Ethics of Climate Change in Australia

The United Nations Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to life and a standard of living adequate for the health and well being of an individual and their family (United Nations, 1948). Global average temperatures are projected to increase between 1. 4 and 5. 8 Â °C by the end of this century (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2001), and this, in conjunction with the increasing sea level, which, in itself, causes the number of individuals living in coastal areas to be exposed to increasing flooding and storm surges, affects human health.These affects are mostly brought on by climate change, which, ironically, is being heavily influenced by humans themselves. They can cause illness and fatalities from intense heat, a depleting food supply and also the alterations of infectious diseases. A well-established climate change effect on human health is the influence the climate has on shortages in regional areas. According to the World Health Organisation, it is estimated that about 800 million people are presently malnourished, with almost half of them residing in Africa (WHO, 2002). Malnutrition remains one of the major health crises worldwide.Food crops are heavily and directly influenced by extreme climate conditions such as droughts, and this then severely impacts the levels of food available for consumption, especially in the remote areas in Africa. This then links back to the issue of undernourishment in Africa, as food is a depleting source in the current climate experienced in this continent. Another human health impact that is supported by climate change is heatwaves. The summer of 2009 was possibly Australia’s hottest heatwave, in which many cities recorded their highest temperature since records began.On Saturday the 7th of January, Melbourne recorded its highest temperature of 46. 4Â °C (Cameron, et al, 2009). It was as a result of this heatwave that bushfires broke out all over the state of Victoria, the dry win ds and hot air no match for efforts to reduce the fires. These fires ranked in the top ten of bushfires in the world with respect to fatalities (Cameron, et al, 2009). Fatalities in heatwaves can be challenging to measure, as the fatalities generally arise from the worsening of chronic medical conditions as well as direct heat related illness.These conditions and illnesses are particularly seen in the elderly and frail people. However it is estimated that 374 people were killed in this heatwave (The Victorian Government Department of Human Services, 2009). This is the most prominent recent example of human health as a direct outcome of climate change in Australia. Fatalities and general illnesses caused by heat are directly affected by the variance between the average temperature and high above average temperatures, as opposed to regular and steady escalations in the usual temperature.This is particularly seen in the beginning of summer when people have not yet adjusted to the highe r temperatures. Furthermore, due to the Urban Heat Island Effect, the strongest effect of urbanisation on annual mean surface air temperature trends occurs over the metropolis and large city stations, with corresponding contributions of about 44% and 35% to total warming, respectively (Yang, et al, 2011). As a result of this, and as metropolis regions and population grow; exposure to fatalities and illnesses caused by heat look expected to rise in the future.Vector-borne diseases are influenced by environmental aspects such as temperature, rainfall, humidity and land-use or vegetation, thus affecting the population and spread of the diseases. Vector-borne disease spread and population alter as the ecosystem around them does, as a result of climate change. An example of this would be that around the equatorial regions of the world, diseases like malaria have been restricted to living in those regions. However, as the global mean temperature increases, those regions may expand in area and the malaria disease would be able to spread over a much larger span.This spread could also be caused by the constant migration of the human population and their affect on the land they use. The alterations caused by climate change on infectious diseases significantly affect human health. It is majorly severe climatic events that alter the biology of infectious diseases. Because they do not have thermostatic systems, infectious organisms such as protozoa and viruses, and their supplementary vectors, for example mosquitoes and aphids, are affected by variations in temperature, mostly in their survival and reproduction levels. As the temperature increases due to global warming, these organisms have the pportunity to flourish in their environments, and, in under-developed areas such as Africa, this could lead to serious impacts on human health. Also, a connection has been found between the rising occurrences of malaria with simultaneous increasing temperatures from 1968 to 1993 in central Ethiopia (Tulu, 1996). Though populace relocation, resistance to drugs, or efforts to control vectors couldn’t explain this link. As we cannot ignore the evidence, this therefore leads us to believe that the associated increasing temperatures, due to climate change, have caused the increase in malaria in central Ethiopia.However, despite this, irregularities of highest temperature in the highlands of Kenya have been related to the spread of malaria. However, numerous studies of tendencies in climate and malaria populations in Africa have not discovered a connection to increasing temperatures. This then highlights the significance of incorporating other key causes of the chance of malaria such as disease control efforts, human relocation, a resistance to drugs and also a change in how the land is used.From this we can see that there are many factors caused by climate change that affect human health. Though the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that each indi vidual has a right to health and life, it is humans who are ironically causing climate change in the first place. Whether it is the intense heat in heatwaves or the rising spread of vector-borne diseases, in a developed or developing country, humans are increasingly becoming exposed to possibly fatal incidents.

Activision Blizzard

Company History and Profile Activision and Blizzard Entertainment have been longstanding brands within the gaming industry for some time. Activision started out in 1979 as the world’s first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles such as Atari, Nintendo, and Sega, in addition to developing both gaming and business applications for personal computers. One of their earliest major hit games was Pitfall, which was designed for the Atari 2600 series gaming console. This project was so successful; it resulted in the production of several clones, including stand-up arcade games. After losing a multi-million dollar judgment on damages involving a patent infringement, Activision went through Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and reorganization in 1991. It was during this time when they decided to concentrate solely on a video gaming production strategy, eventually developing popular games such as Sonic, Guitar Hero and the current Call of Duty Series. From 1997 to 2007, Activision acquired multiple companies geared towards strengthening their position relative to their gaming strategy, but have also kept their foot in the door for expanding their market into other entertainment ventures. Beginning in 1998, Activision launched strategic partnerships with comic and movie producers Marvel Entertainment, Disney Interactive, and LucasArts Entertainment. In 2001, Activision acquired the rights to the Columbia Pictures’ feature film Spider-Man, and had signed a multi-year publishing agreement between DreamWorks SKG in 2003. Blizzard Entertainment began in 1991 as a company called Silicon & Synapse, also designing games for Sega-Genesis, Super Nintendo, and DOS- and Mac- compatible games for personal computers. The company established the Blizzard Entertainment label in 1994, when they became one of the most popular and well respected makers of computer games. Blizzard’s main focus is on creating well-designed, highly enjoyable entertainment experiences, and by doing so, has maintained a reputation for quality within the gaming industry. Released in 1994, Warcraft: Orcs and Humans became their first in a series of role-play strategy games to win accolades as one of the best games of that year. Multiplayer computer games were still relatively new at this time, and Blizzard began to take advantage of the opportunities that this niche had to offer. They are now the leader in the field of massively multiplayer online games (MMORPG), with more than 11. 5 million monthly subscriptions. Blizzard has additionally developed a trio of popular PC games, including the Warcraft, Starcraft, and Diablo series, creating a culture that champions both productive and experimental creativity which inspires devoted players. Jeff Green, editor-in-chief of the online gaming magazine 1Up. om notes, â€Å"[Blizzard people] are essentially design geniuses, making games easy enough for casual players and deep enough to attract and hook hard-core players. Simple to learn, difficult to master is the holy grail of game design, and Blizzard does this every single time. † In late 1998, Blizzard Entertainment became a subsidiary of the French conglomerate Vivendi, grouped into its Vivendi Universal Games division. From 2000 to 2007, Blizzard Entertainment released several games under their trilogy series, consistently exceeding sales projections and becoming the unprecedented leader within the gaming industry. On December 2, 2007, it was announced that Activision would be acquired by Vivendi, with Vivendi contributing its gaming division plus a cash investment, in exchange for a majority stake in the new group. In 2008, Vivendi Games merged with Activision, using the Blizzard brand in naming the resulting company, Activision Blizzard. SWOT Analysis Strengths Activision Blizzard’s balance sheet was initially considered to be its most valuable strength when the merger between the two companies transpired; however, this was not necessarily the case. The apparent strategy was to rely on Blizzard Entertainment as a cash cow to finance the merger. With Blizzard Entertainment having more than $3. 3 billion in cash and short term investments, and no debt at the time, it had the flexibility to obtain more intellectual property and talent, and thus further help to strengthen the new company. Reeling from a series of legal actions against them, and suffering income losses in both 2008 and 2009, Activision Blizzard has finally begun to turn around their financial status, and is beginning to gain ground relative to their balance sheet. More on this matter will be discussed in the financial section of this paper. The revenue stream should only be getting smoother with the merger of Blizzard and Activision. The combined company is not as dependent as other gaming companies on console upgrade cycles for generating the majority of its revenue and earnings. Blizzard Entertainment’s World of Warcraft, as a subscription service, helps to also keep the revenue stream smoother than normal. With a large and popular range of titles, Activision Blizzard can ask for, and receive more shelf space than competitors at retail outlets that sell their products, such as GameStop and Wal-Mart. Getting the product in front of consumers with favorable shelf placement is just as important in the gaming industry as it is in the grocery industry, and Activision Blizzard uses this strategy to their advantage. Weaknesses Activision Blizzard has had a previous history of difficult relations with developers. The recent firings and defections of product developers from Infinity Ward, producer of the hit release â€Å"Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2† is a primary case in point. Also, legal issues have been a tremendous weakness and liability for the company. Who owns what, and what is agreed upon at times are contentious issues. The ex-Infinity Ward executives claim control of the â€Å"Modern Warfare† brand line. Additionally, the musical group No Doubt sued Activision Blizzard, claiming that their images were being used for any song in â€Å"Band Hero†, contrary to what they said had been agreed to. Opportunities At the past E3 conference for the gaming industry, current Activision-Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick noted that â€Å"There is a $3 billion used game market that we do not participate in. The only true competition within this realm is GameStop, who would potentially suffer losing a large portion of their current market status if Activision Blizzard decided to enter this segment of the market. Activision Blizzard also has strong franchising capabilities. Even in the middle of a recession, gamers are willing to pay for the newest releases and additions related to their games. A winged horse â€Å"pet† for World of Warcraft, priced at $25, was estimated by some reports to be bringing in as much as $2. 5 Million per hour for a period last spring. Activision Blizzard has the capabilities to take advantage of this phenomenon through franchising markets. The mobile gaming medium is wide open; Activision Blizzard successfully released a mobile version of â€Å"Guitar Hero† for Apple’s iPhone. It would appear that scaled-down versions of their most popular games are on the horizon to be produced for smartphones and iPads. With Activision Blizzard’s branding, they have a tremendous repertoire of brands and licenses that can be franchised or published for various markets, including clothing, toys, collectibles, comics and books, and even syndicated movies or cartoons. Threats Mobile gaming is probably their biggest threat, due to small studios being able to reach a multitude of people through inexpensive downloads to smartphones. This will certainly create a more competitive atmosphere in the very near future. Games with long franchise lives can also be a burden on the company. A good case in point would be their â€Å"Guitar Hero† game, which is getting old, with sales beginning to drop and stall. Consumer Affairs cites a â€Å"continued decline in the music genre† as the primary reason given by the company for dropping the game. Activision Blizzard, as a quality control measure, is retiring some of their lesser grossing games to concentrate on more revenue productive and newer versions of such games as â€Å"Call of Duty†, â€Å"World of WarCraft†, and â€Å"Diablo†. SWOT Conclusion When looking at the collective elements contained within the SWOT analysis, it is apparent that Activision Blizzard began their merger rather sluggishly. This could be attributed to differences in corporate cultures or their need to address and resolve pending legal issues as quickly as possible, so that finances are readily available to fund future ventures. Opportunities abound in the realm of on-line gaming, franchising, and partnerships or joint ventures with various companies in a diverse range of markets, and it would be in their better interest to take advantage of these given opportunities in utilizing a differentiation strategy that delivers both tangible and intangible attributes. Blizzard Entertainment has been at the forefront of this type of strategy long before their merger, with such features as Battle. net forums for its customers to chat, exchange ideas and strategies, and submit feedback on given games. Each day hundreds of gamers post new ideas and petitions in Battle. net forums while there are always assigned personnel on Blizzard’s behalf to read and respond to them. By infusing a culture of having gamers as employees, coupled with the feedback it gets from its Battle. net forums, they are capable of using this data in designing or making improvements on their current games in real time as well as future games. They additionally hold several events annually for their gaming customers to interact with and launch new products. BlizzCon (in the United States) and the Blizzard Worldwide Invitational (held in various other countries) are major events that showcase their talent and customer oriented initiatives. With Activision coming on board, they have taken a major step in creating a company that is virtually one with the gaming community on both a consumer level as well as a personal level, which should be a viable recipe for success, regardless of which direction they choose to go. Five Forces Analysis Barriers to Entry †¢There are little to no barriers to entry. Popular games are being developed at a rapid pace throughout the industry. †¢Activision Blizzard posses an advantage, however, with their scale and catalog of games, in addition to third-party developer relationships. †¢Their main advantage relative to this issue lies in their manufacturing and distribution capabilities. Threat of Substitutes †¢There are currently no close substitutes for games such as â€Å"Call of Duty† and â€Å"World of WarCraft†, however, new games always have a potential of becoming popular, depending upon their format, story line, and general audience appeal. Other types of entertainment could also be classified as substitutes, such as music and movie videos, but it is unlikely that they would surpass the popularity of Activision Blizzard’s more popular games. Power of Buyers †¢With on-line distribution capabilities becoming the norm, buyer power is diminishing. †¢Activision Blizzard allows for â€Å"real time† consumer feedback through various forums, which gives them a differential advantage when developing new games due to the uniqueness of the industry. Power of Suppliers †¢Activision Blizzard relies primarily on in-house talent to design and evelop their games. †¢Supplier power is medium, primarily because developers and console game producers need Activision Blizzard as much as it needs them. Rivalry Among Sellers †¢Activi sion Blizzard is the leading MMORPG developer relative to on-line gaming, and they will continue to focus on this platform as a primary revenue stream. †¢They also lead the console gaming market, and have begun a quality control model to ensure a consistent and sustainable competitive advantage through innovation and development of quality products. Gaming is not the only business within the entertainment industry, but it serves a well-proportioned demographic, to say the least. With making a distinction between gaming and entertainment, one can see a more obvious picture developing relative to the merger between the two companies. In joining two major players with hit franchises together, Vevendi is expecting to realize a major coup within the entertainment side of this merger by taking advantage of Activision’s relationships with major motion picture production companies. And with social gaming on the rise with the launch of smart phones, there is another consideration to make within the gaming realm. With the trend towards digital distribution growing, this should continue to drive down costs, which will also open the field to potentially more on-line players. Activision Blizzard faces numerous hurdles when speaking in terms of their competitive advantage in both the gaming and entertainment industries, but to be the dominant player in both industries, one must be resourceful and innovative by nature. This is truly where both companies have dominated in the past by comparison, and will most certainly be the catalyst for a rebound performance in the future, or even a new entry into other markets as well. Key Success Factors †¢Diversified partnerships with licensing or franchising companies †¢Large inventory of product, which in turn gives them a larger portion of retail shelf space †¢New product releases (Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Starcraft, and Diablo) †¢Leader in on-line gaming subscriptions (MMORPG) Corporate culture of gamers throughout company structure, coupled with collective talents of game designers †¢Designs and develops their own gaming platforms †¢Interactive consumer portals for input and feedback on their products (Battle. net, BlizzCon, Blizzard Worldwide Invitational) Financial Analysis Despite Activision Blizzard experiencing a couple of net losses in 2008 and 2009, the company is doing well when compared to its competitors. Its operating margin was 10. 55% in 2010, with a 5 year margin of 9%, versus its average competitor earning 9% in 2010 and average margin of 12% (according to wikiwealth. om). The 2010 net deficit in retained earnings shows that Activision Blizzard has not been profitable over its existence. While cash flow margins have been higher than its competitors at 15% over the past 5 years, versus its competitors 11% average value, there is not a large amount of cash flow for which the company can pay its operating bills, as its working capital was negative both in 2009 (at $423 million) and $1,030 million in 2010, and its liquidity ratios were less than 2. Within operations, the company has begun to manage its inventory and accounts receivable better, as its days of inventory decreased from 30 to 19 days, resulting in a better turnover from 12 in 2009 to 19 in 2010; along with the average collection period going from 63 days in 2009 to 52. 5 days in 2010. Blizzard Entertainment, one of the three segments within the company, earned approximately 35% of its total net revenues, but yielded over 60% of operating income from operations, making it the most profitable segment of the company. Keeping that in mind, it would be beneficial for them to concentrate on increased sales within this given department (on-line subscriptions) to facilitate a greater increase in revenues. As a side note, a lot is riding on Activision Blizzard’s release of their new Call of Duty console game for the holiday season. With last year’s Black Ops having sold a record $360 million in its first day, this new release could make or break their holiday season revenues. If sales do well for this holiday season, the company has the potential to enter the new year having a much greater advantage over their competition, by far. Analysis of Competitive Position Although the merger of Activision Blizzard got off to a slow start, things now appear to be on track for the current year, and their outlook seems to be in a much better financial and competitive positioning than for their three previous years. The ability to generate a sustainable and consistent revenue stream, while also keeping costs down, is one of their greatest strengths, and should continue, considering their rapidly diversifying portfolio of partners and strategic alliances. Given Activision’s partnerships and alliances prior to their merger with companies such as Marvel, Disney Interactive, LucasArts, and Dreamworks; coupled with Blizzard’s partnerships with various vendors in the apparel, toy, and collectible markets, Activision Blizzard has built a strong foundation through their broad differentiation strategy, which affords them a greater advantage of maintaining their number one position within not only the gaming industry, but opens the doors to other venues as well through licensing and franchising opportunities. The company’s diversity is a critical advantage, because it allows them room for expansion and cross-selling opportunities across various platforms or markets. Additionally, Activision Blizzard is beginning to increase their presence in China, partnering with Netease, which is considered to be one of the best eastern on-line gaming companies to date. This opportunity will allow them to distribute their StarCraft, World of WarCraft, and Call of Duty series games to an eagerly-awaiting population within that country. Activision Blizzard’s new release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 this past week resulted in the biggest launch of any console game ever, and is seen as crucial to their strategy of releasing fewer, better quality game titles each year. CEO Bobby Kotick commented that within the first 24 hours of release, 6. 5 million units were sold within North America and the U. K. , for a total of $400 million dollars. He is noted as saying, â€Å"We believe the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is the biggest entertainment launch of all time in any medium, and we achieved this record with sales from only two territories†. This surpassed last month’s release of Electronic Arts’ five million units of Battlefield 3 by 1. 5 million units, which is their closest competitor to date in the console gaming industry. The above noted quality control strategy is just another addition to their value chain activities, in conjunction with the previously mentioned Battle. net and BlizzCon forums, which affords them a real-time advantage when designing and launching games or addressing consumer issues and concerns. By doing so, Activision Blizzard maintains a proficiency in performing their core competencies, and continues to build and evolve their competitive advantage in this area. This is one of the primary reasons that Activision Blizzard has consistently held the top ranking, in addition to their model MMORPG platform that grows in subscriptions monthly. Activision Blizzard’s portfolio of digital and console games usually attracts more hardcore gamers than casual gamers. This is a decisive advantage in an economic downturn particularly, because Activision Blizzard’s sales are not as profoundly affected when there is a decrease in consumer spending. When potential customers have limited disposable income, they need to be assured of the quality of what they are spending their hard-earned dollars on. The Activision Blizzard brand is quite often strong enough to convince a repeat customer of the quality of a new game. Additionally, with upgrades in digital distribution, the ability for companies to offer their products and services in digital form is becoming a necessity. Activision Blizzard is well aware of this occurrence, and has continuously been moving towards this higher-margin business model for quite some time. In fact, they already derive a good portion of their income as a percentage of revenues from this model, which is a great advantage over their competitors. They continue to broaden their subscription model, with an emphasis on direct distribution of its products to consumers. This also reduces income loss through having to pay out royalties to retailers and on-line gaming hosts. Project Beachhead, a new group formed within Activision Blizzard, will be bringing their hit series Call of Duty franchise into a subscription-based service in which consumers will pay Activision Blizzard directly to use a premium content that is included. Activision Blizzard is in a leading position to take advantage of this business model, considering that they have some of the most popular franchises in the world. As a point of reference, World of WarCraft currently has 11. 5 million subscribers paying fifteen dollars a month to play. Add to that the 7 million daily Call of Duty users, and one should be able to derive their true profit-making potential in this forum. Over the past twelve months, Activision Blizzard has generated just under $4. 8 billion in revenue and $800 million in operating profit, for an operating margin of almost 17% (according to Gurufocus. om), but this is actually an understatement of just how much money they are currently generating. Their growth through acquisitions and partnerships is likely to continue well into the future, where they continue to buy key franchises. As part of these acquisitions, they place a value on intangible assets (such as brands) that they purchase. They then expense these intangib les, which have no basis in accounting circles, but most certainly impact their cash flow. After adjusting for these â€Å"non-cash† expenses and other write-offs, Activision Blizzard has actually earned $1. 4 billion in operating profit, for an operating margin just under 30%. Relative to disadvantages, Activision Blizzard stands to lose some market ground due to new â€Å"casual† and social games coming out, such as Angry Birds and Farmville, but it is actually the ease of distribution from tablet devices such as the iPad (digitized games) that could cause their competitive advantage to erode somewhat. This is particularly why they are concentrating on their current business model. Recommendations Activision Blizzard’s marketing strategy is more a model for the industry, as they have partnered extensively, but selectively, with various companies and brands to diversify and expand their exposure and profitability. They have a proven track record with their on-line (MMORPG) gaming capabilities, and generate a large percentage of revenue from such. As a result, they should actively pursue this growing segment of the gaming industry, to which they are already the leading model. They should also continue their broad differentiation strategy relative to partnerships and strategic alliances, as this has proven to be quite successful for them since even before their merger. Our group recommends stepping out of their â€Å"comfort zone†, so to speak, and to begin looking at new ways to expand their brands and licenses. With this in mind, we recommend that they explore what we consider to be a â€Å"natural† transition for their gaming brands in particular, that of producing animated movies and syndicated cartoons. This actually aligns with a comment made by CEO Bobby Kotick not too long ago, in that he noted the potential of there being a StarCraft movie in the near future, which is based on one of their more popular MMORPG games. As of 11 November, their parent company (Vivendi SA) purchased EMI music group for $1. 9 billion dollars. Already owning a 26 percent market share of the music industry with Universal Music Group, Vivendi now owns an additional 9 percent, not to mention the rights to songs by such groups as the Beatles, Beach Boys, Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Coldplay, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. Not only is this considered a coup within the music industry, but it could also play out relative to our recommendation, as it now gives them a solid foundation in choosing a select grouping of soundtracks for movie productions that can be targeted for various demographics ranging in ages from Baby Boomers to Gen X’ers. Our research indicates that to produce a movie, it would take an investment of approximately $200 million in revenue to do so (Negative Cost = Development Cost + Pre-Production Cost + Production Cost + Post-Production Cost). This is generally an accepted estimate of the total production cost, from the planning and development phase, to pre-production, into production or filming, and then to post-production (which includes marketing and advertising). Naturally, this estimate varies, according to several factors such as where the movie is filmed and produced, who stars in it, distribution, etc. Not only does Activision Blizzard maintain such a potential to take on a project such as this, their parent company (Vivendi) as well as several alliances and partnerships would be more than willing to share such a project cost with them, much like their current gaming model. Keeping that in mind, it would be another transition (still) to follow such companies as Pixar, Amblin, LucasFilms, and Dreamworks, which all began as production companies from one or two major film hits. Whether StarCraft would be a box office smash is anybody’s guess, but if it were, the residual revenue alone from merchandising and franchising toys, clothing, and other products sold could potentially offset the initial cost considerably, not to mention the interest it would draw from a new generation of gamers. In developing their own production company, Activision Blizzard is ensuring that their brands stay marketable well into their more mature phases, while also maintaining control of production costs and opening the door once again for profitable partnerships in future endeavors within one more market niche of the entertainment industry. References Blizzard Entertainment Inc (2010) http://blizzard. com/us/inblizz/profile. html Cavelli, Earnest (December 23, 2008). â€Å"World of Warcraft Hits 11. 5 Million Users† http://www. ired. com/gamelife/2008/12/world-of-warc-1 Coleman, Freddie (2010). Why Blizzard is a Renowned Game Developer. http://ezinarticles. com/? Why-Blizzard-is-a-Renowned-Game-Developer&id=3584114 Consumer Affairs (2 Feb 2011) The Tour is Over for â€Å"Guitar Hero† Fans. www. consumeraffairs. com/news04/2011/02/the-tour-is-over-for-guitat-hero-fans. html Morris, Chris (2008). â€Å"Blizzards Perfect Storm† http://www. forbes. com/2008/06/30/videogame s-blizzard-morris-tech-personal-cx Moser, Jason (2011). Activision Blizzard’s Edge May Be Smaller Than You Think† http://www. fool. com/investing/general/2011/01/31/activision-blizzards-edge-may-be-smaller-than-you-. aspx The Motley Fool- Activision Blizzard: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats http://www. fool. com/investing/general/2010/06/15/activision-blizzard-strengths-weaknesses-opportuni. aspx The Cost of Making a Hollywood Movie (2010) www. anomalousmaterial. com/movies/2010/03/the-cost-of-making-a-movie Vivendi Will Buy EMI Recorded Music Unit for $1. Billion (Bloomberg Businessweek 11 November 2011) http://news. businessweek. com/article. asp Magic Formula Stock of the Week: Activision Blizzard (10 October 2011) http://www. gurufocus. com Universal’s $1. 9 B EMI Deal: In a Digital World, Market Share Counts for Less (Reuters. com 13 November 2011) http://www. reuters. com â€Å"Call of Duty’ Sales Hit $400 Million (The Wall Street Jour nal- Jarzemsky and Rubin, 12 November 2011) http://online. wsj. com

Human Resources - Labor Laws and Unions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human Resources - Labor Laws and Unions - Essay Example It is vital to note that the company has its operations in more than 150 countries with 30 of the same as production bases. GM Company produces such vehicles as Cadillac, Chevrolet, Vauxhall, Opel, Holden and GMC (Cooke, 2003). It is vital to note that GM Company benefitted from chapter 11 Reorganization of 2009. This was a response by shareholders, in Asia and Europe, since they could not access their assets. The reorganization was possible through IPO shares. The government reduced its stake to 26 percent of the same. GM Company falls under the UAW union. This is a union that possesses the mandate of protecting workers from Puerto Rico and the USA. These workers are occupied in notable industries such as automobiles, health and educational sectors. Protecting civil rights and anti-communist movements has a long history. There are notable legal issues that this company may face in different scenarios. In this case, the company might face problems during bankruptcy. This may concern a court action by retired employees to demand payments. The belief in progress of such companies places the same in vulnerable financial situation of not paying their retired employees. In close relation to the same, the company faces legal issues in the case of laying off employees. In such cases, employees might demand reinstatement or better package for retrenchment. It is vital to note that the GM Company faces the legal obligation of awarding a pension plan to each of its employees. This depends on profits as the company progresses. In addition, GM Company faces legal challenges of paying health care obligation to each worker per every vehicle it produces. This does not allow for expansion of profits since the pay rises with sales. In case of breach, this law would break the federal law of PPACA that requires health care obligation to each individual. Avoidance of litigation pertains to having a well

Is there a best age to begin kindergarten Research Paper

Is there a best age to begin kindergarten - Research Paper Example Every child is brilliant and intelligent. That is a fact. There is no doubt that he will perform well in school. Nevertheless, the real concern is not related as to whether the child has the talent or not but is related to the child's emotional and social preparedness. Basically, these things affect or manipulate each other. Some of the most common child modifications are contingent to the teacher’s manner of teaching and some other factors that influence how a child may perform in the classroom - factors like the attitude and the personality of the teacher as well as the method in which the class is being managed. If the child is more inclined to social interactions and on his personal volition would be willing to submit to the instructions of his or her teacher, then he may easily conform and adapt to this new test by the age of five. [Student’s Last Name] 2 Psychologists, sociologists, researchers and policy makers have poured in an overwhelming effort in order to de termine whether there is a best age for children to start school. In the United States alone, the usual age of kindergarten children is around five years old and obligatory attendance age plays between the ages of five and eight years old. Many policymakers in the United States expressed their dissenting opinions regarding the acceptable age for school admission and many schools based their decisions on the child’s birthdate. ... Due to the intricacy and the difficulty of the educational system that we have today, most of us, especially educational institutions for pre-schoolers place a strong substantial significance on the child’s competence in reading and mathematical sciences. Is the determination of the ideal age to begin kindergarten important? Does it really matter? The significance of early and repeated standardized tests for young children in order for them to meet the academic challenges in school is being accentuated and supported by education reforms and more so by The No Child Left Behind Act of 2002. While this was ratified in order to ensure the academic success in high school as well as in college, the testing begins early in order to guarantee that the children are headed in the right direction when it comes to â€Å"grade-level requirements†. A comparatively easy approach to enhance the performance in earlier years of education is to increment the average age of children enroll ing for kindergarten classes. Accordingly, this can be done by setting a â€Å"cut-off date† for kindergarten admission or by [Student’s Last Name] 3 advising parents to delay kindergarten admission for an additional one year (1 year). Mostly, school administrators and pre-school teachers are positive that the more mature the child is once he is admitted in kindergarten classes, the more potential there is for academic success. A lot of parents have faith in the idea of delaying the kindergarten entry of their children because they concede that it will contribute to their children’s edge in terms of academic performance. This is what they call as â€Å"redshirting†. In most cases, children who were admitted to kindergarten classes develop boredom and disinterest in school activities than those

REDUCING HIV RISK AMONG YOUNG MINORITY WOMEN & A HEALTH CARE TEAM Research Paper

REDUCING HIV RISK AMONG YOUNG MINORITY WOMEN & A HEALTH CARE TEAM HELPS REDUCE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AMONG INNER-CITY BLACK MEN - Research Paper Example Dr. Martha developed a program that provided free health facilities to black men diagnosed with High Blood Pressure in the inner-city. In his analysis, a group of 300 black men recruited for the experiment indicated that one out of five had accomplished adequate blood pressure control. Human immune deficiency virus is another deadly disease that can be controlled through a change in attitude. The virus is spread through heterosexual activity. The theory to the control of a spread in the virus is, ‘The key to defeating HIV lies with protection’ (Jemmott 1998). The black youth women are the most targeted group as they are prone to the contraction of HIV activities due to their activities and interaction among each other. Education has been identified as a method to prove this theory. This is because it fosters awareness by implicating the dangers of negligence towards the use of protection as the key to defeating HIV spread and its resultant effects (Kendall 2012). Dr. Loretta Sweet Jemmott has carried out an experiment on the theory by developing an educational intervention that delivers eight modules on safe sex practices and abstinence to inner-city black middle school student (Jemmott 1998). The program was successful as it helped in the reduction o f risky sexual behaviour. As a result sexual education was introduced in the education curriculum of the United States of America as well as internationally. The conceptual basis of the two cases of study is to present the logical argument that prevention is better than cure thus there is need to control the spread and effect of various dangerous diseases in order to enhance health practices and population growth of Africa Americans in the United States. Jemmott L, S. (1998). Journal of the American Media Association: Abstinence and safe sex HIV risk-reduction intervention for African American Adolescents: A random controlled trial. New York. National Institution of Public

Hardware Infrastructure in Any Big Business or Federal Organization Research Paper

Hardware Infrastructure in Any Big Business or Federal Organization - Research Paper Example Project Objective: The project’s objective involves the identification of several needs and difficulties encountered during the process of managing information and Technology infrastructure basing on several factors. This involves the scope of the project together with the assigned deliverables. Factors to consider include technology comparison, financial budgeting, inventory assessment, and associated costs. Deliverables: 1. Determine efficiency of an organization’s resources 2. Determination of the reliability of an organization’s current assists 3. Determine the cost of infrastructure upgrade Milestones: The completion of the project has to take place before 2016. According to Chambers (2015), the instantaneous events associated with the IT project include; 1. Permits Approved- 20th October 2015 2. Assets inventory Taking – 20th October 2015 3. Determination of costs involved in supporting and maintaining hardware – 20th November 2015 4. Evaluation of probably available technology – 30th November 2015 5. Making of the financial budget – 5th December 2015 6. Final Inspection – 30th December 2015 Technical Requirements: The project considers many technical issues so as t successfully attain the desired objectives. The technical aspects touch on the availability, reliability, and the performance of the project (Ambler, 2004). 1. Determine the challenges of changing old/Obsolete Information Technology hardware infrastructure 2. Renew the IT infrastructure with an organizations budget

Article synopsis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Article synopsis - Essay Example One among the most important concern is the way in which the characters are depicted in the video games. The next concern is the relationship and communication between a male character and female character. This changes the mind of the people and it creates a belief that sexism is common. Another major concern is the appearance of female characters in the video games. (Dill & Kathryn, 2007). Though it is an animated picture, the way in which a female character is depicted and gender depiction does not have any reservation. These are the major concerns of the author. The authors have explored the appearance of both the male and female characters. They have also explained how magazines and other forms of media represent these games and the concept of gaming. The content of such video games leave behind a negative effect on the people’s mind, but hardly any magazine or media realizes it. The central concepts of their study are to explore how gender communication and gender portrayal plays a major role in defining the characters. The authors have defined these concepts with the help of surveys and researches which indicate the young people’s perception of video games. The authors conclude that female characters in such games are often underrepresented and male characters are shown to be more aggressive. This article describes the way in which video games influences the people, mostly kids and young adults. I would say that the authors have come up with a realistic representation and they have clearly explained how a women and men are differentiated and represented in these video games. When considering the author’s concern of how a woman is depicted in these games, it is acceptable that women are often represented as sexual characters. (Dill & Kathryn, 2007). The way in which they are characterized seems to be stereotypical and they are none of these games provide a remarkable knowledge. I would definitely say that magazines and media have also

Funding application for homeless people Coursework

Funding application for homeless people - Coursework Example Not having a permanent roof over their heads, which is a fundamental right of all citizens, goes hand in hand with other problems associated with lack of proper food and clothing. This then causes detrimental effects on their health. And, they are further disadvantaged by not having access to any guidance or information to improve their condition. Compared to other youth who live in families in houses, they are at a disadvantage by not being able to educate themselves for immediate as well as long term benefits and future prospects. It is a deep rut of despair and a vicious cycle of no hope to be in such circumstances. One only needs to look at those who do have homes to live in to see how much of a disadvantage these homeless youth have, not being able to leave normal lives like the rest of us. The health problems that inevitably afflict homeless people cannot be understated. "Homeless people are more likely to suffer injuries and medical problems from their lifestyle on the street, which includes poor nutrition, substance abuse, exposure to the severe elements of weather, and a higher exposure to violence." (http://www.ipedia.net/information/homeless) The youth and children are particularly vulnerable groups of people in this regard. Our projects aims to cater to these disadvantaged people by providing them with what they desperately need; to feed and clothe them; to protect them from the weather, getting involved in wrong types of activities; to protect them from being taken advantage of by criminals, gangs, drug traffickers, organ snatchers, pedophiles, prostitutes etc. Instead we will provide them with decent sheltering facilities, and provision of food to stave off hunger. And, we will help resolve their personal problems through the provision of counseling and information services, then relocate them to a safe permanent abode

BHS 420 Quantitative Reasoning (Module 5-SLP) Essay

BHS 420 Quantitative Reasoning (Module 5-SLP) - Essay Example Introducing imagery has novel implications for bipolar treatment innovation - an area where CBT improvements are much-needed. Santosa, C.M., Strong, C.M, Nowakowska, C., Wang, P.W., Rennicke, C.M., & Ketter, T.A. (2007). Enhanced creativity in bipolar disorder patients: A controlled study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 100, (1-3), pp. 31-39. Research Procedure: Direct study of 49 BP, 25 MDD, 32 CC, and 47 HC (all euthymic) completed four creativity measures yielding six parameters: the Barron-Welsh Art Scale (BWAS-Total, and two subscales, BWAS-Dislike and BWAS-Like), the Adjective Check List Creative Personality Scale (ACL-CPS), and the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking--Figural (TTCT-F) and Verbal (TTCT-V) versions. Mean scores on these instruments were compared across groups. Where and How Sample Obtained: Researchers assessed non-eminent creativity in euthymic bipolar (BP) and unipolar major depressive disorder (MDD) patients, creative discipline controls (CC), and healthy controls (HC). Description of Results: Researchers found BP and CC (but not MDD) had similarly enhanced creativity on the BWAS-Total (driven by an increase on the BWAS-Dislike) compared to HC. Further studies are needed to determine the mechanisms of enhanced creativity and how it relates to clinical (e.g. temperament, mood, and medication status) and preclinical (e.g. visual and affective processing substrates) parameters. Research Procedure: Researchers compared creativity in bipolar parents and their offspring with BD and bipolar offspring with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with healthy control adults and their children, using 40 adults with BD, 20 bipolar offspring with BD, 20 bipolar offspring with ADHD, and 18 healthy control parents and their healthy control children who completed the Barron-Welsh Art Scale (BWAS), an objective measure of creativity. Description of Results: The results of this study support an

Brontie’ Swanston Essay Example for Free

Brontie’ Swanston Essay Sometimes early intervention for struggling learners is ideal. Most learning problems can be prevented if students are in positive school and classroom contexts that accommodate individual differences (Madden, 1991). However, even in the most positive environments, some students still experience difficulties. For these students, early intervention strategies must be implemented as soon as learning problems are noted. Early intervention means that â€Å"supplementary instructional services are provided early in students’ schooling, and that they are intense enough to bring at-risk students quickly to a level at which they can profit from high-quality classroom instruction† (Madden Wasik, 1991). The intent of early intervention is to create general education support systems for struggling learners as a way to improve academic performance and to reduce inappropriate special education referrals (Madden, 1991). Examples of early intervention include clinical teaching, peer and expert consultation, teacher assistance teams, and alternative programs such as those that offer tutorial or remedial instruction in the context of general education. A critical concept for ELL students is comprehensible input. This concept expresses that in order to acquire a second language the learner must understand what is said to him. Learners should receive input that is appropriate to their age and language level. This language should be just beyond the learner’s current proficiency but easy enough for them to understand. Teachers need to develop background knowledge, deliver content that is contextualized, and use gestures, pictures and real objects to make input comprehensible (Saunders, Goldberg, 1991). When newcomers are assigned to a mainstream classroom and spend most of their day in this environment it is especially critical for them to receive comprehensible input from their teachers and classmates (Saunders, Goldberg, 1991). In other words, if the teacher prefers lectures, it leaves the English language learner will not be receiving this input. All teachers are aware of the need to â€Å"explicitly link past learning and new concepts† but some teachers fail to consider students’ backgrounds and experiences when planning lessons (Saunders, Goldberg, 1991). One way to avoid making unwarranted assumptions about our students’ past learning, background or experiences is to create a common classroom experience as the basis for instruction (Saunders, Goldberg, 1991). Another strategy is to help students make conscious links between their experiences and the text as described in the sample lesson below. Two good concepts to implement would be literature logs and instructional conversations. Before and after reading, students respond to prompts that help them link their experiences to those of the main character or main theme (Saunders, Goldberg, 1991). The instructional conversations that follow these prompts provide oral language practice for Ell’s, and help deepen students’ conceptual frameworks for comprehension (Saunders, Goldberg, 1991). Researchers found that using either the literature log or the instructional conversation increased comprehension for Ell’s but using both produced deeper understanding (Saunders, Goldberg, 1991). Teachers should apply the following steps to be successful in previous two concepts: Step 1 Create pre-reading and post- reading questions or prompts Pre-reading question or prompt: a generic probe about students’ experiences that might be similar to those of the main character/s. Step 2 Briefly review the story again building on student responses in a think-aloud format. Review the procedure for tracking story events and noting when these events are similar to or different from experiences discussed by the class. Examples: two-column notes, post its, adapted story sequence chart Students read or listen to the text: pairs, small groups, tape, and buddy reading Step 3 Present the second literature log question or prompt; model a response. Allow time for students to write about or discuss the prompt. Facilitate the second instructional conversation in which students discuss similarities and differences between and among their experiences and those of the characters. Variations: use picture books with limited text for non-readers or beginning Ell’s of any age. Allow students to respond in their first language. Older or more proficient students can respond to prompts that focus on the setting instead of, or in addition to, events, characters and theme or compare experiences across texts. (Saunders, Goldberg, 1991) It is also vitally important to emphasize key vocabulary. Lack adequate vocabulary is one barrier to reading for Ell’s. Research on vocabulary acquisition indicates that a successful vocabulary development program should have a least the following five components: 1) Intentional word selection (words that represent new concepts, are important outside of the specific activity, or cross content areas) 2) Direct instruction in word meaning and in strategies used to learn new words 3) Modeling of strategies and processes for learning new words 4) Multiple exposures to new words and opportunities to use new words (wide reading, intentional word-focused activities, and ongoing review) 5) A system to help students track new vocabulary (Beck, McKeon, 2002) Here is a five-step vocabulary activity to implement with your ELL students: 1) Teacher provides a definition (tell, read, demonstrate) 2) Teacher creates a non-linguistic representation of the word while engaging in a â€Å"think aloud† that helps students identify key components of the visual and their relationship to the new word 3) Students write or say their own definition of the word 4) Students create their own linguistic representation of the word 5) Return to visual to add or revise elements as students deepen their understanding of the concept Adapted from Marzano, Pickering, 2001 It is important that the teacher shares a knowledge base relative to the education of students learning English (Thomas, Collier, 1997). Efficient teachers should be familiar with second language acquisition, the relationship of native language proficiency to the development of English, socio-cultural influences on learning, effective first and second language instruction, informal assessment strategies that can be used to monitor progress (particularly in language and literacy development), and effective strategies for working with culturally and linguistically diverse families and communities (Thomas, Collier, 1997). It is also imperative that there is recognition of the students’ native language. Language programs must have support of principals, teachers, parents, and the community (Thomas Collier, 1997). School staff should understand that native language instruction provides the foundation for achieving high levels of English proficiency (Cummins, 1994). For regular education teachers and ESL/bilingual teachers, when it comes to language development, there should be a share responsibility. There also must be collaborative school-community relationships. Parents of students learning English must be viewed as capable advocates for their children and as valuable resources in school improvement efforts (Cummins, 1994). By being involved with families and communities of English learners, educators come to understand the social, linguistic, and cultural contexts in which the children are being raised (Ortiz, 1997). Thus, educators learn to respect cultural differences in child-rearing practices and in how parents choose to be involved in their children’s education (Garcia Dominguez, 1997). It is vital to implement academically rich programs for ELL students. Students learning English must have opportunities to learn advanced skills in comprehension, reasoning, and composition and have access to curricula and instruction that integrate basic skill development with higher order thinking and problem solving (Ortiz, Wilkinson, 1991). Students must have access to high-quality instruction designed to help them meet high expectations (Cummins, 1994). Teachers should employ strategies known to be effective with English learners, such as: 1) Drawing on their prior knowledge 2) Providing opportunities to review previously learned concepts and teaching them to employ those concepts 3) Organizing themes or strands that connect the curriculum across subject areas 4) Providing individual guidance, assistance, and support to fill gaps in background knowledge Although it is evident that students fail in school for a variety of reasons, in some cases, their academic difficulties can be directly attributed to deficiencies in the teaching a learning environment. These difficulties may become more serious over time if instruction is not modified to address the students’ specific needs. Unless these students’ specific needs. Unless the deficit in learning is caught early and the appropriate intervention is accessed, they will continue to struggle, and the gap between their achievement and that of their peers will widen over time. References Cummins (1994). Knowledge, power, and identity in teaching English as a second language. â€Å"Educating second language children: The whole child, the whole curriculum, the whole community† Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. Garcia, S. B. , Dominguez, L. (1997). Cultural contexts that influence learning and academic performance. In Silver, L. B. , â€Å"Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinic Of North America: Academic Difficulties†. Philadelphia: Saunders Co. Madden, N. A. , Slavin, R. E. , Wasik, B. A. (1991). Success for all, â€Å"Phi Delta Kappan. † Thomas, W, P. , Collier, V. (1997). School effectiveness for language language miniority students (Resource Collection Series No. 9). Washington: National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education. Beck, I. , McKeon, M. Kucan, L. (2002) Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction. Guilford Press. Ortiz, A. A. Wilkinson, C. Y. (1991). Assessment and intervention model for the bilingual exceptional student. â€Å"Teacher Education and Special Education, 14 Saunders, W. and Goldenberg, C. (1999) The Effects of Instructional Conversations and Literature Logs on the Story Comprehension and Thematic Understanding of English Proficient and Limited English Proficient Students. http://www. cal. org/crede/pubs/research/RR6. pdf Marzano, R. , Pickering, D. J. , Pollock, J. E. (2001) Classroom Instruction that Works. Alexandria, VA: MCREL, ASCD.

Four Fundamental Freedoms Of The Eu Economics Essay

Four Fundamental Freedoms Of The Eu Economics Essay The establishment of a Single Market is a key stage in the integration process of the European Community. The basis of the Single Market is the common market, which is the aim of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community (1957). It should be achieved through eliminating the barriers for the trade among the countries (duties and quotes); establishment of Customs Union; removing the barriers to the free movement of goods, services, capital and persons; sustaining of a system guaranteeing the conditions for free competition and applying a common trade policy (in their relations with third countries) Very good . The process of creation of a common market according to the contract is defined for the period of 12 years, planned as a sequence of 3 stages, which consist of 4 years each source ?. The Single Market is based on the four fundamental freedoms of the EU: Free Movement of Goods it requires establishment of Customs Union, including removing the duties among the EU states, adoption of a common customs tariff in their relations with third countries and removing quantitative restrictions between Member States (quotes). In the beginning the duties are fixed (it is prohibited to increase them) and it is planned to remove them step by step by 1970. The decrease by the end of first stage should be 25%, by the end of the second stage 50%. During the transition period the quantitative restrictions should be removed. Source ? Special attention is given to the agricultural products due to their high sensitivity. The Treaty provides that the regulations of the common market are also valid for these products. However, a common agricultural policy is applied for the development of the sector. good The Free Movement of Persons After the end of the transition period the Treaty provides the EU citizens to have the right to accept job proposals, to move freely on the territory of the EU and in this connection to stay and live on the territory of another Member State in order to work in conformity with the national legislation. The residential right is of crucial importance and it is related to the opportunity of EU citizens to found and manage own enterprises in other Member States under the conditions of the local citizens. yes A common transport policy is applied in order to achieve the free movement of persons and goods. This will guarantee common regulations and administrative procedures that will make easier the transport connections between the Member States. The Free Movement of Services During the transition period the Member States should remove the obstacles for offering services in the industrial or trade sector, craft industry, as well as the free professions. More precisely, by the end of first stage the existing obstacles should be identified and a plan for removing restrictions should be accepted. For each service category this plan should define concrete steps for liberalization. Sources? The Free Movement of Capital It is related to the removal of all obstacles to payments and transfers of capital by residents of a Member State during the transitional period. yes However, the achievement of the aims of the Single Market is very difficult. Despite the removal of tariff restrictions on trade (duties and quotas), the experience shows that in some cases, markets are completely closed or partially limiting freedom of movement. This is the main cause for some important cases in the Court of Justice (now the European Court of Justice), related to the restriction of the free movement of goods. The case under the name of The Cassis de Dijon became significant example (Atkinson and Oleson, 1994: 984).very well. It is raised by Rewe Zentral AG against the Federal Office of West Germany in the monopoly of alcohol drinks that refuse the import of French liqueur, since it does not fit into any existing categories of alcohol used in the country and hence the inability to have an appropriate excise. The decision of the Court (case court à Ã‚ ¡-120/78) is that the refusal to license is a measure having equivalent effect to quantitative restrictions. Very we ll ! The case sets a precedent for the principle of mutual recognition of the conditions for access to the internal market of the Member States. Good ! There are other obstacles to the single market, such as problems with taxes and charges having equivalent effect to customs duties. The free movement of workers is also difficult. For example, the Kingdom of Belgium was forced to reconsider the requirement to have Belgian citizenship in order to occupy certain positions (C-149/79). Yes ! good example The integration process in the second half of the 70s and mid 80s of the 20th century is generally smooth. The main problems for the functioning of the Single Market are non-tariff in nature, stemming from differences in national legislation (Atkinson and Oleson, 1994: 984). In 1985 the Commission provided the EU Council with the White Paper Completing the Internal Market. The document recommends the elimination of physical barriers (border control at internal borders); the removal of technical barriers (requiring substantial harmonization, including industry standards, document exchange), as well as removal of fiscal barriers (taxes and government fees, which have the effect of duty, indirect taxes in particular VAT). All this requires considerable coordination and implementation of common policies in the field of police cooperation (due to the increased risk and free movement of criminals, terrorists, etc.); introduction of common rules regarding state aid and competition, public p rocurement and more. Very well ! The report sets a new stage of enhanced removal of technical, legal and other obstacles. A number of directives and regulations have been adopted; the most important one is the signing and entry into force of the Treaty on European Union (1992) and practical creation of Single Market. The process continues after that and becomes the basis for the eastward enlargement after putting behind the fear of socialism. Good ! According to the Eur-Lex current regulations in the field of Internal market regarding harmonization of legislation are 1053, and in the field of Internal market: policy related to enterprises 48. Source? Despite these achievements, nowadays the Single Market continues to face some obstacles and problems (non tariff barriers), that are intensified in the conditions of a crisis. A new strategy for the Single Market (Monti, 2010) is published in 2010 in order to overcome the new challenges (especially the growing nationalism and weak political activity for improving the Single Market in terms of continuing crisis) in 2010 published report A new strategy for the Single Market (Monti, 2010). The report concludes that in many areas the Single Market is not yet sufficiently developed. Yes ! It remains fragmented which hampers the innovations and suppresses the growth potential of the European economy. Free movement of persons, goods, services and capital is not always smooth yes !, which is often a result of administrative barriers and weak enforcement of EU regulations. Among the main recommendations is the building of a stronger Single Market (including through the development of digital Single Market and providing green growth). This requires the achievement of political consensus and continuing efforts to deepen integration and improvement of the Single Market. Existing barriers can be summarized for each of the four freedoms. Movement of goods is hampered by problems such as licensing regimes (lack of a European patent), counterfeiting and piracy good ; national fiscal policies (in particular VAT) etc. The Free Movement of Services faces more important barriers, including lack of standardization (reflecting on the difficulty to assess their quality and effectiveness), insufficient transparency in some sectors (e.g. banks in relation to taxes and commissions) etc. good Free movement of persons is hampered by barriers to the recognition of professional qualifications, the availability of physical control of borders (airports, delaying the accession of Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen area) etc yes . Free movement of capital is hindered mainly by fiscal and other barriers (an important issue is offshore zones, allowing evasion of tax systems Eden and Kudrle, 2005) yes. The efforts of the Commission to overcome the problems continue. Commission makes 50 proposals in its Single Market Act (COM/2010/0608), which after public consultation have been reduced to 12 instruments (COM/2011/0206). Whether their practical implementation will lead to real development in the Single Market depends to a high extent on the desire for political cooperation and practical efforts towards change. Very good ! References Atkinson, G. and Oleson, T. (1994) Europe 1992: From Customs Union to Economic Community. Journal of Economic Issues, 28(4), pp. 977-995 Treaty establishing the European Economic Community (1957). [Online]. Available at: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/treaties/index.htm#founding [Accessed 9 July 2012] à Ã‚ ¡-120/78, Judgment of the Court of 20 February 1979. Quantative restrictions measures having equivalent effect [Online]. Available at: http://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2009-05/tra-doc-bg-arret-c-0120-1978-200802154-05_02.pdf [Accessed 10 July 2012] C-149/79, Judgment of the Court of 17 December 1980. Commission of the European Communities v Kingdom of Belgium. Free movement of workers.  [Online]. Available at: http://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2009-05/tra-doc-bg-arret-c-0149-1979-200802156-05_00.pdf [Accessed 11 July 2012] Commission Of The European Communities, Completing the Internal Market. White Paper from the Commission to the European Council (Milan, 28-29 June 1985), COM(85) 310 final, Brussels, 14 June 1985. [Online]. Available at: http://europa.eu/documents/comm/white_papers/pdf/com1985_0310_f_en.pdf [Accessed 11 July 2012] Treaty on European Union, Official Journal C 191, 29 July 1992. [Online]. Available at: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/treaties/dat/11992M/htm/11992M.html [Accessed 11 July 2012] Eur-Lex, 13 Industrial policy and internal market. [Online]. Available at: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/bg/legis/latest/chap13.htm [Accessed 11 July 2012] Monti, Mario (2010) A new strategy for the Single Market. At the service of Europes economy and society. Report to the President of the European Commission Josà © Manuel Barroso. [Online]. Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/strategy/docs/monti_report_final_10_05_2010_en.pdf [Accessed 11 July 2012] Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, Single Market Act Twelve levers to boost growth and strengthen confidence Working together to create new growth, COM/2011/0206 final. [Online]. Available at: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2011:0206:FIN:EN:HTML [Accessed 11 July 2012] Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. Towards a Single Market Act For a highly competitive social market economy 50 proposals for improving our work, business and exchanges with one another, COM/2010/0608. [Online]. Available at: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:52010DC0608:EN:NOT [Accessed 11 July 2012] Eden, Lorraine; Kudrle, Robert T., Tax Havens: Renegade States in the International Tax Regime? Law Policy, Jan2005, Vol. 27 Issue 1, p100-127 2) Corporate social responsibility (CSR) The interest of the public attention to CSR should be viewed in the context of contemporary culture and in particular global interest in the protection of human rights and freedoms and the understanding of responsibility in various aspects. Yes . The promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the Universal Declarations of Human Rights (1948) (no doubt influenced by Christian ethics) is the result of realizing the value of human life and equality of persons before the law. The constitutional rights and freedoms of citizens in developed societies is the basis for developing various initiatives for their actual implementation in society. Therefore, serious violations of these rights are a factor which attracts attention to CSR. Very well. Some violations of multinational corporations (MNC) are: Injuring local community in the process of exploitation of natural resources. An important example is the activities of Shell in Nigeria. During the military regime the government did not return any or very little of the oil revenue to the local population. In this reason Ogoni people started a political fight to defend their rights. The attention of the international community is drawn to the problem after the execution of representatives of the Movement for Ogoni Rights (Holzer, 2007). Good example exploitation of workers, including children. This category includes issues such as disregard for labour rights, long working hours, rest in work time, working under hazardous conditions without protective equipment etc. In many cases this is caused by imperfect legislation or lack of it in developing countries, but also it depends on cultural differences. For example, there is considerable opposition to introduce a ban on children working in the footwear sector in Brazil (Zwolinski, 2007). Good example Another factor directing public attention to CSR is associated with the use of environmentally harmful practices. In the late 70s some MNC (especially in oil and automobile industries) are accused of serious pollution of air, ocean, soils (Eells, 1975). The activities of Shell in Nigeria have significant environmental damage to areas in the delta of the River of Niger (Holzer, 2007). The ocean oil spills also caused a significant damage to nature. Among the worst spills in the history are those in the Gulf of Mexico after the explosion on the platform Deepwater Horizon (about 4.4 million barrels Griggs, 2011) and spills from tanker Exxon Valdez (240 thousands barrels poured into the Gulf of Alaska in 1989 Bowen and Power, 1993). yes Unchanging principle of the responsibility is that the one caused some damage is obliged to restore it or compensate proportionately it. This is one of the fundamental principles underlying the CSR. Moreover, in todays world not correction (after the damage) is increasingly important but to make efforts to prevent and reduce the negative practices good point. This promotes the use of CSR as a good practice. In opposition to the socio-economic approach of CSR is the purely economic approach to business. The most outspoken supporter of the economic approach is the monetarist Milton Friedman (1970). He sees business as an activity whose main task is to maximize wealth of shareholders. In the free-enterprise system business can not have any purpose other than profit which implies reducing unnecessary costs including those for CSR. Yes indeed. In this sense, the implementation of extraneous social work is a kind of tax on company activity which reduces economic efficiency and competitiven ess. Moreover, according to Friedman (1970) the imposition of public opinion to corporations for providing CSR violates the foundations of liberal society (democracy) which values are replaced à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹by values of socialism. An additional argument of Friedman (1970) is that the company itself is an artificial product of man, it cannot be liable only people can have responsibilities. Yes ! Another theory in opposition to the CSR concept is the theory of Henderson (2009) who considers the continued spread of CSR in practice as a threat. According to Henderson (2009:11) The doctrine rests on mistaken presumptions about recent economic developments and their implications for the role and conduct of enterprises, while putting it into effect would make the world poorer and more over-regulated. According to Henderson (2009) the true role of business consists of four propositions. First of all, the economic progress is driven by innovative activities related to profit. Secondly, the competition should be the only tool that contributes to development and thus improve welfare. Thirdly, the role of business units should be the engine of progress through private ownership and profit-directed activity (capitalism). Fourthly, in market economy conditions and intense competition, companies make their profits by attracting customers with various offers in an innovative way. Interesti ng point ! Very good answer ! References Bowen, Michael G. and Power, F. Clark (1993) The moral manager: communicative ethics and the exxon valdez disaster. Business Ethics Quarterly. 3 (2), p.97-115 Eells, Richard (1975) Multinational corporations under fire. Management Review, 64 (2), p.43-45 Friedman, Milton (1970) The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits. The New York Times Magazine, September 13. [Online]. Available at: http://www.colorado.edu/studentgroups/libertarians/issues/friedman-soc-resp-business.html [Accessed 12 July 2012] Griggs, John Wyeth (2011) BP Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill. Energy Law Journal, 32 (1), p.57-79 Henderson, David (2009) Misguided corporate virtue: the case against csr, and the true role of business today. Economic Affairs. 29 (4), p.11-15. Holzer, Boris (2007) Framing the Corporation: Royal Dutch/Shell and Human Rights Woes in Nigeria. Journal of Consumer Policy, 30 (3), p.281-301. International Bill of Human Rights. A Universal Declarations of Human Rights, 1948. [Online]. Available at: http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/RESOLUTION/GEN/NR0/043/88/IMG/NR004388.pdf?OpenElement [Accessed 12 July 2012] Welles, John C. (1973) Multinationals Need New Environmental Strategies. Columbia Journal of World Business. 8 (2), p11-18 Zwolinski, Matt (2007) Sweatshops, choice, and exploitation. Business Ethics Quarterly. 17 (4), p.689-727. 3) Internationalization of the business The company has the opportunity to expand its operations by penetration of the foreign market. Several reasons support the decision to internationalize company operations. The first factor is the successful business development in the local market (Thai and Chong, 2011). The internationalization of business is facilitated by resources, ensuring local competitiveness, such as knowledge and experience in manufacturing and marketing (to know the characteristics of demand and market segmentation which can be successfully applied in other markets particularly when demand has a similar characteristics), known brands, ability to learn and utilization of knowledge and others (Wright et al, 2007). good Another internal factor facilitating internationalization is the availability of adequate human resources, including international experience of managers and entrepreneurs, managerial competence (international business skills and management know-how) (Ruzzier et al, 2007), leadership skills, etc. The interpersonal business skills include cognitive capabilities and personal aptitudes, cross-cultural competence and communication skills, knowledge integration and applications, disciplinary knowledgebase and methodologies (Mughan and Kyvik, 2010). good Other factors that influence decision for international expansion are the expectations for growth and other positive effects of the internationalization of business. The company should have adequate organizational capability securing growth in order to achieve these benefits (Thai and Chong, 2011). Some of the positive effects of internationalization are increased volume, revenue and profits. In addition, the company can expect so-called learning by exporting effect (Sicoli, 2012). As a result of the internationalization of business companies could improve knowledge which leads to increased productivity (including effects due to economies of scale). Very good ! Some external factors also influence the internationalization of corporate activities such as processes of globalization and integration, liberalization of international trade and removing trade barriers (Sicoli, 2012). Other factor is price differences of manufactured products between domestic emerging market and developed foreign markets (due to existing cost differences) (Vasilchenko and Morrish, 2011). yes There are few possible strategies for entering the foreign market. The strategy of direct export has the lowest risk and lower costs but it gives a more limited ability to control business activity yes !(Wright et al, 2007). Exports of foreign market are achieved through a sales network agents, distributors, retailers which are generally independent business units. The relationships in the network are based on contractual agreements (Philippe and Là ©o, 2011) yes !. Strategic alliances with suppliers or customers (even though it carries risks such as choosing the wrong partner or excessive dependent on them) allow the realization of cost benefits and service benefits, including taking advantage of technological advance or prior knowledge (Vanpoucke and Vereecke, 2010) yes !. The creation of a joint venture is characterized by high risk and significant investments. However, it allows far greater control over the activity and can bring all the benefits of strategic alliances yes !. C reation of subsidiaries (with the highest risk) or franchise network (with relatively low risk but here the success requires effort for standardization and control) provides the highest level of control (Wright et al, 2007) yes. In theory there is an common view that firms should enter the foreign market incrementally, first through direct export and subsequently by partly controlled network (join venture, strategic alliance) or fully controlled network (subsidiaries, franchises) taking into account the current circumstances and firms competitive advantages (Philippe and Là ©o, 2011) very good !. No matter which strategy will be chosen in order to internationalize the business, the firm needs to create a network. The relationship, trust and relationship commitment decisions predetermine future success because what happens, happens in relationships. So success depends on the available knowledge and ability to learn; opportunities and creativity; capabilities and trust building (Schw eizer et al, 2010). Good In order to achieve successful penetration of foreign markets Wen and Arokiasamy (2011) propose firm to implement integrated business strategies in foreign market, which is separated by three groups of strategies. The first group is the international marketing strategies, which include Market entry strategies, Diversification and Marketing mix. The second group is The International Operation Strategies, which includes Logistic Management, Oversea Subsidiaries, Oversea Production and Headquarters. The third group of strategies is International Business Strategy, which include Standardization, Differentiation, Localization and Level of Commitment. Very good ! However, to enter a foreign market successfully the company has to learn quickly (which will contribute to reduction of the risk) and keep cultural differences into account (Thai and Chong, 2011). Many cultural differences can affect the operational efficiency (increase costs or reduce revenues) such as using language, religion, behaviour standard, body language and greetings, power distance, etc. The main problem is when after the internationalization firm faces to cultural shock (stress caused by cultural change). Cultural shock can significantly worsen the working environment; negatively affect the organizational culture and performance very good !(Grundey, 2008).

The Fifth Agreement: A Practical Guide to Self-Mastery, by Miguel Ruiz and Jose Ruiz :: Essays on The Fifth Agreement

My life experience might be simple, but I have learned a lot from my life. It is not necessary that someone’s experience has to be a good one to talk about; the point is he should have a passion to learn lessons from it. Every time you go through a bitter experience either in your travels, work, or somewhere else, I would have to say â€Å"Congrats! You have got a story to tell your grandsons someday.† I have learnt a lot of lessons from this life and taught myself beautiful lessons. I taught myself to stand firm, never give up, and do my best. I have taught myself to say â€Å"yes† whenever I feel that I need to refuse, and I have taught myself to say â€Å"no† whenever the temptations are floating around me. I have learned that if I want to live happily, I have to be able to say â€Å"no† as I can say â€Å"yes.† Just by these two simple words, I changed myself and took control over it. â€Å"Be impeccable with your words† (27) is the first agreement that Miguel Ruiz and Jose Ruiz want to make an agreement with their readers in their book, â€Å"The Fifth Agreement.† By words, you can communicate with other people and tell them your opinions. The power of the word should not be underestimated; in some cases, it might be so tender that you can gain people to be in our side, but it might blow like a storm and pull out people’s real feelings. Ruiz in his book says â€Å"you are going to use the word to express the truth in every thought, in every action, in every word you use to describe yourself, to describe your own life story† (39). One should be really careful in choosing the right words in the right times. I worked once in a team of freelancers for a courier company. I faced a problem while programing their website, and the supervisor of the team, who was from the company, asked me to take an immediate action. I replied to her quickly and said â€Å"I cannot do this until I discuss it with my team leader.† Her face turned red, and I just didn’t know what to do, so I looked into my laptop screen pretending I am working. Since then she saw me as a weak team player; whenever she wanted to ask about the project, she asked another teammate instead of me.

Portraits Of Ingres And Reynolds :: essays research papers fc

The portrait. A single person immortalized forever on canvas. At first glance, you only see the subject. With a more analytical eye, though, you not only see the image but you begin to hear the voice of the painter and of his time. This is what I hope to do, to feel and understand the mind of the painter Ingres when he painted Louis-Francois Bertin and Reynolds when he painted General John Burgoyne.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the portrait of Bertin, Ingres has captured on canvas a man who has never been pampered in his life. You feel by looking at him that this is a man who has worked for everything that he has ever received in his life. Why do you feel this, though? Let’s begin with the colors chosen for this piece.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The colors revolve around brown, giving you the impression of something very down to earth. The background of the painting is basically one solid brown. Bertin occupies the whole bottom section of the painting, with nothing of his body going above three-fourths of the canvas. He is the ground, below even the earth tones of the background. He has on a black suit, brown vest, and white shirt, as well. These colors working together allow you to make certain assumptions about him. He looks like a working man, which he was. â€Å"Louis-Francois Bertin (1766-1841), was one of the great leaders of the French upper middle class, a businessman and a journalist† (Rosenblum, 134). This would explain the one striking color in the piece, the red.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bertin is sitting on a red cushion, red being a color classically associated with royalty. This could be a commentary on Bertin’s life on a whole. His journal, the Journal des Debats was a strong supporter of liberal journalism in a time when France, the monarchs from the self proclaimed Napoleon Bonaparte to King Charles X, wanted the return of an absolute monarch in France. The people were not happy with this and Bertin’s newspaper spread this displeasure. Bertin was even exiled for a period of time by Napoleon Bonaparte for his royalist views. He wanted a constitutional monarch set up. But, after the fall of Bonaparte, Bertin returned and continued his life, prospering. Monet even called this portrait â€Å"the Buddha of bourgeoisie† (Rosenblum, 134). This portrait should be looked upon as the pinnacle image of the bourgeoisie of the time.

Chapter Notes on Confucius Lives Next Door by T.R. Reid :: Confucius Lives Next Door Asia Essays

Chapter Notes on Confucius Lives Next Door by T.R. Reid Chapter 1: THE OTHER MIRACLE 1) Japan still has the largest foreign currency reserves in the world even after years of recession. This fact was important because later it was explained that everyone in Japan had money and that it was more equally distributed than in the east. 2) East Asia has been extraordinarily successful. They have the safest streets, the strongest families, and the best schools in the world. This statement was important because it showed how this country surpassed other countries especially America. It also showed how safe it was for children to walk around by themselves even when it is at nighttime and with far distance. 3) It is shameful and humiliating in Japan if a couple gets a divorce. Shows how Japan?s high emphasis on morals impacts everyone on a daily basis. 4) Confucius was a big influence and explained the region?s low rates of crime and family breakdown and relatively high level of economic equality and social civility. Shows how Confucius teaches individuals of both high and low birth to strive for success in their lifetime. Chapter 2: EASTERN FLAVOR 1) Baskin Robins in Japan is the biggest ice cream chain in Japan. Also the Thirty-one in the name is pronounced ?Satay-wan? since the Th. is not pronounced in the Japanese language. Interesting to state this because they also say San-kyu instead of Thank You. San-kyu also means 3-9, which gives them their most thankful day of the year March 9. It?s just interesting to point out. 2) Kentucky Fried Chicken was the most successful food chain in Japan. Showed how Japan easily accepts and institutes foreign markets and ideas without hesitation or humiliation. They adapt so well to the outside world. 3) Stealing was very shameful so a mountain bike that was not locked would be considered very safe in the streets. Showed their high standards and respect for others which has contributed to many successes in Japan. 4) There is a different language for greeting somebody who stands above you in hierarchy and a whole different language for ordinary conversation. This shows how language plays a role in Japan by the maintenance of the hierarchical structure of the society.

The Compromise Of 1850

At the close of the Mexican War, in 1848, the United States owned a lot of territory without local government (all the land now included in New Mexico, Arizona, and California was then unsettled). Then in 1848 gold was found in California. Thousands of people joined the gold rush and in a few months about 80,000 of them had settled in California to hunt for gold. To keep control of these settlements, an government was needed, so California asked to be admitted to the Union as a free state, but the South would not allow this, the North was also not going to allow California into the Union as a slave state, so Senator Henry Clay decided that he would make a compromise both sides could live with, he said each side should give in to something the other side wanted. Eventually after Clay s Omnibus Bill failed to pass, five separate acts were passed. These acts would become known as the Compromise of 1850. Basically, the North should allow New Mexico and Utah to organize as territories with popular sovereignty and give the South a stronger fugitive slave law. The South should accept California as a free state and allow the end of slave trade in Washington DC. For most of 1850, Congress debated. Clay had the support of the North, including Stephen Douglas and Daniel Webster. In Webster’s famous Seventh of March speech, he declared that slave labor could never be profitable in New Mexico and that the North would lose nothing by granting this concession. He felt that it was not necessary to bar slavery by law of Congress; it was already excluded by â€Å"the law of nature. † The North was opposed by the Southern states, led by John C. Calhoun, who at the time was dying and was so sick that his speeches had to be read by someone else. The Compromise of 1850. There were five parts to the Compromise of 1850. The first was the Texas-New Mexico Act. It was the most important of the five. It made New Mexico a territory, gave some of Texas (the Santa Fe region) to New Mexico, and allowed for popular sovereignty there. This bill was passed on September 9, 1850. The second part allowed California into the Union as a free state. This bill was also passed on September 9, 1850. The third part was the Utah Act, which was also passed on September 9, 1850. It made Utah a territory and allowed popular sovereignty to decide the slavery issue. On September 18, the New Fugitive Slave Act was passed, forcing all law enforcement officers in the North and South, to help return fugitive slaves. There were penalties for helping fugitive slaves. The last act passed on September 20, abolishes slave trade in Washington DC. Clay had intended to give each act separately to Congress and had only made the Omnibus Bill (combining all of the acts into one bill) because he wanted to make sure there would be no veto by President Taylor. The Omnibus Bill could not make it passed Congress because the Northerners wouldn t accept the Fugitive Slave Act, or allow for popular sovereignty, and the Southerners wouldn t allow California in as a free state or allow the size of Texas to be reduced. After the Omnibus Bill failed, Clay went on vacation in Newport, Rhode Island and Stephen Douglas took over control of the compromise. When Douglas broke up Clay s plan into five separate bills, all of them passed. Although Clay originally wrote the acts, it was really Douglas, not Clay, who made the laws acceptable to both sides. The different parts needed different areas of the United States to give in. Northerners from both parties, and Whigs from boarder states approved the admission of California, the abolition of the slave trade in Washington, and the adjustment of the Texas boarder. Southerners and Northern Democrats passed the Fugitive Slave Law and organized Utah and New Mexico without restrictions on slavery (Brown, 192-193). Neither side really gave in, but people hoped it would end the dispute on slavery. Northern Reactions. The North had not paid much attention to the Fugitive Slave Act when it was being put through Congress. Their main concern had been the admission of California, popular sovereignty, and the Texas boarder. But when the Northerners heard about the new things they would have to do to prevent runaway slaves from escaping, they were very angry. It created resistance and as a result Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote Uncle Tom s Cabin. When Fillmore became president the government began to put down local resistance to the Fugitive Slave Law. Controversy also declined because the number of African Americans returned to the South fell by two-thirds in the second year under the law, in part because so many blacks had resettled in Canada. The Free Soil Party, which had received about 10 percent of the vote in the presidential election of 1848, received only about half as much in 1852 (Brown, 193). Southern Reactions. The Southern reaction was not as well known, but it was more dangerous to the Union. The radicals in the south held the Nashville Convention in June of 1850 decided to meet after the compromise to discuss policy, but in November of 1850 when they met the second time, only a few people attended. Unionists still had a lot of control in the South. The governors in Georgia and Mississippi were Unionists, and fourteen of the nineteen congressmen from Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama were Unionists. Even in South Carolina (the state that had the strongest disunionist population) the voters voted to stay in the union by a large amount. Some states accepted the Georgia Platform of 1850, saying that they would give resistance and secede if Congress made more Antislavery Acts. The compromise also left political parties fighting one another. The Southern Whigs were separated from the rest of the Whigs because the Northern Whigs led the fight against slavery in the Mexican cession and controlled Whig president Zachary Taylor. Repairing the intersectional bonds of party politics would be crucial to cementing loyalty to the Union (Brown, 193).

Treating Your Sweet Tooth

Abigail Young Mrs. Spar English III Compare/Contrast Essay (2nd draft) February 22, 2013 Treating Your Sweet Tooth The debate about ice cream versus frozen yogurt (froyo) is spreading like a wildfire. People looking at the differences; what they do not know is how they are also similar. Ice cream and frozen yogurt have both similarities and differences when it comes to their history, ingredients and nutrition. Before ice cream was known as ice cream, many ancient civilizations served mixtures of ice (or snow from the mountains) with juices, milks, spices and fruits.This became a major delicacy around the world, this delicacy soon became known as sorbet and was eaten by many people who could afford it. Soon after, sorbet became known as ice cream, which was introduced to America by the Quaker colonists who brought their ice cream recipes with them as they immigrated to the United States. After hearing about a delicacy that was similar to ice cream, frozen yogurt was first introduced t o England and became more of a sensation. Frozen yogurt also being sweet and creamy but contained less calories.The northeast, USA was introduced to frozen yogurt in the 1970's. In the 1980's is when frozen yogurt really took off, reaching sales of $25 million in 1986. In the early 1990's, frozen yogurt was 10% of the frozen dessert market. (Wikipedia Encyclopedia) The main ingredient in ice cream is, obviously, cream. Ice cream contains more than 10% milk fat and more then 20% milk solids. Nowadays, one can find low-fat ice creams with half the fat. In addition, ice cream contains sweeteners, emulsifiers, stabilizers, gelatin, high fructose corn syrup, flavorings, water, and air.Air gives ice cream the volume. Unlike ice cream, frozen yogurt's main ingredient is yogurt made from milk. So much like ice cream, frozen yogurt also contains milk solids, milk fats, sweeteners, yogurt culture, emulsifiers, stabilizers, gelatin, high fructose corn syrup, flavorings, water, and air. Air, mu ch like ice cream, gives frozen yogurt its volume. In addition, ice crean and frozen yogurt are very similar when it comes to nutrition. Neither of them are very nutritous but are both very satisfying to your sweet tooth.Although frozen yogurt is lighter in calories and fat, frozen yogurt is not a heathier alternative to ice cream. One needs to be smart with how much ice cream he is eating. Also, one should watch what he is putting on top of his yogurt, making either the ice cream or frozen yogurt less in fat, sugar and calories. Different in many ways, ice cream and frozen yogurt are both, needless to say, delicious. Although different in their history, ingredients and their nutritional value, one does not want to eat a lot of both them. Both are acceptable every once in a while to enjoy.