Michelangelos Pieta and Caravaggios Entombment of Christ Term Paper

Michelangelos Pieta and Caravaggios Entombment of Christ - Term Paper Example It is also noticeable that the lifeless arm of Marat was similarly depicted like the lifeless arm of the dead Christ carved by Michelangelo (Gardner, Kleiner, Mamiya 649) as well as the one painted by Caravaggio (De Pascale, J. Paul Getty Museum 37) thus the viewers can instantly observe the resemblance of the three artworks. The resemblance of David’s painting to the two earlier artworks may evidently show that he relied on the ability of viewers to link the Death of Marat to the Pieta and the Entombment of Christ to understand that the depicted characters died for a noble purpose and that is Christ for a religious cause while Marat for a political cause. The Founding Fathers of the United States chose and promoted the Neoclassicism as the national architectural style of the United Sates because Neoclassicism conveyed the political ideals of the Founding Fathers that is the Athenian democracy (Palmer 107, 108). This architectural style symbolized the end of colonialism in the United States and American democracy (Hopkins 90) at the beginning of the 19th century. An example of the Neoclassical architecture style is the Massachusetts State House. Fig. 1. G.E. Kidder Smith, Photograph of Massachusetts State House. Source Book of American Architecture: 500 Notable Buildings from the 10th Century to the Present. By G.E. Kidder Smith. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2000. 133.

Social Stratification Is A Sociological Phenomenon Sociology Essay

Social Stratification Is A Sociological Phenomenon Sociology Essay Social stratification is a sociological phenomenon in which people in the society are placed in different ranks with reference to same economic conditions. Normally, there are those of high standard and others of a low standard. Social stratification borrows classification from earth sciences and thus it refers to its classes as strata. The difference in economic characteristics of persons leads to domination of power by one group to another. Social Stratification is characterized by four core principles namely; Social stratification has been said to be transferable from generation to another. Every generation adopts the classifications that had been set by a generation that preceded. Social stratification is a societal characteristic and not an individual view. The society forms a uniform way of grading persons which is not a sole persons objective. Social stratification is said to be universal and also variable. Though this statement seems contradictory, it means that classification is uniform in a certain society but will vary when compared with other societies. Lastly, social stratification is not all about equality of persons, but also the beliefs that they hold. This means that social classes in the society are also based on common beliefs. The classification of the society into various ranks brings about inequality. In the western communities, social stratification adopts three key stratas; the upper, middle and lower class. It is due to these classes that inequality is developed. Those of upper class view themselves as superior and having more prestige compared to their counterparts in lower ranks. Therefore, sharing of common resources in the society is based on the stratification ranks. Inequality is a social evil that emanates from social stratification. Origins of the Social Stratification theory The above theory is said to have emanated from the Judaeo-Christian Bible which presents the social idea of the Greeks. Though the idea was not extremely straightforward at the beginning, it has gone through various transformations to the present day where it presents itself clearly. The sociological view of Social stratification and inequality Various sociologists have had different views and interpretations on social stratification. For instance, Talcott Parsons who was an American sociologist emphasized that stability of social stratas is partly influenced by universal values. On a different note, Marxism identifies unequal distribution of resources and limited mobility to be factors of stratified societies. However, numerous sociologists have had a uniform view with reference to the fact that the wealthy in the society control the political power. In such a case, the poor ought to submit to orders from the rich. Several sociologists had diverse views on the origin and form of the social stratification theory. Below are some of these sociologists and various discussions regarding each one of them. Karl Marx In his theory of Marxism, Karl asserted that social stratification in the society is based on the way people are related to the factors of production. In such, there exist two different categories of persons; those that own the factors of production and those who labor for the owner of the factors of production. The classification by Karl Marx seems to be inadequate especially in the current view of economics. This is because there exist various aspects of the present economy that have been left untackled by the Marxism theory. For instance; it does not provide accurate categorization as to productive, occupational and economic aspects of the society. Modern scholars of economics have said that the issue of social stratifications requires in depth classifications other than the generalized one provided for by the Marxism theory. In fact, theories behind social stratification need to draw a clear cut between the economic aspects of skilled and unskilled labor, owning and managing a bu siness and also between business and professional occupational roles. Secondly, the Marxism theory appears to be so generalized to an extent that it overlooks various vital social-structural phenomena that are o great influence in the society. These include ethnic affiliations, kinship and lineage affiliations. Modern sociologists have however not ignored these crucial aspects the way Marx did. Thirdly, the theory of Marx on social stratification seems to be so limited in defining the role of cultural factors in social classification. Cultural factors include legal practices, religious norms and scientific ideas among others. It is crucial to note that science has played a key role in maintaining social classes. In summary, Mar defined the relationship between people and property as the key aspect behind social stratification. Max Weber Weber was thrilled by the propositions of his predecessor, Marx, and hence he thought of making corrections to Marxs theory. Weber designed a model based on status, class and a more explicit and systematic differentiation with reference to social stratification. Unlike Marx who identified property to be the sole determining factor in social stratification, Weber identified status and class as additional factors. Weber build an interconnected model that would define the relationship between these three factors. Any of the factors can affect the other two, and in any case any of these factors can be replaced with another. In his model, Weber also did not cover several key influencing factors like education, ethnic and kinship factors. Below are the definitions that Weber gave to his three factors of influence; He defined class as an individuals economic position in the society with reference to birth and their personal achievement. Secondly, he defined status as the position occupied by an individual in the society as a result of their social honor, popularity and prestige. Weber also defined power as the ability of an individual to progress despite various factors offering resistance in the society. Wright Mills Wright sought to advance Webers thoughts on social stratification with no discrimination whatsoever. Similar to Weber, he identified power to be economic oriented but in addition to be influenced by political and military domains. Through his famous book titled The Power Elite, Mills brings out a clear connection between political power and social statas in the society. He asserted that the very power embodied persons occupy a certain class in the society. In order to keep themselves relevant in the society, the power elite tend to develop close ties in ideas, work and marital issues. To him, the power elite is clearly defined in education institutions whereby the persons of the high status group attend prominent schools thus preparing them for high class tertiary schools. Conceptual model to Social Stratification A conceptual model for the current nature of social stratification ought to be multidimensional. It should have considerable measurement techniques and be flexible to accommodate various ideological biases. There appears to be two factors that have led to the resistance of such a conceptual model. These are ideological and methodological oriented. Looking at ideological issues, we find sociologists who still hold on to the traditional ways of classifying people. They want to maintain definitions that are simple clear and self explanatory. However, simple definitions have proved to be incompetent in the current nature of society that presents changing and complex situations. With reference to methodology aspects, scientists have had fear of exploring a multidimensional concept because they fear the complex resources and methods that could be involved. The more differentiated a model is, the more involving it will be in terms of equipments needed to analyze and the processes that will be involved. New ideas have not been explored by sociologist researchers who have committed themselves in exploring simple models hence there is still a lot to be explored. Studies by the Hindu caste society show that there is a necessity for a multidimensional model. Various dimensions of stratification are closely related to one another but this does not mean that they are not exclusively autonomous. For instance, such dimensions as power, prestige, income and education are in a way related to one another. However, in some cases, it can be noted that power is independent of the other factors. In fact, in certain circumstances, power may be attained irrespective of occupational prestige. Again, a certain level of education grounds may not be strong enough if not accompanied by money. The key role of a multidimensional model is to address issues of interdependence and independence of social stratification factors. Key dimensions of Social Stratification Power As defined earlier in this paper and with reference to Karl Marx, power refers to the ability to pursue goals despite resisting factors. Power will be addressed with reference to size and various natures of societies. The degree of division of labor in the society is related to the way typical social classes will be formed. Power exists in two diverse forms; legitimate and illegitimate and hence there cannot be established a direct relation between power and social stratification. Occupational prestige The various productive roles in the society are accorded different level of prestige. It has been evident that though societies may be different, there will always exist a similarity in the way they accord prestige to various occupations. For instance; some professions like law, medicine and pilot are given a high level of prestige because they are associated with good amounts of money. The vaiability of the way occupations are valued is dependent on the way the society values those occupations. Therefore, it is vital to note that prestige accorded to various occupations will differ with reference to the values of the societal setting. Income/Wealth Wealth plays a extremely significant role in social stratification. Whether earned or inherited, wealth will impact the type of class that a person will occupy in the society. Various profession and business roles in the society offer diverse opportunities in accumulating wealth. Sometimes, the so high ranked roles have proven to accumulate low wealth when compared to low prestige roles. Looking at the example of a professional doctor who uses intellect and professionalism to accumulate his wealth yet he may not gather a lot like a bandit. The latter can accumulate in one night, money equal to that a professional doctor earns in an entire month. When money is used as the determining factor in social stratification, business and professional roles lack relevance. Social stratification on basis of income influences to a significant extent other dimensions of societal classification. For instance; the level of education gained by a person may be determined by the relative amount of income they have. Disposable income has also not been left out in studying how it influences social stratification. Family and ethnicity The status of kinship groups and family lineage plays a vital role in determining the social classes in the society. Not once and not twice have persons been seen as wealthy and hence prestigious because their fore fathers were wealthy. The role played by a family in the society in terms of monetary contribution and influence holds a significant support as to why it holds a certain class in the society. The class occupied by a certain family in the society determines the social class it occupies and hence the kind of treatment they will be accorded by the entire society. Family and ethnic position do not however hold a one to one relationship in far as social stratification is concerned. Local community status Individuals and families do not live in isolations or in islands in the society. Their day to day activities are influenced by norms set by the nature of the community. Families and individuals by extension are given placed under certain social classes due to the way the society operates. The position of local community in the society is determined by the nature of influence it has on the entire community. Modern Stratification Systems In the contemporary world, there exists three key systems of stratification whish are; slavery, the caste system and the class system. Despite various laws disregarding slavery, many people in the world today live in conditions that can be classified as slavery. Slavery is still eminent in nations such as Ghana, Benin and Mauritania among others. Also, Asia has been mentioned numerously for prevalent cases in sex slavery. Caste System The above is a social system that is based on characteristics and traits those persons posses as virtue of their birth. These traits include body type, race, gender and age among others. The caste system is said to be a rigid one. This means that it assigns various unchangeable castes to persons which cannot be varied. However, persons have in various situations tried to change their ascribed statuses by lying about their age, changing nationality or performing plastic surgery but not at all times do these attempts yield positive results. Class system Class system classifies persons with reference to statuses that they have earned and not those that they were born with. Persons born in a certain social class can choose their careers, education level and spouses. The class system is characterized by social mobility nature. Social mobility refers to the act of moving either up or down the various social strata. Conclusion Every society has various classes that are generally assumed by members of the society based on various factors. Common held belief in the society model the way a society sets up these classes. Most common factors that determine classification are education and knowledge, power, prestige, and religion among other factors. Sociologists have formed various theories to address the determining factors of social stratification though no one theory seems to have provided comprehensive coverage. Every society exhibits unique factors and believes, but there exists a close relationship between the way these diverse factors influence social stratification.

The year that was...2000 :: essays research papers

The year that was†¦ 2000 Dubbed â€Å"The Year of the Dragon† by the Chinese, the first year of the 21st century was packed with too many exciting and interesting occurrences to be easily forgotten. Take a trip down memory lane and revel in the year that was†¦2000. NEWS International  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Researchers from two competing teams announced in June that they separately had completed a rough blueprint of all the genes of the human body. The accomplishment was hailed as one of the greatest scientific achievements of all time -- as well as one of the most frightening.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the closest U.S. presidential elections in history was rife with controversy after George Bush was declared the winner Local  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  American journalist, Claudia Kirschoch went missing in Jamaica, apparently on the grounds of Sandals Negril. Accusations have been made that she was partying with some stranger and after that night went missing. From then on a search was launched but she was not found. It is now thought that she either eloped or got murdered.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In July, Jamaica’s first locally cultured test tube baby was conceived and transferred to the patient’s womb at the newly opened in vitro fertility (IVF) laboratory at the University Hospital of the West Indies.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales and heir to the British throne visited Jamaica for three days, February 28 to April 1, as a part of his Caribbean tour SPORTS  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Summer Olympics was held in Sydney, Australia. The Jamaican athletes took home 4 silver and 3 bronze medals  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Merlene Ottey was cleared to compete in the 2000 Olympics, after her 2-year suspension by the IAAF, after she tested positive for the steroid nandrolone. ENTERTAINMENT Movies – Some top grossing movies of 2000 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mission Impossible 2 – highest grossing movie of 2000 with worldwide box office returns of 545.4 million 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Charlie’s Angels 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  X-men 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Scary Movie 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cast Away Music International  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Internet song-swapping service Napster came under heavy legal fire this year from the five giants of the US recording industry – Warner Brothers, EMI, Sony, BMG, and Universal – who sued to shut down the service, citing alleged copyright infringement.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The tune Who Let the Dogs Out performed by the Bahamen was ridiculously overplayed but it was fun.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Eminem He may be vile, violent, decrepit, insensitive, moronic, misogynistic, homophobic, offensive, and repugnant, but Eminem's ability to throw down rhymes that outraged nearly everyone helped The Marshall Mathers LP rack up massive sales throughout 2000. No one was more controversial.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Carlos Santana won 9 grammy awards A few more hits of 2000

1492-1750 Global Transformation

The time period of 1492 to 1750 was a time of global transformation as well as continuity in the social and economical aspects. Regions such as Africa, Western Europe, and the Americas changed because of the many affects the Colombian Trade. Different imports and exports that each region had drastically changed much of the economic and social aspects of the time. These regions followed a path of continuity in many things and because of the ever-expanding communication going on, social structures were produced and flawed. 492 marked the beginning of the Colombian Exchange, unifying the Eastern and Western hemispheres across the Atlantic, socially and economically. Europe and the Americas exchanged crops, food, technologies and diseases. The Americas suffered the most from the diseases given to them, like typhus and small pox, which created a population loss. The exchange of livestock had brought the horse to the Americas, which transformed the lifestyle of the nomadic Plains Indians.A t this time trans-Saharan slave trade was already in existence and soon after the Western Hemisphere had their share of African slaves, this is known as the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Because European diseases had killed off many Native Americans, African slaves were sought out. Slaves fueled the Americas’ economy and they soon entered the global economy. At this point Europe and the Americas had started taking away Africans from their homes and forcing them into slavery.This mostly occurred in the Americas because of the need for labor. The need for labor came from the huge decrease of population because of the Spanish conquistadors and the diseases brought over by the Colombian Exchange. Plantation slaves in North America blended their culture with that of the Western Hemisphere. In the Americas, social hierarchy was taking place because of the miscegenation of races. Towards the end of this period, the powerful economy of Europe was growing rapidly and a middle class had started to form.Because of these new global contacts, Western Europe remained unchanged socially but this wasn’t clearly the same for Africa. Even though it seems there was a surplus of slaves in the Americas and Europe, there was a continuous high demand for slaves in Africa. Socially, Africa was ruined and many societies began to fight for their share of slaves in hopes of having powerful economies like that of Western Europe.Interaction between Western Europe, Africa, and the Americas resulted in change and continuity during 1492 to 1750. At the beginning, Columbus had united the New and Old worlds that created interconnectedness that to this day hasn’t been broken. The slave trade brought many social changes in all three of these regions as well as destroyed or powered their economies. The continuous contact between these regions changed what was known to them in previous years and periods of time.

Mercedes Benz Essay

Mercedes-Benz (German pronunciation: [mÉ›Ê Ã‹Ë†tÍ ¡seË dÉ™s ˈbÉ›ntÍ ¡s]) is a multinational division of the German manufacturer Daimler AG, and the brand is used for luxury automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Wà ¼rttemberg, Germany. The name first appeared in 1926 under Daimler-Benz but traces its origins to Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft’s 1901 Mercedes and to Karl Benz’s 1886 Benz Patent Motorwagen, which is widely regarded as the first automobile. Mercedes-Benz’s slogan is â€Å"Das Beste oder nichts† (English: â€Å"The best or nothing†). Mercedes-Benz is part of the â€Å"German Big 3† luxury automakers, along with Audi and BMW, which are the three best selling luxury automakers in the world.[1][2] Contents [hide] Karl Benz made the 1886 Benz Patent Motorwagen, which is widely regarded as the first automobile, in Mannheim, Germany Mercedes-Benz traces its origins to Karl Benz’s creation of the first petrol-powered car, the Benz Patent Motorwagen, patented in January 1886[3] and Gottlieb Daimler and engineer Wilhelm Maybach’s conversion of a stagecoach by the addition of a petrol engine later that year. The Mercedes automobile was first marketed in 1901 by Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft. The first Mercedes-Benz brand name vehicles were produced in 1926, following the merger of Karl Benz’s and Gottlieb Daimler’s companies into the Daimler-Benz company.[3] Throughout the 1930s, Mercedes-Benz produced the 770 model, a car that was popular during Germany’s Nazi period. Adolf Hitler was known to have driven multiple of these cars during his time in power, with bulletproof windshields. Most of the surviving models have been sold at auctions to private buyers. One of them is currently on display at the War Museum in Ottawa, Ontario. Mercedes-Benz has introduced many technological and safety innovations that later became common in other vehicles.[4] Mercedes-Benz is one of the best known and established automotive brands in the world, and is also the world’s oldest automotive brand still in existence today. For information relating to the famous three-pointed star, see under the title Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft including the merger into Daimler-Benz. Subsidiaries and alliances[edit source | editbeta] As part of the Daimler AG company, the Mercedes-Benz Cars division includes Mercedes-Benz and Smart car production.[5] Mercedes-AMG[edit source | editbeta] Mercedes-AMG became a majority owned division of Mercedes-Benz in 1998.[6] The company was integrated into DaimlerChrysler in 1999,[7] and became Mercedes-Benz AMG beginning on 1 January 1999.[8] Mercedes-Benz McLaren[edit source | editbeta] Between 2003 and 2009, Mercedes-Benz produced a limited-production sports car with McLaren Cars. The resulting Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren was an extension of the collaboration by which Mercedes engines are used by the Team McLaren-Mercedes Formula One racing team, which was then part owned by Mercedes. McLaren ceased production of the SLR in 2009 and went on to develop its own car, the McLaren MP4-12C, launched in 2011. Maybach[edit source | editbeta] Daimler’s ultra-luxury brand Maybach was under Mercedes-Benz cars division until 2013, when the production stopped due to poor sales volumes. Production[edit source | editbeta] Factories[edit source | editbeta] Besides its native Germany, Mercedes-Benz vehicles are also manufactured or assembled in: Argentina – manufactures buses, trucks and the Sprinter van. This is the first Mercedes-Benz factory outside of Germany. Built in 1951.[9] Austria (G-Class)[10] Bosnia and Herzegovina Brazil[11] – manufactures trucks and buses. Established in 1956. The A-Class (W168) was produced from 1999 to 2005 and the C-Class was produced until 2010 as well. Canada China Egypt via Egyptian German Automotive Company Hungary[12] India (Pune)[13] India, Chennai (Daimler India Commercial Vehicle ) – Trucks & Engine Manufacturing unit India, Bangalore (R&D) Indonesia[14] Iran (not since 2010[15]) Malaysia[16] Mexico – (Mercedes-Benz Mexico fully manufactures some Mercedes and Daimler vehicles completely from locally built parts (C-Class, E-Class, M-Class, International trucks, Axor, Atego, and Mercedes Buses), manufactures other models in complete knock down kits (CL-Class, CLK-Class, SL-Class, SLK-Class) and manufactures a select number of models in semi knockdown kits which use both imported components and locally sourced Mexican components (S-Class, CLS-Class, R-Class, GL-Class, Sprinter). Nigeria[17] – assembly of buses, trucks, utility motors and the Sprinter van Philippines Russia – joint venture Mercedes-Benz Car Trucks Vostok in Naberezhnye Chelny (jointly Kamaz) .Available in trucks Actros, Axor, multi-purpose auto four wheel drive medium trucks Unimog. Spain – factory at Vitoria-Gasteiz, Mercedes-Benz Vito, Viano and V-Class have been built there. South Africa[18] South Korea – Mercedes-Benz Musso and MB100 models manufactured by SsangYong Motor Company. Thailand – assembly of C, E and S class vehicles by the Thonburi Group[19] Turkey (Mercedes-Benz Tà ¼rk A.Åž.)[20] United Kingdom – the SLR sports car was built at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking. Brackley, Northamptonshire, is home to the Mercedes Grand Prix factory, and Brixworth, Northamptonshire is the location of Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines United States – the Mercedes-Benz M-Class Sport Utility, the R-Class Sport Tourer, and the full-sized GL-Class Luxury Sport Utility Vehicle are all built at the Mercedes-Benz U.S. International production facility near Tuscaloosa, Alabama.[21] Trucks (6,000 per year in the late seventies) were once assembled in Hampton, VA.[22] Vietnam – assembly of passenger cars and commercial vehicles. Established in 1995.[23] Jordan : buses company factory Elba House, Amman . Quality rankings[edit source | editbeta] Since its inception, Mercedes-Benz had maintained a reputation for its quality and durability. Objective measures looking at passenger vehicles, such as J. D. Power surveys, demonstrated a downturn in reputation in these criteria in the late 1990s and early 2000s. By mid-2005, Mercedes temporarily returned to the industry average for initial quality, a measure of problems after the first 90 days of ownership, according to J. D. Power.[24] In J. D. Power’s Initial Quality Study for the first quarter of 2007, Mercedes showed dramatic improvement by climbing from 25th to 5th place and earning several awards for its models.[25] For 2008, Mercedes-Benz’s initial quality rating improved by yet another mark, to fourth place.[26] On top of this accolade, it also received the Platinum Plant Quality Award for its Mercedes’ Sindelfingen, Germany assembly plant.[26] J. D. Power’s 2011 US Initial Quality and Vehicle Dependability Studies both ranked Mercedes-Benz vehicles above average in build quality and reliability.[27][28] In the 2011 UK J. D. Power Survey, Mercedes cars rated above average.[29] Models[edit source | editbeta] Mercedes-Benz A-Class (compact) Mercedes-Benz C-Class (D-segment) Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class (4-door coupà ©) Mercedes-Benz E-Class (Executive car) Mercedes-Benz S-Class (luxury sedan) Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (sportscar) Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series (supercar) Mercedes-Benz M-Class (luxury SUV) Current model range[edit source | editbeta] Mercedes-Benz carries a full range of passenger, light commercial and heavy commercial equipment. Vehicles are manufactured in multiple countries worldwide. The Smart marque of city cars and Maybach luxury cars are also produced by Daimler AG. Models: A-Class – Hatchback B-Class – Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV) C-Class – Saloon, Estate & Coupà © CL-Class – Luxury Coupà © CLA-Class – 4 Door Coupà © CLS-Class – 4 Door Coupà © E-Class – Saloon, Estate, Coupà © and Cabriolet G-Class – Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) GL-Class – Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) GLA-Class – Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) GLK-Class – Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) M-Class – Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) R-Class – Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV) S-Class – Luxury Sedan SL-Class – Roadster SLK-Class – Roadster SLS AMG – Coupà © and Roadster Viano – Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV) Citan – Mini MPV Trucks[edit source | editbeta] See also: List of Mercedes-Benz trucks Mercedes-Benz Zetros used for snowplowing Unimog, a famous allround vehicle by Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz Trucks is now part of the Daimler Trucks division, and includes companies that were part of the DaimlerChrysler merger. Gottlieb Daimler sold the world’s first truck in 1886.[30] Buses[edit source | editbeta] Main article: Mercedes-Benz buses Mercedes-Benz produces a wide range of buses and coaches, mainly for Europe and Asia. The first model was produced by Karl Benz in 1895. Limousines[edit source | editbeta] The Mercedes-Benz 600 or 600S Pullman Guard limousines offer a â€Å"bulletproof† option and have been used by diplomats worldwide.[31] Vans[edit source | editbeta] Mercedes-Benz Sprinter used as a police bus Mercedes-Benz Viano Mercedes-Benz produces a range of vans including the Mercedes-Benz Vito, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Mercedes-Benz Vario. In 2012 it announced the Mercedes-Benz Citan, a version of the Renault Kangoo. The first factory to be built outside Germany after WWII was in Argentina. It originally built trucks, many of which were modified independently to buses, popularly named Colectivo. Today, it builds buses, trucks and the Sprinter van.[citation needed] Significant models produced[edit source | editbeta] 1928: SSK racing car 1930: 770 â€Å"Großer Mercedes† state and ceremonial car 1934: 500 K 1936: 260 D World’s first diesel production car 1936: 170 1938: W195 Speed Record-breaker 1951: Mercedes-Benz 300, knownly as â€Å"Adenauer Mercedes† 1953: â€Å"Ponton† models 1954: 300SL â€Å"Gullwing† 1959: â€Å"Fintail† models 1960: 220SE Cabriolet[disambiguation needed] 1963: 600 â€Å"Grand Mercedes† 1963: 230SL â€Å"Pagoda† 1965: Mercedes-Benz S-Class 1966: 300SEL 6.3 1968: W114 â€Å"new generation† compact cars 1969: C111 experimental vehicle 1972: Mercedes-Benz W107 350SL 1974: 450SEL 6.9 1975: Mercedes-Benz W123 Wagon – Mercedes’ first station wagon 1978: 300SD – Mercedes’ first turbo diesel 1979: 500SEL and G-Class 1983: 190E 2.3–16 1990: 500E 1991: 600SEL 1995: First ‘Joint Mercedes-Benz & AMG’ (C43 AMG) 1995: Mercedes-Benz SL73 AMG, 7.3 V12 (biggest engine ever put in a Mercedes-Benz) 1996: Mercedes-Benz SLK 1997: Mercedes-Benz A-Class and M-Class 2004: Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren and CLS-Class 2007: E320, GL320 Bluetec, ML320 Bluetec, R320 Bluetec 2010: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Car nomenclature[edit source | editbeta] Until 1994, Mercedes-Benz used an alphanumeric system for categorising their vehicles, consisting of a number sequence approximately equal to the engine’s displacement in liters multiplied by 100, followed by an arrangement of alphabetical suffixes indicating body style and engine type. â€Å"C† indicates a coupe or cabriolet body style. â€Å"D† indicates the vehicle is equipped with a diesel engine.†E† (for â€Å"Einspritzung†) indicates the vehicle’s engine is equipped with petrol fuel injection. In most cases (the 600 limousine being the exception), if neither â€Å"E† or â€Å"D† is present, the vehicle has a petrol engine with a carburettor. â€Å"G† indicates the Gelà ¤ndewagen off-road vehicle. â€Å"K† was used in the 1930s, indicating a supercharger (â€Å"Kompressor†) equipped engine. One exception is the SSK, where K indicates â€Å"Kurz† (short-wheelbase). â€Å"L† indicates â€Å"Leicht† (lightweight) for sporting models, and â€Å"Lang† (long-wheelbase) for sedan models. â€Å"R† indicates â€Å"Rennen† (racing), used for racing cars (for example, the 300SLR). â€Å"S† Sonderklasse â€Å"Special class† for flagship models. â€Å"T† indicates â€Å"Touring† and an estate (or station wagon) body style. Some models in the 1950s also had lower-case letters (b, c, and d) to indicate specific trim levels. For other models, the numeric part of the designation does not match the engine displacement. This was done to show the model’s position in the model range independent of displacement or in the price matrix. For these vehicles, the actual displacement in liters is suffixed to the model designation. An exception was the 190-class with the numeric designation of â€Å"190† as to denote its entry level in the model along with the displacement label on the right side of the boot (190E 2.3 for 2.3-litre 4-cylinder petrol motor, 190D 2.5 for 2.5-litre 5-cylinder diesel motor, and so forth). Some older models (such as the SS and SSK) did not have a number as part of the designation at all. For the 1994 model year, Mercedes-Benz revised the naming system. Models were divided into â€Å"classes† denoted by an arrangement of up to three letters (see â€Å"Current model range† above), followed by a three-digit (or two-digit for AMG models, with the number approximately equal to the displacement in litres multiplied by 10) number related to the engine displacement as before. Variants of the same model such as an estate version or a vehicle with a diesel engine are no longer given a separate letter. The SLR and SLS supercars do not carry a numerical designation. Today, many numerical designations no longer reflects the engine’s actual displacement but more of the relative performance and marketing position. Despite its engine displacement in two litres, the motor in A45 AMG produces more than 375 horsepowers so the designation is higher as to indicate the higher performance. Another example is the E250 CGI having greater performance than the E200 CGI due to the different engine tuning even though both have 1.8-litre engines. From the marketing perspectives, E200 seems more â€Å"upscale† than E180. Recent AMG models use the â€Å"63† designation (in honor of the 1960s 6.3-litre M100 engine) despite being equipped with either a 6.2-litre (M156) or 5.5-litre (M157) engine. Some models carry further designations indicating special features: â€Å"4MATIC† indicates the vehicle is equipped with all-wheel-drive. â€Å"BlueTEC† indicates a diesel engine with selective catalytic reduction exhaust aftertreatment. â€Å"BlueEFFICIENCY† indicates special fuel economy features (direct injection, start-stop system, aerodynamic modifications, etc.) â€Å"CGI† (Charged Gasoline Injection) indicates direct gasoline injection. â€Å"CDI† (Common-rail Direct Injection) indicates a common-rail diesel engine. â€Å"Hybridâ⠂¬  indicates a gasoline- or diesel-electric hybrid. â€Å"NGT† indicates a natural gas-fueled engine. â€Å"Kompressor† indicates a supercharged engine. â€Å"Turbo† indicates a turbocharged engine, only used on A-, B-,E- and GLK-Class models. All model designation badges can be deleted upon the c

Social Policies of Music essays

Social Policies of Music essays Social Policies of the Music Industry: Record labels come in all sizes and shapes. There are large, well-funded labels, organized and run by major corporations such as Sony Music and Capital Records. The more money a label has the more people they can hire to handle the various responsibilities in running a label. Smaller, grass roots agencies organize the work of promoting, selling and publicizing their releases by individually taking on multiple tasks. These smaller labels have a challenging job of marketing their records because the organization itself may only consist of two or three employees, including the label owner. A group that small has the duty of talent scouting, calling radio stations for airplay, working with distributors, following up with music retailers, as well as coordinating publicity efforts. Finally, it is the responsibility of a record label to deal directly with its artists and bands, helping them find performances and create tours. The best way to describe a record label is to compare it to an extremely well organized assembly line. Every department at a record label plays an essential role in the success or failure of the company. They are team members, working together toward the goal of selling records, cassettes and CDs as one synchronized machine. There is a very specific pattern of events that have to take place in order for a label to succeed in creating its final output. The result is music, and the following essay is an inside look into the workings of both major and smaller run record labels. My intention is to categorize and break down the various tasks and lines of communication with outside media that exist in maintaining a successful label. As one will see, the larger record labels have the luxury of having several different departments and dozens of employees to carry out the many responsibilities involved in running a label. The smaller companies that have the same amount of wor...

Phosphorus Facts - Element Characteristics Properties

Phosphorus Facts - Element Characteristics Properties Phosphorus is a reactive nonmetal with element symbol P and atomic number 15. It is one of the essential elements in the human body and is widely encountered in products such as fertilizers, pesticides, and detergents. Learn more about this important element. Phosphorus  Basic Facts Atomic Number: 15 Symbol: P Atomic Weight: 30.973762 Discovery: Hennig Brand, 1669 (Germany) Electron Configuration: [Ne] 3s2 3p3 Word Origin: Greek: phosphoros: light-bearing, also, the ancient name given the planet Venus before sunrise. Properties: The melting point of phosphorus (white) is 44.1 °C, boiling point (white) is 280 °C, specific gravity (white) is 1.82, (red) 2.20, (black) 2.25-2.69, with a valence of 3 or 5. There are four allotropic forms of phosphorus: two forms of white (or yellow), red, and black (or violet). White phosphorus exhibits a and b modifications, with a transition temperature between the two forms at -3.8 °C. Ordinary phosphorus is a waxy white solid. It is colorless and transparent in its pure form. Phosphorus is insoluble in water, but soluble in carbon disulfide. Phosphorus burns spontaneously in air to its pentoxide. It is highly poisonous, with a lethal dose of ~50 mg. White phosphorus should be stored under water and handled with forceps. It causes severe burns when in contact with skin. White phosphorus is converted to red phosphorus when exposed to sunlight or heated in its own vapor to 250 °C. Unlike white phosphorus, red phosphorus does not glow or burn in air, although it still requires careful handling. Uses: Red phosphorus, which is relatively stable, is used to make safety matches, tracer bullets, incendiary devices, pesticides, pyrotechnic devices, and many other products. There is a high demand for phosphates for use as fertilizers. Phosphates are also used to make certain glasses (e.g., for sodium lamps). Trisodium phosphate is used as a cleaner, water softener, and scale/corrosion inhibitor. Bone ash (calcium phosphate) is used to make chinaware and to make monocalcium phosphate for baking powder. Phosphorus is used to make steels and phosphor bronze and is added to other alloys. There are many uses for organic phosphorus compounds. Biological Activity: Phosphorus is an essential element in plant and animal cytoplasm. In humans, it is essential for proper skeletal and nervous system formation and function. Phosphate deficiency is called hypophosphatemia. It is characterized by low soluble phosphate levels in serum. Symptoms include disruption of muscle and blood function due to insufficient ATP. An excess of phosphorus, in contrast, leads to organ and soft tissue calcification. One symptom is diarrhea. The estimated average requirement for dietary phosphorus for adults age 19 and older is 580 mg/day. Good dietary sources of phosphorus include meat, milk, and soy beans. Element Classification: Non-Metal Phosphorus Physical Data Isotopes: Phosphorus has 22 known isotopes. P-31 is the only stable isotope. Density (g/cc): 1.82 (white phosphorus) Melting Point (K): 317.3 Boiling Point (K): 553 Appearance: white phosphorus is a waxy, phosphorescent solid Atomic Radius (pm): 128 Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 17.0 Covalent Radius (pm): 106 Ionic Radius: 35 (5e) 212 (-3e) Specific Heat (20 °C J/g mol): 0.757 Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): 2.51 Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 49.8 Pauling Negativity Number: 2.19 First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 1011.2 Oxidation States: 5, 3, -3 Lattice Structure: Cubic Lattice Constant (Ã…): 7.170 CAS Registry Number: 7723-14-0 The glow of phosphorus in air is chemiluminescence and not phosphorescence. cloverphoto / Getty Images Phosphorus Trivia: Hennig Brand isolated phosphorus from urine. He kept his process a secret, choosing instead to sell the process to other alchemists. His process became more widely known when it was sold to the French Academy of Sciences.Brands technique was replaced by Carl Wilhelm Scheeles method of extracting phosphorus from bones.The oxidation of white phosphorus in air produces a green glow. Although the term phosphorescence refers to the elements glow, the true process is oxidation. The glow of phosphorus is a form of chemiluminescence.Phosphorus is the sixth most common element in the human body.Phosphorus is the seventh most common element in the Earths crust.Phosphorus is the eighteenth most common element in seawater.An early form of matches used white phosphorus in the match head. This practice gave rise to a painful and debilitating deformation of the jawbone known as phossy jaw to workers when over-exposed to white phosphorus. Sources Egon Wiberg; Nils Wiberg; Arnold Frederick Holleman (2001). Inorganic chemistry. Academic Press. pp. 683–684, 689. ISBN 978-0-12-352651-9.Greenwood, N. N.; Earnshaw, A. (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd Ed.), Oxford:Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN 0-7506-3365-4.Hammond, C. R. (2000). The Elements. in Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (81st ed.). CRC press. ISBN 0-8493-0481-4.Vanzee, Richard J.; Khan, Ahsan U. (1976). The phosphorescence of phosphorus. The Journal of Physical Chemistry. 80 (20): 2240. doi:10.1021/j100561a021Weast, Robert (1984). CRC, Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. Boca Raton, Florida: Chemical Rubber Company Publishing. pp. E110. ISBN 0-8493-0464-4.

The 4 Macedonian Wars

The 4 Macedonian Wars The First Macedonian War was a diversion during the Punic Wars. It was brought on by the alliance of Philip V of Macedonia and Hannibal of Carthage (following Philips naval expedition against Illyria in 216 and then again, in 214 followed by land-based conquests). Philip and Rome settled with each other so Rome could go focus on Carthage. The Greeks seem to have called the war the Aetolian War, according to ​Rome Enters the Greek East, by Arthur M. Eckstein  because it was fought between Philip and his allies on the one side and the Aetolian League and its allies, which included Rome. Rome officially declared war on Macedon in 214, but major operations began in 211, which is often listed as the start of the war, according to Eckstein. The Greeks had been engaged, recently, in their own Social War. It lasted from 220-217 on the occasion of Philip suddenly deciding to make peace with Aetolia. Between the 2nd and 3rd Macedonian War, the Aetolian League asked Antiochus of Syria to help them against Rome. When Antiochus obliged, Rome sent in its legions to expel the Seleucids. Antiochus signed the Treaty of Apamea (188 B.C.), surrendering 15,000 talents of silver. This is the Seleucid War (192-188). It included a Roman victory at Thermopylae (191) near the spot where the Spartans had once so famously lost to the Persians. The Second Macedonian War The second Macedonian War started as a powerplay between the Seleucids of Syria and Macedonia, with the weaker area powers suffering in the crossfire. They called to Rome for help. Rome decided Macedon constituted a threat, and so helped. In the Second Macedonian War, Rome officially freed Greece from Philip and Macedonia. Macedonia was moved back to its Philip II borders and Rome acquired or freed territories south of Thessaly. The Third Macedonian War The Third Macedonian War was fought against Philips son Perseus who had moved against the Greeks. Rome declared war and divided Macedonia into 4 republics. After each of the first three Macedonian wars, the Romans went back to Rome after punishing or otherwise dealing with the Macedonians and receiving some reward from the Greeks. The Fourth Macedonian War When the Fourth Macedonian War began, as the result of a Macedonian rebellion, fomented by a man who claimed to be Perseus son, Rome again stepped in. This time, Rome stayed in Macedonia. Macedonia and Epirus were made a Roman province. The Aftermath of the Fourth Macedonian War The Greeks Achaean League tried unsuccessfully to get rid of the Romans. Their city of Corinth was destroyed for its part in an uprising in 146 B.C. Rome had expanded its empire.

Preservation of rainforests & maintaining ecobalance Essay

Preservation of rainforests & maintaining ecobalance - Essay Example In addition it is very sad to note that about 150 acres of rainforests are victims of fire every minute equating to 200,000 acres every day meaning annually 78 million acres of valuable rainforests are going up in smoke! The colossal loss due to deforestation of rainforests can be gauged from the statistics given below: Extinction of rare medicine men (called shamans) having knowledge of the herbs and plants of medicinal value in rainforests: for example in the Amazonian rainforest the population of Indians has dwindled and fallen to a mere 200,000 from ten million in five centuries. Consequences of deforestation can be classified into local and global sectors. The immediate effects of deforestation are evident at local level and the effects at global level are evident in long term. The forest acts like a sponge by absorbing enormous amount of water during heavy rainfall and releasing at regular intervals, thus preventing floods and drought cycles. On deforestation the rainwater immediately drains off through streams into rivers, thus raising their water level and submerging villages, cities and agricultural fields downstream. During dry season the areas downstream are prone to long droughts, preventing river navigation and interrupting industrial operations. Rainforests help raise the humidity levels through transpiration resulting into good rainfall. Deforestation results in decline of rainfall since less or no moisture is evapotranspired into the atmosphere. Globally the wind and ocean current patterns are altered due to deforestation of rainforests and the r ainfall distribution is bound to become unstable (Source: Consequences of deforestation of Mongabay.com site). Deforestation also results into erosion of fertile soil, thus reducing the productivity and increasing the expenditure on fertilizers. The washed off fertile soil gets accumulated on river bed thus raising water level and causing floods, the silt may also obstruct the hydroelectric projects located downstream (Source: Consequences of deforestation of Mongabay.com site). Deforestation results in reduction of oxygen levels increase in carbon dioxide and other gas levels in the atmosphere. This effect is called "greenhouse effect". The greenhouse effect causes a rise in temperature allover the world i.e., Global Warming and it has long term repercussions (Source: Consequences of deforestation of Mongabay.com site). The various species of living forms in a rainforest be it plants or animals have developed a complex symbiotic relationship for millions of years, when one species is removed from this complex system the whole system is severely effected. In a symbiotic relationship both the participating species benefit mutually. Symbiotic relationship is a rule and not an exception in rainforests (Rainforest Ecology). Human being is solely responsible both direct and indirect deforestation by indulging in various activities such as slash-and-burn farming,

Life-Changing Experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Life-Changing Experience - Essay Example Consequently, the event was of extreme significance to my life as it offered a platform for a sound future (Ariely 34). Having grown up in China, I did not envision completing my advanced studies overseas. In my home country, a citizen’s freedoms were virtually controlled by the state. Therefore, my sole duty was to be of service to the state. Although the constitution guaranteed human rights on paper, its implementation in the rule of law was poor. The set freedoms and regulations offered little protection in the actual practice of the rule of law. For instance, property rights were not effectively protected, and the poor would end up being treated in a discriminatory manner, as opposed to the wealthy in the society. In addition, the internet was closely monitored by government agencies. This was in an effort to control public criticism of the Communist Party. Therefore, the internet was not easily available or accessible. The fear of being impeached by government officials p revented me from interacting with the rest of the world through the internet. I was afraid of being found in violation of the set regulations. Consequently, I never had ambitions for overseas studies. My mind was focused on how I would be of service to my country. Moreover, I did not even have the courage to explore foreign tertiary study opportunities. The fear of being an obstacle to social stability prevented me from pursuing this overseas exploration. In addition, my country offered various acknowledged world class institutions for advanced studies. Therefore, I harbored no intentions of leaving my country for overseas tertiary studies. However, during my high school education process, I discovered the numerous opportunities that overseas education had to offer. This was owed to my interactions with other students with foreign education experiences. In addition, my fear of the federal governments prying eye on the internet had also diminished. Consequently, I started exploring o verseas education opportunities. First, I had to decide on the course I wanted to pursue. Consequently, I decided to pursue a degree in jewelry appreciation. This had been my dream course since my childhood life. As a toddler, my mother informed me that I was always attracted to anything that glittered. Consequently, this attraction had gradually developed into a passion. Eventually, I became obsessed with jewelry and worked hard to acquire different sets of jewelry. Coming from a culturally diverse background was crucial to my endeavors with regard to jewelry appreciation. In addition, my country also offered a variety of jewelry works of art that were essential to the development of my passion for jewelry. For instance, my community was extremely religious. These religions differed from Buddhism to Taoism. However, both dialects employed various forms of jewelry and works of art in their forms of worship. Consequently, this provided a platform for interaction with various forms of this art and jewelry. This, in return, further fuelled my passion for jewelry appreciation. However, I discovered that there was a need for increased appreciation for jewelry as a work of art. In most cases, this field was usually treated with disrespect. Consequently, jewelry appreciation was not accorded the respect it deserved. For instance, the art in jewelry was not noticed or praised as opposed to other forms of art. Many people tend to appreciate jewelry based on the price as opposed to the work of art employed in the designing process of the jewelry. Therefore, appreciation of jewelry had only been reduced to the price tag attached to it, its size and few other tangible attributes. Consequently, based on my passion for jewelry appraisal, I felt the urge to promote a system that appraises jewelry

The Professional Engineer and Micro-Electronics Essay

The Professional Engineer and Micro-Electronics - Essay Example This report is a comprehensive assessment of the work of professional engineer, who abides in a challenging work environment and has to incorporate with several legal and ethical obligations. The objective in this report is to investigate that how professional engineers work for sustainability, and what methods and programs they use to address complexity in their work environment. The Professional Engineering Tool Flow and Process Diagrams In the engineering practice, it has been noted that complexity lies in each of the engineering process. It could be a manufacturing process, process of design, or process of inventory that involves complexity. To understand complexity of a particular process, the professional engineer uses the tool of process diagram which is also called as flow diagram or process chart in engineering terms. This tool provides schematic representation of a process. Process diagram actually gives the whole picture of the process (the inside and outside of a process) ongoing in engineering. Mostly, chemical manufacturers, automotive firms, and electrical firms use this apprehensive tool to analyze the critical and problematic areas of a process. To condition a process, this tool is wide in its application. The Case of a Low-Capacity Manufacturer It is a noted fact that manufacturers try their best to improve and condition their manufacturing processes. ... rategic analysis tool such as the process diagram, which highlights the corrupt areas of a process, giving a reason to readjust or remove those areas (Carlo & Arleo, 2013). The literature brings the case of an apparel manufacturer which re-designs its production system and production facility by means of using process diagram tool. The process diagram assists and guides the manufacturer in different stages. It assists first in terms of reflecting on how the process is going and how possibly it can be modified or improved (Carlo & Arleo, 2013). The process diagram labels the schematic flow of the process that involves stages of blowing, basting, steeping, drying, dying and finishing altogether for producing a felt hat. These are stages that require readjustment and reformation as asserted by the manufacturer (Egelston, 2012). Using the process flow diagram, the manufacturer displays the AEIOUX sequence of its process. The areas which are absolutely necessary A, especially important E, important I, ordinary O, unimportant U, and undesirable X are highlighted using the analytical tool of process diagram (Carlo & Arleo, 2013). Using the process flow diagram, the manufacturer is able to take important decisions like which areas can be removed or can be brought to readjustment after the analysis has been made. The manufacturer improves the quality of its process by deploying the comprehensive analysis tool- the process flow diagram. Actually, the diagram has provided the algorithm to the manufacturer to improve and condition its whole production system (Carlo & Arleo, 2013). Process Flow Diagram of Felt Hat Manufacturing (Carlo & Arleo, 2013) The consequences led by the effective analysis tool (the process diagram) is that cost has got reduced and waste which was earlier

Why do so many people return to college later in life Essay

Why do so many people return to college later in life - Essay Example The return to school is spurred by a variety of reasons; these include, increasing job security, and new skills to become more competitive in their respective business or career fields; without doubt, earning new academic qualifications opens up a whole new world of opportunities. This essay is aimed at examining, and discussing various reasons that motivate people to go back to school, even after many have already started their career. One of the driving factors behind the school returning wave is the economic meltdown that has resulted in increasing rates of unemployment; it has made it increasingly difficult for those who do not have degrees to get jobs. The unemployment gap is particularly explicit between those with degrees and those without, this situation make the idea of going to college become an increasingly attractive alternative. As a result, many of the high school graduates in the job market realize that the job market is not accommodating for them; thus, they opt to go back to school to get post high school qualifications. ... Employers, at times offer incentives to employees in their staff who that have furthered their education, besides; there are positions that can only be filled by people with special skills or academic qualifications such as masters and other higher educational diplomas (Shih). Indeed, in some organizations no matter how effective one is, absence of a college degree could prevent them from getting a promotion, either way, in most organizations; professionals with advanced degrees are often paid higher salaries than their colleagues. The bureau of labor statistics in the weekly earnings summary reported that a high school diploma holder earns around 621 dollars per week while a bachelor’s degree holder can earn around $1145 each week which is almost doubled the former (Schweitzer). Individuals with masters and doctoral degrees make even more with the averages ranging around $75,000 or more, the gap between the potential of high school diploma holder and a doctorial holder exceed s a million dollars in a lifetime. On the other hand, not all those who return to school, do it for the sake of acquiring promotions of formal employment; indeed there are many entrepreneurs and self-employed individuals who go back; , not of the credentials but for the skills acquired therein. When one starts a new business, they may feel the need to improve their skills in the field so that they are able to manage it better or to save on hiring specialists; furthermore, others get back to school so that they can meet new people in their fields. This is because going back to school avails the opportunity to make new connections and network, both which are vital aspects in

M6A2-Conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

M6A2-Conflict - Essay Example Leadership also helps in influencing the efforts of the conflicting parties and ensuring that parties take the responsibility of ending the conflict (Donohue & Kolt, 1994). Leadership also ensures that all parties involve participate in decision-making through provision of opportunities to express their won perspectives, feelings and points of view regarding the conflict (Lansford, 2008). I have learned that leadership in conflict management must aim at proper planning of meeting schedules, installing shared beliefs and strengthening social cohesion. Accordingly, leadership will enable conflict experts adequately identify tasks, differing interests or objectives that require cooperation in ending conflicts (Donohue & Kolt, 1994). From my interview with Professor Marco Turk, I have acknowledged that values play an important role in conflict resolution. The Professor agreed that personality traits, beliefs and perceptions of the conflicting parties might either hinder or foster success ful conflict resolution. I agree that openness to new challenges, open-mindedness, and cooperative values will foster shared goals during the conflict resolution process among the conflicting parties (Jeong, 1999). ... Values such as emotional intelligence, self-awareness and emotional stability helps the conflicting parties minimize negative perceptions or aggressive behaviors such as verbal attacks that may compromise the process (Donohue & Kolt, 1994). My modified personal working model for conflict resolution is ideal for interpersonal conflict as well as group-to-group situation conflict (Jeong, 1999). However, leadership, trust and values are more essential in resolving interpersonal conflicts compared to group-to-group situation. Interpersonal conflicts mainly result from differences in personality, poor communication, cross-cultural differences and task conflicts between two or members in an organization (Donohue & Kolt, 1994). Power struggles and poor leadership within an organization may also lead to instances of conflicts among the staff. The first step is to identify the underlying causes of conflict. Accordingly, I believe the conflict expert will then create urgency for a solution thr ough identifying the detrimental impacts of the conflict to the workplace. Successful leaders must be able to identify the possible negative impacts such as decline in profitability, poor relationships among conflicting employees, poor customer service and lack of cooperation within the organization (Donohue & Kolt, 1994). According to my modified model, the next step will involve creating a favorable environment for resolving the conflict. This step will involve use of essential leadership qualities such as ability to ensure open communication, ability to encourage dialogue and appreciate diversity of opinions among the conflicting parties (Jeong, 1999). In addition, the conflicting parties

Bilingual Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Bilingual Education - Essay Example Learning a second language was crucial due to the need to grow my social network and interact with people from different cultures. It was quite embarrassing to study overseas and require someone to always translate what other people were saying and I had to take the initiative of undertaking bilingual education. According to Krashen, there are two ways of getting to know the second language – by acquisition and by learning. I had to go through the two processes, acquiring the language skills by interacting with natives and by taking up classes to grow my vocabulary knowledge (Krashen, 1992). Similar to Krashen’s view, it is difficult to monitor the language in which one communicates in. Writing it down makes it easier to analyze. When one speaks, they tend to modify the rules of the language, and at times are grammatically wrong and this can only be noticed in a written composition. This was seen in the way I would pass written language examinations and still find it difficult to communicate fluently by word of mouth. Krashen’s input hypothesis takes note of the importance of exposure and explains the fact that one acquires a language by being exposed to comprehensible input of it, be it written or spoken. This view can be supported by the fact that one tends to learn a language by living with people who speak it correctly and the learner requires no effort from their side, just the exposure. If the language as used by its speakers is not rendered in a logical and understandable manner, the learner will have a hard time acquiring it (Krashen,1992). Before embarking on bilingual education, one has to start by being ready to learn, being motivated and believing that they can learn the language and use it like its native speakers. Similarly, Krashen brings out the affective filter hypothesis which looks at acquiring a language through comprehensible input, which must reach the brain without undergoing

M6A2-Conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

M6A2-Conflict - Essay Example Leadership also helps in influencing the efforts of the conflicting parties and ensuring that parties take the responsibility of ending the conflict (Donohue & Kolt, 1994). Leadership also ensures that all parties involve participate in decision-making through provision of opportunities to express their won perspectives, feelings and points of view regarding the conflict (Lansford, 2008). I have learned that leadership in conflict management must aim at proper planning of meeting schedules, installing shared beliefs and strengthening social cohesion. Accordingly, leadership will enable conflict experts adequately identify tasks, differing interests or objectives that require cooperation in ending conflicts (Donohue & Kolt, 1994). From my interview with Professor Marco Turk, I have acknowledged that values play an important role in conflict resolution. The Professor agreed that personality traits, beliefs and perceptions of the conflicting parties might either hinder or foster success ful conflict resolution. I agree that openness to new challenges, open-mindedness, and cooperative values will foster shared goals during the conflict resolution process among the conflicting parties (Jeong, 1999). ... Values such as emotional intelligence, self-awareness and emotional stability helps the conflicting parties minimize negative perceptions or aggressive behaviors such as verbal attacks that may compromise the process (Donohue & Kolt, 1994). My modified personal working model for conflict resolution is ideal for interpersonal conflict as well as group-to-group situation conflict (Jeong, 1999). However, leadership, trust and values are more essential in resolving interpersonal conflicts compared to group-to-group situation. Interpersonal conflicts mainly result from differences in personality, poor communication, cross-cultural differences and task conflicts between two or members in an organization (Donohue & Kolt, 1994). Power struggles and poor leadership within an organization may also lead to instances of conflicts among the staff. The first step is to identify the underlying causes of conflict. Accordingly, I believe the conflict expert will then create urgency for a solution thr ough identifying the detrimental impacts of the conflict to the workplace. Successful leaders must be able to identify the possible negative impacts such as decline in profitability, poor relationships among conflicting employees, poor customer service and lack of cooperation within the organization (Donohue & Kolt, 1994). According to my modified model, the next step will involve creating a favorable environment for resolving the conflict. This step will involve use of essential leadership qualities such as ability to ensure open communication, ability to encourage dialogue and appreciate diversity of opinions among the conflicting parties (Jeong, 1999). In addition, the conflicting parties

International Business and operations Management Essay

International Business and operations Management - Essay Example In China there are many existing domestic firms (over 8,000) engaged in the production and sale of agricultural equipment while a substantial number of international reputable firms have made major inroads into the Chinese farm machinery market. To understand international business ventures, Peng et al (2009) through their unified international business framework suggest two approaches in understanding international business frameworks. These are the institution-based view whereby the foreign venture firms aims at developing an understanding of the local business environment; and the resource-based view in which the firm utilizes its competitive advantage like superior technology or products to gain a foothold in the local markets. China as one of the fastest developing emerging markets provide a highly developed potential market for agricultural equipment due to its large population and lowly mechanized farming methods hence is a viable entry point into the Asian region market. International strategic management mainly encompasses firms engaged in cross-border trade globally that usually take advantage of local resources in diverse geographical locations to enhance their productivity and returns. Lessard (2003) has identified four strategic frameworks that distinguish these international firms: geographic span of the particular industry; the pull of the specific locations including the markets, resources, and the competitive edge; upholding of the international strategy; and the extent of global incorporation including the localized spread. The western and northern parts of China however have not greatly enjoyed the rapid growth experienced in other regions of the country. The government has therefore consequently provided incentives to foreign firms interested in expanding in these regions in form of lowered statutory requirements and other inducements as well as providing a high-quality communication and

PESTEL analysis of the Chinese and German flooring industries

PESTEL analysis of the Chinese and German flooring industries Since 1979, China adopted an export-manufacturing strategy successfully following with Japan, Korea and Hong Kong. The Golden Bridge Co., Ltd is one of the beneficiaries. It was founded in 2007 with flooring as its main products. The product is of high quality by utilizing advanced technology and equipments imported from Germany and Italy. The glue and lacquer materials for production are also imported. In current stage, Golden Bridge has a total capital of 800 million RMB and exported to 35 foreign markets including the U.S., Canada, Japan and Germany. In order to help it to expand the business, our consultancy company attempt to analyze the China business environment and seek a foreign market to relocate the manufacturing of this company with proper entering and competing strategies. This essay first illustrates the business environment of flooring industry in China and German with PESTEL analysis. Then it evaluates the threats in Germany market by following Porters five-force mode l. Later a recommendation would be given on how to properly enter into the targeted country. PESTEL analysis of china market: The PESTEL analysis is used to assess the macro environment and identify the challenges Golden Bridge faced with in china market in order to make an appropriate suggestion. Political: The Chinese political system characterized as one-party communist dictatorship makes a great contribution to national stability, enabling the economy keep dynamic and sustainable. Nevertheless, when the economic system was deregulated from the command economy to market economy since 1978, the power of economic management was increasingly decentralized, raising the issue of uncoordinated development of regional economy. Currently, though the central government has made effort to alleviate the gap among different areas in terms of developing standards, provinces tend to give a priority to local profits rather than considering the integrated advancement of the whole country. Local protectionism exerts detrimental influences upon market expansion of Golden Bridge Company in nationwide and deters the establishment of a comprehensive distribution channel. Economical: China is valued as one of the most vibrant countries in terms of economic development among the world. The reform opening up in 1978 accelerated Chinas GDP growth from 362.4 billion RMB to 30 trillion RMB within a 30-year period. Moreover, in 2010, China has been the second largest economy instead of Japan whilst the value of export accounted for 10% of world. Based on these statistics, judgment can be made that manufactures in China including flooring industry may keep an optimistic attitude to their future prospects in some extent. Nonetheless, Chinese economy may suffer unpredictable circumstance in the future. Labor resource is one double-edge sword. Once being an advantage of China, abundant labor resource and economical labor price make a great contribution to progress of those labor-intensive manufacturing industries. This is also the primary reason that China flooring industry is quite profitable though China is a net importer of timber. However, as cited by AME info (2005) there is a growth in the minimum wage standard, labor may not be regard as a perpetual advantage of China if this trend continues. In Addition, appreciation of CNY since 2005 against USD may imperil the export of Golden Bridge Company (Goldstein, M. and Lardy, N., 2006). Social: It is claimed by Su and Littlefied (2001) that China is an extremely high-context country where people prefer to receive implied messages. For establishing a business in China, strong private-relationships with different stakeholders is the key to success. However, this is extremely time-consuming while the maintenance is also expensive. Potential conflicts in interest may easily erode it. Besides the relationship, corruption is another issue in China. According to the Corruption Perceptions Index, China was positioned 72nd among all 179 countries in 2008. However, damages caused by corruption may be far more hazardous than anticipated, particularly to the economic development. Corruption has been treated as a vital barrier for operating in Chinese market due to enormous back-stage expenditures as well as resulted injustice. For Golden Bridge to gain more import quotas and pay less tariff, costs may be made up of not only normal ingredients such as transporting, but also implied expense for smoothing the network. Technological: China wood flooring industry is experiencing a relatively laggard technological standard in its initial stage of development. According to Cheng and Song (2006), the level of timber utilization was 61% in 2004 with a considerable disparity with developed countries (nearly 90%). Additionally, imbalanced technological support aggravates the long-term conflicts between wood supply and demand in Chinese domestic market. In 2004, though the total domestic timber supply is 273.6 million cubic meters and exceeded the total consumption of 241.5 million cubic meters, scarcity of raw material still existed in some parts of timber manufacturing industry. Environment Legal: Chinese government proposed the Natural Forest Protection Program (NFPP) nationwide in 1998 to limit exploitation of natural forest resources. The legislation made the supply of domestic natural timber restricted. Between 1997 and 2003, natural timbers supply decreased from 32.05 million cubic meters to 12.145 million cubic meters (Cheng and Song, 2005), which was extremely insufficient to satisfy demands of the highly prosperous timber industry in China. Timer manufacturing companies in China have to depend on importing. Statistics shows that in 1997 the quantity of imported timber only occupied 23.56% of total wood consumption, while the number soared to 53.78% in 2004. The expenditure of imported timber was $33.96 higher per cubic meter compared with the price in 2007, which increased the material coast of Golden Bridge Company. PESTEL analysis of German market: Since this essay has analyzed the macro environment of the china flooring market, further looking at the political, economic, social and technological factors of the German can help advance and strength the logic of the whole assessment. Political factors: Germany is a home of secure, legal and rewarding investment. The World Economic Forum has rewarded its legal system as the most efficient and this fact has also gained international recognition. Flooring coverings are categorized according to German and EU laws and building products should be subject to the EU construction products directive and the German construction products law. The directive and law are mainly focused on environmental, health-related, material and usability sectors and most people agree that by considering the environmental restrictions, the EU can be the strictest market. Moreover, with the transnational economic environment, it is predicted by experts that the approval criteria for flooring is likely to decrease and there seems to be a limited permission of eco-labels for flooring products. Further, comprehensive incentives  are provided to both home and oversea investors by German government, individual federal states and the EU. Economic factors Germany is the largest economy in Europe and in general German is export-oriented. Since 2003, German has been the largest exporter machinery, vehicles, chemicals and household equipment, with an annual export increase of 8%. However, factors that may prevent Golden Bridge from entering into and developing itself in Germany also exist. They can be excessive dependence on euro currency, tight credit markets and an increasing rate of unemployment. Stimulus and stabilization efforts initiated in 2008 and 2009 and tax cuts introduced in Chancellor Angela MERKELs second term will increase Germanys record budget deficit, which is expected to exceed 5% of GDP in 2010. The EU required Germany to get its consolidated budget deficit below 3% of GDP until 2013. A new constitutional amendment likewise limits the federal government to structural deficits of no more than 0.35% of GDP per annum as of 2016. Technology factors: Germany is claimed to be the leading nation in high-tech development and receives high turnover accordingly. In 2007, the high-tech products exported by Germany accounted to a value of RUR 114 billion, ranked first in Europe and third worldwide. More than 27% turnover of German manufacturing factory is generated from high-tech products, compared to a European average of 19%. Social factors: Social factors also need consideration. Hofstedes analysis of Germany shows the emphasis on individualism, masculinity and uncertainty avoidance. Power distance and long-term orientation are both ranked considerably lower than the others. Germany believes in equality and equal opportunity, as well as its ability to change and adapt rapidly. Another arising issue is the social awareness of pollution, which leads Germany to use more environmental-friendly materials. Abstract for the use of five-force model: After analyzing the macro-environment of both countries, it is reasonable and necessary to apply Michel Porters five-force model in order to provide a thoroughly understanding of the German flooring market before the Golden Bridge company entering into it. According to this model, the competitiveness of an industry is influenced by such five forces and their collective strength and thus determines the ultimate profit potential of this targeting industry. These five forces covered in the analysis are competitive rivalry, supplier power, buyer power, the threat of substitution and the threat of potential new entry. However, the five-forces framework is not a set of principals per se, instead is a tool for systematically use these principals to assess the current status and likely evolution of an industry. Competitive Rivalry: The internal competitive rivalry in German flooring market seems high. There are three main reasons. First, the switching cost is low because flooring products are homogenous with little product differentiation. Another reason is that the German flooring market is saturated with a relatively low growth rate. The flooring production in 2008 suffered a 15.1% decline while the total consumption slumped for about 12.19% (FEP, 2008). Also the number of competitive companies in German flooring market and the intensity of rivalry also determine the high threats of rivalry. There are a large number of companies competing in the German flooring market and these companies are divided into three categories, they are Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs), Domestic Leading Manufacturers (DLMs) and Niche Market Brands (NMBs). First of all, SMEs has the largest number in the German flooring market (Roadmap, 2010). These SMEs are often manufacturers provide low-grade flooring with low price. Their marketing strategy is just reverse to Golden Bridges. Thus Golden Bridge is suggested to treat them in an abstemious way. However, there are also a few numbers of large flooring manufacturers who operating on European and/or global base. It is suggested by German Timber (2007) that few DLMs account for the majority of the total market share. These companies usually possess strong competencies, highly recognized reputation and well-established brand image. One main rivalry is the Krono Group, who is one of the world leading producers of high-quality flooring. Founded in 1897, it has accumulated years of experience and extensive knowledge know-how. It delivers products to 80 countries worldwide while has its own production-base in 18 countries. In 2004, its production capability of flooring reached 310 million à £Ã … ½Ã‚ ¡, took up about 1/3 of the world market share with total sales revenue of 24 billion RMB. It also has an annual RD investment of 15billion RMB with over 200 scientists doing research in Krono International Laboratory. In addition, there are Niche Market Brands (NMBs) with several well-known brands like Espirt and Kaindl, holding part of the flooring market (FEP, 2007). These companies merely provide certain kinds of flooring to meet the special needs of a group of customers. Furthermore, in order to gaining competitive strength, the NMBs together with some foreign brands such as Balterio from Belgian and Vito from Austria have formed a conglomerate named Beamy International, a commercial platform allowing them to compete on both domestic and global markets (FEP, 2008). As the competition is fierce in German flooring market, Golden Bridge is suggested to adopt a niche strategy and doing effective promotion after entering the market. To explain, the original German wood flooring manufacturers already gains economy of scales and undeniably enjoy a cost advantage. Advanced distribution channel comparing with those new entrants also allows them first mover advantages. Cost disadvantage and lacking reliable cooperators are main barriers for Golden Bridge to survive in German market. Insufficient in capital determines that an aggressive expansion strategy is also irrational. However, one advantage Golden Bridge occupies is that it has been doing export business within German importers for couple of years and its products did have certain reputation in this highly competitive market. By offering additional value, Golden Bridge can efficiently differentiate itself among the rivals with a brand image of reliability, valuable, and symbol of statuses. This may help obtain sustainable brand loyalty among German customers. Threat of Substitutes: The threat of substitution refers to the extent to which different products used in place of a companys products or offered by other industrials. Flooring is not restricted on only wood but other materials such as textile and stone/ceramics are also widely used. For instance, in German market in 2008, textile took the largest raw material market share (i.e. about 37.4%) for making flooring. This is followed by stone/ceramics of 28.6%. Comparably, the laminate only had a market share of 13.9%, ranked in the third place. In terms of switching cost, the result can be distinct regarding to different objects of study. To individual consumers, there is almost no switching cost exists because choose one kind of material instead of another is just a matter of personal taste. However, this can be criticized in depth for the reasons that wood-made flooring has its own characteristics and functions that other materials may not have. To some extent and to specific customer groups, for instance, those who have fixed-decoration style, the switching cost can be relatively high. However, to large wholesalers (e.g. Beamy International) who previously dedicated in wood-made flooring, the switching cost would be extremely high, as they may lose the stable distribution channels with their current wholesalers or retailers, and also the price advantage provided by the long-term cooperative producers. This means the substitution threat is less considerable because their past investment in developing stable distribution channels with retailers and producers offers them an advantage in current market and this may make them unwilling to undertake risks of operating and competing in a new and highly competitive market. Summing up the above, it is the end-user customers that Golden Bridge should pay close attention to. First of all, it is advised that a regular customer survey to be conducted to make a comprehension of customers preferences and what they really appreciate. The company should also emphasize the exclusiveness and unique utilities of their products, making it cost more for the customers to switching to other substitutes. In the meantime, though as mentioned the future trend seems favor wood flooring industry, Golden Bridge should cause enough value that the technology development is always indeterminate. Thus in order to avoid sudden shock of new technologies that brings in comparable substitutes, Golden Bridge should invest continuously in Research and Development to keep pace with the times. Threat of New Entrants: Threat of new entrants is moderate. As put by European Commission (2001), the main barriers to enter German market include certification approval and the quality standards and label, while the incentive to enter German market depends mainly on its impeccable infrastructure system. The extensive unified intensification, which has been mentioned before in PEST Analysis of German, increase the starting investment of new entry, accordingly has negative effect on new entrants to the market. There are totally fourteen member countries of European Federation of the Parquet Industry (FEP). Under the Single European Market policy, twelve of them have reached an agreement on moving goods, service and capital freely internally, giving companies in these markets strong mobility. To put it simpler, a flooring company located in Germany for example, can either choose to develop domestically or entre into either of the other 11 member countries of EFP, in support of the unified system. Once entering into the consolidated FEP, the new members deserve this privilege with little hindrance, however, the legal entry requirement, especially for flooring companies compliance with environmental protection, is said to be quite strict in European Market, which is especially true in Ge rmany. Thus it can be expected that in order to harmonize to European standards, a large quality of funds will be needed to invest in order to fulfilling the standards ranging from environmental protection to individual healthcare. What is more, the sophisticated infrastructures that Germany possesses nationwide make the market considerably attractive to those adventurous entrepreneurs. As known to all, Germany lays in the center of the Western Europe, with large-scale transportation centers such as International airport in Frankfurt and seaport in Hamburg (ELA, 2010). Centering in a fast and efficient logistic network covering almost all the main markets in Europe, flooring companies in Germany can procure raw materials namely timber on a global scale, and reach the external markets with relatively lower transportation costs. Therefore the threats of new entrants would be moderate in German flooring market. For Golden Bridge, the corporate should create a marketing and brand image and keep customers loyalty, tie up to both suppliers and distributors. More important, it should sign a patent to protect the intellectual property of their high-tech products. Buyer Power: Buyer power, which is determined by the individual customers ability in negotiating purchase prices with suppliers, is at an intermediate level in German market basing on four crucial reasons. Firstly, according to the previous analysis, competition in the wood flooring manufacturing is largely intensified by a large amount of incumbents. Hence, purchasers are more unrestricted in choosing their suppliers with considering competitive advantages of products, and price may be a decisive factor for some customers. However, it is important to note that Wholesalers have more bargaining power than individuals. Being the large-volume buyers, they are not only main customers where companies earn profits from, but also controllers of dominant distribution channels. By stark contrast, individual customers with smaller purchase volume may be positioned less vitally in suppliers minds. Secondly, the buyer power is attenuated by the availability of substitutes of wood flooring in German market. E xcept for this category of flooring, more choices are supplied on the market. Despite competition reinforces customers bargaining power, the phenomena of demand surplus in German wood flooring alleviates this circumstance. According to the research of European Federation of the Parquet Industry (FEP), the consumption of German wood flooring is about 17.88 million square meters, while the production of German wood flooring is only about 11.04 million square meters (Slides Stats 2008). In additionally, German culture also plays a significant role in lessening customers bargaining power. The spirit of the nation, such prudence and fixation lead to a fairly strict standardization in both work and life. Germans are used to calculating a precise price based on all dimensions. Hence, they dislike dealing with situations out of their planning, enabling bargaining become very difficult. Ten percentage cut in price is the biggest range they will agree in they dealing with foreign buyers. (LeMont Schmidt, 2001). Supplier Power: Supplier Power refers the power of suppliers to drive up the prices of raw materials, supplies, equipment or inputs. Your company purchases the glue, paint and equipment, and employs labors from Germany and imports the wood from Russia. There are some crucial factors performing low supplier power of your company. Firstly, German is not used to bargaining, which is mentioned in Buyer power. Hence, it is meaningless for German suppliers to drive up the price of material and equipment. Negotiating power is weak in Russia as well. Although the nation is one of the largest wood producers, there are a large number of wood suppliers ¼Ã…’which provide a strongly competitive circumstance in Russia. Admittedly wood is a kind of nature product so that customers are sensitive to the price of wood. Because of high standard of transparency, the switching cost is low in Russia. On the other hand, many substitutes with lower expenditures are becoming increasingly prevalent such as marble, carpet, plastic flooring. High standard of substitutes threat can restrict the suppliers to drive up the price and reduce the power of suppliers. However, high labor cost strengthens the supplier power. The German labor cost is one of the highest in world. According to Common Protocol of Salary, Labor wage need be determined by the negotiation between wood flooring industry and backwards industry (Fact about Germany, 1996). Therefore, the security of labor force is quite completed. Unions are powerful to argue with unfair wage or welfare. For example, Michael Sommer, the head of the trade union federation(DGB) , claimed that is necessary to increase labors wage with the upturn of economy in 2010( Guardian ¼Ã…’2010). Supplier power and buyer power, which exert a moderate threat on Golden Bridges development in German, can be alleviated through several ways. From one aspect, to limit bargaining power of large-volume wholesalers, the company should give priority to building up a distribution network itself by developing new franchisers rather than depending on the primary channels of wholesalers. In terms of individual customers as well as challenges from substitutes, enhancing the products benefits would be the most efficient way to reduce their bargaining desire as most of affluent people value quality more important than price. From the other aspects, labor relationship, the most considerable barrier in lessening German supplier power, should be harmonized through affording sufficient welfare to employees, as well as building a relative democratic organizational culture by the company. Moreover, it is supposed that importing a few skilled workers from China would benefit the company not only by more economical labor cost, but also reducing the significant dependence on the German labor market. Limitation of the 5-forces: Porters five-force model is not perfect but based on the assumption that from the view of any one firm, all the other firms no matter whether they are supplier, competitor or buyer are threats to the profitability. However, according to Brandenberger and Nalebuffs value net theory, interactions among firms can sometimes enhance profits. Thus critics raised and attentions on cooperation are much more paid. The cooperation between the Golden Bridge Company and other foreign flooring companies will be analyzed and evaluated in the later recommendation part. Recommendation By illustrating the German macroeconomic environment and its circumstance of flooring industry, it is thought that the most recommended strategy for Golden Bridge is to build a joint venture with one or several German covering floor manufacturing enterprises, whilst maintaining the manufacturing section and primary market system in China. Joint venture can be explained as a collaborative formation among companies that each party invests parts capabilities to constitute a new enterprise, thereafter determining the distribution of ownership according to corresponding contributions. Nevertheless, two preconditions should be taken into consideration before making an alliance with German incumbents. Firstly, as a dominant barrier in Chinese market, capital insufficiency would also limit the investment ability of Golden Bridge in German to a large extent. Consequently, small-to-medium incumbents are more desirable as cooperators rather than large-scale companies in terms of ensuring a rela tively high proportion of ownership of Golden Bridge in the new joint venture. Moreover, it is imperative to illustrate compatibility of potential partners based on a number of philosophic criteria, including similar experience, common principles and agreed future target as well (Kanter, 1994). Where extremely intensive competition takes place, German market would tend to pose more threats than opportunities on the Golden Bridge if the company attempts to entirely entry the market alone. In comparison, cooperating and aligning with local companies would be a much safer and efficient measure from two aspects. First, by giving joint ventures preferential treatment, the Golden Bridge gains a good opportunity to penetrate the German market in a relatively short period with minimum risks as the company is unnecessary to expose abundant long-term investments to gain market shares in German wood flooring industry. Instead, it can utilize those important strategic assets of local cooperators such as complete distribution channels, customer relationships and brand loyalty. Moreover, Golden Bridge is still deficient at technology and management comparing with the local German companies. Through setting up a joint venture, advanced technology and managerial know-how can be more easily accessible by Golden Bridge, which is beneficial to its development in China market as well. Nevertheless, possible issues relating to joint venture cannot be neglected by the Golden Bridge. First, operational dissimilarities caused by political and economic divergence between China and German may be a vital problem for Golden Bridge. For instance, blind spots in law or financial systems will damage the corporate profits at initial stage. Additionally, cultural and managerial difference may be difficult to consolidate as different authority, reporting and decision-making patterns (Kanter, 1994), therefore leading to possible mistrust and misunderstanding between Golden Bridge and its partners. It has been widely recognized that German managers are prudent and rigid in dealing with regulations and rarely consider the influences of the network relationship, which is fairly distinct from Chinese managers conceptions. Conclusion: In conclusion, according to the PESTEL analysis, there are a number of challenges in China. These challenges can be the unbalanced market condition in china because of local protectionism and insufficient infrastructures, under-developed technology and managerial skill led to the low efficiency of timber industry in China, Natural Forest Protection Program limits the domestic nature timbers supply as well as the increasing labor cost in flooring industry due to Chinas economy prosperous. The complexity of interrelationship of different parties involved in the business environment also cannot be neglected. The PESTEL analysis of German market was further conducted to make the assessment more comprehensive. Later the consultants use five-force model to assess threat of entering the German flooring market. For instance, the competitive rivalry and threat of entry in German flooring market is extremely high. In terms of threat of substitution, it is much more complex. The supplier power and buyer power are both at an intermediate level. However, Porters model is criticized for lacking of corporation with other market players. Thus, a recommendation is made by our consultancy company for Golden Bridge to organize a joint venture and thus with other reliable and competitive companies for instance, the Beamy International. Facts about Germany. (1996). Frankfurt am Main: Società ¤ts Verlag. LeMont Schmidt, P. (2001). Die amerikanische und die deutsche Wirtschaftskultur im Vergleich: Ein Praxisbuch fà ¼r Manager. Gà ¶ttingen: Hainholz Verlag. Guardian (2010) German steel workers demand 6% wage increase http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/14/germany-angela-merkel http://www.roadmap2010.eu/wisd/pdfs/68-81.pdf http://ecotec-energiesparhaus.de/Daten/Holztechnik-Forest-and-wood-industries-in%20Germany%20at-a-glance.pdf http://www.tarkett.com/group/en/company/Tarkett-at-a-glance http://www.homeinstitute.com/types-of-flooring.htm http://news.frbiz.com/parquet_floor_once_again_leading-440481.html http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32004D0275:EN:NOT