Terrorism Throughout the History of the United States

Terrorism in America, like America itself, is a product of the many populations, issues and conflicts that co-exist within the nation’s borders. The United States is nearly unique among nations for its ability to â€Å"contain multitudes† in relative harmony. On examination, a substantial amount of terrorism in American history is motivated by an extreme distrust of the American ideal of democracy, in which people of varied backgrounds can all claim loyalty to and the benefits of the American system. In other words, despite enormous variation in terrorism’s expression, domestic terrorism in the United States can often be explained as a violent claim over what or who is authentically American. This distrust has had various forms of expression by different groups, in different periods. Colonists Use Violence to Proclaim Independence Although the Boston Tea Party does not necessarily come to mind as an act of terrorism, the staged rebellion by colonists was meant to threaten the British into changing its policy of taxing colonist tea importers imports, while offering a tariff-free trade to its East India Tea Company. Putting the Boston Tea Party in the category of terrorism can be a useful exercise for comparing the goals and tactics of different national liberation groups, which is what the Americans--once upon a time--were. Post-Civil War Terrorism — Violent White Supremacy The first and arguably most entrenched terrorist in the United States is based in an ideology called white supremacy, which holds that white Protestant Christians are superior to other ethnicities and races and that public life should reflect this purported hierarchy. In the period before the Civil War, American social organization did, in fact, reflect a presumed white supremacy, since slavery was legal. It was only after the Civil War, when Congress and the Union military began to enforce equality between the races, that white supremacy emerged. The Ku Klux Klan grew out of this period, using a variety of means to terrorize and harm African-Americans and sympathetic whites. In 1871, they were outlawed by Congress as a terrorist group, but they have had several violent incarnations since then. The Ku Klux Klan is no longer outwardly violent, but it has many chapters and continues to spread a racist ideology today, often against immigrants. Communists and Anarchist Violence Erupts in the 1920s The Bolshevik revolution that created the Soviet Union in 1917 had a powerful effect on socialist-minded revolutionaries the world over, including in the United States. And the roaring twenties, a period of tremendous wealth building by American robber barons provided a useful background for agitators against inequality. Most of this agitation had nothing to do with terrorism — labor strikes were common, for example. But anarchist and communist violence expressed the extreme end of a mainstream rift running through American society. The resulting red scare expressed peoples terrible fear that a communist revolution could unfold on American soil. One of the first cases of terrorism to be investigated by the FBI was the 1920 bombing on Wall Street by suspected anarchists. A spate of unsolved bombings in 1920 also gave rise to the infamous Palmer Raids, a series of mass arrests of Americans of Russian and other origins. The 1920s were also a period of upsurge in KKK violence, car ried out not only against African-Americans but also against Jews, Catholics, and immigrants. Domestic Terrorism Explodes in the 1960s-1970s The expansion of plane travel beyond an elite few in the 1950s and 1960s enabled hijacking — or skyjacking, as it was known then. In the United States, flights going to and from Cuba frequently hijacked, although not always motivated by a strong political intention. This was the era, in other parts of the world, of post-colonial national liberation movements. In Algeria, in the Middle East, in Cuba, guerrilla warfare was revolutionary chic as much as it was a serious tactic. Both the serious intention and the youthful fashion took hold in the United States. American youth opposed to what they viewed as American imperialism, fueled by the ideals of civil rights for blacks, women, gays, and others, and deeply opposed to the deepening entanglement in Vietnam, turned radical. And some turned violent. Some had a relatively coherent platform, such as the Black Panthers and the Weathermen, while others, like the Symbionese Liberation Army — which, famously, kidnapped heiress Patty Hearst — were more generally in favor of something vaguely revolutionary. Right-Wing Terrorism on the Rise in the 1980s The radicalism of the 1960s and 1970s was followed by the conservatism of the Reagan era, in mainstream America. Political violence  too  took a turn to the right. In the 1980s, white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups such as Aryan Nation saw a resurgence, often among working-class white males, who perceived themselves as displaced by women, African Americans, Jews, and immigrants who benefited from new civil rights legislation. Terrorism in the name of Christianity also surged in the 1980s and 1990s. Radical groups and individuals committed to violent action to stop abortion were among the most visible. Michael Bray, head of a group called the Army of God spent four years in prison for his abortion clinic bombings in the 1980s. In 1999, the most lethal act of domestic violence to date occurred when Timothy McVeigh bombed the Alfred P. Murrah building in  Oklahoma City, killing 168 people. McVeighs stated motivation — revenge against a federal government that he viewed as intrusive and oppressive, was an extreme version of more mainstream desire among many for a smaller government. Dean Harvey Hicks, a citizen angry over his taxes, for example, created the one-man terrorist group Up the IRS, Inc. and tried to bomb IRS locations. Global terrorism comes to America The September 11,  2001  attacks by  Al Qaeda  continue to dominate the story of terrorism in the United States in the 21st century. The attacks were the first major act of global terrorism in U.S. territory. It was the culminating event of a decade of rising extremist, militant religious sentiment in many quarters of the world.

Essay about Well Planned, Well Executed - 1047 Words

Well Planned, Well Executed nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;â€Å"The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge†(77). The short stories main character, Montresor, gave this quote to an unknown person about his adversary, Fortunato. Montresor swears to himself that he will take revenge on Fortunato. The Cask of Amontillado, written by Edgar Allen Poe, tells the story how Montresor lures Fortunato to the catacombs to implement his plan. Montresor’s revenge is premeditated, in hopes of successfully murdering Fortunato. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Montresor relies on Fortunato’s knowledge of wine to lure him to his wine cellar. When Montresor finds†¦show more content†¦nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Montresor, in preparation for this visit to the wine vaults with Fortunato, manipulated his staff so that no one would be at the house, no one but he and Fortunato. â€Å"There were no attendants at home; they had absconded to make merry in honour of the time. I had told them that I should not return until morning, and had given them explicit orders not to stir from the house. These orders were sufficient, I well knew, to insure their immediate disappearance...†(79). Montresor knew that if he told his servants not to leave, they would be gone the minute that Montresor left. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;To ensure Fortunato is not thinking clearly enough to suspect any foul play, Montresor gets Fortunato to drink Medoc, a French wine, to keep him intoxicated. Montresor gives Fortunato the French wine on more than one occasion. First, when they enter the vaults, â€Å"A draught of this Medoc will defend us from the damp.†(79). However, the second time Fortunato tells Montresor that he would like another drink from of the wine. â€Å"But first, another draught of Medoc†(80). Montresor immediately gives him another drink, and Fortunato finishes his drink without hesitation. Having Fortunato intoxicated helps Montresor to get him into the chains before Fortunato will know what is happening to him. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;A moment more and I had fettered him to the granite. In its surfaceShow MoreRelatedETH 316 Blood Money763 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿ Blood Money Scenario Billy Brass ETH/316 March 29, 2012 Christopher Whetstine Blood Money Scenario Moral responsibility of all participants When it comes to human organs and individuals buying them from prisoners that have been executed to survive, one will have to ask themselves if they are making an ethical decision. 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Later in September, violent protests surged in Benghazi--not againstRead MoreListening Skill is a neglected Art988 Words   |  4 Pagesdirections and we exchange messages when coordinating our work tasks with others. Explaining and persuading are essentials in the process of learning especially to us as teachers. Our students learn more and easily persuaded when things are explained well. It is said that oral skills are at the very foundation of literacy. Speaking and Listening, such as in a classroom talk, help students to learn, to reflect on what they are learn ing, and to communicate their knowledge and understanding. Thus, oralRead MoreImportant Metrics Of Business Performance Management Essay847 Words   |  4 Pagesmanagement performance† (Markgraf, B., n.d.). 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In the act of kill ing Agamemnon, Clytemnestra surprises her king with a blow to the head but continues on by calling Cassandra into the house to be killed as well. The death of both Agamemnon and Cassandra are considered murder because technically killing someone is murder and that is extremely illegalRead More10 Important Advantages of Social Media740 Words   |  3 Pagesimportances, ways to implement and so on. Most of the companies are trying to get themselves engaged in various social media channels for various purposes. If planned and executed well Social Media marketing can be one of the most cheapest and effective mode of online marketing and promotion. If your social media marketing is not well planned and executed, it may end in a disaster. The are many reasons for why a company needs to turn towards social media marketing and it depends upon various factors such

Sloan School of Management Free Essays

I am really pleased to have some discussion about my interest to apply for Sloan MBA program. I am determined to take admission in an MBA program in a reputable school and Sloan School of Management is one of my top priorities. The reason that I’ve chosen your school is that MIT Sloan is most popular and reliable in administrating and imparting education to business professionals. We will write a custom essay sample on Sloan School of Management or any similar topic only for you Order Now It has been able to launch change in our current business environment. Its reputation is much known among professionals and still its well educated and learned faculty is still contributing to this culture. I am much acquainted with the culture you promote and also easy and compassionate essay questions you ask. By taking MBA program at Sloan School of Management I hope that I will learn a lot about business dealings and can perform much better in the construction business. Our company is a recognized name in construction industry of China. We have been engaged in steel structural design, manufacture, and installation for more than ten years. Amazingly, our sales have grown tenfold in the last two years. Though it appeared that we were flourishing but there were uncontrollable crisis through which we were passing. For several months we worked under great pressure and none had time to consider company’s long-term goals. As I’ve spent uncountable hours in allocating assignments, monitoring status, solving problems, and handling nonstop incidents. My experience shows that we need a change in company’s environment. We have to change current project-based model to a mass production and commercialize our products. In order to enhance my career as a ‘project manager’ and my working knowledge in this business I am very keen to take this program. During my management career I’ve successfully dealt with several complex situations and led a team to complete most difficult and time consuming projects in rural China. I have also shown outstanding quantitative analysis skills and innovated new and extremely useful operational modes in the company. I want to excel my skills and compete in this business as a successful businessman. My capabilities show that I am a proven leader not just an entrepreneur. In order to put my vision into practice I must continue my studies and complete my MBA from Sloan institute of Management. I hope Sloan will play important role in transition of my career success. My visions are clear and I am determined to pursue my career in this field. After graduating from Sloan, I will return to my family business to take charge of overseas market expansion, and form a total solutions transnational steel-structure on partnership basis. I have planned to combine our unparalleled design originality with competitive cost advantage to broaden our business scope by promoting customized Composite Steel Structural Villa. Besides, I have also planned to establish Green House Business Group and Material Innovation Team for better environmental protection. Furthermore, my plan also includes developing multilateral investment strategies and conducting upstream industrial integration. Finally, I aim to capture venture capital for carrying out IPO in 2015. My ultimate objective is to lead my business as a driving force in the world’s economy with a clear mission and improve living standards. How to cite Sloan School of Management, Essays

Benefits of Family Counseling free essay sample

This is a very arguable statement, and there are many reasons for it to be. I believe that the reasons for family counseling completely out weight the reasons why some families shouldnt participate in it. Family counseling is often looked at as a tool to help families with problems, but counseling can be helpful to everyone. Counselors try to help with all scenarios of life, work, school, friends, etc. Even if you are a pretty balanced person you can still get tips from a professional, whether your family has been through a major turmoil, or could simply gain from refining their communication skills with each other. Counseling can be a way to help everyone in a family. Therapy for children as well as parents can help reduce all types of stresses for everyone involved. Major abuses, little arguments, as well as general venting can all be addressed in a calmer, quieter atmosphere. We will write a custom essay sample on Benefits of Family Counseling or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page These are just a few reasons why every family should attend counseling. By attending counseling it can help children learn how to deal with tough situations, strengthen communication, and overcome differences. We all have to face obstacles in our lives and some of them can be pretty tough. To teach children, through adolescence to adulthood, skills to deal with tough situations could mean the difference and difficulties in how many college graduates there are, how many overcome poverty, and how families are in a secure loving environment. Teaching youth to face their difficulties instead of running or quitting is highly important, and should be one of the emphasized parts of school. In our society many people think that if things are hard for them, obviously it is not something that they should be doing. I think that with the guidance and some positive reinforcement that people can learn to overcome their difficulties. Being in a new situation or learning new skills is hard and everyone struggles. Because we allow teens to quit, many young adults decide not to attend college. They often feel that since they didn’t do well in high school college would be too difficult. With parents and a professional both helping kids to overcome difficulties at an early age it will instill within them that obstacles are just a part of life that they have to overcome; quitting is not an option. Many times kids learn how to deal with differences from their parents or other people around them. A lot of parents yell and show anger when they are mad at their spouse or their boss, or even their children. Cartoons normally deal with problems through violence and teachers even yell at kids. All of this teaches children that it is okay to act with anger and violence, and that these are solutions to their problems. Then parents get mad at them for mimicking them and their environment, and then what happens? Most of the time parents show more anger, yelling, and sometimes use violence to correct them. With all of this, I believe that it’d be nice to have a professional help parents in order to teach them the proper way of disciplining without aggression, and to help children learn the right way of solving their everyday problems. Communication and discipline problems between parents and children are very common and can lead to marital problems as well. Divorce and the creation of stepfamilies also create difficulties. Often, the partners themselves are the problem because of poor communication, continuous conflict, sexual problems or even in-law problems. If a low income mother and child had counseling how do you think it would affect them? I think that not only would the child benefit from it, but it may even teach the mother what is possible for her: a better job, how to find a stronger more secure relationship, and how to teach her child. The child would learn skills, and by doing so, set goals for future achievements. With the help of a counselor and a well taught mother, the probability of the child may doing crime, selling or using drugs, participating in a gang, or living in prison, is significantly lower. Strengthening communication skills is also important, often time teens can be to out spoken and not think before they say something that can hurt someone feelings. Other times teens can be really shy and not open up to anyone. Communication skills are fundamental, and should be worked on. Communication is a skill that will have to be worked on throughout life because in different environments different communication skills will be needed. The biggest negative about family counseling is the cost. There would probably be families or certain people in the family that did not contribute in the experience, which means that the counseling would have little or no effect on their lives. Another downside is that it is possible in the environment to focus on one person and blame them for certain family problems. I am sure that there are other negatives about family counseling but in my opinion nothing really significant. I think that the government can use add to schooling tax dollars and use some of it for this program. Regardless if all families and all family members use the program to benefit, I think many people Family counseling relates to the narratives in many ways. Some of the families experience a death, others have parents get divorced, or teens getting pregnant and having a baby. I think counseling could help with these major emotional distresses, and also help with the everyday problems that some of the other narratives experience as well. The narrative represent just a few people in our society, but I believe that they, like most people, could use a little more guidance to stay on a stable, successful path with strong relationships and a positive knowing belief in themselves. I think this program should be financially supported from the government. It should become a law in which I think will ultimately preserve our rights and freewill. Laws are being passed all the time that conflict with our constitution and with crime and fear spreading epidemically it’s just a matter of time before most citizens will give the government complete control in order to stop the chaos. The foundation of this country is crumbling and I think it is time to reinforce it, so that we can continue to follow the path of our dreams, and not fall like every great kingdom in the past. I believe to stay as a free country, and a prosperous nation thing have to change, in fact many things will probably have to change. I think my idea of a professional guiding both, parents to raise their kids and to help lead kids to overcome difficulties is a good starting place for a significant change in this country. I think that counseling could help with every family, even if it is just to bring them closer together. Whether it is a stable family, or a family with stepparents and stepsiblings, that need to learn that these people are now someone that is going to always be around, and are in the same situation. They can learn from one another and become close like real family. From family counseling our society maybe better educated, more responsible, less violent, more dependable, and have a stronger sense of belonging.

Gender and Genre in Short Fiction free essay sample

These short stories were written down roughly between 1000BC to 100BC and were written in Hebrew and Aramaic. J. M. Bickham in â€Å"Writing the Short Story A Hands- On Program states that to qualify as a short story, the tale must be committed to paper in an language others can understand† , so according to this it was not until this period of time that these ancient biblical tales could be construed as short stories. Sampson and Delilah is the classic example of the female seductress bringing about the downfall of the innocent yet mighty man. danger and betrayal emanate from the city and are most often manifested in an ambiguously attractive and dangerous woman who sets out to seduce the hero in order to prevent him from discovering that she is the murderess† Samson is largely blameless in the scheme of things falling victim to the charms of the beautiful Delilah, who has been bought by the chief of the Philistines: â€Å"Cajole him and find out where his great streng th comes from, and how we can master him and bind him and reduce him to helplessness. We will write a custom essay sample on Gender and Genre in Short Fiction or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In return we will each give you eleven hundred silver shekels. † Gender is a very important aspect of this particular story because it creates the tension between the two lovers on the issue of trust â€Å"How can you say you love me when you do not trust me† Without the magic of the romance their would be no seduction and there would be no deception. Samson’s manhood is a key issue for once he had lost his strength it would seem that essentially he had lost his manhood. There are threats too from bushman in the horrors’ or a ‘villainous looking sundowner’ and a ‘gallowed faced swagman’ She is alone with her children and the mongrel dog Alligator against these intruders. Lawson tells his readers, â€Å"her surroundings are not favorable to the development of the womanly or sentimental side of nature† . She is a victim of the isolation of the Australian outback. It seems incongruous when we realize that â€Å"She finds all the excitement and recreation she needs in the Young Ladies’ Journal and Heaven help her! takes a pleasure in the fashion-plates. † The gender of the protagonist was absolutely crucial to this story. She is a victim of her circumstances. The pleasures of the city are beyond her grasp and her children, although she obviously loves and cares for them, present as a burden to her as she raises them alone in the isolation of the bush. What a pathetic sight is her Sunday afternoon ritual: â€Å"She dresses herself, tidies the children, smartens up baby, and goes for a lonely walk along the bush-track, pushing an old perambulator in front of her. She does this every Sunday. She takes as much care to make herself and the children look smart as she would if she were going to do the block in the city† It is her instinctive protection of her children that renders her the hero of the story. Whilst her husband, the drover is well intentioned (â€Å"He intends to move his family into the nearest town when comes back†¦Ã¢â‚¬  ) he is however almost portrayed as abandoning his everyday duties to his family. As we consider Lawson’s motives for writing this short story a number of questions arise. Was it just a good yarn set in remote Australia? Was it a serious reflection on the harsh, unforgiving conditions in which so many women were forced to live in this era of Australian development? Was Lawson merely reporting on the hard facts of life? Was he making a statement about the enormous sacrifices made and the hardships they endured in order to fulfill a sometime unattainable dream? Whatever motive, the fact remains that this short story has for generations left readers pondering the role of females in early Australia. The key gender issue of Judith Wright’s short story â€Å"In the Park† is that of a woman trapped by an unhappy or unfulfilling relationship with a husband who she has not seen for eighteen months. Vivi’s mother appears to be trapped in a family situation, living with her mother-in-law Mrs. Coleman with whom there is obvious tension. This morning she is calling her mother in-law Mrs. Coleman, rather than calling her Gran. This is a bad sign. We are introduced to her predicament through the eyes of the little girl Vivi. â€Å"Those days their voices made Vivi wince, when they spoke to one another†¦Ã¢â‚¬  These were the days when there was tension between mother and mother in-law. The opening sentence: â€Å"Vivi’s mother was taking her to the park to see the flowers and the birds in cages† gives us clues to the point of view from which Judith Wright has chosen to tell the story. It could also be suggested that this opening sentence might offer to the reader an indication of the sense of being trapped like birds in cages. As the story unfolds we see Vivi trapped in an excursion to the park which was not intended for her benefit, rather it was intended as an opportunity for her mother to meet the strange man, Mr. O’Malley. Even the nature of the very day itself, the oppressive heat from which there appeared to be no escape. The room to which Vivi and her mother felt confined in her grandmother’s house suggested an oppressive environment. â€Å"Our room isn’t all that nice for a kid on a day like this, with the sun coming straight in like it does; and you don’t like her messing up the rest of the house. † The â€Å"birds in cages† offer a reflection of the emotions of the key characters in the story. Judith Wright uses the technique of telling the story through the eyes of a child and in doing so elicits sympathy and compassion for the two main protagonists in the reader. Wright’s â€Å"In the Park† follows the typical short story model out lined by Sorenson in â€Å"How To Write Short Stories† in which the readers, â€Å"can identify with the characters in this story†¦the plot includes several kinds of conflict, both external†¦ and internal†¦rising action, climax and resolution†¦The setting is consistent with the character personalities†¦The early dialogue helps readers identify the characters and their relationships to each other†¦The story’s tone and mood are consistent with plot and character. † As we see Vivi noting the extra effort her mother has put into her appearance there is an element of estrangement, tragedy and hopelessness. â€Å"You’ll crush my dress, she looked at her mother’s red hat that made her face look like a stranger’s†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This episode like Lawson’s protagonist reading the ‘Young Ladies Journal’ seems to further confirm the predicament of the respective characters. Just as Lawson’s character was effectively ‘caged’ by the harsh conditions of the outback, Wright’s character is ‘caged’ by the social conditions of the extended family within the isolation of her situation within the city. Likewise Samson was effectively ‘caged’ by the isolation of the secret of his strength. As we see him imprisoned and chained, the image of the caged birds of Wright is comparable to the predicament of the now powerless Samson. The gender of the reader in both ‘Samson and Delilah’ and ‘The Drover’s Wife’ are largely incidental as the events of both stories are equally engaging to both male and female readers, because the focus of both these stories is largely on the unfolding of a yarn. The individual character development of the main protagonists adds another dimension to the already unfolding story.

Company Financial Statements

Company Financial Statements Introduction The world is constantly changing in the socioeconomic, technological and cultural fronts. Major and minor effects of these rapid changes are frequently revealed through the various World businesses. Therefore all organizations should constantly develop effective marketing strategies for the purpose of enabling them adapt to the various changes capable of sustainable deliver y of goods and services of value to their customers.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Company Financial Statements specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Slow economic growth and international crises (as witnessed in the years 2000-2009) are some of the factors that force organizations to change. Adverting, which is one of the marketing tools has contributed tremendously towards company changes. Internet services does not only involve just selling products alone but also selling information about products. On the same note, The Internet can now be accessed almost anywhere by numerous means, especially through mobile Internet devices. Mobile phones, data cards, handheld game consoles and cellular routers allow users to connect to the Internet from anywhere there is a wireless network supporting that devices technology. Within the limitations imposed by small screens and other limited facilities of such pocket-sized devices, services of the Internet, including email and the web, may be available. Service providers may restrict the services offered and wireless data transmission charges may be significantly higher than other access methods (Kotler, 2007). Advancements in Information Communications Technology (ICT) has brought forth internet advertising. Most companies now advertise online using, for example: Google.com, Yahoo.com, Amazon.com, Alibaba.com, You tube.com and affiliate marketing, which consists of banner advertisements, pay per click, pay per view, and pay per call advertising. In addition to this, inter active advertising, blog or article-based advertising are also popular. For companies to keep up with the shifts in communication trends there is need to embrace ICT and make use of new media as much as possible. This will allow consumers to take part in market conversations in which products and services are reviewed, ranked and evaluated based on consumer experience (Kotler, 2007). Financial comparisons of key competitors Microsoft Corporation deals with variety of products and services ranging from manufacture of software and hardware computer products, licensing as well games solutions. The company was founded in the year 1975 by two young men Bill Gates and Paul Allen for the purposes of developing and selling devices referred to as BASIC interpreters (Microsoft Corporation, 2011).Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The company partnered with IBM in the prel iminary stages making its brand known to the market in the sale of operating systems. The company sales other devices which include cable TV installed with internet access as well as home-based computer hardware. For along time, Microsoft has been identified to operate under monopolistic practices and at the same time most of their strategies have been declared anti-competitive. However within the current portfolio, Microsoft is known to be the most profitable company within the industry. Their turnover in the year 2009 was recorded to be USD 16.86 Billion cash flow which was considered higher than that of other competitors combined. The high revenue was attributed to the sale of Windows, MS office and strong brand positioning (Morillon, 2010). The comparison based on the gross profit margin reveals some great concern within Google’s profitability based on sales. Microsoft is considered as having a considerable gain of more profit on sales compared to other competitors. The s tatements provides some hint on Google’s ability within the management of the production costs since most of the company’s values revealed are considerably below industry average. The graph below gives the rate of cash flow within companies in the industry. Despite the low concentration of firms within the industry, the three major firms Google, Microsoft and Apple Inc accounts for bigger percentage of the global market share. The largest market share within the industry is under the command of Microsoft accounting for over fifty percent while Google and other controls less than 50% of the total global market share.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Company Financial Statements specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The level of competition amongst these firms is basically based on the basis of ‘value for a product’. The analysis considered the use of various key accounting policies for the company’s valuation purposes. The valuation on financial status include revenue recognition, income tax expense and ascertained accruals, quality of brand and valuation of goodwill as well as stock compensation expenses. For the purposes of maintaining high reputation for superior products, Google resorts to recognizing their revenue upon delivery of products and services to the market (Morillon, 2010). The process of evaluating the financial accounting policies of Google gives a clear picture on their accuracy, effectiveness and economic abilities in comparison to other competitors within the industry. The other competitors within the industry collect revenue upon delivery of valuable products to the consumers. At the same time some of them like Microsoft apply the use of free services to attract consumers. At the same time Google and Microsoft applies like strategies on the valuation of their brand images as well as goodwill. Microsoft, Google and Apple also apply the use o f fair value methods for the purposes of accounting for employee segments. Analysis of the Financial Statements Operations of Google outside United States have proved viable since they receive considerable income of more than 30% of the total net revenue. Twenty percent of this revenue is gained from potential hubs within the European countries while the remaining percentage they obtain from other regions of the world. Despite all these, the level of penetration of Google within the market are exposed several challenges ranging from economic downturn as well as political instability within some regions. However, the company has strategized on this through the use of forward contracts. Accounting Ratios for Google since the year 2007Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More 2010 2009 2007 Liquidity Ratios Current Ratio 1.28 1.08 1.06 Quick Asset Ratio 1.0 0.75 0.72 Inventory turnover 9.76 8 7.84 Receivables Turnover 7.8 9.5 1.0 Profitability Ratios Gross profit margin 53.6% 53.56% 53.67% Net Profit Margin 14.4% 13.23% 13.19% Asset Turnover 1.05 1.06 1.07 Return on Asset 15.05% 14.09% 14.11% Return on Equity 31.24% 30.15% 35.81% Capital Structure Ratio Debt to Equity Ratio 1.07 1.14 1.53 Explanations on profitability ratios The analysis done on the accounting ratios from the financial statements of the two companies helped in revealing the level of liquidity of Google. The financial breakdown on the current as well as previous years gives clear position of the companies as well as the changes they might have experienced over the years. Overall valuation on ratios reveals Google to be relatively liquid. The current ratio reveals significant status, the increase from the value in 2007 to current 1.3 shows that the current assets have increased compared to current liabilities. Google’s level of liquidity is further revealed by quick ratio which determines its ability to meet current obligations on the basis of improved liquid assets. This is what most investors look for in companies since they are able to analyze through this the expected value for their investment. The improvement could be recognized from improvement from below zero to 1 in the current year, showing that current and future obligations of the company can now be solved faster than previously. However, receivable turnover have since decreased posing some threat to liquidity. Inventory turnover has experienced considerable increase indicating valuable productivity in the use of inventory, the increase from 7.9 in 2007 to current 9.76 clearly indicate this (Google Inc, 2010). The level of profitability for Google is considered moderate compared to that of Microsoft shown through the financial analysis (Google Inc, 2010). T he statement reveals that the company has experienced decrease in Gross Profit Margin, indicating an increase in the level of cost of goods sold and that on services rendered over the years. Such evaluation reveals that the company might be on the habit of spending more on manufacturing processes compared to the ultimate product and service output supplied to the market. The financial record shows a considerable increase of around 0.12% from previous years. Net profit Margin has since changed creating some positive impact; the notable increase has been around 4.4% since the year 2000. Asset Turnover has however decreased from 2007 indicating that Google has got challenges concerning conversion of the available assets to money. Comparison and contrast of each company’s business model Google is known to utilize its financial success for the purposes of promoting the value chain. The company has got the ability of providing accurate data for free to customers (Google Inc, 2010). The coverage of Google is estimated to be 60% of the total internet connection globally; this position has earned the company a considerable turnover within the last subsequent years especially in online advertising. However, the recent developments within the market made the company to focus on vertical integration involving handsets as well as OS giving Google an upper hand over the various competitors such as Microsoft (Morillon, 2010). Microsoft on the other hand has doubled their operating turnover to $ 58,437 billion within the last four years. Their financial base in the last few years was estimated to be equal to that of Apple and Google combined. Microsoft’s presence is felt in all value segments including provision of hardware as well as contents for consumer business (Microsoft Corporation, 2011). One of the challenges is the development of Google which gives Bing considerable challenge within the market since it only caters for less than 10% of the global market share. The high-end positioning of Apple within all the segments of Information Technology presents another challenge to Microsoft and at the same time development of e-stores and online applications for use in computers and handsets presents another big challenge. All the competitors within this industry have got specific values they do consider concerning hardware supplies and other services offered to consumers. Microsoft being the biggest company in terms of assets within the industry leads in the creation and development of innovations and at the same time adds value to the web. However the success of Google is largely dependent on their performance in their algorithms (Morillon, 2010). Google has for quite some time invested in programs such as search engine, customization of advertisement solutions, utilization of Double-click technology as well as providing customers with free information channels. However, in terms of internal efficiency, Google is considered the most effic ient compared to other companies. The last two years reveal that Google requires huge resource base for the purposes of maintaining its growth. They largely depend on corporate activities such as advertising in order to promote their new inventions such as chrome making their internal efficiency stagnant of the last two years. The company at the same time focuses on product design and marketing to penetrate global markets (Morillon, 2010). Conclusion Overall analysis indicates that Google experiences positive results on the capital structure though in a small margin. The ratios show that the company has got positive Debt to Equity ratio. This is an indication that Google has got potential of financing its businesses on a debt free basis. The units on liquidity ratios makes an impression that Microsoft still has got the capability of meeting short-time obligations better off than other competitors within the market. Google should utilize strong customer relationships as one of the cr itical values for progress. Utilization of long-term relationships built on the platform of customer value enables a company to gain wide market for its products. The focus on creativity may also be seen as a response to advertisers’ wish to realign consumer skepticism towards traditional advertising through a stronger focus on creative, innovative and entertaining advertising campaigns. One may thus say that the core product of such an industry is creativity. References Google Inc. (2010). Company Financial Statements. Retrieved from https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/ Kotler P. (2007). Marketing Management-Analysis, Planning, Implementation   Control. London: Prentice Hall Microsoft Corporation. (2011). Annual Report. Retrieved from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us Morillon, S. (2010). Financial analysis on Google, Microsoft, Apple and Amazon.  Cybion Business Inteligence Journal, (1), 1-10

Should organisations always try to hire employees with high levels of Essay

Should organisations always try to hire employees with high levels of Agreeableness - Essay Example In a real work environment, employees have unique character traits that in one way of the other influence teamwork, cooperation, innovation and problem solving abilities that affect their adaptation to the work environment. Management of organizational behaviour has identified five giant characters that including openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism (OCEAN), all which contribute to the development of the organization. However, they have recognized that all these characters have their dark and light side to the organization. Agreeableness, just like any other organizational behaviour, has its positive and negative sides to the firm. All in all, organizations should strive to obtain employees with the highest level of agreeableness. Agreeableness is a trait that has generated mixed reactions among many organizational behaviour analysts with some expressing a high regard for it and other pin pointing the weaknesses of this trait. Slocum and Hellriegel l defined agreeableness as the virtue of an employee to be warm, tactful, cooperative, tolerable and humble and portraying minimal coldness and rudeness1. In the general, these traits are advantageous to an organization although at times they are accompanied by elements that may be consequential to organizations. 1D., Hellriegel, and W. Slocum, Organizational Behaviour. Mason, OH, South-Western Cengage Learning. 2009. P. 45 The advocates of this trait argue that agreeableness is the source of harmony, peace, excellent team work, accommodating leadership and loyalty in a business system. On the other hand, critics have criticized this trait on the ground that employees with these traits show weakness in exercising confidence, criticizing wrong organization behaviour and conflict resolution in times that demand critical decision making. Teamwork is one of the valuable elements of an organization that binds employees to the collective goals and objectives of an organization that define its end task. Team work ensures that employees remain cohesive and cooperative during the project implementation process to execute all the designated roles. An agreeable person is friendly, sociable and warm while associating with their colleagues in the organization2. Consequently, an agreeable person will find it easy to get along with the other employees and will form part of a concrete team that will ensure a smooth progress of the business operations, hence the success of the organization. For instance, an agreeable person will avoid conflicts that arise during the period of work preferring peaceful situations rather than aggravating the conflicting. Conflicts are sources of tensions in the workplace, which slows the progress of the work and misaligns the employees from the organizational goals. From this point of view, the ability of management to select agreeable employees will form part of the role of team building. In leadership, agreeable people create a conducive work e nvironment that motivates employees to remain active and focussed in their duties in the organization. Competent leaders have a role to maintain a peaceful working environment by engaging employees in a constructive exchange of ideas. 2A., Neal, G., Yeo, A. Koy, T. and Xiao. Predicting the Form and Direction of Work Role Performance from the Big 5 Model of Personality Traits. Journal or Organizational Behaviour, vol. 33 , 2012. Pp. 175-192 Agreeable persons will encourage employees to contribute and raise their concerns more

Survey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Survey - Essay Example A recommendation is therefore given that strategies should immediately employed to price match products in the online market. The internet market has grown considerably in the past couple of years. Statistics show that the number of online shoppers reached an all time high of about 178.5 million people in 2011. Recently, there have been proposals to the company to reconsider its online trading policies to boost its sales volume. Presently, the company does prices match its products online and neither does it offer their competitor’s online prices. Therefore, a research was carried out to determine whether the proposed strategy of price matching online products would be profitable to the company. The method of research used was questionnaire that was conducted online for a period of about a quarter of the fiscal year. Online shoppers from the United States (14 years and older) that visited the company’s websites were randomly selected to participate in the questionnaire. First, a pilot study was conducted on the online shoppers. This involved open-ended questions that placed no limit on the customer’s response. Questions in this study were general in nature like, what is their overall attitude to Wal-Mart customer relations policy. Later, a close-ended questionnaire was used to provide a better reflection of the public view. A maximum choice of five answers to each question was given. The questions were generally categorized into 4 sections each covering a unique field. The survey was voluntary and anonymous and no personal data was collected. There was an approximate response rate of 88% to the questionnaire from both prospective buyers and those who actually made online purchases. A complete breakdown of the responses is shows that the majority of respondents were in favor of the company providing price matching information. About 80% of the respondents indicated that they would buy more products if

WEEK 8 DISCUSSION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

WEEK 8 DISCUSSION - Essay Example From the onset, one can acknowledge the fact that the content in the seminar articles do have a strong correlation to the doctoral study it delves on international finance, the current market trends in a dynamic global world, the capital markets of various economies, and the financial dynamics of running international businesses (MacCarthy, & Atthirawong, 2003). As clearly stipulated in the journal articles, the doctoral study also follow a rather similar approach in that it identifies the need for continual change in business technology and marketing strategies in order to meet the demands of the diverse global market (MacCarthy, & Atthirawong, 2003). The journal articles identify stringent international policies and unwillingness by concerned government authorities to cooperate with international companies as major hindrances to international trade. This is particularly so in Asia where cultural and environmental restraints determine the nature of business in Asian countries especi ally India. This is commensurate with the doctoral study topic in that the two identify as far as aspects of international trade are concerned. Some of the research methods posed in the seminar articles such as quantitative methods are essential in the doctoral study in that the seminar articles add more information to the case study due to the proximity of the two cases of study (Sinkovics, Penz, & Ghauri, 2008). The Asian perspective will help in answering the research question concerning the socio-cultural and environmental factors that influence the business behavior of Indian corporates with respect to international companies (MacCarthy, & Atthirawong, 2003). It is evident from the peer-reviewed journals that both the quantitative and qualitative methods of research design are viable in conducting research on international business perspectives.

Citizen Kane Breakfast Scene Analysis Film Studies Essay

Citizen Kane Breakfast Scene Analysis Film Studies Essay Through what is alleged to be one of the best films, a series of anecdotes reveal the story behind Charles Foster Kane. The story, along with the revolutionary cinematography, made it a movie years ahead of its time where Orson Welles, Charlie Kane, takes several controversial steps on his road to greatness. However, Citizen Kane makes it very clear that wealth cannot necessarily buy happiness. This is demonstrated in Charles and Emilys breakfast scene through masterful use of symbolism, perspective, costuming, the soundtrack, and even through dialogue. In the beginning of the scene, Emily and Charles come in from a long night of partying and having a great time together. They sit very close to one another showing their initial infatuation for one another as they converse about what the servants would think of their behavior. Right off the bat, Emily fires off her opposition about Charlies dedication to his place of work, the Inquirer. The next scene fades in soon after, and the two are now far enough apart that cuts are required to show both Emily and Charles. Flowers sit in the middle of the table and remain in the lower corners of the screen, representing a friendly obstacle in between the couple, while tensions are apparent, but still low. As the scenes progress, the mood changes, and the centerpieces gradually become colder and more lifeless, much like their relationship. As time progresses they distance themselves from one another at breakfast, the only time they apparently get to spend together, to the point where they silent ly sit at opposite ends of a very large dinner table. The second tool Orson Welles used to his advantage was that of perspective. From the very beginning of the movie, the audience has seen events unfold from a third person view, where Welles rarely made scene cuts, unless he intended to. In the breakfast scene, Welles changed the game up by using what was considered the norm of his time, scene cutting from person to person. He used this type of filming, at the time, to show what he wanted his audience to see and nothing else. He wanted the audience to see what Charlies job was doing to both him and Emily, be it physically or emotionally. The lighting on the set also gave light to Welles use of Chiaroscuro, or the use of shadows, as he made sure the shadows on their faces showed how the marriage had slowly but surely worn at their bodies and emotions. Welles clearly understood that panning the shot out to include both Emily and Kane in the same shot would not have given justice to the emotions shown on their faces, but on their bodies a s well. Initially, Emily is wearing a rather revealing dress that represents her and Charles youthful night of partying, as well as their infatuation for one another. However, as the scenes progress and as the moods of the couple changes, so do the wardrobes. Charles changes between comfortable, playboy like clothes to a much more professional getup to signify his constant plans of getting ready for work. Emily, on the other hand, maintains her queen-like apparel, only she covers herself little by little as her mood becomes more and more harsh. Both Emily and Charles wear clothes that give a type of royalty to their personas, where in reality, behind the overpriced garments, there is just another troubled relationship, that sacrifices love for money. All of the aforementioned tools used not only in this particular scene, but throughout the entire movie are very conscious dependant. Rarely does it go unnoticed when the main character goes from one wardrobe to another, but it is rarely considered how the soundtrack plays on the audiences emotions as well. Welles did not demand that the soundtrack be some sappy, overpowering, force-feeding garbage that most movies of his time were, but instead thought highly enough of his audience to let the music subtly inform its listeners as to how they should feel. Anyone can tune in to a SOAP-like television show and immediately tell what is going on simply by listening to the music for a few seconds. Here in this scene, a cheerful and rather upbeat score plays lightly in the background to signify that all is well and good, that is until the spin around fast-forward through time moment takes place. Now, as the mood slips slowly into darkness the music accompanies it, as if guiding the audience subconsciously into the same realm of feeling and sadness. Most importantly is Welles use of dialogue throughout this scene. At first, it appeared that Emily and Charles were living out their newly conjoined lives in happiness, with not a care in the world. They converse with nothing but love and affection in their voice as they jokingly talk about the time of day, and what the servants will think of their frivolous behavior. Soon thereafter, Emily makes a remark about her disdain for Charlies demanding work schedule, where Charlie simply brushes it off and replies with the witty remark of You never should have married a newspaperman. Theyre worse than sailors. This makes a rather awkward moment between the two, but Charlie comes in with the save by saying I absolutely adore you. She simply must have her way, and Charles complies by delaying his appointments until noon. Magical-twirling-fast-forward-moment and some short time later, Kane now sports a moustache and Emily continues to once again complain about Charlies obsessive work schedule. Charlie has the nerve to reply that her only correspondent is the Inquirer. As the scenes progress, more and more hostility is shown towards one another, due to differing ideas, where Kane is obviously not used to such harsh criticism, especially so close to home. The last scene shows the couple, now several years into the marriage, sitting silently in a formal dining room at opposite ends of a very large table, with Emily in total defiance by her actions of reading the competitive Chronicle. In conclusion, Citizen Kane makes it very clear that wealth cannot necessarily buy happiness. This is demonstrated in Charles and Emilys breakfast scene through masterful use of symbolism, perspective, costuming, the soundtrack, and even through dialogue. Orson Welles was not only an amazing actor, but he was also a brilliant man to have come up with so many revolutionary filming techniques. Who would ever think to dig a hole in the middle of a studio to get a few seconds of film during the 1940s. His innovation has made him an idol to anyone who is serious about making a piece of film, and has made his movie, Citizen Kane, a must see to any one who has respect for great film.

Progressive Movement In America Essay -- essays research papers

There was a great need for the progressives during the early 1900s. In 1900 America’s population was around 76 million, and one out of every seven of those 76 million was foreign. By 1915 there were 13 million more immigrants. If that wasn’t enough of a drastic change in America’s culture, there was another huge change taking place. America was switching from small personal businesses, to the big business type of economy. Newer and bigger businesses meant different working conditions, different working classes as well as economic classes, and completely new jobs that hadn’t even existed before.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Often my parents and I disagree on current events, movies, music, etc. Sometimes I feel like they are both against change. If they see that things aren’t just as they were before, like during the time when they were my age, they see things as bad or wrong. On the other hand, I feel like change is necessary sometimes, and the times of the late 1800s and early 1900s were no exception. In defense of my parents, I don’t always see the need for total changes. After all, as the old saying goes, if it isn’t broke don’t fix it. The progressive movement refused to stick with the status quo and instead welcomed change. However progressives also recognized that some things worked fairly well, like the general form of American government. So they felt a complete change was not necessary, but that some things could use a little work, and that is how progressives forme...