Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ( Ocd ) - 1224 Words

Abstract This paper will distill information from the four articles provided to provide a more thorough understanding of the effects Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, otherwise known as OCD, has on an individual. The paper will explain and interpret the link between obsession and compulsion that is characteristic of being diagnosed with OCD. In addition, this paper will describe the impact having this disorder can have on an individual in their day to day lives. This paper will clearly articulate exactly what the definition of having OCD is and how often it is self-diagnosed in error. In addition, the paper will provide symptoms along with real world examples of how these symptoms would manifest themselves in the real world. The paper will†¦show more content†¦The primary intention when writing this paper is to clearly articulate how chronic and severe OCD is for those with the diagnosis and to help to remove the stigma and embarrassment associated with it (Pittenger, C., et al 2005, No vember). To begin to understand this disorder, one must look to the historical origins of it. In the 1600s, having symptoms of OCD were perceived as symptoms of melancholia, a form of severe depression. For hundreds of years, OCD went misunderstood and undiagnosed. It was not until the beginning and middle of the 20th century that two figures brought OCD to the level of understanding and diagnosis that we have as a combined disorder today (Karr, L. J. 2010, August 29). These two men were Sigmund Freud and Pierre Janet, both pillars of the modern psychology. While these men disagreed about the causes of compulsive behaviors and obsessions, they created a better understanding of OCD through their theories and research. This paved the way for the research done by future psychiatrists and mental health professionals into the relationship between anxiety, obsessions, and compulsive behavior. Symptoms/Diagnosis Criteria Obsessive-compulsive disorder can be best understood as a combined disorder, because individuals afflicted with it experience symptoms of both obsession and compulsion. The obsessions are the feelings that intrude on anShow MoreRelatedObsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)1756 Words   |  8 Pages Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a disorder that can affect children and adults. In order to fully understand OCD, many different areas of the disorder must be reviewed. First, OCD will be defined and the diagnosis criteria will be discussed. Secondly the prevalence of the disorder will be considered. The different symptoms, behaviors and means of treatment are also important aspects that will be discussed in order to develop a clearer understanding of the implications of obsessive compulsiveRead MoreEssay on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)875 Words   |  4 Pagessevere Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is an anxiety diso rder that triggers people to have unwanted fixations and to repeat certain activities again and again. Everyone has habits or certain ways of doing something with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder these habits severely interrupt the way they live their lives (Familydoctor.org Editorial Staff). About one in 40 people suffer from some form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (ABRAMOWITZ). Obsessive Compulsive Disorder oftenRead MoreLiving With Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)1190 Words   |  5 Pagesdifferences between both symptoms and experiences of six different authors who have been personally affected by obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).   Since OCD is not very well understood by many members of the public (Escape), I hope that the experiences of the authors that I researched will be able to paint a vivid picture of what life with OCD is like. Obsessive-compulsive disorder involves a chemical imbalance in the brain. This chemical imbalance is thought to be the main reason for obsessionsRead MoreObsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Essay2901 Words   |  12 Pages   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, affects an average 1.7% of the population according to the Stanford University School of Medicine.  Ã‚  The recognition of this psychological disorder has grown in the recent years.  Ã‚  As the knowledge of this disorder becomes more prevalent, those suffering have become more willing to seek help (OCDA).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  OCD is a condition â€Å"in which people experience repetitive and upsetting thoughts and/or behaviors† (OCDA).  Ã‚  While there are many variationRead MoreObsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Essay800 Words   |  4 Pages Obsessive Compulsive Disorder And Its Effect On Life Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, involves anxious thoughts or rituals one feels and cant control. . For many years, OCD was thought to be rare. The actual number of people with OCD was hidden, because people would hide their problem to avoid embarrassment. Some recent studies show that as many as 3 million Americans ages 18 to 54 may have OCD at any one time. This is about 2.3% of the people in this age group. It strikes men and women inRead More Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Essays2616 Words   |  11 Pagesis a very powerful piece of structure; it is truly limitless when speaking about its potential. With a functional organ comes a dysfunctional possibility. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, (OCD), for instance, is nervousness in the mind. OCD is an anxiety disorder caused by repetitive intrusive thoughts and behaviors. It is a mental disorder marked by the involvement of a devotion to an idea or routine. Essentially, it is a false core belief which is believing that there is something wrong, causingRead MoreEssay on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)3370 Words   |  14 Pages Obsessive compulsive disorder is a disease that many people know of, but few people know about. Many people associate repeated washing of hands, or flicking of switches, and even cleanliness with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), however there are many more symptoms, and there are also explanations for those symptoms. In this paper, I will describe what obsessive compulsive disorder is, explain some of the effects of it, and explain why it happens. I will also attempt to prove that while medicationRead More Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Essay1758 Words   |  8 PagesOCD: Whats in Control? Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that is the fourth most common mental illness in the U.S. (8). OCD affects five million Americans, or one in five people (3). This is a serious mental disorder that causes people to think and act certain things repetitively in order to calm the anxiety produced by a certain fear. Unlike compulsive drinking or gambling, OCD compulsions do not give the person pleasure; rather, the rituals are performed to obtainRead MoreObsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Essay examples1375 Words   |  6 PagesObsessive Compulsive Disorder â€Å"I know my hands are clean. I know that I have touched nothing dangerous. But†¦ I doubt my perception. Soon, if I do not wash, a mind numbing, searing anxiety will cripple me. A feeling of stickiness will begin to spread from the point of contamination and I will be lost in a place I do not want to go. So I wash until the feeling is gone, until the anxiety subsides. Then I feel defeated. So I do less and less, my world becomes smaller and smaller and more lonelyRead MoreEssay about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)474 Words   |  2 Pages Obsessive Compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental illness that effects nearly 5 million Americans, and half a million children. Its a disease that fills the brain with unwanted ideas, and worries. OCD is a diseases that effects the Cerebral frontal cortex. Unfortunately there is no cure for OCD. Obsessive compulsive disorder can start developing as early as age five. In most cases OCD controls your life. Through out the rest of this paper I hope to inform you on Obsessive compulsive Disorders

The International Agreement And The Treaty Of Versaille

The International agreement, â€Å"The Treaty of Versaille† concluded the first World War, but was biased against Germany which may have sparked World War Two due to the reduction of military power and land, the overwhelming debt, and the unfairness of the treaty. After the war Germany was not a very popular country across the world to say the least, because of this some countries may want to seek revenge. It is unfair to the innocent people of Germany to have such a small form of protection against possible invasions. U.S. President Woodrow Wilson met with English Prime Minister David Lloyd-George and French Premier Georges Clemenceau at the Versailles Peace Conference that determined the shape of postwar Europe. Almost 10% of the German†¦show more content†¦The amount of land that was lost took a huge toll on germany as they already were millions of dollars in debt after the war. The loss of territory meant an effacement of the German empire that Otto von Bismarck had established under the Prussian Monarchy. The reality of defeat and the fragmentation of the German empire were humiliating to the Germans. Germany lost 13.5 % of its territory under the terms of the treaty. Close to seven million German citizens were placed under the j urisdiction of a foreign nation. The League of Nations took control of the free city of Danzig and the allies took control of the Rhineland for fifteen years. The Rhineland was demilitarized under article 180 of the Versailles Treaty. It was considered the industrial heart of Germany and the source of its military power. Germany also lost its colonies and large merchant vessels (yanak). (you re The addition loss of the Polish corridor separated East Prussia from Germany, Germany lost 16% of its coalfields and half its iron and steel industry, which further damaged the German economy. Adding to the even crueler restrictions was to the german army. The French sought in the postwar treaty to limit Germany s potential to regain its economic superiority and to rearm. The German army was to be limited to 100,000 men, and conscription proscribed; the treaty restricted the Navy to vessels under 10,000 tons, with a ban on the acquisition or

Our National Flag Free Essays

There is no king without a crown. Similarly, there is no nation without a flag of its own. When India was under the British rule, there was no national flag of India. We will write a custom essay sample on Our National Flag or any similar topic only for you Order Now The people then became free. India became an independent country in 1947. Since the date of her independence, India has a national flag of her own. National Flag is a sacred thing for all. It stands for the mother land. When we honour our national flag it is considered as an honour to the country or our motherland. Similarly, any dishonor to our national flag is treated as a dishonor to our country. Our national flag is called Triranga. Because it contains three different colours such as saffron, white and green. Three stripes of these three colours remain horizontal. The upper part of the flag is of saffron colour. The middle part is white. The lower part is green. On the middle of white part there is a wheel or Chakra in the model of the Dharma Chakra of the noble emperor Ashoka the Great. The flag originally belonged to the Indian National Congress. In 1931 when this flag was adopted, it had a spinning wheel on the middle. But when it was chosen to be our national flag, the spinning wheel was replaced by the Dharma Chakra of Ashoka. It is a sin to consider the national flag as a piece of ordinary cloth. The flag has great meaning and significance. Saffron stands for sacrifice and selfless devotion. White colour indicates truth, purity and simplicity. The green colour stands for freshness and creative energy. The wheel indicates activity and progress through the path of justice, liberty and brotherhood. It also indicates peace. The people of India hoist the National Flag on 15th August and 26th January every year. They stand up under the flag and sing the National Anthem and pay honour to the Country. They vow to keep up her ideals. The National Flag is kept hoisted on all days of the year on the top of the government buildings and Courts. When a very important person of our country passes away, the National Flag is brought down half mast. The National flag is also hoisted on the buildings of the Indian Embassy in foreign countries. The National Flag-of India is a sacred thing for all the Indians irrespective of caste, colour, and religion. At any cost, we have to keep its prestige. How to cite Our National Flag, Essay examples

Nursing Medical Diagnosis

Question: Discuss about theNursingfir Medical Diagnosis. Answer: Introduction In clinical settings, distinctions remain in terms of nursing diagnosis and medical diagnosis. A medical diagnosis takes into consideration the actual disease happenings or the medical condition that underpins important aspect of the pathophysiology. Contrarily a nursing diagnosis is responsible for dealing with the human responses to potential or actual health problems as well as life processes and comprise of the clinical judgment regarding an individual, family or community. Nursing diagnosis is a crucial part of the nursing process and the data are generally procured from the nursing assessment that is conducted in due course of the nursing intervention. During my professional practice I came across a number of experiences relevant to my practicing field that accounted for definite competency as stated in the Competency Profile of the Licensed Practical Nurses put forward by the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta. In this context I would like to present a condition where I worked in conformity with the major competency area marked D that accounts for Communication and Interpersonal Skills. Further effective communication that falls under the competency D1 was followed. The CLPNA competency for Communication and Interpersonal Skills encompass a number of virtues among which effective communication is considered as a vital one (clpna.com, 2017). One significant learning experience was gathered by me through a long term care facility care provision where a patient suffering from progressive dementia was admitted. The patient was reportedly not having the capability of caring independently for himself because of cognitive decline and possesses additional symptom of urinary incontinence. Further impaired communication in conjunction with altered mental status was also evident in the patient. Mr. X was a patient of 80 years old man having a history of dementia. The issue pertaining to frequent incontinence in case of Mr. X made it urgent to engage into therapeutic communication so as to foster activities of daily living (ADL) care as well as frequent skin hygiene. In an effort to improve communication, I performed certain nursing intervention procedures that emphasized on improving communication, encouraging independence in self care, ensuring safety and preventing violence and aggression. Among the potent intervention, communic ation skills training relevant to dementia care have been identified to significantly improve the quality and well being of the people having dementia thereby enhancing the scope of positive interaction. Observing the symptoms of the patient, I found that usage of short, simple words and phrases and indulging in slow and soft speaking ability was an effective way of focusing the patients attention thereby allowing him to follow basic instructions. I made sure to call him by his name only at every meeting to increase his familiarity and consistent identification with himself. I stressed on lending one piece of information at a time and reviewed what has been discussed with the patient. I ensured that the surrounding environment in which the patient dwells in the clinical setting is well lit. Moreover I also tried to shift the topic of discussion to a more familiar and safer one whenever I found the patient to be aggressive (Eggenberger, Heimerl Bennett, 2013). The initiatives and therapeutic nursing interventions that I adopted in treating the dementia patient helped me to undertake suitable approaches that were congruent to the patients needs and accounted for offering holistic solutions to the throbbing challenges encountered during daily living. Thus, my interventional approach corroborated well with the effective communication, a competency stated in the CLPNA guideline. The client centered communication carried out through active listening responses; verbal responses have been detected as effective modes of therapeutic communication strategies. Hence, the methods adopted are found to be of importance in terms of providing respite through effective communication (Arnold Boggs, 2015). In the chosen CLPNA competency, I feel that my proficiency may be categorized into the good category. The reason behind my claiming may be attributed to my thorough understanding the competency related to the theory as well as in scenarios pertaining to nursing practice. I expressed respect, empathic behavior, warmth as well as self disclosure in a specific manner to harbor effective communication that in turn helped to yield holistic outcomes in keeping with the symptoms of the patient. All these virtues have been mentioned in empirical research findings (Riley, 2015). The effective communication skills that I followed in order to express my competency in terms of communication and interpersonal skills will help me to provide better care provision for the patients under requisite care facility by means of utilizing both verbal and non-verbal techniques for addressing barriers involving cognitive, developmental, cultural, functional, emotional, social, spiritual, mental aspects. Critical thinking ability may be integral in this respect to foster therapeutic nurse-client relationship in compliance with the professional standards, guidelines, legislations and regulations relevant to nursing practice. References Arnold, E. C., Boggs, K. U. (2015).Interpersonal relationships: Professional communication skills for nurses. Elsevier Health Sciences. Clpna.com,. (2017). Competency Profile for Licensed Practical Nurses. Retrieved 2 February 2017, from https://www.clpna.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/doc_Competency_Profile_for_LPNs_3rd_Ed_2015_COMPLETE.pdf Eggenberger, E., Heimerl, K., Bennett, M. I. (2013). Communication skills training in dementia care: a systematic review of effectiveness, training content, and didactic methods in different care settings.International Psychogeriatrics,25(03), 345-358. Riley, J. B. (2015).Communication in nursing. Elsevier Health Sciences.

The Claim That Class Can Be Seen As A Cultural Phenomenon

Prison Prevents Violence Essays - Behavior, Dispute Resolution

Prison Prevents Violence Essays - Behavior, Dispute Resolution Prison Prevents Violence Prison Prevents Violence Violence is a major concern amongst the youths of this generation. It is an important issue that is being neglected. Several causes that may lead to this behavior would be the surroundings the youths are brought up in, or the image they wish to present themselves as - macho, tough, and untouchable. However, the causes are not important. What is important is the solution we can provide in order to help these youths stop violence. One solution to prevent youth violence would be to take them on a field trip to the local prison to spend a day as a prisoner. According to West Midlands Police Museum, spending a day in jail would mean eating repetitive, unappealing food such as oatmeal, bread, and potatoes. Daily chores include laundry, yard work, and general maintenance. However, the worst experience of going to jail would mean having freedom taken away. If the youths spent a day living behind bars, they would hopefully learn to cherish freedom more. By going to jail, the students would realize this and change their violent behaviors. Another reason that going to jail may prevent youth violence is that the prisoners in there doing time already can tell them nonfiction, breath-taking stories. This would be a memorable experience that would linger within the youths. Stories might include how the trial impacted their families, the regrets that they have (if any), or how guards treats them. It is not the outside world where orders from parents could be disregarded. The prisoners have to listen to every order that is given to them, or a severe punishment would be the outcome. One story that might be of interest belongs to J.J Maloney, an ex-prisoner of Missouri State Penitentiary. He stated that [s]tabbings and killings, robberies and rapes were common (1). Every time youths choose violence as the answer to their problems, they could think of how the prisoners are treated in jail and how much pain they are living with. Furthermore, spending a day in prison can be a solution for youths to stop violence because delightful activities are limited - no more video games, no more long conversations with friends on the phone, no more parties to attend. The guilty have nothing to show for themselves; they are shameful and prideless individuals who have lost their souls. However, a negative factor of this field trip would be the exposure and easy access of drugs. Maloney adds that even captains on the guard forceowed their souls to certain convicts that sold them the drugs (1). He further elaborates: in a one-week period, one inmate smuggled in 14 ounces of amphetamine, another inmate 2 ounces, and another four ounces. So much dope was available, in so many hands, it was almost impossible to sell all of it. Then, in one 24-day period, four inmates were murdered (Maloney 2) It is evident that only one day is enough for youths to spend at the prison for violent behaviors to stop. Longer visits would likely cause another major concern in youths the use of drugs. The opportunity to take a prison fieldtrip would be very unusual, but it would give the youth a chance to have a taste of the consequence without actually committing the crime. This may not help all of the students, but if one would change their violent behavior because of this field trip, then the time spent in organizing it would already be worth it.

Literature revie of success factors of ecommerce in fashion Article

Literature revie of success factors of ecommerce in fashion - Article Example IMRG, the leading industry body for global e-Retailing has been keeping an eye on e-business figures for quite some time now. For instance year 2000 figures from IMRG indicate that online revenues for fashion goods grew at 30 percent, while in 2005 an estimated 24 million people spent over 1.6 billion online in 2005. According to e-bay, the pioneering e-retailing site on the net, a piece of clothing sells every 7seconds on their site (Morrell, 2006) and Topshop’s website is believed to be its second largest outlet after its oxford street flag shop store (Dudley, 2005). This goes on to show that e-retailing for fashion products is becoming a ‘fashion trend’ now, having been identified as the fastest growing online sector in the UK presenting 9 per cent of all online British retailing (Ashworth et al). In 2004, retail fashion market in the UK amounted to 37 billion in (Mintel) whereas the total value for the book retail market in the same year was a mere 3.62billion (Mintel). This is indeed quite an encouraging sign for the fashion industry. Internet also allows live conferencing and academic exchange amongst the designers and fashion retailer. Such interactive session also help in breeding interest amongst more buyers and sellers. Issues now being discussed include relating to consumer behaviour, enhancing the displays, academic exchanges. Such discussion help in persuading the average consumer to go for online clothing purchase (Kim) and examinations of cross channel shopping behaviour involving fashion purchases via the catalogue and online (Lu). Some such work is also focused upon the components of fashion web consumer perceptions of these (Kim). Virtual e-tailers: These are the virtual fashion apparel stores on the net, offering a range of cloths and fashion accessories to the consumer. In fact, on account of the growing popularity, these

Disaster Resilient Engineering Innovations Essay

Disaster Resilient Engineering Innovations - Essay Example For a holistic approach to mitigating the impact of the catastrophe, a multi-stakeholders collaboration is necessary. For engineering plans to be successful, knowledge, researchers, and information from other disciplines such as geologists, sociologists, public administrators, information technology, the government and several others must be involved. With the experiences of the countries on the different types of calamities, the government and the concerned private groups that includes engineering organizations, continually devise plans and designs to make communities resilient and sustainable amidst the threat of natural disasters. This paper will present the innovations and initiatives implemented in the field of engineering to mitigate the impact of natural disasters, particularly earthquakes, flood, and tsunami. Earthquakes, flood, tsunamis, and other natural disasters have occurred in more frequency around the globe have caused billions of dollars lost and an unaccounted number of deaths. These natural calamities have challenged the stability of buildings, bridges and other infrastructures. Thus, engineers and planners have continually engaged in innovative engineering approaches in order to mitigate the impact of these natural forces. Floods, earthquake, and tsunamis, as well as landslides, cyclones, etc. have posted a major challenge to governments, much more than they have become a regular occurrence. 1 A great challenge to the government is to protect the lives of people and animals, as well as properties. 2 In order to attain these goals, engineering plans must be designed capable of bearing the force that these natural disasters bring forth. Also important is building of rehabilitation and medical institutions that could bear the load since victims will be treated in these facilities when a disaster strikes. 3 Rehabilitation and medical facilities must be constructed farther from fault zones and coastal.

Personal Reflective Report on Strategy Formulation Assignment - 1

Personal Reflective Report on Strategy Formulation - Assignment Example s required to reflect on the involvement in strategy, whether at the micro level of the team or the macro level of the organization, based on models in the assigned readings, professional experiences, and understanding of organizations. Al Saady Company is the sole distributor for Toyota, Lexus and Daihatsu in Syria. It is an overseas division of Abdul Latif Jameel in Saudi Arabia. Al Saady Company has been established in 1993 with one centre in the capital (Damascus). By 2011, the Company has expanded to become four centres in four different cities with an average of 250 employees and 5000 cars as yearly sales, or an average of about 420 cars per month. My position and role is that of a Branch Manager to one of the four centres. I govern and administer a total of 52 employees in six departments: Sales, Parts, Service, Accounting, Human Resource and Administration departments. The overall structural type of the Company is functional specialization with classic forms of bureaucracy. The following organizational chart will briefly give an overview of the company structure: The competition in the auto market is between Korean and Japanese makers in Syria. The average income in Syria is about $10000 per annum. The most commonly purchased car is Toyota Corolla as people are looking for the most fuel-efficient car due to the increase in prices of gasoline which have manifested a 100% rise in 2007. The primary strategy type employed by the organization is top down strategy where, as noted in Depperu and Gnan (2003), it is a â€Å"rational, top-down process that can be strongly formalized and separated from implementation† (p. 4). As strategies are planned and designed within the higher organizational hierarchy, guidelines, policies and procedures are clearly developed for effective implementation by the managers and their subordinates. Policies for providing exemplary service to customers, termed â€Å"Guest delight† program, are planned from the higher echelons with

Why is strategic change so difficult to manage in my organization?

Why is strategic change so difficult to manage in my organization? Looking that evolution and the way things happen, it is possible and easy to say that nothing in this life last forever. Human beings come and go, over the course of our lives we change from kids to teenager to adults . In order to succeed a and make progress, every organization need to make changes. Irrespective of how powerful and successful a an organization, and irrespective of how much sustained success the organization has had, there is a need for change which is inevitable and ever present to ensure sustainable and continuous levels of success in the company. The need for change can be ignited by a change in environment brought about by changes in customers taste, changes or advancements in technology, increase or changes in the level of competition or exogenous factors, things which are totally out of the control of management of the organization for example the occurrence natural disasters is totally our of the control of management of an organization. Change can also be brought about as a result of the organizations own success. Growth and market success will inevitable lead to changes in organizational size and complexities. The main secret to long term success is the company or organizations ability to adapt to change. Many organizations tend to develop long term success formulas or successful business models that last for a particular period of time. As time goes by, the business environment as well as conditions with in the organization itself can change. In order for the organizations to maintain its level of success, it has to be able to adapt to the required level of change. Over time it has been proven that if the organization is able to adapt to changes in its environment, it will be able to flourish. Similarly, if the company is not able to adapt to changes in its environment, it will definitely experience difficulties, and irrespective of the amount of resources that it has or its current market share, the company can fail. This demise can occur rapidly or it can come about slowly. It is really important to not that the process of change can never be easy. The process of change more often than not is complicated and in most cases slow and painful. Depending of the variable, which has initiated the change, the process will come into effect at its own pace. If things don not go the way management is expecting, they can be pulled into n uncomfortable position Human being as much as business organizations do not like change, as such the very important question that we will have to answer here is how much pain is an organization wiling to take in order to bring into existence the change variable Strategic change over time has been given different definitions . Strategic change therefore could be considered as changes in the composition of a firms strategy as per it à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"s synergies, competitive advantages, scope, and resource deployment. It can also be looked at as the difference in the quality, state or form of an organization trying to align itself with the external environment. Looking at the definition of strategic change that we have just given above, it is clear that the process of implementing strategic change in any organization is clearly affected by the state of the firms themselves and the external environment. the performance of firms is greatly dependent on a mixture of the firms themselves and the external environment, the emergence of new opportunities therefore and the existence of threats in the existing environment, requires that firms are constantly changing in order to adapt to these changes in their environments. It is important here to note th at strategic change is greatly affected by the state of the organization or company in question. For example, firms will adopt a new strategy in the face of financial distress. This main aim of this is to try to reverse the financially distressing situation to the company. Some companies tend to have structural inertia, as such in implementing strategic change, they tend to keep their previous strategy and structure. On a whole therefore, there are seven important point to note about strategic change. Firstly, in order for strategic change to take place, the business has to adapt to its existing environment., secondly, strategic change is complex and fluid and it creates new combinations and generates situational questions that might require non repetitive answers. Nextly, it affects all of the business by providing direction, as well as involving both content and process which can also be referred to as strategy formation and strategy implementation. Strategic change is partially p lanned and partially unplanned so that it can account for any other unforeseen circumstances that arise, also for strategic change to be effectively carried out, it has to be effectuated at all level of the organization. Strategic change should also be a well though out and conceptual process. Managers leading change have to take three things into account when carrying out the change. Firstly, the requirements for major changes in an organizations is a shift the the existing culture of the company as well as a change in the behavior of employees. A lot of initiatives for change fail because they do not deliver a shift by dealing with the cultural and political reality of the company. Nextly, in order that strategic change is successful, it needs to be designed to fit in with the organizational context. Change more often than not is a very complex process; as such companies need to find a way with in which the required change can be adapted to the organizations structure. A lot of companies try to buy readymade solutions to their problems and because these are not designed with the particular structure of their organization in mind. They tend to face difficulties. Lastly, organizations and the decisions that are made in them , are made by people. As such for change to be effectively implemented the people in these organizations have to change their attitudes and perceptions about the way business is done. An intrinsic part of the change process is the organizations employees. In the case of British airways, there are a couple of things that might trigger a need for strategic change. There might be exogenous factors such as a rise in the price of raw material, for example, a rise in the price of oil, will inevitable lead o a rise in the price of gas. In order to adapt to this new changes in the business playing , and in order not to probably transfer these rises to ticket prices which is going to prevent middle line BA customers from switching and looking for a cheaper alternative, as manager in BA I might have to initiate other cost cutting techniques to be able to live up to and meet up with the necessary financial cost and still be as competitive as possible in ticket pricing. Other things that might trigger a strategic change include things such as employees demanding a pay rise, general economic crisis like the one which occurred in late 2008 and affected every sector of the economy, there might be an advancement in technology, maybe the development o f ore fuel efficient planes, can in order maybe to adjust and fit in to this new market various things have to be done. In order to effectively handle change at an organization like BA, there must be very good leaders in place so they can assist in leading employees through the change process. In order for change to be successful , people with the ability to successfully implement change are needed. It has been noted that serious change isnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t possible unless the people at the top of the organization are in support of the changes which are supposed to be going through. In a successful transformation, majority of the people on the board , departmental heads and a good number of other employees have to commit to pull together and improve performances. It is important for manager at the top of BA to realize that in order to demand a change from employees in the company, they themselves have to be model for the change that they are advocating for. If they expect a high standard from their employee, then they themselves have to be a model for that high standard. If the change involves cost cutting and they think that employees have to take a pay cut, they themselves as managers of the company have to take a pay cut. In order for change to be implemented in the organization, management has to address and assess the human concern. BA claims to put people first, the reason for this is that people are the greatest asset of BA. The change implementers at BA need to be aware and able to invest effort and time into understanding the human concern and as much as they can, put themselves in the positions of the people who will be affected by any decisions that will be taken be it employees or customers. Communication is a very important tool for change. As much communications as possible is important as change sometimes can lead to fear of job losses, it can foster uncertainty and this can destabilize the whole change process. Management of BA as much as possible has to encourage and communicate with employees making them aware of the fact that they will be given every consideration and will be probably trained to do things in the new better way. It is important for managers to know that the extend of strategic change implemented is very important. Even though it is really difficult to determine how much change or how fast change comes to an organization, it is necessary as a manager to note that change implemented at a very fast rate can instead work against the best interest of the company. Can be implemented too fast can destroy the moral of the employees and it has been know to cause employees to get sick. Even though some change is beyond out control, it is important that change should not be piled up on change. The management of BA therefore has to realize that too much change is an issue and they therefore have to set up an adequate timeframe within which change can be achieved. It might to an extend be a good idea to bounce idea of your employees if change you are trying to implement is a function of your control. Change is divided into four categories, realignment, incremental, big bang and transformational change. I n order for an organization to implement transformational change, it has to change the people in an organization. To change the culture of an organization, the way people think and work has to be changed. In order to help management Like BA management design a context sensitive approach to change with in their organization, the kaliedoscope was created. The kaleidoscope features things which are related to the companies culture, current situation and competencies. The strategic organizational change concept is defined by aspects such as the time frame with in which the change has to take place, the scope of the change , preservation, diversity, capability capacity readiness and power. The time frame of the concept with regards to BA will be talking about things should as the length of time required to implement change in the organization, for example, if an organization is in crisis, then they need less time to change while if its a long term development strategy, the managements has more time to implement the change. When implementing the change, management has to take into consideration what aspect of the old structure need to be preserved, what need to remain and what needs to be c hanged. The scope of the change deals with the extend to which change will be implemented and how much of the organization will be affected by the changes coming into effect. Capabilities of the individual employees, management and the organization have to be taken in to consideration. The ability of staff to deal with these changes, the ability of management to see staff through these changes and the availability of organizational resources to manage these changes greatly determines the extent to which change is implemented. Before a change approach is selected, it is important that the organization chooses the path change is going to take, the point at which change should start, the style change should take, the levers and mechanisms to be employed, and the role that people in the organization are going to play in order to effectuate change. Management of BA have to take this into consideration, they have to as much as possible ensure that change leadership is set up right. They have to make sure that management is in the right position to see change through. In order for management to be able to lead change through, they have to take into consideration the values of the employees in the company and the ethnic and diversity issues which can be brought about as a result of change being implemented. Management leading change have to make sure that in designing and seeing the process of change through, they do not trample upon peoples ethical values or do things in such a way that the ethnic minority for example feel discriminated against. If that happens, moral levels in the company might drop and some employees might be left feeling frustrated at the change, which is being implemented. It is important therefore to note that in order for change to be implemented in an organization like British airways, it is necessary for management to have open and effective communication with its staff, management should ensure that training and retraining programs have been set up so that staff can learn and get integrated in the change structure, Managing an organization is all about managing people, as such I think it is important for management to be able to motivate its staff. Preventing them from getting frustrated is integral to the strategic change process. The business and organizational environment is constantly changing, as such it s really important for every organization, to keep on changing in order to succeed. Learning to adapt to change is a very necessary ingredient to be able to thrive in todayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s business world as such organizations should be able to learn and continuously adapt to everyday changes. In conclusion therefore, it can be said that strategic change is difficult to manage in an organization mainly due to the fact that organizations are all about people, and every human being is different in their own way. However, with the right leadership qualities at the helm of an organization, proper communication plan of the change strategy put in place and adequate availability of organizational resources strategic change can be implemented.

The Role of American NGOs in the Regulation of Cruise Ship Pollution Es

The Role of American NGOs in the Regulation of Cruise Ship Pollution Each year, thousands of tons of pollution are generated on cruise ships and dumped into the world’s oceans. This pollution threatens the marine environment, the cruise ship industry, and the people who depend on a healthy ocean. Neither historical nor current international oceanic regimes provide comprehensive regulation on cruise ship pollution. To address the threats posed by limited oceanic pollution regulation in American and international waters, several American nongovernmental organizations have pursued diverse tactics to generate government, industry, and consumer response. To the extent that NGOs are able to influence policy, the actions of these groups challenges the realist notion that non-state actors have little influence on policy. A case study of three prominent American NGOs demonstrates how different strategies can be implemented to influence oceanic policy. The Bluewater Network, Oceana, and Conservation International have tried to abate pollution from cruise ships by either lobbying the government for improved policies, generating public awareness of the cruise ship pollution issue, or working with the cruise ship industry to implement stronger pollution controls. These actors have responded to the weakness in the oceanic policy regime. Although cruise ship pollution remains a major threat to national and international waters, American NGOs have been successful in generating increased awareness of the issue and have been able encourage policies that will make cruises more sustainable for both the environment and the industry (Oceana). The Development of Oceanic Policy International agreements have established the United St... ... The cruise ship pollution campaign has been strengthened by the cooperation among organizations that the Bluewater Network petition facilitated. Heightened public awareness, engendered by NGO campaigns, has pressured the U.S. government and the cruise ship industry to respond. If policy changes, such as those presented in the Clean Cruise Ships Act of 2004, occur, the activities of Conservation International may allow the cruise ship industry to comply with environmental regulations while maintaining high profits. The confluence of each NGO’s actions may provide the means necessary for a strong domestic ocean regime. In the absence of international cooperation, a strong American ocean policy is an important step in safeguarding the world’s oceans. Various strategies have allowed NGOs to highlight cruise ship pollution as an issue that can not longer be ignored.

Badminton Essay Essay

Self-efficacy and social influences are two guiding principles in the study of sociology of sport. Self-efficacy is an individual’s personal estimate of confidence in his or her capability to accomplish a certain level of performance, whereas social influence occurs when others affect one’s emotions, opinions, behaviors and choices. These sociocultural factors are linked to Figueroa’s framework, which influence my participation in badminton. In this essay, the focus in on self-efficacy and social stigma-related socio-cultural factors, which are constituent elements in the sports socialization process and have influenced my active involvement in Badminton. The purpose of this assignment is to evaluate the impact that sociocultural influences have had on my decision to play on the Moreton Bay College badminton team. Professor Peter Figueroa developed a tool also known as Figueroa’s Framework, which investigates the issues surrounding access, equity and equality in sport and physical activity. It is structured over five different levels: individual, interpersonal, institutional, structural and cultural, these areas are used to investigate the ways in which inequities challenge the area of sport and physical activity. All five levels connect within each other and they all influence the shaping of the overall effect. They show the different functions that reinforce, create, remove and eliminate barriers and inequities within sport and physical activity. The level of Figeuroa’s Framework that affects my participation in badminton the greatest was the interpersonal level and individual level. The interpersonal level of Figueroa’s framework is used to investigate the relationships that affect whether an individual will develop a lifelong association with sport. Most individuals ar e influenced directly or indirectly by the people around them such as parents, peers, siblings, teachers, coaches, or sporting role models. In particular, one barrier that had an impact upon my participation in Badminton is self-efficacy. The theory of self-efficacy â€Å"was developed within the framework of social cognitive theory, which views individuals as proactive agents in the regulation of their cognition, motivation, actions,  and emotions.† When playing badminton I feel vulnerable to this problem of self-efficacy as my self-esteem is affected by my performance because I feel as if I am judged by how well I perform. As I have such high expectations to perform well in badminton, I am very critical and hard on myself. This leads to poor self-efficacy which forces me to believe I do not have the capability for success in Badminton. Someone with high self-efficacy is confident and motivated to work toward a learning goal and someone such as myself with low self-efficacy in badminton is not as motivated, which effects how much effort is put into a particular task. Self-efficacy is based on a social learning theory and is a construct that affects motivation and thus can promote or inhibit learning different skills. Consequently, as Allender et al. (2006) suggests, when an individual has limited confidence in their own ability to perform, enjoyment levels decline and inevitably, participation ceases. Pratt et al. (1999) found that perceived competence and sport ability beliefs had a â€Å"strong and direct impact on enjoyment†. As enjoyment is a precursor to ongoing participation, it is thus evident that self-efficacy is an important factor in my participation in Badminton. A study by McCarthy, Jones and Clark-Carter (2008) investigated the sources of enjoyment reported by youth sport participants and found that positive parental involvement was one of the most frequently reported results by young males and females. This implies that when children in sport perceive parental involvement as positive, they are more likely to enjoy their sporting experience. When we are young, our families influence us more than outsiders do. If your parents played sports, took you to sporting contests, helped you learn basic sport skills, and encouraged you to participate, chances are you gave sports a try. It has been proven that parental influence extends to the parents perception of the sports their children choose to participate in. That is, parents can transmit values through communicating their beliefs, acceptance, and support to their child’s participation in sport. Numerous studies have demonstrated the importance of parental interpretation, often showing th at too much parental feedback causes undue stress in young athletes and can cause them not to participate in certain sports, but the appropriate amounts of encouragement and support can increase enjoyment and longevity of the athletes’ involvement. Parental  interpretation is a powerful mechanism because it communicates expected and valued behaviors. Children internalize parental values and expectations therefore; children try to behave in ways that maximize their acceptance in the social setting. Thus, as my parents communicate that they do not value badminton as an exceptional sport, it is unlikely for me to participate in this sport. Also as my parents are not actively involved, nor intentionally provide sporting experiences for the sport of badminton; it is very unlikely that I was ever exposed to the sporting world of badminton as a child. In conclusion, self-efficacy and social influences are two of the central motives that have influenced my decision to play on the college badminton team. These sociocultural factors target the Interpersonal and Structural level of Figueroa’s framework. The influence of outsiders such as family and peers and my perceived capability at a particular time to perform the specified badminton skills has led me to the decision of not participating in the Moreton Bay College badminton team.

Biography of James Jim Bowie, American Frontiersman

Biography of James 'Jim' Bowie, American Frontiersman James Jim Bowie (c. 1796–March 6, 1836) was an American frontiersman, slave trader, smuggler, Indian fighter, and soldier in the Texas Revolution. He was among the defenders at the Battle of the Alamo in 1836, where he perished along with all of his comrades. Bowie was known as a legendary fighter; the large Bowie knife is named after him. Fast Facts: James Bowie Known For: American frontiersman, military leader during the Texas Revolution, and defender of the AlamoAs Known As: Jim BowieBorn: 1796 in KentuckyParents: Reason and Elve Ap-Catesby Jones BowieDied: March 6, 1836 in San Antonio, Mexican TexasSpouse: Maria Ursula de Veramendi (m. 1831-1833)Children: Marie Elve, James Veramendi Early Life James Bowie was born in Kentucky in 1796 and was raised in present-day Missouri and Louisiana. He enlisted to fight in the War of 1812  but joined too late to see any action. Soon he was back in Louisiana selling timber, and with the proceeds he bought some slaves and expanded his operation. Bowie later became acquainted with Jean Lafitte, the legendary Gulf Coast pirate who was involved in illegal slave smuggling. Bowie and his brothers bought smuggled slaves, declared that they had found them, and kept the money when the slaves were sold at auction. Later, Bowie came up with a scheme for acquiring free land. He falsified French and Spanish documents that said he had purchased the land in Louisiana. The Sandbar Fight On September 19, 1827, Bowie was involved in the legendary â€Å"Sandbar Fight† in Louisiana. Two men- Samuel Levi Wells III and Dr. Thomas Harris Maddox- had agreed to fight a duel, and each man had brought along several supporters. Bowie was there on behalf of Wells. The duel ended after both men shot and missed twice, and they had decided to let the matter drop, but a brawl soon broke out among the other men. Bowie fought viciously in spite of being shot at least three times and stabbed with a sword-cane. The wounded Bowie killed one of his opponents with a massive knife, which later became famous as the â€Å"Bowie knife.† Move to Texas Like many frontiersmen of the time, Bowie eventually became intrigued by the idea of Texas. He went there and found plenty to keep him busy, including another land speculation scheme and the charms of Ursula Veramendi, the well-connected daughter of the mayor of San Antonio. By 1830 Bowie had moved to Texas, staying one step ahead of his creditors back in Louisiana. After fighting off a vicious Tawakoni Indian attack while searching for a silver mine, Bowie won even more fame as a tough frontiersman. He married Veramendi in 1831 and took up residence in San Antonio. She would soon die tragically of cholera, along with her parents. Action in Nacogdoches After disgruntled Texans attacked Nacogdoches in August of 1832 (they were protesting a Mexican order to give up their arms), Stephen F. Austin asked Bowie to intervene. Bowie arrived in time to capture some fleeing Mexican soldiers. This made Bowie a hero to those Texans who favored independence, although it is not necessarily what Bowie intended, as he had a Mexican wife and a lot of money in land in Mexican Texas. In 1835, war broke out between rebellious Texans and the Mexican army. Bowie went to Nacogdoches, where he and Sam Houston were elected leaders of the local militia. He acted quickly, arming the men with weapons seized from the local Mexican armory. Assault on San Antonio Bowie and other volunteers from Nacogdoches caught up with a rag-tag army led by Stephen F. Austin and James Fannin. The troops were marching on San Antonio, hoping to defeat Mexican General Martà ­n Perfecto de Cos and end the conflict quickly. In late October 1835, they laid siege to San Antonio, where Bowies contacts among the population proved extremely beneficial. Many residents of San Antonio joined the rebels, bringing valuable intelligence with them. Bowie and Fannin and some 90 men dug in on the grounds of Concepcià ³n Mission just outside the city, and General Cos, spotting them there, attacked. The Battle of Concepcià ³n and the Capture of San Antonio Bowie told his men to keep their heads and stay low. When the Mexican infantry advanced, the Texans devastated their ranks with fire from their long rifles. The Texan sharpshooters also picked off artillerymen who were shooting the Mexican cannons. Disheartened, the Mexicans fled back to San Antonio. Bowie was once again hailed a hero. He was not there when Texan rebels stormed the city in the early days of December 1835, but he returned shortly after. General Sam Houston ordered him to demolish the Alamo, a fortress-like old mission in San Antonio, and a retreat from the city. Bowie, once again, disobeyed orders. Instead, he mounted a defense and fortified the Alamo. Bowie, Travis, and Crockett In early February, William Travis arrived in San Antonio. He would take over nominal command of the forces there when the ranking officer left. Many of the men there were not enlisted- they were volunteers, which meant that they answered to no one. Bowie was the unofficial leader of these volunteers and he did not care for Travis, which made things tense at the fort. Soon, however, famous frontiersman Davy Crockett arrived. A skilled politician, Crockett was able to defuse the tension between Travis and Bowie. The Mexican Army, commanded by Mexican General Santa Anna, showed up in late February. The arrival of this common enemy also united the defenders of the Alamo. Battle of the Alamo and Death Bowie became very ill sometime in late February 1836. Historians disagree about what illness he suffered from. It may have been pneumonia or tuberculosis. In any case, it was a debilitating illness, and Bowie was confined, delirious, to his bed. According to legend, Travis drew a line in the sand and told the men to cross it if they would stay and fight. Bowie, too weak to walk, asked to be carried over the line. After two weeks of siege, the Mexicans attacked the morning of March 6. The Alamo was overrun in less than two hours, and all of the defenders were captured or killed, including Bowie, who reportedly died in his bed, still feverish. Legacy Bowie was an interesting man in his time, a renowned hothead, brawler, and troublemaker who went to Texas to escape his creditors in the United States. He became famous due to his fights and his legendary knife, and once fighting broke out in Texas, he soon became known as a solid leader of men who could keep a cool head under fire. His lasting fame, however, came about as a result of his presence at the fateful Battle of the Alamo. In life, he was a con man and slave trader. In death, he became a great hero, and today he is widely revered in Texas, even more so than his brothers-in-arms Travis and Crockett. The city of Bowie and Bowie County, both in Texas, are named after him, as are countless schools, businesses, and parks. Sources Brands, H.W. Lone Star Nation: The Epic Story of the Battle for Texas Independence. New York: Anchor Books, 2004.Henderson, Timothy J. A Glorious Defeat: Mexico and its War with the United States. New York: Hill and Wang, 2007.

Top 12 Creative Writing College Programs †Pro-Academic-Writers.com

Top 12 Creative Writing College Programs It may be too difficult to choose a dedicated creative writing program at the institution of your dreams. Another thing you should care about is how to pass the admissions process. Anyway, there are always some world-known alternatives that attract most of the students. Our team has researched several options in the field of creative writing colleges and corresponding programs to come up with this list of the top demanded colleges for creative writing in the USA. How Did We Choose? College rankings do not always reflect the reality. US News rating might be the most accurate, but you still have to rely on the obvious information you find about each creative college of your interest. We have prepared our own list based on the feedback of thousands of students as well as some other crucial factors. Mind not just what the rankings are, but how they are defined. Our top list will assist in your personal investigation. While observing, don’t forget to take notes which might be useful for your further admissions essay. In case you’re having some troubles with creative or academic writing, contact online writing help website to get a winning personal statement. First of all, it is important to understand which criteria I have used to name the best colleges in the field of creative writing. My first stage was to narrow down my search results by leaving only those institutions that proposed a particular creative writing major degree. In case you are sure in the competence of some schools which are not on the list, it may mean they only offer minors. While ranking those schools, we considered 5 basic factors: MFA Ranking  - This point stands for the level of local personnel proficiency and the number of smart students specific college attracts. We have looked through professors’ qualifications to choose the best places in terms of teaching. It was also noticed that colleges with powerful MFA programs tend to possess perfect alumni networks and internship options. At the same time, one has to realize that a lot of colleges with excellent undergraduate programs lack MFAs. Overall Creative College Reputation  - You still have to understand that the majority of your future classes will be in other areas than creative writing. Thus, we have evaluated the level of teaching other subjects such as English and Literature as well. Extracurricular Opportunities  - Another benefit of obtaining major  in creative writing is that it can lead to various creative writing opportunities after class, meaning part-time job and other activities. That is why our team has taken into account such features as internship programs, author readings, and literary magazines offered by the explored college. Learning Diversity - We have awarded extra points to each creative college with a large range of professional fields and interesting additional classes.   Alumni/Prestige  - We can say that deciding on this criterion is a rather subjective process, but we tried to do our best. We have searched for the famous writers released by the particular institutions. The product of any university is its graduates, so they have to be evaluated in order to assess the quality of local teaching. Possessing a brand name degree can be useful in many life situations. Top Preferred Creative Writing Schools Now it’s time to look at the list itself. It is not that easy to locate these wonderful creative colleges objectively, so we would say that it is simply the list of the best schools, not just another rating. While those placed on the first five places are simply amazing, the rest might be called super good. So, don’t take the numbering close to your heart.   #1: Northwestern University Northwestern's undergrad creative writing program  has conquered the hearts of many students as it is run by acclaimed tutors and graduates who became word-known authors (i.e., Veronica Roth with her â€Å"Divergent†). The University suggests that students get involved in such activities as running literary journal, interning at a publication, or submitting to the Department of English's yearly creative writing competition.   #2: Columbia University The institution offers two great programs: the one in creative writing and the one in journalism. Being located in NYC, students have an opportunity to try their best in local publishing houses and literary journals. #3: University of Iowa University of Iowa's  Graduate Writer’s Workshop is what makes this place absolutely special. It is called the most wanted MFA program in the US. Famous writers and established professors allow choosing from a large list of subjects. University’s literary community will provide you with any book or manual you need for free. #4: Emory  University If you have a desire to study creative writing along with the most professional authors and scholars, Emory  is right for you. Except for the regular classes, each student has a chance to visit questions-answers face-to-face sessions with the award-winning writers and journalists. You will be able to work closely with a personal counselor to complete an honors project. #5: Oberlin College Oberlin  is actually a pretty small liberal arts school in Ohio. Lena Dunham, who attends the school regularly to speak to the students, was among the local alums. Students can pursue writing in the surrounding city. #6: Hamilton College One more tiny college, situated in upstate New York. Local students have a pure interest to observe topics both during the lectures and out of the classroom. The opportunities to intern and publish impress.   #7: Brown University Brown's Literary Arts  program is known for one of the leading MFAs in the United States. Core requirements are excluded, so students are free to explore additional topics after classes with the help of the stellar English department and screenwriting program. #8: Washington University in St. Louis Enjoy local magnificent MFA program along with the diversity of topics, wide range of scholarships, and creative writing jobs you may find outside the university. #9: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Even though the place has a lot to do with technology, it still has a special creative writing program. It can boast an interesting course in digital media. Besides, except for creative writing, students can master the art of scientific writing. It provides each student with an extraordinary set of skills and more career perspectives.   #10: University of Michigan The University of Michigan  is one of the best American universities in general. It is obvious that it offers a top-notch MFA. The program is aimed to provide every interested student with the excellent creative writing major and good reputation. #11: Johns Hopkins University Remove engineering major from the list of this university, and you’ll get enrolled in the dedicated creative writing program. After passing its valuable courses, one will be able to compose poetry, fiction as well as official reports  and persuasive essays. #12: Colorado College One more small liberal arts college on the list. It is outstanding thanks for the block plan, which makes it possible to concentrate on a single class per three-and-a-half-week block. You’ll take four writing workshops and visit every reading of the Visiting  Writers Series. Don’t forget about New York University writing opportunities as well! How to Make a Final Decision? Don’t lose your head – have a look at the most important criteria to consider when selecting the degree and college which is right for you. Are you interested in the suggested college courses? Analyze which skills you wish to obtain and what each college program offers. Match your personal desires with what the target school proposes. What opportunities are expecting after your classes? Discover whether there will be an opportunity to practice your creative skills outside the college. It can be everything: from campus newspaper to local music or fashion magazine. Who'll be teaching you? The best way to decide on this factor is to analyze Rate My Professor section of each college’s official website. Pay attention to objective comments only. What is the alumni’s future? Find out who used to graduate from the walls of your target college. Are these people successful?   What about the rest of the school? Analyze and evaluate all courses provided by your college. Make sure to select the college where you like the entire curriculum so that you won’t have a desire to miss some classes. All you have to do once you decide on your target college is to prepare a creative writing piece (personal statement + cover letter) and apply for the chosen program. In case there are any obstacles on your way to inspiring creative writing,  contact online writers and buy original admissions essay or cover letter that would increase your chances to be accepted.

Sabra and Shatila Masacre Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Sabra and Shatila Masacre - Essay Example The Sabra and Shatila Massacre is considered a forgotten incident in the western media. [2] How ever the incident is considered to be a controvercial issue with the Palestinian, Arab and International Muslims, alleging Israel to be the main culprit behind the tragic incident, acusing the Jewish State of Master minding the Israel event incidents. Israel on the contrary partially agrees of its link with the incident but denying any knowledge of a mass murder during the time of its procession clearing itself with the direct massacre of the refugee camp inhabitants. Israel supported Bachir and considered the maronite forces to be the counter balance to the PLO and thus the relationship between Israel and Maronites became stronger, with the Falangists in particular, by the passage of time. How ever, nine days before he was due to take oath, Bachir was assasinated in a bomb detonation attack at the head quarters of the Phalangists party on 14th September 1982. The attack was alleged by the Falangists to be the work of PLO activists which later became a misperception as investigations and confessions later on reveald a Syrian hand in the assasination. Mr.Arial Sharon, who is considered the master mind behind the incident, declared that there were 2000 PLO activists in the refugee camp. Sabra and Shatila was surrounded by tanks and and soldiers with check points to monitor entry and exit of people. Despite of the check points around 150 Falangists, motivated with the feeling revenge after the assasination of their leader, entered the Sabra and Shatila Refugee camp alleging it to be a sanctuary and breeding nest for the PLO activists and aiming to wipe out their presence iniatiated. -these fighters are alleged to inserted by Israel- A plan of defence Minsiter Ariel Sharon [3] According to witnesses, a carnage of mass murder, rape, desecration of corpses & demolition of buildings with the residents still inside. The "genocide" as discussed above cotinued for 62 hours from 16th September going on to Saturday morning and had resulted in casualties speculated to be in 750-3400 estimated by various sources. IDF intelligence suggests a death toll to be between 700-800 persons [4] Dr. Ang Swee Chai, an eye witness to the Massacre reveals in her book " From Beirut to Jerusalem: "The truth hit me painfully...Besides being shot dead, people was tortured before being killed. They were beaten brutally, electric wires were tied round limbs, eyes were dug out, women were raped, and often more than once, children were dynamited alive. Looking at all the broken bodies, I began to think that those who had died quickly were the lucky ones. Extract from p67 of the book "From Beirut to Jerusalem". [5] United Nations Condemns On Dec 16 1982 United Nations Organization's General Assembly condemned the massacre terming it as an act of "Genocide" The General Assembly, Recalled its resolution 95 (I) of 11 December 1946, It also recalled its resolu

American Revolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

American Revolution - Essay Example Ramsay feels that the power of constitutional amendment is a great political innovation because through it people are able to make changes in the laws enshrined in the Constitution. The power of constitutional amendment in America will also help in ending all sorts of oppression.2) Why does Winthrop believe that a bill of rights is in the Constitution? Winthrop argues that the bill of rights is important in constitution making. He believes that the bill of rights helps in proper and efficient legislation since civil rights and freedom are respected during legislation. The bill of rights ensures the protection of minority in a republic. The protection also ensures equity in power sharing and inclusion of minorities in decision-making.3) How do Ramsay and Winthrop differ concerning how the principle of representation operates in the United States?Ramsay and Winthrop tend to differ regarding the operation of the American principle of presentation. Ramsay argues that the people determine the activities of the arms of the legislative body (Ramsay 176). The people elect the representatives who have good interests, while Winthrop argues that it is not possible for different states to come together and allow administration by one legislative system. He says this may lead to an oppressive rule (Tyranny) since large states will want to dominate the administrative system. Many states have suffered negative impact such as the Spanish provinces that collapsed due to improper administration.

Models of Decision-Making Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Models of Decision-Making - Research Paper Example The Classical model of decision making can be utilized in the organization to make various business decisions (Li 1). This is a prescriptive method of decision making and assumes that managers are rational and logical in their decision making process and their decision will be governed by the best interests of the organization. My organization recently purchased new manufacturing equipments. The main problem was increasing costs of servicing the old machine, low output and raw materials wastage during the manufacturing process. The management made the decision by following the classical model since the purchase decision was rational. The management followed a clear sequential process of analyzing the costs involved in servicing the previous equipment and associated benefits (Li 2). The management also conducted a cost-benefit analysis of the new equipments by factoring all associated costs and expected output to the organization. The management also considered other alternatives incl uding upgrading the previous equipment or leasing the equipment from a third party. After the rational and sequential analysis of the decision criteria, the management found it prudent and reasonable to purchase the new equipment instead of upgrading or leasing one from third parties. The management later bought the new machine and made a follow up to ensure it met the objectives of the decision (Li 3). The administrative model is also refereed as the behavioral model or neoclassical model. There are numerous factors which determine how a problem or decision can be classified in to the classical model, administrative and political model. For the classical model, the decisions or problems will be classified in this model if the decision aims at accomplishing a particular well-known goal (Ayobami 1). The logical criteria for making the decision should be economic interest and the decision maker should be rational. There must be conditions of certainty including

The Western Civilization Essay Example for Free

The Western Civilization Essay Ideas are not only products of the people who formulate them. They are also consequences of history, class, and culture. At the same time, ideas formulated by a certain group of people can in good time go on to shape and influence history, class and culture. The ideas of Enlightenment implied an attitude, a method of thought. They encouraged an orientation of mind that seeks to reexamine and question all received ideas and values, to explore new ideas in many different directions, discovering the truth through the observation of nature. These ideas of the Age of Enlightenment went on to mould the fundamental cultural orientation of the Western world. The Enlightenment left a lasting heritage for the 19th and 20th centuries. It marked a key stage in the decline of the church and the growth of modern secularism. It served as the model for political and economic liberalism and for humanitarian reform throughout the 19th-century Western world. It was the watershed for the pervasive belief in the possibility and the necessity of progress that survived, if only in attenuated form, into the 20th century. The cause of science and scientific thinking had been prospering since the time Copernican Revolution, however, a scientific attitude did not sink in to the masses. It was only in the eighteenth century that the views of thinkers and philosophers began to percolate into the mindsets of common people. Already, by the later decades of the eighteenth century the movement started Enlightenment was ringing triumphant in Europe and America. It would gather momentum in the times that are to follow, becoming a sweeping tide of opinion, assuming a broad front, and determining the course of the Western civilization in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It was this passion of a group of thinkers for reason and science that laid the groundwork for modern social and cultural ethos of the Western Civilization.

Impacts of Amalgamations and Takeovers

Impacts of Amalgamations and Takeovers Chapter 2: Literature Review 2.1. Introduction Investigators have been analyzing amalgamations and takeovers in the context of their characteristics and the impact on the development of both the entities over the past several years. In actuality, Weston et al. (2004) opine that the experts and researchers in the field have provided a large quantity of records related to the topic. There are many reasons why companies follow development policies related to amalgamations and takeovers. This permits rapid acceleration in addition to having a quick and instant approach to markets, both local and international. It is also likely to touch renowned brands, apply knowledge and skill, and widen the dimension and extent without losing time. In the sphere related to real estate, a participant (real estate firm) may want to promote a mutual organization for funding ventures on an individual basis. It may also consider entering into a joint venture with a construction enterprise in the domestic market so as to execute the venture as per assur ed measurements and highlighted conditions as stated by Jensen (2006). Clients are reassured when they involve themselves with big enterprises, which have a great degree of brand reputation and remembrance. During these times, they articulate their backing, not merely as clients but also as financers as they buy stakes so as to invest money in the enterprise. It also possible for a company to advance by augmenting returns or managing expenses which in turn can be attained by reorganizing and reconfiguring finances apart from using creative methods and reengineering. Some enterprises may also purchase brands, goods, and utilities to expand the goods portfolio of the enterprise. The capability of an enterprise to undertake a development policy by reallocating its resources in creating different facets of its presence was maintained by Hogarty (2000). This could be denoted by its production unit, RD, and through creating and promoting its brands and setting up more projects in parallel or varied spheres. Firms may also purchase extant enterprises or amalgamate with others to attain their objectives. Amalgamations and takeovers assist in accelerating development as the roles pertaining to infrastructure, branding, and manufacturing are clearly set up. Superior mediums which endorse development comprise of contracts, treaties, and agreements for varied ventures for a pre-determined time. All across the world, international corporates and enterprises are entering into purchases of and amalgamations with new firms, forming joint ventures and such equivalent associations on a common basis. Nearly fifty percent of the contracts pertaining to amalgamations and takeovers in India have been initiated by global enterprises. In 2005 alone, India witnessed global contracts of around 58 percent, a number which was double compared to Japans agreements at 21 percent. Internationally, amalgamations and takeovers entail dogmatic frameworks particular to a specific nation and the labor unions of the enterprises. Post the 1990s, economic revolutions have been occurring globally and this has seen a growing attraction for amalgamations and takeovers. The financial segment witnessed a newness which saw modifications being made to possession and trade regulations, an increase in the disposable earnings and as a result, the capacity to discover newer marketplaces and newer chances. Firms are now fully utilizing the reduced interest rates and cost of capital. This has assisted several enterprises in broadening their scope of operations at the domestic and global levels through partnerships, associations, amalgamations, and takeovers. Additionally, the presence of many global media enterprises which publish information pertaining to contracts and partnerships on a large extent-particularly in segments related to production, cars, retail and others. On the other hand, it is extremely crucial for companies to ensure specific advisory metrics before they perform their functions related to amalgamations and takeovers, especially in huge markets which have not been discovered. Amalgamations and takeovers also have the ability to shift the stakeholder worth affirmatively or adversely, which may result in a scenario, which eats away into the prosperity. When local takeovers in addition to global amalgamations get transformed into deficit-making and zero-worth developing patterns, all of these experience impediments. When stakeholders are not going to benefit from such projects, the costs of shares decline and thus, such agreements must consider all the primary essentials before opting for the linked choices. The influence of amalgamations and takeovers may be favorable or harmful to the development and this may take a long time and also be extremely costly for a total revival from an impediment. The existing segment also highlights the investigations and examinations undertaken on the topic by analysts. One needs to have sufficient data evaluation and also conduct hypothetical tests while assessing the influence of amalgamations and takeovers. Adequate links should also be deduced to comprehend the reason and impact correlations in amalgamations and takeovers in context to the criteria such as development of trade, stakeholder worth, productivity, and general performance. As the current study is linked to the influence of international amalgamations and takeovers, it is crucial to analyze the global amalgamations. Global partners who function from India while being based in the European Union framework have been examined depending on specific extant data. Additionally, domestic amalgamations and takeovers have also been analyzed. 2.2. Theoretical Background: Mergers Acquisitions (MAs) 2.2.1. Definition Amalgamations and takeovers can be superiorly comprehended as development polices to enhance the income of the enterprise and also, its capital foundation. Sometimes, for two enterprises, with similar or dissimilar trade functions, to amalgamate on specific ranks is a superior trade choice. An amalgamation of this type assists in imparting a blend of experience and finances. A commercial amalgamation of this type functions as a solitary body between edifying impacts and worth values of a commercial amalgamation and takeover (Jensen and Ruback, 2003). Though the phrases ‘amalgamations and ‘takeovers are frequently employed collectively, they are two extremely varied procedures. Amalgamations describe the merging of two different enterprises into a single entity. The two enterprises join each other, and shift all their resources and functions into a new one. This procedure includes the merging of all types of resources-employees, manufacturing facilities, and functions into the new entity that is shaped. The new entity shaped out of this has its individual distinctiveness, edifying representation, and groups of convictions. It is pointless to state that they are possessed by both the parties which share their resources to develop the new identity (Huang and Walkling, 2007). A takeover is considered as the purchasing-out procedure of an enterprise by another with the goal to stimulate management of its assets, investments, and functions. Takeovers occur when a firm purchases a major share of another firms stakes, assets, and liabilities (Weston et al., 2004). Firms experience a supplementary benefit when this occurs as they get the management apart from the functioning assets, in contrast to when they purchase merely the stakes, in which scenario they have to only compete with the other shareholders. Purchasing assets includes more expenses and offers an extensive capital foundation (Singal, 2006). Now let us consider acquisitions. This phrase also has been employed for many perspectives and is understood also. Takeover is a vague expression and though it may denote a context similar to acquisitions; the two are actually varied types of trade agreements (Jensen, 2006). A takeover is when a purchase is conducted without acquiesce or permission of the ente rprise being taken over. Takeovers come with an adverse action that entails the attaining of another firm with the intent to ‘manage it. When an enterprise desires to take over another firm, it tries to purchase all its shareholders. Takeovers are the ones which do not have the approval of the firm being purchased and they are often nearly undertaken as a hostile proposal. This now clearly explains the different expressions and implications attached to amalgamations, acquisitions, takeovers, partnerships, and associations and how their context is based in the situation in which they are being applied. 2.2.2. Types of Mergers Acquisitions Mergers can occur at parallel, perpendicular, or   multinational levels. Each kind of amalgamation has not only its own typical characteristics but also a distinct impact on the work processes and trade functions. Horizontal Mergers When two enterprises or enterprises that have parallel trades, which amalgamate to develop an entirely novel trade enterprise, it is known as a parallel merger. The enterprises which enter into a parallel amalgamation combine their assets as individual enterprises to shape a novel entity. These enterprises are thus capable of making a more robust enterprise which has a wider capital base and greater resources. The rationale behind this is to acquire a larger market share and become a dominant force in the market (Shleifer and Vishny, 2009). Such parallel amalgamations provide several benefits. They enable larger presence and greater range in addition to optimal performance ability to the novel entity. The two previously distinct entities now have the benefit of augmented resources capable of executing procedures in a superior method to ensure consistent supply of goods, which are of much better quality (Mitchell and Mulherin, 2006). Even in India there are a few instances of parallel amalgamations, for instance, the amalgamation between Indian carriers which occurred between Lufthansa and Swiss International apart from Air France and KLM (Bottazzi et al., 2001). The United Kingdom (UK) has witnessed several parallel amalgamations. In reality, the results of several investigations have depicted that nearly 60 percent of all amalgamation agreements which have occurred post-2001 have been parallel amalgamations (Firth, 2000). The same notion is also put forth by Berndt (2001). He also states that most of the amalgamations which happened post-deregulation and liberalization of the economy were parallel in character. Another instance of a parallel amalgamation like the one of Birla Cement and Larsen Toubro (LT) is related to the cement sector. Additionally, the amalgamation of Kingfisher Airlines and Air Deccan in addition to the one between Jet Airways and Air Sahara depict parallel amalgamations in the airlines sector. The Tatas and the Birlas are two huge corporate entities, which have amalgamated in the telecommunications sector. Vertical Mergers A perpendicular amalgamation is one in which enterprises which are elements in a supply chain or which function as utility suppliers or subsidies in the equivalent type of trade resolve to become one entity. It is noticed that such amalgamations occur when firms resolve to augment their forte in the supply aspect (Agrawal et al., 2002). Perpendicular amalgamations manage to keep rivals away by maintaining stress and managing their supply firms. The perpendicular amalgamation is thus capable of seizing a bigger market share for their goods while the supply group fails to back the goods of other contenders. This plan assists the enterprises to closely react to their clients needs. The element pertaining to the rivals is capable of keeping the prices from rising as the supplies are not reimbursed for (leanmergers.com). Logically, the outcome of this action is an extremely robust management and more revenues as the firms attain an upper hand over their contenders. An instance of perpendicular amalgamation is the one between Ford and Vauxhall who are car producers, who have acquired or purchased automobile enterprises. When Ford purchased Hertz, it was an instance of a perpendicular amalgamation (Loughran and Vijh, 2007). Another example of a perpendicular amalgamation in the telecommunication industry is that of Reliance Communication Ltds purchase of Flag Telecom. Conglomerate Mergers Multinational amalgamations occur amongst two entirely varied enterprises. Such enterprises are participants at distinct degrees and have no equivalents in the good variety, markets, clients, supply chain, or any other criterion. Multinational amalgamations occur amongst such enterprises and a novel association is shaped in addition to new trade contracts. Multinational amalgamations show only one line of power or authorization, which manages the trade functions from a solitary aspect of knowledge, resources, client power, and market experience which guarantee enhanced trade after the multinational trade which occurred before (Asquith et al., 2003). Multinational amalgamations are executed so as to diffuse the dangers over an extensive base and thus avoid any chief impediment for the enterprise (Huang and Walkling, 2007). Financial Acquisitions Monetary attainments are related to the capital and fiscal aspect of trade plans such as Management Buyouts (MBOs) or Leveraged Buyouts (LBOs). Such purchases are not considered in the same context as amalgamations and takeovers (Travos, 2007). 2.2. Stimulus for Amalgamations A large chance to develop the value of mergers is when incentives for the same are anticipated or envisaged by investors. Investigators such as Asquith et al. (2003), Agrawal et al. (2002), and Andrà © et al. (2004) have developed comprehensive data related to the topic pertaining to the incentives for mergers. Mergers must be discouraged by varied reasons such as a superior geographic market, varied economies, superior capabilities and price efficient conduct, widening of the trade, the synergy incorporated, and shifting assets to superior administrators so as to maximize the assets and create superior results, which is the chief objective. It has been proved that mergers and amalgamations are distinctive mediums related to financing in the context of advancement by many investigators. The chief idea or objective behind attaining a profitable investment would be important, particularly if such a concept is considered. In the event of the presence of incentives such as professions or sometimes pure respect improvement occurrences, the possibilities of investments becoming valuable, particularly when there are totally varied incentives for the varied enterprise to triumph and create the line of business. In the event of mergers, at the point when the primary incentive shapes the real advantageous investment, one has to consider the reason why the merger may seem to be priceless. A primary reason may be the lack of the expanding capability to access an unexploited market. One may anticipate a merger so as to achieve these objectives in an effortless manner (Gugler et al., 2003). For a triumphant merger, one should ascertain aspects of robust revenues and synergies. The focus in this matter should also lie on comprehending the incentives for cross-border mergers. It is noticed that dissimilar to domestic mergers for cross-border mergers, one needs to develop an incentive evaluation (Conn et al., 2001). The FDI incentives would resort to internalization, ownership, and position advantages as good instances as mentioned by Moeller et al. (2004). In the context of cross-border mergers, a merger is not likely to have unique ownership advantages. On the other hand, locational advantages may be unclear. Thus, in lieu of purchasing an enterprise in a totally varied geographical market, there are many idea-procedures which happen constantly. The majority of crucial internalization advantages in the instance of cross-border mergers are when products are sold overseas by one nation to another. In the event of the incentives, the OLI framework provides a backdrop for the objective of cross-border mergers, but other factors are also very crucial. It is considered by Chen and Findley (2002) that there is a speed if the retrieval to international markets since those from Greenfield investment cannot be equaled. By the end of the initial ten years of the 21st century, the waves in mergers were analyzed by Danzon et al. (2004). This was later referred to as the ‘Cross Border wave. In contrast to other waves of the century, Evenett explained the trends of the merger wave to be distinct. The utility segment displays how the merger wave comprises of more mergers since specific elements had become components of the ‘Cross Border and more so, with the liberalization effects in addition to the industrial monetary facet, this has additionally intensified privatization. There had to be a greater milieu to assist cross-border mergers. With the chief investment, the incentives had to be linked to the dogmatic surrounding to guarantee an element of the merger wave as depicted by Evenett. For other such grounds, cross-border mergers rise as depicted by Nicholson and McCullough (2002). When the researcher has to handle the theoretical information pertaining to mergers, he tries to present an expansive literature for better understanding. In the context of mergers, a maximized direct policy contention seems to be the most superior and is accountable for the impact of the mergers. A reasonable facet of the investigation discusses how both, markets and clients in the market commence many types of mergers. There has also been a theoretical investigation relating to ideas such as benefit predictions, envisaged variations in the outlays, diversified and varied quantum, in addition to who will eventually gain or lose on account of mergers. These theoretical investigations found their crux in oligopoly markets. Oligopoly markets have been the only crucial markets to utilize the rationale behind mergers opine Conn et al. (2001). So as to manage such market situations, a firm which enjoys a monopoly generally cannot enter into a merger. In a merger of firms, there would be no impact on the market outcomes. In varied production scenarios, the strengths of demand and cost in varied types of oligopoly markets function in different ways while the emphasis of the literature is on studying mergers. 2.3. Cross-Frontier There are several literatures which pertain to theories related to mergers. In reality, none of these literatures actually differentiate that in the management of international merger procedures there must be variations. To achieve cross-border mergers several simultaneous investigations have been undertaken, which complement that there are several literatures dealing with the impacts of these mergers. In terms of globalization, it relies so this is a close expansion and additionally it fulfills international economy apart from varied types of market endeavours to expand international firms of their functions. With consistent methods related to cross-border mergers there is relevant contention for the perusal of â€Å"Indianization† of different segments as described by Ozawa (2002). On account of the absence of attempts in merging administrative techniques, business is the driving aspect behind communication and culture which is why different cross-border mergers were unsucce ssful states Finkelstein (2009). Every type of merger is impacted by these matters instead of cross-border agreements which may be dominant. A further peril is that cross-border contracts are entered into merely to gain benefits. To regard the facets of wondering literature there are subjects and anxieties in context of the methods which incorporate cross-border mergers that have been completed. For cross-border mergers, informative differences are real in the hypothetical model facet as stated by Estrin (2009). In the process of achieving merger benefits, jargon, cultural problems, and official systems are cited as types of primary obstacles. The capabilities to draw attention of skills from other enterprises have been provided to differences useful influence procedures, attainment of communal mergers in firms and the particular speed. Generally, between the links amongst the merging methods of firms informative differences are the source of distrust, to which the triumph can be impeded by the communication matters. There is no clear theoretical model on the other hand, which is related to the impediments which harm the efficiency; despite it being a hypothetical exemplar. In contrast to domestic mergers, for a successful cross-border merger, however, this proves that the closer the facets, the more the obstacles, and these are limited to specific countries since many of th ese obstacles are linked to the regulatory and informative systems prevalent there. According to the origin of enterprises in context to the obstacles, there exist behavioral national variations which need to be expected and depend on the country. By being a source of synergy, informative differences can enhance merger ability in addition to generating benefits as opined by Fama (2009). However, impediments can be built by this, for expanded manner of spreading that is more possible. Instead of any of the domestic mergers participating in cross-border mergers as to gain more useful outlooks for the firms a theoretical exemplar method has been developed by Bjorvatn (2001) for the profit of handling cross-border mergers. By allowing varied mediums of entry in addition to cross-border mergers and for assessing and impacting triumph of cross-border mergers in addition to assessing entry outlays these are the primary variables, he employed to follow Fama (2001). Greenfield investment has been shifted into avenues which are minimally attractive by entry outlays, by methods using cross-border mergers augmented to the degree of revenue. On the other hand, in that market for achieving success as expected facets domestic mergers are regarded to be linked to a rise in the entry expenses. In contrast to the domestic ones in envisaging cross-border mergers success focus on hesitancy which is the outcome in this scenario. While choosing the expected outputs in addition to the entry outlays, the cross-border mergers can also provide access benefits to the distinctive market. In this regard, for both domestic and cross-border mergers, there is present, a theoretical merger literature. In terms of price uncertainty and demand exemplar depending on the matter of the doubt as put forth by Das and Sengupta (2001) both in domestic and cross-border mergers is the correct method. 2.4. Experiential Study MAs are expansion strategies that corporates adopt to increase scale and market share rapidly. They are also used to diversify business interests or acquire technological capability, capital, expertise, or enter new markets. From the business perspective, growth is seen in terms of capital, profits, and shareholder value, operations become more efficient, and business registers improved performance. One of the major benefits of MA transactions is the decrease in costs as resources are shared and processes are streamlined. There have been many instances of companies taking the MA route to save costs like Wells Fargo, whose acquisition of First Interstate in 2006 resulted in cost savings of USD 1 Billion (Jensen and Ruback, 2003). With the restructuring of processes and systems that follow a merger, companies become more efficient and effective as the organizations operational dynamics are realigned and streamlined. The benefits of operating on a large scale, reduction or elimination of wasteful and duplicating processes, the sharing of personnel and other resources all lead to high savings and better performance. The sharing of resources including capital infusion reduces costs and facilitates growth and with open lines of communication, a company can maximize its return on investments. Large-scale operations give companies larger purchasing power and rates for material in bulk can be contracted at far cheaper rates than if supplied to separate companies. MAs deliver value in terms of cost savings, operational efficiencies, large-scale economies, increased market share, diversified product lines, and expertise and technology. Bradley and colleagues (2008) observed that mergers and acquisitions in allied industries also create effective synergies for companies to cut costs and increase returns. Large-scale operations lead to better economical management which gives companies a better chance to compete in the market as they can deliver value to the customer by providing better products and services at cheaper costs. As mentioned earlier, MA deals increase customer base and market share leading to increased revenues and profits. It also helps eliminate unhealthy competition as the new merged enterprise now strives for dominance instead of competing with each other as they did before the merger like the successful Hindalco-Novelis acquisition. Acquiring a company is the quickest and most effective way to enter a new market or increase market share and standing in a current area and location of operations. A company can grow at a faster rate and be market ready virtually by Day One whereas in a Greenfield project, a company might have to strive for years to start production and penetrate the market. A merger also effectively deals with competition as shared resources, expertise and technology coupled with the economies of scale make them competitive and help increase market share.   To be considered successful, mergers and acquisitions either register higher revenues or effectively reduce costs. There has been a lot of research indicating that cost saving rates has been higher than increased revenue figures in MA deals. This is not to say that companies have not grown in terms of revenue. It merely indicates that the rate of growth is not matched by the rate of savings. Operational efficiencies, cost savings, and increased revenue are the three vital objectives of a merger (Jarell and colleagues, 2008). Andrade and colleagues (2001) have researched and studied the success of mergers and acquisitions in India and whether the stated objectives of the MA have been met. Between 2005 and 2008, 26 MA deals were struck with international companies from 13 different countries. Their study revealed that most mergers did not register high profits or top-line growth. Some companies showed negative rates of return and thus the objective of increasing revenues taking the MA route was not successful. Similar results have been recorded in the US although 107 mergers that took place in the US in 2000 showed higher valuations and asset increases. Shareholder value and company valuations in India did not increase as substantially as they did in MA deals that took place in the UK (Anandan and colleagues, 2008). The main motivational drivers for mergers and acquisitions are market dominance and efficiency whilst growth of shareholder wealth though a prime factor is not impacted as heavily and sometimes falls. Research indicates that valuations are less when larger multinational companies pick up controlling stake. 2.5. The Indian Merger Environment This study examines the MA environment in India and also studies previous research on MA analysis of firms in Europe. A major portion of this study is devoted to the understanding of mergers and acquisitions in the EU. With the opening up of economies globally and governments announcing policies to attract FDI and amending rules and regulations for foreign companies to do business, a lot of international MA deals have been witnessed in Europe. A lot of research and information is available on business collaborations in Europe along with the entry of cross-border companies. These studies are detailed and comprehensive accompanied by detailed analysis (Chaudhri, 2002). A lot of mergers in Europe took place at the turn of the millennium. Bridgeman (2000) observes that the UK, France, and Germany have been aggressive in conducting MA deals across the world. International companies have entered their markets with heavy investments and taken over local companies as well but these countries impose restrictions on certain industries and sectors. Luxembourg, for one, however, does not have any restrictions. The European Union Merger Control Act was formulated in September 2000 to assess and evaluate mergers and acquisitions as Europe tried to centralize operations to facilitate transnational transactions. This Act was amended in 2004 and 2008. The objective to bring about uniformity in procedures across Europe for business though noble is contentious as there are many differences between the richer nations and countries not doing as well. There are also policy shifts and business conditions that create issues related to the venture and investors are often forced to rethink their options (Bridgeman). Mani (2005) observes that the nations who are far more economically developed hold the edge in cross-border negotiations. The European Merger Control Act came into force on 21st September, 2000 and further amendments were carried out in 2004 and 2008, but these were only enacted on 21st December 2009 giving the European Commission more discretionary powers (Anandan and colleagues, 2008). Mergers across borders demand that cultural and social uniqueness and sensitivity have to be factored in and this is controlled by the EC Authority. The amendment in 2008 was to create and empower the EC Authority to be able to function as a single window facilitator and ensure social and economic ends were met and local interests protected through each venture (Rice). The European Commission Green Paper (2001) has also highlighted the amendments led by the Act but there still are a lot of problems and procedures that are yet to be sorted out by the Act especially those to do with applications and filings. These gaps and ambiguities create roadblocks in MA transactions especially when international companies merge with domestic companies to create powerful alliances and companies such as the PO-Stena and American Airlines-British Airways in the UK which faced problems due to differences in policies (Bridgeman, 2002). The European Commissions success with the single window facilitation for mergers and acquisitions in Europe is still to be proven. The EC intervention to facilitate and fast-track procedures for mergers in Europe was a noble intention especially the amendments in 2008, which empowered the commission considerably (Basant, 2000). There are about 200 mergers that have benefited from this Act. In fact after the amendments in 2008, mergers increased from 10% to 15%. Thus, the issues before the 2008 Amendments and after need to be studied in conjunction to understand benefits, valuations, and profitability impact on the host nation. Many deals may have been affected adversely or may not have been affected as such due to the expectation of the changes in policy. Deals require clarity, timing, focus, and policy and any variable that could be affected due to ambiguity of policies or lack of trust is bound to affect the merger. The European framework is a structure, which is far more rigid and severe than the USs as illustrated by the GE-Honeywell experience and alliances in aviation. These strictures impact profitability in Europe and investors end up with lower margins. The Merger Control Act however, remains a structure that any nation can learn from and adapt to suit its own conditions and environment. Mehta and Samant (2007) suggest that this Act could be adapted to suit India in the current business environment. A reduction in companies going in for restructuring or strategic alignments has put pressure on countries with extended and cumbersome policies as companies prefer to shif