Stefan’s Diaries: Origins Chapter 34

I watched in satisfaction as Damon lustily drank, his tentative sips becoming gulps as he held his face down to Alice's neck. As Alice's nearly lifeless body grew white, a healthy flush rose in Damon's cheeks. As Damon drank the last drops of Alice's blood, I took a few steps outside the shack. I glanced around in wonder. Just last night, the area had seemed desolate, but now I realized that it teemed with life–the scent of animals in the forest, the flap of birds overhead, the sound of Damon's and my heartbeats. This spot–this whole world–was full of possibility. My ring glimmered in the moonlight, and I brought it to my lips. Katherine had given me eternal life. Father always had told us to find our power, to find our place in the world. And I had, though Father hadn't been able to accept it. I took a deep breath, and the coppery scent of blood filled my nostrils. I turned as Damon stepped out from the shack. He seemed taller and stronger than even a few moments ago. I noticed that he had a matching ring on his middle finger. â€Å"How do you feel?† I asked, waiting for him to see everything I saw. Damon turned away from me and walked toward the water. He knelt down and cupped the liquid to his mouth, washing away the remnants of blood on his lips. I crouched next to him at the edge of the pond. â€Å"Isn't it amazing?† I asked. â€Å"It's a whole new world, and it's ours. Forever!† I said, giddy. Damon and I would never have to grow older. Never have to die. â€Å"Y ou're right,† Damon said slowly, as if he were speaking in an unfamiliar language. â€Å"We'll explore it together. Just think. We can go to Europe, explore the world, get away from Virginia and memories†¦.† I touched his shoulder. Damon turned to face me, his eyes wide. I stepped back, suddenly fearful. There was something different about him, a foreignness in his dark eyes. â€Å"Are you happy now, brother?† Damon snorted derisively. I took a step toward him. â€Å"Y ou'd rather be dead than have this whole world for the taking? Y ou should be thanking me!† Fury flashed in his eyes. â€Å"Thanking you? I never asked you to make my life a hell from which I can't escape,† he said, spitting each word into the pond. Suddenly he pulled me into a hug with such strength that I gasped. â€Å"But hear this, brother,† he hissed in my ear. â€Å"Though we will be together for an eternity, I will make an eternity of misery for you.† With that, he released me from his grip and sprinted into the dark forest. As his form disappeared into the black shadows of the trees, a single crow rose from the woods. It let out a plaintive shriek, and then it was gone. Suddenly, in a world that mere moments ago had teemed with possibility, I was utterly alone. EPILOGUE October 1864 When I try to reconstruct that moment when I succumbed to my Power and destroyed my relationship with Damon, I imagine a split second of silence. In that second, Damon turned around, our eyes connected, and we made peace. But there was no silence, nor would there ever be again. Now I constantly hear the rustling of animals in the forest, the quickening of breath that occurs when any being knows danger is near, the pitter-patter-pause of a heart stopping. I also hear my thoughts, tumbling and colliding against each other like ocean waves. If only I hadn't been weak when Katherine stared into my eyes. If only I hadn't gone back to see Father. If only I hadn't made Damon drink. But I did. The fallout of those choices is a mantle that only grows darker and more nuanced with age. And I must live with the consequences of my misdeeds for eternity. LUSTING AFTER MORE OF STEFAN'S DIARIES? TURN THE PAGE FOR A SNEAK PEEK OF BLOODLUST, COMING JANUARY 2011. 1 It was October. The leaves on the trees in the cemetery had turned a decayed brown, and a cold breeze had whistled in, replacing the stifling heat of Virginia summer. Not that I much felt it. As a vampire, the only temperature my body registered was that of the hot blood from my latest victim coiling through my veins. I stood beneath the limbs of a large oak, a light mist swirling around my ankles, my shirt and hands sticky with the fresh blood of the girl I carried in my arms. My brother, Damon, lay prone at the base of the tree, his black eyes staring blankly up at me. It had been days since I'd last forced him to feed. His body had taken on a chalky texture, blood vessels twisting darkly under his skin like cracks. Even now, as I dropped the nearly dead girl at his feet, I had to drape his right arm across her stomach to keep him from rolling over onto his back. Were it not for the blood that had purpled her dress, they would have looked like two lovers holding each other. â€Å"I hate you with everything I am,† he whispered into her ear, though I knew his words were meant for me. She stirred but didn't open her eyes. â€Å"Y need your strength,† I said. â€Å"Drink.† He breathed in and his shoulders went limp. The metallic scent of her blood hung heavy in the air around us. â€Å"That isn't strength,† he said, his eyes fluttering shut. â€Å"It's weakness.† â€Å"Stefan †¦Ã¢â‚¬  This from the girl, Clementine Haverford, who reached a trembling hand out to me, her own sweet blood glistening like a silk glove around her fingers. Last summer, Clementine and I kissed in the shadows of the Wickery Bridge after one of the games Damon had dreamed up for us. She'd allowed my hand to graze the bodice of her blue muslin dress. I kneeled down and tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. A voice somewhere in my mind told me that I should feel regret over taking her life, but I felt nothing. â€Å"You're a monster,† Damon said, keeping his lips as far as possible from the blood that seeped from Clementine's neck. â€Å"Forever is a long time to deny what you are,† I told him. From where we crouched in the hemlock grove, I could see my old neighbors milling around stone grave markers in the very center of the cemetery. My heightened vampire senses allowed me to pick through the crowd of townspeople. Honoria Fells sniffed into a lace handkerchief. Sheriff Forbes kept his hand on his holster. Jonathan Gilbert cleared his throat and flicked open a pocket watch. My head throbbed with every whisper, like the world was breathing secrets directly into my eardrums. Mayor Lockwood stood separate from the others, eulogizing our father, Giuseppe Salvatore –the man who had killed me and Damon, his only family, in cold blood. Father believed vampires to be utterly, unredeemably evil, and so he condemned us to death for trying to save Katherine Pierce, the vampire with whom we'd both fallen in love–the vampire who'd changed us to be like her. Lockwood's voice sliced through the raindrops that had just begun to fall. â€Å"We come together today to say farewell to one of Mystic Falls' greatest sons, Giuseppe Salvatore, a man for whom town and family always came before self.† They stood before a gaping hole in the earth. Father would be wearing the suit he wore to church on Sundays, the black one. With the wide lapels that came together just at the point where I'd accidentally cut him open when he came at me with a stake. I could just make out the winged figure above him, the angel statue that marked my mother's final resting place. Two empty plots lay just beyond, where Damon and I should have been buried. â€Å"It shan't be possible to picture this hero's life,† Lockwood continued, â€Å"but in a portrait in which Giuseppe is flanked by his two fallen sons, heroes of the Battle of Willow Creek.† Damon let out a low, rattling scoff. â€Å"The portrait he paints,† he muttered, â€Å"should contain the muzzle flash of Father's rifle.† He rubbed the place where Father's bullet had ripped through his chest only a week earlier. Mayor Lockwood looked out over his congregation. â€Å"A menace has descended on Mystic Falls, and only a brave few have risen to the challenge of protecting all that we hold dear. Jonathan, Giuseppe, and I stood shoulder to shoulder against the threat. Now we must heed Giuseppe's last words as a call to arms.† Lockwood's voice dragged with it the scent of smoky, blackened wood from the destroyed church on the opposite side of the cemetery. He was talking, ostensibly, about the groups of Union and Confederate soldiers who had been nipping about our part of Virginia for months, but there was no mistaking that he really meant vampires. Vampires like the ones Damon and I had been shot trying to free, like the ones Damon and I had become. â€Å"I could do it,† I told Damon. â€Å"I could run out there and tear out all of their throats before they knew it.† â€Å"What's stopping you, brother?† he hissed. I knew his encouragement came only from the possibility of me dying in the act. I held my breath and listened to Damon's panting, to the droning lies rising from Father's plot, and to some kind of clicking, like a watch or a fingernail tapping against a mausoleum wall. I wasn't used to the rawness of my senses; the world gave me so much more as a vampire than it had as a human. â€Å"Come,† I said, putting an arm around him. â€Å"Let's get one last look at Mystic Falls' finest citizens.† He didn't say anything but leaned into me, allowing me to hold him up as we moved from Clementine's bleeding body toward the grave site. We were just at a mausoleum a hundred yards from Father's grave when Lockwood introduced Gilbert to recite a prayer. Gilbert licked his lips. As he read some prayer or another out loud, I noticed the clicking once more. It picked up in speed as we neared the crowd. The clicking was now a steady, insistent rattle –and it seemed to be coming directly from Jonathan's hand. Then, with my mother's wings stretched wide behind him, Jonathan Gilbert consulted the clicking object in his palm. My blood ran cold. The compass. Jonathan had created a compass that, rather than pointing north, identified vampires. Suddenly, Jonathan looked up. His eyes locked on Damon and me instantly. â€Å"Demon!† He let out an unholy shriek and pointed in our direction. â€Å"I think he means us, brother,† Damon said with a short laugh.

Hyundai Case Study Essay

Part I Overview 1. Time Context Mr. Muhammad Soeparno was appointed by thegovernment of Indonesia to succeed Mr. Lumenta as President Director of GarudaIndonesia Airways on January 6, 1988. He had to announce his decision in frontof his head quarter’s employees during the monthly flag raising ceremony heldon the 17th of each month. Thus, the problem has to be solved on the 17thJanuary, 11 days after his inauguration. 2. Viewpoint From the first place, the problem was aroused fromthe new President Director of the company. And the person who has the abilityand authority to solve the problem was Mr. Muhammad Soeparno. 3. Major Policy Statement Garuda Indonesia Airways was an airline company. Itwas the first airline company in Indonesia and was reported as the biggest inthe Southern Hemisphere. And since it was owned by the government of Indonesia,its basic goal is to support the success of the development of airtransportation and tourism of the country. 4. Background of the Case Garuda Indonesia Airways was able to operate infull swing March 1, 1950 since the historical time an aircraft bearing theIndonesian flag crossed the skies carrying the name of Indonesian Airway. Itsflight network continued to expand encompassing all of Indonesia, Singapore,Bangkok, manila and was able to establish routes reaching Europe and Tokyo. Garuda continued to grow and gradually beganreplacing their propellered aircraft with full jets. In 1960’s, Garuda had beenthe only airline operating the domestic routes. However, such monopoly positionhad failed to help the company to grow because the Indonesian economy had beendeteriorating during that decade. In 1966, the New Order Government took over Garuda(Soekarno) as it was going through difficult times and was unable to contributetowards national development. The result was a sustained period of high growthin the economy. The oil boom in the early 1970’s generated a highereconomic growth for Indonesia and for this in turn sustained passengers growthfor Garuda. In 1979, the improvement works are done on runways in majorairports (Supono). And by this time, Garuda experienced another breakdownbecause of its poor services and coincidence of almost simultaneous delivery ofairbuses and a decline to the number of passengers. And these problems wereresolved partly on 1984 (Lumenta). 5. Environment Analysis A. SWOT Analysis Strengths  · Garuda Indonesiamonopolizes the use of jets  · It wasproclaimed as the biggest airline in the Southern Hemisphere  · It has twosubsidiary companies, one providing airline catering in the three majorairports in Indonesia and the other running a chain of resort hotels.  · Garuda wasconsidered that has much below rates that offered by Asia’s more popularairlines like Singapore, Thai International, Japan or Cathay Pacific. Weaknesses  · Systems in allaspects: sales, preparation, flight, supervisory  · The risk ofhaving the magnitude of the debt servicing  · Inefficiency ofits international operations  · The company’sorganization is still unsteady that makes the organizational behaviorincompetent in supporting the company Opportunities  · Political willof the government in tourism  · The still-abundant-availableseat capacity  · The economicgrowth of Indonesia Threats  · The moreincreasing competition  · The uncertaineconomic situation  · The bureaucracywhich still caused problems in managing company professionalism B. CompetitorAnalysis The directcompetitors of Garuda are Singapore, Thai International, Japan and CathayPacific Airlines. These airlines are more popular than Garuda and offer alittle higher cost than Garuda. They render services better. 6. Present Company Departmental Plans A. Product Planningand Development- expansion of flight network and improvement works on airportsand runways B. Market Planning-it serves for all passengers C. FinancialPlanning- no definite financial planning presented D. ProductionPlanning- it acquires new equipments and aircrafts by buying E. ManpowerPlanning- good performance of the staff F. Organizationalplanning- good implementation of strategies Part II Problem Resolution 1. Background of the Problem It was in 1981 that Garuda proclaimed as thebiggest airline in the Southern Hemisphere and has reported a net loss of U.S.$ 46 million for the year ended December 1983 leaving Mr. R.A.J. Lumenta, thenew President of Garuda, debts amounting to U.S. $ 1.3 billion at 12% interestper annum. Mr. Lumenta adopted a strategic thinking in making plans to turn thecompany’s situation around including Garuda’s lack of competitiveness inservice, visibility and distribution. And so, he almost did, and then he was replacedby Mr. Mohammad Soeparno. 2. Statement of the Problem How would Mr. Mohammad Soeparno maintain Mr.Lumenta’s eager in resolving the company’s problem which would enhance thecompany’s ability to deal with the challenges it may face during his term andbeyond? 3. Statement of Objectives The company, after addressing the root problemshould achieve and expect the following objectives: a. To improveGaruda Indonesia’s internal control especially in policy of setting a newmanagement team of the company. b. To develop thecompany’s plans in addressing the maintenance stability of the company. c. To be moreresponsive to the market demands and to be adept to adapting those changes. d. To keep ahead ofthe competition intoday’s age of modern air travel. 4. Areas of Consideration The areas of consideration in solving the probleminclude the history of the company’s management and their standing under eachmanagement, the outside environment of the company and their competitors. 5. Alternative Courses of Action A. Mr. Mohammad Soeparnoshould continue the policies what Mr. R.A.J. Lumenta has contributed as aresponse to the increasing uncertainties of the company. B. Mr. MohammadSoeparno should formulate a new set of policies for the company to attest hisworth as the new president of the company. C. Mr. MohammadSoeparno should decline from the position. 6. Analysis of the Alternatives A. Continuation ofthe Policies Advantages  · There is a less possibilityof risk because the policies are proven to be effective.  · Mr. Soeparnowould be tested to flexibility since the policies were not his own.  · The policieswere already given the company a good response on the uncertainties in and outof the company. Disadvantages  · The existingpolicies might not be successful to be carried out by Mr. Soeparno.  · There might be agap between his understanding about the policies and the understanding of theperson who originally formulated them. B. Formulation ofNew Policies Advantages  · Mr. Soeparnowould prove that he was worth of the position he was given.  · Formulation ofnew set of policies means that there is a chance of gaining more respect fromthe company organization. Disadvantages  · The new set ofpolicies might not be effective as the old policies the company currently has.  · The company wasnot ready to for new set of policies. C. Declining fromthe Position Advantages  · Mr. Soeparnowould feel less responsibility in the company’s fate.  · Mr. Soeparnowould feel not pressured. Disadvantages  · Mr. Soeparnoshows that he is not competitive and not worthy of the position.  · Mr. Soeparnowould feel disappointment from the organization. 7. Decision Statement After analyzing the alternative courses of actionpresented above, it showed that the best was the first alternative. It isbecause aside from it generates more advantages than the others, it also showsthat the company has already been attached to it and the result was not onlygood but better. The existing policies managed the company to stand again fromits depression. The other two alternatives were also be solutions but they areonly getting the company into risk again. Part III Implementation Program 1. Action Plans A. Long-term ActionPlans a. Garuda’simprovement in implementing its strategy regarding its structure, system, style (leadership), staff andskill. b. Garudahas to keep up with the changes in the internel and external environment. B. Short-termAction Plans a. Sustenance of the policies to maintain theproductivity of the company. b. Improvement ofsome of the policies for more enhancement of the company’s productivity as awhole. 2. Proposed CompanyOperational Plans A. Product Planningand Development- periodically infrastructure improvements for better services B. Market Planning-it serves for all passengers and reach for them perfectly with high hospitality C. FinancialPlanning- sells theunproductive assets D. ProductionPlanning- it acquires new equipments and aircrafts by buying E. ManpowerPlanning- good training system will be conducted regularly for better outcomesfrom customers and organization F. Organizationalplanning- better implementation of the policies and strategies of the company 3. Other Problems and Proposed Solutions Other Problems Proposed Solutions Employee/Staff-Customer Relationship Garuda should have a good training system and have some strength in increasing customer satisfaction. Domestic Airline Competition Indonesia people still look at â€Å"price† as a determinant variable. So the lower price strategy that has been implemented by its competitor, the new comer firm could disturb Garuda market. Garuda could loose its loyal customer. So strategy that must be done by Garuda is by improving its quality service. Securiry Issue Garuda have to respond to the terrorist attacks by improving procedures and aircraft security to help restore travelers’ confidence. Even, it means price, but it is very useful for Garuda’s future. Safety and security is the most important thing that are needed by the passenger. Part1 Overview 1. Time Context The problem has to besolved in the year 1989. 2. Viewpoint Mr. Chung Ju Yung theowner of the Hyundai group has the ability and authority to solve the companyproblem. 3. Major PolicyStatement The Hyundai group featuredas one of the principal engines of the Korean economic miracle in the past twodecades. The Hyundai group makes a wide range of products- ships, bridges,cars, cement, steel and etc. They do not only prosper there in Korea but alsoin Middle East. They even gained praises from New York Times correspondent. 4. Background ofthe Case Company Hyundai Company wasfounded by Chung Ju Yung in 1967 and immediately partnered with the ford motorcompany to produce the Cortina compact car in 1968. Hyundai focused onmanufacturing quality economy cars and began exporting excel to the Unitedstates in 1986. Today Hyundai consistently ranks among the top quality importcars in the U.S. Hyundai group manufacture products such as ships,bridges, buildings, cars, cement, steel, chemicals, oil drilling platforms,microchips, sneakers, pipes, furniture and locomotives. In early 1980’s hedecided to make Hyundai a factor in the electronics industry, focusing at firston production of semiconductors. Later Hyundai become the largest automobilemanufacturer in Korea. For Hyundai to grow as an extension of its founder’spersonality it is not surprising that the management style in the organizationhad always been authoritarian. Industry Hyundai group covered all kinds of industry. Itis involved in ship building, construction of bridges, cars, otherinfrastructure, steel, cements, oil drilling platforms and even manufacturingof microchips and became the largest enterprise in South Korea. Management Theprojects and activities of Hyundai is headed by its owner Mr. Chung Ju Yung andmanaged by his surviving son Mr. Chung Mong Ku. It is also said that part ofthe private enterprises in Korea are open to the government, thus the presidentis also responsible for the management of Korea. 5. Environmental Analysis a. SWOT analysis Strengths 1. Strong Domestic Market 2. Good Quality of products 3. Cheap labor cost Weaknesses 1. Poor management style 2. Making poor investment decision Opportunities Middle East warm welcome to Hyundai gives them a good start in international business. The Government sees Hyundai with a good impression. Threats 1. The competitors of Hyundai have grown rapidly forthe past year. b. Competitor analysis The competitors ofHyundai Group are Samsung electronics and Lucky Gold star which had made asuccessful transition to large scale chip production. Hyundai Electronicsperformance had been a disappointment, losing $11.9 million. Rivals have largeelectronics subsidiaries. Another competitor of Hyundai is the Daewoo. Daewoois the supplier of the successful leading edge computer. 6. Present CompanyDepartmental Plans a. ProductPlanning and Development The Hyundai groupplanning to put their products to the construction of buildings. To Korea or toother countries. b. MarketPlanning The plan is designatedto domestic and foreign country. c. FinancialPlanning The financial is comefrom in the land of Chung Ju Yung. And from the help of the other business manwho helped him. d. ProductionPlanning Hyundai company doesnot only focus on production of cars but also other projects such as governmentconstruction of bridges, cars, ship building, other infrastructure, steel,cement, oil drilling platforms and even manufacturing of microchips. e. ManpowerPlanning Hyundai company hasseparate workers for car manufacturing for road construction. f. Organizational Planning Hyundai company isowned by Mr. Chung Ju Yung and managed by his surviving son Mr. Chung Mong Ku. Part2 ProblemResolution 1. Background of the problem The problem of HyundaiGroup was deemed to start in 1987 when it has experienced a loss of 11.9million dollars. They have invested in Silicon Valley project which was seen tobe a loss even at its proposition. Hyundai tried to jump to the productionsophisticated one-megabit dynamic random access memory chips instead ofpursuing the market for 256K. They are said to be not fully committed to hightechnology. They only see semiconductors just as an accessory but not assomething to be done because competitors are doing it. 2. Statement of the Problem Whatchanges in management style should the top management adopt to satisfy theneeds of the workers on strike and so as to break the series of uprising?3. Statement of Objectives Hyundai Group of companies would like to: Ø Ceasethe uprising of the employees of Hyundai Group. Ø Toregain the trust of the public to the firm especially to its chairman Mr.Chung. Ø Toget back the shattered hope of peace and unity among all nations that wascaused by Hyundai’s unpeaceful solution to the conflict. 4. Areas of Consideration  · In Korea, the private sector played animportant role in Korea’s economic development. They are interdependent with anumber of other forces such as government, economic and non economic factors. -Fulleighty percent of Korea’s economy is open and heavily dependent on theinternational economy. 5. Alternative Courses of Action Ø TheHyundai top management should amend their present â€Å"authoritarian† style of leadershipto another style which is more employee-friendly. Ø Hyundaishould just give the employees the increase in wage that they are demanding. Ø Fullydetach Hyundai from the government influences. 6. Analysis of Alternatives 1. The Hyundai topmanagement should amend their present â€Å"authoritarian† style of leadership toanother style which is more employee-friendly. Advantages:  · This would improve the relationship ofthe employee and the management subsequently. The daunting ways of the chairmanto the people will be eliminated.  · The trust and the confidence of theemployee of Hyundai would be recaptured by the management. Disadvantages:  · This would require great adjustment tothe part of employees also because almost all of the companies in Korea followauthoritarian type of management. 2. Hyundai should justgive the employees the increase in wage that they are demanding. Advantages:  · This alternative would terminate theuprising of the employees abruptly.  · This would create a better image for thecompany immediately. Disadvantages:  · The company is not sure if they cansuffice the financial needs if they would provide the increase in wages.  · This act will only tolerate theemployees. They will think that with a strike, they can easily get what theywant from the management. 3. Fully detach Hyundaifrom the government influences. Advantages:  · Hyundai will be free in deciding fortheir own.  · No one will hinder decision of themanagement Disadvantages:  · Hyundai will lose financial support  · Hyundai will lose much of its projects Decision statement Thebest alternative is alternative # 1.The Hyundai top management should amendtheir present â€Å"authoritarian† style of leadership to another style which ismore employee-friendly. In this way, the company would not require to spendmuch money but it would change its imageto the employees. Most of the time, the management forgot the needs andcapacity of the people. Now if they will try another style of leadership whichunderstands their employees. The employees would feel that they are loved andrespected by their management so theywill love and appreciate the work that they are doing. Part3 IMPLEMENTATIONPROGRAM 1. Action Plan †¢ Long-term Action Plans Tochange the management style of Hyundai so as to change its image to the publicand its employees. This way Hyundai will be able to regain its reputation tothe market. †¢ Short-Term Action Plans To stopthe uprising temporarily by the help of the government. The deployment of powerby the government will create an effect that would stop the uprising. 2.Proposed Company Operation Plans Product Planning and Development- Studies show that it’s muchbetter if Hyundai would focus on a certain venture and develop it. Market Planning They established good name in theMiddle East so it is better if they expand to another foreign country andestablish a new market there. Financial Planning Since they experience loss frompast, it is advisable for Hyundai to loan in banks. Production Planning Proper training should be givento the people in production department to come up with good quality products.  · Manpower Planning The management should know how toreinforce their employees. One of which is giving incentives and benefits.  · Organizational Planning Previousmanagement would still be the future component of organization. Other Problems and Proposed Solution Other Problem Solution  · The diversified needs and wants of employees Conduct survey or questionnaires regarding the employees wants and complaints about the management.

Corruption: Essay and Students

GEORGIA | 45 Youth Against Corruption: An National Essay Contest (Georgia) Summary The project Youth Versus Corruption consisted of a series of discussions culminating in a school essay contest for 14-15 year olds. Students were encouraged to develop and express their attitudes towards corruption and lawfulness, whilst raising their awareness on the issue through discussions with guest speakers and by writing creative essays. This empowering project captivated the interest of students by providing an opportunity for their opinions to be heard at national level, and by inviting famous people to attend discussions at schools.The project was carried out by Transparency International Georgia between September 2003 and February 2004 in 19 schools in six regions of Georgia1. TI-Georgia worked closely with the Georgian Ministry of Education’s Culture of Lawfulness Project. 2 Background â€Å"During this period of injustice in the country ordinary citizens were hurt most. They longed for money to buy bread, and this is the reason why people started mass protests against the government. The government was unable to use force against its people.High officials had committed so many crimes that they could no longer redeem themselves. Each one of them was involved in corruption and everyone was aware of this fact. After the change of government all the corrupt people became very scared, some of them fled the country, others were arrested†¦ â€Å" Zaza Datukshvili (15) Recent research leaves little doubt that the difficult economic and political situation in Georgia can be attributed largely to high levels of corruption. The attitude of citizens to corruption has also been problematic.Although the negative impact of corruption on a larger scale is widely accepted, its effect on everyday life often remains obscured. Where it is recognised, people are generally pessimistic about the prospects of fighting corruption successfully. Consequently, there is an urgent n eed for awareness-raising campaigns that draw attention to the everyday effects of corruption and the effective means to curb 1 2 The regions included Tbilisi, Senaki, Telavi, Tianeti, Batumi, Gori Funded by the Open Society Georgia Foundation, OSGF, and the US Department of Justice 46 | GEORGIAThe project in numbers 19 schools and 589 students took part in this project; 758 questions were asked on the issues of corruption and legality at the meetings with guest-speakers; 411 essays were written during the contest. corruption. This increased awareness is vital for Georgia’s success and the mobilisation of young people is especially crucial in this regard. A course entitled ‘Culture of Legality’, focusing on law and corruption issues, was introduced and piloted in 19 schools by the Ministry of Education in 2002. It was financed by the American National Strategic Information Center.The ministry dubbed the project a success and integrated the course into the curricu lum of grade 9 (14-15 year olds) for the following academic year (20032004). The course became obligatory for all 147 Tbilisi (Georgia’s capital city) schools as well as in those regional schools where the course was piloted. The ministry intends to bring this course to all Georgian schools over the next two years. The project In conjunction with this new course, TI-Georgia carried out a youth awareness-raising campaign, which included a series of discussions, culminating in an essay contest.The project sought to sensitise young people to issues of corruption and legitimacy and to lend greater impact to the anti-corruption programmes already carried out in schools. The essay component in particular gave students the opportunity to express their ideas and to use knowledge gained from the discussions. The contest also sent a signal that society was interested in youth voices. After a selection process, the nine best essays were published in Georgia’s premiere newspaper, 24 Hours, and posted on TI-Georgia’s website.In introducing this campaign to Georgian schools, TI-Georgia worked closely with the Culture of Legality Programme, the Ministry of Education, the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs, and the Anti-Corruption Council of Georgia. TI-Georgia, along with these organisations, offered special prizes for winners, using funds provided by the Soros Foundation. Additionally, prominent panellists in the discussion sessions distributed their books to the students for free. The project also coincided with the pre-revolutionary demonstrations in Georgia, which influenced its implementation. The project commenced in Septem- GEORGIA | 47Carola Huebner-Kruzinna (13), Nicaragua ber and October, just preceding the November 2003 elections followed by the Rose Revolution of 23rd November. People were very preoccupied with the upcoming elections, and, as a result, students and teachers were often absent from school. Planning and organisation The campai gn, Youth Versus Corruption, took place over 6 months. The first month focused on preparation and logistics, during which a project booklet was published with a complete description of the project. The project working group held a meeting with the participant schools’ teachers and Ministry of Education representatives.The working group consisted of a TI coordinator, a professional linguist, a representative of Ministry of Education, a poet, a writer, a lawyer and a journalist. At the first meeting the group discussed the following topics: which issues and questions would best engage the students; the best guest speakers for 14-15 year olds; and how to structure the discussions and essay contest to the age and knowledge level of the students. 48 | GEORGIA Four working meetings were held over two months to establish the form of the contest and a mechanism for evaluating essays.A list of potential guest speakers was established, the format for their discussions was developed, to pics were selected for the essay contest, and project follow-up measures were determined. Students were asked to select the guests they wanted to meet. Their selections included many media representatives. With its extensive network of connections TI-Georgia was able to arrange for these prominent personalities to come speak to the students. Teachers who had taught the Culture of Legality course were contracted as local coordinators for each school.They assisted in organising project events and participated in the preliminary grading of essays. Information booklets and posters were distributed to schools where the discussion sessions were arranged. The following topics for the essay contest were selected: Is injustice the source of corruption, or is corruption the source of injustice? Describe a corrupt person (appearance, life-style) and how they differ from other people; Imagine that you work in an organisation that condones corruption. What would you do? Discussion forums Discuss ion forums were held as a preparatory stage for the essay contest.For each discussion forum, one guest speaker was assigned to each school. In some cases this would be a poet, in other cases, a journalist or famous lawyer. The atmosphere at the events was charged with excitement. The students, especially those from the regions, were thrilled at the chance to meet well-known Georgians they knew from print or television. The parents of the students were also very eager to cooperate and gave useful feedback. The dialogue centred on the students’ personal experiences with corruption, and what they had done to solve or work within the situation.The discussion forums were structured to be interactive. At the beginning of the session, guests would speak about themselves, offer a topic for discussion or invite students to ask questions. TI-Georgia recorded all questions, and used these results to devise essay topics that would be of real interest for the students. Students in the reg ions were more active during the discussions than their counterparts in the big cities and later also took a more independent position in their essays. The urban youth was less optimistic but better informed. In particular, students from schools in the capital were not as active in discus-GEORGIA | 49 sions and were often quite cynical in response to the issues raised. In the more isolated regions, these discussion sessions with famous guest speakers became important events. Although conceptualised as a preparatory stage in the essay contest, it became apparent that the discussion forums were no less important than the contest itself. Student essays were solicited from those schools that participated in the forums. The forums took place during the first few months of the project and the essay contest in the last few months. In sum, there were 19 meetings at 19 separate schools.Each meeting featured one guest speaker and 30-35 students, meaning that, overall, around 600 students part icipated. Essay contest As Georgian school curriculum does not offer specific courses on essay writing, TI-Georgia coordinated a workshop on writing instruction in all participant schools prior to the contest event. The contest then took place on 15th and 16th December 2003. The students were given the three topics outlined above to choose from and two hours to write their essays. They were encouraged to use various written styles to express their opinions on corruption. The evaluation of the essays was conducted in two stages.In order to ensure impartiality, the essays were first evaluated by teachers from other participat- 50 | GEORGIA ing schools. The top ten per cent of essays were selected during this initial evaluation and sent to an independent jury established by TI-Georgia. The jury was composed of a writer, an education official, lawyers, a linguist, and a TI representative. The essays were evaluated on a ten-point system based on four criteria: analytical skill, creativit y, personal expression and command of the Georgian language. Of the over 500 submissions, three winners and eight runners-up were announced.The winning essays, as previously mentioned, were published in the newspaper 24 Hours and on the TI-Georgia website. An awards ceremony was held on 24th December 2003 at the Open Society Foundation Georgia conference hall. TI-Georgia awarded the winners special certificates and prizes. All teachers, jury members, nominated students, partner organisation representatives, guest speakers and donors were invited to the event. Results â€Å"How would corruption be created if there was no injustice? In a just state everything and everyone must serve justice, but does not corruption create injustice?I believe that it is no news for anyone that the truth in Georgia does not have a very big value. Many people ignore the truth and act in an illegal and unjust way. † Tamar Mebonia (15) An evaluation questionnaire was designed to identify changes in students’ views on corruption before and after the programme, and they were disseminated after the contest. The questionnaires also solicited student opinions on which features the programme might add or change, and the students generated a list of potential guest speakers for the next implementation of the project.Empowering students The most important achievements of the campaign were the large number of participants involved and the apparent change in students’ attitudes. Youths that participated in the project learned that their opinions and ideas were valuable and relevant to society. In particular, the interviews revealed that students do have strong views on corruption, but feel that no one is interested in their opinions on the subject. The project was valuable to them as it gave them the opportunity to express their views, which were taken seriously.Furthermore, teachers realised the benefits of discussing the subject of corruption with their students, and of adding such a discussion to the curriculum. GEORGIA | 51 Challenges â€Å"First of all, civil education must become part of the school curriculum, so that the new generation has a different ideology, so that she does not look at injustice as if it were none of her business and so that she takes action in the fight against injustice. She can do this by not offering bribes to the teacher; this will go a long way towards eradicating corruption and injustice. Tamuna Papavadze (15) Although the project was an overall success, TI-Georgia encountered a number of difficulties along its way. For example, the Ministry of Education attempted to control the process and wanted to interfere with the selection of guest speakers and discussion topics. TI-Georgia dealt successfully with this problem by seeking support from other NGOs and putting pressure on the ministry as a collective force. The ministry asked TI not to bring revolutionary activists into schools as guest speakers, at one point goi ng so far as to ask that the project be called off.In addition, they requested that they be informed of the essay topics before staging the contest. Fortunately, TI-Georgia did not make any concessions in these cases, as it had the support of most school officials. The change in administration after the revolution allowed it to continue the second phase of our project without interference. Winning the interest of young people for this project was a central challenge. To this end, TI-Georgia used a few key incentives, including contests and awards, the chance to have an essay published and reach the greater public, and the opportunity to meet major Georgian celebrities.Competitions are not typical in Georgian schools, and the prospect of a contest with awards and public exposure was exciting and motivating for the students. The most difficult and time-consuming part of the project was negotiating with guest speakers and organising their visits. As mentioned before, the project coinci ded with Georgia’s Rose Revolution. This caused a great deal of scheduling difficulty, as most of the planned speakers were active participants in the revolution. In the end, though, TI Georgia successfully held 19 discussions with students in six Georgian regions.Recommendations Most of the participants said that the contest was interesting for them as a way of sharing their opinions, but some still doubted that their ideas would be taken seriously by adults. Therefore, it would be good to expand the distribution of the winning essays, not just to newspapers and websites, but to television stations, radio and other schools. The essays could also be publicly 52 | GEORGIA presented to high-level officials who would then respond directly to the students.There are plans for follow-up projects, specifically to expand the programme to other schools and to first-year university students. Project description by: Lana Ghvinjilia For additional information, please contact: Transparenc y International Georgia at [email  protected] ge The best essays can be read on the website of Transparency International Georgia in English and Georgian language. Address: Transparency International Georgia 18, Rustaveli Ave 0108, Tbilisi Georgia Tel: +995-32-996 615 Fax: +995-32-997 292 Email: [email  protected] ge Website: www. transparency. ge

Analyze a Sociological Issue Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

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Aesthetics in Web Design PowerPoint Presentation

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Will the Mexican car company, Mastretta, ever reach the reputation Essay

Will the Mexican car company, Mastretta, ever reach the reputation that the current top car companies receive - Essay Example The report is due by the end of this month. 2.0 Procedure Comprehensive secondary research has been carried out to explore the issue and find relevant solutions for the same. The resources that have been mainly consulted are consumer brand awareness reports of the automobile industry and also reports pertaining to the automobile industry of Mexican automobile industry. 3.0 Findings 3.1 Industry Outlook Similar to the discovery of airplanes, the materialization of automobiles has a profound impact on the everyday life of human beings. The automobile industry is critical constituent in the fabric of global economy (Kazmi 6). The global automobile industry enormously contributes to the wealth and health of millions of inhabitants of the world. Hence, it is important that the automotive sector retain its innovative edge and competitiveness. It has been found that the auto manufacturing industry is highly labour intensive and capital. Some of the major costs associated with manufacturing and marketing of the automobile products are labour cost, cost of procuring raw materials and cost associated with advertisement and distribution. A large proportion of the industry is driven by revenues generated from selling of automobiles. However, the equipments and parts market also offer lucrative opportunities to the players. In the North American market, the industry is principally dominated by three major players namely Ford Motor Co., General Motors and Chrysler. In addition, the foreign players such as Honda Motor Co and Toyota Motor Co are other major players (General Motors, â€Å"Annual Report: Financial Highlights†) According to several industry analysts, the automobile industry depends heavily on the tastes and trends of consumers (Adair 6-10). Although, a large segment of the overall sales of automobiles generates from the business to business selling and car renting companies, but the end consumer always has the highest priority as they are the one who drive the growth and progression of the industry (Bhushan and Rai 12-18). Another vital caveat for analyzing an automobile company is the intentions of the company pertaining to their planning and redesign. In this rapidly changing business environment companies, irrespective of the nature and business line are continuously trying to bring changes into their system of operation and product design. As a result of that, it is noticed that every year companies come up with either a new car or modify their existing car. These changes have massive impact on the success or failure of a company as consumers are directly influenced by it. In addition, there are certain other factors such as the price; the variation of models as well as the status it reflects in the social world is also a major factor (Hicks 14-21). Therefore, the discussion makes it evident that there are several factors responsible for the success of an automobile company as well as for gaining reputation in the market. In the context of the automotive industry of Mexico, it is characterized by steady growth and high potential. The industry accounts for 3.6% of the overall GDP of the country and is growing at a steady pace (Esenaro, â€Å"Luxury Car Manufacturing on A Roll in Mexico†). Despite the economic crisis, where majority of automobile players were seriously affected, and resulted in minimization of various expenditures, have once again occupied the emblematic position in the national economy of the country. As of latest figures the country ranks among the top 10 car manufacturing countries of the world. Figure 1 –

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An Introduction to STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT AND THE ROLES OF THE GENERAL MANAGER - Essay Example Strategic management takes account of the strengths and weaknesses of the organizations and prepares itself best in competitive arena by minimizing weaknesses and maximizing strengths. The human resource of the company is structured and inspired to achieve the objectives of the company. The role of the General Manager is that of a leader of human resources who guides and allocates the usage of other resources. Thus the role of the General Manager assumes critical importance in implementing the company’s objectives across various functional departments, and integrating the workforce to achieve the stated goals of the company by reining wayward behaviour and ‘self-direction’ to ‘shared beliefs’. This is achieved through development of communication channels, smooth flow of information across company’s structures, conflict resolution, and provision of creative latitude and development of a sound organizational culture. The General Manager keeps th e Board and the CEO informed about the progress and performance of the company. He/she is the vital link in vertical and horizontal communication amongst company’s stakeholders. Due to its strategic importance, sometimes the job of General Manager becomes extremely stressful. We are dedicated to development of innovative Information Technology solutions. Our products meet the customer expectations and provide quality products that give maximum value for money. We are committed to create ever higher levels of customer satisfaction in order to have a sustained competitive advantage in the market. We achieve this by putting in our best efforts in a creative environment; where our work is a pleasurable activity that gives us a tremendous sense of fulfilment. We are a well-knitted team of exemplary and dignified individuals. Meeting ever higher levels of customer satisfaction: The road to perfection is an unending journey. Our customers seek better and better and products. We focus on innovation and quality to

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Leadership and Management Essay - Research Paper Example Though the two concepts are completely different, they are linked with each other. It is quite significant for the organizations to pay due attention towards the leadership as well as the management aspects in order to increase the efficacy of the overall organization (The Wall Street Journal, 2012). The main objective of the paper is to identify the changing nature of the work environment and the relevance and the application of recent approaches to organizational structure. The study will also endeavor to identify if any association between organization structure and culture exists or not. The paper will also attempt to offer examples from recent organizations such as Ford Motor Company and McDonald’s and will demonstrate the organizational structures of these two organizations and how it tends to impact the culture as well. organization Structure By the term ‘organization structure’, it can be comprehended as the framework around which a group is organized, the groundwork that keeps the coalition functioning. It serves as an operational manual directing the members how the organization is put together and how it tends to operate. ... One of the most significant functions of the organizational structure is related to decision making. One of the imperative benefits related to the organization structure is that if the organizational structure is flat then the decisions can be made quickly. organizational structure can perk up the efficacy. In a functional organization, where there is a considerable number of departments, the department heads delegate project tasks to both directors as well as managers. These individuals generally take up tasks with the help of numerous coordinators as well as analysts. Employees are held responsible for their individual tasks since all the employees work hard to complete their project on time. Those employees belonging to small companies are often organized in terms of product or geographical region are found to be more motivated. This implies that the organizational structure of a smaller organization is quite flexible enough to motivate the employees of the organization. The organ izations subsist in order to integrate corresponding activities in the presence of specialization. The numerous structural dimensions of the organizational structure are connected with various activities happening within any controlled group of components behaving in a certain way to follow objectives. The information activity which is concerned with information flow among the members of the group is generally related to the coordination dimension. The monitoring activity which is related to the recuperation functionalities of the organization is associated with control dimensions. A good organizational structure may assist in developing and administering a culture which is conducive for the members of the organization.  

India and Pakistan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

India and Pakistan - Essay Example India has struggled for survival form various invaders from different religions. All invaders tried their best to loot the rich properties India possessed during period of their invasion. The first Anglo-French war took place in the year 1748. Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-aulah was defeated the English in the Battle of Plassey in the year 1757. Again there was a war between French and the English defeated the French. In the year 1761, the ruler of Afghanistan, Ahmed shah Abadi conquered the Marathas great warriors in the Battle of Panipat third. The English gained the Rights in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa in the year 1765. Clive Lord has become Governor in Bengal during this period. There was a first Mysore war during 1767-69 between the British and Hyder Ali of Mysore. The English had secured the Northern circars in the year 1766. The British in their parliament passed the Regulatory Act in the 1773. Warren Hastings has ascended the chair of Governor of Bengal in the year 1772. The first Anglo-Maratha was taken place during the period 1775-1782. Maharaja Ranjit Singh was born in the year 1780 that had struggled with the British for safeguarding his people in the second Mysore war; the English defeated the Hyder Ali during the period 1780-84. ... The English ahs crushed the Marathas in the second Anglo-Marathas war at Assaye. Sir Arthur Wellesley led the English. Lord William Bentick became the Governor General of Bengal in the year 1828 who had subsequently, successfully brought prohibition of sati in the year 1829 in to force by removing age old customs followed by the people of North in particular this Act was welcomed by most of the communities in India and gave them a sounding support. During the period 1845-46, the English defeated the Sikhs after the death of Maharaja Ranjit singh who died in the year 1839. Lord Dalhousie has become the Governor General of Bengal in the year 1848. First Indian Railway was laid form Bombay to thane in the year 1868. In the year 1858, Indian Government was taken over by the British crown. The important Acts such as Indian penal code, Indian councils and Indian High Courts came into existence and force. The queen of England has proclaimed the empress's of India in the year 1877. The Briti shers gave Mysore state back to their original rules in the year 1881.In the year 1911, the imperial capital shifted form Calcutta to Delhi, The First World War broke out in the year 1914. The Indian National congress consisting of Hindus and Muslims had made Annie Besant as the president in the year 1917. Montague reforms committee offered limited provincial autonomy Indians in the year 1919. In this year the massacre was broke out in Jallianwala bagh where some hundreds Sikhs were killed by the British in a congregation. The Indian national congress gave a call to observe movement, non-cooperation. British clothiers were burnt. Students did not attend colleges. Lawyers left the practice in the courts in the year

What Is a Hero Essay Example for Free

What Is a Hero Essay What is a hero? To me a hero is not somebody with the ability to fly, run fast, bench over a 1000, shoot lasers out of their eyes, fart fire balls, pee lava, or control other people’s minds. A hero is just an average man who fights to solve a common problem in today’s society. A hero is a random citizen that rises to the a occasion and performs an action of superhero proportions. A hero is somebody as average as you and me that sees a problem and takes it upon themselves to fix it. There are many examples of heroes in our modern day world. Some heroes are the brave, courageous, and valiant men and women that serve in our military. These are people that are just like you and I. They do not have any extraordinary superpowers besides an unwavering sense of duty towards this country and the people that inhabit it. They travel across oceans and leave their friends and family behind so that they can fight to defend people that they don’t even know and to secure the lifestyle that so many of us take for granted. Some, even make the ultimate sacrifice†¦ their lives. Another common place to find a hero is in a police officer. These heroes are very similar to a soldier except that they fight their battles in the very streets that we call home and instead of fighting against other countries they fight against the very people that call this glorious country home. They sit in a smelly car for entire days staking out criminals to secure our welfare and our security. They put their lives on the line to make sure that the â€Å"scumbags† that seek to destroy this country are off the streets. These men (or women) also lack superhuman abilities. The only thing that they have is a sense of duty towards their country. The most common place to find a hero is also some of the places that you go to every day. One of these places would be at the grocery store. For example if you witness somebody holding the door for another then congratulations you have just watched a hero at action. Another common place to watch a hero in action is on a street. If you watch a strapping young man help a helpless elderly women across the street then you have witnessed another act of heroism. Heroes are just common people that have the courage to solve a problem that they see in today’s community. Heroes are not rare. They can be found almost everywhere you look. They are at places that you go too every day. Heroes can also be found in places that you do not travel very often. They can be found in the Armed Forces as well in the Police Department. But it does not require acts of epic proportion to make you a  hero. Small acts of unnoticed kindness is what I think really makes you a hero.

The Logistics Performance Indicators And Importance Commerce Essay

The Logistics Performance Indicators And Importance Commerce Essay Logistics encompasses a complex set of activities which require a collection of metrics to adequately measure performance. Chow et al. (1994) were probably the first to attempt to define supply chain (logistics) performance and they presented some measures for measuring logistics performance. Since then, most of the literature on logistics performance appears to focus on models and frameworks (Clarke and Gourdin, 1991; Mentzer and Konrad, 1991; Rao and Grenoble, 1991; Hubbard, 1992) and on managing different aspects of logistics (Larson, 1994). Sink and his colleagues have defined seven dimensions in order to capture their conception of what performance means: they are effectiveness, efficiency, quality, productivity, quality of work life, innovation and profitability/budgetability [International Journal of Logistics Management]. Given the lack of any universally definition for performance in the organizational literature, it should not be surprising that extant literature offers many ideas about the dimension that ought to be incorporated into a conceptualization of logistics performance. One of the best examples is the framework presented by Rhea and Shrock, where physical distribution effectiveness is defined as the extent to which distribution programmes satisfy customers [International Journal of Logistics Management, 5, p. 3] While measuring logistics performance, a comprehensive strategy of measurement is necessary for the successful planning, realization and control of the different activities which comprise the business logistics function ( Andersson et al. (1989). As Thor (1994, pp. 13-28) correctly advocates, there should be a whole family of measures. This is a balanced collection of four to six performance measures, usually including productivity, quality and customer satisfaction, which together furnish an all-inclusive view of results but, individually, also provide a diagnostic value. Developing such an approach, Mentzer and Firman (1994) claim that the management and control of logistics performance entails four broad aspects: Information systems to collect and report performance measures Efficient performance measures Variance analysis Corrective action Productivity within the performance scenario can be seen as a measurement of resource utilization, including the time element. The productivity philosophy and its improvement has been a high priority, in the first instance, in manufacturing, then in marketing, and later in physical distribution and materials management. Thus, the time is now ripe to focus on the whole logistics process. It is the shape of the organizations physical manifestations which is largely influenced by the nature of the values, beliefs and underlying assumptions of logistics management (Ericsson (1990, pp. 42-49). Quantitative metrics of supply chain performance can be classified into two broad categories: Non-financial and financial. In fact, in the late 1880s financial measures were mainly focused such as return on investment (Christopher, 1992; Schermerhorn et al.,, 2000). However as the second progressed during 1980s, the world market changed and companies began to lose market share to overseas competitors who were able to provide higher-quality products with lower costs and more diversity. To re- capture the competitive edge, companies not only directed their strategic focus from low-cost production to quality, flexibility and short lead time, as non-financial measures. (Bower Hout, 1988; Rushton Oxley, 1989; Stewart, 1995) Logistics performance measures can be categorized into two categories such as qualitative and quantitative measures. Qualitative measures include such as customer satisfaction and product quality etc., and quantitative measures include such as order-to-delivery lead time, supply chain response time, flexibility, resource utilization, delivery performance, etc. It has been suggested that the critical elements that form the basis of logistics management are time, distance and money. Some utilization, productivity and effectiveness metrics used in the logistics management are: Dimension Metric Example Utilization Actual input/norm input Area of warehouse occupied/ total area Productivity Actual output/actual input Ton-miles delivered/cost incurred No of orders processed/ no of hours of labor Effectiveness Actual output/norm output No of shipment on-time/no of shipment sent Utilization measures: They are used to track the use of input resources in process. In logistics, input could be characterized as financial, physical assets or inventory. Utilization metrics include the following: Spending measures Purchase price variance Distribution cost as percentage of sales Variance of transportation cost from budget Non financial resources measures Usage ratios Amortized costs Inventory measures Static metrics (capture level of inventory expressed in physical, financial or other terms) Flow metrics (capture speed of inventory as it flows through the system over a period of time) productivity measures Partial productivity measures (SFP-single factor productivity ratios ) Total factor productivity measurement Financial productivity measurement (ROI-return on investment )( (Frameworx, 2005) Effectiveness metrics Order fill rates( order filled /orders requested Line item fill rates( total line items not filled / shipped in time per period Damage rates (line items damaged per order) Order cycle time (elapsed time between receiving request and delivering order) Delivery or transit time (elapsed time between readying order for shipment and delivery order)( DfT, 2004) On-time ( orders shipped on time or orders received by customer on time ) Perfect deliveries (orders received by customers with no logistics service fullness) Importance of performance metrics: Implementing performance measures is a key to optimizing the supply chain. That reflects the entire process, rather than the individual components that make up the process. Managers can obtain a better picture of the process by focusing on the entire supply chain, rather than its individual parts. This is vital to emphasize the vital importance of the logistics process to the rest of the company and how logistics can affect the financial stability of the organization as a whole. (Rick J Blasgen, 2007) The effectiveness of supply chain of a company heavily affects its profitability and survival. Surprisingly few companies appear to have effective measures of each business process within the supply chain or information systems which readily produce the data necessary to drive improvement forward. Within the supply chain, logistics are considered to be the link between production/purchasing and marketing. Controlling logistics performance is a major concern for management. This is mainly because of the constantly changing environment and unforeseen events which may affect forecast performance levels. (Anonymous 1997) Three major reasons for measuring logistics performance: Reduce their operating costs Drive their revenue growth Enhance their shareholder value Example: By using the latest logistics performance indicators Dell has successfully become the dominant market player in the personal computer industry. It derives its growth because of mass customization, efficient supply chain management and reduced delivery time. In the era of global supply chains and mass customization, Dell has maintained close linkage of logistics. Dells performance measurement, manufacturing, logistics and shipping and strategies make it possible to customize computers for individual consumers at a low cost. It has successfully implemented low cost strategy through its efficient manufacturing operations, better supply chain management, reduced cycle time and direct sales model. orders are directly taken from its customers; either on phone or online. Thus, this reduces the cost of intermediaries that would otherwise add up to the total cost of PC for the customer. Dell also saves time on processing orders that other companies normally incur in their sales and distribution system by having latest performance measurement tools. Moreover, dell is able to get a clearer indication of market trends by directly dealing with customers. A two-to-three point cost advantage is also obtained by delaying assembly until a customers order is received (King, 2005). Three or four days finished inventory is kept on hand versus 30 to 45 days worth at some competitors. Parts inventory is replenished as often as every 90 minutes. an additional four or five points cost edge is brought by supply chain efficiencies derived from lean inventory management.(William Hoffman, 2005) Conclusion In todays severe competitive market place, product or service differentiation separates the winners from the losers. Mostly, the service differentiation is achieved by managing the logistics process efficiently and effectively. To achieve excellence in logistics, successful firms have to ensure that the firms business strategy is aligned with the key logistics processes and they are measured against predetermined performance objective The approach that a firm takes in establishing logistics measurements system does not matters a lot as the real value come when the information is acted upon to align the effectiveness and efficiency of the logistics process performance to value the customers. The role 3PL can have in your success is dependent on when you start measuring your logistics performance (james S. Keebler and David A. Durtsche 2007).

Bird Imagery in Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man Essay -- essays

Bird Imagery in Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man The works of twentieth-century Irish writer James Joyce resound vividly with a unique humanity and genius. His novel, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, published in 1916, is a convincing journey through the inner mind and spirit of Stephen Dedalus. Portrayed with incredible fluency and realism, imagery guides the reader through the swift current of growth tangible in the juvenile hero. Above all heavy imagery in the novel is the recurring bird motif. Joyce uses birds to ultimately relate Stephen to the Daedelus myth of the â€Å"hawklike man;† however, these images also exemplify Stephen’s daily experiences, and longing for true freedom . By using imagery of birds as threatening, images of beauty, and images of escape, the reader can unify the work and better understand Stephen’s tumultuous journey through life. The opening scene of Chapter one portrays a conversation between a very young Stephen and Dante, Stephen’s nanny. She scolds him for an unconventional thought, warning him that â€Å"the eagles will come and pull out [your] eyes†. This obviously graphic image suggests to Stephen the threatening presence of eagles that are minding all his thoughts. Joyce’s vividness with such gruesome imagery has a real effect on Stephen; he repeats Dante’s caution in his childish song, chanting: â€Å"Pull out his eyes, Apologize†. A playful, yet sensitive Stephen must immediately conformeven his innocent unorthodox actions in fear of the threatening phantom eagles to save the consequences they will bring. His thoughts are threatened again by birds when he meets an acquaintance named Heron when walking down a dark street. Stephen immediately notes the peculi... ...of how the creatures of the air have their knowledge and know their times and seasons because they, unlike man, are in the order of their life and have not perverted that order by reason†. In order to seek true emancipation, Stephen â€Å"must go away for they were birds ever going and coming...ever leaving the homes they had built to wander†. Stephen resolves to leave his Irish homeland; free and wild as his images of the birds. The attributes which mold Stephen Dedalus’ growing integrity and life decisions stem from the actions which surround him. The reader associates Stephen by the images he encounters and his reaction to them. In James Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Stephen’s connection with bird imagery helps to define his search for a role in his society, and helps readers define and identify with his quest.

Who Should be Considered a Hero in Anglo-Saxon Culture and Today? Essay

Who Should be Considered a Hero in Anglo-Saxon Culture and Today? Today, many children would consider Superman, Spiderman, Batman & Robin, and even possibly Arnold Schwarzenegger in his old film The Terminator as great superheroes. These comic strip heroes even impress adults as courageous men because we cannot get over their legendary and their supernatural skills. For example, Spiderman is well known for the spider webs that emerge from his manly wrist. On the other hand, heroes are not just defined by comic strips or cartoons. Firefighters, police officers and even our fathers or mothers are heroes in many of our lives. The characteristics that we describe our heroes as having today are quite similar to those of heroes in Anglo-Saxon culture. Since the Anglo-Saxons were one of the Germanic tribes who invaded England, they were people who had their own language, values and culture. In the Anglo-Saxon adventurous and popular legend Beowulf, the valiant Beowulf is known to be the Superman during the Anglo-Saxon period. In Anglo-Saxon culture and literatures, the characteristics of a hero are to be bold, strong, fearless, loyal and showing indifference to pain. In addition, Beowulf’s faith and confidence in himself and his role as a warrior in the society are other important factors in being a hero. When Grendel’s mother seeks revenge and runs back to her swamp, Beowulf speaks with confidence to go after her: â€Å"let us go at once to look on the track of Gendel’s kin. I promise you this: she will not be lost under cover, not in the earth’s bosom in the mountain woods nor at the bottom of the sea, go where she will. This day have patience in every woe -- as I expect you to† (25). In additio n to this, Beowulf is, beyond doubt, ... ...ffers slightly from generation to generation, from culture to culture, and from individual to individual. But heroes or heroines are still admired for their bravery, great deeds, or noble qualities. The fearless deeds accomplished by Beowulf are not necessarily required for a person to be considered as a hero or heroine today. Albert Einstein is an American hero because he accomplished many great achievements in science. All the passengers who died on the September 11th flights are also looked upon as heroes or heroines because they faced a horrific terrorist act close up. Fathers can be called heroes in their sons’ eyes because they simply admire their dads. Hence, the word â€Å"hero† has many meanings today. The Anglo-Saxon ideal of a hero was comparatively narrow and limited. Today heroism is defined more broadly. How broad will the term become in the next 25 years?

The Characters of Leo Tolstoys Anna Karenina Essay -- Tolstoy Anna Ka

The Characters of Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina          By examining the character list, one immediately notices the value Tolstoy places on character.   With one hundred and forty named characters and several other unnamed characters,   Tolstoy places his central focus in Anna Karenina on the characters. He uses their actions and behavior to develop the plot and exemplify the major themes of the novel.   Tolstoy wishes to examine life as it really is.   Tolstoy gives us a lifelike representation in Anna Karenina by creating   characters, both major and minor, that contribute to the sense of realism.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The most striking feature of Tolstoy's minor characters is that although they may only appear briefly, they still possess a sense of lifelikeness.   When a character is introduced, Tolstoy provides the reader with details of the characters appearance and actions that give a sense of realism.   For example, the waiter that Stiva and Levin encounter at their dinner, although a flat character is definitely presented in a manner which allows him to have a sense of lifelikeness and fullness.   From the speech patterns the waiter uses to the description of the fit of his uniform, one is presented with the details that allow the waiter to contribute to the novel in means beyond simply the presence of a minor character.   His description and actions provide the novel with a sense of "real life".      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another way in which Tolstoy gives the minor character a sense of life is by making them unpredictable.   One sees this in the character of Ryabinin.   When initially discussed,   the reader is told that upon conclusion of busines... ...esponse to the same situation.  Ã‚   It is this contrast of the three characters that allows Tolstoy to take full command of the life novel. He achieves a sense of real life in all of his characters.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although the reader may wish to, and can, draw distinctions in Tolstoy's characters such as a major or minor character that is either flat or round, the central focus of the character should be the contribution that they make to the reality of the novel. Although one can classify each of the characters in Anna Karenina as a major, minor, flat or round character,   Tolstoy presents each of his characters, whether they be major minor flat or round, so as to convey a sense of reality and lifelikeness in his novel.    Work Cited Tolstoy, Leo, Anna Karenin, translated by Edmonds, Rosemary, Penguin, London, 1978.

Evaluate a Significant Experience, Achievement, Risk You Have Taken

Soraya Palmer Connecticut College, Class of 2007 Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you Finding Truths In my life, I have taken many journeys without which I would not have experienced important truths. My father started us off early, taking us on many journeys to help us understand that true knowledge comes only from experience.We took trips every winter break to Madrid, Mexico, Costa Rica, and to Jamaica and Trinidad, my parents’ homeland for Christmas. Silly things I remember from those trips include the mango chili sauce on the pork in Maui, the names of the women who gave out the towels by the pools in Selva Verde, Costa Rica, eating dinner at 10 p. m. in Spain. These were all tourist experiences that I, at first, found spellbinding. My truths were the truths of the tourist brochures: beautiful hotels, beaches, and cities.I did not see the blindfolds. I did not appreciate how being held hostage by the beauty of the surface—the beaches and cities—blinded me to the absence of Puerto Rican natives on the streets of San Juan; I did not understand how the prevalence and familiarity of English conspired to veil the beauty of the Spanish language beneath volumes of English translations. I learned more about these truths in my sophomore year of high school, when I was among a group of students selected to visit Cuba.My grandmother was born in Cuba, yet I had never thought to research my own heritage. I have remained the naive American who saw Castro as some distant enemy of my country, accepting this as fact because this seemed to be the accepted wisdom. I soon became intrigued, however, with this supposed plague to my freedom, my culture, and everything good and decent. I began to think, just what is communism anyway? What’s so bad about Castro and Cuba—and I hear they have good coffee.I believed that what was missing was a lack of understandin g between our two cultures, and that acceptance of our differences would come only with knowledge. My first impression of Cuba was the absence of commercialism. I saw no giant golden arch enticing hungry Cubans with beef-laced fries; I did see billboards of Che Guevara and signposts exhorting unity and love. I realized, however, that much of the uniqueness that I relished here might be gone if the trade blockades in Cuba were ever lifted. The parallels and the irony were not lost on me. Read also â€Å"Glengarry Glen Ross†Ã‚   by David MametI was stepping out of an American political cave that shrouded the beauty of Cuba and stepping into another, one built on patriotic socialism, one where truths were just as ideological as, yet very different from, mine. History, I recognized, is never objective. The journeys I have taken have been colored by my prior experiences and by what my feelings were in those moments. Everyone holds a piece of the truth. Maybe facts don’t matter. Perhaps my experience is my truth and the more truths I hear from everyone else, the closer I will get to harmonization.Maybe there is no harmony, and I must go through life challenging and being challenged, perhaps finding perspectives from which I can extract—but never call—truth. I must simply find ways to understand others, to seek in them what is common to us all and perhaps someday find unity in our common human bond. This is what life has taught me so far, my sum of truths gleaned from experiencing many cultures. I don’t know if these truths will hold, but I hope that my college experience will be like my trip to Cuba—challenging some truths, strengthening others, and helping me experience new ones.

Tradition Hinders Our Progress

Tradition is the enemy of progress Weather it's religious traditions preventing the study of the dead for better understanding of the living to the churches traditions stopping the progress into the realization that the Earth is not the center of the universe or to take something recent Umbilical cord debates over weather to use them for life saving stem cell research. Tradition is the common enemy among Progress into the future people want the results of science we live our lives due to science but often many of our general populous does not agree with the means we use to get the radical discoveries of science. I can see how traditions can hinder progress:if you subscribe to past ideals it can deter from advancement. If we are going to look back at what Mary and John did in the past to solve a problem every time, then how are we going to move forward? What am saying is that look back once or twice get the formula then learn and apply that knowledge, improve on it then build but we keep going back and back and back and back!! It is in fact the enemy for progress. I think that traditions do prevent progess. The best example of this can be seen rulal areas where knowledge is just passed over from one generation to another and children are not allowed to study more they are just used as a labour. Another example is of early marriage of girls who are married at an age of 10 or 11 which ruin their lives. in the end i would like to conclude that these tradions r blocking our way to new things.

Acer Case Transnational Management Essay

1. When Multitech was starting up, Stan Shih preached frugality in the form of not spending more money then necessary and not being wasteful with the resources the money spent provided. Shih went as far as creating a campaign that focused on turning lights off, using both sides of paper, and traveling economy class. This is vastly different then the philosophy of other startup companies that spend more money then they have available and quickly go bankrupt. Secondly, Multitech made employment very attractive through delegated responsibility. Most companies have a top-down management approach where all decisions are made at the top and employees need to do what they’re told and keep their ideas to themselves. With Multitech, there was a sense of freedom, which led to the recruitment of bright young engineers. That type of creative freedom, as long as it’s for the betterment of the company, breeds increased productivity. Third, to compensate for offering no more then a modest salary, Multitech offered key employees equity in the form of ownership in subsidiary companies. Can you imagine just coming out of college and being offered ownership in a company? I would take a little less per hour for that opportunity. Imagine if any of us had such an opportunity with Apple or Facebook. Wow! Lastly, joint ventures allowed Multitech to expand its sales into new territories without the risk of hiring more people or raising more capital. In other words, Multitech increased their market share without taking on additional expenses or putting in more money. To sum up, keeping spending under control, hiring the best minds and keeping them happy, and expanding for â€Å"free† leads to an impressive startup. 2. Leonard Liu added value to Acer by making employees responsible for their actions. Liu did this by introducing productivity and performance evaluations. Before Leonard Liu came on board, employees did not have a profit and loss responsibility and as we know, the difference between a successful company and an unsuccessful company is profit. Now, if an employee wanted freedom to make his own decisions, that employee had to make sure his freedom produced a profit. Before Liu, there was a lack of structure within the company. Liu brought a professional management structure to Acer by establishing standards for intra-company communications to make sure everyone was on the same page. Most importantly, Liu created structure within the company by creating RBU’s and SBU’s. With this change, organizations, subsidiaries, and marketing companies under the Acer umbrella all had specific responsibilities instead of doing a little bit of everything. Unfortunately, some of the changes Liu implemented seemed to do more damage then good, which eventually led to employees questioning his judgment and implementing his directives half-heartedly. The supportive family approach was gone having been replaced with an iron-fisted form of management. Employees were not responding. The change was too drastic. Something in between Shih’s approach and Liu’s approach would have probably been more productive. Also, frugality was replaced with lavish spending on accounting and law firms and full acquisitions of companies instead of joint ventures, which put all the financial responsibility on Acer. If the goal was profit, Liu was losing just as much, if not more money. 3. In regards to development of the Aspire, I believe a local-for-local model was used. The Aspire was the first product designed and developed by an RBU, in response to a locally sensed market opportunity. Acer America and other RBU’s felt that Acer’s Taiwan-based SBU’s were too distant to develop product configurations that would appeal to diverse consumer and competitive situations around the globe. The second aspect of the local-for-local model requires that subsidiaries use their own resources to develop products. With that criteria, Mike Culver, AAC’s Director of Product Management, commissioned a series of local focus groups to explore opportunities in home computing. After the focus groups showed a potential for a consumer PC, Culver hired Frog Design to create a prototype for the Aspire. By using focus groups and hiring Frog Design, a company independent from Acer, Culver was using resources available to him outside of the Taiwan home base. From start to finish, the development of the Aspire happened in the US as a product initially for the US market. 4. Shih should allow the development of the Aspire to continue as long as implementation is transferred back to the SBU’s in Taiwan. If all of the company’s engineering and production expertise is located in Taiwan, those with the most expertise should handle the launch of such an expensive product into a highly saturated and competitive market. Shih would also need to make sure that the design of the Aspire stays as-is to achieve economies of scale on production. As far as marketing, I see no problem with different markets customizing the marketing plan for the Aspire. Companies all over the world implement different marketing strategies for a product depending on the market. For example, Diet Pepsi is marketed as Pepsi Light in some countries outside of the US. What may be an important feature of the Aspire in the US market might not be as important in a different market.

A True Friend: Is Always There for You Essay

The story begun when I came to this school in Form 1. I have no friends and I’m afraid with new surrounding. I checked my name on the board. I was into class 1 inisiatif. When I got into the class, everyone stared at me. I don’t know whats going on. So I just take a seat and keep calmed. A few months later, I had to move to class 1 cendekia. I have my old friends there. But she’s not my closest friend. Everyone does not care about me. Nobody want to ask me anything. Maybe I’m too shy to meet and greet them. The time has changed, when there was a girl, who has just moved back to school from boarding school seated infront of me. That girl was so pretty, skinny and gorgeous to me. I was wondering if she will be my friend one day. Suddenly, she asked me, â€Å" can I borrow your correction tape?† and I said â€Å"sure†. I got into mad situation when she used the correction tape onto the table. Since then, I had a negative thinking about her. Mayb e I’m too childish. She knows that I’m mad to her. But she doesn’t care at all. Since then i know her name is Nur Daniella. The time had passed, when we were in form 2. All the students in form 1 still same class with me. I have many good friends right now. End of school holidays, Daniella and i suddenly get into this friendship. I don’t know how and i don’t care. Now i totally forgive and forget about the ‘correction tape’ thing. We shopping together to buy new things for next shoolyear. Most of the things we had buy, there are all same. Our bottles same colour, our shoes, pencilbox, watch and many more. We like it that way. When we were in form 3, our friends ask me and her why we buy same thing, colour and design. Maybe they felt too weird because Daniella and i was not a really good friend before and maybe they’re too jealousy because i treat Daniella all those thing. I ask her how she get used in those kind of situation. She said â€Å" just ignored what they said†. Since that day, we came back from school together. Even i’m not pretty and clever as well like her, she doesn’t care at all because she knows the true meaning of friendship. Friendship is not about the beautiness and cleverness thing. Now she’s the best thing that ever been mine. Every secret and stories, she will share with me. So do i. I’m afraid of losing her one day. But we have one and only promise that we made. We want to further our studies in united kingdom. We pray to god, so we can get excellent result and further our studies there. Every sadness, happiness, our love story we share together until now. In a day, we must call each other and we hang for about one hour for just gossiping. No one can break our friendship ties. She asked me to read her blogs that she made just for me. I had cried all the way i read those thing. Now i realise, she ’s my only one bestfriend. She understand me so much. When i’m hurt but i’m tried to avoid from showing that i’m hurt, she knows deep in my heart, i was hurt. She would ask me if i’m okay. No one noticed me when i’m hurt except her. I feel so grateful for having this kind of bestfriend. I had lived since 16 years ago and this is the true friend that i’ve waiting for. When someone tries to be her friend or start chatting with her, i’m jealous. As i said before, i just afraid of losing her in my life. many of my friends had betrayed me. It makes me feel there is no such a good friend in this world until this girl came into my life. I am so grateful for having her in my life. I hope one day our dream comes true. She had taught me how to grow up and be cool in life. She had taught me the true meaning of friendship. Now i realise the value of a true friend.

Growth of Convention Centers across the Country Essay

Growth of Convention Centers across the Country - Essay Example In the United States of America, convention center is becoming a part and parcel of every day life. The recent mushrooming of convention centers in every nook and corner of the country itself is a proof of its fast development and necessity. In simple terms convention center is a large meeting place where formal business and professional meetings, conferences etc. are arranged. According to Atlantic City Convention Center, convention center is the "Facility designed to accommodate multiple group s or extremely large groups; exhibit halls; meeting rooms, ball rooms or banquet space; no sleeping rooms." (Glossary of Terms. Convention Center, 2007). The logic behind conducting business and other formal meetings in a convention center is that it is common place where people from different parts of the country/world can reach and assemble in a common place which is convenient to all. Originally convention centers were designed for formal business meeting, conferences. In contrast to this, modern convention centers are being used for a number of occasions including social events such as marriages, family get-together and as parking place for tourists. The spurt of tourism development the world over has made a great fillip for convention centers and they have grown in such a way that both are complementary to each other. Convention centers enable the development of tourism industry in a big way by attracting both domestic and international travelers. They have become a vital element in the tourism industry as some customers specify the name of convention centers where they would like to stay and enjoy their leisure time. It is a co mmon fact that MICE industry has no existence without convention center. The letter 'c' in the acronym stands for convention. That itself reflects that convention center enhances the scope of MICE industry and that they are complementary to each other. Another group of beneficiary of convention centers is corporate. Conducting meeting and conferences at convention center has become the order of the day among corporate people not only because of convenience but for prestige issue as well. Corporate have regular meeting, conferences and events like product launching and all these are being happened at some important convention center. Convention centers have emerged as a focal point in an intense competition among cities for a share of the economically important meetings and exhibition market. In a nut shell, convention centers have grown to become a crucial element of social, professional and corporate life. Their contributions to these various segments are priceless and remarkable. Evolution of Convention Centers in United States of America: The American communities have experienced a sudden growth of convention centers and it facilities over the last two decades. The country had 193 convention centers in the year 1986 offering minimum 25,000 square feet of exhibit space. The number rose to 254 and 322 by 1996 and 2006 consecutively. Their exhibition space also rose by 150 percent increase. The amount of investment put up by the state and local government in the year 1993 alone was $23.2 billion. (Sanders, 2007, p.2). The spurt in the development in the sector has made the giants like Chicago's McCormick and Las Vegas to enhance their exhibit space. The government has been financially supportive to pen new centers and

Species Divergence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Species Divergence - Essay Example physiology, the mode of interaction with its environment, nutrition regime, etc. While evolutionist ideas may be discerned in several pre-modern scholars’ ruminations, it was only with the advent of the 18th century Enlightenment that modern evolutionary theories formed, with that of Charles Darwin soon taking the pre-eminent place among them. The formation of currently mainstream version of evolutionary biology was immensely helped by the respective advances in the fields of genetics and molecular biology, which helped define the organic basis for evolutionary processes. From a biological organization point of view, evolution proceeds on a species level, as individuals comprising a species do not themselves evolve over the course of their lifespan. However, the results of their interaction with the environment enable the accumulation of new heritable responses within their genotype structures, giving rise to a process of natural selection. The latter, in its turn, conditions the changes in the species’ phenotype (i.e. the complex of biological features). Natural selection may be properly defined as a gradual process of genetic variation whereby the individuals with most favorable gene combinations are more frequently able to transplant their genes to subsequent generations of a species, so that their descendants will define the face of their species. While natural selection process is individual, being transmitted across a species only indirectly, it is genotype of a species as a whole that it impacts on, so that heritable changes in those individuals’ genotypes that are favored by natural selection are spread to the subsequent generations of a species as a whole. The mechanisms of natural selection are varied; however, some of them may be assigned more prominent roles in its perpetration. Of those, ecological selection, with an emphasis on fitting with one’s biological environment, and sexual selection, with an individual’s fecundity and ability to find prospective sexual partners as a key factor, may be considered the primary ones. In turn, these mechanisms may be sub-divided into more specific methods of selection, with, e.g., ecological selection encompassing the mechanisms of intraspecies competition, kin selection, etc., and sexual selection including those of intrasexual selection, intersexual selection (sexual dimorphism), etc. b. Evidence for biological evolution is manifold and comprises the number of data from different scientific disciplines. Within the context of this essay, five types of this evidence will be examined. Plate tectonics. The discovery of the movements of plates in the 20th century laid to rest the notion of unchangeable nature of Earth’s tectonics, contributing to an idea of nature’s propensity for change. On a more specific level, Charles Lyell’s studies on the impact of climatological and geological changes on the distribution of species, with specific emphasis on extinct flora, led the researchers to conclude that movements of large land masses lead to conversion of climates, which meant that animal and plant species had to be dynamic entities, the spatial distribution whereof changes in accordance with the changes of topography brought about by geological agents. Consequently, the changes in floras and faunas were decisively connected with the corresponding shifts of land masses, contributing to the development of an idea of ecological selection. Biogeography. The research in the connection between plate tectonics and changes in life on Earth that was referred to above has been directly connected with the research in the field of biogeography. Such scientists as Edward Forbes, Wallace and Willer Matthew conducted an extensive research in the