Monday, September 30, 2019

Israel Palestine Conflict

Israel-Palestine Conflict Two films, Zero and 5 Broken Cameras, explain the ideologies, policies, and practices in the OPT and Israel. These films show how these ideologies are perpetuating the Israel-Palestine Conflict and suggest ways to end the occupation and problem. Zero looks in depth at the Israel education system and society and 5 Broken Cameras looks at the nonviolent resistance movement in the OPT. Both films suggest that this conflict will be never-ending If something does not change soon.This Is because the films show what children learn from the conflict, and how It will continue on both ides because of what is seen and taught by and to children in Israel and the OPT. Zero teaches that ideologies in Israel need to change because children are taught that the violence is Justifiable. 5 Broken Cameras teaches that nonviolent protests and filming are productive ways to help end the occupation. These films together show that It Is extremely necessary for conditions to change because If they do not then the conflict will be carried on and Intensified by future generations. Zero, Slaves of Memory looks into the Israeli society.For a month out of the school ear children in Israeli schools are taught to remember their history. Children of all ages are taught about Passover, the Shoo, and Independence Day. They are taught that horrible things have happened to their people. Through this education all children learn the importance of the Israeli state, army, and a nationalist identity to prevent atrocities from happening to them again. The filmmaker suggests that educators In Israel focus too much on the Holocaust. At one point the Interviewer asks a teacher if Israelis are â€Å"slaves to memory' (Zero, Part 7, 9:20) because of the education system.The teacher vehemently opposes that statement but the footage speaks for itself. The children who are interviewed seem programmed to answer in certain ways, even though one student argues â€Å"It's not brainwash ing. It's more part of a tradition† (Part 9, 4:15). This film suggests that education in Israel Is perpetuating the conflict more than anything else. From kindergarten to the army, children of all ages are taught that it is their duty to be willing to die for their country. They are taught that Jews must have an army and independent and sovereign state to fight heir enemies (Part 6, 9:55).The problem with the ideology and education system in Israel is that the most important value taught to children is â€Å"Be a good soldier† rather than â€Å"Be a good person† ((Part 7, 8:12). Dry. Liability suggests that it should not be the Jews who are working hard to remember the tragedies that have happened to them. It Is those who committed the acts. If people define themselves as victims It diverts the mind from all responsibility. He sarcastically says, â€Å"We can kill Arabs in refugee camps because of the terrible things that were done to us† (Part 5, 1:33).Co mmitting so much education to victimized allows Israelis to justify the violence toward the Palestinians, thus allowing the conflict to continue. Billing. The footage shows the men of Billing nonviolently protest Israel's Wall. He is proof that not even Journalists are safe from Israeli soldiers. His camera was fired at and broken by soldiers multiple times. One reason his cameras are broken is because Israeli soldiers are very uncomfortable with Dam's filming. Deep down the soldiers seem to know that what they are doing is morally wrong, and so they don't want the world to see the violence.There is a lack of knowledge about the conflict around the world, and Dam's footage of tear gas, arrests, shootings, and even the murder of his friend Phil helps spread the truth of who the victims are. Edam parallels the protests with the birth and growth of his son, Gabriel. He shows how children in Billing are affected by the conflict and how they will carry it on when their fathers are gone. Gabriel says he wants to hurt the Israeli soldiers for killing Phil (Cameras, 13). Even after a violent act happens, the anger remains and the children will remember the injustices against their fathers (Cameras, 12).Because of the violence of Israeli soldiers against Palestinians who did not do anything wrong, the conflict is perpetuated by creating more anger and hate between the two sides. Many aspects of these films built on my understanding of what Eve learned about the conflict in class. Zero made me think of the Refusing, or the men who refused to join the army. They were seen as traitors but really they were some of the few who could see that they should be angry at the system for brainwashing children instead of angry with the Palestinians.The system â€Å"perverts the children† (Part 7, 6:57) cause it teaches that nationalism and violence in the name of protecting Israel is the most important value rather than being a decent human being. 5 Broken Cameras built on my understanding of life in the OPT. I have previously learned about and seen footage of the occupation and the horrors that come with it, but this film was the most effective. This is because Dam's footage lets the experiences speak for themselves instead of an interviewee sharing their political viewpoints. In this way, 5 Broken Cameras is about human beings rather than the politics of the conflict.I have learned many statistics about the OPT but it was instrumental to my understanding to see how a family lives and keeps moral up in the OPT. 5 Broken Cameras teaches that nonviolent demonstrations can be very valuable. It takes a lot of bravery to protest against people with weapons when you do not have a weapon, and it shows who the true victims are. Nonviolent demonstrations show that Palestinians are peaceful and willing to cooperate. It Just does not make sense to fight for peace by using violence. Violent protests by Palestinians allow Israelis to call Palestinians â€Å"terror ists† and make Israelis seem like the victims.If Israeli soldiers are harming peaceful Palestinians, it is more obvious to outsiders who the victim in the situation is. The â€Å"outsiders† aspect is why filming is an important model of nonviolent resistance. Filming is important because it gets the word out more and so more people are able to help and know the truth (Cameras, 15:20). Edam says that people come from all over the world to protest with them and they are treated the same way as Palestinian protestors. Filming does not only show the world the realities of life in the OPT; it also encourages more nonviolent resistance. When Edam shows the nonviolent ways too (Cameras, 34).Methods of nonviolent resistance such as peaceful protests and filming have a higher potential to help end the occupation than violent resistance, but they might not be enough to completely resolve the conflict. The best solution I can see to solving this conflict is to end U. S. Funding to Israel. However, because of Israeli lobbyists that does not seem to be a realistic possibility. Because of this, there needs to be something that forces the United States to end funding to Israel. The UN has not done anything that's worked for decades so Hereford it is the international community's duty.Public opinion in America and the rest of the world needs to be strongly anti-lesser funding. A way to do this is to spread the truth of the horrors committed by Israel. Articles written by Journalists visiting the OPT and films like 5 Broken Cameras that show what is happening in the OPT need to get more attention. However, because of American media it is difficult to spread the truth in these ways. Upon doing some research of 5 Broken Cameras, I was surprised to read that the Israeli co-director, David', said that he thinks that abbey more Israeli activist blood needs to be spilled by Israeli soldiers in order to get the point across.This shocked me because in general I think that nonviolent solutions are best, but it made me consider the validity of this idea. Israel values its own citizens and should not want to harm them. Maybe if more Israeli citizens opposed the wall then Israel would reconsider its practices. However, 5 Broken Cameras shows that the soldiers treat Israeli activists the same as they do the Palestinians. Because of this, I am taking Davit's idea a step further. When even one American tourist or Journalist dies abroad at the hand of another country soldiers or police, people know about it because it is highly publicized.If more activists from around the world and particularly from America went and protested with the Palestinians in the OPT then maybe the United States government would stop funding Israel because it is killing American citizens. If more Americans were dying at the hands of weapons funded by America, the public would be furious. I think the best way to help end this conflict is to end funding to Israel, and maybe the best w ay o force funding to stop is for tons of people to be really angry about it. It is not a pleasant solution, but highly publicized deaths of citizens of powerful countries could be a way to force the U.S. To stop Israel's violence. Another potential way to help end the conflict is Israeli-Palestinian cooperation. 5 Broken Cameras is co-directed by an Israeli, therefore making it a Palestinian-Israeli film. This film shows teamwork between Israelis and Palestinians. This makes the film successful because it shows that Israelis and Palestinians are not natural born enemies and that cooperation is Seibel and productive. If the two communities started working together and were willing to compromise then the conflict could be solved without outside influence.This solution would work in a perfect world but it is unlikely to happen. Zero and 5 Broken Cameras are very different films about the Israel-Palestine conflict but the theme is the same: something needs to change and soon. Actions n eed to be taken by both sides to help end the conflict. Palestinians in the OPT must focus on nonviolent resistance and filming their experiences to help bring an end to the hat â€Å"There is no lesson to be learned from the Shoo† (Part 8, 2:1 1) and that if Israeli education continues the way it is then they are headed towards destruction.Israeli soldiers are taught that they are doing the right thing in the name of nationalism, but violence by soldiers in the OPT promotes anger among Palestinians and a lessening chance of cooperation. Children on both sides will grow up and continue the fight of their parents. These films show that this conflict is a vicious cycle and if a solution is not found soon the situation will intensify and worsen.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

“Management in the Movie 3 Idiots”

When I first heard this movie, I said in my mind, what would this movie about and would it be nice to watch or it is going to be another boring movie. But when I started watching this movie is was impressed but it is a very nice movie and you can pick lessons from it which made it even better to watch. The movie is about 3 college student who met each other at the Imperial College of Engineering and became friends. They have done a lot of crazy, naughty and also good things to other people to make them happier. It inspires us a lot of things about education, morality, technology, self-motivation, and friendship. They try to achieve their goals despite coming from poor families. One of the best scenes in the movie is when the three men helped a baby birth. At that time, there was a big rain, black out and traffic jam. With limited equipment, eventually the baby was born. A combination among moral message, technology, self-motivation, silliness and friendship can be seen in this part. And from that part of the movie we can relate it to Management for they share the same qualities. Some of these qualities are: †¢Planning They planned what to do to get the power back to help the pregnant woman who was in the point of passing out. †¢Decision Making The three friends were asked to leave the school immediately for they did something wrong. On their way out, they saw a car parked and saw the Dean’s daughter about to conceive a baby and decided to help her for she was in terrible pain. †¢Organizing They have managed to organize a place that would be suitable for the pregnant woman and for the baby she is about to conceive. Staffing They have called everyone in the university to help the pregnant woman to contribute with whatever they have to help with the power. †¢Communicating If communication dies, everything dies. Each word has impact and value in communication. This was the most important because through this, they have made everything work fine, they managed to bring back the power and through this, they have made their connection and got knowledge on how to operate a pregnant woman in conceiving a baby. †¢Motivating They were motivating each other that they can do what is needed to be down right. The word â€Å"All is Well† was their way of saying that you can do it and when the baby was out of his mother’s womb, it was not breathing and that was their point of disappointment but when someone said â€Å"All is Well†, the baby started kicking and crying. †¢Leading One was leading others in what they could bring and do to help. †¢Controlling They were in control of everything that was happening from the place, to the electricity, and to the operation.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Compare the quiet american to max boot chapter Essay

Compare the quiet american to max boot chapter - Essay Example Thomas Fowler: â€Å"The pursuit of U.S. for neo-imperial foreign policy is often disguised as an attempt to rebuild and aid a vulnerable nation. Unknown to many, the U.S. consented the bombings in Vietnam for this same pursuit.† Max Boot: â€Å"This is not an ‘either or’ condition, the U.S. had to fight to establish a precondition for a negotiation. The situation warrants Colonel Littleton W.T. Waller to disarm the Haitian army and fight the Cacos.† Thomas Fowler: â€Å"The problem with the U.S. foreign policy can be clearly illustrated in the Vietnam war where thousands of lives were lost. The U.S. was preoccupied with their commitment to eliminate communism and pursued a war that lasted for nearly fifteen years. The U.S. utilized its military force to attain its goal. But the war ended with the failure of the U.S. to accomplish its goal. The U.S. became too absorbed in shaping everything in an ‘American way.’† Max Boot: â€Å"The failure of the U.S. in Vietnam is not due to a flawed U.S. foreign policy but to too much reliance of Vietnamese leaders on the U.S. and commitment of various errors. The North Vietnam, which is a communist regime utilized its human resources. A generation of the North Vietnamese was eliminated. Hanoi compelled its citizen to participate in the war effort of the country through entrenching a distribution system for basic goods. In addition, the U.S. forces depended too much on modern equipment and weaponry. The U.S. used conventional manner against North Vietnams unconventional warfare. The U.S. underestimated the nature of their nemesis, the political struggle, and the effects of supporting an unpopular and weak regime. These factors explain why the U.S. lost in Vietnam.† Thomas Fowler: â€Å"It should be reiterated that the U.S. is mainly driven to protect their ‘interest.’ This is manifested by their intervention in Vietnam, which is fuelled by the belief that communism will

Charlemagne as a Christian king Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Charlemagne as a Christian king - Essay Example th the papacy and various ecclesiastical and administrative reforms, he managed to stop the cultural and political collapse of the early, Middle periods and establish a basis for extensive central administration north of the Alps, (Barbero 34). Charlemagne was a prominent military conqueror, and he directed his talent into the church service, for in winning some of the Western Europe and some parts of east, he utilized military forces to coerce all his subjects to turn to Christianity. In addition, he supported various, subtle missionary attempts and motivated the expansion of Benedict monasteries mostly the duplication of theological manuscripts. Charlemagne’s religiosity made him visualize himself as having a spiritual responsibility to establish the kingdom of God on the earth, but he used brutal, intrigue and extreme hostility to the latter. He invested all his crucial campaigns with religious significance. Charlemagne abolished the pagan idols and Saxons’ grooves and offered them a choice of converting to Christianity or dying, (Sypeck 67). Charlemagne offered a better deal of alms to the needy in his country and beyond. Whenever he realized that Christians were languishing in poverty- such as Jerusalem, Africa and Egypt – he had benevolence on the people, and sent resources oversea to assist them. Through this support, he strove to establish friendships with alien kings to be able to provide relief to Christians under their rule. He adored the Saint. Peter’s Church at Rome and bombarded its treasury with extensive riches of Gold, precious stones as well as Silver. He also sent various valuable endowments to the popes and in the whole of his leadership, his most desirable wish was to restore the traditional Roman authority by his influence and under his authority. He also longed to preserve and defend St. Peter’s Church, beautifying and enhancing himself over all other Christian churches. The military conquest, subtlety and efforts to enforce

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Human Resource Development--Question Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human Resource Development--Question - Assignment Example They would also need lesser time to prepare because they know the organization already. 2. Consider a training topic or module that interests you. Go to your assigned team area and work with your team to generate one or two questions that could be used to facilitate a group or classroom discussion. As a team evaluate the extent to which each question is likely to stimulate useful discussion. As a team select one or two questions to share with the rest of us by posting here. Personality development would be an interesting topic for me. This is a very skill set that is required not at work when working with people but could also be a useful skill outside of work. It is also a fun course to take because it deals with human interest of what makes us more interesting or amiable to work with. 3. Many organizations have been moving toward web training. An advantage is that employees can train at their leisure. That is, they can come home from work, eat dinner, relax, and then when everyone has gone to bed get on line and work their way through the training program. The advantage to the organization is that there is no opportunity lost, that is the employee is not using company time to train. Has your company moved to this training strategy? And if so, what are your thoughts on its success? If not, what are your thoughts on its advantages and disadvantages? Yes our company has already moved to that training strategy. But we have to limit that to only certain modules because of its limitations. In training core skills that is directly related to their jobs, we prefer to do it in a regular classroom than virtual training. First, we do not know if the employees taking it are taking it seriously. Second, we have very little control of their progress. Despite of this limitation, its advantages far outweighs its disadvantages. It is cost efficient, convenient, effective and can be delivered to a

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

My Three Most Recent Classical Escapades Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

My Three Most Recent Classical Escapades - Essay Example Eight months ago, I was opportune to have the London Symphony Orchestra in a rare spectacle at Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. The orchestra under Valery Gergiev’s direction had created for the audience a milestone high with raptures of Prokofiev’s fifth and sixth symphonies (LSO Press) becoming that indescribable moment the lifeblood of the violin concerto which the ensemble took to the level of genius. The raving Russian conductor had had his very peculiar way of getting every bow on chord to regulate textures of rhythm with a wide range of crescendo from which to pick an element either of mildness or of severity. Laid back on my seat some ten meters from the stage, tensions fastened with me every shaken sense that my appreciation grew with intense curiosity from one level on to the next as if a wide-eyed scene shut into suspense. A particular story was being weaved movement upon movement like an act in a play, while the tempo brought indications where tragedy must come in, the point to remain as such or otherwise jolt-free with the magical winds, as their collaboration with the strings awaited subsidence of the latter to tell which part would relax cardiac beating.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Strategic Financial Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strategic Financial Management - Essay Example The operating margin and operating profit stood at 7.7% and  £115.6million respectively compared with 8.3% and  £111.3million respectively in the same period last year. The Company has taken on an extra five-year bank facility with Handelsbanken, hoping to increase their overall facilities to  £740 million (Yahoo Finance) Without profit, a firm would be unable to attract outside capital. That is why I identified the profitability ratios as the most efficient and effective way to evaluate the financial performance of the Wetherspoons Company. The profitability measures enable me to evaluate the company’s profits in relation to the level of assets, or owners’ investment as stipulated in the company’s financial statements. I looked into statements dating back from 2010 to 2014. I calculated Return on Capital Employed (RECE) by determining the ratio between the operating capital and the capital employed. This helped me know how well the firm utilizes the capital employed. In 2014, the Return on Capital Employed (RECE) for the company was 12.94%, as compared to 11.83% in 2013.It means that the company has had a steady increase on its return on capital employed thus showing that the Company keeps on improving its’ utilization of capital employed. To begin with, I established the Gross profit margin by determining the ratio between gross profit and net sales. The gross profit of the firm in 2014 was  £79.4m, compared to  £76.9m in 2013, which translates into a 3.1% increase in profit. This growth in gross profit margin serves as a good indicator that J D Wetherspoon firm is progressing well and promises good returns on investment. The decrease in the net profit margin of J D Wetherspoon can be attributed to external forces such as taxes. I established the assets turnover by determining the ratio between sales revenue and total assets to find out how efficiently J D Wetherspoon

Monday, September 23, 2019

Week 2 discussion responses part 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Week 2 discussion responses part 1 - Essay Example Agreed. Cellular discovery could be made possible only after the discovery of the microscope, an important land mark in the field of biology. Cells are the basic unit of life as stated by the Cell theory and the heredity material, the DNA enables one to pass the characters to the next generation. All these findings could be made possible because of the discovery of microscope to observe cellular details. Agreed. All living organisms are made up of cells and division of old cells forms the new cells. Cells are the most imperative part of living system not only for the formation of other cells but also for the formation of various cellular products such as hormones, enzymes and other metabolites which play vital role in the life of organisms. Yes. Discovery of microscope was the most important finding in the history of biological science as every living being is made up of cells, this could be revealed only after observing under the microscope. Similar cells aggregate to form tissues, they perform common task and secrete certain molecules, hormones and enzymes which possess important role in the metabolic and physiology of the organism. Cell is the fundamental unit of all living beings on the planet. They are microscopic in size, but are capable of performing all the basic functions of life. Single cellular organisms could perform all the functions for their survival, but with evolution of multicellular organisms, cellular functions got distributed and there is a division of work, enhancing the complexity of the living systems. In multicellular organisms, cellular co-ordination persists. This enabled the survival of the multicellular organisms to adapt themselves to the environmental alterations and modifications. An elaborated study of the cell and its detailed physiological and metabolic functions enabled one to understand the minor details of the

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Hofstede Cultural Difference Critiques Essay Example for Free

Hofstede Cultural Difference Critiques Essay Arguably, Hofstede’s work (1980, 1997) represents a pioneering approach of culture as a way of comparing international management frameworks. First of all, prior to offering any evaluations in regards to McSweeney’s criticism (2002a/b), it is crucial to identify the nature of Hostede’s work within the entire sphere of the culture approach itself. In contrast to the guarantors of the emic approach , whose main concepts tend to discard the equalization and standardization of dimensions in national cultures’ comparisons, the pillars of Hofstede’s work, which belong to the etic approach , are based on 5 dimensions whereby national differences are then measured. In other words, from the emic standpoint it is also arguable that the etic research methodology, as aiming to identify equalities among national differences, would risk throwing out the baby with the bath water . On the other hand, from the emic perspective, dividing the culture into a set of defined scopes stands as the only way to actually enable researchers to compare cultures . Having briefly introduced the shortcomings related to both approaches, McSweeney’s critiques can now be narrowed down to a specific scope, which is mainly encompassed with Hofstede’s research methodology. Research Validity  In light of the importance for any researches to provide clear definitions on the specific research concepts and key words, the first part of this essay will evolve on contextualizing the meaning of culture within Hofstede’s work, thus, giving ground to McSweeney’s relevant sources of criticism. Geert (1980) has defined culture as the collective programming of the mind distinguishing the members of one group or category of people from another. McSweeney essentially critiques Hofstede’s adoption of nations as means of cultural comparisons, scorning the territoriality uniqueness of culture in primis. In regards to this issue, Hofstede in a second stage (2002: 1356) acknowledges that nations are not the ideal elements for studying cultures, yet this is the only way researchers could have access to comparable units. Predictably, thousands of other author’s contributions in regards to the definition of culture would make this argument even more complex. For the sake of this analysis, emphasis would be given to the arguments in regards to the research methodology. Research Reliability: Research Sample The first criticism which may arise is likely to involve the representativeness of Hofstede’s research sample. In more details, he argues that 117,000 questionnaires for two surveys, covering 66 countries would be enough to ensure the research reliability. From my point of view, McSweeney’s critiques result founded when analysing the sampling framework in more details. CountryNumber of Respondents for Each Country Belgium, France, Great Britain, Germany, Japan and Sweden (6 countries)More than 1000 Chile, Columbia, Greece, Hong Kong, Iran, Ireland, Israel, New Zealand, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Turkey (15 countries)Less than 200 [Tab. 1] As it can be seen by the table (Tab. ), in 15 countries the sample size is composed by less than 200 respondents, which results to be extremely small compared to other countries with over 1000 respondents. To couple this argument, McSweeney discusses about the narrowness of the population surveyed as respondents were all IBM employees, mainly involved with the marketing and sales departments. Hofstede’s reply ( 2002), stating that this sample’s framework had only been used in order to isolate the national culture differences from both the organizational and occupational culture, seems however to give rise to other arguments. As McSweeney’s (2002a: 95-99) argues, respondents’ cultural framework is made up by three non-interacting and durable levels of culture (Tab. 2). At the first level, the assumptions which would free this model from any shortcomings would be that there is only one IBM culture and that there is also a common worldwide occupational culture for each job (Hofstede 1980a: 181). What are these assumptions based on? According to McSweeney (2002a: 96), these assumptions are â€Å"too crude and implausible to underpin Hofstede’s emphatic empirical claims† . Following the thread of his argument we come across a situation where assuming that an IBM employee, whether in a developed USA head office or a new opened branch office in Pakistan, will possess the same identical organizational and occupational culture does become hard to encompass. In response to this argument, Hofstede acknowledges that considerable differences exist at the â€Å"organizational level† (1991: 93), yet it redefines the entire organizational culture as a mere set of â€Å"shared perceptions of daily practices† (1991: 182-3), therefore distancing from the early-stage value-based definition. According to McSweeney (2002b), this is only a failed attempt to deliver a straightforward concept and definition of organizational culture. Back to Culture Hofstede’s vision of culture is often linked to two different concepts, unique national tendency and central tendency, respectively. In the first case, as pointed out by McSweeney, the national uniformity which Hofstede claims to have found, results to have no valid grounds as it derives from a very specific micro-level (IBM). Secondly, in regards to the claimed average tendency, the heterogeneity of questionnaires’ responses completely contradicts this conceptualization at the first place. As cited from Jacob (2005), â€Å"if exceptions to the rule are as numerous as the rule itself† to what extent could predictions based on that rule be reliable? In many countries, McSweeney argues, the typical IBM employee would at a high extent diverge from the general population. That is to say that an IBM employee in Taiwan would not necessarily reflect Taiwan’s population average individual, especially when we are talking about someone who holds a managerial position in a multinational firm. This concept brings us to another aspect of McSweeney’s criticism (2002a:92), â€Å"culture treated as a mere epiphenomenon, completely casual†, as conceptualized by Hofstede, it would look like something which moves along the history â€Å"enduring†, yet it is not subject to radical changes due to fluctuating social, economic and institutional trends (Tab. 3). Questionnaire and Dimensions Arguably, the questionnaire itself also presents some limitations. Firstly aimed to investigate the employees’ morale at IBM, it also resulted to reflect some values that, for Hofstede, could have been used to unveil the national cultural differences’ myth. Citing one of his research questions, â€Å"How long do you think you will continue working for this company? †(1980 Appendix 1) , it is obviously clear there would be differences in whether this question is being asked in a country, say, the USA, with plentiful employment vacancies, or in a country, say Thailand where at the time of the research the unemployment rate was comparatively high. Under these circumstances, it is extremely hard to assume that the respondents were not influenced by other social, political and institutional factors (See Tab. 3). Therefore, his research’s entire reliability could be easily questioned on this basis. Despite ensuring the confidentiality of respondents’ answers, employees’ foreknowledge of the end objective of the survey might have easily encouraged them to assume a more positive attitude in order to support their divisions’ reputation. Arguably, the responses analysed by Hofstede were situationally restricted (McSweeney, 2002a: 107). In more details, the questions only reflected values related to the workplace, furthermore the surveys were exclusively directed within the workplace and were not tested in non-work place locations for both same respondents and others. In light of the first purpose of the questionnaire, it is spontaneous to raise a question in regards to the validity of the dimensions found by Hofstede. Could it be possible that a specialized study in cultural differences would have delineated different dimensions? In his response, Hofstede acknowledged that, although there may be some other dimensions equally important for the structuring of a comparative cultural analysis, relative questions were simply not asked. McSweeney with reference to Triadis (1994) argues that bi-polar dimensions of national cultures should not be comprised of opposite poles (for example: Individualism – Collectivism), but depending on the situations they could coexist. Under these principles, the work of Schwartz (1992) appears to give a comparatively dynamic dimensions’ disposition. History and Research Validations In the last section of his book, Hofstede (1980: 326- 331) includes some historical and contemporary events which he states would validate his research findings. However, McSweeney (2002b) argues that these stories reveal nothing but justifications, leaving out the basics for an accurate confirmation. According to his analysis, Hosfstede’s assertion, â€Å"the more masculine a culture the more antagonistic are industrial relations, is flawed as the trends for working days lost in industrial disputes , in both Spain and the UK, result to vary enormously over time. In other words, we could argue that these fluctuations are highly influenced by political, economic and institutional changes. In the case of industrial relations’ disputes in Spain, after the death of Spanish dictator Franco in 1975, the level of working days was subject to a huge increase. Hofstede’s findings have also been validated by other studies, reflecting the same national cultural differences . This is one of the reasons why Hofstede’s work has so far been used in many disciplines as pioneer of the cultural approach in the sphere of comparative international management. Under these circumstances, as Hofstede states (2002 p. 1358), it is just not all about faith in his research, but it is the willingness of the society to accept his work as something which could be taken to a step further. In some cases, institutional factors, history, politics and economy do provide better explanations in this field, yet as Hofstede would argue, the cultural perspective does have his validity as it offers a complete different view on values embedded by people which do have an influence on their daily lives. Conclusion Arguably, some of Hofstede research framework’s features, especially the ones related to his research methodology, do present various shortcomings. However, the overall importance of cultural approach for national differences should be seen as undeniable (Koen, 2005). Nevertheless, it is worth pointing out that after all, the main argument merely evolves on Hofstede’s claims to have â€Å"uncover[ed] the secrets of entire national cultures† (1980b: 44). Despite his book title narrowing the scope of its findings down to the work-place, â€Å"Culture’s Consequences: International Differences in Work-Place Values†, Hofstede, in many of his publications, seems to overestimate his findings. It is extremely important to acknowledge and appreciate the enormous contribution that Hofstede has made to the entire society’s understanding of international cultural differences. On the other hand, it is also crucial to stay away from the â€Å"taken for granted† approach when coming across such a complex topic. As mentioned in the preface, etic and emic approach despite having a different vision on how to measure and analyse culture, they could still be seen as two complementarities which could be extensively used for a more thorough research. In addition, although admitting that limitations in research methodology do hamper the objectivity of findings, the etic approach still stands as the unique way to allow researchers to obtain comparable quantitative data. I do also appreciate the contributions made by McSweeney, whose criticisms have enabled me to adopt a more critical line of thought in analysing this interesting topic. At some extent we could assume that Hofstede’s research is still a â€Å"work in progress†, eventually other advocates of the etic approach will take it to a more universal level, as some of other authors in this field have already done. I would like to conclude this essay with a quote from McSweeney (2002a: 90), when he states that Hofstede’s work could be dismissed as a misguided attempt to measure the unmeasurable .

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Expansion of Spanish clothing retailer Zaras

Expansion of Spanish clothing retailer Zaras This article examines the case of the Spanish clothing retailer Zaras experience of and plans for further expansion into Southern and Northern American markets. It argues that given the unique distribution and production functions of the retailer that possible problems exist for continued expansion in the US market. The problems associated with this given the characteristics of local markets and pressures from rival operators means that a recommendation is made for an adjusted international strategy for the company despite its broad successes elsewhere globally. Introduction Globalisation has become an essential element of international marketing principles and it has been argued that one of the keys to success in global markets is the effective development and marketing of standardised products and brands (Douglas Wind, 1987). Jay (2000) suggests that the development of international enterprises is as a consequence of reduced barriers for trading due to developments in information technology. Jones (2002) argues that successful international operations are those which integrate and cooperate in business activities across national boundaries. It is clear that the clothing industry is a significant part of the internationalisation process in terms of the critical growth of the clothing retailing sector in global markets and attendant activities such as global sourcing. The international expansion of Zara is led by its parent company Grupo Inditex which is based in Spain and Zara has achieved an impressive annual growth of 26% over the last five years (DAndrea Arnold, 2002). Based in Spain Zara has grown from 180 stores to 1.080 stores in 33 countries and in 2002 150 stores were added in 9 countries and further expansion has been planned and expected. As the biggest economy in the world the American market is an attractive one for Zara and stores located in New York were announced as being successful indicators towards future market penetration. The huge American market and especially the North American marketplace was highlighted as the next move for the companys expansion plan yet the diversity in this market and high level of competition creates challenges for continued Zaras success. Environmental Analysis A clear understanding of the business environment is essential for companies in competing in the global economy. This is particularly important in relation to international strategy. Environmental analysis can be made from both a macro and micro perspective and both the PESTEL and Porters industrial analysis are useful instruments of analyses (Johnson Scholes, 2002). PESTEL analyses the political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal events that have impacts on a business. Of interest in this case is the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) which helped regional economic growth among member countries through eliminating tariffs and government encouragement of foreign direct investment. This creates threats to Zara in terms of an entry model as well as marketing strategy. The American market is highly attractive for multinational companies such as Zara. The US is the number one economy in the world although since the terrorist attacks in 2001 the American economy slowed down accompanied with a reduction in consumer confidence. According to Jobber (2001) where national economic performance and customer confidence is poor consumers will reduce consumption of non essential products. This poses problems for Zara in competing in a highly competitive marketplace where demanding for clothing has decreased. Zara however provides luxury clothing products at a reasonable price which provides the company with competitive advantages in terms of price, quality and brand name. The success of Zara depends on an effective logistics system and it is one of the few companies with in-house design and production enabling them to provide new clothing lines within 15 days instead of the 9 months average lead-in time of the textile and clothing industry. It is fair to say that this logistics system based on information technology and computerized design and production programs enables Zara to maintain competitive advantages over other international competitors. However previous experiences in operating in South America where a complex and large distribution centre was established in order to supply the southern region saw challenges in the integrated supply chain being created. Language as one of the most important elements of culture plays a vital role in shaping international marketing strategy simply because people under different social and cultural environments share different value systems and display varied consumer behaviour (Bradley, 2005). Additionally it is useful to be aware of the new form of political economy which suggests that economic phenomena are highly linked with political issues in that governments seek to use political power to achieve economic benefits (Rugman Hodgetts, 2003). Examples of this can be seen in the increasing role of developing countries in the world economy. In the case of the textile and clothing industry more and more retailers and manufacturers source from lower labour cost developing countries res ulting in significant competitive pressures on Zara which insists on sourcing mainly from Europe and relying on its in-house design and production. Porter (1980) provides a useful framework in understanding the industrial environment in which companies are involved in. The competitive level in an industry shapes a firms strategy in competing in its marketplace and in turn this is shaped by the performance of operators within the industry. It is obvious that competition levels are high in both the North and South American marketplace. Zara entered the South American market where American brands such as GAP and the Swedish brand HM were major competitors within the middle clothing market. Similarly buyer power has increased in the modern business environment and Zara needs to effectively satisfy customers globally from different nations and cultural backgrounds. Improvement in US consumer confidence demonstrated in the research creates opportunities for Zara in expanding its market from south to the north (BBC News, 2005). Nevertheless the issue of different supply systems needs to be resolved utilising Zaras integrated global sup ply and logistics chain. The strategic plan to establish a specific supply and distribution centre for the North America market aims to control cost and maintain competitive capabilities in competing with companies from member countries of NAFTA such as Canada and Mexico as well as local players who source from cheaper overseas suppliers. Due to the nature of the clothing retailing industry the diversity of retailing forms in the US is complex including both large numbers as well as different formats for retailers including large retailers, department stores, merchandise shops, small specialty operators and discount stores. There are potential new entrants into this marketplace and hence it is critical for Zara to be aware of the high competition level in the US clothing retailing industry at all levels of the market. Market Segmentation Market segmentation aims to provide relevant information for a basis for the selection of target markets (Bradley, 2005). Zaras targeted customers are people who seek for higher quality clothing products at reasonable prices. In this case targeted American customers were those who expressed interest in European branded clothes. First of all Zaras women collection is divided into three categories: Zara Women, Zara Basic and the sporty Trafaluc representing market segments for women who look for a more formal style, younger women for a more informal style and younger women and teenagers while menswear included Mens Line at Zara, Zara Basics, its club-wear brand 100Zara and Zara Sport (DAndrea Arnold, 2002). In this sense the general public from all age groups can be seen as potential customers targeted by specific sub-brands of Zara. A second important variable in defining segmentation is based on psychographic characteristics such as lifestyle which will be discussed in detail in the next section (Jobber, 2001). As one of the most famous and successful European brands Zara in its existing south American market targeted people who were especially interested in European styles at affordable price levels. This targeting strategy remained the same for Zara in expanding in the North American marketplace. One definition of consumers suggests that it can be seen as individuals as well as groups of people purchase products or services for personal use, household or gifts. In other words they can be classified as end users of particular products (Solomon et al, 2002). Retailers are situated in the final steps of the distribution chain and are closely linked with end users or customers. Therefore it is useful to look at the concept of consumer behaviour in relation to clothing buying in light of target segmentation strategies pursued by Zara. Blackwell, Miniard and Engel (2000) define the initial step of consumption processes as the recognition of needs which can be influenced by various factors such as reference group values, self esteem and external cultural and social value systems. Particularly modern customers have become more sophisticated and learn more from their purchasing experiences with price often deployed as a key indicator as to the quality of goods (Jobber, 2001). This is arguably the case for buying activity in the clothing sector with brand name, price, style as well as quality tending to have important effects on the decision making processes leading to purchasing. According to Entwistle (2000) clothing is not simply about physical garments but takes on a multi-faceted significance where people use fashion to define and negotiate their identity in wider social contexts. Increasing power for consumers enables them to bargain for lower priced clothing yet it remains the case that pure discount on price is not necessarily important for them in make purchasing decisions. This aspect of consumer behaviour offers a useful insight for Zara in establishing its competitive advantages based on an effective logistics and supply chain through ensuring quality with reduced costs matched to a strong brand name. Foxall, Goldsmith and Brown (1998) argue that there are several stages after need recognition leading to final buying activity and as such the co mmunication strategy used to build up effective customer relationships and brand image by clothing retailers is most useful at the early stage in order to have a lasting impact on purchasing decisions. In this retail context women are suggested to constitute a major proportion of consumers (Domosh, 1996). Particularly women are more involved in both social and economic life functions which results in increasing demands on fashion in terms of style and self identity. Additionally a determinant of the degree to which customers evaluate a brand is the level of involvement with high involvement meaning extensive evaluation of the product and/or alternatives (Hawkins, Best and Coney, 1989). For clothing products the degree of involvement is suggested as being typically medium to high (Breward, 2000). Bearing in mind the concept of involvement and the role of women in purchasing Zara used a suite of effective marketing tools in maintaining customer loyalty through providing value added clothing relevant to identified market preferences. This is because in terms of fashion a stylish and sophisticated brand image in terms of trends, styles and tastes is a key success factor in building a b rand name for a retailer such as Zara. Similarly effectively maintaining customer loyalty in terms of repeat buying is a major contributor to successfully expanding its market share in the US market. Marketing Strategy Analysis and Evaluation Based on its successful experience in operating in New York Zara pursued a strategic market expansion strategy in order to maintain organisational growth in terms of market share and the accruement of financial benefits. The establishment of a distribution centre in the outskirts of Buenos Aires enabled Zara supply the southern region as well as played a strategic role in supplying the new northern market (DAndrea Arnold, 2002). With Zara being one of the few companies utilising in-house design and production meant sourcing locally was its main strategy rather than switching to overseas suppliers. This strategic choice did enhance the competitive capabilities of Zara in terms of short lead time and effective logistics control but added to pressure from competitors who sourced abroad resulting in competitive pricing in the middle market by rivals such as HM and GAP. In addition in considering an integrated supply chain the distribution centre to some extent caused inefficiencies in the overall system in that decisions on the choice of local manufacturers had been made difficult due to the closure of American textile and clothing manufacturers who moved production lines to Asia. As such the market expansions strategy remains unclear in terms of it achieving growth based on effective franchises rather than through adding new stores and entering new markets. This can be said to be especially the case for the North American market. Although the market size is large and entry barriers are low due to the cultural differences between south and north US regions means significant attention must be paid to the marketing mix in order to achieve synergy from integration. Life styles are different in North and South America hence the branding strategy used by Zara is essential in differentiating itself with both from existing rivals and attracting new custom ers within each of the respective markets. Evaluation of marketing mix In the context of international market and keeping in mind different macro and micro environmental conditions an international marketing mix needs to be varied from one context to another (Keegan Green, 2003). Based on the branding marketing mix strategies it is of importance to look at international marketing models in the North American market considering different operational environments and different consumer behaviour in southern and northern markets. Product and brand The term product not only refers to tangible goods but also entails intangible attributes such as customer service and brand name (Keegan Green, 2003). As a retailer Zara provides a similar range of products in both the southern and northern markets in the US as those provided in its domestic market. However the intangible resource which Zara as a strong brand in New York occupying the middle fashion market appears to be less visible more broadly in the North American markets in comparison with the national brand image of GAP. Traditionally the brand image of Zara as a retailer is one targeted on middle income consumers seeking high fashion styles at reasonable prices. As a result of successful operation in the EU market as well as Asian and South American markets Zara was able to create a strong brand image in the middle fashion market in order to compete with GAP and HM who are also two major operators in the wider global market. Price Price is argued as being an important indicator for customers in evaluating the quality of products and within the clothing sector this also holds true (Easey, 2002). The price mix deployed in the US market is double that found in its domestic region in Spain due to higher operational cost and higher labour costs. It has been suggested that the clothing industry is labour intensive and that effective human resource management strategy contributes in a key manner to effective cost control and in turn allow for competitive pricing in the market (Jones, 2002). As a result the operational strategy employed by Zara has been consistently challenged by competitive pricing from competitors who source from cheaper developing countries. As a result the efficacy of an integrated logistics and supply chain can be questioned along with the ability of maintaining this over the long term given the diversity and complexity of the clothing manufacturing industry in the US. In sum Zaras operation in i nternational markets appears to be experiencing rapid growth in terms of new branches and improving sales and profit but longer term challenges need to be addressed as a priority. Easey (2002) argues that pricing regimes for clothing products may need to change depending on different characteristics in each national market but that communication and management of these changes need to be directed from a strategic level. Communication An integrated communication strategy is an important part of the marketing mix within a branding strategy framework. This seems to be even more essential in the clothing retailing industrial context involving the use of celebrities as a critical communication tool in communicating with customers. For Blythe (2000) marketing communications objectives are created in order to develop a customer base and improve sales through increasing both new and existing customers expenditure on a brands products. However Zara has rarely exploited advertising campaigns except in the case of its launch of two main product ranges occurring seasonally each year. This can help explain its low brand awareness in the North American market which is a threat to successful entry into this marketplace. Additionally visual merchandising such as store design and layout has become widely regarded as important communication tools with consumers (Lea-Greenwood, 2002). In the case of Zara store design such as clear lighting, white walls and ceiling and style-related decorations such as photographs were deployed in order to create an elegant atmosphere emphasising a brand image reflecting European trends. Likewise employee uniforms helped Zara maintain a visual and physical presence of the brand image and helped in communicating with customers and needed only minor adjustments between southern and northern stores. It is believed that the format and experience of a trading environment particularly in clothing retailing interacts closely with merchandise, customer service and the success of communications strategies (Walters Hanrahan, 2000). It can be argued that the communication strategy used by Zara is effective in terms of communicative effects and of a lower cost than its competitors. On the other hand establishing a significant nationwide presence in North America may require either a large expenditure on a celebrity endorsed campaign or the ef fective use of novel techniques such as viral marketing. Distribution The distribution channel is the network which links producers with users yet international distribution strategies are difficult to manage since distribution structures differ from one country to the next (Keegan Green, 2003). For Zara the US market presents unique challenges. As mentioned earlier the closure of US local manufacturers and moves to Asian manufacturing operations poses major threats to Zara which traditionally exploits local sources in supporting its in house design and production. Due to the highly fragmented nature of fashion retailing it is vital for Zara to differentiate itself from other competitors during its entry stage into the North American market. In considering these difficulties in enter this market and the different cultural backgrounds involved Zara pursued an organic growth in terms of opening stores in its expansion. This is because a strong financial background based on its successful operation both in New York and support from its parent company Grupo Inditex allowed for a longer term fiscal view to be taken. However the use of English in the US market is likely to present challenges for the Spanish company but successful international human resource management should counter this and lead to successful implementation of its strategic expansion plans. Conclusion In order to maintain organizational growth Zara employed an aggressive expansion strategy in responding to internationalisation and globalisation. Research demonstrates that a strong global brand name is one of the most vital elements contributing to the success of international operations (Wigley et al, 2005). However a key consideration is cultural influences which have shaped international marketing strategies for Zara in the US market. An international marketing strategy to some degree remains the same as strategies used in other markets satisfy targeted customer groups effectively. However because of local differences and consumer complexity in the American market adjustments were used such as the establishment of a dedicated distribution centre for the American market. Recommendations The marketing mix used by Zara in the US market has been more effective in New York than in other locations. Brand name is a significant part of product concept hence it is useful for Zara to cooperate with local fashion magazines in conducting magazine campaigns in order to improve brand awareness at the market entry stage. Lea-Greenwoods (2002) suggestion that the communication process involves three key participants namely sender, message and receiver must be added to in the sense that practical contexts of business operations in the clothing retailing sector makes this model more complex due to changing forces in the external environment such as developments in media technology and changing characteristics/preferences of consumers. This is also of particular importance in international markets as different cultural and social backgrounds have substantial impacts on consumer behaviour as well as effective communication models. Secondly higher costs resulted in higher prices for Zara in these locations. This phenomenon is able to generate potential risks to its brand image of quality clothing products at reasonable prices. It is undoubted that in house design and local sourcing provides Zara with competitive advantages such as short lead times and high response rates to clothing trends but an awareness of local characteristics in the marketplace is essential. In the case of international expansion currency rates have a major impact on operational and labour costs. In turn competitiveness on price might be eliminated because of pressures from competitors who are able to provide even cheaper but goods which are of high quality. As Jones (2002) highlights global sourcing is a key trend and will continue to be so due to globalisation. Although sourcing abroad raises concerns on supply chain related risks which are often called the Iceberg theory it is imperative that Zara be aware of the significant advantages of sourcing from countries with lower labour costs especially given that quality levels have improved (Jackson Shaw, 2001). With the North American market there were difficulties for Zara in maintaining its famous on an in house production model simply because of a lack of local suppliers and manufacturers. Additionally labour costs in America are considerably higher compared to its operation in Europe. It is hard for Zara then to enjoy cost advantages offered by Eastern European countries as well as cheap domestic cost in Spain (Jones, 2002). The suggestion here is to consider expanding operations to Mexico which is comparably cheaper than the US yet offers a distribution channel to the North American market. The establishment of a distribution centre in Mexico is more likely to be cost effective rather th an building specific manufacturing factories in order to supply the North American market.

Friday, September 20, 2019

The Post Crimean War Period History Essay

The Post Crimean War Period History Essay During the post Crimean war period, the British army was a hodgepodge of antiquated and even cruel traditions and regulations. The army was far flung, scattered throughout the territories, colonies, and dominions that made up the empire with a small and insignificant army stationed at home. Hide bound officers and arch conservative types were determined to maintain their privileges and their institutions that had been handed down by their hero the Duke of Wellington, who in the wake of his victory over Napoleon in 1815 had remade the army to suit his own purposes. He was a martinet and a hard unyielding sort of commander who, as he was from the aristocracy had a dim view of the lower orders and wanted them to be kept on a tight leash. His institutions became etched in stone, so that even a minor deviation caused great anguish to his supporters. However, certain opponents to the rigid and unyielding dictates of the Duke, came to power and began a series of reforms that changed the nat ure of the British army for good. Cardwell Reforms The initial reforms of the British Army instituted by Sir Jonathon Peel in 1858, in direct response to the ineptitude and incompetence demonstrated during the Crimean War. He established a Royal Commission to examine the army and make recommendations for its improvement. By 1868 when Edward Cardwell, a former soldier himself, took over the War Office he was appalled that the mis-administration of the Crimean War Effort and subsequent Indian mutiny, and took steps to try to implement the commission recommendations. He was determined that using the entire useable British army to fight in the first instance an army of only 25,000 in the Crimean War and a smaller force during the Indian mutiny was a priority that needed to be addressed. There was no home front army and this disturbed many in the government as well as the citizenry. However, as early as 1862, the Royal Commission reported there  [i]  were a number of obstacles that stood in the way of full implementation of the recommendations. Although it was no longer operating, The East India Company had long maintained its own private armies and its executors wanted to continue with maintaining a private military establishment. There were also some very conservative and intransigent senior officers who opposed almost any reform based on principle and their own outdated beliefs on how the army should be run. These politically connected -conservatives were led by the Commander in Chief, Prince George, Duke of Cambridge, who was Queen Victorias cousin, and: almost the last of the typically Hanoverian characters thrown up by the English ruling dynasty, and derived his ideas on drill and discipline from Butcher Cumberland and the Prussian school of Frederick the Great. [1] By 1870, an additional 20,000 troops and two million pounds were allocated by Parliament. A brilliant and fear enticing pamphlet campaign helped bring about the needed reforms. Colonel (eventually General) Sir George Chesney, head of the Indian Civil Engineering College, called it the Battle of Dorking. He raised the spectre that Britain faced a possible German invasion and that despite the additional troops and money credited by Parliament, it was not enough. This spurred on Edward Cardwell, who was a protà ©gà © of William Ewart Gladstone and had been the Secretary of State for War since 1868, to update the British military and to reform it as well. This dual purpose was to be a nearly insurmountable battle, but to leave things, as the status quo was not an option. There were critical needs to create the army into a modern force and the complicated lessons of the Crimea were being dismissed, forgotten, or disregarded. As British historian R.C.K. Ensor wrote: If [no] criticism had made headway; it was that England had no notion of the art of war. British officers were expected to be gentlemen and sportsmen; but outside the barrack-yard they wereentirely wanting in military knowledge. The lack of it was deemed no drawback, since Marlboroughs and Wellingtons officers got along without it. Only the rise of the Prussian militaryavailed to shake this complacency. [2] Cardwells Initial Reforms: 1868 Abolishing Flogging in Peace Time Cardwells first act caused an uproar by nearly every senior officer in the Army. It was their considered opinion that flogging was absolutely necessary. They cited the Duke of wellington who was thought to have observed that you needed to be able to flog the men for minor infractions or that discipline would decay. The army officers used this to validate their opinions since the Duke was considered one of the foremost officers the British army had ever produced. Cardwell on the other hand felt that in order to attract good quality recruits by ensuring the private soldiers life was dignified and more of a career option than penal servitude. While Cardwell was unable to get rid of flogging during war time because it was felt that this extraordinary powers of punishment might be required in the field by officers it finally was abolished in 1880 for all times peace and war. 1869 Troop Withdrawal from Self Governing Colonies Cardwell brought his troops home in 1869 from those self-governing colonies. He felt that they were able to raise local forces and not be dependent upon the British army for their security. After all they were self-governing. Again he met with Wellingtonian followers opposition, as the Duke was the one who implemented scattering troops over all the colonies self governing or otherwise. Wellington had done this to keep a standing army in the field and ovoid the usual opposition to the very fact of a professional standing army (led by the Whigs). Doing this had been an economic nightmare and there was also an inability to train strategic and tactical operations above battalion level. Cardwell prevailed and by 1871, 26,000 British troops had been withdrawn from overseas territories and returned to Great Britain. 1870 Abolishing Bounty Money and Setting Guidelines. Cardwell abolished bounty money paid for recruits and thereby stopped a lot of press ganging into the army as well as the navy. He also set out specific guidelines for discharging bad characters from the military, thereby making the service a more respectable and safer place to be employed. Army Enlistment Act The year 1870 was also a milestone for Cardwells reforms as well as for the military itself. He introduced legislation into Parliament the Army Enlistment (Short Service) Act 1870,[3] that reached the floor of the House of Commons in late spring, 1870. Up until Cardwells reforms life in the British army was akin to servitude. From the end of the Napoleonic wars in 1815 to 1847, the hitch in the army was for 21 years. That means when a lad signed up for the service he had to endure 21 years of flogging, verbal abuse and of course in some cases, a lifetime commitment. Again that paragon of fighting men, the Duke of Wellington, on the heels of his defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo implemented this concept of lifetime servitude to the Crown. The Time of Service in the Army Act 1847, allowed for enlistments of ten years,(later increased to twelve) but this was still felt as too long. There was also a nasty caveat to this term of enlistment. Soldiers could be discharged after ten years but they would not be eligible for a pension for the time that they served. The only way to vest in a pension was to re-up their enlistments for an additional 10-12 years. If they chose the latter they would be rewarded with two months furlough, another enlistment bounty, and a pension on completion of their term. This stacked the deck in the Armys favor, as most of these men had no other than soldiering. Many discharged soldiers chose to re-enlist immediately and of those voluntary discharges, one in five signed on again within six months of their discharge as they were unable to face life with no trade, no pension and no future options. For the Army it was a win-win situation. While this existing system had created an army of experienced veteran soldiers, there was no back-up or reserves that could be recalled to serve in case of a national emergency. Cardwell observed the Franco-Prussian war and was convinced of the necessity of having an army reserve of well trained men in good health and vigour. Again due to the Wellington system of far flung enlistments most British soldiers served more than half their enlistments abroad. While many of the places were in tropical climates such as India there were also the attendant fevers and diseases that accompanied this service so that when the soldiers came home, their health was seldom good. This was not a robust reserve force but a tired and often depleted force of exhausted unhealthy soldiers. It was with this in mind that encouraged Cardwell to bring before Parliament the idea of short service. The Act of 1870 permitted a soldier to choose to spend time in the reserves rather than the regulars and be paid fourpence a day for his service. In return for this daily fourpence, he would engage in a short period of training each year and an obligation to serve when called up. While men enlisted for a maximum term of twelve years, the most enlistments were those who opted for six and the reserve duty. The minimum length of service varied, but on discharge a soldier would now remain with the reserves for the remainder of the twelve-year term. Therefore when necessary, a well trained reserve force was ready and able to stand for Queen and country Of course there were howls of opposition, however Parliament passed the act, despite the objections of conservatives and the Armys senior officers who saw their powerbase and forces being freed from what was indentured servitude. Even Queen Victoria most reluctantly,[4] signed the act into law. Cardwell though was vindicated since the new system worked, by increasing enlistments and thereby producing an immediate increase in the armys strength. Localisation scheme Another major reform that Cardwell instituted was the Comprehensive Regulation of the Forces Act 1871. Once a soldier had enlisted for General Service, and he was apt to be drafted into any regiment regardless of stated preferences. This was another reason that joining the army was considered harsh and recruitment difficult. It was not as if this were a secret. In 1829 by Lord Palmerston found that: there is a great disinclination on the part of the lower orders to enlist for general service; they like to know that they are to be in a certain regiment, connected, perhaps, with their own county, and their own friends, and with officers who have established a connection with that district. There is a preference frequently on the part of the people for one regiment as opposed to another, and I should think there would be found a great disinclination in men to enlist for general service, and to be liable to be drafted and sent to any corps or station.[5] Nevertheless, the Army had insisted for years that it could be administered only based on General Service. This was partially due to the inherent class system that regarded the lower orders as servants and exploitable Lord Cardwell had a different view. He envisioned that instead of a general service enlistment that could send men anywhere he saw a localisation scenario. Cardwell divided the country into 66 Brigade Districts (later named Regimental Districts). He based the divisions on traditional county boundaries and population density. He determined that line infantry regiments would now consist of two battalions, sharing a depot and associated recruiting area. One battalion would serve overseas, while the other was stationed at home for training. The militia (reserves) of that area then became the third battalion to be called up when needed. While the senior twenty-five regiments of the line already had two battalions, the other regiments had only one battalion. The plan combined these regiments to create to produce two-battalion regiments, through a very complex process that involved debate over regimental traditions and seniority that was not finally completed until many years later during the Childers Reforms. Nevertheless, Cardwells measures quickly produced more cohesive units that were ready to protect and defend. Cardwells Other Reforms Lord Cardwell wasnt quite done in reforming the military under his command. He was a former soldier and the way he went about reforming the army reflected many years thought and intelligent repositioning of what the army meant and how best to build a strong and vital fighting service. Cardwell introduced a number of minor yet far reaching reforms through Orders in Council or other Statutory Instruments. In 1871 an Order abolished some little-used disciplinary practices such as branding for infractions; Cardwell also eliminated the sale of commissions as well as some subordinate junior ranks of cavalry Cornet and infantry Ensign. These ranks were replaced with Second Lieutenant. (The style Cornet is still used for Second Lieutenants in the Blues and Royals and the Queens Royal Hussars, and the term Ensign is still used by the Foot Guards regiments, for instance during the ceremony of Trooping the Colour. However, these are exceptions and not the rule and certainly not the actual title as held by the individual in his or her troop.) Units were placed on the same establishment (number of soldiers in each unit) whether serving at home or overseas. Prior to the Reforms units serving overseas had previously had a larger establishment, because of anticipated losses to disease or climate that would be awkward and difficult to replace. This however left the units at home under strength since these units were traditionally stripped of soldiers in order to bring overseas units up to strength. Once the reforms were implemented, these home units could now be used to form an effective expeditionary force while the overseas units would be recruited to full strength without depleting the home unit. Cardwell also got rid of the infighting in the War Office by abolishing the separate administration of the Reserves and Volunteers and unifying other parts of the administration of the services. The defence policy of Canada, Australia and New Zealand followed his dictates of the self-governing colonies (or in this case dominions) to replace small garrisons of the British army by locally-raised units. Cardwells reforms began the long path to turning British forces into an effective Imperial force that is recognizable today. When a change of government put Cardwell out of office in 1874, his reforms stayed in place. This was despite desperate attempts from the Army and its hidebound officer class to abolish them and return to the bad old days of Wellingtons draconic post-1815 mandates. Childers Reforms Secretary of State for War Hugh Childers, in 1881, continued following Cardwells reforms by restructuring the infantry regiments of the British army. He was reluctantly the secretary but despite some fierce opposition from regular army regiments, continued to implement ways to improve the army and create a viable fighting force Childers main contribution to reform was to rename and restructure all the Regimental districts that had been established by Cardwell. He did this through General Order 41/1881, issued on 1 May 1881, amended by G.O. 70/1881 dated 1 July, where he created a system of multi-battalion regiments. England, Wales, and Scotland regiments were to have two regular or line battalions and two militia battalions. Irish regiments were to consist of two line and three militia battalions. Childers renamed and renumbered regiments of foot and county militia into these other regiments. He also allocated that the different corps of county rifle volunteers were now volunteer battalions. Each of these regiments was linked by headquarters location and territorial name to its local Regimental District. The reforms came into effect on 1 July. In 1881 Childers formally merged the Cardwell Brigade districts into new regimental identities, and incorporated the volunteer movement into the system as well. The county regiment was solidified, with anywhere between four and a dozen battalions that shared a regiments traditions. This kept the regiments accumulated glory by transferring it into county districts. The regimental seniority numbers were abolished and battalions came to be known by their number within the regiment and the regimental district name. While many regiments were still unofficially referred to by their numbers per their own officers and men as a tradition and a point of pride many were not. Some regiments such as The Buffs, The Cameron Highlanders, and The Black Watch, lobbied to keep their distinct names as part of their battalion titles and did so. Sometimes in those early days, it was not possible for the strict definition of the order to be applied. For example, the Cameron Highlanders only had one regular battalion, and other regiments had sometimes more than the required militia regiments or even fewer, depending on their district and location. Some of the regiments like the Rifle Brigade and Kings Royal Rifle Corps had no local regimental districts as they were royal regiments and as such the their militia and volunteer battalions were selected not on a territorial basis, but due to their rifle traditions. However, this Childers structure lasted until 1948, when a rearrangement of every regiment of line infantry cut regular battalions to one, with only the three original Guards Division regiments retaining two regular battalions. Change and reform are always slow, but significant. Standardisation of uniforms and colours Childers Orders also included an effort to ensure that the uniform facings were standardised: English and Welsh regiments white facings; Irish regiments green facings, Scottish regiments yellow facings; and royal regiments dark blue facings. Each officers uniform had lace in distinctive national patterns: rose pattern England and Wales; thistle Scotland; and shamrock Ireland. Regular battalions lace was gold, while militia battalions bore silver. While there were efforts made to incorporate regimental insignia and remove tribal uniform distinctions there was a national outcry against this and regimental tribalism and tradition remained a force within the Army. This was brought to a head in 1890, when The Buffs succeeded in being allowed to resume the wearing of buff facings. Over the next several years other regiments replaced white facings with their own traditional colours. King George V allowed blue facings for royal regiments to lapse as he instituted three regiments as royal for his Silver Jubilee and permitted [then] to retain their present facings.[6] In 1939 The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, who had worn blue facings since 1881, were issued buff regimental colours by request and gracious permission.[7] Again in 1946 three infantry regiments were designated as royal for services in the Second World War. Of these, only the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment replaced its (white) facings with blue.[8] Traditions are often difficult to change, even with a royal designation to back it up especially when the King undermines the General Order of Council. Even More Changes to Standardization The Second Boer War brought a number of changes to the British army. For the three years between 1897 and 1900, the regular army was increased in size in response to a number of conflicts in which it was deployed. By this time The Cameron Highlanders (who had always been short a battalion) raised a second battalion. Third and Fourth battalions were added to the: Northumberland Fusiliers, Warwickshire Regiment, Royal Fusiliers, Kings (Liverpool Regiment), Lancashire Fusiliers, Worcestershire Regiment, Middlesex Regiment and the Manchester Regiment. The recruiting areas of each of these regiments included parts of large areas of urban sprawl for the time period. The Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 reformed the reserve forces in 1908. This act reformed the different militia battalions disbanding some and transferring the rest to a Special Reserve. Volunteer battalions were now part of the new Territorial Force, and designated as numbered battalions of the regiments no longer volunteers, but reservists as well. Then came the First World War. The territorial battalions were duplicated and many war-time service battalions formed to meet the need of the fighting forces on the continent . By the beginning of the 1920s with the conclusion of the war, the special reserve battalions were placed in limbo and a number of Irish regiments, especially those that were part of the southern part of the country disbanded when Irish Free State came into existence. The rest of the regiments then reduced themselves to two regular battalions. It got much less complicated than the earlier permutations. The Second World War expanded the regiments again however, there was nothing like the expansion that took place during WWI In 1947, the British Army regiments underwent another permutation of the regimental structure. After India declared independence regiments lost their second battalion. Although some were reformed during the Korean War this was the exception to the new rule. Childers reforms that began in 1881 finally ended with a completely new series of the reforms defined by the Defence White Paper of 1957. Many pairs of regiments were combined, regimental depots closed and recruiting and training organised in multi-regiment brigades were just some of the new order of reform that was introduced to the British army. Haldane Reforms While the Childers reforms of the 1880s still held sway with the structure of the regiments, Lord Richard Haldane, implemented a series of reforms of the British Army made from 1906 to 1912, These were the first major reforms since the Childers of the early 1880s, and were derived as a result of the lessons manifested by the Second Boer War. In December 1905, Richard Haldane was appointed Secretary of State for War although he really wanted to be the Lord Chancellor. Prime Minister Campbell-Bannerman offered the War Office to two other men before Haldane offered to take it. Despite such an inauspicious beginning, he would become, in the words of Douglas Haig, the greatest Secretary of State for War England has ever had.[9] Haldane took the post with no preconceived ideas as to the role of the Army, but quickly settled on the idea that efficiency was essential as a precursor to making financial economies.[10] Haldane began his institution of reforming the army because of a secret pact between the foreign office and France that would have to be implemented quickly if Germany and France went to war over Tangiers. While this did not happen, it set Haldane on the road to creating the British Expeditionary Force that was to prove decisive in WWI 8 years later. The primary reform was the institution of the British Expeditionary Force. This force was to be specifically prepared and trained for deployment in the event of a major war. While there had been other forces before that were ostensibly to accomplish this they had been unprepared for overseas service. The newly BEF would remain as a permanent peacetime force and also have full complement of supporting troops at the ready. Haldane also restructured the reserve forces, thereby expanding on the reforms of Cardwell and Childers so that the overseas forces could be efficiently reinforced and supplied with new recruits. He did not neglect home defence either. The Volunteer Force, Militia, and the Yeomanry were reorganised into a new Territorial Force. These reforms grouped in the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 as we discussed earlier. The Army at home was reorganised into six divisions by a Special Army Order dated 1 January 1907, with one heavy four-brigade Cavalry Division and two mounted brigades for reconnaissance, along with some Army troops. By February 1907, Haldane announced the coming years spending estimates and proved that he was able to save money 2-3 million pounds despite creating this new fighting force. Those disbanded units and some other reform measures such as administration consolidation etc had managed to reduce overall spending and provide an increased efficiency in the army as well. [11] Haldane also determined that encouraging the development of military skills required an Officer Training Corps to be established in public schools and universities were a priority. As with any army, an ongoing supply of skilled Army officers needs to be prepared in case of war. A commission was established and made two recommendations. The primary recommendation was to reorganise the existing school Cadet Corps and university Rifle Corps, which had formed as an unplanned, unorganized structure and change it into a uniform force, that was administered and supported by the War Office with all the requisite discipline and training that was needed to create an outstanding officer pool.[12] In 1908, Army Order 160 established that there were to be contingents of the Senior Division at universities, and contingents of the Junior Division at public schools to create the core groups. Later that year Army Order 178 set forth standard regulations and indicated that this new type of military training was to provide officer candidates for commissions when needed.[13] By the end of 1910 these officer training sessions were really popular since the Senior Division boasted , 19 contingents and there were 152 Junior Division cadets. Within a year this popularity caused 55 and 155 Senior and Junior Divisions respectively to produce a total of 23,700 cadets as of 1st January 1912. The training had graduated 630 officers, and 830 former cadets who had already accepted their commissions in the auxiliary forces.[14] Haldanes reforms for a standing officer corps was working, despite the fact that buying commissions had long been abolished. While there was resurgence in the officer corps with new members joining regularly, Haldane also instituted a new Imperial General Staff. The General staff was required to redevelop military strategy into a common set of guidelines and strategic aims among the various military forces of the British Empire. As indicated under Cardwell, the emphasis military policy shifted from a single centralised Army and Navy scattered throughout the empire to allowing the self-governing Dominions to provide forces for their own defence. This also encouraged them to take responsibility for strategic interests and bases in their own geographic areas and areas of internal interest. 15] Although the Dominion forces were responsible for their own defence, at a meeting of the Dominion leaders in 1907, the military suggested that all forces throughout the empire follow a standard model for training and strategic aims. The Dominion leaders not only approved this concept, but also recommended that to implement it more fully that the general staff be recruited from the entire Empire. This way the Imperial General Staff was a common bond between the Dominion forces and the British Army and could develop a uniform defence. The other advantage was to ensure that consistency between the forces ruled although it was stipulated that the Imperial General Staff was a guiding body to the local government and General Staff, and not and would not have any binding authority over the national forces.[16] Dominion and British army approved this new system and confirmed r the new structure, and the principle of standardisation, as well as emphasizing that it was not to limit the autonom y of the self-governing Dominions. Meanwhile, Haldane had the Regular Army reformed by the development of a new operational and training doctrine, laid down in Douglas Haigs new Field Service Pocket Book. In 1907, the new Field Service Pocket Book was produced, amended and finally became the standard for all operations in 1909 as Field Service Regulations, Part I Operations in 1909. This standardised training for all branches of the service, and was the synthesis of the generally agreed tactical and strategic principles that had emerged from the South African War and the new BEF focus on the regular army. (17) With WW1 beginning in August of 1914, the bulk of the changes put to the test. Quickly and effectively the British Expeditionary Force was off to the Continent. At home, the Territorial Force and Reserves were mobilised as to provide a second line. It went according to plan. These reforms changed the way that the British army was operated and organized. Gone were the days of the private armies such as the British East India Company or the 21 year servitude that made the army feel like prison instead of an honorable occupation. In their place was a good sized well trained standing army that could be sent into combat situations overseas without depleting the protection of home. Well trained officers and soldiers now provided the backbone of the army, and were ready to defend at home and abroad.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Raising the Bar †Los Angeles Kings :: Critical Evaluation Rhetorical Analysis

Raising the Bar – Los Angeles Kings Often times many hockey teams have a sprout of success and a sudden downfall, but in the end there is always next year. In the article titled Raising the Bar – Los Angeles Kings, by Andrew L. Robles, the reader is to assume that the Los Angeles Kings hockey team should be very successful in the upcoming few seasons. Andrew Robles’ motivation to write this article may have occurred for many reasons. First of all, he seems to be a hockey fan who feels strongly that the Kings will have a well played season. He seems to be informing the reader of the prospects the team has acquired, and the results he is expecting with the new coaches and players hired for the team. The writing seems to be a motivational piece that is trying to get the Kings’ fans to look forward to the upcoming year. With the information and detail given by the author, it is obvious that much time and effort was put into the article. Andrew Robles was able to arrange interviews with many different players, and was able to publish their thoughts on the upcoming season. This shows the audience, and I, that time was put into the article which makes me trust him and his knowledge of the team. That is important, because now that he has the audiences’ trust, they will believe what is written, as long as i t isn’t too farfetched. The article written shows many different modes of analysis, with one of these modes being the inductive argument. With all of the facts and expert opinions that support Andrew Robles, he comes to the conclusion that the Kings will be a good team this year. The tone taken by Robles is a very formal one, as he does not relate himself to the audience at all. Robles states his opinion and why he feels the way he does. I like this form of writing, as he is not trying to get a reaction out of me. He is stating why he feels the way he does, and what facts or reasoning he has behind that opinion.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The Character of Tarquin in Macbeth and Cymbeline Essay -- comparison

The Character of Tarquin in Macbeth and Cymbeline Tarquin’s image as a man of dastardly action becomes part of both Shakespeare's Macbeth and Cymbeline. As Iachimo emerges from a box in Imogen's bedchamber he speaks, and his words reflect the feeling not only of himself but all trespassers in Shakespeare's plays. Iachimo likens his actions to that of Tarquin, a Roman Tyrant who rapes the matron Lucrece. His trespassing in Imogen's bed chamber while she is sleeping is to Iachimo like rape. He violates her space and privacy. Similarly in the play Macbeth, Macbeth before killing Duncan invokes the image of Tarquin, "With Tarquin's ravishing strides towards, his design Moves like a ghost. Thou sure and firm set earth hear not my steps" (2.1.55-58). Both plays use of the image of Tarquin reveals fascinating intricacies about the way in which Shakespeare takes traditional; images of rapists and murders and re-uses them to relate to the actions of the characters in the play. By invoking th...

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Employer-Employee Relations Quiz

Employer-Employee Relations Quiz Name MGT 434/ Employment Law Date Instructor Employer-Employee Relations Quiz The Company of Little Lamb hired Mary as a programmer for a special project. There was a contract for that specific project, and near completion. However, the company was still in need of her services. So, they asked Mary to continue working with the company until the project was finished. There was no mention of any contract made; however, the supervisor of the company began to work directly with Mary.They wanted her to use company materials, equipment and at the same time remain on company work schedules. The company after two years went through financial difficulties and they asked Mary to leave. But a mere thirty days later the Little Lamb Company acquired a major contract. They hired Mary’s relative and never offer her the opportunity to return. Investigation: Is Mary an independent contractor or an employee? Describe the factors that led to her determination. Th ere is a need to know the release of Mary from her employment.The employment-at-will was under action for legal set of guidelines. There are two related questions that needed to be answered first and these are: 1) her status while working at the Company, if she was an independent contractor or an employee; and 2) the nature of the employer-employee relationship, if it underwent change over the course of time. Based on the information given, May was a skilled programmer who worked outside the context of regular office hours and direct supervision from the company manger or supervisor.There was a contract that was made for a specific project. It was pointed out that the project was near completion and therefore there was a time element to the work that it was not expected to go on and on forever. This means that Mary knew that after the project was completed, her services was no longer needed and the company had no obligation to retain her services or to make her an employee of Little Lamb Company. Has the employer-employee relationship changed over the course of time? Is so, how?Even so, when the project was completed for Little Lamb Company, Mary was still asked to continue working as a programmer and her services. There were changes in the employer-employee relationship. Her supervisor began to work closely with her in the new project. Mary was asked to continue using materials, equipment, and to follow the work schedules provided from the company. This simply means that Mary was considered as a valuable asset to the company and she was not working outside the company but within the company’s location.This made the job more gratifying along with having sources at her finger tips. Mary worked there for an additional two years. This suggests that she was working there even after she completed the second project. She is considered as an employee of the company. This brings the discussion to the last question: was Is Mary’s release legal under the d octrine of employment-at-will? Explain why or why not? If not, which of the following exceptions to employment-at-will have been violated? Explain why.Based on the doctrine of at-will-employment Mary’s release from employment was legal. According to experts; â€Å"An at-will-employment arrangement is an arrangement in which the employee serves at the unilateral pleasure of the employer† (Reda, Reifler, & Thatcher, 2008). This simply means that the employer can terminate the services of Mary without giving any explanation and there is no legal problem for doing so. This is because there were no written employment agreements, plans, letters, or similar writing that Mary could have used to show that there was a breach of agreement.There was a contract made but it can only be understood as contracts that were made for the first and second project. Following the completion of these two projects Mary was given another work load but there was no contract concerning her salary and other benefits that she could expect from the company. In this case the employment can only be understood as at-will-employment and the employer has the right to terminate her services without just cause.In many cases the need to reorganize and to reduce the number of employees are valid reasons for the company to release somebody from employment and the courts will judge in their favor. Exceptions to At-Will Employment The doctrine of at-will-employment clearly favors the employer. The employer need not prove just cause before terminating the services of Mary. There are instances where the Company Little Lamb may be found to be in breach of the following: 1) breach of public policy; 2) breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; and 3) breach of implied contract University of Phoenix Syllabus (2011).Even though at-will-employment gives the employer the ability to terminate employment at will, Mary can complain against unlawful termination if Mary was dismissed b ecause she was asked to commit a crime, released from employment because she was a whistleblower against the illegal activities of the employer, dismissed because she served on a jury against the employer’s wishes or dismissed because she exercised her legal right – this is considered a breach in public policy.Based on the information given Mary was not released because she was a whistleblower or testified against the company. Her employment was terminated because the company went through a financial difficulty. There could be an implied breach of contract with good faith along with fair dealing taking into consideration because Mary worked so hard for the company. This was evidenced by the fact that she was asked to do another special project when the first one was near completion.This is also made clear when Mary was asked to continue working for Little Lamb Company for two more years. This principle is based on the idea that there exists a special relationship of tr ust and reliance between the employer and employee and this can be measured by length of service (Vettori, 2007). In the case of Mary two years of work under at-will-employment is not enough to show that there was a special relationship of trust and reliance.At first glance it may seem that the Little Lamb Company is in breach of implied contract because of the way it treated Mary, starting from changing her status from a contract to an at-will employee with letting her stay and work for two more years can be interpreted as the company being satisfied by the way she perform as a programmer. This does not immediately mean that there was a contract implied or otherwise. In Guz v. Bechtel National, Inc. he California Supreme Court decided that: â€Å"even if the employee has worked for a company for a long time, and during that tenure received pay raises, commendations, promotions, and other recognitions of continuing good performance† this does not by itself create an implied c ontract protecting the employee from being released without just cause (Orrick, 2010). In Conclusion, Mary worked at Little Lamb Company for more than two years, first as an independent contractor and then as an employee.It was clear that there was a change in the employer-employee relationship because she was asked to do things that only apply to employees. As a result, when she was released from employment there could be grounds to contest the dismissal based on the breach of implied contract, breach of public policy with covenant of good faith and fair dealing consideration which brought attention in any deciding factors. However, there was no contract or any form of written agreement stating that Mary can only be terminated by first establishing just cause.This is because she is under at-will-employment and in this scenario the employer can terminate her services without just cause. It is very clear that the doctrine of at-will-employment protects the interest of the employer an d if Mary wanted to have job security the only way to do so would be to secure an agreement or a contract from Little Lamb Company that she can only be terminated with just cause. References Law Library-American Law and Legal Information. (2010).Employment at Will-Breach of an Implied Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing. Accessed 01 August 2010 from http://law. jrank. org/pages/6433/Employment-at-Will-Breach-an-Implied-Covenant-Good-Faith-Fair-Dealing. html Reda, J. , S. Reifler, & L. Thatcher. (2008). New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Vettori, S. (2007). The Employment Contract and the Changed World of Work. VT: Ashgate Publishing. University of Phoenix syllabus, (2011) MGT 434 Employment Law, Little Lamb Scenario