Relating to Characters in Sophocles Plays - 1561 Words

A Tale of Two Cities, Romeo and Juliet. Names such as these bring to mind both plays and pieces of literature that are considered by many to be timeless classics. Perhaps the reason these stories are so popular is not just because they are well written. People are also able to relate to the characters who are often entangled in one of the many complexities within a given society. Authors such as Shakespeare or Charles Dickens are able to discuss some of the issues and problems that face people within society. The answers to the these issues are often left unclear. Providing the audience a chance to ponder these questions and decide for themselves if a certain view is right, wrong, or somewhere in between. Sophocles was a playwright of†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"It is not for him to keep me from my own.†2 Further telling Ismene, â€Å"The time in which I must please those that are dead is longer than I must please those of this world.† Antigone is clearly very concerned about pleasing the gods, and honoring her deceased family members. Furthermore when Ismene pleads with antigone to at least bury him in secret and not tell anyone, promising to tell no one as well.3 Antigone responds by saying. â€Å"Oh, oh, no! Shout it out.† Knowing that she does not need to be ashamed of her actions. Stating, â€Å"I know that I am pleasing those I should please most.† Creon is put in a very difficult situation when he is made king. He is the uncle of the two brothers, and Polyneices did have a rightful claim to the thrown. He has a very difficult decision. On the one hand he can allow Polyneices to be buried. By doing so he will have honored the gods, but people might realize that they can commit a crime as heinous as turning traitor to ones own polis. Yet still receive a measure of mercy. On the other hand, Creon can perhaps discourage future wrongdoers by giving out a harsh punishment. Creons punishment for Polyneices is the worst punishment he could give, considering that Polyneices was already dead. By doing so Creon lets the people know that fighting against your own polis will not be tolerated and those found guilty of doing so will be punished severely. Even if they are members of his own family.Show MoreRelatedFigurative Language In Oedipus And Shakespeare1183 Words   |  5 PagesSophocles and Shakespeare were both literary artists that published works that have been respected and relevant centuries later. The unique language in historical literature assists in their interpretation and their relevance to modern understanding. The masterful wielding of language, diction, and metaphor contribute to various aspects of their work, adding both elements of drama and realism. By incorporating significant words and lines into their writings, Shakespeare and Sophocles create consistentRead MoreTragedy and Comedy Essay1248 Words   |  5 PagesRex, written by Sophocles, is the epitome of classic Tragedy, as defined by Aristotle (96-101). Here, Oedipus falls from kingship to blindness and exile. Drama’s other great genre, Comedy, is represented by the laughing actors’ mask. In Comedy the action is usually propelled by a problem or crisis of some sorts, but unlike tragedy it usually ends well. Lysistrata, written by Aristophanes, is a perfect example of classic Comedy. The farcical story line follows the title character, who rallies theRead MoreThe Themes And Summary Of Antigone By Sophocles1318 Words   |  6 PagesSummary of Antigone â€Å"Antigone† is a tragedy made by the author Sophocles. Antigone starts out in Thebes in a post-war atmosphere. There was a war between two brothers for the crown of Thebes. The two brothers kill each other on the battle field resulting in one of the brothers receiving the people’s love and the other being labeled as a traitor to Thebes â€Å"Both brothers were killed in Battle.† Creon, the new king of Thebes, has decided because of Polyneices betrayal he shall not receive a soldier’sRead More Antigone Essay1031 Words   |  5 PagesThe first conversation between them is what initiates the downfall of their bond. While it seems that Creon is the most important person in Haemon’s life, Antigone is in fact the one that has won Haemon over. Antigone, written by the Athenian Sophocles, is about a woman named Antigone who lives in a city named Thebes. The play’s plot is based on her attempt to successfully bury her brother Polynices whom perished in a battle with his brother that also assumed the role of king of Thebes. Both brothersRead MoreOedipus As A Tragic Hero1939 Words   |  8 PagesThesis Statement: Sophocles’ Oedipus is a perfect example of Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero through the main characters prosperity to an emotional downfall caused by a tragic flaw. I. Oedipus is a Tragic Hero a. Definition of a tragic hero as defined by Aristotle i. Aristotelian tragic hero is defined (Aristotle 1961, p. 1453a). b. Oedipus falling into Aristotle’s tragic hero definition i. Aristotle directs us to Oedipus the King as a tragic hero (Bruening 1997, pp. 14-15). II. How TragedyRead MoreHow to Read Literature Like a Professor1408 Words   |  6 Pagesgrows by weakening someone else. Connections: -The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne: Hester wearing the scarlet letter A is a perfect example of exploitation. By making her weaker, idealistic society grows stronger. A major theme is sin, relating easily to the evilness of sex in a puritan society. -Frankenstein by Mary Shelley: Frankenstein’s monster is scared by outside society as much as they are of him, but in this way, the un-accepting nature of society is strengthened. ______________________________________________Read MoreHamlet is More Tragic than Antigone1065 Words   |  5 Pagesplot, characters, thought (intellect), diction and song. This paper will analyze William Shakespeare’s Hamlet and how it is more tragic then Sophocles, Antigone, by reflecting on the ingredients in Aristotles view of tragedy. Aristotle believes that the most important part of the definition of tragedy is the plot or action, the soul to the tragedy. The plot must be complete with an arrangement of incidents, which is more important then the actual characters in the play. By thisRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Sophocles Antigone1805 Words   |  8 PagesGreek and Shakespearean tragedies have influenced the modern world of literature. One of the authors at the forefront of Greek tragedies was Sophocles. One of Sophocles most famous pieces of work is, Antigone. Written in 440 B.C in Athens, Greece, Sophocles uses this play to dramatize a series of events that unfolds when pride becomes more important than loyalty to family. Controversy still remains today of whom the tragic hero of Antigone is, but some scholars believe that Antigone herself is theRead MoreAntigone Vs. Jocasta Essay example830 Words   |  4 PagesWomen of any society always have had a different role to play than that of men. Psychologically, a woman is to find a mate in order to bring healthy offspring into the world. Conservative thinking tells women to cook, clean, take care of the family, and to perform other miscellaneous domesti c chores. Yet, Sophocles also defines the place of a woman in his tragedies: Oedipus the King and Antigone. Women were respected as very powerful and dignified individuals, but at the same time were forbiddenRead MoreThe Chorus Of Sophocles Antigone2400 Words   |  10 Pagesof Antigone, Sophocles had participated in one of these festivals and won the award for his performance. He did not become known as one of the greatest playwrights then. Only now is he thought of as one of the greatest playwrights during the greek era. The point of this paper is to show how the chorus in Greek Theater tragedy performances affect the way the play Antigone is performed. Through the use of mask, staging, and speech, Sophocles best distinguishes the chorus. Sophocles most famous

Merchant of Venice Portia Essay - 1793 Words

The Merchant of Venice is a play set in a very male and Christian dominated society where other religions and women rights weren’t very well accepted by the community. However Portia, a rich woman who had previously been controlled by men, triumphs as she manipulates tricks and saves the lives of the men. We see how she is manipulated by men through her father, who though dead, still manages to control who she marries from his will. He states in his will that from three different caskets the suitors will have to chose, in each of which will contain either a letter to the suitor or a picture of Portia. In one of the three caskets, either the lead, silver or gold casket, there will be a picture of Portia the suitor picking the casket†¦show more content†¦He also says that ‘his furnished with my opinion, which, bettered with his own learning’ so Bellario is saying that Balthazar has a great knowledge but with the opinions and thoughts of Bellario’s experience he has a greater knowledge than Bellario himself. By writing ‘the greatness whereof I cannot enough commend’ this is saying that he is speechless when it comes to the amount of knowledge that Balthazar seems to have, this could almost in it self make the Duke want to see Balthazar because to say, for example, that someone was so beautiful that you couldn’t put it into words, you would want to see for yourself just how beautiful this person is. He then repeats flattery at the end of the speech ‘I leave him to your gracious acceptance’ this suggests that he doesn’t want to over-do the whole letter because if he had ended it, for example, with ‘please, please take him I promise you that he will be the best and that if you don’t there’ll be consequences’ which possible makes him think that he’s not that good and that Bellario made it up to get out of the court hearing, but he leaves it in the Dukes hands and lets him make the decision. She adds persuasion at the end by saying that the trial would be better with Balthazar’s presence. Another example of Portia fighting back is when Portia uses trickery to make Shylock stick exactly to the bond causing him to be condemned to Christianity and to giv e half of his belongings to Antonio and the other half toShow MoreRelatedEssay on Portia of William Shakespeares The Merchant Of Venice617 Words   |  3 PagesPortia of William Shakespeares The Merchant Of Venice The merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare in which is a drama, it shows us mercy, love and forgiveness. In this essay I’m going to write about Portia in comparison to the other male characters in the play. Shakespeare has created some very interesting characters in Bassanio, Antonio and Shylock. Bassanio and Antonio are good friends and they like most characters in the play, dislike Shylock the Jew. They haveRead More Merchant of Venice Essay: The Character of Portia1961 Words   |  8 PagesThe Character of Portia in Merchant of Venice  Ã‚      In his Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare wants the reader to admire Portia, arguably the most powerful character in the play. However, it is easy to mistake the word ‘admiration’ to mean simply a liking of someone’s positive virtues. Rather, we should like Portia because of those things that make her a multi-faceted character. Though she can appear to be an â€Å"unlessoned girl,† she is also conniving, manipulative, and powerful. Three examples thatRead MoreThe Roles of Portia and Shylock in The Merchant of Venice Essay1776 Words   |  8 PagesIn Shakespeare’s comedic tragedy, The Merchant of Venice, one prejudice is very central to the theme. The play is dominantly set in Venice, one of the most liberal cities of the Renaissance era. In this place and time period, anti-Semitism is very much in force. The Jewish people are discriminated against and treated terribly by the Christians living in Venice. Shylock, a wealthy Jew, is mercilessly spurned ma ny times by men like Antonio, a Venetian merchant. In contrast to this blind hatred is theRead MoreThe Rings of Power: Symbolic Exchange in the Merchant of Venice1595 Words   |  7 PagesThe Rings of Power: Symbolic Exchange in The Merchant of Venice Rings are significant to the narrative of The Merchant of Venice for several reasons. Firstly, as symbols of love, wealth and power. Secondly, as a means through which Portia gives and then regains control of herself, her weath and power and finally, the theft and sale of Leahs turquoise ring acts as a source of sympathy towards Shylock and allows him to parallel the Christian husbands, Bassanio and Graziano. A ring is, in andRead MoreThe Three Plots of The Merchant of Venice779 Words   |  4 Pages Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice is a simple story line with three distinct plot lines incorporated into each other intricately. These three plot lines are the bond plot, the casket plot, and the ring plot, each equally vital to the meaning and conclusion of the play. In this essay, I will discuss the roles of the characters in the plot, the symbols, images, and rhetorical figures central to each plot, and finally how the events of the three plots are intertwined. The first sign that the threeRead More Merchant of Venice Essay: Antonios Love for Bassanio1721 Words   |  7 PagesAntonios Love for Bassanio in The Merchant of Venice  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   Antonio feels closer to Bassanio than any other character in The Merchant of Venice. Our first clue to this is in the first scene when, in conversation with Antonio, Solanio says, Here comes Bassanio, your most noble kinsman, / Gratiano, and Lorenzo. Fare ye well: / We leave you now with better company (i. i. 57-59). Once Antonio is alone with Bassanio, the conversation becomes more intimate, and Antonio offers an indebted BassanioRead MoreSituational Humor In The Merchant Of Venice994 Words   |  4 PagesThe Merchant of Venice – Assessment Task 2 How relevant are the comedic conventions in engaging a modern audience? The use of humour in a play can amuse, entertain and lift the spirits of the intended audience. Shakespeare wrote plays using many comedic conventions that were engaging and relevant in Elizabethan times. Many of these comedic conventions are still highly relevant in engaging a modern, 21st century audience. This essay will explore the elements of situational humour and irony throughRead MoreCritical Essay: the Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare - Shylock Character Study1406 Words   |  6 PagesCritical Essay: ‘The Merchant of Venice’ - Shylock Character Study Shakespeare’s play ‘The Merchant of Venice’ starts off in Venice with Shylock as a simple money lender. His intentions seem reasonable to begin with, he sounds a nice man then he does a soliloquy saying how much hatred he has for Antonio, the Christian who treated him disrespectfully. Shylock conflicts his emotions again and speaks to Antonio in a joking manner which in his mind turns out to be the truth. In the playRead MoreEssay about Merchant of Venice Film Analysis2451 Words   |  10 PagesEnglish 101-210 Final Draft Battle of the Directors The Merchant of Venice, also known as â€Å"The Jew of Venice† is a drama play originally written by William Shakespeare in 1598. The major conflict occurs when a man named Antonio (Venetian merchant) fails to pay off a loan to a greedy Jewish money loaner known as Shylock who demands a pound of flesh from Antonio in return. Antonio and his friends take a journey through friendship, love, and hatred in an attempt to free him of his pound of fleshRead MoreMerchant Of Venice Essay Outline956 Words   |  4 Pages The Merchant of Venice Essay Outline Introduction: Hook: The theme is the main subject or message of a story. It is used to give depth and enhance the plot. The themes of The Merchant of Venice are used throughout the story of the play to make the plot move along and to encourage the characters into action. Bridge: When you read The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare there are many themes throughout the play and many lessons to be learned. Main Ideas: The most important themes are hatred

A Look at Loblaws Companies Free Essays

string(44) " and labels for those who are eco-friendly\." In 1919 the first Loblaw grocery store opened in Toronto. Theodore Pringle Loblaw and J. Milton Cork had a new idea of a grocery store, one which would be fully self- serve and would offer better quality foods at lower prices. We will write a custom essay sample on A Look at Loblaws Companies or any similar topic only for you Order Now In 1978, ‘No Name’ products were introduced into Loblaw stores. These products had distinct yellow packaging, and Loblaw stores experienced an outstanding customer feedback. In 1984, ‘President’s Choice’, one of Loblaw’s own brands made its first debut in stores. Consumer feedback and satisfaction for President’s Choice products was superb and â€Å"everything from toasters to train sets† were made. Loblaw Companies has now grown to over seventy locations in Ontario alone. (Loblaw Website, Main Page) The years 2005 to 2008 were very important for Loblaw, the company underwent expansion to ultimately ensure their mission to be â€Å"Canada’s best food, (Loblaw: First Store) health and home retailer by exceeding customer expectations through innovative products at great prices. † These expansions are still taking place today. â€Å"In 2005, Loblaw Companies Limited moved closer to completing one of the largest transformations in its history. They were challenged by the size and impact of the short term costs associated with executing certain elements of the transformation. † Working facilities merged, and there were major store renovations. A new head office and Store Support Centre was established in Brampton, Ontario; which now employs 2,000 Ontarians. However, these expansions caused some setbacks. Loblaw made changes to their national systems platform and supply chain. This change disrupted the flow of its inventory and had an overall negative effect on the sales and earnings for 2005. This simplified their distribution network which made the movement of inventory much less time consuming and lead to lower costs. A capital investment program exceeding $1 billion was used to continue the expansion of â€Å"The Real Canadian Superstore† in Ontario. This money was also used to convert specific conventional stores into much larger superstores, strategically choosing the stores that reflected a growing market. A new general merchandise warehouse and distribution centre for Eastern Canada was also established. This improved the overall speed of inventory and stock from the warehouse to grocery stores. As of 2005, the Company â€Å"believe that [they] are taking the significant steps required to ensure that Loblaw continue to grow, to succeed and to provide sustainable value in a changing landscape† (Annual Report 2005, pp. 5-6). The year 2008 was not as eventful as 2005. They struggled with more setbacks, and had the ideal thought of â€Å"Making Loblaw the Best Again†. As stated in their Annual Report, â€Å"[They] continue [their] efforts to simplify and sharpen Loblaw, fix the basics that matter to customers, restore innovation, and grow Loblaw through [their] ‘Formula for Growth’†. Strategies for success continued to be built upon from the past, including finding ways to make employees’ jobs easier. This implemented more cost-effective decisions, allowing Loblaw to introduce a more diverse product line, and ultimately managed their cash more effectively. However, Loblaw underwent some new expansions in 2008, such as revamping their supply chain and IT infrastructure. They also opened four new distribution centres which made service levels greater than the past. Loblaw had noticed this new IT infrastructure system cut-down and simplified high workloads and many errors. Loblaw adopted a new and improved pricing index management system, which is currently an important component of the organization. Overall, Loblaw is having a hard time being a consistent high performing company, however they have challenged themselves and are still â€Å"making Loblaw worth switching supermarkets for† (Annual Report 2008, pp. 3-8). Structure The above diagram represents the corporate structure of Loblaw Companies Limited. It demonstrates how each specific section of the Board of Directors and Officers communicate to one another through the company. This system is used because it is unreasonable to expect that all levels of employees are able to communicate easily with every other employee and this hierarchy of labor is what allows better communication through employees. Location When analyzing the 2008 Annual Report for Loblaw Companies it is noted that across Canada there are: -609 corporate and -427 franchised stores in every province and territory in Canada -21 banners across the country -21 company and -5 third-party-operated distribution centers services their stores These numbers are constantly on the rise and have only increased steadily over the years. (Annual Report 2008, p. ) Product, Price, Promotion, and Distribution Strategies In 2005, Loblaw’s main focus was on food, health, and nutrition. They introduced a large number of new No Name and President’s Choice products, including PC Blue Menu and PC Organics, to satisfy health-conscious customers. Additionally, they introduced new lines, such as PC Mobile and Joe Fresh Style. Their key strategy was to provide â€Å"innovation, quality, value, and focus on the consumer† (Annual Report 2005, pp. 5). To reach different markets, they had four store formats to cater to customers’ needs; hard discount, warehouse clubs, conventional stores, and superstores. Loblaw had been working on remodeling the store exterior, reformatting banners, updating decor, and changing signage to give the stores a new look that will attract more consumers. In their Annual Report, it is stated that â€Å"Loblaw has a proven ability to anticipate and respond to changing consumer preferences in an increasingly competitive landscape and is committed to meeting more of the food and everyday household needs of consumers from coast to coast (Annual Report 2005, p. 11)†. Through the strategy of relationship marketing, they hope to be able to keep the customer base they have built by meeting their needs (Annual Report 2005, pp. -11) By 2008, they had brought back their slogan: ‘Worth switching supermarkets for’. They hoped to meet the expectation in their slogan through quality, value, and innovation. Loblaw wanted to make (Loblaw Cashier) the stores already in place better, instead of building new ones. They also had a focus on freshness and style. Loblaw introduced and redesigned almost 2000 products during this year, including bringing back the yellow and black colours on No Name items. While increasing their products for the health-conscious consumer, they also have products and labels for those who are eco-friendly. You read "A Look at Loblaws Companies" in category "Essay examples" They want their customers to have a choice on the type of store they shop at, so they still have the four store formats. One of their strategies was to â€Å"re-establish the value advantage in the minds of consumers, and providing products and services customers can’t find anywhere else† (Annual Report 2008, p. 9) They have changed food presentations, improved the quality of their sourcing, and have over 1000 price checks weekly. A television campaign for apple crisp was able to increase its sales by 1500%. Loblaw held marketing events, a program bringing back past foods, drastically increased the amount of clothing in Joe Fresh Style, and they began a Home section. In almost 400 stores, they had a program that guaranteed certain items to always be available. Eighteen stores in Toronto had an event called ‘Back to Best’, in which they had chefs with recipe demonstrations, more meat, seafood, and produce, and they also added new signage and displays (Annual Report 2008, pp. 8 – 14) As the market became more competitive, Loblaw reached for more strategies to improve their company. In 2005 they introduced various lines, whereas in 2008 it was their strategy to focus on improving what they already had. Much of their ideas in 2005 were related to creating a new image, whereas in 2008 they brought back many ideas that were once in place decades ago, such as the slogan, past foods, and black and white packaging for the No Name brand. Still focused on low prices, innovation, quality, and the consumers, what they want is still the same, although between 2005 and 2008 they have used different strategies to meet this goal. Target Customers â€Å"Loblaw’s mission is to be Canada’s best food, health and home retailer by exceeding customer expectations through innovative products at great prices. To reach our goal, we must become a centralized, market-led organization with an unrelenting focus on our customers, our products and our stores†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Annual Report 2008, p. 3). Loblaw Companies does not specifically target an age or sex. Their target customer would involve individuals of all ages as well as those individuals with particular preference of product. Loblaw is a superstore full of products that appeal to every person and their needs. However, it may be appropriate to say that this company would not seek out approval of young children living at home, there is still advertising that is created to capture the attention of the young and in turn manipulate them into thinking that what Loblaw’s sell is the best choice for their guardians to supply for them. Although Loblaw sells the average product for the typical consumer, they also supply the general population with specialized products which draw people to their store. Some of these products may include: â€Å"Green Products† for those who are environmentally friendly, â€Å"Organic† products for those who prefer chemical free and naturally grown, â€Å"Blue Menu† products for those who are health food conscience or perhaps have health problems, and finally the standard â€Å"Club Pack† size for those who buy in bulk. Overall, Loblaw seeks out to target the general population and not one specific type of individual. Loblaw’s mission statement makes it obvious as to what their goals are, which ultimately always benefits the customer. Financial Situation Loblaw Companies Limited enjoyed a healthy year of operations back in 2005. Sales were $27 801 (all figures in millions unless otherwise stated) and operating expenses totaled to $26 400. There were two new operating expense items that were included in the 2005 figures. First, a Restructuring and Other Charges of $86 (Annual Report 2005, p. 47), after completion of detailed assessment of the Loblaw supply chain network, management approved a comprehensive plan to restructure its supply chain operations nationally. This plan is expected to reduce future operating costs, provide a smoother flow of products, better service levels to stores, and further enable the company to achieve its target operating efficiencies. Second, a proposed assessment of $40 from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) related to GST on certain products was made (Annual Report 2005, p. 48). Approximately $15 was settled in the fourth quarter, with the remainder representing management’s best estimate for potential liabilities. After interest and tax calculations, net earnings were a very respectable $746 or $2. 72 per share (Annual Report 2005, p. 38). Retained earnings increased in 2005 by $472 to $4 694. Loblaw also ended the year with a higher inventory than in previous years; this is in line with growth of sales. Loblaw engaged in corporate expansion during 2005. This reflects their increased fixed assets on their balance sheet for the year ended. Land, Building, Equipment and fixtures were primarily the assets that contributed to this growth. It should be noted Other Assets account decreased in value by a significant amount of $104 (Annual Report 2005, p. 39), most of the difference can be accounted for in the specific account labeled Franchise investments and other receivables. Loblaw Companies Limited continued their growth through 2008. With a sales figure of $30 802 (Annual Report 2008, p. 82), it is evident the management team is focused on their long term strategy of sustainability and continued growth. Loblaw is not a company to make drastic changes to their business plan and they focus on their customers and their shareholders when considering growth opportunities. They also do a tremendous job communicating their action plans in their annual reports and provide in-depth calculations through their use graphs and charts. This helps shareholders visualize Loblaw’s efforts as well as provide comparability. Growth between 2005 and 2008 was planned and consistent. Sales increased from $27 627 to $30 802 and operational costs from $26 226 to $29 756. Net earnings were respectable at $545 in 2008, lower than the 2005 figure of $746. This is because between these years Loblaw has taken on capital investment projects that required effected net earnings for the shareholder on a per share basis, including a loss of $219 in 2006 (Annual Report 2008, p. 82). Net earnings are continuing to rise in large increments from year to year. This truly indicates management at Loblaw is well established in their industry and are making calculated, well thought out investments as well increasing company value and recognition. After examining the five year summary, Working capital stood out the most. In 2005 working capital account was $210 but in 2008 the number increased significantly to $730 (Annual Report 2008, p. 82). It should be noted dividends have remained constant at 84 cents per share between 2005 and 2008. Total assets have increased during this time period, and net debt has decreased again indicating better business management. Only one figure seems to go against all the positives that the company has experienced. However, the market price had dropped from $56. 37 to $ 35. 23 which seems to be the only noticeable decline. (Annual Report 2008, pp. 82) (Loblaw Co. Ltd. Stock price over the past 5 years) Management and Human Resources Loblaw’s management board had remained quite consistent from 2005 to 2008. However, a couple of prominent changes occurred within this timeframe. In April 2008, three major positions occurred in Loblaw’s management board. These changes were implemented to benefit the company and eventually achieve greater success. A new President, a new Chief Merchandising Officer, and new Chief Financial Officer were appointed, Allan Leighton, Dalton Philips, and Robert Vaux respectively. (Loblaw Website, Management) These changes â€Å"†¦ streamlined [Loblaw’s] reporting structure and provided greater clarity and focus to roles and accountabilities throughout the Company† (Annual Report 2008, p. 5). The Human Resources Department is lead by Judy McCrie, who holds the position as Executive Vice President of Human Resources in the company. Employees are considered the ‘greatest resource’ to Loblaw. Loblaw continues to strengthen and expand its own in-store programs, including ‘The Leadership Means Business’ program and ‘The Store Managers’ Council’. These programs breed and encourage in-store leadership through the improvement of communication, leadership development, and training courses for store workers. The Leadership Means Business program focuses on â€Å"†¦ eading and engaging the men and women on the Company’s front line. † Loblaw looks to its in-store employees before looking elsewhere to hire for management positions. The Store Managers’ Council attends the Company’s management conferences every year, as senior management from many regions come together and give feedback and recommendations through consulting fellow employees. Many other off-site leadership programs are offered to store personnel that will â€Å"†¦ provide a common approach to leadership coaching, program execution and business development at the store level. † (Annual Report 2005, p. ) Ethical and Corporate Social Responsibility Practices In 2005, Loblaw Companies Limited was passionate about their social responsibilities, both ethical and corporate. They have a President’s Choice Children’s Charity, which (President’s Choice Children’s Charity) helped hundreds of disabled children in 2005. Loblaw also supports the Imagine Campaign, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, Food Banks, and more. In addition to helping people, they do their best to preserve our environment through efforts in packaging, energy efficiency, environmental awareness, waste management, and management. An example of this is their use of refrigerators and lighting that are energy efficient, and they are partners with multiple agencies to have better conservation of energy. Loblaw trained and educated the staff on environmental risks. According to the company’s Code of Business Conduct, they hold â€Å"high standards of ethical conduct and business practices† (Annual Report 2005, p. 18). Loblaw has a committee to ensure this code is put into practice, and they are continually finding ways to make it better (Annual Report 2005, pp. 6-18) By 2008, Loblaw had adopted the five pillars to achieving ethical and corporate social responsibility. These are, â€Å"respect the environment, source with integrity, make a positive difference in our community, reflect our nation’s diversity, and be a great place to work† (Annual Report 2008, p. 17) During this year, they opened their first environment-friendly store, dramatically reduced the number of plastic bags used, and introduced seafood certified by the Marine Stewardship Council. Loblaw continued to have success in its President’s Choice Children’s Charity, where they also participated in KidFest. Post-secondary scholarships were given out to employees, and there was a decline in injuries. There are now surveys for employees which allows staff to give feedback on their job, manager, and the company (Annual Report 2008, pp. 16-19) Between 2005 and 2008, Loblaw has continued to expand on their efforts toward their ethical and corporate social responsibilities. They simplified and organized their goals with the five pillars, and as society becomes increasingly more aware about protecting the environment, this is reflected in the changes from 2005 to 2008. It is apparent that they are expanding on the ideas of going green, helping society, and satisfying employees. Recent Developments Recently in 2009 Loblaw Companies Limited has been on the news for several creative and initiation reasons. Reported in a press release in September 14th 2009, Loblaw â€Å"†¦is combing the country for recent graduates with a passion for food to join the Company’s grad (at) Loblaw program. This national program provides recent graduates with the opportunity to kick-start their careers in a structured and supportive environment† (Yahoo Finance, September 14th). Loblaw based this initiative effort based on information from Statistic Canada, which indicate teenagers and young adults between the ages of 15 and 24 experienced an unemployment rate of 16. 8% during August 2009 (Yahoo Finance, September 14th). This is highest rate of unemployment for Canadians in that age bracket since the statistics have been kept starting in 1977. The program is 18 months in length, and during this time graduates will rotate through three areas of the company; in the first stage they will be for working at a store location for six months; second step is working with the merchandising operations department for another 6 months, then in the final stage for nine months the â€Å"†¦graduate was hired for at the onset of the program, such as store management, marketing, merchandising, supply chain, information technology, human resources or finance, where the graduates are able to apply the information and experience gained in the previous rotations† (Yahoo Finance, September 14th). In October 2009, Loblaw was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers. This prestigious recognition was granted for Loblaws â€Å"†¦efforts to attract and retain employees and create a great workplace environment. Loblaw is the only grocery retailer on the 2010 list†. Canada’s Top 100 Employers is an annual competition entering its 10th year. The competition determines which employers lead their industries in offering top work places for their employees, some of the criteria use during the evaluation process are; (1) Physical workplace, (2) Work and Atmosphere Social, (3) Vacation Time Off, (4) Performance (Canada’s Top 100 Employers) Management, (5)Training Skills Development and a few others. (Yahoo Finance, October 9th). Recommendation and Conclusion Loblaw Companies Limited has received well deserved attention for their â€Å"Green† initiatives; this is a direct result of management’s effort to be perceived as a corporation that focuses on socially responsible causes. It would be very profitable for them in the long-term to maintain this. Loblaw has also been very success with the President’s Choice product’s advertisement campaign; they should definitely consider adding more product lines to their commercials. Loblaw carries a very diverse product mix, they organize their stores with many in store departments. They can reduce their costs for the short-term by opting against expansion on these. Loblaw identifies their most important resource as their employees, implementing new programs that enable them to grow their knowledge of products and company initiatives will make employees feel more connected to the Corporation and lead them to believe they have chosen the right place to work. Loblaw has grown in terms of their brand name and operational capabilities between 2005 and 2008. They are one of the leaders in their industry and continue to operate as a standard setter for customer satisfaction. A short trip to Loblaw will give any consumer the feeling that Loblaw operates very effectively and efficient, their employees are willing and able to meet customer questions and expectations and there is a sense of loyalty to the customers from management and employees. There is no doubt that Loblaw will continue its business well into the future and they will be looking to grow their business and further strengthen their influence in making the industry better as a whole. How to cite A Look at Loblaws Companies, Essay examples

Corporation Law of Australia Corporations Act

Question: Discuss about the Corporation Law of Australiafor Corporations Act. Answer: Registration of a no Liability Company No liability companies are also known as proprietary company. In order to form such a company, there needs to be adherence to a particular procedure which is laid down by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. Section 112(2) of the Corporations Act, 2001 speaks about companies who are having no liability. There are certain requirements to be fulfilled for a company to be registered as a no liability company. The company needs to have a share capital. While mentioning the objectives, the constitution of the company should stress on the fact that they intend to carry out mining activities only[1]. Another major requirement for a company to be registered as a no liability company is that they should have no rights of contract as per its constitution to redeem the calls which are made on their shares from the hands of a share holder who is unable to pay for them. Initially for registering the company as a no liability, the person intending to do so has to make an application to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). The application form will contain certain details. These details are mentioned in the section 117 of the Corporations Act 2001[2].The nature or type of the company should be mentioned which is to be registered under this Act. Then, decided name of the company is entered. It will be foregone if the Act requires the Australian Company Number (ACN) to be mentioned as its name. The form should contain the names and personal addresses of all the persons who intend to become a member of the company. There should be mention of the current name of the proprietor and any family name given to all individuals who intend to become the company secretary of the company. Additional details include date of birth and place of birth of the individual or individuals. The residential addresses of every person who intends to become the director or the company secretary should be mentioned. The form should also contain the address of the registered office of the no liability company. There is an option of mentioning the opening hours of the registered office though it is not mandatory in the case of a no liability company[3]. There should be further mention of certain details by a company limited by shares. These include the number of shares and the classes to which they belong of every member who through written agreement takes them up. There should be mention of the money which they intend to pay for these shares. According to section 150 of Corporations Act 2001, specifies that the term Limited need not be suffixed with the name of the company[4]. According to Section 134 of the Corporations Act 2001 speaks about the internal management of a company which can be controlled by the provisions of the principle Act which are used by the company in the name of replaceable rules[5]. They are contained within the constitution of the company or partly in the constitution and partly within the Act. Section 135 of the Corporations Act 2001, speaks about the changes in the constitution and the replaceable rules[6]. According to the rules of this section certain changes were made in the rules after 1st July, 1988 and were adopted for the functioning of a proprietor limited company. There are several restrictions on holding of shares along with rights conferred on a shareholder and they are mentioned in section 254A (2) of the Corporation Act 2001. The company is able to issue preference shares if certain rights with respect to them are given. These include right to vote, surplus profits and assets, repaying of capital etc. Doctrine ofMaintenance of Capital The present portion deals with the doctrine of capital maintenance. This requires the company to derive appropriate consideration in relation to the issuance of shares. When the required capital is gathered they should not be given back to the members of the company. This rule is however subject to exceptional situations and circumstances. This particular doctrine constitutes a key aspect in the Australian Company law. Under the doctrine the companies have the basic duty to ensure the capital generated is maintained as it is. This is necessary to safeguard the interests of the creditors of the company. The courts are under the mandate to see whether the capital is spent in a lawful manner or not[7]. While studying the doctrine of capital maintenance certain legal rules on significant aspects crop up. They are regarding paying of dividends and other emoluments to the shareholders. They also speak of the cutting down of the share capital and the reserves of the company. The companies a re prohibited from deriving financial help for buying their own shares. The rules also speak about the redeeming of the purchase of the companys own shares. When a company is limited by shares i.e. having limited liability, there is need to protect the interests of the creditors. Hence to facilitate this doctrine of capital maintenance was formulated. The company first gathers the capital it intends to raise. Then the maintenance of the capital is done taking into consideration the improbabilities of the business so that the creditors are benefitted and protected. The aim is to reduce the occurrence of fraud with respect to the creditors. This done by lowering the share capital to make sure the share holders have their liabilities. The purpose for the origin of the said doctrine is based on two aspects. The first is to safeguard the interests of the creditors. The other one is to make sure that the assets of the company are utilised in a lawful manner. The idea of keeping the capital intact has been disputed in the courts. This is because the creditors value the company on the basis how they maintain the capital and uses it only for the business purpose. This is the reason for maintaining the capital and not returning them to the shareholders. This particular doctrine has been subject to deliberations in the field of corporate law from the late 1850s. The ability and credibility of the doctrine in protecting the interests of the creditors is subjected to doubt. Hence the company related rules with respect to capital linked decisions have been reformed slowly. The experts in relation to the subject have decided to connect company capital decisions with questions regarding solvency, material disclosure to shareholders and fair approach. Under the Corporations Act 2001, they have decided to consider a more liberal approach with respect to solvency, fair approach and disclosure matters that has to be satisfied by the directors before taking decisions pertaining to share capital. When speaking about decisions they include aspects like reducing share capital, payment of dividends, buying back of companys own shares and the rule regarding providing financial assistance for buying back the shares[8]. All these decisions are now de pendent on the insolvent trading rules mentioned in section 588 G of the Corporations Act 2001. This makes the directors who are taking capital related decisions liable personally in case of breach of duty in respect of preventing the company from trading while being insolvent[9]. Bibliography Hannigan, Brenda,Company Law(Oxford University Press, 1st ed, 2009) Symon, Helen,Corporations Act 2001(Leo Cussen Institute, 1st ed, 2006) Corporation Act 2001 - SECT 117(2017) Austlii.edu.au https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/ca2001172/s117.html Corporation Act2001 - SECT 150(2017) Austlii.edu.au https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/ca2001172/s150.html Corporation Act 2001 - SECT 588G (2017) Austlii.edu.au https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/ca2001172/s588g.html McQueen, Rob,A Social History Of Company Law(Ashgate Pub., 1st ed, 2009) Corporation Act 2001 - SECT 135(2017) Austlii.edu.au https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/ca2001172/s135.html Corporation Act 2001 - SECT 134(2017) Austlii.edu.au https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/ca2001172/s134.html Corporations Act 2001 Reprinted On 16 June 2006 (Taking Into Account Amendments Up To And Including Those Made By Act No. 17, 2006)(Attorney-General's Dept., 1st ed, 2006)

Foreign Direct Investment and Balance of Payments

Foreign Direct Investment is defined as an investment of a resident in a foreign company. The resident should however have a lasting and considerable interest in the management of the foreign company. In most cases, an investor should have more than 10% of the stock value or voting shares.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Foreign Direct Investment and Balance of Payments specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Flows relating to Foreign Direct Investment are chiefly divided into three forms that is, equity capital, intra-companies loan and reinvested earnings. Investors normally invest in the assets of foreign countries hoping that they will benefit from high interest rates, low inflation rates, as well as favorable political environment (Cutler, Zacher, 1992). A transnational Company has a parent company based in home country and one or more foreign affiliates based in foreign countries, commonly referred by sc holars as host countries. Foreign affiliates are further divided into three categories based on the level of interest held by investors. A subsidiary is a direct investment enterprise based in a foreign country in which an investor claims either 50% or more of the direct investment enterprise’s equity. Therefore, a non-resident owning 50% or more of a direct investment enterprise voting shares will most likely have considerable influence on direct investment enterprise management. An associate is a direct investment enterprise based in a host country in which an individual or institutional investor owns at least 10% but not more than 50% of the voting powers of the direct investment enterprise. Voting powers is normally derived from equity shares one holds in a given incorporated enterprise, although at times partnerships and sole proprietorships may have equivalent voting powers. On the other hand, a branch is an unincorporated direct investment enterprise in which an invest or has full control over its operations. A branch, which is located in a host country, operates entirely using the name of its investor. It is put up for one or more years with the intention of producing certain goods or services. A branch is also subjected to income tax and tax exemptions. Strategies used in Entering a Foreign Country Direct foreign investments find their way in the host country economy via diverse strategies such as joint ventures, merger, acquisition, expansion investment, as well as Greenfield investment. A joint venture refers to a situation where two or more parties make a contractual agreement in which they agree to share losses and profits of a business.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More They also agree to share capital formation and all costs associated with operating expenses. Joint ventures are normally formed for purposes of accomplishing certain objectives upon which the contract is terminated. In most cases, no new legal entity is created for purposes of undertaking joint activities. Mergers are created by two companies, which agree to operate as a single entity as opposed to operating separately. Acquisition is a transaction that frequently takes place at the market where one firm acquires part or entire assets and liabilities of another firm. The acquired firm becomes either a subsidiary or part of the acquiring firm. For instance, Puma, which is based in France, acquired 25% of Reebok interests. The transaction made Reebok, which is based in Spain, part of Puma’s assets. Another significant strategy for investing in a host country is through investment expansion. Investment expansion means investing assets in a foreign country. A resident might find some convincing reasons such as attractive market or cheap inputs to invest in a foreign economy. Foreign Direct Investments and Market Trends Recent research es indicate that transnational companies significantly participate in economic activities at local and international levels. In particular, they have significantly contributed to international trade, as well as improvement of technology. For several decades, Foreign Direct Investments continue to act as a source of finance for a number of third world countries. From the past trend, it is estimated that the world economy will continue to grow because of increasing level of Direct Foreign Investment, as well as transnational companies. Currently, there are over 60,000 transnational companies worldwide with over 800,000 foreign affiliates distributed across the world. The transnational companies are estimated to account for about two thirds of the global exports in which a third is attributed to intra-firm trading. The third world countries heavily rely on Foreign Direct Investments as their main source of external finance. Categorization of FDI by Purpose FDIs are better categorized t hrough analyzing the motivating factor to invest in a foreign country. Investors spend their capital in a foreign country depending on a number of reasons including adequacy of raw materials, availability of technology, markets among others (Britton, 1996).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Foreign Direct Investment and Balance of Payments specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Natural resources A number of investors are attracted to foreign countries due to the existence of valuable natural resources. The common natural resources that investors tend to search for in foreign countries include oil, gas, minerals, forests and fish. However, other agricultural products attract various investors, both individual and institutional investors. Foreign economies tend to have favorable weather and environments, with many natural resources. Market A range of foreign investors target markets that are appealing to their pr oducts. Due to globalization, it has become easy for various firms to identify attracting markets for their products. Presently, emerging markets such as Asia has attracted a good number of foreign investors since the market is adequate for various products. The European market is as well luring several reputable investors. Efficiency in production Growing levels of technology in the contemporary world is encouraging many companies to produce goods since relevant technology for its production processes is available. Companies are dividing their production in accordance to comparative advantages existing in different regions. Technology enables a company to produce goods at relatively low operational costs. Such companies consider exporting their products at a comparatively cheap price in relation to their rivals. Strategic assets such as brand names Strategic assets that mostly attract individual and institutional investors include unique technology available at the market, specific brand name, specialized competencies, among other assets. To access such assets, companies will always form mergers with reputable foreign companies. Alternatively, they utilize other techniques such as thorough acquisition of small firms to penetrate foreign markets.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Benefits associated with inward FDI FDI provides an economy with a source of external financing. As a nonprofessional may put it, when there is high numbers of Foreign Direct Investments, it is possible that an economy would benefit from high sources of external financing. Host countries also benefit from transfer of both hard and soft technology. Soft technology is related to managerial skills and other organizational skills while hard technology refers to expertise associated with production processes. Host countries stand a good chance of benefiting from increased level of employment for its citizens, thus reducing the rates of unemployment (Vladimir, 2008). Foreign companies help in promoting skills of the local residents through training. Apart from introducing new products, foreign investors also improve the quality of domestic goods and services. With the presence of foreign companies, the level of competition is likely to stiffen, which would encourage high levels of efficie ncy. Domestic firms stand a chance of benefiting either directly or indirectly from foreign companies. For instance, they might use technologies used by foreign companies in manufacturing their products. Other foreign investors might provide direct financial assistance to local entities through partnerships and contracting. With regard to foreign markets, direct investment enterprises enable a country to access international markets given that foreign enterprises manufacture brands that are exported to other nations. Disadvantages of inward FDI A hosting country is subjected to the risk of facing troubles associated with Balance of Payments. For instance, foreign direct enterprises normally import high levels of foreign inputs for their various projects, which pose threats associated with imbalanced accounts. There also chances of crowding out local entities in which domestic entities would appear to face unfair market competition. Unfair competition is caused by efficiency and bett er performance depicted by foreign direct enterprises as opposed to local companies. A host country is also exposed to problems associated with the use of foreign inputs greatly. Host economies at times face environmental degradation and employment devastation, especially when mergers and acquisitions take place (Holloway, 2006). Although a country expects to benefit from transfer of both soft and hard technology, it becomes contradicting that transfer of technology is limited in most cases. FID mostly uses incentives to acquire market shares, which poses a threat to local companies since they fail to compete equally with the foreign companies. In addition, foreign enterprises embrace practices that hinder fair competition at local and foreign markets. FDI have contributed meager taxes locally as result of their transfer pricing. Balance of Payments Balance of Payments generally records all types of fiscal transactions between a given country and its trading partners within a specif ied period. It includes payment of imports and receipts of exports. A state recurrently exports and imports merchandise, services, fiscal assets and monetary transfers. Balance of Payments accounts are prepared in domestic currency. Sources of funds for any country such as receipts of loans including investments, as well as exports are recorded as surplus. On the other hand, use of funds such as investment in foreign countries and payment of imports are recorded as deficits. For a nation to maintain a Balance of Payment, summation of deficits and surplus should be zero. An imbalance however, occurs with capital and current account but hardly happens with reserves account. In a fixed exchange rate regime, the government would buy foreign reserves in an economy or provide foreign reserves to foreign exchange markets to maintain favorable exchange rates. Current account indicates factor income, cash transfers and balance of trade. The balance of trade relates to the difference between exports and imports whereas factor income shows the difference between income earned from foreign investments and payments made to foreign investors. Capital account is concerned about recording adjustments as regards to ownership of foreign assets. Capital account covers reserve account, investments and loans between a given nation and other trading partners. With capital account, interest payments and earnings on both loans and investments are excluded. In many cases, reserves account is always recorded below capital account and therefore, it might be perceived as not forming part of the capital account. It is always expected that combination of current account and capital account will result to a balanced Balance of Payments, thus avoiding surpluses and deficits. Current account + capital account = balancing Item Effect of Foreign Direct Investments on Economy from a Balance of Payments Perspective Foreign Direct Investments and Loan It is a common event that Parent Company at ti mes loans a subsidiary or a subsidiary loans a parent company. This is sometimes called inter-company loaning. If a subsidiary receives a loan from Mother Company, the host country will treat the transaction as receipt of funds and will be recorded in a capital account leading to increase in capital accounts. In contrast, a drop will be recorded in the capital account of the parent company’s country. If the subsidiary loans the parent company, the host country will record a decrease in the capital account as a result of outflow of cash (Safarian, 1985). The mother country will record an increase in capital account because of receipt of foreign reserves. The impact of loan on Balance of Payments accounts will depend on the size of the loan. Foreign Direct Investments and Interest Rates Dividends and interest earned on both loans, as well as equities affects the Balance of Payments current accounts. The Parent Company always charge a given interest for loans granted to its subs idiaries. Similarly, subsidiaries also impose interests on loans given to the Mother Company. Interest imposed by a subsidiary on loan offered to the Mother Company is treated as a positive figure against the host country current account. The mother country treats the similar interest as negative figure against its current account given the fact that the Parent Company has to pay the foreign affiliate relevant interest imposed on the loan. This transaction is therefore favorable to the host country and unfavorable to the mother country in relation to the current account. Conversely, if the parent company gives a loan to its foreign affiliate and charges a certain interest, a host country current account will decrease while the mother country current account will increase relative to the size of the loan, as well as the level of the interest rate charged. Foreign Direct Investments and Dividends Either an individual who owns preferred or ordinary shares of an incorporated company div idends is commonly paid shares of an incorporated company. Foreign affiliates have preferred and ordinary shares as well. For instance, an associate company has investors with a shareholding of between 10% and 50% while subsidiary has investors with a shareholding of 50% or more. Dividends affect the current account of the Balance of Payments. Payment of dividends by a subsidiary to its investors based in mother countries leads to a reduction of the current account of the host country. The mother country treats payment of investors’ dividends by subsidiary as an increase in the current account. It is therefore unfavorable for a host country to allow Foreign Direct Investments to engage in business considering that payment of dividends to foreign investors leads to decrease in its current account. However, it is more beneficial to the mother country since receipt of dividends by its citizens leads to increase in the current account. Foreign Direct Investment and Capital Flight Capital flight merely affects capital account. Capital flight has various definitions but the most appealing definition is the transfer of securities from a foreign country back to the home country or elsewhere due to fear of political risks or specific-country risks within the host country. Investors who find host country policies unfavorable for their investments such as imposing high taxes on foreign assets find it prudent to invest elsewhere. High inflation rates, poor returns on assets, as well as unappealing exchange rates may force investors to transfer their capital elsewhere. Capital flight leads to reduction of host country capital and thus reduction in the host country capital account. If an investor transfers capital back to his home country, the mother country will benefit through increased level of capital account. However, the mother country capital account will likely remain at the same level considering that returns that were earned on capital while being invested in the foreign country will hardly be realized. It therefore affects the current account negatively. On the other hand, although the host country will lose part of its capital account, it will not experience reduction in the current account since payments to foreign investors will have ceased. Foreign Direct Investment and Reinvested Earnings Parent companies have a variety of foreign affiliates ranging from subsidiaries to associates and branches. Parent companies sometimes find it prudent to allow foreign affiliates to invest back earned profits. As mentioned above, earnings of subsidiaries affect the current account. A host country would gain from reinvestment by subsidiaries given that its Balance of Payments will increase. Conversely, reinvested earnings do not affect the Balance of Payments of the mother country. Transfer of profits to the home country would lead to an increase in the Balance of Payments of the mother country’s current account. Foreign Direct Investment and Equity Capital Individual and institutional investors in many circumstances invest in foreign equity capital. An investor who invests in equity capital benefits from either capital gains or dividends payment. Dividends are paid in a quarterly, semiannually, yearly basis or as per the agreement. A host country always encourages foreign investments since various entities are equipped with sufficient capital to expand their operations, as well as upgrading their systems. Increase in foreign investments means increase in foreign reserves and therefore increase in the host country capital account. The mother country will record a transfer of capital from its home country to the foreign country as a decrease in its level of capital account. Conclusion It is important for a nation to have a Balance of Payments that does not have deficits. Nonetheless, a Balance of Payments that has surplus would indicate that an economy is strong. To maintain a strong economy, a country should encoura ge inward Foreign Direct Investment. This would expand its economy through advanced technology and increased employment, which favors the Balance of Payments. In addition, it should also encourage outward Foreign Direct Investment. This would permit its citizen to earn better incomes on assets invested in foreign companies. Increased earnings lead to increase in the level of the current account. It is further concluded that foreign direct investment has both advantages and disadvantages. References Britton, N. (1996). Canada and the global economy: the geography of structural and technological change. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s Press. Cutler, C., Zacher, M. (1992). Canadian foreign policy and international economic regimes. Vancouver: UBC Press. Holloway, S. (2006). Canadian foreign policy: defining the national interest. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. Safarian, E. (1985). Foreign direct investment: a survey of Canadian research. Montreal: IRPP. Vladimir, K. (2008). Sho w Me the Money: Access to Finance for Small Borrowers in Canada. York: International Monetary Fund. This research paper on Foreign Direct Investment and Balance of Payments was written and submitted by user Klaw to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Why buy when you can build essays

Why buy when you can build essays Computers have revolutionized the world, as we know it. They have been of means of improvement of life from Aeronautics to Zoology (A Z), and a plethora of other fields as well. Computers have been the backbone of technological advancement and organization necessary for this knowledge explosion of the 21st century. However, what do we owe most of the driving force behind the eruption in computer advancement? Would you guess the video game? Thats right the good ole video game. Could you have ever guess that Ataris pong would be a major contributor to the rapid acceleration in computer technology. I began to get into computers in 1995 and paid a sum of $1500.00 for my first custom built PC. If I recall it was a 486 DX2 80 IBM Clone with 16 Megs of Ram, I even splurged with a luxurious 15-inch monitor, all built by a 16 year old high school student. I couldnt believe it but he brought it to my house and set it up and I was off on my journey. I purchased my next pc from the not so beloved Best Buy department store, where the sales reps where quick to tell me that the unit I wished to purchase was fully upgradeable, they failed to tell me however that it was limited to the memory only. All other components were integrated (built onto the motherboard). Realizing that the only way I could know what was going on, was to jump off into this process of building my own system. The purpose of this paper is to inform you that it is possible for you the reader as well. Let me wet your appetite, that in building your own personal computer you can save hundreds of dollars at least that was the case 5 or so years ago. Now companies like Dell and Compaq can offer complete systems for less money. This is what the experts of PC Mechanic have to say: If you go to buy a pre-built PC by HP or Compaq, they are fine. But, keep in mind that, often, PC manufacturers reduce price by using lesser quality parts....

Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 5

Ethics - Essay Example The public expects professionalism and ethical conduct from those in the criminal justice system. The discipline of ethics focuses on the issue of what comprises appropriate or inappropriate behavior. A prominent specialist on ethics, Dr. Sam S. Souryal, gives a specific definition of ethics for corrections officers (Cronkhite, 2013, 304): Ethics has come to mean behaviors as they relate to a profession. Thus, there are medical ethics, legal ethics, and correctional ethics. All corrections professionals must follow basic ethical guidelines. Ethics boils down to making a choice between right and wrong, and doing what is right. In general, you can use your conscience as a guide. If you use sound reasoning, act in good faith, do your job fairly and honestly, respect the rights of others, and follow the rules and regulations of the agency, you will avoid most ethical problems. As argued by Whisenand (2005 as cited in Cronkhite, 2013, 304), ethics in the criminal justice system involves m oral obligations and how individuals should act with regard to both objectives and behavior. The criminal justice system is an inherently service-oriented field that assesses its people and behavior merely in terms of the actual exercise of power and the realization of objectives. Codes of Ethics and Ethical Dilemmas Therefore, codes of ethics fulfill two main functions. First, they serve as ethical or moral rules for those working in criminal justice. They lay down moral responsibilities that must be fulfilled and moral features that must be followed. Moreover, codes of ethics establish rules of professionalism vital to the organization’s interests (Chipman, 2000). The purpose of such rules is to hold the professionals accountable to the utmost performance level and encourage them to be committed to the rules of integrity, loyalty, and obligation. Second, codes of ethics establish professionalism in the criminal justice system. When employees abide by a code of ethics, the o utcome is a setting favorable for excellence. Employees know how to carry out their duties without too much supervision. They feel a sense of commitment and fulfillment in their work. They behave with respect and acceptance toward one another and in relationship to their fellow workers and clients (Chipman, 2000). They are capable of surpassing ‘petty behaviors’ like backstabbing, distrust, and envy and learn to avoid and detest inappropriate behaviors like favoritism, prejudice, and insensitivity. All codes of ethics aim at promoting two major qualities, namely, professionalism and public service. These are natural virtues, essential and fixed (Pollock, 2011). Without these codes of ethics, an organization loses its moral standing and faces serious ethical dilemmas. So how do people confront ethical dilemmas? Scholars explain that people initially exercise intuitive moral thinking when they confront ethical dilemmas. Intuition gives people quite simple rules learned fr om previous experiences (Braswell, McCarthy, & McCarthy, 2010). Another method of confronting ethical dilemmas is critical thinking. Contrary to intuitive thinking, critical thinking uses rules provided by moral and philosophical doctrines. In making moral choices when confronted with ethical dilemmas, people may at first exercise intuitive thinking, using their intuition to determine potential decisions or

Should biotechnologies replace traditional agricultural in the future Essay

Should biotechnologies replace traditional agricultural in the future - Essay Example as come to affect the manner through which agriculture is conducted and it has brought about a situation where there has been widespread debate concerning whether these technologies should replace traditional agriculture. Biotechnology should not be allowed to replace traditional agriculture because it will result in more harm than good. One of the reasons why biotechnology should not replace traditional agriculture is that it will neither benefit the farmers in the developed world nor those in the developing world. This is mainly because biotechnology is profit driven and does not have the interests of farmers at heart. As a profit driven industry, biotechnology can be considered to be a means through which major agricultural corporations are attempting to increase the dependence of society on industrial products to the almost total exclusion of products from traditional farmers. The intensification of farmers’ dependence on industrial products through the adoption of biotechnology would ensure that they end up having to endure restrictions based on intellectual property rights owned by major biochemical corporations. The enforcement of these rights would mean that farmers would be denied the right to not only reproduces, but also to share and store the seeds that they have purchased. Such conditions would b e highly detrimental to farmers and would force them to have to purchase expensive industrial products in order to continue practicing agriculture. It should be noted that without the much needed capital in order to purchase biotechnological products, most traditional farmers would be forced out of business, with the market being almost completely dominated by large corporations that are profit driven. Therefore, if biotechnology were to replace traditional agriculture, it would create a situation where it would be difficult for a significant number of people employed in the latter industry to survive the new market conditions. There would be an increase in

Week 4 Student Blog Post Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Week 4 Student Blog Post - Assignment Example The primary collections in this museum include the history of Philadelphian Africa Americans back in the twentieth century and showcases about the city and episodes of the black panthers to sports paraphernalia (Macdonald 34). Upon visiting this museum, I will compose a song. The lyrics of my song will be driven mainly by the rich African American culture that I will find stored in the museum. In addition, the art of politics of the Philadelphian Africa Americans, which will be easily read from the scriptures, will heavily influence the choice of my song. Articles and publications, lectures, tours, outreach programs and workshops, so far provided in class, will be of great help for my assignment. Nevertheless, previous studies in anthropology and history will greatly enhance my ways of attacking this assignment as they provide an individual with interpretive skills. Visiting Philadelphian Africa Americans museum will greatly improve my ability to tackle the assignment as it this will offer me an opportunity for gaining practical skills and at the same time give more rooms for innovations and

Meritocracy in UK Education: Bernstein and Bourdieu

Meritocracy in UK Education: Bernstein and Bourdieu ‘Education policy in the UK now contributes to a more meritocratic society. Discuss the various explanations that sociologists have offered for differences in educational outcomes Introduction Many policy developments regarding education have had as their express aim the need to make the education system fairer (including the 1870 and 1944 Education Acts and the 1988 Education Reform Act, which introduced the National Curriculm): that is, to achieve a position in which educational achievement reflects children’s innate ability.[1] However, despite these manifest aims the basic pattern of educational achievement remains stratified along lines of class, race and gender: in general, children from middle and upper class families (as defined by the occupational grouping of the father) tend to achieve both a longer and more qualified education (see Douglas, 1964 or Halsey et al, 1980). Similarly, race differentials of attainment are also evident (see Orr, 2003). Finally, educational outcomes, despite successive attempts to overcome them, remain gendered: girls tend to be concentrated within the ‘feminine’ subjects such as English, whilst boys tend to do bette r in mathematics and the sciences (see Thomas, 1990). However, the largest factor affecting educational outcomes in the UK remains class: this is not to say that all working class children fail educationally; however, there remains a strong correlation between social class and achievement levels. Thus, despite a widespread belief in the meritocratic nature of modern western society this belief may in fact be little more than a legitimating ideology: it is therefore the unequal educational outcomes of children with similar ‘natural’ abilities that social theorists have sought to explain. However, as many theoretical approaches have been utilised in this attempt as the number of theorists so involved: theorists with liberal, conservative, feminist and socialist leanings may further show actor-centred, structuralist or functionalist tendencies to their explanatory schemas. In this essay I have decided to concentrate on the work of two theorists, Pierre Bourdieu and Basil Bernstein, my reasoning is threefold: firstly, space limitations negate the feasibility of a broader survey; next, though Bernstein was previously influential within educational theory, it is the work of Bourdieu that now appears ascendant and to have wider applicability; finally, whilst both Pierre Bourdieu and Basil Bernstein have been associated with class-based analysis, it is that of Bourdieu that has subsequently been more widely adopted, therefore they provide neatly contrasting explanations of educational differentials. In the next section I outline the educational theory of Basil Bernstein; in the following that of Pierre Bourdieu. In the conclusion, I critically asses both approaches, arguing that, whilst at first glance they appear similar in that they both aim to account predominantly for the class-based dimension to educational differentials, in fact it is the more subtle and nuanced theory of Bourdieu that is better able to account for educational differentials of a wider type: those based on gender, race, and class. Basil Bernstein: The Elaborated and Restricted Codes Basil Bernstein (1925-2000) initially developed his account of the elaborated and restricted codes during his time teaching young men motorcycle repair in the 1960s. It was then that he noticed the different ways in which language was used by the tutors and pupils, leading him to conclude that it was in fact two different forms of language that were being used: the restricted and elaborated codes. He defined the ‘restricted’ code as being inherently context bound, emotion based and reliant on condensed symbols: ‘restricted codes are more tied to a local structure and have a reduced potential for change’ (Bernstein, 1972: 164). In contrast, the ‘elaborated’ codes ‘orient their users towards universalistic meanings’ (Ibid.) and are defined by Bernstein as utilising rationality and logic; ‘elaborated’ codes are thus described by Bernstein as being context-free; it is the elaborated code that Bernstein takes to be dominant within education. Bernstein believed that the elaborated language code is the norm for the middle classes, whilst the restricted code is usually used both within working-class and middle-class families, with differences the result of the ‘cultural transmission’, via socialisation, that turns the biological infant into a cultural being (Bernstein, 1972: 162). He argued that the process of socialisation naturalises the social order and occurs via social institutions such as the family and school. He identified two family types: the ‘positional’ and the ‘person-centred’, and these are likely to utilise specific modes of interaction (Bernstein, 1972: 170). Arguing that all children have access to the restricted code, Bernstein believed that it is only those from the person-centred family type (the middle-class families) who are likely to have had regular contact with the imaginative and interpersonal language of the elaborated code outside of formal education, giving them an advantage within education: Historically and now, only a tiny percentage of the population has been socialised into knowledge at the level of meta-languages of control and innovation, whereas the mass of the population has been socialised into knowledge at the level of context-tied operations (Bernstein, 1972: 163). In short, the language used within the home gives middle class children an advantage at school; they ‘speak the same language’ as the teachers. Bernstein does not argue that either mode is better than the other, his aims to be a descriptive, rather than a prescriptive, account; instead he argues that it is the educational system itself that favours one code above the other and thus privileges the children of one group, middle-class children. Pierre Bourdieu: Cultural Capital Similar to Bernstein, Pierre Bourdieu (1930-2002) developed his theory of cultural capital as part of an attempt to explain the class-based educational differentials between children with similar natural abilities. Two concepts are central to this schema: those of cultural capital and cultural reproduction. In the first, culture is viewed as similar to power (Bourdieu, 1986: 243) because, like money, one is able to inherit it and it can be translated into other social resources, including wealth and status (Bourdieu, 1986: 244-5). It is this transferability of cultural capital that leads to the second key concept, that of cultural reproduction: for in this schema the class that dominates economically is also able to dominate culturally and ideologically; thus, similarly to Bernstein, schools play a key role in socio-cultural reproduction by valuing middle-class culture more highly than that of the working-classes. Bourdieu isolates three distinct types of cultural capital, embodied, objectified and institutionalised: the first describes the way that cultural capital becomes incorporated into the very body of the individual (Bourdieu, 1986: 244-5); the second refers to artefacts which may be inherited (Bourdieu, 1986: 246); whilst the third refers to those academic qualifications which allow an individual access to economic capital via the job market (Bourdieu, 1986: 247). In this way schools, along with other institutions, help to both naturalise and perpetuate inequality. Like economic capital for Karl Marx, for Bourdieu cultural capital has the capacity to reproduce itself ‘in identical or expanded form’ (Bourdieu, 1986: 241). In short, for Bourdieu education plays a key role in legitimising and naturalising social inequality; for if all children are believed to have equal opportunities to succeed according to their ability then any failure must be a result of differences in their level of ability: it must be their own fault rather than the fault of the system as a whole. Bourdieu posits the educational shortcomings of the working classes on their situational constraints in two ways; firstly, the objective class position of the children’s family is used to provide the basis for assumptions regarding the kind of cultural resources they therefore hold; secondly, their social position limits the amount and type of capital an individual is likely to accrue and pass on to their children. Within Bourdieu’s theory, each economic class is thus assumed to have developed a ‘class culture’, or way of both acting in and perceiving the social world, and in this way social inequality is intern alised or embodied as it is also naturalised. Analysis and Conclusion The two approaches appear similar at first glance; both concentrate on the class-based aspects of educational inequality, and, as such, both are open to the criticism that they fail to account for other educational differences, such as those resulting from race or gender (McCall, 1992: 851). Further, both approaches are liable to be criticised for their economic determinism: John Frow has argued that with Bourdieu’s approach the cultural resources of an individual are merely assumed from their class position (Frow, 1995: 63) and this criticism might equally be applied to Bernstein. Finally, both approaches entail the idea that differential educational achievement is best explained with references to ‘barriers’ to achievement: both posit the way that society is organised, the education system in particular, as itself limiting the ability of some children to succeed. However, Bernstein’s theory has been criticised empirically, theoretically and ideologically; first, little empirical is cited to support his hypothesis and he conducted no participation observation of either middle or working class family homes (Rosen, 1974: 10). Theoretically, Bernstein utilises a crude conception of class analysis which ignores the ruling class entirely whilst also concentrating solely on the unskilled section of the working class (Rosen, 1974: 6). He fails to address the relations between the two classes (Ibid.), further, by concentrating on the role of the family his theory fails to acknowledge other institutions or the role of peer groups or the media (Rosen, 1974: 7). Finally, he fails to acknowledge the effect that the attitude of the teacher toward their students may have on their education. Whilst there is a ‘grain of truth’ to his argument, in that there are differences in the language use of the various social classes, by attributing t he failure of working class children solely to their language-use Bernstein misses the point: it is not the language that inherently contains power, but rather it is the broader education system that, by imposing middle-class culture via pedagogic authority, limits the ability of working class children to succeed. Although he aims to only describe the differences between the two language types, Bernstein himself falls into the ethno-linguistic trap of believing his own language use to be the superior form (Rosen, 1974: 6). Finally, as Deborah Cameron states: ‘the theory of codes could be boiled down to a political truism, those who do not speak the language of the dominant elite find it difficult to get on’ (Cameron, 1985: 159-160). Bourdieu’s approach is more subtle; although he agues, similarly to Bernstein, that language plays a key role in the under achievement of the working classes, Bourdieu’s explanation involves many other factors, including the development of a specific habitus, or set of predispositions, and the social, cultural and economic capitals. Thus Bourdieu does not point to language as the sole cause of working-class children’s educational failure, but instead describes a complex process that not only attempts to account for this failure but also its internalisation. Indeed, Bourdieu’s theory is supported by in-depth participation-observation, rather than the assumption and anecdote of Bernstein, reflecting his recognition of the complexity of the causes of unequal educational achievement. In recent years Bernstein’s theory, though once influential, has fallen out of favour within educational sociology, as a quick survey of recent articles reveals, whilst the theory of cultural capital has become increasingly influential (Burkett, 2001). Whilst at first glance the theories appear similar, in fact it is the theory of Bourdieu that is better able to account for educational differentials of a wider type: those based on gender, race, and class and many theorists have sought to thus extend the theory to account for these wider differentials (see, for example, McNay, 1999; Reay, 2004). Indeed, Ben Fine has argued that academia has been gripped by a kind of ‘capital’ mania (in Burkett, 2004: 234), in part, at least, attesting to the strength of the explanatory schema. Bibliography Bernstein, Basil (1972) ‘Social Class, Language and Socialisation’, Language and Social Context: Selected Readings, Giglioli, Pier Paolo (Ed.), London: Penguin Education, pp. 157-178. Bourdieu, Pierre (1986) ‘The forms of Capital’ in Handbook of Theory and Research for the Sociology of Education, Richardson, J (Ed.), London: Greenwood Press, pp. 241-258. Burkett, Paul (2001) ‘Book Review: Social Capital versus Social Theory: Political Economy and Social Science at the Turn of the Millennium’ by Ben Fine, London: Routledge, Historical Materialism, Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 233-246. Cameron, Deborah (1985) ‘Beyond Alienation: An Integrational Approach to Women and Language’, Feminism and Linguistic Theory, London: MacMillan, pp 134 – 161. Douglas, J.W.B (1964) The Home and the School: A Study of Ability and Attainment in the Primary School, London: MacGibbon. Frow, John (1995) ‘Accounting for Tastes: Some Problems in Bourdieu’s Sociology of Culture’, Cultural Studies, Vol. 1(No. 1), pp. 59-73. Halsey, A.H; Heath, A Ridge, J.M (1980) Origins and Destinations: Family Class and Education in Modern Britain, Oxford: Clarendon Press. McNay, Lois (1999) ‘Gender, Habitus and the Field: Pierre Bourdieu and the Limits of Reflexivity’, Theory, Culture and Society, Vol. 16, No. 1, pp. 95-117. Orr, Amy (2003) ‘Black-White Differences in Achievement: The Importance of Wealth’, Sociology of Education, Vol. 76, pp. 281-304. Piper, David Warren (1984) ‘The Question of Fairness’, Is Higher Education Fair to Women?, Acker, Sandra and Piper, David Warren (Eds.), Guilford: SRHE and NFER-NELSON, pp. 3-24. Reay, Diane (2004) ‘It’s all Becoming a Habitus’: Beyond the Habitual use of Habitus in Educational Research’, British Journal of Sociology of Education, Vol. 25, No. 4, pp. 431-444. Rosen, Harold (1974 [1972]) Language and Class: A Critical Look at the Theories of Basil Bernstein (3rd Ed.), Bristol: Falling Wall Press. Thomas, Kim (1990) ‘The Question of Gender’ and ‘Feminism and Education’ in Gender and Subject in Higher Education, Buckingham: SRHE Open University Press, pp. 1 – 23. 1 Footnotes [1] See David Warren Piper (1984) for a discussion regarding the feasibility of attaining true ‘fairness’ in education.

Love in Pre-1914 Poetry :: Poetry Poems Love Emotions Essays

Love in Pre-1914 Poetry Compare and contrast the ways in which writers’ present ideas about love in a selection of pre-1914 poetry Poetry is usually used to convey strong feelings and emotions which may be difficult to express in any other form. Poems are especially good at portraying feelings of love because they have set rhythms which can flow better than ordinary speech; poetry can also be good at expressing anger as the rhythms are capable of being very harsh. From times pre-dating the Tudors, poetry has been used by men to win the affections of their prospective mistresses because, by using verse, they could show emotion without embarrassment. The technique of using poetry to woe was used by Andrew Marvell in his poem ‘To His Coy Mistress’. The traditional, model woman, particularly in the 17th Century, was supposed to maintain a state of coyness until after she was married off to a suitor who met with her fathers’ approval. Andrew Marvell’s ‘To His Coy Mistress’ speaks of the passage of time moving on and of a man’s frustration at his mistress’s coyness. â€Å"Had we but world enough, and time, This coyness, lady, were no crime.† (Lines 1-2) In the above the man is telling the lady that if they had ‘all the time in the world’ then her coyness would be fine and he would not mind it at all. These first two lines of the poem are the beginning of the ‘if’ section. Marvell goes on in this section to say: â€Å"Thou by the Indian Ganges’ side Should’st rubies find: I by the tide Of Humber would complain. I would Love you ten years before the flood: And you should, if you please, refuse, Till the conversion of the Jews.† (Lines 5-10) The Ganges is an exotic river and, especially in the 17th Century when travel to India was rare, it was the source of much fascination. By saying that she is by the Ganges and yet he is by the Humber, a very unexciting river, he is flattering her. She is worthy of a glamorous river whereas he is not. Marvell writes that he would love her even before the two rivers are joined in a second Biblical flood. He also says that she could refuse to heed his advances until the â€Å"conversion of the Jews† this, like the second flood, is a very unlikely event. The poem then continues with Marvell writing of a â€Å"†¦vegetable love†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Line 11) This love would continue to grow with time and the man and woman’s platonic relationship would carry on without hindrance if only they had the time. If the man had forever then he could take the time to