Big Drive Auto Scenario Essay Example for Free

Big Drive Auto Scenario Essay It is the dream of every organization to enter a new market and in the process realize its dreams. However, this dream becomes very difficult to achieve due to a number of factors among them entry barriers put in place by those companies that are already operating in those countries. According to Arthur, S. Sheffrin, M. , (2003), some common non-pricing barriers likely to affect a firm wishing to enter a new market are high advertising costs, government policies, customer loyalty, and cost advantage independent of scale and distributor agreements. It would therefore be recommendable for such a firm to enter into negotiations with the government of the country where it wants to venture and the other firms that are operating in the country. This way, the new company will be able to cut on the cost of production. The reason is that in the negotiations, the companies will be able to discuss and have a common pricing index that should apply to the new company. Even though the other old company will not pay any new prices, the new company will have its prices reduced substantially. This helps the new company to reduce on the cost of production thereby having more disposable income. It can use this disposable income to invest on new technology or to maximize on its production. (Arthur, S. Sheffrin, M. , 2003) Another recommendation would be for the new company to first form a joint venture with the other operating company in the new company. This way, the new company will be able to escape or rather to get over all the other non-pricing barriers such high advertising costs, customer loyalty and distribution agreement. Under the umbrella of the already operating company, the new company now in the joint venture will be able to penetrate the market and only after it has succeeded in establishing the market should it break and be on its own. Due to these barriers, we can present sales at the new company in the tables below taking a span of ten years. From the tables, it is clear that the business is moving all right up to the year 2002 when it suddenly goes down. This defines the time when the new company decides to break-off from the joint venture and be on its own. The business goes down as they are now running independently but it slowly regains momentum because they are familiar with the market. (Arthur, S. Sheffrin, M. , 2003)

Herman Melville :: essays research papers

Herman Melville created many characters in his writing that had a mysterious nature to them. Melville himself had a bit of mystery in his own personal character and this quality is shown through many characters such as Claggart and Bartleby. Besides having a mysterious side to him, this author was stubborn. Even though his work wasn’t always praised he remained determined and pretty much always wrote what he wanted to write. This stubbornness was shown through his characters Captain Veere in Billy Budd and Bartleby in the story "Bartleby the Scrivener." Melville was also passively resistant and he shows this through his characters Billy Budd and Bartleby. Herman Melville portrayed himself in his writing by giving personality traits to his literary characters that were similar to the ones he himself possessed. Melville had a strong desire to reveal the complexities of human life, so mystery was often a trait of his characters. An example of this would be his character Bartleby. Throughout the story, the reader has no clue what Bartleby is thinking, so Melville creates an air of mystery about this character. Another of Melville’s characters that show this quality is Claggart in the book Billy Budd. Claggart is constantly referred to as being mysterious, "†¦a nut not to be cracked by the top of a ladies fan (Billy Budd). Besides being mysterious, Melville is stubborn and this comes out through his characters Captain Veere and Bartleby. Like most writers, Melville’s career had its ups and downs, and his work was not always praised. Even though readers didn’t always appreciate his writing or writing style, he continued to write the books that he wanted to write. He quotes "What I feel most moved to write, that is banned- it will not pay, yet, altogether write the other way I cannot."(P. 8 Cliffs). The author shows his stubbornness through the character of Bartleby. To every request directed at him he replies, "I’d prefer not to", which suggests the authors own obstinacy. Another of Herman’s characters that has a stubborn nature is captain Veere. He does not let his own feelings of those of the crew interfere with the strict facts of the case, which eventually resulted in Billy’s death. He remains stubborn with his decision and makes no exceptio ns in any case. Another personality trait Melville portrays in his writing is passive resistance. By Melville not changing his writing style to please society he is passively resisting.

Liberty and Equality Essay

The principles of liberty and equality are what led America to be the great country it is today. Those terms would not be as meaningful if Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and many other founders of our country did not embrace those ideas and adopt them from the Europeans. The strong belief in liberty and equality led this nation to adhere to those standards set by the great leaders above. Without liberty, equality, and those who fought for the pursuit of these ideals, life in America would not be the same. The great leaders who helped bring liberty and equality to America did not create these concepts; they were adopted from the European countries that were also fighting for equality and liberty. William Russell claims that the idea was not formed in America. He states, â€Å"The climate of America did not breed liberty, nor did its geography foster equality† (Russell 55). Even though the idea might not have come from Thomas Jefferson himself, he was stil l instrumental in the formation of American values and the implementation of democratic ideals in America. Jefferson strongly believed that every citizen deserved to be equal. He did not like the fact that some people had more rights than others, because this implied that not everyone in America was the same. Jefferson had the perfect opportunity to express his feeling and he did; when he helped draft the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson wanted to make sure that no group’s rights were limited. Jefferson also highlighted the importance of everyone’s ability to pursue their own ambitions, by stating that we all possess â€Å"unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness† (The Declaration 7). This statement has become iconic because of its message—anyone can and should be able to follow their dreams. This step was crucial in the formation of America’s democracy. Similarly, George Washington upheld the values of liberty and equality by citing views comparable to Jefferson’s. Washington strengthened his argument when he included the notion of God’s involvement in the success and the happiness of  the people in America. In his First Inaugural Address, he expresses to the people that the Almighty Being has the power and the will to heal all defected humans and to bring happiness to every human being in this country. Washington asks that God’s â€Å"Benediction may consecrate to the liberties and happiness of the people in the United States a government instituted by themselves for these essential purposes† (First Inauguration 44). Washington believed in the importance of God in guiding citizens toward a thriving government and nation, which he believed would lead to the happiness of the American people. He states the significance of sticking to rules placed by the Almighty, because the nation that follows the rules of Heaven will receive smiles. Like Washington, Abraham Lincoln also felt that God was an influential Almighty Being, who could help America meet its longtime goals of Liberty and Equality. Lincoln wanted everyone—from the slaves to the slave owners—to be in an equal nation under God. He expressed these thoughts in the â€Å"The Gettysburg Address.† In this speech, he explains that the current Civil War was being fought to preserve the idea of total equality, and to abolish the institution of slavery. Lincoln states that the nation under God â€Å"Shall have a new birth of freedom† (Gettysburg 93). The war’s purpose, to settle a longstanding dispute between the North and the South, evolved from Lincoln’s desire to rid the nation of slavery. Both Washington and Lincoln believed everyone—including African Americans, women, and any other marginalized group—had the right to freedom. Likewise, Henry David Thoreau’s essay â€Å"Civil Disobedience† exp resses his thoughts and feelings about laws set by the government. Thoreau explains the role of liberty and equality in America differently than Washington and Lincoln. He decides against using God as a persuasive tool. Instead, he encourages people to stand up to the government and disobey the laws they feel are denying justice to certain people. Thoreau believed that to fight a law in a â€Å"civil† way, you must â€Å"Cast your whole vote, not a stripe of paper merely, but your whole influence† (Civil Disobedience 9). He suggests that if one person expresses his or her idea of justice, more people may speak up and fight back. He believed this would lead to the government’s forced compliance with more just acts of liberty and equality. Martin Luther King Jr. took Thoreau’s ideas to heart. He very famously stood up to laws he believed were unjust during the Civil Rights movement. He fought a very long  time to bring a greater level of equality to Ameri ca, especially for African American people. King felt that liberty and equality had been denied too long for African Americans. He expresses that thought in a letter from his jail cell in Birmingham. King writes, â€Å"We have waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and God given rights† (King Web). King’s frustration led him to believe that his best option was what Thoreau describes: civil disobedience. Ultimately, King’s pursuit of liberty and equality proved incredibly worthwhile; his acts of civil disobedience changed the landscape of American culture. Throughout history, America has had great leaders of all backgrounds and religions. This diversity has strengthened our desire and pursuit of equality and liberty for all. Each great leader, writer, and thinker has contributed to the molding of America as a democratic land. Each person encouraged others to contribute to their cause, resulting in a country where liberty and equality have truly become a group effort. Works Cited Jefferson, Thomas. â€Å"Declaration Of Independence.† The Declaration of Independence and Other Great Documents of American History, 1775-1865. Ed. John Grafton. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 2000. 5-9. Print. King, Martin L., Jr. â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham Jail [King, Jr.].† Letter. 16 Apr. 1963.Letter from a Birmingham Jail [King, Jr.]. University of Pennsylvania, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. . Lincoln, Abraham. â€Å"The Gettysburg Address.† 1863. The Declaration of Independence and Other Great Documents of American History, 1775-1865. Ed. John Grafton. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 2000. 92-93. Print. Thoreau, H. D. â€Å"Civil disobedience.† Civil disobedience, and other essays (pp. 1-18). New York: Dover Publications. Print. (Original work published 1849) Russell, William Fletcher. Liberty vs. Equality. New York: Macmillan, 1936. 54-55. Print. Washington, George. â€Å"George Washington: First Inauguration Address.† The Declaration of In dependence and Other Great Documents of American History, 1775-1865. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 2000. 43-46. Print.

Facts and History of North Korea

The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, is one of the most talked-about yet least understood nations on Earth. It is a reclusive country, cut off even from its nearest neighbors by ideological differences and the paranoia of its top leadership. It developed  nuclear weapons  in 2006. Severed from the southern half of the peninsula more than six decades ago, North Korea has evolved into a strange Stalinist state. The ruling Kim family exercises control through fear and personality cults. Can the two halves of Korea ever be put back together again? Only time will tell. Capital and Major Cities Capital: Pyongyang, population 3,255,000Hamhung, population 769,000Chongjin, population 668,000Nampo, population 367,000Wonsan, population 363,000 North Koreas Government North Korea, or the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, is a highly centralized communist country under the leadership of Kim Jong-Un. His official title is Chairman of the National Defense Commission. The President of the Supreme Peoples Assembly Presidium is Kim Yong Nam. The 687-seat Supreme Peoples Assembly is the legislative branch. All members belong to the Korean Workers Party. The judicial branch consists of a Central Court, as well as provincial, county, city and military courts. All citizens are free to vote for the Korean Workers Party at the age of 17. The Population of North Korea North Korea has an estimated 24 million citizens as of the 2011 census. About 63% of North Koreans live in urban centers. Nearly all of the population is ethnically Korean, with very small minorities of ethnic Chinese and Japanese. Language The official language of North Korea is Korean. Written Korean has its own alphabet, called Hangul. Over the past several decades, the government of North Korea has attempted to purge borrowed vocabulary from the lexicon. Meanwhile, South Koreans have adopted words such as PC for personal computer, handufone for mobile phone, etc. While the northern and southern dialects are still mutually intelligible, they are diverging from one another after 60 years of separation. Religion in North Korea As a communist nation, North Korea is officially non-religious. Prior to the partition of Korea, however, Koreans in the north were Buddhist, Shamanist, Cheondogyo, Christian, and Confucianist. To what extent these belief systems persist today is difficult to judge from outside the country. North Korean Geography North Korea occupies the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. It shares a long north-western border with China, a short border with Russia, and a highly-fortified border with South Korea (the DMZ or demilitarized zone). The country covers an area of 120,538 km sq. North Korea is a mountainous land; about 80% of the country is made up of steep mountains and narrow valleys. The remainder is arable plains, but these are small in size and distributed across the country. The highest point is Baektusan, at 2,744 meters. The lowest point is sea level. The Climate of North Korea North Koreas climate is influenced both by the monsoon cycle and by continental air masses from Siberia. Thus, it was extremely cold with dry winters and hot, rainy summers. North Korea suffers from frequent droughts and massive summer flooding, as well as the occasional typhoon. Economy North Koreas GDP (PPP) for 2014 is estimated at $40 billion US. The GDP (official exchange rate) is $28 billion (2013 estimate). The per capita GDP is $1,800. Official exports include military products, minerals, clothing, wood products, vegetables, and metals. Suspected unofficial exports include missiles, narcotics, and trafficked persons. North Korea imports minerals, petroleum, machinery, food, chemicals, and plastics. History of North Korea When Japan lost World War II in 1945, it also lost Korea, annexed to the Japanese Empire in 1910. The U.N. divided administration of the peninsula between two of the victorious Allied powers. Above the 38th parallel, the USSR took control, while the US moved in to administer the southern half. The USSR fostered a pro-Soviet communist government based in Pyongyang, then withdrew in 1948. North Koreas military leader, Kim Il-sung, wanted to invade South Korea at that point and unite the country under a communist banner, but Joseph Stalin refused to support the idea. By 1950, the regional situation had changed. Chinas civil war had ended with a victory for Mao Zedongs Red Army, and Mao agreed to send military support to North Korea if it invaded the capitalist South. The Soviets gave Kim Il-sung a green light for invasion. The Korean War On June 25, 1950, North Korea launched a ferocious artillery barrage across the border into South Korea, followed hours later by some 230,000 troops. The North Koreans quickly took the southern capital at Seoul and began to push southwards. Two days after the war began, US President Truman ordered American armed forces to come to the aid of the South Korean military. The U.N. Security Council approved member-state assistance to the South over the objection of the Soviet representative; in the end, twelve more nations joined the US and South Korea in the U.N. coalition. Despite this aid to the South, the war went very well for the North at first. In fact, the communist forces captured nearly the entire peninsula within the first two months of fighting; by August, the defenders were hemmed in at the city of Busan, on the southeastern tip of South Korea. The North Korean army was not able to break through the Busan Perimeter, however, even after a solid month of battle. Slowly, the tide began to turn against the North. In September and October of 1950, South Korean and U.N. forces pushed the North Koreans all of the way back across the 38th Parallel, and north to the Chinese border. This was too much for Mao, who ordered his troops into battle on North Koreas side. After three years of bitter fighting, and some 4 million soldiers and civilians killed, the Korean War ended in a stalemate with the July 27, 1953, cease-fire agreement. The two sides have never signed a peace treaty; they remain separated by a 2.5-mile wide demilitarized zone (DMZ). The Post-War North After the war, North Koreas government focused on industrialization as it rebuilt the battle-torn country. As president, Kim Il-sung preached the idea of Juche, or self-reliance. North Korea would become strong by producing all of its own food, technology, and domestic needs, rather than importing goods from abroad. During the 1960s, North Korea was caught in the middle of the Sino-Soviet split. Although Kim Il-sung hoped to remain neutral and play the two larger powers off of one another, the Soviets concluded that he favored the Chinese. They cut off help to North Korea. During the 1970s, North Koreas economy began to fail. It has no oil reserves, and the spiking price of oil left it massively in debt. North Korea defaulted on its debt in 1980. Kim Il-sung died in 1994 and was succeeded by his son Kim Jong-il. Between 1996 and 1999, the country suffered from a famine that killed between 600,000 and 900,000 people. Today, North Korea relied on international food aid through 2009, even as it poured scarce resources into the military. The agricultural output has improved since 2009 but malnutrition and poor living conditions continue. North Korea evidently tested its first nuclear weapon on October 9, 2006. It continues to develop its nuclear arsenal and conducted tests in 2013 and 2016.   On December 17, 2011, Kim Jong-il died and was succeeded by his third son, Kim Jong-un.