Thomas Wolseys fall from power Essay example - 1416 Words

The most important reason for Wolsey’s fall from power was his failure to obtain a divorce. How far do you agree? Wolsey was a cardinal and statesman, Henry’s lord chancellor and most faithful servant, whom he was most reliant upon. From 1515 to 1529 Wolsey’s rule was undisputed. Henry VIII delegated more and more state business to him, including near complete control of England’s foreign policy. Wolsey’s finest hour was arranging the Field of Cloth of Gold. Wolsey used his wealth to indulge his passion for building, his grand style of living made him increasingly unpopular. Wolsey’s failure to arrange an annulment for Henry was quickly followed by his downfall. In this essay I will look how far this was the main reason for his collapse†¦show more content†¦Catherine was not willing to let go easily as this meant her child Mary could be made illegitimate, she was also a strong Catholic and believed that she was supposed to be Queen of England. She refused to go to a convent and refused to go to the hearing in London, which is why she appealed in Rome, this gave her a stronger chance to win her case. Another strong reason was the fact that Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor and Catharine’ s nephew was holding the Pope hostage and had him under house arrest. Charles V had invaded Italy and therefore the Pope was in no position to agree a divorce (considering the family connections). In normal circumstances he may have gotten the divorce. When the final failure of Wolsey’s efforts to secure the divorce became apparent the king turned on his once faithful and most trusted servant. Henry felt let down and Wolsey was no longer useful. In addition Wolsey was becoming less successful as on the political front Charles V had taken Italy while Francis I had grown tired of the war and sought peace. In this he abandoned Italy to Charles, and they agreed on a Treaty at Cambrai which Henry effectively ignored. As a result Wolsey`s grand plan for conservative reform and England holding the balance of power in Europe fell. Henry seized the initiative from an absent Wolsey and so the relationship between them worsened. He stopped listening to Wolsey and turned to other advisers and suggestions like of Crammer andShow MoreRelated Wolseys Responsibility For His Own Downfall Essay2581 Words   |  11 PagesWolseys Responsibility For His Own Downfall Thomas Wolsey can be easily viewed as being responsible for his own downfall. John Guy believes that Wolsey was â€Å"brilliant but flawed.† His rise was based on luck, charm, intelligence and opportunism. Wolsey had such high ambitions and gave Henry the idea he was capable of getting him anything, so when Wolsey failed to get Henry a divorce, it was seen as the final nail on the coffin to his downfall. His policies are alsoRead MoreThomas Cromwell : A Great Writer Essay731 Words   |  3 PagesThomas Cromwell Thomas Cromwell was a great English statesman and lawyer who lived in the late 1400s to early 1500s. He was born in 1485 in the district of Putney in London, England. Though he was born into a blacksmith and trade family, he wanted to be self-made and get into the government and politics of England. At a young age, Thomas Cromwell traveled through Europe, including Italy and France, picking up various trades such as military, banking and as a clerk but later ending up as a lawyerRead MoreThe Rule Of The Court Of Henry Viii And The Fall Of Thomas Cromwell2088 Words   |  9 PagesKing’s decision making process. When exploring the idea that Henry VIII was controlled by factions, there are three events during the King’s reign, which suggest that faction was highly influential and prominent: the fall of Cardinal Wolsey, the fall of Anne Boleyn and the fall of Thomas Cromwell. It is intriguing to notice how the changing nature of the Tudor court under Henry and Henryâ€℠¢s changing personality meant that he became more susceptible to the influence of court factions in the later yearsRead MoreDomestic Policy Under Cardinal Thomas Wolsey Was a Failure How Far Do You Agree with This Statement?2564 Words   |  11 Pagesfurther boost his own personal power and increase his income, implying that more of his time should have been allocated to reforming social and economic policy and using his vast intelligence to improve the way government operated in England at the time. However there was very little contemporary discontent with the way the country was being run in the first place. So perhaps these expectations are anachronistically minded as the vast majority expected very little from the government; Rather than radicalRead MoreThe Protestant Reform Movements On The European Continent Against The Roman Catholic Church3669 Words   |  15 PagesCardinal Thomas Wolsey as Lord Chancellor, and later with Sir Thomas More in that same office (Marshall 31). However, in 1526, Henry VIII was in love with Anne Boleyn, and the delay of Pope Clement VII to grant him an annulment of his marriage to Katherine of Aragon set in motion the events leading to the English Reformation. This reformation was distinct in that it was led by the Crown, though influenced heavily by Anne herself and her faction comprising Thomas Cranmer and temporary ally Thomas CromwellRead MoreThe Black Death2711 Words   |  11 Pagesthe medieval world this was not considered. Instead people believed that they were being punished by god and or Jews and witches were behind the disease. In the Medieval world there was no explanation for the Black Death. Many saw it as a punishment from god for committing sin. On the other hand, people also started to blame the Jewish population, they were arrested and even killed. The movement known as the Flagellants started in Germany. The people of this movement believed that the Black Death wasRead MoreHow Did England Change During The Reign Of Henry Viii4123 Words   |  17 Pagescountry into a peaceful kingdom free from foreign and domestic issues, however Henry VIII reverted this work and in doing so had spent most of the money his father had left him with, whilst also reducing the overall income of the crown and treasury. Henry VII To know how England changed during Henry VIII’s reign we must first look at what it was like before he gained control, when his father Henry VII was in power. Henry VII had a weak claim to the throne from his mother Margaret Beaufont howeverRead MoreHenry Viii And The Reformation Of England s Church System4160 Words   |  17 Pagesthe facts in with historical figures. History is not just facts, it is a story, and like any good story it should pull a reader in and make them interested. The historical figures utilized will be Katherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Thomas Wolsey, Thomas Cromwell, and Thomas Cranmer due to their direct correlation to the change in the religious system of England. The sources utilized were chosen and implemented in relation to how they encompassed concepts related to historical figures, the Church, andRead MoreStudy Guide to Renaissance Humanism2965 Words   |  12 Pagesthemselves tried to study and use only the best Greek and Latin in their transla tions. During the Reformation, Anabaptism drew its membership mostly from the ranks of the C. peasants (C) Each of the three major Protestant groups—Lutheran, Calvinist, and Anabaptist—relied in major ways on particular social elements. Although Lutheranism drew support from a broad social spectrum, Luther himself was forced to rely on sympathetic nobles of the Holy Roman Empire in order to defend Lutheranism against theRead More The Child King Henry VII got married in 1509, 1533, 1536, 1540 (twice), and 1543 - why?3433 Words   |  14 Pagesgrew older, but he never grew up. Even in 1540, by which time Henry was advanced in age, the French ambassador Marillac wrote of him that he suffered from lightness and inconstancy which has perverted the rights of religion, marriage, faith and promise, as softened wax can be altered to any form (Douglas 394). One might not expect the ambassador from France, Henrys now-and-again archenemy, to be neutral in his assessment, but Henrys actio ns also reveal his immaturity. During the first half of

Case Study 2001 Recession - 1278 Words

Ashley Alaniz ECON1301 Mr. Armstrong 06 November 2014 CASE STUDY: 2001 RECESSION ANALYSIS Beginning in March 2001, America soon fell into another recession that lasted eight months and ended in November of that same year. 2001 also happened to be the year 9/11 occurred which fueled the low confidence in the economic industry. The decline in services and employment after the attack made it inevitable that there is a recession underway. The recession of 2001 came during the introduction to the new electronic age when the technology industry was in full effect but little did the economy know that would play a major role in its downfall. The main factor that contributed to the recession was the collapse of the dotcom bubble, the rise of the technology industry and the new trend of internet websites. Many of these companies engaged in daring business practices with the hopes of dominating the market. Most used the practice of growth over profit, with the idea that if they built up their customer base, their profits would rise as well. As a result, the stock price of many high tech companies started to rise. This led to a lot of investors’ money going to any kind of high tech company, whether or not they were showing profits, and unfortunately many of these companies failed when the bubble finally burst. The loss of consumer faith in the tech industry also took a hit on earnings for technology ventures. The market also took a major downturn in the event of the terroristShow MoreRelatedJohn Moody Case Study Essay1318 Words   |  6 Pagesaround the Organization? Charlotte Wilson Chancellor University Abstract This paper explores a case study in which an organization went into a recession and had to reorganize everything. I will be explaining how recession works and what happens in a recession. I will also talk about planning and organization of a business. 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The best you can do is to study the record and draw on experience - your own and that of others. There is no easy scientific method that will guarantee all risks will be identified. Examine all sources of risk from the perspectivesRead MoreEssay on The Minimum Wage Should Be Increased1048 Words   |  5 Pagesdemand for labor. A recent study by Andreas Georgiadis (2008) supported this view. In the study, Georgiadis states â€Å"estimation results suggest that higher wage costs were more than offset by lower monitoring costs, and thus the overall evidence implies that the national minimum wage may have operated as an Efficiency Wage.† These policies also encourage employers to increase training investments. Economists Daron Acemoglu and Jà ¶rn†Steffen Pischke showed in their study (1999) that compression inRead MoreMinimum Wage Should Be Increased1057 Words   |  5 Pagesdemand for labor. A recent study by Andreas Georgiadis (2008) supported this view. In the study, Georgiadis states â€Å"estimation results suggest that higher wage costs were more than offset by lower monitoring costs, and thus the overall evidence implies that the national minimum wage may have operated as an Efficiency Wage.† These policies also encourage employers to increase training investments. Economists Daron Acemoglu and Jà ¶rn†Steffen Pischke showed in their study (1999) that compression in theRead MoreEssay about Welfare Reform: Promoting Independence and Self-Reliance1740 Words   |  7 PagesClinton proposed that states and communities should develop training programs to help people get the basic skills they need to remain a strong contestant in the job market. Many communities took the initiative and developed these programs. In most cases, the training programs have been successful, but there are still critics who argue against them. Those who stand in opposition claim that most state and employer programs focus on getting recipients quickly into jobs, rather than on providing trainingRead MoreU.S. Automobile Manufacturing in the Twenty-First Century1540 Words   |  7 Pagesautomobile industries as well of organizational practices have changed since the 20th century (Greer, 2001 ). Several developments such as global competition, advanced technology, and reengineering are more likely to affect human resource managers in the automobile industry (Greer, 2001, p. 68). Human Resource Issues Managers in the Automobile Industry Should Be Prepared For Based on the case study, global competition is an issue that human resource managers should be prepared for in the future. Read MoreBenefits Of Developing Countries Adopting Capital Controls During A Recession1529 Words   |  7 Pagesadopting capital controls during a recession, a case study on Malaysia’s success through the imposition of capital restriction during the 1998 Asia crisis and whether developing countries should adopt such capital restrictions. I. Costs of developing countries adopting capital controls Capital controls that restrict capital inflow will halt foreign financing for high-return investments, thus impeding the growth rates of the developing countries. During a recession, firms are affected from fundingRead MoreProblems and Questions817 Words   |  4 PagesI. Briefly explain the meaning of R-squared. A time series analysis of demand tends to result in a higher R-squared than one using cross-sectional data. Why do you think this is the case? R-squared measures the goodness of fit of a regression equation. A time series analysis of demand tends to result in a higher R-squared than one using cross-sectional data because data is being gathered at multiple periods of time as opposed to one period of time when using cross-sectional data. II. What isRead MoreBenefits of Congestion Charge in Tokyo1604 Words   |  7 Pageshousehold by prefecture was Tokyo with 0.497(Automobile Inspection Association, 2009). Nevertheless, there are chronic enormous traffic jams in Tokyo. Congestion charging systems have been considered because many suburbanites have gathered to work, study and make a purchase in the city. As a result of the consideration, the new systems have been practised in many cities, such as Oslo, Singapore and London, to resolve urban traffic congestion. At the end of the 20th century, the issue of whether or

Effect of Intellectual Property Law on Business-Free-Samples

Question: Write a Literature review on Intellectual Property Law and its Impact on Business. Answer: Introduction Intellectual Property Law provides IP rights to the owners and creators of intellectual property. The main purpose of the IPLs is to ensure that people are given rights and protection over the intellectual property created and owned by them. Rights are provided to the individuals or groups in relation to literary works, photography, painting, music and scientific innovations. This is to ensure that people are motivated to make new discoveries and innovations as their rights in relation to such work would be protected. On the other hand there are some disadvantages of the application of IPL as well. The purpose of this paper is to conduct a review of literature in relation to the impact of Intellectual property law on modern day businesses Intellectual property rights According to Bently Sherman (2014) the main purpose of IPL is to provide and protect IP rights to the creators of intellectual property. These rights allow the owner to sell the property rights or earn royalty of them. The primary legislation which deals with intellectual property law in UK is the Intellectual Property Act 2014. Through the application of IPRs the businesses are able to protect their brand name or sign in form of trademark. They can also protect any exclusive innovation done by the business through obtaining patents and were any original work is created by the business they are automatically provided with a copyright. Therefore the main areas in which the intellectual property law operates are patents, copyrights and trademarks. Copyrights Hart, Clark Fazzani (2013) defines copyright as a intangible property right which subsists in a certain qualified subject-matter. In the UK the laws in relation to copyrights are governed through the provisions Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 which is amended from time to time. As stated by Hovenkamp (2016) a comprehensive picture of the law can be acquired only through recourse towards the European Union Jurisprudence as harmonization and legal integration throughout the EU is increasing. According to Torremans (2016) copyright requires the considerations of issues like subsistence (Whether the subject matter is qualified for the copyright to subsist), ownership (whether the person is a owner ), incidents of ownership (rights flowing from ownership and term of monopoly) infringement (primary and secondary), defenses and remedies. Subsistence of copyright As stated by Tan Loy (2013) copyright subsists in the expression of an idea and not the Idea itself. This means that unless an idea is not expressed it is not eligible to be protected under the copyright laws. There are certain kinds of work as provided by Torremans (2016) which are eligible for protection these include original dramatic works, original literary works, original artistic works and original music works. However the work must itself be original in order for a copyright to subsist. This means the work has been produced by the labor, judgment and skill of the owner. Out of these there are also fixation requirements imposed on a few works such as a dramatic, musical or literary work has to be recorded irrespective of the fact that it has been done with the permission of the author or not. Multiple copyrights and the Music industry Kelbrick Visser (2013) states that one single item can contain more than one copyright. For instance, where an album is to be released by a group of musicians their copyrights would be divided. The divisions is into copyright on sound recording, copyright on lyrics, copyright in cover artwork and copyright in sheet music. Amidst such division there is a profound possibility of conflicts. As argued by Williams (2015) division of such rights is although fair but the process of unequal divisions dose not satisfies those parties who have been provided a lesser part. The division of such copyrights differs in the music industry from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Those who crate the lyrics are provided less part in copyrights as compared to those who compose the music. The music industry as a result generates substantial amount of litigation in relation to copyrights on music albums. The litigations originate in relation to rights such as reproduction of the work, distribution of copies o f the work, publically performing the work, making derivative works or displaying the work. Nimmer (2013) states that it is important to register a copyright even if it is provided upon the recording of the work in order to stay away from disputes and gain additional protection and benefits. Copyrights and employees According to Joyce et al. (2016) the general principle of law provides that the owner of the work produced by an employee during the course of employment using the tools provided by the employer belong to the employer. There have been several disputes regarding the ownership of a copyright between an employer and an employee in the history. The question which the court has to determine is that who is the actual owner of the work which has been produced. The general rule subjected to any separate arrangements made between the employer and the employee. This means that when there is any agreement to the contrary than the employer would not be regarded as the first owner of the copyrights. The legislation does not define what the phrase in the course of employment which means that the term is left ambiguous and courts have been provided a broad range of power towards interpreting the phrase. Hart, Clark Fazzani (2013) provides that generally the court apply a simple provisions to analy ze employment which means whether the work has been produced under a contract of service or a contract for services . Through the application the courts are able to determine the control of the employer on the employee. Copyright and joint authors To the contrary in the music industry where a single work has been created by more than one author the copyright of authors are not distinct from each other. This feature of copyrights again provides the scope for conflict between the authors. These people are considered as joint owners. The rule is exempted where there is a distinct and separate contribution of the authors towards the work. In such cases the authors are provided different ownership such as in the music industry. The joint authors have the right to transfer their ownership in a single person as a result of the transferable nature of copyright. In case of a joint ownership the owners are entitled to equally receive profits in relation to the copyrights. Thus if one of the owners bears all the cost of production he would not be provided with any additional copyright as compared to the other owners. Defenses There are certain defenses which attempt to mitigate the disadvantages of copyright law in relation to restricting innovations. The defense is in relation to the fair use of copyright material. When literary works are produced the students are allowed to use such work in a fair manner with proper acknowledgement. This allows for fair research work without infringing the copyright of others. The concept had been discussed in the case of Hubbard v Vosper, [1972] 2 Q.B. 84. In case the copyright owned by a business or an individual is infringed there are both civil and criminal remedies available to the owner. The civil remedies which are available to the owners of the copyright under the legislation includes interlocutory injunctions, pecuniary remedies, Anton Pillar orders , Mareva injunctions and Norwich Pharmacal order. The infringer is also liable to be prosecuted criminally by the courts. Patents As defined by LaLonde Gilson (2016) a patent is an exclusive right which has been provided by the state to a business for a limited period in return of publically disclosing the invention. The invention has to be a solution for a particular problem, process or product. The right to make sell or use an invention is not provided by a patent under law. From the legal point of view it is the right to exclude others from selling, using, or making the patented discovery for a specific period which is generally for twenty years and subjected to maintenance fee or payments. In the business content a patent provides the right to its owner from using it in court to exclude the others. A patent like any intellectual property can be sold, assigned, mortgaged or abandoned. Rights for business under patents Although the patent is an exclusionary right it does not give the owner a fixed right to exploit the invention in relation to the patent. Dispute arises as many patents are a extension of prior invention and may be covered by other patents as well. Only if the previous patent holders givers permission the new patent holder would be allowed to use the invention. In some jurisdictions patents are imposed with working provisions which means that they can only be exploited in a particular jurisdiction which is covered by them. The consequence of not continuing research on an invention also varies between jurisdiction which includes revocation of the patent and proving compulsory license to the other parties towards exploiting the invention. The revocation can be challenged by the patent holder by providing evidence which suggests that reasonable public requirements have been met (Horwitz Horwitz 2016). Challenges The validity of an issued or allowed patent can be challenged by any party in the national patent offices in a process known as opposition proceedings. The validity of a patent can also be challenged in court. In both the cases the parties making the challenge tries to prove that the patent should not have been granted. There are various grounds of challenges which are available to the parties. These include that the subject matter cannot be patented, the subject matter was not new, was general to experts in the same filed and there was fraud in obtaining the patent. If any of such reasons succeed the patent is found to be invalid as a whole or in part. Trademarks Boldrin Levine (2013) defined a trademark as an expression, sign or design which can be recognized in relation to the identification of a service or a product. They are used to distinguish the source of a particular product or services from the other. A trademark can be owned by a business or an individual or any legal entity. A trademark may be found on the voucher, label or package of the product. The trademarks are displayed on the company building in the sake of corporate identity. Trademarks also come under intellectual property rights. Usage in business The brand owner of a particular product or service is identified through a trademark. Trademarks can be provided as licenses to others. The unauthorized use of trademark gives rise to civil penalties where the owner can claim monetary compensation and injunctions. Legal action can be commenced by the trademark owner in case of any infringement of their rights. Common law rights of trademark are recognized in the UK. There are several disputes between the business where identical trademarks are developed and used. Summary Form the review of the above discussed literature it is clear that the IPL have a significant impact on businesses. These impacts are visible in industries like the music industry. The rights and ownership allocation also raises significant issues in the employment relations are there is a lack of concrete provisions of deal with the issue. The courts have broad range of powers towards interpreting the term in the course of employment. In addition there are significant challenges in the music industry towards analyzing the ownership of copyrights as the rights have to be divided among several owners. Businesses also uses patents in order to prevent the others form involving in relation to a particular product, process or problems. The grant of patents can be challenged by the other parties in court and they can be revoked in part or as a whole. Trademarks are also used by the business in order to distinguish the brand from the others. A business is not allowed to copy the trademark o f another business or they may be subjected to provisions of trademark infringement. References Bently, L., Sherman, B. (2014).Intellectual property law. Oxford University Press, USA. Boldrin, M., Levine, D. K. (2013). The case against patents.The journal of economic perspectives,27(1), 3-22. Hart, T., Clark, S., Fazzani, L. (2013).Intellectual property law. Palgrave Macmillan. Horwitz, L., Horwitz, E. (2016). Discovery in Trademark Cases in the Courts and Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.Intellectual Property Counseling Litigation,5. Hovenkamp, H. (2016).IP and antitrust: an analysis of antitrust principles applied to intellectual property law(Vol. 1). Wolters Kluwer Law Business. Joyce, C., Ochoa, T. T., Carroll, M. W., Leaffer, M. A., Jaszi, P. (2016).Copyright law(p. 85). Carolina Academic Press. Kelbrick, R., Visser, C. (2013). Intellectual property law.Annual Survey of South African Law,2013(1), 691-715. LaLonde, A. G., Gilson, J. (2016).Foreign Trademark Protection(Vol. 3). Gilson on Trademarks. Lerner, J., Tirole, J. (2015). Standard-essential patents.Journal of Political Economy,123(3), 547-586. Moser, P. (2013). Patents and innovation: evidence from economic history.The Journal of Economic Perspectives,27(1), 23-44. Nard, C. A. (2014).The Law of Patents. Wolters Kluwer Law Business. Nimmer, D. (2013).Nimmer on copyright. LexisNexis. Tan, T. J., Ng-Loy, W. L. (2013). Intellectual property law.Singapore Academy of Law Annual Review of Singapore Cases, (Annual Review 2013), 412. Torremans, P. (2016).Holyoak and Torremans intellectual property law. Oxford University Press. Williams, M. (2015). Intellectual Property at the Edge: The Contested Contours of I

Virtual Controversies Essays - Computing, Content-control Software

Virtual Controversies It was once forcasted that computers in the future would weigh no more than 1.5 tons. Of course, in today's technologically savvy times, it's a common occurrence to see people holding their computers in their lap, or even in their hand. There's no doubt about it: the computer already plays an important role in our lives and that role is likely to expand as more advancements are made. However, new innovations mean new controversies. The Internet, for example, has transformed the way people communicate, conduct business, learn, and entertain themselves. With a simple click of the mouse key, one can do things that were thought science fiction just a few decades ago. For all the benefits associated with the Internet, the presence of pornography, hate groups, and other distasteful topics has lead to a nationwide debate on first amendment rights and censorship. The goal for the Internet should not be total freedom for unsavory groups to deliver their message to whomever they can, but a balance between the freedom of those who want this material and the freedom of those who do not. When President Clinton signed the Communication Decency Act into law on February 8, 1996, he effectively approved the largest alteration of national communication laws in 62 years. In order to elicit a response from web creators who published ?indecent? sites, the bill instituted criminal penalties. However, the emphasis in the bill was on ?decency? and not ?obscenity?- which had long been established as the method to determine what was supported by the first amendment and what was not. The CDA was eventually overthrown in Reno vs. ACLU because of the unconstitutionality vague wording and the noted importance in keeping the Internet a hospital arena for free expression and speech. In 1998, another piece of legislation was approved called the Child Online Protection Act, or COPA, that is considered less stringent than the Communication Decency Act, but is currently undergoing the same analysis of its adherence to the Constitution by the ACLU. Even if the Child Online Protection Act managed to pass the court's high standards, there exists no way for a national piece of legislation to control an international network. The Internet is massive and chaotic in nature since it is technologically infesible for any one group to own or organize it. According to latest estimates, more than 40 percent of US households own a computer and 90 million adults use the Internet regularly (?Cyber Eyes?). Users can access the are many wonders of the online world like email, gopher sites, IRC (Internet Relay Chat) channels, newsgroups, and web pages. The idea that censorship could restrict this freedom, a trademark characteristic of the Internet, would altogether defeat the purpose of it. Once a person places information on a Web page or bulletin board, there is little control over, or knowledge of, who gains access to it. The government has no right infringing on the rights and freedoms of adult individuals in order to make the Internet ?safe? for children. The hallmark of a democratic society is allowing a variety of ideas and information to be accessible to its citizens. If that means allowing hate groups to post a site on the Internet, then so be it. Journalist Howard Rheingold predicts that Heavy-handed attempts to impose restrictions on the unruly but incredibly creative anarchy of the Net could kill the spirit of cooperative knowledge-sharing that makes the Net valuable to millions (Rheingold n.p.). Perhaps the reason why government censorship is so attractive is because some people are not willing to learn about the Internet and take the initiative to seek alternatives that better suit their needs. Blatant laziness should not excuse the right of government to interfere in people's lives and repress certain individual liberties that are sacred. Internet users treasure their Constitutional rights and the idea that the Internet is another instrument by which to express their freedom of speech. And, while it is true that the Internet poses some very real dangers to children, those dangers must be addressed in a meaningful manner; blind censorship will simply not do the job. The presence of pornography and other distasteful sites are relative to the overall size and uses of the Internet. Some argue that there is no amount of censorship or filtering available that will altogether restrict access to questionable material. Children are bound to learn about the less positive aspects of the world one way or the another, either through friends, the media, or

Study of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon BP oil spillage in the Mexican Gulf The WritePass Journal

Study of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon BP oil spillage in the Mexican Gulf Introduction Study of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon BP oil spillage in the Mexican Gulf IntroductionThe Topic: Potential Implications on Corporate Governance:Cleaning of the spill:Financial ClaimsFinancial LiquidityInvestigation by BP:Internal initiatives of BP:Rebuilding the Reputation:BP’s Business StrategyConclusionList of ReferencesRelated Introduction The Topic: This assignment highlights the incident of the Deepwater Horizon oil spillage in the Mexican Gulf which took place from April 2010, as well as a brief explanation of the financial consequences faced by BP. It also discusses the potential implications of this event regarding BP’s corporate governance regulations. Explanation of the Event: Deepwater Horizon was a deepwater mobile offshore drilling unit. The rig was so high in length and width that it could easily conduct its operations in deep waters. It was owned by Transocean Ltd. Then Transocean Ltd and BP had a leasing contract until 2013. BP planned to drill a well through this rig and it started the drilling process in February 2010. In April 2010, a very big explosion in the Mexican Gulf was caused on the Deepwater Horizon which was recorded as the highest oil spill in the US history. The Deepwater Horizon was sunk deeply and the oil was continuously flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. According to R, Z (2010), 206 million gallons of oil was spewed.   Around 126 workers were managed to be evacuated from the affected area, whereas 11 workers were missing who were later presumed to have passed away. Efforts were put in by BP to cap the well but unfortunately, it did not work out. In July 2010, BP had capped the well. However, it was too late since the incident occurred as the oil had flowed in large quantities to the ocean and it already had created the biggest environmental loss in the history. Cleveland, C (2011) discusses that Since Transocean Ltd and BP were working under a contract for drilling the well, the government of the US considered BP to be responsible for the accident, and therefore, BP was accountable for paying all the cleanup costs which occurred due to the oil spill. BP agreed with the US government on accepting the responsibility of all costs.   Even if the costs are covered, it was analysed as the loss which had numerous negative effects on the entire globe. Potential Implications on Corporate Governance: Because of the emergence of the crisis regarding the Deepwater Horizon, the Corporate Governance of BP had to work and plan about the potential implications in an effective manner. Through this incidence, BP Corporate Governance learned many lessons in terms of delivering environmental safety and fulfilling its commitments. In order to respond well for the incident, the Corporate Governance of BP formed the Gulf of Mexico committee. The responsibility of this committee was to restore the losses that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico. Following are some initiatives that were to be implemented after the incidence of Deepwater Horizon oil spillage: Cleaning of the spill: The BP board had to monitor the operations of the company in terms of capping the well. The management of the company kept the board in contact and thus, it provides updates to the board on a regular basis. Moreover, the board of BP has decided to continuously work on cleaning up the beaches as well as to work for the communities which are affected by this disaster. Financial Claims There have been seen many legitimate claims against BP, Therefore, the company is now meeting these claims as well as the company’s board is monitoring these claims. The board regarding Corporate Governance of BP has planned about establishing a trust fund and this has been approved with the consent of the White House. This step is going to be taken so that BP’s commitment for accepting all the claims occurring from the event can be proved to all its stakeholders. Financial Liquidity BP was unable to cap the well after this major event. It is due to this reason that the company faced a major loss in terms of its financial standing as well as it suffered negativity in financing because its credit-rating decreased instantly. BP (2010) reports that the company suffered huge financial uncertainties as it lost a huge amount of money in paying claims as well as in establishing a trust fund which cost around 20 billion dollars. Therefore, considering the Corporate Governance of the company, the BP board reviewed the company’s dividend policy. According to the current financial situation of BP after the Deepwater Horizon incident, the company has planned to cancel the dividends of its first quarter. Additionally, it made an announcement that in 2010, the second and third quarters of the year would have no interim dividends. Furthermore, the payments of dividends would be made in 2011. The present financial situation of BP after the incident suggests that the cash resources available to the company are quite less now as compared to its earlier financial situations. Therefore, for having a stable financial position in the market, the board has reduced the level of spending on the capital of the company in 2010. However, the company’s corporate governance is also making sure that the stakeholders are aware of this. Investigation by BP: An investigation has been undertaken by the corporate governance of BP, for identifying the events which surround the unforgettable incident of the Deepwater Horizon. According to Gupta, S (2010), the oil is still there in the underwater in a large quantity. The company is also focusing on coming up with some really effective recommendations relating to the prevention of such accidental occurrences in future. BP produced a report after the conduction of the investigation, named The Deepwater Horizon Accident Investigation Report. This report from the BP included the recommendations for preventing the similar accident in any future situation. Internal initiatives of BP: After the accident, there are some internal initiatives made by BP’s management. These initiatives also include the new possible learning for the improvement of the risk processes within the company. One of the initiatives is the development of an entirely new division of safety and risk. Additionally, one more initiative by the company includes dividing one business, i.e. Exploration and Production segment into three different divisions i.e. Exploration, Development and Production. Dividing a single operation into three different functions means that it will further promote the development in terms of expertise and risk management for the long run. Rebuilding the Reputation: The trust and credibility of BP for its stakeholders is affected a lot after the company held responsible for the huge environmental and societal loss. It can take years to rebuild that trust. Therefore, the corporate governance has started playing an active role in bringing back the reputation of the company which existed before the incident. However, no matter how efficiently the company focuses on rebuilding the previous reputation of BP, it seems quite impossible that it manages to stand out once again in the market facing other similar companies in the industry. Now it has to pay for it as well as wait for a long time to face the world again. BP’s Business Strategy Because of the incident of Deepwater Horizon, the board of BP is reviewing its strategy and made changes in it as following: The events in the Gulf of Mexico led the board to undertake a review of strategy. Led by the group chief executive and his team, the board attempted to address the key challenge of how to regain shareholder value and address core issues, including: To focus on BP’s operations geographically To manage BP’s risk more effectively To focus on BP’s core competency To reset the portfolio of BP Conclusion In April 2010, the Globe faced a disaster in the Mexican Gulf which was ranked as the one which caused the highest loss for the environment, society, as well as the economy in the US history, i.e. Deepwater Horizon oil spillage. Analysing the event from JSEAFORD (2010),the brand image of BP has been suffered to a great extent, negatively affecting its financial position as well as the shareholder value and the reputation and credibility among its stakeholders. BP having a recognition of being a global company, have the positioning in the minds of people that it is a company which does not care much about the planet if it has to make profits. This perception can be justified from the fact that according to The New York Times (2011), BP took steps which actually saved their own time for working through the rig and just did not care about the dangers involved in those steps. Additionally, for global organisations to achieve success, it is essential for them that they should build a mindset in the organisational culture about focusing not only on profits, but it is quite significant to focus equally on the planet as well as its people. This indicates that an organisation can only prosper and earn its desired profits if it aligns the wellbeing of the environment and the people living in the society, as they also are the stakeholders of the organisation’s business. Without aligning the business with environment and society means that the company is just running its business on selfish terms. Thus, the BP incident shows that the environmental and societal concerns were not present in the scenario, which resulted into extremely negative consequences. However, concluding from The Economist (2011), environmentalists say that the consequences are so negative that the surroundings as well as the people living and working near the affected place are going to recover after many more years. List of References BP (2010) BP Annual Report 2010 [online] available at bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/globalbp/globalbp_uk_english/set_branch/STAGING/common_assets/downloads/pdf/IC_CG10_board_performance_report_2010.pdf [24th March 2011] Cleveland, C (2011) The Encyclopedia of Earth [online] available from eoearth.org/article/Deepwater_Horizon_oil_spill?topic=50364 [24th March 2011] Gupta, S (2010) Gulf spill: Is the oil lurking underwater? [online] available from newscientist.com/article/dn19345-gulf-spill-is-the-oil-lurking-underwater.html [24th March 2011] JSEAFORD (2010) The Impact of the Deepwater Horizon Oil  Spill [online] available from http://jseaford.wordpress.com/2010/09/30/the-impact-of-the-deepwater-horizon-oil-spill/ [24th March 2011] R, Z (2010) Gulf Oil Spill: BP Oil Well Is Now Dead [online] available from http://morichesdaily.com/2010/09/gulf-oil-spill-bp-oil-dead/ [24th March 2011] The Economist (2011) What lies beneath [online] available from economist.com/node/16160853/comments [24th March 2011] The New York Times (2011) Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill (2010) [online] available from http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/o/oil_spills/gulf_of_mexico_2010/index.html [24th March 2011]

Understanding Maslows Theory of Self-Actualization

Understanding Maslows Theory of Self-Actualization Psychologist Abraham Maslows theory of self-actualization contends that individuals are motivated to fulfill their potential in life. Self-actualization is typically discussed in conjunction with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which posits that self-actualization sits at the top of a hierarchy above four lower needs. Origins of the Theory During the mid-20th century, the theories of psychoanalysis and behaviorism were prominent in the field of psychology. Though largely very different, these two perspectives shared a general assumption that people are driven by forces beyond their control. In response to this assumption, a new perspective, called humanistic psychology, arose.  The humanists wanted to offer a more optimistic, agentive perspective on human striving. The theory of self-actualization emerged out of this humanistic perspective. Humanistic psychologists claimed that people are driven by higher needs, particularly the need to actualize the self. In contrast to the psychoanalysts and behaviorists who focused on psychological problems, Maslow developed his theory by studying psychologically healthy individuals. The Hierarchy of Needs Maslow contextualized his theory of self-actualization within a hierarchy of needs. The hierarchy represents five needs arranged from lowest to highest, as follows: Physiological needs: These include needs that keep us alive, such as food, water, shelter, warmth, and sleep.Safety needs: The need to feel secure, stable, and unafraid.Love and belongingness needs: The need to belong socially by developing relationships with friends and family.Esteem needs: The need to feel both (a) self-esteem based on one’s achievements and abilities and (b) recognition and respect from others.Self-actualization needs: The need to pursue and fulfill one’s unique potentials. When Maslow originally explained the hierarchy in 1943, he stated that higher needs generally won’t be pursued until lower needs are met. However, he added, a need does not have to be completely satisfied for someone to move onto the next need in the hierarchy. Instead, the needs must be partially satisfied, meaning that an individual  can pursue all five needs, at least to some extent, at the same time.   Maslow included  caveats in order to explain why certain individuals might pursue higher needs before lower ones. For example, some people who are especially driven by the desire to express themselves creatively may pursue self-actualization even if their lower needs are unmet. Similarly, individuals who are particularly dedicated to pursuing higher ideals may achieve self-actualization despite adversity that prevents them from meeting their lower needs. Defining Self-Actualization To Maslow, self-actualization is the ability to become the best version of oneself. Maslow stated, â€Å"This tendency might be phrased as the desire to become more and more what one is, to become everything that one is capable of becoming.†    Of course, we all hold different values, desires, and capacities. As a result, self-actualization will manifest itself differently in different people. One person may self-actualize through artistic expression, while another will do so by becoming a parent, and yet another by inventing new technologies. Maslow believed that, because of the difficulty of fulfilling the four lower needs, very few people would successfully become self-actualized, or would only do so in a limited capacity. He proposed that the people who can successfully self actualize share certain characteristics. He called these people self-actualizers. According to Maslow, self-actualizers  share the ability to achieve peak experiences, or moments of joy and transcendence. While anyone can have a peak experience, self-actualizers have them more frequently. In addition, Maslow suggested that self-actualizers tend to be highly creative, autonomous, objective, concerned about humanity, and accepting of themselves and others. Maslow contended  that some people are simply not motivated to self-actualize. He made this point by differentiating between deficiency needs, or D-needs, which encompass the four lower needs in his hierarchy, and being needs, or B-needs. Maslow said that D-needs come from external sources, while B-needs come from within the individual. According to Maslow, self-actualizers are more motivated to pursue B-needs than non-self-actualizers. Criticism and Further Study The theory of self-actualization has been criticized for its lack of empirical support and for its suggestion that lower needs must be met before self-actualization is possible. In 1976, Wahba and Bridwell investigated these issues by reviewing a number of studies exploring different parts of the theory. They found only inconsistent support for the theory, and limited support for the proposed progression through Maslow’s hierarchy. However, the idea that some people are more motivated by B-needs than D-needs was supported by their research, lending increased evidence to the idea that some people may be more naturally motivated towards self-actualization than others. A 2011 study by Tay and Diener explored the satisfaction of needs that roughly matched those in Maslow’s hierarchy in 123 countries. They found that the needs were largely universal, but that the fulfillment of one need was not dependent on the fulfillment of another. For example, an individual can benefit from self-actualization even if they have not met their need to belong. However, the study also showed that when most citizens in a society have their basic needs met, more people in that society focus on pursuing a fulfilling and meaningful life. Taken together, the results of this study suggest that self-actualization can be attained before all of the  four other needs are met, but that having ones most  basic  needs met makes self-actualization much more likely.   The evidence for Maslow’s theory is not conclusive. Future research involving self-actualizers is needed in order to learn more. Yet given its importance to the history of psychology, the theory of self-actualization will maintain its place in the pantheon of classic psychological theories.   Sources Compton, William C. â€Å"Self-Actualization Myths: What Did Maslow Really Say?† Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 2018, pp.1-18, http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0022167818761929Maslow, Abraham H. â€Å"A Theory of Human Motivation.† Psychological Review, vol. 50, no. 4, 1943, pp. 370-396, http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Maslow/motivation.htmMcAdams, Dan. The Person: An Introduction to the Science of Personality Psychology. 5th ed., Wiley, 2008.McLeod, Saul. â€Å"Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.† Simply Psychology, 21 May 2018. https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.htmlTay, Louis, and Ed Diener. â€Å"Needs and Subjective Well-Being Around the World.† Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, vol. 101, no. 2, 2011, 354-365, http://academic.udayton.edu/jackbauer/Readings%20595/Tay%20Diener%2011%20needs%20WB%20world%20copy.pdfWahba, Mahmoud A., and Lawrence G. Bridwell. â€Å"Maslow Reconsidered: A Review of Research on the Need Hierarchy Th eory.† Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, vol. 15, 1976, 212-240, http://larrybridwell.com/Maslo.pdf

The Influence of Social Media on Activism and Revolution on the World Essay

The Influence of Social Media on Activism and Revolution on the World Stage - Essay Example Occupy Wall Street was a protest movement where individuals conducted a large-scale sit-in at a park near Wall Street. The widespread popularity of this movement was made possible through social media, most notably Facebook. In these regards, it’s noted that, â€Å"The best way to get people away from their computer is through the computer; you cant organize thousands of people in New York City without the web† (Kannally). Ultimately, then social media directed facilitated the Occupy Wall Street protest. Social media has also had a profound impact on revolution. Undoubtedly the most prominent recent example of this is through the Arab Spring. The Arab Spring revolts emerged in Tunisia when an individual committed suicide after an injustice was committed against him by the government. Rapidly individuals over social media were able to share their experiences of oppression and organize widespread revolts throughout the Middle East. It’s noted, â€Å"The movements throughout the Arab world appeared to have imbued social media with an irrevocable sense of legitimacy as a tool for fomenting change† (Killinger). In this way social media allowed forms of organization to occur in this region that previously had not been possible under the stringent governmental oppression.

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Strategic Management - Essay Example 2014). Management with consideration of communication will provide feedback in surveys, giving ideas in the organization. Sharing of information in an organization also ensures that the objectives of the organization are met, as communication will lead to coordination of activities. Strategic management involves innovation in activities that an organization carries out. Management strategies may involve development of a new product or rendering a new service. Innovation will involve putting groups together to work in development of major initiatives and giving out resources to ensure that the innovative objectives are met. Strategic management should involve trying out something that is new even with the risks that are involved. Management of projects is also a critical element through which management should be able to identify projects that ensures success in achieving all strategies. The other aspect of project management is development of priorities of all the elements to ensure that there is success in achieving objectives of management (Gerry et al. 2014). Project management will also ensure that employees understand strategies of the organization. Organization structure is an essential factor in strategic management. Organization cultures are the attitudes that are held by an organization and behavior that employees in the organization portray. Organization cultures are always unique and diverse due to personality. Managers are to understand the culture to ensure that planning that is put in place is in line with culture of the organization (Gerry et al. 2014). Cultures that are considered are those on belief in change by employees and values that employees hold. Strategic management in an organization requires consideration of these aspects. Engagement of employees at all levels, communication to employees, innovation in an organization, creation of

Concentration Camp Sourcework Essay Example for Free

Concentration Camp Sourcework Essay In Source 5 Reitlinger says that more than a hundred thousand people must have known. If this is correct then why did no-one take the blame for it at the end of the war? Or even do anything to help the Jews? How well supported this claim is depends on the other sources. Source two agrees with Reitlingers claim as it says All the same rumours did circulate about dreadful deeds in the East this concurs with had not heard the same story in Reitlingers source. Also in Source 2 it says Because of the Nazis much publicised resettlement plans this again agrees with Jews had disappeared in Reitlingers source. In conclusion Reitlinger is supported, by Source 2, about rumours being spread and that people had seen Jews disappear. Source three is a very neutral source to the credibility of Reitlingers as it says Workers at an extermination centre in Austria were told Keep quiet about this or face the death penalty' this almost contradicts what Reitlinger says about people knowing about the camps. If the workers in the camps were threatened with their lives then would the hardly gossip to neighbours? Also in source three is says that when the crematoria were turned on it caused a power- outage outside Dachau, the people would obviously notice if their power was turned off so this supports Reitlingers claims. Source 6 contains much information and it supports Reitlingers claims as it contains information concerning an SS man declaring on a train that 2000 Jews were being murdered every week at Auschwitz if this SS man was concerned about secrecy would he have said it on a busy train? Source 6 also goes into some detail about the BBC laughing a broadcast campaign on the extermination of the Jews which provided information for any Germans that held a radio and it also says that The leaflets dropped by Allied planes also relayed information on the annihilation policy I think that the German people would have had enough information to confirm the rumours they might have heard. Source 8 contradicts Reitlinger as it says All swore that during the past few years they had no idea what had been going on in the camp outside their town this is important to note as the people themselves are saying they hadnt heart anything. There is a possibility that they could have been lying or faking their knowledge of the situation as evidence shows the general knowledge of people living around the camps. Source 10 supports Reitlinger as the author says The Jews are disappearing in throngs this matches with Source 5s not know most of the Jews had disappeared I would have to conclude that Reitlinger was probably correct in his estimate of German knowledge of the concentration camps as a good portion of the evidence in the sources tells us that it is plausible to estimate figures as grand as a hundred thousand people. I think many of the Germans did in fact know about the camps either by the rumours or by radio or by information pamphlets and therefore it begs the question as to why they didnt do anything to help the suffering Jews. Were they afraid of the strict penalties? Some had put their lives on the line by telling people about the camps why didnt they do anything? The answer to this is that although the people may have known there was nothing that they could have done to stop it completely and therefore could not be really held responsible for not helping.

Essay --

As a review of techniques for working with students with learning disabilities, various journal articles were reviewed. For the purpose of the assignment, articles were chosen that discussed various aspects of education that a special education teacher would regularly address in their everyday work. Articles were chosen that spoke to suggestions for the teaching of academic as well as social skills for students with disabilities. Another topic central to the work of a special education teacher is collaboration with others. For this aspect, an article about collaboration with parents was selected. Finally, an article addressing the methods of teaching in both the special education as well as the general education classroom was selected. Each article spoke to a different and important aspect of the special education programs and how teachers work with both students and others involved in the education of students with exceptionalities. Academic Skills In addressing students with special needs, it is often beneficial to focus intensive interventions on students with specific difficulties. In the first study, Vaughn, et. al. (2012) investigated the benefits of an intensive intervention for students with sever reading difficulties. For the study, the selected students that had a very low Response to Intervention (RTI). These students did not respond to the general education interventions targeted at students with reading difficulties. In this study, the investigators developed an intensive intervention for those students not responding to the graduated interventions of RTI. For the purposes of the study, the split the group into two categories; a normal intervention of specialized instruction, and an intensive intervention group. Th... ...and go to work. However, my compliance with this rule of my employer allows me to continue employment and to reap the rewards of my job. Compliance to social norms as well as authority is an important social skill that many students need to develop. As the authors point out, â€Å"the cycle of inept social skills cannot be broken by chance† (Dobbins, et. al., 359, 2010). It is important for both special educators as well as their general education colleagues to assist students in the development of the important social skills necessary to become an active and productive member of society. This study points to the importance of explicit instruction in social skills and that it is possible to teach them to students that lack the necessary skills. This is very important for educators to recognize, especially considering the number of emotional disturbed students coming to u

Psychology, Theology and Spirituality in Christian Counseling Essay

Introduction Traditionally, psychology and theology have stood in opposition to each other. Christian counselors felt that the relationship between the two disciplines is essentially adversarial. Those who tried to integrate psychology and theology were criticized for doing so. As time goes by, important insights about human behavior and the importance of spirituality have been highlighted. As such, the principles of psychotherapy and psychology could do well to heed the lessons offered by theology, specifically the principles of prayer, worship, the Christian centrality of redemption and forgiveness. McMinn’s book highlighted new theories, techniques, and other important information in psychotherapy and psychology. The book essentially integrates spiritual principles into the practice of psychology and psychotherapy instead of the other way around. Hence, even non-Christian counselors can make use of Christian principles in dealing with their counselees. In the course of this integration, McMinn discusses psychology, theology and spirituality and the different areas where they overlap and where meaningful integration can be achieved in helping people deal with different issues in their emotional, mental and overall well-being.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In traditional psychotherapy, religion tends to be relegated to the sidelines and not brought out into the open in discussions. Psychology instead relies on human experience, the meanings generated from these experiences and how such meanings impact the life of a person. God’s involvement, more or less is relegated to the sideways. On the other hand, theology has placed God at the center of understanding human behavior and the social processes in the world. Hence, God’s word and the way it is interpreted are used in evaluating human experiences and behaviors. Because of the mutual exclusivity of the two disciplines, practitioners of either discipline tended to ignore what the other has to offer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   McMinn, through his book however, poses that the Christian view of humans and of God’s involvement in the lives of people has an important impact in the mental and emotional help of people. Christian practices such as prayer and the reading of scripture can help a lot in determining the condition of individuals and help them initiate in the process of looking into themselves and evaluating themselves in light of God’s word.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If this were done, the counselee will be directed to areas of sin in his life. In a sense, he will not be able to understand the areas of sin unless he has a standard to use. In this case, it is the Scripture with the help of the Holy Spirit that directs the person’s attention to the areas of sin in his life. When these areas shall have been recognized, then confession can be done. Confession helps the person put a name to the nameless feelings of guilt and shame. When they have been named, then their power over the person tends to loosen. Confession, a distinct Christian practice, helps the person unload and pour out his heart. This in turn paves the way for forgiveness to come—forgiveness from oneself, from the people involved and from God.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Forgiveness then makes redemption possible. Even if the scars of the sins are still there, redemption enables a person to walk away from sin and its painful consequences and start anew. More than simply starting anew, however, redemption entails being re-integrated into the community and into the world. Response to the Book   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As a Christian, I was raised in a setting where the Bible is the authority over major issues in life. As such, I could identify with those who tend to look at Psychology with suspicious eyes. As such, with McMinn’s book came as an important eye-opener in regards to the benefits that the integration of psychology, theology and spirituality could do in the overall well-being of a person.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Confession though is a little difficult to do. Oftentimes, the church fosters a place where people do not feel safe to confess. Fellowship also tends to get broken down because of hypocrisy. People are afraid of opening up, afraid of being looked down as not being enough of a Christian. A friend of mine was struggling with depression even in the midst of doing ministry for the Sunday School of the church. He did not actively seek help for fear of being discredited in his ministry. By the time he sought help he was under the throes of his depression and needed to have professional help. As a friend, I did not have much to help him because I did not understand enough psychology in helping him. I was loaded with bible verses, which he also knew. I found out that even if I had tons of bible verses, it was not enough without a good understanding of how a person’s experiences affect his emotions and his well-being. If I simply heeded the need to consult psychology, I would have been in a better position to help my friend even if I were not a professional. During the course of my friend’s therapy, he related to me the counseling process and it was based almost solely on psychology. Even if God was being brought into discussion because of my friend’s faith, He was not central in the process. There were also techniques used by the psychotherapist that resembled some of the Christian practices that we were exposed to but were not being practiced in church. At first, I was skeptical of the process because the role of God and of faith has been minimized. As I continued my discussions with my friend, however, there was a noticeable change in my friend and he was indeed becoming better. In one of our conversations, he even talked about his realization that psychology has much to offer to Christians who want to make a difference in the lives of others in terms of counseling and helping cope with the challenges of life. Integration of Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The greatest learning for me in this book is the idea that three separate disciplines could be integrated for the promotion of the total well-being of a person. Indeed, psychology can help look at the mental aspect of person and help provide additional understanding of the significance of the experiences that people go through. More than that, there are techniques and tools that psychology offers. These can then be used by a Christian counselor in helping a person who is going through a difficult time in his life. Psychology can also help blunt the tendency of theology to focus too much on sin, guilt, and shame. These concepts however, should not be set aside totally as they are also important in helping a person come to terms with his true situation in life. The role of theology is to bring God’s standards to the settings in which humans find themselves. God’s word stands as the standards in which human behavior may be subjected to. Being Christians, the primary purpose of counseling is to align a person’s life in the standards of God. This is what I am alarmed about in the book—that in the process of integrating theology and psychology, theology might be relegated to the side and psychology takes center stage. There is indeed a place for scientific inquiry and the use of tools and techniques developed by man for the betterment and empowerment of a person. Yet, as Christians, God’s word should be the first basis of truth and standards of behavior. Psychology deals with emotions, thoughts, responses, and other insights from the lives and experiences of humans. Psychology, in itself, might even draw a person away from God and institute a new version of spirituality that may not be in conjunction with the Christian faith. Another question that I had in the course of reading the book concerns the Christian practices and principles. If for example, non-Christian psychologists do recommend the practice of these principles, such practices may simply be practiced for the sole purpose of improving the person and not for the original purpose of these principles and practices. Prayer, scripture, confession, forgiveness and redemption are concepts that are heavily Christian in essence. Can they be practiced effectively outside of the Christian context? Moreover, if a Christian counselor would use these practices, would not that be constituted as a means of proselytism? There have been challenges in the integration of psychology into theology. On the other hand, while integrating spiritual principles and practices into psychology has its benefits, there may also be drawbacks. The spirituality of the person may be seen as simply a means of improving one’s well-being and not as means of following Christ. Spirituality then might become as simply another tool for man to use instead of being used for the glory of God. Furthermore, the issue of openly promoting Christian practices in the practice of psychology might not be welcome to certain kinds of people. Although it is good to promote Christian practices, there may be issues in terms of their general acceptability, especially because religion is being seen as a highly personal matter. Nonetheless, what I like about the book was the way that McMinn used the term spirituality instead of religion. Spirituality seems to indicate a higher level of significance in the life of people. Christianity as a means to ensuring spiritual and mental health was clearly elucidated by McMinn. He showed in his discussions that Christianity is not only about church attendance every Sunday. Rather, it is a dynamic faith that can help a person deal with issues on a daily basis. McMinn also was riled against the kind of spirituality that seeks only to serve the interest of an individual, especially the type that integrates this and that from different disciplines. His presentation about the integration of psychology, theology, and spirituality was not only theoretical; he presented case studies, which illustrated that Christianity as a faith is relevant to twenty-first century life. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The divide between theology and psychology has been going on for a long time in their applicability in counseling. There are those who look at psychology as a purely human-made discipline and that it is totally incompatible with theology and the way that God’s word deals with human experiences, emotions, and mental health problems. Yet, in this age, the techniques, tools and strategies offered by psychology can no longer be denied. They also offer something which Christian counselors—professional or not—can use. Such techniques however should not be used in themselves. Rather, they should be integrated with God’s word and with theology so that true spirituality may be attained by a person.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Spirituality is more than just religion. It takes into account the overall well-being of the person, which is the intent of psychology. It also helps a person align his life with God’s word, which is the aim of theology.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When there is a balance and skillful use of psychology, theology and spirituality, counselors everywhere will be able to look at the benefit of God’s ways for humans. It will also help humans avoid pitfalls and if they fell into such, they can easily consult God’s word and get back on track.

Asia Pacific Breweries

International Business Environment Project GROUP PROJECT: ASIA PACIFIC BREWERIES LIMITED (APBL) Prepared by G&T Consultancy (TZ02): Benjamin Jethro Neo Czaraim Suganob Carreon Michelle Oh Hui Ling Ratchadakorn Wongphothiphan Valerie Ng Shi Min Yap Yi Jun Prepared for: Ms. Ng Lay Khim, Linda Date of Submission: 18th July 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Company and IndustryOne of the main components of the beverage industry is Alcoholic drink; an example of a company that produces alcoholic beverages, namely Beer and Lager is Asia Pacific Breweries. Listed on the Singapore Exchange, Asia Pacific Breweries Limited (APBL) is one of the key players in the beer industry Asia Pacific Breweries, formerly known as Malayan Breweries Limited (MBL) in 1931 is a joint enterprise between Heineken International & Fraser and Neave. Its present name was given in 1990.As of today, Asia Pacific Breweries also operates a broad global marketing network, which extends across 60 countries and is supporte d by 30 breweries in 14 countries, namely Singapore, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. Asia Pacific Breweries also offers their consumers a wide range of brands, be it global, regional or local, which suit the taste of various beer drinkers; boasting a wide range of choices, including Tiger Beer, Heineken, Anchor Beer, Baron’s Strong Brew, ABC Extra Stout and Bintang Beer.Their beers are brewed under the supervision of Heineken technical experts, who can call upon countless years of experience of European brewing excellence. Using only the finest ingredients, maintaining the most stringent brewing standards, and conducting over 200 quality checks during the process. This scrutiny over production of APB beers has reeled in many awards while their breweries are among the forerunners in their respective markets. 2. STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES 2. 1 StrengthsTiger beer, the prize brand of APB, was the winner of the UK's Brewing Industry International Awards, the most esteemed award in the brewing industry 1998. The brand won a Gold medal in the International Style Lager category in the 2010 World Beer Cup; and silver medal in 2010 World Beer Championships. Anchor Beer was presented a gold medal in Selection Mondiale in 2010, a gold medal by Australian International Beer Awards in 1998, on top of several other honors. Since beer sales mostly relied on quality and tang, the higher quality standards of APB beer, makes APB standout in the competitive brewery business.APB's Tiger and Heineken brands scores on the point of identity and thus have a strong brand image. A part of one of the few establishments in Singapore, APBL set up the Asia Pacific Breweries Foundation (APB Foundation). This foundation provides financial aid to causes in Creativity Development, achievements in Human Excellence and Humanitarian Awards. APBL plays a significant role in gi ving back to the communities in which they operate. Being socially responsible, each of them renders support to the various educational, social and environmental causes in the respective countries.Through its endless efforts towards community and environment protection, APB continues to build a long-term relationship and good rapport with its customers. 2. 2 Weaknesses Although the US market is mounting at a slower rate compared to certain Eastern European and Asian markets, lack of presence in this market puts the group at a disadvantage as compared to some of the other great players in the industry. Since large beer consuming countries provide possibility for volume and revenue expansion, a modest presence in these markets results in a drawback for APB.The anticipated sale of APBL’s 50% owned Heineken-APB (China) Pte Ltd to China Resources Snow Breweries Limited would not be going through due to an unreachable agreement with CRSB. 3. OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS 3. 1 Opportuni ties With a rise in disposable income and alcoholic beverages more widely accepted by its people, Asia had its potential as a profitable market. APB operates primarily in Asia Pacific, which grew at a compound annual growth rate of 5%, reaching a figure of $112. 2 billion in 2009. To maximize on their Asian opportunity, APB has ventured into New Caledonia and Indonesia. In FY2010, hey came into possession of Heineken International's 65. 1% interest in PT Multi Bintang, Indonesia and also Heineken’s 87. 3% interest in Grande Brasserie de Nouvelle Caledonie, New Caledonia. The group also received beer brand Bintang and its trademarks rights. The acquisition allowed APB to launch their other popular beer brands easier as it gave them a firm consumer base in Indonesia and New Caledonia. APB is extending its brand portfolio by adding more flavors and varieties. They acquired Bintang and Number One, from Indonesia and New Caledonia in FY2010. The group also introduced some other ne w brands in the same year.Laos has its local beer Namkhong; New Zealand was introduced Monteith's Crushed Pear Cider while Tiger Crystal was presented to Vietnam and, as a limited edition, to Malaysia. APB attracts consumers of distinct tastes by presenting new brands every now and then. 3. 2 Threats Beers belongs to one of the highly taxed commodities globally; especially high in the countries APB operates in. Per liter of beer was imposed an excise duty of S$70 in Singapore, the single largest market of APB. New Zealand also increased excise duty. This caused DB Breweries, the New Zealand division of APB to increase its prices by 3%.Higher prices are a result of higher excise rates. APB, known for being a cheaper option of premium brands, may lose its current consumers if excise rates continue to rise and cause APB to set a higher price for its beer brands. Alcohol companies have received criticism on their advertisements and thus, countries set a legal ban on spirits advertisemen ts on TV and radio; on broadcast advertisements which associate alcohol with children or leisure, or promoting alcohol abuse; as well as on sponsorship of TV and radio programs by companies mainly concerned about alcohol production.These rules would hinder APB’s development, as its awareness in the consumers would decrease. Beer has been linked with negative health issues. Among people, there is a general negative perception about beer having an effect on the body fat and cholesterol. On the other hand, wine is considered a healthier option to other beverages. In matured markets like Western Europe and North America, beer is losing its field to wine, as there is an increase in consumers’ preferences for healthier alternatives. Wide variety of alcohol products available readily and extensive advertising is also bringing a negative impact to beer sales. . KEY CUSTOMER (GROUPS) & COMPETITORS Key customer groups Business to Customers APBL has large consumer base due to its wide variety. Tiger beer, among all the brands is the most famous international brand with largest number of consumers. Tiger Beer targeted the vibrant young Asian adults; Tiger also launched Tiger Crystal Lite, a softer-flavored Tiger Beer to cater consumers especially the Chinese who prefer lighter taste. Likewise, Heineken and Gold Crown targets young Asian adults in Thailand, New Zealand, Vietnam, China, Singapore, and Malaysia.Anchor, which offers consumers with international, affordable quality brew, is more successful in Hainan, Cambodia and Vietnam. Everyday drinkers in Singapore and Malaysia are appealed to Anchor while Cambodians and Singaporeans in their 30s-40s are appealed to stouts including Guinness, Extra Stout and Amber Stout. Baron’s Strong Brew had European as its loyal customer base appealing those who favor strong alcohol taste. Business to Business The company has a strong market share in various countries within the Asia Pacific Region.It also boas ts that in the UK, Tiger Beer can be found in more than 8,000 premium bars, clubs and distribution outlets in major cities. APBL’s products can be found in almost any shop that sells alcoholic beverages in the countries it has expanded to. Competitors Asia Pacific Breweries’ faces many competitors in the industry, namely in Breweries, beverage manufacturing, alcoholic beverage manufacturing, bars and nightclubs and restaurants, bars and food services. APBL’s local and overseas competitors include Carlsberg A/S, whose company perates in Europe and Asia. Asahi Breweries, Ltd, Suntory Group and Kirin Holding Company, Ltd, which primarily operates in Japan. SABMiller, which primarily operates in Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe. The Philippines-based company: San Miguel Corporation and China Resources Enterprise Limited based in Hong Kong. Kirin Brewery Company, Limited is engaged in producing alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, food products and pharmaceuticals thro ugh its subsidiaries. SABMiller is engaged in producing and distributing beer, malts and carbonated soft drinks.Likewise, Suntory Group primarily operates in the non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, food products and the food services business segments. Carlsberg, a renowned competitor, is also engaged not only in the production, marketing and sales of beer, but also produces soft drinks, energy drinks and bottled water. San Miguel Corporation, yet another renowned competitor, also engages in the production of beverages and is involved in other business segments such as food and packaging products, power generation and distribution, mining, fuel and oil, infrastructure, telecommunications, management and development of real estate properties. . EXISTING OPERATIONS OF COMPANY 5. 1 Entry modes used for expansion Joint Ventures Asia pacific breweries preferred mode of entry is Joint Ventures. For example, in Singapore, Asian Pacific Breweries started out in Singapore as a Joint Ventu re between Heineken International and Fraser and Neave in 1931 and was known as Malayan Breweries Limited. Asia pacific breweries also used joint venture in Cambodia, China, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and New Zealand. In Cambodia, Asian Pacific Breweries formed a joint venture with Progress Import and Export, which formed Cambodia Brewery Ltd.In China, Asian Pacific Brewery formed a 50-50 joint venture with its shareholders, Fraser and Neave, Limited and Heineken in China known as Heineken-APB (China). APBL also engaged in a joint venture with Laos: Asian Pacific Breweries opened a brewery in Laos through a joint venture with the Government of Laos and SBK Consultant Ltd. Malaysia’s Guinness Anchor Bhd was a result of the merger of Guinness Malaysia Bhd and Malayan Sdn Bhd whose parent company is the current Asian Pacific Brewery. In Mongolia, Asian Pacific has formed a 55-45 joint venture with MCS Holdings LLC.APBL also entered Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and New Zealand via Joint Venture. In Thailand, Asian Pacific Breweries entered Thailand, to form a joint venture with Thai Life Insurance Company Limited and Thai Pure Drinks Company Limited. Similarly, In Vietnam, Vietnam Brewery Ltd. , (VBL) was formed by a joint venture between Saigon Trading Group (SATRA) & APBL. Finally, In Indonesia, APB participates in the Indonesian beer market via PT Multi Bintang Indonesia Tbk (MBI). Acquisitions In 1955, APB entered Papua New Guinea by acquiring a stake in the brewery, which has been the sole beer brewer in Papua New Guinea since 1983.Further expanding their foothold in the South Pacific, APB entered the beer market of Solomon Islands with a majority  stake in Solomon Breweries Limited (SBL). Merger In New Caledonia, APB entered the beer market of New Caledonia via Grande Brasserie de Nouvelle Caledonia (GBNC). GBNC was formed in 1974 as a result of a merger of two breweries in the territory of New Caledonia. Partnership In Sri Lanka, APBL formed a partnership with Sri Lankan-based Anandappa family group and associates and MBL Offshore Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Phoenix Beverages Limited, which is a leading beverage group from Mauritius, to form APB Lanka.Please refer to Appendix A for APB’s shareholdings in the various countries 5. 2Types of operating issues or problems encountered Operational issues: When expanding into foreign countries, the scale of investment and exports increases. Large amount of capital is needed for venturing into new markets, resulting in the company having fewer budgets to channelize into other new markets or other development areas like R&D. Additionally; customers in different market have different standards, forcing APBL to consistently adapt the flavor to suit to local’s tongue.The unexpected fluctuating exchange rate incurred loss as seen when â€Å"APB suffered a paper loss of S$37. 9m & S$14. 5m in 2008 & 2009 respectively. â₠¬  APBL experiences currency risks due to contractual cash flow invoice in another currency. There is potential currency mismatch in investing countries like Vietnam and Mongolia. For example, APBL invests in USD but revenue generated comes in VND. High agricultural products price resulting from natural disasters also happens in overseas production subsidiary would increase cost of beer production.There might be political and economic regulatory uncertainties in investing market that delay the business operation or high entry barrier in some country as government restrict foreign investment scale or the sales of beer. Economic problems: Due to increase in prices of agricultural products such as wheat and barley, this increases the cost of beer production as well. APBL had to absorb this increase in cost of production, which will be bound to induce negative effects such as an increase in selling prices of beer to offset the higher cost of production.This might lead to potential loss of customers. Also, the value of the firm may be affected by unanticipated and volatile changes in the exchange rates on home currency. For example, the depreciation of Tugrik led to an exchange loss of $ 5. 9M. Political problems: When venturing into Mongolia, there were various benefits and risks encountered by APBL. Some political risks encountered were that the political system lacks transparency and corruption level is high.When venturing into Indochina, there was similarly a high level of corruption in the government coupled with a high tax regime of 45% which decreases the profit margin of APBL due to the higher expenses incurred from the high tax regime. Legal problems: Asia Pacific Breweries’ financial manager, Chia Teck Leng is currently serving 42 years in prison as a result of swindling S$117 million from a Scandinavian bank, two Japanese banks, and a German bank across a period of four years to make up for his gambling addiction.This is reflected as the lengthie st jail term given for the biggest case in commercial fraud in Singapore to date. Chia was charged with using underhand means to extort foreign banks of about S$117 million, criminal breach of trust of S$53 million, money laundering, and encouraging his girlfriend Li Jin to use a forged passport. He was imprisoned on 2 April 2004 after pleading guilty to 14 charges. 6. FUTURE EXPANSION PLAN 6. 1 Selected countries and reasons for expansion Reasons for venturing into Spain The Spanish culture is known for drinking a lot of beer.If APB ventures into Spain, it can be assured of a big market to introduce its products to. But despite the presence of many other beer companies in Spain, APB is a cheaper alternative compared to other beers, which will thus attract many consumers. Furthermore, it is known that good beer is a sign of a good restaurant. If APB can satisfy its customers’ standard of ‘good beer’, it can definitely boost the reputation of restaurants that cate r APB to its customers. In addition, foreign beers are very rampant in Spain. This shows that the Spanish would welcome foreign beers.Thus, this ensures that APB products will have higher chances of being accepted by the Spanish. Barcelona is also known to be a ‘Drinker’s Paradise’. However, there have been negative feedbacks about the type of beers offered in Barcelona bars, which does not complement the drinking environment in Barcelona. Hence, if APB products can satisfy the Spanish, this will up the profit that bars make from selling beers, which will in turn benefit APB in the long run. From 2009 to 2012, the economy of Spain met with a downturn, and almost a quarter of Spain’s workforce was unemployed.APB can now make use of the unemployed as labor for APB in Spain. Reasons for venturing into Australia The wine industry has expanded rapidly but Australians will always be known as beer drinkers, even rivaling the likes of Germans. Therefore, if APB ve ntures into Australia it will also have a large market of consumers to introduce its products to. Coupled with the fact that APB is a cheaper beer alternative, there is a high chance that many consumers will turn to APB to satisfy their demands. There are also various Beer Festivals held in Australia on a regular basis.Such Beer Festivals include ‘The 7th Annual Australian Beer Festival’ which attracted a large crowd of over 10000 people with 24 Australian brewers and over 100 Aussie beers present during the festival. Such Beer Festivals are definitely a good avenue to increase the reputation of APB at a large and quick scale if APB were to venture into Australia. In addition to Beer Festivals, there is also the presence of beer competition such as the ‘Australian International Beer Awards’. This is yet another platform for breweries to showcase their premium beer and brewing excellence.All these platforms reflects the Australian’s interest in beer d rinking and thus this is definitely a good reason for APB to venture into the Australian market and grab its own customer loyalties and build its reputation in Australia. More importantly, the economy of Australia is one of the most developed, modern market economies in the world. In 2011, the Australian economy was the fastest growing advanced economy in the world, with a GDP of approximately US$1. 6 trillion. This means that the Australians are earning more than the worldwide average.The IMF in April 2012 predicted that Australia would be the best performing economy in the world over the next two years. With such a boosting economy in Australia, APB should venture into Australia. Australia has also entered into many FTAs with ASEAN countries and Australia is also a member of various international organizations such as APEC and WTO. This puts Australia in a very good position to make foreign trading with other countries, granted support from these organizations 6. 2 Identification of sub-factors used for expansion Political-Legal factorsSub-factors used: Country risk ranking, political stability ranking, legal regulatory ranking, corruption index and political transparency index and ease of doing business ranking. Political and legal forces greatly impact the success of a company expanding into a foreign environment. It comprises of three main pillars. They are government regulation; laws that restrict the amount of trade freedom a foreign company has in a host country. The Government bureaucracy provides the foreign company with the legal license to conduct business activity in the country and political stability.Economic factors Sub-factors used: GDP growth rate, GDP Growth Projection, Purchasing power parity, Per Capita Income, Inflation rate, Exchange rate stability and presence of competitors. Economic factors refer to whether the country is favorable in terms of its economy. It is a significant factor considered when expanding, as economic factors will greatly affect the success of the company in that country. Social Cultural factors Sub-factors used: Education level, Language, Religion, Income, Age and Ethnic distribution and attitude towards time. The social culture in every country is different.The language, attitudes towards business, religious beliefs, traditions, and customs varies greatly from country to country. Managers must be aware of the differing cultures and specific taste of each country and tailor their products to suit their individual cultures. By doing so, it raises the level of competiveness and demand for that product in that market. Geographical factors Sub-factors used: Accessibility to raw materials, agricultural products available, natural hazards, climate, percentage unemployed in labor force, minimum gross annual wage rate, land area, lease period of land, cost of land & terrain.Geographic features in every country heavily influence the rate and pace at which a foreign company can expand in the host country. Surface features such as navigable rivers and flat plains aids travel and contact with others, hence accelerating the productivity of the company. However, countries with topographical features like treacherous mountain ranges, deserts and large bodies of water may discourage communication. This affects consumers’ product needs and wants, hence requiring managers to be extra particular about their preference. Technological factorsSub-factors used: Availability of Digital Network Infrastructure, Internet penetration rate, Presence of legal framework for intellectual property and presence of e-banking structure. Technological advancement varies extensively throughout the world. Most firms would expand into a new market only if there is demand for its product or if the technology and infrastructure there can support its existing production operations. A country with the latest technology and infrastructure would mean lower costs for the company that is intending to ente r into that market. 6. 2. Political/Legal Factors Factor| Spain| Australia| Country Risk Ranking| Risk ranking of 61. 83| Risk ranking of 82. 25 ? | Political Stability Risk Ranking| With a Political Instability Index of 5. 5, Spain is ranked 104th in the world. | With a Political Instability Index (PII) of 3. 6, Australia is ranked 154th in the world. ?| Legal Regulatory Risk Ranking| Overall assessment of Spain is B, 30. | Overall assessment of Australia is A, 18. ?| Corruption Index & Political Transparency Index | With a Corruption Perception Index (CPI) of 6. 1, Spain is ranked 30th in the world. With a Corruption Perception Index (CPI) of 8. 7, Australia is ranked 8th in the world. ?| Ease of Doing Business Ranking| Spain achieved a rank of 44. | Australia achieved a rank of 15. ?| In terms of Political-Legal factors, Australia is more favorable as it is better than Spain in terms of Country Risk Ranking, Political Stability Risk Ranking, Legal Regulatory Risk Ranking, Cor ruption Index & Political Transparency Index and Ease of Doing Business Ranking. 6. 2. 2 Economic Factors Factor| Spain| Australia| GDP Growth Rate| 0. 8% (2011 est. )| 1. 8% (2011 est. ) ? | -0. 1% (2010 est. )| 2. 7% (2010 est. )  ? | Purchasing Power Parity| $1,413,468 million (2011)| $914,482 million (2011) | Per Capita Income| $32360 (2010-11)| $65477 (2010-11) | Inflation Rate| 3. 1% (2011 est. ) ? | 3. 4% (2011 est. )| | 2% (2010 est. )  ? | 2. 8% (2010 est. )| Exchange Rate Stability| Euros (EUR) per US dollar – 0. 7107 (2011 est. ) 0. 755 (2010 est. ) 0. 7198 (2009 est. ) 0. 6827 (2008 est. ) 0. 7345 (2007 est. ) > Less stable| Australian dollars (AUD) per US dollar – 0. 9694 (2011 est. ) 1. 0902 (2010) 1. 2822 (2009) 1. 2059 (2008) 1. 137 (2007) > More stable ? | Presence of Competitors| Yes. There are strong competitors but not so many brewery companies ? | Yes. There are strong competitors and various microbreweries companies. Tense competit ion| In terms of Economic factors, Australia is more favorable because it is deemed better in five out seven sub-factors. From the comparison table, we know that Australia’s economy is more stable and more favorable for business as compared to Spain because it has a higher GDP Growth Rate and Projection, a lower Purchasing Power Parity and a higher Per Capita Income.Furthermore its Exchange Rate Stability is also more stable. 6. 2. 3 Social Cultural Factors Factor| Spain| Australia| Education level/ Literacy rate| 98. 5| 99. 98 ? | Language| Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, and Basque 2%  | Majority: English 78. 5%, Chinese 2. 5%, Italian 1. 6%, Greek 1. 3%, Arabic 1. 2%, Vietnamese 1%, other 8. 2%, Unspecified 5. 7%  ? | Income Distribution| * 10% Rich (25. 2% of income) * 80% Middle Class (72% of income) * 10% (2. 8% of the income)| * 10% Rich (25. 4% of income) * 80% Between the two (72. % of the income) * 10% Poor (2% of the income. ?| Attit ude towards time| The Spaniards are typically a laid back group of people, with a relaxed sense of time| It is expected of an individual to be punctual in any occasion ? | Age Distribution| 0-14 years:  15. 1%15-64 years:  67. 7%65 years and over:  17. 1%| 0-14 years:  18. 3% 15-64 years:  67. 7%65 years and over:  14% ? | It is more feasible to expand into Australia because its Social Cultural factors are more promising. It has a higher Education level and Literacy rate, which means the citizens in Australia are more employable.In terms of Language, majority of Australians speak English thus dispelling any language barriers. Australia’s attitude towards time is also more advantageous for the business. 6. 2. 4 Technological-Infrastructure Factors Factor| Spain| Australia| Secure Internet Servers| 285| 2003? | Internet users (per 100 people)| 65. 8| 75. 9? | Presence of Legal framework for Intellectual Property| Copyright Law of SpainSpanish Patent and Trademark Of fice| Australian Property Law ? | Presence of e-Banking Infrastructure | Top 8 country, 46% utilization ? Top 10 country, 44% utilization| It is also more practical to expand into Australia because it is better in terms of the Technological-Infrastructure sub factors. In order for an international business to experience ease in communications between countries, its technological factors must be superlative. By analyzing the various sub-factors, we know that the Internet users (per 100) and Secure Internet Servers in Australia is much higher. 6. 2. 4 Geographical Factors 1 Factor| Spain| Australia| Natural hazards| Periodic droughts, occasional flooding and volcanism ? Cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires volcanism| Climate| Temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior,  partly cloudy and cool along coast ? | Generally arid to semiarid (low precipitation); temperate in south and east; tropical i n north| % Unemployed in Labour Force| 20. 065%? | 5. 233% | Minimum Gross Annual Wage Rate (International Dollars)| $11,426. 00 ? | $20,027. 00| Land Area (sq. km)| 505,370| 7,741,220 ? | Terrain| Large, flat to dissected plateaus surrounded by rugged hills ? | Mostly low plateau with eserts, fertile plains in southeast| Upon comparing both countries’ Geographical Factors 1, Spain is more favorable. This is because it is less prone to natural hazards and its climate is more conducive for setting up a plant. They also have a large unemployment rate, which APBL can take advantage of if they chose to expand into Spain. 6. 2. 5 Geographical Factors 2 Factor| Spain| Australia| Length of road network| The road network comprises a total of 346,858 km| The road network comprises a total of 913,000 km ? | Number of Airports| 47 Airports | 448 Airports ? | Number of Seaports| 66 Seaports| 214 Seaports ? Preferential Tax Incentives for Foreign Investors| Deductions are readily availabl e for export activities, investment in the environment, R&D, extraordinary profits reinvestment, training, etc. ?| Subjective to the nature and size of the investment project, the relevant Australian State governments may give rebates from payroll, stamp and land taxes on an ad hoc basis and for limited periods. | By analyzing the Geographical factors 2, Australia is much better because it has a longer road network, more airports as well as seaports. This means that it is much more accessible if we expand into Australia. 6. Recommendation, reasons and type of entry mode to use for Australia. Recommendation We chose to enter the Australian market with either a company currently existing in Australia or a company that hasn’t expanded into any other countries, and have similar goals as Asia Pacific Brewery. We have chosen to go with Coopers Brewery Limited, the largest Australian-owned brewery or the largest home brewing equipment producer in the world. Reasons By venturing into Australia with Coopers Brewery Limited, the chances of reducing cost and risk would be higher as compared to attempting to enter the market alone or with external companies.This would be due to the fact that Coopers Brewery Limited has an established name and hence, this allows them to share their experiences with APB, reducing the trouble of setting up their own subsidiary, ultimately reducing the chances of consumer doubt. Therefore, smaller amount of investment is required to put APB’s business into operation. APB need not waste valuable time to set up its own subsidiary or look for ways to enter the Australian market, which it has low international experience or little cultural knowledge of. Knowledge wise, APB would have an advantage when going into joint venture with CoopersBrewery Limited because they possess information and first-hand experience about the local market demand and they know what â€Å"works† in order to satisfy their consumer’s standa rds and preferences. In terms of production capacity, APB would be able to increase its product and sales volume as there might be sharing of staff and production facilities between both brewery companies. They can also share the cost of marketing and advertising their brewery products. APB can now afford to sell its product at cheaper price, thus increasing its competitiveness in the brewery industry within short period of time.Type of Entry Mode to use We chose to enter the Australian market via Joint Venture with Coopers Brewery Limited. Coopers Brewery Limited was established in 1862, by Thomas Cooper at his home in the  Adelaide  suburb of  Norwood, South Australia. Being the utmost powerful beer company in South-Australia, Coopers Brewery Limited would have the largest amount of market shares hence we would be able to penetrate the markets and promote APB’s branding to Australia, as the consumer-producer’s trust is already established.APB can build good rel ations with its new retailers and customers since its joint venture partner already has a reputable brand image, thus this adds on to APB’s credibility without much effort required. Therefore, APB would be able to distribute its product more efficiently through the availability of existing market channels that Coopers Brewery Limited has. 6. 4 Reasons for not selecting Spain. By comparing both countries, and weighing the factors used for expansion, we have unanimously concluded that Spain is not as favorable as compared to Australia.In terms of Political-Legal factors, Spain’s country risk ranking is lower than Australia, which indicates political instability that is unfavorable when setting up a business. Furthermore, Spain’s ranking when it comes to ease of doing business is ranked 44 in the world, a significant inferiority compared to Australia which ranks 15. Economically wise, Spain’s GDP Growth rate is relatively smaller compared to Australiaâ€℠¢s. In terms of Per Capita Income, Spain’s is much lower compared to Australia, which might play a role as to unsatisfactory sales.Furthermore, by comparing 5-year statistics, the exchange rate stability also fluctuates more than Australia, therefore being less stable. By looking at the Social Cultural factors, Spain is less favorable than Australia because of its lower literacy rate and minor percentage of English speaking individuals, Moreover, the Age Distribution in Australia is better than Spain because despite the exact same percentage of people aged 15-64, the youth’s population in Australia is greater than Spain.This means that in the future, Spain’s percentage of 15-64 would be less compared to Australia. This age groups consists of the majority of working individuals, hence, a smaller figure would be deemed as having an adverse effect to the company. Technological Factors also indicates that Spain isn’t on par with Australia. International Busin esses rely heavily on technology for communication. If APBL wants to expand to a country, it would be an advantage if the country’s penetration rate were higher.By comparison from the table above, it is evident that the Internet Users (per 100) in Australia far exceeds Spain’s, which would mean that there are more computer literate individuals in Australia as compared to Spain, which would pave the way for more employment opportunities. Geographically speaking, Spain’s land area is comparatively smaller than Australia. In order to establish a major brewery, a vast land area is required and Australia has more land than Spain, which means that it would be more economical as land isn’t as scarce.The comparison also shows that Spain has lesser Airports, Seaports and a shorter length of road network, which reflects that the accessibility in Spain is inferior to Australia’s. CONCLUSION Our consultant team has found that Australia would be the more promis ing country for Asia Pacific Breweries’ expansion plans. This is conclusive of our results, which were based on a thorough assessment of thirty-six diverse sub-factors, which are instrumental in successful business expansions. Australia was found to be more favorable in twenty-six out of the thirty-six factors.Australia boasts a relatively slight political risk and has low corruption in the country, which provides a conducive and secure environment for Asia Pacific Breweries to conduct its operations in. Furthermore, agricultural produce in Australia is suitable for the brewing of quality beer, thus Asia Pacific Breweries does not need to source for additional raw materials, which would otherwise incur a huge cost. Australia also has a comprehensive web of transport infrastructure, which would greatly increase the efficiency of Asia Pacific Breweries operations, hence cutting costs.The quality of education in Australia is also of a high standard, producing a workforce that is highly literate. A highly educated work force will not only increase work productivity but also the overall competitiveness and capabilities of Asia Pacific Breweries in Australia. The Australian economy shows no sign of slowing down as GDP growth rates are projected to continue increasing through the years. Additionally, the per capita income in Australia is considerably high, which means that the average Australian is comparatively well to do.As beer is a lifestyle product, a strong, robust economy coupled with a high standard of living will be able to better complement and boost the sales of beer. After taking into considerations the abovementioned conclusions, the team here at G&T Consultancy would like to offer a recommendation for Asia Pacific Breweries to expand into the Australian market. APPENDIXES Appendix A: APB’s Shareholdings BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. 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