How to Protect the Environment Essay

Character is a pattern of behavior, thoughts and feelings based on universal principles, moral strength, and integrity – plus the guts to live by those principles every day. Character is evidenced by your life’s virtues and the â€Å"line you never cross.† Character is the most valuable thing you have, and nobody can ever take it away. Why Character is Important Character in life is what makes people believe in you and is essential both for individual success and for our society to function successfully. Each individual must do his or her part every day by living a life of integrity. Integrity is adhering to a moral code of honesty, courage, strength and truthfulness – being true to your word. When you don’t exhibit integrity, other people get hurt. But you hurt yourself even more. When you cheat, your â€Å"success† is false. When you break a promise, you are showing that your word is meaningless. When you lie, you deceive others and lose their respect. All of those examples destroy your reputation and break the trust others have in you. Without your good reputation and trustworthiness, your relationships fail. Relationships and Success Relationships are the foundation for success in life. For example, when you destroy the relationships with your friends, you will have no friends. You will be isolated and alone. If a student promises not to cheat, but does, he is taking unfair advantage to put himself ahead of others without deserving it. He can ruin his reputation, his academic record and his job prospects forever. When a businessman makes a promise to customers and doesn’t deliver, he destroys his relationships with his customers. His customers go elsewhere and his business fails. By breaking your relationships, you break the foundation for success in your life. What is true success? For example, who is more successful? Someone who is famous and makes a great deal of money, or someone who has no fame, makes little money, but is a great parent? Today, in school, is too much emphasis being placed on â€Å"good grades† and â€Å"high test scores† – so much so that are these things, rather than good character, how we define success? Conclusion Your good character is the most important asset you have. It takes a lifetime to build but can be lost in an instant. Once lost, it is difficult to regain. Your true character is revealed when no one else is looking. Often, people decide to act based on short term gain, or an easy fix to a problem and end up doing the wrong thing. The old adage â€Å"you are what you do† is true. Failure to consider the long term consequences of your acts can be disastrous. By study and focusing on the importance of character, you will be guided by principles, moral strength, and integrity to do the right thing. Nothing is more important for true success in your life.

Ethical Dilemma a Walmart Manager Might Face Essay

Using Collaborative Care The most common uses for collaborative care are patients with chronic diseases and patients with complex problems in need of care across a continuum of health care settings. Chronic diseases that benefit from the use of the collaborative model of care include type II diabetes mellitus, diseases of the cardiovascular system such as hypertension and heart failure, and renal disease, such as failure or chronic insufficiency. In addition, addictions such as those to illegal substances or alcohol, and mental health issues are ideal for the application of the team approach to care. Evidence clearly shows that the collaborative approach significantly increases the quality of care and patient satisfaction with his or her care. According to Kearney (2008), â€Å"team care is complex because the members must recognize each other’s competencies, determine the division of responsibilities for patient care and adhere to essential communication and documentation protocols. † Successful collaborative teams exhibit respect and focus for the common patient goals, have clear role assignments, respect and understand each member’s competencies, use effective and frequent communication and are able to resolve onflicts in a timely manner without major disruptions in the flow of care to the patient. Barriers to successful collaborative team care include any type of breakdown within the team. The most common issues that impact negatively on successful collaboration include disrespect for other members, role boundary conflicts, ineffective communication and p ower struggles between professions. Conclusion As society ages the number of people with chronic diseases and complex illnesses will continue to increase. The acute care setting is only one stop along the continuum of care for the treatment of these conditions.

Should Cars Be Banned from City Centers?

H: today we need to discuss an interesting topic is â€Å"do you thginks cars should be banned from city centers. Do you agree or disagree? In my opinion, I think cars should not be banned because people might not be able to get to work. Its unfair that we can not use our cars in the city centre. People might not like going on buses to the city centre because teenagers might cause trouble. Or you might not be able to get a seat. Some people might not like going on buses because there sometimes dirty and they do not have seatbelts so you don’t feel safe on them. Where if you are in your car you feel safer. H . true, I afraid†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. because I think that cars should be banned from the city centre because if they were the world would be a safer place and I would be able to go there with my family without having to panic about people attacking us. I feel that if there wasn’t any cars in the city centre it would become a more child friendly area making kids like me welcome there. It would make me happy and no doubt safe. I think they are more then a good idea because of their help to stop pollution helping to cure our world. For a better chance in life P :yes†¦. But sometimes u can be late because use public transport and spent a lot of time for wait H : I †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦there is clearly an urgent need to cut pollution, this could be achieved by developing cleaner fuels and electrically powered cars, and encouraging people to use public transport where possible. P: yes,you win. easing our reliance on cars is a great idea

Assignment 3 for CLS325 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Assignment 3 for CLS325 - Coursework Example This paper attempts to present the strengths and weaknesses of the two methods. The text-centered method of analyzing culture is considered as imperative in studying social context. Norman Fairclough explains that the theoretical basis for this concept is based on the fact that text itself is the product of people’s perspectives on the society in which they belong. He also points out that â€Å"texts constitute a major source of evidence for grounding claims about social, structures, relations and processes.† (209) In relation to the aforementioned points, it is, therefore, clear that texts serve as effective means of achieving a profound understanding of culture and society. On the other hand, these also serve as powerful instruments of shaping or influencing culture and society, in general, as well. However, there is an apparent weakness in just limiting the analysis of culture and society according to what the text provides. The text itself may not be able to provide an accurate impression unless this is related to the actual conditions that surround it. According to Urpo Kovala, â€Å"the first characteristic of cultural analysis of texts†¦ is that textual analysis be contextual.† (Cultural Studies and Cultural Text Analysis) It is by getting a more comprehensive picture, which may include knowing the author of the text and the personal and social conditions which he or she is in, that a better appreciation of the textual work produced is achieved. The text should, therefore, not be taken as it is but should be related to the context in which it was made. In this regard, its relevance or irrelevance should be understood through the reception of the readers or the receivers. Otherwise, textualism or the text-centered method could be outright weak. The weakness of the text-centered method of analyzing culture is that it tends to be detached from other conditions that may actually be related to the text itself. By merely relying on th e text and disregarding the other aspects that may have influenced its deliverer or creator, analysis becomes vulnerable to one-sidedness and, ultimately, inaccuracy. The reaction of the audience, which is important in determining the practical relevance of the text, also tends to be disregarded when making a text-centered analysis. This inherent weakness of textualism is the reason why Douglas Kellner suggests three aspects to consider in employing a text-centered method in analyzing culture. These are the â€Å"production and political economy of culture; textual analysis and critique of its artifacts; and a study of audience reception and the uses of media/cultural products.† (Kellner 8) All three must be taken into consideration when analyzing culture using the text-centered method. It must be noted that Kellner already mentions the significance of audience impression. Therefore, in an attempt to overcome the weakness of the text-centered method, some concerns that center s on the audience has to be applied. Hence, the method actually loses its being absolutely text-centered. In New Keywords: The Revised Vocabulary of Culture and Society, Terry Threadgold correctly sumps up the point that â€Å"the text is engage in a continuous play of meaning across the field on intertextuality†¦ at the very least, the meaning is mobile, dispersed, and plural, since any text is always subject to the incessant movement of recontextualization.†

Refutation in Thelogical Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Refutation in Thelogical Religion - Essay Example futation of religion does not involve only a refutation of theories regarding God and his kingdom but it necessarily involves a refutation to all possible authorities at once. Dostoevsky finds Nihilism to be the only alternative of religion and thus he supports a religious anarchy as a system which may allow human beings to dwell on earth with a piece that he compares to heavenly kingdom. However, on the other hand, handing over complete political authority to church had already shows threatening result which Dostoevsky himself had seen and considered as a result of political and economical lust in theological authorities which must choose to refute all worldly facilities and charms in order to sit on an authoritative position in religion. Compared to religious view of Dostoevsky, Freud and Sartre- who had borrowed a large part of their theories from Dostoevsky- proposed two analytical alternatives to understand the theory of religion. In his Origin of religion, Freud examines the idea for why men must find out a God whatever his situations are. In Brothers Karamazov Dostoevsky mentions there things that are necessary to mankind other than the Heavenly Bread of Bible, those are: Mystery, Miracle and Authority. Freud chooses authority as the reason why men always look for a superior creature that must be controlling at least some of his fate, if not all at once. Parallel to this idea, (Sartre) describes his theory of ‘bad faith’ to explain for how human being is infinitely free to choose just anything that he is afraid of his freedom and he seeks for a surrender to anything that provide him an alternative of facing his infinite freedom. As most of the empirical theories, including science, necessarily fails to describe about the nature of consciousness (or soul, spirit), the necessity of laws in nature and secret of life, people find out religion as providing them a shelter from their naked responsibility to find out a meaning in their existence. Resultantly,

NHS omputer System Failures Affecting Patient Care Assignment

NHS omputer System Failures Affecting Patient Care - Assignment Example Computers have assisted man ever since their inception. This assignment describes the infusion of Information Technology in the field of health and medicine that has led to the rebirth of the said field. Technological advancements that have affected the field of health were described in the assignment and have affected the human society as a whole directly and have mostly proved to be beneficial rather than hazardous. The researcher focuses on analysis of the NHS OR NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE that is an organization that was established in UK. The core idea behind the establishment of National Health Services-NHS was to provide high quality of healthcare to all the patients. This was specially intended keeping in mind that no patient should be made to suffer because of his financial stature. Thus apart from very few procedures the NHS unanimously provides medical services to all its patients that are UK residents. Since its inception, there was always one issue or the other that inhibit ed the successful growth of the system, such as the delaying of computerized scheduled patient operations, subscription of timely and accurate medicines, failing to detect and ensure treatment of cancer patients within two weeks and those of emergent nature within four hours. The researcher analyzed and investigated problems, that were mentioned above and provided his own opinion on success of the National Health Services organization as well as some gave some recommendations and solutions found to solve the problems.

Cereal Development Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cereal Development Proposal - Essay Example It is imperative to raise number of Cheerios cereals from 11 to 20 at least. On contrast to that Kellogg’s cereal category contains 27 varieties, while Malt-O-Meal has 19 types of cold cereals and 4 types of hot ones. Therefore, Cheerios should provide broader choice for the consumers, proposing absolutely new and delicate tastes. Key findings Previous analysis has shown that Cheerios lags behind its competitors because of its not very diverse range of products. Kellogg’s attracts consumers with big variety of brands, proposing such uncommon flavors and additives as maple syrup, almond, pecan and marshmallow. Meanwhile Malt-O-Meal suggests two categories of cereals: hot and cold ones, that manages to distinguish it from other companies significantly. Taking into account mentioned competitive advantages, it is essential for Cheerios to develop new products with unfamiliar for consumers flavors and implement carefully developed marketing plan, aiming at appropriate design of the new product types and effective promotion campaign. Moreover, in the issue of analysis it has been revealed that currently Kellogg’s and Malt-O-Meal propagandize idea of healthy meal without any preservatives except natural ones.

Spyware in the Enterprise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Spyware in the Enterprise - Essay Example It first appeared in the late nineties, although the name spyware is attributed to Zone Labs founder Gregor Freund who is suspected to have introduced it in 2000 (Wikipedia 2007). In referring to the present state of spyware, Gartner computer analyst John Pescatore reported "It's rapidly turning into a very serious problem. Last year, it was mostly annoying with all the pop-ups, but now it's leaving behind more serious problems," (Mark 2004). This report gives a detailed overview of the problems, and the various solutions currently available for combating spyware at the enterprise level. Multi-level preventive measures are essential in resolving the issues caused by spyware as they can considerably impact the its affect on the overall productivity of an organization. At this point, it is virtually impossible to fully eliminate the problem off a network, but there are several methods to control its influence at a level that minimizes its effect on the integrity of company networks and resources. Spyware has progressively become a serious technological concern for most enterprises which must rely on internetworking for business. According to a recent report it is the second largest network related security issue in enterprises (Sophos 2007). Commonly spyware is referenced as a combination of adware (ads, pop-ups) and application level data mining software. It is heavily financed by advertisers as a marketing approach to retrieve time-critical and sensitive information on the habits of online users. These financial backers in turn obtain relevant information to better target their advertising in part, or to resell the obtained data to the adequate parties, such as market research companies and the like. When it comes to the enterprise, the information targeted can be highly confidential as it is with our organization. After reading this report, the average employee is expected to be familiar with the meaning of spyware and related terms, the risks it entails, and some simple methods and practices to combat it on the enterprise network. How do we address the issue of spyware What are the various steps that can be implemented as an organization to reduce the risk presented by it Is installing an Anti-virus a sufficient strategy What could be the consequences of confidential data loss In this segment, we answer these questions as we offer a tour of spyware and its relevance as a security hazard in the workforce. Unlike other items, this issue concerns us all as we each share an internet connection at work; and thus are likely to have been infected by some form of spyware already. The problem and its impact on enterprise According to the National Cyber Security Alliance in the United States, about 90% of US PCs were reported to have some sort of spyware on them (NCSA 2005). This staggering number in the US alone gives an idea of the size of the problem. Even though, we do not have an estimate of the percentage of the Australian PCs infected, we are estimating it is comparable in percentage based on government research (Australian Government 2005). The problem is widespread because spyware passes through standard layers of security easier than most of us are prepared for. Spyware mostly infects a computer or laptop through its browser; an application we all use to access information on the

Susan B Anthony Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Susan B Anthony - Essay Example In 1838, her father lost his cotton mill business because of the financial depression in the United States, and in the spring of 1839 he had to sell their house. They moved to a town called Hardscrabble. In the spring of 1840, she went to teach at a boarding school near New York City. While Susan was teaching, she heard people talking about getting rid of slavery. She agreed with this idea, just like her father did. She believed that all people were equal. In 1849, when Susan came back home to Rochester, her father had started inviting over his friends who were interested in talking about the achievement of making free slavery state. She listened to her father and to others who wanted to finish slavery from the society. During the 1850s, the plan of getting rid of slavery was becoming an essential issue. The people in the North were against slavery, while on the other hand, the people in the South wanted to keep slavery. Those who were against slavery were called abolitionists. A lot of abolitionists were invited to the farm for a meeting. They all supported Susan in her work for women's rights. "In 1852, Anthony joined with Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Amelia Bloomer in campaigning for women's suffrage and equal pay. She also served in the American Anti-Slavery Society, and challenged barriers to female leadership in temperance societies and educational associations. Following the Civil War, Stanton and Anthony focused their efforts on voting rights, in hopes that suffrage for women and blacks could be linked in a groundbreaking constitutional amendment." Feminist leader http://us.history.wisc.edu/hist102/bios/2.html (Accessed January 18, 2006) She helped the administration of President Abraham Lincoln by forming the Women's Loyal League. In 1856, the abolitionists motivated Susan to classify, write and deliver speeches for a movement against slavery. In 1865, their efforts would pay off with the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Even though the slaves were free they didn't get the right to vote. In addition to Susan's fight to end slavery, she joined the Women's State Temperance Society in New York. Both men and women could join. Soon men started to take over the society, so Susan resigned as leader of the group. That was the end of her work with the temperance movement; she began working for women's rights. "In 1866 Anthony joined with Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott and Lucy Stone to help establish the American Equal Rights Association. The following year, the organization became active in Kansas where Negro suffrage and women's suffrage was to be decided by popular vote. However, both ideas were rejected at the polls." Elizabeth Cady Stanton wanted both the abolitionist and the women's right group to get combine for good results. Unluckily, the abolitionists did not want to work for women to have the right to vote. (Just as before, many of the women's suffragists did not care to get their cause tangled up with abolition.) Susan and Elizabeth were back where they had started twenty years before and focused their efforts on women's rights in order to raise money. Susan B. Anthony in politics In 1868 Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton established the political weekly, The Revolution and the Fourteenth Amendment was passed. This amendment affirmed that all people who were born or naturalized in the United States

Gender and Sexual Studies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Gender and Sexual Studies - Research Paper Example Honestly, sometimes it seems like sexuality is a very complex topic of study in the gender relations. However, married men, for example, are often bombarded on a day-to-day basis by conflicting messages and experiences such as you are handsome, you are not handsome (Beasley 123). Women, on the other hand, experience the same compliments like you are not sexy, and you are sexy. Additional conflicting sexuality messages and exceptions to the women include married couple have the worst sex, sex is for your husband, sex is for you and lastly married couples tend to have the best sex complement. Honestly, it is always good to leave women with a smile on their faces, dismay and confusion on their minds. This is embracing sexuality. In the business interactions, everyday stress and fatigue of the libido-suppressing effects, it becomes necessary for people to leave the whole of this â€Å"sexuality thing† for another day (Brownson 145). Embracing sexuality as an aspect of socializatio n is not bad though it should have some limits. When it comes to sexual pleasure, embracing sexuality encourages the best way possible for the married couple to experience sexual pleasure. Additionally, embracing sexuality in the marriage incidence ensures that the marriage partners cordially respect one another. Even though the embracement of sexuality to some degree seems stacked against every married couple personality, sexologists encourage people not to give up or let go of innately driven sex persuasion and intimacy in their marriages.

Analyse current issues facing schools, teacher and the education Essay

Analyse current issues facing schools, teacher and the education system and evaluate the impact these issues have on the school and the wider community - Essay Example ain homework in a wider way, several researchers explain that the teachers provide few educational tasks to their students during the non-instructional time. According to the report of L.A. Country High School (2014), homework is having an influence on the educational development of the students in the US. From a generalised viewpoint, homework can be described as an important quality task, which is assigned by the teachers to apprentices as a measure of their regular progress and as a tool to identify the developmental needs throughout the process. Homework is mainly instructed by teachers to be completed during the free hours for students at home, which also makes it a difficult process to be mentored and monitored. Based on this notion, Hendrickson (2012) argues that in the modern educational era, the actual importance of importance of homework in the student’s life remains to be obscure and unclear, especially in subjects like maths. Correspondingly, this essay focuses on obtaining an in-depth understanding regarding the importance of homework in the modern educational system and the challenges it presents thereto. In this regard, the study also emphasises the impact of homework on students, teachers and parents. In addition, an analysis has been conducted with the aim of determining the issue relating to whether the system of homework should be banned. When arguing on the banning of homework, Provenzano & Yue (2011) affirmed that it is an inseparable part of the educational life of the students in Japan when learning English. Notionally, homework is determined as a bridge of creating interaction between school and home. It is in this context that the research conducted by Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) revealed teachers, parents and school leaders, to consider homework as a valuable educational tool for enhancing the key skills of the students that include their cognitive skills and interpretation skills (Falch, 2011). Commonly, in the modern

Pricing Strategy and Channel Distribution Essay Example for Free

Pricing Strategy and Channel Distribution Essay Pricing Strategy and Channel Distribution Senior Concierge Services Kelly Spino Strayer University Dr. Robert Badowski Abstract Determine and discuss a pricing strategy (penetration or skimming). Determine and discuss pricing tactics (product line pricing, value pricing, differential pricing, or competing against private brands) to be used for your product. Identify any legal and ethical issues related to the pricing tactics. Prepare a marketing distribution channel analysis identifying the wholesaler, distributor, and retailer relationships. Discuss how the distribution strategy fits the product/service, target market, and overall marketing objectives for the company. As a service business, Senior Concierge Service will offer non medical care and maintenance for senior citizens and their families. This type of service business does not have many competitors, and pricing is consistent among the senior care industry. The pricing strategy for Senior Concierge Service will be to stay within the normal range for its services. Consumers will choose Senior Concierge Service over the competition not by cost, but by the quality of services offered. Price skimming is a pricing strategy in which a marketer sets a relatively high price for a product or service at first, and then the price is lowered over time. This is a version of price discrimination. Price skimming allows a business to recover its resources quickly before a competitor moves in and lowers their prices, lowering the market price. The objective of a price skimming strategy is to capture the consumer surplus. There are several potential problems with this strategy. It is effective only when a business is facing an inelastic demand curve (demand that is not very sensitive to a change in price). Skimming encourages the entry of competitors. Penetration pricing is a more suitable strategy in this case. This strategy is a pricing technique of setting a relatively low initial entry price, often lower than the market price, to attract new customers. This strategy works on the probability that customers will switch to the new business because of the lower price. Penetration pricing is most commonly associated with a marketing objective of increasing market hare or sales volume, rather than to make profit in the short term. This can take the competition by surprise, not giving them time to react. It can also create goodwill among the early customer segment. This can create more trade through word of mouth. Ethical thinking is responding to situations that deal with principles concerning human behavior in respect to the appropriateness and inappropriate ness of certain communication and to the decency and indecency of the intention and results of such actions (distinctions between right and wrong). Marketers are ethically responsible for what is marketed and the image that a product portrays. Marketers need to understand what good ethics are and how to incorporate good ethics in various marketing campaigns to better reach a targeted audience and to gain trust from customers. (Wikipedia. com) Unethical or controversial marketing strategies include: bait and switch, pyramid scheme, planned obsolescence, lock-in/ loyalty schemes, viral marketing, and, monopolies/oligopolies. In retail sales, a bait and switch is a form of fraud in which the party putting forth the fraud lures in customers by advertising a product or service at an unprofitably low price, and then reveals to potential customers that the advertised good is not available but that a substitute is. A pyramid scheme is a non-sustainable business model that involves the exchange of money primarily for enrolling other people into the scheme, without any product or service being delivered. Pyramid schemes are a form of fraud. The scheme collapses when no more people are willing to join the pyramid Planned obsolescence is the process of a product becoming obsolete or non-functional after a certain period or amount of use in a way that is planned or designed by the manufacturer. The purpose of planned obsolescence is to hide the real cost per use from the consumer, and charge a higher price than they would otherwise be willing to pay, or would be unwilling to spend all at once. For industries, planned obsolescence stimulates demand by encouraging purchasers to buy sooner if they still want a functioning product. In business, vendor lock-in or customer lock-in, makes a customer dependent on a vendor for products and services, unable to use another vendor without substantial switching costs. Lock-in costs which create barriers to market entry may result in antitrust action against a monopoly. Loyalty programs include frequent flier miles or points systems associated with credit card offers that can be used only with the original company, creating a perceived loss or cost when switching to a competitor. Most programs are able to get consumers to spend more money just to get to free or bonus item. Viral marketing and viral advertising refer to marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networks to produce increases in brand awareness. It can be word-of-mouth delivered or enhanced by the network effects of the Internet. Monopolies and oligopolies often use anti-competitive practices, which can have a negative impact on the economy. This is why company mergers are often examined closely by government regulators to avoid reducing competition in an industry. Since this business caters to seniors and their families, it is especially important for Senior Concierge Services to represent quality, value and confidence in its services and staff. The success of this company depends on compassionate, trustworthy, conscientious, and ethical care givers providing non-medical in-home care. A different take on the loyalty program would allow customers to receive a discount after x amount of service visits or when prepaying for multiple services. A marketing distribution channel analysis is a means used to transfer merchandise from the manufacturer to the end user. An intermediary in the channel is called a middleman. Channels normally range from two-level channels without intermediaries to five-level channels with three intermediaries. Intermediaries in the channel of distribution are used to facilitate the delivery of the merchandise as well as to transfer title, payments, and information about the merchandise. Distribution describes all the logistics involved in delivering a companys products or services to the right place, at the right time, for the lowest cost. For many products and services, their manufacturers or providers use multiple channels of distribution. Well-chosen channels constitute a significant competitive advantage, while poorly conceived or chosen channels can doom even a superior product or service to failure in the market. Distribution channels may not be restricted to physical products alone. They may be just as important for moving a service from producer to consumer in certain sectors, since both direct and indirect channels may be used. There have also been some innovations in the distribution of services, such as an increase in franchising and in rental services. There has also been some indication hat service integration can benefit many providers. Senior Concierge Services will look to link with other service providers to create a mutually beneficial arrangement. Medical providers, beauticians, landscapers and general contractors would all be a good fit with the services offered. A distribution strategy defines how a business is going to create and satisfy demand for its products; how a business is going to move produ cts from point of creation to points of consumption, in a cost-effective manner; as well as defining how a business is going to manage its brand. Todays customers shop and buy very differently than ever before. Access to high-quality information, via the internet, combined with their heightened price sensitivity, has created customers that are more sophisticated, better informed and often times, more demanding than customers of the past. A distribution strategy must be in sync with how the customers of Senior Concierge Service want to shop for services. Franchising is an option worth considering. For a fee, a small business owner can take advantage of the marketing research completed at the corporate level.

The Introduction Of Asean Politics Essay

The Introduction Of Asean Politics Essay The Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok by the five original Member Countries, namely, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined on 8 January 1984, Vietnam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999. The institutions and processes in ASEAN have evolved gradually, building upon member countries great diversity in size, levels of development, natural and human resources, histories, cultures, values and traditions, languages, religions, races, economic and social institutions, and political systems. Taking into account this diversity, ASEAN cooperates voluntarily and on a consensus basis for the common good, with peace and economic, social and cultural development as its primary purposes. This is reflected in the ASEAN Declaration of 8 August 1967: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations represents the collective will of the nations of Southeast Asia to bind themselves together in friendship and cooperation and, through joint efforts and sacrifices, secure for their peoples and for posterity the blessings of peace, freedom and prosperity. It was a short, simply-worded document containing just five articles. It declared the establishment of an Association for Regional Cooperation among the Countries of Southeast Asia to be known as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and spelled out the aims and purposes of that Association. These aims and purposes were about cooperation in the economic, social, cultural, technical, educational and other fields, and in the promotion of regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter. It stipulated that the Association would be open for participation by all States in the Southeast Asian region subscribing to its aims, principles and purposes. It proclaimed ASEAN as representing the collective will of the nations of Southeast Asia to bind themselves together in friendship and cooperation and, through joint efforts and sacrifices, secure for their peoples and for posterity the blessings of peace, freedom and prosperity. ASEAN continues to be a dynamic region despite the economic setbacks caused by the financial crisis of 1997-1998. As ASEAN faces the challenge of achieving sustainable development in the context of todays increasingly globalized world, it has recognized the need for greater integration and cooperation among member countries. No longer does ASEAN separate financial from commercial and investment concerns, nor the environment and social concerns or science and technology from the demands of economic growth. http://www.asean.org/asean/about-asean/history http://www.asean-community.au.edu/images/asean-map1-1.jpg Picture from AU ASEAN Community, http://www.asean-community.au.edu/ In 2006, the ASEAN region had a population of about 560 million, a combined gross domestic product of almost US$ 1,100 billion, and a total trade of about US$ 1,400 billion. The diversity of the region is apparent in the fact that the largest country in terms of land area is 2700 times larger than the smallest country; the country with the largest population has 580 times more people than the smallest country; and the richest country has a GDP per capita that is 145 times the poorest country. AIMS AND PURPOSES As set out in the ASEAN Declaration, the aims and purposes of ASEAN are: To accelerate the economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region through joint endeavours in the spirit of equality and partnership in order to strengthen the foundation for a prosperous and peaceful community of Southeast Asian Nations; To promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law in the relationship among countries of the region and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter; To promote active collaboration and mutual assistance on matters of common interest in the economic, social, cultural, technical, scientific and administrative fields; To provide assistance to each other in the form of training and research facilities in the educational, professional, technical and administrative spheres; To collaborate more effectively for the greater utilisation of their agriculture and industries, the expansion of their trade, including the study of the problems of international commodity trade, the improvement of their transportation and communications facilities and the raising of the living standards of their peoples; To promote Southeast Asian studies; and To maintain close and beneficial cooperation with existing international and regional organisations with similar aims and purposes, and explore all avenues for even closer cooperation among themselves. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES In their relations with one another, the ASEAN Member States have adopted the following fundamental principles, as contained in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) of 1976: Mutual respect for the independence, sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity, and national identity of all nations; The right of every State to lead its national existence free from external interference, subversion or coercion; Non-interference in the internal affairs of one another; Settlement of differences or disputes by peaceful manner; Renunciation of the threat or use of force; and Effective cooperation among themselves. http://www.aseansec.org/about_ASEAN.html ASEAN And Sustainable Development Facing the challenges of achieving sustainable development in the context of todays increasing globalized world, the ASEAN has recognized the need for greater integration and cooperation among member countries. ASEAN no longer separates financial from commercial and investment concerns, nor the environment and social concerns or science and technology with the demands of economic growth. In 1997, the Heads of State and Government of ASEAN reaffirmed their commitments to the aims and purposes of the Association through ASEAN Vision 2020, which reflects the desire of ASEAN to pursue a more sustainable path to development as: a clean and green ASEAN with fully established mechanisms for sustainable development to ensure the protection of the regions environment, the sustainability of its natural resources and the high quality of life of its people This vision will be achieved through a series of action plans, which will set strategies and specific activities with measurable targets, outputs, means of implementation and mid-term review mechanisms. The first of such action plans is the Hanoi Plan of Action (HPA) for 1999-2004, adopted during the ASEAN Summit in 1998. The Hanoi Plan of Action (1999-2004) aims to achieve the following objectives: 1. Strengthen macroeconomic and financial cooperation 2. Enhance greater economic and integration 3. Promote science and technology development and develop information technology infrastructure 4. Promote social development and address the social impact of the financial and economic crisis 5. Promote human resource development 6. Protect the environment and promote sustainable development 7. Strengthen regional peace and security 8. Enhance ASEANs role as an effective force for peace, justice and moderation in Asia-Pacific and in the world 9. Promote ASEAN awareness and its standing in the international community 10. Improve ASEANs structures and mechanisms ASEAN Vision 2020 forms the sustainable development framework for the ASEAN member countries to collectively pursue ASEANs goals, as set forth in the Vision, by the year 2020. The ASEAN Summit in adopting this Vision decided that the goals of Vision 2020 will be achieved through a series of medium-term action plans, which will set strategies and specific activities with measurable targets and outputs, including means of implementation and mid-term review mechanisms. The first of such action plans, known as the Hanoi Plan of Action (HPA) for the years 1999 to 2004, was adopted by the ASEAN Summit in 1998. ASEAN shares and believes in the global vision for sustainable development and has the commitment and political will for integrating environmental considerations into development planning. ASEAN Vision 2020 and the HPA reflect ASEANs responsive integrated policy framework, which weaves together demographic dynamics, social development, economic growth, natural resource use and enviro nmental protection, and other development initiatives. ASEAN considers its Vision 2020 and the series of medium-term action plans, starting with the Hanoi Plan of Action, as part and parcel of the global effort to plan and implement national and regional sustainable development activities in the Southeast Asian region. It draws heavily upon, and ensures complementarity and synergy with, the Rio Resolutions, Agenda 21 and the various multilateral instruments agreed upon. ASEAN believes that in setting the future sustainable development framework, WSSD should draw upon the lessons, experiences, institutional settings, mechanisms, realities and dynamics of regional inter-governmental frameworks. This report offers that for the Southeast Asian region. It is within this framework that the report highlights ASEANs challenges in realizing sustainable development, its efforts in addressing these challenges and its future commitments towards a sustainable Southeast Asia that is able to meet the needs of the present without compromising the abilit y of future generations to meet their own needs (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987). ASEAN Initiatives on Sustainable Development Economic Development Sustained economic growth is key to sustainable development. It provides the means for nations and people to uplift their living standards and have a decent and healthy lifestyle, with adequate housing and education. More importantly, it allows measures to be taken to promote the conservation of natural resources and protection of the environment, which in turn fuels economic growth and sustains life. Since Rio 1992, ASEAN has experienced rapid economic growth through industrialization and export-led growth. This enabled ASEAN to move away from resource-based industries to manufacturing and service industries. Since rural communities were able to find jobs in these sectors, this eased the pressure on natural resources and member countries were able to devote more resources to environmental protection. The financial crisis of 1997-1998 set back all that. Poverty and social unrest increased. Member countries inevitably increased the exploitation of their natural resources to sustain their level of income. Despite the setbacks and turmoil brought about by the financial crisis, the ASEAN is committed more than ever to pursue economic liberalization, promote trade and investment regimes that are increasingly integrated in ASEAN, and open to the rest of the world. Measures undertaken by ASEAN in this direction include the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA), the ASEAN Investment Area (AIA) and the ASEAN Industrial Cooperation (AICO) Scheme. ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) The 1992 AFTA agreement required the elimination of tariff barriers among the ASEAN member countries with a view to integrating the ASEAN economy into a single production base and creating a regional market of 500 million people. By lowering tariff rates, ASEAN hopes to enhance economic competitiveness and promote cross-border trade and investment in the region.Partly as a result of the implementation of the Agreement on the Common Effective Preferential Tariff (CEPT) Scheme for the AFTA, trade between ASEAN countries has grown from $44.2 billion in 1993 to $95.2 billion in 2000, representing an average annual increase of 11.6%. One of the desired outcomes of AFTA is the rationalization of industrial production in the region, which is expected to allow for product specialization and thus avoid duplication of expensive production facilities. AFTA was substantially realised in January 2002 with six original member countries cutting their tariff barrier on almost all manufactured and ag ricultural products between zero and five per cent. ASEANs Integrated Infrastructure Network Economic integration requires good infrastructure facilities in the region such as regional networks of highways, railways, telecommunications, power grids and water and gas pipelines. ASEAN Vision 2020 calls for the establishment of interconnecting arrangements in the field of energy and utilities for electricity, natural gas and water within ASEAN through the ASEAN Power Grid and a Trans-ASEAN Gas Pipeline and Water Pipeline and the promotion of cooperation in energy efficiency and conservation, as well as the development of new and renewable energy resources. 1. Social Development ASEAN recognizes that sustainable development is not only about generating wealth but also ensuring its equitable distribution. A decent quality of life for its people requires a high quality environment. The activities of the poor are not the main causes of environmental degradation and yet they are the most affected by it in terms of quality of life and health. A number of factors, including declining productivity, pollution, erosion, natural calamities (such as floods and droughts), depressed commodity prices and the influx of cheap imports, impose formidable challenges to their livelihood. These challenges lead them to exploit natural resources unsustainably. As a result, it has been necessary for the ASEAN to address two key social development issues, poverty and health and their interrelationships with the environment. Poverty Although poverty levels in the ASEAN have been declining, poverty levels in some of the newer member countries are still considerably high. To address poverty issues, ASEAN Vision 2020 hopes for an ASEAN where hunger, malnutrition, deprivation and poverty are no longer basic problems. A number of measures under the Hanoi Plan of Action are meant to see this vision through, including the Plan of Action on ASEAN Rural Development and Poverty and the ASEAN Plan of Action on Social Safety Nets. The Framework Plan of Action on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication was adopted in 1997 and defined the following key actions: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ building and/or enhancing capacities for research, assessment and monitoring of poverty in ASEAN countries; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ training of facilitators on rural development and poverty eradication; and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ developing a campaign for enhancing national and regional public awareness on rural develop ment and poverty eradication. The social impacts of the financial crisis were then addressed by the 1998 ASEAN Action Plan on Social Safety Nets. Priorities in the action plan include: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ targeting and rapid impact assessment methodologies for social programs; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ service delivery and related operational issues; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ role of central and local governments in social safety nets; and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ partnerships in social policy. 2. Sustainable Management of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection ASEANs environment and natural resource endowments are unique and diverse. Forest cover in ASEAN is over 48%, compared to the world average of below 30%. Three of the 17 mega biodiversity countries are in ASEAN. Terrestrial protected areas in the region number 1,014 sites, protecting 418, 000 km2. The regions aquatic and marine ecosystems are highly productive and species rich. Half a billion people in ASEAN depend on these resources for their livelihood, causing increasing stress on the natural environment. A number of factors have led to natural resource degradation, such as rapid population rise, conversion of forested and ecologically-sensitive areas for agricultural purposes, poverty and damage caused by forest fires and natural disasters. ASEAN member countries are actively engaged in addressing global environmental issues. Almost all member countries are parties to the relevant major multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs). Burdened with the onerous obligations of these MEAs without the promised substantial financial and technical support to implement them, ASEAN is taking a lead in promoting synergy and coordination among these MEAs to overcome institutional and human resources constraints, and at the same time to ensure a holistic and synergistic approach to the issues. Forest Ecosystems and Biological Diversity The ASEAN region has a total land area of 4.4 million sq km, most of which were once covered with forests. In the mid-1990s, regional land use patterns were detailed as: Forest cover and deforestation vary widely across the region. From 1970 to 1990, ASEAN lost 31.4 million hectares of forest, a rate of about 15,700 km2 per year. Deforestation increased by 1990 to 2000, with annual loss estimated at 23,260 km2 a year. Forest certification has been employed to encourage sustainable forest management by promoting trade in forest products from sustainably managed forests. The ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF) endorsed the Framework for ASEAN Regional Criteria and Indicators (CI) for Sustainable Management of Natural Tropical Forests in October 2000. The regional CI is a guide to developing nation-specific criteria, indicators and standards, which could be used to assess sustainable forest management practices or for timber certification. 3. ASEANs Governance and Cooperative Mechanism ASEANs governance mechanism, which has evolved gradually over the years, is now very much institutionalized and cover major sectors such as political, security, economic, social, environment and other functional areas. The highest decision-making body of ASEAN is the Meeting of the Heads of State and Government or ASEAN Summit held every year. The Annual Meeting of Foreign Ministers, better known as the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) is responsible for the formulation of policy guidelines. The AMM is supported by the ASEAN Standing Committee (ASC) and the Senior Officials Meeting (SOM), while the ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) is supported by the Senior Economic Officials Meeting (SEOM) and several working groups. Overall coordination at the national level in each of the ASEAN member countries is undertaken by a dedicated ASEAN department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 4. ASEAN Environmental Management Framework ASEAN cooperation on the environment started in 1978 with the establishment of an ASEAN Experts Group on the Environment (AEGE), which has since been elevated as the ASEAN Senior Officials on the Environment (ASOEN). The ASOEN is composed of the heads of environmental ministries/departments/agencies that are responsible for environmental matters in their respective countries. The cooperative programmes and projects of ASOEN are guided by the ASEAN Strategic Plan of Action on the Environment (SPAE)1999-2004. The ASOEN reports to the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment (AMME), which is primarily responsible for policy matters related to the environment. At the national level on the other hand, ASEAN member countries have designated specific institutions to implement Agenda 21. Pro- Arguments 1. ASEAN serves as a regional-cooperation organization between the country members. 1.1 ASEAN has a well-established governance structure for the Southeast Asian region to effectively develop, coordinate and implement regional programs. 1.2 ASEAN also provides the forum to facilitate the development and implementation of integrated regional sustainable development policies, strategies and action plans consistent with the global framework and the needs of member countries. 2. ASEAN has the ability to advance its sustainable development goals and ambitions. 2.1 ASEAN emphasized that existing frameworks for regional inter-governmental governance such as ASEAN should be fully utilized as part of the international governance structure to promote coordinated sustainable development initiatives for that region. 2.2 ASEAN also called upon the Global Environment Facility to enhance its effectiveness by improving its operational procedures and be more responsive to the identified needs of developing countries; and accord priority to regional policies developed within the ASEAN institutional framework. 3. ASEAN has been successful in coordinating its member countries to plan a sustainable development framework in its agenda. 3.1 ASEAN called for declarations and commitments such as those contained in the Rio Declaration, Agenda 21, Millenium Declaration and the Monterrey Consensus on Financing for Development to be implemented expeditiously. 3.2 ASEAN called for developed countries to fulfill their commitments in financial assistance, technology transfer and capacity building in line with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. 3.3 ASEAN also provides the forum to facilitate the development and implementation of integrated regional sustainable development policies, strategies and action plans consistent with the global framework and the needs of member countries. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ ASEAN called for the further enhancement of the international economic and trading systems to complement the ASEANs efforts to open trade and investment in the region, in particular, to improve market access for developing countries exports, eliminate trade-distorting subsidies and barriers to trade for agricultural products, and provides special and differential treatment to developing countries. ASEAN expressed its opposition to the use of environmental measures for protectionist purposes. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ ASEAN also called for the strengthening of the international financial architecture, which includes a review of the roles of the international financial institutions as well as international regulatory bodies in order to enhance their capacity to contain and resolve financial crises. Priority should be accorded to measures to protect the poor and most vulnerable segments of society. ASEAN also welcomed efforts to deal comprehensively and effectively with the debt problems of developing countries and to make the management of debt sustainable in the long term.

What Location Influences Foreign Direct Investment?

What Location Influences Foreign Direct Investment? Chapter 1 Introduction This chapter offers an introduction to the research, with paragraph 1.2 detailing the problem it focuses on, leading to the research question in paragraph 1.3. Paragraph 1.4 discusses the relevance of the research. The chapter ends with an outline of the thesis. The next paragraphs contain the various purposes and the general research design, and finish with the disposition of the study. 1.1 Background Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is an important source of capital and economic growth in recent business. It provides a package of new technologies, management techniques, finance and market access for the production of goods and services. However, attracting FDI is a major challenge for most host countries as they face the challenge of identifying the major factors that motivate and affect the FDI location decision. Nowadays, regions try to attract Foreign Direct Investments to stimulate their economic development (OECD, 2002a). Certain regions consider the ecological issues as well and promote sustainable FDI. Recently, while working at AgentschapNL, an agency of the Dutch secretary of Economic Affairs, the awareness for sustainable investment rose. AgentschapNL promotes sustainable development and innovation, both in the Netherlands and abroad. One region that is engaged in an initiative to attract FDI is the Swedish province Jà ¤mtland. This initiative is called Midscand and it involves stimulating business investments and cooperation (joint ventures, business development, acquisitions, strategic alliances, outsourcing and new start-ups). One of their target countries is the Netherlands. The activities that are discussed are the sectors: cleantech, tourism, mechanical industry, forestry and call centres. The scope of this research is limited to the cleantech sector. This sector deals with sustainable innovations and investments in Jà ¤mtland, with special focus on wind and bio energy. The main goal of this project is to attract new investments from the Netherlands to Swedish regions. 1.2 Problem Indication The literature dealing with FDI can be classified in two main streams, as pointed out by Agiomirgianakis, Asteriou and Papathoma (2003): the first explains the effect of FDI on the process of economic growth, while the second one goes in depth into the study of the determinants of FDI. This thesis focuses on the second part of literature. Among all the factors influencing the location decisions of FDI, the location-specific determinants need particular exploration, since they can help the host governments to attract and increase FDI inflows using several instruments (Chakrabarti, 2001). Location-specific factors will always influence the decision to enter or exit a location for investment purposes (Audretsch and Fritsch, 2002). FDI is a key element of the international economic relations as it is an engine of employment, technology transfer and improvement of productivity, which ultimately leads to economic growth. The need to attract FDI forces governments to provide a favourable climate for business activities (Nordstrom, 1991). The foreign firms can be influenced by the political and economic institutional framework of the host country, which could affect the choice of where to invest their capital (Makino and Chan, 2004). The challenge of this research is to explore which location determinants make a region attractive for FDI. The definition of the problem is: What should Swedish regions do to positively influence FDI? By presenting a thorough overview of FDI and the determinants that could influence the location choice for a company, this research aims to provide a framework, tested in interviews for the applicability of investments. 1.3 Research questions To solve the problem the following research questions are answered: What is FDI? Based on a literature review that provides theoretical information on this phenomenon. What are the location factors? Galan and Gonzales (2007) are used as basis for the location factors. Several other papers on location factors are evaluated and criticized. What does Sweden have to offer? This final question deals with the application of the theoretical framework to Swedish region as case study and the relationship between the factors they possess and the factors they need to stimulate to influence FDI. 1.4 Purpose and Objective The purpose of this thesis is to examine which regional factors influence foreign direct investments. Theories regarding FDI and location-specific characteristics will be reviewed and analysed in the theoretical framework. A thorough overview of the location factors will be part of the framework that can be used by regions, willing to attract sustainable investments. But first of all, the objective as described in the definition of the problem is to give recommendations to Swedish regions regarding the factors they should highlight to attract or influence direct foreign investment. 1.5 Research Design The literature framework is based on relevant papers. According to Ghauri (2005), theoretical data will be used to understand and interpret the research question, and it will help to â€Å"broaden the base from which scientific conclusion can be drawn†. The relevance of the papers will be based on quality. To reach the goal of collection qualitative data for the research question, a phased selection is made. The emphasis of the courses Corporate Level Strategy and Research Methods of Strategy within the master Strategic Management is on testing all data on quality. By examining the relevance, publication form and impact factor of the information, the quality of the paper will be showed. The research is divided into two parts: (1) the literature research and (2) a case study. The first part of the research is explorative, because it is intended to gain more information on the situation and to get familiar with the research area. Qualitative studies -observations and interviews- are used to gain more knowledge of the research topic (Sekaran, 2003). The research mainly relies on secondary data; books and articles by various authors are considered. Literature is compared and new insights are gained. Interviews are conducted for the verification of the interests, which are characterized as primary data. In this research, qualitative data is the main source. The time dimension of this research is cross-sectional, which implies that the research is conducted at one particular moment in time. For useful literature, the data will be collected on acknowledged databases (e.g. ABI/Inform, JCR, Web of Science). The keywords that will be used during the search period are â€Å"FDI†, â€Å"entry modes†, â€Å"choice of country†, â€Å"region†, and â€Å"location determinants†. All literature sources can be found in the list of references. The theory will be examined by a qualitative case study. Case studies are used to understand a specific case under particular circumstances (Patton, 2002). 1.6 Disposition In chapter 2 the contemporary theory that has been evaluated and reviewed is presented. An introduction will be followed by a presentation of FDI and the factors that influence the location choice, followed by the location factors that are important for wind and bio-energy. In chapter 3 the methodology is elaborated and provides a description of the way this thesis was written and the choices that are made. In the second paragraph the data and sample size are explained. Theoretical and empirical frameworks are discussed, as well as the reliability and validity of this study. In chapter 4 the participating respondents are interviewed, which leads to an analysis and concludes the empirical results. Chapter 5 includes the results of the findings and the discussion that compares the theoretical statements that were researched and found necessary for this research presented in chapter 2. The mode of procedure is explained and the model of the empirical results is presented in this part. Chapter 6 includes the answers of this research by modifying the analysis model. The conclusion is based on the discussion in chapter 5. The answers serve as a proposal for further research in a broader context and give an opportunity of generalization. Chapter 2 Theoretical framework The literature review provides the foundation for this research, through discussions of previous studies on FDI and international business. Section 2.2 offers a review of studies regarding FDI. Next, it is essential to identify the location factors that influence that move, as it contains the answer to the second research question: What are location factors? The third paragraph contains a detailed overview of the location factors. An overview of the selected factors can be found in table 1. The list contains determinants to measure the impact on the location factors and their impact on FDI. The last paragraph contains a summary of the findings and a conclusion. 2.1 What is FDI? Modern day literature increasingly concentrates on subjects covering the globalization of markets and the internationalization of companies. Governments contribute to this situation by opening their regulations with the intention to profit from a more open economy (Dunning and Nurala, 2002). The growing number of liberal policies is a driving force for companies to go abroad and make FDI (Galà ¡n and Gonzà ¡lez-Benito, 2001). There are several definitions of a foreign direct investment presented by a number of researchers. A central theme of the definitions available on FDI, with the one illustrated by Moosa (2002) as a typical example, is that the companies undertaking such a venture aspire to gain a controlling stake in the asset or entity purchased. An FDI is not to be confused with an international or portfolio investment, where the aim merely is to diversify the holdings of the firm and make a financially sound investment (Buckley, 1998). FDI is defined as a firm based in one country (the home country) owning ten per cent (10%) or more of the stock of a company located in a foreign country (the host country). This amount of stock is generally enough to give the home country firm significant control over the host country firm. Most FDI is in wholly owned or nearly wholly owned subsidiaries. Other non-equity forms of FDI include: subcontracting, management contracts, franchising, and licensing and product sharing .In view of the above, FDI can be either inward or outward. FDI is measured either as a flow (amount of investment made in one year) or a stock (the total investment accumulation at the end of the year). Outward FDI can take various forms, home country residents can: purchase existing assets in a foreign country; make new investment in property, plant equipment in a foreign country; participate in a joint venture with a local partner in a foreign country (Dunning, 1976). 2.2 Location factors 2.2.1 Introduction There is considerable literature on the determinants of location factors for multinational Corporations (MNCs) when they choose their foreign market location, but very little on the relative importance of the location factors for FDI in a specific country and industry. It is widely believed that the trend towards globalized production and marketing has major implications for the attraction of developing countries to FDI inflows. The relative importance of FDI location determinants have changed. Even though traditional determinants and the types of FDI associated with them have not disappeared as a result of globalization, their importance is said to be on the decline. More specifically, one of the most important traditional FDI determinants, the size of national markets, has decreased in importance. At the same time, cost differences between locations, the quality of infrastructure, the ease of doing business and the availability of skills have become more important (UNCTAD 1996). Li kewise, Dunning (1999) argues that the motives for and the determinants of FDI have changed. Buckley and Ghauri (2004) point to the limited attention researchers have given to the FDI location factors in the literature. They suggest that international business strategy is distinct from main stream or single country business strategy only because of differences of location. Hence, location specifics are essential to the possibility of international strategy having a distinctive content. They, too, suggest that a focus on location, and possibly the question of why locations differ, could be a response to the issue of what forms the next big question in international business research. Dunning (2008) suggests that the more recent lack of attention to location by IB scholars could have arisen from an assumption that the location decision principles are the same for both international and domestic locations. Thus, scholars were either satisfied with existing explanations or as Dunning (1998) points out maybe theywere just not interested. In attempting to determine the relevant set of location factors, Michael Porters (1990) work cited in Hodgetts (1993) offers a valuable starting point. Porter notes that success for a given industry in international competition depends on the relative strength of that industry with regards to a set of business-related features or drivers of competitiveness, namely factor conditions; demand conditions; related and supporting industries; and firm strategy, structure, and rivalry. Government and chance are seen to influence competitiveness through their impact on the above four basic drivers. This framework the drivers of competitiveness has been used in a number of studies of industries and individual economies. Porters competitiveness framework has been the subject of major criticisms. Paul Krugman (1994) specifically criticized the idea that nations, or locations, compete in the same way as firms do, and his wide-ranging critique attacks this concept. Also, the empirical evidence for national competitiveness and the policies that follow are what Krugman (1994) describes as a dangerous obsession. Another criticism is that Porter places government involvement in international business outside of the core determinants. Many authors have claimed that Porters framework pays insufficient attention to relevant specific location factors such as globalization (Dunning, 1993), multinational companies (Dunning, 1993; RugmanVerbeke, 1993), technology (Narula, 1993. Several authors have questioned the validity of the model, and the conclusions drawn from the model, for countries such as Austria (Bellak Weiss, 1993), Canada (Rugman dCruz, 1993), Hong Kong (Redding, 1994) and Mexico (Hodgetts, 1993). A lot of research interested in providing the determining factors for FDI loca tion decisions is seen to be done by managers. Some of the major studies are the following (Dunning, 2000): theories of risk diversification (Rugman, 1979); agglomeration theories (Krugman, 1993; Porter, 1994, 1996); theories related to government-induced incentives (Loree and Guisinger, 1995); and theories of location (Dunning, 1997). All these new theories are certainly insightful, but they are all context-specific, and interested solely in stressing the relevance of certain factors to the detriment of others that may be equally significant. None of them has yet provided a satisfactory explanation of the relative importance of specific factors that lead managers to locate their investments via FDI in a specific country and industry (Dunning, 2008). Dunning (2008) believes that â€Å"it is not possible to formulate a single operationally testable theory that can explain all forms of foreign-owned production any more than it is possible to construct a generalized theory to explain all forms of trade or the behaviour of all kinds of firms.† Cohen (2007) believes that location factors for a specific location and industry that affect the location decision are based on the perceptions of a small group of senior managers, not a scientific formula. Furthermore, Buckly et al(2007) argue that studying a single firm or group of firms in the same industry is the best way to identify the most important factors, because firms in the same industry usually follow a systematic process for location choices, and seek to prioritize certain location factors as they become more internationally mature. Cohen (2007) argues, â€Å"No standard set of attributes, each with an assigned relative weight of importance, exists in the many lists of what matters in location published by business groups, international organizations, and scholars. Determining where to invest is a case-by-case decision†. Cohen (2007) also suggests that no single formula exists because specific strengths and weaknesses of a country or region might receive high priority by one team of corporate evaluators and can be ignored by another, depending on what kind of investment is contemplated, which in turn will determine a subsidiarys objectives and operational needs. Furthermore, individual corporate cultures will assign a different relative importance to what attributes they require in a country, what they would like to see, what negatives they can work around, and what is unequivocally unacceptable. Calculating trade-offs between positive and negative location characteristics is an art, not a science. Galan et al (2007) conducted an empirical research into location factors that has been researched by several theorists. This list provides a detailed overview of the main location factors and sub factors considered by several empirical studies that have examined their positive or negative influence on the location decisions of MNE managers in both DCs and LDCs. All these factors are usually included in the analyses made via the eclectic paradigm (Galan et al, 2007). They recognise that MNE managers motivation to eventually choose either or both groups of host countries will depend on the specific location factors available in them. These location factors are classified in the following categories: Cost factors Market factors Infrastructure and technological factors Political and legal factors Social Cultural factors The order of this list is random. According to Noorbakhshs, Paloni and Youssef (2001), foreign investors are attracted to regions that offer a combination of the location factors. The location factors are discussed separately in the next paragraph. 2.2.1 Cost factors This paragraph contains theoretical information about the cost factor as one of the location factors. The determinants that are criticized are labour costs and cost of materials. 2.2.1.1 Labour Cost The costs linked with the profitability of investment are one of the major determinants of investment (Asidu, 2002) . The rate of return on investment in a host economy influences the FDI decision. Asiedu (2002) noted that the lower the GDP per capita, the higher the rate of return and, therefore, the FDI inflow. Charkrabarti (2001) claims that wage as an indicator of labour cost has been the most arguable of all the potential determinants of FDI. There is no unanimity even among the comparatively small number of studies that have explored the role of wage in affecting FDI: results range from higher host country wages discouraging inbound FDI, to having no significant effect or even a positive association ( Dunning, 1989). Goldsbrough (1979) and Shamsuddin (1994) demonstrate that higher wages discourage FDI. Tsai (1994) obtains strong support for the cheap-labour hypothesis over the period 1983 to 1986, but weak support from 1975 to 1978. Charkrabarti (2001) stated that empirical res earch has found relative labour costs to be statistically significant, particularly for foreign investment in labour-intensive industries and for export-oriented subsidiaries. However, when the cost of labour is relatively irrelevant (when wage rates vary little from country to country), the skills of the labour force are expected to have an impact on decisions concerning FDI location. This is not the case for the investments in this case study, which is more knowledge based than labour intensive. Cheap labour is another important determinant of FDI flow to developing countries. A high wage-adjusted productivity of labour attracts efficiency-seeking FDI both aiming to produce for the host economy and for export from host countries. Studies by Wheeler and Mody (1992), Schneider and Frey (1985), and Loree and Guisinger (1995) show a positive impact of labour cost on FDI inflow. Countries with a large supply of skilled human capital attract more FDI, particularly in sectors that are relatively intensive in the use of skilled labour. 2.2.1.2 Cost of Materials The analysis above leads to two variables that can be measured to determine the importance of the cost factor that is labour cost (wages). The availability of raw material and cheap labour can be of crucial importance in the choice of location. The return on investments is not important for this study, because this is not region-constrained, so it is not an important factor for a location choice. FDI uses low labour costs and available raw materials for export promotion, leading to overall output growth. 2.2.2 Market Factors This paragraph contains theoretical information about the market factor as one of the location factors. The determinants that are criticized are market size, openness of the market, labour market and economic growth. 2.3.2.1 Market size The size of the host country market is a relevant determinant to the extent that the FDI is destined to serve the host market and not merely to set up an export platform. Larger markets should attract FDI because firms face economies of scale as FDI entails sunk costs (for example, in terms of adapting management to local conditions or getting familiar with host country legislation). Market growth should work in the same direction. Nunnenkamp (2002), Chakrabarti (2001) Campos and Kinoshita (2003), Braga Nonnenberg and Cardoso de Mendonca (2004), Addison and Heshmati (2003), Kolstad and Villanger, (2004) all find market size and/or growth to be relevant determinants of FDI. An economy with a large market size (along with other factors) should, therefore, attract more FDI. Market size is important for FDI as it provides potential for local sales, greater profitability of local sales to export sales and relatively diverse resources, which make local sourcing more feasible (Pfefferman and Madarassy 1992). A large market size provides more opportunities for sales and profit to foreign firms, and in doing so attracts FDI (Wang and Swain, 1995: Moore, 1993; Schneider and Frey, 1985; Frey, 1984). FDI inflow in any period is a function of market size (Wang and Swain, 1995). However, studies by Edwards (1990) and Asidu (2002) show that there is no significant impact of growth or market size on FDI inflows. Further, Loree and Guisinger (1995) and Wei (2000) find that market size and growth impact differ under different conditions. Artige and Nicolini (2005) state that market size, as measured by GDP or GDP per capita, seems to be the most robust FDI determinant in econometric studies. This is the main determinant for horizontal FDI. Jordaan (2004) mentions that FDI will move to countries with larger and expanding markets and greater purchasing power, where firms can potentially receive a higher return on their capital and by implication receive higher profit on their investments. Charkrabarti (2001) states that the market-size hypothesis supports an idea that a large market is required for efficient utilization of resources and exploitation of economies of scale: as the market-size grows to some critical value, FDI will start to increase with its further expansion. This is a questionable conclusion, because there are firms who are looking for niche markets for their products and a large expanding market is a disadvantage to them. Concluding the size of the market and the GDP of a region are not important determinants for the location choice. 2.2.2.2 Openness of the Market There is mixed evidence concerning the significance of openness, which is measured mostly by the ratio of exports plus imports to GDP, in determining FDI as well (Charkrabarti 2001). Jordaan (2004) claims that the impact of openness on FDI depends on the type of investment. If the investments are market-seeking oriented, trade restrictions (and therefore less openness) could have an impact on FDI. The reason stems from the â€Å"tariff jumping† hypothesis, which argues that foreign firms that seek to serve local markets may decide to set up subsidiaries in the host country if it is difficult to import their products into the country. In distinction, multinational firms involved in export-oriented investments may choose to invest in a more liberal economy since increased imperfections that accompany trade protection generally imply higher transaction costs associated with exporting. Wheeler and Mody (1992) observe a strong positive support for this theory in the manufacturing s ector, but a weak negative link in the electronic sector. Kravis and Lipsey (1982), Culem (1988), Edwards (1990) find a strong positive effect of openness on FDI and Schmitz and Bieri (1972) obtain a weak positive link. Trade openness generally has a positive influence on the export-oriented FDI inflow into an economy (Edwards (1990), Gastanaga et al. (1998), Housmann and Fernandez-arias (2000), Asidu (2001)). In general, the empirical literature reveals that one of the important factors for attracting FDI is trade policy reform in the host country. Theoretical literature has explored the trade openness or the restrictiveness of trade policies (Bhagwati, 1973; 1994; Brecher and Diaz-Alejandro, 1977; Brecher and Findley; 1983). Investors in general prefer big markets to invest in and they like countries that have regional trade integration, as well as countries with greater investment provisions in their trade agreements. Theory does not give any clear-cut answer to the question how trade barriers affect the level of FDI flows. â€Å"Horizontal† FDI tends to replace exports if the costs of market access through exports are higher than the net costs of setting up a local plant and doing business in a foreign environment. Traditionally, governments have used trade barriers to induce â€Å"tariff-jumping FDI†, i.e. horizontal FDI that takes place to circumvent trade barriers. On the other hand, â€Å"vertical† FDI relies on a constant flow of intermediate products in and out of the host country and therefore benefits from a liberal trade environment. In that case, trade barriers should encourage â€Å"horizontal FDI† and discourage â€Å"vertical FDI† and its effect on the aggregate level of FDI depends on which type of FDI dominates. Empirical studies, however, support a positive effect of openness on FDI. Chakrabarti (2001) finds the sum of imports and exports as a share of GDP to be the variable most likely to be positively co rrelated with FDI besides market size in an extreme bounds analysis. Braga Nonnenberg and Cardoso de Mendonca (2004) and Addison and Heshemati (2003) also find this variable to be positively correlated with FDI. The problem with using trade as a share of GDP as a measure of trade policies is that it reveals a trade policy outcome, rather than trade guidelines. The openness of a market is clearly linked with the policy regulations of the potential market. Pà ¤rletun (2008) finds that trade openness is positive but statistically significant from zero. Moosa (2002) states that while access to specific markets is important, domestic market factors are predictably much less relevant in export-oriented foreign firms. A range of surveys suggests a widespread perception that â€Å"open† economies encourage more foreign investment (Moosa, 2002).Therefore, the openness of a market is relevant to the appeal of a region. Restrictions will decrease the appeal of the region. 2.2.2.3 Labour market Labour is also a determinant for market factors according to Majocchi and Presutti (2009), they investigated whether entrepreneurial culture plays a role in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI). Multinationals are a network of distributed assets that contain entrepreneurial potential and are highly innovative to increase competitiveness (Rugman and Verbeke, 2001). Firms and entrepreneurs are valuable in gaining access to local knowledge. However, entrepreneurial culture may also rely on resources in the local environment, which is not mentioned in particular by Majocchi et al. (2009). In this respect, natural resources are taken for granted. The availability of a cheap workforce (particularly an educated one), personnel policy, female participation and ageing influences investment decisions and in doing so are a determinant that influences the FDI inflow. A negative effect of these determinants will lead to an increase in wages and a decline in the return of investments in the future. Due to the static framework of this thesis, these determinants are not investigated. 2.2.2.4 Economic Growth If the host countrys market has a high-growth rate, it attracts more investors on a long-term basis (Chen, 2007). Economic environment growth in a country serves underlying factors when company decide which country to enter (Erramilli 1991).The role of growth in attracting FDI has also been the subject of controversy. Charkrabarti (2001) states that the growth hypothesis developed by Lim (1983) maintains that a rapidly growing economy provides relatively better opportunities for making profits than the ones growing slowly or not growing at all. Lunn (1980), Schneider and Frey (1985) and Culem (1988) find a significantly positive effect of growth on FDI, while Tsai (1994) obtains a strong support for the hypothesis over the period 1983 to 1986, but only a weak link from 1975 to 1978. On the other hand, Nigh (1985) reports a weak positive correlation for the less developed economies and a weak negative correlation for the developed countries. Gastanagaet et al. (1998) and Schneider and Frey (1985) found positive significant effects of growth on FDI FDI has the ability stimulate economic growth only in the short run while the economy is shifting from one short-lived equilibrium to another. The only source of long-term economic growth is technological progress, which is considered to be independent of investment activities. This factor is discussed in the next paragraph. However, in endogenous growth theory, the diminishing returns on investment can be avoided if there are positive externalities associated with investments (Oxelheim, 1996). If investment brings enough new knowledge and technologies, it can lead to long-term economic growth. As, typically, FDI brings new technologies and knowledge, in accordance with endogenous growth theory it can be viewed as a catalyst of long-term economic growth in a host economy. Economic growth will improve the ability to compete with other regions and this will increase the quality and ability of other location factors. The relevance of economic growth for FDI is not very clear: it depends on the distribution of the new capital. The analysis above leads to four validated variables that determine the relevance of market factors: (a) market size, (b) openness of the market, labour market and (c) economic growth. Market size is the only variable that is less important. The openness of a market and the economic growth are very important, these variables are positively linked with political, infrastructural and technological factors. An open market as well as a positive economic growth will lead to more FDI in a region. 2.2.3 Infrastructure Technologic Can Assassinations Ever Be Justified? Can Assassinations Ever Be Justified? Hitler- one of the most known names in the world even after 65 years. Osama bin Laden, man responsible for attacks on World Trade Centre on 11th of September 2001. Robert Mugabe- president of Zimbabwe form 1987, a very selfish man and instead of improving living conditions in his country, he spends huge amounts of money on himself. In the world full of conflicts and tyrants, can the assassination of one or two men make a difference? If yes, would it be justified? If one person can change the lives of others into hell, is assassination of him justified? If you would have a chance to kill a man in order to save millions of humans, would you do it? Is greater good the only one justification of assassinating someone? Would killing someone not make you as evil as a person youd kill? Even with greater good, is assassination ever justified? Assassination is widely held to mean a planned murder of a prominent of public figure. Its origins can be found in the Middle East. The word is derived from Arabic Hashshashin. It was pejorative name given Nazri Islamis particularly those of Syria and Persia by their adversaries during Middle Ages. The Nazris have smoked hashish before carrying out political killings and thats where the name comes from. Throughout history theres lots of assassinations and attempts, like the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand or the assassination of Julius Caesar. The assassination of Julius Caesar is the first known assassination ever committed. He was killed by his own men on the Ides of March, at a session of the senate. He was stabbed 23 times. Marcus Junius Brutus was one of the conspirators and also a friend of Caesar. In the present day, there have been examples of assassinations and failed attempts on people such as John F. Kennedy, John Paul II, John Lennon or Olof Palme. However, a mo re detailed discussion of assassination is required to address the question of assassination- whether one act of evil can, in fact, be justified. Politics is usually one of the most common reasons why an individual is assassinated. There are always people who dont agree with thoughts of others. People might have their own view on different things but it doesnt necessarily mean that they must kill. Some assassinations such as assassination of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King are clearly unjustifiable. Martin Luther King was American activist and prominent leader in African American civil rights movement. He was assassinated by James Earl Ray- a white man. People believe it was a conspiracy because many white leaders didnt want any black men to have civil rights. John F. Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald. However he denied shooting anyone. There are lots of theories of motives for killing the president. One theory says it was the presidents plans for Vietnam that prompted his murder. The president said that Vietnam was too far away from the United States, that South Vietnams claim to democracy was false, and th at the U.S. had no business sending American troops to fight in what was really a local war. Another assassinated political figure was Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The assassination of this man basically triggered World War I. He and his wife were assassinated in Sarajevo in 1914, by Gavrilo Princip, 19 at the time. It was organized by organization called Black Hand. There was also pope, John Paul II. There was assassination attempt by Mehmed Ali Agca. According to Agca operation was commanded by the Bulgarian military Attachà ©. Another example of political assassination is Olof Palme a Swedish politician. The murder is still unsolved and it might never be. He was a controversial politician- it could have lead to his assassination. What about the greater good? Could one act of evil be accepted if it rids the world of suffering? Would assassination on tyrant, such as Hitler be justified if it saved millions of people, which have been killed during World War II? In my opinion it would be justified and worth it even if it was only one man that could be saved. I think that someone who doesnt respect life of other people and kills millions only because of his racist and nationalist thoughts shouldnt be so lucky to live. Utilitarianism says that the moral worth of an action is determined solely by its usefulness. Even if you kill someone thinking about greater good, you still are a killer. Doesnt it mean that you are as bad as he is? I dont think so, if you kill one man in order to save a life, either yours or someone elses it doesnt make you evil. It doesnt really matter who could care of getting rid of Hitler as long as the job was done successfully. There are individuals who assassinate for reasons other than politics or religion. They may simply be deranged fame hungry individuals, such as Mark David Chapman or John Hinckley Jr. Mark David Chapman was a psychopath who killed John Lennon. He was a fan of The Beatles for years especially John Lennons. John Hinckley Jr. was a man who attempted and assassination on Ronald Reagan and according to him, he has done it to impress Jodie Foster. He was obsessed with her. It has developed since he first time watched film called Taxi Driver. I think that if those two would be never psychopaths they would never done those things. In my opinion its not really their fault. People become crazy and they never realize that they are actually obsessed. It is not maybe a justification to what theyve done but helps understand what the motives could be. What about the world today? How could suffering be alleviated now? Is assassination the answer? Would it be better if Robert Mugabe was assassinated? Would it make a difference now- when he has been president of Zimbabwe since 1987? He has not long to live because of his age but I think it would be worth to save people today and not tomorrow. Lots of those people can no longer live to see tomorrow. Mugabe is a selfish man who was ruining country for years and it should be changed. The global superpowers should become more interested and should deal with him as fast as possible. What about Osama bin Laden another terrorist? Is he also the case? He was responsible for attacks on World Trade Centre on 11th of September 2001. However there have been rumors that it was actually done by U.S. Osama bin Ladens whereabouts are unknown. Although he might fight for something he considers to as a right thing, he is a terrorist and he must pay for what hes done. In my opinion those people could b e assassinated because there could not be any other ways for improving the situation. If the death of two men will save thousands of lives worldwide, I think it is enough of a justification. In conclusion, I think that greater good is maybe not the only one, but just now, I cannot see any other as much important justifications for assassinations. In every country on earth there are people that are selfish and are making hell of other peoples lives, but not everyone of those are cases for assassination. Even though there is a lot of evil, assassination is not always the solution, even if suffering of many will be alleviated for a while because of death of a tyrant, you never know who will come after him.

Free College Admissions Essays: Friday :: College Admissions Essays

Friday    It arrived on a Friday afternoon. The idea probably originated somewhere over the Atlantic, off the coast of Africa. It slowly spun its way to the northwest, and the thought finally made landfall in Florida. From there it gained speed and zipped across the eastern seaboard, through South Carolina, over D.C. and up the New Jersey Turnpike. There the idea slowed again, and had been downgraded to a concept by the time it crossed the Hudson. Once across the water it regained speed at the expense of power, and it flew like a sparrow, darting through cars and trucks and people, until it finally found me, stuck in traffic, and flew through my ear into my head. And I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life. It was as close to perfection as I could imagine. History had always been my academic passion. I've sucked each and every history textbook dry of information and it's not slaked my thirst. I've sat down and read countless encyclopedia articles, books and websites, and I've watched m ore hours of the History Channel than anyone I've ever met. I've come to admire the great men and movements in our history that have gotten our country to where it is today. I've also thought about the men and movements that will carry it into the future, and I know that I want to have a hand in guiding the progress of our nation and world. My passion for history has only been matched by my love of mental competition. I live for arguments, debates and discussions, and when history, its interpretation and the ensuing disagreement meet, I find my heaven on earth. I slam down on the clutch, shift into sixth gear and my mind races. I search my brain for examples and draw upon the knowledge that I've amassed in my learning. The points and counterpoints come out hard and fast. I make my statement and discredit that of my opponent, I respond, I parry, I dodge. I feel content, happy and fulfilled. It was the synthesis of these two ideas that found its way to me on that Friday afternoon, a p rofession that would combine my two passions: Campaign Management. My love for mental combat would be used to its fullest in matching wits with the opposing campaign staff, and my passion for history would be more than sated by my involvement in what I consider to be its most interesting aspect: its creation. Free College Admissions Essays: Friday :: College Admissions Essays Friday    It arrived on a Friday afternoon. The idea probably originated somewhere over the Atlantic, off the coast of Africa. It slowly spun its way to the northwest, and the thought finally made landfall in Florida. From there it gained speed and zipped across the eastern seaboard, through South Carolina, over D.C. and up the New Jersey Turnpike. There the idea slowed again, and had been downgraded to a concept by the time it crossed the Hudson. Once across the water it regained speed at the expense of power, and it flew like a sparrow, darting through cars and trucks and people, until it finally found me, stuck in traffic, and flew through my ear into my head. And I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life. It was as close to perfection as I could imagine. History had always been my academic passion. I've sucked each and every history textbook dry of information and it's not slaked my thirst. I've sat down and read countless encyclopedia articles, books and websites, and I've watched m ore hours of the History Channel than anyone I've ever met. I've come to admire the great men and movements in our history that have gotten our country to where it is today. I've also thought about the men and movements that will carry it into the future, and I know that I want to have a hand in guiding the progress of our nation and world. My passion for history has only been matched by my love of mental competition. I live for arguments, debates and discussions, and when history, its interpretation and the ensuing disagreement meet, I find my heaven on earth. I slam down on the clutch, shift into sixth gear and my mind races. I search my brain for examples and draw upon the knowledge that I've amassed in my learning. The points and counterpoints come out hard and fast. I make my statement and discredit that of my opponent, I respond, I parry, I dodge. I feel content, happy and fulfilled. It was the synthesis of these two ideas that found its way to me on that Friday afternoon, a p rofession that would combine my two passions: Campaign Management. My love for mental combat would be used to its fullest in matching wits with the opposing campaign staff, and my passion for history would be more than sated by my involvement in what I consider to be its most interesting aspect: its creation.