Comprehensive assignment Essay

1. (5 pts) Describe the metabolic process providing your energy while you were walking (at an easy pace) before the bee stung you. Include which molecules are being consumed. The metabolic process providing my energy while I was walking at an easy pace is aerobic metabolism. During aerobic metabolism, mitochondria absorb from the surrounding cytoplasm these molecules: ADP, phosphate ions, O2, and organic substances like pyruvate. These molecules go through the citric acid cycle. The electron transport chain is also involved to create ATP. For each molecule of pyruvate that goes into the citric acid cycle, the cell gains 17 ATP molecules. Glycogen reserves can also be used and converted to glucose. Glycolysis breaks down glucose molecules to create more pyruvate. However, if not enough glycogen is available, the cell can also use amino acids and lipids to do this. This is a very efficient process but also only contributes a fraction of the ATP during aerobic metabolism. At moderate levels of activity, most of the energy during aerobic metabolism comes from work done by the mitochondria. The muscles involved during this process need all of the energy produc ed as ATP, and there is no extra left over in this particular metabolic process if muscle activity increases (â€Å"Muscle Tissue† P. 306-7). 2. (8 pts) Trace the sound of the bee from your outer ear to perception. (Include all focusing, conduction, transduction, transmission and perception processes and structures). Sound vibrations from the buzzing bee vibrate the air molecules as pressure waves around my ear and enter the auricle which is cone-shaped in order to direct these sound waves into the ear via the external acoustic meatus. The sound waves reach the tympanic membrane through the external acoustic meatus and cause it to vibrate. When the tympanic membrane moves, it causes the auditory ossicles to move. The auditory ossicles are made up of the malleus, incus, and stapes. These ossicles are important because they amplify the sound. The stapes then transfers this movement to the oval window and the pressure waves move through the perilymph of the scala vestibuli. These waves then disturb the basilar membrane as they move toward the round window  of the scala tympani. This causes vibrations of hair cells against the tectorial membrane. The information about where the sound originated and about how strong the pressure waves are is interpreted by the central nervous system over the cochlea r branch of cranial nerve VIII (â€Å"The Special Senses† P. 584-5). 3. (4 pts) Turn your head to the right. (Create a table that describes which muscles move which bones across which joints under the control of which nerves). Action:Muscle:Origin:Insertion:Nerve: Bends head towards shoulder and turns face to opposite sideSternocleidomastoidClavicular head attaches to sternal end of clavicle; sternal head attaches to manubrium. Mastoid region of skull and lateral portion of superior nuchal lineAccessory Nerve XI; Cervical Spinal Nerves (C2-C3) Rotates and laterally flexes neck to that side, Splenius (Splenius capitis, splenius cervicis)Spinous processes and ligaments connecting inferior cervical and superior thoracic vertebrae, Mastoid process, occipital bone of skull, and superior cervical vertebrae, Cervical Spinal Nerves Rotates and laterally flexes neck to that sideLongissimus capitis Transverse process of inferior cervical and superior thoracic vertebrae, Mastoid process of temporal boneCervical and thoracic spinal nerves Rotates and laterally flexes neck to that sideLongissimus cervicis, Transverse process of superior thoracic vertebrae. Transverse processes of middle and superior cervical vertebrae. Cervical and thoracic spinal nerves. Extends vertebral column and rotates toward opposite side. Semispinalis cervicis. Transverse processes of T1-T5 or T6 Spinous processes of C2-C5Cervical spinal nerves Rotates head to that sideLongus capitis. Transverse processes of cervical vertebraeBase of the occipital boneCervical spinal nerves. Flexes or rotates neckLongus colliAnterior surfaces of cervical and superior thoracic vertebraeTransverse processes of superior cervical vertebraeCervical spinal nerves (â€Å"The Muscular System† P. 339-341) 4. (6 pts) Move your eyes and look at the bee. (Create a table that describes  which nerves control which muscles to cause the needed eye movements). Action:Muscle:Origin:Insertion:Nerve: Eye looks down. Inferior RectusSphenoid around optic canal. Inferior, medial surface of eyeball. Oculomotor Nerve III Eye looks laterally. Lateral Rectus. Sphenoid around optic canalLateral surface of eyeball. Abducens Nerve VI Eye rolls, looks down and laterally. Superior ObliqueSphenoid around optic canal. Superior, lateral surface of eyeball. Trochlear Nerve IV (â€Å"The Muscular System† P. 335) 5. (8 pts) Trace the image of the bee to perception. (Include all focusing, transduction, transmission and perception processes and structures). After a retinal molecule absorbs light, the normally 11-cis form of the bound retinal molecule straightens to become the 11-trans from. This change activated the opsin molecule. Opsin activates transducin which is a G protein. This G protein then activates phosphodiesterase. Phosphodiesterase is an enzyme that breaks down cyclic-GMP. The break-down of cyclic-GMP removes them from the gated sodium channels and makes the gated sodium channels inactive. Because of this, sodium ion entry into the cytoplasm decreases. This sodium ion reduction then reduces the dark current. Active transport continues to remove sodium ions from the cytoplasm even though the gated sodium channels are closed. This causes the transmembrane potential to drop down to -70 mV and hyperpolarize. This hyperpolarization decreases neurotransmitter release. The adjacent cell is then aware that the photoreceptor has absorbed a photon. A specific ganglion cell keeps track of a specific portion of the visual field. Rods are also called M cells and give the brain information about a general location of received photons and light rather than very specific information. Cones are also called P cells and can be much more specific than rods. The P cells are smaller and more numerous than M cells. This helps them be better at giving information about edges, fine detail and color. The activation of a P cell gives information about a very specific location. The P cells give high resolution information. Axons from the ganglion cells converge on the optic disc, penetrate the eye, and continue toward the diencephalon on the optic nerve. II. From there the information is split in half and travels to the back of the brain and to the occipital lobe. Together, the diencephalon and the brain stem process the information and control eye reflexes and pupil dilation and/or constriction in order to see clearer and focus in on an object. Depth perception is a phenomenon that takes place when the visual cortex of my occipital lobes reviews the slightly different information obtained by each eyeball. The superior colliculi of the midbrain make motor commands that control unconscious eye, head, and/or neck actions that respond to visual stimuli. My eyes in the bright summer light looking at a bee that is so close (on my right shoulder) are likely to constrict so as to limit the photon stimulation on my retina and so as to focus on just the tiny bee (â€Å"The Special Senses† P. 569-74). 6. (11 pts) Move your left hand to swat the bee. (Create a table that describes which muscles move which bones across which joints under the control of which nerves). Limit your discussion to the movement at the shoulder and elbow only (do not include any un-needed muscles nor discuss the movement at any other joints). Action:Muscle:Origin:Insertion:Nerve: Move Left Arm Toward Right Side Flexion and medial rotation at shoulderDeltoid (anterior part)Clavicle and scapula (acromion and adjacent scapular spine)Deltoid tuberosity of humerus. Axillary nerve (C5-C6) Medial rotation at shoulder. SubscapularisSubscapular fossa of scapula. Lesser tubercle of humerusSubscapular nerves (C5-C6) Adduction and medial rotation at shoulder. Teres MajorInferior angle of scapula. Passes medially to reach the medial lip of intertubercular groove of humerus. Lower subscapular nerve (C5-C6) Adduction and flexion at the shoulder. Coracobrachialis. Coracoid process. Medial margin of shaft of humerusMusculocutaneous nerve (C5-C7 Flexion, Adduction, and medial rotation at shoulder. Pectoralis Major. Cartilages of ribs 2-6, body of sternum, and inferior, medial portion of clavicle. Crest of greater tubercle and lateral lip of intertubercular groove of humerusPectoral nerves (C5-T1) Adduction and medial rotation at shoulderLatissimus DorsiSpinous processes of inferior thoracic and all  lumbar vertebrae, ribs 8-12, and thoracolumbar fasciaFloor of intertubercular groove of humerus. Thoracodorsal nerve (C6-C8) Adduction at the shoulderTriceps brachii (long head)Infraglenoid tubercle of scapula Olecranon of ulna. Radial nerve (C6-C8) Bend left forearm towards right shoulder Flexion at elbow and shoulderBiceps brachiiShort head from the coracoid process; long head from the supraglenoid tubercle; both on the scapulaTuberosity of radiusMusculocutaneous nerve (C5-C6) Flexion at elbow Brachialis Anterior, distal surface of humerus Tuberosity of ulna Musculocutaneous nerve (C5-C6) and radial nerve (C7-C8) Flexion at elbow. Brachioradialis Ridge superior to the lateral epicondyle of humerusLateral aspect of styloid process of radius. Radial nerve (C5-C6) (â€Å"The Muscular System† P. 353-355) 7. (2 pts) What molecule provided the energy for the movement of your arm? ATP (adenosine triphosphate) provided the energy for the movement of my arm. 8. Feel the pain of the stinger in your skin. a. (3 pts) What layers of the skin are penetrated and what tissue types make them up? The epidermis is the outermost layer of skin, and it is made of stratified squamous epithelium. The dermis is deep to the epidermis and it is made of dense irregular connective tissue. The hypodermis is deep to the dermis and is made of adipose tissue (â€Å"The Tissue Level of Organization† P. 114-126). b. (5 pts) Trace the pain sensation from the receptors to perception. There are pain receptors on the shoulder that communicate to the central nervous system. Because a bee sting is a stinging, injection-like pain, it would be considered â€Å"fast pain.† Fast pain sensations are carried by myelinated Type A fibers. The myelination helps the information to travel faster down the neuron. The bee sting stimulates the dendrites of  nociceptors in the shoulder and causes depolarization. The initial segment of the axon must reach threshold in order to release an action potential. Once an action potential is released, it travels by neurons to the central nervous system. When the action potential reaches the central nervous system, glutamate and/or substance P are released as neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters make it easier for neurons to travel along pain pathways. This is known as pain perception (â€Å"Neural Integration I: Sensory Pathways and the Somatic Nervous System† P. 498). 9. (8 pts) Explain your autonomic response to this event. State which division is taking control and describe exactly how that division will effect breathing rate, heart rate, and pupil size. (Note: don’t just describe the effect, but describe the control pathway that leads to that effect, including any chemical messengers involved.) The sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system is taking control. This division increases breathing rate, heart rate, and pupil size. The visceral motor nuclei in the hypothalamus activates autonomic nuclei in the brain stem and spinal cord. The brain stem and spinal cord in turn activate autonomic ganglia that then stimulate visceral effectors such as smooth muscle, glands, cardiac muscle, and adipocytes. Smooth muscle effectors affect blood vessels by constricting them and increasing blood pressure and speeding up blood flow in order to increase oxygen circulation. The smooth muscle also affects the constriction/dilation of the lungs. The sympathetic nervous system wants to dilate the lungs to increase breathing rates and oxygen intake. The glands that are stimulated cause the body to perspire. The cardiac muscle increases heart rate. Adipocytes can be used for energy because they are fatty acids (lipids) and can be used to make ATP during glycolysis very quickly (â€Å" Neural Integration II: The Autonomic Nervous System and Higher-Order Functions† P. 518-523). 10. (6 pts) Describe the elements of the homeostatic control system that caused the sweating and the red skin. Include the control pathway involved. The control pathway of the sympathetic division that caused the sweating and  the red skin was the sympathetic chain ganglia. Preganglionic fibers carried motor commands that affect the head, neck, limbs, and thoracic cavity. The unmyelinated postganglionic fibers that control the body wall enter the gray ramus and return to the spinal nerve for further distribution. They then are able to innervate the sweat glands of the skin and the smooth muscles in blood vessels. This innervation causes the sweat glands to sweat and the blood vessels to constrict. Constricting the blood vessels is helpful because it will raise blood pressure and increase oxygen circulation (â€Å"Neural Integration II: The Autonomic Nervous System and Higher-Order Functions† P. 521) 11. (1 pts) Describe the metabolic process providing your energy while you were running (as fast as you could) after the bee stung you. Include which molecule(s) is(are) being consumed. The metabolic process that was providing my energy while I was running as fast as I could was anaerobic metabolism. This metabolic process does not require oxygen and uses glycolysis to generate 2 ATP molecules but also to generate 2 pyruvate molecules. Each pyruvate molecule can be broken down by the mitochondria to generate 17 ATP molecules. This is a total of 34 ATP molecules. This is a lot of energy and is necessary when muscles are at peak activity levels (â€Å"Muscle Tissue† P. 306-7). 12. (5 pts) Explain what the â€Å"Epi-Pen† contains (what kind of chemical is that) and how that will help in this situation. What effect will that pen have on the breathing rate? The â€Å"Epi-Pen† contains epinephrine which is a neurotransmitter. It will try to improve the situation of an allergic reaction by increasing breathing rate, increasing heart rate, raise dropping blood pressure, reduce inflammation, and reverse hives (â€Å"Drugs and Medications – Epipen im†). Works Cited â€Å"Drugs and Medications – Epipen im.† WebMD. Last Revised: 2013. First published by WebMD, 2005. Web. Visited: 30 November 2013. Martini, F. H., Nath, J. L., and Bartholomew, E. F. â€Å"The Musclar System.† Anatomy & Physiology. 9th Ed. Boston: Benjamin Cummings, 2012. Martini, F. H., Nath, J. L., and Bartholomew, E. F. â€Å"Muscle Tissue.† Anatomy & Physiology. 9th Ed. Boston: Benjamin Cummings, 2012. Martini, F. H., Nath, J. L., and Bartholomew, E. F. â€Å"Neural Integration I: Sensory Pathways and the Somatic Nervous System.† Anatomy & Physiology. 9th Ed. Boston: Benjamin Cummings, 2012. Martini, F. H., Nath, J. L., and Bartholomew, E. F. â€Å"Neural Integration II: The Autonomic Nervous System and Higher-Order Functions.† Anatomy & Physiology. 9th Ed. Boston: Benjamin Cummings, 2012. Martini, F. H., Nath, J. L., and Bartholomew, E. F. â€Å"The Special Senses.† Anatomy & Physiology. 9th Ed. Boston: Benjamin Cummings, 2012. Martini, F. H., Nath, J. L., and Bartholomew, E. F. â€Å"The Tissue Level of Organization.† Anatomy & Physiology. 9th Ed. Boston: Benjamin Cummings, 2012.

Costcp vs Sams Club

Sol Price’s Price Club emerged as the unchallenged leader in member warehouse retailing, with stores operating primarily on the West Coast. Although he originally conceived Price Club as a place where small local businesses could obtain needed merchandise at economical prices, Sol Price soon concluded that his fledgling operation could achieve far greater sales volumes and gain buying clout with suppliers by also granting membership to individuals—a conclusion that launched the deep discount warehouse club industry on a steep growth curve. Price Club was eventually merged with Costco in 1984.The same year, Walmart adopted the Warehouse Club concept and launched its first Sam’s Club stores. The Club warehouses typically have concrete floors, sparse decor, and goods displayed on pallets or simple wooden shelves. The Warehouse floor plans are designed for economy and efficiency in the use of selling space, in the handling of merchandise, and in the control of invent ory. Warehouse Business Model Warehouse Clubs are â€Å"big box stores that sell groceries as well as general merchandise at lower costs† The basic model is to maintain very low prices, sell high volumes, and maintain very high Operating efficiencies.The business idea is that low prices on a limited selection of national brand merchandise and selected private-label products in a wide range of merchandise categories produce high sales volume and rapid inventory turnover. All current warehouse Clubs operate under the following model: (Refer Figure 1): * low Profit margins. * Low prices * Limited selection (around 4000 items) * Wide range of merchandise categories (tires to baby wipes) creates the rapid inventory turnover. * Volume purchasing * efficient distribution * reduced handling of merchandise * no-frills warehousesWarehouse Clubs comprise a very big business opportunity and a current market of 500B+ (including Costco $71B, Sam’s Club $54B, BJs $11B and Walmart Sup erCenters – $390B. ) There is a combined Membership base of more than 130 million paying members across the existing warehouse clubs who pay membership fees in exchange for the privilege of shopping at the warehouse clubs. The typical sales for each SKU is $12M per SKU at Costco and $10M per SKU. This allows them to order massive amounts from manufacturers. Bulk packages sell larger quantities to consumers. The huge warehouse clubs eliminate the need for actual warehouses.At the same time, they reduce the need for handling. This greatly enhances distribution efficiency. Their large-scale membership base makes them strong. Figure 1 Warehouse Clubs are very popular with households with higher incomes(Refer Appendix C). Costco – Background Costco was founded by Jim Sinegal and Seattle entrepreneur Jeff Brotman. The first Costco store began operations in Seattle in 1983. Costco Wholesale Corporation (Costco), with its subsidiaries operates membership warehouses that offer its members low prices on a limited selection of branded and selected private-label products in a range of merchandise categories.By offering quality merchandise at a low price, they attract mostly affluent shoppers. Its typical membership profile is a relatively well heeled customer with an average yearly income of $75K. Costco’s Strategy is to sell quality items at low prices and to create a treasure hunt like atmosphere with a set of variable famous brand items available at low prices each week that Its buyers had been able to procure. Costco's warehouse format averages approximately 141,000 square feet. Its warehouses operate on a seven-day, 69-hour week.It carries an average of approximately 3,600 active stock keeping units (SKUs) per warehouse in its core warehouse business. Many consumable products are offered for sale only in case, carton, or multiple-pack quantities only. It operates warehouses worldwide including countries such as Mexico, UK, Japan, Taiwan, Korea an d Australia. Costco and Sam’s Club are more similar than different. They have the same model. Costco is known as an Upscale Sam’s Club. Figure 2 Costco and Sam’s Club Comparison Memberships Offered: Costco offers memberships in the following formats. Gold Star Member = $ 55 Business Member = $ 55 Executive Member = $ 110Membership fees combined with its high member count (64M), allow Costco to maintain low prices. Sam’s Club Background Sams Club is part of the 3700 stores Walmart Chain. Walmart followed Costco into the warehouse club business and the first Sam’s Club store was opened in 1984. Sam’s Club has more products than Costco, but is smaller than Costco in total revenues. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (Walmart) operates retail stores in various formats around globally. Everyday low prices (EDLP) is the Company's pricing philosophy under, which it price items at a low price everyday. The Company's operates in three business segments: the Walma rt U.S. segment, the Walmart International segment, and the Sam's Club segment. Its Sam's Club segment consists of membership warehouse clubs operated in the United States as well as countries such as Africa, Brazil, China and Mexico. Sam’s Club primary focus was Small Businesses until 2006. Currently, it targets all consumers, including small business. Many Sam’s Club locations are adjacent to Wal-Mart Supercenters. The concept of the Sam’s Club format is to sell merchandise at very low profit margins, resulting in low prices to members. Membership Offered: Advantage Member = $35 Business Member = $ 40 Plus Member = $ 100Membership cost less than Costco. Sam’s also has less members (48M versus 64M) Competition and Market Position of Rivals Sam’s Club has slightly more locations than Costco, but has overall lower revenues. This is due to Costco’s larger number of members and higher sales per customer per location. Costco maintains low margin s of less than 15% on each item as a strategy, to offer low prices to its members. In the discount warehouse retail segment, there are three main competitors—Costco Wholesale, Sam’s Club and BJ’s Wholesale Club. At the end of 2012, there were just over 1,200 warehouse locations across the United States and Canada.Figure 3 Market Positions of rival Warehouse Clubs Key Ratios Inventory turnover is an important metric in the wholesale club industry. Costco has the highest inventory turnover, but Sam’s Club and BJ’s, both are close. Costco has the lowest profit margin, due a combination of factors, including the high pay and benefits, it offers its employees. Figure 4 Key Ratios Comparison across Functional Areas We believe Supply Chain cannot be looked in isolation and it involves human capital, use of Information technology and Marketing. We compared Costco and Sam’s Club across 5 broad functional areas. We did not go deeply into the Finance a rea.Broadly, we found that warehouse clubs including Costco and Sam’s Club preferred to buy the real estate and buildings rather than lease it. 1) Human Capital Both warehouse clubs chose to * Promote from within * Empower Warehouse Manager. 2) Information Technology. Both warehouse clubs leverage technology to drive efficiencies and lower cost 3) Distribution and Supply Chain Both clubs broadly try to optimize and drive efficiencies in their distribution and supply chain processes. * Cross-dock, Planning and Forecasting, VMI. 4) Marketing Both do not spend as much on marketing. * Little to No marketing 5) Finance Own versus Lease of real-estate and buildings Even though the warehouse clubs are more similar than they different, differences do exist We will go through each functional area in more detail. 1) Human Capital Costco Employees are the highest paid in the industry with good benefits. They are well treated and are highly motivated. Costco covers 82% of its employers f or health insurance compared to only 47% by Sam’s Club Human Capital Advantage Costco: Costco is able to derive more benefits from keeping its employees happy. Costco has a higher sales per employee, Higher sales per store as well as a higher sales per SKU than Sam’s Club.This is clearly due to its highly motivated workforce. 2) Information Technology Both the warehouse Clubs are able to derive benefits of tracking membership information and sales associated with members through the use of their IT systems. This allows them to effectively track and predict/forecast seasonal demand information. Since all customers must swipe card when checking out, clubs know exactly who is buying what. Costco uses information technology to connect all its warehouse locations to corporate HQ. It provides real time information and the effective use of its inventory and control systems.It has outsourced 75% of its IT department to an India location and built effective interfaces from Cost co. com to UPS and Fedex to facilitate shipping. Costco has also tried to reduce operating costs through reduction in energy consumption. It has incorporated skylights in all warehouses and solar panel in 40 of the warehouses. It has also incorporated an extensive Recycling Program. Sams Club uses information technology more effectively due to Walmart’s support. It is able to leverage Walmart’s size and scale to its advantage. It uses a satellite system to collect data and observer merchandize flow.Wal Mart’s satellite network sends point of sale (POS) data directly to 4,000 vendors. It also has very strong system that support the CPFR process and allow for collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment with its suppliers. Information Technology Advantage: Walmart Sam’s Club Figure 5. CPFR process(Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment 3) Distribution and Supply Chain Costco and Sam’s Club both use Cross docking (Refer figure 6 below) to derive efficiencies. Merchandise is shipped directly from manufacturers to Warehouse. This allows them to eliminate multi-step distribution channels and thus lower costs.Goods in depot are distributed within 24 hours. Merchandise is placed right on the sales floor, typically above. Both leverage their large scale operations to get lowest prices from Manufacturers / Suppliers. Warehouse Manager has decision making to run each individual warehouse as a Investment Center. No one manufacturer supplied a significant percentage of the merchandise that warehouses stocked and management believed that if one or more of its current sources of supply became unavailable, the company could switch its purchases to alternative manufacturers without experiencing a substantial disruption of its business.Costco Supply Chain Costco has 9 cross-docking distribution centers and has direct buying relationships with many producers of national brand-name merchandise (including Canon, Casio, Coc a-Cola, Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, Fuji, Hewlett-Packard, Kimberly-Clark, Kodak, Levi Strauss, Michelin, Nestle, Panasonic, Procter ;amp; Gamble, Samsung, Sony, KitchenAid, and Jones of New York) and with manufacturers that supplied its Kirkland Signature products. Sam’s Club Supply ChainApproximately two-thirds of the merchandise at Sam’s Club was shipped from the division’s own distribution facilities and, in the case of perishable items, from some of Wal-Mart’s grocery distribution centers; the balance was shipped by suppliers direct to Sam’s Club locations. Like Costco, Sam’s Club distribution centers employed cross-docking techniques whereby incoming shipments were transferred immediately to outgoing trailers destined for Sam’s Club locations.The Sam’s Club distribution center network consisted of 7 company owned and operated distribution facilities, 13 third party owned and operated facilities(3PL’s), and 2 third par ty owned and operated import distribution centers. A combination of company owned trucks and independent trucking companies were used to transport merchandise from distribution centers to club locations. Sam’s Club has Vendor Managed Inventory(VMI) relationships with many of its large suppliers such as P;amp;G, GE and Wrangler. Sam’s Club due to its relationship with Walmart is very strong in the Distribution and Supply Chain and is very efficient.It also has a practice of dealing with only Manufacturers. * Costco Strengths * Buyers scour the business world to find overstock brand items that can be sold at a discount to create a Treasure Hunt atmosphere. * Sam’s Club Strengths * leverages large Walmart Hub and Spoke Distribution Network. * Vendor Managed Inventory(VMI) relationships with many suppliers such as Wrangler, P;amp;G and GE. * Deals only with Direct Manufacturers. Supply Chain systems Advantage: Walmart Sam’s Club. What is cross docking?Cross-d ocking is a practice in logistics of unloading materials from an incoming semi-trailer truck or railroad car and loading these materials directly into outbound trucks, trailers, or rail cars, with little or no storage in between. This may be done to change type of conveyance, to sort material intended for different destinations, or to combine material from different origins into transport vehicles (or containers) with the same, or similar destination. â€Å"Hub and spoke† are arrangements, where materials are brought in to one central location and then sorted for delivery to a variety of destinations.Figure 6 Cross-docking What is Vendor Managed Inventory(VMI) Vendor Managed Inventory(VMI) is a means of optimizing Supply Chain performance in which the manufacturer is responsible for maintaining the distributor’s inventory levels. The manufacturer has access to the distributor’s inventory data and is responsible for generating purchase orders. Please refer Figure 7 To further define it, let’s look at 2 business models (Refer Figure 8): Under the typical business model (Purchase Order driven): When a distributor needs product, they place an order against a manufacturer.The distributor is in total control of the timing and size of the order being placed. The distributor maintains the inventory plan. Vendor Managed Inventory model (Demand driven): The manufacturer receives electronic data (usually via EDI or the internet) that tells him the distributor’s sales and stock levels. The manufacturer can view every item that the distributor carries as well as true point of sale data. The manufacturer is responsible for creating and maintaining the inventory plan. Under VMI, the manufacturer generates the order*, not the distributor. Note: VMI does not change the â€Å"ownership† of inventory. It remains as it did prior to VMI. Figure 7 Vendor Managed Inventory Figure 8 Demand driven (Vendor Managed Inventory) versus Purchase Ord er driven system. 4) Marketing – Advertising Costco limits its advertising to cut marketing cost. Both warehouse clubs are engaged in direct mailing to potential and current consumers But Costco does not have a PR department and believes the most effective advertisement is â€Å"Word-of-Mouth†. Sam’s Club does advertise and through television and Cable media.Marketing Advantage: Costco Known for its great customer satisfaction and service. High Customer Loyalty(87% renewal rate. ) Vertical Integration and Alternative Sales Channels Both the warehouse have created their own private labels and rely on other manufacturers and suppliers to manufacturer their products and provide top quality at a low price. Costco’s private label is branded under the â€Å"Kirkland Signature† brand which is considered as a quality brand. Sam’s Clubs have several private labels such as Member’s Mark, Artisan Fresh, Daily Chef and Simply Right.Costco and Sam ’s Club , both have websites, which allow them to sell products that are typical not in the warehouse. It also allow them to sell services such as insurance and travel which leverages the companies information technology rather than the physical supply chain. Alternative services offered * Consumer Services * Travel * Optical * Automotive * Financial Services * 401(K) * Loans * Insurance * Pharmacy * Recycle electronics Conclusion Costco Wins Round One , but the Battle Continues. Costco has 64 million very loyal members and is known as a provider of top quality merchandise at low prices.Its buyers are able to scour the world to get acquire overstocked premium goods at low prices to create a treasure hunt atmosphere in its warehouses. It private label is considered a premium branded product that has top quality. Its employees are exceptional and Costco has a high performance workforce. * Best-Cost Provider * 64 million very loyal members * Top-quality merchandise * Low price * Treasure-hunt items * Kirkland Signature * Top-quality in-house brand * Exceptional employees * Economies of Scale Appendix A – Savings for Members Warehouse Clubs offered low prices in comparison to supermarkets.A sample comparison of frequent buys at Costco versus a local grocery store is attached. Costco price for the list is $171. Grocery Store price is $538, a savings of $367. Appendix B – Porter’s Five forces (Warehouse Clubs) Appendix C – Warehouses Popular with families with higher income Appendix D – Costco derives value from paying its employees more Appendix E – Costco and Sam’s Club Websites Appendix F – References WAL MART STORES INC (Form 10-K). † WAL MART STORES INC (Form 10-K, Received 03-27-2012) COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP -NEW (Form 10-K, Received 10-14-2011) Costco Deploys EnFlexA? EWebConnect for Enterprise Facility Information Management – EnergyVortex. † Costco Deploys EnFlexA? s EWebConnect for Enterprise Facility Information Management. N. p. , n. d. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://www. energyvortex. com/pages/headlinedetails. cfm? id=1003>. Standard&Poor(S&P) Report on Costco and Walmart Corporation. Reuter’s Report on Costco and Walmart Corporation â€Å"Distribution: Channels and Logistics. † Distribution: Channels and Logistics. N. p. , n. d. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://www. consumerpsychologist. com/intro_Distribution. html>. Consumer Reports – Costco and Sam's Club. Received 10-27-2011

Police Stop and frisk Essay

Is New York City’s Stop and Frisk law infringing upon Americans rights? In 2011, 685, 724 people were stopped and frisked by the police. This is a record high by more than 50,000 stops in New York City, 87% of the stops were either black or Latino, raising the question of is this morally ethical due to racial profiling (NYCLU, 2014). Why should an individual be stopped and frisked without probable cause? Stopping and frisking without probable cause is an act of racism, profiling someone due to their skin color is wrong, unethical, and creates an outlook that only, or mostly speaking people of color are our criminals of society. Black and Latino are not the sole criminals commiting just as many violent acts or same severity of crimes more than other people of society, so why should people of color be a higher concern than some not of color? If the laws of New York City say that any individual can be stopped and frisked, every person should be searched equally, instead of predominantly people of color. After all, every person of every race commits the same crime, and must be seen as an equal threat to society. For example, in The East Side of New York, police are heavily profiling. 50% of the population consists of blacks, and 39% percent being Hispanic. Only 8% of the residents over the age of 25 have a college degree (NYC, 2014). This has been a notorious area for police officers to stop and frisk. This is a prime example of a poor neighborhood being exploited to police abusing their power to stop and frisk being based upon the socio economic status of this specific neighborhood consisting of 89% colored individuals. â€Å"Today is the beginning of a long-overdue process: the reform of the NYPD to end illegal and racially discriminatory policing, said Vincent Warren, executive director of the Center for Constitutional Rights† (Fox News, 2014). Vincent Warren is The Executive Director of The Center of Constitutional Rights, also known as the CCR. This legal organization is in sole purpose in the effort to defend the rights of The United States constitution to defend the decloration of human rights (CCR, 2014). â€Å"Vince oversees CCR’s groundbreaking litigation and advocacy work which includes using international and domestic law to hold corporations and government officials  accountable for human rights abuses; challenging racial, gender and LGBT injustice†(CCR, 2014). It is important to note that organizations that are being supported by people such as Vincent Warren are going to high extremes to ensure the constitutional rights of every person, specifically speaking the counter argument of the stop and frisk laws are an injustice in not in New York City, but in every area of The United States. â€Å"For too long, communities of color have felt under siege by the police, and young Black and Latino men have disproportionately been the target,† he said in a news release. â€Å"We are eager to finally begin creating real change†(Fox News, 2014). It is important to note people with high political power such as Vincent Warren are advocating of change of the stop and frisk laws, making this topic of the morals behind the stop and frisk laws are wrong, and reform is necessary to protect The Constitutional rights of the people of America. The entire point of The Constituion is to protect â€Å"The People†. The main goal of the colonization of the Americas is to make life for the people, protecting the rights of every person, not to take away freedom or rights. There must be reform in order to ensure people are following the princples and morals being based upon in which The United States of America is formed. Not only are high ranking officials protecting the rights of people such as Vincent Warren, but the judges and prosectuors themselves who are prosecuting the people who are being arrested under the stop and frisk laws are in fact supporting the change of these laws. This is extremely vital to aknowledge due to the fact that the people who are being involved in the actual punishment of criminals are defending the rights of people, and specifically people of color as in the notorious East side of New York City. For example, â€Å"A judge ruled last year that the New York Police Department had discriminated against blacks and Hispanics when stopping, questioning and sometimes frisking people on the street. The judge ordered major reforms to the department’s implementation of the policy† (Fox News, 2014). With the support of the CCR (Center for Constitutional Rights) along with the encouragement of the Judges to amend the laws of stop and frisk is vital to the response that the stop and frisk laws must be taken more seriously to ensure that the princples upon which The United States of America is founded upon are being followed. I strongly believe the stop and  frisk laws are a complete infringement upon any single individuals constitutional rights. Politicians argue that the stop and frisk laws have been eliminating crimes off of the streets at a significant rate, but this does not excuse police force to profile and allow the judicial system to prosecute people who are being searched without probably cause. Probably cause clearly states, â€Å"sufficient reason based upon known facts to believe a crime has been committed or that certain property is connected with a crim e. Probable cause must exist for a law enforcement officer to make an arrest without a warrant, search without a warrant, or seize property in the belief the items were evidence of a crime†(Hill, 2014). Why should the laws obtaining to probable cause even exist if the law of stop and frisk is demonstrating the hypocritical aspect of probable cause? Probable cause completely cancels out when stop and frisk laws allow police officers to randomly search somebody when there is no clear evidence or reason for someone to be searched. The laws of stop and frisk must continue to reform, constitutional rights are very important to protect. As being stated by politicians and people working under the Justice System, the stop and frisk laws are wrong, and must be thrown out. Bibliography â€Å"Stop and Frisk Statistics in New York City Neighborhoods – Google Search.† Stop and Frisk Statistics in New York City Neighborhoods – Google Search. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. . â€Å"Stop-and-Frisk Data | New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) – American Civil Liberties Union of New York State.† Stop-and-Frisk Data | New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) – American Civil Liberties Union of New York State. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. http://www.nyclu.org/content/stop-and-frisk-data/. Light, Michelle. â€Å"East New York, Brooklyn.† N.p., n.d. Web. . â€Å"Lawyers: NYC Agrees to Reforms in Stop-and-frisk.† Fox News. FOX News Network, 30 Jan. 2014. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. .

Language Development Hypotheses Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Language Development Hypotheses - Term Paper Example r bilingualism affects intellectual development since as early as the 1920 when Saer (1923) and Smith (1923) executed numerous studies on the topic since then have attempted to determine whether monolingual and bilingual children differ in intelligence as measured by standard tests. Many of these investigators found out that bilingualism has a considerable effect on intellectual functioning. Nowadays bilingualism is tightly attached to intelligence. However, until the year 1962 due to many factors of which we can highlight racism, Bilingualism was considered as a problem see a handicap that prevents the child from adapting with his school mates and gives him an introverted character. Early studies showing bilingual children to be â€Å"handicapped† in speech development and academic achievement happened when they analyzed children’s intelligence without taking in consideration their socio-economical status. In fact most of the studies that proved that multilingualism hampered the child’s development were made on children coming from very low class environments and therefore suffering from dissatisfaction of their physical needs. These children are logically not scholarly advanced due to the preceding circumstances that out shadow the advantages offered by being bilingual. One of the most important researchers in that matter, O Doherty, (1958) suggests that it is necessary in any consideration of the influence of bilingualism on intelligence to distinguish between two types of bilinguals, genuine bilinguals and pseudo bilinguals. The pseudo bilingual knows one language more than the other and doesn’t use the second language in communic ation, the genuine bilingual masters both at an early age and feels comfortable communicating with both languages. When researchers distinguished between fluent bilinguals, they found out that fluent bilingual children develop more flexible mental capacities and frequently out-perform limited bilinguals of the same national

Eng 125 Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Eng 125 - Term Paper Example However, readers often fail to understand the experience of the literature and find it difficult to grasp the concept, for this they need to know the approaches and forms of literature that they are going through. Connecting what is being read to what is being experienced can be challenging and this is what the text explains us. It is more interesting because it gives the understanding and knowledge of the different forms of literature that most of the readers do not understand while going through the literature. It is evident that fewer people have interests in poems and plays as they are the ones who understand the framework, for others, this text is very interesting as it tells about the forms to help them understand the literary work that they read. The introduction about the genre, imagination, experience and the humor gives an interesting aspect to the reader of this text (Massi, ?2001). As outlined in this chapter, the approach of the reader should be present in order to exper ience the literary work. There are several ways to approach the literary criticism. Literary criticism means analyzing, understanding and interpreting what is being expressed. A reader is the critic and he can analyze the literary work only when he understands and experiences the work. In order to interpret and examine a story, poem or play the approach that the reader will use is the reader-response approach. In order to get into the journey of literature which means the reader has to connect to what is being said, analyze it by considerations and draw conclusions by the help of his response. The reader has to find a personal link to the literature especially the poetry or play. The reader-response approach is the most popularly used approach in literature (Trace, 2002). The story, poem or play is often fictional and uses themes which relate to the author’s viewpoint and so readers often find it difficult to understand or experience. The journey to literature is connecting t he imagination of the author to one’s own imagination. Since the reading of a story, poem, or play drags the reader to an imaginary world, leaving behind the situations of the world in which the reader is breathing and living to an imaginary world created by the author. In order to apply the reader-response approach for such literary works, it is important for the reader to connect and relate the literature to their real lives and their own imaginations so that they can find a specific aspect of the work. In order to create an analytical essay about the story, poem or play, the reader must make sure he is vigilant towards the questions that what captured his interest, what feelings did he get, did it connect to his life, how does it relate to other works, what is the motivation to connect to this literary work and did this connection enhance understanding of new things. This approach may be challenging as the story, poems and plays are written in the author’s viewpoint . The reader must give away his surrounding world while experiencing the literature in order to analyze and connect to it. Moreover, to experience these forms of literature, the reader must have the intention to turn himself to the imaginary world which is described. A critical response to the stories, poems and plays of fiction need full concentration. Connecting and experiencing the

Pop-Tarts BRAND ANALYSIS PROJECT Research Paper

Pop-Tarts BRAND ANALYSIS PROJECT - Research Paper Example In addition, the intervention would improve the presence of the product in the market. In addition, the Company should shift its attention to the social media. In the meantime, people are shifting to social media is order to look for information concerning their products of choice. Furthermore, they are using the platform to assess the reviews of the people who have already used the products (Natow and Jo-Ann 109). This would enable the company to reach a mass market. On the other hand, the marketing department can use the platform to chat with the customers and understand various aspects that affect their consumption behavior. This would make it possible for the business to make changes on the product in order to satisfy the interests of the target market. In the past few years, there has a stiff price war between Pop-Tart and competitors products such as Toastettes, Toastables, and Toaster Strudels. This aspect is threatening the market share of the business and competitive advantage of the product. As a result, The Company should invest in the latest technology in order to lower the breakeven price. Furthermore, the company should invest heavily on improving operation efficiency, an aspect that will play a significant role in reducing unnecessary costs. This will make it possible to reduce the price of Pop-Tart in the market. Pop-Tart recorded sales have been in an increasing trend over the years However, if the company focuses more on the Spanish speaking community, it is likely to gain ground and recover its lost market share. The product has dominated the US, Canada, and UK market (Natow and Jo-Ann 76). However, in Canada and UK, the product is facing stiff competition from the local firms. This is because the firms are taking advantage of the local cultures which advocate for the consumption of locally produced goods. In addition, people in this region want to be associated with a company that

What Ties Mary Shelly's Frankenstein to Tony Morrison's Sula Essay

What Ties Mary Shelly's Frankenstein to Tony Morrison's Sula - Essay Example This novel compares to Tony Morrison’s Sula, written in 1978. The two books have strikingly similar themes, such as Family, mystery, the pursuit of knowledge, unconventional thought and love and romance. The theme of family ties seems to best join the two novels, since it is at the heart of this theme that the novels unravel. Both Shelley and Morrison seem top agree that the family is a very important institution in the society, and that its choice to accept or reject a person has serious implications on the person’s self worth, conduct and final outcome. For instance, both novels reveal that the family is the most important social order. Shelley’s Frankenstein’s begins with a narration by Robert Walton, an unsuccessful author who, in pursuit of fame, sets out on a scientific exploration of the Polar North. Captain Walton is writing a letter to his sister, Madam Margaret Walton Saville. The letter ends up being the novel Frankenstein. By indicating Waltonà ¢â‚¬â„¢s background, Shelley accounts for the inconsistencies and discontinuities seen in his narrative letter. On the other hand, Morrison’s introduction of the Bottom, the area where Sula is set brings about a slave and his master. The slave hopes to attain a reward from his master, who has become his family. The master points to the hills, the Bottomland. The authors could not have found a stronger way to introduce their stories. Shelley’s introduction of a captain talking to his sister foreshadows the close ties to be identified later in the novel. Similarly, Morrison’s introduction foreshadows the future issues which will arise from family ties. Captain Walton explains the story of Victor as received from a dying Victor Frankenstein. It will be noted that almost throughout the novel, Shelley introduces a character by first stating their family background. Victor’s birth in a wealthy family from Geneva, as well as that of his brothers Ernest and Willi am point to his current situation. The death of his mother just before he joins the University inspires him to venture in to researches in Alchemy, Chemistry and Physical Sciences. He is more fascinated with how such sciences can be used to bring back the dead. Shelley’s connection of Victor’s mother’s death to his ambitious pursuits in the University has significance in bringing coherence to her storyline. It is also a statement that circumstances affecting our beloved ones affect our life choices. Little is said about his brothers, which is understandable in a novel setting. On the other hand, in Sula, the background of the protagonist, Nel, and antagonist, Sula, take a similar perspective. The ... chapter contrasts the families of the two. Nel’s family upholds conventional living to the latter. The family wants her to lead a similar life, but she is not decided, even after meeting her unconventional grandmother. Sula’s family is the exact opposi te of Nel’s family. Her promiscuous mother and grandmother, as well as her three adopted brothers, the deweys represent an unconventional family. Nevertheless, Nel and Sula become fierce friends in their adolescence. Morrison uses the family to show how our personality types, life beliefs and philosophies are shaped. Similarly, the contrast builds in to his conflict and later resolution.     

Public Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Public Finance - Essay Example Effective tax system aims at complementing government’s budget plans. Any shortfall in tax collection will lead to budget deficit that will lead to fiscal deficit. High government debt is detrimental for economic prospects of a country. It signifies weak federal structure which will affect foreign investment. Foreign investors look out for stable economies to invest their money which will yield higher returns. Governments of different nations aim at promoting its export sector to boost its foreign exchange earnings. Thus, an effective tax system would look to compensate for the high subsidy bill that is given for promoting underdeveloped and export oriented sectors. Tax system across the world are categorised in three ways i.e. regressive, proportional and progressive. In general taxes are levied on individuals and businesses. Government usually impose a certain percentage or slabs to determine the taxability of individuals and companies. There is another classification for taxes which is based on the impact and incident of taxation. It is direct and indirect. Direct taxes imply where the impact and incident is on the same individual and which cannot be shifted. Income tax, corporation tax are examples of direct taxes. Whereas consumption tax, excise duty, customs are indirect taxes. Such taxes have different points of impact and incident i.e. the burden of the tax can be shifted from the producers to consumers. In certain countries an amount is deducted from the income of individuals towards insurance contributions like NIC in UK (James, 2009). There are certain features that are attributed to the tax system to ensure equity at all levels. Governments across the world usually follow either of the three tax systems i.e. regressive, proportional and progressive. Fiscal authorities design the tax structure in a way that ensures a balance between savings and expenditure. It is a major trade off for the

Intermediate macroeconomics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Intermediate macroeconomics - Assignment Example The cycle can be illustrated graphically as shown below. Potential output is the total production of output that is possible when all the factors of production are fully and efficiently employed. For example when the unemployment rate is about 5% since a 0% unemployment rate cannot be achieved in real economic conditions. Actual output is the real physical output that has actually been produced in the economy. Output gap is therefore expressed as the difference between the potential output and the real output. Large output gap is an indication of increased unemployment rate. The neo-classical theory uses output gap to explain business cycle. Y=c[y-t(y)]+i(r)+g dy=c’(dy-I’dy)+I’dr =c’dy-c’I’dy+I’dr dy-c’(1-i’)dy=I’dr dy(1-c’(1-i’)d=I’dr dy=I’dr/1-c’(1-i’) dy/dr=I’/1-c’(1-i’) The expenditure multiplier explains the amount o change in output due to a unit change in government expenditure while tax multiplier explains the amount of change in output due to a unit change in tax rate. m/p=l(r)+k(y)

Harley Davidson Five Forces Analysis Essay Example for Free

Harley Davidson Five Forces Analysis Essay In our present competitive world in the business where customer preferences are continuously changing, prices of raw materials and cost of labour are increasing and global economy is becoming unstable, it is always been a difficult task for companies to stay and perform business. And these barriers have been a familiar scene in the global business. That is why for most companies in order to overcome such of these difficult challenges, innovativeness and the desire to be very critical and most anticipative of the changes in the industry and the whole global economy is highly necessary. Just like for Harley Davidson as the main focus of this study, even though the company currently established itself for being the highly rated motorcycle brand in the world, it is still not enough for the company to be relaxed and feel that they can be profitable and enticing to the market as years goes on. That is why in this paper it will directly focus on how do Harley Davidson’s competitors are doing at the present, what are some of the strategies that they do to compete. With this information about the competitors, how does this information be used by the company in terms of opportunities for them to use it as a strategy against them? Also, making use of this information to handle future threats as well, this is in order for them to anticipate and provide some immediate actions. In the second part of this paper, it will focus on how the company can apply Porters five forces tool in order to continually achieve competitive advantage over its competitors. Also at the second part of this study it will discuss on how motorcycle companies like Harley Davidson, can still earn above average return even though the company falls at the high-end market with more on the luxurious and recreation side and not as necessity for customers. Also, with that, what are the actors or contributors that will lead to that conclusion or will help attain that goal? Study of Harley Davidson’s Major Competitors As the pioneer and one of the oldest known brands in the motorcycle industry in the world, Harley Owners Group has been in the industry since 1983 and due to its growing influence worldwide, it already has over 1,000 chapters and over a million members worldwide. But, not all of its members own a bike; it is only the prestige and respect about the Harley machines that made them decide to be a member. As one of the strength of the company, it has been continually establish its brand as the number one brand in the world, with over 5 billion USD annual revenue annually. In terms of its competitors, the companys main competitors, most specially in terms of design are the following: BMW, Victory, Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha, but among these lists, Honda has become the closest and toughest competitor of Harley Davidsons motorcycles. (Harley Davidson Motorcycle, n. d. ). With the companys main focus on design, quality and most specially durability, it continuously has been in the forefront of the high-end and luxurious motorcycle business in the world. That is also why 80% of the total revenue of the company comes from motorcycle sales. With regards to the company’s competitor, even though the company clearly dominates the American market as its origin, which has registered in the 2006 market share, the company has eaten up half of the market or 50% while far second and third are Honda and Suzuki with 15. 1% and 12. 9% respectively. But the question now is not just the American market but instead what this paper is focusing is what the competitors are doing in the global scene. Which is actually smaller, like for Canadian market, it drops to 38. 4% still relatively high, but what is more alarming and needs to be focus on by the company is on the European market which is only 10. 2%, but still the company has a noticeably high market share globally as it generates at an average of 33%. And this is more alarming because it will also follows that the companys net revenue growth also shows very small in other major regions in the world. With this event, it is necessary for the company that it needs to strengthen its presence in these main regional markets, because in the long run, it will be a problem that the company needs to focus on. The two main reasons why these competitors starting to entice substantial number of customers are: (1) they have greater financial resources, like Honda and Suzuki, with their global presence, they have enough financial support in every region that they operate. Meaning to say these companies knows that they know how to make use of their money in enticing potential customers and retaining current customers as well and they can even compete with price and that will soon be a serious problem with Harley Davidson, since the competition is on how to innovate with technologically funded studies that will still provide quality as well as make the product still not that so expensive. Lastly, (2) these companies, like Honda and Suzuki are obviously more diverse than Harley Davidson; they sell a lot of products with a lot of brands and choices that customers can choose, from cars, to simple scooters up to high-end luxurious brands of motorbikes and not only that with wide variety of choices to choose from. This is another serious problem by the company in the long run, since these competitors knows how they can be well-trusted by the customers and if you made such products with quality in all of it, it will be a positive sign for these companies and that will create problem for the company. With these two main reasons, Harley Davidson needs to formulate a strategy that will address these problems in order not to further add problem in the future and also not to wait until the companys edge in the global market be removed or at least be reduced. Also, based on this study, the company must also look forward in addressing these issues while they are still room to operate due to its continuing edge in the global market. (Harley Davidson (HOG), n. d. ). In the second part of this paper, the main focus is on how the company can effectively apply Porters fiver forces model in attaining competitive advantage. The five forces of Porters method that are popularly applied by companies are: (1) Potential entrants, (2) Buyers, (3) Substitutes, (4) Suppliers, and (5) Industry competitors. In each of these five forces, there is an important factor that contributes to the success or failure of each forces and this will be discussed separately as to how the company can effectively apply it. In the entry barrier, where it mainly focus on the potential entry of new products or brands, the company must continue to be very pro-active in this part as the competitors are becoming very aggressive in this area. What Harley Davidson should do is to increase the customer awareness of their motorcycle brand in some of the regions that they are starting to have a very low market share like in the European and Asian market. Studying cost advantage and relatively access to distribution are two of the most important focus that the company should do. Also, can be added to that is to have an in-dept study on the Government policies which might be the effect of low market share, because the territories that the company operates must also need to be well represented and not just putting up a business. In the rivalry determinants, which mainly focus on both the industry competitors and new entrant forces, the company should be mainly focus as usual on how they can have advantage over its competitors by not only anticipating future challenges and innovation that their competitors may bring but also be able to establish a well defined marketing and research and development study that will help the company confident enough in dealing with the market.  particularly, the factors that it needs to focus are: industry growth, always look on the potentials in the business and be first in formulating it to the market, product differences, at this point, which is already been the strength of the company, but still needs to do more and that is innovativeness where it also been the main focus of its competitors. The company must look on how they can provide its clients new and very attractive designs, but it should also have to look on the cost side as well. And lastly, is switching costs, for any company there should also be some intelligent cost study on how the company can still be appreciated by the customers and these can either come from service and parts and of course these should be well accompanied with excellent service and availability of parts which is also a big factor during actual competition. In the side of threat, what the company should look closely on how the innovative trend and pricing strategy trend that competitors is doing. Most of the time these is what is being target to Harley Davidson, since it has been recognized as a very expensive brand and at the same time more on respecting traditional design, competitors compete through these factors. So, what the company needs is that they have to anticipate these by introducing new and innovative styles and at the same time study some possibilities of offering some not so high cost brands which may also give additional leverage for the company. Another important study and important advantage of Porters Five Forces is supplier power, in this side it is also important for the company not only to look for the most efficient supplier but also study closely in terms of cost. Harley Davidson must be careful in forming up agreement with suppliers. Like they can have global partnership with some suppliers, most specially if some of these suppliers are proven that they serve the company well. This reduces the cost by having different suppliers in the different regions. That is why there are two ways that the company may apply: (1) the company must carefully look into suppliers that are effectively performing for the company, if there is, Harley Davidson must look into how they can formulate a global partnership in order to lessen the cost. And lastly (2) the company must also re-visit some suppliers that are not performing well and be able to replace it or make some better arrangement on how the company as well as the partner can have a more favourable output. Lastly, in terms of buyer concern, where two of the important force involved, buyers and competitors. At this point these are the greatest challenges that the company must look at since the competitors are very aggressive in this area, most specially in the price sensitivity and not much on the bargaining leverage. Price is always a problem with the company, since it continuously in the high-end brands. What the company should do is on how they can study on introducing brands that may target other markets which will still not compromise quality and cost. In the bargaining leverage, the company must look on how they can provide some better offers for some big markets, like in terms of wholesalers. Lastly, with regards to the question how can motorcycle companies like Harley Davidson, where its business falls more on luxurious and recreation brand of products which also targets high-end markets, which the question is on how they can continue to earn above average returns. It is obvious that for company like Harley Davidson, they have to focus more on how to deal with innovations is one aspect that they need to do. By strengthening its research and development and the usual attention to customer needs and preference is the key to continually achieve above average returns. Most specially the latter where still it is considered as the most important factor in the business. The main actors or contributors that needs to work on this one in order for it to materialize are the following: (1) Companys human resources, which means that it should continually strengthen the technical expertise of the company, and lastly, (2) is to build partnership with some of the global and most recognized industries or companies which is what is lacking with Harley Davidson. People expertise and partnership through reliable and very influential companies are very important to the success of company’s these days. That is why with the help of the management team and its top executives, they need to recognized it as the main key to continually have a better return in the business. Conclusion In this study, it shows that for any company to survive in this very competitive world of business, company’s needs to be sensitive enough in understanding the competition and on how they can overcome it. In this paper it shows that even company like Harley Davidson, who still has substantial edge in the market, it still needs to be aggressive and continue to study on how they can attain competitive advantage. Like what resulted in this study that even though the company seems to have control in the American market, competitors are however starting to focus on targeting on market outside the American region, which shows that the company starting to slow down and competitors like Honda and Suzuki are rising up. This also resulted that due to financial capabilities and diverse status of these competitors which starting to give problem to Harley Davidson. That is why the company must look on these growing advantages and be able to formulate a strategy that can offset it. In the second part of this paper, it also shows that in order for the company to be aggressive and effectively achieve competitiveness, Porters five forces has been presented and for each forces, there are important discussions on how the company can apply it effectively and efficiently.

Analysing The Differences Between Soft And Hard Power Politics Essay

Analysing The Differences Between Soft And Hard Power Politics Essay Soft power was a term first coined by Joseph Nye in 1990 to recognise that nations had power resources other than the more readily conceived hard power of economic and military power. In his 2004 book Soft Power Nye attempts to expand upon the term and provide a tighter definition of soft power. His definition It is the ability to get what you want through attraction rather than coercion or payments  [1]  is general and needs substantial qualification and explanation to provide utility to statesmen and academics alike. Soft power has therefore generated significant debate as to its existence and utility. It has been argued that soft power is merely an argument for the merits of public diplomacy.  [2]  Nye himself argues that soft power is a resource that is underappreciated.  [3]  Increasingly the term soft power is being used by politicians and academics alike to portray a warmer less aggressive approach to international relations in the contemporary connected world. Eme rging powers such as China and India have been applauded for their use of soft power to attract outcomes they desire.  [4]  The US under Obama has distanced itself from President Bushs unilateral approach and has re-emphasised the utility and power of soft power to influence the world.  [5]   Despite the increased use of the term soft power, questions still remain as to the validity of soft power as an actual usable form of political power. Criticisms of soft power abound and include recognition that soft power is too fickle and generated from factors many of which are outside the direct control of a government. Soft power can have a positive effect on one group but have a polar opposite effect on another group within the same nation. Realist thinking in particular finds it difficult to reconcile so called soft power against a much more tangible hard power such as military might. But images such as a lone protester standing in front of a column of Chinese tanks in Tiananmen Square do have a tangible affect on how the world reacts to situations. The protester certainly had less hard power, yet world opinion was certainly not attracted to the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) on that day. If not hard power, what sort of power is that then? The world today is increasingly connected. Images and opinions on crises and conflict can quickly be dispersed throughout the global community. The privilege of information superiority enjoyed by the leaders of nations in the past is increasingly threatened today. The governed can now get access to events and information much quicker and much more accurately than at any other time in human history. Measures of national power have to therefore take account of how a nation is perceived by the emerging global consciousness enabled by the information age. International relations is an ever changing tapestry of competition, cooperation and conflict but increasingly the interactions between states is becoming much more personal, much more deeper and much more diverse. While interactions between states remain dominant no state, particularly democratic states, can ignore the views of its citizens and their values. Much as violence is seen as distasteful within societies, there is now a great er threshold for justification of violence between states in the mind of the global community. Actions perceived as aggressive and without sufficient justification suffer a backlash of public opinion that undermines the ability of a regime to pursue a policy. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES The aim of this paper is to better define the concept of soft power as a tool of international relations and establish the critical importance of soft power within the contemporary world. The research question as such, is as follows: What is soft power and why is it important in the world today? This will be answered by firmly establishing that the foundation of all political power, international or domestic, is the will of people and that power is becoming more dissipated throughout a globalised world. To aid in the understanding of soft power a number of questions need to be addressed. First and foremost is the question of where power comes from. To understand from where political power is derived we need to investigate power from its base form in human society. By understanding the basis of political power we can begin to understand why or how the nature of power may begin to manifest itself in different ways. Soft power is different from hard power. How and why this is the case is necessary to better understand what soft power actually is. Yet power is power and therefore at some, if not all, levels hard and soft power must interact and effect each other. The question of the relationship between hard and soft power must be addressed to gain greater insight into what soft power is and how to employ it. Hard power is the more easily recognisable and traditional manifestation of national power such as armed might and economic capability. Next is the question of how do we measure soft power. National power has always been perceived within a context of raw power potential shaped and melded into international effect by a nations leaders to achieve their international objectives. Does a nation therefore have a raw soft power potential and if so how can it best be cultivated and employed? Hard power can often be perceived as finite and expendable. Once you expend a resource you no longer have it. Is this true of soft power also? Or can soft power be re-used over and over? Finally an understanding of the trends and phenomenon of the world today is fundamental to determining the importance of soft power today and into the future. The importance and relevance of soft power is growing as more of humanity becomes connected. As people become more connected so the complexity of human interaction increases. This dramatically enhanced presence everywhere on the globe has the potential to generate a surge of global opinion. Increased connectivity however does not only provide presence everywhere for opinions to form on significant world events. People can now connect with a more diverse and more numerous audience throughout the world. The international relations implications are profound. As the complexity of human interaction increases so too does the complexity of international relations and politics. LITERATURE REVIEW This paper is on soft power. However to properly ground this concept in International relations this paper will cover a number of interrelated topics. Therefore, a variety of writings, including some on International relations, International relations theory and globalisation will be used to define what soft power is. Contemporary articles and media will update current discussions on soft power and aid in determining its relevance and utility. Joseph Nyes 2004 book Soft Power is dedicated to the subject of soft power and attempts to establish firmly through contemporary examples and discussion what soft power is and how it is generated and used. Nye defines soft power as It is the ability to get what you want through attraction rather than coercion or payments.  [6]  Nye has attempted to expand upon the concept after first coining the term in 1990. In many regards he has not adequately achieved this and has in many regards muddied the waters and propogated confusion about what soft power is. Nye has not anchored this concept in any theoretical framework. Hans Morganthau book Politics Among Nations, first published in 1948 and then updated with eleven further editions up to 2005 will provide a basis for analysis of what national power is. Morganthaus chapters on political power, the struggle for power and the essence of power all provide insights into the enduring nature of power and a framework for determining what the basis of power is and therefore how relevant soft power is as a concept. Kenneth Waltzs book Realism and International Politics was published in 2008 and is a compilation of Waltzs earlier works. Waltzs works span six decades from 1959 until 2002 and will be used to provide a more contemporary understanding of international relations and a barometer to show how international relations, and more specifically political power, are evolving as the world changes. The theme of globalisation and issues associated with it is fundamental to the rising awareness and importance of soft power. Thomas Friedmans The Lexus and the Olive Tree published in 2000 provides an excellent discussion of globalisation and its effects on the world. Friedmans early chapters provide a good description of what globalization is and how it has arisen. Friedman also touches upon the impact of globalisation on how power is employed in the emerging world. Friedman has expanded on his previous work on globalisation with his 2006 book The World is Flat. Now in its third expanded and updated edition within three years, the publishing history of this book is testament to the increasing speed of globalisation within the world today. In this book Friedman highlights three phases of gloablisation that he terms Globilisation 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0. The idea that in Globalisation 1.0 nations gloablised, Globalisation 2.0 organisations globalised and in Globalisation 3.0 that we are seeing every individual globalised is central to understanding the importance of soft power in the contemporary world. If Friedman is to be even half believed, soft power is only going to become even more critical in coming years. The relationship between globalization and international politics is further enhanced with The Globalization of World Politics, An Introduction to International Relations by John Baylis and Steve Smith, first published in 2001 and updated in 2005. While providing a comprehensive and detailed understanding of contemporary international relations overall it is striking to note that this work offers only the barest mention of the concept of soft power. Likewise Charles Kegleys 12th edition of World Politics: Trend and Transformation, published in 2009 is a comprehensive text that charts the evolution of international relations from a theoretical perspective but mentions soft power only as an aside. Malcom Gladwells now famous The Tipping Point, first published in 2000 and now in its fifteenth reprint, provides a discussion on how the little things can make a big difference in a globalised connected world. Gladwells work does not specifically deal with international politics or power but his central concept provides food for thought on why soft power is now so critical. RELEVANCE OF RESEARCH The 2003 US invasion of Iraq has highlighted both the unstoppable military might of the worlds only superpower and the limitations of operating solely in a hard power domain of international relations. While it is beyond the scope of this paper to discuss the merits or not of the decision to invade Iraq, it is clear that the US found that it suffered a significant backlash from the way in which it did approach this issue on the global stage. Understanding soft power is more critical with every passing day as the world continues to connect. The concept of soft power is fuzzy and ambiguous. Skeptics will always be found for any subject. Proponents of the concept have varying interpretations of what it actually is. Many use the term from a simplistic point of view that helps undermine the importance of soft power. Nye has done well in articulating the concept but confusion and misunderstanding persists. This paper endeavors to contribute in even the smallest measure to a better understa nding of soft power and why it is critical in the world today and into the future. METHODOLOGY AND LIMITATIONS This research paper will focus on a theory review from the library resources available at the Maktab Turus Angkatan Tentura (MTAT), Malaysian Armed Forces Ministry of Defence, the University of Malaya, Malaysian and New Zealand Bookshops. In addition to this various journals and articles sourced from on-line databases will also be used. The intention of this paper is to bring together theoretical international power and globalisation concepts with Nyes concept of soft power, in order to provide a better understanding of soft power, its relationship to other elements of national power and its growing importance. Due to time constraints and resource limitations, research for this paper is based on a limited number of secondary sources. Some books obtained are not the most recent editions however internet resources have been used where possible to ensure ideas gained from older editions have not been superseded. CHAPTERISATION This paper is divided into five chapters. Chapter one provides an introduction to the study to be undertaken including background information and a review of the literature available in compiling this research. Chapter one also outlines the methodology undertaken in order to obtain the required information. Chapter two focuses on the theoretical concept of power. The chapter discusses power from its fundamental principles recognising that in todays world that . Chapter three introduces the concept of soft power as defined by Joeseph Nye and the transnational crime threats and regional security mechanisms within the South Pacific, describes the current security environment and a summary of transnational crime and security issues. The chapter will then discuss the factors contributing towards transnational crime in the South Pacific within the framework of political, military, societal, economic and environmental security concerns. Chapter three then discusses the regional security mechanisms by outlining the Pacific Islands Forum, The Pacific Plan, the Forum Regional Security Committee, and then concludes. Chapter four introduces the responses to threats in the South Pacific and discusses the approach being taken by regional and global governments, non government organisations and law enforcement agencies to combat transnational crime within the South Pacific region. Chapter five concludes the paper by drawing together the concepts of transnational crime and security, the transnational crime and security threats in the South Pacific and the responses to them, and concludes that in order to overcome the threats of transnational crime to a states national security, non government organisations and law enforcement agencies must understand the complexity of transnational crime, the contributing factors, the challenges associated with combating it and focus their efforts in a joint approach to address the threats to the benefit of the state, its population and the global community.

A Concussion is No Laughing Matter Essay examples -- Exploratory Essay

A Concussion is No Laughing Matter It’s something we see it in cartoons all the time; one character gets bonked on the head and stars are suddenly floating in the air with the cartoon having a dazed look. However, only seconds later the cartoon is back up and back in action. This may seem funny on the latest saga of Tom and Jerry or Coyote and Roadrunner, but it’s not so funny in real life. Seeing stars, feeling dazed, and losing consciousness may be a type of brain injury called a concussion. A concussion, simply put, is a temporary loss of normal brain function caused by a sudden jolt or blow to the head. Concussions and other types of brain injuries are fairly common. According to the Brain Injury Association of America, â€Å"every 21 seconds, someone in the United States suffers from a brain injury.† Most doctors consider concussions as a mild form of brain injury because they are usually not life threatening (cdc.gov). Even so, the effects of concussions can be serious. Any blow to the head can warrant a concussion. Sport accidents, falls, fights, and car accidents are th... A Concussion is No Laughing Matter Essay examples -- Exploratory Essay A Concussion is No Laughing Matter It’s something we see it in cartoons all the time; one character gets bonked on the head and stars are suddenly floating in the air with the cartoon having a dazed look. However, only seconds later the cartoon is back up and back in action. This may seem funny on the latest saga of Tom and Jerry or Coyote and Roadrunner, but it’s not so funny in real life. Seeing stars, feeling dazed, and losing consciousness may be a type of brain injury called a concussion. A concussion, simply put, is a temporary loss of normal brain function caused by a sudden jolt or blow to the head. Concussions and other types of brain injuries are fairly common. According to the Brain Injury Association of America, â€Å"every 21 seconds, someone in the United States suffers from a brain injury.† Most doctors consider concussions as a mild form of brain injury because they are usually not life threatening (cdc.gov). Even so, the effects of concussions can be serious. Any blow to the head can warrant a concussion. Sport accidents, falls, fights, and car accidents are th...

Romeo and Juliet: Joseph A. Bryant’s Considerations :: Romeo and Juliet Essays

William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet has always been a very popular play. Joseph A. Bryant states this in his introduction, but there was never really contention. Most likely written in 1595, we learn from Bryant that this is thought to be one of Shakespeare’s more mature works that shows the pinnacle of his creativity (xxviii-xxx). Because of this creativity, audiences love Romeo and Juliet. However, Bryant also tells us that "[a]mong professional scholars the play has sparked less enthusiasm" (xxiii). For even though the play possesses an "ingenuity of the language" and has a particular "brilliance of the characterizations" (xxiii) , Bryant informs us that critics are upset by the importance Shakespeare places on pathos, and therefore feel that the play lacks real ethics. Bryant also concerns his introduction on the aesthetics of Romeo and Juliet with special consideration on the structure, the language, and the characters of the play, as well as how good of an exa mple of a tragedy the play is. Many readers may feel that Romeo and Juliet relies too much on pathos; that it’s just a tear-jerking love story. However, Bryant’s answer to those who think that the play lacks real ethics is that they are looking at it from a modern standpoint. The play really needs to be looked at from the point of view of the Elizabethan audience of 1595. Bryant tells us that "[t]hey knew by training what to think of impetuous young lovers who deceived their parents and sought advice from friars" (xxiv). Elizabethan audiences also knew that suicide was a sin (xxiv). This was common sense knowledge, and if looked at through the conventions of society at this time then, as Bryant states, the play "must have had automatically an abundance of ethical import" (xxiv). Bryant also commends Shakespeare for not attacking these commonly held ethical conventions, even though today’s readers can clearly see that Shakespeare thought nothing wrong with the relationship and did not even hold Romeo and Juliet entirely responsible for the consequences (xxiv). But some modern readers, Bryant tells us, are also uncomfortable with the numerous references to fate and destiny, and assume "that Shakespeare meant the play to be deterministic" (xxiv). Bryant tells us that Shakespeare does promise "in the Prologue to show the ‘misadventured piteous overthrows’ of a ‘pair of star-crossed lovers’" and then lets his characters continue to refer to destiny for the rest of the play (xxv).

Affirmative Action Essay -- Affirmative Action Essays

Affirmative action is an attempt by the United States to amend a long history of racial and sexual discrimination. But these days it seems to incite, not ease, the nations internal divisions. Opponents of affirmative action say that the battle for equal rights is over, and that requiring quotas that favor one group over another is un-American. The people that defend it say that the playing field is not level, and that providing advantages for minorities and women is fair considering the discrimination those groups tolerated for years. This paper will discuss the history of affirmative action, how it is implemented in society today, and evaluate the arguments that it presents. History of Affirmative Action Affirmative action was really implemented at the height of the civil rights movement in the United States. Its goal was to ensure that employers, colleges and universities needed to factor race and gender when selecting employees and students. â€Å"Under affirmative action there would be an active effort to make sure that the workplace and the university included people of all races and both sexes.†(Hanmer 8). Prior to this in the United States, opportunity did not exist for all. Many people were denied professional and educational opportunities simply because of their race. Affirmative action was to change the way employers hired. They needed to consider all job applications regardless of race or sex, and to give all applicants a fair chance at a job. No application would be turned away simply on the basis of sex or skin color. Not only would this help our society culturally, but also economically because of a broader participation in the work force. Although affirmative action did include all minorities, it may have never become government policy if it were not for the civil rights movement that began 1950’s. The Civil War had ended slavery nearly a century before, but still many African Americans had never been granted full equality. Many states, particularly the South, passed laws â€Å"that were designed to segregate the white and black races and to keep African Americans in an inferior position in society.† (Hamner 21). These laws were called â€Å"Jim Crow laws.† Examples of some o... ...re essential in this country. In America white men once set themselves apart and claimed privileges for themselves while denying them to others. Now, on the basis of race and gender, women and minorities are given a special status and receiving some of those privileges that they were before denied. Works Cited Hanmer, Trudy J., Affirmative Action: Opportunity For All?. New Jersey: Enslow,1993. Bergmann, Barbara R., In Defense of Affirmative Action. New York: BasicBooks, 1996. Jencks, Christopher, et al "http://epn.org/prospect/40/40jencnf.html" The American Prospect 40 (September-October 1998): 44-53. Goldman, Alan H., Justice and Reverse Discrimination. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1979. Rowan, Carl T., The Coming Race War In America. Toronto: Little, Brown and Company, 1996. Sowell, Thomas. ""http://www.bomis.com/cgi-bin/ring.cgi?page=10&ring=sowell"," Issues and Views, Spring 1996

Political and Social Development in Malaysia Essay

It is difficult to picture, whilst analyzing the political and social development of Southeast Asian countries, how this region was completely dominated by European colonialist powers, even six decades ago. Southeast Asia was among the 84 % of the surface area of the earth that stood colonized at the beginning of the Second World War, a process that began in the 16th century and carried on steadily during the next three centuries (Chadda and Others, 1971). European colonialism in the region ended mainly in the decade after World War II, its greatest result being the birth of nine new nations, including Malaysia (Chadda and Others, 1971). Political and social developments in the region, from the mid 1950s, when independent sovereign states emerged after the withdrawal of colonial powers, to the current day, have to essentially be viewed through the prism of colonialism to understand the broader issues that face the countries of the region, and the internal ethnic, social, religious, and political forces that play important roles in the shaping of their social and political progress, and in the choice of their structures of governance. For more than a thousand years before the arrival of the armies from Europe, from A. D. 200 AD to 1500 AD, the complexity and thoughtfulness of Hindu and Buddhist influences from the Indian subcontinent provided the people of Southeast Asia with some commonality and cohesion in areas of politics, governance, religion, arts, and literature (Cunningham, 1990). Numerous developments in the region, like alliances, royal marriages, wars, trade, and population movements brought the people of this region, including the Burmese, the Thai, the Vietnamese, the Khmer, and the Malays into multifarious relationships. Such harmony, commonality, and communication was disrupted and eventually lost after the establishment of colonial hegemony by the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, British, French, and Americans was established in separate parts of the region (Cunningham, 1990). Colonies became connected to their American or European rulers, which competed with each other, economically, culturally and politically, and became distant from each other. Despite their forced oneness with their colonial conquerors, the countries of Southeast Asia retained their unique ecological, cultural, and ethnic diversity (Cunningham, 1990). Whilst the region’s geographical dimensions and population are similar to that of West Europe, it is far more diverse in culture and traditions. â€Å"Southeast Asia’s population and land area are similar to those of Western Europe, but the region has far greater cultural variety. Hundreds of different societies speak mutually unintelligible languages. Many have proud civilizations stretching back over a thousand years. The people grew irrigated rice, traded overseas between and with India and China, and developed many small states and larger empires that allied and warred. From about A. D. 200 to A. D. 400, these societies reshaped Hindu-Buddhist cultural influence from India in statecraft, law, religion, art, architecture, and literature. † (Cunningham, 1990) Malaysia Malaysia, the subject of this essay, is an integral part of Southeast Asia and is a striking representation of the region’s ethnic and religious diversity. A narrow peninsular land mass, Malaysia as it is now known, was ruled from the 9th to the 13th century AD by the Buddhist kingdom of Srivijaya. Control of the kingdom passed to the Javanese Hindu kingdom of Majapahit in the 14th century and thence to a local Muslim prince in the 15th century (Gomez, 2004). The peninsula attracted the attention of the Portuguese in the 15th century, who conquered Malacca in 1511, an event that marked the beginning of four centuries of European rule (Gomez, 2004). With control of the area passing from Portuguese and Dutch hands to those of the British in the early years of the 19th century, its first consolidation took place in 1826, when the British settlements of Malacca, Penang, and Singapore were combined to form the Colony of the Straits Settlements (Gomez, 2004). Occupied by the Japanese from 1941 to 1945, the territories of peninsular Malaysia came together to form the Federation of Malaya in 1948 and obtained freedom from the British in 1957 (Gomez, 2004). The present-day Federation of Malaysia came into existence only in 1965, when Sarawak and Sabah joined the Federation of Malaya (Gomez, 2004). Evolution of Regional Democracy in Southeast Asia The beginning of post colonialism in Asia witnessed a significant social, intellectual and political endeavour to establish democracy and make it function in line with Anglo-American thought. Leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru in India, U Nu in Burma and Ramon Magsaysay in the Philippines, who had receive much of their formative and political education in the west, sought to draft constitutions, form political parties and hold elections (Crouch, 1996). Democratic processes were, during this time, under attack in all of Asia and it is not difficult to imagine the tremendous obstacles that confronted them year after year. Societies were being reconstructed after the devastation left by European and American colonialism, and a devastating war that had nothing to do with the people of Southeast Asia; the leadership was in the hands of inexperienced and untested administrators, there were a myriad social problems like poverty, illiteracy, and disease to tackle, and nations needed to be moulded from confusing and disparate ethnic puzzles (Crouch, 1996). The ideological confusion was even greater. Political leaders in Malaysia and other countries of Southeast Asia needed to choose from the democratic processes that were alive and thriving in the countries of North America and West Europe, and in countries like the UK, the state run communism that controlled the Soviet Union and East Europe, the banana republics of South America, paternal leftist dictatorships like those in Castro’s Cuba and Tito’s Yugoslavia, and the monarchical kingdoms and emirates of the Middle East (Crouch, 1996). The pressures of social reconstruction, nation building and ideological confusion in the region had joined hands, by the 1970s, to remove the essence of democracy from most of Southeast Asia with strongmen like Suharto in Indonesia, and Marcos in the Philippines disregarding democratic norms and consolidating personal power bases (Hill, 2002). The relegation or subversion of democracy in Southeast Asia was however accompanied by the rise of the Asian Tigers, with countries like South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan growing faster than all other countries in the world for over a decade (Hill, 2002). Such astonishing growth was also accompanied by the need for strong governments, which incidentally were headed by small groups of predominantly male leaders, who took decisions in all areas of public life, on issues as diverse economic subsidies, university admissions, foreign worker entry, working conditions and liberation of women (Hill, 2002). Democracy came back strongly into the political picture only in the 1990s, after the end of the Cold War, the deconstruction of the Soviet Union, and the economic crisis in Asia (Hill, 2002). The fall of â€Å"democratic† regimes in East Europe along with the acceptance of the superiority of the market system within a liberal democracy brought home the message to the people of Southeast Asia that economic growth built on political repression was ultimately unsustainable (Hill, 2002). Objective Malaysia has by and large experienced a stable political atmosphere, riding on the back of coalition one party rule and the political dominance of Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad for more than 20 years (Johnson, 2003). Malaysia’s society is multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious. The Malays, who comprise a just over 50% of the population form the majority community, all of them, by constitutional definition being Muslim. About 25 % of the population (down from 31 % at independence) is ethnic Chinese, a group which historically played an important role in trade and business. Malaysians of Indian descent comprise about 7% (again down from 11 % at independence) of the population and include Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, and Christians. Non-Malay indigenous groups combine to make up approximately 11% of the population. While national unity as continued to elude the country, its extremely successful industrialisation drive, (since the mid-1980s), has made it into one of the world’s important trading nations. Malaysia has experienced astonishing economic growth in the last two decades. The national poverty rate has fallen from 49. 3% in 1970 to 5. 1 % in 2004, with corresponding improvements in education, literacy, child mortality and disease control (Kershaw, 2004). The country’s political progress has to be viewed in light of the phenomenal economic growth achieved by it as well as the social and political processes of the region. This study aims to study the political and social development of the country, including issues like the process of holding elections, the level and genuineness of political competition, freedom of speech and media, official and unofficial abuse of human rights, punishment regime, the strength of the judiciary and other institutions, the relationship between economic and political development, and the capacity of the state to politically administer its sovereign territory.