Women’s Power Essays

Women’s Power Essays Women’s Power Essay Women’s Power Essay Simone De Beauvoir is regarded to be rationalistic and Eurocentric. Furthermore, the contemporary feminist theorists think of her to be male-biased and opinions on Beauvoir’s works to be simply valued for historical reasons. It was also told that her ideas were generally outdated. These opinions had been spreading in the 1999 during the Fiftieth Anniversary of â€Å"The Second Sex† conference in Paris (Wyatt, 2007). Upon reading Simone De Beauvoir’s essays, it can be noted, though not obviously or greatly evident that Beauvoir’s philosophy includes a lot of very important insights for feminism, both contemporary and future feminism. Simone de Beauvoir believes that the existence precedes essence (Blunden, 1997). In this sense, Beauvoir greatly believes that an individual was not born as a woman. As such, an individual only becomes a woman if she becomes one. Beauvoir also believes that women, as placed in the context of being the â€Å"other†, are in a situation wherein men put a certain â€Å"mystery† around them. Men try to stereotype women in order to gain or have an excuse to create a society where men would dominate or thus obtain a patriarchy within the society. Women’s roles are shrouded with this false â€Å"mystery† that men place unto them. As such, oppression of women is often present in a patriarchal society, where men tend to tell everything that they need to do. There is a certain hierarchy placed in the society, where men are above, and the women below or under them. This certain mystery also occurs on other things, which may include religion, class or even in races. Regarding the slogan, â€Å"Come along way† (baby)? , in the point of view of Simone de Beauvoir, women may not have arrived because of men’s oppression or their â€Å"mysterious† state because of men. For Beauvoir, if feminism is still not present up to this day, then it did not exist even before. Though, women did come along way or need to travel a long way in order to reach or arrive in a situation where the society is no longer patriarchal. Women can only be said to have arrived if there is equality among the sexes and that women is treated as a human being, not just as the other. On the other hand, if feminism is indeed present or achieved today, then we can say that women had already arrived. In the society, man dictates the definition of women. She is characterized in relation to man; to him and not to herself. Furthermore, man can still think of himself even if woman is not present. Unlike the man, being the â€Å"other†, a woman is not able or cannot think of her self without the presence of man. Arriving at the end of woman’s journey would be difficult. In this sense, woman would need more effort for they lack the concrete means of organizing themselves. They do not have the enough capabilities to be united and stand against the other and they continue to be overshadowed by the other sex’s power. According to Beauvoir, woman has no past, no religion of their own and has no history and that she is generally dependent on man (Blunden, 1997). Throughout the course of time, as society evolves, feminism continues to live in struggle in a patriarchal society. The classes, races, religion, science and even in economics, throughout the history of humans, women are always undermined by man, though her situation is changing from one point of time to the other. They are some points in history where the battle of the sexes, the equality of men and women, had been going on and in some point, stops. But one thing is for sure, man dread feminine competition. This is probably why woman would have a hard time arriving at a place that they want to be. Estelle B. Freedman is a U. S. historian and she is well-versed in the field of feminist studies and is a co-founder of a program regarding feminist studies (Freedman, 2007). Her specialization is women’s history and social reform. She had already been recognized for her works and exemplary essays. For Freedman, feminism does not fully exist, rather it is unwell and is still being reassessed and restored to its strength with great importance and vitality. Despite the fact that she also believes that feminism has a very good future and has exceptional and unparalleled history. Freedman also believes that it requires great effort and so much work to do for women to attain the true equality and obtain real power that is parallel to that of which men have.

The Time Traveller is a man impossible to sympathise with Essay Example

The Time Traveller is a man impossible to sympathise with Essay Example The Time Traveller is a man impossible to sympathise with Paper The Time Traveller is a man impossible to sympathise with Paper despite the fact that the Eloi are teaching him their language. This is also an example of irony, as they are teaching him, not him teaching them. However, the Time Travellers feeling of superiority fails to make him realise the ironic side of what he thinks. The Time Traveller feels that he is more intelligent and knowledgeable than his guests. In discussions with his guests he oozes confidence, helping him to put points forward, and speaks adding emphasis to certain phrases, by pausing, for example. An example of this is: ` Scientific People, proceeded the Time Traveller, after the pause required for the proper assimilation of this In the meetings between him and his guests, he is always the person always putting the points forward and deciding where the conversation goes: ` Can an instantaneous cube exist? Also, the Time Traveller always makes his guests subservient in the arguments, which again aids him in putting his points forward. Whenever one of his guests tries to challenge his dominance, the Time Traveller says something to put them back into their more subsidiary position in the discussion. An example of this is: ` said the Medical Man May I have them? (referring to flowers). `The Time Traveller hesitated. Then suddenly: Certainly not. This again reminds us of his confidence and attitude towards his guests. On several occasions the Time Traveller sees examples of the Morlocks ntelligence (their machinery, their attempts to trap him in both the forest and the pedestal) but does not take it in, because of his arrogance. Therefore, he never learns from his mistakes, and so repeats them. For example, when he goes into the dark wood inadequately armed, and nearly gets killed, he does not learn from this. Therefore, when he goes into the pedestal, a perfect place to become trapped in, and he only has a couple of matches, and nothing with which to light them. I was in the dark trapped. So the Morlocks thought. At that I chuckled gleefully But I had overlooked ne thing. The matches were of the abominable kind that only light on the box. On that occasion, it is also ironic that the Time Traveller ` could not help but laugh bitterly at (his) confidence. On the following page he becomes over-confident once more. In several places in the book, the Time Traveller is over-confident and under-pr epared, not just with the Morlocks. He never properly thought through what it would be like if the Time Machine worked. Despite the fact that he is meant to be an intelligent and logically thinking scientist, he never even considered what he should bring to e prepared for example, if the machine were to work. Therefore, it is ironic when he wishes that he had brought a camera with him, when he has travelled into the future. When he is ready to go, he has panicky, second thoughts ` I suppose a suicide who holds a pistol to his skull feels pretty much the same wonder at what will come next So for all his intelligence, confidence and knowledge, the Time Traveller lacks much common sense. He is therefore arrogant, over-confident and under-prepared going into new situations. This makes it difficult to sympathise with him when things start to go wrong. It is easy to see that the Time Traveller is intelligent, but he can become irritatingly smart. For example: ` I had a score of noun substantives at least at my command; and then I got onto demonstrative pronouns, and even the verb `to eat. ` My museum hypothesis was confirmed. This is pretentious; and it is probable that the reader is led to dislike the Time Traveller; so that when he gets into tricky situations, the reader is not meant to feel too much towards him. It is only halfway through he book that the reader can start sympathising with the Time Traveller. This is when more of his haracter is revealed; underneath the confidence and arrogance is a more agreeable side. Here he admits that he feels for Weena; and when she is gone, he is depressed. However, despite the fact that he likes her; she is described by him as physically `frail and `like a child. Also, intellectually, he treats her with disdain, and talks of her in a condescending manner, saying things such as ` I thought, rather foolishly that Weena might help me to interpret this. Although Wells has cleverly brought in the caring side of the Time Travellers character gradually, he has made the Time Traveller rrogant, over-confident and egotistical throughout the book. One of the best examples of this, after the other caring side of his character has properly been introduced, is when he goes into the wood. He believed at the time, that building a fire was ` n ingenious move for covering (his) retreat. Relying upon being able to light a fire is not the best protection, especially as several hundred Morlocks surrounded them at the time. It is also ironic when the Time Traveller laughs at the fire he has made, and walks away further into the wood, and further away from the little protection that he has. These examples show us that despite more of his character being revealed so that the reader can sympathise with him, he is still arrogant and over-confident, not realising what dangerous positions he is in. When Weena `dies the Time Traveller realises he likes her, and his affection for her is more openly indicated. For example: ` (her death) seemed an overwhelming calamity. His relationship with her previously had grown very gradually. When he saved her from drowning, in his usual condescending and intransigent way, he assumed that was it, and that there would be no proper friendship. Treating he Eloi race with his normal disdain, the Time Traveller expected that he would never be thanked for saving her, as he says: ` I had got to such a low estimation of her kind that I did not expect any gratitude from her. This reminds us again of his arrogance. The last example in the book of his affection for her is: ` But my story slips away from me as I speak of her. This shows, in a comment to his guests, that he is still thinking of her in an affectionate manner when she is gone. The two examples of his thoughts on their friendship (one at the beginning, one after Weena has gone), shows how much the friendship ad developed. Despite the two very different sides of his character, there are events that occur to link them. When the Time Traveller fights the Morlocks in the forest, and they are ` blinded by the raging fire, he is clearly enjoying the ` succulent giving of flesh under (his) blows, while in ` a frenzy of fear. The Time Traveller might want revenge for whatever has happened to Weena, but still lacks common sense, and ` not realising their blindness, he ` struck furiously at them. Although he instantly regrets this, which is, again, quite ironic. Furthermore, the different sides of his haracter can be linked when he is in the Palace of Green Porcelain. There he describes Weena as quite unintelligent, but two pages later, he almost praises her for making him realise that the floor sloped down underground towards the Morlocks. Here the Time Traveller treats the Elois intelligence with his usual disdain and condescension, but praises Weena, an Eloi, indicating that he likes her. The Time Traveller is not a very sympathetic character, but it is possible to sympathise with him. I believe it is definitely Wells intention to make the reader change his or her view about the Time Traveller, and to become more sympathetic towards him. Throughout the book, the Time Traveller is arrogant, over-confident and lacks common sense. Until his relationship with Weena begins, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to gain the readers sympathy. There are some subtle remarks made by the Time Traveller about his relationship with her, but he does not consciously realise that he likes her until her disappearance. Only then he actually realises her affection for her. Due to his continued arrogance, however, it is not possible to sympathise a great deal with him.

Conflict of Interest between Owners and Operators Essay

Conflict of Interest between Owners and Operators - Essay Example This paper examines the nature of the duty to avoid a conflict of interest on the part of owners and operators in company law. This research, however, is industry based and focuses on the nature of that duty in the gas and oil industry. In this regard, the nature and legal consequences of oil and gas agreements are examined. Once the various methods for engaging oil and gas contracts are explained, this research then turns its attention to the law relative to the corporate duty to avoid a conflict of interest and how that duty is interpreted and applied by the courts. The duty is then tied together with the owner and operator of the oil and gas industries. It is a common principle of company law that directors are required to put the interest of the company first and to avoid situations in which there is not only a conflict of interest but that there is a possibility of a conflict of interest. This rule is generally treated by the courts as entirely inflexible. As such it places upon the operator in an oil and gas agreement an onerous and quite often insurmountable burden as these persons are almost always involved in situations where there is a possibility of a conflict of interest. However, some court judgments such as Bray and Ford have relaxed the inflexible rule, holding that not all transactions are necessarily improper or illegal. This ruling could ease the unrealistic burden on operators who quite often come into contact with persons and entities that might have an interest that calls upon the operator to exercise a duty that might conflict with the oil and gas company whom he/she represents and serves.

Critically disscuss the principles underpinning the doctrine of Essay

Critically disscuss the principles underpinning the doctrine of consideration and its necessity in english contract law - Essay Example This exchange is that exchange of consideration. Thus, if no consideration exists it holds that there is nothing on which to create or found liability. Reciprocal undertakings between the contracting parties have to be there. Promises by either of the parties have to be fulfilled. Therefore, if neither of the contracting parties promises or gives anything, there exists no consideration for the second party to promise or act. In the past, when contracts were entirely verbal, the English Common law never wanted to enforce any offers that were gratuitous, (that is, offers without anything in exchange). Thus, the criterion of consideration was added to the Common law. Judge Wilmot stated in his verdict in a 1765 case of Pillans vs Mierop, that consideration came in the times of verbal contracts and to such, the law required something to make agreements formal. This was to let the court determine at what point a deliberate undertaking took place to obligate oneself. Any contract which doe s not have consideration is called a nudum pactum. (duhaime.org, 2011) The doctrine of consideration attaches to itself several principles according to Ramsey and Thomas Telford limited in their book. These are very essential as per the book and they determine sufficiency and adequacy. These include the facts that consideration has to be sufficient or real, it has to be something besides the existing obligation to the contracting parties, it must not be a consideration for past contracts, it has to be given as a return to a prior promise, it must be economically valuable and it has to emanate from the party making a promise. (Ramsey and Thomas Telford Ltd, 2007 p 253) The study will narrow down on the principles, though. Focus will be on the main requirements for a contract to be considered valid. To this, four main principles will be put into consideration. Four main principles have to exist in a contract so as consideration to uphold or to be valid. These include the fact that con sideration has to be sufficient but not necessarily adequate, it is a must it be valuable, consideration has to come from the promisee to the promisor and it maybe executed or executor, though. Past consideration is not enough to and a promise. This, study is going to consider the four principles or requirements in detail and also in pursuit of understanding further the doctrine. The requirements are going to be tackled in the order in which they are stated. (Lisa, 2002) The major rule under consideration as Fisher and Greenwood state in their book is that it is a must consideration be sufficient be sufficient it is not a must it be adequate, though. To the adequacy issue, the book says that there is nothing amiss in purchasing a valuable item like a painting for an amount of USD 10. Fundamentally, consideration is just token showing a party’s intent in making a legal contract unlike a social non-biding agreement. This stated token involves the giving of a thing that is of va lue in line with the requirements of law. Consideration, thus, is no prove of fairness or equity in a contract, but it is just an evidence that there exists a legal and enforceable contractual agreement between the involved parties. This is in opposition to any social arrangement with no intent of a legal contract. Note that, the

Mohammed Morsi Essay Example for Free

Mohammed Morsi Essay The Muslim Brotherhoods Mohammed Morsi has become Egypts first freely elected president after a delayed announcement of the results of last weekends runoff. He beat former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq by more than almost 900,000 votes. Morsi secured 51.7% of the vote, compared to 48% for Shafiq. Mohammed Morsi heads the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), the Muslim Brotherhood’s political arm. Mubarak appointed Shafik as prime minister in response to the protests against his regime. Shafik resigned a little more than a month later amid protests decrying him as a holdover from a discredited, ousted regime. Supports the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF): â€Å"SCAF is serious about power handover and is seeking to achieve the goals of the revolution. SCAF stands at an equal distance from all political and religious powers.† Parliamentary elections: the Muslim Brotherhoods Freedom and Justice party seems set to emerge as the biggest winner, with some analysts estimating it will capture about 40% of seats in the new legislature. Al-Nour, a more conservative Salafist party, looks likely to secure second place. The Muslim Brotherhood (known in Arabic as al-Ikhwan al-Muslimeen) is Egypts oldest and largest Islamist organization. As the most organized opposition group following the ouster of former President Hosni Mubarak in 2011, the Brotherhood became the countrys dominant political force, winning a near majority of seats in the post-revolution parliament, and its candidate, Mohammed Morsi, winning the presidency. Some Egyptians are concerned over the groups aim to establish a state ruled by sharia, or Islamic law, and ambiguity over its respect for human rights. Such concerns intensified after Morsi announced new sweeping powers for the presidency in late 2012 and a draft of theproposed constitution was published. The domestic political challenges also provide a difficult road for U.S.-Egypt relations, especially with regards to foreign aid. The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), the political party of the Muslim Brotherhood, could not have come into being without the 25 January revolution. Up to that time, the Muslim Brotherhood (MB), Egypt’s most powerful Islamist organization, was not only denied the right to form parties, but also barred – at least legally – from political life. As a result, the group had to pay a heavy price in detentions and repression to practice politics under the rule of former President Hosni Mubarak. The group had been trying to get a foothold in the country’s political arena for decades but was met with entrenched opposition by the Mubarak regime, which tended to accommodate the Brotherhood, but only within strict limits. Now, after the 25 January uprising, the group’s political ambitions have resurged on an unprecedented scale. Officially founded in May 2011, the FJP says that it is committed to a modern state, democracy, women’s rights, and national unity. The FJP’s initial membership of nearly nine thousand included one thousand women and one hundred Copts. New members are subject to a probationary period of six months after which, and based on their performance record, they become eligible for permanent membership. The FJP—along with the Salafist Al-Nour—is among a very few Egyptian political parties that issue probationary membership Formed alliance with name of Democratic Alliance (Freedom and Justice) Al-Nour Party Established in the wake of the 25 January uprising, Al-Nour (â€Å"The Light†) Party is the largest of Egypt’s three licensed Salafist parties (the other two being Al-Asala and Al-Fadila Parties). It was established by Al-Da‘wa Al-Salafiyya (â€Å"The Salafist Call†), Egypt’s largest Salafist group, commonly known as Al-Daawa Movement. Al-Daawa started in Alexandria where it now enjoys a considerable following. Al-Nour Party was officially licensed in June 2011. Official registration is of paramount importance in Egypt at the present time, as the current election law limits the right to contest two-thirds of the seats of the upcoming parliament to a limited number of officially registered parties, including Al-Nour. Under the rule of former President Hosni Mubarak, the state generally did not allow for the formation of Islamist parties, but after the revolution many Islamist groups managed  to obtain official political party license. The Islamist Bloc is an electoral coalition formed by three Islamist political parties with the aim to integrate their efforts in the upcoming parliamentary elections. The Islamist Bloc is comprised of the Salafist Al-Nour and Al-Asala Parties, as well as the Building and Development Party, the latter of which was founded by the Islamic Group (Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya). Wafad party: Wafd Party is one of Egypt’s oldest liberal parties and is expected to play a significant role in the upcoming elections. With deposed President Hosni Mubarak’s ruling party officially disbanded, Wafd has emerged as an influential player in the political arena. The party commands the largest network that any political party in Egypt possesses today, covering major cities in twenty-four out of twenty-six Egyptian governorates. With a distinguished group of top Egyptian businessmen on its membership list, Al-Wafd stands out as one of the few established parties that do not face the same financial constraints that have historically challenged many of the country’s political parties. The party also enjoys a very strong presence in the media, thanks to its famous daily newspaper, its Internet portal, and a professional, well-equipped media department. Additionally, Wafd’s current leader Al-Sayed Al-Badawi is owner of Al-Hayat, one of Egypt’s top five television channels. Such are luxuries that very few Egyptian parties possess. Wafd’s history dates back to the beginning of party life under the monarchy, making it the oldest among existing Egyptian political parties. The name of the party is Arabic for â€Å"The Delegation,† and it references Saad Zaghloul’s attempt in 1919 to lead a popular delegation to the post-World War I Paris Peace Conference to demand independence for Egypt against the will of British occupation authorities. Threatened by the immense popular support that Zaghloul was able to garner for his mission, British authorities exiled the Egyptian nationalist leader along with members of the prospective delegation to Malta. This move instigated a mass uprising, which led to the 1919 Revolution. The Egyptian Bloc: The Egyptian Bloc consists of the Free Egyptians Party, the Egyptian Social Democratic Party and Al-Tagammu Party. The Bloc is often portrayed as a â€Å"secular-leaning† alliance that seeks to counterbalance the influence of the Muslim Brotherhoodin the upcoming elections, specifically the Brotherhood led Democratic Alliance’s electoral coalition. Members of the Bloc announced in early November that their partnership is not simply a short-term electoral coalition, but encompasses a long-term political alliance aimed at turning Egypt into a civil democratic state. Magdi Abdelhad:iMiddle East analyst The Islamists rise to power in Egypt will send shockwaves through the courts and palaces of conservative Arab kings and presidents who have tried for decades to put the lid on political Islam. But foremost among Egypts neighbours who watched the brotherhoods success with increasing alarm is Israel. Cairo was the first Arab state to sign a peace treaty with Israel and the brotherhood has traditionally been vehemently opposed to that. But its opposition has softened over the years at least publicly. It is widely believed that the Muslim Brotherhood have reassured Washington that an Islamist government in Egypt would respect the peace deal with Israel. Given also that the ruling military council will continue to have the final say on matters of war and peace, it is unlikely that the brotherhood can put that peace at risk. It is also more likely that Mr Mursis immediate priority will be to concentrate on Egypts many daunting domestic problems including rampant poverty and unemployment. Debating leaders: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/21/opinion/21iht-edzewail21.html?pagewanted=all From the time of Ramses II, the strong pharaoh who ruled Egypt thousands of years ago, until last year when Hosni Mubarak’s reign ended, Egyptians were never able to witness a debate over who should take over the democratic reins in the highest office of the land. Our new culture of debate, together with the election of the Parliament last December, are milestones in the history of the nation, paving a new, but rocky, path toward democracy. The open debate between the secular and religious orientations of politics was  unthinkable over the past 60 years. This new openness means the Egyptian body politic is maturing. In the end, Egyptians know that, for the first time, they can choose their future. It won’t be dictated or imposed by anyone. Army protected revo: Unlike in nearby Syria or earlier in Libya, the Egyptian Army has taken the high road and protected the revolution in its infancy. And it has been the guardian of these unprecedented transparent elections. Problems: Among the most serious problems are economic hardship, the uncertainty of the political climate and the deterioration of security — a feature that Egyptian society faces anew. These problems have been compounded over the past 15 months as each of the three main constituencies involved in the revolution — the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), which is in charge of the transition period; the politically liberal as well as Islamic-oriented parties; and the youth who triggered the uprising — have stumbled in one way or another. Little bloodshed: It is a hopeful sign indeed that we Egyptians are still marching forward toward democracy with relatively little bloodshed. All signs indicate that a counterrevolution is not in store for Egypt. We will not turn back to a totalitarian governing system. Perhaps the most encouraging of all is the confidence of Egyptians in their future. In Egypt, a Victory for Democracy but Fear for the Future: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-06-25/in-egypt-a-victory-for-democracy-but-fear-for-the-future â€Å"So many questions remain unanswered that what can best be said is that either SCAF and the Brotherhood have worked out a deal of some sort or the political jousting has only just begun,† wrote Issandr El Amrani, a popular blogger on Egyptian politics. â€Å"Both the Brothers and  SCAF have positioned themselves in a manner in which backing down from their respective positions on the question of parliament and the Supplemental Constitutional Declaration would be a loss of face.† Tensions ran high for two weeks, when the SCAF assumed legislative responsibilities after shutting down the Islamist-controlled Parliament, announced a Supplemental Constitutional Declaration that drastically reduced presidential powers, and gave themselves the ability to veto articles of drafts of Egypt’s new constitution. They also reintroduced martial law, allowing soldiers to arrest civilians. Critics called their actions a soft coup. The Muslim Brotherhood, the most powerful political player in Egypt, has on the surface refused to accept any of these decisions, staging a sit-in in Tahrir Square and issuing aggressive statements to the media, all the while vowing to pressure the military government to rescind their declarations. It was a rare move, as the pragmatic group is more generally known for cutting deals with the regime rather than going toe-to-toe. Last week, with the possibility of a victory by Ahmed Shafiq, the other candidate in the run-off election who is widely viewed as aligned with the military, the Brotherhood showed a willingness to work with the revolutionary groups it had mostly ignored since the uprising against Mubarak. Morsi pledged to form a national salvation government to include secular politicians, Christians, and women. â€Å"The big question is: Can they build a broader, more inclusive front that can effectively challenge SCAF’s grip on power?† asks Shadi Hamid, director of research at the Brookings Doha Center. â€Å"Now that fear [of Shafiq’s victory] has passed, is there still enough that binds [the opposition groups] together? I do think the Brotherhood has at least implicitly acknowledged the mistakes of recent months and they have tried to strike a more conciliatory tone, and the recognition that they can’t do this alone because they are fighting a very challenging adversary: SCAF and the old regime.† To add to the challenges of running a country with a crumbling economy, President Morsi won with a narrow margin, garnering 51.7 percent of the vote. He had promised to be the president of all Egyptians during his first address to the nation Sunday night . â€Å"The game was being played almost like a game of poker on both sides,† says Hani Shukrallah, managing editor of the English-language online version of the Al Ahramnewspaper. â€Å"If we have reached a compromise, that’s a bit helpful for healing the deep schisms  [within] society. We have a society that’s been split down the middle, with enormous polarization. Most of the people who voted for Morsi did so out of dread [of] Shafiq.† On a side street leading to Tahrir Square on Sunday night, Ehab El Shawi led his three children to the epicenter of the celebration in the birthplace of Egypt’s uprising. Like many, he was caught between rejoicing at the idea of a new president and the reality of the office’s lack of power. â€Å"This is the first time all Egyptian people made a choice in 7,000 years to elect a normal Egyptian citizen. This is the first time we have freedom in more than 60 years,† El Shawi said happily of the first non-military president in Egypt’s history. â€Å"But we have to change all the decisions taken during the presidential elections and force the powers to ensure Dr.Morsi will have all the power to make Egypt a modern country,† he added. â€Å"We still need to take Egypt back from the old regime. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Timeline: Anti-Mubarak protests 2010 February Former UN nuclear chief Mohammed ElBaradei returns to Egypt and, together with opposition figures and activists, forms a coalition for political change. ElBaradei says he might run in presidential election scheduled for 2011. 2010 March President Mubarak undergoes gall-bladder surgery in Germany, returning to Egypt three weeks later. 2010 June Muslim Brotherhood fails to win any seats in elections to the Shura consultative upper house of parliament; alleges vote was rigged. 2010 November Coptic Christians clash with police in Giza over construction of church. Parliamentary polls, followed by protests against alleged vote rigging. Muslim Brotherhood fails to win a single seat, though it held a fifth of the places in the last parliament. 2011 January 21 killed in bomb at church in Alexandria where Christians had gathered to mark the New Year. Anti-government demonstrations, apparently encouraged by Tunisian street protests which prompted sudden departure of President Ben Ali. President Mubarak reshuffles his cabinet but fails to placate demonstrators, whose calls for his resignation grow louder. Days later he promises to step down in September. 2011 February President Mubarak steps down and hands power  to the army council. 2011 March Egyptians approve package of constitutional reforms aimed at paving the way for new elections. 2011 April Former President Mubarak and his sons, Ala and Gamal, are arrested on suspicion of corruption. 2011 April-August Protests continue in Cairos Tahrir Square over slow pace of political change. Islamist groups come to the fore. Army finally disperses protestors in August. 2011 August Former President Mubarak goes on trial in Cairo, charged with ordering the killing of demonstrators earlier in the year. 2011 October Clashes between Coptic Christians and security forces kill 24 people. Egypt and Israel swap 25 Egyptians in Israeli custody for a US-Israeli citizen accused of spying. 2011 November Violence in Cairos Tahrir square as security forces clash with protesters accusing the military of trying to keep their grip on power. Prime Minister EssamSharaf resigns in response to the unrest. Start of parliamentary elections. 2011 December National unity government headed by new Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri takes office. 2012 January Islamist parties emerge as victors of drawn-out parliamentary elections. 2012 March Pope Shenouda III, the veteran head of the Coptic Church, dies. 2012 April Crisis in relations with Saudi Arabia over the Saudi detention of an Egyptian lawyer briefly threatens the substantial aid that the Saudis provide Egypt. First free presidential poll 2012 May Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Mursi tops the first round of voting in first free presidential elections, narrowly ahead of Mubarak-era prime minister Ahmed Shafiq. Official media put turnout at a low 43%. Military leaders announce the end of the state of emergency in place since Anwar al-Sadats assassination in 1981, as its last renewal expires. 2012 June Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Mursi narrowly wins presidential election.Armyvs civilian rule Court sentences ex-President Mubarak to life in prison for complicity in the killing of protesters during the 2011 uprising. 2012 July President Mursi submits to a Supreme Court ruling that the parliamentary elections were invalid, after initially ordering parliament to meet in defiance of a military decree dissolving it in June. 2012 August New prime ministerHishamQandil appoints a cabinet dominated by figures from the outgoing government, technocrats and Islamists, to the exclusion of secular parties. Islamist fighters attack an  army outpost in Sinai, killing 16 soldiers, and mount a brief incursion into Israel, highlighting the tenuousness of government control over the largely-lawless area. President Mursi dismisses Defence Minister Tantawi and Chief of Staff Sami Annan and strips military of say in legislation and drafting the new constitution. 2012 September Egypt kills 32 militants and destroys 31 smuggling tunnels to Gaza in an offensive against militants who attacked troops in Sinai in August. 2012 November Bishop Tawadros is chosen as the new pope of Egypts Coptic Christians. President Mursi issues a decree giving himself extensive new powers. The decree sparks angry demonstrations and is condemned by Egypts top judges, who accuse him of undermining the independence of the judiciary. The Islamist-dominated constituent assembly tasked with writing a new constitution approves all 234 articles of the draft constitution, which boosts the role of Islam in Egypts system of government. The assembly session is boycotted by liberal, left-wing and Christian members. The vote is held earlier than originally scheduled, after Egypts constitutional court threatened to dissolve the constituent assembly. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13315719 †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ http://www.brookings.edu/research/reports/2012/01/23-egypt-indyk Prospects for Democracy in Egypt: Theres a conventional wisdom in the United States that Arabs are incapable of sustaining a true Western-style, liberal democracy. It will take them hundreds of years to acquire a democratic culture, the argument goes. And in the meantime new authoritarian regimes either Islamist or military will replace the ones that have been overthrown in the past year and give us all a lesson in Arab democracy. Advocates of this view were the first to announce, with all-knowing smiles, that the Arab Spring had become an Arab Winter. When Islamist parties won free and mostly fair elections in Tunisia, Egypt and Morocco in recent months, the proponents of this view had an I told you so moment and they were quick to denounce anybody who said otherwise as hopelessly naive. After a prolonged hibernation, politics has broken out in Cairo, the capital of the Arab Awakenings. For the first time in six decades people are acquiring a taste for freedom and, yes, Western-style democratic politics. The issues they debate so vigorously are critical to the shape of Egypts democratic future: What will be the residual powers of the Egyptian military? Whats the best model for dividing powers between the Presidency and the Parliament? What revisions should be made to the Constitution to ensure democratic rule? At the same time, the newly-elected parties are busy engaging in the horse-trading necessary to coalition politics, since no one party gained a majority (the Muslim Brotherhoods Freedom and Justice Party won around 47 percent of the vote; the Salafi Al-Nour Party won 25 percent, and a variety of liberal parties won the rest.). We were treated to an amazing sight: Salafi religious purists attempting to negotiate an alliance with liberal secularists. How did they justify such a pragmatic deal? The enemy of my enemy is my friend, one of them explained to us. They can both agree on a short-term political agenda: countering the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood and getting the army out of politics. And what about the imposition of Sharia law? The leader of the Salafi Al-Nour Party noted that his party is comfortable with the conservative nature of Egyptian society so a campaign to impose sharia law is unnecessary. They can be satisfied (at least for the time being) with the existing language of Article 2 of the Constitution which states that the principles of Islamic shariah will guide the state. This kind of pragmatic politics is deeply disturbing to the Costa Salafis a young generation of Salafis whose makeshift headquarters is in a Costa cafe. They denounce their elders not so much for being willing to compromise, which they readily accept as part of the new politics, but of failing to articulate through fatwas the religious basis for those compromises. Its as if the Salafi leadership, propelled onto the political stage for the first time, has become unplugged and feels able to do whatever is necessary in the political realm to protect its community of social  conservatives. They reminded me of the religious parties in Israel! Meanwhile, the Muslim Brotherhood is busy making its own compromises with the military and with other liberal parties that would enable its Freedom and Justice Party to build a governing and empowered coalition (at the moment, they can control the parliament but until its powers are defined in the constitution and the military hands over power, they cannot control the government). Whereas the Salafis are looking to constrain the Muslim Brotherhood, the MB is focused on how to ease fears of its intentions. After operating for eighty years in the political wilderness, the MB has learned just how fragile this moment could turn out to be. Thats why its leadership is more willing to compromise with the military than the other parties to its left and right. Consequently, the other parties fear that the MB will sell them out to the military in some sweetheart deal that compromises the revolution and their abilities to use democratic rules of the game to constrain the MB and hold the military accountable. This tension will likely manifest itself in the massive demonstrations that are expected on January 25 in Tahrir Square to commemorate the first anniversary of the Revolution. The military and the MB have called for a celebration, complete with party balloons and patriotic songs. Youth activists and some liberal parties, particularly exercised by the eighty some demonstrators who were killed by the police and the army in crackdowns in November and December last year, are calling for a demonstration against military rule. Some of the far-left revolutionary youth are calling for a campaign of violence. The way the January 25 demonstrations play out will be only one of the ways in which square politics and party politics interact in Egypts newly dynamic democracy. All the parties feel that they can claim legitimacy from the peoples mandates that they have received in the elections. This empowers them to stand up to the military in demanding that it leave the political arena promptly and allow Egyptian democracy to have its day. If the military focuses only on protecting its narrow interests (e.g., retaining its business interests, claiming immunity from prosecution for  past actions, demanding only responsibility for protecting the states borders), then a reasonable compromise can be fashioned. However, if the military insists on specifying reserve powers in the constitution and protecting its budget from civilian oversight, then the people know the way back to Tahrir Square. As one newly-elected parliamentarian put it: We are legitimate now; the army is not. And what about the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty? We didnt raise the issue they did. It came up in most conversations in the following way: We have been elected by the people. Were responsible to them. The people want stability, above all. They want the police back in the streets and calm and predictability restored to their daily lives. We dont like the way Israel treats the Palestinians. We dont like the price that Israel pays for Egyptian gas. But were not going to mess with the peace treaty. That sentiment is so widely shared that one of the heads of the Muslim Brotherhood could declare to the New York Times last week that the peace treaty is a commitment of the state, and therefore will be respected. The sense of responsibility that rests on the shoulders of those who would govern 87 million people is palpable. They know the severe economic straits that they will have to confront. They know that neither tourists nor foreign investment will return to Egypt unless there is a clear commitment to stability. And they know the people will not forgive them if they fail to address their basic needs for order, jobs and housing. In short, newly-elected Egyptian politicians the Muslim Brotherhood first and foremost understand that they have to make a choice between feeding the people and fighting Israel, and for the time being they have made a conscious choice of bread over bombs. The fact that Palestine is not a priority for the Egyptian people has been manifest since the early days of the revolution. It was underscored for me during a lecture I gave at the American University in Cairo, just off Tahrir Square. A Palestinian student, draped in a Palestinian flag, stood with a makeshift banner in silent protest at the front of the hall. Despite this prominent reminder, during the ensuing ninety-minute QA session with  students and journalists no-one asked a question about Palestine. To be sure, theres always the risk that populist politicians will outbid each other in their demagoguery on the Palestinian issue, especially if Israeli-Palestinian violence flares. But Israel is particularly sensitive to this possibility and the Muslim Brotherhood is apparently signaling its Hamas branch to keep things quiet too. (With 350 trucks a day passing from Israel into Gaza, and smuggling of weapons through the tunnels continuing apace, Hamas has its own reasons for maintaining the current de facto ceasefire with Israel.) What was perhaps most striking to me, however, was the attitude of the new political class to the United States. I had expected to encounter hostility after all the United States had been Mubaraks staunch ally through the three decades of his Pharaohnic rule. I had assumed that the Islamist politicians in particular would be antagonistic towards American influence in post-revolutionary Egypt, just as the Iranian clerics have manifested intense antagonism towards the United States since their revolution. Yet Egypts Islamists all seemed keen to engage with the United States government. The Muslim Brotherhood was trying to understand President Obamas intentions in demanding that the military hand over power to civilian (i.e. Muslim Brotherhood) rule, expeditiously. They werent sure how to deal with the fact that Bill Burns, the Deputy Secretary of State, had just met with their leadership. But one thing they were very certain about they need U.S. economic assistance and U.S. help in mobilizing international assistance. They were therefore quite anxious to know how Congress would treat them. Because of this new U.S. Government engagement with their arch-rivals, the Salafis too are seeking American recognition. Their leaders are keen to come to Washington to explain their intentions. They even appear willing to engage with Israel to establish their bona fides one of their leaders recently gave an interview to Israeli Army Radio.

Creationism in Public Education Essay -- Religion

A hotly debated topic these past few years centers on the origin of life. Now more than ever, science and religion are butting heads trying to come up with a conclusion, and one that public schools would teach to their students. Alex Rainert, meanwhile, reasons that both â€Å"science and religion are engaged in the same project, to discover the origin of life† (141). In short, one could better describe the debate as a crusade between evolutionists and creationists. Both sides have their well-founded arguments, but when one looks at the decisions of the courts, clearly only one side may win the battle when deciding biology curriculum in schools. Despite the overwhelming number of people in favor of teaching creationism in public schools, it may be better to leave science classes free from matters of religious belief. In 2004, Sharpes and Peramas report that â€Å"nearly two-thirds of all Americans surveyed favored teaching creationism together with evolution in schools,† according to a poll organized by CBS Broadcasting (qtd. in Costley and Killins). Thus, it seems as if the public has bought into the fair play argument proposed by creationists. After all, why not have a place to teach equally credible theories of the origin of life in schools? (Eldredge 634). Chet Raymo, a noted science professor of physics and astronomy at Stonehill College, rejects this notion, stating, â€Å"one might as well give equal billing to those who believe the Earth is flat† since creationism stands on little factual ground (156). At any rate, the U.S. Supreme Court illustrates that teaching creationism puts pressure on minorities to conform to the obviously favored religion when the power of the government backs up the theory (qtd. in Anti-Defamation League ... ...ligion Will Transform Your Life and Our World. New York: Penguin Group, 2007. Print. Eldredge, Niles. â€Å"Creationism Isn’t Science.† The Conscious Reader. 6th ed. Ed. D. Anthony English and Eben Ludlow. Needham Heights: Simon & Schuster, 1995. 633-638. Print. Hickman, Cleveland Pendleton. Integrated Principles of Zoology, sixth edition. St. Louis: The C. V. Mosby Company, 1979. Print. "Of Darwin, Dover and (un)intelligent design: scholar says the future of science— and Church-State separation--are at stake in the creationism/evolution conflict." Church & State 62.2 (2009): 10+. General OneFile. Web. 23 Feb. 2012. Rainert, Alex. â€Å"Creationism V. Evolutionism in America’s Public Schools.† Cooke 138- 41. Print. Raymo, Chet. Skeptics and True Believers: The Exhilarating Connection Between Science and Religion. Walker Publishing Company, Inc., 1998. Print.

Analysis And Interpretation Of Henry

Over time he becomes more and ore jealous, since his wife appreciates the doll more than him and therefore he decides to get rid of the doll. There are many themes in the story, such as marriage, jealousy and childish behavior. The genre is very comical as there is an exaggeration of the turmoil that can OCCUr in a marriage. It can be seen that it is a short Story by: There are few persons It is a sudden beginning/ in medias rest It is a short story It has an open ending, because it leaves the reader in uncertainty.Living with his wife and the doll Henry, the narrator becomes more and more jealous and starts hating both of them, especially Henry with his well-bred smile. He is very aware of the fact that his wife loves and appreciates Henry the doll more than him and that Henry is better looking than him, which he himself says, â€Å"In our tiny kitchen he towered above my puny height of five foot nothing. He looked handsome and smart with his green vinyl suit and firm jaw† (I I. 13-14 p. 2). You can tell by her tone when she speaks with her husband that she does not love and appreciate her husband as much as she loves and appreciates Henry.This is also seen in the quote â€Å"HERE, LET ME DO IT. You're 3 p. 2)†. She says that he is useless, which she also mentions several times through the story. The following quote shows that the wife appreciate Henry more because she buys better gifts to the doll Henry compared to what she buys to her husband: â€Å"At Christmas, my wife bought me a set of kitchen skewers and a potato-peeler. Henry got a checked cap, a long tartan scarf and a smart pair of driving gloves† (II. 3-4 p. 3). By this you can see how much more the wife appreciate the doll rather than her husband.In this short story, there is an omniscient first-person narrator, as the narrator acts as a first-person narrator and because he knows about his fife's feelings, this can be seen in the following quote â€Å"My wife screamed with hatr ed†(al. 10 p. 3). In this quote it can be seen that he describes the way and the feeling his wife had when she screamed. It can also be seen in the quote â€Å"She gazed with admiration as the figure slowly grew to full size† (II. 12 p. 2). In this quote he knows about her feelings, as he describes how she gazed as the figure slowly grew to full size.The narrator seems to be mentally unstable, because he has a childish behavior. This can be seen in the quote â€Å"He had a triumphant smile upon his lips† (II. 21 p. 4). He attaches the doll human-like behavior, when he mentions the triumphant smile, which he does several times. This makes him very depressive, because he has a negative view on life, which can be seen by all the many negative adjectives he assigns his wife. He is afraid of being alone and abandoned; therefore he does not leave her in the beginning, even though she treats him badly.The narrator has a subjective interpretation of reality, because ther e is an exaggeration of the turmoil that can occur in the marriage. The main purpose of buying Henry is to use it to frighten off muggers- the wife mentions. It is going to sit beside the wife when she is driving, but Henry has gained more importance, since the wife acts like Henry is her new husband. At some point it becomes too much for her husband and that is why he wants to get rid of Henry. Eventually when his wife sees what he has done, she begins crying.At some point he hears her crying and then he repairs Henry, â€Å"Moved by her hysterical cries, I ran for my puncture kit and made a hasty repair. After much huffing and puffing at the pump, Henry was restored to his full 13-14 p. 3). The author has a humorous style of writing, which makes the text entertaining. An example might be the episode where the wife explains that she bought Henry to frighten off muggers, when she is driving. Here occurs a humorous comment from her husband â€Å"l smiled. My wife frighten off mugge rs without the help of a dummy† (II. 7 p. 2). The use of humor is also a way of distancing oneself from painful experiences. His own wife frightens the narrator; â€Å"l decided to wander round for a bit. Didn't want to be there when she discovered that he was missing. I smirked to myself. She was crazy about Henry. She would kill me if she knew what I had done† (II. 5-7 p. 4). The atmosphere in the couple's house, is unstable and filled with jealousy, because it seems like they are getting divorced. You would also expect that they would be getting a divorce in any moment. At Christmas, my wife cap, a long tartan scarf and a smart pair of driving gloves† (II. 34 p. 3) â€Å"He deserves them,' she said, ‘you're just useless! † (II. 5 p. 3) â€Å"A great surge of anger rose up in me. How I hated them both† (II. 6 p. 3) From the quotes above, it can be seen that the mood in the house is hateful. The reason they are together is not because they lov e each other, but because their title as a aired couple. Their relationship becomes more and more hateful when the man makes it worse by adding Henry human characteristics.

Impact of online shopping on shopping centres in Australia Essay

Module 2 How would you define the industry to be analysed? Is the industry global? Is the organization mentioned Australian or overseas based? Can you make any inferences about the industry value chain from the article? What are the key product and services segments in the industry that are mentioned in the article? Are you able to identify the stage of the industry life-cycle from the facts in the article? What have been the remote environment trends that have driven the industry to its current state? Are these factors changing? What will be their impact on future growth in the industry? Remember an article may only make reference to some of the factors in the remote environment. What are the forces within the industry that determine the current profitability of the industry? Are these forces changing? What will be their impact on the future profitability of the industry? Again, remember an article may only make reference to some of the forces in the external industry environment. Does the article make any reference to the different customer market segments in the industry, and can you make an assessment of what drives customer demand in them? Given your remote and industry environment analyses, and your customer and market analysis, are you able to assess the basis of competition in the industry? What are the key factors that are critical for the organisation to do well in order to be successful? Are there any strategic groups that organisations in the industry compete in? Analyse the competitors if mentioned in the article, to gain a clear and specific profile of each major competitor in the industry. Module 3 Who are the key stakeholders of the organisation, and what are their  expectations from the organisation? What is the current business strategy of the organisation? Are you able to assess how the organisation has performed to date in meeting its objectives based on the given facts? Identify the capabilities of the organisation in the context of the competitive environment, and analyse them to determine whether these capabilities are strategic capabilities. Determine whether there are any inconsistencies (gaps) between the current business strategy and the remote environment, the industry environment and the performance of the organisation compared to its key competitors. Review the current business strategy against the expectations of the key stakeholders, the organisation s performance and the capabilities of the organisation. A review of these gaps, and an extended SWOT analysis, may reveal some possible alternatives and strategies that the organisation could pursue. These will often relate to improving the operational side of the organisation, while strategic growth options usually fall into the category of new products and/or new markets, which is discussed in Module 4. Module 4 Consider whether the organisation has leveraged its existing capabilities to its maximum market position and market penetration. Does the article indicate any strategy regarding development of new products or expanding its markets to remain competitive and/or to grow? Or is it possible that the company is taking another approach to growth (e.g. vertical integration)? If the organisation is considering new product development, review the important aspects to consider, including the key success factors for new product development. If the organisation is considering new market development, is the organisation trying to enter a new customer or geographic market, or both? Review the important considerations for new market development, including the strategic objectives for new market entry, evaluating the attractiveness of new markets, the key success factors for new market development and the advantages and disadvantages of different modes of market entry. Consider the accounting challenges that moving into new products or markets are likely to bring. Module 5 Evaluate each of the strategic options, such as different product and market options, on the basis of appropriate criteria, having regard for effective management of the organisation’s portfolio of projects. What are the risks assessed for each of the strategic options? Scenario planning should be undertaken in order to quantify and compare the variation in their potential outcomes. Evaluate each of the strategic options in terms of their consistency with the organisation’s external and internal environments, the feasibility of successfully undertaking the option and the competitive advantage it will give the organisation. Make the recommendations to key decision makers of which strategic options to adopt, demonstrating the alignment of the options to the business strategy and providing information on the benefits, risks and key steps in implementing the options. Module 6 What challenges is the organisation likely to face, or is currently experiencing, in implementing its strategies? How has the organisation performed in its implementation of the strategy? Determine the fit between the desired strategy and the business systems of the organisation, the organisational structure and the internal politics of the organisation. Is there a good fit between the desired strategy and the organisational culture? Consider any cross-cultural issues for the organisation. How is and/or should the process of change be implemented in the organisation? Module 7 Has the organisation considered any misalignments with all the interconnected 7- aspects of the implementation plan? Review the nature and the scale of change required to gain an understanding of the type of leadership required to lead it. How has, or should have, the leader performed in their strategic analysis, selection and implementation role?

Harnn and Thann Marketing Plan

Harnn and Thann Marketing Plan Free Online Research Papers EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The objectives of the report is to analyze the German natural home spa product market based on the previous Socio-cultural analysis and Economic analysis in order to devise marketing plan for Harnn and Thann. This report describes the detail plan for Harnn and Thann’s premium products that will penetrate to German market. To start with Market Audit, it is important to understand our own company’s strengths and competencies as well as the foreign market needs. An absolute research is required for Harnn and Thann’s aggressive advantage and the major problems as well as resistances that might challenge their product acceptance. The competitors’ analysis which is mentioning in this report, are L’Occitane of France, Crabtree and Evelyn of US, Aveda of US, Molton Brown of the United Kingdom Another part is the preliminary marketing plan which consist of Marketing objectives, the types of promotional mix, the distribution mode and distribution channels which fit to German market. In this section also mention about price determination, term of sale and methods of payment which will be used in this case and finally we provide the Pro forma financial statement and budgets and analysis of resource requirements. With the successful research and marketing plan is resulting in company’s achievement in its goal and ability to expand its business with broaden opportunities in Germany. A. PART ONE – MARKET AUDIT AND COMPETITIVE MARKET ANALYSIS I. Introduction The purpose of this paper is to do marketing plan for retail and wholesale Harnn and Thann natural home spa products, natural skin care, unique aromatherapy products and gift sets in Germany. Since Harnn and Thann, a young energetic Thai company, has a plan to expand their business to Germany by setting up their outlets and distribute the products to local distributors. Based on the result of Socio-cultural and economic analysis, today, Germany has an undeniable potential market and opportunities becoming available in the beauty, wellness and health therapy sector which has the reputation as one of the most comprehensive spa cultures in Europe.(Spa: Sanus per Aquam an Old Roman Cure, n.d.).(13) In other word, Harnn and Thann are convinced that Germany is the next treasure for them to spread out their premium products and verifying their reliable name in EU market after their previously disclosure in few countries in EU. However, the marketing strategies to be used in German market i s crucial and thus, the research need to be done carefully by analyzing market audit and marketing plan based on provided socio-cultural analysis and economic analysis in assignment one and two respectively. II. The Products Harnn and Thann aromatherapy products which uses natural ingredients. 2.1 Perceived Product Innovation 2.1.1 Relative Advantage i. Harnn natural plant extracts are active ingredients which can counter stress and allows you to exile yourself from the urban environment and way of life. These traditional extracts/ medication have been proven by scientifically. Harnn natural plant extracts in hair and body care products nourish, clean, soothe and also protects the natural balance of ones skin and hair. ii. Harnn natural spa products improve circulations and stimulates ones senses when used with traditional massage techniques. iii. Harnn home fragranced products and other similar accessories create a different environment within ones home. Such products come in different dynamic colors, shapes, textures and fragrances which craft a relaxing and a pleasant environment. (Harnn, 2008) iv. Thann products concentrate more towards using plant extracts to develop natural aromatherapy products. (Thann, 2008) 2.1.2 Compatibility Harnn and Thann products are made from natural plant extracts and work towards creating a more natural environment through their diverse and dynamic characteristics of their products. According to International Social Survey Program, the data shows that there has been increased spending on the environment in countries like Germany. This shows great compatibility between Harnn and Thann’s product theme and the objectives of creating a â€Å"greener† and natural environment in Germany. (Skrentny, 1993) 2.1.3 Complexity Harnn and Thann products are easy to use without complicated packaging. The layout makes Harnn and Thann’s products more appealing yet simple. 2.1.4 Trialability Harnn and Thann aromatherapy products when on display in stores create a closer bond between customers and the product. It allows customers to choose which smell of their preference. 2.1.5 Observability Its appealing yet simple packaging creates a competitive advantage over other spa products. 2.2 Problems and Resistances to product acceptance German consumers prefer to use its country’s products rather than foreign products. Studies have shown that most youth, the more educated, and consumers who are more familiar with the products would be more willing to try out foreign products. However, a big factor that can cause product acceptance in Germany is consumer nationalism. For example, Japanese cars are more favored over American cars by Americans. However, because of consumer nationalism, in Germany, German made cars are rated higher over Japanese cars. (Papadopoulos Heslop, 1992) Harnn and Thann could face product acceptance due to such factors. However, Thai spa products have created a good reputation around the world for its traditional and natural approach. Harnn and Thann has expanded it stores into countries like Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Finland, France, Guam, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Estonia, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and Ukraine. Its expansion into Europe especially, shows the company’s growth and success. In the period from 1996 to 2006, the number of wealthy people earning more than 200 percent of the average income level went from 6.4 to 9.2 percent and the number of poor earning less than 50 percent of the average increased from 7.3 to 11.4 percent. (Germanys Middle Class Shrinking Fast, Study Says, 2008) This tells us that the average income levels have been rising. With increased incomes come increased spending, therefore we look at opportunities where Germans can spend more on luxury products and other wants. 2.3 SWOT Analysis a. Strengths ? Thailand is one of an undeniable world renowned destination spa. ? An excellent reputation which considered #1 in Asia. ? Natural, organic, and non-animal tested ingredients ? Rich powerful mother company – No franchises ? EU accepted as it is already disclosed in some EU countries. ? Romantic and relaxing image with huge product range ? Premium product with high affordability. b. Weaknesses ? Low brand awareness ? Harnn and Thann has no experience in Germany especially, high challenges with local competitors who are already well established. Therefore Harnn and Thann probably have to face some problems initially. ? Young company which has established in 1999 for Harnn and in 2002 for Thann. ? There are a lot of gaps to fill in terms of Research Development in EU. c. Opportunities ? Boosting confidence of consumer by falling unemployment rates and rising GDP ? Germany has one of the most comprehensive spa cultures in Europe ? Booming demand of skin care products by aging population ? Market development space d. Threats ? Strong competitors ? Adapting to the culture differences Tendency of male caring about appearance Tendency of free time activities ? Culture differences III. The Market 3.1 Market in which the product is to be sold 3.1.1 Geographical Region i. Spas are very popular in Germany and have been around since Harnn and Thann will look at opening in three major towns/ cities where it can reach its target market easier in Germany. ? Aachen is a town on the west of Germany bordering with Belgium and Netherlands. This spa town offers many historic sites and hosts many annual cultural events and festivals. Aachen is an ideal place to get away and spend a good few days to relax and get away from the city life. One can drive or take a train to Aachen. Aachen is a major hub for the European trains. Trains connect to cities like Cologne, Brussels, and Herleen. (Hartley, n.d.) Harnn and Thann will benefit from such a town because it makes it easier to reach its target market. Aachen being a tourist destination will allow Harnn and Thann to sell its products to hotels and spas. ? Munich is a vibrant city south of Germany. This city attracts a lot of tourists from all around the world. Opening Harnn and Thann retail outlets in malls will allow consumers to bring a natural and a relaxed environment to their homes in comparison to the fast moving city life. Munich offers travelers the choice from its international airport, underground railways, suburb trains, trams and buses. ? Baden-Baden is situated at the foot of the Black Forest. This is another relaxed tourist destination with a number parks and gardens. It is a small town which is easy to get to either by air or train. (Baden-Baden, n.d.) Sale of Harnn and Thann products can be sold to hotels and spas in this small tourist destination once again reaching out easier to its target market. 3.1.2 Consumer buying habits The idea of Germans loving spas is to relax. There are a lot of spa towns and holiday destinations in Germany. Due to the trend of turning more environmental, consumers are more conscious about the environment and prefer more environmental friendly products. However, research has shown the buying trends of foreign products to be less attractive to Germans. (Papadopoulos Heslop, 1992) 3.1.3 Distribution of the product Distribute to retail outlets at shopping malls, hotel retail store and direct selling and distribution as accessories for hotels and spas. 3.1.4 Advertising and Promotion 3.1.4.1 Media Used Advertise in Magazines like Elle, GQ, Marie Claire to promote Harnn and Thann natural spa products (promote here only because we want to reach a niche market rather than target a mass audience. Another media used is through brochures placed at information desks of shopping malls. 3.1.4.2 Sales Promotions Registered members of Harnn and Thann are given product discounts up to 15 percent retail outlets/stores, and discount coupons to established spas. 3.1.5 Pricing Strategy In the period from 1996 to 2006, the number of wealthy people earning more than 200 percent of the average income level went from 6.4 to 9.2 percent and the number of poor earning less than 50 percent of the average increased from 7.3 to 11.4 percent. (Germanys Middle Class Shrinking Fast, Study Says, 2008) Even though we see an increasing rate of average income, entering the reserved German market as a foreign product is difficult. Germans are less price sensitive due to their high incomes but are more hesitant and reluctant to buy imported products. Therefore, our prices should be positioned well for the middle income earners yet still delivering quality aromatic natural spa products. Harnn and Thann’s pricing objective is to offer rising income earners a taste of luxury and comfort. 3.2 Compare and Contrast your product and competition product(s) 3.2.1 Competitor’s product(s) 3.2.1.1 Brand name 3.2.1.2 B. PART TWO – PRELIMINARY MARKETING PLAN I. Marketing Plan Enter the German market and create awareness of Harnn and Thann aromatherapy natural home spa products. 1.1 Marketing Objectives To gain spontaneous consumer awareness to 20 percent of the target market within one year and to communicate that Harnn and Thann is the only one that provides a sense of authentic home Thai products for better physical health and natural radiance. 1.1.1 Product Objectives i. To offer the German market a sense of authentic home Thai products for better physical health and natural radiance. ii. To exploit a holiday destination in Germany as a market for authentic Spa products from Harnn and Thann, a product of Thailand that is well renowned for its traditional spa products. iii. To create awareness of Harnn and Thann spa products, in a holiday destination in Germany. 1.1.2 Selling Objectives i. Gain spontaneous brand awareness of 20 percent of the target market within the first year upon entry. ii. Gain a market share of 5 percent within the first 6 months upon entry. 1.2 Product adaptation or modification Core Component The design will not change according to German culture since we are emphasizing on the Thai traditional natural spa products. Packaging Packaging will differ from products; however we would emphasize on products like for example natural hair products will come in different sizes like in bottles of 50ml or 100ml. Labeling and text used will be inscribed in German. As for products sold for hotels and spas, bundled packaging will be employed. 1.3 Promotional Mix (personal selling, advertising, publicity, and sales promotion) A. Advertising i. Objectives Gain spontaneous brand awareness of 20 percent of the target market within the first year upon entry. ii. Media Mix Print media- Magazines like Elle, GQ and Marie Claire Brochures We use magazines and brochures only due to cost factors. In addition, magazines such as Elle already have a certain group of people who read it, therefore making it more effective for Harnn and Thann to reach its target market. iii. Message Take your body, mind and soul closer to nature with Harnn and Thann’s aroma therapeutic natural home spa products. iv. Sales Promotions Registered members of Harnn and Thann are given product discounts up to 15 percent retail outlets/stores, and discount coupons to established spas. PEST Analysis ? Political (and legal) forces i. Stable political environment ii. Reduce the Trade Restrictions ? Economic forces i. The German economy has been improving since early 2006. ii. Both GDP and consumer spending have increased to +2.7% and + 1.8% respectively. iii. Positive changes in the economy in 2009. ? Sociocultural forces i. Nuclear family, high family income, 66% middle age population ? Technological forces i. Germany has 50.4 million internet users. ii. Ranked 4th of the World’s internet users 1.4 Distribution 1.4.1 Mode selection Harnn and Thann choose Multi-distribution mode like air freight, ocean freight and road transport for their product distribution. The company plan to distribute the products to retailer or distributors by Air freight via Dubai (DXB). (Airfreight, n.d.) (10) By choosing this option helps the company to distribute their products on time. On the other hand, as for distribution to their 3 outlets in Aachen, Baden-Baden and Munich Harnn and Thann use Ocean freight which categorize in Less- than- container loads. It is the ideal solution for smaller shipments as it is more suitable for larger quantity and time constraints is not crucial. Furthermore Harnn and Thann can use road transport to distribute their products to their distributors in other major city. (Ocean freight, n.d.) (9) 1.4.2 Port selection Harnn and Thann ship their products from Lat Krabang port to the port of Hamburg which is Germany’s biggest seaport, and Europe’s second largest, turning over almost 6.1 million TEU standard containers in 2003. (The Largest Ports, n.d.) (11) The port of Hamburg handles 28 percent of all container traffic in Northern Europe. (Germany: Europe’s Logistics Hub, 2005) (12) 1.4.3 Freight forwarding Harnn and Thann choose Maersk Logistics Thailand as a freight forwarder since Maersk Logistics is one of a recognized and leader of international logistics companies with an excellent wide range services. Moreover, the forwarder will handle all documentations needed to meet the export customs and destination requirements such as Bill of lading, and all shipping documents. Maersk Logistics will also help in arranging warehouse storage and distributions as well as insurance claim if required (Value added services, n.d.) (14) 1.5 Channels of Distribution (Micro analysis) 1. Retailers a. Type and Number of retail stores b. Retail Markup for products in each type of retail store c. Method of operation for each type (cash/ credit) d. Scale of operation for each type (small/large) 2. Wholesale middlemen a. Type and number of wholesale middlemen b. Markup for class of products by each type c. Methods of operation for each type (cash/ credit d. Scale of operation (small/large) 3. Import/ export agent 4. Warehousing a. Type b. Location A. Retail Distribution Harnn and Thann will open in three outlets in Germany, one outlet in each city/town Aachen, Munich, and Baden-Baden. When the products have arrived at the airport, a delivery truck will transport the products to the retail stores. There will be no middleman in terms of warehousing. A trucking company will be picked after a bidding session to transport the products. 1.6 Price determination Price of Harnn and Thann’s products for exporting to Germany need to be calculated in detail as when it comes to international business, it is not only the cost of raw material, but it also has additional costs that need to be included such as cost of shipment, cost of transportation, Insurance costs, all handling expenses as well as custom duties, Import taxes and VAT etc. Moreover, the company needs to ensure that the products’ margins are decent and hence price will be set according to the level of market segment. 1.7 Terms of sale In term of sale, Harnn and Thann use Cost, Insurance and Freight or the so called CIF which has an agreement that the cargo insurance and delivery of goods to the named port of destination (discharge) at the sellers expense. On the other hand, buyer will handle for the import customs clearance and other costs and risks of loss and damage. ( bmishipping.com/inco.html). This method has selected as the Head Quarter (Thailand) needs to ensure that retailer or distributors will pay the expenses and the especially, to make sure that the products are not spoiled by the time it is delivered to distributors’ hand. 1.8 Methods of payment Since Harnn and Thann has a plan to open outlets in Germany as well as distribution the products to suppliers or distributors, the method of payment will be done through Letter of credit (L/C) or Cash in Advance for those distributors which the commodities will be delivered once the payment have made and documents are completed. These modes of payment will help in reducing the risk of nonpayment due to the Bank guarantees. As for the outlets’ operation, Cash and Credit Cards will be used as modes of payment. II. Pro forma financial statements and budgets 2.1 Marketing budget 1. Selling expense 2. Advertising/ promotion expense 3. Distribution expense 4. Product cost 5. Other costs III. Resource requirements 3.1 Finances The financial resources of Harnn and Thann outlets in Germany in the first few years will be received from its Head Quarter in Thailand. After that, each of those outlets will be operated financially by its own profit. 3.2 Personnel Personnel resource is one of the most important resources requirements. In each outlet should consist of Outlet manager, Sale and Marketing Department, Administration and HRM department and operation teams with majority are local people in order to save cost and avoid challenges in hiring foreign staffs as well as language barrier as German language is used throughout the country. Thus, the total personnel should be up to 60 initially. 3.3 Production capacity Since Harnn and Thann use all the raw material and ingredients from its own mother company with a factory in Thailand, the production capacity is very challenging for them. However, the company is well prepared by forecasting the market demand and ensures that their production capacity is able to support high volume of products’ order. V. Conclusion According to Chin (2006) over 2500 people worldwide have already been chipped, with floodgates potentially about to open. While there is no doubt about the benefits for society and commerce in general this product is revolutionary and requires a significant cultural shift in South Africa to gain acceptance. This paper has performed a market audit and preliminary marketing plan drawing on the findings of socio-cultural and economic analysis completed in the previous assignment. We have taken the facts presented in the analysis identified problems and suggested solutions on how to address them. Ultimately we have identified the market and document how to go forward with introducing the product to the South African market once certain socio-cultural barriers are deemed to have been removed. Through this market audit and marketing plan, Blackberry is able to formulate well preparation strategies before implementing the real operational of sales and marketing subsidiary in Singapore based on the economical and socio-cultural analysis (summary in appendix 12 and appendix 13). During the first year, the marketing will focus on attracting people attentions and awareness; encourage trial or interest of the Blackberry brand by several marketing methods. In addition, the next years will be focusing on increasing the desire and purchasing that pilot the rises’ number of sales and profit. Therefore, eventually Blackberry is capable to be the smart-phone leader in Singapore, and in the same time embraces the Southeast Asia market. The scope for growth in the German leather industry is high. Tata international have to adopt the marketing strategies recommended to differentiate them from its competitors in international market. These marketing Mix strategies are to be followed to attain high relative market share and for the growth of the company. They should keep themselves aware of their competitors move and should react quickly to their actions. Should develop a good recognition to them in market and should rise to a leading leather exporting company in Germany. VI. References 1. german-business-partners.com/index.php?id=home 2. industry-park.de/eng/index.html 3. germany-tourism.de/ENG/nature_active_recreation/spa_vacation.htm 9. maersklogistics.com/sw35555.asp 10. maersklogistics.com/sw34805.asp 11. nordcapital.com/main/nca/en/impressionen/largest_ports.jsp 12. kompetenzcluster.org/fileadmin/vdidaten/Logistik/Fakten/Germany-Logistics-Hub.pdf 13. howtogermany.com/pages/spas.html 14. maersklogistics.com/sw34806.asp 15. Reference 1. Skrentny, J. D. (1993). Concern for the environment: A cross-national perspective. International Journal of Public Opinion Research. Extracted 26 June 2008. From: http://ijpor.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/5/4/335 2. Papadopoulos Heslop (1992) Product Country Images: Impact and Role in International Marketing. Extracted 25 June 2008. From: http://books.google.com.sg/books?id=z8PE4zEFSGkCpg=PA96lpg=PA96dq=foreign+product+acceptance+in+germanysource=webots=9zIXIpm4G6sig=uwW47zKnoPK4U2O26jJhNRZG1VMhl=ensa=Xoi=book_resultresnum=1ct=result#PPA96,M1 3. DW World (2008) Germanys Middle Class Shrinking Fast, Study Says. Extracted 26 June 2008. From: dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3311197,00.html 4. Hartley, M. (2008) Aachen Travel Guide – An Introduction to Aachen, Germany. Extracted 25 June 2008. From: http://gogermany.about.com/od/greatdestinations/p/Aachen.htm 5. Munich (2008) Munich Germany. Extracted 23 June 2008. From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich 6. Wikitravel (2008) Baden-Baden. Extracted 27 June 2008. From: http://wikitravel.org/en/Baden-Baden 7. The World Fact Book. (2008) Germany. Retrieved on June 14, 2008 from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gm.html 8. Worldbank (2008) The World Bank, Key Development Data Statistics – Germany. Extracted 27 June 2008. From: http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/DATASTATISTICS/0,,contentMDK:20535285~menuPK:1192694~pagePK:64133150~piPK:64133175~theSitePK:239419,00.html 9. Harnn (2008) Harnn Story. Extracted 27 June 2008. From: harnn.com/store_location.php?zone=thai 10. Thann (2008) Corporate Philosophy. Extracted 27 June 2008. From: thann.info/ The political stability assured the distribution preferences in Singapore. Moreover, the government plays a major role in deciding and implementing economic development, which it is excellent. Blackberry will do direct export, which is the manufacturer undertakes the exporting rather than delegating the task to other agent distribution (Fletcher Brown, 2005). Direct distribution is done through blackberry web-store at www.shopblackberry.com. The customer who buy online may subscribe the solution from those three providers. However, with setting up the subsidiary office, either corporate or individual customer can directly contact the office to get information and purchase the products instead of buying online. They can subscribe the e-solution separately after the purchasing. For the retailer partner in Singapore who interested in selling blackberry product can directly contact the Singapore’s subsidiary office to make an order. After that, BlackBerry in Singapore will send the products ordered from manufacturer in Canada to blackberry’s warehouse in Singapore. After that the devices are checked, the retailer may collect it from the office or directly from the warehouse Research Papers on Harnn and Thann Marketing PlanAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductDefinition of Export QuotasPETSTEL analysis of IndiaAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2Incorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalOpen Architechture a white paperRiordan Manufacturing Production PlanAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married Males

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