis. Based on the SWOT and TOWS analysis, the paper proposed the strategies that need to be adopted by the company and later the evaluation of the strategies are done through Suitability, Acceptability and feasibility analysis. References Abdi, A., Ashouri, M., Jamalpour, G. and Sandoosi, S.M., 2013. Overview SWOT analysis method and its application in organizations. Singaporean Journal of Business Economics and Management Studies, 1(12), pp.69-74. David, F. and David, F.R., 2016. Strategic Management: A Competitive Advantage Approach, Concepts and Cases. Eden, C. and Ackermann, F., 2013. Making strategy: The journey of strategic management. Sage. Fan, T.P.C. and Lingblad, M., 2016. Thinking through the meteoric rise of Middle-East carriers from Singapore Airlines' vantage point. Journal of Air Transport Management, 54, pp.111-122. Heracleous, L. and Wirtz, J., 2012. Strategy and organisation at Singapore Airlines: achieving sustainable advantage through dual strategy. In Energy, Transport, the Environment (pp. 479-493). Springer London. Heracleous, L. and Wirtz, J., 2014. Singapore Airlines: Achieving sustainable advantage through mastering paradox. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, p.0021886314522323. Hill, C.W. and Jones, G.R., 2013. Strategic management theory. South-Western/Cengage Learning. Hill, C.W., Jones, G.R. and Schilling, M.A., 2014. Strategic management: theory: an integrated approach. Cengage Learning. Hitt, M.A., Ireland, R.D. and Hoskisson, R.E., 2012. Strategic management cases: competitiveness and globalization. Cengage Learning. Johnson, B., 2014. Reflections: A perspective on paradox and its application to modern management. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 50(2), pp.206-212. Mellahi, K. and Frynas, G., 2015. Global strategic management. Oxford University Press. Rothaermel, F.T., 2015. Strategic management. McGraw-Hill. Schofield, A., 2016. Mixing models: Singapore Airlines refines the formula for low-cost carrier ownership. Aviation Week Space Technology. Sengupta, N. and Sengupta, M., 2014. Singapore Airlines: Gliding with People Excellence. Sexton, D., 2014. Maximizing the Value of a Business: Using the Right Metrics. Business and Economics Journal, 2014. Slack, N., 2015. Operations strategy. John Wiley Sons, Ltd. Smit, W. and Dula, C., 2014. Singapore Airlines Scoots into the Low-Cost Long-Haul Category. Stauss, B., 2013. Flying High in a Competitive Industry: Cost effective Service Excellence at Singapore Airlines. International Journal of Service Industry Management. Thomas, M., 2015. WestJet Airlines: hybrid but profitable. Strategic Direction, 31(8), pp.23-25. Ward, J. and Peppard, J., 2016. The Strategic Management of Information Systems: Building a Digital Strategy. John Wiley Sons. Wirtz, J. and Heracleous, L., 2013. Singapore Airlines: Managing Human Resources for Cost-effective Service Excellence.

Love Canal- Environmental Disaster Essays - Niagara Falls, New York

Love Canal- Environmental Disaster Love Canal Love's Model City The Model City (tune of Yankee Doodle) Everybody's come to town, They'r building now a great big ditch, Those left we all do pity, Through dirt and rock so gritty, For we'll have a jolly time, They say ?twill make all very rich At Love's new Motel City Who live in Model City This tale I tell is no less true, Our boys are bright and well to do, Though in a silly ditty, Our girls are smart and pretty, They give free sites and power too, They can not help it nor could you, In Love's new Model City If you lived in Model City Then come and join our earnest band, All who are wise and witty, Here's out heart and here's our hand, To build the Model city. Water is a necessity for life. Throughout the growth of civilization, communities sprang up near the edge of waterways. Running rivers and standing lakes provided clean drinking water, food and energy for people. It was running water that set the gears working in the head of the charismatic entrepreneur William. T. Love. In 1890's, Love saw a 20000 acre community in Niagara county as his plot for his utopian ?Model City?. Love's Model City would be located 7.5 miles away from Niagara River. A power canal seven miles long would connect the town with the upper and lower levels of Niagara River The channeled water would be lead to the Lewiston escarpment which would create a mini Niagara Falls thus creating a major power source for the Model City. Page 2 This would create a great amount of hydroelectric power in a time which factories must be located near their power source. In January 1893, William Love went to Albany to politick for a charter for his model city. He did so by addressing both the senate and the assembly in a joint session, a first for a private citizen. A very liberal charter was granted which gave him the right to ?acquire by condemnation any necessary properties?. (27, Zweig) Love gained the financial backing from banking giants in New York, Chicago and London. (25, Zweig) With the charter now in hand, Love extensively promoted his model city through ads, circulars and even ?brass bands playing his original ditty.? (2, Love Canal Report) Manufacturers quickly lined up to open plants along the canal. May 1894, construction in the LaSalle area began. The proposed canal would be 80ft widex30ft deep. 3,000 feet was excavated when Love's dream collapsed. A financial depression hit the country in 1896, discouraging the necessary financial backers. This was the most significant factor explaining the projects demise. Another factor had t do with the power source. Louis Tesh discovered a way to transmit electrical current economically over a distance using alternating current. Now factories did not have to pay for expensive plots of land near power sources. His backers deserted him; the remaining land was auctioned in 1910. The only remain of Love's dream Model City was a partially built canal. Several decades afterwards, it served as a swimming hole for the children of the LaSalle district. (6, Love Canal Report) In the 1920's it became a dumping and municipal disposal site, Page 3 ?chemicals of an unknown kind and quantity were buried at the site for 25-30 year period until 1953? (3, Love Canal Report) Within fifty years, love canal went from being a charismatic entrepreneurs dream to a toxic human and environmental disaster and the fingers and legislation point directly at the dumpers. It is estimated that love canal received 22000 tones of chemical waste. (44, Zweig) The four main dumpers was the city of Niagara, Hooker Electrochemical Co, Niagara Power and Development Corp., and the Army, under the cover of a ceramics plant. The Army owned the Niagara Falls Chemical Warfare Plant, which used the cover of a ceramics plant at the time. Production only of one single product that was a substance called ?impregnite?. Once sprayed on clothes, the material was impermeable from chemical warfare emissions. Ironically, they were manufacturing a substance to protect human beings from toxic chemical contact while their dumping helped sow the seeds for another toxic chemical disaster. Even during the time the plant was in operation, pollutants from the plants

Boiled Frog Phenomenon

Boiled Frog Phenomenon Strategic management is very important for success in the increasingly changing global economy. Easily said than done, many organizations fail to plan appropriately leading to failure of major corporations (Dess Lumpkin, 2009, p. 23).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Boiled Frog Phenomenon specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Apart from failure in planning, some business failures have resulted from slow decisions and inactions. â€Å"Boiling frog phenomenon† is one of the explanations that can be offered to many business failure cases in the last two decades. A widespread phrase, â€Å"boiling frog phenomenon† is an important consideration in strategic management. The allegory of â€Å"boiled frog† has a widespread usage in history. If a frog is immersed in a pot containing hot water, it would definitely jump out and save its life. However, a frog submerged in a pot containing cold water and temperat ure raised gradually may fail to notice the rising temperatures ending up being boiled alive. Though there is no barrier preventing the frog from jumping out of the pot, it fails to take the necessary action since change in temperature seems to be very minimal (Polynice, 2008, par 2). Culturally the story is used to warn people who fail to notice or take action to gradual change in their lives. Unable to notice the gradual changes, such people may find themselves in great trouble later on. The â€Å"boiled frog phenomenon† is relevant in many areas of life. In business, the phenomenon is used to warn of the need to notice and take actions to gradual changes. Like the â€Å"boiled frog†, an organization that fails to respond to gradual changes in its area may find itself in great trouble. An organization must be able to notice gradual changes in its market, human resources, technological or legal environment to be successful (Burke, Trahant Koonce, 1999, p. 17). In str ategic management the phenomenon is also used to refer to a strategy for implementing changes in an organization. Implementing changes gradually helps minimize resistance to change. A fair example of â€Å"boiled frog phenomenon† in United States is the failure of Enron. Formed in 1985, Enron developed to be a major player in energy industry in North America. Enron management, led by Kenneth Lay, was obsessed with success. They wanted the organization appear to be doing well despite of various failed projects.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The main concern for the management was maintaining a positive image to stakeholders and the public, and ensuring positive trend of the company’s share prices in the stock market. Instead of addressing the causes of declining performance, the management opted for manipulating books of account in order to portray t he organization to be profitable. After years of unethical accounting practice, the gap in the books of account was too large to conceal (Mclean Elkind, 2004, p. 132). Between 1990 and 2000, the organization registered consistent increase in its share prices. Enron management did not notice the water they were in boiling. By December 2000, Enron’s share price in the stock market was about $83 per share. The share prices however fell as low as $0.63 per share after the scandal was revealed later in 2001. â€Å"Boiling frog phenomenon† is relevant in business as in other areas. To be successful an organization has to strategically deal with gradual changes affecting it. It is prudent not only to notice the changes but also take the necessary action. Collapse of Enron illustrates the risk of â€Å"boiling frog syndrome†. To the organization’s management, manipulating books of account was a prudent thing to do at the beginning but this got out of control. Re ference List Burke, W., Trahant, W. Koonce, R. (1999). Business climate shifts: profiles of change makers. New York: Butterworth-Hernemann. Dess, G., Lumpkin, G. (2009). Strategic Management: Creating Competitive Advantage.New York: MaGraw-Hill.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Boiled Frog Phenomenon specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Mclean, B. Elkind, P. (2004). The Smartest Guys in the Room: the amazing rise and scandalous fall of Enron. New York: Penguin. Polynice, D. (2008). The â€Å"Boiled Frog Phenomenon. Retrieved from https://ezinearticles.com/?The-Boiled-Frog-Phenomenonid=932310

Geography of Burma or Myanmar

Geography of Burma or Myanmar Population: 53,414,374 (July 2010 estimate)Capital: Rangoon (Yangon)Bordering Countries: Bangladesh, China, India, Laos, and ThailandLand Area: 261,228 square miles (676,578 sq km)Coastline: 1,199 miles (1,930 km)Highest Point: Hkakabo Razi at 19,295 feet (5,881 m)Burma, officially called the Union of Burma, is the largest country by area located in Southeast Asia. Burma is also known as Myanmar. Burma comes from the Burmese word Bamar which is the local word for Myanmar. Both words refer to the majority of the population being Burman. Since British colonial times, the country has been known as Burma in English however, in 1989, the military government in the country changed many of the English translations and changed the name to Myanmar. Today, countries and world organizations have decided on their own which name to use for the country. The United Nations for example, calls it Myanmar, while many English speaking countries call it Burma.History of BurmaBurmas early history is domi nated by the successive rule of several different Burman dynasties. The first of these to unify the country was the Bagan Dynasty in 1044 CE. During their rule, Theravada Buddhism rose in Burma and a large city with pagodas and Buddhist monasteries was built along the Irrawaddy River. In 1287, however, the Mongols destroyed the city and took control of the area.In the 15th century, the Taungoo Dynasty, another Burman dynasty, regained control of Burma and according to the U.S. Department of State, established a large multi-ethnic kingdom that was focused on expansion and the conquest of Mongol territory. The Taungoo Dynasty lasted from 1486 to 1752.In 1752, the Taungoo Dynasty, was replaced by the Konbaung, the third and final Burman dynasty. During Konbaung rule, Burma underwent several wars and was invaded four times by China and three times by the British. In 1824, the British began their formal conquest of Burma and in 1885, it gained full control of Burma after annexing it to British India.During World War II, the 30 Comrades, a group of Burmes e nationalists, attempted to drive out the British, but in 1945 the Burmese Army joined British and U.S. troops in an effort to force out the Japanese. After WWII, Burma again pushed for independence and in 1947 a constitution was completed followed by full independence in 1948.From 1948 to 1962, Burma had a democratic government but there was widespread political instability within the country. In 1962, a military coup took over Burma and established a military government. Throughout the rest of the 1960s and into the 1970s and 1980s, Burma was politically, socially and economically unstable. In 1990, parliamentary elections took place but the military regime refused to acknowledge the results.During the early 2000s, the military regime remained in control of Burma despite several attempts for overthrow and protests in favor of a more democratic government. On August 13, 2010, the military government announced that parliamentary elections would take place on November 7, 2010.Government of BurmaToday Burmas government is still a military regime that has seven administrative divisions and seven states. Its executive branch is made u p of a chief of state and head of government, while its legislative branch is a unicameral Peoples Assembly. It was elected in 1990, but the military regime never allowed it to be seated. Burmas judicial branch consists of remnants from the British colonial era but the country has no fair trial guarantees for its citizens.Economics and Land Use in BurmaBecause of stringent government controls, Burmas economy is unstable and much of its population lives in poverty. Burma is however, rich in natural resources and there is some industry in the country. As such, much of this industry is based on agriculture and the processing of its minerals and other resources. Industry includes agricultural processing, wood and wood products, copper, tin, tungsten, iron, cement, construction materials, pharmaceuticals, fertilizer, oil and natural gas, garments, jade and gems. Agricultural products are rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts, sugarcane, hardwood, fish and fish products.Geography and Climate of BurmaBurma has a long coastline that borders the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Its topography i s dominated by central lowlands that are ringed by steep, rugged coastal mountains. The highest point in Burma is Hkakabo Razi at 19,295 feet (5,881 m). The climate of Burma is considered tropical monsoon and as such it has hot, humid summers with rain from June to September and dry mild winters from December to April. Burma is also prone to hazardous weather like cyclones. For example in May 2008, Cyclone Nargis hit the countrys Irrawaddy and Rangoon divisions, wiped out entire villages and left 138,000 people dead or missing.ReferencesCentral Intelligence Agency. (3 August 2010). CIA - The World Factbook - Burma. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bm.htmlInfoplease.com. (n.d.). Myanmar: History, Geography, Government, and Culture- Infoplease.com. Retrieved from: infoplease.com/ipa/A0107808.html#axzz0wnnr8CKBUnited States Department of State. (28 July 2010). Burma. Retrieved from: state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35910.htmWikipedia.com. (16 August 2010). Burma - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedi a.org/wiki/Burma

Controversy Analysis -- Death Penalty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Controversy Analysis -- Death Penalty - Essay Example The topic is of interest to me in that I would like to know why some countries still practice death penalty and why others abolished. Personally I view death penalty as inhuman and that it is better for capital offenders to be life imprisoned than executed. They could be given a chance to live because humans are made to make mistakes. Therefore, the death penalty should be banned and other form of punishments should be embarked to judge capital criminal offenders. In â€Å"ancient Greece’s death penalty dilemma and its influence on modern society† by Robert Blecker explains the history of death penalty, and reasons why abolitionist are against the act. The abolitionists term the act as being cruel, inconsistent and do not value human beings. They further claim that death, as a punishment is not equitable to any punishment regardless of the size of the crime. According to Blecker, the death penalty should be abolished since it goes against human culture (Blecker 60). He further adds that for the past 30 years many countries are in a big dilemma on how to punish people who have committed capital crimes. From 1200-800 B.C homicide was termed to be more personal than a capital crime. The victim’s family without the involvement of the law punished a person who had committed murder through death (Blecker 60). The victim’s family either killed him or took a monetary exchange equitable to the crime committed. However, in ancient Greece they claimed that monetary value is not comparable to the blood of a human being. Therefore, a capital criminal offender just punishment was death. For instance, in Athens once, the family of the victim went public, the offender was considered a pollutant to the society and anyone had a mandate to kill the offender once spotted. Nevertheless, over the years many European countries have abolished capital punishment and have embraced life imprisonment for capital offenders. The US however, still practice the act for any individual found guilty of capital offenses. Constitutional debate on death penalty has been going on for years, with some philosophers dismissing the act (Blecker 61). The law is required to be careful when the decision is made to execute an individual. Certain considerations should be made on whether the victim of the death penalty is a juvenile or not, or whether the individual is mentally stable. In addition, the abolitionist also recommends that one time criminal offenders should not be on death penalty, because given a chance they can change. On the contrary, Blecker also discussed the issue of morals with regard to death penalty (Blecker 64). He argued that most people are against death penalty terming it as immoral and inconsiderate. Nonetheless, moral norms differ from one society to another, thus some communities view death penalty as the right way of punishing capital criminal offenders. Some philosophers argue that death penalty was established for the soul purp ose of revenge and retribution. Therefore, death penalty should be practiced based on reasonable facts rather than revenge and hatred (Blecker 65). The article is more about death penalty in ancient Greece. Thus, the article gives in detail the history of death penalty and how the society views the issue. Additionally, the article also gives the changes that have taken place over the years with regard to death penalty. The article’s strong points include the origins of death sentence and the view of abolitionist. Robert Blecker is a professor of law in New York