ICT History

There has been a general concern in the public about how ICT in the early years was like in terms of the facilitators that were being used by the people so that they could pass information as well as communicate with one another. The effects of these modes of communication such as delayed information and also possibilities in alteration of the message have all been central focus by the public so as to make a remarkable development in the areas where these modes of communication failed. People are geared to developing new technology that will fully replace the information and communicating technology that was used in the early days. The modern technology will see the production of very fast, effective, as well as reliable tools of communication such as telex, telephones, telegram as well as the internet. This are of is important to research on since the knowledge of information and communication is the backbone of technology. Human being are able to continue with life because they communicate to one another so that they can help reach solutions to problems. Business industry which is the chief sustainers of the economy of each country is only able to succeed through ensured constant flow of information. Delayed information in the early years led to so many effects on the people. For example, people could die on their way to medicine men just because of lack of good communication means that could be fast enough to reach these healers who some times could treat a person in his/her home area. The study is timely especially in the advent of stiff growth of information communication technology. The investigation into existence of information and communication technology in early years will provide crucial information and data to decision and policy makers who will in turn use the results to come up with new policies which will trigger the invention of new and fast as well as effective ways of communicating. 1. 3Limitations of the study. The study will be limited in that it shall draw a lot from existing data much of which may not be reliable. It also expected that lack of previous research in the field might also pose challenges to the researcher. In addition, there may be false information from some people who do not have any idea on the modes of communication that were used during the early years. This may lead to unreliable results and hence reluctance in settling for inventions and innovations of more advanced technology. Literature review. During the early days ICT was also used in various ways by the people. Agriculture was the first technology to be adopted by man followed by writing (Pemberton & Shurville 2000p. 56-67). Fire was very much used as a means of communication whereby it was so slow in passing the information to the targeted individuals or groups. Use of smoke, wild creatures like birds and also whistling were among the most used means of passing information. In addition, communication was very much essential among the people and it was affected by songs, dances as well as poetry where information was conveyed through how these activities were performed (Rahtz , 1987p. 1-20)). Drums were also used in passing information and they also facilitated the performance of dances. According to Watts, and Lloyd, (2004p. 103), all humans were hunters and gatherers. This provoked the existence of so many massagers who made the passage of information from one person to another quite easy since most of the people were mobile. People during these days relied so much on local technology like manufacturing of tools as well as weapons, cutting and digging tools such as axes and hoes since they relied heavily on agriculture. These tools were made from iron, bronze or copper metals since they were thought to be resistance to rusting. According to Chambers and Davies (2001p. 12-16)), ship technology was on rise and people used simple constructed ships to cross the oceans and communicate with people of different boundaries and countries. This required one to have knowledge about the currents in the ocean, star maps as well as weather patterns. The growth of early information and communication technology was facilitated by the remarkable revolution of agriculture, which enabled people to begin permanent settlements and stop migrations. Most people also stopped the hunting and gathering activities and settled for agriculture and this saw consolidated efforts in working to improve the Information and communication sector. These early modes of communication were very much unreliable since they were slow. For example, use of people as agents of passing information was very unreliable method because alterations of the content of the message was possible. The messages were also liable to failure to reach their destination or face a lot of mis-reporting. Early information and communication technology was generally poorly developed but as people continued evolving, information and communication technology as well began to expand since people began to do some inventions on this sector. People invest heavily on this area since they saw its importance and the impacts it had to their lives. Early information and communication technology had also many advantages to the people. Through ICT in the early days, people were able to convey important messages that helped them to understand one another other and also helped them to establish good relationships (Riley,1995p. 8-104). It is also through information and communication technology that people were able to learn for example through writing on stones which later developed to more satisfactory learning ways like writing on books. Writing materials also evolved in the same line, from metallic instruments that were used for writing on stones to pencils and biros that are even used in modern s ociety for writing on books. Information and communication in early days have been compared to today’s Information and communication technology and quite remarkable differences have been marked. The modern ICT is actually very appreciated for its satisfaction of people’s needs since it’s the modes of passing the information are very fast. No delays of message failures that may lead to adverse effects of the people. Methodology: The study will interview several individuals whose conducts and addresses will be obtained from the ICT office. A total of 50 randomly selected people will be interviewed. What makes this study unique is that the people who shall answer the survey will be drawn from various states using a randomized sampling approach. The researcher will utilize the survey method in which questionnaires and interviews will be used as data collection instruments. Analysis. Significance tests will be performed on all relationships and only those with statistical significance will be presented here. Qualitative data analysis will be involved and the data gathered in the data collection will be analyzed using statistical software called SPSS in order to arrive at findings. Conclusion. It is very important for people to know where to base their activities or innovations. It is only through this that people are able to know where to begin and what to aim at achieving. This research study will be successful only if the modes of communication that were used in the early days as well as their effects that they had to the people are known. It is through this knowledge that innovations and production of new modes of communication that are fast and effective enough, with more advantageous factors to the people will be invented. These modes are even thought to be more powerful than the telephones, telegrams, computers as well as the Internet. This will really be a tremendous improvement and technology advancement.

Bohemian Rhapsody Lyrics Meaning

Wow. I had no idea there were so many interpretations of this song. For me it's always been clear: the song is about an execution. Please bear with me as I construct a detailed argument for this interpretation. Here's the set-up (all of this is proven later): The narrator has committed murder. He might have done this out of malice, or self-defense, or anything in between; we don't know. The fact is that he killed someone, was caught and sentenced, and is now on Death Row. The man is not an important person, so to speak. He is not famous, nor rich, nor anything of the kind.He has no high-priced lawyers and no â€Å"connections† to help him in his plight. The narrator implies that, if he had higher social status, if he had money or fame or whatever, then he would stand a good chance of escaping death. But alas, he is merely a â€Å"poor boy† (aka ordinary person), and has no such power. His family and friends are attending the execution (or have otherwise heard about it), and are very distressed. Conversely, the family and friends of the dead man want revenge and they can't wait to see the narrator executed.The song takes place just prior to the execution, and involves the narrator talking to (or perhaps just thinking about) his mother, just before he dies. If you're still reading, you have my thanks. Here's the line-by-line analysis: *We start with the narrator's thoughts: â€Å"Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? † *The narrator is overwhelmed by the idea that he's going to die. He almost wonders whether this is all a nightmare or something. â€Å"Caught in a landslide, No escape from reality† Again, he feels overwhelmed, but he can't really deny that he's about to be killed. Open your eyes, Look up to the skies and see,† Looking up to heaven, wondering about life etc. â€Å"I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy Because I'm easy come, easy go, Little high, little low† Here he is quoting the common perspective: he's just a poor man (â€Å"boy†), and he doesn't deserve sympathy. Much of the song is about how no one seems to care for the narrator, even though he seems mournful and regretful for his actions. â€Å"Any way the wind blows doesn't really matter to me, to me† Now that he's going to die, nothing more matters. He has no future, no hopes or dreams or goals.He's going to die within the hour, and there's nothing he can do about it. He feels very hopeless, and from his perspective nothing really matters. â€Å"Mama, just killed a man, Put a gun against his head Pulled my trigger, now he's dead† This part is obvious. He committed murder. I don't he's confessing to his mother here, as surely she would already know by the time of the execution. I think that he's really just sadly reflecting on what he's done, and he mentions this to his mother (or perhaps he's just thinking about her) â€Å"Mama, life had just begunBut now I've gone and thrown it all away† He was a young man, in his 20s perhaps. He had the chance to live a meaningful life, but instead he killed a man, thus causing his own death via execution. The narrator laments, noting that he could have saved his own life by choosing not to murder. But now the deed is done, and the narrator will face justice. â€Å"Mama, ooh, Didn't mean to make you cry If I'm not back again this time tomorrow carry on, carry on as if nothing really matters† Again he's sorry for his actions, and regrets that his mother now weeps for him, as he will soon be killed.The execution will take place within the hour, so if he's not back again this time tomorrow, it will mean that the execution happened on schedule, that he failed to escape it via pardon or other means. The narrator tells his mother that, even if he dies, she should carry on living, almost as if his death didn't matter to her. â€Å"Too late, my time has come† The execution is imminent. â€Å"Sends shivers down my spine, body's aching all the time† These are symptoms of his intense fear. â€Å"Goodbye, ev'rybody, I've got to go† He says a final farewell to his family and friends. Gotta leave you all behind and face the truth† The truth is that he killed a man, and now he faces strict justice. He will die. â€Å"Mama, ooh, I don't want to die I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all† This much is obvious. He doesn't want to be killed, and indeed he wonders if it would have been better never to have been born in the first place. A new voice starts singing; this voice represents his friends and family who are (or have been previously) protesting his execution. â€Å"I see a little silhouetto of a man† The narrator seems so poor and pitiful, â€Å"a shadow of what he once was†, so to speak Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango† Honestly, I don't know what this means â€Å"Thunderbolt and lightning, very, very fright'ning me† Both he and them are afraid that he'll be killed. The â€Å"lighting† part might indicate that he's to be killed with the electric chair, or it might just be symbolic. â€Å"(Galileo. ) Galileo. (Galileo. ) Galileo, Galileo figaro† Galileo was unfairly persecuted by the authorities of his time. Granted, Galileo didn't commit murder, but the narrator's advocates still draw a parallel, insisting that he doesn't deserve the punishment he's receiving. â€Å"Magnifico.I'm just a poor boy and nobody loves me† The narrator repeats the common belief. â€Å"He's just a poor boy from a poor family Spare him his life from this monstrosity† His friends and family argue that, because he's a poor boy, he deserves sympathy and compassion, not death. â€Å"Easy come, easy go, will you let me go† Here the narrator pleads for his life. He basically says â€Å"You don't seem to care about me; I'm ‘easy come, easy go'. You don't really care if I live or die. So, if you don't re ally care whether I live or die, can't you just let me live? Can't you grant me a pardon or something? â€Å"Then the opposite group, the friends and family of the dead man (and/or the execution authorities) respond to these pleas. â€Å"Bismillah! No, we will not let you go† The other group wants the narrator to be executed. â€Å"(Let him go! ) Bismillah! We will not let you go (Let him go! ) Bismillah! We will not let you go (Let me go. ) Will not let you go (Let me go. ) Will not let you go. (Let me go. ) Ah No, no, no, no, no, no, no. † The two groups have a spirited argument. â€Å"(Oh mama mia, mama mia. ) Mama mia, let me go† Here the chorus of friends and family says â€Å"let me go†, but I really think they mean â€Å"let him go.Don't kill the narrator† â€Å"Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me, for me, for me† Beelzebub means Satan. The narrator feels (or speculates) that Satan is out to torment him by leading him to such a sa d fate. After all, it was probably a devil that tempted him to commit murder in the first place. Likewise, his family feels Satan is tormenting them as well, by killing the narrator to make them feel sad. Perhaps even the dead man's family joins in on this chorus; they feel that it was Satan who told the narrator to commit murder in the first place, and now they insist that execution is the only holy esponse to such a sin. Throughout this, the narrator has been lethargic and morose. But right before the end, he has a sudden burst of passion. â€Å"So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye? So you think you can love me and leave me to die? Oh, baby, can't do this to me, baby Just gotta get out, just gotta get right outta here! † I'm not sure if he's talking to anyone specific here, or if he's just ranting with passion, screaming at everyone and everything involved. As I imagine it, the narrator throws off his guards and fights to escape from his shackles.In the ensuing musical piece, he struggles with the executioners, knocking the room into disarray. The two families watch closely, but everyone knows it's a useless struggle; there's simply no way for the narrator to escape. And the end of the musical piece, he is beaten down and finally subdued. Once again he become morose and dispirited, and the executioners drag him to his place of death (electric chair, perhaps). In his last few moments before death, the narrator resumes his previous state of mind. Nothing really matters, Anyone can see Nothing really matters Nothing really matters to me† Again, because he's about to die, nothing really matters to him. He has no purpose, no hope, nothing. â€Å"Any way the wind blows†¦ † This is an allusion to the begining of the song, where this image was used along with â€Å"nothing really matters† So†¦ yeah. I think that's a pretty thorough interpretation. Bohemian Rhapsody is about a remorseful murderer as he's about to be ex ecuted. Questions? Comments? Did anybody even read all that?

Analytical Hierarchy Process Technology Process

Because people choose these three elements: importance, preference and likelihood to evaluate all the possible alternatives to a decision which sometimes is not consistent with every decision situation, the concept of Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was developed by Dr. Thomas Saaty. Dr. Saaty described the AHP as a decision making approach based on the "innate human ability to make sound judgments about small problems" AHP transforms complex decision problems into simple decisions for both individuals and groups that employees the use of it to make decision. It is accommodative of intuition, compromise, and consensus structure without narrow-mindedness. The main purpose of this paper is to discuss what the AHP is and some other aspects of it. What is AHP? Saaty suggested AHP as a process that requires structuring the decision problem to demonstrate key elements and relationships that elicits judgments reflecting feelings or emotions, and whose judgments can be represented by meaningful numbers having ratio properties. In the AHP approach, complex decisions are organized and assessed against all possible alternatives using a hierarchy of multifaceted objectives allowing for a better, easier, and more efficient identification of selection criteria. How AHP works AHP is used to first decompose the decision problem into a hierarchy of easily comprehended sub-problems, each of which can be analyzed independently. The elements of the hierarchy can relate to any aspect of the decision problem tangible or intangible, estimated or carefully measured, well or poorly understood. Once that hierarchy is established, the decision maker systematically examines the various elements, comparing them to each other in pairs. In making the comparisons, the decision maker can use his/her judgments about the elements’ relative meaning and importance, or they can use well refined data about the elements. AHP converts the judgments to numerical values that are processed, evaluated and compared over the entire range of the decision problem. A numerical weight or priority vector is derived for each element of the hierarchy, allowing diverse and often incommensurable elements to be compared to one another in a rational and consistent way. This capability distinguishes AHP from other decision making techniques. At the end of the process, numerical priorities are derived for each of the decision alternatives. It is then a simple matter to pick the best alternative, or to rank them in order of relative preference.

Introduction on Nissan Motor Company and the Supply Chain for Nissan Research Paper

Introduction on Nissan Motor Company and the Supply Chain for Nissan Company - Research Paper Example This study looks into Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., a Japanese automobile company that makes cars, buses,  and trucks with the labels Nissan and Datsun. Nissan also creates designs for and manufactures other equipment and devices such as machinery and communication satellites. The company’s head office is in Tokyo, Japan. Nissan came from two previous corporations—Kwaishinsha Co., which was founded in 1911 to manufacture Dat automobiles, and Jitsuyo Jidosha Co., which was established in 1919. In 1925, these two companies merged to create Dat Jidosha Seizo Co. Eight years later, the company’s assets were taken over by other shareholders, who created Jidosha Seizo Co., Ltd., granting it its current name the subsequent year. The newly organized company was focused on the manufacture and sale of automobiles and components under a newly created label—Datsun. In 1935, the first Datsun passenger car rolled off the assembly line and immediately thereafter, Nissan bega n shipping automobiles to Australia. The Datsun Type 15 turns into the first automobile to be mass produced in Japan in 1937, which also takes the form of a delivery van and mini-pickup. Throughout the war period, from the late 1930s, the company shifted completely to the manufacturing of military automobiles and trucks. The Allied Powers took hold of the central Nissan facilities in 1945; although permitting the manufacture of Nissan and Datsun automobiles to continue at a single facility, they did not bring back the rest of the facilities to the company until the mid-1950s. Afterwards, particularly in the 1960s when Nissan moved into the global market, manufacture and sales increased impressively while the company built assembly factories abroad. Yet, by the second half of the 1990s, Nissan had been facing some major problems, and in 1999 it started a partnership with Renault, a French car manufacturer. There are companies, even leaders in their own industries, where the logistics and supply chain functions are considered as rather second-rate or less important to other sectors of the business such as marketing, sales or manufacturing. Such companies are also those which grumble about the trouble of employing competent individuals for the management of their supply chain.

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 45

Case Study Example A company that combines teamwork and motivation enjoys increased employee productivity that accrues from employee job satisfaction. Profit sharing is one of the motivational techniques that Semco uses. Semco gives one-quarter of the profits of its individual divisions to its employees. Also, Semco uses worker participation is an important element of employee motivation. Semco’s employees are involved in the processes of planning, decision-making, and implementation of business plans and ideas. Semco’s employee participation is captured in it policy manual that says, â€Å"Our philosophy is built on participation and involvement. Do not settle down. Give opinions, seek opportunities and advancement, always say what you think. Doesn’t be just one more person in the company† (Killian & Perez 1998). Semco’s use of shared profits and bonuses as a motivation technique is similar to that of SAP. SAP’s other monetary benefits to its employees are in terms of life assurance and pensions and Semco extends bonuses to its employees in terms of house allowances. The freedom allowed Semco’s employees resemble closely the freedom allowed SAP’s employees (BBC 2012). In both companies, there is flexibility in terms of working hours and employees are accorded the discretion to modify work to suit their convenience. A striking similarity between the two companies is the structure of their management. Their managements are not hierarchical and managers are not feared like in other organizations. A notable difference between Semco and SAP is that SAP extends its employee monetary benefits to their families. This way, SAP combines employees’ personal life and their work life (BBC 2012). On the other hand, Semco separates the two and any benefits that reach employees’ families are not purposively channelled. Semler believe that mixing employees’ work life with their family life is not good for business. Semler belief that combining the two can affect an

Importance of ERP systems for its success in the business environment Dissertation

Importance of ERP systems for its success in the business environment through solutions - Dissertation Example The constant support and guidance helped in gaining multiple perspectives and understanding over the research topic. The researcher would also like to thank his professors for offering profound insights on the research topic along with helping in forming deeper understanding over the research topic. The researcher feels proud of his University on offering all the possible help and support by allowing access to the library and electronic sources. This helped in exploring the research area in a systematic manner. The help and support of family and friends often act as a support system and the researcher would like to thank his family members for being there and supporting him during the research process. Their constant motivation and guidance helped in being positive and enthusiastic while conducting the research. The researcher feels happy to state the significance of friends in terms of offering critical views and opinions along with helping in thinking differently through logical di scussions. The support and cooperation of friends helped in gaining multiple insights over the research topic along with being critical in assessing personal understanding of the research topic. Overall, the researcher would like to thank everyone who has been a constant support and medium of motivation in the research process. ... The introduction chapter introduces the research topic along with stating the aim, objectives and research questions. The chapter also explains the scope of the research topic along with highlighting its rationale. The literature review helped in investigating the elements of the ERP along with exploring its benefits and risks in the competitive business environment. The literature review also helped in investigating issues and reasons resulting in the success and failure of the ERP systems. In order to explore more, a robust research methodology has been designed using positivism research philosophy and deductive research approach to analyse secondary data and information. The findings and analysis revealed that ERP Systems succeed mainly because of the organisational culture and support, cooperation and acceptance offered by internal stakeholders. The case studies of Dell and Fox Meyer revealed that Dell succeeded in its ERP implementation mainly because of effective and judicious planning while Fox Meyer failed because there was no planning and human resources were not trained or skilled enough to handle the challenges and complexities of ERP systems. Overall, it was concluded that in order to derive benefits from ERP systems, it is important to understand the use and purpose of ERP along with assessing the organisational culture and stakeholders’ acceptance for the ERP Systems. TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1.Introduction 5 1.1introduction 5 1.2 Research Aim 6 1.3 Research Objectives 6 1.4 Research Questions 6 1.5 Research Topic within the Current Academic Literature 7 1.6 Relevance of the Research Topic 9 1.7: Contemporary Nature of the Study 10 1.8 Summary 10 Chapter 2.0 Literature Review 11 2.1 Introduction 11 2.2 Elements and Modules of ERP 11 2.3

Strategic Human Resource Management enhances organisational Essay

Strategic Human Resource Management enhances organisational performance in both good and bad economic times - Essay Example The sensitivity of this department is so significant that no organization can exist in its absence, requires ultimate professionalism, ethical discipline, wide knowledge on human relations, and the drive to success. Moreover, human resource management relies on the objectives, vision, mission statement, and target goals of the organization. Since, these company features directly determine the performance and success of the organization operations it is logically true that human resource management has a subsequent influence in the performance of the reference organization. To achieve the perfect organizational performance human resource management requires good policies, adequate strategies, effective organizational culture, and good corporate environment to attain the requisite competitive advantage that guarantees organizational performance. Most significantly, strategic human resource management enhances organisational performance in any economic setup. Indeed, we can define Strat egic human resource management as a strategic approach to manage human resources of a given organization.  Its main aim includes designing and implementing a set of internally consistent policies and procedures that guarantee the contribution of available human capital of a firm to the achievement of its business objectives. Strategic human resource management puts a lot of emphasis on the development of the firm’s capacity to respond to the external environment through a better utilization of human resources. Indeed, the strategy of any given firm reflects its timely response to the ever-increasing changes in the competitive market. Hence, Strategic human resource management acts as a catalyst in the satisfaction of the strategic goals through promoting behavioral utility among employees. Actually, the issue of Strategic human resource management has been in the limelight for a

Edit 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Edit 2 - Essay Example In this Essay I will focus on Tatsuo’s three main ideas of sovereignty, Asian culture and tradition, and religious diversity. Tatsuo views the Asian values as unauthentic and driven from an anti-West centric stance. In fact, the Asian governments invented this concept to increase their power and silence Asians’ voices by restricting their liberties. According to Tatsuo, the term Asian value is a concept used by Asian leaders to protect their societies from being invaded by Western concepts that contradict with their culture and tradition. Indeed, Tatsuo suggests that even though Asian leaders do not like the idea of democracy – viewing it as a Western value that is being forced into their society, they contradict themselves by accepting the term sovereignty, which is also a Western concept that was introduced by philosophical westerners such as Jean Bodin and Machiavelli. In fact, Tatsuo points that Asian society uses sovereignty as a way to place the power of the state above the individual rights. A good example is Bangkok Declaration that manipulates the meaning of sovereignty by illustrating the importance of respecting the nation and not interfering with foreign affairs. In my opinion, Tatsuo’s argument on sovereignty is valid. Introducing democracy to Asian society will disrupt the hierarchy system that places the state on top of its citizens. In fact, increasing the individuals’ respect and love for their state will increase their feeling of responsibility towards their nation and consider protecting their states as their first priority regardless of their human rights. Indeed, the more value is given to the state the more power it will have and the less power individuals will feel, which will increase their fear of expressing their voices even if their rights are violated. Indeed, this hierarchy system allows the state to control its citizens easily under the right of sovereignty and disregarding the rights of

Two Requirements of Mental State Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Two Requirements of Mental State - Essay Example In order to understand such concepts, this paper will use the case of a friend who was recently involved in an accident and cannot be allowed to leave hospital since the doctors are unsure of the student’s mental state. Doctors claim that her brain is not normal whereas she has a clear memory of the accident and behaves in the same way as before. In my opinion of whether the hospitalized friend ha mental states or not, I believe that one can have a mental state even without an organic brain. Moreover, behaving like a human being does not prove that one has a mental state. The hospitalized friend does not show a normal range of mental states, but she shows some mental states. All the doctors in the cases have different perspectives on mental state. Their arguments represent different philosophical theories. The first doctor claims that mental states are type-identical to states of the human brain and since the patient in our case lacks a normal brain, he cannot have mental states. Doctor two said that the patient had some mental states since he could behave exactly like others but insisted that the patient did not have all of mental states. Thus in doctor two’s view, right behavior is only a necessary condition of mental states. Doctor three believes that mental states required a Cartesian soul. Dr. four disagrees and claims that same behavior is sufficient for mental states. Dr. Five rejected that human brain is necessary for mental states. In addition, he claims that if what in the patient’s head is a digital computer, then he cannot have mental states. All doctors are represent some philosophical theories. Dr. #1 is an identity theorist, #2 believes functionalism and Dr. #3 is a Cartesian. Dr. #4 is behaviorist and #5 represents parts of John Searle’s view that against machine can possibly think. This paper will focus on discuss Dr #1 and Dr #5. It is important to understand what a mental

Group Dynamics Paper Essay Example for Free

Group Dynamics Paper Essay A group is the interaction of two or more independent people, usually working together to achieve a goal. This group consists of 12 angry men, put together as a jury. Their goal to decide if the defendant is guilty or not guilty. Since these men did not choose to be put together, and had no prior association with one another before placement into this selected group, various contrasting personalities that both support and clash are working toward this goal of finding the defendant unanimously guilty or not guilty as a final verdict for the court. Such contrasts of personality creates a conflicting atmosphere in the courtroom. Such dynamic interactions are what makes the group development interesting. Group Development Problems Throughout the movie a group development occurs where jurors question their vote due to the persuasion of other group members as new ways of looking at the facts or emotions of the case are analyzed amongst the group or by inner, silent thinking of the individual jurors. Group development is the changes that occur in the group from first meeting to coming up with an unanimous verdict (the conclusion). Much emotion and development of thinking occurs as time proceeds and the jurors individual thinking is challenged. This is the development of what will create a final, more thought out decision of the group. Character Roles Roles are the titles that distinguish members of a group from one another. All members of this group are jury members. Although each jury member has an equal role not all jury members are created equal. This inequality is based on characters perceptions and attraction(likes and dislikes) for other each other due to the other characters personality. An example is that the meek, quiet guy is disliked because he seems nervous, lacking the assertiveness the group sees as a norm of how jury members should be. So jury members see him as an insignificant jury member due to his personality. Roles come into the film such as the designated foreman (jury member 1) specifically. Based on characterization, you can label personalities such as the meek, the old man, the baseball fanatic, etc. This gives a name to who the individual is. This description is apart from the goals of the group, but should be considered because these personalities are influential to how characters choose to vote. The meek man is easily persuaded. The old man is calm and logical and the baseball fanatic wants to just get out of there because there is a baseball game. Further than we can expand on the personalities of characters by dividing similar groups into the blue collar jurors vs. white color jurors. The white collar group tend to be more analytic about their decisions; whereas, the blue collar workers tend to be more argumentative with a lack of analysis on the subject matter. These characters we see have motives and backgrounds that will influence their arguments for the vote of guilty or not guilty and in turn act as a role of a persuader to other jury members of contrasting or similar personalities. Depending upon the perceiver and their character they will be persuaded or not persuaded. Socio-emotional vs. Task vs. Individual Roles Roles can also be divided into three types of interactions based on the communicating style of the individual group member. Socio-emotional roles are those in which the person is consider with the emotions of other group members and mediating them to achieve favorable or peaceful interactions in the group. I did not see a juror that was concerned with emotions to the extent this role would require to mediate other jurors emotions and thus keep the group cohesively working together. The meek man seems emotionally but he is not assertive enough to speak strongly and bind together the rest of the jurors into caring about other jurors emotions. Since the movie lacks a juror that clearly or even somewhat takes the task of the socio-emotional role, this may be why the group has a lot of conflict in reaching their unanimous, group decision. Task roles are those in which in the person is concerned with the task at hand and how it will be executed (and not emotions of individuals). Their job is to get the job done efficiently and well done. The foreman, juror 1, who sits at the front of the table, taking votes and mediating the procedures would be considered the juror most concerned with the task orientation of the group. For the most part, he speaks without emotion toward wither side and typically talks about proceeding with votes, and does not typically get into the emotion aspect of the trail. Socio-emotional roles and task roles are important for the group to achieve getting the job done and keeping individual members happy. Another role exists independently called the Individual role. This role may or may not occur in a group. The Individual role is the person who does not really care about other s but rather only themselves in the group. The baseball fan should be considered the person who follows the individual role. He does not seems to care about listening to facts about the defendant. He sees it the jury process as a waste of time when he could be doing something he enjoys, watching baseball. Group Norms Expectations Group norms are expectations or standards of activities and behaviors that should or should not occur in the group. The group expects to deliver an unanimous vote of guilty or not guilty to the defendant. Time of debate is a problem for this group. Some members expect an immediate decision, such as the baseball player who wants to get to his game, and others expect a more thought out decision. Since a sentencing of guilty would send the defendant to the electric chair, some jurors feel that a longer than immediate debate should be pursued. So, varying individual expectations of group norms creates a conflict of expectations for the group as to how it will proceed with finding the goal of the verdict. Every individual cannot be pleased as to how the proceedings will go, how long they will take, etc. We see this when jurors that want to get out of there, the court become frustrated because what they expect (leaving) is not quickly what they get (staying longer to discuss the case). Sociometry the Sociogram Sociometry is a measurement technique that summarizes graphically and mathematically patterns of intermeber relations. An example is the attraction or liking principle in groups. The sociogram is the graphical representation of the patterns of intermember relations created through sociometry. An example of this is a graphical representation of who likes whom within the jury in 12 Angry Men. It shows who is least liked to who is most liked. Also, cliches may occur, which are a group that likes each other the most and are more similar or share more homophily than the overall large group. The cliches are the blue collars as one cliche and the white collars as another cliche. They share a similarity of a working class bracket that is more similar in lifestyle to each other that helps them relate to one another which is considered homophily, than as a whole as jurors, to which they are more different from each other. Below is a depiction of what can be analyzed of a sociogram of this jury group: SOCIOGRAM Blue Collars like. Blue Collars White Collars.. like.. White Collars Reject. Meek Man(he is not liked by anyone and thus not listened to not influential) Most Respected (so maybe most liked). the old man. (some blue and some white collars like him) Social Influence: conformity Social influence is interpersonal processes that change the thoughts, feelings, or behaviors of another person. In the movie, 12 Angry Men, the jurors who think the defendant is guilty are trying to persuade or change the feelings of the jurors who think he is not guilty. They are using social influence to try and change their minds. To be more specific, we consider different types of social influence. These types include concepts about conformity, majority influence, and minority influence. Conformity is a change in behavior or belief as a result of real or imagined group pressure. The first preliminary vote by the jury yields an 11 to 1 vote in favor of guilty. Why was this? Was this because most of the jury members thought he was guilty from the beginning, and people who were undecided felt they should vote guilty because of imagined group pressure? Most of the jurors when asked why they voted the way they did said; they were just sure he was guilty, or because the evidence points right to him. This may be true for some of the jurors, but most, perhaps unconsciously, felt pressure to conform to what others were saying. Juror number 8 is the one and only juror that voted not guilty. Henry Fonda plays juror number 8 in the movie. He is in his middle 30s, average size, short dark hair, and is an architect. Juror number 8 felt all the other jurors voted guilty without even thinking about their decisions, juror #8 suggested that they talk about it before jumping to conclusions. Even when some of the other jurors got mad and started yelling at him, he stayed calm and tried to work things out in a mature fashion. When asked if he thought the boy was guilty or not guilty, he said, I dont know. This shows that he had not decided one way or the other. When asked why he voted this way, he replied, Its not easy for me to raise my hand and send a boy off to die without talking about it first. This shows that he wanted to talk things over with the other jurors before he makes a decision. He wasnt going to conform to the group so easy. Social Influence: minority influence This is a case of a minority influence going up against the majority influence. Juror number 8 was not sure the boy was guilty, so he decided to go against the majority opinion, and thus not conform to group pressures. Juror number 8 is a minority among the jury. He wanted to go over the murder and all the evidence again before changing his vote. Most of the jurors said they just felt he was guilty based on the fact the a woman across the street said she saw the murder and the old man, who lived above the apartment that the murder took place, said he made it to the door just in time to see the murderer running down the stairs. Both witnesses identified the defendant as the murderer. Juror #8 brought up possible flaws in each of these as they were stated. For example, he questioned whether the woman could really see the murderer through a passing train in the middle of the night. Juror #8 didnt deny that the woman might have seen the murder and murderer, but thought it might be good to go back over the evidence and make sure they were sending the right man to death. Once the jury went around the table, juror #8 said he would change his vote to guilty if no one changed their vote to not guilty. There was one juror that changed his vote. Juror #9 changed his vote giving Juror #8 more time to talk about the case. Juror #9 said, He gambled for support and I gave it to him. I want to hear more. By convincing one person to change their vote, it forced everybody to listen to more arguments, and possibly change their thinking on the case. There means now there is some social support for juror #8. Social support is defined as emotional support, advice, guidance, and tangible assistance given to others when they experience stress, daily hassles, and more significant life crises. Obviously this was stressful situation and if he had no one back him up, juror #8 would probably fail in his attempt to influence the majority. Its a lot easier to try and influence a majority when you are not alone in the fight, there needs to be social support. Now that there is some social support, juror number 8 feels a little less pressure and is now able to continue with his argument. Juror #8 re-enacted scenes from the night of the murder in order to prove his points. The first time Juror #8 re-enacted a scene was when he proves that the old man could not have walked from his bedroom to the hallway in fifteen seconds. He did this by measuring how far his bedroom was from he hallway, and then walking it himself. It took him thirty-one seconds, making it impossible for the old man to have made it in fifteen, like he testified. By doing this re-enactment, he changed the minds of several other jurors. The minority influence had finally started to have success. Tactics for a successful minority To have success as a minority, as juror #8 appeared to have, a number of tactics must be used in order to influence a majority. These tactics include challenging the majority norm, having consistency, being patient, have rigidity, and bring about divergent thinking. First and foremost, the minority must challenge the majority opinion. If you dont stand up and challenge the majority you will never be heard. When juror #8 votes not guilty he has challenged the majority. The second step is to have a consistent message. In this case juror #8 says he is uncertain the defendant is guilty and wants to go over the evidence again, and hes not changing his vote until they do so. He wants the majority to convince him the defendants guilty. With consistency comes patience. The minority must give it time for their message to be heard and for any influence to occur. Juror #8 is going to stay and talk about the evidence as long as it takes. He is going to stay until the majority changes his mind, or until the minority changes their mind. The minority wants to be consistent and patient, but they want to avoid being rigid. You want to be firm, but you dont want to just say no to everything and be stubborn. You dont want to make yourself look like a jerk, because if you were perceived that way you probably wont have much influence. You want people to like you; this helps you persuade the majority. Juror #8 does an excellent job of not getting mad and staying calm even when the majority is yelling at him. He is a very likable, patient, and mature man and this really helps him influence the majority. Convergent thinking occurs when a person gathers facts, evidence, or experiences from a variety of sources to solve a problem. The result is one answer that hopefully is correct. Majorities seem to possess this kind of thinking, as is the case with 12 Angry Men. The majority members in the jury focused only on the testimony given by the witnesses. They did not consider any possible other alternatives. When it came to the witnesses, their testimonies were undoubtedly right and there was no reason to consider anything else about it. Divergent thinking occurs when we start with a problem and rather than look for one answer, we instead generate many ideas or possible solutions. The minority influence grew in support as the movie went on because members of the jury started to use divergent thinking when considering the trial. Instead of being focused on only one solution, they were considering other possibilities that could have explained what happened the night of the murder. When the jury considers the woman across the street that says she saw the boy kill his father, convergent thinkers assume everything is accurate in her testimony, because there is no other solution in their minds. What juror number 8 does is help the jury see another side to the story. Could the woman see the murder through a moving train at night when she was in bed? Convergent thinkers would say absolutely, while divergent thinkers would consider other possible scenarios. Juror #8 just wanted everyone to think about any other possibilities. In this case, the divergent thinkers noticed that she wore eyeglasses by the indentations on the sides of her nose. They then think about the fact that most people dont go to sleep with their glasses on. So they wonder how the woman could have accurately seen the murder and murderer. Maybe she did see the murder perfectly, but now there is some reasonable doubt.

The White Collar Crime

The White Collar Crime In 1986, Kenneth Lay merged Houston Natural Gas and InterNorth to form Enron and then in the early 1990s he helped initiate the selling of electricity at market prices. By doing so, it later led to the US Congress to pass legislation deregulating the sale of natural gas. Consequently this made it possible for traders to sell energy at higher prices, allowing companies to significantly increase their revenue. This allowed Enron to rise to be the largest seller of natural gas in North America by 1992. In 1999 Enron opened up EnronOnline, to better manage its contracts trading business but to further encourage growth Enron pursued a diversification strategy. By the end of the 1990s, Enrons capitalization exceeded $60 Billion dollars and was viewed as the most innovative large company in America. So what happened to Enron? On December 2nd, 2001 Enron filed for bankruptcy leading to the downfall of one of the most corrupt corporations in recent U.S. history. Top executives and board members sold their stock for huge profits knowing the pending outcome of its demise would send its stock in a spiraling descent. Leaving thousands of employees and investors with massive losses the U.S. Department of Justice launched an investigation into the top executives and board members to discover the depth of the scandal. The massive fraud that Enron executives accounted for fell into the category of White Collar Crime. To further examine the massive fraud that Enron executives committed, we will look into the anatomy behind the mind of the white collar criminal, its sociological concepts, and correlate between the research and the textbook article on Enron. When looking at the history of white collar crime one must go back to the 1940s, when Edwin H. Sutherland coined the term white collar crime. He sought to dismiss the notion that crime was the domain of the lower classes of society. He believed that it could not be explained at the individual level and it should be researched at an organizational level. He stated that flaw of character was not the cause but the situations and relationships with in an organization that created an environment that encouraged white collar crime. When analyzing this theory in a sociological prospective it falls into differential association theory; a theory that Sutherland attributes to excess of deviant associations over conventional ones. Although, his theory is still advocated and a majority of research into white collar crime followed his anti-psychological position, there is a movement within the financial and accounting fields to better understand the behavioral characteristics of the individuals. Since there is little understood between individual behavioral traits and white collar crime the FBI has started using its Behavioral Science Analysis Unit to incorporate behavioral traits of white collar criminals in developing profiles to assist investigators. To understand what constitutes a white collar crime, the US Department of Justice defines it as the illegal acts characterized by deceit, concealment, or violation of trust that are not dependent upon the application or threat of force or violence. The socio-economic status of the offender is not incorporated into the definition or is it an important element in why someone commits a fraudulent act. The common depiction of the stereotypical white collar criminal is he or she is a first time offender, considered a good citizen, well educated, middle aged, and a trusted employee. While this depicts the ideal company executive, a more modern approach to challenging these common perceptions of white collar criminals is by taking account of personality traits such as: anti-social personality, narcissism, and psychopathy. By doing so, this illustrates that the same traits that enables criminal acts and explain why some turn towards crimes of violence, also apply to white collar criminals who manifest their aggression into a different form such as fraud. Alternatively, there is a sub-group within the white collar crime family known as fraud-detection homicide. This is the willingness to resort to violence, namely murder to prevent their fraud schemes from being detected and disclosed. When looking farther into why white collar criminals commit such deviant acts, a modern approach is to look at the personality traits associated with the offender. At first glance, the explanation behind white collar crime is greed and dishonesty but with further exploration there are three key traits among them. First, is an Anti-social personality which white collar criminals blame their victims for being ignorant or deserving of their fate, minimize the harmful consequences of the fraud, or simply display an arrogant indifferenceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ also probably believe that it is a dogà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ eatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ dog world and that everyone is out for himself or herself (DSMà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ IV Task Force, 1994). Second, is narcissism, their narcissism may not allow them to fully appreciate how their actions play themselves out because their sense of entitlement requires a need for gratification, and the use of deception to achieve fraud does not create a moral dilemma for them to r esolve(Barnard, 2008). Third, is psychopathy, Specifically, Ray (2007) found that the psychopathic traits that drive WCCs intention to commit fraud are the traits of egocentric, manipulative, exploitative, deceitful, a Machiavellian attitude where the means justify the ends regardless of it criminal nature. With these traits that are attributed to white collar criminals, it is easy to understand why they would commit these crimes. Most white collar criminals attribute their crimes to several factors but most noteworthy are: 1) to obtain money, property, or services. 2) To avoid the payment or loss of money. 3) To secure personal or business advantages. White collar criminals view fraud as both acceptable and common to overcome financial difficulties or to make a profit for the organization. When society discovers the acts of white collar criminals they are labeled out of character because it is often their first offense against the law. When lifting the curtain surrounding the mind of a white collar criminal there is a vastly different view they hold of themselves compared to the rest of society. In a recent study, white collar criminals claimed they felt justified to commit fraud to save the company, the employees jobs, and other businesses that relied on their survival. White collar criminals have the ability to rationalize fraud because of the ability to attach a moral argument to the offense by pointing out higher purposes behind the fraud. White collar criminals use a technique known as neutralization to void any internal moral objections and to justify or rationalize their activities. With the personality traits and the ability to use neutralization to their advantage, whiteà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ collar criminals cause substantial social harm by undermining the economy, e xacerbating the divide between poverty and wealth, eroding trust, and depriving individuals of time and resources (Ford, 2007). When looking at white collar crime from a sociological perspective, you can see that is a perfect example of differential association theory. When comparing corporate white collar crime to this theory, corporations use specific tactics to hide its fraud which is learned while conspiring with other employees. When looking at how white collar criminals rationalize their behavior, they use this rationalization as a way to gain their general needs and desires despite the fallout when their fraud is caught. In the case of Enron criminal behavior was learned by its employees because of its loose business ethics and its organizational culture. With an understanding of key traits involved in white collar crime, its easy to see why Enron failed when you dig deeper into to the organizational culture and rituals practiced at Enron. The organizational culture of Enron, for example was the belief that its members must make the corporation prosper by maximizing its profits and expansion in certain ways. This belief was put into action often enough for it to become a ritual of the organization(291). With Enron practicing such loose business ethics, employees saw the practices of the higher executives as a normal way of business within the company, leading to the common practice of deceit within the company. With such deceit running wild thru the company, it allowed executives to set up dummy corporations to offload its debt allowing it to be seen by its shareholders and the public as largely successful. If only one person within the company was committing fraud it would have been noticed long before but when applying differential association theory to the mix, more employees learned of the techniques used to offload the debt and favored the delinquent acts in favor of the law because of their need to secure personal and business advantages. The positivist theory of differential association show how white collar crime is a deviant act committed by a person with an excess associations of deviants. Organizational deviance is not just affiliated at the top but a conglomerate of employees across the company accepting and learning how to socially accept forms of deceit, self-gain, and un-ethical practices. A self-governing organization allows a breeding ground for the corrupt if not property monitored, such as the case for Enron. By Enron practicing outside the law, it breads a culture of deceit by associating employees with criminal behavior. With such deviance the executives had to play a shell game with their debt, which had to bring more employees in to the mix by seducing them with large incentives and a culture of self-gain. By researching into the organizational level of white collar crime, there is a clear indication that the situations and relationships within Enron, created an environment that encouraged white colla r crime. With such an environment, its no wonder so many employees were caught up in the scandal because of the excess in deviant associations. Summary paragraph In 1940, Edwin H. Sutherland coined the term white collar crime. He said situations and relationships within an organization created an environment that encouraged white collar crime. He also believed that it could not be explained at the individual level and that it should be researched at the organizational level. The typical white collar criminal is middle aged, well educated, a trusted employee, and considered a good citizen. Common reasons that a person commits white collar crime are to obtain a material or personal advantage and to avoid the loss of money. The Department of Justice defines white collar crime as illegal act characterized by deceit, concealment, or violation of trust that are not dependent upon the application or threat of force or violence. The definition encompasses both individual and organizational offenders. In the mind of a white collar criminal they view their acts as both acceptable and common to overcome financial difficulties or to make profit for thems elves or their organization. They have the ability to rationalize the fraud because they attach a moral argument to the offense by pointing to higher purposes behind the fraud. When looking in the context of sociological theory, people with regular associations in deviant behavior learn to accept it as a norm within their organization and see fraud as a normal act in their business practices. White collar crime falls in the realm of differential association theory and in the case of Enron; it has a positivist approach to its business culture. Enron was a prime example of how corporate greed and miss leading business practices created a breeding ground for white collar crime by associating its employees with deviant acts daily.

Cross-Dressing in Shakespeares Twelfth Night and As You Like It Essay

Cross-Dressing in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and As You Like It In Shakespeare's plays Twelfth Night and As You Like It both of the lead female characters dress as men. Both plays are comedies and the change in gender is used as a joke, but I think it goes much deeper. A woman can become a man, but only if it is not permanent. The affect of the change cannot be too great because she must change back to female once everything is settled. They are strong female characters, but must become men to protect themselves and ultimately solve the problem of the play. In the book Desire and Anxiety: The Circulation of Sexuality in Shakespearian Drama Valerie Traub calls the characters, "the crossed-dressed heroine who elicits and enjoys multiple erotic investments" (Traub 17). They can only acts this way when they are dressed as men. They return to their passive and nonsexual ways when they change back to women's clothing. In both plays the women are not in their own lands, Viola being shipwrecked on a strange land and Rosalind being banished from the cour t and wandering in the forest. Both women disguise themselves as men for protection. On the way to the forest Celia says to Rosalind, â€Å"Now go we in content/ To liberty and not to banishment† (1.3.137-138). Liberty in this line is the freedom they get overcoming the restrictions of a female role (Erikson 22). Dressing as a man is the way the women protect themselves, but as the plays progress the roles they play as men begin to influencing their actions and attitudes. The definition of a man by what he wears is so strong that in Twelfth Night Orsino still refers to Viola as her male name Cersario even after he learns she is a woman and decides to marry her. "Cersario, come/ F... ...e roles are right. Men are manly taking care of their women by marrying them and women are in their correct roles under their husbands. Works Cited Erickson, Peter. Patriarchal Structures in Shakespeare’s Drama. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1985. Greenblatt, Stephen general ed. Walter Cohen, Jean E. Howard, and Katharine Eiasman Maus eds. The Norton Shakespeare. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 1997. Orgel, Stephen. Impersonations: The Performance of Gender In Shakespeare’s England. Cambridge: University Press, 1996. Traub, Valerie. Desire and Anxiety: Circulation of Sexuality in Shakespearean Drama. London: Routledge, 1992. Notes: More of the definition of a female’s role in Shakespearean England can be found at http://drama.pepperdine.edu/shakespeare/romeoandjuliette in the essay Female Sovereignty in Renaissance England.

The Lost Boy Essay -- essays research papers

A Child Called "it" In his two novels A Child Called "it", and The Lost Boy, the author, Dave Pelzer explains about his childhood. During that time, author was a young boy from an age 3 to an age 9. David’s mother has started to call him " The Boy" and "it." The author mainly covers the relationship between his family. His main focus point is the bond between his mother and him. He describes his mother as a beautiful woman, who loves and cherished her kids , who changed from this " The Mother," who abused him because she was alcoholic and was sick. The Mother used David to take her anger out. An abusive mother who systematically closed down any escape he may have from her clutches. Shuts out any source for food for the poor starving child. Poor Dave had nothing left as hope, she convinced neighbours, his teachers, social workers, his younger brothers that Dave was a ‘bad boy’ and asked them not to pay attention to his condition. David’s description of his brothers went from, loving brothers to mother’s slaves. He describers how the love went to hate for his brothers had grew more and more toward the book. He tells that his brother’s behavior changes as his mother attitude changes. His brother’s starts to take their mother side and start to treat David as non-member of the family. He looked upon his father as a saviour, but the man had no spine. He always thought this ordeal would end someday but it went on increasing. Nevertheless, he found out ways and means to outsmart her, escape her, avoid her. Such a life may seem a dead-end for anyone, but not for Dave. At the beginning of the book, the story takes place in " The House† around 1970s in Daly City; California. There is only place in the house for David, and that is the basement. In the basement, he would sleep eat and stay there until he is called for his chores. His survior was school, where he knew he could be away from all the hard treatment and listening to his mothers. He hated being at â€Å"The House.† a mother who played tortuous, unpredictable games - games that left him nearly dead. He had to learn how to play his mother’s games in order to survive because she no longer considered him a son, but a slave; and no longer a boy, but an â€Å"it.† Dave’s bed was an old army cot in the basement, and his clothes were torn and raunchy. When his mother allo... ... there is no great effort to employ the literary tools we associate with the classics: foreshadowing, detailed metaphors, analysis of motivation, etc. Pelzer relies on "language that was developed from a child's viewpoint" he tells us in the author's notes, resulting in a straightforward "This happened, then this happened, and this is how I felt" approach. What makes the book so compelling is the tale itself, as Pelzer describes incident after incident of cruel torture at his mother's hands and the ineffective and lame efforts of his father to protect him. Indeed, Dave Pelzer is an admirable man, not only for surviving a horrific childhood and growing up to be a man of many accomplishments, but also for taking us on a journey in A Child Called "It" that forces us to reevaluate our own lives and the world around us. I have yet to read the other two books in Pelzer's trilogy, The Lost Boy and A Man Named Dave, but I am eager to follow the progression of this man's life. Now a doting father, Dave Pelzer provides affirmation that the cycle of abuse can be broken. It is a message that must never be forgotten in our legislatures, our schools, or our hearts

Letter of Resignation :: essays research papers

Dear Father Mavis: This letter is to inform you that I am resigning as Director of the Life Teen Music Ministry effective June 30, 2001. I have not reached this decision easily, but I feel this is an appropriate one at this time. My position with the Life Teen Music Ministry has been challenging and a true learning experience. Looking back to the beginning of this year, I truly believe the music ministry has achieved quite a turn-around when compared past programs. This was made possible by the few committed choir members and by the support of my former elementary music teacher, Nancy Rehner. I feel that I need to further explain how I reached my decision to resign. When I initially decided to accept the position as Director of Life Teen Music Ministry in early September, 2000, it was decided that Mikal Gonzales and Mary Stephenson would participate at Tuesday rehearsals and on Sunday Masses for this first year that I was hired. On Tuesdays, Mikal was to assist with teaching new music to the choir members. Mary was to do the same along with playing guitar. Within approximately 4-6 weeks, Vicki Hando and possibly others involved with Life Teen requested a meeting with the music ministry because of concerns with the musical format. As a result of this meeting, Mary and Mikal left their positions with Life Teen Music Ministry. Shortly before the Christmas season, Mikal did return to assist with the music ministry at my request. It was agreed that Mikal would attend every rehearsal and help to teach the music. He was also to attend every Sunday Mass, missing only for understandable reasons. As far as I know, everyone was happy with the music format during the Christmas season. Complications again arose toward the end of February, 2001. Mikal began to sporadically miss rehearsals and several Sunday Masses. At times, I had no prior notice of his absence. I would have to not only plan the musical format with the choir members, but also teach the music on those Tuesdays Mikal was absent. He would then show up for the Sunday Mass and change the format. This abrupt change of schedule caused tension to build within the choir and frustration on my part. The full responsibility for teaching and directing was placed on my shoulders, but this is not what was originally agreed upon. In reference to the music, Vicki Hando was reportedly becoming upset because too much music was being used from the Heritage Missal and not from the Life Teen Book. Letter of Resignation :: essays research papers Dear Father Mavis: This letter is to inform you that I am resigning as Director of the Life Teen Music Ministry effective June 30, 2001. I have not reached this decision easily, but I feel this is an appropriate one at this time. My position with the Life Teen Music Ministry has been challenging and a true learning experience. Looking back to the beginning of this year, I truly believe the music ministry has achieved quite a turn-around when compared past programs. This was made possible by the few committed choir members and by the support of my former elementary music teacher, Nancy Rehner. I feel that I need to further explain how I reached my decision to resign. When I initially decided to accept the position as Director of Life Teen Music Ministry in early September, 2000, it was decided that Mikal Gonzales and Mary Stephenson would participate at Tuesday rehearsals and on Sunday Masses for this first year that I was hired. On Tuesdays, Mikal was to assist with teaching new music to the choir members. Mary was to do the same along with playing guitar. Within approximately 4-6 weeks, Vicki Hando and possibly others involved with Life Teen requested a meeting with the music ministry because of concerns with the musical format. As a result of this meeting, Mary and Mikal left their positions with Life Teen Music Ministry. Shortly before the Christmas season, Mikal did return to assist with the music ministry at my request. It was agreed that Mikal would attend every rehearsal and help to teach the music. He was also to attend every Sunday Mass, missing only for understandable reasons. As far as I know, everyone was happy with the music format during the Christmas season. Complications again arose toward the end of February, 2001. Mikal began to sporadically miss rehearsals and several Sunday Masses. At times, I had no prior notice of his absence. I would have to not only plan the musical format with the choir members, but also teach the music on those Tuesdays Mikal was absent. He would then show up for the Sunday Mass and change the format. This abrupt change of schedule caused tension to build within the choir and frustration on my part. The full responsibility for teaching and directing was placed on my shoulders, but this is not what was originally agreed upon. In reference to the music, Vicki Hando was reportedly becoming upset because too much music was being used from the Heritage Missal and not from the Life Teen Book.

BMW’s Competitive Edge †A Case Study

Premium car makers operate in a highly dynamic and competitive marketplace. BMW is among the companies that have shown a stronghold on global markets that include Europe, US, Asia, and emerging markets in the Middle East. Its history shows instances when it has come under pressure from market forces, but the European carmaker has proven, time and again, that it can spring back and rejoin the race of top industry players. Recent years have even seen BMW appealing to new-generations users opting for winning design standards and quality. Indeed, BMW’s latest car models boast of enhanced performance and dynamics, making the carmaker one of the strongest luxury car contenders that continues to aggressively battle for consumer attention in the contemporary age. BMW’s Competitive Edge – A Case Study Cutting-edge technology, driving pleasure, comfort and luxury are closely associated with luxury cars like BMW, Lexus, Mercedes Benz, and Audi. For the average car buyer, each of these marques commands a strong presence. On the other end of the spectrum are the discerning clientele, whose fierce loyalty to a car brand or high regard for automaking heritage may account for sales volume uptrends. Indeed, premium carmakers, among them German automaker BMW, continually vie for consumer attention and nurture high hopes of hitting record sales despite rising costs related to materials and new model launches. What BMW has in great measure, though, is a sound business strategy that banks not so much on decades of experience and foresight but more on using a coherent theme or image as â€Å"the ultimate driving machine† to utmost advantage. After many false starts in the twenty years after the war,† (Kay, 1999, para. 8) BMW has clearly made â€Å"the match between the distinctive capabilities of the organization and the market opportunities it faces† (Kay, 1999, para. 8). In recent years, the pressure on BMW has been emanating mainly from the persistent threat of substitute products. Notwithstanding its vast experience and â€Å"ability to develop and use sophisticated technical skills†¦ the source of competitive advantage for so many German companies,† (Kay, 1999, para. ) BMW faces the tough possibility that luxury car buyers may opt for alternative brands in the market vis-a-vis the latter’s price offerings. The perceived level of product differentiation is another thing to contend with in the highly competitive luxury automobile industry. What may strike some customers as a refreshing innovation may be totally revolting for others. In most cases, it all boils down to a brand war. A satisfied BWM owner, as personified by the high-level executive of a fast-expanding conglomerate in Asia, cited brand as the most compelling reason to purchase a BMW. â€Å"It’s a good, reliable car† (J. Lucas, personal communication, July 31, 2008). Yet, as another ranking business executive asserted, â€Å"Mercedes Benz is still the best, while Audi is the rising star† (A. Lagmay, personal communication, July 31, 2008). Indeed, consumer tastes and requirements are evolving, and premium car producers who have made sizable investments in automobile design, quality and performance stand to reap some profit. In BMW’s case, solid growth was realized during the first half of 2008, despite testing economic conditions in certain automobile markets across the world (â€Å"BMW Group increases sales,† 2008, para. ). Today, pressure is mounting with the threat posed by the entry of new competitors. Automobile industry players stepping up price competition had been evident in the first few years of the 21st century, with â€Å"low price or incentives† serving as the â€Å"prevalent means to displace market share from competitors† (Lencioni, 2004, p. 735). To contain the costs, companies like BMW set up production plants in global growth markets. Business cycles fluctuate, though. While the European prestige car maker posted increased sales of its BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands by 4. percent from January to June 2008 (â€Å"BMW Group increases sales,† 2008, para. 1), it was â€Å"not entirely able to avoid the difficult economic trends in important individual markets such as the USA and Japan†¦ global sales slipped 2. 8 per cent in the month of June to 146,138 units† (â€Å"BMW Group increases sales,† 2008, para. 2). Under its Chief Executive Helmut Panke, BMW has dramatically expanded its product offerings, setting its sights on market segments of the future. However, â€Å"moving into smaller cars meant earning the lower margins that were typical of those market segments† (Lencioni, 2004, p. 41) as compared to mid-size sedans and luxury limousines. As an analyst pointed out, â€Å"Compared with volume producers, BMW’s manufacturing costs are much higher, its product development cost more costly, and its purchasing costs higher† (Edmondson, Palmeri, Grow, & Tierney, 2003, para. 13). In essence, BMW has had to contend not just with the bargaining power of customers, but also with the bargaining power of suppliers which provide the unique resources to sustain its main sources of competitive advantage: brand quality and reputation of reliability. Nowadays, as the intensity of competitive rivalry heats up, BMW’s burning obsession with performance and brand identity or image has aided the firm in closing the widening gap with other luxury cars. BMW’s research and development teams have been caught in a frenzy to maintain competitive edge. â€Å"Development teams that pore over everything from (such) market feedback to innovations are encouraged to engage in `friendly fighting’ to decide the vital characteristics of a new BMW† (Edmondson, et. al, 2003, para. 24). As it faces countless threats and risks, BMW remains poised to prevail and deliver. Among the critical success factors in the high-end market where BMW competes is its design and brand appeal, which had become the customers’ overriding choice features (Lencioni, 2004, p. 741). Effective branding, likewise, created â€Å"emotional connections between customers on one side and products, salesmen, other users on the other† (Lencioni, 2004, p. 736) although this was true not just for BMW but for other luxury marques as well. One thing that worked to BMW’s advantage had been its â€Å"firm control on the supply chain† (Lencioni, 2004, p. 737). BMW nurtured long-running and dependable supplier relationships. Coupled with a highly talented workforce that operated at â€Å"the most flexible and most productive† factories in Germany (Edmondson, et. al, 2003, para. 20) to churn out vehicles with styling variations, unprecedented performance and safety features and individuality, the German carmaker remains a potent force to reckon with in the international automobile industry.

Trade Secrets: How to Procure a Passport

People often take a great deal for granted while dismissing so much of what goes on around them. This is especially true when what people fail to see involves the plight of illegal immigrants and low-level workers. These unnoticed persons are the very individuals around whom the plot of director Stephen Frears’s Dirty Pretty Secrets revolves. They are the people like lead character Okwe (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who describes himself and his friends as â€Å"The people you do not see [.. . ] the ones who drive your cabs, clean your rooms, and suck your cocks† (Dirty Pretty Secrets). Generally, the transparency of their existence works against their success; occasionally, the anonymity of these unseen people provides the perfect cover for their entrance into mainstream society—provided that they can tolerate what must be done along the way.The storyline of Dirty Pretty Secrets which is set in London, England, revolves primarily around three people: Okwe (Chiwetel Ejiofo r), a cabbie by day and a desk clerk at the Baltic Hotel by night; Senay (Audrey Tautou), a friend of Okwe’s, who is a maid at the Baltic Hotel; and Sneaky (Sergi Là ³pez), the head clerk at the Baltic who uses the motel as a distribution center for anything that will net him money—most notably, human organs.The complex relationships that surround these three characters are further developed by two supporting actors: Sophie Okonedo, who plays Juliette, the Baltic’s resident hooker; and Benedict Wong, who plays Guo Yi, a morgue employee and friend of Okwe’s. As the film progresses, the audience learns that Okwe is an illegal immigrant who was forced to flee his home in Lagos, Nigeria after being falsely accused of his wife’s murder. Okwe was working as a pathologist when a Nigerian Government official was shot, and when Okwe refused to destroy evidence of the crime, his home was firebombed—with his wife inside.The Nigerian police accused Okw e of the crime, so he fled. Senay is an immigrant from Turkey, and while she is not an illegal, she is forced to violate the immigration policies of London to survive. Specifically, she is not allowed to work during the six-month period during which her case is being reviewed; therefore, to survive, she works illegally. Sneaky is living and working in London legally, so he is in a position to take advantage of both Okwe and Senay, and the degree to which he is willing to exploit their secrets leads to the story’s pivotal scene.The most prevalent themes in Dirty Pretty Things are human integrity coupled with how the need to remain secretive can result in personal compromise and leave one open to mistreatment, but the sub-theme is how the people who go unnoticed often band together to survive and support one another against their foes. Okwe is a sympathetic character, and as the plot progresses, the audience begins to see that he must make escalating choices that challenge his sense of right and wrong. Because he is a fugitive from justice, he is eventually coerced by Sneaky to participate in his organ-trading scheme.Senay is also very likable, especially after the audience sees that the secrecy and prudishness she initially displays are due to her immigrant status and her being Muslim. Once the Immigration Enforcement Directors begin to hunt her down, she is forced to seek alternate employment and is immediately made a sex toy by her sweat-shop boss. Senay becomes the final piece in Sneaky’s ploy to force Okwe to become the Baltic’s organ doctor when she, in an act of desperation, agrees to give up a kidney in exchange for a passport: Okwe agrees to perform the surgery to ensure that Senay is not butchered.Like Okwe, Senay is forced to compromise more and more of herself in order to survive. The juxtaposing of Okwe with Guo and Senay with Juliette adds even greater depth to this movie: where most of the people Okwe and Senay associate with take advantage of their situations and exploit them, Guo and Juliette—a morgue worker and a hooker—help the main characters survive and persevere: it is a banding together of those whom society fails to acknowledge. Dirty Pretty Things is an excellent film on a variety of levels and should appeal to a wide-range of viewers.The plot is timely and gritty, the acting is superb, and the turning of the tables at the end of the movie—when Okwe and Senay exploit Sneaky’s greed and end up taking his kidney—make one want to stand up and cheer for the justice that is served and the underdogs who dish it out. Anyone who has felt inferior and has been forced to make choices dictated by that feeling of inferiority will likely enjoy this movie, and certainly, those open to reevaluating their prejudice against illegal immigrants will be forced to think again about their postion.

Social Studies: The Invasion of Kuwait

Social studies notes Chapter 1 The Invasion of Kuwait, also known as the Iraq-Kuwait War, was a major conflict between the Republic of Iraq and the State of Kuwait, which resulted in the seven-month long Iraqi occupation of Kuwait, which subsequently led to direct military intervention by United States-led forces in the Gulf War. [edit] Dispute over the financial debt Kuwait had heavily funded the 8 year long Iraqi war against Iran. By the time the war ended, Iraq was not in a financial position to repay the $14 billion it borrowed from Kuwait to finance its war. 6] Iraq argued that the war had prevented the rise of Iranian influence in the Arab World. However, Kuwait's reluctance to pardon the debt created strains in the relationship between the two Arab countries. During late 1989, several official meetings were held between the Kuwaiti and Iraqi leaders but they were unable to break the deadlock between the two. [edit] Economic warfare and slant drilling According to George Piro, the FBI interrogator who questioned Saddam Hussein after his capture (in 2003), Iraq tried repaying its debts by raising the prices of oil through OPEC's oil production cuts. However, Kuwait, a member of the OPEC, prevented a global increase in petroleum prices by increasing its own petroleum production, thus lowering the price and preventing recovery of the war-crippled Iraqi economy. [7] This was seen by many in Iraq as an act of aggression, further distancing the countries. The collapse in oil prices had a catastrophic impact on the Iraqi economy. According to former Iraqi Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz, â€Å"every US$1 drop in the price of a barrel of oil caused a US$1 billion drop in Iraq's annual revenues triggering an acute financial crisis in Baghdad. [5] It was estimated that Iraq lost US$14 billion a year due to Kuwait's oil price strategy. [8] The Iraqi Government described it as a form of ‘economic warfare,' which it claimed was aggravated by Kuwait's alleged slant-drilling across the border into Iraq's Rumaila field. The dispute over Rumaila field started in 1960 when an Arab League declaration marked the Iraq-Kuwait border 2 miles north of the southern-most tip of the Rumaila field. [9] During the Iran–Iraq War, Iraqi oil drilling operations in Rumaila declined while Kuwait's operations increased. In 1989, Iraq accused Kuwait of using â€Å"advanced drilling techniques† to exploit oil from its share of the Rumaila field. Iraq estimated that US$2. 4 billion worth of Iraqi oil was stolen by Kuwait and demanded compensation. [10][11] Kuwait dismissed the accusations as a false Iraqi ploy to justify military action against it. Several American firms working in the Rumaila field also dismissed Iraq's slant-drilling claims as a â€Å"smokescreen to disguise Iraq's more ambitious intentions†. [9] [edit] Kuwait's lucrative economy After the Iran–Iraq War, the Iraqi economy was struggling to recover. Iraq's civil and military debt was higher than its state budget. Most of its ports were destroyed, oil fields mined, and traditional oil customers lost. Despite having a total land area 1/25th of Iraq, Kuwait's coastline was twice as long as Iraq's and its ports were some of the busiest in the Persian Gulf region. The Iraqi government clearly realized that by seizing Kuwait, it would be able to solve most of its financial problems and consolidate its regional authority. Due to its relatively small size, Kuwait was seen by Baghdad as an easy target as well as a historically integral part of Iraq separated by British imperialism. The Persian Gulf War (2 August 1990 – 28 February 1991), commonly referred to as the Gulf War, and also known as the First Gulf War[12][13], the Second Gulf War,[14][15] by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein as The Mother of all Battles,[16] and commonly as Desert Storm for the military response, was the final conflict, which was initiated with United Nations authorization, by a coalition force from 34 nations against Iraq, with the expressed purpose of expelling Iraqi forces from Kuwait after its invasion and annexation on 2 August 1990. The invasion of Kuwait by Iraqi troops that began 2 August 1990 was met with international condemnation, and brought immediate economic sanctions against Iraq by members of the UN Security Council. U. S. President George H. W. Bush deployed American forces to Saudi Arabia and urged other countries to send their own forces to the scene. An array of nations joined the Coalition of the Gulf War. The great majority of the military forces in the coalition were from the United States, with Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and Egypt as leading contributors, in that order. Around US$40 billion of the US$60 billion cost was paid by Saudi Arabia. [17] The initial conflict to expel Iraqi troops from Kuwait began with an aerial bombardment on 17 January 1991. This was followed by a ground assault on 23 February. This was a decisive victory for the coalition forces, who liberated Kuwait and advanced into Iraqi territory. The coalition ceased their advance, and declared a cease-fire 100 hours after the ground campaign started. Aerial and ground combat was confined to Iraq, Kuwait, and areas on the border of Saudi Arabia. However, Iraq launched missiles against coalition military targets in Saudi Arabia. Further information: Iraq-United States relations Throughout much of the Cold War, Iraq had been an ally of the Soviet Union, and there was a history of friction between it and the United States. The U. S. was concerned with Iraq's position on Israeli–Palestinian politics, and its disapproval of the nature of the peace between Israel and Egypt. The U. S. also disliked Iraqi support for various Arab and Palestinian militant groups such as Abu Nidal, which led to its inclusion on the developing U. S. list of state sponsors of international terrorism on 29 December 1979. The U. S. remained officially neutral after the invasion of Iran, which became the Iran–Iraq War, although it assisted Iraq covertly. In March 1982, however, Iran began a successful counteroffensive – Operation Undeniable Victory, and the United States increased its support for Iraq to prevent Iran from forcing a surrender. In a U. S. bid to open full diplomatic relations with Iraq, the country was removed from the U. S. ist of state sponsors of terrorism. Ostensibly this was because of improvement in the regime’s record, although former United States Assistant Secretary of Defense Noel Koch later stated, â€Å"No one had any doubts about [the Iraqis'] continued involvement in terrorism†¦ The real reason was to help them succeed in the war against Iran. â€Å"[18] With Iraq's new found success in the war, and its rebuff of a peace offer in July, arms sales to Iraq reached a record sp ike in 1982. An obstacle, however, remained to any potential U. S. -Iraqi relationship – Abu Nidal continued to operate with official support in Baghdad. When Iraqi President Saddam Hussein expelled the group to Syria at the United States' request in November 1983, the Reagan administration sent Donald Rumsfeld to meet President Hussein as a special envoy and to cultivate ties. Main article: Invasion of Kuwait By the time the ceasefire with Iran was signed in August 1988, Iraq was virtually bankrupt, with most of its debt owed to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Iraq pressured both nations to forgive the debts, but they refused. Kuwait was also accused by Iraq of exceeding its OPEC quotas and driving down the price of oil, thus further hurting the Iraqi economy. The collapse in oil prices had a catastrophic impact on the Iraqi economy. The Iraqi Government described it as a form of economic warfare, which it claimed was aggravated by Kuwait slant-drilling across the border into Iraq's Rumaila oil field. [19] Iraq claimed Kuwait had been a part of the Ottoman Empire's province of Basra. Its ruling dynasty, the al-Sabah family, had concluded a protectorate agreement in 1899 that assigned responsibility for its foreign affairs to Britain. Britain drew the border between the two countries, and deliberately tried to limit Iraq's access to the ocean so that any future Iraqi government would be in no position to threaten Britain's domination of the Persian Gulf. Iraq refused to accept the border, and did not recognize the Kuwaiti government until 1963. [20] In early July, Iraq complained about Kuwait's behavior, such as not respecting their quota, and openly threatened to take military action. On the 23rd, the CIA reported that Iraq had moved 30,000 troops to the Iraq-Kuwait border, and the U. S. naval fleet in the Persian Gulf was placed on alert. On the 25th, Saddam Hussein met with April Glaspie, an American ambassador, in Baghdad. At that meeting, Glaspie told the Iraqi delegation, â€Å"We have no opinion on the Arab-Arab conflicts. † On the 31st, negotiations between Iraq and Kuwait in Jeddah failed violently. [21] On 2 August 1990 Iraq launched an invasion with its warplanes, bombing Kuwait City, the Kuwaiti capital. The main thrust was conducted by commandos deployed by helicopters and boats to attack the city, while other divisions seized the airports and two airbases. In spite of Iraqi sabre-rattling, Kuwait did not have its forces on alert, and was caught unaware. After two days of intense combat, most of the Kuwaiti Armed Forces were either overrun by the Iraqi Republican Guard, or had escaped to neighboring Saudi Arabia. After the decisive Iraqi victory, Saddam Hussein installed his cousin, Ali Hassan al-Majid as the governor of Kuwait. [22] Saddam Hussein detained several Westerners, with video footage shown on state television On 23 August 1990 President Saddam appeared on state television with Western hostages to whom he had refused exit visas. In the video, he patted a small British boy named Stuart Lockwood on the back. Saddam then asks, through his interpreter, Sadoun al-Zubaydi, whether Stuart is getting his milk. Saddam went on to say, â€Å"We hope your presence as guests here will not be for too long. Your presence here, and in other places, is meant to prevent the scourge of war. [23] Within hours of the invasion, Kuwaiti and U. S. delegations requested a meeting of the UN Security Council, which passed Resolution 660, condemning the invasion and demanding a withdrawal of Iraqi troops. On 3 August the Arab League passed its own resolution, which called for a solution to the conflict from within the League, and warned against outside intervention. On 6 August UN Resolution 661 placed economic sanctions on Iraq . United Nations Security Council Resolution 665 followed soon after, which authorized a naval blockade to enforce the economic sanctions against Iraq. It said the â€Å"use of measures commensurate to the specific circumstances as may be necessary †¦ to halt all inward and outward maritime shipping in order to inspect and verify their cargoes and destinations and to ensure strict implementation of resolution 661. †[24] One of the main concerns of the west was the significant threat Iraq posed to Saudi Arabia. Following the conquest of Kuwait, the Iraqi army was within easy striking distance of Saudi oil fields. Control of these fields, along with Kuwaiti and Iraqi reserves, would have given Hussein control over the majority of the world's oil reserves. Iraq also had a number of grievances with Saudi Arabia. The Saudis had lent Iraq some 26 billion dollars during its war with Iran. The Saudis backed Iraq, as they feared the influence of Shia Iran's Islamic revolution on its own Shia minority (most of the Saudi oil fields are in territory populated by Shias). After the war, Saddam felt he should not have to repay the loans due to the help he had given the Saudis by stopping Iran. Soon after his conquest of Kuwait, Hussein began verbally attacking the Saudi kingdom. He argued that the U. S. supported Saudi state was an illegitimate and unworthy guardian of the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. He combined the language of the Islamist groups that had recently fought in Afghanistan with the rhetoric Iran had long used to attack the Saudis. [25] Acting on the policy of the Carter Doctrine, and out of fear the Iraqi army could launch an invasion of Saudi Arabia, U. S. President George H. W. Bush quickly announced that the U. S. would launc h a â€Å"wholly defensive† mission to prevent Iraq from invading Saudi Arabia under the codename Operation Desert Shield. â€Å"Operation Desert Shield† began on 7 August 1990 when U. S. troops were sent to Saudi Arabia due also to the request of its monarch, King Fahd who had earlier called for U. S. military assistance. [26] This â€Å"wholly defensive† doctrine was quickly abandoned, as on 8 August, Iraq declared Kuwait to be the 19th province of Iraq and Saddam Hussein named his cousin, Ali Hassan Al-Majid as its military-governor. [27] Liberation of Kuwait Main article: Liberation of Kuwait campaign American decoy attacks by air attacks and naval gunfire the night before the liberation of Kuwait were designed to make the Iraqis believe the main coalition ground attack would focus on Central Kuwait. On 23 February 1991, the 1st Marine Division, 2nd Marine Division, and the 1st Light Armored Infantry crossed into Kuwait and headed toward Kuwait City. They overran the well designed, but poorly defended, Iraqi trenches in the first few hours. The Marines crossed Iraqi barbed wire obstacles and mines, then engaged Iraqi tanks, which surrendered shortly thereafter. Kuwaiti forces soon attacked Kuwait City, to which the Iraqis offered light resistance. The Kuwaitis lost one soldier and one aircraft, and quickly liberated the city. Most Iraqi soldiers in Kuwait opted to surrender rather than fight. [edit] Initial moves into Iraq [edit] Coalition forces enter Iraq General Colin Powell briefs then U. S. President George H. W. Bush and his advisors on the progress of the ground war Shortly afterwards, the U. S. VII Corps assembled in full strength and, spearheaded by the 3rd Squadron of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment (3/2 ACR), launched an armored attack into Iraq early on 24 February, just to the west of Kuwait, taking Iraqi forces by surprise. Simultaneously, the U. S. XVIII Airborne Corps launched a sweeping â€Å"left-hook† attack across the largely undefended desert of southern Iraq, led by the 3rd Armoured Cavalry Regiment (3rd ACR) and the 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized)). The left flank of this movement was protected by the French 6th Light Armoured Division Daguet). The French force quickly overcame the Iraqi 45th Infantry Division, suffering only a small number of casualties and taking a large number of prisoners, and took up blocking positions to prevent an Iraqi counter-attack on the Coalition flank. The right flank of the movement was protected by the British 1st Armoured Division. Once the allies had penetrated deep into Iraqi territory, they turned eastward, launching a flank attack against the elite Republican Guard before it could escape. The battle lasted only a few hours. 50 Iraqi armored vehicles were destroyed, with few coalition losses. On 25 February 1991 however, Iraq launched a scud missile attack on Coalition barracks in Dharan, Saudi Arabia. The missile attack killed 28 American military personnel. [44] The mixture of civilian and military vehicles on the Highway of Death The Coalition advance was much swifter than U. S. generals had expected. On 26 February, Iraqi troops began retreating from Kuwait, after they had set its oil fields on fire (737 oil wells were set on fire). A long convoy of retreating Iraqi troops formed along the main Iraq-Kuwait highway. Although they were retreating, this convoy was bombed so extensively by Coalition air forces that it came to be known as the Highway of Death. Hundreds of Iraqi troops were killed. Forces from the United States, the United Kingdom, and France continued to pursue retreating Iraqi forces over the border and back into Iraq, fighting frequent battles which resulted in massive losses for the Iraqi side and light losses on the coalition side, eventually moving to within 150 miles (240 km) of Baghdad before withdrawing from the Iraqi border. One hundred hours after the ground campaign started, on 28 February, President Bush declared a cease-fire, and he also declared that Kuwait had been liberated. CAUSES OF CONFLICT: There are three basic causes to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. First, Iraq had long considered Kuwait to be a part of Iraq. This claim led to several confrontations over the years (see below), and continued hostility. Also, it can be argued that with Saddam Hussein's attempted invasion of Iran defeated, he sought easier conquests against his weak southern neighbors. Second, rich deposits of oil straddled the ill-defined border and Iraq constantly claimed that Kuwaiti oil rigs were illegally tapping into Iraqi oil fields. Middle Eastern deserts make border delineation difficult and this has caused many conflicts in the region. Finally, the fallout from the First Persian Gulf War between Iraq and Iran strained relations between Baghdad and Kuwait. This war began with an Iraqi invasion of Iran and degenerated into a bloody form of trench warfare as the Iranians slowly drove Saddam Hussein's armies back into Iraq. Kuwait and many other Arab nations supported Iraq against the Islamic Revolutionary government of Iran, fearful that Saddam's defeat could herald a wave of Iranian-inspired revolution throughout the Arab world. Following the end of the war, relations between Iraq and Kuwait deteriorated; with a lack of gratitude from the Baghdad government for help in the war and the reawakening of old issues regarding the border and Kuwaiti sovereignty. 1973, March- Iraq occupies as-Samitah, a border post on Kuwait-Iraq border. Dispute began when Iraq demanded the right to occupy the Kuwaiti islands of Bubiyan and Warbah. Saudi Arabia and the Arab League convinced Iraq to withdraw. 1980-1988- Kuwait supports Iraq in the First Persian Gulf War with Iran. DESCRIPTION OF CONFLICT: Amid growing tension between the two Persian Gulf neighbors, Saddam Hussein concluded that the United States and the rest of the outside world would not interfere to defend Kuwait. On August 2, 1990, Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait and quickly seized control of the small nation. Within days, the United States, along with the United Nations, demanded Iraq's immediate withdrawal. U. S. and other UN member nations began deploying troops in Saudi Arabia within the week, and the world-wide coalition began to form under UN authority. By January of 1991, over half a million allied troops were deployed in Saudi Arabia and throughout the Gulf region. Intense diplomacy between U. S. and Iraqi officials failed to bring an Iraqi withdrawal, so, on January 16, 1991, Allied forces began the devastating bombing of Iraq and her forces in Kuwait. The Allied bombing sought to damage Iraq's infrastructure so as to hinder her ability to make war while also hurting both civilian and military morale. To counter the air attack, Saddam ordered the launching of his feared SCUD missiles at both Israel and Saudi Arabia. He hoped to provoke the Israelis into striking back at Iraq, which he theorized would split the Arab nations from the anti-Iraq coalition due to the ongoing hostility between Israel and the Arab world. Israel came very close to retaliating, but held back due to President George Bush's pledge to protect Israeli cities from the SCUDs. As a result of this promise, U. S. Patriot missile batteries found themselves deployed in Israel to shoot down the SCUDs. Another result of the SCUD launches was to divert Allied air power from hitting the Iraqi army to hunting for the elusive mobile missile launchers. Even so, the Allied air strikes and cruise missile attacks against Iraq proved more devastating than expected. When the Allied armies launched the ground war on February 23, the Iraqi occupation forces in Kuwait were already beaten. Cut off from their supply bases and headquarters by the intense air campaign, thousands of Iraqi soldiers simply gave up rather than fight, as the Allies pushed through Iraq's defenses with relative ease. In the few cases where the more elite Iraqi forces, such as the Republican Guard, stood and fought, superior American, British and French equipment and training proved the undoing of the Soviet-equipped Iraqis. By February 26, U. S. and Allied Arab forces, along with the underground Kuwaiti Resistance, controlled Kuwait City and Allied air forces pounded the retreating Iraqi occupation army. In southern Iraq, Allied armored forces stood at the Euphrates River near Basra, and internal rebellions began to break out against Saddam's regime. On February 27, President Bush ordered a cease-fire and the surviving Iraqi troops were allowed to escape back into southern Iraq. On March 3, 1991, Iraq accepted the terms of the cease-fire and the fighting ended. CONSEQUENCES OF CONFLICT: Saddam's second war of foreign conquest ended even worse than the first one. Iraq again stood defeated with the liberation of Kuwait. Despite the crushing defeat and subsequent Shiite and Kurdish rebellions, Saddam's government retained a strong grip on power in Iraq. As a result of the cease-fire terms, Iraq had to accept the imposition of â€Å"no-fly zones† over her territory and United Nations weapons inspection teams sifting through her nuclear and other weapons programs. The economic and trade sanctions begun during the war continue to the present day, ontributing to severe economic hardship in Iraq. Some reports say hundreds of thousands of children have died due to the sanctions. There are no indications that the government or military suffer undo hardships. While the world (and the United States and Europe), concentrated on Iraq, Syria moved to crush the last resistance to her de facto control of Lebanon, thus ending that country's long civil war. It is believed that Syria's President Assad was given a free hand to deal with Lebanon in return for joining the war in Kuwait. It's also believed there was a cash for annuity payment agreed upon When Yemen declared sympathy for Iraq, Saudi Arabia expelled upwards of a million Yemeni guest workers, causing economic hardship in Yemen and increased tension between the two neighbors. See Saudi-Yemen Border Conflict page. CASUALTY FIGURES: Update as of August 2, 2009 Iraq: Original figures listed 100,000 Iraqi military dead, but more recent estimates place Iraqi dead at 20,000 military and 2,300 civilian. United States: 148 killed in action, 458 wounded, and one Missing In Action (MIA). Also, 121 Americans died through non-combat incidents. The one MIA (compared to 1,740 MIA in the Vietnam War), was Navy pilot, Captain Michael â€Å"Scott† Speicher was shot down and was neither rescured, nor was a body found until, on August 2, 2009, the Pentagon announced that U. S. Marines stationed in Iraq had found Speicher's remains. See also: U. S. identifies remains of pilot missing in Persian Gulf War–LA Times, Aug. 2, 2009 Ironically, or perhaps intentionally, the Pentagon announced the recovery of Speicher's on the 19th anniversary of Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait, which occurred on August 2, 1990, and sparked the following 19 years of war between the U. S. and Iraq. Gulf war (1990-1), a limited war in which a US-led coalition enjoying overwhelming technological superiority defeated the armed forces of Iraq in a six-week air campaign crowned with a 100-hour land campaign, with minimal coalition casualties. However, the coalition forces failed to destroy the Republican Guard, mainstay of the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, who remained a threat primarily because of his continued development of nuclear and chemical and biological weapons, leading to repeated aftershocks in the form of US and Allied air strikes throughout the 1990s. The proximate cause was the Rumaila oilfield straddling the Iraq-Kuwait border. In mid-July 1990 Saddam claimed that Kuwait had stolen oil from this field by diagonal drilling and refused to pay back loans received from Kuwait to fund the recent Iran-Iraq war, saying that he had been doing the Gulf monarchies' dirty work for them. Neither argument was completely without merit. He massed armour on the frontier and after being told by the US ambassador that the USA did not wish to become involved in the dispute, at 01. 0 local time on 2 August the Iraqi columns invaded. Minds were concentrated and Pres Bush denounced the invasion, alarmed that the Iraqis would carry on into Saudi Arabia and thus control half the world's oil reserves. The UN condemned the invasion in Resolution 660, demanding immediate and unconditional withdrawal and on 7 August the USA announced it was sending forces in a joint operation with Egypt and Saudi Arabia: DESERT SHIELD. The following day the UK announced it would send forces too, in GRANBY. On 29 November 1990 the Security Council adopted Resolution 678, authorizing the USA-led coalition to use ‘all necessary means’ against Iraq to liberate Kuwait if it did not withdraw by 15 January 1991. Instead, the Iraqis reinforced their positions along the southern Kuwaiti border and by 8 January had an estimated 36 to 38 divisions, each nominally 15, 000 strong but actually considerably less. The coalition eventually had about 700, 000 troops in the theatre, with the main ground contributions coming from the USA and important contingents from the UK, France, Egypt, Syria, and Saudi Arabia, under the operational command of US Gen Schwarzkopf. The maintenance of the coalition, in which Arab states were arrayed with infidels against another Arab state, was pivotal. It was therefore imperative to ensure that Israel—a target for Iraqi missile attacks—should stay out of the war. The Iraqis were known to have the means to deliver their chemical and biological weapons (CBW) with their al-Hussein missiles, which had a range of 373 miles (600 km), double that of the original Soviet Scud missiles on which they were based. At 02. 38 local time on 17 January DESERT STORM began when US Apache helicopters began attacking Iraqi air defence sites near the border to clear a corridor through which a massive air armada then passed, beginning a 43-day air campaign involving 100, 000 sorties. The F-117A Stealth light bomber was very successful in striking key targets in heavily defended Baghdad, as were sea-launched cruise missiles. Early targets were the Iraqi air defences, electrical power, and command and control facilities, also suspected nuclear and chemical and biological warfare facilities. Although precision-guided munitions got all the publicity thanks to the excellent TV pictures they sent back, the bulk of the ordnance delivered were conventional bombs. As the campaign continued, the Allies switched to Iraqi ground forces although the elite Republican Guard was less badly damaged than the poorer quality infantry in the forward positions. Schwarzkopf later explained that this was because of his strong concern to avoid his ground troops being held up and rained with CBW. {draw:frame} _The Gulf war, 1991: the land campaign, 24-8 February. Top: positions of forces 24 February. Bottom: Allied envelopment of Iraqi forces (Click to enlarge)_ Early on 18 January Iraq responded to the air onslaught by attacking Israel, the coalition's most vulnerable point. A missile landed in Tel Aviv, initially reported to have a chemical warhead. The coalition later denied this but the relevant log, released after the war, recorded it carried cyclo-sarin, a particularly deadly nerve gas. Israel prepared to counter-attack, but was dissuaded when the USA promised to destroy the Scuds. As a result, a great deal of effort was diverted into the ‘Scud hunt’, although the mobile Iraqi missiles proved difficult to find. British and US special forces were also sent in to find and destroy Scuds, with mixed results. The US also used the Patriot, originally an anti-aircraft system, to shoot down incoming missiles, the first time anti-missiles were used in the history of war. Very few incoming missiles were actually hit and those that were broke up, possibly doing even more damage than they would have otherwise. On 20 January, Iraq also began firing missiles at Riyadh, one of which hit a temporary US barracks and inflicted the worst Allied casualties of the war. Schwarzkopf formulated a classic military plan of encirclement. While the Iraqis were to have their attention fixed to the south and on the coast by the US Marines, his main effort would be to the west of the main Iraqi forward defences, swinging round behind them and straight for the Republican Guard. The aim was ‘to conduct a swift, continuous and violent air-land campaign to destroy the Republican Guard Force Corps while minimising friendly force casualties. Aim is to make Iraqi forces move so that they can be attacked throughout the depth of their formations’. After several days of probing and artillery raids, the main ground attack began on 24 February with direct attacks into Kuwait from the south by the US Marines and two Saudi task forces. The next day, the outflanking forces swung into action, the main force being the US VII Corps including the 1st British Armoured Division, while the XVIII Airborne Corps including the French 6th Light ‘Daguet’ Division swung even wider to protect the left flank. The VII Corps hit its breach area with 60 batteries of artillery and Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, delivering more explosive power than the Hiroshima atomic bomb. Although Iraq was expected to use CBW, Saddam showed a little belated discretion and refrained, as there were a number of extremely unpleasant options the coalition held in reserve, including retaliation in kind or the destruction of Iraq's extremely vulnerable water-supply system. Late on 25 February he gave the order to withdraw from Kuwait, but the bulk of Iraqi armour was trapped between the Allies closing in from the south and west, and the Gulf and the Euphrates marshes to the east and north. TV pictures of the comprehensively incinerated Iraqi column that had been attempting to flee Kuwait City raised fears of public revulsion and Pres Bush called a halt after only 100 hours of land campaign. There were also geopolitical considerations. Until the invasion, the West had been concerned to maintain a balance of power between Iraq and Iran in the region, and the Arab members of the coalition might have bolted if the land war had been extended into Iraqi territory. At 08. 00 local time the guns fell silent, and Saddam was to be left with most of the Republican Guard and the freedom to use attack helicopters to crush the rebellions among the Sunni in the south and the Kurds in the north that the coalition had encouraged. Post-war, the extent and sophistication of his weapons development programmes came as a shock, and despite UN inspections and economic sanctions that affect mainly the civilian population, there is very little doubt that he has retained some CBW and possibly also some nuclear weapons. Nonetheless, Kuwait's territorial integrity was restored and most of Saddam's larger fangs were pulled. The war could only be considered unsuccessful if the hyperbole about human rights that accompanied it had ever been taken seriously by anyone involved. The first phase was Operation Desert Shield—a largely defensive operation in which the United States and Saudi Arabia rushed to build up the defensive forces necessary to protect Saudi Arabia and the rest of the gulf, and the United Nations attempted to force Iraq to leave Kuwait through the use of economic sanctions. The United States then led the UN effort to create a broad international coalition with the military forces necessary to liberate Kuwait, and persuaded the United Nations to set a deadline of 15 January 1991 for Iraq to leave Kuwait or face the use of force. The second phase, known as â€Å"Desert Storm,† was the battle to liberate Kuwait when Iraq refused to respond to the UN deadline. The fighting began on 17 January 1991 and ended on 1 March 1991. The UN Coalition liberated Kuwait in a little over six weeks, and involved the intensive use of airpower and armored operations, and the use of new military technologies. The Gulf War left Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in power, but it destroyed nearly all of Iraq's conventional forces and allowed the United Nations to destroy most of Iraq's long? range missiles and chemical weapons and capabilities to develop nuclear weapons. Saddam Hussein almost certainly saw the seizure and annexation of Kuwait as a means of solving Iraq's economic problems, of greatly increasing Iraq's share of world oil reserves, and as a means of demonstrating that Iraq had become the dominant power in the region. Kuwait was capable of adding at least 2 million barrels a day of oil to Iraq's exports of roughly 3. million, and offered the opportunity to double Iraq's total oil reserves, from 100 billion to 198 billion barrels (representing nearly 20% of the world's total reserves). Although he continued to negotiate his demands on oil revenues and debt relief from the Persian Gulf Arab nations, Saddam Hussein ordered his troops to the Kuwait border in July 1990, built up all of th e support capabilities necessary to sustain an invasion, and then ordered his forces to invade on 2 August 1990. Kuwait had not kept its forces on alert, and Iraq met little resistance. It seized the entire country within less than two days; within a week, Iraq stated that it would annex Kuwait as its nineteenth province. Iraqi forces also deployed along Kuwait's border with Saudi Arabia, with more than five Iraqi divisions in position to seize Saudi Arabia's oil? rich Eastern Province. Saudi Arabia had only two brigades and limited amounts of airpower to oppose them. Saddam Hussein may have felt that the world would accept his invasion of Kuwait or would fail to mount any effective opposition. However, Saudi Arabia and the other gulf states immediately supported the Kuwaiti government? n? exile. The Council of the Arab League voted to condemn Iraq on 3 August and demanded its withdrawal from Kuwait. Key Arab states like Algeria, Egypt, and Syria supported Kuwait—although Jordan, Libya, Mauritania, the Sudan, and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) supported Iraq. Britain, France, the Soviet Union, and most other European nations as well as the United States, Canada, and Japan condemned the invasion. U. S. President George Bush announced on 7 August that the United States would send land, air, and naval forces to the gulf. Equally important, the end of the Cold War allowed the United Nations to take firm action under U. S. initiative. On the day of the invasion, the Security Council voted 14–0 (Resolution 660) to demand Iraq's immediate and unconditional withdrawal from Kuwait. The United States, Britain, and Saudi Arabia led the United Nations in forming a broad military coalition under the leadership of U. S. Army Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf that deployed the military forces necessary to enforce the United Nations' sanctions and to defend Saudi Arabia. This was the defensive military operation code? named â€Å"Desert Shield. † On 29 November 1990, the United States obtained a Security Council authorization for the nations allied with Kuwait â€Å"to use all necessary means† if Iraq did not withdraw by 15 January 1991. Key nations like the United States, Britain, France, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and several others began to deploy the additional forces necessary to drive Iraq out of Kuwait. In 1990–91, the United States deployed a total of 527,000 personnel, over 110 naval vessels, 2,000 tanks, 1,800 fixed? ing aircraft, and 1,700 helicopters. Britain deployed 43,000 troops, 176 tanks, 84 combat aircraft, and a naval task force. France deployed 16,000 troops, 40 tanks, attack helicopters, a light armored division, and combat aircraft. Saudi Arabia deployed 50,000 troops, 280 tanks, and 245 aircraft. Egypt contributed 30,200 troops, 2 armored divisions, and 350 tanks. Syria contributed 14,000 troops and 2 divi sions. Other allied nations, including Canada, Italy, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates deployed a significant portion of their small forces. Iraq responded by building up its military forces in the Kuwait theater of operations to a total of 336,000 troops and a total of 43 divisions, 3,475 battle tanks, 3,080 other armored vehicles, and 2,475 major artillery weapons. This buildup on both sides made full? scale war steadily more likely and triggered a number of political debates within the West and the Arab world over the need for war. The most important of these debates took place within the United States; largely because of President Bush's political leadership, the Congress, after Bush gained UN endorsement, requested such authorization on 8 January 1991. On 12 January the House of Representatives by 250 to 183 and the Senate by 52 to 47 voted to authorize the use of force. Though a number of new efforts were made to persuade Iraq to leave Kuwait in late December and early January, Saddam Hussein refused to withdraw under any practical conditions. Baghdad also continued to expand its military capabilities in Kuwait and along the Iraqi border with Saudi Arabia, and continued its efforts to convert Kuwait into an Iraqi province. As a result, the UN Security Council voted to ignore yet another effort to negotiate with Iraq. On that date, 15 January 1991, President Bush ordered the military offensive to begin. Desert Storm: The Air War The Gulf War began early in the morning on 17 January when the United States exploited its intelligence and targeting assets, cruise missiles, and offensive airpower to launch a devastating series of air attacks on Iraqi command and control facilities, communications systems, air bases, and land? based air defenses. During the first hour of the war, U. S. sea? launched cruise missiles and F? 117 stealth aircraft demonstrated they could attack even heavily defended targets like Baghdad. Within three days, a mix of U. S. , British, and Saudi fighter aircraft had established near air superiority. In spite of Iraq's air strength, UN air units shot down a total of thirty? five Iraqi aircraft without a single loss in air? to? air combat. Although Iraq had a land? based air defense system with some 3,000 surface? to? air missiles, the combined U. S. and British air units were able to use electronic warfare systems, antiradiation missiles, and precision air? to? surface weapons to suppress Iraq's longer? range surface? to? air missiles. As a result, Coalition air forces were able rapidly to broaden their targets from attacks on Iraq's air forces and air defenses to assaults on key headquarters, civil and army communications, electronic power plants, and Iraq's facilities for the production of weapons of mass destruction. Victory in the air was achieved by 24 January, when Iraq ceased to attempt active air combat. A total of 112 Iraqi aircraft fled to Iran, and Iraq virtually ceased to use its ground? based radar to target UN aircraft. This created a safe zone at medium and high altitudes that allowed U. S. nd British air units to launch long? range air? to? surface weapons with impunity. The UN air forces were also able to shift most of their assets to attacks on Iraqi ground forces. For the following thirty days, UN Coalition aircraft attacked Iraqi armor and artillery in the Kuwaiti theater of operations, as well as flying into Iraq itself to bomb Iraq's forward defenses, elite Republican Guard units, air bases an d sheltered aircraft, and Iraq's biological, chemical, and nuclear warfare facilities. Iraq's only ability to retaliate consisted of launching modified surface? to? urface Scud missiles against targets in Saudi Arabia and Israel, which had remained outside the war: forty Scud variants against Israel and forty? six against Saudi Arabia. U. S.? made Patriot missiles in Israel shot down some Scuds, but although the United Nations carried out massive â€Å"Scud hunts† that involved thousands of sorties, it never found and destroyed any Scud missiles on the ground, which demonstrated the risks posed by the proliferation of mobile, long? range missiles. Iraq's Scud strikes could not, however, alter the course of the war. Iraqi ground forces were struck by more than 40,000 air attack sorties; U. S. authorities estimated that airpower helped bring about the desertion or capture of 84,000 Iraqi soldiers and destroyed 1,385 Iraqi tanks, 930 other armored vehicles, and 1,155 artillery pieces before the United Nations launched its land offensive. They also estimated that air attacks severely reduced the flow of supplies to Iraqi ground forces in Kuwait and damaged 60 percent of Iraq's major command centers, 70 percent of its military communications, 125 ammunition storage revetments, 48 Iraqi naval vessels, and 75 percent of Iraq's electric power–generating capability. Desert Storm: The Land War The Aftermath of the War