The Different Types of Domestic Abuse

Domestic abuse is a growing problem that affects millions of people in all kinds of relationships including traditional marriages, same-sex partnerships, and even relationships where there is no sexual intimacy involved. While physical violence is the most blatant form of domestic abuse, sometimes called intimate partner violence,  it  not the only form of domestic abuse. The Main Types of Abuse Domestic abuse can be emotional, physical, sexual, emotional,  psychological and  financial. It is harm inflicted by a current or former spouse or partner. Emotional Abuse Emotional abuse involves actions designed to destroy a persons sense of self-respect or self-worth. It includes constant, an unrelenting verbal onslaught of insults and  criticisms  designed to humiliate and belittle the victim. It is often combined with other forms of abuse and used as a method to gain control over the victim. Although there are no physical scars, the emotional scars can be debilitating to victims. Sexual Abuse Sexual abuse  not only includes rape and sexual assault, but it also includes demeaning behavior like exposing a partners body to friends, forcing a partner into posing for pornography, secretly videotaping a partner while engaging in sex, or forcing a partner to have sex without using protection. Reproductive coercion, which is forcing a partner into having an abortion is a form of domestic sexual abuse. Another form of domestic sexual abuse is sexually assaulting someone who is unable to refuse due to disability, illness, intimidation or the influence of alcohol or other drugs.   There are three main categories of sexual abuse: Using physical force to compel someone to have sex against their will, whether the act is completed or not.Attempting or having sex with someone who is unable to understand the nature of the act or unable to decline participation or is unable to communicate their unwillingness.Abusive sexual contact of any kind. Physical Abuse Physical abuse involves injuring, disabling or killing  the victim. Physical abuse can be performed with a weapon or restraint or merely using body, size or strength to harm another person. The injury from the abuse does not have to major. For example, an abuser could forcefully shake the victim in anger. While the victim may not require medical treatment, the shaking would still be a form of physical abuse. Physical violence can include burning, biting, choking, grabbing, pinching, punching, pushing, throwing, scratching, shoving, shaking, or slapping. Threats of Violence Violent threats involve the use of words, gestures, motions, looks or weapons to communicate a threat to frighten, harm, injure, disable, rape or kill. The act does not have to be carried out for it to be abusive behavior. Psychological Abuse Psychological abuse is a broad term that includes acts, threats of acts or coercive tactics to cause someone fear and trauma. If there has been previous physical or sexual abuse in the relationship, any further threat of abuse is considered psychological violence. Psychological abuse can include: HumiliationControlling what the victim can and cannot do.Withholding information.Diminishing or embarrassing the victim.Isolating the victim from friends and family. Financial Abuse Financial abuse is one of the most common forms of domestic abuse and also the difficult to recognize, even for the victims. It can involve a partner denying the victim access to money or other resources. Refusing to allow a spouse to work or get an education is also a form of financial abuse. It is often seen in homes where an abuser forces the victim into isolation by limiting when they can communicate with family and friends. Isolation makes it more difficult for a victim to have any form of financial freedom. Get Help Immediately Research shows that domestic violence usually gets progressively worse. Rarely does it stop because the abuser promises that it will never happen again. If you are in an abusive relationship, there are many resources available to help. You do not have to stay with an abusive partner. It is important to seek help immediately.

Sex, Lies, And Consent By Tom Dougherty - 1613 Words

In â€Å"Sex, Lies, and Consent,† Tom Dougherty argues the Lenient Thesis from the substantive account of consent. In this essay, I will discuss and explain Dougherty’s argument. Then, I will present Neil Manson s objection that Dougherty account of consent mistakenly centralizes the role of scope in determining one’s range of restrictions for consent. Finally, I will present a case that disputes Manson’s opposition to Dougherty and how Dougherty could address Manson’s charge against him. To understand how Dougherty argues his position, we first need to understand the context of the Lenient Thesis. The Lenient Thesis states that â€Å"it is only a minor wrong to deceive another person into sex by misleading her or him about certain personal†¦show more content†¦In the event where the salesmen sold her a rabid puppy, her consent would have been violated (Dougherty, 2013, p.735). When we apply this view of consent to the realm of sexual decision making, we see that many cases of deception for sex are non-consensual. Since the substantive account of consent emphasizes the importance of one determining one’s restrictions, it conflicts with the Lenient Thesis that objectively assumes that certain types of features such as religion are more critical to sexual decision making. Dougherty (2013) supports her argument with an example where Chloe deceives Victoria into having sex by lying that she shares the same love of nature, peace, and animals even though she was in the military and enjoys hunting and eating animals. The Lenient Thesis would argue that Victoria validly consented since lying about a peripheral feature would only be a minor wrong. However, the substantive view of consent would disagree because personal preferences are still considered core features that constitute when consent is violated (Dougherty, 2013, p.728). Thus, it brings a more subjective view to the table where everyone’s deal-breaker should be valued. According to Dougherty (2013), deal-breakers are strong qualities that would disqualify someone as a sexual partner. Deal-breakers vary for every individual, and it is entirely up to the individuals to decide what their deal-breakers are. To relate this concept back to theShow MoreRelatedDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesBennis, a colleague of ours, half-jokingly predicted that the factory of the future would have only two employees, a person and a dog. The person would be there to feed the dog. The dog would be there to keep the person from touching the equipment! Tom Peters counseled managers that, due to the chaotic pace of change, â€Å"If you’re not confused, you’re not paying attention.† And the late Peter Drucker characterized the current environment this way: â€Å"We are in one of those great historical periods that

US Government History Essay Example For Students

US Government History Essay In this essay I will give a short history of the government in United States ofAmerica (U.S.). Then I will describe each of the three branches of government inthe U.S. and the relationship between them. In principle, the U.S. is ademocratic republic, they govern themselves by choosing their leaders by secretballot, and these leaders in turn make the rules. Americans startedgoverning themselves as a nation on July 4th, 1776, when theDeclaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia by representatives of thethirteen British colonies in North America. These states joined togetherformally in 1781 under a first constitution, the Articles ofConfederation. That loose union of the states was replaced by the Constitutionof the U.S. in 1789. This document (amended 26 times) is still the politicalfoundation of the U.S. Being based on a written constitution, the U.S. government is committed in principle to the rule of law. To guarantee the rightsof free speech, a free press, freedom of religion etc. the first ten amendments,called the Bill of Rights were adopted in 1791. There are threelevels of government in the U.S. Local government (city/county), stategovernment, and federal government. Here I will pay most attention to thefederal government. Many of the concepts of the U.S. government can be traced toprogressive thinkers of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, e.g. Locke,Spinoza, Blackstone, and Montesquiueu. Out of some of their thoughts the U.S. government system with the three branches were made: A legislative branch(Congress), an Executive branch (President), and a judicial branch (SupremeCourt). The Constitution is most of all a document of checks and balances: amongthe three branches of the federal government; and between the levels ofgovernment, nation and state. The legislative branch (Congress) that has thepower to make laws valid for the whole country. Powers like the regulation oftaxes, regulation of commerce between the states and with foreign countries, thepower to declare war, and the power to impeach the President are some of theother matters the legislative branch have to deal with. Congress has twochambers (or houses): the Senate and the House of Representatives(the house). The Senate consists of one hundred senators: Twosenators from each of the fifty states. The senators serve for six-year terms. One third are elected every two years. The Senates area of responsibilityconsists of to approve major presidential appointments, and approve majorforeign policy steps. The House of Representatives has their 435 members (calledcongress-men/women/people/persons) chosen from districts (the U.S. is divided into 435 districts containing some five hundred thousandinhabitants). The districts are reapportioned every ten years. Therepresentatives serve in two-year terms, and all of them are elected every twoyears. All tax legislation must start in the House. Executive power is vested inthe office of the President of the U.S. The President has the dual role of beingthe chief of state and the head of government. The President is also commanderin chief of the armed forces; he issues executive orders, and appoints SupremeCourt justices (with senate approval). The president is also called thechief legislator because he/she indirectly proposes many bills, considersall bills from Congress and signs them into law or vetoes them. The President iselected by the whole country for four years. He/she is assisted bythe Cabinet and its departments, the White House staff, and some independentadministrative agencies. The Supreme Court: The Judicial power of the U.S. shall be vested in one supreme court, and in such inferior courts as theCongress from time to time may ordain an establish.(The Constitutionstates). All nine federal judges are appointed by the President and serveduring good behaviour, usually meaning for life. The judges cannotbe removed from office except for criminal behaviour or malfeasance. This makesthem less vulnerable to political pressure than they would be if they had todepend upon politicians or the voters for new mandates. The main feature of theindependent role for the courts lies in their power to interpret theConstitution. They review the constitutionality of laws andexecutive orders. The number of justices is decided by Congress, and they can beimpeached by congress. There are also Inferior Courts: One hundred DistrictCourts and thirteen Courts of Appeals, all of them are created by Congress, withjudges appointed by the President (with Senate approval). All federal courtshear cases involving federal law, involving sta te laws whose constitutionally ischanged, involving the U.S., involving two separate states, and involvingcitizens of different states. Having presented the three branches of U.S. .uf1817ccf360f47093609ae9a23e5dace , .uf1817ccf360f47093609ae9a23e5dace .postImageUrl , .uf1817ccf360f47093609ae9a23e5dace .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uf1817ccf360f47093609ae9a23e5dace , .uf1817ccf360f47093609ae9a23e5dace:hover , .uf1817ccf360f47093609ae9a23e5dace:visited , .uf1817ccf360f47093609ae9a23e5dace:active { border:0!important; } .uf1817ccf360f47093609ae9a23e5dace .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uf1817ccf360f47093609ae9a23e5dace { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uf1817ccf360f47093609ae9a23e5dace:active , .uf1817ccf360f47093609ae9a23e5dace:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uf1817ccf360f47093609ae9a23e5dace .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uf1817ccf360f47093609ae9a23e5dace .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uf1817ccf360f47093609ae9a23e5dace .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uf1817ccf360f47093609ae9a23e5dace .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uf1817ccf360f47093609ae9a23e5dace:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uf1817ccf360f47093609ae9a23e5dace .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uf1817ccf360f47093609ae9a23e5dace .uf1817ccf360f47093609ae9a23e5dace-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uf1817ccf360f47093609ae9a23e5dace:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Time And Culture Essaygovernment in broad strokes, I will now turn in to how the separation of powersis designed to work. The system of government is commonly referred to asthe system of checks and balances. It is designed to work so as toavoid placing too much power in too few hands. The most powerful tool Congresshas (most important checks on the power of the President) is thepower to appropriate money (set aside money for some specific purpose). Afterboth houses of Congress have approved the budget, it is sent over to thePresident. He/she has to sign the bill into law. Another major check on thepower of the President is the Senates power of advice and consent. ThePresid ent is obliged to ask for the advice and consent of the Senate on allmajor appointments (e.g. members of the presidents Cabinet, new justices of theSupreme Court, other federal judges, and members of administrative or regulatoryagencies) and major foreign policy decisions he/she makes (e.g. when it concernstreaties). To declare war, the President must turn to both houses of Congressfor their approval. The presidents major countervailing power in thelegislative process is the power of the veto. The President must sign anyproposed legislation before it becomes law; his failure or refusal to do so canthus stop any bill. If the President returns a bill to Congress with a veto onit, the legislature has the power to override the Presidents veto by re-passingthe legislation by a two-thirds majority in both houses. Then the bill becomeslaw without the Presidents signature. (If the President does not wish to beassociated with a bill but does not feel that it is worthwhile to prevent itfrom b ecoming law, he can demonstrate this by using a so-called pocket veto:he/she simply lets it lie on his/her desk for ten days without signing it orvetoing it, in which case it becomes law without the Presidents signature.) TheCongress has the power to impeach the President. (A complex matter that involvesthe House of Representatives and its Judicial Committee or a special ad hoccommittee, the Senate, the Chief Justice of the U.S. (the Supreme Court))Turning to the relationship between Congress and the Supreme Court, we find thatCongress has the power to determine the construction of the Court (and itsinferior courts). As mentioned before, the Congress has some say in whom willsit on the Supreme Court bench, in that nominations made by the President mustbe approved by the Senate. I have already touched the checks betweenthe Supreme Court and the President. Just as the President may be impeached bythe Congress, so may justices of the Supreme Court (indeed, all civil officials,except me mbers of Congress) be removed from office by impeachment. The singlecountervailing arrow of power aimed at Congress by the Supreme Courtis the comprehensive power of judicial review (As mentioned earlier on in theparagraph about the Supreme Court). This review of laws by the courts is not anautomatic part of the legislative process, but the specific lawshave to be brought before the courts for a decision about theirconstitutionality. If Congress finds that the Supreme Court has interpreted theConstitution in a way which disagrees with its own fundamental views (or for anyother reason), then Congress can initiate the process of amending theConstitution. A majority of two thirds of both houses of Congress must pass theamendment. As soon as three quarters of the states (thirty-eight of them) haveratified the proposed amendment it becomes a part of the Constitution. In allthese ways the Constitution checks the unrestricted exercise of power by eachbranch and balances of the powers of th e branches against each other. .u677986e838c9d07fc2d6d36cc05c0d2d , .u677986e838c9d07fc2d6d36cc05c0d2d .postImageUrl , .u677986e838c9d07fc2d6d36cc05c0d2d .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u677986e838c9d07fc2d6d36cc05c0d2d , .u677986e838c9d07fc2d6d36cc05c0d2d:hover , .u677986e838c9d07fc2d6d36cc05c0d2d:visited , .u677986e838c9d07fc2d6d36cc05c0d2d:active { border:0!important; } .u677986e838c9d07fc2d6d36cc05c0d2d .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u677986e838c9d07fc2d6d36cc05c0d2d { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u677986e838c9d07fc2d6d36cc05c0d2d:active , .u677986e838c9d07fc2d6d36cc05c0d2d:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u677986e838c9d07fc2d6d36cc05c0d2d .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u677986e838c9d07fc2d6d36cc05c0d2d .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u677986e838c9d07fc2d6d36cc05c0d2d .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u677986e838c9d07fc2d6d36cc05c0d2d .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u677986e838c9d07fc2d6d36cc05c0d2d:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u677986e838c9d07fc2d6d36cc05c0d2d .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u677986e838c9d07fc2d6d36cc05c0d2d .u677986e838c9d07fc2d6d36cc05c0d2d-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u677986e838c9d07fc2d6d36cc05c0d2d:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Vegetarianism: Why it is the Better Choice. EssayBibliographyT. Sirevà ¥g, American patterns, Ad Notam Gyldendal, Oslo D. May and J. Oakland, American civilization, Routledge, London/New York B. OCallaghan, AnIllustrated History of the USA, Longman, Essex G. T. Kurian, A Historical Guideto the U.S. Government, Oxford University Press, New York/Oxford L. Berlowitz,D. Donoghue, and L. Menand, America in theory, Oxford University Press, NewYork/Oxford D. J. Boorstin, The Americans, The Democratic Experience, RandomHouse, New York D. S. MacQueen, American Social Studies, Studentlitteratur, LundEncyclopà ¦dia Britannica (http:/www.britannica.com)

The Populist Party free essay sample

After attempts at independent political action failed (see Greenback party), loosely knit infestations called Farmers Alliances were formed during the 1 sass. Separate organizations were founded in the North and South, and Southern blacks organized their own alliances. The Farmers Alliances agitated for railroad regulation, tax reform, and unlimited coinage of silver and attempted to influence the established political parties.Growth was so rapid, however, that interest in a third party began to increase; in 1891 delegates from farm and labor organizations met in Cincinnati. No decision was made to form a political party, but when the Republican and Democratic parties both traveled the currency question at the 1892 presidential conventions, a convention was held at Omaha, and the populist party was formed (1892).Goals The party adopted a platform calling for free coinage of silver, abolition of national banks, a substructures scheme or some similar system, a graduated income tax, ple nty of paper money, government ownership of all forms of transportation and communication, election of Senators by direct vote of the people, non-ownership of land by foreigners, civil service reform, a working day of eight hours, postal banks, pensions, revision of the law of contracts, ND reform of immigration regulations. We will write a custom essay sample on The Populist Party or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The goal of the populists in 1892 was no less than that of replacing the Democrats as the nations second party by forming an alliance of the farmers of the West and South with the industrial workers of the East. James B. Weaver was the Populist candidate for President that year, and he polled over 1 votes. The Populist votes in the 1894 congressional elections increased to 1 ,471 ,OHO as the party gained momentum.Dissolution In 1 896, while the Republican party adhered to the sound money platform, the Populists kept intact their platform of 1892; the Democratic party, forever, adopted the plank of free coinage of silver and nominated William Jennings Bryan for President. Although the Populists tried to retain their independence by repudiating the Democratic vice presidential candidate, the Democratic party, helped by the eloquence Of Bryan, captured the bulk Of the Populist votes In 1896. The 1896 election undermined agrarian insurgency, and a period of rapidly rising farm prices hel ped to bring about the dissolution of the Populist party. Another important factor in the failure of the party was its inability to effect a genuine urban-rural coalition; its program ad little appeal for wage earners of the industrial East. An Overview of Populism By Charles Postal, San Francisco State University In the early sass, a coalition of farmers, laborers, and middle class activists founded an independent political party named the Peoples Party, also known as the Populist Party. This party was the product of a broad social movement that emerged in response to wrenching changes in the American economy and society.In the decades after the Civil War, the telegraph and telephone meant that information that had taken weeks or months to travel across monotints and oceans now traveled at the speed of electric current. The telecommunications revolution made the world a much smaller place (today we call it globalization). It also made possible large-scale business organization in the form of railroad corporations and other giant and centra lized enterprises. Corporate power grew exponentially, allowing corporate executives to amass great fortunes, while hard times pressed on most everyone else. Americans had never experienced such a divide between rich and poor. The Peoples Party was the most successful third party movement since prior to the Civil War. In 1892, the Populist candidate for president, James B. Weaver of Iowa, won more than a million votes. Tom Watson of Georgia, Jeremiah Simpson of Kansas, and Marion Cannon of California were among the leaders of the third party bloc in the U. S. Congress, while William A. Prefer of Kansas, William V. Allen of Nebraska, and Marion Butler of North Carolina were Populist U. S. Senators.The people party also gained key state offices in North Carolina, Colorado, Kansas, North Dakota and other states. Meanwhile, dynamic Populist stump speakers such as Mary Elizabeth Lease Of Kansas and James Cyclone Davis Of Texas attracted enthusiastic crowds of thousands in rural districts across the nation. The Populist movement also posed one of the biggest challenges to corporate power ever witnessed in the United States. In protest of high freight charges and usurious mortgage rates the movement pressed for government regulation or ownership of railroads and banks.To provide relief from debts and low prices on farm goods the Populists pressed for currency expansion by way of minting silver and printing greenbacks at the expense of bankers and creditors. To finance essential public functions they demanded the enactment of a progressive income tax on the wealthiest Americans. To rid government of the undue influence of corporate lobbyists the Populists demanded the direct election of senators, as well as the initiative and referendum, and other experiments in direct democracy.The rise of Populism horrified many upper and middle class Americans. The corporate elite believed that their laissez-fairer ideal of unregulated capitalism was the only model suitable for modern development. In the eyes of the well to do and well educated, Populism represented an assault by primitive hayseeds and anorak clodhopp ers that put modern civilization in peril. Ever since, such a perspective has influenced how Populism has been understood and where it has been situated in the narrative of American history.Who were the Populists and what did they represent has been one of the great controversies of historical interpretation. For many American intellectuals, the Second World War and its aftermath raised concerns about the origins of fascism, as they had witnessed in Europe how a popular mass movement had resulted in the rise of Hitler and the Nazi holocaust. In the 1 sass, Richard Hovercrafts at Columbia University and other post-war scholars looked at Populism to see if it might contain seeds of irrational, intolerant, and anti- Semitic mass politics. Sure enough, that is just what they found.Hovercrafts drew the conclusion that the Populists were backward looking and delusional, a rural people psychologically unable to cope with the demands of a modern society. Quite different concerns animated the scholars of the sass and sass. Their point of reference was the grass-roots activism of the 1 sass. Historians such as Lawrence Goodwin and Christopher Lash saw populism as the 1 sass culture writ large. Populism, as they saw it, provided a historical confirmation of their own ideas about the failings of a hierarchical and commercial culture.Populism, such scholars argued, was the democratic response of rural people taking a stand to defend their traditional way of life from the modern culture of business and development. The common point of these sharply dissimilar views -? Populism as proto-fascism versus Populism as the last best hope for grass-roots democracy is that they are both founded on a common premise: The Populists were tradition-bound people in revolt against progress and modernity. Indeed, this premise is rooted In basic assumptions about rural people held in the wider political culture.But populism takes on a very different meaning if assumptions about who was modern and who was not are put in que stion. Populist farmers and laborers may have had callused hands and mud on their shoes, but they also viewed themselves and were modern people. They were reformers seeking innovation in commercial relations, government, and ways of life. Hundreds of thousands of women joined the Populist movement as means to gain education, employment in new industries, and freedom from traditional restraints.The Populists embraced invention and new technology, as they sought to harness scientific research to serve their own visions of prosperity and development. Far from rejecting centralized and hierarchical systems of organization, they strove to adopt such systems for marketing cooperatives and other rural needs. The Peoples Party eventually failed as a third party. In the 1896 election, William Jennings Bryan, running on a reform platform and nominated by both the Democratic and populist Parties, went down to defeat at the hands of the Republican candidate William McKinley. The Peoples Party never recovered from the blow.

The Difference Between Extortion and Blackmail

The Difference Between Extortion and Blackmail The Difference Between Extortion and Blackmail The Difference Between Extortion and Blackmail By Maeve Maddox Two legal terms similar in meaning are extortion and blackmail. Both involve the practice of getting money from victims with threats. Extortion comes from Latin extortionem, a twisting out. The crime involves obtaining something, usually money, from a person by force or wrongful use of authority or power. A former city of Miami police officer charged with extortion is accused of writing a false police report and protecting purportedly stolen property in exchange for payments, authorities said. The term blackmail originated in reference to the protection money demanded by clan chieftains from Scottish farmers in exchange for leaving them alone. The word has always conjured up the image in my mind of a black envelope containing a threat and a demand for money. In fact, the mail part of blackmail derives from Middle English male, rent, tribute. Old English mal meant lawsuit, terms, bargaining, agreement. The black of blackmail refers to association of the color black with evil. In modern usage blackmail differs from extortion in that the money or other valuable object or act is not extorted by threat of direct bodily harm, but by the threat of revealing something presumed to be injurious to the victim. A CBS News producer who blackmailed David Letterman for $2 million [about extra-marital affairs] is going away for six months This difference in meaning between blackmail and extortion obtains in American English, but in cruising the web to prepare this post, I discovered evidence that the original use of blackmail to mean extortion by threat of physical harm may still be current in British English: Blackmailer threatened to nail victims hand to floor: A BLOCK paver who threatened to nail a mans hand to the floor if he did not get the  £1,000 owed to him has been jailed for three years. A BLACKMAILER tried to extort  £40,000 from a businessman by threatening to kill him and dismember his body. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:30 Synonyms for â€Å"Meeting†75 Idioms and Expressions That Include â€Å"Break†January 1 Doesn't Need an "st"

How to Figure Out If You Should Work for Yourself

How to Figure Out If You Should Work for Yourself Have you ever thought about whether or not you should work for yourself? Maybe you’re tired of the 9-5 grind. Maybe you feel underutilized by your boss. Maybe you’d like to fulfill yourself creatively. Or maybe you’d just like to make more money. Whatever the case may be, setting up something on your own is a big decision and you need to think very carefully about the pros and cons before you decide to take the plunge.  Source:[The Business Backer]

The HRM implications of new technology in organisations Dissertation

The HRM implications of new technology in organisations - Dissertation Example The most primary issue is cost and labour investment that goes into development and whether the advantages outweigh these issues in regards to new technology adoption. Background: The implementation of new technologies in any industry has significant implications for human resource managers and line management. Depending on the nature of the system, such as HRIS for the human resources function, there are significant costs and labour expenditures to ensure proper development and training of existing staff members who must use this software. Other systems, such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software or other system-wide technologies designed to facilitate better use of resources, also have cost issues and training problems that must be rectified by human resources management. Especially in international organisations, the complexity of these systems requires ongoing assistance from information technology support teams and the development of appropriate flowcharts that identify each key role and their job function related to the new technology implementation. Any such systems can be exceptionally problematic for human resources leadership in terms of driving motivation to use these systems effectively and eliciting change policies within the organisation. Discussion & Analysis: HRIS systems, human resource information systems, have some of the largest implications for human resource leadership and line management in virtually every organisation. HRIS is â€Å"a composite of databases, computer applications, and hardware/software necessary to collect/record, store, manage, deliver, present and manipulate data for HR† (Ngai & Wat, 2006, p.299). Such systems have administrative function to assist in record-keeping related to subordinate staff members and also assist in business decision-making throughout the organisation. A 1998 survey shows that 60 percent of Fortune 500 companies rely on HRIS systems in daily operations (Ngai & Wat). This number has likely increased over the last decade. The benefits of such systems is better record-keeping related to issues of health care, benefits, and training documentation that only serves to support the HR role more efficiently. However, there are many drawbacks that must be considered before implementing such a system in a dynamic organisation. First, lack of budget is a considerable problem if the company does not have adequate resources for the expenditure. Secondly, the costs associated with ongoing information technology support teams can be a burden. Further, these systems create an organisation-wide inter-dependency that forces unrelated operational systems to work together, thus requiring additional training (Ngai & Wat). If unrelated systems with no formal knowledge of one another now must rely on technology to become integrated, management must devote their labour and expertise to ensuring proper flow of information and the social systems that support such interdependencies. The re are significant benefits, however, to implementing new technology to support better business function. First, HRIS systems have self-service element to them that allow employees to handle some of their own human resources activities online. When linked with the corporate intranet, as one example, employees can request time off, review job postings as they change throughout the business, review company policy changes, and even update their demographic information in real-time (Copeland, 2004). Self-service systems give employees a broader sense of

Demand and Factors that Determine the Demand for Rail Transport Assignment

Demand and Factors that Determine the Demand for Rail Transport Between London and Preston - Assignment Example According to the law of demand, with other factors held constant, generally, the demand decreases/increases with the increase/decrease in price of the good. This relationship between demand and price is plotted on a graph as a â€Å"demand curve† as shown in Figure 1. What factors determine the demand for rail transport between London and Preston? The demand for rail transport between London and Preston depends on the following factors: 1. Price of rail travel between London and Preston: The most important factor that determines demand of this transport is the price of rail ticket to travel between London and Preston. Travelers would compare this price of ticket to cost of using alternative transport. This is important not only for people travelling once in a while but also for frequent travelers. If there exists considerably reduced fare possibility for frequent travelers, the demand could be expected to be higher from these frequent travelers would have lower cost of travel. 2. Time taken by rail travel between London and Preston: Time taken to travel by train is another important factor. If the time taken by train is considerably longer than other means of transport, the demand may be lower for rail travel. 3. Quality of rail service between Lo ndon and Preston: The quality of service could also be an important factor. It includes not only the quality and comfort of travel by train but also other factors like the frequency of trains, on-time arrival, and the time of departure/arrival of trains. Frequency of trains is important so that if consumer(s) change their itinerary suddenly, if there are alternative trains frequently running, they would not be forced to shift to another means of transport. Next, if the trains are frequently running late, consumers may not find the rail travel very efficient. Also, if the departure and arrival times of trains are not convenient, consumers would not find rail travel very attractive. For example if trains arrive only late at night or if the trains run during the entire length of the day, consumers may be put off. 4. Attractiveness of alternative modes of travel between London and Preston: There could be several other ways consumers to travel between London and Preston. If these service s are more attractive, then demand for rail travel would be low. The attractiveness of these alternatives also depends on the relative price of these modes, relative comfort, and other factors. Some of these are discussed below for the three other possible modes of transport a. By car: Several factors could influence the attractiveness of going by car instead. These factors include: fuel price (cost of taking the car), relative length of time taken to drive compared to rail travel, and quality of highways (comfort of ride). b. By air: Factors influencing the relative attractiveness of air travel are: price of air travel, relative total time taken to get from â€Å"door to door†, and of quality air transport services. However, there is another important factor here which is the distance of nearest airport from Preston. c. By bus: Factors influencing the relative attractiveness of bus travel are: price of bus tickets, time taken by buses, and the quality of bus services. 5. Day of the week and seasonal effects: The day of the week could be an important factor. For example, if business travel is frequent on this route, then weekends may see a much lower demand. Also, Seasonal effects are likely to significantly influence demand. For example, during Christmas the demand may be

The Waterways to freedom Essay Example for Free

The Waterways to freedom Essay As human beings, we ought to be endowed with the freedom of choice for we are naturally striving for channels of free will. We have a propensity to perceive life in an individualistic manner as we are all distinct entities. The art of entrapment we see from time to time deprives and suffocates our very being as individuals. However, the struggles we overcome are not always resolved by our own involuntary response to problems, but at times our very survival depends on the help of others to conquer a period of difficulty. Homers The Odyssey is a primary example of the idea of mans reliance on oneself and the occasional need for the assistance of others. Under Calypsos power, Odysseus is entrapped in her possession and loses all hope to escape on his own. After seven lengthy years of Odysseuss imprisonment, Hermes, the messenger of the gods, is sent by the gods to Calypsos island to order the release of Odysseus so that he can continue on with his voyage home. At times throughout The Odyssey, Odysseus did not consider the consequences of his actions and depended on guidance from the gods to steer him in the right direction. This particular passage describes Odysseus as a lowly mortal and reinforces his need of the aid of higher beings to help him surmount his struggles. Homer employs the act of the will to survive with the additional help of the immortals using diction, imagery, and structure to establish an apparent passage that focuses directly on mans struggle for freedom and the belief that man cannot escape his fate. One time or another, everyone has yearned for the comfort of having someone nearby, someone that leaves you feeling reassured and intact. For this need for companionship, the beautiful seductive magical (36) nymph Calypso seizes Odysseus and compels him to live a sensual yet vegetative existence where he wastes seven years of his ten year journey home on the lavish, luxurious island of Ogygia. For ten years, surrounded by men, Odysseus lives out the male heroic ideal image of a warrior and then spends several years further testing himself against life-threatening obstacles. In the process, he loses all of his followers, and has nothing left but the little that remains of himself. Here on Calypsos island, he lives in majestic paradise: A deep wood grew outside, with summer leaves of alder and black poplar, pungent cypress. Ornate birds rested there stretched wing horned owls, falcons, cormorants long-tongued beachcombing birds, and followers of the sea (22-26). With the use of diction Calypsos diatribe on Odysseus can be seen as a reaction to the reality of her life where she is a crooking vine (27) holding purple clusters under ply of green (28). The purple clusters effectively signifies Odysseus identity of a heroic leader, as the color purple represents royalty, who is twisted and detained under Calypsos crooking vine of power. Homer employs the use of his selected words to also establish Odysseus ongoing journey where he took channels here and there (30). Odysseus waterways of home shifts through beds of violets and tender parsley (31), indicating his temptations of sexual relationships with various women, including Calypso, throughout his voyage home. Violet is an enticing color which Homer utilizes to suggest Calypsos love and desire for Odysseus where he is entrapped on her island surrounded by the violet ocean (14). Through Homers establishment of words, he guides us to identify with Odysseus search for freedom under constraints of those who hold him back. Emancipated nature imagery displays the contrast between Odysseus suppressed captivity with the vast open world around him. The images of wild animals and plant life, alder and black poplar, pungent cypress (23) and ornate birds (24), denote Odysseus loss of hope of escape which contrasts with the serene tranquility of the environment around him. The image of birds is constantly utilized in the epic as omens that rely on the perception of Odysseus as an aggressive, predatory creature. With their stretched wings (24) the birds in this passage implies Odysseus stretched capability as a war hero in search of his homeland but is kept back by obstacles, just like the birds are kept from flying further because of their need to rest (24). The comparison of Hermes and Odysseus is evident in the beginning of the passage where it is seen through the imagery of Hermes movement. Whilst Odysseus is racked in confinement with his own heart groaning (42), Hermes is swiftly carried over water and over endless land in a swish of the wind (4). The high-speed action imagery of Hermes is illustrated to imply the higher being of an immortal and the never-ending limits of his freedom as he paced into the air (7), shot down to sea level (8), and veered to skim the swell (9). Odysseus and Hermes, who is wearing ambrosial, golden (3) sandals, which signifies his divine godly position, both possess brilliant godlike features, but differ in that Odysseus is a man of the mortal world while Hermes is immortal. However, although Odysseus and Hermes share common characteristics, in this passage, Odysseus is portrayed as a pitiable human with eyes wet scanning the bare horizon of the sea (42) who is in need of help from a higher being. The image of Hermes rescuing Odysseus is painted with the accompaniment of the seas and personified as the gull patrolling between the wave crests of the desolate sea (9-10). The desolate, barren sea suggests Odysseus loss of hope, loss of perseverance, and loss of will to survive, where the gull, Hermes, swoops down and douse his wings (11) to set Odysseus back on track along his journey home. All of this imagery imparts not only an in-depth depiction of the relationship between the lowly mortal of Odysseus and the glorified immortal being of Hermes, but also reinforces the deepness of his tragedy and depth of his sorrow. With the arrangement of structure, an understanding of the central idea can be communicated where both repetitions of common sounds are used and the order of the passage is recognized to grasp the fundamental concept of Odysseus survival. The repetitive use of s sounds is displayed within every line of the passage and as the poem is being spoken aloud, the s sounds transmits the serenity of the language but at the same time uncertainty of his undetermined fate. Each line is comprised of at least one s sound and can go to as many as four, for instance, scented the farthest shore with cedar smoke (18). The use of s sounds not only bestows the calmness of the atmosphere and the indecisiveness of what is yet to come, but also conveys Odysseus situation of captivity of being held back from his freedom against his own will as a thousand times before (40). The structure of mood within the passage enhances the extremity of Odysseus need for guidance from the gods. With the help of s sounds, the mood is displayed as tranquil and peaceful throughout the beginning of the passage but transitions into a sorrowful mood when Odysseus who sat apart racked with his own heart groaning and with eyes wet, is mentioned. The order of the mood change establishes the atmosphere to the central idea of freedom and Odysseus need for the assistance of a higher being for the outcome of his future. Homer successfully led us to develop a certain predetermined picture of Odysseus journey with the excessive amount of pain and sorrow he endured throughout his voyage home. One of the major themes of The Odyssey is the belief that man cannot escape the destiny which has been fated for him by the gods. Destiny plays an imperative role in the survival of Odysseus throughout his adventures. Finally, after seven years of languishing in Calypsos island, with the help of Hermes, Odysseus continues on with his journey and follows his fate the gods bestowed upon him. Through diction, structure, nature and contrasting imagery, as well as the relationship between mortal and immortals, the theme of mans act of will to survive and the struggle for freedom with the additional help of others is visibly recognized. Some people believe they can make it through life on their own two feet, but at times, the waterway in the course of life needs the assistance of a strong current to push us along and guide us to surpass the slow, immobile areas along the channels to our destination.

Positive Feedback Loops in Early Human Development :: Environment Environmental Pollution Preservation

Positive Feedback Loops in Early Human Development There is no doubt that technology facilitated human development throughout history. However, what has been left largely untouched among the authors of the texts for this course is why technology has had such a tremendous effect on the evolution of the human species and its relationship with its environment. This essay will attempt to show that the effects of technology were subject to a multiplier effect inherent in positive feedback loops. In other words, every historical technological innovation gave way to a change in human behavior and physical capabilities, which, in turn, allowed for further technological innovation. Because this loop has been so incredibly successful, humans have overwhelmed the environment by continually growing towards, and sometimes beyond, its natural carrying capacity. The only reason why humans have not surpassed the upper limit of environmental tolerance is our own technological innovation which exists as part of the positive feedback loop; hence the or igin of the term "tech fix" (the idea that human ingenuity will overcome all environmental limitations). The positive feedback loop that is responsible for the dominance of the human species is very much like a game of elementary school dodge-ball. Initially, there is no skill involved; a mess of children with the sole intention of remaining alive in the game. Only, it is not entirely random because there are the few children who are particularly well-suited for the game. Be it because they are more agile or perhaps they understand the movement a little better than the rest. Whatever the reason, they are able to continue playing the game longer than a child who runs around as if his eyes were closed. The more able children will then gain more experience and be able to stay in even longer and dominate in the next game, and so the positive feedback loop proceeds to take shape. Early humans were similar in that what set them apart from the rest of the animals is that, for some reason, they had a natural inclination towards tool-making and technology. With these tools they were able to domi nate the evolutionary "game", so to speak. The multiplier effect comes from the fact that the loop, once it has begun, will be self-propagating, such that one invention will inevitably allow for another. Conversely, a negative feedback loop is "self-limiting rather than self-reinforcing", as put by Tom Tietenberg in his text Environmental and Natural Resource Economics.

Hamlet Second Soliloquy

In the last scene of act I Hamlet is told by the ghost that his father has been murdered by Uncle Claudius, the brother of the deceased king. Hamlet once mournful and grim turns revengeful, he promises the ghost to â€Å"sweep† to revenge. But he is tormented with doubts. The ghost has taken its toll on Hamlet but has not been convincing enough, he cannot fully trust it given that it might also be an evil spirit willing to make him change course, misleading him to murder an innocent man and be â€Å"damned† as Hamlet puts it in his words full of fear and anxiety.For such reasons Hamlet conceives a plan, he is going to wear a mask of madness, or put on ‘the antic disposition’, which Hamlet considers will make things easier for him: Hamlet under the mask of madness intends getting people talk more freely in his presence and thus he might easily find the truth about his uncle. But, far from working his plan turns to be counterproductive. Soon, Hamlet draws eve n more attention to himself, the royal court is intrigued by his strange behavior and King Claudius summons Hamlet’s school friends Rosencratz and Guildernstern asking them to go spy on him.Hamlet is suspicious of his own friends and soon conceives a new idea to trap his uncle: the reenactment of his father’s murder under the cover of a play called â€Å"The Murder of Gonzago†. In this particular soliloquy, which comes right after, the audience is waiting to see a more determined Hamlet ready to avenge his father’s murder: indeed it has been a while since Hamlet promised to act. Instead we are presented with an even more confused character, not only uncertain of the world surrounding him but also himself. Shakespeare through the soliloquy paints Hamlet’s character.Thus, the audience finds out that Hamlet is self-loathing -Hamlet’s opening words: expression of self-disgust: â€Å" O what a rogue and peasant slave am I! †, Hamletâ€℠¢s self-critic is obvious here, he reduces himself to the state of a slave. The Prince must really be mad at himself. Shakespeare’s choice of the word â€Å"slave† might signify Hamlet’s inaction, passiveness, just like a slave is chained to his master and incapable of acting against his will, so is Hamlet attached to the shackles of thought and meditation, which impede him from acting, acting freely. -The first layer’s acting has left Hamlet with a sense of amazement. How come the actor can get himself to cry for something that is imaginary, for â€Å"Hecuba†, dead thousands of years ago and Hamlet, who has real, true reasons to cry proves unable to express his anguish over the loss of his father and the incestuous remarriage of his mother: â€Å"can say nothing, – no not for a king†. -Hamlet suggests here that his inability to express himself is like a betrayal, for Hamlet seems to have forsaken his duty of avenging his father. He c alls himself â€Å"A dull and muddy-mettled rascal, peak Like John-a-dreams, unpregnant of my cause†.The choice of the adjective â€Å"dull† reminds the audience of what the ghost told him in Act I. If Hamlet didn’t take revenge the ghost said that he would be â€Å"duller than the fat weed/ That roots itself on Lethe wharf†. Hamlet seems to be accusing himself of not having the player's passion, of not hating Claudius strongly enough, of not loving his father strongly enough. Hamlet is mad at himself not because he hasn’t killed Claudius but because he hasn’t said anything. So Hamlet instead of plotting against Claudius dwells on himself.Another character trait is being developed by Shakespeare, one that the audience is very much familiar with since Hamlet’s first soliloquy where he extrapolates his own grief over Denmark, the world in general. It is Hamlet’s egocentric side. -Note the abounding number of personal pronouns (I, my, me) used by Hamlet in the soliloquy. It is as if the world revolved around him. When Hamlet shows the actor’s passion and enthusiasm about his role it is only to stress on his own lack of passion. It is as if the actor were a tool that Hamlet makes use of in order to urge himself into action. The soliloquy is presented as a dialogue between Hamlet and himself. The prince is willing to work himself into a state of passion, revengefulness: â€Å"Am I a coward? † The use of the future tense at the end of the soliloquy when Hamlet confirms his intentions concerning the mouse trap is also significant, in sense that Hamlet seems like convincing himself that he will finally do something, that he has a plan, he projects himself into the future trying to influence it â€Å"I’ll observe his looks, I’ll tent him to the quick (†¦) I’ll catch the conscience of the king.At some stage he seems to imagine someone insulting him, â€Å" Who calls me a vi llain, breaks my pate across, plucks off my beard and blows it in my face†. This helps building his rage which culminates when he remembers Claudius in the following lines†Bloody bawdy villain! Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless, villain! Oh, vengeance† Note the emotiveness of the passage, Hamlet breaks into an emotional climax; he is outraged at the simple thought of his father’s murderer.One could imagine him spitting these words out loud with his finger pointed at an imaginary Claudius accusing him of all of his crimes and ultimately stabbing him with an imaginary dagger with† vengeance† in his mind. -But, this is only an imaginary vengeance or Hamlet trying to rehearse in order to get himself in the mood. In the lines that follow Hamlet’s focus is again back on himself and how pathetic the whole buildup of passion has been† What an ass am I†.The prince thinks that it is not fit for him to curse himself, as he sou nd like a â€Å"whore† or a â€Å"drab† or a male whore â€Å" a scullion†. Hamlet here is putting on his misogynist character, he cannot tolerate women that in his opinion are all â€Å"whores†, like his beloved Ophelia who betrayed him, or his mother who betrayed his â€Å"dear† father. This negative vision, attitude toward women is consistent with Hamlet who in his first soliloquy has already made a sweeping condemnation of the latter â€Å"Frailty thy name is woman†. So the prince’s main target in this soliloquy is himself.He is concerned with questions related with whether he is a coward or not, whether he should act or continue â€Å" like a whore unpack my heart with words†. We could therefore ask ourselves what purposes this passage serves in the play apart from characterizing Hamlet. -It has little dramatic value given that there is no action. The tension is released, Hamlet is alone on stage meditating yet again and a part from the bits where he gets over agitated the tension in the passage is kept at the minimum. -The passage has also little value in terms of its contribution to the plot.The plot hardly advances in the soliloquy, the mouse trap idea that Hamlet comes up with at the end has been conceived earlier when he asked the first player to prepare for the Murder of Gonzago right before the soliloquy. -The passage therefore rather confirms the plot and serves as a means of delaying the Murder of Gonzago as well as the eventual Hamlet’s murder of Claudius. The mouse trap seems to be the first practical idea that Hamlet has ever had since the beginning of the play. It is a relatively reliable plan which would help him find out whether or not his uncle has anything to do with his father’s death.But the audience wonders if this is not simply another excuse for not acting. Indeed, if Hamlet really wanted to kill his uncle the soliloquy would be unnecessary. Hamlet’s characte r is pretty ambiguous. On the one hand he considers that his uncle is the most sinful person that has ever existed â€Å"Bloody bawdy villain, remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindles, villain†. On the other hand, this enumeration of adjectives that negatively qualify his uncle is counterbalanced by the fact that the ghost might also be a misleading â€Å"devil†, a possibility which Hamlet reconsiders at the end of the soliloquy.This uncertainty that revolves around Hamlet’s character brings us back to the central question of the soliloquy: is Hamlet a coward? Is he ever going to act? The later developments of the play reinforce the doubt. -It is also important to mention the theme of appearance versus reality that is embedded in the central figure of the soliloquy, that of the actor. For Hamlet the actor stands for â€Å"conceit†, or in other words deception, which Hamlet despises and is disgusted with. In this sense Uncle Claudius, the ultimate liar and deceiver of the play is certainly viewed by Hamlet as an actor as well.Ironically enough, in order to uncover the truth and show Claudius’ deceptive nature Hamlet resorts to deceit as well by conceiving the mouse trap. For Hamlet therefore deception is a way of revealing the truth, and he certainly views theater as a powerful tool capable not only of putting masks on but also dropping the others. But, what is more striking is Hamlet’s obsession with the idea that there is often a disconnect between what people appear to be and what they really are â€Å"is it not monstrous.. †.Note the mocking tone with which he relates to the actor’s job, one filled with admiration as well, given that Hamlet finds himself unable to do the same for his genuine reasons. In the case of his uncle, Hamlet has been told by the ghost that he is a serpent, but the ghost itself under his father’s outfit could also be the devil. Hamlet cannot trust anybody, especially not women who he associates with deception; he is disgusted with human nature â€Å"that one can smile and smile and be a villain†, which is again ironic when Hamlet realizes that in his world lies and deceit take a necessary part of the daily life.So the passage is the occasion for Shakespeare to further characterize Hamlet, to show his exacerbated feelings towards himself and those who deceive. Two of Hamlet’s character traits are confirmed in the passage: he is self-loathing and egocentric. Also, this passage explores one of the fundamental themes of the play: the theme of appearance versus reality. Also, Shakespeare through the figure of the actor, and the play within the play demonstrates and acclaims the powers of theater.

MOBA Game Addiction

The first mechanical or automatic computer was made in 1822 by Charles Babbage. It was capable of computing several sets of numbers and making had copies of the results. Despite its only single purpose, it was the start and the foundation of all the technology we have today. Ever since the day the computer was first made, different inventors have been creating their own computers with different functions, they also improved the inventions of others. For almost two centuries, computers have always been evolving. In our era, computers have many different functions, functions that do efficiently better than human beings.Functions of computers can be solving mathematical problems, socializing, searching answers for specific problems, or entertaintment. But nowadays, computers are used mostly for entertainment purposes. The reason is because computers are machines that are able to capture images,videos and audio. An examples would be, instead of watching shows from your television, listen ing music to the radio or checking photos from your albums, you are able to do all these using the computer alone. But the main objects of entertainment from computers are video games.Video games contain both video and audio files, it also has a purpose or goal for someone to achieve. The first ever computer game made was in 1952 by A. S. Douglas, a graphical computer version of Tic-Tac-Toe. The game was programmed on a EDSAC vacuum-tube computer, which had a cathode ray tube display. Like the computer, computer-based games were also evolving at the same time, people are creating games of their own. Graphics of computer games was the notable characteristic of a game evolving. Computer games have different genres, they can be puzzles, shooters, action or strategy.According to (____), the average of people who play computer games is 18-49, and the most played genre is puzzle. Computer games have also become competitive because of the amount of players trying to achieve the highest sco re possible. Because of this nature, game developers are developing more multiplayer games which purpose is generally to win by performing better than the other player. Due to multiplayer games, a term called â€Å"eSports† has been developed. eSports is the term for organized video game competitions, especially between professionals. The most common genre associated with eSports is multiplayer online battle arena.

Jainism in Early India essays

Jainism in Early India essays During the fifth and sixth centuries B.C.E. many new religions and philosophies sprang up in India that appealed to the interests of new social classes. Among the most influential of these new religions was Jainism. Jainism had strong foundations, and formed into a unique and influential religion, but many factors might explain why it never became as successful as Hinduism or Buddhism. Vardhamana Mahavira was a great teacher of Jainism who helped it become popular. Legend has it that he spent twelve years in the Ganges Valley, after which he gained enlightenment and many disciples. These disciples referred to him as Jina (the conqueror), and to themselves as Jains. Jains believed that everything in the universe possessed a soul, and could experience physical and psychological suffering. Only by purification from selfish behavior could souls gain release from their imprisonment, shed their karma, and reach the eternal state of bliss. The way that the people underwent purification was by observing the law of ahimsa, or nonviolence to other living things or their souls. Jain monks went to extremes observing this law, and avoiding all the tiny souls that surrounded them. Jainism represented an attractive alternative to the traditional sacrificial cults of early India. Jainist values and ethics had significant social implications. If all these souls participated in the ultimate reality of the world, social hierarchies made no sense. The Jains did not recognize these classes of human beings based on caste or jati. Because of this, their faith became popular especially among members of lower castes who did not command much respect in the traditional social order, including merchants, scholars, and literary figures. They did little overt violence to other creatures, and appreciated the high moral standards that Jainism encouraged. Ultimately, Jainist ethics were so demanding that few people ot ...

Ground Sloths - A Survivor of the Megafaunal Extinction

Ground Sloths - A Survivor of the Megafaunal Extinction Giant ground sloth (Megatheriinae) is the common name for several species of large bodied mammals (megafauna) who evolved and lived exclusively on the American continents. The superorder Xenarthranswhich includes anteaters and armadillosemerged in Patagonia during the Oligocene (34-23 million years ago), then diversified and dispersed throughout South America. The first giant ground sloths appeared in South America at least as long ago as the late Miocene (Friasian, 23-5 mya), and by the Late Pliocene (Blancan, ca. 5.3-2.6 mya) arrived in North America. Most of the large forms died out during the late Pleistocene, although there is recently discovered evidence of ground sloth survival in central America as recently as 5,000 years ago. There are nine species (and up to 19 genera) of giant sloths known from four families: Megatheriidae (Megatheriinae); Mylodontidae (Mylodontinae and Scelidotheriinae), Nothrotheriidae, and Megalonychidae. Pre-Pleistocene remains are very sparse (except for Eremotheriaum eomigrans), but there are lots of fossils from the Pleistocene, especially Megatherium americanum in South America, and E. laurillardi in both South and North America. E. laurillardi was a large, intertropical species known as the Panamanian giant ground sloth, who may well have survived into the late Pleistocene. Life as a Ground Sloth Ground sloths were mostly herbivores. A study on over 500 preserved feces (coprolites) of the Shasta ground sloth (Nothrotheriops shastense) from Rampart Cave, Arizona (Hansen) indicate that they mainly dined on desert globemallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua) Nevada mormontea (Ephedra nevadensis) and saltbushes (Atriplex spp). A 2000 study (Hofreiter and colleagues) found that the diet of sloths living in and around Gypsum Cave in Nevada changed over time, from pine and mulberries around 28,000 cal BP, to capers and mustards at 20,000 years bp; and to saltbushes and other desert plants at 11,000 years bp, an indication of changing climate in the region. Ground sloths lived in a variety of ecosystem types, from treeless scrublands in Patagonia to wooded valleys in North Dakota, and it seems that they were fairly adaptive in their diets. Despite their adaptability, they almost certainly were killed off, as with other megafaunal extinctions, with the assistance of the first set of human colonists into the Americas. Ranking by Size Giant ground sloths are loosely categorized by size: small, medium and large. In some studies, the size of the various species seems to be continuous and overlapping, although some juvenile remains are definitely larger than the adult and subadult remains of the small group. Cartell and De Iuliis argue that the difference is size is evidence that some of the species were sexually dimorphic. Megatherium altiplanicum (small, femur length about 387.5 mm or 15 inches), and about 200 kilograms or 440 pounds per adult individuals) Megatherium sundti (medium, femur length about 530 mm, 20 in) Megatherium americanum (large, femur length between 570-780 mm, 22-31 in; and up to 3000 kg, 6600 lb per individual) All of the extinct continental genera were ground rather than arboreal, that is to say, lived outside of trees, although the only survivors are their small (4-8 kg, 8-16 lb) tree-dwelling descendants. Recent Survivals Most of the megafauna (mammals with bodies greater than 45 kg, or 100 lbs) in the Americas died out at the end of the Pleistocene after the retreat of the glaciers and about the time of the first human colonization of the Americas. However, evidence for ground sloth survival into the late Pleistocene has been found in a handful of archaeological sites, where research indicates that humans were preying on ground sloths. One of the very old sites thought by some scholars to be evidence of humans is the Chazumba II site in Oaxaca state, Mexico, dated between 23,000-27,000 calendar years BP [cal BP] (Vià ±as-Vallverdà º and colleagues). That site includes a possible cutmarkbutchery markon a giant sloth bone, as well as a few lithics such as retouched flakes, hammers, and anvils. Shasta ground sloth (Nothrotheriops shastense) dung has been found in several caves in the southwestern United States, dated to as late as 11,000-12,100 radiocarbon years before the present RCYBP. There are also similar survivals for other members of the Nothrotheriops species found in caves in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile; the youngest of those are 16,000-10,200 RCYBP. Solid Evidence for Human Consumption Evidence for human consumption of ground sloths exists at Campo Laborde, 9700-6750 RCYBP in the Talpaque Creek, Pampean region of Argentina (Messineo and Politis). This site includes an extensive bone bed, with over 100 individuals of M. americanum, and smaller numbers of glyptodons, panamanian hare (Dolichotis patagonum, vizcacha, peccary, fox, armadillo, bird, and camelid. Stone tools are relatively sparse at Campo Laborde, but they include a quartzite side-scraper and a bifacial projectile point, as well as flakes and micro-flakes. Several sloth bones have butchery marks, and the site is interpreted as a single event involving the butchery of a single giant ground sloth. In North Dakota in the central US, evidence shows that Megalonyx jeffersonii, Jeffersons ground sloth (first described by the U.S. President Thomas Jefferson and his physician friend Caspar Wistar in 1799), were still fairly widely distributed across the NA continent, from Old Crow Basin in Alaska to southern Mexico and from coast to coast, about 12,000 years RCYBP and just before most of the sloth extinction (Hoganson and McDonald). The most recent evidence for ground sloth survival is from the West Indian islands of Cuba and Hispaniola (Steadman and colleagues). Cueva Beruvides in Matanzas Province of Cuba held a humerus of the largest West Indies sloth, the Megalocnus rodens, dated between 7270 and 6010 cal BP; and the smaller form Parocnus brownii has been reported from the tar pit Las Breas de San Felipe in Cuba between 4,950-14,450 cal BP. Seven examples of Neocnus comes have been found in Haiti, dated between 5220-11,560 cal BP. Sources and Further Information Cartelle C, and De Iuliis G. 2006. Eremotherium Laurillardi (Lund) (Xenarthra, Megatheriidae), the Panamerican giant ground sloth: Taxonomic aspects of the ontogeny of skull and dentition. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 4(2):199-209.Hansen RM. 1978. Shasta ground sloth food habits, Rampart Cave, Arizona. Paleobiology 4(3):302-319.Hofreiter M, Poinar HN, Spaulding WG, Bauer K, Martin PS, Possnert G, and Pbo S. 2000. A molecular analysis of ground sloth diet through the last glaciation. Molecular Ecology 9(12):1975-1984.Hoganson JW, and McDonald HG. 2007. First Report of Jeffersons Ground Sloth (Megalonyx jeffersonii) in North Dakota: Paleobiogeographical and Paleoecological Significance. Journal of Mammalogy 88(1):73-80.Iuliis GD, Pujos F, and Tito G. 2009. Systematic and Taxonomic Revision of the Pleistocene Ground Sloth Megatherium (Pseudomegatherium) Tarijense (Xenarthra: Megatheriidae). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 29(4):1244-1251.Messineo PG, and Politis GG. 2009. New Radiocarbon Dates from the Campo Laborde Site (Pampean Region, Argentina) Support the Holocene Survival of Giant Ground Sloth and Glyptodonts. Current Research in the Pleistocene 26:5-9. Pereira ICdS, Dantas MAT, and Ferreira RL. 2013. Record of the giant sloth Valgipes bucklandi (Lund, 1839) (Tardigrada, Scelidotheriinae) in Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil, with notes on taphonomy and paleoecology. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 43:42-45.Steadman DW, Martin PS, MacPhee RDE, Jull AJT, McDonald HG, Woods CA, Iturralde-Vinent M, and Hodgins GWL. 2005. Asynchronous extinction of late Quaternary sloths on continents and islands. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 102(33):11763-11768.Vià ±as-Vallverdà º R, Arroyo-Cabrales J, Rivera-Gonzlez II, Xosà © Pedro R-, Rubio-Mora A, Eudave-Eusebio IN, Solà ­s-Torres ÓR, and Ardelean CF. 2015. Recent archaeo-palaeontological findings from Barranca del Muerto site, Santiago Chazumba, Oaxaca, Mà ©xico. Quaternary International in press.

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Strategic Management Report For The Campbell Soup Company Marketing Essay

Strategic Management Report For The Campbell Soup Company Marketing Essay 1.0 Introduction The report discusses the application of strategic process and stages such as strategic analysis; strategic formulation, and strategic implementation in the food processing industry. The company chosen is Campbell Soup Company. 2.0 The Campbell Soup Company Profile Campbell Soup Company is a global manufacturer and marketer of high quality, branded convenience food products. The company profile and its position within food processing industry are discussed at appendix 1. 3.0- Strategic Analysis External Analysis- Scanning Competitive Environment Conducting an external analysis to scan the company competitive environment which focused on predicting the dynamics of competitors actions, responses and intention, can help a business in understanding the dynamics of its industries and markets in order to compete effectively with its rivals in the marketplace. (Henry, 2008) 3.1.0-Porter 5 Forces Model Porters Five Basic Competitive Forces (1996) analysis which deals with microenvironment and related to the competitiveness of an industry has been conducted to find out five featured competitiveness existing in food processing industry. The factors that are considered in this model are according to the analysis of The Campbell Soup Company. Figure 1. Porters 5 Forces http://student.dcu.ie/~slejhad2/pics/porter.jpg 3.1.1-Competitive Rivalry within Food Processing Industry The rivalry among companies in the food processing industry is high and intense. These food processing companies are competing on price, quality, taste, health factors, product innovation, and product benefits (The Food Processing Industry 2006). Campbells major rivals are General Millis Progresso, Heinz and Kraft Foods. As a multinational food processing company, Campbells faces an extremely competitive market in internationally, nationally and locally due to the similarities between each soup producer and wider selection of products provided by other food processing company. (Ellison, Sarah 2003) On the other hand, various types of generic soup brands in the existing market which offer products in lower price have raised the competitive pressure. However, the Campbells high quality of soup products and the ability to keep low production costs weaken the rivalry of the generic soup brands. For instance, Campbells price their soup products only 20 to 25% higher than generic brands while maintaining a level high quality. Campbells would have to continue developing superior healthy food to distinguish itself from Progresso and smaller soup maker companies. 3.1.2 Threat of New Entrants The threat of entry depends on the presence of entry barriers and the presence of new entrants to a food processing industry typically bring to it new capacity and the want to gain market share. (Wheelen Hunger J.D 2007) Campbells major rival- Kraft foods and General Mills, create high entry barriers in food processing industry through their high levels of advertising and promotion. Besides, the intense competition in the food processing industry makes it hard to access in the market. Smaller food processing companies often have difficulty obtaining supermarket shelf space for their products as large retailers charge for space on their shelves and give priority to the established companies who can pay for the advertising needed to generate high customer demand. According to Ghemawat Collis (2001), the economy is a major factor as if the company wants to be a part in this food processing industry it must be able to face high costs for strong competition. Moreover, the slow market growth rate for the food processing industry causes acquisition between companies, resulted the barriers to entry are high with so many food processing companies and little to zero capacity remaining for any more companies. 3.1.3-The Threat of Substitutes Products The rivalry from firms of other industries which offer substitute products is intense as they are producing, supplying and serving the same food products that the food processing companies are. For example, Dunkin Donuts is in the foodservice industry and Campbell Soup Company is in the food processing industry, yet Dunkin Donuts serves soup and Campbell Soup sells soup. Consumers can still go to Dunkin Donuts and acquire the similar soups that Campbell sells. (Wall Street Journal 2003) 3.1.4- Bargaining power of buyers Consumers affect the food processing industry through their ability to force down prices, bargain for higher products quality and services, and play competitors against each other. The bargaining power of buyers is high as there are huge tendency of new entrance with new and variety of products. Besides, consumers prefer choosing products which offer lower prices. For example, Campbells soup products price is relatively 20 to 25% higher than generic brands in grocery stores, hence some consumers would choose generic brand products in the market rather than Campbells. Besides, the profitability obtained by the company is also determined by consumers. Food processing companies would be forced to lower prices if consumers think that the prices are too expensive as consumers tend to stop buying their products or switch to supplements. 3.1.5- Bargaining power of suppliers Suppliers can affect the food processing industry through their ability to raise prices or reduce the quality of purchased goods and services. In case quality products the suppliers face an important factor. Due to the inflation the overall price of materials has been significantly increased. Campbell has always purchased high quality ingredients produced from local farmers. In 2006, Campbell launched Campbells Supplier Diversity Program to grow its diverse supplier base and to ensure that the supplier base better reflects the markets served. In 2007 the Campbells goal to spend with diverse suppliers was $121 million, but the actual spend with diverse suppliers was $129 million. (Campbells CSR 2008) So for Campbells, there is a cost exists to get the reliable supplier. There is a tendency the world nowadays makes a backward integration and wants to minimize the cost of suppliers. 3.2.0- Swot Analysis A swot analysis allows the Campbell Soup Company to determine the extent of the strategic fit between its capabilities and the needs of its external environment. According to Henry(2008), the company can seek to match its strengths and weaknesses to the opportunities and treats it faces in current competitive food processing industry. The Campbells products portfolio includes soups, sauces, biscuits and chocolates and has a strong research function with high capabilities in new products development. 3.2.1-Internal Analysis-Strengths Innovative Campbell has always applied the spirit of innovation in every aspect of its business. At Campbells manufacturing plants in Napoleon, Ohio, and Paris, Texas, an innovative method called overland flow is used to treat wastewater. In terms of products introduction, the company has been consistently quick to come up with new products in the market. For example, the first portable soup product, Soup at Hand, the new microwaveable products such as Chunky and Select. Besides, Campbell frequent updates the products appearance with more contemporary design and new photography. Its popular gravity fed shelving system have been installed at 24,000 retailers nationally and credited for rejuvenating the soup aisle, expanding the category and vastly improving the shopping experience. Campbell is innovative to gauge consumer satisfaction and expectation. (Campbells Corporate Social Responsibility Report 2008) 3.2.2-Weaknesses Declining Market Share The Campbells market share in soup drop from 60% in 2007 to 49% as of October 2009. This is due to more and more private labels continue to enter the market by providing quality products in lower price. Some consumers have switched to try private labels and resulted private labels have gained 11%of the market share. On the other hand, Campbell has also faced stiff competition from brands such as General Mills Progresso and Nestle. (Campbell Soup Co Form 10-Q Quartery Report 2010) 3.2.3-External Analysis-Opportunities Demand for Wellness Products In recent years, the trend towards being more health-conscious has arisen from two main consumer groups. The younger generations currently focus more on low calorie content and on the go meals. For the more mature age group, their diets require health-consciousness in terms of limiting their sodium intake due to increased risk of ailments. Campbells Soups core product categories, notably soup and bakery products, are widely perceived as healthy and are compatible with the further development of health-oriented products, such as the existing and expanding line of Select Harvest and Healthy Request soups. In conjunction with the product improvement, Campbell has announced to expand its industry-leading sodium reduction program and to reduce the sodium content in 23 of its condensed soups by up to 45 percent in fiscal 2011.(Campbell Growth Plans for U.S 2010) 3.2.4-Threats Intense Competition Campbells main profitable core soup category has been facing intense competition and also been losing market share to its strong competitors, particularly General Mills Progresso and private label brands produced by companies such as Wal-Mart. Moreover, Campbells other segments have not produced consistent profits. According to Wolpert (2002), shifting consumer habits and preferences indicate the need to constantly innovate their products and minimize costs, in order to retain loyal consumers and keep up with the fast-changing consumer environment Extensive Laws The company is governed by a multitude of local and international laws and regulations with regards to food safety and environmental standards. For instance, in accordance with the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, Campbells food products must be inspected before they can be marketed. The company faces the risk of fines, injunctions, recalls or asset seizures, and criminal sanctions if it violates these laws and regulations. ( Campbells CSR 2008) 3.3.0- Benchmarking Campbell understands the importance of using benchmarking to evaluate performance. Hence, the company analyzed few top companies which mainly involved in food and beverage processing manufacturing company in a few aspects such as sustainability, supply chain, consumers, community and workplace. Moreover, Campbell have also highlighted the primary ways that companies are implementing their goals as well as select initiatives and key past achievements. In terms of community, Campbells have chosen to focus on nutritional and environmental programs by partnering with nonprofit organizations, universities and Think Tanks to conduct RD for new products. Besides, it also partnered with environmental experts to develop innovative solutions to protect the environment. For instance, Nestle has been launching malnutrition and obesity programs targeting children and adolescents of lower-income families while General Mills has been contributing 5% of pretax profits to charitable causes. The Campbells benchmarked the best practices by promoting nutritional and hunger elimination programs. Besides, Campbells also promote micronutrient products to attend lower income families and develop environmental initiatives. (Campbells Annual Report 2009) In terms of workplace related programs, Nestle, Coca Cola, Pepsi.co, General Mills, have done excellent job. For instance, Pepsi CO has been providing job opportunities for people with disabilities while General Mills, the company has reduced lost-time injury rate by 25% over five years. Hence, Campbell benchmarked and developed workplace programs by focusing four key areas: Ensuring diversity of the workforce thereby bringing a broad range of talents and perspectives to the business Helping employees achieve both personal and professional development Ensuring the health and safety of employees both at home and at work Ensuring that employees have a fair work environment Campbells strived for an injury-free workplace through a strong health and safety program supported by high employee engagement. They train their employees to conduct their activities in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. (Campbells CSR 2008) 4.0 Strategy Formulation For Campbells to achieve sustainable competitive advantage in food processing industry, strategy formulation which derived from the objective and mission is undertaken. Porter (1980) argues that competitive strategy is about developing a defendable position in an industry which enables a firm to deal with the five competitive forces and thus generate a superior return on investment for the film. 4.1 Business Level Strategy-Differentiation To achieve superior value that is recognized by the consumer, Campbells needs to provide unique and superior value to the customers in terms of its products quality and value added up services. It is appropriate to relate differentiation strategy to the Campbells Soup Company as the companys goal is very straight forward, which is Together we will build the worlds most extraordinary food company by nourishing peoples lives everywhere, every day. Campbell has always focused on providing superior, healthy and nutrition food by expanding their icon brands in simple meals (especially soup). The Campbells latest plans are to enhance more than 60 percent of its condensed line with product improvements, further sodium reduction, more contemporary packaging, improved shelving systems and new marketing aimed at the simple meals category. ( Campbell Growth Plan 2010) Nowadays there are increasing numbers of consumers who are very concerned with nutritional values of foods they eat. The Campbells Soup Company which is having superior research abilities has been taking advantage of this avenue and further develops this product line. According to Douglas R. Conant, Campbells President and CEO, Campbell is going to fire up the important condensed soup business and step up the competitive posture of their ready-to-serve products. (Campbells 2009 annual report) The improvements and innovations of Campbells has made over the past several years has made Campbell outwit most of its rivals in the condensed soup category. Low-sodium products are pivotal to Campbells long term success as the majority of Campbells consumer base is  baby boomers. The majority of baby boomers diets are comprised of low sodium. A recent study shown that high cholesterol, attributed to high levels of sodium intake, is the number one diagnosed health condition for the baby boomer generation.  The condensed soups have one of the highest sodium contents of all processed foods in existing market. Therefore Campbells low-sodium products have differentiated themselves with many rivals. Besides sodium, Campbells also has to focus on other aspects such as MSG and low calories of its soups by hoping that these healthier offerings will help gain market share among younger, more health conscious consumers. (Campbell CSR Report 2008) Besides, Campbell understands that creating a quality product begins with quality ingredients. Campbell purchases most of the ingredients from domestic farmers in countries where they manufacture products and also obtain certain ingredients from carefully selected suppliers around the world. Any ingredient that does not meet the quality requirements will not be used in a Campbell product to ensure superior product quality. On the other hand, providing value-added services help Campbells to outwit its existing rivals. Campbell continually experiments with new programs to provide consumers with useful information on meal ideas, health and wellness, and other tips. For example, each day their Campbell Meal-mail program delivers nearly 500,000 recipes electronically to busy Americans who are hungry for convenient, great-tasting meal ideas that will please their families. Consumers can access the Campbells Kitchen website at any time to download recipe ideas that have been tested and approved by Campbells nutritionists. Consumers also have the opportunity to share their ideas and comments on recipes with one another on the Campbells Kitchen website. ( Campbellsoupcompany.com) It is suggested that the Campbell Soup Company to improve the flavour of its soup products to attract more demand. Besides, Campbell can try to create more contemporary design for its existing soup products instead of the familiar red and white colour design in order to stand out from various types of products in the market. 4.2 Corporate Level Strategy-Diversification The corporate level strategy of The Campbell Soup Company deals with three key issues: i) The firms overall orientation toward growth, stability, and retrenchment. ii) The market in which the company competes through its products and business units iii) The manner in which management coordinate activities and transfer resources and cultivates capabilities among product lines and business units The Campbells operates with four products divisions and has expanded its product to microwavable soups to make customers more convenient for preparing soup without container. (Campbells annual report 2009) Obviously, the Campbell Soup Company, which is a decentralized company, has been using a related diversification multiproduct strategy. Its strategy is to diversify its business to produce several products, and expanding its market share. Campbell used its engineering support and diversified production to support customers with convenient, good taste and quality food. To support its operating system, department such as Research Development (RD), product development, engineering systems, are required to produce high quality and stable operating system to avoid the unexpected shut down. Campbell has tried to use unrelated diversification strategy under the leadership of McGovern as Campbells CEO with the aim of rapidly expand product line to increase profits and revenue. Campbell has tried to acquire other firms to quickly gain access to new products and new markets. Instead of acquiring only food products, Campbell began to use the unrelated diversification strategy to acquire firms that it felt were positioned to capitalize on the consumers trend and also bought firms involved in all types of business. For example, the triangle Manufacturing Company, a fitness products maker, which is clearly unrelated to the firms core products. (Ireland, Hoskisson Michael 2006) A major reason for Campbells failure to generate financial economies while using the unrelated diversification strategy is that the firms approach to managing its core products divisions never changed. At the same time, corporate headquarters personnel didnt implement the strong financial controls necessary to efficiently manage an internal capital market. David Johnson who replaced McGovern decided that Campbell should not longer use the diversification strategy but to reduce the level of diversification by using related constrained strategy to create value through operational relatedness. Campbells related constrained diversification strategy involves transferring core competencies which lead to competitive advantage and start with value chain analysis to identify ability to transfer skills or expertise among similar value chains and on the hand, to exploit ability to transfer activities. Campbell should enhance more than 60 percent of its condensed line and be more committed to ac celerate the performance of their existing portfolio, most notably in U.S. soup, and continuing to lay the foundation for superior long-term growth. (Campbell Growth Plan 2010) 4.2.1 External Acquisitions and Partnerships Through value-creating external development, Campbells is able to increase its market presence throughout its product lines. For instance, Campbells Baking and Snacking segment is positioned to grow due to the companys recent acquisition of Ecce Panis, a manufacturer of artisan breads. This acquisition allows Campbells to enter into the thriving artisan bread market. With the ever growing foreign population in America, it is suggested that Campbells should consider products that have more of the ethnic background of these immigrants. The brand could quite possibly extend the depth of the line with consideration to the vast number of different tastes in the society today. 5.0- Strategy Implementation A clear mission statement helps in providing focus to an organization and is essential for effectively establishing objective and formulating strategies. (Haberberg and Rieple 2001) In order for the Campbell to proceed into a future where competition is highly competitive, they need to define who and what they truly are, their concerns, their philosophies, and what gives them the competitive advantage over their competitors. This must be clear throughout all areas and divisions, at all levels in the company, in order for the implementation of the mission statement to be successful.   The Campbells strategy implementation includes designing the organizations structure, allocating resources, developing information and decision process, and managing human resources, including such areas as the reward system, approaches to leadership, and staffing. According to Wheelen and Hunger (2007), the strategy implementation process includes the various management activities that are necessary to put strategy in motion, institute strategic controls that monitor progress, and ultimately achieve organizational goals. 5.1- Management Issue Restructuring In food processing industry one year is relatively indiscernible from the next from a macroeconomic point of view. Campbells corporate strategy and the companys management structure have undergone several restructuring since 1980. On April 28, 2008, the company announced a series of initiatives to improve operational efficiency and long-term profitability, including selling certain salty snack food brands and assets in Australia, closing certain production facilities in Australia and Canada, and streamlining the companys management structure. As a result of these initiatives, in 2008, the company recorded a restructuring charge of $175 millions. The charge consisted of a net loss on the sale of certain Australian salty snack food brands and assets, employee severance and benefit costs, including the estimated impact of curtailment and other pension charges, and property, plant and equipment impairment charges. The cost of restructuring activity is shown at Appendix 2 Workforce Diversification The Campbell strive to uphold their promise of Campbell Valuing People, People Valuing Campbell by providing employees with the resources required to do their jobs well; competitive compensation and benefits; the opportunity to learn; and grow through their work. At present, the Campbells Board of Directors consists of 14 independent members and one company executive, the CEO, Doug Conant. Board operations are managed by an independent, non-executive Chairman. The Board believes that diversity in the backgrounds and perspectives of their directors contributes to sound corporate governance. Currently, three of their directors are women, one director is from India and one director is African-American. The Campbells Board of Directors is shown at Appendix 3. The CEO believes that workforce diversity is essential to be a mainstay within the company overall strategic objectives. Hence, Campbells is committed to attract a diverse group of talented employees and providing all their associates with development opportunities and a culture in which they can flourish and provide their employees with career development and quality-of life enhancements that make Campbell a special place to work. Campbells diversity and inclusion strategy is focused on five specific goals: -Firmly establishing leadership support and accountability -Linking diversity and inclusion to performance management -Integrating diversity and inclusion into talent management -Building diversity and inclusion into business practices. -Educating and training to advance diversity and inclusion ( Campbell Annual report 2009) The directors receive annual fees equal to the median directors compensation paid by peer food and consumer products companies. Approximately 50 percent of each directors fee is paid in cash and 50 percent is paid in common stock. Director stock ownership requirements have existed at Campbell since 1993. Currently, the directors beneficially own more than 44 percent of the companys common stock. (Carlin, M Harris R 2008) Though the Campbells has successfully implemented workforce diversification strategy, it is recommended that the company offers stock options to their rank-and-file employees too. By offering employee stock options, workers are given the chance to buy shares in their company at a specified price. The grant or strike price, should be pegged to the value of the stock when it is offered to employees. Employees have the option of buying the stock at a set price then selling it after a period of time. Employee Engagement The Campbell believes that employees will feel most valued when they are fully informed, understand the companys business goals and plans and are invited to offer their feedback on a regular basis. In 2007 and 2008, Campbell was recognized by Gallup as one of the Best Places to Work in America. The company believes that its work environment has contributed to their relatively stable retention rate and their improved marketplace performance. (www.euroinvestor.co.uk) Campbell conducts annual employee survey to develop work group action plans, empower individual employees to improve the workplace and to strengthen the companys business practices. 5.2 Marketing Issues The Campbells understands that successful marketing implementation is affected by marketing variables. 5.2.1 Market Segment The companys 2009 financial reports segment their business into four key categories: US Soup, Sauces and Beverages, Baking and Snacking, International Soup, Sauces and Beverages, and North American Foodservice. With sales approximating $3.8 million, US Soup, Sauces and Beverages accounted for approximately half of the sales in FY 2009 and drove the bulk of profits for the company. Core brands like Campbells, V8, Swanson and Prego delivered a combined 4% growth through a combination of innovation, consumer trade downs, and improved distribution channels.( Appendix 2) 5.2.2 Marketing Strategies Product The Campbells positioning is providing healthy and nourishing products within the product line. The product line width come in many different options. This being said, the depth of the product line is in fact the largest. Each product comes in a multitude of different sizes and flavours. The brand offers adequate products for the consumers. In addition to the size and flavours, the packaging is well organized for that of single or multiple item purchasing. The packaging also achieves an accurate perception in the consumers mind. They use well known athletes to convey the message of health to the consumer. Price The pricing of the products within the brand name are consistent with that of the positioning. They provide the perception that to eat healthy the consumer should not have to pay more. The Campbells brand is typically priced at twenty cents above that of their major competitors. This is the act of swaying the consumers mind to the perception that Campbells is of a higher quality than the competitors. While operating in an elastic market, Campbells employs special event promotional pricing strategies in order to remain competitive. The company also offers discounted pricing on certain seasonal items and during holidays. In addition to these promotional strategies, they employ the odd even strategies to convey the message that their brand is that of higher quality. Distribution Campbells brand is distributed intensively throughout all geographic locations within the United States and many foreign countries. In the distribution process, Campbells deals with wholesalers and retailers thus creating the supply channel. This is a very profitable concept as long as the lines of communication remain opened. Catalog marketing is also another form of distribution that is employed. This is easily achieved due the fact that the shelf life of the products is long. The products are very easily purchased at any marketplace at any given region of the US. Promotion In using the most recent athletic figures in their advertisements, they are successful in maintaining their position of health. In the use of the retailers to help marketing, they are employing the cooperative advertising technique. This helps to advertise their products from numerous different angles. The effectiveness of the  marketing  strategies  employed by Campbells has made them recognized as the premium brand within their product lines. In comparison to the competition, Campbells focuses a great deal on interacting with the public with such efforts as sweepstakes and giveaways and also education. Their public relation efforts have ranked them as one of the most society conscious brands in the business. 6.0 Conclusion A strategic analysis is most applicable to strategic management at the business unit level of large multinational firm such as Campbell Soup Company. At the strategic analysis stage, internal and external environmental scanning by using Porters 5 forces model and Swot analysis are conducted. Besides, benchmarking is used to evaluate performances. Strategy formulation which derived from the Campbells objective and mission is undertaken to outline the business level and corporate level strategies. Strategy at business level deals with which market the company chooses to compete while strategy at the corporate level is more concerned with managing the portfolio of business. The final strategy implementation stage includes the management issues, staffing and marketing variables which can influence the profit margin of the company. 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