Knauf Corporation Case Study

Knauf Corporation Case Study The following assignment is a case study, in which we are going to analyze the Knauf Corporation worldwide, but mostly the operation of the business in the European countries. The objective of this assignment is, by analyzing the operation of the company inside Europe to be able then to recognize, whether we see a common strategy or if there are any differences on it. In the first part, there is a research about the organizational function and the activities of Knauf worldwide and mainly in the European environment, starting from the past until the year 2009, where you can see the latest actions of the company. In the second part I will concentrate my analysis regarding how the general strategy of the company is differentiated depending on the local requirements, laws, cultures, market potentials, etc. In the end of the assignment we will make an analysis of the Greek market in order a close idea about the business operation. 1. Companys history and profile Knauf Group is a multinational producer of building materials and construction systems based in Germany, in Iphofen, where the head quarters and the master plan are located. In Iphofen exists also the historical museum of the company. Knauf is a family name. The Company began its operations in 1932, when the brothers Dr. Alfons N. Knauf and Karl Knauf established the firm Gebr. Knauf. It was a difficult beginning and at this time, no one could have thought the future big development of the company. Knauf finally became a multinational producer of building materials and construction systems, operating with more than 150 production facilities worldwide. Today the company ranks among one of the worlds leading manufacturers of building materials. Knauf has a workforce of 22,000 employees in 40 countries and in 2009 the company achieved sales of 5, 5 billion Euros. The product portfolio varies from the traditional plasterboard to the production of conveying machinery for construction site logistics, including the segments of gypsum plasters for interior and exterior use, insulation materials made of glass fibers or expanded polystyrene. The wide-ranging assortment also includes some other very special products as gypsum fiber boards for walls and floors, as well as a variety of special ceiling systems. The final aim, which comes out from this wide range of products, is that Knauf Group always focuses its efforts in being the leader producer in the construction sector by fulfilling any requirement of the architects, planners, building developers, etc. A strong characteristic of Knauf is the continuous courage for visions, innovation and investments as well as simple decision-making processes and a wealth of ideas on the part of its personnel. Despite the fact that the company is so large the CEOs of the company Nicolaus and Baldwin Knauf insist that the company is a family business, since it is still managed worldwide by the second and third generation of the family Knauf. The company doesnt belong in any stock market and every investment is created by their own profits without loans from the bank or any other external fund. 2. Companys structure and operation Gypsum plasters (core selling material of the company) The Group started to go international as early as the beginning of the Seventies of the last century and the trend has continued until today. Today the Group produces and sells its products in all European countries. In the developed countries such as E.E. countries, Turkey, Russia etc., the company has production facilities. According to the market demand in some occasions there are two or even three plants, whereas in small countries as Cyprus for example, there is only a local branch and the market is supplied with materials from Knauf Greece. Furthermore, there are factories located in North and South America, in the CIS states, in Northern Africa, in China and in Indonesia. Insulation materials Whereas in earlier times the sectors of dry construction and here we mention plasterboard as the primary product and gypsum plasters were the traditional areas of activity of the Group, meanwhile the insulation materials segment has developed into a further mainstay of the Group. The foundation stone for this was laid in 1978 when a glass fibre manufacturing company in Shelbyville, USA, was taken over. Today the company bears the name Knauf Insulation USA and operates a total of four production sites in the United States. The production of insulating materials on the basis of glass wool and mineral wool becomes more and more important. For about 30 years, the company has gained experience in the production of glass wool in North America. Within the last 5 years, Knauf has acquired 10 glass wool and mineral wool factories throughout Europe and additionally built new plants in Eastern Europe and Russia. Emerging and acquisitions activities Focusing before some years in the developing strategy into further segments of construction, where Knauf didnt have experience, the Company needed the knowledge and the facilities of existed companies well known for their quality in their field. Some of them were bought from the group in order to serve all the local Knauf companies with the special products that theyre producing. Some of the companies that have been bought and managed now from the group are AMF, Danogips, Marmorit, Sacret, Richter Systems, Knauf Perlite, Knauf PFT, Knauf Alutop. EUROPAK3 Most of these companies are selling their products only via local Knauf businesses. The interesting point is that the group doesnt hesitate to change its policy according to the target groups, different distribution channels and market needs. Being more specific, for example AMF Company is operating as a different business in the local markets, who sells products to the local Knauf businesses, but also to several wholesalers for example. PFT Company, which is occupied in machinery equipment (totally different market segment), is also developing separately from the local Knauf businesses in the European markets in order to serve other distribution channels and target groups. Knauf insulation, which is a totally different company is as well acting separately in the markets and sell its products directly to wholesalers without local Knaufs help. In many occasions in the European countries they are also selling only via local Knauf businesses. An interesting history is about a merging that the group has made with its one of the biggest competitors. The company USG is the market leader in United States producing and selling the same range of materials. United States of America is too much mature market in constructing with dry wall systems. Knauf group realized a big gap before some years in their product variety. They didnt have a board suitable for exterior constructions. Then the idea came from USG that had been producing a cement board, which is the ideal product, if someone wants to construct exterior walls facades for example. Then Knauf group in order to gain the technical knowledge and experience in cement board market, has been cooperated with USG. They have created together a joint ventured company under the name Knauf USG Systems, which is an independent company located in Germany and its aim is to produce and sell cement boards in Europe, Middle East, and Africa but only via the local Knauf businesses. 3. Organizational structure Knauf local businesses are managed by CEOs that usually are locals. The Local CEOs are supervised by the regional CEOs who are usually coming from the Knauf family. The local CEOs are fully responsible for the local organizational structure. Usually there is the plant manager, a logistics manager, sales and marketing managers, IT managers, technical department and sales department. Depending on how big the market is, sometimes as in Greece for example the technical department is merged with the sales department, which is finally consisted from sales engineers. 4. Vision and Mission The Knauf vision stems from the model on which the company is based: From a family company to a family of companies  [i]  . Knaufs mission is to remain a family which will always include its employees, customers and consumers. The company mainly emphasizes its philosophy on the following: Sustainability, Ecology and economy. The company produces economic construction systems based on raw materials that come straight from the earth and are completely friendly to people and the environment. Plan innovations to meet tomorrows requirements. To be the market leader in the building materials industry Focusing in long term growth and continuous increase of companys value To be as good as the sum of its total employees. The company depends on its employees skills, efficiency and creativity. In that sense production plants are designed to be pleasant to work in, efficient and to ensure a conscientious approach to resources and the environment. Quality management is a key factor for the group 5. Knauf Business and Marketing Strategy model 5,1 DISTRIBUTION Knaufs general strategy is to sell their products only via wholesalers. These dealers can then sell products further to second hand dealers, contraction companies and technicians (Knauf system installers). This model can be changed if a local market is used to work with another way, as for example in Northern Africa countries. In Europe this strategy is generally followed. 5, 2 TARGET GROUPS If we follow the whole chain of construction industry, we all know that Architects are planning the projects which means, that theyre specifying materials (they create the demand). This means that they are the main decision makers in the construction chain. Contractors are taking over to complete the project, and the technicians as sub contractors they are installing Knauf systems. As you can easily realize, Knauf target groups are all the above mentioned groups. Companys concept, is to follow the projects from the early start of the planning until the final procurement. And that means, that they support all the phases of the construction by being present and service with technical support all the groups referred. In addition they focus a lot to the individuals (private investors). Individuals are Knaufs long term objectives, since they strongly believe that they are at the end of the day the basic mean of continuously adding value in the company and make their products even better known to the market. This sector is going to empower the already famous Knauf brand in the market, and of course the materials demand. 5, 3 COMMUNICATION PR ADVERTISEMENT In this paragraph, Im going to show you a small part of the general ideas regarding the companys marketing approach. Knauf in Europe proceeds in specific advertising actions to introduce its products variety in its all target groups. This marketing approach operates since the start of the company and it is already very successful. A very important thing in business is to follow up your customers. Thus, Knauf via its CRM system saves its contacts and post them direct mails. In addition they are also sending e-direct mails, as is the Knauf monthly newsletter or any other subject they would like to promote. Moreover, theyre participating in exhibitions which are usually taking place in the construction concept with target groups from architecture, planning, decoration, etc. Another way of advertizing is by creating inputs in magazines for architects, contractors and technicians. Except of magazines, they also make inputs in newspapers and daily free presses, so they could be able to approach also the individuals. TV spots, radio spots are as well important ways of advertising their systems. Knauf invests a part of each turnover to offer free advertising gifts to its customers. These gifts might be templates, banners, signs, flags, samples, vehicles and memorial gifts, all having as design the Knauf logos and the Knauf partner s logos as well. Local technical documentation and web sites are other ways to find information for the companys products. These documents are very well developed and they obviously offer an assured technical support to the customers. The corporation invests a lot in education regarding its systems installation. Every local business has its own training center where seminars are taking place in certain dates every year. Those who have participated in the seminars are taking in the end a Knauf graduate clarification that writes Mr à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ has successfully participated in the Knauf seminars the datesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ And this small thing makes them feel that they belong in a special group. Consequently they spread this idea to other people. 5.4 POSITIONING Knauf continues to increase a premium brand and separate its position against competition. Thats why the corporation always invests in developing new products and improving the old ones. 6. Gypsum Industry Market Analysis Europe The gypsum industry belongs into the broader industry of building materials. For the scope of our assignment we will only analyze the gypsum industry and especially the European Gypsum Industry as Knauf is mainly active into the European market. The European Gypsum Industry is characterized as a growing industry in comparison with the US or Australian Gypsum Industries which are already in the maturity face of their life cycles. With a turnover of over 10 billion à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬, the European gypsum and anhydrite industry operates 160 quarries and some 200 factories and generates employment directly to 28.000 people and indirectly for 85.000 people. It is one of the few fully integrated industries within the construction products field. Thirty years ago, the Gypsum Industry was made up of many small manufacturing enterprises mainly producing building plaster and stucco for local markets. The emergence and growth of the plasterboard and the plasterboard solutions market in the 1980s requiring high capital investments, equipment, RD and securing access to natural resources led to a consolidation process within the European Gypsum industry. Currently in the industry nowadays three main operators cover 80% of the gypsum product market  [ii]  . These are Knauf Group of Companies, BPB (British Pasterboards) and Lafarge. BPB, a UK based manufacturer, acquired by Saint Gobain in 2005 and organized within the Saint-Gobains Construction Products Sector  [iii]  and Lafarge, the well known building material manufacturer, established in 1833 in France initially as a limestone mining company  [iv]  . 6.1 PEST Analysis In analyzing the macro-environment via a PEST analysis, we can configure the environment which gypsum industry producers compete and identify the factors that might in turn affect a number of vital variables that are likely to influence the organizations supply and demand levels and its costs. The European building material industry is not that vulnerable to Political issues but into the Greek Construction Industry political issues arise more frequently as the support from the European Union funds have major role into Construction Industry growth rates. From 2001 till 2009 where more and more privately funded big real-estate projects were implemented the industry was growing very fast but the economic pressure that affects, for the last year, all companies and investors involved is slowing down the rates of the industry. In such critical times, most governments are identifying its policies with social and environmental care policies. Into the construction environment there is the need, more than any other time, of energy efficient buildings and construction techniques that exploit those advantages, and governments in assessing the socioeconomic impact of energy spending reduction are already subsidizing such constructions through government or EU fund raising. Technology i tself was always the main concern of producers in order to find ways of reducing their production cost as well as to invest in new RD fields, such as antiseismic technology, for exploiting the unique advantages of gypsum. 6.2 SWOT analysis European Gypsum Industry is a growing one and most European countries only now capitalize the advantages that gypsum offers as a building material. Gypsum is virtually indispensable for the interiors of homes and offices and all types of building where people congregate, such as schools, shops, airports, etc. Its superior performance in providing everyday comfort, in fire resistance and in insulation, heralds an ever greater role for it in buildings of the future. In fact, the safety and protection of people and property against fire, and effective thermal and acoustic insulation of buildings depends, more often than not, on the unique properties of gypsum. And many of the attractive features of the modern interior would be impossible without the versatility of gypsum as a building material. The gypsum wallboard industry is highly competitive. Because wallboard is expensive to transport, does not travel well in large quantities and lacks of product differentiation, producers compete on a regional basis, primarily based on price, product range, product quality, and customer service. The sector is highly competitive especially in Europe and North America with production mostly concentrated among few international players. The drywall solutions are seen in growing countries as a substitute for traditional construction solution like for example cement and brick and block constructions. The unique advantages that systems offered to the engineers made them a huge threat of substitute for the traditional techniques. But, soon the industry will be into the maturity face and new innovative and evolution building materials like magnesium or perlite have already started to threaten gypsums raising empire. The industry has to invest into new materials, new technologies and diversify towards innovative building material and construction system solutions. The capital investment that is required in order to enter into the gypsum industry is high. Equipment is expensive, know how is difficult to acquire, access to natural resources is prohibited and investment in RD is mandatory. That is why in very few years the European Gypsum Industry from the state of many locally situated small producers it transformed into an extremely concentrated market where three companies cover approximately 80% of the market. In global level the same concentrated situation is observed where 81% of the market is covered by 7 players (Georgia Pacific, Knauf, Lafarge, National Gypsum, Saint-Gobain, USG and Yoshino) The Gypsum Industry covers the whole life-cycle of the product. Indeed, the companies which extract the mineral gypsum also process it and manufacture the value-added products and systems. The full integration that characterizes the industry is a fact that removes any danger of suppliers bargaining power but at the same time it leads to higher production costs for the producer. The ownership of the gypsum reserves is a power game between the main competitors of the industry as it is at the same time a main clue of product differentiation and product quality resulting from the mineral gypsum purity. Gypsum reserves are now rare around Europe and that turned the producers to invent new technologies by producing synthetic gypsum mainly from fly ash which is a byproduct of energy production plants. The industry is mainly selling through an extensive dealers network in each country. Those dealers are commercial companies selling a series of building materials either to contractors or consumers. In Western Europe more mature markets dealership is also concentrated into few very big companies (Praktiker, Leroy Marlene, OBI etc) which due to its size and concentration they have already obtained a big bargaining power over the producers. Into the Greek market the dealers network is still based on small, unorganized depots with no special power over the industry but big retailers are already into the market and soon the situation will change. 7. Key Success Factors of the Gypsum Industry The following factors have played a major role in a gypsum companys prosperity: Cost advantages and economy of scale: The recent trend of acquisitions and mergers exploit potential cost advantages to be found in RD facilities serving global operations. They create larger and more diversified market focused organizations. All the top performing companies in the industry have faced, at least once, a major merger in the past. In 2005, BPB, one of the top 3 companies of the industry in Europe, was acquired by Saint Gobain which invested 5.9 billion à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬, for setting itself a step ahead from its major competitors in the building materials industry. Access to natural resources: As previously noticed, the Gypsum Industry covers the whole life-cycle of the product and producers strive for securing reserves all over the world. In that industry, due to the cost structure, privileged access to the raw material is vital for the companys growth. For that reason, companies started investing either in finding new ways of composing synthetic gypsum from several sources (e.g. energy plant waste) or by implementing systems for recycling their the products at the end of their life cycle (demolition waste). Differentiation through technical specifications and customer service quality: The main target for all producers is to offer a complete solution with their systems of products in order for engineers to be able to substitute traditional ways of building. They managed to specify with standard norms the use of the plasterboard walls, ceilings, floor or any other use as well as their technical characteristics like fireproof, sound insulation, thermal insulation etc. With the combination of professional sales and technical support as companies are using only engineers for sales reps with extensive and professional training, in order to serve customers and specify the systems in a market that is constantly gaining market share from the traditional construction methods. 8. Greek market analysis As we previously noticed, into the Greek market there is also one competitor to Knauf, Rigips Hellas (BPB) with one production site situated in West Greece. Both companies have their own reserves of the raw material close to their factories which are both situated into the same geographical area resulting to equivalent quality levels of raw material. A main difference is the production capacities as well as the plants sizes. Knauf operates a plant that was build from scratch in 1991 in Amfilochia, while on the other hand Rigips acquired some years after Knaufs establishment in Greece an old gypsum factory from a local producer. That explains the estimated difference in local production capacities for the two producers. Having the appropriate capacity levels, Knauf can control its production cost and overheads better than the competitors and therefore result to higher margin levels. Knauf from 1991 invested a lot of money for differentiating through technical specifications and customer service quality. In order to achieve that high level engineers were recruited and were extensively trained into Germanys headquarters. The experience and professionalism of the mother company was soon transferred into the Greek subsidiary and the company culture was quickly transformed according to the following: The future lies in the hands of talented and highly motivated employees. An important aspect is the family culture which prevails in the company: Learn from one another, hold together, pass on knowledge, assume the role of mentor, take fast and direct paths and press for special achievements  [v]  . In very few years, almost 10 professional engineers were covering all the Greek territory offering technical support to contractors, extensive training to installers and professional customer service to retailers. Rigips which was established a few years later used same techniques for expanding into the Greek territory but always by following Knaufs steps. That was something that reduces its cost for training the market into new building materials but cost them the reputation of the leader in the market. Knauf was and still is characterized as the leader industry in the gypsum market in Greece. Their competitive advantage in the market is the ability of its people to open the market, train the customers and lead to a new age in construction industry. All the above are mainly achieved by the following: A huge database of active engineers is informed once every month by direct mail regarding new and innovative solutions. Over 7.000 installers are trained for efficient installing drywall systems into Knaufs Training Centre in Amfilochia. Retailers are supported by professional sales engineer all over Greece. Finally, Knauf has invest a lot in marketing by extensive advertising into press, technical magazines, radio and TV, by providing signs to all its retailing network and by participating into all main fairs in Greece. Rigips havent tried to differentiate significantly from Knauf into the market. They have not invest as much as Knauf into penetrating and training the market and their main position in the market is to let the leader open the way and then to follow. The main differentiation point for the two companies was the price. Knauf is the leader and for that the customer has to pay a premium. 9. Strategic recommendations Conclusion As we saw in this assignment Knauf Corporation is developing in Europe with a certain way which is driven by the values, the culture, the ethics and the historical success model, that the family developed for their business. However, we also saw that several differences exist, depending on the needs and the culture of the local markets. Such differences for example could be the style of the management, the variety of products, the developing of the other corporate businesses and so on. Knauf family believes a lot in the different local adaptation of their business model and this is visibly proven from their willing and trust to choose local people as general managers to run the business in the countries. They invest a lot of money and efforts in order to find the correct person who is going to implement Knauf successful business style according to the local needs. Knauf group has proven its ability to penetrate, train and lead new markets. As a group it has a promising future as it is in line with the major key successful factors for the industry. Its competitive advantage is very strong and it is implemented into most countries in the world as it is into the Greek market. The industry is highly competitive and it is getting more and more concentrated. In order for Knauf to continue growing into such a competitive environment it needs to diversify its building material portfolio into more developing and profitable markets. Such a market is the insulation material industry in which the group recently invested by acquiring a lot of local producers in Europe and becoming the worlds fastest-growing insulation manufacturer with full ownership of its activities since 2002. Finally, Knauf should invest into countries that are structurally unexploited like for example in Asian or growing African countries initially by securing raw material reserves into strategic places.

The Chosen Essay -- English Literature Essays

The Chosen Inflective and Forward Personalities In Chaim Potok’s The Chosen, two contrasting characters are introduced—Reuven Malter and Danny Saunders. They are opposites. While Reuven is forward—speaking his mind, Danny Saunders shows a stark contrast—an inflective soul, listening to silence, and growing from it. These characters set the stage for a lasting relationship to form, to be strengthened, and to be stressed. Danny’s father’s name is Reb Saunders. The tzaddik of a small community within close proximity of Reuven’s home, he was born in Russia and later brought his congregation to America. When Danny is speaking to Reuven, he tells him the story of this occurrence. â€Å"They bribed their way though Russia, Austria, France, Belgium, and England. Five months later, they arrived in New York City.† This was the original catalyst for the relationship between Reuven and Danny. If Reb hadn’t brought his congregation to America, ever, Danny and Reuven would not have met in anything close to the same circumstances. When introducing the reader to the novel, Reuven explains why the inter-parish softball leagues were formed by the Jewish parochial schools after World War II. â€Å"†¦America’s entry into the Second World War and the desire this bred on the part of some English teachers in the Jewish parochial schools to show the gentile world that yeshiva students were as physically fit, despite there long hours of study, as any other American student. They went about probing this by organizing the Jewish parochial schools in and around our area into competitive leagues, and once every two weeks the schools would compete against one another in a variety of sports.† This was the second factor in the friendship. It would be unlikely for the matter of a soft-ball league to be considered on the part of Reb Saunders if he had not seen any particular reason. On Danny’s second visit to the hospital, Danny and Reuven talk about matters of common interest. While on the topic of the baseball game, Reuven asks how he learned to hit a ball. â€Å"‘I practiced,’ he said. ‘You don’t know how many hours I spent learning how to field and hit a baseball.’† After this statement is avowed, Danny makes the comment to Reuven that he could have ducked the ball. Reuven responds with: â€Å"I remembered the fraction of a second when I had brought my glove up in front of my... ...arefully of what you will say. Think what your father’s questions will be. Think what he will be most concerned about†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ã¢â‚¬  When David persistently asks Danny questions as Danny half-answers, anxiety is created as the significance of the questions is revealed. All of these factors put stress on the relationship, initially, and in the end strengthened it. The first mentioned, was the difference between Danny and Reuven’s religions. Although they were both Jewish, the novel shows that there were perceptible differences. The next mentioned was Reuven’s inability to understand â€Å"listening to silence†. Although Reuven may not have seen significance, Danny found silence to be very important, even related to wisdom. The final stressor mentioned was David’s methodological questioning of Danny at the end of the novel. It created tension in an already stressful situation, although helpful. Danny and Reuven’s friendship built throughout The Chosen had the roots to last a lifetime. It was apparent that Danny originally needed a friend and Reuven turned out to be the right one. Also, their fathers recognized this lasting friendship. So, each would most likely encourage it in the future.

Nature in Literature Essay

Nature plays a huge role in many pieces of literature, but especially Basho’s Narrow Road to the Deep North and Voltaire’s Candide. There is a major difference between the two forms of literature and how nature is incorporated into each. This Japanese form of literature has a much lighter tone than that of the European style of literature. You can see a calmer, more relaxed intention into the nature that is in Basho’s Narrow Road to the Deep North. On page 413 in Basho’s piece, it says â€Å"As the year gradually came to an  end and spring arrived, filling the sky with mist, I longed to cross the Shirakawa Barrier, the most revered of poetic places. † From this section, you can see that Basho gets his inspiration for his literature and poetry from the places that he travels, and this resulted in his linked-verse sequence. Even though Basho had a long, tough journey of travels; the nature takes his breath away. On page 416 of Narrow Road to the Deep North, it says â€Å"my body and spirit were tired from the pain of the long journey; my heart overwhelmed by the landscape. † This statement  shows that regardless of the struggles, he could find a poetic sense in everything he went through. In Narrow Road to the Deep North, Basho also found religion to accompany the bright nature in his literature of his travels. On page 418, Basho writes, â€Å"the green of pine is dark and dense, the branches and leaves bent by the salty breeze—as if they were deliberately twisted. A Stalker 2 soft, tranquil landscape, like a beautiful lady powdering her face. Did the god of the mountain create this long ago, in the age of the gods? Is this the work of the Creator? † The landscape was so beautiful to Basho, that he couldn’t figure out how it came about to be what it was. He questioned if the Gods had created it. From the passages, you can tell that Basho found much beauty in nature on his journey, even though it was a tough one. Voltaire had a much different take on nature compared to Basho. After reading both passages, you can tell that Voltaire’s Candide has a much darker feel to the literature. In the opening paragraph on page 454, Voltaire writes â€Å"Once upon a time in Westphalia, in the castle of Baron Thunder-ten-tronckh, there lived a young boy whom nature had endowed with the gentlest of dispositions. † This opening sentence makes you believe that it could have a similar feel to Basho’s story. When you reach page 460, there is a line that says â€Å"While he was presenting his argument, the air grew thick, the winds blew from the four corners of the earth, and the ship was assailed by the most terrible storm, within sight of the port of Lisbon. † his passage not only shows you that the nature of the story is a lot more dramatic, but it also shows you that Voltaire is  more focused on the weather instead of the landscape. There is a dramatic earthquake and a storm that destroys the ship that they are on. Page 461 says â€Å"Whirlwinds of flame and ash covered the streets and public squares: houses disintegrated, roofs were upended upon foundations, and foundations crumbled. † Voltaire writing this in his passage just shows the reader how awful and destructive the earthquake actually was. While you understand that they encountered a massive destructive earthquake, they do actually see some light at the end of all the horrible events. On page 467, it says â€Å"’All will be well,’ was Candide’s reply. ‘Already the sea in this new world is better than those we have in Europe. It’s calmer, and the winds are more constant. It is assuredly the new world which is the best of all possible worlds. ’† This statement Stalker 3 shows that the opening statement remains true, that Candide did see nature as gentle, rather than destructive. Overall, reading these two works of literature gives you a great sense of how different Japanese nature in literature is compared to European nature in literature. Japanese nature in literature has more of a Zen feel to it than European nature does. Japanese literature focuses more on trees and landscapes, while the European literature has a great focus on the weather. Regardless of the occurrences that happened in both stories, both ended with the character looking at the brighter side of things. Nature is a beautiful thing, and both Japanese and European literature acknowledge this as you read in Basho’s Narrow Road to the Deep North and Voltaire’s Candide.

Outline Howard Spodek

The creation of writing in Egypt was very close to the creation of writing in Mesopotamia – may have learned it from Egypt Developed their own script – Hieroglyphs (Sacred carvings) Wrote of stone tablets, limestone flakes, pottery, and papyrus Used of business and administration Unification and the Rule of Kings The king lists, records the noses of Upper Egypt Didn't care about race or ethnicity Color of their skin reflected gender Females – workers at home were painted a lighter color Males -? workers outside were painted a darker color Menses or Manners were known as the same person Menses† symbolized unification Kings became very powerful (Gods) With more kings this created more tombs and uneven distribution of wealth Early civilization included national religious ideology The Gods, the Unification of Egypt, and the Afterlife Souris represented order and virtue, but his brother Seth represented disorder and evil Seth put Souris in a box and sent him dow n the Nile Isis got the box and saved him Seth got Souris again and cut him into 14 pieces and sent them don't the river Isis got them all and put them back together and saved himSouris conceived a son, Hours Hours defeated Seth in a battle Hours was often depicted as a falcon on top of the kings Afterlife inspired mummification Afterlife was seen as a place for important people Cities of the Dead Things such as shrines, burial sites were most prominent in Egyptian culture Tombs in Abodes were called â€Å"Maestros† Kings Were buried with furniture, food, weapons, anything they needed for the afterlife Tombs near Square had copper objects and stone vessels Women of Elite families were buried in pyramids, such as Misshapenness 2 The Growth of Cities No existing city-states, had small self generated communities Economies are based off of cereal crops Selected cities were spaced strategically and eventually grew in to full-fledged cities Administration head quarters had given a big boost to the communities they were in 2 cemeteries served 1 city; 1 for common people and 1 for more wealth people Irrigation saved agriculture and helped in severe drought Shaded Irrigation is when buckets bring water from a river to man made irrigation chance Nell Fewer water problems then Mesopotamia Cities supposedly flourished from its temple communityIrrigation + Administration + Worship-? City The Nile Valley provided an adequate natural shield Thebes is the most monumental site The Nile Delta connected Egypt to the outside world Ports were drop off points for trade being sent on donkey of on a small little boat Monumental Architecture of the Old Kingdom: Pyramids and Fortresses Increasing power created more monumental architecture The administrative organization and economic productivity contain due to increase until the end of the Dynasty. Egypt artistic genius continued to develop the sculpture of its tombs. Architects realized the beauty of filling in the Steps Of the pyramids to create a triangular form. Tombs of the queens are situated within proximity of the kings.Tomb robbing were quite frequent. Architectural, spiritual, political and military accomplishments date to the millennium we now call Early Dynastic. The Disintegration of the Old Kingdom Monarchs collected and kept taxes for themselves. The Nile did not reach optimal flood heights and affected agriculture. The Rise and the Fall of the Middle Kingdom King Menthol of Thebes defeated his rivals in the north and reunited the mining. Trade was revived. Fine arts and literature flourished Started to have invasions of the Hooks Kathleen, Capital City of King Kathleen Modern excavations at Marin unearthed the ruins of an ancient Egyptian capital.King Annotate challenged the order of Egypt by adopting a new monotheistic religion. Senate made a city where he, his wife and their six daughters practiced the new religion. The eccentricity of the ruler was reflected in the cities sculptures, arc hitecture, and painting. His isolated position threatened the stability of Egypt empire. The Roots of the Indus Valley Civilization In 1 856 British rulers were supervising construction of a railway and as they were working on it they found thousands of old bricks. They also found stones with artistic designs on them. Many scholars assumed that the Indus valley people learned the art of City buildings from the Sumerians and other people in Mesopotamia.We can make educated guesses about the function and meaning Of remaining artifacts and physical structures. Arts and Crafts Included pottery, dying, metalworking, and beading. Small sculptures are in stone, or terra cotta. Cotton is the first known use for a fiber in weaving textiles. Carefully Planned Cities The two largest settlements are Harp and Enjoy-dark were very similar. Each city held about 40,000 people. The town plan was orderly and regular (even baskets were all uniform in size and shape. ) The regularity Of plans suggests a very organized government and bureaucratic capacity. Excavations at Dollars revealed immense gates at the principal entrances of the city.Legacies of the Harpoon Civilization Most records involve literary and artistic forms. New ecology is based on rice cultivation and the use of iron. The Aryan groups grew skilled and powerful as they move East. The Cities of the Nile and the Indus, What difference do they make? Along the Nile, they are part of a single state that is unified about 3,000 B. C. E. They formed the core of an Imperial state. We learn the significance of archeological and textual study is unearthing. Records can show alliances between rulers and priests. Without text we have no record of religious, philosophical, legal, or administrative systems in the Indus valley.

Media in the Ivory Coast

Media in the Ivory Coast Free Online Research Papers Part 1: Country Background The Rà ©publique de Cà ´te dIvoire, also known as the Ivory Coast, is a country in West Africa bordering Liberia and Guinea to the west, Mali and Burkina Faso to the north, Ghana to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south. The location now known as the Ivory Coast was made a protectorate of France during the era of imperialism by a treaty in the 1840’s, and became a French colony in 1893. The country gained its independence in 1960, at which point it was led by Fà ©lix Houphouà «t-Boigny until 1993. During these years, the country was closely tied with its’ West African neighbors economically and politically, but also maintained trade with the Western world, furthering the nations economic development. However, since the end of Houphouà «t-Boigny’s rule the countries stability has been in serious decline, brought on by a number of coups vying for power. Following the takeover by two militia groups in 1999 and 2001 that served to replace the preexisting political powers, the country has been subject to a civil war since 2002. Today, the government is identified as a republic with strong executive power embodied by the president, President Gbagbo. The nation’s current state of unrest has greatly hampered its economic development and social and political stability, and the violent state of the country poses a serious threat for those wishing to do business with the Ivory Coast. Part 2: Country Profile Population: According to UN census data in 2005, Cà ´te dIvoire has a population of 17.1 million individuals. According to data in 2003, 43.6% of the population is female. The largest city in the country is Abidjan, which is the center for most of the countries economic activity and host to over twenty percent of the nation’s total population. However, the capital city is Yamoussoukro, which has less than 300,000 inhabitants. Language: French is the official language of the Ivory Coast, although there are additionally over ten native languages spoken. Each native language represents the first language of less than fifteen percent of the population, expressing a wide range in culture. However, most individuals in the country speak more than one language. Religion: 63% of the country subscribes to a variety of localized African religions. Islam is the most widespread singular religion, hosting 25% of the population. Approximately 12% of the population reports being Christian. Economic Industries: The economy of the Ivory Coast functions primarily on agricultural exports, representing nearly a third of the gross domestic product. The primary exports of the nation are cocoa beans, coffee, cotton, palm oil, and bananas. The economy is currently severely threatened by the violent state of the nation, which discourages foreign traders thereby limiting exportation. An additional 20% of the GDP is comprised by industrial services, including food and beverage manufacturing, wood products, oil refining, automotive assembly, and textile production. The labor force accounts for the remainder of the economy, with over 60% of the population providing physical labor to support the large agricultural industries. Income: The gross national income was estimated at only $840 U.S.D. per capita according to World Bank data in 2006. Additionally, a significant portion of the population, approximately 37%, is below the poverty line, and 13% of the population suffers from unemployment. The GNP of the country was approximately $15.3 billion in 2005, just below Cameroon, Iraq, and Latvia, placing it in the top third of the world’s countries. Life Expectancy: Men have a life expectancy of only 45 years, with women expected to live only marginally longer, with an average life expectancy of 47 years. This suggests a lack of medical resources and social services. Literacy: The literacy rate is just over fifty percent, indicating a lack of educational opportunities. Part 3: Media Investigation Publications: The Ivory Coast has nine primary daily publications. Of the nine, one is state-owned, one is owned by the ruling party, one is run by the opposition, and the other six are privately funded. It is important to note that Notre Voie, the paper that is funded by the ruling party, has the largest daily circulation. Television: Television service is provided by Radiodiffusion Television Ivoirenne, or RTI, which is state-run. There are no private TV stations, although rebel groups have gained the ability use state-owned TV facilities in certain areas for their own broadcasts. Radio: Radio is the Ivory Coast’s most popular medium for media. There are a total of only seven radio stations that are broadcasted throughout the majority of the country. While the majority of stations are state-owned and run by RTI, there are also non-commercial radio stations that are run more locally by church groups as well as by UN peacekeepers. News Agency: The Agence Ivoirenne de Presse, which is the equivalent of the United States’ Associate Press and is required to regulate the legitimacy of the news being produced, is state-owned, suggesting possible censorship and government biases. Internet/ Telephones: Two Internet service providers: Africaonline and Aviso, with only 1.5% of the population estimated to be Internet users as of 2005. Only 328,000 main line telephones in 2003, although at the time there were over one million cellular phone users. Today there are over four million cell phone users. Part 4: Media Analysis The Ivory Coast was ranked 98th on the most recent list put out by the international World Press Index. This free press index ranking is up 41 places from the previous year. This rise in ranking was particularly shocking to me, especially considering many of the testimonies of journalists I encountered during my investigation. For example, the Paris-based group Reporters Without Borders recently described the Ivory Coast as â€Å"one of Africa’s most dangerous countries for both local and foreign media,† which is largely based on the threat of violent actions from both rebel and state-run military forces. This testimony is evidenced by occurrences such as that in 2004, at which point the government used media under its’ control, specifically the RTI, to enable them in their struggle against rebel forces. The close ties between media and the government is further solidified by the fact that in 2006, members of the Young Patriots militia, who are loyal to Pre sident Gbagbo, invaded RTI headquarters in order to gain more control over the output of information in the media. Although these events occurred several years ago, as recently as 2007 the local UN peacekeepers expressed reports of a â€Å"growing number of inflammatory articles in the press,† providing propaganda for the groups in power. The UN peacekeepers also reported an increasing number of violent attacks on publications. This information does not seem to validate any indications of positive steps towards the production of unbiased media. Based on my investigation of the nation known as the Ivory Coast, it is clear that there is a close link between government forces and the media. Not only are the radio, television, and newspapers state-run, but even peacekeepers have had to take a claim in the media in order to gain any semblance of an effective voice within the community. In 2005, the peacekeepers were able to launch their own radio station in Abidjan, although it did not have broad enough range to reach the entire nation. Even church groups have had to succumb to the media game being played by the government, opting to fund their own radio stations in order to provide some sense of hope for citizens in opposition of the forces in charge. In dissecting the media in Cà ´te dIvoire, I tried to keep an open-mind before passing judgment on the state of affairs. I was initially impressed by the website of the Ivory Coast’s largest circulating newspaper, Notre Voie. The website provided a variety of local articles in English, which I hoped would prove to present an unbiased form of media. However, once I discovered that Notre Voie was state-owned, I began to recognize a pattern in the nature of articles presented; none of the articles provided any opposition to President Gbagbo, nor did they even address the current state of disarray caused by the ongoing civil war. In fact, the themes of the news stories were very localized, and tried to put a positive slant on what was occurring throughout the country. Overall, I think the shape of the media in the Ivory Coast is a product of a variety of influences. The ongoing state of political unrest as caused political parties to enlist propaganda as a strategy for increasing support. This sort of output from the media has served to further the division between groups, causing it to be deemed â€Å"hate media,† and has recently been present in a large number of African nations such as Rwanda who have struggled with similar issues with infrastructure. It seems to me that these unsteady political circumstances translate to corruption within the media, with no authorities working to ensure an unbiased presentation of the news because state-run media sources receive pressure from parties in power to present a specific point of view. Additionally, I believe that the widespread poverty throughout the country further inhibits the local freedom of press. My findings of limited internet access and low literacy rates suggest a lack of social mobility that may correlate with people’s inability to demand truth from local media forces. It is clear that the powers in charge have not accepted the responsibility to place value on a high standard of media, and therefore it is the role of the citizens to pursue such freedoms. Because local citizens have not been able to express these wishes, perhaps it is at this point that Western influences must intervene. Although Western influence has been hampered in the Ivory Coast by civil war, our global awareness of the situation in the country provides grounds for intervention. 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International Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 3

International Management - Essay Example The brand was launched by the company Jahwa in the year 1998 and since then Herborist has experienced significant growth. Herborist has achieved $ 8.2 million of revenues in the year 2004 which led to a huge amount of profitability for the brand. The brand already has its existence in numerous European countries including Poland, Spain, and Italy with 80% growth in sales annually. The entry modes for organizations into foreign markets are considered to be of two types such as non equity and equity modes. Non equity modes of entry comprise contractual agreements and export. The equity modes of entry are considered to include wholly owned subsidiaries and joint venture. The best way for the brand Herborist to get access to foreign markets such as Thailand is to enter into joint ventures with other reputed organizations that focus on personal care products in the market of Thailand. This will provide the brand Herborist with immediate access to the market of Thailand. Since the brand is already recognized on a global platform to provide quality personal care products, it will be easy for the brand Herborist to form a joint venture with another reputed personal care company operating in the country of Thailand. It could consider forming a joint venture with Sephora group in this regard. The brand will enjoy numerous benefits by entering into a joint venture with the Sephora group such as gaining access directly to local markets, reduction of political and marketing risk, overcoming the restrictions of host government in an efficient manner, and sharing the risk of failure. As the brand has already established a partnership with Sephora group in France, it will play an important role in their working efficiently in a combined manner in Thailand. There are also certain disadvantages in this regard such as problem of transfer pricing, problem of adjusting to different cultures may lead to different

Security in Bluetooth and other Mobile Devices Assignment

Security in Bluetooth and other Mobile Devices - Assignment Example "Mobile devices  are attractive targets because they are well connected, often incorporating various means of  wireless  communications." (Zhang, 2008) These mobile phones can be the entity of the person or of the organization whose information has to be accessed. The only problem with a mobile device or blue tooth is that it is not as secure as other devices like laptops as it is not provided with hardware based roots of trust therefore the information or the data stored in these mobile phones can be easily accessed by the process of jailbreaking or rooting. The issues that arise due to the inefficiency and the lack of security encountered by mobile phone devices are not so extreme and can be countered if effective measures are taken to overcome the security threats that persist. "New research reveals 68 percent of mobile device owners who have not adopted financial apps are holding back due to security fear." (Software Immune System). The reason why these mobile phones are no t reliable because android phones can be easily hacked and iPhone was hacked before it even released raising a doubt about their security in the minds of all. The industry which I will take into consideration is banking because of the increasing security threats that are associated to it because of the use of mobile devices.The problem arises as only a limited number of people take time out to secure their phones while the rest leave them accessible to harmful software and hackers. Many users these days get their mobile phones jailbreaked or rooted so that they can have access to millions of apps available unaware of the fact that these apps can damage the security of the phone making it prone to malfunctioning. These phones which lack security increase problems for banks and other finance sector as theycannot limit access of the users to such applications, mobile devices or how the user utilizes the mobile phone. In order to keep mobile devices secure banks need to take initiates o n their own so that the integrity of the bank. Banks need to realize that these mobile devices provide an aggressive setting and those applications enabled on the phone are unsafe therefore banks need to take preventive measures on their own and not rely on their customers.Banks and designers who design software are aware of the ongoing security threat in their minds therefore 'public key cryptography' is ensured so that security remains intact but this is just not enough. Hackers and software designed to disrupt the system can alter the functioning of the applications. These have the capability to change the account numbers, bringing changes to accounts, starting false dealings, saving passwords and pin codes etc.more actions are needed so that secure the apps available on mobile phones whereas it is essential to take preventive security measures increasing the communication protocols.(Ahonen, 2008) The five steps that banks can take to ensure security are as follows. Firstly, in o rder to suspect and find out rare and unintentional activities that happens in the bank end through the means of "risk-based authentication and anomaly detection". Secondly to provide the mobile devices with entrusted applications this can comprise of various security structures. Thirdly banks can incorporate another device that can maintain the security adding more to the capability of the smartphone itself known as"Out-of-band authentication". Fourthly, by integrating