Indirect Taxes

Using the appropriate diagrams, explain why the relative burden (incidence) of an indirect tax on the producers & on the consumer varies depending on the price elasticity of demand for the good/product. Indirect Tax is a tax placed upon the selling price of a product, so it raises the firm’s cost and shifts the supply curve left or vertically upwards depending on the amount of tax. Because of this shift, less products will be supplied at every price. The diagram below shows the effect of imposing a tax and how the tax is being paid. There’re two types of indirect taxes, they are ‘Specific Taxes’ and ‘Ad Valorem’.Specific Tax is a fixed amount of tax that is imposed on a product. For example, if the government imposes a tax of $2 per loaf of bread, it will shift the supply curve vertically upwards by the amount of tax, which is S2. This is shown by the diagram below. Ad Valorem, also known as ‘percentage tax’, is a percentage of tax from the selling price of a good. In this case, the supply curve will not shift directly upwards because the gap between the ‘price’ and the ‘price + tax’ will get bigger as the price rises. For example, a packet of cigarette costs $10.If the government imposes a 20% tax per packet, the tax on each packet of cigarette would be $2. This is shown by the diagram below. When the government puts a tax on a product, the product’s price will usually increase in order to achieve maximum profit. Which means that the quantity demanded for the product is likely to decrease. If the demand for a product is very elastic, then a price increase as a result of the imposition of a tax on the product will lead to a relatively large fall in the demand for the product. For example, Waitrose pasta and Tesco Value pasta both cost $5 per pack.However the price of Waitrose pasta increases to $6 because of the rise in tax. This would result an immediate change in demand from Waitrose pasta to Tesco Value pasta instead. This means that the Tesco Value pasta consumers would carry on buying pasta from Tesco, whiles a lot of the Waitrose pasta consumers would switch to buy pasta from Tesco instead of Waitrose. This can be shown by the diagram below. On the other hand, if the government imposes a tax on a product where demand is relatively inelastic, the demand for product will not fall significantly despite the huge rise in price.For example, coffee and tea both cost $5, but coffee has become an absolutely essential drink in the morning, whiles tea is just for people’s interest. If the price of the coffee rises significantly to $10 and the price of tea stays the same, the coffee demanded will not change a lot because people still see it as a necessity good (a good that we can’t live without, or won’t likely to cut back on even when times are tough), and therefore the change in demand would only decrease by a little. This is shown by th e diagram below.As we can see from the two diagrams above, the share of the tax burden from consumers and producers varies. The reason for that is because the price elasticity of the demand and supply for the product costs a different shift towards the supply curve. Another reason is because there are other firms (different numbers of firms, the size of a firm) producing the same good, causing competition. Therefore, the relative burden of an indirect tax on the producers and consumers would vary depending on the price elasticity of demand for the good/product.

American History 1941 to Present Mormon Fundamentalists

The Mormon presence in America has been historically influential to the nation, but is often overlooked or understated in non-Mormon institutions despite the fact their existence dates back to 1823. Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer is a non-fiction historical account of the Mormon religion, from its birth under the prophet Joseph Smith, to present times with the polygamy practicing fundamentalists and the milder mainstream Latter Day Saint church existing with identical core beliefs, but on opposite sides of the spectrum in terms of practices.The section of the book regarding the extreme fundamentalists, their history, and their current practices was an interesting look into a very different way of life. The split in the Mormon Church presented itself when the principle of polygamy was retracted by the prophet Wilford Woodruff. Those that accepted this revelation are the mass that is now called The Church of Latter Day Saints.Those that felt the ch urch only banned polygamy to try and gain acceptance by the United States government still felt that it was a divine principle necessary for getting into heaven, and scattered to secluded areas across the North American continent to practice their lifestyle. Several factions of Mormon extremists exist in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. The primary reason that so many factions exist is based on one of the basic building blocks of the church. All Mormons followers have a close relationship with God and are able to speak with him.The laws of the church can change as the prophets receive their revelations. Essentially, anyone can declare themselves a prophet, and anyone can receive a revelation. As self proclaimed prophets received divine revelations they would take a group of followers and establish their own settlement to reproduce more members. The most well known of these factions if the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints (FLDS) with approximately 10,000 members located in Colo rado City, Arizona and Hildale, Utah. The FLDS territory, formerly known as Short Creek, was founded by John Y.Barlow to preserve the sanctity of polygamy. After Barlow’s death Joseph Musser was the next prophet in line of succession. He presided over the sect during the Short Creek Raid of 1953 when Arizona state police officers and the National Guard invaded the compound and arrested every member of the church, regardless of age or gender. Leroy Johnson, or â€Å"Uncle Roy† as he was affectionately called, led the sect from 1954 to 1986. After the death of Johnson in 1986 Rulon Jeffs, also called â€Å"Uncle Rulon† took over as prophet.Uncle Rulon was thought to be â€Å"the one mighty and strong† that would live forever, rule at the end of days, and carry the church to eternal salvation as stated by the book of Mormon. This considered it was a shock to the FLDS community when Uncle Rulon died in 2002 at the age of 92. Warren Jeffs, one of Rulon’ s sons out of an estimated 60-65 children fathered by the late prophet, assumed leadership after his father’s death. He ruled by fear and tyranny. Under his term, the number of young boys thrown out of the church for minor infractions increased exponentially.These â€Å"Lost Boys† would be kicked out for violations such as having a crush on a girl, or wearing a shirt with sleeves that were too short, or if the prophet just decided to deem them unworthy. A church member then drives the teenage boys out of town and dumps them off at the side of the road with no food, money, or place to go. Jeffs started kicking out boys in droves so that he could assign more young girls in the community to middle aged men, including him. He decided that all pets and animals in the compound should be killed, banned children from going to public school, and forbade medical treatment to ailing church members.The FLDS is currently under the leadership of an unknown prophet after Jeffs was se ntenced on November 20, 2007 to 10 years to life in the Utah State Prison on charges of sexual conduct with minors and rape as an accomplice. To this day in Colorado City it is common for cousins, stepfathers and stepdaughters, non-biological uncles and nieces, or fathers and adopted children to marry. Incestuous relationships have caused an unusually high rate of birth defects. Three wives is the minimum for a man to receive the highest level of salvation in the afterlife.The first marriage is considered legal by law. All marriages after are â€Å"celestial marriages† only recognized by the FLDS. The women bound to men by celestial marriage are able to collect welfare for all of their kids because they are single parents. This practice is called â€Å"bleeding the beast† and is encouraged among members. The rules of dress are strictly adhered to: men wear long sleeved shirts and pants in all seasons and women wear ankle length long sleeved dresses. Both sexes clothing is very plain and they must wear long underwear at all times.Under the Banner of Heaven was unbiased and fact based. Krakauer included personal accounts of stories of the religious fanaticism that has led to practices in the FLDS that range from horrifying to intriguing. It was difficult to imagine the level of strength and conviction that motivates members to live out their everyday lives in this community. Krakauer was able to deliver these stories and the historical statistics behind them in a non-judgmental or opinionated manner, which gives the book a genuine and legitimate base.He does not come off as a religion hater or Mormon racist that is condemning the choices made by the prophets or the people. The historical account of the Mormon religion as a whole was detailed and deliberate, which was helpful in understanding how one religion ended up existing in such a multitude of diverse sects. It was an experience to be introduced to a different view of American history; one tha t is definitely not discussed in the standard textbooks. References Krakauer, Jon (2004). Under the Banner of Heaven, A Story of Violent Faith. New York: Random House, Inc..

Developmental Stage Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Developmental Stage - Research Paper Example Through the study, the uniqueness is unveiled to everyone. Theories and research back up the understanding of human behavior (Kail and Cavanaugh, 2010, p. 3). The human development has several theories that tend to explain various stages of growth in different perspectives. Three main factors of theories had been made to categorize the theories to prevent confusion: biological factors, environmental factors and person-environment interaction factors. Biological factors contain the theories that explain the physical growth and appearance of human beings. On the other hand, environmental factors are theories that discuss the impacts of the surroundings and ecosystems in the human development. The last is person-environment interaction factors which are responsible for showing the relationships and effects of both person and the environment and how the self-directed action of the person affects his growth in response to the environment. Biological factors consist of the following theories: evolutionary theory, psychosexual theory, and cognitive developmental theory. On the other hand, environmental factors have the following theories: learni ng theories, social role theory, and life course theory. The person-environment interaction factor has the following theories: psychosocial theory, cognitive social-historical theory, and dynamic systems theory (Newman and Newman, 2007). Lifelong learning gets the attention of many people today especially in the international education policy. In the concept of lifelong learning, adult people are encouraged to continuously study not just based upon the books but also through experiences and interactions. According to the traditional psychology of learning, age does not matter when it comes to learning. All people learn from different ages as proven by researchers who study the decisive and basic mechanisms of learning through laboratory studies. Many claimed that adult learning is very similar to the way of

COLLABORATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

COLLABORATION - Essay Example In a learning environment collaboration has a number of values. One of the most prominent values is that through collaborative group work individuals are able to receive a variety of perspectives that challenge and strengthen one’s own understanding. Collaboration in the learning context also prepares students for future group work in life and employment situations. One of the most fundamental issues that distort the group in every way is the conflict. While collaboration is a necessary element of achieving group progress there are a number of conflicts that may arise during the collaborative process. Group members bring their ego in the work matters, which makes them indulge into dysfunctional conflicts. They waste time quarrelling over unimportant issues. Consequently, the work suffers. In these regards, it’s possible that the group has personality conflicts that make teamwork difficult. Another conflict could occur if some group members do not do equal work to that of other group members. Still another potential conflict could occur if the group has creative difference and disagree on the direction of the group. Ultimately, the group conflicts take on a myriad of forms and situational responses need to be developed to these challenges in collaboration. Collaboration is extremely important in the group work because it resolves the dysfunctional conflicts amongst the group members. All sorts of conflict resolution techniques are included in the process of collaboration. There are a number of ways the group can solve these conflicts. In these regards, it’s important to engender an environment of mutual respect and consideration. Groups that are able to develop such chemistry are more apt to find success through an open and supportive collaborative process. Another helpful element would be for a leader to emerge that could mediate

Summer Intern at Haitong Securities Company Limited Term Paper

Summer Intern at Haitong Securities Company Limited - Term Paper Example Opportunity was awarded in the marketing department as to assistant marketing manager. During internship, it provided an extensive practical learning exposure to the investment arena. It was also very beneficial from point of view of applying theoretical concepts studied mainly in course UD. This report is aimed at providing detailed review of learning experience as internee at Haitong International Holdings Limited. It will provide overview of firm, its products, portfolios and its analysis, practices to entertain customer in satisfying manner, individual projects assigned and overall evaluation of learning experience. In the end it will also provide concluding note regarding suggestions to firm for improvements. INTRODUCTION INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LIMITED 1- ESTABLISHEMENT Haitong International Securities Group Limited (â€Å"Haitong International† or â€Å"the Group†; Stock Code: 665.HK) is a subsidiary of Haitong International Holdings Limited (â€Å"Haitong Intern ational Holdings†). It is incorporated in Hong Kong and wholly owned by Haitong Securities Company Limited (â€Å"Haitong Securities†). It was established in 1973 and enlisted on Hong Kong Stock Exchange since August 1996 (Haitong, 2010a). 2- SCOPE Haitong International Securities Group Limited is renowned group with standing as leader in the Greater China region. The group provides total quality services in the domain of corporate finance, asset management and brokerage services. It has broad clientele encompassing global and local institutional and corporate clients as well as individual investors (Haitong, 2012b). Its network has more than 210 sales offices spreading across over 120 cities with 13 branches in Hong Kong and Macau. Mainly in China the Group has 2 representative offices in Beijing and Shanghai and 5 investment consultancy centers in major cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hangzhou. Its broad network is serving over 4 million re tail clientele services with over 12,000 institutional and high net worth clients (Haitong, 2010b). 3- SERVICES Haitong International Securities Group Limited is striving to become a leading global player in the international financial services industry. Its goal also includes standing a leadership position in the Greater China region. It is dedicated to provide total quality corporate finance, asset management and brokerage services to its clients (Haitong, 2010f). The operations of Haitong Group can be broadly categorized in following three areas (Haitong, 2010e): A- Corporate finance: under this title Haitong Securities provide wide range of services including IPO sponsorship, underwriting and placements, financial advisory, compliance advisory, institutional clients’ services and research. B- Assets management Haitong Securities provide services with respect to public funds, mandatory provident fund, private funds, alternative investment funds, Capital Investment Entrant Scheme and discretionary accounts services. C- Brokerage services Under brokerage umbrella its serves client with securities and derivative products, futures and options, bullion and foreign exchange, IPO subscription and financing services, online trading, margin financing, wealth management, agency and trustee services, stock borrowing, equity-linked note, structured product investment, bond investment and research.   1- 2- 3- 4- CERTIFICATIONS AND REWARDS Being renowned and well known financial services

THE CURRENT MACROECONOMICS SITUATION IN THE UNITED STATES Essay

THE CURRENT MACROECONOMICS SITUATION IN THE UNITED STATES - Essay Example Continuous increase in the prices of food, shelter and gasoline lead to an increase of 0.2% in August, 2011, same as the previous month. Apparel and shelter are the biggest contributors whereas the prices of health care, personal care, medical care, household operations and furnishing have also seen to be increased significantly. Since April, the Unemployment rate has detained between narrow ranges of 9.0% to 9.2%. Currently, the unemployment rate is 9.1%. The number of long-term unemployed people is 6.2 million, as recorded in September, 2011. These individuals accounted for 44.6% of the total unemployed people in U.S. GDP growth rate is an important indicator to measure the strength of an economy. GDP growth rate is said to be positive when the economy develops. Annualized Growth of real GDP has been recorded far below than 5.4% than the normal recoveries of previous business cycles. Credit rating of U.S is also at risk. Credit rating agencies have downgraded the credit rating of U.S from AAA to AA. Many economists now believe that America’s economy has gone fragile. They recommend that it would not be to cut down the consumption and increase tax rates at this point of time. The dysfunctions in U.S have immense pressure from increasing population, globalization and technological advancements. The U.S requires smart and effective policies in every area. It needs to spend in areas like retirement funds and health care whereas it is encouraged to invest in the fields of research and development, education and infrastructure in order to grow. U.S is at that point of budgetary limits where money should to be used wisely and only on effective projects. But in every other area, government policies are suboptimal. The world used to look at the U.S with awe as Americans had built highway systems for interstate, created best standard for education in the world, invested heavily in the frontiers of knowledge. But this is not now how the world perceives America

King of Comedy as an Example of Modern Parody Essay

King of Comedy as an Example of Modern Parody - Essay Example The use of parody is increasingly intertwined with that of satire, as the authors or film makers strive to mock or unmask the flaws and false realities of the life surrounding them. King of Comedy, a 1999 Hong Kong-produced comedy film, is just an example of such satirical parody. It is both a mockery of usual commercially successful but shallow kung-fu action movies and, to a less evident extent, the settings of Hong Kong the main hero has to deal with in his quest for success in the actor’s career. The viewer is subjected to a flurry of visual gags and usual comic tricks by Stephen Chow and other actors performing the roles of the film’s characters. At the same time, though, the film presents a characteristic mockery of the unrealities of the usual action movies by twisting or outright ridiculing the character types or situations found in them. The final moments of King of Comedy are even more of a parody nature, as the direct connection between commercial films and a more common advertisement is fully displayed with the characters openly advertising Pringles chips to the audience. The plot of King of Comedy is rather simple. Wan Tin-Sau (played by Stephen Chow himself), a not so lucky second-rate actor, tries to eke out his living by simultaneously performing as a movie extra actor and serving as the head of his village’s community center. He is approached by the local call girls who wish to increase their chance for wooing rich clients by acting like innocent school girls. Wan has to play a role of their teacher at such impersonating acts. However, one of these girls, Lau Piu-Piu, falls in love with their unfortunate teacher, as she becomes grateful to him for his efforts at teaching her play acts. However, Wan misunderstands her love for simple lust, and, after they make love for the first time, he tries to pay Lau for her alleged ‘service’. The girl is enraged and leaves Wan’s house. A poor actor is distressed due to his lack of understanding of women’s feelings. Later on, Wan is described in his more conventional environs, that is, at the film studio, where he tries to catch a new role in the possibly more paid-for position. He could not believe himself, when he is chosen for the highly sought role of the leading actor in the movie where the famous actress Sister Cuckoo is starred. Wan tries to impress her with his charm, which leads to him being involved in some fairly ridiculous situations. However, Wan’s happiness does not last long, as he is unexpectedly dismissed from the position he has just secured. He is then approached by one of the lunchmen at the studio, who, surprisingly enough, turns to be a Hong Kong police agent. Wan gets a proposal to be involved in an undercover operation, where he has to face the Triad mafia hoodlums, while his lunchman co-operative is severely wounded by them. Due to his sheer luck and the ability to distract his pursuers, Wan manages to win the day, impressing the surviving Triad operatives. Some of them would later even become his

Real Interest Rates Movements in China Coursework - 1

Real Interest Rates Movements in China - Coursework Example It is commonly perceived that the increase in real interest rates may negatively impact the growth of the economy. The reason may be that the higher real interest rates may effectively increases the cost of funds (Dotsey , 1998). The increase in real interest rates, however, has both positive and negative impacts on the economy because for some countries it may attract investors because of increase in investment returns, whereas, for other countries it may increase the cost of funds borrowed. The purpose of the paper is to evaluate the impact of real interest rates on the economic growth of China. The reason for the selection of China is that the china’s economy is considered as highly competitive internationally. Moreover, despite of being a developing nation, China’s impact on international financial market in terms of trade is significant. In addition to this, study of the impact of real interest rate instead of nominal interest rate on economic growth of China, may give more accurate results of the relationship because real interest rate is a pure single factor. The aim of the research provides a road map of study and helps the researcher to list down the goals he wants to achieve from the result (Munhall & Chenail, 2008). The goal of research is â€Å"To Analyze the contribution of real interest rates towards the economic growth of the China†. The goal of the research clearly indicates that the paper is based on the evaluation of the significance of relationship between the two factors i.e. real interest rates and the economic growth of China. The objectives of the research are determined in a way that break downs the aim of the research to make the analysis more objective and focused and to answer the questions with the help of scientific procedure (Kothari, 2004, p. 2).     

Destination management Vancouver Research Paper

Destination management Vancouver - Research Paper Example However, along with the positive impacts that include employment and overseas exchange incomes, tourism can also lead to various risky effects regarding the costs to a local society along with its business environment (Howie, 2003). Destination management can be regarded as an incorporated model that includes the significant factors which eventually shape and influence a destination’s competitive strength as well as those factors that create an environment within which tourism can prosper in a well recognized manner (Dwyer & Kim, n.d.). The conception of destination management mainly serves towards addressing the needs of the tourists along with the economic benefits of the tourism industry, approaching tourism development in such a way that ultimately diminishes the various risky impacts, protecting local people’s business interests, heritage and environment and defending the local environment as well (Dwyer & Kim, n.d.). In the paper, a brief idea regarding destinatio n management is taken into discussion and a particular destination has been chosen i.e., Vancouver, British Columbia. Various aspects regarding the different organizations that are responsible for managing or encouraging tourism and visitors to the destination area, their structures, their vision statements, their roles and responsibilities, varied attractions of the destination i.e., of Vancouver, destination statistics along its economic impact and the different factors that are likely to impact upon tourism of Vancouver will also be taken into concern in the discussion of this paper. In addition, the main purpose of this study is to determine the organizations that are responsible for encouraging tourism and the most significant purpose is to evaluate the statistics and financial impact upon the destination area i.e. Vancouver, British Columbia. As a whole, a full furnished financial data or information regarding the impact of tourism upon Vancouver, British Columbia is also cons idered as a chief concern for the study of this paper. a. The organizations which are responsible for managing or encouraging tourism along with the visitors to the destination area include a few government-funded tourist organizations such as â€Å"National Tourism Offices†, tourism agencies and â€Å"Destination Management Organizations† among others (Pedersen, 2002). Apart from these government-funded tourist organizations, the ‘tour operators’ which are also known as ‘outbound providers’, ‘tour agencies’, ‘ground operators’ known as ‘inbound providers’, ‘travel agencies’ and ‘specialty tourism firms’ are also responsible for managing or encouraging tourism along with the visitors to the destination area (Pedersen, 2002). In this connection, â€Å"National Tourism Offices† work together with different hotels along with air transporters in order to collect and gather muc h finance for various destination promotion programs. ‘Tour operators’ are the companies that generally deliver different tours to the customers through travel mediators. In contrast ‘specialty tourism firms’ organize trips for the clients or the customers in order to participate in any tourism specific activities (Pedersen, 2002)

Genetically modified (GM) foods Essay Example for Free

Genetically modified (GM) foods Essay What does a tomato, soybean, and McDonald’s French fry have in common? They are all some of the most commonly genetically modified foods sold on the market today. By using the genetic information from one organism, and inserting or modifying it into another organism, scientists can make food crops stay fresher, grow bigger, and have the crops create their own pesticides. Nevertheless, the technology to modify genes has surpassed its practicality. Genetically modified foods need to be removed from everyday agriculture because of the threat they pose to human health, the environment, and the impact on global economy. Genetically modified (GM) foods could produce new toxic substances, and/or allergens. A gene from the Brazil nut was inserted into the DNA of a soybean plant to increase the nutritional value of the soybean. However, this particular gene in the GM soybean also produced an allergen (a substance that causes allergic reactions in people). Fortunately, the plant was not put into production (McHughen 119). Another example is of a GM tomato called â€Å"FLAVR SAVR†. The tomato is larger, tastier, and stays fresher longer than commercial tomatoes on the market. Combining conventional tomato genes with the genes of an arctic trout produces the â€Å"FLAVR SAVR†. Nevertheless, questions such as â€Å"Will people with sea food allergies be able to consume the tomato?† and â€Å"Will the trout genes in the tomato enable new bacteria growth, and thereby make the tomato hazardous to eat?† have still not been answered. This causes the â€Å"FLAVR SAVR† to be a potential hazard to human health (McHughen 14, 112). Since technology is new with regards to genetics, there is no real way of knowing whether genetically modified foods would take a negative impact on the body. An incident that occurred in 1989 concerning the nutritional supplement L- Tryptophan is one way of testing the long-term effects of a GM food (Background on L-tryptophan and 5-hydroxy L-tryptophan and the eosinophilia myalgia syndrome, U.S. Food and Drug Administration). The manufacturer had apparently altered its manufacturing process to speed up production, and had not realized the toxic side effects. However, it caused a potentially fatal illness called Eosinophilia Myolgia Syndrome in which 37 people died and 1500 more were permanently disabled (Background on L-tryptophan and 5-hydroxy L-tryptophan and the eosinophilia myalgia syndrome, U.S. Food and Drug Administration). Therefore, it was taken off the market shortly after the reports of widespread illness among consumers of the supplement. Another two examples of diseases that have been created by GM crops are glufosinate (Hart 21), which causes birth defects in mammals, and glyphosate (Hart 88), which is now linked to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Therefore, it is evident that the general public is the guinea pig for GM food, and today’s drugs may not be able to combat the diseases that may arise from eating the food. Superbugs are created when genes transfer from one species to another, and if an antibiotic-resistant or pesticide-resistant gene were to transfer from an organism into a disease creating bacteria, then an antibiotic-resistant or pesticide-resistant bug would be created (Miller 83). This applies to bacteria and viruses that are symbiotically related. Gene modification is indirectly making life resistant to diseases, and these bacteria and viruses will adapt to the new form of life and create new disorders. Furthermore, GM crops may make the â€Å"normal† biological pest spray obsolete. This is because pests will soon develop resistance to the spray because of the widespread planting of GM crops. Nevertheless, superbug pesticides have not yet been manufactured, nor have superbug antibiotics been created (Miller 92). Consequently, the health risks for humans through superbug infections or by eating GM food is very serious, and the consequences that may come about have the potent ial to be life threatening. Genetic engineering of food crops has the potential to affect the biodiversity of a region in effectively two ways. First, wild populations of weed may be replaced by GM crop/weed, due to the GM crop spreading outside the crop field and interacting with natural weed and slowly becoming GM weed. Since GM crops are produced to be resistant to pesticides and herbicides, there is the possibility that they could invade wild grasslands and other places and prosper because of these special characteristics. If this happened, the native grasses would be unable to compete and biodiversity would be lost in these regions. Also, many genetically engineered crops contain anti-viral genes and there is the potential that these genes could combine to form new and dangerous strains of viruses, which could destroy specific crops. Although, to date, there is no direct evidence of these occurring naturally, the potential is clearly increasing (UK Agricultural Biodiversity Coalition. What is happening to Agricultural Biodiversity?). The second way in which the biodiversity of a region is potentially affected is by the decreasing crop varieties that are being planted. This is a problem already existing in agriculture today, and results in a loss of genetic variety within crop cultures. Farmers being forced to use only patented seeds are an example of a potential decrease in biodiversity. If traditional seed varieties are used, farmers will be at a financial disadvantage due to better tasting, better looking crops produced by farmers using GM seeds. In the U.S., and some other countries, laws have been passed and are currently in effect stating that the use of non-patented seeds is prohibited. This will restrict the crops to a few species, leaving them more at risk to new pests that may form (UK Agricultural Biodiversity Coalition. What are the underlying causes of the Losses of Agricultural Biodiversity?). The European community is by far the most anti-GM, so to speak, when it comes to the retail of GM food in their supermarkets (Tackling Food Safety Concerns over GMO’s, Consumer attitudes and decision-making with regard to genetically modified food products). Regulations are being imposed on the European Parliament, individual European nations, and some stores themselves have all imposed restrictions on GM foods. Manufacturers must label all foods that might have genetically altered ingredients. This includes food with genetically manufactured organisms, food with an intentionally modified molecular structure, and food that has been isolated for microorganisms, fungi, and algae. Furthermore, the genetically altered food must not mislead the consumer, present any danger to the consumer, or differ from the food that it is intended to replace so that the altered food is a nutritional disadvantage to the consumer (Tackling Food Safety Concerns over GMO’s, Development of meth ods to identify foods produced by means of genetic engineering). This legislation has now created trade barriers for food coming into Europe – some imported food is genetically modified and creates a risk to the people’s health and safety. Nevertheless, because some supermarkets in Europe have decided to be non-GM only, this has created a competitive disadvantage for the â€Å"half†-GM supermarkets. This response to consumer pressure is also having an effect on some companies or countries that cannot meet the legislative needs, and are obliged to lose markets and/or market shares (Tackling Food Safety Concerns over GMO’s, European network safety assessment of genetically modified food crops). If the world finally agrees to the consumption of GM food, European countries will be the last to â€Å"give-in† to the more lenient regulations. If one is to ask a North American if the product he or she is eating contains GM food, he or she will most likely show a blank stare. This is because regulation of GM food in North America is relatively relaxed when compared to Europe (Borger, second paragraph). Since the manufacturer is not required to label their products, the consumer is oblivious to buying GM food at the supermarket. Agriculture and technology are both being heavily invested in the United States. Profit is an important driving force for the developed world, and agricultural exports make up a large portion of exports from the United States (Borger, third paragraph). Since the demand for food is always increasing, the demand to produce more food at a faster rate requires the need for better biotechnology to be put into practice. And because of the lax laws in effect for the United States, and Canada, North Americans are â€Å"in the dark† with regards to what they are eating during their meals. North Americans are not educated about the risks of GM food, nor are they aware of where to find information regarding how much GM food is in their groceries (Borger, 12th paragraph). This poses a serious threat to the potential health of North Americans, as they are nothing but â€Å"lab rats† waiting for their first abnormal â€Å"twitch†. Human health can be seen as the greatest factor when considering the manufacturing of GM food. This is because of the few diseases and viruses that have been discovered which formed through the use of GM food. Also, the potential for new diseases and/or viruses through the use of GM food is increasing, and people are not aware of the risks. Antibiotics or pesticides have not yet been created to combat the superbug, and this is a concern for humans, as it will infect people, and crops altogether. There is a potential for the biodiversity to decrease because of gene transfers from one species to another, creating more powerful crops, which may take over the natural populations of weeds and grasslands. An additional way for the biodiversity to decrease is by farmers planting only a single variety of crop, thus wiping out the varied species needed to keep the diversity within crop fields. Europeans are the most aware of GM food, and are taking the necessary precautions and legislative actions to protect themselves against the use of GM food. However, North Americans are the least aware of GM food, and their government has not yet educated their citizens on the risks of GM food. There are too many risks involved in the use of GM food, and its removal from the agricultural and biotechnological industries will benefit human health, the environment, and global economy.

What Are The Challenges And Drivers Of Internationalization Management Essay

What Are The Challenges And Drivers Of Internationalization Management Essay In the modern world economy, business transactions can be conducted within the same city, the same country, or even between two countries. The term of internationalization has been adopted by many researchers, for instance Bell (1995): A firms engagement in a specific foreign market develops according to an establishment chain, i.e. at the start no export activities are performed in the market, then export takes place via independent representatives, later through a sales subsidiary, and, eventually manufacturing may follow. Internationalization has become a significant research topic for business academics in the past forty years. A substantial amount of research has focused on multinational enterprises (Dunning, 1973; Markusen, 1995; Kogut and Zander, 2003), with a growing interest in the internationalization of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) (Oviatt and McDougall, 1994). Meanwhile small- and medium-sized companies (SMEs) have been believed to be significant in supporting economics improvement within a country (Mazzarol, Volery, Doss, and Thein, 1999). For example, in the Netherlands, SMEs account 98.8% of all private-sector companies, contribute 31.6% to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and employ 55% of the total workforce (EIM Business Policy Research, 1999). Furthermore, obtaining sales outside their own domestic market is a goal of many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their governments (Economic Development Board, 1993). This thesis will be concentrated on the process of internationalization of SMEs, and especially the barriers of internationalization and motivations for export activities. In fact, SMEs are able to develop abroad since nowadays countries all around the world have become almost indistinguishable in terms of cultures and institutional settings (Johanson and Vahlne, 2003). 1.2 Problem statement According to problem indication, this there for leads to the following problem statement; What are the barriers and motivations of internationalization with regard to small and medium sized enterprises? 1.3 Research Questions The following questions will be posed in order to draw conclusions with respect to the problem statement: What are the characteristics of small and medium enterprises? How do the enterprises internationalize? What are the challenges and drivers of internationalization? 1.4 Research Method and Data Collection 1.4.1 Research Method This thesis will use a literature study as the method of research. To be able to answer the research questions, the research method that shall be used is the literature study. To develop a theoretical framework, exploratory studies are used in this research. It is the most ideal type of research for obtaining a clear understanding of the phenomena of interest (Sekarana, 2003). 1.4.2 Data Colletion Most of the resources used are secondary data which is data that have already been gathered by other researchers in the past (Sekarana, 2010). So far the author has found several journals and articles discussing internationalization of small and medium enterprises as the main source of this thesis. Firstly, literature based on drivers and motivations of internationalization of small and medium enterprises were sought using several search engines such as Google Scholar, and also database such as JSTOR. The following keywords were used: Internationalization, SMEs, Drivers and Motivations. These keywords were used separately and in combinations with each other. Secondly, more literature, articles and statistical data were found from the internet. Google is used as the search engine. Finally, to determine the quality of the literature, it is important to look at the number of citations from other high quality journal included in this literature. Another way to determine if literature is trustworthy is by looking at the references. 1.5 Structure of the Thesis In the remaining chapters the structure will be as follows: Chapter 2 shall review and analyze some of the definitions of small and medium enterprises and their characteristics, referring research question Q1. Chapter 3 will examine the theories and the process of internationalization. In chapter 4, I will investigate the opportunities and barriers to internationalization. In the final chapter, conclusions will be drawn and the problem statement will be answered. 2. SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES 2.1. Definition of SMEs There is no single, uniformly acceptable definition of a small firm (Storey, 1994). However, some definitions are very depending on criteria such as number of employees and turn over. In 1971 Bolton Report (Dawes Haydock in Frank, 1999) attempted to overcome the problem of small firm definition by formulating what it called an economic definition and a statistical definition. Under the economic definition, a firm is regarded as small if it satisfied the following three criteria: they had a relatively small share of their market place; they were managed by owners or part owners in a personalized way, and not through the medium of a formalized management structure; they were independent, in the sense of not forming part of a large enterprise. The Committee also formulated a statistical definition which was designed to address three main issues. The first was to quantify the size for the small-firm sector and its contribution to economic aggregates such as gross domestic product (GDP), employment, exports and innovation. The second purpose was to compare the extent to which the small enterprise sectors economic contribution has changed over time. Thirdly, applying the statistical definition, this allows a comparison to be made among the contributions of small firms in one country with that of other nations. Furthermore, there is a lack of consensus on how to define SME (Gibb, 1993; Curran and Blackburn, 2001) as each country defines SME differently. For example, in the US and Canada, SMEs are generally defined as firms with fewer than 500 employees. In Japan, different headcount ceilings are used for manufacturing (up to 300 employees), wholesale (up to 150) and retail (up to 50). In this thesis we use the classification given by the Commission of the European Communities (2003/361/EC 2003). According to the European Union (2003), an SME is an enterprise with fewer than 250 employees and a turnover no more than 50 million Euros or a balance sheet total of no more than 43 million Euros. Small enterprises employ less than 50 and micro enterprises less than 10 employees. 2.2. Characteristics of SMEs SMEs are always one of the remarkable subjects for the researchers. It may be distinguished from larger firms by a number of key characteristics. Researchers have drawn some characteristic for the SMEs. Characteristics often discussed as typical of SMEs are as followed: Limited resources (Welsh and White, 1981). A small and medium enterprise generally has limited resources, which means they did not have money to purchase the required machinery and to hire many workers. This is extremely true for new starts-up due to an absence or lack of track record on the firm to entice potential investors and bankers. Hence, it is highly dependent on the capability of the owner to generate resources. Informal management style (Kotey, 1999 and Slade, 2005). For small and medium enterprises, the management is usually informal. The owner has to do almost everything and employees are normally expected to be able to duty as generalists as there is no clear division of tasks. Flexibility (Aragon-Sanchez and Sanchez-Marin, 2005). The enterprise has more flexibility to adapt to changes in the environment due to its size and informal structure. It is also vulnerable to grow in the enterprise environment. For example, any changes in government policy or technology might have a strong influence on the firms since instant changes require additional resources or capital. This might become a constraint to the firms to compete and sustain  itself in the market. Dependence on individual decision makers (Feltham and Barnett, 2005). The firms are managed and operated by the owner. The entrepreneurs of the business lead the company and play a role as both employee and employer. The growth of the firms is determined by the owner. Decision making is commonly done by the owner. 3. INTERNATIONALIZATION Different approaches and perspectives have been contributed to the literature firms internationalization (Morgan and Katsikeas, 1997), and these issues have been researched over three decades (Etermad, 2004). For instance, a gradual perspective of SME internationalization is explained in the Uppsala Model, and the Finnish-POM Models (Johanson and Wiedersheim-Paul, 1975; Johanson and Vahlne, 1977). The other perspective is that SME internationalization is explained by an economic view (Dunning, 1977), and another view is described by a network approach (Kenny and Fahy, 2004; Majkgard and Sharma, 1998; Welch and Welch, 1998). The last view is described as the International New Venture perspective (Oviatt and McDougall, 1994; Zahra, Ireland, and Hitt, 2000). All these models are briefly discussed below. Of the gradual approaches, the Uppsala Model initiated by Johanson and Wiedersheim-Paul (1975) and further developed by Johanson and Vahlne (1990 and 1977) is widely used to describe pattern of small firms internationalization (Andersson, 2004). In Uppsala Model, they make the distinction between state and change aspect of internationalization variables. They argue that the present state of the firm is the important factor in explaining future changes and subsequent stages. The state aspects are represented by the firms market commitment to the foreign market and the market knowledge about foreign market and operations. The change aspect is seen as commitment decision and the performance of current business activities. The concept of market commitment is assumed to be composed of two factors: Firstly, the amount of resources committed, for example, the size of investment in the market (marketing, personnel, organization etc.); Secondly, the degree of commitment, for instance, the difficulty of finding an alternative use for the resources and transforming them to practice. Market knowledge is seen as information about markets and operations which is somehow stored reasonable retrieval in the minds of individuals inside the firm, in computer memories or in written reports. International activities require both general knowledge about market operations and market specific knowledge. Current business activities are the prime source of experimental knowledge for the firm. It could be argued that experience could be gained alternatively through the hiring of the personnel with experience or through advice from persons with experience. Commitment decisions depend very much on experience since they are a response to perceived uncertainty and opportunities on the market. Decisions to commit further resources to specific foreign operations will more often be taken if experimental knowledge increases. This implies that additional market commitment as a rule will be made in small incremental steps because its takes time to gain experimental knowledge about foreign markets. The Uppsala model concentrates on the gradual acquisition, integration and use of knowledge about foreign market. According to this model, lack of knowledge is an important obstacle in the development of international operations and such knowledge can be acquired mainly through operations abroad. The gradual acquisition of knowledge increase foreign commitments. The second gradual model distinguishes three dimensions of internationalization (Luostarinen, 1979). First is Product (P), which describes what in terms of the firms goods, services, know-how and systems. Second is the Operation mode (O) which relates to how firms operate such as through agents, subsidiaries, licensing and management contracts. Third is Market (M), which describes where in relation to the selection of markets and takes into account political, cultural and physical differences. The organizational capacity dimension was a later addition to describe organizational structure, resources, finance and personnel (Welch and Luostarinen, 1988). Nonetheless, neither gradual model addresses the issues of networking. The networking view concentrates on non-hierarchical systems where enterprises invest to support and monitor their role in international networks. Referred to as the network perspective, this research draws on the theories of social exchange and resource dependence, and emphases on firm performance in the context of a network of interorganisational and interpersonal relationships (Axelsson and Easton 1992). Such relationships can include customers, competitors, suppliers, private and public support agencies, and friends, family and so on. Organizational boundaries therefore incorporate both business and social relationships. The theory suggests three methods of internationalization: International extension, explains how a company initially establishes connections with networks in other countries; Penetration, the firms develops the relationships that arise from those networks, which is described as the penetration method; International integration, the time when the company integrates the networks in different countries. Based to this research, internationalization determined by on an organizations set of network relationships rather than a firm-specific advantage. Therefore, externalization (rather than internalization) occurs. The network approach offers a complementary perspective to FDI theory given the latter does not account for the role and impact of social relationships in business transactions (Granvetter 1985). Also, internationalization decisions and activities in the network approach appear as patterns of behavior influenced by various network members, while FDI theory assumes coherent strategic decision-making. The network perspective introduces a more multilateral element to internationalization (Johanson and Vahlne 1992, p.12). Interestingly, this perspective has evolved from Johanson and Vahlnes early work, and reflects their ongoing research exploring the management of foreign market entry. For example, their (1992) study of internationalization in the situation of exchange networks found that even if foreign market entry is the gradual process (supporting the Uppsala model), it follow from interaction, and the development and maintenance of relationships over time. These findings support Sharma and Johanson (1987), who found that technical consulting firms operate in a network of connected relationships between organizations, where relationships become bridges to foreign markets and offer firms with the prospect and incentive to internationalize. The International New Venture theory emerged in the mid-nineties in response to the recognition that many firms do not go along with the gradual models in their internationalization process (Etemad, 2004a; Kenny et al., 2004). These firms are called Born Global (Knight and Cavusgil, 1996; Rennie, 1993), whilst Oviatt et al., (1994) identify them as Global Start-ups or International New Ventures (INV) firms. This model focuses on the age and not on the size of the firms and suggests that the INVs retain unique assets and capabilities that enable firms with limited resources to venture faster into foreign markets. Furthermore, Coviello and McAuley (1999) argue the internationalization happens gradually. With his extensive study of internationalization, Gripsurd (1990) points out that there is a three-stage model describing how an organization develops its international business study. First, the organization starts as a potential exporter, where they do not yet have the opportunity to export any of their goods or services. During this stage, the organization is still producing and distributing its products in the domestic market. Moreover, in the second stage, the firm is known as a passive exporter, where it has the opportunity to export its goods or services. However, they only represent upon request; therefore, there is no self-initiative. To continue, in the third stage, the firm is known as an active exporter, when it is increasing export activities abroad. With respect to the explanations, it is clear that Bell (1995) and Gripsrud (1990) mainly focus on the idea that internationalization develops in a number of stages. It happens gradually, not just with a single movement. 3.1 Process of Internationalization There are six steps that have been used for understanding about the internationalization of the small and medium enterprises. This process is not mattered only for the small and medium firms but applied in larger firms as well (Moberg and Palm, 1995 in Jennie and Zetterwall). These steps involved respectively, why internationalization (motives), company situation (SWOT), what (product and service), where (market selection), how (entry modes), and when (point of entrance). 3.1.1. Find out motives for internationalization. When a company goes internationalization it is often driven by certain stimuli or stimulus. Sometimes external and internal pressure such as competition, excess capacity of resources and a small and decline home markets put pressure on the company for becoming international. Other time firms go international because they want to. They have a unique product that is not widely available from international competitors or a technological advance in a special field (Czincota Ronkainen, 1995). 3.1.2. Clearly define the current situation of the enterprise (through conducting a SWOT analysis). To enter a foreign market does not mean new opportunities, but also a totally new situation with new environment and cultures. To find out whether a firm is ready to meet and handle this new situation or not, a complete analysis of the company situation has to be done by using SWOT analysis (Thompson Strickland, 1995, in Jennie Zetterwall). Companys economy, production, personnel, marketing, international experience and language capabilities are some factors those must be analyzed into SWOT analysis (Moberg Palm, 1995 in Jennie Zetterwall). Potential markets and marketing environment have to be analyzed to find attractive opportunities and avoid environmental threats. 3.1.3. Decide on the product or service enterprise wish to integrate in this process. The success of the firm depends on its products offered and on how well the firm is able to differentiate the product or service from what the competitors offer. When a company enters in a new market it should start with a small share of the assortment, mainly quality products or already established products. 3.1.4. Select the right market to penetrate. When firm decides to enter foreign markets, the customers and market conditions are quite different from their home market. That stage firms need to enhance international marketing strategies considering different aspect of the marketing such as product, price, promotion, place, logistics, competition, and so on. The firms strategies decided, whether use to the existing product or develop a new product to serve the foreign market. A firm operating the international marketing should not only identify the product for different markets but should also develop suitable strategies for growth such products. Whether a single standardized can be offered worldwide or a customize product need to be develop for each market is the most significant product decision that firms has to do while operating in international markets. In the international market, decision related to quality, packaging and labeling of product require specific attention and consideration. Product strategy of the firm in in ternational markets is often influenced by cultural context (Joshi, 2005). Therefore, it is a responsibility of the manager/owner to know the taste and preferences of the customer in a target market, and formulate the product strategy according to the marketing conditions. Sometime color, size, and packaging of the product play vital role in the success of the firm (Joshi, 2005). 3.1.5. Decide on mode of entry. After the selection of the market has been done, the company has to decide how to approach the foreign market. A firm can, for example choose to sell directly to the final consumer, to sell indirectly through distributors and/ or agents, or to produce locally in foreign countries. The choice depend on factors such as, resource of the exporting company, the characteristics of the product, the goal of the internationalization, the distribution culture in foreign markets, and the number and demand of the customer (Czinkota Ronkainen, 1995). 3.1.6. Find the right moment to do it. Furthermore, a company has to determine when to enter the foreign market. The company must be sure that market is ready, that the company has enough resources and the right market channel and product for specific market (Moberg Palm, 1995 in Jennie Zetterwall). Meanwhile, Masurel and Montfort (2006) explored the changes between stages in the life cycle of small and medium-sized enterprises in the professional services sector. They distinguish four different, subsequent stages in the life cycle. 1. Starting; 2. Growth; 3. Maturity; 4. Decline. They found that the first three stages represent an increase in diversification in sales, increase in differentiation of labor force, and increase in labor productivity. In the last stage, the diversification in sales, differentiations in labor force, and labor productivity all drop. As growth as one crucial key in this life cycle, SMEs starts internationalization which has become more and more relevant to the competitiveness of enterprises of all sizes. Recently, SMEs that start with a global strategy can change swiftly to take advantage of cross-border activities, which offers chances not only for revenue growth but also the exchange of knowledge and the development of capabilities, thereby strengthe ning the long-term competitiveness of the firm. 3.2. The Models of Internationalization Tookey (1969) developed an early example of modeling progression through various steps, pre-dating the Uppssalla model; this involved the advancement of the firm from exporting, to international marketing and finally international business The behavioural approach of the Uppsala views internationalization as having four stages (Johanson and Wiedersheim-Paul 1975, Johanson and Vahlne 1977) while Bilkey and Tesar (1977) identify six steps, Aijo (1977), Cavusgil (1980) and Reid (1981) identify five, while Czinkota (1982) identifies six. Johanson and Wiedersheim-Paul (1975), Johanson and Vahlne (1977) Stage 1: No regular export activities; Stage 2: Export via agents; Stage 3: Establishment of a sales subsidiary; Stage 4: Production or manufacturing in a foreign market. Bilkey and Tesar (1977) Stage 1: Management not interested in exporting; Stage 2: Management willing to fill unsolicited orders but not effort made to explore feasibility of actively exporting; Stage 3: Management actively explores feasibility of active exporting; Stage 4: Firm exports experimentally to psychologically close county; Stage 5: Firm is now an experienced exporter; Stage 6: Management explore feasibility of exporting to psychologically distant countries. Cavusgil (1980) Stage 1: Firm sells only in domestic market; Stage 2: Pre-export phase, the firm searches for information and evaluates feasibility of starting to export; Stage: Experimental involvement, firm begins exporting to psychologically close country; Stage 4: Active involvement, exporting to more new countries, direct exporting and increase in sales volume. Czinkota (1982) Stage 1: The completely uninterested firm; Stage 2: The partially interested firm; Stage 3: The exploring firm; Stage 4: The experimental firm; Stage 5: The experienced small exporter; Stage 6: The experienced large exporter. Reid (1981) Stage 1: Export awareness, problem of opportunity recognition and arousal of need; Stage 2: Export intention, motivation, attitude, beliefs and exporting about exporting; Stage 3: Export trial, personal experience from limited exporting; Stage 4: Export evaluation, results from engaging in exporting; Stage 5: Export acceptance, adoption of exporting or rejection of exporting. 4. DRIVERS AND BARRIERS TO INTERNATIONALIZATION Drivers of Internationalization There must be some motivations behind the decision to go international. Leonidou, Katsikeas and Percy (1998) determine that organizations are typically willing to market themselves for four reasons. First, it may be due to slow growth in the domestic economy as evidenced by a reduction in the number of the home market opportunities. Consequently, an organization will look for other opportunities by entering new international markets (Chandra, Styles and Wilkinson, 2009). Second, there may be a trade deficit followed by currency devaluation and a number of export restrictions. Third, the world trading system may become more liberalized leading to a minimization of international market entry barriers. Forth, it might be more intensive global competition in the global business environment. All these trends have developed the dynamic of exports. The creation of exports is not only due to the self-initiative of a company, but also by the government. This is also confirmed by Gripsrud (1990) who suggests that the government of a country may believe their firms to think globally by expanding their service areas to foreign markets, due to the expectation of an increasing volume of exports from the country. Thus, it will help the economy of that country. Furthermore, OECD (2009) also analyzed motivations for small and medium-sized internationalization including growth motives, knowledge-related motives, network or stoical ties and domestic or regional market factors. 4.1.1 Growth Motives Growth opportunities associated with international markets were identified as a key driver of firm internationalization in several recent studies (Orser et al., 2008), (Rundh, 2007), (Barnes et al., 2006), (Reynolds, 2007). The possibility of growth in other markets and increased profit opportunities from international expansion were highlighted as key stimuli for exporting. Firms overseas venturing decision also seems to be motivated by a need for business growth, profits, an increased market size, a stronger market position, and to reduce dependence on a single or small number of markets. The growth motive is very closely linked to maximizing returns and minimizing costs in purchasing, production and sales. 4.1.2 Knowledge-related Motives Garvey and Brennan (2006) suggest that knowledge assets both push and pull SMEs into international markets. The push dimension pertains to the importance of managers previous international experience and related management capacity factors. There are also related findings on the internationalization triggering effects of knowledge aspects, including RD investment, innovation capabilities, unique product or technology, and language skills; and firm resource base, as indicated by such proxies as size, age, and experience. 4.1.3 Network or Social Ties and Supply Chain Links Camara and Simoes (2008) have highlighted the importance of network/social ties and supply chain links in triggering SMEs first internationalization step and extending internationalization processes. The research studies particularly reported the stimulating effect on export activity of firms soft assets, including social and network capital, some of which may have accrued through managers immigrant background and associated links. 4.1.4 Domestic or Regional Market Drivers There is also support from recent relevant research (Lopez, 2007), (Staoian, 2006) on the push effects of firms limited or stagnating domestic market on internationalization behavior. The enterprise differed significantly in their export tendency, with export propensity increasing in regions with less favorable domestic conditions, local incentives to export and good export infrastructure. Recent evidence from Chile and Indonesia further suggest a greater tendency to export among firms from sectors characterized by high levels of export intensity and presence of foreign buyers. The Indonesian finding on the importance of foreign buyers presence is significant as it reinforces the earlier observed need to boost SMEs role in global value chains through facilitating their integration into production or supply systems of foreign affiliates of larger firms (OECD, 2008). Cavusgil and Nevin (1981) also classify the internal determinants of export behavior in four categories, which are differential firm advantages, strength of managerial aspirations for various business goals, management expectations about the effects of exporting on business goals, and level of organizational commitment to export marketing. Firstly, differential firm advantages are derived from the nature of the firms products, markets, technological orientation, and resources. These factors are important in preparing the firm and in motivating its management, but not sufficient to initiate export. Secondly, the strength of managerial aspirations for various business goals, such as growth profits, and market development are a second set of drivers. The importance that managers attach to internationalization is believed to be a direct determinant of a firms export behavior. Thirdly, management expectations about the effects of exporting on business goals reflect the managers knowledge and perceptions of possible risks and profitability of export. These expectations are also influenced by external factors, such as unsolicited orders from foreign buyers and fluctuations in exchange rates. Lastly, the level of organizational commitment to export marketing indicates the willingness to devote adequate resources to export-related activities. As reporting involves many new tasks and requires commitment of financial and managerial resources, this is a critical factor for an effective internationalization strategy. 4.2. Barriers to Internationalization In order to identify the term internationalization with the main focus of the thesis, Coviello and McAuley (1999) stated that not only large organizations, but also small and medium sized organizations, can become global. In addition, they also state that the international expansion of an SME is certainly useful when it comes to contributing to the economic growth and prosperity of a country. However, one thing that should be remembered is that not every SME is ready to expand into international markets. Despite the fact that they have small or medium sized organizations, there must be some factors and limitations in terms of finding global market opportunities. There have been a number of studies which have focused on the barriers to internationalization (Leonidou, 1995; Campbell 1994; Katsikeas and Morgan, 1994, Morgan 1997). The barriers to internationalization can be categorized into five broad areas: financial, managerial, market based (including both the domestic and international markets), industry specific and firm specific. It is widely acknowledged that barriers to internationalization can exist at any stage in the internationalization process (Morgan, 1997). Furthermore, the perception of the barrier

In An Oldsters Mind :: essays research papers

In An Oldster's Mind Crowd and noise always interrupt my mind in the TV room. I desire someone to take me back to my private room. I want to be alone and think about my personal things. I appreciate that a nurse helping me to go back my room. Along the hallway, I look straight forward and do nothing like a plant. What factor causes the plant to move? I turn my head as if I have seen my friend, a close friend passing my wheelchair. What I see at the back actually is a nurse who is frightened by my active and rare movement. When I look back again, the nurse has a already fallen onto the floor. Screaming and nervousness spread out all over the floor. Bang! The door close behind me. Staring at the mirror, I used to count the number of wrinkles on my forehead. They remind me the number of inerasable past events that I had involved in. Rapidly, I climb on the bed. Bed is my lovely place. I call it, the gymnasium. I used to roll on my bed. Whenever my mind cannot function or do not know what should do next, I would roll, roll and roll. This time is unusual because my head is crashing the fence of the bed. It is not much painful. The crash stops me rolling but starts me getting recall of my friend, Angus. At a time, my brain is working like a computer loading an enormous file. A picture is appearing - a guy is walking towards me and gives me his saber. The saber is sharp and shiny, it reflects an intensive light to my eyes. My eyes shutter reluctantly. I see my school, my night school. I am glad that this recall is not being erased. I remember that Angus sat beside me. "Do your best. You are new to this subject. Everything here is brand new to you. Don't worry. Just try your best." Angus held up his head by his hand and murmured. His eyes were staring on the page of a novel, but I knew he was talking to me. In my class Angus was the only one who retook the course. Everyday I attended the course because I would get the mark of attendance. The teacher's voice was gradually fading out until no words I could hear. Everyday the whole course started and finished like that. At home I used to turn on the radio. Loneliness was my hatred. The louder the radio, the more it comforted me.

Organization Essay -- essays papers

Organization First impressions are crucial. If a classroom is organized and appropriately arranged, then it is apparent that the teacher possesses good management skills. A variety of things must be considered when arranging the classroom. It â€Å"must contain interesting materials appropriate to a child’s stage of intellectual development† and not appear thrown together (Streng, 1978). All fire exits, doorways, and main walkways must be kept open and free of clutter while built in cupboards, drawers, closets, etc must be easily accessible as well. The desk arrangement, perhaps the most important element, requires several considerations. Placing the students desks in groups promotes peer tutoring and collaborative activities. However, they may tend to be more talkative and less focused. Individual seating is effective in keeping students focused and on task, but group work is often difficult and requiring time to move desks. Also, when students are separated from each other they are more dependent on the teacher for understanding since their peers are not as easily accessible. Often pairing students is a good method that promotes peer tutoring and some teamwork but has a better chance of students remaining focused and successful (Glover, 1994). Learning and teaching styles need to be considered, as well as how the classroom should be run, before arranging desks. The teacher’s desk should be strategically placed so all students can be seen and any important areas such as a black board are not blocked. Organized teachers will their desk neat and free of clutter. If the desk is cluttered time is being wasted trying to find important papers and information. Be selective about what goes on the desk so that there isn’t u... .... Providing structure, preventing problems. Retrieved September 24, 2001 from http://warthog.cc.wm.edu/TTAC/articles/challenging/problems.htm. This is an article from the College of William and Mary Website that provides ideas and examples of how to maintain order and structure in your classroom. Steele, K. Tips for organizing your desk. Retrieved November 8, 2001 from http://www.angelfire.com/ks/teachme/4yourdesk.html#Be%20Selective. A website that has four helpful tips to keeping your desk organized and clean. Thompson, M.W. (1994, December 10). Controlling the Classroom's Chaos; Rookie Instructors Often Find Discipline Is Their Toughest Lesson. The Washington Post, p. A1. An article from a series by The Washington Post about first year teachers and how they handle certain situations. This one focuses on discipline and how to handle bad kids.

Bouncers is regarded as Godbers finest work. :: English Literature

Bouncers is regarded as Godbers finest work. As a political play, we see Bouncers as being successful in being published during the time drinking was a British culture., where it was done so much. Obviously, like nowadays, the government wanted to show that was a big problem. Godbers comedy in the play shows a much more funny side to the subject whilst also showing the typical ways of what the young people during that time did. He shows the funny side of the way in which young people act whilst also showing a more serious subject in suggesting that drink is changing the nation. We see it in all of the characters. For example, the lads were talking amongst themselves very nicely before they go, however, once they leave, a fight breaks out in the club when they have had a little too much to drink. This is typical of the time and many people were actually getting killed because of serious over drinking or getting run over etc. Not enough was being done by the government at the time to somehow stop what was a huge problem in Britain. At the time, people were being influenced by the music of the day such as the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. Those bands were really considered as the turning point in the British way of thinking and many blamed them for how Britain has changed in the last 50 years. The time at which Godber wrote the play makes me think even more into this idea of Godber wanting to underline the drinking culture of Britain. After all, it was not just drinking that he wanted to make people understand. There are many other subjects that branch off from being drunk like hooliganism in football, which was as serious for Godber back then as it is for us today. Teenage pregnancies are another one. When drinking is linked with subjects such as this, it makes the subject even more important and interesting. My Personal Response to the task This play...I feel would be more acceptable for people in year 10 and above. As it does have mild swearing and actions that should be censored to 13 years and below. It might not appeal to them either as it contrasts the English way of life when you are in your adult hood. The things older people would find amusing would probably be confusing for a younger audience, so it would actually appeal to 14 years and above as there would be more of an understanding. Parents may not even agree to their children viewing this play, and it would probably be

Case Brief Santa Fe Independent Essay

Facts: In Santa Fe, Texas, students were elected by their classmates to give pre-game prayers at high school football games over the loud speaker that were mainly Christian. A Catholic and a Mormon family felt this was a violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of the Constitution. The school district has always done pre-game invocations before each game however while the case was pending the school district changed their policy, still permitting student led prayer but not requiring them as they were before. The District Court ordered that only nonsectarian and nonproselytizing prayers could be given. When the case went to The Court of Appeals, they found that the policy was still invalid. The district filed a writ of certioran claiming the new policy was not a violation of the Establishment Clauses because they could be considered a private student speech because they were no longer required at all home games and they were not a public speech. Issue: Does a prayer delivered by a student over a loud speaker violate the Establishment Clause? Holding: In a 6-3 decision, the Court ruled that the prayers given by students over the loud speaker doe violate the Establishment Clause Reasoning: The Court reasoned with the facts that a prayers given at the football field or any sporting event were not private speeches that were authorized by government policy on government grounds during school events that are funded by the government. As the student is giving the prayer there is no open forum as would be the case during public speeches. Without this in place, prayers before sporting events are not considered to be public speeches but are considered to be sponsored by the school. The new policy the school had to elect students to be the spokespersons to deliver the prayers was also criticized, leading the justices to believe the school was still controlling the process.

Philippine Revolution and Jose Rizal Essay

Paciano without a doubt was a great hero. He was just kinda outshined by his younger brother, jose. I’d say our national hero’s patriotism was highly influenced by him, he was an idol kuya in the eyes of Jose Rizal. Father Jose Burgos was a close friend of Paciano (whose death, together w/ Zamora and Gomez’s, according to rizal himself, had â€Å"opened his eyes† re the sad plight of our country back then), so we can clearly visualize the imprint of Paciano on Rizal’s nationalism. He (paciano) was the one who financed Rizal’s education in europe. We wouldnt have the great Jose Rizal if it hadnt been for the unsung heroism of Paciano.   Paciano joined and actively supported Propaganda Movement for social reforms, and supported the Movement’s newspaper, Diariong Tagalog. An avid supporter of the movement, he did tasks such as collecting funds to finance the said organization, and solicited money for the nationalist paper. As a Katipunero, he influenced people in Laguna with the revolutionary ideals. Despite the tortures he had in the hands of the Spaniards, he refused to implicate his younger brother who was kept in tight security in Fort Santiago. In January 1897, after his younger brother’s execution, Paciano joined General Emilio Aguinaldo inCavite. He was appointed brigadier general of the revolutionary forces, and was elected Secretary of Finance in the Departmental Government of Central Luzon.[1] During the Philippine-American War (1899–1913), he commanded the Filipino forces in Laguna. U.S. troops captured him in Laguna on 1900.[1] He was released soon after, and he settled in the town of Los Banos, Laguna. Not many Filipinos are aware that Paciano Rizal, the older and only brother of Josà © Rizal, was an active and passionate member of the Katipunan. As a katipunero, Paciano was no less heroic than his very famous brother. So little is known of Paciano. Yet, he is one of the unsung heroes of the Katipunan. Paciano was Rizal’s model for Pilosopong Tasio, one of the important and very interesting characters in his novel Noli me tangere. In his letter to Blumentritt dated 23 June 1888, Rizal wrote †I don’t know why I forgot to introduce you to my brother. You who wish to know good men will find in him the most noble of the Filipinos. My friend Taviel de Andrade said that he was the only man in the Philippines – the young Philosopher Tasio. When I think of him, though an Indio, more generous and noble than all the present-day Spaniards put together.† As the the elder son, Paciano helped the family in managing their farm and was like a. Not only did he help finance Rizal’s education in Europe, he did his best to save money to have his brother’s two novels printed, collected financial contributions for the Propaganda Movement, and solicited subscription for the Diariong Tagalog, a nationalist newspaper. He also supported the Katipunan by propagating its ideals in Laguna. When Josà © was jailed in Fort Santiago in 1896, Paciano was also arrested and tortured to force him to give testimony that would prove his brother guilty of sedition. After Rizal’s execution at Bagumbayan, Paciano went to Imus, Cavite to offer his services to Emilio Aguinaldo. He become the military commander of the revolutionary forces in Laguna and continued. He continued fighting as a katipunero in the Filipino-American War. In an interview for an article featured in the Philippine Centennial in the Francisco Rizal Lopez, one of Paciano’s grandsons, told of his grandfather’s days a a revolucionario. Lopez said that Paciano nearly died of the torture. â€Å"His whole body was swollen and bloody because of the torture he received. The authorities brought him to my grandmother Narcissa because they thought he was going to die. After a week, he recovered. But he was actually at death’s door.† â€Å"My aunt told us a story about my Lolo Paciano whe n he was a revolucionario. She told us that everyday, my Lolo and the other revolucionarios would count the money they had collected. One day, my aunt was so tired and her hands were malansa so she asked my grandfather, ‘Puede po bang makakuha ng cinco centimo diyan para makabili ng sabon dahil malagkit po at malansa ang kamay namin?’ (Could we get five cents to buy soap because our hands are sticky and putrid?) My Lolo got very angry and he said, ‘Huag ninyong galawin ang perang ‘yan!’ (Don’t ever touch that money. That’s for the revolution!)† Sometime in 1900, Paciano was captured by the Americans and ordered to swear allegiance to the American flag. According to his grandson, Paciano said, â€Å"I cannot swear to any other flag because my allegiance belongs to the Filipino flag. But I can assure you, since we have lost and I have surrendered, I am going to leave you in peace.† After the revolution, it was almost impossible for the Rizals to live in Calamba. They have been stripped of everything they owned and they felt persecuted, so they chose to live in Los Baà ±os, the town next to Calamba. Paciano Rizal’s home stands near the Los Baà ±os municipal hall, beside the fire station. There he lived the rest of his life until he died of tuberculosis on April 30, 1930. Francisco Lopez described Paciano’s physical appearance and character, â€Å"My Lolo was a very humble, a very simple man. He never talked to us about his sacrifices in the Revolution. We did not even know up to the time of his death that he was a general in Aguinaldo’s army.† Paciano was a very thrifty man but not with his nephews to whom he always gave money to buy â€Å"tsampoy†. Of the two known pictures of Paciano, one was taken by one of Mr. Lopez’s uncle and the other was a picture of him as lay in his coffin. Paciano had a daughter, Emiliana who is Francisco Lopez’ mother, but he was never married because he could not marry under the Dominican priest. Emiliana, married her first cousin, Antonio Lopez. He was Narcissa Rizal’s son. Paciano lived a peaceful life during the American occupation. and kept his promise that he would leave the Americans in peace. He must have intensely disliked the Americans from an anecdote that Lopez told: † There was a certain Governor-General Leonard Wood and my grandfather did not like him. He had a dog and he named the dog Wood. So every time he felt like cursing the Americans, he would curse the dog† Paciano Rizal was buried in Cementerio del Norte in Manila but his bones were transferred to his home in Los Baà ±os in 1985. were he was given complete military honors. Paciano Rizal, Josà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s kuya, or older brother by a decade and protà ©gà © of Fr. Burgos, had witnessed the garroting of the three curates and been, along with his generation, radicalized by it. His retelling to the sensitive eleven-year-old in Calamba in turn left an indelible impression on the young man, about to leave for Intramuros to study at the Ateneo. Later on Rizal said of the martyrdom, â€Å"Without 1872 there would be now neither Plaridel nor Jaena nor Sancianco, nor the valiant and generous Filipino expatriates in Europe. Without 1872, Rizal would have been a Jesuit and instead of writing the Noli Me Tangere would have instead written something entirely different.† Rizal dedicated his second novel El Filibusterismo (really a continuation of the Noli) to the memory of the three martyrs. Last year saw the commemoration cum celebration of the younger Rizal’s 150th birth anniversary, but not much has been said (at least, not much that I am aware of) about Paciano’s invaluable role in shaping the path his younger brother took, always there to lend a hand, a quiet, rock-solid presence Pepe could rely on. Paciano arranged, along with an uncle, for Pepe to embark for Europe in 1882, whose heady Enlightenment zeitgeist further sharpened Rizal’s critique of Spanish colonial rule. For at least five years Paciano sent him a monthly stipend, and once the Propaganda Movement had gotten off the ground helped raise funds for it. In 1896 he was imprisoned and tortured, to force him to implicate Josà © in the revolution that had begun that August but the stouthearted Paciano would not break. He was released and once Josà © was executed, Paciano volunteered for Aguinaldo’s army, and was made a general, his field of operations being Central Luzon. The revolution against the Spanish metamorphosing into the 1899 war against the U.S., General Rizal continued to fight, but was captured in 1900. Thereafter, despite offers of a government position as well as entreaties from prominent Laguna politicians to run for public office, Paciano, already married, chose the quiet life of a gentleman farmer, and died in 1930 at his home in Los Baà ±os, not far from Calamba, at the age of 79. Paciano’s love for and devotion to his younger brother meant a life behind the scenes, dramatic certainly in many instances but rarely in the limelight, never in the scene-stealing manner of Josà ©. Kuya Paciano’s life made the latter’s transformation into the icon every Filipino knows possible. He would have distanced himself from the label but in my book Paciano Mercado Rizal y Alonso is every bit the hero. Paciano Rizal, whose contribution to the Philippine revolution has been overshadowed by the greatness of his younger brother, Jose Rizal. When Jose Rizal decided to leave the Philippines for advance studies, Paciano, without the knowledge of their parents, asked Antonio Rivera, an uncle, to help in facilitating the travel of Jose Rizal abroad. Paciano himself engaged in the propaganda movement. When Marcelo H. del Pilar founded the Diariong Tagalog, a nationalist vernacular paper, in 1882, Paciano eagerly assisted those behind the paper. He helped the paper by soliciting subscription in his province (Laguna) and in the neighbouring towns of Batangas. During this time Paciano kept Jose Rizal informed about events happening in the country. Aside from attending to the needs of the Rizal family, Paciano regualarly corresponded with Jose in Europe regarding such local problems as land troubles, crop failure, increased land rentals, the decrease in the price of sugar and even the worsening agrarian disputes in Calamba. Paciano’s land dispute with the friars resulted in his exile to Mindoro for one year in 1890. During Jose Rizal’s away abroad, Paciano met and fell in love with Severina Decena, a beautiful lass from Los BaÅ„os, Laguna. They had two children–a boy, who died during infancy, and a girl they named Emiliana. When Jose Rizal was arrested in 1896 Paciano was also arrested and detained. This was to insure the incrimination of Jose Rizal. The older Rizal was tortured and asked to sign a statement linking his younger brother to the Katipunan and to the Philippine Revolution, which had broken out in August of that year. After three days of fruitless interrogation Paciano was released. Before the end of 1896 the Philippine Revolution spread like wildfire to the province south of Manila. Laguna joined the fight for liberty. The emergence of Paciano Rizal as a revolutionary leader was something that could not but draw attention. The Spanish forces gained momentum in the pursuit of the revolutionists, for which reason General Paciano followed General Aguinaldo to Bulacan. The general and his men transferred their camp to Biyak-na-Bato. In December of 1897 the famous truce of Biyak-na-Bato was signed, ending the 1896 Philippine Revolution. In pursuance to the provisions of the agreement, General Aguinaldo and several ranking officers of the revolution surrendered their arms and exiled themselves to Hong Kong. The revolutionary leader left in the country were instructed to comply with the other provisions of the treaty, like the surrender of arms and ammunitions. In this connection General Aquinaldo’s generals were sent to various provinces to arrange for the surrender of the remaining revolutionists who were now scattered. General Artemio Ricarte was sent to Cavite, Gen. Jose Natrividad to Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and Pampanga, General Miguel Malvar to Batangas, and Gen. Paciano Rizal to Laguna. Complying with orders, General Paciano Rizal, on 14-15 January 1898, surrendered the following to Spain’s General Ricardo Monet for the province of Laguna: 1 Mauser, 3 Remingtons, 46 muskets, 42 blunderbuss, 3 lantakas, 21 saber and 26 bolos. The truce failed, however, resulting in General Aguinaldo’s return to the Philippines. The United States and Spain declared war on each other. Flipinos who had returned to their place under the Spanish government and those who had settled down in their farms activated their fight against the Spanish government and became part of the forces of General Aquinaldo. Among the revolutionary generals who responded was General Paciano Rizal. He again led the fighting in Laguna as the military commander of the area.   Battles were fought openly in Spanish-held towns. In the fastness of Laguna, General Paciano Rizal actively led the onslaught against the Spanish troops.On 31 August, two weeks after the surrender of Manila to the Americans, the Spanish civil official of Laguna Province and a group of Spanish soldiers surrendered to General Paciano Rizal in Santa Cruz, the provincial capital.   On 12 June 1898, the revolutionary leaders proclainmed to the whole world the birth of the Philippine Republic, the first republic in Asia.   The following year the Filipino- American War broke out. Well-trained and well-armed American soldiers prevailed over the ill-quipped Filipino revolutionists. The fight was one-sided.   The loss of many battles was attributed to the revolutionists’ life of hunger and sickness. General Paciano Rizal was affli cted with malaria and he had become weak, he was captured in Laguna by the Americans. The year was 1900. After the war Paciano led a passive private life and retired to his farm in Los BaÅ„os, Laguna. He passed away on 13 April 1930, at the age of 79.   Pedro Patero’s account of his negotiations peace between Spain and the Filipinos revolutionaries, â€Å"El Pacto de Biak na Bato† , Paciano relates: â€Å"What do you want? That we make peace with Spain? That we be the bearer and acceptor of peace, when they have shot my brother, Pepe, banished my parents and relatives, falsely accused us to the last of my family, confiscating our lands and hurling a thousand horrors on our faces? Ah, Don Pedro, dig a deep well. Fill it from the top to bottom with all the bolos and lances that you wish. Then, command me to throw myself into it and I Paciano Rizal, will do just that, but do not ask me for peace because that, Don Pedro, is impossible- absurd!† Paciano exploits reveal getting the Spaniards to surrender in Calamba, by using firecrackers to show the Filipinos were heavily armed. After 3 days the Spaniards surrendered. In his letter to the PIR seen at the National Library Paciano requested for the status of the Americans if they were allies or enemies. Their suspicious actuation in the area proved right, August 13, 1898, Filipinos was tricked by the Americans, they fought another battle. 1900, weakened by malaria, Paciano was captured by the Americans and is said to have refused to swear allegiance to the flag of the USA. While Apolinario Mabini the paralytic was exiled to Guam because he refused allegiance to America. May unanswered questions left, but nothing is definite as of now, except that Paciano Rizal proves like other heroes of the Revolution of 1896 and 1898, should be rescued from obscurity and given the rightful place in our history Characteristics Of A Hero Courage For a hero, courage is as important as a shell is to a tortoise. Without courage, a hero is just as vulnerable as any other man walking down the street. Courage here stands to signify that firmness of the spirit and ‘mettle’ of the soul to stare at danger and trouble right in the eye. Courage here stands to signify the valor it takes to overcome adversities and adversaries. It’s like a soldier rushing into battle knowing well that death awaits him. In all reality, this is what courage is all about! Sacrifice A hero does not become a hero by simply beating up a thousand goons and riding into the sunset victoriously with his lady love. If this was all it took to become a hero, every other Romeo beating up rivals and stealing away his love in the still of the night can be branded a hero. It really is more than that! Sacrifice is what helps a mere mortal make that journey from a mediocre life to one filled with greatness. Sacrifice, by definition, can be described as the giving up of something highly valued for a purpose of greater importance. Thus, in order to achieve greatness and the status of a hero, it is extremely essential for an individual to sacrifice. Determination A hero cannot be considered one, if he possesses a will as bendable as a tube of rubber. A hero truly becomes just that when he exercises his will or determination to come out on top at any cost. Determination can be best described as a hero’s resolve or firmness of purpose to achieve what his heart desires most. It’s all about staying focused and not resting until the task on hand is executed. In life it may not be easy to achieve any given thing, but it is with determination that a man can ultimately achieve what he desires most and turn himself into a champion. Conviction Conviction here does not refer to a person’s skill at convincing another, but it rather refers to a person’s firm belief in any particular thing. It can refer to an unshakeable way of looking at life and all its variables. In a way, the convictions that a man holds can go a long way in determining if he has what it takes to become a hero. In fact, no man can truly become a hero, if he does not possess conviction that is impenetrable as well as unbending. Dedication Do you think that a person can make a man out of himself without being dedicated to any particular thing in life? Obviously not! This is because in life in order to enjoy a permanent taste of success it is extremely important to exercise dedication. If you desire to master an instrument, you have got to be dedicated to master it and shouldn’t really rest until you do. True dedication shouldn’t be forced; it in fact is the direct result of true desire. It is this dedication that can help distinguish a man as a hero.

Did the Crusades Advance the Cause of Christ?

The reasoning behind the creation of the Crusades has always been thought of as to take back Jerusalem, the Holy Land, from Muslim hands through the use of military force. To which it tried to do so in numerous military campaigns that resulted in both success and defeats. What must be wondered is did the Crusades through military force really advance the cause of Christ or was it simply misguided slaughter? Historical accounts have stated that when the Crusaders laid siege to cities within the region of Jerusalem and even to Jerusalem itself it was common practice to ransack the city and slay all the inhabitants therein.Roger Bacon, an English Philosopher and a Franciscan monk, criticized the Crusades stating that the survivors of the ransacked cities were more embittered against the Christian faith than they were for it. This is technically true since the indiscriminate killing of people and the ransacking of cities as practiced by the Crusaders at the time wouldn't exactly hold the m in high esteem with the local populace . Another aspect of the crusades that must noted was that those who participated in it were granted plenary indulgences by the pope.Indulgences can be described as exemptions from sin that allowed a person who participated in the Crusades to be exempt from the sins they committed in life upon death. It is this particular aspect of the crusades that actually lead to even greater atrocities since individuals were under the assumption that any act they committed would be forgiven. What this paper will seek to do is examine the reasons behind the Crusades, the instances where it deviated from the doctrine of Christ and to answer the question of whether or not it truly advanced the cause of Christ.Political Reasons Though the reason for the Crusades was supposedly to retake the Holy Land the original for the start of the Crusades can actually be traced to 2 factors. The first would be the direct request of the Byzantine emperor Alexio the first to Pope Urban the 2 for help in repealing the encroaching Muslims who were invading his territory at the time . The second would be the fact that Catholic missionaries and pilgrims who went to Jerusalem in order to pray and pay their respects were regularly killed by the Muslims at the time.This resulted in the pope justifying the potential violence of the Crusades with the need to protect the pilgrims making a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The resulting propaganda advertising the need to take back the Holy Land from the Muslims started a religious fervor that resulted in many joining the Crusade. While it must be noted that the reasons were justifiable with the need to protect the pilgrims on their journey the resulting massacres of innocent people that came as a result of the Crusades could have been avoided if the invading army actually took the lessons of Christ to heart instead of devolving in mindless savagery.Massacre of the Jews and Arabs An unfortunate consequence of the Crusades was the indiscriminate massacre of civilians whenever a city was captured. Jews and Muslims alike were killed along with their children which resulted in literal rivers of blood flowing on the streets of the city. Such actions were justified under the pretext of waging a Holy War against the Muslims. The teachings of Christ emphasized the need for tolerance regarding your fellow man. In this regard the Crusaders actually fail since instead of tolerance they instilled the fear of death and instead of helping their fellow man they killed him.The end result of such actions was that those who lost loves ones. , friends, family or close acquaintances were more embittered against Christianity than they were for it. The result was those affected by the slaughter chose to fight against Christianity in revenge for the atrocities that were committed against their friends and family in the name of Holy War . Today the actions of the Crusaders would not constitute a Holy War rather it could be considered the systematic genocide of Muslims and Jews in a region in order to instill their own doctrines instead cooperating and coexisting.Up till today the region is still rife with anti catholic sentiment and this goes to show that the actions of the crusaders at the time were a far cry from the teachings that they supposedly were suppose to adhere to. Granting of Indulgences It was during the Crusades that the granting of plenary indulgences became a customer in order to recruit more soldiers to the cause. The idea behind it was that if a person went on a Crusade and died all his sins in life would be forgiven.This practice can be compared to the creation of St. Peter's Basilica where in order to raise funds to build it plenary indulgences were sold to the general public in the form of written letters stating the indulgences that they were exempt to. The reason why this is comparable to that is due to the fact that as a result of the granting of these indulgences soldiers in a Crusade were more likely to heinous acts such as the brutal murder of an entire family and justify to himself that he would be exempt from the sin.It was through the indulgences that violent measures involved during the Crusades actually escalated since more and more brutal acts were justified under the holiness of their cause and that they would be exempt from the sin . In the teachings of Christ it doesn't state that sin can be exempted via large forms of money nor does it make sense that a person can be cleansed from the sin of murder when that person doesn't regret it at all under the false belief that what they do is justified under some cause greater than themselves. Military conquestThe end result of the first Crusade was both the conquest of Jerusalem as well as several of the outlying regions close to it. The Crusades that came after also conquered numerous territories at the expense of more blood and civilian lives. The end result was instead of spreading the word of Chri st the Crusaders wound up conquering and pillaging numerous territories while supposedly under a â€Å"Holy† cause . The original purpose of the Crusades was to capture Jerusalem and prepare safe passage for pilgrims but what happened was the mindless ransacking of cities and the conquering of territories.In the Hollywood film â€Å"Kingdom of Heaven† we see can see that some Crusaders did not join the war for the sake of a religious cause rather it was due to the fact that to the victor goes the spoils. The numerous territories that were captured as shown in the film were given to the Crusaders as their own territories. This created a culture wherein people believed that they could make new fortunes for themselves if they fought in the crusades.The film wasn't a far depiction from reality with numerous territories in the region put under the control of high ranking crusaders and their numerous allies. Conclusion Based on the fact that as a result of the Crusades numer ous innocent people were slaughtered, that soldiers indiscriminately butchered people under the belief that what they were doing would be forgiven immediately, that in the end people joined the Crusades not for any sort of religious vindication but for the chance to make new fortunes.It can be said the Crusades did not advance the cause of Christ at all due to the fact that the more the Crusades came the more innocent people they killed and the more embittered the people in the region became towards Christianity. The Crusades actually set back the cause of Christ from being willfully accepted by the people. Instead of creating converts what the Crusades did was create more enemies instead.