Bread Givers and The Bluest Eye Families in Crisis: An Analysis

Both novels The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison and Bread Givers by Anzia Yezierska are about families from the early twentieth century who face enormous problems of living in a patriarchal home that is obviously not working. Both books focus on the daughters of the families and the hardships that they must endure. The Bluest Eye, and Bread Givers are about characters who do not belong to mainstream America in a time period before tolerance and civil rights. Pecola Bleedlove is the protagonist of The Bluest Eye.She is an eleven year old African American girl who believes that she is extremely ugly and she believes that the ultimate beauty of a person would be to have blue eyes. She measures beauty by white American standards of her day which is just after the Great Depression and she struggles with her race not only with whites, but with other lighter African Americans. The line between colored and nigger was not always clear; subtle and telltale signs threatened to erode it, and the wat ch had to be constant. (Morrison, 87) Sara Smolinski is the protagonist of Bread Givers.She is the youngest daughter in a Jewish family who have immigrated to the United States from Poland in the 1910’s and 20’s. The Smolinski family live in New York City while the Breedloves live in a small town in Ohio. However, the setting makes little difference when it comes to the problems that each family faces. They are both looked down upon because of their race and their socioeconomic positions in society because both families live in poverty. The early part of the twentieth century in the United States was a patriarchal society and all classes lived by those rules. The father controlled the family especially the wives and daughters.While sons were strictly guided by their fathers as well, they did gain freedom at the legal age of maturity and they would hen become the leaders of their own families. Daughters were totally ruled by their fathers and wives knew that they were n ot to question their husband. They would not gain the freedom that a son knew that he would someday obtain. The young woman went straight from her father’s rule to that of her husband. In both novels, the male head of the household, Cholly Breedlove, and Reb Smolinski do not make any money, but depend on the females for their living.In the true patriarchal society, the male head of the house did have responsibilities, and the most important one was to provide for his family. In both these homes the men want to totally control the women, but they are not the providers. Instead they do nothing by take from the women. Cholly is an alcoholic and an abuser, while Reb has devoted his life to studying the Jewish religion and the Torah. This would not have been a bad thing for him to do except that he does not use this to make a living.In the true patriarchal family, the father is also to provide guidance and security to his family so that he is worthy of their respect and loyalty. C holly Breedlove totally perverts his duty as the head of his household. He has done nothing for his wife’s self esteem. She is convinced that she is ugly, and that her deformed foot has made her a cast off of society. Instead of reassuring her that he is attracted to her and that he appreciates the work she does and the money that she brings to the family, he berates her, has adulterous relationships on her, and he constantly battles her.The worse perverse action that he takes is when he rapes his preteen daughter, Pecola. If a father is to have control of his daughters in a patriarchal society, then society expects his to lover her, protect her and guide her. Cholly Breedlove breaks all the rules of society by taking away the innocence of his child, and violating rather than protecting her. He impregnates her so which means that he will rob her of her respectable place in society. Even though today’s society understands that the child is the victim, it was not that wa y in the late 1930’s and early 1940’s.Pecola is impregnated by her father and the baby dies. Certain seeds it will not nurture, certain fruit it will not bear and when the land kills of its own volition, we acquiesce and say the victim had no right to live. (Morrison, 206) She then goes insane and therefore, he has completely ruined her life. . [Pecola beat] the air, a winged but grounded bird, intent on the blue void it could not reach – could not even see – but which filled the valleys of the mind. (Morrison, 204) Reb Smolinski also takes from his wife, Shena.She is in awe of her husband’s intellect and devotion to his religion. She works very hard to support him and make him comfortable even though they live in extreme poverty. Unlike Cholly, Reb does not physically abuse his wife. Reb’s daughter fare for worse than their mother does when it comes to his treatment of them. While he does not violate the girl’s virtue, he is still cr uel to them psychologically. He has each girl work very hard outside of the home even though he does not do this himself.He convinces each girl that it is a father’s duty to take their wages and to use it toward the providential care of the family. Like the Old Testament men, Reb rules every aspect of his daughter’s lives. He truly believes that It says in the Torah: What’s a woman without a man? Less than nothing—a blotted out existence. No life on earth and no hope in heaven. (Yezierska, 205) He too, like Cholly, does not do this for the ultimate benefit of the girls, but for his own selfish reasons. This is evident when we first see Bessie bring home a young man that she has an interest.The young man is a good man, is not living in poverty, and seems to love Bessie enough to want to take good care of her. He is also willing to take no dowry, something that was unheard of in that culture, just so that he could spend the rest of his life with her. Instea d of being overjoyed that his daughter would have a wonderful life full of love ahead of her, he ruins the relationship between them. Bessie resigns herself to her father when she tells her lover I know I’m a fool. But I cannot help it. I haven’t the courage to live for myself. My own life is knocked out of me.No wonder Father called me the burden bearer. (Yezierska, 50) He does the same thing to his other daughters except for Sarah and instead, arranges poor marriages for them and their lives are completely ruined. Sarah stands up to her father and runs away. She becomes a teacher, and continues to live a life of poverty until she has finished her schooling, and begins to make a good living for herself. Her father has disowned her for no other reason except that she has not obeyed him completely and has made life better for herself. This has taken away his power over her.Because of the underhanded workings of his second wife, apparently he could not control her as he did the Shena, Sarah becomes close to the principal at the school where she works. After they have established a relationship, Sarah and Hugo, the principal revert back to the mindset of the patriarchal society in which they had both been reared, and the book ends with the assumption that Reb will move in with them and they will take care of him the way that he should have taken care of Sarah when she was a child and a young woman. I felt the shadow still there, over me.It wasn’t just my father, but the generations who made my father whose weight was still upon me. (Yezierska, 297) Both of the novels Bread Givers and The Bluest Eye concentrate on the negatives of the patriarchal society. Society has now moved far away from that mind set, however remnants of it can still be seen. They both portray the powerlessness of women, even though one, Sarah, rises above it and takes charge of her own life. Works Cited Morrison, Toni. The Bluest Eye. 1970. London: Chatto and Windus, Ltd. 1979. Yezierska, Anzia. Bread Givers. 1925. Ne

Developments in Public Personnel Field

This paper deals with the trends, issues and challenges that are being faced by the public personnel. These trends and issues may be categorized under (1) Management practices; (2) technology; and (3) Economic and Politics. Governments all over the world should learn this time what to do with their public personnel so that they can become more efficient and more effective in the face of all the mentioned challenges. . IntroductionPublic or Civil Service is a big part of the lives of the citizens of a nation whether they want it or not. There are a number of government agencies that require the services of public servants and professionals. These professionals are free from the political affiliations of people who serve in the bureaucracy. There are developments in the society, in the technology and other areas of management that have an impact in the lives of public personnel. This essay explores these new trends, strategies, approaches by looking at different areas that affect the l ives and performance of public personnel.These new trends, issues and emerging practices will be divided into three major categories: management practices, technology and economic situation. The first category deals mainly with the emerging issues in management such as diversity, the rights and benefits of public personnel and how the government is reacting to these trends. Secondly, the technological advancements that impact the work of public personnel will be looked at, carefully noting how these are revolutionizing the way that public personnel do their work. Lastly, the economic developments in the United States and the world will also be noted together with their impact on the lives of workers in the Civil service sector.The government as an employer should take note of these developments and keep up with the times. Oftentimes, however, bureaucracy tends to react too slowly to the changes going on in the world. If this is the case, the public personnel will be disadvantaged. N onetheless, this paper will also put forward several recommendations as to how the plight of public personnel could be improved by the government through the effective and efficient use of resources in their respective organizations.Management PracticesWorkforce DiversityOne of the most important developments in public personnel in the twenty-first century is the increasing recognition of diversity in the operations of public offices and agencies. Such diversity stems from the multicultural fabric of the American society. There are African Americans, Asians, Europeans and Latino in the United States.It is impossible to exclude these people from becoming public personnel if they possess the skills and the educational requirements of serving in the Civil Service. Through the victories won by the Civil Rights movement in the United States in the past forty years or so, the US has come a long way in granting equal rights and opportunities to people of various skin colors.The immigration to the US has also continued in the past few years that the demographic has changed. Through the process of globalization, more and more people from various nations are coming to the United States. Managing a diverse workforce is therefore becoming an imperative for most corporations and multinational companies in the US. This should also be the case with public personnel (Farazmand, 2007).There are a number of benefits that workforce diversity could offer to public offices and agencies. For one, perspectives and viewpoints in the office concerning pressing issues and concerns will be diverse, thus, providing the decision maker with the ability to look at different angles before making important decisions. Without diversity, people will, more or less, look at something from virtually same lenses and perspectives. With diversity, however, there are new perspectives that could enable a broader look at issues plaguing the civil service and the rest of the society.One factor that influ ences the occurrence of diversity in both private and public organizations is the prevalence of migration and mobility of labor. People from diverse backgrounds often find themselves mingling with people from other nationalities (Mavin & Girling, 2000). Diversity, however, is more than just a collection of nationalities within the organization. Rather, there are several sources of diversity that can serve as a point of conflict within the organization—public or private. Managing diversity, therefore, is an art that most public agencies and organizations should be dealt with effectively. These sources of diversity include gender, race, ethnicity, linguistic barriers, sexual preferences and religion.As stipulated in the Constitution and the laws of the United States, these kinds of differences should in no way affect the employment of persons or prevent them from enjoying the privileges accorded to any person within the civil service of the country. The problem, however, is tha t, in a setting such as the public agencies and organizations, there are persons who may have strong feelings, prejudices and biases against any of these sources of diversity and they may condescend to those who are not like them. As such, they might not be able to get along with certain kinds of people in the civil service.Multiculturalism and the prevalence of diversity should be met with effective public personnel management strategies. The management should not be reactive and act as if they are always pacifying people, trouble-shooting problems and ironing out conflicts. Rather, diversity should be managed well by allowing practices and the organizational culture to become attuned to diversity. After all, the labor force has become heterogeneous and there seems to be no way to stop that at this stage (Sippola, 2005).Proactive management of diversity entails understanding the cultural and other differences among different peoples who belong to the organization. This also helps t he management become more attuned to the composition of the public personnel workforce and make the necessary recommendations in terms of managing these personnel.Diversity is one thing that could help the organization thrive in the highly competitive world of the twenty-first century. Through diversity, the perspective of an organization becomes broader and the way in which the organization reaches out to people belonging to different groups.There is an increasing sense of job insecurity in the United States, work hours cannot be completely controlled and the leadership style of managers may sometimes be unsuitable to that of the expectations of the organization. The well-being of the organization should not be compromised (Sparks, Faragher, & Cooper, 2001).The Need for Entrepreneurial LeadershipAnother problem plaguing the bureaucracy and the civil service in general is too much reliance on tried and tested formula without exploring new possible ways of dealing with different prob lems and challenges that the government agencies are facing. Too often, leaders in the government fail to look beyond the proverbial horizon of their respective agencies. As such, what happens is that they rely on previous records, previously successful formula rather than on carefully crafted strategies that address the present situation of their organizations. This is where entrepreneurial leadership comes in.One of the keywords closely associated with entrepreneurship is innovation. This is the continuous pursuit for improvement and looking for new areas to improve the operations of the organization. If this were present in most public agencies, then the personnel can be empowered as they become more effective and efficient in fulfilling their tasks. Unnecessary delays and red tape in the public offices tend to affect the level of innovativeness of public agencies in information technology and other areas of operation (Moon & Bretschneiber, 2002).Entrepreneurship is also closely associated with risk. If managers are willing to engage in risk in the name of innovation, then the organization will become bolder in pursuing entrepreneurship and innovation. When this happens, the followers will emulate the example of the bosses, and they, themselves, will engage in efforts and action that could lead to a more efficient and effective public service organization.Technology  Internet, Web 2.0 and Business ApplicationsThe twenty-first century is marked by break-neck speed of technological breakthroughs and innovation. The world is still reeling from the impact of near instantaneous communication. The possibilities seem to be endless. When one company offers a product, three weeks later, a rival presents another product that is better and usually smaller than the one previously being offered. These technologies are changing the landscape of public personnel management, including the way in which business and office work are being done. These emerging technologies a re outlined in the next discussion.The Internet. The world is very much connected now, thanks to the wonder that is the Internet. With the number of websites all over the world today, the Internet has become a storehouse of articles and knowledge. Through these websites and other features of the Internet, readers and other users are able to check out the most recent breakthroughs in various fields of study in the world. More than that, with a simple click on the mouse, research can be undertaken. This means that workers can do more now that they are connected to the rest of the world (Sullivan & Lewis, 2002).Technology allowing workers to log on to the company intranet even while in a long distance from the office is now available. This is called remote access and makes use of the network of the Internet while putting forward a security means to protect the company from breach and security compromise (Sullivan & Lewis, 2002).Email is another important factor of the internet that has come to the fore of business operations in the past few years. Without email, the world will continue to rely on snail mail, which is a much slower and inefficient means of communication. With email, the sender can directly type in the message on the computer screen, hit the send button and then wait for a few seconds before the receiver opens the email. Another great thing about emails is that they can be used as vehicle of sending over large files over long distances (Sullivan & Lewis, 2011).Voice over internet Protocol. Another interesting feature of the Internet that has recently come to the attention of the world is Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). This significantly lowered the cost of voice communications over the Internet. This feature has been integrated into various instant messaging protocols such as Skype, Windows Messenger, AIM and Yahoo Messenger among others.It is also possible now to hold live video and audio streaming. This has implications in holding video con ferences over vast areas of land and territory. Hence, live video and audio streaming can help public agencies lower the cost of communication as they meet online. The security of information passed over the Internet is another important concern that must be addressed. Hence, the developments in Internet security and anti-virus technologies help users protect the users and the data that they are feeding and manipulating in the Internet. Information is a very important asset, particularly for public agencies that are serving the broader public. Thanks to the efforts of developers and anti-virus companies, most hackers are kept at bay and prevented from wreaking havoc in the systems of public agencies (Jackson & van der Wielen, 1998).The Internet, together with sound IT infrastructure is already installed in most public agencies. This enables the agencies to dispense social services more quickly and more efficiently. Without technology, such social services will be inaccessible to sev eral sectors in the society (Jones & Dages, 2003). Given the many distractions at work, however, more and more managers realize the importance of introducing regulations and control mechanisms concerning the websites that may be accessed by the public personnel at work. While they are at work, if the IT system is open, then they can listen to music while at the same time enjoy the resources for their own personal use.The reality of digital distraction and information overload among workers is also looming over the twenty-first century public personnel. As such, there should be a means of ensuring that only information pertinent to the job of the public personnel are accessed by the workers during the work session. Otherwise, they will be subject to information overload. Information technology at work is a double-edged sword. It can get a lot of things done but if improperly used, it may also be harmful to the productivity and overall performance of an individual worker (Jackson & va n der Wielen, 1998).The twenty-first century has been hailed as the coming of the knowledge economy where the workers are not only dealing with products and services but rather, they are dealing with information, data and knowledge. As such, technology is a prerequisite for the effective functioning of the public personnel in various areas of government and operations of such agencies.Teleworking and Telecommuting in the Public SectorThe advances and breakthroughs in the technology mentioned above paved the way for the emergence of teleworking and telecommuting among the professionals in the United States. There emerged a new brand of professionals who do not have to report to the office of the agency as long as they are doing the job they have agreed to. Although telecommuting is not a new phenomenon, it has been around since the late 1980s. The only difference now is that the technology has made it so much convenient for teleworkers to thrive in the present system (DiMartino and W irth, 1990).As long as a teleworker has access to computer and good internet connection, he may deliver the work he agreed to. There are also a number of telecommuters from other countries who do the work for the public and private sectors in the United States. Another related process being utilized nowadays is outsourcing. Workers and companies outside of the United States establish partnerships with companies in the US so they can handle the operations of some areas of business.With the increasing popularity of outsourcing and telecommuting, the organization should arrive at a sound plan how to manage these kinds of worker. Of primary concern is the growth of teleworkers as professionals in their field and how they get the services that they deserve (Cooper, & Kurland, 2002).Teleworking has a number of impacts on the public personnel. It might be opted by employees who are taking care of a family member at home needing special attention, by a mother who wants to spend more time wi th her kids or by any other professional who simply wants this kind of arrangement. Teleworking is being used in the private sector but it can also be implemented in the public sector.Teleworking may be considered as a really radical departure from the usual mode of working as public personnel. Teleworkers enjoy an immense level of flexibility in terms of fulfilling their role and still pursuing other interests that they want to pursue.Teleworking, however, may be considered as a security breach in an organization that holds sensitive information in its data bank. In addition to this, teleworking introduces a level of uncertainty and difficulty in managing people. This is why, management should look into an acceptable means of accommodating both the usual full-time staff and those who have opted for teleworking.As the public sector start dealing with teleworking, it should carefully look into the pros and cons of the arrangement. Through this, they can maximize the presence of the t eleworker in the organization while at the same time, making sure that its pitfalls are removed or at least minimized.Individual worker is really at the center of the teleworking arrangements. As long as there is an internet connection and computer, the teleworker can deliver his work. If possible, the organization should also undertake psychological tests to ascertain whether a certain employee is ready for the rigors and loneliness of the being a teleworker.Economy and PoliticsGlobalizationBecause of the rapid advances in communication and transportation technologies and the inter-relationships between and among the countries of the world, the nations are being brought closer together in a process known as globalization (Tomlinson, 1999).The changes being brought about by globalization are far-reaching and broad because it targets the politics, economics, culture and other areas of life (Castles, 2001). Globalization can no longer be ignored because it has impinged on important pr ocesses that go on in the society. It is also not just a national issue but a worldwide one. If this process continues, then the world can become a borderless society in which labor and other resources can move freely without a lot of hassle.In the management of public personnel, globalization has also become a real issue that must be dealt with by the bureaucracy. Globalization is also attacking the established authority of the state over a certain territory, such as a nation-state. The role of the state and the government, therefore, is changing under the relentless impact of globalization.The focus of globalization is efficiency, decentralization and the trimming down of the bureaucracy. In terms of public personnel, this means letting go of a lot of employees and retaining only those who process the core processes and who are able to continue the operations of the agencies that will be affected. With globalization, this means that there will be greater decentralization and dereg ulation of power and autonomy (Bevir, Rhodes & Weller, 2003).The government, however, cannot simply do that without major repercussions. There has to be a careful study as to the kind of jobs and personnel that will be retained and which positions will be let go. If possible, will there be roles that can be combined? This way, the government will be able to save money while at the same time ensuring that the processes being looked after by the public personnel will be continued.ConclusionThe twenty-first century world is very dynamic. Technologies are changing very rapidly, the relationships between and among the countries of the world are becoming stronger. Economies are trading more freely and governments are still in charge of running their own respective territories. This is being done with the help of public personnel who are in the bureaucracy and who are continuously serving the needs of the government and of the people they are serving.There are three main areas of concern t hat impact the changes in public personnel. These are in the areas of Management Practices, Technology, and Economics. Of particular interest is the increasing popularity and significance of workplace diversity and the manner in which public organizations should deal with it so that it can maximize its impact and its efficiency. In addition to this, the advances in technology is paving the way for alternative modes of working such as teleworking and telecommuting. Lastly, globalization also has an important impact on the way that public personnel are being treated and how the public sector can generate savings from the process. Reference Bevir, B, Rhodes, RAW, & Weller, P. (2003). Traditions of governance: interpreting the changing role of the public sector. Public Administration, 81 (1), 1-17. Castles, FG. (2001). On political company of recent pubic sector development. Journal of European Social Political Policy, 11 (3), 195-211. Cooper, CD & Kurland, NB (2002). Telecommuting, professional isolation, and employee development in public and private organizations. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 23 (4), 511-532. Daniels, K., Lamond, DA, & Stranden, P. (2000). Managing Telework. New York: CENGAGE Learning. Farazmand, A (2007). Strategic Public Personnel Administration. New York: Greenwood Publishing Group. Jackson, P. and Van der Wielen, J. (1998). Teleworking. Routledge, London. Jones, JW & Dages, KD (2003). Technology Trends in Staffing and Assessment: A Practice Note. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 11 (2-3), 247-252. Mavin, S. & Girling, G. (2000). What is Managing Diversity and Why Does It Matter? Human Resource Development International, 3 (4), 419-433. Moon, MJ & Breschneiber, S (2002). Does the Perception of Red Tape Constrain IT Innovativeness in Organizations? Unexpected Results from a Simultaneous Equation Model and Implications. Journal of Publication Research and Theory, 12 (2), 273-292. Sippola, A. (2005). HRM of a Diverse Workforce: Challenges of Emerging Cultural Diversity. Proceedings of the 18th Scandinavian Academy of Management (NFF) Conference, Aarhus, Denmark, 18-20 August 2005. Sparks, K., Faragher, B & Cooper, CL (2001). Well-being and occupational health in the 21st century workplace. Journal of Occupational and Organizational. Sullivan, C & Lewis, S. (2002). Home-based Telework, Gender, and the Synchronization of Work and Family: Perspectives of Teleworkers and their Co-residents. Gender, Work and Organization, 8 (2), 123-145. Tomlinson, J. (1999) Globalization and Culture. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

The economic and performance benefits of disk

Disk Aggregation is a process to combine more than one physical disk or logical disk drive and duly change into comparatively more larger disk drive. The purpose of such combination is mainly to create one single physical disk which has more capacity than any other physical disk, which is currently available. Thus it provides an easy to use way in such a way that the performance increases considerably. Virtualization of storage helps in achieving the location independence simply by abstracting the physical location of any data.It helps in providing a logical space to the user for storage of data. Further, it also provides for the process of mapping the data to the actual physical location available to the user. Thus the virtualization software or device always uses meta-data i. e. mapping information that enables to re=direct the VO request (Toigo, 2004). The main function of this device is first to receive an incoming VO request which contains several information regarding location of the data in reference to the logical disk.Thereafter it translates such disk into a new VO request to the physical disk location. All this system is so smooth as well as fault-less that without any special effort the whole sets of performances work wonderfully to the entire satisfaction of the user. Thus the virtualization device receive a read request for logical disk such as LUN ID =1 LBA=32. It can also perform a meta-data look up for above logical disk and transcend it into physical disk LUN D-7, LBAD.Again virtualization device can also receive the data back to the originating place as if it had received from virtual disk LUN ID=1. LBA 32. The main performance benefits are that for implementation of this device no additional hardware is required. Similarly, no other drastic change in infrastructure is needed for such virtualization. Since we are using logical volume manager,{LUM or LINUX } as Windows, which is called logical disk manager or CDM which are effective in perform ing the virtualization task, it is very simple to design and also easy to code.Its implementation also helps in supporting any storage type. Its usefulness more felt by the user such performance benefits. Thus user can install virtualization and its economic benefits are the avoidance of multiple virtual servers as a single server is enough for the best performance. It helps in cost reduction in following ways:1. Software license fee avoidance.2. Lesser space for date centre.3. Less power for unnecessary controllers.4. Reductions in overtime and better utilization of resources,5.  Reduction in overall cost as it helps in overall curtailment in 20-60% of many common management tasks.The advantages which are derived by the users are so many and the advantage of faultless working of such virtualization is so alluring that it is becoming very popular and user-friendly. The usages e enormous and as explained earlier the performance as well as economic benefits are making this device in dispensible in present days. With growing demand of virtualization the system is so designed that the user always find its implementation an asset to his growing need. Reference: Toigo Jon William, The holy grail of network storage management, illustrated, 2004, Prentice Hall PTR, ISBN: 0130284165, 9780130284167

Business Environment and Strategic Managment Essay

Business Environment and Strategic Managment - Essay Example Indeed, after the completion of the installation process, the business strategy needs to be periodically monitored as of its performance (Harrison 2012). In this way, weaknesses and failures can be identified early so that major risks in regard to all business operations are avoided. According to Herzog (2010) the strategic management process can be also completed in just three phases: â€Å"a) situation assessment, b) strategy development and c) strategy implementation† (Herzog 2010, p.17). The development of the phases of strategic management process, as described above, is based on a series of tools, also known as strategic tools. The key role of these tools is to ensure that the decision-making process is adequately supported (Herzog 2010). Certain of these tools are quite popular. Reference can be made, for example, to SWOT analysis, PEST analysis, Porter’s Five Forces, Benchmarking, Forecasting and Financial Ratios (Herzog 2010). Each organization chooses the stra tegic tools that most respond to its needs taking into consideration the existing resources and the risks involved, both in the short and the long term (Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson 2010). Also, the type of industry in which each firm operates is expected to influence the firm’s strategic management process, meaning also the strategic management tools that will be used for achieving the business objectives ((Daft, Kendrick and Vershinina 2010). The business model is another important criterion taken into account by strategic managers when having to choose the strategic tools employed in the achievement of business goals ((Daft, Kendrick and Vershinina 2010). Qatar Petroleum (QP) is the most powerful competitor in Qatar’s oil and gas sector; the company... This paper approves that the strategic management process incorporates a series of phases, aiming to help businesses to keep their value at high level. According to the literature, four are the most common phases of strategic management process: at a first level, the â€Å"vision and mission of the organization are reviewed† then, â€Å"the internal and external organizational environment needs to be analyzed† using the information retrieved through the research and the analysis developed in the previous two phases, the strategic manager proceeds to the identification of strategy that is most appropriate for supporting business goals, the â€Å"implementation of the chosen strategy† can be completed; at this level, the strategic management process should not be considered as terminated. Indeed, after the completion of the installation process, the business strategy needs to be periodically monitored as of its performance. This essay comes to the conclusion that strategic management tools can be used in both planning and evaluation of a company’s strategy or direction. According to Henry Mintzberg’s strategy can be defined as â€Å"a pattern in a stream of decisions†; based on the above definition it can be claimed that strategic tools can be effectively used for the evaluation of the performance and the strategic objectives of an organization. The specific approach to strategic management has been used in order to explore and evaluate the business strategy of Qatar Petroleum. Three widely used strategic tools have been employed: SWOT, PEST and benchmarking analyses.

Universal jurisdiction application of International Law Essay

Universal jurisdiction application of International Law - Essay Example Universal jurisdiction refers to universal prescriptive jurisdiction and obliges states to assume jurisdiction over international crimes that are especially serious regardless of where the crime was committed (O’Keefe, 745). According to the dissenting opinion of Van den Wyngaert, the definition of universal jurisdiction is not clearly established under international Convention or customary international law with the result that the definition is uncertain (Arrest Warrant of 11 April 2000 also known as Joint Separate Opinion of Judges Higgins, Koijmans and Brugenthal). However, the International Law Commission and the International Criminal Court Statute both provide ample explanation of the concept of universal jurisdiction and its purpose. This paper identifies and analyses the international law on universal jurisdiction and identifies where uncertainties may arise. Definition and Concepts of Universal Jurisdiction According to the International Law Commission’s Report of the Sixth Committee, universal jurisdiction is defined as: †¦a legal principle allowing or requiring a state to bring criminal proceedings in respect of certain crimes irrespective of the location of the crime and the nati onality of the perpetrator or the victim (1). Arguably, the concept of universal jurisdiction is also referred to in the Rome Statute for the International Criminal Court, 1998 (ICC Statute). The Preamble to the ICC Statute, states that â€Å"the most serious crimes of concern to the international community† â€Å"must not go unpunished† and that all member states will implement laws for ensuring the â€Å"effective prosecution of† of those crimes† and in doing so, the international community must cooperate (ICC Statute, Preamble). More specifically, the Rome Statute of the ICC goes further to state that: †¦it is the duty of every State to exercise its criminal jurisdiction over those responsible for international crimes (Preamble). According to the Joint Separate Opinion of Judges Higgins, Koijmans and Brugenthal, various states have implemented laws conferring jurisdiction on them over international crimes. However, none of these states have provide d for jurisdiction over crimes to which the enabling state does not have some form of connection (Joint Separate Opinion of Judges Higgins, Koijmans and Brugenthal, 70). National courts have been more decisive however. For example, the Federal Court of Australia listed a number of international crimes over which it had universal jurisdiction. The Supreme Court of Austria ruled that it had universal jurisdiction over crimes of genocide. The United States has assumed universal jurisdiction in two notable cases, Yunis in 1988 and Bin Laden in 2000(Joint Separate Opinion of Judges Higgins, Koijmans and Brugenthal). Some states are hesitant to assume jurisdiction over a matter that another state has jurisdiction over. For example both the UK and the Russian Federation have expresses similar views against one state assuming jurisdiction over a matter that relates to an offence that was committed within the territory of another state (Joint Separate Opinion of Judges Higgins, Koijmans and Brugenthal). Regardless, in addition to international treaties in which jurisdiction over specific crimes such as torture and genocide require some form of link to the offence, the offender or the victims in order to confer jurisdiction, universal jurisdi

Managerial Economics in MBA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Managerial Economics in MBA - Essay Example Measuring marginal opportunity cost should reflect the intricate ecological and physical inter-linkages that exist within an ecosystem, allowing for the relationship between soil erosion, deforestation, sedimentation, and stream-flow. In turn, the marginal opportunity cost is comprised of direct costs from the use of resources, externalities that arise from inter-linkages of the ecosystem, and user component that comes from the use of resources in a non-sustainable way. 1. Most of Europe’s coal mines have closed down. There are still large reserves of coal available. Under what circumstances would you envisage businesses opening up coal mines and exploiting these resources? Europe still possesses plenty of coal resource reserves. In some cases, these are not easy to access although they can still be mined. The question that arises when considering the probability of their exploitation is their economic viability. The decline witnessed in the 80s regarding mining of coal, as well as the closure of mines, was done because extraction costs for coal became too high given the shifting focus of the global market (Ali & Jeffrey 21). The market began to move towards the use of gas to produce electricity, as well as the use of coal from countries where mining was extra economically viable. However, as Europe becomes a net exporter of gas and oil again as supplies start to run out, they will be forced to be more reliant on supplies of gas from unfriendly economies like Russia or price-hiking Sheikhs from the Middle East. As the price of gas continues to rise due to these factors, the development of technology will alter the relationship that exists between coalâ €™s marginal cost and its marginal revenue (Ali & Jeffrey 21). Another way that coal could become viable again is a new method of making it clean in order to offset its environmental destruction (Ali & Jeffrey 29). Coal causes major environmental destruction, and for its marginal revenue to be above its marginal costs, then it has to be cleaned. Several European countries have begun efforts towards this. One technology, which could see the environmental cost of coal go down, is carbon capture technology.

Social Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Social Security - Essay Example Full employment does not mean zero unemployment but means a situation where an economy experiences only structural and frictional unemployment and an absence of cyclical unemployment. This is because structural and frictional unemployment are considered unavoidable and work positively to some extent too. The rate associated with full employment is known as the full-employment rate of unemployment or as the natural rate of unemployment (NRU) and is considered to be consistent with a level of unemployment that predominantly comprises voluntarily unemployed workers.1 An economy at its natural rate of unemployment is said to be producing a non-inflationary potential output.2 Zero unemployment is not a desired state, because at this level inflationary pressures start to build in form of rising wages. This increases costs, which are in turn passed on to customers as higher prices, and this leads to inflation. Unemployment is an excess amount of labor on the labor market. An unemployed person is defined as one who is willing to work but is out of work. The unemployment rate is the number of unemployed workers divided by the civilian labor force, this includes both the unemployed and those with jobs. Frictional unemployment is unemployment which results from people moving between jobs and new workers entering the labor force.3 Frictional unemployment refers to workers who are searching for jobs and those that are waiting to work in the near future. A certain amount of frictional unemployment is unavoidable and inevitable, however this type of unemployment can be reduced to some extent by providing better information about job opportunities and availability of workers. Structural Unemployment Structural unemployment is more likely to be a longer term phenomenon than frictional unemployment and consequently have a greater impact. 2 Barbiero Thomas, Brue Stanley and McConnell Campbell. Macroeconomics: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited, (2002): 160 3 James, Elijah M. Macroeconomics: A Problem Solving Approach. Prentice Hall Canada Inc. (1997): 419 Structural Unemployment is caused by a mismatch between the skills (or location) of job seekers and the requirements (or location) of available jobs. It is the type of unemployment that arises when there is a decline in the number of jobs available in a particular region or industry, and this is caused by changes in the demand pattern of consumers. If there is a permanent decline in the demand for leather shoes, the