Five Years Strategic Plan Essay Example for Free

Five Years Strategic Plan Essay Executive summary You are employed by a Swiss subsidiary of a transnational company in the processed food business whose products are sold via retailers and direct to the food service industry in a number of countries. Recently in Swiss subsidiary has been allocated responsibility for the Asia-Pacific Region and you have been assigned the task of spearheading the firm’s push into china and adjacent countries. In the light of opportunities and constraints to be awaited on the chinese market, the evaluation of alternative entry options showed that our best opportunity was on health food products related to the dairy products actual massive trend. We also decided to adress chinese cultural sensitivity issues by entering in long term close relationship with customers instead of being too focused on quick deals and to adapt our networking strategy to chosen entry strategy. We also examined how we should select a strategic partner, should the Chinese government advise us to do so, and how we should be adapting our global marketing processes to the issues raised by national sovereignty in China. Finally, we decided to include as adjacent market either Thailand or Vietnam in order to benefit from the existing trade relationship between them and China, even if countertrade obligations are to be met. INTRODUCTION The overall purpose of this paper is to present our five years strategic plan which objective is to enable our firm to become a major player in the processed food market adressed to retailers and food service industry. Among our very wide range of products, we will examine alternative market entry options in the light of potential opportunity and constraints, then examine the question of the influence of cultural sensitivity on negociations and on introduction of our product to chineses market. The next step of our analysis will be to examine the impact of adhesion of China to WTO on market environment and the consequences of cultural sensitivity to network and relationships. Our next field of investigation will be to examine the threat represented by a potential obligation to enter a strategic alliance with a local player and by our global company culture regarding national sovereignty issues. And we will finally include perspective of developping an adjacent market with eventually compulsory countertrade involved. Section 1 Alternative chinese market entry option for breakfast cereals and cereal bars in the light of potential opportunities and constraints. The recent huge success of dairy products in China, although a majority of the population is lactose intolerant and milk was never part of the traditional chinese food is showing that chinese market has become increasingly open to adopting foreign fooding habits. This is even reinforced by the success encoutered by Mc Donald’s and Starbucks. But one very interesting element of dairy products success is that its main reason and marketing idea is to value its good impact on health. This is what makes us think that the best way to introduce our firm’s product range is to be highly positionned on health benefits to be awaited from consuming our products, their total safety through high level controls. In terms of politics, China is a stable country, which has invested huge efforts into modernisation of its institutions and legal framework in order to enter the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 2001. Contract enforcement and business matters involving foreigners are to be brought before high courts specifically trained. Intellectual property protection is still a broad problem through counterfaiting and brands like Starbucks are now facing parasite competitors who sell similar products to much lower prices. Chinese market is a huge opportunity but the country still lacks infrastructure and geographic entry has to be limited to main big cities, with a view of extending to the ever increasing number of middle sized cities growing all around the country. The idea of staying in urban areas is linked to two factors: our products are distributed through retailers networks, and food service industry which can only be found in big cities in China at the moment. As we work with retailers and food service industry, indirect market entry strategy through intermediary could prove worthy, at least at the beginning, as long as our products are not known. We could benefit from the intermediary’s network and his expertise on selling foreign products to chinese market. However, using and intermediary is not the prefered solution as it would increase our costs, and as chinese market is very price sensitive due to copycats, keeping good price/value ratio is a key strategic point. With direct market entry methods, we would have more control on market reactions and be able to lower our export costs. Alternative solutions to enter market range from specialised trade fairs (on dairy products, health products, breakfast and snacking products, etc) to a campain of trial gifts to be organised with either yoghurt or milk distributors, or by giving free samples in school, university and working areas cafeterias. We could also reach agreements with already installed foreign companies who would be interested in distributing our products on their shelves. Considering our objective of becoming a major player on processed food within the next 5 years, it would probably be worth it to make a large upfront investment to develop internal expertise in chinese market, in order to maintain our own relationships in the target market, which could be later used in order to introduce other product range on the same market. Therefore, and in the context of a long term investment, prefered market entry would be on health safe products targeting families and young working singles. SWOT Analysis Opportunities: Economic climate : a double digit economic development favourable to high quality trendy foreign food processed products with an attraction to health promising food. Demographic changes turning a rural population into city office working people whose life standards have increased dramatically over the last few years. Market opening through China’s entering WTO system and making legal and administrative environment more import friendly Threats: Competitive activity: other global firms are already on the market and Mc Donald’s, Vuitton and Starbucks experience of the market show that any brand valuation generates its army of copycat making it difficult to keep up with very low prices in a very price sensitive market. Culture: Reluctance to adopt new foreign fooding habits in a very traditional culture Pricing: chinese market is very sensitive to pricing and client segment will have to be chosen carefully and matched to pricing range. Strength: Health food image connected to dairy products Processed food in a booming ever increasing market Product adaptability: Cereals can be flavoured according to Chinese market tastes Networking: Company’s excellent ethic reputation Large target: Product attractive to kids and adult alike Weaknesses Not enough differentiation in products Need high advertising budget to gain trendy attracting image Section 2 How culture might impact on (i) negotiating in china and (ii) introducing your firm’s product into china. The usual tip when you prepare a business trip to China is to carry business cards, bring an interpreter, wear a conservative suit. These advice are easy to follow and have proven usefull, but they are too superficial to get you into the kind of association with chinese you need to be able to negociate agreements and introducing on a long term perspective the firm’s products in China. Graham and Lam (2003) have described the roots of chinese culture which have bound chinese people for 5,000 years and show through chinese business negociation: agrarism which superseedes business(survival depends on group cooperation and harmony, loyalty and obdience to familly hierarchy), confucianist morality (relations of ruler and ruled between husband and wife, parents and children, older and younger, and of equal between friends), being more concerned by means than by end in negociations, the fact that chinese tend to see easily the big picture, and finally that chinese people are very cynical about rule of law and rules in general, only trusting their families and their bank account. The elements that are important in chinese negociation are: have personal connections (friends, relatives and close associates), use an intermediary in order to avoid suspicion and distrust, be formal in order to show social status, pay attention to interpersonal harmony (smile, be nice and friendly), see the big picture and leave the detail to a later stage, be patient in order to get concessions on prices, never embarrass or provoque a lost of composure to a chinese (equivalent to loosing face), value endurant work more than talent. As a result of the above, introducing our products into China will probably require either a very long time necessary to build a trusted network, or the use of an intermediary. It is of first importance to try to establish close contact with significant actors of the retail and food service industry. The pricing of the products will probably also be of concern, as, if too low, it might not have the value effect, but, too high, it might repell consumers more tempted by a local copycat.    Impact of recent access of China to the WTO on other environmental variables which can be encountered when doing business in China and how it might benefit to our ability to establish worthwhile business in China. When China joined WTO in 2001, it made a transition from a centrally planned economy to a market driven economy. The institutional framework for foreign trade was inexistent, the information transparency culture still to be invented, existing judicial and administrative system inadapted. A tremendous amount of work was requested before China could integrate WTO system. China agreed with its major trading partners to open chinese market within 3 to 4 years to foreign companies in various sectors, including telecommunications, distribution and wholesaling, financial services, and banking and insurance. The change in laws included codifying existing administrative practices into written laws and regulations, therefore increasing transparency and predictability, covering around 200. Foreign trade law had to be modifyed. Regulations on international trade of goods and rules of origins were created. Regulations on transnational mergers and acquisitions and franchising were developped according to their new objectives. Anti-dumping, subsidy, countervailing and safeguard measures were prepared, and altogether, the capacity of the Government to provide legal information to the public was strengthened. Under the China’s central planning system, foreign trade was administered with both tariff and nontariff controls, including quantitative controls which WTO rules require to eliminate. To ensure that the WTO’s nondiscrimination principle is met in the judicial process, China issued an order that took effect on 1 March 2002 to elevate the jurisdiction over commercial cases involving foreigners from the primary courts to the higher level of courts, the question of training the judges to the appropriate regulation still being an issue at the moment. (Mitchell:2004). Altogether, when entering WTO system China had the tools to a market economy. These modifications created a foreign investment friendly framework, but the cultural reluctance to rules and the natural reliance to human bonds are still to be watched when doing business in China (Usunier Lee:2005). It had a great impact on having major competitors entering the chinese market with success and provides market with the stability and rules needed to establish worthwhile invesment. Section 3 Significance of the focus in China on relationship and network on our chosen entry strategy. As, in China, all business is subject to relationship and network, and as we have chosen to invest into a direct market entry strategy, we will have to rely on building our network with key players. Relationship marketing involves creating, maintaining and enhancing strong relationships with customers and other stakeholders. This type of marketing is moving away from focusing on individual transactions and moving towards to focusing on on building value-laden relationships and marketing networks. This type of marketing is long term oriented, very demanding as it is aimed at delivering long term value and satisfaction to customer (Kotler al:2005) It also involves building relationships at different levels: economics, social, technical and legal resulting in high consumer loyalty. Kotler (2005:476), distinguishes five different relationships that can be formed with customers: basic (sale is made but no follow up on satisfaction) Reactive (salesman encourages customer to come back if any question arises) Accountable (salesperson contacts customer shortly after the sale to check that product meets expectations) Proactive (salesperson or company person phones customer from time to time to suggest other products) Partnership (company works with its customers to discover ways to deliver better value) Considering that we intend to sell our product to a large number of customers with medium profit margin, the adapted relationship level would be â€Å"accountable†. Therefore, salesperson would phone retailer or food service company shortly after the sale to check if product meets expectations. Of course, identifying key customers and being more proactive with them would also enhance efficiency of such relationship marketing. Company would probably take advantage to using other marketing tools as giving special treatment and reward to good customers, or inviting them to special events. Chosen strategy network map and discussion on focal and subsidiary relationship involved. First step is to identify key player in retail networking and food service industry, like main wholesalers to be met at trade fair, mass retailers like supermarkets, trendsetters to be identified on TV or sports like football. Next step is to initiate contact with them with a focus on long term relationship and not on result. These relationship, due to their weight on market and the advantage that can be gained from being referenced with them have to be favoured at a first stage. Then, once this network is established, and in order to continue expansion, identify other distribution channels than wholesalers or mass retailers and initiate subsidiary relationship with them, as smaller restaurants, or hotels. Section 4 Adressing the issues related to rumour that Chinese government might request that we enter into a strategic alliance with a Chinese owned firm: selecting and managing strategic alliance partners in china. As in many asian country there is a rumour that we may have to enter a strategic alliance with a chinese partner in order to be allowed to market processed food in China. As Charles Revson, founder of Revlon cosmetics said once â€Å" I don’t meet competition, I crush it† and this should be remembered when entering a strategic partnership with a chinese partner. In fact, as cultural analysis hereabove showed, chinese only trust their family and their bank account, so, in order to enter a sound alliance, a few criterias must be met. Criterias for selecting strategic partner in China should be: good reputation of loyalty and integrity on the market, but also of product quality for reputation purposes natural feeling and common values, understanding of what our goals are and willingness to collaborate extensive network on our targeted customers, on the areas where we have the greatest growth or the most profitable areas proven synergy opportunity between our two companies instead of competition long term relationship seems possible through mutual cooperation (strategic alliance must be a win-win situation in order to be sustainable on the long term) Impact of the issues of national sovereignty in China on application of our standard marketing approaches in order to enhance global image and additional profits through economy of scale. China is very sensitive on the issue raised by separatist claims by   Taiwanese nationalists, Tibet and Xinjiang separatists. Our standard marketing approaches, designed to enhance global image and enable additional profits through economy of scale, mustn’t be a threat to our main objective which is to become a major player in dairy products in China. Therefore, our standard marketing approaches should be amended in order to avoid any differenciation between the average product sold within China and the ones sold in these three areas. The main market should be priviledged against the particularism of the three separatists areas. No marketing argument that our product would be specifically adressed to the separatists areas should be set forth and it should under no circumstances become a selling argument or even be mentioned, because it would probably cause us to loose main market. Section 5 Criteria to select an adjacent market between Taiwan, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam The first criteria to take into account is capacity to use both markets to enhance presence on each other. Creating synergies in a market entry phase might be vital and the level of trade relationship already existing between China and that country is the right measurment. The second one is to choose a market which might be governed by the same cultural trends in order to be able to adopt the same marketing approach to both. A third criteria, maybe more operational, is distance and accessibility (custom tariffs, roads, etc) between both territories. This might enable to base product in one country and ship to the other from thereof. Fourth criteria might be existing trade relations with Switzerland which might make it easier for us to start networking, as the swiss image would already be a commercial advantage. Myanmar being subject to economic sanction from China due to compulsory labor is not a valid adjacent market, though it has entered the asian liberalisation trend and was even acknowledged by the UN Conference on Trade and Development in 2001 as a member that performed ‘well to better’ in the trade liberalisation process under the WTO’s principles It also does not have the right development stage to be interesting and human rights issues might be damaging our image. It has very little commercial bonds with Switzerland. Thailand had rather recent diplomatic relations with China (dating 1975) but shows since then a real will to become a partner of choice of China. Both nations have common roots and share common ancestors. The commercial agreement between the two countries (Sino Thai Free Trade Agreement) only covers fruits and vegetables at the moment but could possibly be extended. Thailand is also member of the WTO. Its main advantage is to already have strong network trade connections with Switzerland (on machinery, watches, etc), where we are based, which could be a decisive advantage for us in terms of network. Taiwan is actually administrated by China which makes it a priviledged area to invest in. It also has a long tradition of trade with China which makes it a good candidate due to the need for trade network to enhance each others, and as a little dragon, it also has the wealth to be interesting, but choosing it would probably not be the best in terms of advantage on chinese market as it does not really add anything different to being only present in China. Also it does not have any specific links with Swiss market. Vietnam has a common frontier with China and is following more or less the same path towards becoming a market economy and entered WTO in january 2007. Though it does not have the same laws, it has a similar development trend, close traditions and the close commercial links with China in all sectors that makes it a suitable adjacent market. It is also a so called little dragon, a booming economy that could be a very profitable market. The trading network between Vietnam and Switzerland is not too developped though Switzerland is present in Vietnam with a swiss embassy in Hanoi. Finally, in order to develop a global brand image in asia, it might be a good choice to choose between Thailand and Vietnam. How to turn the risk of being obliged to countertrade into a profitable trade More than 80 countries nowadays use or require countertrade exchanges. A concensus of experts opinions (Okaroafo, 1989) has put the percentage of the value of world trade volumes related to countertrade at between 20 to 25%. Counter trade usually occurs when countries lack sufficient hard currency. There are five main variants of countertrade which could be of different value to our firm. Entering a barter (exchange of goods or services directly for other goods or services without the use of money as means of purchase or payment) could eventually be interesting if we manage to find good quality bulk products that could be integrated in our products, like fruits or packaging. Using the switch trading practice (in which the country would exchange allowing our importations against an obligation to make a purchase on the domestic market) could also be of interest to us for the same reasons. A buyback (buying machinery necessary to our production in exchange for products) agreement is not a really interesting deal for us as it involves very heavy transportation. Finally, entering an offset agreement (offsetting a hard-currency purchase of an unspecified product) would be a very dangerous operation as we would have to cover currency exchange variations. Proactive strategy to trade profitably with the selected country In order to be ready when the ban on import occurs, we will implement a proactive strategy by identifying products that could be of use in our production process. Then we will start making contacts with producers of these products and gain market knowledge of prices and quality available, identify suitable suppliers that meet our quality requirements and are able to supply us with the adequate quantities. Therefore, when we will be forced to countertrade, we will already have our network in place. Conclusion: As stated in this document, our five year strategic plan on entering Chinese market involves: entering market with health food linked to dairy products mass trendiness with direct marketing tools Always keep in mind the cultural sensitivity of China in order to use it as a competitive advantage instead of a falling trap. Utilise the huge work done by China to be able to keep up with WTO entering necessary standards in terms of transparency and legal framework to our profit in developping our business Invest in developping extended network and long term relationship marketing in order to open the route to introducing our other products on the market later If needed, choose carefully strategic partners Amend global marketing policy in order to avoid sovereignty issues Choose between Thailand and Vietnam as adjacent market, even if countertrade is involved. Reference Table SunfaithChina Ltd,September 2006,†Market Analysis report on China Yoghourt industry†, http://www.mindbranch.com/listing/product/R521-158.html Chen, C, February 2003, â€Å"Got Milk?†, Wall Street Journal http://www.mindfully.org/Food/2003/China-Dairy-Drinks28feb03.htm John L. Graham and N. Mark Lam, 13 october 2003, â€Å"Negotiating in China†, Havard Business School, Excerpted with permission from The Chinese Negotiation, Harvard Business Review, Vol. 81, No. 10, October 2003 Mitchell, A â€Å"Implementing WTO rules: The Importance of Law Reform, Remarks of Arthur M. Mitchell, General Counsel Asian Development Bank, February 2004, apeC Workshop on Best Practices in WTO Capacity Building, http://www.adb.org/Documents/Speeches/2004/sp2004050.asp Vertariu, P., (1992), Trends and Developments in International Countertrade, Business America, (November 2), 2-6. Okaroafo, S., (1989) Determinants of LDC Mandated Countertrade, International Management Review, (Winter), 1624 â€Å"Interview: Thailand aims to further enhance Thailand-China strategic partnership† People’s Daily, Beijing, 28 June 2005, http://www.bilaterals.org/article.php3?id_article=2180 Swiss Federal State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, 2005, â€Å"Report on Swiss Economic Development Cooperation with Vietnam† Kotler,P, and al: (2005), â€Å"Principles of Marketing†, Pearson Education Ltd Usunier, J-C and Lee, J (2005) â€Å"Marketing across cultures†, Pearson Education Ltd Buksbaum, L (1999), â€Å"Choosing strategic partner that really partner†, press release on Inc.com, (http://www.inc.com/articles/1999/11/19511.html)

Norman Conquest 1066 Essay Example for Free

Norman Conquest 1066 Essay King Edward had taken a vow of chastity, so upon his death in 1066 there was lack of a clear heir to the throne. There were 3 contenders: * William of Normandy – nephew of Edward, claimed that Edward promised him the throne and that Harold II of had sworn agreement to this. * Harold II – riches and powerful of the English aristocracy. * Harald III of Norway – based on previous agreement between Magnus of Norway and the earlier Danish King, where if either died without a heir to their throne, the other would inherit England and Norway. Harold II was immediately elected as King by the pro-Saxon Witan as they feared there could be invasions from abroad. Harald III of Norway invaded Harold II in the Battle of Stamford Bridge(28th September 1066). Harold II won but lost many in battle. Just days later, William of Normandy invaded Harold II in the Battle of Hastings (14th October 1066). Here Harold II died in battle with an arrow through his eye, leaving the throne to William of Normandy. William became King in 1066 and the Norman Conquest left the Saxons conquered by the Normans. * Prior to the conquest, all law was written and spoken in English, whilst after the conquest law was to be written in Latin and occasionally French. Slowly English returned to the courts, but many French and Latin terms were adopted. Hence why today, the English language is closer to French/Latin that Old English. * Stronger central government – courts of the King began to take many of the functions that were traditionally used by the hundred moots and shire moots. Legal recordings were taken much more seriously with legal practices being written down and recorded in the Doomsday book. * Feudalism/land ownership – King became the ultimate ruler of all land in England (Crown owned all land). Anyone who owned land, owed their allegiance to the King and if you weren’t loyal to the King, he could take away your land. If you owned land, you really just owned a title to that land which the King lends you. Today Crown still owns all land. * Trial by Battle was introduced – women, King, elderly, could choose a warrior to fight for them. If the warrior was still standing when the stars came out it was seen as not guilty. It rested on the assumption that a divine power would intervene and whoevers case was just would triumph. Over time, people became skeptical and it was abolished. Norman conquest is seen as the traditional starting point of English Common Law. It ensured that both common law and civil law systems remained. NZ uses this common law system that William retained from Harold. Today in NZ we still buy land in ‘fee simple’ to the Crown. Our legal system still contains some the Latin and French words that were adopted after the Norman Conquest. Magna Carta 1215 King John was not a popular king as he treated his people very poorly, he was seen as a tyrant. He also caused serious arguments amongst Pope Innocent III and the English Barons. Pope Innocent III wanted Stephen Langton as Archbishop of Canterbury but John wanted John De Grey. As John would not accept Langton, the Pope placed England under interdict (suspends all religious life) and declares John’s kingdom forfeit and encourages King Phillip of France to invade. John eventually accepts Langton and surrenders the kingdom back to the Pope and receives it back as a fiefdom. King John is now under the Pope in hierarchy. King John was also unsuccessful in battle, having lost land back to France. This meant less money flowing into England, so John started taxing people of England. It had always been customary that the King consult with the Barons before raising taxes. The Barons agreed to make war on King John if he didn’t sign a charter affirming the rights of the Barons. After attempting to break up the Barons from bribery, John eventually signs. The Magna Carta included promises to protect freedom and rights of the church and to consult with the Barons more closely on taxes, and to guarantee certain rights to all free men. Immediately after this, John asks the Pope to declare Magna Carta null and void. The Barons encourage Prince Louis of France to invade. King John suddenly dies of dysentery, and Henry III becomes King. Every new king from then on will reissue/sign the Magna Carta. So much of the common law was based upon the Magna Carta that is was seen as one of the constitutional documents of England. Courts began citing Magna Carta to support principles and concepts that did not exist when it was created. It influenced the content of other documents that protect people’s rights such as America’s Bill of Rights, and NZ’s. It was the first document in English history that limited the power of the monarch. Until then there was the belief that the Monarch could do whatever they pleased. This established the rule that no one is higher than the law. It marked that power was being shared by more people. The Magna Carta also stated that a council of 25 Barons would be created to advise the King which some people argue is the start of Parliament in common law. Petition of Right 1628 King Charles upset Parliament during his reign from 1625 – 1649. He married a Roman Catholic called Henrietta, protected anti-protestant writers and sought to wage was in Europe on behalf of his Roman Catholic in-laws. It looked like he was favouring Roman Catholics and letting them into the monarchy. When Parliament refused to give Charles the money he needed to fight a battle in Europe, he started taxing the people of England without the consent of he Parliament. This went against a principle established nearly 300 years ago. Parliament responded by issuing the Petition of Right in 1628. It outlined the abuses the King had committed and formally requested that the King rectify his abuses. The Petition of Right was just a soft, light not harsh piece of legislation. Just a set of rules that the King was meant to follow. Charles essentially ignored the Petition of Right and ruled without a Parliament from 1629-1640. This led to the English Civil War where Charles eventually lost and was executed by Parliament. The Monarchy was abolished until 1660. Ruled without Parliament for eleven years. Along with the Magna Carta, the Petition of Right are the constitutional foundational documents of England. The Petition of Right and most important aspects of the English Bill of Rights are still part of NZ law and is still in force today. English Civil War After the Petition or Right was issued to King Charles in 1628, he dissolved Parliament in 1629 and refused to call it for eleven years. But in 1640 he needed money again to ward of the threat of a takeover from Scotland so he reconvened Parliament to ask for the funds. Parliament only agreed to give Charles the funds if he agreed to discuss the abuses that had occurred during his reign as ruler by himself. Parliament took in Henrietta (Charles’ Roman Catholic wife) for questioning under the fear that Roman Catholicism was creeping into power. In retaliation Charles stormed an armed sitting of Parliament with his own army and the English Civil War ensued between the Monarchists and Parliamentarians. Charles was defeated as King in 1645 and escaped to the Island of Whit. He was recaptured in 1647 and sent to permanent exile. The House of Commons passed a special statute that created a special court to trial King Charles for treason. Charles was executed in 1649, being the first and only monarch to be executed which was revolutionary. It showed that Power was shifting upwards and showed that everyone is subject to the law – even the King. Another main consequence was the Parliament was now supreme with a shift in power from the Monarchy to Parliament. This allowed for the responsibility of law making and then came Prime Ministers. Glorious Revolution 1688 King Charles II had no legitimate children, so when he died his brother James became King King James II. King James II did a number of things that upset Parliament, reminding them of King Charles I (Petition of Right and Civil War). He was a Roman Catholic and baptized his son as a Roman Catholic. He gave Catholics a number of prominent jobs in Government. He proclaimed religious freedom for non-Anglicans and suspended Parliament when it criticized him on the above topics. Members of the House of Lords invited Dutch nobleman William of Orange to invade and become new king. William of Orange was married to James II daughter Mary, so they could argue that the throne was staying in the family. William easily defeated James who fled to France. Parliament declared that James had abdicated the throne and it was vacant. In 1689, Parliament appointed William and Mary as joint sovereigns and issued the Bill of Rights. Consequences - Bill of Rights 1689 In the Bill of Rights, Parliament makes the appointment of William and Mary as joint sovereigns conditional on the following principles; Without Parliament, the sovereign cannot suspend or create laws, make new courts, impose new taxes, create or maintain an army in peacetime etc. Along with Magna Carta and Petition of Right, the Bill of Right is a constitutional document for the English legal system. About 100 years after the English Bill of Rights was drawn up, the American Bill of Right was passed. The most significant parts of the Bill of Rights are still part of the NZ Bill or Rights, which is still in force in NZ today. Equity Refers to the separate evolution of the Equity Courts. During the reign of Edward I, he formed three great courts; 1. The King’s Bench 2. The Court of Common Pleas 3. The Exchequer The Exchequer court was a governmental office split into the Exchequer(fiscal) and the Chancery (secretarial). Along with administering writs, the Chancery had to â€Å"reflect a reserve of justice in the King† by trying to incorporate fairness into the legal system. Equity worked by allowed a person to succeed against an individual for a moral or religious wrong, even if that same person was legally in the right. The Chancellor initially administered justice to people who came to him under the Maxims of Equity – he who comes with equity must come with clean hands. Equity worked (examples of son taking money and neighbors tree) by the Chancellor deciding what was right in the eyes of the church and the eyes of clarity. Over time, Equity as a means of obtaining justice became popular enough for the Courts of Equity to be established. In 1616, King James I, ruled that equity was to take precedent over common law, allowing the King to exert some control over his supposedly separated judges. This system was very flexible as to how the law was applied to different situations. The point of equity was that each individual case was to be decided on the points of that case alone so the most just outcome could be reached. Thus it became clear that the Court of Equity was not bound by precedent, giving rise to the aphorism â€Å"equity varies as the length of the chancellor’s foot†.

Radioactivity In Ionisation Smoke Alarms Environmental Sciences Essay

Radioactivity In Ionisation Smoke Alarms Environmental Sciences Essay In this coursework, I will be discussing the role of radioactivity in ionisation smoke alarms; I will focus primarily on the main radioactive substance used in smoke alarms, americium 241, and will analyse its effects as well as its half life. I will also analyse a variety of data based on smoke alarms, and finally, I will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of smoke alarms. In smoke detectors, Alpha radiation is given out. Alpha particles are made of 2 protons and 2 neutrons. This means that they have a charge of +2, and a mass of 4. Alpha particles are relatively slow and heavy. Alpha emitters must be used for smoke detectors since alpha particles ionise air the most, are mostly likely to be absorbed by cells and are least penetrating. Gamma rays and beta particles easily pass through air without causing ionisation, Beta particles are absorbed by a thin sheet of Aluminium and Gamma is absorbed by either concrete or thick lead. The radiation given out from the smoke detector is essentially zero and in any case very much less than that from natural background radiation. This is the radiation which all around us. The alpha particles  are absorbed within the detector. The small amount of radioactive material that is used in these detectors is not a health hazard and individual units can be disposed of in normal household waste. However, Alpha radiation is most dangerous inside the body because it is most likely to be absorbed by the organs whereas Beta and Gamma radiation is more dangerous outside the body because the skin cannot stop them. Americium-241 is dangerous if it is taken into the body in soluble form. The data which I mainly used for my coursework was from www.communities.gov.uk. I think this website is reliable and valid because it is a government website. It has not been created for the purpose of sale so it isnt biased. However there are a few problems with this website. The problem lies in the data which shows how the % of homes with smoke alarms has changed between 1988-2005. This data is unreliable and invalid. It is invalid because they change from smoke alarm ownership to working smoke alarm ownership in conclusion to that it also has data missing from some years. It is not as valid as it should be because it not the same as what was being looked at in the beginning. But as for the rest of the information, I think it is reliable and valid because it is a government website, not any website just put up on to the internet. The way in which we could make sure that the data we have it valid and reliable is by comparing them with other results from other sources. By doing this we would be able to see if they are similar or they are different and we would be able to find out if they are correct or not. The results which I got could be improved if they were collected in a number of different ways. For example data could be collected from the history of the emergency services, data could also be collected by handing out questionnaires and surveys or even collected via the phone. Advantages and Disadvantages of Smoke Alarms There are many benefits of a smoke alarm and many disadvantages. Below are some advantages of a smoke alarm. Firstly the most important benefit of a smoke alarm is that it saves lives. Smoke alarms are a powerful and effective fire safety technology. The smoke detector also allows the emergency services to react quicker so they are able to get to the fire quicker and save lives. The most important thing is the life of a person. Besides this, a smoke detector also saves money and property. Some people may have money stored at home. For these people it would be a great loss if they were to lose everything in a fire. With a smoke detector, a person is able to quickly put out the fire so a lot of the property does not get damaged. Another advantage is that the americium-241 is very sensitive. Ionization smoke alarms respond first to fast flaming fires. A flaming fire consumes flammable extremely fast, spreads rapidly and generates considerable heat with little smoke. It responds very quickly to small amounts of smoke. Americium-241 has a half life of 442 which is not too long or too short. It is just right. If it had a long half-life then it wouldnt have to be replaced very often but it would stay dangerous for a long time. If it had a short half-life then it would fall to safe level quickly but it would have to be replaced very often. The Americium is just right, not too short or too long, in the middle. One advantage is that to have a smoke detector reduces the insurance cost. This is because a house which has a smoke detector has less chance of burning down because the smoke alarm will detect the fire so the occupants are able to put it off. For this reason there is cheaper insurance for the house which has a smoke alarm. Finally, smoke alarms are very cheap. They are even free for many houses but for some people who have to buy it, it is of a very low price. With the advantages, there are also disadvantages of smoke detectors. Below are some disadvantages of smoke alarms. The biggest disadvantage is that it contains a very small amount of radioactive material. These devices are probably not a problem unless they burn, in which case the Americium would be released in particulate form an inhalation hazard. Another big disadvantage is that it is a bit too sensitive. It can be vulnerable to nuisance alarms if placed too close to cooking. It goes off many times especially if it is kept near a kitchen. This can be very annoying especially if it happens repeatedly. One disadvantage is that because there are many smoke alarms which give out radiation in this country, they will be radioactive for 1000 of years. The radioactivity in the environment will increase. The disposal of this type of smoke alarm is very harmful, when the building is demolished and new buildings are made, the smoke alarm still emits radioactivity which is not good for the environment. Finally, another disadvantage is that it works on battery and after a long period, the battery runs out. Therefore, smoke detector stops working so the batteries have to be replaced. Overall, I think that smoke detectors are beneficial because it could save a persons life if a fire was to occur and its also very cheap to buy but it has it drawbacks that it emits radioactive material, however the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

Films Today :: essays research papers

The British tabloid press is famous for jumping on any bandwagon that supports popular opinion. Before her death the Princess of Wales was hounded on a daily basis for nearly two decades by the paparazzi to feed the insatiable appetite of the word for her picture. This lead, putting conspiracy theories aside, directly to her death. Now these very same newspapers are feeding the publics bottomless pit of an appetite with stories of her life and loves. A day never goes by with out some mention of her charity work, her past lovers and even the dresses she wore when on royal duties. Top: British tabloid newspaper The Sun which campaigned to have all video nasties banned for the sake of our children. Right: A graphic scene from Don Coscarelli's Phantasm. The only bandwagon that comes close to matching that of the Princess of Wales is the effect that films, video films in particular, have on the viewing public. When The Omen was shown on British television in the early '80s reports came in that people had to seek spiritual guidance in order for them to come to terms with the images they had seen on the screen. Some even reported that knives and forks had somehow become bent and twisted as if overtaken by evil forces. Had their cutlery really become possessed by the devil or were they attention seekers trying to get their fifteen minutes of fame? The newspapers were quick to latch on and appointed themselves as our guardians against the vile influx of film and video. Films were blamed for all of our faults, it wasn't his fault if a man raped a woman because he was following what he had seen in a video, and it wasn't their fault if children used foul language because they had heard it in a film. But I have to keep asking myself one question; isn't it about time that we took the responsibilities for our actions? If a man, or woman, commit a crime then it is not the fault of some Hollywood filmmaker but the responsibility of the said individual. We all like someone to blame. The worlds pollution is the fault of the motorist so lets tax them out of existence, the fact that little Johnny bunks off school and can't read or write is the fault of the teachers, or the government, but never the parents who don't know how to control their own children. Isn't it about time that we stopped passing the buck and admitted that WE are to blame when WE do something wrong.

Education and Racism in the United States and Namibia :: Essays Papers

Education and Racism in the United States and Namibia Formal, lawfully shaped education is an intimate and delicate tool of human influence. It is therefore immeasurably dangerous. In light of our human history, no tool has been more effective at both propagating and dismantling national ideologies, often regardless of the content or meaning of what national ideology demands of its people. In the histories of the United States and southern Africa, formal education has been used to reinforce the political, social, economic and psychological effects of racism. Yet today, education is the prime tool of dismantling the consequences which racism begat. In studying human discrimination and aggression, systems of education become mouth pieces for power and authority. Investigating structures of education is key to understanding why things were the way they were, and why we are the way we are today. Understanding colonialism is fundamental in understanding why these two nations exist in this world the way they do. Both the United States and southern Africa share legacies of European colonists entering into land occupied by native peoples, and dominating these peoples through superior weaponry, disease, and doctrines of superiority; in short, through structures of racism. Today, in classrooms throughout Namibia and the United States, racism is a recognized and standard term of inequity and human injustice. In the States, racism â€Å"not only refers to personal prejudice toward people of other races, but also to the way that US institutions give power and privilege to white society while denying this same power and privilege to people of color† (SAN). In southern Africa, the modern understanding of racism is embodied in understanding the political movement of apartheid, and the legally enforced separation of non-whites from whites within society. The parallels between thes e two systems of human categorization and fundamental separation are startling; legally binding systems of racism developed into massive bodies of conflict and hate that stood firm until the 1960s. While South African apartheid was formally established as the law of the land in 1948, the same year saw the Civil Rights movement in the United States poised to grip the nation. At this point in time, the psychological effects of racism had turned into an enabling anger and resistance; people gradually were banding together to forcibly demand a new way of life. Segregating non-whites from whites, and offering whites better economic opportunity and improved education, effectively created societies of intense disparity along racial lines.

Medellin, Colombia :: essays research papers

Medellin was founded in 1616 in the scenic Aburrà ¡ valley, but remained small until the coffee boom. Medellin now has a population of almost 3 million people, with an area of 362 kilometers squared, and an average temperature of 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Medellin is widely regarded in Colombia as a clean, well-organized and economically vibrant community. Its people are hard-working and industrious. Major industries include coffee and flower export, information technology and hotel services. It is also the fashion capital of Colombia. Each year the "Feria de Las Flores" (Flower Festival) attracts visitors from all over South America for parades and conventions. The city's fast and efficient metro is the only public transit subway system in Colombia. In culinary delights, Medellin is said to have created Colombia's unique "arepa" - a bread and corn patty stuffed with cheese which I enjoy very much, but both of my parents hate. The Medellin Lady, affectionately called Paisa, is seen by many as the most beautiful of the Colombian Latinas. A famous Colombian saying goes: "If you want a pretty mistress, go to Cali, but if you want a beautiful wife, go to Medellin." Medellin is considered by many outside of South America to be the most dangerous city in the world, Medellin, Colombia is internationally renowned as the home of Colombian icon Pablo Escobar, a drug lord. During the Pablo Escobar time, people were scared to roam the streets in fear for their lives. It was said that Pablo Escobar owned a lot of the government and that because of him the police department was a corrupted one. After Pablo Escobar's capture in 1982, a prison was built specifically for him the man who was known as "the billionaire godfather of international cocaine trafficking." This prison, however, actually looked more like a three- or four-star hotel. In July 1992, Escobar escaped, and was killed in a dramatic rooftop shooting. However, some believe he is still alive. With the death of Pablo Escobar, Medellà ­n is slowly recovering, but is not yet a full-fledged tourist destination. However, there is plenty to do and see in the city itself and the scenic surroundings. There is a lot to Medellin that the international community does not see. Medellin is also home of Fernando Botero, as well as the annual Flower Festival, a huge event that takes place in the city in late July and early August.

Starting a Business vs Franchise

Explain the differences of establishing a business from scratch and setting up a franchise. Evaluate the success of franchises in Australia (refer to examples). There are significant differences between establishing a new business and setting up a franchise. Starting a business from scratch often takes a long time and a large amount of capital to accomplish, but the rewards can be substantial. A franchise is a business that is licensed to trade under a recognised brand name for payment of a fee (e. g. McDonalds, 7-11, etc). A franchisee purchases the franchise from the franchisor and operates under their name while paying fees. The factors involved in choosing one of these two options differ considerably and include the amount of risk, cost, operations and reputation. Establishing a new business involves the highest amount of risk due to the entrepreneur being solely responsible for everything that occurs in the business. In addition, there is a significant threat of failure for any new business which can result in huge losses for the business owner. Without a previous business reputation, it may prove difficult for entrepreneurs to secure finance which in effect significantly limits their access to funds to pay for establishment costs. Starting a new business gives the owner greater control over all key decisions and operations, as a result allowing the owner to set up the business exactly how they wish. Establishing a reputation for a new business is a slow process since a customer base and marketing campaign needs to be developed to generate sufficient sales for the firm. As a result, a new business will experience a slow growth in profits and may not be able to achieve a high level of profits at the start. Setting up a franchise presents the lowest risk due to already being established and generally selling widely recognised products. The costs associated in purchasing a franchise vary significantly depending on a number of factors such as type and size. Due to the general success of a franchise, it is much easier for a franchisee to obtain finance. However, franchisees must pay ongoing costs such as royalties to the franchisor which may lead to a reduction in overall profits. Setting up a franchise heavily restricts the owners control over business operations which prevents them from making their own decisions. This is due to the fact that the franchisor has total control over the business operations and ultimately determines how the owner runs the franchise. It is also much easier for a franchisee to generate sales due to the widely established reputation of the franchise and the products sold may already be advertised and marketed by the franchisor. Most franchises have been extremely successful in Australia and have become the fastest growing area of small business – in 2004 there were approximately 850 franchise operations in Australia. Franchises such as Gloria Jeans and Jims Mowing have grown tremendously in the past few years – between 1999 and 2004, the number of franchises grew by 25%. This is due to the effective business formula, well-recognised name and established trademarks of franchises which have attracted numerous investors in Australia. Another reason regarding the enormous of franchises in Australia is the fact that most of them offer comprehensive training and support to franchisees. For example, McDonald’s provide franchisees with uniforms, staff training packages, the ingredients and equipment for production and conducts extensive advertising on their behalf. As the success of franchises continues to grow in Australia, it is becoming an attractive option for many potential entrepreneurs in starting a business.