What Are The Main Features Of The Basel Iii And How Do They Differ From Basel Ii

Introduction The member states of the Group of twenty (G20) in 2010 certified Basel III framework which aimed at increasing the quality and quantity of capital that banks should have. Basel III replaced Basel I and II after they seemed to be collapsing under the pressure of the financial crisis in various countries (Gromova-Schneider Niziolek 2011).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on What Are The Main Features Of The Basel Iii And How Do They Differ From Basel Ii specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Regulatory institutions are given the authority to have a large-scale-prudential approach in ensuring that Basel III re-establishes better quality liquidity and capital (Lyngen 2012). The purpose of this paper is to examine the key features of Basel III and how it varies from Basel II. Features of Basel III This section focuses on the main features of Basel III and their components which the committee has put forward to ena ble financial institutions to combat the financial crisis. The first feature is concerned with increasing the quality and quantity of capital (Walker 2011). Three stages will be used to advance the value, precision as well as the stability of Capital bases. The first stage involves efforts to stabilise ordinary shares in addition to increasing common shares and the earnings that are retained. The second stage involves harmonising capital instruments and the final tier is concerned with eliminating capital. The second feature is the establishment of additional buffers (Walker 2011).The committee proposes the following approaches to be used to reinforce the coverage of any threats to bank assets, counterparty credit risk and management of market integration. Lastly, capital requirements for counterparty must be reinforced in addition to raising the capital buffer that supports this coverage. The third feature of Basel III is the introduction of Leverage ratio as an added appraisal of Basel II risk based structures. The leverage ration is intended to establish a base to build up leverage in the banking industry, increase efforts to strengthen against model risk. And inaccurate measurement by supplementing the risk based measure with a simplified standard founded on gross exposures (Lyngen 2012). The Fourth feature is managing Counterparty risks by promoting countercyclical buffers. This is also proposed in Basel III as a strategy to advance the build up of capital buffers in appropriate periods which can be relied upon during periods of crisis.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Countercyclical would be advanced through the following means reducing surplus cyclicality of the least amount of capital prerequisite as well as advancing provisions that aim at capital stability in the future (Gromova-Schneider Niziolek 2011). The fourth element is also concerned with efforts to amass a vast amount of information and data over time which can be of help in determining the likelihood of defaulting as had been envisaged in Basel II. The banking industry must also provide support to banks to carry out stress tests so that they develop proper mechanisms to address crises. The Fifth feature involves improving liquidity. Here, the committee has advanced a world wide approach for internationally active banks to achieve the least standard of liquidity (Delahaye 2011). The committee held that banks internationally will be able to borrow more during periods of stress and crises. The Sixth feature deals with the SIFIs or the too big to fail institutions. The committee recognises the fact that these institutions are a threat to other banks in the banking industry (Walker 2011). As a result of this realisation, the committee links with the financial stability board which was also established by G20 to advance several strategies that can be used to address issues in the SIFIs. Such approaches include tighter large exposure restrictions, mandatory recovery and resolution plans. All these features are to be considered during the implementation of Basel III. The differences between Basel III and Basel II The main difference between Basel II and Basel III is the increase in the capital buffer by setting up the minimum quality and quantity of Capital which internationally active banks must have in their possession (Danila 2012). This is evident in the features discussed above since, they all intend to address the issue of ensuring that banks are stable and can survive during periods of stress or financial crises. Basel III expands on the explanations of fliers and provides a clear understanding of capital as an asset to guard against unforeseeable future conditions.Therefore, Basel III adopts these strategies and emphasises on them through the features discussed above to ensure banks have a sustained growth even during times of crises.Adv ertising We will write a custom essay sample on What Are The Main Features Of The Basel Iii And How Do They Differ From Basel Ii specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Conclusion Basel III is a framework that was developed to put in operation the components of Basel II in addition to helping banks expand the base for sustainability in the banking industry. This is a relevant step since banks have suffered in times of crises and such effects are always transferred to customers. Customers may move to more secure banks and this may have greater impact on the survival of the banks they leave. It is therefore appropriate for a framework to be developed to aid such banks against collapsing specifically during times of stress. This is what Basel III intends to do. References Danila, O 2012, ‘Impact and Limitations Deriving from Basel II within the Context of the Current Financial Crisis’, Theoretical Applied Economics, Little, B rown and Company, NY. Delahaye, B. P 2011, Basel III: Capital Adequacy and Liquidity After The Financial Crisis / Bernd P. Delahaye, World Scientific, London. Gromova-Schneider, A, Niziolek, C 2011, ‘The Road to Basel III — Quantitative Impact Study, the Basel III Framework and Implementation in the EU’, Financial Stability Report (Oesterreichische Nationalbank), Cengage Learning, UK. Lyngen, N 2012 ‘Basel III: Dynamics of State Implementation’, Harvard International Law Journal, vol. 53, pp 519. Web. Walker, G.A 2011, ‘Basel III market and regulatory compromise’, Banking Regulation, vol. 20 no. 1, pp. 53-69.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This essay on What Are The Main Features Of The Basel Iii And How Do They Differ From Basel Ii was written and submitted by user Deborah Vega to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Accidental Hero Distorts the truth essays

Accidental Hero Distorts the truth essays The film Accidental Hero shows that the media distorts the truth. Discuss: The film Accidental Hero distorts the truth in a number of ways, both intentionally and unintentionally. The distortion by the media is mostly unintentional and throughout the duration of the movie a lie told by John Bubber, one of the main characters in Accidental Hero, is the foundation of the untruth. It is this lie that creates the underlying theme in the movie, that there is a time and a place to be completely truthful. There are three main intentional distortions of truth found in the movie. Firstly when John Bubber visits the hospital, secondly when John Bubber and Bernie Le Plante are sitting on a ledge above the city and thirdly when Bernie Le Plante is in a bar and a news reporter on the TV above his head claims several untruths. The lie told by John Bubber gave the media a way to create a superficial hero, through this they gained enormously in ratings which then led to a huge gain financially. Furthermore to improve their ratings even more they offered a 1 million dollar reward for the hero to come forward and participate in an interview. From then on more and more lies were told and all as a result of the lie told by John Bubber. Therefore this then proves that John Bubbers lie was the foundation of the untruth. The media and public are both partly responsible for the distortion of the truth. Though throughout the whole film only three intentional distortions by the media were found, thus saying that most of the films distortions were done unintentionally. One example of an intentional distortion carried out by the media was when John Bubber went to visit a badly blind boy at a childrens hospital and the day after the boy made a miraculous recovery. The media used this to their advantage, saying that John Bubber created a miracle when really they knew full well that it was just a coincidenc ...

Organization Development and Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

Organization Development and Change - Essay Example This is because the effects of change are understood hence organizational change is supported by the same people who change affects within the organization. This involvement of the workforce in the creation of change within the organization leads to the acceptance of change among the stakeholders of the organization. This involvement leads to synergy, which enhances motivation and productivity in an organization. These are the benefits that accrue from full implementation of change in an organization. Inclusiveness in strategic change creation and implementation serves as a cheap source of ideas because the contribution of many people is considered before a decision is made. This initiative also provides networking to the organization which enhances the implementation of the change within an enterprise. This owes to the fact that networking helps in acquisition of crucial information with regard to decision making. According to Cummings and Worley (2009), strategic change in an organization determines the going concern of an organization. Participation in the change process is favored in the republics which practice democracy in governance as opposed to one-man rule scenario in some countries. Organizational development and change are inevitable for the advancement of any organization. This is because of the flaws associated with the status quo position of an organization structure especially a bureaucratic organizational structure. There is a need for the organization’s management to communicate the re-structural change and the goals of the change, to the workforce in order for the employees to embrace the change. There are benefits which accrue to people when they take part in a number of activities pertaining to change. These benefits include the improvement in the quality of decisions made with regard to the change variables. It also highlights timely responses required when the change takes effect. According to Lines (2011), the effect of

Shereton In Poland Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Shereton In Poland - Essay Example The company's objective is to be recognized as the establishment that manages the finest hotels, resorts and residence clubs wherever they locate (Four Seasons Online). While the business of managing luxury establishments defines the industry the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is in, the company identifies its success on "a clear understanding of and belief in what (they) do and when (they) couple this conviction with sound financial planning." (Four Seasons Online) The company also believes that their greatest asset, and the key to their success, is their people, together with a high service level where the exclusive focus is on luxury hospitality (Four Seasons Online). For the 11th consecutive year, the Four Seasons has been named by Fortune Magazine as one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For." (Four Seasons Online) The company's distinguishing edge is therefore a global network that is attuned to the needs of the luxury traveler, and this is cemented in the number of awards granted, including twenty-three AAA Five Diamond Awards for 2009 from the American Automobile Association (Four Seasons Online). In addition to accommodation awards, five Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts were also awarded the prestigious Five Diamond Awards for restaurants (Four Seasons Online). In addition to offering luxury accommodation and spa services, the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts also provide leisure activities for groups and families to ensure visits to the hotels and spas are not seen as destinations, but as experiences. Many properties offer signature golf courses, ski lessons, water sports, tennis instructions, fishing adventures, cooking classes, fitness facilities, and family activities. This provides each property an opportunity to showcase the uniqueness of each hotel location, whether through outdoor activities or cultural events and provides customers with a form of escape. Business travelers are also provided with high tech business services including dedicated business centers that house high-speed internet access, expert communication support, and in-room convenience from speakerphones to data ports (Four Seasons Online). Other services include wedding arrangements and packages with personalized support, business meeting packages, and ad hoc celebrations and events with catered menus and private dining rooms. The company also offers a Four Seasons Gift Card that can be purchased and personalized for everyday or occasional gift giving. Four Seasons Resort Experience In addition to offering outstanding activities and service as detailed above, a number of Four Seasons Resorts also provide a more inclusive and personal experience for guests. One example is the Four Seasons Tented Camp in the Golden Triangle (where Thailand meets Laos and Burma) that is accessible only by riverboat, and consists of 15 free-standing tented accommodations on elevated ground catering to a maximum of 30 guests (Four Seasons Online). To further allow guests to embrace and understand the resort's environment, the resort also became a founding member of the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (GTAEF), which offers guests the opportunity to rescue elephants off the streets of Thailand and provide them with a safe, humane, and natural environment. Since then, the Foundation has successfully rescued 11 elephant babies off Thai city streets (Four Seasons Online). This lodging concept is appropriate for resorts situated in countries that are rich in culture and

Natural resources Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Natural resources - Research Paper Example So, there are several industries that are considered as natural resource industries such as mining, fishing, forestry and many others but agriculture is barred from this list. The name ‘natural resource’ was suggested, by E.F. Schumacher in the book published in the era of 1970s called as Small is Beautiful (Longstreth, 2011, p.4). Categorization of Natural Resources Natural resources are categorized into renewable and the non-renewable ones. Renewable resources are the ones, which can replenish themselves, provided that they are not over-harvested and are utilized wisely (Perman, 1999, p.9). The examples include fishes, forests, trees and other things. Once, these renewable resources are utilized at a speed which is greater than their normal tempo of replacement, the entire reserves will decrease in quantity and ultimately be depleted. The speed of utilization of a natural resource should be equal to the replacement speed and the quantity of reserve stock of a particula r natural resource. Inorganic renewable natural resources comprise of soil and water. Flow renewable resources can be harmonized with renewable resources but the difference is that they do not require renewal like the renewable ones. Renewable power sources that are incorporated in the list of Flow renewable resources are of sun: solar, of earth: geothermal, biomass, landfill gas, of sea: tides and wind. Resources can be further categorized on the grounds of their source of origin: biotic ones and the abiotic ones (Perman, 1999, p.9). Biotic resources result from the living beings but the abiotic resources are originated from the non-living components of the earth such as land, air and water. Other resources such as those related with minerals and power are also in the abiotic category, though some of them are derivative of the natural resources. Non-renewable resources A natural resource, which is present in rigid amounts and cannot exist, grow or renew itself at a speed as it is u tilized, is a non-renewable resource. Few of the non-renewable resources can become renewable but they require very long time duration to come into this category such as the fossil fuels which need millions of years to build up in moderate amount but they cannot be called as exactly renewable. Natural capital Natural resources can become natural capital when they are used up as a commodity that can help to increase the infrastructural capital developments (Perman, 1999, p.9). These can comprise of loam, timber wood, various oils, different minerals and some other sort of products that are digged from the earth. Both the mining of the essential resource and then refining them to an unpolluted, straightly functional form, for example, some metals and the refined oils, are usually designated as the natural resource capitals, although the latter may perhaps not essentially happen next to the former one. A country’s natural resource, sometimes, verify its capital and the repute in the world economic structure, via depicting the political affect in it. Urbanized states in the world are actually not reliant on natural resources for riches, because of their increased dependence on infrastructural capital for fabrication of new products. Though, some view this resource nuisance which might harm the future vistas of a nationalized country because of the time that is wasted in offering bribes for other similar sort of economically non-productive activities that do not lead

British Armed Forces

British Armed Forces Management now are aware of the importance of employees, hence using the correct recruitment and selection methods are crucial part of management functions. The success of any organisation depends largely on acquiring the right balance of employees, with the right skills and abilities. Most companies have an established personnel department responsible for   this function. (Armstrong, M. 2009) Poor recruitment and selection techniques can result in rise in cost, lower morale, and a rise in labour turnover. As a result of these, the aim of management is to reduce cost and maximise productivity. This assignment looks at recruitment and selection methods used in the British Armed Forces, selection methods, reliability and validity. (Noe, R.A. et al, 2004) However, interviews and its benefits and types are also dealt with in details. The different types and drawbacks of test, and government legislation form the basis of employment and organisation has to follow set procedures as such. These are all discussed in subsequent chapters. (Noe, R.A. et al, 2004) This assignment focuses on recruitment and methods of selection processes. These systems may be the first formal interaction which candidates have with the organisation. Their impact may extend across a range of stages in the pre-employment relationship with the organisation, not only during the initial attraction, the selection process and the offer of employment, but also in the subsequent attrition, and decision by existing staff to leave.   Example Toyotas recruitment and selection practices are tailored to find the best possible applicants to hire. (Beardwell, J., and Claydon, T. 2007) 1.2 Recruitment and selection in the British Armed Forces The British Armed Forces described recruiting as the measures taken in order to attract a pool of candidates for selection. Recruits are then taking in for training in order to prepare them for their careers in the Army. The training is a continuous process throughout a soldiers career. (www.armedforces.co.uk, 2011) 1.2.1 Army Recruiting and Training Directorate (ARTD) This body is in charge of the step by step progress of potential recruits from the initial recruitment through to the selection process, specialist training and deployment in the army field. (www.armedforces.co.uk, 2011) The ARTD has an estimated annual budget approximately  £700m in which they have enlist 13000 potential candidates, and train 100000 soldiers and officers. The ARTD functions operations are categorised into three phases; such are, general training, Specialist training and Career training. (www.bbc.co.uk, 2011) 1.2.2 Soldier Selection The selection process requires all potential recruit to do an entry assessment at the Armys Careers Office.   Here potential recruits will undertake a touch screen British Army Recruit Battery (BARB) test, psychometric test all computer based designed to see which area in the Army is best suited for the recruit. The tests also include a numeric and literacy test.. (www.armedforces.co.uk, 2011) Candidates who successfully passed both the tests and interviews will be booked for further test. This test is normally a two days course at an Army Development and Selection Centre (ADSC). Here candidates will undergo a thorough medical examination, physical assessment tests, and fitness checks to determine the suitability for an Army career. (www.armedforces.co.uk, 2011) At the end of the two days course, candidates will be informed whether they are success or not, hence, if successful candidates can be given a place in any of the trade they wish to undertake, a Phase 1 training, which is a 14 weeks course, designed to give candidates all the required skills to be a soldier.   At the first day of training, recruits will formally enlist in the British Army, and Phase 2 specialised training will begin at the Army Training Regiment, Pirbright, Surrey. (www.armedforces.co.uk, 2011) 3.1 Methods of Selection Selection is the process of identifying the suitability of applicants from a given pool of candidates. The main reasons of carrying out selection are: (Dessler, G. 2011) To gather relevant information about jobs, applicants and organisations in order to ensure a better quality decisions. To change information and predict future behaviour To facilitate cost-benefits for the investment made in an employee To check, recruit and place job candidates in the best interests of organisation and applicants. (Dessler, G. 2011) 3.1.1 Reliability For employers to ensure that selection has been free of any kind of bias the reliability of the tests has to be demonstrated. Reliability refers to the logical coherence of scores collected by the same person when tested over time on the same test. If test outcomes are not consistent, it will be unethical to take any measures on the basis of the test.   It shows the extent to which similarities or differences in scores could be associate with errors. Dunnette (1966) has identified four sources of errors. (Mathis, R.L. and Jackson, J.H. 2007) Errors due to inadequate sampling of contents indicating that the items for the two tests may have been slightly different. Errors due to chance response tendencies indicating guessing or random responding to the items. Errors due to changes in the testing environment indicating the effect of physical conditions such as light, temperature, time of the day. Errors due to the changes in the person taking the test indicating the influence of health, fatigue, mood, and practice. The different types of reliability can be found in the appendix sections. (Mathis, R.L. and Jackson, J.H. 2007) 3.1.2 Validity This is the most important requirement of a test. Validity means degree to which a test measures what it claims to measure. A test with a high validity means it is nearly comparable to the tests objective. A test with a weak validity means it does not measure what it intend to measure. As a results, there is no prove to use the test outcomes for their primary objective. There are different ways to establish the validity of a test. The different types of validity can be found in the appendix sections. (Legge, K. 2004) 3.2 Ability Tests These are designed to measure individuals capabilities to carry out a task in a specific and unique manner. There are many different types of ability test; (Milmore, M. 2003) 3.2.1 Cognitive ability tests This measures a persons thinking, memory, reasoning, verbal and numerical capabilities. This can be used to show applicants knowledge of terminology and concepts, word fluency, comprehension, spatial orientation, conceptual reason, general and mutual ability. Organisation should ensure that these tests determine cognitive abilities than a job related. (Armstrong, M. 2009) 3.2.2 Physical Ability Tests This measures what a person can do with his/her strength, endurance, and flexibility. For example 1, the British Armed Forces uses this type of test to assess new recruits to ascertain the suitability for a career in the Army. (www.thearmedforces.co.uk, 2011) Another Example 2 is Ford Motor Company, where line workers regularly lift and carry equipment, climbs ladders and performs other physical tasks.(Mathis, R.L. and Jackson, J.H. 2007) Another example 3, Township Fire Department also uses physical ability test (PAT) in assessing potential applicant and highlighted the importance of physical fitness of fire fighters. (Armstrong, M. 2009) Example 4 Portland police bureau uses this to determine the suitability of professional police officers. (Armstrong, M. 2009) 3.3 Personality Tests This is a unique mixture of individual characteristics that can affect how an individual interacts in his/her work environment. As a result, a large number of organisations use different personality tests that determine the extent to which applicants characteristics suits specific job criteria. (Torrington, D., Hall, L., and Taylor, S., 2008) Example 6, the Finish Line, a large retail chain specialising in sporting products, offers job applicants a web-based test which evaluates their personal tendencies and test scores are use to group individuals for the hiring decision. (Mathis, R.L. and Jackson, J.H. 2007) Another example 7 is Blockbuster and Sports Authority also uses similar tools in their pre-employment screening. (The Economist, 2011) Example 8 a California based technology firm also found that the use of personality tests enhanced the selection decision made in the company. (Financial Times, 2010) 3.4 Assessment Centres This consists of various selection techniques, and group selection methods which are considered as a major element, as with work simulation programs and presentation. Assessment centres are used to assess, in depth, a group of broadly similar applicants, using a set of competencies required for the post on offer and a series of behavioural statements which indicate how these competencies are played out in practice. Example 5, Cadbury Schweppes. (Beardwell, J., and Claydon, T. 2007) Example, Energis utilises a series of assessment centres. 3.5 Honesty tests and Drug test Many organizations formerly employed polygraph tests, or lie detectors, to evaluate job applicants, but this changed with the passage of the Polygraph Act in 1988.   This act prohibited the use of polygraphs in employment screening for most organizations. A new technique known as the honesty paper-and-pencil tests was born. This typically ask candidates directly about their attitude towards theft or their past experiences with theft. (Noe, R.A., et al 2004) For example 9, Nordstorm, the large department store chain, uses Reid Survey to screen for violent tendencies, drug use and dishonesty. (The New York Times, 2010) As with theft, there is a growing perception of the problems caused by drug use among employees. For example 10, Fortune 1000 chief executives cited substance abuse as a significant problem in their organization. (Noe, R.A., et al 2004) 3.6 Polygraphs This is more generally and incorrectly termed as the â€Å"lie detector† which is a mechanical device that measures a persons heart rate, galvanic skin responses and breathing rate. The ideology of this device is that if a person answers a question wrongly, the bodys physiological responses will â€Å"show† that a person gave an incorrect response through the polygraphs recording machine. They play a vital role in criminal investigations and background checks. For examples 11,companies such as Pick n Pay, KFC and First National Bank all uses the polygraph to assess the trustworthiness of potential candidates. (Brown, C. (2010) 3.7 References and Biographical Data References are information that an employer gets from other people who know the applicant, either through friends or previous employer. The evidence on the reliability and validity of reference checks suggests that these are, at best, weak predictors of future success on the job. One major reason for this is that most reference letters are so positive that it is difficult to differential applicants. (Van den Brink, et al, 2010) For example 14,Northwestern Bells district manager of management employment notes â€Å"They all say, ‘This is the greatest individual the world have ever seen, the next president, at least..It is not always accurate. (Noe, R.A. et al, 2004) For example 15, Intuit Corporation tries to get around these problems by requesting references in bulk sometimes asking for as many as 12 letters of reference. The evidence on the utility of biographical information gathered from candidates is far more accurate. The biographical information form also provides a written document that the organisation can verify via outside checks. (Pollitt, D. 2007) For example 16, APCOA Inc. conducts a battery of checks depending on the position, and such investigation may include driving records, credit history and criminal record. (Ordanini, A., and Silvestri, G. 2008) 3.8 Problems with using test There are a number of problems associated with using tests. (Brown, G. T. L. 2008) In most cases, tests may not always be fair as there may be an element of racial, social and sexual bias in the questions and scoring system. For instance, some cultures may be unused to ‘working against the clock. (Hao, Z., and Liden, R.C. 2011) Validation procedures take a lot of time, but yet still are essential to the use of tests. Issues such as the use of web testing, new types of tests, like emotional intelligence tests, are being developed without sufficient validation. (Tulip 2002) The criteria used in defining good job performance are usually inadequate, hence such criteria are subjective and to some extent for the mediocre correlations between job performance and test results. (Collings, D.G., and Wood, G. 2009) Most tests are job specific and unique. Therefore, when the job for which the test is used changes, then the test can no longer be said to relate with job performance in the same manner. (Mathis, R.L. and Jackson, J.H. 2007) 4.1 Government Policy and Legislation The final standard that any form of selection method should adhere to is the law. Legislation has a vital role in the recruitment and selection process especially in preventing discrimination on the grounds of disability, sex, race and age. (Noe, R.A. et al, 2004) The Civil Rights Act of 1991, an extension of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 protects individuals from discrimination based on race, colour, sex, religion, and national origin with respect to hiring as well as compensation and working conditions. There are three major differences between the two Acts. (CIPD, 2010). One recent example 12 can be seen at Coca-Cola and this is highlighted in the â€Å"Competing by Meeting Stakeholders Needs† box; (Lavigna, R.J, and Hays S.W. 2004) Sex and Race DiscriminationThe Sex Discrimination Act (1975) was introduced to protect people and made it unlawful to discriminate based on sex or marital status either directly or indirectly in the field of employment. However, the Race Relations Act (1976) also prohibits employers from discriminating individuals on the grounds of race, colour and nationality. (Torrington, D., Hall, L., and Taylor, S., 2008) Age Discrimination In the UK, age discrimination was introduced in 2006 and makes it unlawful for employers to discriminate based on age in recruiting, promotion and training. (Noe, R.A. et al, 2004) Examples 13 of companies sued under this act include CBS Inc., McDonnell Douglas, Northwest Airlines, Disney, and Martin Marietta. (Noe, R.A. et al, 2004) 5.1 Selection Interviews An interview is a discussion between and employer and a potential candidate for the benefit of both parties to get to know each other for the purpose of filling a vacant position within a company. There are two major reasons for conducting an interview; as an initial screening, and to ascertain that the individual has met minimum qualifications required, and then an in depth interview with HR staff. (Singh, P. 2008) 5.2 Types of selection interviews 5.3 Structured Interviews This conducted by using standardised questions for all candidates to ensure comparisons can be done easily. It provides the opportunity   for the interviewer to design relevant questions and also to facilitate a standardised interviewee evaluation. It is useful in the initial screening process because many applicants can be effectively evaluated and compared. (Valentinis, L., et al 2009) 5.3.1 Behavioural Interview The interviewers often use an experiential type of structured interview. This is a method in which the interviewer will give applicants a job scenario (in which he/she will be looking for certain skills be it multi tasking, flexibility, diplomacy, patience, marketing tactics, and so on) and ask for the candidates opinion in exact steps. (Holtbrugge, D., et al 2010) Example, ATT and Accenture have been using behavioural interviewing for about 15 years now, and because increasing numbers of employers are using behaviour-based methods to screen job candidates, understanding how to excel in this interview environment is becoming a crucial job-hunting skill. Example 17,Capital one uses tests that assist in the evaluation of important behavioural and cultural-fit job criteria. (Mathis, R.L. and Jackson, J.H. 2007) Example Century 18, Theatre also made use of this test and finds it to be saving them money and resources. A recent study indicated that â€Å"past behaviour† structured-type interviews are better at identifying achievement at work than are situational interviews, hence showing the efficacy of this interview strategy. (Mathis, R.L. and Jackson, J.H. 2007) For example 19,the Struder Group consulting firm, after working with a multitude of health care firms across the nation, identified the use of behavioural interviews as a positive practice in organisations. (Gump, S.E. 2006) 5.3.2 Competency Interview This type of interview is similar to the behavioural interview except that the questions are designed to provide the interviewer with something to measure the applicants response against. Competency-based interviews are structured, with questions that relate directly to the essential criteria and competencies required for the post. Using competencies as a benchmark to predict job candidate success is useful because interviewers can identify the factors needed in specific jobs. (Doherty, R. (2010) However, this interview takes time and sometimes is of more benefit to management-oriented people. However, it is also important that you fit in with the team, and with the employers culture and style. A competency-based interview is designed to ask you additional questions about your character, soft skills and personal attributes that let both you and the employer determine whether you fit their needs. (Cardy. R.L., et al 2002) 5.3.3 Situational interview In situational interviewing, job-seekers are asked to respond to a specific situation they may face on the job, and some aspects of it are similar to behavioural interviews. These types of questions are designed to draw out more of your analytical and problem-solving skills, as well as how you handle problems with short notice and minimal preparation. (Dessler, G. 2011) For example 20, a variation of situational format that is used by companies such as GE and Microsoft is termed the case study interview, which requires a job applicant to find out and correct organisational challenges during the meeting. (Beardwell, J., and Claydon, T. 2007) 5.4 Unstructured or Less-structured interview An unstructured interview is one where there may be a script to get the process started, but once the interview gets going the interviewer will start to follow her own points of interest and stop following any script. (Searle, R.H. 2003) An unstructured interview occurs when the interviewer improvises by asking questions that are not predetermined. A semi structured interview is a guided conversation in which broad questions are asked and new questions arise as a result of the discussion. (Searle, R.H. 2003) 5.4.1 Stress Job Interviews The stress interviewing technique is typically used only for positions in which the job-seeker will be facing stress on the job, and the interviewer wants to see how well you can handle the pressure. The key to surviving stress interviews is to remain calm, keep a sense of humor, and avoid getting angry or defensive. (Ball, F.W., and Ball, B. 2010) 6.1 Advantages of interviews The following are the advantages of using interview as a method of selection: Interviews provide opportunities for interviewers to ask probing questions about the candidates experience and to explore the extent to which the candidates competences match those specified for the job; it enable interviewers to describe the job and the organisation in more detail, suggesting some of the terms of the psychological contract; provide opportunities for candidates to ask questions about the job and to clarify issues concerning training, career prospects, the organisation and terms conditions of employment; The interviewer may try to stress you in one of several ways, such as asking four or five questions in a row, acting rude or sarcastic, disagreeing with you, or simply keeping you waiting for a long period. (Armstrong, M. 2009) 6.2 Disadvantages of interview Snap judgments: some interviewers decide whether an applicant is suitable withing the first two to four minutes of the interview, and spend the rest of the time searching for crucial evidence to support their judgement. Negative emphasis: when evaluating suitability, the unfavourable information regarding a candidate is often more emphasised than the information that favours the candidate. Biases and stereotyping: a bias can be describe as a situation where the interviewer favours or select people that they consider to be the same as them based on various personal factors. However, candidates ethnic names and accents can negatively impact personal evaluations. Also, older candidates are most of the time less likely to be interviewed and hired compared to younger applicants. (Mathis, R.L. and Jackson, J.H. 2007) 7.1 Conclusions A year and a half ago, organisations such as investment banks example HSBC, blue chips and consulting firms were competing with dotcoms companies for example Amazon, and Facebookover recruiting the best people. But in the present environment, there are waves of redundancies hence many are grateful that they have a job. However, boom or bust, good recruitment and selection practices are essential. In conclusions, this assignment agrees with the statement; â€Å"the most efficient solution to the problem of interview is to do away with interview and substitute paper-and-pencil measures† This is because research has demonstrated that interviews are an inefficient method of predicting future success in a job. According to Smart (1983) argues that only 94 out of 1000 interviewee respond honestly in conventional interviews. (Armstrong, M. 2009) Factors such as poor reliability and validity of test scores are also major problems of interviews. Different interviewers have their own different styles and approaches, inconsistent handling of different candidates, variation in assessment criteria, biases, and errors are all factors that limits the use of interviews as a method of selection. (Armstrong, M. 2009)

Analyzing King Lears Tragic Flaws Essay -- William Shakespeare King L

ANALYZING KING LEAR'S TRAGIC FLAWS King Lear is a play about a tragic hero, by the name of King Lear, whose flaws get the best of him. A tragic hero must possess three qualities. The first is they must have power, in other words, a leader. King Lear has the highest rank of any leader. He is a king. The next quality is they must have a tragic flaw, and King Lear has several of those. Finally, they must experience a downfall. Lear's realization of his mistakes is more than a downfall. It is a tragedy. Lear is a tragic hero because he has those three qualities. His flaws are his arrogance, his ignorance, and his misjudgments, each contributing to the other.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first flaw in King Lear is his arrogance, which results in the loss of Cordelia and Kent. It is his arrogance in the first scene of the play that causes him to make bad decisions. He expects his favorite, youngest daughter to be the most worthy of his love. His pride makes him expect that Cordelia’s speech to be the one filled with the most love. Unfortunately for King Lear’s pride, Cordelia replies to his inquisition by saying, â€Å"I love your majesty/According to my bond and nothing less';(1.1.100-101). Out of pride and anger, Lear banishes Cordelia and splits the kingdom in half to the two evil sisters, Goneril and Regan. This tragic flaw prevents King Lear from seeing the truth because his arrogance overrides his judgement. Lear’s arrogance also causes him to lose his most faithful servan...

Concerning Globalisation Essay

In arguments concerning globalisation, controversy is quite evident. Discuss the positive and negative outcomes connected with this issue. In today’s life we often encounter terms such as â€Å"living in a global village† and â€Å"we all live in the same world†. Even simply switching on the television brings us face to face with events occurring on the other side of the globe. News broadcasts transmit not only the local news or the latest political propaganda being fed to the people, but also incidents taking place all over Europe, Asia, the Americas and even Africa. We all witness this everyday, yet we rarely stop to truly think of the implications. What is the significance of virtually being a spectator in events across the world? What difference does this make to an individual? More importantly, what changes does this bring upon a society? Many people consider globalisation a recent, modern phenomenon and associate it with today’s highly technological age. After all, the world must be globalized if humanity is capable of breaching the frontier and sending man into space. However, the truth is that globalisation had much more humble beginnings. Ever since Christopher Columbus set foot in what is now America, and ever since the Roman Empire began conquering land to incorporate into its glorious empire, globalisation has been a vital social process. The fact that this has been taking place for so long has ensured that no country is capable of surviving on its own because nobody is self-sufficient. People today are becoming more interdependent because a global mentality is being encouraged and taught. However, true globalisation was slowed until 1990, the end of the Cold War, because until then the world was divided in two. Nonetheless, many colonised countries (including Malta) still display strong influences, especially in language and culture, adopted from their colonisers. Therefore, globalisation inflicts social change upon a country or area. People are being socialised into other cultures. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that a country is losing its own culture – it is simply updating it. Technology and communications have had a strong impact on speeding up globalisation. What were first considered luxuries, such as television and Internet, soon became important factors leading to social change. This is because they led to an increase in information accessibility, product accessibility and education. Another aspect of globalisation is the fact that regionalism is decreasing. For example, organisations such as NAFTA started out as regional organisations but have expanded their horizon. The EU has agreements with over 100 countries outside Europe. Transnational corporations also open the doors to globalisation since they have many branches all over the world and have no borders. There are 3 main outlooks on globalisation, which vary drastically from each other. Some argue in favour of this phenomenon whilst others try to prevent it from occurring. The Sceptics believe that the whole argument regarding globalisation is being exaggerated. They say that this sudden debate about this topic is simply over-hyped. Globalisation has not emerged recently – it has just intensified in its interactions and scale. By stating this, the sceptics admit that nowadays there is more interaction and communication between countries than ever before. Sceptics also criticize economy because they believe that it is not truly globalise. They try to prove this by arguing that certain countries are much more developed than others, and if the world were truly globalise countries would be equal. Sceptics are criticized fiercely for what seems to be an old-fashioned and ethnocentric approach. An argument placed against them says that simply because some countries are not yet part of it, it doesn’t mean that globalisation doesn’t exist. They are also accused of discouraging globalisation because they fear that it will make people more interactive and interdependent, thus forcing their governments to share their power and money with others. On the flip side of the coin, one can find the Hyperglobalizers. These believe that the world is one and globalisation covers the whole world and is a very real phenomenon that is felt almost everywhere. This process does not respect national borders or ideas of sovereignty. Hyperglobalizers base their arguments on aspects of commerce, trade and production. Kenichi Ohmae, a Japanese hyperglobalizer, stated that globalisation leads to a â€Å"borderless world†. His argument presents an interesting association with the Marxist ideology, but from an opposite point of view. In fact, Ohmae says that money makes the world go round since it is invested all around the world, under on name. Therefore (like in Marxism) everyone works towards a single goal – the same world. Hyperglobalizers base their arguments on the changing role of each nation within the whole world, not simply within a region. Like the Sceptics, Hyperglobalizers have been criticized for being overly biased towards a particular viewpoint. In fact, they consider globalisation to be indispensable and flawless and reject any negative influences it may bring about. Transformationalists provide an alternative view on the subject. They believe globalisation is the central force in a broad spectrum of changes taking place throughout the world, which is not yet hyper-globalized. In fact, some countries are highly globalized (for example U.S.A., Japan and Europe) whilst others (such as African nations) are still very far behind in this process. Many of these countries are still uncertain on the benefits of globalisation and of what they want. However, countries that are globalised do not lose their independence or sovereignty. For example, although England are a member of the EU, they do not use the Euro as their currency, but the English Sterling (although some say that they may soon succumb to pressure and introduce the Euro). This transformation brought about by globalisation requires people to adjust to the new situation and learn to live with each other and with people from other cultures and backgrounds. Transformationalists also say that globalisation is a two-way flow of images, not simply a one-way process. The No Global movement is another notorious organization fighting against the occurrence of globalisation. They argue that it causes inequality between first and third world countries. They criticize rich countries for not helping poor countries and for not trying to bridge the financial and social gaps between them. However, help must not simply be acts of charity, where money is given to their governments, but more practical help at the root of the problem. There are other NGO’s discouraging globalisation, such as the Campaign for Global Justice, who see it as a completely negative process. These try to inform people that it must be slowed and, if possible, stopped. An argument brought up concerns the aspect of free trade. Whilst some people say that it solves problems of poverty and inequality, they state that this only flows in one direction – the rich produce and the poor consume, thus forcing them to depend on rich countries. If it were truly free trade both would produce and consume, thus creating an equal situation. Globalisation involves certain risks, such as environmental degradation due to development, shifting employment patterns leading to stress and anxiety, heightened job insecurity and de-skilling (such as the infamous 7-Up case in Malta last year), decline in traditional influences and loss of self-identity, erosion of family patterns, and democratization of personal relationships. These are all problems one must consider when trying to evaluate the impact of globalisation, especially in light of the forthcoming referendum on whether Malta is to enter the EU or not. This is a subjective argument, however one cannot deny that without globalisation, the world would not be the same.

History of the Middle East

CW43: The Middle East and Arab-Israeli Conflict, c1900–2001 Jewish settlement in Palestine, 1900–45 Conflict |Causes of conflict |Presence and influence of other actors and |Changing Arab-Israeli relationships |Proposed solutions | | | |international events | | | |World War One |Misperceptions |Actors: Ottoman Empire |Jewish settlements |Paris Peace Conference | |Britain and Arabs ally against the Ottoman|Unaware of the details of the Sykes-Picot |Until 1917, retention of Arab customs in |Lovers of Zion; Rishon-le-Zion; more than 40 |Arabs should have the right to national | |Empire; expectation from the Arabs that |Agreement and the Balfour Declaration; Britain’s|Palestine |Zionist settlements in Palestine by 1914; Jewish|self-determination; need for a major power| |they would get Palestine in return; |support for both them and Zionism | |population doubled between |to help them run their new country; | |Hussein-McMahon letters | |Actors: Britain |1922–29 |Britain received the mandate to look after| | |Arab disagreement with various proposals: |Balfour Declaration; given a mandate over | |Palestine, also confirmed that the terms | |Political conflict |verdict of Paris Peace Conference |Palestine by the Paris Peace Conference; helped |Reasons for migration |of the Balfour Declaration should apply to| |Emir Feisal becomes king of an Arab state |Decision to include the Balfour Declaration in |the Jews build up their military forces such as |Influence of Rothschild; Herzl and the Zionist |the new country | |consisting of Palestine, Lebanon, |the way n which Palestine was to be governed; |the Hagannah and the Irgun Zvai Leumi |Congress in 1897; Jewish National Fund | | |Transjordan and Syria; publicly opposes |Peel Report – proposed a Jewish state and an | | |Peel Report | |Zionist migration; Arab parties unite to |Arab state |Actors: King-Crane Commission |Wartime immigration |Palestine should be divided into a Jewish | |form th e Arab Higher Committee; Ben | |Concluded that the case for a Zionist presence |Jews smuggled in by ship: the Struma |state and an Arab state; Britain to keep | |Gurion’s conference at the Biltmore Hotel |Rate of settlement |should be dropped; findings ignored by Paris | |control of the area around Jerusalem | |calls for the immediate creation of a |Herbert Samuel’s influence; Jewish population |Peace Conference | | | |Jewish state in Palestine |doubled between 1922–29 | | |1939 White Paper | | | |Actors: France | |Jewish immigration to be limited to 75,000| |Civil disobedience |Extreme Zionism |King Feisal started attacking the French; French| |over the next five years; no more | |1936 general strike |Vladimir Jabotinsky, demonstration near the |removed him from Syria and Lebanon | |immigration without Arab consent | | |Mosque of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem | | | | |Arab-Israeli violence | |Actors:Herbert Samuel | |1942 Biltmore Programme | |Protest again st Samuel’s decision; 1929 |Jewish dissatisfaction |British Jew, High Commissioner of Palestine; | |Calls for the immediate creation of a | |massacre; Irgun planted bombs and shot |Anger at the 1939 White Paper in light of the |16,500 Jews to be allowed to settle in Palestine| |Jewish state in Palestine | |Arabs in response to the White Paper |Nazi threat |in 1920 | | | | | | | | | |Arab-British violence | |Events: First World War; Paris Peace Conference | | | |1937–39 rebellion | | | | | | | | | | | |Jewish-British violence | | | | | |Lehi, Abraham Stern, Lord Moyne, Irgun | | | | | |violence | | | | | | | | | | |World War Two | | | | | |30,000 Jews in Palestine joined the | | | | | |British army | | | | | The creation of the state of Israel and its impact Conflict |Causes of conflict |Presence and influence of other actors and |Changing Arab-Israeli relationships |Proposed solutions | | | |international events | | | |Irgun and Lehi |British immigration limits |Presi dent Truman |Propaganda – Ben Gurion and the Jewish Agency |UN voted in November 1947 to partition | |From 1946, the Irgun and the Lehi began a |Despite President Truman’s declaration that |Demanded that 100,000 Jews be allowed into |continued to try to smuggle Jews into Palestine |Palestine six months from that date; | |large-scale campaign of violence against |100,000 Jews should be allowed into Palestine, |Palestine at once | |Jerusalem should be an international zone | |the British, including the blowing up of |the British fixed the limit at 1500 a month. | |Political change |under UN control; Jewish and Arab states | |the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, |This was the last straw for the Lehi and the |United Nations |On 15 May 1948, the British mandate ended and |should be linked in an economic union to | |headquarters of the British government in |Irgun; Exodus Asked to take back the mandate from Britain and |the Arab and Jewish states came into being; the |help eac h other’s trade | |Palestine, which killed 91 people | |decide the future of the country; UN Special |Jews named their state Israel and formed a | | | |UNSCOP Plan |Committee on Palestine; truce arranged on |government led by David Ben Gurion | | |Death toll |Jewish state would be larger than the Arab |11 June 1948 which allowed the Israelis to | | | |212 killings in Palestine |state; vote for partition was followed by |reorganise their army and transport the Czech |Effects of the violence | | | |violent Arab protests which soon turned into |weapons they had bought earlier in the year from|Nearly a million Palestinians left or were | | |Civil War |killings and counter-killings between Jews and |Europe; second truce lasted until October 15 |forced to leave their homes; most went to Jordan| | |Operation Dalet, Deir Yassin capture of |Arabs | |and the Gaza Strip, many went to Syria and | | |Tiberias, Haifa and Jaffa; Hagganah | |Arab League |Lebanon; Arab state of Palestine ceas ed to | | |occupied most of the Arab areas of West |Purchasing of arms |Palestine turned to it for help; however, it had|exist; Palestinians became a minority people in | | |Jerusalem |Hagannah leaders went to Skoda arms firm in |only been created recently and its members were |the new state of Israel | | | |Czechoslovakia and bought a huge quantity of |divided on many issues | | |War of Liberation |armaments | |Reasons for Palestinian migration | | |The civil war of 1948 was about to turn | | |Massacre at Deir Yassin, Israeli military | | |into an international war, the first of a |Arab League assistance | |victory; Arab leaders encouraged them to leave | | |series of Arab-Israeli conflicts that has |Arab League in December 1947 declared partition | |during the conflict | | |rocked the Middle East since 1948.On 15 |illegal and gave the Palestinians 10,000 rifles;| | | | |May 1948, armies from Egypt, Lebanon, |early in 1948 it formed an Arab Liberation Army | | | | |Transjordan, Ira q and Syria entered |of 3000 volunteers to fight in partition | | | | |Palestine with the aim of helping the | | | | | |Palestinian Arabs fight the Jewish state |Formation of Ben Gurion government | | | | |of Israel which had been created that day;|Five neighbouring Arab countries sent armies to | | | | |Arab Legion of Transjordan had taken back |make war on Israel | | | |control of the Old City of Jerusalem; | | | | | |Israelis seized western Galilee; drove the| | | | | |Lebanese back north; Israel was left in | | | | | |control of 80% of the land | | | | | Reasons for, and outcomes of, Arab-Israeli conflicts to 1973 War of 1948 |War of 1956 |War of 1967 |War of 1973 | |Description: |Description: |Description: |Description: | |On 15 May 1948, armies from Egypt, Lebanon, Transjordan, |Lasted for 10 days; invasion began on |5 June 1967; Israeli initial air strike (bombed Egyptian |6 October; the Day of Atonement; Arab initial success: | |Iraq and Syria entered Palestine with the aim of helping |29 October; advanced deep into Sinai; involvement of |airfields and launched similar attacks against the other |smashed Israel’s Suez Canal defences; 80,000 Egyptians | |the Palestinian Arabs fight the Jewish state of Israel |Britain and France; Egypt refused to evacuate Suez Canal |Arab air forces); land war (drove Egyptians out of the |crossed the canal; destroyed Israeli tanks; Syria | |which had been created that day |zone and were bombed by the British and French; UN voted |Gaza strip and Sinai; defeated Jordan within two days, |advanced into the Golan Heights and drove the Israelis | | for a ceasefire; Arab countries stopped supplying Britain|capturing the Old City of Jerusalem and the ‘West Bank’; |back into Galilee; Israel fought back: US weapons sent to| |Causes: |with oil; USA refused to support the invasion; Eden |attacked the Syrian army in the Golan Heights and this |Israel; 254,000 reservists mobilised; 14 October tank | |Establishme nt of Ben Gurion government; unhappiness with |forced to agree to a ceasefire just 24 hours after the |was over by June 10); United Nations ordered a ceasefire |battle against the Egyptians; Israel crossed into the | |the UN Partition Plan; British mandate expiring; both |first British troops had landed in Egypt; UN Emergency |which the Arab nations had to accept |Suez Canal; international pressure – USSR wanted it ended| |sides rearmed |Force moved in to police the border between Egypt and | |(feared that the Egyptians would lose); USA wanted it | | |Israel |Causes: |ended (did not want to provoke the Soviets into giving | |Effects: | |- Syria became violently anti-Israel (General Jedid’s |even more weapons to Egypt and Syria); joint ceasefire | |- Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria signed armistices |Causes: |takeover, attacks by Fatah guerrillas from Syria |proposed came into force on 22 October | |with Israel but no peace treaty; many Arabs have refused|- Nasser wan ted to avenge Egypt’s defeat in the 1948 war|increased) | | |to recognise Israel and have talked about destroying it;|against Israel and to return Palestine to the Arabs; |- Land dispute – Israeli tractor ploughed up some |Causes: | |many Jews arrived in Israel from existing refugee camps |increased wealth and armed strength; his reputation in |Arab-owned land close to the border and met Syrian fire. |- Sadat replaced Nasser in 1970 and he wanted to reverse| |and communities from Eastern Europe |the Arab world increased; he aimed to unite the Arabs |Israel responded by bombing Syrian guns.Israel warned |the Arab defeat of 1967 | |- Israel’s first law in 1950 was the Law of Return; |under Egyptian leadership |that it would strike back if Syria did not stop |- Egypt was more ready – asked the USSR for assistance; | |anti-Jewish riots; in Iraq, Zionism was punishable by |- 1955 arms agreement with Czechoslovakia gave Egypt |- USSR intervention (incorrectly a rgued that Israel was |plans were made for an invasion of Sinai across the Suez| |death; Arab protest at Israeli diversion of the waters |many Soviet weapons |ready to invade Syria at short notice); King Feisal of |Canal; Syria would also attack from the Golan Heights | |of River Jordan |- Support for Algerian rebels angered France – supported|Saudi Arabia and King Hussein of Jordan promised to help| | |- Need for $65 million of international aid to cope with|Arab rebels who were fighting the French in their colony|Syria |Effects: | |new humanitarian needs; change of leadership in Arab |of Algeria |- Nasser ordered UN Emergency Force to leave Egyptian |- Israeli victory: 12,000 Arabs had been killed compared| |governments: assassination of Egyptian prime minister in|- Nationalisation of Aswan Dam angered Britain – it had |territory; UN was ordered to withdraw; barred the Gulf |to 2000 Israelis | |1948; a series of military takeovers in 1949; in 1950: |been owned lar gely by British and French shareholders; |of Aqaba to Israeli ships; military pacts (Jordan and |- Oil as a weapon: OAPEC increased the price of Arab oil| |assassination of Lebanese prime minister; murder of |Nasser did this after Britain and the USA cancelled the|Egypt formed a defence pact; eight Arab states were |until Israel withdrew from Egypt and Syria | |King Abdullah of Jordan; coup in Egypt which gave |loans they had promised |poised to attack); Moshe Dayan (appointed Minister of |- USA tried to appease the Arabs | |Colonel Nasser power; Arab leaders blamed their defeat |- Increase of Fedayeen ttacks angered Israel – |Defence) decided to use attack as a form of defence |- Britain stopped supplying Israel with weapons | |on Britain and the USA and concentrated on improving |continuance of cross-border attacks; closing of the | |- EEC expressed sympathy for the Palestinians | |their economies |entrance of the Gulf of Aqaba to Israeli ships | |- Kissinger’s propo sal: disengagement of | | | | |Israeli and Egyptian forces should happen in 1974; they | | | | |should withdraw to pre-ceasefire positions; UN army | | | | |should control the gap between them; Israel should | | | | |withdraw from Sinai and in return get American aid | Reasons for, and outcomes of, Arab-Israeli conflicts to 1973 (cont) |War of 1948 |War of 1956 |War of 1967 |War of 1973 | | – Some of the new leaders hoped for a union of the Arab|Effects: |Effects: | | |countries; very little action taken on Palestinian |- Egypt’s military power reduced – 1000 casualties; |- Israel improved its strength and security – kept | | |refugees among all Arab countries, except Jordan; |Israel accepted as a permanent member of the |Sinai, Gaza Strip, West Bank, Golan Heights, and doubled| | |Fedayeen established – secret guerrilla attacks on |international community |the size of the country | | |Israeli targets; each year from 1949 to 1955, some 250 |- B ritain and France humiliated – their influence in the|- Disaster for the Arabs – 15,000 men killed; 800 tanks | | |Israelis were killed or wounded in such attacks.This |Middle East declined; had to leave Egypt empty-handed; |captured or destroyed; suffering for the Palestinians – | | |prompted Israeli attacks in retaliation, including an |failed to overthrow Nasser; failed to keep the Suez |those who had been living in the West Bank and the Gaza | | |attack on the village of Qibya in Jordan in 1953 and in |Canal open; had to introduce petrol rationing |Strip were now in occupied territories and faced heavy | | |1955 the Israelis mounted a raid on the Gaza strip after|- Israel gained security against Fedayeen attacks – |restrictions on their lives | | |a series of Fedayeen attacks on their territory; Arab |destroyed their bases; UN took over Sharm el-Sheikh and |- Strength of Fatah – Turned to Fatah rather than other | | |boycott of Israeli trade â €“ Israeli ships could not use |Gaza; emergence of Palestine Liberation Organisation |Arab states – Fatah increased their weapons; Battle of | | |the Suez Canal; confiscation of cargo from Israeli |- Nasser’s reputation in the Arab world increased – |Karameh; Arafat became leader; continual fighting | | |ships which called at Arab ports; Israel was in a |pro-western governments in Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq |between Egypt and Israel; support from USSR; 1970 | | |permanent state of tension |turned against France and Britain; hopes for United Arab|ceasefire; Guerrilla warfare (PFLP, Dawson’s Field | | | |League were soon dashed hijackings), Black September Organisation assassinated | | | | |the Prime Minister of Jordan, kidnapped and later | | | | |murdered eleven Israeli athletes taking part in the | | | | |Munich Olympic Games; failed diplomatic effort – UN | | | | |Resolution 242 | |Arab nationalism in the 1980s and 1990s, and divisions in the A rab world |Divisions in the Arab world |Conflict | |President Sadat |Direct conflict between Israel and Lebanon | |Sadat’s initiative: recognised Israel’s existence; Camp David Agreement of 1978; Washington Treaty 1979; caused |26,000 Israeli troops invaded Lebanon in response to a bus hijack; PLO continued their attacks undeterred by the UN| |fury in the Arab world; President Sadat was murdered by angry Egyptian soldiers |or the Christian militia leader, Major Haddad; June 1982 – 172,000 Israeli soldiers invaded Lebanon; UN let them | | |pass; forced the PLO out of Beirut; PLO went to Algeria and Iraq. Defeat for Israel – assassination of pro-Israeli | |Lebanon |Maronite President Gemayel of Lebanon; Sabra-Chatila massacre turned public opinion in Israel against the war; | |Sunnis, Shi’ites, Druzes; Christians-Maronites, Greek Orthodox, Greek Catholics; conflict between Maronites and |Defence Minister Ariel Sharon resigned; Israel had to withdra w from Beirut; met with suicide bombs from fanatical | |SunniMuslims; refugee problem |Shi’ites | | | | |PLO in Lebanon |PLO attacks | |Muslims in Lebanese government supported the PLO whilst the Maronites condemned them; full-scale civil war between |By 1986, PLO guerrillas were back in south Lebanon and making cross-border attacks on Israel; splinter groups came | |Phalangist Militia and Tiger Militia and Shi’ite and Druze Muslims; Syria invaded Lebanon on the side of the |into being; Palestine Liberal Front hijacked a cruise ship and the Abu Nidal group hijacked an Egyptian airliner | |Christians and then killed Christians | | | |Internationalisation of conflict | |Civil war between terrorist groups in Lebanon |Terror campaign was spread in places like Britain and France; in 1986 an American soldier was killed by a terrorist| |Islamic Jihad Organisation; Hezbollah; Arab Red Knights; Black Brigades; civil war involved taking of hostages |bomb in West Berlin; US bombing of Tripoli and Benghazi | | | | |Rise of Hamas from Fatah |Political dissension within Israel | |Following on from this, Hamas and other militant organisations rose to power and shook the foundations of the |Peres – talks in Morocco and Egypt; Taba; Yitzchak Shamir – no negotiation with the Arabs over the West Bank; | |authority which Fatah under Arafat had established. However, Arafat remained in his position until a month before |Jewish settlers continued to build new settlements there; Likud talked of extreme solutions such as the nnexation | |his death in 2004 |of the occupied territories | | | | | |Intifada | | |On 9 December 1987 an Israeli army patrol shot two attackers; uprising soon followed; strikes and economic | | |boycotts; refused to work for Israeli employers; Israel’s response – ‘iron fist’ | | | | | |Arafat’s change of tactics | | |Renounced terrorism; proclamation of independent state of Palestine; soug ht to negotiate a settlement with Israel; | | |USA entered into talks with the PLO; the Oslo Accords of 1993, agreed by Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and | | |PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat, granted the Palestinians the right to self-government in the Gaza Strip and the city of| | |Jericho in the West Bank, through the creation of the Palestinian Authority. The PLO had used negotiating tools to | | |get as close to their stated aims as was realistically possible, but this by no means marked the end of the | | |conflict, as the Second Intifada, with repeated suicide bombings, took place in 2000–04 | Sources |Lowe, N. Mastering Modern World History (3rd edition, Macmillan Masters, 997) | |BBC series, Cold War, written by Jeremy Isaac and Taylor Downing, published by Transworld in 1998 | |Hunter, R. E. The Six Day War (Purnell’s History of the 20th century, Vol. 6, Chapter 94, BBC, 1969) | |Kyle, K. Suez: Britain’s End of Empire in the Middle East (I. B. Taur is, 2003) | |Mandle, B. Conflict in the Promised Land (Heinemann, 1976) | |Mansfield, P. A History of the Middle East (Penguin, 2003) | |Perkins, S. J.The Arab-Israeli Conflict (Nelson Thornes, 1991) | |Regan, G. Israel and the Arabs (Cambridge University Press, 1993) | |Scott-Baumann, M. Conflict in the Middle East: Israel and the Arabs (Hodder Murray, 2007) | Processes (Part A) |Assess the impact of British intervention 1914–21 on the growth of Arab nationalism in the ensuing decade. | |Assess the impact of Britain, Egypt and Suez 1945–56 on the growth of Arab nationalism in the ensuing decade. | |Assess the impact of the Cold War 1956–73 on the growth of Arab nationalism in the ensuing decade. |Assess the impact of the United Nations and the Gulf War 1990–91 on the growth of Arab nationalism in the ensuing decade. | The role of individuals (Part A) |What was the short-term significance of David Ben Gurion? | |What was the short-term significance of C olonel Abdel Nasser? | |What was the short-term significance of Yasser Arafat? | |What was the short-term significance of Saddam Hussein? | Key events (Part A) |What was the short-term significance of the creation of the state of Israel, 1948? | |What was the short-term significance of the war of Yom Kippur, 1973? | |What was the short-term significance of the Iranian Revolution, 1979? | |What was the short-term significance of the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, 1995? | Processes (Part B) How significant was the presence of foreign powers as an influence on the nature and growth of Arab nationalism in the years 1900–2001? | |How significant was the existence of Israeli-Arab wars as an influence on the nature and growth of Arab nationalism in the years 1900–2001? | |How significant was the promotion of proposed solutions as an influence on the nature and growth of Arab nationalism in the years 1900–2001? | |How significant was Israeli migration as an influence o n the nature and growth of Arab nationalism in the years 1900–2001? | The role of individuals (Part B) |Assess the significance of the role of individuals in affecting Israeli-Arab relations in the years 1900–2001. | Key events (Part B) To what extent do you consider the Balfour Declaration to be a key turning point in the political development of the Middle East during the 20th century? | |To what extent do you consider the 1948 Civil War in Palestine to be a key turning point in the political development of the Middle East during the 20th century? | |To what extent do you consider the founding of the Palestine Liberation Organisation to be a key turning point in the political development of the Middle East during the 20th century? | |To what extent do you consider the death of President Nasser to be a key turning point in the political development of the Middle East during the 20th century? |

War on Terrorism essays

War on Terrorism essays When I think of the tradgedy that occured three years ago on September 11th, it brings back memories of anguish, sadness and despair. I cannot stop mourning for the thousands of innocent lives that were lost and the other thousands of people that lost their loved one's. Regretadly, it seems impossible for the American people to move forward with their lives because everyday we are bombarded with even more American lives that are lost. Now, three years later, when someone mentions that tragic day, my first thoughts go to the "war on terrorism". Before September 11th, I personally had never heard the phrase "war on terrorism". But for the past three years, this phrase has been embedded into the American people's vocabulary. There are numerous emotions that are elicited from this particular expression. It is a phrase that has a different meaning to different individuals. To some, it may mean to be a necessary way to fight for our protection and prevent any other events like September 11th from happening in the future. For others, it may seem absurd and unnessesary. Yet, to friends and family of the soldiers fighting in the war on terrorism, it may bring up feelings of sadness or heroism. Everyone is different in this aspect. However, no matter how a particular person may feel about the event, it does not change the fact that this conflict in Iraq has claimed almost three times the number of American lives lost in the entire Persian Gulf War (Cohen et. al.). They are sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers. They all share one thing...they will not see home again. Since the attacks on September 11th, 2001 occured, the United States government has been noticably careful to call any actions it takes against others as a "war against terrorism". I have found this phrase to be puzzling to me. It seems to be used as a way to justify any killing done by the United States. The term "War" is defined...

A History of Nazi Germany Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

A History of Nazi Germany - Essay Example The German economy was greatly hindered as Germany, after the First World War, was taking the complete responsibility of the financial loss, the lives that were lost and mass destruction, this brought down the whole country.The German soldiers turned to fascism as they were unable to the proper supplies for their survival after their return from war. Germany could not get any help to recover from their financial loss, after the First World War the whole world went into great depression this too was not of any help to the German economy. As a result the country turned to fascism to get its wealth and pride back.Adolf Hitler, the political leader of the National Socialist German Workers, was one of the main personalities who promoted the fascist ideas. Hitler was assisted in promoting this Nazi concept by Albert Speer. Hitler was supported by the Germans and they turned to his ideas as he promised to meet their monetary needs after the world war I. The offer made by Hitler was irresist ible by the Germans and they declared him the Chancellor of their country.Hitler's government was fascist in nature which was led by dictatorship, and the dictator had absolute power, he suppressed other political parties, had control over the financial affairs and the dictator was considered to be a strong nationalist. The complete order and control of the German Government was in Hitler's hands through this philosophy. Hitler through his personal guard the SS, enforced fascism and his government hated particular groups of people and also was very racial. Hitler joined a group called the German Workers Party in the year 1919 in the city of Munich. Within no time he became one of the seven committee members who headed the party. This party held meetings in which different issues like the threat posed by the enemy namely the Bolshevisks that is the Communists who had come to power in Russia, the areas where the present government lacked, the weakness of the government and the threat posed by the Jews who were the enemies within the country were brought forth. They also spoke about the better times before the first world war. "In March 1920 he was discharged from the army and became a professional politician. His meteoric rise had begun." 1 Hitler began operations in forming his new political party, it was renamed as the National Socialist German Worker's party which is in short the Nazi party. the party won around eight hundred thousand votes, however it was more than just a political party. it was being turned into a military force by their leader Adolf Hitler. A group called the "Storm troopers" were trained by him to act as militia at his command. The Nazi party and its troops were being supported by the past German military leaders. In Bavaria in the beginning the Nazi party was formed and started out as a small group called the German Worker's party. The party was resisted and opposed to the Treaty of Versailles and Communism. the party came to existence and was formed by the Germans due to the humiliation they faced as they a result of their defeat in the First World War and the severe terms and regulations imposed on them by the Allies. At first Hitler joined this party as a secret agent and later became one of the most influential members of the party, as a result of his power to inspire and enthusiasm for the cause he became the leader of this small party, influencing and promoting his ideas to the people of similar ideology. 1. Carsten, Francis Ludwig, 1967. The Rise of Facism. (University of California Press: USA, 1967), 95. This party was soon renamed as the National and Socialist German Workers Party, their political manifesto was based on a twenty five point program that was adopted by the party. it was due to their strength of their belief in the twenty five points that the Nazi's chose to take force in Munich in a coup d' etat. Despite an initial success in achieving the coup's main objective of seizing power, the coup was unsuccessful. The party seemed to be destroyed and Hitler was

US-Britain industrial power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

US-Britain industrial power - Essay Example The Britain remained evidently predominant in the nineteenth century among the world powers as consequence of tremendous economic and industrial expansion in the eighteenth century. The British firms had expanded and export trade boomed vigorously in the industrial revolution.This paper investigates into the reasons that enabled the United States to replace the Britain as the world's leading industrial power after the time when Britain used to dominate the world with its industrial strength. Evidently, there happened to be several causes underlying the sharp decline in the British dominance among all the powerful countries in the world. In the same manner, there were various reasons that served to be the supporting elements for the economy and industry of United States to supersede the position of Britain.Apparently there happened to be abounding reasons behind the deterioration of British industrial and economic power in the late nineteenth century. Britain's economic diminution was in fact a consequence of the decline in the country's industrial potency that happened to be the backbone of the country's growth in the eighteenth century. However, this industrial failure did not erupt out of nothing, rather it too was an aftermath of several factors and events responsible for undermining the British industrial ascendance in the world.One of the pre-eminent causes of the failure of British industrial power was also the country's technical training and education system. The country, due to its highly advanced technical training system, produced and accumulated a large number of trained and high calibre workers for some industries. This turned out to be negative for various industrial sectors in the long run, as the country immensely began to lose unskilled workers that could perform duties on machines in the factory. This problem was faced by most of the industries in Britain, causing them to run high on costs and consequently low on profits. The British industry also lacked the most substantial ingredient i.e., machine tools required for technological excogitation in the manufacturing sector of the industry. Britain remained far behind on this ground that could have otherwise backed the deteriorating industrial strength of the country. The machine tool industry had been flourishing in the early period of British industrial development but the growth in this industry came to a gradual halt in the early twentieth century. This backwardness marked the inability of British industry to cope with the technological prerequisites of that era and the country seriously lacked behind on the technological edge. Another significant factors underlying the fall of British dominance was also that it seriously lagged on the ground of export in the late nineteenth century as compared to United States. The growth in export witnessed in the earlier decades started to tumble down and imports, on the contrary, took on a rising trend. At this time, most prominently, the United States was advancing in export trade through technological advancement and thus started to captivate even the portions of markets in Britain. This had a severe impact on the British economy and thus it started to lose dominance over other countries. This happened primarily because the Britain failed to advance in terms of new technology and as a result, the country's export trade started to decline. Free trade policies inflicted serious harms to the British industrial expansion. The country perpetually adopted the free trade policy enhancing the free flow of imported goods into the market without any restriction. This resulted in an outbreak of international