The Wife of Bath :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Sovereignty† or believing that a happy match is one in which the wife has control is the backbone to the story of the wife of bath. When the wife of bath finishes telling her story there are no comments from the other pilgrims. The thoughts of both the parson and the knight will be depicted as I imagine them to be in response to her tale. I can see the parson looking to his left, explaining his displeasures to the monk. They talk of her story with the parson sharing his ideals, and the monk just smiling back, looking him in the eye and chuckling. The parson who attempts to live his life as an ideal for others was appalled to learn of the wife of baths four husbands and as she told how she gained control over the fifth one by faking her death, the parson lost all religious respect for her. The parson hates to think, and totally disagrees with her theory that being over powered by a woman would make any marriage happy, personally he would be unhappy, and would never be with a woman who didn’t fallow the word of god.. The parson would have wanted the knight who raped the woman instead of becoming the hero of tale, to be punished in order to be fair to the others who have been punished before him. The knight whose very code of honor emphasizes chivalry, truth and honor would be totally disgusted to hear that in the tale by the wife of bath that a knight raped women. He would be angry at the wife for choosing a knight when any type of person could be chosen to represent the male in her tale. This talk of a woman dominated house hold would not be something that would be a ideal to the manly knight whose dignity and status allow him to stand apart from the rest. The wife of baths history as a person would make him think twice about anything she had to say, as she has little honor but what she lacks in honor she makes up with in pride. The tale ends with a knights ending they live happily ever after. The knight would have no problem with most of the story although be aggravated by pessimistic rhetoric of his fellow knights. Question 3   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Love of money is the root of all evil† is a lesson that we could all learn in addition to the theme of the pardoner’s tale.

Energy and the Environment: Fossil Fuels Essay -- Environment Environm

Energy and the Environment: Fossil Fuels Fossil Fuels are one of the most important things on this planet to the human race. Without fossil fuels we wouldn't have today's current means of transportation, we would have less heating for the general population, energy uses would be more expensive, and overall the economy and the world would not be able to sustain themselves. Even still, the fact that fossil fuels are on this planet will never change, but how we use them and what impacts their use has will always be an issue. Even though fossil fuels provide for the most percentage of energy usage in the world, there is still the issue of pollution and other environmental impacts. Just oil and natural gas alone provide for more than 60 percent of the energy consumed in the United States (US Dept. of Energy). With this amount of fossil fuel usage taking place, and the fact that burning, transporting, recovering, and processing fossil fuels creates pollution, one can see how much total damage that is occurring on a daily basis. Some of the many environmental impacts from the result...

Health care challenges Essay

Our country is set to face a new way of managing health which could potentially change the environment on how nurses deliver care. As our nation prepares for the implementation of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, nursing as a healing profession has to be open to what the future of health management holds. The goal is to have all registered nurses reach a high level of understanding and acquire tools necessary to provide the best possible way at a low cost. It is both moral and professional obligation of our leaders to ensure that highly competent and well trained nurses are available throughout this transition. To achieve this goal, nurse educators are the key players to train both novice and seasoned nurses to the change based on the new policies and evidence-based research. However, our Nurse Educators are overwhelmed with their current workload hence causing faculty shortage in the country. A recent study published on 2011 aimed to explore the relation of nursing faculty shortage to their workload, determine if there are evidences that the faculty workload is not equitable and the implication/effect to the nursing research and nursing academic. According to this study, there are multiple factors that influence the nursing faculty shortage such as lack of interest from the nurses to try academic careers, time spends to clinical practice defers pursuance into academic positions, low salaries, high educational costs, nursing education dissatisfaction and most importantly low institutional funding for additional nurse educator positions. Nancy Falk stated in her article that â€Å"despite current critical shortage and growing demand for nurses and nurse educators, federal funding falls far short of addressing these healthcare workforce challenges. Workforce projections suggest that the US will face a shortage of 285,000 nurses by 2015 and 500, 000 by 2025.† (Mason, Leavitt & Chaffee, 2012, p 58). Also, American Association Colleges of Nursing reported on 2011-2012, that nursing schools turned away 75,587 applicants who are qualified for baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs because of inadequate nursing faculty including clinical preceptors. These challenges ultimately impact the future of patient care if not addressed. Faculty leaders must work in partnership to create a strategy that will help prevent further faculty shortage by focusing on balanced faculty workload to avoid burnout. This article emphasized on the continuous support by government officials especially adequate funding to nursing education. AACN is allocating its resources to protect federal funding for academic development programs, identify strategies to prevent nursing educator shortage. Additional solution is to create a mentorship program for nurse faculty. This strategy was confirmed by various literature and studies to promote nursing faculty recruitment and retention. Mentorship brings encouragement and direction to clinical educators who are new to the role and prevent burnout. Health care system will be lost without nurses in our society. Statistic shows that there are currently 2.9 million nurses in the United States but nurses with special skills such as in education is extremely needed. Nurse Educators, in some ways, affect the lives of everyone. It is through this role where highly competent, compassionate healers such as nurses are produced. â€Å"The future of the nursing profession depends on a steady supply of nurses to provide the quality care to patients† (Cowen & Moorhead, 2011, p. 60)

Marc Jacobs Brand Analysis Essay

There has been much debate within the fashion industry about what kind of branding strategy to pursue. With the increasing democratization of fashion ushered in by globalization fashion designers have been able to create and/or transform their labels to have a strong and strategic world-wide presence. The two main schools of thought within branding strategies are globalization and adaptation. Thus a fashion company must traverse the terrain and select which strategy suits the company’s policies, aims and mission. Theodore Levitt launched the globalization debate in 1983 with his seminal essay in the Harvard Business Review ‘The Globalization of Markets† arguing that communication, transportation and travel created a new commercial reality where corporations did not cater to local differences in taste. He believed that the world, its various cultures and borders, were uniting, which resulted in the dissolution of multinational corporations, and the rise and domination of global corporations (Levitt, 1983). There have been many supporters toward this faction of thinking which include Elinder (1965), Fatt (1967), Buzzell (1968) and Dunne (1976) whom feel, as with Levitt that the globalization of markets has come about because of advances in transportation, and most importantly technology. This strategy believes that one marketing campaign can be used and translated to its customers world-wide, and is adequate for their purposes. Standardization also assumes that their target customer is completely homogenous and should be pursued in the same manner. The adaptation strategy and its supporters on the other hand, believe that the market and its customers are heterogeneous. The followers of adaption namely Anholt (2000), Kanso and Nelson (2002) and Kotler (1986), argue that marketers and branding professionals need to consider difference in economics, cultures, competition, technology, sociology, physicality, politics, infrastructure; as well as the level of customer similarity (Vrontis, 2003). This strategy is clearly opposite to that of standardization. What the managers of companies need to decide early on is, which strategy they will adopt acknowledging that both factions has positive and negative points. Another approach that is widely exploited is that of a  hybrid, adopting certain aspects of each strategy to obtain the greatest advantage whilst negating the negatives. This strategy is promoted by many since the late nineteen eighties namely Vrontis and Vronti, (2004), Kotler et al., (1996), as well as Douglas and Wind (198 7), With an abundance of strategies to choose from and the swift pace of the global fashion industry, which is becoming more competitive every day, it is of utmost importance to have a clear message and brand identity to launch to the fashion world. Using Marc Jacobs as a case study, this paper will investigate his labels approach to marketing and branding within the United Kingdom and the United States to demonstrate how Marc Jacobs uses standardization. This approach is illuminated through his product ranges, advertising, shop decoration, and marketing, which have been inherent since the beginning of the branding process. To keep up in today’s ever changing industry, fashion labels like Marc Jacobs, need to be highly differiented, customer-oriented, constantly innovative and create effective powerful brands (Aaker and Joachimsthaler, 2000). Marc Jacobs has executed what Aaker and Joachimsthaler (2000) set out with sheer precision. Since graduating from Parsons School of Design in 1984, where Marc Jacobs won two Golden Thimble Awards, he has had a loyal following both with the media and customers alike who have backed him through his many ventures. His clothes have been described as uptown, downtown – and all around, chic eccentricity, edgy and chic, friendly downtown cool as well as breezy and discreet luxury (Foley, 2004 and Cohen, 2001). Jacobs has an innate perception of how women and men want to dress each season; a sense of the past and how the passage of time changes the definition of beauty and glamour (Shaw, 1993). Having his finger on the zeitgeist each season, year after year, has made his name synonymous with retro-chic cool urbanites and celebrities. On the one hand, Marc Jacobs, the person, his personality, are what his customers are buying into and what is being marketed. On the other, it is his association as head designer for ready-to-wear at Louis Vuitton and how he has transformed that company. This position propelled him to global fashion stardom making him a household name. His characteristics of charming, spirited, cool, arty, high, low and edgy all describe his designs  (Aaker, 1996) and his customers are buying into this personality and identity mix. This blend extends to the way Marc Jacobs dresses himself, and as an extension his clientele. â€Å"I buy very expensive clothes and very inexpensive clothes. People do not dress in designer clothes from head to toe. They may wear a $40 shirt with $600 shoes. That’s the way we’ve always shown the collection (Shaw, 1993).† This is how their younger, arty and celebrity customer dresses. They wear clothes that can traverse the polished sophistication of uptown and the edgy, hip, distressed chic of downtown. â€Å"Brand personality can help by enriching†¦ perceptions of and attributes toward the brand, contributing to a differentiating brand identity, guiding the communication effort and creating brand equity (Aaker, 1996, p.150)†. The brand personality, and its personality traits, are also created by various marketing variables such as user imagery, advertising style, packaging and logo, price, and product-related attributes (Levy 1959, Plummer 1985, Batra, Lehmann, and Singh 1993). All of which are extremely important to the Marc Jacobs branded image and lifestyle that is standardized in both the UK and USA. Though Marc Jacobs brand identity and marketing is driven by his own personality and has been a chosen strategy, there are negative’s to this approach. In this case, the personality is living and has their own life, which changes and acquires a dimension and symbolism, which may not always correspond with the brand’s strategic interests (Kapferer, 1997). For instance, it is commonly known that Marc Jacobs has been battling drug addiction for many years and has had a recent bought in a rehabilitation facility. This episode does not seem to have affected the brand’s image and personality, though it is a caution for adopting this strategy; especially with a personality that is in the public eye and imagination. Jacobs’s success has earned him five designer of the year awards in women’s wear, men’s wear and accessory design by the Council of Fashion Designers of America throughout the last fifteen years. These prestigious awards have assisted in leveraging his brand, which is worth 5 billion dollars according to Fortune magazine (Borden, 2007) and enabled Jacobs to expand the company. What has also assisted Jacobs and his business partner  Robert Duffy’s vision to build the brand architecture, is the stake that Moà «t-Hennessy-Louis-Vuitton (LVMH) owns, which is 96% of Marc Jacobs International L.P. but only 33% of trademarks, meaning that LVMH has power over the money, but Jacobs has creative control.[1] With the backing of LVMH using brand architecture as an organizing structure of the brand portfolio, which gives specific roles and relationships to various products has become a reality (Aaker and Joachimsthaler, 2000). The Marc Jacobs brand portfolio has gro wn immensely since he first started the company with Duffy in 1993. That year saw the launch of his women’s collection and in 1995 the first full men’s collection was introduced. Expanding into the men’s market assisted in leveraging the brand assets, creating a synergy by generating brand exposures and more associations in different contexts (Aaker and Joachimsthaler, 2000 and Kapferer, 1997). These two Marc Jacobs collection lines are the strategic brand as they represent the majority of sales and have become the driver role for other extensions and ranges within the portfolio (Aaker and Joachimsthaler, 2000 and Kapferer, 1997). The women’s and men’s collection have thus expanded to include footwear, bags, eyewear and fragrance creating new line extensions in other product classes which is the ultimate way to leverage the brand (Aaker, 1996). The collection line extensions or sub-brands expands the user base, provides variety for the customer that would like to buy into a total image or lifestyle, energizes the br and as well as manages innovation within the brand (Aaker, 1996). Jacobs’s accessories and his fragrances for both men and women have become his cash cows. The cash cow has a significant customer base and its role is to generate margin resources that can then be invested back into other brands and extensions (Aaker and Joachimsthaler, 2000). Utilizing this strategic approach assists customers who cannot afford the collection but can buy into the brand, starting with a perfume or a handbag in hopes of one day being able to purchase a variety of clothes and other product offerings. Cash cow roles help to build up the brand portfolio as well as create customer loyalty. With the success of his main collection line, Marc Jacobs launched Marc by Marc Jacobs (in 2001), a diffusion or secondary line/brand that made Jacobs more accessible to the very important middle retail market (Moore,  Fernie, and Bert, 2000). The movement into diffusion lines is completely linked to the drive of greater profits, which is linked to public demand. The trouble a brand faces in moving down vertically is risking the brand’s reputation, customer base, quality and credibility especially when coming from a luxury brand (Aaker and Joachimsthaler, 2000, Kapferer, 1997 and Aaker, 1996). Luckily, Jacobs has avoided this successfully without cannibalizing his high-end brand. One explanation of this is that Jacobs’s designs lend themselves to being made in both expensive and moderate priced materials and do not lose their cool. For example, Marc Jacobs produces a thermal jumper in cashmere that sells for 300 pounds and the same design in less luxurious wool sells for 80 pounds in the Marc by Marc Jacobs range (Borden, 2007). Robert Duffy states â€Å"There is a huge difference in feel and quality, but there is a customer base for both (Borden, 2007, p. 3)†. In this case the diffusion line actually enhances the brand’s presence in this very different context not just from increased visibility but also the positive associations generated (Aaker and Joachimsthaler, 2000). The response to this line was so encouraging a men’s Marc by Marc Jacobs line was added along with shoes, bags, eyewear, accessories as well as timepieces for both men and women. In effect the diffusion line and its extensions have been playing the role of the silver bullet brand by positively influencing the image of the strategic brand (Marc Jacobs) (Aaker and Joachimsthaler, 2000). Strategically though the ready-to-wear collection provides the much needed PR but the diffusion lines and their extensions and the collection extensions horizontally drives and creates the revenue (Moore, Fernie and Burt, 2000). The linchpin brand of the Marc Jacobs portfolio and architecture is the accessories line which is housed in its own free-standing store in New York, as well as a multi-branded store in London. This line of accessories is priced even lower than the accessories offered in the Marc by Marc Jacobs lines and is cultivating new customers by the hundreds of thousands. Marc Jacobs staffers like to call this store and line the â€Å"junk store† but the results are anything but. The accessories line and store sells anything from $90 leather bags, to $20 T-shirts to $5 heart shaped make-up compacts as well as flip-flops, gloves, hats, scarves and wellington rain boots. The low  cost of the merchandise is the allure and initiates an even younger customer than the diffusion line into the cult of the brand. The idea of this line is to increase brand recognition and ultimately overall revenue. (Jana, 2006). This line is 70% of units sold in Marc Jacobs stores, which totals around $20 million (Borden, 2007). The accessories line and shop in New York City generates $25,000 per square foot, which exceeds the $4,032, which is earned by the average Apple store the highest in a study by Bernstein Research (Borden, 2007). Gail Zuader a manager of boutique investment bank Elixir Advisors states â€Å"Marc Jacobs has achieved that rare feat of creating a secondary line that doesn’t dilute the value of the high-end with a focus on tongue-in cheek design that allows people to mix it up (Borden, 2007, p. 3)†. This directly relates to Jacob’s comments back in 1993 about his customer wearing expensive and inexpensive clothes, this can now be done with his whole brand architecture. A Jacobs follower can wear a collection dress from the high-end ready-to-wear line and mix it up with shoes and sunglass from the Marc by Marc Jacobs diffusion line. Then accessorize with cheap accessor y handbag and a few bracelets. Again, the Marc Jacobs brand has been extended horizontally with the introduction of the luxury home wares sub-brand in 2003, which includes crystal (produced in Eastern Europe from some of the best known manufacturers), sterling silver, cashmere pillows and other luxuries. This extension is also a silver bullet brand as it both positively influences the strategic brand, and maintains the luxurious cool edge that the label stands for. Marc Jacobs brand architecture has been fuelled by the ever increasing money spent on luxury products throughout the world. According to Verdict research company the luxury retail sector is worth 263 billion dollars for October 2007 and is rapidly accelerating by 71% (Verdict and Thind, 2007). The factors that have contributed to this increase include higher net disposable income among middle to top earners, increased leisure time, as well as economic recovery within several major countries including the United States and the UK (Moore, Fernie, and Bert , 2000). A luxury company would be foolish not to expand in as many areas as possible without overextending its offerings to tap into the money being increasingly spent in this sector. Marc Jacobs success can be contributed to standardized  marketing, brand identity, image as well as product offerings between the US and the UK. The image and the identity of the brand are two different items and are not to be confused. The image deals with perceived notions from the customer’s side whilst the brand identity is the picture the organization wants to send out to the public at large and its customers (Kapferer, 1997). The identity is sent out through the Marc Jacobs logo, advertising, store design and products. The logo is the words Marc Jacobs in a black font that is classic yet retro, not too thin or too thick, a medium thickness that is bold behind the white page. (Fig. 1) This typeface is standardized on all product offerings, line extensions, sub-brands and advertising. The black and white palette is kept throughout. The words may change as well as the offerings but the typeface is always the same. In this sense the font has become an icon of the label like Jacobs himself. To compete in a global market, a global advertising and marketing strategy and product development strategy are integral to the luxury fashion brand. The average money spent on advertising is anywhere between 20-30 per cent of a company’s gross margin higher than it ever has been (Moore, Fernie, and Bert, 2000). â€Å"Every successful fashion brand is based upon an image; the way that you make that image is through your advertising. Fashion thrives on advertising. Advertising is what creates the identity and attraction (Moore, Fernie, and Bert, 2000, p. 932).† The Marc Jacobs advertising campaigns, which are all shot by world renowned photographer Juergen Teller since 1997, is integral to the brands standardized marketing campaign and has greatly contributed the Jacobs image of being arty, cool, hip and of the moment.[2] The images shot by Teller are normally of artists, directors, musicians, and actors in beautiful colours. Normally the product in the photograph is secondary to the poses, actions, background and expressions of the person(s) being photographed. The photograph is always in the middle of a stark white background the product name below it in the iconic Marc Jacobs font. The people that have been included in the advertising such as Sofia Coppola, Charlotte Rampling, Samantha Morton, Kristen MacMenamy, Meg White of the White Strips and Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth have also contributed to the brands identity and image. (See Fig, 2) Bernd Schmitt states: Customers want products, communications and marketing campaigns that dazzle their senses, touch their hearts, and stimulate their minds [as well as] things they can relate to and that they can incorporate into their lifestyles. They want these things to be able to deliver a desirable customer experience (Schmitt, 1999, p.22). Thus he aligns the brand with people who are thought to be â€Å"cool†, â€Å"hip† or â€Å"of the moment† and in turn this has positive associations for the customer base and the brands offerings. These advertisements are seen both in American and UK high fashion magazines. For instance Vogue’s UK December 2007 issue features an advertisement for the Daisy perfume, the same ad is also in the December issue of Vogue in the US as well as Harper’s Bazaar in the US. This standardized marketing strategy is clearly chosen so the image and identity is not diluted between the countries; especially since the ideal Marc Jacobs customer has the income and luxurious lifestyle to fly between the two, and are the main markets for the brand. Though LVMH does not break down sales by brand, instead giving turnover by operating division, Table 1 clearly shows that Europe and the US are the biggest market for the luxury group, Europe generating 35% of group sales whi lst America is the largest single market. Table 1. LVMH: Group sales, by region, 2005 Source: LVMH/Mintel Though there are Marc Jacobs stores in six cities in America and only one in the UK, London, the product offerings are standardized between the two. This is evident by visiting the stores in both countries and visiting the website where all the products are displayed, along with videos of the runway shows as well as news and gossip, all contributing to the marketing. By choosing to standardize the products amongst the two markets, stores, and on-line Jacobs adopts Levitt’s strategy, â€Å"at a relative low cost – as if the entire world were a single entity; it sells the same thing in the same way everywhere (Levitt, 1983, p.292).† Standardization for the brand increases its profits and visibility in both market sectors. The store’s interior  design and window displays are also uniform. Jacobs and Duffy have enlisted designer Stephen Jaklitsch to design the store’s interiors, completing twenty one stores to date. He designs â€Å"hip but comfortab le environments that mix high-end residential furnishings with sleek finishes and cheeky detailing (Kim, 2004, p. 126).† Jaklitsch’s design for the Marc Jacobs shops represents an evolution of the brand concept and is mostly standardized though each space has its own challenges. â€Å"We do adhere to consistent color and materials palettes. We always use black-stained floors and luxurious materials like marble for the collection stores. I work to create backdrops that are as edgy as the clothing, yet a little more timeless (Kim, 2004, p.127).† Having harmony amongst the retail shops’ designs and the products offered customers in both countries ensures the same aesthetic experience, retail experience and service that the luxury brand is known for. The display windows are another extension of this standardization. During the month of June this year, the shop windows had a Blondie display theme with a large pop orientated portrait of Debbie Harry, with co-coordinating Blondie T-shirts on the mannequins; both in America and the UK. These windows are displayed on the website under featured windows and it is evident that the windows are an important part of the global marketing strategy, as it is presented on the website. The windows are also eye catching and creative, enticing the walker-by on the street, into the store placing special importance on them. The windows for September 2007, featured the newly launched Daisy perfume. Here the art direction allows for some creative flourishes as the mannequins and other decorative displays are specialized for the windows in both countries, though the theme and many elements are uniform. The importance of the window displays shows how the design can be standardized across countries, but equally innovative and exciting for the customer. Using Marc Jacobs as a case study, it is evident that a globalized strategy for products and marketing is still alive and used by global luxury companies as Levitt predicted in 1983. The markets have greatly increased, and drastically changed since this seminal article was written and in our postmodern society many consumers want greater differientation and customization. It will be interesting to see if Marc Jacobs can continue to  survive with a uniform marketing strategy and product offering, or if the brand will have to adapt their strategy for a hybrid one. [1] According to Mintel’s Luxury Good Retail Global report for July of 2006, LVMH was the leading global luxury goods company with 11% of the market in 2005. Mintel also states that they control the strongest and most dynamic luxury brands including Marc Jacobs. [2] For more information on Juergen Teller and his work see Juergen Teller edited by Cornel Windline, Koln, London: Taschen, 1996.

What role should the media play in a democratic society What might Essay

What role should the media play in a democratic society What might prevent the media performing this role in Britain today - Essay Example The role of the media in any democracy is a concept that dates way back to the 17th century. The media was referred to then as the fourth estate, and today is being seen more as the fourth arm of government after the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. The media is being increasingly viewed as an integral part of democracy which the latter cannot function properly without (Lichtenberg, 1991, 21). The media of course refers to all the means of mass communication including the press, radio, television and lately the internet (Oxford English Dictionary). It is the means by which mass communication has been attained, sometimes instantaneously, for a long period of time. The media continues to shape dispersal of information, opinion and attitude formation today as it has done for over three centuries (Lichtenberg, 1991, 23). This paper sets out to describe the role that the media should play in a democratic society and factors that may prevent the media from playing that role in modern day Britain. The media plays the primary role of a watchdog and guardian of the public interest in the conduct of public affairs. It is also an important conduit of information between the governors and the governed (Coronel, 2010, 1). This means that there would literally be a breakdown of communication between the governors and the governed without the media. The governors have a tendency to communicate to the public only that which they believe is fit for public consumption and holding back the truth whenever it suits them. The media comes in handy in such situations to expose the information that the governor would wish to sweep under the carpet in order to avoid public disapproval or embarrassment. In this way the media performs two important basic functions (Center for Democracy, 1999, 3). The first role is to ensure that citizens make informed choices by getting access to relevant, truthful and relevant information on issues that directly or indirectly affect their li ves. This cannot be possible if they are only subjected to information the government feels it can relay to them. IF they only rely on official sources to gain access, they are likely to act on the basis of ignorance or misinformation, which inevitably leads to the wrong choices (Center for Democracy, 1999, 3). Secondly, proper conveyance of information serves as a check on leaders to watch their excesses in the form of corruption, exploitation or even crime. Officials tend to act in their self interest even if such interests go against the law and their oaths of office, if nothing is done to check their conduct. This watchdog function of the media is therefore important in ensuring that the leaders only make those decisions that are in the public interest rather than serving only their parochial whims (Center for Democracy, 1999, 3). In order to play its role effectively the media particularly focuses on important facets of governance, the economy, public education, infrastructural and social development, internal and international relations, human interest issues, public discussions, peace and consensus building and control of their own internal operations. Without balancing these important tenets, the media itself may become a victim of its own parochialism or pettiness that puts its operations within reproach (Lewis, 2005, 70). On governance the media has been known to play a great role in putting governors in constant check. This is mainly done through investigative reporting. Journalists usually do their best, sometimes at great risk to life and limb, to expose issues that are otherwise covered up by the leadership. Such issues include involvement in shady and corrupt deals (Lewis, 2005, 72). In the UK such investigations by the Telegraph in 2009 revealed the involvement of members of parliament in false cash claims of expenses and allowances to the exchequer which resulted in loses of substantial amounts of tax payers’ money (The Daily Telegraph) . This resulted in the resignation of several legislators, sackings, de-selections and

Economic Competitiveness of the EU in the Light of Growing Trade Essay

Economic Competitiveness of the EU in the Light of Growing Trade Expansion from China - Essay Example The study will try to understand the competitiveness by taking into consideration of the emergence of China. However, it is not possible to consider all the above mentioned aspects in accordance to their merit due to space restriction. This can be referred as the major limitation of this report. Trade Deficit between EU and China International trade between EU and China has been increased in last decade, for example, export of EU to China has been increased by 110 billion euro during the year 2000 to 2011 (Eurostat, 2012). However, import from China to EU has been increased by 173 billion euro in the same period of time (Eurostat, 2012). The trend is showing that balance of trade is declining for EU and dependency on Chinese export is increasing. Export and import deficit of EU in context to China can be depicted in the following manner. (Source: Eurostat, 2012) Although the trade deficit between for EU has been decreased from 75 billion euro to 67 billion euro in the first six month of 2012 but still the amount of deficit is large enough to impact the competitiveness of EU. After the economic recession, the trade deficit between EU and China has been improving but still the difference is large enough to affect the economic strength of EU nations. According to the above table only Germany and Finland have trade surplus to china while other European countries have trade deficit with China. However, Germany and Finland were unable to convert the trade deficit into trade surplus prior to recession. Careful analysis of the chart shows that growth rate of export from EU nations to China has been outpaced the growth rate of import from China. For example, export volume of Greece to Chine has been doubled... This essay presents a modern comprehensive analysis of the changing nature of economic relationships between China and European Union. It is shown in the essay, that China gradually improve its level of competitiveness in these relationships, by increasing its exports to the EU, to an extent with the help of such practices as protectionism, intellectual property rights violation and dumping. International trade between EU and China has been increased in last decade, for example, export of EU to China has been increased by 110 billion euro during the year 2000 to 2011. However, import from China to EU has been increased by 173 billion euro. The trend is showing that balance of trade is declining for EU and dependency on Chinese export is increasing. Although the trade deficit between for EU has been decreased from 75 billion euro to 67 billion euro in the first six month of 2012 but the amount of deficit is large enough to impact the competitiveness of EU. After the economic recession, the trade deficit between EU and China has been improving Harsh fact is that there cannot be a single recommendation which can help EU nations to improve its competitiveness in overnight manner. It is shown through that low cost advantage of China cannot be depleted easily by EU manufacturers. EU can use the concept of vertical specialisation to decrease its dependency on Chinese imports and give the domestic players some breathing space. In vertical specialisation model, EU needs to identify sectors which need immediate attention.

Writing assignment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Writing assignment - Research Paper Example It has often been said that the best way to end up with the worst people in your firm or business is to announce that the firm is laying off people. This ensures that the best people make an exit for the door and as Pfeffer points out, many firms rehire them simply because they cannot afford to lose those people. This is the morale factor. However, there are other factors as well which include the effect on a firm’s profitability (not profits) and its attitude towards its customers (particularly for service sector companies). All these factors make laying off people not that much of an attractive proposition and as Pfeffer points out, there might be other ways to beat the downturn apart from laying off people. Given the fact that the article was written in 2010 (at the peak of the Great Recession), there are some points in the article and Pfeffer’s recommendations that can be implemented by the firms and businesses. However, this is not to say that the entire set of recommendations are realistic when one takes into account the fact that many firms, in order to simply survive in the current economic climate need to cut jobs. The reason for downsizing becoming attractive is that the share of the service sector in the overall economy has gone up drastically in the last few decades. Since the service sector primarily relies on people and the costs of payroll and perks are the major chunk of the overall costs, there is indeed a case to be made for layoffs. Though as Pfeffer says when people are our main assets, why lose them. The point here is that one needs to take a nuanced approach towards Pfeffer’s recommendations and take those among them that make business sense. Without re sorting to emotional factors, Pfeffer has convincingly shown that layoffs do not make business sense as well. Maybe it is time for firms to look at financial optimization