Essay on The Boxer Rebellion in China - 1406 Words

The Boxer Rebellion in China â€Å"China never wanted foreigners any more than foreigners wanted China men, and on this question I am with the Boxers every time. The Boxer is a patriot. He loves his country better than he does the countries of other people. I wish him success. The Boxer believes in driving us out of his country. I am a Boxer too, for I believe in driving him out of our country† – Mark Twain, Berkeley Lyceum, New York, Nov 23, 1900. The Boxer Rebellion soul purpose was to liberate China from foreign influence. Foreign capitalists dictated corrupt government officials and controlled leading industrial parts of Northern China. Chinese overseers were upset over this issue and contemplated for a solution. A revolt was the†¦show more content†¦The reason for their hatred of missionaries was that they were an insult to traditional Chinese culture. Also, some of the missionaries were dishonest and tried to interfere in the politics of rural China. Rev. Dr. A Woodruff Halsey said â€Å"†¦ The missionary has had his share in fomenting this trouble and must bear his share of the blame. Some of the missionaries have been politicians as well as Christians, and their grasping, selfish attitude has helped to bring about the present condition...† The Boxers first wanted to kill all the foreign Christians in China, and they also wanted to get rid of their foreign, Manchurian, rulers; the Dowager Empress and the Qing Dynasty which had ruled China for the past 300 years. However, the Dowager Empress was smart. She convinced the Boxers that she was on their side and had the Boxers attack the foreigners instead. The Dowager Empress did not really want to kill all the foreigners though. She tried to help them whenever she could. Sometimes the Qing Imperial army would attack the foreigners and they would help protect them from the attacking Chinese Boxers. The Dowager Empress did not trust the Europeans, Americans and Japanese very much. She thought that they were dishonest in their relations with China, â€Å"†¦ For the past thirty years [the foreigners] have taken advantage of our countys benevolence and generosity as well as our wholehearted conciliation to give free rein to their unscrupulous ambitions. They haveShow MoreRelatedThe Boxer Rebellion Of China1278 Words   |  6 Pages2014 The Boxer Rebellion In the very late 1800’s and into the early 1900’s, terror struck northern China when a group of Chinese peasants known as â€Å"Boxer’s† began their historic rebellion against the spread of western and Japanese influence in China. They were attempting to drive all foreigners out and away from China, fearing that they would transform traditional ways of the Chinese culture. 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This lead to crops being destroyed and to farmers unable to pay their taxes which damaged the economy and millions of Chinese peopleRead MoreBoxer Rebellion Essay1189 Words   |  5 PagesThe Boxer Rebellion was perhaps a fitting conclusion to one of the most violent centuries in China. A century of internal rebellions and the invasions of the west and Japan. In response to the growing intrusion of foreign influence, the Chinese Boxers sought to violently expel all foreigner elements from China and restore power to the Qing Dynasty. Despite the widespread violence across China, the rebellion was eventually crushed by the combined might of the Eight-Nati on Alliance. Given the controversialRead MoreThe Boxer Rebellion : Myths And Symbolism1167 Words   |  5 Pagesdescribing the Boxer Rebellion as a myth. Myths, or mythologization, is essentially the manner in which later groups and people would use the Boxer Rebellion to suit their own ideals or social movements. Chen Duxia, future head of the Chinese Communist Party, provided a scathing critique of the Boxers, especially regarding the 5 causes of their rise in power. Given the continuing prevalence of these 5 causes, primarily religious beliefs, Chen warning of the possibility of a reemergence of the Boxers. If thisRead MoreModernization Of A Progressive Transition From A Modern Society1334 Words   |  6 Pages20th century. As a nation like China, which developed later than others, see modernization as a guide to rapid development. China had been through various wars and movements from the late 19th century until the mid 20th century before the establishment of the Peopleâ€⠄¢s Republic of China in 1949. Before the modernization of China, two major rebellions, which happened in the late 1900s had implicated strongly on her modernization process. One of the major rebellions, which affected deeply on China’sRead MoreCauses Of The Boxer Rebellion881 Words   |  4 PagesThe Boxer Rebellion was a renowned uprising that occurred in China from 1899-1901, however there have been many debates between historians surrounding the possible causes that fuelled the rebellion. There were three major causes that may have encouraged the rebellion, these include anti-foreign, anti-Christian and anti-Qing sentiment present within in the Chinese communities where Boxers originated from, such as Shandong. Historians often question the different impacts and used a series of extendedRead MoreBoxer Rebellion1424 Words   |  6 PagesChina never wanted foreigners any more than foreigners wanted China men, and on this question I am with the Boxers every time. The Boxer is a patriot. He loves his country better than he does the countries of other people. I wish him success. The Boxer believes in driving us out of his country. I am a Boxer too , for I believe in driving him out of our country Ââ€" Mark Twain, Berkeley Lyceum, New York, Nov 23, 1900. The Boxer Rebellion soul purpose was to liberate China from foreign influence.Read MoreWomen s Foreign And Domestic Policies Play894 Words   |  4 Pages What role did China’s foreign and domestic policies play in the 1899 Boxer Rebellion? The Boxer Rebellion, also known as the Boxer Uprising, was a movement created by nationalist Chinese men in response to what they perceived to be the westernization of their country by European forces and influences (â€Å"Boxer Rebellion†). Most of the people involved were very young men who had been inducted into a society known as the Yihequan, or Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists, to fight against foreign

Unethical Behavior on the Brand Image of an Organization-Analysis

Question: Analyze the impact of unethical behavior on the brand image of an organization. Answer: Business Research topic The topic selected for this research paper is to "analyze the impact of unethical behavior on the brand image of an organization." Recently it is seen that unethical behavior of the organizations regarding Environmental pollution, Discrimination, Bribing and gift giving and mistreating employees can create negative impacts on the customers and can harm their brand image among the existing and potential customers (Leonidou et al. 2013. However, the fact is not clear that how and which factors are affecting the brand image of the organizations mostly. That is the reason that it was necessary to conduct a research on this topic. Literature Review The purpose of the study is to discuss the factors of ethics while doing business. According to Jones and Gautsch (2013), if an organizations product strategy pricing strategy and promotional strategies are better than any other existing organization in the market it can give them a competitive advantage. However, if the body structure of that organization is unethical towards its employees, or, if that organization has implemented internal strategies that are unethical, then it can create a negative impact on the customers, as they will start to reject the products and services of that organization (Stead 2013). However, there are several arguments that try to prove which behavior can affect the brand image of an organization at most. Some of the most severe unethical practices of the organization are mentioned below. Environmental pollution The first major unethical concern in business ethics is environmental pollution. In most of the organizations, the executives used to choose simplest solutions in order to get rid of toxic waste. This simple solution of them was highly inappropriate for the environment as it might pollute the environment. Nowadays, environmental pollution is considered as a very unethical as it can harm the stakeholders of the firm that is polluting the environment. Besides, recently the Government has also become very strict regarding pollution reduction rules and regulations of business organizations. None of the customers would like to buy a product from an organization that pollutes the environment while manufacturing those products. Discrimination Discrimination is also considered as an unethical behavior of the organization. As mentioned by Sekerka et al. (2014), discrimination in the organization is known to be the most unethical factor of an organization, even more than environment pollution. According to Rawwas et al. (2013), one can discriminate in many forms. The most famous and well-known examples of discrimination are based on race, sex, national origin and age. It is highly wrong if an organization discriminates its employees just because they belong to one of the examples given above. If an organization is discriminating its employees, then it is obvious that the stakeholders especially customers will not consider that organization as their preferable one. For example, according to Cheng et al. (2014), Wal-Mart lost its market position and it's customer base after the employees accused the organization of forcing discrimination in the workplace. Bribing and gift giving According to Holtbrgge et al. (2015), another major unethical concern in business is the presence of bribing and gift giving. For example, when an organization is paying some extra money to the Government of a particular country then this behavior will be considered as a bribe. As mentioned by Sekerka et al. (2014), in a research, some of the managers said that they will not bribe any Government of a country to get business done. However, some of the managers stated that bribing or gift giving is acceptable in some countries and therefore it would be a good investment. For example, in China, their social tradition supports gift giving and most of the organization is bound to follow this while doing business in the country. From this statement, it is clear that organizations must investigate that whether gift giving is ethical and unethical in a country where they are conducting their business. Most of the customers expect that the product that they are buying are manufactured by an organization that is not only maintaining all ethical rules and regulation in their organization but also not doing something which might be considered as unethical and illegal. Therefore, if an organization is using bribing and gift giving methods against the legal rules, then the customers will not buy from that organization. Mistreating employees Another unethical concern that is considered as one of the most dominant factors that harm the brand image of an organization is the mistreating with employees Cheng et al. (2014). For example, Wal-Mart is a well-known example in the way they treat their personnel. Most of the employees in Wal-Mart are given low wages and they do not get extra payments for overtimes. On the other hand, Wal-Mart does not provide extra benefits to their employees such as health care benefits and pensions. Besides, the employees are forced to spy on each other and report to the superiors. When these facts came out, the customers of the organization switched to other retail companies such as Tesco, Asda and K-Mart. This is the reason that the organization lost its leading market position in the UK retail industry (Jones and Gautschi 2013). Misrepresentation Last but not the least; misrepresentation is the fifth major unethical practice that is mostly adapted by small organizations. Those organizations force their sales personnel to the customers about the performance of a product. Bigger organizations do the same thing but in their advertisements by making them misleading. According to (Rawwas et al. 2013), this unethical behavior of the organizations by implementing misleading advertisement is still taking place frequently and it is very hard to prohibit such behaviors (He and Lai 2014). In both of the cases, when customers find out that the information is wrong on which they bought a product, it is obvious that they never buy that product again which will hamper the brand image of that firm. Research Question What are the most influential unethical practices of the organizations? What should be done if an organization is found using unethical practices in their workplace? How the brand image of an organization can be affected if it is using unethical practices in its place of work? Research Methodologies The research process Research Process for this study was started with its first step, which is to select an effective and appropriate research topic. In order to do this study, "the impact of unethical behavior on the brand image of an organization" is selected. As a second step, the research problem is identified that is organizations are losing their market position and brand value because of practicing unethical practices. Then the research questions were identified in which the entire research will depend on. The hypothesis for the study will be set in the following way, H1: Unethical behavior of an organization creates a negative impact on its brand image H2: Unethical behavior of an organization does not create a negative impact on its brand image After that, a literature review was build including all the most important unethical practices of organizations. Some examples were also added where is seen that because of those unethical practices those organizations are slowly losing their market share and brand image. Data Collection and Analysis process In order to complete the research based on the selected topic, it would be better if both primary and secondary research methods were used. Primary research methods are used in order to collect real-life data from a particular population (Brannen 2012). On the other hand, secondary research method is used to find out the results of previous researches that were done on the same topic (Onwuegbuzie and Leech 2012). In this study, it is highly important to find out what the customers are thinking about the unethical practices of the organizations and how they are changing their buying behavior according to that. On the other hand, it is also important to conduct a secondary research to find out the differences, if any, between the behaviors of customers for the same issue in the past and the present (Freshwater 2012). For the primary research quantitative method will be used which will help to gather probability sample from a huge population of the country (Cameron 2012). In order to gather this data, survey questionnaire will be distributed to 50 participants or customers of some organizations. Their responses will be then evaluated in table and chart format to find out expected research outcome (Toloie et al. 2012). Secondary research will depend on authentic and credible journals, articles and previous research reports on this same study to find out what the previous results showed (Ellis and Levy 2012). These sources will help to gather valuable and credible data in a lesser time and effort, which will support the research by providing understanding and knowledge related to unethical behavior in business (Truscott et al. 2012). Expected Research outcome After conducting the research, it is anticipated that the final data will show whether the unethical behavior of the organizations is creating a negative impact on the customers and forcing them to change their buying behavior or not. On the other hand, this research will also find out which unethical practice of the organizations is more harmful to their brand image. Gantt chart Part 1 Figure 1: Gantt chart part 1 (Source: Author) Part 2 Figure 2: Gantt charts part 2 (Source: Author) Conclusion From the study, it is clear that the study will mainly focus on various unethical practices of the business organization in order to find out how those practices are affecting their brand images. In order to conduct a research based on the topic, it is recommended that both primary and secondary research methods must be used, as primary research will help to collect existing data I the market and secondary data will help to collect information on the journal, articles and previous research reports. Reference list Brannen, J. 2012. Prologue, mixed methods for novice researchers: reflections and themes, International Journal of Multiple Research Approaches, 3(1), 812. Cameron, R. 2012. 'A sequential mixed model research design: design, analytical and display issues', International Journal of Multiple Research Approaches, 3(2), 140-152, Cheng, C.Y., Hsieh, C.H. and Yang, Y.S., 2014. Who would engage in unethical behavior? Should organizations bear the responsibility?.Quality Quantity,48(4), pp.2341-2354. Ellis, T. and Levy, Y. 2012. Towards a guide for novice researchers on research methodology: Review and proposed methods, Issues in Informing Science and Information Technology, 6, 323-337. Freshwater, D. 2012. Reading mixed methods research: contexts for criticism, Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 1(2), pp. 134-46. He, Y. and Lai, K.K., 2014. The effect of corporate social responsibility on brand loyalty: the mediating role of brand image.Total Quality Management Business Excellence,25(3-4), pp.249-263. Holtbrgge, D., Baron, A. and Friedmann, C.B., 2015. Personal attributes, organizational conditions, and ethical attitudes: a social cognitive approach.Business Ethics: A European Review,24(3), pp.264-281. Jones, T.M. and Gautschi III, F.H., 2013. Will the Ethics of Business Change? A Survey of Future Executives. InCitation Classics from the Journal of Business Ethics(pp. 481-504). Springer Netherlands. Leonidou, L.C., Leonidou, C.N. and Kvasova, O., 2013. Cultural drivers and trust outcomes of consumer perceptions of organizational unethical marketing behavior.European Journal of Marketing,47(3/4), pp.525-556. Onwuegbuzie, A. J. and Leech, N. J. 2012. On becoming a pragmatic researcher: The importance of combining quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 8, 375-387. Rawat, S.R., Bhatia, K., Hegde, M., Bhat, N. and Tewari, S., 2015. The Importance of Ethical Marketing Practices.Journal of Business Management Economics,3(2), pp.23-30. Rawwas, M.Y., Arjoon, S. and Sidani, Y., 2013. An introduction of epistemology to business ethics: A study of marketing middle-managers.Journal of business ethics,117(3), pp.525-539. Sekerka, L.E., Comer, D.R. and Godwin, L.N., 2014. Positive organizational ethics: Cultivating and sustaining moral performance.Journal of Business Ethics,119(4), pp.435-444. Stead, W.E., Worrell, D.L. and Stead, J.G., 2013. An integrative model for understanding and managing ethical behavior in business organizations. InCitation Classics from the Journal of Business Ethics(pp. 405-418). Springer Netherlands. Toloie-Eshlaghy, A., Chitsaz, S., Karimian, L. and Charkhchi, R. 2012. A Classification of Qualitative Research Methods, Research Journal of International Studies, 20, 106-152. Truscott, D. M., Smith, S., Thornton-Reid, F., Williams, B. and Matthews, M. 2012. A cross-disciplinary examination of the prevalence of mixed methods in educational research: 1995-2005, International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 13(4), pp. 317-28.

The Polis vs Modern American Democracy Essay Example

The Polis vs Modern American Democracy Essay Name PS 201 – 03 10/19/2012 The Polis and the â€Å"Just City† vs. Modern American Democracy It is common to refer to the Greek city-state as the Greek polis and in order to understand ancient Greece one must have an understanding of what the polis was to the Greeks. First, let’s consider the physical characteristics and dimensions of the Greek polis. The single most striking feature of a Greek polis is its small size. It can be easy to overlook this fact because the classical sense of the word polis is dominated by the thought of Athens, which was very atypical in its population size, over 300,000 people. It was thought that the ideal polis should only be about 5,000 households, and that each citizen should know each other by sight. Politics, a word that is derived from the Greek word polis, was of a face-to-face variety in these small communities. Although there was variation in details from polis to polis, there were some standard physical features of the polis which one could expect to find. The polis had a place of citizen assembly. These public places were most often located on a defendable high ground of the community, which served as a place of refuge in time of attack. We will write a custom essay sample on The Polis vs Modern American Democracy specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Polis vs Modern American Democracy specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Polis vs Modern American Democracy specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The polis would typically have a marketplace, which was the center of communal life. Here, the adult male citizen lived most of his life, engaging in informal public conversations, informing himself on matters of the state. The polis also had a religious center for public worship; most every polis had its temple to the protecting god of the political community. And all poleis shared the same political characteristics of citizen participation in public life. There was no desire to retreat from the world of public affairs; in men’s minds, the private life did not yet exist. In the polis, the individual was interested in not only his affairs, but also the affairs of the state. Even those who were mostly occupied by their businesses were well informed on general politics. The communal alignment of the ancient Greeks may be the most difficult feature of the Greek mind to grasp. Especially for a citizen of a large modern nation in which few people actually participate in the political process. It was this distinctive way of life, the active participation on the part of the individual citizen in all aspects of these small Greek communities that is most striking. Only adult male citizens participated in open public debate in the polis; here the individual could have had a real impact on state policy. The polis demanded a great deal from its citizens: service in public office, attendance at political gatherings, appearances at religious events and military service. To be a democratic citizen was priceless for the adult Greek male Greek, and the polis was the path through which it was realized. In distinct opposition of theories, Plato, in his â€Å"Just City,† searches for justice within the individual and what makes a person â€Å"just. By comparing his sense of what is just at a political level and what is just at a psychological level, Plato suggests four virtues that will make an individual person just. The virtues of wisdom, courage, temperance and justice are common to both a just person and the fictional Just City. This theoretical city has the pre-determined virtue of being just. Plato does this in order to understand what just ice is for the individual because Plato thinks that a just man will be like a just city and vice versa. In the Just City, Plato creates three classes: the producers, the auxiliaries and the rulers. Each class has a certain virtue it has to display to fulfill the Just City pre-requisites. The rulers are required to exhibit wisdom so that â€Å"a whole city established according to nature would be wise because of the smallest class and part in it, namely the governing or ruling one. And, to this class, belongs a share of the knowledge that alone among all the other kinds of knowledge is to be called wisdom† (122). The wisdom enjoyed by the rulers would be used to ensure that the city has good judgment. The auxiliaries, or soldiers, of the Just City would be educated in order to absorb the laws in the finest possible way, â€Å"so that their belief about what they should fear and all the rest would become so fast that even such extremely effective detergents such as pleasure, pain, fear and desire wouldn’t wash it out† (124). Their ability to remain focused is the virtue of courage, which Plato concludes will lead to justice within the city. The final class of the Just City, the producers, will exhibit the virtues of temperance and justice, along with the other two classes, so the city will be just. Plato thinks that temperance and justice is crucial because it ties all the classes together. The idea of harmony is crucial to Plato’s definition of justice, as justice to him means each part of society works together in the best way possible, with each part of society content to play out its particular role. As Plato explains: â€Å"Justice, I think, is exactly what we said must be established throughout the city when we were founding it†¦ that everyone must practice one of the occupations in the city for which he is naturally best suited† (128). Once Plato found justice within the larger setting of the Just City, he sought to transfer it back into the human soul, which he identified as having more than one single driving force. Plato based this assumption on the ability of a person to be indecisive about his actions, such as drinking, when something inside them forbid them to do it, though the desire lingered. This indecisiveness can be transformed into internal conflicts between more than one part of the soul. Plato concludes: â€Å"†¦that they are two, and different from one another. We’ll call the part of the soul with which it calculates the rational part and the part with which it lusts, hungers, thirsts and gets excited by other appetites the irrational appetitive part, companion of certain indulgences and pleasures† (137). Plato then identifies a third part of the soul, the spirit, which is used to create emotions. Originally, it was felt that this part might not actually be separate from the appetitive aspect of the soul, but when the appetitive part is fighting it is, in effect, waging a civil war against the rational part within the soul. In this scenario, a person could get angry and reprimand himself, in effect having the spirited part of the soul united with the rational part of the soul. From his analysis of the three classes, Plato uses his conclusions of the Just City as a metaphor to transfer their virtues to the individual, in order to discover justice within the soul. His statement that â€Å"we are pretty much agreed that the same number and the same kinds of classes as are in the city are also in the soul of each individual† confirms the relationship between the Just City and the individual (140). It is obvious to Plato that the rational part of the soul should rule, as the rulers in the city do, because they both exhibit the virtue of wisdom and can both exercise precaution on behalf of the entire soul. Similarly, just as the auxiliaries assist the rulers in maintaining justice within the city, the spirited part of the soul will use emotions in order to maintain order and harmony within the soul, which is justice. These two parts of the soul will be able to control its appetitive part, which ay, through its greedy desire for money, attempt to overthrow its particular role and rule over the body and eventually the classes that it is not naturally suited to rule over (141). Consequently, justice in the individual and justice in the city would be overturned leading to chaos and war. The rulers and auxiliaries, together known as the guardians, exist in order to control and direct the producers who are the majority of the population, as the rational and spirited parts of the soul rule the desires of the individual. Plato concludes that justice in the individual is similar to justice within the city, where a person â€Å"puts himself in order, is his own friend, and harmonizes the three parts of himself like three limiting notes in a musical scale† (142). In the Just City, justice is obtained by the three parts of society, each fulfilling their role as best they can, and displaying the same four virtues of wisdom, courage, temperance and justice. This leads to a harmony between the parts, the best possible combination, which is described as justice by Plato both within the city and within the soul. This should be obvious; after all, a city is made up of many just individuals. The Greek city-state, or polis, is not where we would first be inclined to look for connections between modern democratic design and practical success. The polis demonstrates a lot of intolerant characteristics, including the exclusion of women from citizenship, the prevalence of slavery and low levels of technology. But on closer inspection, we have much to learn from ancient Greek democracies. Despite the slavery and exclusively male citizenship, which were present in both more and less successful cases throughout history, the Greek democracies provide as close a model as we can get to a modern comparative political examination. On the contrary, while the track record of ruling individuals, or classes, is somewhat spotty, the concept of a ruling elite finds a strong proponent in the philosopher Plato. While recognizing the fundamental flaw in humankind, Plato believes in the appointment of one supreme guardian, the philosopher king or queen, an individual, who with the proper education was competent enough to decide on policies. Plato believes that the philosopher king is honorable since his only desire is knowledge, his thirst for knowledge prevailing over anything else. Plato’s arguments, made so long ago, resonate in the current world in much the same way as they did when they first appeared. Times of crisis remind us of the need for ongoing review of the assumptions we make regarding the best way to govern and the best way to manage those resources available to us. Plato provides one view of the best forms of government, and consequently, offers some insight into the issues under review today. A weakness of Plato’s vision is that it requires exceptionally high standards for the moral nature of human beings. In this view, Plato puts a great deal of emphasis on the soul as rational and assumes that people, who choose occupations based on their desires, will be just. According to Plato’s mantra, given that people are following the desires of their rational soul, they must be behaving in a just manner. Another weakness of this creed is that it puts too much power in the hands of a selected few; it is dangerous to allow so few to govern so many. Without the checks and balances seen in a democratic society, a tyrannical environment can be fostered. In contrast, a weakness of democracy is that the masses are given the ability to govern the country. As a group, they are susceptible to a â€Å"group think† mentality; voting based on the collective mentality rather than individual principles. Economic gain is central in a capitalist society and will influence people’s decision making. The group may vote based on emotions rather than thought. Also, a large number of people may be unable to focus on one agenda since different people have different standards, agendas and motivations. In modern America, it is best that all people participate in their society’s government. In spite of Plato’s arguments for the Just City, placing the reins of democracy in the hands of the masses is safer than relegating power to only a few. Plato was correct in requiring that leaders be informed, and equally correct in believing that the uninformed masses are less likely to make good decisions; but the way to address this is not to exclude people. Rather, as part of the political process, people should be educated about all of the parts of the process, as well as about the candidates, their policies and political ideologies. In addition to education about the candidates and the process, the population requires a more general education in order to allow it to follow its desires. As in The Republic, allowing people to perform jobs which best suit their desires would give each individual a stake in the welfare of the nation overall, allowing for a more resourceful use of labor and a motivation for all members of civilization to work for the collective good of the whole. The greatest contribution of Plato to our modern understanding of appropriate governance may be the emphasis the philosopher placed on the power of knowledge and wisdom. Some investment in those qualities might allow for a better-informed voter and a more reasonable form of government where the democratic model is blended with an understanding of economic necessity and the realities of human nature. Perhaps, what has become most apparent from the current US crisis is that some sense of collective good, as well as a sense of collective responsibility, must be incorporated into the notion of democracy. Works Cited Plato. The Republic of Plato. Trans. Francis MacDonald Cornford. London: Oxford University Press, 1977. Print.

Battle of Chickamauga - American Civil War - William Rosecrans - Braxton Bragg

Battle of Chickamauga - American Civil War - William Rosecrans - Braxton Bragg Battle of Chickmauga - Conflict: The Battle of Chickamauga was fought during the American Civil War. Battle of Chickamauga - Dates: The Army of the Cumberland and Army of Tennessee battled on September 18-20, 1863. Armies Commanders at Chickamauga: Union Major General William Rosecrans56,965 men Confederate General Braxton BraggLieutenant General James Longstreet70,000 men Battle of Chickamauga - Background: Through the summer of 1863, Major General William S. Rosecrans, commanding the Union Army of the Cumberland, conducted a skillful campaign of maneuver in Tennessee. Dubbed the Tullahoma Campaign, Rosecrans was able to repeatedly force General Braxton Braggs Army of Tennessee to retreat until it reached its base at Chattanooga. Under orders to capture the valuable transportation hub, Rosecrans did not wish to directly assault the citys fortifications. Instead, utilizing the railroad network to the west, he began moving south in an effort to sever Braggs supply lines. Pinning Bragg in place with a diversion at Chattanooga, Rosecrans army completed crossing the Tennessee River on September 4. Advancing, Rosecrans encountered rough terrain and poor roads. This forced his four corps to take separate routes. In the weeks prior to Rosecrans movement, Confederate authorities had grown concerned about the defense of Chattanooga. As a result, Bragg was reinforced by troops from Mississippi and the bulk of Lieutenant General James Longstreets corps from the Army of Northern Virginia. Reinforced, Bragg abandoned Chattanooga on September 6, and moved south to attack Rosecrans dispersed columns. This allowed Major General Thomas L. Crittendens XXI Corps to occupy the city as part of its advance. Aware that Bragg was in the field, Rosecrans ordered his forces to concentrate to prevent them from being defeated in detail. On September 18, Bragg sought to attack XXI Corps near Chickamauga Creek. This effort was frustrated by Union cavalry and mounted infantry led by Colonels Robert Minty and John T. Wilder. Battle of Chickamauga - Fighting Begins: Alerted to this fighting, Rosecrans ordered Major General George H. Thomas XIV Corps and Major General Alexander McCooks XX Corps to support Crittenden. Arriving on the morning of September 19, Thomas men took a position north of XXI Corps. Believing that he only had cavalry on his front, Thomas ordered a series attacks. These encountered the infantry of Major Generals John Bell Hood, Hiram Walker, and Benjamin Cheatham. The fighting raged through the afternoon as Rosecrans and Bragg committed more troops to the fray. As McCooks men arrived, they were placed in the Union center between XIV and XXI Corps. As the day wore on, Braggs numerical advantage began to tell and Union forces were slowly pushed back towards the LaFayette Road. As darkness fell, Rosecrans tightened his lines and prepared defensive positions. On the Confederate side, Bragg was reinforced by the arrival of Longstreet who was given command of the left wing of the army. Braggs plan for the 20th called for successive attacks from north to south. The battle recommenced around 9:30 AM when Lieutenant General Daniel H. Hills corps attacked Thomas position. Battle of Chickamauga - Disaster Ensues: Beating back the attack, Thomas called for Major General James S. Negleys division which was supposed to be in reserve. Due to an error, Negleys men had been put in the line. As his men shifted north, Brigadier General Thomas Woods division took their place. For the next two hours Rosecrans men repeatedly defeated the Confederate attacks. Around 11:30, Rosecrans, not knowing the precise locations of this units, erred and issued orders for Wood to shift position. This opened a gaping hole in the Union center. Alerted to this, McCook began moving the divisions of Major General Philip Sheridan and Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis to plug the gap. As these men were moving forward, Longstreet launched his assault on the Union center. Exploiting the hole in the Union line, his men were able to strike the moving Union columns in the flank. In short order, the Union center and right broke and began fleeing the field, carrying Rosecrans with them. Sheridans division made a stand on Lytle Hill, but was forced to withdraw by Longstreet and a flood of retreating Union soldiers. Battle of Chickamauga - The Rock of Chickamauga With the army falling back, Thomas men held firm. Consolidating his lines on Horseshoe Ridge and Snodgrass Hill, Thomas defeated a series of Confederate assaults. Farther north, the commander of the Reserve Corps, Major General Gordon Granger, dispatched a division to Thomas aid. Arriving on the field they helped block an attempt by Longstreet to envelop Thomas right. Holding until nightfall, Thomas withdrew under the cover of darkness. His stubborn defense earned him the nickname The Rock of Chickamauga. Having incurred heavy casualties, Bragg elected not to pursue Rosecrans broken army. Aftermath of the Battle of Chickamauga The fighting at Chickamauga cost the Army of the Cumberland 1,657 killed, 9,756 wounded, and 4,757 captured/missing. Bragg losses were heavier and numbered 2,312 killed, 14,674 wounded, and 1,468 captured/missing. Retreating back to Chattanooga, Rosecrans and his army were soon besieged in the city by Bragg. Shattered by his defeat, Rosecrans ceased be an effective leader and was replaced by Thomas on October 19, 1863. The siege of the city was broken in October following the arrival of the commander of the Military Division of the Mississippi, Major General Ulysses S. Grant, and Braggs army shattered the following month at the Battle of Chattanooga. Selected Sources CWSAC Battle Summaries: Battle of ChickamaugaNational Park Service: Battle of ChickamaugaBattle of Chickamauga

Acc 230 Final Starbucks Financial Analysis Paper

Starbucks Financial Analysis Author Axia College of University of Phoenix Starbucks Financial Analysis Starbucks Coffee originated in 1971 as a coffee and tea cafe opening in a small neighborhood of Seattle, Washington (Starbucks Corporation, 2010). Starbucks continued its service for Seattle residents for a decade when the new director of retail operations and marketing, Howard Shultz, decided to make some beneficial changes to the company. After two years of employment Howard Shultz decided to expand Starbucks outside of the Seattle area. In 1987 Starbucks was entering in the coffee market and the few numbers of Starbucks were now becoming a corporation (Starbucks Corporation, 2010). Fast forwarding to current times, Starbucks is now located across America and has branched out into international territory. Starbucks now ranges from selling coffees, teas, food, and coffee accessories to having its name brand coffees being sold in grocery stores. Statement of Earnings Starbucks Corporations 2009 fiscal year ended on September 28, 2009 (Starbucks Corporation, 2010). In comparison with the 2008 Statement of Earnings, Starbucks Corporation has experienced an increase in net earnings totaling $390 million in 2009 (Starbucks Corporation, 2010). This is still significantly lower than the 2007 net earnings of $672 million dropping $360 million over the course of one year. The company was however able to increase the cost of goods sold. Compared to the 2008 gross profit margin when Starbucks experienced a large increase, in 2009 Starbucks experienced a decline by 2. 25% (Starbucks Corporation, 2010). In the 2009 fiscal year the Statement of Earnings depicts a depreciation and amortization expenses decreased and operating income and operating margin decrease. The decrease in sales which Starbucks reported in 2008 is cause for the decrease in operating income and operating margin in the 2009 fiscal year. Since the 2008 fiscal year, 2009 has brought on a 4% decrease in the net profit margin for Starbucks (Starbucks Corporation, 2010). Balance Sheet In the 2009 fiscal year, Starbucks Corporation states a slight decrease in ash on hand though the net receivables show an increase. A comparison of the 2008 and 2009 inventory depicts a decline in 2009 that suggests Starbucks Corporation is not making inventory purchases prior to selling the current on-hand inventory. The current economic struggles have forced Starbucks Corporation to make some adjustments in the financial strengths of the company and close some coffee shops throughout the 2009 fiscal year, appearing as a decrease to the current assets of Starbucks Corporations. The decrease in the current assets and fixed assets of Starbucks Corporation the total assets for the 2009 fiscal year have increased by $300 million (Starbucks Corporation, 2010). Statement of Cash Flow The Statement of Cash Flow for the 2009 fiscal year depicts a $70 million decrease in cash flow (Starbucks Corporation, 2010). Starbucks Corporation did however increase its invested cash flow by $115 million in 2009 (Starbucks Corporation, 2010). An analysis of the Statement of Cash Flow for the 2009 fiscal year of Starbucks Corporation shows that Starbucks Corporation has been attempting to reduce its current operating expenses and cash flow. Ratio Comparisons Within the coffee industry Starbucks Corporations has grown from a small shop to a leading coffee distributor, proving to have financial strength and determination to continue growth. With the weakening economy the continued success of Starbucks Corporation is being threatened by the high cost of coffee and the decreased spending of consumers. Coffee is now being purchased based on cost, not quality. The financial strengths of Starbucks Corporation is being tested against its limits with the decline in premium coffee sales while Starbucks continues to push to stay on top of competition. Compared to competition in the coffee market Starbucks is displaying a higher debt to equity ratio of 0. 15 compared to the industry at 0. 13. Starbucks Corporation and the coffee industry competition remain similar at a 1. 5 current ratio for Starbucks and a 1. current ratio for the industry (MSN Money Market, 2010). The quick ratio within the coffee industry currently sits at 1. 3 while Starbucks Corporation holds strong at a 1. 2 quick ratio (MSN Money Central, 2010). Starbucks Corporation depicts a leverage ratio in comparison to the competition showing a 1. 7 leverage ratio for both Starbucks and the industry (MSN Money Central, 2010). Starbucks Corporation is also remaining steady with a lower than industry book value to share ratio o f 4. 95 compared to 6. 33 (MSN Money Central, 2010). Industry Comparison An industry analysis can provide Starbucks with a view on the competitive advantages the company has over companies with similar products. Through the analysis, Starbucks can develop an effective strategic plan. The benefits of the industry analysis include knowing â€Å"the underlying forces at work in the industry; the overall attractiveness of the industry, and the critical factors that determine the company’s success within the industry† (Encyclopedia for Business, 2010). A United States competitor of Starbucks is Peet’s Coffee and Tea. In 2010, Peet’s reported gross revenue of $168,494, drastically lower than that of Starbucks. Starbuck’s has the advantage of more locations and a lower per store operating cost of 63. 86 compared to Peet’s at 121. 83 per store. Starbuck’s has managed to run each Starbucks location at a fraction of the cost for Peet’s Coffee and Tea. Based on this information, it is apparent that Starbucks has a competitive advantage over Peet’s Coffee and Tea and continues to be a strong competitor in the industry. In conclusion, Starbucks Corporation has managed to remain financially strong regardless of the slight impact the struggling economy has had on the corporation. Success over competition remains to be on top and the current inventions of new and unique coffee, tea, and Starbucks environments has continued to result in the success of Starbucks Coffee not seen by other competitors. The growth and strengthening of the current economic situation will allow Starbucks Corporation to expand the financial growth and strengths of the company and continue to remain at the top of the market regardless of the lower cost and quality coffee sold by the competition. Starbucks Corporation offers unique goods and services which allows the company to remain ahead of the market. References Encyclopedia for Business. (2010). Industry Analysis. Retrieved from http://www. referenceforbusiness. com/small/Inc-Mail/Industry-Analysis. html MSN Money Central. (2010). Starbucks Corporation: Key Ratios. Retrieved on November 11, 2010 from http://moneycentral. msn. com/investor/invsub/results/compare. asp? Page=FinancialConditionSymbol=SBUX Starbucks Corporation. (2010). Fiscal 2009 Annual Report. Retrieved from http://media. corporate-ir. net/media_files/irol/99/99518/SBUX_AR. pdf Yahoo Finance. (2010). Peet’s Coffee Tea, Inc. Retrieved from http://finance. yahoo. com/q/is? s=PEET+Income+Statementannual

Article review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 13

Article review - Essay Example Despite the fact, that some movies have used the popular genre of the popular culture they did not sell very much. The novel Red Storm Rising and other works of Tom Clancy have sold greatly. Clancy’s novel is the context of thriller style. They have historical lessons and use images and symbols to represent the idea behind the novel. The genre thriller that Clancy used has flourished over time and have best explained the crisis of the civilization during that century. The foundation for modern thriller was laid down by Joseph Conrad, John Bunchan and Eskrine Childers. Walter (4) examines the work of the three writers and places them as those of modern thriller. Authors like Eric Ambler rose up and started writing real literature instead of the mere spy tales. They involved moral characteristic in their tales and they used the heroic formula to develop the theme in their story. The Americans had become fond of the British tales, but when writers like Mickey Spillane did a book in American style it sold much. The United State became become domestic communism, and they read more of these books. Walter present works of the writer and movies that have sold due to their thriller genre. The Red Storm Rising is one of those books that see the writer winning the award and selling a number of volumes. Walter says that the thriller style of doing movies and writing stories has seen many books sell even in America. Walter presents quite a number of works that have been done. He presents Reagan the administrator is represented in Clacy’s text like a cult of national security. Walter analyzes the book Red Storm Arising. The use of popular character Clancy novel makes them sell. Reagan popularity makes Clancy novel sell. Clancy uses immensely powerful themes that involve the Americans culture. This success is seen by the popularity that they have. We are able to admire Clancy heroes and these keeps us to want to read more

Finanical Planning Final Study Case Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Finanical Planning Final - Case Study Example Moreover, in most cases budget building opt for simplicity where budget construction relies on simple tools like excel spreadsheets, software programs and the manual way of pen and paper (Hussey, pp123-167). The sole objective of budgetary control is to map out whether there is need to redirect your finances towards selected priorities or rather dreams you consider important. Budget making always tends towards a goal such as buying a home, trip vacation, the budget helps one finds out the discipline he needs to squirrel away finance within a certain time limit. Personnel ought to reflect on a goal to be accomplished and resolve to make it come true. Majority of the populace have no clear idea on the amount of money they spend on dining out, gifts, clothing, travel and other personal care (Hussey, pp123-167). Always track such kind of expenses in specific ways and come find out actual monthly allocations for every category Susan works at Wal-mart as a cashier on the day shift (38 hours a week @ $12 hour 38 hours is full-time and Susan recently received a $0.50 per hour raise). Susan files her taxes under filing status Head of Household Medical insurance is pre-tax and covers Susan and the children 10% per month Susan considers that this is most important expense each month (Maynard, pp167-223). She will not eliminate or reduce this $82000 and 26 years remaining; 5.25% interest; original balance $87,000. Current appraised value $88,000 For Jeffrey will need to pay this until age six of balance $2200 with credit limit of $3000 and 12.6% APR with a balance of $16,000 Standard payment plan; 6.8% APR. All Direct loans of -$10,000 subsidized and $6000 unsubsidized Susan shops mainly at Aldi and buys off-brand food Susan drives a paid for 2000 Ford Escort with 92,000 miles on it. She wants to become an elementary school teacher. She has 18 credits to finish up. She did all previous credits at Columbia College in Elementary Education. Operating income in households