American Civil War - Battle of Oak Grove

American Civil War - Battle of Oak Grove Battle of Oak Grove - Conflict Date: The Battle of Oak Grove was fought June 25, 1862, during the American Civil War (1861-1865). Armies Commanders: Union Major General George B. McClellan3 brigades Confederate General Robert E. Lee1 division Battle of Oak Grove - Background: After constructing the Army of the Potomac in the summer and fall of 1861, Major General George B. McClellan commenced planning his offensive against Richmond for the following spring.   To take the Confederate capital, he intended to sail his men down the Chesapeake Bay to the Union base at Fortress Monroe.   Concentrating there, the army would advance up the Peninsula between the York and James Rivers to Richmond.   This shift south would permit him to bypass Confederate forces in northern Virginia and would allow US Navy warships move up both rivers to protect his flanks and help supply the army.   This part of the operation was shelved in early March 1862 when the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia struck Union naval forces at the Battle of Hampton Roads. Though the danger posed by Virginia was offset by the arrival of the ironclad USS Monitor, efforts to blockade the Confederate warship drew off Union naval strength.   Slowing marching up the Peninsula in April, McClellan was fooled by Confederate forces into laying siege to Yorktown for much of the month.   Finally continuing the advance in early May, Union forces clashed with the Confederates at Williamsburg before driving on Richmond.   As the army neared the city, McClellan was struck by General Joseph E. Johnston at Seven Pines on May 31. Though the fighting was inconclusive, it resulted in Johnston being severely wounded and command of the Confederate army ultimately passed to General Robert E. Lee. For the next few weeks, McClellan remained inactive in front of Richmond allowing Lee to improve the citys defenses and plan a counterattack. Battle of Oak Grove - Plans: Assessing the situation, Lee realized that McClellan was forced to divide his army north and south of Chickahominy River in order to protect his supply lines back to White House, VA on the Pamunkey River.   As a result, he devised an offensive that sought to defeat one wing of the Union army before the other could move to provide aid.   Shifting troops into place, Lee intended to attack on June 26.   Alerted that Major General Thomas Stonewall Jacksons command would soon reinforce Lee and that enemy offensive action was likely, McClellan sought to retain the initiative by striking west towards Old Tavern.   Taking the heights in the area would permit his siege guns to strike at Richmond.   To accomplish this mission, McClellan planned to attack along the Richmond York Railroad in the north and at Oak Grove in the south. Battle of Oak Grove - III Corps Advances: The execution of the assault at Oak Grove fell to the divisions of Brigadier Generals Joseph Hooker and Philip Kearny from Brigadier General Samuel P. Heintzelmans III Corps.   From these commands, the brigades of Brigadier Generals Daniel Sickles,  Cuvier Grover, and John C. Robinson were to leave their earthworks, pass through a small but dense wooded area, and then strike the Confederate lines held by the division of Brigadier General Benjamin Huger.   Direct command of the forces involved fell to Heintzelman as McClellan preferred to coordinate the action by telegraph from his headquarters in the rear.   At 8:30 AM, the three Union brigades commenced their advance.   While Grover and Robinsons brigades encountered few problems, Sickles men had trouble clearing the abatis in front of their lines and then were slowed by the difficult terrain at the headwaters of White Oak Swamp (Map). Battle of Oak Grove - A Stalemate Ensues:               Sickles issues led to the brigade falling out of alignment with those to the south.   Recognizing an opportunity, Huger directed Brigadier General Ambrose Wright to advance with his brigade and mount a counterattack against Grover.   Approaching the enemy, one of his Georgia regiments caused confusion among Grovers men as they wore red Zouave uniforms which were thought to only be used by some Union troops.   As Wrights men halted Grover, Sickles brigade was repulsed by Brigadier General Robert Ransoms men to the north.   With his attack stalling, Heintzelman requested reinforcements from McClellan and informed the army commander of the situation.    Unaware of the specifics of the fighting, McClellan ordered those engaged to withdraw back to their lines at 10:30 AM and departed his headquarters to inspect the battlefield personally.   Arriving around 1:00 PM, he found the situation better than anticipated and ordered Heintzelman to renew the attack.   Union troops moved forward and regained some ground but became entangled in an inconclusive fire fight that lasted until nightfall.   In the course of the battle, McClellans men only managed to advance about 600 yards. Battle of Oak Grove - Aftermath: McClellans final offensive effort against Richmond, the fighting at the Battle of Oak Grove saw Union forces suffer 68 killed, 503 wounded, and 55 missing while Huger incurred  66 killed, 362 wounded, and 13 missing.   Undeterred by the Union thrust, Lee moved forward with his planned offensive the next day.   Attacking at Beaver Dam Creek, his men were ultimately turned back.   A day later, they succeeded in dislodging Union troops at Gaines Mill.   Beginning with Oak Grove, a week of constant fighting, dubbed the Seven Days Battles, saw McClellan driven back to the James River at Malvern Hill and his campaign against Richmond defeated.       Selected Sources Civil War Trust: Seven Days BattlesCWSAC Battle Summaries: Oak GroveHistory of War: Battle of Oak Grove

Cronon essay essays

Cronon essay essays 1. To Cronon, the wilderness is commonly defined as a place that is pure, natural and untouched by man. Cronon does not see nature as such a pure place. He thinks that nature is basically the same thing as the city. Cronon writes that the city to a person from the country is the same as the country to a person from the city. He sees a problem with people taking vacations and building houses in the wilderness. Cronon thinks that if society got the image that almost everything around us, not just the uninhabited, was wild then people would not be as fascinated with nature. 2. Cronon thinks that the fashion that the United States views the wilderness is not correct. He writes that the public uses words like, natural, uninhabited, and un-polluted. Some of the adjectives that Cronon uses to characterize our blindness and illusions are stupidity, ironic, and delusional. I took all the words the Cronon used as negative. I think that Cronons tone was a tone of intensity. I think that this tone made the reader take his argument more seriously and pay more attention to what he or she is reading. I had difficultly reading Cronons essay. His word usage was hard to interpret and he was biased about the subject that he was writing about. ...

Omani Teachers Use (perception) of ICT in classes after taking an Research Proposal

Omani Teachers Use (perception) of ICT in classes after taking an ICDL(international computer driving liscence) training course - Research Proposal Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ABSTRACT To discover how Omani teachers have transformed in their Information communication technology teaching strategy to groups of students after ICDL or International Computer Driving License training is the interest of this study. It will look into policy documents of the company that sponsored the training programme and the policy makers of the Ministry of Education. The researcher will use descriptive quantitative research in gathering the data. Questionnaires will be prepared and sent to the corresponding teachers who successfully finished the programme and obtained the license to teach the same. Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION The teaching of Information communication technology to groups of students through classroom instruction is of essence for learners to cope with the needs of the 21st century lifestyle and business ways after graduation. In almost every human transaction nowadays ICT is involved. Besides, ICT have just turned out to be one that is a progressive technology in nature; hence the need for continuous upgrading of what is the latest for those who have learned the technology already, and for the learned educators to pass on the knowledge to learners. Background of the Study Internationally, instruction and education in the higher level of formal schooling in some institutions have seen so much transformation with the emergence of information technology as a primary discipline towards modern communication and business transactions strategy. Not only is the demand rising in the first world countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and France, but, it is also intensifying in developing...In almost every human transaction nowadays ICT is involved. Besides, ICT have just turned out to be one that is a progressive technology in nature; hence the need for continuous upgrading of what is the latest for those who have learned the technology already, and for the learned educators to pass on the knowledge to learners. Internationally, instruction and education in the higher level of formal schooling in some institutions have seen so much transformation with the emergence of information technology as a primary discipline towards modern communication and business transactions strategy. Not only is the demand rising in the first world countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and France, but, it is also intensifying in developing economies like Oman. Nonetheless, even in a highly industrialized economy like the United Kingdom, information communication technology or ICT have still to be incorporated into primary curriculums (Williams and Easingwood, 2003). Currently, enthusiast as well as experts in the field of information technology have organized themselves and offered trainings with corresponding certificates of complet

Modern China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Modern China - Essay Example People attribute the rampant corruption in present day china to the mismanagement & red-tapism under corrupt & greedy leaders. There is also a general opinion among many Chinese that though there was more fairness & justice, openness & freedom of expression were entirely subdued. Experts such as Zhou Ongling of the citizen education Centre in Beijing is of the opinion that corruption was minimal during Mao's regime solely due to the fact that the administration during those times was totally centralized, which ensured a gradual flow of power along the ranks. This setup disintegrated in the years following Mao's death, which lead to a decline in proper administration. A pro-democratic activist San Feng has written that Mao has committed Crimes against the Chinese Nation. He has maintained that the Mao had destroyed the true spirit of humanity by putting curbs on literary expression. In fact, San holds him responsible for the widespread famine & destruction of cultural legacy. The effect of all this has been that people living in the rural areas have been neglected in all respects including standard of living, education, healthcare etc., while those living in the urban areas have flourished in the recent past.

Gender Oppression Glossary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Gender Oppression Glossary - Essay Example Marxist feminists see the Capitalist mode of production as the root cause of all gender inequality. The capitalist framework of the society, its mode of operation and production is determined as the ultimate cause of all gender inequality and oppression of women. The oppression of women is a part of the larger Class Oppression where the male dominated society suppresses the rights and freedom of the women folk. Engels - The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State written by Engels after Marx’s death serves as the back bone for the cause of dismantling capitalism and social and economical equality. It was Engels’s treatise on Marx’s analysis and understanding of the society and his comments on progressive US scholar Lewis Henry Morgan. A deep exploration of the human society, its inbuilt instincts of gender organisation, and the tendency to form a patriarchal society based on male domination is done in the book The Post Medieval Concept of Family and Marriage: Male Privilege A society is identified by its class framework, or in other words a society and its individuals are identified and heavily influenced by the system of classification of its people. The needs, opportunities and privileges given on the basis of factors like gender, social status, cast etc form a decisive factor in determining the behaviour and nature of society. In a patriarchal society that is governed by the laws of heterosexuality, deeming it to be main-stream and globally accepted, male privilege and male domination became an inevitable reality. The society is skewed in terms of gender equality considering that the modern, global society accepts a man to be the head of the house, taking all the important decisions (financial, legal, social etc), whereas the woman is not considered an equally partner. Gender oppression finds another channel of execution through the stark male domination in every area in the society, whether it is leading the family, or lead ing a cultural or social organisation, whether it is heading the work place or the government. According to Marxist feminist theory this is due to the root cause of capitalism and the capitalist mode of production. Some Marxist feminist theorists consider the nature of men to be the root cause of female oppression. Male privilege and the inequality in rights, opportunities, position, contribution and influence in society between male and female classes has been as old as division of society into classes. It has not existed since the beginning, but gradually gathered popularity and momentum through the introduction of a class based barbaric society. Along with the class society, private property and the state, the bourgeois family too has a distinct beginning. Male privilege is only as old as the division of the society into classes. Patriarchy Patriarchy as opposed to matriarchy is based on the concept of Male leadership of the household, where the title can be traced through male l ineage. The title and its inheritance by subsequent generations are of a man’s and from a man’s. This serves as the foundation of a patriarchal society. Patriarchy is ancient and dates back to primitive human society dominated by male power to hunt, fight, capture and colonise. Thus arose the system of a male dominated, patriarchal system of society where the male

The Roles Of Women In Terrorism

The Roles Of Women In Terrorism The involvement of women in terrorist organisations is by no means new, but their role therein has changed markedly over recent years. Up until the late twentieth century, women in terrorist organisations were largely assigned tasks removed from the front lines of political violence they existed only to support their male counterparts, through gathering intelligence, providing healthcare, and even maintaining safe houses for more-active terrorists. Since then, and though women continue to perform those functions, the role of female terrorists has evolved into something more active, perhaps tougher, more fanatical, more loyal, than previously seen.  [1]  Indeed, while formerly confined to more auxiliary roles, female members of violent extremist groups now engage directly in attacks, including suicide bombings, attracting widespread disbelief and heightened media interest. After looking at terrorisms definitional problems, this paper will examine three different categories of involvement by women in terrorism: women as terrorists actually joining extremist organisations and carrying out attacks; women as enablers their role in motivating, inspiring, or encouraging potential terrorists; and women as preventers analysis of their involvement in counterterrorism. In so doing, it will focus on women and terrorism, as opposed to the overlapping concept of women and war. Both concepts of women engaging in terrorism and of womens roles in wars are broad and nuanced, and a single paper cannot do both justice. For this reason, the former alone will be examined here. Both terrorism and gender in conflict have been studied and written about extensively. The recognition of rape as a weapon of war has led to a timely re-evaluation of gender in warfare,  [2]  and much has been written on the subject of terrorism, particularly since September 2001, when terrorism entered into mainstream media and non-academic literature, even in those countries not directly affected by it. Yet, terrorism through the prism of gender has only recently gained ground in academic and media discourse, partly due to the rise of the female suicide bomber.  [3]  This study will consult literature mainly on political violence, but also on the role of women in society, drawing out observations on the impact of women on terrorism, as well as on how womens unique position in society can be harnessed for counterterrorism purposes. In addition, the paper will briefly comment on what the implications are for gender equality. Indeed, does the advent of female terrorists mirror the advance of women in society? This paper will provide a broad overview of the womens roles in terrorism, with more-detailed comments on their potential for de-radicalising active and potential terrorists. Women as Participants in Terrorism Although terrorism is one of the most widely used words in both international relations and the news media, the word lacks a clear, universal definition. Those who try to characterise it often harbour underlying biases (rendering their definitions questionable), or, in the case of some governments and the media, they may seek to label as many events as possible with a provocative term to demonise a particular group or to create headlines. Terrorism has a pejorative implication and those associated with it are therefore degraded politically and socially.  [4]  Most would agree, however, that fear is intrinsic to any successful terrorism. As political scientist Martha Crenshaw explains, [t]errorism is a method by which an agent tends to produce terror in order to impose his[/her] domination.  [5]  Many other definitions of terrorism exist, including Walter Laqueurs assertion that the meaning of terrorism has been changing throughout history,  [6]  and Brian Michael Jenkins description of the phenomenon as the use or threatened use of force to bring about political change.  [7]  For the purposes of this work, Jenkins definition shall suffice, but with the qualifier that, in the case of millennialist or some fundamentalist groups, political change need not be the final end.  [8]   Examples of women committing terrorist acts abound. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have been cited as amongst the first terrorist groups to employ women as attackers, with over one-third of their membership composed of females, who, in addition to suicide bomb missions, have duties on the battlefield, in the kitchen, and in medical camps.  [9]  LTTEs Black Tigresses, are not alone. The Chechen Black Widows, a brigade of female suicide bombers, carried out a dozen suicide bombings over two years, murdering 330 people.  [10]  Similarly, Wafa Idris, the first female suicide bomber, was a twenty-eight-year-old working for the Palestinian Red Crescent when she was deployed on a suicide mission to Jerusalem in 2002. Her bomb killed one person (in addition to herself), and injured 114.  [11]  While the death toll was low, Idris bombing, carried out for the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, served as an excellent recruitment tool, particularly among women. Indeed, the group s ubsequently established squads of willing female suicide bombers squads actually named for Idris.  [12]  Similarly, during the intifadas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas both witnessed a surge in female bombers Syrian nationalists and Kurdish separatists operate in this way, and women in Uzbekistan, Turkey, Lebanon, and Egypt have also joined the terror ranks.  [13]   Woman: the perfect terrorist? Women make excellent terrorists. Traditionally societys inherently nurturing and non-violent caregivers, females tend to attract less attention from security services and are less prone to be searched, questioned, and interrogated in the way that males are particularly in Muslim societies, which carry particular cultural sensitivities regarding the role of women.  [14]  Testament to this, earlier this month a suicide bomber in Somalia disguised himself as a woman, complete with a veil and a females shoes, before detonating explosives in a crowded Mogadishu hotel.  [15]  And even when women are under suspicion, the capacity may not exist to interrogate them: after the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, airport security services struggled to recruit enough female staff to carry out searches of women. One of the overriding attractions of using females for violent ends is, therefore, the slim chance of their attracting suspicion; additionally, even if that suspicion is ther e, the capacity may not exist to stop them. In part because violence against women (and children) is deemed by society to be more abhorrent (due to their supposed greater vulnerability), terrorism carried out by women is also more shocking, as will be discussed later in the paper. Ironically, it is the very weakness that makes women the most appealing/effective victims (in that they elicit wider coverage for the group behind the attack) that appears to make women terrorisms best instigators. Following the 2002 Moscow theatre hostage crisis, which involved female as well as male hostage-takers, one commentator posited that, for a woman to commit terrorism, she must be more fanatical than a male terrorist, and is therefore more terrifying than her male colleagues: For feminine engagement in activities that are so classically male bespeaks a far greater zeal. This is hard to verify, but that his analysis of women and terrorism goes on to note that female Islamists must be especially zealous, given that the reward of virgins awaiting the suicide bomber in heaven holds no appeal for them certainly seems plausible.  [16]  It could then be said that the greater fear elicited by the female extremist adds to her effectiveness as a terrorist. Terrorist groups manipulate and capitalise on the stereotypes of women to suit their violent goals. Suicide bombings in themselves, while still abhorrent, are increasingly commonplace almost weekly, news consumers see coverage of bombings in graphic detail. Terrorists have thus sought out ways to renew the impact of their violence (to which many, particularly in areas not directly impacted by attacks, have become partially desensitised), and the use of women as bombers is symptomatic of this. With most terrorism hinging on the publicity it attracts, groups play into the shock value of using women as human bombs; this elicits the double-shock of both the brutality of the act itself and the notion of someones daughter/mother/sister/wife as the instigator. Summing up the importance of the oxygen publicity affords terrorist organisations,  [17]  Front de Libà ©ration Nationale (FLN) leader Ramdane Abane asks rhetorically, Is it preferable for our cause to kill ten enemies in an oue d [dry riverbed] of Telergma when no one will talk of it, or a single man in Algiers which will be noted the next day by the American press?  [18]   Not only do female terrorists elicit more coverage, boosting both the fear a given attack elicits and the number of potential recruits reached, the type of coverage received is also different from that given to their male colleagues. Coverage of acts committed by women provide[s] more detail about possible motivations of the individual, while actions committed by men [are] explained more often in terms of the groups motivation.  [19]  (My emphasis.) Indeed, female terrorists also increase the likelihood that the social conditions, discrimination, and hardships experienced by a given group will be featured in the news media,  [20]  representing a significant incentive for particular organisations to use women over men. While suicide terrorism exemplifies vividly the impact female terrorists can have, other roles for women in political violence should not be overlooked. In terms of their roles away from the front lines of terrorism, women in extremist organisations were in the past often confined to less-active duties, such as healthcare provision, intelligence gathering, and even maintenance of safe houses for more-active terrorists. Some still do play these roles, and recent studies of terrorism and the internet have unearthed evidence of women now also playing the role of scholar, translating for their male counterparts and interpreting religious texts. In addition, females can boost depleted numbers of combatants, be it by joining the ranks themselves or by providing jihad wombs.  [21]  They also contribute by using their maiden names to open bank accounts (to avoid attracting the attention of antiterrorism agencies), and even raising money for terror groups through charity functions.  [22 ]   Does all this make a woman the perfect terrorist? While women hold many comparative advantages over men eliciting less suspicion, holding greater shock value, and even remaining engaged in terrorism longer than do men on average  [23]   some factors make women less attractive. In the face of stereotypes of women as non-violent wives, sisters, mothers, and daughters, it surprises many to learn that female terrorists are viewed by some as more deadly, in that some security forces deem them less likely to hesitate when carrying out a violent mission. One scholar further posits that women terrorists are possessors of a greater capacity for suffering.  [24]  Reasons for this resoluteness can only be speculated about, but the small variations between genders in why individuals engage in terrorism could be relevant: as will be discussed, vengeance is a particularly strong motivator among female extremists and may serve also to sustain a womans interest, and involvement, in a given cause. Counterterrorism recruits in INTERPOL accordingly even follow a shoot-the-women-first policy.  [25]   Other factors can discourage the use of women by terrorists groups: some members may view women as a threat to group cohesion (many groups lean heavily on male bonding to sustain the dynamic needed to commit violence for a given cause), and certain societies frown upon the use of women in combat roles. However, the overwhelming importance of publicity to terrorism seems to outweigh such concerns regarding female terrorists: women extremists occupy more column inches than do their male counterparts. And, with all terrorism, coverage confers the impression of power something all terrorist groups seek to wield. What motivates women terrorists A recent study of what motivates suicide terrorists found that there was little variation between genders in this regard both men and women tend to engage in terrorism for similar reasons. However, a few important differences in motivation were noted, including, among women, vengeance. Having lost a loved one at the hands of a particular groups perceived enemy, a mother, wife, or sister may be more inclined to join that group, and actively engage in terrorism.  [26]  Wafa Idris felt personally aggrieved by the horrors she witnessed at the Palestinian Red Crescent, by her brothers imprisonment, and at being displaced from Ramallah by Israel. But analysts also cite personal sadnesses she endured, unrelated to her cause, as motivation for her actions: After marriage, Idris had a late miscarriage. The doctors said she could have no more children. Her husbands response was to divorce her and marry again.  [27]  Seldom does one see this type of analysis where male bombers are conc erned; that attacks instigated by females are analysed in greater depth, speaks to the fascination they seem to hold over the media and potential extremists alike. Terrorist recruiters targeting women play into their need to feel involved, which is similar to male-terrorist recruitment, but the reasons for that lack of involvement in society differ. For example, in Central Asia, the Kyrgyz, largely non-violent, terrorist group Hizb-ut-Tabhir (HT), is pursuing the restoration of an Islamic caliphate in the region through allegedly peaceful political means. A recent International Crisis Group report on HT examines why, in a country where women enjoy a secular society and relative equality, they are moved to support HT a movement which appears to marginalise them. The report finds that since Kyrgyzstan, post-independence, lacks a coherent national identity, an Islamic one fills that void. Islams traditional representatives often do not make any appeal to women, whereas HT does, offering both social services and religious education to women. The HT brand of Islam emphasises Islamic sisterhood, and, in conservative areas, where women and girls have few social outlets, gender-segregated HT meetings allow women to mix with other women and reap the benefits of such interactions.  [28]   The type of marginalisation that, in various Western societies, fuelled womens liberation movements, is replaced in other, less-free societies (where rights are fiercely withheld), by the appeal of extremism. Rather than agitation for gender equality, which is notoriously elusive in some societies, a minority of women turn to other causes, which give them a sense of belonging and the opportunity to be involved in the types of groups previously unavailable to them. From these examples particularly that of HT in Kyrgyzstan it is clear that marginalisation by society at large makes individuals more vulnerable to the appeal of extremism. In the case of women specifically, it could be extrapolated that the very marginalisation they experience as a result of gender inequality, is played on by terrorists to bring them into sphere of extremism, increasingly as active participants. As will be discussed, terrorism can seem like a more alluring pursuit to women in those societies where their rights, gender and otherwise, are curtailed perhaps even suicide can seem appealing. But we must note that gender serves as little incentive in itself to commit violence, and neither sex seems moved to carry out terrorist attacks based on gender alone. What should be taken away from these observations is that outlets need be given to empower women in those societies where extremism is most likely to fill the empowerment vacuum. In essence, marginalisation based on gender is something of a force multiplier where fertile ground for extremism already exists. Women as Enablers of Terrorism In number, women are not equal to men, constituting more than half of the world population, and in their traditional roles as mothers, wives, sisters, and girlfriends females may impact every facet of terrorist activity. It is in this that they have been cited as motivation for other terrorists to engage in violence, as well as as reason to disengage, which will be elaborated later on. Women terrorists also appear to reach a wider audience where terrorist recruitment is concerned; the cults of personality female terrorists attract can serve to inspire would-be extremists and build support for a given cause. In their non-violent roles, also, women in specific communities actively recruit terrorists: In Syria, similar to the tactics of HT in Kyrgyzstan, sisterhood organisations proselytise extreme religious doctrine; while, in Pakistan, the mujahidaat are women who engage in collective non-violent endeavors geared towards recruiting and supporting violent extremist groups. In 2008, 1,000 women in Lebanon marched to show their support for Hezbollah; and, in Gaza, women gathered to form a human barrier between Israeli forces and militants hiding in a mosque in 2006.  [29]  These examples of women enabling terrorism and facilitating warfare can be ascribed to the types of discontent that motivate all terrorists, but, for women in societies where their rights are oppressed on the grounds of gender, something further can be inferred: gender equality in other aspects of life would remove a layer of discontent that contributes to terrorism. The cult of personality that the female terrorist seems to attract is also important in the recruitment and inspiration of other terrorists. Indeed, women seem more likely to receive such attention than men, thus further prolonging media interest something on which terrorist groups thrive. Leila Khaled, a Palestinian hijacker with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), drew much public attention for the very fact of her gender.  [30]  Aged just twenty-one years, Khaleds involvement in the 1969 hijacking of a passenger flight received wide coverage, in a way very appealing to terrorist recruiters: Her sexuality was always emphasisedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ She is the pin-up of armed struggle; like her hero, Che Guevara, Khaled had the glamour as well as the belief.  [31]  Her role morphed into one of a cultural icon, foreshadowing that of Wafa Idris, who also seemed to fascinate commentators: The Arab press glorified Idris. One Egyptian newspaper compared her to the Mona Lisa, registering her dreamy eyes and the mysterious smile on her lips. Others cited Joan of Arc, or the Virgin Mary.  [32]  Khaled and Idris attracted an entirely different type of media coverage than do their male counterparts. Very rarely if ever do male suicide bombers make headlines based on their physical attractiveness. But the media coverage paid dividends for their respective organisations. Following her death, Idris attracted copycats: more women suicide bombers materialised in the West Bank: One [female suicide bomber], a 21-year-old English-literature student named Darin Aisheh, detonated explosives in her car at a military checkpoint in February, wounding three policemen. Andaleeb Takafka, 20, killed herself and six others, and injured 104 people in April, using explosive tied to her waist. Ayat Akhras, 18, blew herself up outside a Jerusalem bus stop a month earlier.  [33]   In terms of traditional (or non-suicide) terrorism, female role models have also had a place in history. Ulrike Meinhof of the Red Army Faction, active in Germany in the 1970s, famously directed her groups campaign, which, unlike most other terrorist organisations, actually cited womens liberation as a strand of its goals. For many years the most famous female terrorist, Meinhof has been credited with inspiring German terrorism,  [34]  and has been the subject of numerous books and a handful of films. Indeed, in 1981 ten of the fourteen most-wanted terrorists in West Germany were female.  [35]  Bernadette Devlin, a vocal supporter of the Irish Republicanism, became the youngest female Member of the British Parliament (in a high-profile effort to champion Irish independence) and drew much attention, both for the fact of her age and her gender. Like Meinhof, she inspired much interest, even gaining the nickname Fidel Castro in a miniskirt. A biopic about her is in production.  [36]   As well as female suicide bombers spurring imitators, and other female terrorists becoming figureheads for their causes, the actions of women not actually active in terrorism, but rather in encouraging terrorists, can have devastating consequences. Among extremists, suicide bombers are lauded as heroes, in a way deeply disturbing to the moderate majority. As such, some families, mothers in particular, aspire to have their sons sacrificed as martyrs: Families of martyrs are honoured as family members of someone who gave his life to the cause. Many speak of their sons, husbands, or brothers commitment, dedication, and the pride felt by society.  [37]  Indeed, the glamorisation of martyrdom appears to be perpetuated by the families, spouses, and partners, which speaks to both womens role in radicalising moderates and their potential for de-radicalising the extreme. Just as military traditions can span generations within families, with son after father, after grandfather, enlisting i n the armed forces, traditions of extremism can also perpetuate. While men are naturally equally, and perhaps more, guilty of this sort of encouragement (in terms of offspring turning to terrorism) that women are being singled out in counterterrorism for their potential to de-radicalise their husbands, brothers, and sons speaks to the importance of their role in radicalisation. As does the example of Bernadette Devlin, whose experience can perhaps be cited as evidence of the role of families (mothers specifically) in actually enabling their children in the pursuit of extremism: her daughter, Rà ³isà ­n McAliskey, was arrested in Germany in connection with an IRA bombing of a British Army barracks there.  [38]  This speaks to the role of mothers in influencing offspring towards terrorism, and exemplifies what it is that newer counterterrorism programmes seek to prevent. (The roles of women in de-radicalisation and prevention will be examined in the next section of the paper.) Returning to the example of suicide martyrs, male bombers and their families often cite the promise of seventy-two virgin brides awaiting them in heaven upon completing their missions as part of their motivation.  [39]  An attack carried out by al-Qassam in 1994 demonstrates the encouragement families provide to some terrorists: The bombers family and the sponsoring organization celebrate his martyrdom with festivities, as if it were a weddingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Often, the mother will ululate in joy over the honor that Allah has bestowed upon her family.  [40]   Indeed, in different ways, potential terrorists are encouraged by extremist groups and by those in their social network to engage in terrorism, but the differences between the two genders in these respects merit examination. With women holding so much potential in terms of counterterrorism, the exact nature of their role in enabling terrorism should also be better understood. Women as Preventers of Terrorism While women are cited as motivation to enter into violent extremism, much evidence exists of their roles in facilitating disengagement from terrorism and in otherwise thwarting terrorist activity.  [41]  In removing their children from cultures of extremism or preventing their falling prey to extremism in the first place, by becoming intelligence officers, and even as spouses involved in the rehabilitation of extremists, women make very effective counterterrorists. Counterterrorism programmes worldwide are beginning to focus more on softer measures than the military- and police-centred approaches increasingly seen in the aftermath of 11 September 2001, favouring instead de-radicalisation through education and dialogue, as well as increases in aid and poverty-alleviation policies. In these newer de-radicalisation programmes, terrorists and other violent extremists are rehabilitated in various ways, often including education in the true peaceful meanings of religious texts, and ar e usually given a more solid grounding in social networks removed from their previous extremist affiliations. In this section, examples of extant terrorism-prevention and terrorist-rehabilitation programmes with women at their centres are examined. Given that the group dynamic afforded by terrorist organisations for individual members often replaces that persons family, strengthened family and relationship ties can help facilitate a persons disengagement from a particular cause, i.e., to provide them with a non-violent, appealing alternative to terrorism. Indeed, Bjà ¸rgo and others highlight the importance of avoiding a social vacuum, when a terrorist repents, and women can play a fundamental role in this.  [42]  In his study of what moves right-wing extremists to de-radicalise, he asserts that gaining and upholding family commitments, including getting a girlfriend (or boyfriend), are among the strongest motives for leaving a cause behind.  [43]  As such, programmes exist to facilitate not just finding employment, but entering into marriage, all as part of the rehabilitation of violent extremists.  [44]   A Moroccan initiative that focuses on women, recruiting them as messengers to present the moderate mainstream Islam as a counterweight to fundamentalist ideology, has met with some success. Spearheaded by the Moroccan King, the initiative seeks to feminize the face of Islam, in order to provide an enlightened alternative to the extremist, often misrepresented brand of Islam terrorist groups employ.  [45]   In Saudi Arabia, a counterterrorism scheme called the Saudi Counselling Programme, has been the most successful and expansive of its kind, and Christopher Boucek posits that this is due in part to its being rooted in respect for cultural and religious traditions.  [46]  It could be extrapolated from this that women, as central figures in every culture, could hold the key to developing societal answers to a given societys terrorism problem, or at least to grounding each initiative in the appropriate culture. A spate of new programmes centred on mothers preventing the radicalisation of their children supports thi

Blind Conformity: Malcolm X :: essays research papers

Blind Conformity: Malcolm X In today's world it is often difficult to adjust to one type of lifestyle or another. The constant bombardment of outside opinions hamper our ability, as humans, to choose and be comfortable with a certain way of living. Our way of living may consist of a look, a way of thinking, a religion, or any facet of our personalities that may not conform with whatever is the norm or the accepted at a given time. When this is the case, we sometimes feel forced to change, thus we are susceptible to blind conformity. The word conformity comes from the Latin words con, which means with or together, and forma, which means to shape or mold. Therefore, blind conformity is actually a molding of ourselves together with what is said to be normal in society instead of using our differences to enhance ourselves as humans. Known for having strong opinions, Malcolm X seems to be an unlikely victim of blind conformity. However, as shown in his essay, My First Conk, Malcolm X, in fact, was victimized by this malignant disease. Straightening black hair, though, is just one impulse that is bought on by blind conformity. Changing one's self to look or behave like another because it is more desired by the public is due to a disregarding of one' s self-claimed morals and values, an over emphasis of the media and outside opinions, and an insecurity which most of us unfortunately have. In My First Conk, Malcolm X assured that black people were being brainwashed to believe that they actually were inferior to white people, thus they conked their hair. They were, essentially, giving up what they were fighting for as far as civil rights- the right to be who they were and also be accepted by society. Therefore, the conking of their hair was a hypocrisy and a contradiction of all their morals and values. Blind conformity caused them to disregard their strongest beliefs which should be the most powerful driving forces in all of our lives. If we can not depend on our own morals and values, our engines, to dictate our lives, we are simply empty vehicles being pushed down life's roads. Especially in today's society, there is a dire over emphasis of the media. Television and other types of media display certain lifestyles and ideas and then the public automatically conforms. Having the media, which is something so optional, control us is a reprehensible sacrilege. It is imperative that we learn to either admire or dislike an idea without feeling the need to immerse ourselves so fully into it.

Brief Literary Analysis Edgar Allen Poe

15 November 2012 Edgar Allan Poe Literary Analysis Edgar Allan Poe is often regarded as the most skilled American poet and short story writer, and it is no wonder because every literary work created by Poe is written with such proficiency, that even readers today are awe-struck. In Poe’s short stories and poems, one will find the same few themes in his works, such as women, the color red and a variety of horror themes, however one theme that is very repetitive is his employment of death. This theme is used in many novels today, and is also a popular theme in books, television shows and videogames. Read also Edgar Allan Poe DrugsIn fact, since the 1800s, people have become increasingly appealed by death. Death was one of Poe’s favorite themes, and is a big reason why Poe’s literary works are still read today. In Poe’s short story â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death†, the theme of death often brought up, such as when the fatal â€Å"red death† sickness was described: when contracted, its host would feel â€Å"sharp pains, and sudden dizziness† (1), and its host would have â€Å"profuse bleeding of the pores† (1). The red death was a widespread disease, but Prince Prospero’s castle was safe from the red death because the disease couldn’t get past the abbey gates.In his happy mood, the Prince organized a ball, this ball was not an ordinary ball, but it was a masquerade, in which the guests would wear masks and costumes. This story ends in an extremely violent manner, in which every masquerader succumbs to the red death. The theme of this masquerade was gruesome; many masqueraders wore very graphic outfits, which foreshadow the horrible end of this story. Another one of Poe’s works, â€Å"Annabel Lee†, was actually based on his wife, Virgiania Eliza Clemm Poe, and in the the poem, Annabel is killed by the angels above that were jealous of the love between Annabel and Poe.So one night, at the peak of their jealousy, the sent out a cloud â€Å"Chilling and killing† (4. 6) Poe’s Annabel Lee. The theme of death is very obvious in that Annabel Lee dies in the poem, and the main character is filled with an infinite sadness, that he even sleeps by the grave. What’s ironic about this poem is the fact that Annabel dies from a chilly wind, and Virginia, in her last stage of consumption, dies cold, and Poe, so poor, was unable to afford a blanket for her, a simple luxury that would have brightened her mood just a bit. The Fall of the House of Usher† is a unique short st ory in that it was one of the first â€Å"haunted house† stories of it’s time. This story was about a man who was invited by his friend, Roderick Usher, to cheer Usher up. The main character soon arrives at the Usher manor, which once was beautiful, now is an old run-down mansion. The only two Usher family members that are still alive are the twins, Roderick and Madeline, and both of them suffer from peculiar diseases, Roderick suffers from a â€Å"morbid acuteness of the senses† (3) and Madeline seemingly suffers form a type of immunodeficiency, in which she gets deathly ill often.The first appearance of the theme of death is when Roderick states Madeline as â€Å"dead† and subsequently buries Madeline prematurely. Roderick is aware of this, and near the end of the story, Madeline breaks out of her coffin and â€Å"with a low moaning cry, fell heavily inward upon the person of her brother,† (10) killing Roderick, another appearance of death. At th e very end, the manor disappears, symbolizing the death of the Usher bloodline. The theme of death is apparent in this short story, so this theme is not only a coincidence. Many of Poe’s stories include death, and â€Å"The Black Cat† is no exception.This story is one of his more brutal stories in that the main character first hung his favorite cat, Pluto, and then â€Å"buried the axe† (4) in his wife’s head. The final death is that of the main character, when he is sentenced to hang for his atrocious deed of murder. This theme of death is proved as a common theme now, as it is in at least four of Poe’s literary works, and these stories aren’t the only ones that include the theme of death. Death is not a happy event. A funeral is usually a time of sadness, and there is depressing atmosphere that is fueled by this sadness.Poe recreates this atmosphere in many of his works in the mood of the story or poem. For example, in â€Å"The Fall of t he House of Usher† this depressing mood is heightened when the reader becomes aware that the only remaining Ushers alive are Roderick and Madeline. Another instance of heightened mood is in â€Å"The Black Cat† when Pluto is brutally executed by the main character. This mood is even evident in â€Å"Annabel Lee† when Poe writes â€Å"A wind came out of the cloud by night, Chilling and killing my beautiful Annabel Lee† (4. 25-26). Poe is a master at creating this theme, as he effectively depresses the reader with the depressing mood of death.Poe is also proficient at symbolizing death. The symbolism of death takes many different forms in Poe’s works ranging from very simple symbols to rather complex ones. An example is the clock in â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† in which the clock chimed every hour with a â€Å"dull, heavy, monotonous clang† (2). A clock is a symbol of death because it constantly reminds the limited life span of a h uman being. A rather blunt symbol of death is a coffin, like the one Madeline Usher broke out of in â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher. † The reason a coffin is a symbol of death is because a corpse is put in a coffin prior to the burial of the body.The color black is also a symbol of death, which is the color of the velvet tapestries, hung in the seventh room in â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† which is the room Prince Prospero and his fellow masqueraders are killed. In many of Poe’s works, the story takes place in an old house, or castle, the reason behind this is that an older house usually means it has survived several generations, which can also be related to death, because a generation is defined as a group of people born at approximately the same time, and since a human being has a defined life span, the end of a generation is when the group of people die.The old Usher manor has survived several generations of the Usher family, and it is also the plac e where several of the Usher family members are buried. At the end, it is the resting place of Madeline and Roderick. Ultimately, the house mysteriously disappears when Madeline and Roderick die. Another old building is Prince Prospero’s castle in â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death†, and that also has seen many generations of mankind, but it also sees the death of Prospero and his friends when the Red Death sneaks into the masquerade and swiftly kills them all.A very large amount of Poe’s works take place at night, rarely does one of Poe’s works take place in the daytime. The night has always held superstition for mankind because it is first of all, a time when humans sleep, and aren’t very active, and second of all, the human eye cannot see in the dark well. As stated before, rarely does one of Poe’s works take place in the day, in fact, the four works referenced all take place at night. One may wonder why many of Poe’s works were vio lent, gloomy, and why many of his stories included a lot of death.The explanation is because Poe had a very depressing life. His father was an alcoholic that left after Poe was a year old and eventually died of alcoholism. His mother cared for Poe until she died of consumption. After Poe’s mom had died, Francis Allan adopted Poe and Francis sent him to a peculiar school in England. What made this school peculiar was how the taught math and physical education. Math was taught using dates on tombstones, while physical education was taught by digging graves. This school could be a possible influence on Poe’s works, because he got to do graveyard work.Later, when he grew older, Poe had taken a romantic interest in his friend’s (his friend’s name was Richard) mother. Sadly, Richard’s mother developed a tumor, and died. Soon after Poe had finished college, Francis Allan died of consumption, and she was the only reason John Allan hadn’t evicted Poe yet, so once Francis died, Poe was evicted. After this event, Poe found a new romantic interest, in his adopted sister, Virginia Eliza Clemm Poe. Poe married her when he was twenty-six years old. Unfortunately, Virginia also died from consumption. Now it can be seen why Poe wrote so much about death, because he was surrounded by it.Poe’s life was a short-lived and very unfortunate one. Many of his loved ones died from either consumption or other causes, and Poe was always poor. Poe became an alcoholic, just like his father, and he died at age forty. There was no rest for Poe, so most of his feelings went into his poetry and short stories, and that was what made him a successful writer. In the time Poe lived, there was common a terrible disease called consumption, or more commonly known today as Tuberculosis. This disease would attack the victim’s lungs, and slowly kill the victim.The common symptom of consumption is coughing up blood, but there are other symptoms such as a fever, chest pains, a cough with increasing mucus and a nightly sweat. This disease is could have been a big influence on Poe’s writing, because this disease killed many of Poe’s beloved and in a rather violent manner. Another thing people of Poe’s time were scared of was being buried alive, so much that devices that rung bells were attached to coffins so in the event someone was buried alive, person in the coffin could ring the bell and be rescued from their earthly prison.This fear was so great, that Poe had the idea to put it into one of his stories â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† in which Madeline Usher was buried before she was dead, by Roderick Usher. This fear had an apparent influence on Poe’s literature, and people loved the thrill of reading Poe’s â€Å"tales of terror. † In â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death† Poe accomplishes several points, that death is unavoidable; Prince Prospero could not escape the i nevitable Red Death disease by simply hiding in his Abbey until it went away. Poe also states that death is an eternal law. If there is a beginning, there is an end, and life is no exception.Even time dies alongside the masqueraders, for time, one of humanity’s fears, will cease to exist as well. These points are surprisingly true, for each thing that has a beginning comes to an end, no exceptions. Poe blends morals and lessons into a brutal story of a man who tried to evade death, but he was foolish, for no mortal can escape death. Science states that everything was created, and everything will be destroyed, in due time, so this eternal law of death that Poe creates is so incredibly accurate to science, that Poe was a genius to secretly incorporate this law into a short story.Edgar Allan Poe is perhaps one of the greatest American writers of all time. His short stories and poems are still read by the world, and for good reason, what makes his stories so good are his well-wri tten story plots, and his themes of death, blood and gore which still ones that even people today can enjoy and be thrilled by. Poe had a depressing life, and it is unfortunate that he lived only forty years, who knows what else could have been produced.

The Great Depression Essays - U.S. Route 66, Dust Bowl, Great Plains

The Great Depression Essays - U.S. Route 66, Dust Bowl, Great Plains The Great Depression Though most Americans are aware of the Great Depression of 1929, which may well be "the most serious problem facing our free enterprise economic system", few know of the many Americans who lost their homes, life savings and jobs. This paper briefly states the causes of the depression and summarizes the vast problems Americans faced during the eleven years of its span. This paper primarily focuses on what life was like for farmers during the time of the Depression, as portrayed in John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, and tells what the government did to end the Depression. In the 1920's, after World War 1, danger signals were apparent that a great Depression was coming. A major cause of the Depression was that the pay of workers did not increase at all. Because of this, they couldn't afford manufactured goods. While the factories were still manufacturing goods, Americans weren't able to afford them and the factories made no money (Drewry and O'connor 559). Another major cause related to farmers. Farmers weren't doing to well because they were producing more crops and farm products than could be sold at high prices. Therefore, they made a very small profit. This insufficient profit wouldn't allow the farmers to purchase new machinery and because of this they couldn't produce goods quick enough (Drewry and O'connor 559). A new plan was created called the installment plan. This plan was established because many Americans didn't have enough money to buy goods and services that were needed or wanted. The installment plan stated that people could buy products on credit and make monthly payments. The one major problem with this idea was that people soon found out that they couldn't afford to make the monthly payment(Drewry and O'connor 559). In 1929 the stock market crashed. Many Americans purchased stocks because they were certain of the economy. People started selling their stocks at a fast pace; over sixteen million stocks were sold! Numerous stock prices dropped to fraction of their value. Banks lost money from the stock market and from Americans who couldn't pay back loans. Many factories lost money and went out of business because of this great tragedy (Drewry and O'connor By the 1930's, thirteen million workers lost their jobs which is 25 percent of all workers. The blacks and unskilled workers were always the first to be fired. Farmers had no money and weren't capable of paying their mortgages. Americans traveled throughout the country looking for a place to work to support themselves and their family (Drewry and O'connor 560-561). John Steinbeck, born in 1902, grew up during the Depression near the fertile Salinas Valley and wrote many books of fiction based on his background and experiences during that time and area of the country. One of his great works would be the Grapes of Wrath In this book, Steinbeck describes the farmers plight during the Great Depression and drought. When the rains failed to come, the grass began to disappear. As the farmers watched their plants turn brown and the dirt slowly turn to dust they began to fear what was to come. In the water-cut gullies the earth dusted down in dry little streams. As the sharp sun struck day after day, the leaves of the young corn became less stiff and erect; then it was June and the sun shone more fiercely. The brown lines on the corn leaves widened and moved in on the central ribs. The weeds frayed and edged back toward their roots. The air was thin and the sky more pale; and every day the earth paled. (qtd. Steinbeck 2-3). The farmers worst fears were realized when their corn and other crops began to die. The dust became so bad they had to cover their mouths with handkerchiefs so they could breath (Steinbeck 3- When the drought hit the Great Plains and the soil turned to dust, many farmers moved to California because they could no longer farm their land(Drewry and O'Connor 561). The drought began to affect other parts of the country. In 1930, Virginia's belt of fertile land dried up. Ponds, streams, and springs all dried up and the great Mississippi River water level

A multinational corporation (MNC) is a corporation Essays

A multinational corporation (MNC) is a corporation Essays A multinational corporation (MNC) is a corporation Essay A multinational corporation (MNC) is a corporation Essay Introduction Multinational corporations can be viewed from different positions ( ownership, direction, scheme and structural, etc. ) and have several dimensions. There have been statements in the yesteryear over the importance of each position and theoreticians have shared different positions when it comes to specifying a ‘multinational’ corporation. Franklin Root ( 1994 ) tries to set the statements to rest by giving some lucidity to the definition. Harmonizing to his definition, a transnational corporation ( MNC ) is a parent company that engages in foreign production through its affiliates located in several states, exercisings direct control over the policies of its affiliates and implements concern schemes in production, selling, finance and staffing that transcend national boundaries. ( Howard, 1994 ) In simplistic footings, a MNC is a concern which has production and/or distribution operations in at least two states, via subordinates, keeping companies, joint ventures, licenci ng etc. By and large, because of their munificence, transnational corporations play a powerful function in international dealingss and local economic systems. The survey analyzes one such planetary corporation which plays a major function both in the local economic system and the economic system at the planetary phase. Analysis Indian companies are fast emerging as Global participants with their foreign direct investing and acquisition activities holding gained land in the last twosome of old ages. ( Murray, 2005 ) Tata Group of Companies is one such company which has hit the universe phase large clip with its recent high profile acquisitions and ventures. The Group makes its presence felt today in every continent and over 43 states. The survey examines the growing of Tata Group, its abroad operations, geographic presence and its incursion scheme. Company Profile Tata Group of Companies Tata Group is one of India’s oldest and largest concern pudding stones. The concern spreads across 96 runing companies in seven concern sectors: information systems and communications ; technology ; stuffs ; services ; energy ; consumer merchandises ; and chemicals. It employs some 2,46,000 people and jointly has a stockholder base of over two million and market capitilisation of $ 57.6 billion. ( Web 1 ) It is a genuinely planetary corporation which made concern headlines with its winning command for Corus ( the UK based steel company ) . Some of the Group’s subordinates and its operations are analyzed below. Tata Tea Tata Tea was setup in 1964 as a joint venture with UK-based James Finlay and Company to develop valued-added tea. The group, which includes Tata Tea and the UK-based Tetley Group expands 40 states and is the universe s 2nd largest planetary branded tea operation. ( Web 1 ) The three major location where Tata tea subordinates are based are in India, UK and US. Tata tea entered the UK market with a Joint Venture with Allied Lyons ( proprietors of Tetley ) to make Tata Tea in 1993. ( Web 1 ) Subsequently on, in 2000, Tetley was acquired by Tata tea making one of the largest planetary tea trade names. Tetley, on its ain, sells over 60 branded merchandises and is the taking tea trade name in UK and Canada with important market portions in the United States, Australia, Poland and France. Tetley’s growing scheme focuses on custom-making the portfolio of offerings for each state. While Tetley is headquartered in London, Tata Tetley has an export oriented unit at Kochi in Kerala, India . Tata Tea Inc ( based in Florida, US ) is a subordinate of Tata Tea, established to run into specific demands of wellness witting US consumers. The company has its mill operations in Florida which is used to recycle or intermix instant teas brought from India. Tata tea besides has important presence in plantation activity in Sri Lanka through Watawala Plantations. ( Web 1 ) Tata Tea’s international portfolio of activities is steadily turning its presence in the remainder of Europe, throughout the Caribbean and lesser developed markets such as Bangladesh, Pakistan and Russia where Tetley was launched in 2004. The amalgamate worldwide branded tea concern of the Tata Tea Group contributes to around 86 per cent of its amalgamate turnover. ( Web 1 ) Tata Steel Tata Steel signifiers India s largest incorporate private sector steel company. It was late in the intelligence for its coup detat command for Corus ( the UK based Steel maker ) . Tata Steel successfully won thecoup detatcommand and is now the world’s fifth-biggest steel house. Corus itself was a planetary company formed out of the 1999 amalgamation of British Steel and Dutch group Hoogovens and employed 47000 employees. ( Web 2 ) It had a graduated table of 19 million metric tons and a presence in Europe with a important trade name name. Corus is now an unlisted company and is held by one of Tata Steel s subordinates on a 100-per cent footing. Tata Steel’s other major acquisition before Corus was Singapore’s steel house Natsteel. It acquired Natsteel to give itself a bridgehead in seven states, including Australia. Before thecoup detatof Corus and Natsteel, Tata steel was chiefly a place based company and Corus represents its first enlargement outside of Asia. It does hold has subordinates in Sri Lanka ( ajoint venturewith Lanka Special Steel ) . Tata Steel’s typical advantage lies in the efficiency of its operations and inexpensive altogether stuffs which has earned itself a alone ticket of being the lowest cost steel manufacturers in the universe. Tata Consultancy Services Tata Consultancy Services ( TCS ) is one of the taking information engineering companies in the universe holding over 50 planetary bringing Centres. Its clients include seven of the top 10 corporations in the Fortune 500 list of the largest corporations in the United States, corporations such as IBM, GE etc. ( Web 3 ) Through its consulting services, TSC helps clients to optimise their concern processes to guarantee faster and accurate consequences. It besides provides client such as GE proving integrating and proving solutions. Its outsourcing maps allow companies like IBM to concentrate on their nucleus operations. TCS besides offers cognition based outsourcing for clients like Danone ( France ) through which it spouses to do its IT substructure flexible, scalable, and secure, while maximising public presentation. Tata Motors Tata Motors is India s largest car company which began its fabrication with a 15-yearcoaction understandingwith Daimler Benz of Germany. It is a quickly turning company and like other Tata Group of companies pursues growing through amalgamations, joint ventures and acquisitions. In 2004, itacquiredthe Daewoo Commercial Vehicle Company, Korea s second-largest truck shaper, now named Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicles Company. ( Rao, 2003 ) Following Year, Tata Motorsacquired a 21-per cent interestin Hispano Carrocera, a reputed Spanish coach and manager maker, with an option to get the staying interest every bit good. This acquisition has made Tata Motors the universe s fifth-largest medium and heavy commercial vehicle maker. It nowexportsvehicles to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South and South East Asia and Australia and hasassembly operationsin Malaysia, Bangladesh, Ukraine, Kenya and Russia. Some of its other associates include Tata Cummmins ; a joint venture with US based engine maker Cummins, Telco Construction Equipment Company ; a joint venture with Nipponese based Hitachi Machinery for earthmoving and heavy equipments like Cranes etc. ( Web 3 ) Tata AutoComp Systems ( TACO ) Tata AutoComp System is a genuinely planetary engineering company in the automotive sector offering merchandises and services to vehicle and constituent makers every bit good as end-users of cars. It has built its base through partnerships and joint ventures with planetary constituent and vehicle makers. Its three major countries of concern include fabrication, technology and supply-chain direction. TACO has entered into a joint venture with fabrication companies across the universe which include states like Japan, South Korea, US and Germany. Some of its joint ventures are with Johnson Controls ( US ) , Yazaki Corporation ( Japan ) , CHKK ( Japan ) , Ficosa International ( Spain ) , Nifco Corporation ( Japan ) and Stadco ( UK ) ( Web 1 ) Tata BP Solar Tata BP Solar is ajoint venturebetween Tata Power Company and BP Solar, one of the largest solar companies in the universe. It uses state-of-the-art engineering to offer high-quality, advanced solar solutions that cater to the demands of single clients, big establishments every bit good as full communities. ( Source ) Tata BP solar can besides be termed transnational because it exports its merchandises and systems to a host of states and more than half ( 60 % ) of its gross revenues come from exports with more than 95 per cent of the exports traveling to Europe and America. Tata Group’s other large acquisitions list includes the acquisition of South Korean Automaker Daewoo. Daewoo’s domestic market portion has risen from 26 per cent to 33 per cent after the coup detat. ( Newing, 2005 ) Ratan Tata, the president of Tata Group is a steadfast truster in spread outing globally through acquisitions and joint ventures. He advises other Indian companies to turn organically and through amalgamations and acquisitions because he feels that a broader base equips a house against economic downswings. In line with his thought, the Tata Group’s planetary amalgamations hasn’t stopped. It sees the hotel section as the following large chance for growing and is actively seeking to turn its Tata Hotel Group by amalgamations, acquisitions and joint ventures with major hotel groups. Features of a good transnational company Company’s internationalisation and abroad enlargement affect all facets of the concern. For a MNC to be successful, the first measure is to take the right manner of incursion ( Acquisition, Stakeholder, Joint Venture, Licensing etc ) . How a company enters into understanding with the other company is a strategic determination which can take to a successful relationship. Eg. come ining a Chinese market can be really different to the US because Chinese companies and the authorities has greater control over distribution channels which can act upon the incursion scheme. Government ordinances, once more, can play a large portion in taking the best incursion scheme. Eg. Companies can merely keep up to 5-10 % interest in an Indian retail sector harmonizing to authorities ordinances. But, taking the right incursion scheme is merely the first measure and does non vouch success. Other facets such as concern scheme, Research and Development, production, procurance, gross revenues A ; se lling, trade name A ; rational belongings, direction, human resources, financing As ; accounting, IT direction hold to be considered. Companies could besides be required to alter their organisation construction and the manner work is carried out. Eg. A US based company come ining into a joint venture with a Nipponese house may hold to flatten its organisational construction harmonizing to Nipponese demands. Cultural and societal factors besides come into image, particularly, if the amalgamation is between two companies coming from different parts. Eg. Japan and US. All these facets of the concern has to be clearly understood before make up ones minding on a scheme. Decisions Tata Group of companies has been successful because of its model of communicating and value systems which cater to the demands of different demographic groups around the universe. Its experience in diverse sectors has armed it with the ability to visualise the merchandise from the end-users point of view which is critical to any MNC’s success. ( Skapinker, 2005 ) The Group and its transnational subordinates has helped further the development of domestic intermediate good bring forthing houses and has had a positive impact on the development of domestic fabrication houses and later on the Indian economic system. Through its Tata Consultancy, Tata Motors and now Tata Steel trade name, it has shown the manner to other Indian companies who have ever shied away from amalgamations and acquisitions. Taking a cue from Tata Group, other Indian companies have began spread outing their concern overseas. Tata Group have besides contributed to bettering the fabricating state of affairs in India and across the universe through good fabrication patterns. Another ground for its success is its control of abroad subordinates which is much stronger than that of Western companies. The group as a whole is cohesive and integrated which allows it to meet on ends. Ratan Tata ( 2006 ) sums up his Group’s success by saying that the group had allowed the companies that were taken over to retain the face, touch and experience of a local company while still pull offing to incorporate merchandise programs and schemes. Mentions Most of the company specific information was taken from Tata Group’s web site and Company Reports Books and Diaries Howard V. Perlmutter ( 1994 ) , The Tortuous Evolution of the Multinational Corporation, Columbia Journal of World Business, pp. 9-18. Lacity, M.C. , Willcocks, ( 1995 ) L.P. A ; Feeny, D.F. , ‘IT Outsourcing: Maximize Flexibility and Control, ’Harvard Business Review, May-June, pp.84-93 Murray, S ( 2005 ) ‘Managing Relationships’Financial Times, London, 2 June, p.29 Newing, R ( 2005 ) ‘Tactical out Tasking for operational benefits’Financial Times, 1 June, p.4 Prahalad, C.V. A ; Hamel, G. , ( 1990 ) ‘The Core Competence of the Corporation, ’Harvard Business Review, May-June, 79-91 Rao, H. R. , Nam, K. A ; Chaudhury, A. , ( 2003 ) ‘Information Systems Outsourcing, ’Communicationss of the ACM, Vol.39, No.7, pp.27, 28 Skapinker, M ( 2005 ) ‘Changing industry enters fresh era’Financial Times, London, 2 June, p.28 Web sites Web 1:Tata Group( online ) ( cited on 14 March 2007 ) Available from lt ; URL: //www.tata.com/ gt ; Web 2:Tata Corus But Who’s following( online ) ( cited on 14 March 2007 ) Available from lt ; URL: //http: //www.fool.co.uk/news/investing/company-comment/2006/10/19/tata-corusbut-whos-next.aspx gt ; Web 3:Tata Corus( online ) ( cited on 15 March 2007 ) Available from lt ; URL: // hypertext transfer protocol: //www.ft.com/cms/s/887968fa-54d7-11db-901f-0000779e2340.html

Social Performance of Organizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Social Performance of Organizations - Essay Example However, some of the producers refused making the De Beer to flood the market with products that were similar to those who refused to join it and it afterwards purchased all the products that were produced by the rivals thus controlling the market prices (Edward, 1982). The company is involved in mining activities in various countries. For example, in Botswana De Beers mine through the company referred to as Debswana. In South Africa, De Beers Consolidated Mines is responsible for the mining activities. As far as business structure is concerned, De Beer has two major shareholdings which include Botswana government owning 15% and Anglo America Company that owns 85%. Other related companies that are involved in the De Beers diamond value chain include Diamdel, Namdeb, De Beers Canada, Diamond Trading Company South Africa and Namibia Diamond Trading Company. As an international company, De Beers can be affected by two main external environment factors. First, the custom duties and quota s imposed by countries may make the company demand for its products to decrease. This is based on the government’s policy to lower the importation of foreign products in order to enhance domestic consumption. Secondly, the stiff competition from other companies in the mining industry may result to decrease in the prices of the company products. This may be due to the other companies’ intention to face off the companies in the international market. One of the major stakeholders of De Beers Diamond Company is Diamond Trading Company (DTC). DTC main duties include selling and distribution of the company products. By selling approximately 75% of rough diamond in the international market, DTC is able to generate high revenue for De Beers an aspect that has made the company to effectively expand in the international market (Martin, 2007). The second important part of the stakeholders is the employees. With more than 20,000 employees, the company objectives

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - Essay Example cal and measurable approaches, to diminishing poverty around the world, while improving education, health, and other crucial social aspects of people’s lives. Some of the specific goals defined included eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, with the primary aim being to pave way and bolster education for all. Another MDG that is discussed in further detail in this report is the achievement of universal fundamental education. The UN initially set the timeline for achievement of these and other MDGs as a decade and a half, meaning that signatories to the organization were expected to attain stipulated objectives by 2015. Having ushered in 2015, it is imperative to assess whether these MDGs have been achieved and the barriers that have impeded successful implementation in some environments, such as access, quality, cost, and stability in respective nations. According to a report by UNICEF (2010), countries around the globe were fairly successful in alleviating poverty half a decade earlier than the projected year. The diminished poverty levels were evident from the significant decrease in proportion of people living under the poverty line. For instance, in 2010 about 21% of the populace in developing countries sustained themselves with the minimal 1.25 USD per day or lower. During the 1990s this population percentage was at 43%, showing that it halved by 2010 thus demonstrating significant poverty reduction. More than a billion individuals internationally still live in life-threatening poverty, and many of them experience deprivation and are susceptible to ecological or price shocks. Under nutrition remains one of the most serious global issues but least talked about public health challenges. Nearly one-third of offspring in emerging countries are underfed or diminutive (low height that does not match with age), and under nutrition acc ounts for one-third of all infant deaths. The World Bank Group is operating with the global community to end life-threatening