Gift-Giving and Exchange as an Important Element in Japanese Society Essay

Gift-Giving and Exchange as an Important Element in Japanese Society - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the research that along with the Confucian values, wrote Ilchman, Katz, and Queens, in particular, the value of humaneness, such obligation extend outwards to teachers, relatives, close neighbors and business associates. Japanese companies, for instance, allocate funds for equitable compensation to employees for ceremonial events or kankonsosai. Such importance given to the exchange of gifts allows the act to pervade in Japanese ceremonies and customs that is why it reveals a wealth of information in regard to Japanese rituals. There are four classifications of occasions or instances when gift-giving is required among the Japanese: life-cycle ceremonies, gift-giving occasions regulated by the calendar, emergencies that cause sudden deprivations and special events that call for prompt gift-giving. These occasions are diverse and are consistently well defined, and most importantly for this study, associated with particular rituals. They also entail Japanese p rinciples that are the basis of rituals and ceremonies. These include the concepts of obligation, duty, reciprocity, among others. Gift-giving is a prominent element in life-cycle ceremonies or â€Å"rite of passage† events and therefore provide a wealth of insights on the rituals that define these stages and the growth phases between them. As it is, people are preoccupied with gift-giving in birth, marriage, and death of people as well as in education, wedding anniversary, etc. In so many instances, gift-giving becomes a means of exchange –a kind of exchange that articulates obligation. For instance, during a wedding, there is normally a table outside of the hall where the wedding takes place. Young people sat behind this table and they are tasked to collect the money contained in envelopes given by arriving guests. What is interesting, perhaps for most foreigners, is that the amount contained in the envelope is strictly recorded along with the name of its giver.

U05a1 and u05a2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

U05a1 and u05a2 - Essay Example 2. Why is Jupiter so much more dense than Saturn? Could a planet be smaller in size than Jupiter but greater in mass? Explain. Ans: Jupiter is closer to sun and has over 3 times more than the mass of Saturn. Jupiter is denser than that of Saturn because of two factors. They are (i). Jupiter has relatively larger gravitation field because of its mass and rotational pressures. (ii). Jupiter has denser core of rocks and other minerals. Jupiter has heavy metals in its interior. Hence it is denser than that of Saturn. Yes. There could be a planet smaller in size but greater in mass than that of Jupiter. Because Jupiter is mainly made up of gas, hence any planet slightly smaller in size but made of solid material would have more mass than Jupiter. And also building a planet with Hydrogen and Helium is like assembling the fluffy pillows one over the other. As the pillows are stacked one above the other the pillows at the bottom are compressed and hence their mutual gravitational force incre ases. Hence it slightly increases in its height as and when the stack size is increased but gets denser. Therefore the extra mass increases the density of the planet but smaller change in mass. 4. Why does Jupiter have such a strong magnetic field? Describe a few features of Jupiter’s magnetosphere. ... Jupiter’s magnetosphere traps far more charged particles than Earth’s magnetosphere. These particles contribute to auroras and also create belts of very intense radiation around Jupiter. This is so strong that it could damage the orbiting spacecraft. Jupiter’s magnetic field creates a magnetosphere that surrounds the planet as a shield which protects the planet from the solar wind. 6. Briefly describe Jupiter’s weather patterns and contrast them with those on the other jovian planets. What is the Great Red Spot? Ans: Jupiter’s atmosphere has several gases that condense to form clouds. Each of these gases condenses at a different temperature, leading to distinctive cloud layers at different altitudes. Jupiter has primarily three different cloud layers and Jupiter’s atmosphere is colder at higher altitudes. About 100 kilometers below the highest cloudtops, the temperatures are nearly earth-like And water can condense to form clouds. Higher up, the water clouds it is cold enough for a gas called ammonium hydrosulfide to condense into clouds which produces the dark colours of Jupiter. Higher still the temperature is so cold that ammonia condenses to make an upper layer of white clouds. Like the large hurricanes occasionally arise on Earth, Jupiter also has powerful storms. Spectroscopic observations (analysis of light) + calculations explains about the composition of clouds as follows: Ammonia (NH3) crystals in top layer. Ammonium hydrosulfide (NH4SH) crystals in middle layer. Water ice in lowest layer. The colors seem to be associated with temperature. White "zones" are higher and cooler. Dark "bands" are lower and warmer. Comparison with other atmosphere planets: Jupiter and Saturn have stripes of alternating color and wind direction. But Saturn's

Greek conception of woman, citizen and family Essay Example for Free

Greek conception of woman, citizen and family Essay The Greek tragedy ‘Medea’ by Euripides examines the Greek conception of woman, the foreign, family and citizenship. He emphasize on the subjugation and the oppressive condition of women in general in Greece. Thus he reveals the existence of ancient cultures (other than Greece) that were more generous in their treatment of women. Medea is also in some respect, different from general Greek women. She is clever and resourceful and also has the courage in her endeavor to take revenge on Jason for his wrong deeds. Also, through the character of Medea, Euripides exposes the bankruptcy of popular Greek ideas of heroism. My granting a woman the qualities that were considered heroic, he questions the sacred ideas of heroism. The element of the foreign in the play comprises of the foreign, the exotic, the unknown and the feared. He also showed that the foreign is not external to Greek and there is much for the Greeks to know about themselves. Medea represents the foreign, the attractive and the priceless possession of Jason. The foreign also represented the adventure undertaken by the Greek heroes. The foreign also symbolized danger and which could lead to chaos. Medea, a foreigner and an outsider to the normal order is free to behave without restrain or morality. Thus she manages to commit the dreadful crime of murdering her own children. Through the elements of the foreign, uncivilized and barbaric, Euripides questions the concepts and definitions of civilizations, primitiveness, ethics and morality. Whereas Jason seeks power, Medea, the foreigner longs for love and caring. Greek valued family and the exile from his was horrible to the ancient Greek. A person’s city-state was his home and protector and to wonder without friend and shelter was thought as a fate as horrible as death. Medea exiles herself because of her love and passion for her husband. Her position in Corinth is double grave as she is both married to be exiled from family and also as she herself has broke connections with her family to be with Jason. Also, she is a foreigner who will remain a barbarian in the eyes of the Greeks. However, Madea forces Jason into exile by wiping off his entire family. Greek law forbade Greek men to marry any other than Greek women. Also the children of Greek man and foreign woman were not considered as official citizens of Greece. Similarly, the children of Jason and Medea were not official citizens of Corinth, but Creusa and Jason’s offspring would fully enjoy the benefits of Corinthian citizenship. So Jason is justified in his argument that to gain power and position and to protect and their position, he married into the royal family. Thus these elements of the foreign, plight of Greek woman, citizenship and family combine to propel the action of the tragic play ‘Medea’. In the Greek tragedy ‘Medea, Euripides elaborates on the status of woman in Greek society. The Greek women in general had few rights. According to the men, the purpose of women in Greek society was to engage themselves in household duties like cooking and cleaning and giving birth and taking care of children. They did not have the right to vote or own property. They could not go outside without an escort. They had to be represented by men in all legal proceedings. Greek women only under exceptional conditions could obtain a divorce, but any Athenian man could get rid of his wife by simply publicly renouncing his marriage. Marriages were arranged by the parents without any participation of the daughter; thus Medea’s flight with Jason was scandalous. If the family was wealthy, the daughter came with a substantial dowry. After marriage, the woman served her husband the entire life by caring for the children and slaves, the legal property of her husband. They were not given any education and lived in separate quarters, away from their husbands. The ideal woman â€Å"spoken little as possible among men, whether for good or for ill†. Greek women never experienced independence during their lives and in some respect they were just like slaves. Medea accurately describes the conditions of married life for women when she says how a woman has to adjust to the new rules and customs of the new home and work hard to understand her husband and consequently live in peace. However if the marriage does not work, then death is the only solution for the woman. When Jason decides to terminate his marriage with Medea and marry the princess of Corinth, Jason cast aside Medea as if they were never married. This type of action was accepted by Greek standards, which reveals the subordinate status of woman who did not have any say in these matters. Even though some actions of Medea are not similar to that of average Greek women, she posses certain attitudes and emotions which are common among women. Medea in her first speech to the Chorus (when she comes out of her house) expresses the plight of women in society: â€Å"For a divorce loses women all respect, yet we cant refuse to take a husband†, (Euripides, lines 271-272). She further adds that when a man gets tired of the company at home, he can seek relief outside the home, but a woman have to always look at one man. It is likely that this attitude was shared by most Greek women as evident from the reaction of the Chorus Leader who sympathize with her: â€Å"Im not surprised you grieve at these events†, (Euripides, Line 310). The nurse reveals the fact that Medea out of her love and deep passion for Jason has retrieved the Golden Fleece for him and defied her household. In return, she is deserted by Jason who betrayed her by breaking the vows of marriage and now â€Å"She calls out to the gods to witness/ how Jason is repaying her favours†, (Euripides, lines 30-31). However, her situation worsens further when Creon informs her that he is forcing her into exile. The Chorus identifies with the pitiable condition of Medea. It recognizes the heroic traits of Medea and admires her as an avenger for all women. Chorus soothes Medea’ sorrow by saying that God will be with her in her endeavor. Thus the chorus believes her cause is good and worthy of Gods support. Medea as a victim of ill fate is supported by the Chorus. Even though the Chorus makes this statement before finding out Medea’ brutal scheme, it should be noted that the Chorus reaffirms its support for Medea after she reveals her plan. After the monologue of Medea, where she reveal her plan and think of ways to implement it, the chorus delivers an ode on the oppression of women: â€Å"The waters in the sacred rivers/are flowing in reverse. /And all well-ordered things/are once more turning on themselves. / Mens plans are now deceitful,/their firm trust in the gods is gone†¦. /Honours coming to the female sex. /slander will no longer injure women, (Euripides, Lines 487-496). Through this ode, the chorus condemns the oppression of women and encourages Medea to carry out her plan. It views her plan as a rare opportunity for women to avenge all the wrongs done by men on them and to turn the hierarchy around, putting the men at the mercy of women. In the play it is evident that the Chorus support Medea in her endeavor to avength the betrayal of Jason till the section where she thinks of ways and machinery to make her plot successful. But the Chorus withdraws their support the point where Medea reveals her plan to murder her own sons. After the verbal fight between Jason and Medea, the Chorus asks for moderation: â€Å"I pray that moderation,/the gods most beautiful gift,/will always guide me†, (Euripides, Lines 756-758). After they come to know Medea’s plan to kill her children, they try their best make her understand her folly in her taking such an action and they urge her not to commit such a crime : â€Å"I want to help you,/holding to the standards of human law†, (Euripides, Lines 963-964). Euripides by examining the treatment of women in the play ‘Medea’, points at the injustices of his society. He recognized the fact that the subordinate position of women to their male counterpart is impossible to extricate from the core of social order in Greece. The typical explanation offered by the admirers of Greece is that all ancient societies were sexist and dependent on slave labor. This generality is untrue as there were many societies who were more generous in their treatment of women than the Greeks and many societies functioned in the ancient times, without slave labor. Euripides who was aware of these hypocrisies, often pointed out how Greek society attempt to excuse the injustices perpetrated by them. Jason tells Medea that no Greek women would have done as she has done. In this respect, the Chorus should be considered who stood by mutely and allowed the slaughter to take place. However, Medea shows some heroic qualities that were not common among Greek women. Medea is clever, resourceful and has the courage to stand against Jason and take revenge for his betrayal. She does not stay long inside her home as a subjugating housewife lamenting and shedding tears for wrongs incurred on her. She comes out her hearth and faces the Chorus and Creon. She acts like a man and plots and execute her plan. Euripides goes farther, through the character of Medea, he exposes the bankruptcy of popular Greek ideas of heroism. Medea has many traits that would be admirable, if only she were a man. She is ruthless, brilliant, cunning, and powerful. But she is in a weak position: she is not a ruler or a warrior of any battlefield. Euripides gives the qualities that are considered heroic, in a woman and thus reduces the scale. He makes the playing field one of marriage and spurned love. The fine Homeric speeches of warriors on the verge of combat are reduced to the bickering of an enraged wife and a petty husband. Euripides in this play, questions our sacred ideas about heroism. Consider, for example, the character of Agamemnon as portrayed by Aeschylus in the Oresteia. Agamemnon also kills his own child; and although he is not admired for this act, after his death Aeschylus grants him his due of a great man and hero. The reaction of the audience to Medeas infanticide is that of horror. Euripides gives unlimited self-absorption and ruthlessness to a woman and thus exposes the true worth of these traits. The audience becomes aware of the double standards that we use for heroes and heroines. In Greek mythology Medea was princess of colchis and the granddaughter of Helios the sun God. She had affinities with magic and was the priestess of Hecate. Medea helped Jason to steal the Golden Fleece from her father and even dismember her brother to delay the pursuers of her lover. Also, she turned the daughter of Pelias into murderers to win back his rightful place in Iolcus, In return, Jason betrayed her trust and re-married into the royal family. The fact that Medea is a foreigner is emphasized from the beginning. The Nurse, in the opening lines, tells the audience that Medea hails from a distant and exotic land. Certain points should be remembered while reflecting on this aspect of the play. The foreigner or the Others is a complex and multifaceted concept: it comprises of the foreign, the exotic, the unknown and the feared. The foreign is also essential for self-definition of the Greeks. The Greeks ascribe certain traits to barbarians in opposition to certain traits about themselves. Barbarians are savage but Greeks are not. Barbarians are superstitious while Greeks are rational. But Euripides through the play undermines these easy binaries. He shows that (the foreigner) is not something external to Greek. Also, there is much for the Greeks to understand about themselves Moreover, the (the foreign, the exotic, the terrifying) is an essential for adventure. Jasons quest, and also the quests of other Greek heroes, would not be possible without their visit to strange and fearsome lands. Medea’s foreignness may be the reason behind Jason’s attraction for her. Although we cannot be sure if Jason was really attracted to her or used her for his own ends or both. May be Jason was drawn to her by her uniqueness. The play stresses on the fact that Medea is different from Greek women. Jasons marriage to Medea can be seen as an attempt on his part to bring the adventure home. Medea describes herself as something he won in a foreign land. The marriage can also be seen as Jasons attempt to subordinate the foreign to the Greek, woman to man. In Medea, the foreign lead to chaos. Medea as a foreigner is also terribly free. As she is an outsider to normal order, she behaves without restraint or morality. Her genius is thus used for personal revenge. She sends gifts of a finely woven robe and a tiara of twisted gold smeared with deadly poison and succeeds in killing both Creon and his daughter. Next she murders her two sons to teach Jason a lesson that the oppressed can also take actions against the oppressors. Medea as a foreigner comes from a tribal nativity, where sophistication is not the normal thing. She does not know how to â€Å"well behave† and speak â€Å"with a soft tongue†. Her culture and race is primitive and for this she is often blames by Jason. However, while Jason seeks power, Medea longs for love and caring. She leaves behind her culture, native land, parent, and the family as a sacrifice to marry Jason. So the ‘uncivilized ’Medea cannot accept nor understand Jason’s argument in favor of his second marriage and Jason posses all the skills required to argue in his favor. This raises several questions regarding the concepts and definitions of civilizations, primitiveness, ethics and morality Another factor is the Greek conception of family and the separation or exile from them. Modern audiences can find it difficult to understand how important family and how horrible exile was for the ancient Greek. A persons native land was his home and protector and to wander without friends or shelter, was thought of as a fate horrible as death. The chorus chants: â€Å"theres no affliction worse/ than losing ones own country†, (Euripides, Lines 774-775). Medea made herself as exile for the sake of her husband. Medea tells about her plight to the Chorus: â€Å"you have a city, /you have your fathers house, enjoy your life/with friends for company. But Im alone. /I have no city, and Im being abused/by my own husband. I have no mother, brother, or relation,/to shelter with in this extremity†, (Euripides, Lines 291-299). Additionally by her overzealous advocacy of her husbands interest, she made their family exiles in Corinth. Due to her actions in Iolcus, Jason is unable to return home and so their position is vulnerable. Jason who is the hero of the Golden Fleece (of course with the help of Medea) became a wanderer. He is very shrewd and calculative in his decision to marry into the royal family. The Tutor points out in the beginning of the play that men always act for their own interest: â€Å"What mortal man is not? Dont you know yet/all men love themselves more than their neighbours†, (Euripides, Lines 107-108). Thus the character of Jason is revealed as an opportunist, a selfish man and the anti-hero who manipulates others for his own ends. Euripides in his play ‘Medea’, links the elements of exile and the lower position of women by emphasizing on the circumstances that women faced after marriage. She has to leave her home and family and live among strangers. In this respect, Medea reminds us of the conditions of exile. However, her position is doubly grave, as she is an exile in this sense as well as in the sense that she herself has broke all connections with her family. Also, she is a foreigner and will remain a barbarian in the eyes of the Greeks. Greeks valued their family and the close blood relationship they share with the family members. Also they had certain expectation from their family. Similarly I the play, Jason want his sons to grow up and become leaders in Corinth along their new brother, the sons he wishes to beget from his new bride. He also wants his sons to mature into young men and win victory over his enemies. On the other hand, Medea has few expectations as well. In return for her pains of child birth and the hardship she faced in raising them, she hoped that they will look after her in old age and prepare the corpse with their own hands as all parents’ wishes. However, she sacrifices her expectations and also separates Jason from his family by killing her two sons and Jason’ new bride. She takes her revenge on Jason by poisoning the royal bride and thus depriving Jason of his wife and the children he wished to beget from her, his family. Also she kills her sons and prevents the fulfilling last hope of Jason, his wish to unite with his family, his sons. She also deprives him of the burial rights of his sons. Instead she performs the rights. In this way, Jason is exiles from his family as Medea was exile from her native land and family. Medea lost her family after she married Jason, in similar way, Jason losses his family at the end of the play. Another element emphasized in the play is the Greek conception of citizenship. Greek law forbade Greek men to marry no other than Greek women. However, it was common practice among Greek men to keep foreign concubines who were often more educated than the Greek women in general. But the children born from these unions were not considered as official citizens of Greece. Similarly, the children of Jason and Medea were not official citizens of Corinth, whereas Creusa and Jason’s offspring would fully enjoy the benefits of Corinthian citizenship. Jason may be a shrewd and manipulative man and it is also true that he betrays Medea by breakings the vows of marriage and re-marrying into the royal family. However, the fact remains that Jason was a wonderer and he wanted to gain power and position by creating a relationship with the royal family. Moreover, he was aware of the fact that his children were deprived of the benefits of Corinthian citizenship. As he mentions to Medea, it may be true that he married Creon’s daughter not because he felt attracted towards her as a woman but rather to protect Medea and their children. Also that he wanted to serve their own interest by having children (royal princes) from his royal bride and thus securing their position in Corinth and giving their children similar power. The Greek conception of woman, the foreign, citizenship and family as examined in the play help in the progress of the tragic action. Medea represents the suppressed and oppressive condition of Greek woman who is cheated by her husband. The foreign element in her character, the exotic, the dangerous and the barbarian instigate her take revenge against Jason. Jason’s argument in favor of his action is the power and position he wants to achieve for himself and for Medea and their children. He is aware that his and Medea’s children will be deprived of the benefits of Corinthian citizenship. Her separation or exile from family because of Jason infuriates her further and she in turn separates Jason from his family. Work Citation: â€Å"Analysis of Medea as a Tragic Character†. 8 December 2002. Michael Kliegl. 9 July 2008 http://www. gradesaver. com/classicnotes/titles/medea/essay1. html â€Å"The Concept of Citizenship†. 9 July 2008 http://library.thinkquest. org/C004203/political/political02. htm â€Å"Euripides by Medea†. 9 July 2008 http://malaspina. edu/~johnstoi/euripides/medea. htm â€Å"Medea (Criticism). Carole L. Hamilton. 9 July 2008 http://www. answers. com/topic/medea-play-8 â€Å"Major Themes†. 9 July 2008 http://www. gradesaver. com/classicnotes/titles/medea/themes. html â€Å"Medea (Indian adaptation of the greek classic†. 9 July 2008 http://www. lokadharmi. org/medea. htm â€Å"Summary and Analysis of Lines 1- 356†. 9 July 2008 http://www. gradesaver. com/classicnotes/titles/medea/section3. html

Environmental Strategic Analysis

Environmental Strategic Analysis Running head: ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN AND STRATEGIC ANALYSIS OF HP Environmental Scan and Strategic Analysis of HP Introduction to HP Hewlett-Packard (HP) is a computer and electronics company, and in the Fortune 500 list, it has been ranked 11th. It has an eminent team of 142,000 employees scattered around 170 countries. Palo Alto in California is the headquarter of HP. The companys offerings are in the fields of Information Technology (IT) infrastructure, personal computing and access devices, imagining and printing, global services. Silicon Valley start-up is the other name given to HP and is known for developing scientific calculator which was the first hand-held. It has a huge Product and service categories. The company has a huge investment in Research and Development (RD), nearly about $4 billion. This has fuelled the invention of new products, technologies and solutions (Datamonitor, 2004). Step 1 Following are the three forces from remote environment, which Influence the company are: Technological factor Political factors Ecological factors Technological factor Technological factors comprises of the factors that are associated with applied knowledge, machines, materials those are used for the production of goods and services that greatly has a impact on the business. Important factors that influence technological environment are technological sources like company source, foreign source, external source, and cost of acquiring technology. Another factor is development in the technology, rate of change of technology and research and development. In Todays world technology plays a vital role. This factor has a great relevance to the company, as it has a great impact on human beings and also effects communication in management. It is used as strategic weapon in order to fight the competition in a long run. The technology of HP addresses in China, Russia, Brazil, and India. It has successfully adapted to various needs; for example to the non-Western languages, infrastructures, that are unique. Researchers are striving for creating such a technology that can leverage a role of mass communications medium instead of television. As compared to internet, TV is much more persistent as more than 130 private channels are available. HP Labs researchers are looking for the ways to complement TV broadcasts with synchronized printed material that is used for education and other important applications (kotler, 2003). The strategic implication of technological change has lead to change in competitive cost position, creating new markets and also refined business segments. The companys major goal is to assist customers across the world by enhancing the access to information and communications technologies which can satisfy their needs in best possible manner; this can help the company to capture its next billion customers. HP has the ISS Technology that gives information about new updated technology innovations and their implementations in the Industry Standard Server (ISS) product line. Conventionally management products were built on Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), which became a persistent management technology. However, relative to current alternatives SNMP-based management solutions has gained scrutiny for their simple structure. A new product which is based on Web-based Enterprise Management (WBEM) was introduced by HP, that consist of management and Internet standard technologies which help to unite the management of distributed computing environments. HP Insight Management WBEM Provides Many advantages for Windows. Ecological Factors The major global concern is the deteriorating environment. The concern arises because many global cities have crossed the dangerous level of air and water pollution. The greenhouse gases are the major cause of these environmental hazards. In many countries strict rules have been imposed in order to reduce industrial pollution. Many clubs and NGOs have also came forward as watchdogs. New regulations being imposed on companies have proved expensive to them. The industries like steel, auto, IT, FMCG, have invested billions of dollars in environment pollution control equipments. Many other industries had to increase their products biodegradability (Misra Puri, 2007). The companies have to be more conscious about various opportunities and threats arising due to ecological degradation. Some of the areas of concern for the companies are shortage of raw material, increased energy cost, increased level of pollution and change in government rules. (Kazmi, 2002).HP was using Brominated flame Retardant (BFR) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) for computing products which are harmful to the nature. It has resorted to eliminate all uses of Brominated flame Retardant (BFR) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) from its computing products which are to be launched in 2009 because of the availability of technologically feasible alternatives, which will not negotiate product performance and quality and will not adversely impact health and the environment. HP eliminated more than 95 percent of the BFRs used in the external case parts of its products more than 10 years ago, including two, PBDE and PBB, which were subsequently among the substances restricted by the Restrictions of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive. During the same timeframe, HP also eliminated polyvinyl chloride from the external case parts of its products. It is further working with suppliers and identifying such materials which will have no/reduced adverse impact on the environment and the customers as well. They are in the process of evaluating the whole life cycle of the products, cost and environmental impact of new products and identifying alternative materials which will have less impact on the environment. In spite of their best efforts, it is difficult for them to confirm the claims for new materials used because the new materials may not have been researched as thoroughly as existing materials. Political Factors All the company decisions are very much affected by the political and legal developments taking place in the countries it is operating. This environment comprises of the pressure groups, laws and government agencies which influences and limits various companies and their working. It consists of factors related to management of public affairs and their impact on the businesses. Industrialist shows keen interest in the politics of both home and host countries. The reasons may be several. Legislations affecting business are set by political parties. The government despite of taking liberalization measures, exercise enormous regulatory powers that can make or destroy any organization. Political funding of elections is widespread among the business houses. Several of them come openly in favor of a particular political party while a few join politics. Political stability in the country also attracts multinationals, because the stability in the country is directly linked to the economic development of the country as a whole. Hewlett-Packard is also liable to follow the regulations regarding hazardous substances, such as the EU restrictions of Hazardous Substances and Japan J-MOSS. These restrictions have forced the company to use substitutes of hazardous materials. The other regulation REACH, which replaces the existing EU legislations of chemicals with a single system for all chemical substances, has also to be followed by the company. These regulations give greater responsibility to the company to assess the properties of chemicals and manage the environmental and health risks, and at the same time communicate information to suppliers and users for the supply of the materials of such specifications only. While complying with all regulations, HP is supporting the overall objective of REACH to improve and protect human health and the environment. The long standing policy of Hewlett-Packard is to provide such products and services which are safe to use and environmentally favorable throughout their lifecycle. The company is planning to meet all the specifications of such rules and is committed to provide its customers with the required information about the chemicals which are being used in their products, in order to comply with REACH. The company is also working with government and industry to ensure a workable system which satisfies the primary goal of REACH. The suppliers are also convinced to ensure that the companies products mach the needs of the regulations. Step 2 HP has gained Strategic adaptability through Sustainable competitive advantage, which helps the company to maintain and improve the competitive position in the market. Customer plays a key role in todays world as they want the products quicker, cheaper, and also want it their way. The company has built its sustainable competitive advantage around the following: The corporate capabilities: Competitive advantage can be determined in two ways- firstly based on distinctive capabilities and second reproducible capabilities. People also act as the Main Source for Competitive Advantage. Corporate Culture plays a vital role in achieving competitive advantage HP has gained it through intricate interactions between individuals, organizations and environmental factors. Environmental analysis of HP through SWOT analysis For making the overall environmental analysis of Hewlett-Packard we analyze the companys strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The strengths and weaknesses of the company constitute the internal environmental analysis while the opportunities and threats constitute the external environmental analysis. Strengths of HP Its customer loyalty is the main strength of HP. Apart from this; HP is the leading innovator for nearly seven decades as it invests almost $4 billion annually on RD. Other strengths lie in Printer business, Brand, Technology Knowledge, relationships, Sales compensation. It has been able to supply the different features that consumers want at competitive prices. HP has been able to retain the customer loyalty because they are strongly attracted to the unique features of products. Technical superiority and quality products have kept the company at the top of the computer printers market. Weaknesses of HP Its wide range of operations all round the world possesses the problem of communication in the organization. Its manpower team of about 142000 employees round the world sometimes paves the way to cultural differences. Other weaknesses lie in Distribution of inventory, Culture, internally focused, incur excess Costs Opportunities of HP With its high and focused research team, it can make more innovative products and develop products of customer requirements. Its huge size and scope of operations will enable it to reach new markets and serve them with comparatively lower costs. Its supply chain of $52 billion will also help the company expand its business. Threats of HP The company being ranked at 11 positions in the world poses the competition from other big and small companies like DELL (producing cheap, quality, no inventory), IBM, Microsoft, Starbucks etc. Its main area of concern is to focus on a small segment of electronic goods only. It has been observed that other threat is weaken manufacturing system. Remote environment The Remote environment consists of Economic factors, Social factors, Political factors, Technological factors and Ecological factors. Economic factor: It involves factors related to production and tells about the distribution of wealth. A year ago, the revenue in third quarter rose to $21.9 billion, up 5%. In 2005, the quarter was greatly affected by a larger-than-normal provision for taxes of $960 million which resulted from the companys decision in order to send home $14.5 billion in cash from foreign earnings. Company reported a 65.4% improvement that is in terms of operating income. According to the analyst of Goldman Sachss, HP does not seem to be tripping over out of its way to cite problems in the overall economic environment. According to the beat analyst of HP, the company announced to buy back $6 billion in stock, which is larger repurchase and represents more than 6% shares at current prices. The computer division in the competitive market is very profitable for the company. Due to this the revenue of the company has grew 8% to $6.9 billion. Technological factors: Development in the technology, rate of change in technology and research and development are the major factors. The latest technologies announced by the company are:- Gesture keyboard: Roman alphabet was the prominent feature in Traditional keyboards; recently HP researchers have produced a stylus-and-tablet solution, which is easy for people to study and use. For filling out forms, Pen-based solutions: it consists of digital ink which can be transferred to central location, here handwritten input gets converted to machine-readable text which helps in storage and processing . TV broadcasts that are Print-supplemented: HP researchers are focusing on developing technology which can deliver print material in synchronization with TV programming. Multimedia education centers: HP researchers are working on a technology that can provide on-demand broadcast education programming for learning institutions which can enable multimedia access. Secured paper documents: Company is extending its public services to small towns in remote areas with the help of Internet cafes instead of local government offices. The problem in the secured paper documents is the authenticity of the transmitted documents. Political Factors: Hewlett-Packard is also liable to follow the regulations regarding hazardous substances, such as the EU restrictions of Hazardous Substances and Japan J-MOSS. The other regulation like REACH, which replaces the existing EU legislations of chemicals with a single system for all chemical substances has also to be followed by the company. Ecological Factors: The companies have to be more conscious about various opportunities and threats arising due to ecological degradation. Some of the concerning areas for the companies are shortage of raw material, increased energy cost, increased level of pollution and change in government rules. HP was using Brominated flame Retardant (BFR) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) for computing products which are harmful to the nature. It has resorted to eliminate all uses of Brominated flame Retardant (BFR) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) from its computing products which are to be launched in 2009 because of the availability of technologically feasible Political Factors This environment comprises of the pressure groups, laws and government agencies which influences and limits various companies and their working. Hewlett-Packard is also liable to follow the regulations regarding hazardous substances, such as the EU restrictions of Hazardous Substances and Japan J-MOSS. These restrictions have forced the company to use substitutes of hazardous materials. The other regulation like REACH which replaces the existing EU legislations of chemicals with a single system for all chemical substances has also to be followed by the company. These regulations give greater responsibility to the company to assess the properties of chemicals and manage the environmental and health risks, and at the same time communicate information to suppliers and users for the supply of the materials of such specifications only. Social factors HP is involved in various social issues. For e.g. it is engaged in various soil and ground water conservation products. It also recycles the PCs and other electronic goods which it produces. This helps to safeguard the society. It also takes cares of its employees health and safety. Global Environment Reasons for firms going Global In few years more companies are venturing into global operations in order to achieve the benefits of economies of scale and widen their customer base. The home country market becomes saturated after a period of time, which forces the company to search for new markets in order to enhance its revenues. Companies also venture foreign markets in order to take the advantage of cheaper sources of material and other resources. Going global also reduces the dependency on any on market. Complexity of the global environment When company goes global various complexities are faced by it, these include the differences in culture or know how to deal effectively with the national of other country, difficulty in understanding the preferences of the customers of that country, the company might also to offer a product which is competitively attractive. Various legal regulations also put forth many problems in front of the companies going abroad. The devaluation of currency, Political instability, property which is expropriated and huge cost involved in setting up plants and basic infrastructure are the other factors which creates complexities for the companies. Control problems of the global firm Major control problems of the firms include the differences in way of handling the issues and problems by the employees. For example the companies of US follow the X theory while the Japanese follow the Y theory of dealing with employees. Global strategic planningIt is essential for every business in order to attain the growth of the business. Its future depends on the strategic plans it made I its die course of operations. In order to exploit various environmental opportunities and limit the adverse effects of environmental threats strategic planning is essential. Industry environment HP most complex global supply chain IT industry. Approximately $50 billion it spends annually in order to procure materials, components, manufacturing, and distribution. HP is investing in supply chain, social and environmental responsibility (SER) which reflects the global citizenship principles committed and shows whether supplier diversity meets stakeholder expectations. HP main foundation lies in the protection of international human rights HP is committed towards the lives of the workers who manufacture the products. Competitive forces that helped HP in gaining competitive advantages HP has gained Strategic adaptability through Sustainable competitive advantage which helps the company to maintain and improve the competitive position in the market. Customer plays a key role in todays world as they want the products quicker, cheaper, and also want it their way. The company has built its sustainable competitive advantage around the following: The corporate capabilities. Competitive advantage can be determined in two ways- firstly based on distinctive capabilities and second reproducible capabilities. People also act as the Main Source for Competitive Advantage. Corporate Culture plays a vital role, in achieving competitive advantage HP has gained it through from intricate interactions between individuals, organizations and environmental factors. Contending forces Threat of entry: new entrants decrease profitability. The profit rate will fall unless the entry of new firms is blocked by incumbents. HP can focus on patents, rights, economies of product, brand equity, switching costs Powerful suppliers: it can be described as the market of inputs. Raw materials, components, and services which are provided by suppliers can exercise power over the firm Powerful buyers: it refers to final consumers or the distributors of the firm or the market of outputs. There bargaining power of customers puts the firm under pressure to change prices. Substitute products: these are the alternatives available to the consumers; their availability enhances the propensity of customers to switch to other products (Ramaswamy Namakumari, 2007). Operating Environment Competitive position: HP is the worlds largest computer and electronics company. It ranks 11th in the fortune 500 companies. The company is known for the first Silicon Valley start up. Its goodwill in the market is very good. Customer profiles: As the company is working worldwide it has a large customer base which is loyal to it. The customers include both the direct customers and business houses as it customers. Suppliers: Suppliers are the most important part of the organization. Without them no organization can survive. The supplier base of HP is of around $52 billion which is the largest in the IT industry. The company chooses them on the merit base of their products. Creditors: The creditors constitute a very important part of the company. They are the firms and individuals which provide company with funds on credit. The suppliers also form a part of the creditors. Human resources: The Company has a wide employee base with about 142000 workers working all round the world. Its employees are highly innovative and culturally diversified. Vision and values of HP Vision and values of HP has helped in achieving long term objectives. For about 7 decades, HP has proved to be a leader in innovative products. Its objectives and mission being aligned with its size and scale help the company to offer customers competitively priced products at lower costs. The company has a $52 billion supply-chain which is the largest in the IT industry. The company focuses on improving its customer relations and tries to make them learn about the company. Its strategies for supply are successful because it supplies competitive products at low prices. Its customer loyalty has also been excellent. References Kotler, P. (2003). Marketing management. 11th Edition, New Delhi: Prentice Hall of India. Ramaswamy, V.S. Namakumari, S. (2007). Strategic Planning Formulation of Corporate strategy. New Delhi: MacMillan India Ltd. Misra, S.K. Puri, V.K. (2007). Economic environment of business. Mumbai: Himalaya Publishing House. Kazmi, A. (2002). Business policy and Strategic Management. 2nd Edition, Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill. Wheelen, T.L. hunger, J.D, (2007), Strategic Management and Business Policy. 9th Edition. Delhi: Pearson Education Pte. Ltd. H. R. practices. Retrieved March 20, 2008, from www.hp.com

Biliography of Edgar Allan Poe :: essays research papers

Biography of Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allen Poe was born in Boston Massachusetts on January 19,1809. He was the second child of Elizabeth and David Poe. Both of his parents were actors traveling to perform in theatres from Massachusetts to South Carolina. David Poe abandoned his family while Edgar was still an infant. His Mother died in December of 1811, at which time the orphaned Poe was taken in by a prosperous Virginian Merchant and his wife, John and Frances Allan. Edgar Allan Poe and his new family moved to England in 1815, where he attended boarding school until he was eleven. The Allan family returned to Richmond Virginia because his foster Father’s business failed. Poe attended the University of Virginia. He was very good in ancient and modern languages. His past time was gambling, which he did not do so well incurring a large debt. His father refused to help him pay off his gambling debt. This caused he and his father to fight. Poe left for Boston to avoid further conflict. In Boston, he published his first volume of poetry†Tamerlane and Other Poems†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ. He also joined the United States Army using the name Edgar A. Perry. Poes foster mother died in 1829, at which time he made up with his foster father. His foster father arranged for Poe to be nominated to West Point. Poe began his studies at West Point but was dismissed for disobeying orders in 1831. He Moved to New York where Poe tried to support himself by writing but had to rely on his grandmother, aunt and cousin for room and board. Early in 1835, he began to publish book reviews in a Richmond magazine called the Southern Literary Messenger. He was hired as a regular contri butor and as an editor of the journals review. He re established family ties in Richmond and married his cousin Virginia Clemson in 1836. Poe resigned from the Messenger in 1837 due to disagreements with the owner. Poe obtained another steady job in 1839 as editor of Barton’s Gentlemen’s Magazine, where he published â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† Poe was fired from Barton’s in 1840 and accepted a job as literary editor for Graham’s Magazine. Poe published â€Å"The Man of the Crowd† and his first detective stories in this magazine Virginia Poe became seriously ill in 1842 and almost died; Poe’s own health was also poor.

Essay --

The attack on Pearl Harbor in â€Å"1941, December 7† had been a life changing event for the people who had witnesses the attack and the people who were in the attack. But the whole nation had felt the sadness, anger, and other feelings that came from the attack on Pearl Harbor. In the attack there had been key players that been important to the attack either generals or pilots from the Japanese side or from the U.S military. There had been warning signs that could have prevented the surprise of the U.S Navy troops but many had either been too late or had been ignored. Many lives had been taken that day from both sides of the fight, from civilians in Hawaii to Japanese, â€Å"2,403 people died, 183planes destroyed, and 8 ships damaged or destroyed† that was just from the American side many other died from the Japanese side. The â€Å"†¦7 out of the 8 ships had been in battleship row†¦Ã¢â‚¬  many people died on the ships. The ships that had been damaged or de stroyed are†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ the USS West Virginia†¦USS Oklahoma†¦ the USS Arizona†¦USS California†¦ USS Maryland†¦USS Tennessee†¦USS Nevada†¦Ã¢â‚¬ and all except the USS California had been in battleship row. The people that had survived the attack had told of what it was like during the attack in such detail that nobody will forget that day. They told the story like it was yesterday, like they just can from the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7 1941. The different perspective of the attack could be seen as a success or a lost depending on the person who was there and experienced it. That day could never be forgotten like the 9/11 attacks that happen on November 9, 2001 so many emotions on that from the event that affected so many lives. Both of the attacks could be similar and different in some ways and could be view... ...urprised they were when we came and left so fast. On December 7, 1941 it was a day for the Japanese to remember as a victory and a day to be proud. What can we learn from the attack on Pearl Harbor and the 9/11 attack? There many things that is similar and different in both attacks and we can use these two events to help learn from our mistakes in the future. From both of the attacks we now know that something unexpected could happen at any time any day. In the Pearl Harbor attack there had been warning signs that could have prevented the surprise of the attack and the total number of death of civilians and people all together. But in the 9/11 attack the moment that the planes have been taken the fate of the people was almost sealed. From these two events we learned that the security of the nation needs to be more prepared for what might happen in the future.

Surfacing-Margaret Atwood

Back at her old nature satiated homestead she begins to recall from her mind the clouded thoughts of a mime that was and the memories burled deep In her soul that will eventually surface. I believe the protagonist suffers from a combination of Inferiority complex and anxiety; and stemming from the fact that she has had several failed relationships only solidifies the belief that her Internal disorders magnify and rule her life, but she eventually comes to recognize this.Throughout the story she Intentionally looks for flaws In the people around, and uses this as an excuse for not giving herself to a relationship. She routinely correlates good & evil as a manipulative tool to ensure her isolation. She has suffered rejection, abortion, and the cold and not-so-pretty realities of the world and passes the blame to her parents for not preparing her. It began after her college Professor, a married father, paid for her abortion and left her alone in an ‘abortion house' so she could pa ss away the life of their unborn daughter.Snatched from her womb, she is haunted by the images. She wanted to conceive Joey's baby in order to replace the terminated seedling that she had destroyed. She talks in artful metaphors about that day throughout the story and I didn't fully realize the implications until after she surfaced from the bottom of the cake. As she lay there in the boat recalling the created lies and the distance she had created with her family in order to preserve her sanity I began to flip back toward the beginning correlating the vague and indirect innuendos from earlier in the story.The picturesque wedding at the post office, the daughter that never was, these were all a collage; layered memories, crafted and cleverly constructed in order to hide the ugly truth. Finally, her tattered and broken emotions are able to surface from the bottom of the lake, only to have them buried again as she receives the news of her ethers death from that liar David', and its as if the denial seed would grow new roots again, saving her from yet another brink of despair.She decides she will take the â€Å"Random Samples† of David and Joe with her and reels them out Into the lake, and In doing so I think she is freeing Anne from her life of pain with David. The mind Is a powerful place, and his was a powerful story. My only disappointment was at the end, for not knowing whether or not she and Joe reunited. Was, she really pregnant? Did she regain her sanity? I'd Like to think so†¦ Margaret Atwood tells a story In an absolutely magical way. She has such strong construction of words, blending and layering them effortlessly to construct raw emotion In the process.I'm keeping this one! Surfacing-Margaret Atwood By Marseille their two friendly antagonist acquaintances', Anne & David, have Joined her in the the remote summer lake house, situated on a private island. Back at her old nature time that was and the memories buried deep in her soul that will eventually surface. I believe the protagonist suffers from a combination of inferiority complex and only solidifies the belief that her internal disorders magnify and rule her life, but she eventually comes to recognize this.Throughout the story she intentionally looks for flaws in the people around, and uses this as an excuse for not giving herself to a relationship. She routinely correlates good & evil as a manipulative tool to ensure â€Å"Random Samples† of David and Joe with her and reels them out into the lake, and in doing so I think she is freeing Anne from her life of pain with David. The mind is a Did she regain her sanity? I'd like to think so†¦ Margaret Atwood tells a story in an layering them effortlessly to construct raw emotion in the process. I'm keeping this