Strategic Information Technology Management Essay - 1

Strategic Information Technology Management - Essay Example Now, it has developed as a Multibillion Dollar Company and today, it is known as the top brands of the world. Besides a large courier and package delivery chain, they also give specialized transportation, investment and electronic business provisions. The company administers route of merchandise, resources and the related information around the globe on a daily basis (Camerer 2003). The company is able to run its business in more than 20 countruies. Development of the Role of ICT The information and communication technology sector is the main source for low income class in developing countries to fullfill their needs of communication and to acquire knowledge. But, it was not always a useful mean to get appropriate income. However, it has been in development phase for last 20 years. Now, it is playing a major role in the expansion of economic opportunities. In 1980s, the â€Å"universal access† was an aim but today, it has become a reality. At present, the information and commu nication technology segment holds Today the ICT sector holds â€Å"hardware, software, the internet, telephony, content, application and support services† (Haycock, Cheadle, and Bluestone 2012). Today, the information and communication technology sector has become the foundation of the current economical globalization and everywhere in the world the ICT sector greatly supports the economic sector. Here are the reasons. Reducing Transactional cost With the help of ICT sector, the transaction cost is reduced and productivity of sectors increases. Immediate Connectivity Through communication technology, companies can easily and quickly get connected to their clients and it is not only voice but video connectivity as well and all... This essay stresses that mobile phones are advanced means of communication and through this device a person can send a message to another person having this device and communicate by making calls. You can take your phone with you whereever you want to go. There are many other devices or ways of communication for delivering information from one place or person to another place or person. With the extended access to information and communication technologies, people are encouraged to use these technologies. The information and communication technology sector is the main source for low income class in developing countries to fullfill their needs of communication and to acquire knowledge. But, it was not always a useful mean to get appropriate income. Today, the information and communication technology sector has become the foundation of the current economical globalization and everywhere in the world the ICT sector greatly supports the economic sector. This paper makes a conclusion that the concept of information and communication technology; their role in the development and the digitization of the economy and also about the new ways of strategic thinking. The role of a manager of UPS, for the development of company with the information and communication technology changes as to how the manager brings changes with the development of information and communication technology. This study concludes that everthing depends upon the creativity of thought of a manager, he can better evaluate as how instantly he accept the changes and respond in the context of that change.

How Has Globalization Affected Corporate Strategy in the 21st Century Essay Example for Free

How Has Globalization Affected Corporate Strategy in the 21st Century Essay In the last 21 years the notion of a multinational company has changed significantly. This is best demonstrated by the 1973 United Nations definition, which clearly stated an enterprise is multinational if it controls assets, factories, mines, sales offices, and the like in two or more countries (Bartlett, Ghoshal 2000 p.3). As we know a multinational corporation is much more then just that it controls foreign assets, it must also have a substantial direct investment in foreign countries, as well as engaging in some form of management of these foreign assets. The evolution of corporations over this time has been somewhat difficult and by no means is the process of change finalized. As with most things this evolution and learning process could be seen as being life long. The environment in which we operate clearly evolves each year and to stay ahead businesses are now required to stay ahead of developments to compete. Some of the slower players, such as Phillips (Bartlett 1999) merely lost market share through this evolution, others in the past and perhaps in the future will lose their businesses. To understand the importance of multinational corporations in relation to the world economy we see that they account for over 40 percent of the worlds manufacturing output, and almost a quarter of world trade (Bartlett, Ghoshal 2000 p.3). Although the focus is often on the larger players such as Ford, Procter and Gamble, or Coca Cola as time progresses it is more the smaller companies which we will need to keep an eye on, as they become important players, especially in international niche markets(Bartlett, Ghoshal 2000 p.3). Traditionally there were three motivations for most organisations to enter international markets, or to undertake investment overseas. These were: 1. Suppliers the ongoing need to source supplies for operations (adapted from Bartlett, Ghoshal 1989, 2000). 2. Markets seeking additional markets to sell products. Traditionally companies went international to sell excess production lines, or to meet one off needs. The market then moved to increased competition where players were keen to be the first mover to a market, so as to gain a competitive advantage. Corporations were often driven by the home country size, with the need for further consumers for ongoing viability and growth (adapted from Bartlett, Ghoshal 1989, 2000) 3. Lower Cost by seeking production facilities which would attract lower labor costs and hence higher profits. Clothing and electronics were the first movers in this strategy, usually looking to developing countries such as China or Taiwan. This is still used somewhat today as a strategy, such as large call centers providing services in India for most Australian banks (adapted from Bartlett, Ghoshal 1989, 2000) It is not my intention to go into the advantages and disadvantages of a corporation entering an international market, or to continue to operate in an international market, beyond the above three initial drivers. What is imperative that in the 21st Century an organisation must seek a strategy that meets the organisations ongoing needs which is clear and precise so as to provide direction for future growth. Due to the ongoing worldwide demand after WWII, most organisations prospered when entering international markets. Often however the strategies to entry were ad hoc and did not provide clear objectives or guidance for ongoing management. Operations were based on an ethnocentric approach. Even though at the time they were referred to as Multinational Corporations, literature now refers to them as International Corporations. As international operations expanded and took on a more important role in the organisation, such as being a key profit centre, or perhaps a product innovation being conceived in an offshore operation, they tended to come under increased management scrutiny, such as the case with Fuji Xerox (Gomes-Casseres, McQuade 1991). This then progressed the corporation to a multinational approach, international markets being as important or even more important then the home market, which is more a polycentric approach to management. The potential from these operations were reviewed by management; the possibilities for cost reductions due to standardization moved most corporations onto the next phase being the global corporation mentality. This is that the entire world is a potential market. Retaining a image from their initial home country, such as McDonalds, they seek to enter all markets to service all customers, hence a regiocentric or geocentric philosophy of management. Bartlett and Ghoshal have gone beyond this to advocate the development of the transnational corporation. This takes the concept of global corporations one step further. Corporations to prosper in a globally competitive environment, should concentrate wherever possible on responding to cost pressures, leveraging of knowledge and information, whilst ensuring local responsiveness to consumer needs (1989 p.13). Cost reduction are imperative to ensure the ongoing viability of corporations. The sharing of costs globally for items such as R D and mass production both provide examples of significant cost reductions, while enhancing learning and knowledge. By increasing the availability of information across the group you are more likely to also encounter a higher quality product as the innovation and knowledge is shared for the corporations greater good. Often companies forget that knowledge does not just reside in just the home country. Important information such as the local consumer market are often best to be determined by local managers so as to respond to local needs. In relation to local responsiveness Theodore Levitt (1983) provides a somewhat extreme view of the global market. His philosophy is that technological, social and economic developments over the last two decades have combined to create a unified world marketplace in which companies must capture global-scale economies to remain competitive. As we have discussed, the need to become competitive through reduction in costs is imperative for every business. However Levitts concept of a unified marketplace with homogenous needs has still some way to go. As researched by Procter and Gamble even how we wash our clothes differs throughout the world, sometimes even within each country. The provision of a standardized product to suit all in this industry would be a failure due to not meeting the needs of local consumers (Bartlett 1983). When we review these three elements of cost reduction, leverage of knowledge and local responsiveness we are aware that these terms are somewhat contradictory. History tells us that to provide local responsiveness you need to increase costs to increase the number of products which meet a specific consumer groups needs. The alternative is to standardize products to achieve economies of scale during production and marketing. Caterpillar has somewhat successfully implemented such a strategy. They redesigned their products around the use of standardized components. These are produced on mass through large production facilities to reduce the component costs and provide economies of scale. Machines are then transported to foreign markets where localized knowledge and components adapt the machines to the needs of local consumers (Srinivasa 1985). The overall approach is that they are able to combine all three elements of the transnational approach. Corporations also need to be aware of the increasingly complex nature of undertaking business in an international market. Social, cultural, and political environments, as well as currency fluctuations, and geographic diversity need to be considered carefully in any decision to undertake a foreign operation. It is best to research thoroughly and constantly review any strategy for overseas ventures as situations can change as in any business venture quite quickly. An example of this would be the increased use of Indonesia as a low cost production base for Australian corporations. With the increased political instability and also terrorism most corporations would be considering the ongoing viability of continuing in this market. Finally corporations need to be aware that to make any significant changes to an corporation strategy or structure it is both extremely complex, time consuming and challenging. As Ford has discovered, by constantly changing strategies to seek higher profitability, all they have been able to achieve has been another announcement of huge losses in 2001 from failed global ventures (Hill, Jones 2004 p276). The move to a transnational approach for most corporations would need to be a slow progression, while for some it is even perhaps out of reach. By focusing on the main elements of cost reduction, knowledge leveraging and local differentiation perhaps this will provide an avenue in the future for continued competitive advantage in an environment which is slowly moving towards Levitts concept of the global village (1983). Perhaps the key lies with Bartlett and Ghoshal when they tell us that companies must now respond simultaneously to diverse and often conflicting strategic needs. Today, no firm can succeed with a relatively unidimensional strategic capability that emphasizes only efficiency, or responsiveness, or leveraging of parent company knowledge and competencies. To win, a company must now achieve all three goals at the same time (1989 p 25). REFERENCE LISTING Bartlett, Christopher A. 1983 Case 6-1 Proctor and Gamble Europe: Vizir Launch, taken from Bartlett, Christopher A. Ghoshal, Sumantra 2000 Text, Cases, and Readings in Cross-Border Management, 3rd Edn, McGraw-Hill International Editions, Singapore, pp 632 647. Bartlett, Christopher A. Ghoshal, Sumantra 1989 Managing Across Borders: The Transnational Solution, Harvard Business School Press, Boston Massachusetts. Barlett, Christopher A. 1999 Case 2 -4 Phillips and Matsushita 1998: Growth of 2 Companies, taken from Bartlett, Christopher A. Ghoshal, Sumantra 2000 Text, Cases, and Readings in Cross-Border Management, 3rd Edn, McGraw-Hill International Editions, Singapore, pp 164 -180 Bartlett, Christopher A. Ghoshal, Sumantra 2000 Text, Cases, and Readings in Cross-Border Management, 3rd Edn, McGraw-Hill International Editions, Singapore. Gomes-Casseres, Benjamin McQuade, Krista 1991 Case 4-1 Xerox and Fuji Xerox, taken from Bartlett, Christopher A. Ghoshal, Sumantra 2000 Text, Cases, and Readings in Cross-Border Management, 3rd Edn, McGraw-Hill International Editions, Singapore, pp 418 443 Hill, Charles W. L Jones, Gareth R. 2004 Strategic Management Theory: An Integrated Approach, 6th Edn, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. Levitt, T. 1983 The Globalization of Markets Harvard Business Review, May June, pp. 92 102. Srinivasa, Rangan V. 1985 Case 3-1 Caterpillar Tractor Co., taken from Bartlett, Christopher A. Ghoshal, Sumantra 2000 Text, Cases, and Readings in Cross-Border Management, 3rd Edn, McGraw-Hill International Editions, Singapore, pp 259 279.

Production, consumption, and exporting of tea

Production, consumption, and exporting of tea QUESTION 1(i) Production, Consumption, and Exporting of tea Tea, like coffee is a typical favorable beverage among many. Tea is therefore produced in many countries. The annual world production of tea is about 2.9 million tones. Countries that have the most production of tea and largest tea plantation are China and India, followed by Kenya and Sri Lanka. China is the only country that produces non fermented tea (green tea), semi-fermented tea (Oolong tea), and other various kinds of fermented tea which also includes black tea. In India alone, the tea production is about 750,000 tones. Below are the total productions in tones of each country for the year 2006 and 2007 Productions in tones. Figures for years 2006 2007 Country 2006 2007 China 1,047,345 1,183,502 India 928,000 949,220 Kenya 310,580 369,600 Sri Lanka 310,800 305,220 Turkey 201,866 206,160 Vietnam 151,000 164,000 Indonesia 146,858 150,224 Japan 91,800 94,100 Argentina 72,129 72,000 Iran 59,180 60,000 Bangladesh 58,000 58,500 Malawi 45,009 46,000 Uganda 34,334 35,000 Other countries 189,551 193,782 Total 3,646,452 3,887,308 Tea is consumed around the world especially in British countries such as United Kingdom and Ireland, not forgetting the countries where tea is being produced. Tea is less favorable compared to coffee in countries such as America. Most of the tea consumed outside of East Asia is being produced in India or Sri Lanka. In Japan, green tea is a favorite for the locals, a mixture of green tea and hot water in a cup would do the trick for the Japanese. However, only green tea is consumed in Japan. Researches show that tea in terms of consumption is the most popular drink in the world. Exporting tea is a very common thing to do, in fact, the largest exporter of tea in the world is Kenya. China and Sri Lanka also plays very important roles in this sector. The growth in the export of tea is not just because of the demand, but also the heavy response to promote health benefits of tea consumption. QUESTION 1(ii) The influence of individual growers on the price of tea Individual growers are influenced by the price of tea. This is based on demand and supply. If demand for tea is high, growers and producers will then produce and supply more tea, on the other hand if the demand for tea is low, supply for tea by growers will also be less. Some Individual growers would also prefer to invest in the local market rather than export as to avoid heavy competition against other tea producing countries. QUESTION 1(iii) The role of transnational corporation in the tea market The role of a transnational corporation is to manage production and deliver services in more than one country. This corporation also plays an important role in the tea market. Tea companies such as Unilever and Tata tea have made a huge impact on the world market by setting up their own plantations and factories. Exporting and importing of tea has to go through the transnational corporation as most transport and shipping companies are controlled by them, thus making a stamp on the role of transnational corporations in the tea industry. QUESTION 2 Price of tea has been increasing since the year 2005, the demand and supply factors are the ones responsible for the increase. Despite the economic crisis in recent years, demands for tea has still been strong to many of its customers are an essential product. This is probably because of the health benefits from drinking tea. The demand for tea is income inelastic. However, some people may consider tea as an inferior good which is purchased at a larger amount compared to more expensive drinks, thus leading to an increase in price. China, one of the powerhouses in the tea industry is also growing in demand for tea as it has become one of the favorite beverages for the locals. Countries with rapid economic growth such as China, India, and Russia have resulted in locals with higher income, which will increasingly affect their spending behavior. They are allowing them to purchase branded and higher quality tea instead of cheaper and lower quality tea. As mentioned above, by being an inel astic product, increase in prices will not affect its consumers, as tea has its own alternative which requires small amount of income, therefore the rise in prices will not affect demand. As the demand for tea increases, the supply will also increase. This is based on the demand for tea as more people buy tea. Suppliers will then have to supply more tea in order to meet the requirements. Another supply factor would be the price of tea, as the prices of tea is increasing and still many people are consuming it, suppliers then have to supply more tea locally and in terms of export as this signals that they will make a profit base on the demand. Supply of tea is also affected by draughts. Those countries such as India, Kenya, and Sri Lanka are places where draught happens. Draughts will then lead to a lower supply rate of tea in these countries. Nevertheless, supplies of tea cannot easily be increases in a short period of time as that is the nature of the plant, thus affecting the world tea market by causing a rise in the price of tea. Below is a chart which shows the world demand and supply of tea from year 2004-2007 Alexander, A., 2009. Market and Industry Report-Russian Tea Market Research Report. [Online Image]. Available from: http://www.russiablog.org/2009/09/russian_tea_market_research_statistics.php [Accessed 03December 2009]. Among the countries that are famous for its tea production, India is one of the powerhouses in the tea market. Apart from dominating the world population as the second largest population in the world, India was also the second largest tea producer behind China during the year 2007. India also manages to produce an astonishing 945 million kg of tea that year. In terms of exporting wise, India came in fourth as the largest exporter of tea in the world with an exporting volume of approximately 178.75 million kg. In 2007, the Indian market size for tea is valued at $876.4 million and weighted 226.04 million kg. Retail prices for tea in India is very low compared to other countries such as Russia, for example, the average retail price of Indian tea is priced at $3.9 per kg , whereas it Russia it is priced at $20.2 per kg. This is probably caused by the exchange rate as the currency in Russia is stronger and more powerful compared to countries like India. Transnational corporations such as Tata tea and Unilever in India also help to play a role in the success of Indias tea industry. Plantations, processing factories, transport companies, and shipping agencies are all controlled by the corporation which helps the process of export and other actions smoothen. From year 2005-2008, the demand for tea has been exceeded by the supply in India. Not only in India actually, but the whole world which in this case supply has exceeded the demand for tea. This did not just happen accidentally, but rather intentional as it will help prevent the tea prices in India from dropping. Below is a table showing the demand and supply of tea in India Supply and Demand of tea in India Kg ( in millions) Demand ( consumption) Supply(production and import) 2005 757 963 2006 771 9006 2007 786 961 2008 802 1000 2006 was the start where recent buoyancy happened to tea prices. This turned out to be a relieve factor for most bulk tea players as they have been suffering from low and depressed prices of tea since 1999. In the past, after prices of tea had reached a peak in 1998, it went into a steady decline which produced an average domestic price of 76.43 per kg in 1998 which continued to drop in price which was 58.05 per kg in 2005. India then went on and suffered a lost in export markets. Among the factors were lack of market initiative by Indian investors in search of export markets, failure to check spurious varieties of tea and graded them as premium, high quality tea which then affected the image of the Indian tea market, and higher cost of production compared to other rival countries. Factors like these have led to India losing out in the export market, nevertheless leading to an increased supply in the domestic market. Quality factors also play an important role in determining the pric e and export. The above can be good examples of why price of tea in India can be quite volatile from year to year. Price of tea can also be affected by natural disasters such as typhoon, flooding, and draughts. In which reduces the supply of tea thus lower export rates. Last but not least, economic factors such as currency rates or inflation are able to affect and determine the price of tea. QUESTION 3 A change in price of tea would affect the economy of a country. Take India for example, an increase in the price of tea would mean good profit returns for the tea market as well as an advantage for bulk tea players who have invested large amounts of money into the tea industry. An increase in the price would mean that they have made a profit whereas if the price decreases, tea players would then suffer a loss. Judging from all areas, an increase in the price of tea would not fully bring benefits to the economy of the country. If the price increases, therefore cost of production for tea would also increase. When this happens, not all tea industries in India would want to export their tea as it may be too costly at their expense, which will lead them to invest in the domestic market. If there is a drop in price, transnational corporations such as Tata tea and Unilever will then take necessary actions to increase the price to a stable condition. A drop or increase in price will also aff ect the economy of India tremendously as India is one of the powerhouses in the world tea market, therefore little changes could make a big impact on the country. When competition for tea is too high in the market, price of tea will be affected negatively as there are too many suppliers comparing with each other in order to overpower the tea market. On the other hand, if competition for tea is low, this automatically raises the price of tea due to low supply. If demand for tea is high, wages of workers will increase as more workers are needed at the plantation and other tea processing facilities. Wages or workers in this case are determined by competition of tea as well as market power. In order to obtain market power, strong firms such as Unilever and Tata tea should be certain of a few items, tea that is either sold domestically or for export purposes should be of quality tea leaves, this is important as it can gain the trust and confidence of customers domestically and abroad. Te a corporations should also control the volume of tea being sold or exported as they would like to meet the requirements of the demand and supply situation, too much tea being produced would result in wastage. Supply networks also helps build up market power in the corporation, for instance, corporations should have export agencies to assist them in matters regarding export of tea to other countries. Overseas agents should also be hired as they can work as a link between the domestic market and overseas market, agents overseas can also help by sourcing and delivering information regarding other corporations which are in the same business. This can then help the domestic corporation plan their market strategies better. If the tea corporation has succeeded in obtaining a big share in market power, wages of workers in the corporation will increase simultaneously as they are crucially needed in order to smoothen and fasten the process of production of tea. Each step in producing tea will require manpower. Therefore workers are crucial at this stage.

The Rage of Hamlet in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay example -- essays res

In William Shakespeare’s play â€Å"The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark†, though the protagonist Hamlet pretends to be mad as he seeks revenge for the murder of his father, he is suffering from depression and a barely contained rage towards the people closest to him as revealed in his treatment of Gertrude and Ophelia, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and Polonius and Claudius. The barely concealed rage he feels towards his mother, lover, friends and uncle leads to their death and his own. This bitterness towards everyone makes his conversations with other characters seem to be very cold, especially towards his mother, Gertrude, and Ophelia. Hamlet’s behavior towards Ophelia and Gertrude shows his contempt and distrust of women. Though Hamlet loves his mother, â€Å"O heart, lose not thy nature† (1363), he is wounded and flabbergasted by her hasty marriage. He says, â€Å"Frailty, thy name is woman†, meaning that he views women as morally weak creatures (1316). His inference of innate womanly weakness is exemplified in Ophelia. When she follows her father’s instructions to not â€Å"give words...

Comfort and Gods Glory Essay

In the decision to discuss two topics included within this reflection paper I have been led to discuss two doctrines that are close to all Christians. The comfort of God and the glory of God are the two doctrines that I have focused on over the last several weeks. The comfort of God has touched me at times over the course of my life however, never as much as it has over the last year. I wish to praise the glory of God as directed within the bible to show how God has worked in my life. The Comfort of God  Theological Definition The comfort of God can be best represent and defined by 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 which states: â€Å"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too†. (NIV) However, Webster’s dictionary defines comfort as â€Å"to give strength and hope to† and â€Å"to ease the grief or trouble of† (Webster’s, 2013) Biblical Foundation  The Bible provides many references to God’s comfort as stated in Psalms 18:2 â€Å"The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower†. (NIV) Even though the word comfort isn’t contained in the passage just knowing that God is your strength and rock is enough. Psalms 138:7 states â€Å"though I walk in the middle of trouble, you will revive me: you shall stretch forth your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand shall save me†. (NIV) Practical Application  Over the course of my career as a law enforcement officer, I have found myself seeking comfort in some way or another. I have involved myself with discussions with fellow officers and have sought guidance from counselors and other professional sources. However, I have found no sense of comfort that compares to the bible and the comfort that religion brings me. I have learned over the course of my career that God is in control. He has a plan for all of us and comforts us when we stray from that path. When I speak of Gods comfort I think of a video that I watched on YouTube recently. The video was a speech given by Admiral Lee of the United State Coast Guard. Admiral Lee talks about the red tape that prevents him and all military personal from comforting soldiers on the battlefield. He states that he is unable at times to give guidance to those struggling for hope. I’m not a type of person who wants to force my faith and beliefs on a person. But much like Admiral Lee I have had the opportunity to be there when someone is reaching out. To give them comfort with Gods preachings and to give them a bible so they can find hope and comfort within its pages. I have for years during my tenure as a police officer carried a bible in my police vehicle. I also carry small pocket bibles purchased at my own expense. I throughout the years have never had anyone refuse one of my bibles. However, I have arrested people who have already got one of them. The Glory of God Theological Definition The glory of God is the beauty of his spirit. It is not his physical beauty however; it is his beauty that emanates from his character. God’s glory is His splendor, his majesty. The glory of God is his character and his divine nature; it is the very essence of his presence. Biblical Foundation The glory of God is referenced early in the bible Exodus 24: 15-17 states â€Å"Then Moses went up into the mountain, and a cloud covered the mountain. Now the glory of the Lord rested on Mt. Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. The sight of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel†. (NIV) The glory of god is used figuratively for God himself. Moses said to God himself in Exodus 33: 18-22 â€Å"Please show me your glory. Then he said, I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you . . . You cannot see my face; for no man shall see me and live. And the Lord said, here is a place by me, and you shall stand on the rock. So shall it be, while my glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with my hand while I pass by†. (NIV) Practical Applicati on How do we practically apply Gods glory to our everyday life? God calls us to glorify him in all we do. I do not proclaim to live a life without sin, as most Christians would agree. I don’t just do kind things to others with hopes of cancelling out the sins that I have done. However, I try to reach out into the community in the way in which I believe God wants me to. My career is a hard one and it takes a hard person to be a police officer. I have been accused of many things by people whom are upset and don’t understand. It’s easy to stand on the side of the road and observe a group of police officer at a tragic vehicle accident and get the wrong impression. I have seen officers who begin to joke around and are smiling. Now I agree the place and time for a joke is not at a car accident where someone has lost his or her life. However, it is a coping method that a lot of officers use to deal with a high stress situations. Are they living up to the glory of God? Probably not, however, they are performing their jobs to the best of their ability. The bible tells us we are not to commit murder, so how do I explain to my children that I had to take a life in the performance of my duties? How do I express to them that I am here to glorify God when I have broken one of the commandments? I don’t know the answer, but I do know that I try to live my life in a manner that allows me to glorify Him. I don’t believe that just worshiping God in church and singing hymns is enough. I believe that we need to try to preach to those who haven’t heard the Gospel and we need to live our lives praising him and living in his example. Conclusion I have progressed in my Christian studies and have focused on the things that I can do to both glorify God and to provide the comfort of God to others. You never know when the moments will be presented to you to affect the life of another, but I’m prepared. I can tell story after story to describe how I have attempted to accomplish these things, but I don’t want to place emphasis on them. God knows the good things I have done in my career and he knows the bad things. I will continue to study his word and build my house in heaven as to speak. Good deeds will not secure your place in heaven. The only way to God is through Jesus Christ. I have allowed Christ to fill my heart and I can build my home in heaven by the good deeds to which I do here. I can learn by Admiral Lee’s advice and example. I don’t have to stand and shout to someone in need. I only need to hand them the tool they need to find hope and Gods glory. I only need to whisper to them â€Å"read this†.

Dartmoor Nationa lPark In 2002

Dartmoor lies in South Devon, in South Western England. Devon is next to Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset. The Dartmoor National Park lies not far from the Cornwall border, next to the city of Plymouth and close to Exeter. To the south of Dartmoor lies several honeypot locations such Paignton, Torbay and Torquay. These attract masses of tourist every year. There are many rivers and streams which run through The Dartmoor National Park. Some of the major ones are the River Teign and Bovey, running through the North East of the park; the River Dart, running through the South East of the park; the River Plym, Erme and Yealm, running through the South West of the park; and the River Tavy and Taw running through the North West of the park. Throughout the park there are many A and B class roads. These include the A38 which runs from Exeter to Plymouth, the A30 which runs from Exeter to Launceston, the A386 which runs from Sourton to Plymouth, A382 which runs from Bovey Tracy to Whiddon Down, the B3212 which runs from Moretonhampstead to Yelverton, the B3357 which runs from Tavistock to Dartmeet, the B3193 which runs through Teign Valley, and the B3387 which runs from Bovey Tracey to Widecombe. Sketch Map Of The Dartmoor National Park Land Issues Facing The Dartmoor National Park Unlike many other countries in the world, such as the United States Of America, the government doesn't control the National Parks within the United Kingdom and Wales. Within the park there are many landowners such as public bodies and private individuals. This causes many conflicts within the park. National Parks were setup in the 1950s. Up to 1957, ten National Parks were confirmed. 1989 saw another area, the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads, given National Park status. In 1999 the Government declared that two new National Parks in England were to be created; South Downs and the New Forest. National Parks were set up to: * conserve and enhance the natural wildlife, beauty and cultural heritage of the area. * show the outside public how to promote and understand the countryside. * care for the social and economic welfare of the communities within The National Parks. The National Parks are home to 300 000 people. Dartmoor National Park accommodates 32 300. This is spread over the main settlements in the National Park; Ashburton, Buckfastleigh, Moretonhampstead, Princetown, Yelverton, Horrabridge, South Brent, Christow, Chagford. The population of the largest settlement, Ashburton is about 3,500. One of the major issues that have a big concern for everybody within The National Park is tourism. All this is due to: * people having more money to spend on recreation. * additional time for holidays, particularly short breaks such as a bank holiday or weekend. * a better infrastructure. The Dartmoor National Park has to cope with thousands and thousands of visitors per month. The National Park Authority claims that it has 10 million day visits every year. More than 40% of all visitors are from surrounding honeypots such as Torbay and neighbouring cities such as Plymouth. To be precise: * 22% come from Plymouth. * 10.2% come from Torbay. * 18.7% come from Teignbridge. * 8.9% come from South Hams. * 14.4% come from West Devon. * 8.8% come from outside Devon * 8% come from the rest of Devon * 9% come from Exeter. All the information above is the percentage of people coming from that area, both the people who have a permanent house there and people who are staying at that place, on holiday. Coping with so many tourists is a very big problem for The National Park Authorities. When it is extremely busy, there are not enough parking spaces. All visitors expect easy access. The edges of the park are particularly under pressure as major holiday routes pass it to the North and South. Visitors anticipate that there will be tourist shops, litter collections, picnic areas, and toilets. The Dartmoor National Park houses four National Park Information Centres, twelve Village Information Points, four Community Information Points and several other Centres supported by the National Park Authority. There are 72 different places to park within Dartmoor. The prices of houses within The Dartmoor National Park, and other parks, are soaring because rich, wealthy people from urban areas pay more for their second home than local people can afford. The majority of the community in National Parks throughout the United Kingdom have a lot of elderly retired people. There are not a lot of young people in the area because these areas do not have a lot of schools; primary and secondary, and they certainly do not have colleges and universities. Another key factor is erosion. Here is a diagram showing the main reasons why erosion occurs: The human causes of erosion are walking across the grassy terrain, grazing live stock on the fields, driving farm vehicles, horse riding, mountain biking and military training. Although all the things here can be refrained from doing, the National Park really would not be. Things like military training and some driving of vehicles can be avoided. All the natural causes of erosion; rain, wind and vegetation, cannot be avoided. These are natural and if it did not happen then all kinds of life in the park would die. The Ministry of Defence control around 13,340 hectares; about 32,951 Acres; of the park. This about 14% of the whole park. Most activity is intense between Okehampton and Two Bridges, to the North of the park. Both live and â€Å"dry† ammunition is used. Live firing has caused damage to ancient monuments and has disturb wildlife, When training commences, large areas are closed off from the public. Even though there are no natural lakes in The Dartmoor National Park, there are eight reservoirs, taking up around 1% of the park. Burrator, Venford, Fernworthy, Trenchford, Tottiford and Kennick were built before 1940. The other two were added latter; Avon Dam and Meldon. These reservoirs were created by blocking off valleys and waiting for them to fill up. These reservoirs are used to supply water to the towns and cities of Devon. Rainfall on the moors are much higher than urban areas such as London. Kaolin, otherwise known as china clay, is the source of the main mining industry in Dartmoor today. Kaolin is extracted by open cast mining and used in to make paper shiny. The kaolin is exported throughout the world. There are large reserves in southern Dartmoor, mainly around Lee Moor, which has one of the largest china clay pits in the world; over 90 m deep and covering over 40 hectares, around 100 acres. Producing kaolin produces large amounts of waste. Land that is important for recreation, wildlife and archaeological interest has been threatened by the dumping of kaolin waste. The main reason for the creation of The National Parks were to conserve the natural beauty of the areas. Within Dartmoor there are two large areas of blanket fog. This area waterlogged all year long because there is very heavy rainfall there and poor drainage. It is dominated by rushes, cotton grass and a thick layer sphagnum moss. Around this area there are heather and grass moors, providing better grazing for farm and wild animals. Solutions: The Authorities So what's going on to combat the land issues facing The Dartmoor National Park? Many things are being done to help conserve the environment from tourists: * More and more information centres are being created to inform visitors about the park, to make them understand how to use and preserve the park. This not only through information centres but also signposts and leaflets. * The Rangers observe the park the most .They are the eyes and ears of The Dartmoor National Park. They try to make certain that all visitors enjoy their visit and monitor the effects of recreation on the landscape and the local community. The local communities support their work a great deal. * The visitor mangers. These are the people who control more or less every man-made aspect of the park. They say were to put an information centre, where to put a toilet. They plan for these things by doing surveys. (One can be found on the next page). * New roads are being made. A trunk road was created a few years back, through the North of the park, although an act was passed that no new roads were to be created in parks. Erosion is single handedly destroying the environment. The National Park Authority has created a strategy to turf or re-seed the most eroded parts. The military is a big problem in the way to totally cleaning the park. All the Authorities are trying to ban them from The National Park. Authorities do not like the eight reservoirs already in the park. A bid for another one was made a few years back. It was refused by parliament. With all the waste from the kaolin, the authorities are trying to find suitable places for the waste to be stored. A place has not been found yet although they are still looking. Solutions: My Opinion I think that all cars should be banned from the area. People should park their cars and catch a bus into the area. The military should be also banned from the area. They should go and find else were to do their training.

Essay on RPG MMORPG Differences

Essay on RPG MMORPG Differences Essay on RPG MMORPG Differences RPG & MMORPG Differences Massive multiplayer online role playing (MMORPG) games and role playing games (RPG) can be similar while one plays through the game, but is actually way different. When looking at these two genres one can see that as you play through the game that the gameplay and story concept are dramatically different. Here one will examine the gameplay and story concept between the â€Å"Fallout† series and â€Å"World of Warcraft†. In the â€Å"Fallout† series the gameplay and story concept all revolve around your character that you play. In this one is a survivor of the apocalypse amongst very few others. You adventure through an open world doing missions, slaying enemies, and putting pieces together to solve larger problems for other non-players characters (NPCs). In this particular RPG the entire gameplay and story concept revolves around oneself. The actual gameplay changes as you complete challenges and unlock new abilities one’s character can do, thus changing how you play it entirely. The story also may change whether one chooses to be evil or good throughout the game. It can also change on how you decide which mission’s one chooses to-do this can drastically change the world around oneself, and alter the storyline greatly. In the MMORPG â€Å"World of Warcraft† one will play with thousands of people online. You pick a race and class that you would like to play this will determine at higher levels what style of gameplay one will perform whether a tank, healer or damager dealer (DPS). As a tank your job will be to control hard hitting enemies that would otherwise kill everyone in your group, as a healer you will keep everyone alive, and lastly DPS will just kill what is needed at the time. As one can see the gameplay here is revolved around groups. As you progress through the game you will do countless quests that generate experience points (XP). The XP will add up and level one’s character ultimately unlocking new ab ilities. The quests that get done

The Simpsons Way essays

The Simpsons Way essays Its a weekly event for some, and a daily event for others. With this daily occurance you can take a half hour break to have a good laugh, explain a thought of feeling, or get a better understanding about the problems of our society. Its the fun loving cartoon family known as the Simpsons. It may or may not be your favorite show but in one way or another you can relate something in your life to this cartoon family. This is the best cartoon ever produced, and quite possibly the best show running today. The show has stayed on air for over 12 years and not only that, but it has stayed at one of the highest rated time slots of the week. There has to be something right about this show or else it would have fallen years ago. The show uses a unique blend of personalities for each character to exploit issues in our society. The Simpsons consist of a family of two adults and three children. Each character has their own identity and personality, which has been based on individuals of our society within the same family rank. Homer is the father of this family. He is the ignorant moron of the family. The days are spent at work while his evenings are spent either at his favorite bar getting drunk or sitting at home on the couch completely oblivious to his roles as a father figure. Marge, the mother is the do it all housewife. She cooks, cleans, takes care of the kids and does all the things a housewife should do. Bart is based on the saying boys will be boys, and thats exactly what he does. He finds himself doing anything mischivious, careless about school, gets along with everyone, and just seems to find trouble. Lisa is the sister of Bart. She is the studious one who has no friends, has no outside life, spending countless hours doing everything as uncool as possible. Then we are left with Magg ie who is the baby of the family. Maggie is just there. She doesnt talk, doesnt...

Contemporary employment perspectives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Contemporary employment perspectives - Essay Example Today, social work comprises a variety of functions, skills, and obligations. The nature of social work is essentially about dealing with the most serious social problems and reducing the scope of social exclusion, to promote positive change and enhance individual and social well-being. Childcare social worker: Job specification That social work is an indispensable component of social reality and progress cannot be denied. Burducea (2010) is correct in the origins of social work are modern. However, most, if not all, world civilizations were engaged in various social work activities, from sponsorship and personal financial assistance to philanthropy and the development of the sophisticated insurance systems. Although the role and importance of social work in the globalized work is well-documented, little is known about its functions. Childcare social workers are professionals with a Master’s degree in social work, dealing with problematic individuals and population groups, inc luding homeless youths. The goal of a childcare social worker’s job is to work in community, with individuals and families, who need professional assistance and face considerable emotional and social problems. Childcare social workers fulfill broad range of obligations and perspectives, including participation in multidisciplinary teams (Healy 2008). Childcare social workers deal with service users, assess their situation, and provide social and counseling support to those in need (Lyons & Carlsen 2006; Payne 2005). Homeless and runaway youths are rightly considered as one of the most socially vulnerable groups. The key tasks of a childcare social worker include analyzing and addressing new requests for social and emotional assistance to children, visiting their young clients at home, representing children in courts, and taking all actions that are appropriate for promoting children’s well-being. Childcare social workers are expected to contribute to the development of their service and work in multidisciplinary teams of social work volunteers. They must be prepared to work extra hours and pursue high degree of flexibility in job performance. Therefore, the job of a childcare social worker is essentially about detecting and finding runaway youths, assessing their situation and providing counseling support, to promote social inclusion, enhance their wellbeing, and guarantee that young people can meet their social needs. Childcare social work: theoretical underpinnings Social work is usually defined from the two different perspectives: that of science and that of an institutional arrangement with a solid normative and practical architecture (Burducea 2010). The key elements of social work as an institutional structure include benefits and beneficiaries, social work and normative systems (Burducea 2010). As a science, social work exemplifies a complex network of theoretical and methodological approaches to social problems (Burducea 2010). Social wor k as a profession uses multidisciplinary systems to assess the impact of the existing and emerging social problems on people and reduce their complexity (Burducea 2010). The social work paradigm is unique in the sense that it deals with the existing social problems â€Å"without violating the principles of social justice and human rights† (Burducea 2010). It would be fair to say that social workers serve a reliable buffer between

Amazon Deforestation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Amazon Deforestation - Essay Example Global warming is one of the major concerns of the world today. The problem is caused by the increased greenhouse emissions coming from different countries worldwide. However, findings show that about 15% of carbon emissions come from tropical deforestation. This level of emissions is more than the total emissions from all automobiles combined. Therefore, preservation of forests is one of the surest ways of slowing down global warming. This begins by preserving Brazil’s Amazon rainforest, which is at threat of disappearance due to deforestation. Brazil’s Amazon rainforest is one f the world’s largest tropical rainforest. However, the forest has been at threat of deforestation, which began in 1970s. Report indicates that before the deforestation of the forest began, Amazon forest cover was estimated at about 4,100,000 square kilometers. The forest at the time consisted of different types of trees and acted as home for several species of birds, animals, microorganisms, and even human beings.The high forest cover also acted as water catchment area for major rivers in Brazil and neighboring countries.At the same time, the forest received an estimated half of the country’s annual rainfall. However, all these have significantly been lost through deforestation. The World Bank report indicates that an estimated 745,289 square kilometers of Amazon forest has been lost since 1970s to 2011.Despite there being a slight decline in the destruction in the recent times following conservation initiatives put by the Brazilian government, more still needs to be done to preserve the forest. As a result,only about 3,354,711 km2 of the forest cover remained by 2011 down from 4,100,000 km2 of the forest cover in 1970 and earlier.... A number of factors have been noted as the leading causes of destruction of Amazon. Top of the causes according to a study is the clearing the forest for pasture. Report indicates that about 38% of the deforestation that took place from1966 to1975 was due to large-scale ranching. This figure has since increased to about 60%, according to the country’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE) and Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa). This is reverberated by the fact that Brazil’s economy depends hugely on beef products exported to different parts of the world. However, much of the ranching expansion has taken place in Amazon, which has more than 80% of heads of cattle. Presently an estimated 214,000 square miles of land have been cleared to give space for pasture. This space is larger than the size of France (Butler par.3). The destruction has also been caused by subsistence agriculture being undertaken by the poor farmers in the forest after the Brazilian gov ernment provided land to the landless poor through the country’s land policy. According to Brazil’s land policy, every citizen has a right to use any government piece of land for a period of at least one year and a day. The squatter has the right to acquire ownership of the land after five years hence the right to sell the land. Report indicates that the Brazilian government granted land ownership in Amazon to about 150,000 families from 1995 to 1998. Poor farmers typically have the tendency of clearing land-using fire. In fact, satellite images taken on the forest show numerous images of fires burning across the Amazon (Campari 21). The deforestation of Amazon has also been increased by the move by the Brazilian government to clear the land for purposes of improving its

Business Law (International) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business Law (International) - Essay Example Some of the US based companies and exporting manufacturers are not aware of piracy, counterfeiting and theft of their patent or trademark in other countries. It was reported that the brand name, products, packaging style and business plans of some US companies have been copied by some businesses abroad. For this reason, it is recommended that businesses must seek trademark and patent protection in their concerned foreign market ahead of exporting to such markets. The protection of intellectual properties varies widely around the world. When intellectual property becomes more important in international trade, the differences between different protection acts become a source of problem in international economic relation. In 1994, the agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) was negotiated at the end of Uruguay Round of the GATT administered by World Trade Organization. TRIPS put forward requirements that countries laws are expected to meet rights for protecting copyrights, geographical indications, integrated layout- designs, patents, and industrial designs. The Anti- counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is currently negotiated by the governments of United State, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Canada and Mexico. ACTA imposed strong enforcement of intellectual property pertaining to internet activity and information based trading. The WTO’s TRIPS agreement attempts to reduce the gaps in protecting intellectual property around the world and to bring them under systematic international rules. Philippe Sands says that the 1994 WTO TRIPS agreement establishes a regime requiring WTO members to make patents available for any inventions, whether product or processes, in all fields of technology without discrimination, subject to the normal tests of novelty, inventiveness and applicability. It also requires that

General motors Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

General motors - Essay Example At one point, GM was the largest corporation in the United States. It was also the single largest employer in the world but despite being industry leaders for several years, GM could not sustain competition from European and Japanese car makers. The company was beset with financial woes and in November 2005, GM had to lay off 30,000 employees and several plants had to be shut down. This is when its decline started which led to a complete restructuring of the company following the financial crisis in 2008. In this paper, after a brief history of the company, the financial crisis that the company faced and how it handled the situation would be evaluated. General Motors was incorporated on September 16, 1908 in New Jersey by William Capro Durant, a school drop-out. However during this period the auto industry in the US was in a mess with 45 different car companies already existing in the United States. By 1920s the demand for cars was high and GM brought in innovation in design and marketing. They introduced ‘a car for every purse and purpose’ and thus had Chevrolet, Vauxhall and Opel under its banner. The introduction of the Cadillac in 1927 made people see cars as more than a mode of transport. GM’s commitment to innovation continued even during the difficult times. Challenges gave way to changes during the 1960s and 70s as environmental concerns and competition from foreign car makers forced GM to reengineer its cars. This led to much lighter, aerodynamic and more fuel-efficient vehicles. Several innovative concepts were introduced by GM such as air bags, the use of unleaded gasoline while its contribution in r educing emissions is also recognized. In 1990, GM also introduced electric cars. However, as GM recognized the challenges in the US market, it started international expansion by opening its first production unit in Spain in 1982. This was the era of globalization when GM also formed joint ventures

The assignment is to choose between problem 2 and 3 of the Problem Essay

The assignment is to choose between problem 2 and 3 of the Problem Solving Activities (pages 428 and 429) and prepare a word report of your findings - Essay Example If a student or the person applying has this information at hand then this stage will not be a problem to pass. I also found out that you can actually log into the website using your social media account which is very good considering the fact that almost every student have one or more social accounts. They especially use the Facebook accounts for verification and thus one doesn’t have to go through the rigorous process of filling in information because all will be obtained from the website itself. After feeding all the information correctly you will receive notification in your email account and thus you will use it to activate your account with my majors and access the services. On the website you will find several courses that you can major on after your undergraduate level and thus you get assisted on the way forward on how to select a course online. The website is easy to use and is helpful to all the students who would like to identify the areas of studies they would like t0o major on. It is essential to visit this site if you have an ambition to strengthen your studies by advancing it via majoring in specific fields. The website generally assist students achieve their

Week9 dq Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Week9 dq - Essay Example Sustainability is an important idea as it suggests a long lasting effect upon the structure which seeks it. Sustainability presents an on-going benefit for the organization and its processes. Using sustainable methods the organization is able to reach many of its goals. Business behaviour which is responsible is said to be beneficial to organizational members as well as stakeholders, some of whom could also hold shares, as well as those in wider society whose benefits could be rather indirect. But how and why does this sustainability actually result in benefits? Cortez (2011) considered social equity as a way to ensure profits together with benefits for society. These might not be directly financial. He looked at the possibility of a relationship between environmental improvements and good financial results for an organization. Cortez (2011) studied leading companies in Japan. This led lead to another question about the pressure from government and what actually goes on as a result. Cortez (2011) cited paper studies by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu about the Japanese car industry. There seemed to be real concern for the environment, but also a relatively low measure of actual success. On the other hand the Cortez (2011) paper included references to Japanese industrial companies with more positive results, as well as high degrees of client satisfaction with regard to the environment and its protection or improvement because of innovations carried out. Consumers do care about the ways in companies perform in relationship with the environment, and look at the costs involved , that is how much is a company spending upon environmental responsibilities. There are however a number of other features associated with costs to society. These can be difficult to describe exactly. A new factory for instance may mean improvements

General motors Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

General motors - Essay Example At one point, GM was the largest corporation in the United States. It was also the single largest employer in the world but despite being industry leaders for several years, GM could not sustain competition from European and Japanese car makers. The company was beset with financial woes and in November 2005, GM had to lay off 30,000 employees and several plants had to be shut down. This is when its decline started which led to a complete restructuring of the company following the financial crisis in 2008. In this paper, after a brief history of the company, the financial crisis that the company faced and how it handled the situation would be evaluated. General Motors was incorporated on September 16, 1908 in New Jersey by William Capro Durant, a school drop-out. However during this period the auto industry in the US was in a mess with 45 different car companies already existing in the United States. By 1920s the demand for cars was high and GM brought in innovation in design and marketing. They introduced ‘a car for every purse and purpose’ and thus had Chevrolet, Vauxhall and Opel under its banner. The introduction of the Cadillac in 1927 made people see cars as more than a mode of transport. GM’s commitment to innovation continued even during the difficult times. Challenges gave way to changes during the 1960s and 70s as environmental concerns and competition from foreign car makers forced GM to reengineer its cars. This led to much lighter, aerodynamic and more fuel-efficient vehicles. Several innovative concepts were introduced by GM such as air bags, the use of unleaded gasoline while its contribution in r educing emissions is also recognized. In 1990, GM also introduced electric cars. However, as GM recognized the challenges in the US market, it started international expansion by opening its first production unit in Spain in 1982. This was the era of globalization when GM also formed joint ventures

Week9 dq Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Week9 dq - Essay Example Sustainability is an important idea as it suggests a long lasting effect upon the structure which seeks it. Sustainability presents an on-going benefit for the organization and its processes. Using sustainable methods the organization is able to reach many of its goals. Business behaviour which is responsible is said to be beneficial to organizational members as well as stakeholders, some of whom could also hold shares, as well as those in wider society whose benefits could be rather indirect. But how and why does this sustainability actually result in benefits? Cortez (2011) considered social equity as a way to ensure profits together with benefits for society. These might not be directly financial. He looked at the possibility of a relationship between environmental improvements and good financial results for an organization. Cortez (2011) studied leading companies in Japan. This led lead to another question about the pressure from government and what actually goes on as a result. Cortez (2011) cited paper studies by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu about the Japanese car industry. There seemed to be real concern for the environment, but also a relatively low measure of actual success. On the other hand the Cortez (2011) paper included references to Japanese industrial companies with more positive results, as well as high degrees of client satisfaction with regard to the environment and its protection or improvement because of innovations carried out. Consumers do care about the ways in companies perform in relationship with the environment, and look at the costs involved , that is how much is a company spending upon environmental responsibilities. There are however a number of other features associated with costs to society. These can be difficult to describe exactly. A new factory for instance may mean improvements

Sole Proprietorship Essay Example for Free

Sole Proprietorship Essay †¢Liability is unlimited. The owner or sole proprietor is legally responsible for all debts, law suit settlements and contract fulfillments. Though insurance policies can be purchased to protect against unforeseen events, a judgment decree or balance exceeding the purchased plan amount could come directly out of the personal assets of the owner including but not limited to personal home, bank accounts, college funds or other tangible assets. †¢Income Taxes for sole proprietorship act no differently than paying standard income tax. The IRS sees no distinction between the sole proprietor and the owner’s personal finances. A standard 1040 form will be prepared yearly including a schedule C or C-EZ form for profit disclosure. Tax rate will vary year to year depending on the net profits of the business. †¢Longevity is limited to the lifetime of the owner or the completed sale of the company’s tangible and intangible assets to an individual or outside entity †¢If the owner dies without selling, the business ceases to exist. †¢Control is the most appealing factor for Sole Proprietorships as the owner needs only answer to themselves. The owner makes all decisions for the day to day operations of the company including entering into contracts, handling finances, hiring employees and even at will dissolution of the company. †¢Profit retention is a key factor that distinguishes Sole Proprietorship over all other business forms. The owner retains all profits for their own. They have no legal obligation to share the profits with any one. Please note that this does not grant the owner clemency from paying their debts or obligations if profits are low for any given length of time. †¢Location can be anywhere but is registered on a state level and must abide by local state laws. If distributing goods to other states than the registered state of the business other tax implications come in to play such as whether sales tax must be applied.

Truman Doctrine And The Marshall Plan History Essay

Truman Doctrine And The Marshall Plan History Essay On the eve of their victory in World War Two, the leaders of the so-called Big Three nations (Winston Churchill from Britain, Joseph Stalin, from the Soviet Union, and Franklin Roosevelt from the United States) met to negotiate the post-war administration of the vast European territories liberated from Nazi occupation and the captured territories of the Axis nations themselves. The two meetings at Potsdam and Yalta were actually the second and third (respectively) following the first of the Big Three meetings at Teheran in 1943. At the time of the final meeting at Yalta, all three leaders expressed genuine optimism that a peaceful and fair collaboration that had begun of necessity in their combined effort to defeat Hitler could last beyond the war years and into a prolonged period of international peace thereafter (Alterman, 2004). However, there were fundamental conflicting interests and concerns that had begun to develop even before the conclusion of the war. Both the United States and the Soviet Union had already begun to view one another as rivals in Europe, both for territory captured from the Germans as well as for the technological spoils of war, such as German aviation and ballistic rocket technology in particular (Roberts, 2000). During the last year of the war, the Western Allies had feared that Stalin would continue his advance well into central and western Europe and all the way to the Mediterranean (Alterman, 2004). To a large degree, those fears were unfounded as Soviet troops halted after occupying the Baltic States and territories in Germany, Poland and the Balkans (Alterman, 2004). Nevertheless, the Soviet Union did also exert continual pressure elsewhere, particularly in Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Greece, and Turkey. When Britain could no longer afford to support the needs of Greece and Turkey, the U.S. stepped up and in 1947, announced a broad approach to providing economic support to those regions (and others believed by the Truman administration to be potentially at risk of Soviet domination) economically in what came to be referred to as the Truman Doctrine (Gaddis, 1997; Judge Langdon,). That same year, U.S. Secretary of State, General George C. Marshall, introduced an even broader approach, that came to be called the Marshall Plan which included all of the mechanism outlined in the Truman Doctrine, in addition to a comprehensive fight against hunger, desperation, poverty, and chaos and whose aims included the revival of a working economy across the European continent but also in all the nations of the world ( Gaddis, 1997; Judge Langdon,). In fact, the principal motivation for this plan was a policy analysis authored by George C. Kennan, counselor in the U.S. embassy in Moscow entitled The Sources of Soviet Conduct (Roberts, 2000). That analysis led directly to the adoption of a containment policy by the Truman administration (and subsequent U.S. presidential administrations designed expressly to oppose perceive Soviet expansionist aims everywhere in the world (Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005; Roberts, 2000). Throughout the Cold War, the official position of the U.S. was that its policies with respect to the U.S.S.R. were strictly defensive and designed, of absolute necessity, to prevent the global domination sought by Soviet Communist leaders (Alterman, 2004; Gaddis, 1997; Judge Langdon, ; McNamara, 1995). In truth, the U.S. policies to oppose Soviet Communist expansion and the imposition of Communism beyond Soviet borders were not unfairly viewed by the U.S.S.R. as an expansionist attempt to export and impose Western Democracy beyond U.S. borders. The Deterioration of Relations between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. after 1945 Even before the end of World War II, the provisions of the February 1945 Yalta Conference set in motion conflicting priorities and zones of occupation that helped trigger the eventual deterioration of the wartime alliance between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union (Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005). Specifically, the agreement left Britain, France, and the United States in charge of Western Germany, Italy, and Japan while the Soviets controlled Eastern Germany, Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary. By comparison, the territory controlled by the Western Allies was much more valuable in terms of its economic potential than that held by the Soviet Union. The same was largely true in connection with the relative economic potential of Western and Eastern Germany. Under the terms of the Yalta Agreement, the Western Allies administered what later became West Germany and the U.S.S.R. controlled what later became East Germany. Even the capital city of Berlin was divided into zones o f occupation; within a few years, the geographical layout of Berlin and the shared occupation between the Western Allies and the U.S.S.R. would trigger a prolonged crisis as well (Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005). Although perceived by the West as being stubborn and acting out of a specific motivation to dominate Europe, Stalin expressed genuine confusion over the inability or unwillingness of the Western Allies to appreciate the importance of Eastern Europe from the Soviet perspective, particularly with respect to Poland (Alterman, 2004; Judge Langdon, ). Recent and not so recent history demonstrated full well the vulnerability of the Soviet Union to hostile invasion through Poland. Moreover, Stalins liberation of Poland from the Nazis had cost the Soviet Union as many as 20 million dead, making it the costliest war campaign in the entire history of warfare, by far. From the Russian point of view, Poland should rightfully have remained under Russian control for those two specific reasons alone (Alterman, 2004; Judge Langdon, ). In other respects, the Western Allies may have been right to question Stalins motives. During the war, both Churchill and Stalin had sent troops to occupy portions of Iran to prevent their rich oil fields from falling into the hands of the Nazis (Alterman, 2004; Roberts, 2000). Already at Yalta, Stalin had begun demanding oil concessions as a condition of removing Russian troops from Iran. Likewise, Stalin had insisted that Turkey permit the Russian Navy permanent unrestricted passage from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean through the Dardanelles. Stalin yielded on both accounts only after the U.S. expressed its intentions to back Iran and after the U.S. sent its own Naval warships to the region. Nevertheless, U.S. foreign policy thereafter would reflect the growing fears over such incidents that Stalin expressly intended to capitalize on any perceived weakness on the part of the West to oppose Communist grabs for global territories and resources (Roberts, 2000). The Importance of Kennans The Sources of Soviet Conduct In 1946, the U.S. State Department received a very long telegram from George C. Kennan, counselor in the U.S. embassy in Moscow, detailing his analysis of what he called The Sources of Soviet Conduct (Gaddis, 1997; Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005; Judge Langdon, ; Roberts, 2000). Among other conclusions, Kennan wrote that the Soviet Union was eternally committed to global expansionism and to the spread of Communist ideology at all costs. Kennan warned that the Soviet Union would never stop probing non-Communist societies for weaknesses and that the Western democracies had no other choice but to remain vigilante in their opposition to Communism lest is spread throughout the entire world to the extent efforts toward that end were not opposed appropriately by the West (Gaddis, 1997; Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005; Judge Langdon, ; Roberts, 2000). Kennan concluded that what would be necessary and appropriate to prevent Communist expansionism from dominating the word would be a comprehensive policy of global containment of any efforts toward that end by the Western democracies (Gaddis, 1997; Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005; Judge Langdon, ; Roberts, 2000). At approximately the same time, also in 1946, Winston Churchill delivered his infamous Iron Curtain speech in which he warned of the same danger with respect to the European continent and advocated a strong opposition on the part of the Western democracies. (Gaddis, 1997; Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005; Judge Langdon, ; Roberts, 2000; Westad, ). In principle, this containment strategy would be adopted by the West, most immediately in the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan. The Truman Doctrine By 1947, Greece was in the midst of internal warfare between the government and Communist rebels (Alter, 2004; Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005; Roberts, 2000). Britain had been funding the counterrevolutionaries but eventually announced that it could no longer do so for economic reasons. The U.S. administration argued to Congress (and to the American people) that the fall of Greece to Communism would lead inevitably to the subsequent fall of Italy, France, and the entire Middle East to Communism as well (Gaddis, 1997; Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005; Judge Langdon, ; Roberts, 2000). Truman succeeded in obtaining congressional authorization for $400 million to fund anti-Communist rebels in both Greece and Turkey as well. This was the first implementation of what came be known as the Truman Doctrine, according to which It must be the policy of the United States to support free people who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pres sures. Truman went on to say that this support from the U.S. should be primarily through economic and financial aid, which is essential to economic stability and orderly political process (Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005). Officially, the Truman Doctrine focused on economic assistance to the needy populations of the struggling nations; unofficially, the real purpose of the Truman Doctrine was to fund anti-Communist forces and virtually any related effort to undermine Soviet attempts to spread Communism anywhere in the world. While being promoted primarily as a humanitarian gesture, the principal purpose of the Truman Doctrine and the reason for its existence was to oppose Soviet Communism (Gaddis, 1997). To be fair, there were reasons that the West was right to be so concerned about Soviet Communist expansion but there were also reasons that, with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, the West in general and the U.S. in particular overreacted in implementing the Truman Doctrine. The Western Allies had only recently learned a very difficult lesson after failing to respond appropriately to the rise of Nazism throughout the 1930s and to the expansionist aggression demonstrated by Hitler for years before the outbreak of World War II. Undoubtedly, that was foremost on the minds of Churchill and Truman and everyone else in foreign policy-making positions in the post-war era (Alterman, 2004; Roberts, 2000). The Soviets were hardly innocent either. In addition to the attempted exertion of influence in Iran over the removal of their troops and over control over shipping lanes in the Dardanelles, they also aggressively supported Communist revolutions anywhere they could in Eastern Europe, particular ly in Bulgaria and Romania in connection with Communist takeovers and in Poland by helping to eliminate the last source of political opposition to Communism (Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005). On the other hand, and again, in retrospect with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, the Western Democracies were also somewhat blind to apparent signs of Soviet restraint and concessions to the West. After initially insisting on shared control over defeated Japan, the Soviet Union eventually accepted exclusive American control over that nation (Gaddis, 1997; Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005; Judge Langdon, ; Roberts, 2000). Likewise, they withdrew their troops from Manchuria, allowed free elections in Hungary and Czechoslovakia and a neutral democratic Finnish government, and they also withdrew significant numbers of their forces that had been assembled in Eastern Europe since the end of the War (Gaddis, 1997; Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005). It may be unfair to re-evaluate tensions of the time with the benefit of historical records available today (including those pertaining to Stalin that only became available after the collapse of Communist Russia). However, objectively, and with the benefit of hindsight, it would seem that a more measured and objective response on the part of the U.S. and her allies in the post-war years other than the full implementation of the Truman Doctrine might have allowed for a much less costly and potentially dangerous outcome than a four-decade-long Cold War with the Soviet Union. The Marshall Plan One of the major initiatives implemented within the general framework of the Truman Doctrine was General George C. Marshalls European Recovery Plan, which quickly became known as the Marshall Plan (Gaddis, 1997; Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005; Judge Langdon, ; Roberts, 2000). In principle, the Marshall Plan aimed to do the same thing (i.e. contain Soviet Communism from global expansion) although through incentivizing cooperation and conciliation on the part of foreign nations in return for U.S. economic assistance. It was, in essence, a tremendous carrot instead of a stick-based approach to encouraging foreign nations to implement democratic governments and to reject Communist overtures (Roberts, 2000). The U.S. even invited the Soviet Union to participate but they refused, believing (probably correctly, given the overall objective of the Truman Doctrine) that the terms in connection with which Soviet participation was being welcomed would have undermined Soviet control over the Eastern European countries under Soviet influence (Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005; Judge Langdon, ). Two years later, the Soviet Union would create Comecon, their own plan for an Eastern European Mutual Economic Assistance organization. The Marshall Plan was an unparalleled success in Western Europe: it facilitated infrastructure recovery in war-torn countries; it enabled economic growth while simultaneously reducing class conflict. More importantly, from the U.S. perspective, it established an economic dependency for U.S. goods and industrial machinery and for the U.S. goods, services, and labor to support it (Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005). Certainly, the Marshall Plan was a more humane approach to expanding U.S. influence and discouraging Communist tendencies among Western European populations than the Soviet Union had employed in Eastern Europe. However, its fundamental purpose was much more similar. Moreover, the U.S. was guilty of the same degree of meddling in the domestic affairs of sovereign nations as was the Soviet Union, albeit through much more peaceful means that relied upon the carrot rather than the stick. Nevertheless, from the point of view of exporting its own political ideology to other nations, the U.S. was actually engaged in the same business as the Communists that the West continually portrayed as expansionist (Hunt, 1987; LeFeber, 1994; McDougall, 1997). For example, because of the dependence of Italy on American foreign economic aid and supplies of goods and services, the U.S. was able to convince the Christian Democrats to oust the Communist Party out of it governing coalition. In fact, General Marshall personally warned the Italians that continued economic aide was directly dependent on the Communists not succeeding in the elections of 1948. At the same time, the U.S. State Department recruited Italian relatives in the U.S. and Italian-American organizations in the U.S. to influence Italian political outcomes as much as possible (Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005; LeFeber, 1994; Hunt, 1987; McDougall, 1997). Ultimately, the U.S. cannot claim to have meddled or micromanaged Western European political affairs any less than their Communist counterparts in Moscow. While there is a strong argument that the methods chosen by Moscow were less humane, it would be a fiction to suggest that the Soviet Union exported Communism and was expansionist while the U.S. merely supported political self-determination and opposed the imposition of political ideology from abroad. Certainly, from the Soviet perspective, Washington was engaged in very similar processes that differed much more in their means than in what they hoped to achieve. Moreover, whereas the U.S. had the choice between brutality and economic pressure and incentivization, the U.S.S.R. had no such choice, at least not that could have competed against the economic and industrial strength of the U.S. Conclusion Throughout the Cold War, the predominant view in the Western hemisphere was that the Soviet Union was continually engaged in an aggressive campaign to export Communism while the West, led by the U.S. was merely resisting that expansion by supporting the freedom and self-determination of those nations that would otherwise have been at the mercy of Communist takeover. In reality, the U.S. was no less aggressive in exporting Democracy, although it had the economic means to do so much more gently and humanely, and by inviting membership in their democratic vision rather than by coercion and brutality. However, in terms of precipitating what became a four-decade-long Cold War between East and West, the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, and the policy of containment first articulated and promoted by George Kennan in 1946 were no less responsible than Soviet expansionism through intimidation and force. The Cold War eventually resulted in the collapse of the Soviet Union by virtue of the strength of the U.S. economy and industrial capacity. However, it was really only a matter of luck and restraint on the part of Soviet leaders that prevented the Cold War from suddenly becoming anything but cold particularly in connection with the Bay of Pigs fiasco and the Cuban Missile Crisis. In both cases, Soviet forces were armed with tactical battlefield nuclear weapons and authorized to use them on U.S. forces. Ironically, those facts only became public as a direct function of the fall of the Soviet Union and the doctrine of Glasnost instituted as a result (Gaddis, 1997; Judge Langdon, ). The Cold War grew out of a combination of factors and was probably not as inevitable or as much the result of aggressive Soviet expansionism as is widely believed in the West. To be sure, its roots were partly the result of the paranoid personality of Joseph Stalin. Similarly, the U.S.S.R. had given the Western Allies reason for concern over Stalins intentions in the Middle East (and elsewhere) even before the end of the war. The historical record suggests that at the time of the final Big Three meeting at Yalta, Stalin genuinely hoped for a collaborative and cooperative relationship with the American and British governments. On the other hand, even during those most hopeful of times, Soviet spies were busily at work successfully and thoroughly infiltrating the Top-Secret U.S. Manhattan Project at Los Alamos. However, the relative insensitivity of Western leaders to appreciate the legitimate historical basis and geographical realities facing the Soviet Union, especially in Eastern Europe is equally to blame. To a much greater degree than is often acknowledged by Western historians, the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan were, in fact, less about achieving the specific objectives laid out publicly as their fundamental purpose than they were about implementing a global containment strategy designed expressly to counter perceived Soviet expansionism. It is likely that but for paranoia and overreaction on both sides, the legitimate geopolitical concerns of both the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. could have been negotiated more successfully and at far less cost to both sides. In that regard, the long-term effects and consequences of the American foreign policy approach with respect to the U.S.S.R. that was outlined and established by the Truman Doctrine and by the Marshall Plan within the first few years after the cessation of World War Two hostilities would have to be considered as responsible for the development of the Cold War as Soviet Communist expansionism.

Pragmatic Literary Criticism :: Literature Essays Literary Criticism

Pragmatic Literary Criticism      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Pragmatic criticism is concerned, first and foremost, with the ethical impact any literary text has upon an audience. Regardless of art's other merits or failings, the primary responsibility or function of art is social in nature. Assessing, fulfilling, and shaping the needs, wants, and desires of an audience should be the first task of an artist. Art does not exist in isolation; it is a potent tool for individual as well as communal change. Though pragmatic critics believe that art houses the potential for massive societal transformation, art is conspicuously ambivalent in its ability to promote good or evil. The critical project of pragmatic criticism is to establish a moral standard of quality for art. By establishing artistic boundaries based upon moral/ethical guidelines, art which enriches and entertains, inspires and instructs a reader with knowledge of truth and goodness will be preserved and celebrated, and art which does not will be judged inferior, caution ed against, and (if necessary) destroyed. Moral outrage as well as logical argument have been the motivating forces behind pragmatic criticism throughout history. The tension created between this emotional and intellectual reaction to literature has created a wealth of criticism with varying degrees of success. Ironically, much like art's capacity to inspire diligence or decadence in a reader, pragmatic criticism encompasses both redemptive and destructive qualities.  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Plato provides a foundational and absolute argument for pragmatic criticism. Excluding poetry from his ideal Republic, Plato attempts to completely undermine the power and authority of art. He justifies his position by claiming that "the power which poetry has of harming even the good (and there are very few who are not harmed) is surely an awful thing" (28). Because artists claim their imitations can speak to the true nature of things, circumventing the need for serious, calmly considered intellectual inquiry, art should not be pursued as a valuable endeavor. Art widens the gap between truth and the world of appearances, ironically by claiming to breach it. The artist promotes false images of truth and goodness by appealing to basic human passions, indulging "the irrational nature which has no discernment of greater and less, but thinks the same thing at one time great and at another small" (27). Art manufactures moral ambiguity, and to P lato this is unacceptable. Because it is deceptive and essentially superficial, all art must be controlled and delegitmized for all time.

Niagara Falls :: essays research papers

Niagara Falls, one of the worlds greatest natural wonders, can only be described as breath taking. No matter what time of year, whether it’s the beautiful rainbows glistening in the mist, or the magnificent ice bridge created by the cold of winter, Niagara Falls always seems to amaze it’s viewers. Schoolbooks called it one of the greatest wonders of the world, bringing to mind pictures of a far away, unattainable place. It seemed like a larger-than-life miracle of nature. As a child, I believed that Niagara Falls, like Mt. Rushmore and the Grand Canyon were all very real attractions of the United States. I was given the facts and numbers, but never could my young mind comprehend the actual size and greatness of the falls.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This past June, I was given the opportunity to travel to Canada and see the expansive falls with my own eyes. Perhaps the most amazing aspect of the falls is that they are not in some far away place in the country. They are right smack in the middle of a town, the town of Niagara Falls. As a child, I envisioned the falls as a giant rushing shower of water. However, I could never have imagined the great beauty and breathtaking view the falls offer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The falls serve as a border between the U.S. (New York) and Canada (Ontario). The falls actually consist of the American Bridal Veil Falls and the Canadian Horseshoe Falls, collectively called Niagara. They were created 12,000 years ago when large glaciers retreated allowing the Niagara River to flow over large sections of rock. There are several ways to view the falls, but perhaps the best way to observe the splendor and majesty of Niagara Falls is through a tour. Our tour guide directed us through many of the unseen attractions including the man-made tunnels behind the falls. Here, several look-out points allowed us to observe the incredible speed at which the water rushed over the rock. The water flows at an amazing 212,000 cubic feet of water per second. We were also guided to the basin where the falls originated miles away. In fact, over the last 12,000 years, the falls have eroded back seven miles. The incredible history of the falls came to life when I actually viewed them with my own eyes. No schoolbook could possibly give an understanding of the vastness of the falls. Nor could a book bring to life the remarkable history behind this amazing wonder of nature.

Hypermarket Impact on Small Retailer

ABSTRACT Kedai runcit or sundry shops have been a standard feature of our housing estate landscape ever since there were housing estates. These mom-and-pop operations have been selling to their surrounding residents everyday essentials such as groceries, fresh produce, poultry, toiletries, etc. Their reasonable price and close distance have made them popular among residents of the housing estates in which they are located. Lately, though, their popularity has been on the decline due to competition from wholesale markets or hypermarkets which can offer the same items cheaper and conveniently under one roof.Local and foreign-bred hypermarkets such as Giants, Tesco and Carrefour have been invading our towns, big and small, leaving the traditional sundry shops fighting for their business. Many of these small-scale individually-owned shops have since closed their operations permanently or moved them a little further outskirt of town, away from the hypermarket catchment. Just how serious i s the impact of these hypermarkets on the operation of the sundry shops has so far not been fully investigated in Malaysia although many studies have been carried out elsewhere.Thus, this paper presents a study that has been carried out by the authors to investigate how serious the impact is in Johor Bahru. A sample of three hypermarkets was chosen for this study. Using GIS, we spatially showed the annual changes in the density of sundry shop licenses issued by the local authority within the catchment of each hypermarket, three years before as well as three years after the inaugural date of the hypermarket. Also using GIS, we corroborated the decline in the number of sundry shops within the surrounding housing estates with the residing addresses of the surveyed customers of the hypermarkets.The results obtained confirmed that the operation of hypermarkets does contribute to the decline in the number of sundry shops and the degree of the decline decreases radially outward from the lo cation of the hypermarkets. The findings from this study suggest that some rethinking needs to be done about the manner in which hypermarket licenses, or sundry shop licenses for that matter, are issued. Even our current policy of allowing a certain percentage of new housing development to be set aside for shoplots may also need to be reviewed.Keywords: Hypermarkets, sundry shops, GIS spatial analysis 1. INTRODUCTION Kedai runcit or a sundry shop is any shop that sells groceries and other daily items directly to its customers in small quantity (Osman, 1988). Normally, sundry shops are owned by individuals or shared by several individuals and offer limited number of items and quantity. In Malaysia one can find sundry shops in almost every housing estates and villages and they normally have a limited cathment area.A hypermarket, in contrast, is a big-scale retail store that offers a variety of goods and services all conveniently under one roof (Duncan, Hollander and Savitt, 1983). A h ypermarket commands a wide catchment area and it is normally owned by big companies who have numerous branches of the hypermarkets in many places. Among the more-popular chains of hypermarket operating in Malaysia are the locally-owned Giant Hypermarkets, and foreign-owned Tesco Hypermarkets and Carrefour Hypermarkets.Like in any modern country, hypermarkets in Malaysia have been expanding their operation to meet the demand of current generation for quality, convenience, product variety and long operation hours (Malaysian Ninth Plan, 2006). However, there are ever growing concern on the negative impacts of hypermarkets on the business of nearby neighborhood sundry shops (Johor Structure Plan 2002-2020, 2005). This is supported by Bennison & Davies (1980) and Seiders & Tigert (2000) whose study concluded that a hypermarket did have a negative impact on the growth of small sundry shops in the area.In spite of the same concern in Malaysia, there have been no study to investigate the sp atial extent of the impact. Thus, a study was set up by the authors to investigate the spatial extent of the impact and also to find out the factors that attract customers to hypermakets, leaving their neighborhood sundry shops struggling for business. 2. OBJECTIVES The objective of the study was to spatially investigate the impact of a hypermarket on the operation of the surrounding sundry shops.In order to achieve the objectives the following tasks needed to be carried out: 1) identifying the suitable samples of hypermarkets; 2) identifying the market catchment of the hypermarkets; 3) collection of data pertaining to the number of business licenses issued to sundry shop operators within the catchment areas three years before as well as three years after the operation of the hypermarkets; 4) identifying factors that influence the decisions by the customers to shop at these hypermarkets.The method used to conduct the study is discussed in details in the following section. 3. METHOD The first step of the study was to choose a number of hypermarkets as units of analysis. Among the criteria taken into consideration in choosing the hypermarkets were: 1) the year they were opened for business to ensure that the chosen hypermarkets have been operating for at least three years; 2) the distances between each other to avoid overlapping of the market catchments; and 3) the types of goods sold at the hypermarkets so that they match those sold at the neighborhood sundry shops.Of the total of about ten hypermarkets in the City of Johor Bahru, three hypermarkets met these criteria and were chosen for the study. The three hypermarkets were from a locallygrown hypermarket chain known as Giant Hypermarket that are located in Southern City (in Johor Bahru City Centre), in Plentong and in Skudai (10km outskirt of Johor Bahru) (Refer Figure 1. 0). These three hypermarkets served a number of residential areas, known in Malaysia as taman perumahan or housing estates, located betwee n 0 – 20km surrounding them.The next step was the distribution of questionaire sets to 200 customers per hypermarket (100 during weekday and 100 during weekend) containing questions concerning their home addresses and the reasons for choosing to shop at the hypermarkets. Their home addresses were then inputted into the city plan in GIS format to dertermine the extent of each hypermarket’s cathment area. One way to measure the impact of a hypermarket on the neighborhood sundry shops is to actually count the number of sundry shops that are in business several years before and after the hypermarket is in operation.This is difficult to conduct since the monitoring would take as long as the number of years that we are interested in investigating. One way to expedite the process is to actually study the records of the number of annual business licenses issued to sundry shops and assume that each sundry shop that holds such license is actually operating a sundry shop. On this basis, the number of business licenses issued to sundry shops within three years before and after a hypermarket was in operation were obtained from the local authority (Johor Bahru Tengah Municipal Council).The locations of the business premises of these licenses were then plotted on the city map and then rasterised into a 50m grid format to give a density of sundry shop licenses per fifty square meters for each of the three years before and after the operation of the hypermarkets. The changes in the sundry shop density were then used to explain the impact of the hypermatkets on the business of the sundry shops. 2. Impact on Neighbourhood Sundry ShopsIf most of the customers that patronize these hypermarkets come from the surrounding housing estates as described previously, what is the impact on the sundry shops within those housing estates? The least impact would be slowing down of business for these neighborhood sundry shops while the worst impact would be closing down of busines s. While business slowdown can be investigated, this study only looked at the closing down of business by tracking the number of sundry shop licenses issued annualy by the local authority.Since the impact normally materializes a few years after the opening of a hypermarket, records of licenses three years before and after the opening of the hypermarket were inventoried. Changes in the number of sundry shops were investigated by studying the changes in the density of sundry shop licenses for every 50m2 area surrounding each hypermarket. This is done spatially in GIS by rasterising the 50m2 area into grids and varying the color of the grids according to the number of licenses within the grids for each particular year. Figures 5. 0 – 7. show the annual changes in the density of licenses within the grids for all the three hypermarkets studied. In general, the figures show the decreasing trend in the densities of sundry shops even before the opening of these hypermarkets except fo r the Plentong Giant Hypermarket. The decreasing number of sundry shops surrounding the Southern City Hypermarket (Figure 5. 0) could be attributed to competition among themselves and the operation of another hypermarket chain at the very building occupied by the Giant Hypermarket before it took over the operation.Meanwhile the decreasing number of sundry shops surrounding the Skudai Hypermarket (Figure 7. 0) could be attributed to the opening of another Giant Hypermarket just 4km away the year before the Skudai Hypermarket opened, apart from competition among themselves. The number of sundry shops surrounding the Plentong Hypermarket (Figure 6. 0) on the other hand was on the increase prior to the opening of the hypermarket. Investigation revealed that this was due to the opening of several new housing estates in the area which normally, as the case is in Malaysia, come with a number of shoplots.