An Environmental Analysis Essay Example for Free

An Environmental Analysis Essay An environmental analysis of the constraints in both the host and home countries is of primary significance in determining the conditions of the host market, thus giving the home country the option to adjust according to the conditions in the host country. There are several important factors that should be considered in the environmental analysis, specifically of the host country, Turkey, and of the home country, the United States of America. The factors for both the host and home countries include but are not limited to the political environment, the judicial and legal environments and the economic environment. The current political environment in the United States is primarily led by the Republican Party headed by President George W. Bush. However, the presidential elections are scheduled November this year where Senators Barack Obama and John McCain from the democratic and republican parties respectively will represent their political affiliations and seek office in White House. America’s structure of government is a representative democracy and the system of government is a federal republic where there are contiguous states. On the other hand, the legal environment in America is basically pegged on the country’s system of governance. That is, the laws of the country are created by the bicameral Congress composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate, apart from the state and local laws created by the state and local levels of the government. The judicial system is basically comprised of the lower federal courts and Supreme Court which is the ultimate arbiter of the American laws. There are also appellate courts where cases can be filed for appeal and where decisions can be overturned depending on the merit of the case filed. In general, business in the United States in the context of the legal and judicial systems is healthy as there is a very minimal government control of the market, key private players in the economy are given the freedom to decide for themselves on a micro level as far as the market is concerned, and some of the laws are created to actually foster foreign and local trades. The United States economy has recently encountered a major setback primarily in the stock market, thus becoming a major cause of concern for the local corporations operating in the local economy. Nevertheless, the U. S. Federal Reserve System has been consistent in adjusting the interest rates so as to resolve the problem and bring the economy back on its feet (Guha, 2008, p. 9). On the other hand, the host country, Turkey, is nonetheless a regional power with influence reaching Europe, the Caucasus and beyond, and whose membership in the European Parliament is a key step towards becoming a full member of the European Union (Mooradian, 1995, p. 3). But even though there have been significant advancements in the economy of Turkey in more recent years, the country â€Å"cannot consider itself a true democracy† since it â€Å"does not tolerate the freedoms of speech and expression (Angacian, 2004, p. 3). † The country has been under military rule, and that there have been previous business threats from the ruling government aimed at France and Canada after the two latter countries recognized the Armenian Genocide. After both countries recognized the genocide, the Turkish government implemented a boycott in French wines and textiles as well as a boycott on Canadian products and enforced changes in the business contracts entered into by Canada with Turkey. Two of these changed contracts are contracts worth approximately $335 million and one that is close to a billion dollars worth of investments (Angacian, 2004, p. 3). But even though there are negative sides to the history of Turkey, it can hardly be denied that the country’s economy has been on the rise in more recent times. In 2004, Turkey’s economy has posted an eight percent growth with inflation rates dropping down to single digits. However, the recent developments in the country have substantially diminished its chances of joining the European Union as Turkey has become the â€Å"primary culprit† in the Union’s livelihood as Turkey has become a nation â€Å"stealing manufacturing work while delivering an influx of indigent job-seekers (Goodman, 2005, p. D. 01). † on the positive side, the home country, United States, can opt to venture into the rising industries in Turkey given the fact that the production costs in Turkey such as manpower is lower than its neighboring countries. Since the goods of the country primarily find their way to the rest of Western Europe, the advantage is that the investing foreign company has little to worry about production cost and market reach. On the other hand, the negative side of the market environment in Turkey is that the interest rates in credit are high, thereby resulting to higher prices of products which also results to limited exportation and new investments. Thus, it is significant for the company to consider relying on its capital resources rather than investing by financial borrowing as doing the opposite will most certainly result to higher prices of products manufactured. Moreover, it appears that the business environment in Turkey is not entirely friendly when the context of military rule is solely considered. In more recent years, Turkey has also experienced a steady growth in its technology sector although a large par of the country remains agricultural. The apparent diversity in culture, especially the Kurds and Turks, has resulted to differences in access in technology among the population as most Kurds are situated in the outskirts of the country. Some cultural considerations that should be addressed are the variations in the local purchases of goods depending on the financial capabilities of the local residents as well as the prospect of export in Western Europe where more cultural varieties are present, the strategies molded from the cultural context in Turkey and the leadership style of the company needed to address the economic and political concerns faced by the country and its people. References Angacian, S.(2004). The Undemocratic Democracy of Turkey. Armenian Reporter International, 36(48): 3. Goodman, P. S. (2005). Turkey’s Evolving Economy: Country Ties its Fortune Closer to Global Trade, Putting Pressure on Western Europe. The Washington Post: D. 01. Guha, K. (2008). Blowing in the Wind: America Braces Itself for the Risk of a Second Dip. Financial Times: 9. Mooradian, M. (1995). Political Analysis—Turkey: A Regional Power. Armenian Reporter International, 29(12): 3

The Effects of Gangs :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

The Effects of Gangs What is a gang? According to Steven Sachs, a probation officer since 1978, it is "a structured, cohesive group of individuals, usually between the ages of eleven and twenty-five, who generally operate under some form of leadership while claiming a territory or turf," (Sachs XV). Distinctive clothing, the use of special street names, language, symbols and signs, and the committing of organized and spontaneous criminal acts describe some of the characteristics of a gang. Gang members can be male or female, but they are most often male. Jeffery Fagan and Joan Moore, researchers who primarily use self-reports and observations in the field, estimate that female participation in gangs may be as high as 33 percent. In the first national survey that was conducted by Walter Miller in 1975, he estimated that 48 percent of gang members in the six largest cities in the United States were black, 36 percent Hispanic, 9 percent white, and 7 percent Asian. A few years later, in a more extensive surv ey in nine of the largest cities, Miller found that 44 percent of all gang members were Hispanic, 43 percent black, 9 percent white, 4 percent Asian. Based on these statistics, he speculated that illegal Hispanic immigrants may have contributed to the increasing number of gangs in California (Kinnear 76). Gangs are often rooted in the historical experience of discrimination and economic struggle. White gangs exist mainly to promote and act on racist beliefs, such as the Ku Klux Klan and the Skinheads. Black gangs, Blood and CRIP, formed mainly for protection from other gangs. Hispanic gangs like Latin Kings and Sureno are typically concerned with the self-respect and integrity of their neighborhood. Asian gangs including Chinese and Korean are perhaps more organized than the Hispanic or Black gangs and have been associated with gambling, prostitution, and narcotics on a more sophisticated and profitable level than other types of gangs. They are also more mobile (Landre, Miller, Port er 4). As a result of gangs, increased use and dealing of drugs, a person's sense of belonging to a gang, and gang related crimes have had negative effects on society. Many of the images of gangs, based primarily on media reports, include the use of alcohol and drugs. People tend to believe that gangs sell drugs to make extra money or even that many of them are structured as mini-corporations and are heavily involved in the drug trade.

Problem-Posing Vignette

Understanding the Dynamics of Culture Shock as a Tool for Vignette ReflectionAfter I finished my Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, I taught for one year in primary school. After which, I taught in the King Saud University which relatively offers better income than my previous work. In order to upgrade my educational skills, I went to the University of Wollongong in Australia to take Masters of Education in Educational Leadership. However, since my arrival in the said university, unexpected things came up. These â€Å"unexpected† things I classified as â€Å"problems† since they were disrupting my psyche (ability to understand why things happen in such a way) and to an extent my studies. These problems ranged from the difficulty of learning English to the so-called culture shock.Useful paragraph to set the sceneBut the problem of learning English could be resolved through a thorough study of the language. This was not the case when it comes to culture shock. For one, u nderstanding culture shock would involve a clear understanding of the cultures that the students in the university belong.Identification of a couple of problemsWhen I took a taxi from the Sydney airport to my place of stay, I noticed that driving was done on the other side of the road unlike in Saudi Arabia. I really thought that I could not drive in Australia, but in due time I was able to do so. Added to that, I also noticed that many people in Australia liked to walk, unlike in Saudi, where all people have cars to use. It was pretty odd for a developed nation not to require its citizens to use cars as a mode of transportation. Maybe it was the preference of most of the people in Australia to walk than use car as a mode of transportation. Whatever the case, I was bound to examine the dynamics of this odd experience.Detail of experienceWith regard to the issue of gender, in Saudi Arabia, it is the norm that boys cannot study together with girls. In Australia, especially in the univ ersity, boys and girls are usually involved in group studies, that is, boys and girls can study together without the restriction of law or custom. One of the â€Å"greatest† culture shock that I experienced was the time when girl students of the university (my classmates) study with me. Corollary to that, I also noticed that in Australia, women can teach men on a wide variety of subjects which is generally prohibited in Saudi Arabia.Hence, there were many times that women were teaching me; some were connected to my subjects, others issues essential to my field of specialization. Lastly, I really thought that books in Australia are much cheaper than in Saudi Arabia. But such was not the case. Books in Australia are actually more expensive compared with the books in Saudi Arabia. I was really caught up on this experience since Australia being a developed country can afford its citizens cheap books, but it was not the case (thinking that since Australia encourages promotes educa tion at all levels, it necessarily follows that it will provide cheap educational materials). More detail of experienceNow, my primary concern was to how to adapt or at least understand the justification of my experience. Since I came from a different cultural setting, it was hard for me in the start to cope up with the habits and customs of the Australian people. For an ordinary Australian or European, this is not really a problem since their cultural settings are almost similar. In Europe, boys are usually mixed with girls during study periods.I do not know about the prices of books in Europe, but certainly it would not be a problem for the Europeans if the books in an Australian university are cheaper or more expensive than the books in a European university. Walking as a preferred mode of transportation was not really a big deal for Europeans or Asians perhaps. Most of them usually walk as in the case of major European or Asian cities. But in Saudi Arabia, things are quite diffe rent. There are laws that prohibit boys from studying with girls. Girls are also prohibited from teaching boys, and with regard to walking, the Saudi government advises its citizens to use car as mode of transportation.Initially, I had this fear that I might not be able to interact effectively with the students of the university because I belong to a different ethnicity, but because of continued acquaintance with the students, gradually I was able to understand the justifications of the cultural setting to which I am now seating. It was really odd for me that because of continued interaction with them, the culture shock that I experienced when I first came in Australia was melting away. Indeed, almost all of the â€Å"culture shocks† were for me just common events here in Australia. Now, there are definitely reasons or justifications for events that what meets the eye in the first instance. First, it is the perception of â€Å"oddness†, and then there is understanding. I was able to conclude that continuous interaction with people who came from different ethnicities or cultural settings can help reduce culture shock.The more one interacts and talk to people, the more one understands the concerns of those people. Nonetheless, if biases are removed in the daily interaction with people in the university, one cannot discern the true meaning of the cultural setting presented to you. As such, without much effort, my culture shock was gradually reduced. I just noticed that I was beginning to understand the dynamics of the events that I previously experienced. Reflecting on the past also helped me assessed my understanding of the issues presented to me. Thus what I did not really understand in the past was tested through real-life interaction. Thus, the things or situation I termed as â€Å"culture shock† were becoming common things for me. Now there are two questions that should be presented: â€Å"How do I absorb â€Å"culture shock†? an d â€Å"How can I help my friends or anyone who wants to reduce the effect of culture shock?†

Frankenstein Analytical Essay Blurring the Lines Between...

In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley, explores the concept of humanity through distinguishing it from that of a demonic nature. This is done through a constant doubling between her two superficially opposing characters throughout the novel. Through the thematic use of nature, knowledge, wretchedness, and vengeance, sometimes as direct comparisons other times as striking contrasts, Shelley blurs the lines between human and demon within her own characters. Holding true to the romantic style, Shelley’s characters display strong emotions when experiencing or confronting the sublimity of an untamed nature and its picturesque qualities. This theme is complexly utilized in blurring the differences between human and monster. The demonstrated emotional†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"All was the work of my thrice-accursed hands! Ye weep, unhappy ones; but these are not your last tears! Again you shall raise the funeral wail.....he who would spend each vital drop of blood for your sakes – who has no thought nor sense of joy, except as it is mirrored also in your dear countenances†¦ and spend his life serving you†¦. and if the destruction pause before the peace of the grave have succeeded to your sad torments. Thus spoke my prophetic soul†¦the first hapless victims to my unhallowed arts† (90). As stated earlier Victor switches from taking responsibility for the tragedies and renouncing them, in this passa ge Victor first truly laments the effects of his unhallowed arts. The theme of Victor’s guilt as the cause of his misery and wretchedness is repeated, in the passage with the image of the thrice accursed hands, and throughout the novel. Furthermore, the passage utilizes foreshadowing with the image of more tears to come and funeral wails. The foreshadowing though a powerful technique in creating suspense for the first time reader has a subtler meaning; Victor in his own narration recounting the tale incorrectly foreshadows his own end, the assumption that causes the deaths of more of his loved one. This false foreshadowing suggests guilt by the narration itself. To further this intimated guilt, Victor speaks of his only happiness coming from the happiness of his loved ones yet he shunned them