Loblaw Companies Limited: Preparing for Wal-Mart Supercenters

Case 16 1. The grocery industry is a commoditized industry, which makes it difficult for grocers to sustain through differentiation. Buyer power is high and thus, cost leadership and operational efficiencies are critical. There is fierce competition amongst various grocery stores, with the main players such as Loblaw and A&P holding multi-banner stores in various market segments. Traditional grocery stores also lose some of their market share to drug stores, convenience stores and other retailers who have entered the industry. Threat of substitutes from fast-food and take- away outlets is not as prevalent, since many grocery stores have started stocking ready-to-eat meals and have deli services available for consumers. Competitive pressures are increasing in the industry with the potential entry of Wal-Mart and new delivery methods such as the internet. 2. grocery store industry witnessed a lot of changes. Competitive pressures in the industry are increasing and several new competitors including wal-mart are entering the market. New methods of delivery such as the interned are making it difficult and challenging for traditional based stores to comply. Customer preferences are diversifying and different demands are increasing. In addition to the price war that strike the markets. The maturity of the industry, characterized by flat demand combined with the growth aspiration of the dominant suppliers makes the industry a competitive battleground. Competitors work toward driving costs down while responding to swiftly changing consumer tastes. Grocery managers therefore are challenged to provide the marketing mix of tomorrow, emphasizing speed, flexibility, and early identification of trends directed at segmented and rapidly evolving markets. The mass consumer market has been replaced by hundreds of highly diversified mini-markets for which grocery companies have to design custom made solutions. 3. Key Success Factors of the grocery industry include the following: Low cost operations; leading to lower prices Convenient locations and large stores Wide product ranges; good quality Value added services; customer loyalty programs Cutting-Edge technology, both front-end and back-end Looking at the above factors, there are many opportunities for Canadian grocers to improve on their services such as vertical integration as supplier/distributor, innovative technologies like RFID, and global expansion Loblaw's unique tangible resource is that they own 63% of their corporate stores real estate properties. As mentioned above, the grocery industry is heavily commoditized and competitive. The Canadian market leader, Loblaw, serves a broad target market and integrates a low cost strategy with product and process differentiation. Through their multi-banner approach, they leverage their core competencies across multiple businesses. The biggest winner for the company had been the multi format approach. The company also holds about 60% of the real estate where they operate giving the benefit to change. The company refurnish the stores every 5 years when the industry norms are 7 years. 4. SWOT ANALYSIS: Strengths: Strong Market Share Broad Product Portfolio Diversified Store Format Low prices with good quality items at all franchises Great customer service/customers have a say in the company Noticeably friendly workers Constantly looking for areas of improvement Array of services Canadian unlike foreign competitors like wallmart Weaknesses: Low Online Operations Limited Geographical Presence Opportunities: Rise in Demand for Private Labels Strategic Plans Rising Demand for Organic Products Opening new stores helps them become more competitive The unfortunate economy will create a new wave of customers looking for cheaper prices Threats: Expiry Of Agreement With Labor Union Highly Competitive Market Wal-Mart Business Partnerships Higher prices on certain items makes them less competitive in those areas (electronics and household furniture). By the above S. W. O. T analysis, one can see that Loblaw’s KSF’s are on track and that they are headed in the right direction to bring them back on top. There is of course still work for Loblaw to do with their pricing, however that will come with time because when the company is doing better, they will be able to lower their prices even more. They are putting up a good fight though! Loblaws prices for certain items were only a mere 10-15 cents higher than that of Wal-Mart which demonstrates that they are climbing the ranks and will eventually pose as a threat to WalMart. Being pure Canadian company is also a core competency because many people enjoy supporting their country even if it means spending an extra 10-15 cents. These key factors (low prices, better quality products, great customer service, and being Canadian) will help Loblaw rise to the top again. 5. Lederer's plan to combat the threat of  Wal-Mart  Supercentre grocery stores turned bad on the company Consolidating its distribution centres, which supposedly made the supply chain more efficient, resulted in the departure of many of the chain's general merchandise buyers who were unwilling to move. There were numerous delays and coordination problems as suppliers had trouble shipping their goods to stores on time, and Loblaws was forced to mark it down in order to liquidate excess inventory. Expanding its inventory to general merchandise, supposedly to make a one-stop location like Wal-Mart Supercentres, was considered by many customers to be below the standards of Loblaws. Lederer stopped investing in its convential supermarkets and focused on building its major discount format, the real Canadian superstores. He spent 25 million dollars to motivate old employees to retire early as he turned traditional old stores into superstores. . This is a significant evaluation, because Loblaw is Canada’s largest food distributor, as well as one of the largest private sector employers. Loblaw operates under names such as The Real Canadian Superstore, Fertinos, Provigo, SuperValu, Zehrs, Atlantic Superstore, Loblaws, and Your Independent Grocer. Along with food and household products , Loblaw provides consumers with other services, such as banking, gas stations, pharmacies, photo developing, dry cleaning, and fitness centers. A qualitative and quantitative analysis of Loblaw was conducted through secondary research, using both internal and external sources. This report focuses on the goods distribution and marketing aspects of Loblaw, by exploring its history, primary products, social responsibilities, and financial position. Ratios of the past and present will be taken into consideration when researching and making recommendations. History Loblaw Companies Limited was incorporated in 1956 and it now employs over 122 000 part-time and full-time employees throughout its 990 branches. As a subsidiary of George Weston Limited, it has supplied the Canadian market with innovative products and services for more than 45 years. The superstore idea was first introduced to Western Canada in 1979. Loblaw operates in a highly competitive industry, challenged by many other supermarkets, such as Safeway. Organizational Structure The organizational structure of Loblaw Companies Limited is classified according to the functions of each department. Areas of specialization include: auditing, governance and compensation, pensions, environment, health and safety, and executive. Committee and team authority govern this tall, hierarchical organization, where individuals within the several layers report back to their superiors in the chain of command. Ultimately each senior vice-president reports to the executive vice-president, who in turn reports to the president of the company, who is responsible to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors itself is divided into five committees, which represent each area of specialization. Social Responsibility Loblaw demonstrates its social responsibilities in the following areas: Environment: Loblaw has various company policies concerning the environment, one of which demands that various operating sectors develop and implement waste reduction. Reports are given to the environmental committee operated by a sect of board of directors who are not directly employed by Loblaw. Attempting to project an environmentally friendly image, Loblaw announced in 2002, that all of their garden centers would be pesticide free by 2003. Their waste reduction initiative has seen positive results, as was the case in 1999, when it reduced solid waste by 75%, organic waste by 60% and water waste by 38%. Use of underground tanks has been decommissioned; in addition PCB’s and asbestos have been removed from company operatives. Employees: The philosophy that a company’s success is directly affected by the attitude of the employees, is put into action when Loblaw concentrates on coordinating positive relationships with their employees. Employee benefits include life or health insurance, dental insurance, and a pension plan. A stock option plan and an Employee Share Ownership Plan (ESOP), which are administered through a trust, are also available. This allows employees to make five percent deductions from their regular earnings; Loblaw then contributes 15% of each employee’s contributions to the ESOP plan. Recruiting, hiring, and training are all done on a store-by-store basis. Loblaw maintains health and safety programs in its stores to address health and workplace safety. This system is also subject to compliance audits. Community: Charities such as Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, Canadian Cancer Society, President Choice Children’s Charity, Easter Seals, the Canadian Merit Scholarship and many more benefit from Loblaw’s donations. Loblaw has purchased Maple Leaf Gardens, further developing its roots in the city of Toronto. Customers: Loblaw strives to have a good relationship with ts consumers through feedback, quality customer and product services. Programs such as the President’s Choice Financial MasterCard allow consumers to collect points, which are redeemable for goods within the store. Loblaw also attempts to get feedback from consumers through focus groups and surveys. However, Loblaw fails in the area of consumer responsibility by not allowing supplie rs to indicate whether or not their products are genetically engineered. The company goes as far as to demand that companies selling genetically engineered goods avoid proclaiming so on their labels. Investors: Loblaw is working towards being socially responsible to their investors by keeping them informed by releasing online annual reports and mailing them out. The company provides sustainable returns through dividends by reinvesting cash flow into the firm’s real estate and land. 7. loblaws was the largest supermarket chains in Canada. they opened a series of the real Canadian superstores in Ontario, where they expected wallmart to open their first food superstores. These were built as low-cost, one stop shopping destinations. The real Canadian superstores were as the size of two football fields and sold a combination of groceries and non-food items. Lederer consolidated the the companies distribution centers from 32 to 26 facilities, in order to increase the efficiency of the supply systems. He closed old warehouses and opened new ones in Brampton Ontario. Real Canadian superstore were located along walmart supercenters as if facing at war. Geographically wise they were allocated at same areas and when it comes to goods and commodities, the both handled non food items along with their usual groceries. The war did begin. 8. Galen Weston Jr. as supposed to rescue the company by fixing the broken delivery system. He started by managing a pilot online grocery business in Ontario. Galen along with his team outlined a new business plan. He studied the problems and found out that they have a big delivery problem and that they are still over-priced. He aimed to increase sales and earnings by cutting prices, offer ing more products, and improving customer service. Galen started working on investors and opening up in idols such as the maple leaf stadium in downtown which he turned into a grocery store as to gain people due to their passion to the hockey team which was a symbol at the ountry. Moreover he succeeded in becoming number one again. 9. Recommendations for Loblaw: A private label: a store like Loblaw’s needs a particular way it can standout the competition. They could approach the strategy of having private labels in store. Cut down on general merchandise: they should reduce low quality goods and focus on selling people groceries with good quality plus they should concentrate on groceries rather than electronics because too much diversity infects being the best at a certain field. Make the store attractive to the customers eyes: try to beat wal-mart by obtaining a store that is clean, decorated, high ceilings, no open boxes, attractive lighting and displays. Make the stores easy to roam and let commodities that are of the same interest be on a route that customers don’t pass by unwanted goods. Let people say this is the store I want to buy from. Supply chain management: its clear that the supply chains logistics used by Loblaw’s should be changed. Empty shelves phenomena should become extinct because it makes good stores look cheap and unreliable. Increase marketing: marketing and advertisement should be extreme and excessive especially when change happens, prices differ, and news are there. Promotions should reach customers well enough to gain or even regain their loyalty. People should know that the company recognized their mistakes and problems and solved them out. Downsize: close unprofitable stores, this will reduce payroll and increase the funding to solve damaged issues. Off coarse this is the last measure companies look at but its helpful at the long run.

Reflect on the Importance of a Child Centered Approach Essay

The whole ethos of a Child Centred Approach is built around the needs of the individual child; the setting should fit to meet to needs of the child, not the other way around. Practitioners should look at the child as a whole- their strengths, weaknesses, abilities, preferred learning styles as well as any Special Educational Needs or disabilities they may have. The Child Centred Approach allows children to choose, make connections and communicate, providing them with the freedom to think for themselves, to explore and search for answers. In early years settings, rather than directing play, practitioners ‘take a back seat’ and see how play develops, providing children the opportunity to become more creative, improve social skills with one another and take control of their learning. Most settings will work in cohesion with outside agencies in order to create an environment accessible for all children, one that allows for every child to participate fully in all aspects of school life. Children with SEN or learning difficulties may require extra/different resources such as larger keyboards and lower desks, and/or 1:1 support in order for them to flourish and reach their own individual goals. Settings should be aware that their building needs to be adapted to allow for wheelchair users, ramps, wider doors, hygiene suites etc. By involving children in the decision and choice making regarding their education, you will provide them with a sense of ownership over their learning, which greatly improves their self-esteem and confidence, as well as enabling them to become more proactive in their learning, in turn furthering their motivation to succeed. Children can access what they are really interested in and therefore excel in this area whilst being supported in less developed areas. This approach and individual target setting creates a closer match between the child and the curriculum; allowing children to learn and develop at their own level/speed, building on their previous knowledge. When a child sees that their opinions have an effect on the care and education provided for them, they begin to value themselves more and their self-esteem and confidence improves greatly.

Sustainable Enterprise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sustainable Enterprise - Essay Example It is difficult to overcome the above-mentioned problems to attain sustainability completely in the near future. Failing in attaining sustainability would result in having adverse effects on overall ecosystem. The current path of non-sustainability would also invite other disasters such as environmental degradation, irreversible ecological crisis and it forecloses ecological options. To achieve sustainability if not in near future but some day we have to work now on certain factors. Industrial organizations should be more responsible and incorporate corporate social responsibilities (CSR). Thus any product manufactured would be under strict environmental laws. Industrial organizations should participate in charities and other social activities. Natural resources should be used in such a way that it should help in raising our living standards without increase in throughput or resources. Steps should be taken to cope the problem of poverty. In overall, progress has been made, we passed through many technological milestones but still achieving sustainable development remains eluded. Development in different sectors like Information Technology, Steel industry, etc., has resulted a sharp rise in the usage of harmful substances. Problem of over consumption becomes irrelevant when super- (eco) efficiencies are achieved under a production sphere. Super- (eco) efficiencies Though some mathematical projections may address future ecological scenarios but they are just predictions and may vary with the real scenario. Consumption is bound to increase and conservation and efficiency may not be enough to handle the situation. It has been found that mathematical projections always vary with the real scenarios and therefore production efficiencies should also be increased to delay the complete resource depletion. To explain the above let's see the following example of population burst. Not only due to steady increase in population but also due to over consumption the demand for food products may increase sharply and might slowly replenish. More Production According to ecological modernization the solution to ecological crisis can be found in more production, more modernity and more industrialization. Global ecosystem is a closed system whereas economic subsystems are not. Rather than more production ecological modernization purports on different industrialization and production. This is termed as more -as-different approach. Dematerialization Thesis In digital market the production more that result in the increase in economy and thus maintaining overall consumption low and sustainable. Thus we could say that consumption is dematerialized. Though the present world is turning towards e shopping still some of us like to prefer the old ways of purchasing things like jewelry, cars, etc. Spaargaren's Theory of Consumption The theory of Spaargaren had greater impact in correcting the production in ecological modernization by working out on production-consumption cycles. Using the process of co-structuring a producer and consumer can exchange information that might help in increasing the production-consumption efficiency. The production remains out of problems as

Assessment of a social networking company Essay

Assessment of a social networking company - Essay Example Among these sites, MySpace.com is undoubtedly the market leader. MySpace.com accounts for an impressive 47.4% of the total market share. Facebook is second on the list with the market share of around 18%. Orkut and Flickr are next in the list and they account for almost 7% of the market share, each. (MC Marketing Charts) Many experts claim that the websites operating in this industry may experience a fast growth and an eventual chill if they do not develop long-term strategies. For example, new websites can easily take away the market share of old, if they do not innovate and strategize their operations. To support their argument they give the example of Orkut. In the past, Orkut was growing at a very fast rate but it did not innovate as result new websites came and experienced a massive growth at the expense of Orkut. It is also believed that with the passage of time, as the industry matures, these sites are going to attract more and more traffic. This large turnover will encourage companies to advertise more on these websites. As a result, these websites will experience an even larger growth in their revenues. As a result, many big brands consider advertising on these sites as a better way to grab the attention of "target market" towards their products. (Nielsen) This industry, in the recent times, moved from niches to become one of the most coveted sectors. This growth has also caused creative destruction for the other mediums of marketing like radios and televisions. Earning Revenue from Advertising: The boom in social networking has blossomed opportunities for advertisers to start using these networks as a vehicle to reach their target market. For e.g. in Italy, Maserati is using social networking websites to reach out to its customers. However, if we analyze the situation, we can reach a conclusion that those advertisers who want to advertise on social networking sites have to overcome a few challenges. Though, advertising on the social networking websites is increasing, but it is still very less, compared to the number of people who use these networks. (Review) The diversified nature of the environment means that standard ads won't be able to succeed in this market, and it is imperative that different approaches should be tried to find out the mindset of people who use these networks. Since, advertising all over the world is losing credibility, it is better for these companies to advertise with a more humble and candid perspectiv

Summary of an appeal case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Summary of an appeal case - Essay Example Second, the judge misguided the jury on the issue of consent as it implicated on the present case. Mr. Roberts developed a solution linking the judge’s decision with the fact that he deprived the appellant the Jury’s consideration whether he had a guilty mind or not. However, the sentence on each case was neither excessive nor wrong in principle. While reviewing the case, a number of particulars stand-out based on the case. The case is an aggregation of a number of cases. Although, the facts differ in the three cases, the common details in all the cases include information such as the defendant had an agreed sexual relationship with each woman. Second, all three ladies voluntarily had unprotected sex with the defendant. Third, the appellant did not inform any woman about his HIV status. Finally, all three complainants assumed that the defendant was HIV negative; therefore, exposing themselves to the risk of obtaining a sexually transmitted infection as grievous as HIV virus. Based on the courts judgement, the judge’s guidance to the jury adequately explained the correct implications to the case of the consensual contribution by each complainant’s to sexual intercourse with the appellant. The jury eventually gave the ruling that, in the case of each plaintiff, she did not willingly or cognitively agree to the risk of suffering the HIV virus. Therefore, the court will dismiss the appeal against conviction. The court reviewed its holding in the R v Dica case of informed consent as a defence resulted from limited potential conflicting public policy considerations. In the light of the public interest, the population demands the prevention of the spread of catastrophic illnesses. On the other hand, it also needs that personal freedom in the context of adult non-violent sexual associations need maintenance. By concealing any information about one’s HIV status, the subject denies the

Discussion and Respond Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion and Respond - Dissertation Example The company which I work for uses John Adair’s model of Action Centered Leadership. This model motivates the team as a whole to perform their task and achieve targets. This model encourages the achievement of goals as the only aim for the team and further enhances individual and team performance by creating new opportunities as they achieve their targets appropriately. Teams are formed and directed towards a goal as per their performance and individualistic performance is weighed against what is expected of individuals in their capacity as a part of the team. Herzberg’s theory or the motivation-hygiene theory is based on two factors which increase satisfaction of employees at the workplace on one hand and reduce the chances of dissatisfaction on the other. These factors motivate the employees to work and continue their relationship with the organization. This theory can be applied to my personal and recent experience with a local firm which is an owner managed small siz e corporation. The company provides challenging work, motivational incentives like bonuses and proper performance appraisals which provide a positive encouragement to all of us in continuing our jobs with full devotion and efficiency. The incentives both financial and non-financial act as a force which encourages us to perform better than our past and the challenging tasks and targets enable us to work harder.

International Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words - 2

International Business - Essay Example Pushing the implementation of SABIC’s international joint venture plan in China opens a lot of business opportunities by enabling SABIC penetrate the market of China within the shortest possible time. Likewise, this strategy could benefit SABIC through economies of scale, cheaply expand the business internationally, increase profit by diversifying its risk management portfolio, improve SABIC’s market power and competitive advantage against its global competitors. Despite the business opportunities behind the international joint venture project, the strong government control in China on top of the market saturation and the differences in the way Chinese people do business could lead to a long-term business failure. To improve SABIC’s internationalization strategies, the company should carefully analyze the current social, political and economic situation in China aside from selecting the right business partner, implementing a proper cross-cultural management, and selecting the best options for international joint ventures. In relation to the tight competition in the global markets, some of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) based chemical companies entered into mergers and acquisitions (M&A) or joint venture as a way of expanding its businesses around the world. For the reason of easy access to domestic and international market, easy access to technology transfer, and product diversification; Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) has been continuously entering into joint venture projects with other local and international companies (Arab News 2007). Established back in 1976, SABIC managed to expand its business by going through a series of joint venture. Today, the company is known as one of the biggest and most profitable petrochemicals manufacturing company based in Riyadh (SABIC, 2010a). Other than manufacturing chemicals, SABIC also manufacture polymers and innovative plastics, fertilizers, and metals

Explain how franchisors can enhance franchisee satisfaction Essay

Explain how franchisors can enhance franchisee satisfaction - Essay Example However, firms rely heavily on expansion by a mix of franchising, and company-owned outlets instead of expanding company owned outlets. Explanations are offered by most of the literature in the agency theory. Due to the significance of self-interest for both franchisees and franchisors, franchising is the only best mechanism that motivates both parties for the similar objectives (Huang, 2004). However, there might be unfairness in the franchise contract, and this means agency problems would arise. Therefore, franchisors need to manage and monitor franchisees and ensure the franchisee is satisfied. Thus, the franchisee satisfaction has the greatest predictor on whether a franchisee would recommend their franchisor to the prospective franchisee (Hnuchek, Ismail &Haron, 2013). The paper explains how franchisors can enhance franchisee satisfaction. Franchisees always have expectations of franchisors in the franchise relationship: a high level of independence, support with selection of a distribution point and designing of the distribution point, high standards of potential revenue, training sessions, product and market information, advertising, operational support, and promotional support, support in order to obtain finance, as well as systems for bookkeeping. Therefore, a franchisor needs to ensure that franchisees have a high independence level after joining a franchise as a high level of control by the franchisor exists in franchise systems. In relation to the selection of distribution points, the franchisor needs carry out feasibility studies as well as research in order to ascertain suitable points (Gerhard & De Jager, 2009). In addition, Franchisees expect that geographical rights, exclusively, as protected by the franchise agreement and allocated by franchisors would not allow the franchisor to appoint another franchisee to a certain geographical area that is already

Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 67

Journal - Essay Example On the contrary, reading books encourage readers to slow down and think about what is being communicated by the author. Consequently, there is a relationship that is formed between the reader and the author. Moreover, the reader is able to empathize with characters in novels which make them able to understand other people’s feelings and thoughts. Therefore, Paul suggests that reading novels and other printed reading materials can make people smarter and better social beings. In order to make her readers take the matter seriously, Paul opens her article with a statement made by Gregory Currie, a professor of philosophy at the University of Nottingham in the New York Times. This background establishes that the argument Paul is about to present is worth delving into. Right on the second paragraph, the author shows that the professor’s claim contradict what studies show, making the article more intriguing and interesting. Throughout the article, Paul cites examples which validate her claims. She maintains a serious and passionate tone as she explains the importance of the subject matter at hand and why readers should also consider her arguments in the same

Homelessness in Raleigh, North Carolina Essay Example for Free

Homelessness in Raleigh, North Carolina Essay This paper presented the subculture of homeless people in Raleigh City, North Carolina. The paper focused on describing the health problems and issues being experienced by the homeless people in Raleigh. It also enumerated the different health care systems available in the city that provide health services to homeless individuals, as well as the different organizations built to address the needs, health and housing concerns of the homeless people in the city of Raleigh. Moreover, the researcher also attempted to describe an ideal health care system practices and services that should be made available for homeless individuals and for the whole community. Homelessness in Raleigh, North Carolina Homelessness is a state and social condition wherein an individual or group of individuals cannot afford to own a house or shelter.   Some sociologists associated homelessness with augmented risks of mortality or simply the inevitable increase of population.   However, other sociologists identify homelessness to be a consequence of socio-economically deprived populations. Whatever the cause of homelessness is, the fact remains that homelessness is becoming a serious problem all over the world. It is estimated that more than 100 million people worldwide are homeless, â€Å"of which 20 million to 40 million are adrift in major urban centers† (Habitat International Coalition [HIC], 2005). Homelessness is one of the serious problems in Raleigh, capital of North Carolina. Although Raleigh is a capital city, a number of residents here are facing the problem of poverty, unemployment, health problem, and homelessness. This has led some people to build different organizations and health care centers which aim to resolve the mentioned problems. There are also several health care services established to manage the health problems in the community. This paper will dwell on the subculture of homeless people in Raleigh, North Carolina and on the diversity in health care organizations being provided for the community. The Community Profile of Raleigh Raleigh is the capital city of North Carolina with an estimated population of 341,891 of which 49.7% are male and 50.3% are female. Raleigh population is dominated by mostly working-aged adults with 77.6% of its residents aged between 18 to 64 years, 7.5% under age 5, and 7.8% aged 65 years and over. There are different races inhabiting the city wherein 60.4% are White American, 28.2% are African American, 0.4% are American Indian and Alaska Native, 3.8% are Asian, and the rest of the other races not mentioned. The total family household is 136,993 with a median income of $51,647 in 2007. Of the population 273,453 (16 years old and over), 179,896 are employed in industry and civilian labor while 10,738 are unemployed (US Census Bureau, 2007). Raleigh is governed by a city mayor, a city council and a city manager with a budget of $557,055,589 in 2006-2007 wherein municipal service cost is at $200,000. As for social services Raleigh has three hospitals, seven police stations, 27 fire stations, one library, and six universities. As for recreational establishment, Raleigh has 117 city parks, 22 staffed centers, nine non-staffed program centers, two art centers, 112 tennis courts at 25 different locations, eight public swimming pools, and 8,817 acres of parks and greenways (City of Raleigh Website, 2009). For the past decade, Raleigh had developed as center for education, research and development in North Carolina. Moreover, cultural activity flourishes in the city, for it houses theaters, symphony orchestra, art museums, galleries, and other entertainment and recreational enterprises (Community Link, 2009).

Business Of Maxis Berhard Management Essay

Business Of Maxis Berhard Management Essay According to McElhaney, CSR is a business strategy that is integrated with core business objectives and core competencies of the firm, and from the outset is designed to create business value and positive social change and is embedded in day to day business culture and operations. The most researched and proven financial benefits of effective strategic CSR can be found in the areas of human resource and talent management, reputation and branding and operational cost savings. CSR is the continuous commitment by businesses to behave ethically and contribute to the economic development while improving the quality of life in the workforce as well as the society at large. CSR is believed to have a positive relationship with a companys goodwill and also be a means to a more profitable operation. (Lenguyen, 2011) Why are profit-oriented companies interested in corporate social responsibility? According to (Mohamed Sawandi, 2007), only providing for the needs of a customer is not sufficient. Some truly enlightened companies always ensure that their interest is in line with societal needs and they will take this into consideration in their business planning. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) describes corporate social responsibility as a balanced approach for organizations to address economic, social and environmental issues in a way that aims to benefit people, communities and society. (Leonard McAdam, 2003) According to Richardson ,et al., (1999), CSR behaviours can be defined as discretionary actions undertaken by companies that are intended to advance their social issues. Joyner, et al., (2002) noted that CSR are categories of economic, legal, ethical and discretionary activities of a business entity as adapted to the values and expectations from society. They also added that, CSR are the basic expectations of the company regarding initiatives that take the form of protection to public health, public safety, and the environment. In this concept, they explained that values and ethics influence the extent of a corporations perceived social responsibility that is influenced by societal activities, norms or standard. In todays world, CSR can be defined as regards to all aspects of business behaviour so that the impacts of these activities are incorporated in every corporate agenda (Orgrizek, 2001; Coldwell, 2001) Factors Influencing CSR The primary role of business is to produce goods and services that society wants and needs. According to Coldwell (2001), a business only contributes fully to a society if it is highly efficient, highly profitable and has socially responsible agendas. Based on the literatures definition of CSR, CSR behaviours are not constant over time or space. Social expectations and pressure for specific types of CSR have varied over time and are contingent on the nature of the company (Richardson, Welker Hutchinson, 1999). A study by Windsor (2001) showed that social responsibility is achieved when the corporation conforms to the prevailing norms and expectations of social performance in a given society. CSR is also influenced by the ethics of the firm or organizations. Ethical motivation can guide the business or organization to do the right thing without any external pressure or governmental constrain. Joyner, Payne Raiborn (2002) contended that people believe businesses are amoral, when in fact they generally embrace the values of ethics in doing business. They cited several factors that serve to legitimize their position and one of the factors is society, which expects moral behaviour of the business when it cries out against immoral labour practices or environmental policies. According to Ogrizek (2001), business leaders are starting to acknowledge some of the market benefits and competitive advantages for companies who put into place a comprehensive CSR policy. This means that a business with a strong stance in corporate responsibility will attract top talent and reputation. Maxis Corporate Social Responsibility Any corporations business goal is to provide value and incentive to its shareholders. Therefore, profit-oriented corporations or organizations are not a charitable organization although sometimes it is in their direct interest to support charitable activities. Furthermore, sometimes corporations or organizations carry out certain activities that governments should undertake, although they are not government agencies. It is beneficial for the corporations to carry out such socially responsible activities. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is defined as categories of economic, legal, ethical and discretionary activities of a business entity as adapted to contribute to the values and expectations of society. (Joyner, et al., 2002) CSR is also the continuing commitments by any business organization whereby they emphasize the ethical elements in their management and overall organizational structure (Richardson et. al, 1999). At the same time, companies are responsible for national economic development by improving the quality of life of the whole workforce and their families as well (Abbott Monsen, 1979). Maxis believe that its CSR program contributes a great amount to societal development as advances in technologies can bring direct benefit to communities. As Malaysias leading mobile telecommunications operator, the company is committed to supporting national aspirations on areas of education, technology and youth. (Maxis, 2012) CSR involves various aspects such as economic factors, legal requirements, ethical orders and discretionary demands. In this high-tech era, business environments are susceptible to changes in these factors. In order to be a leading mobile telecommunication provider, each firm must be fully aware and sensitive to the impact of these factors. The effect of these factors may add to the firms corporate image and financial performance. (Mohamed Sawandi, 2007) The Maxis Bridging Communities (MBC) was launched in 2002 with the aim of enriching communities with access to education opportunities through information communication technology. MBC has taken a firm commitment to ensure stronger and sustainable programs by developing key initiatives in: Bridging the digital gap: Education and development of Malaysians Employee Volunteerism Environment CSR actually portrays the image of the firm itself. It shows what the company has done to fulfil its corporate duty to ensure the firm is not only good in providing the service but also plays its roles by contributing something to the community (Tilt, 1994). In order to have a good relationship with the community, the firm should do something beneficial for the community. Within the company itself, there is also a platform for social contribution especially to the employees. For example, in Maxis Communication Berhad, there are a lot of privileges that have been provided to the staff such as medical treatment, advantages in communication services, increment of salary and etc.

Stereotype of Politicians Breaking Promises Essay -- Politics Politica

The Promise Trap 28 September 1999 A common complaint about politicians--so common it's a stereotype--is that they break their promises. Audiences hear one thing, the politician seems to do another, and then the complaining begins. This scenario could be the result of miscommunication on the part of the politician or misinterpretation on the part of the audience. But the reality is more complex. Politicians do make promises, although they rarely use the word as the verb and themselves as the subject of the sentence. And audiences do hear promises being made and have a right to expect action if the concept of a promise still creates a bond, or a contract, between the one who promises and the one promised. Listen carefully, and you will hear the politicians running for the various presidential nominations making promises. Often, they will sound/read something like this promise from a recent speech by Steve Forbes: "Under my plan, that money is your money. If you die prematurely, you can leave it to your spouse, to your children, to your grandchildren - tax-free and untouched by the politicians. That's the moral thing to do, and that's the promise of a Forbes Administration." Here Forbes is talking about a plan to create more wealth for retirement. As the quote clearly states, this money would pass from generation to generation tax free. The pronoun "that" at the beginning of the first independent clause of the third sentence refers to the situation of the money passing on tax free--so this passing is the "moral" thing to do. The second "that" in the second independent clause is a tricky because it could refer to the same situation as the first clause, or it could refer a general moral situation that Forbes hopes t... ...ow going in that, in most cases, they cannot deliver specific promises. Yet they promise anyway in roundabout ways meant to create the contract in the minds of the audience while leaving an out when the "unhappy" outcome happens. Austin is clear about what he thinks of situations such as these. As he says: "'I promise' entails 'I ought'...to say 'I promise' but not to perform the act is parallel to saying both 'it is' and 'it is not.' Just as the purpose of assertion is defeated by an internal contradiction, the purpose of a contract is defeated if we say 'I promise and I ought not'" (51). Black is white. Night is day. Welcome to doublespeak. Works Cited Austin, J. L. How to Do Things With Words. Urmson, J. O. and Marina Sbisa, eds. Harvard UP, Cambridge, MA: 1975. DiClerico, Robert E. The American President. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: 1995.

Internet Essay -- essays research papers fc

The Internet links people together via computer terminals and telephone lines (and in some cases wireless radio connections) in a web of networks and shared software. This allows users to communicate with one another wherever they are in the â€Å"net." This Internet link began as the United States military project Agency Network Advanced Research (ARPANET) during the Vietnam War in 1969. It was developed by the United States Department of Defense’s (DOD) research people in conjunction with various contractors and universities to investigate the probability of a communication network that could survive a nuclear attack. For the first decade that the Internet was in existence, it was primarily used to facilitate electronic mail, support on line discussion groups, allow access to distant databases, and support the transfer of files between government agencies, companies and universities. Today over 15 million people in the United States and approximately 25 million people worldwide access the Internet regularly, including children. Many parents believe that depriving their children of the opportunity to learn computer skills and access the knowledge available on the Internet would give them a distinct technological disadvantage as they enter the twenty first century. Portelli and Mead state by the year 2002, the reported number of children who access the Internet from home is projected to increase from the current 10 million to 20 million (6). In addition to home access, Poretelli and Meads further stated that as of 1997 the percentage of United States schools that offered Internet access as a part of their regular curriculum was over sixty percent. There were over nine thousand public libraries across America in 1997, sixty percent of these offered on-line access to its users (7). In view of this information, one can concluded that the on-line percentage for both schools and libraries has increased notably since 1997 and the number continues to grow as more of these facilities â€Å"plug in and log on." Whether at home, at school, or at the public library, children are accessing the Internet. The word â€Å"children† is somewhat ambiguous considering the range of ages that it encompasses. For instance, eighteen is the normally accepted age at which a child reaches legal adulthood; therefore, â€Å"children† would refer to any age between birth and seventeen. Porterfie... ...n. February 1999. 2 Cummins, H. J. â€Å"War Games - Are Video Games No Different Than Military Training Simulations? Are We Teaching Our Children To Kill ?† Minneapolis Star Tribune. January 1999. 1E Denerstein, Robert. â€Å"Into the Heart of Darkness - Two Killers Lived in Suburbs, But Inhabited Their Own Twilight World.† Denver Rocky Mountain News. April 1999. 31A Durkin, Keith F. â€Å"Misuse of the Internet by Pedophiles: Implications for Law Enforcement and Probation Practice.† Federal Probation. September 1997. 14-18 Groves, Howard. â€Å"Conduct of Life†. Christian Science Monitor. 16 March 1999: 24 CD-ROM. UMI- EBSCOhost. April. 1999 Madden, Lisa. â€Å"What Dangers Lurks Behind that Screen†. New Hampshire Business Review. 15 August 1999: 14 CD-ROM. UMI- EBSCOhost. April. 1999 Sources Cited Portelli, Christopher J. And Mead, Coralie W. â€Å"Censorship and the Internet - No Easy Answers.† Contemporary Women’s Issues. October 1998: 4-8 CD-ROM. UMI- EBSCOhost. April. 1999 Porterfield, Deborah. â€Å"Ask Parents Why They Want a Computer and You’ll Hear...† Gannett News Service. June 1997. CD-ROM. UMI- EBSCOhost. April. 1999 Rushkoff, Douglas. â€Å"Are ‘Screenagers’ Wiser Than Adults ?† USA Weekend. June 1999. 12

marketing Essay -- essays research papers

Race and Racism   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Race and racism have been around since mankind made its first steps on the planet and it has brought upon violence, submissiveness, cruelty, and sexism into the world. A great representation of these themes and issues was brought by LeRoi Jones, who wrote â€Å"The Dutchman†. The play itself is a great representation of the relationships of races in America during the 60’s and can even been connected to today’s society. The Dutchman mainly focuses on the black-white relationship but can also be drawn to other cultures and races. I, myself, can also relate to what LeRoi Jones wrote in one way or another. Being a different culture and not being accepted was the first faà §ade of America that I got to experience and even though things have changed for me, I do have resentful feelings because some things just do not seem to change. LeRoi Jones made that clear because he wrote a play that can be related to events that are still happening today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Dutchman is a fast paced play that makes an amazing transition from scene one to scene two. After doing some reading online, it has been said that the play actually resembles the version of the Adam and Eve story, where a white, insane, smart, and seducing woman prepares to kill a naà ¯ve black man. Clay and Lula are the main characters on the train and they engage in an intriguing and mind twisting display of word play. The play wants to steer the audience into a revolutionary thought process by proposing the idea of not being afraid, oppressed, and fighting back. The audience or readers feel stupid through the first act because Lula plays mind games and tries to bait Clay. LeRoi Jones did this on purpose because he wanted the audience to feel suspicious and stupid. He succeeds in this because Lula throws so much at the reader in act one that it’s almost impossible to even comprehend what she is saying. Clay is a twenty-year-old black man. Clay is a typical bourgeois black male and he seems to be very predictable that Lola is actually able to tell his history just by the way he acts and dresses. Clay is at first attracted to Lula who begins to flirt with him and invites herself to the party. But Clay is rather shocked by Lula because she is violent and racist. Even as she is behaving like that, he tries to keep his composure and maintain a certain ... ...se this play to educate others just by having someone else read this. I read this and did not understand the meaning first but this does apply to today’s society. LeRoi Jones wants underrepresented groups to be heard, especially when being pressured to conform or change by the dominant culture. I think America is great. It has given me an opportunity to start a new life after leaving the war in Bosnia. I did not know of many things that have happened here. The irony of it all is the cornerstone of the American history is freedom and equality. Yet, it’s so hard to think of everyone as equals. I just have a hard time grasping why things can not change. I come from Europe and things there are different. Yes, there is a lot of fighting, especially in my area of the world, but people appreciate each other more than they do here in America. It will be a long time before America changes but its going to be a long journey simply because there are still ignorant people out there who will pass that ignorance on to their future generations. In my opinion, America should not be called a nation yet because it’s not even united on a level that is more important than anything else in the world.

Health and Safety at Work Essay

Legislation that relates to general health and social care setting are the Health and Safety Act, The Management of Health and Safety Work Regulations, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH), Manual Handling Operations Regulations, The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR), Personal Protective Equipment Regulations (PPE). The main points of the health and safety policies and procedures identify significant risks in relations to the work place and work tasks, control the measures for hazards, the arrangements for reporting accidents or health problems, arrangements for first aid, fire and emergencies, who the key person is for health and safety matters which is usually the manager or the owners, also how health and safety is communicated in the workplace and the arrangement to protect others. The main health and safety responsibilities for a social care worker is to be responsible care from themselves and other peoples health and safety, to report to the employer any potential and actual risks, also to take part in health and safety training and to understand and comply with the health and safety instructions and procedures. The main health and safety points for a manager/employer is to provide a safe place to work, assess any risks and take action to reduce them also provide information, instructions, training and supervision to employees and also provide adequate welfare and first aid facilities. The main health and safety responsibilities of the individual/resident is to understand and comply with health and safety instructions and procedures and take reasonable care for their own and other peoples health and safety. Tasks that should be carried out that requires specialist training include the use of equipment which is usually given within weeks of starting the job and then gone over as a recap, first aid, medication training, assisting and moving, emergency procedures and food handling and preparation. Accessing additional support and information may include appointed person that is responsible for health and safety, the line manager, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Environmental Health Department. Hazard is the potential to cause harm or hurt yourself or others. Risk is the likelihood of harm occurring through and exposure to harm. A risk assessment is used to identify hazards, evaluating risks, taking precautions, reviewing risks and reporting and recording the outcomes. Reporting potential risks is done by recording findings on a risk assessment form and then communicating the findings immediately to the manager. You should report this immediately and when existing control measures are inadequate, when additional control measures are required and when there have been changes to the original risk assessment such as changes to working practices. Risk assessments can help by making the individual aware of the risks and the responsibilities employers and employees have and being used as the basis for safe working practices. Different types of accidents could include; * Falls * Burns and scalds * Slips and trips * Swallowing a hazardous substance Sudden illness may include; * Cardiac arrest * Difficulty breathing * Stroke * Hypoglycaemia/hyperglycaemia * Seizures * Loss of consciousness * Food poisoning Procedures to be followed if an accident or sudden illness should occur is recording and reporting of accidents or illness with full details, usually filled in on an accident form that can be found in the main office, registered person submitting the notification to CQC and HSE. It is important for emergency first aid tasks to be carried out by qualified first aiders to comply with health and safety legislation, to preserve life, to minimise the consequences of injury and illness and to treat injuries and illnesses effectively. Routes that infection can get into the body is blood circulation via an open cut or graze, digestive via eating or drinking something, respiratory by inhaling something and body fluids by not taking the correct precautions such as washing your hands. Ways in which our own health and hygiene might pose a risk to an individual or to others at work by causing serious infection, causing illness and fatalities. Majority of these can be caused by not wearing correct equipment such as gloves and aprons but some cannot be helped.

Smell a faint bit of smoke

Living room. A narrow hallway in the living room went to small winding Steps that took you to a great room on the second floor of the house, this is where my kids had their bedrooms. The house was surrounded with the most amazing yard. The white picket fence enclosed a grape arbor, as old as the house, and underneath the grapes there were two small rope swings attached to the arbor for my kids. Outside the fence was a large orchard filled with apples, pears and plums: and a lovely garden that I planted each summer with corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, blueberries and raspberries. I remember the day as if it were yesterday.We were getting ready for the long weekend, and my brother was coming down from Portland to celebrate my sisters birthday. The day started as a typical late summer morning. The sun was shining high in the sky, the birds were busy in the grapes and was busy in the kitchen. My son was in the large claw foot tub playing pirate ships with soap bars and my daugh ter was on the computer in the living room playing her favorite game. It was a lovely morning. With the warm breeze blowing through the open doors and windows I could smell a faint bit of smoke, but that was not unusual. Our house was tucked in between many mint farmers.They would harvest the mint in the late summer, then burn the fields afterwards for pest and weed control. In the kitchen I heard a car come down the gravel driveway honking loudly. It was too soon for my brother to arrive, so I went outside to see what was happening. Before even stopping he pointed at the roof and yelled, â€Å"Your house is on fire! † â€Å"Your house is on fire-get the hose! † popped into high gear and grabbed the garden hose, turned the faucet on the outside spigot and handed it to the stranger and went inside to grab my children. Once I new they were outside safer went back inside the house to call the fire department. New wasn't in eminent danger because the flames looked very sma ll from the ground and they were high above on the roof at the other end Of the house. After calling, I went back outside and realized more people had arrived. Many more, some offering help and others just staring. Could hear some of them say ‘Nathan a shame, this historic house is on fire. † That was when I felt my first twinge offer and anger at the same time. The fire department came after what seemed like a lifetime. They were so very positive, â€Å"Don't worry Miss, this can be stopped easily. Those reassuring words put me at ease.A stranger asked if would like to go down the street and use her phone to call anyone and let them know what was going on. She also offered up a t-shirt for my naked son. As I sat in this strange car, I felt as if time was going backwards. The clock tick-tock ever so slow. She took me back to my burning house to wait for my mom. As walked up towards the flames, my husband gave me the bad news that they couldn't stop the fire safely. One of the firemen had fallen, caught his leg in the narrow stairway and was injured so they made the determination of safety. My heart sunk back into my stomach.The fire chief started asking me where important things were in the house. As we spoke to him, he would describe the area to someone inside via handheld radios: â€Å"Photo Album, left window†, one yelled. â€Å"Purse, wallet, right window† another called out. And items were flying into the yard through the windows. The crew worked hard to save what they could for our family. They Were so brave to sacrifice through the smoke and heat. I stood there shaking and watching the fire grow bigger and bigger. Soon the beautiful summer day was surrounded by so much noise; people talking, owes going, emergency vehicles coming and going.And the stench had taken the beautiful smells of late summer morning and turned it into something that is etched in my brain for eternity. A smell of wet clothes, burning wire, smoldering woo d and melting plastic. A smell like no other. I watched the whole house burn to the ground. My biggest fear came to life right in front of me. Right in front of many people. The time didn't pass slow that afternoon, I finally sat down as the flames were starting to diminish, people were leaving and darkness was settling the fields around me. Not a tear came down my face that day. I was numb.I stood in the drive way and looked at the mess, wet wood, ashes, burnt mattress, my daughters rocking horse sideways charred in the back yard. At that moment, standing there, staring at the mess I realized we lost most of our belongings. Day to day things you don't think about, such as hairbrush, toothpaste, shoes, underwear, deodorant, dishes, bread, coffee, milk and snacks. I realized all my belongings, the material things were gone. I had lost everything in all the sparks that flew into once blue sky. But somehow, even though the flames took everything, had not lost what was truly important.

Independence day essay Essay

I take it as a honour to stand before you and say a few words on Indian Independence Day. It was today on 15th August that India woke up with Freedom way back in 1947 which is one of the biggest achievement for us. Who can forget that midnight of 15th August 1947 when Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru hoisted the Tri-coloured Indian Flag on Red Fort. Since that day we have got a great reason to celebrate this occasion every year with pride and honour. Independence Day in India is celebrated every year in each and every school with great spirits. Every school is decorated by keeping the theme Independence Day in mind. Flag Hoisting is done by our Principal who then speaks about few words on how we have to be thankful for this day and how we should follow the same path and philosophies of these great leaders. No one can ever forget how much it took to get independence for India, how much we lost and how much blood we shed? We definitely had lot to lose and we can never forget how much valuable gift Independence Day is for us from our ancestors who fought for the freedom and also from those almighty freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev, Chandrashekhar Azad, Rani Laxmibai, Lokmanya Tilak whose sacrifice can never be forgotten. When we watch movies inspired by stories of these National and historical figures, we get idea about how it would have been difficult to achieve freedom. The British ruled upon India for more than 400 years, and it was a period of chaos and injustice. Our treasures were looted and we were pushed to poverty and agony from all side. There was no safety for people within their homes as well as in neighborhoods and people thus lived in shadow of fear for each and every moment. But a handful of courageous men made it possible to stand in front of the big army of British and ask for freedom. Who can forget how the freedom movement shaped up in presence of great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi who followed the path of Ahimsa and inspired many people to walk on the same. No wonder he is been called the Father of the Nation with all respect. We look upon celebrating Independence Day every year and sing patriotic songs  to pay respect to the great national leaders without whom it wouldn’t have been possible for us to enjoy the spirit of Independence the way we do today. I salute to all the freedom fighters and national leaders who made it possible for us to enjoy and celebrate our independence. Thank You, Jai Hind! Vande Mataram

Compare and contrast plato and decsartes Essay

Descartes and Plato are two of the most influential thinkers within philosophy. The allegory of the cave and systematic doubt are also two of the most famous concepts within philosophy. Plato at the time of writing the cave allegory was trying to resist the growing influence of the Sophist philosophers who prioritised semantics and rhetoric over truth. 1 Descartes by introducing radical scepticism to philosophy was challenging traditional scholastic philosophy which had dominated the philosophy for many centuries. While both pieces of writing are separated by different ages of time and space, they share many  similarities as well as fundamental differences. This essay will attempt to compare and contrast these two bodies of work by firstly explaining what is Descartes’ systematic doubt and Plato’s Allegory of the cave before finally examining the similarities and differences between them in the final paragraph of analysis. Descartes in his first meditation introduces the concept of Radical doubt which similarly places suspicion on the senses and the appearance of things. This involves stripping away all one’s beliefs and preconceived notions in order to find the foundational bedrock of  knowledge in which all sciences could then grow2. Descartes begins his first meditation by casting doubt on all his beliefs, if a belief can be even slightly doubted it must be discarded. He wants to ‘reject as absolutely false anything in which I could imagine the least amount of doubt3’ this is called radical scepticism where all beliefs must be challenged. Through this experiment Descartes conceded that the physical senses are not to be trusted as they have deceived him before, this is known as sensory deception and this revelation forces him to  doubt any beliefs about the external world and knowledge that is gathered by the five senses. His examination also reveals that dreams states can be difficult to distinguish between waking life, this has happened before where he thought he was in bed but wasn’t. Henceforth one cannot truly know if they are awake observing reality or asleep enjoying a dream, this is known as the dream hypothesis. Descartes also uncovers the evil demon hypothesis whereby all external reality observed may be just an illusion that is perpetrated by an evil demon  seeking to deceive him, also there is the problem that all previous memories about oneself could simply just be imagination and not grounded in any reality. The system of radical doubt leads Descartes into murky territory where he cannot believe in the existence of anything at 1 JULIAS, ANNAS: INTRODUCTION TO PLATO’S REPUBLIC(NEW YORK, 1998)P. 252 2 JOHN, COTTINGHAM, DESCARTES: THE PHILOSOPHY OF MIND(LONDON, 1997) P. 21 3 JOHN CORRINGHAM, DESCARTES: MEDITATIONS ON FIRST PHILOSOPHY (NEW YORK, 2013) P. 33 all. This thankfully is changed when he discovers the cogito’ I think therefore I am’, his  starting point which saves him from uncertainty, allowing him to prove that he exists. In Plato’s allegory of the cave, there are prisoners who are locked up within the depths of a cave. All day long, they are situated in front of a wall and behind them is a fire which reflects shadows on the wall. Unbeknownst to the prisoners, there are puppeteers who use the firelight to reflect shadows of their puppets upon the wall while making noises ‘the truth would be literally nothing but the shadows’4. The prisoners are unaware of this illusion and mistakenly believe these shadows are real images. One day, a prisoner is released from his chains and allowed to walk freely about the cave. Although it is confusing for him to see the puppets and fire, he is forced to accept this clearer version of reality and eventually ascents through the cave, spending a day and night under the sun and the stars. As he becomes familiar with the world above, he realises the sun is the giver of light, how it casts shadows and how his prior life in the cave was an entire illusion. This newfound enlightenment Plato remarks will prevent him from ever returning to the life in cave, nor will his old inmates  believe him if he tried to free him, instead ‘they would put him to death5’ This intellectual awakening will cause the inmate to grasp the idea of good, the eternal form which will urge him to act ‘rationally in public or private life6’. Ultimately Plato suggests the inmate should return to his old friends and seek to help them. The cave analogy is concerned with the human condition and its’ lack of enlightenment7, for Plato the prisoners represent ordinary citizens who hold false beliefs (shadows), reality is dictated to them by their senses (appearance of things) allowing them to be easily manipulated8. Ignorance is then symbolised by darkness and the intellect and reason is symbolised by the light. The journey of the inmate from darkness to light is a metaphor for education which allows one to progress from the ignorance in the depths of the cave to the intellectual plains of the enlightened one in the outside world. The outer world symbolises true knowledge, the realisation of eternal forms while the cave again illustrates the world of appearance and false beliefs, Woozley writes ‘most men without knowing it live in this shadow world’9 4 PLATO. ALLEGORY OF THE CAVE. P. 74 5 IBID. P. 75 6 IBID. P. 75. 7 ANTHONY, WOOZLEY: PLATO’S REPUBLIC: A PHILOSOPHICAL COMMENTARY(LONDON, 1989)P206 8 JULIAS, ANNAS: INTRODUCTION TO PLATO’S REPUBLIC(NEW YORK, 1998)P254 The cave analogy and Descartes systematic doubt have much in common. Both are concerned with the illusory nature of the senses and external reality, for Plato people place too much emphasis on the senses, on the appearance of things as illustrated in by the shadows on the wall, this leads them to hold false beliefs and to be easily misled, only by entering the realm of thought can people free themselves by gaining knowledge and becoming enlightened. Descartes through the systematic doubt also maintains that external reality cannot be truly known; the sensory deception and evil demon hypothesis cast doubt on the authenticity of the outside world. Indeed the evil demon hypothesis is an almost identical scenario to that of the prisoners whose sensory perception is distorted by the shadow wielding puppeteers. Only through the mind or intellect can an individual overcome the illusory nature of the senses, it allows the prisoner to access the outside world to gain enlightenment and help his fellow inmates while for Descartes the mind by way of the cogito is the one thing  that cannot be doubted which through it allows him prove the existence of the outside world in his later meditations. The cave is an analogy which illustrates how people can possess false consciousness and how through reason and knowledge one can overcome this while systematic doubt is an instruction on how to discard false beliefs, the ascent through the cave into the intellectual world is the finishing point for Plato while the cogito for Descartes is a starting point for further investigation. The two authors also differ on the type of philosophy employed in their argument. Plato insists that after the ascent , the prisoner will experience the idea of the good ‘ the lord of light in the visible world, and the immediate source of reason and truth in the intellectual’10 the good then is the highest point of knowledge and represents Plato’s philosophy of perfect types or forms known as idealism, Descartes through highlighting the sensory, dream and demon hypothesis illustrates how the external world cannot be relied upon as a basis for true knowledge, but the cogito is a starting point, the attempt to find secure beliefs that allow a foundation for further knowledge to be rested upon  is known as Foundationalism which is credited to Descartes. In conclusion, both Descartes and Plato in their attempts to challenge the prevailing doctrine of their respective times introduced two of the most influential concepts in the world of Philosophy. Descartes through his examination of systematic doubt uncovers the limitations of the physical senses in acquiring knowledge and introduces further challenges to understanding external reality with the dream, memory and evil demon hypothesis. Only 9 ANTHONY, WOOZLEY: PLATO’S REPUBLIC: A PHILOSOPHICAL COMMENTARY(LONDON, 1989)P. 223 10 PLATO. ALLEGORY OF THE CAVE. P. 77  through the mind alone can one grasp the nature of reality starting with the cogito. Likewise Plato is concerned with the appearance of things, how the senses can deceive us and humanity like the inmates in the cave can live in a state of ignorance or darkness if they don’t use the power of the mind to acquire knowledge and reason. Only through using the intellect can humanity gather true knowledge and escape the darkness in the cave. For both the intellect is the only means for gathering true knowledge, the senses are illusory. Descartes systematic doubt and cogito provide the foundational starting point for the sciences while the  cave allegory offers advocates a way of life for humanity to feign the world of ignorance and seek true knowledge so that those who acquire it will return to the cave and help their fellow man. Works Cited: Annas, Julias. An Introduction to Plato’s’ Republic. New York: Oxford University Press Cottingham, John. Descartes: Meditations on First Philosophy. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2013 Cottingham, John. Ed. Ray Monk. Descartes’ Philosophy of Mind. London: Phoenix Publishers, 1997 Plato. The Allegory of the cave. Week 5 Handout Woozley, Anthony. Plato’s Republic: A philosophical commentary. London: MacMillan Publishers, 1989.

Capitol Budgeting Long Term Financing Assignment

Capitol Budgeting Long Term Financing - Assignment Example Capital assets receive attention because they commit a firm for long term. These capital assets are commitment of over a year and sometimes for decades for instance, real estate. Economically, the resources being scarce and competitive in nature, there would be wrong allocation of such resources at the wrong time or on a non rewording asset. Assets acquisition analysis According to (Baker, & Powell, 2005) any company will invest finance for the sake of gaining a return which is useful for four focal reasons: 1. To recompense the shareholders or owners of the enterprise for staking their money and by sacrificing their current purchasing power for the sake of current and future cash flow 2. To reward lenders by paying them regular return on their money borrowed in the form of interest and principal repayment as and when it falls due. 3. To be able to plough back retain part of their earnings for the purpose which facilitates not only the companies’ short term growth and long ter m growth but also has the implication of increasing the size of the company in terms of sales, in assets as well as shareholders wealth. 4. To increase the share prices and thus the credibility and goodwill of the company and its capability to raise further finance. Such return is necessary to keep the company’s operations moving straightforwardly and efficiently thus allowing the above objective to be accomplished. A financial manager and decision makers must present investment policies which will be concerned with how efficiently the company’s funds are invested because it is from such investment that the company will survive. The investments are important because: They influence company’s size, Influence growth Influence company’s risks In addition, to this investment decision making process which is also known as capital budgeting, involves the decision to invest the company’s current funds in viable ventures whose returns will be realized for long term periods in future. Capital budgeting as financial planning is characterized by the following: a. Decisions of this nature are long term i.e. extending beyond one year in which case they are also expected to generate returns of long term in nature. b. Investment is usually heavy (heavy capital injection) and as such has to be properly planned. c. These decisions are irreversible and any mistake may cause the company heavy losses. Importance of Investment Decisions 1) Such decisions are importance because they will influence the company’s size (fixed assets, sales, and retained earnings). 2) They increase the value of the company’s shares and thus its credibility. 3) The fact that they are irreversible means that they have to be made carefully to avoid any mistake which can lead to the failure of such investment. 4) Due to heavy capital outlay, more attention is required to avoid loss of huge sums of money which in the extreme may lead to the closure of such a company. However, these decisions are influenced by: I. Political factors – Under conditions of political uncertainty, such decisions cannot be made as it will entail an element of risk of failure of such investment. Thus political certainty has to be analyzed before such decisions are made, such factors must be taken into account such that the company forecasts the inflows and outflows within given. Limitations such as the

Dance assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Dance assignment - Essay Example He uses such common terms as â€Å"Yankee† to refer to Americans. This portrays the use of slang in the society at the time, a feature that has persisted to date as well. He describes New York as an ideal society where he once had fan especially at the junction of Broadway and 42nd. The intersection was a famous entertainment hub and a social center for the time. The use of ships as the main means of transport at the time makes the song antique thereby succeeding in placing it strategically in the time (Carter 67). Robert Louis "Bob" Fosse was yet another successful choreographer who influenced the development of the art not only in America but also internationally. He was an innovative and the most successful choreographer of the time. He for example won eight Tony Awards for choreography, an unprecedented achievement at the time. Key among his innovations was Redhead in which he fuses more than five dances to come up with a unique piece. The five included a ballet sequence, a gypsy dance and a cancan among other popular moves of the time. Infusing the more than five dance styles is a complicated process that requires dancers to adopt varying positions at various times during the dance. Dancers move sequentially and in rhythmic patterns. At other times, they move freely as they cover the stage space only to pair up once again. They change to sequential slow moves making twists and turns with their bodies depending with the varying crescendos of the song (Beddow 91). Bob Fosse did not only rep resent the life in the American society at the time but also influenced the cultural norms. His creations were both artistic and innovative. He, therefore, portrays the United States as a liberal society, one that fosters innovations. Bob Fosse and George M. Cohan are two distinct individuals who lived in different times. The differences in the social structure influence the differences in the works of the two. They

Discuss an Opera of Mozart Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Discuss an Opera of Mozart - Essay Example In the coda, he ends it abruptly and immediately goes into the first act. Mozart wrote for all audiences at different levels. The multiple levels are in his music, his storyline and his use of different themes. The overture shows us that Mozart conformed to form but didn't conform to style. The purpose of this paper will be to show how he used the roles of the three women to show that he didn't conform to musical style and social standards. In the beginning of the first act, Don Oliviera sees Don Giovanni leaving Donna Anna's quarters. They are singing an aria in duet. It soon becomes a trio as she is saying how Don Giovanni has scorned her. When he argues with her father, they sing a duet in a passionate tenor voice before the father dies. In order to have full understanding of the women's roles, it is necessary to understand the social context of women in the 18 century. In Kristi Brown's Mozart's Women, she compared Donna Anna to a misfortunate Spanish maiden. It was very common f or composers to take the style of where they were living at the time; and write in that genre of music. Donna Anna was a daughter who was to be married. The role was sung by a soprano. Her voice showed her grief finding herself in mourning due to the death of her father. When Don Giovanni left, we hear the first recitavo with the harpsichord. (voices singing to each other as they talk) This is from the Baroque Era. The stone statue invited for dinner in the last scene was part of folk mythology of Don Juan (Donington 446). To return to Mozart's Woman, Brown never once considered the social context whereas Mozart was writing an Italian opera only using the setting and subject matter of "Don Juan" with the 18th century interpretation. It is the purpose of this paper to show how Mozart communicated his values and judgments. For some, it still remained an opera buffa which was the style of the period (Grout 517). It was a light hearted opera which made the audience laugh and also sell t ickets. Mozart used his music and symbolism on stage to go beyond the opera buffa. Don Giovanni, a opera in two acts, was composed by Mozart and first performed in Prague in 1787. (Mendelsohn 55) As a common style of writing, Mozart could only use the opera buffa to show how women were treated in the 18th century. Though Mozart considered Don Giovanni as an opera buffa at the time, his librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte called an opera giocosco. (Fischer, 167) The Opera was placed in Seville in the 18th century (Mendelsohn 55) Mozart's Don Giovanni was controversial. At the time, the theme was thought to be too serious to be considered a "funny" opera". People usually did not die nor were audiences frightened by stoned statues. Mozart used his three women characters in order to mix the reality of their existence with the storytelling of Don Juan. Don Giovanni was killed. The father became the stone statue. The women became the protagonists. Gounoud wrote in the 19th century that Don Giovan ni was an "apogee of the lyrical drama, a wondrous example of truth, beauty of form, appropriateness of characterization, deep insight into the drama, purity of style, †¦.charm and tenderness in the love passages, and power in pathos." (Krehbiel 69) Don Giovanni "can be viewed as an archetype of every man or woman's alter ego, a man who faces that eternal conflict of the tension, desire and craving for love, and the struggle between emotion and reason, the spirit and the

Assessing organizational culture Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Assessing organizational culture - Case Study Example ike communication in general, organizational communication represents a more complex phenomenon as it entails the integration of two unique concepts, â€Å"organization† and â€Å"communication†. In light of this, it is prudent for scholars to understand aspects relating to both concepts separately, and in turn find the intersection points of the two. Initially, individual’s conceptualization of organization communication centred on production of messages; however, this has now changed with research showing the importance of developing literacy within this domain. Literacy has and continues to broaden people’s perspectives with regard to organization communication, as they begin to appreciate the variety of ways they can approach, examine and understand communication (Cheney et al., 2010). Champoux (1996) identifies six key functions of organization communication, which include information sharing, emotion, feedback, persuasion, innovation and integration to coordinate various functions. Through effective channels of communication at the workplace, different parties are able to share information, which facilitates planning and the execution of tasks with the sole aim of achieving both individual and organizational goals. In addition, effective communication channels serve as a tool for parties to communicate their e motions; for example, top management can these channels to communicate their displeasure/ dissatisfaction with employees’ performance. They also serve as a feedback tool whereby, recipients are able to respond to the senders’ messages; therefore, give their input on specific matters. Finally, effective communication channels permit the integration of various functions within the organization. Departmentalization exists even in organizations with the simplest organization structure. As such, effective channels of communication enable the coordination of functions, which are specific to each department. Cheney et al. (2010) argue that literacy in

Disneyland Hong Kong Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Disneyland Hong Kong - Essay Example It helps the company to enrich its corporate values. Greater socialization allows the company to evaluate the cultural and traditional aspects and social preferences of a country, which helps the organization to innovate new services that would best suit the taste of the target consumers (Flamholtz and Randle, 2011). Disney on international forum The paper takes a look into the process in which the company has handled the cultural differences experienced by Disney in its course of expansion into the oriental world. Disney is an iconic symbol of entertainment amalgamating the western and the eastern culture through a highly innovative and customer oriented business strategy. The American cultural experience has been recreated in the Asian countries, and has become a controversial as well as hugely profitable model in Japan and Hong Kong. Although the company had not faced great success on opening the first theme park in Europe, in 1992, in the capital city of France, by 2003, Disneyla nd Paris had gained enough attention and has become a thriving business joint for the company (Aaker and Mcloughlin, 2010; Porter and Prince, 2007). More recently, The Walt Disney Company is taking an initiative to open a new theme park in India. The features of the Indian market are diverse which calls for a detailed study on the successes and hardships faced by the company in its previous ventures. Company background The Disneyland Park is a theme park originally based in America and embodying and representing the American culture. The company had made a humble beginning in 1923 with the Disney brothers, Walter Elias Disney and Roy Disney, starting the... It is present in different countries and is rated as one of the best elements in the global entertainment industry. Since 1955, The Walt Disney Company has set up different theme parks in the USA, France and in the Asian countries. All through these years the company has faced various hurdles and has achieved success by way of adjusting with the existing cultural background of the host countries and has made numerous adaptations in its own corporate culture. Disney has the potential to deliver such experiences that can go far ahead of the pleasure of watching cartoons. It aims at providing its visitors with an experience that is free from the hassle of the world outside the Disneyland. The company can make it possible due to its immense brand power and unmatched flexibility in the model of corporate culture that it follows. The parks have created a consumption culture that celebrates the middle-class virtues. This would help the park to find a booming market in the Indian sub-continent. Since India is a developing country, this process of business development would be beneficial for its expansion in India. Besides, India is a country with diverse geographical backgrounds, traditions and religions. Disney utilizes various strategies to make promotions of its services aiming the target groups and to design the theme of the localized theme parks in this country. A significant dissimilarity can be found between the cultures in the East and t he West. This is the root cause behind the diversity is the mentality of the tourists visiting the theme parks. Besides, the cultural elements present in these parks are different which might affect the response of the customers.

Persuasive speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Persuasive speech - Essay Example This is indeed true because beauty within any person is difficult to judge since it is hidden deep down inside. On the same token, I believe that beauty could be judged by this person’s actions, behaviors and talks. He or she could be written off as an ugly person if he or she does not know how to talk to people, how to interact with them and how to be considerate towards their issues. Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to suggest that beauty must not be looked inside people with an exterior eye alone. It needs to be based on past events, present understanding of matters and how things would shape up within the future. Beauty comprises of all these tangents to be called as beauty in essence. I would like to end my speech by making a point here. Beauty of face and body could vanish with the changing times but it is the inner charisma known as innate value system of which beauty is just a single part that never leaves an individual alone. Beauty is indeed more than skin deep. I would like to thank each one of you present in this august

Call to Action Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Call to Action - Essay Example porating communities, public and private sectors as well as families aimed at changing the negative notion about illness and obesity to a positive one peddled by alteration of national conversation with particular focus being healthy and fitness. The identified news article is the Public Health report Journal published in July-August 2010. It is traced from the PMC (PMC2882598) regarded as US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. The report has been a vocal tool based on call to action proactive strategy. The initiative assigned specific roles to different institution and individuals. It is inspired by the need to reduce overweight and obesity based on promotion of exercise across the board. The ‘Exercise Medicine Initiative’ being a multinational and multi-organizational, is embedded on promotion of physical activities as the pillars upon which treatment and prevention of obesity and overweight are pegged. It culminated into immediate exercised-based actions spearheaded by close interactions amongst clinicians and patients. The report culminated into beneficial linkages between fitness professionals, the public and clinicians presenting avenues for instructions aimed at ensuring active and healthy individuals. Actions thus emerged to proactively advocate for exercise as the new medicine for obesity. With respect to communities, schools and workplaces, physical activities have been promoted to ensure well-being and increased health stocks. Besides, policy makers have also refocused on physical fitness-attached policies (Kazaks, 2013, p.122). This has also extended to clinicians as well as fitness professionals who have been subsequently incorporated exercise in their interaction with patients and clients. Media has remained the centerpiece in mobilizing the public to be educated and empowered via physical exercise consultations and counselling. Websites have been developed to sensitize people and patients on the pros attached to this

An EVil Cradling - Rape Commentary Essay Example for Free

An EVil Cradling Rape Commentary Essay This passage from Brian Keenans An Evil Cradling describes in first person narrative the scene when Said beats Brian in a manner analogous to a rape. This event gives us an insight into the guards weaknesses and their dependency on the hostages, making them in a paradoxical way- the actual prisoners. On the other hand, Brians and Johns defiance and mutual support suggest the rising determination which gives them control over the guards. Throughout this passage, the author demonstrates us that mental resistance is more powerful than any physical abuse, and Brian even states that the later feeds the first. The narrator claims that There was a part of me they could never bind nor abuse nor take from me. This suggests that physical maltreatment will never be able to reach into peoples minds, because mental strength cannot be bent. Brian also discovers that his resistance was a joyful thing and that the more he was beaten the stronger he became. However, the narrator makes it clear that it was not strength of the arm, nor of body but a huge determination never to give in to these men. This shows that physical exploitation and abuse humiliates their body, but at the same time it empowers intellectual strength and might. The limitations of the beatings are further emphasised in the quotations the blows and the bruises and the kicks hurt me but I felt no pain and I did not fear him. These suggest that the expected effects of the beatings like pain and fear, which could have been used as weapons against the prisoners, were no longer applicable for Brian and John. In this way, the hostages possess the ultimate power, the psychological one which gives them control over the guards making them their slaves. In the course of this passage is suggested that Said is sexually repressed by his religion and so in an attempt to relieve this he beats prisoners in a sexually excited manner. The narrator describes him as a violent lover and his abuse of my body a kind of rape. A lover implies a need for love and possibly sex. However, the guards strict religious views try to inhibit these natural feelings, and as the women in Lebanon are forbidden from having relationships with men before they are married, many men might find themselves in a controversial situation. To shows their masculinity, they turn into violent lovers and try to prove their power by physically subduing others. Brians summary of Said as a man so filled with fear and fascinated by violence and obsessed with sex seems to confirm this point. The guards are fearful and confused because of their repressed emotions that cause them frustration and anger. This explains their sudden changes in behaviour that occur throughout the novel from being caring and innocent into beating and humiliating the prisoners. Said is illustrated by the narrator as a wild and repugnant, almost animal-like person. While beating the prisoners the guard is silent and never talks to them. This implies his savagery, almost as if he lost his ability to speak, which makes him similar to an animal. The fact that he comes by night, shows that he wants to remain hidden from the view this further emphasising his feral inclinations during these moments. Brian gives a detailed account about Saids smell which was a mixture of sweat, strong sweetness and garlic, all of these combining into a violent aroma, which filled the room. These physical portrayals of his scent convey the feeling of disgust and loathing that Brian felt for the duration of this mental rape. The extract I sniffed the air like an animal suggests that something savage and inhuman happened, that Saids assault was beyond the boundaries of a humane deed. On the other hand, we have Brian and John whos humane gestures are highlighted by Saids savage behaviour. Initially Brian claims that he felt an elemental rage and he imagines the pleasure that he would gain from castrating Said. However, after a short while they both laughed together and the moment of violence became meaningless. This suggests that humour gives them sufficient strength to overcome their frustrations and unlike the guards they dont have to turn into violence to relieve their disturbances. After the fierce scene, the two whispered soft words of comfort and reassurance to each other. This emphasises the power of love, friendship, mutual support and provides a more positive and emotional sight after the violent event of the rape. Throughout the novel the hostages and the guards try to overcome their own fears, doubts and frustrations. This passage from the chapter Rape illustrates the ways in which they attempt to do so. Brian and John conquer these negative feelings by supporting, loving and laughing with each other. However, the confined fanatical views of the guards dont allow them to do so, so they seek control and relief by physically abusing others. In spite of this it seems that the psychological defiance of the hostages is a more powerful weapon than the beatings of the guards and so the ones that are somewhat in control in the prison are not the sentry, but the prisoners themselves. In this way, the author nicely concludes that humane and caring behaviour will triumph over brutality and violence.

Christian University Essay Example for Free

Christian University Essay This essay is a review of the book Shiloh- In Hell Before Night written by James Lee McDonough. James Lee McDonough was born on June 17, 1934 in Nashville, Tennessee. It is here that he spent his childhood. Regarding his education, the author attended Lipscomb High School. He received his higher education at David Lipscomb College where he attained a BA degree in 1956. He later went to M. A Abilene Christian University where he attained an M. A degree in 1961. The author received his PhD from the Florida State University in 1966. He was to be appointed as a Professor of History, a post he held in Lipscomb, Pepperdine and Auburn universities. Currently, he is a retired professor of history at Auburn University. The author was lauded by the Army for his role in furthering knowledge in military history and has received many accolades for his efforts in military history scholarship . Besides Shiloh- in Hell before Night, the author has written many other books. These include Chattanooga – Death Grip on the Confederacy, Five Tragic Hours; Stones River- Bloody Winter in Tennessee, Nashville; The Western Confederacy’s Final Gamble and War in Kentucky: from Shiloh to Perryville. His other books which are still in print include Sky Riders; History of the 327/401 Glider Infantry, ‘War so terrible’: Sherman and Atlanta and The Battle of Franklin. Moreover, he has written more than 30 articles, and reviewed close to seventy books . Shiloh- in Hell before Night was published by the University of Tennessee Press in 1977. At the time of writing the book, the author was a scholar at the David Lipscomb College in Nashville, Tennessee where he was a history professor. Having attained all the academic qualifications mentioned, he was well qualified to write the book. In this book, the author has used both primary and secondary sources. He makes great use of primary sources when he lets the participants in the war narrate their experiences. Among the primary sources which the author has utilized include recollections, letters and personal diaries of the combatants. For instance, the personal diaries of Thomas Lovemore, Samuel Watkins, Clarence Buell, William Tecumseh Sherman, R. F Learned and Braxton Bragg are utilized. Regarding secondary sources, the author cites writers who have made contributions on related subjects such as D. W. Reed, Shellby Footes, Lloyd Lewis and John Duke. He also cites magazine articles such as the Richmond enquirer, Chicago Times, and New Orleans Daily Picayune. Other secondary sources which the author has made use of include personal diaries, letters and official records. This book is an attempt by the author to provide an overview of the battle of Shiloh. This battle took place in 1862 at Shiloh near the border between Tennessee and Mississippi and was a defining moment in America’s Civil War. The action begun in February 1862 when the Union Army pushed the Confederate Army, which was led by General Albert Johnston at that time, compelling them to surrender most of Tennessee. Major General Ulysses Grant was the commander of the Union Army and come spring, he assembled a 40,000 strong force close to Pittsburg Landing just next to the Tennessee River. The intention of the Union Army was to attack the rail intersection of Corinth, Mississippi, which was an important infrastructural facility. Before they could attack however, they were ambushed by the Confederates who attacked them when they were close to the Shiloh Church. This event occurred on April 6th, 1862. The total number of Confederate troops who made the march were no less than 44, 000 and were led by Johnston and General P. G. T Beauregard. As the author writes, the element of surprise worked well for the Confederates as they were able to repulse the Union Army’s right flank by one and a half kilometer after battling for three hours. However, the Union Army withstood the assault and its left flank remained largely unmoved. The area of action where the Union forces withstood the confederate attack was called the ‘Hornet’s Nest’. By late evening, Johnston lay dead, having been injured on the leg. Beauregard assumed control of the Confederate Army upon the death of Johnston and called off the action later in the day. The Union Army got reinforcements later during the night. The reinforcements were led by Major General Don Carlos Buell and Lew Wallace. Beauregard turned down pleas by General Nathan Bedford Forrest that the Confederates attack when he saw the arrival of the reinforcement. With the reinforcements, the Union Army was able to repulse the Confederates and Beauregard surrendered before evening and retreated to Corinth. The battle of Shiloh was costly as it led to the deaths of more than 23,000 people. This book is important as it was the first scholarly attempt at describing the battle of Shiloh. It redefined the way people viewed the battle, what with its treatment of aspects deemed to be controversial. In a major departure from the prevailing thoughts, the author asserted that the death of Johnston did not in any way influence the outcomes of the battle. Additionally, he avers that there was no respite whatsoever following this death. Another major assertion which the author makes is that Beauregard’s decision to halt the attack was the right one and that, contrary to the dominant thought; the Confederates did not have any real opportunity on the evening of April 6th. What’s more, the author posits that the arrival of the reinforcements led by Buell did not have any noticeable impact on the outcome of battle on the first day. The author also asserts that the main activity of the entire battle was the conflict at Hornet’s Nest. He avers that Grant was able to erect the last line of defense at Pittsburg Landing primarily because the Sunken Road was able to withstand the Confederate offensive. The author does not stop there as he holds Braxton Bragg responsible for the Confederates’ inability to pry open the Hornet’s Nest. This, as he explains, was occasioned by Bragg’s inability to assemble the 18,000 troops required to mount the offensive. The purpose of the author is to provide an accurate, irrefutable and personalized rendition of the battle of Shiloh. Through this book, he hopes to give the reader an overview of the events preceding and occurring during, and immediately after the 48 hour battle. By and large, it can be said that the author achieved this purpose. He wades through the occurrences, giving reasonable explanations which rationalize such controversial questions as what made the Union Army to be ambushed in surprise. The author also provides judgment on whether Beauregard exercised judicial restraint when he halted the battle on the first day. He gives us sneak previews on what went into the preparations of both sides, discuses the personalities and experiences of the generals and shows us what was done wrong. The author also delves into the role of the Confederate and Union generals, assessing the various command decisions and returning judgment on the leadership ability. Through all these, he achieves his purpose as the reader is able to understand what happened, why it happened, when it happened, where it happened and most importantly, how it happened.