Macbeth, Macduff and the Witches Essay Example for Free

Macbeth, Macduff and the Witches Essay Macduff has just told me that he was not born naturally; he actually turned to me and said Macduff was from his mothers womb untimely ripped. For me, that is the end, I think about the witchs predictions. Then, I think back to when it all started. We were on our way home, Banquo and I when we meet the witches who told us that I would be Thane of Glamis, well I knew that already. Then they told me that I would be Thane of Cawdor, This surprised me as the Thane of Cawdor was very well and living. Then the final witch said to me All hail Macbeth that shalt be king hereafter. When I heard this I wanted to here more but they wouldnt speak to me. Then my friend Banquo asked them about him, what will happen to him? They said to Banquo that he will be lesser than Macbeth but greater. Which at first didnt make sense but then it came to me that he would not be king but his children would succeed to the throne. I turned to question them and suddenly they disappeared. I saw Ross riding towards us he told us that the king has heard of our success against the Norwegians. Then he said that the Thane of Cawdor has been relieved from his command and the king has given me the job of being Thane of Cawdor. I couldnt believe it the witches were right, their predictions came true and if that prediction came true than so should the rest. I wrote a letter to my wife telling her about the witches and their predictions I also told her that I had become the Thane of Cawdor. When I got home my wife told me that the king will be coming to stay at our castle for the night. I was really surprised about this visit and then my wife explained the plans she made. It was all too difficult as Duncan had been really good to me; he made me Thane of Cawdor which was very generous. But now I have to kill him, I was afraid but my wife convinced me that when it is done everything would be fine. Her plan was to drug the kings personal bodyguards, wait till they fall asleep, then steal their daggers and use them to murder Duncan. After I kill Duncan I was to leave the bloody daggers in the hands of the bodyguards. I really didnt want to do this but I couldnt let my wife down. So went up to Duncans room and I saw a dagger before my eyes, I tried to grab it but my hand just went through it. It started floating towards Duncans room and then it just disappeared. I picked up the sleeping guards daggers and walked into Duncans chambers. When it was done I came out of Duncans chambers and went to my wife who was ringing the bell gently. She saw me with the daggers dripping in blood and she said to me why did I bring the daggers with you, you was supposed to leave them with the guards I told her I was afraid and I just ran out of the room and forgot everything. She took the daggers away from me and put them in the hands of the guards. Then I heard a very loud knocking, I looked at my hands and they were stained red so I quickly ran to the well and washed them, my wife cane back and her hands were also red so she washed them as well. The knocking continued so we got changed and laid in bed. The porter opened the door. It was Macduff and Lennox, who came in ringing the bell so that everyone would wake up. I went to them and showed them to Duncans room. Everyone was shocked at what they saw, and I had to play along too. Malcolm and Dolabain Duncans two sons fled. One went to England and the other to Ireland. This was good because it makes everyone suspicious of them. Now they were gone, I was crowned king, but I still had one more problem. Banquo was with me when the witches told us of their predictions. He was also there when Ross told me the king has given me the job of being Thame of Cawdor, so then Banquo would be suspicious of me because one of the witches predictions was that I would be king, and now that the king is dead, he will accuse me of killing him. I had killed once, and it seemed easy to kill again. I arranged for Banquo, my friend, to be killed. I hired these hit men. I was not sure how it would all turn out. I told the hit men to make sure they kill Fleance, his son as well because I didnt want any of his children to reign as well. I prepared a banquet for all my friends. Lords and nobleman we all sat around the table and began to eat: You know your own degrees, sit down. At first it was going all quite well, me and my wife was enjoying ourselves which was a relief from thinking about Duncan and what happened in the past. Then just as it was getting better, I spotted one of the hit men that I had hired earlier. I went to him and made sure no one could see or hear us. I asked him is he dispatched? He replied with good news my lord, his throat is cut; that I did for him. I asked him what he had done with Fleance. He hung his head and said that he had escaped. I was furious I knew the nightmares would come back to me. I returned to my seat. Then Ross asked me to sit at his table, but I told him it was full. He said there was a free seat next to him. I looked at the seat next to him and saw the ghost of Banquo looking at me. I began to panic, but my wife Lady Macbeth said to everyone that I was getting into a fit and that they should leave now. When they had gone, she calmed me down saying its just the very painting of my fear. After that day I felt strange, different, uneasy, so I went back to the witches because I was so worried. When I got there they were all around a black cauldron, they said to me that they will summon their master the Apparitions. I looked into the cauldron I saw the first apparition an armed head. It said beware Macduff, beware the Thane of fife. I thought hmm well Macduff wont be a problem I can just have him killed like Banquo. The second apparition appeared which was a bloody child it said Be bloody, bold and resolute, laugh to scorn the power of man, for none of woman shall harm Macbeth. Ha! I was impressed with this, everyman and woman is born from a woman so no one can harm me. The next apparition appeared it was a child crowned, with a tree in his hand. Be loin-mettled, proud and take no care that chafes, who frets, or where conspirers are, Macbeth shall never vanquish be, until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill shall come against him. Well to me this was just wrong how can a wood move all the way up Dunsinane hill? I went home feeling very confident and the very next day I found out that Macduff had gone to England to get an army together lead by Malcom. I told my mercenaries to go to his castle and kill everyone and everything in there. Mean while when all this was going on my wife had been sleepwalking and the lady-in had called in a doctor to observe her actions. He watched her while she was sleepwalking. My wife was carrying out the actions we did when we murdered Duncan! So now the doctor and the lady-in knew about us. I noticed all my friends had left me and gone to England with Malcom, even Ross had left me and I knew he was going to tell Macduff that I had killed his family. I didnt care actually no born of a man could harm me. I bet Macduff was furious but I had nothing to fear. So as I was getting ready to fight Macduff and Malcom I still felt safe about it all because of what the apparitions told me. I knew my wife had died somehow she should have died hereafter I felt cold about everything except defeating Macduff. A messenger came later saying that Birnam wood was moving Liar and Slave I said to him but he begged me to take a look, so I did and realized what the apparitions were talking about. Malcoms army was using the branches and wood as camouflage. When everyone found out that Macduff was coming they all ran away those cowards. A few English soldiers came to me and tried to attack me but they were no problem, I walked outside the castle full of confidence and pride. I faced Macduff and said to him I bear a charmed life, which must not yield to any of woman born. Then thats when he told me that he was born untimely ripped. Looking back now I see where it had gone all wrong, but when I think about the future, me kneeling before Malcoms feet I couldnt let it happen. I raised my sword and attempted to kill Malcom but Macduff got in the way trying to defend him, I fought as hard as I could but he was just too fast. I felt something cold and sharp go through my chest, my sword fell from my hand and then I saw a blur in front of me soon I could see nothing everything had just gone black.

Honda Motor Company Limited Commerce Essay

Honda Motor Company Limited Commerce Essay Sun Zis Art of War is the most famous work on military operations in ancient China. Being the oldest military treatise in the world, it is one of the greatest cultural legacies of the Chinese nation. Sun Zis Art of War is a classic on military operations and the most influential in the world today. In this well-known book, Sun Wu puts forward many important principles in military operations. He says, Winning a victory and subduing the enemy without fighting is the highest excellence. War is not for slaughter; if you win without fighting, the way you can do so is the greatest military strategy, Sun Wu in his book stresses, To attack where the enemy is unprepared and hit when it is unexpected is another wise observation. Military operations should aim at speedy victory and not prolonged campaigns. Know both the enemy and yourself; you will fight a hundred battles without danger of defeat. All these principles are, unquestionably, significant even in military strategies in the world today. The thirteen military essays in The Art of War form a systematic military work. Each essay discusses one problem, but thirteen essays constitute an organic whole, which can never be taken separately. The Art of War actually discusses how to win, which is not limited to military operations. Its significance has been enlarged to many fields, such as commercial affairs, management, athletic competitions, etc. Everyone who reads it carefully may acquire the key to victory (Wee, 2003). Honda Motor Company Limited established by Soichiro Honda who was a legendary man in the Japanese motor industry. He was a dreamer, he dreamed of a better way of making piston rings, founded a small company, and began production. He dreamed of giving people everywhere an economical form of transportation, and began producing small motorcycles, including one built in 1949 called the D-Type Dream (Honda Motor Comapny Ltd, 2012). Honda Motor Company is by far the worlds biggest motorcycle maker. Hondas first motorcycle was born out of necessity in immediate post World War II Japan, where public transportation was desperately overcrowded and gasoline severely restricted. Soichiro Honda started Honda Motor Company in 1948, at the age of 41. Soon after he hooked up with financial whiz Takeo Fujisawa and together they built an empire. Two owners of the company had different priorities. For Fujisawa, the engine innovation meant increased sales and easier access to financing. For Honda, the higher horsepower engine opened the possibility of more successfully pursuing his motorcycle racing ambitions. Indeed, winning provided the ultimate confirmation of his design abilities. Success came quickly, and by the end of the 1950s Honda had won all of the most prestigious motorcycle racing prizes in the world. In 1958 the Honda 50cc Super Cub was introduced. It featured an automatic clutch, three-speed transmission, automatic starter, and the safe, friendly look of a bicycle. Its inexpensive price was due almost entirely to its high-horsepower, yet lightweight 50cc engine. The success of the Super Cub in Japan prompted Honda to consider expanding its target market to other geographic regions. The company had already experimented with local Southeast Asian markets in 1957 and 1958, however, with little success. The European market, while larger, was heavily dominated by its own name brand manufacturers, and their popular mopeds dominated the low price, low horsepower market. Thus, Fujisawa decided to focus Hondas attention on the U.S. market. In 1962 this breakthrough advertising You meet the nicest people on a Honda shattered the myth that motorcycles were only for tough guys and rebels. It reached out and made Honda and motorcycling in general, appealing to everyone. in 1967 it diversified and also began to produce cars and trucks. In addition, the company started to manufacture portable generators, power tillers, lawn mowers, pumps, and outboard motors. In 1967 and 1968 the company introduced two lightweight passenger cars which performed poorly in both the Japanese and U.S. markets. It was not until 1973 and the introduction of the Honda Civic that the company became a real presence on the international automobile market (Honda Motor Company Limited History, 2012). Three years later, in 1976, as sales of the Honda Civic surpassed the one million mark, the company introduced an upscale, higher priced model named the Accord. Sales of the Accord grew rapidly, not only in Japan, but especially in the United States. In 1982, as a result of the burgeoning U.S. market for Japanese carsIn 1986, Honda introduced the Acura, which immediately garnered large sales throughout Japan and the United States. By the end of the 1980s, Honda had developed into one of the leading car manufacturers in the world. After Soichiro Honda died in 1991, the company initiated a comprehensive reorganization, led by Nobuhiko Kawamoto, the companys president and chief executive officer. in 1992 Honda organized the first ever joint venture to make motorcycles in China. Many industry analysts predicted that the agreement would give Honda an initial foothold in what could become the worlds largest and most motorcycle market lucrative. In order to compete in the tough automobile industry environment, Honda focused much of its attention on research and development. In 1994 and 1996, Hondas experiments with alternative power sources for automobiles and a U.S.-made large-size custom motorcycle led the company to win the worlds largest Solar Car racethe World Solar Challengewith its Honda Dream. In 1997 alone, new production lines of different Honda products were started in India, Vietnam, Turkey, Indonesia, and Brazil. In 1998 Honda once again signed a joint venture agreement in Chinathis time to produce and sell cars. Honda was doing quite well but still had weaknesses to surmount. It had come to be known as one of the most efficient car companies in the world. Its strengths were in its research and development know-how, its high level of technological advances, and its global reachHonda was selling markedly more units abroad than in its own country. Civic and Accord model are the most successful product in Honda company 2. Content Sun Zi Art of War is a short book which contains about only 6200 words written in classical Chinese and has 13 chapters. All the principles and concepts of Sun Zi Art of War can be apply into warfare and modern business strategies today. In this assignment, topics that we selected are chapter 3 Strategic Attack, chapter 4 Disposition of the Army, chapter 5 Forces and chapter 8 Variations and adaptability. Chapter 1: Planning Sun Zi Art of War stated that on every war must have studied and examined thoroughly as it is a matter of life and death. In order to do so, there are five factors in planning which contains moral influence, the weather, terrain, generalship, and doctrine and law. These factors enable Maxis Communication Berhad to compare against their competitors such as DiGi, Celcom, U-mobile as in to understand the changing condition and circumstances and assess the victory in the sales over them. There are 7 important consideration should held in the planning process of Maxis in order to enable them to have competitive advantages their competitors. As in planning, there are 12 guidance of strategic planning that could have been held by Maxis over gaining competitive advantages or gain more profit on their product over other telecommunication provider. Sunzi emphasis on the importance of detailed planning in order for Maxis to gain victory over other in the term of sales and goodwill of the teleco mmunication industry. Chapter 3 Strategic Attack In this chapter, Sun Zi said: capturing a whole division intact is a better strategy; destroying it is a weaker option. capturing a whole battalion intact is a better strategy; destroying it is a weaker option. capturing an entire company intact is a better strategy; destroying it is a weaker option. capturing an entire section intact is a better strategy; destroying it is a weaker option. For business application, an organization has to adapt their culture when they enter into new market or invented a new product. Then, organization has to analyse their consumers need and it will be easier to succeed because the products invented are adapt to the customers culture, environments and needs. Besides, organization can save a lot of costs, they doesnt waste more capital in advertising on promotion. However, they have to make sure that the origin elements are maintained. For example, KFC has just introduced a new Flaming Crunch chicken which suited Malaysian taste. This flaming crunch chicken is coated with crunchy cornflakes and some spicy powder. As we all know most of the Malaysians like spicy food such as nasi lemak or curry. Thus, this new flaming crunch chicken meets the needs of Malaysian who like spicy food. Chapter 4 Disposition of the Army This chapter stated that those who were skilful in warfare ensued that they would not be defeated and then waited for opportunities to defeat the enemy. The ability to prevent defeat depends on oneself, while the opportunity for victory depends on the enemy. When the opportunity arrived, all advantages factors are well prepared like financial and material support, just a button, organization can make extremely profit and easier to penetrate the market. Ball is in your hand, can fun play. For example, Apple Inc has become the market leader, control all factors like pricing, products, promotion, policy and place even if Apple Inc was not the first mover for multimedia downloader. It said one does not make mistakes because he adopts measures, policies and strategies that are certain to lead to victory. He wins because he chooses to engage an enemy that is already in a position of defeat. People who are the most successful are who will predict the future, create the market and to realize the prediction. For example, the diamond multimedia is the first mover for multimedia downloader but the timing is not matured, they never predict their future properly and do not have good policies or strategies to create the market. Few years later, Apple Inc produces the same technology products such as iPod. It is more famous as compared to diamond multimedia. It shows that Apple Inc create the trend which bring the organization growth and maximize the organisation profit. However, follow the trend will only give opportunity to the organization but not profit. Chapter 5 Forces Chapter 5 stated that the fact that the whole army can withstand the attacks of the enemy without suffering any defeats is due to the use of the direct and indirect strategies, forces and approaches. When forces are concentrated to attack the enemy, it must be like solid stones hurled against eggs. This is applying the principle of using strengths to strike weaknesses. For business application, organizations have to be creative and innovative so that they can compete with their competitors. They have to change process happen, change their form, culture, structure or product base when it is needed for them to do so. You must breaks the eggs on beach and create a new life in the sea. For example, Starbucks coffee leads the industry with it continuous menu innovation and a wider choice of drinks than any other brand. Recently, everyone is crazy for Chatime, Ochado or Gong Cha which all of them are Taiwanese pearl milk tea. You can see people queue up even if the queue is very long, stil l people wait for it just for that cup of pearl milk tea. To change, we can see Starbucks coffee introducing the Green Tea with Red Bean Frappuccino and Hojicha with Tea Jelly Frappuccino to follow the trend. Thus, this indirect forces used by Starbucks coffee are tactics to surprise their competitors and consumers. Moreover, this can help to solve their problem and pull back their customers. In this chapter, it also stated that entice the enemy by giving away something that he would certainly want to have. Lure the enemy to move with benefits that he desires and then use concealed troops to await and ambush them. For business application, when the enemy is greedy for small advantages, offer baits to lure him. As we all know greedy is one of the human natural instincts. For example, AEON members day has a lots of things are discount up to 70%. Thus, consumer will be greedy for the small advantages, just to get the discount they have actually spent on things that they dont really need. Therefore, the consequence is they have spent more for that particular month or over budget. Chapter 8 Variations and adaptability This chapter is about the importance of being adapting to changing, importance of careful deliberations and preparedness. The world is constantly changing, we need to adapt to this change quickly. The quicker you let go the past, the sooner you can enjoy you happiness. This means that the faster you adapt to change and follow the trend, the faster you can enjoy earning your profit. There are few examples that we can see in our daily life. First, there is a new concept of Kopitiam has been experienced rapid growth over the past few years. These new concept of Kopitiam included Old Town White Coffee, Pak Hailam Kopitiam, Georgetown White Coffee and many more. Just for a short period of time, Old Town White Coffee has over 130 outlets in Malaysia. Soon or later we will hardly find those old style kopitiam. Another example is the sundry shops, as we can see grocery shops have been replaced by all those convenient stores like 7-eleven, 99speedmart; supermarkets and hypermarkets like Aeon, Tesco, Carrefour or Econsave. All these convenient stores or hypermarkets offer wider range of products and cheaper price. For example, we can buy everything we need in Aeon, we can buy clothes, electronic products, vegetables or other daily consumer products at one go. We need not to travel here and there to get what we want. In addition, we can see the advance of the technologies nowadays. Everyone is using Smartphone or smart TV. Samsung has come out their brand new smart phone Galaxy S3, they keep on innovate their products to fulfilled the consumer needs and wants. Furthermore, it leads Samsung to be the leader of the markets. At the same time, this new technologies bring an opportunity to the telecommunication companies to come out with data plan to boost their profits up. To be winner of the market, these telecommunication companies have to review their plans frequently to stay competitive in the market. Lastly, proactiveness is the key to strategic advantage. Nowadays, people like convenience and easy job. Therefore, the new concept of wall paper has been invented by Korea and Taiwan to replace paint. We can customize our own wall paper; you can have your own favourite colour, taste or picture. With this invention, we can save our time, cost and energy; no more pain. Chapter 10: Terrain In this chapter, Sun Zis explain the grounds during the war. Type of grounds are communication ground, entrapping ground, indifferent group, constricted ground, key ground and distant ground. Every ground has its own function during the war. In business application, Maxis Sdn Bhd encounters obstacles in competing against their competitors. It is said that the top management is responsible for the lower management performance. Therefore, the top management holds a great responsibility in Maxis, like a general does. Senior director is responsible to organize an effective strategy to gain victory in the business war. The strategy will be exercise by the middle management to order the lower management in implementing the strategy in Maxis business process. Chapter 13: Intelligence and espionage In Chapter 13, we discuss about intelligence and espionage. According to Sun Zi, there are five types of spies and secret agents. They are living agents, local agents, inside agents, double agents and doomed agents. We discuss about the ability of the agent to gather and effectively use information on the enemy on the enemy. Thus, Maxis Berhad may send its employees to do research on competitors by obtaining information through reliable sources. For example, annual reports, stock warrants, news feed and press conference. This may help Maxis Berhad to gain informative and useful information to analyze its strengths and weaknesses of itself in order to gain competitive advantage over the competitors. Q3. DISCUSSION Chapter 3 Strategic Attacks Sun Zi said: In general, when waging war, capturing a whole nation intact is a better strategy; to shatter and ruin it is a weaker option. Honda motor has to come out with different strategy and method in facing different challenges among competitors in order to compete in car and motorcycle industry. In 2001, American Hondas associate learning and organizational development group that undertook a broad assessment of its approach to training, looking at what was offered, why, to whom and how. One focus of this initiative was to deepen the emphasis on quality, which has long permeated Hondas manufacturing operations, within the internal support and service portions of the organization. The challenge laid out for the development group was to improve and extend the delivery of training for employees, reduce their time away from the job for training, take advantage of expanding technology capabilities and infrastructure and, above all, ensure a tangible transfer of skills that would take internal service quality to an entirely new level. Honda motor also tends to improve their service quality by using a learning management system (LMS) to schedule, administer and track training. The system was applied not only to instructor led offerings but also to pure online training, blended learning and other offerings. Using a customized LMS, Honda employees and their managers learned to define and manage individual training plans as well as enrol in, complete and track their progress courses and curricula through a learner specific Web portal. With LMS, Honda motor able to provide a better service to its customers and win a good reputation among its competitors. Chapter 4 Disposition of the Army Sun Zi said: In ancient times, those who were skilful in warfare ensured that they would not be defeated and then waited for opportunities to defeat the enemy. A good organization must always have a good advance mission and management control to enhance their company strength. Management must always have a well prepare for the organization future development and scoring in the good opportunity arrives thus, organization can make profit on it. Example: Honda Motors company developing abilities and human resource department in their organization which is to provide training to the employees to equip them with necessary skills. Hondas approach to personnel education is based on on-the-job training: building specialized skills and professional capabilities through direct experience. Honda has established on-the-job training programs for each job description, setting qualitative and quantitative targets for the knowledge and skills to be acquired. These programs provide with an opportunity for associates to acquire specialized skills and managerial capabilities while helping supervisors assess and foster the aptitude of the associates they manage. To supplement these on-the-job training programs, Honda also offers off-the-job training designed to provide associates an opportunity to enhance their careers by developing new specialized skills or management capabilities. To support associates who wish to take the initiative to le arn new skills, acquire knowledge, and cultivate themselves in order to fully realize their own potential, Honda offers opportunities for language learning, distance education, and inter-industry exchanges. With this training Honda can enhance their strength of company. Besides that, Sun zi also said that: The ability to prevent defeat depends on oneself, while the opportunity for victory depends on the enemy. The organization must always have a better control on their product pricing, police and place. Furthermore organizations leader also need set a good strategy and market research to take the advantage on the competitors weakness and negligence. Example: In car industry, Honda and Toyota is one of the large competitors of both. Honda and Toyota always have the price differentiate on their product. In 2002 Honda was produce a new model of car which is Honda Civic Dx sedan, the suggested retail price is $13,800 but in the same times Toyota Corolla CE sedan also goes for the market about $13,900. If a buyer they will looking for the product quality and these both cars would have almost same specification, besides that consumer also will compare this two car price. Now the Honda Civic is cheaper than Toyota Corolla. Thus, most of the consumer will make a decision on buying the Honda car. In the case Honda Company was make a good pricing control on their product, Honda was able take a good opportunity to making profit. Chapter 5 Forces According to the study of Sunzi Art of War in chapter 5, which discuss about forces that can be implementing by organizations to face its problem and challenges? Sun Zi said: To manage a large force is similar to managing a small force. So, it is a matter of organization and structure. So, the formations, communications and signals among whole Honda organizations around the world are important to face with challenges. Honda operates in the worldwide market with 134 production facilities in 28 countries and at 31 Research and Development facilities in 15 countries, about 167000 Honda employees and associates serve 23 million customers worldwide annually. So, it is not easy to manage such a large organization. In order to have a better management, Hondas global operations are divided into 6 administrative regions responsible for operating which are Japan, China, North American, Latin  American, Europe and the Middle Near East and  Africa, Asian and Oceania, while hiring and engagi ng the people and philanthropic initiatives locally in the communities that Honda operates. Honda is pushing the independence of their local management and sales operations, at the same time with integrating and forward-looking plan for each region. They operate under the conduct guidelines that help member companies and associates in evaluating and managing risks, complying with laws and regulations, keeping a high level of transparency in operational level, thats all to maximize the worldwide customer satisfaction. In the global business, many top managers still centralize their authority; make most of decisions of  the company. In contrast, Honda follows a different way; most of decisions are made by a group of  responsible persons, including Board of Director, outside directors, outside auditors. Honda decentralizes authority to their associates to maximize the flexibility and diversity in decision making process, and well adapt to the changes of global  market. Making group decision of responsible persons in Honda is extremely effective. The theoretical advantage of this strategy is improving innovation and reducing risk, biased thinking. In fact, this strategic leadership style leads Honda to today success. For instance, the organization of Board of Directors or Board of Auditors includes not only inside companys employees but also external appointees. This feature helps Honda to make the distinction  in global performing and competing. Outside company appointees play the role as su pervising the execution of each board. As the result, the performance of each board becomes effective and efficient rather than organization with entirely inside company employees. By this strategy organizing, the company can ensure that working environment will be fair and strong without dubious cooperation. Honda manages its employees through promoting programs, principles and policies in supporting its organizational human resources. So, when peoples needs are satisfied, they are well motivated, resulting in being eager to contribute more to organization. Honda satisfies not only low  needs (physics, safety, belongings) but also high needs of employees  (esteem and self actualization).  Therefore, Honda is  more effective than a  lot of other companies in motivating people, resulting in efficient,  effective performance of employees and firm as well. Chapter 8 Variations and adaptability Base on chapter 8, it is discussing about the variations and adaptability of a company. This concept is very important because variations and adaptability are the most valuable characteristic of a company. A company that focus on variations will continue to move forward, looking to the future, and know how to shift to fixed current situation successfully. With this characteristic, a company will able to improve their product and services, seeking new opportunities and bringing new things into the market that consumer really need. For example, the Japanese earthquake and tsunami that happen in the year 2011 has forced Honda to halve car production at its  British factory because of a shortage of parts from its homeland. Honda began to implement a strategy of temporary adjustments that reduce daily production levels at its U.S. and Canadian auto plants on March 30 2011 as a result of interruptions in parts supplies from Japan in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami. By taking this action, Honda of the UK Manufacturing (HUM) will be able to continue production by utilising HUMs flexible working policy. Pay is maintained for all associates. Once full production is resumed, the reduced volume production will be quickly recovered using the banked hours. Ken Keir, executive vice president of Honda Motor Europe, said: Weve taken the decision to reduce our production volumes at HUM as it enables us to continue with our manufacturing activities, thus minimising the impact on Honda customers, dealers and associ ates. As parts supply stabilises and full production resumes, Honda will quickly develop a production schedule to meet the needs of Hondas European customers, said todays statement. The other example are as Honda motor decision making is decentralized, this will facilitates rapid response to change in two or more environments. For instance, when some changes occur in American market, the local company freely makes decision in order to immediately adapt to the market. Instead of waiting the decision from Parents Company, it has authority to themselves decides, resulting in saving time, cost and reducing risk. Hence, Hondas associates more efficiently and effectively in exchange information  together. The third example is Honda introduced  Air Blade Scooter with functions like sport and fashion model which are more fuel-efficient engine technology in Vietnam on April 2007 to attract the youth in Vietnam because Honda Vietnam has recognise that younger people in Vietnams prefer nice and expensive scooter and fashion accessory. So, Honda Vietnams has come out with idea in producing Air Blade Scooter to fulfil the local demand and it has successfully sold 950000 units after introduce Air Blake Scooter. 4.) Recommendations Sun Zi said: If you can analyze your weaknesses or disadvantage, you can always use your strength to cover it and win in the business games. Analysis is very important to a company. A company will know their strength and weaknesses and opportunities about the new market. So, Honda motor should have the analysis and planning before they introduce a new product to the market. By do the survey and research, Honda can know the needs of the market and can improve the quality of product to make sure the product is fit with the needs of market. This will make the product more successful. As mentioned by Sun Zi, in strategic management, product must be differentiated from other similar products, or you will be spurned. Honda motor should introduce a new product that differentiated with other competitor such as Toyota and Nissan. Honda tends to come out with several ways in improving their weakness and exploit their strength in the market to gain profit and advantages over its competitor. Honda motor should focus on this new product, so when the products come out, it will be very strong compare with its competitors products. The proposal to produce this new product must be confidential; the other competitors must not know the plan of Honda motor. When Honda motor introduces the new product to the market, competitor will dont know how to defend, and the new product can be very successful. Besides that, Honda can become first mover to control the whole market situation and let the competitor to follow Honda motor. Employees are the most important sources of a company. So, Honda motor must have a good communication with the worker, try to understand their situation and satisfy their needs. Besides, Honda motor can provide some training to the employee, so that they can upgrade their skill and knowledge about the technologies. Thus, they can use their knowledge to develop new product and help Honda to gain more advantages. On the other hand, Honda motor also can provides motivation campaign for the employees; this can give the chances to let the manager to interact with employees and improve co-operative between them. Furthermore, the manager can become the role model to the employees; this can motivate the employees to be more productive. Honda motor can give the rewards to the employees that have the well performance. This can maintain the employees performance and increase their motivation. Beside, Honda also can gives the appreciate to all the workers so that the workers can know that their hard work are being appreciated and they will work more hard. This can help the company to run more smoothly. In addition, as mentioned by Sun Zi, The main purpose of the war is to win in the battle and not to prolong the battle. Same with the business, speed is one of the ways to reduce the organization operating cost. Most of the business is selling their SPEED concept for example INTEL, UPS and DHL. So, Honda should decrease the operating time because longer time taken to complete a product, more expenses is needed. When the time for operation is shorter, then productivity of organization is increase and improves their value in the market. Indirectly it will become more competitive advantage for the organization.

Meaninglessness Glory in Wilfred Owens Dulce Et Decorum Est Essay

Meaninglessness Glory in Wilfred Owen's Dulce Et Decorum Est It is sweet and proper to die for one’s country. Sweet! And decorous! If in some smothering dreams you too could pace behind that wagon, my friend, you would not tell with such high zest to children ardent for some desperate glory that old lie†¦. Wilfred Owen titles his poem the Latin translation of what he refers to as â€Å"The old Lie† (Dulce Et Decorum Est), and sets out to disprove it. Using poetry and imagery as his primary tools, Owen recalls the death of his friend in disturbing detail, displaying the meaninglessness of the ordeal. Owen attempts to deny the glory that many believe is to be had through dying in war. Instead of a more traditional argument, however, Owen opts for poetry. In his poem, he tells the tale of soldiers struggling. The struggling turns to anguish once gas is unleashed upon them, preying on one man who was not quick enough to put on his helmet in time. â€Å"Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.† They quickly put him in a wagon an...

god? :: essays research papers

Many people have tried to prove through many ways that God exists. Anselm used the ontological argument, proposing that if God could be thought of and perceived, then God has to exist. At the center of the ontological argument is the idea or concept of existence. The Ontological argument is a group of different philosophers arguments for the existence of God. "Ontological" means talking about being and so in the Philosophy case, that being is the existence or being of God. The ontological argument differs from other arguments in favor of God because of the fact that it is an a priori deductive argument, a priori means that a person arguing this can reach a certain conclusion by the use of reason and not proof. A deductive argument means that if the premises that are put into the argument are true, then the conclusion must be true. Thus, Anselm tends to base his argument on the definitions and the terms that he used. Anselm’s first form of the argument is that God is "that than which none greater can be conceived" (45) . Firstly, it must be emphasised that Anselm’s definition does not limit God to being the "greatest" but Anselem makes it known that nothing greater can be thought than God himself. Therefore, God should not in any way be linked to terms such as ‘omnipotent’ as terminology such as this limit him to what he really is. With this definition, Anselem tries to prove that not only does God exist in the mind but also in reality. He is saying that Because God is something and can be perceived, God must exist. Another way of stating this is that: God is perfect so he must exist because he would not be perfect if he didn't exist. Anselm uses the example of "the fool" to prove his point on God’s existence. He says that when "the fool" says that "There is no God" in the Psalms, he must therefore understand what he hears , and what he understands in his language by the term "God". Therefore, if he knows what God is, God must exist as it is impossible to know what something is if it does not exist. The atheist, as Anselm points out, is able to understand the phrase "being than which none greater can be thought." He concludes that if an atheist can understand this, then God is in the atheist's understanding.

European Imperialism :: essays research papers

By the 1900's, Europe was already underway with its imperialistic conquests abroad. Colonies were forcefully taken and undeveloped nations were carved apart by so-called "racial crusaders", who were on a mission to civilize the barbaric. Along with expansion, however, came abuses from the invading powers. These flaws in European dominance can easily be noted, especially when examining Africa and Asia; the consequences, in some cases, being death by the thousands. Therefore, due to these and other severe actions during their domination of the world, Europeans should be condemned for their abuses of power. The first nation which will be discussed is China, from the continent of Asia. The British had their eyes on China, ever since the restricted population of merchants in Gwangzhou traded with the local monopoly of businesses. England had two major reasons for their interest: first, Chinese silver was desired by the empire because of its high value. Second, Britain had a sur plus of Opium, a drug grown in India, and it needed vast numbers of people to purchase it. China traded peacefully although reluctantly with Britain, until the government noticed the negative effects of the drug on its people. The opium trade was then outlawed promptly by the Chinese government. The substance, however, was still smuggled into the country. The Chinese government confronted the British regarding the smuggling and this sparked the Opium War (1899-1902). Britain pummeled the inferior naval force and won the altercation. Now, Britain was not only free to corrupt the Chinese people with their opium, but they added a colony to their empire: the large, rich port city of Hong Kong. This abuse of the people for their own personal gain is a clear demonstration of one of the many flaws in European dominance. The second nation which will be discussed is Sudan, from the continent of Africa. Sudan was not a military, economic, or political threat to Britain. It was blocking, howev er, British domination of Africa and preventing the gain of more political power for the empire. Therefore, it had to be conquered. The Sudanese population was largely Muslim and resisted English rule. It wanted to be governed by people of the ethnic majority and would fight to the death to "rid the world of evil"(Ahmad*). At first, the rebels were successful. Later, the British incorporated into the war a weapon of mass destruction: the machine gun.

Covert intervention as a moral problem Essay

The CIA has been greatly involved in the collection of intelligence as well as being engaged in covert action for the benefit of the United States. According to the 1991 Intelligence Authorization Act covert action is simply described as a particular â€Å"activity of the government of the United states that is meant to influence, economical, political, or military situations in the world, in that the role of the United States will not be acknowledged by many or publicly.† Under covert action, the exact intentions or the reasons behind the actions are not known by the foreign countries hence secrecy is the main component of covert actions. Covert actions and the role of the CIA Covert actions simply involves activities that include supporting political parties, covert propaganda, private groups, economic operations and even individuals through advice or subsidization with an aim of supporting or overthrowing the existing regime in a foreign country. There is a difference between covert actions and clandestine collection efforts whereby the covert actions are mainly designed for influencing conditions in foreign countries while the clandestine efforts are aimed at providing the intelligence community of the United States with information that can be used in designing the covert actions. The CIA is the body that is responsible for the purpose of obtaining intelligence and providing policymakers with relevant information for the purpose of designing covert actions on foreign countries. Apart from being the provider of the intelligence information to policymakers, the CIA is also the same body that is engaged in carrying out the covert actions as well as advising policymakers with regard to the intelligence they have gathered. The CIA as an intelligence body that is also involved in carrying out the covert action in foreign countries always strives to build and maintain its reputation both in the eyes of the United States citizens and foreign countries. To be able to maintain its reputation and put itself as an agency that is committed to serving the country and its citizens while at the same time promoting international relations, the CIA has to reach a compromise. The protecting the American citizens and the country at large as well as providing information for other foreign countries requires transparency. Under the covert actions and operations, there is a lot of secrecy and the only time information gets to reach the public is when operations have gone sour. This means that the CIA has an interest of protecting itself from critics within the public and avoids blame by the public while at the same time carrying out its operations. The CIA is also closely involved with administration officials and policymakers whereby the intelligence from the CIA is questioned and analyzed by the policymakers when making decisions. However, over the years, the CIA has been faced with the challenge of lack of commitment on the part of the policymakers to take time and read the intelligence provided by the agency. Instead, most policymakers have been keen on intelligence that is related to current risks. The unwillingness or the inability of policymakers to spend a lot of time in analyzing longer-range issues has been a source of frustration. The CIA have the duty to provide intelligence as they receive it and also take part in covert actions as they are assigned hence the need to have a balance between the two. The CIA has to ensure that it provides relevant information to policymakers because in the long run, it is the agency that is always blamed when covert actions to not go as planned. Therefore, the CIA has great interest in the intelligence and the covert actions that they take part in since the agency has to prove its worth and demonstrate that it performs its duties. Being the provider of intelligence and at the same time the user of the intelligence requires a lot of integrity to ensure that there is no biasness whereby the CIA provide information that it is aware will work in its favor. As a way of ensuring that the covert actions that the carry out and get involved in are successful to build their image in the eyes of the public, the CIA may tend to manipulate the information and intelligence they provide to policymakers. It is quite difficult to be certain with the kind of intelligence that the CIA provides to the policymakers as not being biased due to the reason that they are the same users of the information that they have gathered. The CIA as an intelligence agency and one that is held in high reputation would not want the public image that they have built get ruined by the kind of intelligence and covert actions they undertake. Therefore, based on the reason that the CIA is the provider and user of the intelligence they gather as well as the aim of protecting the agency from bad public image and reputation, it can be said that there is a conflict of interest. Furthermore, based on the issue that the intelligence the CIA gathers is provided to policy makers and in most occasions the policymakers do not take their time in reading and analyzing intelligence that is set for longer-use, the CIA has to ensure that the information they provide to the policymakers would not compromise the agency. Therefore, it can also be said that there is conflict of interest whereby the CIA, the provider and user of intelligence, has to ensure that policymakers to not make wrong decisions that will compromise the agency. The CIA also has the mandate of promoting democracy both locally and internationally but this is not the case with the intelligence gathered as well as the covert actions they undertake. There is a lot of secrecy whereby the public is left out on covert actions issues and intelligence hence it can be said that the CIA is practicing double standards. Democracy requires people to be well informed, something that is not the case with regard to the covert actions and intelligence gathered by CIA. Conclusion The CIA has greater duty of protecting the public, the United States government and its interest while at the same time maintaining a reputable public image both locally and internationally. There are times when the CIA has to provide some intelligence in certain situations while at times it has to avoid letting the public know of what is going on based on the reason that the image of the agency may be destroyed in case the covert actions do not go as planned and no positive results achieved. Therefore, the CIA, apart from being an intelligence agency that provides intelligence and gets involved in covert actions, has the duty of protecting itself from the public, both locally and internationally. This could result in biasness in the kind of intelligence that it provides to policymakers as well as how it carries out the covert actions, hence conflict of interest. References Beitz, Charles R. â€Å"Covert intervention as a moral problem.† Ethics & International Affairs 3, no. 1 (1989): 45-60. Berger III, Joseph B. â€Å"Covert Action: Title 10, Title 50, and the Chain of Command.† JFQ: Joint Force Quarterly no. 67 (2012 4th Quarter 2012): 32-39. By Bill Gertz, The Washington Times. â€Å"Military, CIA shun 9/11 panel on covert operations.† Washington Times, The (DC) (September 9, 2011): 1. Regional Business News Jeffreys-Jones, Rhodri. â€Å"Covert Action in the Cold War: US Policy, Intelligence, and CIA Operations.† Journal of American History 97, no. 4 (2011): 1173-1174. Little, Douglas. â€Å"Mission Impossible: The CIA and the Cult of Covert Action in the Middle East.† Diplomatic History 28, no. 5 (November 2004): 663-701 Meyer, Joel T. â€Å"Supervising The Pentagon: Covert Action And Traditional Military Activities In The War On Terror.† Administrative Law Review 59, no. 2 (Spring2007 2007): 463-478. Prouty, L. Fletcher. The secret team: the CIA and its allies in control of the United States and the world. Skyhorse Publishing Inc., 2011. Source document

Environmental History Essay

During the last ice age, around 13,500 years ago, a number of people from other continents came to North America to find food. They have been able to walk across the Bering Land Bridge from Siberia and Alaska. This was likely possible because during that period the sea level were lower that it is today. The melting of the glaciers has cleared some passage for the Alaskan to spread and colonize areas throughout South America within the period of 1,000 years. In their conquest, these people had a major impact on the ecology and wildlife to which they have been destined. Studies on the archeological findings stated that prior to the coming of the early North Americans, the lands were covered with lush vegetation and large species of mammals and birds. The herbivores even included 3 species of elephants such as the woolly elephants, the giant mammoths and the mastodons. Such animals which are common were giant animals like bison, ground sloths, armadillos, beaver and tortoises. Giant predators also are preying on different herbivores. Such predators were the cheetahs, saber-toothed tigers, lions and giant wolves. Most of these large predators have migrated from the boreal forests of Canada to live in the forest of North America. Animal remains of these unimaginable sizes and power of these animals have been found but where and why these species have vanished is a questionable issue. Tim Flannery’s book The Eternal Frontier: An Ecological History of North America and Its Peoples concluded that during the coming of the early North Americans there was what he call the â€Å"Pleistocene Overkill†. He hypothesized that during the colonization of humans and reaching far across the continents, they almost wiped out large herbivores through hunting. Large animals were more noticeable thus making them prime targets. Their low reproductive rates cannot compensate for the losses because of frequent hunting. When these animals became extinct, their predators became extinct as well. The extinction of the predators made an impact in the extinction of large scavenger birds. Only animals which can prey on and frequent the oceans did not suffer high extinction rates during this time. (Moyle & Orland, 2004). There are also evidences that the early North American people has manipulated their surroundings and that they have modified their environment as based on observation of settlers from Europe. The settlers have documented that Indians shaped their environment through the use of fire especially during the late summer to minimize the valley’s underbrush and reduce the number of trees. This is to facilitate hunting and do their gathering. While the American Indians are moving across seasonally while using fire for easy game hunting, the European settlers made themselves fences and farmhouses as well and bringing with them domesticated animals and crops. The Europeans however, have influenced some of the Indians to properly control or stop the use of fire and introduced to them the proper use of land use and establishing properties and boundaries for their domain (Northwest, 1998). Eyewitness accounts from the early European explorers, trappers, soldiers and missionaries affirmed that prior to their settlement the wilderness were not pristine but rather the product of remains of thousands of years of usage and management by Native Americans. The Native Americans’ management also has consequences on their ecosystems and one example is the extinction of most large mammal species in North America between 10,800 and 10,000 years ago. This is probably the result of hunting practices of Paleo-Indians as previously mentioned and with the effect of rapid environmental changes. Once again the setting of fires for hunting, land clearance, warfare and signaling as well as forest fires contributed to the degradation of forest and ecology in the pre-modern American era (Bonnicksen, 2000). Based from The Ecological Indian: Myth and History by Shepard Krech III, the Paleo-Indians had a great role in the extinction of animal species in North America. Krech believe that Paleo-Indians played great role in the Pleistocene extinctions about 11,000 years ago when many indigenous animal species in North America vanished. Severe climate changes however were also contributory to the extinctions of such animals. Krech uphold that there was actually human intervention in the exploitation and extinction of animals in that period because of two important evidence. Such were the findings of Paleo-Indian artifacts with the remains of extinct animals and the fact that there was already the extinction of animals before the arrival of European settlers in North America. Notably, the use of fire by the North American Indians was widespread as an important method for their subsistence. Fire is also used for communication, aggression and travel. Notably, vast tracts of forest lands were burned so that animals may move out and go to a place where they could be easily hunted. These aboriginals thus destroyed the habitats of elk, deer, buffaloes, wolves and beaver thus killing them for their meat and fur (Orton, 1999). At the time of the arrival of the Europeans, many Indians were already farmers. Farmers in the East and Southwest were raising corns, beans, pumpkins and squash which are necessary for their subsistence because five thousand years ago, agriculture was already a practice in America. By 1500, millions of acres of were already cleared and planted crops by the indigenous people. Furthermore, there was a constant set of fire to more hundreds of millions of acres to improve game habitat, clearance for travel, reduce insect pests and to enhance conditions to grow berries. Vast areas of forest landscape in the West and East and park-like open spaces are usually smoking with low-intensity fires. Even in New England, Indians burn their woods twice in a year. The frequent burning of forest has created wide open grasslands which were formerly forests. Such indication of human disturbances and alteration in the ecological system were the proliferation of game animals such as the wild turkeys, white-tailed deer, ruffled grouse and other species commonly live only on forest edges and openings. By the end of the early 1600s, bison were roaming the prairies in the south and reached as far as Far East (Maccleery, 1999). The migration of early European settlers to North America, however, has introduced the barter and trade practices with the Native Americans. One of the most earliest and important industries in that period was the fur trade. The fur trade industry has played a great factor in the development of America and Canada for more than three centuries. The trade began in the 1500’s as an exchange of goods between Indians and Europeans and other tools and weapons as well. The Beaver fur was the most valuable of all the furs being traded. The earliest traders of furs in North America were the French explorers and fishermen who came to a place which is now Eastern Canada. With the scarcity of fur-bearing animals particularly the beavers, North Americans and Eskimos set traps as far as Canada. British and French empires were set in America because of fur trade in the early 1600’s. The prospect of wealth with this venture has brought Europeans to the New World thus the establishment of many trading posts in the wilderness. As settlements grew, states were established and later became such major cities as Detroit, New Orleans, and St. Louis. While in Canada, Edmonton, Montreal, Quebec and Winnipeg were also established. Because of its promising wealth venture, the fur trade has created a conflict between France and Great Britain in the American land. There were rivalries over trading and alliances between Indian tribes and other traders. Hostilities however, were shown by other Indians toward white settlers because the settlers prevented the Indians from clearing the forest with burning thus preventing the production of fur-bearing animals. With such disproportionate conflict, border between the United States and Canada were formed. But in the 1700’s, the fur trade started to decline in the Eastern United States as a result from the clearing of large tracts of lands for settlement. As the clearings grew wider, fur-bearing animals increasingly became scarce as well which hurt the trade in the Western America and Western Canada. Silk was found to be an alternative for clothing and accessories when fur-trading was stopped by 1870’s (Stuart, 2007). In conclusion to this, as stated by Shephard Krech III on his Reflections on Conservation, Sustainability, and Environmentalism in Indigenous North America, he has his own debate if really the old North Americans are environmentalists, ecologists or conservationist. As he has mentioned other facts rather than being in assuring, enough evidence must be drawn to come up with more solid proof that indeed they were. However, there is more information and evidence that showed generally, they have not been properly treated their environment in the proper perspective because what they all need in that period was to survive in the midst of a dark and forested land. The American Indians of today, however, are one of the most visible groups in rallying for the preservation of their land, their domain and their culture as well.