The Necessary And Proper Clause Gave Congress - 844 Words

The Necessary and Proper clause gave congress to make all the laws that should be necessary and proper to carry into execution. (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 18). The Necessary and Proper Clause was also called the elastic clause that gave powers to Congress that were implied in the Constitution. Necessary means required or essential to. Necessary required congress to execute the powers that were granted in the constitution. John Marshall the Chief Justice wrote his opinion to the court stated that the constitution gave congress all the power to make all the laws. In Marbury v. Madison in 1803, Marshall overturned an act of congress for the first time that conflicted with the constitution. It was a daring step for a politically vulnerable court and Marshall crafted the opinion in such a way that Thomas Jefferson could not reject it. John Marshall had strong views that made him dominate the court from 1801 to 1835 and personally responsible for evaluating it in person of real authorit y. Marshall, also shared his power with other follow Justices that often curved his opinions in order to arrive at consensus decisions. Marshall established a model that all future Chief Justices would be measured to. The United States Supreme Court used the Necessary and Proper Clause in the McCulloch v. Maryland case. McCulloch v. Maryland case debated that if congress have the power to charter a bank. In 1791, the first charted bank; the First Bank of the United States was created, but theShow MoreRelatedThe Necessary And Proper Clause876 Words   |  4 PagesThe Necessary and Proper Clause can sometime be called the â€Å"Coefficient† or â€Å"elastic† clause, is an enlargement, not constriction, of the powers expressly granted to Congress. These powers and duties can be found in several places in the Constitution. The Necessary and Proper Clause allows the congress, to establish the laws in which we follow to be necessary and proper to be implemented in all po wers vested by the Constitution in the government of The United States also known as the (ArticleRead MorePowers of the Constitution Essay546 Words   |  3 Pagesthose that are explicitly granted. Implied powers finds its basis in the necessary and proper clause of the Constitution. This clause allows Congress to make any and all laws necessary and proper for carrying into execution express powers. The necessary and proper clause is found in Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution. It states, The Congress shall have power to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vestedRead MoreAlexander Hamilton: Financial Plan739 Words   |  3 Pagesas Thomas Jefferson and James Madison thought that his plan was unconstitutional because one would need to use the necessary and proper clause which most people feared because it gave the government too much power. This, however, is not so Alexander Hamiltonâ€⠄¢s financial plan however was mostly constitutional because it allowed it to use the powers as well as responsibilities congress already had such as print its own form of currency, issue taxes, and ultimately pay off debts. Hamilton’s financialRead MoreThe Supreme Court And Chief Justice Essay1670 Words   |  7 Pagesduty of the judicial department to say what the law is† (text at pages 72-73). Marshall gave the courts the right to overturn cases against the legislative or executive branches, known as judicial review, giving immense power to the judicial branch. Marbury arose out of partisan politics. John Adams, a Federalist, lost the presidential election to Thomas Jefferson, a Republican. The Federalist Congress scrambled to pass the Organic Act authorizing President Adams to appoint forty-two justicesRead MoreThe Constitutional Basis Of Federalism1017 Words   |  5 Pagesguaranteed states equal representation in the Senate Made states responsible for both state and national elections Guaranteed that Congress couldn t forbid the creation of new states by dividing old ones unless by the consent of the state governments Created obligations of national government to protect states against violence and invasion Supremacy clause: the clause in Article VI of the Constitution that makes the Constitution, national laws, and readies supreme over state laws as long as the nationalRead MoreExpansion Of Federal Power : The United States1546 Words   |  7 PagesConstitution in ways that have expanded the powers of Congress, making them most responsible for the growth of federal power. In the Constitution, the Commerce clause was created to regulate interstate commerce, but after the Supreme Court ruled on cases the interpretation changed and the federal government can now regulate commercial activities including minimum wage and labor. The Court broadened the â€Å"Necessary and Proper† clause when it ruled that Congress can establish a federal bank. Finally, the CourtRead MoreThe Constitution and Individual Rights Essay919 Words   |  4 Pagesborn nation. Even though The Articles of Confederation won the Revolutionary War, there were many problems with the plan of government. The Articl es of Confederation was made to prevent a strong national government and it only gave each state one vote in the Confederation Congress. It could not raise money and it only had one branch, the Legislature. In 1786, delegates from each state went to Philadelphia to draft a new Constitution for the United States. Fifty-five delegates came to PhiladelphiaRead MoreThe Constitution And Its Effects On The United States931 Words   |  4 Pagesdocument that explains, how the government should act; what it can do and can t do. The constitution is divided into seven articles. Article one establishes the legislative branch. It talks about the necessary and proper clause which means that congress has the power to pass any law that is necessary. It explains expressed powers and implied powers. Expressed powers are the power to tax, to raise an army and a navy, power to coin and to regulate inter state commerce. Power to impeach and remove theRead MoreThe Federalists And The Anti Federalists1656 Words   |  7 PagesIn the Articles Congressional Powers are delegated as such: â€Å"Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right, which is not by this Confederation expressly delegated to the United States, in Congress assembled (â€Å"Articles o f Confederation† 1). It reigned in the government, and limited its powers to what was written out in the Articles. The central government was basically powerless, and all power was afforded to the states. However, in the ConstitutionRead MoreFederalism: Supreme Court of the United States and Power Essay1710 Words   |  7 PagesFederalism has played a large role in our government since the time that the Constitution was ratified. It originally gave the majority of the power to the states. As time went on, the national government gained more and more power. It used the necessary and proper clause of the Constitution to validate its acts, and the Supreme Court made decisions that strengthened the national government creating a more unified United States. Finally, the recent course of federalism has been to give powers back

Relationship Between Religion and Isolation in the...

To Pray or Not to Pray: An exploration into the relationship between religion and isolation in The Stranger and Chronicle of a Death Foretold Religion is a major foundation for many cultures. It is present all over the world in many different shapes and forms. But all religions have one thing in common, communality. Naturally, with rituals such as congregation people of religion are brought together. This community worships together, but this relationship extends further than the confines of a church. Members of the same church, or religion, have the same core values, and these commonalities result in a community that would not have otherwise existed. When there is a disregard for religion, there is a loss of community and thus a step†¦show more content†¦Very different from Meursault, Santiago Nasar, the main character in Chronicle of a Death Foretold, is very much a man of religion. Santiago’s respect for religion is seen in the first sentence of the novel, â€Å"Santiago Nasar got up at five-thirty in the morning to wait for the boat the bishop was coming on† (Marquez 3). Santiago’s dedic ation is seen through the fact that he is rising at such an early hour to see a Catholic authority figure. Also, he â€Å"put on a shirt and pants of white linen†¦ It was his attire for special occasions† (5). The act of wearing clothes specific for this occasion shows Santiago’s respect for religion. The importance of religion in Chronicle of a Death Foretold is not just in relation to Santiago. His whole community values religion. For example, when Angela Vicario and Bayardo San Roman wed, they wed in a church with â€Å"floral decorations equal in cost to those for fourteen first class funerals† (42). The flowers alone show the importance of marriage, which in itself is a religious institution. Even more important is the purity of the bride. After being returned to her mother by Bayardo San Roman, Angela says her mother â€Å"was holding [her] by the hair with one hand and beating [her] with the other with such rage that [she] thought [her mother] was g oing to kill [her]† (46). The image of a mother beating her adult daughter is pretty powerful. One must have done

Internationalization Australia And Canada â€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Internationalization Australia And Canada? Answer: Introduction: The report is an attempt to confer the matter relating to failing of ABC learning centres in Australia. This report concentrates on detecting the areas of audit that are linked to the failing of the business enterprise. This report endeavours to recognize the matters that show the way to growth of the novel code of auditing. The chief intend of the report is to discover main matters of audit that is vital to be offered in the report equipped by the auditor have the ASA 701 that is implemented throughout that period. This report also analyses and assesses the worth of the criterion ASA 701. Auditing matters associated to the fall of ABC centres of Learning The new decades have observed the fall of giant business houses caused for the governance, auditing matters and accounting. In the year of 2008, the country of Australia observed the fall of day care school ABC centres of Learning that was in the humanity for very extensive period. The ABC centres of learning are an organization that established in the year 1988 as a centre for the childcare (Carson et al. 2016). In the commencement of centre of childcare was for the predominantly assisted by the government as a business enterprise that is non-profit organization. The business organization in 1996 was managed 18 centres of childcare and was a most important competitor in this field. In the year of 1997, the government resolute to openly supplies subsides to the families. This offers the enormous expansion chance in the field. The business organization has incarcerated the chance and going ahead with the expansion in a rapid manner. The business organization has also in full swing pro curing solitary day care centres and the groups of childcare that are tiny. The business organization had 2238 centres in the year of 2006 in various countries like Australia, United States, New Zealand and United Kingdom (Xu et al. 2013). The business organization was rising in a hurry prior to the fall of the capitalization of the business was $ 2.5 Billion in the year of 2006 and in the year of 2007, the business enterprise created a gains of $ 143.1 Million. Then the condition transformed the business organization was countenanced ruthless debt settlement predicament. Therefore, the business organizations have to trade sixty percent of the subsidiaries of United State and the entire United Kingdom subsidiaries was sold. The matter for the most part associated to auditing that has directed to the fall of the ABC centres of Learning are given below. The business organization has procured various units and centres that guides to the acknowledgement of hefty quantity of goodwill and the childcare centres operations requires license. These both are assets that are intangible and were kept in the balance sheet that is done in fair value. The business organization in the commencement of 2006 had $ 37.4 Million worth goodwill and license of centres for childcare worth of $ 647.6 Million. In 2007 to 2008, that was the year of augmentation worth of goodwill to $ 271 Million and license worth was $ 2.4 Million at the conclusion of the year. The business organisation has written off impairment charges worth of $ 2 Million of Goodwill and license of $ 8.4 Million. This has been observed that the assets is intangible frequently be converted into a insignificant as the business gets into a mess (Sierra?Garca et al. 2015). On the assessment, this might be said that the revenue of ABC learning augmented because of acquisition. In this case, th e matter of assets that are been undervalued that is being raised by the auditor, the intangible assets in a company is seventy percent of the whole assets. There was a major inherent danger with the evaluation of assets that have been ignored by the auditor. In the year of 2006, the assessment of the businesses license of childcare was anonymously reported about the wrong assessment to the Australian Security and Investment commission. The core squabble in protest was that the assessment was produced on an approximate net flow of cash in future. On the other hand, there is improbability concerning its consciousness so the assessment may not be right and the benefits kept in the course of reassessment of the license if this is not proper (Azim 2013). The ABC learning has a external auditor has supplied with an unqualified opinion as they were chosen in the year of 2003 as an auditor. In the year 2007, the resignation of the preceding audit firm and a novel firm for audit is Ernest Young have taken a severely unlike outlook on the income that has been assured in the ABC learnings accounts. The members of the board of the company have selected to appoint a third party auditing firm KPMG to straighten out the difference of opinion between the two firms of audit (Huggins et al. 2015). This means now there is three audit firms and that consist of two huge firms of audit being inspected the ABC learnings accounts. The KPMG have futile in discovering of the errors in the two contradictory opinions that is being given by the diverse auditors. Among the two, one of the audit firms was accurate or correct to detect the grave situation of the business enterprises accounting yield. There are dissimilar opinions on the financial statement of the organization by diverse auditors (Ruhnke et al. 2014). The pre-existing rules is established on the system of accounting of reporting of finance offers the business organisations the chance of administering the system of accounting established around the fair value and stay on the report of unqualified opinion of the auditors. This must be kept in mind that the unqualified opinion in audit report supplied by the main firm of audit has been obstacles after any important corporate scandals that have been exposed. This point towards the pre-existing report of audit and the method is not ample to organize the accounting or financial collapse and irregularity of the business organization (Goodwin and Wu 2016). Matters linked to the transactions with related parties: The transaction of related party is one of the causes that lead to the fall of the ABC learning business. The business organisation has main related party dealings. This has futile to tag along the rules of corporate governance. The founder Eddy Groves is the one who is in charge of expansion of the company had various transactions of related party. In the year of 2006, Austock is a broking firm that has substantial share owned by Grooves entering into dealing with the ABC learning business enterprise (Prasad and Chand 2017). The Austock is the broking business organization that received sum of $ 27 Million as the dealing charges form the ABC centre of learning. In totalling to this ABC centres of learning compensated Queensland Maintenance for the ABC centres work. This transaction involves related parties, as Mr. Grooves is the brother in law and is the companys director. The business organisation ABC learning has supported the Brisbane bullet team of basketball that is owned by Mr . Grooves who is the brother in law. The dealings of related party are the consequences of bad corporate governance methods. This has directed to the decline of the belief of investors and ultimately the result was failing of the company (Siriwardane et al. 2013). The auditor has futile to adequately detect the matters of failure to elevate the matter in the report of audit. This breakdown on the branch of the auditor is one of the causes for the fall of the ABC Centres of Learning. Matters that guide to the progress of novel standards of auditing ASA 701: The standards of auditing ASA 701 is given by the AASB (Auditing and Assurance Standard Board) for the reason of Communication of the most important matters of audit in the report of the auditors who are independent in harmony with the legislative or parliamentary situations and intended dictate that are given below. The AUASB (Auditing and Assurance Standard Board) is an independent legislative or legal body that was created under the agenda given in the section 227 A of the ASIC Act 2001 (Australian Securities and Investment Commission Act) by the Australian government. The Auditing and assurance standard board have the official command or power to form Auditing Standards for corporations legislation functions as described in the Section 336 of Corporation Act 2001. As per the regulations of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003, this auditing standard is viewed as an instrument of law (Manoel and Quel, 2017). As per the sensible directions as the Financial Reporting Council gave to Auditing and Assurance Standard Board. This describes that it is very necessary and essential for the Auditing and Assurance Standard Board to expand a standards of auditing that are of paramount quality and that have to lucidity and should have centre of attention as far as the attention of the civics is disturbed (Livne 2016). The agenda stated in ISA 701 in the conditions of Communication of the important matters of audit is being followed by the standards of auditing in the report of auditors who are independent that are given by International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board. The Audit issues that needs revelation as per ASA 701: The most important issues of audit can be described as those informations or components that comprises of a great deal of significance that an auditor should comprise in the qualified judgement by the auditor associating to the audit of the present years statement of finance. The most important issues of audit are determined from those issues that are exchanged with the persons who are mixed up in the power however, these issues are not anticipated to suggest the issues that were discusses with the persons (Houqe 2017). Additionally, this should be recorded in the brain that the view or opinion of the auditors on the subject of financial statement should not be modified or transformed in relation to one of the most important issues of audit described in the report of audit. This is too of related weight that an auditor should put across her or his opinions or views devoid of allowing of these main issues. The auditor requires getting into account of their reports of audit that these components are taken to be the most important issues of audit below the augment requirements of disclosures. As per the explanation given in the standards of auditing ASA 701, Communicating foremost issues of audit in the reports of the auditors who are independent. Key Audit Matters (KAM) means the issues that the verdict of qualified report by an auditor is of vital in the present years financial report of the company in the process of auditing. Additionally, Key Audit Matters are selected from those issues that are by now communicated through persons who are concerned with the governance (Robson et al. 2015). All the main audit issues should be integrated and explained as per the section. If few indications are established in the financial report then Key Audit Matters as stated should be composed of pertinent indications in the link to those disclosures and should describe the following: The cause for the ascertainment of that meticulous issue is to be of foremost significance. Hence, bearing in the mind the issue to be an important issue of audit. The way of addressing and resolving the issue of process of auditing The requirement of eradication of the auditor to create those disclosures where legislature or a regulation removes the extent of community disclosure is very restricted. As ASA 701 is defined as every other ruling out as very uncommon state of affairs, with regard to the piece of evidence that whether divergent conditions to the company or to the community offset the significance of the community gains of communicating the issues (Biro and East, 2017). This is given in ASA 701 that the contact that takes place among the management and auditors and those persons who are caught up in the power help in modernising the verdict of the auditor devoid of taking the fact that whether the piece of evidence is appropriate to stimulate the administration to create community revelation linking to those issues. Recommendation: The most important issues that are detected in the case of ABC centres of learning business that must be revealed are given below are: The augmenting earnings were the effect of the hostile acquisition policy followed or adopted by the business organization. This refers to the business enterprise was following goals of receiving enormous proceeds. If the business organization will have to follow logical and proper acquirement strategy then the business organization may have survived (Al-Khaddash et al. 2013). This is apparent from the balance sheet of the business that the business upholds the elevated quantity of elusive asset and the reality was not at all revealed in this financial report. Therefore, the auditor was not competent to appreciate such misstatement of substantial significance. This guided to the total fall of the business organization (Arnold et al. 2016). Assessment of the worth of ASA 701: As per present history, coverage regarding the Key Audit issues is the very critical component in a report of an auditor that is at the centre of call of the investors and any erstwhile stakeholder of the financial statement that is inspected and who seeks to receive extra trade centric and other suitable facts about the trade (Shaw 2014). Ciara Reintjes gave contacting the most crucial issues of audit in the report of an independent auditor the novel ISA 701 (International Standard of Auditing) (ASA 701). This criterion was one of the awaited ISAs that is usually known as the Reporting on audited financial statements. This novel and modified Auditor Reporting standards and connected conforming changes that was given in January 2015 by the International Auditing and Assurance Standard Board (IAASB). The enhancement and growth of ethics and importance of the report of an auditor is the chief aim of the novel and revised auditor-reporting criterion (Boolaky and Quick 2016). There are few determined issues that needs significant concentration of the auditor during audit process are: Some issues that stands as an obstacle in the effort of an auditor during receiving the adequate and accurate evidences. Some issues that stand as an obstacle in establishing a verdict by an auditor. Those issues that composed of judgment of auditor that were challenging and complex The issues that were connected to the audit of the current year financial statement and that were also incredibly vital. Conclusion: The account is intended to examine the cause for the fall of the ABC centres of learning. The ABC learning centres prior to the fall was quickly emergent but the fall of the company was principally because of the flaw in audit report and auditing. The argument above displays that the auditors has futile to recognize and report the most important issues that show the way to the fall of the business organization. Therefore, a want was felt that the reports of audit must account the most crucial issues. This guided to the creation of the ASA 701 the major intend of the criterion was to make available the revelations in the report of an audit. This is based upon the arguments that this may be concluded that the execution of ASA 701 has played a crucial function in highlighting the most important matters of an audit in a report of an audit. This may be stated that this is a novel criterion has enhanced the eminence of performed audit and report of an audit. Reference Al-Khaddash, H., Al Nawas, R. and Ramadan, A., 2013. Factors affecting the quality of auditing: The case of Jordanian commercial banks.International Journal of Business and Social Science,4(11). Arnold, B., Bateman, H., Ferguson, A. and Raftery, A., 2016. Partner-Scale Economies, Service Bundling, and Auditor Independence in the Australian Self-Managed Superannuation (Pension) Fund Industry.Auditing: A Journal of Practice Theory,36(2), pp.161-180. Azim, M.I., 2013. Independent Auditors Report: Australian Trends From 1996 to 2010.Journal of Modern Accounting and Auditing,9(3), p.356. Biro, M.A. and East, C.E., 2017. Using the Nippita classification system for women undergoing induction of labour in a large metropolitan maternity service: Bringing simplicity and certainty to an important quality improvement process.Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology,57(2), pp.228-231. Boolaky, P.K. and Quick, R., 2016. Bank Directors Perceptions of Expanded Auditor's Reports.International Journal of Auditing,20(2), pp.158-174. Carson, E., Fargher, N. and Zhang, Y., 2016. Trends in auditor reporting in Australia: A synthesis and opportunities for research.Australian Accounting Review,26(3), pp.226-242. Goodwin, J. and Wu, D., 2016. What is the relationship between audit partner busyness and audit quality?.Contemporary Accounting Research,33(1), pp.341-377. Houqe, M.N., 2017. IFRS Adoption and Audit Fees-Evidence from New Zealand.International Journal of Business and Economics,16(1), p.75. Huggins, A., Simnett, R. and Hargovan, A., 2015. Integrated reporting and directors concerns about personal liability exposure: Law reform options.Company and Securities Law Journal,33, pp.176-195. Livne, G., 2016. Are auditors independent of their clients? A review of past research and discussion of research opportunities in Europe. Manoel, J. and Quel, L.F., 2017. Innovation in the International Standards for the New Independent Audit Report.Journal on Innovation and Sustainability. RISUS ISSN 2179-3565,8(1), pp.130-143. Prasad, P. and Chand, P., 2017. The Changing Face of the Auditor's Report: Implications for Suppliers and Users of Financial Statements.Australian Accounting Review. Robson, M., Murphy, M. and Byrne, F., 2015. Quality assurance: The 10?Group Classification System (Robson classification), induction of labor, and cesarean delivery.International Journal of Gynecology Obstetrics,131(S1). Ruhnke, K., Pronobis, P. and Michel, M., 2014. Audit materiality disclosures and credit lending decisions. Shaw, K., 2014. Internationalization in Australia and Canada: Lessons for the Future.College Quarterly,17(1), p.n1. Sierra?Garca, L., Zorio?Grima, A. and Garca?Benau, M.A., 2015. Stakeholder engagement, corporate social responsibility and integrated reporting: an exploratory study.Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management,22(5), pp.286-304. Siriwardane, H., Hu, H. and Kin, B., 2013. Skills, knowledge and attitudes for present day auditors. Xu, Y., Carson, E., Fargher, N. and Jiang, L., 2013. Responses by Australian auditors to the global financial crisis.Accounting Finance,53(1), pp.301-33

Honesty Sells Success in Sales

Question: Describe about the Success in Sales? Answer: Success in Sales: One who obtains the lowest price is not always the achiever of Success neither it depends on the one having the best customer nor to the most intelligent person. It is considered that success generally lies to the person who practice honest work to whomever they come to deal with. According to Mark Hunters past experiences he personally came in contact with more than thousand salespeople having their own level of failures and success. What he felt about success is that one of the reliable factors to achievement is not the exterior environment but a commitment to integrity (Thesaleshunter.com, 2015). This factor remains reliable no matter what economical circumstances the market is going through (Widener, n.d.). People who work in sale for a long time have the idea about identifying the people whom other people follow and trust. These people sometimes have the potential to act as a leader but in reality they are often not identified in a high place of an enterprise (Gaffney and Francis, 2009). It is a fact that these people can influence others because of their honesty. The course of integrity initiates when someone allows himself to be publically as well as personally responsible for his every actions. Integrity refers to holding oneself for a higher degree of responsibility for maintaining their standard. There are certain points for strengthening integrity, they are: Integrity is an internal choice The practice of integrity can be started at any point of time no matter whatever past record one holds. Acceptance of the reality that one may not shut every agreement because the person is not prepared to adjust with his standards. Integrity is best evaluated when the person is not under any surveillance. To take lesson and learn from each and every person who practice integrity, not only when times are good but also when circumstances are not favorable. One owes it to himself for achieving success not just because the person had been in sales for decades but because they are more inclined towards honesty. Success achieved through honesty has an unparallel satisfaction. It brings long term success. References Gaffney, S. and Francis, C. (2009).Honesty sells. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. Thesaleshunter.com, (2015).Who Really Achieves Success in Sales? | Sales Motivation and Sales Training. [online] Available at: https://thesaleshunter.com/resources/articles/sales-motivation/who-really-achieves-success-in-sales/ [Accessed 6 Mar. 2015]. Widener, C. (n.d.).Building a 6 Figure Sales Career.

Seminar scholarly reflective report

Comparison Of Movies And Books Essays - English-language Films

Comparison Of Movies And Books Essays - English-language Films Comparison Of Movies And Books Many people compare an English literary work to different movies of their time. An example of this is Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw. A story about a woman transformed into a spectacular beauty pushed into royalty, but never loses her identity, is very similar to a movie directed by Don Bluth called Anastasia. Bernard Shaws play Pygmalion and Don Bluths movie Anastasia, show that one can change a persons appearance, but the person deep within has never left the surface. The two have a large array of similarities and differences. What is also fascinating is that the background of both the English writer and director are very similar in how they began. I will compare both movie work and literary work of two exceptional people. Bernard Shaw was born in Dublin on July 26, 1856. He was essentially shy, yet created the persona of G.B.S. The showman, controversialist, satirist, critic, pundit, wit, intellectual buffoon and dramatist (sites.netscape.net/bernardshawinfo) . Shaw grew up in a family with a drunken father, whom worked in a corn mill, a mother whom left home when he was fourteen. Bernard never went to school past the age of fourteen. After his mother left his father had gotten worse (spartacus.schoonet.co.uk/jshaw.htm) . So he embarked on a journey to London in 1876, where he would become an active Socialist and a brilliant platform speaker. His heart was in writing and seven years later he wrote five unsuccessful novels. He was successful with his journalism; he contributed Pall Mall Gazette (sites.netscape.net/bernardshawinfo). One of the many people that influenced him in his newspaper career was William Stead. Shaw attended a lecture on nationalization that was given by Henry George, which had a profound effect on his ideas of socialism. In the year of 1884 he joined the Fabian Society and in 1885 the Socialist League. Bernard gave a lecture on socialism on November 13th which would result in the Bloody Sunday Riot. Shaw was considered one of the best writers of his time. He wrote many plays such as Arms and the Man (1984), Satirizing romantic attitudes toward love and war. In 1897 The Devils Disciple, a play on the American Revolution, was produced with great success in New York City (sites.netscape.net/bernardshawinfo). He also wrote a play known as Pygmalion, which satirizes the English class system through the story of a cockney girls transformation into a lady at the hands of a speech professor. The movie My Fair Lady was produced to amplify what Pygmalion was all about. Of Shaws later plays, Saint Joan (1923) is the most memorable; it argues that Joan of Arc, had to be killed because the world was not yet ready for her. Among Shaws other plays are John Bulls Other Island (1940), The Doctors Dilemma, Fannys First Play, Back to Methuselah, The Apple Cart, Too True to Be Good, and The Intelligent Womans Guide to Socialism and Capitalism (spartacus.schoonet.co.uk/jshaw.htm). Bernard conducted a strong attack on the London Theatre and was closely associated with the intellectual revival of British theatre. His many plays fall into several categories: Plays pleasant, Unpleasant Comedies, chronic- plays metabiological Pentateuch. Don Bluth was born into a family of seven children in El Paso, Texas. After watching Snow white and the Seven Dwarfs he found his calling. From the age of six he could always be found drawing (movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hc&id=180001539&cf=bios) . His family moved to Santa Monica, California, and upon graduation from high school he took his drawings to Walt Disney studios in Burbank. He accepted a position as an in betweener. He worked with Disney from 1955 through 1956 on the classic motion picture Sleeping Beauty. He continued his education at Brigham Young University, studying English literature. In 1977, he returned to Disney Animation Department as an Animator. He was promoted within two years to Directing Animator and to Producer/ Director the following year. From 1971 to 1979 he worked on Robin Hood, Winnie the Pooh and Tigger too, The Rescuers and the Small One (movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hc&id=180001539&cf=bios) . He has created many prestigious animated films and laser disc video games. He was usually known for his animated movies that showed fun, laughter, togetherness, and teamwork. He is known to a lot of

Total Quality Management (TQM) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Total Quality Management (TQM) - Research Paper Example What makes total quality management peculiar is the fact that brings on board the inputs of not just a limited component of the organization but the collective efforts of all stakeholders towards the success of the organization. Total quality management also tries to make the customer the central focus and attention for quality delivery. This means that the target for ensuring success is to ensure that the customer receives quality of service. Industry Adoption of TQM Today, it is said that the adoption of total quality management by industries is no longer a luxury but a responsibility (Ferreira & Otley, 2003). The reason for this is in the numerous benefits that the adoption of total quality management comes with. Though the benefits will be discussed into detail in subsequent sections, it can be said that the need for industries to adopt total quality management is mainly in the structure of their organizations. First, it can be asserted that for any given industry, there is the p rivileged of having a multi-structural organogram in place. An organogram may best be described as an organizational structure, which for industries is made up of several input stakeholders. All of these input stakeholders who may include shareholders, board of directors, management, employees and suppliers all have a responsibility of ensuring that the industry achieves its goals. Because of the divergent nature of the structure and because of the fact that total quality management deals with different stakeholders playing their roles, it becomes easier for industries to adopt total quality management. The other point is that there is the customer factor, where various industries have customers, whom they are expected to serve their interests. For this reason, it becomes necessary to adopt total quality management and use it to serve the purpose of the customer. Benefits of TQM Considering the face of change that is being associated with total quality management, the best benefit t hat can be assigned to total quality management is the fact that it helps in the creation of competitive advantage for various companies. Competitive advantage becomes necessary when virtually every other company is doing the same thing and performing at the same level (Ezzamel, 2004). For example when all competitors are charging the same service price, it becomes necessary to have a fighting force that would ensure that customers choose your company over others, though the prices may be the same. Today, there is much evidence to the fact that customer prefer customer satisfaction to cost salvaging. To this end, when total quality management is implemented to bring about customer satisfaction, it serves as a competitive advantage for the organization to win the hearts of customers. What is more, adopting total quality management ensures a coherent organizational atmosphere. This is because it puts every member of the working force at post and enshrines that each person plays his or her role judiciously (Rank, 2012). Hurdles to Quality Improvements The implementation of total quality management has often been faced with several hurdles and challenges, among which includes the fact that there has often been apathy and lack of cooperation from the entire workforce. The reason why this has

West Indian Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

West Indian Literature - Essay Example Different authors have presented their own interpretations and preferences for what shape the Caribbean identity should take, but amongst the more prominent Caribbean authors there are those who want the improvement of the self for the uplift of the institutions and those who have a more historically oriented view. Both Derek Walcott and Wilson Harris have a desire for broader integration and fulfilment, but although Derek Walcott wants those from the Caribbean to boldly cease looking to their past in order to embrace the future, Wilson Harris appears to be somewhat fearful. This essay presents an examination of the debates about the Caribbean identity that are apparent in Caribbean literature and the evolution of Caribbean literary aesthetics by examining selected works of Derek Walcott and Wilson Harris. Caribbean literature has existed for centuries, but within the relatively recent past it has increased its worldwide acclaim and its mass of production. Both Derek Walcott and V. S. Naipaul were awarded the Nobel Prize in literature for their efforts which can be appreciated by anyone who has an interest in literature. Whereas Naipaul examines his Asian aspect of the Caribbean identity, Walcott presents a far more complex heritage and language in his poetry that presents the varied nuances of the Caribbean (Cudjoe, paragraph 23). Other writers have also made their contributions to the depiction of Caribbean aesthetics and culture by trying to define an identifiable cultural matrix within their works and some of the more prominent names that come to mind include Kamau Braithwaite, Erna Brodber, Wilson Harris and Olive Senior. Aesthetics refers to the branch of philosophy that deals with beauty and taste (Merriam-Webster, â€Å"aesthetics†). Thus, Caribbean aesthetics refers to that which is considered as being beautiful and worthy of distinction in the Caribbean region, especially

The Death Penalty Distinct Ruling's Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Death Penalty Distinct Ruling's - Assignment Example Death penalty could also be said to be ethical since it ensures equality. It would be an act of favor to the offender when the judge gives a lenient judgment to an offender as compared to the crime done (Andre, 2010). For example, if a person commits murder and is given a jail term of several years, then that would be unfair to the victim’s family that would be unethical. Even, though, some may argue that an adult is aware of the crime he has committed, there are some facts that people would tend to assume. The reason why the person did what he did could be out of defense. People also assume the mental stability of the person who committed the crime. Dignity is another crucial point that one should consider, and lastly the right to life. An adult criminal has rights, just like another person, and should not be treated differently. Thus, death penalty can be both adequate and inadequate when it comes to an adult criminal depending on the facts (Gary, 2001). The right to life is a freedom that everyone is supposed to enjoy. No person is allowed to take another person’s life. Thus, death penalty violates this right (Dieter). When the court orders for a person to be hanged or shot to death, then they are depriving the person the right to life. Instead of killing a person, it would be okay to lock them forever until they die naturally. Even, though, it has been argued that the only people who should be given this penalty are juveniles, since they are still young and pregnant women, it is still not justified. All are equal and should be treated equally. Thus, no one should be allowed to go through this since this is violation of human rights. Death penalty to criminals of a violent act would result into violating all the factors that have been mentioned above. It would lead to violation of human rights, but, at the same time, it would be a sound, ethical decision. However, sometimes a court might have ruled against the offender,

Strategies for the Analysis of Big Data

Strategies for the Analysis of Big Data CHAPTER: 1 INRODUCTION General Day by day amount of data generation is increasing in drastic manner. Wherein to describe the data which is in the amount of zetta byte popular term used is â€Å"Big data†. Government, companies and many organizations try to obtain and store data about their citizens and customers in order to know them better and predict the customer behavior. The big example is of Social networking websites which generate new data each and every second and managing such a huge data is one of the major challenges companies are facing. Disruption is been caused due to the huge data which is stored in data warehouses is in a raw format, in order to produce usable information from this raw data, its proper analysis and processing is to be done. Many of the tools are in progress to handle such a large amount of data in short time. Apache Hadoop is one of the java based programming framework used for processing large data sets in distributed computer environment. Hadoop is useful and being used in types of system where multiple nodes are present which can process terabytes of data. Hadoop uses its own file system HDFS which facilitates fast transfer of data which can sustain node failure and avoid system failure as whole. Hadoop uses Map Reduce algorithm which breaks down the big data into smaller part and performs the operations on it. Various technologies will come in hand-in-hand to accomplish this task such as Spring Hadoop Data Framework for the basic foundations and running of the Map-Reduce jobs, Apache Maven for distributed building of the code, REST Web services for the communication, and lastly Apache Hadoop for distributed processing of the huge dataset. Literature Survey There are many of analysis techniques but six types of analysis we should know are: Descriptive Exploratory Inferential Predictive Causal Mechanistic Descriptive Descriptive analysis technique is use for statistical calculation. It is use for large volume of data set. In this analysis technique only use for univariate and binary analysis. It is only explain for â€Å"what, who, when, where† not a caused. Limitation of descriptive analysis technique it cannot help to find what causes a particular inspiration, performance and amount. This type of technique is use for only Observation and Surveys. Exploratory Exploratory means investigation of any problem or case which is provides approaching of research. The research meant provide a small amount of information. It may use variety of method like interview; cluster conversation and testing which is use for gaining information. In particular technique useful for defining future studies and question. Why future studies because exploratory technique we use old data set. Inferential Inferential data analysis technique is allowed to study sample and make simplification of population data set. It can be used for trial speculation and important part of technical research. Statistics are used for descriptive technique and effect of self-sufficient or reliant variable. In this technique show some error because we not get accurate sampling data. Predictive Predictive analysis it is one of the most important technique it can be used for sentimental analysis and depend on predictive molding. It is very hard mainly about future references. We can use that technique for likelihood some more companies are use this technique like a Yahoo, EBay and Amazon this all company are provide a publically data set we can use and perform investigation. Twitter also provides data set and we separated positive negative and neutral category. Causal Casual meant incidental we determine key point of given casual and effect of correlation between variables. Casual analysis use in market for profound analysis. We can used in selling price of product and various parameter like opposition and natural features etc. This type of technique use only in experimental and simulation based simulation means we can use mathematical fundamental and related to real existence scenario. So we can say that in casual technique depend on single variable and effect of activities result. Mechanistic Last and most stiff analysis technique. Why it is stiff because it is used in a biological purpose such study about human physiology and expand our knowledge of human infection. In this technique we use to biological data set for analysis after perform investigation that give a result of human infection. CHAPTER: 2 AREA OF WORK Hadoop framework is used by many big companies like GOOGLE, IBM, YAHOOfor applications such as search engine in India only one company use Hadoop that is â€Å"Adhar scheme†. 2.1 Apache Hadoop goes realtime at Facebook. At Facebook used to Hadoop echo system it is combination of HDFS and Map Reduce. HDFS is Hadoop distributed file system and Map Reduce is script of any language like a java, php, and python and so on. This are two components of Hadoop HDFS used for storage and Map Reduce just reduce to immense program in simple form. Why facebook is used because Hadoop response time fast and high latency. In facebook millions of user online at a time if suppose they share a single server so it is work load is high then faced a many problem like server crash and down so tolerate that type of problem facebook use Hadoop framework. First big advantage in Hadoop it is used distributed file system that’s help for achieve fast access time. Facbook require very high throughput and large storage disk. The large amount of data is being read and written from the disk sequentially, for these workloads. Facebook data is unstructured date we can’t manage in row and column so it is used distributed f ile system. In distributed file system data access time fast and recovery of data is good because one disk (Data node) goes to down other one is work so we can easily access data what we want. Facebook generate a huge amount of data not only data it is real time data which change in micro second. Hadoop is managed data and mining of the data. Facebook is used new generation of storage and Mysql is good for read performance, but suffer from low written throughput and the other hand Hadoop is fast read or write operation. 2.2. Yelp: uses AWS and Hadoop Yelp originally depended upon to store their logs, along with a single node local instance of Hadoop. When Yelp made the giant RAIDs Redundant Array Of Independent disk move Amazon Elastic Map Reduce, they replaced the (Amazon S3) and immediately transferred all Hadoop The company also uses Amazon jobs to Amazon Elastic Map Reduce. Yelp uses Amazon S3 to store daily huge amount of logs and photos,. Elastic Map Reduce to power approximately 30 separate batch RAIDs with Amazon Simple Storage Service scripts, most of those generating around 10GB of logs per hour processing the logs. Features powered by Amazon Elastic Map Reduce include: People Who Viewed this Also Viewed Review highlights Auto complete as you type on search Search spelling suggestions Top searches Ads Yelp uses Map Reduce. You can break down a big job into little pieces Map Reduce is about the simplest way. Basically, mappers read lines of input, and spit out key. Each key and all of its corresponding values are sent to a reducer. CHAPTER: 3 THE PROPOSED SCHEMES We overcome the problem of analysis of big data using Apache Hadoop. The processing is done in some steps which include creating a server of required configuration using Apache hadoop on single node cluster. Data on the cluster is stored using Mongo DB which stores data in the form of key: value pairs which is advantage over relational database for managing large amount of data. Various languages like python ,java ,php allows writing scripts for stored data from collections on the twitter in Mongo DB then after stored data export to json, csv and txt file which then can be processed in Hadoop as per user’s requirement. Hadoop jobs are written in framework this jobs implement Map Reduce program for data processing. Six jobs are implemented data processing in a location based social networking application. The record of the whole session has to be maintained in log file using aspect programming in python. The output produced after data processing in the hadoop job, has to be exp orted back to the database. The old values to the database have to be updated immediately after processing, to avoid loss of valuable data. The whole process is automated by using python scripts and tasks written in tool for executing JAR files. CHAPTER: 4 METHOD AND MATERIAL 4.1  INSTALL HADOOP FRAMWORK Install and configure Hadoop framework after installation we perform operation using Map Reduce and the Hadoop Distributed File System. 4.1.1 Supported Platforms Linux LTS(12.4) it is a open source operating system hadoop is support many platforms but Linux is best one. Win32/64 Hadoop support both type of platform 32bit or 64 bit win32 is not chains assembly platforms. 4.1.2 Required Software Any version of JDK (JAVA) Secure shell (SSH) local host installed which is use for data communication. Mongo DB (Database) These requirements are Linux system. 4.1.4  Prepare the Hadoop Cluster Extract the downloaded Hadoop file (hadoop-0.23.10). In the allocation, edit the file csbin/hadoop-envsh and set environment variable of JAVA and HAdoop. Try the following command: $ sbin/hadoop Three types of mode existing in Hadoop cluster. Local Standalone Mode Pseudo Distributed Mode Fully Distributed Mode Local Standalone Mode Local standalone mode in this mode we install only normal mode Hadoop is configure to run on not distributed mode. Pseudo-Distributed Mode Hadoop is run on single node cluster I am perform that operation and configure to hadoop on single node cluster and hadoop demons run on separate java process. Configuration we can change some files and configure Hadoop. Files are core.xml, mapreduce.xml and hdfs.xml all these files change and run Hadoop. Fully-Distributed Mode In this mode setting up fully-distributed mode non trivial cluster. 4.2  Data Collection The twitter data anthology program captures three attribute. 1) User id 2) Twitter user (who sent Tweet) 3) Twitter text The Twitter Id is used to extract tweets sent to the specified id. In our analysis; we collect the tweets sent to sachin tendulkar. We used Twitter APIs, to collect tweets sent to Sachin. The arrangement of the Twitter data that is composed. The key attributes Which we mine are: User id, Tweet text and Tweet User (who sent Tweet) save all key attribute in Mongo DB .Mongo DB is database where al tweet is saved. After collecting all data we export to csv and text file this file is use for analysis. Fig. 1. Twitter data collection procedure Extracting twitter data using python In this python code firstly create developer account then we get a consumer key, consumer secret, access token and access token secret this are important for twitter api using that key we find all tweets. Initialize a connection to the Mongo DB instance connectivity to Data Base in this code tweet db is data base name mongo db support to collection. >show dbs That commend we see all database those are present in mongo db. >use Data Base name Select particular data base we use. >db Db command use to which data base is open. >show collection This command shows all collection. It means show all table. >db.tweet.find () Use to show all data store in particular data base. >db.tweet.find ().count () Use to that command how much tweet store in your data base. CHAPTER: 5 SENTIMENTAL ANALYSIS OFBIG DATA Last and foremost as well as most important part of data analysis is extracting twitter’s data. Supervised and unsupervised techniques are types of techniques that are used for analysis of â€Å"Big data†. Sentimental analysis has come to play a key role in text mining application for customer relationship, brand and product position, consumer attitude detection and market research. In recent advance there is several promising new direction for developing and advance sentimental analysis research. Sentimental classification identify whether the semantic direction of the given text is optimistic, pessimistic or unbiased. Most of open approach relies on supervised learning models they classified positive and negative option only. Three ways of machine learning techniques Naà ¯ve Bayes, SVM and Maximum Entropy Taxonomy do not perform well on sentimental classification. Sentimental analysis techniques may help researchers to study on the Internet. They would help to find o ut whether a given text is subjective or objective as well as whether a subjective passage contains optimistic or pessimistic opinions. Supervised Machine Learning techniques use class documents for classification. The machine learning approach treat the opinion classification problem as a topic based content classification problems. Comparison between Naà ¯ve Bayes, Maximum Entropy and SVM for sentimental classification, they achieve best precision using SVM. CHAPTER: 6 SCREENSHOT Browser view: This view only use for browser view that show log file of data node and name node. Hadoop cluster on: In this screenshot show on data node name node that means properly install and configure single node hadoop cluster. Data base view: In this screenshot we extract twitter data and store Mongo DB. Mongo DB is a data base where all tweets are stored. How many Tweets store in Data Base: CHAPTER: 7 CONCLUSIONS We have urbanized an architecture that uses PYTHON and Mongo DB in amalgamation with Twitter APIs to study tweets sent to the specific user. We use our architecture to get the positive, negative and neutral, analysis the number of re tweets and the name and Id of the users sending the tweets. Finding all data we analysis them can be used in conjunction with available results on queuing theory, to study the temporary and stable state performance of social networks. The proposed architecture can be used for a monitor correlation among user behaviors and their locations. The application of obtain outcome to study the development of population in under research. In sentimental analysis mining on large datasets using a Naà ¯ve Bayes classifier with the Hadoop echo system. We configure Hadoop in single node cluster and we also provide how to fetch or extracting twitter data using any language of api but in Hadoop cluster file system can do decent job even in the Big Data analysis domain.

Defining the Life of Robert Louis Stevenson The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde :: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Essays

Defining the Life of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde      The focal point of this essay is to define the life of Dr. Henry Jekyll, and the transformation he went through in becoming Edward Hyde. Dr. Henry Jekyll is a physician in London.   He is very well respected and is currently experimenting the dual nature of mankind. Edward Hyde is a manifestation of Dr. Jekyll's personality. He is accused of committing evil acts throughout the novel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The first scene consists of Mr. Richard Enfield's and Mr. Utterson walking along a street in London.   Mr. Enfield has a recollection of a previous incident in which he witnessed an extremely unpleasant man trampling upon a small screaming girl while this man was running somewhere. A large crowd had gathered around and they saw the man, Edward Hyde. The crowd forced the man to give money to this girl for trampling over her. Hyde did not run over her for any reason. He just did it out of spite and evil. He represents all the evil in the world. The reaction of others to him is one of horror because while looking at him, others feel a desire to strike out at him and kill him. His physical appearance brings out the worst evil in other people. Since Hyde represents evil, he is symbolically represented as being much smaller than Dr. Jekyll.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I believe Dr. Jekyll created Hyde because he had a theory that man has a good side and a bad side. While investigating this, he developed a potion that could release the evil in a person in the form of a totally different person. Then this person could commit any evil act it wanted, and then drink the potion to return back to normal. The only problem with this is the fact that he drank this potion so many times that he was no longer able to control this process. He was unable to transform back into Dr. Jekyll.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another example of Hyde's evil is in the killing of Sir Danvers Carew. Sir Danvers appears to have been killed for no apparent reason. The murder of Sir Danvers was seen by a maid who was working nearby. She states that Hyde meet with a man in the street. After the two exchanged words, Mr. Hyde lifted his heavy walking stick and clubbed the old man to death.

Macbeth Characterization Graphic Organizer Essay

Use this graphic organizer to collect your thoughts about characterization in Macbeth. As you read each scene, record what you learn about the character. Add the line from the play that supports your idea. Lady Macbeth Observations Text Support Looks She appears to be a very independent woman. In the video, she walks around with her head up high and talks with great confidence. Actions Demanding And that which rather thou dost fear to do Than wishest should be undoneAnd that which rather thou dost fear to do Than wishest should be undoneand that which rather thou dost fear to do than wishest should be undone Speech Strong She thinks she needs to get her way with everything. She asks the spirits to fill her head to toe with cruelty, making her less like a woman and more like a man who can commit an evil deed) Thoughts Suspicious The raven (a bird that represents death) himself is hoarse. The raven was right behind Macbeth Interactions Seductive When she is talking to Macbeth in the video, she touches him and uses her words strong, but softly. Macbeth Observations Text Support Looks Timid When Lady Macbeth is talking to him, she keeps walking around him and touching him. He looks nervous or afraid. Actions Quiet He doesn’t say or do much around Lady Macbeth. I think he is just trying to keep her happy, so that things don’t escalate. â€Å"My dearest love, Duncan comes her tonight.† â€Å"And when goes hence?† â€Å"To-morrow,– as he purposes.†My dearest love, Duncan comes here tonight. LADY MACBETH. And when goes hence(When does he leave)? MACBETH. To-morrow,—as he purposes Speech Polite I know that most men were polite to their women back in this times, but he calls Lady Macbeth â€Å"My dearest love.† It just goes to show he truly values her and wants her to know he cares. Thoughts Confused He’s not exactly sure what the witches meant when they were talking to him Interactions Simple He keeps his conversations with Lady Macbeth short and sweet. He doesn’t try to upset her in any way. He lets her do most of the talking and intimidating.

How The Rich Benefit From The Poor Essays - Corporate Law

How The Rich Benefit From The Poor Essays - Corporate Law How The Rich Benefit From The Poor How the Rich Benefit From the Poor The United States is the most developed capitalist economy in the world. The markets within the economy provide profit-motivated companies endless potential in the pursuance of pecuniary accumulation. Throughout the twentieth-century competitive companies have implemented modernized managerial procedures designed to raise profits by reducing unnecessary costs. These cost-saving procedures have had a substantial effect on society and particularly members of the working class. Managers and owners of these competitive and self-motivated companies have consistently worked throughout this century to exploit the most controllable component of the production process: the worker. The worker has been forced by the influence of powerful and affluent business owners to work in conditions hazardous to their well being in addition to preposterously menial compensation. It was the masterful manipulation of society and legislation through strategic objectives that the low-wage workers were coerced into this position of destitute. The strategies of the affluent fragment of society were conceived for the selfish purpose of monetary gain. The campaigns to augment the business position within the capitalist economy were designed to weaken organized labor, reduce corporate costs, gain legislative control and reduce international competition at the expense of the working class. The owners have gained and continue to gain considerable wealth from these strategies. To understand why the owners of the powerful companies operate in such a selfish manner, we must look at particular fundamentals of both capitalism and corporation strategy. Once these rudiments are understood, we will more clearly relate the perspective of the profit-seeking corporations of America. Legal discussion will also be included to show how the capital possessing elite operate through political parties to achieve their financial objectives. It is the synergist effect of these numerous strategies that have lead to the widening income gap in America, persistent attempts of contraction in workers rights and increased corporate political influence. These campaigns have come at an expense to Americans and will only continue to benefit the affluent society. Creating Corporate Value The United States is a capitalist economy. In a capitalist economy individuals who wish to gain wealth can invest their capital into markets in hopes of future returns. If this investment gains in value then the investor has earned a return, which can be reinvested. This creates a cycle of investing and reinvesting for potential future return. This wealth creating cycle is a fairly simple concept to understand, but wealthy individuals have learned to fabricate this cycle into different situations. A common form of investment is purchasing and selling of corporate stocks. The stock market works like all markets on the fundamental theory of supply and demand. The more demand for a stock the higher it is valued and conversely the less demand the less it is valued. Corporations are legal entities which issue stock to investors who purchase them and become shareholders of the company. The risk taken by investors is that when they buy stocks it is possible that the individual company will not do well, or that stock prices will generally weaken. At worst, it is possible to lose entire investments, but no more then that. Therefor, shareholders of a corporation are not responsible for corporate debts. So, a corporation would be a very attractive type of investment for potential investors to consider. Corporations compete against each other in markets in the United States and around the world. These corporations have employees who perform various functions that contribute to successful strategic goal completion. Corporations often will offer stock incentive plans strategically to employees in positions of importance. The enticement to employees is to work in a manner that will increase the value of the company and their shares of stock. These incentive plans were strategically developed by major shareholders because the corporate executives felt that people would be motivated to increase their own wealth. Most employees are motivated by money and will work harder when the chance is given for more money. The very nature of this strategy consolidates all the employees to act as one self-motivated entity in the pursuit of monetary accumulation. In Piven and Clowards Regulating the Poor, this point is illustrated: Capitalism, however, relies primarily upon the mechanisms

The Nine Nations of North America

The Nine Nations of North America The 1981 book The Nine Nations of North America by Washington Post reporter Joel Garreau was an attempt to explore the regional geography of the North American continent and assign portions of the continent to one of nine nations, which are geographic regions that have consistent qualities and similar features. The nine nations of North America, as proposed by Garreau include: The FoundryMexAmericaThe BreadbasketEcotopiaNew EnglandThe Empty QuarterDixieQuebecThe Islands What follows is a summary of each of the nine nations and their qualities. Links in the titles of each region lead to the complete online chapter regarding that region from the book The Nine Nations of North America from Garreaus website. The Foundry Includes New York, Pennsylvania, and the Great Lakes Region. At the time of publication (1981), The Foundry region was in significant decline as a manufacturing center. The region includes the metropolitan areas of New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Toronto, and Detroit. Garreau selected Detroit as the capital city of this region but considered Manhattan an anomaly within the region. MexAmerica With a capital city of Los Angeles, Garreau proposed that the Southwestern United States (including Californias Central Valley) and Northern Mexico would be a region onto itself. Stretching from Texas to the Pacific Coast, MexAmericas common Mexican heritage and the Spanish language unite this region. The Breadbasket Much of the Midwest, stretching from northern Texas to the southern parts of the Prairie Provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba), this region is essentially the Great Plains and is, according to Garreau, the heartland of North America. Garreaus proposed capital city is Kansas City. Ecotopia Named after a book of the same name, Ecotopia with a capital city of San Francisco is the liberal Pacific Coast from southern Alaska to Santa Barbara, including the Washington, Oregon, and Northern California metropolitan areas of Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco. New England Consisting of what is traditionally known as New England (Connecticut to Maine), this region of the nine nations includes the Canadian Maritime provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, along with the Atlantic province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The capital of New England is Boston. The Empty Quarter The Empty Quarter includes everything from about 105 degrees west longitude to Ecotopia on the Pacific Coast. It also includes everything north of the Breadbasket so it includes all of Alberta and Northern Canada. The capital city of this sparsely populated nation is Denver. Dixie The Southeastern United States except for Southern Florida. Some refer to Dixie as being the former Confederate States of America but it doesnt travel directly along state lines. It includes southern Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana. The capital city of Dixie is Atlanta. Quebec Garreaus only nation that consists of a single province or state is Francophone Quebec. Their constant efforts at succession led him to create this unique nation out of the province. Obviously, the capital of the nation is Quebec City. The Islands Southern Florida and the islands of the Caribbean comprise the nation known as The Islands. With a capital city of Miami. At the time of the books publication, this regions main industry was drug smuggling. The best available online map of the Nine Nations of North America comes from the cover of the book itself.

Epidemiology and research methodology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Epidemiology and research methodology - Essay Example ctice of premarital and multiple-partners sex is undoubtedly more common in developed countries than in the developing ones due to the society’s visibly permissive attitude towards it (National Research Council, 2005). Consequently, the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases has also increased. In an annual report of a screening programme by the Department of Health, it has been noted that Chlamydia trachomatis infection has become â€Å"the most commonly diagnosed bacterial sexually transmitted infection in the genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics in the United Kingdom† (Department of Health [DH], 2004). As a result, the government has formulated several policies through publicly-funded researches with the aim to prevent further spread of the communicable chlamydial infection due to its social and economic negative impacts. In connection, this paper will attempt to determine specific proposed policies and their effectiveness in countering the negative social, health, and economic impact of chlamydial infections with regard to the epidemiologic trends by employing a qualitative research methodology which will specifically discussed later. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has accounted that people with chlamydial infections have recorded the most frequent case reporting for a sexually transmitted disease (CDC, 2010). The first annual report of the National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) pointed the same trend about chlamydial infections in the United Kingdom which led to its formulation in 2003 (DH, 2004). The NCSP was founded by the Department of Health in England due to the threatening health patterns caused not only by chlamydia but all the sexually transmitted diseases observed in both publicly and privately-funded surveys including those from the World Health Organization (WHO), the national government, as well as some organizations like AVERT (WHO, 2001; â€Å"STD Statistics,† 2010). In the last decade,

Computer Networking - Protocol Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Computer Networking - Protocol - Essay Example Packet switching can be regarded as advantageous since it allows for the groping of all data under transmission. As such, data is grouped without consideration of its structure, or even the contents of the data. Packet switching also allows for the sharing of data networks among various users. Packet switching can be discredited because it is slower than other methods used in data transmission. The advantage of Frame Relay is that it allows the connection between routers, as well as Local Area Networks. Frame relay can be regarded as disadvantageous since there is a lot of congestion between the networks. The use of Asynchronous Transfer Mode 2 can be regarded as beneficial based on a number of advantages that result from its use. ATM enhances the use of multimedia services within a single network since it facilitates the transmission of video and voice at the same time. ATM can also be regarded as useful since it allows ease of connection between Wide Area Networks and Local Area Ne tworks (White, 20130. The primary disadvantage of ATM is that it is costly; as such, it brings with it financial challenges to an organization. There is also a need to install new software and hardware to serve new customers. Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) can be regarded as the main language used in internet communication. The primary advantage of TCP is that it allows for ease of communication between servers in a computer network. TCP also allows for the resending of data packets that may be lost during the transmission of data. In addition, there is order in the sending and receiving of data when TCP is used. The main disadvantage that can be attributed to this mode of data transmission is that slow transmission may be experienced (White, 2013). There are significant protocols in both packet switching and circuit switching. In packet switching, there is

Percy Shelley, Robert Burns and William Blake Poem Analysis Examples Essay

Percy Shelley, Robert Burns and William Blake Poem Analysis Examples - Essay Example Percy Shelley, Robert Burns and William Blake who were contemporaries, were part of the glorious age of romanticism in English poetry. The three men, coming from very different backgrounds, however shared the common trait of non conformism, and shared a deep interest in the revolutions that rocked the political and social traditions of the time. Shelley was the son of a country squire, while Blake was the son of a draper. Burns, a Scotsman also known as the pastoral poet, was the son of tenant farmers. Shelley was expelled from school because of his atheist views, while people went so far as to consider Blake mad because of his radical views. The radical political views held by Burns were shared by both Blake and Shelley, and all three did not conform to the existing norms of a steady married life and a conventional family. All of them had at one time or another in their lives, a run in with the established church of the time. All this is reflected in their work but in different ways . The beauty of their poetry hides behind it the anger of the poet at a world that is at odds with the divine creation. Shelley’s Ode to the West Wind is an example of the terza rima that Dante used in his Divine Comedy. Each part of the Ode consists of four stanzas of three lines each, ending with a two line couplet. In each of the three lines of each stanza, the first line rhymes with the third and the word at end of the middle line is used as the rhyme for the first and third lines of the next stanza. The beauty of nature is shown in both its gentle and violent forms as Shelley calls the West Wind the â€Å"preserver and destroyer† (Shelley, Ode to the West Wind) showing it sweeping away the dead leaves of the autumn and carrying the seeds that will herald the birth of new foliage in the Spring. Shelley cleverly uses both simple similes as well as complicated metaphors in the poem as he meditates on the beauty of nature in her gentle form as well as in her fury. Consider how deftly he uses the simile to compare seeds that have been blown by a wild wind, to corpses that lie in their gr aves waiting for the same wind’s gentler form to awaken them to a new birth, and when he says â€Å"The winged seeds, where they lie cold and low, Each like a corpse within its grave until, Thine azure sister of the Spring shall blow Her clarion o'er the dreaming earth,† (Shelley, Ode to the West Wind) This stark scene of death is again contrasted with the riotous colors and scents of spring in his very next line â€Å"Driving sweet buds like flocks to feed in air)With living hues and odours† (Shelley, Ode to the West Wind) portraying nature in her varied moods. He seeks solace in his need from the same wind as â€Å"A heavy weight of hours has chained and bowed One too like thee: tameless, and swift, and proud.† and requests the wind to lift his spirits and give him renewed strength to face his woes, â€Å"As thus with thee in prayer in my sore need. Oh, lift me as a wave, a leaf, a cloud!†(Shelley, Ode to the West Wind) William Blake too uses sim iles and metaphors for comparison, but the etchings that accompany his

Rule of Merger & Demerger Essay Example for Free

Rule of Merger Demerger Essay 1.These rules are called Rules of Merger Demerger amongst the Firms registered with The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. 2.Concept of Merger Demerger: i) The Partnership Act has not prescribed merger demerger of partnerships. In the corporate world, merger and demerger have become universal practices for securing survival, growth, expansion and globalization of enterprise and achieving multitude of objectives. Merger is the fusion of two or more existing companies. On the other hand, demerger signifies a movement in the company just opposite to merger. `Demerger’ is also used to describe spinning off of an â€Å"undertaking† of a Corporate entity. The concept of `Merger’, `Demerger’ `Acquisition’ are arising out of the `Arrangement’ under Sections 391-394 of the Companies Act, 1956. Merger and Demerger are natural corollary of globalization. ii) To incorporate the spirit of Corporate World and to imbibe the consolidation creed, the Council used the term ‘merger’ and ‘amalgamation’ of CA firms. The Council in its 198th Meeting held from 25th to 27th February, 1999 and in 223rd Meeting held from 2nd to 5th February, 2002 considered the Seniority and Mergers of the firm and implications of the decisions. iii) In order to have an orderly and sustainable growth of the CA firms, it is desirable that the coming together of the firms begins with networking and then matures to mergers. Networking will enable the firms to develop working relationships with each other. However, it is not to suggest that there cannot be mergers without networking. iv) The mergers should be effected to develop core competencies and to render professional services of a larger range spread over bigger geographical area. A merged big entity will always be superior to a network arrangement. 3.Merger i) To effectuate merger, a merger agreement in Form ‘E’ (enclosed) is to be filed with the Institute within 30 days from the date of the agreement. The re-constitution agreement/partnership deed shall be filed with the Registrar of Firms. ii) Upon the merger of the firms, the Institute will freeze the names of the merging firms and shall not allot the same names to any other firm. 4.Demerger i) The merger has to precede the demerger. The merger agreement itself shall contain the terms and conditions for demerger. Therefore no concurrence/acceptance is required from the continuing partners. The merger agreement shall stipulate that in case 75% or more of the continuing partners of one of the erstwhile firm(s) are willing to demerge then they can do so after giving due notice in Form ‘F’ (enclosed) to the other partners and to the Institute. ii) In case 75% or more of the continuing partners of one of the erstwhile merging firm have demerged after giving due notice to the other partners, then in such case, the merger shall come to an end and if the remaining erstwhile merging firms/partners of the erstwhile merged firm decided to continue, then they should enter into a fresh Merger/Partnership Agreement. iii) The Demerged Firm is entitled to practice in its old trade name, which existed at the time of merger. iv) The Constitution Certificate issued by the Institute to the demerged firm shall state the original date of establishment, the date of its merger and the date of the demerger. For the purpose of computing the seniority of the firm, the total period will be reckoned from the original date of establishment.

Online Communities :: Internet Technology Computers Papers

Online Communities The Internet...the most exciting, mysterious and phenomenal form of communication to date. It allows people to enter a world where they can explore far off places they would not dare to venture into in the tangible world. It gives people the opportunity to communicate with other human beings from all over the world using nothing but a keyboard. It is an information highway, a place where research can be gathered on any topic capable of entering into the imagination. My exposure to the world of Cyberspace began six years ago when I entered college at California State University, Chico. I obtained a school-based e-mail account. In addition to writing to friends at other colleges, I was able to chat with other people on campus using a "talk" command. Throughout my two-year experience at Chico, I never ventured far out of the school-based e-mail system and never once went surfing on the "net." It wasn’t until I transferred to California State University, Northridge that I began my exploration of the Internet. Since I was commuting from home where I had a computer with no modem, it was at the school library where I did my e-mail. It was on these library computers that I became familiar with the Internet. I was now exposed to a whole new aspect of being online. I began using the Internet to research topics for both papers and recreation. In fact, when I moved back home and started going to CSUN, I became very involved in swing dancing. I wanted to know the "where, when and how" of the swing dancing scene in Los Angeles. The Internet became my source of information. I became part of an online community of swing dancers. I joined a forum where people gathered to post announcements and talk about nothing more than swing dancing. The Internet provided me the opportunity to get hooked into the dancing community via an online community. After the first couple of years at CSUN, upon my graduation in Deaf Studies, I obtained a personal computer with a modem and signed up for America Online. I was now able to have both e-mail and access to the Internet from the comfort of my own home. And now, for the last two years, I have been using this AOL account almost exclusively for e-mail. I never use the Internet unless absolutely necessary and find myself getting impatient and agitated when I can’t find what I am looking for or when I come to a screen saying "Page Not Found.

What Is Glamour?

Of all the styles of photography in the industry, perhaps the most misunderstood one out there is ? glamour?. By modern definitions, the word glamour means: ? alluring beauty or charm (often with sex-appeal)?. In photographic or modelling terms, ? glamour? , concentrates on a model? s appearance and presentation rather than the clothes she may or may not be wearing. It is about creating sexually provocative images, with the model often appearing to be in a constant state of near-orgasm!It is about the attitude, the eroticism, the mood, and sometimes nothing more than a particular look in a model? s eyes. It is also the most popular market where the majority of models can earn a relatively profitable living. There are no height or age restrictions (though you have to be at least 18-years-old before a photographer will even consider working with you on a glamour shoot), nor are there any size issues. All those pesky rules that are associated with the world of fashion simply don? apply, which accounts for the sheer number of glamour models out there. In a sense, it is perhaps the most democratic form of modelling in the industry that exists ? everyone can give it a go! Those models that do succeed in this field reach the top not necessarily by their good looks or stunning figures alone (although both help), but often by the sheer force of their personality and the professional attitude they bring to their work. In recent years, the glamour industry ? once the undisputed province of the ? Page 3 Model? has been accepted more by the mainstream media due to the rise of the ? lad? s mags? (or ? mid-shelf? magazines), such as FHM and Zoo, to name but a few. Every industry has its stars, & the undisputed queen of glamour has to be Jordan (Katie Price), who probably has the most cannily planned career of any model out there. Men want to be with her; women want to be just like her! Jordan has tried just about every entertainment outlet available to any self-respecting cel ebrity, and like Madonna has marketed herself as a brand to be reckoned with.Unlike other glamour models however who outstay their welcome, Jordan has also wisely seen that her days in this field are numbered, and has moved into fashion with consummate ease ? recently working with top fashion photographer, David Bailey. It has to be stressed however, that Jordan? s career is very much the exception, rather than the rule. One has to think long and hard to find a similar success story ? Sam Fox springs to mind, though the years have proved that she has had none of the enduring appeal or longevity of Ms. Price? s.The irony of the glamour industry, however, is that for many models, it is anything but glamorous! For the majority, it is about the inevitable travelling (be prepared for a lot of it! ) to and from shoots in cold, inhospitable studios and locations ? as well as the inevitable dangers present for impressionable young women on the road to fame and fortune. It doesn? t help, of course, that the term for ? glamour? has been hijacked by the more extreme ends of the industry to make porn sound more palatable as a product for both photographers and models alike.This lazy and convenient categorisation of the industry itself to label everything that is neither fashion nor wholesome, as ? glamour? , leads to inevitable confusion. We can? t tell you the number of first-time models we? ve worked with, who? ve either assumed that ? glamour? meant ? porn? , or that it involved some kind of nudity. On the other hand, weve also encountered models who? ve assumed that ? glamour? simply meant nothing more than wearing lingerie (nope, thats modelling lingerie, which isnt the same thing at all).So the long and the short of it is this: glamour modelling can range from lingerie to nude work, but it does NOT insist on nudity of any kind ? implied or otherwise. What a model is prepared to reveal is based sole on the requirements of a photographer offering work, but more import antly, it is dictated exclusively by what is agreed between both parties beforehand. Finally, glamour is not about how much you see, but how much you think you are going to see?

The Role of Strategic Groups in Understanding Strategic Human Resource Management

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at www. emeraldinsight. com/0048-3486. htm The role of strategic groups in understanding strategic human resource management Judie M. Gannon Oxford School of Hospitality Management, Faculty of Business, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK The role of strategic groups 513 Liz Doherty Business School, Shef? eld Hallam University, Shef? eld, UK, and Angela Roper School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK AbstractPurpose – This article aims to explore how understanding the challenges faced by companies’ attempts to create competitive advantage through their human resources and HRM practices can be enhanced by insights into the concept of strategic groups within industries. Based within the international hotel industry, this study identi? es how strategic groups emerge in the analysis of HRM practices and approaches. It sheds light on the value of strategic groups as a way of readdressing the focus on ? rm and industry level analyses.Design/methodology/approach – Senior human resource executives and their teams across eight international hotel companies (IHCs) were interviewed in corporate and regional headquarters, with observations and the collection of company documentation complementing the interviews. Findings – The ? ndings demonstrate that strategic groups emerge from analysis of the HRM practices and strategies used to develop hotel general managers (HGMs) as strategic human resources in the international hotel industry. The value of understanding industry structures and dynamics and intermediary levels of analysis are apparent where speci? industries place occupational constraints on their managerial resources and limit the range of strategies and expansion modes companies can adopt. Research limitations/implications – This study indicates that further research on strategic groups will enhance the theoretical underst anding of strategic human resource management and speci? cally the forces that act to constrain the achievement of competitive advantage through human resources. A limitation of this study is the dependence on the human resource divisions’ perspectives on realising international expansion ambitions in the hotel industry.Practical implications – This study has implications for companies’ engagement with their executives’ perceptions of opportunities and threats, and suggests companies will struggle to achieve competitive advantage where such perceptions are consistent with their competitors. Originality/value – Developments in strategic human resource management have relied on the conceptual and theoretical developments in strategic management, however, an understanding of the impact of strategic groups and their shaping of SHRM has not been previously explored.Keywords Strategic groups, Strategic human resources, Strategic human resource management , International human resource management, Hotel and catering industry, International business Paper type Research paper The authors would like to express their thanks to the organisations who participated in the research and the reviewers and Editors who provided insightful and excellent feedback on early drafts. Personnel Review Vol. 41 No. 4, 2012 pp. 513-546 q Emerald Group Publishing Limited 0048-3486 DOI 10. 1108/00483481211229401 PR 41,4 14 Introduction Most developments in strategic human resource management (SHRM) and international human resource management (IHRM) have drawn heavily on the strategic management literature (Becker and Huselid, 2006; Schuler and Jackson, 2007). Some of the earliest models associated with SHRM (such as Fombrun et al. , 1984; Beer et al. , 1984; Hendry and Pettigrew, 1986 and Guest’s (1989) model) provide insights into how leading HRM thinkers have approached the strategic dimensions of HRM. Such insights have focused on the links or ? be tween strategy and HRM, environmental analyses as the basis for strategic management informing (and in some cases informed by) HRM, and borrowing concepts and theories with their origins in the strategic management literature, such as organisational and product life cycles, and competitive strategies (Schuler and Jackson, 1987; Sanz-Valle et al. , 1999; Miles and Snow, 1984). Despite the advances made in both areas there has been minimal consideration of the ways that strategic groups, not only industries and ? rms, in? ence HRM strategies and practices in the pursuit of competitive advantage (Boxall, 2003). Strategic group research identi? es how groups of ? rms engage in similar strategies in order to compete effectively within industries and shape industry structure and competition. Panagiotou (2006 p. 440) de? nes strategic groups as: [. . . ] those groups of ? rms within an industry, which are characterised by similarities in their structure and competitive beliefs as well as t heir tendency to follow similar strategies along key strategic dimensions in a speci? operating environment. The performance differences between strategic groups are the focus for much of this research, but mobility between groups and the structural dimensions of industries have also received attention (Ferguson et al. , 2000; Leask and Parker, 2006; Porter, 1980; Reger and Huff, 1993). As such strategic group research has developed as a central research theme in strategic management. One of the most notable aspects of strategic groups research is that it highlights and reinforces the importance of particular industry contexts.This is an important consideration for the development of SHRM research as there is now growing recognition of the value of industry and sector speci? c SHRM research where the nuances and structural dimensions of industries are emphasized (Boselie et al. , 2009; Paauwe, 2008; Paauwe and Boselie, 2008; Tyson and Parry, 2008). The aim of this study is to explor e how the strategic group concept can inform SHRM approaches. Speci? cally it sets out to identify how strategic groups can help us understand why companies struggle to achieve sustainable competitive advantage.This aim is achieved by initially investigating the strategic group literature and evaluating where it adds insight and value to the SHRM approaches literature. Thereafter the ? ndings from an in-depth empirical study of the HRM practices and strategies deployed across a global industry are used to highlight the role of strategic groups in constraining companies’ capacities to differentiate their SHRM approaches and practices. Accordingly this article also satis? s the demand for more sector led SHRM research (Paauwe, 2008; Paauwe and Boselie, 2008; Tyson and Parry, 2008). This article unfolds as follows. Initially an evaluation of the strategic group literature is provided followed by an analysis of the contemporary debates in SHRM (Boxall and Purcell, 2000, 2003, 200 8; Boselie et al. , 2002, 2003). The limitations of the SHRM literature are re? ected on in light of the strategic group literature and the potential contribution this ? eld towards a more nuanced understanding of SIHRM approaches and practices.The research design for the study is subsequently outlined alongside an overview of the context of the research, the global hotel sector. The qualitative data analysis is then considered with the HRM practices and approaches which are found to be common across the whole industry, similar across particular strategic groups and distinctive to speci? c companies explored sequentially. The implications of these various layers of HRM practices and strategies, and speci? cally the strategic group dimension, are then discussed in relation to the extant research. Of speci? c note is the way such ? dings reinforce the challenges companies face when pursuing competitive advantage through human resources and how the national, industry and strategic grou p pressures for assimilation limit opportunities to develop idiosyncratic and integrated HRM interventions and strategic human resources. Literature review: building bridges between strategic groups and SHRM approaches Strategic groups The strategic group concept emerged within strategic management as an attempt to better understand the competitive backdrop and demands faced by companies operating in an industry (McGee et al. 1995; Porter, 1980; Short et al. , 2007). Strategic management analysis has typically taken place at the level of the ? rm and the industry, and has omitted the interface of ? rm and industry competitor behaviour. Originating from the broader ? eld of industrial organization economics in the 1970s, strategic groups were identi? ed as clusters of companies within industries (Porter, 1980). Such divisions arise because industries are not collections of heterogeneous companies but subsets of ? ms separated by mobility barriers limiting movement between groups (Fer guson et al. , 2000; McGee et al. , 1995). Strategic group research has facilitated a better understanding of how group structure can shape rivalry and ultimately performance, as well as group identities and reputations. It has also illustrated how strategic group reputations serve to reinforce mobility barriers to other industry competitors (Dranove et al. , 1998; Ferguson et al. , 2000; Leask and Parker, 2006; Peteraf and Shanley, 1997).The analysis of the business environment as an objective reality, achieved classically through cluster or factor analysis of company data (Reger and Huff, 1993), drives most investigations in this area. However, Panagiotou (2006, p. 441) summarises the problems of this prescriptive approach as leading to: [. . . ] a preoccupation by managers that strategic management is all about prescribing strategies for positioning a business in a particular industry structure, having ? rst carried out a thorough economic analysis based on the implicit notion th at industry structures are relatively stable and easily identi? ble. The role of strategic groups 515 More recently a cognitive approach to strategic group research has emerged based on the argument that managers’ simpli? cation of their complex competitive environments and perceptions of similarities and differences among their rivals will shape strategic decision-making (Panagiotou, 2006, 2007; Reger and Huff, 1993). Such managerial insights into competitive groupings offer clearer conceptions of the way decision-makers perceive their own organisations and their rivals and therefore how these determine and implement strategies.These arguments suggest that strategists’ PR 41,4 516 understand (and approach) their competitive environments in similar ways, and are related to the ideas of institutional assimilation and isomorphism (DiMaggio and Powell, 1983; Powell and DiMaggio, 1991). Therefore, the capacity of ? rms to pursue distinctive practices for competitive advant age may be limited by constraints, such as organisational inertia and forms of isomorphism (Reger and Huff, 1993; Boon et al. , 2009). Strategic groups are then another important aspect of the structural dimensions which foster this organisational sluggishness.These are critical insights where the pursuit of competitive advantage through human resources, HRM practices and strategies has gained substantial support in recent years (Becker and Huselid, 2006; Boxall, 2003). However, this quest for distinctive or idiosyncratic HRM practices and strategies to attain competitive advantage needs to be resolved against the pressures to conform and achieve social legitimacy within sectors. The next section evaluates the contemporary SHRM approaches and highlights where the strategic group literature contributes to their enhanced understanding.The strategic HRM approaches Three main SHRM approaches have emerged as the keystone for understanding and achieving sustained corporate success through human resources (Purcell, 1999, 2001; Boxall and Purcell, 2003, 2008). While the opportunities for simultaneously enacting these approaches are now well-rehearsed it is useful to revisit them brie? y as part of developing the theoretical connection with the strategic group literature. The best practice SHRM approach encourages companies to adopt sophisticated or â€Å"high performance† practices across their human resources in order to achieve competitive advantage (Pfeffer, 1998; Huselid, 1995).Considerable criticism of the best practice SHRM approach occurs in relation to what actually represents â€Å"sophisticated† HRM practices and the empirical basis on which these practices are suggested (Marchington and Grugulis, 2000; Boxall and Purcell, 2003, 2008). Furthermore, the conventional best practice SHRM approach suggests that these superior HRM practices should be adopted regardless of different industrial and national boundaries (Marchington and Grugulis, 2000; B oxall and Purcell, 2003, 2008).Recent evaluations of the â€Å"best practice† SHRM approach have emerged recognising that within industries there may be certain HRM practices and approaches which are obligatory (Boxall and Purcell, 2003, 2008). The â€Å"table stake† concept suggests there are established (HRM) practices adopted by all businesses in an industry which serve to legitimise their position in that industry. This concept has thus been recognised as an adaptation of the â€Å"best practice† SHRM approach (Boon et al. , 2009; Bjorkman, 2006; Boxall and Purcell, 2003; Paauwe and Boselie, 2003).The â€Å"table stake† version of best practice SHRM approach is based on the institutional assimilation literature where organisations struggle to distinguish themselves from their industry associates while simultaneously achieving legitimacy (institutional ? t) in their sector (DiMaggio and Powell, 1983; Powell and DiMaggio, 1991; Oliver, 1997). Isomorphis m is the process which constrains organisations’ attempts to differentiate themselves within the same institutional context (DiMaggio and Powell, 1983).Isomorphism emerges in two broad variations; competitive isomorphism where market pressures and performance targets are emphasised and institutional isomorphism where institutional factors associated with socio-cultural, technological and economic parameters are highlighted. The adoption of best practice SHRM approach across an international setting has also been roundly critiqued (Brewster, 1999, 2006; Sparrow et al. , 2004) due to the ingrained national institutional and cultural conventions, which are seen to regulate the value of various high performance HRM practices in other countries (Brewster, 1991, 2006; Sorge, 2004).However, this does not mean that across a country all industries have the same HRM practices. Much of the IHRM literature could be seen as disproportionately focused on the parent and host country culture s and systems in light of the evidence on SHRM approaches and practices in hospitals, local government and hotels (Boselie et al. , 2002, 2003). Such studies indicate that institutional and competitive isomorphisms differ across industry contexts creating distinct table stake HRM practices in different industries within the same country (Boon et al. , 2009; DiMaggio and Powell, 1983).Furthermore, such evidence recognizes that national institutional dimensions may have less of an impact than competitive institutional dimensions on some industries and their resulting people management practices. This level of industry interplay on the best practice approach is valuable but in light of the strategic group insights it is clear that companies do not compete directly with every other company in their industry. Instead they are likely to have particularly close rivals whose practices, products, managers, innovations and initiatives will be of speci? interest to them (Panagiotou, 2006; Pete raf and Shanley, 1997). As such there may be another layer of consistency and similarity in HRM practices due to the close rivalry of strategic groups, in addition to those identi? ed by the â€Å"table stake† version of the best practice SHRM approach across an industry. The â€Å"best-? t† SHRM approach suggests a ? rm’s market position and strategies drive and shape its HRM policies and practices. Within the â€Å"best ? t† SHRM approach a range of theories have emerged from those that more simplistically link speci? strategy choices to HRM practices and policies (Delery and Doty, 1996; Miles and Snow, 1984; Schuler and Jackson, 1987) to more complex models (Fombrun et al. , 1984; Hendry and Pettigrew, 1986) which envision a range of corporate characteristics (strategies, positions, portfolio characteristics) determining people management practices. Within the IHRM area, much of the research has also focused on the in? uential nature of national differ ences as well as strategic models (Perlmutter, 1969; Bartlett and Ghoshal, 1989, 2000; Edwards et al. , 1996).For example: the models of international orientation (Perlmutter, 1969; Heenan and Perlmutter, 1979); product life-cycle phases (Adler and Ghadar, 1990); and international responsiveness versus integration (Bartlett and Ghoshal, 1989, 2000; Edwards et al. , 1996) are all based on strategic choice arguments derived from the strategic management ? eld. The main thrust of the strategic dimension to IHRM has revolved around the question of whether HRM practices are determined by corporate or business strategies and customised or standardised across national boundaries with many authors providing detailed analyses of the contingency of speci? factors (Boselie et al. , 2002, 2003; Coller and Marginson, 1998; Easterby-Smith et al. , 1995; Ferner, 1994, 1997; Ferner and Quintanilla, 1998; Hannon et al. , 1995; Newman and Nollen, 1996; Rosenzweig and Nohria, 1994; Rosenzweig, 2006; T hompson et al. , 1998). The weaknesses of the â€Å"best ? t† SHRM approach are its distorted attention on the external context as determining strategies and practices based on market positioning, cultural and institutional factors; and its inability to secure competitive advantage where several companies within the same sector pursue similar strategies and marketThe role of strategic groups 517 PR 41,4 518 positions (Boxall and Purcell, 2003, 2008; Kamoche, 2001; Wright and Snell, 1998). Such criticisms are similar to those voiced by contemporary strategic management researchers on the objective and prescriptive versions of strategic management being the primary in? uence on strategic thinking and decision-making at the expense of managers’ and executives perceptions of positions and rivalries (Reger and Huff, 1993).Indeed Panagiotou’s (2006, 2007) research on executives’ perceptions, as opposed to the economic analysis of the competitive terrains, compe titor strategies and industry dynamics shaping strategic groups, highlights that executives whose ? rms belong to the same strategic groups react to events and market factors in similar ways. This suggests, that not only are companies constrained by the suggested strategies and market positions they develop, but that there are limitations to the options they can take to distinguish themselves because of the added level of similarity strategic groups create.Finally, the resource based view (RBV) SHRM approach has been proffered as an alternative to the best practice and best-? t approaches due its internal focus based on creating competitive advantage through the leverage of valuable, rare, inimitable, non-substitutable and rent achieving (human) resources (Morris et al. , 2006; Wright et al. , 1994, 2004). The empirical research supporting the RBV SHRM approach (Boxall and Steeneveld, 1999; Leonard-Barton, 1995; Marchington et al. , 2003) clearly highlights that human resources can ful? l the criteria of resources which deliver competitive advantage.The most valuable human resources are those identi? ed as the â€Å"strategic human resources† or â€Å"rainmakers† who ful? l the RBV criteria of adding exponential supplementary value to companies. By developing HRM practices, which are idiosyncratic and interdependent, the RBV approach argues that companies can capitalise on their proprietary knowledge and transfer it creatively and effectively across its workforce. Several authors (Bonache and Fernandez, 1999; Harvey et al. , 1999, 2000; Taylor et al. , 1996) have adopted this approach and identi? d that capitalising on internal resources to achieve competitive advantage is quite different from the best-? t SHRM approach because it surmounts the external views of the best-? t approach. This view is neatly outlined in the frustrations of Cappelli and Singh (1992 in Wright et al. , 2004 p. 11): [. . . ] many within strategy have implicitly assumed t hat it is easier to rearrange complementary assets/resources given a choice of strategy than it is to rearrange strategy given a set of assets/resources, even though the empirical research seems to imply the opposite.The RBV SHRM approach offers speci? c insights into the value of internal resources in securing successful international operations (Bonache and Fernandez, 1999; Harvey et al. , 2000). Speci? cally particular groups of human resources are seen to have an honoured position within companies where they transfer tacit knowledge to new markets and provide sustainable competitive advantage (Prahalad and Hamel, 1990; Scullion and Starkey, 2000). Taylor et al. ’s (1996) study used the RBV approach to identify the critical role of HRM competence within international ? ms, the part senior management play in identifying the company’s potential to develop HRM competence and the different groups of human resources who constitute ? rm strategic human resources. However, the weaknesses of this SHRM approach are its omission to clearly depict the interplay between internal resources and environmental factors, and the recurring evidence that ? rms struggle with the challenges of their competitive sector to achieve distinctiveness and success through their human resources and HRM practices (Boxall and Purcell, 2003, 2008). Once again the strategic groups literature provides speci? insights here in querying whether the pursuit of competitive advantage through the leveraging of the ? rm’s distinctive resources is restrained by the in? uence of their closest strategic group (Panagiotou, 2006, 2007). Clearly each of the SHRM approaches (table stake best practice, best-? t and RBV) have some resonance and these perspectives are summarised in Table I in terms of their initial focus and the levels of context where their attention is directed. There is an overall tendency across the SHRM literature for tensions, contradictions and imbalance (Boselie et al. 2009) as evidenced in the overly prescriptive best practice approach, the highly contingent best ? t approach (focusing on speci? c market or national context factors) and the RBV’s spotlight on the internal resources of the organisation. Individual adoption of these approaches is unlikely to provide a meaningful depiction of how companies might pursue competitive advantage via their human resources or HRM practices. Instead it is argued that companies can use a combined and simultaneous version of the three SHRM approaches in an attempt to balance the external and internal perspectives adopted by the best-? and RBV approaches, while also recognising the important in? uence industry isomorphism (table stakes) has on the creation of a set of HRM practices (Boxall and Purcell, 2003, 2008). Even where such a combined and simultaneous model of SHRM has been advocated (Boxall and Purcell, 2003, 2008) there appears insuf? cient understanding of, and insight into, the industry or sectoral level of analysis (Boselie et al. , 2009; Boxall, 2003; Paauwe, 2008; Paauwe and Boselie, 2008). By exploring SHRM practices and approaches across an industry, rather than across speci? national or company contexts, a better understanding of the internal and external challenges faced by competing organisations to achieving distinctive HRM strategies and practices becomes manifest. Alongside this evaluation of the SHRM approaches, the strategic groups literature highlights that these clusters of close rivals may compound the SIHRM approaches Primary focus Level Company/? rm The role of strategic groups 519 Resource based view (RBV) Competitive advantage achieved through developing resources Internal which are Valuable, Rare, Inimitable, Non-substitutable and Rent achieving Best ? Based on crafting HRM practices tied to strategic management External models – typically through strategic analyses tools of market position Based on aligning HRM practices to different in ternational and domestic cultural and institutional contexts and company demand for standardisation Best practice Originally identi? ed as sophisticated practices capable of External achieving competitive advantage Now associated with HRM practices which are â€Å"table stakes† essential for operating with social legitimacy within an industry Competitive market National contexts and competitive market Industry Table I.The initial focus of SIHRM approaches PR 41,4 challenges ? rms already face in realising differentiation through their human resources and HRM practices. Indeed where industry analyses highlight the importance of conformance of industry members, to particular HRM practices and systems, strategic groups suggest another layer of orthodoxy among closest rivals which limit the pursuit of distinctive competitive advantage by ? rms. Research design Analysis of strategic groups requires an industry focus and this research was undertaken within the context of the intern ational hotel sector.This sector has been identi? ed as international by nature (Litteljohn, 2003; Litteljohn et al. , 2007) with companies achieving growth through a range of market entry modes, typically engaging with different equity partners (Whitla et al. , 2007). Managing portfolios of hotels with diverse ownership arrangements (such as the asset light options of management contracts, franchises and part equity agreements) has created challenges for international hotel companies (IHCs) (Beals, 2006; Eyster, 1997; Gannon et al. , 2010; Guilding, 2006).Traditionally hotel general managers (HGMs) have been seen as strategic human resources (Boxall and Steeneveld, 1999; Marchington et al. , 2003) responsible for creating pro? table hotel units through their leadership and operational expertise in the hotel industry (Forte, 1986; Kriegl, 2000; Ladkin and Juwaheer, 2000). However, the asset light market entry modes developed more recently as a result of IHC portfolio expansion have resulted in managers and executives experiencing different challenges and requiring enhanced skills sets.At the heart of this study was the aim to explore how IHCs have developed IHRM strategies and practices to manage their international managerial resources within the broader context of the sector’s competitive forces, growing industry concentration and in the presence of strategic groups (Curry et al. , 2001; Litteljohn, 1999; Roper, 1995). Any attempt to capture people management strategies and practices across an industry, as well as at the ? rm level, involves the adoption of a comprehensive sample of organisations. This study used an industry de? nition of global operations based on companies operating hotels across ? e out of the six economically viable continents, as a purposive sample technique (Saunders et al. , 2000). This research stage comprised substantial secondary data collection on the broader international hotel industry with information on service levels, ownership modes, brands, portfolios and geographical penetration and the information is captured in Table II. Only nine companies met these global criteria and eight of these nine companies granted access to their senior human resource executives (typically Vice Presidents of Human Resources) and administrative teams, and HR systems and materials.The ? eldwork interviews took place at the European corporate headquarters, regional of? ces and in hotel units for the eight companies. Interviews with the senior HR executives for each of the eight companies form the main part of the data. These interviews lasted around four hours on average. In addition, time was also spent with administrative teams, reading documentation and observing meetings. A checklist was developed to complement the interview questions and data, and to systemise the collection of company documentation, observations and interactions with the administrative teams (Robson, 2002).Documentation included HRM policies, pe rformance appraisal forms, training manuals, organisational charts, company communications, job descriptions, succession plans and demonstrations and hard copies of HR databases. The interview 520 International hotel companies Suggested strategy and methods of growth Differentiation strategies – based on the power of the company’s hotel brand name. Expansion in prime city centre and resort locations and the development of hotel clusters in countries or regions achieved through management contracts and joint ventures Various strategies deployed at the different market levels.Budget brands operate on a no frills strategy. International luxury properties follow a differentiation (premium price) strategy. One third of properties are owned and two-thirds are management contract arrangements. Growth through management contracting, franchising or marketing agreements and some ownership Focused differentiation strategy based on distinctive design and architectural features ass ociated with properties and attention to detail service style. Grows solely by securing management contract agreements with select investors Differentiation strategy based on developing modern and ef? ient ? rst class hotels. Growth achieved through management contracting, rather than ownership, and a global partnership with one of America’s largest international hotel corporations Operates at different market levels – particularly concerned with distinctiveness and value for money and therefore a broad hybrid strategy is identi? ed Mixed type of operation is used across portfolio; approximately 46 per cent owned, 21 per cent leased, 22. 5 per cent management contracts and 10. 5 per cent franchised (continued) 150 ? Prestige international brand National UK mid-market brand 48 Number of hotelsBrands Number of countries Anglo-American Premium Britbuyer 900 Nine brands at international and domestic levels: Upscale Mid market Budget 50 Contractman International 200 Four lu xury or upscale brands 35 Euroalliance One upscale brand 16 50 * Euromultigrow 2,500 ? Seventeen brands split into: Upscale and midscale Economy and budget Leisure hotels 73 521 The role of strategic groups Table II. Pro? les of global hotel companies in sample PR 41,4 522 International hotel companies 2,300 ? Five brands: two at mid market Prestige brand Budget brand Holiday resorts 63 FranchiseKing GlobalallianceUSBonusbranda 700 Seven brands Two at both mid market and budget levels Prestige brand Suites Holiday resorts Prestige brand Mid-market brand – North America 63 35 USmixedeconomy Note: a This company did not participate in the ? nal stages of the research Table II. Number of hotels Brands Number of countries Suggested strategy and methods of growth Hybrid strategy based on presence across a range of market sectors but competitively priced in each sector. Company documentation states the aim as â€Å"To be the preferred hotel system, hotel management company, and lo dging franchise in the world.To build on the strength of the FranchiseKing name utilising quality and consistency as the vehicle to enhance it’s perceived ‘value for money’ position in the middle market. † Focused differentiation strategy based on international exposure and expertise in the luxury hotel market. Growth through management contracting, franchising or marketing agreements and some ownership Deploys several strategies including a hybrid strategy for its domestic units and a differentiation (with premium price) strategy for most of its international properties at the prestige level.Growth through management contracting and franchising, with limited ownership Adopts a variety of strategies including a hybrid strategy for its domestic units and a differentiation (with premium price) strategy for most of its international properties. Growth through management contracting some ownership and franchising 190 Prestige brand Mid-market brand – Nor th America 70 460 transcripts, ? eldwork notes and documentation allowed cases to be written for each company which were sense-checked by industry informants and against the research team’s notes and observations.Access was granted to the eight companies on the basis of offering con? dentiality to participants and organisations. Each company was protected through the allocation of pseudonyms and all data and notes collected removed company names and trademarks to provide con? dentiality. This is in keeping with the widely acknowledged dif? culties of gaining access within this industry (Litteljohn et al. , 2007; Ropeter and Kleiner, 1997). The cases built on the interview transcripts, observations and company documentation data meant that ualitative analysis was achieved through the tools and computer aided techniques recommended by key authors (Miles and Huberman, 1994; Silverman, 1997, 1999). The process of initial coding identi? ed HRM practices, management criteria and co mpany strategies and characteristics. Descriptive coding was then used to highlight speci? c activities and relationships between HRM practices and approaches, and company characteristics. Further interpretive coding and analytic coding were highlighted through the themes presented by the respondents and the theoretical relationships arising from the data and initial coding (Silverman, 1997, 1999).Of particular importance were the themes of similar and distinctive HRM practices deployed by the companies, strategic groups and across the sample. Results Across the sample of eight IHCs evidence of common HRM interventions deployed included: a reliance on strong internal labour markets for unit management positions; training programmes with universal components; the use of performance appraisal as a mechanism for monitoring and evaluating human resources talent, the deployment of speci? c contractual agreements and conventions; the recurrent use of corporate communications channels; and speci? HRM responses to cultural and international challenges. The shared aims of these practices indicated that the IHCs were adopting the table stake version of the best practice SHRM approach across their international portfolios (Boxall and Purcell, 2003, 2008; Boselie et al. , 2003, 2009). The next stage of data examination involved the identi? cation of company speci? c HRM practices based on the best ? t and RBV SHRM approaches. However, subsequent analysis of the qualitative data began to identify another layer of similar HRM interventions centred on the appearance of strategic groups within the sample.There appeared to be similarities between the companies based on strategic variables such as parent company ownership, the scope of the hotels organisations’ activities (levels of internationalisation, geographical coverage, and market segments); resource commitments (including size, brands and market entry modes); and centric and transnational orientations. As a resul t the sample was demarcated into three strategic groups. These are labelled the Multi-branders, Mixed Portfolio Purchasers and Prestige Operators.Table III summarises the strategic similarities and differences between the three groups and their IHC members. Patterns of HRM interventions across the three strategic groups are apparent from the data supplied by the executives, their teams and the documentation. These patterns focus around six areas: The role of strategic groups 523 PR 41,4 Similarities Differences 524 Table III. International hotel company strategic groups Strategic Group 1 – The Multi-branders (two companies) National cultural origins FranchiseKing and Parent companies – related horizontally Euromultigrow diversi? d Mid-market brand dominates in Large size – 2,000 ? hotels one company while distinct High levels of internationalisation but brands used for different market strong domestic base (French and USA) segments by other Multiple brands (luxu ry to budget) Dif? culties aligning parent company, brand One company uses more names and operations franchising Hybrid strategies Range of market entry modes Ethnocentric orientation Global organisation Strategic Group 2 – The Mixed Portfolio Purchasers (two companies) Britbuyer and Similar size (between 400 and 1,000 hotels) Diversi? ation of parent companies is different USmixedeconomy Mid-position in internationalisation index Strong domestic presence and distinctive One company has more international operations ownership/partial ownership of Range of market entry modes hotels Acquisitive growth of European prestige brands One company has much smaller Brands offered at similar market levels Challenges of aligning disparate domestic budget brand domestic interests and international portfolios, corporate strategies and new acquisitions Ethnocentric orientation but with some geocentric aspirations Multinational rganisation Strategic Group 3 – The Prestige Operators (f our companies) Two companies have separate Parent companies – related diversi? ed Anglo-American domestic operations Similar size (between 50 and 202 hotels) Premium Similar levels of low internationalisation Contractman Two companies have grown Focus on luxury, ? st class hotel market International through strategic partnerships (resort and business) Euroalliance Strategies broadly differentiation and Globalalliance One company uses a broader focused differentiation range of market entry modes Growth primarily through management contracting Broadly geocentric but with some aspects of ethnocentrism Transnational organisation (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) the levels where HRM is focused; different views about management skills and transferability across brands; how international and domestic operations function; extent of owner in? ence and cultural differences; how and where managerial talent is found; and where speci? c career interventions emerge. Table IV captures some of the co mments from interviews across these six levels and the three strategic groups. The HRM interventions and features developed by the three strategic groups are outlined in Table V along with the strategic variables which distinguish the groups. Strategic group 1: Multi-branders The sheer size and scale of their multi-branded operations indicated parallels between the HRM approaches taken by the Multi-branders (see comments in Tables IV and V).Both companies boasted a critical mass of hotels in key countries or regions of the world resulting in more localised recruitment and development approaches. For example, they operated â€Å"UK only† management training schemes and then speci? c recruitment initiatives tailored to educational systems, notably the French training and German apprenticeship schemes. The size of these two companies also meant they allowed their distinct brands to develop individually which had apparently resulted in some speci? brand HRM practices. Both compan ies recognised there were few opportunities for managers to transfer between the different brands leading to bottlenecks in internal labour markets, where some brands grew more quickly and offered extensive transfer and promotion possibilities. The Multi-branders had attempted to deal with these issues in slightly different ways, though both now had structures, enabling moves between managerial levels across brands to achieve some overall parity across their company.In one company (Euromultigrow) there was a guide to the different positions within each brand to encourage internal brand transfers of human resources. This guide was based on extensive negotiations with managers across the company’s brands, although parent country nationals (PCNs) dominated among these managers and the company’s University was responsible for the roll-out training for this guide. Franchiseking had developed a competency-based HRM system designed to identify common areas of expertise across its brands and as one HR executive identi? d all managers with line responsibilities had to attend and use this framework. The competencies were developed in accordance with a HRM consultant ? rm and used existing and future â€Å"high potential† managers across the company’s portfolio to identify appropriate behaviours of successful managers. Competencies were heavily in? uenced by the company’s existing management team comprising mainly PCNs. The company then ran a series of training sessions for its senior managers so the competencies formed the basis for all selection, performance appraisal, promotion and training decisions and activities.These attempts to closely manage their large portfolios of standardised brands across geographically disparate locations meant the Multi-branders adopted an ethnocentric orientation to internationalisation with PCNs dominant in subsidiary management positions, which runs somewhat counter to their critical mass of units and attempts to localise too. The Multi-branders commented less extensively, compared with the members of the other two strategic groups, on the level of interference from property owners where management contracts were used.They argued this was probably because their highly standardised brands, even at full-service levels, meant owners knew what to expect, and they did not attempt to interfere in the day-to-day management of hotels. The selection of managers for managed properties was also less troublesome for the Multi-branders. In most cases executives could appoint whomever they wanted and The role of strategic groups 525 PR 41,4 526 The levels of focus for HRM Table IV.Responses from HR executives from the strategic groups Multibranders â€Å"Our area, regional human resource executives run national versions of our company University training and recruitment programmes to ? t with national vocational education. † Assistant HR director for Euromultigrow EAME â€Å"We have a critical mass of hotels in certain countries and have built real presence so we need to adopt some of their practices as long as they ? t now with our competences. † Corporate Training and Development Director FranchiseKing â€Å"In France, Germany, the UK and the Benelux and Scandinavian countries, where we have critical mass, they have some ? xibility for recruitment and training. It has been a bit of a struggle with our acquisition of M to get this right, though. † Britbuyer HR EAME director â€Å"Some areas, with more hotels, have a little bit more autonomy than others and we have them do their own management recruitment and training, based on our head-of? ce materials. † Vice President HR USmixedeconomy Mixed Portfolio Purchasers Prestige Operators â€Å"We run a graduate management programme to ensure we have our next crop of managers waiting in the wings. We also have an executive management programme which includes an MBA – both are designed to g et us the GMs of the future. Corporate Director of Human Resources Globalalliance â€Å"Our graduate management programme is being revitalised for next year and we’ll be targeting the brightest from the hotel schools in Holland and Switzerland for EAME. All our graduates must have language skills and meet speci? c knowledge requirements. † Anglo-American Premium Vice President of HRs â€Å"I don’t think graduate management schemes per se work. Instead we recruit graduates, mainly from Switzerland and the Dutch schools, into real jobs and although they’re a hotel resource, we (headquarters) monitor their progress and target them with speci? courses to try and bring them on. † HR Vice President Euroalliance (continued) Multibranders â€Å"We had to respect what was there. The predominant national culture of the newly acquired company) meant that we had a lot of communicating and educating to do within our company and within theirs. We moved managers within (names the acquired company) between units to give them a fresh start and many of them are still with us. It worked out well really. † Regional HR director USmixedeconomy Mixed Portfolio Purchasers Prestige Operators Views about management skills â€Å"No, not so many people transferred.It was and transferability across brands quite common between one brand and also quite common between (names two other company brands at the same market level) but not at all between the others. It was dif? cult, not good. Now we will have a stronger parent company from this new structure. † HR Vice President for Euromultigrow GMs skills needs â€Å"fall into four skill sets which†¦ one is managing myself based on the premise that if I can’t manage myself then I can’t really manage anybody else. Then managing others and then the third one is problem solving and decision making and the fourth one is pro-active achievement.Very dif? cult to measure, but the actu al achievement levels and the go for it and taking that extra risk, the entrepreneurial part. And then there is the languages and â€Å"We have been training them in the use of behavioural event interviewing to help them, â€Å"When we acquired company [M] there was cultural bit. † HR Vice President Euroalliance . . . to spot the competencies. This allows us a bit of a standoff basically because they to see where in the portfolio of brands they wanted to be acquired by somebody else†¦ It â€Å"It feels it is dif? ult to see where a young manager’s next move is in an international can move to† Corporate Training and didn’t help that the CEO of our company company without the right language skills Development Director FranchiseKing went ‘round their hotels saying ‘get rid of this’ or ‘do that’. Things have changed now, to allow widening of transfer options. †Anglo-American Premium Vice again. There’s more a ppreciation of what President of HRs [acquired company] does right on the international scene and we’re a lot more â€Å"There are core or critical parts to our open to learning from them.It’s now twobusiness; marketing and sales, managing way. † Britbuyer HR EAME director human resources, ? nancial management, creative decision –making and leadership. These need to be displayed across cultures across properties to make it as a GM. † Vice President HR Contractman International (continued) The role of strategic groups 527 Table IV. PR 41,4 528 How international and domestic operations function â€Å"For an international GM you need languages and international experience – that is why some managers from brands back home don’t make it. Vice President HR USmixedeconomy Table IV. Multibranders â€Å"Most of these potential GMs do tend still to be the same nationality as the company, but I don’t know why. We don’t necessarily want that, at all. † HR Vice President for Euromultigrow â€Å"All GMs are informed that the best way to read and become familiar with the (competency) guide is to read the English version ? rst – this is the authoritative version. † Corporate Training and Development Director FranchiseKing Mixed Portfolio Purchasers Prestige Operators â€Å"Why the four different parts of the world?Well each one has some strengths. I mean that States you take marketing and very different human resources. Asia you still have the luxury of being able to have a lot of employees and a far bigger budget because costs are lower. Japan because the way, the mentality of the Japanese market and customer is different, and Europe to do same thing but with a very tight budget because costs are so high. † Vice President HR EAME Contractman International â€Å"Our domestic brand managers aren’t our international mangers. There is no transfer, well ok I can think of one or two. You need international experience which creates a bit of a catch 22 – because it is the old thing of ‘you can’t get the job without the experience and you can’t get the experience without the job’. † Britbuyer HR EAME director â€Å"A future GM must have worked outside his or her home country before they can be promoted to this level. It is important for managers to have language skills not only to help them operate in particular locations but also because there are far more career opportunities for those individuals who can demonstrate language pro? ciency. Transfers are then an important aspect of developing a career. Anglo-American Premium Vice President of HRs (continued) Multibranders â€Å"Well most of the time, it depends on the case of course, most of the time, the shareholder of the hotel will be an investor but he will not be an operational actor. He is interested in the bottom line, not what goes on inside the hotel. † HR Vi ce President for Euromultigrow Mixed Portfolio Purchasers Prestige Operators â€Å"Usually owners interview the three candidates we put forward for each GM position and invariably, well they select the candidate preferred by the company, though Vice Presidents often have to use some powers of persuasion. Anglo-American Premium Vice President of HRs â€Å"We have to know our owners really well to give them the GMs they want and need. That’s a tough call when you’re growing so much. † Vice President HR Contractman International â€Å"Some owners are really dif? cult and have to be managed carefully. That’s where our Regional guys come in. Others are great and they are our business partners, with us for the long haul. â€Å" HR Vice President Euroalliance â€Å"Owners do have a lot of in? uence because if we give them somebody and they say ‘we don’t think this guy’s any good’, well!Although we could force them on them it isnâ⠂¬â„¢t a very sensible thing to do. So the owning company does have a big bearing on the GM slot. † Corporate Director of Human Resources Globalalliance (continued) Extent of owner in? uence and cultural differences â€Å"We have owners, for example, . . . but we have owners who are very, very clear about the people who we are likely, or more often than not, we can’t employ. Usually it’s in terms of nationalities and colours, race and sexual preferences they don’t like.It is their hotel and if they say ‘I don’t want somebody with red hair’ then you don’t put somebody â€Å"Owner interference depends on our brands, with red hair in, it’s as simple as that. † Britbuyer HR EAME director the more exclusive the brand the more in? uence but mainly we propose people ‘this candidate has our ? rm support’. â€Å"The frequency of moves our managers Obviously the quality of the relationship make are also driven by how tightly an with the owner is very important and you owner wants to hang on to them.So we’re must respect their wishes pertaining to GMs constrained by hardship factors, and but it doesn’t cause us much trouble really. † owner’s predilections and preferences. † Vice President for HR FranchiseKing Regional HR director USmixedeconomy The role of strategic groups 529 Table IV. PR 41,4 530 How and where managerial talent is found Table IV. Multibranders â€Å"We have our area, regional human resource people help our GMs identify their managers who might one day make it, who have the potential to be GMs too. The area human resource people then run some courses and do the training we have developed through our company university. HR Vice President for Euromultigrow Mixed Portfolio Purchasers Prestige Operators â€Å"How do we manage our GMs? Well we include all managers here – well it’s a very integrated approach to career development , or management development and the annual appraisal and it all comes together with succession planning and the work we coordinate here (gestures to the corporate head-of? ce). † Corporate Director of Human Resources Globalalliance â€Å"We’re [the executive team] in the hotels a lot, and the President was really great, yesterday he was saying ‘You know everybody whether you’re ? ance or business development or marketing, when you’re in the hotels and you spot people who are really good, notice it, you know get a note of the name, make sure that we’re also all talent spotting our own people. † HR Vice President Euroalliance â€Å"We must therefore nurture excellence in every one of our employees, especially our local nationals – the people who live in the countries where we operate hotels. † Vice President HR EAME Contractman International â€Å"At the Vice President and divisional director levels we’re always trav elling, listening to what are people are saying and telling them about what’s happening across the company.And spotting talent too. † Anglo-American Premium Vice President of HRs (continued) â€Å"I mean I am very conscious from this conversation we are not doing all we could to develop the next generation of GMs. It is partly because the number two position in some units has disappeared. So there aren’t enough opportunities for heads of departments to move on and develop their experience. We haven’t had a problem so far but as we increase (grow) we might be struggling for the right calibre of GMs in a â€Å"Some of our approach to identifying GM few years time. Britbuyer HR EAME potential is systematic, some is opportunistic. We’re trying to become more director systematic, through the new competencies process. We’ve recognised we have to have â€Å"You must realise that traditionally we have more local nationals and fewer expatriates. â €  consciously developed very good resident managers/EAMs (Executive Assistant Corporate Training and Development Managers) so when these individuals took Director FranchiseKing over their own units there was a very low risk of failure.Since our purchases and down-sizing, however, there are now some properties that no longer have a number 2 manager. Thus we have effectively stopped developing this ‘almost’ risk free human resource – it may cause us problems in the long term. † Vice President HR USmixedeconomy Multibranders â€Å"Our restructuring of brands and growth in franchising means we have to be clear about what managers do to make the hotels successful. Our company university is critical for training to our brands so all our managers know. † Assistant HR director for Euromultigrow EAME Potential GMs . . â€Å"It’s very intensive (the assessment centre) with personal counselling, tests to see where their stresses and strains are, and management skills across the board, running from 8 in the morning to 10 at night. It’s really very intensive and we have people â€Å"When we go outside, well we steal from the from across the world, with different â€Å"Performance of our business is crucial and competition and just rely on the grapevine or languages and cultures, the mix of people is seen to be the best element of these maybe on-spec applications.There’s some that is why so much investment and events. †Anglo-American Premium Vice development had been made in this area of use of executive search but that’s very President of HRs expensive. † Regional HR director competencies and performance management. There’s been a clear growth in USmixedeconomy â€Å"For the assessment centre a report is pro? ts since the competencies were ? rst written on them based on what we feel they developed. † Vice President for HR demonstrated, in the way they acted during FranchiseKing th e course.What is okay and the right way, what’s to be demonstrated and what’s to be discussed, where they feel they need development in, and from that we can more or less determine the time span its going to take so that they’ll be ready to be a GM, and what has to happen in-between so the individual development is planned. † Corporate Director of Human Resources Globalalliance â€Å"In fact it is incredibly incestuous and people just seem to appear or materialise. We wouldn’t directly poach someone, well . . . , but if someone made it clear to us they’d be interested then we’d feel ? e about calling them up. † Britbuyer HR EAME director â€Å"They all go on a leadership development programme and I design and I teach those with a co-trainer, I like to see that I’m there with them for a full week and we run an assessment process with the leadership development programme. So they’re booked for tests and exercises ba sed on the four management skills areas and they have individual feedback during the brief to let them know how they’re doing. This sets them with an individual plan for the future. † HR Vice President EuroallianceMixed Portfolio Purchasers Prestige Operators Where speci? c career interventions emerge The role of strategic groups 531 Table IV. PR 41,4 Strategic groups Strategic group variables HRM outcomes Brands and market segmentation Multi-branders Hard brands, serving several different market levels 532 Mixed Portfolio Purchasers Prestige Operators Allows more localisation of management talent due to standardisation and clear criteria for operating brands Movement within and between brands facilitated to prevent career bottlenecks Some soft (international) and some Dif? ult to facilitate movement hard (domestic) brands between international brands due to recent purchases, no transfer between domestic and international brands due to skills mismatch Importance of comm unication to assimilate new acquisitions Softer brands Emphasis on transfers to develop managerial experience of different countries/markets, and types of hotels Encourages and facilitates employees at all levels to gain international experience Large diverse organisations, structured on the basis of brands and some geographical factors Critical mass of units in some locations Organised on International and domestic divisions.Slow assimilation of newly purchased international brand Some critical mass of units Companies have developed guides to articulate management positions and skills across brands Critical mass allows multi-unit UGMs and more local recruitment and selection activities Some local recruitment and selection, less development through strong internal labour market and more acquisition of management talent Critical mass allows more localisation of management talent but not co-ordinated effectively throughout the companies Regional of? es co-ordinate transfers and HRM pr actices but also learn from subsidiaries to pass experience, knowledge and expertise on across other regions. IT plays an important role here Across company recruitment and development schemes rather than localised versions. Provides single ports of entry at (sub) department management level to locals (continued) Structure and organisation Multi-branders Mixed Portfolio Purchasers Prestige OperatorsSmaller portfolios organised on regional lines Limited critical mass of units Table V. The IHC strategic groups, their strategic variables and the HRM outcomes Strategic groups Centric orientation Multi-branders Strategic group variables Primarily ethnocentric HRM outcomes The role of strategic groups Mixed Portfolio Purchasers Prestige Operators Highly standardised services seem to facilitate low reliance on PCNs at subsidiary level though they are prevalent at executive level Dif? ult to discern – bypassing of PCNs still mainly in place for acquired companies, some stages through acquisitions locations with HCNs (critical (McKiernan, 1992) mass) but dominated by Western nationals Aspiring geocentric Attempts to harness managerial talent from around the world regardless of nationality through co-ordinated and integrated HRM activities UGMs still primarily from Western (European and American) backgrounds, executives in particular 533 Methods of growth and market entry expertise Multi-branders Growth through hard brands and the development of suitable investors (master franchisees and owners)Mixed Portfolio Purchasers Prestige Operators UGMs have speci? c knowledge and skills in operating highly standardised hotel services and passing knowledge onto others (franchisees) HRM mechanisms de? ne performance and selection criteria for managers and employees Acquisition used alongside mixed UGMs are likely to have expertise methods of market entry (mainly in exploiting value from purchased properties management contracts) De-layering of organisational hierarchies (d isappearance of deputy UGM position) and local recruitment initiatives were seen to help realise returns on their acquisitions Managers demonstrate speci? Growth primarily through pro? ciency in managing more management contracting, some marketing agreements, and equity luxurious and culturally adapted hotels and their owners investment. Global but local More extensive and integrated outlook HRM interventions, which support extensive transfers and development opportunities, throughout human resources, not just managers Table V. PR 41,4 534 only in a few hotels or in speci? c countries and with speci? c types of owners (for example, governments) were there two or three managers presented to owners in a â€Å"beauty parade†.The Multi-branders were more concerned about the co-ordination of franchise operators and training and communication were seen to be vital mechanisms for managing these issues. These were the only companies who identi? ed mandatory training courses for manag ers and held speci? c courses that their franchise partners were obliged to attend. Constant travelling by corporate executives was seen to further reinforce company values and assist in harmonization between geographically disparate franchised, managed and owned units.Both companies showed evidence of strong similarities associated with managing their multi-branded, and multi-market entry strategies and large, diverse portfolios. Dividing their HRM interventions into areas or countries where there was a critical mass of units was appropriate given the scale of their operations. Strong values, often based on the origins of the company, ? were communicated through frequent communiques and training opportunities further reinforced the brand standards and achieved appropriate levels of corporate synergy in the face of competition from their smaller but potentially more nimble competitors.Strategic group 2: Mixed Portfolio Purchasers The Mixed Portfolio Purchasers had been through consi derable periods of change and growth prior to the researchers’ ? eldwork. In addition to acquiring smaller European hotel chains they had substantially expanded their domestic and international portfolios through other acquisitions and mixed market entry methods. Both had international and larger domestic sections which were managed almost completely separately, although