Jesus and The Rich Young Ruler free essay sample

Jesus then states an example for his disciples. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God. Those who heard this asked, Who then can be saved? Jesus replied, What is impossible with men is possible with God. (Mark 24-31 ,NIV). Jesus uses this opportunity as a teachable moment for the young ruler, His disciples and for us today. As Jesus was on His way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. Good teacher, he asked, what must I do to inherit eternal life? The rich young ruler dentifies that he does not have eternal life, steps out of a crowd of people and calls out to Jesus. Jesus responds with a directed statement towards the rich young man. Why do you call me good? Jesus answered. No one, is good†except God alone. We will write a custom essay sample on Jesus and The Rich Young Ruler or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page You know the commandments: You shall not murder; you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother. (Mark The rich man replied and said that he has kept these commandments since he was in his youth. He then asks Jesus what is it hat he is missing. It is obvious that the young ruler has a works related idea for salvation, but what the man believed is a common mistake. He believed that he could get this eternal life by his behavior. Jesuss last words to this man tested the mans true character. Scripture says that Jesus looked at him and loved him. One thing you lack, He said. Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor ,and you will have treasure in Heaven. Then come, follow me. Then the Bible states that the young man heard that saying ,and he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Mark 10:17-21 ,NIV) Jesus said this to the young man to prove to him that he had not kept the commandments. The rich young man was only misleading himself. Jesus said the one thing that would make him realize that he was, after all, a miserable sinner in desperate need of salvation. Jesus then, identifies and points out the young mans weak spot,which is his wealthy possessions. This man love d his wealth, and the way that he lived. He was not going to give it up for anyone or anything. If the man would have given away his possessions to the poor and followed Jesus, ike He asked, than he would have pleased God dearly. The Bible then states that Jesus spoke to his disciples and asked How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! The disciples were shocked at the words that were coming from their master. Their ears were open to what Jesus was saying. Jesus then went on again and continued speaking to His disciples. Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom ot The disciples were amazed t heir Savior was saying these exact words. The disciples remained in a puzzled state and then asked their King a very important question. Then who can be saved? Jesus replied and said, With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God (Mark We can learn Just as the disciples learned from Jesus. What is impossible for man, is not impossible for God. Nothing is impossible for God. That means that nothing is out of His reach. Peter then spoke up We have left everything to follow you! . Jesus then announced to His disciples in esponse to peters statement and said Truly I tell you, Jesus replied, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields†along with persecutions†and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first (Mark 10:29-31 ,NIV) . This reminds me of a verse in the Bible which states to Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as ell(Mathew 6:33,NlV). The rich young ruler decided to pick his wealth over Jesus, God himself. Wealth, that means nothing in the heavens but as a materialistic idol on Earth. If we seek the kingdom first with Love of God in our hearts then, we will inherit eternal life with riches and glory that are heavenly and everlasting. Just as the Rich young ruler turned away from Christ, many do the same today. Same scenario, different period. People then and now choose money, fame and worldly possessions over their own creator. The young rich man asked Jesus how to obtain eternal life. Jesus, Himself answered back and the man walked away sorrowful. The rich young man became a lesson for the disciples and for us today. This a lesson, not only to the disciples, but for us today. This is a good example of someone who values their worldly possessions over their own Savior and salvation. I believe that we must value our Savior and Salvation above everything else. Even though, I may struggle with some stuff today, I know that I have grown in my walk with the Lord. I know that I am putting The Kingdom of God first. Mark. BibleGateway. com. 15 Sept. 2013 . Matthew. BibleGateway. com. 15 Sept. 2013 .

Aboriginal Conditions in Canada

Aboriginal Conditions in Canada Free Online Research Papers Since European settlers arrived in North America hundreds of years ago, the original inhabitants of this continent endured devastating consequences imposed upon them by their colonizers. In modern times, Aboriginal people continue to struggle against the Canadian state in their search for rights, land, sovereignty and the improvement of social conditions. This essay will examine current living conditions of Aboriginal people in Canada and determine how these conditions can be improved or solved. The issues that are going to be apparent in this essay are the following: The on-going dispute over land claims involving Aboriginal citizens/groups and the Canadian government; the socioeconomic disadvantages prevalent in many Aboriginal communities and the desire for some form of Aboriginal self-government. Again, the above issues will be examined followed by their potential solutions. One problem contributing to a larger net of social problems is the general lack of knowledge about Aboriginal people amongst Canadians. It is not complicated to understand that with significant knowledge of a certain subject, one can pose better questions and can draw better conclusions about that subject. In this case, knowledge of the histories, cultures, languages and systems of governance of Aboriginal people would lead to a greater understanding of these peoples in modern-day Canada. This knowledge provides a more educated and accurate picture of Aboriginal life that can be studied amongst scholars, citizens and policy makers alike. Unfortunately, Aboriginal people are continuously victimized by racism in society. The media influences common clichà ©s and stereotypes but a misinformed and uneducated populace continue to discriminate against something they do not even begin to understand. Our elected leaders, although not experts on the subject, would presumably have knowl edge and be aware of the situation of Aboriginal people in Canada given the serious nature of its’ history. In reality, this is not always true because policy decisions are often misguided, influenced or misinformed. For example, in the 1950’s, the federal government forced Inuit families of Northern Quebec to be removed from their communities and placed in Canada’s High Arctic in order to establish Canada’s ownership of this territory. â€Å"Testimony to the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples in 1993 referred to the ‘cruel and inhumane’ policy of forced relocations and charged that Inuit were used as ‘human flag-poles’ to ensure Canada’s sovereignty on the High Arctic† (McMillan and Yellowhorn, 2004). Policy decisions like this is a reflection of Canada’s negligence to act upon an important issue. It also suggests that our decision makers are not up to speed regarding knowledge of Aboriginal people in Canada. This ignorance leads to poor policy decisions that affect many Aboriginal communities. There exist over one hundred cultures or groups of Aboriginal people in Canada. They live in the northern areas of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut to the islands of Victoria on the west coast and Prince Edward Island on the east. There exist eleven main language groups that account for over fifty total languages. Therefore an enormous range of culture exists throughout Canada’s indigenous population. It is difficult to classify these peoples by region or ethnicity individually, as over time culture has changed, languages have gone extinct and different races interbreed. In fact, the generic term â€Å"Aboriginal People† is confusing in itself. Although it is widely used to classify all the different cultures in Canada, by definition, it implies ‘people from the beginning’, derived from the Latin phrase ab origine. This label implies a degree of sameness among many people when there is none. Terms such as â€Å"Native† or â€Å"Indigeno us People† cause similar problems and are used for convenience purposes. Perhaps the most important classification of Aboriginal people in Canada is the legal title given by the federal government in the Constitution Act, 1982 which enshrines the rights of Indian, Metis and Inuit people in Canada. Although â€Å"Indian† is the most politically and historically wrong, it is the term the federal government uses in order to determine whether a person can qualify for clauses in the Indian Act, 1876. One such clause states that Status Indians living on reserve are exempt from federal taxes (another common misconception is that all Aboriginal people are entitled to this right). Although there are generic terms to define Aboriginal people in Canada, it is relevant to know that there exists a huge range of cultures, all with distinct histories. The social and economic condition of Aboriginal people in Canada is alarming. Suicide rates for youth are eight times the national average for females and five times the national average for males (Health Canada, 1997). Rates of incarceration for First Nations persons are over five times higher than the national average (Solicitor General of Canada, 1997). Aboriginal life is disenfranchised in urban and rural areas all over Canada with high levels of alcohol and substance abuse and child mortality. Some 39% of adults report family violence, 25% report child abuse and 15% report rape problems in their communities (Statistics Canada, 1991). Parallel with the social inequalities that Aboriginal people endure is the economic struggles. The 1986 and 1991 Censuses of Canada identified a wage gap between Aboriginal Canadians and the general population (Census of Canada, 1986, 1991). This economic disadvantage goes hand in hand with the social problems associated in the daily lives of Aboriginals. While Aboriginals, including registered Indians on and off reserve as well as Mà ©tis and Inuit reported annual incomes between $14 000 and $19 000, average Canadian incomes around the same period were close to $27 000 annually. A family of four cannot be expected to live sufficiently with an annual income of $14 000. The Canadian government needs to address this wage gap with improved social programs that not only give financial aid to those who need it, but that also uncover the underlying causes of why poverty rates are so high. Equally important, Aboriginal leaders need to be at the discussion table when developing and implementing these programs. There have been successes in addressing social and economic problems. In 1993, an Umbrella Final Agreement was signed between the Government of Canada, the Government of Yukon and the Council for Yukon Indians (McMillan and Yellowhorn, 2004). The agreement gave title to over 40, 000 square kilometres of land to Yukon First Nations (see land claims, p. 6), financial compensation well over $240 million, and rights regarding the interests of wildlife management, resource development and heritage preservation (Ibid.) Restoring control over the resources of their land is an extremely good way of improving social conditions of First Nations people because it creates many new areas of income (hunting/fishing, tourism), as well, it gives back a great deal of autonomy to Aboriginals; something they have been searching for a long time. The Indian Act of 1876 also accounts for many of the problems endured by First Nations people in Canada. This legislation effectively made all Aboriginals wards of the state. It also created a legacy of dependency as many Aboriginals relied on the state for income. The Indian Act states that title to the land is held by the Crown, which makes the reserves pockets of federal jurisdiction within the provinces. Reserves are specific areas set aside for bands of Aboriginals and they have not had a positive effect since their introduction by the federal government. Many reserves in Canada are without running water, or without proper drinking water, and it is common to find a family of seven or eight living in a small, dilapidated home. A revision to the Indian Act in 1885 forced all Indians to obtain permission if they wished to leave their reserve. Impeding out-migration from reserves and implementing poor policies and initiatives that tended to generate poverty became the legacy of the Indian Act. For example, Indian Affairs policy in the farming sector placed restrictive regulations on Aboriginals; while non-Native farmers used mechanized and industrial farming equipment, Aboriginals were expected to continue to use horse power and hand tools (McMillan and Yellowhorn, 2004). Simply put, the colonial agenda of our ancestors and the reluctance to change these systems by current governments have had devastating effects on Aboriginals in the country. In order to effectively change and improve the conditions, the Indian Act must be radically modified or removed. There are currently over 800 unsettled land claims in Canada. Land claims are the resolution to Indian treaties in Canada that are constitutionally recognized agreements between the Crown and Aboriginal peoples. The earliest treaties signed were between the British and Aboriginal peoples in the late seventeenth to late eighteenth century as â€Å"peace and friendship treaties†. The British sought these agreements to forge a political alliance with Native groups and gain their assistance in wars with the French (McMillan and Yellowhorn, 2004). After Confederation, the â€Å"numbered treaties† were signed, affecting the Ojibwa and Cree of southern Manitoba (Treaty 1) and continued until most of western Canada was covered through treaty signings. There was not much difference in each federal treaty. Aboriginals agreed to release and surrender their rights in exchange for reserves and small cash payments. Members of treaty bands still receive an annual payment, amoun ting to only $5 per person under most treaties (McMillan and Yellowhorn, 2004). The Canadian government must negotiate with Aboriginal groups in order close the outstanding land claims in Canada. Although this is an extremely complicated task, especially with claims that have large urban centres within them, the onus is still on the government to settle the claims – stipulated in the Constitution. There have been many Aboriginal groups who have settled their claims with the federal government. The Gwich’in and Sahtu Dene and Mà ©tis of the Northwest Territories settled land claims in 1992 and 1993 respectively (McMillan and Yellowhorn, 2004). Furthermore, the Nunavut Final Agreement of 1993 brought the territory of Nunavut to Canada in 1999. The process for dealing with land claims was established in 1974 as the Office of Native Claims, a branch within the Indian and Northern Affairs Commission (INAC) (McMillan and Yellowhorn, 2004). In order to qualify for a hearing, Aboriginal groups had to prove that they were part of an organized society that had occupied the land before the English arrived and established in the area. A revolutionary case involving an Aboriginal man from the Northwest Territories changed a section in the Indian Act and guaranteed more rights for all First Nations people. In 1967, Joseph Drybones was charged with under section 94(b) of the Indian Act for being an Indian intoxicated off a reserve. In reality, he was prosecuted for being Indian. The case would be appealed all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada and in a six to three decision, the court struck down section 94(b). The decision was monumental for Aboriginal people because it allowed them to enjoy the rights that other Canadians enjoyed, including the rights of mobility and the freedom to make their own choices. After the decision, Aboriginals, accustomed to taking orders now suddenly had the option to decide for themselves where to live and many decided to leave their reserves. The Supreme Court decision also brought to light the other discriminatory clauses in the Indian Act. The recognition of the rights of A boriginals in the Constitution Act, 1982 made certain clauses in the Indian Act incompatible with those in the Constitution. As a result, the courts following 1982 struck down more clauses in the Indian Act such as the clause that said an Indian woman lost her status by marrying a non-Aboriginal man. Another significant issue pressing Aboriginals in Canada is the cry for a form of self-government. Many First Nations people agree that the only way to begin to address the many problems of their people is to create an independent Aboriginal government. With a complicated political structure, many other competing interests and a reluctance to act on Aboriginal issues, this task is not easy. Anna Hunter (2006) has developed a range of options that work in and around the Canadian state. Her continuum comprises of five different styles of government. Aboriginal self-regulation is a municipal-style system, which relies on federal and provincial/territorial governments for funding and authority (Ibid). Constitutional self-government includes the capacity to assume jurisdiction over the education, health and welfare of community members within their traditional territory. It also includes the authority to make economic and social policy, administer taxes, pass laws, manage land and natural resources, and negotiate with other governments (Ibid). Aboriginal self-determination encompasses the internationally recognized right to a broad range of cultural, economic, legal, political, and jurisdictional content (Green, 2003). It should be noted that Aboriginal self-determination does not imply the right to secede. The preceding three ideas are the most important on Hunter’s continuum. They present interesting and plausible options for Aboriginal leaders and elected officials. Of course, flaws exist in all three systems. Also, each option is not necessarily universal for all Aboriginal people in Canada. Different communities have unique needs and therefore progress can only be made with partnerships between Aboriginals and government representatives to adopt the system that suits a particular community best. Although it has taken decades for Aboriginal people to bring the topic of self-government to mainstream discussions, significant gains have been made by some groups of First Nations in Canada. For example, the Sechelt Indian Self-Government Act (1986) allowed the Sechelt people title to their reserve lands, the right to draft their own constitution and laws, and are no longer bound by the Indian Act (McMillan and Yellowhorn, 2004). This was a tremendously successful experiment with self-government that allowed the Sechelt to prosper both economically and culturally. The living condition of Aboriginal people in Canada is far from perfect. Improvements need to be made on many fronts. Specifically, social conditions of Aboriginal people need to be reviewed and improved through social programs, a more active Aboriginal voice in politics and other innovative approaches. Also, existing land claims in Canada need to be resolved. Although many of these land claims are very complicated and require extensive care, agreements need to be made one way or the other in order to fulfill the commands of the Constitution, restore faith for Aboriginal people in the Canadian government and finish this outdated dispute. Finally, along with their right to land, Aboriginals deserve to govern themselves appropriately within the Canadian state. There exist many forms of Aboriginal self-government and it is up to Aboriginal leaders and non-Aboriginal leaders alike to delegate together the possible outcomes. Addressing the above issues will not be easy for Canadian governments. Reluctance to act as well as many other issues pressing Canadians stands in the way of improving the conditions of Aboriginal people. Morally and legally the Canadian state must improve their policies in order to restore a legacy of mistakes from past generations. Bibliography Green, Joyce. Self-Determination, Citizenship, and Federalism: Indigenous and Canadian Palimpsest. Regina: Saskatchewan Institute of Public Policy, 2003. Health Canada. 1997. Basic Departmental Data. Ottawa: Medical Services Branch, Heath Canada Hunter, Ann. Canadian Politics: Democracy and Dissent (eds). Joan Grace and Byron Sheldrick. Pearson Education Canada Inc., 2006. McMillan, Alan and Eldon Yellowhorn. First Peoples in Canada. Douglas McIntyre, Vancouver, British Columbia, 2004. Solicitor General of Canada. 1997. Basic Departmental Data. Ottawa: Solicitor of Canada. Statistics Canada. 1991. Aboriginal Peoples Survey. Report. Ottawa: Minister of Supply and Services Canada. Research Papers on Aboriginal Conditions in CanadaQuebec and CanadaRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andThe Effects of Illegal Immigration19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeStandardized TestingInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesBringing Democracy to AfricaPETSTEL analysis of IndiaWhere Wild and West Meet

Ethics Case Study Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethics Case Study Paper - Essay Example This is to be able to keep up with the standards and the basis of the economy. A socialist economy has a different set of value than a free economy. A socialist economy is focused more on equality while a free economy is more on individuality and independence. Business makes decisions based on a utilitarian perspective. Economics assume that humans make decisions based on their rational self-interest, which increases their individual values and utility. This is the same with businesses. Since economics studies and analyzes efficiency of using limited resources to achieve maximum satisfaction and benefits based on the economy’s wants and needs, businesses look for results that will increase their productivity and generated income. Though rational decisions may change on the given circumstances, the perspective of a business remains the same, to gain revenue and to increase productivity. Ethics and social norms are the factors that tends to hold back businesses in greedily assuming all values and profits they can get with the limited resources that the environment has and can produce. Ethics are the guidelines by which businesses consider when taking on projects or developing projects. The accompanying changes in ethical standards and considerations of different economies can be seen on how China, U.S. and Jamaica faced economic changes. Chinese business culture is based on the perspective of Confucianism and Maoism, which focuses on moral principles and standards. Jamaica, on the other hand, was willing to open its doors to capitalism, aiming to rise above from their colonial status. With this, Jamaica is more open to a capitalist structured norms and values, which is being open, free and independent. Thus, Jamaica shows a lower uncertainty avoidance showing that they are open to risks and challenges. U.S. being a proponent of capitalism and democracy has values set on individualism and independence. But all being part of the global

Emotional Effect Music Can Have on a Film Essay

Emotional Effect Music Can Have on a Film - Essay Example According to the essay "Emotional Effect Music Can Have on a Film" findings, music in the film can have the effect of convincing the audience to believe the actions or the mood portrayed by the character as opposed to simply accepting the scene and the overall mood. For example, when a ballad is played repeatedly every time an actor is onscreen, the audience will ultimately connect the mood of the music to the character (Tan et al139). An example of this is the haunting song by David Raskin which was used repeatedly in the film Laura which resulted in the film acquiring a deeper feel owing to the perceived depth of the score. Music is used to direct the sympathy or empathy of the audience towards the characters that the director wants to depict as good of evil respectively, as such, in a film, the soundtrack played when the villain is onscreen is likely to be eerie and designed to evoke apprehension tension or fear (Juslin and Sloboda 371). Nevertheless, when the protagonist is onscr een, the music played will be evocative of hope and in action scenes when the antagonist is winning cheerful hopeful music such as the â€Å"eye of the tiger† which is considered by many to be the anthem of motivation in modern film. Used effectively as a synesthesia, music can create mood in which an audience will be subtly manipulated into associating a certain piece of music with a given mood, from a Gestalt perspective, one may even argue that some of the emotional evocations are innate,. Films such as Phycho 1960 and the more recent horror series Saw, (2005) use a variety of musical devices such as pitch, tone and melodic line to create a classical conditioning that succeeds in making the audience nervous and even scared, which is the purpose of creating a horror film in the first place. When a file plays music from which an audience can make a direct connection to the based on the retrospective themes covered by the music, it has the distinct effect of bringing past emotional experiences into the current viewing

Window Shopping in Britain Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Window Shopping in Britain - Case Study Example The reports by the media that shopping is a major pastime activity in Britain, is true. Zara Fashions is one of the fashion and clothing companies that invest heavily in marketing its products. Shopping is an important activity in Britain. Shopping is not taken just as a necessity whereby individuals go to buy what they need; it has more of a social meaning. In Britain, shopping is one of the pastime activities. Shopping for necessities such as food is done on a regular basis and without much thought. However, shopping for goods that are not necessities is more organized. For luxurious goods, more effort is put in shopping with prior preparation that involves research on potential shopping areas. Most of the people in Britain do their shopping when they have enough time rather than when they are in a hurry. Thus, most of the shopping is done during the evenings and on the weekends. As a social activity, most shopping is not done just by an individual rather; most of the shoppers are accompanied. Window shopping has a high social meaning in Britain. This behaviour is observed in most of the cities and towns in Britain. Most people admire products in shopping marts and supermarkets. Window shopping plays a big role in helping most people make decisions on the kind of products to buy. Although window shopping is common in almost all products; clothing and fashion marts attract most of the window shoppers (Sullivan, Adcorck, 2002). This shopping behaviour in most of the Britain people has influenced the way marketing for clothing and fashion is done. Window displays are a key means of marketing fashion and clothing. The trend of fashion and clothing involves frequent changes in fashion. In consequence, the taste of the customer also changes. Most customers are attracted to fashions that are new to the market and are attractive to their eyes. Thus, before making a decision on the kind of fashion or clothing to buy, individuals must have come across the fashion or clothing. In making decisions, most customers base their decisions on having seen someone else in the fashion or having come across the fashion in a display window. A display window is the first thing that a customer comes across before entering a fashion shop (Leydenfrost, 2006, 230). When entering the shop, the customer usually has an idea on the kind of clothing that he or she is attracted to. Most people go for window shopping in fashion shops to update themselves on the new fashions in the market. Thus, the displays in the fashion shops are made in a manner that is attractive to customers and that send a good message about a product of a business Zara Fashions is one of the most successful fashion and clothing company in the world. In London, the company has a store along Regent Street. In all its stores, Zara fashion takes its marketing very seriously. The displays in the stores enable the different varieties of fashions to be displayed under different categories (Sullivan, Adcorck, 2002, 23). The major categories in the London Zara fashion store are the men's and women's apparel. The other categories are children's fashion and fashions for various occasions. Occasions such as weddings, executive affairs, church and casual dressing are featured in the store. The window display in Zara fashion aims to attract all categories of customers. Men's and women's clothing are displayed in the window. The display in the store portrays a sense quality. The fashions

Strategy And Operations Management At Dell

Strategy And Operations Management At Dell Dell Computer Corporation was started in 1984 by Michael Dell, who had the simplistic view that personal computers could be built and sold directly to customers (Suite 101, 2009) alongside this ideology that Dell, could best understand consumer needs and efficiently provide the most effective computing solution to tailor those needs (Information Systems Management, unknown date). So Dells mission is to be The most successful computer company in the world at delivering the best customer experience in markets we serve (Dell, 2010(a)).In doing so, Dell aim to meet customer expectations of: So, Dell, since the last 26 years, has become a mass producer of standardised products and has evolved dramatically since they were first formed in 1984. The company, at first, merely took orders on the phone to help fulfil their policy of building custom built personal computers (PCs) (Dell,2010, (b)).However, the company then gained first-mover advantage in the mid 1990s, when it became one of the first companies to offer PCs online (Chaffey, 2007, p.239).In 2008, Dell was one of the market leaders in the worldwide PC market with sales around US$41 billion (lynch, 2009, p.789) and since their evolution, Dell, have diversified their product range and scope from small desktop computers to large server computers-to individuals, businesses and other organisations (Schneider, 2006, p.108). In 2009 in they owned a global market share of 12.4% in the number of PCs shipped worldwide, with only Hewlett Packard (21%)and Acer (13.4%) preceding them during this period (Bloomberg, 2010). Notably, this was the first time Dell had fell behind Acer in the second spot as the worlds largest computer-maker and this was primarily due to Acer producing low-cost net books and other inexpensive home computers at a reduced operating margin (Bloomberg, 2010).However, recently, in 2010,they did move back into second place in the global PC manufacturing market ahead of Acer but only slightly as they had a 12.8% market share compared to Acers 12.4% (Afterdawn, 2010).So this level of competition has been intense since 2006 as companies such as HP and Acer were vastly reducing the cost of their global network suppliers, which forced Dell to enter into new global markets such as in China ( George and Jones, 2009,p.195). However, Dell, see their strengths in the commercial and corporate market ( Techeye, 2010), as this is still their dominant market, even though home consumers are an ever growing element of their strategy. So, Dells competitors now include both, domestic manufacturers of PCs such as Apple and HP as well as, overseas competitors such as Sony, Acer and Lenovo in Asia (Jones George, 2009, p.195). This essay will therefore explore Dells generic hybrid strategy and the activities which constitute this strategy. This will then lead to a value chain analysis of the company, which can be used as a tool to emphasise the linkage between the primary and support activities which are used to create value within Dell. This will then pave show how these added values create a distinctive competence within Dell, which, overall, have lead to competitive advantage since the company began to aggressively cut its costs and prices to increase their global market share in the 2000s (Jones and George, 2009,p.195). Dells Generic Strategy Michael Porters Generic Strategy Model (1980) was created to specify how companies use generic business strategies, to gain a competitive advantage over their competitors. This encompasses how companies use cost reduction and/or differentiation within their product and services to appeal to a particular broad or narrow segment of the market, in order to gain this competitive advantage. Overall Dell, operate a hybrid broad focus strategy and this can derived be from Porters Generic Strategy Model obtained from the Mind Tools website (2010): In order to understand Dells generic strategy we must explain the different segments of this model Firstly, cost leadership occurs when a company achieves lower costs than its rivals and competes across a broad range of segment (Ogden and Wersun, 2007, p.282). On the other hand, differentiation is when a company has a range of clearly differentiated products which appeal to different segments of the market (Ogden and Wersun, 2007, p.282). However, Dell, appear to operate on a hybrid strategy, similarly to the car manufacturing industry, which incorporates both the cost leadership and differentiation elements of Porters model. A hybrid strategy, overall, seeks simultaneously to achieve differentiation and a price lower than that of competitors (Johnson et al, 2008, p.230). So, Dell, use both of these aspects, but in a broad focus since they offer their products on a wide scale, as explained earlier, as they offer both corporate and commercial solutions to small, medium and large sized enterprises but also satisfy the needs of users within different spectrums such as within the public sector right down to the home user. This is explained by on their homepage when they state: For more than 26 years, Dell has empowered countries, communities, customers and people everywhere to use technology to realize their dreams. Customers trust us to deliver technology solutions that help them do and achieve more, whether theyre at home, work, school or anywhere in their world (Dell, 2010(c)). So the focus is very much broad, but Dell has this direct business model which involves gathering customer needs and tailoring that solution to meet their requirements For instance, Premier Dell.com offers technological solutions to businesses which helps them manage all phases of computer ownership such as purchasing, asset management and product support(Chaffey, 2007, p.97) So their broad direct focus helps simultaneously create both cost leadership and differentiation strategies and helps explain why, perhaps they have been one of the most successful PC manufacturing corporations in the world. So how does Dell use both of these strategic elements of Porters model? Firstly, with cost leadership, Dells direct business model involves purchasing standardised components which ultimately minimises the need for expensive research and development and sales are then made direct over the Internet to customers (Ogden Wersun, 2007) thus eliminating retailers that add necessary time and cost, or/who can diminish Dells understanding of customer expectations. (Information Systems Management, unknown date). So this results in low costs and is a very aggressive pricing policy which helps gain market share from any competitor whom has taken their eye of the ball and has let their costs increase (Ogden Wersun, 2007, p.60). Consequently, Dell have lower manufacturing and distribution costs than most of their competitors, thus they have achieved a cost leadership strategy over their rivals. However, another school of though can equally argue that within Dells generic strategy lies a differentiation strategy. This also exists within their direct business model as consumers can design their own computers which tailor their own unique needs and specifications. This is differentiation as Dell not only offers differentiated products to specific users, but also to specific markets(small, medium, large-sized, public sector, businesses, etc), thus reinstating this concept of the company having a broad focus. Hence, Dells direct sales model has allowed it to differentiate its PC products by allowing customers to design their own computer system and offering complementary services such as online customer support, three-year-on-site warranty, web hosting, installation and configuration of customers hardware and software (Grant, R.M, 2005, p272).Furthermore, Timmers (1999, p.227) stated how Dell, on their website, dont merely offer the best PC offer of the month approach but rather an approach which offers discounts for large purchases which are tailored to that particular individual or company, as well as having support which is customised to users needs (Dell, 2010 (c)). However this whole concept could be challenged as many people would be reluctant to buy a Dell PC without testing it in store first, however this argument becomes less relevant as more and more of us know people who have bought a Dell computer, since we can inspect theirs (Ogden Wersun, 2007, p.61). Notably, Schneider (2005,p.305) also argued that because Dell made most of their sales online, they often unintentionally left themselves exposed to the laws and ethics of the banking industry and in this case, in1999, they had offered monthly payment setups to customers without disclosing the full details of the lease plan associated with this payment scheme. So, this pinpoints how despite Dell having a successful online strategy, they could be left vulnerable to changes in the legal environment, which could clash with their online customisation policy. Nevertheless, Dells hybrid strategy was a clever one; not only did it conjunctively produce cost effective manufacturing policies and customised products, but it also overcame the barrier of having access to new suppliers or distributers which can be arduous for companies gaining and sustaining success within an online market. This factor can be analysed in more depth from the companys value chain activities. The Value Chain of Dell Overall, the following value chain model by Michael Porter helps analyse the type of activities within Dells value chain and how they interlink with one another, to fulfil their generic strategy. Dells customisation policy of tailoring technological solutions to satisfy individual or company needs, has provided the company with the two main advantages of being able to reduce marketing and sales costs by eliminating their intermediaries and building to order which, overall, reduces inventory costs (suite 101, 2009). This originally led to soaring profits, as the internet has, ultimately, allowed Dell to extend the scope of their sales at a reasonably low marginal cost This following diagram allows a more definitive insight into how Dells value chain operates: (Dedrick and Kraemer, 2001) Dell, unlike their competitors, actually eliminates the need for distributors and retailers to sell their product, which as mentioned earlier creates cost leadership. Hence, this direct PC value chain, works around this built to order (BTO) strategy. The BTO process begins with the customer placing an order through the internet, phone or email and then it takes approximately one day to process the order (Turban et al, 2006, p.506). This then corresponds to this concept of just-in-time management as here Dell, only purchase the necessary parts which are needed for that particular order with the result being that inventories are kept to a minimum. Michael Dell emphasised this whole idea when he stated: We tell our suppliers exactly what our daily production requirements are. So its not, well every two week deliver 5,000 to this warehouse and well put them on the shelf, and then well take them off the shelf. Its tomorrow morning we need 8.562 and deliver them to door number seven by 7am. (Mhhe,1997). So, in the Dell manufacturing process, parts come into their factory to fulfil actual customer orders hence no PCs are made for stock, so there is no cost of hiding stock (Lynch, 2009, p.789). This also has the advantage that if a supplier such as Intel, launches a new computer chip, then Dell is not caught with high stocks of the old chip (Lynch, 2009, p.789), allowing the company to efficiently keep up with changes in technology. Therefore Dells procurement support activities i.e. purchasing of stock, play a pivotal role in executing these strategies of BTO and JIT, both, before and after the product has been sold. So what are the exact support and primary activities that Dell has used, in conjunction with one another, which has lead to them adding value to their activities? A traditional firm usually incorporates a make-to-forecast strategy in which products are produced from long-term demands of consumers. Hence, when considering Porters value chain activities, here the primary activities of the value chain move from inbound logistics to operations to outbound logistics and then to marketing and sales (Turban et al, 2006, p.506). However, since Dell manufactures the product only after an order has been given, then the marketing and sales support activity is moved to the front of the value chain (Turban et al, 2006, p506). Notably the inbound logistics element is important since the correct parts have to be delivered but since the holding of stock isnt necessary with Dell due to their JIT system, then it becomes less meaningful. Therefore the operations segment which transfers the supplies into the finished customised product and the service segment which Dell exemplifies to help the end-user(s) maintain their products i.e. the PCs value after the PC ha s been delivered, are the key primary elements of Porters Value Chain in which Dell uses. However, without the marketing and sales aspect these primary activities couldnt be executed since customised orders wouldnt be known and this has a direct link to the support activities of technology and procurement, as technology i.e. the internet allows Dell to sell their products to their customers and without it, it would be arduous to establish their hybrid strategy and procurement mechanisms are pivotal in maintaining their BTO and JIT policies since this deals with the acquisition of supplies in the more efficient way. There are though some criticisms of Dells value chain activities. Such as, the BTO strategy is sensitive to short term changes in demand. For example if a particular computer component suddenly becomes wildly popular or temporary unavailable, the standard supply in inventory may diminish fast, and customer orders will not be completed on time (Turban et al, 2006, p.507). Also, in terms of their service function. Orman (2007) argued that despite Dell providing one of the most effective support systems to its customers the company, fails to provide comparisons to the products of other vendors such as HP and also fails to compare products from one class to another such as desktops in relation to notebooks., Nevertheless though, Turban et al (2006, p.507) highlighted that by using key value chain activities such as operations and technology, Dell showed the world that when these are used effectively and efficiently, they can be used to gain a competitive advantage creates a distinctive c ompetence and therefore leads to competitive advantage.

Herbal Medicine Essay -- essays research papers

Herbal medicine is the extraction of herbs or plants which have a medicinal value in treating illnesses and diseases (Brody 1). A herb is known as a plant that does not have a woody stem and usually dies back at the end of each growing season. It is also known as a "natural" drug because they are derived from nature. This is unlike pharmaceutical drugs, which are synthesized from chemicals. Herbal medicine dates back a very long time. More than 4,000 years ago, the Chinese emperor Qien Nong put a book together, or a herbal, of different medicinal plants (O’ Sullivan 2). It contained descriptions of more than 300 plants. Some of these plants are still used today. The Sumerians, at the same time recorded prescriptions on clay tablets. Also, the Egyptians recorded their information regarding medicine on rolls of papyrus. A very famous papyrus is the Ebers Papyrus, which includes specific information on how to use different plants (Brody 1). The Greeks and Romans learned about herbal medicine from these early civilizations. They also recorded them in books. We know of these works because they are translated into Arabic. Monks in Europe studied and grew plants for medicinal use. They translated the Arabic and that helped them with the plants. The first drugstores were in Baghdad (which is present day Iraq) in the 9th century (Smith 1). In the 13th century, major trade of herbs and spices occurred in London. Since there were no standards, bad quality herbs and wrong substitutes were often sold. Carolus Linneaus introduced the binomial system of plant nomenclature in 1753 (O’Sullivan 1). This helped identify plants scientifically, which helped to avoid mistakes between different plants. Many drugs commonly used today are of herbal origin. About one-quarter of the prescription drugs distributed by pharmacies in the United States contain at least one ingredient derived from plant material. Today, everyone from health care consumers to providers are learning about natural options to help with being healthy. â€Å"Herbalists, or individuals who use herbal remedies to alleviate pain, are on the rise in the United States† (Tremmel 1). In 1995, a survey was taken with about 600 physicians across the count... ...umerous kinds of herbal medicines available today. The best way of getting you money’s worth is by asking for the most popular one. This isn’t the only step, but also ask for any clinical trials, consult your doctor, and/or the company of the product. This way you can get the most effective product and be safe at the same time. I think that this new era of using natural herbal medicine is great and I support it greatly. Trying something new for a change is good. Even though some kinds of herbal medicine can produce harmful effects, many of the others are good. The only problem I see is that the Food and Drug Administration didn’t make it a requirement for the makers to submit studies on the drugs. Therefore, maybe sellers can make specific claims about preventing a disease even though it isn’t true. So if the FDA starts testing the medicines and helps separate the good from the bad then everything will be great. Thus, herbal medicine is medicine made from different parts of plants. They have become very popular in modern times. Some of these herbal medicines can be helpful while others can be harmful.