The Decipline of Teams Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Decipline of Teams - Case Study Example From that point he/she will be able to select the suitable members who possess the required skills or those who have related skills and are capable of improving them in order to accomplish the mandate of the team collectively. In essence, the journal is an insight into the idea of organizational teams as it explains what ought to be done to ensure teams perform as expected. Similarly, it acts as a benchmark for the best team practice that should be implemented in firms to ensure increased performance. Teams exist in nearly all companies, but the act of transforming the teams to tangible results or performance is what lacks in a majority of the organization. The Journal elaborates on the mistakes that are often committed in organizations that hinder the effectiveness of teams. From that notion, it offers solutions on the best practice as far as teams discipline is concerned to ensure a transformation in performance in those particular organizations. In a nutshell, the journal makes an in-depth analysis of how organizations can be able to build team performance through the implementation of a number of strategies that will revolutionize performance in the given firms (Woodcock and Francis, 2008).Describe in detail the main issues discussed in the journal articleThe Journal elaborates in detail the differences between a working group and a team in an organization. In essence, not all groups are teams but then some groups tend to have the characteristics of teams or rather operate in a manner that is similar.

Fossil Essay Example for Free

Fossil Essay Kosta had noted the recent success of Swatch fashion watches and was aware that watches and other goods could be imported from the Far East at very low cost. On a visit to Hong Kong, Tom studied a number of potential products for import including toys and stuffed animals before following Kosta’s advice and returned to the U. S. to develop a watch import business. Enlisting the aid of two friends, Lynne Stafford for her sense of design and Alan Moore who had a master’s degree in accounting, he invested his savings of $200,000 to found Fossil as a Texas corporation in 1984. Fossil’s initial purchase of watches from a Hong Kong manufacturer included some retro and jumbo designs that Macy’s thought were â€Å"hot,† and significant orders followed. A design staff was developed that included watch buyers from retail chains. Inspiration came from many sources. , however: the strongest was â€Å"retro† themes from the 1940’s and 50’s. Designers paged through magazines from this era, including Life, Look, and Time, and visited flea markets searching for old watches. Between 1987 and 1989 sales grew from $2 million to $20 million, assisted by liberal credit from the Hong Kong manufacturers of Fossil watches. One sector included conservatively styled time pieces including brands such as Citizen and Seiko. The second sector included products designed to reflect emerging fashion trends and included Swatch, Guess? , Anne Klein and Anne Klein II, and Fossil. This segment was fueled by fashion-conscious consumers who considered watches as fashion accessories and often owned multiple watches. Branded fashion watch sales were estimated to represent approximately $400 million in retail sales in 1990. Major Competitors Fossil’s major competitors were Swatch and Guess?. Although market share data were difficult to obtain, it was generally believed that Fossil and Guess? had nearly equal market shares and that Swatch had slipped to third in recent months. Numerous other considerably smaller competitors existed including Anne Klein, Anne Klein II, and Gucci. Swatch Although quartz watch technology had been developed in Switzerland, by the late 1970’s the Japanese companies’ Seiko, Citizen, and Casio and the United States’ firm Texas Instruments exploited production improvements and economies of scale to drive prices down. Strategic use of the manufacturing experience curve led to an oversupply of quartz watch movements and a severe price war. Many competitors were driven out of business with Casio, Hong Kong producers, and a few other firms surviving in mass market watches, and Seiko and Citizen in the moderately priced segment. The Swiss watch industry was under severe attack at the low and mid price points, and both unemployment and losses on bank loans were increasing. In 1978, the Swiss government agreed to provide up to one-third of the costs or a maximum of Sfr. 5 million for a venture of the leading watch manufacturers to develop a Swiss electronic watch program. Additional financing was supplied by banks, who wrote off existing loans and provided hundreds of millions of francs of new capital, and a group of investors who paid $100 million (Sfr 151 at the time) for a 51 percent share. The consulting firm of Hayek Engineering was hired to lead the effort to revive the lower-priced segment. This venture produced a number of new patents and developed both new watch and watch manufacturing technologies, along with the ability to design and manufacture watches efficiently at low cost. The resulting firm, Swiss Corporation for Microelectronics and Watchmaking (SMH) included the existing brands Omega, Longines, Tissot, and Rado in the moderate and fine watch segments. N. Hayek and E. Thomke led efforts in the low priced segments that resulted in the Swatch manufactured by SMH’s ETA division. Development of the Swatch began in 1980, resulting in a product launch in 1983. The manufacturing process was highly automated using robots and computers in the manufacturing and assembly processes. The watch had been designed with only 51 parts, instead of the usual 90 to 150 parts in other watches, had an ex-factory price of Sfr15. Parts were injected directly into the plastic case which was sealed by ultrasonic welding. This process was highly capital intensive, leading to direct labor costs of less than ten percent of total costs. The manufacturing process permitted a wide variety of dials, cases, and straps: however, variations in the shape and size of the watch case were quite difficult. One plant could produce up to 35,000 watches a day. Swatch was test marketed in the United States in December 1982 at 100 Sanger Harris department stores in Dallas, Salt Lake City, and San Diego without any advertising or public relations. Although consumer reactions were mixed, Swatch was officially launched in Switzerland in March 1983, followed by a gradual worldwide release. A second U. S. test market in December 1983 through the Zale jewelry chain and Macy’s was not successful. Swatch made extensive adjustments throughout their marketing program, and by 1985, U. S. sales accelerated. In 1986, a worldwide single price of $30 for most models was set and sales accumulated to over 50 million units worldwide by 1988. The 100 millionth Swatch was sold in 1993, when the price of a basic Swatch was $40. In 1992, SMH had combined sales for all brands of $2. 1 billion, producing $286 million in profits and a market equity value exceeding $3. 5 billion. Banks had encouraged Nicholas Hayek to assume a 20 percent equity ownership in the mid-80’s, a successful arrangement for both. Fifteen thousand employees worked in plants in Switzerland and Thailand producing semi-conductors, watches, movements, batteries, and straps. Guess? In 1983, Philip â€Å"Mickey† Callanen acquired the worldwide license to manufacture and market watches with the Guess? name. Investing $40,000 of his personal funds, he opened business in his garage, sourced watches from Hong Kong, and shipped for the 1983 Christmas season. Growth continued through the 1980’s at over 20 percent annually. In 1991, Callanen Company was acquired by Timex, expanding distribution to Japan, Australia, France, England, Germany and Canada and providing Callanen an additional source of watch technologies such as Indiglo dial illumination. In 1993 Callanen marketed both Guess? watches for men and women and Monet watches for women. Guess? represented 85 percent of the $80 million shipments (3 million watches) in 1992. The Guess? product line included 250 to 300 styles including classic, fashion, sporty, multi-function, chronograph, novelty, and metal bracelet watches. About 20 percent of the product line was revised seasonally four times a year. Guess? watches had a suggested retail price between $42 and $115, using department stores as the major retail outlet. Fifteen percent of Guess? sales were in international markets. Additional products included watch bands and private label watches for Disney, Hard Rock Cafe, Limited Express, Macy’s, and others. Virtually all Guess? watches were designed and manufactured at Guess? ’s partly owned manufacturing facility in Hong Kong. The 270 employees included a design staff of 19. Callanen’s business offices, warehouse, and watch repair facility were located in Norwalk, Connecticut, and they had a showroom in New York City. Manufacturing and Sourcing About two million, or eighty-five percent of fine watches sold worldwide, were manufactured in Switzerland in 1988, making Switzerland the largest value producer with sales of $4. 9 billion (96 million watches) in 1990. Most other watches were manufactured in the Far East, with the major exception of Swatch, which was manufactured in a highly automated factory in Switzerland. The development of the Swatch and its robotic factory was credited with saving the Swiss watch industry. Japan was the world’s largest producer in terms of units, with 325 million units, representing 44 percent of the world’s production in 1990. Hong Kong, relying on assembly by hand, produced 175 million watches in 1990, and was expected to produce 340 million, or one-third of the world’s watches in 1993 (Table 6). Due to Hong Kong’s focus on low-priced watches, this represented only nine percent of the total value of watches produced. Fossil chose to assemble watches in Hong Kong, using components from Japan, China, Taiwan, Italy, and Korea. FOSSIL IN 1993 Business Strategy Fossil’s initial public offering prospectus defined their business strategy as: â€Å"Brand Development. The Company has established the FOSSIL brand name and image to reflect a theme of fun, fashion, and humor, and believes that the FOSSIL brand name has achieved growing acceptance among fashion-conscious consumers in its target markets. Product Value. The Company’s products provide value by offering quality components and features at moderate prices. For example, the Company’s FOSSIL watches, which offer features such as raised indexes, enamel, textured, shell or semi-precious stone dials, gold electroplating, and fine leather straps, are sold at an average retail price of $63. Likewise, the Company’s RELIC watches, which incorporate a number of features offered in FOSSIL watches, are sold at an average retail price of $42. Fashion Orientation. The Company ifferentiates its products from those of its competitors principally through innovations in fashion details, including variations in the treatment of watch dials, crystals, cases, and straps for the Company’s watches and trimming, lining, and straps for its handbags. Expansion of International Business. The Company is seeking to achieve further growth in its international business through the establishment of a joint venture to operate a European distribution center, the establishment of a branch office in Canada, and the recruitment of new distributors in selected international markets. Introduction of New Product Categories. The Company may leverage its design and marketing expertise to expand the scope of its product offerings through the introduction of new categories of fashion accessories that would complement its existing products. Active Management of Retail Sales. The Company manages the retail sales process by carefully monitoring its customers’ sales and inventories by product category and style and by assisting in the conception, development, and implementation of their marketing program. As a result, the Company believes it enjoys close relationships with its principal customers, often allowing it to influence the mix, quality, and timing of their purchasing decisions. Close Relationships with Manufacturing Sources. The Company has established and maintains close relationships with a number of watch manufacturers located in Hong Kong. The Company believes that these relationships allow it to quickly and efficiently introduce innovative product designs and alter production in response to the retail performance of its products. Coordinated Product Promotion. The Company coordinates product design, packaging, and advertising functions in order to communicate in a cohesive manner to its target markets the themes and images it associates with its products. Personnel Development. The Company actively seeks to recruit and train its design, advertising, sales, and marketing personnel to assist it in achieving further growth in its existing businesses and in expanding the scope of its product offerings. Cost Advantages. Because the Company does not pay royalties on products sold under the FOSSIL and RELIC brand names and because of cost savings associated with the location of its headquarters and warehousing and distribution center in Dallas, Texas, the Company believes that it enjoys certain cost advantages which enhance its ability to achieve attractive profit margins. Centralized Distribution. Substantially all of the Company’s products are distributed from its warehousing and distribution center located in Dallas. The Company believes that its distribution capabilities enable it to reduce inventory risk and increase its flexibility in meeting the delivery requirement of its customers. (Fossil, 1993, 23-24) Manufacturing Fossil East, a 35 employee subsidiary of Fossil (owning 20 percent interest), acted as Fossil’s exclusive agent, buying all of Fossil’s watches from approximately 20 factories located in Hong Kong. In 1992, about 21 percent of these watches were purchased from Pulse Time, a Hong Kong corporation in which Fossil held a minority interest. Three other factories each accounted for more than 10 percent of Fossil’s watches. The company felt that developing long-term relations with suppliers was essential to its success. While the loss of any single manufacturer could disrupt shipments of certain watch styles, it would not impact their overall marketing program. Leather goods were manufactured in 12 factories located in Brazil, China, Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan, and Uruguay. Fossil believed â€Å"that its policy of outsourcing products allows it to achieve increased production flexibility while avoiding significant capital expenditures, build-ups of work-in-process inventory, and the costs of managing a substantial production work force† (Fossil, 1993, 27). Products Fossil’s flagship products were the Fossil watches introduced as a brand in 1986. Handbags were introduced in 1991 as the first entry into the leather goods market. Watch Products Watches represented 98. 1, 96. 4, and 92. 5 percent of sales in the years 1990, 1991, and 1992 respectively. Following the Fossil brand, Fossil introduced the Relic brand, Fossil watch straps, and private label products. FOSSIL Watches: Fossil states its â€Å"watches are targeted at middle and upper income consumers between the ages of 16 and 40 and are sold at retail prices generally ranging from $45 to $110, with an average price of $63† (Fossil, 1993, 25). RELIC Watches: The Relic brand shared many of the features found in Fossil watches but in a format suitable for lower priced fashion watches. Relic watches â€Å"are targeted at lower and middle income consumers and are sold at retail prices generally ranging from $40 to $50, with an average price of $42. † Fossil Watch Straps: Watch straps were targeted at customers who bought Fossil watches; however, they could be used with a wide variety of watches. They were priced from $13 to $15. Private Label Products: Fossil provided private label watches for retailers and other customers. Leather Goods Following the introduction of Fossil handbags in 1991, small leather goods such as coin purses, key chains, personal organizers, wallets, and belts for women were introduced in 1992, accounting for about five percent of sales in 1992. The handbags emphasized classic styles and creative designs, including a tan and black binocular bag, a green and tan drawstring sac, and a natural color military ammunition pouch retailing from $48 to $130, with an average price of $87. Fossil felt that since women’s leather goods tended to be located near women’s watches in department and specialty stores, purchase of one Fossil product might lead to another. They also felt that they were price competitive. Design and Development The design staff sought to â€Å"differentiate its products from those of its competition principally by incorporating innovations in fashion details into its product designs. † These included variations in the treatment of dials, crystals, cases, and straps for the company’s watches and trimming, lining, and straps for handbags (Fossil 1993, 26). Fossil’s watch lines included Airmaster, Casual, Chronograph, Dress, Limited Edition, Pyramid, Crystal, Skeleton, and Vintage watches. About 500 different styles were available at any given time, with new designs offered five times a year. Over 1,000 models were available in 1992. Design prototypes of watches were created in Hong Kong in as little as a week, and lead-time from committing orders to shipment ranged from two to three months. Fossil believed that its close relationships with manufacturers gave it a competitive advantage in quickly introducing innovative product designs. Promotion Fossil made use of an in-house advertising department for design and execution of packaging, advertising, and sales promotions. Company executives felt that extensive use of computer-aided design reduced time and encouraged greater creativity in developing these programs. The company’s stated advertising themes â€Å"aim at evoking nostalgia for the simpler values and more optimistic outlook of the 1950’s through the use of images of cars, trains, airliners, and consumer products that reflect the classic American tastes of the period. These images are carefully coordinated in order to convey the flair for fun, fashion, and humor which the Company associates with its products† (Fossil, 1993, 28). A sundial watch sold over 250,000 pieces at a retail price of $16. Fossil developed cooperative advertising programs with major retail customers and developed in-store visual support through its packaging, signs, and fixtures. Consumers were offered promotional items, including unique tin boxes as watch packaging, T-shirts, caps, and pens. In ten locations, Fossil opened a â€Å"shop-in-shop† format including a wide variety of Fossil products and promotional materials. With greater emphasis on product design, retailer relations, and promotion, Fossil conducted advertising limited to spot television in local markets since 1989, national spots since 1991, outdoor advertising in four markets, and occasional ads in Elle, Mademoiselle, Vogue, and Seventeen. Distribution and Sales Force The majority of Fossil’s products were shipped to its warehouse and distribution center in Dallas. A significant number were bar coded prior to shipment for entry into a computerized inventory control system, which enabled Fossil to track each item from receipt to its ultimate sale. Products were distributed to approximately 12,000 retail locations in the United States including department stores and specialty retail stores. In 1991 and 1992, department stores accounted for about 67 percent of net sales. (Table 8 provides data on watch distribution by price and retail channel. ) Fossil’s ten largest customers accounted for 40 percent of sales. The largest customers were Dillard’s and the May Company, each accounting for from ten to thirteen percent of sales. Other principal customers included Carter Hawley Hale Stores, Dayton Hudson, Federated Department Stores, JCPenney, Macy’s, Nordstrom, and Service Merchandise. Although the industry typically used independent sales representatives, Fossil made use of 25 in-house sales and customer service employees and 12 independent sales representatives. In-house personnel received a salary while independent sales reps worked on a commission basis and did not represent competing product lines. International sales in 1990, 1991, and 1992 were 5. 6, 7. 2, and 8. 1 percent of net sales, respectively. Sixteen independent distributors operated in Europe, South and Central America, Africa, and Australia. These distributors resold watches to department stores and specialty retail stores. Fossil received payment in U. S. dollars based on a uniform price schedule. Financial Strategy Fossil had started out as a â€Å"bootstrap† financed firm. Personal income and savings from Tom Kartsotis’ ticket-brokering business had provided the initial capital for the operation, and the company had further financed operations by the creative use of trade credit and bank loans. With sales growing rapidly, Fossil’s expansion needs exceeded what it could raise internally. To sustain sales growth, Fossil needed a substantial increase in working capital. Fossil’s ability to continue to fund itself with debt capital, given their exposure to volatility in the fashion product market, was questionable. An initial public stock offering (IPO) which would provide access to capital needed to expand Fossil’s working capital base and fund additional sales growth, was managed by Montgomery Securities of San Francisco. While not uncommon, IPO’s of less than $20 MM involved transaction costs that many viewed as being too high to justify the offering. A critical decision that needed to be made was what proportion of the ownership should be issued.

The Partition Of India And Pakistan

The Partition Of India And Pakistan August 15th was marked as the date for the formation of the two independent countries India and Pakistan. The ceremony which took place for the transfer of power was held in Karachi which was made the capital of the newly formed nation (Pakistan) and the reason behind holding the ceremony was so that the viceroy at that time of the partition of India was Lord Mountbatten who could then easily attend the ceremonies of both the nations. Thus this lead to the formation of two separate entities and thus lead to Pakistan celebrating its independence day on the 14th of august followed by India celebrating it on the 15th. In the year 1906 the All India Muslim league was formed in the district of Dhaka and this league was formed by a group of Muslims. Who thought that they were not given equal rights and power in the nation as much as the Hindu majority which was the Indian national congress. The Muslims believed that they were not given the rights in the nation, thus wanted to make certain changes among the Muslim league the first person to have brought up the topic was Allama iqbal who in his presidential address said that they required a formation of a new nation separately for the Muslims and the reason behind this demand was the same thing about the Muslims feeling that they were not given the equal rights which they deserved and thus wanted the partition to happen as they felt that they will not be granted their rights in a Hindu dominated country. The Muslim league then by 1935 when their demand was approved thought that they needed a well reputed Muslim who would lead their this mission and tur n it into success thus they thought of making Mohammad Ali Jinnah the leader of their mission who once was the guy who was involved in the peace treaty between the two nations (India and Pakistan) thus they urged him to head the Muslim project and thus he stared to lead the mission from the front. Mohammad Ali Jinnah started to argue with many of the important parties including the congress party of which once before he was a part of and he argued for the less of interest shown towards the demands of the Muslim party and fought for them being a minority and raised the issue of the partition. By the year 1940 Mohammad Ali Jinnah who was the leader of the Muslim party had put forward his statement at the Lahore conference asking for a complete different nation and for the partition of India , the letter that Jinnah had written was quite vague and not that clear about the demand for a different territory and thus it was not given that much of importance in the start. Later on after like seven years the idea of Jinnah regarding about the partition was given importance and thought about by the Muslim parties and specially by the Hindu parties( like the Hindu Mahasabha). Thinking about the partition all the Muslim parties also thought that there was no point in the partition of India due to many reasons and some Muslim parties like the Khaksar Tehrik of Allama Mashriqi were completely against and opposed this idea of the partition. Even the Hindu parties were against the partition and thought that it was much better if the there would be peace settled amongst the Hindu and Mus lims. During the 1937 during a meeting of the Hindu Mahasabha there was this one speaker who was Mr veer Savarkar who stated that India can be cannot be considered as an homogenous or an identical nation but on the contrary there are two main nations within it which consist of the Hindu and Muslims. There were these secularists who were a part of the congress in India and thus were totally against the partition of the nation on the lines of religion. Great leaders at that time like Mohandas Gandhi and Allama Mishriqi stated that they did not want the partition to happen and that the both parties the Hindu and the Muslims should just live in peace and not disrupt the nations harmony. There was another statement of Mohandas Gandhi who stated that My whole soul rebels against the idea that Hinduism and Islam represent two antagonistic cultures and doctrines. To assent to such a doctrine is for me a denial of God. Following Ghandis footsteps his followers and he himself tried to retain the Muslims in the congress party form leaving but by the year 1930 many of the Muslim activist left the congress which in a way acted like a catalyst and angered the Hindu nationalist and the Indian Muslim nationalist. Soon after the partition Mohandas Gandhi was assassinated by the one of the Hindu activist whose name is Nathuram Godse and he shot Gandhi for his reason that he thought that during the partition of India Gandhi was just trying to comfort the Muslims interest on the cost of all the Hindus. The political leaders from both the sides also initiated allot of controversies that lead to allot of destruction and violence like the riots which took place in Calcutta in august in the year of 1946 and thus as the civil war broke down it destructed many of the territories within the nation like majorly the Bengal issue which later lead into the partition that took place within it, this was done in a way to avoid the war which was breaking out within the two parties. By the year of 1946 the demand of the definition of Pakistan as a separate nation was so flexible that the it could have been assumed that it already was a separate nation. Some of the historians believed that Jinnah who was the leader of the Muslim party who had initiated the partition of India, used this partition as an excuse or a key to attain more independence for the Muslim dominated areas which lied in the western region which were in the Hindu dominated regions. Some other great thinkers laid their thoughts forward stating that the true vision behind Jinnahs idea of the partition was to create a separate nation Pakistan which would enter into the Hindu majority regions. Some of the demands that Jinnah also had was relating to the annexation of different regions to Pakistan were of the west Bengal, the east Punjab, part of Hyderabad and the region of junagadh to be a part of Pakistan. Jinnah also was very much interested in the annexation of the state of Kashmir and mainly because it is a Muslim dominated state with a Hindu ruler. The Indian political parties were: All India Muslim League, Communist Party of India, Majlis-e-Ahrar-ul-Islam, Syed Ata Ullah Shah Bukhari, Hindu Mahasabha, Indian National Congress, Khaksar Tehrik, and Unionist Muslim League (mainly in the Punjab). The partition 1947 The division of the two countries was done according to the plan which was known as the Mountbatten plan and the partition done in the supervision of the British and also the line which was drawn between the two countries was name the Radcliffe line after a London lawyer. On 18 July 1947, the British passed the Indian independence act that finalized the partition arrangement. The government of India act 1935 was adapted to provide a legal framework for the two new dominions. Following partition, Pakistan applied for membership of the united nation, which was accepted by the General Assembly on 30 September 1947. The union formed from the combination of the Hindu states assumed the name India which automatically granted it the seat of British India (a UN member since 1945) as successor state. The states affected majorly due to the partition: Punjab Bengal Sindh Kashmir Lakshadweep Punjab: The year of 1947 marked the development of the state of Punjab, which eventually got disrupted due to the partition of India. The state of Punjab originally when it was united was anyways divided into two regions as the western part of Punjab was a majority of the Muslim community and then the eastern part of Punjab consisted of the majority of the Sikhs and Hindus but due to the partition of India, the state was left to face the riots by both the communities and thus the creation of two parts of Punjab. The western part which had a majority of Muslims was divided and given to Pakistan and the eastern part was retained by India and kept within its territory. Even when the partition was done within the state of Punjab there were a significant number of Hindus and Sikhs who lived in the majority of Muslims within the western part and same goes with those Muslims who lived in the eastern part dominated by the Hindu category, this partition of the state thus brought many of the Muslim an d Hindus who were caught up in the opposite parts to create riots and disrupt the harmony within the state of Punjab . Bengal: Like the division we saw in the state of Punjab the state of Bengal had a very similar outcome which resulted the state to be divided further into two district parts, the east Bengal and the west Bengal. The west Bengal was retained by India and kept in its territory and the east Bengal was taken away by Pakistan and was name as the east Pakistan. The East Pakistan was later landed up becoming an independent nation which was called Bangladesh and this was done during the Bangladesh liberation war which was fought. While Muslim majority districts of Murshidabadh was given to India, Hindu majority district Khulna the Buddhist majority Chittagong division was given to Pakistan by the award. Sindh: The situation that occurred in this state was that the sindhis were told to reside in India itself as it was seen that the sindhis community did not have any such kind of a conflict when it came to Hindu and Muslim, this decision of the sindh community residing in India made many of them in Pakistan or the ones who were thinking of goin to Pakistan think that there was much of a risk involved by going to Pakistan due to the uncertain future of the newly developed country and thus since their community did not have any problem as such in India they all decided to stay back in India, this further lead to an increase in the number of the Pakistani refugees who wanted to come and reside in India. Kashmir: The conflict within this state was that the state was as usual divided into a hindu majority and muslim majority, with the hindu having a majority in Jammu and the muslims having their majority in Kashmir. This division of the the two communities broke of into riots and thus lead to the ruler of the state to accede to India due to the immense violence. This issue did not just have the violence in form of riots but also lead to the 1947 war of the two countries India and Pakistan. Lakshadweep: These are a bunch of islands toward the south of India and they main guy who is to give credit to make these islands a part of India and give the integration with the republic of India is Mr Sardar Patel, who after the partition realised and laid emphasis on the islands and thought that the inhabitants of the islands did not know anything about the partition until after the August 15th. Sardar Patel thought that the islands that are there towards the south are far from Pakistan but yet they would try to claim the land and make it theirs by giving the Muslim majority as a reason. Thus Sardar Patel sent a navy ship to the islands of Lakshadweep to hoist a Indian flag there and make the territory in Indias favour. Once the mission was successful there were Pakistani vessels which were tracked near the islands which did obviously went back to Karachi as they had seen the Indian flag mounted on the islands.

More than a spoonful of sugar Essay -- Health, Natural Remedies

As a kid I don’t remember thinking about my health a lot, probably because kids count on their parents to keep them healthy. They count on their parents to feed them the right things and do all obvious things that would help them stay healthy. But in reality both kids and adults have the ability to naturally help their health wether its intentional or not. Although medicine is helpful, many natural remedies can also benefit your health such as laughter, the sense of touch, exercise and having a pet. In many ways people find laughter as just a response to something funny or just as a happy emotion. But it really does so much more for your body, health and personal well-being. The benefits of laughter exceed the emotion. â€Å"Laughter along with an active since of humor, may protect you against a heart attack according to a recent study by cardiologists at the University or Maryland†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Murry1) A study done by the University of Maryland medical center consisted of 300 people, half of them had suffered from some type of heart disease or issue and the other half had not. Each filled out a questionnaire mainly about how much the individual laughed in good, bad and normal situations. They found that the people with or without heart disease are 40% more likely not to have a heart attack if they laughed more in life and situations. (Murry1-2) Laughter has physical, mental and social benefits to your health. Some of the Physical benefits to laughter include; relieving stres s, boosting your immune system by increasing your immune cells, decreasing pain, increasing blood flow, enhances oxygen intake and it relaxes your muscles up to 45 min..(Smith1) (Puckett1) The mental and social benefits are obvious. Laughter adds zest to your life and impr... ...en those without pets. They also took less medication for high blood pressure and sleeping. (Becker 63-64) Many Physiatrists with patients that have anxiety when leaving the house or with depression prescribe a dog to help them live life again and leave the house. (Becker 63) It is amazing to realize how much pet can change a person’s life and make it so much better. And In the book â€Å"The Healing power of pets† most of the book is stories of a human and dog bond so strong that these dogs have saved these people’s lives numerous times. So although medicine is very helpful there are so many simple natural things that can keep you healthy too such as laughter, the sense of touch, exercise and having a pet. These things are amazing natural things given to us by God that benefit our health in easy extraordinary ways, so why not take advantage of these simple things?

Narrator of Moby Dick Essay

1.In this video, we immediately learn of an obsessed captain who wants revenge. Why does he want revenge and against whom or what? The captain wants revenge because he lost his leg to Moby Dick. 2.Who is the narrator of Moby Dick and what is the first line of the novel? The first line of the novel is â€Å"Call me Ishmael† and the narrator is Ishmael. 3.There are two significant Biblical allusions mentioned in the film. To whom do these allusions reference? How are the names significant? The two significant Biblical allusions are Captain Ahab which is the King Ahab in the Bible and the whale, which is a symbol of God or the Devil. 4.The narrator states that Moby Dick symbolizes three different meanings for three different characters. List the characters and the meaning which Moby Dick symbolizes for each of them. Captain Ahab sees Moby Dick as the devil. Starbuck sees Moby Dick as just a fish and Ishmael accepts both of them. 5.Why did Melville choose to write about whaling? Why was the industry significant? At that time whale oil was very popular and it made the whale industry a hit, therefore; Melville wrote about whales. 6.What did Melville do when he was 21? He set sail towards the South Pacific, but after four years he returned and wrote about his visit with everyone on the island 7.What established writer did Melville befriend while he was writing Moby Dick? While he wrote Moby Dick he befriended Nathaniel Hawthorne. 8.Comment on the four harpooners of the Pequod; politically, why were they significant? The four harpooners were of different races and represented different cultures. 9.What happens to the Pequod towards the end of the book? Ahab? Ishmael? They were out at sea, and noticed that deep in the ocean a whale was giving birth, but that all of it was terrorized because of other whalers that set in. Ahab is killed and Ishmael is the only survivor of Pequod. 10.What were the final years of Melville like? Melville’s final years were filled with personal tragedies and failure. 1.Ahab, do you think if you killed Moby Dick, your life would be better? 2.Ahab, do you want revenge because of the loss of your leg or because he took something more than your leg, like your pride? 3.Ahab, what would you have done if the whale didn’t bite your leg? 4.Ahab, why don’t you every mention your wife or son? Is a whale more important than them? 5.Ahab, how do feel about yourself knowing that you let people die for your obsession with Moby Dick?

Study of the Namibian Border war and the Angolan bush war (1966 - 1989) The WritePass Journal

Study of the Namibian Border war and the Angolan bush war (1966 - 1989) Introduction Study of the Namibian Border war and the Angolan bush war (1966 1989) IntroductionConclusionRelated Introduction The South African Border war, which is sometimes also referred to as the Namibian Border War and Angolan Bush War, lasted between the years 1966 to 1989.   (Source F)   During this period the government of South Africa sent hundreds of thousands of men to go and fight in the war at the Namibian and Angolan borders. (Source B- pg. vii)   What was the government’s motive for this?   It was truly an attempt by the government to keep Communism and certain parties out of the country and also to keep control of the States she owned. (Source G)   But what negative psychological effects did this military service have on the men and their families and how permanent were they?   The soldiers were badly mentally affected and some of their memories still haunt them today. (Source C) The effects were negative and permanent. The South African Border War was really part of the Namibian War of Independence and ultimately a result of the Cold War which started in Europe in the 1940’s all the way to the late 1990’s. (Source F)   It took place in Southern Africa, involving South Africa, Namibia and Angola. (Source F)   Angola, Cuba, SWAPO, Zambia, other independent countries and Umkhonto we Sizwe were against South Africa and UNITA. (Source F)   Russia supported the Communist States and America supported South Africa because they were against Communism. (Source F)   This relates to America’s policy of containment.   The ANC were in exile in Angola and South Africa wanted to keep them out of the country because they were thought to be Communist. (Source F)   When the war ended, South Africa and Cuba withdrew from Angola, and Namibia got independence.   However, a Civil War in Angola continued all the way until 2002. (Source F) This shows the origin of the conflict in Southern Africa and why the SA government did conscription. The Cold War began in Europe and was a fight between Communism and Capitalism, initially starting with Russia and America, but then spread to the rest of the world and it was thought by the anti Communist states that they needed to contain Communism before it spread further.   This was called America’s policy of containment. (Source G)   This is why South Africans were told that they were to fight against Communism. (Source D) This is why the SA government did conscription. The Angolan war began when the super powers of the world, although they were not directly interested in it, used the battleground for Cold War rivalry. (Source G)   â€Å"Other countries became independent in the 1950’s and 1960’s and so the Portuguese wanted to keep control over Angola.   This resulted in wars between the Portuguese and Angolan liberation groups. (Source G)   In 1974 army officers in Portugal overthrew the governing Portuguese dictator in order to end the futile wars and bring independence. (Source G)   In Angola there were 3 main rival liberation groups, namely MPLA, FNLA and UNITA. (Source G)   Before elections, outside powers got involved. (Source G)   America provided arms to FNLA and UNITA, against MPLA.   America wanted to join South Africa in the war in order to regain their status after their defeat in Vietnam.† (Source G)   South Africa invaded Angola in 1975 for its oils and minerals. (Source G)   SA was against MPLA and it was thought that they would be able to take over Namibia, which was a South African state. (Source G)   â€Å"South Africa wanted to capture Luanda after occupying large areas of Angola.† (Source G)   The economy of Angola suffered badly and the war only ended finally in 2002. (Source G) This shows the origin of the conflict in Southern Africa and why the SA government did conscription. In order to keep things under control, the South African government needed to send some soldiers to the Namibian and Angolan borders to prevent Communism, the ANC and SWAPO from entering the country. (Source D)   The South African government and the SADF were against guerrilla warfare used by SWAPO. (Source D)   The government kept them out by means of conscription. (Source B- pg. vii) This shows why and how the South African government dealt with the enemy. All white males aged 17, 18 and 19 had to go and do military service after they finished school. (Source A)   It was compulsory and was expected of the boys as they grew up with the war. (Source A)   You needed to go and do military service for 2 years after which you could go and begin your studies at university. (Source A)   The only way you could get out of doing your military service was if you failed to pass a medical examination, had permission to continue university education before your service or by conscientious objection, in which case you would be thrown into jail. (Source A3)   Each boy had to fill out forms at school (Source A1) and their families were sent a telegraph (Source A2) or a formal military letter. (Source A3)   They knew that they needed to go and do military service as it was expected of them and some of their relatives had previously gone too.   It was something they grew up with, if they were entered at a later stage in the war. (Source A1)   After 2 years of military service, you could leave. (Source A)   The boys needed to purchase a few items, e.g. an iron, and then the parents would take them to a place where they were told to gather and when they were told to gather by the telegraph. (Source A2)   The parents then had to leave and the boys were taken to their specific sector to do their basic training.  Ã‚   Two examples are Ian and Gavin McAlpine who were conscripted at age 18 and 19.   Ian needed to get on a truck to go to Pretoria and Gavin got on a train to go to Kimberley. (Source A)   This confirms that there were splits between families.   Jeremy, aged 18 at the time, says â€Å"It was the worst day of my life†. This shows how the government of SA conscripted soldiers into the war. It was a sad time and the soldiers felt scared and didn’t know what to do next and what was going to happen next. (Source A)   When they got to their sectors for basic training they were only told of the fact that they needed to fight Communism and were sometimes shown powerful images as a form of propaganda. (Sources A B- pg.63)   Chris, who was aged 17 at the time, says â€Å"The horror was nauseating.† (Source B- pg. 63)   The rest of the world was also not told of the true reason behind the war and were only told that it was a fight against Communism. (Source A) There was also control of the media so that the public would not be allowed to be well informed. (Source A2) This meant that they did not know that what they were getting involved in might have been bad. They could not object because they were convinced by the propaganda that they were doing right by fighting the enemy. This shows how the government prevented knowledge of why they did conscription. â€Å"The army was not easy† – Ian (Source A1) and the process of basic training and physical activity was difficult and humiliating at times.   It often involved bringing them down in order to build them up as a team. (Source A1)   â€Å"Seeing boys cry because they could not take it anymore was not fun† – Ian (Source A1) and the war broke soldiers.   However, â€Å"it was necessary to just put on a brave face and become tougher or else you would not survive.†- Ian. (Source A1) This shows how the soldiers were personally affected at the time they were in the army, which was negatively. A boy would be sent to a specific sector that the army thought they would be good in or they would be sent to a specific sector if they had any previous qualifications. (Source A)   The men could have communication with their families when they were granted leave and could go home, ‘phoned when it was necessary, saw their parents on open days for them to visit and the parents corresponded regularly and sent postcards over to their children. (Source A3)   However, this was not done through the army itself. (Source A3)   The army did not offer any psychological assessments or treatment to the soldiers –duits. (Source C)   Soldiers felt angry and disappointed that they were placed in situations against their will and sad about what happened to their fellow soldiers. (Source A2)   Afrikaans generals looked over the men and did regular inspections. (Source B- pgs. 50, 21 22)   Soldiers learnt that they need to iron perfectly and have perfectly made beds, and they sometimes didn’t even sleep in them. (Source B- pgs. 21 22)   Some of the soldiers weren’t even interested in the politics and basic training brings back bad memories for the soldiers.   They were treated badly, but the experiences were worse for the men who did the fighting and saw the death of friends and the enemy. (Source A2) This shows the negative and permanent effects on the soldiers. However, skills that the soldier previously had helped them to an extent e.g. Scouting. (Source A1 B- pg. 46) Although Scouting was very different to the war, it helped the boys who were Scouts and gave them an advantage as they would be more independent, strong and have bush craft knowledge already. Soldiers had to do mortar training and Ian experienced a friend being blown up during this training. (Source A1)   The soldiers did patrols of villages. (Source B- pg. 218) These patrols were violent and gruesome and negatively affected the soldiers. The confrontation in the battlefield was terrible. The amount of casualties was large.   â€Å"All told my armour squadron lost 12 guys with a further 20 casevacs.† -Jaycee. (Source C)   â€Å"The horror and fright one experiences in contacts and large ops is all too real.† – Scottman (Source C) Soldiers felt horrible about doing things â€Å"It was instrumental in making me think: this is not for me.† – Anonymous. (Source B pg. 218) However, the war experiences were worse for the soldiers who battled than the others. (Sources A B) This shows how the soldiers were affected by the war and the events they experienced. When their sons were conscripted it was a sad time for the parents but it was necessary for them to put on a brave face. (Source A3)   Parents were heartbroken and scared for their children. (Source A3) Although parents dealt with it in different ways because one is surrounded by so many different opinions at the time and they had to think positively. (Source A3) Parents always worried because there was always a risk for their children. (Sources A3 4)   It was difficult for a parent if both their sons had to leave at the same time. (Source A4)   Parents felt apprehensive. (Source A4)   The government was really supporting white privilege on top of protecting the country from Communism. (Source A4) This shows how the parents were affected by the war. There are some soldiers and parents who do not think negatively about the war now.  Ã‚   The parents have relief that their children came back unscathed, if they did. (Source A3) Some soldiers do not have memories which haunt them (Source A2) and they say that the war made men out of them. (Source A1)   Some parents believe that it gave their sons responsibility and disciplined attitudes, which they still use today. (Sources A3 C)  Ã‚   Memories are not vivid today for some soldiers and their families. (Source A4) This means that people are beginning to lose the gruesome and painful details of the war and so are getting over things. This shows that some people may not be permanently and negatively affected still today. But some soldiers and their families are still haunted by the memories of their experiences. (Source C) â€Å"They only ‘struck contact’ once in this entire time, but that was enough to wean him off war forever.† –eJay. (Source C) It had lasting effects on the men.   â€Å".some of the experiences I went through, and witnessed, during the Mau Mau war do sometimes come back to give me nightmares!† –Neso. (Source C) Although this was in Kenya, some South African men could still feel this way too. â€Å"Although I did not recognise it at the time, it really had a profound effect on me.† – Jaycee. (Source C) The long term effects could be physical injuries, emotional wrecks, people who committed suicide, having violent nightmares and marriages did not last. (Source C)   They were bitter days.   (Source C)   After the war a medal was awarded to anyone who had spent 55 days doing continuous service on the Border. (Source B)      This shows the negative, permanent effects of the war on some soldiers. People have different takes on war nowadays.   Some believe that war doesn’t solve anything (Source A1) and that we should negotiate instead of resorting to violence.   (Source A3)   â€Å"Old men start wars, young men fight and die in them.†Ã‚   –Ian. (Source A1) Whereas some people are not against war, provided it is used to protect a country. (Source A2)   There was a struggle for liberation and war in Northern Namibia and Angola and it deeply affected the South African people, their children and society.   (Source E)   At the present day, however, â€Å"South Africans are rediscovering and re evaluating a turbulent past and its permutations†.   â€Å"They are reliving sensitive, angular optics†.   Yvonne Mokgoro, Constitutional Court of South Africa.   (Source E)  Ã‚  Ã‚   This shows the different opinions on war from the perspective of soldiers and their families. It also shows that some soldiers and their families are not s till negatively and permanently affected today, and some are. Conclusion It has been shown how and why the South African government conscripted soldiers into the South African Border War. It has also been shown that the time in which the soldiers served the military was a terrible time that has negative and positive aspects to it and it will still affect some soldiers today, and some not.   Most in a negative and permanent way, but some do not have vivid memories.   It has also been shown that the South African government did not consider the young soldiers in their fight against Communism.

Michelangeli essays

Michelangeli essays Michelangeli began playing Mozart Concertos as early as 1947. His favorite concertos are No. 13, 15, 20, 23, and 25. One would be to assuming a 'classical' over 'romantic' in that the former ethos-oriented organization runs against the passion and freedom. But clearly what differs in this case the classical-pathos-ethos from romantic-pathos is the discipline Michelangeli is known to have brought to Mozart. Effects would vary but a central forci is of absence and aloofness associated with that ethos-oriented mode of expression. For instance the Concerts with Giulini in the 1950s is dry as lacking in all visible manifestation of emotions. An attempt disparate as two opposing elements are and desperate as trying to dismiss all possible emotional connections. What is so marvelous is the outcome ascending into ether never to be seen by human eyes. Michelangeli does this as if a performer completely out in the field, from time to time drop in for something here and there. If he is studious and is a student of sport in his studio recording with EMI (EMI References CDH 7 63819 2), Michelangeli here is someone extricating from every conceivable difficulties facing any technician. One could say it is the farthest distance ever run by any Olympian, without sacrificing sanity and integrity. Here ethos greets pathos without scolding at each other, in harmony. Yet the most eerie and unerring phenomenon would occur in June 21, 1956, in Lugano. Michelangeli gives concert on Mozart Concerto No. 15. The Concerto No. 15 here is played with so much speed and augur it flats out the impending phenomenon, withholding it from breaking into the present circumstances. With which speed and surgical accuracy calls only to inspire dread and justify supra-self? Whether he really cares or not, even this would be a harass and would have impact on his 15 with Ettore Cracis conducting, a studio recording, released by EMI (CDM 7692412), in ways it tilts firmest ground h...