International Business Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

International Business Plan - Research Paper Example in the European country of Hungary. For this purpose, an assessment of the economic, social, political and legal environment of the country has been made. The paper also dwells on the requirements for success in the country from an individual’s perspective. Company Overview: About Levis Strauss & Co Levis Strauss & Co. made its humble beginning in 1853 when the Bavarian immigrant and founder of the company created the very first pair of jeans. At present, the company designs, markets and sells jeans, casual pants, tops, shorts, skirts, jackets, footwear et al. The company also has all related accessories for men, women and children in its product repertoire. The company boasts of popular brands like Levi’s, Dockers, Denizen, and Signature by Levi Strauss & Co. Over the years, the San Francisco headquartered company has grown steadily to become one of the global behemoths in the apparel industry. As on date, Levis Strauss & Co has operations in as many as 110 countries a nd generates close to 50 percent of its net revenues from markets outside the United States. Levi Strauss & Co conducts its operations outside the United States through foreign subsidiaries owned either directly or indirectly by it. The company’s global business is grouped into three geographic regions: Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific. The year wise (2009 through 2011) breakup of the net revenue earned by the company in these regions is shown in Table 1 below. Table 1: Region-wise Revenue for Levis Strauss & Co.* *Source: Annual Report of Levis Strauss & Co. The company’s brands are sold in 55,000 retail locations globally. Of these 2,300 retail locations house the brands of the company exclusively. As of November 27, 2011, the company had 498 company-operated stores located in 32 countries across the three regions. Of these there were 211 stores in the Americas, 178 stores in Europe and 109 stores in Asia Pacific. Additionally, there were another 1800 franchised, li censed, or other forms of brand-dedicated stores operated by independent third parties that sold Levis Strauss & Co. brands exclusively. Levis Strauss & Co has managed to build brands that people love and trust, in large measure, due to its responsible business practices. The company leaves no stone unturned to contribute to and respect the local communities in which it operates. As a business strategy, Levis Strauss & Co intends to grow its business profitably, spread out across consumer segments and price tiers and respond to marketplace dynamics while building on its competitive strengths. The company’s global footprint is a key factor in its long term growth and it must capitalize on it. Levis Strauss & Co has to focus on markets that provide lucrative growth opportunities. The company has to make full use of its massive global presence and local-market talent gain local market insights, adapt to local consumer trends and thus grow profitably. It is for this reason that t he company is looking to expand in Hungary. Country Overview: About Hungary The history of Hungary dates back to as far as A.D. 1000 when the country became a Christian kingdom. It emerged as an independent country after World War I. It was in 1968; under the headship of Janos Kadar, that Hungary introduced the ‘Goulash Communism’ whereby it began to liberalize its economy and placed

Baderman Island Family Vacations Essay Example for Free

Baderman Island Family Vacations Essay Baderman Island Family Vacations: Advertising, Creative, and Media Strategies Advertising not only works but is often unmatched in its capacity to reach major audiences, build brand awareness and personality, as well as stimulate curiosity and desire. But, more than ever, companies today [in this very competitive environment] need the right creative messages and media choices in an effort to break through the â€Å"noise† in order to get noticed, and therefore, remembered. This paper will outline Baderman Island’s Family Vacations advertising plan, further expanding on creative decisions and effective media strategies in an effort to increase market share. Baderman Island Family Vacations Analysis Family getaways are one of the top reasons that guests stay at Baderman Island, regardless of whether the stay is a seven day excursion or a weekend family reunion. With so many activities to choose from such as: boat rentals, water skiing, snorkeling, scuba diving, tennis, golf, five secluded beaches, Oasis Spa, and gallery touring there is truly something for everyone in the family to enjoy, not to mention all the activities on the island are appropriate for visitors of all ages. The many unique selling points of Baderman Island Family Vacations consist of the island being self contained, all-inclusive, hosting an array of restaurants, three different hotels, and unlimited activities to entertain and relax all guests. Currently, the marketing situation consists of a website that is an excellent tool for attracting guests and showing them all the perks of the island through pictures and blogs. The blog is a new advancement to the website, but should prove to attract positively more guests through the testimonials of previous visitors. Target Audience The target audience for Baderman Island is the typical â€Å"family vacationers† who are looking for a resort that offers a variety of activities without having to leave the premises. These families will consist of parents with at least one child. The target family will be the family who consists of two adults within the household with at â€Å"least† 2-3 children to help maximize profits. All races, ethnicities and cultures are welcome. The target market will be an adult who enjoy warm weather vacations with family, spending quality time with each other enjoying activities and who have a love for the beach and fine art. The target audience will also consist of consumers who fall within the lower to middle class and above demographics searching for a family destination that does not require leaving the United States (U.  S. ). Not all families can afford the cost of securing passports and expensive air travel to the Caribbean. Creative Strategies A creative strategy is important to the overall execution of an advertising campaign. Team C will use a â€Å"positioning† approach as its creative strategy. In this approach Baderman Island will be clearly defined as the number one â€Å"all inclusive† destination for family travel. Brand image approach will also be incorporated into the strategy. This will help consumers correlate the Baderman Island brand as a top notch, high quality destination. This approach will be accomplish by using an easy to remember slogan, such as â€Å"Baderman Island Family Vacations, the Finest Place to Reconnect,† as well as further using the ever popular slogan, â€Å"Relax, Enjoy, Indulge. † Increased emphasis will be placed on marketing the concept that Baderman Island is a unique destination specializing in family activities. This will enable Baderman Island to distinguish themselves from other competitive resorts in the marketplace. All creative advertisement associated with the resort will be colorful and eye catching; it will feature pictures that depict happy families vacationing and spending time together, further providing a visual of what family vacationing could be for the potential customer. On radio spots sound bites will be used of customer testimonials of how happy they were when they vacationed on the island. TV ads will also depict families enjoying themselves on the beach, playing golf, in the spa, visiting the museums and art galleries, and participating in the many sports activities offered on the island. The television ads will also highlight the many pricing plans and payment options where applicable. Positioning Statement Baderman Island’s positioning concept will explain that Baderman Island Family Vacations is for vacationers with families who are seeking a luxury resort â€Å"experience† to reenergize from their busy lives and reconnect with family and friends, and that Baderman Island Family Resorts is one of the most luxurious destinations in the world. The island offers four star accommodations that highlight a world-class spa featuring a full range of treatments designed around the resort’s natural springs, sophisticated purpose-designed meeting facilities, and an assortment of other amenities all delivered with a high level of personalized service (University of Phoenix, 2008). All of this is made available on this self-contained, all-inclusive resort island that is surrounded by the beautiful Kelsey River. Golfing, fishing, spa facilities, museum excursions and a beautiful beach are all available to vacationers of this island. Message Platform Baderman’s message platform is to develop Baderman’s brand and when potential guest see the logo, they will envision the beautiful crystal clear waters, which symbolizes peacefulness as well as relaxation. Presently, Baderman Island is expanding the brand on the 1,600 acres of land they own. 750 acres are operational. See map below. (University of Phoenix, 2008). In an effort to increase brand recognition Baderman Island will rely heavily on word-of-mouth marketing. The expectation will be that satisfied guest will continuously sell the brand for the resort while Baderman Island continues to make capital improvements. Once the Baderman Island’s guest vacation experience is over and they leave, the hope is that they will tell their friends about the wonderful experience during their stay. Word-of-mouth advertising is one of the most effective advertising vehicles when feedback is 100% positive. Baderman Island will strive to be the number one vacationing spot. Baderman Island will be well known for the following attributes: Owning an island, which exclusively promotes their brand, and having facilities that offer excellent customer service. Baderman Island makes a point of listening to guests who have enjoyed previous stays and will continue to develop innovative ideas that include customer feedback on how to improve future stays. Media Strategies and Objectives Print media is one of the most efficient ways to reach potential customers. For example, magazines are a medium that has a number of special-interest publications segments that can reach Baderman target audience (Wisconsin Department of Tourism, 2009). As a result, print ads, billboards, and brochures will be Baderman Island’s priority media vehicles of choice. Baderman Island will also use a number of advertising campaigns which will run a variation of television commercials, all emphasizing family fun. An additional strategy that Baderman will use in order to develop a relationship with potential guests is through the use of [developing] creative brochures which will assist with enticing guest towards booking a vacation on Baderman’s Island property. After all, they are inquiring about Baderman’s vacationing experience, so brochures will bring Baderman’s Island Vacations upfront and personal to future guest. Guests will be able to look at full color ads while reading a wealth of information regarding services, pricing plans, recreation packages, spa schedules and a host of activities used to keep children occupied during the day. The objective is to have future guest pick-up and carry brochures with them so they can view the material at their leisure and share it with family and friends. Baderman will capitalize on the idea that the brochure is portable which gives the upper hand rather then relying on guest to remember a 60 second commercial. Lastly, radio air time will also be explored as a media option. There are seven times as many radio stations as television stations in the U. S. (Wisconsin Department of Tourism, 2009) therefore; this is a medium that Baderman will seek to explore with the assistance of a limited-service agency. Strategy RationaleThe rationale behind the creative strategies and campaign message is to ensure that Baderman Island Vacations stands out over the competition. Creating the easy to remember message of â€Å"Baderman Island Family Vacations, the Finest Place to Reconnect,† will capture the image of Balderman Island at its fullest. In addition, using vibrant colors within ads and â€Å"real† people will not only be an eye catcher, but also illustrates the fun side of Balderman Island. Using photos of smiling and happy families doing fun activities together as part of advertisement features will say it all. Baderman Island will use similar stock photos in all advertisements. By placing the emphasis on â€Å"family† the brand image that Baderman Island will be known for will be something that both existing and potential customers will relate too. The resort will also seek to create a feeling of nostalgia where people who see the billboards, magazines, website, or hear radio advertisements will wish and want to experience what Baderman Island offers. An addition strategy will be to choose air time during busy traffic hours to advertise services. What better time to dream being somewhere else than when a person is stuck in a traffic jam. As a family resort, Baderman Island believes in getting and giving the best. As customers, Baderman personnel staff expects the best on both products and services from providers, and it is only right that the resort gives the same respect, treatment and consideration to their customers. Baderman Island stands on the priority objective of treating customers â€Å"just like family. †Supportive ResourcesAlthough many companies have opted towards using outside advertising agencies exclusively for assistance with creative ideas, Balderman Island prefers to do it themselves. Baderman Island’s in-house creative teams provide a range of services depending on the resorts needs and are familiar with the resorts rich history and many products and services. The in-house team is also better equipped to handle adhoc problems regarding advertisements within a timely manner. Keeping creative development in-house will provide the resort more control with lower risks of having proprietary confidential information leaking into the wrong hands, also keeping in mind that external agencies have other clients to assist. In addition to risk management, in-house creative resources for creative support make it easier to coordinate and have a more â€Å"personal† touch with the service versus an outside agency. In addition to in-house support Baderman Island will seek advice from limited-services agencies which specializes in one aspect of creative process; usually providing creative production work or the purchase of media space (Wisconsin Department of Tourism, 2008). A limited-services agency will be used in order to coordinate radio air time and in some instances magazine space. ConclusionAs stated earlier, Baderman Island Family Vacations is striving to continue to compete in a very competitive environment. With the consistent advertising message, â€Å"Baderman Island Family Vacations, the Finest Place to Reconnect,†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Baderman will further expand on that message by building upon a media strategy that emphasis family, fun, relationships, and value. Therefore, a media strategy that focuses on â€Å"awareness advertising,† where the attempts to build Baderman Island’s image and familiarity with the resort brand and excellent services will be their ticket towards marketing success. Baderman Island is confident that by using multi-media vehicles of print ads, billboards, brochures, television commercials, and radio spots their target audience will be effectively reached. Six months post campaign launch, Baderman will evaluate their advertising effectiveness through monitoring and post-evaluation tools and re-evaluate their marketing plan accordingly based on results.

A Web Site to Promote a Chinese Restaurant :: Internet Computers Essays

A Web Site to Promote a Chinese Restaurant Whether it is a full-size buffet restaurant in the busiest section of town or an intimate bistro by the lake, restaurateurs hope that their businesses will attract and hold a solid base of repeat customers. Many restaurants do in fact thrive; while others find themselves struggling to keep their doors open a year after their debut. How to have a successful restaurant is always a tricky proposition for a business owner. Yes, there are ways for him to increase the chances of success. One way is to get the restaurant on the web. This essay will discuss how to create a web site to promote a Chinese restaurant named Pagoda. The web site for Pagoda restaurant has to be attractive, informative, and professional in order to increase the restaurant local exposure, and expand the market to tourists and traveling business people. The web site has 6 different pages that introduce various information about the restaurant. They are Home, About Us, Location, Menu, Special Occasions, and Contact Us. These six pages have the same set-up; they all have the logo of the restaurant on top of the page, then comes 6 links appearing right beneath the logo name. The contents of each page are different from other pages because they introduce to viewers specific aspects of the restaurant. Viewers can go back and forth between the pages by clicking on the links; they don’t have to go back to the home page to navigate to the next. This helps viewers to save time and energy. It’s also convenient. The main page or Home page of the web site has become a backbone for the information found on the restaurant’s site. It is significant because it is the first place people enter the web site. If people are attracted by the main page, they feel anxious to go further to other links of the site. If the main page is plain (dull), non-professional, and unattractive then people will not waste their time to look for more information. On this main page, I put the image of the restaurant at the center of the page, right after the restaurant logo. The reason why I did this is because it gives a first impression to viewers. As the name â€Å"Pagoda† restaurant, the building has a shape of a pagoda architecture, which stands out from other buildings in the area.

Practise What You Preach

Practice what you preach Any person in the world is an individual and it goes without saying that all people differ. Consequently, all of them have different mentality, ideology, behavior, thoughts, attitude to the same things and phenomena. Usually since childhood we stand on one path and follow it during all our life. Here the influence of parents, grandparents, teachers can be seen, when we try to copy their adult habits.But it seems to be normal when a little child follows the ideas of a mother today, for example, and the other day he/she persuades everyone that a father says the truth, even though it contradicts a mother’s truth which was actual a day before. It can be understood that a child just explores the world and can’t decide whose ideas are worth following. Becoming a teenager, a young man or lady, we tend to make our own conclusions rather that listen to what adults say and think.And since that moment when we generate our own ideas and persuade other peopl e have the same beliefs, we are responsible for what we say. There is one proverb: â€Å"A word spoken is past recalling†. If you have said something once, don’t change your opinion in one hour or the next day, because in future people won’t know whether believe you or not, whether listen to or ignore you. Of course, it’s a usual thing when due to some experience, knowledge, evidence we can change our beliefs, it’s our personal thing.But when you begin to spread your ideas among other people, you should stand by them till the very end, otherwise keep silence. If your ideas were introduced aloud, if other people heard them once, then you are expected to practice what you preach. Here can be said in general about teachers, because they are those who teach a lot of children. The last without their own experience, remember everything said at the classes. Surely, they believe their teachers, because they are older and wiser.And if one day students see t hat a teacher doesn’t practice what he/she preaches, they won’t believe him/her anymore. Therefore the authority of a teacher won’t be stable. There is one more concrete example about Mr. Davidson from W. Somerset Maugham’s story â€Å"Rain†. Alfred Davidson, a self-righteous missionary, tried to make Miss Thompson a religious woman, to kill her lust and her desire to sell her body. But one day he succumbed to his lust and raped her, even though he was a missionary about 15 years and he was a married man.The next morning, he was found dead on the ocean shore  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ a  suicide. He couldn’t live anymore when he had done a thing which was against his religious teaching. Summing up my essay, I would like to emphasize that an advice â€Å"Practice what you preach† given in the title concerns not only people who have authority: teachers, politicians, priests, but any person in the world. If you want to be trusted, don’t speak at random waste words, because people will expect you to follow what you’ve said.

Challenges of Money Market Mkt in India Essay

The India money market is a monetary system that involves the lending and borrowing of short-term funds. India money market has seen exponential growth just after the globalization initiative in 1991. It has been observed that financial institutions do employ money market instruments for financing short-term monetary requirements of various sectors such as agriculture, finance and manufacturing. The performance of the India money market has been outstanding in the past 20 years. The central bank of the country – the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has always been playing the major role in regulating and controlling the India money market. The intervention of RBI is varied – curbing crisis situations by reducing the cash reserve ratio (CRR) or infusing more money in the economy. Money market instruments take care of the borrowers’ short-term needs and render the required liquidity to the lenders. The varied types of India money market instruments are treasury bills, repurchase agreements, commercial papers, certificate of deposit, and bankers acceptance. The major players in the money market are Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Discount and finance House of India (DFHI), banks, financial institutions, mutual funds, government and the giant corporate houses. Indian money market has a dichotomic structure. It has a simultaneous existence of both organized and unorganized money markets. The organized structure consists of the RBI , all scheduled and commercial banks and other recognized financial institutions as mentioned above. However, the unorganized part of the market consists of local moneylenders, indigenous bankers, traders, etc. This part of the market is outside the purview of the RBI. Issues and challenges of the Indian money market The money market in India has undergone tremendous developments since past twenty years. However, it is still not free of certain rigidities that are hampering the growth of the market. They are: 1. Dichotomy between Organized and Unorganized Sectors: The most important defect of the Indian money market is its division into two sectors: (a) the organised sector and (b) the unorganized sector. There is little contact, coordination and cooperation between the two sectors. In such conditions it is difficult for the Reserve Bank to ensure uniform and effective implementations of monetary policy in both the sectors. 2. Predominance of Unorganized Sector: Another important defect of the Indian money market is its predominance of unorganised sector. The indigenous bankers occupy a significant position in the money-lending business in the rural areas. In this unorganized sector, no clear-cut distinction is made between short-term and long-term and between the purposes of loans. These indigenous bankers, which constitute a large portion of the money market, remain outside the organized sector. Therefore, they seriously restrict the Reserve Bank’s control over the money market, 3. Wasteful Competition: Wasteful competition exists not only between the organised and unorganised sectors, but also among the members of the two sectors. The relation between various segments of the money market are not cordial; they are loosely connected with each other and generally follow separatist tendencies. For example, even today, the State Bank of Indian and other commercial banks look down upon each other as rivals. Similarly, competition exists between the Indian commercial banks and foreign banks. 4. Absence of All-India Money Market: Indian money market has not been organised into a single integrated all-Indian market. It is divided into small segments mostly catering to the local financial needs. For example, there is little contact between the money markets in the bigger cities, like, Bombay, Madras, and Calcutta and those in smaller towns. 5. Inadequate Banking Facilities: Indian money market is inadequate to meet the financial need of the economy. Although there has been rapid expansion of bank branches in recent years particularly after the nationalization of banks, yet vast rural areas still exist without banking facilities. As compared to the size and population of the country, the banking institutions are not enough. 6. Shortage of Capital: Indian money market generally suffers from the shortage of capital funds. The availability of capital in the money market is insufficient to meet the needs of industry and trade in the country. The main reasons for the shortage of capital are: (a) low saving capacity of the people; (b) inadequate banking facilities, particularly in the rural areas; and (c) undeveloped banking habits among the people. 7. Seasonal Shortage of Funds: A Major drawback of the Indian money market is the seasonal stringency of credit and higher interest rates during a part of the year. Such a shortage invariably appears during the busy months from November to June when there is excess demand for credit for carrying on the harvesting and marketing operations in agriculture. As a result, the interest rates rise in this period. On the contrary, during the slack season, from July to October, the demand for credit and the rate of interest decline sharply. 8. Diversity of Interest Rates: Another defect of Indian money market is the multiplicity and disparity of interest rates. In 1931, the Central Banking Enquiry Committee wrote: â€Å"The fact that a call rate of 3/4 per cent, a hundi rate of 3 per cent, a bank rate of 4 per cent, a bazar rate of small traders of 6.25 per cent and a Calcutta bazar rate for bills of small trader of 10 per cent can exist simultaneously indicates an extraordinary sluggishness of the movement of credit between various markets.† The interest rates also differ in various centres like Bombay, Calcutta, etc. Variations in the interest rate structure is largely due to the credit immobility because of inadequate, costly and time-consuming means of transferring money. Disparities in the interest rates adversely affect the smooth and effective functioning of the money market. 9. Absence of Bill Market: The existence of a well-organized bill market is essential for the proper and efficient working of money market. Unfortunately, in spite of the serious efforts made by the Reserve Bank of India, the bill market in India has not yet been fully developed. The short-term bills form a much smaller proportion of the bank finance in India as compared to that in the advanced countries. Many factors are responsible for the underdeveloped bill market in India: * Most of the commercial transactions are made in terms of cash. * Cash credit is the main form of borrowing from the banks. Cash credit is given by the banks against the security of commodities. No bills are involved in this type of credit. * The practice of advancing loans by the sellers also limits the use of bills. * Heavy stamp duty discourages the use of exchange bills. * Absence of acceptance houses is another factor responsible for the underdevelopment of bill market in India. * In their desire to ensure greater liquidity and public confidence, the Indian banks prefer to invest their funds in first class government securities than in exchange bills. * The RBI also prefers to extend rediscounting facility to the commercial banks against approved securities. Comparison of Indian money market with Developed & Developing economies MONEY MARKET IN A DEVELOPED ECONOMY (with the US in reference) The domestic money market in the United States carries out the largest volume of transactions of any such market in the world; its participants include the most heterogeneous group of financial and nonfinancial concerns to be found in any money market; it permits trading in an unusually wide variety of money substitutes; and it is less centralized geographically than the money market of any other country. Although there has always been a clustering of money market activities in New York City and much of the country’s participation in the international money market centers there, a process of continuous change during the 20th century has produced a genuinely national money market. The unit banking system: This system has led inevitably to striking differences between money market arrangements in the United States and those of other countries. At times, some smaller banks almost inevitably find that the wholesale facilities of the money market cannot provide promptly the funds needed to meet unexpected reserve drains, as deposits move about the country from one bank to another. MONEY MARKET IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES Well-developed money markets exist in only a few high-income countries. In other countries money markets are narrow, poorly integrated, and in many cases virtually nonexistent. Despite the many differences among countries, one can say in general that the degree of development of a country’s financial system, including its money markets, is directly related to the level of its economy. Most developing countries, except those having socialist systems, have the encouragement of money markets as a policy objective, if only to provide outlets for short-term government securities. At the same time many of these governments pursue low-interest-rate policies in order to reduce the cost of government debt and to encourage investment. Such policies discourage saving and make money market instruments unattractive. Nevertheless, a demand for short-term funds and a supply of them exist in all market-oriented economies. In many developing countries these pressures have led to â€Å"unorganized money markets,† which are often highly developed in urban areas Such markets are unorganized because they are outside â€Å"normal† financial institutions; they manage to escape government controls over interest rates; but at the same time they do not function very effectively because interest rates are high and contacts between localities and among borrowers and lenders are limited. Money Market Instruments in India: 1. COMMERCIAL PAPERS (CPs) : Commercial Paper (CP) is a negotiable short-term unsecured promissory note with fixed maturity, issued by well-rated companies generally sold on discount basis. It does not originate from any specific self-liquidating trade transaction like commercial bill which generally arise out of specific trade or commercial transaction. CP was introduced in India in 1990 with a view to enabling highly rated corporate borrowers to diversify their sources of short-term borrowings and to provide an additional instrument to investors. The CP rates usually lie between prime lending rate of commercial banks and some benchmark interest rate like 91-day Treasury bill rate, bank rate, 3 month MIBOR, Average Call Money Rate, etc. Except for the bank rate, which is a policy- induced rate, other rates are market determined. Risks associated with Cps: Credit Risk: Moderate to high. The ratings of the company issuing the commercial paper should be monitored; i.e., A-1/P-1. Liquidity Risk: Moderate. If a company has credit problems it may receive a negative credit watch, which will lead to a rating being downgraded. Commercial paper also may be somewhat difficult to sell. Market Risk: Moderate, due to the short-term nature of this security. CHALLENEGES ASSOCIATED WITH CPs: * Higher financial costs force organizational decisions and changes * Substantial initial collateral requirements * More risky as debt holders can force closure of MFI * More tricky cash flow management as principal is repaid * Early negotiations require a new set of skills and contacts * Local banks may not be willing to be cooperative * Loans may be dollarized in an inflationary situation * Too many subsidized loans can retard move to market rate 2. CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSITS (CDs) : This scheme was introduced in July 1989, to enable the banking system to mobilize bulk deposits from the market, which they can have at competitive rates of interest. The major features are:   Who can issue- Scheduled commercial banks (except RRBs) and All India Financial Institutions within their `Umbrella limit’. Investors- Individuals (other than minors), corporations, companies, trusts, funds, associations etc Maturity -Min: 7 days Max : 12 Months (in case of FIs minimum 1 year and maximum 3 years). Amount- Min: Rs.1 lac, beyond which in multiple of Rs.1 lac Interest Rate- Market related. Fixed or floating Loan- Against collateral of CD not permitted Pre-mature cancellation- Not allowed Transfer, Endorsement & delivery- Any time Other conditions †¢ If payment day is holiday, to be paid on next preceding business day †¢Issued at a discount to face value †¢Duplicate can be issued after giving a public notice & obtaining indemnity CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH CDs: * No additions are permitted to be made to any CD. Unless otherwise required by law CDs may not be withdrawn prior to maturity. When one purchases a CD, he has to agree with the issuing depository institution to keep your funds on deposit for the term of the CD. * CDs are not automatically renewed * CDs are relatively illiquid and taxable instruments. Hence, generally people do not find an incentive to hold CDs. * One might not get a fixed interest rate if you choose the wrong type of CD. It’s important to understand the distinction between variable-rate CDs (which can be less predictable) and those that offer fixed rates. 3. TREASURY BILLS (T-BILLS) : Treasury bills, popularly known as T-bills, are short-term finance bills issued by the government. They are not backed by any trade transaction, like the commercial bills. These bills are highly liquid and risk-free as they are backed by a guarantee from the government. They were earlier issued for 91 days but now there are also 182 days and 364 days treasury bills. These treasury bills are floated through auctions conducted by RBI. The Reserve Bank of India as the leader and controller of money market, buys and sells these treasury bills. The buying and selling operations are conducted by DFHI on behalf of RBI for stabilizing the money market. Who can buy – Treasury bills can be purchased by any one (including individuals) except State govt. These are issued by RBI and sold through fortnightly or monthly auctions at varying discount rate depending upon the bids. Denomination – Minimum amount of face value Rs.1L and in multiples thereof. There is no specific amount/limit on the extent to which these can be issued or purchased. Maturity : 91-days TBs, 182-days TBs, 364-days TBs and two types of 14-days TBills. Rate of interest -Market determined, based on demand for and supply of funds in the money market. CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH T-BILLS: * T-Bills do not fetch very attractive yields. * Though T-bills are sold through auction in order to ensure market rates for the investor, in actuality, competitive bids are almost absent. The RBI is compelled to accept these non-competitive bids , hence, adequate returns are not available. It makes T-bills unpopular. * Generally , the investors hold T-Bills till maturity and they do not come for circulation. Hence, active trading and mobility in T-bill market is adversely affected. 4. REPURCHASE AGREEMENT (REPO AND REVERSE REPO) : Repo is a money market instrument, which enables collateralized short term borrowing and lending through sale/purchase operations in debt instruments. Under a repo transaction, a holder of securities sells them to an investor with an agreement to repurchase at a predetermined date and rate. In the case of a repo, the forward clean price of the bonds is set in advance at a level which is different from the spot clean price by adjusting the difference between repo interest and coupon earned on the security. A reverse repo is the mirror image of a repo. For, in a reverse repo, securities are acquired with a simultaneous commitment to resell. Hence whether a transaction is a repo or a reverse repo is determined only in terms of who initiated the first leg of the transaction. When the reverse repurchase transaction matures, the counterparty returns the security to the entity concerned and receives its cash along with a profit spread. One factor which encourages an organization to enter into reverse repo is that it earns some extra income on its otherwise idle cash. Broadly, there are four types of repos available in the international market when classified with regard to maturity of underlying securities, pricing, term of repo etc. They comprise buy-sell back repo, classic repo bond borrowing and lending and tripartite repos. CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS: * As far as risks are concerned although repos are collateralized transactions they are still exposed to counterparty risk and the issuer risk associated with the collateral. As far as the counterparty risk is concerned, the investor should be able to liquidate the securities received as collateral, thus largely offsetting any loss. Against this the seller /lender of bonds will hold cash or other securities as protection against non-return of the lent securities. In both the cases it is to be ensured that the realizable value equals or exceeds the exposure. * There is also the concentration risk resulting from illiquid issues which are used as collateral in the transaction. * Again, even where global agreements are signed full transfer of ownership as per contractual protections could be enforced only where a clean legal opinion is available in respect of jurisdiction concerned. In other words, repos are also prone to legal risks if care is not taken. 5. MONEY MARKET MUTUAL FUNDS (MMMF): 6. COLLATERALIZED BORROWING AND LENDING OBLIGATION (CBLO) It is a money market instrument as approved by RBI, is a product developed by CCIL (Clearing Council of India Ltd) . CBLO is a discounted instrument available in electronic book entry form for the maturity period ranging from one day to 90 Days (can be made available up to one year as per RBI guidelines). CBLO is explained as under: †¢ An obligation by the borrower to return the money borrowed, at a specified future date; †¢ An authority to the lender to receive money lent, at a specified future date with an option/privilege to transfer the authority to another person for value received; †¢ An underlying charge on securities held in custody (with CCIL) for the amount borrowed/lent. Banks, financial institutions, primary dealers, mutual funds and co-operative banks, who are members of NDS, are allowed to participate in CBLO transactions. Non-NDS members like corporate, co-operative banks, NBFCs, Pension/Provident Funds, Trusts etc. are allowed to participate by obtaining Associate Membership to CBLO Segment. In order to enable the market participants to borrow and lend funds, CCIL provides the Dealing System through: – Indian Financial Network (INFINET), a closed user group to the Members of the Negotiated Dealing System (NDS) who maintain Current account with RBI. – Internet gateway for other entities who do not maintain Current account with RBI.

Theodore Roosevelt My Legacy Leader essayEssay Writing Service

Theodore Roosevelt My Legacy Leader essayEssay Writing Service Theodore Roosevelt My Legacy Leader essay Theodore Roosevelt My Legacy Leader essayLeadership is crucial for the military as well as politicians. At the same time, leadership is not just the innate quality but it is also the acquired set of skills and abilities, which leaders develop in the course of their personal and professional development. Leadership is particularly important for the military as well as for politicians because they have to perform roles of leaders in the course of their career to reach success. Moreover, leadership is not only a strong element of the professional development of the military and politicians but also a part of their responsibility because the military have to lead soldiers into the battle and help them to reach their unit’s tasks, while politicians also have to be leaders since they represent a large number of people, who vote for them and whose interests they serve. In this regard, I believe that I can also succeed as the military and politician due to my leadership skills and abi lities. At the same time, I believe Theodore Roosevelt was the prominent leader, whose experience is worth studying and whose way is worth following, because he was a prominent and successful leader, who was close to his people and who had charisma that made many people following his lead. However, what makes Theodore Roosevelt particularly important for me as a leader model is his proximity to his people since he seemed to be just one of his soldiers, when he was in the military, and he was just like a guy living next door, when he was the President of the US. In this regard, the legacy of Theodore Roosevelt proves the full extent to which effective leadership is important in both the military and politics because, as the military, he united cowboys and led his guys into the Spanish-American war as the true military leader, and he enhanced the position of the US as the world power as the political leader of the country. This is why I believe leadership is the key to the professiona l success and effective performance in the field of the military and politics.The importance of leadership in the military and politics reveals the close interrelatedness between these two fields. To put it more precisely, as the experience of Theodore Roosevelt shows, the army is an essential component of any state and a state cannot be strong and successful without the army. At the same time, a strong army cannot exist in a state, where there are no strong, charismatic and reasonable leaders. They can develop the successful policy that makes the state stronger, while the army relies on wise state policies and enhances the state through its deployment to protect national interests.The army is the core of any state but the effective and successful army can exist only on the condition of soldiers and officers, who can serve to their nation and stand for national interests of the state and its people. Professionals serving in the army, especially those, who want to become leaders, hav e to be aware of key competences and features that army leaders should match as well as all professionals serving in the army should. At this point, it is possible to refer to the army’s 3Cs, which include character, competence, and commitment. These features are crucial for soldiers and officers because they comprise the core of a true military.The character implies that an army professional’s dedication and adherence to the Army values, virtues, purpose, identity, ethics, and morals as consistently and faithfully demonstrated in decisions and actions. The respect and adherence to the army values, virtues, purpose, identity, ethics and morals are crucial for professionals working in the military because they should be aware of the background of the organization, where they work and stick to its system of values. Otherwise, there is no room for professionals, who disregard the traditional set of values of the US army. The successful military leadership starts with unde rstanding the army’s set of values, its character and adherence to those values. The leader should not only manifest respect and understanding of those values but also personify them to make soldiers following his/her lead.The competence means that an army professional’s demonstrated ability to successfully perform their duties and to accomplish the mission with discipline and to standard. Professionals working in the army should be able to perform their duties perfectly, especially leaders. Discipline and fulfillment of duties are primary concerns of soldiers and officers because they are crucial for the army. In fact, discipline and fulfillment of duties determine, whether the army can perform its military tasks successfully or not (Hendrix, 2009). The lack of discipline or poor fulfillment of professional duties by the military can lead to the failure of military operations and undermine the effectiveness of the army. On the contrary, the ability of the army and pro fessionals working in the army to stick to the strict discipline and fulfillment of their duties makes the army, which is properly equipped and supplied, virtually undefeatable.The commitment implies that the resolve of army professionals to contribute Honorable Service to the Nation, to perform their duties with discipline and to standards, and to strive to successfully and ethically accomplish the mission despite adversity, obstacles, and challenge. The commitment is essential for the successful development of a leader in the military environment. More important, the commitment can contribute to the development of the successful political career. The rise of the political leader committed to his or her nation is one of the essential conditions of the popularity of the leader among people. People adore leaders committed to nation and traditional American values, as was the case of Theodore Roosevelt, for example, who manifested his commitment to the US and traditional American valu es. This is why his people adored him as the military leader and Americans liked him as the political leader of the nation.Theodore Roosevelt is my leader of influence, whose attributes and competencies contributed to the military and the community consistently. He was a charismatic leader, who stuck closely to traditional American values. Even though, in some respects, his traditionalism was excessive. For example, he was renowned for his robust masculinity but, in his time, this was a distinct feature of the leader and male domination was traditional in the US in the late 19th – early 20th century (Rofe, 2008). At the same time, he was a charismatic leader with a strong will. For example, he grew as a weak child, who suffered from asthma. However, in spite of his serious health problems, he focused on his physical development. For example, he practiced boxing at Harvard. In addition, he was ambidextrous and proficient in different fields, from biology to history. In such a way, a true leader cannot be skilled in one field only, like the military, for example. Instead, the leader should be like Theodore Roosevelt, proficient in different fields and be physically and intellectually well-developed.At this point, the development of my leader of influence contributed to his personal growth and development as a soldier and leader (Ricard, 2006). For example, his strong will and physical training, along with his habit to overcome difficulties and challenges, have proved to be very useful for his personal growth and development as a soldier and leader. Moreover, he was a true patriot of the US, who loved his fatherland and believed that the US should play the leading part in the region. This is why he headed his regiment of cowboys in the Spanish American war, while his activities and wins in Cuba had brought him the national approval and recognition.Furthermore, he had proved to be a true leader, who was recognized and followed blindly by his soldiers (Holme s, 2006). His soldiers really liked him and they were ready to follow his lead, even when operations conducted by Roosevelt were risky. Moreover, it was Roosevelt, who persuaded them to join him and take part in the Spanish American war. Roosevelt was also the leader, who had managed to unite western and eastern cowboys.The legacy that I would like to leave is similar to the legacy of Theodore Roosevelt. Americans liked him and ignored his pitfalls. The legacy that I want to leave is one that can effectively and positively affect the lives of the soldiers that serve under me and my family. I would like soldiers under my lead to follow me blindly and believe in every move that I make without hesitation so that I could rely on my soldiers and conduct military operations under my lead and responsibility (Oyos, 2011).   At the same time, I would also like to be a leader, whom soldiers remember and like. Moreover, I would also like to be a leader, who establishes the family environment within his military unit, when each soldier treats each other as family members and are ready to die for each other.   At the same time, I believe that the true military leader keeps growing not only professionally but also personally. For example, while serving in the military I have become a better father and husband and that by being a father and husband I am a better soldier.Thus, leadership is crucial for military and political leaders. At this point, it is possible to refer to the example of Theodore Roosevelt, who was the true leader of the army and the entire nation. His soldiers perceived him like a father, while the nation perceived him as a true national leader, who stood for national interests of the US and stuck to traditional American values. This is why I would like to be similar to Theodore Roosevelt as the military and political leader. His legacy is worth studying and his leadership model is worth following. As for me, I expect to have the similar legacy and I w ould like my soldiers liked me and treated me like a father.

So Easy To Give Up †Creative Writing

So Easy To Give Up – Creative Writing Free Online Research Papers So Easy To Give Up Creative Writing Some years ago, I was the kind of girl who wrote diary every day, and this habit accompanied me for quite a few years. Life in those years were not so colorful, so things written down in the diary were those like â€Å"Chatted with xx today about the origin of the universe.† or â€Å"Came across a handsome boy but unluckily he did not want to know me.† and so on. But I was that time abundant with thoughts, and I would write about anything happening on me to thousands of words. Apart from things like â€Å"I lied to mom today, and I promise this would never happen again†, there were quite a number of this kind of diaries. But unfortunately I did the same thing again the next day. I also said that â€Å"From today on I would never play computer games, because it is time for me to have a change.† But every time I saw the computer, I totally failed. Give up? That was the main clue of my college years. I was so good at giving up and so used to it that I never felt ashamed but proud of it. That was because I could always find reasons for my giving up. I gave up again and again, from lying, playing computer to life and love. My enthusiasm faded away year after year, and my obligation disappeared. I did not know what I should do and what I could do. Gradually, I feel not used to talk about â€Å"obligation†, however, I used â€Å"idea† to replace it. So I am often asking and being asked â€Å"Have any ideas or not?† when hearing somebody talking about obligation on campus, I would feel so uncomfortable and even a little bit superior because I consider obligation as a naà ¯ve thing. I began to concern about the tiny profit and loss in my life, to measure the distance between men, and to talk about right and wrong. Breadth of mind is becoming narrower and narrower, and mood worse and worse. So what is wrong with me? Haven known the sharp drop in my study, one of my college teacher, who had been concerned about me all the time, wrote a letter to me, expressing his astonishment towards me. His tongue of sadness and grieve moved me till today, and I have to bury the feeling of regret ness down my deep heart. There was a sentence in his letter which impressed me so much. He said, there is something in your life which you can not get again if you give up them once. I know what he meant by this. Man’s ability is limited, if he would not try his best in his prime time, what can we expect from him? I have watched a Japanese movie. It was boring. But there was a sentence in it which I can never forget: â€Å"There are no dress rehearsals in your life. Every day is a living broadcast†. Indeed, we always think there is a day for the living broadcast, so everyday we indulge ourselves in the dress rehearsals, but life, unfortunately, was consumed in these usual days. In fact, everyday is so important and it can not be repeated. To treasure every minute, and to build up my obligation to get close to it. This is the modal of me when I am now in my third year of college. No high-sounding, but never to give up! And now, at least, I would not be satisfied to choose my occupation, to choose my family, to choose a big color TV, to choose health, to choose dentist insurance, too choose my beautiful suit, to choose the boring TV programs, and to choose my life. May be you will say life is just like this, but I will not believe in that! Research Papers on So Easy To Give Up - Creative WritingPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyCapital PunishmentQuebec and CanadaThe Spring and AutumnThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsHip-Hop is Art19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationWhere Wild and West MeetStandardized Testing

Battle of Grunwald (Tannenberg) 1410

Battle of Grunwald (Tannenberg) 1410 After nearly two centuries of crusading on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea, the Teutonic Knights had carved out a sizable state. Among their conquests was the key region of Samogitia which linked the Order with their branch to the north in Livonia. In 1409, a rebellion began in the region which was backed by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In response to this support, the Teutonic Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen threatened to invade. This statement induced the Kingdom of Poland to join with Lithuania in opposing the Knights. On August 6, 1409, Jungingen declared war on both states and fighting began. After two months of fighting, a truce extending to June 24, 1410, was brokered and both sides withdrew to strengthen their forces. While the Knights sought foreign aid, King Wladislaw II Jagiello of Poland and Grand Duke Vytautus of Lithuania agreed upon a mutual strategy for the resumption of hostilities. Rather than invade separately as the Knights anticipated, they planned to unite their armies for a drive on the Knights capital at Marienburg (Malbork). They were aided in this plan when Vytautus made peace with Livonian Order. Moving to Battle Uniting at Czerwinsk in June 1410, the combined Polish-Lithuanian army moved north towards the border. To keep the Knights off balance, small attacks and raids were conducted away from the main line of advance. On July 9, the combined army crossed the border. Learning of the enemys approach, Jungingen raced east from Schwetz with his army and established a fortified line behind the Drewenz River. Reaching the Knights position, Jagiello called a council of war and elected to move east rather than make an attempt on the Knights lines. Marching towards Soldau, the combined army then attacked and burned Gligenburg. The Knights paralleled Jagiello and Vytautus advance, crossing the Drewenz near Là ¶bau and arriving between the villages of Grunwald, Tannenberg (StÄ™bark), and Ludwigsdorf. In this area on the morning of July 15, they encountered the forces of the combined army. Deploying on a northeast–southwest axis, Jagiello and Vytautus formed with the Polish heavy cavalry on the left, infantry in the center, and Lithuanian light cavalry on the right. Wishing to fight a defensive battle, Jungingen formed opposite and awaited attack. The Battle of Grunwald As the day progressed, the Polish-Lithuanian army stayed in place and made no indication that they intended to attack. Increasingly impatient, Jungingen dispatched messengers to chide the allied leaders and provoke them to action. Arriving in Jagiellos camp, they presented the two leaders with swords to aid them in the battle. Angered and insulted, Jagiello and Vytautus moved to open the battle. Pushing forward on the right, the Lithuanian cavalry, supported by Russian and Tartar auxiliaries, began an attack on the Teutonic forces. Though initially successful, they were soon pushed back by the Knights heavy cavalry. The retreat soon became a rout with the Lithuanians fleeing the field. This may have been the result of a misinterpreted false retreat conducted by the Tartars. A favored tactic, the sight of them intentionally retreating may have led to panic among the other ranks. Regardless, the Teutonic heavy cavalry broke formation and began a pursuit. As the battle flowed on the right, the remaining Polish-Lithuanian forces engaged the Teutonic Knights. Focusing their assault on the Polish right, the Knights began to gain the upper hand and forced Jagiello to commit his reserves to the fight. As the battle raged, Jagiellos headquarters was attacked and he was nearly killed. The battle began to turn in Jagiello and Vytautus favor when the Lithuanian troops that had fled rallied and began to return to the field. Striking the Knights in the flank and rear, they began to drive them back. In the course of the fighting, Jungingen was killed. Retreating, some of the Knights attempted a final defense at their camp near Grunwald. Despite using wagons as barricades, they were soon overrun and either killed or forced to surrender. Defeated, the surviving Knights fled the field. Aftermath In the fighting at Grunwald, the Teutonic Knights lost around 8,000 killed and 14,000 captured. Among the dead were many of the Orders key leaders. Polish-Lithuanian losses are estimated at around 4,000-5,000 killed and 8,000 wounded. The defeat at Grunwald effectively destroyed the Teutonic Knights field army and they were unable to oppose the enemys advance on Marienburg. While several of the Orders castles surrendered without a fight, others remained defiant. Reaching Marienburg, Jagiello and Vytautus laid siege on July 26. Lacking the necessary siege equipment and supplies, the Poles and Lithuanians were forced to break off the siege that September. Receiving foreign aid, the Knights were able to quickly recover most of their lost territory and fortresses. Defeated again that October at the Battle of Koronowo, they entered peace negotiations. These produced the Peace of Thorn in which they renounced claims to Dobrin Land and, temporarily, to Samogitia. In addition, they were saddled with a massive financial indemnity which crippled the Order. The defeat at Grunwald left a long-lasting humiliation that remained part of the Prussian identity until the German victory on the nearby ground at the Battle of Tannenberg in 1914. Selected Sources Teutonic Knights: Battle of GrunwaldBattle of Grunwald 1410

Cadbury Schweppes Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Cadbury Schweppes Management - Case Study Example In these days, cocoa beans were being imported from south and Central America and West Indies. In fact the cocoa beans had so much value and were expensive. It could only be afforded with the wealthy and elite people of the society then. Experimenting with his pestle and mortar, John Cadbury produced a range of cocoa and chocolate drinks with the latter having sugar (Cadbury, 2008). In 1861, John Cadbury the founder handed over the business to his eldest sons Richard and George. It is to their leadership that the success of the Cadbury Brothers limited is owed. In 1899 the business became a private limited company and was branded Cadbury brothers Limited. The growth of the business led to invention of the chocolate bars which were now spiced up with milk The first milk chocolate that was ever made was course, dry and neither sweet nor milky enough for the public taste. At the same time, there was great competition from other continental manufactures of chocolate which led to the need of the Cadbury Company to launch other tastes and variety of chocolates one of them being dairy maid which later became dairy milk and finally evolved to be branded Cadbury dairy milk, which has a unique flavor and smooth. Cadbury Brothers limited later merged with Schweppes Inc in 1969 to form Cadbury Schweppes plc which is a confectionery and Beverage Company that processes non alcoholic beverage. It has an employee base of approximately 59000. Cadbury Schweppes Plc currently has its headquarters in Berkeley Square, London which is in England in United Kingdom. Cadbury Schweppes plc is principally involved in the manufacture, distribution and sale of branded beverages and confectionery, in addition to other related foods. It supplies its products through wholesale and retail outlets of the confectionery which are licensed and registered by the state in which they are located. Cadbury Schweppes plc trades in almost all the countries that are available worldwide because contemporary knowledge, it is one of the leading chocolate producers world wide. Cadbury Schweppes plc markets a range of chocolates, gum and sugar confectionery brands worldwide. These brands are in the form of bars, blocks, bagged pr oducts, packets, rolls, boxed assortments, chocolate eggs and novelties (Cadbury, 2008). There are various myths which have been propagated about management which are supposed to help organizations increase their earnings. Myths in the business arena usually come up as managers try to find ways to survive in the business world which is usually full of challenges and uncertainty. They provide some kind of hope as they provide something that managers can hold onto as they run their businesses. These myths usually influence the way companies make decisions and the way management run firms as much as the strategies have not been proved to be true. These myths help managers come up with a set of policies or strategies that they employ in order to help their organizations achieve certain objectives. Some of these myths according to Foss (2006) include the fact that it is harder to acquire a competitive edge if a company uses outside resources or resources it has purchased instead of using internally produced resources. The root cause of this misunderstanding cropped up from Co ol and Barney argument that only resources that cannot be sold by the company are considered to be valuable. Cadburys has not

Leading Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Leading - Essay Example In portraying managers as leaders, several factors define leadership in managers. These factors are discussed below. Control- good leadership in management is demonstrated by the ability of managers to control. At times difficult situations may arise in the company that requires a strong personality to come over it. This therefore requires a manager to posses the quality and zeal of control in order to be able to come over such matters. Control in management incorporates an upright ability to exude confidence in the decisions you make that affect the people around you and the institution under your management. This also entails instilling the same confidence in others so that they can exhibit the same virtues. Courage- every decision making process presents a different scenario to the manager of any company. The period that succeeds decision making is always full of uncertainty. This is because when a decision is made, there is an expected result. This is because the success of the decision can either pass or fail. To be a leader, you must have the courage to make decisions without fear of failing. This defines the leadership in a manger. Top manager- the top managers have the responsibility of showing exemplary leadership and also attempt to lead through positive influence. In bestowed upon them to lead with a lot of knowledge and understanding of what management entails to the managers. Their leadership strategy includes the following; Building employee engagement- employees are the working unit of a company. This makes them the most important part of the company. Their involvement in the company issues is very fundamental. This is because everyday management of the company directly affects them. In order to build a lasting company that is assured good business future, employee engagement into the issues touching the operability of the company is always deemed a very good aspect of top management. This

Music & the Liturgy Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Music & the Liturgy Paper - Essay Example The Psalms feature strongly, prefiguring the life of Christ, and particular festivals bring into focus scenes such as the Nativity and the Passion of Christ which were then the subject matter of hymns and sequences. The major festivals of Christmas and Easter create the setting for the composing of new sacred music, and many of the great composers produced multiple settings of the same texts, giving the world a rich collection of variations which, when compared, give an insight into the subtle changes in Christian musical and religious sensibility through the ages. This paper considers in particular three settings of one of the world’s favourite Latin hymns known as Stabat Mater Dolorosa. The origins of the text itself are obscure, but scholars date it to the thirteenth century. The essence of its meaning is a reflection on the sorrowing figure of Mother of Christ, standing beneath the cross and weeping for the death of her son. The subject matter is emotive, and yet in its li nkage of suffering with the path to salvation, it has a positive message for believers, encouraging them to bear their troubles bravely and look to a blessed future with Christ in Paradise. This text has been reworked many times, using elements of secular music through the ages to enhance its relevance in successive generations. The reasons for the diverging approaches to Church music in different parts of Europe are linked to the cataclysmic events surrounding the Reformation. At the heart of this debate lay fundamental differences in the way that the Biblical text was perceived. In the protestant parts of Europe there was a growing desire to centre the literal text of scripture as the source of fundamental truth, and to place human additions such as preaching, music and the use of other devotional aids including the liturgy as secondary aids to the interpretation of this main truth. Polyphony in this context was an opportunity to explore hidden meanings in a text, having different voices express different aspects of its message for example. Emphasis and amplification could be achieved in this way. In the Roman Catholic tradition, on the other hand, the holy scripture was combined with apostolic traditions as the source of truth, leading to a higher status for the liturgy and a tendency for musical contributions to become bearers of the doctrine as much as the readings from the Bible itself. It is this emphasis on the importance of the liturgy that caused the Roman Catholic Church to clamp down on secular influences creeping into worship. The lively motet tradition, with its celebration of secular and even bawdy themes was seen as a negative influence, and this is why a return to the purity of Gregorian chant was advocated by the Church authorities. The role of the Stabat Mater was a cause of much debate in the fifteenth to seventeenth centuries because it was at the same time much loved by the population but also clearly non-Biblical in content. It became pa rt of the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows at in 1413 at the Council of Cologne and this hymn became part of the liturgy in Northern Europe from that time onwards. In the south, however, the piece was sporadically performed, but did not become such a firm part of the liturgical programme. It has been noted also that some such pieces were performed on the edge of the formal

Older peoples' experiences of crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Older peoples' experiences of crime - Essay Example ultural and political authorities came into being with the passage of time, to evade disturbance and control deviancy from the prescribed manners prevailing in some specific area. Punishment and penalties were implemented leading towards the formulation of the sets of laws and penal codes. Agencies were originated to cope with the individuals deteriorating the peace and stability of society. Abnormal attitude creating public nuisance was declared as crime against the state and its individuals. Durkheim views crime, states Coser (1977:141), as normal in terms of its occurrence, and even as having positive social functions in terms of its consequences. In his words: "Where crime exists, collective sentiments are sufficiently flexible to take on a new form, and crime sometimes helps to determine the form they will take. How many times, indeed, it is only an anticipation of future morality--a step toward what will be." As criminal behaviour contains universality in its concept, it is not limited to one social class or age group only. Though there is no hard and fast rule for the victimization of specific crime on specific group, yet there are some types of pestering which can be attributed to particular group or class. The nature of crimes varies from one age group to the other. Also, there is diversity in respect of gender while enduring criminal behaviour. For instance, crimes like sexual assaults, rape and abduction are inflicted upon women and children, and males are often victim of robbery and murder. In the same way, older people are usually victim of theft, embezzlement, robbery, misrepresentation and white collar crimes. â€Å"Although individuals may be abused†, McDonald and A. Collins view, â€Å"at virtually any life stage – childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, middle age or old age – the nature and consequences of abuse may differ depending on an individualâ⠂¬â„¢s situation. Older adults experiences of abuse, for example, may be related to their

Analyzing article for Derivatives Risk and Management Class Essay

Analyzing article for Derivatives Risk and Management Class - Essay Example For mothers, they might have an option to be a plain housewife or to be a working mom. For working parents with meager income, they might have an option to start a new business and leave their jobs or to continue working for a company. All of these options seem to have a thing in common: uncertainty and the need of a decision. However, decisions are not made out of thin air; they have to be carefully woven and a well thought because any wrong move would affect the success of one’s own life. The question then is how to come up with a sound decision. In business sense, there are so-called financial options that give individuals the right, not an obligation to make a business decision---usually involving capital investments. Basically, there are two types of methods. One is the traditional method, commonly used is the net present value, which solely assess the financial value of the decision therefore ignoring any economic implications. The decision involved here will be very obj ective taking into account only the discount factors, cost of capital, etc. Using this method, if the computation produces a positive net present value, the investment must be pushed through. On the contrary, the second one, which is the real options method, is a modern approach to decision making. It takes into consideration the importance of a flexible management and a dynamic working atmosphere. Thus, clearly, it does not purely focus on the financial aspect of the decision but also on its economic value. Options start to surface as they pose new opportunities. Opportunities of growth are commonly the main reason why individuals are looking out on them rather than sticking to their present condition. However, the results of these opportunities may or may not materialize in the short-run, medium-term, or long run. There are a lot of factors to be considered before considering an option hence it may take some time to come up with a final decision. First is the irreversibility of th e decision. Once a person is already at it, he/she cannot easily escape from the realms of his/her decision. Second, opportunity loss may be offset by waiting for the appropriate time to implement the action. In other words, an allowance for a delay in decision-making is provided in order to make more sound decisions. To meet these two requirements, there are these â€Å"real options† that are allows you to exercise what you want to accomplish in the future. To show a concrete example, consider a young man who recently graduated from a university with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. After finally getting out of the academe, he had in mind two options: to continue his studies in Law School or to work in the corporate world and earn money. In this case, whatever the decision is, a trade off will exist. Notice also that whatever decision he chooses, then it would be irreversible as it would mean a waste of time and money. If he goes to Law School, that mea ns he has to forego the course that he has taken up for years and enter a new realm or school of thought. Therefore, there is an opportunity cost involved here. However, there is a need to do so in order to be flexible enough to face the world waiting for him outside the academe. Financially, it would not be favorable for him to take up law because he will just be spending another years in law school both with time and

Computer Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Computer Ethics - Essay Example On the other hand, when an individual holds a positive right, then, the right holds others responsible to act in respect of those rights towards the individual. It is held that positive rights never comes into existence, up until they are created through a contract, which obliges an individual to act in a certain way, as regards the other party involved in the contract (Westin, 1967). Under such creation of a positive right, an individual is duty bound to fulfill some given obligations, towards the other person, failure to which, he will have breached the contract. For example, a negative right occurs where an organization is hindered from selling the properties of another, in order to pay for a debt that the other organization owes the first one. On the other hand, an example of a positive right is the duty held by an organization to protect and care for the property of another organization, like under a case of receivership. There are two major approaches to the protection and privacy of personal information. Under a free market view, companies are allowed more freedom to do what they want with personal information, with an expectation that customer will chose to indulge with companies respecting their privacy (Mahan, 2001). Under the consumer protection view, it is required that the government advocates for strict standards that guide the protection of privacy of individual information (Sterba, 1998). Thus, there is no greater concern for errors issued by a credit bureau in free market view, as there is in consumer protection view. A case for anonymity on the internet is that it allows an individual to share thought that are controversial or thought inappropriate for the conservative society, without the fear of being known. Another case for anonymity is that it allows people to ask technical questions, which they would want to openly declare they do not know (Mahan, 2001). A case against anonymity is that it allows for the abuse and

Analyzing article for Derivatives Risk and Management Class Essay

Analyzing article for Derivatives Risk and Management Class - Essay Example For mothers, they might have an option to be a plain housewife or to be a working mom. For working parents with meager income, they might have an option to start a new business and leave their jobs or to continue working for a company. All of these options seem to have a thing in common: uncertainty and the need of a decision. However, decisions are not made out of thin air; they have to be carefully woven and a well thought because any wrong move would affect the success of one’s own life. The question then is how to come up with a sound decision. In business sense, there are so-called financial options that give individuals the right, not an obligation to make a business decision---usually involving capital investments. Basically, there are two types of methods. One is the traditional method, commonly used is the net present value, which solely assess the financial value of the decision therefore ignoring any economic implications. The decision involved here will be very obj ective taking into account only the discount factors, cost of capital, etc. Using this method, if the computation produces a positive net present value, the investment must be pushed through. On the contrary, the second one, which is the real options method, is a modern approach to decision making. It takes into consideration the importance of a flexible management and a dynamic working atmosphere. Thus, clearly, it does not purely focus on the financial aspect of the decision but also on its economic value. Options start to surface as they pose new opportunities. Opportunities of growth are commonly the main reason why individuals are looking out on them rather than sticking to their present condition. However, the results of these opportunities may or may not materialize in the short-run, medium-term, or long run. There are a lot of factors to be considered before considering an option hence it may take some time to come up with a final decision. First is the irreversibility of th e decision. Once a person is already at it, he/she cannot easily escape from the realms of his/her decision. Second, opportunity loss may be offset by waiting for the appropriate time to implement the action. In other words, an allowance for a delay in decision-making is provided in order to make more sound decisions. To meet these two requirements, there are these â€Å"real options† that are allows you to exercise what you want to accomplish in the future. To show a concrete example, consider a young man who recently graduated from a university with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. After finally getting out of the academe, he had in mind two options: to continue his studies in Law School or to work in the corporate world and earn money. In this case, whatever the decision is, a trade off will exist. Notice also that whatever decision he chooses, then it would be irreversible as it would mean a waste of time and money. If he goes to Law School, that mea ns he has to forego the course that he has taken up for years and enter a new realm or school of thought. Therefore, there is an opportunity cost involved here. However, there is a need to do so in order to be flexible enough to face the world waiting for him outside the academe. Financially, it would not be favorable for him to take up law because he will just be spending another years in law school both with time and

The Paralegal Profession Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Paralegal Profession - Essay Example Lawyers who handle high profile, media-friendly cases gain the distinct advantage of demanding higher pay and accolades, particularly those who win more cases than their peers. Becoming a lawyer involves a lot of hard work and preparation for students who wish to pursue this career. To begin with, prospective law students must take up a pre-law course, majoring in any field of their choice, before they can proceed to their law degree. Law schools do not require any prerequisite courses for admission. However, most students choose among accounting, economics, philosophy, history, composition and literature, psychology, sociology, political science, religion and logic as their pre-law courses (Abernethy. 1996). Potential law students have many options at their disposal that will enable them to make an informed decision on whether or not to proceed with their desire to pursue a law degree or not. For example, they can sit in on a class or two to get a feel for what is expected from students in a typical law class. They may also join a tour of any law school of their choice or meet with current law students, if they are interested. Abernethy, A. J.D. Ph.D. mentions another option, which is, to â€Å"shadow† a lawyer, following him around for a day or two, just to have an idea of what a typical day for a legal professional is like. It is vital to remember that a lawyer’s daily schedule differs from one day to the next, ranging from a day in court to a long day at the library researching for a case. It is also important to note that the legal profession offers a wide range of fields—from commercial law to tax law to human rights law—so it would help the student considerably if he or she can shadow more than one lawyer (1996). Some students also get the chance to work as â€Å"runners† in a law office before they begin law school. â€Å"Runners offer general clerical assistance but their function usually entails filing papers at the

Chem lab report shampoo experiment Essay Example for Free

Chem lab report shampoo experiment Essay Investigate the Chemical Properties different shampoo brands and determine the best brand of shampoo manufacturers. Take your 1% shampoo solution in a beaker and using the pH meter find the pH value of the shampoo. Information: Most shampoos are neutral or slightly acidic. Acidic solutions cause the cuticle of the hair to shrink and lay flatter on the shaft of the hair. Basic solutions cause the cuticle to swell and open up. Acidic solutions make the hair seem smoother. Basic solutions make their hair seem frizzier. Test B (shake test- determination of foam formation): Put approximately 10ml of the 1% shampoo solution into a 250ml graduated cylinder and record the initial volume of the solution. Cover the cylinder with your thumb and shake 10 times. Record the total volume of the contents after shaking. Then calculate the volume of the foam only by subtracting the initial volume of the solution without the foam. Information: The smaller the bubbles the better the shampoo. Test C (foam quality and retention): This test should be done together with the previous test. After preforming the previous test record the amount of foam in each minute for a total of 4 minutes. Then find the amount of foam reduced in 4 minutes. Information: In a good shampoo, the foam retention should remain stable for at least five minutes. Test D (Dirt dispersion): Put 2 drops of shampoo in a large test tube. Add 10ml of distilled water and then add 1 drop of ink. Then put a stopper at the mouth of the test tube and shale it well 10 times. Then estimate the amount of ink in the foam as (none, Light, Moderate, or heavy) Information: Shampoos that cause the ink to concentrate in the foam are considered poor quality. The dirt should stay in the water portion. Dirt that stays in the foam will be difficult to rinse away. It will deposit on the hair. Precautions and improvements Make sure you measure the volume of shampoo before mixing it with distilled water to form foam. To ensure this used a dropper to add shampoo to a test tube. The observations should be as accurate as possible because it is difficult for one to identify the size of the bubble or how much ink is present in the foam. Conclusion and Evaluation From The above information we can come to conclusions of the best shampoo brand: Dove moisturizing is the best shampoo due to its best results during the test.Alberto VO5 is the worst shampoo due to its worst results during the test. Dove forms smaller bubbles, retains the amount of lather and also does not contain dirt in the foam rather than the liquid below. Therefore, Dove moisturizing shampoo passed all the tests. On the contrary, Alberto VO5 forms larger bubbles and disappears with time. It holds the dye on the foam and does not eliminate the dye to the liquid portion below. Therefore, VO5 is the worst shampoo that failed all tests. (Please note): The experiment was conducted with only limited amount of shampoo brands. Therefore the results pertain to only those involved in the experiment).

Livestock Slaughter Animals

Livestock Slaughter Animals Livestock slaughter: Processes, concerns and regulations The slaughter of livestock animals is an essential part of the world today. There are many methods and tools that can be used on the livestock. Slaughtering is performed for many reasons, the most common would be for human consumption but there is religious slaughter that is also practiced in many parts of the world. There are many laws that are enforced to ensure that the slaughter of livestock is conducted correctly and humanely to guarantee the safety of the products that are used for human consumption. The history of slaughter started as a way of survival, as humans began to become civilized they discovered that it was easier to contain the animals that they previously hunted and to put them on high protein diets to increase their weight. The more weight, the more useable product that came from the animal. Today slaughter is no longer just for survival, it is also used to control the livestock population. Although human consumption is still the primary reason, if animal slaughter did not exist their populations would increase dramatically and would become overpopulated causing inbreeding and risk of disease. The common practice of slaughter starts with the initial killing of the animal, either by a firearm shot to the head or a stunning method which is also applied to the head. The animal is then hoisted up by its hind legs with meat hooks inserted into made slits between the bone and tendon just above the hocks. The processing of a cow starts with the expulsion of the insides. Certain edible parts can be kept such as the heart, liver and intestines which can be used as casings for sausage mixes. This starts with the cutting through the hide on the hind legs just below the meat hooks and continues down the cow so the insides can now be removed. Removal of the insides is easily done and virtually mess free if an empty barrel is pressed against the chest of the animal and the insides are then rolled into the barrel as you cut down the belly. After the animal is cleaned out it is then skinned, which is the removal of its hide. Next the head and legs are removed from the animal, this is usua lly done with a hacksaw or a reciprocating saw specially made for the butchering of animals. The carcass is then cut vertically into two halves and stored into a cooler. The purpose of the cooler is to prevent microorganism growth on the carcass so it will delay decomposition of the carcass. After the carcass is fully chilled it is then brought out into the butchering end of the facility. The end of processing the animal starts with the halving the halves, so the full carcass has now been quartered. Specialty cuts are then made from here like your T-bone steak, chops, ribs, etc. All cuts of meat that are made go through a process called de-boning. It is a simple process where you make the specialty cuts, trim fat, and remove any bones and defaults in the meat. The extra meat, also called â€Å"scraps† are then put into a grinder and made into ground beef. From here it is basically the customers choice on what they desire from the animal and it is then wrapped and put into a storage freezer for the customer to pickup. Ritual, or religious slaughter, is also practiced in many parts of the world and is still practiced today. These slaughter practices are sacred and have to be performed a certain way in order to be considered religious. This type of slaughter is usually performed with the sacrifice of an animal. The difference between regular slaughter houses and ritual slaughter is the way that it is performed. The sacrificial animal has to be terminated in a certain way, usually by bleeding out and some parts of the animal can not be consumed. The two most common types of ritual slaughter are Kosher slaughter and Halal. (J.M. Regenstein, 2003) Kosher slaughter is the law of Kashrut, it is practiced by the Jewish religion but not every one in this religion follows the kosher practice because of the todays society and the practice is thought to be an outdated ritual. This practice is based upon the act of faith and being obedient to God, many of the kosher laws are derived from the Old Testament in the Bible. In order for the food to be considered Kosher, only certain livestock animals can be used such as beef, sheep, goats, and deer with no flaws or diseases. The â€Å"law† of this is that only animals that chew their cud and have cloven hooves are considered to be kosher. (J.M. Regenstein, 2003) The processes of the ritual slaughter is that as much blood as possible has to be drained from the animal, since in this religion it is forbidden to ingest the blood of the animal. The common practice of draining the blood of the animal is to cut the animals throat with an extremely sharp knife. The carcass is then hung so that the blood will drain out, after being hung, the carcass is washed and salted with â€Å"kosher salt† and cooked to well done. Halal is another form of religious slaughter that is practiced by the Muslim religion. Halal means lawful or permitted and the opposite of halal is haram which means unlawful or prohibited. Many foods are referred to as being either halal or haram. The animal must be slaughtered with only the use of an extremely sharp knife. One of the major arguments about religious slaughter is that it is considered cruel to the animal and is not a humane act of slaughtered because of the restraint methods. Most slaughter plants restrain the live animal in an upright position before the initial killing of the animal, but there are also some religious slaughter plants that hang the live animal upside down and then do the killing. Hanging a live animal upside down has many negative affects such as the possibility of harm to the animal and also to the people performing the practice. (J.M. Regenstein, 2003) Minnesota state law states the following as the humane way to terminate a livestock animal. The law requires humane slaughter of livestock, defined as any method of slaughtering livestock which normally causes animals to be rendered insensible to pain by a single blow of a mechanical instrument or shot of a firearm or by chemical, or other means that are rapid and effective; or by methods of preparation necessary to Halal ritual slaughter, Jewish ritual slaughter and of slaughtering required by the ritual of the Islamic or Jewish faith. â€Å"Livestock† under this act is limited to cattle, horses, swine, sheep and goats. Any slaughterer who by act or failure to act violates section 31.591 is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished accordingly. (Minnesota State Statute: 31.59-592) There are many different methods of slaughtering that are practiced. The cheapest would be a firearm shot to head of the animal; the most used would be the stunning method, where there are multiple stunning tools and practices. There is also a captive bolt, electrical, gas and anoxic stunning methods that are used as well. The most controversial method of slaughter would be the stunning of an animal because if not done correctly can cause only nerve damage while the cow is still conscious and alive while being processed. Recent concerns about captive bolt stunning in livestock is the spread of BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy), also know as, mad cow disease. A possible risk in using this method is that when the animal is stunned that the brain matter is forced through the jugular vein and passes through the lungs and enters the edible carcass. This poses a threat that if the animal being slaughtered had the BSE prion, an infective protein agent, in their brain and this is passed into the carcass and then later sold for human consumption. (Anil, M.H., 2001) Variant Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease (BSE in humans) is another concern when discussing methods of stunning in slaughter. This disease is caused by the consumption of contaminated central nervous system tissue that had been passed through the body of the animal into the edible parts of the carcass. (Paul Brown, 2001) The most recent topic of interest in the livestock industry today is the Bovine Tuberculosis (TB) and the effect it will have on, not only the cattle farms, but the slaughter houses themselves. The slaughter plants will now have to increase their sanitation practices to prevent the disease from spreading from carcass to carcass if an infected animal were to be brought in to be processed. With limited funding for the TB infected herds, most farmers are just taking their animals in and butchering them because they either cant sell them because their infected or cant afford to have their entire herd tested. This brings up another issue of an overload of animals to be slaughtered and the fact that if they are bringing in cattle that are infected or have the recessive gene that it would be spread to other carcasses. Millions of pounds of red meat are already being commercial produced, which means how much red meat is currently being produced and sold. So, if every farmer were to bring his cattle to slaughter because they cant afford to TB test their herd, the amount of red meat production would increase dramatically and could cause an overload of product. This also causes concern for the consumers who are afraid to purchase the byproducts because of their fear of contracting the diseases that are now the primary concerns in the livestock industry. This graph shows the trend of red meat production of the past two years and the beginning of the 2008 year. As you can readily see that the numbers are already significantly higher than the past two. The slaughter of livestock used to be a way to support the high demand of meat products and to eliminate overpopulation, but with the changing of cultures, it has become a hassle. There are so many health issues and not enough inspectors to oversee all the types of slaughter plants; that diseases are slipping through into products that are later sold to consumers. There are several types of slaughter plants and not all of them are equally inspected either; this could be one of the many problems with the control of disease of the end products. There are generally four types of slaughter plants; FI, TA, NFI, and custom exempt plants. Federally inspected (FI) plants transport meat interstate and they have to employ federal inspectors to comply with USDA standards. Talmedge-Aiken (TA) plants are under the USDA responsibility for inspection. Although considered federally inspected, the inspections are carried out by state employees. Non-federally Inspected (NFI) plants sell and transport only intrastate. There are individual state standards where state inspectors have to comply with and mobile slaughtering units are considered farm slaughter and are excluded from this. Custom-Exempt plants do not sell meat but operate on a custom basis. The animals and meat products are not inspected but the facilities are, and have to meet health standards. Custom-Exempt plants are considered NFI plants and head kill is included in NFI totals. (Agricultural Statistics Board NASS, USDA, 2006, PP 21/23) Every slaughter plant has sanitation requirements and procedures that they have to follow in order to keep their business running. The requirements are met and periodically checked by inspectors, either federally inspected or state inspected. These inspections are made to ensure the quality and safety of the meat that is being sent out from these plants. To ensure this quality of production, humane slaughter of the animal is required also. What is considered humane? This is a rising question to many inspectors and slaughterers, and this question is still unanswered to many of them. What is thought to be humane may in fact not be humane to the animal, and since we cannot feel its pain we cant determine whether the methods used are painless or not. And this is why slaughter laws have come into effect. The first law of humane slaughter was voluntary and came into effect in 1958. The law required that the livestock to be rendered insensible to pain. This was achieved by a blow, gunshot, or electrical or chemical means; it was to be rapid and effective before shackling, hoisting, casting, or gutting. (animal law statutes, citation 7 USC 1901-1907, 2008) The law that is currently enforced by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is known as the Humane Slaughter Act. This act became effective in 1978 and instead of being voluntary this law is mandatory for all slaughter houses. The only exception to the statutory requirement of rendering the animal insensible to pain; is ritual slaughter, which still needs to be approved in order to be carried out. The Humane Slaughter act of 1978 concludes that the use of humane methods on livestock for slaughter results in a safer environment and better working conditions for persons engaging in the slaughtering practices. This also improves benefits for producers, processors, and consumers that tend to accelerate a constant flow of livestock and byproducts across state and country borders. If the humane slaughter of livestock continues, the end products and consumer satisfaction will remain steady and will bring comfort to those who anticipate disease spreading because of unlawful slaughtering practices. (Animal law statutes, citation 7 USC 1901-1907, 2008) The slaughter of livestock is not only a high demand of todays population, but it is also a necessity. It is beneficial to the human race, economy, and is becoming a world renounce trade. With the world today, slaughter has evolved from a way of survival to becoming versatile and plays an important role in the economy. The slaughter of livestock is an essential part of the human lifestyle and will continue to deliver and progress with the ever changing future of the world.

A Comparison of Migrant Workers in The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and

Migrant Workers in The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   John Steinbeck wrote about what surrounded him. At the time he was writing, the nineteen-thirties, a great depression was plaguing the United States. Many people were out of work. Many farmers were losing their farms and homes. An extreme drought had also wrecked the farms of the Midwest and made them into what is now referred to as the "dust bowl". It was a terrible time to be poor, and most were. People died of malnutrition every day. In California, where Steinbeck resided, migrant workers dominated the workforce. Thousands traveled from all around to pick fruit in the farms of the Salinas Valley for minuscule wages. Thousands more could not find suitable Many people theorize why the depression happened. Speculation in the stock market was one reason. The dust bowl also multiplied the depression's effects. The depression did happen to coincide with another event though. It happened soon after the last frontier vanished from the United States. There was no longer free land for the taking. The long held American dream was no longer simple and cheap to achieve. Many Americans simply wanted their own plot to take and set up their lives, but the depression made this an impossibility. Steinbeck wrote about this class of people. Throughout his writing he uses many minor themes and biblical references to get his point across, but the ubiquitous theme is the story of the poor, depression era migrant worker simply trying to retain dignity, achieve the ever important American dream of owning their own plot of land, and end the depravity that is the life of a migrant worker. Characters in Steinbeck's writing always have dreams. Many of the cha... ...h-Allusions." 2001: 3pp. Online. 22 March 2003. www.123helpme/2690.html Groene, Horst. "The Dispossessed Farmer." Bloom 23-24."Of Mice and Men-Lonely Characters." 2001: 3pp. Online. 22 March 2003. www.essay bank.co.uk/free_coursework/1148.html "Of Mice and Men and Migrant Workers." 2001: 3pp. Online. 22 March 2003. www.123helpme/1105.html Parini, Jay. "The Masterpiece The Grapes of Wrath." 2002: 3pp. Online. 6 March 2003. http://web4.infotrac.galegroup.com/81433&dyn=9tar_fmt?sw_aep=unio58461 Railton, Stephen. "The Joads and Their Oppressors." Bloom 31. Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York, NY: Penguin Books, 2002. -. Of Mice and Men. New York, NY: Penguin Books, 2002. Visser, Nicholas. "Audience and Closure in The Grapes of Wrath." 1994: 13pp. Online. http://web4.infotrac.galegroup.com/0136&dyn=45tar_fmt?sw_aep=unio58461