Higashimaru Soya Company

? Higashimaru Shoyu Co Ltd was a manufacturer of Soy Sauce ? The company was established in 1942 by merger of Kikuichi Shoyu Goshi Gaisha and Asai Shoyu Gomei gaisha companies ? by 1992, the firm produced over 200 different products in approximately 650 packaging forms. ? Third largest firm in the industry with 5% Market share ? By the early 1980’s supply significantly exceeded demand and prices fell ? Profit ? With ratio dropped to about 8% from 10% increase in variety, fixed cost increased thus reducing the profitability ratio. Toshio Okuno was promoted as the Plant Manager in 1974 with a permission to revitalize the Corporation. ? Implemented a gradual step wise process ? Identified the need of change in worker behavior. ? Emphasized on increasing overall communication till the lowest levels of the firm. †¢ MONTHLY GROUP LEADER MEETINGS †¢ Reduced a group’s natural resistance to change †¢ Increase in Inter and Intra group Communication †¢ THE PRIC E CONTROL SYSTEM †¢ Developed a profit making attitude in groups †¢ Generate Cost and Quality awareness THE DRAFT SYSTEM †¢ Created a more efficient Job Rotation Program †¢ Corrected deficiencies in the job rotation program †¢ TATSUMAKI PROGRAM †¢ Improved management skills of group leaders †¢ Increased the group leader’s awareness of the issues faced by entire firm †¢ THE HANGEN GAME †¢ Designed to reduce head count †¢ Also motivated the groups for improvements ? Toshio Okuno displayed a Transformational Leadership style ? Realized the vision through small planned steps and small successes in the path for its full implementation Tried to enhance the morale, performance and motivation of the employees ? Challenged the employees to take greater ownership for their work through the Price Control System program ? Tried to inspire the employees and make them interested in the work by various activities like creating the fictitious Higashimaru bank ? Okuno was also able to quickly identify problems faced by employees during the job rotation process and rectified them by implementing the Draft System ? Okuno also motivated group leaders to think beyond heir group and tried to improve their leadership qualities through the Tatsumaki Program Unfreeze: Change: Refreeze: †¢ Reaction mix †¢ Monthly group Leader met. †¢ Came up with Sagyo- Shigoto †¢ He thought the group leaders to think for themselves †¢ Increasing communication among the group. †¢ Participation and involvement of the employees into the decision making processes. †¢ Draft system †¢ Hangen game forced the employees to work more efficiently †¢ Reduce dependence on group leaders. ?Thank You!!!

Should Lord of the Flies Be Banned?

English Debate 2011-2012 Should Lord of the Flies Be Banned From Chisago Lakes High School? Argument #1 Peer Pressure By: Elizabeth Gornik We’re sitting here talking, in Mr. Scharnberg’s first hour English class at Chisago Lakes High School, about how this classic book â€Å"Lord of the Flies† by William Golding affects our everyday lives. Half of the room believes it’s a life lesson and should be continued in our education curriculum and the other half believes its sending a horrible message to our society and should be forever banned from our school.I believe that it’s an educational book and should continue to be taught; it’s a great read and has changed my outlook on things in life. For the other half of you I understand where you guys are coming from, this book has sexual references, its violent and makes fun of disabled people; but you have to look past that and see the deep meaning in the gory paragraphs. In our lives we face many chal lenges; one of the big issues is peer pressure. We all face it in high school, drugs, sex, parties, alcohol, skipping school, etc. The dictionary definition of peer pressure is influence from members of one’s peer group.Lord of the Flies is a perfect of example peer pressure; it shows how everyone cracks under pressure. Choices they make are determined by the manipulation and domination of their more powerful friends. The littl’uns are faced with pressure because they don’t exactly know what’s going on, they whole lives they’ve been supported by their families and didn’t have to worry about seeing tomorrow’s daylight. Now they have to depend on boys twice their age because everyone else is and they don’t know how to take care of themselves. Another situation is when ll the boys first met and everyone was making fun of Piggy and calling him â€Å"Fatty†, Ralph decided to be part of the fun and giggles and tell everyone Pi ggy’s secret nickname to feel part of the crowd. Later on in the book the more Ralph realizes that Piggy was his one, true friend. Towards the end of the book Samneric were pressured into joining Jack’s tribe by threatening them. They end up joining to save their lives. This book clearly shows that how they’re acting is influenced by the things that they have gone through, the surroundings is what influenced them, not a book.Think about it, Jack became obsessed with hunting because that’s all he could do to entertain himself. When teens and children even adults are bored they tend to experiment things such as drugs, sex, alcohol. If you’re not keeping yourself busy and hanging around the wrong people, eventually you get influenced to do things you will regret doing in the future. Also, it shows that the consequences of our mistakes, it does not encourage us to do the same. If you actually thought deep about the text and not just surface through the offensive situations, you just might see what I see, a life lesson that each and every one of us need to learn.

A Detailed Description of the Kipande House

Hope, a word used all too commonly but not defined very clearly. When someone hopes for something, they wish for it, but they have some idea that their wish might happen. Many things have been accomplished because of hope, people resort to hope when they have nothing else to go to. People hope their mothers gets better, people hope they get the Job, they hope for many things and do not even realize that they make these things happen. People are hope, they determine the outcome of their wishes most of the time, they Just have to go out and do something. There are any things that go along with the word hope, most people think of hope as a wish, but this is far away from the actual truth. People might say l hope everything is fine or l hope I get this car, but for these things to happen, a person needs to do something serious about it. In most cases the person who is hoping for something actually goes and does something to his situation. For example, I hope my brother gets an excellent GPA, so to help the situation I try and tell him at least once a day to work hard, also if he crosses any difficulties he can depend on me. In many ways such as that where I gave my prime example, it would be one of the ways in which I can influence what I hope would happen. Sometimes things may take a while or they may not even get a chance to have time pass by them, but I am actively trying to always influence the outcome, whether or not everything goes the way I want. A lot of people knew how to use hope in their favor. They had only one choice, and this choice was to take the path of hard work where hope was its fuel that makes it run. There is no one better to give an example for rather than Oprah Winfrey. In the long days when her mother was absent from the inner city apartment, young Oprah was molested by her male relatives. Her abuse lasted till she was 13 years old. She began her professional life at the age of 17. After hard work in the field of media and entertainment, Oprah Winfrey began a new show called The Oprah Winfrey Show; which has captured the hearts of millions in the North American continent and the entire world. The Oprah Winfrey Show had its special theme. This show helped in employing people and bringing out sensational stories to the viewers so that the eople could learn and gain pure morals from these stories which are real and happen in our daily life. Oprahs persistent character made the regular citizens voices reach the governments brain so that the government could find a way to solve the citizens problems. Oprah also is a native in the field of public and worldwide services. She has contributed with all she had so that she could revive the concept of hope in the souls of those who really need it, and that was the secret of Oprahs success. Oprah is a true example of hope in the era we are living in. The word hope paints a different picture in every persons mind. A lot of people think of angels and messengers but I think of people working hard and giving effort on something and then depending on the angels and gods will to fall on it. There are also many meanings people think of when the word hope is said like promise, trust, faith etc. People look for hope in times of despair, but in times of despair they also work hard to finish what they were hoping for. That is why the only meaning that best suits the word hope is effort or hard work. In the end we can finally reach to a point that hope treasure of hope. Hope is viewed as the battery for the spirit, but hope is not the hing that gives people this feeling, it is also the people around you and the community that you live in. The people are they who create the sense of hope by encouraging you to work hard and give effort in the task you have, or the project you are obliged to do, and even with doing your home work. Hope is also seen as a child because this child will grow up to do things to help others and help spread the right- of-hope, even if it was in a simple or a massive way. In my opinion, I see that hope is a Holy right that should be available at any time to who deserves it. We live in a world hat was created with laws and orders so that people could have their rights equally. Hope is the golden key that truly opens the gate for a better life. A Detailed Description of the Kipande House By Charity-Nyange Kipande house. It is a colonial architecture building that was built in the early 1900. It was designed by gurdit Singh and was the tallest building in Kenya before city hall was built in 1935. The building has a clock tower that is 65ft high and is a one storey affair. It is located on Kenyatta avenue opposite GPO, general post office building and currently ouses the Kenya commercial bank KCB as do other colonial style buildings on Kenyatta avenue. It is made of grey building rock with a beautiful hand dressed finish which allows it to have sharp defined edges. It has an arc above the main door and the two windows next to it while other windows are rectangular. The labour for this was provided by slaves in Kenya. Historically, this building as the name suggests was where Kenyans went to get their Identity cards. Culturally, the kipande played a very important role in the Kenyan mans life and history. This building that still stands eminds us of our not so pleasant past and sheds light on the progress we have made as a people since independence. Theres no more slavery. For some, however, it reminds them ofa horrible past. In my opinion, the building is beautiful. In its form, I see a use of line that is magnificent. There are curves, archs around the door and windows and also as the clock tower begins. From its structure we can see shadows and highlights depending on where the light falls. The colour of the building, grey gives it a sense of age and antiquity. It is unique. Its edges are interesting. The in and ut placement of the bricks gives it a beautiful finish. My conclusion is that this building was built to last. It has stood for a century and does not wield a single crack. I recommend that architects today design buildings that can stand the test of time. Jommo Kenyatta statue. It is an intricate double life-size, 12ft seated statue of president Jommo Kenyatte in 1969 with every detailed aspect to a birthmark on the presidents face and his trademark peep toe sandals. It was sculpted by James Butler and unveiled in 1973 when the Kenya international conference centre was opened to mark 10 years of independence.

Multiple predetermined overhead rates versus a single predetermined Term Paper

Multiple predetermined overhead rates versus a single predetermined overhead rate - Term Paper Example A multiple predetermined overhead rate is a system through which the product cost is estimated. This is where in every single different department in the company a single separate predetermined overhead rate is calculated and then they are summed together. This means that though if they are summed up they produce a single predetermined overhead rate they are present as independent multiple overhead rates of the company’s different departments. This type of estimation of the predetermined overhead rate is important especially in the instance where the products are heterogeneous. This is because as the products move along the various departments they receive uneven effort and attention therefore calling for the different departmental rates in the achieving of equitable and even product costs estimations. The calculation of the single predetermined overhead rate is more common in most companies’ than the multiple predetermined overhead rates. This is largely attributed to the fact tat the single overhead rate is much simpler to estimate than the multiple overhead rates. This is due to the fact that it involves a single calculation of the overheard rate of the whole company’s departments as one while the multiple overhead rates involve calculation of the rates in the different departments separately (Sherman 43). In this reason also it is thus estimated to be less of a cost in resources and time to use the single overhead rate than the multiple overhead rates. Taking for instance a survey conducted on the popularity of the use of the single overhead rate and the multiple overhead rate established that an approximate 50% of companies use both types. This can be attributed to the fact that the multiple overhead rates are more detailed and informative especially the fact that most companies conduct heterogeneous production. Job order costing Job order costing refers to a costing system in businesses that is applied to the accumulation of costs by the difference jobs it engages in, and it is mostly applied where there are various different products that are being produced per time period. It involves the calculation of the average cost per unit product which is arrived at through the tracing of costs through to

MLK Letter from Birmingham Jail and President Obamas A More Perfect Essay

MLK Letter from Birmingham Jail and President Obamas A More Perfect Union Compare and Contrast - Essay Example Racism has been a problem for the people of America, which has had the Nation’s leaders up in arms trying to advocate for equality across the land. In the past, leaders like Martin Luther King thought fighting for equal rights would bring unity among the people. That was decades ago, and fast forward to today, the United States has its first African American president. The two are both icons of their times (Leeman, 2012). This paper will examine the similarity they share in some of the famous works that saw their fight across international boundaries. Both Martin Luther King and Obama have something in common. It is their fight to eradicate racism against a nation that is considered a super power. The United States has been one of the countries where racism has had a negative impact on the lives of the American people. Stereotyping has made prisons become full of people of minority groups, and this number is on the rise. Martin Luther King’s ‘Letter from Birmingha m Jail’ talks of the many issues that Americans face, and the long road not travelled. Obama faces the same opposition from the same people who were once accustomed to labelling minority groups as barbaric and incompetent (Brinkley, 2010). In Martin Luther King’s letter, he talks of the racism that affected African-Americans in the country. Often, MLK did point fingers at some of the groups involved in the segregation of the people considered the minority. Obama, on the other hand, did not talk to, or about any group of segregated individuals. He decided to go down the diplomatic route with his speech. They both use emotional appeal to attract their audience to their message. This similarity is common in the political arena as political heads are out to talk to a wider audience than just one group of individuals (Brinkley, 2010). The persuasive manner in which they talk to their audience is evident in both leaders. The manner in which Obama appeals to the wider audienc e, however, makes his speech less concise and specific. MLK’s letter, on the other hand, addresses a specific group. The reason this happens is the difference in time. King’s letter came at a time when the nation was battling seriously with the segregation issue, and there were cases where people of minority groups were being killed. In 1963, segregation laws were in effect and proved difficult for any minority group to be heard. Obama was addressing a much more diverse group of people. This is through the evolution of laws and abolition of segregation laws (Leeman, 2012). The other thing that may differ in the two scenarios is the cultural and political ties the two leaders had while delivering their messages. Obama might have had political ambitions. That made his speech much more focused on the diverse America population. King did not have any political ambition; rather, he hoped for the day that the country would allow an African-American leader to lead the nation. It was through such works from Martin Luther King that leaders like Obama have a chance to give speeches. The American public wanted to evolve from the time of segregation through people such as Martin Luther and Jesse Jackson. The two addressed the issue of special interests among people (Brinkley, 2010). Obama, however, labelled the groups involved as corporate leaders who wanted to enjoy the short period of greed. King addressed white supremacist groups, and their quest to eradicate the minority group, specifically African-Americans. Both

Recommendation report for Airbus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Recommendation report for Airbus - Essay Example As the essay stresses one of the important aspects that Airbus has to consider in framing its policy over the next five years is contract management, because thus far, it has not been able to effectively manage them. A part of the problems Airbus is facing now have to do with a botched French deal that went wrong. EADS, the parent company of Airbus came into being through the disposition of 37.9% of Airbus shares that were owned by a French public sector enterprise, Aerospatiale, to a private investor, Noel Forgeard. While the deal was originally intended to provide Airbus with a long term, French private sector shareholder to aid the process of privatisation, it has proved to be a botched up job that has aided the downfall of Airbus. From this research it is clear the problems arose when Forgeard sold his shares to Daimler in Germany, thereby disturbing the equity stake and ownership percentages of the French Government, acquired through disposition of its ownership in Aerospatiale. Furthermore, the original intent behind the formulation of EDAS was to provide strong European competition for the American giant Boeing, but fluctuations in exchange rates have not proved favourable to the Company’s sales in the market. It appears likely that some of these problems could have been addressed if the contracts had included certain provisions; for example stipulating that ownership of Forgeard’s shares were to remain within France.

The Role Self-Concept In Building Interpersonal Relationships Essay

The Role Self-Concept In Building Interpersonal Relationships - Essay Example Sales personnel can obtain the attention of the manager of some organization by applying his oily tongue, flattering techniques, and capability of glamorizing the scenario and articles to sell them to the customers and clients. A writer can capture the consideration of a magazine, journal or newspaper by writing the powerful article on the topic of public interest. Without self-disclosure in the present of the relevant authority, making sure headway leading to success is certainly tantamount to impossibility. It becomes evident that self-concept and self-disclosure turn out to be fruitful for the individuals to assess and estimate their abilities and exhibit the same while communicating with other members of society. Attributed to the unprecedented technological advancements, the contemporary era is frequently regarded to be the age of perfect competition, which has introduced revolutionary alterations in all fields of life, including the corporate sector all over the globe. The comp anies hire the services of highly qualified, proficient, confident and brilliant personnel against the positions in different departments with the aim of ensuring a powerful penetration into the entire business environment in a successful manner. Not only this that the companies strongly recommend the development of self-concept in the employees, but also lay stress upon the observing of the same while demonstrating their interpersonal skills while entering into interaction with the management, co-workers, subordinates, and customers at large.

Social Responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Social Responsibility - Essay Example When Smith says, he has â€Å"never known much good done by those who affected to trade for the public good† and calls it an â€Å"affectation [indeed] not very common among merchants† (159), he may be referring to businesspeople who do good so much that they run their businesses to the ground. An example is a baker giving away too much free bread that he becomes bankrupt. Merchants do not want to go bankrupt because they do not want to trade for the public good more than they want to make profits. In addition, Smith does not necessarily say that companies should ignore the greater good in making profits. He emphasizes the importance of trading in making profits, but he does not promote unethical or illegal practices because if the public know about it or if the government catches them, then they will have bad publicity or the government might close their business. My definition of social responsibility is responsibility for shareholders, employees, consumers, communities where businesses operate, and the environment. This does not fit into Friedman’s definition to some extent. My social responsibility definition agrees with Friedman that social responsibility promotes the goal of increasing profits. Staying within the rules of the game can also be aligned with being responsible for employees, consumers, communities where businesses operate, and the environment because laws also protect them in varying degrees. However, how about in communities or countries where fairness and environmental laws are weak or lacking? My definition of social responsibility is proactive in doing what is right for all stakeholders with or without these laws. I believe that businesses have a social responsibility to their fellow man because I agree with Kant that people have duties to do what can be universalized and doing my definition of social responsibili ty is something that can be

Theater Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Theater - Essay Example In addition, the scene where the daughter of Lear, Cordelia dies is still engraved in my mind (National Theatre Live, n.d.). When the film with the same screenplay on silver screen is being compared with that of the play on theatre one could really find that, it did not appeal the minds as the live play did. Actually, the most important dynamics of a live theatre is the relative aspect of the theatre. It is through this relative aspect that audiences are able to watch the actors cry, laugh, run before their eyes but does not transport the audiences into a utopian land. On the contrary, the audiences are able to form a strong discourse, which relates the awareness of the audiences watching live actors performing on stage with the impromptu performance of the actors of the live theatre (Live Theatre, 2014). Notably, there is a huge scope to display and develop a vivid spectacle and visual panorama on stage through music, light, sound, stagecraft and most importantly, through the live performance of the actors. The experience of a live theatre is always spectacular (Reason, 2004). Correspondingly, as I strongly believe with my experience, an important facet is its relative aspect, which could be attained in live theatres through the liveliness of the performing

The Features of Sony Reader Prs T2 Essay Example for Free

The Features of Sony Reader Prs T2 Essay Introduction An E-reader is one of the most useful technologies today because of its design and features, particularly in its capacity to make information portable. The dawn of e-readers introduces readers to a unique reading experience wherein they can take their reading materials anywhere they go without the bulkiness and hassle that goes along with bringing actual printed materials. Of all the e-readers available in the market, Sony E-reader stands out over its competitors because of its design and features. In going over the specific features of the matte black model of Sony Reader PRS-T2, one can say that the said e-reader is a must-buy item for readers due to its considerable benefits, regardless of its disadvantages. Features Primarily, Sony E-Reader’s most noticeable features are its design and dimension, display, and performance. Although the reader do not hold a considerable competitive, price advantage over its competitors, the reader may also be considered sufficient enough in addressing customer’s standards on performance. In terms of design, the reader features a 6. 87† tall by 4. 37 wide dimensions; it is also . 37† thick, which is considered lightweight compared to other E-readers (Van Camp, 2012). With its thin design, the reader only weighs 5. 9 oz, which is quite portable and light. Further, the reader is rubberized, and it sports a large chin-area that allows readers to hold the device from the lower part. Aside from this, the reader’s display and performance also play a vital factor in determining its overall appeal and usefulness to readers. Specifically, the E Ink display type and 6† screen size gives readers a larger reader interface. Sony Reader’s battery also lasts to at least 2 months, if the Wi-Fi connectivity is turned on, while 6 weeks if the Wi-Fi technology is turned off. Pros and Cons The most noticeable advantage of Sony E-Reader is its lightweight and attractive design, connectivity features, and features. For instance, with its light and slim design, the reader easily fits the hand while it is also more portable. The reader also features five physical buttons below the screen, which are not available in Kindle’s Paper White model. With this feature readers are better able to toggle from page to page singlehandedly; other e-readers do not have this feature, regardless of the fact that customer’s also prefer to have physical page-turn buttons. Aside from this, Sony Reader’s connectivity features allow readers to connect to social networks, such as Evernote and Facebook, allowing them to post and share their thoughts. Readers can also customize the look of their homepage. The reader also prides itself with its compatibility feature, particularly to diverse digital formats such as Microsoft Word, PDF, Epub, and image file formats. With this compatibility range, users of Sony Reader may also have access to different e-book stores. Although Sony Reader PRS-T2 has its valued, beneficial features, it also has a few disadvantages. For instance, in terms of price, the reader is so far behind its competitors. Its price range, which is at $127-$130, is quite expensive as compared to Kindle Paper White’s $119-$199. Aside from its price, the reader also lacks a reader-friendly illumination, which requires readers to find a suitable place to read on their own (Van Camp, 2012). Further, Van Camp (2012) mentions that Sony still have not provided the exact number of available books in its library, which leaves readers hanging resulting to their patronage of other online libraries. Further, there is also a need to refine the Refresh interface of the E-Reader while it also necessary to advance its page-turning interface to accommodate the diverse finger placements of the readers. Conclusion Considering the features of the Reader, one can say that, if users are going after battery life, portability, and compatibility with diverse digital file formats, the Sony Reader PRS-T2 is a reasonable choice. This is because the said Reader offers longer battery life, thin and weight design, open compatibility to diverse formats, and gadget aesthetics. However, price is a major concern when choosing Sony’s Reader because of its high price range, which surpasses its more popular competitors such as Kindle. Further, it is also noteworthy to consider Sony Reader’s lack of illumination as another limiting factor when buying Sony’s Reader. Conclusively, it is safe to say that the selection of an E-reader depends on the user’s needs, and users should try out e-readers with their own hands to ensure that they get the most value for their money. Reference Van Camp, J. (2012, October 11). Sony reader PRS-T2. Retrieved from http://www. digitaltrends. com/ebook-reader-reviews/sony-reader-prs-t2-review/

Mergers and Acquisitions: Indian Banking Consolidation

Mergers and Acquisitions: Indian Banking Consolidation Globally it has been found that the mergers and acquisition have become one of the major ways to corporate restructuring which has also struck the financial services industry which has experienced merger waves leading to the emergence of huge banks and financial institutions. The main reason for mergers is intense competition among the companies in the same industry which put focus on economies of scale, efficiency in cost and profitability. Some other factors leading to the mergers is the too big to fail principle followed by the authorities. In few countries like Germany, weak banks were forcefully merged to avoid the problem financial distress arising out of bad loans and erosion of capital funds. Several academic studies have analyzed merger related gains in banking and these studies have adopted two approaches. The first approach deals with evaluating the long term performance of the merger by analyzing the accounting information such as return on assets, operating costs and eff iciency ratios. A mergers is considered to have led to improved performance if the the change in the accounting based performance is superior to the changes in the performance of the comparable banks that were not involved in the merger activity during that period. Another approach is to analyze the gains in stock price of the bidder and the target company around the announcement of the merger. In this approach the merger is assumed to create value if the combined value of the bidder and target banks increase on the announcement of the merger and the consequent and the stock prices reflect the potential value of the acquiring banks. The objective of this paper is to present a panoramic view of merger trends in India and to ascertain two important perceptions of stake-holders, shareholders and managers and to discuss dilemmas and other issues of this topic of Indian banking. Review of Literature for impact of mergers The two important issues which are examined by various academic studies relating to bank mergers are: impact of mergers on the operating performance and efficiency of the banks Impact of mergers on the market value of the equity of both bidder and the target banks. Cornett and Tehranian (1992) and Spindit and Tarhan (1992) provided evidence for increase in post-merger operating performance. However the studies of Berger and Humphrey (1992), Piloff (1996) and Berger (1997) did not find any evidence in increase in post-merger operating performance. Berger and Humphrey (1994) also reported that most of the studies that examined pre-merger and post-merger financial ratios found no impact on operating cost and profit ratios. The reasons for mixed evidence are: lag between completion of merger process and the realization of benefits of mergers, sample selection and the methods adopted in the financing of mergers. Further, the financial ratios may be misleading indicators of performance because they do not take into account for product mix or input prices. On the other hand researches may also could have confused scale and scope efficiency gains with what is known as X-efficiency gains. Recent studies have explicitly employed frontier X-efficiency met hods to identify the X-efficiency benefits of bank mergers. Few studies have also analyzed the potential benefits and scale economies of mergers. Landerman (2000) explored diversification benefits to be had from banks merging with non banking financial service firms. Simulated mergers of US banks and non-bank financial service firms demonstrated that diversification of banks into insurance business and securities brokerage is optimal for reducing the probability of bankruptcy for bank holding companies. Wheelock and Wilson (2004) found that expected merger activity in US banking industry is positively related to management rating, size of the bank, competitive position and geographical location of banks and is negatively related to market concentration. The second issue determined was the analysis of merger gains in terms of the gains in stock price performance of the bidder and the target banks on announcement of merger. In this case a merger is expected to create value only if the combined value of the bidder and target companies increases after the declaration of the merger. However a lot of studies have failed to find any direct relationship between the merger and the gains in performance or in shareholder wealth. But there are reasons for mixed evidence as a merger announcement also takes in to account the way the deal is financed .If equity offerings are used it may be interpreted as overvaluation by the issuer. Therefore the negative announcements returns to the firms that are bidding can be attributed to the negative signalling which is completely unrelated to the value which is created by the merger. Returns to the bidders companies shareholders is greater when the merger is totally financed with cash than in mergers in whi ch financing is done through equity offering. There is one more problem with this event study analysis as if there is a consolidation wave going on; mergers are anticipated by stockholders and analyst. Potential candidates for the mergers are highlighted and made popular by the financial press and the stock market analysts. In these cases the event study analysis may fail. Therefore an analysis of mergers across the world and a literature review does not provide strong evidence on the benefits gained by banks in the mergers in the banking industry. Also the findings of the literature also contrast with the findings of the consultants who find a considerable cost savings and operational efficiency achieved through mergers. The reasons why academic study do not find cost benefits and the consultants highlight this fact are Consulates may study a potential cost savings which may not materialize They tend to highlight potential cost saving activities and the economist study all the activities. They tend to be biased towards successful cases and ignore the unsuccessful ones. They tend blow up the benefits achieved while the benefits may be miniscule if accounted on a relative terms. The academic studies provide motivation for the examination and evaluation of two important issues pertaining to the mergers and acquisition to the Indian banking. Do mergers help in improving the operational performance and result in cost savings However in India most of the mergers are forced by the central bank in order to protect the interest of the depositors and avoid financial distress therefore the above mentioned reason is rarely found in the mergers activities. Do merger provide abnormal gains and returns to the acquirer and the target banks upon the declaration Consolidation Trends Observed in India Improving the operational performance and cost efficiency has always been a priority in Indian banking sector and has been a major issue of discussions in the policy formulation by the government of India in the consultation and with the central bank (Reserve Bank of India). Several committees have also been formed in order to suggest structural changes to achieve this objective. Some of the major committees formed are Banking Commission, 1972 Chairman R.G Saraiya, 1976 chairman : Manubhai Shah Committee for the functioning of public sector banks, 1978 chairman : James S Raj These committees have suggested the restructuring of the Indian banking system with an objective to improve the process of credit delivery and also suggested the idea of having around 3 to 4 large banks which have a pan India presence and the rest of the bank should be present at the regional level. The major thrust on consolidation started with the Narasimham committee in 1991. It emphasised and embarked upon consolidation and merger in order to make the Indian banks huge in size and also comparable to the global banks. A second Narasimham committe was also formed in 1998 which suggested mergers and consolidation among the strong banks in public as well as private sector and also with other financial institutions, NBFC (Non Banking Financial Companies). Now we will have a look at some of the recent trends in consolidation in Indian banking. Restructuring of weak Indian Banks Amongst other routes government of India has adopted mergers as a means to achieve restructuring of the Indian banking system. Many banks which are small in size and are weak are merged with other banks which are stronger and are larger to protect the interest of the depositors and also to avoid financial distress. These types of mergers can be termed as forced mergers. Hence when a banks shows symptoms of sickness like increasing size of NPAs, reduction in the net worth and substantial decline in capital adequacy ratio, RBI forces moratorium under the section 45(1) of the Banking Regulation act 1949 for a specified period on the activities and the operations of the working of the sick bank. In this period a strong bank is identified and asked to prepare and present a scheme of merger with the weak bank. In this case the acquirer banks takes hold of all the assets of the weak bank and ensures the depositors of their money in case they want to withdraw. The mergers which took place in the pre-reform period fall into this category. In the post reform period 21 mergers have taken place out of which 13 are forced mergers where RBI has intervened. The main reason for these mergers was the protection of the depositors interest and avoids the financial distress. Mergers which took place voluntarily Apart from forced mergers there have been few mergers in which expansion, diversification and growth were the major motives and in which RBI did not intervene or force. The first merger of this kind took place in 1993 when the Times Bank was acquired by HDFC bank which was followed by acquisition of Bank of Madura by the ICICI Bank. The latest of these is merger of Lord Krishnan Bank with Centurion Bank of Punjab. Although in all these deals the target bank suffered with low profitability, Increase in NPA and lack of alternate revenues in order to provide cushion for capital adequacy but these mergers were not forced. There was no regulatory intervention in these mergers however the motives behind these mergers may not necessarily be scale of economies and achieving market power. For instance ICICI bank acquired bank of Russia with a motive of entry in to Russia although it just had one branch. SBI acquired 51% stake in Mauritian Bank through Indian Ocean International Bank which wil l be integrated with the State Bank of Indias International business as a subsidiary. Integration of Financial Services and Achieving Universal Banking Model Several developmental financial institutions have been formed over a period of time in India in order to improve the efficiency of allocation of resources to different segments of the economy. However because of the flexibility given by the RBI to the banks in the credit delivery process the banks have increased and diversified their loan portfolio to various areas such as project finance, long-term loans, and other specialised sector lending. This is the reason why DFIs have become redundant. A working capital group (1998) was appointed by RBI which has recommended the universal model of banking by exploring the possibility of mergers between various sets of financial entities based on economical considerations. Similarly in the private sector ICICI merger with its subsidiary bank and IDBI (industrial Development Bank of India) was incorporates as a public sector bank which acquired private sector bank IDBI bank in 2004. In order to provide integrated financial services and achieve operation efficiencies many public sector banks have acquired their subsidiaries, for instance Andhra Bank acquired its housing finance subsidiary Andhra Bank Housing Finance LTD, Bank of India acquired BOI finance Ltd and BOI Asset Management Company Ltd. Acquisition of similar types took place in the private sector as well. Alignment of Operations of Foreign Banks with Global Trends As the Parent banks went under reconstruction process their parts operating in India also started restructuring. For example, Standard Charted Grindlay bank was formed due to acquisition of ANZ Grindlay by the Standard Charted Bank. Similarly due to acquisition of two Japanese banks like Sakura Bank and Sumitomo Bank Ltd the Indian operations of Sakura Bank were merged with Sumitomo Bank in 2001.Forign banks were permitted to enter into merger and acquisition transaction with any of the private sector bank in India with a condition that the overall investment limit limit will be 74 per cent after the second phase of WTO commitments which commenced in April 2009. This may lead to further consolidation in the Indian banking sector. Merger and Consolidation of Cooperatives, RRBs and UCBs Small banks present in India apart from other banks are co-operative banks, Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) and Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs). These are formed for fulfilling the credit requirements of agriculture, small traders and SSI and other rural economic activities. All of these institutions are suffering from bad loans, operational inefficiencies, and Poor recovery of loans. This proved to be a barrier for further lending and financial intermediation. A committee formed under Jugdish Capoor suggested voluntary amalgamations or merger of these co-operatives based on various criterias like economies of scale, especially in areas where the operations of these banks have become unviable and there are no more in a position to supply credit to agriculture sector. 28 RRBs were consolidated into 9 new RRBs in September 2005.A high powered committee on Urban Co-operative Banks (1999) recommended that UCBs which are sick should be liquidated in a time bound manner as the operation of lar ge number of financially sick banks is devastating for UCBs and also for the interest of depositors. Due to this more mergers are expected in the future and RBI also has taken a lot of new initiatives for restructuring of banks including the issuance of guidelines in May 2005. Shareholders Perception of Merger As stated above the Indian banking sector has experienced two types of mergers – focussed and voluntary mergers. Forced mergers were initiated by RBI and their main objective was to protect the interest of the depositors and prevent financial distress of the banks. Whenever a bank showed symptoms of sickness like huge NPA levels, erosion of net worth etc, RBI intervened and merged the weak bank with a stronger one by force. Thus we can form a hypothesis that in case of forced mergers the target banks shareholders will gain abnormally with the declaration. The second type of merger is voluntary type where the motivation behind the merger is to achieve cost reduction, increase in size, diversification, strategic entry into a market. In these cases the acquired banks reaped the benefit of branch network and customer clientele of the banks acquired. In these cases both the acquirer bank and the target bank must have had benefit out of the merger. In this paper the mergers between 1993 to 2006 are considered. There were 21 mergers out of which only five were voluntary. These are mainly mergers of private sector banks with other private sector banks. Two cases are conversion of financial institution to commercial bank where the objective was to form a universal bank model which offers a wide range of financial services. Ina study conducted which is presented in this paper six cases of forced mergers were selected for the purpose of analysis as in other cases the target banks were not listed and the size of the banks were much lower than the acquirer banks therefore these cases are of less merit for further analysis. In this study the wealth effects of almost all the banking mergers during the period 1999-2006 is analyzed. The event study analysis used in this analysis is very straight forward and conventional. The merger period consist of four days prior and four days after the event. The reason for taking such window is to analyze the change in wealth of the shareholder around the day of the declaration on the merger. Daily adjusted closing prices of stocks and the market index is taken for the analysis. The abnormal returns are calculated as follows. ARit= Rit – [a + BRm] Here Rit: daily return on firm ‘i on day ‘t Rmt is the return on the bench mark index a and B are the regression parameters. The abnormal return is calculated for both the acquirer and the target firm and the significance of these values are tested by finding standard error and the t-value : Analysis of Research Results In forced mergers case the stockholders of target banks have not achieved any significant returns on the declaration of the merger. However in the case of Nedungadi Bank, the stockholder did gain significant on the 2nd day of the announcement but after that no abnormal returns were found. In the case of GTB the stockholders had deeply discounted the merger. As it was a case of serious case of bank failure the merger did give a confidence to the depositors but the merger declaration did not provide any abnormal returns. United bank did gain marginally on the announcement but it was not significant statistically. Thus the hypothesis that target banks shareholders welcome merger announcement as a safety net can be rejected. The shareholders of the acquirer bank lost their market value of equity. In case of ICICI bank, it was signalled as an emergence of a large private sector bank and hence due to which the banks shareholders expectations go up with significant increase in the returns. In other cases of acquisition the acquirer bank lost on merging with the weak banks. Hence in all the forced mergers neither the acquirer bank nor the target bank gained on declaration of the merger and the stockholders of the acquirer bank lost wealth as the announcement of the merger was taken as a negative signal. It is argued that merger of weak banks with strong ones is essential for restructuring of banking system and also a step in the consolidation of the banking sector. But in almost all the mergers it was found that the target banks for the merger were determined at the time when they were at the verge of getting collapse. The acquirer bank which was forced by RBI was left with no option but to accept the proposed merger. It is recommended that RBI should pursue Prompt corrective action system and should determine the weak banks on the basis of some defined criterias so that the acquirer bank can choose the target banks on the strategic issues which benefit all the parties . Abnormal Returns of Target Banks Abnormal returns of Bidder banks In case of voluntary mergers it can be seen that the target banks have obtained higher returns that the acquirer banks. Both the acquirer and the target banks stockholders benefitted on declaration of the merger. Therefore the stock market welcomed the merger which will lead to growth and efficiency aspects of the merged entity and benefitted the shareholders of both the banks. For instance in the case of acquisition of times banks by HDFC bank it was viewed as a positive signal by the shareholders of both the bank. At the time of the merger the Times Bank was crippled with increasing NPAs and low profitability, the acquisition by the HDFC bank gave relief to the depositors of the Times Bank. On the other hand HDFC bank emerged as the largest private sector bank by gaining from the retail portfolio of the Times Bank. In case of BOM acquisition by the ICIC bank the BOM gained the advantage of being able to provide services like Treasury management, cash management services to its cust omers and ICICI bank increased its size by acquiring BOM and reached the position of large private sector banks in 1999. At the announcement of the merger there was a steep rise in the gains which was reaped by the BOM shareholders however the stockholders of ICIC bank did not get any significant returns. In all the even study analysis revealed that neither the acquirer bank nor the target bank stock holders have perceived any potential gain on the declaration of the mergers. Hence the share holders who are important stakeholders of the banking companies did not consider the mergers as a signal of improving health, economies of scale and the market power of banks. Managers take on the Mergers Managers provide highest priority to the merger of the two public sector banks which provides a signals the banking sectors view on the need for consolidation of public sector banks. Managers do not prefer the merger of bank and NBFCs or financial services entities There are some issues which are needed to be taken care of while proposing a merger of banks according to the managers Valuation of the Loan portfolio of the target bank This is one of the main factor which is needed to be considered at the time of the merger. As in the management of the credit portfolio the accounting and the exposure norms suggested by the RBI are the same which helps in figuring out the book value of loans easily. However Indian banks have adopted divergent practices in rating the borrowers, loan pricing and maintenance of collateral securities therefore a detailed audit of the loan portfolio, cash flow generation and collaterals is very essential in order to get an opinion on the value of the loan portfolio of the target bank. Valuation of Intangible assets The valuation of the assets of the banks is a very critical factor for the success of any merger or consolidation. The tangible assets of the bank are loans, investment part apart from other fixed assets like buildings, ATMs and the IT infrastructure the bank owns. A commercial bank also holds a lot of intangible assets like clientele based on core deposits, safety value contracts, computer softwares, human resources, brands and goodwill. Determining the inherent strength of the bank based on the valuation of the intangible assets is also very important. Determination of the value of equity Determining the value of the target banks assets, liabilities and valuation of its equity value is the major aspect of a merger process. Various approaches can be used like dividend discount model, cash flow to equity model and excess return model. However banks have totally different operations than a normal manufacturing firm as they are highly leveraged because they have more than 90% of the resources as borrowed or as debt and banks are highly regulated institutions and regulatory instruction have vast implication in asset and income recognition. Interest rates volatility, regulatory capital adequacy ratios and restriction on dividend pay put ratios also have influence on the earnings of the banks. Human Resource Issues It is the most complicated issue in the merger process.HR issues like the service condition, strategy for rewarding people, employee relation, benefit plans and compensation, provision of pension, law suits and the trade union actions are very critical for the viability of the merger and the deal to go through. Cultural Issues This is also a critical issue in the pre-merger and post merger period. It is central to an organizational environment and recognizing cultural friction is very difficult as it results in various problems such as poor productivity, riff in the top management, increase in the turnover rates, delays in the integration process and failures in realizing the projected synergies. Information Technology platform integration In todays banking banks are highly dependent on the information technology. It has become a key strategic issue due to the impact it has on the operation of the bank. A significant portion of the synergy depends on the information technology integration. Divergent IT platforms and software systems have proven to be major constraints in the consolidation. Customer Retention Customers also major stakeholders of banks and are needed to be communicated properly about the merger and the customers of the target bank should be attended with utmost care. Various studies have shown that firms borrowing from target banks are very likely to lose their relationship with the bank on its merger.

The Black Assassin - Original Essay :: Papers

The Black Assassin - Original Essay It was a little windy out on that warm June day in Texas. People were seated all over the square in the town of Morano, as the Governor was about to make his long awaited big speech. Everyone was excited to hear what he had to say. That is everyone except for the dark figure standing in a hotel window at the opposite end of the square from the stage. No one could hear the clicking of metal against metal as the dark figure began to prepare a gun, resting it against the windowsill in the shadows. Below at the midst of the crowd a tall man stood looking around at all of the buildings as well as the people. A dark brown cowboy hat covered his brow from the sun as his dark chocolate eyes searched the area. "I know you're here." Whispered Bounty Hunter to Darren McClintock softly. Darren rested his hand on one of the pistols that were held in the leather holder around his waist. He continued his search of the crowd. He was dressed in dark brown leather chaps with a similar coloured vest, jacket and boots. His deep red flannel shirt hugged his chest and was becoming wet with perspiration. He had been on the trail of this outlaw ever since the first one and he knew that this outlaw would be here. There was no way that the Black Assassin was going to miss a chance like this. He thought back a year ago when he heard that Gerald Thomas was massacred while he rode along his block of flats. Than two months later Baron John Buckham was shot through the chest on his way back home from a day at work. A month later Mayor G.W. Clinton was killed as he came out of the town hall. Another month later the same fate fell upon Mayor Harold P. Phillips. These men all had two things in common; large amounts of money and the thought that they'd do anything The Black Assassin - Original Essay :: Papers The Black Assassin - Original Essay It was a little windy out on that warm June day in Texas. People were seated all over the square in the town of Morano, as the Governor was about to make his long awaited big speech. Everyone was excited to hear what he had to say. That is everyone except for the dark figure standing in a hotel window at the opposite end of the square from the stage. No one could hear the clicking of metal against metal as the dark figure began to prepare a gun, resting it against the windowsill in the shadows. Below at the midst of the crowd a tall man stood looking around at all of the buildings as well as the people. A dark brown cowboy hat covered his brow from the sun as his dark chocolate eyes searched the area. "I know you're here." Whispered Bounty Hunter to Darren McClintock softly. Darren rested his hand on one of the pistols that were held in the leather holder around his waist. He continued his search of the crowd. He was dressed in dark brown leather chaps with a similar coloured vest, jacket and boots. His deep red flannel shirt hugged his chest and was becoming wet with perspiration. He had been on the trail of this outlaw ever since the first one and he knew that this outlaw would be here. There was no way that the Black Assassin was going to miss a chance like this. He thought back a year ago when he heard that Gerald Thomas was massacred while he rode along his block of flats. Than two months later Baron John Buckham was shot through the chest on his way back home from a day at work. A month later Mayor G.W. Clinton was killed as he came out of the town hall. Another month later the same fate fell upon Mayor Harold P. Phillips. These men all had two things in common; large amounts of money and the thought that they'd do anything

H.R. department at Coca-Cola :: essays research papers

Q1- Introduction, business profile of Coca-Cola, and its historical prospective. In May 1886, Coca-Cola was invented by Doctor John Pemberton a pharmacist from Atlanta, Georgia. The name was a suggestion given by John Pemberton’s bookkeeper Frank Robinson who was the first to script â€Å"Coca-Cola† into the flowing letters which has become the famous logo of today. Until 1905, the soft drink, marketed as tonic, contained extracts of cocaine as well as the caffeine-rich kola nut. As we know, every new product in its introductory stage faces a certain loss due to higher cost relatively to the revenue generated after sales, and that was the case when Pemberton started the selling process on May 8 of that same year, where he ended up with a loss of $20 as a result of costs equal to $70 and revenues equal to $50. By the late 1890s, Coca-Cola was one of America’s most popular fountain drinks. With another Atlanta pharmacist, Asa Griggs Candler, the Coca-Cola Company increased sales by over 4000% between 1890 and 1900. Advertising was an important factor in Pemberton and Candler’s success. And by the turn of the century, the drink was sold across the United States and Canada. In addition, the company began selling syrup to independent bottling companies licensed to sell the drink. After 19 years of the invention date, the Coca-Cola Company started operating internationally and it became the world’s largest bottle of liquid, nonalcoholic refreshment. It took the company about 119 years to turn the $20 loss in 1886 into $596 million profit in 2004, and that implies a successful business strategy followed by the company. Coca-Cola Enterprises is the world’s largest Coca-Cola bottler, selling approximately 43 billion bottles and cans each year. The company markets, distributes and produces beverage products of Coca-Cola Company and its subsidiaries. The products include Coca-Cola Classic, caffeine free Coca-Cola classic, diet Coke, Sprite, Cherry Coke, and Fanta. The company conducts its business primarily under agreements with The Coca-Cola Company, which own around 37% of the company's common stock. These agreements give it the exclusive right to market, distribute and produce beverage products in specified territories. This also provide the Coca-Cola Company with the ability to establish prices, terms of payment and other terms and conditions for the purchase of concentrates and syrups, in addition to other significant transactions and agreements including acquisitions of bottling territories, arrangements for cooperative marketing, advertising expenditures, purchases of sweeteners and strategic marketing initiatives.

Gustav von Aschenbachs Death in Venice Essay -- Thomas Mann Literatur

Gustav von Aschenbach's Death in Venice Prior to his encounter with Tadzio, Gustav von Aschenbach in "Death in Venice" is not an artist to be creatively inspired by sensuous beauty. Rather, his motivation derives from a desire to be accepted and appreciated by his audience, his "whole soul, from the very beginning, [being] bent on fame." [1] Nor does Aschenbach create in moments of ecstasy: being called to the constant tension of his career, not actually born to it (9), he is able to write only through rigid isolation and self-discipline. But though he is able thereby to win "the adhesion of the general public and the admiration, both sympathetic and stimulating, of the connoisseur" (9), Aschenbach reaches a creative impasse, getting "no joy of [his work]-- not though a nation paid it homage" (7). And, one day, unable to check the motus animus continuus or source of eloquence within him, be wanders to the North Cemetery where be encounters a mysterious vagabond; and then, impelled to travel further, journeys to Pola and f inally to Venice. On the steamer to Venice, Aschenbach asks his "own weary heart if a new enthusiasm, a new preoccupation, some late adventure of the feeling could be in store for the idle traveler" (19). He finds a positive answer in the person of Tadzio, the strikingly beautiful Polish boy with whom be becomes increasingly infatuated to the extent that he is unwilling to leave Venice despite its ominous forebodings. At the end of the novella's third chapter, Aschenbach, realizing that leaving Venice is too difficult "for Tadzio's sake" ( 40), forsakes his4C closed fist" discipline and surrenders to his growing passions; the fourth chapter culminates in his confession "of love and longing" for Tadzio. In ... ... Erich, The Ironic German: A Study of Thomas Mann (Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1958). Heller, Peter, "Thomas Mann's Conception of the Creative Writer," PMLA, 69 (September 1954), 764. Mann, Thomas, "Death in Venice" and Other Stories, trans. H. T. Lowe-Porter, (New York: Vintage). Mann, Thomas, Letters of Thomas Mann, selected and translated by Richard and Clara Winston, (New York: Knopf, 1971). Plato, Phaedrus, trans. R. Hackforth, in Edith Hamilton and Huntington Cairns, eds. The Collected Dialogues of Plato (New York: Pantheon, 1966). Rey, W., '"Tragic Aspects of the Artist in Thomas Mann's Works," Modern Language Quarterly, 19 (September 1958). Rosenthal, M. L. "The Corruption of Aschenbach," The University of Kansas Review, 14 (1947), Traschen, Isadore, "The Use of Myth in 'Death in Venice,"' Modern Fiction Studies, 11 (Summer 1965).

History of the Catholic Church on the death penalty and how it has changed over time Essay

Whereas the ancient Catholic Church did not have much of a problem with capital punishment, the modern Catholic Church stands resolutely against capital punishment. The stand of the Catholic Church concerning death penalty gives a clear illustration of centuries of tension in addition to uncertainties. However, the Catholic Church with its stern stand has been able to manage all the tensions that emanate from this serious issue. The role of the Catholic Church in the debate concerning death penalty has got a rich history. This paper through qualitative analysis of legitimate websites and published work is going to look at the history of the Catholic Church on the death penalty as well as how it has changed over time. Introduction There are various ways that have been employed by human beings to get rid of evil doers since the inception of the world. The techniques chosen by people to punish perpetrators of violence present the society with great challenges. Death penalty, also referred to as capital punishment, is one of the ways through which evil doers can be punished. Implementation of death penalty has, however, been a controversial issue that has been debated for years without coming to a rational conclusion. The issue of death penalty has been debated for years by the public, religious organizations and professionals without coming to an agreement. The Catholic Church, for example, is one of the religious organizations that have for decades been in the front line in the fight against death penalty. The Catholic Church argues that instead of imposing death penalty, more lenient forms of punishment should be employed (Megivern p, 391). The principle objective of the Catholic Church, as far as death penalty is concerned, is to break the cycle of violence, get rid of the culture of death, and seek justice without revenge. Victims of violence have every right to see perpetrators of such violent deeds face the law, and the public acting out of faith has the mandate to assist the victims of violence in their attempt to come to terms with their condition (Mahony para, 5). It is also the right of the general public to seek justice when laws have been violated, peaceful coexistence gotten rid of, and the rights of human beings violated by a variety of violent acts. The position of the Catholic Church has undergone extensive evolution over the last few decades in calling the public to seek justice rather than revenge (Anon p, 1). The Catholic Church also makes it clear that putting perpetrators to death does not restore the condition as it was before the crime was carried out. The papal authority has constantly called for an end to capital punishment. The Catholic Church under the leadership of the pope issues numerous appeals for clemency for those awaiting punishment by death around the world (Gregory para, 20). History of the Catholic Church on the death penalty and how it has changed over time The history of the utilization of death penalty, as a mode of punishment for evil deeds, is a story that entails exceptional conducts of the human beings stuffed with all sorts of anomalies. It incorporates religious matters and touches on almost all aspects of culture. The deep involvement of the leaders of the Catholic Church in the in the process of approving the deliberate destruction of the lives of human beings has resulted in development of a novel set of complex beliefs and practices that make up a kind of tradition. The early Catholic Church beliefs concerning capital punishment resulted in it being regarded as a different mode of punishment. The Bible, according to Hodgkinson and Schabas, is believed to have been the base on which early Catholic Church beliefs concerning death penalty were shaped (p, 117). Had death not been so clearly signified as an exquisitely ordained penalty for all who committed serious crimes, as it is in the Hebrew Bible, the practice of punishing criminals through death would not have gained the kind of momentum it gained in addition to occupying the central position in the Christian history (Megivern p, 8). The Catholic Church has a rich history of backing up death penalty. In the Vatican city is was death penalty was legal until it was prohibited by Pope Paul VI in the year 1969. The early Catholic Church did not have much of problem with capital punishment (Megivern p, 8). Death penalty, according to Megivern, was taken as an important tool for punishing those who threatened the social and political order (p, 9). This perception has however, changed over the years. There are numerous contradictions when it comes to the teachings and the stand of the Catholic Church on death penalty. Even though it has not been totally eliminated, the scope of capital punishment has been reduced drastically. Whereas the previous pope was totally against death penalty, constantly writing to law makers and judges to get rid of death penalty, in the United States and other developed countries, the official teaching of the Catholic Church makes it clear that capital punishment is not ethically incorrect in all cases. This calls for understanding of the cases where death penalty is an applicable means of punishing wrong doers (Gregory, para, 30). Over the years, â€Å"against the death penalty†, has turned out to be a common phrase among the Catholic Church faithful. Death penalty is treated as a form of intrinsic evil among Catholic Church faithful. The Catholic Church teachings have, over and over, made it clear that human life is sacred due to the fact that human beings were created by God. It is therefore the duty of each and every person to safeguard and defend the human life at all times. Human life according to the Catholic Church is a gift from God, and all people regardless of the social and economic backgrounds are called upon to enhance it. The Catholic Church argues that it is morally wrong to take away the life of another person (Cline para, 2). Nevertheless, the Catholic Church has always protected the government in its development and implementation of policies aimed at getting rid of wrong doers from society. This is why at certain times, in the history of the Catholic Church, Christians have supported capital punishment for certain crimes. However, as the Catholic Church continues growing in wisdom and experience, its teachings result in constant refining of capital punishment (Cline para, 4). The earlier edition of Catholic Church catechism, according not Gregory para, holds onto the traditional teaching of the church concerning death penalty (para, 6). These teachings allowed for the use of death penalty as a way of punishment with intent of protecting public order and defending life. As a result these church teachings redressed the disorder that emanated from the offense. However, the Catholic Church teachings made it clear that bloodless means of punishment should be employed. It also emphasized on the notion that Christians globally are supposed to show mercy and not revenge (Gregory para, 7). In 1997 the Catholic Church revised the section on death penalty. This revision was executed as a result of the changes in the catechetical presentation of the Catholic Church’s moral stand (Gregory para, 8). However, the purpose of death penalty as a means of restoring public order was not part of the revision. The corresponding perception of death penalty as a way of deterring further serious crimes was also minimized. After the 1997 revision of catholic catechism had failed to institute capital punishment as a means of restoring public order, the only reason for deterrent values of death punishment was that it provided protection to human beings against perpetrators (Gregory para, 8). In 2005, John Paul II after consultation with Roman Catholic bishops from all over the world came up with a conclusion that death penalty should only be permitted in cases of utter necessity, when it would be impossible to defend the society through other means of punishment (Gregory para, 10). John Paul II, as indicated by Gregory, pointed out that the world possesses the capacity to protect itself in addition to safeguarding the common good without the need for death penalty (para, 10). The Catholic Church holds onto the fact that various forms of punishment, with the exception of death penalty, have the capacity to protect and defend the safety of the people from perpetrators, and that modern authority is flexible enough to restrict itself to such means. John Paul II advocated for the use of other punishment modalities such as long periods of imprisonment with intent of promoting safety of the public (Gregory para, 14). These means would punish evil doers without necessarily having to kill them. Since the 1980s catholic bishops in the United States have persistently called for an end to the use of capital punishment in the country. They asserted that sanctity of all human life should be respected, innocent life should be protected, justice should be achieved through law and public order should be preserved (Gregory para, 30). The bishops claimed that capital punishment does not aid the main intent of reform due to the fact that the opportunity for a prisoner to reform is eliminated. They also argued that even though death penalty protects society from a particular criminal, who committed a serious crime for which death penalty is prescribed; it does not eliminate chances of similar crimes being committed in the future. Catholic Church leadership argued that communities are not made whole and societies are not strengthened through killing those who commit capital crimes. Death penalty according to the church leadership perpetuates a dangerous cycle of violence that eventually diminishes everyone (Gregory para, 31). In 1999 these bishops made an appeal to prohibit the use of capital punishment and followed it up in 2000 with â€Å"Responsibility, Rehabilitation and Restoration: A Catholic Perspective on Crime and Criminal Justice† Document (Gregory para, 29). This was after Pope John Paul II‘s visit to the United States in 1999. The Pope called for the abolition of death penalty. The Pope challenged the catholic faithful globally to protect the lives of innocent people, in a similar manner to abortion and euthanasia, in addition to protecting the lives of those who may have committed capital crime (Mahony para, 6). In 2005, Catholic bishops revived their fight against death penalty and began educating both Catholics and non-Catholics on the evils associated with death penalty. The American Catholic Church, currently, holds onto the perception that capital punishment under the conditions of the modern American society is not justified in the view of conventional rationale of punishment. Catholic Church leadership in the United States has developed careful guidelines concerning death penalty, which apply the teachings of the universal Church to the American culture. The modern American Catholic Church leadership has expressed its opinion against death penalty (Gregory para, 30). Whereas the ancient Catholic Church allowed for punishment of capital offenders with death, over the last four decades the Catholic Church has come out strongly against state-sponsored capital punishment (Megivern p, 14). This deviation from the Catholic Church teachings, which have been in existence for almost two millennia, is highly likely to provoke disagreement within the ranks of Catholic faithful. Modern Catholic Church leadership, as indicated by Hodgkinson and Schabas, charges that there are numerous flaws associated with the use of capital punishment including racial disparity and economic disproportion that take root in the trials of serious offenders (p, 126). Catholic leadership also makes it clear that chances of wrongly convicting men and women are very high, and therefore death punishment would result in the death of innocent people (Hodgkinson, and Schabas p, 127). Even though the validity of capital punishment has not been totally rejected, the circumstances in which they are approved are so limited that they are virtually impossible. The society is left without an option, rather than stick to the teachings of the Catholic Church. Conclusion  It can therefore be concluded that whereas the ancient Catholic Church did not have much of a problem with capital punishment, the modern Catholic Church stands resolutely against capital punishment. The Bible is believed to have been the base on which early Catholic Church beliefs concerning death penalty were shaped. The Catholic Church has a rich history of backing up death penalty. In the Vatican city is was death penalty was legal until it was prohibited by Pope Paul VI in the year 1969. Death penalty was taken as an important tool for punishing those who threatened the social and political order. This perception has however, changed over the years. The modern Catholic Church leadership has expressed its opinion against death penalty. The Catholic Church teachings make it clear that bloodless means of punishment should be employed. The Catholic Church leadership also asserts that human life is sacred due to the fact that human beings were created by God, and therefore it should be respected.

Propaganda Throughout History

Propaganda has existed as a method of communication for a long time. It was originally a neutral term used to describe the dissemination of information in favor of any given cause. The redefinition implying its now negative connation arose because of the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany's admitted use of propaganda favoring communism and fascism respectively, in all forms of their public expression. Propaganda under this connation still exists, however it’s evolution over the centuries has ensured its survival in the most unassuming ways.This paper will highlight the definitions of propaganda, the uses of propaganda in history through religion, Nazi Germany and the Cold War; its reappearance after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the 1995 Canadian referendum, evolution into advertising and how society today has become almost indifferent to it. What is Propaganda? Traditional propaganda is defined as a systematic manipulation of public opinion, generally through the use of symbols, monuments, speeches and publications.Today’s â€Å"modern† propaganda is distinguished from other forms of communication in that it is consciously and deliberately used to influence group attitudes; with all other communication functions being secondary. Therefore, almost any attempt to sway public opinion, including lobbying, commercial advertising and even missionary work, can be broadly interpreted as propaganda. However propaganda, more often than not, is associated with political situations referring to efforts by governments and political groups.Propaganda itself can be categorized as White, Gray, or Black, depending on the accuracy of information and where source is credited – if it’s credited at all! White propaganda is defined as coming from a source that is identified correctly and contains information that tends to be accurate such as national pride messages. A message considered Black propaganda when the source is concealed or credited to a fa lse authority, and spreads lies, fabrications and deceptions. Gray propaganda falls somewhere between these two forms as the source may or may not be correctly identified, and the accuracy of the information is uncertain.Ultimately though, the success or failure of any propaganda depends on the receiver’s willingness to accept the credibility of the source and the content of the message. Religious Propaganda The first use of propaganda is credited to the Catholic Church with their creation of sainthood; which was created to influence opinions and beliefs on religious issues. From the fourth century onwards, the church launched an immense propaganda campaign aimed at communicating the character, powers and importance of saints as a method of keeping the loyalty of their existing followers and as a tactic to gain new ones.The Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of Faith was responsible for the campaign in spreading this message. Through their monasteries, the church was abl e to target emperors, kings and upper noblemen with the message of the saints. Once the church had the buy-in of rulers, the reputations of these saints were given more validity to the general population and their shrines became protected as sacred places. It should be noted that during this period very few people outside the church were literate thereby making authentication of any information difficult.In order to spread the message of the saints, the church used relied on oral messaging and stories told through images such as in the stained glass seen today in cathedrals. For the average person, the church carried absolute authority as it was considered to be the leading source of knowledge. With this power, the church was easily able to bring their saints to life, so to speak. While the propaganda of saints was originally intended as a missionary tool, their resulting successes strengthen a variety of religious objectives.Saints helped reestablish the monastic movement after a p eriod of crisis by generating funds to complete cathedrals and gave the church a major tool for controlling popular religious trends. They also fueled the enthusiasm for the Spanish crusade; which is an excellent example of one of the church’s most immediate successful propagandistic campaign with its mission of bringing all together in Christendom. Spurred on by the words of Pope Urban II that Muslims had conquered Jerusalem, the Crusader’s mission was to recapture the ‘Holy Land’ and they dedicated their lives to this in return for the promise of redemption.Nazi Germany During the 20th century, the arrival of radio and television enabled propagandists to reach more people than before. In addition to the development of these modern medias, warfare and political movements had also contributed to the growing importance of propaganda in the 20th century. Of all the propaganda artists throughout history, no one is better known than Adolf Hitler. During his re in in Nazi Germany, he saturated schools, government and every part of German’s daily lives with propaganda.His keen and sinister insight into mass psychology contributed to Nazi Germany being noted for its psychologically powerful propaganda – much of which was centered on the Jews who were made the scapegoats for Germany's economic woes. Hitler was as a gifted speaker who, as history shows, captivated the masses with his beating of the podium and growling, emotional speeches. Authentic as they may have seemed, these speeches were full of propaganda and rhetoric which he used to appeal to the economic need of the lower and middle classes, while sounding resonant chords of nationalism, anti-Semitism and anti-communism.Threatened by hyperinflation, political chaos and a possible Communist takeover, Hitler, offered Germans scapegoats and solutions. To the economically depressed he promised to despoil â€Å"Jew financiers† and to workers he promised security. He ga ined the financial support of bankers and industrialists with his hostility towards Communism and promises to control trade unionism. Shortly after coming to power, Hitler’s Third Reich established the Ministry of Propaganda, whose aim was to ensure the Nazi message was successfully communicated through art, music, theater, films, books, radio, educational materials and the media.Films in particular played an important role in disseminating racial Anti-Semitism, portraying Jews as â€Å"subhuman† creatures infiltrating an Aryan society. The Ministry successfully censored and/or eliminated any viewpoint it felt posed a threat to Nazi beliefs or to the regime leaving only the propagandistic message available to the masses. The Cold War Nazi Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union forced the United States, the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union into wartime cooperation despite their past tensions.However, from the start, the alliance between the world's leading eco nomic power, the world's largest colonial empire and the world's first Communist state was marked by mutual distrust and ideological tension. The Cold War began shortly after the end of World War II over disagreements on how postwar Europe should be rebuilt. While neither side ever â€Å"officially† fought the other, as the consequences would be too appalling with the Soviet Union’s Red Army and the Americans possession of the A-bomb, they did wage an incredible war of propaganda.Soviet propaganda focused mainly on overcoming such hardships as exploitation of the working class, racial discrimination and discrimination against women. Their propaganda described the Soviet society as a modern, progressive culture. While they relied upon a variety of resources for propaganda, their posters were the Soviet’s most influential pieces. These posters focused upon the achievements of Russian communists politically, economically and technologically.Domestically, these post ers aimed at increasing government support and building patriotism. Many posters focused upon anti-American sentiments. The American capitalist was portrayed as a large, plump old man dressed in a tuxedo and hat. Typical actions of the capitalist in Soviet posters included withholding grain from hungry peasants or running over children with his shiny car. These posters attacked the benefits of the wealth that result from capitalism, while other posters showed the effects of capitalism on poverty.In 1942 the United States created the Office of War Information (OWI), which was responsible for disseminating anti-communist propaganda in order to convince American's that the US was justified in this new battle. The anti-communist propaganda made American's fearful and strengthened the movement to support the United States' opposition to communist states. This propaganda saturated books, pamphlets, comics, films, and radio for nearly 30 years during the Cold War. Hollywood films became a common feature to further propagandize the communist platform with titles such as Apocalypse Now, Red Dawn and Dr. Strangelove .Among its wide-ranging responsibilities, OWI reviewed and approved the design and content of government posters and established the Voice of America, as a method of transmitting its messages to the masses. Voice of America still remains the official government broadcasting service of the United States today. Funded by the US government, it defines itself as an international broadcasting service boasting 1,000 hours of news, information, educational, and cultural programming weekly to a worldwide audience of approximately 115 million people†. Propaganda in North America Today 9/11 and the ‘War on Terrorism’In the wake of 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centers in 2001, then Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld quickly created a modern version of the OWI, with the Office of Strategic Influence (OSI) to disseminate war information. In the critical â€Å"planning stages† leading up to an invasion of Iraq, the twisting of public opinion in the US, and around the world, was an integral part of their war agenda. Acts of war were proclaimed â€Å"humanitarian interventions† geared towards â€Å"regime change† and â€Å"the restoration of democracy†. Military occupation and the killing of civilians are presented as â€Å"peace-keeping†.In news reports on actual, possible or future terrorist attacks, the propaganda campaign exhibited a consistent pattern referring to ‘reliable sources’ or a ‘growing body of evidence’; and included key phrases such as terrorist groups involved had ‘ties to Bin Laden’ or Al Qaeda†. News reports unwittingly confirmed the America’s need to initiate â€Å"pre-emptive actions directed against these various terrorist organizations and/or the foreign governments that harbour the terrorists†. These types of news reports were also used to justify ethnic profiling and mass arrests of presumed terrorists.As it had done during the Cold War, the government also influenced the scope and direction of many Hollywood productions as immediately following 9/11. One third of Hollywood productions were war movies that reinforced the message of patriotism such as Black Hawk Down and Spy Game. In their book Propaganda and Persuasion , authors Garth Jowett and Victoria O’Donnell suggest that overtly patriotic national celebrations are forms white propaganda. Celebrations such as the Fourth of July or Canada Day are designed to increase patriotism by bolstering national pride and glorifying ‘dying for one’s country’.In 1991, President Bush went to watch one of the US’ oldest annual Independence Day celebrations held in Missouri. Wearing an American flag in his pocket, he praised American troops who fought in the Persian Gulf saying â€Å"the war had made ever yone in the country proud to say ‘I am an American and I love my country’. † These types of propagandistic celebrations are crucial in times of war, drawing on the emotions of its countrymen in order for the government to gain support for its actions. My Canada Includes Quebec In 1995, Canadians faced the possibility of the province of Quebec’s separation from Canada.Since the referendum battle was over the hypothetical situation with complex facts and nationalist emotions, the most important fight of the referendum was for the minds and spirits of the Quebec voters. Spearheaded by the separatist Bloc Quebecois Party, Quebec residents were fed a continuous stream of negative images of federalism into their collective psyche. The majority of the propaganda during the referendum came from the Bloc Quebecois (separatists) and Party Quebecois (nationalists) who used a combination of party ideas, facts and images to spread the idea that rest of Canada would neve r recognize Quebec's distinctiveness.To that end, Nationalists launched the slogan that â€Å"a vote for the Non is a vote for the status quo†. However, the majority of their propagandistic campaign revolved around discrediting federalism as harming Quebec to help to reinforce their core nationalist support; presenting their images of a peaceful, easy separation and the inevitability of Quebec becoming a â€Å"normal† nation-state. On the flip side, Federalists launched their own campaign to counter the pro-separatist and nationalist propagandistic messaging.Federalists employed facts of the high cost of separation and the dangers of instability and ethnic conflict, as an attempt to for force the Nationalists into defending the need of an independent state. Today most of the propaganda in the North America comes from governments and ‘various private entities’. In this respect, propaganda is an ambiguous term that can often meaning the same as advertising. Radio, newspaper, posters, books, and anything else the government might send out to the widespread public can be considered, by definition, propaganda. Advertising as PropagandaIn the early 20th century, the founders of the growing public relations industry originally used the term propaganda to describe their activities. This usage died out around the time of World War II, as the industry started to avoid the word, given the negative connotation it had acquired. Whatever you call it, advertising is a form of propaganda as it is ever-present and the message it carries is a result of ulterior motives by people who want to make money and maintain the status quo. Alongside the news, advertising is a tool that shapes public opinion.Everywhere you look there is some form of advertising, whether you’re driving a car or taking public transit, there is advertising. Billboards, posters, newspapers, magazines – everywhere we turn we are exposed to some form of advertising pushi ng a product, concept or belief on to us. Advertising is a fiercely competitive industry with success won not necessarily by the best product, but rather with the best advertising. As advertising relies on the amount of coverage or penetration, coupled with the quality of the delivery, it is easy to see how it compares to propaganda.If a tag or a brand logo is reproduced enough to become recognizable by a large section of the community, it becomes part of the social landscape and instantly embedded into the mind. Advertising has evolved from its beginnings as a text-based medium highlighting a product’s merits into the marketing feelings, lifestyle and fantasy with advertising campaigns such as Calvin Klein’s Obsession, which feature highly sexualized images that convey beauty and virility though photographs of almost nude models.Consumers have become oblivious to the propagandistic qualities of advertising but are not immune to its effects. Look at the successful mark eting of Energizer batteries with its creation of its Energizer Bunny ®. Since 1989, Energizer has featured its bunny in their commercials, hammering the simple message ‘it keeps going and going†¦ ’ into the minds of consumers. Energizer is an excellent example of a company that has successfully ensured consumers understand their product message by employing the techniques of propaganda.When watching a commercial for Energizer, consumers now immediately associate the infamous pink bunny to the Energizer product. For it’s success, the Energizer Bunny ® campaign was recognized as one of the Top Five Advertising Icons of the 20th Century, and has received multiple television advertising awards. Conclusion Throughout history, propaganda has been used and misused to suit the needs of governments during times of crisis, such as war and political instability, and to garner support for private causes such as Christianity in the fourth century.With increased lite racy and information readily available to support and/or refute arguments, society is more alert to messages of government/political propaganda and what is strictly information dissemination than its forefathers. However, under the guise of advertising, propaganda continues to be an acceptable tool of persuasion – a multi-billion dollar industry in fact! Consumers are critical when analyzing information presented by governing bodies, yet readily accept the messages/promising conveyed in advertising. Would society be as indifferent to advertising if it were still called propaganda?The formation of watchdog groups, such as Adbusters, call attention of the propagandistic messages by questioning facts and parodying advertising campaigns with unpleasant product realities. With their proclaimed goal to â€Å"[get] folks to get mad about corporate disinformation †, Adbusters’ has created campaigns such as TV Turnoff Week, a method of mass protest against the inundation of commercial messages. While such watchdog groups call attention to advertising’s one-sided, self-serving message, it is up to consumers to pay attention to product messaging and its effects on our culture.

Old Times and New in “Goodbye, Lenin!”

Old Times and New in Wolfgang Becker’s Goodbye, Lenin! There are many themes in Goodbye, Lenin! The most obvious is the contrast between the old times and the new and the question of nostalgia or embracing the past. Two scenes which show this theme includes the scene when the main character’s mother, Christiane, asks Alex (the main character) for some Spreewald gherkins. The second is when Christiane ventures outside and sees all the changes that have affect East Germany since the collapse of the Berlin Wall.The story unfolds in the year following the collapse of the Berlin Wall in November of 1989. Alexander Kerner constructs the GDR in one room of his family’s apartment in East Berlin for his mother who has recently woken up from a coma. His mother, Christiane Kerner, has experienced nothing of the tumultuous events of 1989-1990. When she regains consciousness the doctor tells Alex that she will not survive another heart attack and to keep her excitement levels at a low.Alex decides to keep the events of the last year a secret and thus keeps the old GDR alive in their apartment. Alex uses systematic disinformation to manipulate his mother’s beliefs. One day, Christiane asks Alex for some Spreewald gherkins, her favourite. Unfortunately, the shops have got rid of their East German products. As he walks around the supermarket all Alex sees are jars of pickles from Holland. These foods were produced and sold in the old East Germany where often it was impossible to produce enough to meet demand.The director, Wolfgang Becker, juxtaposes shots which compares both systems of government (the old and the new). The supermarket shelves have been ‘invaded’ by new brands from Holland and the rest of the world. The differences between the two halves of the city are highlighted by a montage sequence where we see in bland colours the empty shelves of old East Berlin supermarkets. A single, defrosting, bloody chicken lies at the bottom of a huge freezer – this shot is juxtaposed with the vibrant colours of the brightly packaged goods on the shelves of shops in the new Berlin.These images in this scene shows the contrast and lacking that both the old and the new both have. The second scene which portrays the theme of old and new is when Christiane ventures outside of the apartment into Berlin. For Christiane, venturing out into the ‘real world’ means that she must confront this new world around her. For Alex, it means confronting the lies that he has been telling to build up the imaginary world in the apartment. Christiane has to face the changes that have been made in the past years and must see the new.She gazes upon the sights for the first time – West German’s moving into the apartment building, the new western vehicles, and of course the statue of Lenin. Good Bye, Lenin! is a thematically rich film, delving into politics, family dynamics, and, most especially, the contrast be tween the old and the new. The fall of the Berlin Wall was a tumultuous event for East Germany, triggering rapid changes in every aspect of the lives of the people who lived there.Overnight, the economy would be transformed from a socialist system to a capitalist one, Western consumer goods and ideas would come flooding in, and people could pass freely into the Western sector of the city. In these scenes we see the influence of the new on the old. We see Alex trying to keep his mother in the old East Germany by creating a world in their apartment with everything from the old GDR. Christiane eventually ventures outside and sees the new Germany and comes out of this experience with new strength and understanding.

Building a Coalition Essay

PART I: Group Development At this point in time, the group is not yet even development. It almost seems as if all the individual organizations are storming because they want to make sure that each one of their opinions is heard, and they have control of the situation. No one wants to give up their own power or control. They have started off correctly as it is stated in the case that HR representatives from each organization have been selected to pick individuals from each organization that they feel will have the best impact and will be proficient leaders. The individuals chosen need to understand the stages of group development to help them get along and build a cohesive coalition. They will have to understand that the initial stage will be the forming. Here the newly formed group will test each other out. They will be able to get a feel for whom their co-workers are, what strengths and weaknesses each member has, and they will be able to develop a set of guidelines on what is acceptable behavior for the mem bers. This is when they realize that they are no longer individuals representing just their organizations but instead their own group of people representing the students, and the students’ best interests with the backing of their individual organizations. They will lead into storming, where they will butt heads over power and what steps to take first. I believe here is where the true leader of the group will come out. It will be the individual who will be able to get the storming under control, get everyone to focus on what the main goal is and will help guide the group into the norming stage. In the norming stage, the main goal will be highlighted, the scope of the project defined, and a project plan created. Goals and guidelines will be set along with milestones and progress meetings. This is where they will start feeling like a group and start feeling like the project is finally moving along, and they all know how to get to the end. This leads us into performing, where  the team moves forward with the project working together and adjusts timelines as needed, resolving issues, and getting the job done. The final step is adjourning where the project will come to a wrap. The team will have a guidebook to help train any new personal that will be coming in and to help further build what they have already started. Knowing the steps of group development, help guide team members to establish proper guidelines not only for the project but for their own person behaviors. It helps members realize their own strengths and weaknesses and how the team can build upon those to make everyone successful. It also teaches the team how to function well together, develops relationships, and help motivate each other. All this is important in keeping the group motivated and keeping a positive dynamic to the group. PART II: Problem Identification The initial problem the group will face is for power. Each organization wants to make sure that their opinions are heard, and each feels that they are the most correct and should have the most power because they have the best influence and the students’ best interests in mind. Getting everyone on a common ground will be the hardest part since it seems that everyone thinks that they are right. Egos will need to be put aside and the storming phase may be longer than anyone would really like. As I had mention, before the true leader will come out of this phase and be the one that will be able to get a handle over the group. This will be an individual that everyone will respect and be able to relate to. I do not feel that there was much that there was much that could have been previously done in essence to understanding individual membership in teams to prevent the issue of the power struggle. This seems to be an ego struggle and also a difference of opinions. Everyone feel like they know what is best for the students and want to be involved, and have their opinion heard. In this case each organization is correct in their own way. Developing a coherent plan will be the biggest struggle incorporating everyone’s opinions as much as possible and trying to please everyone at the same time will be the additional struggle. The plan will have to be easy enough to follow so that it can be implemented as quickly as possible now and slowly change as time goes on. It will be easier for students to adjust to the smaller changes over a longer  course of time, than having their worlds turned upside down all at once. Also implementing changes a little at a time will help teachers to adjust and keep up their motivation and not be burnt out too quickly as students will be less resistant to small changes. This will also help with training new staff members as they come in. Having a handbook to guide further changes will help to continue moving the project forward in further years, and keep up with the progress of changed making sure the project stays successful and is not just a quick fix. PART III: Retrospective Evaluation The primary problems will be the power struggle and diversity will also play a role in this power struggle, and who relates best to the students. Also another issue will be making sure that the individual organizations feel that they are being equally represented, and heard. Each individual has their own struggles and comes from different backgrounds, we cannot judge what we have not gone through and cannot say how it affects that individual. Each member is here because they can relate to the students in their own personal way. We will need to put our own personal issues aside for the better of the students. Again the storming phase maybe long and members learn to work together and get over their difference. Each organization will have to give up power and the group that is made up of the representatives from each organization will have to identify themselves and their own organization not 3 individuals. Picking the team members will be the most crucial. The members cannot be egotistical but should also be respected members from their individual organizations. They will have to work together to come up with a project plan that they feel is the best way to proceed forward and will have to also convince their individual organizations and the community that they are making the best decisions. The pros of developing one main group to represent all and having this group break off and be seen as their own will help develop a stronger group dynamic between these individuals. The more they feel like a group the more they will be able to convince their individual organizations that they are being equally heard and that their opinions and suggestions are being incorporated into the overall plan. There may be backlash from the organization that they are developing on their own but this will need to be done in order to establish  authority, and not have individual organizations trying to go behind the backs of the group and work on their own. The biggest issues will be with establishing authority and making sure that each organization feel that is it being equally represented and their opinions are being heard and incorporated. PART IV: Reflection Diversity is an issue that is long over do in needing to be resolved. We as American’s need to embrace that we are a culture made up of many differences. We are the mute! This school and its new program for helping these students should be a great representation of that. These students will be representing our future and they can show that when differences are put aside and people work hard to work together they can be successful. Each individual contributes something and makes up for where the others lack. Difference should be embraced because they can show us a new way of thinking, acting, or doing. We should forever be evolving. My advice to program leaders would be to set your difference aside. Let us find what our common goal is and see how we can get their together. Ask what peoples string suites are, what their weaknesses are, and even what they would like to learn from this. This gives each member a sense of ownership to the project and will help keep them motivated by giving them their own individual goal to work towards succeeding. Giving them a their own sense of ownership to the project gives them a sense of pride to the project and will help lead them.