Nuclear Iran, Anxious Israel

Introduction Although Iran’s nuclear program still remains one of the most vexing foreign policy challenges confronting the international community, scholars and political commentators still holds the opinion that this issue could fundamentally reshape the strategic landscape of the Middle East in general and Israel in particular (Grotto, 2009).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Nuclear Iran, Anxious Israel specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the meantime, this debate is increasingly typified both by mounting pessimism about whether the diplomatic efforts and economic sanctions spearheaded by Western countries can indeed prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear arsenal, and by fortified optimism that the ramifications of a nuclear-armed Iran are controllable (Edelman et al, 2011). As has been demonstrated in the article â€Å"Nuclear Iran, Anxious Israel†, the conflict exemplified by Iran’s nuclear ambitions is assuming new trajectories, but no viable solution to the impasse seems in sight (The Economist, 2011). It is the purpose of this paper to analyze the above named article with a view to present a well-argued and informative opinion on the Israel-Iran conflict and its implications for the Middle East. Summary of the Article The article, â€Å"Nuclear Iran, Anxious Israel†, demonstrates compelling evidence that Iran is still actively involved in developing nuclear weapons and this Islamic nation could indeed have at least one workable weapon within a year’s time from now if it opts out of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). As noted by intelligence sources, â€Å"†¦Iran has already begun moving part of its uranium-enrichment capacity to Fordow, a facility buried deep within a mountain in Qom† (The Economist, 2011, para. 2). The article is also clear that while Iran employs ambiguous tirades in its talk of nuclear weapons development, the t op brass in Israel knows pretty well that the realization of a nuclear-armed Iran will never be in the best interests of Israel though opinion is still divided on whether and how to rope in Iran with the intention of stopping its nuclear ambitions. The article also brings into the picture the international community, particularly the United States, and attempts to describe how different scenarios may play out in the future should Iran go ahead to develop nuclear arsenal or in the eventuality that Israel launches preemptive strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in an attempt to discourage further nuclear development.Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Either way, the article is categorical that there is need to approach the Israel-Iran conflict soberly and exercise restraint if a viable solution to the conflict is to be found (The Economist, 2011). Analysis of the Main Points Perhaps one of the main points that come out clearly from the article is that politics, more than Iran’s technical and industrial capabilities, may determine whether the country and its political class will choose to develop nuclear weapons (The Economist, 2011). Here, we need to evaluate the origins and implications of the conflict to understand why politics rather that capabilities inform the probable trajectories of the conflict. In evaluating the origins of the Israel-Iran conflict, particularly in terms of historical, religious, political and cultural facets of the issue, debate has been ranging that Iran is predominantly controlled by religious hardliners afflicted with a messianic passion whose major objective is not to uphold their earthily domination over the Iranian state, but to accelerate the return of the Mahdi (Bon-Meir, 2010). This, according to Grotto (2009), can only be â€Å"†¦accomplished by annihilating Israel, waging war against infidels, an d sowing chaos† (p. 47). This particular author further posits that it is this religious convictions that have propelled the current Iranian leaders, Including President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, toward an end-of-days scenario where they firmly believe that the price for Iran may be national martyrdom, for which its casualties will be overwhelmingly rewarded in the afterlife, while survivors will forever enjoy the favor and goodwill of the returned Mahdi. This evaluation is perhaps most concisely articulated â€Å"†¦by Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in a March 2009 interview for The Atlantic, where he warns that Iran is poised to become a messianic apocalyptic cult controlling atomic bombs† (Grotto, 2009, p. 47). This may precisely be the reason why, according to the article, the prime minister is fronting for Israel to undertake preemptive attacks on Iran nuclear facilities to decisively deal with the fear of a theocratic political regime that embr aces the Shia religious tradition of martyrdom (The Economist, 2011; Silverstein, 2010). In evaluating the geographical ramifications, Grotto (2009) notes that â€Å"†¦a nuclear arsenal would enable Iran’s leadership to deter conventional military threats, thereby reducing the ability of its main military rivals, Israel and the United States, to project conventional military power over it† (p. 45).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Nuclear Iran, Anxious Israel specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Political analysts are of the opinion that such an arrangement would definitely work to the advantage of Iran since it is bound to give the country some leverage to initiate and prosecute limited regional conflicts against the Jewish state of Israel, other countries in the Middle East, and the United States forces deployed in the region (Grotto, 2009). This point of view has been well elaborated by the auth ors of the article, who suggest that due to the small geographical size of Israel, even a minor nuclear attack could prove disastrous to its own existence (The Economist, 2011). Opinion The authors of this article, in my view, assume a middle ground that provides no foreseeable solution to the conflict at hand. This is understandable considering the magnitude of the issues at hand and the complexity of the foreign relations between the countries that have already been sucked into the quagmire. As has been noted by Edelman et al (2011), it is the opinion of many scholars and political commentators that attacking Iran may not be the best solution for Israel considering the religious fundamentalism and political indoctrination already discussed in this paper. But a conflict of this nature needs to have tangible solutions, which are elaborated below. The authors of the article rightly argue that â€Å"the arguments against an attack [against Iran] are still overwhelming, even for Israe l† (The Economist, 2011, para. 5). The reasons given for taking this viewpoint are varied, including the fact that a targeted preemptive attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities would still only delay the Islamic State, not stop it. It is also true that the economic ramifications for taking such an action could be catastrophic. However, a careful analysis of literature dealing with the conflict demonstrates that it is unwise to insinuate that the Obama administration should continue taking a laid back approach on the issues as suggested by the authors of the article. Indeed, the United States must maintain their active role in the conflict by expressly stating that they are ready to assist Israel to â€Å"†¦contain Iran even if it developed a nuclear arsenal by establishing clear redlines that Tehran would not be allowed to cross without risking some type of retaliation† (Edelman, 2011, p. 45).Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For instance, the United States should make it clear that it will be compelled to respond if Iran uses its nuclear arsenal for reasons other than power generation, transfers them to a third party, invades Israel, or increases its support for terrorist networks such as Hamas, Al Qaeda, and Hezbollah. The authors of the article suggest that the international community should pursue a multi-thronged course of action in dealing with the Israel-Iran conflict, namely: â€Å"†¦pushing sanctions, on the one hand, and preparing for a nuclear-armed Iran on the other† (The Economist, 2011, para. 6). But as suggested by Grotto (2006), economic and political sanctions on Iran seems not to have achieved much and it seems they never will, partly due to the economic muscle of the country due to its petroleum resources and partly due to countries such as Russia and China, who have refused to support the UN Security council in imposing tougher sanctions on Iran. Yet, the authors of the ar ticle fail to provide a roadmap of how Israel and the West can live with a nuclear-armed Iran in the event that Tehran fails to curve in to sustained sanctions. Indeed, the perspective that Tehran will give in to sustained sanctions, in my view, is far too sanguine by virtue of the fact that it rests on the questionable suppositions that economic sanctions will inarguably elicit or induce caution and restraint on the part of Iranian political and religious leaders. The best bet in the current conditions, it seems, is to prepare living with a nuclear-armed Iran. The authors of the article are of the opinion that Iran should be viewed as an international pariah should it fail to halt its uranium enrichment programme. In addition, the authors argue that the international community should not only push for tougher sanctions, but they should also step up the clandestine operation to disrupt Iran’s nuclear facilities (The Economist, 2011). This arrangement, in my view, constitutes a valid plan of action not only because of the religious fundamentalism embraced by Iranian leaders and their indoctrination with annihilating Israel and issues of national martyrdom (Grotto, 2009), but other nations in the Middle East will acquire incentives to start their own nuclear programs to hedge against Iranian weapons capability if Tehran is allowed to continue with uranium enrichment (Bon-Meir, 2010). Indeed, Grotto (2009) argues that Iran must never be allowed to go ahead with its plans because â€Å"†¦the emergence of additional nuclear-capable states in the Middle East presents more possibilities for miscalculation and mistake, which raises the chances of a nuclear conflagration† (p. 45). If this view is reinforced, the authors of the analyzed article are therefore right to suggest that the United States should in fact be in the forefront in providing countries such as Israel and Saudi Arabia with advanced ballistic missile defenses to guard against Iranâ₠¬â„¢s threats. Conclusion The prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran, which seems to be the conclusion of the authors of the analyzed article, raises the fundamental question of whether the international community can develop effective policies to deter Tehran from using its nuclear weapons (Grotto, 2009). The proposition that the International community can deter Iran from developing or using nuclear arsenal against its perceived enemies, particularly Israel, rests on a series of judgments about the goals and behaviors of the country’s political and religious leaders. To date, the behaviors and actions of these leaders remain questionable since all efforts to request Tehran to accept reassuring constraints on its nuclear program have gone unheeded, thus the need for the international community to do whatever it is within their reach to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities for the main purpose of the realization of a peaceful world. Reference List Bon-Meir, A. (2010). Israelâ⠂¬â„¢s response to a nuclear Iran. International Journal of World Peace, 27(1), 61-78. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier Database. Edelman, E.S., Kreqinevich, A.F., Montgomery, E.B. (2011). The dangers of a nuclear Iran. Foreign Affairs, 90(1), 66-81. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier Database. Grotto, A. (2009). Is Iran a martyr state? Brown Journal of World Affairs, 16(1), 45-58. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier Database. Silverstein, R. (2010). Iran, Israel and the U.S.: Resolving the nuclear impasse. Palestine-Israel Journal of Politics, Economics Culture, 16(3/4), 52-56. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier Database. The Economist. (2011). Nuclear Iran, anxious Israel. Retrieved from https://www.economist.com/leaders/2011/11/12/nuclear-iran-anxious-israel?fsrc=scn/fb/wl/ar/nuclearirananxiousisrael This essay on Nuclear Iran, Anxious Israel was written and submitted by user TheInitiative to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The New PSAT, Redesigned in 2015 Complete Guide

The New PSAT, Redesigned in 2015 Complete Guide SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you're a high school student planning on taking the PSAT, you'll be taking the new and redesigned PSAT. This new version of the test startedin October 2015was administeredto all students across the country. We’ll let you know all about the PSATformat, scoring, and content and what you need to know to be prepared. Not only is the 2015 PSAT an important step in prepping for the SATs, but it also qualifies you for National Merit distinctions and scholarships. Let’s dive into the changes in format, scoring, and content being made to the redesigned PSAT and what these changes mean for your test prep. Changes in Format The new, redesigned PSAT is 35 minutes longer than the old PSAT. It clocks in at 2 hours and 45 minutes, rather than 2 hours and 10 minutes. Instead of five multiple-choice answers, the PSAT now offers only four. This means you have a better chance of getting the answer right if you guess! The following chart breaks down the time and number of questions per section: Section Time Number of Questions Reading 60 minutes 48 questions Writing and Language 35 minutes 44 questions Math 70 minutes 47 questions Total 165 minutes 139 questions What Format Changes in the New PSAT Mean for Your Prep The new test is longer, so train your focus. Since the test is still pretty new, there aren't a lot of official practice tests to take. So far, College Board has come out with two official sample PSATs, which you can download and score. Make sure to take note of the changes between this test and older versions. New PSAT Practice Test 1 - Answer Explanations- Score Your Test New PSAT Practice Test 2 - Answer Explanations - Score Your Test Since having only two practice tests gives you limited options, it's also a good idea to use older practice tests. If you are practicing with full-length old practice tests, give yourself an extra section to practice test-taking for that longer chunk of time. As you practice, take note of your energy and attention. Take short breaks and anything else you need to keep focus for that amount of time. The new PSAT also closely resembles the new SAT, which was firstadministered in Marchof 2016. Except for the fact that the PSAT doesn't have an essay, the two tests have very similar content, format, and even scoring. Because of this, you can also use these eight practice tests for the new SAT to prep, while still keeping an eye out for any differences between the new PSAT and new SAT. New SAT Practice Test 1 - Answer Key New SAT Practice Test 2 - Answer Key New SAT Practice Test 3 - Answer Key New SAT Practice Test 4 - Answer Key New SAT Practice Test 5 - Answer Key New SAT Practice Test 6 - Answer Key New SAT Practice Test 7 - Answer Key New SAT Practice Test 8 - Answer Key New SAT Practice Test 9 - Answer Key New SAT Practice Test 10 - Answer Key The new scoring system on the PSAT is designed to help you predict your SAT score. Below I'll explain thechanges in the scoring systemfor both the new PSAT and new SAT and how you can incorporate this awareness into your studying. Changes in Scoring The redesigned PSATisscored on a scaled between 320 and 1520. You can score on a range from 160 to 760 for Math and 160 to 760 for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing. In addition tothese section scores, your score report will also tell you subscores forMath, Reading, and Writing and Language between 8 and 38. This will give you a sense of which sections you're best at and where you need improvement.Unlike the old PSAT, the redesigned PSAT gives no penalties for wrong answers. The SAT returned to the 1600 scoring system it usedback in the day, before 2005. It now hasa maximum composite score of 800 for Math and 800 for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing combined. As I mentioned above, your PSAT score is meant to predict your SAT score. The PSAT scale doesn't go up to 1600 exactly since the SAT is a more difficult test than the PSAT. While a 1300 on the PSAT suggests you might score around a 1300 on the SAT, a perfect PSAT score doesn't necessarily guarantee perfection on the SAT. The two scoring scales coincide with one another, but the PSAT is shifted down to account for its differences in difficulty level. Keep this discrepancy in mind when interpreting your PSAT scores from your practice tests and the official test itself. Disappointed with your PSAT performance? Want to improve your PSAT score by 150 points? We have the industry's leading PSAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today: What Scoring Changes in the Redesigned PSAT Mean for Your Prep Because they eliminated the wrong answer penalty, you don’t have to devise a strategy anymore for which questions to guess on and which to leave blank. Give all of them your best guess, even if you are unsure. If you leave any blank, save enough time at the end of each section to bubble in all your answers. When you’re taking a practice test, make sure to mark which ones are random guesses so you can review them when you’re finished. To make the most out of your practice tests, you want to really analyze why you missed a question and what you need to do- review content, work at a faster pace, etc.- to ace that question type the next time. Since the National Merit Scholarship Corporation is considering your composite score, rather than your section scores, all sections are important for qualifying for National Merit Semifinalist, Finalist, and scholarships. Changes in Content The changes that weremade to the content of the PSATmatch the revisions to the SAT. Overall, the content is more evidence- and context-based, featuring real world scenarios and data analysis. Emphasized skills include depth of analysis, interpretation of a word or idea in context, and multi-step problem solving. Check out the "Skills Crosswalk" for all three sections on College Board. Gone are the days of studying long lists of obscure vocabulary- the new PSAT (and SAT) tests that you understand the meaning and connotation of a word within the context of a passage. Similarly, grammar questions ask you to revise sentences within the context of passages, not as stand-alone sentences. All of the sections will include graphs and charts to test your ability to interpret, describe, and represent data visually or in words. The following example is taken from College Board’s New PSAT Sample Questions for the math section. Math questions also include multi-step grid-in word problems. They are going to focus more on algebra and data analysis and less on geometry. The geometry problems that are still there ask you to solve problems involving area, volume, or line, angle, and triangle theorems. What This Means for Your Prep Focus on sharpening your skills of problem-solving, data interpretation, and understanding grammar and vocabulary through context. These skills are more connected to what you learn in class and real life. You can develop them through reading and writing widely and often, as well as by paying attention to data representation and analysis in your math and science classes. When you’re reading, take notes on the work’s structure and organization. Consider the passage’s theme, tone, style, etc. and make sure you can point to specific lines that support your ideas. Get a sense of the various connotations of words in different contexts, rather than memorizing lists of vocabulary. For example, â€Å"brilliant† may mean exceptionally smart when describing a person, but it suggests bright and vivid when describing a color. Many of the skills and knowledge being tested remain the same from the old PSAT- understanding of literary terms and elements, depth of analysis and interpretation, working knowledge of various mathematical concepts. The new PSAT asks you to go one step further: to back up your answer with evidence, whether it is from a passage or chart, and to understand the relationships among words and numbers. Don't stop here: check out our collection of free practice questions and full-length tests for the PSAT, plus learn more about how to use old practice tests and material to prep effectively for the new PSAT. PSAT Comparison Chart Below is a chart comparing key points for the old version of the PSAT and the new version of the exam. You can use this to quickly see some of the most important differences between the two tests. Former PSAT New PSAT Total Scoring Scale 60-240 320-1520 Section Score Scales Critical Reading: 20-80Math: 20-80Writing: 20-80 Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: 160-760Math: 160-760 Testing Time 2 hours and 10 minutes 2 hours and 45 minutes Number of Answer Choices 5 4 Guessing Penalty Lose  ¼ point for every incorrect answer No guessing penalty To Find Out More... To learn more about the changes from the test makers, check out College Board’s site. As this site discusses the PSAT and SAT together, you’ll see the similarities in the two redesigns. The PSAT, unlike the SAT, still does not have an essay. Students who are taking the PSAT this fall don’t have as much practice material as past classes had, but you can still prep very effectively and get a high score if you are aware of the changes. As time goes on, more and more practice material for the new PSAT will become available. What’s Next? What scores do you need to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship? Read about what scores qualify on the new PSAT scoring scale. How can you win a National Merit Scholarship? We describe the different kinds of scholarships and what you need to do to qualify. Curious about the SAT changes that were implemented in2016? Read our detailed guide to the redesigned SAT. Want to get a perfect SAT score? Read about what it takes from an SAT perfect scorer. Want to improve your SAT score by 160points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Long Term Consequences of Colonizing Africa Research Paper

Long Term Consequences of Colonizing Africa - Research Paper Example Italy, Denmark, Belgium, Germany also participated but were some of the minor players when compared with the other countries mentioned. By the end of the nineteenth century almost all the entire continent was under political control of at least one European power. European expansion into Africa was encouraged mostly by the industrialization era in Europe as those countries sought raw materials for new and growing markets. Many historians, however, felt that there were many and varied reasons. â€Å"There was the lure of adventure, the search for personal freedom, the sense of mission. There was greed and vanity and lust for power.† 1 The decolonization of Africa, for the most part, took place towards the middle of the twentieth century. Many of the problems faced by Africa today can be attributed to the impact of colonization. There has also been positive impacts, however, that have helped to move the continent forward since the pre-colonial era. One of the major long term consequences of colonizing Africa is the political culture of the different countries. Prior to the colonial era most of Africa could be described as a stateless society. Many of the borders of these modern states were created according to the whims and fancies of the different colonial leaders. â€Å"Namibia’s odd shape was created by the strategic requirements of a German foreign minister†2 . The current political rulers of the varied African countries retained the boundaries set by the colonial rulers with the exception of modern day Tanzania and Eritrea. . This in some way helped in the social identity of the different nations. Hodder stated that ‘once the colonial boundaries of Africa have been drawn up they acquired a permanence, which assisted by unified administration within them, helped to engender modern African unity’3 . In the establishment of the Organization of African States in 1963, on of the agreement made by the members was

Work personalities Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Work personalities - Research Paper Example The concept of work performance dependence on personality is a subject of much conjecture, and many studies have been carried out to ascertain this prognosis. Personality is considered an essential component of individual performance and satisfaction at work. In addition, it contributes to the aggregate, of the structure, strategy, and culture of organizations (Schneider, 2007). Dahl (2014) alludes the existence of two entities in any particular individual: the actual you and the work you. Each of this personalities exudes distinct traits that can be successfully differentiated (Awadh & Ismail, 2012). However, not all studies support the correlation between personality and work performance. About five hierarchical personality traits termed â€Å"big five† are widely recognized; introversion, extroversion, openness, agreeableness, neuroticism and conscientiousness (Wayne Musisca & Fleeson, 2004). Personality is believed to be inherent in an individual. Moreover, it is inferred that certain personalities are more preferable in certain work types. This assertion creates the possibility of persons feigning personalities contrary to their nature when situations require it. This paper discusses studies on the influence of personality on work and performance. Personality has a significant influence on an individual’s environmental preference and is a determinant of the roles they ascribe to. Personality influences an individual’s interactions and activities (Awadh & Ismail, 2012).At work, organizational culture dictates how a person fits into the organization and their overall output. Moreover, the culture will substantially influence personality and behavior. Conscientiousness and Neuroticism, are associated with a workers performance (Woods et al., 2013). People with higher conscientiousness are portrayed to be more achievement oriented with a greater commitment to

LG Group: Leadership and Management Development

LG Group: Leadership and Management Development There is no company which is resistant to environmental changes, especially business environment. As the year comes by, new inventions or innovation will absolutely give impact on every type of business in the world. However, the causes of the impact, in other words, the root of the changes in the environment is not merely coming from company external territory; in most cases the impacts (either negative or positive) can come from external territory and internal territory of the company. This written analysis focuses on the LG Groups Chairman Koo who once stated and defined his vision for the LG group to develop and improve significantly and to be a leading company in its local market area (Korea) and the wider market scope, international market and increase its revenue significantly within 7 years period. This is known as LEAP 2005. Even though is not an easy task to do, he is much certain that the group can do that. He considers the past performance of the group and the major internal changes within the company will enable it to achieve what its chairman wants. The main key success, as the management agrees, lies on the future leaders of the group. There are several questions that arise as the result of the discussion between the management in relation with this key point, namely where and how to find these future leaders, what capabilities of competencies these leaders should possess how to develop these key competencies and so on. ANALYSIS OF LG GROUP SITUATION Briefly speaking on LG historical background, a common first impression on the company is that it has tremendous historical records in terms of business performance and business revenue. Citing the record, LG was established for the first time in 1947 as a small chemical company. As the time went by, there are expansions that the group has done. As a result the company got bigger and bigger. The applied several strategies that really work well are the main reason why the company grew bigger within a relatively short period of time. These days, LG is one of the strongest players in Indonesia industry. As the case of LG Group already describes, what is meant by LEAP 2005 desired by Chairman Koo reflects the his dream to make LG Group as the leading company in Korea and leading company in the world as well. This leads to for sure the increasing revenue to US$380 billion. To achieve this, certain development an improvement towards the company as an organization is an urgent necessity. The significant matter or points which are at the same time can be the conclusion of this brief analysis is that the improvement on internal aspects of organizations, which at the end should result in the transformation of LEAP 2005 into reality. Further, it is agreed that the management should focus on the human organization and make the first priority above all. The analysis is written as follow. LG GROUPS DESIRED CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMAN ORGANIZATION An ideal human organization that can facilitate the achievement of Chairman Koos LEAP 2005 vision of future definitely has three most fundamental characteristics namely: 1. Strong LG company culture/values, 2. Qualified competent people as its component, 3. Good managerial strategies and operations by the management. These all explains how the company will provide itself its needed sources to meet the requirements of the company to achieve the vision. Each of this characteristic can be described as follows. Strong Company Culture A company with certain strong culture (or some term it as values) can usually stand up against all turbulence that occurs during its operations. The LG Group itself has already passed some bad period with great success and continues showing positive progress. Addition to this, there is for sure changes of transforming (STABILITY, HARMONI, RESPECT) to the cultures (CHALLENGE, SPEED, SIMPLICITY, BOUNDARYLESSNESS). These changes are in line with the demand of business environment which requires a company to quickly adapt themselves to the changes. Competent Human Resources The core component of a business organization is the humans who move it and run the companys operation. The more competent the person of the company the more prosperous the company will be. If the all person in the company are competent in their own field it will lead to best product that the company produces. Furthermore, this will end up in the achievement of customer satisfaction target (consumers demand and wishes). This all will result in better competitive advantages that the company has. Good Managerial Practices by Best Management Company management can be is the back bone of the company. They are the key person who drives the company towards certain direction. They are the decision maker of in the company. The fate of the company is in their hands. The culture that the management builds inside the company will also influence the day to day operation of the company. In terms of external relation, the management acts as the representative of the company. The can influence the business partners as well as potential consumers. Specifically speaking, in relation with human resources, the management should provide strategies that relate to human resources management such as defining organizational strategy, defining organizational structure and man power planning, defining the critical jobs, defining the job description that matches with the companys competencies, setting competency model and implementing it in form of setting HR tools and functions such for performance appraisal and reward and compensation recruitment, promotion, training and development. The human organization with the above mentioned characteristics that LG Group have and will help the company to achieve the LEAP 2005 vision will face obvious problems related to the organization and business the period of the vision achievement progress, they are for example the impact of paradigm or culture changes towards the company, process of setting up the companys core competencies, the changes on business orientation and target (e.g., business goals, from international to international (global) player, the internal (company value) and external cultural change, the demand of new employees to fulfill the need of increasing work load and competent employees, to prepare human resources management system and its tools in line with the company development. As the human resources management plays significant roles the process of translating the chairmans vision in 2005 they should be discussed further in details. The overall implementation of strategies, policies, programs, and or practices by Mr. Y. K. Kims LG Human Resource Team that can help Chairman Koo transform his LEAP 2005 vision into reality must link to how the management organizes and manages the human resources that the company has. These could be the strategies of attracting best new employee, develop the star performers (or other may call high potential) in terms of soft and hard skills or competencies, retain the best performers, manage work effectivity etc. LG GROUP STRATEGY: DESIRED CHARACTERISTICS FUTURE LEADERS As explained before, the key success of the company in transforming the vision LEAP 2005 into reality relies on how the organization prepare and develop the future leaders of the company which will determine how the company will operate and run in the future. These leaders will be having several capabilities as what Chairman Koo desired so that these competencies will enable them to perform well. First and foremost, these leaders must possess a sense of competition for global perspective. This competency strongly connects with the capability to fight and compete with the world class companies. Secondly, this has a relation with how wise and strategic a leader can create a global management system. Finally, a sharp sense of global perspective will assist a leader on how to create a world class business. The other attributes that a future leader must hold is his ability to maintain the quality of the company output. In relation to this they must have capability to create maximum value for customer. In other words, the satisfaction and loyalty of the costumer towards the company has to be the first priority and target for the future leaders that the group will need in the future. As important as the focus on outputs (products) the leader must also embrace the values that have been the LG values directly given by the Chairman. The two other values that basically are the required attributes for all future leader of LG to have are the skills (managerial) to conduct the business with integrity and the good level of contribution towards social development. Practically speaking, when it comes to day to day business activity, the basic capabilities for them to master is that the knowledge on what and how the company process runs. Thus, when there is a problem in certain area of the business, they can quickly tackle down the problem and solve it. Finally, they must have what so called global orientation and global leadership capabilities. These will define the company orientation in the future as well as solve the problem that may occur such as significant and drastic different environmental and business condition changes. LG GROUP STRATEGY: HUMAN RESOURCES APPLIED STRATEGY To discuss the case of future leaders in more detail, the whole process of preparing the future leaders can be described in more specific process and stages as follow: To identify and attract the best leaders. Here research I believe will benefit the company much in the sense of tracking the best candidates in the future. Nowadays, competition is occurring not only attracting best costumers/consumers but also in attracting the potential competent employees. To select, recruit and hire the future leaders. The activities are the follow up of the research conducted in the first phase. Citing the case of LG, the company will need a really significant number of employees, both Korea and Non-Koreans. These involve certain strategy to achieve best output in terms of attracting future leaders with competent capabilities. To train and develop the future leaders of the company. Here, a training center such as what Dr Lee runs with his LG Academy plays an important role. Their task involves defining the current employee competencies required for better performance and a set of competencies on which they can focus assessment and development activities in the future. This also one of the main concerns of the management. They see training and development for technical competencies as the main component to achieve the LEAP 2005 To provide motivation, appraise, and rewards as implementation of strategies to retain the competent company future leaders. The company should not reenact what so called as Bamboo Ceiling which most Japanese company once faced. The management must develop clear and transparent career path for all employee. The assessment for promotion should also be made fair so that all employee can see the progress of their career and most importantly, and equal opportunity for career improvement must exist in the company. This will guarantee the all employee can achieve higher position as their performance says so. In regards with the future plans in LEAP 2005 vision, the company plans to attain 50 % of the whole revenue from international market the number of non Korean employees will increase significantly. In the practices, the company and the management plan to fill 3 or 4 business presidents with non-Koreans out of 50 positions and give 20% portion of all executives at the office at Seoul. To maintain the unity and fairness of the management approach, the team could take the same approach to the both Korean and non-Korean employees. However, the customization may take place in accordance with the background of culture of those two groups. However, in general the common strategies must be implemented to both groups. What must be emphasized is the output which is all employees can implement the strategies in to the business and provide the desired outputs. CONCLUSION In summary, by analyzing the case of LG Group: Developing Tomorrows it can be concluded that a company business activity can not be separated from internal and external influences. Internally the management may have a set of future plans and strategies or even vision that must be implemented and transformed by all company components. Externally, the changing business environment in each different period often requires the company to constantly prepare a set of strategies to cope possible problems and stay survive in the midst of uncertain condition. Here, the human resources team plays an important role since a competent future leaders are the key person that can manage the company through the hard time that may happen in the future. It is the responsibility of the human resources team to attract, develop, and maintain those future leaders for the sake of company stability. Comparative Film Analysis: Shutter Island and Insomnia Comparative Film Analysis: Shutter Island and Insomnia Shutter Island Insomnia. Movies such as Shutter Island and Insomnia both display attributes of neo-noir and classical noir films which contain a great deal of tension and suspense. The detectives in both films are determined to find clues and answers that uncover the truth. In their attempts to uncover the truth, both detectives experience hallucinations and flashbacks from their traumatic past. Each mystery involves an investigator or detective who has the overwhelming desire to uncover the truth. There are often many distractions and misdirections that the detectives must overcome in order to solve the mystery. The misdirections of the cases are frequently caused by false or inaccurate leads, but each detective examines every lead they receive and treat it as being potentially helpful in solving the case. The Shutter Island and Insomnia films possess distinct similarities and disparate elements in the characterizations, social issues and cinematic effects. Film-noir is a movie genre based in the 1940s and 1950s that generally feature characteristics of mystery or crime dramas. The elements of film-noir consist of black and white produced stories that involve violence, crime, femmes fatales and skeptical detectives who seek the truth of a mystery. Neo-noir is classified as a sub-genre of crime and mystery stories which heavily rely on the influence of film-noir movies. The term neo-noir describes any film coming after the classic noir period that contains noir themes and the noir sensibility (Conard 2). Neo-noir movies often share a similar resemblance to film-noir genres in regards to the plots, themes, characterization and cinematography. Shutter Island is a psychological thriller based in 1954 that gives the impression of a classic film-noir. Mark Conard states in his book, The Philosophy of Neo-Noir, You know a classic-noir when you see it, with its unusual lighting, tilted camera angles, and its off-center scene compositions (Connard 1). The detective in Shutter Island is Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio), a federal marshal who travels to the island with his partner, Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), to investigate the escape of patient in the mental institution. As Teddy Daniels further investigates the mystery of the island, he loses control in grasping the real truth as his perceptions are blurred by hallucinations and conspiracy. As the story unfolds in Shutter Island, the viewer is taken on a psychological trip through the cognitive processes of Teddy Daniels mind. It is apparent to the main character and the film viewers that there is a secret hiding within this mysterious island. The story provides a solid discernment of Teddy Daniels mind as his sense of reality and fantasy is blurred. Throughout the film, Teddy experiences delusions that are derived from his traumatic past as an American soldier fighting Nazis in World War II, and the death of his wife. The exploration of Teddys mind provides pure entertainment for the viewer as it is difficult to distinguish fantasy from reality while experiencing everything through Teddys eyes. The realism in the mystery of the patient that escaped the island exists on an imaginative state which is exposed by the truth during the end of the film. The main character in the Insomnia movie is Will Dormer (Al Pacino), a veteran LAPD detective whose exhaustion is intensified with exposure to the unfamiliar northern Alaskan landscape where there is constant daylight. Dormer and his partner, Hap Eckhart (Martin Donovan), receive the disturbing details in the autopsy of a teenage girl that was murdered in Alaska. The autopsy revealed that the girl was extremely beaten and her hair had been brushed as well as her nails clipped by the murderer after her death. One of the most significant scenes is when Dormer and his partner are investigating the girls murder. They begin a foot chase with a suspect after being shot at in the thick fog. Dormer sees a silhouette of a person that looks like they are aiming to shoot so he fires a shot at the person without hesitation. He runs toward the body and realizes that he has shot and killed his own partner because he couldnt see through the thick fog. This symbolizes the protagonists clouded judgme nt and is the beginning of his slow descent into insanity. Dormer deliberately lies to the police about what really happened and explains that the girls murderer had shot his partner because he is afraid of the consequences. Dormer is dishonest about shooting his partner and goes through great lengths to cover his own tracks instead of having full focus on the murder case he was assigned. The primary suspect of the girls murder is novelist Walter Finch (Robin Williams) who witnessed the accidental shooting of Dormers partner. The well-being of Dormer declines further as he experiences extreme sleep deprivation, hallucinations and flashbacks of accidentally shooting his partner. The characterizations of the protagonists in Shutter Island and Insomnia have analogous qualities as they attempt to uncover the truth in each mystery. The protagonists in both films are persistent investigators who are losing their grasp on reality due to traumatic experiences. Dormer and Teddy share mixed emotions including anxiety, guilt and panic. The protagonists in both movies are manipulated psychologically by the antagonists who drive them to do things that they normally wouldnt do. Dormer and Teddys memories and troubles from the past have a significant affect on their attempts of solving the mysteries. Although there are many similarities in both films, the cultural and social issues in each film are quite different. Shutter Island was set in 1954 and deals birth of psychiatry experiments and the traumatic events of World War II. The scene where the camera pans over the American soldiers as they perform an execution of Nazi soldiers in the Liberation of Dachau conveys the barbaric nature of World War II. Teddy experiences many flashbacks of these events and the guilt starts wearing on his sanity. The social issues in Insomnia deal with murder in a community and corruption within the police force. The murder has a drastic impact on the isolated Alaskan town where everyone knows one another. While investigating the murder, many of the officers are faced with the difficult decisions of lying, framing suspects by planting evidence or clearing their own names by destroying evidence. Dormers guilt of shooting his partner sends him into severe sleep deprivation where he seems increasingly delusional as the film goes on. Cinematic effects such as camera shots, lighting and sound design are utilized in both films to convey the pure emotions of the characters in the films. The best thing about Insomnia is that despite director Christopher Nolans soft spot for moody-blues obfuscation, he has the good sense to keep his star in practically every shot, said Peter Rainer, a New York Magazine writer, on the film critic website, rottentomatoes.com (Rotten Tomatoes website). Insomnia made an effort to zoom in on the protagonists emotions and at times showed the point of view shots to express the sleep deprivations and hallucinations from the eyes of the main character. There was high contrast lighting used in setting the mood in the Insomnia film. Even though a lot of this movie was shot outside in the constant daylight setting of Alaska, low-key lighting such as heavy fog and silhouettes were used to symbolize the level of clarity in Dormers mind as he continues to lose sleep. The sound design used in Insomni a was used to create tension and suspense in the film. The cinematic effects and setting used in Shutter Islandenhance the symbolism and themes in the film. Similar to the Insomnia films camera shots, Shutter Island also uses the zoom-in camera effect to display the emotions and thoughts of Teddy. When Teddy is experiencing hallucinations of the past, the camera shots and lighting flash to indicate that he is dreaming or seeing flashbacks. Film critic, Lisa Kennedy, from rottentomatoes.com states, What is real? What is delusion? What is montrous? What is decent? Shutter Island may not shatter the heart but these are gnawing achievements for a movie about madness and paranoia (Rotten Tomatoes website). Fire was used as a key lighting to symbolize Teddys insanity in the film. Fire is the symbol of Teddys imagination, while water is used to symbolize the true reality of his past. The sound design of Shutter Island correlates with the intense instrumental music to portray the suspense as used in many film-noir genres. ParralaxView.org explai ns noir sound design on their website, The sound of noir-plaintive sax solos, blue cocktail piano, the wail of a distant trumpet through dark, wet alleyways, hot Latin beats oozing like a neon glow from the half-shuttered windows of forbidden nightspots (Parralax View website). The Shutter Island and Insomnia films display similarities and differences in the characterizations, social issues and cinematic effects. The protagonists in both films are determined to find clues and answers that uncover the truth. Both detectives experience hallucinations and flashbacks from their traumatic past in their attempts to investigate the truth. There are often many diversions that the detectives must overcome in order to solve the mystery. The cultural and social issues in each film were contrasting even though there are many similarities in both films. Cinematography was successfully utilized in each film with camera shots, lighting and sound design to display the pure emotions of the characters in the films.

Swot in China

Carrefour  has  taken  a  bold,  consistent  stance  on  developing in china. Carrefour is simply side – stepping the  laws. SWOT analysis Carrefour in China: Strength Operating localization strategy in both operation and management 1. Human resource: Decision-makers can make a variety of decisions which are suitable for the local conditions. 2. Purchasing: a) Raw  material  procurement  process  follows  stringent  quality  checks  and  cost  reduction  methods. b) cutting the cost of the cost in the  procurement  channels c) increasing the competition between suppliers . operation: Managers in each shop are authorized. Don’t need to many levels of transmission, which to avoid the distortion and delay of the information. 4. Business model: a) Cutting the purchasing price, this adapts China’s economic and market environment. b) Relatively large stores with broad non-food lines c) Store openings are progressing well d) H igh proportion of locally sourced products e) violating  the  policy of retail sector in china , like keeping opening illegal shop in china Weakness 1. Bad relations with the Chinese government . Having an individual shop-management mode, Having no  transparency  and  poor  project  management, this reduces consumer’s loyalty to Carrefour. 3. The tense relationship with some suppliers, damaging Carrefour's image. 4. The majority of the retailors are small and medium-sized enterprises, which are lack of bargaining ability with the big companies. 5. Carrefour’s Own-brands don’t sell well in china. 6. High â€Å"entrance† fee, which is not allowed in the countries which are well-developed in the retail market. Opportunity 1.China's accession to the WTO 2. The increase of senior personnel in the retail market 3. Withdraw from the Japanese market, and focus on China Threat 1. The Policy and economic environment in china 2. The biggest competitor – Wal-Mart 3. The majority of China's local supermarkets 4. The markets(grocery markets) in china Expansion into the Asian market is now top priority, as it is believed that this region, especially in china, offers the largest opportunities for growth. However, there is a really big change in the Chinese market.After joining the WTO, The Chinese market is opening wider while the competition is also getting tougher. Foreign retailers need to plan and implement their strategies tightly according to market conditions and their firm-specific resources. Carrefour closed four stores last year. It is said their closure was all due to bad location choice and poor management. The Carrefour China press office says that Carrefour currently has 180 stores, therefore the closing down of unprofitable ones is normal and in accordance with its strategic adjustment.But i think Carrefour is now adjusting its strategy, choosing to open new stores in second and third-tier cities. And it's a tren d in china. The most important issue is that Carrefour needs to attach importance on the relationship with customers and suppliers. Compared with Wal-Mart, Carrefour received more complaints from customers and suppliers, and warning from government. Although the prices of products in Carrefour are widely considered to be cheaper than Wal-Mart, the customer services are also vital for survive of a retailer.In addition, Carrefour always reaps great profits from suppliers, and hence suppliers can obtain a small profit margin. Therefore, it is dangerous for Carrefour if these suppliers leave and stop supplying in the future especially when Wal-Mart have a stronger buying power. In addition, Carrefour needs to focus on its long-term development and plan strategies to create values resources in order to achieve competitive advantages Empowered purchasing and distribution rights and management hinder the delivery quality of goods, which is critically important for retailers.In addition, Ca rrefour should develop advanced information systems on communicating with suppliers and stocking, which will save significant costs and benefit Carrefour’s stock management in the long-term. |Table1: Consumer Age Distribution in Hypermarkets in shanghai | | | | | | |Age distribution |Item |RT-MART |Century Mart |tesco |carrefour |Wal-Mart | | | | | | | |Commodity(whether it isabundant and has acomplete range? ) |4. 15 |3. 96 |3. 93 |4. 21 |3. 55 | | | | | | | |price |3. 47 |2. 22 |3. 03 |2. 82 |2. 32 | | | | | | | |service |3. 53 |3. 14 |3 |3. 07 |2. 8 | | | | | | | |shopping environment |4. 04 |4. 17 |3. 83 |4. 03 |3. 62 | | | | | | | |shopping convenience |4. 01 |3. 76 |4. 01 |3. 64 |3. 69 | | | | | | | |staff mental outlook |3. 77 |3. 59 |3. 36 |3. 49 |3. 47 | | | | | | | |aggregation |22. 97 |20. 84 |21. 16 |21. 26 |19. 45 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

Deception Point Page 103

Unfortunately, Delta-One had seen the complexity of the control panel near the trapdoor-a series of unmarked levers and dials that apparently controlled the trapdoor, the winch motor, and numerous other commands. He had no intention of hitting the wrong lever and risking his partner's life by mistakenly dropping the sub into the sea. Eliminate all risk. Never rush. He would force Tolland to perform the actual release. And to ensure he did not try anything tricky, Delta-One would take out insurance known in his business as â€Å"biological collateral.† Use your adversaries against one another. Delta-One swung the gun barrel directly into Rachel's face, stopping only inches from her forehead. Rachel closed her eyes, and Delta-One could see Tolland's fists clench in a protective anger. â€Å"Ms. Sexton, stand up,† Delta-One said. She did. With the gun firmly on her back, Delta-One marched her over to an aluminum set of portable stairs that led up to the top of the Triton sub from behind. â€Å"Climb up and stand on top of the sub.† Rachel looked frightened and confused. â€Å"Just do it,† Delta-One said. Rachel felt like she was moving through a nightmare as she climbed up the aluminum gangway behind the Triton. She stopped at the top, having no desire to step out over the chasm onto the suspended Triton. â€Å"Get on top of the sub,† the soldier said, returning to Tolland and pushing the gun against his head. In front of Rachel the soldier who was in the clamps watched her, shifting in pain, obviously eager to get out. Rachel looked at Tolland, who now had a gun barrel to his head. Get on top of the sub. She had no choice. Feeling like she was edging out onto a precipice overhanging a canyon, Rachel stepped onto the Triton's engine casing, a small flat section behind the rounded dome window. The entire sub hung like a massive plumb bob over the open trapdoor. Even suspended on its winch cable, the nine-ton sub barely registered her arrival, swinging only a few millimeters as she steadied herself. â€Å"Okay, let's move,† the soldier said to Tolland. â€Å"Go to the controls and close the trapdoor.† At gunpoint, Tolland began moving toward the control panel with the soldier behind him. As Tolland came toward her, he was moving slowly, and Rachel could feel his eyes fixing hard on her as if trying to send her a message. He looked directly at her and then down at the open hatch on top of the Triton. Rachel glanced down. The hatch at her feet was open, the heavy circular covering propped open. She could see down into the one-seater cockpit. He wants me to get in? Sensing she must be mistaken, Rachel looked at Tolland again. He was almost to the control panel. Tolland's eyes locked on her. This time he was less subtle. His lips mouthed, â€Å"Jump in! Now!† Delta-One saw Rachel's motion out of the corner of his eye and wheeled on instinct, opening fire as Rachel fell through the sub's hatch just below the barrage of bullets. The open hatch covering rang out as the bullets ricocheted off the circular portal, sending up a shower of sparks, and slamming the lid closed on top of her. Tolland, the instant he'd felt the gun leave his back, made his move. He dove to his left, away from the trapdoor, hitting the deck and rolling just as the soldier spun back toward him, gun blazing. Bullets exploded behind Tolland as he scrambled for cover behind the ship's stern anchor spool-an enormous motorized cylinder around which was wound several thousand feet of steel cable connected to the ship's anchor. Tolland had a plan and would have to act fast. As the soldier dashed toward him, Tolland reached up and grabbed the anchor lock with both hands, yanking down. Instantly the anchor spool began feeding out lengths of cable, and the Goya lurched in the strong current. The sudden movement sent everything and everyone on the deck staggering sidelong. As the boat accelerated in reverse on the current, the anchor spool doled out cable faster and faster. Come on, baby, Tolland urged. The soldier regained his balance and came for Tolland. Waiting until the last possible moment, Tolland braced himself and rammed the lever back up, locking the anchor spool. The chain snapped taut, stopping the ship short and sending a tremulous shudder throughout the Goya. Everything on deck went flying. The soldier staggered to his knees near Tolland. Pickering fell back from the railing onto the deck. The Triton swung wildly on its cable. A grating howl of failing metal tore up from beneath the ship like an earthquake as the damaged strut finally gave way. The right stern corner of the Goya began collapsing under its own weight. The ship faltered, tilting on a diagonal like a massive table losing one of its four legs. The noise from beneath was deafening-a wail of twisting, grating metal and pounding surf. White-knuckled inside the Triton cockpit, Rachel held on as the nine-ton machine swayed over the trapdoor in the now steeply inclined deck. Through the base of the glass dome she could see the ocean raging below. As she looked up, her eyes scanning the deck for Tolland, she watched a bizarre drama on the deck unfold in a matter of seconds. Only a yard away, trapped in the Triton's claws, the clamped Delta soldier was howling in pain as he bobbed like a puppet on a stick. William Pickering scrambled across Rachel's field of vision and grabbed on to a cleat on the deck. Near the anchor lever, Tolland was also hanging on, trying not to slide over the edge into the water. When Rachel saw the soldier with the machine gun stabilizing himself nearby, she called out inside the sub. â€Å"Mike, look out!† But Delta-One ignored Tolland entirely. The soldier was looking back toward the idling helicopter with his mouth open in horror. Rachel turned, following his gaze. The Kiowa gunship, with its huge rotors still turning, had started to slowly slide forward down the tipping deck. Its long metal skids were acting like skis on a slope. It was then that Rachel realized the huge machine was skidding directly toward the Triton. Scrambling up the inclined deck toward the sliding aircraft, Delta-One clambered into the cockpit. He had no intention of letting their only means of escape slide off the deck. Delta-One seized the Kiowa's controls and heaved back on the stick. Lift off! With a deafening roar, the blades accelerated overhead, straining to lift the heavily armed gunship off the deck. Up, goddamn it! The chopper was sliding directly toward the Triton and Delta-Two suspended in its grasp. With its nose tipped forward, the Kiowa's blades were also tipped, and when the chopper lurched off the deck, it sailed more forward than up, accelerating toward the Triton like a giant buzz saw. Up! Delta-One pulled the stick, wishing he could drop the half ton of Hellfire warheads weighing him down. The blades just missed the top of Delta-Two's head and the top of the Triton sub, but the chopper was moving too fast. It would never clear the Triton's winch cable. As the Kiowa's 300-rpm steel blades collided with the sub's fifteen-ton capacity braided steel winch cable, the night erupted with the shriek of metal on metal. The sounds conjured images of epic battle. From the chopper's armored cockpit, Delta-One watched his rotors tear into the sub's cable like a giant lawn mower running over a steel chain. A blinding spray of sparks erupted overhead, and the Kiowa's blades exploded. Delta-One felt the chopper bottom out, its struts hitting the deck hard. He tried to control the aircraft, but he had no lift. The chopper bounded twice down the inclined deck, then slid, crashing into the ship's guardrail. For a moment, he thought the rail would hold. Then Delta-One heard the crack. The heavily laden chopper listed over the brink, plummeting into the sea. Inside the Triton, Rachel Sexton sat paralyzed, her body pressed back into the sub's seat. The minisub had been tossed violently as the chopper's rotor wrapped around the cable, but she had managed to hang on. Somehow the blades had missed the main body of the sub, but she knew there had to be major damage to the cable. All Rachel could think of at that point was escaping from the sub as fast as she could. The soldier trapped in the clamps stared in at her, delirious, bleeding, and burned from the shrapnel. Beyond him, Rachel saw William Pickering still holding on to a cleat on the slanting deck.