Managing Human Resources at Google Essay

Google Inc. is an American multinational corporation which provides Internet-related products and services, including internet search, cloud computing, software and advertising technologies. Founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin met at Stanford University in 1995. By 1996, they had built a search engine (initially called BackRub) that used links to determine the importance of individual webpages. Larry and Sergey named the search engine they built â€Å"Google,† a play on the word â€Å"googol,† the mathematical term for a 1 followed by 100 zeros. Google Inc. was born in 1998, when Sun co-founder Andy Bechtolsheim wrote a check for $100,000 to that entity—which until then didn’t exist. Google has been estimated to run over one million servers in data centers around the world, and process over one billion search requests and about twenty-four petabytes of user-generated data every day. Google is a high-energy, fast paced work environment. While the dress code might be â€Å"casual† the company attracts and retains some of the brightest minds in the technology industry. There is a work hard, play hard atmosphere. Most workers at Google have base salaries that are on the lower end of normal for the markets they operate in. The base salaries are supplemented by stock options, challenging work and extensive benefits. In addition to the normal health and welfare benefits that larger companies offer, Google provides its employees with other benefits like Health care for employee and his family, plus on-site physician and dental care at headquarters, vacation days and holidays, flexible work hours, maternity and parental leave, plus new moms and dads are able to expense up to $500 for take-out meals during the first four weeks that they are home with their new baby and Google Child Care Center, just five minutes from Google headquarters in Mountain View. Other bene fits that Google offers to its employees are Fuel Efficiency Vehicle Incentive Program, employee discounts and onsite dry cleaning, plus a coin-free laundry room in the Mountain View office. Google has principles, â€Å"Ten things we know to be true†: 1. Focus on the user and all else will follow. 2. It’s better to do one thing really, really well. 3. Fast is better than slow. 4. Democracy on the web works. 5. You don’t need to be at your desk to need an answer. 6. You can make money without doing evil. 7. There’s always more information out there. 8. The need for information crosses all borders. 9. You can be serious without a suit. 10. Great just isn’t good enough. Some of Google’s products are: †¢ Web Search – search billions of web pages †¢ Google Chrome – a browser built for speed, simplicity and security †¢ Mobile – get Google products on your mobile †¢ Image Search – search for images on the web †¢ News – Search thousands of news stories †¢ Drive – Create, share and keep all your stuff in one place †¢ Translate – Instantly translate text web pages, and files between over 50 languages †¢ Groups – Create mailing lists and discussion groups †¢ Blog Search – Find blogs on your favorite topics †¢ Scholar – Search scholarly pages  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Alerts – Get email updates on the topics of your choice †¢ Code Top Google Inc. competitors: Yahoo! Inc. Company Profile Yahoo! wants to spread some cheer to Internet users around the world. Its network of websites offers news, entertainment, and shopping, as well as search results powered by Microsoft’s Bing. Yahoo! generates most of its revenue through providing search and display advertising to Web operations in three categories: Communications & Communities (including Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! Groups, and Flickr), Search and Marketplaces (Yahoo! Search), and Media (Yahoo! Homepage, Yahoo! Finance). Other revenues come from fee-based services such as premium e-mail; royalties, licenses, and mobile products; and broadband Internet access. Yahoo! publishes content in about 45 languages and in 60 countries, regions, and territories. MSN Company Profile MSN, a part of Microsoft’s Online Services Division, is a leading provider of Internet content and services. Its msn.com Web portal provides a wide range of news, information, and entertainment content, as well as online shopping and a search service powered by Bing, Microsoft’s search engine product. MSN also offers communications services such as its MSN Instant Messenger and the Web-based e-mail service Hotmail. All total, the MSN portal draws an audience of more than 100 million monthly users in the US. Its global reach includes some 50 country-specific sites in about 20 languages. Managing Human Resource in Google Managing Human Resources has become vital factor for the organizations within the modern and fast-paced business environment. The unique challenge of HR department is to ensure that the employees are motivated and committed to the organization with the complete integrity and honesty. HR practices at Google named â€Å"People Operations†, which is designed to underline the fact that it is not a mere administrative function, but ensures to build a strong employee-employer relationship. Google is well-known as a great employer and majority of its recognition has come as a result of HR programs and ideas. However there are some gaps in the HR practices of Google. Recruitment and Selection procedure Google place great emphasis in how they attract and hire the very best talent. Google take hiring very seriously and make consensus based decisions. However, nearly every candidate at Google commented on its slow screening, recruiting, and interview process. Several posts suggest that hiring process in Google is very long, time-consuming and annoying. Some examples from current employee of Google are: â€Å"Google actually celebrates its hiring process, as if its ruthless inefficiency and interminable duration were a sure proof of thoroughness, a badge of honor. Perhaps it is thorough. But I would be willing to wager that Microsoft’s hiring process, which takes a fraction of the time, does not result in a lower-skilled workforce or result in a higher rate of attrition. â€Å"The interview process was very mixed: They had me slated as a Windows Developer for some reason, to everyone on my interview loop wondered why. I flubbed my first coding pretty bad but after that it was clear that no-one on my interview loop had enough experience or knowledge to level me. On the other hand they figured that out and scheduled a follow on interview with the head of the Kirkland office who asked reasonable and pertinent questions. Also I was surprised that Google seemed to be proud that they didn’t communicate from one interviewer to the next: at Microsoft it was a good opportunity to find more appropriate interviewers, etc. if a person seemed misstated. Oh well, I thought my interview and hiring process was an anomaly.† Hiring process takes from one to four m onth and it is inconvenient for applicants; however it is necessary from business performance view. In order to hire new employee management should approve head count; also staff can only be hired into approved positions. All new positions must pass through the respective budget approvals for each area. Obviously, recruitment at Google is not the responsibility only of the HR team. The need to hire the right people permeates across the organization, becoming the outlook of every employee, turning Google into a recruiting machine. â€Å"My experience actually in Aug. 2004 when I was interviewing for a sales position in the Seattle office was the typical 13+ interviews, including a day trip to MV where I was told that someone would take me to lunch and instead she took me in a conf. room and interviewed me. So I ended up not eating at all that day until I returned to the airport at 4pm. However, I passed my interviews with flying colors and was surprised 3 weeks later when I still hadn’t heard from my recruiter about the results of the hiring committee meeting.† There are a lot of similar complains about hiring process and interviews which give us the conclusion that Google’s hiring process is time-consuming, both for employees and for Google. Some of the current employees mentioned also that Microsoft procedure is much better. Temporary Employees Google HR rarely gives permanent jobs immediately and prefers to recruit temporary and contract employees. Google’s emphasis on attracting youngsters might reduce its ability to get experience recruiters. Another problem of HRM in Google is the inability to track the on-job performance of the new hires. Challenge of growth Google has done a remarkable job in growing from a small private company to a big organization with 15.000 employers in a few years. However Google face the continual challenge of being able to handle successfully its open and fun-filled work culture. As the company grows it is difficult to provide the same financial and other incentives for its employees. Google’s Human resource chief has said that the runaway success of the fast-growing internet company is generating its own set of people management problems. Moreover Google HR has a trouble in recruitment talented locals in its South Asian operations. The shortage of web development, skills and knowledge of JavaScript and Ajax, the web design technology –Google Map- and the short supply of middle managers become a challenge for HR department. The diversification of the HR functions such as salaries in these countries is another gap in the HR management. â€Å"I was hired to work in Google’s Singapore office. I found out very quickly that Google International is not the same as Google-US. The offered pay was way too low to survive in Singapore, so I left after I got another job offer that I felt was better for me. I really do believe that Google is doing some important work with humanitarian mapping projects and digitizing libraries. But for me, I felt that Google’s popular image did not match its actions in the work place, and that some of the things they did were not very â€Å"Googly.† Working conditions and environment The nature of work at Google undergoes constant changes, hence few employees are able to achieve the task for what they were initially hires. It is also opined that this may hinder the performance management function. Some people would agree that working at Google is more exciting, but Google employees are working incredible hours. A 12-hour working day in Google has become a norm, owning to its wide array of employee benefits and perks such us Google Child Care Center, on-site haircut free of charge, swimming pools, dry cleaning services, on-site medical staff etc. A current employee says: â€Å"There was no proper mentoring for 6 months and within 9 months of my tenure my manager was not happy with my performance, and management always stressed on â€Å"Putting some Extra Effort† – in other words â€Å"Spending some extra hours† †¦ this may not be the case at Google-MV but this is what it is in India. If you don’t put extra hours then you won’t get promoted, no promotion means no salary hike. I feel sad about my decision on choosing Google over IBM †¦ Small pay, No work, No Team spirit, No Hike in 12 months, No balance between Family Life and work are few things which motivated my move out.† In such organization where employers work more that the schedule working hours the relationship and the environment between employers might not be the finest. Employees might lose the balance between work and social life and this finally will lead to unfriendly working environment. â€Å"As soon as I got inside, I had the feeling of being swallowed by a giant borg. Really, I felt like I didn’t exist, watching people buzzing around with laptops.† I have been sitting back, surprised at the level of negativity expressed by those on this thread, and wanted to share my very different experience. Recommendations Google has built a culture where a well-chosen elite accommodates flexibility, shifting roles and above all else, urgency. As Google grows in size and strength, it is a challenge to maintain the pace of innovation and convey a sense of empowerment to Google’s engineers and product managers. In my opinion the first thing that HR department must take into consideration is the very long duration for recruitment and interview process. Selection of the â€Å"right† candidate is an important function of HRM, but this doesn’t mean that interviews and selection procedures must be so time-consumer. HR managers might receive 250 applications for every vacancy. They must compare the qualifications of the applicant with the job description of the vacancy and find the application that fits with the duties of the position, the most suitable. It will be also more efficient for both employees and Google to reduce the number of interviews from over than 4 to maximum 2 or 3. For the dilemma to hire permanent or temporary employees Human Resource Manager must recognize the benefits that they could gain from permanent staff. With a permanent employee, company will save time in training and gain stability. Permanent employees can also contribute to the growing of the business as they get more efficient at their jobs through familiarity with the processes. Temporary employees often lack motivation and loyalty to the company due to the short time spent assisting with operations. HR must also encourage innovation and independent initiatives to its employer. It must give them the time and resources to pursue new ideas in order to develop more tools, functions and technology in order to increase its efficiency and contribute to it’s succeed. Although providing freedom to engineers might attract talent and encourage innovation, but company should not deviate from its core business strategy which directly affects the revenue. Also in countries that it is difficult to find qualified person who can meet company’s expectations for the vacancy position, like the example above (South Asia), HR manager can select the most suitable from the applicants and training him to enrich his skills and knowledge. Google might offer a range of benefits and perks but it should be also careful in balancing business and pleasure activities. The promotion and bonus must not combine with overtimes but with performance and skills. Another important factor that HR manager in Google must consider is the corporate and friendly environment in the organization. If they maintain a friendly relationship between employees they will successful growth and increase productivity. Conclusion Managing Human Resources effectively leads to an improved ability to attract and retain qualifies employees who are motivated to perform and the results of having the right employees motivated to perform are numerous. They include greater probability, low employee turnover, high product quality, lower production costs and more rapid acceptance and implementation of the corporate strategy. No company in the world but Google offers expensive perks like free food, free fitness center, free barber shop that come to you, free car wash while work, free pool table, games room, lap pools for exercises, volley ball courts, company massagers, free laundry, free doctor on site. A research in 2012 shows that the best company to work for is Google. However Google seems to have a gap in the Human Resource Management in a range of factors that HR manager must consider and solve them before these become an important impact to its productivity and growth.

EcoRes is an independent project designed to reach the goal of energy saving in student accommodation sectors

The object of Eco-Res project is to achieve a goal of energy saving in five years by taking technology measures in student accommodation. This technology management report will give a roadmap of where the future of Eco-Res project lie. The following parts will be included in this report: †¢ Current technology solutions in the energy saving area. †¢ How to make changes happen? The key drivers in the change management. †¢ What factors might stop in the process of Eco-Res project. †¢ Different types of changes and how to achieve them. †¢ The main risks might exist in Eco-Res project. †¢ Some strategy recommendations and other related information. Overview of technology roadmap for the next 5 years Currently, the energy usage in University mainly depend on the traditional energy source. For next 5 years, these goals should be achieved: †¢ Reduce energy consumption by students and staff living on campus by 30% over the next five years. †¢ Make additional savings greater than investment to develop further environmental activities over time. 1. Technology solution indicating leader or technology follower Eco-Res is an independent project designed to reach the goal of energy saving in student accommodation sectors. Technology solutions applied in Eco-Res project should enable students and staff who reside on campus to monitor and reduce their residential usage. In order to achieve the target of energy saving, some renewable energy technology should be used in Eco-Res project. Considerable technology solutions are listed below. Solar photovoltaic technology converts solar radiation into electricity, and in this way, solar photovoltaic system can produce energy for daily life usage. Solar thermal technology mainly collect the heat from the Sun by solar collectors, and transfer heat by hot water. Solar power is a kind of green energy which can be installed easily and widely in student accommodation. Wind power can be utilized by wind turbine. A wind turbine plays a role of converting wind energy into mechanical energy. Different type of wind turbine can be used according to different circumstances. Another technology solution is LED installation. By installing LED lights, a large amount of energy bills can be saved. Cycle by cycle laundry equipment could also be considered as a technology solution. Biomass is another technology solution can be considered. Biomass can either be used directed or convert into other energy forms. Garbage, wood, waste, landfill gases and alcohol fuels are the main resources of biomass. 1. Type of change management required – key drivers This section will summarize the most important drivers of change management. In Eco-Res project, the main change management drivers lie in strategic change, technology change, change forces and human resource. Figure Nature of change (Balogun and Hope Hailey,1999) This picture shows the type of change model. From the aspect of Eco-Res project, the main drivers of this technology change are increasing desire of energy (Incremental) and low energy efficiency (Transformation), therefore, Eco-Res project is an evolution. Staffordshire University, adapted from Balogun and Hope Hailey,1999, Exploring Strategic Change, Prentice Hall. C:UserssdzhangweiDesktopQQà ¦Ã‚ ªÃƒ ¥Ã‚ ¾20141228200251.png Source: adapted from Johnson & Scholes, 1999, Exploring Corporate Strategy, p.511 From the change style model produced by Johnson & Scholes (1999), the Eco-Res needs transformational change, therefore, the direction style strategic should be applied to the project. The key driver to this change management is the â€Å"use of authority to set direction and means of change†. Morgen Witzel (2003). Fifty key figures in management. Routledge, 2003. ISBN 0-415-36977-0p.96. In technology change, it will be very necessary to respond to change according to Mousetrap Theory. According to the functional theory of Henri Fayol (Morgen Witzel, 2003), in technology change management, there were planning, organizing, commanding, co-ordinating and controlling. In technology management today, there should also have forecasting. By applying the functional theory to Eco-Res project, the key drivers can be summarized as follow: †¢ Make a complete project plan for recommended technology solutions in Eco-Res project. †¢ Appropriate organization of Eco-Res project. †¢ Make a Gantt chart of Eco-Res project to command it. †¢ Arrange different specialized people on different role in Eco-Res project. †¢ By setting up milestones in the project plan to control the process. †¢ Get to know the future of the technology solutions applied in Eco-Res project. 1958 – J. March & H Simon organisations (New York, John Wiles & Sons, 1958) From the respect of internal pressures, Eco-Res project need to fulfil the requirements of energy saving raised up by stakeholders. From the respect of external pressures, more and more benefits of renewable energy appeared recent years. For example, government supports and marketing benefits. Market pull and technology push like renewable technology becoming more important in energy market and more and more renewable energy can be realized in daily life are the promotion elements of Eco-Res project. From the perspective of human resource in managing change, different role plays different part in the change management. First of all, as the change agent in Eco-Res project, this entity should made a long-term strategic plan for this project. As the strategic leadership in Eco-Res project, this role should ensure every process of the project going well to achieve the goal of energy saving. As middle managers, these people contribute to Eco-Res project as gate players. The middle managers should convey the view from the top manager and reflect the feedbacks from the lower managers, and they also control the implementation of Eco-Res project. 3. Resistance to change Common reasons for resistance Topic Reasoning Self-interest For students themselves, Eco-Res project do not provide direct benefits. Disagreement Do not trust Eco-Res project can achieve the goal of energy saving. On the other hand, students may think too much time and money will be spent on this project. Remuneration Through the period of Eco-Res project, the reward of work may change, but because of the contract, the remuneration will not change, therefore, staff involved in this project may not satisfied with this. Fear New technology may exist some risks during installation and usage. Misunderstanding The target of Eco-Res project may not be expressed clearly. Habit Students and staff live on campus may like to stick to traditional habit, and refuse to involve in Eco-Res project. Culture People from different cultural background may have different view of energy saving. Indifference Not all students and staff concern about environmental problem. Forcefield Analysis (Lewin, 1951) Organizational resistance Topic Reasoning Existing Structure Hierarchical and flattened relationship as an existing structure may make things more difficult in new technology management. Power Bases Specific power bases are necessary like budget controls, autocratic or not and stakeholder mapping. Culture Different ways of dealing with different technology management. Planning Technology roadmap including mission, vision, forecast, firefighting, reactive, resources and rewards made specifically for Eco-Res project is necessary. Training Staff involved in Eco-Res project should be trained before the start point. Resources Human resources and material resources should be considered properly. Incentives Too much or too little incentives will be the resistance element in Eco-Res project. Proper incentives can inspire staff work harder. History There were some energy saving project before Eco-Res project, and there also exists some traditional solutions may affect the innovation in Eco-Res project. Cultural Web (Johnson et al, 2005) Lewin K. (1951) ‘Field Theory in Social Science', Harper and Row, New York. 4. Hard and/or Soft system changes In hard system changes, there are different technology solutions and installation of the renewable energy equipment. In soft system changes, the main point is cultural change of the organization. From the culture web of organization (Johnson et al, 2005) Johnson, G., Scholes, K. and Whittington, R. (2005) ‘Exploring Corporate Strategy’, Prentice-Hall,Harlow. C:UserssdzhangweiDesktopQQà ¦Ã‚ ªÃƒ ¥Ã‚ ¾20141230043225.png 5. Major risks or downsides for the initiative Risk spreadsheet Risk likelihood impact Mitigation options Wrong estimation of the process duration medium large Keep working on the wrong estimation process and get another independent process begin at the same time. Underproduction of the energy saving project’s task medium large Increase duration of the task and rearrange the project process arrangement. Cost overspend (variable components prices) large large Look for other investors and build cooperation, or negotiate more investment from existed investors. Decrease of government subsidization medium small Increase the efficient of the energy saving project to save cost. Equipment failure in usage medium Medium-large Establish maintenance team and fix the equipment immediately. Variables of weather Medium large Backup the electricity usage by using existing grid to power up. Failure of installation of facilities Reference Market strategy for Eco-Res solution Executive Summary This report proposed a market strategy to promote and encourage use of the Eco-Res solution by University students living on campus. 1. Market research The purposes of Eco-Res project market research are identified as: †¢ Get to know the attitudes of students and staff on campus towards Eco-Res project. †¢ Determine promising students and target markets (on campus) for Eco-Res project. †¢ Help make market segmentation by doing a survey about how students behave to achieve energy saving. †¢ Recommend a most acceptable renewable energy technology from the market research, and also investigate an acceptable cost for Eco-Res project. Both Internet-based and mail-based surveys were implemented to assess the awareness and attitudes of students and staff on campus towards emerging renewable technologies. And the methodology of the Eco-Res market research is: †¢ Aim at students and staff live on campus. †¢ Developmentally market researches should be designed to determine the target market more accurately. The overall key findings of the present market researches are: †¢ Most students and staff who participated in the market researches are quite concerned with energy saving, and they think more improvement of energy saving should be made in the University of York. †¢ Solar PV is the most acceptable technology in energy saving area. †¢ As for daily life behaviour, most students and staff have more or less energy saving habits. The gaps of present market researches are: †¢ The most questions in the questionnaires are about the general awareness of energy saving, further investment about Eco-Res project should be done. †¢ Researches about personal and general information about students should be done to get to know the customers of Eco-Res project better. 1. Motivation theory To make students and staff living on campus get involved in Eco-Res project, some motivation theories should be applied to increase the amount of participation. Maslow – Hierarchy of Needs A combination of Maslow-Hierarchy of Needs model and Self-Efficacy theory could be applied to Eco-Res project, specifically, the esteem and actualization part could be combined with the Self-Efficacy theory. Eco-Res project fulfil the requirement of energy, therefore, the physical stage has been achieved. The energy usage in daily life can be guaranteed in Eco-Res project. Safety as a basic requirement in energy usage can also be a fundamental assurance. In the aspect of Love/Belonging, an association of Eco-Res project can be established to make students aware of their contribution to school energy saving. By involving in this visible association, a feeling of belonging is growing, and Eco-Res project will not just a school project. The combination part is the most import part in motivating students and staff. In order to let students feel respected, every student involved in Eco-Res project should be connected by email and text, and special services for membership should be established. Different school events like renewable energy introduction and practice of installing renewable energy equipment should be held. By these kind experiences, students on campus will get the meaning of Eco-Res project. Elective courses can be set up to coach students in behaviours of energy saving in daily life and also introduce the value of Eco-Res project. At the same time, speeches about energy saving or some green topic speech competition can be held in order to increase the concern of energy saving between students. Bandura – Self-Efficacy Theory Ajzen – Theory of Planned Behaviour (Ajzen, 1985) From the model of Planed Behaviour theory, it can be proven that a complete plan of Eco-Res project is very important. By providing a specific progress to students on campus, the feeling of everything is under control can be established. c. Market segmentation Marketing is the heart of a successful technology project like Eco-Res project. In order to convey the information efficiently and effectively, a considerable way is based on marketing segmentation. Market segmentation is defined as â€Å"dividing a market into distinct groups of buyers who have distinct needs, characteristics, or behaviour and who might require separate products or marketing mixes† (Armstrong. G. and Kotler. P. 2005). There are many different ways to divide market, and the Determinants of Consumer Behaviour model (Kotler and Armstrong, 2008) could be referenced for market segmentation. From the perspective of behavioural segmentation, a survey about Eco-Res project produced by Rachel Bate showed that most students and staff on campus have the habit of saving energy. The Defra research (James Murray, 2008) could be a reference for Eco-Res project marketing segmentation, and the Defra research produced a great method of dividing behavioural segmentation. However, different level of concern lead to different frequency of behaviour. The types of consumer behaviour (Doyle and Stern, 2006) showed the theory support of behavioural segmentation. Therefore, the target group in behavioural segmentation first comes to students and staff who have very good energy saving habits. Students and staff who are not concerned about energy saving could be the emphasis of promotion. C:UserssdzhangweiDesktopmotivation.png Types of Consumer Behavior (Doyle and Stern, 2006) Students and staff from different economic circumstances could also be a way of segmentation. People from low-income household may value more about energy saving, since Eco-Res project could bring a great saving of energy bills. However, in Eco-Res project, there may exist cost to get involved in this project. Students and staff from higher income family also have a tendency to join Eco-Res project considering the cost and benefit from this project. Therefore, an appropriate cost for Eco-Res project and an announcement of the money could be saved from this project are required. In the aspect of demographic segmentation, students and staff may have different view of Eco-Res project because of different age, occupations and educational levels. A market research from group 6 showed that people who have higher educational levels concern more about energy saving. A deeper market research should be made to show how age and occupations affect people’s tendency to take part in Eco-Res project. This research could also include survey about students from different countries and different colleges. In this way, the demographic segmentation could combine with geographic segmentation. For example, if the market research shows that both postgraduate students and students from other countries concern a lot about energy saving, then the Wentworth College could become a target market. d. The marketing mix The 4 Ps Marketing Mix (McCarthy, 1960) comprises: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. The classic elements offer a useful matrix to assess Eco-Res project. Eco-Res initiatives should address each of the 4Ps. While Eco-Res project do not control the technology and installation, the success of this project is only linked to the success of getting students and staff involving into this project. The most important goal of this marketing strategy is building a strong customer base for renewable energy technology usage in their dormitories. The 4Ps of Eco-Res project are defined as below. For marketing purposes, Eco-Res project can evaluate the product from the perspective of consumers’ rational and emotional attitudes towards energy saving. These attitudes affect the desire to get involved in this project. The brand name is Eco-Res, and the value of this project is to save energy and develop more environmental friendly projects. In Ansoff Matrix model, Eco-Res project in the University of York belongs to product development. In product development, Eco-Res project should develop plans to fulfil the target market segments. In order to build a sustaining Picture Ansoff Matrix (Ansoff, 1957) brand for Eco-Res project, the value of energy saving in this project should be showed to appeal the target students and staff who are interested in energy saving in the behavioural segmentation. In order to express Eco-Res project better, a logo was designed as follow. C:UserssdzhangweiDesktoplogo.png Picture logo Price is one of the biggest barriers to growing the energy saving marketing, and Eco-Res project should be addressed to help overcome customer price concerns. Eco-Res project has a merit of saving the energy bills for students and school, which could make accommodation fee per week cheaper compared with non-Eco-Res buildings. Different prices should be developed to appeal to students and staff in different economic circumstances. For example, customers can choose the LED installation plan only or both LED installation plan and solar PV installation plan. Different choices come with different prices, and a list of cost and maintenance fee should be produced. Place should be considered through the building of a strong supplier network. This supplier network should ensure students can easily find different part of Eco-Res project. In other words, this project should be visible. In place strategy, Eco-Res project can use website, referral systems and fixed places in target colleges. An Eco-Res project website should be established to help students and staff on campus know the Eco-Res solution better. A general introduction about Eco-Res, the benefits of Eco-Res and the way to get involved in Eco-Res should be showed on the website. Another way of place strategy is by email. In target colleges which showed large interest in Eco-Res project from market research, messages about Eco-Res should be emailed to the students and staff in these colleges. Referral and information desks should also be set in these targeted colleges. Promotion behaviour of Eco-Res project should be presented to ensure the right messages are conveyed. Exhibitions about Eco-Res project can be held in these targeted colleges, and at the same time, direct advertising by post or door-drop could be down. Social media (like Twitter and Facebook etc.) promotion between students and staff is also necessary. On school journals in University of York, the accurate target and value of Eco-Res project should be introduced.

Reflection paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Reflection paper - Essay Example The checklists consisted of items that highlight the characteristic behaviors that can be observed with the student and is associated with the disorder such as inattentiveness and poor organization. A section for other learning problems and family history was also given in the checklist. Finally, a free-flow box was also made available and is intended for checklist users to express further comments and explanations about the student. The next part of the chapter delved on the two types of ADD, its causes, analogous illnesses, co-morbidity, and intervention team. According to Hannell (2006), an individual with ADD can exhibit as an Inattentive Type, Hyperactive-Impulsive Type, or a combination of both. Inattentive individuals typically daydream and fail to finish classroom tasks. Meanwhile, the hyperactive-impulsive types are those who are restless, talkative, and sometimes destructive. Hannell (2006) revealed that the cause of ADD is usually attributed to genetic factors and some food link. In the normal course of development, individuals may show the same symptoms for the disorder but are usually in more intense degrees. Giftedness, emotional and behavioral disturbances, and epilepsy may be quite similar to ADD but is not qualified as such. ADD also co-exists with learning disabilities, oppositional defiant disorder, and conduct disorder. Lastly, teachers, behavior management specialists, and pediatricians are involved in helping the student with ADD. Before taking on any appointment with a student with ADD, it is imperative that a counselor get his hands on as much in-depth information as he can about the intricacies of the disorder. In this way, he will know the best way to communicate with a child or adolescent with the condition during the counseling session. Considering that they have special needs, the typical counseling approaches may not work well with them. But with adequate

A Critical appraisal of the Torrey Canyon oil spill and the Coursework

A Critical appraisal of the Torrey Canyon oil spill and the Remediative Response - Coursework Example dies show that many experts have been wrong to focus on dispersants as the main source of toxins involved in oil spill events, because oil itself has toxic effects that can outweigh the dangers of low-level dispersant use (Boyd et al 2001). Oil’s bioavailability to marine life is possible through four main pathways: 1) direct contact with the oil, such when birds dive through oil to catch fish 2) ingestion through eating prey covered with oil or that has recently eaten oil-contaminated food, or through preening their oil covered feathers 3) breathing in fumes or oil particulates suspended in the air, and 4) absorption, whereby toxins leach into the skin of sea creatures or the membranes of plants. Of particular concern is PAH, a highly toxic compound found in almost all oils that has a known association with cancers in both wildlife and humans. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are formed when organic compounds are not completely burned off during combustion (Srogi 1997). PAH contamination of the environment occurs through many of our everyday activities both at the personal and industrial levels, such as motor vehicle emissions, asphalt and aluminum production, oil refining, waste burning, and the combustion of fuels in ships and aircraft (Srogi 1997). When in gaseous form, PAHs enter the water system through precipitation and other atmospheric conditions. Oil leaks and municipal and industrial waste and are other sources of aquatic contamination (Srogi 1997). PAH is toxic in both fresh oil and in â€Å"weathered† or decomposed oil that has been exposed to natural atmospheric conditions over time (Neff et al 2011). Researchers have found that oil continues to leach from sedimentation under the water’s surface years after a spill. French, Banta and Swiss... This paper stresses that experience and research are leading the science community and environmentalists in new directions in terms of oil spill responses. Microbial degradation of oil droplets is one area of research that may lead to more environmentally friendly cleanup procedures. Researchers are aware that all natural environments contain bacteria that degrade bacteria. Microbes adapt to their environment; areas with regular spills due to ship traffic have local led developed microbe populations that live off the oils. Many types of these oil-eating microbes work together to break down the diverse compounds found in crude oils and other spilled substances. Researchers have attempted to genetically engineer microbes to enhance their hydrocarbon-eating capacity in future oil spills. This report makes a conclusion that while the U.S. maintains open-mindedness about the use of chemical dispersants, most of the world, rejects non-chemical oil removal in favor of mechanical methods. It is worth noting that the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited, which produces an annual report on accidental oil spills finds that over the past four decades there has been a decrease in the number of large oil spills. Unfortunately, we seem to have far to go in figuring out how to prevent them altogether, however, when we use experience and science to handle spill events more intelligently, we may begin to see less disastrous consequences from our response to spills in the future.

The Directive and the Conduct of the Undertakings or Individuals Research Paper

The Directive and the Conduct of the Undertakings or Individuals - Research Paper Example In â€Å"Pretore di salo v unknown †, it was held that a directive cannot, of either independently or itself of a â€Å"national law perused by a Member Nation for its execution which has the impact of aggravating or deciding the accountability in criminal law of individuals who function in infringement of the provisions of such a ruling† .† The above constitute as an incompatible with fundamental needs of legal certainty; individuals must be able to bank upon their national law. It is to be noted that no obligation can be imposed upon individuals if a directive has not implemented in a Member Nation. This connotes that where a Member Nation is yet to implement an EC directive, for instance, a specific environmental tax, it cannot legally levy the environmental tax directly in its region on the footing of such a directive. This also connotes that there is a choice for an individual: where national law is silent as about the directive, individuals may bank upon, by selecting the best alternative which is suitable to them, either, on the contrary provision of national law or on a directly applicable directive provision. Thus, in such cases, individuals are entitled to go for â€Å"provision shopping. â€Å" This can be regarded as a one -way vertical impact of directives due to an inherent outcome. However, there is a possibility that the directive may have some negative impacts on taxpayers. National courts and authorities are needed to construe national law in such a manner that it confers with specific Community Law, particularly where directives have not or ambiguously or not correctly been integrated into national law.

Financial Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial Accounting - Essay Example Further an analysis is made to understand which of the two objectives is apt for the GPFR. Also an analysis is made to understand if the proposal of the IASB has helped improve the GPFR. A conclusion is then drawn out based on the discussion. However to discuss this further it is essential that we first understand what general purpose financial reports deal with. The next section focuses on understanding general purpose financial reports in detail. The Statement of Accounting Concept (SAC 1) explains general purpose financial reports as reports that are intended to meet the needs of common users who are unable to command the preparation of reports tailored to their specific needs. Also GPFRs can be produced by entities that have users who cannot command the preparation of specific information. The entities are required to be reporting entities and if they are not deemed to be report entity then it would not require producing a GPFR and would not require complying with all the accounting standards (IASB, 2008). GPFRs are not produced for a single group of users. It has grown from the basic need of all groups of users who need financial information. However there are conflicts between the groups since almost every group require different information for example suppliers and lenders vs. the shareholders, or the senior management vs. the employees. Shareholders require a more detailed report which helps them analyses the profitab ility, whereas lenders and suppliers require the report to be made for them to be more conservative. Similarly senior management would have concerns about the profits that are reported as if the profits are reported to be high the chances of increase in wage demanded will also be high. The main objectives of general purpose financial reports of the Australian accounting standards board is to provide reliable and

Organizational Performance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Organizational Performance - Essay Example One of the many personality traits that gauge the suitability of job applicants is the integrity test, which is given to thousands of prospective job seekers with more than 40% of companies in Fortune 100 list indicating to have applied personality tests in gauging the suitability of workers including the CEOs. Moreover, Judge & Lepine noted a close correlation between the big five traits, which are referred to as bright traits considering that each trait resulted in some positive implications and that there was direct evidence linking the traits to social desirability.3 For instance, Judge & Lepine explained that individuals with stable emotions tend to be happier and are usually good job performers than those with unstable emotions.4 Moreover, extroverts tend to have better relationship qualities and higher subjective-wellbeing characteristics. Extroverts are in some cases better communicators, an aspect that is desirable in the workplace where teamwork and collaboration are vital for improved performance. Therefore, considerations for such personality traits draw managers to develop some bias towards individuals with the required traits commensurate with the job at hand. However, Neal et al. reported negative relations between extroverts and personal proficiency in the workplace.5 However, Neal et al. observed that openness had a positive relation to the proactivity of an individual as well as to organizational proactivity. Moreover, the study indicated that the conscience of the individual employee had a strong relation to the individual performance of a task. In other words, the research revealed that people whose conscious state is tuned towards achieving a certain task may perform better than those who are not, while the openness of the individual had bearings on the proactivity of such an individual.

International Legal and Ethical Issues in Business DB Week 2 Essay

International Legal and Ethical Issues in Business DB Week 2 - Essay Example ome citizens to make purchases they are not capable to repay; poor understanding of financial accountability or shopping obligation is frequently the core of reckless spending. Eventually, these operating expenses can shoot up to the position where the arrears are too much for an individual to pay back (Elias, Renauer, & Leonard, 2011). Losing jobs, a mandatory decline in working hours or lesser venture incomes can cause major financial strain on a person. After their investments are exhausted, individuals may find they require filing bankruptcy when they are not capable to counterbalance their decline in earnings with new jobs or substitute earnings opportunities. Foreclosures of mortgage crop up when a person neglects his or her disbursement plan and financial establishment which embraces the mortgage come to a decision to take back the home. For the duration of this type of bankruptcy process, the sum of money in debts may be bulged into a new reimbursement plan that allows a person to stay in his home (Elias, Renauer, & Leonard, 2011). When individuals proclaim bankruptcy, they can be vindicated from most types of debts at the cost of harshly destructing their credit score. Given that a credit score is a figure that is inevitable to replicate the risk a particular person who borrows presents according to his tendency to defaulting, bankruptcy is one of the most horrible possible dealings to have on a person’s credit

Middle Eastern Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Middle Eastern Studies - Essay Example The Arab Spring of 1919 emerged soon after the end of World War 1 gestured to the emergence of pan-Arabism that called for unity of all Arabs against the European led partition and domination of the Middle East (Gelvin). Common features of these nationalistic movements-present now as before- include: 1. A unique citizenry defined by language, ethnicity, religion and historical traditions 2. A belief that, despite the passage of time, nations retained their inherent characteristics Of these state-building and nationalism proceedings, the Syrian revolution is seemingly the bloodiest and longest that has seen massive infrastructural damage and civilian casualties. All nationalists believe in the existence of a â€Å"common interest†; which is the sole role of the sovereign state in its provision. However, in the modern world this nationalism-as an ideology and in practice-is not restricted to the interest of the sovereign nationals. The involvement of the United States in the gov ernance of Middle East states is treated with much criticism and skeptic. Its meddling in the Middle Eastern affairs is perceived in light of the massive oil and natural gas resources within the region. In particular, the US purported support for (and silence over) the continued annexation of Palestinian land by Israel and its relentless attack of Afghanistan and Iraq has been seen in stark contrast to its claim of democracy. This is based on the understanding that true nationalism and thus democracy should represent the authentic identity and sovereign aspirations of the local or native people. There are three primary ways through which a state can obtain food for its citizenry: through agricultural production, through imports and through food aid. The Middle East is incapable of growing enough food to sustain its population (Richards and Waterbury). The region is the world’s least self-sufficient in terms of food due to the mismatch in supply and demand. The region has seen an escalated rise in demand characterized by an increased life expectancy of 25 years since the 1970s; the highest in the world since 1970. The infant mortality rate is given as 44 per 1000 persons, which is well below the world’s average and that of less developed states, which are pegged at 54 and 59 respectively (Richards and Waterbury). Food-sufficiency is almost physically impossible and economically it is undesirable. Why is this so? Firstly, the region (being vastly of desert and semi-arid conditions) experiences high water constraint. The region’s renewable water supply per capita dropped from highs of 3500 cubic meters in 1960 to a paltry and diminishing level of 1250 cubic meters. This situation is attributed to a rising population, rapid urbanization and the increased use of water for irrigating purposes. Therefore, the consumption of water for industrial and domestic use has been found by policy makers within the region to be of higher economic value than for agricultural purposes (Richards and Waterbury). Secondly, the concept of food self-sufficiency is entirely different from food security. The former relates to the ability to produce enough agricultural products to meet the consuming public. The latter, however, is more focused on the pertinent needs of individuals over a reasonable guarantee of having a proper meal. The focus of policy

Defending the Faith in the Middle East Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Defending the Faith in the Middle East - Essay Example Consider Imperial Russia's case to be the benefactor of Orthodox Christendom, a case focused on its major territorial opponent, the Ottoman Empire. Taking after the Ottoman rout in the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-1774, the Treaty of Kutchuk Kainardji permitted Russia to speak to Orthodox Christians in Ottoman lands. In spite of the fact that the settlement gave the ruler just the privilege to fabricate an Orthodox Church. Over the next decades, it progressively interfered in the sultan's relations with his Orthodox subjects, undermining Ottoman power. Additionally, Imperial France asserted to be the benefactor of worldwide Catholicism, particularly the Maronites of the Ottoman Levant. By the nineteenth century, Paris was perceived as having the privilege to intercede for the benefit of the sultan's Catholic subjects. "In the Orient, where the power of men is measured by the quantity of their customers, the improvement of our Catholic demographic is a national enthusiasm for us," compos ed the French history specialist Ernest Lavisse. The political issues of religion undermined the Westphalian request, in light of the standards regional respectability and of state power. In the meantime, these strategies subverted states, filled divisions inside of them — and frequently finished in brutality. Iran's endeavors to end up the worldwide guard of Shiite Muslims and Saudi Arabia's efforts to lead the Sunnis have gotten to be focal in their fight for dominance of the Middle East, changing the locale's global framework.

Study Local Universities Essay Example for Free

Study Local Universities Essay Looking at the trend recently, most of the students feel that studying abroad is better than studying in local universities. As a saying goes, the grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence. However, the students have their own choices either studying in universities abroad or in local universities. They have own reason to study locally or abroad. Both of universities, abroad or local have their own uniqueness. So, we cannot ignore the fact that studying abroad is better than studying in local universities but to study in local also has advantages. In Malaysia, there are many local universities that have a good quality and students have a variety of choice that they can choose. In my opinion, I disagree that studying abroad is better than studying in local universities. This is because studying in local universities can save the cost and it is as good as universities abroad while students who study abroad are exposed to culture shock and they will not have communication barrier. First, to study in local universities to save costs compared to study at universities abroad. Different countries have different currency rate. Usually, when we change the currency to another currency, the value we will be smaller. So, we need more money to study abroad. Students need a lot of money to pay fees if studying abroad than studying locally. When they study in universities in the United States or the United Kingdom, they also need more money to buy winter clothes for countries different climate. Not only that, as the other is from the country, the higher the price of tickets. So much money is needed to buy tickets to and fro. If they are in cases of emergency, they can not go home immediately because they do not have the money to buy tickets. If studying in countries identified in the event of an emergency we can return immediately.

het reisgedrag van de nederlanders

het reisgedrag van de nederlanders Het reisgedrag van de Nederlanders Nederlanders staan er om bekend dat je ze overal tegen komt, in dit opzicht zou je zeggen dat er een bepaald reisgedrag typerend is voor Nederlanders. Toch is dit wel het geval, ook Nederlanders hebben een aantal belangrijke overeenstemmingen wanneer het gaat over hun reisgedrag. In dit deel van het adviesrapport zal u dit kenbaar gemaakt worden. Hierbij word gebruik gemaakt van betrouwbare bronnen die u terug kunt vinden in dit document. Vakantieparticipatie De duur van de vakantie Bestemmingen binnenland Bestemmingen buitenland Vakantieparticipatie Opvallend is dat een hoog percentage Nederlanders op vakantie gaat. Zowel voor korte vakanties (2 tot 7 dagen) als lange vakanties (8 of meer dagen). Dit percentage komt neer op 82% (2008). Dit percentage is erg stabiel het verschilt namelijk slechts 1 procent als u kijkt in de periode van 2003 tot 2008. Dit percentage komt neer op 12,5 miljoen Nederlanders die jaarlijks op vakantie gaan. Hoewel wintersport de laatste jaren steeds meer in opkomst is blijft de lange vakantie in de zomer favoriet onder de Nederlanders. Het aantal Nederlanders dat in 2008 op wintersport is gegaan bedraagt 5,1 miljoen tegenover 10,0 miljoen zomervakanties. Hierbij gaat het wel om vakanties die 5 of meer dagen duren. Korte vakanties daar in tegen worden meer gedaan in de winter. Een belangrijke toevoeging hieraan is wel dat de winter periode 7 maanden (oktober april) duurt en de zomer periode slechts 5 maanden (mei september). De duur van de vakantie Een gemiddelde lange vakantie in 2008 duurde 12 dagen. Buitenlandse lange vakanties duurden gemiddeld 3 dagen langer dan binnenlandse lange vakanties. Korte vakanties duurden gemiddeld iets meer dan 3 dagen. Hierbij was bijna geen verschil tussen het gemiddelde van binnenlandse en buitenlandse vakanties. Bij het lezen van deze statistieken is het echter wel belangrijk dat u zich realiseert dat zowel de dag van vertrek als de dag van aankomst bij de duur van de vakantie worden gerekend. Zo worden korte vakanties vaak in het weekend doorgebracht. Tijdens de deze vakanties moest er natuurlijk ook een overnachtingsplaats gevonden worden, hiervoor boekte Nederlanders voor lange vakanties in totaal 253 miljoen overnachtingen. Meer dan de helft van deze overnachtingen vonden plaats in het buitenland. Op alle bestemmingen overtrof de zomerovernachtingen die van de winter. De meeste overnachtingen tijdens lange vakanties werden gemaakt in Frankrijk (17%), Spanje (11%) en Duitsland (9%). Bij korte vakanties waren de resultaten van het onderzoek anders. Hier vonden de meeste van de 70 miljoen overnachtingen plaats in Nederland. Zowel in Nederland als in het buitenland waren er weinig verschillen in het aantal overnachtingen in de winter en de zomer. Bestemmingen binnenland Door de statistieken van het ContinuVakantieOnderzoek van TNS Nipo hebben we tijdens het onderzoek een goed beeld gekregen van het Nederlandse Reisgedrag in Nederland. Het toeristengebied Veluwe en Veluwerand blijkt in 2008 met 12% het meest bezochte gebied door Nederlandse vakantiegangers. Daarna komt met 11% de toeristen gebieden Groningse, Friese en Drentse zandgronden en Noordzeebadplaatsen op de ranglijst. Opvallend is dat het laats genoemde gebied de laatste jaren wel steeds minder Nederlandse toeristen trekt. Trokken ze in 2003 nog 1,3 miljoen Nederlanders, nu is dat nog slechts 1 miljoen binnenlandse toeristen. Hieraan kun je zien dat de bosrijke gebieden meer in opkomst zijn en juist de water (zee, rivieren en meren) gebieden minder interessant worden. Dit word ook beaamd door de volgende statistiek. Hierin staat de ontwikkeling van het aantal bezoekers in de periode van 2003 tot 2008. http://www.cbs.nl/NR/rdonlyres/8665248B-16B7-4C08-B980-4159B7AE0F6F/0/2008g72pub.pdf Grafiek binnenland verdeling overtypen/invoegen!

External Influences on Lenovo

External Influences on Lenovo The main purpose of this report is to show the way of Lenovo from just project to international corporation and to analyze their way using such methods as PEST and SWOT analysis as well as Porters Five Competitive Forces. Using PEST makes possible to determine the impact of external environment (politics, economics, society and technology) and indirect factors on company. SWOT reveals the strengths and weaknesses of given organization. Combining these two methods makes analysis even more precise. In its turn, Porters Five Competitive Forces helps to understand the competition within the industry. Lenovo is a great example of a company which used innovation and creativity, obstinacy and communication with customer as a tool to make their way to the top. Today Lenovo is one of leading PC vendors. They manufacture tablets, laptops, ultrabooks, All-in-One PCs, desktops, nettops and own accessories. Lenovo creates unique and durable products at really aggressive price point. And they are here to stay. Introduction Lenovo. The company was established in Beijing, China in 1984 by eleven members of the Computer Technology Research Institute, they called it the Legend Holdings. But in 2003, decision to expand outside Chinese market led to another one change the name of the company. Legend changed their name to Lenovo. Name of Lenovo is combination of Le- (as part of Legend) and novo Latin ablative for new. In Chinese it can also be understood as connected thinking or creativity. Despite the fact that current name of the company was introduced just in 2003, Lenovo already gained trust and loyalty of millions of customers. The company has started from budget of 200ÂÂ  000 yuan commissioned Liu Chuanzhi (founder of Lenovo) by Chinese government in order to distribute computers which are made in other countries. Lenovos first office was about 17 square meters. Mr. Chuanzhi once said: It wasnt easy. The lowest thing you could do in the early 80s, as a scientist, was to go into business. China had a strict planned economy and there was barely room for a freewheeling company like ours (Liu Chuanzhi for Asiaweek, June 13, 1997). First major win was a circuit board which enabled IBM computers to process Chinese characters Han-card. Later on Lenovo started to create and distribute computers using its own brand. In May 1988, Lenovo looked for employees for the first time. They have placed ads on the cover of the China Youth News. Out of all respondents, 280 were selected to sit for a written exam. About 120 of the candidates were interviewed in person. Despite interviewers had authority to hire only 16 people, 58 were given offers. 18 people of these had graduate degrees, 37 had undergraduate degrees, and three students did not have university-level education at all. Their average age was 26. Future CEO of Lenovo Yang Yuanqing was among this group who introduced new name and expanded company on Europe and USA. In 1994 Lenovo became a publicly traded company after listing in Hong Kong. Later in 2002 Lenovo Group made partnership with Xiahua Electronics Stock Company, giving the start of Lenovo mobile phone business. In 2008 Lenovo has sold its mobile department but then would pay $200 million to buy it back in November of 2009. Now Lenovo Mobile ranks third in terms of market share of mobile phones market in China. On May of 2005 Lenovo Group announced the completion of the $1.75 billion deal of acquisition of IBMs PC unit. That made companys annual revenue almost quadruple. Company which used to have $3 billion in annual revenue now had nearly $13 billion. They became the worlds third-largest PC vendor, behind Dell and Hewlett-Packard. But revenues are not the only benefit Lenovo got from this deal. They have acquired the ThinkPad brand. ThinkPad is ultra-resistant due to special casing, special keyboard structure that let water drain through the laptop. Moreover it was one of first laptops with hard disk block system, which could turn on emergency brakes thereby save data from being just lost because of physical damage of the disk when laptop is dropped. Later Lenovo would face the closest rival on their way to the top Dell. It was a hard competition, it was a complex competition. The main problem of Lenovo back in the days was a bit more conservative way of making business. Dell used new and innovative methods to produce, distribute and promote products. They spent on ads twice as more than Lenovo, their prices were lower and market share grew more and more. Dell even captured segments which used to be favorite ones of Lenovo. To overcome the enemy Lenovo started to increase value of brand. That means they started to raise name awareness among the customers, they delivered maximum possible customer satisfaction. They are still using those principles as core philosophy of the company. Nowadays, Lenovo has three main categories of laptops. ThinkPads are powered for productive work experience, uncompromised secured and ultra-reliable, solid and durable. IdeaPads are optimized for entertainment and multimedia. They have some enchantments in audio, video performance and possess both functional internal and beautiful external designs. The third lineup is Essential. These products have nothing unnecessary; they are always up-to-date, portable enough and reliable. The tablets are also divided on Idea and Think lineups as well as All-in-Ones and desktops. The principal stays the same. Idea for creativity and entertainment, Think for business and work. In 2012 Lenovo became the fastest growing company in the USA for 8 quarters in a row. Actually, they are the only one who has a growth. In the third financial quarter of 2012, shipments of the company expected to reach 15.7 per cent of world-wide PC shipments. Lenovo would surpass Dell and HP. The Mission and Vision of Lenovo Mission is the main goal, beliefs which push company to develop into new something more than just business. Mission is the reason why company does actually exist. Lenovos origins are in China; their name has meaning so their mission is strong and inspiring as well. Lenovo has a desire to become the leading company of new world that is respected for break-through innovation and award-winning designs, quality, to be loved for an ecosystem of devices, services. Become recognized as one of the best, most trusted and most well-respected companies to work for and do business with. And they are on the right way to reach the goal. Company strives to be one that creates extraordinary, innovative and exceptionally great PCs for its customers. They do not have formal restrictions and bonds which could distract or interfere from manufacturing best possible machines. Lenovo claims that they design exciting and innovative products, services to meet customers needs. And sometimes they even manage to exceed level of the expectations. Lenovo wants to do business from their own global point of view, own perspective and own commitment to building great technology for people who view technology as a tool to accomplish fascinating things. By having few categories of products, Lenovo does not put any effort on useless departments therefore does not waste resources and time. David Schmoock, President of North American Lenovo department said: What I want to do is get to number one and be sustainable as number one. At the very basic level of the company there is one core principle that is extremely important: We do what we say and own what we do. So far the main goals company wants to reach are serving customers, trust and integrity, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. Lenovo. New World, New Thinking PEST Analysis PEST analysis in general measures a market, its potential, indicates growth or decline, thereby market attractiveness. Actually, PEST analysis helps to determine SWOT factors. PEST analysis is a model that can be used for describing the framework of macro environmental factors that a company should have in mind forming its long-term strategic plans. Of course, the external factors may vary in significance to a given company based on the products and services that it produces and also on the industry it is in. For any company which wants to win in the competitive marketing, such methods of analysis of the external factors and environment are the way to succeed. In this report PEST will be used in order to focus on analyzing external environment of the Lenovo Corporation and try to foresee major influence of those external factors in their business environment. The letter P stands for political factors influencing companys market. Those are level of bureaucracy, laws and regulations, legalization and policies, rule of law, freedom of press, tariff controls and trade. Nowadays, computers are tightly linked with peoples life. From the last century computers were used in business and other areas and help factories, hospitals and other structures to increase production and interest. At the same time, new technology caused some new problems such as pollution of the environment, health and energy consumption. Considering these problems European Union, China and other countries encourage the Green IT. That means computer must not produce noise pollution more than specified, energy consumption must be no more than required. In Lenovo groups, the isopsophic index is lower than 30dB. Therefore, Lenovo has achieved in noise pollution section. Since China has a population of one and a half billion, there is more than enough labor and payment would not be too high. That is the reason why many of assembly lines are Chinese, so Lenovo placed factory in China as well. When China joined WTO in 2005, the export tariff for IT products has decreased to 9.1%. So thes e policies are encouraging business organization developing to global. Next one is E. It stands for economic factors such as interest rates and inflation, disposable income, labor cost and supply, impact of globalization. Letter S is for social culture. It is social studies and education, lifestyle attitudes and choice, population growth rate and age profiles, etc. And the last letter is T. That is for technological factors such as impact of energy technologies, increase in remote working, and current level of technological development, impact of technology on the work process and productivity. For economic, influence by the 2008 economic crisis, the world economic tends to going down. But in the worst time, Chinese government published the new economic policy which was positive financial policy and loose and comfortable monetary policy. The government also offered four-hundred million RMB stimulates economic development (The Marketing Surveillance Center of China, 2008). For Chinas IT industry, this is a great opportunity to develop them. Then change the focus to the economic development. In 1950, the total trades of China include import and export was 11.3 hundred million dollars, but in 2008, it enhanced 25616 hundred million dollars. Also at home, the GDP increased with a high speed: So according to this chart, it very clear that Chinas GDP has achieved satisfactory level and the disposable personal income has increased also (stats, 2009). So the demand of products will increase with the economic enhancing. In the other words, the IT market becomes bigger and Lenovo also has strength to competitive the market share because Lenovo not only produce computers, mobile phone also produced by them. For society culture, the population growth, lifestyle choice and attitudes, population health, education, social mobility and attitudes are influence the demand of high technology products. 60 years ago, 80% people in China were illiteracy, but under the new government value, in 2008, the Einschulungsrate f. of different education level has achieved a satisfactory level: It is clearly that the education level has increased and the demand of high technology products also enhancing (Communist Party Learning, 2009). This situation also offered a huge market for Lenovo. On the other hand, because the globalization and influenced by the developed countries lifestyle, the Chinese people also become more international which live with a high level life and influenced by the education level, the lifestyle of Chinese people become more out-going and open enough (Human Geography Research Center, 2003). So the consumption custom of modern Chinese people also offers a good developing environment to Lenovo. Also in the next five to ten years, this situation will be increase. At the same time, the social culture of China has changed from traditional feudalism to modern lifestyle which is more science and high technology in life. For technological, Lenovo was set by 11 scientists who worked in Chinese Academy of Science which is a governmental organization. So this situation offered a good technology support. In 2005, Lenovo has finished the purchase IBM, so the technology transfer from IBM also helps Lenovo make the Research Development activities and produce high quality products with high technology (Lenovo, 2005). At the same time, with the technology development, the communications costs and increased remote work can help the different corporations share their techniques and also good for Research Development activities. So all of these technological factors can help Lenovo increase their competitive ability in the next five to ten years and the marketing share of IBM also belongs to Lenovo. For the legal section, here just mention two articles which can support Lenovo. Firstly, in light of article 6, Peoples Republic of China Consumer Protection, the government encourages and supports every person and organization supervises the illegal action which damages the consumers legal power (National Peoples Congress, 1993). So this law can reduce other organizations use illegal method to competitive in the marketing and its also a protection for Lenovo. On the other hand, in light of article 6, Peoples Republic of China Law on Product Quality, the government encourages apply scientific management method, advanced science and technology, support the products achieved or beyond the industry standard or international standard. And give the award to the organizations whose products achieved or beyond the international standard (National Peoples Congress, 1993). So as an international corporation, Lenovo links the technology of IBM, they will produce the high quality products and r eceived the government supports from the legal. Finally, for the ethical, because the increased of education level, the peoples diathesis also enhanced. So protect the legal power has become normal in the modern society. Then if the organization make illegal actions, it will be ejected from the market by customers, such as never buy their products. Also for an organization, the ethical problems are faith, fair and good service. As Lenovo, their value are serve consumers, innovation, faith and fair (Lenovo, 2005). So this entire ethical development tendency is good for Lenovos business environment in the next five to ten years. In summary, the policies which about green IT from European Union and the export tariff which from Chinese government are good for Lenovos improvement; at the same time, the economic development of China and the increased disposable personal income also offering a big market to Lenovos development in the future; as the modern society, the population of the world was achieved 67-hundred million in 2007 (Unctad Report, 2008). It offers a huge number of customers; also because the education increase, the lifestyle of modern customers is tend to high technology and high quality. On the other hand, the purchase of IBM also offers the technology transfer and the development mechanics of communication saved the communications costs and its good for international Research Development activities and international cooperation. At the same time, the law of Chinese government also supports and the ethical factors in the modern society are good for Lenovos improvement. So based on the analysis, in the next five to ten years, the likely major influences in Lenovos business environment are environment protection, international cooperation, the economic development, technology communication and Research Development, legal protection and ethical problems. But all of these tend to good for Lenovo in the future. So if the strategy department managers based on the external environment to make the strategic planning, Lenovo will take a great leap for their business in the next five to ten years. The PEST analysis is a model for reviewing and surveying a companys strategy or its position in the market. It measures the market, along with its competitors from the viewpoint of a particular business. It is also used to describe the framework of macro environmental factors that a company should regard and take into consideration. Of course, the external factors may vary in significance to a given company based on the products and services that it produces and also on the industry it is in. Political factors Economic factors Economic factor relates to the economy of the country itself, as well as market and trade cycles. Over the past years Walmart has had a stable economic condition and had 11% growth totalling in $6.5 billion. Why Walmarts figure has been doing so well so far is because it takes into account not only the economy of the company, but also of the countrys economy in which they are setting up their business. Another reason for its success is that Walmart prefers to first check the economical factors of the county before actually doing any business there. The main economical factors that are worth considering are economic stability and peoples purchasing power. Its crucial to acknowledge these factors for doing business in the third world countries because any change in economy can increase the actual price of the goods and services, which the company offers to its customers and of course the demand for these products will go down. Social Factors Social factors are made up of lifestyle trends, major events and various influences, religious and ethnic factors. Walmart has a tendency of evaluating and measuring social factors, just like economic factors, of a country they have chosen to do business in. Social values and frugality are also quite important factors. Walmart appeals to consumers with a rather low income, nevertheless, it ensures that the goods, products and services that they provide are apprised and accepted by their customers. It is a known fact that Walmart doesnt supply its stores with goods that are likely to cause various complaints from the clients and customers. The company makes good relationships with its customers in engaging and taking part in various public activities. Technological Factors Technological factors generally include various factors like maturity of technology, global communications and innovations, as well as technology legislation. Nowadays technology plays an immense part in the whole society. As a matter of fact, technology hugely improves quality of the products, however it tends to decrease the amount of time to promote and advertise the goods and services. Walmart was quick to accept new technology and to make effective and best use of it. It operates most of its logistics with the usage of a modern system called hub-and-spoke of its distribution centres. Customers that shop at Walmart stores get the most benefits out of it. Walmart believes that by introducing natural products on the market, it can have a big and positive impact on the atmosphere around us and the worlds natural resources. Walmart exploits the newest technology such as brad new cash register and security system. In short, Walmart keeps up with technology innovations and adjusts very well to the changes in the world. Porters Five Competitive Forces Porters Five Forces model is generally used in order to understand better the context of the industry in which the company is operating in and to see the attractiveness of an industry structure. By using this model we can see that Walmart is a strong independent company that has a stable growth, professional management and reasonably competitive prices. This model helps to look into the company more closely by assessing the potential threat of new entrants, the competitive rivalry within already existing companies, the threat of substitute products and goods, the bargaining power of suppliers and finally, the bargaining power of customers. Threat of new entrants Theres always a possibility of new companies coming into existence, however in order to compete with such strong company as Walmart they will need a relatively large capital. Walmart is expanding rather fast and it practically leaves neither chance nor room for other new companies to enter the competitive market. Above anything else, Walmart has excellent distribution systems, for example hub-and-spoke system that I mentioned before, as well as good locations and an enormous capital to be actually able to compete with new entrants. Competitive rivalry Walmart is a much larger and more profitable company than its competitors, so the competition inside the retail industry poses no threat whatsoever to it. However, there are a few other strong competitors such as Target, which can bring out some fair competition to Walmart. To sum up, Walmart is generally ahead of its competitors; it is a global leader in the retail industry and has a firm position in the competitive market. Threat of substitute products There arent a lot of direct substitutes to Walmart, because stores in the retail industry sell products for everyday use mostly. However, there are some substitute products that can be a threat to the sales of branded products. Another threat can be put from specialized retail stores like electronics and various garments. There are stores such as Carrefour and Target, which can offer same goods at a similar price or even lower. Still, when it comes to Walmart, there arent many other stores that can actually replace its convenience and attractively low prices. Bargaining power of suppliers Walmart is a huge customer to its suppliers and, thus, it has a lot of power, because in case it decides to switch to a different supplier, this would create a very scary tactic for its suppliers. It also has an option to purchase goods from many various suppliers so if they decide to drop out some, this wont make a significant difference. Walmart definitely takes advantage of being one of the largest customers to such international companies as Kraft Foods and Gillette. Because of its strong position in the market, suppliers are more than willing to satisfy Walmarts requirements, as well as provide them with favourable terms of payment and various discounts. We can see this good relationship between Walmart and its suppliers through its enhancing success. Bargaining power of buyers The customers will surely always be a threat to Walmart mainly because there are so many competitors. The buyers decision tends to be based on the price and quality of the product, and also on the convenience. Usually consumers are price sensitive and their decisions are based mainly on the price itself. And if products are similar this will increase the rivalry in the industry, which will lead to lower prices and thus, lower profit. Also, Walmart is not in a monopolistic market, but a competitive one, so the goods it offers can be replaced or substituted by its rivals. However, the company strives to please its clients by making the prices of their products and services similar to those of their competitors. Its profitability has proved that consumers are pleased with the chains reasonably low prices and its very convenient locations. Conclusion The purpose of this report was to analyze the external factors that have a certain impact and influence on Walmart. There are some significant factors that became clear after the PEST analysis and Porters Five Competitive Forces analysis have been made. I found out that Walmart is one of the global leaders in the retail industry, which has a great influence on various sectors. Walmart is still expanding to new locations and it is a growing strong company that has a firm position in the domestic market in the US and abroad as well. Unfortunately, Walmart, just like any other organization, isnt protected against the negative influence from various environmental factors, which may decrease the companys total revenues or even weaken the popularity of the whole company. However, despite all of the negative factors mentioned above, the positive impact of the external factors is much greater. Walmarts intention to help people save money so they can live better moves the company on the top position in the retail industry and makes it more attractive and appealing to existing and future consumers. Recommendations In my personal opinion the future success and survival of Walmart will depend on changing its attitude and becoming even more customer focused, as well as building even closer relationships that would broaden the product range and competitive prices. The company should take into consideration that the market is still rather new to foreign companies and that other retail stores are also expected to appear in the nearest future, which will probably result in reduction of clients Walmart is considered as one of the international leaders in the retail industry and I think it will keep its position for a certain period of time. However, I have to make a point that the company should also consider its promotion and shouldnt rely in the fact that they are one of the best in the market. Whats more Walmart should take into consideration that the market is still rather new to foreign companies and that other retail stores are also expected to appear in the near future, which will probably result in reduction of clients.

Major Themes in Steinbecks Of Mice and Men :: Steinbeck Of Mice and Men Essays

Major Themes in Of Mice and Men  Ã‚      The theme of loneliness is manifested many times in the work, Of Mice and Men and is often the dominant theme. This theme occurs during many circumstances but is not present from start to finish. In my mind for a theme to be pervasive is must be present during every element of the story. There are many themes that are present most of the way through such as sacrifice, friendship and comradship. But in my opinion there is only one theme that is present from beginning to end, this theme is pursuit of dreams. There are many characters where lonliness is evident throughout parts or all of their life. But all of these characters who appear to be lonely only tend to play a minor role in the story. This is not to say that they are insignificant but they help to convey the feelings and emotions that surround the major characters rather than their own. Characters like Curley's wife and Crooks are unmistakably lonely, but they show how their lonliness is the opposite of the two main characters, George and Lennie. Crooks actually states that George and Lennie have got each other but he hasn't got anyone. Curley's wife portrays the same message but under different circumstances. There are really no other main characters besides George and Lennie. From reading the novel and watching the film it is clearly evident in most cases that all of the support characters appear to be lonely. Therefore lonliness is quite a strong and influential theme in the story but it only features as a bakground theme and is not always present at critical stages. Themes such as sacrifice, comradship and freindship feature under very similar circumstances as lonliness but are also evident within the main characters. Candy made a sacrifice when he decided to have his ageing debilitated dog killed. But afterwards he regreted not having killed the dog himself, possibly having killed it at all. Just as when George killed Lennie, he knew it had to be done but he just kept making up excuses to avoid the inevitable. George made that sacrifice but unlike Candy he knew that if Lennie was to be killed he had to do it himself. The issue is morals, if there is such a thing as a moraly correct way to kill somebody thats how George did it, because during that time period in America there was not the resources nor facilities to deal with characters such as Lennie so drastic measures had to be taken.

Dodge Ram Quad Cab Advertisement :: Advertising Marketing

Ram Tough The makers of the Ram Quad Cab make the claim that this truck is representative of the new Dodge. This truck is, according to the makers, more comfortable and easier to ride in than other trucks. In addition, loading and unloading people and cargo is made easier when using their truck. The Dodge company makes the claim that their full-size pickup truck is among the best and backs this up with impressive evidence in this advertisement. When Dodge says in their opening sentence that their company is always open for new ideas, they could be suggesting that other companies are not as willing to accept change. They also insinuate that they give people what they want and expect from a truck, resulting in the company's success. Implying that their company is "legendary" because of their reputation for having powerful trucks, they show complete confidence in the fact that their truck is better in its class. This Dodge Ram 4x4, according to the advertisement, is the "first extended-cab pickup ever with four doors", placing it among an elite group of vehicles. It appears that the company is so confident in its product that they even predict it will win a fourth J.D. Power and Associates in the upcoming year. In addition to the evidence, Dodge even makes an appeal to the "common man" by saying that they make their truck roomier mainly because they "think it's a darn good idea", believing that they are providing people with what they have come to expect from them. They emphasize what a "proud" company they are because of their many achievements and their devotion to the consumer. The Dodge company does not make their claims lightly. They back up their statements with strong support. One example of this is their assertion that they have a "roomy, even more economic interior" and a "big, comfortable backseat" that help to separate their truck from the competition. Even more convincing is their factual evidence by J.D. Power and Associates, noted for their credible analysis of cars and trucks, who ranked the Ram Quad Cab as the "Most Appealing Full-Size Pickup" for the third year in a row. These facts, coupled with an appealing and vibrant picture of the truck, draws the reader in and makes him more interested in the product.

The Cultural Identity Within Asian Writing Systems Essay -- Cultural Id

The Cultural Identity Within Asian Writing Systems The style of Asian writing seems to be completely different from that of the western writing systems. For starters, many western languages are phonetic: words are spelled out with symbols that represent sounds. The way that a word looks has nothing to do with the meaning of the word. On the other hand, the most recognized form of Asian writing, Chinese characters, are completely pictographic. A single character is correlated to one sound or meaning. To convey more complicated meanings, pictographs are either combined into new pictographs, or multiple characters are simply used in succession. The meaning of words is depicted through pictographs, but for the most part, there is no information about their pronunciations. Asian and western languages appear so different because they had evolved in isolation from each other for hundreds of years. However, the evolution of each group of languages is similar. Whether Asian or western, languages borrow from each other and evolve toge ther when they are in close quarters. Chinese, Japanese, and Korean are perfect examples of languages that have evolved together because they are spoken in countries that are so close together. Their cultures are also arguably similar when compared to western cultures. All three have used Chinese characters exclusively as their writing system for a period of time and parts of the Korean and Japanese vocabularies are actually derived from Chinese. Up until a few hundred years ago, the three written languages have developed quite closely. But in the present day, the three systems appear to have taken very different evolutionary paths. The Korean language has developed a phonetic alphabet syste... ...se Writing System. 20 July 2001. Kanji Dictionary Publishing Society. 20 Apr. 2004 <http://www.kanji.org/kanji/japanese/writing/outline.htm>. Katsiavriades, Kryss. KryssTal:Language Page. Amazon, Britannica. 20 Apr. 2004 <http://www.krysstal.com/language.html>. Laugk. "Chinese hostages to their writing system: A case for simplification and reform." China Daily 7 Feb. 2004. 20 Apr. 2004 <http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-02/07/content_304083.htm>. Noll, Paul. History of the Chinese Language. 25 Mar. 2004. 20 Apr. 2004 <http://www.paulnoll.com/China/Culture/language-history.html>. Ohak-Yonku. "Formation of Korean Alphabet." Language-Research Sept. 1987: 527-537. "Types of Writing Systems." AncientScripts.com. 20 Apr. 2004 <http://www.ancientscripts.com/ws_types.html>. Usaburo, Shimizu. "Hiragana." Meiroku Zasshi 1800s.

Benito Cereno

The Razor In â€Å"Moby Dick,† by Herman Melville, he writes about multiple gams between Captain Ahab’s ship, the Pequod, and other ships, yet because of Ahab’s selfishness, these meetings do not last a while unless there is information to be gathered about Moby Dick’s whereabouts. This differs from Melville’s novella, or short story, â€Å"Benito Cereno,† in which Captain Delano’s ship, the Bachelor’s Delight, have a gam with Benito Cereno and his ship, the San Dominick.We see a major difference in how Ahab acts and how Captain Delano acts in their meetings with other ships because of Delano’s willingness to help, but this good trait of his is what makes â€Å"Benito Cereno† such a good story. He continually tosses hints of a slave revolt on San Dominick to the side because of he gives the benefit of the doubt to Benito Cereno. Some of these rebellion hints include the captives, or slaves, being free from chains, and slaves slashing axes together.The biggest hint though is the razor that Babo shaves Benito Cereno. The razor is very important in this novella because it ties the entire story together as well as signifies multiple things such as power and fear. The razor symbolizes power, and even perhaps the balance of powers, because this is the first instance in which Babo, one of the slaves onboard the San Dominick, shows his dominance over Benito Cereno by keeping the razor close to Cereno’s neck and eventually cutting his cheek.When this â€Å"accident† happens, we hear no apology from Babo, only, â€Å"See master- you shook so- here’s Babo’s first blood,† (Melville, p210), which shows that he might have meant to cut Cereno, but also that Babo is willing to make Cereno, and perhaps the rest of his oppressors, bleed more. This is important because Babo draws the first blood and the balance of power is possibly beginning to change through harming Benito Ce reno physically and mentally. Although the razor represents power, it also represents the other side of the coin, being fear.Because Babo holds down Benito Cereno with a razor to his throat, Cereno knows he is in Babo’s full control. This evokes a fear from Cereno, knowing that his life could potentially be at stake, especially since Captain Delano is oblivious to the fact that the San Dominick has been taken over by the captured slaves. Not only do we see fear while the razor is close to Cereno’s throat, but when Babo cuts him, we see him become very frightful of what might happen.Melville writes,† No sword drawn before James the First of England, no assassination in that timid king’s presence, could have produced a more terrified aspect than was now presented by Don Benito,† (Melville, p 210) which shows that Cereno is scared that he might be killed, but yet is still frightened of the little blood of his that Babo spilled. Fear plays a major role i n â€Å"Benito Cereno† because of the fact that Don Benito has already experienced the slave revolt on the San Dominick, and could be killed momentarily if he makes one mistake.The razor keeps him in line during his conversation with Captain Delano because he fears what Babo could do to him if he makes one mistake. The razor not only symbolizes the balance of power as well as evil, but it is also meaningful in â€Å"Benito Cereno† because it ties the entire story together. First off, because the razor symbolizes power, we can relate this to Senegal, the place that Babo and the rest of the slaves are forcing Cereno to sail to for their freedom, back to their rightful home.This place could also be considered weak because of the people that are forced from their homes into the slave trade, and now the balance of powers is shifting. At one point during this journey, Benito Cereno was in full control of the slaves, bringing them to Lima, but now, Babo and the slaves that on ce lost their humanly rights, are now in control over the man who kidnapped them. The razor signifies this changing of power because in that scene we see that Babo is holding it to Cereno’s neck and not vice versa.Just like above, the razor to the neck of Don Benito signifies fear, but can also be connected to Cape Horn, which represents suspicion and lies. Fear and Cape Horn can be connected to one another because not knowing what something, or someone, might be can be frightening. As basic as this may sound, it is true because Cereno fears what Babo might do to him next, after cutting his cheek with the razor.As little as the razor may be, it plays a big role metaphorically and literally. The razor is obviously used by Babo to shave Cereno, and while doing this, Babo cuts Cereno, asserting his control and putting fear into his enemy. The razor completes the story of â€Å"Benito Cereno† because without it, blood would not be spilled, showing the slaves’ newly acquired dominance over their oppressors, which is best shown with a razor to the neck.

Christianity Essay

Trade and merchants play a major role in Christianity and Islam from their origins to the 1500’s, and even though both had similar attributes yet differed as well. Christians and Islam both had a negative outlook, both had their religious viewpoints, as well as both changed their views towards trade. Despite this, Christianity began to open up to trade, even tolerating it, while Muslims became stricter on merchants and trade. Furthermore, Both Islam and Christianity had a negative attitudes for instance, in the Bible, Jesus preaches to his disciples how a rich man will never reach heaven. This is due to their behavior, for merchants are greedy and lying people whose only content is to get rich, which goes against Christianity’s belief. Moreover, Thomas Aquinas explains how unfair and unjust merchants are for they price their goods higher than what the product actually cost. By the tone of the document as well as how he explains trade and its problems show his dislike. L ikewise Ibn Khaldun describes merchants as weak, and disgusting men and how they negatively affect the government. His tone is harsher however, which indicates his anger towards the merchants. Merchants constants rip-off of the people by selling their goods at a high price as well s giving their all their goods to those who pay more. The Islamic Court in Ankara had to deal with a case in which merchants would give all their cotton to a single person, if they pay extra high price in addition to the merchant’s high prices. Document seven contains quotes from that of the people who have complained about the merchants. Both Christianity and Islam share the same pessimistic attitude towards merchants and trade because of their behavior and how they sell their goods. Anyways, I would have like to see a document from a merchant, it would have help me better indicate if merchants were really sneaky and unfair as spoken in the documents given. Some looked to the Christianity’s and Islam’s beliefs, to determine their view on merchants and trade for both religions impacted all their followers. In the Bible, Jesus says that no rich man will ever reach heaven. The small passage comes from the bible, which heavily every Christians view. Which is also why he emphasized how the quote from the bible and how i t fit into the situation. The Muslim Qur’an also circled around honesty and truthfulness which the Muslims and Muslim merchants had to follow if they wanted to reach paradise. Thomas Aquinas who was also heavily influence by Christianity, and its bible, for he states a line out of the bible. He indicates the bible  because he knows that adding the bible would persuade many of the Christians which was his intended target audience. Reginald, a monk of Durham also says explains the life of Godric and how he became a successful merchant, only to become tired of it and soon devoted himself to God giving away all his possessions to the poor. Reginald’s attended audience was Christian followers, he also helps justify document 1 in Godric went from rich to poor in order to devote himself to god. I would have liked a document from a person not Christian or Islam because it would have allow me to understand how much both religions influence the views of its subjects. Despite the similarities Christianit y religious views seem to rather negative and stricter than the Muslims were lighter and positive. Merchants and trade in the eyes of Christianity and Islam began to change significantly overtime. Ibn Khaldun says how beneficial the merchants are to the capital, for they buy goods in one area, only to sell at a higher price in an area in demand. Which the Qur’an also depicts, however it encourages trade as long as it is fair and truthful. Yet Ibn Khaldun gives us evidence of laws which were established in order to control merchant’s behavior. In addition, document 7 shows how the Islamic court had power over merchants and could affect their behavior as well as. Unlike Islam which began to become stricter, Christianity began look towards it positively, such as, letter C of document 6 describes an order being canceled for English wool, and the consumer seemingly brings god name into it, which suggest the consumer does not think of trade conflicting with Christianity. Which letter A also identify for both letters show how the merchant’s goal is to make a profit, and they see no problem with. In conclusion, Christianity and Islam attitudes towards trade and me rchants were similar in certain aspects as, of the beginning both viewed it negatively, and on a religious level. However, both began to change their views on trade and merchants. For Christianity began approving trade, while Islam began harsher treatment towards trade and merchants.