Company Analysis of Bi

Introduction Glo-Bus achieved successful results at the end of the simulation exercise in Year 10. The company was rated the best among other players in the camera industry.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Company Analysis of Bi-lens specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This paper explores factors and other dynamics that helped the company to succeed in the 5 years simulation exercise. The simulation started in Year 6 to 10. Glo-Bus was an online, PC-based game. The sport involved manipulation of a digital camera at a head-to-head competition with rival companies. Groups of people coordinated the work of the camera. The objective of the exercise was to operate a multi-product firm in the international environment successfully. The game involved drafting and executing a strategy that could give a business a competitive advantage over its rivals in the market. The plan had to prove its capacity to deliver good bot tom line results consistently and build shareholder value. For Glo-Bus, company managers jointly prepared a five-year business mission or a strategic plan to monitor and evaluate their performances and those of their competitors. The directors reviewed objectives and goals and progressively interrogated their overall results whenever necessary. The management of the Bi-lens Company acquired a charter. The document helped the business to provide the best quality camera equipment for consumers. This analysis focuses on the Bi-Lens Company. The research examines the performance of the business in terms of the simulation exercise under discussion and the team’s performance.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This study captures the competitive dimension that the Bi-Lens Company employed during the simulation. It explores ways that the organisation used to improve its ma rket standing and financial performance. The report evaluates the Bi-Lens Company and the various mechanisms it used to compete with other rivals within the context of appropriate social corporate responsibility. Bi-Lens’ competitive strategies The Bi-Lens Company endeavored to be a worldwide leader in the digital camera sector with innovative products, fair value and superior services in the market. The business sought to provide its customers with a product that utilised the most innovative and competitive technology. The organisation planned to offer excellent client services, fair pricing, and adopted best practices for customers. The company outlined several methods of fulfilling its objectives. The organisation’s vision was to be the best-cost provider. It also aimed at increasing sales through offering quality products at fair and market values. This aspect included the sustenance of a highly skilled workforce that related to the development and maintenance of p referred products. Engineers designed Bi-Lens’ products to incorporate a low-cost differentiation, and at the same time target broad and narrow market regions. The organisation’s goal was to appeal to diverse clients and provide them with value for their money. The company’s mission also involved the use of cost-effective strategy approaches that could allow for the incorporation of competitive attributes.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Company Analysis of Bi-lens specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The business maintained a competitive edge over its rivals by listening and adjusting to value-conscious shoppers. The Bi-Lens Company utilised five robust strategies in the simulation. The first objective focused on maintaining a highly skilled and valuable workforce. This aspect increased productivity and quality of Bi-Lens’ services. The second goal entailed the provision of exceptio nal customer services. This point enticed the clients to have a preference for Bi-Lens’ cameras. The third goal underscored the sustenance of a fair market value. This fact was significant in offering clients with worthwhile services. The fourth intervention of the Bi-Lens Company was to offer quality cost-effective products with specifications that fulfilled consumer needs and outdid its competitors’ products. The Bi-Lens Company maintained consistency of its business initiatives. The management of the company linked its overall objectives to the training of its workforce with a view of attaining organisational objectives. The development of the workforce ensured the processing of products that met customers’ tastes and preferences. Bi-lens’ offensive and defensive strategic optionsAdvertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The organisation adopted offensive and defensive approaches to increase its ratings and financial results. The business integrated defensive options to ensure that products offered in the market were equal or greater than those of its competitors. This open strategy focused on outperforming the business rivals of the Bi-Lens Company. The initiative also enhanced the organisation’s market position in relation to rivals. The offensive intervention offered many features that appealed to a broad consumer base. This effort increased the client catchment population of the Bi-Lens Company and boosted its financial index. Another offensive alternative employed by the Bi-Lens Company entailed the development of instructional classes to assist buyers during their products’ selection. This tool could be equated to an incentive for the customers because it presented them with rare shopping experiences and assistances. Another defensive method employed by the Bi-Lens Company involv ed the implementation of competitive staff remuneration structures. Bi-Lens identified new players entering the industry and monitored their strategies in order to develop appropriate counter mechanisms. For example, development of barriers or a counter strategy underscored building a competitive brand preference and sustenance of strong customer loyalty through consistent provision of quality products that fulfilled targeted needs. Bi-Lens’ strategic approach to competing in a global camera market The Bi-Lens Company had to develop a foreign market entry strategy to compete with other business players. Foreign markets varied from the local ones based on political, legal, social and cultural considerations. Foreign business investors had to survey the political environment of any state because changes in laws and regulations would have affected the performance and operations of businesses. For instance, if the government in any of the European countries would have imposed a l aw that increased tax on imported goods, the company’s products would have been sold at a higher price. Customers during the simulation period made decisions based on the prices and quality of products; therefore, the Bi-Lens Company evaluated these aspects first before producing goods or services. This point meant that clients would have paid more than the company’s envisaged prices for the cameras. Based on the law of demand and supply, the cameras’ market demand would have digressed, and Bi-lens would have risked losing its customers to its competitors. Other factors to be considered by the Bi-Lens Company comprised of cultural and social considerations. Culture defined the way people lived in a society. Human beings based their social activities on cultural dimensions like language and moral practices. Products whose consumption would have caused moral conflicts among community members would not have made significant sales. The Bi-Lens Company understood the moral practices of a target market. This aspect helped the business to produce goods and services that were friendly to the market’s general culture. A proposed foreign market entry plan for the Bi-lens Company entailed the application of the concept of assemblies. In this strategy, Bi-lens initiated the local production of the parts of the digital camera and transported them to a foreign market for assembly. This intervention was suitable for the company because of its cost effectiveness in matters related to transportation and custom tariffs. The fact also enabled the Bi-Lens Company to perform local employee recruitments. This approach facilitated easy penetration of the business into a foreign market. In addition, it helped the business to overcome potential cultural and social obstacles like a different language. This design enhanced the domestic firm’s full concentration on research activities that focused on improvement of product development and related skills . The assembling framework built the confidence of the domestic firm with the foreign company which in this paper is the Bi-Lens Company. This fact ensured that the responsibility of decision making lay entirely with the domestic firm and thus facilitated quick action on stipulated agenda. This study confirms that the strategy of assembly brought successful results to the Bi-Lens Company. The intervention remained a cost-effective one and needed further improvement by the company. It gave room to the organisation to focus on product development. The Bi-Lens Company recognized the fact that it faced stiff competition from five other businesses in the same industry. The company affirmed that the competition may have been a significant threat to the business if it had not been well addressed. Competitors of the Bi-Lens Company created products similar to those of the organisation. The rival firms may have been a threat to Bi-Lens because they also laid down plans that may have countere d its market strategies. The Bi-Lens Company engaged various interventions to compete successfully against its rivals in 4 geographic regions of the world. The first strategy involved increment in the volume of its advertisements. The business increased its advertising budget annually to continue to exploit opportunities and establish itself as a market leader (Thompson, 23). This program intended to build on the company’s market shares in Europe and Africa. The region formed part of the biggest markets across the world. From Year 6, the Bi-Lens Company had an approximate market share of 37% and had to strive to attain 50% of market shares by year 8. The company directed its attention to the warranty period and had to seek ways of adding multi-featured models to improve on its weaknesses. The company also increased its marketing recourses in North America. The company had realized losses in North America where it had recorded the lowest regional market share of about 11%. On a broader scale, the increased advertising efforts and market budgetary allocation of the Bi-Lens Company improved the company’s competitive advantage. The Bi-Lens Company provided on-site technical support for different geographical regions. This approach ensured that every operation ran without incurring problems for the company. The other format integrated by the company was to provide extended warranty offers in the North American region. In addition, the Bi-Lens Company also incorporated a method of using mitigation measures effectively to resolve consumer concerns. The organisation made consumer experiences memorable in areas where it penetrated markets. Bi-Lens’ decisions to shift resources Bi-lens’ goal was to overcome market challenges mostly linked to stiff competition from other businesses in the digital camera industry. Part of the process of achieving this goal was through increasing the organisation’s marketing efforts to improve product rec ognition, reputation and work to sustain a competitive edge over its rivals. The Bi-Lens Company made crucial decisions by shifting resources from one area to another to support the execution its efforts. The Bi-Lens’ sales improvement effort related to the transformation of resources from quarterly sales’ promotions offered to buyers to realizing monthly discount deals. These deals would go up to 20% discount. This aspect would increase the number of sales for the company and its overall performance in the financial market. The Bi-Lens Company strived to improve the number of multi-store chains, online retailers and local camera shops that sold Bi-Lens’ products by building a strong relationship with buyers so that they could earn their loyalty. Bi-Lens worked with retailers by offering them its sales representatives. The company visited retailers and took feedback from them, and also offered advice. The organisation focused on a timely delivery of products to its clients. The company had an efficient labor support approach with expansive resources to implement its strategies. The labor and compensation objectives were comprehensive approaches that sought to align the workforce to meet the needs of the Bi-Lens Company and provide exceptional compensation packages. This point aimed at maintaining a highly skilled and valuable workforce. The focus of the work strategy was to link the quarterly demands of consumers to the projected sales. The compensation structure focused on the provision of efficient means of boosting the returns of the PAT’s while ensuring quality products. Company experts designed Bi-lens’ cameras with the help of high quality components sourced from foreign suppliers. The organisation manufactured two lines of cameras. These cameras comprised of the regular entry-level and professional multi-level digital cameras. The company worked closely with suppliers in gathering excellent parts used to assemble both entry-level and multi-level cameras. The business utilised diverse resources to manufacture its cameras. The main raw materials for manufacturing a camera included image resolution, LCD, and lens. These components were of high quality compared to the industry’s standards. Bi-Lens’ suppliers in conjunction with the management of the company transformed the constituents. The business worked with the suppliers for constant improvement of the components. The organisation also purchased quality parts that enhanced its desired P/Q ratings. The business used its money to brand diverse components. Bi-Lens developed a unique quality, brand of cameras that many customers appreciated. The organisation continued to work closely with suppliers to design strong and stylish camera bodies. The company’s branding styles were a great attraction to digital camera customers. It continued to utilise its funds by working on new and better designs. Bi-Lens built cameras with high imag ing device and control. The company worked closely with the software developers to source high quality image handling software for both entry level and multi-level cameras. Bi-Lens’ cameras had types of accessories added to them. The Bi-Lens Company provided unique features in its cameras. As an ambitious company, it endeavored to produce quality eye-catching cameras. The organisation’s cameras had unique applications that customers valued. The business continued to offer new and extra components in their camera lines. Bi-Lens’ multi-featured cameras had 12 unique applications. The company increased the accessories to improve its market ratings. The Bi-Lens Company used diverse models to manufacture quality cameras that made a huge commercial impact. The organisation used its funds to manufacture three models of entry-level and two models of multi-featured cameras. Technological innovation was significant to the success and competitive advantage of Bi-Lens over its rivals in the digital camera sector. Bi-Lens manufactured new and more competitive cameras by investing in research and development. The company’s research and development budgets continued to increase every year. The plans formed a critical part in the transformation of the organisation’s resources in order to support the execution of its business strategies. Bi-Lens’ spending on corporate social responsibility As a company, Bi-Lens offered the best-cost value cameras to its clients. The business provided customers with guaranteed products in the contemporary digital camera market and sold them at the most reasonable prices across the globe. Bi-Lens continued to improve product ratings to increase the numbers of retailers that sold its products. This paper suggests that good products in terms of quality usually move fast in the market. The Bi-Lens Company’s entry level and multi-featured cameras were among the best-rated in the industry. The organiza tion was committed to corporate social responsibility. A number of the practices that were part of the company’s corporate social responsibilities included quarterly promotions. Bi-Lens offered weekly and monthly promotions at discounts up to 20% and encouraged retailers to pass on the discounts to their customers. The business also provided a warranty period or technical support for its products. Bi-Lens provided customers with the confidence to buy great products by offering a reasonable warranty period. The company’s entry level-cameras carried 6 months to 1-year warranties depending on the purchased models. The business also built a strong technical support team, which assisted customers throughout the day and night. Provision of employment opportunities to locals in foreign markets was part of the social corporate responsibility of the organization (Landsburg, 46). The company would hire temporary PAT’s during the 3rd quarter of the season’s peak. It would also utilise overtime to compensate for product demand. Where necessary, Bi-Lens outsourced to compensate for customer demand or financial resources. These approaches were part of the company’s social corporate responsibility. The other functions included providing an annual base pay increase of at least 1% per year and camera incentive bonuses to ensure exceptional quality production. The company would also provide an exceptional retirement or insurance benefits package and a thorough training program for its workers. In addition, it would also offer quarterly bonuses for attendance. The rationale I would give to shareholders for these social corporate responsibilities is that they form part of the strategic plan to market the company and sell its brand. The SCR strategy would enable the organisation to achieve its objectives of growing the global market share and increasing its retail network. It would also promote the acceptance and preference of the company among c onsumers. Bi-Lens’ internal operations The Bi-Lens Company focused on providing consumers with leading products in the digital camera industry with markets all over the world. The company encountered diverse challenges in realizing its objectives. The managers of the Bi-Lens Company made decisions through consensus. The team functioned coherently as a whole to contribute to the management of the company (Graf, 25). The disadvantage of this approach of internal operations and decision making was that it consumed a lot of time. The team would take a significant amount of time to agree on basic approaches. The lost time would have otherwise been used to implement laid down strategies for the company’s growth and development. It was also difficult to achieve homogeneity among the team members. The foundation of Bi-Lens’ strategic operations plan was to lay emphasis on the achievement of the organisation’s goals. The company provided quality products at fair m arket value while maintaining a competitive edge over its rivals. Works Cited Graf, Mitche. Power Marketing, Selling, and Pricing: A business Guide for Wedding and Portrait Photographers, New York, USA: Amherst Media Inc., 2009. Print. Landsburg, Steven. Fair Play: What Your Child Can Teach You About Economics, Values and the Meaning of Life, New York, USA: Free Press, 2010. Print. Thompson, Arthur 2012, Strategy: Core concepts and analytical approaches (2nd Ed.). PDF file. Web. This assessment on Company Analysis of Bi-lens was written and submitted by user The Watchers to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Causes and Aims of World War One

The Causes and Aims of World War One The traditional explanation for the start of World War 1 concerns a domino effect. Once one nation went to war, usually defined as Austria-Hungary’s decision to attack Serbia, a network of alliances which tied the great European powers into two halves dragged each nation unwillingly into a war which spiraled ever larger. This notion, taught to schoolchildren for decades, has now been largely rejected. In The Origins of the First World War, p. 79, James Joll concludes: The Balkan crisis demonstrated that even apparently firm, formal alliances did not guarantee support and co-operation in all circumstances.† This doesn’t mean that the formation of Europe into two sides, achieved by treaty in the late nineteenth / early twentieth centuries, isn’t important, just that the nations were not trapped by them. Indeed, while they divided Europe’s major powers into two halves - The ‘Central Alliance’ of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy, and the Triple Entente of France, Britain and Germany - Italy actually changed sides. In addition, the war was not caused, as some socialists and anti-militarists have suggested, by capitalists, industrialists or arms manufacturers looking to profit from conflict. Most industrialists stood to suffer in a war as their foreign markets were reduced. Studies have shown that industrialists did not pressure governments into declaring war, and governments did not declare war with one eye on the arms industry. Equally, governments did not declare war simply to try and cover up domestic tensions, like the independence of Ireland or the rise of socialists. Context: The Dichotomy of Europe in 1914 Historians recognize that all the major nations involved in the war, on both sides, had large proportions of their population who were not only in favor of going to war, but were agitating for it to happen as a good and necessary thing. In one very important sense, this has to be true: as much as politicians and the military might have wanted the war, they could only fight it with the approval – greatly varying, maybe begrudging, but present - of the millions of soldiers who went off to fight. In the decades before Europe went to war in 1914, the culture of the main powers was split in two. On the one hand, there was a body of thought – the one most often remembered now - that war had been effectively ended by progress, diplomacy, globalization, and economic and scientific development. To these people, who included politicians, large-scale European war had not just been banished, it was impossible. No sane person would risk war and ruin the economic interdependence of the globalizing world. At the same time, each nation’s culture was shot through with strong currents pushing for war: armaments races, belligerent rivalries and a struggle for resources. These arms races were massive and expensive affairs  and were nowhere clearer than the naval struggle between Britain and Germany, where each tried to produce ever more and larger ships. Millions of men went through the military via conscription, producing a substantial portion of the population who had experienced military indoctrination. Nationalism, elitism, racism and other belligerent thoughts were widespread, thanks to greater access to education than before, but an education that was fiercely biased. Violence for political ends was common  and had spread from Russian socialists to British women’s rights campaigners. Before war even began in 1914, the structures of Europe were breaking down and changing. Violence for your country was increasingly justified, artists rebelled and sought new modes of expression, new urban cultures were challenging the existing social order. For many, war was seen as a test, a proving ground, a way to define yourself which promised a masculine identity and an escape from the ‘boredom’ of peace. Europe was essentially primed for people in 1914 to welcome war as a way to recreate their world through destruction. Europe in 1913 was essentially a tense, warmongering place where, despite a current of peace and obliviousness, many felt war was desirable. The Flashpoint for War: the Balkans In the early twentieth century, the Ottoman Empire was collapsing, and a combination of established European powers and new nationalist movements were competing to seize parts of the Empire. In 1908 Austria-Hungary took advantage of an uprising in Turkey to seize full control of Bosnia-Herzegovina, a region they had been running but which was officially Turkish. Serbia was livid at this, as they wished to control the region, and Russia was also angry. However, with Russia unable to act militarily against Austria – they simply hadn’t recovered enough from the disastrous Russo-Japanese war – they sent a diplomatic mission to the Balkans to unite the new nations against Austria. Italy was next to take advantage and they fought Turkey in 1912, with Italy gaining North African colonies. Turkey had to fight again that year with four small Balkan countries over land there – a direct result of Italy making Turkey look weak and Russia’s diplomacy - and when Europe’s other major powers intervened no one finished satisfied. A further Balkan war erupted in 1913, as Balkan states and Turkey warred over territory again to try and make a better settlement. This ended once more with all partners unhappy, although Serbia had doubled in size. However, the patchwork of new, strongly nationalistic Balkan nations largely considered themselves to be Slavic, and looked to Russia as a protector against nearby empires like Austro-Hungary and Turkey; in turn, some in Russia looked at the Balkans as a natural place for a Russian-dominated Slavic group. The great rival in the region, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was afraid this Balkan nationalism would accelerate the breakdown of its own Empire  and was afraid Russia was going to extend control over the region instead of it. Both were looking for a reason to extend their power in the region, and in 1914 an assassination would give that reason. The Trigger: Assassination In 1914, Europe had been on the brink of war for several years. The trigger was provided on June 28th, 1914, when  Archduke Franz Ferdinand  of Austria-Hungary was visiting Sarajevo in Bosnia on a trip designed to irritate Serbia. A loose supporter of the ‘ Black Hand’, a Serbian nationalist group, was able to assassinate the Archduke after a comedy of errors. Ferdinand wasn’t popular in Austria – he had ‘only’ married a noble, not a royal - but they decided it was the perfect excuse to threaten Serbia. They planned to use an extremely  one-sided  set of demands to provoke a war – Serbia was never meant to actually agree to the demands – and fight to end Serbian independence, thus strengthening the Austrian position in the Balkans. Austria expected the war with Serbia, but in case of war with Russia, they checked with Germany beforehand if it would support them. Germany replied yes, giving Austria a ‘blank check’. The Kaiser and other civilian leaders believed swift action by Austria would seem like the result of emotion and the other Great Powers would stay out, but Austria prevaricated, eventually sending their note too late for it to look like anger. Serbia accepted all but a few clauses of the ultimatum, but not all, and Russia was willing to go to war to defend them. Austria-Hungary had not deterred Russia by involving Germany, and Russia had not deterred Austria-Hungary by risking the Germans: bluffs on both sides were called. Now the balance of power in Germany shifted to the military leaders, who finally had what they had been coveting for several years: Austria-Hungary, which had seemed loathe to support Germany in a war, was about to embark on a war in which Germany could take the initiat ive and turn into the much greater war it desired, while crucially retaining Austrian aid, vital for the  Schlieffen Plan. What followed was the five major nations of Europe – Germany and Austria-Hungary on one side, France, Russian and Britain on the other – all pointing to their treaties and alliances in order to enter into the war many in each nation had wanted. The diplomats increasingly found themselves sidelined and unable to stop events as the military took over. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia to see if they could win a war before Russia arrived, and Russia, who pondered just attacking Austria-Hungary,  mobilized  against both them and Germany, knowing this meant Germany would attack France. This let Germany claim victim status and mobilize, but because their plans called for a quick war to knock Russia’s ally France out before Russian troops arrived, they declared war on France, who declared war in response. Britain hesitated and then joined, using Germany’s invasion of Belgium to mobilize the support of the doubters in Britain. Italy, who had an agreement with Germany, refused to do anything. Many of these decisions  were  increasingly taken by the military, who gained ever more control of events, even from national leaders who sometimes got left behind: it took a while for the Tsar to be talked round by pro-war military, and the Kaiser wavered as the military carried on. At one point the Kaiser instructed Austria to cease trying to attack Serbia, but people in Germany’s military and government first ignored him, and then convinced him it was too late for anything but peace. Military ‘advice’ dominated over diplomatic. Many felt helpless, others elated. There were people who tried to prevent the war at this late stage, but many others were infected with jingoism and pushed on. Britain, who had the least explicit obligations, felt a moral duty to defend France, wished to put down German imperialism, and technically had a treaty guaranteeing Belgium’s safety. Thanks to the empires of these key belligerents, and thanks to other nations entering the conflict, the war soon involved much of the globe. Few expected the conflict to last more than a few months, and the public was generally excited. It would last until 1918, and kill millions. Some of those who expected a long war were Moltke, the head of the German army, and Kitchener, a key figure in the British establishment. War Aims: Why each Nation went to War Each nation’s government had slightly different reasons for going, and these are explained below: Germany: A Place in the Sun and Inevitability Many members of the German military and government were convinced that a war with Russia was inevitable given their competing interests in the land between them and the Balkans. But they had also concluded, not without justification, that Russia was militarily much weaker now than it would be should it continue to industrialize and modernize its army. France was also increasing its military capacity – a law making conscription last three years was passed against opposition – and Germany had managed to get stuck in a  naval race  with Britain. To many influential Germans, their nation was surrounded and stuck in an arms race it would lose if allowed to continue. The conclusion was that this inevitable war must be fought sooner, when it could be won, than later. War would also enable Germany to dominate more of Europe and expand the core of the German Empire east and west. But Germany wanted more. The German Empire was relatively young and lacked a key element that the other major empires – Britain, France, Russia – had: colonial land. Britain owned large parts of the world, France owned a lot too, and Russia had expanded deep into Asia. Other less powerful powers owned colonial land, and Germany coveted these extra resources and power. This craving for colonial land became known as them wanting ‘A Place in the Sun’. The German government thought that a victory would allow them to gain some of their rivals’ land. Germany was also determined to keep Austria-Hungary alive as a viable ally to their south  and support them in a war if necessary. Russia: Slavic Land and Government Survival Russia believed that the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian Empires were collapsing  and that there would be a reckoning over who would occupy their territory. To many Russia, this reckoning would be largely in the Balkans between a pan-Slavic alliance, ideally dominated by (if not entirely controlled by) Russia, against a pan-German Empire. Many in the Russian court, in the ranks of the military officer class, in the central government, in the press and even among the educated, felt Russia should enter and win this clash. Indeed, Russia was afraid that if they didn’t act in decisive support of the Slavs, as they had failed to do in the Balkan Wars, that Serbia would take the Slavic initiative and destabilize Russia. In addition, Russia had lusted over Constantinople and the Dardanelles for centuries, as half of Russia’s foreign trade traveled through this narrow region controlled by the Ottomans. War and victory would bring greater trade security. Tsar Nicholas II was cautious, and a faction at court advised him against war, believing the nation would implode and revolution would follow. But equally, the Tsar was being advised by people who believed that if Russia didn’t go to war in 1914, it would be a sign of weakness which would lead to a fatal undermining of the imperial government, leading to revolution or invasion. France: Revenge and Re-conquest France felt it had been humiliated in the Franco-Prussian war of 1870 – 71, in which Paris had been besieged and the French Emperor had been forced to personally surrender  with  his army. France was burning to restore its reputation and, crucially, gain back the rich industrial land of Alsace and Lorraine which Germany had won off her. Indeed, the French plan for war with Germany, Plan XVII, focused on gaining this land above everything else. Britain: Global Leadership Of all the European powers, Britain was arguably the least tied into the treaties which divided Europe into two sides. Indeed, for several years in the late nineteenth century, Britain had consciously kept out of European affairs, preferring to focus on its global empire while keeping one eye on the balance of power on the continent. But Germany had challenged this  because it too wanted a global empire, and it too wanted a dominant navy. Germany and Britain thus began a naval arms race in which politicians, spurred on by the press, competed to build ever stronger navies. The tone was one of violence, and many felt that Germany’s upstart aspirations would have to be forcibly slapped down. Britain was also worried that a Europe dominated by an enlarged Germany, as victory in a major war would bring, would upset the balance of power in the region. Britain also felt a moral obligation to aid France and Russia because, although the treaties they’d all signed didn’t require Britain to fight, it had basically agreed to, and if Britain remained out either her former allies would finish victorious but extremely bitter, or beaten and unable to support Britain. Equally playing on their mind was a belief that they had to be involved to maintain great power status. As soon as war began, Britain also had designs on German colonies. Austria-Hungary:  Long-Coveted  Territory Austria-Hungary was desperate to project more of its crumbling power into the Balkans, where a power vacuum created by the decline of the Ottoman Empire had allowed nationalist movements to agitate and fight. Austria was particularly angry at Serbia, in which a Pan-Slavic nationalism was growing which Austria feared would lead to either Russian domination in the Balkans, or the total ousting of Austro-Hungarian power. The destruction of Serbia was deemed vital in keeping Austria-Hungary together, as there were near twice as many Serbs within the empire as were in Serbia (over seven million, versus over three million). Revenging the death of  Franz Ferdinand  was low on the list of causes. Turkey: Holy War for Conquered Land Turkey entered into secret negotiations with Germany and declared war on the Entente in October 1914. They wanted to regain land which had been lost in both the Caucuses and Balkans, and dreamed of gaining Egypt and Cyprus from Britain. They claimed to be fighting a holy war to justify this. War Guilt / Who was to Blame? In 1919, in the Treaty of Versailles between the victorious allies and Germany, the latter had to accept a ‘war guilt’ clause which explicitly stated that the war was Germany’s fault. This issue – who was responsible for the war – has been debated by historians and politicians ever since. Over the years trends have come and gone, but the issues seem to have polarised like this: on one side, that Germany with their blank cheque to Austria-Hungary and rapid, two front mobilization was chiefly to blame, while on the other was the presence of a war mentality and colonial hunger among nations who rushed to into to extend their empires, the same mentality which had already caused repeated problems before war finally broke out. The debate has not broken down ethnic lines: Fischer blamed his German ancestors in the sixties, and his thesis has largely become the mainstream view. The Germans were certainly convinced war was needed soon, and the Austro-Hungarians were convinced they had to crush Serbia to survive; both were prepared to start this war. France and Russia were slightly different, in that they weren’t prepared to start the war, but went to lengths to make sure they profited when it occurred, as they thought it would. All five Great Powers were thus prepared to fight a war, all fearing the loss of their Great Power status if they backed down. None of the Great Powers was invaded without a chance to step back. Some historians go further: David Fromkin’s ‘Europe’s Last Summer’ makes a powerful case that the world war can be pinned on Moltke, head of the German General  Staff, a man who knew it would be a terrible, world changing war, but thought it inevitable and started it anyway. But  Joll  makes an interesting point: â€Å"What is more important than the immediate responsibility for the actual outbreak of war is the state of mind that was shared by all belligerents, a state of mind that envisaged the probable imminence of war and its absolute necessity in certain circumstances.† (Joll  and Martel, The Origins of the First World War, p. 131.) The Dates and Order of the Declarations of War

Global Marketing in Albania Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Global Marketing in Albania - Assignment Example This research will begin with the population and demographics of Albania. As of July 2014, the population of Albania is 3,020,209, of which 19.3 percent belongs to 0 to 14 age groups, 19.2 percent belongs to 15- to 24 age group, 19.2 percent belongs to 25 to 54 age group, 10.5 percent to 55 belongs to 64 age group and 11.1 percent belongs to 65 years and over age group. Population growth rate is 0.3 % whereas birthrate is 12.73 births per 1000 population. Knowing about the population, the demographics, the trends and related statistics of a specific country or region is critically important while planning for marketing of certain goods or services to that market mainly to design and develop the marketing strategies by considering customer requirements and preferences. Albania is a small mountainous country with a long Adriatic coastline. The country has a Muslim majority. Basically, Albanians are divided into two, the Northern Albanians or Ghegs, and the Southern Albanians or general ly termed as Tosks. Shkumbin River plays a significant role in dividing the southern and northern Albanians. According to Albania’s official figures, Muslims are 59 percent of the Albanian population, Catholic amounts to 10 percent of Albania’s population and Orthodox Christian below 10 percent. For a global marketer, it is very important to see where the economy stands and how it stays in comparison with other economies either nearby or with those the company proposes to expand its marketing. Albania is ranked 68, in relation to business environment and ease of business. The figure given below shows the ranks of Albania and other comparator economies on the ease of doing business.

What does Intel's presentation of their financial information tell you Essay

What does Intel's presentation of their financial information tell you about how they use financial information in decision making - Essay Example According to Answers.com, financial information systems describe a "system that accumulates and analyzes financial data in order to make good financial management decisions in running the business.If managers at any company, including Intel, wish to make the best decisions possible, they need to have certain information readily accessible at their fingertips. Financial information can be used for the functions of planning, implementation, and control. The basic objective of the financial information system is to meet the firm's financial obligations as they come due, using the minimal amount of financial resources consistent with an established margin of safety. Outputs generated by the system include accounting reports, operating and capital budgets, working capital reports, cash flow forecast, and various What-If Analysis reports. The evaluation of financial data may be performed through ratio analysis, trend evaluation, and financial planning modeling. Financial planning and forec asting are facilitated if used in conjunction with a Decision Support System (DSS)" (2008). The purpose of this paper is to determine what Intel's presentation of their financial information tells you about how they use financial information in decision making.In order for any company, including Intel, to determine how it is performing in the marketplace, it must keep tabs on its financials at all times. This is often done in the form of financial statements such as the income statement and balance sheet. These two financial statements can provide very valuable information to managers and stakeholders provided they can be interpreted correctly and used accordingly. If they are utilized to their fullest extent, Intel can spotlight any challenges such as low sales or high costs early on and correct them. They can also use this financial information to determine whether or not inventory and credit are being mismanaged, if certain fixed assets are tying up too many funds, or to spot tre nds so that they can adjust the appropriate budgets accordingly. The bottom line to consider, however, is how these things affect the performance of management. Our case study tells us: As a case in point, consider Intel Corp., one of the leading lights of the technology sector for the past 30-some years. They've had their ups and downs, but have been reasonably consistently financially successful. And one of the reasons, of course, is that they have attended very carefully to the financials, and to their relationships with their investors. A quick visit to Intel's Investor Relations website reveals that the company provides certain types of information to the public and the financial markets. This information includes financial information such as earnings results, business outlook, annual reports, 10-Ks, proxy statements, fundamentals, financial statements, and SEC filings. They provide stock information such as a historical stock chart, historical price lookup, investment calculator, stock splits, stock buyback summary, dividend summary, SEC section 16 filings, analyst coverage, earnings estimates, Intel's Transfer Agent, stock purchase and dividend reinvestment. They also offer some of this information through online subscriptions (Intel, 2008). The way in which Intel uses financial information to make decisions is evident in their 10K statement. Underneath the 'Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations,' they state: We make equity investments in companies around the world to further our strategic objectives and support our key business initiatives, including investments through our Intel Capital program. We generally focus on investing in companies and initiatives to stimulate growth in the digital economy, create new business opportunities for Intel, and expand global markets for our products. The investments may support, among other things, Intel product initiatives, emerging trends in the technology industry, or worldwide Internet deployment. We invest in companies that develop software, hardware, or services supporting our technologies. Our current investment focus areas include

Give your reaction to the story, your impression of the story, how it Essay - 2

Give your reaction to the story, your impression of the story, how it relates to your life. just basically compare them to each other - Essay Example The family in The Rocking Horse Winner also preserves their lifestyle, even when they cannot afford it: â€Å"There was always the grinding sense of the shortage of money, though the style was always kept up† (Lawrence). These stories share symbols of superficial opulence that foreshadowed their miserable endings. Miss Brill uses the fur, while The Rocking Horse Winner has the rocking horse. The rocking horse contains Pauls â€Å"secret of secrets† (Lawrence). Paul employs the horse to find luck and money, so that the whisperings in his house about having â€Å"more money† will cease. He dies as he pursues luck, which indicates that going after money as an end in itself is meaningless. In Miss Brill, fur is a dead animals skin and stands for Miss Brills life, which is equally lifeless and depends only on the life of people using it. Miss Brill also relies on using others peoples lives to fill up her empty life. She remains dead, however, being alone and poor. The Rocking Horse Winner and Miss Brill employ symbols to depict that materialism is a horrible human goal, which can only result to misery and death. Money cannot buy love or happiness. It cannot ensure loving human relationships. Paul dies believing that money is everything, while Miss Brill lives on crying inside her glassed life of delusions. They suffered tragic endings, because of their materialistic endeavors in life, and leaves behind the moral: The more people treat materiality as everything, the more that materialism actually takes their

Does an International Political System exist?

Does an International Political System exist? Adding Another Page to the International Political System’s History Book The International Political System’s existence has been questioned in every way, and a plethora of studies have been conducted either to verify its very presence or reject it. It has gone through countless criticisms and praises. But even if we identified the truth about its existence, what would be the importance of knowing if such a system existed? Perhaps it is to make the obscure world a little bit clear. We get to learn things in the system better and possibly even predict what can happen in the future. The only tough task I presume is to classify them since the scope is immense. This paper aims to dwell into the subject matter and prove that one does exist. The first part of the paper will tackle the definitions of the words, â€Å"international,† â€Å"political,† and â€Å"system,† and how they constitute a set of elements peculiar to others. Having put together their definitions, I will turn my focus to the underlying topics that conform to the International Political System’s existence. And lastly, I will provide a conclusion that is going to sum up all my points in this paper. The term â€Å"international† was popularized by a political philosopher named Jeremy Bentham at a time when nation-states were perceived to be prominent actors in the world arena.[1] Using a less authoritative definition, it is â€Å"existing, occurring, or carried on between nations,† according to The English Oxford Dictionary. Furthermore, what is political, according to David Easton, refers to the â€Å"distribution of social values[2].† Systems, however, as defined also by David Easton, are just â€Å"constructions of experiential values, impartial and are not defined by ideology.[3]† Although we are more familiar with defining systems as, â€Å"sets of interacting parts that comprise a whole.† In addition, Hedley Bull also defined international system as a union of states bounded by interaction. This interaction, though, should have a significant amount of impact on another’s behavior[4]. Therefore, an International Political System inv olves two or more states bounded in common interaction with relation to the allocation of social values. To further elaborate the specifics of defining a system, especially one that is political, I will be using David Easton’s Systems Analysis and Categories for the Systems Analysis of Politics. With Easton’s given definition of a system above, it is said to be an open and adaptive system. He suggests that social systems create an open system. An open system is a system that responds to the environment’s influences and vice versa[5]. David Easton argues that a system cannot exist in a void. He claims that system requires an environment for it to exist[6]. And this environment, which is composed of the physical, sociological, social, and psychological, should enclose a system. Therefore, the identification of boundaries is clear. The environment is divided into two parts: intra-societal and extra-societal. The intro-societal consists of systems quite similar to that of the political. These may include a system that is economic, social, etc. While on the other hand, the extra-societal encompasses systems that do not belong within the society. Systems that are international in scope fall under this category – extra-societal (also called â€Å"super systems†). Thus, an international political system is one of the said systems. Now that the definitions have been provided, I will now give topics that indirectly claim that an international political system exists. They are its very foundation of today’s system. Moreover, topics such as structure-functionalism and the identification of patterns will be discussed. A factor to consider whether or not an international political system exists is the presence of intergovernmental organizations. These organizations address the problems of its members and solve them[7]. Having said so, there is a constant interaction between states. This is accomplished through the building of institutions or modifying the old ones. Take the United Nations for example, the European Union, and the World Bank, too. The United Nations have been participating in peacekeeping missions around the globe[8]. Consequently, it is an instrument for regulating power in the international system, acts as arbitraries in pacts or agreements between states, inspires political change, builds norms, ensures development of states. The ability to intervene in the politics of others is interaction. The European Union, however, evidently presents the interdependence of each member in the system. Thus, conflict would be avoided. It is also known not just to prosper financially and politica lly, but to observe human rights and see things in a democratic manner[9]. The World Bank however hopes to eradicate poverty across the globe and provide impartiality in the progressing world[10]. All of which have goals that are not centered in just one state. The scale ranges from a regional collective to an international/world collective. Thus, intergovernmental organizations give way to the existence of an international political system. With the inevitability of intergovernmental organizations, comes the existence of international laws. In neorealism, there exists a structure occupied by anarchic units. And in order to maintain stability and remain organized within the system, established rules are to be followed[11]. These rules make up the international laws. Although the only downfall of having such international laws is the fact that it invades the sovereignty of the states; therefore, international laws are being observed with consent of the state. The state might feel threatened that its sovereignty would be at stake. Transnational institutions are able to connect people in different places, strengthening ties between them. These are corporations that are â€Å"transnational.† They go beyond what it is to be a state or a nation. Although they are not states which we usually identify as units in an international political system, they do have what it takes to interact which undeniably still affects the system. Hence, they can be seen as units of analysis on this context. Existent before and today, diplomacy has been a big factor to prove that an international political system exists. Diplomacy is the peaceful relations among state[12]. It has existed throughout the course of history, preventing wars and promoting peace within the system. Without the will of states to communicate or interact, diplomacy then would be rendered useless. And had there not been diplomacy when interaction occurred, the options would have been to ignore or to go to war. Evidently, whatever choice a state pursues inevitably affects the behavior of the others. Thus, diplomacy is vital in conforming to the presence of an international political system. Treaties are written forms wherein states agree to something. This may include two or more states. It is also ruled by international law. Then again, this is political, and it includes two or more states which are our current units of analysis. Moreover, they do constitute a system. Treaties have been prevalent throughout the course of world history. Some of them include the Westphalian Treaty, which gave the birth of the definition of a state. Armistices which are also referred to as a ceasefire among warring states, contributes to the development of an international political system[13]. Today, we can see the armistice North Korea and South Korea which has been going on for a while now. Another feature is war. War is deeply connected to culture and is even as old as man himself. Although in contemporary times, when everything is quite organized, and wars occur due to the failure of politics[14]. Conflicts spawn when interests contradict, and this is political. World War II for example, came into being because of an immense sense of pride – Nazism. This ultra-nationalistic idea had interests which contradicted many, and so a war was brought into existence. What are usually associated with wars are the formations of alliances. There could exist two factions or a bipolar system where the power rests on two parties. From a liberalist’s perspective the increasing power of an ally isn’t much of a threat and neither do you feel threatened. In fact, you feel more secure. Somehow, this interaction shows an acknowledgment of one state to recognize the other. Hence, from a liberalist’s standpoint, as opposed to realism, cooperation is best, and interaction is greater[15]. Those who conform to this conceive of an absolute gain, or a positive or a negative sum game. Wherein both parties may have a win-win situation or a lose-lose situation. Unlike from a realist’s standpoint, it is always a zero sum game where one wins and the other loses. Hence, realists believe solely on self-interests, where liberalists, on the other hand, believe in shared interests[16]. Since the structure of the international system is anarchic, as conformed to neorealism, conflicts favor the system[17]. Observing the behavior of states, they appear to be relative such as how power that exists is. States normally try to balance their power to whoever has much, or surpass them[18]. Since systems promote stability and unity, the balance of power is intrinsic to the subject matter. This is done out of security purposes, which is in fact, political. Another issue to be tackled is the existence of its boundaries. The international political system, I suppose, should be an open and adaptive system, as what David Easton envisioned for a political system[19]. It should be able to accept whatever the environment has to offer and adapt to it. In order to identify the environment, we must first know the boundaries which separate it from the system. The fact that there exists an international economic system, suggests that it is a different field from the international political system. We can already identify a hint of its environment this way. Instead of focusing on how much the international political system has, we draw our attention more on what it lacks; then systematically, we can easily identify what belongs to its environment. Many critics though such as Lampert believe that the system is too immense that it leaves no space for the environment. But then again, it has all the qualifications of a system; it is only what the syste m lacks that is part of the environment. These aforementioned topics tell us that the system does exist. Now, I will be moving to the structure-functionalism theory. It is often called as â€Å"scientific analysis[20].† It often asks the questions: 1. What patterns exist in the study? 2. What are the conditions that these pattern produce? 3. What processes exist? First, I will define what a structure is. Structures are patterns to which a process is taking place. Functions, however, is defined as â€Å"a condition resulting from the activity performed by a unit[21].† Therefore, structure-functionalism ultimately refers to the foundation of theories to which they explain a comprehensive system framework. In light of the situation of determining the existence of the international political system, the structure would refer to the disturbances that affect the behavior of the units involved. Patterns usually provide us foresight. It is the importance of studying the international political system in order to predict what could possibly happen in the future. Since it clears what is obscure, it could help us establish norms that conform to the patterns that the structure provides. Wars, for example, have been countless results of patterns. From a realist’s point of view, there exist polarities. Power, which every unit struggles for, is a social value. It is their interest and patterns such as balancing of power, offensive realism, defensive realism, come into play[22]. Whatever deviates from these patterns triggers war. It is plausible that almost anything can be quantified today. By providing a set of actions to political actors inevitably mean that system exists. Therefore, without an international political system, patterns would not be provided and understanding the political phenomena in society will be difficult. This is one of the reasons why an international political system should exist. It will provide a framework that will guide political scientists or scholars who specialize in the field of international relations. It is to provide a political map and understand the underlying causes as each situation occurs. Consequently, should this field be taken as a discipline of study, future scholars could possible devise multiple theories which can benefit the entirety of the system. Furthermore, discontinuities can pose no threat to the missing links or the gap that development took a leap. And even better, this leap could spring forward to an even farther destination. Conclusion: Of the given topics above, I have attempted to prove that an international political system exists. From the very definitions of these terms that make up the subject matter, to intergovernmental organizations that exist within the system, to international laws by which states respect and ultimately follow with consent, to transnational institutions or actors that expand or go beyond a state level of analysis, to how diplomatic relationships refer to the preservation of their respective politics without conflict, to wars that eventually happen due to the patterns provided by the international political system, to how formation of alliances meddle with the interactions of states and the influences abroad, and to the realist’s perspective of an anarchic system. Further discussion about the scope of the system has been talked about, identifying the boundaries of All these topics are involved in the activities that comprise the international political system. To identify the origins of the system, I have used the structure-functionalism theory and Systems analysis. Structure-functionalism is a foundation to many systems. It provides the patterns found in the study and used the structure-functionalism theory. I have found it useful to incorporate this field to conform to the system’s existence since it has been a foundation to many systems in the environment. It starts off by identifying patterns found in the political phenomena. Consequently, it determines the functions of each element included in the structure. Having done so, a system is created. David Easton’s analysis however of a political system states that it is adaptive and open. Moreover, he states that systems are not bounded by an ideology. Furthermore, he states that environment which encloses the political system can be divided into two: intra-societal and extra-societal. He further states that the intra-societal environment consists of systems similar to that of the political; while extra-societal, on the other hand, involves supra systems, or systems international in nature. And lastly, I have provided instances why an international political system exists and should exist. I have stated multiple assessments that could either help us get through international matters in a good way or the opposite, all depending on the existence of an international political system. Bibliography European Union. (n.d.). Retrieved August 29, 2014, from European Union Web site: http://europa.eu/about-eu/index_en.htm Hamilton, K., Langhorne, R. (1995). The Practice of Diplomacy. New York: Routledge. McCormick. (2004). Comparative Politics in Transition. Indiniapolis : Cengage Learning. Susser, B. (1991). Approaches to the Study of Politics. New York: Prentice Hall. The World Bank. (n.d.). Retrieved August 29, 2014, from The World Bank Web site: http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2013/04/17/ending_extreme_poverty_and_promoting_shared_prosperity Wansbach, R., Rhodes, E. (2000). Global Politics in a Changing World. Houghton Mifflin Company. Young, O. (1968). United Nations and the International System. International Organization, Vol. 22 No. 4. [1] Richard W. Mansbach and Edward Rhodes, Global Politics in a Changing World (Boston:2000) [2] Bernard Susser, Approaches to the Study of Politics (New Jersey, 1991) [3] Ibid. [4] Hedley Bull, Anarchical Society (New York, 1977) [5] Bernard Susser, op.cit. [6] Ibid. [7] Richard W. Mansbach and Edward Rhodes, op. cit. [8] Oran R. Young, United Nations and the International System (Madison: 1968) [9] Retrieved August 29, 2014, from http://europa.eu/about-eu/index_en.htm [10] Retrieved August 29, 2014, from http://www.worldbank.org/en/about [11] David Kinsella, Bruce Russett, and Harvey Starr, World Politics: The Menu for Choice (Boston, 2010) [12] Keith Hamilton and Richard Langhorne, The Practice of Diplomacy (New York, 1995) [13] John McCormick, Comparative Politics in Transition (Indianapolis, 2007) [14] Richard W. Mansbach, op.cit. [15] Bruce Russett, Harvey Starr, and David Kinsella, op.cit. [16] Ibid. [17] Ibid. [18] Ibid. [19] Bernard Susser, op.cit. [20] Ibid. [21] Ibid. [22] Bruce Russett, Harvey Starr, and David Kinsella, op.cit. Sociology: Attack On Biological Determinism Sociology: Attack On Biological Determinism Biological determinism is a theory that tries to explain a persons behaviour and other aspects of life in relation to his or her genetic makeup. This theory was encompasses the work of various prominent scientists such as Mendel, Charles Darwin and Francis Galton. Biological determinism abnegates the idea of the surrounding influencing the characteristics and behavioural aspects of an individual. For decades, this theory has been expounded in order to explain human behaviour comprehensively. Charles Darwin proposed heritable characteristics are determined through natural selection. Darwin was of the opinion that an individual would inherit the optimal characteristics that would ensure his survival or have a reproductive advantage. However, sociologists have strongly criticized the biological determinism theory because it does not take into account the environmental factors that affect behaviour (Banyard and Grayson, 2000). This article aims to discuss the concept of biological determ inism and the opinion of sociologists on this concept. Discussion Biologists, when referring to different behaviours and roles of individual in the society, agree that a set of predetermined biological process determine these behaviours. Therefore, people think and act in different manner because they have different development in their brains (Velden, 2010). Biological theorists are of the opinion that the chromosomes and hormones in his body control brain cell formation. For example, the male in the society are equipped with both the Y and X chromosomes whereas the women only have the X chromosome. The Y chromosome in men leads to production of testosterone and other male hormones. Therefore, the male brain develops differently from that of a woman due to the difference in genetic material in the sexes. Biologists have gone further to use the differences in male and female brain to explain the difference in behaviours between the sexes (Kronfeldner, 2009). Biological determinism operates on the assumption that all behaviours have particular causes, which are mainly genetic or related to biological functions and processes. Experiments done by Raine et al (1997) focused in the abnormalities found in the brain of murderers. Raine et al (1997) tried to find determine the common factor in murderers who had put a plea of not guilty by virtue of insanity. In the experiments, Raine et al (1997) looked at the PET scans of murderers and observed their cortical and sub-cortical brains. This experiment aimed to determine whether having brain dysfunction and abnormalities like schizophrenia are linked to the violent behaviours exhibited by the murderers. Raines experiment only focused on the innate factors while it ignored the external factors such as the environments that may control the behaviours of an individual. Biological determinism also focuses on reductionism. Reductionism views individuals as divided into hierarchical groups. Therefore, the biological determinists view the inequalities between sexes, nations, classes as intrinsic rather than extrinsic (Carolan, 2005). Therefore, this theory portrays the picture that if one person is less successful than the other is, it is s not because of the contributing factors in the environment, but because the other person is intrinsically incapable of being successful. Biological determinists therefore believe that men in the society are dominant because they are intrinsically more aggressive and rational than women. According to this theory, biologically inheritable material and not the surrounding environment determine division in the society (Carolan, 2005). It is the opinion of most sociologist that it is irrational to consider social classification as a genetic factor. This is because human from different divides and social backgrounds have been known to interact and live in similar classes. It is also logical to assume that the environment and the surrounding enforces some traits and leads success or failure of an individual in a society. It is from this mode of thinking that sociologists have formulated their theories on human behaviour and societal interaction. The external environment contributes greatly to the behaviour of a person in the society. In fact, according to sociologist the surrounding environment solely regulates behaviour. Although biologists believe that only biological processes influence behaviours, there are various flaws in this perspective. Biologists tend to ignore cognitive behaviours exhibited by individuals in their theory of biological determinism. This is where sociologist criticizes the biological determinism theory. Sociologists believe that people exhibit different behaviours depending on the surrounding environment. For decades, the sociologists view on biological determinism has been that of disapproval. Most sociologists are uneasy with the biological determinism theory because it does not fully explain behavioural exhibition in people (Carolan, 2005). Sociologists disapproval of determinism is justifiable to a given extend especially when such disapproval is guided by ideologues that seek to validate, and rectify, the status quo of the biological determinism. The argument advanced by sociologist is based on the fact biological determinists have a fear that there is a probability of l osing the genic capacity. Therefore, sociologists believe that looking very deep into the realm bio physiology to explain social phenomenon is irrational and rather irresponsible. Social scientists such Skinner believe that all behavioural aspects of a person are determined by the external stimuli (Boeree, 2006). Skinner in his theory concluded that the concept of free will is just an illusion and a persons behaviour will usually conform to his surrounding rather than be genetically determined. Skinners theory on behaviour was majorly based on operant conditioning. Skinner believed that an organism or a person operated in a specific environment with various stimuli that contributed towards specific behaviours. Therefore, skinner believed that when a person or organism is exposed to certain environment a stimulus known as the reinforcer contributed towards his repeated behavioural exhibition (Boeree, 2006). From Skinners theory, we can deduce that a behaviour followed by a reinforcing stimulus has a higher likelihood of being repeated or not. Skinner used the example of a rat in a cage with a bar or pedal. In case the rat presses the pedal or the bar, it leads to release of food pellet. Assume the rat is bouncing in the cage and accidentally presses the bar then the food pellet is released. Therefore, this rat will tend to repeat this behaviour not because it inherited such traits but because it there is a reinforcing stimulus in the environment (Boeree, 2006). Watson John supports Skinners opinion by also showing that the surrounding environment governs an individuals behaviour.   Watson assumes that behaviour exhibited by an individual can be correlated to other observable occurrences in the environment. In Watsons opinion, there are usually definite occurrences that precede and follow exhibition of certain behaviours. Watsons behaviourism theory attempts to explain the relation between stimuli in the environment and an individuals response (behaviour). Watson like Skinner borrowed his idea on behaviour from Pavlovs conditioning experiments. Watson believed that individual learned through stimuli substitution and similarly behaviours in individual are exhibited according to change in stimuli rather than genetic predispositions (Winfred, 2010). Watson became one of the many sociologists to oppose the mentalist concept. He believed that the early neuroscientists were very ignorant on how the nervous system and the brain functioned. At that time, biological determinism was widely accepted as an explanation to behavioural exhibitions. However, Watson changed this opinion by using contiguity to explain how organisms learned. Watsons theory assumed that emotions were complex expression of classical conditioning and therefore complex behaviours only came about due to combination of recognisable reflexes (Winfred, 2010). Like Skinner, Watson believed that repeated activity strengthened the learning process and the learning process is what creates the difference between human behaviour. Despite the fact that Watsons position did not explain the concept of human learning, his theory is currently considered as one of the pioneers to learning sciences. Conclusion In the society, the most obvious feature is inequality. It is obvious that some individuals have great wealth while others are poor Different groups explain these inequalities according t their preferred theory. Biological determinists believe that inequality in the society is as a result of the intrinsic factors. Sociologists on the other hand believe that social differences are as a result of extrinsic factors. Both these arguments are passionate and provide interesting view into the human behaviour and social organization.Sociologists try explaining the relation between human beings and their surrounding while neglecting the concept of biological determinism. However, socialism alone cannot explain some behavioural patterns neither can biological determinism. It is necessary for both the sociologist and biologists to move towards a relatively dynamic theory, which is open to interrelation of theories from both sides of the divide. No matter how much the sociologist may wish to sti ck to their theory, they cannot evade the complex nature of biological organisms. As much as the environment influences the behaviour, it is necessary to note that chemical reactions and hormonal changes also influence how organisms and human behave. Currently, it would be absurd to support only one theory due to the evidence available. Social theories provide their arguments, which are as compelling as the arguments provided by the biological determinists. It is therefore irrelevant for sociologist to wage war against biologists since booth theories have weaknesses, which can be augmented if the theories are combined to form a grand theory that explains human behaviour.

An Analysis of Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre :: Jane Eyre Essays

An Analysis of Jane Eyre  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The novel is rich in poetry, symbolism and metaphor. It does not fit easily into a definite pattern, being neither a novel of "manners" in the tradition of Austen, or a straightforward Gothic Romance in the style of Mrs Radcliffe. What Charlotte Bronte did was to create a work which cleverly blends elements of the two styles, and which remains uniquely independent of them at the same time, since it addresses issues which were at the time rather controversial. The novel is written in the first person, and thus magnifies the central character - the reader enters the world of Jane Eyre and is transported through her experiences at first hand. This at once makes the work subjective, especially since we know that Charlottes Brontes own life and experiences were so closely interwoven with the heroine's. As well as this we learn only at the end of the novel that the events are being related to us ten years after the reconciliation with Rochester - thus the narrative is RETROSPECTIVE (looking back). CB is clever in blending the narrative so that at times Jane seems to be speaking as an adult with adult hindsight , while at others she she is "in the middle" of them, as a child or young woman. The indecision which is a central issue in the book, is heightened by this device. We never know, as readers, whether to be entirely trustful of Janes actions and thoughts, because we are never sure wheher she is speaking impulsively or maturely. This intensifies the readers dilemma as to what is "right" and "wrong" in the dramatic relationships which are part of JE's life. Can we believe what the heroine says, or is she deceiving herself? The novel is primarily a love story and a "romance" where wishes come true but only after trials and suffering. The supernatural has its place, as do dreams, portents and prophesies. The heroine begins poor and lonely and ends up rich and loved; the orphan finds a good family to replace the wicked one; all the basic ingredients of classic romantic fairytale are present. The romantic element is present in two forms in Jane Eyre; the "family" aspect is dealt with in the Gateshead, Lowood and Moor House episodes, which involve the exchanging of the wicked Reed family for the benevolent Rivers one; and the Love romance is dealt with in the Thornfield and Ferndean episodes.