Geographic Facts About Oregon

Geographic Facts About Oregon Oregon is a state located in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is north of California, south of Washington and west of Idaho. Oregon has a population of 3,831,074 people (2010 estimate) and a total area of 98,381 square miles (255,026 sq km). It is most known for its diverse landscape that includes a rugged coastline, mountains, dense forests, valleys, high desert and large cities such as Portland. Oregon Fast Facts Population: 3,831,074 (2010 estimate)Capital: SalemLargest City: PortlandArea: 98,381 square miles (255,026 sq km)Highest Point: Mount Hood at 11,249 feet (3,428 m) Interesting Info to Know About the State of Oregon Scientists believe that humans have inhabited the region of present-day Oregon for at least 15,000 years. The area was not mentioned in recorded history however until the 16th century when Spanish and English explorers spotted the coast. In 1778 Captain James Cook mapped part of Oregon’s coast while on a journey looking for the Northwest Passage. In 1792 Captain Robert Gray discovered the Columbia River and claimed the region for the United States.In 1805 Lewis and Clark explored the Oregon region as part of their expedition. Seven years later in 1811 John Jacob Astor established a fur depot called Astoria near the mouth of the Columbia River. It was the first permanent European settlement in Oregon. By the 1820s the Hudson’s Bay Company became the dominant fur traders in the Pacific Northwest and it established a headquarters at Fort Vancouver in 1825. In the early 1840s, Oregon’s population grew considerably as the Oregon Trail brought many new settlers into th e region.​In the late 1840s, the United States and British North America had a dispute about where the border between the two would be. In 1846 the Oregon Treaty set the border at the 49th parallel. In 1848 the Oregon Territory was officially recognized and on February 14, 1859, Oregon was admitted into the Union. Today Oregon has a population of over 3 million people and its largest cities are Portland, Salem, and Eugene. It has a relatively strong economy that depends on agriculture and various high-tech industries as well as natural resource extraction. The major agricultural products of Oregon are grain, hazelnuts, wine, assorted types of berries and seafood products. Salmon fishing is a major industry in Oregon. The state is also home to large companies such as Nike, Harry and David and Tillamook Cheese.Tourism is also a major part of Oregon’s economy with the coast being a major travel destination. The state’s large cities are also tourist destinations. Crater Lake National Park, the only national park in Oregon, averages about 500,000 visitors per year.As of 2010, Oregon had a population of 3,831,074 people and a population density of 38.9 people per square mile (15 people per square kilometer). Most of the state’s population, however, are clustered around the Portl and metropolitan area and along the Interstate 5/ Willamette Valley corridor. Oregon, along with Washington and sometimes Idaho, is considered a part of the United States’ Pacific Northwest and it has an area of 98,381 square miles (255,026 sq km). It is famous for its rugged coastline that stretches 363 miles (584 km). The Oregon coast is divided into three regions: the North Coast that stretches from the mouth of the Columbia River to Neskowin, the Central Coast from Lincoln City to Florence and the South Coast that stretches from Reedsport to the state’s border with California. Coos Bay is the largest city on the Oregon coast.Oregon’s topography is highly varied and consists of mountainous regions, large valleys such as the Willamette and Rogue, high elevation desert plateau, dense evergreen forests as well as redwood forests along the coast. The highest point in Oregon is Mount Hood at 11,249 feet (3,428 m). It should be noted that Mount Hood, like most of the other tall mountains in Oregon, is a part of the Cascade Mountain Range    a volcanic range stretching from northern California into British Columbia, Canada. In general Oregon’s varied topography is normally divided into eight different regions. These regions consist of the Oregon Coast, the Willamette Valley, the Rogue Valley, the Cascade Mountains, the Klamath Mountains, the Columbia River Plateau, the Oregon Outback and the Blue Mountains ecoregion.Oregon’s climate varies throughout the state but it is generally mild with cool summers and cold winters. The coastal regions are mild to cool year round while eastern Oregon’s high desert areas are hot in the summer and cold in the winter. High mountain areas such as the region around Crater Lake National Park have mild summers and cold, snowy winters. Precipitation generally occurs year-round in much of Oregon. Portland’s average January low temperature is 34.2ËšF (1.2ËšC) and its average July high temperature is 79ËšF (26ËšC).

6 steps to set yourself up for career success

6 steps to set yourself up for career success Do you want to set yourself up for success? Of course, you do- we all want that- most of us strive for happy, successful lives. However, what success means to each of us is a unique and individual thing, based on our specific desires and goals. It also changes over time for each of us- your professional goals and metrics for success when you’re at the beginning of your career path will probably look different than when you’re older and further along in your journey. Forbes recently published an article that highlights some helpful actions that you can take to achieve career success. According to the article, â€Å"no matter what your professional goals and visions are, there are six core actions that will support you to achieve greater success and fulfillment over the long arch of your professional life.†Consider taking advantage of these strategies to set yourself up for a successful future.Make a solid plan.If you want to achieve some measure of career success in your life, you first have to have a clearly discernible and measurable goal to pursue. There’s nothing more dispiriting and unmotivating than a directionless future. Defining a clear goal for yourself- one that will potentially deliver happiness and fulfillment when reached- will help you gain a healthy measure of clarity and allow you to carve out the steps necessary to achieve it.Don’t be afraid to set a specific goal out of fear that you’ll be handcuffed to it forever. Remember, your goals will likely change over time and across the span of your career. Also, don’t be afraid to fail- a life well lived often contains a series of successes and failures. The goal is to learn from both and take these valuable lessons to help guide you towards future success.Transform your depression.Depression can stop all forward progress in your life dead in its tracks. The Forbes article discusses making the effort to turn your depression into inspiration in order to get yourself back on the path to success: â€Å"This is a vitally important endeavor- to move away from feeling desperate, victimized and out of control in the face of your professional challenges.  The key is to learn how to be more accountable, responsible and capable- viewing what’s happening as a way for you to learn and grow.†There is never a time when things will always go your way. You are going to face setbacks and failures throughout your life, and despite your best efforts they can drag you down into a funk. Fight against it the best you can. Assess why you’re down, what went wrong, and how to avoid the same situation in the future. Make a plan about how you’ll climb out of your sadness and self-doubt. Action gives you control, which can make the skies seem a little clearer.Enforce boundaries.Once you have set a clear path towards success for yourself, it’s up to you to set and enforce boundaries that will allow you to keep on track. K eep away habits, people, and behaviors that will only drag you down. Depending on your goals, these boundaries will comprise your personal â€Å"mission statement†- capturing the priorities and steps needed for you to learn, grow, and move forward toward career success. It will also clarify things to avoid along the way- those unhealthy and negative things that only serve to derail your progress. In all areas of life, boundaries help us stay on track and reach our desired destination- use them to your full advantage and don’t be shy about sticking up for yourself and what you need.Commit yourself fully.Achieving your professional goals can be a real challenge- in addition to intense competition and hard work, there are a variety of unforeseen setbacks and obstacles that can potentially throw you off track along the way. Even the luckiest and most successful among us face these challenges- the key difference between those who eventually achieve success and those who giv e up before they reach their goals is often commitment. Put in those extra hours. When you fail, try again. When you get rejected, apply somewhere else. Keep your plan and goal in mind and don’t stop when you veer off course- and you  will veer off course, so plan on it.Learn how to communicate with power.Your voice can be a powerful tool as you advocate for yourself in the professional world. Successful individuals in all walks of like make sure they are clearly and confidently articulating their ideas, thoughts, visions, and goals to the world around them, and are constantly their own best advocates, striving to create positive outcomes whenever possible. As you travel along your path to success, make sure you follow the same mindset.Maintain strong connections.Although we each strive to be the architect of our own successful future, we must admit that none of us operate in isolation- we are all part of a collective of individuals whom we support and draw support from, an d nurturing these relationships is often a crucial step towards achieving success. According to the Forbes article, â€Å"†¦highly successful professionals understand that they cannot achieve their visions alone or in a vacuum.  They invest time and energy in building mutually-beneficial relationships, and solid bonds and energizing partnerships that last over time.† On your journey to success, be sure to recognize, value, and take care of these important relationships- and build new ones along the way.If you’re relatively new to the world of work and are in the early stages of your career path, consider following these helpful guidelines to help you either define what a successful future looks like for you, or to help you achieve the goals you have set for yourself and find success. Good luck!

Segmentation and Introduction to Product Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Segmentation and Introduction to Product - Essay Example This is a category of the market that requires the color and the type of shapes that the product is associated with. It is star shaped and the unique shape is meant to attract children. Children respond better to such uniqueness that the product is known for. The cereal is manufactured from whole grain wheat and provides eight important vitamins and other essential minerals such as iron and calcium. These minerals help in growth which makes the product more suitable for children. The packaging of products determines the response they get from the market. In this case, the packaging has lots of cartoons which would draw attention from children. One other feature that makes this cereal favorable to women is the fact that it is chocolate flavored. The affinity women have for chocolate would draw their attention to notice this product when on a shopping spree. Consequently, as a product targeting women, Estreliats is bound to captivate the female

Social problem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Social problem - Essay Example Clearly, there are a number of factors involved in making social change. Time does play a part but changes normally do not come of their own accord. There are several forces such as political influences, technological innovations, economic changes, legal demands and other catalysts which drive how a social problem can become a social issue that demands action from the people at large (Hill, 2003). An analysis of these forces therefore is very important for all students of sociology and human behaviour since an understanding of these forces can lead to an understanding of how the norms of society change. In many ways, these forces are also connected with each other and certain drivers of social change overlap amongst the factors mentioned above. For example, the media is one source of social awareness which overlaps with technology and with the economy since individuals which are socially better off may have access to various types of media such as the internet and foreign news sources while those in a lower stratum of society may not be aware of such avenues of getting of information (Baldock, 2004). Therefore, it is better if an analysis is made individually for these factors to show they can convert issues into social problem. Perhaps the easiest way today to make an issue a social problem is to bring it into politics and it can easily be used to distract the public from other issues which might be more pertinent or important. For example, the war on terrorism is a prime situation where the attention of the media, the newspapers, public opinion as well as private discussion were all diverted towards the topic and other problems like the genocide in Sudan, the rising poverty levels of the world and the problem of the environmental degradation of the planet due to human activity were all pushed under the carpet. This situation, If not permanently true, was at least very true for the time being. For example, the case of

The first law of thermodynamics Essay Example for Free

The first law of thermodynamics Essay The first law of thermodynamics states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only be converted from one form to another. This can be illustrated using the example of steam power. Thermal energy is stored in steam. This steam can be used to drive an steam engine which converts this thermal energy in the steam into kinetic energy of the unit (say steam driven train). In thermal power plants, fossil fuel is burnt to produce steam and the thermal energy in the steam then drives the turbine to produced electricity. Thus thermal energy of the steam gets converted into electrical energy. From these two illustrations it becomes obvious that energy can neither be created nor destroyed it can only be converted from one form to another. Three types of non-renewable power plants and the fuel consumed by these power plants are listed below. Fuels cells use the electrons produced in a chemical reactions to produce electricity. One example is Hydrogen – Oxygen Fuel cell. In this case Hydrogen is oxidized at anode into hydrogen ions plus electrons and oxygen is reduced at cathode into oxide ions at cathode. Anode and cathode is separated by solid electrolytes and connected by a metallic wire. The electrons move from anode to the cathode through the metallic wire and thus electricity is produced. This is very clean source of electrical energy. Criteria for acceptability of energy alternatives are listed below. Technological feasibility – It should be technologically feasible to convert the energy into usable forms like electricity etc. Abundance – The energy source should be available in abundance. Reliability – The energy source should be reliable. This is particularly relevant for wind energy and solar energy in the regions of unpredictable sky conditions and wind conditions. Capital Expenditure – Generally capital expenditure requirements are high and act as major barrier for exploiting renewable energy sources.

Initiative 200 :: essays research papers

Affirmative Action Under Attack by Initiative 200?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Affirmative action is under heavy attack by initiative 200, and it should not be. It should not be under fire because it serves as an act of restitution for the discrimination and hurt that we have caused African-Americans and other minorities throughout this century. It is our job to repair and repay blacks because our performance in the past has immediately affected their present status.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Americans, especially white males until late, were not opposed to affirmative action. This is only because affirmative action primarily benefited white males. It was the privileges our colonial fathers established on the basis of race and gender that allowed white males to dominate the job market with little or no contention. Some even believe that affirmative action is preferential treatment for white males.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  White males have used race consistently in two ways since the Civil War: for the purpose of inclusion and exclusion. They have used race inclusively to benefit themselves and exclusively to deny opportunity to others. In the past, white males were preferred. In the present, however, affirmative action, though still based on race and gender, is used to include those who in the past were excluded. In more precise terms, with today’s affirmative action, or preferential treatment, we are attempting to adjust for the imbalances of the past that have been carried on into the present.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All of this seems so intuitively obvious, so why then can’t most Americans understand why affirmative action is obligatory? I believe the answer is as follows: Americans have refuse to recognize that there is and empirical relationship between the past and the present. They refuse to recognize that understanding the effects of past discrimination on the present is the key to explaining why affirmative action is not only needed in the present, but is the moral and political responsibility of so-called Christian nation. A recognition such as this would also demonstrate the inadequacies of present-day affirmative action. Affirmative action is a cheap price for blacks to settle for, given he way America has systematically discriminated against them in order to preserve and protect white male, and increasingly, white female privilege.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Since the Civil War and up to the 1954 Brown vs. the Board of Education decision, African Americans have been denied equal access to higher education and the labor market, and they have been denied by law.

Crowd Behaviour Essay

People are likely to act in bizarre ways in a crowd compared to as an individual. A crowd can be defined as a set of individuals who share a common social identification of themselves in terms of that crowd. Crowd members should also share common goals and act in a coherent member (Reicher, 2008). There have been extensive amounts of research into crowd psychology, investigating the apparent causes and reasons for such behaviour to occur. Many different theories exist to attempt to explain why people fall into this interesting state of social influence when they are in crowds. This essay will attempt to investigate how we might best explain crowd behaviour. Le Bon’s (1896) early attempt to explain this phenomenon suggested that crowd behaviours are pathological and abnormal, where people are reduced to a primitive or instinctive mode of behaviour. This theory proposes that feelings of anonymity cause people in a crowd to lose their sense of self and responsibility and act in ways that stem from a ‘group mind’. Through this group mind people are freed from social norms and natural animal instincts are released causing riots and irrational violence. However, since the initial suggestion of the ‘group mind’, this theory has been largely rejected. The main reasoning for this being that the theory does not acknowledge the importance of power in crowd behaviours, which appears to be a key factor in collective behaviour. One speculation that remains important from Le Bon’s group mind theory is that the feeling of crowd anonymity appears to be influential in creating various subsequent theories to explain crowd behaviour, such as the theory of deindividuation. However, the rejection of the group mind does not mean that we should then reject the study of group processes as groups have distinctive properties from individual behaviour. Instead, we should begin to look at group processes with a different perspective. Tajfel (1970) claims that all social behaviour falls on a continuum that spans from interpersonal to intergroup behaviour. Intergroup behaviour is defined with these three criteria: the presence of two distinct groups, low variability in attitudes and behaviour of group members, and low variability in one person’s attitudes to group members.  This helps to explain this readiness in which a person can switch from one view of someone to another (e.g. saying all catholics are bad people, and then going on to say the neighbor (who is a catholic) is such a lovely person). This can arise because when you become part of a group you start to see people as a category not as individuals. The theory of Deindividuation (Deiner, 1976; and Zimbardo, 2007) followed on to these early speculations. The model states that when surrounded by others in a crowd people lose self-awareness. Consequently, people become more susceptible to external cues and to the groups motives and emotions. Ultimately, these factors may lead group members to engage in unsocial and possibly antisocial behaviours. According to Zimbardo, being part of a large group can create a sense of anonymity and diffuses personal responsibility throughout the group for the consequences of one’s actions. This can lead to the loss of identity and a reduced concern for social evaluation. Behaviour resulting can then be impulsive and irrational as there are different set ‘normal’ social and personal norms. Zimbardo’s electric shock experiment gives support to the deindividuation theory, providing evidence that the mean duration of the shock administered by deindividuated participants (they were wearing a coat and a hood to increase anonymity) was nearly twice as long than that of the people who retained their individual identities. Further research also suggests that this sense of anonymity is increased as the size of the group increases and also increases in darker conditions. For example: the violent crowd in the Bristol riots, as darkness fell, violence escalated thus increasing the anonymity of the crowd members. Research by Jaffe and Yinon (1979) compared the mean intensity of shock administered by individuals with that administered by participants in groups of three. As they predicted, those who participated in groups consistently gave much stronger ‘shocks’ than those acting on their own giving evidence for the idea that the sense of anonymity increases with the size of the group. However, some research disagrees that increased anonymity leads to increases antisocial and aggressive behaviour. Some argue that deindividuation and anonymity may in fact result in decreased aggression and improved group relations, indicating that these antisocial behaviours may not be automatic or inevitable consequences of anonymity. Despite much of the early literature proposing that deindividuation factors such as anonymity, loss of self-awareness and group size are associated with antisocial and aggressive behaviours, some more recent findings suggest that deindividuation influences are often sometimes related to increases in pro-social normative behaviour. Zimbardo (1969) provides support for this criticism of the deindividuation theory, having participants either dress in KKK cloaks, or a nurse uniform in an electric shock learning experiment. Results showed that those wearing the nurse uniform chose to reduce the level of shocks administered, and especially in the deindividuated conditions – the person wearing no name tag. In fact, deindividuation by itself did not increase aggression significantly, even for those wearing the KKK outfit. These findings have an influential effect on the understanding of group behaviour as they show that being in a group does not necessarily lead to destructive, antiso cial behaviour as Zimbardo implied. It seems that crowd behaviour often tends to depend on the situation and how salient the norms are. Given the previous literature, Diener (1980) argues that the main factor in crowd behaviour is determined by a loss of self-awareness. He then suggests that factors present in crowd situations such as cohesion and anonymity, can lead people to focus their attention outwards and less on themselves and on personal standards. As a result, people’s behaviour becomes less self-regulated and more determined by immediate cues and norms present in groups around them. Subsequently, these cues will not always direct violence, but will vary across different situations. The literature also fails to consider the context of behaviour or to distinguish anonymity when someone is in a group from anonymity when they are alone. In addition, members of a crowd are barely ever truly anonymous; as individuals identities are often known to other members of the crowd, and they therefore only will appear anonymous to outsiders of the crowd. People often gain a sense of pride rioting together in a group, such as supporters of the same team at a football match, which is far from losing their identities. All of the previous models focus on what is lost when part of a crowd – loss of identity, loss of individuality, and loss of self-awareness. This perspective of understanding group behaviour is a negative and highly  unproductive way to think about collective behaviour; it would be much more productive to think about change (Reicher et al., 1995). Reicher’s research into crowd behaviour has come up with three important features of crowd situations. Firstly, crowds nearly always involve more than one group. This intergroup factor has been essentially ignored in the previous literature for crowd behaviour since the group mind fallacy. Secondly, he suggests that people do not become anonymous, but take on a new identity in a crowd. Reicher (1984) studied vivosection attitudes in Science and Social Science students, with science students generally being more PRO and social sciences students more ANTI. In each category, half of the students were made aware of group membership (e.g. seated together, reffered to as groups, wore KKK membership clothing, etc). Attitudes of Science students became more pro-vivosection and social science students become more anti-vivosection. These findings oppose Deiners theory that deindividuation leads to a loss of self-regulation and gives support to Reicher’s view that you don’t lose your identity in a group based situation, but your identity changes to fall in line with group norms. This follows on from Turners (1983) suggestion of the distinction between personal and social aspects of the self. There is a shift along the interpersonal group continuum from personal identity to social identity. There is then a change in what is seen as the appropriate standard of behaviour. These standards of behaviour and norms are now determined by the group’s social identity rather than by personal or environmental factors. This can help to understand why the behaviour of rioters and police can be so different, when they are exposed to the same stimuli, for when they adopt their respective identities they become influenced by very different goals and social norms. This shows that when a person becomes part of a crowd or group, their social identity as a group member becomes more important and their individual identity becomes less important. Although people may sometimes lose some sense of their identity at times, they will often adopt a stronger sense of their social identity as a member of that particular group. Crowd behaviour, according to Reicher, therefore involves a change rather than a loss of identity. Reicher’s new theory of  crowd behaviour raised four issues that do not fall in line with Deiner’s deindividuation theory. 1. Although crowd behaviour is violent, it is often under control at the same time. 2. Crowds are not always anonymous. 3. Though people are previously suggested to lose self-awareness in crowds and thus respond to cues in particular situations, how come people will respond differently? 4. If crowd behaviour leads to a loss in identity, how come a sense of pride often results from crowd interaction? When Reicher (1987) interviewed people who were part of the St Paul’s riots he received some interesting feedback such as â€Å"we feel great, we feel confident it was a vic tory† and â€Å"You were grinning at everybody, because everyone was from St Paul’s†. These statements provide evidence that those feelings of anonymity and a suggested loss of identity in groups are not present when people are successful in their groups perhaps gaining a sense of pride in their group and coming together to celebrate. To conclude, there are three important points that I would like to reiterate. Firstly, Zimbardo’s pessimism about groups is seemingly unjustified with much evidence pointing in the opposite direction. Depending on each particular situation and the norms that are important in each, behaviour can become either pro-social or anti-social in crowd environments. Though where Zimbardo does seem to be right is that people’s behaviour in a group situation can become much more extreme than how they would behave on their own. The second point is that people’s behaviour in crowds does not always worsen. Support from both Zimbardo and Deiner suggest that in groups people are subjected to a loss of identity and loss of control. However, Reicher’s more recent research into crowd behaviour suggests that this idea is mistaken. It has been shown that people’s behaviour is still in control, yet by different psychological processes. Groups seem to have a common goal in mind in acting as they do, and also that their actions are often motivated by identification with some group. Finally, when viewing group behaviour from an intergroup perspective, the goal and identity directed aspects of collective behaviour are more evident. In almost every situation of crowd behaviour, it is possible to determine an out-group, which will play an important role in the actions of the crowd. Overall, there are many different crowd psychology theories, some of which explain different aspects of crowd behaviour. However, research gives much support to the use of intergroup perspective rather than interpersonal theories to explain this phenomenon. References Diener, E. (1976). Effects of prior destructive behavior, anonymity, an group presence on deindividuation and aggression. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 33, 497-507. Diener, E. (1980). Deindividuation, self-awareness, and disinhibition. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37, 1160-1171. Le Bon, G. (1947). The Crowd: a study of the popular mind. London: Ernest Benn. Reicher, S. D., Spears, R. and Postmes, T. (1995). A social identity model of deindividuation phenomena. European Review of Social Psychology, 6, 161-198. Reicher, S. D. (1984b). The St. Pauls’ Riot: An explanation of the limits of crowd action in terms of a social identity model. European Journal of Social Psychology, 14, 1-21. Reicher, S. D. (2008). The Psychology of Crowd Dynamics. Blackwell Handbook of Social Psychology: Group Processess, 9, 151-168 Tafjel, H. (1970). Experiments in intergroup discrimination. Scientijic American, 223, 96102. Turner, J. C. (1983). Some comments on ‘the measurement of social orientations in the minimal group paradigm’. European Journal of Social Psychology, 13, 351-368 Zimbardo, P. G. (1969). The Human Choice: Individuation, reason, and order versus Deindividuation, impulse and chaos. Nebraska Symposium on Motivation, 17, 237-307

How Social Production Transforms Markets and Freedom Essay

In the book â€Å" The Wealth of Networks: How Social Production Transforms Markets and Freedom† by Yochai Benkler, he discussed the diversity of network and its impact to different aspects of society. Benklers discussed that technology is a big part of the development that had occurred. Technology is a tool used to a more effective communication. Media today uses these technologies to provide assurance that the message is delivered to the people. Internet has become a fast growing form of information source and communication tool. With this expansion comes its effect of distributing the main structure of producing and allocating information, culture and knowledge. Information is just a click away. This became a common source of reference whenever one wants to know something. This is said to be an open source to the public. In the process of acquiring this information, the most of the intelligence and effort shared by the author has the potential of being reused due to exposure. The complex network enables to diffuse the core information and be used by other as their own. Because of these economic characteristics, the mass-media model of information and cultural production and transmission became the dominant form of public communication in the twentieth century. Equally important is the example of the news media: fair use is healthy and vigorous in daily broadcast television, where references to popular films, classic TV programs, archival images, and popular songs are constant and routinely unlicensed. Internet is now on its constant development and through this communication is possible no matter how distant it is. The property right at issue is almost entirely a matter of respecting the authorship of the original work with the use of open source code, no less than with scholarly work. This sense of propriety, however, operates with a rigor in scholarship that exceeds the bounds of copyright law. Copyright only protects the author’s expression and wording of an idea from being used by another beyond the realm of fair use. By means of this, the author’s original idea can be protected and assured that his name will be credited when his work was used. The other issue that Benkler stated that the Media is also an open source where there is a distribution of new knowledge which we may apply to our culture and social traits as individuals. These have little impacts in small daily activities as we cannot notice, which at some point we may see that we had changed eventually. Some values that had been perceived are caused by these emerging networks. Since this had also been an environment to us and we need to adapt to these changes. Cultural production in the form of the networked information economy offers individuals a greater participatory role in making the culture they occupy and makes the culture more transparent to its inhabitants. On my understanding, it is true that advancement in these aspects is also giving development on human meaning and communication. Wide network can provide the potential for better human welfare and development and freedom. Human perception is perceived and improved constantly. We can also observe that most of us rely on computers. We can practice skills and acquire additional knowledge through this wide scope of information that is open to the public. Whether how small the task is, it still contributes to one’s personal enhancement through technological experience. This provides us a more complex human development. Another optimism of Benkler which I agree is that because of enhanced technology and wide network of information, we practice and shape the freedom in the society. This has impact on the modern liberal society. Changes in the technological, economic, and social affordances of the networked information environment affect a series of core commitments of a wide range of liberal democracies. Benklers’ optimism towards these changes is in accord to my opinion. Accessibility of media is not a problem anymore. Proliferation of networks has provided the industry, culture and social contributions to the changing society. Because of technological advancement and network expansion, our jobs became easier and more efficient. Also, with the new invented tools and equipment, we can do things we only imagine that would be possible. But with this progress comes with the disadvantages of the complex network that is still extending. One is the exposure of information where it can be abused by the users. They can use them and not acknowledge the author. In this issue, the end user takes the credit of the idea which is not his. This common crime happens commonly on the use of the internet. References: Benkler,Yochai. The Wealth of Networks: How Social Production Transforms Markets and Freedom. (2005) Documentary Filmmakers Statement of Best Practices in Fair Use. (2005). www. centerforsocialmedia. org/fairuse. htm Willinsky, John. The Unacknowledged Convergence Of Open Source, Open Access, and Open Science. First Monday. (July 2005) www. firstmonday. org/issues/issue10_8/willinsky/

Corporate merger between Volkswagen and Porsche

Corporate merger between Volkswagen and Porsche Introduction There are different ways in which a company can stimulate growth either internally or internally. External growth as defined by Block, Hirst and Danielson is the growth of firms through amalgamation, mergers or takeovers/acquisitions. The authors define a merger as being ‘the agreed amalgamation between two firms.’ There are different types of mergers namely vertical, horizontal and conglomerate merger (Block et al, 2008).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Corporate merger between Volkswagen and Porsche specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More History of the relationships of the two companies leading up to the final merger in 2009 Volkswagen and Porsche are two firms that are well recognized and established in the automotive industry. Based in Germany, both companies were founded by Ferdinand Porsche in the 1930s and have remained in the Porsche and Piech families to date. There has been contention an d rivalry, some fuelled by family differences between the two firms; in 2005, Porsche, the smaller of the two companies, began a takeover bid that included buying Volkswagen stock. This plan might have worked had Porsche not fallen into financial constraint (Anon, 2009). Volkswagen had to step in with a merger proposal which Porsche fought off fiercely but finally had to give in to because it would mean an infusion of much needed cash into the latter firm’s fried up coffers. The merger between the two companies, which hit a couple of snags, was finally ironed out in late 2009 (Kingsbury Dauer, 2009). A brief description of the firms Volkswagen and Porsche and the automobile industry The automotive industry is feeling the pinch of the global economic recession. The two auto makers are not the only companies to go the way of the merger. There are other acquisitions that have taken place recently and by all appearances it looks like there are many more on the way. Fiat, the Ita lian car making firm, has plans to acquire Chrysler as well as Europe’s branch of General Motors. VW is the biggest carmaker in Europe having annual sales in the excess of US $151 billion and selling up to 6.7 million units a year. Porsche has lower revenue of US $9.3 billion selling about one hundred thousand units annually (Kingsbury Dauer, 2009). Porsche and Volkswagen have a long history that goes way before the issue of a merger arose. Ferdinand Piech and Wolfgang Porsche, the respective chairpersons of the two firms, are the grandchildren of Ferdinand Porsche who foundered both companies in the 1930s.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Members of the Porsche and Piech families own between them 50% of Porsche Automobil SE stock. The two firms have even collaborated in the past to put on the market vehicles such as the Porsche Cayene SUV and the Touareg wh ose parts are manufactured in the same plant (Anon, 2009). Competition within the automobile industry The automobile industry is very competitive, more so in the face of the global financial crisis that has shaken even the strongest of giants. The top ten brands on the global market are Toyota, General Motors, Volkswagen, Hyundai, Ford Motor, Company, Peugeot, Honda, Suzuki and Renault. In the biting recession, the motor industry has been hard hit with major companies such as GM and Chrysler seeking bankruptcy protection from their governments or opting for mergers. The units of sales have declined sharply and profit margins have narrowed. Being in the automobile industry is simply not as lucrative as it was before the recession (carazoo.com, 2009). Why the Volkswagen-Porsche merger is a vertical merger There are three different types of mergers namely horizontal, vertical and conglomerate mergers. A conglomerate merger is one between two firms that are in two totally unrelated fiel ds of business while a vertical merger is one that takes place between two firms in a related business but with one being the buyer and the other the seller. A vertical merger takes place between two firms in the same line of business and who are competitors of each other (Block et al, 2008). Thus, the merger between Porsche and VW is a vertical merger because both firms are in the automotive industry. Why the Volkswagen-Porsche merger is a ‘friendly’ acquisition and the concerns regarding the acquisition The merger between VW and Porsche can be termed as a friendly merger because the terms of the merger have been negotiated by directors of the two firms until they have worked out an agreement which both parties find satisfactory. There was a three and a half year tag of war between Volkswagen and Porsche before the two companies finally hammered out a deal that was satisfactory to both. Porsche initially wanted total acquisition of VW, going as far as buying up 75% of VW stock, but had to settle for a merger (Boston, 2009). What VW plans to do is to take the brand names, along with other brands already under VW, and consolidate them into a holding company which Porsche terms as being an ‘integrated leading company’ (Boston, 2009). Synergy gains, portfolio effects, taxes, risk and the Volkswagen-Porsche mergerAdvertising We will write a custom essay sample on Corporate merger between Volkswagen and Porsche specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Firms create mergers for a varied number of reasons; these can either be financial or non-financial (Block et al, 2008). The reasons behind the merger between Volkswagen and Porsche fall into both of these categories. One of the motives that can drive firms to form mergers is on a bid cost savings; this is to the cut down on the cost of growth as compared to gearing internal growth. Taking over from a destabilized firm is more cost effective than tryi ng to generate growth using the resources that are already at the firm’s disposal. Acquisition means that the resources that were available to the acquired firm are now at the disposal of the firm conducting the acquisition (Block et al, 2008). A non-financial reason for carrying out a merger is for its managerial rewards. A firm may have the aspiration to expand its management and marketing capabilities while at the same time acquire new products to add to its brand. While this can be done through internal growth, it would be more expensive and take a greater deal of innovativeness and the dedication of a more company resources. Through acquisition, the firm can achieve all of the above in a way that is actually beneficial to itself. Those on the management team of the acquiring firm might be presented with the opportunity to get lucrative management positions that result from the merger (Block et al, 2008). For a firm like Volkswagen, there is also power play involved. Pors che and VW have been waging a power struggle for years now, with either company trying to outdo the other. Porsche incurred a debt of US $2 billion while covertly buying VW stock in a secret takeover bid. The thrill and prestige of whoever was to get the last laugh has shaped the way the two firms are going about their merger with VW seemingly turning the tables on Porsche at the last moment (Anon, 2009). The former CEO of Porsche, Wendelin Wiedeking saw the merger between the two firms as a way of making them into a single holding so that there would be created an economy of scale. Wiedeking’s reasoning was that if Porsche became a part of the VW group, then the former would not face the stiff penalties governing carbon emissions by automobiles that have been put in place in Europe since VW has automobiles that are considered fuel efficient and low-emission. Porsche’s automobiles would then segue in with the VW ones without attracting too much attention (Boston, 2009) .Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More But why would the stockholders be willing for a merger to take place? Stockholders can be motivated to back a merger because for them it means that if the merger transaction is to be conducted in shares, then they will have the chance to acquire stock in the new company (Block et al, 2008). Stockholders can also get a chance to branch out into new and varied investments if the merger transaction is performed in cash. Taking the example of VW and Porsche, stockholders in the VW firm will be presented with the opportunity to acquire Porsche shares and stock. Mergers can be good for shareholders because it will mean more value on the shares. Mergers have the potential of raising the earnings per share because of greater confidence of their value on the stock market (Block et al, 2008). When a large firm acquires a smaller one, the acquiring firm can make a quick profit by asset stripping. For the acquiring firm, a profit can be made by selling off assets brought in by the acquired busi ness (Block et al, 2008). A firm can be financially inclined to form a merger because of the resulting ‘portfolio effect’. This results when a firm can reap the benefits of economies of scale, cutting down on production costs as output increases on fewer resources, having a more extensive market reach and a broader market segment, as well as building up its tying and bundling techniques (Block et al, 2008). A merger can also make a firm more attractive to investment bankers who show an interest in financing projects that the firm might run in the future. Mergers may make a firm appear more financially sound and make it more viable to lending institutions. This is probably, another portfolio effect, because of the diversification of risk, without compromising the firm’s rate of returns (Block et al, 2008). Another non-financial reason for conducting mergers is to create synergy so as to cut down on production costs while at the same time increasing output. It is m ore profitable to apply a larger production unit to achieve a given task as compared to having smaller units performing the same tasks independently (Block et al, 2008). Conclusion As has been illustrated above, mergers can be beneficial to the acquiring firm because it creates room for growth. Mergers also have a portfolio effect in that the acquiring firms can access a larger market segment, spread their risk, capitalize on synergy and add to the value of their stock. The merger between Volkswagen and Porsche has taken nearly three years to work out. In the end, it will be beneficial to both firms since, being powerhouses on their own, their combined name will be an even more marketable brand. Again, Volkswagen can infuse the cash needed into Porsche to get the ailing firm out of its financial doldrums. Despite the initial hefty taxation costs that Volkswagen will have to pay in its acquisition of Porsche and the added risk of possible suits from hedge funds, the acquisition of Po rsche can be considered a feather in VW’s cap. Bibliography Anon. (2009, July 20). The World from Berlin: New Hurdles for VW-Porsche Merger. Spiegel Online International. Web. Block, S., Hirt, G., Danielsen, B. (2008). Foundations of Financial Management (13th ed.). New York: McGraw HIll. Boston, W. (2009, May 7). Porsche and VW Agree to a Merger. Time Magazine. Web. carazoo.com. (2009, October 7). Top 10 Car Makers of the World of 2009, Page 2 of 2 Associated Content associatedcontent.com. Automotive. Kingsbury, K., Dauer, U. (2009, August 14). VW Seals Deal for Porsche in Reversal of Fortune. WSJ.com. Wall Street Journal. New York. Web.

Free sample - Counter-force. translation missing

Counter-force. Counter-forceCounterforce can be defined as an opposing or a contrary force, particularly a military force that is capable of destructing the nuclear armaments that belong to an enemy.   Counterforce ensures that the adversary is disarmed by destructing its nuclear weapons earlier before they can be launched, and by this way, the impact of a retributive second strike is minimized. It is true that a counterforce target does not include an adversary’s population, political, or economic resources. A perfect counterforce attack would not kill any civilian. Military attacks have a tendency to causing collateral harm however. Particularly, this is very true as the nuclear weapons are used. In nuclear terms it has been found that most of the military targets are placed very close to civilian centers, such that if a major counterforce strike takes place, a number of civilian causalities will possibly result. Irrespective of the number and size of nuclear warheads, civilians will be threatened as long as the weapons are close to civilian centers (Lee, 1996).  Ã‚   Counterforce operations have been found to be the most effective in forbidding the use of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction which include, biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons, at the commencement of a conflict. At the same time, the counterforce operations can be used to confuse, disorientate, and disorganize the forces of any given adversary.   Most of the people persistently believe that, the capability to fight, endure, and win a nuclear war makes the only really efficacious deterrent, and counterforce is the preferred strategy for these people (Hilsman, 1999).   It is apparent that counterforce is very important when it comes to damage limiting by the process of offensive action. Damage limitation can also come about due to defensive measures. If a country’s counterforce strike against an enemy is successful, it can indubitably limit the damage the enemy could cause the country. Counterforce operations will to a greater extent contribute to success in the time of war. The word damage-limiting is in a useful manner limited to describing the capabilities, defensive or offensive, that attempt to diminish the damage which the adversary can possibly inflict upon a country. This appropriates the expression ‘damage avoidance’ for the weapons systems, strategies, and warheads through which a nation would attempt to minimize the damage it would have to impose upon an enemy during the military operation. It has been found that a damage avoiding attack calls for the employment of accurate, small-sized warheads, and very accurate mis siles to eliminate those weapons of the adversary with the slightest practicable harm to the adversary’s people as well as economy (Lee, 1996). By Lee (1996), a perfect weapon for damage avoidance will destroy the weapons for enemies without harming their troops. Apparently, this will leave the adversary without a way to retaliate, and at the same time holding the adversary open to the coercive power of the weapons just like the involved nation will withhold from their counterforce strike. To diminish the enemy potential to impose damage on nations such as United States, offensive and defensive are the two ways which are employed. This is to eliminate by counterforce assail enemy missiles as well as other systems which are to deliver the warheads even before they can leave their forces. By this way, counterforce attack reduces the susceptibility of a nation by improvements in peaceful defenses as well as developing effectual antimissile systems of defense. By use of offensive, the capability of the enemy is curtailed by diminishing the total number of warheads which could be thrown at the involved nation.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to Hilsman (1999), counterforce is a relatively effective strategy due to the following reasons: it is much easier to identify the location of an enemy weapon and attack it earlier before it is operational or is fired; and as well counterforce is found efficient and effective at the margins. The targets are frequently stationary and their whereabouts can be ascertained beforehand. This means that, to target the operating and storage facilities is easier as compared to destroying missile warheads which are traveling in the direction of a target at a very high speed. The fixed targets are comparatively large and at times located anterior to hostilities, meaning that they are susceptible to be destroyed as compared to moving individual weapons. Counterforce attacks are seen to be more efficient as compared to active defenses since they stretch forth the prospect of destroying lots of warheads or delivery systems with comparatively few weapons. In this case, it is true that expenditure rates on weapons favor counterforce to a greater extent such that a given nation can easily afford the option. For example, it is relatively easy to destroy ten warheads on a missile that is in its silo as compared to destroying individual ten warheads during which they speed in the direction of their targets. Surely, as one adopts an infrastructure of weapons system from individual warhead to the facilities of production, counterforce’s effectiveness at the margins gets readily obvious. Using the counterforce, there is an increased probability to destroy lots of missiles by attacking the facilities of assembly-fueling-mating as well as to destroy the big number of delivery vehicles by assailing the facilities for their storage. By stre tching out the prospect of destroying a number of individual weapons at the same time, counterforce has been found to be the most efficient constituent of a theater missile defense effort (Hilsman, 1999). According to Lee (1996), counterforce strategists reason that with sufficient counterforce capacity, a country can inflict a bargain that is not favorable to its opponent. By the intra-war hindrance that is provided by the counterforce capacity, a country can have its opponent to discontinue attacking, and this can be achieved in a way that is to the country’s relative advantage. It is of great importance when a country ensures that the opponent accepts a larger component of the restraint burden would there be projections concerning the war to be suitably limited. Through the use of its counterforce capability in forcing the opponents to pick out restraint, the country can have the most effectual way of attaining a suitable limited nuclear war.  Ã‚  Ã‚   References Hilsman, R., (1999). From Nuclear Military Strategy to a World Without War. New York: Praeger. Lee, S., (1996). Morality, Prudence, and Nuclear Weapons. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Choose from description below Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Choose from description below - Research Paper Example The author gives a good example of Europe during the Cold War when a huge percentage of the countries embraced the constriction of their soldiers (Yew-Kwang 374). However, the military draft was governed with a lot of controversies ranging from the costs incurred on the same which has forced a huge percentage of the countries to focus on volunteer efforts from other agencies so as to evade the costs (Yew-Kwang 375). Additionally, the weapons adopted in the war system are actually extremely sophisticated which has also contributed immensely to the elimination of conscription (Yew-Kwang 374). Despite the fact that the author argues, that the military draft may involve a lesser cost, it is arguable that the costs of paying this fee will be burdened on the taxpayers who have to overstretch their pockets to cater for that fund (Yew-Kwang 375). Sands’ article argues that the military draft may be useful for the protection of the humans, but the challenges that come alongside it are massive. The author gives an example of the Soviet bloc during the 2nd World War (Sands 33). The article also explains that adopting an all-conscript force is actually too expensive and does not save much cost for the taxpayers (Sands 33). Leaders of the present day era, as Sands argues, are ones that military forces and not military-conscript forces (34). Hummel explains that the military draft was applied in the case of USA during the Mexican war (30). The practices of the militia were by then varied from state to the other, some states spending about 2.5 % for the military draft (Hummel 40). Hummel takes a stand by saying that the difference portrayed in the USA militia drafts kept improving over the years, which led to efficient services from the militants (48). However, the author concludes by saying volunteer militia would be fit today, as opposed to provision of drafts as well as coercion to the militants (Hummel 69) Critique Yew-Kwang’s article may be termed as a vali d one for the study of the topic. It begins from the perspective of the author on what they would have done if they were to choose for or against the military draft. The author then gives an introduction that summarizes the paper. The next section focuses on the analysis of the work which is also explained in the form of graphical representation to explain the author’s perspective in details. The author also gives a simple model of calculation of the draft and its implications in a graphical representation with formulae to explain the graph (Yew-Kwang 379). From the conclusion of the article, it is evident that the author supports military draft in a way as he argues out to the economists that the draft may attract desirable costs. Sands’ article is in prose from and is seemingly one that contains explanations that may not actually be justified on the basis of the conclusions made. If the author had actually given raw data probably from the military personnel, the arti cle would have had a stronger implication on the reader or researcher in this field. Lastly Hummel’s work gives a historical account of what had been taking place throughout the world regarding the provision of military drafts as well as their effectiveness. With a detailed account of some of the wars fought during the time, the reader gets a clear glimpse of the exact picture of what ensued during the past and what needs to