World and Independent Cinema Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

World and Independent Cinema - Essay Example Casino Royale reopens the sequence, creating a new timeline and chronicle sequence not meant to follow or head any earlier bond production. This enabled the movie to demonstrate an inexperienced and more valuable James and for once in the character, series of Miss Money Penny fails to appear. Additionally, forming the movie involved an intensive search for a new character to portray Bond, and critical debate surrounded Craig when he was appointed to take over from Pierce Brosnan, (Williams, 2006, p. 23). Casino Royale film documents the story of a newly selected British agent, James Bond, who in collaboration with impudent little agent of treasury, starts rogue mission to kill a terrorist bankroller in a high stakes poker game before his customers reach him first and try a global attack. The movie has some differences as compared to the mainstream (Hollywood) formula. For instance, when Pierce assumed the role of Bond J for Goldeneye, a lot was produced concerning the modernization of franchise. In fact, the only evident transformations were cosmetics, (Lindner, 2009, p. 45). Pierce Brosnan 007 is easily related to the character earlier performed by Connery S, Lazenby G, Moore R and Dalton T. With the rise of Craig Daniel to the authority to kill, martini, firearm and tux seismic shifts have taken place. The movie is not about the famous James bond of 1960s to 90s but the new era of M16s highly featured agent. The primary function of the film is to recreate the franchise. Daniel is not taking over after Brosnan; he is recreating the role. Additionally, as far as the film is concerned, little in the earlier 20 series has happened compared to the current scene. This is the origin story of Bond, and the only crucial bit of continuity is Dench Judy’s return as Mrs. M Forget. For decades now, James Bond formula has been submerged in an ocean of rip-offs and claimants, each highly over-the-top as compared to its successors. In a bid to

Arguments for and against capitalization of all leases Essay

Arguments for and against capitalization of all leases - Essay Example International Accounting Standards no. 17 states that a lease may qualify either as a capital lease or operating lease (http://www.ifrsclass.com/gaap/ias/ias-17.htm). Under capital lease, all the risks and rewards are transferred to the lessee. To resolve the differences between the two international accounting standards, both accounting boards agreed to meet to come up with a common stand on capital lease accounting scheduled in 2011. (Kirk 2005; 85). The proposal to capitalize all leases should not be implemented. The proposal to implement the capitalization of all leases should not be implemented. Capitalization entails ownership. Capitalization means that the company has to depreciation the assets. Thus, it would be illogical to implement the proposal to capitalize all leases. The new proposal states that operating leases should be capitalized. Under the current accounting environment, there are minimum guidelines to be followed before a lease is capitalized. A lease that does not qualify as capital lease is recorded as an operating lease. This is illogical because the lessee is just renting (borrowing) the premises and is not buying. Under the capital lease, the lessee can include the capital lease asset as part of one’s total assets. This will create a better financial picture of the company when compared to not having the leased property capitalized. Second, the company can use the capitalized assets as collateral for the processing of the company’s new long term loans. The banks will scrutinize the financial statements to determine if there are enough assets to cover for possible nonpayment of loans or other payables (Elliot & Elliot). This would be illogical because the company does not own the building or facilities rented. Further, the lessee becomes the owner of the property after fulfilling the requirements set forth under International

Culture and the Turkish economy

Culture and the Turkish economy Introduction Peculiarities of running business and transnational communications are directly related to the culture of the country. Globalization of the economy has undoubtedly become a commonly accepted phenomenon. Even small and medium businesses, wanting or not, face problems of international business relationships: be it the purchase of equipment, materials or other trade and procurement activities, search for partners or investors, not to mention the direct competition with multinational companies in their own domestic market. Larger players of market, in connection with its inevitable saturation, are forced to think about entering the international arena. All these factors make the study of culture of business relationships and international communication increasingly relevant for managers. Awareness about the peculiarities of a particular culture, the ability to consider and use these peculiarities in practice help some companies quickly and at less cost to establish relations with partners, and others to deal more effectively with rivals. The knowledge of the features of international communication is also useful for managers working in foreign companies, since they help to better adapt to a foreign environment, understand the requirements of top-management, permissible frames of conduct and, accordingly, to move faster through the ranks. Major dimensions of culture in Turkey  and their influence on Turkish economy and business practices When building business relationships, finding partners for business, developing private business in the territory of another country, it is always necessary to take into account the totality of the rules of business etiquette and specificities of traditions of each cultural environment. Turkey has long been a secular state with European style of doing business, but it should be remembered that the influence of Islam, though not pronounced in recent times is reflected in some aspects of the Turkish business etiquette and bears a deep cultural meaning. Turkey combines European and Middle East traditions in the business culture, therefore common business etiquette here has some nuances which are useful to know for building successful and lasting business relationships. Lets consider these nuances. First, Turkey has a sufficiently well developed family-owned business with a clear hierarchy. Family traditions in Turkey are very important, both in life and in business (Burnaz, 2009). Second, different spheres of life in Turkey are influenced by religion. If the partners are religious people, one should keep in mind that Friday is a holy day for Muslims when they visit temple to pray, so no important business meetings and negotiations should be appointed on this day. Ramazan is a month-long sacred abstinence of all Muslims, during which one cannot eat, drink, smoke cigarettes from sunrise to sunset. This should be kept this in mind when planning a business lunch or dinner in a restaurant. During Ramazan it is better to appoint business meetings with Turkish Muslims after sunset, however, if it is possible to avoid them, it is better to postpone all negotiations until after Ramazan. Many Turkey residents leave on vacation in July or August, so the middle of summer is not the best time for negotiations and business meetings, while from October to May is the most active and fruitful period for Turkish business culture (Burnaz, 2009; OECD Economic Surveys: Turkey, 201 0). It should be remembered that as in any other country, courtesy and respect for etiquette in business in Turkey is especially important. Good personal relationships based on trust and mutual respect play a significant role in building business relationships with Turkish partners, therefore, before proceeding to business negotiations, it is necessary to show them openness and readiness for friendship and to emphasize the mutuality of benefits (Burnaz, 2009; Ararat, 2008, Gupta, 2009). Motivation in negotiating with the Turks should be clear and precise. It is very important in the process of business negotiations to clearly outline the advantages and profitability of a proposal for the Turkish side, although it is not the only thing a benefit may be expressed in for Turkish partners. Instead of profits it is recommended to focus often on such points of the transaction as increased authority and power. Respect, recognition and other intangible benefits may also have a positive impact on the outcome of business negotiations in Turkey (Gupta, 2009). Thus, understanding that Turkish culture is very different from European or American business culture is a big step in doing business in Turkey and with the Turks. It takes patience and time to learn all the ins and outs, but the Turks also show patience towards foreigners and willing to make allowances for any mistake or error in etiquette made by a foreigner. In general, Turkey is an attractive country to do business with the positive dynamics in the economy. Turkey managed to avoid large losses that might have occurred as a result of the global economic crisis of 2008-2009 (Turkey passes the crisis test, 2009). Having analyzed the economic development of Turkey for the period from 2002 to the present day, it can be argued that the state of the economy has become particularly favorable, due to the below factors (OECD Economic Surveys: Turkey, 2010; Turkey passes the crisis test, 2009; Turkey: Business environment at a glance, 2011; Aydin, 2006): The currency reform in Turkey, 2002; reforms in social security and health care; tax reform beneficial for entrepreneurs; TOKÄ ° Innovations (Housing Administration Projects) gave impetus to the development of national construction companies; State support for small and medium-sized enterprises, which constitute 97% of the Turkish economy; Increased economic growth in Turkey, which is largely due to the automobile industry, real estate and textile industry; Successful investments in tourism; Active development of the logistics sector in Europe; New international communications and new markets: the most promising emerging markets for Turkey are China, South Korea, India, BRIIC group, as well as markets of Pakistan and Bangladesh; Regional and social development: 40% of the EU budget is allocated to regional development and social infrastructure; Funding at the expense of TOBB (the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchange of Turkey); Development of higher education: there are already 95 public and 45 private universities in Turkey. Apart from that, the Government of the Republic of Turkey considers foreign direct investment as the driving force of economic development and prosperity of the country. Turkey has one of the most liberal legal regimes for FDI among the member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Except for some sectors, businesses that are open to the private sector in Turkey are mostly open to foreign partners and investors (OECD Economic Surveys: Turkey, 2010). Nevertheless, all investors, regardless of nationality, face a number of specific obstacles characteristic of developing Eastern countries: excessive bureaucracy, slow acting justice system, high taxes, corporate governance weaknesses, sometimes unpredictability of the decisions taken at local government level, as well as frequent changes in legislation and regulatory framework (Gupta, 2009). However, foreign investment regulation, for the most part, is transparent. Turkey supports national regime, including the purchase of real estate by foreign capital companies registered in accordance with Turkish law, and in most sectors no investment audit is provided (only notification is required). The Turkish Government supports the principle of transparency with the associated nation as a precondition for the acquisition of real estate by foreigners, and imposes a limit of 2.5 hectare of property acquired by foreign individuals. Individuals cannot own more than 10% of the land in any of the areas of industrial development (Kalafatoglu, 2010; Keyman, 2005;). The maximum share of foreign equity participation is limited to 25% in broadcasting and 49% in aviation and maritime transport. Establishment of companies offering financial services including banking and insurance, as well as oil-related companies, requires special permission from the Government of Turkey for both domestic and foreign investors. In practice, regulators do not restrict foreign ownership in the financial sector: in 2005 and 2006 a series of acquisitions by foreign persons were approved, and several foreign financial companies has been operating in Turkey for a long time (Ulusoy, 2009). The privatization process in Turkey is currently going on. The Government of the Republic of Turkey privatizes the state economic enterprises through selling lots of securities, public offerings, or a combination of both. The total amount of transactions in the Turkish privatization program amounted to 8.1 billion dollars in 2006, 4.3 billion dollars in 2007, and 6.3 billion dollars in 2008. The state continues privatization process, despite the fact that the reduction of global financial flows, which began in 2008, may entail certain obstacles (Ulusoy, 2009; OECD Economic Surveys: Turkey, 2010). Bureaucratic delays used to be significant obstacles to both national and foreign companies. However, recent reforms have simplified the process of establishment of companies, reduced the requirements to obtain permits, set a single form of registration of companies and enabled individuals to register their businesses in the Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchange of Turkey. Cross-cultural analysis: business cultures of USA and Turkey Generally, two polar opposite styles of management are distinguished, and consequently, business relation cultures: American or Western and Oriental styles. They are fundamentally different in structure of collection and exchange of information, separation and segregation of duties, degree of standardization, coordination and subordination. The American system is characterized by management based on science, individualism and personal responsibility, a clear division of labor, specialization, planning based on the analysis of large amounts of quantitative information. Oriental management system is based on collective responsibility, rotation system, long-term career planning, equation of employees to the company and its customs (Burnaz, 2009; Gupta, 2009). At the same time, in line with the Western style, there has recently distinguished a pan-European, also partly inherent to Turkey as an EU member, with a simultaneous focus on economic and social indicators, such as a guaranteed opportunity for staff development, involvement of employees in decision-making process, the emphasis on favorable climate in the company (Burnaz, 2009; Gupta, 2009). However, despite the tendency to unify business methods and communication standards, we believe that the explicit differences in business culture will remain in the future. Despite the huge variety of business cultures, there are methods to predict certain aspects of behavior of representative of a certain culture. Ones of the most applicable methods are the classification of countries according to G. Hofstedes four variative characteristics reflecting basic differences of cultural values, and contextual ranking of cultures, proposed by E. Hall (Cateora, 2000). According to these theories, the USA is a notable example of a country with a high index of individualism (IDV=91), when a separate individual poorly integrates itself into the group, and strong individualistic mentality is observed with a focus on the importance of personal life and initiative. The Turkish society is rather a society where the mentality of community relations dominates, so it is based on morality, sense of duty, predominance of the interests of the collective over the individual ones, and loyalty (IDV=37) (Table 1). Another important cultural dimension is the parameter of power (hierarchical) distance. Power distance index measures the tolerance of the society towards social inequality, i.e., unequal distribution of power between superior and subordinate members of the social system. The degree of distancing shows the relation of employees to the power of managers. Turkey has a culture with a high index of power distance (PDI=66), and power in Turkey may even be inherited. Here there is a significant difference between the members of the society who are at different social levels and difference in the privileges, which are perceived by the members of the society for granted. In countries with a low power distance index, like USA (PDI=40), the reverse pattern is observed (Table 1). The next quality largely determined by culture is the control of the level of uncertainty, which shows the extent to which members of a cultural community are programmed to freedom of action in unstructured non-standard situations. In this aspect, the USA and Turkey also hold totally different positions. As a country with high uncertainty avoidance index, Turkey (UAI=85) is less resistant to stress, more concerned with security issues and following the rules, which leads to poor perception of change and slow adaptation to new ideas. USA is characterized by culture with low UAI (UAI=46) associated with greater mobility, willingness to take risks, innovation, tendency to rely on knowledge, rather than absolute knowledge (Table 1). Moreover, the USA is rather a country described by Hofstede as the country with masculinity behavior (MAS=62), i.e. dominance, encouragement to competition, high demands, desire for career achievements and entrepreneurship, greed and passion for capital accumulation, lack of caring about others. In contrast, though attached now to the European community, Turkey still belongs to femininity pattern (MAS=45) and the prevailing values are humility and altruism, gender equality, emphasis on serving people, mutual aid (Table 1). Table 1. Indexing USA and Turkey depending on cultural values by Hofstede. Country IDV Ranking by IDV* PDI Ranking by PDI UAI Ranking by UAI MAS Ranking by MAS USA 91 1 40 38 46 43 62 15 Turkey 37 28 66 18/19 85 16/17 45 32/33 * Classification among 53 countries of the world, by 2000. (Cateora, 2000) In addition to the parameters identified by Hofstede, the predominant and characteristic of the culture type of communication is of great importance in the typology of business cultures. On this parameter, all nations can be ranked by the degree of cultural contextuality. Recent studies have revealed a high correlation between high/low-contextuality and the Hofstedes indices of individualism/collectivism, and hierarchical level of distancing (Cateora, 2000). Thus, low-context American culture shares relatively low hierarchical differences and high level of individualism. On the contrary, high-context Muslim culture is typically characterized by a significant difference between the hierarchical levels and low levels of individualism. Therefore, the majority of modern managers, employees of international companies, are more effective in countries with the low-context language, since they are relying on the reports, contracts and other acts documented in writing. But even in low-context cultures, communication is largely dependent on cultural differences (Cateora, 2000; Gupta, 2009). High-context cultures require a considerable period of time before starting the business part of the relationship, because future partners must get to know each other for joint business. For example, if one cannot find time and desire to drink coffee and talk about abstract topics, one cannot advance to the business part of the conversation (Cateora, 2000; Gupta, 2009). Another indicator is the source of power and level of authority, which is a direct consequence of the level of the hierarchical distance, as it combines the effect of the power structure in business with the status and position of manager in the community, depending on the size of the company, publicity, type of property, and cultural values. In Turkey, the decisions are mainly made exclusively by the head of the company, who prefers to deal only with senior executives of other companies. Business here is not between companies or divisions, but between individuals. The latter also means that in case of leadership changes from one side or another, the achieved agreements may lose their power, if trust relationships arent re-established between new top executives of companies. Besides, the decentralized system, common for the U.S., enables managers at various levels to make decisions relevant to their functions, which is not common for Turkey (Ararat, 2008; Gupta, 2009). Thus, the obvious conclusion is that it is necessary for the authoritarian cultures as well as companies with a decentralized power structure to correctly determine the decision-makers, while working with companies in which decisions are taken by consensus, it is important to convince each member of the committee or group. Peculiarities of conducting business in Turkey Business in Turkey is quite difficult to arrange. But the results of registration of the business in Turkey and certain investments can be easily recouped. Peculiarities of doing business in Turkey determine such things as sale and purchase, opening bank accounts, tax system, offshore, ready business, small business and profitability of big business. In general, 2011 will be very important for Turkey. In June, the general election will be held. The current government has been successful in many areas of the economy; although some serious problems still remain. Therefore, opposition political parties should form new political-economic strategies with respect to the above areas. Turkey has to achieve significant economic growth, reduce unemployment, ensure social justice, and resolve tax issues. If it is done succeeds, it will be able to join the BRIIC (Kalafatoglu, 2010; OECD Economic Surveys: Turkey, 2010). The Government of Turkey since 2001 has been implementing a comprehensive program designed to accelerate all the procedures related to investments and attract more direct foreign capital into the country. The national body, the Coordinating Council for the Improvement of the Investment Environment (YOIKK) provides methodological support in this issue. In addition, in 2004 the Investment Advisory Council for Turkey (IAC) was established, whose recommendations serve as a guide for YOIKK, and activities undertaken within the Councils recommendations are published in annual reports of the Treasury of Turkey on the activities of IAC (Keyman, 2005). The government continues to implement legislative reforms, some of which are aimed at attracting foreign investment to Turkey. The draft of National Legislative Network, a project of automation and integration completed the process of developing the technical infrastructure in 2008, designed to accelerate the execution of business cases by facilitating the transfer of documents and transcripts of court proceedings and give the opportunity to file an application online. In addition, the government simplified the access of foreign investors to justice, including legal advice and Alternative Dispute Resolution, supported by the U.S., EU and World Bank (Turkey: Business environment at a glance, 2011; Kalafatoglu, 2010). Turkey made the tax system more convenient for investors as well. In 2006 the basic rate of income tax was reduced from 30 to 20%. The government also cancelled the income tax for foreign investors who own bonds, notes and shares, preserving it for bank deposits and repurchase transactions. In 2007 tax administration established a division designed to manage taxes collection from large corporations (Keyman, 2005). However, the Government of Turkey has not yet managed to implement further tax reforms, including reducing the tax on wages, which is one of the highest among OECD members. The Turkish Government also increased the VAT on leasing transactions from 1 to 18% in 2007. Special consumption tax on alcoholic beverages in 2008 reached 275.6% with the minimum requirements for special tax based on market prices of products (Ulusoy, 2008). Turkish laws affecting the investment climate continues to develop. It guarantees freedom of transfer of profits, fees and royalties and repatriation of capital. This guarantee is reflected in the bilateral investment treaties between Turkey and the United States in 1986, and in some similar agreements, which regulate the unlimited and proper handling of all funds related to investment in a freely convertible currency in the self-regulating market (Treaties and Agreements, Turkey-United States, 1986). Turkey is a member of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Turkey also ratified the Convention Establishing the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) in 1987. Turkish law provides the confirmation of international arbitration execution of investment disputes between foreign investors and the state. Turkeys is also a member of the WTO Agreement on Trade Related Investment Measures (TRIMS) (Keyman, 2005; Ulusoy, 2008). Turkey investment stimuli system was significantly improved in 2006 to support manufacturing industry, energy sector, and export. General regime of investment incentives suggests tax benefits and, in some cases, the possibility of lending. Turkish Treasury also regulates some issues regarding interest rates on investment loans for small and medium enterprises, RD projects, environmental protection, as well as projects in 50 provinces, where the annual income per capita is below 1500 U.S. dollars. For such provinces, the law provides income tax incentives, social insurance benefits, free land and reduced electricity cost up to 20-50% (Ulusoy, 2009; OECD Economic Surveys: Turkey, 2010). In RD sphere, Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) and Technology Development Foundation of Turkey (TTGV) deal with reimbursements for RD and capital borrowing. Projects that get such benefits include development concepts, technology research, technical feasibility evaluation, concept-to-design laboratory researches, samples study, test products production, experimental facilities construction, product testing, patent research and design problems solutions. In addition to these incentives, the Government of Turkey provides support for technological development zones, which involves the creation of infrastructure and production facilities, exemption from taxes, VAT, income taxes and revenues, and from customs duties for special IT-sector. Moreover, export stimulating program is focused on RD, market research, and participation in international exhibitions and fairs. In Turkey, no technical requirements for the beginning, implementation and expansion of investment projects are provided. There are also no restrictions to the acquisition by investors of goods from national sources and exporting specific percentage of products. Investors access to foreign currency does not affect exports. There are also no restrictions for domestic companies to own shares of foreign investors for the fact that the proportion of foreign shares will be gradually reduced or investor will transfer its technology on certain terms. There are also no conditions established by the state in terms of the permission to invest, including the location in specialized geographic areas, specific percentage of national resources for the production of goods and services, national shares packages, import substitution, export requirements, employment of the population the investor technically located in, technology transfer and financing from national sources (Ulusoy, 2008; Ulusoy, 200 9; OECD Economic Surveys: Turkey, 2010). The Government of the Republic of Turkey does not force investors to disclose proprietary information or any other kind of information different from the publicly available one during the process of obtaining permission from the supervisory authority. Companies with foreign capital are to send a report on their activities, submitted to the General Assembly of shareholders, the auditors report, and balance sheet in the Foreign Investment Department of the Treasury annually in May. Except for issues relating to openness to foreign investment and transparency of the system of regulation, Turkey provides all the rights, benefits, deductions and privileges available to national capital and companies, as well as foreign capital and companies on the basis of most favored nation regime (for selected countries). For example, American and other foreign firms can participate in publicly funded programs and programs of subsidizing research and development on the basis of national treatment. The Government of the Republic of Turkey has adopted policies and laws that, for the most part, should promote free competition and transparency in business. However, foreign companies in some sectors complain that the regulations are not transparent and understandable from time to time. One should keep in mind that Turkey is an observer, but not a member of World Trade Organisations Commission on Government Procurement. However, Turkey is an actively developing country, which tries to keep pace on all the contemporary European and American innovations. One of the most perspective areas in Turkey is internet and mobile commerce. For instance, recent researches show that mobile marketing has acquired great popularity with the development of technology SMS since 2000 in Europe and different parts of Asia. Over the past few years SMS-messages have become a major advertising channel in Turkey, and many experts even tend to view Turkey as an innovator in mobile marketing (Demirbag, 2008). The vivid example of this success is the experience of the Turkish branch of Pepsi, which in the last 3 years has been one of the most active players using mobile marketing tools. To date, according to the data of Pepsi Turkey, the level of participation in promotional campaigns conducted by the department is the highest in the category. The company uses mobile technologies, because it considers them more effective than TV tool to provide an opportunity for interactive communication with Turkish consumers. One of the campaigns introduced by Pepsi offered consumers wallpapers and ringtones, including the famous song Da Da Da. Over the course of a promotional campaign, users downloaded more than 200,000 ringtones (Tsalikis, 2009). Turkish companies (like Finansbank, BP, FritoLay) proved that simplicity and possibility of immediate gratification are of great importance for the Turkish consumer, and the mobile channel can provide this effect (Demirbag, 2008). In general, the trust of Turkish consumers continues to rise since February 2010, reaching 85.8. This is the highest level over the past 14 months (OECD Economic Surveys: Turkey, 2010). According to the report published by the Institute of Statistics of Turkey in 2010 jointly with the Central Bank of Turkey, the index of consumer confidence amounting to 85.8 points is the highest mark since February of 2009 when it amounted to 87.60% (Tsalikis, 2009). The index started to rise since November 2009, after reaching a record low value of 78.38 points. If the index exceeds 100, it means that consumers are optimistic, and if it equals to 100, it means that consumers are neither optimistic, nor pessimistic, but if the index is below 100, it indicates pessimistic consumers (Aydin, 2006). The report determines the growth of the index of consumer confidence through the increase of the purchasing power of consumers in the current and future period, the general state of the economy and employme nt opportunities in the coming quarter. Conclusion The research has shown that Turkey is characterized by the specific business culture, experiencing the influence of European Union, USA, and its Asian partners. Belonging rather to eastern patterns of business culture, Turkey differs much form the United States in the major cultural indicators, such as indices of power distance, individualism, uncertainty avoidance, and type of business behavior (masculinity vs. femininity). However, in recent years, Turkey demonstrates high indicators of economy growth, openness to reforms, laws adjustments and democratic investment policy, which makes Turkey a favorable business partner. In addition, Turkish policy and legislation on labor, health and safety do not impede investment, although legal restrictions on firing workers may create obstacles to labor-intensive activities in the formal economy. The specific tax policy sometimes hinders investment decisions, e.g. high taxation of beverages, similar to Coca-Cola, hinders investment in the sector. However, serious tax incentives for free trade zones provide incentives to invest in these zones. Similarly, incentives for investment in certain low-income provinces are designed to increase investments in these areas. Nowadays, international credit rating agencies insist that the investment level of the Turkish economy is still not high, but markets do not express much concern. Credit default swaps insuring Turkish securities against default for 5 years, are estimated at 1.84%. And while the Eurozone is struggling with budget deficits, Turkey states huge budget surplus due to the growth of tax revenues. Turkey is considered to be a country of investment grade in the market of credit default swaps after its dollar-denominated bonds started to exceed the bonds of developing countries in Europe largely due to accelerated economic growth. According to preliminary estimates of the Government, the economy of Turkey grew in first quarter by 12%, which allowed the Prime Minister of Turkey to claim that Turkeys credit rating wont be reduced in the coming 6-10 months. Generally, the country retains the trend towards improvement of economic performance, development and innovation, which opens new perspectives for foreign investment, collaboration and partnership.

The History of Jamaican Maroons Essay examples -- Slavery Revolt Histo

The History of Jamaican Maroons European colonialism in the Caribbean was dependent upon the use of African slaves as a major source of labor. Inevitably, some of these slaves escaped and formed isolated communities that allowed them to live outside the white-dominated plantation societies that were the norm of the time. These escaped slaves were given the name "Maroon", possibly originating from the term marronage, or slave revolt. These Maroon communities existed in many different areas in the Caribbean, but none were more famous and successful that those of Jamaica. Jamaican Maroons fought the British government for nearly a hundred years beginning from the time of the British occupation of the island and lasting until the 1740’s when the British finally sued for peace with the leaders of these rebel bands. By using guerilla tactics and relying on information and assistance from slaves within the colonial communities, the Maroons were able to engage the British in a conflict for freedom that was not only successful, but also a testament to the resourcefulness and ability of these African warriors. What were the factors that led to the successful campaigns against the British? How were the Jamaican Maroons able to continue their fight in the face of overwhelming man and firepower? Two distinct Maroon societies emerged in Jamaica, both having their own system of leadership and ways of dealing with outside settlements. While the fact remains that both these factions came from the same background of slavery, their differences are both interesting and varied and deserving of a closer look. The earliest Maroons were remnants of the Spanish slaves that were not exported from the island after the defeat and subsequent occupation ... ...t the physical well –being of slaves. If they die, new ones are simply brought in to replace them. The final condition is that of a lack of cohesion among the white ruling class due to a lack of white female presence. The female (and thus family) situation had no opportunity to establish itself because of the lack of white women in Jamaica. This led to an increased ambivalence on the part of most of the white population towards itself. These seven conditions help us understand the ways that a revolt by slaves in Jamaica could and did succeed. The Maroons were a very successful, highly adapted group of runaway slaves that fought for their freedom and achieved it. The two distinct Maroon societies found ways to survive and prosper under difficult and overwhelmingly hostile conditions. The fact that the succeeded is a testament to their pride, ability and commitment.

Literary Analysis of the Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood Essay

Offred, in Margaret Atwood’s disturbing novel The Handmaid’s Tale says, â€Å"But who can remember pain once it’s over? All that remains of it is a shadow, not in the mind even, in the flesh. Pain marks you, but too deep to see. Out of sight, out of mind.† The society of Gilead causes the aforementioned pain and demoralization by using women’s bodies as political instruments. Similar to Atwood’s novel, today’s men put immense pressure on women to be a certain way, give them children, and take care of the home and the like. In Atwood’s novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, she examines the theme of demoralization of women through graphic predictions of what women’s futures may look like. In 1 Corinthians 6: 19-20, the Bible states, â€Å"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.† In The Handmaid’s Tale, the society influences the citizens, like Ofglen, differently. The society wrongfully manipulates women to use their bodies for what the government decides is right, not what God planned for their bodies. Through this wrongful use, women have once again become less superior to men and treated more like an object than a person. Also in Corinthians 6:18, the Bible states, â€Å"Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.† The government in The Handmaid’s tale encouraged sexual immorality by passing the handmaids from man to man, ruining the women’s purity and demoralizing their bodies by using them purely for reproduction methods. In the time period of The Handmaid’s Tale, the demoralization of women was normal and accepted, but even the supporters of the demoralization remembered the time when women weren’t being passed from man to man to reproduce and were respected and upheld in society. In today’s society most of the biblical morals are upheld and for the most part, women are equal with men. Women aren’t forced to move from man to man for reproduction purposes and they have the choice of whom they will marry and reproduce with. The true purpose of a woman is to be the man’s equal and to provide in her what the man doesn’t have. The Handmaid’s Tale portrays women in a demoralizing way, giving them no choices, freedom, or say. The government in The Handmaid’s Tale enforced the demoralization of women in Gilead. The original government was overthrown by a group of totalitarian men who enforced the laws that began the demoralization of the women. The government then takes complete control of everyone, making Gilead more like a communist country than democratic America. The Constitution is completely thrown out, taking away citizens, especially women’s, freedom and rights. Most of the men are completely obedient and support the government’s treatment of women. Even when the commander broke the rules and took Offred out, he made sure that she still understood he has complete and total control over her. Demoralization was in full effect, and there was no escaping it. In today’s society women have similar roles to those of men. They work, provide for their families, and are seen as equal to men. In The Handmaid’s Tale, women are used as a tool to create children for the â€Å"commanders† and are treated more like an object than a human being. In The Handmaid’s Tale, the society is reverted back to when women had no rights and were seen more like a trophy that would respond to men’s every beck and call. The handmaids’ roles in the novel are even worse than that of the olden day â€Å"housewife.† When the handmaids disobey, they are put to death or left in the wasteland of what used to be America. No one receives a harsher punishment than that. Even in today’s society women don’t receive that harsh of a punishment if they disobey. This just goes to show that in the society and time of The Handmaid’s Tale, the demoralization of women as political instruments was in full swing. Despite all of Gilead’s pro-women rhetoric, such subjugation creates a society in which women are treated as subhuman. They are reduced to their fertility, treated as nothing more than a set of ovaries and a womb. In one of the novel’s key scenes, Offred lies in the bath and reflects that, before Gilead, she considered her body an instrument of her desires; now, she is just a mound of flesh surrounding a womb that must be filled in order to make her useful. Gilead seeks to deprive women of their individuality in order to make them docile carriers of the next generation. Throughout the entire text of The Handmaid’s Tale, the ruling totalitarian government does what is in its power to attempt to isolate women from society. Not only do are the women isolated from society in terms of sexual contact (or any contact, for that matter), with men, but they are also individualized within the gender itself and separated from each other. Evidence of this isolation is available throughout the novel in different levels. The first level, perhaps the harshest, is the division of genders, with women like the Handmaids unable to communicate with unmarried men. Offred’s separation from men is apparent when she compares herself to the â€Å"power of a dog bone† (29), but the bone is â€Å"held out of reach† (29). This depicts how there is a strict gender division that disallows them to even communicate with each other, much less have sex. For the Angels, they are not even allowed to look at the so-called dog bone. When we are first introduced to the idea of the Angels, Offred mentions that the Angels must stand outside of the gymnasium â€Å"with their backs to us† (10). Offred wishes that they would only look at her and if only â€Å"something could be exchanged† (10). The guards of the complex Offred is held in at the beginning of the novel aren’t even allowed inside it. With the men not allowed in the Red Center and the women now allowed outside of it, they are each isolated from each other.

Against Human Cloning- Argumentative Essay

Cloning in general has been a rising debate across the globe since before Dolly the sheep was cloned in 1996. The success of being able to clone an animal brought scientists to wonder about a more challenging task, cloning humans. This consideration is morally wrong and should not be stood for. Some people seem not to realize the negative aspects that cloning would bring into a world which is already suffering. Religious standpoints, the growth of the population, and each human’s individuality are just a few of the supporting reasons that stand against cloning and support why it should not be legalized. Simply because there are a few factors that make some in favor of cloning does not rectify the atrocity that it would bring. One supporter that stands for cloning, Simon Smith, states that it would be useful to produce clones for fertility reasons such as infertile couples and couples carrying a genetic disease. This seems reasonable; however, there are other options available that are better suitable. Adoption, artificial insemination, and other successful surgeries are more appropriate, currently available alternatives. It seems questionable as to whether a person wanting to produce a clone offspring of themselves would be corrupt or unprincipled in wanting to do so. Wanting to make a replica of yourself would be a shameless act. There are supporters in favor of cloning such as Professor Robert Winston to make note that cloning would be an option available to those people who have lost a loved one. Have we forgotten our virtues and that with the birth of life, one day will come death? The structure of living and dying applies to every species. It’s not something most humans look forward to for themselves or for anyone they love but inevitably one day it will approach us all. This is the reason living things are given the ability to reproduce, to give life to the future. It’s a choice given, but not one we all have to choose. The personalities of humans and other creatures is what makes you care for them and produce a bond, not their physical appearance. Having a replica only identical in image and not in personality would not bring back a lost loved one; on the contrary, it could make it even harder for some people to cope and deal with. Individuality is another factor to consider when thinking of the outcome cloning would bring. This is what makes our world so unique, if clones become produced, we will lose that uniqueness. Having human clones in existence would be an insult to human kind and the distinctiveness of every human being. It would change what it means to be human. If life can be formed in various ways other than the ways intended, how can it have that special value that being human has? Clones could likely end up as another minority fighting for equal rights. Could you imagine what it might feel like to know that you were a clone of someone else’s being? Would you feel inferior to human life and all that it brings? Would you even have a soul? These are all questions that society puts aside that should attempt to be answered. The growing population in the United States and in other countries around the world is also a very important element to consider. Although it would be great to have the fountain of youth, it does not seem very effective. People have to die; otherwise the population would be a greater concern than it currently is. If people were living an extra fifty years or more, the world would become chaotic. Citizens of the U.S. already have to fight for there entitlements they should receive as elders. Prolonging the life of humans would eventually become the cause of their extinction. We consume far too many resources that we need to survive and are doing far too little to replenish them. Trees will become a thing of the past in the not so distant future. Without this mankind cannot survive due to the lack of oxygen. This along with the extinction of other natural resources will only cause the human race to diminish. Scientists after a period of time could even possibly evolve clones to be the ideal human race. The DNA to produce clones could be manipulated after advance research to make them have specific characteristics and possibly mind-set as well. They could possibly be made to have a particular function in life such as becoming an Olympic swimmer or even a killing machine in the army, programmed to go off to war. What Hitler was trying to accomplish during the Holocaust could become reality if clones were to be created. It has been proposed that in the not too distant future, cloning technologies  could advance to the level where they could even recreate a deceased individual in the adult form. They could likely even recreate there past memories and experiences. There doesn’t seem to be any ethical concerns for this, as twisted as the thought of it turns out to be. Everything happens for a purpose and for that reason alone cloning is wrong and should not be legalized. The saying goes, if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. This saying should apply to cloning just as well. The vast majority of humans are perfectly capable of reproducing offspring; therefore there is no reason to clone. Along with the scientific accomplishments it would bring to man kind many down falls would follow only shortly behind. It may seem like many advantages could take place in the scientific community if cloning were to be legalized, but only resulting in having only a few benefits and many downfalls. The possible outcomes that would exist in its legalization does not make it being performed morally right. Works Cited Smith, Simon. â€Å"HumanCloning.org.† 2002. Human Cloning Foundation. 22 March2007. Winston, Robert. â€Å"The Promise of Cloning for Human Medicine.† British Medical Journal (1997):913-14. 21 March.

Emirates Aluminium (EMAL)

Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) Introduction Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) is a company that is based in the United Arab Emirates. The company boasts of having a state of the art factory that has enabled it to become one of the biggest aluminium smelters in the world. The company’s mission is to provide the world with high quality aluminium that can be used to serve different purposes.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Suggestions on how EMAL can improve its competitive advantage Competitive advantage can be defined as the benefit that a particular company has over its main competitors. Competitive advantage enables a company to increase its market presence. It also helps a company win more customers (Sanchez Heene 2010). Competitive advantage gives a company an edge over its main rivals. EMAL’s vision is to become the largest aluminium smelter in the world. The following are suggestions on how EMAL can improve its competitive advantage: Increasing efficiency The company should look for ways through which it can be able to reduce its cost of production. By reducing its cost of production, the company will be able to provide its customers with high quality products at low prices. This will enable the company to win more customers as customers are always looking for products that maximize their utility. The company should improve its infrastructure so as to be able to produce high quality goods at low prices (Keller Price 2011). EMAL should also invest in acquiring the latest smelting equipment so as to be able to reduce its cost of production. Embracing innovation The company should ensure that it embraces innovation. Embracing innovation will enable the company to come up with new and unique products. Embracing innovation will also encourage the company to come up with ways through which it can be able to improve the quality of some of its existing products. This will help the company increase the level of customer satisfaction (Singh 2008). Responding to its customers’ needs EMAL has to make sure that its customers are always satisfied. Research has shown that satisfied customers are more likely to make a repeat purchase in the future as compared to customers who are not content. It is important that the company comes up with various ways of getting feedback from its customers. The information obtained should be used to improve the quality of the companys products while ensuring that the products are also affordable (Keller Price 2011). This will provide that the company’s products are able to satisfy the needs of its customers. This will help EMAL maintain a competitive advantage over its main rivals.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Improving the quality of their goods To maintain a competitive advantage over its main rivals, the company should always ensure that it produces high quality products that meet the needs of its customers (Sanchez Heene 2010). By producing high quality products, the company will be able to increase its market presence and this will help the company attain its vision of becoming the largest aluminium smelter in the world. Conclusion Creating a competitive advantage is important because it makes sure that the company is able to yield maximum profit while increasing its market share. It also helps a company compete effectively with its rivals. To create a competitive advantage, EMAL has to improve the quality of its products, embrace innovation, respond to customers’ needs and increase efficiency level. References Keller, S., Price, C. (2011). Beyond performance how great organizations build ultimate competitive advantage. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. Sanchez, R., Heene, A. (2010). Enhancing competences for competitive advantage. Bin gley, UK: Emerald Group. Singh, M. (2008). Strategic management and competitive advantage. New Delhi: Global India Publications.