Suicide Is A Major Issue Today s Modern Society - 1283 Words

Suicide is a major issue in today’s modern society. Many problems, such as depression, trauma, issues from childhood, drug/alcohol abuse, or other mental illnesses can cause people to commit suicide. Suicide is a mostly treatable issue, with therapy and medication, but many people still die from it each year. On average, 3000 people commit suicide each day, which results in almost one million people dying of it per year. Psychology is a broad science that studies the human mind, mental states and processes. Although suicide is not housed in one specific part of the brain, it relates to psychology because of depression and how in many cases, depression leads to suicide. The leading cause of suicide is depression, especially when it is†¦show more content†¦Major traumas that could occur in childhood that can scar a person are: sexual/physical/psychological abuse, death of a family member/friend, accidents, or dangerous lifestyles; such as substance abuse; of a person close to the child. These tragedies can stay embedded in a child’s mind and affect them majorly later in life. People who abuse alcohol or drugs are six times more likely to commit suicide compared to those who do not abuse substances. Suicide can be accidental, as people can easily overdose without knowledge of doing so. Or, the overdose could be intentional. Many suicidal substance abusers tend to have emotional/behavioral problems that greatly affect their actions. They also have risks of depression and suicide directly stemmed from drug or alcohol abuse. Certain drugs that have been found to be directly linked to suicide are: sedative-hypnotic medications, cocaine, and other opioids. For alcohol abusers, during periods of notably high alcohol consumption, they are more at risk to attempt suicide and succeed than with lower alcohol intake. Mental issues other than depression can also trigger suicide. Mental illnesses account for ninety percent of suicides. Some conside rable mental illnesses that can cause someone to commit suicide are bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Bipolar disorder is usually defined by cycles

My Experience On My Life - 1719 Words

My life peaked when I was around seven years old. My two best friends were in my class, I read at a third-grade level, I spent my time investigating my backyard while watching my mother garden and climbing trees with my brother. I had it all. Come age eight I was hindered by prescription glasses, forced to wear pigtails because the Great Lice Outbreak of ‘08 and to top that nice pile off, none of my friends were in my class. I can only imagine what I seemed like to others. During that time period one thing stayed constant-- my curiosity for the things around me, exploring my garden. I would dig up different rocks and neatly arrange them in a line, always wondering where they came from. My curiosity heightened when I went to California and actually experienced an earthquake, a small one albeit, but an earthquake nonetheless. Now, things have gotten better since second grade, but I’ve never quite achieved the same level of satisfaction in my life as my seven-year old self. I have, however, been able to research and attempt to understand with the way the subterranean world works. Imagine the Earth’s layers as a hard-boiled egg: in the very center you have the inner core, which is like the yolk. Lying roughly 6400 km below the surface, the inner core is composed of iron and nickel. It’s extremely hot and dense, so much so that it takes up roughly 1/3 of the Earth’s mass(Earth s Interior). Next we have the metaphorical egg whites— the outer core and the mantle. The outer coreShow MoreRelatedMy Experience In My Life742 Words   |  3 Pagesone has a perfect life or even a perfect family. At times I have experienced what losing someone or something that meant so much to me. I always wondered to myself about why these situations happen to me, which also led me to put myself in a depression stage. My father was diagnosed with liver cancer and infection in his stomach area in March 2015. As he was in and out of the hospital. First, Growing up I never had a good life but I was lucky to have both of my parents in my life. It was a bond withRead MoreMy Experience In My Life1013 Words   |  5 Pages At this point in my life , if i review my previous experiences i would say that i am fairly pleased. Ive been able to gain numerous life and academic skills through hard work and determination. Though many of my experiences havent been pleasant ,in a way it has helped me grow and build my character as a person. As individuals we all go through many harsh obstacles , obstacles we sometimes think we will never overcome . but eventually we do . right ? think about it evenRead MoreMy Experience With My Life1356 Words   |  6 Pagesdo not have an abundant number of passions myself. In fact, as I think about it there are really only two subjects of interest that I feel rise to the level of passion for me; my God and sports. These two areas have been integral parts of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up in the church and much of my young life was spent either there or on a sports field of some sort. These two institutions, I feel have shaped me into the adult that I have become and the career I feel myself called toRead MoreMy Experience On My Life1202 Words   |  5 PagesAll I could think of sitting at my desk at work was about the conversation me and my husband had the night before. I sat there staring at my computer screen wondering if it was the right thing to do, or was I just wasting my time on a hope long forgotten. The hours slowly ticked by, and everything I was working on with my customers and their loans were a blur. I couldn’t get that thought out of my head. It was eating away at me. This is something that I have wanted for a long time. I put it on holdRead MoreMy Experience In My Life942 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout a person’s life, there can be many things, such as friends and family, education, or sports, that help them develop skills to turn them into the person they are today. Without these different skills, it can possibly lead to a lower standard of living, which is not what we strive for. The thing that helped me develop my unique skill set that I can use through the rest of my life, which is also my cultural artifact, is a football. Football has taught many different things that I am ableRead MoreMy Experience Of My Life703 Words   |  3 PagesFor the majority of my life, I had been shy, even thoug h it didn’t seem like it most of the time, I was scared to death when I met new people. I know that it sounds extremely trivial, but I feel that when you first meet someone, you’re ultimately giving them their first impression of yourself and that is a lot of pressure. It seemed almost certain that I would lead a life of being a social wallflower until March 2017, more specifically, March 28th, 2017. This day was and still is important to meRead MoreMy Experience In My Life905 Words   |  4 Pagesmajority of my life I have belonged in the little world, stretching from Chicago to Cleveland and South Bend to Nashville. The boundaries of my known world have always felt like a limiting factor in my life. While my friends ventured to far away lands every year, I would spend the night at my grandparents house or we would make a day-trip to a city. With spring break approaching my family and I were going to change that, we were going to South Carolina. One dreary cold Indiana morning my family andRead MoreMy Personal Experience : My Experience In My Life1003 Words   |  5 Pagesdifficult to write about my life—not because I do not know what to say, but because I am often fearful of sharing my experiences and having them impact how people view me. My identity and upbringing are not necessarily unique, but I have been in situations that society tends to be uncomfortable with. Repeated sexual assaults, psychological abuse, neglect, and financial hardships are factors in my life that I tried to forget when I started college. Now that I am at the end of my undergraduate educationRead MoreMy Writing Experience : My Experience In My Life921 Words   |  4 PagesAs a Human, throughout life there are many skills that are critical to acquire, during childhood and as you become older. One of the most important and useful skill you will need is writing. From first, learning to write words and sentences, to more advanced writing like essays. Everyone learns to write a little differently, some ways are learning from your parents or learning words and letters in kindergarten. As you get further down the path of life you develop higher skills of writing. As peopleRead MoreMy Experience On My Life953 Words   |  4 PagesThe wind was slicing through my hair as my sweat was dripping off my metallic purple frames. I placed each foot on each of the pedals and took off. My whole world was filled with the rattling sounds coming from the dreaded training wheels. Everything would always come to a stop whenever I would hit each bump. â€Å"I need to get these thing off!† I thought constantly. The training wheels were such a nuisance because they gave me a wobble that kept me off balance, and they provided no extra speed. There

Japanese Smes Going Global Lessons from “German Mittelstand” Free Essays

string(66) " are domestic companies with little or no international exposure\." United International Business Schools Executive MBA, Brussels Campus â€Å"International Economics† Japanese SMEs going global: Lessons from â€Å"German Mittelstand† By Pascal Gudorf January 2013 Contents 1. Introduction 2. Japan’s SMEs and overseas business 2. We will write a custom essay sample on Japanese Smes Going Global: Lessons from â€Å"German Mittelstand† or any similar topic only for you Order Now 1 SMEs and their role in the export economy 2. 2 Challenges of starting overseas activities 3. Initiatives for the promotion of overseas business 3. 1 Public support system for globalizing SMEs 3. 2 Export promotion through trade fair participation 3. 3 Foreign direct investment and financial support 3. Human resources development for global activities 4. Conclusion References Figures 2 4 4 6 8 8 10 11 12 13 15 17 1 1. Introduction Japan and Germany share many similar economic characteristics. As the third and fourth largest economies in the world, both boast highly skilled labor forces and are leading manufacturers of industrial goods such as automobiles, machinery, chemicals, electronics and other high-tech products. But while Germany has been on a robust recovery track and relatively unaffected by the financial crisis, Japan’s economy has been suffering from deflation and sluggish domestic demand. Its growth prospects are further subdued because of its shrinking population. Exports have been the main driver of economic growth in recent years. In Germany, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are highly active in international trade and responsible for a large share of exports. Germany‘s midsized companies, known as ‘Mittelstand’, are the backbone of its economy. As the â€Å"German economy is doing well in comparison with many other countries, this is causing people all around the world to take a particularly keen look at Germany, and especially at the ‘German Mittelstand’ and its longstanding record of high employment and productivity. †, notes the Federal Ministry of Economic and Technology (BMWI, 2012). Coined â€Å"hidden champions† by Hermann Simon, the most successful and innovative of them are world-leaders in their field. Although many of them started from humble beginnings and are still family-owned today, they have globalized early on. According to Simon’s research more than 1,000 hidden champions exist in Germany, many more than in all other countries combined including Japan (Simon, 2012). He sees them as the main contributors to Germany’s international competitiveness. Some economists and policy-makers therefore recommend other countries to emulate them as a role model. The success of Germany’s midsized companies or â€Å"hidden champions† has not gone unnoticed. In its latest White Paper on International Economy and Trade, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI, 2012, p. 503) refers to Germany’s â€Å"excellent small and medium-sized companies† which have pursued a two-pillar strategy of high specialization in their fields of expertise combined with global marketing. With sales of up to 4 billion euro, many hidden champions have outgrown the size of a traditional SME. But even among German SMEs with less than 250 employees according to the definition of the European Commission, almost 20% of all companies are engaging in direct exports. In contrast to their German peers, most Japanese SMEs today still remain focused on the domestic market. While their numbers have been growing in recent years, less than 3% of all SMEs with less than 300 employees are export-oriented. The contrast is even more pronounced in the case of 2 oreign direct investment. While in Germany 17% of all SMEs have invested abroad, the percentage among Japanese SMEs is as low as 0. 3% (METI, 2012, p. 503). The smaller their size, the lower the proportion of companies engaged in exports and foreign direct investment. Although small and medium-sized companies dominate Japan’s industrial structure, few of them are involved in international trade. Exports have traditionally b een carried out by general trading companies or by large multinational manufacturers, for which SMEs work as subcontractors in vertical supplier networks. But as domestic demand is shrinking, many Japanese SMEs need to look beyond their home turf for business opportunities in new markets. Encouraging SMEs to expand their overseas business therefore is seen as an important step towards revitalizing the Japanese economy. The Japanese government has set up schemes to promote overseas business expansion. In July 2012, it included SMEs as one of the four main pillars in its â€Å"New Growth Strategy† besides healthcare, environment and agriculture. Still, many SMEs seem to lag their German peers in overseas activities. What are the factors that keep Japanese SMEs from going abroad? How can government initiatives effectively address these challenges? And what are their results? Based on company surveys and statistical data of exports and foreign direct investment, this paper will first look into the recent trend of global activities by small and medium-sized businesses in Japan. It will then compare initiatives for the export and investment promotion of SMEs in both Germany and Japan and try to assess their results. By referring to available data and company surveys, the paper will try to show a positive linkage between overseas activities and job creation at home. It will also argue that government initiatives succeed in supporting a company’s first steps on a foreign market, but that they have to be accompanied by support activities by the parent company in order to secure long-term success. Finally, the paper will highlight fundamental differences in economic structure, management practices and the labor market between Germany and Japan, which need to be addressed in order to facilitate overseas business for Japanese SMEs. 3 2. Japan’s SMEs and overseas business 2. 1 SMEs and their role in the export economy Outside of Japan much of its postwar economic success has been credited to automotive and electronic giants such as Toyota, Nissan and Panasonic with their strong export machines and global manufacturing presence. SMEs have often been ignored despite the crucial role they play in the Japanese economy. Companies with less than 300 employees make up 99. 7% of all 4. 2 million companies. They employ 69% of the labor force and create 53% of value-added in the manufacturing sector. The reason for SMEs being so little known is that most of them are domestic companies with little or no international exposure. You read "Japanese Smes Going Global: Lessons from â€Å"German Mittelstand†" in category "Papers" According to the 2012 White Paper on Small and Medium Enterprises, only 2. 7% of all SMEs in the manufacturing sector are â€Å"export-oriented† (SMEA, 2012). The majority of small businesses remain isolated from international markets and foreign competition. Japan therefore has been described as a â€Å"dual economy† consisting of relatively few large, highly advanced, multinational companies on the one hand and a huge number of traditional, domesticoriented, small businesses on the other. In his 1990 book The Competitive Advantage of Nations, Michael Porter already warned that unless Japan overcame this dualism, its future would be at stake. What he observed, was a lack of competition in sectors apart from machinery, automotive and electronics: â€Å"While domestic rivalry is intense in every industry in which Japan is internationally successful, however, it is all but absent in large sectors of the economy† (Katz, 1996). Porter’s warning statement seems to have fulfilled itself twenty years later, as Japan slides into its third decade of slow or no growth. Sectors such as construction, paper, food and agriculture are still characterized by a lack of international competition. Almost none of these industries have produced successful global players. Nevertheless, there is a rising tendency among small and medium-sized businesses to reach out for global markets. Although still small in number, SMEs with export activities have increased by two thirds from 3,568 to 5,937 between 2002 and 2009 (Figure 1). According to Bank of Japan figures, exports accounted for 4. 4% of SMEs’ sales in 2002, but this had risen to 7. 4% by 2008. Large enterprises saw their exports grow from 23. 7% of sales to 27. 8% over the same period. In sales volumes, SMEs’ exports doubled to 5 trillion yen (43 billion euro) while those for big companies grew a more modest 37% to 71. trillion yen (622 billion euro) (EIU, 2010, p. 14). 4 Foreign direct investment by SMEs is also on the rise: the number of small businesses in the manufacturing sector investing overseas increased from 2,013 to 2,869 between 2001 and 2009 surpassing that of large manufacturers by almost 20% (SMEA, 2012). In JETRO’s annual survey among 2,800 companies engaged over seas, 71% of SMEs responded they planned to actively expand their overseas business, while only 47% intended to expand their domestic operations (JETRO, 2012a, p. ). Comparing with earlier surveys, the proportion of companies looking into business opportunities abroad is one fourth higher than in 2008 showing a steady increase year by year. This recent surge in international activities is due to a number of factors: a shrinking domestic market, the relocation of clients’ manufacturing facilities overseas, the opening up of traditional supplier networks to foreign competition, cheap labor and new business opportunities in emerging markets such as China and Southeast Asia. It is often said that overseas investment will lead to a shift in production, a â€Å"hollowing-out† of the domestic industrial base, and job redundancies at home. Individual company data, however, suggest that the opposite is the case. According to figure 2, parent companies have grown after the beginning of overseas investment (JSBRI, 2012, p. 95). Comparing SMEs with foreign direct investment with those that have not been active in FDI at all, one can clearly show a positive correlation of overseas expansion and job creation at home. SMEs observe other financial and operational benefits of investment in overseas production bases as well, such as an increase in profits, a reduction in cost and a speedier response to requests in their host market (JSBRI, 2012, p. 94). When asked about their regional focus of expansion in the next three years, Japanese companies put China on top of the list in every category from sales operations to production to RD. Among the firms operating in China, half of them have located their bases in Shanghai. Thailand, Indonesia and India also rank high and are considered as more attractive sales destinations than the USA and other developed markets such as Western Europe (JETRO, 2012a). Regarding industries, production machinery, chemicals, electrical machinery and fabricated metal account for 43% of all exporting companies in the manufacturing sector. Looking in more detail at different industries, one can observe significant differences in export orientation. While 15% of all chemical manufacturers and 7% of electronics parts and device manufacturers are involved in exports, only 1. % of all textile manufacturers and just 0. 7% of food processing companies export their products (JSBRI, 2012, p. 250). This drastic gap highlights the dualism of globally competitive and non-productive, domestic industries. 5 For small and medium-sized wholesalers with up to 100 employees as well, exporters of machinery, equipment, and chemicals prevail, while those for apparel, agriculture and food remain in the minority (JSBRI, 2012, pp. 71-72). But the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO, 2012b) observes a rising number of companies in the food and non-manufacturing sectors such as retail, wholesale and services. In the fields of agricultural, forestry and marine products and foodstuff, â€Å"many SMEs, even in the face of economic headwinds such as appreciation of the yen, are continuing to make efforts to exploit overseas markets. † Small companies involved in overseas business, however, still are the exception in Japan, even in the relatively productive manufacturing sector. The proportion of companies with export activities decreases by size. According to the â€Å"White Paper on International Economy and Trade 2011†, one out of four manufacturing companies with 401 to 500 employees is involved in exports. For companies with 101 to 200 employees the proportion falls further to one out of eight. And when it comes to companies with 41 to 50 employees, only one out every 20 has export activities (METI, 2011, p. 12). The low number overall, and particularly among smaller companies, is striking when we think of Japan as one of the world’s major trading nations. From the figures above, we can conclude that a major part of the Japanese economy is not taking part in the international division of labor and leaving business opportunities untapped. The conspicuously low number hints at underlying obstacles and challenges hindering overseas market expansion. We will look at these in the next section. 2. 2 Challenges of starting overseas activities As shown above, the proportion of Japanese SMEs developing operations overseas is still rather limited and activity tends to be greater in larger companies and in certain industries. In order to succeed in overseas markets, SMEs face certain barriers and have to overcome many challenges. The Survey on the Enhancement of SMEs’ Competitiveness through Overseas Business Expansion commissioned by the SME Agency in November 2011, looked at requirements that have to be met for companies to go abroad. More than 50% of all companies with export activities regarded having customers and a reliable partner as vital requirements for starting to export, underlining the importance placed on securing customers first (JSBRI, 2012, p. 82). Comparatively high proportions of enterprises also cited knowledge of local legal systems, business practices and trends in export markets as well as in-house expertise in exports, suggesting the 6 mportance of building knowledge of export markets and export procedures. One third of the respondents considered financial issues such as financial reserves or the prospect of turning a profit as important, but they did regard them as determining factors. In the case of FDI, however, financial reserves were considered as crucial by three quarters of all companies with overseas sales or production bases. 60% cited the knowledge of the host market’s legal system and business practices as important requirement suggesting the need for research and consultation prior to investing overseas. Having customers and reliable partners were also cited by more than half of all respondents. Questioned about challenges and risks, almost 50% of all companies considered the identification and collection of information on local market needs as particularly difficult. Marketing in the local market, securing business partners and terms of the local market were also cited to be important issues by more than one third of all respondents, while financing or credit issues only worried 22%. The lack of adequate human resources with international experience is another, if not the most important factor hindering overseas activities. In a 2010 SMEA survey, the â€Å"failure to secure human resources at home† was cited by 37% of all manufacturers as the main reason for giving up plans to invest overseas. It was regarded as more important than finding the right business partner, information collection or financing (METI, 2012, p. 280). JETRO (2012b, p. 15) notes that â€Å"large Japanese corporations are able to secure and foster global human resources through regular fulltime employment of foreign workers, sending young workers still new to their respective fields abroad and conducting overseas executive training programs. SMEs, however, find it much harder to take such measures and are hesitant to launch business operations overseas without such personnel. † This statement hints at a deep-rooted dualism in Japan’s labor market. While in Germany small and medium-sized enterprises are regarded as popular employers as they provide 83% of vocational training opportunities and stable, long-term career opportunities (BMWI, 2012, p. 4), Japanese jobseekers have tended to favor the security of employment at large corporations over low-paid jobs at SMEs. Traditionally, new university graduates, especially from top-ranked academic institutions, have a strong preference for jobs in well-known corporations or in government entities. The 2013 ranking of the most popular employers conducted by Rakuten (2012) among more than 6,000 students is topped by Japan’s largest advertising agency Dentsu, general trading company Itochu and the operator of â€Å"Tokyo Disney Resort† Oriental Land followed by cosmetics brand Shiseido, TokyoMitsubishi UFJ Bank and All Nippon Airways. Among the 100 top-rated companies, none falls into the category of small and medium-sized enterprises. Attracting experienced and skilled workers remains difficult for SMEs, but, as the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU, 2010, p. 4) notes, â€Å"tough economic times present an opportunity†. According to its 2010 report, â€Å"the cloud of the recent recession has brought two silver linings for SMEs: new entrants to the workforce are showing more interes t in working for small companies, and larger businesses that are reluctant to fire workers can transfer the knowledge of experienced staff through employee loan programs. On a similar note, JETRO (2012b, p. 15) observes that â€Å"there are some SMEs making efforts to expand abroad by independently securing the necessary human resources such as by utilizing foreign students in Japan, former-trainees who completed special training courses for foreigners in Japan, Japanese with volunteer work experience overseas, or retirees. † Despite the recent growth in overseas activities, many challenges remain. In the following section, we will look at how these are being addressed by government initiatives. 3. . 3. 1 Initiatives for the promotion of overseas business Public support system for globalizing SMEs In Japan, many public and private institutions provide support functions for SMEs going abroad on a local and international level. On a global scale, JETRO, a government agency under the METI with 73 offices in 55 countries, plays an important role in promoting mutual trade and investment between Japan and the world. Originally established in 1958 to promote Japanese exports abroad, according to its website, â€Å"JETRO’s core focus in the 21st century has shifted toward promoting foreign direct investment into Japan and helping small to medium size Japanese firms maximize their global export potential†. On the local level, the Organization for Small Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation (SMRJ), established by METI in 2004, supports SMEs through nine regional offices across Japan, with the objective of â€Å"SME development and regional promotion. Although its main activities focus on regional development, it has stepped up its support measures for overseas business development by organizing seminars, establishing a support hotline and publishing a â€Å"Handbook for Supporting Overseas Business Development†. To facilitate assistance to SMEs expanding into overseas markets in a more systematic manner, METI has established the â€Å"Conference on Supporting SMEs in Ove rseas Business† in October 2010 by bringing together government officials and support institutions, such as JETRO, SME associations and 8 inancial institutions. Reflecting the results of interviews with approximately 5,000 SMEs, five key issues for supporting SMEs in overseas business were identified: (1) Information ? Providing necessary information reflecting the needs of SMEs in detail ? Offering consistent support to SMEs by sharing support records by the conference members (2) Marketing ? Supporting product development, and participation in overseas trade fairs ? Supporting the effective use of the internet for overseas business (3) Human resources development and securing talent ? Helping to develop human resources for overseas expansion through seminars, training ? Helping to secure competent human resources for overseas expansion through matching (4) Financing ? Enhancing the financial consulting structure ? Facilitating financing for SMEs when doing overseas business (5) Improvement of the trade and investment environment ? Providing information on the establishment of overseas operations ? Assistance regarding tax, labor and intellectual property matters The conference also established concrete action plans for support measures on a global and local level. Actions include information gathering and dissemination through the sharing of best practices, overseas business missions, the invitation of international buyers to trade fairs in Japan, virtual marketplaces, advice on legal, technical and financial issues, and exchange programs for international trainees. The conference also planned to hold 2,500 overseas business and investment seminars by the end of fiscal year 2013 or some 700 a year throughout Japan, in cooperation with JETRO and SMRJ and other institutions. Despite the various services on offer, many companies do not make use of them due to bureaucratic procedures or are simply not aware of them. According to research commissioned by SMEA, only 39% of Japanese SMEs that are going overseas have used any globalisation assistance, including government and private-sector support (EIU, 2010, p. 16) For SMEs asking for assistance in their overseas expansion, JETRO is by far the most used contact point. 4% said they used JETRO services as compared to 13% for the chambers of commerce, 11% for banks and 10% for private consulting firms (METI, 2012, p. 280). JETRO provides information on foreign markets through its website and various publications, consulting services and seminars for 9 companies interested in overseas business. Below, we will focus on three fields in particular and try to assess their results. 3. 2 Export promotion through trade fair participation Finding the right business partner and collecting information of overseas markets are two of the challenges cited by many SMEs. Generally, trade fairs have been recognized as highly effective instruments in international market expansion. In recent years, JETRO has stepped up its efforts to promote Japanese companies abroad through trade fairs and trade missions. SMEs, especially firsttime exhibitors who qualify, can participate in these events at favorable conditions. These activities are similar to initiatives by other countries such as the Institute of the German Trade Fair Industry, which supports German companies’ international expansion at 274 exhibitions worldwide. For Japan, no information about the annual number of joint trade fair participations could be obtained, but â€Å"Japan Pavilions† at international trade fairs worldwide bring together more and more Japanese exhibitors, among which many SMEs, under a joint â€Å"Japan† brand. Examples include â€Å"Medica Compamed† in Dusseldorf, â€Å"Maison et Objet† in Paris and â€Å"Bio International Convention† in Chicago. In order to tap into the demand of emerging nations, JETRO organizes joint pavilions at trade fairs in the BRICS nations, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, such as â€Å"Arab Health† in Dubai and â€Å"Asia Fruit Logistica† in Hong Kong. In November 2012, Japan even had a presence at the Baghdad International Trade Fair with 17 private companies and three governmental institutions. In comparison with other support measures such as seminars or business matching, exhibitors at trade fairs often report concrete results, as trade fairs offer the opportunity to gather the latest market trends, generate sales leads, and to find potential business partners. According to a 2010 survey, 40% of Japanese participants in JETRO-supported trade fairs reported direct results, another 30% said they felt indirect results (METI, 2012, p. 80). Surveys on the effects of â€Å"Japan Pavilions† are not yet available, but it can be assumed that relatively unknown SMEs, which are still newcomers to overseas markets, benefit from a joint presence under the â€Å"Japan† brand instead of exhibiting on their own. However, as countries such as Germany, France, the UK, the USA, China, Taiwan and others are aggressively promoting the ir own national brands, Japan needs to continue its marketing efforts in order to keep up the public’s recognition. The advanced technological expertise cultivated by Japanese SMEs has often been well-recognized. New labels such as â€Å"Japan Style† for design products or â€Å"Cool Japan† for exporting its creative culture such as anime and manga will help to open up new sales channels for consumer goods as well. 10 3. 3 Foreign direct investment and financial support When companies set out to explore overseas business development, they find in many cases inadequate information regarding investment climates in foreign countries, and what funding is available to their ventures. Surveys cited above suggest that financial reserves are regarded as the number one requirement for overseas investment. In its â€Å"New Growth Strategy†, the government acknowledges that supporting underfunded SMEs which have proven resources and technologies through a new supporting system is a pressing issue. It refers to the SME financing act expiring in March 2013 and which, if not extended, threatens many ailing SMEs. The government also encourages a change of practice from a collateral and guaranteebased lending to business-based lending in order to diversify fund raising programs for SMEs. For companies with overseas investment plans, however, advisory and funding are readily available. Research into the financial institutions servicing SMEs, shows that Japan’s support infrastructure for overseas ventures is well developed. For instance, SMEs can apply for low-interest financing under the government’s fiscal and loan program through three government financial institutions: the National Life Finance Corporation, Japan Finance Corporation for Small Business, and the Shoko Chukin Bank. Furthermore, the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) supports overseas business development not only for large corporations but for SMEs as well. According to a recent report by Nikkei (Nikkei Net Interactive, January 7, 2012), the government has decided to inject 70 billion yen into a new fund managed by JBIC that will support overseas investment and M by large Japanese companies and SMEs. JBIC’s â€Å"Advisory and Consulting Office† for SMEs (ACOSME) supports overseas business expansion of Japanese SMEs by providing the latest information on local conditions and the investment climate in individual countries. The ACOSME also offers consulting services for obtaining long-term financing. Its website (www. jbic. go. jp) introduces the case study of auto parts manufacturer Aikitec from Nagoya, which successfully built production facilities in Indonesia and China by using JBIC’s financial support. ACOSME also publishes investment guides for major ASEAN countries, and reports on the investment climate in China and Central and East European countries. In addition to responding to SME inquiries individually, ACOSME also sends speakers to meetings held in many Japanese cities for disseminating information on the foreign investment climate. 1 Looking at the companies which have successfully invested abroad, one might be surprised that 5,630 or 70% of the 7,977 enterprises in total with overseas subsidiaries in 2009 were SMEs (JSBRI, 2012, pp. 75-76). More and more automotive or electronics suppliers have set up manufacturing facilities in China, India and Southeast Asian countries. These successful cases, although still limited in relation to the huge potential, show that funding issues can be overcome. When it comes to financing, a 2009 Survey on SMEs’ International Business Expansion by the Shoko Chukin Bank and Shoko Research Institute shows that the parent company plays a crucial role in the relation with its overseas bases. â€Å"In order to make FDI more effective, close collaboration between a parent company and its overseas subsidiaries is crucial†, notes the Japan Small Business Research Institute (JSBRI, 2012, p. 96) in its SME White Paper. In the non-manufacturing sector, financing is regarded as the most important issue. Besides financing, common forms of support provided by parent companies in Japan to overseas subsidiaries include assistance with the launch of new products or services and technical supervision by permanent or visiting staff. 3. 4 Human resources development for global activities With the growing importance of overseas markets, SMEs expanding into other countries have to adapt to various local environments. As we have seen above, these SMEs, however, often lack the necessary global human resources. JETRO has identified three core competencies required of global human resources, in addition to foreign language abilities: 1) the ability to take decisive action, 2) the ability to effectively convey oneself, and 3) the ability to succeed in a multicultural environment (JETRO, 2012b, p. 15). Public and private institutions have set up several programs to facilitate the â€Å"securing and fostering global human resources†. The â€Å"METI Global Internship Program† implemented by the Overseas Human Resources and Industry Development Association (HIDA) is targeting young business people. It screens and selects 50 to 100 applicants per year for three to six months long internships in government agencies or Japanese subsidiaries in developing countries. According to a METI press release, the program’s purpose is â€Å"to develop global human resources which will play an active part in dramatically-expanding markets in rising countries, acquiring infrastructure business, promoting small- and medium-sized enterprises’ global expansion and other actions†. Other initiatives such as the â€Å"Career Development Program for Foreign Students in Japan† tapped into the potential of â€Å"excellent students from Asia† at Japanese universities. Divided into nine 12 regional chapters, the program, which ran from 2009 to 2012, placed foreign trainees in companies throughout Japan in order to support local businesses. In the Osaka (Kinki) area, its goal was to attract â€Å"human resources who can bridge Kinki with Asia in business and who can play a central role in the company’s expansion of its business overseas, in the advancement of economic globalization†. Although large corporations such as Panasonic, Daikin, Omron or Murata were among the participating companies, the program aimed at â€Å"human resources who can play a key role in the enhancement of technologies and management innovations in medium and small-sized enterprises accounting for large part of companies in Kinki, particularly in manufacturing companies†. According to its Japanese website (www. ajinzai-sc. jp), several trainees decided to join local SMEs in the Kinki area. It brought about some change in the participating companies as well. Companies, which used to be hesitant to take in foreign students at the beginning, started to open up and take in trainees year after year. Although the program brought about some tangible results, it was discontinued after four years at the end of 2012. Programs like these facilitate personal exchange and daily interaction between Japanese staff and foreign employees, but in many companies, especially SMEs, it is still very limited. In order to prepare for their ambitious globalization goals, some companies have taken drastic steps: Two f Japan’s fastest growing corporations, apparel brand Uniqlo and online shopping company Rakuten, have changed their official language to English. Others have started recruiting foreign students, train them and send them overseas. Foreign employees in SMEs, however, remain an exception and in many small companies English skills are still limited. For years, Japanese companies have focused their efforts on manufacturing excellent products and d eveloping innovative technologies. Their international marketing efforts, however, have not followed the same world-class standards due to a lack of ideas and experience. For SMEs to develop business closely involved with global markets, JETRO (2012b, p. 15) concludes, â€Å"they should focus their energy on ‘hito-zukuri (building people)’ in addition to ‘mono-zukuri (manufacturing products)’. † 4. . Conclusion In the course of the past decade, Japan’s small and medium enterprises have made significant progress in their international activities. More and more SMEs tap into business opportunities in overseas markets, especially in fast growing regions such as China and other emerging markets. In international comparison, however, Japan’s SMEs still remain laggards in terms of export orientation 13 nd foreign direct investment. As companies from Germany or other countries are expanding at an even higher pace, Japan’s SMEs risk to fall behind. SMEs that plan to expand overseas report many challenges and uncertainties, which the public support system tries to address. Barriers to entry have been lowere d as assistance becomes readily available. Currently the Japanese government offers assistance to SMEs via several channels, including JETRO, SMRJ and the Japan Chambers of Commerce as well as through funding assistance for some overseas operations, for instance via loans by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation. Yet, as the Economist Intelligence Unit has pointed out, â€Å"lack of awareness and complicated application procedures hinder the take-up of such programs. † (EIU, 2010, p. 16). Despite all efforts, the number of SMEs involved in overseas activities remains strikingly low. This globalization gap cannot be explained by barriers to overseas expansion alone, as larger Japanese corporations or companies from other countries face similar challenges. They rather hint at much more fundamental issues, such as a lack of management resources and personnel with language skills and international experience. Internship programs, seminars and other initiatives address the issue of fostering â€Å"global human resources†. But with a few dozen or even several hundred participants a year these initiatives are nothing more than a drop in the ocean. Most SMEs still lack a global mindset. In order to prepare hundreds or thousands of SMEs for their globalization efforts, a nation-wide effort in English education and intercultural training would be needed. Government programs cannot address all the problems small companies have in recruiting welleducated personnel. It is up to the SMEs to be creative and improve their image in order to attract better local and international talent. By focusing on their core strengths of quality, technology, and innovation, Japan’s SMEs need to create a brand reputation that will make them employers of choice for highly skilled workers and lift their image overseas. Germany’s â€Å"Mittelstand† can serve them as a benchmark. The dualism in Japan’s economy, which Michael Porter observed more than twenty years ago, has not been overcome. It seems to have become even more entrenched as large manufacturers relocate their production overseas and many SMEs are left behind. If Japan wants to keep its competitive edge, it has to help more small and medium-sized companies jump on the bandwagon of globalization. Should it fail, its economy risks to stray even further off course. 14 References Abbreviations: BMWI Bundesministerium fur Wirtschaft und Technologie / Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology EIU Economist Intelligence Unit JETRO Japan External Trade Organization JSBRI METI Japan Small Business Research Institute Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry SMEA Small Medium Enterprise Agency Bibliographical Sources: BMWI (2012), German Mittelstand: Engine of the German Economy: Facts and figures about small and medium-sized German firms, (www. bmwi. de). EIU (2010), SMEs in Japan: A new growth driver? , (www. managementthinking. eiu. com). JETRO (2012a), FY2011 Survey on the International Operations of Japanese Firms: JETRO Overseas Business Survey (www. jetro. go. jp). JETRO (2012b), Global Trade and Investment Report 2012: Companies and People Move Forward Toward Globalization – Overview (www. jetro. go. jp). JSBRI (2012), 2012 White Paper on Small and Medium Enterprises in Japan: Small and Medium Enterprises Moving Forward through Adversity (http://www. chusho. meti. go. jp/). Katz, Richard (1996), Japan: The System that Soured: The Rise and Fall of the Japanese Economic Miracle, M. E. Sharpe 1996. METI (2011), White Paper on International Economy and Trade 2011 Summary. Overcoming the earthquake disaster, and restoring and strengthening global economic networks (www. meti. go. jp). METI (2012), White Paper on International Economy and Trade 2012: Extending the Frontiers of Growth through global linkages (www. eti. go. jp). 15 Rakuten (2012), 2013-nendo-sotsu: Shinsotsu shukatsu ninki kigyo rankingu (Ranking of most popular companies for new graduates 2013), (http://www. nikki. ne. jp/event/20120210/). Simon, Hermann (2012), Hidden Champions: Aufbruch nach Globalia: Die Erfolgsstrategien unbekannter Weltmarktfuhrer, Campus. SMEA (2012), Key Points of the 2012 White Paper on Small and Med ium Enterprises in Japan (www. chusho. meti. go. jp/). 16 Figure 1: Export-orientation of Japanese SMEs 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 Number of export-oriented SMEs Percentage among overall SMEs 4 3,5 3 2 1,5 1 0,5 Source: SMEA (2012), Key Points of the 2012 White Paper on Small and Medium Enterprises in Japan, p. 2 Figure 2: Number of workers in Japan at SMEs starting FDI in fiscal year 2002 (= Index 100) 114 112 110 108 106 104 102 100 98 96 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 Enterprises that started FDI in fiscal 2002 and continued through fiscal 2009 (n=53) Enterprises that did not engage in FDI at all between fiscal 1995 and 2009 (n=5103) Source: JSBRI (2012), White Paper on Small and Medium Enterprises in Japan, p. 95 17 in % 2,5 How to cite Japanese Smes Going Global: Lessons from â€Å"German Mittelstand†, Papers

School Buses Ownership vs. Outsourcing free essay sample

A discussion of ownership of school buses versus contracting out for busing services. This paper explores the advantages and disadvantages to owning and operating a fleet of school buses by the school system as opposed to outsourcing the system needs to a contracted company. Americas economy has been in a slump for several years now and with that the school budgets across the country are being reevaluated to reduce spending as much as possible. One aspect of the public school systems that is being examined is the issue of transportation. School buses have long since been a point of controversy during school bus discussions each year. School bus transportation becomes a bone of contention in many fiscal debates. The districts that provide transportation for its students must locate and purchase buses and maintain their mechanical soundness and safeness. Recently there has been a second possible solution for providing transportation for school students. We will write a custom essay sample on School Buses: Ownership vs. Outsourcing or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The idea of outsourcing the transportation needs of entire districts has been experimented with some measure of success across the country. The outsourcing of buses for the purpose of transporting students to and from school and home offers certain benefits as well as certain problems. Each district that provides transportation has to look at the pros and cons of each possibility based on its own budget constraints, needs and abilities and then choose the option best suited for it.

Butler Lumber Essay Example

Butler Lumber Paper Why has Butler Lumber borrowed increasing amounts despite its consistent profitability? How has Mr.. Butler met the financing needs of the company during the period 1 988 through 1 990? (It would be helpful to develop a cash flow analysis (use vs.. Source) and the cash flow statement based upon the income statement and the balance sheet provided in the case for the period of 1988 to 1990. Through the period of 1988 to 1 990 Mark Butler has met the needs of financing through decreasing the amount of cash the company carries, by increasing bank loans, by increasing the size of accounts payable, and by carrying net income over into retained earnings. The needs of this cash was generated by the loan to Mr.. Stark as M. B. Needed this money to buy out Mr.. Starks share in the company, an increase in account receivable, an increase in inventories, and an increase in fixed assets. Working capital turned out to make up a use Of 68% during the years 1 988 to 1990. The buy out of Mr.. Stark made up 22% of the use of cash. Source bank note payable 49%, trading credit 28%, retained earnings 16%. All in all Mr.. Butler has been using the wrong sort of financing to raise funds. If you were to make a comparison as to how Mr.. Butler has been generating funds thus far it would be like financing a mortgage with a credit card. 2. Has the financial strength of Butler Lumber improved or deteriorated? The ratios show that the strength of Butler Lumber is slowly deteriorating. Their current ratio has been slowly going down from 1. To 1 2, if this continues it will only be a matter often until Butler Lumber will no longer be able to cover their current liabilities with their current assets. Along with this the company is growing more and more leveraged from 54. 5% in 1988 to 71. % in 1992. As their working capital decreased through the years and into the projection BAL average payment period is increasing from 35 days to 47 days. It will not be long until t heir vendors grow tired of the slow payments, not to mention the fact that BAL is not taking advantage of the vendors 2% discount by paying in ten days from the purchase. We will write a custom essay sample on Butler Lumber specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Butler Lumber specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Butler Lumber specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Bless times interest earned is growing smaller also. In 1988 Bless TIE figure was 3. 8 but now the estimated figure for 1992 is 1. 9. This means that Bless BIT is becoming increasingly lower relative to the interest that they must pay out on loans. . Does rapid sales growth always result in a need for substantial external finance? (Hints: exam asset management, does the efficiency of using assets at Butler align with its rapid sales growth? ) In this case MBA needed a loan to buy out Mr.. Starks interest so that in itself caused a need for external financing. Generally when companies experience rapid sales growth they do need substantial external financing. As sales increase accounts such as A/P, A/ R, and inventory always increase also, which creates a demand for more funds, for instance in net working capital. This is needed so that the business can operate smoothly, make their payments on time, absorb increases in accrued expenses, and meet the needs of countless other needs of cash that come along with increases in sales. The speed at which sales are growing is the reason why a company needs external financing, assuming that the company doesnt have a rich uncle with 4. How attractive is it to take the trade discounts? A 2% percent discount will result in a savings of $41000 in 1991 and $60,000 in 1 992, which will increase net income significantly to 58,000 in 1991 and $73,000 in 1992. The increased savings in net income will show up in retained earnings and will provide a source of cash for the coming year which will in turn reduce the amount of external financing that the company needs. The annual cost of not taking this discount works out to be 20% Once again this shows that Mr.. Butler is not using the best source of financing because he could take out a loan at a much lower rate of interest to pay his bills in 10 days and save quite a bit of money. 5. Do you agree with Mr.. Butlers estimate of the companys loan requirements? That is, will a credit line of $465,000 be sufficient to meet the Meanys needs beyond 1 991 if it takes the trade discounts? How much will Mr.. Butler need to finance the expected expansion in sales to $3. 6 million in 1991 and to take all trade discounts? (Develop projected income statement and balance sheet, and then estimate the financial needs. ) If MBA takes the 465,000 line of credit and does not take the trade discount he will be able to operate through the year of 1991 but he will need even more money to continue into 1992. By not taking the trade discount BAL will not be running very efficiently and their current ratio will continue to get worse. If Mr.. Butler does take the trade discount the projected external financing for 1991 is $666,000 so it seems that the 465 thousand line of credit will not be enough for BAL to continue experiencing the rapid growth. 6. Would you, as Mr.. Dodge, agree to lend Butler the money needed? This is a tough call based just upon these numbers. It seems a bit risky for the bank to extend this financing to BAL. I do not have industry figures or what the current home building growth is projected to be. It mentions in the book that MBA thinks that even if home building slows residential remodeling will continue to rive his sales. I think that Mr.. Dodge should recommend BAL to scale back sales growth to a more manageable rate. 33% sales growth per year is very high. History shows us growth at this rate never continues year after year. Additionally, growth at this rate generally causes financial problems and lower chances for the companys survival over the long run. As things are going right now Mr.. Dodge probably would not grant this loan. 7. What are the alternatives open to Mr.. Butler if Mr.. Dodge refuses his request for an increased credit line?

Gangs of new york immigration, racial tension and violence essays

Gangs of new york immigration, racial tension and violence essays Immigration, racial tension, and violence are something that is experienced today and back in the 1860s. In the movie Gangs of New York, it portrays the same way the immigrants were treated in the 1860s as well as today. In the movie the racial tension and violence was toward the Irish immigrants whereas today, it is shown and portrayed by all racial minorities. However, compared to the 1860s all three of those aspects improved both positively and negatively to today. Immigration has improved over the last 140 years because now instead of having to go through Ellis Island to be considered a US citizen you can go through the Naturalization process. The Naturalization process includes many simple things you need to do to be allowing permanent residency. For example, you need to live in the states for at least 5 years, be present in the US for 30 months out of the 5 years, and live in a state or district for at least 3 months. You also need to pass the test given on the basic information about the United States and the state you live in. Additionally, the Customs service doesnt make you have to change your name like the workers on Ellis Island did if your name was too hard to pronounce. An example from the movie of positive immigration would be when Bill the Butcher accepted Amsterdam as a native to New York after Priest Vallon was murdered also by Bill the Butcher. On the other hand, immigration is also handled extremely negatively in todays society. In todays day in age, it is much, much easier to sneak across the borders into the states than it was back in the 1860s. There are a significant amount of illegal aliens in the country compared to the 1860s. We also need more security around the borders for people who try to sneak in. There are a lot of criminals who also try to get across the borders into other states as well as people who try to smuggle...

Effects of Brand Local and Nonlocal Origin on Consumer Attitudes - The Thesis

Effects of Brand Local and Nonlocal Origin on Consumer Attitudes - The Case of Oil Change behavior of Passenger Cars Owners in Egypt - Thesis Example This is because studying and understanding the consumer behavior and purchasing habit of a group of consumers gives a marketer an idea of what to trade in. There are times that two marketers have traded in the same kind of product. However, one marketer experiences higher patronage than the other. In such a situation, it means that even with the same kind of product they are dealing in; there are some consumer preferences attached to certain aspects of the product. The oil marketing industry in Egypt is one market that has a lot to do with consumer preference for oil products. Investigations have shown that the country of origin of oil product is a major aspect of consideration for consumers. This paper is therefore being written as a research paper to study the consumer behavior of automobile users in Egypt to identify aspects of oil products that they have preferences for and the ones they less have preference for. Specifically, the aspect of oil product to be considered will be country of origin. More specifically, the paper shall investigate factors and conditions that inform their line of purchase and how marketers can take advantage of this line of purchase. Even though works of literature portray general preference for nonlocal products in most Arab and developing countries, the specific country of consideration in this paper is Egypt. Even in Egypt, the line of product to be considered is refined oil product; though the writer admits that there exists preference for other lines of product such as food, clothes and textiles. The general trend and attitude behind the way and manner consumers make purchases of products and services is very crucial to marketers. It serves as indicators for what a marketer should trade in and why. Perner (2009) explains consumer behavior as â€Å"the psychological processes that consumers go through in

Case Brief Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Case Brief - Essay Example Mr. Brown filed in 1951 in United Sates district court. The education board based their decision to establish separate learning institutions on Plessy v. Ferguson, 163 U.S. 537 (1896), in which the Supreme Court judge ruling allowed separate learning institutes to be established for white and for black children (Orlik, 2010). However, the bench did not make it mandatory for districts to form establish separate institutions, though district education board decided to establish separate institutions. The parents felt that their children were denied the opportunity to interact with their colleagues and therefore, they felt they were being treated with inferiority. This was against the Fourteenth Amendment Equal Protection Clause, which granted all the Americans legal safety regardless of their background. The civil right movement arose to fight for equal rights of all Americans which pushed the matter to the court. The case was presented to district court and the plaintiff claimant challenged the Topeka District Education Board for treating the Black-American children unfairly (Orlik, 2010). The plaintiff affirmed that having separate learning institution for black and white people offered an opportunity for the black children to be denied access to superior housing facilities, inferior services and mistreatment. In making the ruling, the bar question whether establishing different learning institutions for black and white children amounted to injustice. The other issue was whether this deprived the black Americans their legal security offered by fourteenth Amendment Equal Protection Clause. The ruling by the court was that although learning institutions offered similar training, housing and transportation facilities, having different institutions for white and black children was unfair because it had emotional damages to Black American children (Orlik, 2010). They declared that the decision by the Supreme Court in 1986 was alright and

Multi-professional working Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Multi-professional working - Essay Example The nations which have paid attention in this issue and taken necessary steps to improve the child and mother health, have achieved drop in new born mortality rates (WHO, 2005). In the cycle of life an individual depends upon the availability of health care professionals not only to save the life but also to improve the physical and mental conditions of the human beings particularly (International Federation of Gynecology & Obstetrics). When taken in the context of mother child care systems these professions range from nurses to experts. They have majorly focused upon the availability of multi professional experts at the time of delivery at the hospitals (Simpson et al, 2006; Mann and Pratt, 2006; Nielsen et al, 2007; Williams 2008). These professionals majorly are nurses, midwives, physicians, obstetricians, neonatologists, anesthesiologists (Physician trained in anesthesia) (ABA, 2009) and pharmacists and the pediatricians who can examine the child right after birth for any kind of disease or life threatening condition (International Federation of Gynecology & Obstetrics). The approach to females with assumed preterm labor has altered slightly in the past 3 decades. The main element to that method is the slowdown of complete inhibition of contractions (Simhan, 2007; Caritis,et al, 1979) but to use such methods only professional team could work. Health care professionals and managers require a very strong and integrated system of care at both the local and the national level (Princeton University, 2007). These are particular in case of deliveries and C-sections. If the system of this multi professionalism is integrated at the hospitals at every level particularly in the gynecological departments millions of deaths and disabilities can be avoided as complications in the delivery can cause severe mental or physical retardations (Lane, 1987; Stockham and Alice, 1891) The major issue in his view point is also the lack of experience during the critical conditions a nd non availability of multi professionals at the time of need particularly in critical or unexpected conditions like C-sections (Ramondt, 1990). The midwifery in separate is not recommended but when the midwives join the complete health care professional team they should be given the status of a special professional (Golden, 2002; Bailey, 1998). This should be taken into account by the fact that they provide quality care and support to the mother during the child bearing and right after birth. This helps the mother to establish a loveable and comfortable relationship with the baby right after birth. They also help the mother to feed the baby immediately after birth which is a difficult task as the new born is a bit tricky to feed (Harper, 2006). To explain all these facts in detail and to establish the importance of multi professionalism in the field of gynecological departments with particular reference to the child delivery case, a special clinical case is discussed below. Case S tudy In this case study we will see the inter relationship of various people and professionals in the child birth procedure. The scenario in the case is that pregnant women with gravid 1 plus 0 primp arrived into the hospital. This means that the woman was having her first pregnancy or she had been pregnant before but had not given birth i.e. she might have had an abortion or miscarriage

Market Segmentation and Consumer Buying Behaviour

Market Segmentation and Consumer Buying Behaviour Market segmentation is the division of the market into segments which a specific group of people help to require all that the consumers need. The Geographic,Psycho-graphic and life-style,Behavioural and Demographic which is the most important basic of segmentation are the four types and basics characteristics that market segmentation is based on. Also the consumer behaviour is the positive or negative reaction for the products of the marketing. Introduction Market segmentation is the divide of the market into sections, like an orange, in which all segments are linked but every segment has its own shape. The companies can be international by making foreign purchases, like British consumers buy Italian dresses and shoes. Market segments also, are an important part of marketing because a market consists of customers with similar needs and for each market segment there is a different marketing plan. MARKET SEGMENTATION A product is targeting a specific group of customers or a marketing mix of market segments. It is the companys responsibility to ensure that the product satisfy the needs of the customers in that target group. Every market segment can transfer a target market for an obstinate, and could require a special marketing mix if the firm is to use it successfully. As the companies know, segmentation allows for fast response of changing market requirements, improved analysis of competition and to efficient strategic planning. The purpose of segmentation is to find the ideal set of needs and behaviour of the targeted customer. The basis for segmenting markets depends for the five several ways in which a market can be segmented: Geographic This is the segmentation where the market is divided into groups based on where they live or where the customers are located. Do they live in the countryside or in a big city? Demographic Demographic segmentation is the most basic and the most popular type of segmentation. The groups of customers are chosen based on the following criteria: Age: the broad groups who may because of their age show distinct purchase behaviours. Is she/he a child? A teen? An infant?Is this product appropriate for our costumers age? Gender: Different sex of human. Is our customer a female or male and the product is made for men or for women or both? Life-cycle stage: Young, old, single, married, occupation, number of children. Social class: social class is an important one because these groupings seem to give reliable indicators of separate consumer mental state and needs .What is the social status of our consumer? Are they poor or rich? Life-style: Differences by character of a person, behaviour, habits, opinions and interests. For example women dresses is a product that is marketed based on demographic segmentation. The cause for this product is that it is made for women and the marketing mix is made up of groups of women of different ages. Another and particular example is the advertisement for the perfume The One by Dolce and Gabana. This perfume is very classy and fantastic and 4 when the women wear this perfume feel like a star and a true diva! You can find it in fashion magazines and this is due to the fact that it has a good price and is not very expensive and hence every woman can buy it. Psycho-graphic The way in which the customers react Behavioural Economic and social characteristics of the customers. Do they find the product good or bad? How do people behave? CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR Consumer behaviour is the positive or negative response for the products of the marketing when they like or dislike the product and if they pleased or displeased with that product. Consumer all the time has many motivations and this is the serious reason that is a payer and a buyer . The consumer needs to be completely happy and satisfied with the old and new requirements. At the same time all shoppers to complete their needs,without to realize they take a risk for dissadisfaction when buying a product,so must be carefully and to be sure that the product is safe. The consumers must to be alive because is the most important key for each company to live and success. Without consumers the companies can not handle their business and lose their jobs. The suppliers have to find a nice way to keep the consumers satisfied and want to buy again and again for the same supplier the products and to say to friends, a related good impressions to buy from the supplier. Allegiance customers are the people that they will help and give suggestions to the suppliers when they will have many problems and not really good and easy times at the company. Also can help the company to be more higher and improved the goodwill for the supplier organisations version. Certainly the essential part of the solution between loyalty and current consumers is more serious and important from the banks. Some of the private effects on consumers behaviour is the personality. Personality : each human has her/his own and separate way to think and have her/his personality. Is an inclusive idea which contains characteristics and calculate how the person appreciate to his/her to conditions and would be capable to know to sign in own behaviour. References Internet websites: http://www.themarketingprocessco.com/marketing/market%20segmentation/market_segmentation.htm http://www.bizrate.co.uk/perfumeandcologne/oid511115165.html BOOKS: The Chartered Institute of Bankers, (1996) Strategic Marketing Management, London. Wilkison, R. , Curtis, B. , Curtis, S. , Jones, C. , Morgan, B. , Norman, J. and Sykes,G. (1994) Business Studies an introduction to management and business studies , Meinemann Publisher Ltd. , Oxford. 9 Bibliography http://www.learnmarketing.net/consumer.htm http://www.kowthis.com/principles-of-marketing-tutorials/consumer-buying-behavior/

Charcuterie Essay -- Food, Delicacy

Charcuterie runs the entire gauntlet of cookery. It represents an ancient culinary science that hallmarks the advent of a civilized mankind. Charcuterie is a fifteenth-century French term derived from the root words ‘chair’, which translates to flesh and ‘cuit’, meaning cooked. Charcutiers are in a specialty class of their own, distinguished from the classic butcher as a crafted meat preserver and engineer of flavor (Doherty, 2009). American consumers commonly misconceive charcuterie as a novelty or delicacy that is not readily available, when in fact charcuterie is everywhere. Oscar Mayer cold cuts, a modern day American staple, are produced by a preservation technique used before the concept of refrigeration. From the humble isle ways of local supermarkets to the posh pantries of restaurateurs and the finest charcuteries, a primitively preserved slab of hog is an ode to any carnivorous appetite. Charcuterie is mastery of the art of creating sausages a nd other cured, smoked and preserved meats (Ruhlman and Polcyn, 2005). Charcuterie mimics the dynamic trends of the culinary arts and continues to garner new delectable spin on time-tested classics. Preservation was cooking’s catalyst and in essence conjured the concept of a chef! The distinct flavor of charcuterie is as rich as its heritage. The origin of charcuterie is saturated with traditions, controversy and has stood the test of time in a competitive industry with rivaling styles. Charcuterie is both art and a science; the mechanics should be explored in order to appreciate the relevance of a taste that is as old as humankind. Remnants of charcuterie date back to the origins of Homo sapiens. Charcuterie was the groundwork for human survival in virtually every culture. ... ... been rehabilitated through consumer awareness and activism that led to better sanitation practices, overall care and slaughter. Swine is the reigning creature of charcuterie, palatable from head to tail! Charcuterie is an intricate part of the culinary scene. Chefs have implemented exquisite adaptations of preservation techniques to showcase charcuterie in contemporary dining. Variations from different regions ripened a romance between charcuterie and international cuisine. A French farmer would alchemize scraps of meat to make â€Å"waste† palatable is nowadays offered as patà © (Ruhlman and Polcyn, p 22)! Charcuterie cannot nor should not be precisely defined; it is something to be experienced. The historical nature of charcuterie connects you to your ancestors in a tangible way. Culinary art is a by-product of a rudimentary need to sustain and preserve life.

Marketing Higher Education: Theory and Practice Essay

Applying marketing knowledge Products can be classified as either consumer or business products. How would you classify the following products? (a) Johnson’s baby shampoo, (b) a Black & Decker two-speed drill, and (c) an arc welder. Johnson’s baby shampoo. (A consumer product.) Black & Decker two-speed drill. (A consumer products) Arc Welder. (A business product.) Are Nature Valley Granola bars and Eddie Bauer hiking boots convenience, shopping, specialty, or unsought products? a.) Nature Valley Granola Bars. (Convenience product.) b.) Eddie Bauer hiking boots. (Shopping product.) Based on your answer to question 2, how would the marketing actions differ for each product and the classification to which you assigned it? Nature Valley Granola bars: Since this thing is probably going to be accessible to purchasers wherever nourishment and nibble items are sold. Dissemination of this item would incorporate basic supply, accommodation, and mass stock stores and presumably candy machines since openness is imperative in the buy of any comfort thing. Eddie Bauer hiking boots: Shoppers who need this item will look for climbing boots, contrasting the points of interest and weaknesses of a few brands. Since Eddie Bauer will be looked at against different brands, it is vital to bring up the distinctions that make the Eddie Bauer climbing boot a decent incentive for the shopper. In terms of the behavioral effect on consumers, how would a computer, such as an Apple iMac, be classified? In light of this classification, what actions would you suggest to the manufacturers of these products to increase their sales in the market? Classifying personal computers: At the point when initially presented, the PC was an intermittent development. Utilizing a PC for diversion, charges, formulas, and training of kids was not normal. The customer needed to take in an absolutely better approach to connect with a machine keeping in mind the end goal to get the coveted outcomes from the product. Actions of manufacturers: For the manufacturers of these products, education became a major obstacle, and product trial was particularly important to overcome consumer fears or hesitancies. Today, these desktop computers are far easier to do personal computing, but they can be considered continuous innovations. Now Apple’s and other PC marketers’ task is to sell prospective buyers on the competitive points of difference of their respective laptops. What methods would you suggest to assess the potential commercial success of the following new products? (a) a new, improved ketchup, (b) a three-dimensional television system that took the company 10 years to develop, and (c) a new children’s toy on which the company holds a patent. New, improved ketchup: In the test advertising of another ketchup, utilization of a buy research facility may be the most beneficial technique to survey the item’s feasible achievement. Aggressive impersonation of the item would be a genuine dread for the organization since impersonation would rush to follow in a test showcase circumstance. Three-dimensional television system: The three-dimensional TV may be an item that would require field-testing. Expecting that the innovation was adequate to create an astounding picture, genuine shopper acknowledgment and buy would be critical. Besides, since the improvement of the innovation took the organization such quite a while, it would be far-fetched that a contender could rapidly copy the item. New children’s toy: The company holds a patent for the children’s toy. In this instance, field-testing is not a problem. Concept testing is an important step in the new-product process. Outline the concept tests for (a) an electrically powered car and (b) a new loan payment system for automobiles that is based on a variable interest rate. What are the differences in developing concept tests for products as opposed to services? Electrically powered car: The idea test for an electrically controlled auto would portray the item regarding comparative automobiles, however, would feature the distinctions from existing fuel fueled motors from the purchaser’s viewpoint. New loan payment system for automobiles: An ideal test for a variable rate intrigue auto credit would need to indicate how the regularly scheduled installment for the advance would change as the loan cost list factor changes. The significant distinction in idea tests amongst items and administrations is that administrations are more hard to idea test. It is harder to relate an elusive support of customer involvement keeping in mind the end goal to clarify a reason or new idea (additionally elusive).

Nerve-Winged Insects, Order Neuroptera

Nerve-Winged Insects, Order Neuroptera The order Neuroptera includes an interesting cast of six-legged characters: alderflies, dobsonflies, fishflies, snakeflies, lacewings, antlions, and owlflies. The order name derives from the Greek neuron, meaning sinew or cord, and ptera, meaning wings. Though we refer to this group as the nerve-winged insects, their wings arent laced with sinews or nerves at all, but instead with branching veins and crossveins. Description: The nerve-winged insects vary enough that some entomologists divide them into three distinct orders (Neuroptera, Megaloptera, and Raphidioptera). Ive elected to use the classification system outlined in Borror and DeLongs Introduction to the Study of Insects, and consider them as a single order with three suborders: Suborder Megaloptera - alderflies, dobsonflies, and fishflies Suborder Raphidioptera - snakeflies Suborder Planipennia - dusty-wings, lacewings, mantidflies, spongillaflies, antlions, and owlflies Adult nerve-winged insects typically have two pairs of membranous wings, all nearly equal in size, and with many veins. Specifically, most Neuropteran wings have abundant crossveins near the leading edge of the wings, between the costa and subcosta, and parallel branches off the radial sector (see this diagram of wing venation if youre unfamiliar with these terms). Insects in this order have chewing mouthparts and filiform antennae with many segments. In general, nerve-winged insects are weak fliers. The larvae are elongate, with squared heads and long thoracic legs. Most larvae of nerve-winged insects are predaceous, with chewing mouthparts to consume their prey. Nerve-winged insects undergo complete metamorphosis, with four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. In the Planipennia, they produce silk from their Malpighian tubules. The silk is extruded from the anus and used to spin a cocoon. All other nerve-winged insects have naked pupae. Habitat and Distribution: Nerve-winged insects live worldwide, with roughly 5,500 species known from 21 families. Most insects in this order are terrestrial. The larvae of alderflies, dobsonflies, fishflies, and spongillaflies are aquatic, and inhabit rivers and streams. Adults in these families tend to reside near water. Major Families in the Order: Sialidae - alderfliesCorydalidae – dobsonflies and fishfliesMantispidae - mantidfliesHemerobiidae – brown lacewings Chrysopidae – common lacewingsMyrmeleontidae - antlionsAscalaphidae – owlflies Families and Genera of Interest: Antlion larvae often go by the nickname doodlebugs. They build pitfall traps in the soil to ensnare ants and other prey.Spongillafly larvae prey on freshwater sponges.Larvae of mantidflies are parasites of spider egg sacs.Some lacewings camouflage themselves by attaching woolly aphid carcasses to their backs. This enables them to live among the aphids without being detected.Green lacewing females place each of their eggs on a long, think stalk which is itself attached to a leaf. This is thought to help keep the eggs out of reach of predators. Sources: Insects - Their Natural History and Diversity, by Stephen A. MarshallBorror and DeLongs Introduction to the Study of Insects, 7th edition, by Charles A. Triplehorn and Norman F. JohnsonNeuroptera, by Dr. Jon Meyer, North Carolina State University, accessed December 6, 2012Order Neuroptera - Antlions, Lacewings and Allies, BugGuide.Net , accessed December 6, 2012

The Cold War and the Berlin Wall essays

The Cold War and the Berlin Wall essays 1. The Cold War was caused by the differences in idealism between the Western and Eastern superpowers. Yet, that idealism was not necessarily the reigning idealism of the people within the nations of the United States and the Soviet Union. Many citizens within the Soviet Union and its satellite nations proved to abhor the tyrannical Communist regime of Stalin and his predecessors. However, there were forced to adopt the nationalization seen in Communism. The United States used this tyrannical image to portray a savior image of its own representation. Based on the occurrences which led to the rise of these two very different idealisms, it is apparent that the Cold War could not have been averted, but in fact we should consider ourselves lucky for not escalating further. 2. East and West Berlin, to me, represented a single country divided by political circumstances which plagued millions of lives for generations. It is seen through the efforts of East Germans to escape over the Berlin Wall that many East Germans hated the tyrannical puppet government which proved a slave to the Soviet Union. As West Germany combined and began to flourish with the Western world, East Germans were forced to envy their western counterparts from across the ugly concrete wall. The stadium built for the 1936 Olympic Games was just a reminder of a distant past haunted by unification under the wrong mores. 3. Once the two zones were once again united after the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, the city and country was re-united. When the two zones were officially united in 1990, much of Eastern Germany had refocused in consumer goods and a free-market economy. Germans were allowed to freely travel between the formerly guarded Berlin border. The Western culture was allowed to influence the formerly Communist East Germany. Yet, still some regional differences continued to persist within a small portion of the population. Old Communist buildings littered ...

Feedback Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Feedback - Assignment Example The student offered a viable example of how businesspeople may affect the society. However, the student’s explanation of the Utilitarianism theory was not complete. The student did not offer supporting evidence to the explanation given. The student needed to reflect more on the reasons why the Utilitarianism Theory appels to them over the other theories. The student displayed good understanding of the Utilitarianism Theory. However, the student’s explanation of the theory was not exhaustive. The student failed to express reasons for the criticism of the theory. The student exhibited adequate understanding of the Utilitarianism Theory and explained the reasons for preferring the theory. The student arranged his work in a logical manner, making it easy to follow and understand the literature. The student referenced correctly as per the APA rules of referencing. The student earned 8.5 marks out of

The UK Now Needs a Written Constitution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The UK Now Needs a Written Constitution - Essay Example A concise but broadly-worded constitution can help to achieve more political objectives and flexibility, but it cannot avoid conflicts between legislature and judiciary. Moreover, Britain’s integration in the European Union calls for clearer and codified legal arrangements for the country. Hence, there is the general feeling today that the UK now needs a fully written constitution. Arguments against a Written Constitution As early as the 1970s, Lord Halisham asserted that the UK required a written constitution to protect the country from a possible takeover by the communists particularly at the level of lawmaking and policy manipulation. In the view of the worldwide agenda of Soviet expansionism and ideological intrusion inside the British intelligentsia, such a possibility could not be ruled out too. However, situation changed dramatically in the 1990s, and today the communist threat does not appear to be materialistic any more. Further, the renowned legal expert Barber comments that â€Å"The United Kingdom is in the unusual position of having an unwritten constitution that works passably well—sufficiently well, at least, to allow us to consider whether we want a new constitution.† Critics of a written constitution for the UK hold that such an arrangement may lead to serious disruption of the functionality of legislature and judiciary both alike.... power to decide or enforce fix tenure parliaments5 or command how a minister should behave overriding the directives of the already existing Ministerial Code.6 7 Britain’s integration in the European Union is another important issue in this sphere. Presently, Britain has a highly undefined relationship with the EU, since the unwritten constitution provides it with an opportunity of not codifying the fundamental tenets of its foreign policy. In the case R. v Secretary of State for Transport Ex. p. Factortame (No. 2)8, the House of Lords did not effectively clarify the legal dimensions of the relationship between the British and EU legal practices. With relation to this case, the position of the UK merchant shipping legislation framework9 has been left largely unclear vis-a-vis the EU specifications. Similarly, there are certain points of conflict and confusion regarding the human rights laws10, effectiveness of European laws inside the UK11, etc. Some legal experts consider the se sorts of vagueness actually provide enough flexibility even inside the orbit of European influence and eliminate the risk of forced political choices.12 13 14 Reasons to have a Written Constitution A written constitution would not only involve codification of the existing rules and conventions but also provide with an opportunity to reform the constitutional framework of the country as a whole. A written constitution would curb the excessive powers of the Parliament and safeguard the popular interests in front of aggressive political constitutionalism. Contextually, â€Å"The realisation that parliamentarians had the power to fix their own remuneration and their evident incompetence in managing their expenses gave substance to the view that a fundamental review of our constitutional

Streptococcus pneumoniae Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Streptococcus pneumoniae - Research Paper Example The species name is Streptococcus pneumoniae. Luis Paster discovered the organism in 1800’s. At that time he named it Micrococcus Pasteur. In 1886 and 1920, the name of the organism changed to Pseumococcus and Diplococcus pneumoniae respectively. Finally, in 1974 the micro-organism name became the Streptococcus pneumoniae (Toder, 2012). The micro-organism is Gram-positive, non-spore forming, non-motile and lancet-shaped. Predominantly, the micro-organisms occur in pairs. However, they can form short and straight chains. The micro-organism has a capsule that serves as a protective layer to antibiotics. In addition, the capsule stains positive during Gram staining process. The diameter of individual cells measures 0.5 and 1.25 micrometers. The cell wall of Streptococcus pneumoniae comprises of peptidoglycan and teichoic acid. The peptidoglycan component of the cell wall responds positively to Gram staining technique. This technique identifies and distinguishes different species in the genera streptococci. Steptococcus pneumoniae lacks the catalase activity. In addition, they are facultative anaerobes and metabolizes through lactic acid fermentation (Toder, 2012). There are more than 90 highly antigenic capsular serotypes differentiated in the types of presenting antigen in the capsule. Antibodies to specific types of serotypes are protective. The features responsible for pathogenic nature of organism are innumerable. These include presence of pro-inflammatory cell wall components (C-polysaccharides and F-antigen), IgA2 protease, pneumolysin, adhesins, and enzymes that damages tissue. Pneumolysin is a cytotoxin that stimulates immune response and adhesin bind to cell surface carbohydrates. Some of examples of adhesin include choline binding protein A, and the pneumococcal surface protein A [PspA]. The micro-organism incorporates the genetic material of other micro-organism through a process of transformation. The presence of F-antigen helps in acquiring of genetic material from different sources. Therefore, it means that the organism can change from one serotype to the other. This is quite significant to the development of resistance to antibi otics in the organism. It increases the virulence of the organism. The increasing severity of micro-organism is attributed to its ability to assume different shapes. When the organism acquires genetic material with genes of resistance to antibiotics, it replicates to resist the host defense mechanism. The virulence in these micro-organisms is associated with the capsular material. The capsule resists the hosts’ phagocytosis mechanism thereby surviving and multiplying in the host tissues. The virulence factors of the micro-organism include surface protein A. autolysin, and immunoglobulin A (Toder, 2012). Streptococci pneumoniae are found in the host’s upper airways, nose, or throat. They are part of normal flora in human beings. However, the organism becomes infectious depending on the immunity status of the host. In the immune comprised host, they cause some of the deadly diseases that include pneumonia, meningitis, sinusitis, acute otitis media, peritonitis, and bacte remia. These are diseases of upper and lower respiratory tract. When in the host tissues, pneumococcal undergoes genetic changes that convert the colonies from opaque to transparent ones. However, the rate is very low in number; it is 1 in 105 micro-organisms. The transparent colony is best adapted for proliferation in the nasopharynx. The opaque colonies thrive very well in the host’s blood. The opaque colonies increase their virulence during systemic infections. These differences in

They’re all wasted! Essay Example for Free

They’re all wasted! Essay â€Å"They’re all wasted! † proclaims The Who’s Roger Daltrey in 1971’s â€Å"Baba O’Riley,† a song widely and mistakenly believed to be titled â€Å"Teenage Wasteland† because of the refrain. Putting an emphasis on â€Å"all,† this is a sweeping indictment: the youth are all wasted, not just one group or in one way, but everywhere and in every faculty. Every potentialfor rebellion, discipline, pleasure, beliefhas been squandered. But The Who were far from the first to imagine this modern wasteland. T. S. Eliot’s poem, â€Å"The Wasteland,† provides a wide-ranging critique of modernity, while also modeling the aesthetics of the new epoch, that makes statements like The Who’s intelligible while building on established literary and social conventions. The historical context for Eliot’s poem can be divided into three major components. First, there is the literary tradition writ large, the collected textual productions of the world over the last several millennia. â€Å"The Wasteland† makes reference to the Bible (20-3), Buddhism (173), Dante (62-5), Shakespeare (172), Greek tragedy (218), and many more sources: the Norton Anthology’s cup runneth over with footnotes. Second, there is English literature. It is more likely that Eliot’s peers would measure him against the immediate backdrop of national history, not least because education in excellence in English literature is also education of the excellence of English literature. Thus Eliot must be able to demonstrate knowledge of Shakespeare and Marvell at the minimum, but also make an original contribution to the English literary tradition coming out of the nineteenth century. As in â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† Eliot addresses nineteenth century British Romanticism with modern inversions of the celebration of unadulterated nature. In the opening paragraph we have a modernized parallel of Wordsworth’s â€Å"A Beauteous Evening, Calm and Free†: Summer surprised us, coming over the Starnbergersee With a shower of rain; we stopped in the colonnade, And went on in sunlight, into the Hofgarten, And drank coffee, and talked for an hour. (8-11) The natural world is pleasing and comforting to humanity in this miniature. The surprise of rain does not seem to dampen the spirits of the characters but rather, through the stop in the colonnade, causes them to pause and so appreciate the reappearance of the sunlight. The construction â€Å"Summer surprised us† gives the natural world and its seasons a kind of playful agency, as in the Romantic tradition. However, we cannot think of Eliot as remaining within the Romantic tradition despite his utilization of it as a literary option. The third vital context is the recently concluded World War I. Hence the agency of the natural world, insomuch as Eliot images such agency for literary purposes, is as ambivalent as human nature. The opening lines, also drawing on literary precedent in Chaucer’s â€Å"Canterbury Tales,† depict a less loving nature. April is the cruellest month, breeding Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing Memory and desire, stirring Dull roots with spring rain. (1-4) The April showers that bring May flowers, to paraphrase Chaucer, bring a conflation of life and death instead of pilgrims. April is personified, as in Romanticism, but here it is so that it can be labelled cruel. Life is not an abstractly generative force: since at least Sidney’s â€Å"Astrophel and Stella† and Shakespeare’s â€Å"Sonnets,† English literature has had a rich tradition of sexual metaphorics, using phrases like â€Å"Dull roots† for phallic impotence and â€Å"spring rain† for ejaculatory procreation. But Eliot cannot simply celebrate this cycle of rebirth in the shadow of the muddy graves of World War I. The â€Å"mixing / memory and desire† recasts the common literary relationship between sex and death in a perverse light, since â€Å"memory† transgresses the partition between the living and the dead, the present and the past. Memory exhumes what is past, does not allow it to die and rest in peace. This corpse is now also the object of â€Å"desire. † The cycle of death and rebirth has been stalled in modernity and in the vision of â€Å"The Waste Land. † Eliot’s poem both represents and partakes of this modern problem; in fact, the necessity of participating in the forces of social infertility to represent it might be one of the most distinctively modern aspects that Eliot represents here. The broad scope of historical literature that he can draw on is the result of the British empire contacting and importing cultural products from around the globe. His knowledge of languages and availability of translations when necessary further speak to world literature as a thoroughly modern phenomenon. The need to reject or critique prior traditions is also part of the modern awareness of the dialectical nature of history. Of course, this also marks (ironically) a point of continuity with Victorians like Baudelaire (67). The fragmented form of â€Å"The Waste Land† is part of this modern rejection of tradition, but to depict this fragmentation Eliot must also gather together multiple traditions. They are juxtaposed with each other but without a master narrative to organize them. To further drive the point home Eliot also uses non-standard grammar or spelling, or seemingly nonsense words and sounds: â€Å"O O O O O that Shakespeherian Rag† (128). This ambiguity then contrasts with the grim and undecorated conversation circling, like Hemingway’s â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants,† around an abortion: â€Å"I can’t help it, she said, pulling a long face, / It’s them pills I took, to bring it off, she said† (158-60). Stylistic innovation and rejection of stifling â€Å"rules† of art allow Eliot to create a radically new expression of the human experience, but in doing so he simultaneously duplicates the rootlessness and anomie he is seeking to overcome. â€Å"The Waste Land† articulates combatting notions of history, progress, and form that do not reach any conclusive resolution in the poem or in its subsequent readings. With the aid of hindsight the critic can understand Eliot’s growing religious conservatism in subsequent works like â€Å"Journey of the Magi. † By trying to include every literary and theological mode, he winds up putting them all at a discount; even if one’s chosen credo is somewhat arbitrary it at least allows entrance into the myth of rebirth. The forces in tension in â€Å"The Waste Land† chart two continuing political alignments. The will or willingness to subscribe to any belief is most darkly visible in the rise of the Third Reich; the willingness to subscribe to none is most visible in our inability to decisively commit to the prevention of subsequent atrocities. Eliot’s poem provides a space for considering these questions without prejudicing the question through contemporary political affiliations. The political question can be momentarily set aside if we imagine, for the time being, that this is merely art for art’s sake. Works Cited Eliot, T. S. â€Å"The Wasteland. † The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Ed. M. H. Abrams and Stephen Greenblatt. New York: W. W. Norton and Co. , 2000. 236