Growth Of Islamic Fundamentalism In South Asia History Essay

Growth Of Islamic Fundamentalism In South Asia History Essay Islamic fundamentalism is not a new phenomenon. In recent times, it has acquired a militant and jihadi form. It has grown because of the failure of the ruling elite in South Asian countries in nation building and in constructing democratic polities. Successive regimes, both civilian and military, in some of the countries in the region have used Islam as a means to legitimise their rule. As seen in previous chapter that the Islamic fundamentalism has been well entrenched in Pakistans power structure for the last two decades or so, ever since the military rule of General Zia-ul Haq. Pakistan militarys alliance with the Mullahs was formed during this period. The conglomerate of six fundamentalist parties, the Muttahida Majlise Amal (MMA), controls the provincial government in the strategic NWFP, where it has already enforced a kind of Taliban rule. The MMA is also part of the government in Baluchistan. Subsequently Gen. Musharraf strengthened the Mullah-Military alliance. In the subsequent paragraphs we will study the Islamic fundamentalism in various other asian countries and pak role in spreading this fundamenatalism. PART I: ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM IN AFGHANISTAN Afghanistan and the Rise of Taliban Demography. Afghanistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia, bordered by Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzebkistan and China. Its population approximately stand somewhere between 15 and 20 million people. The overwhelming majority of its population is Muslims, although a significant minority -between 10 and 20 per cent adheres to heterodox Sunni confession. The population is also diverse in both ethnic and linguistic terms. While two Indo- Iranian languages Persian and Pustho- are the ones most widely heard in the country, one also encounters speakers of Turk, Dravidian, Nuristani, and other languages. Afghanistan besides ethnicaly and linguistically, is also divided economically and spatially. Shaping of Fundamentalism Power Struggle the Root Cause. The Afghanistan is in turmoil since 1973. In 1973 Mohammed Daoud khan staged a coup, deposing his cousin king Zahir Shah and appointing himself as president. Daoud captured power with the help of Soviet- trained military officers, who were members of the Peoples Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA). On 27 Apr 1978, the leftist military officers overthrew Mohammed Daoud Khan in a surprise coup and Noor Mohammed Taraki came to power. Due to internal disputes within the Taraki Camp there was widespread killing of tribal leaders to extend control over them. Thus Amin overthrew and killed Taraki and made overtures to the USA. Russian Intervention. The Russian Intervention in Afghanistan played a crucial role for its subsequent control and a state of anarchy in the region. The reason for russian intervention in Afghanistan were as under:- Iranian Connection. During Oct 1974 The Shah of Iran offered aid worth $ 2 billion to Kabul and also give secure access to Iranian port of Bandar Abbas to the sea via Iran, there by reducing the Soviet leverage as the only alternative route for Afghan overland trade. The increased overtures of iran towards Afghanistan increased Soviet apprehensions. Inclination to USA. The Amin after assuming the power from Taraki made overtures towards USA. This caused Moscow panic and at this stage the Soviets decided to intervene militarily to stabilize the situation, instead the soviets got sucked into the war. Situation after Soviet Withdrawal. After the withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan in 1989. The number of Mujahideen faction who fought their Jihad against Soviet forces and communist regime of Kabul tried to capture the power in Kabul. The Afghan society was highly divided on tribal and ethnolinguistically lines at that time. The mujahideen warlords were also fragmented along these lines. As their communities interests were involved hence a consensus government could not be formed and neither a power sharing agreement could reach between them. The end result was anarchy in Afghanistan. Pakistan, which was a front line state for Americans and western nation for arms supplies to mujahideen during Soviet occupation of Afghanistan had now its own interest in keeping the Afghan disintegrated as it wanted it establish its own puppet government there, so it backed number of mujahideen groups but when they failed to capture the power in Kabul, it started the Taliban movement with Sau di money and US planning and Pakistans manpower. Pakistans Objectives. Pakistan objectives in Afghanistan are two fold. The first was to secure a receptive leader ship in Kabul which would ensure the transformation of Afghanistan into a Pakistan dominated, Pushtun ruled enclave and assist Pakistans goal of wider regional influence, and broader regional political, economic and strategic gains. The other was to enable Pakistan to enmesh the identity of Pakistans and Afghanistan Pushtun into one and settle once and for all the longstanding Afghanistan -Pakistan border dispute in line with Pakistans interests. These considerations assumed greater urgency after the collapse of the Soviet Union, which not only signalled the imminent end of communist rule in Kabul, but also opened up the potentially resource rich Central Asian Republic( CAR). Growth of Taliban Birth of Taliban. It is generally accepted by Afghanistan watchers that the Taliban had its birth in the rugged mountains of the Pak-Afghan border, inside Pakistan territory some time in Aug 1994. By early 1994 it became obvious to the ISI that the Burhanuddin Rabbani regime, not very friendly to Islamabad, was slowly consolidating itself in Kabul. While they were looking for alternative s, Maj Gen (Retd) Naseerullah Babar, the Interior Minister in the second Benazir Bhutto government floated the idea of creating a students militia along with some veterans from the Afghan mujahideen who had fought the Red Army and who had taken shelter in Pakistan. Gen Babar started his search for suitable leaders from around April-May 1994. In the process, he came across a certain Mohammad Umar Mujahid. Later widely known as Mullah Umar. By the end of May 1994 the basic infrastructure for launching the Taliban was in place. Around this time, the meeting with the Jamait Ulema Islam headed by Maulana Fazlur Rahman started bearing fruit in terms of deputing its students for the proposed outfit, which it proposed to call Taliban. Most of the Taliban are the children of the Jihad against Soviet Union. Many were born in Pakistani refugee camps, educated in Pakistani madrassas and learnt their fighting skill from Afghan Mujahideen parties based in Pakistan. Their families continued to live in Pakistan as refugees even after the fall of Kabul to the Mujahideen in 1992. The Taliban the Army of Islamic students -was raised from the madrassas on the Afghan Pakistan border. Sociologically, Pakistan had based this new revolution upon the segment of the fanatical and illiterate village mullahs- the land less and weakest section of Afghan society. They are generally orphans who prefer to live in madrassas for three square meals a day. Pakistani Connection. Many Taliban carry Pakistani identity cards, as they spent years in refuge camps in Pakistan, and thousand voted in the 1997 elections Baluchistan for their favourite Pakistani party- the Jamiat -e Ulema-I Islam. Moreover the Taliban recruited hundreds of Pakistani Islamic fundamentalist students to fight for their causes and were closely linked to Pakistans fundamentalist Islamic parties such as the Jamait -e Uleama Islam led by Maulana Fazular Rahman. Their social history also allowed them to be extremely well connected to many Pakistani state institution, political parties and business groups in what was already an extremely fragmented Pakistani power structure. Thus the Taliban were never beholden to one exclusive Pakistani lobby. ISI Support to Taliban. It is believed that the Taliban Shura and Umer are only a front and the actual thinking and strategy is provide by the former and serving members of the Inter Services Intelligence Agency (ISI) of Pakistan. It wold be difficult to explain otherwise how the students of madrassas, dedicated to religious learning as a way to life almost overnight became warriors. The improvised madrassas in the NWFP and Baluchistan would hardly be in a position to impart any military training, unless they have sound and organized financial and military backing. In any event, over the last two years Lt Gen (Retd.) Hameed Gul, former Chief of the ISI, has emerged as an important spokesperson of the Taliban movement. Large number of former Pakistani military personnel a have been spotted in Taliban camps actively engaged in Taliban activities. PART II: ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM IN BANGLADESH Brief History Formation of Bangladesh. Bangladesh emerged as a new state in 1971 after a protracted struggle for autonomy, which evolved into a freedom movement against the Punjabi-dominated military bureaucratic establishment of Pakistan. Religion and Constitution. Though the initial Constitution of Bangladesh unambiguously enshrined secularism, which was to be realised by eliminating communalism in all its forms, and the establishment of multi-party democracy as fundamental political values. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had spelt out the meaning of secularism in the context of the Muslim society. He had explained that secularism does not mean absence of religion. The people of Bangladesh would have the right to religion but nobody would be allowed to use religion as a political weapon. Islam in Bangladesh has been based on three types of religious beliefs: modern, orthodox and popular. A majority of the Muslims of Bangladesh practice popular religion that includes faith in pirs, sacred places, Hindu gods and local deities and spirits. The Jamaat-i- Islami had no appeal in the political environment in East Pakistan since 1947. In, the Jamaat-i-Islami had only one member in that part of Pakistan. Bangladeshs Drift Towards Extremism. However, after the military coup dà ©tat of 1975, secularism was replaced by the words Faith in Almighty Allah in the revised constitution. A new era of the relationship with Middle Eastern Muslim countries, brought Wahhabi ideology back home from Arabia and created a social ground and support base for future fundamentalists in the country. In 1988, another military dictator declared Islam the state religion of Bangladesh by amending the Constitution. To create an aura of political legitimacy as well as to win support from the oil-rich Middle Eastern Muslim countries, military regimes rehabilitated and eventually collaborated with Islamic political organizations, some of which were radical and fundamentalist in nature. 43 Both military regimes tried to overcome their legitimacy crises by manipulating the political issue of Islamic identity. In this way, the military regimes not only created the opportunity for the Islamists to be a part of mainst ream politics in Bangladesh, but they also made Islamization an agenda of the state and Islam the de facto state ideology.44Subsequent democratic governments could not overcome the religious ideology created by the military regimes. During the anti-military period of the 1980s, the two major political parties, the Bangladesh Awami League (AL) and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), continued to maintain tactical relationships with fundamentalist political organizations. The party that won the general elections in 1991 and 2001 formed a coalition with fundamentalist political organizations. The two of the militant fundamentalist organizations of this period that shocked the country the most were the HUJIB and the JMB. The mother organization of the HUJIB was located in Pakistan. Fundamentalist Acts in Bangladesh. Between March 6, 1999 and January 27, 2005, militant Islamists killed at least 156 people in Bangladesh. Bombs were thrown mostly at secular cultural gatherings, courthouses, and Sufi shrines. Worst among them were the bomb attacks at Udichi programs (a secularist cultural organization) programs, the Ahmadiyya mosque (a minority Islamic religious sect), Bengali new year celebrations, churches, movie theatres, the Bangladeshi born British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, and at the rally of the party of opposition. The bomb attack that shocked the country most was the blast of August 17, 2005, where 459 bombs were exploded in 63 of the 64 districts in the country between 11:00 and 11:30 am. There were also several attacks on secularist NGO (Non-Government Organization) activists and newspapers. Two militant religious fundamentalist organizations, Harkatul Jihad al-Islam Bangladesh (HUJIB), and Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), carried out these a ttacks. These two groups alone exploded hundreds of bombs throughout the country during this period in order to establish an Islamic regime in the country. In addition to these two groups, other militant Islamist organizations, active in this period that were also involved in similar violent and terrorist activities included, Shahadat al-Hikma, Hizbut Tawhid, Bangladesh Islamic Manch, and Hifajate Khatme Nabuwat Andolon. Pakistan Link. The two of the major and active militant fundamentalist organizations of Bangladesh are HUJIB (Harkatul Jihad al-Islam of Bangladesh) and the JMB (Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh). The mother organization of the HUJIB was located in Pakistan. The Pakistani HUJI had first appeared in the early 1980s as a group of supporters of the Afghan resistance against Soviet aggression, known as Jamaatul Ansar (Group of the Helpers). With the support of Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence Agency (ISI), the group renamed itself as Harkatul Jihad al-Islam (The Movement for the Islamic Jihad) in 1988.53 In the 1990s it expanded its operations beyond Afghanistan, especially in support of the struggle of Muslims in non-Muslim countries. Shafiqur Rahman, an Afghan war veteran, founded the Harkatul Jihad al-Islami Bangladesh in 1992. The organization officially declared its existence at a press conference at the National Press Club in Dhaka on April 30, 1992. Presently there are approx 27 militant outfits in Indias Northeast that have ties with Bangladesh and its various religio-political groups. The ISI and Bangladeshs DGFI coordinate with ULFA. The influx of migrants from Bangladesh across the border into north-east India and West Bengal certainly poses a threat of Islamic militancy spreading in these regions of India as well. During the rule of the BNP-led four-party alliance between 2001 and 2006, militant Islamic groups such as the HUJIB and JMB received significant material and moral support from Islamists within the alliance. PART III:THE DANGER IN NEPAL Gen. Nepal is a Hindu kingdom but not a Hindu state and religious minorities have lived in the Kingdom without any discrimination. Over the last several years, the Kingdom, however, has been in turmoil. It has been plagued by Maoist insurgency and the struggle for end of monarchy and establishment of Democracy in the Kingdom. Both these major struggle were over by 2006. However the country had to think and work out the settlement before the maoist can be adopted and the new constitution can be enacted for the country. Though the country is pro India and anti Islamic Fundamentalism, but a disturbed situation has been exploited by the anti India countries over the years. The use of Nepal soil by the Islamist for causing disturbance in India have been established time again.The presence of militant Islamists on the India-Nepal border has been causing concern in the contiguous Indian areas. Geographical Realities. It may be noted that India has an open, porous border with Nepal, which is 1,859 km-long. There are almost 20 Indian districts that share the border with 27 Nepalese districts. The open border provides a free field to all kinds of criminal activities, like drug trafficking, smuggling, intelligence activities, fake currency, fugitives, etc. Matter of Concern. What has caused concern is the emergence of numerous madrassas and mosques on both sides of the border. The number of mosques is certainly not justified by the number of Muslims in the area. The madrassas are largely funded from West Asia. These developments too have serious implications for India. The 1999 hijacking of the Indian Airlines plane on a flight from Kathmandu to New Delhi, which ultimately ended with the release of three top Pakistani terrorist leaders, showed that the ISI had set up an active base in Nepal. Some Kashmiri groups belonging to Hizb-ul Mujahideen have been caught in Nepal trying to send money to Islamic separatists in Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistani presence in Nepal is reflected in the growth of madrassas, increase in Muslim population, floating of fake Indian currency and is helped by an open border and lack of monitoring system. PART IV: ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM IN SRI LANKAN Origin and Growth of Islamic Fundamentalism. Muslims in Sri Lanka are the descendants of the Arabs, who came about a thousand years ago. The origins of Islamic fundamentalism in the country, however, are recent and can be traced to 1990 when the Sri Lankan ethnic Tamils drove away Muslims from the Eastern region under their control. This forced migration increased Muslim population in the districts to which they had migrated. No effort was made by the government to rehabilitate these uprooted Muslim refugees, who had to live in poverty and misery. Over time, madrassas came up, funded by munificent Arabs. Frequent Sinhala-Muslim communal clashes began to take place. Shariat courts were set up and strict rules imposed on Muslim women in the Eastern areas. The situation in the Muslim areas deteriorated and Muslim- Buddhist clashes became a regular feature. Militant camps were set up in the Eastern areas where volunteers were given arms and weapons training in the jungles and they called themselves jihadis fighting a holy war for protecting themselves. Ironically, the government itself had provided arms to the Muslims in the early 1980s to protect themselves against the LTTE. Also, attempts were made on part of the government to use Islamic militancy as a buffer against the LTTE. The country has been facing the threat of Tamil Eelam. The situation in the Eastern province is a potential bloody cauldron. There have been reports of two Islamic militant bases in Valaichchenai. The formation of an Osama Squad in Batticaloa has also come to notice. All this indicates growth of extremist elements in the community. Pak Involvement. The ISI is keenly interested to collect intelligence about developments in Indian nuclear establishments, many of which are located in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. In this background, the appointment by Pakistan two years ago of a former director of the Intelligence Bureau as its High Commissioner in Colombo was not without significance. There has been an increase in the activities of Lashkar-e-Toiba in the Eastern province. PART V: ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM AND INDIA Fundamentalist Parties Post Independence. After independence apart from some minor outfits, there were two main fundamentalist parties in the country, the Jamiat-al Ulema-i-Hind and the Jamaat-t-Islami. The Jamiat-al Ulema, which had opposed the creation of Pakistan till the end, withdrew from Indian politics after the freedom and the framing of the Indian Constitution. While the Jamaat-i-Islami was divided after the emergence of Pakistan in 1947 and some members of the Jamaat, including its founder, Maulana Abul Ala Maududi, migrated to Pakistan, with an aim of creating an Islamic country. While the, members of the Jamaat, who stayed back in India, formed a separate Jamaat in April 1948. The leaders of the Indian Jamaat opposed secularism in all walks of life and decided not to participate in elections, and decided to opt out of the Indian political system. However Jamaat accepted the secularism in 1960s, though with some reservations. The Jamaat members from Jammu Kashmir have not been part of the Indian Jamaat and formed a separate party in the state. Growth of Islamic Fundamentalism in India. India is marred with a plethora of terrorist/ insurgency related problems, terrorism in Punjab, insurgency in its NE, Maoist insurgency in its Central Part, Islamic Fundamentalism in J K and till late LTTE influence in its southern part. However among all these the threat from Islamic fundamentalism by large, poses the most complex and significant threat to India. India comprises of largest Muslim population after Indonesia in south Asia. Islamic fundamentalism in the form of terrorism in India was initially limited to the region of J K, but today it has spread its tentacles to other parts of India too. The series of bombing episodes in Mumabai, Banglore, Hyderabad, Varanasi, the hijacking of Indian airlines, attack on parliament, mumbai 26/11, etc are testimony to the growing influence of Islamic fundamentalism in India. India clearly has become a target of jihad in the age of globalisation. Islamic fundamentalism is against democracy and equal rights for all citizens, irrespective of caste, creed, or gender. Its further growth will disrupt peace and stability in the country and in the entire region. Pakistan Invovement. It was well realised by various pakistani rulers and dictators that subdueing India with military might is near to impossible and a proxy war in the form of Jihad would accrue disproportionate result. Keeping this aspect in mind Gen Jia-ul-Haque implemented this plan during his tenure. This plan of destabilising India, was implemented through the ISI, an intelligence agency whose officer cadre is drawn from Pakistan Army which is considered to be the state Instrument of this policy, Pakistan involvement in creating and fostering religious extremist groups and terror organisations in Kashmir and elsewhere in India is well documented. PART VI: PAK INVOLVEMENT IN GROWTH OF ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM IN SOUTH ASIA Through our previous study it ha sbeen amply established that the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Pakistan is not only responsible for the present situation in Afghanistan and in Jammu and Kashmir, but it also has far reaching consequences for all countries of the South Asian region. All South Asian countries are pluralistic and face at different levels, internal tensions and conflicts based on caste, religion, ethnicity, language and community, and these distort their national integrity and unity. Religious nationalism has made a great headway not only in Pakistan but also in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. It has made Pakistan a haven for Islamic terrorists, including Al Qaida, and it inspires terrorist activity in Kashmir. Some of the features of Islamic extremism in South Asia are: religiously defined national identity, undermining of democracy by promoting majoritarian theory and practice of non-liberal democracy and accentuation of international conflicts on ethno-religious lines, for example, between Hindu India and Muslim Pakistan and Hindu India and Muslim Bangladesh. The fundamentalists aim to turn the Muslim majority states of the region into Islamic states and start jihad in those countries where Muslims are in a minority. There is no accurate information about the exact number of madrassas in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and India. Many of these madrassas disseminate the militant ideology of Islamic fundamentalism and turn out militants. These contribute to the ongoing destabilisation not only in Pakistan but also in other countries of the region. The potential radicalisation of Indian Muslims is also a cause of concern. The Pakistan had the repercussions in other countries of the region. The major Islamic party, the Jamaat-i- Islami of Pakistan, and the Tablighi Jamaat and their militant offshoots has a strong presence in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. There is a wide network of Deobandi and Wahabi madrassas in almost each South Asian country and many of them are being funded by Saudi and Pakistani sources. Pakistan has been sponsoring a militant terrorist campaign in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir for the last two decades. Pakistans official agencies have been active in promoting militant groups in all countries of the region. In India, there has also been a visible increase in the activities of Pakistani-sponsored militant groups, like Lashkar-e Toiba and Jaish-e Muhammad. South Asia is the most complex region of the world in terms of religion, and is inhabited by the followers of all major religions. Islam, after Hinduism, is one of the major religions of South Asia. It has the second lar gest following (29 per cent) after Hinduism (64 per cent). Almost four out of every 10 South Asians are Muslims, and they form the single largest Muslim population in the world. Islam in the region has had to co-exist, ever since its arrival in the Indian subcontinent in the first century of the Islamic calendar, with a bewildering variety of religions and cults. All the countries in the region that emerged after Independence are hence multireligious, multi-ethnic and multi-linguistic. India is larger, both in size and population, than all the other countries of the region combined. It has also the largest Muslim population in the world after Indonesia. Conclusion Muslims constitute the majority of the population in three of the seven countries in South Asia, i.e., Pakistan, Bangladesh and Maldives, and they are also a significant minority in India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. But Muslims of South Asia are not a monolithic community. Even at the height of the Mughal Regional Implications of the Rise of Islamic Fundamentalism in Pakistan rule in India, the Muslims of the region did not constitute a single harmonious community. They are divided in different Islamic sects, subsects and schools of thought. Though a majority of them belong to the Sunni sect, each South Asian country has a substantial number of Shias and other minority sects and schools. Almost every country in the region also faces unresolved ethnic, communal and linguistic tensions that at times lead to major conflicts. The terrorist campaign in Jammu Kashmir- waged mainly by militant Islamic groups sponsored and trained by Pakistans agencies and the disruptive activities of the Islam ic fundamentalist parties within Pakistan, therefore have wider implications and pose a major threat to the region. The rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Pakistan has had serious implications for social and political stability in the region and a highly volatile impact on relations among communities adhering to different faiths. References/End Notes

Virgin Atlantic SWOT, PESTLE and BCG Analysis

Virgin Atlantic SWOT, PESTLE and BCG Analysis Jump to: BCG Matrix | PESTLE Analysis of Virgin Atlantic | Porters 5 Forces Analysis | Ansoff Matrix | SWOT Analysis of Virgin Atlantic The Virgin Atlantic Airways is a UK-based private international airline that started operation in 1984.   Flying up to 35 destinations in North America, Asia and Africa, it is 51% owned by Virgin Group and 49% owned by Singapore Airlines (Wikipedia). Its fleet size is 37 (31 in order)   It competes with other local and international airlines including British Airways, the biggest and leading in UK.   In the year to February 2009, Virgin Atlantic carried 5.77 million passengers and made an annual profit of  Ã‚ £68.4 million on turnover of  £2,580 million.[2]).   With this information, it suggests firms bright future and industry fair share of the market.   However, external and industry environment analysis is a continuous process (Hitt, Hoskisson Ireland 2003) that every now and then makes prediction and preparedness an integral part of strategic actions of firms to efficiently manage opportunities and threats outside its organization.ƚ   Today, the Virgin Atlantic is one of the worlds most recognized brands and being recognized and trusted through their winning awards for their products and innovative marketing ( 2008). Internal Environment Resource Audit/Value Chain Portfolio Analysis Core competencies bCG matrix Stakeholder Analysis Organisational Culture/Structure Financial Analysis Resource Audit/Value Chain(8500 staff worldwid) The resource audit identifies the resources available to a business. Some of these can be owned (e.g. plant and machinery, trademarks, retail outlets) whereas other resources can be obtained through partnerships, joint ventures or simply supplier arrangements with other businesses whille Value Chain Analysis describes the activities that take place in a business and relates them to an analysis of the competitive strength of the business. Influential work by Michael Porter suggested that the activities of a business could be grouped under two headings: (1) Primary Activities those that are directly concerned with creating and delivering a product (e.g. component assembly); and (2) Support Activities, which whilst they are not directly involved in production, may increase effectiveness or efficiency (e.g. human resource management). It is rare for a business to undertake all primary and support activities. Value Chain Analysis is one way of identifying which activities are best undertaken by a business and which are best provided by others (outsourced) Core Competence Analysis: Core competencies are those capabilities that are critical to a business achieving competitive advantage. The starting point for analysing core competencies is recognising that competition between businesses is as much a race for competence mastery as it is for market position and market power. Senior management cannot focus on all activities of a business and the competencies required to undertake them. So the goal is for management to focus attention on competencies that really affect competitive advantage Performance Analysis The resource audit, value chain analysis and core competence analysis help to define the strategic capabilities of a business. After completing such analysis, questions that can be asked that evaluate the overall performance of the business. These questions include: How have the resources deployed in the business changed over time; this is historical analysis How do the resources and capabilities of the business compare with others in the industry -industry norm analysis How do the resources and capabilities of the business compare with best-in-class wherever that is to be found-  benchmarking How has the financial performance of the business changed over time and how does it compare with key competitors and the industry as a whole? Ratio analysis. Portfolio Analysis Portfolio analysis is defined in the Marketing Management Text as the aid to  marketing managers to help develop effective marketing plans. Portfolio models are used  to classify Strategic Business Units (SBUs) to determine the future cash contributions  that can be expected for each SBU as well as the future resource requirement that each  will require. Portfolio models generally examine the competitive position of the SBU  and the chances for improving the SBUs contribution to profitability and cash flow. The model we will be using for Virgin is the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) model.   This model is based on the relationship between relative market share and growth of the  Market The BCG model classifies products under four areas. These are stars, cash cows,  question marks and dogs. Stars are SBUs with high share or high growth market   Virgin Atlantic is clearly the cash cow of the Virgin Empire but we have undertaken a Portfolio analysis from the viewpoint of Virgin Atlantic. With regards to Virgin Atlantic Airways we believe that there is no star. The cash cow is the Upper Class section. Cash cows have high share of a low growth market and generate higher cash revenues. This high end product targets wealthy customers and business passengers. This is the highest costing ticket available, usually around $9,000, and there are 50 seats available in this class. Therefore, upper class generates much higher revenues compared to premium economy and economy. Dogs are SBUs that have low market share in low growth market. We see Virgin Atlantics economy class as a dog. Question marks are SBUs that have high potential but will require great resources to build market share. We believe that Premium Economy is a question mark as it has potential to be a cash generator. Premium economy targets cheaper flying business class passe ngers and high end couples. There are 38 seats in this class and tickets generally sell for around $3,000. Economy class focuses on families and groups flying together. Tickets for economy class are priced around $500 and there are 271 seats. BCG Matrix Virgin Culture Virgin Atlantic is a unique airline with great people and has a unique culture and it is not easy to sum up our culture in just a few words. Ours is a demanding and fast changing business and every one of our people has to have the intelligence to plan and deliver brilliant airline operations, to think on their feet and be accountable and respond to change and development. All the while, of course, we are all working hard to deliver our unique mix of product and service for which we are famous. All this creates a lively, collaborative environment where everyone knows whats expected of them and works together to achieve it. We pride ourselves on being as honest and unpretentious as we are inspired and professional everyone has a chance to voice their opinions and no ones too proud to ask questions. We embrace innovation wherever it comes from. If someone, an employee, customer or passenger has a brainwaveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ well listen. If we like it well do it and this is another way in which our people are the driving force behind our success.Of course, it takes a certain sort of person to flourish in such a fast-paced, freethinking environment. Talented, self-motivated, enthusiastic, youll have to share in our passion for providing only the very best. Put people like this together, and you create a winning performance culture that thrives on inspirational leadership, positive attitudes, commercial flair and underpinned by solid accountability. Financial Analysis Virgin Atlantic has managed a pretax profit of 41.6 million pounds ($76.1 million) on record annual sales of 1.91 billion.The carrier shared that a rise in business class travel helped more than double its pretax, pre-exceptional performance, which stood at 20.1 million pounds for the year ago period. Sales were up 17 percent for its financial year, which ended on February 28 Carrying a record 4.9 million passengers, Virgin had a 2005-06 pre-tax, pre-exceptional items profit of  £41.6m more than double the figure for 2004-05.Virgins results announcement comes after reports that it was Virgin that blew the whistle on British Airways which is now being investigated by the UKs Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and the US Department of Justice over alleged cartel activity involving BA and other airlines. Virgin has said that it is helping the OFT and the justice department with their inquiries.Chief executive Steve Ridgway reportedly said the strong performance came on the back of a 10 per cent increase in the number of passengers using its Upper Class cabin and the grabbing of market share on the North Atlantic. According to media, Ridgway denied, however, that Virgin had used the fuel surcharge like BAs,  £70 on a round-trip ticket to bolster revenues. The fuel surcharge has not kept pace with the increased cost of fuel, he reportedly said. It has only enabled us to recover around half of our fuel costs. Whereas fuel used to be around 15-16 percent of our costs it is now nearer 30 percent.Ridgway declined to comment in detail on why Virgin had blown the whistle on alleged conversations between it and BA, which prompted an OFT probe into alleged fuel surcharge price-fixing. According to a report: BA and VA impose the same surcharge of pound stg. 35 ($87) per individual long-haul flight (pound stg. 70 for a return trip). While BA had often been among the leaders in raising the fuel surcharge, on some occasions Virgin Atlantic, its main long-haul competitor at Heathrow, had also taken the lead. On most occasions the other airlines quickly followed the lead of the first mover. Last Septembe r, VA raised the long-haul surcharge from pound stg. 24 to pound stg. 30. It was followed in the same week by BA with the same increase. Virgin lowered the surcharge again in November to pound stg. 25, but BA did not follow suit and in January Virgin returned to pound stg. 30. In March, VA raised the levy to pound stg. 35. BA followed to pound stg. 35 in April. The Office of Fair Trading said last week that the investigation was at a very early stage and that there should be no assumption that there had been any wrongdoing. The External Environment: PESTLE Analysis   PESTLE analysis if you are including legal and environmental. Airlines are a good one because so many different things affect them. Political Taxes that they get charged in different countries for landing, fuel taxation etc Economic e.g. How does interest rate movement affext their longterm debt? How as their economic performance compared to the market sector? P/E ratios etc. Oil prices increasing, is this affecting their profits from increased fuel costs? Social Safety measures they employ on board and on the ground. Polulations growth does an ageing poulation affect them i.e. baby boomers, lots of people in that lifestage have more disposable income to spend. Technological As things improve technology becomes cheaper. How does this affect them? Does this mean the entries to barrier are lower for competitors to join? Do easyjet have a big RD dept? Legal Different legalities of different countries some stricter than others   Environment carbon offsetting, what is their CSR policy?   The Industry Environment: Five Forces New entrants in the industry basically face two difficulties: barriers to entry and retaliation from present firms (2003)   In the aviation industry, particularly the service passenger-based ones like Virgin Atlantic Airways, in modern economies are privately-operated that calls for substantial financial requirements at the fore.   Since travel services are derived demand (), new entrants should be able to cut a share in the pie in the presently saturated market.   This endeavor could result to another substantial resource to be deployed.   However, with such new entrant engagement, it does not assure of intended results because competitors like Virgin already created strategic links to other country-routes including its alliance with Asian giant Singapore Airlines that makes it easy to create counter-strategy.Boeing, the largest manufacturer of jetliners and supplier of Virgins aircrafts, had recently signed long-term agreement with largest aerospace part s distributor Satair for an Integrated Materials Management ().   As a result, Boeing could reduce its inventory and minimize warehousing costs because spare parts will be provided only when needed.   A cost reduction strategy from a supplier can assure customers like Virgin of price management scheme, if not, its another supplier, Airbus (the once number one airline manufacturer) could be resorted.Competitors in the industry have the same capability in terms interactivity of their web pages like Virgin.   This is supported almost fifty percent prevalence of internet connection among UK market, not to mention other countries.   As a result, the power of buyers to gain access to prices and services of firms increase making them knowledgeable of distinction of one from the other.   Companies on their part are obliged to be more competitive especially in maintaining and updating their web sites.  The countrys sea transport industry had develope d super ferries while the 2003 recorded 17.4% increase of UK passengers who took cruise holidays that reached nearly one million in that year ().   This development would make sense to airline industry tourism and leisure market especially foreigners that like to see the national endowments.   With demand for airline transport rise at faster rate than supply for it, the airline industry is required to effectively allocate its resources in a manner that exploit this supply shortage. Other airline competitors in the likes of AMR Corp., British Airways and Lufthansa are operating in at least 150 destinations compared to Virgins 20 As a result, rivalry among these firms against Virgin is relatively insignificant although strategic actions of Virgin that directly and significantly threat their market could spark retaliation in the detriment of relatively small firm.   The firm should focus in its target market and avoid competing with these large firms. Ansoffs product / market matrix Introduction The Ansoff Growth matrix is a tool that helps businesses decide their product and market growth strategy. Ansoffs product/market growth matrix suggests that a business attempts to grow depend on whether it markets  new or existing  products in  new or existing markets. The output from the Ansoff product/market matrix is a series of suggested growth strategies that set the direction for the business strategy. What is a Critical Success Factor? Critical Success Factors  (CSFs) are the critical factors or activities required for ensuring the success your business. The term was initially used in the world of data analysis, and business analysis. (   attracting customers; managing its fleet; managing its people, and managing its finances) Most smaller and more pragmatic businesses can still use CSFs but we need to take a different, more pragmatic approach. Critical Success Factors  have been used significantly to present or identify a few key factors that organizations should focus on to be successful. As a definition, critical success factors refer to the limited number of areas in which satisfactory results will ensure successful competitive performance for the individual, department, or organization. The connection of the Virgin Airline is outrageous because of the media that serves as a huge market competency advantage. Their strategy is using the media such as television, radio, internet, and even newspaper gave the business an opportunity for promotion. KEY POINTS    Virgin Atlantic established the strategy in promotion. They need to communicate with their customers for their initiatives in offering special offers that effectively make an appeal to their customers The benefits are expected to gain the Airlines 3-month payback on their investment; can utilize the advantage of the company over the technology such as computers; lowering the costs of the promotional materials because of the interaction of the business in the different forms of media; prioritizing the communication to the customers; and having the complete control on the advertising campaigns   The Virgin Atlantic recently tested the innovation and can continuously apply this in all their system. This strategy deals with the climate change has a great impact in the internal operation of the business such as the investment in the additional technology, better flying planes, building and operating an efficient infrastructure, and positive economic arrangements.    Strategy: Is about to design a desired future and identifying ways to bring it about by stenier1979 .a strategy is the pattern or plan integrate an organisation s major goals polices and actions into a cohesive whole.   Strategic Planning Strategy is the  direction  and  scope  of an organisation over the  long-term:  which achieves advantage  for the organisation through its configuration of  resources  within a challenging environment, to meet the needs of  markets  and to fulfil  stakeholder  expectations. In other words, strategy is about: * Where is the business trying to get to in the long-term (direction) * Which markets should a business compete in and what kind of activities are involved in such markets? (markets;  scope) * How can the business perform better than the competition in those markets? (advantage)? * What resources (skills, assets, finance, relationships, technical competence, facilities) are required in order to be able to compete? (resources)? * What external, environmental factors affect the businesses ability to compete? (environment)? * What are the values and expectations of those who have power in and around the business? (stakeholders) Strategy at Different Levels of a Business (Safety,  security  and  consistent delivery  of the basics are the foundation of everything we do. The success of our three year strategy requires us to build on these foundations by focusing on the  business  and  leisure  markets and driving  efficiency  andeffectiveness.) Strategies exist at several levels in any organisation ranging from the overall business (or group of businesses) through to individuals working in it. Corporate Strategy   is concerned with the overall purpose and scope of the business to meet stakeholder expectations. This is a crucial level since it is heavily influenced by investors in the business and acts to guide strategic decision-making throughout the business. Corporate strategy is often stated explicitly in a mission statement. Business Unit Strategy   is concerned more with how a business competes successfully in a particular market. It concerns strategic decisions about choice of products, meeting needs of customers, gaining advantage over competitors, exploiting or creating new opportunities etc. Operational Strategy   is concerned with how each part of the business is organised to deliver the corporate and business-unit level strategic direction. Operational strategy therefore focuses on issues of resources, processes, people etc. How Strategy is Managed Strategic Management In its broadest sense, strategic management is about taking strategic decisions decisions that answer the questions above. In practice, a thorough strategic management process has three main components, shown in the figure below: Mission Statement To grow a profitable airline that people love to fly and where people love to Work. SWOT Analysis The next segment of reviewing a firms strategic plan is to perform a SWOT analysis. This entails identifying a firms internal strengths and weaknesses and their external opportunities and threats. After analyzing the external environment and internal resources, strategic decision makers have the information they need to formulate corporate, business, and financial strategies of the organization. A comparison of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats is normally referred to as a SWOT analysis. A SWOT analysis helps executives summarize the major facts and forecasts derived from the external and internal analysis. From this, executives can derive a series of statements that identify the primary and secondary strategic issues confronting the organization. Strategy formulation builds on SWOT analysis to utilize strengths of the organization in order to capitalize on opportunities, counteract threats, and alleviate internal weaknesses. In short, strategy formulation moves from simply analysis to devising a coherent course of action. The findings of a SWOT analysis are the basis for developing objectives and strategies that can be implemented in a companys strategic plan. Therefore, it is important for companies to continue to perform SWOT analyses, because external and internal factors affecting companies are constantly changing. New strategies need to be developed and old ones need to be revised in order to reflect the current internal and external conditions that affect a company Internal strengths and weaknesses are activities that a company performs particularly well or poorly. These internal activities stem from all departments and components of a business. After a company identifies its strengths and weaknesses, it should then develop strategies that capitalize on its strengths and minimize or improve its weaknesses External opportunities and threats are events that occur outside of the company and are events that the company has no control over. Co mpanies benefit from external opportunities and are harmed by external threats. It is important for a company to recognize its external opportunities and threats so it can formulate strategies to take advantage of future opportunities and to avoid future threats. (S)trengths: Virgin Brand recognized by 98% of British Public. Clients expect good customer service in each separate class Business/Economy. Virgin Atlantic introduced innovative technology: including in flight music, ice  cream, games, and movies. New in flight innovation is offered to gold club holders or J-class with lounges  offering quality food and comfort. Quality trained employees recruited from other airlines. Virgin Atlantic is spawned from as a private company allowing for other Virgin  brands and more control. Richard Bransons innovative entrepreneurial management. Competitive pricing for business class offers more services. Partnership with Singapore airlines because they are the minority shareholder at  49%. The reason why this partnership is beneficial is because their routes are  non-overlapping and the partnership allows the transfer of core competencies. Load factor is better than competition; therefore, returns are higher and value is  greater. Positive publicity, in regards to winning every quality award known to man. (W)eaknesses Flight delays: need to improve flight efficiency. The travel routes are limited. Hot Air magazine separate from traditional airline advertising magazines including articles and marketing advertising. Cut routes to Chicago, Toronto, and Cape in relation to the September 11 tragedy. Late getting on the Internet Missed the Boat for web site, web page, and ecommerce. Richard Branson is a one man manager being the owner and director of multiple companies. Costs associated in the overhead of keeping two five star chefs, lounge, and limo service. Virgins reliance on Trans Atlantic traffic makes them more vulnerable to the drop in demand for travel to and from the U.S. (O)pportunities Strategic Marketing above the rest utilizing by being innovative, fun, maintaining  values, caring, and produce quality. Technology adds improvements (Galileo) an advanced inventory system. In flight Internet connection. Web site needs to be improved possible weakness for e-commerce and regular  web site navigation. Generate additional routes. Virgin Galactic, we are flying into outer space. Warehouse facility -Heathrow, London. Recession may be an unexpected opportunity for investment. On-line strategy in targeting branding and ongoing ad campaigns, through on-line  media planning and buying account. (T)hreats Recession, September 11th will and has affected the entire airline industry, order cancellations, risk aversion for flying customers Brand Dilution by a rapid expanding brand image may be too global and not  focused towards the important products. Competition for routes British and United. Fuel prices are fluctuating, which accounts for 15% of total airline expense. Objectives The results that an organization seeks over a multiyear period are its long-term  objectives. Such objectives typically involve some or all of the following areas: profitability, return on investment, competitive position, technological leadership,  productivity, employee relations, public responsibility, and employee development. Eric Starks, Virgin Atlantic Regional Director, stated the following objective: To  maintain a safe customer environment through the necessary security procedures. Also to  concentrate on core competencies by consolidating routes, directly related to downsizing  workforce, to remain profitable while targeting business class passengers. Strategies Strategies are statements of how objectives are to be achieved. These are usually long- term strategies and necessitate many different approaches, such as, product development, joint ventures and strategic alliances. Generic strategies such as low cost, differentiation, or focus strategies characterize the competitive orientation of the firm in the marketplace.In order to remain profitable Virgin Atlantic has focused on its core competencies. The company is currently focusing its strategies on sustaining great quality. service and maintaining relationships with their Upper Class customers. This has resulted in the closing of routes to Toronto, Chicago, and Cape Town. The company has also reduced the amount of flights a day and personnel by 20% per route across the North Atlantic. For example, the San Francisco routes were reduced from two flights to one flight per day. Competitive Strategy Analysis Segmentation Market segmentation is defined as the process of dividing a market into groups of  similar consumer and selecting the most appropriate group(s) for the firm to serve. This  concept is achieved through the following six steps Define firms current situation. Determine consumer wants and needs. Divide markets on relevant dimensions. Develop product positioning. Decide segmentations strategy. Design marketing mix strategy. Targeting Targeting is when a firm chooses one or more market segments as a specific target markets. Virgin Atlantic is a company that considers every customer to be important and thus offers individualized services to customers. These are nine basic criteria for targeting Who buys our product? Who does not buy our product? What need or function does our product serve? What problem does our product solve? What are customers currently buying to satisfy the need or solve the problem for which our product is targeting? What price are they paying for the product they are currently buying? When is our product purchased? Where is our product purchased? Why is our product purchased? Upon evaluation of these questions the company must then assess opportunity in target markets based on segment size and growth potential, competition, companys objectives and feasibility of success in this market. Virgin Atlantic has targeted upper class customers who are primarily business passengers traveling on transatlantic routes. Positioning Positioning refers to the act of locating a brand in customers minds over and against other products in terms of product attributes and benefits that the brand does or does not offer.38 There are many different general strategies for positioning products Attribute or benefit, quality and price, use or application, competition, high-tech and high-touch, can achieve desired positioning. Most significantly, Virgin Atlantic has positioned itself as direct competitor to British Airways on all routes. Firstly, Virgin Atlantic was extremely aggressive in obtaining slots at Heathrow International Airport. Secondly, Virgin Atlantic attacked the proposed British Airways and American Airlines partnership stating that it was unhealthy for competition. Finally, Virgin Atlantic has strived to compete with British Airways on all routes into and out of London. Virgin Atlantic attracts customers by being fun and innovative. On the aircraft passengers experience spacious setting arrangements, state of the art in-flight entertainment system, and most importantly a high level of customer service. In addition,Virgin Atlantic offers a distinctive upper class service at business class prices.Furthermore, Virgin Atlantic is installing Internet capabilities and is implementing Galileos Inside Availability (R), a high-tech inventory management system. Option one low price/low added value. likely to be segment specific. Option two low price. risk of price war and low margins/need to be a cost leader. Option three Hybrid. low cost base and reinvestment in low price and differentiation. Option four Differentiation. (a)without a price premium: perceived added value by user, yielding market share benefits. (b)with a price premium: perceived added value sufficient to to bear price premium. Option five focussed differentiation. perceived added value to a particular segment warranting a premium price. Option six increased price/standard. higher margins if competitors do not value follow/risk of losing market share. Option seven increased price/low values. only feasible in a monopoly situation. Option eight low value/standard price. loss of market share. Conclusion By studying this external and industry analysis on environmental facts, it could be said that Virgin Atlantic Airways is situated in standard cycle markets wherein its competitive advantage is moderately shielded from imitation.   In general, airline industry belongs to slow cycle markets, however, due to relatively smaller capital and operations of some firms like Virgin, compa

Dear Mom Essay -- Personal Narrative Writing

Dear Mom, You're probably thinking, What is this? I've been in college for four years, and I've never written you a letter. I've sent you a couple of emails that you never checked. Mostly I call, say hello, and hang up. That way you have to call me back, and my phone bill stays small. I'm writing because I have something I need to tell you, but I feel silly saying it. Also, I can be more organized this way. You know how we engineers like everything in its place. Anyway, I need to tell you this because of something tacked on my wall. It's something I believe in, but I've never done anything about it. It's a quote. It goes something like this. Don't waste a single moment you may spend with someone you love. Don't neglect to tell them how important they are and how much you need them, want them, love them... Source unknown Blah. Blah. Blah. Now I'll say what I need to say. Here goes nothing. Do you remember when I told you that Elizabeth gave me the biggest compliment of my life? She told her class that I am her role model. Wow. I'm bringing this up because whenever I think about who my role model is, one person always pops into my head: you. Why, you may ask? I never really thought about it, either. Of course, I can think of plenty of reasons you wouldn't be my role model. Sorry, but I don't really want to be exactly like you, and--ignoring the obvious physical similarities--I don't think I am like you. See, a lot of what I've done in life--much as I would like to deny the fact--has been done because of my grades. I don't need to remind you I was the valedictorian. So was Dad. So was his dad. You were not. In fact, I've seen a couple of your report cards. Don't feel bad. Not everybody tests well. Academ... ... tell me they heard I've joined the Navy. You really need to get that bragging thing under control! What I'm trying to say is, I'm grateful I have such a great mom. It's going to be hard to move away, but you don't make me feel guilty. You always let me know you're proud of me. Well, I wouldn't be who I am if it wasn't for you. I admire you, and you're my role model because you are such a good mom. I know it's the hardest thing in the world to be. I also know that sometimes I make it harder than it has to be. (No more tattoos. I promise.) Well, that about covers that bullet list. I can't really think of anything else I need to say. Maybe just that I'm incredibly lucky to have a mother I can describe as beautiful, intelligent, kind, and independent. Love, Your daughter P.S. Now you know what it's like to have someone brag about you. Embarrassing, hey?

Why Hester Is A Whore :: essays research papers

Adulterous relationships always end in pain. Examples of such pain are present throughout the intricate web of time. From Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers, to the media buffet of Bill Clinton, adultery leaves pain. Hester embodies this pain. Not in pity but in cause. She embodies pain. Pain of loss, suffering. The pain of adulterous relationships. The universal wronging of adultery is deserving of such pain. Even in present times, with views much lax than puritan epoch, the wrong exists in full force, and just as deserving. Nathaniel Hawthorn's "The Scarlet Letter" deals in the justice of adultery. Wronging. This simple word exemplifies all things that one could do to destroy any sort of bond between two objects. A politician wrongs a public, a teacher wrongs a student, a boss wrongs an employee. A wife wrongs a husband. Wronging is universal in its presentation. The act which juxtaposes the wrong remain unimportant, it's the simple wronging which exists most corporeal. Hester wronged. She wronged more than her husband, but deeper, she wronged herself, and because of her times she wronged her god. Wronging deserves punishment. "Before the ugly edifice, and between it and the wheel-track of the street, was a grass plot, much overgrown with burdock, pigweed, apple peru, and such unsightly nail in the soil that had so early borne the black flower of civilized society, a prison." Almost parallel to Hester's deserving of pain stands a prison. Born out of civilized society springs a prison, a home of villainy. A breading ground for the wrong. What building more deserving, a nd what woman? Hester became a prison. Holding in the wrongness of her sin. Her justice was to carry out it's sentence. "It may be less soothing than a sinless conscience. That I cannot give you." Truly spoken from Nathaniel Hawthorn's text. Hester's wronging was her cross to bear and hers alone. Much like when Christ made a walk to his own crucifixion, so must Hester, deserving, make a walk through life bearing her A shaped cross. However, religion is a rather minor reason for her rightful punishment. The feelings and morals of the time dictate right and wrong. Presently we have values and views quite different than those of Hesters period, but the wrongness of her act of adultery remain universal. Even to this day, with views much lax of those Puritans in question, her wrong remains quite acute. Why Hester Is A Whore :: essays research papers Adulterous relationships always end in pain. Examples of such pain are present throughout the intricate web of time. From Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers, to the media buffet of Bill Clinton, adultery leaves pain. Hester embodies this pain. Not in pity but in cause. She embodies pain. Pain of loss, suffering. The pain of adulterous relationships. The universal wronging of adultery is deserving of such pain. Even in present times, with views much lax than puritan epoch, the wrong exists in full force, and just as deserving. Nathaniel Hawthorn's "The Scarlet Letter" deals in the justice of adultery. Wronging. This simple word exemplifies all things that one could do to destroy any sort of bond between two objects. A politician wrongs a public, a teacher wrongs a student, a boss wrongs an employee. A wife wrongs a husband. Wronging is universal in its presentation. The act which juxtaposes the wrong remain unimportant, it's the simple wronging which exists most corporeal. Hester wronged. She wronged more than her husband, but deeper, she wronged herself, and because of her times she wronged her god. Wronging deserves punishment. "Before the ugly edifice, and between it and the wheel-track of the street, was a grass plot, much overgrown with burdock, pigweed, apple peru, and such unsightly nail in the soil that had so early borne the black flower of civilized society, a prison." Almost parallel to Hester's deserving of pain stands a prison. Born out of civilized society springs a prison, a home of villainy. A breading ground for the wrong. What building more deserving, a nd what woman? Hester became a prison. Holding in the wrongness of her sin. Her justice was to carry out it's sentence. "It may be less soothing than a sinless conscience. That I cannot give you." Truly spoken from Nathaniel Hawthorn's text. Hester's wronging was her cross to bear and hers alone. Much like when Christ made a walk to his own crucifixion, so must Hester, deserving, make a walk through life bearing her A shaped cross. However, religion is a rather minor reason for her rightful punishment. The feelings and morals of the time dictate right and wrong. Presently we have values and views quite different than those of Hesters period, but the wrongness of her act of adultery remain universal. Even to this day, with views much lax of those Puritans in question, her wrong remains quite acute.

Free Narrative Essays - A Bowl of Soup :: Personal Narrative Essay Example

A Bowl of Soup    It was a simple bowl of soup. Chicken with rice, from a can. But as I sat down to eat my lunch, a sudden thought flashed through my head: What a miracle this bowl of soup is! A savory, golden broth, bright orange carrot coins, plump grains of rice, bits of chicken. Struck deeply by this realization, I simply sat for a minute watching thin wisps of steam rising from the surface.    Just a bowl of soup. I'd never given much thought to the origins of my food. I simply went to the store, threw produce and cans and boxes into my cart, and brought them home. But I've been thinking a lot lately about the interconnectedness of all things, and a great understanding coalesced for me in this blue-and-white bowl. In a flash, I glimpsed the giant web of nature and people that had brought this soup to my table.    First, of course, came the sunlight and water and soil in which farmers grew all the ingredients. Then truckers hauled the harvest to market and later to the processing plant. Workers there made the soup in a detailed process that requires abundant electricity generated by the labor of coal miners and hundreds of utility employees. Workers in another factory made the cans, which were fashioned from ore dug from the earth by more miners even farther away. Then someone else transported the cans of soup to my local store, where another person placed them on the shelf. Bankers were also involved, and secretaries, and the printers who made the labels, and who knows who else?    Plus, there are my clients and the publishers who pay me for the writing I do. Without their belief in me, I could not have purchased this amazing can of soup, nor the cheese and tomato sandwich I ate along with it. The web shimmered in my mind's eye, each connection leading to many more I couldn't even begin to imagine.    Then I remembered recent video images of relief workers standing in the backs of trucks and flinging loaves of bread that are snatched in mid-air by outstretched refugee hands.

Evaluation of International Investment Location Essay

We are an International car components manufacturing company located in Australia. We are seeking for investment opportunities in the automotive sector in attractive international markets. For this purpose our syndicate has short listed two countries viz. China and India. This report provides detailed analysis of the two countries in terms of the political and economic environments in addition to the competitive factors in the automotive sector. Political factors Political environment in an economy has a very strong influence on the investment decisions in that country. There are various political factors which affect investment decision such as environmental regulations and protection, tax policies, international trade regulations and restrictions, contract enforcement law, consumer protection, employment laws, government organization and its attitude towards investment, competition regulation, safety regulations etc†¦ The following table shows a comparison between the political factors in between the two countries. (The ranking is given by â€Å"doingbusiness. org† which is a part of the World Bank group) Starting a business is relatively easier in India which requires 13 procedures to be completed and it takes around a month to complete these procedures. In China there are 14 procedures to be completed to start a new business which require 40 days. Dealing with construction permits is a difficult process in China. There are 37 processes to be completed to get the construction permits and it takes around 336 days to complete all those processes. However in India, there are only 20 processes that need to be completed which can be completed in around 224 days. Though employing workers in China is not as much a difficult affair today as compared to the situation in 2008, the condition in India is much better compared to China. Hiring is a very easy affair in India as compared to China however firing could be much difficult in the Indian environment as compared to the Chinese environment. Registering property in India is a difficult affair as compared to China. While China ranks 30th in terms of ease of registering property, India’s rank has dropped down to 114 in 2009 from 105 in 2008. Getting credit in India is relatively easier as compared to China. The â€Å"doingbusiness. org† ranking in the â€Å"protecting investors† category for China is more than double the ranking of India. This indicates that the protection of the interests of the investors is given much more importance in India than in China. The ease with which taxes could be paid in China has been improved a lot in 2009 as compared to 2008. However it has remained unaltered in India. The Chinese government encourages trading across borders and hence it is much easier to do international trading in China than in India. Enforcing contracts is a very difficult affair in India as compared to China. In India there are around 46 procedures to be completed and it takes around 180 days to complete all those procedures however in China there are only34 procedures which can be completed which could be done in a span of 18 days. Closing a business is a difficult affair in India as compared to China. It takes are around 10 years to close down a business in India as compared to a mere 1. 7 years in case of China. Given the rapid transformations in their economies, the Chinese and Indian governments are still trying to determine whether and how to differentiate between domestic and foreign enterprises and what types of policies to adopt for each category of firm. For example, China’s new enterprise income tax law eliminates the tax advantages that foreign enterprises historically enjoyed over domestic ones, and a new antimonopoly law may put fresh restrictions on acquisitions within China by foreign firms. Meanwhile in India, the government is often ruled by a coalition of widely disparate partners, populated by incumbents who almost always lose in the next election†¦ Economic instability is another concern. From early 2007 to early 2008, manufacturing costs in southern China, where many mul ¬tinationals have set up shop, have increased by as much as 40 percent. A rapid increase in the cost of raw materials and energy as well as new labor laws and environmental regulations are the chief reasons. India’s labor costs have thus far been relatively stable. (Gupta, Wang 2009) Thus there is political risk involved in both the countries. However many consider that the India’s soft attributes, such as a democratic government and a free press pose a lesser long term threat than China’s Hard aspects such as a communist government with a restricted freedom for the press. Both China and India are on the same path of globalization. Both the countries have liberalized their economies and opened the doors of their economies to foreign investments. While China was autarkic in its pre-reform period, India had a highly regulated economy with heavy restrictions on the private investments. However, the economic reforms have made China more capitalistic in nature and India has opened up its economy for private investors.

Sleep Apnea Devices Market Worth $19.72 Billion by 2017

The â€Å"Sleep Apnea Diagnostic & Therapeutic Devices Market [Polysomnographs, Respiratory Polygraphs, Pulse Oximeters, CPAP, Masks, Adaptive Servo-Ventilation (ASV), Oral Appliances, Nasal EPAP, Neurostimulation] Global End-user Analysis, Competitive Landscape & Forecast to 2017† analyzes and studies the major market drivers, restraints, and opportunities in North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World. Browse 147 market data tables spread through 318 pagesand in-depth TOC of â€Å"Sleep Apnea Diagnostic & Therapeutic Devices Market [Polysomnographs, Respiratory Polygraphs, Pulse Oximeters, CPAP, Masks, Adaptive Servo-Ventilation (ASV), Oral Appliances, Nasal EPAP, Neurostimulation] Global End-user Analysis, Competitive Landscape & Forecast to 2017†. http://www. marketsandmarkets. com/Market-Reports/sleep-apnea-devices-market-719. html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on reports. This report studies the global sleep apnea devices market, with forecast to 2017. Sleep problems are touted as a ‘global epidemic’ and sleep apnea is a crucial contributor to this disorder. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is the most common type of sleep apnea; around 84% of people with sleep apnea are diagnosed with the disease. Studies suggest that about 100 million people worldwide are suspected to have obstructive sleep apnea, of which more than 80% remain undiagnosed. Sleep apnea is a relatively new market in the medical field, gaining momentum at a fast pace, especially in developed geographies. The demand for sleep apnea devices is slated to increase at a faster pace, owing to gradually increasing awareness among both patients and the medical fraternity. The global sleep apnea devices market was valued at $7. 96 billion in the year 2011 and is expected to reach $19. 72 billion by the year 2017. North America was the largest sleep apnea devices market, followed by Europe and Asia. North America will continue to lead the sleep apnea device market in the next few years, followed by Europe. The Asian region’s contribution to the global sleep apnea device market is expected to pick up in the coming years, as the medical condition gets more recognition. The global sleep apnea devices market, which is broadly classified into Diagnostic Devices and Therapeutic Devices, is witnessing high competitive intensity. Segment rivalry is high, as there are a few well-established firms and several small firms with similar product offerings. The market is dominated by Philips Respironics and ResMed, Inc. , which jointly comprise 70% of the market. Fisher and Paykel Healthcare, CareFusion Corporation, Natus Medical Incorporated, DeVilbiss Healthcare, Weinmann Medical Devices, etc. are some of the other prominent players in the global sleep apnea devices market.