Benchmarking

Is defined by CIMA as ‘The Establishment, through data gathering of targets and comparators, through whose use relative levels of performance (and under performance) can be identified. ’[CIMA, 2008] This definition explains in my mind that benchmarking is the comparison of one/ several company’s comparison of relative factors to another’s. Therefore seeing how a company’s best practise differs to your own. There are several types of benchmarking that a company may use; Internal, Functional, Competitive and Strategic. A company may use internal benchmarking to compare different processes within the same departments. If they use functional benchmarking then they are mainly looking their departments and which runs better regardless of their different outputs. Competitive benchmarking is information gathered about direct competitors and finally strategic is a longer term benchmark technique. This is used for companies looking for organisational change. The main advantage for benchmarking is to â€Å"set the foundation for performance improvement† to help â€Å"better competitors† [Nayab, 2010] and overall be the best company in the Market place. On the other hand a disadvantage is; how readily available is all the information you require to benchmark? Business Process Re-engineering Is defined by Drury as â€Å"examining business processes and making substantial changes to how the company operates†. [Drury C, 2008] BPR is a major tool used by business because they want gains in performance and quality, and they need to cost reductions to strive for profit maximisation. When re-engineering processes they look at what has been done and try to improve it. A typical example may be: Building a car by hand takes a considerable long time, however if they changed the process to the car being built by a robot, then they could increase performance and quality. However there are many negatives to usage of BPR. It has an uncertain result because it is an all or nothing technique (high risk). In addition it is said that

Case Study for North Country Auto

Case Study for North Country Auto, Inc. North Country Auto, Inc. was a franchised dealer and factory-authorized service center for Ford, Saab, and Volkswagen. The company maintains its competitiveness by providing full services to its customers. For customers looking for a car, the North Country Auto not only provided options for new cars from those three brands, but also provided options to buy used cars from it. In addition, for customers with cars, the company can provide a variety of services to their car, such as service and repair under warranty or at the customers’ expenses. Example service and repair work are quick oil change, auto repair, the body shop work and auto parts supply. Recently, the company adapted a new control system as a strategy to improve its sales and increase its profit. There were five departments within North Country Auto: the new car department, the used car department, the service department, the parts department and the body shop. Originally, these five departments operated as part of one business. And the performance of each department was not individually evaluated. Under the new control system, all five departments operated as an individual profit center. The owner assumed that, by doing this, all managers of the five departments would be encouraged to increase their departments’ profit so as to have better evaluation and better income. However, under this new control system, there were still problems needed to be dealt with, because the business conducted by these departments affected each other. In this case, if one department tried to maximize its profit, it may affect the profit of other departments. For example, when the new car department manager tried to sell a new car, he would offer a very high trade-in price for the customer’s used car so as to attract the customer. If this high trade-in cost was allocated to other departments, it would be unavoidable that the cost of those departments would increase and their profit would decrease. Therefore, the questions raised from this case would be: should all departments be treated as an individual profit center; and how the transfer price should be set between the departments; as well as how to correctly allocate the cost among different departments. In my opinion, I think the parts department and the body shop should not be considered as the profit centers, since most demands for these two departments were from service department. If these two departments tried to maximize their profit, it would be very difficult for the service department to maintain high profit. In my opinion, the parts department and the body shop should be considered as cost centers. In addition, the transfer price among all departments should be the market price instead of another price determined internally. And any losses on inter-departmental business like trade-ins should be proportionally allocated to three profit centers: the new car department, the used car department and the service department. In addition, under the current control system, the year-end bonus of each department manager was based on his/her department’s performance. The profit to be evaluated was the department’s gross profit instead of its net profit. This evaluation method may encourage all managers to focus on selling activities only. They may ignore other important responsibilities such as cost control or reduction, as well as inventory control. Therefore, I think the evaluation for each department’s performance should be based on the net profit. This would encourage the managers to be responsible for overall cost control and profit-making.

Pollution pressing environmental problem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pollution pressing environmental problem - Essay Example Community members should start with cleaning up their homes, and making sure that they are not contributing to the pollution we have currently. Preventing pollution is simply not cleaning up but ensuring that we are using environment-safe products. This way we are reducing the environmental risks it brings. Simple things like segregating the garbage and throwing them in its proper place will help significantly if we are able to attract other people to do it. Combined efforts of community members will eventually impact the society and it will significantly impact the reduction of pollution. We don’t have to think big in order to help our environment. We don’t have to plan major changes in our lifestyle. We don’t have to gather other corporations and organizations in planning out a big project for pollution reduction. All we need to do is to ensure that we are doing our part and encouraging other people to do the same and we can start a movement, a campaign that wi ll spread within the community, and out to our society and will inflict other nations. Eventually, our small combined efforts may, in fact, be more effective than the bigger, more grandeous plans set up to fight pollution.We also have to bear in mind that reducing pollution is not simply about garbage and not using harmful chemicals in our home. Pollution has many forms. It may be noise pollution, air pollution or water pollution. Eye sores can also be identified as pollutions as it irritates our eyes. Taking this into consideration., we can find more ways on how to help our environment. Noise reduction and waste reduction are ways on how we can help fight pollution. How can we do this? By making sure that we are not producing too much noise and too much waste. We can also take into consideration the technology we have today. We are in the midst of digital advancement. Companies took advantage of this by incorporating environmental projects with their advancements. Paperless billing is one popular project of many utility companies nowadays. They even go out of their way to include prizes when their clients and customers switch from paper billing to electronic billing. This has a significant impact not only in waste reduction but also in reducing the number of trees being cut for paper. We, as simple people, can help out the environment through these simple ways. We don’t have to pay anything, we don’t have to shell out money, we just have to use what we use daily, that is the digital

History of China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

History of China - Essay Example Firstly, with regards to why the British sought to smuggle opium into China, the answer to this question is undeniably quite simple. Ultimately, the British sought to smuggle opium into China to make the country weak, to provide the British Empire, and by extension its economy, a level of domination over China, and by extension by which China, its government, and people, would be reliant upon the British to fulfill any further levels of trade that might exist between the Chinese and the outside world. Ultimately, the reader can note that a highly unethical situation arose from this which encouraged key levels of Imperial exploitation over the Chinese government and its people (Xin, 2010). Whereas there have been many cases in history of organized crime and the means by which it was substances of one form or another have been trafficked, the opium trade between the British Empire and China is perhaps the perfect example of economic warfare as the importation and reliance on opium was utilized as a leverage point by which the British Empire could gain a further degree of economic power and control over the peoples of a region that much of Europe had been anxious to control for the better part of several hundred years. Realizing that the current dynamic of ever-increasing opium addiction and the means by which the economic resources of China were being undermined by the British Empire, the imp are demanded action. Firstly, the Emperor sought to arrest Chinese opium dealers and then extended this power outside of national Chinese boundaries demanding that foreign firms turn over any and all stop of opium that existed with the nation. As might be expected, these foreign merchants summarily refused to turn over their stock as they made a valuable trade and livelihood through the sale of this drug. In such a way, a key level of disagreement contest arose between the foreign merchants of opium and the Imperial power of China. As such, it was the belief of the British t hat it was their responsibility to protect key trade interests that provided a high level of profitability for their global economy and a level of control over the region of China as a whole (Feige & Miron, 2008). Within such a manner, the first of two opium wars were kicked off in which the trade interests of the British Empire and the societal concerns of the Chinese Empire, with regards to opium addiction, came head-to-head in armed conflict. The result of these opium wars was a complete humiliation for the Chinese Emperor and the peoples of China. This was so much the case that Chinese historians, both then and now, refer to the result of these opium wars as â€Å"the century of humiliation†. This is mostly due to the fact that the overwhelming military superiority and coordination of the British forces pressured the existing Qing Dynasty to capitulate to almost any and all demands that the British placed upon it. Due to the fact that the Chinese were unable to mount a su ccessful military defense of their homeland during either of these two opium wars, the British were able to exact a high price for insurrection, as they saw it, to British imperial power. Ultimately, the effects of the opium wars can be understood within two distinct contexts. Firstly, the

Interpretation of financial statements (report) Essay

Interpretation of financial statements (report) - Essay Example To keep an investment with a company or its shares is a decision that should be viewed by an owner or investor in terms of cost-benefit analysis just like any purchase transaction. The expected benefits must have to be quantified or measured in order to guide decision making better. A company is generally assumed to growth over time in certain finance models. (Brigham and Houston, 2002). It needs to have profitability, efficiency, liquidity and solvency to survive, grow and stay in business. It competitors would always be there to match every strategy that it unleashes; thus, the strategies to be used must consider its external and internal environment in order to compete well in an industry that is affected by many hard to control factors. External factors need not be avoided however, since companies have employ strategies that would help the to develop strategies that would help them cope with the changing external environment. The return on capital employed (ROCE) of WBS Ltd. at for the last two years 2009 and averaged at about 17% as against the industry average of 20.3%. WBS Ltd. is obviously less profitable than ordinary competitors in the industry in both years. ROCE also declined to 12% in 2010from 22% in 2009. Such declined performance could not be an indication of some problem as it is still very high. Profitability was lower also compared with 2007 and 2008 ratios. See Appendix B. A more than 15% return on capital employed (ROCE) would definitely attract investors as it would mean that for every $100 the investors expect returns of about $15. This could be viewed as something high during normal times or when there is no recession. The present situation of the economy may be described as recovering. The fact the company is slight not doing better than the rest of the industry must convince owners to keep watch their profitability if not their investment with the company may

Engineering - Anaerobic Digestion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Engineering - Anaerobic Digestion - Essay Example Leading in the Go Green, campaign is biogas. Biogas is defined as a mixture of carbon dioxide and methane gas, which is sourced from the breakdown of organic matter, usually waste, in a process referred to as anaerobic digestion. The process is a method by which raw biogas is converted into cleaner, efficient and easier used energy sources. Planning a biogas plant Designing a biogas plant is an engineering problem that has to be approached by considering all the operational, economic, environmental and sustainability conditions. Before designing the biogas plant in the Middle East, the engineer has to first engage in plans, which are conceptualized ideas, but not suited for any one given application. In planning, some of the considerations to look into include the naturally occurring resources, agricultural development, social conventions, customer energy requirements and possible construction site. Careful planning is necessary to eliminate present and cumulative or multiplier effec ts on the design. As a biogas digester (production unit) is a costly investment, it cannot be simply set up as a temporary station. Design The design of the biogas unit is dependent on the conditions a given society poses to the objective. A biogas unit is affected by numerous conditions such as the environmental conditions, design and socio-economic conduct of the people of that region. The choice of the design is determined by the conditions of the chosen site. Designing a biogas unit in the Middle East is a generalized idea, to come up with a perfect unit, the engineer has to analyse the conditions and challenges a given site provides. Just as any system, the biogas production plat is affected by the input and any additional disturbances, which are reflected in the output (which in our case is biogas). Physical conditions Physical conditions are one of the most influential factors when it comes to designing and setting up a biogas digester. Since the anaerobic process of biogas p roduction is quite sensitive to temperature, then care should be taken in considering the climate of a given locale. Other conditions apart from the climate of a location that may be put to test include the soil conditions, the feedstock or substrate for digestion, and the available building material. The design considerations in terms of the substrate and size of the digester are determined by the consumers as well as the available building material. Insulation of the digester happens to be the main consideration in setting up the plant. The anaerobic process operates at temperatures of between 30 and 60 C. keeping the temperature between these limits is of great necessity to ensure that the bacteria involved in the digestion process lives, for high or low temperature leads to their death. Skills and labour Another requirement in designing is skills and labour. The technology involved in setting up a biogas plant is sophisticated and requires skills from both the constructors and d esigners. The complexity of the design usually dictates the type and level of skill involved in the construction process. Depending on the size, distance and costs, the biogas digester may be prefabricated or made in-situ. Standardization Although plants may be designed to fit the needs of a given consumer, there is a need for standardizing the design.

Best training Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Best training - Essay Example Reason for Ranking PNC and BB&T Banks top in Training Indeed, the reason explaining the high-ranking of the PNC and BB&T banks was their ability to embrace technology in training. Precisely, when the PNC bank automated the loan process and adopted the electronic system, they started the program that facilitated online learning (Guerrie, 2008). As a result, the users had to adjust to the new technology through virtual learning. Basically, the system increased the number of trainees, thereby, making the bank an intensive financial training institution. Due to the complex learning, the bank incorporated the experts in formulating the training design (Guerrie, 2008). In reality, the completed training design was in time, very effective and highly successful. In BB&T bank, their intention of developing the transferable and applicable learning technology made them a reputable training institution. In fact, the system was an innovative way of ensuring that the employees achieved excellence through learning. In addition, the technological training would help in integrating the vision, values and the business strategies (Guerrie, 2008). The approach was very creative and intended to make the company outstanding. Apparently, the creative and technological approach to the process of training, made the PNC and BB&T banks meet the highest ratings. ... As well, the training improved the workers performance, in terms of efficiency and effectiveness in the production process (Guerrie, 2008). The electronic system that the two corporations embraced replaced the manual operations, making the service delivery faster and right. In addition, the technology leveraged most of the tools used in the corporations and enhanced the relations among the employees, the customers and the stakeholders working with the corporations. In those aspects, the two corporations tied their training and development, specifically, to their strategic goals, corporate goals and the competitive edge to their competitors in the market. Ways where the Companies Represent the Best Practice Organizations for Learning and Development Notable, the paper has outlined that learning and development are complementary, meaning that one exist to complement the other. For example, training facilitates the development of a corporation. In this context, the PNC and BB&T Banks re present the best practice organizations for training and development, specifically in relation through adopting the practice of technological training. Indeed, the technological approach to training the workers is a modern practice that enhances efficiency and effectiveness of the work (Guerrie, 2008). Through the use of technology, the corporations meet accuracy and prompt execution of duties. Often, the application that aims at achieving the organizational goals is the best practice that it should embrace (Guerrie, 2008). For example, the training that the workers received shaped their performance culture to match the current organizational needs. Moreover, the training enabled the management to center on the transformation

Walt Whitman's democratic society - dream or reality Essay

Walt Whitman's democratic society - dream or reality - Essay Example Ideally, the consequence of the Civil War affected the realization of a truly American democratic society in the sense that it upheld the rights of the people as human beings and it reinforced their roles in ensuring that the state is headed by a government that is chosen by the people and accountable to it. The reforms that were undertaken after the war include those about electoral issues, equality, the bill of rights, among other factors that defined the relationship of the people and the state in America. Particularly, civil rights legislations especially those outlawing racial discrimination were passed. In over 30 years, more than a dozen states in the North and West passed civil rights statutes establishing their own antidiscrimination policies. (Perry and Smith 71) This fitted Whitman’s vision, transforming his vision into reality. These civil rights initiatives confirmed Whitman’s position in regard to the divinity of the individual. In the Democratic Vistas, f or example, he maintained that: It remains to bring forward and modify everything else with the idea of that Something a man is, (last precious consolation of the drudging poor), standing apart from all else, divine in his own right, and a woman in hers, sole and untouchable by any canons of authority, or any rule derived from precedent, state safety, the acts of legislatures. (16) The Gilded Age in reality, however, differed markedly from the democratic rhetoric of the Civil Rights and the developments that was supposedly achieved after the Civil War and the Restoration. At this point, for instance, there was the redefinition of liberty and property as those rights within this area were increasingly used by the wealthy and big corporations to control and exploit ordinary people. According to Moore (2005), the freedom of speech is valuable for democracy as well as Whitman’s arguments because it preserves and promotes democracy and self-government.

Examine and comment on Islamic and Hindu beliefs about life after death Essay Example for Free

Examine and comment on Islamic and Hindu beliefs about life after death Essay Life after death is often a highly charged, debateable topic. Through this essay I will examine the argument that there must be an afterlife to explain morality in this world and refer to The Quran for Islam and Bhagavad Gita for Hinduism. This will allow me to conclude that an afterlife can justify morality, as human beings our lifes conduct is dependant on the belief of a good hereafter. Both religions very foundation rely on the fact that there is an after life, as deeds in this life will be accountable within the next. Although Islam and Hinduism both believe in an after life they teach radically different things about what it is. The Islamic belief is based on a linear time line, meaning that each person will live on this earth once and after that be judged by God. The good and the bad deeds of every person will be weighed. (Quran 7:8). This view differs with the Hindu belief as their belief is that to attain Mokhsa (release from the cycle of life) everyone has to be reborn somewhere or the other to undergo some experience, until the Absolute Being is realised as identical with oneself. by Swami Krishnananda. The individual must continue to transmigrate between souls to diminish all bad karma in the various lives they had been in to attain complete salvation. Belief in al- akhirah (life after death) is so crucial to the Islamic faith that any doubts about it amounts to the denial of Allah (God). This view is shared by the Muslim minority. According to Islamic belief, we have no means of knowing death as a revisiting experience, but Allah (God) has given humanity answers to every question regarding death. The first rhetorical question the Muslim is faced with in the Quran is who will give life to the dead bones? Islam declares that the Lord will. In the Quran, Allah deepens mans way of thinking by asking them to reflect on how the rain revives dead earth. It is Allah Who sends fourth the winds, so that they rise up the clouds, and drive to a land that is dead, and revive the earth therewith after its death (Quran 35:9) According to Islam life on this earth is temporary; it is a preparatory stage for the akhirah (life after death) which will be infinite. Life on this earth is meaningless if good actions are not rewarded and bad conduct not punished. In order for an afterlife to exist, there must be some omnipotent being driving this idea forward. I will now be referring to Kants idea of the universe being satisfied, wrong has to be punished and good rewarded even if this takes place after death .The moral philosopher, Immanuel Kant argued that morality was the categorical imperative. if there is moral law, there must therefore be a law giver. Modern society in alliance with Islamic and Kantian Views state that justice must be served. An example of this would be if a person commits an offence against humanity he/she has to be imprisoned. Were then faced with situations where our justice system has failed to act with fairness and impartiality in accordance with what is morally right, this is when the idea of justice in the afterlife in religion comes into place. The current Laws are passed by parliament. The followers of Islam believe the One who determines the rules in this life and delivers the verdict in the after life is the almighty Lord. If we refer back to Kant, that once we die there is an afterlife for the universe to be morally satisfied that good is rewarded and evil is punished, there must be a God who can bring about some sort of Justice. He is who controls the heavens and the earth (Holy Quran 27:60.) To deny God as the moral law Giver is to deny the only reasonable foundation for the law of morality in both the religions, as in Islam the fundamental belief that the almighty God is the basis of all foundation of all belief within that faith, similarly in the contrasting religion the soul of the individual wishes to have some sort of conclusion in Islam the hereafter and in Hinduism salvation to become one with the creator Brahma. However the factor that differs the two religions is that the concept of the soul, within the religions. In Islam the soul has its own identity of the individual it was given to at the moment of conception it has no relation to its creator other then the fact that the lord was the one who blessed life into it and the soul will be obedient to its creator to the day of judgement. The concept in Hinduism contradicts this idea as it feels the soul is God in itself as it has to go through a process which will enable the spiritual self to become God himself over the process of time. If justice is not done on earth therefore there must be an after life. The concept of free will argues that humanity has been given guidelines by God. It is up to individuals whether they follow them or not. Some may then argue that God does not care about people as He allows suffering to take place. This is where justice in the hereafter is satisfied, and so that is why there is morality in this world. For Muslims not to care about life after death is a serious failing. Muslims are certain that people die. Doubts have been expressed by non Muslims regarding life after death. They question how Allah (God) can raise men and women after death, but Islam teaches that God can make human beings out of nothing so it is not difficult for Him to raise them again. O mankind! If you are in any doubt about the resurrection, then verily, we have created you (i.e. Adam). (Quran 22:5) The Quran goes on further to say that: Does man think that we shall not assemble his bones? Yes, surely we are able to restore the very shape of his fingertips. (Quran 75: 3-4). The Hindu Holy Scriptures such as the Upanishads and the Vedas clearly speak of a God that is associated with classical theism. Although over centuries we have come to know Hinduism as a faith with many gods it primarily has one God. By one supreme Ruler is the universe pervaded. Even every world in the whole circle of nature, He is the True God (- Yajurveda XLI) .Similar ideas are expressed in the Upanishads Know Me alone as the creator of all I am the cause; I am the support of all that exists in the universe. May ye never turn away from me May ye never accept any other God in my place, nor worship Him. What we can analyse from these quotes that for God to bring man to his former self is not an impossible task as he has created us he can kill us and restore our very lives. According to Islam when a person dies on earth he/she will not be restored to life until the day of resurrection. From the time a person dies until resurrection, they remain in a suspended state in Arabic known as Barzakh. The dead could be in this state of waiting for thousands of years before being brought back to life. The prophet Mohammed has said that death is only the beginning of the resurrection. 1 Islam states that time only exists for those living on earth. Once a man dies he leaves the time zone and a thousand years becomes the blinking of an eye. Although Islam rejects the notion of the transmigration of souls through various lives like Hinduism, it does state that the soul of each child came into existence ,before the physical birth from the mothers womb. An example of this is were God made a covenant with Adam and extracted all his descendants from him and God foretold the religion of Islam so that the disbelievers of the faith were left in no doubt that God would resurrect humankind once more on the day of Judgement. 2 Although Muslims are given the day and month of this fateful day they are not however given the year as all the signs leading up to this day must be fulfilled. 3 The sun will only be a mile away from the earth therefore mankind will be standing in its own perspiration according to a companion of the Prophet. This has been taken from the Sahih Bukhari (collections of sayings of the Prophet Muhammad. Then the individual will be punished according to how bad the sin was that they committed. The worse the sin, the more severe the punishment will be. 4 On this day accounting of deeds will begin and each and every person will be given a book that will detail all the good and bad they have done in life. Although certain deeds in life will act as a backup to save you from punishment Muslims over the world go to the pilgrimage of Hajj so that their sins can be purged. Hajj is a purification of the soul from sins and a means to gain the Mercy of Allah. Keep on doing Hajj and Umrah, for they eliminate poverty and sin just as the bellows eliminate impurities from iron and gold and silver. (Sahih Bukhari). In Islam, the foundation for a good afterlife is to have faith in the almighty lord and to try to lead a sin free life. Such is the driving force behind the concept in Hinduism be lovingly devoted to whichever Hindu god you are devoted to and similarly be dedicated to various religious ceremonies and rites. There are different aspects of Hinduism that determine how they lead their lives and what actions they do in order to affect their afterlife. There is also the factor of the burial procedure that could affect your outcome in the afterlife. The reasoning behind Hindu cremation is that they believe that the human personality is made up of five elements; four of which belong to the body which comes from this world, fire, earth, air, water. By cremating the body, the elements are returned to their respective area, while the soul continues in the afterlife. After death Muslims are buried, because even after death the soul can still feel pain so disposing of the body in any other means is a sin. When a Hindu devotee dies their soul leaves the body and goes to another world and returns again after spending some time there. Where a person is reborn is determined by their karma, the effects of a persons actions that determine their destiny in the next incarnation. Hindus try to do virtuous acts of conduct so that they will increase their good karma and be reborn higher up in the caste system. This is done in numerous ways. Their initial aim is to worship Brahman (supreme Lord) by thinking about him and reading his Holy books. The Vedas, Smritis, Ramayan and Bhagavad Gita; Their life should involve praying and making offerings to the various Gods that take form from Brahman originally. There is no specific God that you can worship, whichever you choose is acceptable as it leads to essentially to Brahman. Hinduism believes in the existence of not one hell and heaven but in the existence of many sun filled heavens and many demonic worlds. 5 In the ultimate sense the purpose of these worlds is to neither punish nor reward the souls, but to remind them of the true purpose of their existence to lead an adequate life according to the Hindu Holy scripture The Vedas. The process of being born, to grow, die and be reborn again is known as samsara. It is the aim of every Hindu to be freed from this cycle in order to be in the presence of God, or become one with God. Karma is in itself a system of reward and punishment. The idea of reincarnation is not strictly limited to Hinduism. The idea of reincarnation is also becoming more popular in the West. This concept of reincarnation is summarily described in following verse of the Bhagavad-Gita. Just as a man discards worn out clothes and puts on new clothes, the soul discards worn out bodies and wears new ones. (2:22) The Hindu concept of reincarnation directly challenges the Islamic and western notion of one life, one heaven, one hell and the final day of judgement. According to the following quote Islam contradicts the belief of transmigration there is the belief that once our hearts stop beating this is the end of our worldly life but the argument of the non-believers is that bring back our forefathers. There is not but our worldly life; we die and live (i.e. some people die and others live, replacing them) and nothing destroys us except time. (Quran, 45:24-26) Although Islam does primarily reject the notion of reincarnation in the form of another being, there is an exception to this. Islam is split in to 72 various sets and there is one set that does believe in reincarnation, the Druze. The Druze belong to an eleventh century offshoot of Shia Islam, which originated in Egypt. The similarity with this sect and Hinduism is that it also believes in the transmigration of souls, although this sect calls itself Muslims it denies the Day of Resurrection and the idea of heaven and Hell. Similarly they believe the body is to return to the elements and the universe is eternal and always will be. The physical body of the ones departed and the burial procedure for Muslims is just the earth accepting what was already its own To Allah we belong and to Him is our return. (Chapter 2, verses 153-156.) This then leads to the point that they do not belief in the message of the prophets of Islam. The Druze sect is not accepted by other major sects of Islam, they suffer from isolation of followers of the same religion. Although there are exceptions, Islam predominately feels a strong and solid approach to the one Supreme Lord and the Day of Judgement. After examining both religions and their beliefs it seems that both religions have the belief in life after death but a very different approach. There are several cases where Muslims have turned to other religions for the answer to the afterlife.6 Having examined and commented on beliefs on life after death in Islam and Hinduism, thus relating back to the first point of morality, that must exist and be justified in the first place for us human beings to first rationalise that there must be an afterlife. When this is understood then the ideas of different religious views on the afterlife can be understood. Islams belief ties in with the western notion of the standard hell and heaven and you are judged according to your deeds in your life that you have committed. You are resurrected but in the form you died in. Muslims are then weighed for deeds, dependant on that you either go to hell or heaven. You are faced with many obstacles on the way and even though you have primarily been good all your life you still will be punished for the sin. There are also many large signs before the fateful day. For majority of Muslims the belief in the afterlife determines the way they lead their lives whilst alive. For Hindus however the belief is that you are reincarnated as something else, either in higher caste or lower depending on the good/bad karma. You go through various lives and cycles to balance this karma until you become god (moksha). I am the Self, seated in the hearts of all beings; I am the beginning, the middle and also the end of all beings. (10.20 Gita) The Hindus teachings also lay on the principle of morality as they are to be reunited with Mother Nature. In the Hindu religion, righteousness and to be without sin is of more importance, these are the factors whether one goes to Heaven or Hell. The Hindus teach, As it does and as it acts, so it becomes: The doer of good becomes good, and the doer of evil becomes evil. (Upanishad (4,4,5)) This quote explains that Hinduism has a concept of morality. Previously I have touched on the lifestyles of both religions Hinduism and Islam. Although they both believe in different outcomes, already while alive they develop a moral attitude in the back of their minds. This life will determine heaven/hell or higher /lower caste depending on what your religious belief is. What we can examine from this is that reward is something we all strive for, so the idea of a better life in the hereafter encourages good conduct in both faiths. Ultimately no matter what religion you have faith in it seems we rely in a better life in the hereafter. Hindu and Islamic beliefs about life after death seek to explain morality on this Earth. Our actions in this life will determine our post life existence, whether we go to heaven, hell, or are reincarnated. Both religions agree with Kants theory that the Universe needs to be satisfied. Worshippers are thus encouraged to strive to maintain their good conduct in this life. Without such explanations Kant explains, morality would be irrelevant. 2932 Notes 1) A story is told in the Quran, about a man who doubted Allahs ability to resurrect a village. Allah caused him to die for a hundred years and when he was resurrected, questioned him as to how long he had slept. He replied A day or part of a day. Then God said Look your food has rotted, look at your crops and the dead bones of your animals look how we adjust them and cover them with flesh! (Quran 2:259) 2) When your Lord drew forth from the loins of the children of Adam, their descendants and made them testify concerning them. (Saying): Am I not your Lord they said, Yes, we testify to it. (This) in case you say on the Day of Judgement, We were unaware of this. Or in case you say, It was our ancestors who made partners (with Allah) and we are only their descendants. Will you then destroy us for what those liars did?[8] 3) The length of the day of judgement will be equivalent to fifty thousand years of this world and this quote can be found in verses (70: 4) Holy Quran. The Sunni Islamic belief is that: On Friday the tenth of Muharram Angel Israfeel will blow a trumpet the sound will be so fearful that the entire universe will self-destruct. (The day of judgement by the Sunni foundation) 3) And verily, Hell is the promised abode for them all. It has seven gates: to each of those gates is a specific class of sinners assigned. [al Hijr, 15: 43-44] Murderers: And whoever kills a believer intentionally his recompense is Hell to abide therein forever, and the wrath and the curse of Allah is upon him, and He has prepared for him a great punishment. [an-Nisa, 4: 93] Verily, of the inmates of the Fire, the one with the easiest punishment will be one who will have a pair of sandals and straps of fire. His brain will boil from them as a kettle boils. He does not see that anyone is suffering a punishment more severe than him, while he is the one with the easiest punishment. [Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim] http://www.shariahprogram.ca/articles/hell-devil-description.shtml 4) Then believers and disbelievers will go to the bridge lying over the fire from hell the bridge will be of one single hair and be sharp as a sword. The journey will be of no difficulty to those who lived their life according to Islam. 5) Indralok is the standard heaven to which those who please the Gods through their activities go. The standard hell is Yamalok. 6One example is the 11-month-old Muslim boy from India. He has now been named Balaji, another name for monkey-faced Lord Hanuman. He is reported to have a 4in tail caused by genetic mutations during the development of the foetus. Iqbal Qureshi, the childs maternal grandfather, is taking Balaji from temple to temple where people offer money to see the boy. Mr Qureshi says the baby has nine spots on his body like Lord Hanuman and showed them to journalists, reports Indian newspaper The Tribune. What this quote shows is that there are differences of opinion within a religion as even genetic mutations such as this one have altered the decision in believing in the Day of Judgement for a Muslim man. (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/607381/posts)

The international market of Babybjorn Essay Example for Free

The international market of Babybjorn Essay In this session, I will briefly analyze the international market of Babybjorn. To begin with, I am gonna show you the basic financial situation of Babybjorn’s international markets. According to Babybjorn’s financial report 2013, the biggest markets are Europe and North America, while Asia enjoys the fastest growth. Other areas also show high growth rate, despite smaller market share. Then I will test the market growth situation of baby-specific products. The first table is illustrating market size, while the second is on market growth. According to the tables, Western Europe, Asia, Latin America and North America have relatively large market size, among which Latin America and Asia witness the rapidest compound annual growth rate. Furthermore, according to Interconnection consulting, Babybjorn is dominated with baby carriers. For instance, in the US, Babybjorn owns about 30 percent of the baby carrier market. Therefore, it is appropriate to suppose Babybjorn enjoys high market share within this specific market. So, when considering all the information above into the BCG Matrix, we achieve a basic classification of the international markets. Asia is the star region, while Europe and North America are the cash cow area. Latin America, Australasia, Middle East and Africa are still question Marks with potential. References Euromonitor International, 2014. Beauty and Personal Care: [Euromonitor from trade sources national statistics] [online] Available through: University of St Andrews Library [Accessed 24 October 2014]. Interconnection Consulting, 2011. Baby Products: Market Recovering Well from Global Economic Meltdown. [online] Available at: [Accessed 24 October 2014]. Jakobson, 2013. Babybjorn AB Arsredovisning 2012-2013, Babybjorn AB Org. nr. Tiwari, R., 2014. Global Market for Stroller, Childrens Car Safety Seat Cribs (Durable Juvenile Products) Forecast to 2018. [online] Available at: [Accessed 24 October 2014].

Brexit: Causes and Reactions to the Vote to Leave the EU

Brexit: Causes and Reactions to the Vote to Leave the EU United Kingdoms Exit from the European Union Abstract This paper discusses the recent decision and vote in the United Kingdom (UK) to break from the European Union (EU) after being a member for over 40 years.   Many factors went into the people’s decision to leave the EU and even then, the vote to leave was very close, with the majority winning by a relatively slim number.   Those who voted to leave think it is the correct move for the UK, just as those who voted against the separation think there could be negative effects. Even though the majority of voters voted to leave the EU, it will still take years before the process can be completed due to legal aspects that must be adhered too.   This does not include that fact that no country has ever left the EU, so there are some areas of uncertainty as well.   Even then, there is still a possibility that the British Prime Minister may over rule the vote and decide to remain in the EU, even if against voters’ wishes. United Kingdom Exit from the European Union When it comes to politics, everyone has their own opinion on what is best and what is not.   To each individual, they feel that their views are correct, and often times the other side is incorrect in their way of thinking.   Now imagine taking that to a much larger scale and instead of just having a difference of opinion in politics and what political party should run a country for the coming years, include the actual fate of a country.   This is exactly what the United Kingdom (UK) did in June 2016.   They held a vote for what direction the UK would take for the years to come.   This vote was to determine whether or not to remain a part of the European Union (EU), which they had been a member of for over 40 years.   As with any major decision that impacts a country, there are those that feel the move to break away was the right decision and the UK will be better off, since they will not have to abide by the rules that have been imposed by the EU.   Just as there are those that feel that leaving the EU is a major mistake and feel that the break from the EU will be disastrous.   This exiting of the United Kingdom has been called Brexit, which is essentially short for Britain and exit.  Ã‚   Being part of the EU has many advantages for those living in the UK.   It is not just financially advantageous or beneficial to have strength in number to being a member a of the EU.   According to Occupytheory.org (2014), six advantages of being a member of the EU are: Low prices of goods – there exists a ‘Single Market’ for all member countries wherein products are low-priced and there are no charges when it comes to custom tax; custom tax is usually charged when goods are transported or sold between states/countries but this is not applied among member countries.Citizens are free to move from one member country to another – citizens can freely travel, study, work, or live in any European country of their choice.More jobs are generated – more or less than 3.5 million jobs have been generated over the years.Development of deprived regions – some member countries of the EU are economically deprived and through the ‘European Structural Funds’, deprived regions are developed.Louder voice – the EU is able to ensure that all their concerns are taken seriously and heard internationally since it speaks in behalf of millions of people.Workers are protected – this is made possible through t he European Working Time Directive; the directive includes regulations regarding holidays, working hours, breaks, etc. Essentially, the EU is what is known as a single market.   What that means is that members of the EU have free roam of all EU nations.   They can free travel between countries without having to have a passport or other travel documents required by people from outside the EU.   It also allows for people to more easily work and live outside of their home country.   It also helped with trade among EU nations as they did not have to pay tariffs for trade amongst each other. Just as there are advantages of being a member of the EU, there are also disadvantages.   According to Tejvan Pettinger (n.d.), six disadvantages of being a member of the EU are: Cost.   The costs of EU members to the UK is  £15bn gross (0.06% of GDP) – or  £6.883 billion net.Inefficient policies.   A large percentage (40%) of UE spending goes on Common Agricultural Policy.Problems of the Euro.  Ã‚   Members of the EU doesn’t necessarily mean membership of the EURO.Pressure towards austerity.   Since 2008, many southern European countries have faced pressure from the EU to pursue austerity – spending cuts to meet budget deficit targets, but in the middle of a recession these austerity measures have contributed to prolonged economic stagnation.Net migration.   Free movement of labour has caused problems of overcrowding in UK cities.More bureaucracy less democracy.   It is argued that the EU has created extra layers of bureaucracy whilst taking away decision making process further from local communities. When it came time for the referendum, or vote, for whether or not to stay within the EU, nearly 30 million people voted, which equated to an approximate 71.8% voter turnout.   Once the votes were in, the margin of victor was relatively small.   The percentage of votes to Leave was 51.9% and percentage of votes to stay was 48.1%, which means that the Leave vote only won by only 3.8 percent.   It was not just Great Britain that was voting and would be impacted by the UK leaving the EU, due to the UK being made up of three other countries as well:   Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.   With the exception of the vote in Scotland, votes from the other three countries taking part in the UK vote were fairly close.   The over breakdown was â€Å"England voted for Brexit, by 53.4% to 46.6%.   Wales also voted for Brexit, with Leave getting 52.5% of the vote and Remain 47.5%.   Scotland and Northern Ireland both backed staying in the EU.   Scotland backed Remain by 62% t o 38%, while 55.8% in Northern Ireland voted Remain and 44.2% Leave.†Ã‚   (Hunt & Wheeler, 2017).     Ã‚   Considering the vote, why did the vote to leave the EU come about in the first place?   For years, the UK Independence Party has campaigned to leave the EU.   They felt that the UK was being held back by the EU due to the rules and restrictions that were placed on businesses.   There was also the matter of the amount of money that the UK paid annually to be a member of the EU.   They were paying billions of pounds each year, but they did not feel that they were getting enough in return for what they paid.   Border control was another issue that was used as part of the Leave campaign.   Due to EU borders rules, the UK was limited on what they could do in regards to controlling their border and the amount of immigration.   Since members of the EU had open borders to other EU nations, people from poorer countries wanted to move to richer countries to live and work, thus creating a influx of people.   There was also concern that this influx of people was taking needed res ources and jobs from those already living in the UK.   This in turn took away jobs and added to the welfare system.   The members of the Independence Party and their supporters are not opposed to immigration, that just wanted to be able to control the numbers and who came into the country and they were unable to do that under EU rules.   When it came to the Leave campaign the Independence Party had support from other public officials.   They had approximately half of the Conservative Party Members of Parliament (MP) and some of the Labour Party MPs.   One other group that was significant was the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) out of Northern Ireland.   Although Northern Ireland voted to Remain, the DUP most likely helped to keep the vote closer then it could have been, similar to how the vote went in Scotland.   There was also a concern that the EU was trying to create more a single country, similar to the Untied States of America.   This would then take away indivi dual countries identities, as they would be unified.   â€Å"One of the major sticking points in the conversation has been immigration concerns, as some Brits worry that the countrys employment market and social services will drown under the weight of too many new residents. Theres also the worry that upper-crust elites and Brussels bureaucrats are pushing for a continental identity that diminishes the U.K.s own sense of self.†Ã‚   (Rosenfeld, 2016). When it came for the campaign to stay in the EU, there was no real added bonus, besides remaining a member of the EU.   The argument was that being a member of the EU helped economically due to single market trade.   They tried to battle to immigration fears by saying that the people that were immigrating to the UK where helping and were not creating a burden, since they came to work which in turn helped the economy.   The strongest argument to Remain was that they are more powerful in numbers.   The UK on its own does not have as big a voice, since they would be a single entity, as opposed to being one of 27 other countries who could stand together as one, thus making them more powerful due to numbers and economics. Although the exact numbers are not known on what demographic voted the most and whether or not they voted for Leave or Remain, there is an idea due to polling that was conducted after the referendum.   â€Å"The results found that 64% of those young people who were registered did vote, rising to 65% among 25-to-39-year-olds and 66% among those aged between 40 and 54. It increased to 74% among the 55-to-64 age group and 90% for those aged 65 and over. It is thought that more than 70% of young voters chose to remain in the EU.†Ã‚   (Helm, 2017).   What this shows is that the highest voter percentage turnout was from the older generation, increasing with each age group.   What was the most surprising though is the high number of voter turnout for young voters, with young voters being between the age of 18-24.   There was even some speculation as to what would have happened if 16-17 year olds had been allowed to vote due to that being a possible 1.6 million additional vote rs, which could have made the referendum a lot closer.   Even with these numbers, there is no way to know if it would have been enough to sway the vote to Remain. Since the outcome of the referendum has been determined and the UK will leave the EU, what are the steps for this to take place since it is not as easy as just not being part of the EU one day?   The uncertainty of it all is that this has never been done, due to   Article 50 only came into existence in 2009.   Article 50 is what created a way for a member country of the EU to leave. To start, it will take at least two years for everything to be negotiated for its withdrawal from the EU.   During this time the UK will still abide by EU rules, but they will not be able to take part in any decision-making process.   According to Hunt & Wheeler (2017), as posted on BBC News, the following are the steps needed for the UK to leave the EU, to include a legal challenge to invoke Article 50: November 2016:   Legal challenge to government’s right to invoke Article 50 without consulting Parliament succeeds.   MPs approve bill in March 2017.Two year time limit begins.29 March 2017:   UK invokes Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union.Remaining 27 EU countries meet 29 April to discuss withdrawal.Negotiations begin between UK and EU.Draft deal put to European Council (27 members).Needs approval from at least 20 countries with 65% of the population.Ratification by European ParliamentUK introduces Great Repeal Bill to revoke the 1972 European Communities Act.After two years, negotiations can be extended if all 27 countries agree but if not EU treaties cease to apply to the UK.The UK leaves the European UnionGreat Repeal Act comes into force, copying EU laws into UK law, to give time for UK to amend or repeal them. Besides the political and bureaucratic process that has to be completed by the politicians, as well as questions they need answered, there are still questions from the voter as to what happens next and these questions will need to be answered during the two year exit process.  Ã‚   Some people are worried about the safety of their products, but this is unlikely to change due to creating two items.   Others are worried about their health care and if they will be able to continue with their health care if they live abroad.   That in of itself is another question.   What happens to the people from the UK that already are living or working in another EU country or those from another country working in the UK.   For UK citizens working outside of the UK and non UK citizens working in the UK, most likely nothing will change.   They will be able to continue working where they are.   For those planning on retiring outside of the UK, that could be another question and will have to be part of the decision making process for all those involved within the UK government and the EU, since this type of movement was under the freedom of movement that was allowed as a member of the EU.   People are concerned about the housing market being impacted.   There has been a slight decrease in the housing market from June to December 2016.   Business owners are worried about having to pay tariffs once Brexit takes effect, since they have not had to pay tariffs as part of the EU.   This is another situation that will have to be negotiated during the exit process between the UK and the EU.   â€Å"People are also worried about the economy itself. The U.K.s Treasury itself reported that its analysis showed the nation would be permanently poorer if it left the EU and adopted any of a number of likely alternatives. Productivity and  GDP  per person would be lower in all these alternative scenarios, as the costs would substantially outweigh any potential benefit of leaving the EU (Rosenfeld, 2016).   Some people even think that the economy will become weaker due to reduced contributions from immigrants.   The Internationla Monetary Fund, along with the Bank of England, have said that there could be long term economic impacts. Besides the EU, it is possible that the financial impact to be felt globally. â€Å"In Europe, the EU could run into economic trouble for a couple of reasons. The lengthy and as-yet ambiguous exit negotiations could cripple investment, as mentioned above, but they could also lead to  more exits.†Ã‚   (Rosenfeld, 2016).   With the EU being a single market when it comes to trade, it has been advantageous for businesses due to no tariffs when crossing European country lines.   However, businesses are concerned that due to the UK’s exit, they channels of free trade could go away, thus making it more expensive to ship goods in and out of the UK.   This may make companies want to leave the UK for other European countries who still are in the single market.   This could impact billions of dollars.   Brexit could also end up impacting the U.S.   â€Å"In the U.S., billions, if not trillions, of dollars could be called into question by a British exit: In 2014, Ame rican direct investment into the EU totaled about 1.81 trillion euros, and about 1.99 trillion euros flowed in the opposite direction,  according to the European Commission.†Ã‚   (Rosenfeld, 2016).   It is not just Europe and the U.S. that have these fears, but multiple other global companies that do business with the UK and the EU.   Just like with the stock market, when something bad happens in one country, it can be felt in various forms across the globe, due to the would be more globalized and working together.   With many of those that voted to Leave, they are not concerned with global corporations or investors in these companies that are looking at the bottom line, not what people think is best for their country. Based on how a member of the UK voted, Leave or Remain, it is fairly easy to determine what they thought about Brexit itself.   However, with the UK exiting the EU and the potential impact it can have on other EU countries, gauging how they feel could either help or hinder the transition and negotiation process due to emotions.  Ã‚   â€Å"A 16-country poll by Ipsos Mori showed that almost half — 48 per cent — of respondents from Sweden said they were dismayed by the UK’s decision. It was a different story in France, where only a quarter of respondents said they were sad about Brexit.† (Mertens, 2016).   The US and Russia were also polled on their feelings of the UK leaving the EU.   Of those polled, in the US, approximately 20% said they were dismayed and the UK’s decision.   In Russia, only about 6% of Russians polled were dismayed, with 54% thinking that the UK deciding to part ways with the EU was a good idea and in their own best inte rest.   However, â€Å"a majority of respondents in most countries felt that Brexit would be bad for the UK economy.   Japan was especially gloomy, with more than two-thirds of respondents expecting Britain to experience an economic downturn.† (Mertens, 2016).   Polls that were conducted can give a general idea of what the common people thought of Brexit, but there were also mixed and neutral thoughts from world leaders.   The following quotes from world leaders, as posted on BBC news Brexit: World reaction as UK votes to leave EU (2016), are just a few of the world leader reactions. This is a painful choice and it is deeply regrettable both for the UK and Europe. But this choice is theirs and we must respect it, accepting all the consequences.† Francois Hollande, French President We take note of the British peoples decision with regret. There is no doubt that this is a blow to Europe and to the European unification process.Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany The people of the United Kingdom have spoken, and we respect their decision. The special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom is enduring, and the United Kingdoms membership in Nato remains a vital cornerstone of US foreign, security, and economic policy.†Ã‚  Barack Obama, US President Victory for freedom! The British people have given to Europeans and to all the people of the world a shining lesson in democracy.Geert Wilders, Dutch Freedom Party leader Its an explosive shock. At stake is the break-up pure and simple of the union.  Now is the time to invent another Europe.Manuel Valls, French Prime Minister Depending on who one asks, there is a difference of opinions on whether or not the UK can survive Brexit.   Tom Campbell (2017) quoted the research director at the Centre for London as saying â€Å"Brown agrees that London will retain its dominance – even if terms are less favourable: â€Å"London has an unrivalled agglomeration of financial and other service firms. Some may relocate, some may choose to expand elsewhere, but many will remain in London.†Ã‚   Just as Richard Brown thinks that the UK will be ok after Brexit, others still hold a different opinion and feel that Brexit will be detrimental for the UK.   Direcctor of World Cities Cultural Forum, Paul Owens, is one of these peole that feels Brexit was bad.   He stated â€Å"There’s no doubt the decision to leave the EU poses a threat to London’s creative economy. The sector has prospered on diversity, free movement of artistic talent and international supply chains. London’s cultural assets are considerable, but it is likely to be diminished over the next decade unless there is a suitable policy response.† (Campbell, 2017).   Ashoka Mody is another believer that the UK will survive Brexit and even points out that much of the UK’s trade is outside of the EU.   â€Å"Following Brexit, productive British trade with the European Union  will survive just fine  wherever it is based on long-lasting economic gains and social relationships. At the same time, the shift toward trade with the faster-growing United States and Asia will continue.† and â€Å"Almost all new British trade is being created outside of Europe.†Ã‚  (Mody, 2016).   So even if members of the EU are initially upset with the UK and make trade difficult initially, the UK still has other sources of economic stability.   Another aspect of why the UK will survive is literally about money. â€Å"As Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Krugman points out, the U.K. has a significant advantage compared to other nations:   they have the British pound.† (Tepper, 2016).   Even with some people thinking that the UK leaving the EU could ending up irreversibly harming the UK, there are still others that have a good understanding of what is going on and understand that although there may be some set backs, thing will not be as bad as some would like things to appear at face value. There are also those that look at whether or not the EU will be able to survive the UK’s departure.   Realistically, those that think the EU can’t not survive without the UK, do not know history, since the UK was not initially part of the EU.   Plus, there multiple other counties that want to the EU.   A potential issue with the countries that want to join, and may be the reason they have not been allowed to join yet, is these countries are poorer countries.   Due to this they would most likely not provide as many resources to into the EU as they would receive.   This is part of the reason the UK voted to Leave, paying more into the EU then they received back.   â€Å"The EU can certainly survive without Britain – but it cannot survive without buy-in from the public. Without a substantial change in how the EU communicates to the people in member countries, there will be a much greater threat to the EU than Brexit – and that threat is the EU it self.† (Can the EU survive after Brexit?, 2017).   Even though the some people do not feel that the future of the UK is a bleak as others would have people believe, they still have an up hill battle ahead of him.   Especially when it comes to to having to renegotiate trade deals within the EU, since the other 27 countries that the UK just divorced are likely to not be overly happy about their departure.   With the EU being the more powerful entity, they may have an upper hand when it comes to the negotiating table.   In an opinion poll that was conducted in 2016, French, German, Swedish, and Finnish feel that when it comes to post-Brexit negotiations, the UK should not receive any favors.   â€Å"Germans and the French were the most opposed to offering Britain a generous deal that pays tribute to Britains role as a neighbour and important trading partner, according to the YouGov survey.   In both countries,  53 per cent of respondents  said it should not expect any favours, compared to  27 per cent who said the EU should offer Britain a generous deal†. (Sims, 2016).   One the flip side of that, people are willing to take a softer stance if the UK is still willing to continue with the free movement of workers and to keep with the pre-Brexit agreements about letting EU citizens to work and live in the EU.   Although that could potentially alleviate some of the Brexit negotiation headaches, at the same time it goes against one of the big reasons that many people wanted to vote Leave.   That is the free movement of people into the UK and not have control of their own border. No matter how it is looked at, the topic of the UK wanting to leave the EU is a hot topic item.   People on both sides of the fence have strong opinions of whether to Leave or Remain, and rightly so considering the referendum was and probably will be one of the most impactful decisions they will see in their life.   It is also hard to say which side is correct in their way of thinking.   One could look at it as the older more experienced generation, choose to leave due to what they have seen and experienced in their life time and tend to have more of a nationalistic point of view.   Just as the younger generation tended to vote to remain, although they do not have as much life experience or have seen as much, they tend to have more of an open mindset of how things should be.   When it came to the vote to leave and the two sides were campaigning for what they thought was right, there seemed to be two main reasons.   The first was the immigration issue and not having conrol of their own borders.   Whether or not the huge influx of immigrants actually took many jobs or economically taxed the UK systems, could be a matter of opinion, depending on how the numbers were spun and ones point of view.   Some even cited the immigration issue as a threat to society due to not border control, so extremists could more easily travel and hide within EU contries.   The other main topic was that many people felt that the EU was holding the UK back due to their rules and regulations.   They felt that it restricted business and did not allow them to thrive they way they felt they could. No matter what the reason, a big concern for many people is whether or not the UK can survive Brexit.   The answer is yes.   Will they be as strong or globally powerful as they were when part of the EU, that is yet to be seen as only time will tell.   However, the UK is still an economic power with many resources and the UK failing would spell global disaster.   So even with the EU being upset up what is going on, it is not in their best interest for the UK to fail.   This does not mean that it will be an easy road for the UK during the two years leading up to their actually departure date.   There are a multitude of negotations that much be completed, with the UK possibly having to not get as good of deals as they would prefer.   There are also many laws within the UK that will need to be looked at and either used, amended, or be thrown out based on what is in their best interest.   All in all, the situation is overcomeable and there will not be any major catastrophi c outcomes that topples a government, although some would believe that is the case.   However, a very real possibility, based on how the transition for the UK goes from being a member of the EU to not being a member of the EU, is if other EU countries will follow suit.   As it is very possibily that the UK could be paving the way for others to follow.   After all, Article 50 came about in 2009 and it only took eight years for an EU member country to use it.   Whose to say that once this divorce of the UK and EU is done, someone else doesn’t follow suit.   That is the EU’s biggest fear. References Advantages and Disadvantages of the European Union. (2014, October 09). Retrieved April 22, 2017, from https://occupytheory.org/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-the-european-union/ Brexit: World reaction as UK votes to leave EU. (2016, June 24). Retrieved April 24, 2017, from http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics.eu.referendum-36614643 Campbell, T. (2017, January 23). Can post-Brexit London survive as Europe’s cultural and financial capital? Retrieved April 24, 2017,   from https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/jan/23/post-brexit-london-economic-self-sabotage Can the EU survive after Brexit? (2017, March 23). Retrieved April 24, 2017, from http://www.thenational.ae/opinion/comment/can-the-eu-survive-after-brexit Helm, T. (2016, July 10). EU referendum: youth turnout almost twice as high as first though. Retrieved April 23, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jul/09/young-people-referendum-turnout-brexit-twice-as-high Hunt, A., & Wheeler, B. (2017, March 30). Brexit: All you need to know about the UK leaving the EU. Retrieved April 23, 2017, from http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-32820887 Mertens, R. (2016, August 5). This is what European countries think about Brexit. Retrieved April 23, 2017, from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/08/this-is-what-european-countries-think-about-brexit Mody, A. (2016, July 04). Don’t Panic. Britain’s economy can survie just fine outside the European Union. Retrieved April 24, 2017, from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/don’t-panic-britains-economy-can-survive-just-fine-outside-the-european-union-a7118736.html Pettinger, T. (n.d.). Disadvantages of EU Membership. Retrieved April 23, 2017, from http://www.economicshelp.org/europe/disadvantages-eu/ Rosenfeld, E. (2016, June 24). Brexit 101: What just happened, and why it’s import for regular Americans. Retrieved April 23, 2017, from http://www.cnbc.com/2016/06/21/uk-brexit-what-you-need-to-know.html Sims, A. (2016, July 08). Four European countries reject ‘generous’ Brexit deal with UK, poll finds. Retrieved April 24, 2017, from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/four-european-countries-reject-generous-brexit-deal-with-uk-poll-finds-a7128001.html Tepper, T. (2016, June 29). Why Brexit Won’t Destroy The UK Economy | Money. Retrieved April 24, 2017, from http://time.com/money/4383549/british-pound-brexit-european-union/

The Black Soldiers :: essays research papers

The Black Soldiers by C.J. Blake All through our country’s history, African Americans have had to choose whether they were meant to live in the States or if they should go live somewhere else. Slavery without a doubt had a strong impact on their decisions. Despite the troubles African Americans have had, they made a great contribution and a very big impact on our military and armed forces since the Revolutionary War. The black man has fought against his country's wars, and he has also fought the war with their country to gain the right to fight and the right to freedom. America's first war was the war for independence from Great Britain was a major achievement. This accomplishment could not have been done if it was not for the African American soldiers in the armies. The first American to actually shed blood during the revolution that freed America from being under British rule was Crispus Attucks, a Black seaman. Attucks and four white men were killed in the Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770. Attucks was still willing to fight against England along with other whites, althoug he was a fugitive slave running from his master. The colonists probably would have kept African Americans out of the military during the war if it was not for the proclamation by the Lord of Dunmore. He said "I do hereby... declare all... Negroes... free, that are able and willing to bear arms, they joining his Majesty's troops, as soon as may be, for the more speedily reducing this colony to a proper dignity." This meant that if any black man was willing to fight for the British they would become legally free. Then, the Americans could not afford to not let black men from joining the army. After that General George Washington officially reversed his policy about letting "free Negroes to enlist." "Of the 300,000 men that served in the Continental American Army during the War of Independence, about five thousand were Black. In addition to several all-Black companies, there was also an all-Black regiment was from Rhode Island. Between 1775 to 1781 there were no battles without Black soldiers. African American soldiers defended for the colonies at Lexington, Ticonderoga, Concord, Benington, White Plains, Saratoga, Brandywine, Savannah, and Yorktown. There were two Blacks with George Washington on the day he crossed the Delaware River on Christmas Day in 1776. Unfortunately despite African Americans' help to the war effort and the large

Essay --

During the Vietnam war the press and the media had complete atonement. For the first time the media had no censorship. The historical films that were made to be based off the Vietnam war were not accurate and were very distorted for entertainment value. I also think that the press media was very distorted as well. Many movies like The Green Berets and Medium Cool substituted violence for historical content. But not only were they filled with pointless violence they also had a lot of racist clichà ©s in them. Although the films were not giving the war a good name, It is possible that it was the media press that started the non support of the war. At first the media was very supportive of the war, but when the news did coverage of the Tet offensive it also sparked the anti war movement. Many major groups felt that the war was foreclosing the hope of making America a decent and truly democratic society. Martin Lutther King was also opposed to the war. He did not like that America would put funds into a war that we should not be in, in the first place, and that was also on foreign soil ...

Call for Freedom Essay

From the days pilgrims first kissed the land so rich, to the days they proclaimed the songs of liberty, America was indeed â€Å"the land of the free,† as Francis Scott Key once said. Those who flocked to America had the same dreams of freedom which they have been denied the right of in their mother land. They came to America with the pursuit of happiness. Once they obtained their happiness, their new found freedom, they undoubtedly revolted against all those who stood against their beloved treasure. Before any of this could be achieved, many struggled. Tears of anguish, disappear, and agony have been shed through years of hunger and slavery, yet little was done to give people the right to live as if â€Å"all men [were] created equal.† Many groups struggled to get the freedom we now have. I am Joaquin, Necessary to Protect Ourselves, and What Is An American all portray group struggles for freedom, which persuade others to fight for freedom many of us still have not ach ieved through the reader’s appeal to their emotions. I am Joaquin is a story of an immigrant â€Å"lost in a world of confusion.† This epic poem traces the adventure of Joaquin through his courageous deeds, which portray the values of his race. Using â€Å"loaded language† rich in connotations and vivid imagery, the author captures a scene of suffering, not just the suffering of one individual, but of his whole race. Phrases such as, â€Å"I shed the tears of anguish/ as I see my children disappear,† (lines 24-25) and â€Å"I have survived the toils and slavery/ of the fields,† (45-46) creates such imagery and terror in ones heart that they sympathize for the speaker and move them to agree with their call for freedom. The whole poem is a connotation for the speaker’s cry to just accept him for who he is. The reader can sympathize with the speaker’s feeling of rejection. This sympathy leads to acceptance, acceptance of the speaker and his call for freedom. Rejection is one of man’s greate st fears, fear that no one wants to feel. Out of the dread of feeling fear, one is inspired to fight, fight for freedoms they have not yet achieved. A little weaker on its emotional appeal is Malcom X’s interview with Les Crane, Necessary to Protect Ourselves, and What is an American. Malcom X  uses more of a logical and ethical appeal by making comments such as â€Å"I think all of us should be critics of each other. Whenever you can’t stand criticism you can never grow.† This comment, in contrast to the style of those made in I am Joaquin, which were more emotional rather than ethical, creates less of the urge to go out and make a difference. Rather than doing this, it creates a tone of hate, unlike in I am Joaquin where his comments created a tone of sympathy. This hate can be taken many negative ways which may cause someone’s intention to do good by turning to doing wrong by offending someone with criticism. The same tone is created in What is an American. By making Europe seem as a place that takes advantage of its people and makes them work laboriously, the reader is exposed to an anti-European feeling. Such phrases from What is an American as, â€Å"Can a wretch who wanders about, who works and starves, whose life is a continual scene of sore affliction or pinching penury-can that man call England or any other kingdom his country,† give this anti-European feeling and exaggerates to the truth to appeal to ones ethical senses that one should not have to live under these conditions. These stories do create inspiration, but inspiration that tells one to cause an uprising, which in the end might not be the most effective way to go. With much evaluation and contrast, it can be seen that the most effective call for freedom using appeals to ones emotional side is I am Joaquin. The â€Å"loaded language† rich in meanings and vivid imagery persuades one to go make a difference, a difference that is not only beneficial to themselves, but to generations after.

Hole in the Wall

Hidden treasure in the big city One thing that all people can relate to is the love for wonderful food. You never see people not wanting to share a great dining experience with friends, family, or the world through social websites. In every person you see the excitement of trying new foods and restaurants. We have all had that perfect dining experiences that have made an imprint on our lives. Well what I want to share with you is a place that is hidden within the growing metro of Magmata in an unlikely place.This little place is a hole in the wall restaurant allied Baa Not, this little restaurant strives to deliver an authentic Vietnamese experience to their customers in the big city of Magmata. Let me go into the history of Baa Non briefly. As explained by the owner, this restaurant is being managed by two men a Filipino and a Vietnamese, who got all the dishes from his grandmother. Which also became the name since Baa Non meaner grandmother in the father's side in Vietnamese. Baa N on puts pride that they serve some of the best authentic Vietnamese food in manila.Well enough about the history, let's get down to business, I know what you all want o hear. Let's talk about the FOOD. Well in total I tried nine different dishes each with its own individual flavor that stood out from the rest. First off the bat would be the Pooh Boo which is a homemade beef noodle soup with spices and fresh herbs. The broth was tasty without being overpowering that would normally overpower the flavors of the spices and the fresh herbs but this was not the case you could taste every flavor in the dish.The balance of the dish is worth mentioning since you rarely get such good beef noodles which is not overpowering in taste. What also interested e was the fact that in the menu, there was a guide on how to eat the dish. First, you need to squeeze the lime on your pooh then add the bean sprouts and the basil after that, put the chili depending on your taste and finally, add the black bea n paste and stir or mix it. We decided to try the two kinds of spring rolls they had to offer, it was Go Con and Chaw Gig and the difference between the two is that Go Con was a fresh spring roll while the Chaw Gig was fried spring roll.Go Con is made of pork, shrimp and vermicelli attractively rolled in rice paper served with their famous meant sauce which I think was a marvelous peanut sauce. It had lots of flavor and also was not to thick a great accompaniment to the Go Con . The Chaw Gig is a mixture of ground pork, shrimp, taro, and black fungus wrapped and deep fried and served with fresh greens and traditional NCO AMA dipping sauce. Between the two spring rolls I have to put my money on the Go Con which was very well balanced and add that with the peanut sauce, you are asking for a recipe for success.We had four main dishes for our meal. We chose all the house-favorites/recommendations. The first of the dish was the Boo Luck Lack stir-fried spiced beef served with fried basil . The beef was cooked medium rare with sesame seeds and the beef had a good flavor and when eaten with the fried basil it blends since the basil was fried the intense flavor was mellowed to allow a good combination with the beef. The owner told us meat could not meet the standards of the owners.The second dish was the Ga Among which is grilled chicken in rich lemongrass marinade. The grilling of the chicken was amazing it was moist but also tasty and the taste of the lemon grass was intense which gave it a nice flavor. The third is had Soon Mongo Xa, pork rabbets flavored with their special lemongrass fusion, pan-fried and served with soy-chili sauce. This dish was a tad plain but I still got the good fusion of flavors but it was not strong enough to compare to the other two dishes I tried earlier.The That Hoe KHz Truing is a sweet-savory dish of pork and egg simmered in coconut Juice this dish I think was a mistake to order. It was very salty and didn't fit with all the other dishe s we ordered. The main course was good overall with three hits and a miss. We had Ban Dan Loon for our dessert. This dessert made everything worthwhile; the dish is eke a mixture of Spain-Spain and stating but with a filling in the middle topped with a coconut cream and sesame seeds.The dish was sweet but not too sweet to make you forget all the other flavors you had during your meal. I think this is one of the highlights of our dining experience. For the drink I had their new Vietnamese Blended Mocha which is not yet in their menu since the owner is still testing it out and is looking for feedback from guest before placing it on their menu. The flavor of the strong coffee and the nice sweetness of the chocolate made the drink a big plus n my books. The drink was balanced and very good since that day was quite hot.Well I guess this has to conclude recount of my visit to Baa Not. I will leave you with this, everyone has good dining experiences but it takes a good combination of servi ce and food to make this experience a memorable one and I must say Baa Non has made an impression of me. I for one am confident to call it a hidden treasure. So why not try it yourself to see if what I wrote is true. I bid thee farewell and hope you had as much fun reading as I had recalling and writing this article.

Argo review

Argo is a name of a movie which got Oscar for best movie in 2012. It has been done in Warner Bros production, with Ben Affleck as a director and George Clooney as a producer. It's a thriller (120min) full of surprises and unexpected events, so I would rate it 10/10 for the story. This thriller is about hostage extraction from Teheran in 1979 and it's based on a true story about a fake movie. During the Iranian diplomatic crisis, the CIA rescued six US diplomats by passing them off as members of aCanadian film crew who were scouting locations for a nonexistent sci-fi film. It tells the true story of some imaginative derring-do on the part of a brilliant and unorthodox CIA agent called Tony Mendez. As I already said I gave this movie 10/10 for the story, but the story is not completely true in some way. If you read the interview with the former US president Jimmy Carter, who was president at the time the crisis happened, you can see that not all is shown as it was.Carter openly admits hat 95% of the contributions to the ideas and the consummation of the plan was Canadian, but the movie gives almost all credits to CIA. Considering the acting, Argo is even bellow average in some cases because some actors in my opinion are Just too bad. If we take in consideration that Ben Affleck is a director and it is a Warner Bros production, I think that they should have found better actors. Except couple of main characters, acting is nothing special and I would not give more than 5/10 for it.You will not regret watching this movie, but you should try to find out more information about this incident before watching it, because it will help you to get better picture about situations in Iran. In my opinion the movie is not even close to Oscar, but it got it, probably because of the strong patriotism among US citizens and this story is exactly about that. All in all, this movie is a nice way to spend Saturday afternoon, but it definitely did not deserve an Oscar.

Middle passage of slavery

One of the dark periods of the world’s history is the trading and exploitation of black slaves. The economic expansion in Europe and America through agricultural lands brought a growing demand for labor hands. European traders seized the opportunity by supplying Africans to be sold as slaves. Sources included Kongo and Ndongo (which now became Angola) and Senegal, although major trading took place ion the Atlantic Coast of Africa. As demands for slaves increased, trading spread in Eastern Africa (Perry 227).   Nowhere can one find a more profitable business than slave-trading during these period, which remarkably spanned for about four centuries (15th to 19th century) of continuous trading, estimated to reach about 20 million slaves (Ferguson and Bruun 569). At the height of trading during the 17th to 18th century, a trader who sold one male slave is guaranteed to make more than enough a year’s earnings. In England, a trader can even gain respectability since its society saw nothing wrong with this kind of business and was not regarded as illegal. It is not surprising therefore that many Europeans were lured by the promise of making a big fortune out of slave trading, to the detriment of Africans who were taken captive. The desire to make a sizeable amount of money and the insensibility of land owners had blinded them to see that these Africans were fellow human beings and should be treated humanely. A significant aspect of the entire process involved partnering with Africans. While it is shocking to see how one race could brutally treat another, it is more startling to see how a fellow African could exploit its own kind. Fellow Africans play a key role in helping European traders to succeed. They are responsible for the capture of their own countrymen, snatching and detaining them to a slave factory located at the western coast of Africa (Hibbert 127). Many do not reach the coast, since they could not survive being forced to march as far as 1,000 miles chained and with little food. Those who do were forcibly held in the factory, where working conditions were deplorable and food was scarce. Detention could range from a number of weeks to a year. These African human smugglers would exchange their ‘goods’ for guns, fabrics, metal products for weapons and farm tools, beads, or even cowry shells and other insignificant items brought by their European counterpart (Perry 2 29). Slave trading then became a lucrative business. There were written accounts of the horrific conditions with which captured Africans were subjected to. One captive slave named Olaudah Equiano vividly described through his own experience, the ordeal of many African slaves (Winds of Revolution 123). For this reason, some slaves had come to regard death a blissful way of ending the hardship. From the onset of their captivity to the point of slavery, slaves were deprived of any right to choose for themselves. Slaves were regarded more as a piece of property than a worker. Men, women, or children, common or of noble descent, all were taken captive for selling. Their ‘fate’ totally depended on the hands of their captors and ‘owners’ (Ferguson and Bruun 569-590). I. The Slave-Trade Route and The Middle Passage The course of trading by the Europeans involved different stages. The Middle Passage was usually associated with the trans-Atlantic shipment of human cargoes either to the Americas or the Caribbean. Strictly speaking however, the term was used to describe the second of a three-part stage of a trading process which includes the transportation of captured Africans. This also meant that traders are able to make a big size of income since every stage is able to produce a large amount of profit. The first part starts with the Europeans carrying goods to Africa that will be used to trade-in for the African slaves. Upon completion of negotiations, the now empty vessel is now replenished with purchased humans. The Middle Passage or otherwise known as the â€Å"middle† leg then begins — the second part of the trading route. This voyage would often take two to three months before reaching America or other destinations in Europe. During bad weathers, the trip could stretch as long as four months. Those who survive the trip were sold and the huge profit was used to purchase products such as sugar. The traders will make another huge profit, as they sell these goods in their return trip to Europe, the last part of the voyage (Winds of Revolution 122). II.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Conditions During the Voyage Those taken to the slave ships were treated worse than animals. The decks were cramped and did not leave much room for standing. Men and women in shackles were packed closely. They were required to lie on their backs, with their heads on another slave’s leg. Such a horrible position caused them to lie down on human discharges of another’s feces, urine, and at times even blood all throughout the passage. The air was putrid for breathing. Consequently, such poor conditions in cargo ships led to the rapid spread of diseases that took the life of many these people. Those who died were thrown overboard to keep sickness from spreading further. In order to control any rebellion, the crew often resorted to cruelty. Women were often abused sexually. The poor physical conditions within the ship, the lack of food, the cruelty of their captors, and the uncertainty of the future caused others to attempt suicide. Traders however, would want as much as each slaves to survive, simply for profit’s sake. When a slave attempts to commit suicide through self-imposed starvation, the method of force-feeding was used.   Others sought death by jumping off the ship. If it is of any consolation, members of the crew’s ship were treated just a little better than the slaves. Others also experienced being severely beaten by their captain. One account even records of a crew who sought his watery death than continue the agony of being repeatedly beaten (Winds of Revolution 124-129). III.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Reason for Choosing Africans as Slaves When Spain and Portugal took off plans for exploration, it ended in human exploitation. As they reached and colonized parts of the Americas, Native Americans proved extremely difficult for forced labor since they were unaccustomed to agricultural work. They also exhibited poor resistance to Old World diseases. Their familiarity of the surroundings made it extremely difficult for the Europeans to prevent them from escaping. Meanwhile, a small portion of Africans slavery was already being practiced in its outposts in Africa. Europeans had taken the idea from an African practice of enslaving war prisoners.   African characteristics were also observed to be a lot better: Africans were found to be more useful and stronger than the Native Americans. Since they were used to a hotter climate and agricultural work, Africans did not easily fell prey to European diseases. All these factors caused Europeans to rely more on Africans for slavery. IV.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Conclusion The practice was deeply rooted in greed. Actions to counter slavery met with great resistance and were relatively slow. It even tore America apart during a bitter civil war. The dispute concerning slavery continued for many generations between those who are for or against it. England passed the abolition of slavery in 1833 and anyone caught violating the law was fined as much as â‚ ¤ 20 million (Checkland 341). Other European nations also followed suit. Towards its abolition, great damage was already done on the economic, political, and social aspects of Africa. Since wealth was concentrated on slave-trading and possessed only by a few hands; acquired wealth was not used for the development of the land to benefit its entire society. Africa lost much of their human wealth and for four hundred years, suffered the consequences — losing potential leaders and good laborers for its own advancement. Those transported became alienated from their culture of origin (Perry 231). As for the following generations of those people who were transported, the struggle still continuous for people of color even thousands of years after the abolition of slave trading in America and the Western countries. Many still feel the sting of living from the taint of stereotyping created by the past. It left a legacy of racism present in some parts of society today. Although the practice should remain buried in the past, looking back on this bitter history should keep aflame all efforts to prevent it from recurring again. Traders before referred to it as a necessary evil. However, no amount of reason should be sufficient enough to allow anyone to exploit or even look down on its fellow human being. Works Cited: Checkland, S.G. The Rise of Industrial Society in England, 1815-1885. Great Britain: Longman, 1964. Cowell, Alan. Killing the Wizards. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1992. Ferguson, Wallace, and Geoffrey Bruun. A Survey of European Civilization 3rd ed. USA: The Riverside Press, 1958). Hibbert, Cristopher. Africa Explored: Europeans in the Dark Continent (1769-1889). London: Penguin Books Ltd., 1982. Perry, Marvin. Unfinished Journey: A World History. USA: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1983. Winds of Revolution AD 1700-1800. USA: Time-Life Books, 1991.

A market analysis of the McDonalds corporation

A market analysis of the McDonalds corporation McDonalds is a popularly known Market Leader in the Fast food Industry or better known as the ‘Burger’ Industry. Started in the year 1948, it has managed to emerge triumphant in spite of a number of companies entering the industry. The company has successfully established a popular brand image. In fact the growth of fast food has been named after the organization as ‘McDonaldization’. Marketing involves identifying what customers demand and striving towards meeting their demands. Marketing Audit involves analyzing the company’s various aspects and evaluating the company’s marketing strategy. It involves in bringing out the pitfalls in the organizations functioning. The following pages contain the analysis of McDonalds Corporation. We have researched the various facets of the organization functioning as to how well they have managed to reach customers. There has been an analysis of the industry aspects like the customers, competitors and the su ppliers. Also the Macro Environmental analysis along with the SWOT has been performed. We have analyzed the current Marketing techniques. On analyzing the current situation of the company and the market in the fast food industry we have provided some recommendations which might prove to be useful for the organization on its successful implementation. Introduction The statistics figures show that the global fast food market reached a value of $102.7 billion in 2006, growing by 4.8%. Meanwhile, analysts forecast that in 2011, the global fast food market will â€Å"have a value of $125.4 billion, an increase of 22.2% since 2006† (â€Å"Fast Food: Global Industry Guide†, n. d.). McDonald’s is the worlds leading company in the fast food industry. It has more than 30,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries serving millions people around the global. The company’s success was as a result of the policy they follow, known as the Q.S.C. Fast, Friendly Service; R estaurant Cleanliness; and a menu that provides Value). The company was first started as a drive-in restaurant in San Bernardino by the two brothers Mac and Dick McDonalds in the year 1948. It was later bought by Ray Kroc, who was their franchising agent in 1961 and opened his first McDonalds in Illinois. The company’s menu initially consisted of Hamburgers, Cheeseburgers, French Fries, Sodas, Milkshakes, milk and coffee, although it has grown considerably since. The company follows a unique business model described as the â€Å"three legged stool† wherein the three legs are the owners/operators, suppliers and Company employees. It is an organization that develops, operates, franchises and services a worldwide system of restaurants that prepare, assemble, package and sell a limited menu of quickly prepared, moderately priced food. McDonalds has pioneered food quality specifications, marketing and training programs, and operational and supply systems, all of which are c onsidered the standards of the industry throughout the world. Marketing Mix Every business organization must develop an effective marketing strategy. The 7 P’s is used to continually evaluate and re evaluate business activities. The seven Ps are product, price, promotion, place, packaging, positioning, and people. The 7 P’s are used to ensure that the company is on track and achieve maximum results.