Media influence over people. How governments use media Research Paper

Media influence over people. How governments use media - Research Paper Example Many media sources opposed the U.S war in Vietnam because they saw it as a waste of time and resources. In addition, media held a sensitive attitude towards the war. Media had the authority to leave a long-lasting legacy memorable on the whole nation. For instance, such legacies were the scenes of the South Vietnamese police officer shooting the temple that had his hands held together behind his back. The media incarcerated huge audiences in every bit it could in that televisions captured helmeted cops associating with protesters in Grant Park and spread it across televisions nationally during the democratic convention of 1968. It is significant to note that media was biased in the sense that it failed to mention the increasing conformist trend among American youngsters in 1960s. Media was inclined to show American youths as peace volunteers, civil rights activists and pacifists which was not the case. How media portrayed the collapse of the wall of Berlin The portrayal of the media on the fall of the Berlin barrier was trivializing the wall event. Media manipulated the truth of the matter during the scene. For instance, when the Soviet Union started to totter, journalists claimed it was a verification that the risk of totalitarian communism had never been in existence, however that was no so as per the media claims. The leftists’ journalisms attached the capitalists for exploiting the newly liberated workers after the Eastern Europe gained liberation. This was alleged by a Los Angeles reporter who claimed that communism was good in old days when the state could press personal freedom but ensure citizens were sheltered, employed and hunger free. Media never ceased to shower Cuba’s communist authoritarianism with superior press even after the communists failed in Europe when it was really tough for Cubans. The same happened with the northern Korea where the CNN Ted Turner lamely defended the dictator Kim jing-li’s treatment on his citizens. People were malnourished, thin and starving yet Ted Turner claimed there were no scenes of any form of brutality. Taylor, F. (2006) states that the collapse of the Berlin fence was one of the most significant even in the history of the world since it led to the end of tyranny and human brutality. However, it is important to note that media could have done better than what it events did. For instance, it failed to bring this happening into a historical context. Portrayal of media on Tiananmen Square Tiananmen Square would always remain a political rally that turned into a bloody massacre as portrayed by the media. The scenes of brutal crackdowns in the Beijing square as china was the site of a pro-democracy student demonstration in1989; these events were aired and reported live in media all over the globe. The demonstration granted the media an opportunity for a telegenic foreign story that was easier for viewers to easily identify with. The government was so threatening that it stopped students from talking to the media. This was followed by an official news blackout and everything left in dilemma as reports were being threatened. Chinese citizens outside Beijing neither saw nor heard the true horror of the event, instead received official state versions that described the scenes as violent students demonstrator’s and angry dissidents attacking innocent government authorities. However, this was not the

Battleship Potemkin Essay Example for Free

Battleship Potemkin Essay Montage is more than simply a technique. Montage compels you like a book because of what is left to the imagination. Giannetti’s book defines montage as â€Å"Transitional sequence of rapidly edited images, used to suggest the lapse of time or the passing of events.† The entire Battleship Potemkin movie gave the impression of a montage. I would not have been able to pay attention throughout the entire movie if it didn’t move so quickly. I must admit that Eisensteins â€Å"Battleship Potemkin† film is technically brilliant. Eisensteins film; â€Å"Battleship Potemkin† is one of the fundamental landmarks of cinema. The movie is about the crew of a battleship being mistreated. One of the opening scenes illustrates a soldier being hit while sleeping. Then for breakfast soldier are served meat crawling with maggots. When soldiers complain the chief officer inspects the meat and makes it seem as if nothing is wrong with it. When soldiers refuse to eat it officers throw a tarpaulin over the rebellious solders and order them to be shot by the guards amidst their own crew. The crew imploded, the news of the death by its crewmember spread causing chaos. The content of the famous massacre on the Odessa Steps grabbed my attention. The film was once banned in many nations, including its native Soviet Union; governments believed it could provoke audiences to rebel. According to today’s standards the Odessa Steps scene is graphic. Seeing children injured, shot and trampled made me cringe. When the woman stood in front of the soldiers with her bloody son pleading for the soldiers to stop, they shot her without remorse. The repeated close up on the carriage at the top of the steps caused anxiety simply because of the way it was edited. The constant cuts back and forth between the gunfire and the carriage had the viewer thinking are they going to shot the carriage like they did the mother standing in front of it, or is the carriage going to go tumbling down the stair forcing the baby to fly out? â€Å"Battleship Potemkin† is a political drama with the absence of personal drama. No single character is personalized which causes characters to represent or symbolize something greater, group of people with guns vs. a dismal group of unarmed folks. The juxtaposition had the greatest impact. Cutting between the anonymous uniformed gunman and the innocent victims that audiences could easily connect with.

Strategies That The Proponents Plan To Execute Marketing Essay

Strategies That The Proponents Plan To Execute Marketing Essay This chapter will include a clear discussion on the marketing strategies that the proponents plan to execute for the first 5 years of business operation in Singapore. Specific marketing strategies that include SMART objectives will be used to acquire the desired market share. It will also include the specific target market and positioning statement of the proposed product. Specific Target Market The proponents have decided to target the age group of male and female18 years old and above in the whole country of Singapore. Based on our GMID research, this age group accounts for more than 3.6 million of the total population in year 2010 and it is forecasted to increase to more than 4 million in year 2015. Singaporeans give much importance to their health. They become increasingly health-conscious, as expenditure in health sector remain strong the more this sector is viewed with high importance. Aside from ageing population of Singaporeans, it is also becoming a trend to the young generation (18 years old and above) to practice living healthily through taking health supplements and doing other health and wellness activities. The age group (18 yrs old and above) lives a busy lifestyle. They are active in different activities and are more prone in acquiring diseases. Trends in taking health supplements are now shifting to bigger target consumers. Children are now also advised by their parents to take food supplements especially those who are entering the real world industry. This is due to the fact that parents worry that their children are not getting enough nutrients because of the hectic lifestyle today. Competitive Review Cerebos Pacific Ltd Due to the companys dominance in vitamins and dietary supplements, Cerebos Pacific Ltd was ranked first with a value share of 5% in 2009 within overall consumer healthcare. This was mainly because the brand name became the first choice of the consumers. The market started to purchase their product because the company was able to establish good reputation among their consumers in providing quality products. In addition, its wide range of products catering to consumers from the young to the elderly contributed to its success in vitamins and dietary supplements. Cerebos Pacific Ltd positions itself in the high-end of the product categories. The establishment of its brands ensures that consumers remain willing to purchase their products. Strategies: Product Line Innovation Cerebos Pacific Ltd continues allot time and money to introduce innovative products to meet consumers demands. The company has research and development laboratory located in Singapore for product innovation purposes. In mid 2009, the company introduces Brands InnerShine Prune Essence to provide consumers with a liquid supplement that has both beauty and digestive benefits. Due to expansion of product line and product development, the company was able to gain more profit. They were able to cater bigger market and able to meet the demands of the consumers. This strategy was very effective because it gave positive outcomes in terms of profits and market. Extensive Advertising Cerebos Pacific Asia Ltd relied heavily on extensive advertising. The company does not target only the elderly but the young generation as well. To appeal to the younger generation, the company made MTV video jockey. The company also revamped the packaging of its child-specific vitamins and dietary supplements and renamed it to Brands AlphaMynd. The company believes this will enable them capture the taste of young generation because of its appealing packaging. Ricola Asia Pacific Ltd RAP is a well-known company because they produce products that are made from 100% natural herbs. The company uses the finest natural ingredients and is well known for soothing, refreshing and good tasting properties. Ricola is paying great attention to the selection of where and how the herbs for its products are to be grown. The company promotes natural cultivation in Swiss mountain areas, in good distance from major roads and agglomerations. Source: http://www.ricola.com/index.cfm?420FE8BA7A614BCA820514D4818D1042 Strategies: Good Taste Ricola Asia Pacific Ltd is well-known for producing herbal products are that refreshing and good in taste. The company in fact won the Best Taste Award in 2008 which proves that Ricola herbal products are unique and good in flavor. For after nearly 70 years, Ricolas Original Herb Candies have remained unchanged, as good as they always were: hard and slightly rough on the outside, wonderfully mild and delicious inside. Ricola has been blending 13 precious medicinal herbs from Switzerland with the same delicious recipe. The mix is particularly effective for colds, coughs and hoarseness, always refreshing and has that fabulous, unique flavour. Focus on health Ricola Asia Pacific Ltd is known for producing herbal products that are made from 100% natural ingredients. For the past 70 years, the company has emphasized all natural and good health in its marketing campaigns. Ricola emphasized to their consumers that the company uses only herbs that comes from natural cultivation and healthy to human body. Comes in convenient packs Ricola offer their products in convenient packs. The company wanted to promote herbal products to be a daily use to the consumers. The company introduced the convenient click-shut box pack that fits any pocket and is ideal for travelling. With this strategy, the company emphasized in their marketing campaign Never be without your favourite Ricola candies again and enjoy the smooth, soothing flavour of natural mountain herbs in a variety of selected flavours wherever you are. Positioning Statement Tagline : ZILI Plus: Spice your life, the healthy way! Catchy taglines act as an edgy marketing tool in defining the business and product. The proponents have decided to use ZILI Plus: Spice your life, the healthy way as the tagline for the proposed product. This gives the target market the idea that our product is all about health. ZILI Plus is a food supplement made from all natural cayenne pepper. Cayenne pepper is one of the most powerful herbs in the world because of its benefit to human body. It is made out of vegetable capsules which has the highest concentration of Capsaicin among other pepper herbs. Capsaicin found in cayenne pepper contains Vitamins A, B, C and K. It stimulates blood circulation and digestion and contributes significantly to a healthy heart and strong peripheral circulation. Market Positioning: Health and dietary supplements with 3 powerful health benefits in one capsule The market positioning statement states how the proponents want the public to perceive the proposed product. In this case, we want the public particularly Singaporeans to view our product as a health and dietary supplement which differs from other products due to the three benefits that it offers healthy heart, stimulates digestion and healthy blood circulation. Marketing Objectives and Strategies FIRST YEAR OPERATION: 2012 Product Strategy Objective To be able to introduce and launch ZILI Plus in Singapore in the first term of year 2012 To create brand awareness among majority of our target market which are male and female ages 18 and above in Singapore by the end of year 2012 Product Description: ZILI Plus is made from all natural cayenne peppers. Cayenne peppers contain capsaicin compound which is used to stimulate blood circulation and digestion. The proposed product serves as a food supplement which can be used to prevent diseases related to heart, digestive and circulatory system. It contains highly concentrated capsaicin found in no other herbal products; Used in cleansing the digestive tract and helps peripheral blood circulation. Unique Selling Proposition: Three health benefits in just one capsule For healthy heart, stimulates digestion and healthy circulation Strategy: ZILI Plus is not just ordinary food supplement. It is 100% herbal product. It is made from all natural grounded cayenne pepper. This product is not just designed for adults but also for young ones who also seeks to live a healthier lifestyle. Proponents want to change the thinking of people that herbal food supplements are only for by adults. Now, food supplements are taken not only by the adults but also by the teens. Joining the trade fairs The proponents will introduce ZILI Plus in Singapore through joining trade fairs in 2011, the year before the product will be launched. This will be able to help the company create brand awareness among majority of the potential customers in Singapore by the end of the year 2012. There are several trade fairs held in Singapore year after year and it includes health related fairs. Distribute flyers to the general public The proponents will instruct our potential distributors in Singapore to distribute the flyers to the public in the major streets and roads in Singapore. This will be able to increase brand awareness and let the public know that the proposed product is now available in the Singaporean market. Pricing Strategy Objective To be able to sell ZILI PLUS at a price of SGD 15 in Singapore Strategy: The proponents decided to use comparative pricing strategy during the first year operation in Singapore. Comparative pricing is a strategy where in the seller takes into account competitors pricing. For our case, the average price of 60 capsule health supplement bottle is sold at an average price of $15. Through this strategy, the competitors would be able to directly compete with the existing food supplements available in Singapore. Base from research, Singaporeans are quality based purchasers. They consider the quality and benefits that they will get from the product. They weigh the benefits offered by a certain product with another product before buying it. Export Sale Export Sale (PHP) (SGD) Factory price 163.2 4.8 FOB Manila cost 54.74 1.61 subtotal 217.94 6.41 Exporter mark up 50% 108.97 3.21 subtotal 326.91 9.62 Importer mark up (30%) 183.07 5.38 Final selling price 509.98 PHP 15.00 SGD Exchange Rate: As of March 6, 2011 1 SGD = 34 PHP Factory Price of product PHP SGD Direct Materials 40.8 1.2 Direct Labor 51 1.5 Factory Overhead 71.4 2.1 Product Cost 163.2 4.8 Place/Distribution Strategy Objective: To be able to maximize the availability of ZILI Plus in major health stores in Singapore from 2012 onwards Strategy: Terms of Distribution The proponents have decided to use indirect selling in distributing our product in the market. ZILI Plus will be exported to Singapore via Ship and FOB shipping point. The proposed product will be distributed to largest retailing stores in Singapore who will be selling it to market. This will able to create brand awareness to our target consumers thus expanding our market and increase sales. Illustration 6.1 Distribution Channels in Singapore Source: Trade Sources and Market Observations Small shops illustrated in the diagrams include family owned and operated organic food and health food businesses; some are single site operations, while others have multiple outlets. It also involves large chains of health food shops, pharmacies, personal care shops and specialist nutrition retailers. Pharmacies and health food shops located on the premises of Singapores hospitals are also classified under the small shops. GNC as distributor of ZILI Plus in Singapore Global Active Limited (GNC / General Nutrition Center) Global Active Limited is the leading retailer of Health and Nutritional Supplements in Singapore. The company strives to provide a complete range of nutritional products to its customers The popular brands that Global Active Limited offer includes LAC, NURTURE, EAS, Muscletech, Optimum Nutrition, GU Energy Gel, Nutrition Now, BSN, Cytosport, Pacific Health, Solaray, Lily of the Dessert, Rainbow Light, MHP and Natural Balance. Global Active Limited has the widest selections under categories such as Vitamins Minerals, Lifestyle Formulas, Weight Watchers, Food Supplements, Sports Nutrition, Herbal and Beauty Care. The company is the sole franchisee for GNC in Singapore. GNC is the worlds largest chain of health food and has 7,000 GNC stores worldwide. Have a total of 55 outlets currently operating in Singapore. Importer-Distributor-End User The proponents would like to use the importer-distributor/retailer-end user method of distribution during the first year of operation. The importer and distributor will serve as the intermediary between the proponents and the end user in Singapore. The proponents chose Global Active Limited to be the importer and distributor of our product to the end users. It is already assumed that these intermediaries will surely place a margin over the original price of the product. The proponents prefer to have Global Active Limited GNC to be the retailer of our product during our first year operation because of its long existence in the market. The company already established a name in the market and have gained the trust of the public. It is important for choose a retailer with good reputation because they will be the representation of what the product is all about. The company is known for selling only quality products at an affordable price. LIST OF GNC OUTLETS IN SINGAPORE [emailprotected] City Link Anchor Point Shopping Centre Centrepoint Ang Mo Kio Hub Chinatown point Arcade City Square Mall Bedok Central Clementi Central Bugis Junction Compass Point Bukit Merah Central Fuan IT Mall Bukit Panjang Plaza Great World City Bukit Timah Plaza Harbour Front Centre Chevron House Forum Hougang Mall IMM ION Orchard Guthria House Junction 8 Holland Viallage Jurong Point Guthrie House Liang Court Internationla Plaza Lot 1 Millenia Walk Nex Mall Novena Square NorthPoint Paragon Marina Square Parkway Parade Raffles City Suntec City Tampines Mall Takashimaya Tanglin Mall Tao Payoh Vivocity West Mall White Sand West Coast Plaza TRANSPORT TIME (MANILA PORT SINGAPORE PORT) Port of Loading : Manila, PH Port of Discharge : Singapore, SG Transport Time : 4 days and 2 hours Distance : 1373 nautical miles Vessel Speed : 14 knots Source:http://www.searates.com/reference/portdistance/?fcity1=11602fcity2=12117speed=14ccode=9030 Promotion Strategy Objective: To be able to acquire 0.5% of the total market share at the end of December 2012 Strategy: The proponents decided to use push strategy in promoting the proposed product to the distributors/retailers in Singapore. Distributors/retailers will then be the ones who will market our product to the end consumers. In our first year operation, GNC will be the distributor of ZILI Plus. Retailers/ Distributors, the medium to reach consumers/ end users are very important factor in distribution. Proponents must be able to convince them that the product will be a great opportunity for them to increase their profit. Once proponents are able to convince retailers/distributors that ZILI Plus will be beneficial for them, it will now be sold in their stores and it can reach the end users. Good reputation of GNC GNC has been existing in the market for quite some time. They are known for selling only quality health related products. They were able to gain the trust of the public through maintaining a good reputation and ensuring the public that all their merchandises are safe and of quality standard. The proponents are taking the opportunity and use this to gain the trust of the public. Since GNC will be our distributor, it basically sends the message to the public that ZILI Plus is safe and made from quality ingredients. Online advertisements: Proponents will be utilizing the power of the internet to reach to a wide target audience. A company website will be created to give knowledge to the public that such company exists. It will contain all the basic information about the company and the product lines the company is selling. The website will be submitted to major search engines like the Google and Yahoo. This will enable the company to reach the target market easier. Online advertisement is a means to create brand awareness. If people want to know more about the product all they have to do is just type it in their local search engines and click it. Trade fairs The proponents plan to join trade fairs which mainly focus on health to further promote the product. It will create brand awareness among retailers in Singapore and at the same time promote it to the locals. Other promotions will include flyers and brochures for the proposed product. This will highlight the three main benefits of the product namely a healthy hearts, stimulates digestion and healthy blood circulation. These advertisements must be captivating to ensure that the market will be attracted to it. Green will be the colour for main colour to be used in the proposed product because it represents nature and it also says healthy. We want our product to be known for its all natural ingredients and benefits for the body. Contingency Plan 2012: In any case that the marketing plan set up for year 2012 may fail due to unfortunate events that may occur, the proponents prepared a backup plan that should be executed immediately. The only problem that may occur is that the public might not respond well to the product due to the fact that the brand is new in the market. It can be assumed that promotional strategies may not be enough for the market to see the benefits of the product. So to resolve this problem, additional promotional strategies may be asked from the potential distributor GNC. Proponents will negotiate with GNC that further promotion may need to be executed like putting an ad in their local newspaper or coming up with more flyers. SECOND AND THIRD YEAR OPERATION: 2013-2014 Product Strategy Objective To be able to a acquire 1.4% of the total market share in Singapore by the end of December 2014 Strategy: During the second and third year of operation, the proponents would like to increase the market share in Singapore as stated above. Apparently, before the proponents can be successful in increasing the market share, brand awareness should also be increased. Assuming that the first year operation was successful, the proponents plan to continue what has been done during the first year and make some improvements. We will ensure that the production will be efficient and yet meeting the quality standards. Quality is the most important asset of the proposed product. The consumers will choose our product over the others due to its quality. To accommodate the increasing potential consumers, production will be doubled from 2100 bottles per day to 4200 bottles per day. Pricing Strategy Objective To be able to maintain the retail price of ZILI Plus at S $15 Strategy: The proponents will still stick to the pricing strategy used during the first year operation which is comparative pricing. Since the product is still new in the market, it is not yet advisable to increase the price of ZILI Plus. We will still maintain the price of SGD 15 per bottle. Assuming that we are profitable during the first year operation, we are confident that profit will increase as brand awareness continues to arise. Place/Distribution Strategy Objective To be able to maximize the availability of ZILI Plus in major health stores in Singapore from 2012 onwards Strategy: The proponents again will use the traditional importer-distributor/retailer- end user method of distribution. During this 2013-2014 operation, the proponents are planning to make the product available in more stores through having additional distributor which is the Unity NTUC Healthcare. Unity NTUC Healthcare is also one of the top retailers of health supplements in Singapore. In this case, Unity will also be the importer. Numerous people visit their stores everyday to purchase health supplements. There are more than 25 Unity NTUC Healthcare stores in Singapore today, so basically they can help promote our product. More people will be exposed to the proposed product because of the availability of it in several stores. It can also result to increase in brand awareness. Trade discounts will also be offered to our potential distributors to be able to convince them to sell ZILI Plus. Through this, distributors may tend to purchase/order more because trade discounts will be offered when the distributors are willing to purchase more. It will also be a way to convince these retailers to market the product for us in Singapore. Unity NTUC Healthcare as Distributor Unity NTUC Healthcare is the largest healthcare cooperative in Singapore. Currently operates 48 Unity pharmacies across Singapore Unity NTUC Healthcare delivers superior range of health and wellness products and services, served by warm and professional staff, pharmacists, physicians, therapists and dentists. Unity NTUC Healthcare range of merchandise focuses on stay well along with get well aspect of health. LIST OF UNITY NTUC HEALTHCARE IN SINGAPORE Ang Mo Kio Hub Plaza Singupura Bedok Pungool Plaza Bishan Raffles cIty Bukit Batok RivervalePlaza Bukit Merah Central Serangnoon Central Bukit Panjang Plaza Singapore Post Centre Bukit Timah Plaza Suntec City Clementi Tanpines Mall Dawson Place Tamplines One Eastpoint Mall Thomson Plaza Fortune Centre Tiong Bahru Plaza Great World City Tao Payah Lorong 4 Harbour Front Centre Tampines Street 83 Hiugang Tanglin Mall Hougang Point Tao Payoh Lorong 4 Jurong East West West Coast Plaza Jurong Point White Sands Shopping Centre Lot 1 Shoppers Mall Woodlands Civic Centre Marine Parade Yew Tee Point New Upper Changi Yishun Sources : https://www.ntuclink.com.sg/linkpoints/merchants/merchant_subdetail.aspx?id=78 Promotion Strategy Objective To be able to increase profit by 5% during the end of December 2014 Strategy: The proponents will continue to use the push strategy in which proponents will market the product to the distributors/retailers. We believed that this strategy will be able to help us increase our sales and boost product awareness. Since it is apparent that using push strategy is successful, the proponents are now taking the next step through adapting to another strategy which is the pull strategy. Pull strategy involves motivating customers to seek out your brand in an active process. Of course to make this strategy successful, participation from distributors will be needed. The proponents will ask the distributors to make our product more visible to the public through making their sale displays attractive especially for our product. On the other hand, we are confident that a distributor like GNC will sell our product is because the brand doesnt offer a product like ours. Their products are more on specialized like food supplements for a healthy heart but nothing can directly compete with our ZILI Plus. Online advertisements will still be utilized to further increase the brand awareness and information can be accessible to everyone. The website will also include other promotion strategies which will be used to further promote the product. The company will continue to join trade fairs in Singapore to which will promote overall well-being and health. During this year the proponents are planning to sponsor seminars which will highlight the importance of health or health related. Through this, brand awareness will be created hence giving the company an edge in the market. The company can also establish a good reputation in Singapore by exercising social responsibility and showing that the company cares for the overall well-being of the people and not just about profits. Contingency Plan: In case that marketing plan for year 2013-2014 is not a success, the proponents will have to make certain adjustments. Like instead of comparative pricing, the product will now be sold at a lower price using the market penetration strategy. This will probably help the proponents to increase profit. The market may not respond well to the product due to its still early and brand recognition is not yet widespread. Also, proponents may have additional promotion strategies like giving promos like buy one take one or handing out sample products. Through this, consumers can try how effective ZILI Plus can be and the benefits they can get from it. Sometimes giving out freebies results to brand awareness or brand recognition. Practically because people gets attracted to free stuffs. FOURTH AND FIFTH YEAR OPERATION: 2015-2016 Product Strategy Objective: To be able to increase the market share up to 3% by the end of December 2016 Strategy: During this time, the company have already established a name and the product is already known to the locals in Singapore. This will lead to increase in demand hence the company is now operating full-time. Machines will run for 24 hours a day with 3 shifts of employees. Comes in convenient packs Now that the company is on its 4th and 5th year operation, products will now be offered in blister packs to further answer the needs of the market. Seeing how well the market responded o the product, proponents want to offer the product in bottle or in blister packs. This will give the consumers convenience in carrying around with them the ZILI Plus capsules. Whether going to work or just having relaxing day outside of their homes, it is still necessary to look out for their health and take ZILI Plus. Pricing Strategy Objective: To be able to increase profit by 5% by the end of December 2016 Strategy: During the 4th and 5th year of operation, the proponents plan to price the product a little bit higher compared to the competitors. Using premium pricing will be able to highlight the unique features of the product. It will also reflect how well the market is responding to the product. Premium pricing will be able to emphasize that the product is differentiated from the others due to its 3 in 1 benefits. Proponents want to give emphasis to the fact that though the product is priced a little bit higher; every cent is worth it due to the added value they will be receiving. Health is wealth as they say and its not a practical thing to bargain for it. Based from the GMID Euromonitor, Singaporeans doesnt really mind if the price is high as long as benefits are met and exceeded. Quality of the product is important especially when it comes to health goods because it is their health we are talking about here. They want to make sure that manufacturer can be trusted thats why proponents chosen to use distributors with good public reputation. Place/Distribution Strategy Objective: To be able to maximize the availability of ZILI Plus in major health stores in Singapore from 2012 onwards Strategy: During the fourth and fifth year of operation, proponents decided to have another distributor in Singapore which is the Natures Farm. This company is known for retailing local and foreign brands food supplements. Like GNC, they also have their own brands for health supplements. Hundreds of people visit their stores because of the convenience they provide. They are known to offer a wide variety of health supplements in capsules or in tablets. The proponents are confident that Natures Farm would be able increase our sales through being one of our distributors. Just like with the previous distributors, Natures Farm will also be offered trade discounts to persuade them to have bulk orders. Natures Farm as Distributor Natures Farm is the first specialty health supplement retail chain in Singapore that offers comprehensive range of quality health supplements suitable for modern Asians at great convenience. Natures Farm has successfully positioned itself in the market as a leading modern, Asian health food store supplier of quality natural health food at reasonable prices. The retail company is committed to deliver the highest quality nutritional and health food supplements at the best value to customers. The companys range of health products includes vitamins and minerals, diabetic and organic food and health supplements. Natures Farm has 27 small shops operating in Singapore. LIST OF NATURES FARM OUTLETS IN SINGAPORE CENTRAL REGION EAST / NORTH EAST REGION Bugis Junction Compass Point Ngee Ann City Tampines Mall Junction 8 Parkway Parade Centrepoint Shopping Centre Nex Serangoon Great World City WEST REGION United Square IMM Building Toa Payoh Central West Mall Marina Bay Sands Jurong Point Shopping Centre NORTH REGION Bukit Timah Plaza Thomson Plaza SOUTH REGION Ang Mo Kio Hub Chinatown Point Causeway Point Marina Square Northpoint Shopping Centre The Arcade International Plaza Suntec City Mall Promotion Strategy Objective: To be able to increase the market share up to 3% by the end of December 2016 Strategy: Extensive Advertising The proponents are now on its 4th and 5th year operation. Brand awareness among majority of the potential customers in Singapore is acquired and the brand is now known all over Singapore. Assumin

Amish Business Relations Essay -- GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

Amish Business Relations The Amish are a group of people that teach separation from the outside world. A group that originated from Switzerland is centered in the United States and Canada. Their rules as a society require farming and personal simplicity as their way of life. the luxury of having electricity and telephones are not accepted in this odd way of life. Their transportation is reduced to horse and carriages as a way for them to remain simple. These old order Amish traditions are very strictly enforced. Those who break from the Amish usually join the Mennonites, a society with similar rules and values, just less strict. As a way for their society to survive as a culture they have turned to the business of selling the products that these people grow and make. The Amish are fine craftsmen, skilled in everything from building the barns to sewing some of the finest quilts around. In recent years, many Amish have opened small shops to help supplement their modest earnings from farming. Skills handed down from generation to generation have resulted in the best quality products, a proud Amish tradition. Of course, the Amish did not choose this newly found way of life, they were forced in by greater urbanization and the diminished availability and affordability of farmland. They would rather stay and go into small business than move to a more rural state. One of the most known societies is in the town of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. There is an estimated 1,000...

Kush, Meroe, and Nubia

Archeologists have confirmed the inhabitation of the Nile above Aswan in the Paleolithic period that lasted more that 60,000 years of the Sudanese history. By the 8th millennium BC, during the Neolithic era, people had settled in the brick houses and their economic life was characterized by fishing, hunting along river Nile, cattle herding and grain gathering. The skeletal remains give an evidence of blending between the Mediterranean people and the Negroid during the Neolithic period that has existed until today.The northern Sudan oldest history evidence originates from the Egyptian sources that described the land upstream starting from the first cataract as wretched or Cush. For 2000 year and more in the time of old Kingdom, the economic, political and social life of the central Nile region was influenced by the Egyptians, even as the political power of the Egyptian waned in the Cushite, the Egyptians still had a substantial influence in the Cushite way of life.For many centuries, the Egyptian caravan exchanged grain for ivory, carnelian, hide and incense with Cushite. Slaves and gold were highly valued by the Egyptian traders. The Egyptian penetrated the Cush in the Middle kingdom after construction of fort at Sammah to guard the gold flow from Wawat mines.Asian nomads that were referred to as Hyksos invaded Egypt destroying many links to the Cush in around 1720 BC. During the reign of Pharaoh Ahmose 1, Egypt revived its political power during the New Kingdom around 1110BC and took the Cush as one of its provinces; however there were Egyptian tributary districts as far as blue and white Nile and red sea. After gaining full control over the Cush, the Cush adapted every way of life and temples became their center of worship up to the 6th century after the coming of Christianity.  By the 11th century, the new kingdom had collapsed, got divided and Cush emerged again as an independent kingdom that was governed from Napata. The Cush Kingdom conquered and ruled Egypt between 750 and 740 BC after which Egypt was re-united. Confrontation between the Assyrians and the Egyptians in 688-663BC resulted to Cush Pharaoh retaliating returning to dynasty in Napata where he originally ruled from prior to the unification of Egypt. In 590 BC, the Cush court was compelled to move to Meroe, a safer place than Napata due to the Egypt attack as it tried to regain its control over Cush again. Meroe developed for several centuries independent of Egypt and extended its dynasty to the present day Khartoum from the third cataract located at Sawba.The pharaoh traditions still persisted in Meroe, a well managed irrigation system sustained the huge growing population at Meroe. By the 1st century BC, there was development of the Meroitic script that was similar to the indigenous Egyptian script. The succession system at Meroe was not necessarily hereditary and crown was passed from brother to sister or to brother and selection of the queen was very crucial to smoot h succession. The Cush fell after it was invade by the predatory Blemmyes who were nomads but Meroe continued to be with contact with the Indians and Arabs.By the 2nd century, the Nobatae occupied the North of Cush at West Bank, this was subsidized by the Romans as a buffer between the Blemmyes and then the Axum in the 5th century, now the current Ethiopia that capture and demolished the city of Meroe ad there from Meroe kingdom ceased. In the 6th century, three states that were descendants of Meroe Kingdom emerged; these were Nobatia, Muqurra and Alwa.These kingdoms used Greek titles to rule the Meroetic population in imitation of the Byzantine Court. Missionaries started to preach in Nobatia in 540 AD and the Nubian kings were converted to Monophysite Christianity that was being practiced in Egypt, many bishops and religious leaders were consecrated in Egypt. The Mediterranean civilization was rekindled by the coming of Christianity.The use of Greek in liturgy led to development o f the Nubian language that combined both the Coptic and old meroitic scripts. The Nubian kingdoms survived many centuries but with the arrival of Arabs in 640 and subsequent conquering of Egypt posed a threat to these Christian kingdoms. Historians believe that the Muqurra and Nobatia kingdoms were forced to merge by the Arabs to form the Dunqula kingdom around 700 this resulted to isolation of the Nubian church since Egypt became dominated by the Muslims.The introduction and spread of Islam after Muhammad’s death lead to division between the south and north Sudan society. Islam encouraged economic growth, political stability and education development to its followers. Islam was spread to the east and north by the Arab armies who also attacked the Nubian territory in 642 and 652 thereby demolishing its cathedral.Though with continued arabization of the Nile valley, there were tension between the Arabs and Nubian territory and the resulted to a peace treaty which encouraged tr ade between the two opposite sides and other regions. This lead to emergence of two Arab speaking groups, the Juhayna and the Jaali. These groups aided in bringing down the Nubian territory.The Nubian territories remained independent up to the 13th century when they were overruled by the Muslims due expansion of Islam   to the continuous intermarriages between them and Arabs which resulted to the dark age of Christianity as slavery intensified. This forced the Nubian communities to seek Arab protectors for fear of their security. The Islam was not part of the old Nubian territory until15th to 16th centuryREFERENCEKush, Meroe and Nubia, retrieved on 13th, October, 2007, available at www.shsu.edu/~his_ncp/Sudan.html

My extraordinary leadership lessons from an ordinary experience

When I was at grade school, I placed special reverence to teachers. I specially admire their power over their students: the way they make them seated properly in their designated seating arrangements, the way they let them enter and leave the room in a file and the simple way of making each student to greet them even outside the school campus. There were times when I also dreamed of being a teacher when I finished school for one good reason: I wanted to lead. As I grew older, I have learned that teaching profession is not as easy as what I thought it was. As a joined school and community activities, I have learned that holding positions in organizations makes a lot of sense in terms of leadership training. I also learned that leading does not always take intelligence, energy and time and that being a leader does not in anyway make anyone greater than the ones being led. Leadership rather takes the whole personality of a person, including his heart, his mind and his soul. Leadership is not all about power; it’s about love and concern. With this ordinary experience, I will prove that the leader and the follower in its sense are ordinary participants in the game of life where everyone is regarded equal. My experience will prove that by being a protà ©gà ©, one will be able to prepare himself to be a good leader someday. I was raised in a conservative family; conservative in a sense that my family has countless rules and regulations set for us children. When it’s a rule, conformity has to be no more, no less. At home, the power lies in the hands of my strict father. House rule says no one has to be outside the house when it’s already dark. House rules say everyone has to around the table when it’s dinner time, no talking, and most of all, eat whatever food is prepared. When my father says â€Å"you’re wrong†, don’t dare to question his judgment and don’t ever dare to speak a word to explain and to defend yourself. Until I entered high school, there’s nothing I know about leadership but power. I studied really hard because father wants me to have good grades. So no one can blame me if I see leadership as having the power to make others fear you. Not until I was asked to join a stage play and have the courage to try, that these views on leadership have all changed. The organizers were meticulously picking the players. Actors and actresses were selected from different levels and when the final list came out, I was really glad to find my name there. But no, I was not one of the stage actresses. I will be part of the play as the narrator, and yes, I chose to play that part. It may sound really weird for some because people often desire to be at the lime light. It is but common for anyone to grab the opportunity of having his or her abilities and talents be shown to many. If there be exemption to this common life scene, I am an exemption. I chose to stay behind the stage because I am afraid to ruin the presentation in the event that I forget my lines. My family training developed me into a well-behaved individual, but it also deprived me of learning how it is to be outside my own home. I was locked in the house all my childhood life so I was not able to develop my social skills. I was raised to be a loner, and so I lived that kind of life until I entered high school. My family training deprived me of the opportunity to gain self-confidence. That is maybe the reason why I chose to be behind the scenes of the stage play. What made me choose to play as a narrator is my stage fright. I lack the confidence of bringing myself in front of many people. I hate being in a place where I am noticeable. I am weird, they say. Yes, I am. I am afraid to make a mistake, so I chose to just narrate since I have something in my hand to read. During rehearsals, I often got insulted by the trainor for my poor diction. There were many times when I was threatened to be replaced by someone who could do better than I do. Few days have passed and yet the trainor still told me I have not yet improved. I felt like I am the least performer in group. I have the least coaching time while I had the most naggings and silly words swallowed during the practice. I was then planning to quit but I was halted by the thought that my father would not surely like the idea of his daughter giving up. I have to continue, I have to strive more. I have to make sure my trainer will not replace me when he got fed up of nagging at me. One rehearsal session made all things in my mind changed. The trainer gathered all the stage play participants, including the support group. He has to make some announcements on some little changes on the script and on the planned stage set-up. We were all gathered in the gym, with the trainer’s microphone as loud and clear so that anyone will surely hear what he has to say. He asked the group to make the best of every session as the play is as important as the name of the school. We have to make sure that everything will turn out fine and excellent in the night of the performance. He told the main characters that they are the one who will face the audience and should therefore have the assurance of performing very well. He told the support group that even if they only play as backgrounders, they are great contributors to the success of the presentation. He said the play will not be as beautiful as it is supposed to be when the facilities, especially the sounds and the lights are not properly set-up. He then called me up and said that I am holding an important role in the play. He said that as the narrator, I am the one who will bring life to the scenes that are not to be played on stage but are important in bringing out the essence of the story. He told me that I am not in anyway the least of the group because I have in my hands the responsibility of connecting every scene in the play. I am, in its essence the light of the dark spots in the story. WHAT I HAVE DISCOVERED ABOUT MYSELF My energy from that day seemed to have been refueled. I strived really hard by reading my lines over and over again, day and night. I realized that I am not in anyway the least of the group, nor I am to let myself be the least performer. My life has never been this busy and meaningful until I started gaining my self-confidence. To believe in yourself in not what others call pride but it is a thing that I believe a personal need. I have learned that everyone has his own talent, ability and skill that is innate in him. That precious thing in a person just needs to be discovered and be used to meaningful activities. HOW THE EXPERIENCE STRENGTHENED MY SELF-LEADERSHIP SKILLS I have learned that every person has a unique way of discovering his abilities. Some just naturally show up. There are some that need to be tapped, some need digging up, and there are those which require pain and suffering before their talents are squeezed up. Having these facts, I have learned that mentors, teachers, trainers and anyone who manage people have their own style of handling things. If they choose to be generous and considerate, they have all good reasons of doing so. If mentors choose to be strict and display their strong personalities, they all the valid reasons to do so. What I have most importantly learned in my experience is that teachers, mentors and even parents all wanted their students, their subordinated and their children to learn the vital lessons of life: that is, to bring out the best out of them. I have realized that my trainer chose to be too strict to me because he wanted me to strive harder. He did not mean to frighten me, not he did want to make me feel that he did not like me. Since that day, my trainer eventually noticed and commended the improvements on my performance. He told me that I have already gained the confidence that he long been wanting me to bring out. He told me that loners like me are not at all hard to handle. Like him, loners need encouragement like what he did. HOW THE EXPERIENCE IMPROVED MY INTERPERSONAL SKILLS Since the school play, I have not yet had the guts of joining activities which require a lot of public exposure. I did join more activities and have chosen the same roles. I did so not because I was not able to learn and apply what my trainer have taught us. It is because I have learned that leadership need not to be as publicly done as many think it is. I have learned fro, that experience that leadership is not all about taking a post, having an official designation and handling people. I have learned that leadership begins when one was able to conquer his fears in life. Leadership begins by leading your own life and let others see the difference when you come out of your own shell. I have learned that extraordinary lessons in life are learned by paying attention to little things in ordinary life experiences. When one has to learn, he has to experience pain and sufferings before glory comes in his hands. My journey in life did not go that smooth and easy. It took me to endure insults and discouragements. But all of these are part of training and I believe, every tear shed and every sweat that comes out of my body is worth the lessons of leadership. AN EVALUATION OF MY PERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS After the activity, I have never been a loner. I still did not have the guts of doing public appearances but I did improve on handling people who work as supports. It was not because this is all I can do but because I chose to do it, and this is what makes me happy. I feel that by doing so, I am able to give my best and that in this area where my talents and skills are best utilized. HOW THE EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN A VALUABLE EXPERIENCE TO ME Now I understand why my father has to lock us up in the house all day long during weekends. Now I understand why we have to behave well during dinner. Now I understand why I have to bring out my books and notes even after school and at night after meal. Now I understand why father deprived us of reasoning out at him. Like all parents, father wants us his children to be raised as well-behaved individuals. He just wants us to learn that childhood life is not all about eating and playing matters. He has been this strict because he wanted to show us the realities of life. Sometimes, it really takes to deprive someone of common and ordinary things in order to gain the extraordinary lessons of life. By my father’s way of training us, I have learned that leadership is not all about fear, but obedience. Leadership is not all about power, but respect. If they have not handled me this way, I am afraid that I was not able to reach my status in life now. The experience has been a valuable event in my life that whatever life takes me, I will surely look back to the time when I was in that time of my life, trying to grasp the valuable lessons of life.                  

Definition and Examples of Interior Monologues

Definition and Examples of Interior Monologues In both fiction and nonfiction, an interior monologue is the expression of a characters thoughts, feelings, and impressions in a narrative. An interior monologue may be either direct or indirect: direct, in which the author seems not to exist and the interior self of the character is given directly, as though the reader were overhearing an articulation of the stream of thought and feeling flowing through the characters mind;indirect, in which the author serves as selector, presenter, guide, and commentator. (W. Harmon and H. Holman, A Handbook to Literature, 2006) Interior Monologues in Fiction   I looked into the reception room. It was empty of everything but the smell of dust. I threw up another window, unlocked the communicating door and went into the room beyond. Three hard chairs and a swivel chair, flat desk with a glass top, five green filing cases, three of them full of nothing, a calendar and a framed license bond on the wall, a phone, a washbowl in a stained wood cupboard, a hatrack, a carpet that was just something on the floor, and two open windows with net curtains that puckered in and out like the lips of a toothless old man sleeping.The same stuff I had had last year, and the year before that. Not beautiful, not gay, but better than a tent on the beach.(Raymond Chandler, The High Window, 1942)How much better is silence; the coffee cup, the table. How much better to sit by myself like the solitary sea-bird that opens its wings on the stake. Let me sit here for ever with bare things, this coffee cup, this knife, this fork, things in themselves, myself being m yself. Do not come and worry me with your hints that it is time to shut the shop and be gone. I would willingly give all my money that you should not disturb me but let me sit on and on, silent, alone. (Virginia Woolf, The Waves, 1931) Interior Monologue in Tom Wolfe's Nonfiction [I]nterior monologue is appropriate with nonfiction, provided theres fact to back it up. We cant get into a characters head because we suppose, or imagine, or deduce thats what he or she would be thinking. We have to know!See how Tom Wolfe does it in his book about the space program, The Right Stuff. At the outset he explained that his style was developed to grab the readers attention, to absorb them. . . . He wanted to get into the heads of his characters, even if this was nonfiction. And so, at an astronauts press conference, he quotes a reporters question on who was confident about coming back from space. He describe the astronauts looking at one another and hoisting their hands in the air. Then, hes into their heads: It really made you feel like an idiot, raising your hand this way. If you didnt think you were coming back, then you would really have to be a fool or a nut to have volunteered at all. . . . He goes on for a full page, and in writing this way Wolfe has transcended usual nonfiction style; hes offered characterization and motivation, two fiction writing techniques that can bring the reader in lockstep with the writer. Interior monologue provides a chance to see inside the heads of characters, and we know that the more familiar a reader is with a character, the more the reader embraces that character. (William Noble, Writing Nonfiction- Using Fiction. The Portable Writers Conference, 2nd ed., ed. by Stephen Blake Mettee. Quill Driver, 2007) Stylistic Characteristics of Interior Monologue Sentence fragments may be treated as interior monologue (direct speech) or regarded as part of an adjoining stretch of free  indirect speech.Interior monologue may also contain traces of non-verbal thought. While more formal interior monologue uses the first-person pronoun and finite verbs in the present tense, He [Stephen] lifted his feet up from the suck [of the sand] and turned back by the mole of boulders. Take all, keep all. My soul walks with me, form of forms. [. . .] The flood is following me. I can watch it flow past from here. (Ulysses iii; Joyce 1993: 37; my emphasis) In Ulysses James Joyce conducts more radical experiments with the form of the interior monologue, especially in his representation of the thoughts of Leopold Bloom and his wife, Molly. He eschews full sentences with finite verbs in favour of incomplete, often verbless syntagms which simulate Blooms mental leaps as he associates ideas: Hymes jotting down something in his notebook. Ah, the names. But he knows them all. No: coming to me. - I am just taking the names, Hynes said below his breath. What is your christian name? Im not sure. In this example, Blooms impressions and speculations are confirmed by Hynes remarks. (Monika Fludernik, An Introduction to Narratology. Routledge, 2009) Stream of Consciousness and Interior Monologue Although stream of consciousness and interior monologue are often used interchangeably, the former is the more general term. Interior monologue, strictly defined, is a type of stream of consciousness. As such, it presents a characters thoughts, emotions, and fleeting sensations to the reader. Unlike stream of consciousness more generally, however, the ebb and flow of the psyche revealed by interior monologue typically exists at a pre- or sublinguistic level, where images and the connotations they evoke supplant the literal denotative meanings of words. (Ross Murfin and Supryia M. Ray, The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms, 2nd ed. Bedford/St. Martins, 2003)

Reggae History essays

Reggae History essays History of Reggae and Caribbean Music. To this day there are many mixed disputes about the origin of the word reggae. To Jamaican music fans of the late sixties and early seventies the term came from a song entitled Do the Reggay from legendary band Toots and Maytals. Some think that it comes from the word streggae, a Jamaican slang term for prostitute. The most reputable explanation was by Bob Marley himself which was that the word came from Spanish origin which roughly translated to the kings music. (Timothy White, 16) Reggae music originated from the style of Calypso. For years during and after the 1920s, Calypso was the dominant music throughout the Caribbean. Calypso originated from the celebration of carnival in the Caribbean province of Trinidad. (White, 18) The celebration of carnival gave the Trinidadians an outlet for their music. Carnival is a celebration that emanates from a smorgasbord of European and African cultural expressions. The word CARNIVAL comes from a Roman word which translates into farewell to the flesh. Carnival is celebrated throughout different areas of Brazil and Trinidad prior to Ash Wednesday. (Mascots2000.com) It was during the 18th century that carnival celebrations were brought to Trinidad. During this time period the Spanish were the governors of Trinidad and they invited the French to live in their lands. With the French settlers came their cultural identity and traditions. As business flourished from the French settlers so did mass celebrations originating from French/Creole culture. With these celebratory balls came masks, music and dancing. Soon after, Trinidad was taken over by Britain. This change in ownership did not effect the celebrations as they became a tradition of the island. The Britishs African slaves witnessed the celebrations and began to incorporate their own culture and traditions into the celebration with ...

A Study of why Gladiatorial Contests Took Place in Ancient Rome

A Study of why Gladiatorial Contests Took Place in Ancient Rome After the Carthage in 201 BC, the Roman Empire embarked through a dangerous time period where all gladiatorial fights were all the hype. The article â€Å"Murderous Games: Gladiatorial Contests in Ancient Rome† by Keith Hopkins, discusses the fights and how they were used for entertainment purpose; where war was considered â€Å"fun†. And at the time, Roman Empire consisted of 50 to 60 million people, which was one-fifth/one-sixth of the world’s population. The Roman Empire was a warrior state where animals and people were sacrificed. People of all backgrounds were sacrificed for funerals and for entertainment purposes. In this analysis, I will discuss their purpose, the animals involved, and Rome’s present ever since that time period. The purpose behind the gladiatorial fight was for pure entertainment. Rome was a cruel place where people were used for dangerous malpractices. At the time, Gladiatorial fights were acceptable in their eyes, but in today’s society, it is considered unethical. People worshipped the gladiators like they were pop-stars. They were famous and considered the greatest people in Rome; they were considered heroes to public. People also supported the gladiatorial fights due to fear, and if they objected against it, they were soon faced with the same dilemma as the gladiators, death. And when people went to the arena as the audience, and one time there was not enough criminals to be condemned to death, so instead they killed a crowd of people to the wild animals. The emperor was the one person that made the decisions. He made that decision because, sometimes, things did not go the way he would have liked them to. In many occasions, the audience would object and ask for favors, such as lowering their taxes, food, or an execution of a different person. But sometimes the people who were shouting were going to the consequences. During this time period, the emperor made the decisions and the people’s lives where in the hands of the emperor. Animals were also involved in this cruel activity that was a sport. A large amount of animals were used as entertainment and later put to die. Some of the many animals involved included elephants, ostriches, lions, and much more. Criminals, animals, and slaves, and other people were put inside the arenas to fight, and many of them did not survive; no one actually comes out alive. On a day there were 3,000 people who fought (included men and woman) and 5,000 animals that were killed in the arena. That shows how big the arena was, which also included more room for 50,000 people to watch. One of the biggest shows was the show made by the Emperor Trajan to celebrate his defeat against Dacia. The fight lasted throughout 123 days; with 9,138 gladiators fighting and 11,000 animals killed. The emperor then later started to introduce more animals; animals like crocodiles, rhinoceros, giraffes, and tigers. At one point, the amount of hippopotamuses started to decrease more and more until one was brought from Europe through a steamship from London. Wild animals seemed to have been decreasing over that time period due to the tremendous amount of fights. Rome has changed ever since those time periods, making it an important part of history. People of all backgrounds were killed- who were criminals, slaves, Christians, and even people from the crowds- and for the emperor’s entertainment. Rome was a cruel society where cruelty was a way of life. People died for the public’s selfish needs of entertainment. There were no laws against those actions that brought brutality into the lives of the Romans. Many people looked up to the people that did not show them the true meaning of being hero, and instead they looked up to gladiators who harmed others where many of them were innocent.

ECONIMIC CONCEPTS-GLOBAL CUSTOMERS Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ECONIMIC CONCEPTS-GLOBAL CUSTOMERS - Coursework Example This means that by resorting to produce a chicken, Michelle would forego the value of producing 4 pounds of potato. Answer 3 The opportunity cost of James of potato producing is (=40/80), i.e. ? chicken per pound of potato. Thus by producing 1 pound of potato, James would forgo the value of producing ? number of chicken per year. Answer 4 The opportunity cost of chickens production for James is (=80/40), i.e. 2 pounds of potato per chicken. This means that James would forgo the value of producing 2 pounds of potato for choosing to produce 1 chicken. Answer 5 The absolute advantage of the activities of producing potatoes and chickens by Michelle and James could be determined by comparing their production of chickens and potatoes per unit time, i.e. 1 year. This could be determined from the table given below. Â   Potatoes (pounds) Chickens (nos.) Michelle 200 50 James 80 40 It could be observed that Michelle could produce 4 pounds of potato per chicken in one year while James could pr oduce 2 pounds of potato per chicken in the same time period. For producing both potatoes and chickens, Michelle has an absolute benefit compared to James in the volume of potatoes and the number of chicken produced by them in one year. Answer 6 The comparative advantage would be attained if the opportunity cost is lower as compared to that of the others. ... This means that James have attained comparative advantage over Michelle as he has sacrificed lesser value as compared to Michelle for producing chickens. Answer 8 Assuming Michelle specializes in producing potatoes and James specializes in producing chickens, a trading rate of 2.5 pounds of potatoes in exchange of 1 unit of chicken would help to determine whether it’s better off for them. This trading rate is better than the opportunity cost of 1 chicken for 4 pounds of potato produced by Michelle. Thus Michelle would be better off in trading with his specialization. Also, the trading rate is better than 2 pounds of potato for 1 chicken produced by James. Thus James would also be better off in this situation. Answer 9 The above findings could be narrated to the business, society and the nations, at large to effect use of trade theory that explain the difference between absolute advantage and the comparative advantage. It has been observed that although James does not hold abso lute advantage in production of either potatoes or chickens, he has still been able to attain a better off position in trading of chickens. This is because James has focused on his specialized area where he holds a comparative advantage over Michelle. The same is applicable to the business, society and the nations. The business, society and the nations which lag in their production volumes per unit time as compared to others may not hold absolute advantage over others. The benefits of trade, however, do not depend on the absolute advantage but depends on the comparative advantage (Maneschi, 1998). By specializing on trade in which entities have comparative

Are two sets of GAAP really needed for Colleges and Universities Research Paper

Are two sets of GAAP really needed for Colleges and Universities - Research Paper Example This resulted in difference in accounting procedures and financial reporting models adopted by the private institutions as compared to the public institutions which followed fund-based reporting. Later with the introduction of GASB in 1984, public institutions abandoned fund-based reporting to adopt the GASB guidance to conform to federal government directive. This has led to difference in the comparability of the financial statements where to institutions uses different rules and procedures in financial reporting (Hoyle, et al 831). The user of independent university and colleges are mainly rating agencies, donors, students, parents and federal agencies. The FASB provides for recognition of contribution, pledges, impairments and investments. These disclosures are important to the stakeholders in making decisions. On the other hand GASB does not allow for of contributed services, trusts, capitalization of software and pledges, are not necessary since the stake holders are interested in such disclosures. Therefore, the two set of GAAPs does not allow comparability between the public university and independent institutions (Ruppel 563). As delineated above both the FASB and GASB occasion disparity in display, disclosure, measurement and recognition thus challenging the comparability of financial statement. This occasions difficulties in ascertaining the transparency in financial reporting between the two similar institutions. Although both public and private universities and colleges objectives are similar, they differ on interested stakeholders who may require different disclosures to be made in the financial statements. Therefore, the financial statement and the disclosures should be tailor made to meet the need of the stakeholders. In conclusion, if the two boards could harmonize the measurements, display, disclosure and recognition of the financial reporting model and

Tenn-Tech Plc Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Tenn-Tech Plc - Case Study Example The situation demands a prompt and a proactive action from the top management. Hence it is vital to bring in a new management accounting approach that is more in consonance with the prevalent developments and circumstances. Resorting to throughput accounting seems to be just the right approach for Tenn-Tech Plc in the existing scenario. However, this is easier said then done. This calls for a total paradigm shift on the part of the key players and the stakeholders at Tenn-Tech Plc. It is imperative for the top echelons of power at Tenn-Tech Plc to be cognizant of the marked shift in their perception that an adherence to a new management accounting system will call for. Throughput accounting will not be merely an another management accounting system, but will be in fact an entire new way in which the organization under consideration will be required to perceive itself and its role in the global market scenario ("Throughput Accounting" 67). The basic fault with the activity-based costing system that till now was being resorted to by Tenn-Tech Plc is that it believes that the efficiencies yielded by the changes wrought in the localized factors within the company, be it the marketing department, manufacturing or any other section, will automatically lead to enhanced over all efficiencies (Corbett 38). That is why the directors and the top management are wasting their strength, time and efforts in criticizing and finding faults with the individual local sections wi thin the company. While the Financial Director seems to be at loggerheads with the Marketing Director, the Chief Executive Boris Barker has already given way to a serious labour problem with the aid of the Management Accountant Huggenkis, both of them being guided by their obsession for covering the unreasonable overheads. No doubt such moves appear to be narrowly reactionary in their approach, rather then being all inclusive and visionary. The basic fault with the management accounting system at Tenn-Tech Plc is that it is based on the fundamental premise that for an organizational chain to be really strong, it is a must that all the links in it be really sturdy and tough (Corbett 41). This definitely sounds good, but is surely not true in a real life scenario.Throughput accounting is an alternative approach to management accounting that holds that the eventual strength of an organizational chain is determined by the strength of the weakest link in that chain (Corbett 41). This app roach towards management accounting is based on the theory of constraints proposed by E.M. Goldratt in his novel The Goal. This approach will conclusively address the dilemma being faced by Tenn-Tech Plc, which is how to design a more efficient management accounting system. According to throughput accounting, the notion of allocating costs to products, which was till now being adhered to by Tenn-Tech Plc is inherently faulty and invariably leads to wrong decisions. As interpreted and suggested by the theory of constraints, Tenn-Tech needs to be viewed as a system that consists of several individual and interdependent elements. Thus the primary task before Tenn-Tech is to be conversant with the constraints existing within this system. According

Electronic Customer Relationship Management Essay

Electronic Customer Relationship Management - Essay Example For businesses that have online presence, e-CRM systems provide the necessary relationship management with customers. This is a critical area because there is minimal human intervention from the company's employees when a customer logs on to the website. Hence, the impression and/ or the services that the customer gets exposed to from the website might be a decisive factor towards his/ her decision to continue business with that particular company. This paper presents an analysis of a business entity in form of an audit of its efforts to promote and use e-CRM systems. E-CRM theory is discussed and recommendations are provided to the business to improve the state of affairs. The target company for this audit is HSBC Bank Australia Limited. HSBC is a commercial bank based in London but has a huge network of branches around the globe. It is listed on the London, New York, Paris, Hong Kong and Bermuda stock exchanges and operates in a truly global fashion (HSBC, 2007). In Australia, HSBC has 35 branches and offices and provides a wide range of personal and commercial financial services in addition to other services like trade finance, investment advisory, treasury and other traditional banking operations. As a customer browsing a financial institution's websites, the ideal e-experience should not be distinguishable from the experience the user would have when he or she visits the bank physically. In a nut shell, this means that the contents of the web site should be such that no human intervention is required by the user to locate the desired information. One of the biggest advantage and disadvantage of a business website is the quantity of information that is provided on it for users (Feinberg and Kadam, 2002, p.435). This is because of the fact that the customer may not be able to identify and access the required information from a big pool of data provided on the website. Though, every piece of information might be there, yet it may take hours to find the one that is required. Hence, the website must be divided into areas with relevant information being clubbed into each area for clarity and ease of use. In addition, it should have a search facility to locate the desired information without having to navigate through the entire website for it. There are many ways that business may use to contact potential e-customers. In addition to the traditional telephone and cellular phone numbers, the business website should be able to store customers' email address, his or her website URL (if available) and other details. The electronic Customer Relationship Management e-CRM system must be equipped with appropriate records about users and customers and should use alternate channels to contact the customer. Similarly, alternate channels should be provided to the customers to contact the business. These might include email address, telephone, fax number, live chat and others. Ideally though, email addresses are easiest to use if there is no live chat feature available on the website. In addition, ideally the business website should remember the customer. This can be done by saving cookies on customers' computers that can be used during customers' next visit to the website, to track the information that they viewed during their last visit. The relationship with business

What was the most important cause of European imperial expansion in Essay

What was the most important cause of European imperial expansion in the 19th century- was it economics,culture, or politics pick one and write about - Essay Example It was created at an opportune time for British imperialists. The world was opening up, explorers were gaining ground, and the British crown was claiming more and more land. Not only did this new territory have to be mapped and surveyed and its inhabitants interviewed and learned about, but the new borders to be imposed would have to help Britain maintain and defend this new territory. An organization that could do all of this would be an organization that would and could become increasingly powerful. While some of the work done by the RGS was in good faith and showed a high level of accuracy and ability, much of it was politically influenced and done at the service of political and business interests that were more concerned with profit than geography. Indeed, when a person looks at a map of the globe today and the borders of countries in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, one often wonders, â€Å"Why a border there? There is no physical or ethnic reason for it to exist there . . . † Many of these borders actually fly in the face of any practical consideration and were created solely for the benefit of others. As such they continue to this day to create conflict and strife around the world. The RGS contributed to the British imperial ethos of the day. By the mid-19th century lots of places in the world, considered for many years as terra incognito were opening up for the first time. Explorers such as Stanley and Livingstone were for the first time making inroads into the interior of Africa. British citizens were present in India and had substantial roles in the various courts there. Britain had significant interests in the Middle East. Britain’s economy, more than ever before was linked to the world’s. Britain relied on its colonies and the new lands being discovered for a great deal of its wealth—and as such it wanted to keep control not only of these

Tenn-Tech Plc Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Tenn-Tech Plc - Case Study Example The situation demands a prompt and a proactive action from the top management. Hence it is vital to bring in a new management accounting approach that is more in consonance with the prevalent developments and circumstances. Resorting to throughput accounting seems to be just the right approach for Tenn-Tech Plc in the existing scenario. However, this is easier said then done. This calls for a total paradigm shift on the part of the key players and the stakeholders at Tenn-Tech Plc. It is imperative for the top echelons of power at Tenn-Tech Plc to be cognizant of the marked shift in their perception that an adherence to a new management accounting system will call for. Throughput accounting will not be merely an another management accounting system, but will be in fact an entire new way in which the organization under consideration will be required to perceive itself and its role in the global market scenario ("Throughput Accounting" 67). The basic fault with the activity-based costing system that till now was being resorted to by Tenn-Tech Plc is that it believes that the efficiencies yielded by the changes wrought in the localized factors within the company, be it the marketing department, manufacturing or any other section, will automatically lead to enhanced over all efficiencies (Corbett 38). That is why the directors and the top management are wasting their strength, time and efforts in criticizing and finding faults with the individual local sections wi thin the company. While the Financial Director seems to be at loggerheads with the Marketing Director, the Chief Executive Boris Barker has already given way to a serious labour problem with the aid of the Management Accountant Huggenkis, both of them being guided by their obsession for covering the unreasonable overheads. No doubt such moves appear to be narrowly reactionary in their approach, rather then being all inclusive and visionary. The basic fault with the management accounting system at Tenn-Tech Plc is that it is based on the fundamental premise that for an organizational chain to be really strong, it is a must that all the links in it be really sturdy and tough (Corbett 41). This definitely sounds good, but is surely not true in a real life scenario.Throughput accounting is an alternative approach to management accounting that holds that the eventual strength of an organizational chain is determined by the strength of the weakest link in that chain (Corbett 41). This app roach towards management accounting is based on the theory of constraints proposed by E.M. Goldratt in his novel The Goal. This approach will conclusively address the dilemma being faced by Tenn-Tech Plc, which is how to design a more efficient management accounting system. According to throughput accounting, the notion of allocating costs to products, which was till now being adhered to by Tenn-Tech Plc is inherently faulty and invariably leads to wrong decisions. As interpreted and suggested by the theory of constraints, Tenn-Tech needs to be viewed as a system that consists of several individual and interdependent elements. Thus the primary task before Tenn-Tech is to be conversant with the constraints existing within this system. According

What was the most important cause of European imperial expansion in Essay

What was the most important cause of European imperial expansion in the 19th century- was it economics,culture, or politics pick one and write about - Essay Example It was created at an opportune time for British imperialists. The world was opening up, explorers were gaining ground, and the British crown was claiming more and more land. Not only did this new territory have to be mapped and surveyed and its inhabitants interviewed and learned about, but the new borders to be imposed would have to help Britain maintain and defend this new territory. An organization that could do all of this would be an organization that would and could become increasingly powerful. While some of the work done by the RGS was in good faith and showed a high level of accuracy and ability, much of it was politically influenced and done at the service of political and business interests that were more concerned with profit than geography. Indeed, when a person looks at a map of the globe today and the borders of countries in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, one often wonders, â€Å"Why a border there? There is no physical or ethnic reason for it to exist there . . . † Many of these borders actually fly in the face of any practical consideration and were created solely for the benefit of others. As such they continue to this day to create conflict and strife around the world. The RGS contributed to the British imperial ethos of the day. By the mid-19th century lots of places in the world, considered for many years as terra incognito were opening up for the first time. Explorers such as Stanley and Livingstone were for the first time making inroads into the interior of Africa. British citizens were present in India and had substantial roles in the various courts there. Britain had significant interests in the Middle East. Britain’s economy, more than ever before was linked to the world’s. Britain relied on its colonies and the new lands being discovered for a great deal of its wealth—and as such it wanted to keep control not only of these

Sociological Analysis of the Crucible Essay Example for Free

Sociological Analysis of the Crucible Essay Sometimes, the person who should be the one wielding the power has none at all. In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, he recounts the events of the Salem Witch Trials. As he tells the events that occurred, he clearly paints out who held the power and who should have been in power during the trials. In Miller’s play, the person who holds the most power in Salem during the Witch Trials is Abigail Williams. Despite being a child and an orphan, for her parents had died and she was sent to live her uncle Mr. Parris, she was able to gain unlimited power during this short span of time. When Mr. Parris caught her and other local girls out dancing at night, she threatened the others, â€Å"Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, or I will come to you in the black of some terrible night†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (20), and they listened to her. None of the girls would speak against Abigail, and when Mary Warren did, the other girls did not join Mary; they protected Abigail and listened to her every word. As the play goes on, Abigail gains more and more power, accusing people in the town as witches. At the end of Act 1, Abigail cries out to Reverend Hale, â€Å"I want the light of God†¦ I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil!†(48). Unfortunately for the accused, they were arrested and were tried by Judge Danforth, and were found to be guilty of witchcraft. Abigail becomes a saint in Salem, saving the villagers from the witches; however, little do they know, Abigail is using her newfound power for her own good. When she accuses Goody Proctor of being a witch, no one questions her; Abigail is helping the town out. But, the reason she accuses Goody Proctor is because Abigail secretly wants to be with John Proctor, Goody Proctor’s husband. When John Proctor defends his wife in court, he confesses to adultery with Abigail, and tells them that is why Abigail accused Goody Proctor in the first place. John Proctor tells Judge Danforth, â€Å"But it is a whore’s vengeance†¦ she thinks to dance with me on my wife’s grave!à ¢â‚¬ (110). Nether less, Abigail has power that John Proctor does not, she can ‘see’ the Devil, and Danforth believes her. Abigail Williams has the power in Salem, though she does not deserve it. Though Abigail has authority in Salem, the one who really deserves the power is John Proctor. Throughout the whole affair, Proctor is the only one who knows what is right and what is wrong. When Mr. Cheever comes to Proctor’s house to collect his wife, Goody Proctor, Proctor tells them, â€Å"Is the accuser always holy now? We are what we always were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are dangling the keys of the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law!†(77). Proctor accurately sums up the situation in Salem, yet no one with any real power believes him, and they all discount him. Later on in the play, Proctor tells Judge Danforth, â€Å"I believe she means to murder,† (104). John Proctor was trying to tell the Judge that Abigail really was a bad person, not the saint she was painted out to be. But, Judge Danforth was under Abigail’s spell, and didn’t listen to John Proctor, even though he was the only person who actually was thinking clearly during this whole situation. John Proctor was the only who kept clear head during the Salem Witch Trials, and if he had held the power, not Abigail, things would have changed drastically. In The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, the events of the Salem Witch Trials are recounted. As the play continues, Miller accurately shows who has the power and who should have had the power. Abigail Williams, despite being an orphan, was hailed as a saint and everyone listened to what she said; however, she was a liar and a whore. John Proctor, who was accused of being a witch and was never listened to, had a clear head and understood what was happening unlike the other villagers. The Salem Witch Trials could have been avoided if the power had been taken out of Abigail’s hand and given to John.

Economic and monetary union

Economic and monetary union Identify and discuss the costs and benefits of joining the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU)? Do the benefits outweigh the costs? Thesis Statement The Economic Monetary Union has been the centre of prolonged debates as to whether a country joining it will either create benefits or drawbacks. During the course of this analytical report, both costs and benefits will be identified and explained in order to judicate the feasibility of joining the EMU and a specific country will be chosen to illustrate this further. Introduction To understand the concept behind the creation of the Economic Monetary Union, the overall objective of the European Union must firstly be understood. Since the end of the World War II, European political forces have been attempting to unite forces in order to escape the extreme forces of nationalism which were seen as unsustainable. Industries were evolving and beginning to compete globally, international trade throughout the globe expanded at an exponential rate and some felt it had to be regulated in order to maximise the gains achievabe. As a result, the European Union was set up in 1993 with X. Its primary principles are of a single market with no barriers to trade in goods and services or to capital and labour movements, competition and social policies, co-ordinated macroeconomic policy and a harmonised fiscal policy. In order to regulate these aspects effectively the EU set up a body named the Economic Monetary Union. This was seen as potentially a contender to the widely trade d and valued US dollar and as the solution to deepening the integration of the European Union. The EMU is characterised by the following policies, policy harmonisation to remove barriers to improve mobility, a common monetary policy which states there is one interest rate and exchange rate policy determined by the Central Bank, fixed exchange rates via the single currency and the pooling of foreign exchange reserves. The evolution of the EMU began in the late 1980s and was characterised by three stages set out by the Delors Report in 1993. The first stage was devoted to ensuring all member states participation in the Exchange Rate Mechanism and improved policy co-ordination and the removal of barriers to capital flows. The second stage consisted of the creation of the European Monetary Institute (EMI) and central banks becoming independent from their national governments (January 1994). Finally the last stage involved fixing the participating currencies and creating the European System of Central Banks which takes over the responsibility for monetary and exchange rate policies and finally the Stability and Growth pact came into force by January of 1999 to ensure member states that do not comply to the EMU principles are fined or sanctioned. During this evolution in 1992 twelve countries signed the Maastricht Treaty, which fundamentally was the root of the introduction of the Euro. During 1992 and 1997 the convergence criteria was set out which stated that in order for a country to join it must have a low and stable inflation, stable exchange rates and stable public finances and by 1999 the countries officially joined the EMU. However as the Euro could not be introduced overnight, there was a transition period in order to allow the member states to adapt to the new currency and after three years, by 2002, the euro was officially the single currency for all European union member states. Initially the transition period was considered a triumph by European Union members, but as individuals (mainly economists) observed the evolution, many critics are still debating whether joining the EMU and endorsing the euro brings success or just adds to the ever amounting issues each member states are already experiencing. This topic will be thoroughly explored throughout the course of this analytical report and a balanced argument will be drawn from the information available as to whether the EMU carries with it primarily, benefits or costs to a member state joining. The Economic Monetary Union is considered to be one of the major steps in integrating a before divided Europe, as people and businesses could begin moving and trading freely as trade barriers were removed, the currency becomes more stable, financial markets are integrated, the cost of exchanging currencies was eliminated, transaction costs reduced and theoretically increased competition between countries which is a driving factor in keeping prices low and productivity high which is both favourable for consumers and businesses. These benefits must be more deeply explored in order to comprehend the extent to which they have aided success or deepened the intricate network in Europe. The success of the EMU has been difficult to quantify as its revolutionary principles have only been recently enforced, however the theoretical benefits are supposed to be more easily identifiable in the long run as more member states join and European integration is extended to particularly the eastern European community. Debra Johnson and Colin Turner state that one of the major benefits, the elimination of transaction costs in intra-EU trade, have only saved 0.5% of the EUs GDP and that SMEs which predominantly serve local markets, will not benefit extensively from this. However as successful SMEs usually have high exports they can expect a favourable return from the introduction of the Euro. The EMU is also responsible for the lowering of interest rates. Various studies suggest that decentralised fiscal policies cause a bias in inflation and public spending (Sibert 1992, Levine 1993, and Levine and Brociner 1994) and therefore are in favour of the co-ordinated fiscal policies in a monetary union. The single European market can bring numerous benefits to a joining country such as the price transparency. It is still considered too early to quantify precisely the degree to which it has helped and many argue that the EMU must speed up the price convergence through enabling consumers to compare prices across member states more easily. This in turn could facilitate a lowering or raising in in labour costs and could change supply patterns resulting in a more stabilised and fair souricng of resources for firms and possibly improve equality throughtout the European union. These benefits are possibly achievable but have not yet been completely achieved as these processes take time and co-operation and some believe these are not present in todays European society as the recession has caused political and financial instability. The EMU has the potential to create extraordinary gains for the member states but these will not be visible or quantifiable in the near future as it is a timely process of evolution, this therefore poses a risk of not only time consumption but also of resources both nationally and individually and along with the few drawbacks of joining the EMU, critics believe the EMU is not the optimum choice for certain countries in Europe. The drawbacks of joining the EMU are considered to not outweigh the benefits by the majority of observers but still must be considered thoroughly before joining a revolutionary body which causes a country to enter a short-term of deflation, the loss of the exchange rate tool which is considered a tool of national economic policy, the potential problems related to a lack of ‘real convergence and potential policy conflicts and finally the inappropriateness of one monetary policy for many states. These will be analysed and explored in order to conclude whether these outweigh the benefits even considering the majority of parties disagree. The main risk of joining the EMU is the differences in trade cycles between countries, this is one of the core reasons as to why the UK is yet to join. European countries have differing economic statuses and languages, which fundamentally are essential in permitting countries to maximise the gains achievable from a single currency. It is therefore argued that more attention needs to be given to how economies can enhance their factor mobility to balance out the differences found in differing countries. Cohesion funds are the possible solution to the problem but today there are still great differences across the member states in terms of economic performance and labour mobility. This raises the legitimate question whether one monetary policy can fit all member states. The globe today is experiencing an economic recession which is highlighted one of the major issues with joiing the Economic Monetary Union as governments from member states are obliged through the stability and growth pact to keep to the Maastricht criteria meaning they cannot regulate or alter fiscal and monetary policies in order to alleviate the problems arising from a receeding economy. Countries would not be able to devalue to boost exports, to borrow more to boost job creation or to decrease taxes because of the public deficit criterion. The most debated issue with joining the economic monetary union is the loss of national sovereignty. This would result in more established and developed states having to co-operate with the less stable and strong economic countries which are more tolerant to higher infation rates. Finally, the last drawback of joining the EMU is the initial cost of introducing the single currency. This issue is mainly debated in the UK as the British Retailing Consortium estimated that British retailers will have to pay between  £1.7 billion and  £3.5 billion in order for the Euro to be introduced. However it is argued that the one off cost does not outweigh the long-term benefits obtainable from the policies and regulation and that if more countries join the EMU these benefits will be amplified even further. Robert Mundell and Abba Lerner(1960s) believed in a currency area. This is a group of countries that maintain their separate currencies but fix the exchange rates between themselves permanently (Nello, 2009:205). The optimal currency region (OCR) is the idealistic view that an entire region sharing a single currency can benefit extensively the efficiency of the member states economies. It states the optimal characteristics needed for a successful economic integration to occur. These are optimal labour mobility across the region, openness with capital mobility and price and wage flexibility across the region and an automatic fiscal transfer mechanism to redistribute money to areas/sectors which have been negatively affected by the first two characteristics. Supportive Evidence The UK has the worlds fourth largest economy and the EUs second largest and is consequently one of the primary targets of speculation as to whether the benefits outweigh the costs of joining the EMU. In 1999, The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown said that although the government supported the principle of a single currency, Britain would not join. This decision was based on various factors that could have caused rifts in the country. In terms of trade it was seens as unfeasible to join because the UK has the lowest level of intra-EU trade and therefore is more vulnerable to fluctuations in external countries. The UK is vulnerable compared to the rest of the EU counties to potential unfavourable interest rates set by the Central Bank because it has one of the highest percentages of home owners potentially leaving British mortgage holders in a state of crisis. Another characteristic that lead the UK to not favour the joining of the EMU is its position as an oil producer and ex porter meaning it is harshly affected by changes in oil prices, however as the quantity of oil diminuishes at an ever expanding rate and the gradual transition to more sustainable energy resources means that this is not as important as it was when the EMU was introduced a decage ago. These issues are feasible arguments to the absence of the UK in joining the EMU however as the countries that have joined the EMU continue to attract foreign direct investments, the UK has been threatened by foreign investors that the Eurozone is becoming a more attractive zone to trade with because of its increased stability. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development released information on the World Investment Report in the form of a bar graph clearly illustrating the downward trend of inward FDI of the UK compared to the general upward trend of the countries with the EMU. As clearly illustrated by figure 1.0, the UK continued to attract FDI from 1992 until 2000, where it increased five-fold from 20 billion in 1992-1997 to almost 120 billion U.S dollars in 2000. However by 2003 this figure drastically fell to below 20 billion, which was less that it was almost ten years before. Whilst France, Netherlands, Spain and Ireland all either increased or stabilised by 2000 and resumed until 2003. This is further evidence that the UK should consider joining the EMU, in order to guarantee long-term success. As more countries join, currently 26 today, the EMU is ever closer to achieving an optimal currency area (Mundell, 1973) creating, idealistically speaking, a perfectly harmonized economy and resulting in countries flourishing. Conclusion In a perfect world, the EMUs potential benefits would be endless but due to unforeseeable fluctuations in economies, labour mobility, and personal matters it is difficult to quantify the benefits and costs of joining the EMU. Especially with the recent economic downturn the risk of joining the EMU has been even more re-considered by certain countries especially the U.K. However these drawbacks are limited and do not outweigh the vast benefits achievable from embracing a single currency and single European market as it would guarantee to a certain extent the long-term success of a country as harmonization and stabilisation will cause consumers to be given better prices and businesses to trade more efficiently creating a, arguably, more competent country. Establishment of the Maastricht Treaty which was signed by twelve countries in 1992, which set out the convergence criteria, ultimat The Maastricht Treaty of 1992 established a single currency, the euro, and on January 1st 2002, the EMU began using the euro.The EMU was created in 1992 It has stringent conditions and objectives which countries have to meet via signing the Maastricht Treaty. With joining the EMU, the euro must be endorsed and therefore the monetary policies become the responsibility of the European Central Bank and national central banks of member states. Essentially they are co-ordinating the monetary and fiscal aspects of the member countries. Sovereignty