Five Forces Analysis on Indian Retail Industry

Porter’s Five Forces Analysis on Indian Retail Industry An analysis of the structure of the industry should be undertaken in order to find effective sources of competitive advantage (Porter, 1985). Therefore, in order to analyse the competitive environment of Tesco, Porter’s five forces analysis has been used by the researcher as follows: Threat of substitute products and services The threat of substitutes in the grocery retail market is considerably low for food items and medium to high for non-food items. In the food retail market, the substitutes of major food retailers are small chains of convenience stores, off licenses and organic shops which are not seen as a threat to supermarkets like Tesco that offer high quality products at considerably lower prices (Financial Times, 2009). Moreover, Tesco is further getting hold of these shops by opening Express stores in local towns and city centres creating a hurdle for these substitutes to enter the market. However, the threat of substitutes for non-food items, for instance clothing, is fairly high. It should be noted that so long as the economic recession prevails, customers will be inclined towards discounted prices hence Tesco is a threat to the speciality shops. Threat of entry of new competitors The threat of entry of new competitors into the food retail industry is low. It requires huge capital investments in order to be competitive and to establish a brand name. Major brands that have already captured the food retail market are Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons and they account for 80% of all shopping in the UK (Mintel, 2010). Therefore, new entrants have to produce something at an exceptionally low price and/or high quality to establish their market value. Gaining planning authorisation from local government takes a considerable amount of time and resources to establish new supermarkets and this is therefore a considerable barrier to new entrants. Intensity of competitive rivalry The intensity of competitive rivalry in the food and grocery retail industry is extremely high. Tesco faces intense competition from its direct competitors, including Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Waitrose, which are ompeting with each other over price, products and promotions intermittently. It should therefore be highlighted that Asda is one of the key competitors in this segment with an increase of market share from 16. 6% to 16. 8% during the fiscal year 2010/ 09, while Sainsbury’s has shown an increase to 16. 1% from 15. 8% and Morrisons to 11. 6% from 11. 3% through the same period (Euromonitor, 2010). The slow market growth essentially means that these increasing market shares from competitors have intensified the market rivalry, which is threatening Tesco’s market leadership position. In rural areas where the nearest superstore can be some distance away, some primary consumers are attracted by retailers like Somerfield and Co-op . Hard discounters like Aldi and Lidl have taken over the market in times of recession. During 2008 they recorded a growth of sales of over 25% (Keynote, 2010). Bargaining power of buyers The bargaining power of buyers is fairly high. In cases where products have a slight differentiation and are more standardized, the switching cost is very low and the buyers can easily switch from one brand to another. It has been proposed that customers are attracted towards the low prices, and with the availability of online retail shopping, the prices of products are easily compared and thus selected. Bargaining power of suppliers The bargaining power of suppliers is fairly low. It should be noted that the suppliers are inclined towards major food and grocery retailers and dread losing their business contracts with large supermarkets. Hence, the position of the retailers like Tesco, Asda, and Sainsbury’s is further strengthened and negotiations are positive in order to get the lowest possible price from the suppliers.

Drug Prevention Program

Business Concept Proposal| Drug Prevention Program For| Executive summary This report is a business concept proposal that will help us develop a business plan for our organization which is NBK and that eventually will benefit them. The CSR project that we have chosen is a â€Å"Drug Prevention Program† that will benefit both NBK and society.In this proposal we first gave a small introduction about the company and what other CSRs the company is doing and then we included our aim and purpose of this project which is to increase the awareness level about this problem and provide some possible solutions and also to break all the cultural and society barriers about this specific issue. Then we went on our 4 SMART objectives which are what exactly we are aiming to achieve by the end of the project.In order for us to analysis the market for our proposal we did a Macro and Micro analysis that will help us determine what is our strength and weakness points and what could be the opportu nities and threats that we are facing. Another important part of this proposal is the financial projections. We did an estimated budget including profit and loss account and cash flow. After that we mentioned the requirements considered to ensure our project can be implemented like the logistical and operational requirements and how this may impact on the success of our project.In the viability part we showed our costs and benefit to the organization and its return on investment. Last but not least we talked about the competitive and economic viability on how the different activities that we do will mark us as a strong competitor in the business and on an economic perspective this project is going to benefit the economy as it will provide new jobs for Kuwaiti people and even give them the opportunity to work at NBK. Introduction National Bank of Kuwait is holding an event called â€Å"Drugs Prevention program†. This program is nonprofit event.This event is setup to spread awa reness and take an actual action to people on drugs; or people that doesn’t know about drugs. Many people don’t release how it’s dangerous, serious issue and can cause death. Drug prevention program is will be arrange to give advices and nonprofit rehabs that can be beneficial for drug addicts. Those rehabs will be very helpful to the addicts we as the drug prevention program organizers will provides brochures with full details and contact information. Why we chose NBK? NBK is the oldest bank in Kuwait and it has a very good reputation.Also it has been through a lot of CSR events in various sectors. The campaigns NBK did are Support of National Labor is our first priority, environmental initiative, health care initiative, sport initiative and contributions, education initiative, social care and philanthropic initiative, and conferences and seminars. The activities lies under the support of National Labor are NBK Academy, which intensive training for fresh gradua te that joined the bank and High flier’s leadership program; this program is to develop future leaders.As for environmental initiatives activities are hand-in-hand to preserve our beaches, this campaign launch to clean the beaches of Kuwait and Put your energy into saving energy NBK commenced its energy saving awareness campaign: ‘Put your energy into saving energy’, with staff and summer interns from NBK giving away more than 10,000 long life energy-saving light bulbs at the Avenues Mall. Health care initiative campaigns are breast cancer awareness give discounts for female employees to have a checkups and lectures and seminars for awareness and blood donation; many NBK employees donated blood for the blood hospital in Kuwait.Sport initiative and contribution NBK organized walkathon to encourage people to have a better health and lifestyle. Whereas for education initiative; NBK has hosted high schools and universities to learn day to day operations. Social and p hilanthropic initiative events done by NBK are Do Good Deeds in Ramdan this campaign offer free ftr banquets and Somalia famine relief campaign was launched to donate money. The last but not least the conferences and seminars which were set to increase awareness about currents issue in the society.One of the seminars was on the Global Financial Crisis and its Impact on the Region; which discussed the international outlook. Aim of the project The aim of this project â€Å"Drug Prevention Program† is to benefit the society and this fits in with NBK's mission statement, which is to serve the national needs as a priority. This program will be good for the society as it will increase the awareness level by defining the problem, which is drug usage and then it introduces society to the ways they or the people they know can prevent it and help them find possible solutions and lead them to the right places where they can find treatments.After we make sure people have enough knowledge to prevent this problem, we can expect drug usage to decrease, because they have been introduced to this problem and know all the negatives effects drugs have on the human body. There are a lot of controversial issues in our society and drugs is one of them, so it is very important to bring this topic up to the public and let them know that there is no shame for a drug abuser to admit that they have a problem and that they need to seek therapy.There are also a lot of cultural and traditional barriers that could affect the processing of this program, so our goal is to breach and break all these barriers and expose a problem that is considered as a â€Å"Taboo† topic. It is essential to make a step now, because as we all see, it is a growing issue and the accessibility for drugs is really easy nowadays, that is why our society needs to open up their minds to these kind of problems or else it will affect our future generations. Key ObjectivesSetting objectives is really importa nt for any organization or a project because it will let us know what we are trying to achieve and it will increase our chances of success. Our objectives will deliver major benefits to this program and the most important one that it will define the purpose of this project. We set for our project 4 different objectives for our program (Operational, Marketing, Financial and CSR) and they are all SMART objectives. * Operational Objective: Conduct a seminar every two week in a different location each time while having diverse guest speakers in each location. Marketing Objective: To increase awareness and publicity of the program through sponsored events and media notifications by 20% within the next 3 months. * Financial Objective: To increase customer base of the firm by 7% by the end of the program as a result of the program's positive effect on society. * CSR Objective: Increase community welfare by decreasing level of society's drug administration 15% by the end of program. Having these objectives is like a powerful tool that will help us succeed and it will keep our team motivated and seeks more accomplishments. Feasibility Analysis MacroBefore venturing into a new project, it is important to assess the external environment of a business and what possible impacts can affect the project. The threats and opportunities are external factors that guide a project towards taking certain decisions over others. Social factors: Kuwait, as compared to the rest of the world, receives a generally higher average income. This shows that the majority of the population in Kuwait is on the higher side of the income range. Within the lifestyle changes are the increasing popularity of social media and its different usages within societies.It is a powerful tool to reach as many people within society as possible. Social trends in Kuwait can affect the way people look at the Drug Prevention Program (DPP). Since drug abuse is a taboo topic, tackling it publicly would face some kind of hesitance by the public. Ensuring that local positive public figures as a part of our program would change the attitudes of people in Kuwait. It would garner more publicity and receive more entrants within the program. Technological factors: The increasing usage of technology in these times means more coverage for the DPP.People surfing the net, using social media and/or browsing through the various forms of technologies can find (or be exposed to) items and events that are happening around them and more information about each finding. In order to reach a bigger range of people, the program needs to be technologically updated in terms of websites, social media and pop-up ads if necessary. Technology must also be used to enhance the quality of whatever is being presented and also to improve the organization and efficiency of what is being accomplished.There is no firm, program or organization deemed to be successful without the usage of thorough technology. The marketplace for wh atever that needs to be launched today needs strict technological requirements that need to be met so that it can connect to a wider audience. Environmental factors: There are many factors that influence industries and the industries affected by environmental factors (weather and climate changes) include tourism, agriculture and economic industries. However, there should not be much stress on what environmental aspects can affect the DPP because its nature is not affected by climate changes.As long as there will not be any significant hazard, the environmental factors can be considered as off the radar for this type of DPP. Economic factors: An economy affects the way a society behave and it obviously alternate their decisions depending upon how high or low it is. If the local economy has resulted in higher interest rates, this will mean that firms will be less likely to invest in what might seem like an unpredictable gamble. This DPP needs sponsorship and is based on fund-raiser ev ents to continue the progress of the program, and not much participation will happen if the economic times are low.Another factor of economy is the strength of the currency. Kuwait has a very strong currency and its affects import/export activities, but that will not be an issue because the program does not need much of these activities. If inflation occurs, staff will need higher salaries and this will affect the planned budget. The salaries need to be raised so that the staff can be satisfied when being compared to other raised salaries within the fields and industries. Political factors: When political factors are mentioned, one automatically thinks of the laws and regulations that restrict an action or a project from fully taking shape.Since drug abuse is a taboo topic, there are bound to be limits to what can be done through the project. The law in Kuwait prohibits the live showcase of drugs and substances that can be abused. This can somewhat hinder our performance because it will limit what the group can show a live audience to enlighten them on what needs to be stayed away from. If guest speakers in the form of previous users need to be brought in to enlighten the participants, there will be restrictions due to the law not allowing prisoners to exit their cells and talk about experiences only once their period is over.This means that only ex-abusers who have finished their trials and prison time can enlighten the participants, the newly caught addicts will not be able to. It must be noted that the DPP will not focus much on current abusers who were caught abusing rather than those who willingly wanted to quit drug and substance abuse. Before continuing further with this project, legal framework needs to be conducted so that the project is validated and under the microscopic view of the government ensuring that no illegal limits are surpassed. Legal factors:Laws banning against age and race discrimination will not affect the DPP heavily as the participa tion has no kind of restriction whatsoever. A participant does not even have to be an abuser, or even in contact with one. Since the jobs offered to the staff will not be permanent, there will not be a minimum wage assigned to what the individual salary amount is. There is a law in Kuwait that states: any Kuwaiti national working in the private sector will receive a fixed amount each month as an addition to what a firm is handing over as a salary.This law will not be applied to the DPP because the vacant jobs offered are not permanent positions; it is only in the duration of the events that the assigned staff will be a part of the program. Permission needs to be granted from the governmental censors to give the program the green light to go ahead with the project. After permission has been granted, the banquet hall owners need to be aware of the purpose and activities of the DPP. Macro SWOT Analysis Strengths: * Controversial * Good Cause * Society’s Benefit Weaknesses: * No monetary ROI Costly * Taboo Opportunities: * Program Expansion * Rehab Formation * Brand Image Threats: * Public Decline * Influential Competition * Insufficient funding to continue This drug prevention program has strengths and weakness. The strengths are it controversial many people might disagree to expose the idea or issue; which is currently available and increasing radically. The good cause is that it spreading awareness and leading drug addicts to the right direction. This will benefit the society by having a better living and health.The weakness are that there aren’t monetary ROI; zero profit and it cost a lot there will be a loss in return because this campaign is setup to have better youth to have better society. Its taboo because people in the Arab region see it as shame and don’t attempt that it exists. There are many opportunities for the program; which are to expand the program and format a rehab and boost brand image. The threats are the public decline w hich is the society not accepting the idea. Influential competition is another threat which other companies or banks can launch a campaign similar to ours.The last threat is the insufficient funding; not having enough money or if NBK stops funding us. NBK's CSR programs are successful due to the reason that it encompasses as many fields as it can possibly be a positive addition to. The strengths are the variety of areas that NBK is participating in to achieve and maintain an improved society. It has a diverse selection of activities: social, educational, philanthropic, sports-related and more. NBK has built a positive reputation for itself as a pioneer in merging its daily activities along with CSR activities for the improvement of society.Currently, a weakness is that NBK is not a part of any project or program that supports the fight against drug and substance abuse. The DPP is the right step and opportunity to turn this weakness into strength. Another weakness for the CSR of NBK is that it does not necessarily include the entire society. Without this program, people into drug and substance abuse are sidelined and not given any help or guidance. The opportunities resulting from external factors are that NBK can further push its CSR boundaries and continue in pursuing other untapped fields that need to be brought to the general public's eye.NBK releases a CSR annual report that showcases their social responsibilities towards society. It lists what NBK has done the previous year in terms of initiatives and activities. This shows how the private sectors in Kuwait are competing to be the best CSR champions with the most good done to society. This benefits the society more than it benefits the firms competing to help and improve. An opportunity in the form of program continual rises due to the strong need for initiatives upping society's standards. The next phase of the project can be adopted by NBK's rival if the program proves to be a success.Drug and substance abuse is a taboo topic in Kuwait even today. Not wholeheartedly knowing what the general public's reaction is means that a threat is opposing the DPP. There are bound to be people who do not want to associate themselves with taboo topics such as drugs which mean that there will be some kind of a decline from a section of the public. It is vital to assess how the threats and weaknesses fare against the strengths and opportunities of this program. Financial Projections Cash flow| |   | Year 1| Year 2| Year 3| | | | | |   | Net profit| | | 105,050 | 105,050 | 105,050 |Depreciation| | | 105,050 | 105,050 | 105,050 | Office Rent| | | 2,100 | 2,100 | 2,100 | Media costs| | | 93,500 | 93,500 | 93,500 | Staff| | | 11,000 | 11,000 | 11,000 | Transportation| | | 200 | 200 | 200 | Cash profits| | | 0 | 0 | 0 | Increase in CA| | | n/a| n/a| n/a| Net cash from operating activities| | | 0 | 0 | 0 | Renovations| | | 0 | 0 | 0 | change in FA| | | (850,000)|   |   | Net cash after investing activities| | | (850,000)| 0 | 0 | Capital induction| | | 105,050 | 0 | 0 | change in advance rentals| | | 6,300 | (417,600)| (104,400)| Net increase in cash| | | (738,650)| (417,600)| (104,400)| | | | | |   |Opening cash balance| | | 0 | (738,650)| (1,156,250)| Closing cash balance| | | (738,650)| (1,156,250)| (1,260,650)| | | | | | | | | | (745,350)| (1,281,750)| (1,831,890)| | | | | | | Net Profit| |   | 26,933 | 479,733 | 493,473 | Inv Capital|   | | 0| 0| 0| ROI|   | | #DIV/0! | #DIV/0! | #DIV/0! | | | | | | | Net cashflow from operations| | | 26,933 | 479,733 | 493,473 |   | | | | | | | | | | | | Requirements In order for the project to be implemented, there are a few requirements that need to be taken in to consideration. To further promote this program, it has been decided that seminars will be held at different schools and universities.To proceed with this we will need knowledgeable staff or speakers, and/or former addicts to speak at these seminars. Another requ irement would be setting up booths and banners in Avenues, Marina Mall, and 360. Also for spreading the word about this program in less expensive way we will be designing different brochures and handing them out at the seminars and booths. Some of the other activities that will be done are fundraisers and getting different sponsorship’s to boost the program. For this to be done operationally speaking we will need sufficient staff to arry out the tasks and/or guest speakers, money for printing and equipment, vehicles, and having meetings and presentations. The staff will need to be able to design the brochures and banners, set up booths, and be knowledgeable about the program to deliver the message in meetings and presentations. Like most projects money is a key factor to get the job done. We will need money for gas, staff, printing, and other equipment. Technically the program is going to require computers for emailing and organizing with school officials and NBK members also to stay financially organized with sufficient data.For this program to run smoothly we must also focus on logistics. Organization and planning are a must for determining which schools or universities and which dates are the most appropriate and effective. As mentioned earlier the three malls were chosen for the banners and booths, because they are the most popular and seem to be the most effective for reaching the target audience. Some good locations for the seminars could be reception halls and popular locations that can be rented, for the presentations and meetings on the other the NBK meeting room seems to be most suitable for our program.Viability In terms of Return on Investment Viability, our project will not be gaining any monetary returns directly since it is a non-profit program. For the ROI formula we will calculate zero (no profit) divided by 105,050 (for one year) which will be equal to zero percent financial gain. The total investment required is 315,150 for the three years of the program. Our ROI for the first year will be zero. Competitive Viability Like any project, the Drug program will need to be viable and sustainable with regards to competition.This means that our program can survive long-term and eventually gain profit while competing with similar programs in Kuwait. In Kuwait however, there is already some competition. One major competitor is the National Anti-Drug Committee. This committee was founded in 1989, and their main goals are similar to our program’s goals, which are to focus on the youth and the protection of the health of society. Also similar to our goals is the fact that they are trying to introduce some awareness amongst the education fields. Although there is some competition already in the market, we believe that program can become more competitive nce introduced, because we will be working with NBK which is a very popular bank, especially among the youth. The National Anti-Drug Committee is not well known in Kuwa it, yet has been around for many years. Although this is true about the National Anti-Drug Committee, our program will still have a competitive advantage working with NBK. Also we are going to be introducing many guest speakers at different seminars through different schools. We will be bringing people who have abused drugs and overcame these issues, which will have a great impact on people in a society like Kuwait.Another thing that our program is going to offer is setting up different fundraisers throughout Kuwait to raise awareness about the serious nature of drug abuse. These different activities that our project will be conducting will give our company and program a more competitive edge in the market. Economic Viability In order for our drug program to be viable economically, it will need to create different job opportunities and possibly attract people to work at NBK. This program is an extremely controversial activity in a society like Kuwait where the issue of drugs and dru g abuse is a taboo subject.By confronting the matter and showing people how serious and spread out this problem is in Kuwait already, we can show people that NBK cares about this and is not afraid to be associated with fighting it. The project for NBK will require staff and/or volunteers. This will create job openings for anyone interested. It may even attract people to work for NBK, because it shows that they care about and are giving back to society. This further promotes NBK’s vision to benefit the society where they function. References * Fattahova, N. (2012). Awareness campaign to prevent drug abuse . ttp://news. kuwaittimes. net/2012/08/22/awareness-campaign-to-prevent-drug-abuse/. Last accessed 11th Nov 2012. * Kuwait. nbk. (2012). About NBK. http://www. kuwait. nbk. com/about/disclosures/default_en_gb. aspx. Last accessed 10th Nov 2012. * Murray, J. (2012). Viability (of a business). http://biztaxlaw. about. com/od/glossaryv/g/viability. htm. Last accessed 9th Nov 201 2. * Vyakarnam, S . Writing a business plan, clarification and preparation – the market approach. http://https://docs. google. com/viewer/. Last accessed 14th Nov 2012 AppendixCashflow| |   | Year 1| Year 2| Year 3| | | | | |   | Net profit| | | 105,050 | 105,050 | 105,050 | Depreciation| | | 105,050 | 105,050 | 105,050 | Office Rent| | | 2,100 | 2,100 | 2,100 | Media costs| | | 93,500 | 93,500 | 93,500 | Staff| | | 11,000 | 11,000 | 11,000 | Transportation| | | 200 | 200 | 200 | Cash profits| | | 0 | 0 | 0 | Increasein CA| | | n/a| n/a| n/a| Net cash from operating activities| | | 0 | 0 | 0 | Renovations| | | 0 | 0 | 0 | change in FA| | | (850,000)|   |   | Net cash after investing activities| | | (850,000)| 0 | 0 | Capital induction| | | 105,050 | 0 | 0 | hange in advance rentals| | | 6,300 | (417,600)| (104,400)| Net increase in cash| | | (738,650)| (417,600)| (104,400)| | | | | |   | Opening cash balance| | | 0 | (738,650)| (1,156,250)| Closing cash balance| | | (738,650)| (1,156,250)| (1,260,650)| | | | | | | | | | (745,350)| (1,281,750)| (1,831,890)| | | | | | | Net Profit| |   | 26,933 | 479,733 | 493,473 | Inv Capital|   | | 0| 0| 0| ROI|   | | #DIV/0! | #DIV/0! | #DIV/0! | | | | | | | Net cashflow from operations| | | 26,933 | 479,733 | 493,473 |   | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ROI Calculation Amount of Financial Gain Total Investment Amount 0 0 105. 050

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Article Review of A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Alternative Device Essay

Article Review of A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Alternative Device Configurations for Aviation-Checked Baggage Security Screening - Essay Example The article is an evaluation of the technologies deployed in the explosive detection and their cost effectiveness, including possible future technologies. It considers both two-device and single-device systems and their associated annual operating costs. According to Jacobson et al (2005), the Federal Aviation Administration used the computer aided passenger prescreening system (CAPPS) in 1998 to determine which passengers to clear from being potential security risks and which not to clear. A cost model quantifying the expected yearly cost of screening various combinations of potential risks and non-risks was developed and analyzed, basing on data available before September 11, 2011. The article established that excess screening of non-risk EDS baggage increases annual costs but the security increase per dollar used on the exercise is marginal, as opposed to the significantly enhanced security when only high-risk EDS baggage is screened. In the article, the cost model is extended to integrate the effect of deterrence. The authors define deterrence as the effect screening more checked baggage has on the system’s threat level. Ideally, it is the reduction of threat levels in the system, and, depending on the apparent cost of terrorist occurrence, screening 100 percent checked baggage effectively deters terrorist activities. As described by the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA), attention directed towards high-risk and non-risk passengers are almost similar, since both ETDs and EDSs are used by the TSA to achieve 100 percent checked baggage screening. Deviating from previous work that concentrated on EDSs, a cost model is introduced by this article’s authors to measure the associated cost benefits of various configurations that involve both ETDs and EDSs. Additionally, they also introduce two alternatives; the dual energy backscatter (BACK) and XRAY machines, although they are currently not certified by the TSA. The data supporting the cost models is classified into probability, cost, time and volume parameters, which are random variables based on testing before a device is granted TSA certification. The probability of checked baggage containing a threat is evaluated by TSA personnel based on the perceived level of threat and changes according to intelligence information. TSA uses three factors in determining a security device’s effective lifetime. The device should become obsolete technically after certain years irrespective of usage and be replaced. Then it must wear out after prescribed years regardless of volumes handled, and after processing a prescribed volume, it must be replaced regardless of years of service. Technology distinguishes between a device alarm and system alarm in a multiple device system, where an alarm may be triggered by an object at any device within the system, or an alarm is triggered at every device along an objects path. The effectiveness of multiple device systems is that devic es provide a check for each other and an alarm is only given by the system if there is agreement in all devices in an object’s path. By the time of publishing the article, multiple device s

Activity Based Costing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Activity Based Costing - Essay Example More than that, it traces back the cost to the activities and processes (Heisinger, 2010). Above all, use of activity based costing (ABC) method especially in companies with diverse centers and distribution channels has proven to be suitable. Unlike other methods, the activity based costing (ABC) method ensures that there exists a direct correlation between the related overhead costs and the occurrence of an activity (Chang, 2010). Without doubt, the marketing manager decision to use the activity based costing (ABC) method, as a way of critically analyzing the customer support and distribution costs is more suitable, as compared to taking the store with the highest contribution margin ratio.... Without doubt, the marketing manager decision to use the activity based costing (ABC) method, as a way of critically analyzing the customer support and distribution costs is more suitable, as compared to taking the store with the highest contribution margin ratio. Workings Cost allocation based on revenue Total revenue is $ 500,000 1) Department Stores = $150,000/ $500,000 = 0.3 2) Specialty Shops = $100,000/ 500,000 = 0.2 3) Gift Shops = $250,000/500,000 = 0.5 (Bragg, 2002) i) Variable production cost is $150,000 Department Stores = $150,000 * 0.3= $45,000 Specialty Shops = $150,000 * 0.2 = $ 30,000 Gift Shops = $150,000 * 0.5 = $ 75,000 ii) Production Overhead $120,000 Department Stores = $120,000 * 0.3= $36,000 Specialty Shops = $120,000 * 0.2 = $ 24,000 Gift Shops = $120,000 * 0.5 = $ 60,000 iii) Selling & Distribution Costs $180,000 Department Stores = $180,000 * 0.3= $54,000 Specialty Shops = $180,000 * 0.2 = $ 36,000 Gift Shops = $180,000 * 0.5 = $ 90,000 Activity Based Costin g (ABC). Total costs/No of orders places $40,000 10 90 900 Cost drive is the number of orders placed Department Stores = $40,000 * 10/1000= $400 Specialty Shops = $40,000 * 90/1000 = $ 3,600 Gift Shops = $40,000 * 900/1000 = $ 36,000 (Finkler, Ward & Baker, 2007) Total costs/No of sales calls 80,000 5 195 800 Cost drive is the number of sales calls Department Stores = $80,000 * 5/1000= $400 Specialty Shops = $80,000 * 195/1000 = $ 15,600 Gift Shops = $80,000 * 800/1000 = $ 64,000 Total costs/No of shipments 60,000 20 480 1,000 Department Stores = $60,000 * 20/1500= $800 Specialty Shops = $60,000 * 480/1500 = $ 19,200 Gift Shops = $60,000 * 1000/1500 = $ 40,000 Allocation of other costs is based on the

Domestic and international banking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Domestic and international banking - Essay Example This is a mechanism on which the whole banking structure is based. This report contains an analysis of the Banking Sector of United Kingdom, Along with the challenges faced by the Banks now a day, like the bonus restrictions imposed by the government which has checked the functioning of the major banks in United Kingdom. Granting Loans and receiving deposits A bank works on the principle of borrowing and landing. In this mechanism, Bank borrows from the General public and the institutions and lands the money to the needy public in terms of loan. After a loan is granted, the banks takes a certain amount of interest for a certain period of time and gives a part of that interest to the public, from whom bank borrows the money initially. â€Å"Public† in terms of banks, is defined as the costumers of the bank (either it is an individual or an institution). Role of Banks in Country’s economy: -   Ã‚  As stated above, a bank plays a very important role in the economy of a c ountry. The economy is mainly based on the industries and the income sources available within the country. Bank helps the developing industries to grow with their potential by landing them money and by giving a kind of stability to the market. In a recent example, the economic crisis over the world in 2008 was started because a major private sector bank was declared bankrupted in USA. This bankruptcy of this bank resulted in instability of the market as there were so many companies which had invested in that bank, also there were companies which were totally depend on that bank for their financial security. Once the crisis started spreading its effect in US, major companies were affected badly by it. USA being the world’s most powerful economy that time came on its foot. Millions of the employees were thrown out from the companies, salary was reduced. But this procedure was limited to the industries which could bear this crisis. Other industries which were small scale industr ies and which needed help from the bank for each and every move they made in the market, were closed. This crisis could not remain in the US itself. Just within no time, the whole Europe, Asia and America saw this effect on their market. Every trading market was down. And it gave a long lasting 1 year, full of tensions in the economic sector of the world. The World Bank came to interfere in it. World Bank granted huge loans to the countries, so that the condition could be in control. Otherwise the condition could have been worse, and the whole world would have been in trouble in no time. Somehow, this problem was shorted out. But this gave an example for the upcoming time of how important the proper functioning of a bank is. If the banking sector is strong and well functioning, it can be a positive sign towards the country’s economy. But if the Banking industry is comparatively weaker, it can turn out to be another crisis kind condition for the country. The Banking Sector in United Kingdom UK’s banking sector, following the US and Japan, is the world’s third largest and considered foremost in terms of: efficiency, dynamism and return on capital. It services 95% of the population with about 3.5% of UK’s total workforce - over a million workers. The decade ending 2005 witnessed a surge of three folds in assets to â‚ ¬

Services marketing and relationship marketing Essay

Services marketing and relationship marketing - Essay Example The process of addressing customer concerns on every call is considered the front-stage activity. Every customer interaction is a â€Å"moment of truth.† (Teboul, 2007, p.19) The back-stage is where the company works on how to provide the services promised on the front-stage interactions. Both the front-stage and back-stage components are essential in providing services to the customers (Blumberg, 2003, p.23). Every successful service provision is composed of interaction and material transformation (Cook, 2011, 34). Both are significant, but very distinct (See Figure 1). Knowledge of the distinction is necessary because overseeing a direct interaction with customer in the front-stage is very different from managing the material transformation in the back-stage. The end result of successful front-stage and back-stage operations is customer satisfaction (Blumberg, 2003, p.27 and Cook, 2011, 35). Figure 1 Front-Stage and Back-Stage Distinction SERVICES AND RELATIONSHIP MARKETING 3 It is noticeable that the arrows in the flow chart go both ways. This is because every aspect of service delivery consists both of the front-stage and back-stage processes, and although not interchangeably, very much connected to each other (Glushko & Tabas, 2009, p.407). Gathering of Services Request Information – This involves a direct customer interaction of the company representative, either through phone, mails, or face-to-face communication (Vargo & Lusch, 2004, p.68). A fitting scenario could be, a customer calls in and talks to the service representative. The customer inquires about services provided by the company, and decides whether the services suit his/her needs and budget. The representative provides information that is based on the set procedures by the company. These procedures are also based on the ability of the company to process the promised services. This is the reason why the arrows here go in both directions (Glushko & Tabas, 2009, p.4011). Processing of Promised Services – This is where the processing of requested services takes place. Representatives from the operations department, where the actual customer interaction takes place, pass the requests to a certain department where the planning for material transformation of the promised service occurs. Activities may range from paper works to on-field delivery or services. No services will be processed in the back-stage without requests from the front-stage (Wa?gar, 2007, p.641), which is another reason why the arrows here go in both directions. Information-intensive interaction – This involves the actual interaction again with customers. When a customer calls in and contacts the customer service department (front-stage), they usually ask for information on possible services they could obtain. The representative’s responsibility is to provide adequate information and choices to the customer. They should sound knowledgeable and expert in the service informati on they offer (Glushko & Tabas, 2009, p.416-7). Confidence building in customers usually start at this stage (Vargo & Lusch, 2004, p.68). The decision on whether the customer will acquire the services offered by the company usually depends on how well the interaction took place. It is the duty of these

Individual Reflective Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 3

Individual Reflective Report - Essay Example The company will also create an online meeting place for the players to play against each other or just participate in different tournaments depending on their ranking. A Fair Play policy will be enacted and implemented in order to ensure all customers are satisfied with the gaming experience and receive the games in a fair manner (Minniti, 2007). Some of the benefits of the game prepaid card include the convenience for the Chinese customers who do not have bank accounts or credit cards such as VISA. The card will also allow the redeem gifts such as energy packs, air travel tickets and household equipments thus enhancing the customer experience. The game prepaid card will ensure customer privacy and reduce the chances of online fraud since customers will not necessarily need a credit card in order to subscribe to the games (Minniti, 2007). The players will have the opportunity to select their own gaming mode. For instance, there will be an option of tutorials, custom games, ranked ga mes and normal games. The ranking will be done according to individual player’s performance whereby highly ranked players will have an opportunity to play for a $ 1,000,000 global final. Idea generation Business idea generation entails the process of generation, developing and communicating new business ideasThe business idea generation process was the most challenging for the team. However, we maintained a clear focus and creativity through reviewing different ideas. Accordingly, our idea generation approach followed a entrepreneurial approach since we were interested in coming up with new and innovative ideas that could meet the needs of Chinese game players with no access to domestic online gaming products. As a group, each individual was tasked with doing a market research on the gaps in consumer needs in the online gaming industry (Minniti, 2007). We held several brainstorming sessions whereby each member was supposed to provide numerous suggestions on business opportuni ties that could be viable within our budget. For instance, several methods recommended establishment of online ticketing business while other preferred the establishment of food chain restaurants. However, our criteria in reviewing the several ideas was aimed at ensuring the viability of the business, minimal capital infrastructure and innovative idea that is exciting to the customers in order to ensure quick market penetration. The team considered the several strengths and weaknesses of each business idea including the consumer market trends and demand. The idea generation process also considered the competitors products and human capital requirements for the prospective business. The second phase of idea generation was screening the benefits that the targeted market would receive from the business and the growth prospect of the business idea. Other issues that were considered include the technology requirements and legal framework surrounding the business idea (Minniti, 2007). The next step involved product development and testing in the market. This involves understanding the consumer purchasing behaviour for the game prepaid card and costs of marketing the prepaid game card. In this stage, we outlined several perceived benefits that could be used in the

FAR Small-Business Preference Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

FAR Small-Business Preference - Research Paper Example These programs are specifically designed to help the veteran owned as well as service disabled veteran owned small business to gain from the federal contracts The congress has established key legislations that outline the important programs to assist service veterans in federal contract markets. The first legislation to be passed by the congress was done in the year 1999 (McFetridge, 2012). The veteran entrepreneurship and small business development act would assist me as a veteran by giving me an edge in securing annual government –wide procurement. This law stipulates that approximately three percent of the government procurement contracts would be awarded to service disabled veteran owned small businesses (Calibre Systems, 2013). This includes the total annual value of all subcontract and prime awards thus I stand a higher chance of getting contracts. This is because am shielded from competition from other multinational organizations and companies thus I compete only with my fellow service disabled veterans for the three percent allocations who are also small business owners. The public law 109-461 outlines the veterans’ first contracting program and applies to VA acquisitions. This law permits the department of veteran Affairs to sole source and restricted set-aside to both VOSBs and SDVOSBs. This law also establishes contracting goals that are unique to veteran affairs. This provides for 10% and 7% target for SDVOB and veteran owned businesses respectively (Calibre Systems, 2013). However, this law also provides for the verification of the status of veterans to be done by the department of veteran affairs. This makes the key element differentiating this program from SDVOSB procurement program. In this regard, the status of the veterans cannot be self represented but must be verified by the department of veteran

Power In Physics Essay Example for Free

Power In Physics Essay Power is an important quantity used to describe the rate of doing work or the rate of the transformation of one form of energy into another. In other words, it is the ratio of the work done and the time required to do that work; thus, it is the rate at which a machine accomplishes a given amount of work. Two common units of power are horsepower (550 foot-pound per second), for mechanical devices; and the watt (.737 foot-pounds per second), for electrical devices. Since there are a number of topics under the category of power, let’s focus on one of its units which is the horsepower.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A horsepower is a unit of power. One horsepower (abbreviation, HP or hp) equals 550 foot-pounds as mentioned earlier is the amount of work done by one pound of force exerted through a distance of one foot). The metric unit is the watt; one horsepower equals 745.7 watts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Originally, horsepower mean the ability of a horse to perform heavy tasks such as turning a mill wheel or drawing a load. James Watt (1736-1819), inventor of the first efficient steam engine, chose horsepower as a standard to which the power of an engine could be meaningfully compared. Watt’s measurements of horsepower were widely accepted, even though the measurements applied only to very strong horses working for brief periods. Although the horse is no longer an important source of power, Watt’s standard is retained for rating engines, turbines, electric motors, windmills, and waterpower devices.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Indicated horsepower is the power an engine would develop if it worked without frictional losses. Brake, or shaft, horsepower (also called delivered horsepower) is the actual power output of an engine Mechanical efficiency of an engine is the ratio between brake horsepower and indicated horsepower, and friction horsepower is the difference between indicated horsepower and brake horsepower.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Water horsepower is a measure of water power. The falling of 33,000 pounds (14, 969 kg) of water over a distance of one foot (30 cm) in one minute produces one horsepower). Thrust horsepower is a measure of the power of a jet or rocket engine. It is also a measure of the rotational power that an engine-driven propeller converts into thrust. (Thrust is the forward force of propulsion). Taxable horsepower is calculated by state and local governments for the purpose of assessing taxes on automobiles and other machines. Taxable horsepower, usually based on a formula using the diameter and number of cylinders, is usually much lower than brake horsepower. An average man while running can develop about one horsepower for a brief period and about one-seventh horsepower for sustained periods. Small motors in household appliances are rated at about one-third to three-fourths horsepower. Reference: Sikorsky, Bob (1997). Horsepower Measured 2 Ways. The Washington Times.

Indo-European languages Essay Example for Free

Indo-European languages Essay The corpus of Sanskrit literature encompasses a rich tradition of poetry and drama as well as scientific, technical, philosophical and dharma texts. Sanskrit continues to be widely used as a ceremonial language in Hindu religious rituals and Buddhist practice in the forms of hymns and mantras. Spoken Sanskrit has been revised in some villages with traditional institutions, and there are attempts at further popularisation. The Sanskrit verbal adjective sa? sk? ta- may be translated as put together, constructed, well or completely formed; refined, adorned, highly elaborated. It is derived from the root sa? -skar- to put together, compose, arrange, prepare,[5] where sa? together (as English same) and (s)kar- do, make. The term in the generic meaning of made ready, prepared, completed, finished is found in the Rigveda. Also in Vedic Sanskrit, as nominalised neuter sa? sk? tam, it means preparation, prepared place and thus ritual enclosure, place for a sacrifice. As a term for refined or elaborated speech the adjective appears only in Epic and Classical Sanskrit, in the Manusmriti and in the Mahabharata. The language referred to as sa? sk? ta the cultured language has by definition always been a sacred and sophisticated language, used for religious and learned discourse in ancient India, and contrasted with the languages spoken by the people, prak? ta- natural, artless, normal, ordinary. Classical Sanskrit is the standard register as laid out in the grammar of Pa? ini, around the 4th century BCE. [6] Its position in the cultures of Greater India is akin to that of Latin and Greek in Europe and it has significantly influenced most modern languages of the Indian subcontinent, particularly in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal. [7] The pre-Classical form of Sanskrit is known as Vedic Sanskrit, with the language of the Rigveda being the oldest and most archaic stage preserved, its oldest core dating back to as early as 1500 BCE. [8] This qualifies Rigvedic Sanskrit as one of the oldest attestations of any Indo-Iranian language, and one of the earliest attested members of the Indo-European languages, the family which includes English and most European languages. [9] Sanskrit, as defined by Pa? ini, had evolved out of the earlier Vedic form. The beginning of Vedic Sanskrit can be traced as early as 1500–1200 BCE (for Rig-vedic and Indo-Aryan superstrate in Mitanni). Scholars often distinguish Vedic Sanskrit and Classical or Pa? inian Sanskrit as separate dialects. Though they are quite similar, they differ in a number of essential points of phonology, vocabulary, grammar and syntax. Vedic Sanskrit is the language of the Vedas, a large collection of hymns, incantations (Samhitas), theological and religio-philosophical discussions in the Brahmanas and Upanishads. Modern linguists consider the metrical hymns of the Rigveda Samhita to be the earliest, composed by many authors over several centuries of oral tradition. The end of the Vedic period is marked by the composition of the Upanishads, which form the concluding part of the Vedic corpus in the traditional view; however the early Sutras are Vedic, too, both in language and content. [10] Around the mid-1st millennium BCE, Vedic Sanskrit began the transition from a first language to a second language of religion and learning. For nearly 2,000 years, a cultural order existed that exerted influence across South Asia, Inner Asia, Southeast Asia, and to a certain extent, East Asia. [11] A significant form of post-Vedic Sanskrit is found in the Sanskrit of the Hindu Epics—the Ramayana and Mahabharata. The deviations from Pa? ini in the epics are generally considered to be on account of interference from Prakrits, or innovations and not because they are pre-Paninean. [12] Traditional Sanskrit scholars call such deviations ar? a ( ), meaning of the is, the traditional title for the ancient authors. In some contexts, there are also more prakritisms (borrowings from common speech) than in Classical Sanskrit proper. Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit is a literary language heavily influenced by Middle Indic, based on early Buddhist prakrit texts which subsequently assimilated to the Classical Sanskrit standard in varying degrees. [13] According to Tiwari (1955), there were four principal dialects of classical Sanskrit: pascimottari (Northwestern, also called Northern or Western),madhyadesi (lit. , middle country), purvi (Eastern) and dak? i? i (Southern, arose in the Classical period). The predecessors of the first three dialects are even attested in Vedic Brahma? as, of which the first one was regarded as the purest (Kau? itaki Brahma? a, 7. 6).

Concepts of Deterrence and Diplomacy

Concepts of Deterrence and Diplomacy Previously, the paper has examined what diplomacy is and its types. Through the previous discussion, human and politic capability seen as the main player in carries-out diplomacy. Through this chapter, the paper will discuss on deterrence as diplomacy means. With quoted the words from Carl Von Clausewitz, a military strategist and theorist: War is the simple continuation of diplomacy by other means. On the words, Carl Von Clausewitz emphasized that war is not only as an actor in politic, thus as the instrument in politic. War could influence politic decision making.[1] Nowadays, WMD might be used as another diplomatic means to achieve one countrys goals. Deterrence is significant theory in Strategic Studies and in International Relations as well. Since the age of Cold War, chiefly on Cuban Missile Crisis event, deterrence has been viewed and used as the greatest mediator to attempt influence the decision making of the states. Deterrence can be ciphered as social and politic relations primarily enable one party in influencing the other party action. Deterrence is implemented and executed to ensure its opponents abide by its will.[2] On the other words, deterrence is a belief on strategic capability to avoid or prevent itself from being attacked by its opponents the opponents believe that it is not worth to take a military action on the state (Charles W. Kegley Jr. and Eugene R. Wittkopf, 1998). TYPES OF DETERRENCE On this chapter, the paper will examine the types of deterrence as well on the previous chapter which is study on the types of diplomacy. There are three types of deterrence that has been identified by military analysts namely deterrence by denial, deterrence by punishment and deterrence by defeat. Deterrence by denial can be described as the country would not to initiate war when the country assured it could not win the battle.[3] On the other words, State A will attempt to convince State B will not achieve its military-political goals if State B undertakes a military action. As a consequence, the war could be evaded.[4] Meanwhile the country that might to initiate or engage a war would not to do so because the country convinced that it would impose unacceptable damage (as the aftermath or punishment if involve in war) if the country attack the other country this statement portrays what is deterrence by punishment. State A will endeavor to indicate State B that it (State A) will retaliate by obliterating assets that State B highly values if State B commits a particular action such as an invasion. In this context, State A should have great political power (as threat) to deter State B from committing the act. In the other hands, the deterrence will fail if State B acts despite the threat.[5] Deterrence by punishment may be posed an action on other states industry, population, or even the lives of its leader. (Keith B. Payne and C. Dale Walton, 2002). Through-out the words, we can conclude that the purpose of deterrence by punishment is to shape opponents decision making by signal them the aftermath or cost that the opponents will to bear of. While deterrence by defeat shows the state will not to engage or initiate a war because the state certainty that it will be defeated.[6] Via this discussion, in a nutshell, deterrence is the other means to prevent war. Deterrence can be viewed as the other means of diplomacy. Deterrence can be defined as the barrier to prevent war from being occurred. During First World War and the Second World War, war has brought greatest devastating towards mankind, nature, development and war leave bad effect on future generation mainly aftermath of using nuclear weapon. Is it as a signal that the deterrence is another means of diplomacy? It will discuss further on the next discussion. HOW DETERRENCE CAN BE ANOTHER MEANS OF DIPLOMACY? The question left here how deterrence can be a player or an actor in international relations and diplomacy. It is fascinating subject to examine the role of deterrence as diplomacy means. In answering the questions, we need to refer on the papers previous discussion which is what deterrence is and how its carry-out. The adaption of deterrence in international relations is to ensure State B will not take an action that could threat State A. If the State B wishes to do so, State B will bear devastating consequences. This circumstances show that State A attempts to warning and avert any pre-emptive action towards State A. By way of this statement, it represent that deterrence can be adapted as diplomacy instrument which is known as diplomatic bargaining in relationship of the state and the state action in international relations.[7] Psychology tactic and strategy are the finest way to describe the threat that created from deterrence. Deterrence crafted a threat without any physical demolition when deterrence proposed by the state is succeeded. The ambiguity of deterrence as another means of diplomacy still exists. Negotiation and discussion are among the significant elements in diplomacy. But how negotiation is present in deterrence? It is questionable question on this argument. The threat through deterrence is the negotiation. The deterrence represents and delegate the state to let the other state consider or think wisely is it worth to attack the state. In this situation, the other state have a chance to take further action on the state or else.[8] Generally, state will not take an action that it detrimental its people, politic position and economy. The succeed deterrence capable to protect its national interest for the reason that its politic goals achieved. Deterrence is the means to convince the other party (opponents) not to initiate a war toward the state. (Charles W. Kegley and Eugene R. Wittkopf, 1989). The capacity and the capability of nuclear weapon such as the development of ICBM which is leaving the impact of total destruction has been assessed or as a value toward head of the state in making decision concerning on action towards another state. As it concerned, deterrence is effective in preventing a nuclear war from occur in international system until today. The capability of nuclear can activate or enhance the deterrence (Marc A. Genest, 1996). After the discussion, the paper will confer on the using of deterrence in Cuban Missile Crisis. [1] The Pure Concept of Diplomacy [2] Mohamad faisol Keling.2006.Konsep asas hubungan antarabangsa dan pengajian strategik.mm [3] Daniel S. Papp. 1997. Nuclear Weapons and World Politics: Nuclear Strategy and Policy. In Allyn and Bacon (Eds.), Contemporary International Relations (413-414). United States of America: Mcmillan Publishing Company. [4] Keith B. Payne. 2001. The Fallacies of Cold War Deterrence and a New Direction. Lexingto, Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky. [5] Ibid. [6] Ibid. [7] Charles W. Kegley and Eugene R. Wittkopf, World Politics: Trends and Transformation, 3rd Ed, St. Martin, New York, 1989.pg377. [8] Faisol Keling

The Financial Benefits of Legalizing Marijuana Essay -- Argumentative

For over a century, marijuana has been illegal in the United States and in a lot of cases it remains prohibited because it has been prohibited for so long. Laws in California and Colorado are currently popular in the media because they are legalizing and taxing marijuana production and distribution. After adding sales and excise taxes to the sales price in these states, consumers are purchasing marijuana legally for a lower price than its black market price. Revenue gained from taxes in these states is being put towards such things as education and regulation of the substance. The responsible disbursing of marijuana tax is being exemplified in California and Colorado. Be that as it may, people continue to argue against legalizing and taxing marijuana for such reasons as its negative health effects, the ability of individuals to evade taxes on cannabis, and its legalization spreading to other states. Those opposed to changing marijuana laws stand firm in their beliefs that spending ta x dollars on incarcerating and policing marijuana users and distributors is beneficial to society. In turn, the current state of affairs remains unchanged, funneling billions of untaxed dollars in to the black market each year. If marijuana were legalized, the black market would see no other outcome than losing that capital to its competitor, state governments and hopefully the federal government as well. The theory that collecting taxes on marijuana, otherwise purchased untaxed through the black market, boosts state economies more than spending tax revenues on policing it as an illegal substance is a difficult theory to disprove. Although policing and incarcerating marijuana-related criminals certainly costs the government more than generating tax ... ...ues-u-s-government-to-stop-harborside-medical-marijuana-seizures/ Oldham, J. (2013, November 4). Marijuana Vote in Colorado Weighs 25% Tax. In Bloomberg | Personal Finance. Retrieved November 15, 2014, from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-05/marijuana-vote-in-colorado-weighs-25-tax-for-recreation.html Passie, T., Emrich, H. M., Karst, M., Brandt, S. D., and Halpern, J. H. (2012, June 26). Mitigation of post-traumatic stress symptoms by Cannabis resin: a review of the clinical and neurobiological evidence. In US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. Retrieved November 15, 2014, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22736575 Woo, S. (2009, April 30). Oakland Council Backs a Tax on Marijuana. In The Wall Street Journal | Politics and Policy. Retrieved November 15, 2014, from http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB124105239168771233

Let Freedom Ring Essay example -- Civil Rights Movement Equality Paper

Let Freedom Ring The Civil Rights Movement was the catalyst, the march that ignited the flame of justice in the twentieth century. It coerced America as a nation to reevaluate itself, to reevaluate what it stood for.... We hold these truths to be self-evident†¦ Hot, black coffee trickled down the dark skin on Henry Moses’ back. †¦that all men are created equal†¦ â€Å"Get out of here, nigger! Go back to your kind!† an angry White man shouted as he continued pouring. †¦that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights†¦ Moses sat silently, keeping his seat at the lunch counter in downtown Jackson. †¦that among these are life†¦ Lunch counter stools were for White folks only. It had always been that way. Moses, just 21, knew that. †¦liberty†¦ â€Å"It was just a part of their heritage,† he says now. â€Å"They thought that Negroes were filthy†¦ scum. Just somebody you don’t associate with. You don’t wait on ‘em, you don’t cut ‘em no slack whatsoever. This is just the way that they had been taught, the way they had been trained.† †¦and the pursuit of happiness. â€Å"And we were trying to change it† (â€Å"First in News†). Since the discovery of the new world by Europeans, Blacks--with the exception of the Native American Indians--have suffered immensely more than any other group in America. From the time the first African slaves stepped on American soil, their destiny changed forever. For over four hundred years, Blacks worked on fields and in homes of their White masters with no concept of civil rights in their daily lives. It was not until 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln read the Emancipation Proclamation, abolishing slavery, that civil rights and freedom became a possibility for millions of African-Americans. Soon th... ...story. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1997. Bell, Derrick. Afrolantica Legacies. Chicago: Third World Press. 1998. Brink, William and Harris, Louis. Black and White. New York: Simon and Schuster. 1967. Button, James W. Blacks and Social Change: Impact of the Civil Rights Movement in the Southern Communities. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1989. â€Å"First in News.† The Jackson Sun. 6 Nov. 2002. . Gates, Henry Louis, et al. African American: Voices of Triumph. Alexandria Time Life Books, 1993. Sullivan, Patricia. â€Å"Civil Rights Movement.† Africana: the Gateway to the Black World. 10 Nov. 2002. . â€Å"We Shall Overcome.† The National Park Services: Links to the Past. 6 Nov. 2002. .

Wyatt Earp :: essays research papers

Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp Wyatt Earp was born on March 19, 1848. He is the son of Nicholas Earp, a lawyer/farmer and Virginia Earp and was born at 406 South Third Street, Monmouth, Illinois. Wyatt was given the name of his father's Army captain. When Wyatt was quiet young, his two older brother, James and Virgil, went off to fight in the Civil War for the Union. A story is told in which Wyatt tried to run away and join the Army, but his father caught him in a corn field and took him back to the house. As a young man Earp was a stagecoach driver, railroad construction worker, surveyor, buffalo hunter, and lawman. In his early adulthood, Wyatt married and his wife died shortly after of Typhoid fever. Wyatt was devastated and went off and got into some trouble for horse stealing. Later, he became a stagecoach driver and traveled to Los Angeles, Ca and Prescott, Arizona. Wyatt also hunted buffalo for so me time. There are rumors that it was during this tiem that Wyatt met Bat Masterson. In 1876 he became chief deputy marshal of Dodge City, Kansas, a lawless frontier town. Within a year, having brought relative peace to Dodge City, he moved on to Deadwood in the Dakota Territoy. In the fall of 1879, Wyatt and his brothers Morgan and Virgil journeyed by horseback down to Tombstone, Arizona. There he furthered his reputation as a gunfighter, first as deputy sheriff of Pima Co. and later as deputy U.S. marshal for the entire Arizona Territory. Earp and three of his brothers, together with the American frontiersman Doc Holliday, participated in the famous O.K. Corral gunfighter in 1881, during which they killed several suspected cattle rustlers. The following year, Ike Clanton attempted to kill Wyatt and Morgan while they were playing pool; Morgan was killed.

World History to 1500

Hominid- this is any creature of the family Hominidae or Primates and only one species exists today, Homo sapiens or human beings. The family most closely related to the family today is Pongidae or the anthropoid apes that include the gorilla, the chimpanzee, and the orangutan. Believing that they all came from a common ancestral line during the Late Miocene epoch period and the characteristics that distinguish hominids from the pongids are the erect posture, bipedal locomotion, rounded skulls with larger brains, small teeth and behavioral characteristics such as communication through language. The oldest known hominid genus is Australopithecus. This type was two legged and had an opposable thumb and there was evidence that they were capable of primitive tool making. The most significant physiological differences between the hominids and the pongids are how they adapted differently for different environment and the most was anatomically. Hominids had changes in the pelvis, femur and food; whereas the pongids developed physically for swinging by the arms, such as in trees. Paleolithic Era- This period is also known as the Stone Age. This is a period when humans began using rudimentary chipped stone tools. It has been divided into two levels the lower and the upper periods. At sites dating from the Lower Paleolithic Period, approx. 2. 5 million to 200,000 years ago simple pebble tools have been found in relationship with the remains of what may have been the earliest human ancestors. Around 700,000 years ago the hand ax appeared. The arrival of the Upper Paleolithic Period, which came about 40,000 years ago, brought about the regional stone tool industry. These industries are characterized by the greater complexity, specialization, and variety of tools types by the coming of a distinctive regional artistic tradition. The two forms of art known to the modern world are small sculptures and monumental paintings, incised designs and drawings on the walls of caves. Most of the cave drawings that survived in quantity are in Eastern Europe and parts of Spain and France. Neolithic Era- Also known as the New Stone Age and is known for the stone tools shaped by polishing or grinding. It dates back to the last 10,000 years of earth history. This period is known for the environmental or climatic changes the earth went through to become the earth we know today. During this period is when men became herdsmen and cultivators and the beginning to change or modify their environment. Social structure became more complex in response to problems and ways of dealing with situations. Animal domestication as well as agriculture was very important features to this era. Humans lived in more stable, more or less permanent, villages and were able to support complex social structures and organizations. Agriculture and animal husbandry developed independently in several regions of the Old and New Worlds through the natural process of evolution.Ap World History Units 1-3 Study Guide Three Craft Industries- This has to do with the final stages of cultural and technological development in prehistoric times. Stone tools are shaped by polishing or grinding and the society is dependent on domesticated plants and animals. It is also characterized by permanent villages with pottery and weaving beginning to show up. Chapter Two: Mesopotamia- Known as the land between the Tigris and Euphrates in western Asia, it is better known as one of the cradles of human civilization. There is evidence of an early settlement dating roughly to about 10,000 B. C. It is evident that this society began as rootless hunter-gatherers to a culture based on husbandry, agriculture and permanent settlements. Trade with other regions also was abundant because of the metals and precious stones in burial sites that are not known to the region. Irrigation techniques, pottery and other crafts, and building methods based on clay bricks were developed to a new level and elaborate religious cults evolv ed. Two very important features developed out of this era and they are the birth of the city and the invention of writing. Hammurabi’s Code- The most complete collection of Babylonian laws written during the reign of Hammurabi during the 1st dynasty of Babylon. It was his legal decisions that were collected at the end of his reign and written on a stele. There are 282 laws that deal with economic provisions, family law, criminal law and civil law. The existing text is written in Semitic and was discovered at Susa in 1901 by Jean-Vincent Scheil. The code was advanced far beyond tribal customs and did not recognize blood feud, private retribution or marriage by capture. Epic of Gilgamesh- Tales told of a Mesopotamian hero, a king. It is said to be the odyssey of a king who did not want to die. The stories and poems were written about Gilgamesh who ruled at Uruk in southern Mesopotamia sometime during the first half of the 3rd millennium B. C. There are no historical evidence for the exploits given in the poems and epics. The Ninevite version of the epic begins with a prologue in praise of Gilgamesh, part divine and part human, the great builder and warrior, knower of all things on land and sea. In order to curb Gilgamesh’s seemingly harsh rule, the god Anu caused the creation of Enkidu, a wild man who at first lived among the animals. Enkidu was then brought into the ways of city life and traveled to Uruk, where Gilgamesh waited for him. It was this man and Gilgamesh who went on to live in the tales known as the Epic of Gilgamesh. Sumer- Is the site of the earliest known civilization and is located in the southernmost part of Mesopotamia between the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers (Southern Iraq). It later became known as Babylonia. It is believed to first be settled between 4500 and 4000 B. S. by a non-Semitic people who did not speak the Sumerian language. The inhabitants are known as Ubaidians and were the first civilizing force in Sumer, draining the marshes for agriculture, developing trade, and establishing industries that included weaving, leatherwork, metalwork, masonry and pottery. After the Ubaidian immigration to Mesopotamia, various Semitic peoples infiltrated their territory, adding their cultures to the Ubaidian culture and creating a high pre-Sumerian civilization. Assyrian Empire- It was an empire of the northern Mesopotamia that became the focal point of one of the great empires of the ancient Middle East. It was located in what is now known as northern Iraq around Mosul. Assyria was a dependency of Babylonia and later of the Mitanni during most of the 2nd millennium BC. But it emerged as an independent state in the 14th century B. C. The state was finally destroyed by a Chaldean-Median coalition in 612-609 BC. The people were famous for their cruelty and fighting. They were also known for their monumental builders with their craft that can be seen in archaeological sites at Nineveh, Ashur, Nimrud, and Khorsabad. Hebrews- While the Assyrians and the Persians struggled for empire, the Hebrews or ancient Jews, evolved spiritual concepts that still permeate Western society. Although the Hebrew were politically and culturally unimportant, a people who produced neither art nor science, their chief literary product, the Old Testament, was fundamentally influencing to both Christianity and Islam and still is a compelling force on the modern world. Chaldean Empire- was located in southern Babylonia or modern southern Iraq. Chaldea is first mentioned in the books of the Assyrian king Ashurnasirpal II who reigned 883 to 859 BC and though earlier documents referred to the same area as the Sealand. In 850 Shalmaneser III of Assyria raided Chaldea and reached the Persian Gulf, which he called the Sea of Kaldu. On the accession of Sargon II to the Assyrian throne, the Chaldean Marduk-apla-iddina II ruler of Bit-Yakin seized the Babylonian throne and despite Assyrian opposition, held it from 721-710. He finally fled and Bit-Yakin was placed under Assyrian control. With this decline of Assyrian power, a native governor, Naborpolassar, was able in 625 to become king of Babylon by popular consent and to inaugurate a Chaldean dynasty that lasted until the Persian invasion of 539 BC. The prestige of his successors, Nebuchadrezzar II and Nabonidus was so that Chaldean became synonymous with Babylonian. Phoenicians- They were merchants that occupied the region known today as Lebanon with adjoining parts of modern Syria and Israel. It is believed that the Phoenicians probably arrived in the area about 3000 BC. Beginning in the 9th century the independence of Phoenicia was threatened by the advance of Assyria and in 538 the rule was passed on to the Persians. This country was later taken by Alexander the Great and in 64 BC was merged into the Roman province of Syria. They were known as sea-traders and colonizers. By the 2nd millennium they had influence that stretched along the coast of the Levant. Phoenician exports included cedar and pine wood, fine linen from Tyure, Byblos, and Berytos, cloths dyed with the famous Tyrian purple, embroideries from Sidon, wine, metalwork, and glass. Their transit trade was vital to the era. In the artistic products of Phoenicia, Egyptian motifs and ideas were mingled with those of Mesopotamia, the Aegean, and Syria. Ivory and wood carvings became their specialty and their goldsmiths and metalsmiths work is also well known. They used cuneiform writing but also came up with their own script which the Greeks later adopted. Their religious beliefs were nature based. Sargon of Akkad- Was an ancient Mesopotamian ruler that reigned 2334-2279 BC and is one of the earliest of the world’s great empire builders, conquering all of southern Mesopotamia as well as parts of Syria, Anatolia and Elam. He established the region’s first Semitic dynasty and was considered the founder of the Mesopotamian military traditions. Sargon was a self made man of humble beginnings, a gardener. He was found as a baby floating in a basket on the river. His father and name were unknown and his mother was thought to be a priestess. The event that gave him power was the defeat of Lugalzaggisi of Uruk. Because Lugalzaggisi had already united the city-states of Sumer by defeating each in turn, Sargon became king over all of southern Mesopotamia. Indo-European migration- While Egyptian civilization flourished behind the back drop of sand and sea, huge changes were taking place in the ancient Near East, changes that would leave their mark on Egypt. These changes involved enormous and remarkable movements of peoples, especial peoples speaking Semitic and Indo-European languages. The original home of the Semites was probably the Arabian Peninsula. Some tribes moved into northern Mesopotamia, others into Syria and Palestine and still others into Egypt. Although two great waves began around 2000 and 1200 BC, these migrations were usually sporadic and extended over long periods of time. Babylonian Empire- Although the empire of Sargon was extensive, it was also short lived, and it was the Babylonians who united Mesopotamia politically and culturally. The Babylonians were Amorites, a Semitic people who migrated from Arabia and settled in the Sumerian city of Babylon. Babylon enjoyed an excellent geographical position and was ideally suited to be the capital of Mesopotamia. It dominated trade on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, so that all commerce coming from Sumer and Akkad had to pass by its walls. It also looked beyond Mesopotamia. By following the Tigris, Babylonian merchants traveled north to Assyria and Anatolia. The Euphrates led the merchants to Syria, Palestine, and the Mediterranean. The city grew great because of its commercial importance and because its power was soundly based. Hittites- For the civilization of the ancient Near East the most important of these migrations were those of the Hittites and two unrelated groups, the Hurrians and Kassites. Neither the Hurrians nor the Kassites were Indo-European names. Indo-European or not, all three peoples were barbarians by Near Eastern standards, and their arrivals were marked by destruction. Around 1595 BC, the Kassites brought down the Babylonian kingdom and established their own rule there, while the Hurrians created the kingdom of Mitanni in the upper reaches of the Euphrates and Tigris. The Hittites settled in central Anatolia and soon spread their influence south to Syria. The Hittites adopted the cuneiform script for their own language. Hittite kings published law codes, just as Hammurabi had done. Their art has Mesopotamian borrowing to create something of their own. Chapter Three: Kingdom of Kushan- Was a ruling line of descent from the Yueh-chih, a people that ruled over most of the northern Indian subcontinent, Afghanistan and parts of Central Asia during the first three centuries of the Christian Era. The Yueh-chih conquered Bactria in the 2nd century BC and divided the country into five chiefdoms, one of which was that of the Hushan’s. A hundred years later, the Kushan Chief Kujula Kadphises secured the political unification of the Yueh-chih kingdom under himself. Art produced during the Hushan dynasty from about the late 1st to the 3rd century AD in an area that now includes parts of Central Asia, northern India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Kushans fostered a mixed culture that is best illustrated by the variety of deities invoked on their coins. At least two major stylistic divisions can be made among artifacts of the period; imperial art of Iranian derivation and Buddhist art of mixed Greco-Roman and Indian sources. Kushan artwork is stiff, hieratic and frontal, emphasizing the power and wealth of the individual. Hyksos- Shortly after 1800 BC, people whom the Egyptians called Hyksos, which means Rulers of the Uplands, began to settle in the Nile Delta. Although the Egyptians portrayed the Hyksos as a conquering horde, they were probably no more nomads looking for good land. Their entry into the delta was probably gradual, and generally peaceful. The Hyksos invasion was one of the fertilizing periods of Egyptian history and introduced new ideas and techniques into Egyptian life. They brought with them the method of making bronze and casting it into tools and weapons and brought Egypt fully into the Bronze Age culture. This culture made the production and use of bronze implements basic to society. Bronze tools made farming more efficient than ever before and used bronze armor and weapons as well as horse drawn chariots. They created the composite bow which was made of laminated wood and horn. It was far more powerful than the simple wooden bow and revolutionized Egyptian warfare. Akhenaten- Was a pharaoh between 1367-1350 BC whose thoughts dwelt on religion rather than conquest. Nefertiti, his wife and queen, encouraged his religious fever. They were monotheists who believed that the sun god Aton, whom they worshipped, was universal, the only god. All other Egyptian gods and goddesses were frauds and the royal pair forbade their worship. The religious notions and the actions of Akhenaten and Nefertiti were in direct opposition to traditional Egyptian beliefs. Akhenaton’s attack on the old gods affected all Egyptians, for the old gods were fundamentally important to the afterlife of human beings. Akhenaton’s monotheism was imposed from above and it failed to find a place among the people. One of the major reasons for Akhenaton’s failure is that his god had no connection with the past of the Egyptian people, who trusted the old gods and felt comfortable in praying to them so when Akhenaten died his religion died with him. Bantu migration- It is generally agreed that some one-third of the continent today occupied by the Bantu-speaking peoples was until approximately 2000 years ago, the dominion of other groups mainly Pygmies and Bushmen and the causes and itinerary of the subsequent Bantu migration have attracted the attention of several anthropologists. It is speculated that the expansion of the Bantu was associated with their acquisition of certain Malaysian food crops such as banana, taro and yams, which spread westward across the continent at about the time that the migration is thought to have begun. These crops enabled them to penetrate the tropical rain forest of equatorial Africa and spread across the southern part of the continent. A more widely held view is that the migratory route lay eastward, across the southern Sudan and then south, past the great lakes of the northeast. Chapter Four: Varna-jati system- Is the Hindu Cast system. In Hinduism’s sacred Sanskrit texts rank all people into one of four categories called varnas, which are associated with certain occupations. Most people accept the varna categories as fundamentally essential elements of their society. All of Hindu India is hierarchically ranked according to these four basic castes. In actual practice each of the four categories is further subdivided and stratified. To add to the complexity of the Indian caste system, the order in which these sub-castes are ranked varies from one region to another. These local sub groups, known as jati, are local family groups that are strictly endogamous. All members of a jati, who share a common social status, are expected to behave in ways appropriate for that jati. A person’s jati commands his or her strongest loyalties, serves as a source of social support and provides the primary basis for personal identity. So the jati serves as the important social entity in traditional Hindu society. Aryans- they were a people who, in prehistoric times, settled in Iran and northern India. From their language the Indo-European languages of South Asia are descended. The Nordic or Germanic peoples came to be regarded as the purest Aryans. Harappan society- Also known as Indus Valley Civilization and is the earliest known urban culture of the Indian subcontinent. The civilization is known to have comprised two large cities. Harappa and Mohenjo-daro, and more than 100 towns and villages, were each more than 3 mile in area and their outstanding magnitude suggest political centralization a practice for which there are analogies in Indian history. The Indus civilization apparently evolved from the villages of neighbors or predecessors using the Mesopotamian model of irrigated agriculture with sufficient skill to reap the advantages of the spacious and fertile Indus River. The best known artifacts of the Indus civilization are the number of seals, generally made of steatite. Significant contrasts between the Indus and the Mesopotamian cultures extend to the tool types of the two regions. Beads found in Mohenjo-daro give evidence of a clear link to Mesopotamia, Crete and Egypt. Hinduism- The beliefs, practices and socio-religious institutions of the people known as Hindu. They are principally the peoples of India and parts of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Sikkim. The belief evolved from Vedism, the religion of the ancient Indo-European peoples who settled in India during the 2nd millennium BC. Hinduism constitutes a complex but largely continuous whole; and because it covers the whole of life, it has religious, social, economic, literary and artistic aspects. They consider their ancient texts sacred and collectively they are known as the Vedas. Chapter Five: Xia Dynasty- Early Chinese dynasty in 1766 BC mentioned in legends but not much else and is also known as Hsia Dynasty. According to legend the founder was Yu, who was credited with having engineered the draining of the waters of a great flood and was later, identified as a deified lord of the harvest. He made rulership hereditary in his family and was the first Imperial dynasty in China. Shang Dynasty- Also known as the Yin Dynasty and was the successor to the legendary first or Xia/Hsia Dynasty. The period of the dynasty’s rule has traditionally been dated 1766-1122 BC. Shang China was centered in the North China Plain and extended as far north as modern Shantung Province and westward through present Honan Province. The king appointed local governors and there was an established class of nobles as well as the masses whose chief labor was in agricultural. Jade carving became advanced during the Shang Dynasty. Ceremonial weapons of jade were made as well as jade fittings for actual weapons. Zhou Dynasty- Also known as the Chou Dynasty and ruled ancient China for almost a millennium creating the distinctive political and cultural characteristics that were to be identified with China for the next 2,000 years. The Chou co-existed with the Shang for many years until one of the Zhou family members made a plan to conquer the Shang in about 1111, which took several years to win. During this dynasty China changed from one of the more backward areas of the civilized world to one of the most advanced. Iron, ox-drawn plows, crossbows and horseback riding were all introduced. Large scale irrigation and water control projects were also instituted for the first time greatly increasing the crop yield of the North China Plain. This is also known for the time of Confucianism, Taoism and legalism. Chapter Six: Olmec- The first elaborate pre-Columbian culture of Meso-America. It’s most important centre was in what is now the southern Vera Cruz and Tabasco region of the Mexican Gulf Coast. The first evidence of the remarkable Olmec art style appears about 1150 BC. Between 1100 and 800 BC this Olmec stylish art influenced the Valley of Mexico to the Republic of San Salvador. These influences were the symbols of political empires, of a trading network, or of a religious cult. The ancient Olmec society was complex and non-egalitarian. Olmec stylistic influence disappeared after about 800 BC. Teotihuacan- Also known as The City of the Gods and is the most important and largest city of pre-Columbian central Mexico. The earliest inhabitants of the region of what was to become the city at about 400 BC and its formal planning as a metropolis dates to about the beginning of the Christian Era. Their culture and cultural influences spread throughout Meso-America. About 650 or 900 BC Teotihuacan was sacked and burned by the invading Toltec. The area of the city encompassed eight square miles and in addition to dwellings places, great plazas and temples also had palaces of nobles and priests. Maya- Meso-American Indians that occupy southern Mexico, Guatemala and northern Belize. Before the Spanish conquest of Mexico and Central America, the Maya possessed one of the greatest civilizations of the Western Hemisphere. They practiced agriculture, built great stone buildings and pyramid temples, worked gold and copper, and used a form of hieroglyphic writing, that have been deciphered. As early as 1500 BC the Maya had settled in villages and had developed a primitive agriculture based on the cultivation of corn, beans and squash. The rise of the Maya to greatness began about 250 AD and what is known as the Classic period. At the height of the civilization there were more than 40 cities with each having a population from 5,000 to 50,000. Chapter Seven: Cyrus the Great- Was a conqueror between 590-580 BC who founded the Achaemenid Empire that was centered on Persia and made up the Near East from the Aegean Sea to the Indus River. He is also known as a tolerant and ideal monarch who was called father of his people by the ancient Persians and in the Bible as the liberator of the Jews held captive in Babylonia. His persona in history has him being more than a great man who founded an empire, instead he was known for his great qualities that are expected of a ruler. He was not only a great conqueror and administrator; he had a place in the minds of the Persian people similar to that of Romulus and Remus in Rome or Moses for the Israelites. He is most known for freeing the Jewish captives in Babylonia and allowing them to return to their homeland. Sasanids- An ancient Iranian dynasty evolved by Ardashir I between the years of conquest AD 208 and 224 and was destroyed by the Arabs during the years 637 and 651. Zoroastrianism became the state religion under Sasanian rule and the government became centralized with provincial officials directly responsible to the throne and roads, city buildings and even agriculture were financed by the government. Under the Sasanians Iranian art experienced a general renaissance. Seleucids- An empire that at its greatest stretched from Thrace in Europe to the border of India. It was created out of the remains of Alexander the Great’s Macedonian Empires by its founder, Seleucus I Nicator. Seleucus was one of Alexander’s leading generals and became governor of Babylonia in 321, two years after the death of Alexander. The Seleucid Kingdom was a major center of Hellenistic culture, which maintained the presence of Greek customs and manners over the indigenous cultures of the Middle East. The kingdom began losing control over large territories in the 3rd century BC. Zoroastrianism- It is the ancient pre-Islamic religion of Iran that survives still today in isolated areas and more prosperously in India where the descendents of Zoroastrian Iranian immigrants are known as Parsis or Parsees. Founded by the Iranian prophet and reformer Zoroaster in the 6th century BC, this religion contains both monotheistic and dualistic features and influenced other major Western religions such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Chapter Eight: Confucianism- A way of life that was created by Confucius in the 6th and 5th century BC and has been followed by the Chinese people for over 2 thousand years. It has been the substance of learning, the source of their values and their social codes. It has been viewed as philosophy and a religion. It affects the daily life and culture of the Taoists, Buddhists and Christians in China before the Communist regime. Legalism- School of Chinese philosophy that was created around 475-221 BC by the philosopher Han Fey Tzu and was the basis for the first Chinese dynasty. They believe that political institution should be modeled in response to the realities of human behavior and that men are inherently selfish and short sighted. But that social harmony could not be assured through the recognition by the people of the virtue of their ruler, but only through strong state control and absolute obedience to authority. They want government to prescribe punishments and rewards for specific behaviors and increase the power of the ruler. Daoism- Also known as Taoism it is the Chinese Philosophy and its fundamental concept believes that it is the â€Å"Correct Way† or â€Å"Heaven’s way†. In the Confucian tradition, Tao signifies a morally correct path of human conduct and is limited to behavior. The concept takes on a metaphysical sense transcending the human realm. The absolute Tao defies verbal definition, but language can make suggestions that may lead to an intuitive or mystical understanding of this fundamental reality. It began sometime between the 8th and 3rd centuries. Taoists view life and death as simply different stages or manifestations of the Absolute Tao and consequently advocate a life in accord with nature. The serenity of such a life stands in sharp contrast to the life of public service advocated by Confucius. Qin Dynasty- Also the Ch’in Dynasty 221-226 BC and was the first great Chinese empire and also where the name China came from. This dynasty established the boundaries and basic administrative system that all subsequent Chinese dynasties were to follow for the next 2,000 years. The Ch’in Dynasty left two architectural monuments of massive proportions, one the Great Wall of China, which actually connected sections of a number of existing short walls, and the other a great palace for the first emperor. Its most important artistic contribution may have been the simplification and standardization of the emerging Chinese language. Han Dynasty- The second great Chinese Imperial dynasty and was considered the model for all other later Chinese Dynasties. Han Dynasty created what is now considered Chinese culture of today. The dynasty was founded by Liu Pang, later Kao Tsu 256-195 BC. The Han copied the highly centralized Ch’in/Qin Dynasty’s administrative structure, and divided up the country into a series of administrative areas ruled by centrally appointed officials and developed a salaried bureaucracy in which promotion was based on merit. Han also adopted a Confucian ideology and emphasized moderation and virtue. It was so successful that this dynasty lasted longer than any other. The first major stone tomb sculpture in China was created in the Han period and lifelike clay figurines of people and animals also were created. The Shang dynasty discovered lacquer, but it was the Han that brought its lacquer work to such perfection that some of its lacquered wine cups in perfect condition have been excavated from water filled graves. Chapter Nine: Jainism- It is a religion and philosophy of India founded in about the 6th century by Vardhamana, it is centered on protest against the orthodox Vedic, or early Hindu, ritualistic cult, its earliest sect rebelled against the idea of the practice of taking life that was prevalent in the Vedic animal sacrifice. It does not believe in the creator god and its central core is no injury come to any living thing. And man can become perfect through a monastic and ascetic life. Mauryan Empire- The Mauryan Empire was in ancient India around 321-185 BC and was an efficient and highly organized autocracy with a standing army and civil service. This bureaucracy and its operations was the model for the Artha-sastra (â€Å"Treatise on the Aims of Life† work of political economy that is similar to the tone and scope of Machiavelli’s â€Å"The Prince†). Gupta Empire- Were rulers of the Magadha state in northeastern India, later Bihar. They maintained an empire over northern and parts of central western India from the early 4th to the late 6th century AD. The Gupta era produced the decimal system of notation and great Sanskrit epics and Hindu art and contributed to the science of astronomy, mathematics and metallurgy. Ashoka- He was the last major emperor in the Mauryan dynasty of India and a Buddhist follower, his reign was from 273-232 BC and his faith furthered the expansion of that religion throughout India. After a bloody conquest of the Kalinga country on the east coast he renounced armed conquest and adopted a policy he called â€Å"conquest by dharma†. To spread the word of dharma he made them known orally through announcements and engraved them on rocks and pillars. He went to the rural areas to preach his teachings. The only glory he wanted was to lead his people along the path of dharma and he build hospitals for men and animals, but his strongest points were to the services to Buddhism. Buddhism- A religion and philosophy founded by Siddhartha Gautama in northeast India in the 5th century BC. It spread from India to central and Southeast Asia, China, Korea, and Japan. Buddhism has played an influential role in the spiritual, cultural, and social life of much of the Eastern world. The Buddha or the â€Å"Enlightened one† died in northeastern India between 500 and 350 BC. He was born into royalty but was shocked by the inevitability of sickness, old age and death; he renounced his family life in order to wonder as an ascetic in search of religious understanding and a way of release from the human condition. He instructed his followers in the dharma and a path between a worldly life and extremes of self denial. Four Nobel Truths- The essence of Buddha’s early preaching was said to be the Four Nobel Truths: 1. life is fundamentally disappointment and suffering; 2. suffering is a result of one’s desires for pleasure, power and continued existence; 3. o stop disappointment and suffering one must stop desiring; and 4. the way to stop desiring and thus suffering is the Noble Eight-Fold Path, right views, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right awareness and right concentration. Chapter Ten: Minoan Society- This was known as the Bronze Age civilization of Crete that flourished from 3000 to 1100 BC. Its name comes from Minos either a dynastic title or the name of a particular ruler of Crete who has a place in Greek legend. Minoan pottery has been found throughout the eastern Mediterranean. One of the most familiar features of Minoan civilization is the bull symbol known through the Greek legend of Minotaur and depicted in the brightly colored frescoes on the palace walls at Knossos. Cyclades, the islands around the island of Delos in the Aegean Sea, is similar to that of Minoan Crete, which according to Greek tradition, exercised hegemony over them. Mycenaean Society- The Mycenaean’s entered Greece around 2000 BC and settled in central Greece and in the Peloponnesus, the peninsula that forms the southernmost part of Greece. Mycenaean civilization was utterly unlike anything the later Greeks evolved. The political unit of the Mycenaean was the kingdom, not the polis. The king and his warrior aristocracy stood at the top of society. The symbol of the king’s power and wealth was the palace, which was also the economic center of the kingdom. Within its walls royal craftsmen fashioned jewelry and rich ornaments, made and decorated fine pottery, forged weapons, prepared hides and wool for clothing and manufactured the goods needed by the king and his retainers. The Mycenaean kingdoms were in touch with each other and with the Bronze Age culture of the Minoans in Create, but these contacts were usually violent. They were a consistently warlike and restless people. Peloponnesian War- This war lasted a generation from 431-404 BC brought in its wake fearful plagues, famine, civil wars, widespread destruction and huge loss of life. As the war dragged on old leaders like Pericles died and were replaced by men of the war generation. In Athens the most prominent of this new breed of politicians was Alcibiades, a aristocrat, a kinsman of Pericles, and a student of the Philosopher Socrates. Alcibiades was brilliant handsome, and charming, all of which made him popular with the people. He was also self-seeking and egotistical; a shameless opportunist, his first thoughts were always for himself. One positive development that grew out of the Persian and Peloponnesian wars was the beginning of historical writing. The father of history, Herodotus was born at Halicarnassus in Asia Minor and as a young man traveled widely. He migrated to Athens which became his intellectual home and participated in the colonization of Thurii in southern Italy where he died. Alexander the Great- The figure of Alexander loomed over the Hellenistic period and still cast its shadows today. Some scholars have seen him as a high minded philosopher; his bloody and savage campaigns in the East seem the work of a ruthless and callous conqueror. Yet for the Hellenistic period and for Western civilization in general what Alexander intended was less important than what he actually did. Alexander was instrumental in changing the face of politics in the eastern Mediterranean. His campaign swept away the Persian Empire, which had ruled the East for over two hundred years. In its place he established a Macedonian monarchy. More important in the long run was his foundation of cities and military colonies. The result of his campaign was to open the East to the coming of Hellenism. Antigonid Empire- This was the ruling house of ancient Macedonia from 306-168 BC. Antigonus Gonatas became king of Macedonia and established the Antigonid dynasty, which ruled until the Roman conquest in 168 BC. His resilience and hard work gave to Macedonia a sound and durable government. Ptolemaic Empire- The Ptolemies in Egypt made no effort to spread Greek culture and unlike other Hellenistic kings they were not city builders, they founded only the city of Ptolemais near Thebes. At first the native Egyptian population, the descendants of the pharaoh’s people, retained their traditional language, outlook, religion, and way of life. Initially untouched by Hellenism, the natives continued to be the foundation of the state: they fed it by their labor in the fields, and they financed its operations by their taxes. Under the pharaohs, talented Egyptians had been able to rise to high office, but during the third century BC the Ptolemies cut off this avenue of advancement. Ever more tightly they tied the natives to the land and made it nearly impossible for them to leave their villages. The bureaucracy of the Ptolemies was so ruthlessly efficient that the native population was viciously and cruelly exploited. Even in times of hardship the king’s taxes came first despite the fact that payment might mean starvation for the natives. To many Egyptians revolt or a life of brigandage was far better than working the land under the Ptolemies. Chapter Eleven: Etruscans- The Etruscans were skillful metal workers, and they amassed extensive wealth by trading their manufactured goods in Italy and beyond. The strength of their political and military institutions enabled them to loosely organize league of cities whose dominion extended as far north as the Po valley and as far south as Latium and Campania. In Latium they founded cities and they took over control of Rome. Like the Greeks, the Etruscans promoted urban life, and one of the places that benefited from Etruscan influence was Rome. The Etruscans found the Romans settled on three of Rome’s seven hills. The site of the future Forum Roamanum, the famous Public Square and center of political life was originally the cemetery of the small community. Etruscan power and influence at Rome were so strong and important that Roman traditions preserved the memory of Etruscan kings who ruled the city. Under the Etruscans, Rome enjoyed contacts with the larger Mediterranean world, and the city began to grow. In the years 575 -550 BC, temples and public buildings began to grace the city. The Capitoline Hill became the religious center of the city when the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus was built there. The forum ceased to be a cemetery and started its history as a public meeting place. Metalwork became common and the wealthier classes began to import large numbers of fine Greek vases. The Etruscans had found Rome a collection of villages and had made of it a city. Punic Wars- Also called the First Carthaginian War it was the first of three wars between the Roman Republic and the Carthaginian or Punic Empire that resulted in the destruction of Carthage. The first Punic was fought to establish control over the strategic islands of Corsica and Sicily. In 264 the Carthaginians intervened in a dispute between the two principal cities on the Sicilian west coast of Messana and Syracuse, and to establish a presence on the island. Rome responding to this challenge attacked Messana and forced the Carthaginians to withdraw. In 260 a Roman fleet failed to gain complete control of Sicily but opened the way to Corsica, from which the Carthaginians were expelled. A second Roman fleet ailed in 256 and established a beach head on the African continent. Carthage was prepared to surrender, but the terms offered by Rome were too severe, and in 255 Carthage attacked with a new army built around cavalry and elephants and drove the invaders to the sea. The battle for Sicily resumed in 254 but was a stalemate until 241 when a fleet of 200 warships gave the Romans undisputed control of the sea lanes and assured the collapse of the Punic stronghold in Sicily. One year later Carthage surrendered ceding Sicily and the Lipari Islands to Rome and agreeing to pay an indemnity. Julius Caesar- A Roman general and statesman and was known for conquering of Gaul, victor in the Civil war of 49-46 BC and dictator in 46-44 BC who launched a series of political and social reforms when he was assassinated by a group of nobles in the Senate House. A patrician by birth he became prosecuting advocate in Rome and was elected quaestor and curule aedile for 65. In 63 he was elected pontifex maximus and in 62 praetor. Caesar conquered Gaul in a number of campaigns between 58 and 50 and in 49 after being instructed by the Senate to lay down his command; he crossed the Rubicon signifying the beginning of the Roman civil war. He waged campaigns on several fronts, aided Cleopatra of Egypt and acquired the title of dictator. He was assassinated by a group of senatorial conspirators led by Cassius and Brutus. Augustus- Also known as Octavian was the first Roman emperor that introduced an autocratic regime known as the first citizen, and enabled him working through institutions that were republican in outward form to overhaul every aspect of Roman life and to bring stability and prosperity to the Greco-Roman world. One of the great administrative geniuses of history, he centralized the power of the Roman empire of his day in Rome itself and established the Pax Romana. He was born to a prosperous family and was named adoptive son and heir of Julius Caesar, his great uncle, at the age of 18. In the power struggle that followed Caesar’s death he became one of three that reconstituted the Roman state. After defeating Caesar’s assassins, Brutus and Cassius at Philippi, Octavian and Antony partitioned the empire with Octavian receiving the west as his portion. Octavian then overcame various rivals that included Lepidus and Antony and Cleopatra to become ruler of the Greco-Roman world and preserved the republican forms of government. Jesus of Nazareth- Jesus was born in a troubled time, when Roman rule aroused hatred and unrest among the Jews. This climat4e of hostility affected the lives of all who lived in Judaea, Roman and Jew alike. It forms the backdrop of Jesus’ life and it had a fundamental impact on his ministry. Without an understanding of this age of anxiety in Judaea, Jesus and early Christianity cannot properly be appreciated. The entry of Rome into Jewish affairs was certainly not peaceful. The civil wars that destroyed the republic wasted the prosperity of Judaea and the entire eastern Mediterranean world. Jewish leaders took sides in the fighting, and Judaea suffered its share of ravages and military confiscations. Peace brought little satisfaction to the Jews. Added to the horrors of civil war were years of crop failure, which caused famine and plague. As the ravages of war became ever more widespread and conditions worsened, more and more people prophesied the imminent coming of the Messiah. Into this climate of Roman severity, Zealotry and Messianic hope came Jesus of Nazareth. He was born in Galilee, the stronghold of the Zealots. Yet Jesus was a man of peace and his teachings were entirely and thoroughly Jewish. Paul of Tarsus- Christianity might have remained a purely Jewish sect had it not been for Paul of Tarsus. The conversion of Hellenized Jews and of Gentiles, non-Jews, to Christianity caused the sect grave problems. Were the Gentiles subject to the laws of Moses? If not, was Christianity to have two sets of laws? The answer to these questions was Paul’s momentous contribution to Christianity. Paul was unlike Jesus or Peter. Born in a thriving and busy city filled with Romans, Greeks, Jews, Syrians, and others, he was at home in the world of Greco-Roman culture. After his conversion to Christianity he taught that his native Judaism was the preparation for the Messiah, and that Jesus by his death and resurrection had fulfilled the prophecy of Judaism and initiated a new age. Paul said that Jesus was the Son of God, the beginning of a new law, and he preached that Jesus teachings were to be proclaimed to all people, whether Jew or Gentile. Chapter Twelve: Monsoon System- Has to do with trade and how trade is conducted in history. A monsoon is any major wind system that seasonally reverses its direction. One that blew for approximately six months from the northeast and six months from the southwest, the most prominent examples of the seasonal winds occur in southern Asia and in Africa. The primary cause of monsoons lies in the difference of the annual temperature trends over land and sea, though other factors may be involved as well. Constantine- In the final part of the third century A. D. the emperor Diocletian put an end to the period of turmoil. Repairing the damage done in the third century was the major wok of the emperor Constantine (306-337) in the fourth. But the price was high. Under Diocletian, Augustus’s polite fiction of the emperor as â€Å"first among equals† gave way to the emperor as absolute autocrat. The princes became lord. The emperor claimed that he was â€Å"the elect of god† and that he ruled because of god’s favor. In the fourth century, Constantine even claimed to be the equal of Jesus’ first twelve followers. To underline the emperor’s exalted position Diocletian and Constantine adopted the gaudy court ceremonies and trappings of the Persian Empire. People entering the emperor’s presence prostrated themselves before him and kissed the hem of his robes. Constantine went so far as to import Persian eunuchs to run the palace. The Roman emperor had become an oriental monarch. The most serious immediate matter confronting Diocletian and Constantine were economic, social and religious. They needed additional revenues to pay for the army and the imperial court. Yet the wars and the barbarian invasions had caused widespread destruction and poverty. The fighting had struck a serious blow to Roman agriculture, which the emperors tried to revive. In the religious sphere Christianity had become too strong either to ignore or to crush. How Diocletian, Constantine and their successors dealt with those problems helped create the economic and social patterns medieval Europe inherited. Attila the Hun- King of the Huns from 434 to 453 and ruled jointly with his elder brother Bleda until 445. He was one of the greatest of the barbarian rulers who assaulted the Roman Empire invading the southern Balkan provinces and Greece and then Gaul and Italy. From 435 to 439 the activities of Attila are unknown but he seems to have been engaged in subduing barbarian people to the north or east of his dominions. The Eastern Romans do not appear to have paid the sums stipulated in the treaty of Margus and so in 441 when their forces were occupied in the west and on the eastern frontier, Attila launched a heavy assault on the Danubian frontier of the Eastern Empire. He captured and ravaged a number of important cities. Attila’s movements after the conclusion of peace in the autumn are again unknown. About 445 he murdered his brother Bleda and ruled the Huns as an autocrat. He made a second attack after this on the Eastern Roman Empire, not much is written on this attack. Manichaeism- Was a dualistic religious movement founded in Persia in the 3rd century AD by Mani who was known as the Apostle of Light and supreme Illuminator. Although Manichaeism was long considered a Christian heresy, it was a religion in its own right, because of the coherence of its doctrines and the rigid ness of its structure and institutions preserved throughout its history a unity and unique character. Mani was born in southern Babylonia, now Iraq. With his annunciation at the age of 24 he obeyed a heavenly order to manifest himself publicly and to proclaim his doctrines. From that point on, Mani preached throughout the Persian Empire. At first unhindered, he later was opposed by the king, condemned and imprisoned. After 26 days of trials, which his followers called the Passion of the Illuminator or Mani’s crucifixion. Mani delivered a final message to his disciples and died.