The four works that communicate about the nature warfare Essay

The four works that communicate about the nature warfare - Essay Example They conducted all manners of techniques, strategies, and efforts of winning against their enemies who aimed to stop their raging mission of controlling much of European territories. This led to battle and violent mission by the military personnel, aimed at retaining their superiority power. However, their defeat by Allied Forces in May 1945 led to the end of war in Europe. Among the authors who use their literal works to describe the nature of war, include the Randall Jarrell in his poem Eight Air Force. The poem depicts the Eight Air Force of the US that was just established in 1944 to act as one of the components of US Strategic Command tasked to combat in air and engaging the operations to fight in the World War II. It helped to carry out strategic bombings of enemies in Nazi Germany, France, and other countries in the Northern Europe. At some point, Randall described the war as the death trap by saying â€Å"The other murderers troop in yawning† in the second stanza (Gardner, p. 400).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Randall Jarrell also wrote another literal work dubbed The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner published in 1945. It described the death of a gunner in the ball turret during the Second World War in an American aircraft. In the third line, the author described the death by saying â€Å"Six miles from earth, loosed from its dream of life† (Cornelius, p. 3). They were on a mission to fight in the European territories to fight their enemies such as Nazi Germany. Elie Wiesel’s Night is another work that described the nature of war. The author describes his experiences with his father where they were staying in concentration camps of Nazi German from 1944 to 1945. Wiesel’s narrative demonstrates the way they suffered where his father declined to a helpless situation. In this case, his father regrets that â€Å"If only I could get rid of this dead

A case on Mergers & Acquisitions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

A case on Mergers & Acquisitions - Assignment Example me concepts such as FDI1, which is the acquisition of ownership of assets by a foreign country in another country with the intention of having direct control over manufacture, distribution and sales of a firm in the host country. Foreign investment basically means the gap in a country’s requirement for investment and its savings rate (Yuang, 1998 p.63). The host country for FDI stands to benefit in a number of ways in terms of capital formation, export diversification, technology import, management system improvement, and enhanced market competition, infrastructure development to support economic activity, financial sector growth and markets development (OECD, 2001 p.13). FDI is a powerful engine in helping to achieve country objectives such as those about poverty reduction, development and international integration, and it is perceived to be an international investment route that most developed economies have embraced. Low income countries in Africa, for example, have not taken this advantage and are thus being excluded from the globalization benefits of FDI. This research paper seeks to explain general aspects of international trade and economic blocs as well as critically evaluate the economic environment for FDI in the United Arab Emirates focusing on business risk for a firm keen on investing in UAE and considering key aspects of the international business environment such as culture, ethical practices, legal systems, purchasing power, income, consumption patterns, taxes, infrastructure, economic prospects and stability in general among others. Picking on a specific product or service, the paper will explain distribution and marketing strategies and provide guidance on the extent to which the firm’s performance may be put at risk based on last five years. International trade deals with the dynamics around movement of goods and services including intellectual property across country borders and it affects not only a country’s economic, social and

Critical Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Critical Reflection - Essay Example More importantly, the book showed me that it is possible that it was not only me to blame, and gave me a sense of hope that other students feeling this way now, can be helped more than I was. Rose looks at the foundations of such feelings, starting from the effects of labeling children: â€Å"The designation remedial has powerful implications in education – to be remedial is to be substandard, inadequate† (Rose, 1989, p. 209), and I recognized my own sense of myself, throughout school, in this. When teachers publicly separated me from the rest of my classmates, with good intentions, I am sure, because of the learning difficulty I have, it was devastating. As a Third Grader, my need to belong to the group was great, and the challenges I experienced were not only with the learning difficulty, but equally significantly, with the teachers’ and other children’s perception that I was different. I internalized their view of me and became unconfident and negative about myself and my abilities. At school, my classmates called me names, and I was no longer a â€Å"cool† friend. At home, my mother was supportive, but I could not get away from the feeling that I was disappointing her, because I could not so well at school. This isolation is another aspect of my life that I identified with in Rose’s book – a boy â€Å"Harold† writes: â€Å"I am lost in the woods. I cannot find my way out. I yell and yell. No one answered me. I climbed a tree then I fell out of the tree and broke my arm† (Rose, 1989, p. 119). While my situation was perhaps not as bad as Harold’s, I did see many of my classmates, struggling more than I did, even more isolated from the mainstream. Mike Rose realized that this boy was a lonely child, feeling rejected, and that it was these feelings, more than the boy’s learning challenges that caused him to not be able to perform well academically. This is

External and Internal Environmental Analysis - Apple Research Paper

External and Internal Environmental Analysis - Apple - Research Paper Example The current business environment is volatile and changing. In order to survive and thrive in this competitive environment, firms will have to monitor and analyze the internal and external environment conditions before taking any business decision. In the present research paper, an external and internal environment analysis of Apple has been done. EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT External environment can be described as the factors, entities, conditions and events surrounding a firm, which influence its choices and activities. In a multinational organization, external environment analysis is essential. Apple is a global organization operating worldwide. Thus, external factors surrounding the parent company and the subsidiaries and branches will have an effect on the overall decision making process. An external environment is also known as an operating environment. Apple Corporation falls in the consumer electronics sector and is involved in designing and manufacturing of computer hardware, softwa re and other computer related operations. The major external factors which influence the decision making process and the computer industry are: 1. Rising price competition 2. Rapid changes in technology 3. Changing consumer preference Slow market growth and growing competition from local brands are the major reason for the rise in price wars (Knox, 2004). The majority of emerging countries have witnessed a host of local brands, selling brands and variants akin to iPhones and smart phones. They are sold at low prices, and there is an increasing pressure among bigger brands to decrease their price. In case of developed countries, price competition arises because of availability of a large number of variants from the same brand. Thus, competitors such as Samsung, IBM, HP, etc. launch more versions in developed counties, thereby intensifying competition. Rapid changes in technology have decreased the shelf life of electronic goods. More and more companies are now able to replicate the a vailable technologies. By adding a few features in those technologies, these brands gain a competitive advantage. Apple faces major competition in personal computers and mobile laptops. Apart from that, a slow market and product similarities among most of its product categories have also resulted in an increased competition. Changing consumer preferences is another external operating condition, which impacts the decision making process of Apple. Consumers have become more conscious as a result of the recent economic downturn. As a result, the sale of high-end smart phones and laptops has decreased, especially in emerging nations. Considering that emerging nations are the highest growth contributors for companies such as Apple, monitoring and establishing proper strategies will be crucial for a sustainable future growth. INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT Innovation and creativity have always been the internal strengths for Apple (Rufat-Latre, Muller, & Jones, 2010). Designing and developing most distinctive products and capturing a market share on the basis of innovation has made Apple one of the most renowned computer software companies of the world. However, with the advancement of technology and modern capabilities, it is not taking much time for other brands to imitate Apple’s design and launch in the market with added features. Apart from that, it is very difficult to patent each and every design which Apple produces. Technology and human resource can be described as the most important and crucial

Teenagers using steriods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Teenagers using steriods - Essay Example S is suggested to be ddictive in some users nd especilly in teengers. In ddition, teengers often use other illicit drugs nd there is the risk for spred of heptitis nd HIV to originlly low-risk popultions through shring needles in S injection (DuRnt et l., 2003). S use in teengers my cuse premture closure of the growth pltes over the bones resulting in permnent short. The initition of S use hs mostly been found to tke plce sometime during teengers. The prevention of S use should therefore be considered n importnt tsk not only within sports but lso for the public t lrge. The serch for risk nd protective fctors for S use in teengers is vitl. Rte of lifetime use mong United Sttes high-school students vries between 4% nd 12% for mles nd 0.5% nd 2% for femles (Bhrke et l., 1998). Lower figures hve been reported in other countries; rtes vry between 1.2% nd 3.2% for mles nd 0.2% nd 2.0% for femles in ustrli (Beel et l., 1998), for exmple. One report showed firly similr rte (12-month) in Cnd (4.1% in mles nd 1.5% in femles) (Cndin Centre for Drug-Free Sports, 2003). Prevlence of S use mong frikns-speking sport prticipnts hs been reported to be in the sme rnge (e.g., 2.5%), wheres much lower rtes were found in the generl dolescent student popultion in South fric. Studies from different regions in Sweden hve provided vrying lifetime estimtes for dolescents: 5.8% for mles nd 1.0% for femles versus 2.1% nd 0.2%, respectively (Kindlundh et l., 1999). Substntil regionl differences hve lso been found in the U.S. s well s in South fric. With the exceptions of Cnd, ntionl dt re lcking. The current knowledge bout S use, therefore, need s to be supplemented by lrge-scle nd ntionlly representtive smples from sites outside North meric. S reserch hs been mostly descriptive in nture. There hve been some ttempts t more theoreticlly driven reserch, but differing theoreticl perspectives hve rrely been contrsted. Theories of S use hve hd t lest three different viewpoints. First, mny studies hve tken sports perspective, nd these studies hve noted such motives s winning nd performing well in thletics. Thus, the prevlence of S use mong top thletes hs been reported to be high in such sports s footbll, trck nd field, weight lifting, body building nd possibly lso self-defense sports nd mrtil rts (Fields et l., 2004). High rtes of use hve been found t subelite levels nd mong college nd high-school thletes (Bhrke et l., 1998). Second, muscles not only mke you win, they fit the present-dy body idel. For men, this body idel implies upper torso strength nd mesomorph body type. For women, this is defined s slimness, prticulrly from the wist down, coupled with lrge brests (Wichstrom, 2000). To look good or to be big re the prime motives for S use mong gym-bsed weight triners nd mong the top two motives in the generl dolescent popultion. Eting problems nd concerns hve been found in mle body-builders nd S users. Possibly "reverse norexi" (Pope et l., 2000) nd hence S use hve prtly the sme etiology s eting disorders, including poor self-concept nd poor body stisfction. However, mong norml dolescents one of the prime motives for looking good is to enhnce one's chnces with the opposite gender, nd one could therefore

Exploring the connections between the mask of masculinity and the mask Essay

Exploring the connections between the mask of masculinity and the mask of femininity - Essay Example A study of the first chapter ‘Saplings in the Storm’ of Mary Pipher’s Reviving Ophelia and the first chapter ‘Inside the World of Boys: Behind the Mask of Masculinity’ of William Pollock’s Real Boys give an insight into the complex psyche of adolescent girls and adolescent boys in coping with societal expectations and norms. ‘Saplings in the Storm’ and ‘Inside the World of Boys’ approach the same issue from two different perspectives. Both take us back to the world of adolescence. While ‘Saplings in the Storm’ tells us about the distress of adolescent girls, ‘Inside the World of Boys’ presents the struggle of teenage boys. In both the cases the young boys and the girls are trying hard to be masculine and feminine rather than naturally grow up into men and women. A girl has always been an enigma to a boy and vice versa. It is but natural that adolescent girls and boys fall on and off in love. A fantasy soon gives way to disillusionment as one sees the other without the mask. They are in love with the mask which is based on unreal concepts of masculinity and femininity. The adolescent boys and girls pass through the same experience of trying to fit into the mask. They struggle to play a certain role and sink in depression when this unnatural struggle takes a toll on their mental health. Today most of the young girls would go to any extent to be the femme fatale with killer looks and a perfect 10 figure or be that pretty young thing. Sadly enough, this is the recent trend of femininity. Pipher begins her chapter ‘Saplings in the Storm’ with the example of her cousin Polly who gave up her tomboyish and spontaneous self to become a social butterfly only to be accepted by her peers. (Cited in Schmidt et al) Pollock in his ‘Inside the World of Boys’ points out to a similar situation of how boys try to live the myths about masculinity. (Cited in Schmidt et al) Boys don’t cry, boys are tough, boys are

Hewlett Packard Swot Analysis Essay Example for Free

Hewlett Packard Swot Analysis Essay The Hewlett-Packard and Compaq merger decision case study provided many points necessary in the understanding of why these two companies would undergo a risky business venture. Compaq was a company that began successfully with record setting financial statements, but in an attempt to expand its market, threatened company stability. With the acquisition of Tandem Computer and Digital Equipment Corporation, Compaq experienced decreased revenues resulting in their inability to fully recover. In a competitive information technology market, HP was one of the industry leaders. Due to a failure to be proactive to market changes, HP grew stagnant and looked to reinvent company strategies through newly appointed President/CEO Carly Fiorina. Competitive advantages for both HP and Compaq included imaging and printing segment and high performance PC technology respectively. Management’s reasons for the merger included their assumption that together, HP and Compaq would be able to replicate and overtake competitors. Oppositions to the merger included a decrease in shareholder interests, a reduction of focus for company core competencies, and an unprofitable future. Several financial advisors and industry analysts were in agreement that the proposed merger would not be in the best interests of either company. Despite the uncertainties, information gathered and forecasts projected were in favor of the merger, which resulted in shareholder approval and the merger of Hewlett-Packard and Compaq Computer. SWOT Analysis In researching Hewlett-Packard’s present-day company position, a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis was conducted. Strengths found include HP’s strong market position internationally and on the domestic end, a successful growth throughout large acquisitions, and a considerable brand value. HP currently has a 28.6% market share in the United States of America while internationally they stand at 17.7%. As the current number one leader in PC sales, HP has a solid market position. Although the strengths are allowing HP to maintain market position, there are also weaknesses present in all companies. Compared to other companies in the same industry, Hewlett-Packard lacks significant software product and management consulting services. As a result, Hewlett-Packard’s weakness is its weak market segment integration. HP is able to answer consumer demand when it comes to PC technology and imaging and printing software, but they fall short in t he software product creation and consulting services to combine with their successful departments of PC technology and imaging and printing services. As Hewlett-Packard continues to grow and seek an increase in market position, opportunities surface. A spin-off of the PC technology business, entering the cloud computing market, and expanding imaging and printing solutions portfolio are opportunities HP has going forward. In placing more emphasis on the PC technology aspect of the company, HP may find that this venture will become as profitable as the imaging and printing department in the long-run. With the announcement of this spin-off, their share of US PC shipment increased from 25.4% to 28.9%. This positive reaction from consumers is an early indicator of possible success as a result of placing resources to build up the PC technology department. Cloud computing is a fairly new concept in which resources and software are delivered through a network, mainly over the Internet. As this is market quickly growing in demand, HP’s introduction of HP Cloud Assure is a great opportunity for future prosperity. With success comes o pportunities of threats, and Hewlett-Packard is no exception. With projected decrease in information technology (IT) in the near future, an increase in demand for non PC devices, and competitors with more diversified portfolios, HP’s threats are numerous. Industry analysts have projected a decrease of IT in upcoming quarters which will decrease HP’s profitability. HP has already witnessed a decrease in consumer spending during last quarter’s back-to-school spending. If analyst projections prove to be true, changes will quickly need to be made. As more and more consumers are entering the non PC device era, HP is losing a segment of the market with their inability to provide products for this demand. HP’s more diversified competitors such as Dell and Samsung are able to easily capture the demand for these tablets. Future of the Company Through the case study, present-day SWOT analysis, and outside research conducted on Hewlett-Packard, the group has concluded that the company will remain constant, but unless strategies are implemented to answer more consumer demands, they may lose market share. New CEO Meg Whitman has a technology visionary that will shift HP’s focus to answering consumer demands. Her leadership capabilities and projections for company future are a desirable mix for a company to achieve sustainable future relevance. With the implementation of HP Cloud Assure, a new venture capitalizing on the growing consumer interest of cloud computing, HP is already adapting to answering the demands of consumers. As long as the company continues to anticipate and provide the products and services desired, sustainability will be maintained. Questions 1. What are the strategic challenges that HP is facing? Strategic challenges: Cost- reduction initiatives that included â€Å"difficult but necessary voluntary- severance programs† and manufacturing consolidations. â€Å"Unacceptably high expense growth† contributed to a decline in earnings from operations and net earnings. HP had a weak macroeconomic environment and competitive price pressures that led to slumping sales. Management was unable to keep pace of the changing market conditions which were a key contributor. HP management failed to follow Dell’s lead in adopting a low- cost, Internet based direct sales channel to offset its reliance on the retail channel. * Accelerating growth in existing businesses * Streamlining the existing decentralized operating model to fuel growth opportunities * Implementing a â€Å"total customer experience† approach * Taking advantage of HP’s strong balance sheet and cash generation capability to fund new growth initiatives * Leveraging HP’s market position * Creating e- services ecosystems and placing HP at the center 2. Is the proposed merger likely to address these challenges? Benefits from the merger included personal systems, improved economics, and innovation. HP management believed that the combined company would have a lower cost structure due to economies of scale. HP would also be able to leverage Compaq’s progress in developing a direct sales channel, yielding a more flexible distribution model. Complementary leadership in key markets: Compaq’s strength in industry standard servers, coupled with HP’s Linus and UNIX offerings, would result in an industry- leading product line spanning the entire server category. By adding HP’s strength in high- end storage, the combined company would be the industry leader in both the enterprise storage segment and the fastest growing sub-segment storage area networks. Doubling HP’s sales force, the merger would allow HP to increase account coverage and better compete for important customer engagements around the world. IT Services: Strengthened Business Provides Critical Mass in Key Growth Market- Management believed the merger would significantly strengthen HP and Compaq’s combined services business for several reasons. Financial Benefits- As predicted the merger would yield $2.5 billion in annual cost saving by mid-2004. Yes, we do believe the proposed merger is likely to address the challenges HP faces. 3. How do you interpret the market’s reaction to the proposal deal? We interpret the market’s reaction to the proposed deal to be negative. Just two months of the Merger announcement, HP’s share price trailed the preannouncement level by 27%, representing a loss of $12.3 billion of market share value at the same time comparable companies increased 9.9%. 4. If you were a shareholder of HP, how would you vote on the deal? If we were shareholders of HP, we would vote against the deal. It is obvious the company is losing a great deal of money at the same time other companies in the same industry are making money. The merger is not looking out for the best interest of the shareholders so we would not vote for the merger. Sources Bloomberg Businessweek http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-10-12/hewlett-packard-gains-pc-market-share-after-mulling-spinoff.html CNN Money http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2005/02/07/8250437/index.htm http://money.cnn.com/2011/09/22/technology/hp_ceo_fired/index.htm Hewlett-Packard Website http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press/2009/090331xa.html Hewlett-Packard Case Study â€Å"Hewlett-Packard – Compaq: The Merger Decision† Marketing Research http://www.marketingresearch.com/marketing/swot-analysis-hewlett-packard Jennifer Brown Synopsis The process of completing this assignment has helped me discover how to view business decisions in a more analytical way. When approaching this one it seemed overwhelming at first. I began pulling outside sources and background information that helped me gain a better understanding of the project at hand. That extra research was very useful in explaining what the companies were going through and giving different perspectives as to why. I was able to apply what I have learned in my accounting classes when the case study and articles referred to financial ratios and provided financial reports. That was helpful when trying to answer the questions assigned. Working with a group was also beneficial because there were several times my group members made great points that I may have missed working alone. Our group has met several times since the project has been assigned. I have been present at each meeting. Before we met the first time we decided we would read the case study in full to have an understanding of what we would need to do. Our first meeting we discussed the case study and our stance on what HP should do. We also discussed the questions within the case study and started our outline for our power point. Outside of the meeting I researched articles to gain background information. Our group had several more meetings at which we outlined our strategy report and assigned each person a portion of the report. When we were finished with our portion we would submit it to the rest of the group for proofreading. Everybody completed their task as set and we came together as a group and finalized the report. I, as well as the other members of the group, contributed to the makeup and layout of both the strategy report and the power point. Charnele Hodge Synopsis Being that this has been my first time in a group doing a strategy report on a company, I took away a few key elements. I have learned, understood, and properly used the purpose of a SWOT Analysis. I know this form of analysis will be used in my future endeavors, so I know it will be very beneficial to me. Also, I learned while in a group setting how to effectively achieve a SWOT Analysis to inform and persuade others to understand and see our point-of-view on our particular position. As a Business Management major, this group project has helped me realize that in not every group setting, that there needs to be a set leader. In my group, I felt that everyone meshed well with each other and there was not a constant need for someone to be in charge. Every group member knew what was at stake and that being at meetings and pulling her part in the group was essential. My individual contribution to the group was making sure that I gave my opinion on the different positions that we would be taking on the SWOT Analysis. I made it my individual objective to make sure that I pulled my part in completing each and every task that I volunteered to work on, that it was done properly, as well as completed on time. Being a Business Management major, I believe I helped bring balance among my other peers that are majoring in different genres in the college of business. I took a more realistic, rational approach to the group, in who would be better fit for particular objectives. Sakina Middleton Synopsis Conducting a strategy report required using resources from all aspects of my undergraduate studies. I was able to read the Hewlett-Packard and Compaq merger decision and understand the different aspects used to compile the information. In utilizing marketing concepts, I was able to conduct a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis of Hewlett-Packard’s present company structure. My management background allowed for an understanding of company decisions made, such as whether to undergo a merger. Finally, the accounting knowledge I have acquired thus far has enabled me to read and comprehend the many financial statements used to decide which options should be made based on the factual numbers provided. Overall, my primary takeaway was my ability to read, comprehend, and analyze a case study regarding two merging companies with the knowledge and education provided by Savannah State University’s College of Business Administration. Throughout this project I was able to increase my ability to problem solve in a group of my colleagues. No one group is perfect, but the communication skills I have acquired allowed me to handle all situations appropriately and in a timely fashion. For this strategy report, I was responsible for arranging all group meetings regarding the collection and accumulation of information for the paper. I was the initiator of correspondence and also the channel of delivery for every member’s designated portion of the paper. My personal contribution includes the compilation on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the present-day company Hewlett-Packard. I was also responsible for the editing of the final paper. Summer Wilcox Synopsis In March 2002, Hewlett- Packard’s current CEO and president, Carleton Firiona announced the acquiring of HP’s rival company, Compaq Computer. The merging of the two companies was designed to put Hewlett- Packard/Compaq in a position to challenge one of its top leaders in the industry, IBM. The merger was also designed to create a global technology powerhouse that would provide consumers with products and services demanded by profitable enterprise customers. After reading over the case, I started to feel like the merger was not going to be a success. The merger presented itself to be too risky. Although Hewlett Packard was aiming to become the industry’s leader by expanding into new markets, the idea of the merger just didn’t seem to look out for the best interest of the company. Management felt that HP and Compaq needed to improve their whole business structure to effectively compete with Dell which was the industry’s leader. They also felt that HP and Compaq’s leadership would complement each other in key markets such as the enterprise storage segment and storage area networks, and by having a broader portfolio of products and services. Management believed that HP and Compaq had a weak combination of products and services, and merging would strengthen that area. While some thought that the merger would be a success to Hewlett- Packard, there were some who were against it. Among those few were the director and son of HP cofounder William Hewlett, Walter Hewlett. Walter Hewlett was HP’s second largest shareholder and had a very powerful, important voting privilege of HP. Walter was against the merger for 4 main reasons. He felt the proposed merger would be worse, the integration risk of the proposed merger would be substantial, the financial impact on HP’s stockholders would remain negative, and the position of the company would not improve. I agree with opposing the merger of HP and Compaq. They knew from the beginning stages that the merger was going to be risky. Shareholders would lose and ample amount of value on their shares. Stockholders would get a very small amount of the combined company’s contribution to earnings. The merger would drown the stockholder’s interest in the imaging and printing business which is the most profitable of HP already. The merger would not improve the position of the company. Furthermore, HP had no experience with handling a merger of that size. All HP had to do was invest and focus more on the printing and imaging part of the company. The printing and imaging varied in low-end printers and supplies to commercial printing solutions. Instead of taking such a risky acquisition, they could have focused on something that proved already successful for the business. My contribution to the overall strategy report was to research where HP stands now. I also found official documents filed by both HP and Compaq to the SEC about the planned merger. The documents further explained forward- looking statements, assumptions, uncertainties, and risk of the planned merger between the two companies.