Franchising

Franchising Introduction In the business world, there are many ways of getting into business. These entry areas vary depending on the type of the business. The interest of the businessperson is also a major factor. As such, many people wishing to get into business seek one of the many avenues that are open to them.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Franchising specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This includes business models such as sole proprietorship and business partnerships. A person can also enter into mergers or form a limited liability company among others. One of the most effective ways of getting into business is through franchising. There is a conclusive argument that this is one of the most effective ways of getting into business. In the corporate world today, getting into an entirely new business is very difficult due to the many entry inhibitors facing the corporate world. These include difficulties in raising the necess ary fees like business permits and the all-important capital. There are also many other statutory requirements. In case of a partnership, such requirements as articles of association or memorandum of association may be one of the requirements that the state demands to authenticate any entry into partnership (Michael and Hitt, 2010). In the case of a company, depending on whether it is Limited Liability Company or liability company, the entry requirement is a tiring task. So what is franchising? A franchise refers a privilege given to an individual or a group of people to be able to market or sell products or services of a certain enterprise within a certain location/locations. In other words, franchising means the rights granted to a person or a group of people by a certain company to use its name or trademark in marketing and distributing its goods and services. In the today’s corporate world, there are popular franchises. The most famous are the McDonalds, domino’s p izza, subway etc. Advantages of Franchising There are many types of franchising. They have come with their unique characteristics and this depends on their suitability to the franchising party. Their different types could be the reasons it has been argued that franchising is the most efficient and innovative form of business yet devised to distribute products and services.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Because of the success of the franchising form of business in the food industry, many people have come to associate franchising with only fast food like the MacDonald and the domino’s pizza. This is however not the case because a part from being a success in the fast food business, franchising has also been a success in other fields such as the finance automotive, cleaning and maintenance health etc. In the introduction of this paper, we began by conclusivel y saying that franchising is a major growth area for business and as such, the most efficient and innovative form of business yet devised to distribute products and services. In order for us to conclude this way, it is paramount about our reasoning that we look at how franchising work so that when we say that franchising is the major growth rate for business our utterance shall hold water. It is from understanding the working of franchise shall we then come to appreciate the advantages and disadvantages of franchising (Noora et al. 2005). In franchising, there are some important concepts that one has to understand. These are the franchisee and the franchisor. We ask ourselves, who are these? In clear terms, a franchisee is the individual who embarks on purchasing and consequently running a franchise. On the other hand, a franchisor is the person from whom the franchisee buys the franchise. In order for the franchise to work, there are always some rules and regulations that the franc hisee must adhere to. These in most of the time are the established rules of e.g. the company from whom the franchisee is buying the franchise (Scarborough, 2010).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Franchising specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In order for the franchisee to be fully been incorporated in the franchising company, payment of a certain fee called franchising royalty is necessary. In today’s corporate world, like mentioned earlier, franchising is one of the most fashionable ways of getting to do or enter into business. It is quite popular in the marketplace. From the 1850s when Isaac singer invented his sawing machines and started selling licenses to entrepreneurs to be able to distribute his machines to date when you cannot walk many blocks without coming across a franchise, we realize that franchising has come to revolutionize the business scene. It has come to help the individual entrepreneurs to be in business for themselves but actually not for themselves. The ideas behind being in a franchise rather than trying other forms of entry into business such as buy out or starting an entirely new business lies on the fact that in franchise there is always already proven business formula and structure that is in place. This therefore presents a high possibility of success for an individual opening a business than to the one who is getting into start up or other forms of business entry. This is further proven by the fact that in franchise, the products and services that one wants to deal with are already in the market and are already established.a good example of this is for a person wanting to get into pizza business.he can choose to buy a franchise from the domino’s pizza. His pizza business will perform well because the new entrant into the pizza business will meet an already established market (Beer, 1999).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This then saves the franchisee the problem of having to incur cost of introducing his products or services, cost that could include advertising and distribution. The reason as to why this form of business is revolutionary in the corporate world is that, the corporate image and the awareness of the bland of the company selling the franchise is already there. A new entrant in the market then does not make expenditures in trying to establish his new bland. This is because, the products or services are already known to the consumers, they continue purchasing the products or services since they are familiar with them. This is an evident advantage of franchising. It makes it appealing to franchise as they are saved the problem of convincing the consumers to buy their goods. A person wanting to get into hotel and hospitality industry may take years before establishing his industry. However, buying a franchise of established hotels like Day Inn and Supper 8 will prove beneficial in establis hing his hotel. (Christensen, 2006). Most of the franchisees are new entrants into the corporate world. In most of the time, they have little or no experience in running the business they are starting. In other cases, they are merely equipped with only the theory from the school. In such a case, franchising becomes a useful tool in gaining some knowledge about the business. This is because the franchisor in most of the time provides wide-range preparation and support to the franchisee. As such, this becomes a strategy beneficial to the franchisee since he is not faced with risks of making mistakes caused by doing guesswork in running the business. In clearly analyzing franchising as an effective way of getting into business, we realize that in franchising a lot of useful time is saved. This is because the business model and the franchise company already is in place and thus the time the individual in establishing the model of a new business is saved could use that. Because the franc hisee gets into an already existing company, he is in a position to concentrate in the successful running of the business. Starting an entirely new business offering financial services may prove difficult due to the many logistics involved. However, by choosing to buy a franchise from established firms like HR Block will help the new entrants in establishing his business. This is because such a firm is already established. Therefore, it has curved its niche among the customers (Zutshi, 2010). Because the franchise runs for a specific time and operates within a specific location, a franchisee can then aim at managing many of such locations. In franchising, the entry and exit becomes another advantage that makes this form of business be considered as a major growth area in business. Franchise can last from five to thirty years. One can then chose short franchise so that if it does not work the franchisee can then chose to exit into other forms of business. In addition to this, there a re no laws that demand the profitability of the franchisor be displayed. This however could at times be listed in the franchise disclosure document (FDD).but like said earlier it is not necessary. To a franchisee, this is an advantage because if the franchising company is not making profits, the franchisee can opt to quit from that franchise and seek for an alternative performing franchisor with little embarrassments. The franchisor offers national and international advertising. This too including other support services is provided to the new entrants into the business world. Franchise brokers offers services that come in handy to help the franchisee to seek the most appropriate franchise. Such a franchisee seeking to get into business can enlist the servicers of master franchisors who can then work to help the franchisee in obtaining rights to sub franchise in the location (Millmore, 2007). Franchising has been seen as the most effective and innovative form of business devised to d istribute products and service bases on the fact that franchising like explained here above is based on a proven idea. The franchisee is in a position to check and prove the success of The Company before committing resources. In so doing, the franchisee can compare between different franchisors and then chose the best according to his interests. The availability of established and recognized brand names makes his entry into business easier. As opposed to businesses such as start ups, buying a franchise proves to be helpful to the franchisee as he can enjoy the protected reputation of the franchisor. This legal and procedural protection includes legal departments set aside to handle legal issues such as lawsuits. It also takes care of difficulties with the employees. Having the protection of the franchisor is an important factor that can keep the franchisee surviving in the corporate world as with it come the positive expectations that keep the customers loyal to the products or the services offered by the franchisee. This benefit in addition to the already established body of legal protection is an important factor in the success of the new franchise (Bowles, 2011). Getting into start up for example may prove very challenging. Before a start up establishes enough to command recognition by the customers, it may take many years of continued effort in advertising. This problem is however solved by getting into franchise. In the today’s corporate world, people want a guarantee on the product and services they are purchasing. As such, recognition across the board (name, brand etc) gives the company assurance. This is exactly what the company might be looking for. Name recognition in the corporate world is very important because it creates the confidence in the customers such that they always know that they will always be assured of the product or services they are looking for. Franchising is aimed at risk minimization. To reduce this, the franchise investmen t enables the franchisees to thoroughly research on the franchisor before he commits any investment are made. The franchisee is able to acquire detailed information from other franchisees and this enables the franchisee to try on various businesses before purchases it. Concerning the risks mitigation efforts of a franchise, therefore, we find that franchising reduces the risks associated with business considerably. An example of this is getting in printing and postal services. This kind of business will require a lot of capital and knowledge on how to run the business. Committing resources to this kind of business without enough capital or information is a risky phenomenon. As such, buying franchise from firms like park mail will help save on such risks. Because of the group purchasing ability provided by a number franchises, franchisees are able to procure commodities and stores supply at a comparatively lesser cost from the franchisor. This too serves to make the argument that fra nchising is a major growth area for business. In franchising, a uniform system of operation is provided. The franchisee uses this factor to his advantage. As such, a uniform system of operation enables the consumers to acquire products and services of quality efficiently and at an effective cost. This in turn brings the benefit of growing the purchasing ability and the customer brand loyalty. It also brings brand identification among the potential markets. The franchisee capitalizes on this factor to establish himself in the business (Hanson et al. 2011). It has come to help the individual entrepreneurs to be in business for themselves but actually not for themselves. The ideas behind being in a franchise rather than trying other forms of entry into business such as buy out or starting an entirely new business lies on the fact that in franchise there is always already proven business formula and structure that is in place. Disadvantages In this paper, I have looked at the factors th at make franchise be considered as the major growth area in business. The above arguments have been made after a careful weighing of the shortcoming of franchising. The weighing of both the merits and the demerits of the franchise has left us with the weigh inclined to the merits. The shortcoming that could challenge this form of business could be the fact that the initial cost of purchasing franchise is high. As such, the cost may be higher than one expects. Franchising may come with detrimental strings attached. For example, the franchisee might be forced to buy products from the franchisor. This may then make the franchisee look a slave to the franchisor, as he cannot seek for other suppliers offering better deals. The above argument lies on the fact that the franchise agreement has restrictions on how the business will be operated. In such a case therefore, the franchisee is in no position of playing effectively in the dynamic local market. In case the franchisor goes out of the market, the franchisee is left like an orphan. It may take years to fully re-establish him in the business again as the franchisee fully depends on the success of the franchisor. This includes all the logistics involving the successful running of the business like advertising, legal processes, training etc (Carnal, 2007). In franchising, another important factor worth noting, which could be detrimental to the running of the franchise, is the fact that all profits, which include a certain percentage of all the sales made, are shared with the franchisor. This sometimes is done to the benefit of the franchisor leading to low profits on the part of the franchisee. On the other hand, a franchisee wishing to sell his franchise can only do so with the approval of the franchisor. This too is a demerit of franchising because, though the franchisee claims to own the business, he can do very little without the approval of the franchisor. A franchise is not flexible. Conclusion In conclusion, therefore, though demerits of franchising are there, it remains to be an effective way of getting into business. The various merits make this form of starting business be popular, unlike other forms like start up. It therefore turns out that franchising is a major growth area for business. As seen in this paper its disadvantages compared to its demerits, in comparison with other types of businesses are many. As such, we can conclusively say that franchising is a revolutionary approach to business. Effective strategies in this line of business can prove to be a benefit for new entrants in the business world and to established businesspersons wishing to venture into new areas or diversify in their current work. We can then conclusively say that ,in the corporate world today, franchising is an effective and innovative form of business yet devised to distribute products and services and as such a major growth area for business. Reference List Beer, M. (1999) Readings in Human Resource M anagement. New York: Free Press. Bowles, M. (2011)  External Environment. The Institute For Working Futures. Web. Available from:  marcbowles.com/publications.html   . Carnal, C. (2007) Managing Change in Organizations. Essex: Pearson Education. Christensen, R. (2006) Roadmap to Successful Strategic HR Management. New York: American Management Association. Hanson, D. et al. (2011) Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalization. Southbank, Victoria: Cengage. Michael A. Hitt, R. D. (2010) Strategic Management: Competitive and Globalization, Concepts. London: Wiley. Millmore, M. (2007) Strategic Human Resource Management: Contemporary Issues. Essex: Pearson Education. Noora, et al. (2005) The International Business Environments of Franchising in Russia. Academy of Marketing Science Review, 12.3: 2-3. Scarborough, N. M. (2010) Effective Small Business Management an Entrepreneurial Approach. London: Wiley. Zutshi, S. (2010) Property Magic 2010: How to Buy Property Using O ther Peoples Time, Money and Experience. Wiley: London.

Speaking and listening Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Speaking and listening - Coursework Example He is perhaps the least dynamistic character in the novel that undergoes little or no significant development and growth. However, he is the one of the major characters that fits into the theme of tragedy. Lennie is a loyal and good friend as well as hardworking, but he is incapable of expressing his temper correctly. His anger emanates from him attempting to avoid getting into trouble but this is worsened by his mighty strength. His violent behaviour progresses towards the things he is meant to take care of; he kicks the puppy, for instance, across the barn when he discovers its dead. Lennie’s tragic attributes can be best demonstrated by the fact that is life is not a long one and this is strengthened by the manner he meets his death. His innocent behaviour could not allow him to avoid Curley’s wife and other dangers around him and this resulted to him being shot by George as way of protecting saving him from being lynched by the merciless mob of Curley after killing his wife. Unlike Lennie, George develops as the novel progresses. He is, however, a short-tempered character that together with Lennie protests to life. However, he is loving and devoted to protect Lennie; for instance, he cautions him against drinking too much because he can fall ill. George depended on Lennie who gave him a purpose of life and without him, George had no focus of life. Lennie reminded him always of the firm they would go and live happily without the disturbance of the Curleys. This manifests George perhaps as one of the most tragic characters of the novel whose life would instantly be empty without Lennie. Moreover, his personality of lack of care for others such Lennie during the time, depicts him as tragic character such as when he admitted to Slim that he once abused Lennie for his personal amusement. Additionally, a significant part of his tragic character arises after he has shot Lennie and the predatory nature of life manifests resulting to his downfall. He can no

OPEC from a Game Theory perspective Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

OPEC from a Game Theory perspective - Term Paper Example The theory has its rules and game theorist uses them to predict equilibrium outcome. One of the world bodies that utilize game theory in its operation is OPEC. The study focuses to find the extent of game theory in OPEC and the effect of member’s and non member’s states on the strategies in production and market share. OPEC is an intergovernmental group formed by Venezuela, Kuwait and other countries in 1960. The organization aimed to seize the benefit of controlling the supply to maximize revenue of member states. The organization also aimed at stabilizing and bringing agreement in the marketplace of fuel to do good to both consumers and producers. This was a common strategy employed to try and influence the prices of crude oil. The idea of OPEC in the initial stages was to prevent the fall of prices after an all time high that enabled oil producing countries maximize on their utility. OPEC is referred to as a global cartel in the oil producing countries. Classical eco nomist present a condition that monopolist utilize to maximize profit, MC= P (1-1/e) given that P is the price of oil, e is the elasticity of demand and MC represent marginal cost of oil production. Economist hint that oil price are inelastic in the short run, and OPEC can increase above the market price. (Source: Dye 2) Supposing that there are two firms in a cartel, the maximizing price would be where marginal cost 1 = marginal cost 2 = marginal revenue. The maximizing price would be where the two marginal costs meet marginal revenue. OPEC member’s state has a reserve of 79.3% of the world crude oil and was producing 63% of the global oil export in 2009. OPEC does not use market force s for marginal revenue and marginal cost to determine equilibrium price. Free market would result with some countries producing none while others benefiting so much to the extent of controlling production. For example, Saudi Arabia could benefit more than the rest of the country because it has vast oil reserves and therefore it can afford to increase production at a lower price. Therefore, free competitive market is not possible in the oil production industry and it explains the reason behind forming a cartel (Gambits 3). In order to maximize utility, OPEC considered strategies to control production through quotas system. Every nation state produces a certain percentage of production capacity. However, the challenges facing OPEC is on determining the actual or the maximizing quota that each member’s state produces. The solution to these challenges lies on game theory (Gately 1). The OPEC members have a duty to have the same opinion on a strategy to restrict output such that prices are prolonged at a high level. Nevertheless, some scholars like Friedman argued that Arab countries cartel on oil production would collapse because high prices of petroleum are not sustainable even if the output is put to zero. OPEC, unlike other bodies, is exceptional. The decisions agr eed upon are of decisive to every member and failure to adhere has dire consequences. This strength of OPEC has ensured the sustainability of world prices today and will sustain even in the future. According to Osborne cartels faces inherent problem of cheating, and determining quotas and it is wrong to classify them as stable. Gately (3) says that the OPEC as a cartel is maintained at Nash equilibrium. At Nash equilibrium, every country

The UNCRC Organization Essay Example for Free

The UNCRC Organization Essay The UNCRC happened in 1989 and out of this came the children’s act 1989. The act was formally adopted in England and Wales in 1991. The most important aim of the act was to ensure that children’s views were of paramount importance and that the children thoughts and views about their future were taken into consideration. After this, the children’s act 2004 was formed. In this act the framework for the every child matters programme was set out. Every child matters was formed after the tragic death of Victoria Climbie. Victoria Climbie was failed by the very people who were supposedly looking after her. â€Å"It led to recommendations for a radical reform of services†. The aim of the act is to make sure that services work together a lot better and more efficiently than previously. Children’s should be listened to and their opinions valued. We need to listen to children carefully to understand what a child is trying to say. If they cannot be understood or do not feel listened to they may get upset, frustrated, angry or become withdrawn. They could show their upset by hitting, biting, shouting etc., and it will lower their self-esteem. A child may have something important to say that needs our attention for example safe guarding . â€Å"every child can be hurt, put at risk of harm or abused, regardless of their age, gender, religion or ethnicity.† (http://www.safenetwork.org.uk/getting_started/Pages/Why_does_safeguarding_matter.aspx) A change in behaviour, something a child says or how they act can also alert the practitioner to safe guarding issues or perhaps something else that is happening outside the child care setting. Therefore it is essential that we listen to children and build up the child’s trust in adults and â€Å"enable those c hildren to have optimum life chances and to enter adulthood successfully.† (http://www.safenetwork.org.uk/getting_started/Pages/Why_does_safeguarding_matter.aspx) If you cannot understand the child by listening ask them to draw what they want to tell you, act out what they want to tell you or if they use sign language get them to sign what they want to tell you as this may also help you . It is important for children to be given different options of what they want to tell us either through, verbal communication, acting, drawing or pointing. This will show them we do value them and we want to  listen and reach out to them. In contrast if a child is listened to and feels understood they are more likely to be happy and confident. We can also find out if the child has understood a lesson or what you have said by using questions and listening carefully e.g. after a story you might ask a question to see if they have understood. The children’s opinions should be valued so that they are encouraged to express themselves and have got a sense of individuality. It will also help them to build confidence and trusting people and also encourage their communication skills. Children will come from a variety of different cultural backgrounds and have been brought up by parents with many and varied opinions on everything from religion/non religion to food, clothing and what are deemed to be acceptable behaviour. We need to be aware of all these influences and respect the diversity of our society in a non judgemental way . By doing so children will feel that we comfortable in their thoughts and feelings to you without fear of being misunderstood. Children who have disabilities should be given the opportunity to express themselves in a way that they are comfortable or able to. A child who does not have speech may make different noises which can be interpreted as happy or sad. This form of communication should be valued and we should respond to it as we would to a child who has speech. A child who has physical disabilities should be given choices about how they complete tasks and their opinions respected. It is important that practitioners understand the limits and boundaries of their job roles when they work with children. This is to get the best outcomes and the best quality of care for the child. There are 4 main areas that which are â€Å"Particularly important when thinking about your role, boundaries and limits are; †¢Health and safety †¢Managing children’s behaviour †¢Child Protection †¢Confidentially† You should always follow the legislations (children’s act 1989 and children’s act 2004) and read them often to refresh your mind as they often change and then you are always aware of what your limits and boundaries are. It is very important to follow the policies and procedures set out at your place of  work, so that everybody is working in a consistent way. By following procedures everybody knows who is responsible for each task and important jobs do not get missed. Also this is a way of making things clear to everybody and prevents misunderstandings, allegations and it will also help with knowing what to do in certain situations, E.g., †¢Following the fire procedure- Where fire exits are, where the assemble points are, taking the register and alerting parents/carers †¢Missing child policy/ procedure- Who to contact †¢Suspecting any child abuse – who to speak to ( child protection officer) knowing how to react when the child tells you something ( do not look shocked, no leading questions, but tell them you’re going to have to tell someone) †¢What to do if you’re going on a school trip- head counts, booster seats, right number of adults to children †¢General security policy/procedures- shutting gates, identification cards, signing in/out, knowing who’s going to pick the child up It is also crucial to make sure the appropriate people are made aware of any allergies or anything deemed important e.g. if a teacher was going to give out cake for someone’s birthday and it had nuts in and they were unaware of a child with a nut allergy this would cause serious difficulties. You should understand that when you are told something in confidence you should keep it confidential as stated in the policies and procedures. â€Å"Everyone is entitled to their privacy† (http://www.reference.com/motif/health/why-is-confidentiality-important) and may not want personal information to be common knowledge. This could for many reasons including that it is embarrassing for the family and for child protection reasons. However in certain circumstances e.g. in relation to child protection and safe guarding issues it may be vital to share information with relevant professionals (child welfare officer, safe guarding officer, social services). For example if a child tells you that they get hit at home or that they get left home alone every night. At my placement, to ensure confidentiality they lock up any files about the children and only shown to people on a need to know basis. We should know how to look after child a without crossing the professional boundaries and  causing harm to a child. On the 14th of august it was reported in the mail online that a practitioner had physically abused some children where she worked at Small Talk Nursery in Birmingham. It was reported that she â€Å"could be seen throwing a 17-month-old girl onto a mattress, causing her to almost strike her head on a radiator.† (: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2188314/Small-Talk-Nursery-Kehyren-Sajid-dragged-toddler-mat-like-rag-doll-mistreated-children care.html#ixzz2BetgdNPW) This is obviously very unprofessional and she crossed the professional limits and boundaries. Therefore you should know your limits and boundaries to keep the children safe and protected All practitioners should know what their job role and responsibilities are, and not try and do something that isn’t within their role. They may not be trained appropriately and this could cause problems if something goes wrong. Each person is accountable for their own actions and we all must take responsibility. Also if you do the job that is in your job description then it will prevent friction with other colleagues as you won’t be seen to be interfering with things. You should be mature and respectful even if you do not necessarily agree with what someone is saying. You have to liaise with parents and have a friendly relationship so they feel they can tell you things. However professional boundaries should be kept so that if you are concerned about something you are more able to deal with this situation appropriately. A child centred approach is important in an early years setting. This is because young children develop at different stages. It is important to find out as much as information about the child as possible, by interacting with them through play and chatting, so you can meet the children’s needs. Once you know the child well, you can starts to plan activities tailored to the child and start to build on their existing skills towards their next stage. Also when using a child centred approach children feel empowered and learn to make decisions for themselves and they also get the best experience out of their child care setting. In order to meet the individual needs of children a child centred approach is necessary. This requires planning, time, effort and patience. In the late 1940’s a town named Reggio â€Å"developed an approach to pre-school learning†.(Level 3 child care and education, Tassoni,2007, pg188) The approach believes â€Å"in the importance of discovery,  stimulating learning environments (both indoor and outdoor) , children reflecting on their own learning and documenting children’s learning as part of the process.†.(Level 3 child care and education, Tassoni, 2007, pg188) This approach is based on; †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"creative thinking †¢Exploration and discovery †¢Free play †¢Following children’s interests †¢Valuing and encouraging all ways children express themselves †¢Asking children to talk about their ideas† (Level 3 child care and education, Tassoni, 2007, pg188) The above information is, I think, very important as it makes sure that the child and their needs are the priority. Tailoring activities to the interests of the child and getting their reactions from this will help to plan future sessions. . The child’s needs are put above anything else rather than sticking to a routine for the convenience of child care practitioner. The Reggio Emilio theory links to the EYFS as it is a â€Å"play-based and child-led framework†. (https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RB029.pdf) One approach used set out in the EYFS framework and in the reggio amellio theory is to allow play to develop and be led by the child rather than the play leader. At my placement, which is in a nursery , we actively encourage children to learn through play, and we get them to choose what they would like to play with Eg; sand, water, play dough and painting. The child centred approach is good for children who disconnect unless it is something they are interested in. For example if a child loves playing with trains, it would be used to capture a child’s interest in a subject such as singing instead of singing about cats You would sing songs about trains to engage the child and get his/her full attention. It is also good because a child centred approach gives a sense of inclusion, because for example, if you are in a wheelchair you will still be included in the activities as they have been planned to support your need. â€Å"The Child Centered Approach promotes the right of the child to choose, make connections and communicate. It allows freedom for children to think, experience, explore, question and search for answers† (http://www.growingplaces.org.uk/reggio.htm)

freedol Nora’s Struggle For Freedom in Ibsens A Dolls House Essay

Nora’s Struggle For Freedom in A Doll's House In many cultures, a woman is expected to assume the role of the submissive, attentive wife. Often, a woman's role is limited by society to that of wife and mother. Henrik Ibsen, in his play A Doll's House examines the consequences of the stereotypical roles of women in marriage. Isben allows the reader to follow Nora, the main character, â€Å"along her difficult journey to regain her self-esteem and self worth†(Durbach 153). From the very first lines of the play, we notice the status quo between Torvald and Nora. Torvald is the stereotypically strong, dignified husband while Nora is "little skylark twittering" (Isben 148). Torvald's continual reference to Nora using bird names parallels Nora's image of herself. For example, in the first act, Torvald continually refers to Nora as his "little featherbrain," his "little scatterbrain," his "squirrel sulking", and most importantly his "song bird." These images of weak birds characterize Nora as a weak person. The simple twittering, little birds we see every day are very susceptible to cold weather and to dying and so is Nora. The image of a "little featherbrain" and a "little scatterbrain" indicate stupidity. Nora can't think for herself because her thoughts are scattered and unorganized. In contrast, we are led to believe that Torvald is the loving and accommodating husband. He treats Nora like a child. She, not knowing any better at this stage, acts accordingly. For example, as a child forbidden by its mother from eating candy before dinner, Nora hides her "forbidden" macaroons from Torvald. Acting as a parent, Torvald suspects her hiding macaroons from him. He repeatedly asks her if she is sure she didn't eat any macaroons. Nor... ...ous struggle to break free of her caged prison. In the beginning of the play, she is first weak and child-like.   She then gains some strength to stand up to Mrs. Lind, even going as far as helping her, and to push off Krogstad.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"She finally, after realizing Torvald's true character, breaks free of her cage and does what birds do best – Fly†(Templeton 1636). Works Cited and Consulted Durbach, Errol. A Doll's House: Ibsen's Myth of Transformation. Boston: Twayne, 1991. Goodman, Lizbeth In James McFarlane (ed.): The Cambridge Companion to Ibsen. Cambridge University Press. 1994 Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll House (1879). Trans. Rolf Fjelde. Rpt. in Michael Meyer, ed. The Bedford Introduction to Literature. 5th edition. Boston & New York: Bedford/St. Martin's Press, 1999. Templeton, Joan. "Is A Doll House a Feminist Text?" (1989). Rpt. In Meyer. 1635-36.

Domestic and Global Security Threats

Current domestic and global security threats: The impact on The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed to cope with the challenges of a bipolar world. However, today’s global environment faces multi-polar challenges from non-state actors such as terrorists. Threats once considered domestic concerns now affect the world, like global warming and the need to rebuild the infrastructure of unstable states such as Afghanistan and Bosnia.The globalization of modern society has meant the globalization of modern technological threats, including cyberterrorism, as well as increased international competition for scarce energy resources. All of these problems affect NATO members but cannot be addressed with a regionally specific focus. To create a more secure world â€Å"NATO will need to start working in partnership with other multilateral organizations, like the UN, if it hopes to find effective permanent solutions to the secu rity challenges facing the world.Although NATOs presence is often a condition of success, it is increasingly insufficient† by itself when dealing with global security (Goldschmidt 2009). Domestic state concerns, such as internal instability and a lack of resources can have global repercussions. Domestic concerns: Domestic peacekeeping in Afghanistan and global warming Because of the terrorist threat posed to NATO nations by terrorist non-state actors harbored in Afghanistan, NATO cannot shirk the critical role it must play in creating a more stable government, despite Afghanistan’s non-European location.In Afghanistan, â€Å"there is a need for a coordinated effort with development and reconstruction agencies. NATO currently must play both a security and nation-building role. It was not designed for the latter, and cannot hope to create the conditions for military withdrawal without a concerted development effort† with other regional and international organizatio ns such as the United Nations (Goldschmidt 2009).Recently, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen stated that while Afghanistan security and internal integrity is still challenging and â€Å"Afghanistan will likely face security threats for years to come,† NATO alliance forces within the nation have begun â€Å"transferring security responsibilities to the Afghan government† and can begin a slow withdrawal (Fedynsky 2010). Afghanistan security will remain of grave concern for the Alliance, but the approach taken by NATO has been seen as a useful template for its future 21st century fforts. Said Secretary General Rasmussen: â€Å"It will not be a run for the exit†¦What will happen is that we hand over lead responsibility to the Afghans, and our soldiers will then move into a more supportive role. But I foresee that the Afghan security forces will need our supportive assistance for quite some time† (Fedynsky 2010). NATO will increasingly assume the role , suggests Rasmussen, of a peacekeeping force—keeping the domestic peace for Afghanistan in the interests of global peace.Global warming is of grave concern for all of NATO members, given that wars for the earth’s scarce energy resources can become a fertile source of interstate conflict. Nations with historical animosity to NATO members, such as those in the Persian Gulf, often harbor the greatest reserves of the world’s fossil fuels. Climate change can also result in critical reductions in the food supply and politically destabilizing natural disasters. Global warming has even intensified competition for territory: â€Å"Russia, the US, Canada, Norway and Denmark have all been attracted to the energy supply in the Arctic.Relations between these states has intensified after evidence revealed that global warming was melting the polar ice making, access to the energy supplies easier as jurisdiction over the region is still under dispute† (â€Å"Russia,â⠂¬  Press TV, 2009). â€Å"Climate change could confront us with a whole range of unpleasant developments — developments which no single nation state has the power to contain†¦. dwindling water and food supplies, global warming, and mass migration cause international tensions. [Climate change will] sharpen the competition over resources, notably water.It will increase the risks to coastal regions. It will provoke disputes over territory and farming land. It will spur migration and it will make fragile states even more fragile† warned NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (Waterfield 2008). Unspoken by Scheffer was the fact that Russia â€Å"aims to be among the world's top five economies in medium term† and has a strong â€Å"reliance on natural energy supplies such as oil and gas† and a strong interest in expanding its reserves (â€Å"Russia,† Press TV, 2009).Global concerns: Russia, missile shields and cyberterrorism Thus domestic co ncerns such as internal instability and even energy scarcity have global repercussions that affect NATO nations. That is why, despite the end of the Cold War, tensions between NATO member and non-member nations remain bubbling so close to the surface. It has not been forgotten by the Russian leadership that NATO was founded to address the security concerns raised by the now-defunct institutions of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact.Fears of ‘Star Wars’ shield defense systems were reignited in March when Secretary General Rasmussen, warning of the â€Å"looming threat of weapons of mass destruction,† made a case for a missile shield system for all NATO alliance states against â€Å"unconventional weapons and the missiles that [they] could carry†¦Should Iran produce intermediate- and intercontinental-range missiles†¦the whole of the European continent, as well as all of Russia would be in range,† he stated (Brunnstrom 2010).Rasmussen’s del iberate mention of Russia as a potential target for rogue states and terrorist organizations did little to allay the Russia’s fears that a NATO missile shield system would pose a threat to its security. In 2009, before the US announced its abandonment of a missile defense system in the Czech Republic, â€Å"a national security document released by Moscow describe[d] the US and NATO as major threats to the security of the world and Russia† (â€Å"Russia,† Press TV, 2009). Along with its disputes with Russia, cyberterrorism and terrorism have been pressing concerns in framing NATO’s global agenda for the future.The most visible aspect of NATO’s anti-terrorist campaign has been in terms of its military capacity through efforts such as Operation Active Endeavour (OAE), â€Å"a maritime surveillance operation led by NATO’s naval forces to undertake anti-terrorist patrol, escort and compliant boarding in the Mediterranean,† as well as NATO policing assistance protecting the public during high-profile events such as the Olympics and other international sporting events (â€Å"Topic: Terrorism,† NATO, 2010).NATO has also made every effort to deploy new technology in its efforts to subvert terrorist threats such as its Defense Against Terrorism Program of Work (DAT POW) which created the precision air-drop technology currently used in Afghanistan. Since 2007 cyber attacks in Estonia swamped government websites shortly after the Estonian government challenged the Russian government regarding the possession of a national monument, NATO’s awareness has been heightened about the security risks posed by cyberterrorism. The protection of NATO's key information systems in general, and cyber defense in particular, are integral parts of the functions of the Alliance† (â€Å"Topic: Terrorism,† NATO, 2010). In addition to specifically-coordinated military efforts, NATO has attempted to promote information sharing between member nations regarding terrorist threats and counter-terrorist efforts.However, the maintenance of hostilities between NATO and Russia continues to be of concern, given Russia’s fears of NATO missile defense systems, Russia’s desire to expand its territorial outreach for energy reserves, and Russia’s lack of willingness to engage in information exchanges with the Alliance. Russia is a critical partner in fighting global warming and terrorism, particularly because of its size, resources, and the fact that many cyber attacks have been traced to Russia.Building stronger relationships with Russia without compromising NATO’s domestic and global agenda will be a critical challenge for the Alliance in the 21st century.Works CitedBrunnstrom, David. â€Å"Missile Defense Needed Against Growing Threat, NATO Chief Says. † Reuters. March 26, 2009. May 14, 2010. http://www. globalsecuritynewswire. org/gsn/nw_20100326_9638. php Fedynsky, Peter. â€Å"NATO to Transfer Security Tasks to Afghan Government. Global Security. April 23, 2010. May 14, 2010. http://www. globalsecurity. org/military/library/news/2010/04/mil-100423-voa01. htm Goldschmidt, Pierre. Garry Hindle, R. Andreas Kraemer, Fabrice Pothier, Jamie Shea, Michael Stopford , Ashley J. Tellis & Brooks Tigner. â€Å"The Next Generation of Security Threats: Reprogramming NATO? † Carnegie Mellon: Europe. February 24, 2009. May 14, 2010. http://carnegieeurope. eu/events/? fa=1255 Russia: US, NATO main threats to global security. † Press TV. May 13, 2009. May 14, 2010. http://www. presstv. ir/detail. aspx? id=94616 §ionid=351020602 â€Å"Topic: Terrorism† NATO. 2001. May 14, 2010. http://www. nato. int/cps/en/natolive/topics_48801. htm Waterfield, Bruno. â€Å"NATO Chief warns of climate change developments. † The Daily Telegraph. 2008. May 14, 2010. http://www. nysun. com/foreign/nato-chief-warns-of-climate-change-developments/79215/

Rite Of Passage Among The Gaanda And American Society - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 608 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2019/08/15 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Rite of Passage Essay Did you like this example? Rite of passage among Gaanda and the United State share similar sacrifices but differ in their significance to each culture. Gaanda and the United States recognize the importance of cultural rituals in aiding their young children in their transition to adulthood. Both cultures commence their coming to age rituals at a young age for example, in Gaanda, girls begin their initiation ordeal at the age of six while in the United States their transition begin from the age of five years old as they embark in their education. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Rite Of Passage Among The Gaanda And American Society" essay for you Create order In both cultures, their transition to adulthood require commitment, time, and undergoing some form of pain. As mentioned earlier, the culture of Gaanda regard pain to be necessary for the transition to adulthood as it prepares the young for responsibilities and hardships that are part of their upcoming status as adults. Their commitment to their society is shown by enduring physical and psychological pain extensively for well over a decade. Similarly, young children in the United States undergo psychological pain such as stress throughout their academic life and their commitment is demonstrated through their perseverance in completing their college education. As their transition comes to an end, both cultures celebrate their commitment in a ceremonial process that contain certain rituals such as specific dress and activities. For examples, in Gaanda, the community held Yowo for girls who completed Hleeta. In this ceremony, the girls wear a traditional garment called takerkert that closely resembles a woven cloth apron in western culture. In the United States, graduation ceremonies also consist of wearing traditional dress known as cap and gowns and turning their cap tassels as symbol of transition to professionals. Additionally, in both societies respect is given to those individuals who complete their rite of passage as they value their commitment to their culture. While the rite of passage in both cultures share similar experiences, they differ in the significance as each culture embrace different values. In Gaanda, Hleeta is not only a marker that establishes an individuals identity within the community but also a tradition that fortifies the culture as a whole. Hleeta plays a central part in consolidating communities as these marking carry the same symbolic significance across all subgroups of Gaanda. This process, therefore, helps consolidate disperse communities as women from different subgroups can marry outside their community and thus help connect disperse communities. By continuing this process of scarification, young girls reinforce the communitys culture and values as they help preserve the tradition throughout generations. In contrast, the significance behind Americans rite of passage is to help students become independent individuals rather than members of a close-knitted community.  Ã‚   Americans believe that education plays an important role in individualism as it helps them develop knowledge, maturity and responsibility. Respectably, their personal growth and prosperity in life will be a result of their own efforts rather than through the help of others. In conclusion, rite of passage among the Gaanda and American society share a common believe that pain is necessary in the transition to adulthood, however, differ in their significance as each culture embraces different values. In Gaanda, Hleeta is used to help prepare young girls in their transition to womanhood and marriage by helping them develop physical and mental fortitude. In the Unites States, the psychosocial pain of stress found when receiving an education helps students mentally prepare for all the responsibilities and challenges that adults face as professionals in the working world. While their rituals differ, both cultures help their young children become successful members of society as both rite of passage rituals inculcate skills, knowledge and fortitude necessary to endure all the challenges that accompany adulthood.