The Crusades essays

The Crusades essays There are differing views on whether the Crusades were motivated by religion or were there also other factors. Hans Eberhard Mayer says that other factors were also important in the development of the Crusades, but the religious motivation was the strongest. Ronald Finucane counters that political, economic, and social factors also were responsible in the development of the Crusades. The crusades arose out of the feudal society of the eleventh century. Pope Urban II had called the Christians to join him in a Holy War to reclaim the Holy Lands as an act of Christianity. He appealed to the interest of the people by offering them salvation if they rescued the Holy Land from the Muslim people. He kept in mind the materialistic and economic prospects of the venture. This offered crusaders freedom, adventure, and the possibility of economic gain. The crusades were a defensive act against the flourishing Muslim faith, which Christians perceived as a threat to their own faith and way of life. The prospect of wealth and expansion were an added bonus. The original objective of the Crusade was to provide help to the Christian Church in the East, but the seed of greed was planted in the minds of men. The opportunity for social advancement and the possibility of increasing wealth were very tempting to the crusaders. This was an opportunity for European expansion. This opened up the Mediterranean Sea for Christian shipping and provided trade with the Near and Far East. I agree with Finucane in that the Crusades were probably more motivated by greed for territory and ignorance of another culture than religious reasons. The Muslims were a threat due to their mere occupation of the lands and for no other reason than that, they were persecuted and religion was the guise to carry out the acts. The expansion of the Christians into the Mediterranean Sea and trade in the East was probably considered worth far more than the lives lost fight...

Fascinating Facts About Arctic Bearded Seal

Fascinating Facts About Arctic Bearded Seal The bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus) gets its name from its thick, light-colored whiskers, which resemble a beard. These ice seals live in Arctic waters, often on or near floating ice. Bearded seals are 7-8 feet long and weigh 575-800 pounds. Females are larger than males. Bearded seals have a small head, short snout, and square flippers. Their large body has a dark gray or brown coat that may have dark spots or rings. These seals live on or under the ice. They may even sleep in the water, with their heads at the surface so that they can breathe. When under the ice, they breathe through breathing holes, which they may form by pushing their heads through thin ice. Unlike ringed seals, bearded seals dont seem to maintain their breathing holes for long periods. When bearded seals rest on the ice, they lay near the edge, facing down so that they can quickly escape a predator. Classification Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: MammaliaOrder: CarnivoraFamily: PhocidaeGenus: ErignathusSpecies: Barbatus Habitat and Distribution Bearded seals live in cold, icy regions in the Arctic, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans. They are solitary animals who haul out on ice floes. They may also be found under the ice, but need to come up to the surface and breathe through breathing holes. They live in areas where the water is less than 650 feet deep. Feeding Bearded seals eat fish (e.g., Arctic cod), cephalopods (octopus), and crustaceans (shrimp and crab), and clams. They hunt near the ocean bottom, using their whiskers (vibrissae) to help find food. Reproduction Female bearded seals are sexually mature at around 5 years, while males become sexually mature at 6-7 years. From March to June, males vocalize. When they vocalize, the males dive in a spiral underwater, releasing bubbles as they go, which creates a circle. They surface in the center of the circle. They make a variety of sounds - trills, ascents, sweeps, and moans. Individual males have unique vocalizations, and some males are very territorial, while others may roam. The sounds are thought to be used to advertise their fitness to potential mates and have only been heard during the breeding season. Mating occurs in spring. Females give birth to a pup about 4 feet long in length and 75 pounds in weight the following spring. The total gestation period is about 11 months. Pups are born with a soft fur called lanugo. This fur is grayish-brown and is shed after about a month. Pups nurse their mothers rich, fatty milk for about 2-4 weeks, and then must fend for themselves. The life span of bearded seals is thought to be about 25-30 years. Conservation and Predators Bearded seals are listed as least concern on the IUCN Red List. Natural predators of bearded seals include polar bears (their main natural predators), killer whales (orcas), walruses and Greenland sharks. Human-caused threats include hunting (by native hunters), pollution, oil exploration and (potentially) oil spills, increased human noise, coastal development, and climate change. These seals use the ice for breeding, molting, and resting, so they are a species thought to be very vulnerable to global warming. In December 2012, two population segments (the Beringia and Okhotsk population segments) were listed under the Endangered Species Act. NOAA said that the listing was due to the likelihood of a significant decrease in sea ice later this century. References and Further Reading Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Bearded Seal. Accessed January 31, 2013.ARKive. Bearded Seal. Accessed January 31, 2013.Berta, A.; Churchill, M. 2012. Erignathus barbatus (Erxleben, 1777). Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species, January 31, 2013.Discovery of Sound in the Sea. Bearded Seal. Accessed January 31, 2013.Kovacs, K. Lowry, L. (IUCN SSC Pinniped Specialist Group) 2008. Erignathus barbatus. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. Accessed January 31, 2013.NOAA Fisheries: Office of Protected Resources. Bearded Seal Accessed January 31, 2013.

A Cloth Retail Business and Benefits of Ecommerce Case Study - 1

A Cloth Retail Business and Benefits of Ecommerce - Case Study Example As the workload increased so E-Kin had to increase the number of people working in the firm. Maria Winner was employed to handle the customer service and distribution of the products. With time the business took a turn up and grew to make the company to hire a CIO in the form of Cam Crawford, a CFO in the form of Won Dour Trump and a Purchasing Director in the form of Eric Zachary. With the increase in sales of the business and expansion into new products, E-Kin had to increase its reach. The expansion had to be from not only the people who could reach up to their retail outlets or call upon their number and order products but to people who lived miles away and even in other countries. As the pressure from competing for retail firms had started increasing, a step forward into the market had to be made in order to expand their firm and to attract and maintain new costumes for their products. With the advancement in technology and pressure from other competing firms, the only way possible for E-Kin to achieve this goal was to expand their business services into E-commerce. But before that, they had to think up of the positive and negative aspects of doing so because they now are already a well-reputed company who not only has to expand but also has to maintain its brand image. The suggestion by the Sales and Marketing Director of E-Kin that is Ken E. Sellit of taking the business into E-commerce has its own benefits and drawbacks. The potential benefits of using e-commerce to E-Kin can be that E-Kin can expand their potential buyers also known as their product market from their city to the national level and even to the international level with the minimal amount of investment. With e-commerce E-Kin can easily approach more customers without having to open their outlets in new cities, and without employing new and more workers. E-commerce can also help E-Kin to digitalize their company’s information hence reducing the costs of the paper-based information storage system. It is also a common perception that online presence enhances the brand image of a retailer.

Wal-Mart Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Wal-Mart - Article Example It also has an incredible team of executives who form its leadership. This has equipped Wal-Mart with management of high caliber. Finally, the Company spends its resources carefully with the aim of maximizing their margins while reducing costs. The company focuses on strategies such as everyday low prices that helped it stay ahead of its competitors. More so, the company’s retailer opened new small stores, which helped it overcome its competitors such as Amazon.com and dollar stores. It faced tough competition from these companies but it managed to make profits. The company has been replacing its discount stores with supercentres. In this supercentres, Wal-Mart added grocery products and other new services to its existing traditional merchandise offerings. The company tried to expand internationally by offering the everyday low prices strategy. More so, it opened more formats and ventured into e-commerce opportunities. The company should reshuffle its top management in United States to head the U.S stores. In addition, the company needs to replace urban stores with Wal-Mart express stores, which will resemble convenience stores. The company had to rely on e-commerce by expanding its online business such as moving into digital books, appliances, music, and groceries. This made it compete with Amazon.com since it took advantage of its physical presence by providing daily pickup for digital or online

The Influence of Coalhouse Walker Essay Example for Free

The Influence of Coalhouse Walker Essay In literature, one character can impact the entire story and all of its characters. Such is the case with Coalhouse Walker Jr. in E.L. Doctrows Ragtime. His characterization provides insight into race relations in turn-of-the-century America. Many characters react strongly to his mannerisms, as they believe his social standing does not allow for such behavior. Because Coalhouse conducts himself with a sense of pride unusual of African Americans at this point in history, his view of how he should be treated repeatedly come into direct contradiction with others. He, then, represents all African Americans who oppose the expectations many whites have of them. Coalhouse Walker is the most essential character in Ragtime, because he deeply affects the plot and all other characters. Coalhouse most deeply influences Mothers Younger Brother, a young fundamentalist with little objective in life. However, when he joins Coalhouses group of revolutionaries, he feels as if his life contains purpose. This concept creates a dramatic, exalted self-awareness. Younger Brother was, at last, part of a community. However, Mothers Younger Brother ultimately meets his death while pledged in such an idealistic battle. He begins a new way of life, based on Coalhouses ideals, and encounters a rebirth of his soul. However, this new way of life conflicts with that of his parents; thus, he finds it necessary to depart from them and live his life independently. This is all under Coalhouses influence and guidance. Coalhouse Walker has a grave impact on Father and Mother. Initially, Mother is shocked that he does not act like other African-Americans, but more like a Caucasian gentleman. Father, stumped by Coalhouses proud behavior, concludes that he is not conscious of his racial inferiority. Mothers feelings towards her husband begin to deteriorate after this conversation. At a later point, when Coalhouse takes over the firehouse, Father, as usual putting business before family, rushes off to New York City, thus, leaving Mother to fall in love with Tateh. In Ragtime, by E.L. Doctrow, Coalhouse Walker Jr. is the most important character, as he ties together the treads of the novel. It is through Coalhouse that the three different societal groups, the immigrants, the  African-Americans, and the WASPs mingle and interact. Coalhouse also undergoes a rebirth, like Younger Brother, although his is much more dramatic and swift than Tatehs. Coalhouse goes from being a fine upstanding gentleman to a quintessential angry black male as he resorts to violence to resolve his feelings toward society.

A Short Talk on Preparing a Talk Essay -- Speech

A Short Talk on Preparing a Talk 1. Introduction This paper offers suggestions for more effective ways to plan the talk, and a checklist of points you should consider from the moment you know you will give a talk. Careful preparation and effective delivery are the keys to giving quality speeches or presentations. Without sufficient preparation, you may find yourself unable to respond to questions raised by the audience, which will lessen the impact of what you have to say. No matter how much time you have to prepare a talk, it never seems to be enough. Yet, before you can begin to work on the talk itself, or even start to prepare any visual aids, there are four points you need to consider: duration of the talk, audience, subject and objective. In this paper these four points are discussed. Let us deal with them one by one in the order they appear above. 2. Duration of the talk The shorter the talk has to be; the more difficult it will be to do it well. Giving a brief talk requires proportionally more preparation time than longer talk. You have less time to search for the right words, less time to receive feedback from your audience, less time to work through theory and to give illustrations. If you want to be effective, do not underestimate the time it will take you to prepare yourself for a short five to twenty minutes) talk. The time allowed for the talk also determines the scope and the level of detail you can go into. A brief talk will necessarily be less complicated and will deal with fewer points. The duration of the talk can roughly be estimated as follows: studies in reading have found that an average person speaks at more or less 150 words per minute. A ten-minute talks therefore cannot be much longer than 1500 spoken words. If you are going to read your speech (something which you should avoid doing) you can prepare about three and a half A4 pages (12 font and single spaced), which will give you about 1250 words. You will need additional time to get on stage, say the opening words and tell the audience what you will be talking about, and to get off stage at the end with a short recap. In this figures give you an idea of time spend in talking, nevertheless you are still advised to rehearse and rehearse in advance until you are sure of the exact amount of time you will need. Instead of reading the talk you may decide to t... ... a success. It is very difficult to give an effective talk, reading up on the script while preparing the visual aids. 5. Objective Finally, there is your objective or aim of giving the talk. This objective needs to be phrased in terms of the behaviour you hope to see in your audience if the talk is a success. This is fairly concrete goal. Your aim or objective is the touchstone against which you can test all your options in selection and/or omission of material, the organisation and structuring of the talk, the choice of a slide or other visual aid, etc. Without a clear objective it will be all too easy to wander off the point, to prepare irrelevant materials or to organise the talk in a way that confuses the listener. It is always worthwhile to try out different ways of phrasing the overall objective of the talk, as small differences in phrasing may lead you to new insights on the content and structure of the presentation. At this stage you lay the groundwork for the many hours of preparation that will follow. It is therefore well worthwhile spending a little extra time in the planning stage, attempting to be specific and concrete in phrasing the objectives as possible.

Overpopulation: Famine and Planet Earth Essay

Overpopulation is a natural hazard we must all do something about. Not only is it destroying our natural habitat and ecosystem, it is also affecting every animal below us down the food chain. Besides the loss of biodiversity in our environment and the negative effects on our animal and plant life, overpopulating the Earth is severely cutting into our food supply. More and more people are going hungry every day due to our rising birth rates and the advancement in medical care for the elderly. We must figure out a way to provide our planet earth with the food it needs more efficiently without destroying what little bit of environmental biodiversity we have left. What do you call almost a billion people going hungry each day? Just a bad joke? No it is the reality we all must face. â€Å"From 2008 to 2009, 40 million more people around the world fell into the ranks of the undernourished† (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations). This figure will continue to escalate due to the rising cost of growing, manufacturing, and distributing food around the world. It will push the malnourished population to the brink of starvation. On one hand, we use the technology available- (Genetically Modified Foods)-to relieve some of the pressure off of the main producers of our food. With GMF’s introduced to impoverished nations, food will grow in these regions of climatic diversity. On the other hand, we must attack the problem from a platform of population control. Our world’s population will continue to be a major obstacle to overcome. With our depleting natural resources around the world and the lack of food for the inhabitants of every nation, it does seem that we are on a downward spiral, spinning out of control, without a lot of hope for recovery. The only way to rectify this growing problem is to persuade the entire world that there really is an appalling crisis at hand, and the difficulty that we are facing, affects everybody. The ramifications from a moderate percentage of countries imploding from their economic breakdown, due to their lack of population control, will affect every nation worldwide. The world exists in a symbiotic relationship with every organism on this planet. From the dominant species on the planet to the tiniest creature, we all must contribute to the health and well being of our planet Earth. Most of the natural world—animals and insects—will adapt to their surrounding environment to make it healthier for their kind to live. Out of every other species on the planet, except maybe microorganisms, humans seem to be the only group on the planet that does not adapt to their environment. We spread and spread further out into the world disregarding the health of the environment, over harvesting our animal population, and invariably destroying what we need to survive. We tend to overlook the obvious population explosion, and the lack of food for the Earth and her people. This attitude will have to change worldwide, if the impoverished nations and the not so impoverished nations are to have a chance to feed their growing families. All children of the world have the right to feel full and happy.

To What Extent Are Conformity and Obedience Likely Outcomes of Human Behaviour

Conformity and obedience are forms of social influences which strongly affect our behaviour in social situations from following fashions to committing immoral acts because we are commanded to by someone who appears to be in a position of authority. This essay looks at to what extent are conformity and obedience likely outcomes of human behaviour and can individuals avoid these social influences? Conformity is a change in belief or behaviour in response to real or imagined group pressure when there is no direct request to comply with the group nor any reason to justify the behaviour change (Gross: 2010: P401).Research has shown that when confronted by social norms individuals will often adjust their behaviour closer to the perceived norm. The Asch (1951) experiment involved subjects performing a perception task saying which of a selection of lines matched a control line in length. The subjects were unaware that the other participants in the room were confederates. During the experimen t confederates would give the same incorrect answer to the question. Asch found that no one conformed on all the critical trials, and 13 of the 50 participants (26 per cent) never conformed.One person conformed on 11 of the 12 critical trials, and about 75 per cent conformed at least once during the experiment. (Gross: 2010: P403). This is backed up by Doms and Avermaet (1981) experiment they reproduced the same result as Asch. Obedience means behaving as instructed, but not necessarily changing your opinions. Obedience happens when you are explicitly directed to do something. Most obedience is reasonable, but when it is to unjust authority, the consequences may be disastrous. Flanagan: 2008: P125) In Milgrams experiment (1963) each participant took the role of a teacher who would then deliver a shock to the student every time an incorrect answer was produced. Whilst the participant believed that he was delivering real shocks the student was actually a confederate in the experiment. As the experiment progressed the teacher would hear the learner plead to be released. Once the 300-volt level had been reached the learner banged on the wall and demanded to be released.After this point the learner was completely silent and refused to answer any more questions. The experimenter then instructed the participant to treat this silence as an incorrect answer and deliver the shock. Most participants asked the experimenter if they should continue. The experimenter issued a series of commands to prod the participants along â€Å"please continue† and â€Å"the experiment requires that you continue†. The results of the experiment show that of the 40 participants 26 delivered the maximum shocks while only 14 stopped before reaching the highest levels.Some participants became extremely agitated and angry at the experimenter but continued to follow his orders. The findings from both these experiments would suggest that we conform and obey to a great extent. Howeve r levels of obedience did alter when we look at different variations of Milgram’s experiment (1963) for example proximity of learner – If the teacher was placed in the same room as the learner and had to press the learner’s hand on the shock plate, obedience fell to 30%. Flanagan: 2008: P125). Moscovici in his experiment of minority influence showed that people did not conform or obey. He placed 2 confederates together with 4 genuine participants all had no colour blindness. They were shown 36 slides which were clearly different shades of blue and asked to state the colour out loud. In the first part of the experiment the 2 confederates answered consistently green for each of the 36 slides. In the second part they answered inconsistent green 24 and blue 12 times.Moscovici found that the participants in the consistent condition yielded and called the slides green in 8. 4% of trials. 32% of the participants in the consistent condition reported a green slide at lea st once. Participants in the inconsistent condition yielded and called the slides in only 1. 3% of the trials. In this situation we can see that social influence occurs as a result of minority, rather than majority influence therefore minorities can influence the majority but not all the time and only when the confederates behaved consistently.Moscovici shows that if majority influence was the only process, then opinions would never change because we all would continue to follow the majority. Yet history is littered with examples of changing attitudes, such as those towards females and homosexuals. These changes are due to minority influence. These findings to somewhere towards answering the initial question of this discussion – to what extent are conformity and obedience likely outcomes of human behaviour?Obviously there is no definite answer and never will be as all humans are individuals with their own personality. Every person is born into society with their own particula r culture, language, style of dress and behaviour. However, every person is introduced to acceptable attitudes and beliefs, and learn certain norms and values which are thought ‘appropriate’ by other members of their group. This socialisation can effect peoples decision making and choices because we as humans feel the need to have acceptance and to be part of a group – therefore to conform and obide.In answer to the second question can individuals avoid these social influences? Social influence occurs when one’s emotions, opinions or behaviours are effected by others and can be seen in conformity and obedience. Social Influence is largely concerned with the factors that maintain the status quo by conforming to the views or behaviour of the majority or obedience to those in a position of authority. People with strong moral convictions are less likely to be influenced therefore avoiding social influence. (Flanagan: 2008).

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Advanced French Past Tenses and Imperfect

Advanced French Past Tenses and Imperfect The difference between the two main French past tenses, the passà © composà © and the imperfect, is a constant struggle for many French students. In my lesson on passà © composà © vs imperfect, you learned about the fundamental differences between these two tenses. In this more advanced lesson, you will learn about the particularities of certain verbs when used in the past. Usually Imperfect Some French verbs are nearly always used in the imperfect rather than the passà © composà ©: aimer - to like, lovecroire - to believeespà ©rer - to hopeà ªtre - to bepenser - to thinksembler - to seemsentir - to feelvouloir - to want These verbs describe a state of mind or state of being. They are most often in the imperfect because verbs like wanting and being do not usually have a clear indicator of start and finish - either they last for an unspecified amount of time or they are interrupted by some other action.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jaimais danser quand jà ©tais jeune.  Ã‚  Ã‚  I liked to dance when I was young.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Je croyais en Dieu.  Ã‚  Ã‚  I believed in God.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jespà ©rais gagner.  Ã‚  Ã‚  I hoped (was hoping) to win.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jà ©tais heureux lannà ©e passà ©e.  Ã‚  Ã‚  I was happy last year.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Je pensais mon frà ¨re.  Ã‚  Ã‚  I was thinking about my brother.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Il semblait trop parfait.  Ã‚  Ã‚  It seemed too perfect.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Je me sentais malade pendant toute la journà ©e.  Ã‚  Ã‚  I felt sick all day.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Je voulais rentrer aprà ¨s le film.  Ã‚  Ã‚  I wanted to go home after the movie.However, these verbs are used in the passà © composà © wh en there is a clear indication of the beginning or end of the action of the verb, or when it is obvious that this was a simple action that only occurred once.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Je nai pas aimà © le film.   Ã‚  Ã‚  I didnt like the movie.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Je ne tai pas cru quand tu as dit...  Ã‚  Ã‚  I didnt believe you when you said...  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hier, jai espà ©rà © que tu viendrais ; aujourdhui, à §a mest à ©gal.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Yesterday I hoped you would come; today I dont care.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Quand je lai vu, jai à ©tà © surpris.  Ã‚  Ã‚  When I saw him, I was surprised (just at that moment).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jai pensà © une bonne histoire.  Ã‚  Ã‚  I thought of a good story.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Il a semblà © disparaà ®tre.  Ã‚  Ã‚  He seemed to disappear (all of a sudden).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jai senti une goutte de pluie.  Ã‚  Ã‚  I felt a drop of rain.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tout dun coup, jai voulu partir.  Ã‚  Ã‚  All of a sudden, I wanted to leave.Now that you know which verbs are usually in the imperfect, you can learn about verbs that have different meanings depending on whether they are used in the  passà © composà ©Ã‚  or  imperfect, and verbal constructions that are always in the imperfec t. Meaning Changes There are a few verbs that have different meanings depending on whether they are used in the passà © composà © or imperfect. Note however that these verbs are usually used in the imperfect; the passà © composà © meaning is fairly uncommon.avoir  - to have  Ã‚  Ã‚  imperfect - had  Ã‚  Ã‚  Javais de  largent.  - I had some money  Ã‚  Ã‚  Je  navais  pas  assez  de temps.  - I didnt have enough time  Ã‚  Ã‚  Javais  faim.  - I was hungry  Ã‚  Ã‚  passà © composà © - had, got, received  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jai eu un accident.  - I had / got into an accident  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jai eu une bonne surprise.  - I got a nice surprise  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jai eu faim.  - I got hungryconnaà ®tre  - to know  Ã‚  Ã‚  imperfect - knew, was familiar with  Ã‚  Ã‚  Je la  connaissais  bien.  - I knew her well  Ã‚  Ã‚  passà © composà © - met  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jai connu Michel hier.  - I met Michel (for the first time) yesterdaydevoir  - to have to  Ã‚  Ã‚  imperfect - was supposed to (whether I did or not)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Je devais partir midi.  - I was supposed to leave at noon  Ã‚  Ã‚  passà © composà © - must have, had to  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jai dà » le perdre.  - I must have lost it  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jai dà » partir midi.   - I had to leave at noon (and did)pouvoir  - to be able to  Ã‚  Ã‚  imperfect - could, was able to (whether I did or not)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Je  pouvais  mentir.  - I could  lie /  was  capable of lying  Ã‚  Ã‚  passà © composà © - could, was able to, managed to; (negative)  couldnt,  was unable to  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jai  pu  mentir.  - I was able to lie  Ã‚  Ã‚  Je  nai  pas  pu  mentir.  - I couldnt / was unable to liesavoir  - to know  Ã‚  Ã‚  imperfect - knew  Ã‚  Ã‚  Je  savais  ladresse.  - I knew the address  Ã‚  Ã‚  Je  savais  nager.  - I knew how to swim  Ã‚  Ã‚  passà © composà © - learned, found out  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jai  su  la solution.  - I found out / discovered the solution  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jai  su  nager.  - I learned how to swimvouloir  - to want  Ã‚  Ã‚  imperfect - wanted  Ã‚  Ã‚  Je  voulais  partir.  - I wanted to leave  Ã‚  Ã‚  Je  voulais  plus  dargent.  - I wanted more money  Ã‚  Ã ‚  passà © composà © - tried, decided to; (negative) refused  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jai  voulu  partir.  - I  tried / decided  to leave  Ã‚  Ã‚  Je  nai  pas  voulu  partir.  - I refused to leave Verbal Constructions Some verbs have particular constructions which, when referring to the past, are always in the imperfect:aller   infinitive (near future)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jallais à ©tudier.  - I was going to study.avoir  (with age)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Javais 18  ans.  - I was 18.à ªtre  en train de  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jà ©tais en train dà ©crire une lettre.  - I was writing a letter.faire  (with weather)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Il  faisait  beau.  - It was nice out.venir  de   infinitive (recent past)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Je  venais  darriver.  - I had just arrived.

Modern Tourism Industry and its Impact on the Places Visited Term Paper

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International marketing entry strategy for Cow & Gate in China Essay

International marketing entry strategy for Cow & Gate in China - Essay Example Recognizing that China has huge potential for baby food, C&G aims to enter and market its products in China. An evaluation of the business environment and market potential would help decide international marketing for China. 2.0 PEST Analysis of China 2.1 Political China’s political and social landscape is stable because of decades or opening up of the economy and the reforms that have been brought about. The Communist Party of China (CPC) has improved governance according to the needs of the people. Political stability has been achieved as people were invited to participate in politics (China Daily, 2011). The voices of people have been heard and their interests safeguarded. The Chinese people seek stability, improvement in the standards of living and enhancement of national strength. There are apprehensions whether under new leadership of Xi Jinping decentralization and liberalization would continue unchanged (Huang, 2013). Protests have become the natural form of expression due to lack of direct elections and a string civil society. As such, the provincial leaders take steps they consider appropriate to promote growth and maintain political stability. However, discretionary action is required as force can lead to violence and leniency can encourage protestors to extract even more from the system. The top authorities however, work in the interest of the people. Nevertheless, the nation lacks accountability at the bottom level and this, needs to be changed. 2.2 Economic Economic reforms in the country have been in place since the 1970s when the economy started moving from a centrally planned one to a more market-oriented one. It has opened up the economy to the world and its accession to World Trade Organization further accelerated the process of integration into the world economy. As a result China became the world’s largest exporter in 2010. State-owned enterprises that are considered important to ‘economic security’ are given supp ort. The restructuring of the economy has led to ten-fold increase in GDP which currently stands at $8.26 trillion (CIA, 2013). China was the second largest economy in the world in 2012 but still per capital income is below the world average. In 2005 China revalued its currency and moved to an exchange rate system that references several currencies. Unemployment rate in China is 6.1 percent and inflation rate is 3.2 percent (Sharma, 2012). China has a labour force of 815.3 million as of 2010, of which 43 percent are in the service sector. China’s economy has experienced a strong annual GDP growth rate of ten percent in the past five years (Bharat Book Bureau, 2012). The drivers of growth of the Chinese economy include high rate of savings, abundance of skilled labour, and urban growth. Inward FDI has been a strong driver of economic growth in China. Leading MNCs in every sector have been making inroads in China which has positively impacted the local manufacturers. It encoura ged innovation and consequently led to low-cost production. Economic reforms and simplification of tax laws and FDI procedures have made China a very attractive destination for investment and growth. 2.3 Social China has a population of over 1.3 billion of 16.6 percent are in the age group of 0-14 years. The literacy rate is 92.8 percent and the main religion followed is