Electronic financial transactions over the Internet Essay

Electronic financial transactions over the Internet - Essay Example Technological innovation in terms of developing security software aided this process and so did the process of globalization. As a culmination of these parallel but complementary processes, e-commerce in general and electronic financial transactions in particular has firmly taken root in mainstream global economy. While this kind of progress in such a short span of time is an impressive achievement, there is much work to be done in terms of creating robust security systems for the Internet. This essay will look into the various types of security threats facing electronic financial transactions, the potential damage they could inflict, the remedial measures to counter these threats and the effectiveness of such measures. The architecture of the Internet is such that it is inherently difficult to ensure security. Alongside this, the concept of user anonymity makes the Internet â€Å"an attractive medium for extortion and crimes involving theft of personal information for illicit financial gain† (Misra Scherer et al, 2004). As per a report released by IDG News Service, many organized crime groups avail of the services offered by hackers to implement complex and sophisticated financial schemes to swindle money from unsuspecting participants. According to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, as much as $200 million was lost in the year 2006 alone. And each year this sum seems to increase, since financial institutions like banks and insurance companies are lucrative targets for cybercriminals. A FBI report released at the beginning of the new millennia has confirmed the nexus between computer hackers and organized crime groups. Many of these organized crime groups are said to operate from Eastern European countries that were part of the erstwhile Soviet Union. In such cases, the hackers first crack the security systems in place and gain access to vital data. The organized

Detention centres are factories for producing mental illness Essay Example for Free

Detention centres are factories for producing mental illness Essay There are currently over 4000 people locked up all over Australia in detention centres like this one. In our so called lucky country some of these unfortunate souls have been isolated from over 2 years. Despite there rhotic to the contrary, the Australian governments treatment of asylum seekers is nothing short of disgraceful, no better than the appalling conditions from which these despite individuals have fled. Manadory detention are factories for producing mental illness. There are 1. Dehumanising 2. Our slurr on our international reputation and obligations and 3. Simply unaustralian, there are better ways top solve this problem remember this people have commited no crime. Meet Abdul Hammadi, in 4 years of detention, Adul cut himself repeatly, drank poison, took false medication and attempted suicide. He was kicked and punched by guards and beaten with batons by riot police.. Instead of being put into psychiatric care he was put into solitary confinement. Abdul fled Pakistan because he was continually persecuted, but after 6 years of leaving detention in Australia, the country where he sought refuge, he is a broken man and will never work again (Abdal doctors) Dr Suresh Sundrain of the Australian Medical Health Research Institute has stated that people enter detention, resembling resilient and healthy then we subject them to extraordinary conditions we appear to subvert there resilience and their mental health, he goes onto say that there is good data is show that most people who had significant immigration centre experiences have comprised mental health on release, and these mental health problems persist for a protracted period following resettlement. So how dumb is this ? No only do we summit these poor people to humiliating detention akin for no crime akin to a prison settlement, we inflict such a traumatic experience on them while their in detention that it leaves stars of mental illness to the point where it manes them from participating in society. We then ending up forking out their welfare payments for the rest of their lives and this can represent hundred and thousands of dollars per asylum seeker. Please explain to me, how this makes any sense ? Despite the hysteria generated by the asylum seeker debate, it needs to be remembered that Australia has always had high obligations to assist asylum seekers under international law, mainly the 1951 united nation convention relating to the status of refugees and the 1967 protocol to which Australia is a signatory. Inspective of how these people arrived to Australia, legally and illegally, the fact remains that between 2008 to 2010 the number of boat people seeking asylum in Australia rose from 161 to 6535 once here we an obligation to look after them. Many have risked everything to make the dangerous journey. Some have left families, some have been displaced and others have others tremendous torture. While they have committed no crime, it is a crime of the nation which locks people up in mandatory detention and inflicts another round of mental anguish in amongst an insurmountable beurocacy of legalism and red tape. As a recent documentary on 4 corners revealed, mandatory detention is a blight on our nation. We need to stand up to our government representatives that enough is enough. Mandatory detention is cruel and demining and just factors for producing mental illness and depression. In the land that prides itself on giving everyone a fair go it is time for us to give asylum seekers a fair go. So what can you do to make a difference ? There are three easy ways that you alone can help 1. Write a letter to your local Politian, Politians understand only one votes and if they want your vote they will need to listen, come to their party, organise a petition from other members of your school or workplace. Perhaps side with the petition being organised by four corners ( see website). 2. Be informed , be aware of the problem dig deep into the issue if you havent done so already, motivate yourself to view the four corners documentary on inhuman detention , it is powerful, confronting and informative. Dont be the emu, with its head in the sand, take an interest in whats happing around you and then you are in a position to make a difference. There is plenty of internet support about this topic. Join or find an organisation like Amnesty international are raising funds for there project freedom from fences which aims to A) get access or interview asylum seekers in remote detention centres, so that there stories can be told, B) support research and help with the protective applications of individual asylum seekers, C) monitor and support peoples claims if they have been treated unfairly and D) Lobby the government to abandon the barbaric practice of mandatory detention. Conclusion: As fair minded Australians I am sure you will agree that detention centres dont work and in fact they are responsible for causing more trauma and mental illness. Finally as an Australian, you must agree with our nation logo on which we are prided upon that is to give to everyone a fair go. Therefore we must also give these despite people a fair go also, it is time to shut down detention centres forever and lets look for more human ways of processing their refuge status. Whatever your political agenda or colour it is incumbent on us to give asylum seekers a fair go and the right to heard in a civilised and compassionate manner.

Nathaniel Hawthornes Scarlet Letter - Effects of Sin Upon Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale :: Scarlet Letter essays

The Effects of Sin Upon Dimmesdale in The Scarlet Letter Hawthorn shows sins of several different kinds in numerous people, as well as the consequences and remedies of their sins. Three main characters; Hester Prynne, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth bare the most of these sins. Arthur Dimmesdale, however, bares the most brutal effects of such sin. This is due to several reasons. The most observable reason for his eventual breakdown is the fact that he keeps his sin a secret. Arthur Dimmesdale's sin was the same as Hester's, except he never confessed. "As God's servant, it is his nature to tell the truth, so the years of pretending and hypocrisy were especially hard on him." (Bloom 28) Dimmesdale also believes that his sin has taken the meaning out of his life. His life's work has been dedicated to God, and now his sin has tainted it. He feels that he is a fraud and is not fit to lead the people of the town to salvation. His secret guilt a much heavier burden than Hester's since he must hold it all within himself. This also reveals Dimmesdale weakness. Arthur wanted desperately to admit his sin to the world, which is shown throughout the book. The earliest incident was when he was asked to question Hester on the scaffold as to who the father of her child was: "I charge thee to speak out the name of the thy fellow-sinner and fellow sufferer! Be not silent for any mistaken pity and tenderness for him; for, believe me, Hester, though he were to step down from a high place, and stand there beside thee, on thy pedestal of shame, yet better were it so, than to hide a guilty heart throughout life." (Hawthorne 67) In this speech Dimmesdale is pleading for her to tell the name of the father, and fellow sinner, not just for the other leaders sake, but for his own. He is to weak minded to do it himself, and he believes it would be better to lose his place of power in the church than to "hide his guilty heart." Since he was not revealed, this is exactly what he does, hides his guilty heart. In view of the fact that there was no external punishment for Arthur, he creates it within himself. Nathaniel Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter - Effects of Sin Upon Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale :: Scarlet Letter essays The Effects of Sin Upon Dimmesdale in The Scarlet Letter Hawthorn shows sins of several different kinds in numerous people, as well as the consequences and remedies of their sins. Three main characters; Hester Prynne, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth bare the most of these sins. Arthur Dimmesdale, however, bares the most brutal effects of such sin. This is due to several reasons. The most observable reason for his eventual breakdown is the fact that he keeps his sin a secret. Arthur Dimmesdale's sin was the same as Hester's, except he never confessed. "As God's servant, it is his nature to tell the truth, so the years of pretending and hypocrisy were especially hard on him." (Bloom 28) Dimmesdale also believes that his sin has taken the meaning out of his life. His life's work has been dedicated to God, and now his sin has tainted it. He feels that he is a fraud and is not fit to lead the people of the town to salvation. His secret guilt a much heavier burden than Hester's since he must hold it all within himself. This also reveals Dimmesdale weakness. Arthur wanted desperately to admit his sin to the world, which is shown throughout the book. The earliest incident was when he was asked to question Hester on the scaffold as to who the father of her child was: "I charge thee to speak out the name of the thy fellow-sinner and fellow sufferer! Be not silent for any mistaken pity and tenderness for him; for, believe me, Hester, though he were to step down from a high place, and stand there beside thee, on thy pedestal of shame, yet better were it so, than to hide a guilty heart throughout life." (Hawthorne 67) In this speech Dimmesdale is pleading for her to tell the name of the father, and fellow sinner, not just for the other leaders sake, but for his own. He is to weak minded to do it himself, and he believes it would be better to lose his place of power in the church than to "hide his guilty heart." Since he was not revealed, this is exactly what he does, hides his guilty heart. In view of the fact that there was no external punishment for Arthur, he creates it within himself.

Consumption and Mass Media Worksheet Essay

1. Respond to all questions with academic paragraphs of at least 50 words. State your point of view and explain it thoroughly. †¢ What is conspicuous consumption? How does conspicuous consumption influence purchasing decisions? Think about a high-priced item that you have bought or would like to buy. To what extent does conspicuous consumption affect your decision? Conspicuous consumption is the feeling of buying unnecessary expensive products and services to show off and impress the wealth of the individual. Conspicuous consumption is a tool used to get people to by name brand items and lavish items to flaunt. Conspicuous consumption influences the purchasing decisions of individuals by creating the idea that high expense items are harder to afford and the majority of people want to buy the high expense items but they cannot afford the item. Once the high expense items are purchased the individual has the power to flaunt the item to others or show off the item to people who do not have the same item or cannot afford the same item. When I purchase an item I do not let conspicuous consumption affect my d ecision to an extent. I like to purchase items that are not as popular by other individuals, particular women. When I buy clothes I like to have unique clothes that other women would not purchase because of the uniqueness. †¢ What is conspicuous leisure? Examples of conspicuous leisure are abundant on television. In what ways are leisure activities informed by social and economic class? Provide an example of a popular leisure activity. What assumptions can you make about the participants of the activity? †¢ Conspicuous leisure is the visible leisure with the intent of displaying social status and wealth of the individual. A prime example of conspicuous leisure is the television show â€Å"The Housewives of Orange County†. These women showcase the expensive items and lavish lives they live. The majority of the women do not work and they are stay at home wives and a few have their own business and make their own money. One example of a leisure activity is when the women and their families go to the Hamptons for the summer time. These individuals own a home or rent a home to spend the summer in the Hamptons. Many of these families fly to the Hamptons in their own private jet. The leisure activity explained above showcases the social and economic class of these individuals. The individuals that partake in the television show are high class citizens. The participants participating in the activity can afford to have own more than one home and these individuals can afford to spend the entire summer time in the Hamptons. These individuals use a private jet to fly to the Hampton destination. People in the high class society individuals can only afford to fly on a private jet. †¢ Define the term globalization. What effect does globalization have on popular culture? Provide an example of how American popular culture has influenced other countries, or how the United States has imported popular culture from other countries. Globalization is defined as extending, sharing, and developing of culture, communications, technology, material items, and food to other or all parts of the world. Popular culture has the power to globalize throughout the entire world. Popular culture is shared among many individuals from different parts of the world. Popular culture allows the sharing of objects and ideas. People can share information or images and people can develop their own ideas based on the shared information or images, such as fashion and clothes. Fashion is a major trend that is not only popular here in the U.S. but overseas too. Many fashion companies like Forever 21 are taking popular fashion pieces and trends from overseas, such as Paris and France and designing these trends for the American people. Forever 21 is taking European style and transcending the style to the American people at a affordable price. More and more designer stores, such as Chanel and Dior are becoming increasingly popular here in the United States. These designers are branching their company here to the U.S. because these designers are seeing how popular fashion has become and the brand name is what the American people want and will pay to have. 2. Choose an advertisement. Analyze the ad for its media message. Answer the following questions based on that ad. †¢ Who created the media message? Why? Kohl’s Department Store created the ad. The company is advertising to their customers to spend money on their products and receive a coupon for spending a certain amount of money. For every $50 dollars spent, customers get a $10 coupon. †¢ Who is the intended audience? What do you know about the intended audience—age, race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic background, hobbies, profession? The intended audience is geared to people who buy items in bulk and spends lots of money. This ad is intended to get people to spend as much money as they can because for every $50 dollars spend they will receive a $10 dollar coupon. If a customer spends $153 the customer will get a $30 dollar coupon that can be spent on anything in the store. The advertisement is not intended at any age or race but the ad is intended for women. Kohl’s products and the shopping experience the company focuses on is â€Å"SHE†. â€Å"She† is the working women, housewife that is on the go. â€Å"She† wants to find affordable clothing at a great price and can get in and out of the store without any inconsistencies. The ad does focus on those who can afford the products sold at Kohl’s and who is able to spend the amount advertised to receive a coupon. †¢ What type of lifestyle is presented? Is it realistic? Why or why not? The lifestyle presented is unrealistic. I work for Kohl’s and this type of advertisement is a great career move for the company but an addiction for customers. The Kohl’s cash is a mental defect that toys with customers. Customers go crazy for Kohl’s cash. The majority of customers are spending so much money to get a $10 coupon. People do not realize they have to spend money in order to get a coupon. This is unrealistic because people are spending their money on things they do not need or they are over spending. This is how people become addicted to shopping and addicted to shopping at Kohl’s. I see the same person either everyday or every other day in the store each week. The ad presents a materialistic lifestyle because people are willing to by materialistic items and spend money in order to gain from it. †¢ What is the text, written or in another form, of the message? What do you see and hear: written or spoken words, photos, drawings, logos, design, music, sounds, and so on? The coupon resembles a dollar bill. The coupon is the color green like money and had white writing on the coupon. The coupon has big bold letters stating â€Å"Kohl’s Cash† with the dates below the name of the coupon, which states when the coupon starts and when the coupon ends. †¢ What is the hidden text? What is unstated or implied in the message? The coupon states for every $50 dollars spent the customer will receive a $10 dollar coupon. The text that is hidden in the coupon does not accurately specify that if the customer goes over the $50 dollar limit the coupon will increase by $10 dollars. The unstated message for the coupon includes the tax. The customer must actually spend $53 dollars in order to receive the coupon because the coupon is only redeemable before taxes not after taxe s. †¢ What values are expressed? The coupon expresses high quality vales that Kohl’s gives to their customers. In today’s economy people cannot afford many things the way they used to including clothing. The prices of clothing, has increased and people want to save money. The coupon gives customers the expression of saving and receiving. Customers can receiving a free coupon for spending a certain amount in the store. The customer can apply the coupon to anything in the store. The customer is not limited to certain purchases when using the coupon but Kohl’s is putting their customers first and establishing a YES WE CAN environment for the customers. †¢ What groups of people are empowered in this message? What groups are disempowered? How so? Everyone willing to spend $50 dollars or more are empowered by this message. The message alone gives empowerment to customers because customers are benefiting from their spending. Those who are disempowered are the people who do not spend or do not want to spend the amount required to receive the coupon. Each individual spending the amount feels empowerment because they are able to buy anything in the store to receive the coupon and the individual can buy anything in the store when they can use the coupon. The coupon does not limit to certain items in the store. Those who do not spend the amount requested do not have an advantage where as those who do spend the requested amount will gain an advantage. †¢ What part of the story is not being told? How and where could you get more information about the untold stories? Kohl’s Cash ® will be applied prior to percent-off total purchase discounts. Kohl’s Cash ® Coupon may not be redeemed (1) on purchases of Kohl’s Cares ® cause merchandise or other charitable items; (2) to reduce customer’s Kohl’s Charge or any third party charge account balance; (3) as price adjustments on prior purchases; or (4) to purchase Gift Cards. If merchandise purchased earning a Kohl’s Cash ® Coupon is subsequently returned or price adjusted, the value of the Kohl’s Cash ® Coupon previously earned and/or the amount of the merchandise refund will be reduced to reflect any unearned value. Return value of merchandise purchased with a Kohl’s Cash ® Coupon may be subject to adjustment (Kohl’s.com) †¢ Can these messages affect how you think and feel? Why or why not? Provide examples. Yes these messages can affect how the customer feels. When the coupon is used and a percentage is used together the percentage will change due to the Kohl’s cash. I had a customer that did the math on her own prior to checking out. Once I rung the customer up she noticed that the percentage was less then what she calculated. I had to explain to her that when she used a percentage and the Kohl’s cash the percentage will decrease because of the Kohl’s cash. The customer was very upset and not satisfied. She said â€Å"Kohl’s cash is not useful to spend, because I am being cheated†. The customer was unaware of the information stated in the back. The coupon states what will happen if a percentage and the cash is used together. †¢ Can these messages affect your behavior? Why or why not? Provide examples. The message does affect my behavior because the coupon itself becomes a hassle when trying to explain to customers the rules of the coupons. Some customers accept the terms and they are okay with it once I explain and show them, but I have had customers fight me to the end and be very cruel to me because the customer failed to read the rules of how to spend the coupon. For the most part, the coupon is nice but overall customers do not realize they have to spend money to get a coupon. The coupon is not a reward for being a loyal customer or for having a Kohl’s credit card. The customer has to spend a certain amount in order to receive the coupon but they do not have to spend a certain amount to cash the coupon in. †¢ Can the messages affect the cultural values in society in general? Why or why not? Provide examples.

Traditional Viking Religion

Traditional Viking Religion The Vikings’ religious beliefs were constantly changing and evolving. They had many different ways of worshiping, and viewing their gods. It was dependent completely on where you lived, in what era, and what your social class was, though the Vikings weren’t very strict on this. Most of these beliefs were recorded after Christianity had already taken hold of the Viking culture. But, it seems that under their outer appearance of ‘good little Christians’, they were still telling the stories based on their original beliefs.These stories and myths ended up being documented in three different ways: Poetic Edda, Skaldic poetry, and Prose Edda. Poetic Edda was a compilation of poems written in Iceland just after the mid-thirteenth century. They came from all over Scandinavia, which includes the countries of present-day Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Skaldic poetry was written mostly in the ninth century, but is very compl ex, and therefore difficult for most people to understand. The Icelandic poet, politician, and historian, Snorri Sturluson, wrote Prose Edda in the 1220s.Prose Edda is the most commonly used resource on Viking mythology today, because it was Sturluson’s goal to revive (but also explain) the skaldic art. Along with his poems, he had a key of sorts that made understanding his work possible. (Wolf 148-149) Some Vikings believed that the world was made up of several circles of different worlds; all of them connected in some way. Others believed in the nine worlds that were all connected by the world tree, referred to as Yggdrasil (Roberts). Yggdrasil was at the center of the world, and had nine roots, each root branching out to one of the worlds.At the bottom of everything was Niflheim, the world of the dead. This realm is ruled by the death-goddess, Hel. She named a portion of Niflheim after herself. Unlike its Christian counterpart when it comes to the world of the dead, Niflhe im is a land of ice, not fire. There is a root leading into Niflheim, and one leading directly into Hel. Then came the land of the giants, Jotunheim. It is also sometimes called Utgard (Wolf 149); it was mostly known as the land of monsters, and enemies of the gods. After this, came a realm that there isn’t much to known about: Nidavellir, the realm of dwarfs.Next came three realms of almost equal rank. The two elf lands, Svartalfheim, the land of the dark elves, and Alfheim, the domain of the light elves. Alfheim was thought to be at the same level as the middle world, where humans dwelt, known as wither Midgard or The Middle Yard. Then at the top of everything were the two different major realms where gods lived: Asgard, where the Aesier gods and goddesses lived, and Vanaheim, where the Vanier (another tribe of gods and goddesses that were more nature focused than the Asier) lived. In Asgard and Vanaheim each deity lived in his or her own kingdom.It was believed that a flam ing rainbow bridge called Bifrost, connected Midgard to the worlds where the gods lived. There were also two other realms that weren’t connected to Yggdrasil. These were Muspell, and Ginnungagap. Muspell was the land of the Fire Giants, and demons, ruled by Surt (Roberts), who plays a vital role in both the beginning and the end of the world. Ginnungagap is the Void of Chaos, where life began. It separates Niflheim and Muspell. In the beginning, before even humans or gods there were three realms: Muspell, Niflheim, and Ginnungagap.In between Muspell and Niflheim two creatures were formed; a gargantuan frost giant, Ymir, and a huge cow, Andumla. Ymir drank some of Andumal’s milk and grew strong. After this development, the first giants sprung out of Ymir’s legs and armpits (Roberts). Then while Andumla was licking the salty ice, it uncovered the first god: Buri. He had a son by a giantess, Bestla. This son, Bor, fathered three sons with the giantess Bestla: Odin, Vili, and Ve (godchecker ink. ). These three got into a fight with Ymir, and managed to kill him; in the way all classic heroes kill monsters.Then, after hauling the frost giant’s body to the middle of Ginningagap, they created the world with him. Using his flesh for land, bones for mountains, and his blood for water. Ymir’s skull formed the vault of the sky. Still-glowing embers from Muspell were used for the sun, moon, and stars. The first tree was Yiggdrasil. It was supposed to support the entire universe. The nine realms were built off it. They then made the first man and woman out of trees, an ash and an elm that they had found washed up on the shore. From the ash and a tree trunk they made Ask, the first man.From the Elm they created the first woman, Embla. At the base of Yiggdrasil lived the three norns. These were the goddesses of destiny. They represent past, present and future, and spin everyone’s destiny. Urd works with past, Verdandi deals with the present, and Skuld decides the future. It was also their job to take care of Yiggdrasil. They watered the land as well as repaired any damage done to the tree. They were very different from the rest of the gods. They didn’t go around having love lives, and getting mixed up in feuds of all sorts of trouble. There is one thing that the norns cannot save Yiggdrasil from.At the end of the world, Ragnarok, the world tree itself will be destroyed. The Viking story of the end of the world is the end of the entire universe. Everyone except a few select gods and two humans perish. Before the great battle between the gods and the evil creatures, a dark age comes upon the earth. For three years it is a dark winter. In this time the world of men will be consumed in war with everyone fighting each other. Family ties are broken, and become friendships forgotten. These relationships are vastly important to Vikings. To have them be destroyed would seem very wrong to any Viking.To top it all off the sun, moon, and stars disappear, leaving the world in darkness. The land is shaken with terrible earthquakes, causing trees to uproot, and mountains to topple. These earthquakes also free the wolf, Fenrir, and his father, the trickster god Loki from their bonds. Fenrir was imprisoned when he grew too big, strong, and wild to be kept as a pet in Asgard. A magical ribbon was the only thing capable of restraining him. But before this, he bit off the hand of his trainer, Tyr. Loki was imprisoned when he was accused correctly of causing the death of Odin’s favorite son, Baldur.The earthquakes also anger the great Midgard Serpent deep in the ocean. The serpent will come on land, and spew its terribly poisonous venom everywhere. Along with these creatures, all of the other enemies of the gods, such as the giants and the demons of Muspell (led by Surt), will come together and attack the worlds of humans, and cross Bifrost to attack the gods. All of the gods will fight to defen d their realm, and that of the humans. However, even with all of their strength, they will fail. Fenrir kills Odin. But Vidar, one of Odin’s many sons, avenges Odin’s death.Thor is poisoned by the Midgard Serpent’s venom after killing it. Surt kills Freyr, because Freyr doesn’t have his sword. After killing Freyr, Surt catches the earth aflame, and burns it all up. Then what is left of the earth will sink beneath the sea. But that is not the end. Not of everything. Yiggdrasil still exists. In it’s branches, two humans, Lif and Lifthrasir (godchecker ink. ), were protected. Also Vidar, leading several other gods have survived. As well as these Baldr and Hod come back from the dead to help recreate earth, and rule the gods.The three most commonly worshiped gods were Frey(r), Odin, and Thor. In several instances statues of the three of them were found together, usually with Thor in the center, and Frey and Odin at his sides. These three covered most o f the needs of the Viking people, which include the needs of farmers, sailors, warriors, poets, and noblemen. It isn’t a surprise why these three were the main gods. As well as Frey, Thor, and Odin there were many other gods. In Norse mythology there are dozens of different gods, each playing a different role. Odin, for a while, was the head god.He is the god of war, revenge, wisdom, poetry, and magic. His belongings are Gungir, a spear that always hits its mark, and Draupnir, a magical gold ring that can duplicate itself. Dwarves made these items, as well as most of the god’s enchanted tools. He also had five animal allies: two ravens, Huginn (thought) and Munninn (memory), two wolves, Freki and Geri, as well as his eight-legged horse, Loki’s son, Sleipnir. He was a bit knowledge-hungry instead of the usual: power-hungry. Once upon a time, Odin gave one of his eyes to the Well of Mimir for the right to drink from the well.The Well bestowed great knowledge to hi m. This Well of Mimir lies at the base of Yiggdrasil. Another time he was said to have hung himself on Yiggdrasil for the right to know all about the runes, so he could teach man, and his gods to be literate and even more powerful. Nobles, warriors, poets and magic-users (magicians, seers, mystics†¦) commonly worshiped Odin. They all gave sacrifices to him. He was worshiped by the nobles because he himself was pretty much god royalty. Odin was also very interested in politics, and these worshippers hoped that he could help them in their thinking.The poets worshiped Odin, because he had drunk some of the poetry mead (alcoholic beverage). This made Odin very talented with his words. So they worshiped him to gain his knowledge of language. He was also a good muse, for those poets lacking inspiration. But if Odin were used as a muse, then of course Odin would be pleased, and help them with their skills. So worshipping Odin was helpful for many poets. Odin was very practiced in the art of magic. So it was thought to be beneficial for any user of magic to ask for his favor. Odin however, wasn’t the only god versed in magical arts.Any other gods who knew much about magic could be called upon. Odin was not the only option. Warriors gave sacrifices to Odin before battles, praying for victory. To gain his favor one would usually give sacrifices of either animals or humans (Roberts). But sometimes this wasn’t good enough. Odin usually got his warrior worshippers killed during battle. Many of these warriors were the dreaded berserkers, who either took a drug-like-substance or riled themselves up so that they fought like fierce animals. As you can see, he clearly had a very violent, brutal, and insane side.The beautiful Valkyries, Odin’s shield maidens, took these dead men away. The dead men were brought to Valhalla, Odin’s hall. There, the warriors fought battles with each other all day, then ate and caroused all night. Then they did it al l over again. Any wounds suffered were miraculously healed at the end of each battle. Odin is officially married to Frigg, but, like many other pagan gods, has many affairs with many other women. He had many children with goddesses and giantesses of all sorts. His most well known children are: Baldr, Thor, Heimdal, Ty, Hod, Vidar, and Valdi.The god who was worshiped the most overall was Thor. This was because he was so easy to relate to, since his talents were those that most people wanted supporting them. He was a fabulous warrior, but he was also the god of farming and storm (and therefore was the weather) god. So he was worshiped by all of the common people: farmers and seamen. Because Thor became really popular in the ninth and tenth centuries, he was the chief rival of Christ, when the Christians were trying to convert all of the Vikings. This was one of the reasons it took so long to convert all of the Vikings.Thor also had some special items that helped him out in battle. His hammer, Mjolnir, iron belt and gauntlet gloves. The hammer never missed its target, and always returns to Thor after it has been thrown, like a boomerang. The iron belt gives Thor the strength needed to throw the heavy hammer; and the gloves give him the strength in his wrists to catch the hammer when it returns to him. Thor was very prepared for physical combat. Hammer amulets (representing Thor) were widely popular throughout Scandinavia. Scads of them have been found in archeological digs. This proves how beloved by the Vikings he was.Also, in later years of the Viking period, during Thor’s â€Å"prime†, he was at the center of monuments, bearing images of him, Odin, as well as Frey. One of the best things about Thor, at least in the minds of the Viking people, is that there were never human sacrifices given to him. At least there were never any records hinting at it. He was a kind god, and protected his people in all of the myths about him. Sacrifices of animals a nd valuable objects (weapons, jewelry, especially fancy tools) were given to him in times of danger from famine or plague. This proves the people’s trust in his kindheartedness. The third most popular god was Frey.He was the god of fertility. Actually the only know male god of fertility. Sacrifices were made to him at weddings to promote the fertility of the couple. Being a god of fertility also made him the â€Å"ecology god†, which made him god of meadows, farming, fisheries, and food in general. Since his father is Niord, the sea god, Frey has some power over the sea as well. Because of this position, he became the god of ship builders too. His magically special object is a ship. It can shrink and be folded up so that he can carry it around in his pocket. But still be large enough, when unfolded, to carry all of the gods.Frey is associated with ship funerals. Wealthier worshippers of Frey would be buried on land in ships filled with typical loot, which was a type of tcommon Viking burial. He was forced to give away his sword in the long arduous process of wooing his beautiful giantess wife, Gerd. So, worshippers of Frey don’t carry swords to honor and respect him. As well as not tolerating swords, outlaws of any kind are not permitted in his presence. Frey had a twin sister: Freya, who was the most widely celebrated of all the pagan goddesses. She is at the center of many myths. She was, like her brother, a goddess of fertility.She was also a goddess of magic known as Sied (Wolf, 151), love, and the leader of the Valkyries. She was married to Od (who might have been a version of Odin), but he left her for another. She was sad, as she had truly loved him, but was strong enough to move on easily. She had rather loose morals, and â€Å"slept around† quite a bit. Using her sexual prowess she was able to get the necklace of sensuality from the four dwarves who had made it. As well as being the head of the Valkyries, she was the head o f the Thedisir, a group of goddesses who are attached to a particular place, or type of object.This made her closely connected with guardian spirits otherwise known as fylgjur. These spirits protect certain special places, such as places of natural beauty, and the homes of their worshippers. Bragi is the god who recites poetry. He is the god of all bards and storytellers. He loves to learn, and promotes others to do likewise. His wife, Idun grows the fruit of immortality: golden apples. The laboring god, Weyland is a blacksmith. He is the God of experience, and a master craftsman. He was created because the people of Iceland wanted a god that wasn’t warlike, and who was actually a useful person. (Meadows) Weyland was that god.The god of justice and law was Tyr. He was a loyal man, and fought for his leader, usually Odin. He looses a hand to Fenrir because he trusts him. This shows his ability to blindly trust, and think the best of people. That was his best trait. Though when he did learn something foul about someone, they’d better beware because one-handed or not, he is a valiant warrior. Heimdall was the guardian of the rainbow bridge, Bifrost. He had a special horn to sound, warning the other gods, when he saw Surt’s great army approaching, announcing that the great battle of Ragnarok was to commence. He is the son of Odin and the nine wave sisters.Odin’s official wife, Frigg was the mother of all, protector of children, and associated with child bearing and the home. She has a sacred â€Å"Distaff of life† that she uses to spin for the â€Å"Fabric of the Universe†. She has the power to see into the future, and is the best of all the gods in this area. Loki is the trickster god. He was both a friend and an enemy to the gods. He is always stirring up trouble. He is the parent of many of the great monsters. As an outcome of his affair with Angrbodi (a beautiful giantess) he fathered the death goddess, Hel, the monste rous wolf, Fenrir, and the midgard serpent.His only legitimate offspring was Narfi, his son. Narfi doesn’t play a very large role. When he transformed into a mare, as part of a plan to save Freya, he begot Odin’s mount, Sleipnir One time Loki got into too much trouble. When he tricked the blind Hod into killing his beautiful brother Baldyr (sons of Odin), it was decided that he had gone too far. Because of his numerous crimes, he was tied up with Narfi’s guts, and imprisoned in a cave with only his wife to ease his suffering, until Ragnarok, when he rides with Surt to destroy the gods. As the Daughter of Loki, Hel had a lot to live up to.In anticipation of her evil tendencies, Odin sent her to Niflheim, and made her the goddess of the underworld, and the dead. She doesn’t like it down there very much, and resents Odin for this. To get back at him she also joins her father and Surt for Ragnarok. Surt was â€Å"The Destroyer†. He is the leader of the fire demons, and is a key player in the final battle of Ragnarok. He miraculously survives Ragnarok, so that he can do it all over next time round. No one was said to worship him. He was the closest thing to Christianity’s Lucifer. The Vikings had to have places to worship, or not worship in some cases like Surt.Most of the Vikings worshiped outside. In holy groves and meadows that had rocks, small hills, and swamps where they placed their offerings. These places were sometimes specific for gods, but most of the time the places were just general places of worship. As well as these outdoor places of worship there were also in-town places such as holy rocks, wells and other objects. In different places, at certain times worshippers had festivals to celebrate the gods. One such festival was held every nine years. Nine men, as well as nine each of different sorts of animals (all male) were sacrificed.Their blood was presented to an idol, and their bodies were strung up in a near by sacred grove. Sacrifices that were given to the gods were mostly animals such as dogs, horses, and farm animals. They were thrown into rivers, tossed off cliffs, and hung on trees in sacred groves for their blood to drain out into the holy ground. Human sacrifices were made sometimes. It was not an every-day occasion. Only for special occasions such as a festival, when a god’s help was especially needed, or when there was another important event, such as the death of an important man.There were often temples for the gods in Viking villages. The local chieftain or leader maintained each temple. The heads of the other main households always aided them. A classic example of a Viking funeral is this: the body is cleaned, dressed with normal clothing, and buried in the ground with items the person might need in the afterlife. Such as food, drink, weapons, tools, and other such things. There would often be dead animals such as horses, dogs, chickens, and sometimes their wife/ser vant/slave. Often times the dead would be set in an underground room in a bed with all of their belongings around them.Some Vikings believed that the spirit lived on as a ghost. Either in the underground tomb their body was left in, in a special haunted hill with the rest of the family, or close to their family as a protector. The alternate funeral would be to burn the body. This was especially common for Odin’s worshippers, and people in general who died in battle, so that they would be sent straight up to Valhalla, and to that fabulous hall of fallen warriors. The Vikings weren’t all that different from any other polytheistic religion of the time. Most of their gods represented desirable human qualities; just like the Greek/Roman gods.They had a creation story, and a destruction story (apocalypse). They bury and burn their dead; just like we do today. The Vikings also believed in a sort of heaven, and in ghosts. Their religion isn’t all that different from any other. They aren’t barbaric pagans; they weren’t the only culture to sacrifice humans and animals to their gods. They Viking religion is similar to other religions, but at the same time it has it’s own mythology and myths that are very unique. The Norse religion is just a religion, with its special characteristics that have transferred from the Viking way of life over into their religion.They needed strong, warlike gods because during the age of Vikings there was a lot of fighting going on. The Vikings made their gods able to defend them form the other evils in the world; ones that the Vikings couldn’t take care of without help. Like any other people would have if they lived in the same conditions. The Christian God of the day would smite badly behaved people, and sent them to hell. The Crusades, that the whole of Christian Europe was involved in, was all about fighting. Norse mythology and religion had their Gods constantly fighting he giants and monste rs; it was a way the Vikings expressed their part in all of the violence.Bibliography: Godchecker Ink. â€Å"Viking Gods of Norse Mythology. † www. godchecker. com, January 31, 2010 < http://www. godchecker. com/pantheon/norse-mythology. php >. This resource was mostly helpful. It was a good reference point. Its facts were all very straightforward, and it had information about almost all of the places and people mentioned in Norse mythology. The one problem with the site is that it was written in a very modern style. With innuendoes, and annoying, uneducated slang and inferior language. I used it only to reference my other sources.Jovinelly, Joan, and Netelkos, Jason. The crafts and culture of the Vikings. New York, Ny: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc, 2002. Most of this book was craft projects for children. But in the page or two of information about Viking religion, I was told about the most important aspects of Viking religion. Which was very important for the organi zation of my paper. It also had all of the things that I knew that had to be in my paper. I don’t want to be less informative than a children’s book.Meadows, Edmund. â€Å"The Pre Ragnarok Viking Gods. www. viking-z. org, January 31, 2010 < http://www. viking-z. org/vikg. html >. This source was a bit overwhelming. It had a lot of information that I used, but a lot of things mixed in that either was a bit too deep, or that were about actually practicing the Viking religion. So I was forced to look through it all, and pick out the things that were relevant to my paper. But on the bright side, the information I found was very good, and it helped me a great deal with my research.Roberts, Judson. â€Å"Myth and Religion. † www. strongbowsaga. com, date accessed lt;http://www. strongbowsaga. com/introduction. asp>. This essay I found on the strongbow saga website was very useful. It had important information on all of the topics I planned to cover in the co urse of my paper. There was a detailed account on all of the main gods and supernatural beings. As well as information on the worship practices of the Vikings. There was also, included in the manuscript, the best description I could find on the creation of the earth story. With a decent telling of the end of the world.Simpson, Jacqueline. Everyday Life In The Viking Age. London, England: Jarrold and Sons Ltd, 1967. This resource was very similar to Daily Life of the Vikings. It had a lot of the same information. The main difference was that it was older and contained pictures relating to the gods, or rites described in the passage. But it, as was the former, was very useful, and had a lot of information. Including a shocking account of a Viking funeral. That was one of the best things about these two books. They had passages from the journals of people who had witnessed Viking religious rites. It was good to get first hand accounts.Wolf, Kirsten. Daily Life of The Vikings. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2004. This book was exceedingly helpful. It gave me a lot of invaluable information on subjects the other sources hardly touched on. Such as the sources for all of the knowledge we have of Viking religion today. It also tells about each of the important gods, and Viking practices involving worship, funerals, and the dead. It turns out that the Vikings were very superstitious of their dead people. It was very entertaining to read about.Unknown. â€Å"Meet the Gods and Goddesses of the Norse Pantheon. www. wizardrealm. com, Janurary 31, 2010 < http://www. wizardrealm. com/norse/gods. html >. This went into a lot of detail about each and every one of the known Norse gods. It was very useful in the portion of my report where I was talking about all of the important Viking gods. But sadly, it wasn’t very special, and didn’t tell me anything that I couldn’t have gotten from another of my resources. The best thing I can say about it is that is condensed the information about each god nicely. But there always has to be one (or two) of those.

Competitive Market Study in the United Arab Emirates

Competitive Market Study in the United Arab Emirates Background According to Butt, the performance of the oil and gas industry of the United Arab Emirates in the local and international markets is influenced by the work of the industry players and the productivity of the workforce (231).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Competitive Market Study in the United Arab Emirates specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Productivity is influenced by the availability of skilled personnel who are well trained to use modern technologies to perform the upstream, midstream and downstream oil exploration and production activities. According to Butt, skilled personnel contribute significantly to the competitive positioning of a firm in the market (232). To ensure efficiency and effectiveness, companies operating in the global and local oil and gas industries use the 360 degree performance appraisal system to evaluate the level of employees (Vessenes, 11). This appraisal system enable s the management of the companies to set goals and objectives for employees and the firm as an entity to work at the improvement of managerial effectiveness. The approach enables the management to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of employees who can positively affect the competitive market position of the companies operating in the industry (Vessenes, 11). Dessler argues that the upsurge in the demand for oil and gas in the local and international markets has necessitated the industry to employ skilled personnel to perform the tasks of oil and gas exploration and production (1).Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To achieve excellent performance targets which have a positive effect on the competitive positioning of the firms in the local and global markets, the oil and gas companies have adapted the 360 degree performance appraisal system to manage em ployees and the expatriates who work in the industry. Here, most of the expatriate employed in the oil and gas industry in the United Arab Emirates joined the companies from other countries as soon as the government discovered oil and gas in the country. Expatriates came in because of the shortage of skilled personnel to address the challenges and problems the companies operating in the oil and gas industry were experiencing. According to Langley and Guest, the need to respond to the increasing demand for oil and gas necessitated the country to embark on an ambitious program of sourcing for highly skilled personnel from other countries between 1990 and 2000 (2). The newly recruited employees working in the industry consisted of 91% expatriates of the country’s 2.4 million people by 2006. It is important to note that the public sector was the greatest employer because of the attractive benefits employees enjoed from the government. According to Randeree and Chaudhry, the urgen t need for trained and skilled personnel to work in the fields based on the exploration and production of oil in the United Arab Emirates was the reason for the ministry of labor and social services and the UAE council of ministers to identify training and development needs of the people (8). Here, the Government partnered with training institutions to teach skills required for the exploration and production of oil to the local people.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Competitive Market Study in the United Arab Emirates specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, the companies which operate in the sphere of exploration and production of oil and gas undergo significant challenges in employing the local people who demand higher salaries, better job security, shorter working hours, and greater employment benefits (Rees, Mamman Braik 2). The employees in the oil and gas industry in the UAE positively influence th e performance of the oil and gas sector in the international market, which is partially driven by the underlying population growth in the consumer market, and the rise in the demand for oil and gas in emerging markets such as China, South East Asia, and Africa. 50% percent of the market position and performance of the oil and gas industry in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is influenced by the performance contributions of each individual employee against established objectives and standards (Rees, Mamman Braik 2). The financial performance of the companies in the industry makes significant contributions to the sharp rise in oil and gas prices in the international markets which contribute to the strength of the market position of the firms. The phenomenon was observed before the 2008 sharp fall in the international prices of oil and gas which created a decline in the market position and financial performance of the companies in the international and local markets. A summary backgroun d investigation shows that the exploration and production of oil in the United Arab Emirates is run by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), which was established in 1971, and operates a consortium of subsidiary companies. Zakum development company (ZADCO) is one of the subsidiary companies that make ADNOC with a workforce which is involved in the exploration, mining, and production of gas and oil in the UAE. Employees with specialized skills in the production of oil and gas have contributed significantly to the increased production capabilities of the companies under the directions of the top level management which uses the 360 degrees performance appraisal technique (Business Monitor International United Arab Emirates Oil Gas Report, 1).Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To achieve the objectives of the desired market position, the management of the companies has integrated a performance appraisal system for all employees who work in the industry to evaluate their contributions to the performance of the oil and gas industries. The management is responsible for the management of customers, the analysis of the market positions, the ultimate pricing of oil in context of the global oil prices, the quantity and quality of oil production, the market size, the customer value, maximization of market share and profit in the oil industry. Scope of the oil and gas industry in UAE This study focuses on the effect the oil and gas companies, which use the 360 degree performance appraisal system for performance evaluations, have on the local and international markets. An examination of effect of the 360 degree performance appraisal system on the performance of the human resource and the market position of the oil and gas industry in the United Arab Emirates is cri tical in answering the research questions. The Oil and Gas Industry in the UAE A study by Rees, Mamman and Braik shows that the workforce in the oil and gas industry contributes 90% to the performance of the sector which is the key driver of the economy of the United Arab Emirates, which possesses 10% of the world’s oil reserves (12). An effective workforce has contributed positively to the industry by transforming the economy from a desert region to one of the best performing economies in the Middle East by increasing the revenue required for the provision of social services and for the rapid economic growth and expansion. Expatriates working in the oil and gas sector consist of 85% of the 4.337 million workers according to the 2012 statistical data. The licensing of the companies involved in the exploitation of oil and gas in the United Arab Emirates is done according to the constitution of the UAE. Under the constitution, the licensing for the development of the oil and ga s resources is an exclusive task of each Emirate. Typically, around 95% of the oil produced in the UAE is from Abu Dhabi. The main companies involved in the production of oil and gas in the UAE include ADNOC, Dubai Petroleum Company (DPC) for upstream operations, Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company (ADMA-OPCO), and Dubai Natural Gas Company (DUGAS), which is owned by the state and responsible for the production and transportation of gas from the offshore fields. A critical review of the licensing of the production of oil and gas in the UAE shows that ADNOC holds the majority shares and is considering limiting the number of foreign companies involved in the exploration and production of oil in the UAE. The United Arab Emirates has an ambitious investment plan on the upstream production activities to enhance the recovery of oil and gas. The strategy is to raise the production capacity to 3.5 million barrels a day by investing a US $60 billion in the next five years to achieve the targe t. To enhance competitive exploration and production of oil and gas, the government of the UAE has awarded contracts to Hyundai worth US $1.88bn for the exploration and production of oil from the Satah al-Razboot (SARB) regions, the National Petroleum Construction Company (NPCC), and Petrofac Emirate and Daewoo Shipbuilding Marine Engineering (DSME) respectively for the production of oil and gas in other fields. Market Position Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) The market is the key driver that has significant effects on the financial performance of the company and its competitive position. To improve the performance and effectiveness of the company, it was important to restructure the main company into five autonomous business units under a directorate. Each directorate offers services in the exploration, production, and marketing of oil and gas. To improve accountability, the restructuring, which was implemented, affected different companies under the coordination of ADNOCâ €™s project directorate, which coordinates the management, human resource, and administration units. In this case, the critical components that contribute to the competitive strategy formulated by the company are the five new autonomous units of the main company (Rutledge, 9). ADNOC operates as a joint venture with other companies and has invited western countries, which contribute skilled personnel, enabling the company to improve its market strategy and competiveness. Employees in the industry do not like the 360 degrees performance appraisal system as a tool to determine the marketing strategy of the oil and gas industry in the country. The critical components of the performance appraisal system that affect the performance and marketing position of the oil and gas industry include the assessment centers, human resource accounting, and behaviorally anchored methods. Managerial effectiveness provides the organization with an evaluation of complete assessment of the effectivenes s of the oil companies performance and the development needs of the company. Market position A report by the Business Monitor International United Arab Emirates Oil Gas Report shows that 61.4 % of employees consider the 70% market share held by the company to be a direct result of the 360 degree performance appraisal system (1). A positive impact is created on the market position held by the company because of the impact caused by the 360 degree. Over 60% of the employees regard current market position and the competitive strategy to be as a result of the problem solving capabilities of the management, the promotion of teamwork, management competence in creating the right company mission and vision statements, ability to create strategic awareness, management drive to achieve organizational goals and objectives, and the ability of the management to enhance teamwork and motivate employees toward improved performance. Employee contributions to the company’s upstream interests in the production of oil and gas with its commercial production concentrated in the Dubai Natural Gas Company (DUGAS), which started the commercial production of oil and gas in 1980 (1). That is in addition to other national companies that ADNOC has invested its shares in. Besides, the company is undertaking different expansion projects to increase its production capacity (Vessenes, 11). The strategic aims of the company is to boost oil and gas production and market share in the oil and gas market, both locally and internationally and enhance the performance of the downstream operations of the company at different refineries. To enhance the performance of the downstream and upstream, the management has strategized to use technology to design and develop the latest engineering components to perform downstream activities with efficiency and effectiveness (Business Monitor International United Arab Emirates Oil Gas Report, 1). Zakum development company (ZADCO) ZADCO was constituted in 1977 under the promulgation of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan of law No. 9 to incorporate the company into the development and production of oil in its present area of work. ZADCO is a high performance subsidiary of the fully integrated oil and gas company ADNOC in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with the wider perspective of carrying out petroleum industry business related activities, which include mining and exploration for oil and gas. ZADCO is a subsidiary that deals with the production of oil in the Umm Al Dalkh, Satah, and the upper Zakum fields using the latest oil mining technologies, which have given the company a competitive edge, enabling it to become the leading oil mining company in the UAE (Stauffer, 9). Methodology A literature review of secondary sources including books, articles, journals, and online sources will provide the required data for the study to determine the competitive market position of the oil and gas industry in the United Arab Emirates. The resear ch method will consist of a combination of both qualitative and quantitative approaches to answer the research question on the competitive market study in the oil and gas industry at the national and company levels. The choice of the method of study is based on the online availability of information on the market position and performance of the oil and gas industry of the United Arab Emirates. Different articles will be studied and the results will be deductive from the sources of information used as sources of data. Findings According to the results in the appendix, 15% of organizational employees agree that the management needs to improve on problem solving skills, managerial skills, and decision making skills to improve the performance of the organization in the oil market. 90% of the employees agree that the management has driven the employees to improve the productivity of the firm, 85% regard management as excellent in strategic planning, 90% regard management as having cellar mission and vision statements. The factors that contribute to organizational performance including teamwork, effective communication, and problem solving skills are rated above 50%. Analysis ZADCO holds a 60% market share of the oil and gas industry in the UAE and a 10% share in the global market which has been improving significantly. The reason for continuous growth is in the performance of the employees in the companies. Conclusion The effect of the 360 degree performance appraisal system on the performance of the employees who work in the oil and gas industry in the United Arab Emirates shows a direct positive effect on the market position of the firms. The results have shown that the competitive market position of the United Arab Emirates oil and gas companies show a positive relationship with the performance of organizational employees. The appraisal system enables management to understand and determine the rationale for continuous learning and the ability to make changes at management level by restructuring the company. That is in addition to increased levels of trust the employees develop, and the ability to collect information from different sources for effective decision making and improved performance, which contributes to enhanced organizational performance and market position. Business Monitor International: United Arab Emirates Oil Gas Report 2013. Web. Butt, Gerald. ’’Oil and Gas in the UAE.† United Arab Emirates: a New Perceptive. Ed. Ibrahim Abed and Peter Hellyer, London: Trident Press Ltd, 2001. 2331-249. Print. Dessler, Gary. Human Resource Management, 13th ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2012. Print. Langley, Ian, M, and Mark Guest, 2012, The Global Oil Gas Workforce  Survey, 2012. Web. Randeree, Kasim, and Abdul Ghaffar Chaudhry. â€Å"Leadership in Project Managed Environments: Employee Perceptions of Leadership Styles within Infrastructure Development in Dubai.† International Review of Business Re search Papers 3. 4 (2007): 220-232. Print. Rees, Christopher J., Aminu Mamman, and Aysha Braik. â€Å"Emiratization a Strategic HRM Change Initiative: Case Study Evidence from a UAE Petroleum Company.† The International Journal of Human Resource Management 18.1 (2007): 33-53. Print. Rutledge, Emilie. Monetary Union in the Gulf: Prospects for a Single Currency in the  Arabian Peninsula. London: Routledge, 2009. Stauffer, David. The Power of Competitive Intelligence, Cambridge: Harvard Business School Publishing, 2003. Print. Vessenes, Peter. â€Å"Cash Is King, but Marketing Is Everything.† Journal of Financial  Planning 16.12 (2003): 1-19.Print. Appendix This questionnaire is used to collect data on the effect of the 360 degree performance appraisal system on the performance of the employees at the Zakum Development Company (ZADCO), and the direct effect it has on the performance of ZADCO development company in the local and international oil markets. Any informati on provided by the respondent is confidential and cannot be used for any other purpose except to conduct this study. You are kindly requested to fill and submit the questionnaire. Questions about the management Experienced and understands the management skills Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Solves problems, seizes opportunities plans for action Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Is proactive in making tactical decisions Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Technical and professional skills Is expertise in area of specialization Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Positively solves technical problems and anticipates problems Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Solves problems innovatively Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Is strategically aware of the financial position of the company Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Communicates clearly Strongly agree Agree Di sagree Strongly disagree Positively influences teamwork Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Creates business strategy Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Mission and vision statement of the company exists Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Has a structured planning mechanism Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Manages to gain an edge over competitors Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Makes the company products available than the competitors Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Strives to make higher profits Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Results Ranking Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Total The management 1 2 3 4 Scale Experienced and understands the management skills 7 5 3 5 20 Solves problems, seizes opportunities plans for action 3 4 7 1 15 Is proactive in making tactical decisions 3 10 3 0 16 Technical skills Strongly agree Agree D isagree Strongly disagree Results Is expertise in area of specialization 10 2 1 13 Positively solves technical problems and anticipates problems 15 4 1 20 Solves problems innovatively 11 9 20 Is strategically aware of the financial position of the company 18 2 20 Communicates clearly 18 2 20 Positively influences teamwork 10 7 17 Creates business strategy 17 1 18 Mission and vision statement of the company exists 18 2 20 Has a structured planning mechanism 17 3 20 manages to gain an edge over competitors 16 2 1 19 Strives to make higher profits 18 2 Analysis of the results Management competencies Ranking Rating between high =7 and low=1 percentage Self Manager Peer team Average Influence 1 4 1 1 2 4.3 61.4 Communication 2 1 7 6 3.5 4.2 60 Impact 5 3 9 2 5 4.9 70 Problem solving 7 2 3 7 5.1 3.7 52.9 Strategic awareness 5 6 3 4 5.1 4.9 70 Vision 9 7 2 2 5.6 4.3 61 Organization 4 5 8 7 6 4.8 68 Teamwork 3 9 3 9 6.3 4.1 59 Drive 8 8 3 4 6.4 3.5 50

A Study of Prejudice in Harper Lees To Kill a Mockingbird Research Paper Example

A Study of Prejudice in Harper Lees To Kill a Mockingbird Research Paper Example A Study of Prejudice in Harper Lees To Kill a Mockingbird Paper A Study of Prejudice in Harper Lees To Kill a Mockingbird Paper Essay Topic: A Woman Killed With Kindness Literature To Kill a Mockingbird We see in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee an assortment of racial, social, religious and gender prejudice. The narrative is set in the small town of Maycomb, located in Alabama. The era is the early 1930s, a very prejudiced time in the southern states of America. This period of history was also the time of the Great Depression that occurred due to the Wall Street Crash in 1929. This novel is based upon a court case of a black man that is accused of the rape of a white woman. This tale is split up into two different parts. Part one introduces the main characters and portrays the several different prejudices which they both feel and experience. The second part of this novel presents the case of Tom Robinson, the black man. To Kill a Mockingbird focuses predominantly on the subject of racial prejudice throughout its entirety. There were an excessive amount of prejudice people at this time in the southern states. The Civil War ended in 1876, giving the blacks their deserved freedom from slavery. Even though the war had come to a close so long before the story takes place, in the 1930s, racial tension is still very high. There is strain between the blacks and the whites because the blacks legally are not subject to the whites anymore, yet the whites do not want to change their ways of living above the blacks, with the blacks under their authority. Even the small town of Maycomb was greatly overruled by the prejudices of whites; Atticus, his family, and Miss Maudie, are shown as the only unprejudiced people throughout the whole of the Maycomb County. Mr Ewell, the man who accuses Tom Robinson of raping his daughter, is by far the most prejudiced man in the whole novel. We see this right after the trial when Bob Ewell stops Atticus on the post office corner, spits in his face and says, according to Miss Stephanie Crawford, Hed get him if it took the rest of his life. The reader might consider that this doesnt show prejudice, but we see that throughout the novel Bob Ewell hates the unprejudice white people like Atticus. We see later on in the book that Tom Robinson is probably innocent and falsely accused. Because of Mr Ewell accusing Tom and causing his conviction, this eventually brings about the death of Tom. The black community is presented throughout the story in a very positive light. The Finchs maid is a loving, tender-hearted woman, who cares for Jem and Scout, bringing them up as if they were her own children, disciplining them at appropriate times, and giving them a mothers love. Tom Robinson is a very hard-working family man, praised by his employer, that That boys worked for me for eight years and I aint had a speck o trouble outa him. Not a speck. His kindness is shown in his feelings for Mayella Ewell, he felt right sorry for her. After the trial, when Calpurnia brings Atticus into the kitchen the next morning, the kitchen table was loaded with enough food to bury the family, brought by the black community, because they preciate what you did, Mr Finch. Gender prejudice is focused on in this book a great deal less than racial prejudice. Gender prejudice is defined as attributing certain characteristics to one sex or other which is not based on reason or experience. Jem told me I was being a girl, that girls always imagined things. We see that women were treated more as servants and maids than as wives and helpers in the 1930s. They were not allowed to sit on a jury because they were considered too frail. At the beginning of the book, Scout relates, I sat at the little table in the dining room; Jem and Francis sat with the adults at the dinning table. Scout feels that Aunty dislikes her because she isnt enough of a lady. We believe Scouts aunt is unreasonable in her demand on her to sit alone, because at such a young age it is abnormal for a young girl to sit still and try to be a lady. Throughout the novel, Scout is constantly embarrassed by, or embarrasses her aunty because of her continuous tom-boy attitude. The second strongest discrimination that is shown in this story is the social prejudice of Maycomb County. The Ewells are perceived as low down people, because they are poor and dirty and never going to school. They are despised by the middle class almost as much as blacks of Maycomb. Another poor family that is depicted, is the Cunninghams. When Walter Cunningham comes over for dinner, he poured syrup on his vegetables, and meatand probably would have poured it into his milk glass if (Scout) hadnt asked him what the sam hill he was doing. The book displays the Cunninghams as honest and upright people, they never took anything they couldnt pay back but because of their poverty they are looked down upon in the society. One of the Cunninghams sat on the jury during Tom Robinsons trial, in the beginning he was rarin for an outright acquittal. The Radleys, Jem and Scouts next door neighbour, have a son named Arthur Radley but all the children in the neighbourhood call him Boo. There is social prejudice shown here, in that he is not accepted because he is different from most people. The reason the children call him Boo is because for years time no one had seen him and the kids imagined him to be a ghost. There was a incident when Boo was thirty years of age he stabbed his father in the leg with a pair of scissors. Boo was imprisoned in the basement of the county jail until one day his father took him home and he was never seen again. Inside the house lived a malevolent phantom Any stealthy crimes committed in Maycomb were his work. The pecans from the Radley tree fall into the school yard, but they lay untouched because Radley pecans would kill youfolks say he pizened em and put em over on the school side of the fence. This shows how intolerant the county is against Boo, just for one crime he is sent to jail and is never seen again after his father takes him home. No one really knows Boo Radley but he is suspected by all that he is a crook and a killer. This is displayed, one September afternoon, Scout nearly smashes a roly-poly but is stopped by her brother. She asks, Why couldnt I mash him? Jem says, Because they dont bother you. Jem is learning to empathize with others, including Boo. You can shoot all the blue jays you want, but it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. Atticus told the children when they received air rifles. Miss Maudie explained Your father is right, mockingbirds dont do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They dont eat up peoples gardens, dont nest in corncribs, they dont do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That is way its a sin to kill a mockingbird. Mockingbirds here symbolize both Tom Robinson and Boo Radley. These two persons are harmless to society, yet because of the time and age, they are looked down upon and despised. This is the real sin, because they are not only harmless, but defenceless. Religious prejudice plays a small part in the book, when Cal, the familys black maid, took the children to a black church named First Purchase African M.E. Church. There was a big, tall Black woman called Lula and she objected to Cal bringing Scout and Jem to the black church. Lula wants to know why you bringin white chillum to a nigger church. This shows that the churches are segregated from each other, and that the Black church does not accept white people and the white church does not accept the Black people. We see later on that the children are asked to stay; this is because their father Atticus is not prejudiced and is defending Tom Robinson. The discrimination and intolerance that Harper Lee is really trying to expose is racial prejudice. This book has caused millions of people to consider the effect that racial prejudice really has. Tom Robinson is killed trying to escape from jail, because although Atticus proved that he was innocent, the jury still convicted him. The story ends with Boo finally coming out of his house, to save Jem and Scout from Mr Ewell, who tries to kill them, showing the children that the way that had imagined Boo was wrong. Over-all, this book teaches everyone something important about prejudice and how to live in the world today.

5 formas de obtener la ciudadanía americana

5 formas de obtener la ciudadanà ­a americana La ciudadanà ­a americana brinda, entre otros derechos, poder vivir y trabajar sin restricciones en los Estados Unidos y viajar con el pasaporte de ese paà ­s. Es muy comà ºn pensar que la nacionalidad estadounidense sà ³lo se obtiene si se nace en el paà ­s, pero eso es una idea equivocada. De hecho, son 5 los posibles caminos para obtener la ciudadanà ­a americana: nacimiento, sangre, naturalizacià ³n, derivacià ³n o adopcià ³n. A continuacià ³n, los requisitos para cada caso. Ciudadanos de EE.UU. por nacimiento en ese paà ­s La forma ms comà ºn de adquisicià ³n de la ciudadanà ­a estadounidense es por jus soil que es por nacimiento en cualquiera de los 50 estados que componen los Estados Unidos de Amà ©rica o en alguno de sus territorios como, por ejemplo, Puerto Rico, Islas Và ­rgenes Americanas, Guam y las Islas Marianas del Norte. Casi todos  los nacidos en Estados Unidos son ciudadanos americanos. La excepcià ³n son los hijos de padres extranjeros que se encuentran temporalmente en EE.UU. trabajando como diplomticos para el gobierno de otro paà ­s. Ello se debe a que los diplomticos no estn sujetos a la jurisdiccià ³n de Estados Unidos.   La ciudadanà ­a americana para el resto de los nacidos en el paà ­s est protegida por la Enmienda 14 de la Constitucià ³n. No importa el estatus migratorio de los padres. Si un bebà © nace en Estados Unidos o en uno de sus territorios el nià ±o es estadounidense aunque uno o los dos padres sean indocumentados. En este punto cabe destacar que es importante obtener cuanto antes el certificado de nacimiento del nià ±o, el Nà ºmero del Seguro Social y, si es posible, el pasaporte estadounidense. Si un menor sale de EE.UU. sin pasaporte de este paà ­s podrà ­a tener ms tarde problemas para regresar como estadounidense si no es posible probar que la madre estaba en EE.UU. en la fecha de nacimiento o si se le cambian los apellidos o el nombre al nà ±o y no coinciden exactamente con los de su certificado de nacimiento americano. Tambià ©n se estn dando problemas en el caso de menores estadounidenses hijos de indocumentados que salen de EE.UU. ellos solos y con pasaporte americano y à ©ste expira estando en otro paà ­s. En este caso podrà ­a haber problemas para renovarlo porque los padres indocumentados siguen en EE.UU. y no pueden presentarse con el nià ±o al consulado o a la embajada para pedir su renovacià ³n. La consecuencia de este problema es que el nià ±o podrà ­a no obtener su pasaporte para regresar a EE.UU. Finalmente, una aclaracià ³n a las personas de otros paà ­ses que pueden considerar venir a Estados Unidos a dar a luz para asà ­ asegurarse el pasaporte estadounidense para el recià ©n nacido. Es una prctica que sà ­ se realiza, pero conviene saber que el oficial migratorio puede impedir el ingreso a mujeres embarazadas extranjeras si no pueden probar que tienen cà ³mo pagar por un parto. Adems, deben conocerse los  riesgos de tener un hijo en Estados Unidos con visa de turista y resaltar que los menores estadounidenses no cambian la situacià ³n migratoria de sus padres. Para que un hijo pueda pedir a sus padres es necesario que tenga 21 aà ±os de edad y, adems, se cumplan otros requisitos. Ciudadanà ­a americana por naturalizacià ³n La naturalizacià ³n es un trmite por el que un extranjero que es residente permanente legal  solicita voluntariamente la ciudadanà ­a americana.   La mayorà ­a de las naturalizaciones tienen lugar cuando un residente permanente legal solicita la ciudadanà ­a cinco aà ±os despuà ©s de haber conseguido la green card  o de tres aà ±os si estn casados con un estadounidense. Adems, hay casos especiales de naturalizacià ³n: Ciudadanà ­a americana por los abuelosCiudadanà ­a para militaresAlgunos casos de adopcià ³n Se estima que en la actualidad aproximadamente ocho millones de residentes permanentes legales cumplen los requisitos para solicitar la ciudadanà ­a por naturalizacià ³n. Muchos no lo hacen porque le tienen miedo al examen de conocimientos histà ³ricos y cà ­vicos y, muy especialmente, al de inglà ©s. Sin embargo hay que tener en cuenta que existen excepciones y casos en los que  no hay que rendir el examen de inglà ©s durante la naturalizacià ³n. Adems, en todo el paà ­s estn presentes organizaciones que dan clases gratis para preparar el examen de ciudadanà ­a. Los ciudadanos naturalizados adquieren, bsicamente, los mismos derechos que los ciudadanos por nacimiento. Sin embargo, no pueden aspirar a ser presidentes del paà ­s, un privilegio reservado a lo que se denomina natural born citizens. Por à ºltimo, despejar dos dudas muy comunes. En primer lugar,  que en contra de lo que frecuentemente se cree, los ciudadanos americanos por naturalizacià ³n no pierden la ciudadanà ­a si abandonan Estados Unidos y se van a vivir de forma definitiva a otro paà ­s. Esa situacià ³n se daba en el pasado, con otras leyes, pero ya no es asà ­. En segundo lugar, Estados Unidos permite la doble nacionalidad, es decir, no exige que se renuncie a la de nacimiento como condicià ³n para adquirir la estadounidense por naturalizacià ³n. Sin embargo, antes de solicitar la naturalizacià ³n es aconsejable verificar las leyes del paà ­s de origen porque en muchos casos adquirir la ciudadanà ­a de Estados Unidos puede significar perder automticamente la del paà ­s de origen. Ciudadanà ­a derivada automtica para hijos de naturalizados Cuando una persona adquiere la nacionalidad americana por naturalizacià ³n, sus hijos se convierten en estadounidenses de forma automtica siempre y cuando: Sean menores de 18 aà ±os y residentes permanentes legales. Es decir, sean titulares de su propia tarjeta de residencia.Que vivan con el pap o la mam que se convierte en ciudadano y que à ©ste tenga su custodia fà ­sica y legal de los menores de edad. Esto es asà ­ desde el 27 de febrero de 2001, cuando entrà ³ en vigor la reforma de la Ley de Ciudadanà ­a para Nià ±os, conocida como CCA, por sus siglas en inglà ©s. Esa fecha es muy importante porque las reglas que aplicaban con anterioridad eran diferentes. Por lo tanto, las personas en esa situacià ³n deberà ­an obtener ms informacià ³n en este enlace sobre cà ³mo probar la ciudadanà ­a americana derivada en estos casos y quà © sucede con las personas en esta situacià ³n con anterioridad a la entrada en aplicacià ³n de la nueva ley. Adopcià ³n por parte de ciudadanos estadounidenses Los nià ±os nacidos en el extranjero que son adoptados por ciudadanos americanos adquieren, por lo general, la nacionalidad de sus padres. Pero existen diversos casos que conviene conocer  ya que es posible en algunos casos que se adquiera la situacià ³n de residente permanente legal. Nacidos en el extranjero cuando los padres son americanos o derecho de sangre Las personas nacidas en otro paà ­s son americanas desde el momento de su nacimiento si el padre, la madre o ambos son estadounidenses. Pero siempre y cuando se cumplan una serie de requerimientos  muy estrictos que son diferentes si ambos padres son ciudadanos, si sà ³lo es uno de ellos y si estn solteros o casados. Las personas interesadas pueden informarse sobre los requisitos que deben cumplirse para transmitir por derecho de sangre la nacionalidad  por padre o madre al hijo nacido en el extranjero, lo que tambià ©n se conoce como derecho de sangre o ius sanguinis. Cuando no se cumplan, en algunos casos todavà ­a ser posible que el menor obtenga la ciudadanà ­a pero a travà ©s de un abuelo y pasando por un proceso de naturalizacià ³n. Derechos y obligaciones de ciudadanos En Estados Unidos, los ciudadanos gozan de derechos y privilegios reservados para ellos. Por ejemplo, pueden votar registrndose previamente, viajar con pasaporte de EE.UU., desempeà ±ar ciertos trabajos federales reservados para ellos, pedir los papeles a ms familiares que los residentes permanentes, etc. Pero tambià ©n tienen obligaciones que continà ºan a aplicar incluso aunque residan habitualmente fuera de los Estados Unidos, como es, por ejemplo, la de pagar impuestos o, en el caso de los varones jà ³venes, anotarse al Servicio Selectivo. Todos los pros y cons de adquirir la ciudadanà ­a americana deberà ­an tenerse en cuenta antes de adquirirla. Puntos claves: 5 formas de adquirir la ciudadanà ­a americana En la actualidad, existen 5 formas de adquirir la ciudadanà ­a estadounidense:Nacimiento: para todos excepto hijos de diplomticosNaturalizacià ³n: cuando un residente permanente legal decide hacerse ciudadano Derivacià ³n: para algunos hijos de los residentes permanentes legales que se convierten en ciudadanos.Adopcià ³n: para nià ±os nacidos en el extranjeros y adoptados por estadounidensesSangre: para nià ±os nacidos en el extranjero hijos de ciudadanos americanos. Este es un artà ­culo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal.

The Greatest Nature Essays Ever Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

The Greatest Nature Essays Ever - Essay Example Sometimes, we also feel tired of the demands of our parents, the world and even our trusted friends, from us. Sometimes, with all the difficulties I go through and the expectations of my parents from me, I feel so all alone. Many times, I wanted to give up but many times, I am thankful that I have places like Repulse Bay where I can find comfort and strength. Repulse Bay is a beautiful place in Hong Kong which attracts many people every day. It is a busy area where merchants bring their goods from other places. Although many modern structures are built around the bay, it still looks magnificent so that many local and foreign tourists go to the place. Among the uncountable visitors, I have been one of those who went there, appreciating and loving its beauty. Repulse Bay for me is more than a tourist attraction. It also served as my teacher in so many ways. As a young child, I always wanted to go to Repulse Bay because my experiences there were always enjoyable. My parents bought me things and I get to eat all the food that I wanted. I loved the busyness of the place. All the people there seemed to be happy, with bright smiles and cheerful moods, enjoying everything that was happening. I especially loved the place because it feels like home. There are many big buildings around so I know that I am not very far away from the modern world that I have been accustomed to. As I grew up, I went out to the bay with my friends. We went there to celebrate special occasions such as birthdays and I can say; I always enjoyed the place and the friends who were just wonderful. I was able to enjoy many activities in the place, knowing that at the end of the day, I will be safe and comfortable again in my own bedroom. However, life is not always comfortable. Still, it is a good thing to have somewhere to go that one considers as a place of comfort. The greatest thing that really happened to my relationship with Repulse Bay was not when I was with my family who

Analysis of policy document linked to school observation Essay

Analysis of policy document linked to school observation - Essay Example They have charts typically found in any pre-school classroom, although the titles have French translations. Unlike traditional classrooms, children were not given chairs and desks, instead they sit on the floor with no uniforms; the chairs and desks, however, are readily available in case they need those. The lecture and activity making are the most interesting parts. The teacher frequently instructs the children both in English and French, although she uses the latter most of the time. Children as young as 5 years old can already interact with their classmates with basic French words such as â€Å"comment allez-vous?† to mean â€Å"how are you?† The lesson for that day was nouns. The teacher had a huge chart full of big pictures of animals, places, celebrations, etc. Each picture is labeled with its English and French names. During the discussion, the children were so interactive and it seems to me that the teacher knows her pupils very well and knows how to handle

All Women Should Have the Right to Caesarean Birth, Even if There Is Research Paper

All Women Should Have the Right to Caesarean Birth, Even if There Is No Medical Need - Research Paper Example This paper will discuss the women’s right to the caesarean birth even if there is no medical need for it. The work will elaborate upon the rights of women to ask for the delivery in an alternative manner if they want to. Caesarean Birth Cesarean delivery, also known as the c-section, is surgery to deliver a baby. A Caesarean section refers to a surgical method in which one or many openings are made through the uterus (hysterotomy) and abdomen of the mother (laparotomy) in order to deliver one or many babies or sometimes, for the purpose of removing a dead fetus. The baby, instead of being delivered through the vagina, is taken out through the abdomen of the mother and most cases of such surgeries give the outcome as a healthy mother and baby. The following figure shows the example of a c-section birth: Figure 1: Caesarean Birth The figure above depicts the delivery of a baby from the abdominal section instead of vagina, indicating the c-section delivery. However, the caesarean section is major surgery and thus, carries great risks with it, while, the healing process in this surgery is also longer than with vaginal birth. The hysterotomy abortion is the late-term abortion which is performed through using the procedures of Caesarean section and it is a very rare practice these days. Ferdinand Adolf Kehrer, a German gynaecologist, performed the first contemporary Caesarean section surgery during the year 1881. The practice of performing a Caesarean section, or c-section, is usually conducted for the delivery of the baby in a complicated manner unlike through the normal procedure of vaginal delivery and is more likely to put the health of mother or baby at risk (Medicine Net Inc., 2012). In the current times, this particular surgery is performed only when it is requested to deliver the baby in an unnatural manner (Finger, 2003).  

Difference between void contracts and voidable contracts Assignment

Difference between void contracts and voidable contracts - Assignment Example Voidable contract is a form of valid contract where all the four essential elements of a contract are present. According to Cross and Miller (2011, p. 752), a voidable contract is a contract which might be â€Å"legally avoided (canceled, or annulled) at the option of one of the parties.† In more generalized sense, the party/parties having the option to avoid the contract can avoid the contract altogether. Otherwise, they can also select which contractual duty is to be avoided. However, there is a process of ratification. If the contract is ratified by the contracting parties, then even a voidable contract will become strictly enforceable. Firstly, void contracts are itself a category of contracts. But voidable contracts are a subcategory of valid contracts. Secondly, void contracts are no contracts at all. However, voidable contracts are strictly enforceable contracts once they are ratified by the contracting parties. Thirdly, a void contract can never have all the four essential contractual elements in it. For example, if the element of consideration be missing in a contract, then that contract can be deemed as a void contract. However, this is not the case with voidable contracts. A voidable contract has all the four essential contractual elements in it 1. Suppose, A and B sign a contract on dealership of cannabis. However, selling or buying cannabis is banned in the US. So this kind of contract is a void contract since it violates law. (Schaffer, Agusti, and Earle 2008) 2. Suppose, A and B sign a contract to build a resort on an island in an active delta area. After a few days, there is a flood and the island is completely submerged under sea. Then, the contract between A and B will become void since the object of the contract cannot be achieved

FINANCIAL SERVICES MARKETING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

FINANCIAL SERVICES MARKETING - Essay Example The financial service business is more about building a fruitful and beneficial relationship for both the parties. The key to this successful relationship is customer satisfaction, trust and commitment. The customer should be satisfied with the services they are getting from the financial institution they are engaged with and they must have an idea that this is the best which they can get and may not be considering switching to competitors at any point in time. This service industry is Business to Business (B2B) or Business to Customer (B2C) by nature. It requires internal marketing of its values and the ideology about customer satisfaction which needs to be delivered. The staff must be competent enough to understand and satisfy the needs of the customers. It should define the staff clearly that their role is not only to deal with the customers face to face but also to support and assist the customers with the interface. This requires relationship management which is concerned direct ly to cater customers and be interactive with them regarding ongoing purchases and future benefits available about making certain transaction. The financial market is complicated and risky both, so the new entrants must be communicated about the volatility of the market. DIFFERENTIATION To create value of the product for the customer the marketer must first understand the nature of the financial service themselves. They must always seek for opportunities to create differentiation of the product. These opportunities can be sought by understanding the culture and norms of the individuals. Usually all that a marketer can do is to make a value proposition and then the customer will derive value in use from the offerings....Studying about the functionality of various markets can improve that skill of adaptability. This course of Financial Services Marketing has highlighted many areas and challenges which a business of such nature has to face. Learning about these challenges has helped me in assessing all the businesses and their functionality. CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION Today’s job market has become very competitive. Employees have to undergo through several challenges on every walk of their career. Only those individuals who think outside the box become successful. It was creativity and innovation which made Steve Jobs and Bill gates successful. Wait for the right opportunity and avail it when it comes with the right attitude. Following the above mentioned attitude ensures success. Always be prepared for challenges because only those people who get through these challenges accomplish their goal. ENHANCED ANALYTICAL SKILLS Studying Financial Service Marketing has enhanced my analytical skills to great extent. I am positive that this will help increase my chances of future employability. Thorough learning provided me with the opportunity to analyze a large volume of data. This course has prepared me about how to apply various marketing models to analyze or speculate a business. Now, I can deal with problems more effectively and hope to handle problems before they become a major problem.

Difference between void contracts and voidable contracts Assignment

Difference between void contracts and voidable contracts - Assignment Example Voidable contract is a form of valid contract where all the four essential elements of a contract are present. According to Cross and Miller (2011, p. 752), a voidable contract is a contract which might be â€Å"legally avoided (canceled, or annulled) at the option of one of the parties.† In more generalized sense, the party/parties having the option to avoid the contract can avoid the contract altogether. Otherwise, they can also select which contractual duty is to be avoided. However, there is a process of ratification. If the contract is ratified by the contracting parties, then even a voidable contract will become strictly enforceable. Firstly, void contracts are itself a category of contracts. But voidable contracts are a subcategory of valid contracts. Secondly, void contracts are no contracts at all. However, voidable contracts are strictly enforceable contracts once they are ratified by the contracting parties. Thirdly, a void contract can never have all the four essential contractual elements in it. For example, if the element of consideration be missing in a contract, then that contract can be deemed as a void contract. However, this is not the case with voidable contracts. A voidable contract has all the four essential contractual elements in it 1. Suppose, A and B sign a contract on dealership of cannabis. However, selling or buying cannabis is banned in the US. So this kind of contract is a void contract since it violates law. (Schaffer, Agusti, and Earle 2008) 2. Suppose, A and B sign a contract to build a resort on an island in an active delta area. After a few days, there is a flood and the island is completely submerged under sea. Then, the contract between A and B will become void since the object of the contract cannot be achieved