View of the world Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

View of the world - Essay Example minates new transformed understanding of people’s overcoming of human nature and becoming â€Å"overmans†, people who have new visionary capacities and perspectives concerning the world. The first stage of the world view is Plato’s philosophy. Plato claims that the true world is attainable here and now, but only for virtuous men. There is only one world. Supersensuous world is the true one and true things emerge in the world of ideas as far as there is a division between pure essence and appearance. This true world is attainable for temperate soul only. Temperance is the virtue of soul, so it must deny the sensuous things and desire supersensuous. If you have a temperate soul and desire to acquire the truth, you will see the true being of subjects and notice a non-sensuous world. If you have a wanton soul and desire bodily pleasure only, you will only see the â€Å"here† world and will only be present in the apparent world. Nietzsche claims that philosophy begins with the discipline of temperate soul to look. According to the text â€Å"The implication is that virtue consists in repudiation of the sensuous, since denial of the world that is closest to us, the sensuous world, is proper to the Being of beings†. Here the â€Å"true world† is not yet anything â€Å"Platonic,† that is, not something unattainable, merely desirable, and merely â€Å"ideal.† Plato himself is who he is by virtue of the fact that he unquestioningly and straightforwardly functions on the basis of the world of Ideas as the essence of Being. The supersensuous is the idea.† The ideas do not exist in this world according to Plato; they exist without color and shape. Thus, Plato is not nihilist. Second view on the world is not Plato’s, it is Platonism. It is also a Christian view. The relationship between true world and apparent world are broken. Essence and existence are separated into two different worlds. The true world is not attainable in this world. According to the text â€Å"The

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 14

Management - Essay Example First of all it presents the general introduction of the outsourcing and in-sourcing. The technique of outsourcing directs a corporation/ business/Company that contracts with another corporation to proffer services that could or else be carried out through in-house personnel. A lot of huge corporations at the present time outsource employments like that e-mail services, call center servicesas well as payroll. These professions are griped through detach corporations that concentrate in every service, as well as are frequently positioned out of the country (Outsourcing?, 2009). There are a lot of causes that businesses outsource an assortment of employments; on the other hand the majority famous benefit appears to be the information that it frequently accumulates money. A lot of the businesses that offer outsourcing facility and services are capable to carry out the job at significantly smaller amount charges, because they do not have to offer profits to their employees, as well as have smaller amount fixed cost expenses to be anxious about (Outsourcing?, 2009). Outsourcing is contracting out practice, like that manufacturing or product design, to a 3rd party business. The assessment to outsource is frequently prepared in the significance of small price or producing enhanced utilization of efforts and time expenses, forwarding or saving efforts going to at the competencies of a particular industry, or else to destroy more well-organized utilization of information, labor, land, capital, technology as well as resources. Outsourcing turned out to befraction of the industry lexicon all the way through the period of 1980s. It is fundamentally a supply of labor.1 Organizations have attempted to enlarge their competitive recompenses as the industrial revolution. Though, in the fifties and sixties variation as well as financial systems of scale turned out to be the novel movement, and in

Relationship between corporate social performance and firm financial performance

Relationship between corporate social performance and firm financial performance There have been many theoretical and empirical debates about the relationship between corporate social performance and firm financial performance. The debate on the relationship between CSP and CFP involves two important issues: direction and causality of the relationship (Preston OBannon, 1997). Based upon the literature review, the relationship between CSP and CFP could be positive, neutral, and negative. Preston and OBannon (1997) have distinguished between the direction of the CSP-FP relationship (positive, negative or neutral) and the causal sequence: does CSP in ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uence FP, does FP in ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uence CSP, or is there a synergistic relationship between the two? They have developed six possible causal and directional hypotheses: social impact hypothesis, slack resources hypothesis, trade-off hypothesis, managerial opportunism hypothesis, positive synergy hypothesis and negative synergy hypothesis. The social impact hypothesis is based on the stakeholder theory which suggests that meeting the needs of various corporate stakeholders will lead to favourable FP (Freeman, 1984). According to this hypothesis, serving the implicit claims of stakeholders enhances a companys reputation in a way that has a positive impact on its FP. Conversely, disappointing these groups of stakeholders may have a negative  ¬Ã‚ nancial impact (Preston and OBannon, 1997). The results also supported good management theory that states that good management practice resulting from engagement in social domains enhances the relationship with stakeholders causing better financial performance (Freeman, 1984). Preston and OBannon (1997) was one of the surveys that used the Fortune reputation index. In particular, this survey assessed CSP according to three variables: (1) rating of community and environmental responsibility, (2) ability to select and retain good people, and (3) quality of products and services. They found that a positive relationship existed between these variables and ROA. Preston, L. E. and D. P. OBannon (1997). The corporate social-financial performance relationship: a typology and analysis, Business and Society ,vol.36, no.4 419-429. The slack resource hypothesis predicts that better FP potentially results in the availability of slack resources that may increase a  ¬Ã‚ rms ability to invest in socially responsible domains such as community and society, employee relations or environment (Waddock and Graves, 1997). One of the essential aspects of CSR and financial performance is the direction of causality. Waddock and Graves (1997) studied the empirical linkage between financial and social performance and found out that CSR was positively associated with prior financial performance. The results were in line with the slack resource theory that supports that the existence of slack resources resulting from better financial performance made companies invest in areas that are related to social domains. The results also supported good management theory that states that good management practice resulting from engagement in social domains enhances the relationship with stakeholders causing better financial performance (Freeman, 1984). Waddock and Graves (1997) reported that CSP was positively associated with prior and future CFP. They concluded that these findings indicated that not only does CSP follow CFP but also CSP drives CFP. It is notable that they measured CSP by a constructed index based on five factors related to the stakeholder and three factors with responsiveness to significant external pressure. This index is provided by a rating firm-Kinder, Lydenberg, Domini Co., Inc (KLD). Waddock, S.A. and S.B. Graves (1997). The corporate social performance-financial performance link, Strategic Management Journal, vol.18, no.4. 303-319. Waddock Graves (1997) and Dean (1998) put forward two theories to answer the question: slack resource theory and good management theory. Under the slack resource theory, a company should focus on its financial position, allowing it to contribute to the CSP. Conducting good social performance requires funds that might result from the success of fi-nancial performance. According to this theory, financial performance comes first. A good management theory holds that social performance comes first. Based on this theory, a company perceived by its stakeholders as having a good reputation will result in a stronger financial position (through market mechanism). The trade-off hypothesis supposes a negative impact of CSP on FP. This hypothesis deals with the neo classical economists position which holds that socially responsible behavior will net few economic bene ¬Ã‚ ts while its numerous costs will reduce pro ¬Ã‚ ts and shareholder wealth (Waddock and Graves,1997).This hypothesis re ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ects the classic Friedman position and is supported by the well-know nearly  ¬Ã‚ nding of Vance (1975) that corporations displaying strong social credentials experience declining stock prices relative to the market average(Preston and OBannon, 1997,p.421). Studies using measures of return based on the stock market also indicate diverse results. Vance (1975) refutes previous research by Moskowitz by extending the time period for analysis from 6 months to 3 years, thereby producing results which contradict Moskowitz and which indicate a negative CSP/CFP relationship. However, Alexander and Buchholz (1978) improved on Vances analysis by evaluating stock market performance of an identical group of stocks on a risk adjusted basis, yielding an inconclusive result. Alexander, G. J., and Rogene A. Buchholz (1978) Corporate social responsibility and stock market performance. Academy of Management Journal, 21 (3): 479-486. Vance, S. C.(1975) Are socially responsible corporations good investment risks? Management Review, 64: 18-24. According to the managerial opportunism hypothesis, corporate managers may pursue their own private objectives to the detriment of both shareholders and other stakeholders ( Weidenbaum and Sheldon, 1987;Williamson, 1967, 1985).In fact, when FP is strong, managers may reduce social expenditures in order to maximize their own short-term private gains. Conversely, when FP weakens, managers may engage in conspicuous social programs in order to offset their disappointing results (Preston and OBannon, 1997). The positive synergy hypothesis supposes that higher levels of CSP lead to an improvement of FP, which offers the possibility of reinvestment in socially responsible actions (Allouche and Laroche, 2005a). Indeed, favourable CSP leads to a surplus of available funds (social impact hypothesis) which is reallocated, in part, to the different stakeholders (slack resources hypothesis). There may then be a simultaneous and interactive positive relation between CSP and FP, forming a virtuous circle (Waddock and Graves, 1997). However, according to the negative synergy hypothesis, higher levels of CSP lead to decreased FP, which in turn limits the socially responsible investments. There may then be a simultaneous and interactive negative relation between CSP and FP, forming a vicious circle. While empirical results concerning the nature of the relationship between CSP and FP continue to be mixed, the largest number of investigations found a positive relationship. This tendency towards the positivism of the CSP-FP link is supported by subsequent Meta analysis (Allouche and Laroche, 2005b; Orlitzky et al., 2003; Wu, 2006). Another study was conducted by Orlitzky HYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=1741-0401volume=59issue=3articleid=1846089show=html#idb45et al.HYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=1741-0401volume=59issue=3articleid=1846089show=html#idb45 (2003) who found a strong correlation between corporate financial performance and corporate social/environmental performance. This relationship is more strongly pronounced for theaccounting based measures of performance than the market-based measures of performance (Orlitzky HYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=1741-0401volume=59issue=3articleid=1846089show=html#idb45et al.HYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=1741-0401volume=59issue=3articleid=1846089show=html#idb45, 2003). Another vein of research focused on the causal relationship between CSP and FP. For instance, using traditional statistical techniques, Waddock and Graves (1997) and Hillman and Keim (2001)  ¬Ã‚ nd a positive synergistic relationship between CSP and FP showing the existence of a virtuous circle between the two constructs .McGuire et al.(1988)  ¬Ã‚ nd that lagged FP measures lead to improved current CSP measures, but the latter does not affect FP. In a more recent study, Nelling and Webb (2006) examine the causal relationship between CSP and FP by introducing a new econometric technique, the Granger causality approach. Their  ¬Ã‚ ndings suggest that, using ordinary least square (OLS) regression models, CSP and FP are related. In disagreement with prior empirical research, they  ¬Ã‚ nd a lower relationship between CSP and FP when employing a time series  ¬Ã‚ xed effects approach. The same result is found when introducing Granger causality models. Furthermore, by focusing on individual measures of CSP, they  ¬Ã‚ nd causality running from stock market performance to CSP ratings regarding employees relationships. In addition to those large-scale American empirical studies, Mahoney and Roberts (2007) have examined the relationship between CSP and FP in the Canadian context. This study has examined the relationship between these constructs using the CSID measure of CSP.1 Contrary to Waddock and Graves (1997), Mahoney and Roberts (2007) found no signi ¬Ã‚ cant relationship between a composite measure of a  ¬Ã‚ rms CSP and FP. However, using a one-year lag, their  ¬Ã‚ ndings indicate as igni ¬Ã‚ cant positive relationship between individual measures of a  ¬Ã‚ rms CSP regarding environmental and international activities and FP. This study has examined only one direction of causality: from CSP to FP. The latest study of corporate social and financial performance was done by Mahoney and Roberts (2007). They performed empirical analyses on a large-sample of publicly held Canadian companies. Based on tests utilizing four years of panel data they found no significant relationship between a composite measure of companies social and financial performance. However, they found significant relationships between individual measures of companies social performance regarding environmental and international activities and financial performance. Mahoney, L., Roberts, R.W., 2007. Corporate social performance, and financial performance and institutional ownership in Canadian firms. Accounting Forum 31, 233- 253. Rim Makni, Claude Francoeur Franà §ois Bellavance (2009). Causality Between Corporate Social Performance and Financial Performance: Evidence From Canadian Firms. Journal of Business Ethics 89 (3). This study assesses the causal relationship between corporate social performance (CSP) and financial performance (FP). We perform our empirical analyses on a sample of 179 publicly held Canadian firms and use the measures of CSP provided by Canadian Social Investment Database for the years 2004 and 2005. Using the Granger causality approach, we find no significant relationship between a composite measure of a firms CSP and FP, except for market returns. However, using individual measures of CSP, we find a robust significant negative impact of the environmental dimension of CSP and three measures of FP, namely return on assets, return on equity, and market returns. This latter finding is consistent, at least in the short run, with the trade-off hypothesis and, in part, with the negative synergy hypothesis which states that socially responsible firms experience lower profits and reduced shareholder wealth, which in turn limits the socially responsible investments

Drugs Essay -- essays research papers

Is the Government Morally Justified in Declaring Some Drugs Illegal?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are all kinds of drugs. Whether or not the drug is illegal or not depends on what drug we’re talking about. It is important to look at both the bad effects and long-term effects, such as addiction, when determining legality. Certain drugs, such as prescription drugs like Ritalin, are illegal to the people who abuse them. They are designed for people who need the drug and can be dangerous if taken without seeing a doctor first. Other drugs, such as marijuana and cocaine, are illegal to everyone. The government has put a block or law on these. These drug laws are supposedly for your own good. It is the type of drug and its effects that determines whether or not it should be illegal. When it comes to drugs, there are various aspects that need to be considered.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cocaine is a powerfully addictive drug of abuse and is currently illegal. Individuals who have tried the drug describe it as a powerful experience that gave a â€Å"high† and a feeling of dominance. Because cocaine is so highly addictive, once someone starts taking it, one cannot predict the extent of drug abuse or the continuality. The ways to take cocaine include: sniffing, snorting, injecting, and smoking. Health risks are present regardless. Smoking has slightly higher health risks. It allows extremely high doses of cocaine to reach the brain much quicker, resulting in an immediate, intense high. If injected, the drug user has a risk of contracting HIV/AIDS if needles or other injection equipment is shared. Physical effects are what make this drug illegal, and so highly dissuaded. The effects include constricted peripheral blood vessels, dilated pupils, and increased body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure. It’s also said that you will h ave a feeling of restlessness, irritability, and anxiety (both during use and in between periods). Once addicted, it is difficult to be broken out of the habit and death is very likely a possibility.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  High doses of cocaine, or just lengthened usage, can trigger paranoia. Smoking crack cocaine increases aggressive behavior. Alcohol mixed with cocaine compounds the danger each drug poses and causes a complex chemical interaction within your body. The human liver combines cocaine and alcohol to produce ... ...gs such as cocaine. Another problem is that, once legalized, the thrill will be gone. One of the reasons to try it and then, in most cases, continue with drugs is the thrill of getting caught or the fact that you know you’re doing something illegal. Also, drugs are so readily available today that basically if you want them, you can have them. There is not much the government can do. The government might as well legalize marijuana and make money off of it. It is going to be done illegal or legal. If it were to be legalized, the government could watch over it (no mixing of drugs). Also, since there seems to be an age limit and everything, such as alcohol and cigarettes, an age limit could be put on marijuana. As I stated above, there are many factors that are contributed to the legality of drugs. It is the government’s decision to determine which, and though some disagree, it is for the welfare of the country. This topic is high in discussion today and it’s a h ard decision to make considering all of the pros and cons. I think the way things are is fine, but for now only. A decision has to be made. You can’t allow it in certain areas and not everywhere.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Quality of Life Essay

Twenty first century is witnessing a world that has become an increasingly diverse and complex place. Changing global trends are causing a paradigm transformation of social and cultural systems. Western societies are experiencing an accelerated aging and people in general have evolved a misconception about today’s elderly. They are perceived as being sick, isolated, self-centred and a burden on society, which is totally false. There is a need to develop social cohesion between generations and within the older generation to understand the matter in correct perspective. An effort has been made in this paper to focus on this key issue and highlight the importance of inter and intragenerational relationships to quality of life to older people. The present demographic profile of the United Kingdom reflects a number of consistent and marked trends. People are living increasingly longer, the birth rate is showing a steady decline and the mean age is increasing steadily. By 2031, the over 80s population is predicted to double to 5 million, according to the Office of National Statistics. If the health of the elderly population follows current trends that will mean people spend more of their lives fighting various illnesses. Since 1981, the amount of time women can expect to live in poor health has increased by 15%. For men, the length of poor health rose by 34% (Triggle, 2004). Besides health, older people face the mobility problems, poor transport and lack of finance. Car usage declines with age and varies by sex. 77 per cent of men and 64 per cent of women aged 65-74 in 2001 in Great Britain had access to automobiles (National Statistics, 2006). Today, we can observe a significant change in family structures. The realignment of family ethos has caused varying degrees of separation between the young and old members of families and affected familial relationships negatively. As people age and their working lives end, they may have more free time available to spend in a social circle. Barriers of older life further enhance the necessity to promote inter and intragenerational relationships. This paper scrutinizes the various dimensions of quality of life at old age. It overviews the factors affecting quality of life and highlight the significance of relationships at old age. Components of Quality of Life  Quality of life is a wide ranging term. The Department for Work and Pensions of UK (2006) identifies five domains as the most relevant to assessing progress in older people’s quality of life: 1) Independence within inclusive communities. 2) Healthy, active living. 3) Fairness in work and later life. 4) Material well-being. 5) Support and care. Independence within inclusive communities necessitates to address issues like exercising independence, exercising choices that give them control over key aspects of their lives, and participation in local community through inter and intragenerational relationships. Health and active living deals with problems like access to healthcare proportionate to older people’s needs. Fairness in work and later life encompasses factors like job opportunities, involvement in decisions that affect their lives, and no age discrimination in access to goods, services and employment. Material wellbeing includes sustaining key elements of their previous lifestyle, and using their resources to best effect. Support and care encompasses the supply of care and support, availability of support in a variety of forms to meet diverse needs, affordable care, and protection to older people from abuse. Factors Affecting Quality of Life of Older People Good quality of life in old age is a realistic ambition for all. Early old age, sometimes called the Third Age, between 55 and 75 years old, is the phase of life between leaving the labour market and the onset of physical dependency. There are a number of factors that affect quality of life at this age. A research study carried out by Dr Blane (2003) concluded that quality of life for the affluent-healthy is higher than for the deprived-sick. Having control over when and when not to work has a significant bearing on quality of life. Then the quality and density of a person’s social network was more important than the number of people in the network. Importance of Intergenerational and Intragenerational Relationships to Quality of Life The term generation has a numerous contemporary meanings, incorporating biological, familial and social factors (Back, 1987). An intergenerational perspective (between and across generations) highlights the reciprocal obligations, rights and influences between different generations. An intragenerational perspective identifies similar age groups and the succession of individuals who are distinguished by the bounds of a society and set apart by time and common experience (Fredriksen, 1993). Historically, within the UK, there had been a strong tradition of the young learning from the old in their role as respected elders or through structures such as apprenticeship schemes and trade guilds (Hatton, 2002). Significance of intergenerational relationships is evident from a survey which reports that to the elderly, welfare of children and grandchildren is twice as more important than their own health and money (Roy, 1999). Older parents have always been providing financial support in the forms of donations, gifts and regular monetary contributions to their children. They are also important sources of instrumental support (shopping, cleaning, home maintenance, childcare) and emotional support (advice, validation) for their children (Bengtson, Rosenthal & Burton, 1990). Many elderly people continue to provide support for adult children and the provision of a home for one’s children can extend well beyond middle age (Evandrou, Falkingham, Rake & Scott, 2001). Living arrangements are a key dimension of quality of life and well-being in old age. Older people living alone are more likely to enter an institution than those living with other people (Breeze, Slogett & Fletcher, 1999). Involvement of older persons in local communities contributes to their quality of life, as well as to the functioning of the community. The relationship between different groups of older persons is therefore very crucial in maintaining the quality of life (UN-Economic and Social Council, 2002). Altered patterns of mortality and fertility have made intergenerational structures in the family more â€Å"top heavy† and vertically extended. While horizontal, intragenerational ties are shrinking, vertical ties across generations are more complex and durable than ever before in history (UN-Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2005). Importance of social groups and networks in later part of life is quite evident from a research study carried out in Scotland (Philip, Gilbert, Mauthner and Phimister, 2003). The participant observations and questionnaires have provided useful insights into the levels and types of participation in social groups among older people in the study area. The report finds that there is high level of participation and involvement in social groups amongst older people (aged over 60). As a whole, respondents attended 68 wide-ranging types of groups including civic participation (e. g. local government), voluntary activities (e. g. Red Cross; Meals on Wheels), friendship, social, leisure, religious, cultural, heritage and special interest groups. Those aged in their seventies and early eighties were the most likely to be involved in social activities Another study summarises that older people preferred the company of others, had a higher level of contact with friends and lower levels of psychological problems (McKee, 2002). In 2002 around three in ten men aged 80 and over and nearly one in five women in England said they owned a mobile phone. Use of mobile phones and the Internet helps older people to remain independent by making it easier for them to communicate with their family and friends or to access public and commercial services (National Statistics, 2006). Conclusion Society in the UK is changing. More people are living longer in greater prosperity. In the next decade, the numbers over 50, over 65 and over 80 will all increase to levels never seen before. We need a coherent strategy to manage that demographic change. Elaborate and diligent plans are required to enable older persons to continue to participate fully in all aspects of life. For a better quality of life, we need to promote the development of a society for all ages through the strengthening of intergenerational and intragenerational solidarity. Young generations have responsibilities and a special role in building a society for all ages. Older generations have equal role to play.

Amazon.Com Case Studies

Name: PRASHANTH BALAKRISHNAN Student ID: 071090070 Course: BIS 541/03 –MANAGING INFORMATION SYSTEMS Program: CEMBA Commonwealth Executive Master of Business and Administration TMA 1: â€Å"Amazon. com†- A Business History Tutor: Prasanan P. T. Kannan Submission Date: 07. March. 2009 [pic] TABLE OF CONTENTS ChapterTitlePage 1. 0Executive Summary 2. 0Problem Statement1 3. 0Analysis of Causes 3. 1 Amazon’s Debt 2-3 3. 2 Competition3-4 3. 3 Expansion4-6 4. 0Decision Criteria and Alternative Solutions 4. 1 Reduce expenditure in inventories and better management7 in supply chain 4. Presenting a competitive edge to competitors7 4. 3 Expansionto Asia8 5. Recommended Solutions 5. 1 Technology Integration and R&D9 5. 2 Strategic Cost Analysis9 5. 3 Differentiation9 5. 4 Inventory10 5. 5 Visionary & Informative10-11 5. 6 Keep customers in the loop on everything11 5. 7 Shipping & Delivery11 5. 8 Expansion to Asia Region11-12 5. 9 Word-of mouth advertisement12 6. 0 Expand the product lines13 6. 0Appendices14-16 7. 0References17 Executive Summary The study comprises of Amazon. om which started its history by selling books and now one of the online market leaders globally not only for books but products from various categories. Company started with a mission to be Earth’s most customer centric company. In order to become the largest and convenience online store for all, there are major problems or threat being faced by Amazon. com in succeeding its mission. The major problems are Amazon facing high amount of debt, it’s less initiative in not expanding to other developed countries, and also competition from other online retailers and one tough opponent is Barnes & Nobles. Many plans of actions can be taken and some of it is; Amazon. com should decrease long–term debt by increasing expenditure on research and development, increasing word-to-mouth advertisement and good customer service. Amazon. com should also expand the five most common languages in Asian region. Focus marketing strategies on customer feedback to find out what Asian customers tend to buy and willing to spend on. Strategize new plan on improving sites to be informative and attractive as much as possible so Amazon. com should also adapt to the best technology where it can sustain as a strong innovator in ever increasing retailer market. Amazon. com also must strive to give customers the best service in shipping and delivery as it’s an important aspect in online business to out beat its entire competitors on this online industry. Problem Statement The main problem faced by Amazon. com now being an online retailer can be divided to three in overall. Amazon. com is in confronting huge debt behind their successful screen. Amazon. com is lack of expansion to other regions or Asia which be said as another big market for a huge online bookseller as Amazon. com. Another problem is the competition being faced by them with one of the tough opponent as Barnes&Nobles. Analysis of the Problem Amazon. com’s in Debt 3. 1 Amazon’s Debt One of major causes of Amazon’s huge debt is its large expenditure. In order to keep its advantageous position, Amazon has no choice but to continue to spend astronomical amounts of money on sales & marketing, research & development and general & administrative costs. (Table 1 & Table 2) â€Å"One misstep, and its love affair withy investors and sources of capital could be over. (Kimberly Weisul, 1999) †¢ Competitors Although Amazon won the battle soon after entering the online cd and music market, there are some competitions in other product lines that may be too immensely strong to beat. For example, in March of 1999, Amazon introduced an auction service. After a few months effort, its auction business performed slightly, indicating how difficult it is to challenge the giant’s eBay and Yahoo! Auctions. |Auction Sites |27-Sep-99 |Multiplier needed to equal eBay listings | |Amazon Auctions |4. 0% |15. 3 | |eBay |73. 60% |   | |Yahoo! Auctions |21. 60% |3. 4 | Source: Auction Web sites and C. E Unterberg Towbin †¢ Consumer Behavior Amazon. com is widely regarded as having one of the best management team of any internet company. However, there are some outside forces that are not easy to manipulate. Security; as the number of Internet crimes increases, customers are becoming aware of the possible danger involved in the process of on-line shopping. This security problem may not be difficult to improve since security technology is innovated quickly, but to convince customer of this is not as easy ? Etailers vs. retailers Another factor is hard to manage customer purchasing habits. Most consumers still prefer the capability of seeing a product before buying it. Additionally, the number of people buying personal computers and that of the Internet population wil l directly affect Amazon’s sale. . 2 Competition †¢ Michael Porter’s Model ? Supplier ; Amazon started to build its own distribution centers in different locations and moving the products directly form the factory rather than from other distributors such that Amazon can lower its marginal costs. (Chao Janice C. Rice, Brandi S. Dec 8, 1999) ? Consumers ; Amazon. com continues to spend a lot of money in advertisement to reach customers as well as to increase customer awareness of eCommerce in general and brand name in particular. (Chao Janice C. Rice, Brandi S. Dec 8, 1999) ? Substitutes; The Substitute of eCommerce, the traditional retailers, is still more attractive than the Etailers. For example, we as consumers more than likely would rather go to the bookstore and browse through a book before we buy it. (Chao Janice C. Rice, Brandi S. Dec 8, 1999 ) 3. 3 Expansion †¢ Lack of Spanish website version (Latino and Hispanic Americans are the fastest-growing online ethnic group) †¢ Amazon. com is very less popular or it can said there are people without knowing the existence of Amazon. om †¢ Website is not more expanded with more languages options where currently there are options only for Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, France and China (www. amazon. com) Competition with Barnes& Nobles Amazon. com Weakness ? Difficulties of handling large number of customers ? Limited operating history ? Security awareness ? Low margins in the sector ? Risk of introduction of wrong new categories which could damage company’s bra nd ? Company’s offered free shipping might affect future financial outcome ? Certain products (high volume/weight) have high shipping costs which could confront with local offline retailers Threats ? eBay, Barnes & Nobles, and Wal-Mart ? Population segment not targeted to on-line sales due to their lack of internet access ? Weak economic performance of Germany and France in the last year ? Competition will increase due to the low barriers to entry in the market: offline companies are coming online ? Heavy investments in Partnerships (Dustin Nadeau & Donatas Sumyla. April 2006) Barnes and Nobles and Amazon. com are competing, but both stores and other online stores recognize what works and are studying one another – often duplicating one another’s business strategies. This has resulted in them having more similarities than differences and it helps the consumers find similarities across the Web such as; †¢ When a description of an item is given, Amazon and Barnes and Nobles both place the shopping cart option prominently displayed to the upper, right portion of the screen. This makes it very efficient and useable for the viewer and they do not have to search around the page for this button. (Clementina Imobhio May 5, 2001) †¢ In pricing, both Amazon. com and Barnesandnobles. com display the average price or their items above their own discounted rates so that the users feel as though they are saving money. (Clementina Imobhio May 5, 2001) †¢ Both sites are â€Å"Flexible†, there is an option of buying things at a later date and placing them in the shopping cart temporarily. This option is called the wish list and it is displayed just beneath the â€Å"Add to Cart† button. Users can access this saved information and acce ss it on their next visit. (Clementina Imobhio May 5, 2001) †¢ Both sites offer â€Å"Security† that provides safe shopping, privacy and efficiency by requiring customers to join as members at a certain point during a transaction. Membership is free and requires an email address, full name, home address and phone number. It allowing customers to maintain an order status and helps provide a history of what they bought. (Clementina Imobhio May 5, 2001) †¢   Both sites are very â€Å"Scalable†, allowing for a huge selection of items to be added to the product catalog or taken away. A Field size is accommodated in the database. (Clementina Imobhio May 5, 2001) 4. 0 Alternative Solutions 4. 1 Reduce expenditure in inventories and better management in supply chain ? Use increased income to pay down long-term debt ? Keep operating costs low (efficiencies of scales) ? Increase expenditure on Research & Development arena ? Strategic cost analysis ( WOU , MIS notes) ? Determining Differentiation ( WOU , MIS notes) 4. 2 Presenting a competitive edge to competitors †¢ Create more expertise in marketing and more product launches compared to competitors; †¢ Do a more through research on the customers needs and come up with something new that has its own brand and establishes as only Amazon. om could have the product. (Sujan Sarkar. April 23, 2007) †¢ A new Strategy on only books should be brought up in order to outcome one tough opponent as Barnes & Nobles. For example, Amazon. com’s booth’s can be set up in country sides where there is no access for Internet and give knowledge to country people that there also business through online. This is because; giving more exposure and awareness to people might be a business opportun ity as well. †¢ Product review information; Customers would have n a clear description, synopsis and other customer’s review on the book as it gives a clear rating of the book and there won’t be any sort of disappointments for them after purchase. 4. 3 Expansion to Asia †¢ Create different website versions based on the five most common language in Asian region †¢ Focus marketing strategies on customer feedback to find out what Asian customers tend to buy. †¢ Word of mouth advertisement (Onder Savas Devrim Dirik. January 9, 2003) †¢ Continue expanding its product lines 5. 0 Recommended Solution & Implementation 5. Technology Integration and R&D Amazon. com should increase expenditure in the research and development arena. We believe that Amazon should prepare itself for additional telecommunications implementations such as high speed internet and network security. These types of implementation, though representative of considerable R&D costs, ar e probably most significant factors that etailers must prepare for near future. As users, connections increase in speed, any delays on the part of the etailer they are connecting to will become obvious and less tolerable. Amazon can stay ahead of the pack by preparing a unique and comfortable interface for the users. 5. 2 Strategic Cost Analysis Amazon. com should also use Strategic cost analysis process where identify the firm’s value chain, diagnose the key elements that drive the costs of each value activity, identify competitors value chains, develop a strategy to lower relative costs by controlling cost drivers, ensure that any cost reduction does not erode differentiation in service and test the cost reductions if its sustainable in the end of the analysis. . 3 Differentiation They should also consider by costs by determining Differentiation where the process goes as determine who the real buyer is, identify buyer’s value chain and put in rank order the buyer’s reason to purchase, asses the current potential sources of diffentiation, identify the cost of these resources, design a value chain to maximize value relative costs, test for sustainiablity and reduce costs in activi ties that do not affect the chosen forms of differentiation. 5. Inventory; There are programs built to be extremely user-friendly, and most offer great support along the way of usage for online businesses to maintain the book database. Amazon should invest in software to best highlight and maintain the data on the site and importantly back up systems. Keep inventory accurate and up to date; This is also an important aspect that Amazon can out beat its competitors with as this is first step towards building a long-term relationship with that customer. Inventory of the books stock-out and sold out will be kept up to date on the site. 5. 5 Visionary & Informative A picture is worth a thousand words; Uploading pictures by decreasing explanations or descriptions could attract customer’s attraction and curiosity in exploring the book. Somehow it boosts up sales compared to other online booksellers who give attention in words. Product Review Information; In case of books, editorial reviews are provided by the company and it applies for all books. Customers can also rate each other’s review. A rating is placed against each review so that customers can decide whether to read or not based on that. Most online booksellers do not include this but they display the customer’s satisfaction on the delivery service provided by them which is less important to boost up sales. People out there want to pay you for your books; Amazon should use own merchant service account or a service offered by a listing site, make sure that customers can buy books quickly and painlessly with a credit card while you have them on the brink of finalizing said purchase. Don’t judge a book by its cover; First impressions are lasting impressions. When a customer receives the book they’ve ordered, make sure the first thing they see is a product and package that you are proud to have supplied by using use clean, new boxes without writing (or envelopes for low-cost paperbacks) for shipments. Customers will be expecting an excellent service but if its vice versa then they are chances for them to switch to other online retailers. 5. 6 Keep customers in the loop on everything; Amazon should update the status of order to customers on the order made and also keep them in loop by e-mail the listing service directly with questions about their orders and keep updating the latest events and new stocks of books through emails. 5. 7 Shipping & Delivery Follow-up; After shipping out an item to the customer, Amazon should send them an e-mail a day or two after expecting that they’ll receive their package, asking them if they’ve received it and are satisfied, and reminding them that there customer rep are there to help should they have any questions about their order. This is also a great time to remind them that you have similar items in stock or to offer them a coupon towards future purchases. 5. 8 Expansion to Asia Region Amazon should strive to expand its expertise to Asia region as well as high potentials are there which huge population. Education is becoming one important aspect in Asia and lack of important reference books are always a problem in many parts of Asia. It should diversify its marketing capability in Asia too to capture the market. Amazon is very less popular in Asia regions. Amazon. om should take Asia to consider for its business expansion. Amazon could also diversify its marketing and research ability to expand mostly to the developed countries of other territory. In order to grow big and always sustain in the market and competition, Amazon should takes this sort of steps to expand. International Sites; Amazon. com has got an added advantage of international sites on Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, France and China. All about what the customers have to do to browse the site with their language is by clicking to their national site. For example, if you clink Japan, immediately the whole website will change its descriptions and instructions into Japanese language. This is not at all applicable for a customer in Malaysia or any other regions of Asia. It should expand and add more languages options in its site to accumulate its customers. Giving customers what they want is also one strategy not all online business can do but if this can be proven in Amazon’s case then it have all the potential to be the one. 5. 9 Word-of mouth advertisement Amazon also should increase its word-of mouth advertisement. This might seem odd for an industry leader to rely upon such a quaint tactics as this, but we truly believe that in the world of Internet this is a powerful tool. We are quick to visit sites that our friends identify as being fabulous, and Amazon might capitalize on this by rewarding its customers who can reel in a new prospects. 6. 0 Expand the product lines Amazon should expand its product lines. Given’s Amazon’s vision and its unique position in the etailer industry, the cost associated with entering new markets is significantly lower than that of its competitors. There is no reasons to let this advantage slip away unused. Conclusion In order to stay focus on business Amazon. com has various ways and strategies that can be implemented with proper organizations communication networks. Financial reports should be reviewed annually and quarterly if necessary to come up with decisions whether to boost up sales or to maintain on a certain criteria for the wellness of business. Amazon. com also should have a frequent customer feedback program where they could exchange view on the services and products most desired to be acquired online by customers. Top level management meetings should be initiated to assure goals are achieved. A proper corrective action should be determined after the first year if annual objectives weren’t accomplished. However there are difficulties and competitions to overcome, and how companies attack these difficulties will separate the winners form the losers. Appendix |AMAZON. COM, INC. HISTORICAL INCOME STATEMENTS | |(in millions, except per share data)(quarterly information unaudited) | |Amazon. com Investor Relations | | | | | | | |Calendar Years Ended – December 31, | | |2008 |2007 |2006 |2005 |2004 |2003 |2002 | |Media |   | $ 5,350 | $ 4,630 | $ 3,582 | $ 3,046 | $ 2,589 | $ | | | | | | | | |2,270 | |Other |   | 448 | 326 | 263 | 222 | 130 | | | | | | | | | |110 | |International |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |Media |   | 5,734 | 4,612 | 3,485 | 2,885 | 2,513 | | | | | | | | | |1,780 | |Other |   | 94| 57| 20| | | | | | | | | |8 |2 |- | |Consolidated |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |Media |   | 11,084 | 9,242 | 7,067 | 5,931 | 5,102 | | | | | | | | | |4,050 | |Other |   | 542 | 383 | 283 | 230 | 132 | | | | | | | | | |110 | Table 2- Source; www. amazon. com (Investors Relations) |Total U. S. Home, Work and University Locations, Unique Visitors (000) | |Source: comScore Media Metrix | |Rank |Property |Unique Visitors |Rank |Property |Unique Visitors | | | |(000) | | |  (000) | |   |Total Internet : Total Audience |191,863 |   |   |   | |1 |Google Sites |151,010 |26 |Target Corporation |28,628 | |2 |Yahoo! Sites |146,131 |27 |Time Warner – Excluding AOL |27,209 | |3 |Microsoft Sites |125,568 |28 |Weatherbug Property |26,944 | |4 |AOL LLC |108,441 |29 |Bank of America |26,322 | |5 |Fox Interactive Media |90,510 |30 |United Online, Inc |26,048 | |6 |Ask Network |74,742 |31 |Gorilla Nation |25,585 | |7 |eBay |72,160 |32 |AT&T, Inc. 25,574 | |8 |Amazon Sites |64,768 |33 |Answers. com Sites |25,563 | |9 |Wikipedia Foundation Sites |62,737 |34 |Demand Media |25,447 | |10 |FACEBOOK. COM |57,232 |35 |CareerBuilder LLC |24,750 | |11 |Glam Media |55,293 |36 |Everyday Health |24,717 | |12 |Turner Network |54,877 |37 |Shopzilla. com Sites |24,097 | |13 |Apple Inc. 54,194 |38 |Photobucket. com LLC |23,928 | |14 |CBS Corporation |53,539 |39 |WordPress |23,730 | |15 |New York Times Digital |49,110 |40 |Real. com Network |23,359 | |16 |Viacom Digital |46,510 |41 |Expedia Inc |22,703 | |17 |Weather Channel, The |40,056 |42 |JPMorgan Chase Property |22,399 | |18 |craigslist, inc. 39,437 |43 |Mons ter Worldwide |22,244 | |19 |AT&T Interactive Network |38,184 |44 |Gannett Sites |21,829 | |20 |Adobe Sites |35,315 |45 |WorldNow – ABC Owned Sites |21,586 | |21 |Comcast Corporation |33,940 |46 |WebMD Health |21,185 | |22 |Wal-Mart |33,513 |47 |iVillage. com: The Womens Network |21,002 | |23 |Superpages. com Network |32,558 |48 |NBC Universal |20,974 | |24 |Verizon Communications Corporation |32,412 |49 |WhitePages |19,351 | |25 |Disney Online |30,345 |50 |ESPN |19,266 | Table 3; Media Matrix; http://www. comscore. com References 1] Chao Janice C. Rice, Brandi S. Dec 8, 1999 http://www. rhsmith. umd. du/faculty/jbailey/ents630/amazon. pdf 2] Dustin Nadeau & Donatas Sumyla. April 2006- Amazon. Com Inc 2004. (Accessed Feb 20, 2009) 3] Clementina Imobhio May 5, 2001 – E-Transaction: Shopping Carts Comparison (Accessed Feb 20, 2009) 4] Paul Larson. February 14, Amazon. com – Motley Fool Research, Stock Report http://www. fool. com/search/index. aspx? go=1&site=USMF &q=amazon. com (Accessed Feb 16, 2009) 5] Onder Savas Devrim Dirik. January 9, 2003 – Informat? on Management (Accessed Feb 16, 2009) 6] Strategic Analysis of Amazon. com (Accessed Feb 19, 2009) 7] www. wikinvest. com/wiki/E-Commerce, (Accessed Feb 20, 2009) 8] www. ikinvest. com/stock/Amazon. com_(AMZN), (Accessed Feb 20, 2009) 9] www. wikinvest. com/stock/Barnes_%26_Noble_(BKS), (Accessed Feb 20, 2009) 10] Sujan Sarkar. April 23, 2007 – Amazon vs. Barnes & Noble: www. santarosa. edu/~ssarkar/cs66sp07/fprj/abn. htm (Accessed Feb 16, 2009) 11] Table 1- Source; www. amazon. com (Investors Relations) (Accessed Feb 17, 2009) 12] Table 2- Source; www. amazon. com (Investors Relations) (Accessed Feb 17, 2009) 13] Table 3; Media Matrix; http://www. comscore. com (Accessed Feb 17, 2009) ———————– AMAZON Supplier New Entrance Substitute Consumers

Impact of Gender Difference on Leadership Styles

Impact of Gender Difference on Leadership Styles Introduction Societies are characterized by a number of identities that classify people into groups. Gender has been identified as one of the major basis upon which people are classified and treatments and recognitions are then accorded according to gender. Gender is defined as the identification of an individual as either a male or a female.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Impact of Gender Difference on Leadership Styles specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Establishment of norms in societies that over time defined the roles of each gender led to drawn lines on how each gender was to be treated and the kind of positions that could be held by each gender affecting relations even in workplaces. This paper seeks to discuss the Impacts of gender differences on leadership styles. The paper will look into leadership styles as employed by either gender to identify differences in application of the styles by both male and femal e leaders. Difference in Gender Leadership Styles Leadership Model The way in which both men and women operate in organizational set ups has been identified to differ with either gender experiencing different traits from the other. Leadership model has for instance been one of the avenues upon which the leadership styles between the masculine gender and the feminine gender has been realized. Consideration of the leadership model also offers a view of the two genders as either dynamic or conservative parties. While the masculine gender is culturally associated with ancient leadership styles, the feminine gender has been significantly associated with a new approach to leadership. A review of the old model and the new model of leadership, for instance, gives a revelation of the difference in the styles. Approach to how things are handled under the two genders is, for example, completely different. While a management headed by a man will be based on competition, that headed by a woman w ill be based more on cooperation. A masculine leader who is in most cases result oriented will establish his focus on individual personalities who can help the organization or the team to achieve its goals and objectives. This can lead into individual focus with other subordinates being ignored. A feminine leadership is on the other hand based on effective coordination of all subordinates to ensure that any achievement that is made is attributed to the effort of each and every individual. This thus establishes a major difference in the leadership styles that impact on the subordinates. While the masculine gender will lead to the development of the competitive individuals at the expense of the remaining population, the feminine gender ensures that the whole population grows together through interactions that promote interpersonal learning. The way in which managements are organized with respect to the two genders also illustrates a difference.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The masculine gender has for instance been associated with a clearly defined hierarchal leadership that illustrates positions in the structure while the feminine group is more of inclined to team work in which every person is considered to be equal with same input to the group. The main drives in leadership among the two groups are also different. The masculine group is normally particular of being identified as the winners in the dealings that they undertake. They as a result can make sacrifices to attain this goal in most cases. Contrary to this opinion, the feminine group are more of focused on the output of the transaction rather that being considered as a winner in a process. This describes the man to be more of interested in quantity achievements that are publicly visible while the female gender is more of concerned with qualitative achievements that can be derived f rom undertakings (MacGregor, 2000). The difference in leadership styles are also significantly realized in terms exhibited characteristics of the two groups that have been noted over time. Following their preference of the structure of leadership according to gender, the masculine are more of possessed with elements of control over their subordinates, an element that leads to a clear definition of power along a structure. This provides for submissive subordinates that are totally controlled by the leadership. On the contrary, the feminine is not concerned with controlling people but rather on the influence that facilitates corporation into team work. Emotions also draw a line between the two managements. There is an established emotional attachment between a female leader and her subordinates that is normally associated with sympathy and even personal involvement of the leader on what the subordinates are going through. This is further identified with a high level of team work coope ration leading to high standard output. Men on the other hand lack emotional attachment and handles subordinates on the basis of set standards upon which they are evaluated. The mode of application of authority also forms a basis for classifying a leadership as either feminine or masculine. Though the element of power is normally associated with both leaderships, the masculine leadership uses the power to dictate how things are supposed to be done. It established an authority that is considered to be paramount. The feminine leadership on the other hand views power in terms of influence on people. In this way, a direction is established without dictatorship and motivational elements are realized (MacGregor, 2000). Command and Control verses Interactive Leadership The leadership styles that are have been realized among men and women differ across the line of command and authoritative approach. The leadership by men has been identified to be full of authoritativeness. Women leaders on the other hand form a base that depends on interaction with team members for the attainment of their objectives.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Impact of Gender Difference on Leadership Styles specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The interactive leadership style which has been associated with the general characteristics of the feminine gender has particular features that are culturally possessed by women and somehow lacking in men. Communication skills for example is instrumental in women as it enable them to pay attention, to listen to their subordinates and to eventually associate with the problems that are realized under them. This offers them a leadership advantage that is derived from the confidence that they win from the subordinates and the subsequent level of influence that is obtained. Impatience in men on the contrary fails to induce this influence and in most cases, where authority fails to lead, the feminin e leadership is realized to prevail. Apart from the difference realized due to communication skills, the capacity to reconcile conflicting parties is also realized to be more among women leaders as compared to men. While playing a middle ground such as a mediator needs a soft approach that is rich in influence, the male approach to leadership will miss the objective of influencing the conflicting parties to hit a compromise through sacrifices from either side and authoritatively impose a decision on the individuals. The male approach to leadership will contrary to reconciling the parties cause more rifts. The two genders are also different in the way in which they handle people. While women have a rich value in the manner in which they relate to other people creating a cohesive environment for collaboration, men leaders lack the concept (Muse, n.d.). The interactive leadership that is associated with the feminine gender is also characterized with features that promote individual inp ut into teamwork. The features that are illustrated about the feminine leader establish a ground on which every subordinate is made comfortable under the leadership. The level of motivation that is achieved from personal relation with the interactive leader also empowers the team members to greater individual and collective output. While the masculine leadership was a traditionally developed leadership approach in its originality, feminine leadership approach is identified to have been pushed by the weak nature of women. The fact that women are traditionally perceived to assume the features of being â€Å"cooperative, supportive, understanding, gentle and to provide services to other people† (Muse, n.d., p. 1), they were not able to adjust into the traditional leadership type that needed contrary characteristics to theirs. As a result, the interactive leadership developed as women got into leadership responsibilities. The history of the two leadership styles therefore also di stinguishes them (Muse, n.d.).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Transformational verses Transactional Leadership Leadership difference as realized between the masculine and the feminine groups can also be classified as either transformational or transactional along the gender lines. Following the passionate features of women, the female leaders adopts influence as a leadership tool that in turn changes team members to change their interest from being self centered into being focused on the achievements of the group. Leadership by men on the other hand has a lot of formalities in which the subordinates are offered rewards based on what they give to the organization. It thus has a lot of formalities that may not encourage or inspire people out of the management’s normalcy. Punishments that are in addition realized over mistakes made under the masculine transactional approach also presents a lot of limitation to workers due to fear of making mistakes to penalties (Muse, n.d.). Diversity to Feminine’s Advantage The trend of results as illustrated by research has also been revealing a significant element over the difference in leadership among the feminine and the masculine. The two groups are identified to have been different from each other on the natural basis of diversity. This difference which has been associated with both genetic and social factors shapes both the masculine and the feminine to adopting their diversified characteristics in the environment. Engagement in leadership by individuals thus reveals the diversity as properties of the leaders are forced into application. The association of particular leadership styles by gender which also shapes the input which such leaders can make to an organization is also a factor for consideration in relation to leadership difference. Contributions that can be made by a woman in a given organization are thus different from those which a man can offer under similar circumstances. It is with this respect that leadership as offered by women has come to be realized i n the corporate world. The changing trends in business operations that has required particular leadership skills has indicated the difference in leadership styles across the gender lines since the leadership styles are similarly identified with particular management needs most of which are identified to be better performed by women. According to peter, philosophical views have in particular indicated that the leadership style that is currently required based on the needs by organizations are more of inclined to the nature of women. The strategic approach to leadership that requires a long term visionary leaders is for instance more easily identified with women rather than with men. Other features of leadership as demanded for by the current environment that calls for the building of strong links between individuals working together has also been critical in the subject of leadership difference by gender. There exists for this reason an element of natural selection into leadership al ong gender lines. An organization which has for instance identified its goals to be long term and teams being the basis for its success will most likely go for a woman in leadership in order to capitalize on attaining the organization’s objectives. The emergence of women in leadership positions as realized in the currently developing trends is the result of such difference in leadership styles and the corresponding needs in management. This difference has been so significant with some experts claiming that under normal circumstances in which both men and women have same qualifications, then women will no doubt beat men out of leadership in professional fields, both public and private sectors. The change in the environment that has required different leadership styles from those that have in the past been offered by men is thus shifting attention to the characteristics that are in general exhibited by women. Based of their natural values, the women have been favored by the cur rent needs in leadership which has exposed the difference in character between the masculine population and the feminine group (Kelley, 1997). Difference in leadership styles as illustrated according to gender is also attributable to the way in which gender has in itself affected leadership. Though some researchers have established the ground that the difference in leadership styles as realized by the different gender is more of a consequence, there are opinions that it is the gender factor that has driven the changes that are being realized across the gender divide. Sociological factors have been significantly identified to have driven the change in leadership styles that has favored the feminine gender. Based on their capacity to easily socialize, women have shown more tendencies to fit in the models that are outlined by organizations for their operations. This has made women to be more compatible with the currently developed structures and outlined behavior as required by organiz ation. The difference as realized between men and women which has made women to be favorites in fitting into organizational structures have thus given women the opportunity to use their traits to transform leadership styles (Grant, 2008). There is however still some researchers who believe that there is no significant difference in leadership along genders lines. They argue that roles that are stipulated by management are quite strong to allow behavioral elements to shape leadership (Chrisler NcCreary, 2010). Recommendation Though the difference in leadership style exist between the masculine and the feminine on the basis of cultural considerations and individual personalities to exhibit the feminine category as a preference in the current leadership demand, gender sensitivity and balance still calls for inclusion of men in leadership. An integration of leadership is recommended to blend the features exhibited by the two groups as well as training the masculine group to adjust to t he properties that are exhibited by the feminine. Conclusion The difference which is realized in leadership along gender lines are a result of cultural instilled properties on women according to norms of societies. Improvements can thus be made by training men on the same. References Chrisler, J NcCreary, D. (2010). Handbook of Gender Research in Psychology, Volume 2. Toronto, Canada: Springer. Grant, K. (2008). Fourth European conference on management, leadership and governance. London, UK: Academic Conferences Limited. Kelley, M. (1997). Gender difference and leadership, a study. AU.AF. Web. MacGregor, M. (2000). Gender difference: a worksheet on leadership styles. Fasten Network. Web. Muse, M. (n.d.). Leadership, barriers and styles. Google Docs. Web.

About Astrology essays

About Astrology essays Astrology I dont believe in astrology at all, but before you can make a decision wether you believe in something or not you have to know exactly what it is. So first of all i have to define astrology. Astrology can be defined as the practice of mapping planetary positions for a given date, time and place for the purpose of determining correlations between celestial phenomena and events on earth. These configurations are then interpreted according to the context in which tehy apply. The most known terms concerning Astrology are the horoscope and the Zodiac or Sun sign. There are twelve Zodiac signs: Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio and Sagittarius. It depends on your date of birth which of these Zodiac signs is yours. Each of these signs are combined with certain traits. A horoscope can be drawn and then interpreted for an individual, a business, an event or even a country. You can find horoscopes in nearly every newspaper or daily journal. Most people are aware of their Zodiac sign which determines what horoscope you are tempted to read in the newspaper. My personal sign is Capricorn. It is said that capricorns are very determined peole that care a lot about their career. Although this is true, it could ebensogut be absolutely wrong. So it is just a coincidence if your own traits fit to these traits that are combined with you personal sun sign. To me these predictions to the future are absolutely nonsense. It is impossible to predict the future so all clairvoyants are charlatans that try to people in order to get money. Astrology is as many other kinds of an attempt of the human being to deal with the problem of existence. If a Fortuneteller tells me that i will meet the woman of my dreams or something like that, i will never believe it.i only believe in what is explainable. i` ...

Causes of Religion in the US and Liberalism in Mexico

Causes of Religion in the US and Liberalism in Mexico Religion and Society Final Exam Account for the continuing vigour of religion in the United States. The United States remains the most dominant centre of science and rationalism on the planet today- normally these social factors create a division between religion and people, although, in America, people continue to be highly religious. Religion in America is available to its people as effortlessly as consumer goods are; a market economy. Every possible religious idea is freely available to be practiced within this market economy and their popularity is due to the vast availability of these religions and religious ideology; simply put, Religion in America is based on variety. There is a very large social significance to religious practice in America. There is a connotation in America that one must believe in a higher power, i.e. God. People are looked upon as different and out of the ordinary of American society if some allegiance and devotion is not expressed towards God. Even thoug h devotion to ‘mainstream’ Churches is declining, religion and religious practices remains of high priority to American people. America is in an era that is showing devotion to mega Churches. Mega Churches hold religious services traditionally (within a house of worship), and non-traditionally (through radio and television broadcasts) to very large amounts of people. These non-tradition religious communities are poised to spread the word of their specific beliefs and faith through modern means; this is a very simplistic approach to gaining and maintaining interest in their message of God and God’s will. The modern approach to religious devotion and the social significance that Americans place on religious belief all account for the vigour of religion in America. Although all forms of religion make up the religious right of America, there are still certain religious groups who have a higher percentage of followers compared to others. Religious groups want to ensur e these ‘popular’ religions remain powerful especially when faced with social and political issues within American government and state. Moral Majority is a coalition of religious believers with influence over important people within America with important ties to government, the corporate world, etc. The organization is thought to have influence over American politics in order to preserve religious ideology and influence on American law and way of life. The total integration of religion within all aspects of America is a direct reflection of the importance placed on religious belief and practice by many within the country. Discuss the impact of ‘liberalism’ on the Catholic Church in Mexico. Napoleon’s conquest of the Iberian Peninsula was the first instance where we observe the Catholic Churches attitude toward liberalism. The Catholic Church initially showed supported toward the revolution because in Spain they were seeing radical groups take away the control they had over the regions churches and schools. After the Catholic Churches war in Spain they were faced with severe unrest within their own Church, but also with severe economic turmoil. These hard times opened the doors for political organizations to take shape. A well known group that came about was called the Masonic Lodges. These Masons were historically very Anti-Catholic and worked to eliminate the influence of Church from state; they had planned to disrupt the Catholic Church and its day to day proceedings in anyway necessary. There were many groups like the Masons and eventually they would collude and join forces, thus creating the Liberal Party, thus creating the liberal movement and the revolution had begun.

Business Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Business Ethics - Essay Example Whilst other people may not be aware of this, the management will be fully aware that their action contravenes the moral principles they should uphold in their operations. They will be just behaving in such a way as a result of the fact that their action is beneficial to the majority of the people involved. To them, this practice is morally right since it benefits the majority of people. For instance, this action means that the company stands better chances of generating more revenue from this malpractice. This in turn benefits the shareholders and other stakeholders who have interests in the company. However, other unsuspecting people are likely to be impacted negatively by this kind of action. It may not be noticeable but these people are likely to be affected in the long run. The organizations in particular should always be guided by their stated values that compel them to act in way that make them different from other companies. The values in this case are basic tenets that shape the culture of the organization and these should not be compromised for financial gain. From this assertion, it can be seen that financial gains should not be given precedence over the interests of other people since this action is likely to result in negative consequences to the affected people. Indeed, the goal of each organization is to generate profits from its operations but care should be taken so as to ensure that the rights of the other people are not violated for the love of money by the organization involved. The moral principles that shape the company’s values should always shape its operations so as to be in a position to create trust among different stakeholders. It can also be seen that... It can be observed that action that is regarded as morally right may have negative consequences though it may benefit the majority of the people involved. Actions that are detrimental to other people should never be condoned though they are beneficial to the majority of people. Ethical principles that try to distinguish between something that is bad from right should always be upheld regardless of the fact that bad action can yield benefits to other people. It should always be noted that something wrong will remain wrong no matter how beneficial it may be to other people who may be involved in such a scenario.

Child malnutrition Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Child malnutrition - Research Paper Example Some of the worst cases are in the regions of sub-Saharan Africa (in countries such as Botswana, Burundi and Nigeria) and in South Asia (India, Pakistan and Bangladesh) but there are also packets of malnutrition in areas like Southeast Asia (Cambodia and Laos) or in Latin America (Bolivia, Guatemala and Peru). Child malnutrition can start at the infant stage when there is no or very poor breast feeding is available. This can persist as the child grows up and has an irreversible impact on a child’s health by age two. Malnourished children grow up into adults with some serious health problems such as tuberculosis and increasing the risk of infection to a variety of diseases. The issue of child malnutrition has a knock-on effect on an individual starting with lowered brain functions resulting in impaired educational achievement which in turn results into a failure to gain the right education in order to get decent jobs and earn a respectable income. This paper discusses the issue of child malnutrition from a global perspective, what the charities and aid organizations are doing to help kids and evaluate how effective these aid programs are. Discussion Child malnutrition has taken center stage in the world’s attention because it had crept up again, with the number of malnourished children increasing. Various causes of this are to frequent conflicts that destroy the delivery of basic government services. In the past period, especially during 1950-2000, there was a significant reduction in the prevalence of children’s malnutrition worldwide especially in the group of developing countries (Smith & Haddad 61). Vast improvements in women’s education, women’s social status, national food availability, a rise in incomes and attainment of democratic freedoms contributed to the reduction (ibid.) and the most significant improvements were achieved in the region of East and Southeast Asia. In these two regions lived some 2.1 billion inhabita nts (with China alone at 1.3 billion people). The reduction in child malnutrition prevalence was due extremely rapid reduction in the child mortality rates from migrations, urbanization, increased access to education and an aggressive family-health and maternal-health intervention program (Attane & Barbiere 7). Global Issue – child malnutrition has attracted the focus of efforts from the WHO as it is one of the leading preventable causes of death among children. In particular, about half of all child deaths (estimated between 4.6 and 5.0 million annually) are caused by malnutrition. Diarrhea is a major risk factor in child malnutrition that results from the lack of safe drinking water in developing countries, especially for children under five years old (Oloo 3). Diarrhea is the most prevalent in developing countries and accounts for a high proportion of sickness and death among children because of its strong correlation to malabsorption of nutrients (The World Bank 22). A la ck of iodine has been identified as a leading preventable cause of child’s mental impairment which is estimated to reduce the intelligence quotient by10-15 points in a case of another preventable cause of malnutrition that requires only little financial resources which developing countries could very well afford even without outside aid. Child Malnutrition in Somalia –

HAPPINESS AND MORALITY Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

HAPPINESS AND MORALITY - Term Paper Example Based on the points raised by virtue ethics, a person is being moral when he is performing moral acts. Therefore, the requisite for cultivating a reputation as being virtuous is through performing acts that are moral or virtuous which makes the person becomes moral or virtuous. This is the heart of her argument regarding the supposed autonomy of happiness and morality with each other. Aristotle postulates â€Å"being moral will make you happy† (qtd. in Vitrano 4), which Vitrano argues saying that the morality and intellectual character of a person do not automatically lead to happiness (3). In her words, Vitrano states â€Å"we do find happy immoralists, people who knowingly break the rules of society and appear unaffected by it† (3). Vitrano makes a plausible explanation for her conclusion that a person who appears to be moral needs first to perform virtuous acts or by being virtuous. One cannot establish his or her image as a virtuous person without doing acts that ha ve intrinsic moral values in it. I agree with Vitrano that an appearance of a virtuous individual entails the actual doing of things which are deemed virtuous. For instance, a president is not seen as a virtuous person without acting like one, such as abolishing the death penalty because it is pro-life. If the president does the opposite by signing the retention of that capital punishment, on a philosophical perspective, he appears to be immoral by doing the exact opposite of a virtuous act. Based on Aristotelian perspective, moral or intellectual virtues are the key to happiness; meaning, failure to appear virtuous by not performing moral acts does not make a person happy. However, I do agree with Vitrano that moral acts do not necessarily result to happiness because it is an independent domain apart from morality and intelligence. This has also the same logic with what Martin says, â€Å"Individuals blessed with every good fortune can be unhappy because they are depressed, and in dividuals with little good fortune can still be happy† (8). In the same way that fortune does not mean happiness, doing moral acts also does not automatically lead to happiness. Pascal’s Wager: Similarities and Differences with Vitrano’s Christine Vitrano’s view of happiness and morality shares some similarities with Pascal’s Wager. Both Vitrano and Pascal acknowledged the subjectivity among humans in terms of reasoning their state of happiness and their religion. Vitrano states that happiness cannot be construed on the volume of material possessions a person has or the moral and intellectual cause of his or her actions (3). Happiness is when humans view their lives positively, albeit fortune or doing things with morality and intellectual purpose as foundations (Vitrano 3). In other words, human happiness depends on the personal outlook of the person regarding the way he or she lives life. This view is embodied in the â€Å"life satisfaction viewâ €  that follows the subjectivity of one’s basis for being in a state of happiness (Vitrano 3). On one hand, Blaise Pascal in his work Pensees, encapsulated in his Wager the rationalization behind every religion. In the same case as Mathematics believes the existence of an infinite number although its appearance has not yet been witnessed, the same case applies to the existence of God. In Pascal’s Wager, he quantifies that God is â€Å"infinitely incomprehensible† because he is not, by affinity, related to us, and that he has neither â€Å"

Evaluation a movie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Evaluation a movie - Essay Example ng, imaginative direction, able performances and stunning visual effects which have all contributed to create a unique impression on the viewer’s mind. Christopher Nolan has written and directed Inception. The film’s chief protagonist, the thief: Dom Cobb (enacted by Leonardo DiCaprio) is endowed with a special power of invading people’s dreams and stealing their ideas. Instead of stealing things, he steals people’s visions. Cobb is able to enter the subconscious levels of the mind of his victims and gather information about their deepest thoughts, ideas and imaginations. Therefore, he is a valued resource in the domain of corporate spying activities since Cobb can access information which cannot be gathered by even computer hackers. However, by a sudden turn of events, the thief loses all his possessions. In a frantic effort to seek redemption, Cobb engages himself in a final mission along a group of specialists. However, this time they are require to implant an idea in a human mind instead of stealing one from it. The success of this mission would add a new dimension in the domain of psychological surveillanc e. Realizing the importance of their mission, Cobb and his team plan their actions intricately and gather all the instruments for executing the operation. However, their efforts are countered by an evil enemy who seems to possess all prior information about their plan of action and has devised suitable methods to thwart the assignment. The film portrays the altercations between the two groups and who finally emerges successful in completing their respective mission. Though it is mainly a science fiction, Inception has â€Å"drama, adventure, mystery, suspense, action as well as fantasy† skillfully weaved into its plot. Being a psychic science fiction, Inception relies heavily on special effects to create the desired impact on the viewer’s mind. Paul Franklin was the visual effects supervisor of the movie. He has utilized computer-generated imagery

Analyze readings and tv episode Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Analyze readings and tv episode - Essay Example However, it is noticeable that the recent trend represents a paradigm shift in celebrity development. What is apparent is a programmatic shift in the way the contemporary celebrity is developed through concurrent media – television and internet-based branding in particular. Thus, no longer are only the elites with their extraordinary levels of consciousness considered as an important pool of personnel to be regarded for mainstream celebrity, as Hearn illustrates, â€Å"Psychoanalytic  concerns about unconscious  identity formation are for the most part, left to the side here, as are any claims about essential human nature† (198). This has paved way for Ordinariness amongst the recent wave of celebrity development, which, rest assured, has always enjoyed a certain repertoire amongst the discourses of mass celebrities along with denoting essential ingredients of various film and televised content (Bonner). Turner refers to this phenomenon as the demotic turn (153-154) which signifies a convergence of ordinary and celebrity. While there is inherent contradictoriness in the discourses of celebrity itself, as a celebrity by nature cannot be ordinary once elevated by mass appeal, this contradiction is what enhances the apparent widespread acceptance and validation of reality tv shows and the celebrity development it engages in. ... sess singing skills to audition and be judged by a panel in order to partake further in various singing formats with the promise of a reward for the winner in the form of a contract with a leading record label. The participants are initially screened by a panel but later voted on by the general population in a seemingly democratic process of selection. The particular episode in question was part of season 11 episode 1, and was aired on January 18th, 2012. Analysis Turner’s principles of demotic turn were primarily aimed at the understanding of recent celebrity proliferation in mass media. His focus was to determine how self-branding techniques in popular media such as reality TV shows, DIY internet websites, radio talk shows etc. serve to exacerbate the systematic popularization of ordinary people in order to classify them celebrity status. His acknowledgement of the self is characterized by self-recognition, a distinct identity that is argued in the public’s redeeming eye, accepted and promoted. Reality TV accounts for a certain kind of recognition of self as well, as witnessed in American Idol over its tenure. Participants occasionally have to make their case in front of the judges in terms of qualities other than singing, which the show wholly comprises of. Turner cites William Hung as an example, who although never qualified past the screening process, argued that he did not have any training in singing or dancing which he seemed to believe identified him as unique (154). However, he most certainly classified as entertainment, and was rewarded by the show in subsequent re-runs of his audition as part of the show’s promotion. He engaged in a modern form of promotion that Hearn describes as a by-product of self-branding, a methodic interpretation of brand

HAPPINESS AND MORALITY Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

HAPPINESS AND MORALITY - Term Paper Example Based on the points raised by virtue ethics, a person is being moral when he is performing moral acts. Therefore, the requisite for cultivating a reputation as being virtuous is through performing acts that are moral or virtuous which makes the person becomes moral or virtuous. This is the heart of her argument regarding the supposed autonomy of happiness and morality with each other. Aristotle postulates â€Å"being moral will make you happy† (qtd. in Vitrano 4), which Vitrano argues saying that the morality and intellectual character of a person do not automatically lead to happiness (3). In her words, Vitrano states â€Å"we do find happy immoralists, people who knowingly break the rules of society and appear unaffected by it† (3). Vitrano makes a plausible explanation for her conclusion that a person who appears to be moral needs first to perform virtuous acts or by being virtuous. One cannot establish his or her image as a virtuous person without doing acts that ha ve intrinsic moral values in it. I agree with Vitrano that an appearance of a virtuous individual entails the actual doing of things which are deemed virtuous. For instance, a president is not seen as a virtuous person without acting like one, such as abolishing the death penalty because it is pro-life. If the president does the opposite by signing the retention of that capital punishment, on a philosophical perspective, he appears to be immoral by doing the exact opposite of a virtuous act. Based on Aristotelian perspective, moral or intellectual virtues are the key to happiness; meaning, failure to appear virtuous by not performing moral acts does not make a person happy. However, I do agree with Vitrano that moral acts do not necessarily result to happiness because it is an independent domain apart from morality and intelligence. This has also the same logic with what Martin says, â€Å"Individuals blessed with every good fortune can be unhappy because they are depressed, and in dividuals with little good fortune can still be happy† (8). In the same way that fortune does not mean happiness, doing moral acts also does not automatically lead to happiness. Pascal’s Wager: Similarities and Differences with Vitrano’s Christine Vitrano’s view of happiness and morality shares some similarities with Pascal’s Wager. Both Vitrano and Pascal acknowledged the subjectivity among humans in terms of reasoning their state of happiness and their religion. Vitrano states that happiness cannot be construed on the volume of material possessions a person has or the moral and intellectual cause of his or her actions (3). Happiness is when humans view their lives positively, albeit fortune or doing things with morality and intellectual purpose as foundations (Vitrano 3). In other words, human happiness depends on the personal outlook of the person regarding the way he or she lives life. This view is embodied in the â€Å"life satisfaction viewâ €  that follows the subjectivity of one’s basis for being in a state of happiness (Vitrano 3). On one hand, Blaise Pascal in his work Pensees, encapsulated in his Wager the rationalization behind every religion. In the same case as Mathematics believes the existence of an infinite number although its appearance has not yet been witnessed, the same case applies to the existence of God. In Pascal’s Wager, he quantifies that God is â€Å"infinitely incomprehensible† because he is not, by affinity, related to us, and that he has neither â€Å"

Analyze readings and tv episode Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Analyze readings and tv episode - Essay Example However, it is noticeable that the recent trend represents a paradigm shift in celebrity development. What is apparent is a programmatic shift in the way the contemporary celebrity is developed through concurrent media – television and internet-based branding in particular. Thus, no longer are only the elites with their extraordinary levels of consciousness considered as an important pool of personnel to be regarded for mainstream celebrity, as Hearn illustrates, â€Å"Psychoanalytic  concerns about unconscious  identity formation are for the most part, left to the side here, as are any claims about essential human nature† (198). This has paved way for Ordinariness amongst the recent wave of celebrity development, which, rest assured, has always enjoyed a certain repertoire amongst the discourses of mass celebrities along with denoting essential ingredients of various film and televised content (Bonner). Turner refers to this phenomenon as the demotic turn (153-154) which signifies a convergence of ordinary and celebrity. While there is inherent contradictoriness in the discourses of celebrity itself, as a celebrity by nature cannot be ordinary once elevated by mass appeal, this contradiction is what enhances the apparent widespread acceptance and validation of reality tv shows and the celebrity development it engages in. ... sess singing skills to audition and be judged by a panel in order to partake further in various singing formats with the promise of a reward for the winner in the form of a contract with a leading record label. The participants are initially screened by a panel but later voted on by the general population in a seemingly democratic process of selection. The particular episode in question was part of season 11 episode 1, and was aired on January 18th, 2012. Analysis Turner’s principles of demotic turn were primarily aimed at the understanding of recent celebrity proliferation in mass media. His focus was to determine how self-branding techniques in popular media such as reality TV shows, DIY internet websites, radio talk shows etc. serve to exacerbate the systematic popularization of ordinary people in order to classify them celebrity status. His acknowledgement of the self is characterized by self-recognition, a distinct identity that is argued in the public’s redeeming eye, accepted and promoted. Reality TV accounts for a certain kind of recognition of self as well, as witnessed in American Idol over its tenure. Participants occasionally have to make their case in front of the judges in terms of qualities other than singing, which the show wholly comprises of. Turner cites William Hung as an example, who although never qualified past the screening process, argued that he did not have any training in singing or dancing which he seemed to believe identified him as unique (154). However, he most certainly classified as entertainment, and was rewarded by the show in subsequent re-runs of his audition as part of the show’s promotion. He engaged in a modern form of promotion that Hearn describes as a by-product of self-branding, a methodic interpretation of brand

History of Legazpi Essay Example for Free

History of Legazpi Essay DURING THE PRE-SPANISH PERIOD Early in the 13th century, Datu Balensusa and Dumagsil, two of the ten Bornean Datus led by Datu Puti, went from Panay to Laguna and the Bicol Region. Prehistoric dwellers mostly fishermen and farmers established a barangay on the mouth of Makabulo River called Sawangan (now Legazpi Port) , a small settlement by a mangrove swamp,Its inhabitants were headed by old chieftain, Gat Ibal,a descendant of Datu Dumagsil. The home grown name,Sawangan was another way to say Sabang indicating a† natural wharf created by the water from the sea†. Dwelling in tiny groups of huts which are made from rattan and nipa, small houses occupied this part of swampy and low land and its surrounding areas were known as Ibalon. DURING THE SPANISH PERIOD In 1573,under the Spanish expeditionary forces,Capitan Juan de Salcedo (Capitan Esteban de Manchaca) and 120 soldiers reached and explored barangay Sawangan. The natives gallantly fought the invaders but were no match for the conquistadores’ superior arms. Subsequently, the natives were converted to Catholism. In 1587,Franciscan friars of the Doctrina of Cagsawa began to convert the settlement to Christianity. Fr. Francisco de Sta. Ana,it’s first parish priest built the first chapel made of nipa and bamboo to house and established the first Franciscan mission in Sawangan, the â€Å"Mission de San Gregorio de Sawangan. In 1605, Sawaà ±gan was elevated to Visita Regular, having been previously under the spiritual ministry of Cagsaua since 1578. In 1616,Sawangan become an independent town separated from Cagsawa called Albaybay (meaning â€Å"by the bay†) finally shortened as Albay. It was declared the capital of the province of Partido de Ibalon (old name of the Province of Albay). The town was renamed Albay, then Legazpi, as Albay went on to refer to the province at present. Perennially rocked by minor eruptions of the Mayon Volcano for two centuries, compounded by sporadic attacks by Muslim pirates and the Dutch, the capital was partially destroyed by a major eruption on February 1, 1814. The catastrophe buried Cagsaua.The progress of the town was razed to the ground upon the eruption, Fr. Pedro Licup evacuated the community to Makalaya (today’s Barangay Taysan). Some of the people, however, remained in the old town and began anew as a barrio. In lieu of their former patron saint, St. Gregory the Great, which had also been transferred to Albay, they adopted St. Raphael, the Archangel and transformed the ermita into a church. They finally regained their old status but never changed the name of the place as Albay Viejo or Banwang Daan.Years later in 1856, Sawangan was restored and subsequently renamed Binanuahan (Banuang Gurang) which literally means â€Å"Old Town† or â€Å"ancient place or town wherein a town was founded† and/or â€Å"the former seat of a town†. It was made a Visita Tributaria of Taytay. The combined towns were later named Albay Nuevo (Bagumbayan – meaning â€Å"New Town†) with the residents of Binanuahan’s objections to the union. On July 17, 1856, Ramon Montero of the Govierno Superiora de las Islas Filipinas signed a decree which created the Visita of Pueblo Viejo, out of Binanuahan uniting the barrios (settlement communities) of Lamba, Bigaa and Rawis. On September 22, 1856, through a subsequent Royal Decree, the name Legazpi was officially adopted to including the visitas of Lamba, Rawis and Bigaa, and declaring it an independent town. It was formally inaugurated on October 23, 1856. Historically, the city was named Legazpi, to perpetuate to the memory of Adelantado Don Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. This was the agreement made between the original inhabitants of the place and the Spaniards during the former’s quest for autonomy. It took them 21 years, in which they sought the help and support of the Spaniards, then living in the town. As a sign of gratitude, the people readily accepted the name, which was also then proposed by the Spaniards upon fulfillment of their efforts. Now autonomous, and with a fast paced progress and prosperity,the port of Legazpi served as anchorage of ships sailing for Nuevo Espaà ±a (through Mexico) in the later part of the 16th century until it was elevated a Royal Decree by issued earlier on May 18, 1872 in Madrid and was later promulgated by Governor Juan Alamenos y de Vivar on December 3, 1874 as a port of entry open to world trade . Legazpi first became a city under the Becerra Law of 1892 promulgated by the Spanish Minister of Ultramar in 1894, which constituted the municipalities of Legazpi, Albay Nuevo and Daraga, into the Ayutamiento de Albay with the resentment of the Daragueà ±os. At the height of the Filipino-Spanish Revolution, the Civil Governor of Albay, Angel Bascaran y Federic and the Spanish residents fled Albay. Subsequently, a revolutionary Junta was organized by Don Anacleto Solano, who later turned over command to General Vicente Lucban, General-in-Chief of Operations of the Philippine Revolutionary Governments in the Southern Region. DURING THE AMERICAN PERIOD By January 23, 1900 the American forces outgunned Legazpi defenders, defeating the Sandatahanes led by Vito Belarmino and Jose Ignacio Paua at the Battle of San Rafael Bridge known as the â€Å"Battle of Legazpi†. With the American occupation in 1900, the city was dissolved upon reestablished Legazpi, Albay and Daraga as independent towns under a military government. In 1908, the Philippine Assembly, again, merged the three towns creating the Municipio de Albay which became the capital of the province. Giving way to bitter opposition from Daragueà ±os, realizing the merger was doing more harm than good to their interests, the Philippine Assembly finally separated Daraga from the capital town in 1922. DURING THE JAPANESE PERIOD Simultaneous with the bombing of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, the Japanese Imperial Army’s Kimura Detachment entered Legazpi on December 12, 1941. Yet again, countless accounts of the locals’ ultimate sacrifices, gallantry and heroism against the odds in the ensuing Guerilla warfare abound during that period. Under Japanese military administration for almost 4 years, the capital was finally liberated by American forces on April 1, 1945. DURING THE REPUBLIC Legazpi became a city for the second time on July 18, 1948 when Daraga and Legazpi were combined again to constitute its territory, under Republic Act No. 306. Re-Incorporating Daraga, Republic Act No. 306 elevated the town to today’s Legazpi City. However, bitter opposition from the Daragueà ±os ultimately prevailed with the passing of Republic Act No. 993 which repealed R.A. 306 creating the separate Municipalities of Legazpi and Daraga.With the re-creation of the two municipalities, the city was dissolved in June 8, 1954. Finally on June 12, 1959,Republic Act 2232 authored by Senator.Pedro Subido and Congressman.Jusfino Nuyda was signed by Pres.Carlos P.Garcia. This was later amended by Republic Act 5525. By virtue of this act, Legazpi became a city for the third time. .Legazpi was declared Albay Province’s seat of government as its capital city under Republic Act 2254. On February 27, 1973, With the onset of the Integrated Reorganization Plan of Pres. Ferdinand Marcos, the City of Legazpi was declared under Presidential Decree No. 125, to comprise its present territorial jurisdiction and the adjacent Municipality of Daraga. however, the decree was permanently mothballed. This plan also made the city as the regional administrative center of the Bicol Region (Presidential Decree No. 1). At present,the Gateway City of Bicol,Legazpi,is a bustling and very progressive city that is home of more than 180,000 citizens.