Apple Inc Strategic Competitive Management

Introduction Apple Inc. is one of the most prosperous electronic firms in the world. Two scientists, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, started this firm on April 1, 1976. These two individuals were electronic enthusiasts.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Apple Inc Strategic Competitive Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They were interested in turning their skills in electronics into large business units. Steve Wozniak, popularly known as Woz, was an astute electrician with a keen interest in computers. It was during this time that computers were started. Steve Jobs on the other hand was a shrewd businessperson. Although Woz was more knowledgeable than Jobs in the art of designing computer hardware, Jobs was smatter in entrepreneurship. While Woz considered his skills in making computers as a hobby, Jobs saw a huge potential of stating a computer firm that would rival the then leading computer firm, the IBM. Jobs managed to convince Woz of the importance of commercializing their skills, and together, they started this company. They later incorporated Ronald Wayne, a rich businessperson who came in to help the two financially. The trio formed a formidable force, which culminated into a company that is prosperous and very profitable. Although this company had various challenges that saw it eliminate its Chief Executive Officer, who was one of the founder members, in 1985, the firm was able to overcome these challenges using a number of strategies.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Steve Jobs, having been forced out of the firm in 1985 as the chief executive, made a came-back in 1997 with strategies that transformed this firm to what it is currently. Freeman (42) says that Apple is one of the firms that were able to overcome the wave of.com crisis of the early twentieth century tha t brought down many firm, especially those that were computer based. Through hard work and good policies, this firm was able to beat Microsoft- its arch rival- in profit and revenue generation in the year 2010. In the same year, it was ranked one of the most innovative firms in the world, having introduced its iPad products into the market. As at current, this firm has some of the most attractive electronic products in the market. Its iPad is still attracting huge sales in the international markets. With a marketing strategy that has made its products secure a special niche in the current competitive electronic market, this firm has attracted the admiration of many scholars and entrepreneurs alike. It is for this reason that the researcher has decided to give a comprehensive review of this firm’s winning strategies. This study aims at critically analyzing the strategies used by this firm in managing the current competitive business environment in the world.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Apple Inc Strategic Competitive Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Apple’s Strategy and its Importance It is very important for a firm to understand clearly its strategies. The first step is always strategy formulation. The firm should then move to the implementation strategy before coming up with evaluation and control procedures. Apple is one of the current success stories in a group of companies that have managed to be successful in the face of increasingly competitive environment. This is attributed to its strategies that have helped it manage the competition in the electronic market. The world is being transformed with the emerging technologies. One of the defining technologies that are transforming the world into a global village is the communication technology. The phones and the internet have made communication very easy. This part of the current technology has transformed over the recent past, with new firms coming into play. Another means of long distance communication has been through internet (wide area networks) with the help of computers. Apple is specialized in personal computers and Smartphone. These two items have a huge market in the world. This has seen many firms gain interest in investing in it. As such, there has been a huge competition in this industry, making some of the firms fall off. Apple has employed a series of strategies- as discussed below- to ensure that it remains relevant in this market. The strategies are very important because in such a market, any misstep by a firm May lead to automatic fall of the firm and therefore, every step must be calculated very keenly.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Desvaux (23) notes that the current world market is very competitive. This scholar notes that this competition is not only created by the fact that there are several firms producing the same product, but also the fact that customers are informed. The current customers are very knowledgeable and know exactly what they want. They have the knowledge of where to get that which they need and at what price. They know available alternatives and this makes them more demanding. As such, turning these individuals into loyal customers of a firm is not easy. It forces a firm to develop a strategy that would enable it remain relevant in the market and even to suppliers. The Vision, Mission and Objectives of Apple The vision, mission and objectives of a firm are the basic elements of strategic management. Sadler (31) says that the main difference between a vision and a mission is that while the vision focuses on what the firm plans to achieve in future, mission statement is concerned with what th e firm is doing now in order to achieve its objectives. The vision of a firm is always very important in charting the path to be taken by the firm. Apple’s vision statement clearly demonstrates the far this firm sees in the competitive electronic market. The vision statement of Apple came from a statement made by its founder and former chief executive, Steve Jobs. He argued that man is the creator of change in the world. As such, he should be above structures and systems, and not subordinate to them (Kline 28). This vision has seen this firm become very competitive. This has been its driving force in innovations and creativity. Based on this, the firm has ensured that it remains relevant in the market by introducing new products with advanced features. The mission statement of Apple may not pass as a standard mission statement.. However, by the close of this statement, another statement explains its commitment to students, educators, professionals, and general consumers in pr oviding them with desirable products that are able to meet their desires. Evaluation of the Company’s External Environment Environmental scanning is one of the best ways through which an individual can assess the potential of a market. There are three variables in the environment, which are the natural environment, societal environment and task environment. The natural environment variables include the climate, wildlife and physical resources. Societal environment entails economic, political, technological and socio-cultural forces. Task environment include the government, customers, employees, unions, creditors, suppliers, local community and competitors. Environmental scanning can be done using STEEP Analysis. This involves the analysis of socio-cultural, technological, economic, ecological, and political environments. The socio-cultural environment of Apple is diversified. This is because this firm operates in the global market. There are those countries that cherish equal ity, and women have equal economic strength just as men. In such countries, the firm does not segment the market based on sex, but age. The United States is one such country. However, other countries like Saudi Arabia have women as subordinates to men. It forces this firm to target the male members of the society because they have bigger purchasing power. The technological environment of this firm is very dynamic. Technology in mobile telephony and in computers has been the main challenge and strength of this firm at the same time. While this firm is left with nightmares of trying to guess what its competitors like the Microsoft, Dell, Compaq and HP are going to come up with overnight, it has used this technology to emerge as the leader in Smartphone market. Its recent introduction of iPhones and iCloude found other firms unawares. The dynamism of technology in this sector has made this firm be seen as the most innovative. Economically, this firm has had both difficulties. The firm has been faced with economic recession that hit various countries in the world, especially the US economy which makes its main market. This had serious negative effects on the firm’s revenues as many of the customers considered the products as non-basic. However, the firm has experienced economic boom in various markets hence increasing its revenues. Currently, the United States, and many other countries making up the market of this firm are experiencing steady economic growth, making it have a favorable economic environment. Politically, this firm has not met challenges in various countries that it operates in. The United States of America, where its headquarters are located, is the leading democracy in the world. It has a very stable government that is supportive of business operations. China, where the firm does most of its productions, had some small political strife, but not enough to have significant negative impact to the firm. This has seen the firm prosper in most of its undertakings. Legally, the firm has not faced major challenges. The laws that govern trade in the US, China and many other countries in the world have been very favorable to this firm. There are no occasions that this firm has faced a major litigation over an infringement of another firm’s right. In most of its markets, especially in the emerging markets in Africa, parts of Asia and South America, this firm has met very friendly markets with laws that are conducive to foreign technological firms like it. Evaluation of the Company’s Internal Environment and Resources Another very important aspect of a company is the internal environment. The internal environment of Apple can be approached by analyzing the core and distinct competencies. Taking this approach, there are five variables that can be analyzed. The first approach is the analysis of the firm’s tangible and intangible resources. Apple has various tangle asserts. The firm has its headquarters in Calif ornia, US. In its headquarters, the firm has a huge building called Apple Campus where many of its offices are housed. The firm has other facilities in China where part of its production is done. As at October 2011, this firm had a record 364 stores spread across the world. Within that year, this company had 60400 people employed directly in its facilities, and hundreds of thousands others employed indirectly in various locations in the world. The firm has various products like phones and personal computers, which they sell in various markets around the world. By the end of 2011, the total asserts base of this firm was estimated to be US$116.371 billion. Of the intangible assert, its most expensive assert is the brand name of the company. In 2011, Apple brand was ranked second, after Google, with a net worth of US$ 39301, beating some of the world’s giant firms like Microsoft, the Coca Cola, the General Electric, Wal-Mart and even IBM. Other than the resources, another factor that is important to note when assessing the internal environment is the ability to exploit fully the resources it has. This firm moved most of its production units to China where there is cheap labor compared to the United States. It has been in a position to exploit this labor fully. The firm has also been able to exploit the non-human resources to make some of the most admired products in the world. It has also managed to control its supplies of the products they get. This firm also has advantage in this industry because it has both explicit and tactic knowledge in the productions of the phones and personal computers. The Five Competitive Strategies Used by this Company This firm uses various competitive strategies in the market in order to manage competition that is very rife in this industry. First, the firm has employed two of the porter’s competitive strategy of low cost and differentiation. The firm moved its production from US to China in order to cut the cost of pr oduction. China, unlike the US, has cheap labor that would eventually translate to lower cost of production. This makes it easy for this firm to sell its products at lower prices but still make profits. Other than the cost strategy, the other strategy that this firm has employed is the differentiation strategy. This firm has made their products unique. Some of its present products are differentiated from other conventional products in the market, making it acquire a special niche within the industry. The iPhone is a product that is yet to find its rival in its special niche. The timing tactic of this firm in launching new products has also been superb. This firm always come with a new product at such times that the market feels that they need a better product to serve their current needs. It introduced the iCloud when the market needed a better storage facility for their data. This has seen their new products receive huge acceptance in various markets when introduced. The firm has a lso been keen to employ cooperation strategy whenever needed. During its early years, it formed a joint venture with Microsoft when it realized that its computer languages were not efficient enough to make competitive products in the market. This strategic alliance saw it gain market share both in the home markets and abroad. This firm has also been able to implement Porters five forces. To tackle the threat of new competition, the firm has been keen on producing new products to rival those of new competitors. To manage the threat of substitute products, Apple has developed different lines of products to satisfy different markets so that it may not be adversely affected if substitute products invade one line. To increase its bargaining power with the buyers, it has continued to produce high products with qualities that make it easy for the customers to appreciate their high prices. To increase their bargaining power with the suppliers, it has created a scenario where it is a single buyer with various sellers. This makes it able to dictate the terms of buying the products. To counter the intensity of competition, it has been able to acquire a special niche in this market, rendering its competitors irrelevant as their products are turned into mere substitutes of this company’s products. How the Company Strengthens its Competitive Position: the Strategic Moves In the current competitive market, Apple has employed a series of strategies that would ensure that it remains relevantly competitive in this market. The first strategy it has used is the marketing strategy. In this strategy, this firm has tried to sell its products at prices that would bring in as many of the customers as possible. Although the company has some of its products sold at premium prices, it has a number of its products sold at fair prices that can be afforded by the middle class members of the society. Under this strategy, this firm has ensured that its distribution of the products is e fficient and effective to cut down further the cost of delivering the products to the customer. Another strategy used by this firm to manage competition is market development strategy. In this strategy, the firm has struggled to ensure that it increases its market share in the world market. This has been done through market penetration in the new markets where this firm had not make entries into. The firm has also developed new markets and new users for its products. It created new users by developing the machines that could be used in the airports and other sensitive places for security check-ups. It also developed new markets by developing cheaper products that could be afforded by new markets at the lower niche of the market. Taking the product strategy, this firm has ensured that most of their products are up to the market expected standards. This firm has been keen to ensure that most of its products are not only of good quality but also of the right specifications in terms of size. In its research and extension unit, this firm has been very creative. It has been voted as one of the most innovative firms in the world for a number of years. It has been keen to introduce new products into the market at regular intervals. Strategies Used by Apple to Compete in International and Domestics Markets The domestic market of Apple is the United States. This market is also home market for other giant computer manufactures like the IBM. For this reason, the level of competition is very high. The world market is also very competitive for there are numerous firms that have mastered the art of producing the computers and phones around the world. Various Chinese firms have been able to mimic the technologies used by this firm to produce phones with similar features but at very cheap prices because they use simpler technology with cheaper resources. This therefore forces this firm to develop competitive procedures both at the local and international markets to ensure that it remains competitive in the market. Strategically sweet sport is one of the avenues that this firm has embraced both locally and internationally. It has taken advantage that its new products are able to satisfy its customers in a way that other rival firms cannot. This has attracted it a sea of loyal customers. Strategic windows make another strategy that this firm has employed. Through innovative minds, this firm has been in a position to develop new products in the world market to serve different new markets. An instance is the security gadget they develop to help in detecting weaponry at the airport. This strategic window has earned it a lot of revenue in not only the local but also the international markets. Corporate Strategy Used by Apple for Diversification and Multi-business Sadler (45) says that it is risky for a large business unit to specialize in a single area of production. It is important that a firm develops different lines of products that can cushion it in case o ne of the lines is experiencing a dry spell. Apple stated out as a computer-manufacturing firm. However, as time went by, this firm realized the importance of diversification of its products. Taking research and development as one of the important aspects of the firm, Apple has managed to develop new products to the market, extending its line of production. The firm currently has a series of products targeting various markets. Some of these products include the iPod, iMac, iPhone, iCloud, Apple TV and a series of software. This has enabled this firm to operate as a multi-business firm. This way, it is able to reap maximally from one line in case the other experiences a low season. In its early year, it entered into a partnership with Microsoft to ensure diversification of its products. This resulted in huge profits, though this partnership later collapsed. Ethics, Corporate Social Responsibility and Environment Sustainability Used by Apple Ethics, morality and law are some of the in gredients in a business set up that a firm cannot assume its importance. A business unit has responsibilities that it has to fulfill in order to be seen as a moral firm. Kline (16) reports on Carroll’s four responsibilities. These include economic, legal, ethical and discretionary measures. The firm has economic responsibility to its owners. Apple has been very responsible to its shareholders. The firm has been paying regular dividends to the shareholders, making them have good value for their investment in the firm. Legally, this firm has respected laws and regulations that are put in place to protect such asserts as patents. It has been keen to ensure that it adheres to the set laws on patent and copyrights. Apple is one of the most ethical electronic firms in the world. There has been a clarion call for the world’s major manufacturers to cut down on their emission of greenhouse gases into the environment. It is only a few firms, Apple being among them, that have tak en a positive reaction to this call. It recently launched a corporate social responsibility to help clean the environment in selected cities around the world. It has also sponsored planting of trees in various countries around the world, especially in emerging nations in Africa, Asia and other parts of South America. It has also endeavored to employ the locals in various locations where it operates. This is to ensure that it is responsible to the locals as much as possible. The firm has also maintained morality and ethics among its employees. It has encouraged ethical behavior among its workforce by defining specific code of conduct for all its employees. This way, its employees are able to asses themselves and determine if they are on the right path as far as their behavior is concerned. The company has also respected the whistleblowers’ role. When one of the mid management employee reported on the inapplicability of Steve Jobs policies and his excessive pressure on employee when he was the chief executive, the board of directors sent the C.E.O packing, an act that not many firms may attempt. This was a utilitarian approach to ethics where actions are judged by their consequences. The firm also respects individual’s rights in the firm irrespective of the position held. Justice and fairness is one other guiding principle in the firm that has been relevant to the firm’s current success. Building a Good Strategy Execution, People and Capability Structure Strategy can only be beneficial if it is implemented properly. People do the execution of the strategy. Some of the pertinent issues that must be determined in the implementation process include determination of what is to be done, who to do which task, and how the entire team would work as a unit in the process of achieving its goals. In its mission statement, Apple is very clear on what is to be done. It says that the firm is determined to customer satisfaction by availing products that me ets and exceeds customer expectations. On who should be responsible for the implementation, the firm has its workforce specialized in various duties, ensuring that none of the units overlaps its duties to the other’s and no given task remains unallocated. This has ensured that the firm runs in a very smooth manner. In its mission to ensure that all its employees work as a team, the firm has ensured that all the employees, master the vision of the firm so that in their respective tasks, they know where the firm aims to be at in a near future. They will appreciate the fact that they are working as a team towards the same direction, with each member of the team having a specific role to play. Managing Internal Operations for Good Strategy Execution Internal operations should be managed if a firm expects to have a good strategy execution. One aspect of managing internal operations is through integration of managers. Apple has been able to create a pool of flexible managers who no t only have deep knowledge of the firm, but also the ability to work with cross-functional teams, are willing to work independently, and have sufficient knowledge on cultural and emotional diversity within the environment. This team has seen Apple attract talented employees for they know that the company will take care of them. Another important issue is the staffing strategy. This industry is very competitive. As such, it requires employees who are dynamic, creative and very knowledgeable in their respective postings. In the current competitive world, this firm can only afford to hire the best if it hopes to beat its rivals like the IBM and HP who are giving it stiff competition in this industry. The employees have also been made to appreciate corporate culture as one of the most important qualities of success in the corporate world. Under very rare occasions, Apple has considered downsizing their employee base to cut the cost of production. Managing Good Corporate Culture and Lead ership for excellent Strategy Execution Apple is an international firm that operates in many countries. It encounters different corporate cultures in different countries where it operates. In order to ensure harmony in its operations, it has employed assimilation of different cultures into its system. Some of the cultures have also been integrated into its system just to ensure that it has a rich cultural background that can be implemented by every member of the organization. The culture of this firm is that cultural integration starts with the management. The management should develop a deep understanding of each culture to be integrated into the system so that they are able to lead other employees in understanding and implementing it. Works Cited Desvaux, Martin. â€Å"A Synopsis Of Clive Ponting‘s: A Green History Of The World.† Optimum Population Trust Journal, 5.2 (2010): 45-67. Print. Freeman, Edward. Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach. New York: Cambrid ge University Press, 2010. Print. Kline, John. Ethics for International Business: Decision-Making in a Global Political Economy. New York: Routledge, 2010. Print. Sadler, Philip. Strategic Management. London: Kogan Page Publishers, 2003. Print. This report on Apple Inc Strategic Competitive Management was written and submitted by user Jaeden Franklin to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Definition and Examples of Indeterminacy in Language

Definition and Examples of Indeterminacy in Language In linguistics  and literary studies, the term indeterminacy refers to  the instability of meaning, the uncertainty of reference, and the variations in interpretations of grammatical forms and categories  in any  natural language. As David A. Swinney has observed, Indeterminacy exists at essentially every descriptive level of word, sentence, and discourse analysis (Understanding Word and Sentence, 1991). Examples and Observations A basic reason for linguistic indeterminacy is the fact that language is not a logical product, but originates from the conventional practice of individuals, which depends on the particular context of the terms used by them. (Gerhard Hafner, Subsequent Agreements and Practice. Treaties and Subsequent Practice, ed. by Georg Nolte. Oxford University Press, 2013) Indeterminacy in Grammar Clear-cut grammatical categories, rules, etc. are not always attainable, since the system of grammar is arguably subject to gradience. The same considerations apply to the notions of correct and incorrect usage since there are areas where native speakers disagree as to what is grammatically acceptable. Indeterminacy is, therefore, a feature of grammar and usage. Grammarians also speak of indeterminacy in cases where two grammatical analyses of a particular structure are plausible. (Bas Aarts, Sylvia Chalker, and Edmund Weiner, The Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar, 2nd ed. Oxford University Press, 2014) Determinacy and Indeterminacy An assumption usually made in syntactic theory and description is that particular elements combine with one another in very specific and determinate ways. . . . This supposed property, that it is possible to give a definite and precise specification of the elements connected to one another and how they are connected, will be referred to as determinacy. The doctrine of determinacy belongs to a broader conception of language, mind, and meaning, which holds that language is a separate mental module, that syntax is autonomous, and that semantics is well-delimited and fully compositional. This broader conception is not however well-founded. Over the last few decades, research in cognitive linguistics has demonstrated that grammar is not autonomous from semantics, that semantics is neither well-delimited nor fully compositional, and that language draws on more general cognitive systems and mental capacities from which it cannot be neatly separated. . . . I suggest that the usual situation is not one of determinacy, but rather indeterminacy (Langacker 1998a). Precise, determinate connections between specific elements represent a special and perhaps unusual case. It is more common for there to be some vagueness or indeterminacy in regard to either the elements participating in grammatical relationships or the specific nature of their connection. Otherwise stated, grammar is basically metonymic, in that the information explicitly coded linguistically does not itself establish the precise connections apprehended by the speaker and hearer in using an expression. (Ronald W. Langacker, Investigations in Cognitive Grammar. Mouton de Gruyter, 2009) Indeterminacy and Ambiguity Indeterminacy refers to . . . the capacity . . . of certain elements to be notionally related to other elements in more than one way . . .. Ambiguity, on the other hand, refers to the failure of an increment to make a distinction which is crucial to the discharge of the speakers present obligations. . . . But if ambiguity is rare, indeterminacy is an all-pervading feature of speech, and one which users are quite accustomed to living with. We might even argue that it is an indispensable feature of verbal communication, allowing for an economy without which language would be impossibly unwieldy. Let us examine two illustrations of this. The first comes from the conversation that was attributed to the friend and the old lady immediately after the latter had asked for a lift: Where does your daughter live? She lives near the Rose and Crown. Here, the reply is obviously indeterminate, as there are any number of public houses of that name, and often more than one in the same town. It creates no problems for the friend, however, because many other factors than the label, including, no doubt, her knowledge of the locality, are taken into account in identifying the place referred to. Had it been a problem, she could have asked: Which Rose and Crown? The everyday use of personal names, some of which may be shared by several acquaintances of both participants, but which are nevertheless usually sufficient to identify the intended individual, provide a similar way indeterminacy is ignored in practice. It is worth noting in passing that, were it not for users tolerance of indeterminacy, every pub and every person would have to be uniquely named! (David Brazil, A Grammar of Speech. Oxford University Press, 1995) Indeterminacy and Optionality [W]hat appears to be indeterminacy may actually reflect optionality in the grammar, i.e., a representation that allows multiple surface realizations of a single construction, such as the choice of relatives in Theres the boy (that/whom/0) Mary likes. In L2A, a learner who accepts John *seeked Fred at Time 1, then John sought Fred at Time 2, might be inconsistent not because of indeterminacy in the grammar, but because the grammar permits both forms optionally. (Observe that optionality in this instance would reflect a grammar that diverges from the English target grammar.) (David Birdsong, Second Language Acquisition and Ultimate Attainment. Handbook of Applied Linguistics, ed. by Alan Davies and Catherine Elder. Blackwell, 2004)

Global Health Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Global Health - Case Study Example (Aylward et.al, 2000). 1. One of the key long term consequences is temporary disability suffered by the patients. As a result in some areas, where agriculture is the main source of income economy get affected drastically. Keeping this point in mind people of Dogontermed this disease as the disease of the empty granary. 2. Keeping in mind this social impact, economic impactcan also be calculated. Surveys’ conducted by various organizations has proved that, in Southern Nigeria, three rice growing areas affected by this disease can resultant into annual loss of $ 20 million. (Brieger, Watts , Yacoob Pediatr, 1989, p. 286). This is the impact of the disease where the frequency of disease is very high. Likewise, if once consider the other areas like Mali, where the incident of disease is comparatively low, the loss is within 5% of the actual economicvaluation. (Cairncross et.al, 2002). There are several organizations working along with world health organization to fight against this disease in various parts of Asia and Africa. Initially the fight was initiatedby the World Health organization to remove the disease from various parts of Asia and Africa, especially in the low income zone where most of the people used to live below poverty line. WHO (World health Organization) and UNICEFtogether initiatedthe fight against this disease by introducing Health map initiative. (Cairncross et.al, 2002). Educating the people about any particular nation or the state to ensure the fact that they along with their children are drinking pure and clean water and at the same time, places where farming is the major source of income, water supply to the farming land also need to be checked thoroughly so that people do not get infected. Health education is another main objective of this national campaign. Educating people who are living below poverty line in various Asian and African countries to make

The Value of my fee Dollars Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Value of my fee Dollars - Research Paper Example at the initial stage, and revenue account for meeting repetitive expenses like salaries, maintenance, student grants/concessions etc. plus projects involving capital expenditure but financed by revenue receipts. Initial capital expenditure is met by raising funds from investors, while revenue expenditure is met by the fees paid by students. Laws enacted under the Utah Constitution provide for issue of bonds for higher education capital projects. For example, Chapter 22, Section 107 deals with ‘class room/physical education facility’ and Section 109 deals with ‘science/major industry building’ for Salt Lake College Community (Utah Code, 2010). chemicals, toiletry etc., to name a few, and these are used by the staff and students. Common facilities like libraries, auditoria, stadia and student/staff rooms require regular upkeep and maintenance. Repair and maintenance of buildings, laboratories and other facilities forms another important item of routine expenditure in order that these facilities are maintained properly and kept up-to-date to attract both faculty and students. One important part of the fee structure in my University is the component that is set apart to service the debt obligations – payment of principal and interest components. The State Board of Regents is authorized to issue revenue bonds on behalf of the Salt Lake College Community to finance ‘construction and maintenance of major capital facilities’ and ‘capital projects of auxiliary enterprises’ under Sections 107 and 109 of Chapter 22 of the Utah Constitution (Utah Code). Such projects are financed by the student building fees, net auxiliary operating revenues and interest earned (Director, Accounts). As explained by the Director, Accounts, the total fee paid by a student includes among other things, fees for tuition, building debt, technology, athletics, transport, activity etc. My college raised funds by issuing revenue

English Language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

English Language - Essay Example When we talk about present day society, we are actually focussing the significance of the domains of English language in a cultural context, where global popular culture in the name of 'globalisation' is challenging the essential mythologies of English language (Mair, 2003, p. 19). The way English language is misused in the cultural context does not necessarily refer to culture-specific aspects, although it is obvious that many of the concepts in this category are alien to many Third World cultures and the corresponding texts are imported from the First World (Greenbaum, 1996, p. 188). English as a world language serves all the world's citizens irrespective of caste, culture or creed and its postulated universality makes it equally relevant everywhere, as though it can function independently of contemporary power balances, both global and local (Mair, 2003, p. 20). Although globalisation in the international spread of English language may be regrettable and undesirable but we cannot ignore that global English today has become an agent of reform and fairness. Despite a 'globalised language', the pressures of a rights-oriented culture may one day enable English to become the vehicle for articulation while maintaining certain worldwide standards of protection. English language from economic perspective has been able to bridge the gap between various cultures and economies; therefore it has served as an exchange-facilitating institution, where 'exchange' is not the only economic function English language has performed (Reksulak et al, 2004). English language development has been shaped by revealing the constellation of economic and other forces. However, the impact technology upholds in the innovation, trade, and economic growth on the English-speaking world is evident in the rising share of nouns in new words added during the past two or three centuries which make up 58% of the words originating in the 19th century and more than 70% of the words originating in the 20th (Reksulak et al, 2004). There is no doubt that English language blames grand scale globalisation factor and put all the enthusiasm and vitriol on its shoulders, but it is this language that is responsible for the growth in regional interactions from trade to travel. These interactions have long engaged in promoting the spread of English language among other regional languages (Fishman, 2000, p. 13). The significance of English language lies in the notion that it is present in societies where local languages are disappearing, in cultures where local languages are not considered, English is understood and spoken (Moritoshi, Nov 2001). References Bryson Bill, (1990) The mother tongue: English and how it got that way. New York: HarperCollins. Fishman A. Joshua, (Spring 2000) "English: The Killer Language OR A PASSING PHASE" In: Whole Earth. Greenbaum Sidney, (1996) Comparing English Worldwide: The International Corpus of English: Clarendon Press: Oxford. Mair Christian, (2003) The Politics of English as a World Language: New Horizons in Postcolonial Cultural Studies: Rodopi: Amsterdam. Moritoshi Paul, Nov 2001,Perspectives on the Role of English as an International Language, Accessed from Reksulak Michael, William F. Shughart Ii & Tollison D. Robert, (2004) "Economics and English: Language Growth in Economic Perspective" In: Southern Economic

Vietnam Country and Culture

Vietnam Country and Culture Vietnam Essay Vietnam has a huge population and it measures to be around 95,414,640. That is way more than californias population only being 37,253,956 as of now. The capital of vietnam is called Hanoi, Hanoi is known for its architecture and a rich culture with Southeast Asian, Chinese and French impact. Vietnams four largest cities are Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, and Haiphong. If the population of these cities were to merge, the population would be 6,253,789. Also the money/currency that they use is called Vietnamese dong. One u.s dollar is equivalent to 22642.50 Vietnamese Dong. Some good attractions in Vietnam are Hoan Kiem Lake, Thien Mu Pagoda and Halong Bay. Hoan Kiem Lake is located in Hanoi which is the capital of vietnam. Thien Mu Pagoda is located in Hue and it is a city in central Vietnam.Then, Halong Bay is in northeast Vietnam and it is known for its emerald waters and thousands of limestone islands topped by rainforests. The top accommodation in Vietnam is called Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi by popularity. Vietnam has reached great results in literacy reaching to be 90% in just primary education. For adults and youth together, they would make the percentage go up to be 94%. For languages in vietnam, the percentage of people who speak vietnamese is 90 to 85% and the remaining 10% to 15% come from other backgrounds. Children must at least complete their secondary education to move farther. Students are not free to choose what they study. They have to complete all their courses that need to be completed. Agricultural products accounted to be around 30% of exports in vietnam.The agricultural products vary to be rice, cotton, peanuts, rubber, sugarcane and tea. Gross national product in vietnam increased to 3977610.00 VND billion. The per capita income in vietnam is 5,070 PPP dollars. In cambodia the per capita is only 2,890 PPP dollars. Vietnams per capita income is way more than cambodias income. Vietnam people in the urban areas, live like any other country, except only about 30% of the population of vietnam lives in urban area, they usually live in cramped apartments, some cities such as Ho Chi Minh, or Hanoi is mainly a urban area. People lives in villages in rural area, which is about 70% of the vietnamese populations, 60% of Vietnamese Workforce is farmers, where they grows food for their families, and hoping to make some money by moving to the cities and selling them at farmers markets. Vietnams customs follow Buddhism, and Confucianism, focuses on five different subjects, such as Ruler and Subject, Husband and Wife, Parents and Children, Brothers and Sisters, Friend and Friend, it stress duty, loyalty, honor, respect for age and seniority. Buddhism believe in a spiritual path, led by Buddha Shakyamuni in ancient India, as purified the mind, into a peaceful state of mind, removing any negative affects. You can have face, or lose faces in vietnam, you have to compliment people, or business, to receive faces. Some of vietnam most populars dish, is Pho, which people usually eat with bo, which is beef, and I see it like the equivalent of ramen or italian pasta. Other foods such as Banh Cuon, or Rolled Rice Pancake, which is a soft like roll that contained diced up meats, veggies, and includes condiments such as hot nuoc mam (fish sauce), vegetable side condiment plate where it has several vietnamese vegetables such as mints. We have a vietnam war memorial, located in Hanoi which is our capital. Vietnam is one of the least religious country, however some still have beliefs, and some of the major religion is Buddhism, Caodaism and Confucianism. Many of these religions respect, and have standards for family, which is why etiquette is so valuable. Vietnam believe in Confucianism, and Buddhism, which Buddhism is created by Shakyamuni Buddha, who was a monk that came to vietnam in early time, he believed in meditations, and a spiritual path, which many vietnamese monks started meditating and practicing his teachings. Confucianism doesnt always have to be perceived as a religion, they could be a ideology or a philosophy, who he wanted to understand everything, using old teachings back then, to understand the roots of cultural ceremonies. Both religion dont usually believe it ultimate goal, the ultimate entity is god, even though they worship creators of that religions, both religion main purpose is to achieve a more positive, or ethical way of life. Forms of Vietnamese music include hat cheo (traditional folk opera), hat tuong (classical drama), hat cai luong (modern theater), quan ho (folk songs, with dialogues sung between women and women), and more variations of regional folks songs. The first Vietnamese Television was aired around 1966, when the American setup a American channel and a Vietnamese Channel to send out announcements. VTV is the main channels for vietnamese television, and contains many version of popular Vietnamese-versions of US shows  shows, such as, Vietnam Idol, Vietnams Got Talent, or The Voice of Vietnam. Nobody had really known the origin of Vietnam, however in mythology, Huong Vuong was rumored to be the first ruler of Vietnam, during 111 B.C. and China ruled 111 B.C. until the 15th century, which was 1000 years of control of Vietnam, during the age of exploration, independent kingdoms unified which begins the start the independence of Vietnam. The Size and area of Vietnam is 128,455mi2. The continent that Vietnam is located in is Asia. The climate of Vietnam has a temperate region meaning it lies between the polar and tropic regions of the Earth. The changes between winter and summer are moderate. It has a high rate of rainfall, high humidity, and a considerable amount of sun.These are the political features of the country Vietnam. The population of people in Vietnam is 89.71 million and the capital of Vietnam is Hanoi. Hanoi is known for their old architecture that are centuries old in Vietnam. Some large cities in Vietnam are Ho Chi Minh city, Hanoi, Da Nang, and Haiphong. The unit of money currency in Vietnam that is used in daily life is Dong, these are the political features of Vietnam. The President or the head of the state in Vietnam is Tran Dai Quang. Some army forces is the ministry of Vietnam, the peoples army of Vietnam, and the Vietnam border defence force. The crime rate of corruption and bribery in Vietnam is high and the crime rate of property crimes such as vandalism and theft is moderate. The safety issues is pick pocketing, guns are illegal so they are thieves are usually unarmed except for a knife and such, trafficking illegal drugs come with a severe punishment if caught. Some courts of Vietnam are the Judicial system, supreme court, and the Justice system. The current type of government in Vietnam is led by a one party system which is also led by the communist party of Vietnam.

Napoleon :: French History, French Revolution

Napoleon Bonaparte once said, â€Å"Nothing has been simpler than my elevation†¦It is owing to the peculiarities of the time.† Coming to power at a time of instability and disorder in France immediately following the French Revolution, Napoleon quickly established himself as the political leader and military power behind France. Easily and efficiently overthrowing the poorly managed Directory, Napoleon established a three man governing body referred to as the Consulate. Naming himself Consul for Life in 1802, and crowning himself emperor in 1804, Napoleon made it clear that is was a time of dramatic change in France. Although establishing himself as an absolute ruler, Napoleon did it all with the support of the people, through the use of a plebiscite. Obviously a man that held immense power, Napoleon has been credited with many great successes. To the people of France, Napoleon was a savior, a man who could, despite being an autocrat, implement the ideals of the French R evolution. Establishing order, giving the French people a sense of security, and running his government smoothly became Napoleon’s priorities. Through a variety of reforms including, centralizing the government, establishing public education, instituting religious tolerance specifically signing the Concordat of 1801, and stimulating the economy, Napoleon won the support of French people across the classes, including the peasantry who in years previous had suffered greatly under absolute rulers. One of Napoleon’s most lasting reforms was his installment of the Napoleonic Code, a set of laws that reflected the idea of equality so evidently bannered throughout the French Revolution. Napoleon was able to capture the attention of the French people through every facet except absolutism.