Rio De Janeiro Host The Summer 2016 Olympic Games Tourism Essay

Rio De Janeiro Host The Summer 2016 Olympic Games Tourism Essay Rio de Janeiro is the second largest city in Brazil, the third largest urban area in South America and the main tourist destination in the Southern Hemisphere, being the first South American city to ever host the event is a great responsibility. The population of the city of Rio de Janeiro, which has an area of 1,182.3  square kilometers, is about 6,100,000. The population of the greater metropolitan area is estimated at 11 to 13.5  million. It was Brazils capital until 1960. In 2009, Rio was elected to host the summer 2016 Olympic Games, winning the election against Chicago, Madrid and Tokyo. The sports competitions will take place on Barra da Tijuca situated on the west side of the city, Copacabana on the south zone, and Maracanà £ and Deodoro on the north side. It may be considered a great accomplishment for the city, however some may disagree that Rio de Janeiro is not fit and does not have financial and secure conditions to be the main focus of the world in 2016. This essay might be of great interest to the people living in Rio and sports fan all around the world planning on watching the Olympic Games, as it describes mainly the citys geography to host the games. Also this topic might be of interest to people that question if Rio can successfully host such a big event without any casualties and will the city in general benefit from being the center of attention worldwide. The topic is also important for the city which has started planning and making budgets, looking forward for being a successful host, a great amount of money must be invested in long term repair in stadiums and general sports facilities as well as security. Brazilian people are also known for having a great passion for sports and there was a big celebration when Rio was announced to host the games as people want to show the world that Rio is capable of holding such an important event. Controversies regarding Rio being the host for the Olympic Games arise as the city is constantly rega rded as un-safe due to the high rates of criminalities and drug dealing taking place in the favelas or shanty towns. It is also worth writing about how Rio can benefit from all this development and planning as well as tourism generated from the Olympic Games as other controversies state that the money spent in investment for hosting should be instead invested in education and the economy of the city for further development. The topic will be more focused on how will the city invest on long term plans and solutions to problems, how will the event be evenly distributed through Rio and how will it be good for Rio in the future. Rio de Janeiro may be considered then most challenging city to judge and make a prediction if it has the capacity of hosting the biggest sports event in the world. Barcelona, Sydney, Vancouver, and London are considered to be more developed as they are located in More Economically Developed Countries and have more developed infrastructure as well as taking effic ient anti-terrorism methods. Although the city is considered a great tourism tropical destination, studies reveal that the city lacks infra-structure, educational means and is affected by great poverty with a large number of the population living in slums. Due to these facts, a part of the population demanded the money to be invested in those means helping the city develop, instead of building sports facilities. It is also estimated that by 2016, the whole nation is capable of eradicating extreme poverty, however for this to happen Brazil must maintain its developing process shown in the last five years. Counter claims may argue that the Olympic Games will bring an excessive amount of profit due to tourism and sponsoring as well as jobs being generated (the city also show significant amounts of unemployment). The government however states that all security and geographical issues were presented to the Olympic committee and was approved almost unanimously, being confident in the long term plans as seven years of preparation seem enough. Another research, states that Rio will manage to achieve a target made by the UN that states must decrease levels in poverty by 50%. There is a lot of statistical data that implies that Rio de Janeiro will manage to achieve sustainable levels of economy, and poverty by the end of 2016, however measures must be taken and the process of development shown in past years must be maintained. 50% of the events will take place on Barra da Tijuca, which is a developed area, with less poverty and almost no slums as well as a wide space and facilities built from the Pan-American games. The transport system is also well developed with a network of trains, buses and subways linked to other sides of Rio where other events are going to take place. Promises were made to the Olympic committee that the Guanabara Bay and Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon will be cleaned sp water sports can be held. A bullet train linking Rio de Janeiro and Sà £o Paulo was also presented to the commit tee which will play a big role in the transport system if introduced before the Olympic games. Recent researches and statistics show that there are more than one thousand favelas spread through out the city with the majority of them being located on the north side (Zona Norte). Also a statistical map indicates that 20 to 30% of the population living in Brazil, live in a slum. This can be significant data while analyzing the city for hosting the games as each slum is dominated by drug dealers and criminality and safety around them can become an issue for the development of Rio until 2016. For the development to be maintained, the city must invest in a crucial factor which is safety. Safety is considered weak in almost every event held although casualties regarding them are rare. For the games to be hosted in the north zone of the city for example, which is considered to be one of the highest rates of criminality in the world due to drug dealing and poverty, long term measures must be taken. An example of long term plan by the government which already started to be implemented i n 2009 is the UPP (Unidade de Policia Pacificadora) is a unit of the military and civil police designated to eradicate and exterminate drugs and arms. The UPP have been very successful just recently where a total of eight slums have already been pacified and are controlled by the government. The police which also have a history of corruption within the state, trading with dealers have been mobilized to end illegal dealings in the slums, with the intention of offering more safety by 2016. This method seems like the most appropriate measure in increasing the security issues of the city, and if it continues to develop and spread throughout the city a significant increase in safety will be applied to the event. The UPP would greatly help the city in the developing process for hosting the Olympic Games as studies made reveal that if every slum in the city is occupied by the government, an increase in 20% of the PIB (sum of financial production) which would represent 38 billions reais for the development of the city as well as an decrease of about 80% of criminality. This is the most efficient method of violence contingency shown and is the key for offering security during the Olympics, however it is a very hard task and taking into consideration past government activities, it will take probably more than seven years for it to be implemented with success. In almost one year that the UPPs were implemented a huge profit and efficiency was achieved with a significant decrease in violence in the surroundings, so in seven years of preparation for the Olympic Games, the governor of Rio Sergio Cabral guarantees that the project will continue. However the government must not forget a big threat to security of Olympic Games, which is international terrorism. Therefore a certain amount of training is necessary and constant monitoring. Looking at the recent past, Rio de Janeiro has hosted an important event similar to the Olympic Games which was the Rio 2007 Pan-American games, and no problems were faced. The money was well invested and the games were a success by generating jobs ad tourist attractions. However the Olympic Games are a much bigger event with a wider variety of activities therefore more space and planning must be taken into consideration. On the contrary of some people may think, the developing process to host the games can bring even more benefit and help the city show a significant growth internationally, as even more jobs can be generated as well as tourism. However, Rio currently really needs investment in security and education, so how can it benefit by hosting the games? Firstly, the Olympic Games further increase the worlds awareness of the city. In Beijing, China, for example the number of headquarters for multi-national companies and large-scale domestic enterprises has multiplied ever since Beijing started its Olympic preparations. The preparations for the Olympic Games can also help update the functions of the city such as environment, transportation and infrastructure. Taking Beijing as an example, the Olympic introductory work will also ease the citys economic growth. Beijings GDP rose to 102.6 billion dollars in 2006, twice as much as in 2001, as its GDP per capita exceeded 6300 dollars, also twice as much as in 2001. With this significant increase in the economy of the city, the number of tourists in Rio which is already very big may increase by more than 1.5 million. Another good past example, in the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, the benefits have been projected to be $10 billion. Another fact which can cause a great impact against Rio for hosting the game is the fact that the city is one of the 12 chosen to host the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and is considered to be not in the right path by the FIFA. Brazilian venues are falling behind schedules and little work has been carried out in the last 25 months after the announcement, constructions and general repairs are late. Inspections have been held and it is proven that Rio along with other cities has not met the deadlines of repairing stadium which are the main attraction of the World Cup. Upgrades in the main stadium are yet to start and are still lingering, which sounded an alert to the FIFA that Brazil is already late. Rio has managed to successfully host a World Cup in 1950 although conditions and requirements were less strict, and maybe with all these upgrades, constructions, jobs and increase in security for 2014, some of it may in fact be useful for the Olympics two years later. The city will gain infra-structure and general increase in security and sports facilities with the world cup in 2014. Generally, not only in the case of Rio, revenue is generated for national companies, the image of the city worldwide is improved and the flow of tourism is improved. But accelerated growth necessary in hosting the Olympic Games disrupts the long term town preparation of the city and cause long term negative effect. On the other side there are the costs for developing facilities necessary to host different sports, as well as the financing for the Olympic village were the athletes must stay, with a significant amount of money being invested in transportation and security. However if the money is invested in schools, hospitals or other public, employment could still be created, sometimes even more and are considered permanent institutions. After the Olympic Games, sports facilities will have obviously less value will be less used and not so significant in helping the city and economy to develop. The employment and part of the benefit brought by the Olympic Games may be considered rather temporary as well as few significant long term growths linked with the games. Although there is a temporary boost in the output of the economy, in the long term there is barely some change. Therefore these temporary and necessary changes to host the Olympic games, can be of great use long term for example security. As the city invest on security and decreasing levels of criminality for the games, it helps to exterminate an old problem of the city which is the criminality. There are counter claims for this argument as all these improvements for changes including the UPPs are temporary and monitoring may decrease shortly after the Olympic Games. In the end, the money spent by tourists during the games might not be sufficient to cover all costs even if they bring benefit to the city. Especially Rio needs to invest in public institutions and education, more than Vancouver and Sydney for example. Although there are major problems and uncertainties a list of benefits can be made such as: with world class facilities built future events may be held, new construction project generating jobs, spectators, sponsors and broadcasting make the city the center of attention worldwide, powerful marketing tool, increase reputation resulting in a long term benefit for economy, international recognition and etc. The country itself still needs to study how to do permanent public policies as no strategic planning happened in the Pan-American games. In the case of Rio, which still faces cases of prejudice and stereotype against low class civilians, jobs being generated can really fix an old problem in which people living in shanty towns face unsuitable living conditions, no access to sewage disposal and clean drinkable water with high levels of crimes, unemployment and low incomes. Just recently, a very serious case of flooding took place in Rio. A natural disaster is a rare however alarming event in which developed cities are supposed to be prepared for. Rio de Janeiro is expected to cope with any sort of situation; however in April 2010 the city faced the biggest flood in the history of Rio with an astonishing 288mm of precipitation in less than twenty four hours. A total of 95 people were confirmed dead mainly as a result of land slide and, of course, became news headline worldwide. It became clear that Rio did not support an appropriate infra-structure and was not prepared for such a disaster. The poverty surrounding the city was also highlighted as land slides in shanty towns killed and injured dozen of people, as well as interrupting several activities during two whole days. The government however states that it is impossible to maintain a controlled situation with such a huge amount of precipitation which was never seen before and especially when Rio is still going through a big process of development. International repercussion is common as it is clearly a matter of safety, and the spectators and athletes waiting so long and traveling so far for such an important event wants safety. Methods of future flood prevention are being studied, such as the creation of flood plains, winding streams and levees. Each method can contain drawbacks and a huge amount of effort however a good way to prevent future accidents. Rios Demographic transition model can be seen above with the central business district in the middle and a large area of Favelas in the surroundings. It is clearly not balanced and the games will be held around the CBD with a few exceptions through B. Below an urban morphology and characteristics map of Rio de Janeiro can be seen as the higher class districts and CBD is concentrated near the coastline with the suburbs in the rural area. As a conclusion, Rio de Janeiro has the conditions to host the summer Olympic Games with success, however it may not bring the expected amount of benefit. Seven years of planning and introducing extreme measures to overcome major problems in the city will not be a problem. Significant increase and development regarding security, and economical growth in Rio de Janeiro has been shown in recent studies. Just recently Rio has hosted a big sports event which was the Pan-American games with great success and no casualties bringing even some benefit. The population in general has been very excited with the decision of the city for the host as it is already a tourist destination and improvement for the games will help the city in the future. However Brazilians in general shows great passion towards sports mainly soccer and shows great enthusiasm and cooperation when the result for Rio being the host was announced, and as a result can forget about some major issues the city need to take care of as a part of its development before making such a big investment for an event such as the Olympic games. In order for a conclusion to be made the goals for the city must be analyzed first. So, is it good for the city to organize the Olympic games? For example Vancouver and London which are already considered developed and share a good outside image, having few ambitions and determination for growth may not achieve such a great improvement in their image and economy, and sports facilities and changes might be made redundant. However cities in development like Rio and Beijing may have the ambition of showing their development and improving their image and showing the world they are competitors to host other future events. Even internationally, it is questioned if Rio can host the Olympic Games, due to security reasons as one week after the announcement, fourteen people were killed and a chopper was shot down on a operation in a favela. However there is the argument that Brazil is not affected by terrorism, like London for example. For a successful prediction to be made if Rio can host the Olympic Games, the past major event hosted must be analyzed, which is the Pan-American games in 2007. The same argument that was used in the Pan-American games were used to convince the Olympic committee, that it was Brazils turn to show what is it capable of, one of the 10th largest economy in the world and a population that have and indefinite passion for sports. The aftermath of the Pan-American games did not quite show any transformation into a more modern, international and safer city. Promises were also made in 2007 that criminality would decrease, a new road system (via light) and 55km of subway lines would be introduced as well as cleaning up the Lagoon located in the centre of the city and finally the Guanabara Bay, whose smell assails visitors driving into town from the international airport. Although hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent, the unpleasant smell persists and the bay remains a foul-smelling spot on the landscape. Chico Alencar, a respected Congressman from Rio and also a researcher for the enormous overspending at the Pan-American games revealed that the games ended up costing much more than the original estimate (about 180 million US dollars) and none of it was used to built the promised infrastructure projects. After the Pan-American games, the city came back to its original mess although a four week celebration was given to the people and athletes, and the same problems faced back in 2007 might be the same in 2016 but the sports event is even bigger. Therefore there is a tendency that Rio will spend even more money on this bigger event, maybe halting the development of other areas in need. Brazil in general needs to learn from its past mistakes and areas of society must unite for no overspending. Finally, other questions rises when analyzing if Rio can host the Summer Olympic Games and can it benefit from it such a s: Can Rio learn from past mistakes (Pan-American games)? Can the city keep its promises for development? Will the infrastructure provided be sufficient for hosting such a big international event? Will current issues such as security be a problem and can the city overcome it? These questions are still left unanswered, but Rio has been given a chance to prove critics wrong after an almost unanimous decision against more developed cities. Read more: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1926094,00.html#ixzz0k9Ts0zcY http://geographylost.blogspot.com/2007/03/rio-de-janeiro-wish-i-had-found-this.html DTM maps http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Olympics http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_de_janeiro#Geography http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Favela http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ficheiro:Urban_population_living_in_slums.svg fatos e figures de favela http://www.sober.org.br/palestra/12/11O481.pdf à ndice de Pobreza pode ser erradicado do Brasil em 2016 http://www.ipea.gov.br/sites/000/2/comunicado_presidencia/100112Comunicado38.pdf prediction brazil 2016 vai acabar pobreza http://mercadoetico.terra.com.br/website/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/grafico1.gif meta onu http://mercadoetico.terra.com.br/website/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/grafico2.gif VEJA RIO magazine Operaà §Ãƒ £o Favela Livre http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/official/preparation/n214180326.shtml pequim http://minimaxblog.com/2010/03/costs-and-benefits-of-hosting-the-olympic-games/ costs benefits http://goodpoint.elc.polyu.edu.hk/print_list.php?mapid=2244 list of benefits http://www.rio2016.org.br/pt/Rio2016/ http://oglobo.globo.com/rio/mat/2010/04/06/rio-vive-pior-enchente-da-historia-916261532.asp flood http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup-2010/teams/brazil/7686639/World-Cup-2014-Fifa-sound-alarm-as-Brazilian-venues-fall-behind-schedule.html world cup

Letter to Obama in Praise :: Barack Obama President

Obama for America P.O. Box 8102 Chicago, Il 60680 Senator Obama, or to whom it may concern, I am filled with confidence at the progress that has been made in so short a time in our country. When I began learning about politics, you could say that I was extremely naÃÆ'Â ¯ve. I had thought that there was no such thing as ?war? anymore- only something that happened in the past. I was devastated to learn that there still is and still will be wars and any other such excuses for fighting. Likewise, I was surprised at the close-mindedness of Americans concerning race and religion. To learn that every president we?ve had for the past 200 years have been white men- and no other- quite dispirited me, but now something momentous has occurred, not only is there a man of a different racial background running, but a woman as well! I would never have expected us to break our prejudices so quickly, but here it is! We?ve gone through a revolution of thought and can only hope that everything in the future goes as well as possible to show that a woman or a black man can run the country as well as, if not more, efficiently that any of our previous presidents. In order to secure a prosperous presidency, you must consider the good of the people, which brings me to my main issue: the healthcare system. While is may be adequate, there are so numerous an amount of deficiencies and problems with it that it can hardly be described as ?good?. For instance, elderly, middle-class Americans who are retired or still have jobs often take ill due to age. With the impossible healthcare prices and various loopholes and excuses not to cover cases by the insurance companies, it?s ridiculous to assume that the elderly will be able to take care of themselves without going bankrupt or having to leave retirement to pick up another job. The same can be said for anyone who finds themselves unable to procure enough money for their sky-high medical bills. The result is that millions of American are wallowing in debt without light of ever seeing their way out. Perhaps, a way of solving this issue is to put a flat rate on all prescription as well as require all employers to provide full health coverage and retired senior citizens to have free healthcare. More to the point- All the Americans should be able to have free healthcare.

Jews And The Cultural Life Of Fin De Siecle Vienna :: European Europe History

Jews And The Cultural Life Of Fin De Siecle Vienna "Mythenbildung ist wie kristallisation in der gesattigten salzlosung: es wird dann im entscheidenden augenblick alles mythisch" Arthur Schnitzler (Buch der Freunde) (1) Viennese Jews proportionally did have more representatives in the cultural sphere. This can be because they had the means, ways and opportunity to exploit their situation to pursue the arts. Steven Beller states quite unequivocally "Whether it be Freud, Schoenberg, Schnitzler or Wittgenstein, the number of individuals at the top level of Viennese culture - or rather that type of culture for which Vienna is today so famous - who are of at least partly Jewish descent is so large that it cannot be ignored." (2) And indeed it has not been ignored, rather it has been used to create myth.(3) with many of the authors who write on the Jews of fin-de-siecle Vienna depicting a golden age and of a homogenuous Jewish culture with a shared common identity.(4) Yet Ernst Gombrich recently controversially asserted, whilst giving a lecture on the topic of, "Fin de siecle Vienna and its Jewish Cultural influences", "I am of the opinion that the notion of Jewish Culture was, and is, an invention of Hit ler and his forerunners and after-runners. (5) There is then a controversy centered around Jewishness which likewise examines the individual and their level of faith, secularisation or assimilation.(6) For indeed what at this time did it mean to be a Jew? What also was the Cultural life in this Vienna? (7) Judaism is a religion. It is not a nationality. Nowadays Israel is synomonous with Judaism but there was no State of Israel in the 19th century and there was no holocaust in the 19th century. It is necessary to state this because they have both in their own ways changed our perceptions as to what it means to be a Jew. The Jews of Vienna despite being portrayed as a homogenous unit were in fact divided on many lines. There were firstly, major class divisions, also they had a myriad of political beliefs, they had as many nationalities as the empire and more, and even with regards religion there were differences, since even an assimilated, lapsed or aethistic Jew could still be regarded as a Jew. Throughout the history of the Habsburg Empire, Jews had been bankers to the Crown. Despite prejudice and restrictions on their movement and Jews And The Cultural Life Of Fin De Siecle Vienna :: European Europe History Jews And The Cultural Life Of Fin De Siecle Vienna "Mythenbildung ist wie kristallisation in der gesattigten salzlosung: es wird dann im entscheidenden augenblick alles mythisch" Arthur Schnitzler (Buch der Freunde) (1) Viennese Jews proportionally did have more representatives in the cultural sphere. This can be because they had the means, ways and opportunity to exploit their situation to pursue the arts. Steven Beller states quite unequivocally "Whether it be Freud, Schoenberg, Schnitzler or Wittgenstein, the number of individuals at the top level of Viennese culture - or rather that type of culture for which Vienna is today so famous - who are of at least partly Jewish descent is so large that it cannot be ignored." (2) And indeed it has not been ignored, rather it has been used to create myth.(3) with many of the authors who write on the Jews of fin-de-siecle Vienna depicting a golden age and of a homogenuous Jewish culture with a shared common identity.(4) Yet Ernst Gombrich recently controversially asserted, whilst giving a lecture on the topic of, "Fin de siecle Vienna and its Jewish Cultural influences", "I am of the opinion that the notion of Jewish Culture was, and is, an invention of Hit ler and his forerunners and after-runners. (5) There is then a controversy centered around Jewishness which likewise examines the individual and their level of faith, secularisation or assimilation.(6) For indeed what at this time did it mean to be a Jew? What also was the Cultural life in this Vienna? (7) Judaism is a religion. It is not a nationality. Nowadays Israel is synomonous with Judaism but there was no State of Israel in the 19th century and there was no holocaust in the 19th century. It is necessary to state this because they have both in their own ways changed our perceptions as to what it means to be a Jew. The Jews of Vienna despite being portrayed as a homogenous unit were in fact divided on many lines. There were firstly, major class divisions, also they had a myriad of political beliefs, they had as many nationalities as the empire and more, and even with regards religion there were differences, since even an assimilated, lapsed or aethistic Jew could still be regarded as a Jew. Throughout the history of the Habsburg Empire, Jews had been bankers to the Crown. Despite prejudice and restrictions on their movement and

Quan

Life without language: all the ideas, thoughts, and emotions present, but unable to be expressed. This is how I picture my grandfather when he first Immigrated to America with my grandmother and their nine children. Lost, he wanders around, hoping to bump into someone who can understand him. He raises his own children to know Vietnamese and hopes his future grandchildren would also be connected to the language of their ancestors. But when I form my lips into unnatural shapes to speak these words, they come out pathetically.I cannot speak Vietnamese. As a child, the conversations between me and my grandfather consisted of feeble attempts at speaking each others language. Only a couple of familiar words could momentarily break the wall that divided us. Whenever I visited his house, I exchanged a shaky â€Å"Choc Eng† for his heavily accented â€Å"He-Ill,† and ran off before the shame from my inability to understand could affect me. At the time, I was unaware of the synch ronized rhythm that beats in the hearts of me, my father, and my grandfather.My grandfather loves playing the violin. Although he is not classically rained and can hardly keep a beat, he loves It and I can sense It every time he plays. When my family came to America, my father struggled to adjust as any teenage immigrant would. Vietnamese was confined to his family's home and English was difficult to learn, so instead, he picked up the guitar and taught himself how to play â€Å"Yesterday' by the Beetles. Forty years later, he claims he still cannot get it down perfectly.On the piano in our living room, he sings in broken English†¦ â€Å"Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away†¦ † Like my grandfather, music Is a part of my father's design. By the unchangeable threads of heredity, I was also fated to have a connection to music. Just Like them. And it was music that could break the language barrier between me and my grandfather. A single sheet of music sat in f ront of me. It was a beautiful piece, no doubt, but we, the All-State Senior Band, were playing it without any emotion.After a couple of unsuccessful run-troughs of this piece entitled â€Å"Hometown,† our guest conductor Samuel Hazy told us to look at measure thirty-three, reflect on a personal memory that reminded us of that part, and write about It right there on our sheet USIA. Soon after instructing us to do the same In the other parts of the piece, everyone's sheet music was filled with our lives in the form of tiny scribbles between the lines of melodies. When we played the piece again, we were finally able to â€Å"sing our life stories,† as Mr..Hazy would call it. Every musical phrase became a vessel for retelling our most precious memories: stories of first loves and recollections of childhood memories. No one had to say a single word. There In the music, I finally spoke to my grandparents. As I played measure thirty-three, I pictured them slating here on tha t boat in the middle of the ocean, holding onto a faint glimmer of hope for a new life in America, looking for their own new â€Å"hometown. I said â€Å"thank you† for their courage to come to the strange and unknown America and â€Å"sorry for being unable to speak Vietnamese. After the concert that night, I received a bigger hug than usual from them and I knew that they had heard and understood me. Being a part of a family and culture Is more than Just knowing the language. Emotions are enough to Vietnamese, the language of our origin, English, the language of our new home, and music to connect everything together.

Equality between Man and Women’s Controversy

Equality has been a controversial issue ever since time began. Whether it be race, sex, or religion, it has always been an unsettled topic of concern. Equality between men and women is often brought into society. I think men and women should be treated equal from all perspectives. Gender is what makes women different from men, but does not make women incapable of compiling valuable choices. Women and men have the ability to make decisions that will benefit all people in a fair way. As it is, men are most often oted into our government for their ability to make law abiding decisions. It is my personnel belief that women have the intelligence to do the same. The views of John and Abigail Adams, as well as Benjamin Rush, illustrate the different opinions regarding John and Abigail Adams have animosity relating to the subject of equality. My interpretation is that Abigail Adams believes that women should be recognized in the republican society. Abigail threatens a rebellion if herself and other women are not given he attention and care they so desire. She speaks of the neglect in education to the daughters whereas John thinks the sons are being deprived of education. John Adams plainly laughs at his wife†s remarks. He explains the turbulence that has broken out among governments everywhere, due to the absolute power of husbands over their wives. It is brought to me that John Adams believes, and will forever believe, in the absolute power of men in the republican society. Abigail Adams feels that women should have ore of an opportunity in the republican society. John Adams believes that the masculine system is fine as it is. According to Benjamin Rush, women†s education is extremely important. He believes that female education should be accommodated to the welfare of society, manner, and the government of the country. As I understand it, Rush wants women to be educated in these things so that they can intelligently instruct their children in the same way. He ensures that learning vocal music will make domestic life more soothing and ossibly easier. It will take away the distress of noisy children and a husband. Benjamin Rush looks highly upon novels and believes that reading them will make a young lady more of a humanitarian. He states that some men think of a woman that is educated in morals, physical and religious truth, is unfriendly to the domestic character of a women. He goes on to say that this statement is the prejudice of men with little minds. Primarily, Rush concludes that if females were better educated, they would be more useful in domestic life. Children would learn wisdom in all aspects if their mothers were better educated. Benjamin Rush is a smart man and I agree with a lot of his writing. Men and women should always be treated as equals. John and Abigail had a different opinion on that. She believed they should and he believed they shouldn†t. Rush believed that if women were educated on the same things as men, life all together would Equality has long been a major issue in society. As for myself, there is no reason that any one person should be treated better or worse than the next.

Types of Relationships

Human relationships have always perplexed me. These seemingly simple bonds between people can amount to so much and cause such commotion that lives change drastically within minutes in these relationships. Especially in the fast changing world of today. In my piece I am going to be telling you about the three types of relationships I see taking place. Over time, I have asked myself three questions, finding the answers along the way, which is what I will be explaining to you. To begin, how much does one compromise on self-gratification for the sake of commitment? Or should one compromise at all in the name of love? Finally, what happens when love is found outside ones’ commitment? To start off, how much does one compromise on self gratification for the sake of commitment? What I have seen in regards to this scenario is basically to satisfy parents or tradition. This basically comes hard for the person making the compromise mainly because even though they may be happy, they are just not in that totally-in-love state and as a whole, not fully in the relationship. In such a relationship the person who has made the compromise is just in the relationship in a lost state where the other person is there trying to take it further and make it work whereas just being in it for maintaining it sake. The person making the compromise I would say is robbing themselves their true love as well as the other person involved. Why have someone love you and want so much from a bond when you can’t seem to find the zeal for it as well? It makes no sense to spin a top in mud; it only brings hurt in years to come. This type of relationship can be seen in families of wealth and good economic status. Secondly, should one compromise at all in the name of love? My answer to this is NO! This really makes no sense and ends up just hurting the other person badly. It’s like a slap in the face saying that you have just played with them for so long. The other person would just take it as thought you were there to satisfy and act out the role of being in a bond. Compromising in the name love is just wrong to do; whatever the circumstances. This sort of actions you would find in arranged marriages and usually it is the female that has to make this compromise and suffer. A classic example of this type of relationship can be seen in arranged marriages in Indian families, but these are not limited for Indian families in India; these can still be seen in American or other parts of the world where Indian or Muslim families reside. Only true love can set them free of this compromise but it just ends up in a big blunder because it would create a lot of friction and pose a lot of questions. When someone truly loves, they expect to have it back in return. Not an act. Lastly, what happens when love is found outside ones’ commitment? This to me is a sad thing but also a happy thing when it is dealt with maturely and with much understanding. Regarding my earlier points; imagine in this compromise that is made. It takes a true person to understand when love is found outside a relationship by the compromising partner. Although the other party is strongly in love with this person, they would understand that this was not their love story after all and should be happy that their partner found theirs. Yes it is a sad thing to happen in a relationship, but when one understands the meaning of true love only then they can let go without any qualms. In conclusion I would just like to let you know that in these relationships listed above really toys’ with emotions and in somewhat way sets people free to truly love. So next time a relationship hinders your way I urge yourself to ask yourself the questions I explained or even more ask yourself while you are in it. How much does one compromise on self-gratification for the sake of commitment? Or should one compromise at all in the name of love? Finally, what happens when love is found outside ones’ commitment? I assure you if you can analyze these three questions of relationship, you would indeed have a good approach and grasp on your commitment.

Organisation and management in the network era Essay

The following report contains a brief look into MAS holdings, the company’s history, how they have grown and developed and how they have succeeded in numerous ventures. The report then goes on to address the following questions: 1. Outline the key leadership issues confronting MAS Holdings. 2. In terms of this case, how can the CIO assist in gaining senior management support for IT initiatives? 3. In reviewing an organisation of your choice, discuss the role played by the CIO and CEO when leading an IT initiative within their respective company An introduction to MAS Holdings Markets: MAS holdings, which was established and led by progressive and visionary leader Deshamanya Mahesh Amalean, MAS Holdings pioneered and perfected the manufacture of garments including fine lingerie in Sri Lanka. The company started with a single factory and staff of 60, today MAS Holdings now is one of Sri Lanka’s largest apparel manufacturers. They produce apparel, performance wear and swimwear in the world with a net $1 billion annual turnover. MAS Holdings now has 38 world-class apparel facilities that spread over 14 different countries and employing more than 55,000 people, they have grown from a small company to an international powerhouse in manufacturing due to their sound business model and visionary, diverse development. MAS Holdings are not only the leading strategic partner for Victoria’s Secret (VS) but also effectively serve numerous global brands including Triumph International, Marks & Spencer (M&S), DIM Branded Apparel, Nike, Speedo, Adidas, Reebok, GAP and Banana Republic. The for mentioned companies are known for quality and excellence throughout the world and this is in many ways attributed to MAS Holdings dedication to their brands and commitment to provide an excellent service to their customers. Design and product development has evolved to become a key part of the business – an area in which MASHoldings has excelled. In addition to working with traditional vendornetworks, concepts and design briefs in order to create new product ranges, MAS Holdings also works to create new technology and products that will be a source of competitive advantage, this is done in a bid to redefine the industry Innovation is second nature to MAS Holdings. From working with Victoria’s Secret on fast replenishment models to lean manufacturing with rapid product changeovers, the company’s fully-integrated model allows it to innovate across the value chain. Products MAS Holdings comprise of four business units: MAS Intimates, MAS Active, MAS Fabrics and MAS Investments, a separate non-apparel business. The MAS Holdings Intimates department designs and manufactures niche-market lingerie for high-street fashion retailer and brands, while MAS Active supplies leading brands in competition sportswear. MAS Fabrics, made up of manufacturing facilities for elastics, warp-knit fabric, lace, intimate apparel accessories and moulded bra cups, it is here that we see many of the innovative products MAS Holdings produce coming together. MAS fabrics also complements the Intimates and Active divisions. Through the integrated business model, MAS Holdings innovates new and exciting solutions from state-of-the-art silicon-embedding technology toorganic and fair-trade products. Some innovative products include the Speedo Fast SkinFS-Pro swimsuit which was controversially worn at the2004 Olympics, and subsequently banned. Another innovative product produced by MAS Holdings was the Nike Revolutionary Support Bra – the highest-selling sports bra in the USA – worn by international tennis playersand athletes. In 2007, MAS Holdings launched its own intimate apparel brand, Amantà ©, which targets the Indian market. MASInvestments oversaw a diversified portfolio of investments including the development of integrated apparel and fabric parks in the region, retail and outsourced information-technology services. The divisions are brought together under a common vision and corporate governance by MAS Corporate Solutions.A successful spin off from the apparel market was MAS Investments which include two IT consulting companies, the Corporate Branding and Retail unit and a diversified investment portfolio. A brief history review shows that in 1990, Mast Industries entered into a joint venture, setting up shadow line. The next big leap for MAS Holdings came in 1992 when it entered into a joint-venture partnership with Triumph International and Mast Industries to set up Bodyline, which continues to be its single largest plant for manufacturing intimate in the area. Slimline, a company which emerged in 1993 as a joint venture with Mast Industries and Courtaulds Clothing (UK), has been a key sourcing arm of M&S and went on to establish benchmarks for excellence in employee relations and put MAS Holdings firmly on the global map. The first overseas venture for MAS Holdings was Linea Clothing in the Maldives in 1996. Since then, the group has continued to make strategic investments overseas with operations spanning five countries. MAS Holdings initiated vertical integration within the Sri Lankan apparel industry with its joint venture with Mast Industries and Charnwood Elastics (UK) to establish Stretchline, the country’s premier supplier of elastics, in 1996. Stretchline is now a globally recognised brand for narrow performance elastics with a global manufacturing base. A partnership with NoyonDentelles of France in 2004 created South Asia’s first lace manufacturing facility, Noyon Lanka. Joint-venture partnerships with Prym Intimates (Germany), Dogi International FabricandTextprint SA (Spain) consolidated the regional supply base for intimate apparel accessories, warp-knitted fabrics and fabricprinting capabilities. This diversity in the supply chain has helped position Sri Lanka and the regional centre of excellence for apparel and sportswear. MAS Linea Aqua, a partnership concern with Speedo International, is one of the first dedicated swimwear plants in the world excelling in performance swimwear. As previously mentioned, it has been MAS Holdings dedication to innovation that has propelled it to the forefront of its industry. Q1. Outline the key leadership issues confronting MAS Holdings. As mentioned above, the history of MAS Holdingshas played a role in key leadership issues that confront MASHoldings today.There are several key leadership issues confronting MAS Holdings. Due to the diverse nature of MAS Holdingsoperations and its decentralised structure, it would be difficult to have a specific company- wide leadership in place. Malesh Amalean, chairman of MAS Holdings has to deal with the vertical integration of MASHoldings. At the beginning, he succeeded in creating his own company and orienting its company strategy to an export-oriented strategy. First, he managed to secure contracts with European and American retailers such as C&A or Calvin Klein. Secondly, he organized a first joint venture with a big American retailer, MAST, which allowed him to gain his first contract with Victoria’s Secret and a strong reputation in women’s lingerie manufacturing. Unfortunately, the sudden increase of work for thecompany led to some leadership problems,the need of seasoned professional managers. MaleshAmalean has to lose a part of his control over the company by sharing his control over the business to young and unknown managers. He has to trust them in order to take advantage of this situation. The next joint ventures, with Triumph, Noyon or Sara Lee, amongst others, have further increased the issue of control and trust. Although MASHoldings can continue to develop while being part of a large company, they must learn to adapt and compromise to suit partner firms. This may involve accepting new systems, processes and procedures such as the ones instituted by Triumph. However this deal was not one sided as MAS Holdings had to learn to share their own technologies and knowledge with their partner. This can lead to some loss of control within the company if not managed correctly. In order not to lose too much power, MAS Holdings was only signing joint-ventures with companies in which they established a trusting relationship, with strong dialogue and a personal relationship, they also protected themselves by never committing 100% of their production capabilities to one particular company. Furthermore, the company clearly outlined in each contract that MASHoldings were responsible for managing the businesses from taking the order stage and MASHoldings also clearly defined the responsibility of each participant in the joint-venture. This specific repartition of tasks allowed MAS Holdings to build a specific structure for all their different tasks which they maintained a desired level of control over. Due to a desire to succeed with this new decentralized structure; MaleshAmalean made a decision to allocate leaders to each structure, segmenting the leaders from each other. MAS Holdings run the risk of deviating from its core business model as a result of this. This is one of the reasons why MAS Holdings managed to deploy its IT systems to improve knowledge sharing and information management capabilities across the organization. As the company develops and grows, they are faced with the issue of loss of control. They attempt to counteract this by implementing strategies to prevent it. Q 2. In terms of this case, how can the CIO assist in gaining senior Management support for IT initiatives? The Chief Information officer (CIO) of an organisation is the person responsible for the information technology and computer systems that support the organisation’s goals and objective (TechTarget). This position is intended to bridge the gap between information technology and the business. It is an evolving role related to performance, evaluation, and turnover. For IT initiatives to be successful, a team approach is essential at the senior level in the organization. Therefore the CIO must try to provide a link between the IT department and the company’s senior managers (Hunter, 2010). The following paragraphs would discuss ways the CIO can assist in gaining senior management support for IT initiatives in MAS Holdings. Communication At MAS Holdings, the senior management is aware of the flexibility and competitive advantage IT initiatives can bring to the organisation in a rapidly changing market. However, to assist in gaining senior management support, communication is key. The CIO must communicate in the language of business, as this is important to enable the senior management make IT funding decisions as well as strategic and business decisions. Therefore, the key information on what the IT project will enable MAS Holdings to accomplish should be stated in clear, concise, and real business terms. Stating the alignment with strategies and objectives Information technology and business alignment refers to demonstrating concise business related value from IT and coordinating the capabilities of IT with the objectives of the organisation (Hunter, 2010). In order to do this, the CIO needs to understand the strategies and objectives of MAS Holdings. Strategies of MAS Holdings include a coalition of companies, Backward Vertical Integration, and streamlining the supply chain. The specifics of potential IT initiatives should be clearly stated and explained how it may be strategically applied to accomplish the MAS Holdings’ goals and objectives. In cases where IT projects are not aligned, but may still be important, the CIO needs to tell senior managers why and how. Alignment is usually facilitated through communication. Specifying the anticipated benefits Usually senior management do not specifically care about the technology itself, but how it would enable the organisation accomplish its goals. MAS Holdings work with a coalition of companies, so apart from competitive advantage, IT initiatives would provide a transparent model which allows information and knowledge to flow within the MASHoldings group companies and through the value chain, from customer down to various suppliers. This would make the retail business more efficient; cost competitiveness and speed would be enhanced, while providing flexibility. MAS Holdings biggest customer, Victoria’s Secret needed to shorten the concept-to-market time of its products. An ERP solution would help produce a demand-planning system that would have â€Å"the right product on the shelf at the right time†. Showing the focus on MAS Holdings’ top priorities The CIO must understand the organisation’s priorities, and the identified IT initiatives must address these priorities. MAS Holdings priority is to understand how each of their partners work, what is important to them, and what their expectations are. Therefore in order to gain senior management support for IT projects, the CIO should show an understanding of the culture of the MAS Holdings and its partners, and to provide the IT solution that would support that. Q 3. In reviewing an organisation of your choice, discuss the role played by the CIO and CEO when leading an IT initiative within their respective company. The company we have chosen to review is Marks and Spencer. We feel this is a specifically good fit as they fall under the MAS Holdings umbrella of brands. Marks & Spencer CEO Marc Boland: Marc Bolland, originally from Holland is the current CEO of Marks & Spencer’s. He was noted in 2010 as one of the most influential people in business and in 2011 he was named as â€Å"most admired business leader† in the UK by Management Today magazine. He worked for Heineken and Morrison’s before Marks & Spencer’s. When Marc took over at Marks and Spencer in 2010, he faced the challenge of improving sales and increasing profits. His aim was to do this through using the most up to date and innovative technology. Marks and Spencer set Cheshire Oaks as their flagship technology store. â€Å"Cheshire Oaks is the first Marks and Spencer store to make extensive use of all the latest technology and innovations in multi-channel to create an enhanced, more convenient and inspirational customer shopping experience.† The Cheshire Oaks and subsequent stores have adopted and utilised technologies : HD screens throughout the stores showcase the latest looks offered. Browse and Order screens allow catalogues be viewed and ordered from. Staff equipped with iPads to assist customers with item searches Leading technology such as the ‘Virtual Makeover’ and ‘Duvet and Pillow Selector’ keep Marks and Spencer at the forefront on technology. QR codes and free customer Wi-Fi also feature throughout the store. It is essential that Marc Boland works with the CIO when he is implementing or improving any information technology process or policy. Collaboration between CEO and CIO is essential. Marc’s role is to approve of and support IT initiatives. Backing the technology and using his expertise and resources efficiently will help any implementation succeed. Marc must be an informed leader and ensure that the team and himself keep up to date with the constantly changing world of E-Commerce and technology. Being an informed leader will help Marc in his role of ensuring Marks & Spencer’s keep up to date with their competitors. Customers value and demand the newest and most up to date technology. Providing services that meet the demand is a key role in Marc’s goal of improving the situation Marks & Spencer found themselves in when he acquired the C.E.O. role. Marks and Spencer CIO – Darrell Stein Darrell Stein is CIO of Marks & Spencer’s and he plays a crucially important role in leading I.T. initiatives throughout the organisation. Although Chief Information Officers will always be involved in I.T. initiatives, Steins vision, enterprising spirit and ambition ensure many successful I.T. projects under his tenure. Stein is the key man that led I.T. change within Marks & Spencer resulting in it being a very successful organisation today. Stein was initially brought in as an I.T. director with some responsibilities for logistics, however he moved away from the logistics side so he could give his full attention to I.T. Using his knowledge and experience, he shortly found himself overhauling the I.T. systems company wide, no easy task for an organisation with over a thousand stores and almost  £10billion in annual revenue. Stein learned lessons from recent high profile disasters in the retail sector, and his approach is to look at all aspects of a project while planning the project, he is also involved in getting the right people in place and employs a tactic of not moving too fast, his successful techniques have been proven with the high success rate of projects which he has co-ordinated. Crucially, he also realises how much that I.T. projects which don’t work, hurt the organisation on a day to day basis. Perhaps the most rewarding I.T. initiative that Stein was a leader in implementing was the roll out of SAP software within the company. SAP was initially rolled out in the finance department, and after its initial success, it was expanded to other departments within the core business system. Stein’s role was to justify the implementation of the software, as well as convincing the board at M&S that the heavy initial investment in SAP would lead to a bottom line benefit to the company and overall cost savings in the long run. Stein also faced a challenge in integrating SAP into the existing business process and his full support and backing of the I.T. project was key to its success. When Stein initially rolled out the SAP system in the finance department it led to instant savings. Stein cut M&S’s procurement spending by a quarter as a direct result of the implementation of the SAP system (TechRepublic, Top 50 CIO). Due to its success in the finance department, Stein rolled out SAP systems to other business areas including HR, supply chain and the foods division. This wide scale roll-out became part of a â€Å"2020-Doing the right thing† initiative which in essence, is an I.T. &supply chain overhaul that cost  £400million in 2011 alone (M&S completes first phase of 3 year SAP rollout, 2010).Steins role in this long term project is key and he is the catalyst for I.T. change within M&S. Stein was also integral in pushing through the I.T. change projects with the goal of lowering overall company operating costs. His ethos â€Å"of not seeing himself as a technology person, but as a business person who utilizes technology to benefit the company†, has been fundamental to M&S and its rebranding strategy of â€Å"more for less†. Stein helped reduce running costs through implementing I.T. initiatives, and this led to money being freed up within the business and being invested in other sectors, such as business development projects. It is clear that Darrell Stein has been a fundamental player in leading I.T. initiatives in M&S and his reputation both within the company, and the wider business world, mean the decisions he takes are looked at with optimism and excitement from his colleagues, and with caution from his competitors. Stein has tried to focus on building the trust and strong relationship the M&S brand has with its customers, he sees this as key to keeping â€Å"sticky† customers, whose return business is vital to the company’s continuous success. He has done this through developing feedback channels with customers through more interaction, he has also focused on building the e-commerce aspect of the business, and it is largely due to the measures Stein implemented that M&S has achieved 75% annual increase in its online sales turnover. Stein is now in a position within M&S where he has contributed to them becoming market leaders through, in part, his leadership in pushing through I.T. projects. As mentioned above, it is imperative that Darrell Stein works in harmony with Marc Boland to ensure that two of the most influential men in the company work together to achieve organisational goals. Key to the pushing through effective I.T. initiatives in M&S was the close professional relationship Boland and Stein had. Both men regularly communicated with each other about implementing change and integrating the I.T. into the business model. The rich communication channel reinforced any project the men were involved in and made the implementation of technology very smooth. All scenarios involving the new technology would have been talked about prior to its implementation. Communication was a key factor to success in many projects such as the introduction of the â€Å"virtual makeover† application. Boland and Stein were also both innovators, they looked to set themselves aside from competition through innovative thinking and applying new techniques in the retail sector. Having a CEO and CIO with such a good relationship was essential to some of M&S’s innovative approaches as technology was a key tool used in implementing the change. One such project was the introduction of M&S TV online, which promoted customer interaction with the overall aim of boosting sales. M&S TV pioneered many of the campaigns you see today, for instance, they were first to do a video on â€Å"where does the milk on the shelves come from? Meet the farmer†. These videos made the customer believe they are shopping local and such ads can be seen today by firms such as McDonalds, for their beef, and Supervalu for their produce. The dedication both men had to their jobs was also crucial to many successful projects. Both men had a passion for what they were doing and firmly believed all measures they put in place were for the benefit of the company. In conclusion, we feel both Marc Bolland and Darrell Stein added to Marks and Spencer’s success, and their co-operation and partnership has boosted innovative techniques and introduced new technologies to the firm. References: If necessary – answering a question so not sure? -TechRepublic, CIO 50 most influencial, innovative tech chiefs. www.techrepublic.com/cio50/Darrell+Stein/6385891/ -â€Å"M&S completes first phase of three year SAP roll out†, Leo King, Computerworld UK, published May ’10- www.computerworlduk.com/news/applications/20416/marks–spenser-completes-first-phase-of-three-year-SAP-rollout/ References Brief: How can CIOs improve their presentations to senior management? URL: http://www.rms.net/lc_briefs_cio_present.htm Hunter G. (2010) The Chief Information Officer: A Review of the Role. Journal of Information, Information Technology, and Organizations TechTarget: Definition of Chief Information Officer (CIO). URL: http://searchcio.techtarget.com/definition/CIO .Watson.N,Story.J. (2006).MAS Holdings: Strategic Corporate Social Pesponsibility in the Apparel Industry.3-4.02/2006-5340 2.Various(Author)(2007).Business Superbrands.54-55.UK:Superbrands Ltd View as multi-pages