Human Resource of Ritz Carlton Essay

Introduction In today’s economy where knowledge and skills demand are rising, it is also the responsibility of an organization’s human resource team to analyze and ensure they recruit the most appropriate candidate for the job. Organisations have been seeking, attracting and retaining the best talents available in order to overcome the competitive challenges that they are facing today. Apart from achieving the strategic goals and objectives of an organization, human resource management (HRM) also plays a part in the output of a company performance as it lays down strategic decisions, policies, as well as systems, that may affect the most important asset in the organization, its employees (Armstrong, 2008, p.5). In this assignment, it will reference to Ritz Carlton that is one of the most successful organizations that have acknowledged their human resource (employees) as the most important asset to achieve goals and objectives. The focus on human resources into recruiting, selecting and development has aided them to achieve several worldwide recognition awards such as the gold standard of hospitality (The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, 2011). Recruitment and Selection Hellriegel and Slocum (2007, p.161) states that Ritz Carlton knows the type of employees they are looking for in every job position, and is careful to only employ those who display the skills and behavior required to accomplish the job. Ritz Carlton has always been successful in selecting and recruiting the most suitable talents to their organisations that will fit into their cultures, values and service standard that is crucial in maintaining or even heighten the standard of Ritz Carlton. With positions that require employees to be on the front line to interact and serve guests, it is of utmost importance that an employee is able to provide the level of service required to meet or exceed the satisfaction level of the guests as failing to do so may result in negative feedback, leading to poor company performance. In the success of Ritz Carlton, its employees had played a significant role by blending into the organization’s culture, abiding by the organization’s value and philosophy, to create a unique and pleasant experience for its guests. Training & Development A well planned and structured training not only provides information and direction to accomplish specific tasks related to organizational needs and objectives, it also leads to behavioral change and improvement in job performance (Vaughn, 2005, p.2) In Ritz Carlton, be it current employees or new hires, employees are provided with an array of opportunities to learn and develop skills to facilitate and enhance employee performance. In the case of an employee in management role, training could lead him to better decision-making skills for both himself, and for the organization. For employees in the non-management positions, training could include developing the necessary skills, knowledge, the right mindset, as well as the abilities to resolve problems. Today, with the numerous awards won for its legendary services, Ritz Carlton had proven that its employees had been consistent in demonstrating the skills, knowledge, and behavior obtained via training. With their heavy focus on human resources training and development, employees are more equipped and knowledgeable in tackling problems, changes or any obstacles while performing their tasks which will lead to increased productivity which may be crucial for organizations that may need constant improvement. Employee Retention For an organization to be relying very much on its employees Ritz Carlton have not only provided a unique work environment, it has also recognized the needs to prioritize the health and well-being of its employees as a mean to retain its talented employees. By being able to retain the talented individuals in the organizations, Ritz Carlton will be able to invest their capital more efficiently as they do not need to waste time and money on new hires and re-trainings. High-turnover rate of any organisation will be disruptive and non-productive for the work environment that will might slow down or affect the growth of the organisation. Therefore, retaining the best talent within the organisation is also crucial for any organisations. Ritz Carlton is a good example as they create a very good working environment as they respect others and in return, receive the respect from others with their famous motto â€Å"We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentleman†. (The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, 2011). Employee Compensation Career development plans, opportunities to promote within the organization, complimentary employee meals and retirement plans are just some of the benefits offered by Ritz Carlton to motivate its employees. Apart from that, Ritz Carlton had also recognized the need to respond to the needs of its employees by getting employee feedback. By having motivated employees, Ritz Carlton had also gained a competitive edge by having more loyal and committed employees who would go the extra mile to get their job done. Conclusion Human Resource (employees) is the greatest asset to an organization as they contribute directly to the growth of an organizations. With capable and talented employees in the workforce, an organization can benefit greatly as its employees could make critical and responsible decisions that determines the progress of an organization. However, an effective and efficient human resource strategy needs to be implemented for both employees and organization to fully benefit from it. In the example of Ritz Carlton where its employees are its greatest asset, its human resource department has taken further measurements by analyzing and identifying the requirements of an individual who can perform the job. With the right attitude and beliefs, its employees are given a wide array of opportunities to learn and develop skills via training which would lead to increased productivity and efficiency. In an attempt to retain its top talents, Ritz Carlton had also been successful in providing attractive benefits, as well as a distinctive work environment, so as to keep its employees motivated, loyal and committed. To conclude, Ritz Carlton had been remarkably successful in its strategy of using its employees as its greatest asset to achieve its goals and objectives. References A. Noe et al.(2010): Human Resource Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage(7th Edition) . New York: McGraw-Hill D.Hellriegel and W.Slocum (2007): Organizational Behavior (11th Edition) . USA: Thomson South-Western H.Vaughn (2005): The Professional Trainer: A Comprehensive Guide to Planning, Delivering, and Evaluating Training Programs(2nd Edition) . San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers M. Armstrong (2008): Strategic Human Resource Management: A Guide to Action(4th Edition) . US: Kogan Page Publishers The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company,2011. About Us.[Online]. Available at: http://corporate.ritzcarlton.com/en/About/Default.htm. [Accessed 16 November 2011] The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company,2011. Learn and Develop.[Online]. Available at: http://corporate.ritzcarlton.com/en/Careers/YourCareer/LearningAndDevelopment.htm. [Accessed 16 November 2011] The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, 2011. Gold Standards. [Online]. Available at: http://corporate.ritzcarlton.com/en/About/GoldStandards.htm#promise. [Accessed 16 November 2011] Bibliography H. Koontz and H.Weihrich(2008): Essentials of Management: An International Perspective(7th Edition) . New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill

Imperialism and socialism in the context of Africa Essay

Cecil Rhodes Social Darwinism advocate states, â€Å"I contend that we are the finest race in the world and that the more of the world we inhabit the better†¦Ã¢â‚¬  King Leopold of Belgium, â€Å"To open to civilization the only part of the globe where it has yet to penetrate †¦is, I dare to say, a crusade worthy of this century of progress.† From the above assertions, it is prudent to note that, colonial powers thought Africa to be devoid of an organization in social, political and economic perspective and therefore they wanted â€Å"to make Africa, England.† In that thought of naivety of the Africans, there were societal structures and organizations which British did not care to observe. However, it was not going to be easy as where two or three cultures interact a clash is inevitable. Although Africa was not a plain or bear continent, Africans had their way of life, structure of government, religion, economic activities, education, systems of marriage and development plans for their societies, nevertheless the British brought their systems which conflicted with Africans established way of life, this was because the British, as many other European powers were economically depressed and Africa appeared to be the only way out. The British wanted to pass the three C’s; Commerce, that is to make money through the acquisition of free labor form Africans, raw materials for their industries as industrial revolution back in Britain was rapidly taking place, a market for their surplus production; Christianity to save Africans.Explorers such as David Livingstone, Vasco Da Gama, Portuguese Diego Cam and Arabs with Muslim faith had missionary zeal. The last C is for Civilization, they wanted to civilize Africans in terms of education, culture and many other aspects. Thu s, to a larger extent, the activities of British heartened conflicts. African traditional religion is rooted in the African culture, it was difficult for Christianity to penetrate through. Portuguese tried in the fifteen century and failed. For Christianity to take the course the Africans had to abandon their culture which was hard so to say. The Missionaries in the nineteenth century, however, came up with an elaborate plan for them to spread Christianity. They introduced through religion, education and health centers which contradicted informal learning and the institution of medicine men. Africans gradually began to embrace Whiteman’s way of life but not without several clashes. These battles are seen in various forms such as spiritual, doctrinal, cultural and practical. The African religion has been given several definitions by different scholars, for instance, Mbiti has elaborated aspects of African religion. In his book African Traditional Religion, Mbiti (1991) African religion is very pragmatic and realistic (p2), he explains that it is applied in circumstances where the need arises. In addition, he states that religion is rooted in the local language, so to comprehend the religious life of an African society one has to understand the local dialect. He further affirms, â€Å"To be an African in the traditional setup is to be truly religious.† (p30) He states that the religion can be seen in five aspects of culture; beliefs, practices, ceremonies and festivals, religious objects and places, values, and morals and religious officials and leaders. He defines African religion as: â€Å"The product of the thinking and experiences of our forefathers and mothers that is men and women of their generations. They formed religious ideas, they observed religious ceremonies and rituals, they told proverbs and myths which safeguarded the life of individual and his community.(pp 13-14) Mbiti notes that African religion has no scriptures as compared to Christianity and other religions, it is written in peoples history, hearts and experiences of the people.(p14) Awolalu in his book Sin and its Removal in the African Traditional Religion defines African religion as â€Å"†¦largely written in the people’s myth and folktales, in their songs and dances, in their liturgies and shrines and in their proverbs and pithy sayings. It is a religion whose historical founder is neither known nor worshipped; it is a religion that has no zeal for the membership drive, yet it offers persistent fascination for Africans, young and old.† The African traditional religion was not homogeneous as the communities had different ethnic background thus the religious practices such rituals varied one community to the other. It is worth noting that it was oral, not scripted or written and was passed from one generation to the other by word of mouth, as I earlier alluded in the definitions of religion. Within their organized societal structures, Africans believed in supernatural beings together with ancestral spirits. The ancestral spirits were believed to link the living societal members to the gods. Therefore, the African traditional religion was and still is interweaved to the African culture. From the above insights, one cannot talk about African religion without African values as they are intertwined and inseparable. African religion was embedded in moral values or codes or standards which were believed to originate from God through the ancestral spirits, these values when observed one would be rewarded with maybe good harvest from their cultivation of land or increased number of the flock of cattle. When these values have violated the culprits were reprimanded. The concept of values is a vital point as one talks of the African religion. For that reason, African religion is drawn from the African values and Culture. African Culture was the source of law through the moral codes and values passed from generation to generation. From the above description, we can see that law or rules of conduct were embedded in religion and that African religion was interweaved in the African culture. Local dialect was the medium through which African culture and religion were propagated. The African religion had some institutions as Mbiti points out in the aspects of African religion, who presided over religious functions, these institutions were believed to communicate directly to ancestral spirits (living dead) who in turn would communicate to the gods and grievances of the living societal members would be heard. In the Kenyan context, these institutions include Orkoyot of the Nandi, Oloibon of the Maasai, Seers, Diviners, and Rainmakers depending on the ethnic communities which they came from. These institutions apart from the veneration of the ancestors, they blessed warrior before going for war, advised the political leaders, offered sacrifice to god and conducted rituals for the culprits who violated moral values in the community. The gods had some specific names for instance, in Kenyan context, we had Enkai for the Maasai, Encore for the Abagusii, Mulungu for Akamba, Asis the Nandi, Ngai for the Agikuyu and Nyasaye for the Luo. There were specific worship plac es which were regarded as holy, this places included shrines, mountaintops some special trees such as mugumo, hills, and some caves. The diversity of the names given to gods and places of worship, show the lack of uniformity in the African Religion. Consequently, Africans were of different ethnic background and had their own religion, gods, and religion as a community. The clashes can be seen in the five aspects as earlier alluded in Mbiti’s work that is beliefs, practices, ceremonies, festivals, religious objects and places, values, and morals, religious officials and leaders. These aspects of African religion differ from those of Christianity. The Africans believed that their religion was sourced from god, who they believed long before their ancestors’ existence. The British Missionaries conflict with Africans by telling them about the existence of a God who had a son and lived among them many years ago. The religion of British was written (Bible) thus one had to have the ability to read and write in order to understand it, whereas that of African was passed from generation to generation by oral tradition. There is an introduction of a new system of identifying the origin of religion which conflicts with the African system. Language is also conflicted as Africans could not comprehend English, hence missionaries such as Ludwig Krapf translated the Bible into the local dialect. The Africans revered in special caves, Mountaintops, hills, Forests, Special trees (mugumo) and shrines. The British tell Africans that they should worship God places called Churches. This encounter shows that there is a bit of clashing as the African places were very clearly defined and preserved by the community members. The British also seized African land to construct churches or chapels, Africans, as a result, became very hostile as they had distinct worship places which occurred naturally. They believed that their land was in cultivation and a gift from their gods. The Africans practiced their religion by reverence to their ancestors, offering human and animal sacrifices and invoking the ancestral spirits, for instance, the Umira Kager clan believed in spirits in the S.M Otieno case. They offered sacrifices in order to get favors in terms of harvest. The African worship was communal that is, all community members used to convene to pray for rain and ask for the wellness of the community. The British religion had an aspect of confession of one`s sins before worship, repentance, and forgiveness of sin are granted. This aspect of forgiveness of sins lacks in the traditional African religion, one had to be punished for wrongdoing. British missionary religion brings out an aspect of offerings in terms of money and tithe which is ten percent of one`s total earnings. The British advocated for human rights and therefore disregarded and condemned human sacrifices. In African religion, worship was led by Diviners, Rainmakers, and Seers who were considered righteous. The work of religious leaders was taught through apprecentiship and was hereditary from specific clans in the community. There were certain clans from whom diviners would descend. They were highly respected in the community. The British Christian religious leaders attend school to be trained mainly in theology. They study formalities of worship and nature of God. Any member of Christian family can become a religious leader although there are some myths which say one has to be ‘called’ by God. A Christian leader has to have the ability to read and write so as to pass the scriptures to his congregation. African traditional religion was diverse from one ethnic community to the other due to the linguistic differences, migration patterns and origin. Christianity is introduced as a homogeneous religion as the author of it is Jesus Christ, a common ancestry and reference point for all Christians. The diversity of worship is dismantled by the British introduction of this even religion. Africans were notoriously religious as it was found in each group. Africans who lived as per the traditional way of life were regarded as very religious.it is also worth acknowledging that Africans are at crossroads due to the fact that religion is embedded in the African culture and language. It is thus difficult for Africans to fully be committed to Christianity as being fully whole-hearted means they will have to abandon some of the partaking of African culture and indigenous dialect by embracing the Whiteman’s language and culture. This has already happened as some dedicated African Christians according to Quarcoopome (1987), refer to traditional religion as paganism, fetish, and animism. References. Awolalo, JO, Sin and Its Removal from the African Traditional Religion (1976) History and Government Form One to Four, KLB Fourth Edition. The People of Kenya Up to the 19th Century Kwasi W, Towards Decolonizing African Religion and Philosophy, African Studies (1998) Quarterly volume 1 Issue 4. Ojwang’ JB and Mugambi JNK (eds), The SM Otieno case, Death and Burial in Modern Kenya, (1989) Nairobi University press Mbiti, JS, African Religion and Philosophy, Oxford, England, (1999) Heinemann Educational Publishers. Mbiti, JS, Introduction to African Religion Oxford, England, (1991) Heinemann Educational Publishers. Uchenna O, African Crossroads: Conflict between African Traditional Religion and Christianity, (2008) The International Journal of Humanities vol 6 No. 2 Quarcoopome, TNO, West African traditional religion. Ibadan, Nigeria: (1987) African Universities Press. NAME: MUNYALO, DANIEL MUTHENGI REG.NO: G34/102614/2017 COURSE: GPR 100 LEGAL RESEARCH AND WRITING CONVENER: DR. NKATHA KABIRA â€Å"The encounter between the British and Africans was a case of two worlds colliding.† Discuss†¦

MGT501 - Management and Organizational Behavior Mod 2 Case Assignment Essay

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Addiction Wrecks Essay Example for Free

Addiction Wrecks Essay Addiction is a chronic relapsing disease that affects the brains reward, motivation and other related systems. It is a relationship you have with an object or substance. Most addicts come to depend on that object or substance to meet emotional needs. Individuals struggling with addiction are unable to control their actions and make rational decisions about their behavior. There are two main forms of addiction, physiological and psychological. Psychological is an emotional dependence on the feeling a drug or action gives you. Physiological addiction goes beyond mental cravings. One becomes physiologically addicted to a substance when your body has marked a physical need for increasing doses. Drugs such as heroin, cocaine, nicotine, and alcohol are physiologically addictive. There are many warning signs and symptoms of physiological addictions; tolerance you need more and more to get high. 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Although knowing the gene exist is most useful in providing preventive treatment that isolates that particular receptor and potentially decreases a person’s change in becoming addicted (pg. 9) Many children develop addictive behaviors because it is a learned behavior. A big part of how you act is determined hoe your parents act, you learn by watching and interacting with them. Unfortunately people who are raised in addictive families learn addictive beliefs and logics. For instance, if one of your parents is an alcoholic you learn growing up that the way to cope with a bad day is to come home and have a few drinks to numb the pain. Pure pressure may also lead you into an addiction. There are different stages that lead to addiction; first experimentation it’s marked by someone wanting to do something only a few times to see what it’s like such as gambling or a sex experiment. Then there is casual use, doing something occasionally or just a few times a month. Abuse is the third stage that leads to addiction, abuse is when someone continues to abuse an object or substance regardless of the negative consequences or desire to quit. Dependence is next, using or doing on a regular basis. Increased tolerance levels and mild withdraw. Last you become fully addicted, an over whelming compulsion for an event or substance on a continuous basis. Once you become an addict it becomes the most important thing in your life above family and all. Addiction wrecks your life including your physical health, personal relationships and overall job performance. The worse the addiction the more the addict isolates him/her self from people who can help and the longer the illness progresses the less the addict feels like they cant turn to others. Most of the time the addict doesn’t realize there is a problem and are in denial. Addicts go to extreme life threatening behaviors because they lose control of their own actions. Alcohol is the most widely abused drug in the world. Technically a depressant, alcohol provides a drunken high that often allows people to forget their troubles. Extreme alcohol craving can also result from genetic vulnerability. Studies show that adult children of alcoholics are 3-4 times more likely to become alcoholics themselves (Kuhn 19). No one is doomed from birth; many factors beyond genetics play in such as psychological factors. Alcohol effects how the body works, when drinking all the time the body adapts its self to having alcohol in the blood stream and then comes dependent on it and needs it for stability. Marijuana usually know as the gateway drug is made from leafs of a cannabis plant and is usually smokes. State of intoxication from marijuana is also known as being high, usually people feel relaxed and their senses are heightened (Kuhn 3). Marijuana causes psychological dependence. While under the influence of marijuana sense of time is distorted and simple task seem to take longer to accomplish. Some effects of smoking marijuana are increased heart rate, slowing reaction time, memory loss, and slowing reaction time. These effects are noticeable in just a few min and last a few hours. The most lasting and harmful effect of marijuana is the physiological changes in neurotransmitters and structures in the brain, leading to the loss of motivation and cognitive impairments. Drug addiction is one of the most visible and common addictions today. One of America’s biggest battles today is on narcotics. The most common used narcotics are Vicodin, Percocet, and Oxy-cotton, which are all made with opium. Opium is a reddish-brown heavy scented addictive drug prepared from the juice of the opium poppy, used as a narcotic and in medicine as an analgesic. When opiates are introduced to the brain the body stops producing its own endorphins, which leads to tolerance and addiction. Narcotics cause an initial rush followed by a 4-6 hour high, during the high the user feels relaxed however after these phases wear off the user crashes and produces the desire for more of the drug. If the user doesn’t get more of the drug they go into what is called withdraw. Withdraw happens when the user does not have more of the drug within 8 hours after the user comes down. Symptoms of withdraw are tearing eyes, chills, sweats, nausea and increased heart rate. These symptoms can last 3-4 days if the user doesn’t have more drugs. The severity of withdraw depends on the severity of the addiction. Addiction and drugs don’t discriminate. They don’t care whose life they ruin or who they kill. Addiction doesn’t care what kind of home you came from or how responsible you parents are. Addiction can and will affect you if you let it. If you already find yourself in the vicious cycle of addiction there is a way out and always a road to recovery if you truly want it. It won’t be easy; it will be long night of no sleep and hard days of wanting to give into those painful cravings. However if you as an individual want it bad enough you can achieve sobriety. Step 1 is admitting you have an addiction. Confront what you have been ignoring and be honest with yourself. Second is to seek help, support groups with others who are in your same situation and can help you reach your goals of sobriety. Probably the most important is treatment or a rehab facility to keep you safe why you reach your maximum potential on your road to recovery. Recovery is a constant struggle; it may take many months’ even years for you to confidently say you are a fully recovered addict. However it can also be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life. You learn how and why you were addicted and how to work out many of the problems you were previously trying to avoid. The knowledge you learn can give you confidence in confronting an addiction urge may it ever appear again. If you’re struggling with addiction, get help! Talk to a friend, teacher, counselor, neighbor, you’re not alone. Addiction is one of the biggest problems in today’s society. Start today by taking the first step to make a life changing decision. You can overcome it and there are people and facilities out there that are willing able and ready to help addicts.

Yamaha Vietnam Essay Example for Free

Yamaha Vietnam Essay The current motorcycle market in Vietnam is developing with high competition among various manufacturers which have a lot of marketing strategies to attract target customers. Yamaha has made a lot of effort to expand the product which ensure the quality as well as reasonable price. With the same background of macro environment in the same market, there are many competitors that can be listed out as Honda, Suzuki†¦etc. targeting at extended problem solving, in other words, complex buying behaivours, Yamaha motor Vietnam have provided a range of products which currently stands in different stages in the product life cycle (PLC). These creates both strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats for Yamaha. Based on the analysis, Yamaha can figure out suitable marketing strategy concentrating on special design like sporty and colorful and the system of â€Å"3S’ outlets â€Å"Stop worry of customers†. All are aimed at reaching the final goal: â€Å"Growing with the country’s propensity. † YAMAHA MOTOR VIETNAM CO. , LTD is a joint-venture of Yamaha Motor Co. , Ltd. (46%), Vietnam Forest Corporation (8%), Co Do Mechanical Factory (22%) and Hong Leong Industries Berhad (24%). (Yamaha Motor Japan). Yamaha, which was established on April 1 1998, is located in Trung Gia Commune, Soc Son Dist. , Hanoi. The company specializes in manufacturing and marketing motorbikes. Up to now, the company has provided the Vietnamese market with many types of motorbikes to meet with the need of customers of all ages and genders. Some of the most famous brand names of Yamaha Vietnam are JUPITER, MIO, NOUVO etc. In the competitive market if tow-wheeler in Vietnam, Yamaha Vietnam is achieving significant success and is becoming one of the largest motorcycle manufacturers in Vietnam (including Honda, Sym, Suzuki etc.). To have such accomplishment, one of the companys major success factors is the focus on the importance of customer satisfaction, which is in line with the companys motto: Touching your heart. Also, the company has contributed greatly to the society of Vietnam by participating in many social activities such as: grant scholarship for poor student, building schools, teaching safe driving, etc. Gradually, not only the company touch the heart of the customers by their stylish, high-quality motorbikes but also by Yamahas many meaningful contributions to Vietnamese community.

Portrayal of Arabs and Muslims in Hollywood

Portrayal of Arabs and Muslims in Hollywood Zeinab Kobeissi Over the years, pre and post 9/11, many people have noticed that Hollywood tends to dehumanize Arabs and Muslims. In most western movies, Arab and Muslim characters are subjected to racial and ethnic stereotyping and have continued to be the center of vilification for the entertainment industry in the states. The mass media has depicted Arab and Muslim stereotypes in a number of ways within the American culture and the west in general. Through the society’s media, literature, theatre, and many other creative outlets, stereotyping of Arabs and Muslims is manifested continuously. Such representations have been negative for the most part, whether they were based on historical facts or on works of fiction. They have also had very negative repercussions on Arabs and Muslims who live in the west especially as a reaction to current events and when it came to daily interactions. Generally, Arabs and Muslims exist as one-dimensional characters in Hollywood cinematic works and appear almost sub-human. They are typically always a danger or a threat, ignorant, violent, and most importantly obsessed with kidnapping or killing as many Westerners as possible as they supposedly view them as the enemy. Edward Said notably coined the term â€Å"Orientalism† to express the cultural habit of converting those from eastern cultures into the â€Å"Other†. The notion of Orientalism presents exotic characters that are created from a Western political and social biased perspective in order to provoke a powerful reaction against the eastern culture while at the same time confirming western values. Basically, the hero westerner defeats the nameless evil villain from the east and the western audience in turn feels good about itself. In Reel Bad Arabs, Shaheen states that televisions image of the Arab is omnipresent [and] is becoming a part of American folklore. He also says that Arabs have consistently appeared in American popular culture as billionaires, bombers, and belly dancers† which are known as the 3 B’s for the role of a typical Arab character in a Hollywood movie. What most seem to be forgetting though is the fact that â€Å"Muslim† is no more synonymous with â€Å"Arab† than â€Å"Christian† is with â€Å"American†. In Hollywood movies, Arabs are equivalent to Muslims, though Arabs actually comprise only 12 percent of the Islamic world population. Islam followers or supporters live on every continent and the Muslim majority is not present in the Middle East, rather in the Asia-Pacific region in countries like India, Malaysia, and Indonesia. In fact, the latter has the largest population of Muslims and is a constitutional republic. It is not very surprising, however, that Hollywood makes Arabs and Muslims synonymous, appearing in such a manner as one. Hollywood is simply reinforcing the concept of Orientalism when it comes to Muslims. Edward Said explains how the image of Muslims in the eyes of orientalists was not any different from anti-Semitic views by saying that, â€Å"Not accidently, I indicate that Orientalism and modern anti-Semitism have common roots†¦ The transference of a popular anti-Semitic animus from a Jewish to an Arab target was made smoothly, since the figure was essentially the same.† Basically, what Hollywood now does is use a newer and more effective technique to warp the image of Islam; how Muslims are described in Hollywood is similar to how the Jews were portrayed in Nazi-inspired movies. It is crucial however, to mention that there have actually been some movies after 9/11 that portray Muslims quite fairly; such as The 13th Warrior. Unfortunately though, the negative image is usually more influential than the positive one as it feeds people’s fears. According to a survey done by the Pew Forum in 2009, 35 percent of Americans believe that Islam promotes violence more than the rest of the other religions. Moreover, according to a poll done by Time Magazine, 62 percent of Americans do not personally know a Muslim American. This means that most Americans form their concept of Islam from what the mass media offers them, and this is extremely problematic. Hollywood must give out an image that gives attention to what unites the people of this world, focusing on the positives and the universal humanistic qualities that bring people together instead of dividing them. The 13th Warrior is one of the very few Hollywood movies that portray Arabs and Muslims realistically. The Arabs in this movie are portrayed in a way that they appear to be multi-dimensional just as any westerner would be in a Hollywood production. The Arab here is not only depicted as a regular human being but even more so as an actual hero. Even Jack Shaheen deems it as one of the best depictions of Arabs in film; it has a balanced and progressive image of Arabs. The main character, Ahmad ibn-Fadlan Ibn-Fadlan is an Arab, who is at the same time the narrator describing his exploits with the Vikings. He tells his experience with them looking back as an outsider. The life of these Vikings is seen from the perspective of a character who appears to be a learned member of a civilized society, serving as an observer and the viewers’ window to a foreign culture from foreign eyes. Through him, we see and react to traditions that neither we nor him are familiar with, and this makes t he viewer discover more about him as well as those he is talking about. The way he adapts to their cultural ways and even adopts some of their social patterns as well adds more layers to his character, and this encourages respect and tolerance for other religions and races. Neither the Arabs nor the Vikings seem to be radical or fanatic and no faith is criticized or put down. In The 13th Warrior, from the point of view of the Arab â€Å"other†, we see characters from two distinct cultures and backgrounds learning from each other and growing from the experience. The main character and protagonist in this Hollywood movie is actually a likable Arab who realistically tells the tale of his encounter with a strange culture and convincingly demonstrates his attempts to connect with this odd and bizarre world that he has stepped into. In turn, the Vikings treat him kindly and put aside his differences instead of distrusting him for them. They even come to a point where they refer to him as â€Å"little brother†. The Arab is portrayed as rational and intelligent vs. impulsive and primitive. Ibn-Fadlan quietly learned the Vikings’ tongue by immersing himself into their conversations during their nights next to the bonfire and carefully dissecting their language. He learns to understand it and speak it by merely listening to them talk and repeating the sounds in his mind, a task that would probably be impossible in real life. This helps his character appear as an educated man who is clever enough to accomplish incredible tasks quite quickly, which earned the respect of the Vikings. Another act of intelligence by Ibn-Fadlan is when he deciphers what the oracle had told him and his fellow warriors when they went to see her. The men wanted to ask about the whereabouts of some men who had attacked them earlier, but the woman was quite mad and could not speak very coherently. When no one was able to understand what she was hinting at, Ibn-Fadlan was able to put the clues together and finally tell the warriors where the men who had once attacked them lived. Not to mention that the Arab was the only one who was able to provide a token from the enemy for the oracle to derive energy from. â€Å"Drawing sounds†, which referred to the writing of letters and words, was something the Vikings knew only the Arab was capable of doing amongst them. A fellow warrior found Ibn-Fadlan drawing these sounds into the sand with a stick and wondrously questioned him about it. Ibn-Fadlan explained to him how he could also speak them back – read them – and showed him how it could be done. Even though the Viking still did not quite grasp this notion, he recognized Ibn-Fadlan’s spectacular ability to comprehend such a novel and complex idea and eventually learned from him, as Ibn-Fadlan did from the Vikings. Even though Ibn-Fadlan is Arab and Muslim, there is no direct assumption that just because he is Arab he is also a Muslim. The emphasis of his identity remains on the fact that he is an Arab and that is where the focus lies. We discover he is Muslim when he tries to explain to the Viking that there is only one God, and that Mohammed is his prophet, which is an actual prayer in Islam. Also, we see him praying on the prayer mat only once in the entire movie, which helps in showing that Muslims are not necessarily praying and saying â€Å"Allahu Akbar† all the time as they do in most other Hollywood productions. We are used to seeing the intolerant and angry Arab who cannot accept other cultures and religions other than his own. In this film the Arab surprisingly shows tolerance to the others’ religion and cultural practices unlike a stereotypical Arab, as depicted by Hollywood, who is always at war with the West and their ways. When Ibn-Fadlan gets injured in battle, a Viking woman attempts to heal his wounds by applying cow urine. When he learns what she is putting on his cuts he reacts quite disgustingly and asks her for clean water instead. After explaining how this is better for the wound to heal properly, he complies and puts his recovery in her unusual methods. You would never imagine an Arab falling in love with a Western woman and actually having a respectful and polite interaction as Hollywood almost always portrays the Arab man to be abusive and oppressive to women. Ibn-Fadlan falls in love with a Viking woman and they share a mutual admiration to one another; neither looks at the other as an â€Å"other† but rather as true equals. Unlike the usual Arab depiction of them mistreating women, here the Arab treats the Western woman with utter appreciation and affection. He even makes love to her outside of wedlock, that night after the big battle where they find themselves unable to resist their attraction to one another, which is also not allowed in Islam. Ibn-Fadlan finds himself trying out new things and not resisting exposing himself to alien traditions. The Arab is usually never adaptive or social in Hollywood films, but more closed off and unwilling to interact with the outside world. Ibn-Fadlan breaks this stereotype and engages in a give and take relationship with the Vikings where he accepts that he can learn a few things from their culture just as they could from him. One of these examples is when he attempts, for the first time, to taste an alcoholic beverage which a Muslim cannot have. Religiously at the time, the fermentation of grapes and of wheat were forbidden in Islam, so when the Viking offers Ibn-Fadlan a drink after battle, he politely rejects. However, when the Viking explains to him that this was actually made of honey, Ibn-Fadlan dares to take a sip from the Viking’s horn. At the beginning, Ibn-Fadlan is given a sword by the Vikings as this is what he would be using in battle. Arabs back then were used to fighting with lighter and much thinner swords, which meant there was no way the Arab was able to strategically fight and win with a sword that weighs almost twice or three times the one he usually uses. He adapts to certain fighting styles by observing the Vikings fight and learns to use new armory, such as the wooden shield used for protection which he is also not accustomed to. At the same time though, while learning that he would be a much better fighter and far more useful as a warrior, he decides to stick to the same old kind of sword he is used to and goes to the blacksmith asking for one according to his own specifications. Through this, the Vikings see the advantage of a lighter and therefore faster sword and are impressed with his wit. He successfully shows the Vikings that although his sword is lighter, although his horse is smaller (which h e was ridiculed for), he can be far more effective. Despite the fact both Arabs and Vikings are portrayed fairly and as both having equal negatives as well as positives, the Vikings are portrayed as somewhat more barbaric than the Arabs. Ironically, the way Arabs are portrayed as primitive in Hollywood movies is how the Vikings are portrayed in this movie, to some degree. They appear to be aggressive and impulsive, lacking hygiene, and not all that clever, while the Arab is the epitome of self-control, decency, and wit. Generally, neither is depicted as evil or bad; they are both righteous and pious warriors as shown by this film, but the underlying qualities of culture and traditions that are present for each are shown in different lights. The Vikings, in the beginning, are made out to look like complete fools and dirty slobs who possess limited intellectual skills. They share a bowel of water to remove snot from their noses and rinse their mouth with which they pass around for everyone to use. They also cast a few of bones to predic t future events that might take place. However the Arab appears to be very clean and even shows disgust to their unhygienic ways (it is not shocking how he was unable to adapt to this specific cleansing method). The usual poor misrepresentation of Arabs and Muslims that dominates Hollywood movies is what seems to be pushing movies such as The 13th Warrior into the background. The twisted depiction of Arabs and Muslims is a representative image of how they truly are; it is a myth and does not fully reflect reality. A certain connotation is masquerading as a denotation and it became so literal that people started believing it as fact. There exists this dominant meaning or understanding of Islam or Arab-ness, which is not fixed or inherent, rather created based on a complex of social interaction among the two parties or sides. The interplay between the different cultures created this iconic image and a certain decision was made when it was chosen to be represented in this manner; it was agreed upon in a particular context to portray this value and this culturally imposed meaning. One thing is for sure: Hollywood’s determination on reacting to the same political and social spurs for years and even decades now is pretty consistent. No group of peoples provide more ground for Hollywood’s degenerating stereotyping than Arabs and Muslims, and it seems that this is probably not going to change any time soon. As the world’s leading cinematic industry, the Arab stereotype has a greater negative impact on audiences today than it did decades ago. Nowadays, Hollywood’s films are created, developed, and disseminated world-wide, reaching viewers globally. The international success of a movie has become the decider of its popularity; it is not just domestic and local approval that deems a movie a hit anymore. Also, Arab images not only affect international audiences, but international movie makers as well in this case. Arabs and Muslims have given the world quite a lot throughout the years, from architecture to mathematics, but how much of it has found its way onto the movie screens? They have grown tired of seeing rudimentary and inaccurate depictions of themselves that are causing them to be extremely misrepresented to others on this planet. In fact, what does Hollywood think the 1.6 billion Muslims around the world are thinking when they see movies that they are depicted so unjustly in? Hollywood realizes that it has a key role to play in shaping public opinion (domestically and internationally) but only time will tell whether it ever decides to deliver a realistic and just viewpoint on the Muslim world, the Arab world, and their peoples. The most effective films are the ones that remind us that the essence of our collective human experience shows us at our best, free of nationality, ethnicity, politics or religion. But before a movie can ever deliver that, it must be completely and utterly with out stereotype to say the least, Muslim, Arab or otherwise.

Lum and Abner Essay -- essays research papers fc

Lum and Abner   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What is the first thing you think of when you here of the 1930’s, Amos and Andy or how about Lum and Abner? Lum and Abner weren’t really expected to do anything with their lives; they were just having fun trying to make something of them selves. They became two of the most famous people from Polk and Montgomery counties: Chet Lauck- Lum, Norris Goff- Abner, and the history of Lum and Abner. Chester Lauck was born in Alleene, Arkansas, February 2, 1902. (Alleene, Arkansas)(www.mu.net/stemple/page1.htm) His parents were W.J. and Cora Lauck. (Cate, Micheal, 190) Chet moved to Mena in 1911, where he met Norris Goff. They became very good friends. Chet lived on Port Arthur Avenue in Mena. His father owned the sawmill and was the Union Bank president. Chet went to Mena high school. He played baseball, basketball, football, and track. He had two older brothers and one younger sister. He graduated from high school in 1920. After high school, Chet went to the University of Arkansas and got a degree in advertising. He was the co-editor of the University’s humor magazine and was a Razorback cheerleader. After the University of Arkansas, he went to study at Chicago Institute of Fine Arts. (Stucker, Kathryn Moore) In 1926, Chet married Harriet Wood. He had three children: Shirley, Nancy, and Chet Jr.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Norris Goff was born in Cove, Arkansas, May 30, 1906. (www.me.net/stemple/ page1.htm) His parents were Rome and Dora Goff. (Cate, Micheal, 190) He lived on Reine Street. His father worked as a wholesale grocer. (Williams, Troy, 70) When Norris was in high school, he was quarterback for the football team. He graduated in 1924. He then went to the University of Arkansas and the University of Oklahoma. After college he worked at his fathers’ company. In 1929, Norris married Elizabeth Bullion. They had a boy, Gary, and a girl, Gretchen. (Stucker, Kathryn Moore)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Waters was the name of the town Chet and Norris got started in. Waters sounded like a swamp so they changed the name of the town to Pine Ridge, because of the woods and valleys of the Ouachitas. In Pine Ridge there was a sawmill, post office, blacksmith shop, gristmill, and other necessary services to the farm community. The community started in the early 1900’s. Lauck and Goff lived close to each other. &... ...ette Tips from Abner Peabody.† Online. Internet. Available (4 Nov. 1999). â€Å"Lum and Abner.† Online. Internet. Available (4 Nov. 1999). â€Å"Lum and Abner.† 1998. Online. Internet. Available (30 Sept. 1999). â€Å"Lum and Abner.† Online. Internet. Available (1 Nov. 1999). â€Å"National Lum Abner Society home page.† Online. Internet. Available (30 Sept. 1999). â€Å"National Lum Abner Society home page.† Online. Internet. Available (30 Sept. 1999)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Overview.† Online. Internet. Available (4 Nov. 1999).

Water Pollution in America Essay examples -- Environmental Pollution Es

When you think of problems in the world today, water pollution isn’t one that would normally come up. In fact it is one of the worst problems in the world today. Water pollution, by definition, is the contamination of streams, lakes, underground water, bays, or oceans by any substances harmful to living things. All living things contain water and most need water to survive, so water pollution is a big problem. If severe, the pollution can kill off birds, fish, and any animals that use the water source. In some cases even killing an entire species.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Keeping the pollution to a minimal isn’t the easiest thing in the world to do. The major water pollutants are chemical, biological, or physical materials that degrade water quality. Pollutants can be classed in to eight categories, each of which presents its own set of hazards.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Petroleum products are one of the most toxic substances to the ecosystem. Oil and chemicals derived from oil get into the water mainly by means of accidental spills from ships, tanker trucks, pipelines, and leaky underground storage tanks. Many petroleum products are poisonous if ingested by animals, and spilled oil damages the feathers of birds or the fur of animals, often causing death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pesticides and herbicides are toxins that are used to kill of unwanted animals and plants. These may be collected by rainwater runoff and carried into steams, rivers, lakes, and e...

Children’s Functional Health Pattern Essay

Toddlers believe rules are absolute and behave out of fear of punishment. The toddler will respond with good behavior for positive feedback. These  values and beliefs are learned. Preschoolers frequently express their values by stating who or what they like or what they want to be when they grow up. Preschoolers receive modeling of values from involved adults, peers, as they develop their morality. School-Age children’s values come from religion, cultural, and parental values influences. These factors shape a child’s moral development, and concept of right and wrong. School-age children are able to make decisions related to moral and ethical issues. Parents may cater to their toddler when they are misbehaving, giving them more attention when they are bad than when they are good. This make the toddler believe that behaving badly gets their parents attention. Parents need to remember to reward good behavior, and to emphasize rewards for acceptable behavior and minimizing attention for unwanted behavior. Parents may not have firm and established rules, making it confusing for the toddler to distinguish right from wrong. Peers or inappropriate content on television can negatively influence preschooler’s values and beliefs. Parents may have a poor morals and value system themselves, inadvertently teaching their preschoolers the same behaviors. School-age children may bend to peer pressure to gain the acceptance of their peers. School-Age children may cheat due a desire to win, or pressure from their parents and peers to be great. Short Answer Questions Address the following based on the above assessment findings. Expected answers will be 1-2 paragraphs in length. Cite and reference outside sources used. 1) Compare and contrast identified similarities as well as differences in  expected assessment across the childhood age groups. Across the stages of development from toddler up to school age children there is a significant difference in the amount of guidance needed and the amount independence required. The differences are evident when examining how each developmental phase interacts and responds within each health assessment pattern. Toddler and preschool children need more structure and routine, whether it’s brushing their teeth or bedtime rituals. School-aged children, on the other hand, require more independence and trust in decisions while still being guided and reassured as the develop their own sense of identity. There are similarities as amongst the age groups as well, such as all of the children moving towards a state of autonomy and the ability to express themselves adequately and be heard by either their parents, their peers, or both. Additionally, all of the different age groups have the need for a structured and healthy home environment in order to grow and develop. 2) Summarize how a nurse would handle physical assessments, examinations, education, and communication differently with children versus adults. Consider spirituality and cultural differences in your answer. When the nurse is caring for a child, the nurse must remember that they are essentially caring for the child and the parent (Jarvis, 2012). For a nurse, the assessment, examination and interaction with a child patient offers its own set of challenges and requires a different approach from that of an adult. When dealing the toddler and preschooler, the nurse should visit with the parent first, letting the child size the nurse up. The nurse can assess child on how they interact and react to the parent and the nurse. This allows the child to see that the caregiver has accepted and trusts the nurse. For the toddler and the preschooler, the parent will be providing most, if not all of the health history. When beginning the physical assessment on the child, move slow and approach them slowly while seeming happy and unthreatening. The nurse should allow the child to hold instruments, like a stethoscope, during the physical exam to help them feel like they are involved in their own care. Having parents there add security and support for children, and also can help with the ease of assessing the  child without them realizing that they are being assessed. With children of each stage of development, the nurse must be cognizant of verbal and non-verbal cues provided by the child. The nurse should be mindful that there could be cultural and/or spiritual considerations to take into account, like when undressing a child of the opposite sex. The nurse needs to ensure that the caregiver and the child feel comfortable. With both children and adults, assessment should start with least invasive and progress leaving most invasive last. School-Age children should be assed like either children or adults depending on their developmental age. Adult assessment can be more direct than that of a child. Ask adults open ended questions, listen to their complaints, and educate as needed. References Current Nursing. (2012). Theory of Psychosocial Development: Erik H. Erikson. Retrieved From http://currentnursing.com/nursing_theory/theory_of_psychosocial_development.html Edelman, C., Kudzma, E., Mandle, C. (2010). Health Promotion throughout the Life Span [VitalSource Bookshelf version]. Retrieved from http://pageburstls.elsevier.com/books /9780323056625 Jarvis, C. (2012). Physical Examination and Health Assessment [VitalSource Bookshelf version]. Retrieved from http://pageburstls.elsevier.com/books/978-1-4377-0151-7

Eternal Recurrence by Nietzsche

The theory of Eternal Recurrence, which is also referred as Eternal Return, states that the world has been returning or recurring. This implies that whatever realities our world has in this particular times would be repeated indefinitely yet unknown to all in the same manner that they are represented to the world at this moment (Lowith). According to historical records, the concept or idea of eternal recurrence originated from the ancient Egypt and was later on adapted by the Stoics and Pythagoras. Nevertheless, this principle had been abandoned through the rise of Christianity (Lukacher). It was only when Friedrich Nietzsche reintroduce the thought the scholars began to evaluate its truthfulness or possibilities. The fundamental argument of this theory is that the world is confined in scope and fixed, predetermined or restricted quantity of substances. While matter is considered limited, time exceeds it by being immeasurable and never-ending. The world does not possess staring point or end point whereas matter, that which comprise the world, is consistent in undergoing various changes in terms of its state (Lowith). Moreover, the theory suggests that the number of probable changes that the matter could have is limited and is fixed thus arriving at an assumption that sooner or later the similar state will happen again. The concept of eternal recurrence is fundamental and imperative throughout the works of Nietzsche. According to another philosopher in the name of Martin Heidegger, Nietzsche, though advocating the theory of eternal recurrence, did not really argue that such phenomenon has existed or is existent. But what is true on Nietzsche’s philosophy is that he accepts and does not deny the idea of eternal recurrence or eternal return. As Heidegger furthered, Nietzsche regarded the theory or the concept as merely a simple assumption just like how the Christian faith admits the idea of Hell and Angels. The idea of eternal recurrence is manifested through Nietzsche’s published works such as Thus Spoke Zarathustra and The Gay Science (Heidegger). But Nietzsche succeeded presenting his full conception on the thought of eternal recurrence on the foremost book. In this writing, the protagonist Zarathustra discovers himself on a mountain and faces two opposite paths. Together with the dwarf they try to work out on the dilemma of the two opposite but eternal paths. Zarathustra asks the dwarf if is it possible that someone has already passed the path yet continues to pass through path in unfathomable times. As he sees the gate, he concludes that it could be the case that everything that is happening in this world have already happened in the past, and is happening in the present time, and would eventually repeat to happen in the future since neither of the paths suggests a beginning nor an end (as both paths are eternal). This spectacle motivated Nietzsche to work on the possibility of eternal recurrence or eternal return. Basically, Nietzsche’s idea of eternal recurrence is simply a hypothesis of what he introduced in his work. No one would really know or confirm if particular things or event shad already happened in the past and just recurring. Hence, it could not really produce or offer concrete or sufficient evidence to say that at some point or truly eternal recurrence exists. In a way, eternal recurrence has some semblance or similarity with the idea of reincarnation (Lukacher). However, in reincarnation, it is not the matter that recurs but the only the soul. Thus, eternal recurrence could not be termed as equivalent of reincarnation. Comparable to what Nietzsche argues about the eternal recurrence principle, Arthur Schopenhauer also has his own idea of eternal recurrence the same way as Nietzsche’s. However, in his idea, the only thing that recurs is the matter in such a way that entities return in their own bodies and not in other bodies as how the tradition of reincarnation suggests (Lowith). It is noteworthy that Schopenhauer does not include time but merely explaining eternal recurrence as a physical concept. The same thing as Henry Poincare suggests in his proof to support the eternal recurrence through Mathematics (known as the Poincare’s Recurrence Theorem). It argues that if a system has a finite level of energy and remains at a finite spatial amount, after a considerable length of time, a system would return to its original state (Lowith). As an analysis of Nietzsche’s theory or concept of eternal recurrence, it is obvious that Nietzsche did not demand absolute truth to his principle for the fact that he did not imply all throughout his discussions and philosophy on the concept of eternal recurrence that it really exists in reality. In effect, he maintained analyzing and reflecting on the concept as simple a hypothesis, a conjecture, a presupposition. Furthermore, it could be the case that Nietzsche understood that there is no way that he could prove his hypothesis for the reason that there would be no entity that would demonstrate the very principle of eternal recurrence. No person would claim that his life and his being recur the same way as they did before. Works Cited Heidegger, Martin. Nietzsche: The Eternal Recurrence of the Same. HarperCollins, 1985. Lowith, Karl. Nietzsche's Philosophy of the Eternal Recurrence of the Same. First ed.  Ã‚  Ã‚   University of California Press, 1997. Lukacher, Ned. Time-Fetishes: The Secret History of Eternal Recurrence. Duke University  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Press, 1998.         

Business Environment in India

India Business Environment Analysis MNGT375. 102 – International Business Fall 2009 – Thursday 6:30PM Mr. Dennis L. Noah By: Brandon Barrett Andrew Murphy I. General Characteristics of the Country The country’s terrain varies by region. The renowned Himalayas lie to the North while highland plains occupy the south, home to the Deccan Plateau. The West conveys a different terrain bringing large deserts. As a result of the terrain varying from region to region the climate follows suite. In the south the climate is tropical but moving northward it becomes more temperate. ,000 km of coastline cover India’s borders making it very accessible. The Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal allow water transportation to be done easily for most of the country. The country has a somewhat established infrastructure. The infrastructure does not support its 1 billion plus people properly but despite that its infrastructure is sufficient for the short run and will only improve i n the future. Telecommunications in recent years has experienced significant expansion due to the deregulation of telecommunication laws. The cellular service industry is experiencing extremely rapid growth. However the telephone density is merely 40 out of 100 people across the nation. There are a total of 81 million internet users which is a huge untapped market available. There are 349 airports in all of India. 250 of these airports have paved runways; however the other 99 airport’s runways are unpaved. There is 63,327 km of railways throughout the country which is a very established railway system. There is 3,316,452 km of established roadways in India which is the second largest amount for any country in the world. There are 53 national highways which carry a majority portion of the traffic. In addition to roads, there is 14,500 km of waterways mainly in rivers and canals in India. India contains 11 major seaports The conditions within India are not the finest. India is a premier destination and source of human trafficking for commercial sexual abuse and forced labor. Men, women, and even children are exploited and forced to work on mills, factories, and women are forced to marry unwillingly. India is also the world’s largest producer of Opium for pharmaceutical purposes; however an undetermined but high rate is also illicitly developed. Despite obvious obstacles in India’s current economy, the potential for this untapped market is infinite and an intelligent investment for many multinational corporations. II. Political & Legal Environment The system of government in 23 states closely resembles the federal system Union (Political structure, 2009). However, seven Union territories in the country are administered by the President. The Chief Minister (CM) of a state government has the executive powers while the Governor, elected by the President, is the head of Executive (India's politics, 2009). The Council of Ministers of a state is lead by the CM and is responsible to the elected legislative assembly of the state just like the federal government (Political structure, 2009). The judiciary is independent of the executive in India. The Supreme Court (SC) is the apex court in the country. The High Court stands at the head courts of the states. Each state is divided into judicial districts presided over by a district and sessions judge, who is the highest judicial authority in a district (India's politics, 2009). â€Å"There are courts of civil jurisdiction, known in different states as munsifs, sub-judges, civil judges and the like. Similarly, criminal judiciary comprises chief judicial magistrate and judicial magistrates of first and second class† (India's politics, 2009). Corruption has gone down in India due to transparency, reformed and free judicial system (Country profile: India, 2009). The Supreme Court is supreme; it has original, appellate and advisory jurisdiction (Daniel, 2004). Its exclusive original jurisdiction extends to all disputes between the Union and one or more states or between two or more states and protects the Fundamental Rights of people (India's politics, 2009). The Supreme court has 25 justices and one Chief Justice (CJ) appointed by the President and hold the office till the age of 75 years (India's politics, 2009). It does not deal with criminal cases (Daniel, 2004). III. Economic Environment Despite economic woes that swept through the United States, and in turn the rest of the world in mid-2008; India has weathered the storm while outpacing recovery relative to many other developed and emerging nations. Year to date the Bombay Stock Exchange small cap index has outperformed the S 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average by over 100%. Appendix A) Financial markets have recovered at an unprecedented pace; however, fundamental and economic indicators suggest this rally is fueled by massive injections of liquidly, government intervention, and quantitative easing therefore deeming growth unsustainable. While evidence from monetary, fiscal, and economic policy globally suggest a double-dip recession is palpable; consumption between the Old World (US, Western Europe, Japan) & New World (Total World minus US, Western Europe, Japan) has changed. Currently emerging markets are expanding and consuming more than developed economics. Contrary to prior trends, OPEC’s largest customers now lie within emerging economies, and China is now the main consumer of Asian goods not the United States. India is poised to exponentially contribute towards New World growth driven by a free-market democracy, emerging middle class, capitalistic mindset, young English-speaking entrepreneurial population, and large inflows of foreign direct investment. (Market Commentary Report, Marc Faber) According to Citi Emerging Markets outlook nominal GDP in US$ bn was 1175. 0 in FY08 compared to 913. 5 a year before. Real GDP yoy growth was 9. 0% in FY08, and is expected to contract to 6. 7 in FY09 and steadily grow back to 8% yoyby FY12. Real imports and exports are expected to grow by 17. 9% and 12. 8% respectively in FY09. While imports and exports have experienced negative growth over the past few months the trade balance has narrowed to US $5 bn. Over the next year expected higher oil prices should impact India’s external a ccount considering they import 70% of their crude oil. Majority of GDP growth is driven internally so the nation is less depended on export growth than other countries. India’s current account is expected to be US -$43. 7 bn; exports will make up 169. bn while imports were 286. 5 bn. The current account in FY08 represented 1. 5% of GDP, and is expected to be 3. 8% in FY09. Foreign direct investment was US 15. 4 bn in FY08, and is expected to grow to 20 bn in FY09. According to Citi Investment research public debt should be reduced by US $200M this year. Before 1992 the Indian central government exercised tight control over foreign-exchange transactions and investment. From 1975-1992 Indian authorities managed a floating exchange rate system in which the rupee was pegged against a weighted basket of currencies similar to special drawing rights from the IMF. In March 1993 a free-floating exchange rate system was implemented. In comparison to other exchange rates the INR/USD has been less volatile. In Q2 2008 the exchange rate was 43 rupees for 1 U. S dollar, currently 1 U. S dollar yields 46. 44 rupees. In the past year the U. S dollar has appreciated against the rupee; however, long-term we believe the U. S dollar will depreciate against most currencies. Expansion of the United States balance sheet and monetary base suggests over the next few years the influx of dollars in circulation will devalue our currency and eventually lead to inflation. Operating a manufacturing facility in India does pose some exchange rate risk, but in the long run divesting some operations international may provide an inflation hedge. If the rupee does appreciate against the U. S dollar as expected the facility in India could use their rupee earnings and cash flow to purchase raw materials at a discount and retain earnings in a currency that will hold its value, and yield more purchasing power when converted back to U. S dollars in the future. Foreign capital investment also experienced deregulation with a â€Å"lazzi-faire† approach during the same period. Prior to July 1991 the central government of India followed the Foreign-Exchange Regulation Act. This act required all foreign capital be granted approval by India’s government; after the new foreign investment policy was announced, automatic approval was prescribed for 34 industries deemed high priority with an equity limit of 51%. In regards to ownership, after elections earlier this year India’s foreign investment policy has become even more deregulated. According to the Ministry of Finance the upper level of foreign ownership has been raised from 51% to 74% and in some cases to a 100%. â€Å"The finance minister announced the government’s commitment to a 90-day period for approving all foreign investment. Government officers will be assigned to larger foreign investment proposals and will facilitate Central and States clearances in a time-bound manner. † (Foreign Investment Policy, Ministry of Finance) Other recent policy changes have been developed to provide incentives for foreign firm participation within India. India’s most recent foreign investment policy on the Ministry of Finance website indicates the ban against using foreign brand names/ trademarks has been lifted, the corporate tax rate for foreign companies was reduced to 55% from 65% (domestic tax rate is 40%), long-term capital gains rates were lowered to 20% for foreign firms, and the Indian Income Tax Act exempts export earnings from corporate income tax for both Indian and foreign firms. India has a three-tier tax structure in which majority of taxes are indirect such as sales, value added, and goods and services tax. Intellectual property rights are also regulated; the Embassy of India posts in their policy statement that â€Å"there is a well-e stablished statutory, administrative and judicial framework to safeguard intellectual property rights in India, whether they relate to patents, trademarks, copyright or industrial designs†. Intellectual Property Rights in India, Embassy of India) India has become a developed market place; the Bombay Stock Exchange is the largest in South Asia, and the 12th largest in the world with a market capitalization of US 1. 79 trillion. With the oldest exchange in Asia and a developed regulatory framework; the nation also has a wealth of trade organizations and business associations to set standards and polices for various industries. Currently India has several hundred industry trade associations ranging from Ahmedabad Electri cal Merchants & Contractors Association to the Wood Furniture Makers Association. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Confederation of Indian Industry can be valuable government organizations when researching various compliance regulations and associations related to your firms industry. According the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry website there is a Manufacturing Committee aimed at making the industry globally competitive while indentifying possible risks and threats faced by the sector. Firms manufacturing small household appliances would join the Indian Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers Association (IEEMA). Founded in 1948, Indian Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers’ Association (IEEMA) is the representative national organization of manufacturers of electrical, professional electronics and allied equipment having over 550 members, Whose combined annual turnover is over Rs. 1,00,000 croresi. e. US $ 22 billion. † (About Us, IEEMA. org) The Southern India Engineering Manufacturers Assoc iation (SIEMA) might also be a valuable association to join which aims at protecting the interests of engineering companies. The Focus on the Global South organization indicates India currently has nine main regional trade agreements, and has 18 more under negotiation. Operational agreements include Agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area, Asia Pacific Trade Agreement, Bangladesh – India Amended Trade Agreement, Bhutan-India Agreement on Trade, India-Maldives Trade Agreement, India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement, India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement, India-Thailand Free Trade Agreement, and the Indo-Nepal Treaty of Trade. The most recent agreement was signed in 1992, and all have a scope on the trade in goods; however agreements currently in negotiation focus on goods, services, investment, and economic cooperation. (Overview, Focus on the Global South) On par with many other emerging countries, India’s main industries are in the agriculture, service, and industrial sectors. Specifically the retail sector is the largest industry and the second largest employer after agriculture which accounts for about 60% of the population. Press Releases, Department of Commerce) India recently has been a premier outsourcing destination because of its low-cost but skilled and educated labor. The information technology and software sector has been successful in developing a global footprint with a slew of small business servicing niche areas in the IT market. Examples include firms that provide supply chain management, CRM, and turnkey solutions to specific industries. India is also on the technological frontie r with companies leading the way in smartcard and RFID development and implementation. The largest company in India is Reliance Industries which operates in the oil and gas industry; however, it has become a major conglomerate with a market value of US 91. 53 mi. (India’s 40 Largest Companies, Forbes) The company’s activities span from exploration and production of oil and gas to petroleum refining and marketing, petrochemicals (polyester, fibre intermediates, plastics and chemicals), textiles, retail and special economic zones. (About Us, Reliance Industris) Second, is Oil & Natural Gas Company with a market value of US 61. 1 mi then the State Bank of India with US 24. 09 mi and assets of US 188,565 mi. In emerging and developing countries it’s normal for oil & gas, financial, and utilities companies to be the largest, because they build the foundation for growth and stability. India’s economy can only grow as fast as the financial and banking sector expands and the infrastructure that supports power, communication, and networking firsts ne eds to be in place before a modern market place can develop. Historical and present day, India is still considered a country with high political and terror risks. Recently attacks in Mumbai and tensions with Pakistan have caused some turbulence in financial markets; however, any organization with a long-term focus should not be readily concerned about political and economic risk because India is only bound to benefit from democracy, growth, and deregulation that benefits free-markets and trade. Geopolitical threats are concerning, but from a U. S standpoint the situation is not any better considering were in two wars. Divesting some operations in India could actually serve as a political and economic hedge reducing our exposure to specific threats the United States may experience. According to the Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index of 2009, India ranked 84th out of a 180 countries with a score of 3. 4 out of 10. While India does not rank well on the CPI index it is still at the top of all South Asian countries. According to New Delhi most corruption lies in bribes and speed money to low-level public officials to â€Å"speed things up†. Following general elections on May 13, 2009, the Indian National Congress won 206 seats an additional 61 from before. The Indian National Congress represented 28. 5% of the vote following the Bharatiya Janata Party with 18. 80%. (Election Commission of India) Both major parties represent different alliances the United Progressive Alliance and the National Democratic Alliance. The United Progressive Alliance is said to lean more on the left side of the political spectrum with socialist and communist ideologies; however, the finance minister has made it clear through economic reforms that reflec t a market-based economy works best. Attention needs to be given to the apprehension between India’s governments and the finance minister’s economic objectives. Nonetheless, policies have recently continued to favor a free market approach. Last February the Indian government introduced its Union Budget for 2009-2010 which aimed at economic revival from the global slowdown. â€Å"Three fiscal stimulus packages in the form of tax relief and increased expenditure on public projects along with RBI taking a number of monetary easing and liquidity enhancing measures were introduced. † (Union Budget, New Delhi) India’s economy along with many others needs to adjust to a new economic landscape which includes Asia’s economic surge, America’s decline, and regional agreements. The stimulus packages are used to fuel growth rates in gross domestic product while creating profit maximizing incentives and protection for various industries. While India’s regulatory framework is still undergoing major development in terms of trade and economic policy; they also have made exponential progress. The nation is growing at over 1. 5% yoy with a rapidly emerging middle class which will drive consumerism in years to come. India is moving forward in the right direction by encouraging investment and ensuing political stability. We have a positive outlook and believe the current environment could be beneficial in minimizing the initial injection of capital to start operations. IV. Cultural and Socioeconomic Environment Religion and culture plays an important role in social relations and business in India. Traditional Indian society is defined by relatively strict social hierarchy. The influences of Hinduism and the tradition of the caste system have created a culture that emphasizes established hierarchical relationships (Social Hierarchy, kwintessential, 2009). Every relationship has a clear- cut hierarchy that must be observed for the social order to be maintained. About 81. 4% of the population of India practice Hinduism, 12. 4% practice Islam. Other religions include Sikhism, Christianity, Buddhism and other religions (Background note, U. S Department of State). The Indian caste system describes the social restrictions and discrimination in India, in which social classes are defined by thousands of groups, often termed as â€Å"Jatis† or castes. Discrimination based on caste is officially illegal, but remains prevalent, especially in rural areas. However, the government has made strong efforts to minimize the importance of caste through active affirmative action and social policies (Society and Culture, Times of India, 2007). India has a high context culture, many things are left unsaid. They do not like to express ‘no', be it verbally or non- verbally. Rather than disappoint you, for example, by saying something isn't available, Indians will offer you the response that they think you want to hear. If terms such as â€Å"We'll see†, â€Å"I will try† or â€Å"possibly† are employed then the chances are that they are saying ‘no'(Manners, RiddhiShah, 2005). Religion, education and social class all influence greetings in India. This is a hierarchical culture, so most senior persons or eldest are greeted first. Shaking hands is common, especially in the large cities among the more educated who are accustomed to dealing with westerners. Men may shake hands with other men and women may shake hands with other women; however there are seldom handshakes between men and women because of religious beliefs. They say â€Å"Namaste† by putting two palms together as a respectful greeting. Business cards are exchanged after the initial handshake and greeting. Using left hand to exchange business cards or gifts is considered disrespectful. It is also important to know that Hindus do not eat beef and Muslims do not eat pork (Meeting/Dining Etiquette, kwintessential, 2009). In Indian society, aggressiveness can often be interpreted as a sign of disrespect. This may lead to a complete lack of communication and motivation on the part of the Indians. Criticism about an individual's ideas or work needs to be done constructively, without damaging that person’s self-esteem (Doing Business in India, 2009). Hospitality is a key part of doing business in India; most business discussions will not even begin until tea is served and there has been some preliminary talk (Manners, Riddhi Shah, 2005). Indians prefer to do business with those they know. Relationships are built upon mutual trust and respect. In general, Indians prefer to have long-standing personal relationships prior to doing business. It may be a good idea to go through a third party introduction. Labor is abundant in India. It is currently estimated to have a total workforce of 397 million where agricultural and allied sectors accounted for about 60 percent of the total workforce. Only 28 million workers are employed in the organized sectors. Almost70 percent of the Indian workforce is under the age of 30, and 80 percent of the young people entering the workforce do not have high-school education or skills that are needed in the job market (Human Capital, 2009). With a majority of unskilled labor, many well-educated individuals within the ranks of the unemployed and under-employed, including technicians and engineers, can also be found without much difficulty. One area of focus for both Indian and foreign investors has been on information technology. This sector has been described as the engine of growth of the Indian economy. The Indian software industry is growing at a rate of more than 50 percent a year, and the country appears to be on track to achieve IT exports of $50 billion by 2010. Approximately 10,000 Internet companies were established in India in 1999, and after years of experiencing a brain-drain effect, Indians are returning home to start and work for technology companies. However, labor shortages are beginning to occur at the highest levels of some service industries especially in IT enabled services (Human Capital, 2009). The numbers of persons with managerial and other white-collar skills are increasing as newly established management institutes begin to produce graduates. There are 5,114 industrial training institutes as well, which have a total capacity of around 742,000 students, offering courses in engineering and non-engineering trades. Even for those graduates from professional disciplines, quality of education imparted is a major issue. Only 25% of engineers, 15% of finance, and accounting professionals and 10% of professionals with Indian degrees are suitable for work in multinationals companies (Globalization and education, 2008). It is important for an investor to meet local business community and start networking at Indian trade fairs to make the right connections. Local business consultants, government agencies and local US embassy also provide necessary information and assistance to start up a business there. It is also good to think of using a local agent or setting up your own office and take legal advice on regulations that may apply to the product or service. V. Industry Specific Information There are hundreds of privately owned companies that make small motors in India but there are no public companies that manufacture this product. Since private companies are not required to disclose their activities and financial information to the public, there no industry information available to us. There are at least 450 small motor manufacturers and suppliers in India (Electric Motors, India Mart). The existence of huge number of manufactures indicates that the small appliance industry is doing quite well. Some manufacturers sell their products within the country and some of them have extended their market to other countries. For instance, one of the largest manufacturers and suppliers of small motors in India, New Bharat Group, sells its products to at least 23 countries in Asia and Africa (Export, New Bharat Group). It will be one of the biggest competitors among many other competitors. Along with the economic growth and rapid urbanization, the Indian household appliances market has been growing each year. The household appliances market reflects the sale of six product sectors: refrigeration appliances, washing appliances, vacuum cleaners, dishwashers, room comfort appliances and cooking appliances. The Indian ousehold appliances market generated total revenues of $4. 8 billion in 2008. In 2013, the Indian household appliances market is forecasted to have a value of $7. 7 billion, an increase of 60. 7% since 2008 (Market Analysis, Datamonitor). It indicates that there is a possibility that the market size of electric motors in India will even get bigger. The availability of raw material suppliers is fa vorable to the small motor manufacturers because metal industry is one of the leading industries in Indian economy. Some other materials could be imported from neighboring country China as well (Electric Motors, Indiamart). VI. Benefits and liabilities of current situation Deciding where to locate productive activities for a manufacturing planet is a major business decision in which various risks need to be accessed to ensure the long-term strategic role of the firm and country align. In our case study we decided to own foreign production activities instead or outsourcing and developing a complete turnkey solution. While initial start-up cost and risk increase there is also a direct relationship between profitability. While production activities may already be organized, more focus must be placed on the logistics of the operation. How will the firm acquire materials? How is the location strategic towards business processes? Our organization must look beyond firm specific and product factors that may effect production, and focus on political risk, exchange risk, market risk, etc. If our company begins developing small motors for the appliances we already sell, then our manufacturing planet will aid in making our company more vertically integrated. Being able to supply components required to build the finished product lowers cost, protects proprietary technology, and improves overall business efficiency and practice. Considering equity ownership varies among industries, our manufacturing facility will most likely have to be in conjunction with a local firm. However, considering the engineering and operational expertise, Indian firms that can provide a strategic alliance or joint venture may benefit our organization and business process. Labor capital is one of the main reasons U. S companies have outsourced operations to India. From a human resources perspective India has a young population that’s educated and English speaking – a manufacturing facility would have no problems acquiring college grads for anagement and engineering positions while also obtaining machinist and assembly line workers. The overall labor cost used in the production of appliances would be less in comparison to the United States and quality would not be sacrificed. International human resource management will play a vital role for the firm as a strategy needs to be implemented to get amalgamated to the host c ountry through cultural, language, and practical training. A partnership or strategic alliance will help our international labor relations an ability to develop a competitive advantage while enhancing bargaining power. Compensation would be based on equalizing the base salary in terms of purchasing power between the countries; the standard of living in the home country would be on par for the host country. India with over 1. 1 billion people not only makes for a premier location to operate a manufacturing facility, but more importantly a marketplace for its appliances. Our firm has decided to implement a global standardization strategy that utilizes the local labor force. We feel this strategy is best for reaping cost reductions, economies of scale, and value added location economics. A global strategy would best serve our facility over a transnational or localization strategy because our product doesn’t have to be tailored to tastes across different geographic markets. Considering differences in consumer tastes and preferences don’t change much in what is required of appliances; our manufacturing facility should be focused on achieving economies of scale and utilizing various distribution channels locally with strategic partnerships. India also has several resource endowments that will help in reducing cost of raw materials from accessibility and ease. In addition being close to raw materials required for production reduces transportation cost while shipping cost are also reduced from have a facility in the middle of Asia, the largest potential market. India has a developed and regulated political economy with an individualistic mentality. The nation has a democratic political system in which government officials are elected through the people either directly or indirectly. While political risk does exist given the controlling political party (United Progressive Alliance) drives from socialist and communist ideologies. However, the government is a democracy and the citizens realize a free-market approach is best for their society; thus we consider the government politically stable without the risk found in totalitarian regimes. The economic system in India is evolving and moving towards a market economy, but currently has the elements of a mixed economy with some regulatory restrictions. As the finance minister continues to enact polices that discourage government intervention and open up markets for trade and investment – the economy is rapidly evolving into modern capitalistic system. Along with regulated and historically stable financial markets the legal system also has the framework necessary for protecting intellectual property and ownership. Business laws and incentives have been enacted to encourage foreign development and investment; corporate tax rates have been reduced and equity ownership caps have increased. After accessing the political, economic, and legal environment we believe the potential return and value creation offsets the risk and possible implications faced by operating a facility in India. Inherent with divesting operations internationally the host firm accepts a degree of translation, transaction, and economic exposure. However, given the fundamentals on the U. S dollar outlook in the economic environment section we believe future favorable exchange rate fluctuations will increase the value of our company’s equities, assets, cash flow, and earnings. The caste system is still present in India, but the government has outlawed caste-based discrimination, and their social stratification allows for upward mobility. Considering socioeconomic factors bring production to India not only reduces cost, but will help our firm penetrate a potentially large marketplace as Indian consumers will be more likely to purchase products developed and produced in their home country. VII. Expectations of country competitiveness related to industry The household appliances market is rapidly expanding in emerging countries such as India and China where demand is driven by an emerging middle class. In India it is expected by 2012 the middle class population will be size of our total population, around 300 million. The manufacturing industry specifically dealing with the production of small-motors is a saturated marketplace consisting of over 450 companies. Industry leaders include the New Bharat Group and Havells which supply small motors across Asia and Africa. Considering the concentration of firms in this segment it would probably be most beneficial for our company to partner with a retail distribution chain or technology firm that will be sure to add value while protecting our business processes. Our strategic lliance or joint venture would only be done if it was a government requirement due to foreign investment regulations which it probably will. Given the pace of technological innovation and capital investment the industry is bound to experience heighten competition and barriers to entry in India. Consolidation within the industry is unlikely in the near term as sheer population growth and consumerism we expect will outpace the influx in supply. VIII. Itinerary The itinerary for our cou ntry visit can be found in Appendix D.