Imperatives for Developing My Transformational Leadership Potential: Some Plans Essay

The word â€Å"leader† first appeared in the English language in the 1300s; it stems from the root â€Å"leden† meaning â€Å"to travel† or â€Å"show the way.†   The term â€Å"leadership†, however, followed only some five centuries later.   One can sift through many definitions of the term â€Å"leadership† and fail to find a single ‘common denominator’ that will unite all of them. This may be because there are so numerous, varying usages of the term in equally numerous and complicated situations.   However, for purposes of this paper, the following definitions used in many leadership studies were adopted: Leadership was broadly defined by Yukl (1989) as â€Å"influencing task objectives and strategies, influencing commitment and compliance in task behavior to achieve these objectives, influencing the culture of an organization.†Ã‚   In simpler terms, leaders influence the actions and behaviours of their followers to obtain a shared vision or aim.   According to Deming (1992), leadership must come from top management and leaders must possess profound knowledge. By profound knowledge, Deming meant that one must have knowledge of systems, variations (statistical thinking), theory, and psychology. Leadership is quite different from management; leaders grow from mastering their own conflict which arises during their developing years using internal strength to survive. On the other hand, managers tend to perceive issues as positive progressions of events which must be planned, organized, scheduled, and controlled.   In order to create the proper thinking perspective, leaders must aggressively investigate and act on the current market to create opportunities.   Effective leaders are those that are capable of assisting their organization/country manage change and steer it towards success. Past Work Experience I have had the opportunity to work with a local company; at peak work periods, I am tasked to manage a small team of 4 staff. Some of the responsibilities involved in this role are delegation of work; prioritizing tasks based on urgency and importance; reporting regularly to my superior for updates and new directives; and updating my superior at the end of the day for concerns and accomplishments. Moreover, it requires me to plan and manage my own time. Effective people skills are as critical as the management of tasks in a team leader’s role. It is necessary for me to create and manage smooth working relationships with line managers, colleagues, and team members. I am also expected to manage their performance by clearly explaining to them standards of work and behavior. An Assessment of My Leadership Style I personally want to develop a transformational leadership style that is more dynamic, innovative and accepting of change than that espoused by a management role. Tichy and Devanna (1986) assert that managers engage in very little change but manage what is present and leave things much as they found them when they depart. Transformational leadership, they declared, focuses on change, innovation, and entrepreneurship. They assumed that transformational leaders begin with a social fabric, disrupt that environment, and then recreate the social fabric to better reflect the overall business climate (Bass, 1990). They argue that there are four suggested personal characteristics of a transformational leader: (a) dominance, (b) self-confidence, (c) need for influence, and (d) conviction of moral righteousness. These are the traits that I have to focus on in undertaking my development plan. Transformational leaders are expected to deal with the paradox of predicting the unknown and sometimes the unknowable.   These leaders change and transform the organization according to a vision of a preferred status. Leaders then are change makers and transformers, guiding the organization to a new and more compelling vision, a demanding role expectation. Studies have been carried out in many different countries, and research in this area also shows that transformational leadership is closer to perceptions of ideal leadership than transactional leadership.   As Hartog et al (1999) note, being perceived as a leader is a prerequisite for being able to go beyond a formal role in influencing others.   They hold that leadership perceptions can be based on two alternative processes.   First, leadership can be inferred from outcomes of salient events, and attribution is crucial in these inference-based processes. For example, a successful business ‘turnaround’ is often quickly attributed to the high quality ‘leadership’ of top executives or the CEO.   Leadership can also be recognized based on the fit between an observed person’s characteristics with the perceivers’ implicit ideas of what ‘leaders’ are (Hartog et al., 1999). This again points to the fact that an effective manager is not only focused on delivering tasks, but on handling his people well. This is especially true among people in the organization who put high premium on a manager’s interpersonal skills. The first step I will consider in my developmental plan is to maintain my enthusiasm and motivation of my team towards their work. Concurrently, I will also aim to develop my leadership potential. I will concretely undertake this by developing a strong mentoring relationship with my superior. Empirical research from both educational and industrial settings suggests that students and employees both have increased probability of success if they have had a mentor. While mentors are effective for everyone, sometimes organizations implement mentoring programs to support particular parts of their populations, often newer employees. And while mentoring programs are always established with the best of intentions, their results are often mixed (Werner, 2004). To make the most of my work exposure, I hope to establish a strong mentoring relationship with my superior or with an expert in my field to develop my competence further. Coaching and mentoring is a very effective way of developing my leadership potential because it does not only develop me in terms of technical expertise, but it will also allow me to actually experience how these experts undergo the coaching and mentoring exercise. Skills Acquisition Skill acquisition acknowledges that proficiency and expertise are a function of the exposure to a variety of situations. These circumstances become experiences for the learner to elicit apt responses. Bandura (1977) emphasized that most learning transpires by observing and modeling behaviors. Information is then stored and coded cognitively and utilized as guide for action. He further noted that the development of a realistic learning setting incorporating environment, behavior, and thought promotes the acquisition of complex skills. Moreover, simulation can help in providing this realistic exposure for neophyte professionals (Bandura, 1977). Because I have gone past beyond being a novice, now is the perfect time for developing strategic leadership skills. I will also be able to add on to my networks by attending conferences related to my field to be able to build and establish peer contacts. I will also endeavor to build relationships with members and managers of other teams within the organization. The following soft competencies have been recommended areas for leadership development by the Development Dimensions International website (2005): master at managing through ambiguity; inspires confidence and belief in the future; have a passion for results; are marked by unwavering integrity; set others up for success; have strong rather than big egos; and have the courage to make big decisions. Mastery at managing through ambiguity. Build a culture that embraces change; constantly set clear goals and expectations; are able to manage across boundaries (and lead others to do the same); show connections between individual accountabilities, team goals, and organizational vision and strategies; sets out a clear course even though it may change frequently. Inspires confidence and belief in the future. Are able to articulate a vision depicting what they want their organization; exudes calm and projects optimism in the face of uncertainty; can engage and inspire employees in their work connecting their needs and values with those of the institution. Passion for results. Set clear accountabilities and high expectations for themselves and for others; hire, promote and reward high performers; keep themselves and their employees focused on the top two or three customer-driven priorities; take action on those who do not fit or who are consistently not performing; establish critical measures of success and make sure they are visible to others. Marked by unwavering integrity. Serve as a â€Å"moral compass† for others; keeps promises and commitments; â€Å"walks the talk†; gives straight, honest feedback; leads through values; acts promptly when their own or the integrity of their organization is compromised.    Set others up for success. Coaches others to succeed before they have the opportunity to fail; truly enjoys seeing people learn and grow; rewards and recognizes success; views failures as learning opportunities; shares (rather than hordes) talent for the good of the organization. Have strong rather than big egos. Humbly shares credit with others; never shoots the messenger – they encourage the sharing of bad news; are always asking â€Å"how can we do things better?†; blame themselves before pointing a finger at others; knows themselves and are guided by strong personal values; listens to understand; recognizes that they, more often than not, are not the ones with the right answers.    Have the courage to make big decisions. Addresses issues or problems quickly; takes actions that are right, even when they are unpopular – they act on conviction; stands by their decisions once they make them – even if circumstances cause them to change course later; takes a longer term view consistent with a future vision (www.ddiworld.com, 2005). Soft skills are as equally if not more important than technical skills, in the development of leadership potential. These competencies must also be integrated into my success competency profile and adequately addressed through formal classroom or on-the-job training. Naturally, to be able to identify which leadership areas I need to focus on, I need to use reflection. The main approach is to develop fully into a transformational leadership role. With transformational leadership, the followers feel trust, admiration, loyalty and respect towards the leader and they are motivated to do more then they originally expected to do. Leaders transform and motivate followers by: (1) making them more aware of the importance of task outcomes, and (2) inducing them to transcend their own self-interest for the sake of the organization or team and activating their higher order needs. In contrast, transactional leadership involves an exchange process that may result in follower compliance with leader requests but is not likely to generate enthusiasm and commitment to task objectives. Therefore, my staff need to feel that I can empathize with them, are able to give them feedback while maintaining their self-esteem, and also solicit their ideas on important issues. Transformational and transactional leadership are distinct but not mutually exclusive processes. Transformational leadership increases follower motivation and performance more than transactional leadership, but effective leaders use a combination of both types of leadership.   Such is the argument of   Gary Yukl (1989).   He defined transformational behavior as idealized influence, individualized consideration, inspirational motivation and intellectual stimulation. Yukl theorized that transformational leadership probably involves internationalization because inspirational motivation includes the articulation of an appealing vision that relates task objectives to follower values and ideals, it therefore also involves personal identification.   Yukl (1989) described transformational leadership as a process of micro-level and macro-level influence. At the macro-level, transformational leaders must take charge of the social systems and reform the organization by creating an appropriate power situation. At the micro-level, transformational leaders must attend to the personalities in the organization to facilitate change at an interpersonal level. One other way of developing my leadership potential is by regularly reflecting on areas for improvement. In this area, the feedback of my superior would serve as critical input. There is now broad agreement on four key attributes, therefore, known as the four i’s of Transformational Leadership (Avolio et al., 1991; Bass & Avolio, 1994b). Inspirational leadership means ‘the arousal and heightening of motivation among followers that occurs primarily from charismatic leadership’ and individualized consideration is evident when subordinates are treated individually according to their needs. Intellectual stimulation refers to the leader’s influence on followers’ thinking and imagination (Bass, 1985, pp. 62,82 and 99). And, finally, idealized influence is the identification with and emulation of the leader’s mission and vision. Apart from focusing on my own leadership needs, I would also like to assist in the drafting of Career Management plans of the members of my team. I would also like to ensure that I continuously serve as a model and inspiration for them in terms of giving support, praise and encouragement to all team members. Moreover, I will work for the implementation of retention strategies among the team members I work with through career development,   flexible work, induction, partnership and staff involvement, and pay and rewards. Some Comments on the Transformational Leadership Framework / Theory In contrast with leader emergence which deals with the likelihood that a person will become a leader, leader performance involves the idea that excellent leaders possess certain characteristics that certain leaders do not. For example, an excellent leader might be intelligent, assertive, friendly, and independent, whereas a poor leader might be shy, aloof, and calm. Research on the relationship between personal characteristics and leader performance has concentrated on three areas: traits, needs and orientation. In relation to transformational leadership framework, I do agree that the leader must possess certain characteristics to transform the organization. But this is not all – there must also be ample consideration of other factors such as subordinates’ ability and organizational climate. Traits. The idea that certain traits are associated with effective leadership is appealing, but in 1964, a review by Heslin and Dunphy indicated that only two traits – intelligence and interpersonal adjustment – have consistently been related to leadership performance. More recently, it has been proposed that good leaders need to possess only one stable trait – adaptability or self-monitoring (Cohen & Bradford, 1990). Thus, good leaders will constantly change their behaviors to meet the demands of the situation or person with whom they are dealing. Support from this theory comes from a study by Caldwell & O’Reilly (1982), who found that field representatives who dealt with many different types of people were more effective if they were high self-monitors. Similar results were found with Zaccaro, Foti & Kenny (1991). The concept of self-monitoring focuses on what leaders do as opposed to what they are. For example, a high self-monitoring leader may possess the trait of shyness and not truly want to communicate with other people. He know, however, that talking to others is an important part of his job, so he says hello to his employees when he arrives at work, and at least once a day stops and talks to each employee. Thus, the leader has the trait of shyness but adapts his outward behavior to appear to be outgoing and confident. An interesting extension of the trait theory of leader performance suggests that certain traits are necessary requirements for leadership excellence but that they do not guarantee it (Simonton, 1979). Instead, leadership excellence is a function of the right person being in the right place at the right time. The fact that one person with certain traits becomes an excellent leader while another with the same trait flounders may be no more than the result of timing and chance. Needs. A personal characteristic that has received some support to a leader’s need for power, need for achievement, and need for affiliation. Research by McClelland and Burnham (1976) and McClelland and Boyatzis (1982) have demonstrated that high-performance managers have a leadership motive pattern, which is a high need for power and a low need for affiliation. The need is not for personal power but for organizational power. This pattern of needs is thought to be important because it implies that an effective leader should be more concerned with results than with being liked. Leaders who need to be liked by their subordinates will have a tough time making decisions. A decision to make an employee work overtime, for example, may be necessary for the organization’s survival, but it will probably be unpopular with employees. Leaders with high affiliation needs may decide that being liked is more important than being successful, causing conflict with their decision. Needs for power, achievement and affiliation can be measured through various psychological tests. The most commonly used is the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT). The TAT is a projective test in which a person is shown a series of pictures and is asked to tell a story about what is happening in each picture. The stories are then analyzed by a trained psychologist who identifies the needs themes that are contained in the stories. Obviously, this technique is time consuming and requires a great deal of training. Task vs. person orientation. Over the last 45 years, three major schools of thought – Ohio State studies (Fleishman, Harris & Burtt, 1955), Theory X (McGregor, 1960) and managerial grid (Blake & Mouton, 1984) – have postulated that differences in leader performance can be attributed to differences in the extent to which leaders are task versus person oriented. Person-oriented leaders (country club leaders, theory Y leaders, leaders in high consideration) act in a warm and supportive manner and show concern for their subordinates. Person-oriented leaders believe that employees are intrinsically motivated, seek responsibility, are self-controlled, and do not necessarily dislike work, Because of these assumptions, person-oriented leaders consult their subordinates before making decisions, praise their work, ask about their families, look over their shoulders, and use a more â€Å"hands-off† approach to leadership. Under pressure, person-oriented leaders tend to become socially withdrawn (Bond, 1995). Task –oriented leaders (task-centered leaders, theory X leaders, leaders high in initiating structure) define and structure their own roles and those of their subordinates to attain the group’s formal goals. Task-oriented leaders see their employees as lazy, extrinsically motivated, wanting security, undisciplined, and shirking responsibility. Because of these assumptions, task-oriented leaders tend to manage or lead by giving directives, setting goals, and making decisions without consulting their subordinates. Under pressure, task-oriented leaders tend to produce humor (e.g. tell jokes and stories) whereas person-oriented leaders tend to appreciate humor (e.g. listen to others’ jokes) (Philbrick, 1989). I feel that the best leader who may undertake transformation in the organization ought to be both person and task-oriented. In effect, in being a transformational leader, I should put premium on both person and task orientations, exhibiting each one with equal strength or emphasis. Interaction between the Leader and the Situation Apart from just focusing on the leader, I feel it is equally important for him to consider the complexities of his situation so that he may have a better grasp of how it is to transform the organization. In line with this, I should also be able to focus not only on developing myself but also consider the characteristics of the situation which I find myself in. One of the more recent research on this area is the situational theory of Geier, Downey and Johnson (1980) who believed that the leader has one of six behavioral styles, namely, informational, magnetic, position, affiliation, coercive or tactical. Each type is only effective in a particular situation, or in what researchers call an organizational climate. These researchers further say that based on the organizational climate, a leader with an informational style is best fit in ac climate of ignorance; those with magnetic style in a climate of despair; those with a position style in a climate of instability; affiliation style in a climate of anxiety; coercive style in a climate of crisis; tactical style in a climate of disorganization. This suggests that as a transformational leader, I should be able to adjust myself on the basis of my assessment of my organization’s climate. Relationship with Subordinates One other facet of transformational leadership which I intend to integrate into my personal development plan is my relationship with subordinates. This is consistent with the vertical dyad linkage theory. Vertical dyad linkage (VDL) theory was developed by Dansereau, Graen, and Haga (1974) and is a unique situational theory that makes good intuitive sense. Some situational theories concentrate on interactions between leaders and situations and between leaders and employees with differing levels of ability. VDL theory, however, concentrates on the interactions between leaders and subordinates. These interactions are called leader-member exchanges (LMXs). The theory takes its name from the relationship between two people (a dyad), the position of the leader above the subordinate (vertical), and their interrelated behavior (linkage). VDL theory states that leaders develop different roles with different subordinates and thus act differently with different subordinates. Dansereau et al (1974) believe that subordinates fall in one of two groups, the in-group or the outgroup. In-group subordinates are those who have developed trusting, friendly relationships with the leader. As a result, the leader deals with in-group members by allowing them to participate in decisions and by rarely disciplining them. Thus, in-group membership is thought to increase performance. Out-group subordinates are treated differently from those in the in-group and are more likely to be given direct orders and to have less say about how affairs are conducted. In general, research on VDL theory has been supportive (Grestner & Day, 1997). There are, however, relationships between leaders and subordinates that probably can be categorized into types other than in-group and out-group. In relation to transformational leadership, I should increase my self-awareness in treating my subordinates such that there is no rigid classification of whether they are members of the in-group or the out-group. Under the transformational leadership framework, all subordinates are encouraged to participate in decision making. As such, I should try my best to gather input from all of my staff to be able to come up with the most optimal solution to a problem or an issue. Subordinate Ability Apart from self-development, the transformational leader must also be wary of his subordinates’ abilities in carrying out his plan for change or transformation. According to House’s (1971) path goal theory, a leader can adopt one of four behavioral leadership styles to handle each situation: instrumental, supportive, participative and achievement-oriented. The instrumental style calls for planning, organizing, and controlling the activities of employees. The supportive style leader shows concern for employees, the participative style leader shares information with employees and lets them participate in decision making, and the leader who uses the achievement oriented style sets challenging goals and rewards increases in performance. Each style will only work in certain situations and depends on subordinates’ abilities and the extent to which the task is structured. In general, the higher the level of subordinate ability, the less directive the leader should be. Likewise, the more structured the situation, the more directive the leader should be (Schriesheim & DeNisi, 1981). In conclusion, I feel that the transformational leadership framework is wanting of some considerations. Apart from just focusing on the leader himself, the plan should include a grave consideration of other important factors, such as his subordinates’ ability and the organizational climate in which the leader operates. My transformational leadership development plan, in summary, will equip me with the necessary technical and leadership competencies towards effectively taking on a management role, whilst seriously considering my subordinates’ abilities and the culture of the company I am working for. Ultimately, this will reflect in being able to lead and motivate a team – who in themselves are competent, goal-driven and are able to contribute to the organization’s bottomline. References Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: toward a unifying theory of behavior change. Psych Rev . 1977;84:191–215. Bass, B. (1990). Bass & Stogdill’s handbook of leadership: theory, research and managerial   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   applications. New York: The Free Press. Blake, R. R., & Mouton, J. S. (1984). The managerial grid III. Houston: Gulf. Bond, G. E. (1995). Leadership behavior: How personality, stress, and gender affect leader behavior. University of Washington. Caldwell, D. F., & O’Reilly, C. A. (1982). Boundary spanning and individual performance: The impact of self-monitoring. Journal of Applied Psychology, 67, 124-127. Cohen, A R., & Bradford, D. L. (1990). Influence without authority. New York: John Wiley. Dansereau, F., Graen, G., & Haga, W. J. (1975). A vertical dyad linkage approach to leadership within the formal organization. Unpublished report, State University of New York, Buffalo. Deming, W. E. , (1992) Leadership, Four Day Seminar – Charlotte, NC, October 27 – 30. Development Dimensions International. (2005). DDI’s leadership beliefs. Retrieved on December 17, 2006 from www.ddiworld.com. Fleishman, E. A., Harris, E. F., & Burtt, H. E. (1955). Leadership and supervision in industry. Columbus: Ohio State University Press. Geier, J. G., Downey, D. E., & Johnson, J. B. (1980). Climate impact profile. Minneapolis, MN: Performax Systems International. Gerstner, C. R, & Day, D. V. (1997). Meta-analytic review of leader-member exchange theory: Correlates and construct issues. Journal of Applied Psychology, 82(6), 827-844. Hartog, D. N., House, R.. J., Hanges, P. J., et al. (1999). Culture specific and cross-culturally generalizable implicit leadership theories: Are attributes of charismatic/ transformational leadership universally endorsed? Leadership Quarterly, 10(2), 219-256. House, R. J. (1971). A path-goal theory of leader effectiveness. Administrative Science Quarterly, 9, 321-332. McClelland, D. & Boyatzis, R. E. (1982). Leadership motive pattern and long-term success in management. Journal of Applied Psychology, 67, 737-743. McClelland, D. & Burnham, D. H. (1976). Power is the great motivator. Harvard Business Review, 54(2), 102-104. McGregor, D. (1960). The human side of enterprise. New York: McGraw-Hill. Philbrick, K. D. (1989). The use of humor and effective leadership styles. University of Florida. Schriesheim, C. A., & DeNisi, A. S. (1981). Task dimensions as moderators of the effects of instrumental leadership: A two-sample replicated test of path-goal leadership theory. Journal of Applied Psychology, 66, 589-597. Tichy, Noel and M.A. Devanna (1986). The Transformational Leader, John Wiley and Sons. Werner, W. (2004). The importance of mentoring. Law Practice Today. Retrieved on December 17, 2006 from http://www.abanet.org/lpm/lpt/articles/mgt07041.html Yukl, G. (1989). Managerial leadership: A review of theory and research. Journal of Management, 15(2), 251 – 289. Zaccaro, S. J., Foti, R. J., & Kenny, D. A (1991). Self-monitoring and trait-based variance in leadership: An investigation of leader flexibility across multiple group situations. Journal of Applied Psychology, 76(2), 308-315.

Examples Of Nonverbal Communication Essay

There are several types of nonverbal communication that may be evaluated on the basis of certain examples, that will help you understand the nuances of this complicated form of communication. Facial Expressions When reading facial expressions, some of these examples may help: While maintaining eye contact is a sign of confidence and positivity, avoiding eye contact is one of the most clear negative nonverbal communication examples. This implies that the person may be lying, or fears confrontation. The smile is another give-away when it comes to facial expressions. While a soft smile is a soft expression that is encouraging, a rigid smile or a smirk may be a sign of contempt. Raised eyebrows are not only a sign of surprise, they can also suggest mockery or sarcasm. It may be a natural physical trait of some people, and they may do it without realizing. However, it is important to know the kind of effect it is having on others. Frowning is another facial expression that we tend to assume when under stress. This gives out the message that we are unapproachable and cold. Posture and other Movements Postures are included in nonverbal communication and may be explained with a few of these examples: Standing erect shows confidence, but if you are slouching it is a sign of low self-esteem and a stance that you have given up. Keeping shoulders rigid again give a sign that you may be unapproachable, and may affect the kind of people you attract towards you. Constant fiddling with everything in sight is a sign of anxiety, frustration, boredom and lack of interest. Standing with your hands crossed behind you, combined with your facial expressions may be a clear sign of anger or frustration that you are trying to hold back. Gestures Gestures animate the conversations we have with others. We point, we wave and use all sorts of body language gestures while we are talking. For instance, you may constantly be rubbing your neck, or your the back of your ear. This is a sign of discomfort and lack of confidence. If you are angry, you may be clenching your fists to control your anger, or in preparation for a physical  attack! Rubbing hands together indicates excitement and indicates readiness to engage in an activity. Shrugging may show a lack of interest. Touch Even touch plays an important role in nonverbal communication. For instance: When your boss is praising you, and pats you on the back, it is a sign of genuine liking for you and your work. A firm handshake is the sign of confidence. We all know the reassuring effect of a warm bear hug. Someone who holds your arms while talking is either trying to make a statement, or to portray that he/she is in control. Space We all have a physical space around us. Sometimes we find people invading that personal space. It may be to portray any of the following: Intimacy Affection Dominance Aggression

American Exceptionalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

American Exceptionalism - Essay Example The American society is basically established itself because of the right choice of power over tyranny was deliberate. The privatization and rights of the property are mainly due to the exceptionalism that socialism and properties belong to the government were not right choices argued by new Americans. In their opinion democratic style of ruling over the country maintain civic system through which new American powerful member of the society can impose order among themselves. The issue of the private property that it should be a key right of the citizens didn’t hold a large agreement. When public ownership ideas were raised they were not taken seriously hence the preface of "exceptionalism† as an alternative to later personification of socialism rests on an assumption of a choice that did not in fact exist at the time. By avoiding the real factors like incentives to the citizens is generally accepted as undesirable theory and clearly focusing on the subjective and ideolog ical factors. This put forward the idea of Exceptionalism. The image of the America is like shinny city on the hill. It is a powerful attraction for every one who is seeing it from far away from the plains. But this image has turned down. Due to globalization people would know that if the American exceptionalism will still there then it would definitely pose some negative sights. The scholars have started to think about the after affects of the Iran war. It would create the trouble for the America and can damage its future.

Infertility and Treatment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Infertility and Treatment - Essay Example Further it is also estimated that about 40% of infertility cases are due to some disorder in male partner, 40% involve a female factor, and the remainder involves both sexes. In women, problems can arise with either or both of gametogenesis and fertilization. As a result of these factors it can reduce or abolish the chances of pregnancy. Statistics suggest that ovulation failure either due to absent or infrequent menstrual cycles accounts for 20% of reported cases of difficulty in conception. Other problems that prevent conception in women include blockage of fallopian tubes, polycystic ovarian syndrome, hypothalamic dysfunction, luteal dysfunction, premature menopause, etc. Blockage of fallopian tubes: Female infertility due to blocked fallopian tubes can be detected by a simple technique called the hysterosalpingography. In this process a radio-opaque dye (methylene blue) is infused into the uterus. If the leakage of dye into the abdominal cavity is noticed through the X-ray diagnosis, then it indicates open tubes, where as if the dye is remaining in the uterus and does not indicate any spillage into the abdominal cavity indicates blocked tubes. Blocked fallopian tubes can result from scarring and adhesions due to infections such as chlamydia and gonorrhea that cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). In general, simple surgery can clear blockages in the fallopian tube. However, if the procedure is not successful, then in vitro fertilization is recommended procedure. IVF is a procedure in which oocytes are harvested from the ovaries and fertilized by spermatozoa in a dish containing a sterile nutrient solution. It is also possible that tubes get damag ed due to previous ectopic pregnancies. Even in such cases IVF is an option. Disorders of ovulation: Ovulation disorders include amenorrhea, lack of menstrual cycles, and oligomenorrhea, infrequent cycles. Two types of medication are used in case of ovulation disorders. Clomiphene citrate which is an anti-oestrogenic drug that stimulates the anterior pituitary to release FSH is the first set of treatment. If clomiphene treatment does not work, injections of FSH are given. These drugs are administered to stimulate ovulation and help in achieving pregnancy. Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS): It is the most common cause of ovulation failure in women today. The ovaries typically contain numerous small immature follicles. PCOS can be easily detected through blood tests which measure hormone levels. It is more common in women under 30 years old and is due to an abnormal production of LH and FSH. The basic imbalance of these hormones in the women's body prevents the ovaries from releasing an egg each month. It also results in an abnormally high production of the male hormone testosterone by the ovaries. As a result of this there is increase of facial hairs. A combination of weight losing exercises and hormone treatments can help the patients with PCOS to conceive. Premature menopause: Menopause is a natural phenomenon occurring in women after a certain age. Premature excessive loss of oocytes results in premature menopause in approximately 2% of teenagers and women in their early 20s. In such cases, infertility can be overcome by IVF using donated eggs. Additionally the infertile recipient of the embryos takes oestrogen and progesterone to prepare her uterus for implantation of the embryo. Medical sciences has

Malcolm X's life in the Nation of Islam and his Life after his Research Paper

Malcolm X's life in the Nation of Islam and his Life after his Pilgrimage to Mecca - Research Paper Example They would face large scale unemployment; lose the unskilled jobs and other avenues of income. There was also another school of thought that propagated racial hatred based on a completely different agenda. The period of the erstwhile 1950’s was notorious for the growth of the Neo-Nazi groups, groups proclaiming racial superiority, the rise of the Klux klux clan among others. They did a very good job of instilling the feeling of racial hatred and abomination in the minds of the average American. The sum total of this was that the divide between the blacks and the whites reached levels of extreme bitterness. Majority of the black population believed that the laws were loaded completely against them and favored the agenda of the whites. INTRODUCTION- Malcolm X was an adapted name of Malcolm Little. He was born in the year 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska. He was the forth child of a total of seven children. His father was an activist for the pan African Movement and also the area leader for an Indigenous organization called as the Universal Negro Improvement Association. His father taught him the values of black rights, the issue of self determination and the tenets of self reliance. He was also greatly influenced by Marcus Garvey. He grew up in an atmosphere of great friction. There were a lot white local groups who were against the black people and would cause a lot of troubles to the family including threats. One of the younger brothers of Malcolm X was lynched and killed violently by the members of a white supremacist group (Klux Klux clan). These early incidents shaped the mind of young Malcolm who would later grow up to hate the whites (Karim, 1971). Ultimately, the family had to shift to Milwaukee after repeated threats from the clan and later to Lansing, Michigan. In the year 1939, Earl Little (Father of Malcolm X) was killed in a road rage accident. Although the accident was supposed because of a careless driver, however, the reason for the killing was att ributed to the various white supremacy groups (Karim, 1971). The thought process also gained momentum because a few days back, their house was also burned down by the same people. The family was further peeved at the fact that the money that they were supposed to get out of the life insurance was also not properly given to them. Malcolm’s father had two life insurance policies. However at the time of his death, the insurance of the higher denomination was denied to them on the count that his father had committed suicide, this pushed the family into a great amount of financial trouble and affected the mind of young Malcolm greatly (Breitman, 1971). Thereafter, Louise (Malcolm’s mother) suffered a nervous breakdown and was declared a mentally insane, this divided the complete family and the siblings were sent to various foster homes. Malcolm X moved to Boston where he lived for a while. The formative early years Malcolm X was one of the best students in the junior high a nd wanted to become a lawyer by profession. But even in his school, he faced a great deal of racial segregation, in Boston; he lived in an area called as Roxbury, which was predominantly an African American area of the neighborhood (Haley, 1999). He used to occasionally find

LLb Law, Contract Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

LLb Law, Contract - Essay Example The general rule pertaining to advertisements is that an advertisement is not an offer to provide goods but only an invitation to treat. In the case of Spencer and Harding (1870), this rule was deemed valid even if the word â€Å"offer† was used in an advertisement and the customer is regarded as making the offer when he shows an intention to buy the goods, which a retailer has the right to accept of reject. The classical will theory of contract is based upon the notion that all obligations of the contract arise out of the individual will of the parties contracting freely. Such a contract is enforced because it represents a bargain made between the parties on the basis of an exchange of goods having taken place. Therefore, in the case of Allsports sales to its customers, there has been an exchange of goods – the customers have purchased 200 pounds worth of goods in exchange for which they are to receive free tickets to the next test match between England and Australia i n Melbourne. But applying the principle of the advertisement being only an invitation to treat, no breach of law can be said to have taken place, as was established in the case of Pharmaceutical Society of GB v Boots Cash chemists 1952. A contract represents an exchange whereby an offer is made by one party which is accepted by another party. In this case, Allsports has made an offer to its customers which has been accepted by them. The advertisement placed by Allsports in the National Press in effect, makes a promise to a customer purchasing more than 200 pounds worth of goods, a free ticket to the test match. According to Charles Fried, a person who makes a promise is morally bound to keep it because that person has "intentionally invoked a convention whose function it is to give grounds - moral grounds - for another to expect the promised performance." (Fried, 1982, p16), thereby summarizing the concept of contract as a legally enforceable promise (Williston, 1920). The central

International financial markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

International financial markets - Essay Example Bonds and stocks are types of securities, and they are each related to a different set of circumstances that govern the relationship between investor and investee. Financing through stocks and bonds is a delicate matter for a company because it impacts on the firm’s rate of return as well as financial risk. Financing through equity usually has a higher cost of capital, because equity holders are entitled to a pro-rata share of the profits. Theoretically, therefore, stockholders’ expected returns have no limit. However, since the stockholders are not entitled to any returns if the company incurs losses, then there is no default risk associated with equity. On the other hand, debt capital entails a cost of interest to the borrower-firm. Interest rates associated with long-term debt are lower than the cost of equity to the firm, because debt is contracted at a fixed rate and is therefore limited to that rate, even though the firm earns much higher rates of income. There is a risk, however, associated with the possibility of default. Even if the firm incurs losses, its obligation to pay interest on its debt is fixed, therefore its in ability to meet with interest payments may incur for it costly penalties. The nature of the firm’s business affects the firm’s ideal capital structure – that is, the proportion of the needed capital it may finance through debt and through equity. The following are examples of industries and their average debt and equity ratios. It may be noted that companies in the same business do not necessarily have the same capital structures. For instance, in the consumer non-cyclical industry, Starbucks is financed entirely by equity, while Kellog relies slightly more on debt financing rather than equity. Raising money from the bonds market. Large corporations could raise money through the bonds market. The process involves the underwriting of the bonds float by either one or several

Hellenic and Hellenistic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hellenic and Hellenistic - Essay Example Hellenic world had the following characteristics: small cities with self-government system, education gained with the help of private tutors, limited commercial activity, women's role limited to domestic affairs, widespread slavery usage, development of poetry and drama introduction, philosophical movements with emphasis on logic and ethic, introduction of experimental method into sciences, and belief into Olympian gods. Hellenistic world was similar to Hellenic world, however, several new features were common: cities ruled by the wealthy class with centralization of power in the hands of monarchs, education provided at gymnasiums, extensive trade both on the sea and land, introduction of the marriage contracts (women could possess slaves and be property owners), local cultures mixed with classic Greek, philosophical emphasis shifted to non-rationalism and mysticism, and significant advances in astronomy and medicine (Thornton, p. 16-23). Position of women in the society is one of the differences between Hellenic and Hellenistic societies. In Hellenic civilization, marriages were the form of contract between the father of the girl and the father of the boy and were seen as the mean to consolidate the power. Usually men married in their late thirties. They had access to women before: so-called hetairas (prostitutes) were very common. Women from the higher level families, on the other side, were completely isolated from the society, they were not allowed to show themselves in public or when the guests arrived. Women lived in their own side of the house and usually married very early, in their mid-teens. Hellenistic culture has made a significant step in making women's position almost equal to men's. Women were allowed to own the property and slaves, to be the agents in business affairs and could sign the marriage contract outlining the responsibilities of both parties, the divorce and property ownership. Women could be the initiator of the divorce without being looked upon by society. Polis was the distinctive characteristic of Hellenic civilization. Polis was the city-state with independent government - there have been hundreds of such cities in Greece. City-state was governed by the oligarchy or by the representatives of upper level social class. This was some form of the dictatorship. In the sixths century, however, some form of democracy has been introduced into Greek civilization: Athenian democracy when citizens were granted the right to vote hold the office and own the property (Thornton, p. 85-86). Hellenistic age has changed the situation: absolute centralized monarchy has been introduced and more opportunities were granted to upper class women. Women still could not vote or participate in political activities, however, they were involved indirectly and their opinion has been taken into account. Hellenistic monarchy has laid the foundation for the development of urban culture. The typical male representative of Hellenic culture was concerned with polis, conformist and oriented towards the public life, while the representative of Hellenistic culture was individualistic, possessed cosmopolitan outlook and was oriented towards

Physical systems in Canada and US Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Physical systems in Canada and US - Essay Example The land area of these countries runs from the Arctic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico. The Pacific Ocean parallels the coastal region of Canada and the U.S. Furthermore, tectonic forces formed the mountainous ranges of these countries millions of years ago. They include the Cascade Range, Coast Range, Alaska range, and Sierra Nevada (National Geographic, 2013). It is believed that from 500 million year of old rocks present at permission gap to contemporary windblown sand dunes at Canyon, geologic formation or configuration of the big bend illustrate interestingly the diverse depositional styles over an enormous interval of time. For majority of the individuals, it measured by passing generations, years and days. The issue of geologic time is not easily comprehended because events that happened 20 million or as many as 100 million years are at best, hard to comprehend. During the end of the Paleozoic period, a deep ocean basin or trough expanded from modern day Oklahoma and Arkansas into the big bend place of the West Texas. Sands and sediments from the highlands to the north formed and accumulated in that basin or trough to create layers or sheets of sand, clay, and gravel. With time, these sheets melted into shale beds and sandstones. Canada and the U.S are experiencing strain on environmental resources because of increased population. The environment determines the use of resources meets human requirement while preserving and maintaining the environment in order to ensure that that human needs can be met in present and in the future. Distribution of human population affects environmental resources, regions that people live, and consumption patterns. It is rational to state that more people needs more environmental resources and produce more waste which pose a greater challenge to the environment (National Geographic, 2013). The rapidly growing population is experiencing a scenario whereby many people

Invasion of Privacy Essay Example for Free

Invasion of Privacy Essay While straightening your teenagers room, a book falls on the floor. You pick it up and see that it is her diary. As a parent, do you have the right to read it? Would it matter if you found the diary outside her room? Is it okay to read the diary if you suspect there is problem your teen is not telling you about? As a child, did you ever go into your parents room (without permission) and snoop around? Was that an invasion of their privacy? Did you find anything you werent supposed to? Did you learn from it? Did you tell them? You have every right to read your childs diary whether its found in the laundry or their bedroom. There is nothing wrong with knowing what your child is thinking, the changes that they are experiencing, or perhaps any troubling matters they dont feel they can approach one of their parents with. Consider yourself lucky you found it. Invasion of privacy? I dont think so; it could save their life. As long as your child is living at home with you, yes, you should read her diary entries. You are there to protect your child not only from outside influences but also from herself. If it means going through their belongings then so be it. When they move out and establish lives of their own, this is when you give up certain rights as parents, including reading their diaries. I guess my term is not snooping; it is monitoring your children. My parents monitor me. There is nothing in my room that my mother does not have access to. It is unacceptable for anyone to hide anything in our house. And, she monitors which people I hang out with. Granted, I didnt appreciate it for a while, but as some of her NO WAY choices started ending up hurting me, or others, I knew she had my best interest at heart, and wasnt trying to sabotage my life. I agree that its okay to go through your kid’s belongings. What should be done if you are going through it and you find something inappropriate, you find some roundabout way to bring it up to your child and see if they open up about it. By no means do you say, Oh, I was in your room snooping and found this or that. You have to protect your kids. Sometimes they will get into the habit of believing everything their friends say, not thinking that their mom or dad have been through or experienced just about everything theyre going through and have the wisdom to help them out in certain situations. Of course children do not believe that you should be snooping into what they want to call their privacy. They also think they know everything and can make wise decisions. They think it is ok to text and drive, drink and drive and show their private parts while on spring break. Kids think they should not have to go to school or have a bedtime. Do I have to go on? I think you get the picture. Bottom line is, they are not paying for a phone, internet, computers, Ipads and the electricity it takes to keep them running and until they do those items are not theirs. They are the property of the parent or guardian and can be looked at, searched, monitored at anytime they please. My point is, if you’re not doing anything wrong then there should not be a problem with anyone looking at your text messages or emails which by the way are not private anyway. If you feel you should have privacy and you are old enough then get a job, be responsible, and pay for all of your things yourself and you may also want to move out on your own until then, As my mom says â€Å"My house, my rules.† Legally, parents have the right to monitor their childs communications simply because they are legally responsible for the childs actions. Parents are legally responsible for their children. I know of past cases where parents have been arrested for crimes a child has done and they also can be held financially responsible. The trust element also comes into play when both the teen and the parent know they can trust each other that their home is a place free of harmful communication. To do that, the parent has to actively monitor the media that the teen uses and engage in censorship, no matter how awful the word seems. It is simply the act of a responsible society that harmful communication is not displayed to children and that children do their part in respecting the laws of society. I am a teenager. I think parents should be able to monitor my personal life, specifically my texts, because of all the dangerous things in the world. You start to notice on the news teens using drugs more often than they have before. Using a simple text message to one of your friends about drugs or anything can start peer pressure. Youre not talking in person so its easier to text it then actually say it. I was reading a story on CNN about a computer programmer who figured out slang use of words to cover so parents wont get it. He does have a website up with the meaning of the slang use of words. I looked at one and it said â€Å"tdtml†. This means â€Å"talk dirty to me later†. Parents should be able to ask for the phone to see what they are talking about. They should be able to ask for it at random times. My parents also told me that they will check my phone whenever giving me a heads up that I will just hand it over at any time. This has helped me a lot in my life to stay away from peer pressure and many other things as well. Using the website noslang.com can help parents figure out what their kids are texting. Reading the CNN report on what they could code for words was absolutely amazing. Go to cnn.com and in the search bar type in Parents do you know what these texts mean?† Parents you will be stunned at the reports and the type of coding teens use in these days.

The nation states affected by globalisation

The nation states affected by globalisation INTRODUCTION In Viewing Globalisation and the ways it has affected nation states; it is safe to study it from two different schools of thoughts: The globalists and the sceptics. It is almost impossible to talk about Globalisation without relating it to a Nation States economy or politics. The two go together. A Nation State is affected by Globalisation in so many ways, and vice versa. The hyper globalists argue that the nation states have lost their power completely in this era of globalisation. The fact that the world is globalised means the end of the nation states especially through what is termed the â€Å"Borderless World† (Ohmae, 1990:172). For the complex globalists, although the international organisations are powerful, the nation states havent completely lost their powers. (Held et al, 1999: p27). The Sceptics, on the other hand disagree with the theories of the globalists that see the â€Å"end of nation states†. For Hirst and Thompson, The nation states are still very much in control, in fact, they have the most power and there is no such thing as the word â€Å"globalisation†, therefore, the notion that there is an effect of globalisation on nation states does not make sense (Hirst and Thompson, 1999: p256-280) In this essay, the hyper globalists and the complex globalists are classified as the liberalists or the globalists as they accept the concept of globalisation, believe in the reduction of the nation states powers, view the world as â€Å"being governed globally and conceptualise globalisation as a reordering of the frame work of human action† (Held et al, 1999: p10). They believe that globalisation is being spread through the technologies arising everyday. The Sceptics are classified as the realists who believe that the word should not be â€Å"globalisation, rather it is internationalisation and regionalisation† (Held et al, 1999: p10) and this â€Å"internationalisation depends on states acquiescence and support† (Held et al, 1999: p10) Firstly, the term â€Å"Globalisation† would be defined for clarification and the definition would serve as a reference to my points. Secondly, this essay would point out the relationship between globalisation and nation states, the institutions that arose with globalisation and how they affect nation states politically, economically and culturally, with examples. Thirdly, I would raise arguments from the globalists and sceptics points of view; my argument would show that nation states have lost their power due to the spread of globalisation and I would buttress my argument with citations and relative examples. I would also examine concerns (if any). Lastly, I would draw a conclusion which would portray my personal thoughts on globalisation and how it has affected nation states as a whole. â€Å"A globalised world is one in which political, economic, cultural, and social events become more interconnected.by Globalisation, we mean the increase of connectedness between societies† (Baylis, J. et al, 2008:8) Globalization, affects states, not only political but culturally as well as economically. The connectivity of these states and their dependence on one another for political stability, economic growth and cultural modification or awareness is also a factor of Globalisation. Nation states are naturally dependent on themselves for different resources, it could be as a result of competition, power in the international arena, or simply, for sustenance to their own economy (which may not be as rich). One major effect Globalisation has had on nation states was obviously the spread of the Global Crisis earlier this year. The crisis which was believed to have started in the United States seeped its way through other nation states and affected a large number of countries economically. The idea of globalisation which relates to interconnectedness of states, broken barriers and â€Å"borderless world† seems to have played a huge role in spreading the Financial Crisis witnessed by nation states. Banks were shut down as a result of illiquidity, not just in the United States but some countries in the EU, Brazil, and Japan etc. Unemployment rates sky rocketed in countries like Nigeria. People were getting sacked from their jobs all over the world. Even though this economic crisis started in the United States, the fact that it has the biggest economy in the world and lots of other nation states were connected to its economy meant the downfall of these nation states too. It is safe to say that international organisations or institutions have become the defining factor for most nation states in their global relations. The United Nations (for example) is the only international organization that has the authority over a states security and economic developments, â€Å"encompasses the protection of human rights and..the environment† (Taylor Curtis in J. Baylis et al, 2008: p.314). This further explains the effect of globalisation on nation states. Due to the tribal and religious wars in Africa and Asia, for example, The UN stepped in to examine these conflicts. Nation States now have to rely on these international organisations in times of conflicts especially when they cannot solve their problems on their own. The United Nations was created in 1945 and hosts different positions such as UNICEF which assists children; WHO which works on global public health and the UNHCR which provides aids to refugees. (Weiss, Forsyth Coates in OBrien Williams, 2007: p125). In this organisation, Weiss et al also state that the peace keeping/building of nation states are treated and looked into as well as some elections. (2007: p125). The United Nations is a very powerful organisation because it makes its laws and compels nation states to abide by them, and not the other way round. Nation states have more benefits when they work with these international organisations in terms of the security they are being offered (most times). The World Trade Organisation (WTO) was created in 1995 and is usually affiliated with trade and economic activities. The organisation has support from some of the wealthiest economies in the world such as the nation states in the EU, the United States and Japan. Developing countries would argue that some of these international organisations do not favour them because they are real powerful and tend to support the already developed countries in terms of these economic activities. The Rise of the Bretton Woods Institutions and its effect on Nation States. The Bretton Woods Conference in 1944 had a prominent effect on the world today. Out of this conference, two very important institutions: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and The World Bank emerged (OBrien Williams: 2007, pp. 209-210). The IMF was the regulatory body that nation states had to apply to, to be part of the â€Å"gold standard† policy. This policy meant that the dollar would be the worlds currency and would be exchange for gold to determine its worth. The policy did not hold but the IMF is still the body in charge of global exchange and interest rates (OBrien Williams: 2007, pp. 86-89). More nation states were trading with each other; therefore, it became necessary, with time, to have exchange rates. The decision on what a dollar is to a pound is based on the outcome of what the IMF has concluded; not the nation states. The World Bank on the other hand is known as â€Å"the lender of the last resort†. Although, it claims to benefit nation states in crisis by bailing them out, there are also strict rules governing this procedure. The World Bank has the final say on which countries are benefitting from whatever money it would lend. The Nation States are entirely under their control here, they play no significant role; their only â€Å"role† is to fulfil all the rules the World Bank has set, and they just might be eligible for these monies. Ngaire Woods describes the IMF and World Bank as â€Å"The Globalizers†. She says that they have inculcated a good number of nation states into world economy by advising the governments of these states to be more open to investments and capital, and to allow for global trade (2006, p 3). She also states that â€Å"they have presented globalisation as a solution to challenges they have faced in the world economy† (2006, p3) Another major effect globalisation has had in nation states; (especially in recent years) is in the area of Migration. In the EU states, the schengen visa makes it possible to visit as many states as there are in the EU. Years ago, one would have needed 12 different visas to visit 12 different countries in the European Union, but today, with the spread of globalisation, one visa gets you to those 12 nation states. The sceptics like Hirst and Thompson might argue that although, we are seeing the emergence of these international organisations (in this case, the EU), which might have a say in national policies, â€Å"people are less mobile than moneythey remain ‘nationalized, dependent on passports, visas, residence and labour qualifications† (Hirst and Thompson,1999: p257). Thereby arguing that in fact, we do not live in a borderless world; rules in terms of migration are still made by the nation states. Globalists can defend their theories here that although individuals may need visas to move around countries, it is still the organisations that determine the nature of these visas especially in the EU where a visa to Italy equates a visa to France. Currencies are no longer national, that is, peculiar to their nation states. The Euro, for example is being used by nation states in the European Union. The use of this single currency by countries in the European Union has made it possible to break barriers (if any) of economic trade across EU nation states. This was implemented, not by the nation states but by the European Monetary System. Globalisation has affected the states in the sense that they had no option than to give into the use of this common currency or face the threat of having a depreciating currency that would eventually lead to a depreciated economy. Therefore the benefit of being in a unit saves exposure in the case of Recession etc. It is no shock that the nation states with the most powerful economies have the most amounts of Multi National Corporations. A survey done in 2006 by Data from Fortune shows that the top 25 (twenty five) MNCs in the world consist of nine in the United States, thirteen in the EU countries and two in Japan. Twenty four out of the twenty five largest corporations (by revenues) are for the wealthiest states (OBrien Williams, 2007: p175). This shows how relevant these MNCs are to their nations economy. MNCs now find their ways into different nation states with thriving economies to make profit from them. Borders are broken when a US based MNC decides to have an operating base in China, for example. The above citation goes to prove that MNCs are no longer ‘nation-owned but actually control the nations in the sense that they move to whichever state they want to be situated. THE CONCERN Speaking as an individual from a third world country, it is easy to say that there is a major concern and it is rightly justified in the sense that these governing international bodies which have been springing up due to the spread of globalisation, has still been one-sided. Politically, in 2007, Nigeria witnessed the election of President Umaru Yaradua. Usually, during elections, the US organises an electoral committee to oversee the process, making sure it is free and fair. During the elections, the national television authority in Nigeria (NTA) announced that some of the ballot boxes had gone missing during the course of the elections. Of course, that meant that something was not right. The individuals sent by the Electoral Commission went on international television (CNN) and announced that they had, in fact, over seen the elections and it was free and fair so whatever the result, the election was a success. Now, to whos benefit? Is it to the Nigerian public? The Nigerian Politicians? Or the United States electoral body sent to conduct these elections? Culturally, norms and values are deteriorating speedily. In todays society, globalisation of the media and internet has made it easy to have access to Hollywood and the Western fashion. It is very easy to get lost in the world of pornography (easy access through the internet where restrictions are not followed), under aged drinking is more prominent with the youth today because they see their favourite stars on television and they believe its the norm. Nation States cannot stop these infringements into their societies because as they have embraced globalisation, they have welcomed its positive and negative results. We are aware of the show down that took place in sports recently. The World cup qualifiers between France and Ireland, to be more specific. A controversial goal was scored by William Gallass of France after Thierry Henry (France captain) was said to have handled the ball and passed it. The goal was allowed by the referee and France qualified on that note. After much contest and ‘a million highlights of that moment, The Irish football association (as a nation state) challenges FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) which is in charge of regulating laws concerning football internationally, to replay the match for a fair result. FIFA ruled against it and France was named as one of the countries participating in the world cup next year. The questions here are direct: Does France deserve to be in the world cup? More importantly, is France in the world Cup because Sepp Blatter, the FIFA president is close friends with French man Michel Platini, the UEFA (Union of Eu ropean Football associations) president? It is notable that FIFA and UEFA, the football governing bodies have the final decision on whatever happens on the pitch, sometimes, it could be a wrong call and nation states that are reportedly treated unfairly have no say in these matters. In my opinion, drawing concerns from globalisation is very crucial to nation states. Globalisations effect on nation states, as important as it may be, calls for a lot of attention and scrutiny. The systems that have come up as a result of our globalising world have not been entirely fair, because in the end, who are those governing in these international organisations and MNCs? Who are those in power making all these decisions? They are the people with hegemony, with power and wealth who are able to control nation states and make them puppets. They are the capitalists whose ultimate goal is to make profit, so we should definitely be concerned since it affects us globally. Globalisation is not successful until concerns are next to irrelevant. Every nation state should be able to benefit from the spread of globalisation, but at the moment, the powerful states are only getting more powerful, sapping resources form the developing countries by situating MNCs strategically. Nation states now go out of their way to create a more suitable business environment because these MNCs chose the best possible location involving cheap labour to situate their business. Therefore, states now compete with each other to be more and more favourable to the MNCs, most times, at the risk of their citizens. Generally, it would be of less concern if it benefitted the whole world equally. Concerns have risen because some nation states are being treated with more advantages than others. In concluding, the nation states played a huge role in policy making which affected individuals but with the spread of globalisation, states roles became very limited and less conspicuous in these political arenas. Territorial boundaries were becoming less important because they became more connected to one another (the states), flows of technology such as the internet and satellite made views and news more global; there by restricting in determining what its individuals are exposed to, movements became globalised such as the NGOs, INGOs; flows of capital ran through borders; and the media made everything recognisable especially through the consistent rise of Hollywood (the US film industry). Ohmae conceptualizes my idea on globalisation and how it affects nation states when he describes the states as â€Å"a dysfunctional unitrepresents no shared community of economic interest† (1990, p.24). It is clear that nation states are now being governed by external forces, whether it is the MNCs, the International Organisations, the NGOs or INGOs and it is important to note that most organisations are in business for profit making so the best possible state with the least possible labour would be a recipient of their businesses. However, many arguments may arise over the concerns of globalisation and how it affects nation states. Some may argue that it has enriched their nations economy; others may argue that it has given their nation states more exposure on the international scene, but a nation state that cannot make its own decisions because of a â€Å"governing body† is almost powerless. Decision making, governing its people, security for its citizens and most importantly, culture of a nations people should be overseen by its government. BIBLIOGRAPHY Baylis, J., Smith, S., Owens, P. (2008) The Globalisation of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations, 4th edition (New York: Oxford University Press) Held, D. Mc Grew, A., Goldblatt, D. Perraton, J. (1999) The Global Transformations: Politics, Economics Culture (Cambridge: Polity Press) Hirst, P. Thompson, G. (1999) Globalisation in Question, 2nd edition (Cambridge: Polity Press) OBrien, R. and Williams, M. (2007) Global Political Economy: Evolution Dynamics, 2nd edition (New York: Palgrave Macmillan) Ohmae, K. (1990) The Borderless World: Power and Strategy in the Inter linked Economy (London: Fontana) Stone, D. Wright, C. (2007) The World Bank and Governance: A Decade of Reform and Reaction (New York: Routledge) Taylor, P. Curtis, D. (2008) â€Å"The United Nations† in Baylis, J. et al, The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations, 4th edition (New York: Oxford University Press) pp. 314-315 Weiss, Forsyth Coates (2001) â€Å"International Organisation and Governance† in OBrien, R. Williams, M., Global Political Economy: Evolution Dynamics, 2nd edition (New York: Palgrave Maxmillian) Pg 125 Woods, N. (2006) The Globalizers: the IMF, the World Bank their borrowers (New York: Cornell University Press) Woods, N. (2008) â€Å"International Political Economy in an age of Globalization† John Baylis, J. et al, The Globalisation of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations, 4th edition (New York: Oxford University Press) pp. 244-258

The Beauty of Color Essay -- Creative Writing Essays

As the car stopped, he caressed me immediately; in synch with the stopping of the engine was the start of us. I say us because I feel like that’s what it is to become intimate with someone, you merge, mesh, mix into some form of a united being. I enjoyed him. Intimacy was an act of passion. It didn’t take love to feel passion, and it didn’t take an appropriate union to become a part of another person. We were one as he kissed me, touched me. I felt him and he felt me. One. â€Å"You like that,† he said, panting like some needy animal. Please be quiet. â€Å"Say it if you like it,† he panted some more. Shut the hell up. â€Å"Is it good?† â€Å"Quiet!† I yelled without realizing that my thoughts were vocalized. He pulled back and stared at me as if I were some whacko, needless to say the look was returned. A quick awkward expression and a not so melodious cry ended the moment. Now, the only sounds we heard other than the heavy breathing of us both was the zooming of passing vehicles. As I licked over my dry lips I recognized the taste of sweat in my mouth, kissing his neck I guessed. As he got up and scooted to ‘his side’ of the van I scratched my head noting that my hair felt like shit. Relaxed hair need not get sweaty; I felt the naps I tried so hard to conceal creeping back into the roots of my follicles. No ‘good’ hair here. His eyes were closed and I could see the moon reflecting light off of his caramel-complexioned skin. I got up and moved, naked, to the front of the van to roll down the windows; the dankness of the vehicle was enough to make me gag. â€Å"When are you going to take me home?† I asked. Without opening his eyes he shrugged his shoulders and gestured for me to shut up. â€Å"I would like to get back before my show... ...ooks, Paw-Paw was the only person in the world to ever call me beautiful. *** â€Å"You are not like me.† I said plainly. I opened my eyes to see that he was no longer listening. One thing about us, we connect during intimacy, but other than that we play tag. I want to tell him, though. Shake him and explain that his color makes me squirm. The way others of his ‘paper-bag-brown’ have talked down to me, made me question myself. Tell him that it took years to reverse the hatred that I grew for myself. I was eager, wanting to spill it all to him, make him understand. But I mellowed out. Looking at the moon on his skin I just pulled him towards me into my shadow, my dark shadow. Instead of telling him how I felt I would show him. Show him my hatred, my love, my curse, and my blessing. And in that van, in the dark of my shadow, we were both as black as we wanted to be. The Beauty of Color Essay -- Creative Writing Essays As the car stopped, he caressed me immediately; in synch with the stopping of the engine was the start of us. I say us because I feel like that’s what it is to become intimate with someone, you merge, mesh, mix into some form of a united being. I enjoyed him. Intimacy was an act of passion. It didn’t take love to feel passion, and it didn’t take an appropriate union to become a part of another person. We were one as he kissed me, touched me. I felt him and he felt me. One. â€Å"You like that,† he said, panting like some needy animal. Please be quiet. â€Å"Say it if you like it,† he panted some more. Shut the hell up. â€Å"Is it good?† â€Å"Quiet!† I yelled without realizing that my thoughts were vocalized. He pulled back and stared at me as if I were some whacko, needless to say the look was returned. A quick awkward expression and a not so melodious cry ended the moment. Now, the only sounds we heard other than the heavy breathing of us both was the zooming of passing vehicles. As I licked over my dry lips I recognized the taste of sweat in my mouth, kissing his neck I guessed. As he got up and scooted to ‘his side’ of the van I scratched my head noting that my hair felt like shit. Relaxed hair need not get sweaty; I felt the naps I tried so hard to conceal creeping back into the roots of my follicles. No ‘good’ hair here. His eyes were closed and I could see the moon reflecting light off of his caramel-complexioned skin. I got up and moved, naked, to the front of the van to roll down the windows; the dankness of the vehicle was enough to make me gag. â€Å"When are you going to take me home?† I asked. Without opening his eyes he shrugged his shoulders and gestured for me to shut up. â€Å"I would like to get back before my show... ...ooks, Paw-Paw was the only person in the world to ever call me beautiful. *** â€Å"You are not like me.† I said plainly. I opened my eyes to see that he was no longer listening. One thing about us, we connect during intimacy, but other than that we play tag. I want to tell him, though. Shake him and explain that his color makes me squirm. The way others of his ‘paper-bag-brown’ have talked down to me, made me question myself. Tell him that it took years to reverse the hatred that I grew for myself. I was eager, wanting to spill it all to him, make him understand. But I mellowed out. Looking at the moon on his skin I just pulled him towards me into my shadow, my dark shadow. Instead of telling him how I felt I would show him. Show him my hatred, my love, my curse, and my blessing. And in that van, in the dark of my shadow, we were both as black as we wanted to be.

John Grays Men from Mars and Women from Venus Essay -- John Gray Men

John Gray's "Men from Mars and Women from Venus" In his work "Men from Mars and Women from Venus", John Gray explored the intrinsic differences between men and women in a way that has helped millions of people to understand why relationships between the two sexes could be so frustrating. Gray was correct when he talked about women cherishing love, communication, beauty, and relationships. However, he oversimplified the gender differences between the two sexes. Though women appreciate the beauty in life and want to live with tranquility, they also corrupt by their desire for power, love for competition, and want for achievements. The premises of John Gray’s essay were set many years ago when all men lived on Mars and all women lived on Venus. Once they got together, they respected and enjoyed their differences--until one day when everybody woke up, completely forgetting that they had once came from different planets. Ever since, men mistakenly expected women to think, communicate, and react the way men do. Gray also believes that Venusians are more concerned with living together harmonically, communicably, and loving cooperation. Instead of building highways and tall buildings, they prefer building a Utopia. â€Å"Relationships are more important than work and technology† says Gray (523). Rather than developing new technology, they build up their relationships with others. On the other hand, Martians get their sense of self from achievement, usually focus on a goal, ...

Free Waste Land Essays: The Lifeless Land -- T.S. Eliot Waste Land Ess

The Waste Land:   Lifeless Land  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As The Waste Land begins, Eliot enters into the barren land, which the audience journeys across with the author through the course of the poem. "The roots that clutch" immediately evoke a feeling of desperation. Roots in the rocky soil Eliot describes are a base from which to grow; just as roots in plants gain nourishment from soil, these roots "clutch" infertile ground, desperately seeking something to gain from nothing. The question "what branches grow" suggests skepticism as to life's ability to survive in "stony rubbish," the waste that offers no forgiveness. "You know only a heap of broken images" alludes to memory. Memory can be a composite of many smaller memories, creating discontinuity. "Broken images" are similar to the entire poem, which has a tendency to jump between snippets of different lives and desolate imagery of a desert waste. Eliot creates a memory lacking value for its indistinctness. Because only "broken images" exist, the memory itself becomes a waste. Just as life cannot grow in a barren land, people cannot be wh...

Market research

The company/brand selected for the research proposal project Is Wall-Mart. INTRODUCTION Wall-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Wall-Mart, Is an American multinational retail corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. Headquartered In Bonneville, Arkansas, the company was founded by Sam Walton in 1962 and incorporated on October 31, 1969. It has over 11,000 stores in 27 countries, under a total 55 different names. It operates in India as Best Price.The company is the world's largest public corporation, the biggest private employer in the oral with over two million employees and the largest retailer in the world. Wall-Mart is a family-owned business, as the company Is controlled by the Walton family, who own over 50 percent of Wall-Mart through their holding company, Walton Enterprises. It is also one of the world's most valuable companies and is also the largest grocery retailer in the US. The partnership between Birth Enterprises and Wall-Mart has been dissolved.Now Walter India Private Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wall-Mart Stores Inc. Walter India owns and operates 20 Best Price Modern Wholesale stores in 8 states across India. Division of wall-mart: Neighborhood Markets (groceries) Cam's Club (membership) Discount stores (FMC & apparels) Wall-Mart superstructures (groceries) THE PROBLEMS FACED BY WALL-MART Late entry Overlook competitors Destroy small businesses Joint venture & Nationalism Culture difference Suppliers Government Regulations The problem which is looked at In this research project is government regulation.The statement of the problem- The problem which Is looked at In this research project Is the government for retail global companies makes it difficult to make any development in India so Wall-Mart wants to launch e-commerce. Objective of the study- it is to see how Wall-Mart will make a difference in the economy by online purchases. To see how the Indian market responds to e-commerce and wil l it help in increasing sales of the company. What will India do for Wall-Mart?Wall-Mart needs India, and it needs success in India. At the same moment as the Joint venture in India was announced this weekend, Wall-Mart announced something stunning about its November financial performance. In the US, in stores that have been open at least a year, sales actually fell compared to last year. Same-store US sales fell Just 0. 1% – the decline comes to about $mm. It wouldn't have been a decline at all if each US store had sold Just $1 ,250 a week in additional merchandise.The performance is chilling because it's only the second time in 25 years that Wall- Mart's same-store sales haven't grown. The truth is that while the US still accounts for more than 70% of Wall-Mart's sales, the country is full up with Wall-Marts: 53% of Americans already live within five miles of a Wall-Mart, and 90% live within 15 miles. If an American wants to shop at Wall-Mart, he or she already is. So if Wa ll-Mart is going to continue to grow, it must tap new and receptive markets like India. What will Wall- Mart do to India?The mood about Wall-Mart in the United States is conflicted, at best. For two years, there has been a noisy national debate about Wall-Mart's impact – low prices, yes, but also low wages, poor working conditions, small merchants swept away, manufacturers squeezed. In the recent Congressional elections, prominent Democrat politicians routinely attacked Wall-Mart, despite the fact that millions of Democrat voters shop there every week. In developing nations, in contrast, the arrival of Wall- Mart stores is still greeted with gratitude.But will Wall-Mart bring with it to India exactly the kind of business practices that cause resistance to it in the US? Indian's retail market is likely to be transformed over the next 10 years, and Wall-Mart is determined to be part of that. When a superstore opens that can do $1 m or $mm in business a week, it's going to vacuu m sales away from small merchants. Yes, Wall- Marts, and all hyper marts, create hundreds of Jobs. But there is a big difference between being a shopkeeper, and working in a store for mega-corporation.But at this Indian's elected officials want to understand what happens when Wall-Mart arrives, hey need only consult local officials in China or Mexico or Missouri. And if Indian officials want to both usher in a new consumer era, and preserve some of the traditional aspects of Indian commerce, they need to act now – with zoning laws, with rules on the size of stores and the hours they may be open – before the hyper marts roll in. Once they dot the landscape, as we've discovered in the US, it's too late to do anything but mourn the traditional ways of shopping.SECONDARY RESEARCH FINDINGS Wall-Mart will open 50 cash-and carry-stores in the country in the next 4-5 years, a eve that will strengthen the presence of the retail major in the wholesale segment. The announcement c omes a day after the Bops manifesto declared that the party will not allow foreign direct investment (FAD) in the multi-brand retail segment if it forms the next government. The BGP, in its manifesto unveiled Monday, said that it is not in favor of FAD in the multi-brand retail sector, though it was open to FAD in all other sectors if it led to Job and asset creation.However, the company has refrained from entering the sector, citing stringent conditions related to mandatory 30 per cent local rouging. Given that 100 per cent FAD is allowed in the cash and carry segment, this sector presents an opportunity to the company to make in-roads in the vast Indian market. In a statement, Walter also said that it will launch business-to-business (BIB) e-commerce platform for members of its cash and carry ‘Best Price Modern Wholesale Stores'. â€Å"Walter is committed to India and we are excited about our growth plans.We will continue to focus on the cash and carry format as we are very happy with the way it has shaped up in the last few years. The format is also poised o grow in India and we would like to serve the growing customer base by opening 50 new cash and carry stores over the next four-five years and extend the e-commerce platform to our cash and carry members with a virtual shopping opportunity,† Scott Price, president and CEO, Walter Asia, said, in the statement. The retailer currently has 20 Best Price Modern Wholesale Stores in the country.The first store opened in Marital in May 2009. Currently, 100 per cent FAD is allowed in single brand retail, and 51 per cent is allowed in the multi-brand retail sector. Also, 100 per cent FAD is allowed in BIB e-commerce, but not in BBC e-commerce. Price also said that the company will take â€Å"a number of important steps to strengthen compliance so that we do the right thing everyday'. â€Å"We are evaluating and reinforcing procedures and programs relating to all compliance areas†¦ And responsibl e sourcing among others,† Price added.PEST ANALYSIS Strong opposition to FAD in Indian's retail sector Taxation police – VAT Low access to banking facilities Economic analysis: GAP growth Foreign investments Money supply Inflation Social analysis: Corporate social responsibility Environmental safety Ease of shopping Technological analysis: Retail media network ERP system Online shopping CRM system CONSUMER ANALYSIS What will Wall-Mart do for Indian consumers? Wall-Mart will be a sensation in India – as it has been in China and in Mexico.At the moment, there is Just a single hyper mart in the whole country, in Iambi. Indian's rapidly growing middle class has more money to spend than any previous generation – but no place to spend it. Just 7% of retail spending in the country is in what westerners would consider â€Å"organized† retail stores. Even in China, that number is 20%. So Wall-Mart's acres of low-cost merchandise from around the world, gather ed under a single roof, will be like a carnival for a slice of Indian consumers.Wall-Mart store openings in developing nations are frequently huge events – tens of thousands of Chinese show up when new stores open there – and with good reason. People everywhere are grateful to have the products of the world delivered to their doorstep at affordable prices. Competitors are competitors within an industry. Competition in the industry can be weak with few competitors that don't compete very aggressively or it can be intense tit many competitors fighting in a cut-throat environment.Key competitors of Walter in the retail sectors are: VA Barilla Group- It has a strong presence in apparel retail and owns renowned brands like Allen Solely, Louis Phillips, Trouser Town, Van Houses and Peter England. The company has started to expand aggressively to compete with other players. Trend- It is subsidiary of the Data group, operates lifestyle retail chain, book and music chain consum er electronics chain etc. Landmark Group K Rajah Crop Group Reliance Pantaloon Others stores are: Big bazaar Spencer Careful & metro are the main wholesale cash-and-carry brands. Market research The company/brand selected for the research proposal project Is Wall-Mart. INTRODUCTION Wall-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Wall-Mart, Is an American multinational retail corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. Headquartered In Bonneville, Arkansas, the company was founded by Sam Walton in 1962 and incorporated on October 31, 1969. It has over 11,000 stores in 27 countries, under a total 55 different names. It operates in India as Best Price.The company is the world's largest public corporation, the biggest private employer in the oral with over two million employees and the largest retailer in the world. Wall-Mart is a family-owned business, as the company Is controlled by the Walton family, who own over 50 percent of Wall-Mart through their holding company, Walton Enterprises. It is also one of the world's most valuable companies and is also the largest grocery retailer in the US. The partnership between Birth Enterprises and Wall-Mart has been dissolved.Now Walter India Private Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wall-Mart Stores Inc. Walter India owns and operates 20 Best Price Modern Wholesale stores in 8 states across India. Division of wall-mart: Neighborhood Markets (groceries) Cam's Club (membership) Discount stores (FMC & apparels) Wall-Mart superstructures (groceries) THE PROBLEMS FACED BY WALL-MART Late entry Overlook competitors Destroy small businesses Joint venture & Nationalism Culture difference Suppliers Government Regulations The problem which is looked at In this research project is government regulation.The statement of the problem- The problem which Is looked at In this research project Is the government for retail global companies makes it difficult to make any development in India so Wall-Mart wants to launch e-commerce. Objective of the study- it is to see how Wall-Mart will make a difference in the economy by online purchases. To see how the Indian market responds to e-commerce and wil l it help in increasing sales of the company. What will India do for Wall-Mart?Wall-Mart needs India, and it needs success in India. At the same moment as the Joint venture in India was announced this weekend, Wall-Mart announced something stunning about its November financial performance. In the US, in stores that have been open at least a year, sales actually fell compared to last year. Same-store US sales fell Just 0. 1% – the decline comes to about $mm. It wouldn't have been a decline at all if each US store had sold Just $1 ,250 a week in additional merchandise.The performance is chilling because it's only the second time in 25 years that Wall- Mart's same-store sales haven't grown. The truth is that while the US still accounts for more than 70% of Wall-Mart's sales, the country is full up with Wall-Marts: 53% of Americans already live within five miles of a Wall-Mart, and 90% live within 15 miles. If an American wants to shop at Wall-Mart, he or she already is. So if Wa ll-Mart is going to continue to grow, it must tap new and receptive markets like India. What will Wall- Mart do to India?The mood about Wall-Mart in the United States is conflicted, at best. For two years, there has been a noisy national debate about Wall-Mart's impact – low prices, yes, but also low wages, poor working conditions, small merchants swept away, manufacturers squeezed. In the recent Congressional elections, prominent Democrat politicians routinely attacked Wall-Mart, despite the fact that millions of Democrat voters shop there every week. In developing nations, in contrast, the arrival of Wall- Mart stores is still greeted with gratitude.But will Wall-Mart bring with it to India exactly the kind of business practices that cause resistance to it in the US? Indian's retail market is likely to be transformed over the next 10 years, and Wall-Mart is determined to be part of that. When a superstore opens that can do $1 m or $mm in business a week, it's going to vacuu m sales away from small merchants. Yes, Wall- Marts, and all hyper marts, create hundreds of Jobs. But there is a big difference between being a shopkeeper, and working in a store for mega-corporation.But at this Indian's elected officials want to understand what happens when Wall-Mart arrives, hey need only consult local officials in China or Mexico or Missouri. And if Indian officials want to both usher in a new consumer era, and preserve some of the traditional aspects of Indian commerce, they need to act now – with zoning laws, with rules on the size of stores and the hours they may be open – before the hyper marts roll in. Once they dot the landscape, as we've discovered in the US, it's too late to do anything but mourn the traditional ways of shopping.SECONDARY RESEARCH FINDINGS Wall-Mart will open 50 cash-and carry-stores in the country in the next 4-5 years, a eve that will strengthen the presence of the retail major in the wholesale segment. The announcement c omes a day after the Bops manifesto declared that the party will not allow foreign direct investment (FAD) in the multi-brand retail segment if it forms the next government. The BGP, in its manifesto unveiled Monday, said that it is not in favor of FAD in the multi-brand retail sector, though it was open to FAD in all other sectors if it led to Job and asset creation.However, the company has refrained from entering the sector, citing stringent conditions related to mandatory 30 per cent local rouging. Given that 100 per cent FAD is allowed in the cash and carry segment, this sector presents an opportunity to the company to make in-roads in the vast Indian market. In a statement, Walter also said that it will launch business-to-business (BIB) e-commerce platform for members of its cash and carry ‘Best Price Modern Wholesale Stores'. â€Å"Walter is committed to India and we are excited about our growth plans.We will continue to focus on the cash and carry format as we are very happy with the way it has shaped up in the last few years. The format is also poised o grow in India and we would like to serve the growing customer base by opening 50 new cash and carry stores over the next four-five years and extend the e-commerce platform to our cash and carry members with a virtual shopping opportunity,† Scott Price, president and CEO, Walter Asia, said, in the statement. The retailer currently has 20 Best Price Modern Wholesale Stores in the country.The first store opened in Marital in May 2009. Currently, 100 per cent FAD is allowed in single brand retail, and 51 per cent is allowed in the multi-brand retail sector. Also, 100 per cent FAD is allowed in BIB e-commerce, but not in BBC e-commerce. Price also said that the company will take â€Å"a number of important steps to strengthen compliance so that we do the right thing everyday'. â€Å"We are evaluating and reinforcing procedures and programs relating to all compliance areas†¦ And responsibl e sourcing among others,† Price added.PEST ANALYSIS Strong opposition to FAD in Indian's retail sector Taxation police – VAT Low access to banking facilities Economic analysis: GAP growth Foreign investments Money supply Inflation Social analysis: Corporate social responsibility Environmental safety Ease of shopping Technological analysis: Retail media network ERP system Online shopping CRM system CONSUMER ANALYSIS What will Wall-Mart do for Indian consumers? Wall-Mart will be a sensation in India – as it has been in China and in Mexico.At the moment, there is Just a single hyper mart in the whole country, in Iambi. Indian's rapidly growing middle class has more money to spend than any previous generation – but no place to spend it. Just 7% of retail spending in the country is in what westerners would consider â€Å"organized† retail stores. Even in China, that number is 20%. So Wall-Mart's acres of low-cost merchandise from around the world, gather ed under a single roof, will be like a carnival for a slice of Indian consumers.Wall-Mart store openings in developing nations are frequently huge events – tens of thousands of Chinese show up when new stores open there – and with good reason. People everywhere are grateful to have the products of the world delivered to their doorstep at affordable prices. Competitors are competitors within an industry. Competition in the industry can be weak with few competitors that don't compete very aggressively or it can be intense tit many competitors fighting in a cut-throat environment.Key competitors of Walter in the retail sectors are: VA Barilla Group- It has a strong presence in apparel retail and owns renowned brands like Allen Solely, Louis Phillips, Trouser Town, Van Houses and Peter England. The company has started to expand aggressively to compete with other players. Trend- It is subsidiary of the Data group, operates lifestyle retail chain, book and music chain consum er electronics chain etc. Landmark Group K Rajah Crop Group Reliance Pantaloon Others stores are: Big bazaar Spencer Careful & metro are the main wholesale cash-and-carry brands.