Hypothesis Supply Chain Management in Today’s Business Climate

Gathering and distributing information is as old as the human race itself. From the early days of cave paintings to today†s modern computer databases, human being has constantly searched to improve the way we communicate. In the business climate of today you must either have a state of the art information network or no clients. The cutthroat world of bushiness is cruel if your company can not keep up with the cutting edge technology. The way to beat the competition is to have the most state of the art information gathering and distribution network. Having this type of network is not the only battle, being able to use this system properly comes in handy as well. This paper is a walk through of information technology as it relates Supply Chain Management. Along this journey stops in the past, present, and future are made. Hypothesis Supply Chain Management in today†s business climate is the wave of the future. The gathering and distribution of information is the most important task in business today. History of Information Technology The evolution of Information Technology starts from the inception of the human communication. The real leaps and bounds came at the birth of the computer. Previously gathering of information took place without the use of real technology. Granted the use of writing letters and the use of telephone and telegraph speed the flow of information. These early forms did not have great storage capacity or easy access by many parties. The best analogy to use is a row of matches all lined up end to end. Traveling from one end to the other is the way the precomputer days had information flowing. With the use of a computer as a distribution point the picture of the matches changes from the line to a circle, with the distributor in the middle reaching all concerned groups at the same time. This visual perception shows the need for Supply Chain Management. The reason for Supply Chain Management is to make money. The easiest way to do so is to save time and space. The quick distribution of information does both. Information technology was first used as just a simple and efficient way of giving information out within the company. The main reason that these first uses were so simple is that the computer was also in its developmental stages. (Gordon, 1996) The painful fact was as much as companies wanted to more utilize the technology at hand it was expensive and consumed rooms full of space. With the later development of the desktop workstation corporations were better able to put the information at the fingertips of all their employees. This giant leap in both computer technology and information technology paved the way for some of the Supply chain†s current uses. The previous uses where to gather information from satellite sites throughout the company's domain and bring this information back to a central processing point. Examples of the types of information transferred are employee and supplier records, inventories, and sales figures for the branch. This one way flow of information was the old school of thinking when it comes to the science of information management. Supply Chain Management says that you have your information flowing in more than one direction to work. Specific hardware changes that helped boost the importance of Supply Chain Management are the shrinking of both the size and cost of each computer. The reduced size of memory chips made for the easy shrinkage of the computer due to the large portion of space that this component takes up. Other hardware improvements include the reduced size of the tubes in the monitor making them less like the floor console televisions of old. Along with all of these improvements another strange thing happened, the price went down, as new technology became available. The use of the computer to distribute and gather information became affordable to all companies great and small. Increased storage capacity allowed companies to gather and hold more information at their fingertips. (Davidow, 1996) The other changes in Supply Management came in software development. The increased power of computers led software designers to actually create programs like databases and spreadsheets. The ease of use and organized storage of information made new programs appealing to the business world. The need to store and distribute information became the market niche for companies like Lotus, JD Edwards and Computer Associates. Addressing concerns such as security and accesses were two points of emphasis for corporate software buyers. The big hurdle to cross was not how to just gather information within your own organization but to also explore outside those boarders to gain more cost and time savings with suppliers and customers. The tool that answered this call was the development of the Internet and the World Wide Web. This network of computers combined with the new hardware allows for the communication of information around the world in seconds. The other thing the Internet brings to the table is information that any one could access even from the privacy of their homes. The important change here is now you can reach potential suppliers and customers very inexpensively. Remember that information is not just for company employees, but the consumer who likes to make informed purchases. Enhancement of networks and systems allows your suppliers to solicit you to meet your need. This is different from the old style in which you contact the vendor with a need. With all the legwork being done to provide your company it†s supply†s you can concentrate on giving the customer what they want. All this is possible from properly managing your Supply Chain (Ross et al. , 1996). Current Supply Chain Applications Companies use Supply Chains in many different ways that suit their business needs. A company like Mrs. Fields cookies uses its Supply Chain resources to gain valuable information about each of its branch stores material needs. Along with this flow of information to central spot, the company provides direction and guidance back to the store managers from afar. By evaluating sales and inventory data district mangers make recommendations as to sales improvements and continued growth. Projections on material usage and personnel decisions and scheduling are handled from a central point. Companies like Microsoft use information technology to direct a global customer base and handle questions and concerns surrounding their product. Microsoft customer service representatives handle hundreds of electronic messages sent via the Internet about the customer†s latest purchase. Other uses include companies like Martian Marietta who use information gathering through the internet and suppliers to bid lower on contracts. The company does this by sending out specs of the project and letting teams of manufacturing employees† design to way to build the product. All the product requirements go to the suppliers for quotes and delivery schedules. From there the information goes back to the sales force who puts a dollar figure to the bid. This information exchange takes usually less than one week while leading competitors take over months. The reason other take so long is because of the face to face meetings and data organization time. Martin Marietta†s quick turn time does more than allow the sales force to bid on many contracts but allows for very accurate price quotes as well. Today many companies use the Supply Chain in different ways to suit their own needs. The basic principals are still the same, gain information and mold it while cutting down on the time it takes to get material and distribute the product to the customer. Gordon, 1996) One of the major tools used today is the Internet. Firms throughout the world use this global communication medium. The biggest importance to companies is keeping them in touch with the doings of other similar companies around the world. Uses of the Internet include soliciting potential customers as well as finding out what the competition is doing. This inexpensive form of advertising has become a favorite for marketing directors of all firms. This new medium allows for the connection to previously unreachable markets. Some companies like Amazon Books are a virtual company using the Internet as its headquarters. What Amazon does is sell books, but instead of being located in the local mall their location is Amazon. om on the Internet. This is an example of a true virtual Supply Chain, by reaching customers and suppliers alike with out actually being there. To place an order all that is requires is to gain access to the virtual store and then find what book you are looking for. The book arrives at your door by any number of package carriers, with a savings of 15 % or greater over a local bookstore. The reason prices are so cheap is there are no locations to lease and few employees run a store that services literally millions of customers from one location. Importance of Information In today†s global economy the transfer of a company's information is a daunting task. The role of a CIO in today†s large companies is more important than ever. Some companies have given the CIO equal ranking to that of the CEO. The current structure of the economy dictates that a company must be able to manage its information and Supply Chain assets. The most important part of any organization is the people. Tapping the information that is available is the task of the CIO. The job of knowledge management falls as the responsibility of all employees, though the majority of the burden lies on the CIO. Guiding and directing the Information assets of the company is also a task of the CIO. Falling behind competitors is a dangerous proposition, utilizing all of your employees and suppliers is the only way to gain new information and stay one step ahead of the competition. (Davenport, 1996) Other current IT considerations include the cutting down on time and space between customer needs and the companies answer to those needs. A prime example is the American auto industry. In the 1970†³s the turn time for a concept car to make the production line was any where between three and five years. Now though the use of the Supply Chain automakers converse with what the customer wants then relays the information to the design team then to purchasing then finally on to the production team to complete the build. The current turn time is around 18 months. This is a time reduction of over 50%; the cost savings are tremendous. The implementation process takes less time and the customer gets more input to the final product. These are the ideal benefits of Supply Chain Management at work for you. Some companies have even passed some of the money they are saving back to the customer. (Gerkits, 1997) Asian companies have a great idea that relates to information technology and the Supply Chain. This idea is that they share information between competitors not just with suppliers and customers. The reason that they do this is to cut down on research and development costs. The Information Technology has endless possibilities in this field, a general storage position that is accessible by all parties. The idea is that you dump information into the pool and you pull out information that is beneficial to your organization. As the information resides in a database, a person has the opportunity to mold that knowledge and redeposit the information in the knowledge warehouse thus, synergy results. This above process allows for two plus two too equal 5 or more. This information sharing is a fairly new concept to American companies and especially new in the world of Supply Chain Management. The possibilities are endless provided that you control the flow of information and every participant is an equal benefactor. Rasmus, 1996) This sharing of in formation leads to the major concern of Supply Chain Management as it progresses into the next century. That is the issue of security, and how to control that sensitive information does not fall in to the wrong hands. Conceivably your company's information assets, the people, could sell your in formation to others on the world market. The business espionage game has become big money; companies will pay any price to get an edge. This scenario looks less likely with increased sharing of information. Security remains a real concern with the internal access to information. The problem comes when your supplier has permissions to your database and uses this information to unfairly compete with your customers. With all employees having new information at their fingertips how do you prevent retrieval of personnel files and trade secrets to those who do not have the need to know? The answer is in many of today†s current software packages; the main stream idea is to limit access. What a company can do is install the information transfer programs but only allow certain sections to certain people. This variety of system is very popular with today†s companies because it solves the problem and is very inexpensive. Remember that anyone who wants to crack your security system can if they spend the right amount of money and time. (Gopal and Gagon, 1995) Current Company Values Due to recent large jumps in the value of the Stockmarket some analysts have thrown out the theory that companies are over valued. This statement may be true under the old accounting principles where a company's worth is the amount of liquid assets it holds. With the increased emphasis on information technology and Supply Chain Management companies are being looked at in a new light, this light is that people are information assets. This notion makes it rather difficult to put a price on a company. People are now assets on a balance sheet because they can transfer information and add to existing information. The best way to picture this is that every employee has a nugget of information to give to each company. Each employee drops their nugget in the database with the others, but instead of forgetting it they are able to extract back out information. They take a look at all of the nuggets and add to them pool creating a new nugget. From the new knowledge someone else gains a new insight and then adds this information to the pool. This type of relationship is what makes the employees so valuable to your company and to those companies of your suppliers and customers. This is the best reason why the Stockmarket has set record highs in recent years. Investors know there is an X dimension to a company that does not show up on a balance sheet (Drucker, 1995). Future Implications of Supply Chain Management One of the changes that may occur is that employees could work at more than one place imparting information that they gain from other experiences. This takes consulting one step farther and hires workers out to the highest bidder. Imagine sitting at home working for Pepsi and Coke at their same time developing new manufacturing techniques. The reason you could do this is because of telecommuting and one company does not necessarily know that you work for the other. There is nothing wrong with collecting two salaries for the same amount of knowledge. The value placed on the information that people gather and distribute will increase for the future. The most important business task done today is to collect and distribute information for your company that was gathered from your suppliers and customers. Some other new ideas are to follow in Amazon. com†s footsteps and become a virtual storefront on the Internet. Some companies now use the Internet to control the total logistics of their operation from ordering to customer distribution. With the increased processing of information the customer has the ease of staying at home to make purchases. The new technology of the future brings so much more information to the table than in the past, with this increased amount of information people can make more informed choices in both purchasing and delivery (Coull and Rothman, 1993). Drawbacks of Supply Chain Management With information technology providing today†s managers with literally thousands of pieces of information on one topic how do they still make the right choice? The final decision on a problem or project rests in the hands of the same person it did before all this information was so readily available. The problem is too much information. This problem leads to thinking too long about a project and the window of opportunity closes before your company has time to react. The decision-makers of the company have to sort vast amounts of information sifting through to find the pieces that are most useful to them. Information overload is a very real problem with larger supplier and customer databases. The manager still makes the call, right or wrong on a decision. Hopefully they possess more information than in the past. One of the other problems with the Supply Chain is that when first put on the market it promised to reduce the number of workers there by increasing productivity. The problem is that Supply Chain Management has only displaced jobs and no real productivity gains show up in most sectors of the economy (Attewell, 1996). Other hindrances to Supply Chain Management include less face to face interaction. This is a problem mostly on a sales side of the house. Companies are now on a Just In Time delivery system that brings their goods to the factories when they are ready to use them. The ordering process for this system uses Supply Chain values. What happens is that a buyer's inventory's records post on the supplier's system. They have a min. max. system in place telling the supplier when to ship the product. This definitely cuts down on the number of people in business who come by to check inventory levels and see if you are ready to place another order. With the new inter-plant communication people see less and less of their co–workers and supervisors. Telecommuting has also taken off for some companies. This method of work has very little face to face dialog. The customer may lose out as well; they do not receive the face to face support that they have know in the past with a particular product. Even know some companies do not answer your questions about a purchase with a real person a canned message is on a computer with options. This method of customer service is less expensive for companies so expect this trend to increase. This problem is more one for Social scientist than for smart business operations. (Davidow, 1995) The final drawback is the value of your company. This is not only a problem for investors, but also when you go to borrow money. How do you determine the exact worth of the corporation? Earlier we learned that company now has more value placed on them than just the liquid assets. How does a lending institution loan money, certainly not on the value of people? They need hard assets to back up a loan. What we have is two different values of the same firm. The problem comes when your market value far exceeds your lending value. The reason is that you may need a certain amount for a loan to stay competitive, yet because of hard asset value you can not afford it. The sale of more stock is an option, yet companies may not want to put themselves in a position to have a hostile take over (Rayport and Sviokla, 1995). Conclusion As the technology of gathering and distributing information and supplies increases our business world faces problems. The positive aspects far outweigh the changes that companies will make to accommodate new Supply Chain assets. Companies are currently getting on board the information technology train; this trend appears to continue in the future. Over the history of humanity there has never been a lack of need for information. The science of Supply Chain Management can either make or break business today based on utilization of the service. The company that remembers employees now play a major role in adding data to the information warehouse will reap large rewards. The personal uses of Supply Chains are still a bit behind the business world but still make home life a lot easier by paying the bills electronically. The value system has a way of righting itself, so company values on both the market and in lenders' eyes will equal in the end. The best proof positive example that the use of Supply Chain Management works is with the U. S. automakers and the recent increases in market share they have seen. The turnaround owes its success to the faster processing of information, especially the desires of the customer. Supply Chain Management is the most important set of skills and tasks that a company has today.

Final Examination Essay

1. The essential steps in performing a systems study are (in order of occurrence): a) Analysis, design, implementation and initial operation, follow‑up b) Design, planning, follow‑up, analysis, and implementation c) Planning, system specification, analysis, production, implementation d) Planning, analysis, design, implementation, and follow‑up 2. Which of the following is intended to solve the problem that financial data used in one application is not easily transferable to other applications? a) XMP b)ERP c) XBRL d) XMLP 3.Information systems auditors are: a) Auditors who are concerned with analyzing risks associated with computerized information systems b) Individuals who often work closely with financial auditors c) Auditors who have a lot of technical expertise related to information technology d) all of the above 4. Which of the following is not an ability of client/server computing? a) Alter data stored elsewhere on the network b) Process a transaction that may affect data stored on both client and server computers c) Query or manipulate the warehoused data on the server d) Increased networking capabilities between different file formats on multiple systems 5. Software that enables businesses and government agencies to transmit and manipulate financial data on an organization-wide basis best describes: a. Communication software b. CAD software c. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software d. Programming software 6. All of the following are programming languages except: a. Java b. HTML c. C++ d. COBOL e. ERP 7. Data flow diagrams: a)Accomplish the same purpose as system flowcharts b)Are different from system flowcharts since they focus on a logical view of the information system c)Are useless for planning a new system d)Are never used in analyzing an existing system 8. All of the following are controls for end-user computing except: a) Formally evaluate large projects b) Formalize documentation standards c) Limit the number of employees authorized to create end-user applications d) all of the above are important controls 9. The textbook identified seven reasons why documentation of an AIS is important. For which of the following reasons would the user guides, procedure manuals and operating instructions be most important? a) Depicting how the system works b) Training users c) Designing new systems d) Standardizing communications with others 10. Business organizations are recognizing the value of sales data and are purchasing software solutions to gather, maintain, and use these data to provide better service and promote customer loyalty. These software solutions are called: a) Customer relations data solutions b) Customer relationship management solutions c) Sales data management solutions d) none of the above 11. Which of the following statements best describes business process outsourcing? a) A company focuses on its core business processes and contracts with another firm to do the other processes b) Companies frequently outsource core business processes c) Due to networked enterprises and advanced technology, more employees may work from their homes or alternate locations d) Initially, companies engaged in business process outsourcing to offer employees more opportunities to travel and more career choices for advancement 12. Networked enterprises and globalization have enabled a new business model called â€Å"business-without-boundaries.† Which of the following statements describes this business model? a) Companies no longer have all of their employees in one location b) It is called offshoring and companies contract with firms in other countries to do such business processes as human resources, payroll, and accounting c) Companies are under a great deal of scrutiny to manage costs and generate revenue so they contract with foreign firms to do various business processes at a lower cost to the company d) all of the above statements describe this model 13. Which of the following is not a concern of the financing process? a) Effective cash management b) Optimizing an organization’s cost of capital c) Minimizing an organization’s borrowings d) Projecting cash flows 14. Business process reengineering efforts sometimes fail because: a. Management gets too involved in the process e) Management is too optimistic regarding its expectations from its implementation b. Management support can never overcome employee resistance c. Employees will never accept change 15. Which of the following technologies are now used in conjunction with automated production process systems to increase efficiencies? a) Radio frequency technology b)Bar code scanners c) RF IDs and advanced electronic tags d)all of the above e)none of the above 16. According to the chapter, which of these statements is most accurate? a)Most computer abuse is performed as retaliation against employers b) Very little computer crime is committed for personal gain c) Some computer abuse is performed simply to meet a challenge d) We catch most computer abusers with good accounting controls 17.Which of the following is probably the primary reason accountants should be concerned about computer crime and abuse? a)They might lose their job if they don’t detect computer crime or abuse in their organization b)They might lose their professional credibility and license if computer crime or abuse continues for a long time in their organization and they do not detect it c)They are responsible for designing, implementing, and monitoring the control procedures for AISs d)none of the above 18.One of the major crimes identified by the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986 is intent to illegally obtain information or tangible property through the use of computers. Which of the following methods might accomplish this type of crime if the perpetrator can change data before, during, or after they are entered into a computer system? a)Salami technique b)Data diddling c)Shoulder surfing d)Trojan horse program 19.Regarding a company’s audit trail, which of the following statements is true? a) Because of the complexities involved in establishing an audit trail, a good audit trail normally makes it more difficult for an individual to follow the flow of a company’s business transactions through the  company’s information system b) In actuality, the audit trail established within a company’s information system is an unimportant element of the company’s internal control system When a company’s audit trail becomes more difficult to follow, this causes an increase in the risk of errors or irregularities taking place in the processing of accounting transactions and not being detected c) A company’s policies and procedures manual should not be part of its audit trail since confidential information is included within this manual 20.Which of the following statements is true regarding timely performance reports? a. In many companies, these reports are the major means of providing information to management concerning the actual operations of the companies’ internal control systems b. These reports should only include monetary data c. Since these reports fail to provide feedback to management on the operations of previously implemented internal control procedures, other techniques are needed to provide this feedback to managers d. The complexity that a computer introduces into a company’s information system will typically prevent the preparation of timely performance reports for the company’s management 21. _________________ describes the policies, plans, and procedures implemented by a firm to protect its assets. a) Internal control b) SAS No. 94 c) SOX, Section 404 d) Enterprise risk management 22. General controls within IT environments that affect personnel include: a) Use of computer accounts b) Separation of duties c) Informal knowledge of employees d) all of the above affect personnel 23. Which of the following best describes a fundamental control weakness  often associated with automated data processing systems? a. Automated ­ data processing equipment is more subject to systems error than manual processing is subject to human error b. Automated data processing equipment processes and records similar transactions in a similar manner c. Automated data processing procedures for detection of invalid and unusual transactions are less effective than manual control procedures d. Functions that would normally be separated in a manual system are combined in an automated data processing system 24. The textbook identifies a number of issues that should be considered when developing a security policy. One of the issues is â€Å"identify threats†. Which of the following is not an example of this issue? a) What assets need to be protected b) What are the sources of potential security problems c) External threats are viruses, worms, retaliations from former employees d) Internal threats are misuse of assets by employees and embezzlement 25 Which of these is not a phase in the life cycle of an information system? a) Planning b) Analysis c) Control d) Implementation 26. A poorly-planned information system can result in: a)Employee resistance and even sabotage b)Inflexible systems that are hard to maintain or modify c)Systems that solve the wrong problems d)all of these 27.Which of the following is not a general objective in the design of an information system? a)A system should provide information which is timely and relevant for decision making by management and operating personnel b)The output of a system should be highly accurate c)A system should have sufficient capacity to accommodate levels of normal activity; any additional capacity proves too costly in the long run d)A system should be as simple as permitted so that its structure and operation can be easily understood and its procedures easily accomplished e)A system should be flexible to accommodate changes of a reasonable magnitude when required 28. A computerized AIS is harder to audit than a manual system for all of the following reasons except: a) The file information is not human readable b) The volume of transaction records and master file records is usually much larger in computerized systems than in manual systems c) An audit trail does not exist in a computerized AIS d) Computerized systems often use remote real-time data processing, thus complicating the tracing of transaction records to their sources 29. Which of the following is not one of the groups of SOX compliance requirements? a) requirements to use an IT auditor to evaluate controls b) regulations governing executive reporting and conduct c) rules about financial statement reporting d) audit committee/corporate governance requirements 30. Three common techniques auditors use to test computer programs are: a) Test data, integrated test facilities, and parallel simulation b) Test data, edit checks, and integrated test facilities c) Test data, program change control, and parallel simulation d) Program change control, edit checks, and parallel simulation 31. The term data encryption refers to: a) Storing data in safe places called â€Å"crypts† b) Transforming data into secret codes c) Scrambling data in random ways that cannot be unscrambled d) none of these 32. The term key in the context of data encryption refers to: e) A physical key similar to a house key f) A logical key similar to the primary key of a data file g) A mathematical function used for encryption purposes e) A computer function key that can be found on keyboards 33. All of the following are benefits of XBRL except: a) Companies can file financial information in one format, avoiding the errors that may come from reentering data multiple times b) The SEC accepts XBRL-format for electronic filing of financial statement reports c) XBRL permits the automatic and reliable exchange of financial information across all software formats and technologies, including the Internet f) all of the above are benefits of XBRL d) none of the above are benefits of XBRL 34.All of these are reasons why databases are important to AISs except: a) AIS databases store valuable information b) Many AISs are large and therefore potentially unwieldy c) The databases of some organizations are very complex d) The hard disk space used to store AIS databases is comparatively expensive g) all of these are reasons why databases are important to AISs 35.A major advantage of relational databases is: a)All records are stored together b)No pointers are used c)An expandable index is used d)It closely resembles a flat file 36. In recent years many businesses have formed a common information source within their business organization called a database. One of the advantages of building databases is the simultaneous updating of files with common data elements. Another major advantage of the database concept is that: a) Database systems can be used in microcomputers as well as on large computers b) Database systems are simple to install and maintain c) Database systems are generally less expensive than separate file maintenance systems d) Less duplication of data occurs with a database system e) Fewer skilled people are required to run a database system than any other system 1. The process of data normalization refers to: )a Eliminating data errors and other problems from â€Å"normal data† b)Scaling data to values between zero and one c)Storing data in normal storage media such as hard disks d)none of these 38. Database management systems are important to accountants because: a) They automate file storage tasks and enable managers to generate worthwhile financial reports b They eliminate data redundancy )b) They are unique data structures which accountants have never used before )c) They are easy to develop and therefore save money )d) They are energy efficient 39. Which of these is true about finding data in multimedia databases? a) It is not possible to search them because graphics have no text keys for searching b) It is not possible to search them because audio objects have no text keys for searching )c It is possible to search for items in them because such characteristics as â€Å"speaker† or â€Å"subject† can be used as search parameters

Peter the Great

The lands of Tsarist Russia once stretched from Scandinavia to the Pacific. The largest landlocked Empire in the world, stretching thousandths of miles across woods, plains, mountains, deserts, and the endless Siberian Taiga. 1 The Russian people consist one of the most diverse ethnic groups in the world. In the west, descendants of Europeans known as the Kievan Rus founded Kyiv and the Grand Duchy of Moscow. Yet these former Europeans are distinctly different, both physically and mentally than Western Europeans.The Eastern Steppe consisted of various Central Asian races such as the Tatars, the Mongols, the Ugurs, and the Turks, who occupied various regions of what would become the Russian Empire. One aspect of the Russian Empire that always seemed to remain constant was its path of warfare, whether it was defensive or conquering other Empires. The Russian Empire always wanted to increase the size of their land for economic reasons. 3The political philosophies of the Russian people a nd State constantly changed due to the position that the Empire was in.The story of Russia is dramatic, ruthless, and most mportantly a failure. Authoritarian governments have ruled the Russian people, since the creation of Kyiv. 4Whether it was the Mongol Empire, the Grand Duchy of Moscow, the Russian Empire, The USSR, or the Russian Federation, all these governments oppressed their citizens. Peter the Great is an independent thinker in the history of Russia, he saw Europe as the centre of knowledge and culture in the world. He, unlike so many of his countrymen, wanted Russia to be fully incorporated in European society.The Kievan Rus were the first to settle Western Russia. 5They established their mpire around their capital of Kiev in the 9th century. The Kievan Rus expanded their empire both geographically and economically. They traveled long distances, reaching distant lands such as 6Central Asia, the Byzantine Empire, Western Europe, and the Arab world. Their empire expanded th rough various sections of Eastern Europe, in what is now Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. Although they were masters of warfare and trade, intellectually, they were far behind Western Europe and the Arab world.Western Europeans viewed them as barbarians since they were not Christian and were constantly at war with one another. Since the creation of the Kievan Rus, there has been a constant mistrust between Russia and Western Europe. During the Middle Ages, Catholicism dominated every aspect of Western European life. 7The Rus were mostly pagans, believing in Nordic mythology. They remained pagan until 988, when Vladimir the Great baptized Kiev. Vladimir's embassies had consulted with the Muslims, Jews, Catholics, and the Orthodox Church.The staggering beauty of the Hagia Sophia amazed Vladimir's envoys, the church represented the power and beauty of the Greek Orthodox Church. Vladimir then decided to convert Kiev, the argest city in his Empire to Christianity. 8Politically, the Rus rese mbled Western Europe, except for the Papacy. The Monarchy of the Rus was oppressive and there was very little freedom among the peasants. The Rus developed a system of feudalism that remained in Russia until the fall of the Tsars and the introduction of the Soviet Union.

Customer Service Excellence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Customer Service Excellence - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that customer service excellence stands at the center of any business that has a chance to interact with the customer directly. Direct customer interaction gives the company or business an opportunity to simply tell the customer â€Å"we appreciate your coming and we are here to ensure you have the best of an experience with us†. The marketing gesture creates a chance to impress the customer and make their experience splendid creating a future relationship that could help build customer loyalty. In supermarket business, the customer obtains both a product and a service that either impresses them or turns them off in relation to their shopping experience. The customers have expectations that require satisfaction. The satisfaction of the customer expectations creates an opportunity for the customer to fill the need to constantly shop in the same place. The development of customer service excellence started earlier as 1991 with the deve lopment of the national standard for excellence in customer service as per the UK, especially in the public sector businesses. The development was changed in the later years as per 2008 where this was changed to customer service excellence. The advantage that this gesture created in public sector attracted the private sector more and had it re-engineered to develop it further and enhance the experience. Dealing with customer experience has become an obligation that any service industry aims at if it is to satisfy the needs of the customer

Response paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Response paper - Essay Example In fact, there are more women pursuing degrees in science and technology in Norway than men. I think the Norwegian government should be credited for enforcing the law that stipulate, every company should at least have forty percent of their corporate board seats occupied by women. In my opinion, this is vital and effective since there are thousands of women who are capable and wiling of becoming the top brass. (Chris p20) The gain of workplace assortment is huge, thus investors and share holders should be swayed to give women these opportunities in the panel positions. The trend should be passed across every country in the world, since it will benefit both the investors and the economy in the long run. I believe that women have what it takes to escort key companies at the positions of managers and chairwomen. In a few years we shall be able to see the full prospective of women who shall rise to the occasion and be successive. According to the Norwegians women executives, legislation is the only way forward. I think that the quota structure will facilitate bring the intellectual women to the forefront. (Chris p20) In my closing opinion, I think that managers are the key players in ensuring that women are encouraged day to day, to pursue for the managerial position, and also facilitate opportunities for the upcoming talents, regardless of sex. I think that women should work to ensure that they are visible in their place of work. They should also be patient if they wand to climb up the ladder. Through the quota system, a new dawn of corporate world led by women will emerge in a few years, thus we should all appreciate and welcome the

Micro-Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Micro-Economics - Essay Example He also traces the  confusion  to the non-availability of  attractive  homes at  many  parts of the country, a  case  that is making the  available  buyers  lack  the houses they could want for  purchase. This view  was  however challenged,  by chief Economist Paul Dales, arguing that, since 30 years  back, there has been an excess supply of one million homes, available to be traded. He  further  cites the poor economic situation, as the cause for the decreased level of home purchases in the past. The author cites another problem, which could be hampering the supply-demand stability of the home market, as the acutely decreasing  home  prices. From the different accounts, the debate ends with no clear definition of the problem facing the homes’ market in the U.S (Timiraos  1). However, the author integrates the different versions of the explanations, into the  causes for the confusion facing the US homes’  market. These include  the availability of many homes at the  wrong  places, where customers are not willing to buy, which is  the result of the housing boom; the overpricing of the many homes available for sale – an effect of the d eclining inventory; and the short sale cases, which make up the bigger part of the market. The economic concepts illustrated through the information include the concept of demand, where the shifts in  the demand  curve  are depicted  through the changing preferences of buyers, where the  case  is that, despite the availability of about a million homes for sale, the buyers cannot find the homes they want to  purchase. In the area of  buyer  expectations, the buyers are not willing to  buy  the homes, which  are located  at the far-flung locales. The concept of demand  is clearly depicted  through the case of the  inflated  home prices, of the homes that are available for sale, as a result of the declining inventory. This case is  thus, leading to decreasing demand, in response to the increased prices. The

Marketing communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marketing communication - Essay Example It creates brand awareness among the consumers. To make brand recall and improve it further, marketing communication is an effective way. In order to increase sales, a favorable climate is to be made, which is possible only if the marketing communication is well developed by the company and as the marketing initiatives need to be communicated in the market. The prospects i.e. the customers need to be informed and also educated regarding different products of company which are prevailing in the market. To inform and educate them proper tools of marketing communication are highly efficient. In order to have a competitive advantage in this cut throat competitive market, one should know how to make effective utilization of marketing communication. With this the company can stay ahead in the market and can be the market leader. Tesco’s products are more eco-friendly. It aims to provide products like Tesco laundry detergent which reduces the carbon foot print. It forces consumers to go green. In this way, Tesco is promoting their product which emits less carbon foot print which is an example of tangible advertisement. As the whole world is conscious about environmental issues Tesco is taking the advantage about it and producing product which is good for the environment. Also they have introduced orange juice with the level of carbon reduction. Tesco is using the Carbon Reduction Label in their products as a new strategy in the market. John Lewis has launched its on-line magazine with the on-line partner greenbee.com. It informs about the products they offer, different schemes available and various destination for vacation. Overall, the magazine gives one a guide to access category of products available and new launches in the store. They are using this on-line magazine as a strategy for promoting their products. Both the companies, Tesco and John Lewis, are powerful enough to take on home shopping operations. The categories of products of

Scholarship Letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Letter - Scholarship Essay Example Though I have been a dedicated student in my school days, I now feel that I should have worked harder with more commitment, with a definite goal in my mind. In this area, I remained unsteady and I did not plan an integrated approach to the possible future challenges in life. What happened in the past cannot be undone, but I can definitely look forward for the future, to fulfill my ambition. The goal that I have set for me is to obtain my RN Degree with flying colors. When I do that, I know it will set a great example for my family and our well-wishers. I will be the first individual in the generation to enter the portals of the college and emerge as a graduate. They say, by educating an individual, you are enriching a generation. This is absolutely true in my case. I hope to pass on the knowledge to my children and they will have proper guidance, which unfortunately, I was not fortunate enough to get from my parents. Ambition is just one part of my inner urge. My RN Degree is the mission of my life now. Without doubt, it has the materialistic outlook, the reasons for which I will tender in the following paragraph, but the inner urge to serve the health needs of the patients, is my dominant urge. I have observed that the health care professional enjoys respect in the society, for this job provides the opportunity to boost the morale of the patients. Generally, the sick person and his immediate family members are down in spirits. With proper counseling and by providing true service to them, I expect to fulfill my spiritual aspirations. So, this fall is going to be the decisive period in my life when I hope to commence my nursing education. I recollect my past with mixed feelings. I have committed mistakes, by not applying the required time and patience for assiduous studies and engaged myself in other activities, at the cost of neglecting my studies. I did my homework, because I had to do it,

Stem cell success Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Stem cell success - Term Paper Example This enthusiasm still is not shared by those of the religious right. This faction is opposed to embryonic stem cell research which they claim as immoral and characterize as devaluing human life, much the same as does abortion, drawing a link between the two. This discussion will provide a brief overview of stem cell research and its benefits to society, the debate surrounding the issue and the arguments for continued research. Stem cells are basically the building block cells of a human being which are capable of becoming 210 different types of tissue. Adult stem cells are found in minute numbers within most tissues, but the majority of stem cells can be obtained from the umbilical cord. There are numerous potential sources for stem cells. Embryonic stem cells originate from the inner cell of an early stage embryo. Embryonic germ cells can be collected from fetal tissue at a later stage of development. Adult stem cells can be obtained from mature tissues. â€Å"Even after complete m aturation of an organism, cells need to be replaced. A good example (of adult stem cells) is blood, but this is true for muscle and other connective tissue as well, and may be true for at least some nervous system cells† (Chapman et al, 1999). ... It has been substantiated from animal research that stem cells can be differentiated into cells that will behave appropriately in their transplanted location. For example, the transplantation of stem cells following treatments for cancer has found much success for many years. â€Å"Experiments such as the transplantation of fetal tissue into the brains of Parkinson’s patients indicate that the expectation that stem cell therapies could provide robust treatments for many human diseases is a reasonable one. It is only through controlled scientific research that the true promise will be understood† (Frankel, 1999). The moral dilemma that surrounds the prohibition of aborted fetuses is the idea of abortion itself. The former Bush administration was very conservative leaning and made it very clear that it was opposed to legal abortions, in at least most circumstances, and transferred that ideology to its prohibition of embryonic stem cell research. The concept of scientific study of the next stage of development, the fetus, which resulted from an abortion, is unthinkable. This ideology of that administration reflected the minority opinion which opposes abortion and also reflects the majority opinion that is opposed to aborted fetuses of consenting parents being used for experimentation. This reality has no basis in reason. Why would those who claim to be ‘pro-choice’ want to waste the aborted tissue? For that matter, why would pro-lifers want to witness what they believe is a living being tossed away in vain? At least its ‘life’ could have meant something to humanity in a very real way. Though president Obama reversed the Bush-era restrictions on this scientific research, conservatives continue to fight this battle in court. Last

Irving Roth - Holocaust Survivor Testimony Movie Review

Irving Roth - Holocaust Survivor Testimony - Movie Review Example Businesses that were previously run by the Jews were confiscated and given to Germans. Their household properties (which they had been ordered to leave behind) were auctioned to the German citizens. The Jews basically become non-existence and they were treated worse than slaves. With their lives becoming almost worthless, the government of Germany saw no use for them and therefore built death camps to dispose them off through death. Some were transported to Poland where there were also additional death camps. Some escaped to Hungary (which was not killing the Jews) where the men were recruited in the army (where they are mistreated by the rest of the population and even discriminated against but the rest of the population remained safe). Their safety was however short lived as they started being treated in the same way as those who were shipped to Poland as a way to dispose them as well through burning them in gas chambers. I thought slavery in America was a bad experience but what the Jews went through is incomparable. Segregation denies people freedom of liberty but the treatment the Jews were accorded denied them not only freedom of liberty and movement but also right to life among other human rights. It is a wonder how all these happened without the rest of the world reacting. The questions remains as to whether they had no idea of what was happening? Whether they simply did not care? Had no ability or capacity or even mandate to do anything about it? or were they simply in agreement of the Jews being killed? For those who survived the holocaust like the orator, the experience (though it took place many decades ago) is still vivid as if it just happened. It is evident that the psychological torture for the survivors cannot be wiped away even though the talk therapy seems helpful. As Roth talks about his family being killed in the

Federal Republic Essay Example for Free

Federal Republic Essay First , there was a â€Å" Indias Ninth Five-Year Plan† projects generation of 54 million new jobs during the Plan period (1997-2002). But performance has always fallen short of target in the past, and few believe that the current Plan will be able to meet its target. The Indian youth also get problems in finding job: â€Å" If the unemployment rate observed during 1993-94 continues, the number of unemployed youth in terms of usual status was of 6. 2 million in 2001 . † ( Pravin Visaria 2000:n. p. ) Indias labor force is growing at a rate of 2. 5 percent annually, but employment is growing at only 2. 3 per cent. Thus, the country is faced with the challenge of not only absorbing new entrants to the job market (estimated at seven million people every year), but also clearing the backlog. Sixty percent of Indias workforce is self-employed, many of whom remain very poor. Nearly 30 per cent are casual workers (i. e. they work only when they are able to get jobs and remain unpaid for the rest of the days). Only about 10 per cent are regular employees, of which two-fifths are employed by the public sector. Now, the Indian economy starts recovering but the it’s hard to say that unemployment will be eliminated soon. In the table below the expected level of employment till 2012 is given(which is a very low one). Population and Labour Force: 1997 – 2012 (million 1st April) 1997 2002 2007 2012 Population 951. 18 1028. 93 1112. 86 1196. 41 Labor Force 397. 22 449. 62 507. 94 562. 91 The growing unemployment in India caused a lot of trouble what has been worsening the economical situation since 1980s. It produces the hole in the turnover of the goods as people can’t buy the necessary quantity of products not having enough earnings. Political instability in the late 1980s and oil price shocks resulting from the Persian Gulf War (1991) led to an economic crisis in early 1991, but swift reform measures taken by the newly elected government proved highly successful. Inflation declined from 13.1% in 1991 and 1992 to 8. 6% in 1993 and 1994. However, inflation stood at 14% in 1998. So, as we see, such concern as unemployment influences a lot the whole economical picture of the country. Besides, person that is out of working can’t develop himself and that reflects in a considerable way in the demographic structure of the country. All over the world history the notion of unemployment is associated with the crisis in the economy of any country. Biblioghraphy. 1. No author. 2005. Of economies policies http://www.ilo.org

Red Snapper Fishing Regulations Essay Example for Free

Red Snapper Fishing Regulations Essay Recommendation to implement different regulations on Red Snapper fishing. Many people like myself, look forward each year to the overly exciting fishing season to catch the beloved snapper. Season dates along with size and possession limits are nothing new to the fisherman; but when a council decides to shrink a fishing season that is normally a month long down to a meager 9 days it can be heart breaking for many. Maintaining the support and sustainability of these fish is an extremely important task, that no one disagrees with, but when almost taking away the season, in its entirety, one can alter many people’s plans, hobbies, and ways of life. I plan to propose an alternant way to preserve and maintain the ecosystem of these fish while providing adequate and fair regulations for all. The purpose of this report it to persuade the fisheries councils to address the current issues that stand with recreational snapper fishing. I will provide statistics and also analyzed data that I have gathered to conclude as to what the best option is to solve these problems. Current Situation: The amount of anglers in the Gulf of Mexico rises every day with more wanting to catch snapper. For the length of my life there has been regulations to maintain these fish, while they did a great job to preserve life and keep the angler happy, the recent change as of 2014 does not. Many know that these certain fish can, mostly, be found in deeper waters near structure, such as reefs and oil platforms; and also many know that there are numerous organization and petitions to keep old, unused oilrigs standing in the gulf because of their ability to maintain and abundance of wildlife beneath. With more conservation to help these fish thrive why did the councils decide to shrink the season dates from a previous 30+ day season to a minute 9 days when there are other councils also participating to help the numbers of fish? With this drastic change in regulation many anglers, who, in years previous, fished for these snapper, found that it was not worth the time and money it requires to go after them. (Boat Launch) With a limit of 2 per person per day, a 9-day season simply makes no sense. The council did warn the public that the season would be shorter this year, but no one expected it to be a number in the single digits! The federal management of red snapper is based on the numbers coming out of the entirety of the Gulf of Mexico instead of by location, such as state waters. Now that the federal red snapper season has been set at a ridiculously low nine days it reiterates the fallacy of the current federal management of this great fishery. This system cannot be tweaked or incrementally improved. It needs to be totally overhauled; the management of the recreational red snapper fishery needs to be transferred to the states where we can do quality stock assessments and set reasonable seasons commensurate with the biomass that is in the Gulf of Mexico’’, says Alabama Marine Resources Director Chris Blankenship. (Gulf) When states want to take matters into their own hands without any federal management or help, the issue at hand has become quite serious. The councils responsible for negotiations and attributing propositions to the federal  regulation of these fisheries must undertake a new stand and take responsibility in order to serve the public fairly and justly. I believe a simple solution that will help this situation has been previously used for another species of fish. When speaking to Dr. L. Gleeson of the Coast Conservation Association he stated, â€Å" When we passed the motion to decrease the minimum size of Speckled Trout it was because after years of increased conservation we noticed that the population of the species was up about 75%, so we felt that we could maintain good numbers while pleasing the fisherman with a smaller legal size.†(Red Snapper) A simple maneuver that decreases the minimum legal size of the Red Snapper would do just as most want. It could keep the possession limit to 2 per person but allow more anglers to participate in the fishery by allowing the smaller snapper at the shallower oil rigs to be harvested instead of requiring anglers to spend the money and time that it takes to travel the extra nautical miles to the deeper rigs to find the larger, legal snapper. The CCA had its reservations when lowering the minimum legal size for trout but after research of the species for 5 years now the evidences provides belief that the population has not decreased, and spawning has remaining at equal levels. Certainly, you may have questions and reservations as well, but with all of the excess help to regulate and maintain the red snapper fishery there should be no question that this is an effective way to balance the support and establish a new regulation strategy for the recent years to come. I believe if this system were implemented soon we would see related results within the same time frame of a few years, if not shorter. Since there is no season dates for speckled trout, the off-season for red snapper would show normal spawning numbers with no decrease in population. This maneuver is focused mainly on maintaining fishery numbers while improving angler satisfaction and participation. Methodology: I have conducted personal interviews, researched numerous articles online,  and created an online survey in order to support my methodology. My first step was talking to a few strangers at the boat launch who frequently fish for snapper. The questions I asked mainly focused on the topic at hand, more specifically if they agree with the shorter season. While asking questions personally to peer anglers I found that 9/10 people did not fish for snapper this year because of the heavily regulated and shortened season. Most set out in hopes to catch snapper at least twice in a season, but with this 9 day season most couldn’t due to scheduling and time constraints. Many would also like to see an overhaul of the regulation entirely. (Boat Launch) I then created an online survey that I dispersed via Facebook and had numerous random individuals answer the questions at hand regarding this issue. In order to be sure that my data wasn’t skewed or distorted I asked that only individuals who were licensed recreational anglers take my survey. Of the 20 that took my online survey more than 16 actually pursue snapper and of those individuals all of them disagree with the ruling of the federally regulated 9-day season. (Tompkins) Also while searching for related articles online, I found numerous sites with multiple articles of disgust on the issue, multiple reports of upset anglers, and forums filled with questions asking â€Å"why†, the council made this act. (Gulf) Closing: I would like to say that the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council does a great deal to protect our waters and all that swims in it. We, as fisherman, appreciate every effort that the council puts forth in order to maintain and regulate the hobbies and lifestyles that make us who we are! Although we understand certain procedures and acts, this one, in particular, does not seem to advance any goals set forth by the council and the communities that it represents. This proposal aims to reconsider that previous acts set towards the red snapper fishery, or to reconcile the  change all together. As I do understand that this will take time to make these amendments I am willing to do my part and donate whatever necessary to make actions towards this. Thank you for your consideration of my proposal. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me via cell phone at Works Cited Survey: . â€Å"Red Snapper Season 2014.† SurveyMonkey.com. June 18, 2014 In Text: (Tompkins) Interviews: â€Å"Boat Launch†. Greenough, C. Watson, James. Thompson, Paul. Personal interview. June 21, 2014 In Text: (Boat Launch) interview: â€Å"Red Snapper†. Gleeson, Dr. L. Personal Interview. June 24,2014 In Text: (Red Snapper) Website: â€Å"Gulf Recreational Red snapper season reduced to 9 days.† AL.COM. Web. May 14, 2014. http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/05/gulf_recreational_red_snapper.html In Text: (Gulf)

The Shona People Of Zimbabwe History Essay

The Shona People Of Zimbabwe History Essay The Shona people of Zimbabwe, Mozambique and southern Zambia belonged to the Bantu. They formed almost three quarters of the population of Zimbabwe and were under British colonialism for almost a century. The Shona are one of the three major cultural groupings of mixed farmers that predominated in southern Africa. The two others are the Sotho-Tswana and Nguni. Before 1500, a Shona clan, the Rozwi established a great kingdom known to Europeans as Monomotapa which stretched from the Kalahari to the Indian Ocean and from the Limpopo to the Zambezi. By the end of the 15th century, Monomotapa broke up into several Rozwi dominated successor states that survived into the early 19th century. Shona society was founded in the Zimbabwe plateau region of South-central Africa. The original inhabitants of Zimbabwe were the Shona group called Hungwe who were conquered by another group, the Mbire. The Mbire founded the Mutapa and Rozwi Empires that were destroyed by the fleeing Nguni tribes, especially the Ndebele of Southwest Zimbabwe and the Shangane of southeast Zimbabwe during the Mfecane uprisings. The Mutapa Empire covered a substantial part of modern Zimbabwe and incorporated the whole of Mozambique, South of the Zambezi river and north of the Sabi river to the sea. Some of the tribes of modern South Africa, mostly the Venda and Lovendu originated from the Shona. Other Shona tribes include Barwe, Manyika, Ndau, Korekore, Shangwe and Guruuswa. Shona society organized many of its descent principles through men rather than women. The emergence of Shona language was probably a development of the later Iron Age. Like the Sotho-Tswana and the Nguni, the Shona belonged to the so uthern Bantu language group. Shona language (chiShona) is widely spoken in, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia and Botswana. Shona is one of the principal languages of Zimbabwe. Shona language has several dialects including Hwesa, Karanga or Chikaranga spoken in Southern Zimbabwe with subdialects of Duma, Jena, Mhari, Ngova, Venda, Nyubi and Govera; Zezuru dialect include Chizezuru, Bazezuru, Mazizuru, Vazezuru and Wazezuru that are spoken in Mashonaland and central Harare; Korekore dialect is widely spoken in northern Zimbabwe. The balanced and varied resources of the Zimbabwe plateau provided a wide range of environmental and economic factors to underpin the spectacular growth of Shona states. The Shona occupied much of the modern Zimbabwe and the area between the Sabi and Pungwe rivers and extended to the Indian Ocean in modern-day Mozambique. The Shona people migrated into the modern day Zimbabwe during the great Bantu expansion. Between 16th and 19th centuries, Shona groups, especial ly the Tsonga and Nguni lived in dense settlements. By 1800, the greater proportion of Zimbabwe and Mozambique was populated by the Shona people. The Ndebele pushed the Shona northwards before the invasion of the European settlers in the 19th century. Its probable that the Shona originated from the Congo Basin area and migrated southwards into Rhodesia at the end of the first millennium. The first stone building at Zimbabwe were the works of the Shona people. Most of the stone works on the Acropolis were constructed by them. The Shona also began to build in the valley during the 13th or 14th century. They established the Great Zimbabwe civilization with stone wall enclosures. The Great Zimbabwe was indeed a thriving center for professional masons. The word Zimbabwe is Shona term for houses of stone. This civilization developed in an area with excellent pasture for grazing, farming, hunting, mining and long-distance trading which made the Great Zimbabwe a prosperous state in the region. Possession of cattle was a symbol of power and wealth that was concentrated in the hands of those in the position of authority. The Shona set up many other states including Changamire, Mutapa and Torwa. In the 17th century, recruitment into the army was rewarded by cattle. Enlistment into the army made the ruling elite to organise raids for capturing livestock and other booties. In this process, Changamire state developed a professional standing army. Shona society enjoyed reasonable political organization in the decades that preceded European partition. It was divided into lineages and a male member belonged to the fathers lineage; a married woman joined her husbands lineage. Each lineage was symbolized by annual totem. Shona people identify themselves with clans rather than the group. Communities in turn have mixture of clans. The political economy of the Shona society was not based on an equal sharing of resources or wealth inspite of a political ideology that often claimed equality. The fundamental political issue was land. Control of land use for cultivation, game, grazing and mineral resources was the basis of power relations between the ruler and the subjects. The rulers claimed authority over land. Economically, the Shona practiced agriculture, mining and pastoralism. The most specialized sector the economy was gold-mining. Gold was important source of Shona wealth at Great Zimbabwe, but cattle continued to be the backbone of the economy. The Shona formed part of the gold trade network that reached China. The Portuguese had contacts with the Shona and established themselves in what became known as Mashonaland before they were driven out at the end of the 17th century by the Rozwi Changamire dynasty. In Central Africa, the Shona groups were the first to accept European settlement. But under the Mwene Mutapas, the Portuguese were never able to control the Shona absolutely. In the 1690s, the Changamire rulers who were successors of the Mutapa dominated a large territory and remained free from the Portuguese invasion. They controlled gold production and gold trade than other rulers in the Zambezi-Limpopo region. They constructed stone buildings and accumulated vast gold ornaments a t their capitals, Dhlodhlo and Khami. They collected tribute from their subjects and vassal states. They had over 3000 warriors and waged wars over their surroundings. Changamire state continued to expand before it was overthrown by conquerors from KwaZulu in the 1830s. In response to capitalism in southern Africa after 1870, agriculture and migrant labour further developed. Shona peasant farmers supplied white farmers in Rhodesia with variety of crops such as poko corn, millet, groundnuts, tobacco and so on. The Mwanamutapa was the first major civilization in Zimbabwe. It was founded in about 1420 among the Karanga people at the Great Zimbabwe. This empire expanded by 1440s to include all of the Zimbabwe plateau and Mozambique. By 1490, the empire split into two sectors: Changamire in the south (including the Great Zimbabwe) and Mwanamutapa in the north. The gold and ivory trade attracted Arab and Swahili traders who settled in the major towns. During this period, the Great Zimbabwe region became the wealthiest and most powerful society in southeast Africa. In the early 16th century, Portuguese traders and soldiers established contact with the empire. Following the visit of Antonio Fernandes to Mwanamutapa empire, the Portuguese became interested in controlling the hinterland gold trade. The Portuguese were interested in commercial activities. They opened up the trade routes to the gold-producing areas from the coastal areas of Sofala and Mozambique. The Portuguese used the Zambezi River as their major route to the hinterland. They founded fortified and garrison towns at Sena and Tete on the Zambezi. They took over the Swahili trading posts and established new ones in the gold bearing region at Masapa, Luanze, Dambarare, Ongoe and Maramuca. Through these efforts, they controlled substantial part of the Shona gold trade. But the Swahili traders diverted some of the gold resources to the coastal settlements north of Mozambique where they evaded the Portuguese patrol and transported gold to Arabia and/or India. Power struggle among the Mbire led to the fall of the Mutapa state and the establishment of the Rozwi Empire in the southwest of modern Zimbabwe. Between 1560 and 1561, a Portuguese Jesuit missionary, Goncalo da Silveira visited Mwanamutapa and converted many Shona including King Nogomo Mupunzagato to Christianity. In 1569, King Sebastiao of Portugal sent a thousand men under Francisco Barreto to gain control of the gold mines and explore the possibility of expelling the Swahili traders as well as securing protection for the Portuguese missionaries. The Portuguese expedition reached Zambezi and Sena but most of them were attacked by malaria. Despite their impressive military power, they were not able to exert enduring control over the Shona. When Kapararidze assumed power as the new Mwene Mutapa in 1628, he attempted to unite his kingdom and expel the Portuguese. In turn, the Portuguese supported his rival to power, Mavura and ousted Kapararidze. Mavura declared himself as a vassal o f king of Portugal but anti-European protests followed among the Shona. A Portuguese military expedition suppressed the protests and strengthened Mavuras reign. He continued to enjoy the military protection of the Portuguese but suffered from the shrinking territory and subjects. He granted Portuguese officials who commanded the forts at Sena and Tete jurisdiction over lands and the inhabitants of the areas. Private Portuguese individuals enjoyed similar privilege from Mwene Mutapa. By 1677, the Portuguese had conceived the idea of planting a colony of settlers in Shona to enhance Portuguese power. The European settlement in the Zambezi valley was affected by heavy mortality. However, some of the Portuguese and Indian settlers established families that promoted Portuguese power in east Africa before the 20th century. The Portuguese elements integrated into the local African culture but they were turbulent chiefs due to their firearms. By the mid-17th century, the beleaguered Mwanamu tapa empire was controlled by the Portuguese. In 1690, the Portuguese was deposed by the Rozwi that was formed by the re-united Shona dynasties. King Changamira of Rozwi extended his control over the mining region of Zimbabwe. Rozwi Empire came to an end due to the attacks of led by Mzilikazi and Ndebele during the Mfecane wars. In 1890, the British South Africa Company invaded the Shona territory. At this point, the Shona had weak central kingdom. The Shona, like the Ndebele lost their economic resources including land and cattle. They were subjected to forced labor. The British conquest also led to the collapse of the old political structures. The Shona were mobilized through the religious authority of a spirit called Mlimo. The Shona and Ndebele rose in rebellion against the British forces between 1896 and 1897 using guerilla tactics. After two to three years of the British South African Company rule, both the Ndebele and the Shona had grievances including confiscation of cattle, expropriation of land, compulsory labour, harsh taxation, insubordination of Africans by white officials. These were the proximate factor was the Jamesons raid which led to the African revolt. Jameson was the administrator of Mashonaland who conquered the Ndebele in 1893. The combined forces of Ndebele and Shona attacked the company. The European settlers lost about 10 per cent of their population. Unlike the Ndebele, the Shona were fragmented people. They were only united by religious institutions, especially Mwari whose shrines were located in the caves with elaborate priests and messengers. Mkwati and his followers mobilized the people that the Mwari was prepared to kill all the white settlers. The revolts started with localized resistance to Europeans and Company rule from 1891-96. The resistance of Nyandoro in the East of the Salisbu ry district in April 1896 marked the beginning of the Shona uprising. Shona revolt was influenced by the Ndebele uprising of March 1896 led by Mkwati who forged alliance between Ndebele and Shona against Europeans. Religious organizations were a reinforcing factor in the rebellion. People were mobilized through the Mwari religious cult. Shona resistance to colonial rule in the 1890s took the form of desertion from underpaid labour, abandonment of settlements due to tax and labour demand, theft, cattle maiming between 1894 and 1896. Globally, the Shona people are known for their art works: stone sculpture and mbira music. Despite the tremendous influence of western scientific worldview and Christianity, the Shona remained attached to their traditional metaphysics. The Shona are not passive assimilators of European modernity, they have fused western science with tradition to shape their African modernity. After the uprisings against European settlers were defeated, independence wars occurred in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and Mozambique in the 1960s and 1970s. Since the 19th century, the Shona have migrated to work in the South African mines. They also migrated to large industrial cities. Some were dispossessed of their land in order to allow European settlers farm. Most of the Shona were educated in Chritianity missionary schools. They also benefitted from the training in improved agriculture. Rasheed Olaniyi

Artrow of God :: essays research papers

Colonialism is seen as a difficult arrangement that prevents even the best people from acting for the common good. Chapters in which the British officials discuss with one another reveal that while they are not the worst of their type, racism and ignorant condescension more or less come with the territory. On page 174 is a great example â€Å"The white man watched Ezuelu with something like amusement on his face. When the interpreter finished he tightened up his face and began again. He rebuked Ezeulu for showing disrespect for the order of the government and warned him that if he showed such disrespect again he would be severely punished.† The British master plan for governing the Igbo, a plan with which Winterbottom, a seasoned colonial ruler, strongly opposes because it invites exploitation and corruption. The plan is to set up certain African leaders as British spectators. This novel is intercultural because it’s dealing with two different civilizations of society. The two components that exist are modern versus tradition. Achebe is concerned with the toll taken on Igbo people by the replacing of their old beliefs. A lesser son of Ezeulu, Oduchi, is chosen to go a Christian school more or less as a mole to keep his father informed. In a literal and misguided interpretation of scripture, he decides he must crush the head of one of the pythons that are sacred creatures to the Igbo. Achebe is very depictive when writing themes of descriptions of most marriages between characters. He displays this genuine love that exists between the husband and the favored wife, as in the tenderly drawn marriage between Obika and Okuata. On the other hand, the wealthy, greedy Nwaka who opposes Ezeulu at the outset of the book has acquired five wives by the book's end. The position of women within Igbo society is perceived to compromise with polygamy. Older wives often express jealousy of new ones but worse possibilities occur because of the corruption of colonialism. One African elevated to a position of status by the British is said to take any woman he wants without paying the bride price. Within the Igbo culture, women are at highly protected. This is a perfect example of how the language and writing technique communicates to outside readers by using emotions that inform the relations between the races. This novels theme is universal and is capable to relate to readers outside of Africa.

Francis Of Assisi - Brother Son Sister Moon Essay -- essays researc

Francis of Assisi - " Brother Son Sister Moon" Crisis and conversion: While Francis is sick and dreaming, he has images of nature which represent the happiness and peacefulness. He also has images of war which help him understand that it isn't the greatest thing†¦ neither is it the most honorable. Francis has many great conflicts with his father. Francis' father is very materialistic and possessive. Francis' father did not honorably earn the money, he bought the "loot" from the crusades for a small price and sold them to their rightful owners for a much higher price. Father expects a lot of Francis. He expects Francis to be just like him†¦ a so called businessman, who is profitable, but not in an honorable way. Francis' father sends him to war so Francis can get bring his father back a triptych. Francis and his father have different views of life. Francis believes in freedom, believes that a person does not have to be rich to be prosperous, and he would rather be poor like Jesus then be rich, which Jesus was not. He thinks that the rich are misrepresenting Jesus because the rich are placing the poor behind themselves. Francis thinks that Jesus represents the poor as well as the rich†¦ "all men are created equal". Francis can't help but to feel scared of lepers in the beginning. After all, being scared is a normal human trait. Being in a big, bulky, helmet must feel awkward. It feels like your being closed in. Francis also...

Computer Games :: Descriptive Writing Examples

Computer Games Crouching behind a twisted chunk of metal, I waited for the mortar blasts to subside. As soon as I could not hear the thunderous roar of explosions, I ducked out of my hiding place and ran up the beach. The whining ring of a bullet sounded through the silence, and I looked to see where the gunner was hiding. The enemy locked another bullet into the chamber and fired his scoped rifle. The bullet met flesh, and I fell to the ground. Only minutes before Willis and I had been sitting on the couch, listening to loud punk music. It was too hot outside to do anything, and the flies were out anyway. Inside was cooler and more hospitable, but boredom had set in. "Day of Defeat?" asked Willis in a muted drawl. "Yah," I responded, and bounded up the stairs. Within minutes, Willis and I had booted up his computer, connected to the internet, and logged onto a clan server of Day of Defeat. Suddenly we were not in the messy upstairs of Willis' house, but on a virtual battlefield, slowly working up towards an enemy encampment up the beach. In a matter of seconds I was killed by an enemy sniper, who was carefully protecting his team's base, Willis took over, choosing a more accurate rifle over the clunky machine gun I had chosen. Willis' computer desk was a heap of gaming equipment and disks. On the shelf above the desk, a row of outdated games were lined up with surgical precision. The old games were never used, so they were never out of order. Below the shelf, on the desk, lay a stack of new games, their wrappers and cases, handbooks and strategy guides. A PC Gamer magazine lay in among the countless piles of demo disks Willis had picked up here and there. Rising from the mess was the brand new Elements 19-inch monitor, emitting a cold, bluish glow. The keyboard sported a custom key cover, changing the standard set of keys into the control panel of a complex helicopter, and the W, A, D and S keys-- the keys which are commonly used to control a character-- were smudges and worn down compared to the rest of the clean new keys. The brand new high accuracy optical mouse glowed a dull reddish color, and sat on top of a cat-theme mouse pad Willis' dad had bought.

Don’t Change the World Essay

Once upon a time, there was a king who ruled a prosperous country. One day, he went for a trip to some distant areas of his country. When he was back to his palace, he complained that his feet were very painful, because it was the first time that he went for such a long trip, and the road that he went through was very rough and stony. He then ordered his people to cover every road of the entire country with leather.Definitely, this would need thousands of cows’ skin, and would cost a huge amount of money. Then one of his wise servants dared himself to tell the king, â€Å"Why do you have to spend that unnecessary amount of money? Why don’t you just cut a little piece of leather to cover your feet?†The king was surprised, but he later agreed to his suggestion, to make a â€Å"shoe† for himself.There is actually a valuable lesson of life in this story: to make this world a happy place to live, you better change yourself – your heart; and not the world. The Travelers and the Plane Tree Two men were walking along one summer day. Soon it became too hot to go any further and, seeing a large plane tree nearby, they threw themselves on the ground to rest in its shade.Gazing up into the branches one man said to the other: â€Å"What a useless tree this is. It does not have fruit or nuts that we can eat and we cannot even use its wood for anything.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Don’t be so ungrateful,† rustled the tree in reply. â€Å"I am being extremely useful to you at this very moment, shielding you from the hot sun. And you call me a good-for-nothing!†All of God’s creations have a good purpose. Islam teaches us that we should never belittle Allah’s blessings.

Curley’s Wifes’ Desires of Mice and Men

Curley’s wife How does Steinbeck present Curley’s wife’s’ desires in the book ‘Of Mice and Men’? John Steinbeck’s novella, ‘Of Mice and Men’ depicts the struggle of two wayward men during the Great Depression of the 1930’s. Although a variety of characters in the story are presented as the out casts of society, Curley’s wife is perhaps the character in which readers feel most sympathetic towards. Essentially, Curley’s wife represents the image of all women in the society in which Steinbeck lived.Society in the 1930’s discriminated heavily against women; they were essentially objects, whose sole purpose in life was to serve their husbands, objects that were to be simply seen, and not heard. Steinbeck presents the female genders lack of identity and individuality in 1930’s society by deliberately not naming Curley’s wife. Her missing a name emphasizes her second-class citizenship. The woman has no name because she is just an object, the â€Å"property† of someone else.Curley’s wife is deemed unimportant, victimized as a direct result of her gender, the majority of male characters in the novel have names, even Crooks; the stable buck, who because of his race is probably viewed as being beneath Curley’s wife in terms of society’s classification. Curley's wife can only be seen in reference to her husband, who (supposedly) owns and controls her body, and by extension, her. Curley’s wife desires attention above all other dreams. As the only female on the ranch, she has no one she could relate to and is presented by Steinbeck to be incredibly isolated and shrouded in feelings of loneliness.She appears to present a facade on the ranch, burying her isolation with boldness and femininity ‘ She had full, rouged lips and wide spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausag es’. She continuously uses the excuse of looking for Curley as a means of extracting some sort of communication with others on the ranch ‘I’m looking for Curley’. ‘He was in here a minute ago, but he went’. ‘Oh! ’. She put her hands behind her back and leaned against the door frame so that her body was thrown forward’.Steinbeck presents Curley’s wife in a flirtatious manner in order to highlight her loneliness and isolation on the ranch. She often feels depressed and doesn’t understand why the ranch workers are afraid to communicate with her ‘What's the matter with me? Ain't I got a right to talk to nobody? ’. As a result of her loneliness, she often uses her body and circumstance as the only woman on an all male ranch to extract conversation from individuals. Steinbeck presents her flirtatiousness by displaying Curley’s wife’s liking of the colour red ; red as a colour connotates em otions of passion, desire and love.Curley’s wife is a temptress who leads men into trouble. She represents sexuality and danger. This has led to some commentators who see ‘Of Mice and Men’ as being a biblical allegory to describe Curley’s wife as an Eve figure. Curley’s wife’s isolation also leads her to desire power. Her position in society as a woman virtually denies her of any power, however she chooses to use her position as the wife of the boss’ son to exert what little authority she can muster onto individuals who she believes are beneath her in society’s classifications.Curley’s wife uses her miniscule quantity of authority to insult and manipulate those beneath her ‘I could get you strung up in a tree so easy it ain't even funny. ’ Wants freedom, is suffocated ; pathetic fallacy, when she dies, weather is hot and stifling because that is how she feels on the ranch.. suffocated Alongside Curley’ s wife’s desire for attention, I believe she also seeks freedom. As the only female living on the ranch, she has no one she can talk or relate to, she is Curley’s wife but feels that she cannot relate to him.Curley’s wife admits herself that she has no one to talk to, it appears to the reader that Curley himself observes his wife as more an object to flaunt, rather than a partner who he supposedly loves. She may potentially be jealous of the women that work in the cathouses as they seem to gain more attention I believe she feels, as Curley’ s wife, she is obligated to present a show to the other men living on the ranch, as she is Curley’s prized possession, and he seems to want to flaunt her ‘Well, I tell ya what – Curley says he's keepin' that hand soft for his wife. ’

Philosophy The New Testament Essay

It is a well known fact that the Bible is at the head of the list of the most widely read books in the whole world. Moreover, it seems that with time the Bible only expands its range of influence as this text is being constantly examined by representatives of various religious groups, by historians, by philosophers, and by many other people. In this regard, what makes the Bible such a prolific and unique religious and historical text is its wide scope of significance and various patters of meaning in it which, depending on the employed analytical tools, can contain different messages within the same parts of the text. Let us on the example of the excerpt from the twelfth chapter of the Gospel of Mark in the New Testament try to find out how meaning and significance are encoded in the Biblical texts, and what approaches readers can use to extract messages contained in these writings. The larger context of the chapter with the passage devoted to the question about the resurrection The excerpt that we are about to explain in a systematic way is tentatively called â€Å"The Question about the Resurrection† in the book of Kurt Aland â€Å"Synopsis of the Four Gospels†. Indeed, this part of the twelfth chapter of the Gospel of Mark is dealing with the question that at first might seem to undermine the very idea of resurrection, and is giving the answer of Jesus Christ to that apparent dilemma. However, before going into the details of the polemics between Christ and Sadducees, it would be helpful to consider the general content of the chapter, so that we could better appreciate the context in which the question about the resurrection is discussed. The excerpt about the resurrection issue is preceded by the mentioning that Jesus had started speaking in parables. In accordance with this, in the first part of the twelfth chapter the parable of the tenants is given, then a famous answer of Christ about paying of taxes to Caesar follows, then goes the question about the resurrection, and before its end the chapter also includes several other important teachings of Christ. What unites all of these sub-parts of the twelfth chapter of the Gospel of Mark is that most of them, including the question about the resurrection, give account of the immediate instances of communication of Christ with people who are integral participants of dialogs, so that their questions and answers shape the way Christ responds and teaches. Meaning conveyed by the form of the passage devoted to the question about the resurrection With this larger context of the twelfth chapter of the Gospel of Mark in mind, we can start the analysis of the excerpt devoted to the issue of the resurrection. The excerpt begins with the description of the provoking behavior of Sadducees, who, similarly to those who just before them had tried to provoke Jesus by asking about payment of taxes to Caesar, compose a sophisticated case against the plausibility of the resurrection. That Sadducees are characterized as those â€Å"who say that there is no resurrection† (Mark 12. 8) instantly suggests that their intent in not an honest inquiry, but a hidden desire to disprove the teaching of Jesus. Besides, the strict succession and logical structure of the formulation of their question makes us think that it had been prepared well in advance, maybe even specifically for this encounter with Christ. For example, the question as voiced by Sadducees begins with the phrase: â€Å". . . Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if . . . † (Mark 12. 18). In this way, while formally appealing to the wisdom of Christ as the teacher, Sadducees actually advance their own vision of things, and so, along with Pharisees and Herodians, are on one hand presented as tempters of Christ, and on the other hand may be viewed as representatives of the limited earthly wisdom. This impression is also bolstered by the artificiality of the case of a woman who had married seven brothers, which seems to be a very unlikely occasion, or at least the one extremely rare. Ironically, for the purpose of the argumentation Sadducees might well deal only with the example of two brothers and one wife, so the fact that they went as far as mentioning the seventh brother may be interpreted as bespeaking their blind striving for their self-assertion as intellectually superior to others, including Jesus Christ. In reality, it is exactly this type of arrogance that is often reproached by the Bible, and this part of the passage about the resurrection offers perhaps one of the best instances of such hidden criticism. However, for those who might omit this implicit negative stance towards the arrogance of Sadducees, an open criticism of their quasi-intellectualism voiced by Christ quickly follows. In his answer to Sadducees Christ does not allow them to draw him into the format of the discussion that Sadducees had striven to create to achieve their own aim of confusing Jesus, but rather outright rejects the very premises of their line of argumentation as the ones completely ignorant of the subject of the discussion. In this way, Christ is actually shown by the text to masterfully possess skills of argumentative dialogue as he is able to change the form of the dialogue, which is persuasively shown by the observation later in the text of the twelfth chapter of the Gospel of Mark that says: â€Å". . . And after that no one [including Sadducees] dared to ask him any question. . . † (Mark 12. 34). So, to summarize on this point, the changes in the form of the passage about the resurrection from what starts as an instance of communication presumably controlled by Sadducees into the one ultimately controlled by Christ carries in it the wider meaning directed at the instigation of readers to think by analogy, and to compare the form of the dialog between Sadducees and Christ with other passages in the Bible, and with instances from our everyday life. Significance of the content of the passage devoted to the question about the resurrection Aside from its instructive form, the passage about the resurrection is very important in terms of the significance of its content. In fact, this excerpt is devoted to one of the key notions of the very Christian religion in which the miracle of resurrection serves as the manifestation of the power of God to defeat even death. Therefore, any passage in the Bible that clarifies this conception is significant, not to mention excerpts akin to the one we are examining that directly deal with the matter of the resurrection. In this respect, the peculiarity of the contribution that the twelfth chapter of the Gospel of Mark makes to this issue is not so much that it tells us what is the resurrection, but that it rather provides Chirst`s explanation of what the resurrection is not. In the context of the question of Sadducees, Christ explains that it is wrong to apply to those who are dead the familiar earthly notion of marriage, because â€Å". . . when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage. . . † (Mark 12. 25). In the line 27 Christ also points out that God is â€Å". . . not God the dead, but of the living. . . † (Mark 12. 27). It is this powerful denial of superficial views on the resurrection held by Sadducees that is the essence of Christ`s indignant response to the question about the resurrection and of his attempt to show that it is fundamentally ill-formulated. Moreover, in the studied passage we also can find some hints as to what the resurrection is like. Jesus briefly comments that after the dead are risen they â€Å"are like angels in heaven† (Mark 12. 25). Still, it seems that this characterization is simultaneously equally used to further bolster the description of what the resurrection is not, as the comparison of people who have been risen with angels carries the theme of the discussion away from the material world on which Sadducees seem to be overly focused. Thus, readers who seek explanations for some crucial religious ideas may view the studied passage that examines the question about the resurrection as primarily one of those parts of the Bible that provide the firsthand account of the theological aspects of teachings of Jesus Christ. Conclusion As we can see, the Bible, being the text that pretends to give an account of historical events and at the same time to send universal and timeless messages, indeed works on many levels that coexist within the same biblical texts, and mutually reinforce one another by enhancing their significance and by highlighting various patters of meaning that they contain. More specifically, in the passage devoted to the question of the resurrection the form of the text as if works to copy the conversational and emotional aspects of what might have been an actual argumentative tug of war between Sadducees and Christ in which Jesus had the final word. So, in this regard the Bible has the function of a historical document. At the same time, the content of this passage, which sheds light on the phenomenon of the resurrection, has the life of its own because this excerpt also has the function of a religious text that elucidates important elements of the Christian doctrine.

IP Address Schema Design for a Medium-Sized Business Essay

IP Address Schema Design for a Medium-Sized Business The following IP schema is designed to fit the needs of the Warehouse Company. The company has purchased and installed all of the required equipment for the network infrastructure. After consulting with their design team and gathering the required documentation and network designs, we are ready to proceed. The network design requires an IP schema that will minimize the cost of public IP addresses. Due to this requirement we will use a Class B IP address solution with a default subnet mask of 11111111.11111111.00000000.00000000 or 255.255.0.0. I am calculating the need to have 2 possibly 3 public IP addresses. In order to meet the IP requirements for the company’s 367 devices that include 260 hosts for Boston, 80 hosts for Dallas, 12 hosts at Seattle, 4 general servers and 3 DMZ servers, I will use the network address 172.16.0.0/23. The broadcast IP address is172.16.1.255. The subnet mask will be 255.255.254.0. The /23 will support 512 hosts, leaving 145 available hosts. The IP address ranges are assigned as follows: Boston (280) 172.16.0.10 through 172.16.1.40. Dallas (80) 172.16.1.50 through 172.16.1.140. Seattle (12) 172.16.1.160 through 172.16.1.180. General Servers (4) and network equipment 172.16.1.190 through 172.16.1.205. The DMZ servers with out-going rules set will be 172.16.1.210 through 172.16.1.220 The link-local unicast IPv6 network address will be fe80::ac10:0, the broadcast address will be ff00::ac10:1ff. This equals 119 bits and the host range will be from fe80::ac10:1 through fe80::ac10:1fe.