A Brief Lok at Belgian Chocolate - 2766 Words

Belgian Chocolates Despite the fact that chocolate is not rated among the major products that are exported by the nation of Belgium, it must be noted that Belgium is second on the log among the world’s largest exporters of chocolate. The top exporter of chocolate is Germany (Abraham et al, 2012). Furthermore, Belgium is not only ranked among the most significant exporters of chocolate, rather is rated seventh among the nations consuming the highest quantities of chocolate after the UK, Norway, Finland, Switzerland, Denmark and Germany. It has also been submitted that chocolate is among the primary products traditionally linked to Belgium. The nation of Belgium is renowned for its chocolate and takes every chance to promote this asset. The nation has a lot to give to the cocoa chain across the world (Elshof, 2012). In addition, Belgians consume large quantities of chocolate. Yet this nation prides itself in the finest chocolate quality given the fact that it is the home to a large number of small chocolate firms, acknowledged across the globe. Most important is the fact that since the last twenty years, different chocolatiers initiated business to manufacture chocolates. A nation could not desire for a better input to its economy than an industry, which proudly employs the term Belgian on its wrappings and outlets for its major products (Elshof, 2012). However, it must be noted that Belgium is not just a marketing tool for packets of chocolates. Barry Callebaut, a Belgian

Essay about A Worn Path - Eudora Welty - 577 Words

Phoenix Jackson in Eudora Weltys A Worn Path has been compared to the mythological phoenix because of her birdlike qualities, and its also been noticed that Phoenix possesses many of the same characteristics as Christ. But, what hasnt been addressed is the fact that Eudora Welty didnt just leave the symbolism to Christ alone. Welty also included many biblical allusions as well. Phoenix Jackson is not only symbolic of the mythological bird that rose from the ashes of its own demise or simply a Christ figure comparable to the Son of God, but she is also a biblical hero facing temptation and trials along her journey and succeeds unharmed and steadfast in her faith. Since Weltys tale is such a simple one, readers are forced to find†¦show more content†¦Many connections can be made between the unwavering Phoenix Jackson and the Son of God. Phoenixs cane being described as limber as a buggy whip (3) symbolizes the whip used on Christ during His crucifixion. The chains about her feet (5) symbolizes the burden of the cross and the thorns or thorny bush (8) represents Christs crown of thorns. But evidence can be found relating Phoenixs status as a biblical character as well. The old woman waited, silent, erect, and motionless just as if she were in armor (84) is reminiscent of the armor of God that Christians must adorn to be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:11) and the parting her way (28) brings the awesome sight of Moses parting the Red Sea to mind. Another example would be Phoenixs comment to the nurse that she and her grandson are the only two people left in the world (93) is suggestive of Adam and Eve being the only two people in the world after Creation. More subtle clues suggest the whispering (21, 28) of fields being the deceptive whispering of temptation that Satan uses to lure us away from Christ. In fact, the black dog tripping Phoenix and Phoenix feeling the dog sitting nearby laughing shows are Satan revels in mocking our fall from grace after he has tempted us into sin just as he tempted Phoenix to steal. Like other biblicalShow MoreRelatedA Worn Path By Eudora Welty Essay1702 Words   |  7 Pages A Worn Path Research Paper The introduction of historical figures, events, and documents sparked in the twentieth century. Documents such as, the Declaration of independence, Bill of Rights, United States Constitution, and the Gettysburg Address are some examples of historical documents. These documents carry such a heavy meaning that the blood and gore that were included are often ignored. Although when the Civil Rights movement is mentioned, there are judgments that are made and accusationsRead MoreA Worn Path By Eudora Welty1707 Words   |  7 PagesMichelle Andrews Dr. Goss ENGLISH 1102 9 February 2016 A Worn Path In the Eudora Welty’s ‘‘A Worn Path’’, there is a distinct description of characters that live in the era of segregation and the great depression. Because Welty is a native of the south, this story is based from the experiences during her life. Her struggles are relived in the characters of not just â€Å"A Worn Path† but also a lot of her other stories. She uses hidden messages in her stories and includes deep meaning in the simplestRead MoreA Worn Path By Eudora Welty944 Words   |  4 Pagesones you love? In â€Å"A Worn Path,† by Eudora Welty, the reader is taken on Phoenix Jackson’s, the main character’s, journey to the doctor’s office to obtain the medications needed for her ill grandson. Having to commute in such difficult conditions, Phoenix endures through the dense and tiresome woods, stretching from the countryside to the town. After persevering through the long journey to her destination, Phoenix arrive s at the building and receives the medication she needs. Welty concludes the storyRead MoreA Worn Path By Eudora Welty Essay1481 Words   |  6 PagesA Worn Path (1940) On an everyday basis people are encountering challenges that stand in their way of them achieving their set goals. However, with determination the vast majority will accomplish the mission they have set out to conquer. In the short story â€Å"A Worn Path† written by Eudora Welty in 1940, Phoenix Jackson, the main character has a mission in which she is trying to complete when she is faced with many challenges. This short story is centered on the challenges that are faced by an elderlyRead MoreEudora Welty a Worn Path12166 Words   |  49 PagesA Worn Path by Eudora Welty Copyright Notice  ©1998−2002;  ©2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design ® and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.  ©2007 eNotes.com LLC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this work covered by the copyright hereon may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, Web distribution or information storageRead MoreEudora Welty a Worn Path12173 Words   |  49 PagesA Worn Path by Eudora Welty Copyright Notice  ©1998−2002;  ©2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design ® and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.  ©2007 eNotes.com LLC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this work covered by the copyright hereon may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, Web distribution or information storageRead MoreA Worn Path By Eudora Welty1495 Words   |  6 PagesIn the short story â€Å"A Worn Path,† the author, Eudora Welty uses mythical, religious, and spiritual symbols as well as the setting to help the reader understand an old African-American woman’s life. Welty also uses the symbolism to represent the hardships old woman has faced during the old woman’s life. The old African-American woman’s name is Phoenix and is on a journey to town as the readers are taken on jou rney through her life. Welty also uses fine details and sentence structure in addition toRead MoreA Worn Path By Eudora Welty879 Words   |  4 PagesIn the short story A Worn Path by Eudora Welty she focuses on the journey of an old woman heading into town. She uses ridiculous amounts of imagery which really make the story come to life. I believe this short story to be about a woman that has gotten so old, she has cataracts and it seems, the air of a wise woman. Speaking of wise women, it also shows that she really has grown up on this path- even in her old age, her stumbling blindness she knows the characters of these woods, and the ways inRead MoreA Worn Path By Eudora Welty1441 Words   |  6 Pagesargue that â€Å"A Worn Path† by Eudora Welty mirrors that of a slave narrative while at the same time illustrates the racism that blacks faced while on their journey to equality. Great descriptions are used to illustrate Phoenix Jackson. In the beginning, Welty states that Phoenix has her head tied in a red rag with a dark striped dress reaching down to her shoe tops and an equally long apron (274). Kevin Moberly notes in his article, â€Å"Toward the North Star: Eudora Welty s ‘A Worn Path’ and the SlaveRead MoreA Worn Path By Eudora Welty762 Words   |  4 PagesStrongest Will Survive Is it true that younger people in better health and conditions will always complete a task better than an older not so well fit person? In these two short stories â€Å"A Worn Path†, by Eudora Welty, and â€Å"To Build a Fire†, by Jack London, shows us how true that is. The protagonists in â€Å"A Worn Path† is named Phoenix Jackson who is an older black women living in Natchez, Mississippi in the 1930s. The protagonists is a man unnamed in â€Å"To Build a Fire† traveling in the Yukon. In both of

A Pattern in The Least Successful Startup Free Essays

A year ago I noticed a pattern in the least successful startups we’d funded: they all seemed hard to talk to. It felt as if there was some kind of wall between us. I could never quite tell if they understood what I was saying. We will write a custom essay sample on A Pattern in The Least Successful Startup or any similar topic only for you Order Now This caught my attention because earlier we’d noticed a pattern among the most successful startups, and it seemed to hinge on a different quality. We found the startups that did best were the ones with the sort of founders about whom we’d say â€Å"they can take care of themselves.† The startups that do best are fire-and-forget in the sense that all you have to do is give them a lead, and they’ll close it, whatever type of lead it is. When they’re raising money, for example, you can do the initial intros knowing that if you wanted to you could stop thinking about it at that point. You won’t have to babysit the round to make sure it happens. That type of founder is going to come back with the money; the only question is how much on what terms. It seemed odd that the outliers at the two ends of the spectrum could be detected by what appeared to be unrelated tests. You’d expect that if the founders at one end were distinguished by the presence of quality x, at the other end they’d be distinguished by lack of x. Was there some kind of inverse relation between resourcefulness and being hard to talk to? It turns out there is, and the key to the mystery is the old adage â€Å"a word to the wise is sufficient. † Because this phrase is not only overused, but overused in an indirect way (by prepending the subject to some advice), most people who’ve heard it don’t know what it means. What it means is that if someone is wise, all you have to do is say one word to them, and they’ll understand immediately. You don’t have to explain in detail; they’ll chase down all the implications. In much the same way that all you have to do is give the right sort of founder a one line intro to a VC, and he’ll chase down the money. That’s the connection. Understanding all the implications—even the inconvenient implications—of what someone tells you is a subset of resourcefulness. It’s conversational resourcefulness. Like real world resourcefulness, conversational resourcefulness often means doing things you don’t want to. Chasing down all the implications of what’s said to you can sometimes lead to uncomfortable conclusions. The best word to describe the failure to do so is probably â€Å"denial,† though that seems a bit too narrow. A better way to describe the situation would be to say that the unsuccessful founders had the sort of conservatism that comes from weakness. They traversed idea space as gingerly as a very old person traverses the physical world. The unsuccessful founders weren’t stupid. Intellectually they were as capable as the successful founders of following all the implications of what one said to them. They just weren’t eager to. So being hard to talk to was not what was killing the unsuccessful startups. It was a sign of an underlying lack of resourcefulness. That’s what was killing them. As well as failing to chase down the implications of what was said to them, the unsuccessful founders would also fail to chase down funding, and users, and sources of new ideas. But the most immediate evidence I had that something was amiss was that I couldn’t talk to them. How to cite A Pattern in The Least Successful Startup, Papers

Overview of International Estate Planning †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Overview of International Estate Planning. Answer: Introduction The management of corporate real estate enables to enhance the use of the real estate assets so that it can lead to the attainment of the results within the companies those are a non-real estate. Various researchers have been undertaken in the field of commercial, residential, as well as commercial real estate, the studies on infrastructure asset management is lacking. As per Collins Dictionary infrastructure can be defined as the fixed capital stock in the country that includes school, roads, and factories and viewed as an economic growth determinant. Just like other real estate assets, the enhancement of infrastructure is in the nature of capital intensive. Moreover, infrastructure assets surpass the complexity level that makes it a part of the real assets of traditional nature (Svejenova et. al, 2010). Firstly, the infrastructure production is steep in nature and hence, the concept of increasing the return to scale can be noted. This means that there is a strong tendency towards m onopoly and the regulation is strong in this industry. In the past few years, most of the industrialized world has witnessed immense challenges that are linked to the management of the infrastructure assets. Such challenges contain the infrastructure that is aging in nature, funding that is inadequate and short-term stress on the political scenario, less information on the infrastructure, globalization and the requirement to adhere to various demand of the stakeholders. This has to lead to a problem in terms of performance for the infrastructure that is owned by the government (Brown, 2005). Further, there have been many cases of the revival of the institutional options for the infrastructure provision that contains a merge of competitive restructuring and development of methods of regulatory nature (Kennedy, 2007). When it comes to the changing scenario of the business, it is imperative for the infrastructure organization to enhance the investments that are being made so that the capital can be reduced together with the expenditure of operating nature and enhance the total performance of the organization (Brown, 2005). Literature pertaining to strategic management suggests that to shed light on the performance of the organization it is essential that the focus should also be provided on the factors that are internal to the organization and even the structure of the industry. As per Ravichandran et al. (2005) it is put to the argument that the theory of resource-based and the extensions with the focus on the resources of the firm can lead to the proper theoretical lens to evaluate how factors can be booster in terms of competitive advantage. An organization can be a gainer and attain performance of a top-notch when it contains the correct skills. In tune to this, the challenge remains to the org anization in association with the utilization of the resources in an optimal manner among the initiatives that are competitive in nature so that skills of relevant nature can be attracted (Mckeo, 2008). Therefore, it is the need of the hour to trace core capabilities that will make a difference in terms of infrastructure, as well as the performance of the asset. The main aim of the paper is to shed light on the conceptual framework so that identification of the skills needs to be done when it comes to the management of the infrastructure assets. This paper will shed light on the discussion required to adopt an approach that is strategic in nature so that the performance can be enhanced. The literature we then examined in the light of the prevalent situation. Based on the knowledge, an appropriate resource based view is argued. Lastly, the conceptual framework is identified for strategic infrastructure. Strategy and Performance The influential works of enthusiasts help us to understand the basic concept of the area of strategic management. Mutually they help us to understand the censorious concepts and thesis in strategy, in which the strategy influences performance. They also emphasize on the external opportunities and internal power, the concept follows that strategy is followed by structure, the real difference between the making and implementation of the concept and the effective role of strategic management (Smallwood Panowyk, 2005). The restrained study of strategy development is mostly derived from the design school and planning school which is employed to find the use of internal hoard to compare with the external risk and opportunities. In 1980s the main focus of the strategy analysis was to create a connection between strategy and external environment of a business. The best example to understand the topic is to read competitive strategy by Michael Porter which is considered to be the most persua sive contribution to the area of strategic management. Porter used the information provided by the Industrial-Organizational Economics to construct a framework of general strategies and industrial scanning. The intermodal theory of this policy is that the performance of an organization is the chief function of the industrial environment in which it regulates and as the structure of industry it directs the strategy, which in return governs the performance (Nag et. al, 2007). The strategy can, therefore, be disregarded and thereafter performance can be explained by the industry structure. In contradiction, the connection between the organizations strategy and resources, skill have suffered comparative disregard. During 1990s, there was a wave of recovery in the application of organizations resources because of the development of organizational strategies. This helped to enumerate the resource-based view once again. RBV is a plan that is a crucial pool of recourses and capabilities, an d these resources and capabilities are the main elements of strategy and performance. In the process of strategy formulation, RBV does not take the way of Indian Organizational Economics theory. IOE theorists were in a notion that the organization's performance was related to the industrial structure closely and also that the firm was the provider of all resources between product and market opportunities. As per this theory, the vital aspects of the work are directed towards making a place amidst the competitions in the industry (Jay William, 2018). This is also famously known as the positioning school of strategy development. The other view known as the resource-based view fails to identify with this relationship. Resource-based view is popular for its theory for differentiating between the internal resources and the other determinants of the competition, which majorly comprise of location; other regulatory and technical factors (Mulcaster, 2009). But the specialists of the RBV th eory were of the view that the competencies which were generated internally were of primary importance to the competitive performance of the company. Importance of RBV for Organisation that pertains to InfrastructureIn an aggressive and inconsistent environment, the theorists found that there are very fewer chances that one could actually plan the future because of inconsistent technological changes.The forceful strategies will not be fit for the organization as it will create a tension in the firm. The tension increases when the there are technological advancements made in the industry but the firm still uses the old and rugged resources to work (Mulcaster, 2009). The firm will not have the capability to match with its competitors till it advances its piece of technology. Therefore theorists argued that the basic direction for an organization to work is provided by the internal resources and capability of the firm. Therefore when the external environment of a firm is not in a good state, the firm may use its internal resources to define its name in the market.All types of organization should create value to make their presence kn own in the market. Insistent advantage may help a firm to make a better experience for customers and thus helping the firm to grow. Theorists presented two known schemes of the origination of competitive advantage: the division between positional and kinetic and between homogeneous and heterogeneous (Smith et. al, 2010). Positional advantages are basically ownership or access based and is often non-volatile like a. Managing talent superior, skilled and dedicated employees, superior associated culture; b. Size-based advantages like size capabilities, scale economies, and economy of experience; c. Provide good control and favorable access to the distributor. Presently the advantages include (a) capability of finding the valuable customers and to make and see whether there are market opportunities. (b) Use of such capabilities that helps in improving the flexibility, speed, creativity, and efficiency of the process that is adopted in the organization. (c) The capability that helps to mobilize the employees of the organization encourages the learning process and encouraging changes that would have a positive impact. (d)In an organization there are different departments and personnels having different knowledge and these people have a different level of competencies, the strategic capabilities help to create, integrate and maintain coordination between them (Smith et. al, 2010).In the recent years, it has been observed that there were many challenges and difficulties faced by the infrastructure due to deregulation and privatization. This has also resulted in alteration of the business dynamics and also there existed certain uncertainties. It was suggested that there would be improved, sustainable and superior performance observed due to the kinetic advantage. There always exists a rival for the company in the market which can either compete in the same manner (homogenous) or different manner (heterogeneous). It was seen in the past that the infrastructure organiza tion has always adopted homogenous competition. However, in the times of privatization, it was observed that the company competed heterogeneously, this was because during this time the entire attention was paid to the customers and the organizations were accountable for the results. In the overall discussion, we can say that there lies a great importance of the RBV paradigm in making the infrastructural organization better. The RBV concept comprises of the kinetic advantage as well as the heterogeneous advantage. In addition, we will also see that there will be no constant competitive advantage in the long run because the organization will start imitating the products of others (Zehir et. al, 2006). The RBV has helped in developing the framework of the organization that has resulted in the improvement of their performance. Asset management is the area which always has a scope of betterment. It has been said that while implementing asset management one should always keep the thought of improvement in mind so that the effects of the procedure can be managed steadily. Asset management has been said to have a complex nature, in order to simplify these complexities, we divided the infrastructure businesses into three major components as the asset owner, asset manager and lastly the service provider (Klueger, 2012). This classification enables an entity to have exclusive knowledge in one's department, resulting in perfection due to practice. This helps divide the responsibilities into planning and execution, resulting in the better response. We have discussed the roles and responsibilities of the components below: Firstly, let us discuss the roles and responsibilities of the top management. The main role of the top management is to set the rules, values, strategy, and structure for everyone to follow. They help provide the asset management the asset cost, the maximum level of risk and the level of returns to be earned (Mckeown, 2012). Secondly, there is the asset manager. The main role and responsibility of the asset manager are to concentrate on the strategies and make the relevant decision. The major role is to maximize the values of the asset under their management in order to ensure high returns to the company and the investor. It is under the asset managers control on how and when to spend the monies (Olsen, 2012). Lastly, there is the service provider. The main role of the service provider is in handling the administration work including the management of the clients, so that smooth service can be provided. The primary responsibility to set the strategic corporate goal rests with the asset owner. These major points serve as the map for the asset manager helping him to allocate the asset cost, risks involved, limits on the risks and also the required returns. It is essential that the goals be based as per the company policy so that the best of resources can be allocated to the asset in order to ensure maximum return to the investor. (Moncrieff, 2014) The asset manager plays a very vital role in all this. He holds the most important resource of this transaction, which is the infrastructure asset (Ravichandran Now, it is the duty of the asset manager to make sure that the goals of the asset management and that of the investor sync, in order to generate high returns and long-term relationship both for the investor and the company. Therefore the asset mange needs to make sure that the goals of asset management and the company go hand in hand .Above we have discussed the goals of the infrastr ucture asset management and who is responsible to set such goals. Now in order to achieve these goals we need to formulate strategies which will help the company and the asset manager to achieve these goals. The strategies involved in asset management are nothing more than the process of managing the assets efficiently in order to achieve desired goals (Freedman, 2013). It has been said that the asset management is a process of handling the asset for its life cycle and also that the proper management processes are essential for the same. This thought helps our result that the asset management is all in one business process which consolidates all the functions of the business into one, which helps to follow through the business plans. Hence it is significant to recognize the major processes of the asset management so that the results from the infrastructure asset generated can be maximized. (Demil Lecoq, 2010) The life cycle of the infrastructure asset can be classified into three major heads which are asset planning, asset creation, and asset operation. The core processes of the asset management involve work starting and ending at the customers. They are assisted by other functional activities. There are also other processes which are carried on in the organization which is related to the life cycle of the infrastructure asset. In this context, a few scholars have stated that there are few processes which would fail to provide the competitive advantage to the organization (David et. al, 2012). The internal processes having the most impact on value creation and decision making should be sorted. Core process has also been defined as one of the most important processes which have the direct impact on the quality of success and customer feedback ( Itami Nishino, 2010). We know that the economic and technological market is dynamic. The asset managers are responsible to segregate the processes as per there outcomes under these dynamic circumstances (Doz Kosonen, 2010). The processes which help provide success should be in sync with the business goals of the organization and help create value for the infrastructure organization. It has been proposed by a lot of experts that in order to have a competitive advantage, the organizations should keep improving the core processes. There are a set of many attributes which are required to be developed in order to achieve the asset management goals. It is the responsibilities of the asset managers to identify the challenges and address them in order to carry out the processes smoothly (Too et. al, 2006). In our discussion above, we have discussed the asset management processes. These processes are also associated with the capabilities. These set of capabilities are abstract and indispensable. There is no set of capabilities which are fixed or allocated to a given organization. Also, it has been stated that these capabilities have their individual costs and benefits (Cameron , 2014). The managers are responsible in order to identify most appropriate capability as per the requirements and implement them with the processes in order to achieve maximum benefits . If the managers are able to develop capabilities appropriate to the processes of the asset management, then they will help the asset managers in order achieve the goals and perform better in the future. Conclusion This paper has stressed on the requirement to consider a strategic approach directed towards asset management of the infrastructure provided the ever increment pressure to increase the performance. An approach of resource based view is recommended when the changes are dynamic in nature and happens in the business environment (Kemp, 2008). It is suggested by the resource-based paradigm that to enhance the infrastructure assets performance, it is utmost essential to trace the processes. However, the application of such a process is still pending. Hence, the paper majorly stress on literature that derives from the field of strategic management and leads to the initial step in the application of the concept to the environment that is complex in scenario of the management of infrastructure asset. It needs to be noted that skills are linked within the organization fabric and hence, is difficult for the management to trace. Depending on the argument, a conceptual framework has been dedicate d that spots the issues in a systematic manner that requires clarification before the separation of core skills required for infrastructure asset management. It is expected that there will be a potent tool to trace the skills that are vital and required in the process of strategic management of the infrastructure assets. References Brown, C 2005. A holistic approach to the management of electrical assets within an Australian supply utility, Thesis, Type, Sydney Graduate School of Management, University of Western Sydney. Cameron, B.T 2014,Using responsive evaluation in Strategic Management, Strategic Leadership Review vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 22-27. David, B, David, S.S Mark S 2012, Economics of Strategy,John Wiley Sons Demil, B Lecoq, X 2010, Business model evolution: In search for dynamic consistency, Long range planning, vol. 43, pp. 227-246 Doz, Y.L Kosonen, M 2010, Embedding strategic agility, Long range planning, vol. 43, pp. 370-382 Freedman, L 2013, Strategy, Oxford University Press Itami, H., Nishino, K 2010, Killing two birds with one stone: Profit for now and learning for the future, Long range planning vol. 43, pp. 364-369 Jay, B. B William S. H 2018, Strategic Management and Competitive Advantage: Concepts and Cases, Pearson Press Kemp, R. L 2008, Strategic Planning for Local Government: A Handbook for Officials and Citizens, McFarland and Co., Inc, Jefferson, NC, USA, and London Kennedy, J 2007, Asset Management Council: Model and Definition, ICOMS Asset Management Conference 2007: Total Asset Management Sydney. Klueger, R. F 2012, Overview of International Estate Planning, Valley Lawyer. Mckeown, M 2012, The Strategy Book, FT Prentice Hall Moncrieff, J 2014, Is strategy making a difference?, Long Range Planning Review, vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 273276. Mulcaster, W.R 2009, Three Strategic Frameworks, Business Strategy Series vol. 10, no.1, , pp 6875, 2009. Nag, R, Ham, B, Chen, M.J 2007, What is strategic management, really? Inductive derivation of a consensus definition of the field, Strategic Management Journal vol. 28, no. 9, pp. 935955 Olsen, E 2012, Strategic Planning Kit for Dummies, John Wiley Sons. Ravichandran, T Lertwongsatien, C 2005, Effect of information system resources and capabilities on firm performance: A resource-based perspective, Journal of Management Information System, Vol. 21, pp. 237. Smallwood, N Panowyk, M 2005, Building Capabilities, Executive Excellence, vol. 22, pp. 17. Smith, W.K., Binns, A Tushman, M.L 2010, Complex business models: Managing strategic paradoxes simultaneously, Long range planning, vol. 43, pp. 448-461 Svejenova, S., Planellas, M Vives, L 2010, An individual business model in the making: Achefs quest for creative freedom, Long range planning vol. 43, pp. 408-430 Too, E., Betts, M Kumar, A 2006, A Strategic Approach to Infrastructure Asset Management, BEE Postgraduate Research Conference, Infrastructure 2006: Sustainability Zehir, C., Acar, A. Z. Tanriverdi, H 2006. Identifying organisational capabilities as predictors of growth and business performance, The Business Review vol. 5, no.2, pp. 109-116

Price Fixing free essay sample

Price fixing assignment: 1. Why is price fixing an offense? Price fixing my cause market failures and distortions as it harms competition in a free market. This in turn adversely affects economic efficiency and consumer welfare. In India, price fixing and other such activities that have an adverse effect on competition are offense under Competition Act,2002. In US, price fixing can be prosecuted as a criminal federal offense under section 1 of Sherman Antitrust Act. 2. What are the implications of price fixing? Price fixing has various implications:- †¢Elimination or narrowing of competitive products. †¢Consumers are forced to pay more. †¢Consumers are confronted with deflated product lines in narrow price range. †¢Without competition and diverse product lines, a stagnant market place smothers retailer’s ability to offer strategic promotions and incentives to the market. †¢When the price of one commodity is established, it becomes imperative that the price of other related commodities be adjusted, triggering a chain reaction. We will write a custom essay sample on Price Fixing or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 3. How does it affects producers and consumers? There are two major effects: 1. Reduced quantity 2. Raised prices. There is a transfer of wealth from consumers to producers. A portion of consumer surplus is shifted to producer surplus and also creates a deadweight loss. When prices increase from p0 to p1 due to price fixing, rectangle A, from consumer surplus gets shifted to producer surplus. At the same time there is also a deadweight loss of triangles B and C. The quantity that could be produced is reduced from Q0 to Q1.

The Growth of the Early American Economy in the West

The Growth of the Early American Economy in the West Cotton, at first a small-scale crop in the American South, boomed following Eli Whitneys invention of the cotton gin in 1793, the machine that separated raw cotton from the seeds and other waste. The production of the crop for use had historically relied on arduous manual separation, but this machine revolutionized the industry and in turn, the local economy that eventually came to rely on it. Planters in the South bought land from small farmers who frequently moved farther west. Soon, large southern plantations supported by slave labor  made some American families very wealthy. Early Americans Move West It wasnt just small southern farmers who were moving west. Whole villages in the eastern colonies sometimes uprooted and established new settlements looking for new opportunity in the more fertile farmland of the Midwest. While western settlers are often depicted as fiercely independent and strongly opposed to any kind of government control or interference, these first settlers actually received quite a bit of government support, both directly and indirectly. For example, the American government began investing in infrastructure out west including government-funded national roads and waterways, such as the Cumberland Pike (1818) and the Erie Canal (1825). These government projects ultimately helped new settlers migrate west and later helped move their western farm produce to market in the eastern states. President Andrew Jackson's Economic Influence Many Americans, both rich and poor, idealized Andrew Jackson, who became president in 1829, because he had started life in a log cabin in American frontier territory. President Jackson (1829-1837) opposed the successor to Hamiltons National Bank, who he believed favored the entrenched interests of the eastern states against the west. When he was elected for a second term, Jackson opposed renewing the banks charter and Congress supported him. These actions shook confidence in the nations financial system, and business panics occurred in both 1834 and 1837. American 19th Century Economic Growth in the West But these periodic economic dislocations did not curtail rapid U.S. economic growth during the 19th century. New inventions and capital investment led to the creation of new industries and economic growth. As transportation improved, new markets continuously opened to take advantage. The steamboat made river traffic faster and cheaper, but the development of railroads had an even greater effect, opening up vast stretches of new territory for development. Like canals and roads, railroads received large amounts of government assistance in their early building years in the form of land grants. But unlike other forms of transportation, railroads also attracted a good deal of domestic and European private investment. In these heady days, get-rich-quick schemes abounded. Financial manipulators made fortunes overnight while much more lost their entire savings. Nevertheless, a combination of vision and foreign investment, combined with the discovery of gold and a major commitment of Americas public and private wealth, enabled the nation to develop a large-scale railroad system, establishing the base for the countrys industrialization and expansion into the west.

Keynesian Stabilization Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Keynesian Stabilization Policy - Essay Example John Maynard Keynes grew up in and attended Cambridge. He was a prominent member of the Bloomsbury Group, which was a literary group in London which, among other things, espoused socialist and interventionist solutions to economic and social problems. Keynes' experience during and after World War II in the Treasury helped to form his ideas about pricing, demand and monetary policy. He predicted the hyperinflation in Germany as a result of the unrealistic demands of the Versailles Treaty of 1919. Keynes supported the theory of "pump priming" during the depression of the 1930's, which was formalized in his magnum opus of 1936, The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money (Keynes). One can view Keynes' formative years as a response to the realities of post-war Europe, a stagnating English economy, and subsequent Depression throughout the world. He saw that government's relatively small role in the economy could be increased if governments overcame their short-term resistance to increasing debt in peacetime. He saw the Great Depression reduce overall output in the world by 50% from 1929 to 1932 (Sachs). Contrary to subsequent accounts, the 1920's was not a period of uninterrupted prosperity in Europe. Sustained growth started only in 1925, and was cut short four years later. According to Kindleberger: Recovery from the First World War was hindered in Europe by the loss of the cream of its youth and the relative setback to its position owing to the stimulus to economic growth in the dominions, Japan and the United States2. Thus Keynes' entire adult career saw only a short period of nearly full employment, preceded and followed by periods of stagflation and outright depression. The respective governments' response to the economies' poor performance was fiscal restraint which, in Keynes' view, was clearly not working. The Fundamentals of Classic Keynesian Theory Keynes claimed that demand buoyed economies. Central to his theory was that demand from both the private and the public sector was essentially the same. To the extent that the private sector did not provide demand, the public sector could increase demand in order to keep the economy humming. Keynes felt that inflation was not a major problem unless the economy approached "full" employment, which was a much higher number than attributed by most economists at the time. Keynes' theories included three basic tenets: 1. Aggregate demand is composed of government and private demand. Both stimulate the economy when they increase. Aggregate demand is not inflationary unless it increases at a time when the economy is fully-employed. 2. Changes in demand do not affect prices, at least in the short term. Their main effect is on output and employment. Prices do not change readily-particularly in the case of wages-to accommodate demand. 3. Since wages respond slowly (both up and down), unemployment acts as a "balancing" mechanism. That