Greenpeace and Politics Essay

Greenpeace is an organization which often collides with governments in countries all over the world in its attempt to stop things like global warming, deforestation, overfishing and more. Greenpeace tries to reach their goals by direct action and lobbying. This is the part where they often collide with the governments. My questions about this topic are: -What conflicts does Greenpeace have (or did they have) with the government and corporations in the Netherlands and governments and corporations of other countries in the world? -How exactly does Greenpeace influence governments and corporations? -What influence does Greenpeace have on governments and corporations? I want to answer these questions by first telling a bit more about Greenpeace. Then I will tell about some conflicts which Greenpeace have had and still have with Dutch government and corporations. I am also going to tell how Greenpeace acted in those conflicts and if they reached their goal(s). by telling this, I will have answered the second and third question. I will also tell about some conflicts Greenpeace has with other governments and corporations and how Greenpeace acted there. Greenpeace Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization. It has offices in more than forty countries all over the world. Its international coordinating body is in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Greenpeace states its goal is to â€Å"ensure the ability of the Earth to nurture life in all its diversity.’’ It focuses on worldwide issues such as global warming, deforestation, overfishing, commercial whaling and anti-nuclear issues. Greenpeace is known for its direct actions and lobbying to stop or delay things but also uses research and innovation to achieve its goals. Greenpeace does not accept money from governments, political parties, or companies. It relies on more than 2.9 million individual supporters and foundation grants. Greenpeace is a founding member of the INGO Accountability Charter; an international non-governmental organization that intends to promote accountability and transparency of non-governmental organizations. Greenpeace has been described as the most visible environmental organization in the world. It has raised environmental issues to public knowledge, and influenced both the private and the public sector. Greenpeace has also been a source of controversy; its motives and methods have received criticism and the organization’s direct actions have led to legal actions against Greenpeace activists. Greenpeace and conflicts with the Dutch government and Dutch corporations – In August 2008, Greenpeace threatens the negotiations of the Dutch government and civil society organizations concerning the designation of protected nature reserves in the North Sea. Greenpeace threw large rocks in the Sylter Buitenrif, near the German-Denmark border. Each of the rocks are about two to three tons. Because of the rocks, fishing is impossible in that area because the fishing nets might get hooked on the rocks, which will be dangerous for the boats. The reason why Greenpeace did this was because the Dutch government was too slow with the designation of protected nature reserves. In 1995, all EU countries promised they would take protective measures known as ‘Natura 2000’, but all North Sea countries, including the Netherlands, took too long to do this and were behind schedule. The Dutch minister of agriculture, minister Verburg, agreed to designate four protected nature areas. – Minister Verhagen declared he wanted a second nuclear power plant (NNP) to be built in the Netherlands, one much bigger than the NNP we already have in Borssele. He had already found a solution for the nuclear waste: put it under the ground. According to minister Verhagen, two soil types are suitable for storing nuclear waste, salt domes in the northern Netherlands and the Boom clay layer which extends over the Netherlands and a part of Belgium. And since a few months, Dutch Greenpeace activists have been protesting against nuclear energy in the Netherlands. They have been trying to persuade the cities to say ‘no’ to nuclear waste storages underneath their city. They did this in several ways, they for example placed warning signs under more than 64 signposts of cities in middle and south Netherlands. Greenpeace activists also visited cities and spoke to councilors and they dumped ‘nuclear waste’ in several places. By now, more than 75 cities said ‘no’ to nuclear waste and the energy company Delta declared in January to have put the plans for a second NPP on hold. They declared it was not feasible anymore to built a second NPP. However, minister Verhagen still wants a second NPP, though he does not seen to get much support anymore†¦ – In December 2011, Greenpeace campaigned in the harbor of IJmuiden against harmful giant ships which was about to set sail to the waters West-Africa. Because of overfishing in the European seas, ships like these now have to go to other seas because they cannot catch enough fish in European seas anymore. The ships against which Greenpeace was campaigning was part of the Pelagic Freezer-Trawler Association (PFA). This is a company which is established in the Netherlands and is a partnership of several Dutch fisheries. PFA got more than 142 million euro subsidy from 2006 to 2011 on. the last five years more than 142 million Euros in European subsidies. Subsidies which are paid from tax money paid by European inhabitants. Greenpeace wrote the amount of money which one of the largest fishing ships in the world got on the ship itself. Also, on the 31st of January 2012, Greenpeace anchored one of Europe’s largest ships to the dock with steel cables to prevent it from setting sail to fishing waters. The Second Chamber will debate about overcapacity on the 15th of February in the Algemeen Overleg. Greenpeace and conflicts with other governments and corporations all over the world Finland, 1995 In June 1955, Greenpeace took a trunk from a tree and put it on display at exhibitions in Austria and Germany. They declared that the trunk was from a tree from a ancient forest in a national park which was supposed to be protected. Metsà ¤hallitus is a state-owned enterprise in Finland has the tasks of managing most of the protected areas of Finland and to supply wood to the country’s forest industry. They accused Greenpeace of theft and said the trunk was from a normal tree that had been destroyed during a storm. Greenpeace replied that the tree had fallen down because the forest around it had been clear-cut. With this action, Greenpeace wanted to highlight the fate of old forests, and they did, because the incident received publicity in some large Finish newspapers. Great Britain, 2008 On the 11th of September, 2008, six Greenpeace activists were acquitted in a case started by energy company E.ON. The activists were protesting against the emission of COâ‚‚ and the construction of a new coal plant in Kent. They climbed the chimney of an existing plant and wanted to write the text ‘Gordon, bin it’ on the chimney. However, they were stopped after they had written ‘Gordon.’ E.ON wanted the activists to pay the damage costs of  £ 35,000 but the judge decided that the damage to the environment done by the coal plant was many times bigger than the activists’ graffiti. France, 1985 The first ship of Greenpeace was the Rainbow Warrior, a 40 meter long former fishing trawler. From 1978 to 1985 on, it was used as a ship to prevent whale hunting, ocean-dumping of toxic and radioactive waste, seal hunting and nuclear testing. In 1985, the Rainbow Warrior was to lead a fleet of protest vessels into the waters surrounding a French nuclear testing site. The French government secretly bombed the ship in the Auckland harbor, New Zealand. The bombings killed a Dutch freelance photographer. At first, the French government denied they had bombed the ship, but in the end they were exposed by the New Zealand police. They agreed to pay New Zealand a compensation of 13 million New Zealand Dollar. They also paid 2.3 million French francs to the family of the photographer. Liberia, Greece, 2002 In 2002, Greek, German and Swiss activists boarded the vessel MV Zini in the port of Kalamaki. The vessel was there to unload logs which it had picked up at the Liberian port of Buchanan. That port is largely controlled by the logging company Oriental Timber Company (OTC). OTC is run by a close business associate of the President of Liberia, who has granted the logging rights to at least one third of Liberia ´s remaining 4.8 million hectares of ancient forest to the company. Liberia’s forests contain enormous biodiversity, but its timber industry is fuelling both environmental destruction and human rights abuses. The Greenpeace activists dressed like animals, the same animals that are being wiped out around the world through the destruction of ancient forests. In reaction to the Greenpeace action, the Greek ministry of environment joined other European nations in committing itself to keep a very clear and strong position for the protection and sustainable management of the last ancient forests of the world and they made promises to take action against forest destruction. Japan, 2008 In June 2008, the Japanese police arrested two Greenpeace activists for stealing a box which was supposed to be full of cardboard, but which was in fact filled with whale meat. The two activists presented this box as evidence to the Public Prosecutor in Tokyo of wide-scale corruption at the heart of the government-sponsored whaling operation in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. There has been an investigation, but according to the Tokyo District Prosecutor Office, it has been unable to find evidence of the embezzlement. The investigation into crew and whaling officials has stopped. After their arrest, the two Greenpeace activists, known as ‘the Tokyo Two’, have been held without charge for some time. In that time, more than 170.000 people have done a cyber action, and a quarter million people sent a mail to the Japanese government to demand their release. The Tokyo Two have been handed a one year suspended prison sentence last year September, despite of the world wide protests against the unjust sentence. Although they are now in prison, they did manage to put whaling successfully on trial, both in court, and in Japan’s national media. Switzerland, 2010, Other European countries In 2010, the Swiss Parliament extended its ban on the cultivation of genetically engineered (GE) plants for three more years. Switzerland will now stay free of GE plants until at least 2013. The original moratorium was backed by Swiss voters in a referendum 5 years ago. Supporters of the ban included farmers, who were concerned about the impacts of GE crops on organic produce as GE crops pose unpredictable risks to human and animal health. The Swiss Greenpeace office has been supporting these farmers and Swiss consumers to ensure the country remains GE-free. The EU Commission President Barroso is trying to force GE crops into the EU and to bypass standard authorisation procedures. However, this approval has met many criticism and opposition. The governments of Greece, Austria, Luxembourg, Italy, Hungary and France have all publicly announced that they will not allow GE potato crops grown in their countries. Six other EU countries, Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary and Luxembourg have bans on GE maize cultivation. I hoped I was able to give an idea of the conflicts Greenpeace gets into with governments and corporations all over the world. Of course, what I told is only a fraction of the actions Greenpeace does and the conflicts and problems they walk into when campaigning but had I told about them all, or even half of them, I could have continued for a very long time. And of course, Greenpeace does not always get into conflict with governments or big corporations, sometimes they only get into conflict with small companies or a small group of people.

Superior Court Observation

Business Law 115 Superior Court Observation The Superior Court session I observed was an alcohol impairment case. The defendant in this case, had been found guilty in District Court, but had filed an appeal to the District Court’s decision. The morning began with the juryselection process. The potential juror pool began with approximately 30 people. The Clerk of Court, Wendy Williams,drew twelve names at random form a bowl to begin the selection process. Once the initial twelve names were pulled, both attorneys had the opportunity to â€Å"interview† thepotential jurors. The prosecution attorney, Emily Cowen, began the process by asking each person to givesome general background information on themselves. This information included where they were from, how long they had lived in the Hendersonville area, their maritalstatus, occupation, etc. After getting this information, the prosecutor asked questions, such as: Did they feel they could hear the case and form an unbiased opinion? Had they ever served on a jury in the past? Had they ever had any negative experiences with any law enforcement officer? Other questions were asked more specifically referring to the DUI, such as: Did they have any family or friends who had been charged with DUI? The defense attorney, J. Michael Edney, then had the opportunity toask his questions. His questions had an emphasis on items such as whether they had a problem with alcohol use, etc†¦ After the initial questioning, three potential jurors were dismissed. One was dismisseddue to being a past victim of a drunk driver. The second was dismissed due to religious beliefs and the third was dismissed by the prosecutor for reasons that were not obvious to an observer. The Clerk of Court drew three more names from the bowl and those potential jurors were basically asked the same questions as the initial twelve. Of this group of three, the defense attorney dismissed two. The first was apparently dismissed because his brother had multiple DUI convictions. The reason for the second dismissal was not obvious. The Clerk of Court then drew two more names. These two potential jurors were questioned in the same manner and accepted by the attorneyson both side. After the jury of twelve was seated, the process was repeated to find an alternate. The purpose if the alternate was to step in if, for any reason, any of the jurors could not serve during the whole trial. The remaining jury pool was excused from the courtroom. The attorney for the Prosecution began with her opening statement, followed by the defense attorney. The prosecution called the first witness, an officer with the Henderson County Sheriff’s Department. The officer was sworn in and then questioned by the Prosecutor about the events of the night when the defendant was placed under arrest. The defense attorney then cross-examined the witness, followed by a prosecution re-direct and then a defense re-cross examination. The witness was then excused. What struck me during the questioning were the actions of the judge. He sat with his head resting in his hand, almost like he was sleeping. However, he did not miss a beat when an objection was made. He either quickly sustained or over-ruled the objection without even raising his head. At this point in the proceedings, the judge called for a lunch recess. He instructed the jury of six rulesto follow during breaks, briefly these were: They were not to discuss the case amongst themselves. They were not to discuss the case with anyone else outside the courtroom. There should be no formation of an opinion until deliberation. They are not to communicate with anyone involved with the case. They should not read or listen to any media coverage about the trial. Lastly, if applicable, there should be no visitation of the crime scene or no independent inquiry. He explained that any violation of these rules would be considered contempt and punishable as so. After the recess, the prosecution called two more witnesses, another Sheriff’s deputy and an officer with the Highway Patrol. They were both questioned by the prosecution, then the defense. Both were also faced with a re-direct and a re-cross. The witnesses were excused after theirtestimony. At this point, the prosecution rested its case. The defense than began theircase presentation. The defense called the defendant to the stand to testify on his own behalf. After his initial testimony, he was cross-examined by the prosecution. There was no re-direct or re-cross. The defense rested their case. The jury was then sent out of the courtroom so the charge conference could take place. This process involves discussions the prosecution and defense as to which instructions would be given to the jury. There is a large set of written instructions and they discussed which are relevant to the case and would be provided to the jury. Once this was completed, the jury was called back into the courtroom and given instructions on the closing statements. These instructions were the same as they were for the opening statements. The defense gave his closing statement first, followed by the prosecution’s closing statement. The judge then instructed the jury on proper application of the law. He stated that if the prosecution did not prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt, then they must find the defendant not guilty. However, if they did prove their case, the jury must find the defendant guilty. He also instructed the jury on the items agreed upon during the charge conference. The jury then retired to the deliberation room. At this point, the alternate juror is excused. While the jury was deliberating, I observed a conversation between the two attorneys and some other attorneys that happened to be in the courtroom. The prosecutor made the comment that the defendant admitted he had been drinking and that was basically the whole of the case. To that, the defense attorney relied, â€Å"The truth is irrelevant. † I found that statement quite surprising and it has stuck with me, I think, more than any other information. The jury did not come back with a verdict by the end of the day. When I called the Clerk of Court office the following morning, I was told that they had come back at around 10:30 am with a guilty verdict.

High-Frequency Trading Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

High-Frequency Trading - Essay Example It is the latest technological tool in the history of securities marketing. They assert the trading has lowered trading costs (Shorter and Miller 1-2). They, however, fail to realize that HFT leads to phantom liquidity, engages in manipulative strategies, have systematic risks, and that some HFT firms are involved in front-running. Although substantial evidence suggests that HFT provides market liquidity, it is not always the case. It at times fails to fulfill the liquidity-supplying function. The provision of liquidity by HFT is partially illusionary because it avails small order depth. This implies that HFT market makers usually quote narrow spreads without the will to sell or buy substantial quantities at the quoted prices. The low spreads, therefore, do not last and transacting significant quantities becomes impossible. In addition, it displaces other liquidity suppliers such as certified exchange specialists who are likely to endure in the market even during turbulent times. During the Flash Crash, for example, the sale of one large order caused HFT firms to gain substantial blocks of E-mini shares. As a result, many orders transacted at cheap prices and the index fell rapidly (Jones 1-3). Regulating HFT would, therefore, be important in order to caution liquidity when market conditions are not favorable. To remedy this problem, HFTs should run batch auctions at regular intervals. Under this regulation, exchanges can collect and aggregate available orders to trade securities. They would then be executed at the price when most offers and bids match (Shorter and Miller 34-36). There is a growing concern that HFT in front-running by damaging price discovery processes. In other words, there is growing worry that HFT provides unreliable price information and makes conditions difficult for traders equipped with sound information. It diminishes the market’s potential to

Research two of the best companies to work for in America Essay

Research two of the best companies to work for in America - Essay Example Both Google and Boston consulting group have things that make them great employers: things like industry leading salaries and care packages, a spirit of hiring from within, good job growth and so forth. Boston Consulting Group even hired its largest crop of new recruits ever in the year 2010, showing that even in the midst of serious economic downturn it is able to promise strong job growth. Google’s revenue continues to grow as well, with its search business and Android platform on mobile devices. That, along with a relatively small pool of employees leaves a large pool of money that allows both companies to spread a great deal of money and benefits to its employees while still remaining profitable. What makes both companies better than any other, however, is the x factor that can’t be quantified. For Google this x-factor is largely the corporate culture, a corporate culture that values innovation, forces its employees to take time to do something that does not relate to their jobs every day to keep them sharp, and allows new ideas to percolate. Boston Consulting Group has a very different type of x-factor. Boston Consulting, as an employer, has one of the greatest commitments to social issues of any company in the country. It has a network set up to do so, called Social Impact Practice Network, which allows its workers to pursue projects in conjunction with the UN world Food Program and Save the Children; furthermore, BCN removed its employees from projects they were working on to give on-the-ground support in Haiti following the earthquake that devastated the country (CNN Money). It is almost impossible to actually determine what the two best employers in the country are. Every year, Forbes publishes a list of the best employers in the country. Each one of those companies has top-notch wages, good job growth in both hourly and salaried workers, and many different kinds of benefits for its employees. In all of these realms, both Boston

Corporate Governance Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Corporate Governance - Coursework Example While these people are usually elected by the Board of Directors or hired based upon their past record, professional skills and business acumen- it is sad when they indulge in scandalous behavior that can lead a company to bankruptcy and closure. In recent years we have had corporate scandals involving such well known names as Enron and Worldcom in the USA and Parmalat in Italy. These widely recognized household names had a national or regional presence at least, with some even having business interests in various countries across the globe. This is what makes their demise all the more shocking. What is Corporate Governance? Broadly speaking, Corporate Governance may be defined as a set of laws, rules and principles by which a business is operated and controlled. Some of these rules are set down by law and common business practices and the culture of the land, while others are defined by the owners and those in the higher echelons of management of the enterprise. The rules of corpora te governance are based on morality and integrity and fair play. ... It provides the structure through which the objectives of the company are set, the means of attaining these and monitoring performance are determined’ (OECD, 1999, 1). This definition captures the entities of all who are involved as well as the working relationships among them with respect to the functions and responsibilities of corporate governance. The Need and Importance of Corporate Governance Quite simply, the stakeholders of a corporation-whether they be debtors, creditors, suppliers or distributors- as well as the general public would love to do business with a corporate entity or buy its products and services if they know that the management and the employees are a well reputed group and they can rely on the quality of the merchandise or service that is being provided to them. In other words the public perceives the corporate entity and its management and workers to be good and honest hardworking citizens, working hard to contribute to the good of the economy and soci ety at large. Of course they price their goods to include profit as well as to cover the costs and expenses of running a business. But the exposure of bad and fraudulent business practices as well as dubious business activities will certainly make people think twice about the company and its bonafides- which have now fallen into disrepute It can be an audit team or the actions of a concerned whistleblower that exposes these activities2 (Wearing, 2005, 27). Once the beans have been spilled, the company usually comes under the investigation of the Securities and Exchange Commission and other Federal agencies such as FBI and law enforcement can also get involved. In the UK this would involve actions and investigations by the Home Department and the Metropolitan Police. Once the

Critique of Vita Wallaces' essay Give Children the Vote

Critique of Vita Wallaces' Give Children the Vote - Essay Example However, these rights, if not controlled especially to those less than 18 years would eventually be misunderstood turning to be a liability to the society. In her essay, Wallace believes that children under the age of 18 years have the right to vote (Eschholz et. al. 315). To her, the account of age should not be a stumbling block. In her article, she presents her views on the significance of educating children and giving every child the right to vote. Wallace says that in passing the law against child labor and provision for compulsory schooling, the involved, which she refers to as well-meaning people aimed at protecting every child from any form of exploitation. She believes that the decision about schooling I personal. According to her, no punishment should be given in case children choose not to attend school. Rather, she asserts that at whatever age suitable for children to vote, the right should be given. She says, â€Å"What I suggest is that children be allowed to grow into their own right to vote at whatever rate suits them individually† (315). The word individually helps eliminate the aspect of generalization. Accordi ng to her, age limit would hinder capable children from voting. It is from this assertion that Wallace believes that children should have the right to vote. The common believe that if given the chance to vote children will vote in favor of their parents, in effect giving more votes to the parents should, according to Wallace, not be the case (316). Although many of the readers of this article consider Wallace argument thoughtful, I disagree with her point of view. In the entire essay, she presents her opinion. However, the major claim of this assertion could appear as fact or a judgment (Cooper 5). This shows how he overlooks the Toulmin’s theory of argument (Cooper 3). As an activist, she uses an interesting approach, which convinces many readers. Despite her powerful approach, I consider her unsuccessful. Her major claim,

Loneliness and Isolation in Different Media Essay

Loneliness and Isolation in Different Media - Essay Example The essay "Loneliness and Isolation in Different Media" discovers he Loneliness and Isolation theme in the context of Different Media. Slaughter makes the meaning clear from the beginning through the end that the persona in the poem is lonely. He intensifies the feeling by repeating the word â€Å"loneliness† throughout the poem especially in the first two stanzas. He further emphasizes the theme using repetition of the word â€Å"loneliness† in the last four lines of the poem. Note that the repetition effects to an alliteration and even to an exaggeration. In addition, as the lines of the poem highlight the theme of loneliness, they imply the idea of morbidity. Finding loneliness in everything that the persona sees in his surroundings, including the land, seas, etc., he expresses severity of his loneliness, thus making it appear as if he is under depression. In addition to the alliteration, Slaughter represents the feelings of the persona using his surroundings. He use s phrases with compound nouns beginning with â€Å"lonely† such as lonely trek, lonely mist, lonely spies, lonely circles, lonely tears, lonely cries, and lonely tears. He also adds compound nouns such as â€Å"coursing strife† and â€Å"flowing pain† to underscore the dilemma of the persona. Using images to represent feelings suggests Slaughter’s use of symbolism. The theme of loneliness is likewise expressed in Hopper‘s painting. The subject of this painting is a middle aged woman who sits alone, expressionless in a hotel, unmindful of the morning sun.

Current Supreme Court Cases Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Current Supreme Court Cases - Essay Example She had an infant in her hands and with the nature of the situation plus the initial occurrences; the officers asked her if they could conduct a safety search(Russell 1). However, Fernandez was quick to object claiming that he knew his rights. The officers brought Fernandez into custody under the suspicion he was behind Roxanne’s assault. After identification as one of the perpetrators from the gang robbery, the police accompanied him to the police station. Later on, one of the officers returned to the premises and obtained Roxanne’s consent to search the apartment(Russell 1). The search brought out new evidence that linked Fernandez to the violent robbery. In court, Fernandez’s motion to subdue the proof from the second search did not influence his case. The Georgia v. Randolph case chiefly influenced Fernandez’s motion since the summary judgment held that where there is physical presence of co-tenants and one objects the police’s consent while the other agrees; the police have no option but to respect the objection. Justices Alito, Ginsburg, Kagan, Sotomayors and the Chief Justice were against were against any motions filed with Randolph case as the basis hence agreed with the final decision(Russell 1). However, Fernandez has four votes from Justices Breyer, Kennedy, Scalia and Karlin who supported the Randolph summary judgment with the argument that the police officers went against the law by first taking into custody the objecting party and coming back to obtain consent of other co-tenant. Nonetheless, the California Court of Appeal’s affirmations held that Fernandez was not physically present when Roxan ne gave consent of the search. Typically, the application of Georgia v. Randolph as advocated for by Jeffrey Fisher (Fernandez’s lawyer) was not rational enough to make any exceptions particularly because one of the opposing justices invoked that his expression only depicted insightful disrespect towards Roxanne who wanted

Concept to Full Production Contract Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Concept to Full Production Contract - Essay Example There are a myriad of reasons this happens. They include the encourage competition, to assist small and medium businesses, to expedite performance of contracts deemed essential, to make possible large dollar acquisitions, to reduce contractor risk and to lower the overall costs of the contract. Approaches to Contract Financing Customary contract financing The government does not give financing in cases of Simplified Acquisition Procedures or foreigners being awarded contracts. The basic steps when giving this kind of contract financing, usually undertaken by the government, is to decide if the money will be offered, minimizing the government’s risk, approving or disapproving the request and the liquidating or recovering financing payments. In noncommercial and commercial acquisitions, the solicitation states whether financing will be availed under the particular contract, though actual clauses in the contract may differ. It is vital to note that financing may be availed after award even if the contract had indicated that they didn’t need financing. In this case, the contractor should give reasonable considerations, for instance reduction in price of contract, improved delivery date or an increase in quantity. This is for the increased risk and cost to the government. When financed, the contract should obviously show their need in the proposal. Contract financing from the government is a benefit to contractors and they should therefore reflect it in the form of more favorable terms or lower prices. Need for contract financing need not be treated as a bad thing for award of contract. Performance-Based Payments These are contract financing arrangements that are made on the basis of accomplishment of defined events, performance measured by quantifiable or objective methods or other measurable events. The method is usually for competitively sole or negotiated source services or supplies. It is the most preferred method by government to contracts workin g under fixed price contracts. Payment are based on the achievement of specific accomplishments defined in advance by parties to the contract instead of tying them to costs Progress payments based on costs This is used on service or supply contracts made on basis of costs input by the contractor as progress of works under the said contract. It does not include performance based payments, partial delivery payments accepted by the government, payments based on the stage or percentage of completion accomplished. This contract financing approach can be used for sealed bid, sole or negotiated contracts for services and supplies. Interim payments/ public vouchers These are a means of vouchering eligible expenses including labor, materials, overheads and fees under the cost-reimbursement contracts. While it is not considered a customary contract financing method, it pays expenses incurred under such contracts. Loan guarantees Loan guarantees made by Federal Reserve Banks through guaranteei ng agencies to enable the contracts to get financing from private sourcing to so they can fulfill contract obligation involving supplies or services for the national defense. Some kind of congressional authority is required for this to take place. In recent years, however, the Department of Defense has not requested such authority. Advance payments The government may advance to the prime contract before the completed performance sums of money under one or more contracts. They are to be liquidated from payments due to the contractor subject to the

Avata,2009 ( this is Film class paper) Movie Review

Avata,2009 ( this is Film class paper) - Movie Review Example The unity present in the scene, rhythm, visual balance and most importantly the color for it greatly relates to the mood and feelings that are to be depicted in the scene. One of the most important factors in cinematography is the usage of the proper camera and that too in the most efficient way keeping view the directionality, frame rate and so on. The cinematographer must know how to manipulate with the colors that is where to use soft light or hard light. The cinematography is also called as the Director of Photography and the director must also have enough information of cinematographic principles. The film we are going to analyze with reference to this is Avatar, a film directed by the genius of sci-fi James Cameron. James Cameron is an unparallel direction and writer when comes to science fictions movies and high end technology. He is has got a very wild imagination and excellent style for portraying which makes his all films flawless masterpieces. This film has also set ground breaking records and created revolution in cinematography through technological advances and excellent motion pictures. His former wife is also very famous and has produced some remarkable films, His current wife Gale Anne Hard is also a well-known producer. The opening scene if the film is entirely focused on the mail lead of the film who is a paralyzed former marine who spends most of his time drinking and lives in a small dank room. Jake Sully is main hero is asked to replace his slain brother in a project that has been sent to outer space to a star that happens to have certain resources that could revitalize the decaying earth. The film has set in 2148 where earth is totally destructed with no more greenery left more than 20milion people living in poverty. Deadly wars, nuclear warfare, famine, natural disasters and pollution are now the description of earth. There are hardly four to five minutes where the films has been shown depicting earth rest is on the moon Pandora where th ere lives a tribe known as Na ‘vi. This is from where the brilliance of the film starts though all of the scene have computer generated or shot through digital cameras abut all of it looks real like. Avatar with all the budget and gard work seems to be paying off every cent as well as augments the technical effects and throws challenge to other filmmakers dealing with this genre (McCarthy & Variety). Coming to the scenes of the film where the technicalities are at its best though the whole films classifies on this basis. The avatars created which are blue like people 9 ft tall, the different creatures; plants on the planets are all so real though it’s all digital imagery. The expressions of the people on that planet are inexplicable and nicely done. The best scene being when the shuttle nears the planet and the sound of the drums grows louder and louder increasing the excitement and curiosity of the viewers. Then there alien like tress, winged creatures, everything colo red a bit towards cyan. The lace seems like some other forest on earth except it’s so beautifully extravagant that it looks extraterrestrial. Avatar has an aura around it which spell binds to watch it and takes you on roller coaster ride like you never been to one (Turan, NewYork Times). The scene in which they show the princess who has fallen in love with the Avatar of Jake Sully takes him on a tour to her land is also stunning. The spiritual tress, the way everything illuminates in the night, the colors are extremely heart

Experts opinion Essay Example for Free

Experts opinion Essay After reading four of experts opinion, their views can be separate into two. Katherine Franks view and advice seems different from three of others which she thinks Galen was doing a good job whereas the other three are thinking of firing him.  John Brown, who is the director of institutional sales and customer relation at Fortis Investments in Boston, has mainly two points: The boss should outline the clear value and principle of business outgoing and how the value system of the organization integrates with employee and clients. He does agree with build business relationship and trust step by step by using acceptable tactic. There are many other ways can be used in business rather than do something unethical. And be aware the feeling of client for every process during the business, a special gift or sweet regards on the holiday helps the business gaining high marks. Also pay attention of what is the clients religious beliefs or any special need and what may be downright offended of them. Denise Rousseau is a professor in both Carnegie Mellons Heinz School and Tepper School of business in Pittsburgh. Both John Brown and Denise think that value system is very important and considerable factor in business. She advises the Bob to stop Galens job then find some new sale man who can follow the rule. She has also mentioned the aspect of female employees benefit. A good company should create a fair and positive environment for employee to work and do not feel any discrimination in the working. Other wise, sex discrimination can cause a risk of reputation of the company. We always can see that female employee go to the court with the company for their deserved right and benefit. Also the company will pay attention of this sensitive topic for the long term development. Another professor is Das Narayandas from Harvard business school in Boston. His idea is mostly similar with the previous experts. He looks the problem in a serious way that Bob has been holding as a hostage by Galen and Bob need to turn the situation into his way. He thinks the biggest mistake is from the CEO Bob. Also Galen may use the company money to satisfy his own need. I do agree with this view: all the problem is from the leader. Bob need to reform and set up new corn value system of the company and also pass his idea and organization culture to all the employees. And newest concept is the service is important as the product and buyer will focus on the other aspects of company also. Katherine Frank thinks that things like go to stripe club is acceptable in business and two-person sales group would make everyone feel comfortable. She has also indicated that going to strip club can make some customer feel special and relax but not a useful way to generate business because no data can improve that any contract is signed in the club. And also makes some customer feel slightly aberrant and titillating environment. So she does not against to go to strip club but have some doubt of this business tool. How should Bob Turn His Company around? The OptiMotors Industry case reflects to several critical issues that manager must undertake sales management, especially heightening ethical selling. After reading experts comments and arguments and according to the professional reference, Several Advices have been given in below, includes reformation of sales department and improvement of internal competitive advantages.  According to The Harvard business review article How low will you go (2006), and due to prevention of sell man Galens poisonous selling who had taken his client into a stripper club in order to make a important sale, three of four experts in the article think that he should be fired. As it is a serious ethical problem, and this kind of problem seems small at first, or even it brings profit for company, however if it happens in long term cooperation , it would be found one day anyway, and at that time, if the scandal is disclosed, it would be a disaster for Optimotor, which could lead company to a break down result. Therefore, we are taking the expertise (fire ethical seller Galen) as the first step for Bobs auto parts company, in order to appease the debate among sale staffs and rebuild the morale of the sales team. Meanwhile, Bob Carlton, as a CEO of the OptiMotors industries, should recognize how important the sales department is in a successful organization. Thus, the next step is selecting a sales manager over controls sale men. It is indispensable action, because the current sale leader Bob seems not really good at managing his sale people, according his background, he is born technician but had never been referring to too much marketing knowledge in most time of his life. Therefore, Hiring a good sales manager may result in a reduction of his workload and the CEO can spend more time on manufacturing or making big decisions for the firm rather than supervising his personnel sellers which could lead to a worse result.

Themes In Spring Summer Fall Winter And Spring Philosophy Essay

Themes In Spring Summer Fall Winter And Spring Philosophy Essay Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring directed by Kim Ki-Duk is a beautiful film about a young Buddhist monk who progresses through the four seasons of life, from childhood to old age. Buddhism is a system of doctrine and practice largely based on the teachings of Gautama Siddhartha commonly known as the Buddha enlightened or awakened. The four central teachings of the Buddha are known as the Four Noble Truths. According to the Buddha, the real nature of the life and universe is nothing other than suffering, the cause of suffering, the cessation of suffering and the way leading to the cessation of suffering. The Four Noble Truths are the fundamental teachings that all Buddhists learn. In the film, three important principles of Buddhism: Samsara, Attachment and Impermanence are elucidated. Samsara is the eternal life cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. Attachments are simple beliefs or delusions that becomes solidified as truth in our mind. Finally, Impermanence is the concept that everything changes and nothing stays the same. The film portrays the suffering of the world and the cause of our suffering is the self. This paper will analyze how the core principles of Buddhism; Samsara, Attachment, and Impermanence, provide an intricate balance between goodness, flaws and the nature of humans in the external world. Samsara is one of Buddhisms fundamental principles that represents the cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. There are several examples of this in the film. The changing seasons from spring, summer, fall, winter, and finally spring again represents the metaphor for how Buddhists view the life cycle of a person. Furthermore each season is represented by a different animal: A Dog in the spring, Rooster in the summer, Cat in the fall, and finally a snake in the winter. The snake is the Old Monk who committed suicide to liberate himself from worldly attachments and is reincarnated in a different form. Buddhists believe that Samsara is driven by karma, which is a basic Buddhist theory that stands for action, work or deed. Your actions in life will determine where and how you will be reincarnated. When the boy was young, he tortures a defenseless frog, a snake and a fish, and when he is older he himself suffers from loss of his loved one and internal conflict. In the real world, the act ions of a person, whether good or bad, reflect the quality of his/her life. The cycle of Samsara is broken when one reaches Nirvana. Nirvana means the extinction of clinging; the elimination of the atma-graha (holding to the concept of the self) and dharma-graha (holding to the concept that things are real); and the eradication of the obstacle of defilement and the obstacle of knowledge. (Yun 1987, 50) One is freed from desire and therefore suffering. It illustrates the quiet state of mind that exists when the fire of attachment and desire are annihilated. The Buddhas teaching about attachment begins with the Four Noble Truths. The Truth of Suffering, the Truth of the Arising of Suffering, The Truth of the Cessation of Suffering and The Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering. Absent from the monastery, the young monk returns and is consumed with rage and jealously that forces him to commit murder. In the film the Master states Lust awakens the desire to possess. And that awakens the intent to murder. This is exactly what the young boy did when his worldly delusions led to possessives. The reason for suffering, desire, and lust is because the mind becomes attached to impermanent things and that blinds or alters reality. Everything, and thingness itself, is inseparable from suffering in some form, and that the false, ingrained illusion of I-ness is the cause of the greater part of it. (Humphreys 1969, 50) According to the Buddha, an individuals ego and self is an illusion, meaning there is no such thing as the self, only a set of rea ctions. There isnt a single soul that flows through our perception that isnt changing. When the young boy fell in love with the girl, it awakens his yearnings and lust for sex; his actions established an attachment that ended with murder. We can state that he was unaware of the consequences and did not realize that he was running from one thing to next in pursuit of something that did not exist. As desire increases, our thinking tends to become impractical. We lose the sense of well-grounded reason that is so important to the spiritual path. When the young boy returns to the monastery he tries to kill himself for the wrong deeds that he committed by putting pieces of paper that says shut. But in time the Old monk stops him and punishes him by making him carve the Buddhist sutras into the hermitages deck which brings piece to ones heart. After completing the sutras, the boy is taken into custody and the Old Monk prepares a pyre funeral for himself. Here the killing of oneself is symb olized differently for each monk. The young boy uses the shutting force for inner maturity verses the old monk does it for liberation. In this scene, the concept of attachment plays after the boy completes the sutras and realizes that life is suffering and that everything that we get attached to is impermanent. Impermanence also known as Anicca is central to Buddhas teachings that all things arise must change and decline, and they are but false appearances without any stable essence. (Yun 2001, 27) In the film the animals and the water around the temple change every season, illustrating the growth and the progression of time. The concept of change and impermanence is important in and of itself. Although the things in the world may seem substantial, when analyzed in detail they are essentially evanescent, an illusion which cannot be grasped. All that we can hold on to is a false appearance that is fundamentally devoid of all absolute qualities. The relationship between the young monk and the girl who visited the monastery to treat her soul is an example of impermanence. The young monk flourishes from having no desire to the worldly delusions such of lust, passion and suffering. The concept of impermanence plays when the girl leaves him for another man demonstrating that the world is subject to constant change. As the Master stated sometimes we have to let go of the things we like, what you like others will like as well. The boundaries of the mind are similar to the Buddhist monastery doors as well as the doors on the no walls inside the temple. We can always be conscious of our thoughts and follow the right path or we can choose to follow our desires without regards for any rules. The boy does the latter, follows his heart when the girl invites him to sleep with her. Buddhists believe that the concept of impermanence goes hand in hand with the concept of emptiness. Emptiness means that nothing has a permanent self-nature or essence. (Yun 2001, 28) In other words, nothing in the world has any permanence, definite or absolute fundamental nature. For example, when we face the inherent emptiness of our problems, we are better equipped to see through them and not react with passionate or violent emotions. This story of young boys progression to manhood was not without its obstacles but of resolution as well. He progresses from innocence to love, pain, redemption, and finally Nirvana, the ultimate goal of every Buddhist. Samsara represents the interconnectedness of actions in ones life towards people and nature and their faith after death. Everything that we desire and avoid in life is a form of attachment. It means that without particular person or thing, we cannot live or the obsession to get rid of something or someone that is in our lives. Finally the principles of Impermanence can simple mean reality. Everything that we do and feel is in constant change. A person may feel empty at one moment and overtime that feeling goes away and is replaced with different set of emotions. The teachings of Buddha although may be old but are still very relevant in todays world in which people are tempted on daily basis to pleasures of forbidden and incidences that questions ones morals. They teach love, self-control, obedience, and bring people together in a community setting with other followers. A person goes through many ups and downs in life but in every case finds a way to liberate his soul through mediation, prayer, and relationships.

Company overview of Tata Motors Limited

Company overview of Tata Motors Limited Tata Motors Limited was founded in 1945 and it is the most successful automobile manufacturing company in India. With Tata Group as its parent company and Ratan Tata as its CEO, Tata Motors has sold almost 6 million vehicles nationally since their first launch in 1954 (Tata Motors, 2010). In expanding their business internationally, Tata Motors has proven that they are qualified as another competitor in automobile industry. Their products are commercial vehicles like buses and trucks, and also passenger cars like Tata Sierra, Tata Estate, Tata India, Tata Nano, Tata Xenon, etc. The company revenue was Rs. 27, 055.57 crores in June 2010 (Tata Motors, 2010). In India, Tata has operations in Jamshedpur, Pune, Lucknow, Patnagar, and Dharwad. Tata Motors was listed in New York Stock Exchange in 2004, followed by open their operations in UK, South Korea, and Spain (Tata Motors, 2010). In 2004, Tata Motors joint venture with Daewoo Commercial Vehicles Company from South Korea and formed Tata Daewoo. Continue one year later they bought Hispano Carrocera, a Spain company and also in 2008, they bought Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford, a UK based automobile company (Tata Motors, 2010). Macro Environment Analysis of the Company In analyzing macro environment of Tata Motors, it is crucial to know the main factors that influence the company when entering business to another country. Political, Economic, Social, and Technological (PEST) analysis is used to dig deeper some external factors which affect business in macro environment. With 4 perspectives in PEST analysis, it will help us to know the host market condition, possible growth, opportunities, decision making, and important steps (Lawson, 2006). III.1. Political-Legal Political is about the condition of politic and security in the domestic market which influence daily activity, including business. Legal is about the bureaucracy or regulation that should be fulfilled when we want to open a business. This is also an important factor because without obeying laws, rules, and regulation in the country, it is almost impossible to establish market there. Tata Motors was established in India, so Tata Motors has to concern on laws, rules, regulation, and political stability in India. But since Tata Motors has many subsidiaries in many countries, Tata Motors has to obey the host countrys laws also. In 2008, Tata Motors bought over Land Rover and Jaguar from Ford Motor. Since then, Tata also has to concern on the UK laws and regulation (Carty, 2008). Moreover, as the first company to be listed in New York Stock Exchange, Tata Motors also has to concern on US politics.. Generally, the political factor in the companys macro environment such as: tax policy, government regulations, and laws. It is famous that India is one of the countries which have a complicated bureaucracy, this is one of the obstacles if establishing business there (Sastry, 2005). Political unstable such as wars or conflicts also cause inflation and may affect oil price in one country. High inflation cause the government has to rise up prices, and oil price is the common price to get raised. And it is automatically the higher price of oil will affect the sales of cars (Wardell, et al., 2008). There were some political conflicts which were faced by Tata Motors recently. In their official website, stated that Ratan Tata (Tata Motors CEO) faced difficulties when he wanted to lauch Tata Nano. They have to deal with some emission norms and regulations in order to produce the cars (Tata Motors, 2010). As been reported on Bloomberg Businessweek in 2008, there was conflicts happened between two political parties when Tata Motors wanted to established their factory in Singur (India) and some protests from the local farmer. The conflict was about the agricultural land which Tata used to build the factory. Finally, Tata Motors had to relocate their factory and lost $100 million for relocation cost and over $ 300 million for investment (Banerjee and Guha, 2010). This problem is to prove that how stable the political situation of the country plays an important role in the companys macro environment. III.2. Economical The condition of economy in recent time or in the future can influence the growth and strategy of the company. This is very important because Tata Motors is a multinational company. Tata Motors has to understand the trend of economic growth in every single country that they do business with. This factor tells about the economical factor that surrounding the company such as: economy fluctuation, monetary and fiscal policy, government spending, unemployment level, interest rate, exchange rate, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, etc. In the domestic market, Tata Motors has to pay attention to the economic condition of India. India is a developing country with GDP per capita = $ 3,200 and $ 3.68 trillion national purchasing power (CIA, 2009). As been affected by the depression of global economic, Indias automobile industry also has to bear the consequences. The increase of material price forced Tata Motors to increase its truck price of 3.5% which lead to decrease in demand (Mapsofindia, 2010). In the international market, Tata Motors aims more to developing countries and middle-class family (Peacock, 2008). Each and every country has their own exchange rate or currency and it keep on changing every time. So for being a multinational company, Tata Motors has to concern in any changing of countries currency, especially US Dollar because Tata Motors also listed in New York Stock Exchange (NYSE, 2010). Inflation is also one of the factors, because it affects the interest rate for doing investment in a country (Russell, 2006). The increase or decrease of Inflation, will lead to a lower or higher interest rate. Looking deep to the economical macro environment may help Tata Motors in price setting, demand, cost, and decisional making in the company. III.3. Socio-Cultural Socio-cultural is focus on the attitude of consumer and employee which also affect the strategy. Strategy planning must follow the development of educational level and social assessment in order to see the influence toward the strategy. Some of the factors are: income distribution, attitude, education, health and wellness, changing life style, and demography. Tata Motors must realize the type of customers in India as its domestic market. The attitude and life style of those customers affect the demand for Tata Motors which also influence its decisional making (Tata Motors, 2009). Indian people are careful with their spending. They do not want to buy thing which is not worth it (Sharma, 2010). They are also usually educated and easy access to information. So, Tata Motors has to look at local perspective to market their product (Deoras, n. d.). Besides that, in doing business in 26 countries with 26 different cultures in each country, Tata Motors has to understand and apply different strategy. For example: Tata Motors cannot apply Indian culture to United Kingdom when they purchased Land Rover and Jaguar from Ford (a UK based company), because each place has their unique demographic. Another example would be: When marketing their product, Tata Motors must know the local demand. India for example, they have pretty low GDP per capita and most of the people prefer small car (Alvares, 2010). So, Tata Nano (one of Tata Motors product, a small car with $2500 price and the world cheapest car) seems fit into the market (Nussbaum, 2008). In 2009, Tata Motors faced culture problem in United States whereby affected the sales of their Jaguar. Many American did not want to buy a famous brand like Jaguar if it is owned by Indian company (Kamath, 2009). In focusing their socio-cultural environment, Tata Motors has Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) team which does social activities, donation, charity and caring the environment (Tata Motors, 2008). III.4. Technological Technological environment could affect raw material, operation, product, and company services. The development of technology can give huge opportunity to increase the product output in the company. Government intervention through tax policy and laws also play important role in the development of technology. The willingness to do innovation and taking risk seems to be the important component in this factor. Technological environment such as: The impact of changes in technology, new invention and development, cost and use of technology, and information technology development. This factor could give a competitive advantage to the company. As one of the giant automobile company, Tata Motors has to adapt and develop their product to the technology. The adaptation is not only in the factory machines but also in the car parts. Tata Motors allocate 2% of their Sales to Research Development Department (Tata Motors, 2010). Now, they are working to make environmental friendly buses such as hydrogen fuel cell buses and hybrid cars (Doggett, 2010). Not only in the real world, but Tata Motors also expand their services through internet. Tata Motors has on Online Booking Services which allow customers who has problem with their car to book date to send their car to their workshop. Now, customer also can purchase Tata Nano through internet, Tata Motors expand their business to e-commerce marketing (Marathe, 2009). III.5. SWOT Analysis of Tata Motors SWOT Analysis is a tool to analyze situation and condition of a business. It shows the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats of the business. It is helpful to support the decisional making in the company because this analysis shows the current performance of the company and the possible challenges in the future time (Kern, 2001). And these are the SWOT Analysis of Tata Motors which been described from their official website: III.5.1. Strength: Strong brand image Good management Done many good innovations III.5.2. Weaknesses: The market target mostly is lower level citizen Advertisement and promotion still below other companies III.5.3. Opportunities: The acquisition of Jaguar-Land Rover will give more opportunities to produce different product innovation and aim to luxury market segment. The new Tata Nano as the world cheapest car will bring lots of demands. III.5.4. Threats: The tight competitiveness in automobile industry The high oil price The high price of raw materials The International Consideration As being the largest automobile company in India, Tata Motors knew that they could gain more profit by expanding their market globally. Opening business in some other countries outside their domestic market in India will bring benefit to them to be closer to their customers and reach worldwide market. IV.1. Worldwide Branches Tata Motors was established in 1945; however Tata Motors started expanding their business internationally since 1961, they are doing export with over 80 countries in 5 continents. In 1992 Tata Motors reached Europe market by export (Ibef, 2010). They have operations in: Venezuela, Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, Zaire, Tanzania, South Africa, Spain, Italy, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Russia, Chile, Australia, Poland, Turkey, Syria, South Arabia, India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Thailand, Malaysia, and Bangladesh (Tata Motors, 2008). With 23,000 employees worldwide, Tata Motors is the first automobile company to be listed in New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in 2004. In the same year also they bought Daewoo Commercial Vehicles Company, a South Korea truck manufacture. Again Tata Motors expand its wings by buying 21% shares of Hispano Carrocera in 2005, a bus maker from Spain. A year later, they joint venture with Thonburi Automotive Assembly Plant Company from Thailand. Moreover, they also cooperate with Marcopolo, a Brazilian company. Furthermore, in 2008 Tata Motors acquired Jaguar and Land Rover from a UK company, Ford (Tata Motors, 2010). IV.2. Tata Motors Concern toward International Business As one of the big player in automobile business, Tata Motors must concern on many important things such as: environment, politics, and cultures. There is a big issue right now in Tata Motors which is related to their concern toward environment. A big demand for their low cost car Tata Nano will bring even more pollution because it is affordable and every people will buy it (Shivani, 2010). It is a good sign for the company but a bad sign to the earth. To focus into Tata Motors international business, United Kingdom is taken as an example. UK market is favourable for Tata Motors. Some of the advantage that they received by doing business in the UK are: Language; because India used English as their official language and so does UK, Tata Motors sees UK market is potential, UK is more attractive than another country also because they have lower entry barriers and they have a good network for dealer which is very important for Tata Motors (Purcell, 2009). Tata Motors has to concern on UK economic condition too, because it is a main market for Jaguar and Land Rover (Subbu, 2003; David, 2008). It is saver for Tata Motors for doing business in UK because the stability of Pound Sterling and UK is a good place to make Foreign Direct Investment (Invest in the UK, 2010). But overall, Tata Motors has to concern on the tight competitiveness in automobile industry in the UK. Huge brands such as: Toyota, BMW, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, etc, are also big players in the market. Therefore, Tata Motors must keep the strong performance by keep developing new product to attract customers. Also keep good relationship with customers to enhance their loyalty (Nemo, 2010). IV.3. Internationalization Method Tata Motors ways to international business such as: joint-venture, subsidiary, exporting, franchise, and dealer distribution. Tata Motors used Joint-venture or associate companies to touch Europe market (Ibef, 2010). They associated with Hispano Carrocera in Spain and become Tata Hispano. Tata Hispano produces coach, big buses, large cars, and regional transport (Auto, 2009). In 2009 Tata Motors bought 100% stake of this company (Indian Info Tech, 2010). Subsidiary or acquisition means when a company is owned and controlled by its parent company after has been acquired (Lennon, 1999). Tata Motors has 30 subsidiaries and 20 of them are outside of India. They gained almost Rs. 6500 crore revenue from the subsidiaries in 2006 which contributed almost 20% of the group revenue (Tata Sons Ltd, 2007). The most profitable subsidiary is Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicle (TDCV) in South Korea and Telco Construction Equipment Company (Telcon), cooperate with Hitachi in India (Tata Sons Ltd, 2007). Besides doing joint-venture and subsidiary, Tata Motors also exports some of their products. In 2008, Tata Motors exported more than 33,000 units (Tata Motors, 2009). The exported country is spread in 5 continents and more than 70 countries. In the year 2006, Tata Motors exports reached 11% of its total sales (Onkvisit and Shaw, 2004); they focused in South Africa market in that year and exported almost 33% of the total export (Economic Times, 2006). Tata Motors has franchisees in some countries such as: Kenya, Bangladesh, Senegal, Russia, and Ukraine (Tata Motors, 2010). In addition, they have dealers to distribute their cars to their customers in Venezuela (Tata Sons Ltd, 2010). IV.4. Problem Faced by Tata Motors Even though the field of international business seems fertile, but it has so many obstacles and problems. Tata Motors has to be careful to overcome all the problems. Some of the problems would be: Joint venture problem, decreasing of stock, economic downturn in America and Europe, and last but not least is the tight global competitiveness of automobile company (Menezes, 2005). First, joint venture problem. When Tata Motors took over Jaguar and Land Rover in 2008, both them was doing badly (The Economist, 2009). Jaguar sales dropped to less than 65,000 cars in 2007 while Land Rover turned form favourable to unfavourable because they world demand is changing to environmental friendly cars while Land Rover still producing its spendthrift fuel cars. To overcome these problems, Tata Motors made a careful step by making new car design. Tata Motors came with Jaguar X-type which is better in design and also cheaper. They had a warm response from the market. To maintain it, Tata Motors asked help from Jaguar-Land Rover management to take part in the company. In Land Rover case, Tata built Land Rover LRX which is better in fuel consumption and low emission (Kamath, 2009). Another problem would be the decreasing stock of Tata Motors in 2008. This problem rose because of the $ 3 billion debt that Tata Motors loaned to buy Jaguar-Land Rover which could cause higher interest cost and lower down earnings (Kamath, 2009). This problem also compounded by the global economy crisis. Many Investors afraid that Tata Motorss stock would fall down. The best solution to this problem is to increase sales by making lower cost cars which will attract the customers, also support from Tata Group (its parent company) to help Tata Motors to settle their financial problem first (Krishnamoorthy and Koenig, 2008; Moinansari, 2009). Can be said that Tata Motors enter the global market was not in a right time. When it acquired Jaguar-Land Rover from Ford, American and European markets were in a weak point. The best solution in this condition is to keep the good management between Tata Motors and Jaguar-Land Rover, and also good investment in their product line like the latest Tata Nano which is the world cheapest car to reach every corner market (MBA, 2010). Although Tata Motors is a largest automobile company in India, but it only ranked as the 19th largest manufacture in the world (OICA, 2009). So, to face the competitiveness among the companies, Tata Motors must find a way to attract the market, for example: New product line, Make a low price car with a good quality, maintain their safety level, etc (Horner, 2009). The Future Growth of Business Tata Motors performance is also countable in automobile industry. With Tata Group as its parent company, and Ratan Tata as its CEO, Tata Motors is keep growing and expanding their market. In their official website, stated that the company revenue jumped 30.5% from last year and they got Rs. 2,571 crores of profit (Tata Motors, 2010). It is a positive growth from the company. Ansoff Product-Market Matrix was founded by H. Igor Ansoff in 1957. This marketing tool is used to help company to find the best strategy that should they choose to reach the objectives (Harris, 2000; Botten, 2008). Source: Ansoff 1957 cited in Campbell and Craig, 2005 Output from this Ansoff Matrix is a growing strategies which are appropriate for every part of business. Igor Ansoff stated that there are 4 strategies in Ansoff Matrix, they are: 1). Market Penetration, 2). Product Development, 3). Market Development, and 4). Diversification (Graham and Allan, 2008). V.1. Market Penetration The company is trying to reach the existing market with product that has existed too. This is the safest step because it has lesser risk than any other strategies. Usually, companies use this strategy to attract their competitors customers. Tata Motors used this strategy when they reached UK market by take over Jaguar-Land Rover, Tata Motors did not just concentrate on the new products line that they can produce from the two companies above but instead, Tata Motors still producing Tata Indica in the market (Tata Motors, 2003). V.2. Product Development The company offer new product to the present market. This is an important strategy to give fresh breath to the market. The new product will attract more customers from the existing market. The first product development of Tata Motors was Tata Sierra, their first passanger vehicle. Tata Sierra was marketed in 1991. And that was the first step of Tata Motors to develop their product and future strategy (Tata Motors, 2010). Tata Motors also did product development when they started to produce Tata Nano in 2008, Ratan Tata thought about making the world cheapest car and produced it in the domestic market first, India (Tata Motors, 2009). The strategy was to sell affordable car to the people in the same time, expanding their market. Before that, Tata Motors developed the first mini-truck in India called Tata Ace. Tata Ace came to the market in 2005 and in 2 years time, they have sold 96,000 units of Tata Ace (Tata Motors, 2007). By marketing this product, Tata Motors expand their market to mini-truck segment and become market leader (Thakkar, 2010). As been stated in Businessworld website (2010), Tata Motors is planning to put Rs. 10,000 crore for product development. The investment will be used to cover their debt when purchasing Jaguar-Land Rover, to buy new technologies, and any other improvement. V.3. Market Development Use the present product that belong to the company and offer it to a new market. Many MNE usually use this strategy to reach wider market domestically and internationally. Some examples of market development are: expanding to another country, selling the product to a different market segment, and using the product for different function (Graham and Allan, 2008). Tata Motors has developed their market overseas; they reached South Korea market in 2004, Spain market in 2005, Thailand market in 2006, UK market in 2008, and many more. Tata Motors sells their existing product like buses, trucks, and cars in those markets. Tata Motors is planning to make their market even wider by opening new companies in developing countries such as: Indonesia, Philippines, and Turkey (Tata Motors, 2010). V.4. Diversification This is a strategy whereby the company makes a new product and offers it to the new market. Diversification has higher risk than another strategies because the market and the product is new, but in the other side it could bring more profit to the company as it will bring new customers (Graham and Allan, 2008). Tata Motors diversified their product when they entered UK market and took over Jaguar-Land Rover in 2008 (Rao, 2009). It allowed Tata Motors to produced new products line, for example: Jaguar X-Type and Land Rover LRX (Kamath, 2009). New Venture Tata Motors main target market mostly is developing countries because developing countries seem to have fewer barriers to entry and the market is growing (Wentz, 2007). Tata Motors currently is famous with their Tata Nano, a one-lakh-car which is cheap in price; this car is only cost Rs. 100,000 or $ 2,500 (Tata Motors, 2010), this car really fits for developing countries which have lower GDP per capita, and also Tata Motors produces buses and trucks which is suitable for industrial country. It is proven by how they operate business with Thailand, in 2008, they managed to sell 600 big trucks (HT Media, 2009). To expand Tata Motors market, Indonesia will be chosen. Dilip Chenoy, director of Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) says that Indonesia has a very good market and it is showing an optimistic economy (Reuters, 2009). VI.1. Method of Business Entry The method of business entry that should Tata Motors do is Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). They did the same when they entry Thailand market; Tata Motors joint venture with Thornburi Automotive Assembly. And since Indonesia and Thailand has similar market, it will be good if they find a partner in Indonesia and joint venture with them (Bhattacharya, 2010). FDI has a lot of benefits to both sides. It gives advantage to the host country to develop their economy, enhance the technology, more capital and investment, and new product. To the original firm, it gives opportunity to expand the market, easier marketing process, and surely will bring more profit to the company (Graham and Spaulding, 2005). Indonesia has become target for FDI to so many companies in many countries. Lots of Multi National Enterprise (MNE) planted their business there (Afrida, 2010). Foreign Capital Investment Law No. 1 of 1967, amended by Law No. 11 of 1970 regulates FDI (Expat Association Jakarta, 2010). VI.2. Porters Five Forces Analysis This theory was found by Michael Porter. It is used to analyze competition between industries. It says that a company should not be only competitor oriented but also has a clear market vision, Porter explains that our potential competitors are those infant industries, suppliers, customers and buyers, and substitute product producers. Therefore we have to know 5 forces that determine the character of one industry, they are: The threat of new entrants, Rivalry among existing competitors, The threat of substitute products or services, The bargaining power of buyers, The bargaining power of suppliers (Porter, 1979). Source: Porter 1979 cited in Harvard Business Review, 2008 This theory will help us to understand the Indonesia market for Tata Motors, by using its 5 factors it will be easier to know the market strength and opportunity. First is The threat of new entrants. This force is usually influenced by barriers to entry. For example: laws and regulation, access to materials, tariff, investment cost, etc. The more barriers to entry, the lower the threat of new entrants. Tata Motors must be aware for this threat if they want to come to Indonesia. Indonesias market for Tata Nano seems good because most of the cities in Indonesia are crowded and often jammed so the small and cheap car like Tata Nano will be on demand (Chaudhary, 2009). The new entrants which can give threat for Tata Motors such as: Intelligent Geely, a  £1,500 car by China Geely Automobile (The Economist, 2008) and also Maruti Ritz by Maruti Suzuki (Autocar, 2010). So, Tata Motors must maintain the loyalty of its customers by always giving the best services and always produce not only cheap but also good quality cars. Second is Rivalry among existing competitors. It is the most common thing in business world. If the business has many competitors, it could give disadvantages to the company because they share the same amount of customers (Royer, 2005). Tata Motors will have many competitors in Indonesia, such as: Honda, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Daihatsu, and many more. Each brand has their own competitive advantage, so Tata Motors have to make sure that they are strong enough to enter the market by keep innovate their cars, keep the low price, and promote more (Landge, 2010). Third is The threat of substitute products or services. This theory investigates how many substitutes that the product has in the market. The existence of substitute product will block up the producer freedom for price setting (Morrison, 2008). The high price of oil sometimes lower down the demand for car, especially nowadays when the oil price has reached $87/barrel (OPEC, 2010). People might substitute it with bicycle, motorcycle, or hybrid car which is popular recently. The strategies that Tata Motors should do are produce good quality cars, innovative products, and keep update with latest technology (Humad, 2005). Fourth is The bargaining power of buyers. The more products that the company has will bring a more choices to the buyers which will make their position become stronger. Buyers or customers are the main key for company, because they bring sales and profit (Miles, 1995). The target customer for Tata Nano is moderate to low level because it is affordable. The cheap price will bring positive respond from Indonesia market (OConnor, 2008). And the last one is The bargaining power of suppliers. This explains how important a supplier to a company. If lets say there are only a few suppliers in the market, the material will become rare and the bargaining power for the suppliers will be higher (Peng, 2008). Tata Motors Indonesia will still depend on their suppliers in India, so they need to maintain close relationship to the suppliers especially when the demand increases (Sachin, 2010). Conclusion Tata Motors, India largest automobile company has proven that they are countable in automobile industry. They are successful to reach domestic market and global market. Now, Tata Motors has reached market in 26 countries worldwide, from South America, Africa, Europe, and some part of Asia. This condition forces them to know every single countrys political, economical, socio-cultural and technological issues and operates the business according to that. The headquarters in Mumbai (India) is responsible to balance and to control how the subsidiaries in many countries operate their production because political changing and conflicts always exists. Tata Motors might face many competitors from the whole world, but to stand still and conquer the competitors is by developing products and keep innovating, this will give competitive advantage to Tata Motors. In these 2-3 years time, Tata Motors will invest to enhance their technology and cover their debts. This is a very good action from Tata Motors to show how integrated and strong they are. However, Tata Motorss step is not over yet, they are still expanding the business through many strategies. Developing new products and covering new market will always be their main purpose. Their vision is: Best in the manner in which we operate, best in the products we deliver, and best in our value system and ethics Ratan Tata. Word Count: 4677 words

The people’s opinion is directly pointing at well-known person Arthur :: Free Essay Writer

The people’s opinion is directly pointing at well-known person Arthur Radley, who is known as Boo Radley. Is it safe to have a â€Å"malevolent phantom† in Maycomb town? Many people’s opinions prove that having â€Å"Boo Radley† in our town is dangerous. Pragnesh Patel Staff reporter. According to Maycomb town’s citizens’ opinions it has been concluded that everybody should be aware of the other people living in their own town who can be â€Å"dangerous† for all. Its been heard that Boo is responsible for small-big crimes in town. Till now we haven’t noticed any major problem, but there are some possibilities about it. The people’s opinion is directly pointing at well-known person Arthur Radley, who is known as â€Å"Boo Radley†. From last 30 years no one has ever saw Arthur Radley in day, but there are some charges against him of creating disturbance at night. â€Å"Boo is a peeping Tom who sneaks out of his house and spies in people’s windows†, says Miss Stephanie Crawford. She also says that once she wake up in the middle of night and saw him staring at her through his window. Not so long ago when our town was terrorized by a series of morbid nocturnal events every person in town doubted on Radley’s for this events. Not only senior and adult people are known about Boo’s work, but even children are known and as well are afraid of this malevolent phantom. The children from school are afraid to eat nuts of Boo Radley’s house because they think that it might be poisonous. The other events that make Radley Boo dangerous are kind of familiar to us. About 30 years ago Boo locked Maycomb's beadle in an outhouse and drove an old car through the town square with his â€Å"gang†.

Relationship Between Strings and Spacetime Geometry :: essays research papers

If string theory is a theory of gravity, then how does it compare with Einstein's theory of gravity? What is the relationship between strings and spacetime geometry? Strings and gravitons The simplest case to imagine is a single string traveling in a flat spacetime in d dimensions, meaning that it is traveling across space while time is ticking, so to speak. A string is a one-dimensional object, meaning that if you want to travel along a string, you can only go forwards or backwards in the direction of the string, there is no sideways or up and down on a string. The string can move sideways or up and down in spacetime, though, and as the string moves around in spacetime, it sweeps out a surface in spacetime called the string worldsheet, a two-dimensional surface with one dimension of space and one dimension of time. The string worldsheet is the key to all the physics of the string. A string oscillates as it travels through the d-dimensional spacetime. Those oscillations can be viewed from the two-dimensional string worldsheet point of view as oscillations in a two-dimensional quantum gravity theory. In order to make those quantized oscillations consistent with quantum mechanics and special relativity, the number of spacetime dimensions has to be restricted to 26 in the case of a theory with only forces (bosons), and 10 dimensions if there are both forces and matter (bosons and fermions) in the particle spectrum of the theory. So where does gravity come in? If the string traveling through spacetime is a closed string, then the spectrum of oscillations includes a particle with 2 units of spin and zero mass, with the right type of interactions to be the graviton, the particle that is the carrier of the gravitational force. Where there are gravitons, then there must be gravity. Where is the gravity in string theory? Strings and spacetime geometry The classical theory of spacetime geometry that we call gravity consists of the Einstein equation, which relates the curvature of spacetime to the distribution of matter and energy in spacetime. But how do the Einstein equations come out of string theory? If a closed string is traveling in a curved spacetime, then the coordinates of the string in spacetime feel this curvature as the string propagates. Relationship Between Strings and Spacetime Geometry :: essays research papers If string theory is a theory of gravity, then how does it compare with Einstein's theory of gravity? What is the relationship between strings and spacetime geometry? Strings and gravitons The simplest case to imagine is a single string traveling in a flat spacetime in d dimensions, meaning that it is traveling across space while time is ticking, so to speak. A string is a one-dimensional object, meaning that if you want to travel along a string, you can only go forwards or backwards in the direction of the string, there is no sideways or up and down on a string. The string can move sideways or up and down in spacetime, though, and as the string moves around in spacetime, it sweeps out a surface in spacetime called the string worldsheet, a two-dimensional surface with one dimension of space and one dimension of time. The string worldsheet is the key to all the physics of the string. A string oscillates as it travels through the d-dimensional spacetime. Those oscillations can be viewed from the two-dimensional string worldsheet point of view as oscillations in a two-dimensional quantum gravity theory. In order to make those quantized oscillations consistent with quantum mechanics and special relativity, the number of spacetime dimensions has to be restricted to 26 in the case of a theory with only forces (bosons), and 10 dimensions if there are both forces and matter (bosons and fermions) in the particle spectrum of the theory. So where does gravity come in? If the string traveling through spacetime is a closed string, then the spectrum of oscillations includes a particle with 2 units of spin and zero mass, with the right type of interactions to be the graviton, the particle that is the carrier of the gravitational force. Where there are gravitons, then there must be gravity. Where is the gravity in string theory? Strings and spacetime geometry The classical theory of spacetime geometry that we call gravity consists of the Einstein equation, which relates the curvature of spacetime to the distribution of matter and energy in spacetime. But how do the Einstein equations come out of string theory? If a closed string is traveling in a curved spacetime, then the coordinates of the string in spacetime feel this curvature as the string propagates.

The Character of Joe Gargery in Great Expectations Essay examples --

The Character of Joe Gargery in Great Expectations The protagonist's brother-in-law, Joe Gargery, in the novel Great Expectations, written by Charles Dickens, is prominently humane, especially compared to the other characters. Although Pip is the psychological center of the book, Joe is the moral center. Pip struggles to be good; Joe merely is obedient by nature without apprehending it. Although Joe is not prosperous or knowledgeable, he still offers what he does know and have, to Pip. Joe provides a perfect example of however one conducts oneself in life; one's good nature always asserts itself at the end. With Joe's humane intellect, he is like a father to Pip- giving him guidance, informing him what is respectable and what is erroneous- it is his humanity that makes him incredibly generous and forgiving. However, generosity and forgivingness are just two of Joes's many traits that contribute to his humanity; these characteristics show up numerous times in the novel. One of the best examples of the many humane acts of Joe is illustrated by his reaction to when some food was taken from his house by a convict, on page 41, chapter 9: "'God knows you're welcome to it- so far as it was ever mine. We don't know what you have done, but we wouldn't have you starved to death for it, poor miserable fellow- creature.'" Although Joe is exceedingly indigent, he not only acknowledges the convict's apology for pinching, but he insists that the convict is welcome to it- regardless of the number of sins or whatever type of misdeeds he has committed. Even the richest people would be infuriated if someone stole their food- let alone a convict. Although Joe i... ...ow of changes that he was going through. Although Joe is not a "gentleman," he still understands the important things in life; Joe represents conscience, affection, loyalty, and simple good nature. Although he is uneducated and unrefined, he consistently acts for the benefit of those he loves and suffers in silence in spite of however Pip treats him. One character in the novel that lives a very serene life because of his great ability to forgive is Joe Gargery. Joe Gargery's prominent characteristic in the novel Great Expectations is his humanity. It is humanity that makes him incredibly forgiving and understanding; even in the worst conditions- whether being neglected by someone he loved or being robbed- he keeps everything in control and seeks the best in every situation. His compassion makes him exceedingly munificent and magnanimous.

Corruption of Power Essay

The corruption of power, or the power of corruption is a common theme found in texts of many different types of media and in many societies and cultures around the world. In the texts I have selected, I have come to the conclusion that, all characters in the pursuit of power are corrupt. In the texts I have selected, which include, The Crucible, The Godfather, Animal Farm and Akira, the portrayal of corruption is closely linked to that of power. How is corruption of power shown/represented in the texts?Lord Acton, a key influence on this essay, once said, All too frequently men with the mentality of gangsters get control.This quote could hold no more relevance to any other text than that of The Godfather. In The Godfather the story revolves around that of Michael Coleone, and his rise to power as the head of a the family, a gang that deals in various underground activities. Michaels character undergoes a dramatic development as the film goes on. At the beginning of the film we can see that Michael appears to be a moral and upright character. He is a war hero, and is not involved in anyway with the family business. However as the film progresses, and Michael stats gaining power in the family, he becomes more amoral, firstly killing Sollozzo, a gangster who attempted to take Michaels father, Vito Corleones, life. At this sudden and dramatic change in character Michael justifies his revenge saying, Its not personal, Sonny. It’s strictly business. The term, just business is used throughout the film to justify corrupt behaviour, immediately associating the character as materialistic and amoral. The film hence suggests that Michael, perhaps like all of us, always had the potential to be materialistic, (and therefore amoral,)but did not previously hold a position that enabled him to commit any acts or corruption or evil.This corruption is also evident Animal Farm, where the pigs, and more specifically Napoleon, strive for power as a means to commit acts of corruption. Here, however, the initial motivation is the inverse, and yet the same of what we see in the Godfather. Where Michael uses corruption to achieve power, Napoleon uses power as a means to commit selfish act of corruption. Napoleon and Snowball, two authoritative pigs assume leadership over the farm. However corruption soon becomes evident as Napoleon exiles Snowball, through a long setup plan, in order to gain full control of the farm. Just the fact that Napoleon assumed leadership and had an agenda proves that he was corrupt before he gained power. Napoleon being the only leader almost immediately becomes dictator and inevitably sets up a bureaucracy, which goes against the most important rule of Animalism, All animals are equal. So as Napoleon assumes full power, his corruption materialises, as he has no opposition to challenge him. In The Crucible too we can see that when absolute power is attained absolute corruption is gained. Powerful characters are always evil. Danforth and Abigail, the two best examples are both willing to kill in order to get what they want. For Abigail, he object of desire is Proctor, and she is willing to kill Elizabeth. While Danforth will do everything he can to protect the power he holds, allowing innocent people to be hung when he knows that the girls are lying. The characters Hale and Proctor both give up their position of power to do the right thing. Proctor for example repents and admits to adultery in order to prove to the court the grudge Abigail holds against Elizabeth. So within the play corruption is therefore represented as power itself; those who hold power, to put it bluntly are corrupt. In Akira however, corruption exists in all if not most characters. A clear sign of corruption in the movie is through the use of violence. Characters such as Kaneda who from the beginning use violence are seen as corrupt, and as we see Tetsuos character develop he becomes more and more violent, firstly beating people, then eventually killing them. Gentle or passive characters on the other hand are much more pure and, represent the good guy. We can see that as Kaneda attempts to kill Tetsuo he achieves nothing but to further enrage him and cause more destruction, but as Kaneda becomes sympathetic towards Tetsuo eventually trying to save him, he is rewarded by surviving the explosion that destroys Tokyo. What was the context in which the text was created. How does it affect the way corruption of power is portrayed?Context plays an important role in all texts, specifically in those that are allegorical, and represent reality at the time in which they were made. For example the book, Animal Farm and the play, The Crucible both are metaphorical and allegorical and both are critical reviews on an event or person at the time. In Animal Farm the protagonists are metaphorical, or rather allegorical representations of key political figures at the time. For example the character of Napoleon is Stalin in reality, while the character of Snowball is Trotsky. Both were communist revolutionaries, but both had different contradicting views on Marxist theory. The text therefore portrays Napoleon in exactly the same way as Stalin, making the character commit acts that were parallel to that of Stalins. Such as the exile of Snowball/ Trotsky, and the execution of many suspected soviet/animal enemies. In The Crucible too we can see a direct representation of corruption, as the text is metaphorical of the McCarthy trials in the 1950s. The character of Danforth, while not directly parallel like Stalin/Napoleon, has many similarities to the U.S senator McCarthy. Much like in the McCarthy trials characters in the crucible use hysteria and jurisdiction to charge rivals with crimes they did not commit. McCarthy used charges of communism against many of his opponents inside and outside of office, in the same way that characters such as Abigail used charges of witchcraft against her rival Elizabeth. Again time period plays an important factor in the portrayal of corruption. We can see that in The Godfather 1972, corruption is portrayed as one and the same thing as materialism. Vito Corleone, who is the original head of the family, may be a mob boss, but he is viewed as a moral upright character. This is because of the humanity and sense of justice that he carries with him. The opening scene of the film has the character Bonasera asking Vito to kill two boys who abused his daughter, I ask you for justice, but Vito replies, That is not justice. Your daughter is alive. Unlike almost  all the other mobsters in the film, Vito never uses the phrase just business, this emphasises yet again the humanity of his character, and contrasts with Michael and the other gangsters materialistic values. For example when one of the Corleone gangsters kill a mole within the family, he comments soon after saying, Leave the gun. Take the cannoli. This quote shows how irrelevant human life is compared to material wealth, as the killer pays no notice, let alone respect to the dead. The film is therefore a negative review on American society, and its capitalistic or materialistic values at the time. Akira is also an important text in relation to a culture or society. It is different from the other texts I have studied because being made in Japan, it is not western. This is an important fact, as we might not notice but western films are very biblical and often justify the use of violence for the good guys to defeat the bad guys. In western film evil is often much more of an external force than what we find in Japanese film. This is related to the fact that Buddhism being a major religion in Japan, influences a lot of media. Much like in The Godfather materialism is seen as evil, but the main indicator for corrupt characters in Akira is violence. All characters who commit violence are immediately considered corrupt, however these characters can be forgiven very easily by simply changing their ways and becoming more moral. What comparisons can we make between the portrayals of John Dalberg-Actons standpoint on corruption of power in the texts? What differences are there?In all the texts, those who strive for power are evil. Power is seen as a means to carry out the selfish and generally immoral goals of a character, and that is why it is valued. In The Crucible, Danforth commits evil deeds in order to stay in power. He and the other ministers recognise that the girls are lying, but if they admit they were wrong, their power will be undermined. In one particular scene Hale tries to convince Danforth to postpone if not cancel the hangings, as the girls are strongly suspected of lying, but Danforth replies saying, Twelve are already executed; the names these seven are given out,  and the village expects to see them die this morning. Postponement now speaks a floundering on my part; reprive or pardon must cast doubt upon the guilt of them that died until now. At the risk of losing authority Danforth is willing to sacrifice numerous lives in order to keep his position of power, he is therefore seen as extremely selfish and corrupt character. Abigail we can see is clearly corrupt even before she holds any power. After the girls are caught dancing in the forest, Abigail threatens them saying, We danced. That is all, and mark this, if anyone breathe a word or the edge of a word about the other things, I will come to you in the black of some terrible night, and I will bring with me a pointy reckoning that will shudder you!The Crucible does however fail to show any moral or even ethical characters develop into dishonest corrupt ones. Nevertheless we do see characters such as Hale and Proctor throw away their power and reputation, for the right thing. This nevertheless emphasises my point, as ultimately in the crucible no moral figures can have any authority. Hale starts the play being amoral, or rather naà ¯ve, but by the end is willing to throw away his reputation in order to save those he has damned. He confesses to witchcraft in an attempt to convince the judged to do the same, therefore saving their lives, he says, I come to do the devils work. I come to counsel Christians they should belie themselves . . . can you not see the blood on my head!In Animal Farm, one clear difference we can see from the other studied texts, is that Napoleon, the head pig has an agenda from early on. This serves to emphasise my point that characters that seek power are inherently corrupt. However Animal Farm may go as far to say that, Napoleon underwent little to no transformation in character at all. He took the potion of leadership so that he could set his plans in motion. In The Godfather it is less strongly suggested as it is in the other texts that the corrupted character was in fact corrupt to begin with. However if we re-examine the portrayal of corruption, which in this case is materialism, we can still use this text to support my theory. We as the audience first see that Michael is corrupt when his materialistic views are made noticed. Before he even gains any power, he offers to kill Sollozzo an enemy to the family, for business, Michael is then instantly seen as an amoral character, as he much like many of the other gangsters are very  materialistic. Michael later becomes more and more materialistic, and therefore becomes more corrupt. As we can see through the numerous killings he orders, including the death of his brother in law, and the casino owner Moe Greene who previously refused to sell Michael his casino. In the texts we can see that any character that seeks power, does so as it allows them to commit acts of corruption. In a text like the Crucible, it has even gone as far to say that those in power must be corrupt, and that moral leaders cannot exist if they have power. Those who are moral and hold power, forfeit their power out of selflessness, while those who retain or seek out power do it for selfish means. Referenced material http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Godfatherhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cruciblehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_Farmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akira_(film)#Themeshttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068646/quoteshttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094625/quoteshttp://books.google.co.nz/books?id=Ik73H7d4x8gC&pg=PA189&lpg=PA189&dq=%22I+-+I+have+no+witness+and+cannot+prove+it,+except+my+word+be+taken.+But+I+know+the+children%27s+sickness+had+naught+to+do+with+witchcraft.%22&source=bl&ots=38RBlzudbW&sig=sNt3tl0PGtcGTt2oHGQtm8hBcGU&hl=en&ei=UDMfSuWVJ53osgOM9JiQCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2#PPP1,M1http://www.george-orwell.org/Animal_Farm/index.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_McCarthyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_StalinAnimal Farm, George OrwellThe Crucible, Arthur MillerThe Godfather, Francis Ford CoppolaAkira, Katsuhiro Otomohttp://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/l/lord_acton.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dalberg-Acton,_1 st_Baron_Acton