Foreign Universities

I’ve often wondered how best to define education. I’d like to define education as the procurement of those preternatural skills which would enable a person to choose between what is right and what is not. Our Indian system of education since time immemorial has been sailing magnificently on the winds of hope, moral coherence and ethical values with the principal objective of making all of us good human beings as opposed to mere knowledge banks. As of today, ‘Indian Education’ is an immaculate melange of our conventional ideals of education, blended with infrastructural and technological boom, catering to the demands of modernization. Over the decades, we’ve produced some very fine men and women. From Swami Vivekananda to Sir C V Raman, from Amartya Sen to Rajendra Pachauri, they’ve all been fine lode stars of our educational system. I’ve never really been a fan of the Western Educational systems. Students there are bestowed with way too much unconditional liberty. They’re treated like empyreal emperors at a time when they should be ordered to shut their PlayStations and take a good look at their school books. There’s too much rationalism in there and very little humanism, which in a sense explains the reason for the rapid moral degradation among a significant number of students in the West. Look at the list of school related criminal attacks worldwide and you’d observe the US perched handsomely at the top. We read almost every week about teen shootouts, teen pregnancies and yet do not wish to speak about them in the open. ‘It’s taboo’. We, Indian students here, atleast under the fear of failure, the fear of humiliation, the fear of corporal punishment are compelled on to the right track as far as our pursuit of educational excellence is concerned. But the very fact that there exists no substantial force which can have similar influences on the students of the West is indeed quite a concern. Another factor working significantly against Western education is its exorbitant cost of education which almost puts it virtually out of reach for many middle class students world over. I know there’s been criticism of our Indian Educational system too. I know there’ve been people cynical of our ‘harsh’ and ‘stern’ methodology of education. But if the drilling exercise is a necessity for intellectual growth, a boon for the nation’s ambitions of having an educated electoral roll, the antidote for illiteracy and ignorance, the quintessential need for individual prosperity, then why not tread that path fearlessly? After all, it is only under pressure that coal turns to diamond. The dominant role of Indian Americans in the US economy is pretty noticeable as well. As of 2008, 4000 PIO professors and 84000 students made their way into US universities and Indian Silicon Valley entrepreneurs generate whopping revenue of $250 billion every year. Is it not ironical then that the well oiled products of our educational system are largely responsible for the economic boom of a ‘global superpower’? Who’s the Big Daddy now? Is this not tangible testimony of our profound educational prowess? Above all the number crunching and intricate statistics, above all the heated cacophony of debates and discussions, just one phrase rings euphoria and triumph in my mind. Vande Mataram. Nothing else. Thank you. I have just received a list of the top Universities of the world (1) University of Cambridge (2) University of Oxford (3) Harvard University (4) University of California 5) The Stanford University (6) University of Tokyo and it is certainly not a matter of great pride that the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai is ranked 30th and except the IIT's, not a single university has made to the top 50. it is — p. m and the speed is so fast that you might see another foreign university getting into this list by the time I finish my speech. Today's topic states â€Å"Should there be an entry of Foreign Educational Institution or University in India† and I stand here firmly opposing the motion. India right now has 487 Universities and 2200 colleges whereas the requirement is 1000 Universities and 35000 Colleges more. So foreign Universities is the only option left. Learning in a Foreign University has a definite advantage in terms of ambience, cultural environment and most of all provides an international mix. For India to become an economic superpower, we first need to become an educational superpower. The number of universities and institutions of higher learning are wholly inadequate to cater to the aspirations of a billion people – unless of course our purpose is to keep large sections of our population out of the education system. Having known different parts of the world and different types of institutions, I can say categorically that as far as the intellect is concerned, we are second to none. How we can overlook the sorry state of our universities and institutions of higher learning. Results are not announced in time. Evaluation is neither objective nor done with any sensitivity. Regulation in education still dates back to the license-permit regime that could do precious little for the country for over five decades.. Our Universities, have failed to impart education in all subject areas. Many new sciences and technologies are never introduced to our students immediately after their inventions. We tend not to care too much for quality, and are pretty complacent about what is acceptable standards. What we lack is a work ethic that nurtures excellence in all its manifestations. The ‘Chalta Hai' attitude is predominant and the only way to break it is to expose this mindset to global standards. Recently cabinet has approved Foreign Educational Institution Bill 2010. I salute Minister of HRD, Mr. Kapil Sibbal for this revolutionary move towards getting a class education in India. Afterall the bill upon becoming a law is sure to make it more convenient for domestic students to get world class education at their door steps. With this, I rest my case but not my thoughts. Thanks I’ve often wondered how best to define education. I’d like to define education as the procurement of those preternatural skills which would enable a person to choose between what is right and what is not. Our Indian system of education since time immemorial has been sailing magnificently on the winds of hope, moral coherence and ethical values with the principal objective of making all of us good human beings as opposed to mere knowledge banks. Over the decades, we’ve produced some very fine men and women. From Swami Vivekananda to Sir C V Raman, from Amartya Sen to Rajendra Pachauri, they’ve all been fine lode stars of our educational system. I know there’ve been people cynical of our ‘harsh’ and ‘stern’ methodology of education. But if the drilling exercise is a necessity for intellectual growth, then why not tread that path fearlessly? After all, it is only under pressure that coal turns to diamond. Look at the list of school related criminal attacks worldwide and you’d observe the US perched handsomely at the top. The dominant role of Indian Americans in the US economy is pretty noticeable as well. Is it not ironical that the well oiled products of our educational system are largely responsible for the economic boom of a ‘global superpower’? Who’s the Big Daddy now? Is this not tangible testimony of our profound educational prowess? Above all the number crunching and intricate statistics, above all the heated cacophony of debates and discussions, just one phrase rings euphoria and triumph in my mind. Vande Mataram. Nothing else. Thank you.

Pakistan’s War on Terror Up to and Beyond 2014

While Pakistan continues to be a frontline state in the global war on terror, it is simultaneously fighting domestic terrorism in a war that will seemingly continue well beyond 2014. In recent months, terror attacks targeting the Shia Hazara minority in Baluchistan indicate a transformation of the terror problem in Pakistan. The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi present two different sides of Pakistan’s terrorism problem, however, the two organizations have increasingly converged operationally to the extent that Pakistan cannot eliminate one without simultaneously confronting the other. BACKGROUND: The September 11 terrorist attacks on the U. S. in which thousands of innocent lives were lost led Pakistan to join the U. S. -led global war against international terrorism in which Pakistan has over the years made an invaluable contribution. However, with the passage of time, Washington increasingly came to view Islamabad as part of the problem rather than the solution. Most U. S. and European policy makers believe that Pakistan is providing a safe haven for the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. Western media is full of stories about a presence of the Taliban leadership in Pakistan, including of Mullah Omar’s alleged base in Quetta. Since the summer of 2008, U. S. military and intelligence agencies are sharing minimal intelligence with its Pakistani counterparts, instead focusing on drone attacks against suspected terrorist movements and hideouts. Pakistan is a signatory to the UN’s Palermo Convention. At the regional level, Pakistan has signed and ratified SAARC Regional Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism and the SAARC Convention on Narcotic Drugs Substances and the ECO Protocol against drugs. It has extradition treaties with 29 countries and bilateral agreements or MOUs on terrorism with 50 countries. Pakistan has played a major role in eliminating a number of terror networks such as the Al-Qaeda Anthrax network, the Alghuraba network, the UK-based Anglo-Pakistani group and Jundullah. Prominent targets captured include Khalid Sheikh Muhammad, Abu Alfaraj Alibi, Al Shib, Abu Zubaida, Abu Talha, Khalid bin Attash or Walid bin Attish, Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, Mohammad Naeem Noor Khan, Abu Laith al-Libi, Hasan Bana, Hamza Rabbi, Sharif Al Masri, Abu Mushab Masri, Jaffar Uttayyar Alkashmiri Yassir Al-Jaziri, and Abdul Rehman Al-Masri. Umar Patek was arrested in Abbottabad by Pakistani forces and may have provided important leads to Osama bin Laden’s whereabouts. Since 9/11, Pakistan has also become a victim of terrorism. The direct and indirect cost suffered by Islamabad in the war on terror has been around US$ 35 billion. There has been a constant increase in the number of terror attacks in Pakistan since 9/11 and a number of prominent Pakistanis have lost their lives in such attacks. These include the two-time Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto and the former head of the Pakistan Army’s Special Service Group, Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Ameer Faisal Alvi. Most of the jihadists in Pakistan, especially the splinter groups of various organizations, are now operating under the umbrella of TTP, a Deobandi Sunni organization established in December 2007. TTP’s objectives include cleansing Pakistan of foreign, meaning the U. S. and overall Western, presence, implementing Sharia and establishing a Caliphate. Over the years, TTP has been involved in a number of suicide bombings, rocket attacks, remote controlled bombs, abductions, and beheadings. It has widened its area of operations beyond Pakistan’s tribal areas and targeted a number of government installations and organizations in the mainland, including the Federal Investigation Agency’s Lahore office, the Naval War College in Lahore, the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, the Wah ordinance Factory, the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, a police training school, the GHQ Rawalpindi and the Navy’s Mehran base in Karachi. It is also involved in kidnapping for ransom, bank robberies, forced taxes and drug trade. IMPLICATIONS: Since 9/11, the TTP has increasingly converged with the staunchly anti-Shia militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. A number of prominent TTP operations were conducted by known Lashkar-e-Jhangvi operatives. In recent months, the Hazaras in Baluchistan are increasingly becoming a prime target of the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. Both TTP and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi consider Shias kafirs (infidels) and hence legitimate targets. Terrorist activities showed no sign of receding in 2012, indicating that after more than a decade of fighting terror, Pakistan is nowhere close to the finishing line in this war and the problem is taking an even uglier shape. According to various sources, Pakistan suffered more than 6000 casualties in different terror attacks in 2012. More than 450 terror attacks were recorded in 2012 in which at least 39 were confirmed suicide attacks. Another important development in 2012 was the increasing operational alliance between the TTP and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, although the two groups have cooperated with each other also in the past, the group led by Amjad Farooqi in 2003-2004 being a case in point. However, in 2012 the two groups largely converged operationally in the sense that they declared a war against Shias. This convergence has resulted in the worst attacks to date against Shias, especially the Hazaras in Baluchistan. In 2012, Shias were targeted in 113 attacks in which 396 people lost their lives, indicating the increasingly sectarian features of Pakistan’s terrorism problem. So far, more than a thousand terror-related deaths have occurred in 2013. Apart from a closer alliance emerging between TTP and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, TTP has also established Ansar Al-Aseerian (Helpers of the prisoners) in partnership with the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. According to media reports, Adnan Rasheed has been appointed the head of this group. The purpose of this group is to free all militants held in custody by Pakistani security forces and in various jails. TTP is also attempting to expand its activities and area of influence to Karachi, Pakistan’s major financial hub. Karachi, which is also considered to be Pakistan’s major Pashtun center, has been a preferred hideout for TTP, while some TTP and other jihadi activists have received medical treatment in Karachi. 2013 also witnessed two developments that will have long lasting effect on Pakistan’s war against terrorism. Firstly, Pakistan’s national Assembly unanimously passed the National Counter Terrorism Authority Bill 2013 on March 8, 2013. The establishment of a National Counter Terrorism Authority (NCTA) will play an important role in the efforts to combat terrorism. According to the mandate given to NCTA, it will â€Å"coordinate counter terrorism and counter extremism efforts in view of the nature and magnitude of the terrorist threat; and to present strategic policy options to the government for consideration/implementation by the stakeholders after scientifically studying the phenomenon of extremism and terrorism in historic and professional perspective. † Secondly, Pakistan’s army is taking a tougher stance and increasing its attention to the terrorism problem, as indicated by the decision of Pakistan’s army chief to treat the problem of terrorism as an operational priority. 013 is also an election year in Pakistan, with national and provincial elections scheduled for May 11, 2013. TTP has already targeted a number of political events in Khyber Paktunkhwa and especially the Awami National Party’s election campaign. The political party or parties that will form the next government will not only inherit a crisis in the energy and financial sectors but will also have to make hard decisions about the country’s war against terror. CONCLUSIONS: Developments in Pakistan suggest that the country’s terror problem will only increase in the lead-up to 2014 and Pakistan will have to fight its war on terror well beyond 2014, if concrete and decisive steps against TTP and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi are not taken. Both organizations want Pakistan to be a Sunni state and are increasingly targeting Shias. The Pakistani people and armed forces have paid a huge price in people and material in this ongoing war. Unless Pakistan addresses the root causes of the problem, it will not only persist but also get worse.

Chemistry Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Chemistry Paper - Essay Example The treaty had over 300 stations that were used as sniffers of the radionuclides. It also had the ability to listen to the lowest frequencies, and had the ability to record the tremors. The main purpose of this treaty was to exercise the chemistry principle that went be the terms safer chemistry for accident prevention. The main reason for this concept or principle was to exercise all activities that were environment friendly. The establishment of this treaty led to more emphasis on environment consciousness by all countries including the super powers like the United States. The international monetary system supports the CTBT process with over 1 billion dollars’ worth of funds. The funding has ensured that the treaty is implemented successfully, which is attributable to the reduction of activities involving testing of explosives. The plan was set up that would enable institutions and some individuals to work with CTBT was a good step as this will enable them to learn more from each other hence making sure the environment friendly activities are exercised fully. Most of these institutions handle chemical substances. Working with CTBT will ensure proper use and exposure of these chemicals. Clery, D. (2015). Plundering a nuclear test ban treasure-trove. News.sciencemag.org. Retrieved 23 June 2015, from

Understanding of the Chinese traditional value Essay

Understanding of the Chinese traditional value - Essay Example Here, Rationale means to act based on objective truths and laws. Propriety implies suitability or appropriateness. The Chinese traditional value of harmony calls for â€Å"harmony but not uniformity.† coordinating dissimilar things to achieve an appropriate combination and thus move â€Å"from uncoordinated situation to one of coordination; from asymmetry to symmetry; and from imbalance to balance.† (Pan, pg 54) The contemporary Chinese society has put up a strong fight to ensure the maintenance of harmony between individuals and society; between nature and human beings; between communities; and between the mind and the body. This work details the Chinese traditional values with regard to parenting and goes further to compare these values with those forming the western culture. Talking about Chinese parenting, one will not miss to mention words such as strict, controlling and authoritarian. This is well established, especially, when we consider the example given by Amy Chua, a professor in law, who in the recent years candidly opened up her story of how she raised her daughters as a "Tiger Mother." A study by psychologists that sought to establish why Chinese parents were so much controlling found a strong attachment of the parent’s authoritarianism to their traditional values, particularly the one relating to obedience. Parents believe have been found to strongly influence the parenting style preferred not only in china but also in other parts of the world. Comparison between the Chinese parenting values and those of western countries, gives a wide divergence. Such is the case that these values differ not only with regard to family customs, but also the goals set for the children. Having said that lets now consider some of the values as it relates to the two worlds. Parenting style refers to a general scheme that describes how much response and control a parent directs towards his/her children. A study

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INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL REPORTING - Essay Example International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) are touchstones, explanations and the Framework for the Preparation and Presentation of Financial Statements of corporations. The objectives of financial reporting can be bifurcated into General Objectives, Derived Company Objectives, Derived External User Objectives and Specific Objectives. The general objectives of any financial reporting is to provide the present and possible capitalists, creditors and other users with information which may be useful for them to make lucid investment, credit, and comparable decisions. Derived external user objective provides useful information so that potential investors can calculate the amount and time to make their investment. Through the financial statements the investors, creditors and others can assess the future net cash inflows to the company. The specific objectives are to provide the company about its cash flows, its complete income and the various components of such income and also the company’s economic resources, obligations, and owners’ equity (Nikolai Bazley Jones, 2009). Even though a printed annual report contains data about programs, new products, proposed capital expending etc., this is normally showed in such a way that it is certainly assorted from the regular financial statements (Mautz and Sharaf, 1961, 170-171). The amount of information which has to be presented should help the users to take decisions and form opinions (Flint, 1982, 15). Apparently too much or too little detail may be detrimental (Mautz and Sharaf, 1961, 170). Flint (1982, 15) states that basic queries in financial reporting are †from which users ´ standpoint have the accounts to be considered† and what degree of agreement is to be accepted on the part of those who have to figure notions and take decisions. The IASB framework keys out the fundamental concept based on

Kitchen demo Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Kitchen demo - Assignment Example The study will further provide a discussion of a food service system to be employed. Menu that illustrates proper and sufficient utilization of the existing kitchen In this study a menu to be employed will involve a blue print on how the available kitchen will be utilized to prevent overlapping and under utilization of the available space and equipment (Baraban & Durocher, 2010). The menu may help to determine the level of skills required among the Chefs, the purchase prices for the items as well as energy cost to be incurred (Walker & Lundberg, 2007). Connectively it is important to that a commercial kitchen should be designed in such a manner that mobility of employees in the kitchen is easier. This may help in ensuring that there is maximum safety and efficiency (Baraban & Durocher, 2010). Whereby the available walking space left can allow employees to move easily and respond quickly to customer’s request. Below is a presentation of how the available kitchen space may be ut ilized and annual maintenance cost for the available space as well as revenues break down. ... Amount of unit sale if $850 is to generated=850?Y.units=Ä ¬,000 Y=353units sale Amount of unit sale if $1000 is to generated=$1000?Yunits=$300,000 Y=300unit sales Maintenance cost for the remaining space per month=$50?200 =10,000 Maintenance cost for the remaining space per year=($50?200)12 =$120,000 Total annual revenues and maintenance expenditure $300,000 $6000+120,000=$126000 Net revenue after deduction of space expenditure on spa $174,000 Rent per square feet annually = $50,000 Rent per year =$300,000 Amount to be generated per day to make profits ($850-$1,000unit sales) = $300,000per year Total space for the room = 30?20=300unit Kitchen (1/3?300) = 100units Remaining floor space= 200 to be used for setting up seats for customers who will be to buy meal. Discussion of a food service system to be employed The commercial food service system will employ various techniques to ensure that different food menu is available on daily basis to meet dynamics needs of the customers. Additi onally both unskilled and skilled labor will be required in the system. In above connection, the food service model will employ some energy efficient measure to ensure that the energy cost is minimized while maximizing profits at the same time (Lewis & Slack, 2003). The commercial services equipments will be pre tested to determine water and energy consumption pattern. This measure will help to ensure there is efficiency in the amount of water and energy utilized (Wentz, 2007). Additionally, the model utilize modern equipments for cooking and for preserving food staffs in order to ensure that there will be effectiveness and efficiency on the services rendered to the customers (Wentz, 2007). Among the cooking equipments that will be employed include: Large vat fryers, steam cookers,

Organizational Innovation and Change D5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Organizational Innovation and Change D5 - Essay Example In an aim of expanding the organization and giving it a global image the bank has invested realized its social responsibility. It has invested in charity events and in the effort of improving the needless in society it has vented into Africa and Asia (Zell, 2008). The bank has been involved in the motivation of their employees. The bank has developed a culture in which the welfare of the employees is paramount. They have end month fan fairs and they pay their employees well. All employees are insured and housed or given house allowances. This intern increases the employees’ commitment (Tushman, 2006). The customers get satisfied due to good public relation; it is able to expand due to a large client base. The bank has also has also invested into technology and allows great idea this is there reason to its expansion. There are regulations that drive the financial sector consolidates is the result of 60 percent growth in terms of shares and asset. There banks vision statement has been realized to a percentage. The success is due to an organized team. The bank has portrayed the essence of the vision statement and how it’s used to drive the company forward. The bank has invested heavily and employed expertise to enable their success (Beerman, 2005). The vision statement should be the one driving a company towards the

A written opinion of your legal thoughts Movie Review

A written opinion of your legal thoughts - Movie Review Example However, the manner in which the officer attacked him was a violation of the human rights. The police officer used a chokehold to bring Eric to a position that he could be handcuffed. The chokehold seemed to have suffocated Eric, and he succumbed to suffocation. There is no possible explanation that can set the officer free from his actions. The move was unwise and a violation of the human rights and the code of ethics and conduct. Similar to Eric Garner’s case, the video on Rodney King’s death illustrates how police officers ignored their duty to uphold general responsibility towards suspects. The video indicates police officers roughing up Rodney. The worst part is that Rodney did not use any force or resist arrest. He was powerless and helpless. The police officers took the law in their hands. Their inhumane action was governed by personal issues rather than professionalism. Unlike the Garner situation, the police find Raheem in a brawl. He resists arrest, and the police officer decides to put him down by choking him. The video, an excerpt from the movie â€Å"Do the Right Thing, 1989† Radio Raheem, a fictional character, is held in a chokehold. The video indicates the manner in which police use brutal force to maintain a suspect who resists arrest. However, the police office ends up being a liable for murder due to neglecting the code of ethics and conduct in his line of

A Comparison between the Hindu Gods of Good and Evil Essay Example for Free

A Comparison between the Hindu Gods of Good and Evil Essay In Hinduism, the primary goal of an individual is to achieve the so-called Nirvana or â€Å"becoming one with God. † Nirvana connotes the transcendence of the human spirit to the Oneness of the Divine Spirit (Hemenway, 2003). Hence, many Hindus practice a variety of evolved rituals and esoteric practices to enable their spirit to adapt to the divine essence. The hope of spiritual transcendence given by Nirvana became the basis for creation or conceptualization of many gods in the Hindu religion. These gods are basically derivatives of the â€Å"One God†; the â€Å"One God’ being represented in all aspects of nature (Hemenway, 2003). Thus, in order to simulate the specific characteristics of this God, Hindus focus on worshipping all the representations of this God. In general, the Hindu religion speaks of about 300 major and lesser gods. The primary three gods are known as the Holy Trinity. Brahma is the creator; Vishnu is the preserver (pattern-maker); and Shiva, the destroyer. The three are inseparable from each other. In order for creation to proceed, there must be a period of destruction. In order for destruction to occur, a period of preservation must happen (prior). Thus, the existence of the three gods presents a vivid description of the Hindu’s belief on the existence of man. If man is to be born, he must be preserved from the impediments of bad life and evil, and he must face the reality of death. To be born is to be created; to be preserved is to be rectified from the evils of daily living; to die is to acknowledge the origin of the human spirit. Only in this way that the human spirit would be able to achieve Nirvana (transcendence of the human spirit to the divine essence). Thus, Hindus hold on the assumption that once man is born (and reborn) in this world, there are powers who would guide and misguide him to attain Nirvana. The guiding powers are essentially the gods of good. The powers misguiding man to his true purpose are the gods of evil. This is though unlike the Christian conception of good and evil. Evil here is not seen as non-functional. Rather it serves as a manifest of test during the preservation period of man’s being; that is, the necessity to achieve Nirvana. Good here is seen something as an end; that is, the representation of Nirvana on earth. We can therefore assume that the conception of good and evil is a rectification of ideological misconceptions in the Hindu religion. The first clarification is concerning the source of good and evil. It is quite clear in Hindu religion that both good and evil gods came from the same source. Evil is the perversion of good. In order for evil to exist, good must first come into existence. The second clarification states â€Å"good gods are often transformed into evil gods as they experience strange circumstances. † The conception connotes the existence of One Divine Essence represented as both good and evil in nature. Evil is not a natural phenomenon, it springs from the Divine Essence serving as a test to humanity. Thus, when we compare Hindu gods of good and evil, take note that we are essentially talking of functional difference. This functional difference is manifested in the perceived roles of the gods in nature. The Hindu gods of good are represented in things â€Å"perceived† by the Hindus as rudiments of a â€Å"good life. † For example, Ganesha is often described as a god of good because he bestows good fortune to those seeking his favor. Specifically, he is considered the source of prosperity and wealth for Hindus. Some call Ganesha the Lord of Good Fortune and the Destroyer of Obstacles. Often, Hindus attribute their economic and social well-being to the hands of Ganesha. Added to that, because man is located in a physical world full of dangers and obstacles, he continuously provide his divine guidance to man. Hence, he is sometimes called the god of wisdom and intellect in Hinduism. Ganesha is seen as a good god who bestows his wisdom and divine intellect to man in order for him (man) to attain Nirvana. Frankly speaking, he is seen by many Hindus as the source of hope and aspiration. Besides Ganesha, there are three other gods considered to be good by many Hindus. Durga is a goddess representing the power of the Supreme Being who maintains moral order (Hindu Gods, 2005). In Sanskrit, her name means a â€Å"fort or a place that is protected. † Thus, Durga is known as the Divine Mother. In her arms, she protects the human race from evil by destroying the sources of evil. Like Ganesha, Lakshmi is considered a goddess of good-living and prosperity. In Sanskrit, her name literally means â€Å"goal† (Hindu Gods, 2005). Thus, she signifies the goals of life. These goals of life can be achieved either in the physical or spiritual realm. Most Hindus pray to her for guidance. Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge, and wisdom. She is often associated with Brahma, the creator of the universe. In Sanskrit, her name means â€Å"the essence of the self† (Hindu Gods, 2005). Hinduism puts knowledge on a higher pedestal, being the prerequisite for creation. To the Hindu worshipper, Saraswati provides guidance to humanity in accomplishing their daily tasks. Hindus believe that Saraswati, during the early part of creation, provided man with practical knowledge. This practical knowledge allowed man to create civilizations, far greater than any in the animal kingdom. In Hinduism, there are gods considered to be the source of evil in this world. In Pauranic traditions, Asuras and Devas are the step sons of Kasyapa, an unknown god considered to be the primordial source of evil. They are considered to be demon gods projected as enemies of humanity. The Asuras (this is a group of demon gods) became too proud of their ancestry and power. Thus, the Devas became enraged over the war mongering of the Asuras and decided to punish them. The punishment though was self-serving. The Devas thought by forcing the Asuras to serve them, they would be able to project themselves as rulers of the physical world. This view of the Asuras and Devas was expanded in Iranian mythology. Iranian mythology presented Asur Mazda as the embodiment of good in this world and Devas as the villain. It should be noted though that in Hindu mythology, both the Asuras and the Devas are perceived as demon gods; that is, gods that would take all hope from humanity in the attainment of the Nirvana. The term Asuras, unlike the terminological evolution in Iranian mythology, came to signify in later times (in Hinduism) as the representation of evil; demon itself. In Hinduism, there are gods considered evil precisely because they are perceived to be enemies of the â€Å"good gods† and humanity in general. Vritra, for example, is a serpent god often called as the â€Å"enemy of the gods† (The Complete Book of Devils and Demons, 2005). His favorite animal, the serpent, carries the scent of death to those who would call his name. Yama is a Hindu god considered to be the lord of death. His two dogs drag humanity into the fervor of spiritual death; the essence of which is the loss of spiritual transcendence to the Divine Essence. The same is true for Ravana, the Demon King (The Complete Book of Devils and Demons, 2005). He is seen as the incarnation of evil in this world. At times, he would lure humans into his trap, forcing them to pledge loyalty to his evil will. There are also evil creatures considered to be the direct descendants of the evil gods. Kasyapa, the primordial source of evil (and the father of both the Asuras and the Devas) gave birth to the Daityas. These are unpleasant demons who roamed the physical world to destroy man’s sacrifices to the good gods. The good gods are therefore their natural enemies. Kasyapa also gave birth to the Danavas (The Complete Book of Devils and Demons, 2005). These are creatures often disguised as man to motivate man to rebel against the good gods. These creatures (who at times became demon gods) possessed powers of persuasion and bad luck. They often seduce man to covet the properties of the gods and to stop offering sacrifices. Added to that, they also offer their services to the primary â€Å"evil gods† in their fight against the good gods. The good gods are sometimes forced to seek refuge to other places in order to avoid the rage of these demonic creatures. In the end, however, the good gods succeed in defeating these evil creatures (in alliance with the evil gods). There are also other â€Å"entities† described as evil in the Hindu religion. The Darbas are destructive that â€Å"tears† human flesh (hence the name, â€Å"tearers†). The Rakshasas are goblins and ghouls which descended from the foot of Brahma. They can be titans or as little as a cat that haunt cemeteries and other religious places. They disturb sacrifices, animate the dead, eat people, and spread disease and disorder. These creatures often serve the evil gods in their fight against the good gods. In sum, evil goods in the Hindu religion are either the enemies of the gods and humanity or those which prevent humanity from attaining Nirvana. These gods descended from the three primary gods (Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva). At times, they trace their ancestry to good gods. This explains the proposition stated earlier that the â€Å"good is the prerequisite of evil. Added to that, some evil Hindu gods (like the Asuras and the Devas) in Hinduism present their identity as the result of perversion on the part of the good gods. Take note that the â€Å"good gods† are not by nature good. Like in Greek mythology, Hindu gods are often involved in intrigues that affect their functions as gods. At times, even the good gods struggle against each other for supremacy. Only when the threat of evil becomes preeminent, the good Hindu gods join forces to defeat the evil gods. Most of the time, they achieve success. At some time, they flee from the hordes of the evil gods. We come now to the discussion of the primary differences of Hindu gods of good and evil. As stated earlier, the main difference between these gods can be derived from the concept of functionality. Hindu gods of good are represented as the â€Å"good rudiments† of nature (and man’s guidance in attaining Nirvana). Hindu gods of evil are essentially the symbols of a corrupt humanity. This corruption is the ultimate obstacle (and often irreversible) of man in attaining Nirvana. There are though specific differences between these sets of deities. Here are as follows: ) Culturally speaking, the Hindu gods of good are often associated with the mystical founders of Hindu civilization (Hemenway, 2003). For example, in the Vedic manuscripts the ancient founders of the Indus civilization are often given divine attributes. These gods are the progenitors of practical and divine knowledge to the people. The evil gods are often associated with the invaders; that is, the barbarians who destroyed the Indus civilization and established the caste system (note that the caste system is functional in the eyes of a Hindu – this connotes that evil itself is functional in some ways); ) The good gods are often represented as the symbols of perpetuity and healthy living (Hemenway, 2003). Animals such as the elephant, cow, and rat are associated with the good gods because of their dual symbol of power and humility: the very virtues that humanity adheres to. The evil gods are represented by serpent, monkey (symbol of arrogance and maliciousness), and in some cases the vulture: symbols of decay and corruption of the human spirit. Take note however that these creatures are respected in the Hindu religion because evil is seen as a manifest test of humanity in achieving Nirvana; ) Lastly, the good gods are usually are represented as bringers of justice and love to humanity. The eight arms of Ganesha symbolize love for humanity. The swords loaded to arms of Ganesha symbolize justice and his will to protect humanity from evil powers. The evil gods carry weapons that aim to destroy and misguide humanity. We must though take note that there is no sharp demarcation between good and evil (Abhedananda and Math, 2007). In Vedanta philosophy, there is no such thing as a natural good. Any action can be viewed as either good or bad depending on the one who views it. Thus, it can be said that â€Å"every action, whether backed by good or bad motives, is covered with its opposite, as fire is enveloped with smoke† (Abhedananda and Math, 2007). Thus to assume that the good gods in the Hindu religion are naturally good is a misconception. It is often noted some â€Å"good gods† gave birth to evil ones. This instance indicate that evil is the offspring of good.

Laws and Regulations Essay Example for Free

Laws and Regulations Essay Introduction British Petroleum is the US’s largest corporation. One of the largest oil producers, BP services globally for billions of dollars each year. BP distributes oil and natural gas all over the world. British Petroleum has run into several problems with federal regulations over many years. Because of safety issues against the communities OSHA had to investigate many times for oil spills and natural gas leaks. Coca Cola is also one of the largest company beverage companies on the world. Coca Cola was used at first to cure addicts but the n it was revamped and used for making drinks for everyone. Like BP, Coca Cola had its issues with the law as well. They have been accused of violating human rights, pesticides in the groundwater, and finding cancer causing chemicals in the soft drinks. In 2008 it was concluded that Coca Cola was in direct violation FDA for health risk. We will compare and contrast the risks of safety regulations, OSHA violation, product safety and liability, workers compensation, and workplace data security and property protection from Coca Cola and British Petroleum. OSHA The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) of 1970 is a federal regulation that establishes and enforces health and safety policy in the workplace (Goetsch, 2008). It covers private sector employers and employees and encourages states to participate in health and safety programs. States that participate receive half of its funding from the federal government (OSHA.gov, 2011). In the advent of increasing awareness and training of health and safety, company safety representatives must be up-to-date on laws, regulations and liability. The OSH Act requires employers to maintain statistical health and safety records and to report occupational illnesses and injuries under certain conditions at each company location. The reporting conditions are the following: â€Å"Death of one or more workers, one or more days away from work, restricted motion or restrictions to the work that an employee can do, loss of consciousness of one or more workers, transfer of an employee to another job, medical treatment beyond in-house first aid (if it is not on the first-aid list, it is considered medical treatment), and any other condition listed in Appendix B of the rule† (Goetsch, 2008, p. 121). Employers are responsible for informing employees about health and safety practices, laws, and regulations. OSHA regulations apply to BP and Coca-Cola with some deviation because of the nature of the business. OSHA regulations include general industry standards and it provides health and safety training programs for employees and employers. In the last few years, BP has been under much scrutiny. OSHA fined BP $87.4m for safety violations that led up to the 2005 Texas City refinery explosion (Walter, 2009). In 2010, BP’s Gulf of Mexico oil spill is still under investigation by the government. Insiders blame the spill on BP’s decision to shortcut procedures and skip a quality test (Casselman Gold, 2010). Unlike BP, Coca-Cola received OSHA recognition in 2009 for having the highest employee safety and health standards at its Milesburg, PA site (OSHA.gov, 2009). Worker’s Compensation According to Goetsch (2008) â€Å" the concept of worker’s compensation developed as a way to allow injured employees to be compensated appropriately without having to take their employer to court† (Overview of Worker’s Compensation, p. 174). British Petroleum (BP) and Coca-Cola are large organization with locations around the world. Both organization have over 90,000 workers worldwide and have worker compensation plans to make sure injured employees are cared for. According to Ramos Law (2011), â€Å"workers at Coke suffer injuries similar to that of other factory employees. These workers suffer shoulder injuries from repetitive jobs such as mixing formula; knew injuries from loading product; or back pain from general warehouse jobs† (Hurt While Working at Coca-Cola or in the Beverage Industry?, para. 1). Coke needs to do a risk analysis and provide training to reduce the amount of workers’ compensation claims. British Petroleum (BP) had a massive oil spill in April of 2010 off the Gulf of Mexico in which BP hired over 20,000 people to help clean up the disaster. The care, training and protective gear for the cleanup crews was below safety standards. Training and protective gear could be the cause of the worker’s compensation claims that BP has will continue to receive. According to Johnston Moore Thompson Attorneys at Law (2011), â€Å"seven oil spill workers were hospitalized on May 26 after experiencing nausea, dizziness and headaches. Four more were hospitalized on May 28, two of whom were admitted for chest pains† (First Workers Compensation Cases Building for Oil Spill Cleanup, para. 4). The fumes from the oil and the touching of the hazardous material to try and reduce the damage caused many to become sick. The safety standards of BP are being questioned for both the workers and the surrounding areas that were hit by this devastating oil spill. Product Safety and Liability Product safety and liability is a law that was created to hold distributors, retailers, manufacturers, and suppliers responsible for injuries caused from the product (Goetsch, 2008). This law was designed so that in the event injury occurs the consumer is protected. There are a number of different concepts that have laid the groundwork for the product liability law. The four major reasons that the laws were created were from, negligent manufacture, breach of warranty, strict liability in tort, and negligent design (Goetsch, 2008). Companies must take the time to ensure that the products that have been designed meet the safety standards to prevent potential instances from occurring. Coca Cola ensures that the product safety and liability is met by measuring the product and package requirements against the company standards. The company uses â€Å"The Coca-Cola Management Systems† which is a quality management system that maintains the company’s operations worldwide, maintain the Coca-Cola standards (thecoca-colacompany.com, 2011). BP has been under the analysis for quite some time since the oil spill occurred that caused millions of dollars in damage to the Gulf of Mexico. Since that time BP has created new ideas to monitor the waters that hold different oil rigs, these have been created to ensure quality monitoring. BP has created an observation program that will support constant monitoring. (BP.com, 2011) This will allow for the creation of quality monitoring preventing additional instances of the oil spill occurring in the future. This is important part of the product liability and safety program to ensure that the company follows the guidelines required to prevent future liability’s from occurring. This new quality monitoring will be able to â€Å"detect changes within the water quality, marine mammal vocalizations and weather and water temperature† (BP.com, 2011). Workplace Data and Property Protection In the workplace the most important option to the company is security and protection. Companies spend millions of dollars creating systems to protect all the assets and data that passed through a system. At BP, system security over their data tying global partnerships each refinery is a goal amongst the company. British Petroleum train each employee to keep information confidential and away from media if there is a minor incident. The risk of an employee breaking that code of silence about vital information is likely to happen. They have contracts to state employees cannot talk to media or there will be consequences that could ultimately lead to termination. Environmental Protection Agency protects the property and materials produced by BP. EPA keeps the regulation on what products are safe for BP to use to drill oil. Coke Cola has similar issues of security, but they are interested in keeping new products under the table so they can have the advantage over their competition once they launch a product. Their data protection requires a secure system as well. Both IT departments make sure systems do not get hacked by putting up server walls on the system. The security side of the results of companywide is an enterprise-level record of reference that becomes the official record for a given employee, customer, supplier, facility or other entity. Records of reference are the gold standard against which all other records in the system must be validated. These bind together the mass of company data and are at the core of the master data management approach to enterprise-wide integration (Goetsch, 2008). Although other large corporations are developing their own information frameworks, BP’s design is unique in that it specifically complements BP’s decentralized business structure. Casselman and Gold (2010) describes a situation in which a BP employee might have multiple records in one or more human resource databases, making it time-consuming to weed out the duplicate data. Conclusion There are many risks and contrasting information between the Coca Cola and British Petroleum. Both must follow rules and regulations of OSHA and federal laws in order to stay in business. Both companies had their share of setbacks when it came to employees and safety issues that made the public eye. Both companies continue to make billions of dollars and each year as the rules change they are learning to change with it. References BP.com. (2011) BP Deploying Advance Unmanned Water Quality Monitoring Vehicles in Gulf of Mexico. Retrieved from http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=2012968contentId=7064711 Casselman, B. and Gold, R. (2010). BP decisions set stage for disaster. Current, 524,14-16. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete. Goetsch, L. (2008). Occupational safety and health for technologists, engineers, and managers (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Johnston Moore Thompson Attorneys at Law. (2011). Hunysvills Pearsonal Injusry Law. Retrieved from http://www.huntsvillepersonalinjurylaw.com. OSHA.gov. (2009). U.S. Department of Labors OSHA recognizes Coca-Cola Danone Waters LLC for workplace safety and health success. Retrieved from http://www.osha.gov/ pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASESp_id=18137. OSHA.gov. (2011). United States Department of Labor. Occupational Safety Health Administration. Retrieved from http://www.osha.gov/OSHA_FAQs.html. Ramos Law. (2011). Ramos Law Firm Workers Comp Blog. Retrieved from http://www.ramoslawblog.com. Thecoca-colacompany.com. (2011) Product Quality: Coca-Cola Quality. Retrieved from http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/citizenship/quality.html Walter, P. (2009). BP handed 87.4m fines. Chemistry Industry, 22, 7. Retrieved from Business Source Complete.

The Rise of Playboi Carti

The Rise of Playboi Carti The music industry is at a constant change, with new artist coming and going everyday. Yet there are so many artist out there, you can only take the time to actually know of so many. Everyone has their own opinion of what a superstar is and what defines them as one. I believe Jordan Carter also known as Playboi Carti is a superstar that has yet had his big break. I have done tons of research about Mr. Carter that supports he is on the rise and should be a  superstar. For Jordan it all started at Ethereals bachelor pad in Atlanta, where he recorded some songs. Ethereal noticed right away that Jordan was different than just any rapper new to the game, and thats why he loved to work with him. At the time Jordan Carter was still in high school. He almost didnt graduate because he was skipping school all the time to go to the studio and record. Mostly everyone in his high school was enjoying his music, especially the girls. Playboi Carti and Ethereal went on to make many hits like   Lost and Broke Boi. After high school he moved from Atlanta to New York to focus more on his music and success. In March of 2015 Playboi Carti first met Asap Rocky at SXSW in Austin, Texas. Since then he has gone on tour twice, and is now signed to Asap Mob, and Awful Records. Surprisingly there is no mixtape in his career, he is working on an album now, but his success kicked off   from his few singles. I Actually went to one of his concerts in Houston this past November with my girlfriend for his Turnt and Burnt Tour with Asap Ferg and Rob Stone. He had so many fans come out to see him, with so much positive energy in the building, it was probably one of the best nights of my life. He definitely put on a performance I will never forget, and I hope to be able to watch him again live in person one day. Playboi Carti has gained most of his fans through his music, but he has also gained a huge chunk of fans from his clothing style. Some of his favorite brands are Maison Martin Margiela, Rick Owens, and Supreme. For only being 20 he has modeled with multiple brands such as   Drakes OVO   Summer 2016 Lookbook, VLONE, Off-White, and the most recent Kanye West Yeezy Season. He is surely moving up and the best has yet to come. Not only has he modeled with many brands,   he has also collaborated with many artist such as Asap Mob, Frank Ocean, Skpeta, Lil Yatchy, and Lil Uzi Vert who he went on tour with. Playboi Cartis first music video along with his first top hit was WHAT with UnoTheActivist and Asap Rocky. Not including all of his features with other artist, his 18 songs on his Soundcloud all have over 1 million plays, some call him the god of Soundcloud. Growing up he listened to R Kelly, Lil John, Gucci, Young Jeezy, Prince, and Michael Jackson. Asap Mob is a big influence on Carti, he has always wanted to be surrounded by the group, he tries to learn from them. As of today he looks up to Bari, Nast,Michael Jackson, Asap Rocky, and Kurt Cobain. Every morning he gets in the mindset of Do I wanna show out or do I wanna be fly?. The thing about Playboi Carti is he is not afraid to test his limits with his music making ability. He is always listening and thinking about music, he describes his style as grind music, turn up, and flex music. All Playboi Carti wants to do is make people feel motivated by his music and inspire them to be like him. I have been a fan of his for almost two years now and he has yet to disappoint me. I will always look forward to his new music and seeing his face model high fashion brands. He is a superstar to me and I strongly believe Jordan Carter, aka Playboi Carti has everything if not more, to be a superstar to everyone. He started back in 2014 and already made a good name for himself. Playboi Carti is on the rise and will be a legend one day. Work Cited C.M, Emmanuel. Playboi Carti Prepares to Show You the Way With New Mixtape. xxlmag.com. XXL Magazine, 12 Jan. 2017. Web. 7 Feb. 2017. Nirui, Ava. Playboi Carti is Leading a New Generation Of Turn Up Rappers. Oystermag.com. Oyster Magazine, 19 Jul. 2016. Web. 7 Feb. 2017 Russell, Alex. Playboi Carti is Raps Young and Restless Prince.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Complex.com. Complex Music, 16 Sep. 2015. Web. 7 Feb. 2017.

Hand Guns Must Go :: essays research papers fc

Handguns Must Go People own hand guns for many reasons. Some keep handguns for protection; others collect them as a hobby. There is a substantial amount of people in America that own handguns for one specific reason, to commit crimes. Usually they are committing a crime just by having a gun in their possession. The person is breaking current laws anyways; making tougher gun control laws will not change the fact that they are committing a crime. How can guns be kept away from criminals? By taking away their guns, and stopping them from getting replacements. Guns are an easy to use, low cost killing device. One pull of a trigger and a person can intentionally or unintentionally take the life of another. The only way to stop violent crimes committed with the use of guns is to have a complete band on handguns and automatic weapons, and stop the production of any further except for police use. First, handguns are deadly devices that can easily cause thousands of accidental deaths a year. To be exact â€Å"Guns annually accidentally kill three thousand Americans a year† (Desuka 422). Some of these guns that accidentally kill are in a home because they are collected as a hobby. Collecting guns is a dangerous hobby that can have a disastrous outcome. For the same reasons the government does not allow a person to collect nuclear bombs they should not let people collect handguns. Just because a nuclear bomb would kill thousands of people if accidentally set off, and a gun usually only kills one does not mean the government should allow people to collect handguns and automatic weapons. Moreover, guns that accidentally kill are in a house for protection. With regard to burglaries, â€Å"90 percent of America’s burglaries are committed when no one is home† (Desuka 422). In the ten percent of burglaries that people are at home during, threatening a robber with a gun puts the victim more at risk of a violent attack than doing nothing would do. Taking guns out of households would lower the chances of them being a cause of an accidental death or injury. Next, if handguns were outlawed the murder rate would decrease. â€Å"Sixty percent of all murders are caused by guns, and handguns are involved in more than seventy percent of theses† (Desuka 422). Police would need to have a massive crackdown on criminals in order to take their handguns away.

Motherhood, Otello And The Theatre Experience :: essays research papers fc

The theatre experience can be explained as a measurement of satisfaction that a person attains after attending a theatrical performance. A positive theatre experience should be a truly cathartic event that evokes excitement and delight in the audience. A negative theatre experience, on the other hand, will have little to no impact on the audience and will most likely cause its members to be bored. Two theatrical presentations that provide contradicting theatre experiences are Otello and Motherhood, Madness and the State of the Universe. Otello, which is conducted by Richard Bradshaw, directed by Robin Phillips, written by Giuseppe Verdi (after William Shakespeare's play Othello) and was performed by The Canadian Opera Company on November 3, 2000 at the Hummingbird Centre in Toronto, Ontario, is a century old opera that tells the story of how the Moor of Venice, who has risen from slavery to a position of great power as a general of the Venetian army, falls victim to jealousy. Mother hood, Madness and the State of the Universe, which is written and performed by Kim Renders and was performed on October 13, 2000 in Lower Massey Hall at the University of Guelph, is a contemporary one-woman show which tells a satirical tale of marriage and parenthood via stories about Renders own children intertwined with historic accounts of her mother’s childhood. Three elements that influence how enjoyable a performance will be to an audience member are scenery, costumes and use of music. When compared on these bases, it is conclusive that Motherhood, Madness and the State of the Universe provides a theatre experience which is superior that of Otello. Scenery, by definition, is â€Å"the physical constructions that provide the specific acting environment for a play and that often indicate, by representation, the locale where a scene is set; the physical setting for a scene.† (Cohen, Theatre G-11). Modern scenery is either realistic as in Otello, or metamorphic as in Motherhood. Realistic scenery attempts to illustrate the details of a specific time and place in the real world, while metamorphic scenery favors visual images that insinuate the production’s intended mood and theme. The scenery in Otello depicts the inside of an elaborate castle with winding staircases (see figure 1, appendix A for the simplistic illustration). Desdemona’s bed, the tables, the goblets, etc. are all set pieces used on stage after having been extracted from rooms that would actually exist in a house.

A Critique Of American Sandwich Essay

The whole article tells a true story that happened when the author was a little kid. The Author moved from Portugal to American along with his parents. With so special family background, the author aspire to American Sandwiches rather than thick sliced ham and vegetables wrapped with large loaf of bread. Actually, it reflects the expectations of author that could be a strong desire to touch American cultures and fit into American social circles. Throughout the articleï ¼Å'Edite Cunha utilize the conversation between his mother and him as well as the mental activities behaved by him to describe his vivid dream of owning the sunbeam bread. The frequent transform of the scenes are better to draw the attention of the readers to focus on the rhythm of the story. I think each person has undergone same experience during his or her early stage of life. Take mine experience as an example, I was born in a remote town of a small city, when I was 10 years old, I moved out of the small town to the central areas of the city. I begun to study with these â€Å"urban kids†Ã¯ ¼Å'it took a quite long period for me to get rid of the loneliness. Because we are wired to feel fear whenever we stepping into an unfamiliar environment, this is why I stick to face the question and become more positive. Currentlyï ¼Å'I am logging for the American lifestyle, observing and mimicking people surround me.

Heredity, the Environment and Development Essay

The study of genetics has grown out of a desire to understand how exactly the individual comes to be just that, an individual different from its peers. In order to comprehend the scope of possible outcomes and how they came to be behavioral genetics looks at a number of variables; these include the impact of our genes (nature), and our environment (nurture). A countless number of hypotheses were put to the test through research to analyze the degree of influence of each. In this paper, team A will discuss the methods of behavioral genetics, the various research techniques used, their testing populations and why used, along with proposed answers and explanations. Behavioral GeneticsBehavioral geneticists uses family, twin and adoption studies as a basis for their argument of individual differences (Lerner, Bearer, Garcia, & Coll, 2004). A significant contributor to studies in behavioral genetics, provides this definition: â€Å"Behavioral genetics is the genetic study of behavior, which includes quantitative genetics (twin and adoption studies) as well as molecular genetics (DNA studies) of human and animal behavior broadly defined to include responses of the organism from responses measured in the brain such as functional neuro-imaging to self-report questionnaires† (Plomin,2004). Read more:  Influences that affect children’s development essay One of the first twin studies was conducted by Bouchard in 1979 when he found a set of monozygotic twins, babies from a fertilized egg that splits into two. The babies were separated at a few weeks old. The babies had many physiological and psychological similarities. Since Bouchard’s initial study it has been proven that, while monozygotic twins raised together have many similarities, those separated at an early age have an even greater likeness. Since twins being raised together are more likely to highlight their differences in order to maintain some element of independence, behavioral geneticists argue that this indicates a strong genetic underpinning in human development (Plomin, 2004). Research conducted by Grilo and Pogue-Geile (1991) correlated the familial relationships with extroversion. The study included monozygotic twins reared together and apart, dizygote twins reared together and apart, biological parents and children, biological siblings, adoptive parents and children and  unrelated siblings reared together. The results reflected that the highest correlation was between monozygotic twins raised together and apart. The lowest correlation was between unrelated siblings raised together. For behavioral geneticists, these results conclude that genetics are at work in determining the extroversion of a person. Behavioral geneticists suggest reasonable doubt in assuming connections between psychological environments and developmental results may be genetically arbitrated and that the environment a person is in responds to the genetically influenced characteristics (Plomin, 2004). The genetic association between parent and child is useful to examine. For example, â€Å"†¦differences in parenting can be the genetic effect rather than the environmental cause of children’s psychopathology† (Plomin, 2004, p. 345). The results of the twin, adoption and family studies support these assumptions. The Correlation of Heredity and EnvironmentThe nature versus nurture controversy exists because some people believe that a person’s genetics has the greatest impact on their personality, intelligence and behavior. On the flipside, some people believe that the environment has more of an impact. Behavior geneticists assume that behavior is influenced by the relations of heredity and environment. With the help of twin studies, and adoption studies researchers are working on understanding what molds a person into the individual he or she is today. Twin studies, using identical twins, are conducted to understand how biology influences traits and psychopathology in humans whose genotypes are the same (Haimowitz, n.d.).Twin studies also use fraternal twins who share half of the genes they acquire at conception which helps to compare the degrees of genetic influence such as intelligence and personality. Adoption studies take a look to see if adoptive children exhibit the behavioral and psychological traits of their adoptive parents, or those of their biological parents (Haimowitz). Any links to biological parents can be attributed to genetics, and any connection to adoptive parents can be  attributed to environment. Heredity-Environment correlations can be shown in three ways. One is the passive genotype-environment correlations. Passive genotype-environment correlation exists when a child’s biological parents are raising him or her (MacDonald, n.d.). An example of this situation could be Ana’s parents having the genetic predisposition to be intelligent and read skillfully leading one to believe that Ana will more than likely share these skills. Evocative Genotype-Environment Correlation occurs when a child’s genotype provokes a specific type of physical or social environment (MacDonald, n.d.). An example of this type of correlation: Andrew is artistic, and outgoing, he will elicit encouragement to try out for plays. Sheena is very athletic and competitive; she will be encouraged to go out for sports. Active genotype-Environment Correlations emerge when a child seeks out environments he or she will find compatible and stimulating (MacDonald, n.d.). An example could be that a child like Matilda, who has a gift of music, will seek a musical environment where she can expand on her talent. Scientist researching how genetics influences academic achievements show three ways heredity and environment could possibly be correlated. The three ways in which Meredith Phillips and a team of colleagues found genetics and environment to be correlated are passive correlation, active correlation, and reactive correlation. â€Å"Passive correlation: genes influence both a child’s environment and heredity (Phillips, Brooks-Gunn, Crane, Duncan, & Klebanov, n.d.,  ¶ 3).† â€Å"Active correlation: genes influence the environments that a child seeks out (Phillips et al.,  ¶ 3).† â€Å"Reactive correlation: environments react differently to people with different genetic profiles (Phillips et al.,  ¶ 3).† In passive correlation if a parent is the type of person whom enjoys reading, the love for reading could be transferred to the child from the parent reading to the child frequently. The child will already have the genetics from the parents. My son enjoys music I would like to think he received that from me because of my interest in music. He hears a great deal of music when at home therefore, the music rich environment my son is placed in has an influence on his musical achievements. Combined with the genetic aspect of my love for music and his father’s love for music the affect of his music rich environment causes a stronger influential desire to be involved in music. In active correlation, the child has genetic influences from the parent reading to him or her. When the child voices the desires for the parent to read to him or her, the parent enjoying the reading ultimately influences the child by reading to the child. The child requesting stories to be read is the incentive the parent has to continue the process along with the parent’s love for reading. Reactive correlation was described as genetics affecting the child’s physical features with the child’s features being judged by peers. The views of the child’s peers are voiced and in the process the child’s academic achievements are effected. The child’s environment can put him or her under a certain labels. In this situation genetics affects the views of the child’s peers and the environment combined with genetics can have a negative affect on the child’s academics. Definition of Shared and Non-shared Environmental ExperiencesBeyond genetics, each individual has a unique personality that is based on a blending of their shared and non-shared experiences in life. Shared environmental experiences are those which the majority of the world encounters. Shared experiences can occur differently by culture, but generally adhere to a specific â€Å"social clock or a set of age norms that defines a sequence of normal life experiences (Boyd & Bee, p. 10).† For American culture think of the traditions of school, watching a baseball game, having a BBQ, getting married, having children, working and retiring as relative shared norms that all, or most of us, encounter. Of course, non-shared experiences are different for each of us; these are categorized as individual experiences. Individual or non-shared experiences  can be influenced by â€Å"race, socioeconomic status, and other social factors (Boyd & Bee, 2006, p. 36).† These individual differences can also be related to school, relationships, marriage and childbirth and the unique perspective that each person has. Each individual thinks much differently and so the way that they perceive and interact in the world will make their experiences, shared and non-shared, unique to them. Role Played by Shared and Non-shared Environmental Experiences DevelopmentThe importance that shared and non-shared experiences have in development is that they help shape our personal development as well as our social development. If in fact, each person encounters shared experiences in accordance with the norm expected, they are more likely to fit in culturally and have a higher understanding of appropriate and healthy relationships. Likewise, with non-shared experiences if interactions each person has with their parents and peers, and in his or her independent life, is healthy they will know themselves internally and process environmental factors that occur around them in a healthy manner. If the shared and non shared experiences of an individual do not go according to the norms of society it will be more difficult for them to develop into healthy adults who function both independently and interdependently at appropriate levels. (Boyd & Bee, 2006, p. 36) In conclusion, behavioral geneticists have used a wide array of approaches to their research in developmental theories. Through the use of identical twins a great deal of information has been acquired on the basis of both genetics and environment. The strongest proponent of this argument was shown to be the case of identical twins separated at birth exhibiting very similar characteristics even though they had not been raised in the same environment. Corresponding research which also strengthens this argument shows that adoptive children exhibit very few of the characteristics of their adoptive parents. It seems safe to say that genetics lay the foundation of behavior with environment and individual experience capable of exhibiting some influence beyond that. References Boyd, D., & Bee, H. (2006). Lifespan Development. Retrieved from http://ecampus.phoenix.eduGrilo, C. M., & Pogrue-Geile, M. F. (1991). The Nature of Environmental Influences on Weight and Obesity: A Behavior Genetic  Analysis [White paper]. Retrieved from National Institute of Health: http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.govHaimowitz, A. G. (n.d.). Heredity versus Environment: Twin, Adoption, and Family. Retrieved April 21, 2009, from http://www.personalityresearch.org/papers/haimowitz.htmlLerner, R. M., Bearer, E. L., Garcia, , & Coll, C. G. (2004). Nature and Nurture: the Complex Intereplay if Genetic and Environmental Influences on Human Behavior and Development. . Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=iFriCJCTsx4C&printsec=frontcoverMacDonald, K. (n.d.). PSYCHOLOGY 361: BEHAVIOR GENETICS. Retrieved April 21, 2009 , from http://www.csulb.edu/~kmacd/361Notes2.htmlPhillips, M., Brooks-Gunn, J., Crane, J., Duncan, G. J., & Klebanov, P. (n.d.). How Might Genetic Influences on Acad emic Achievement Masquerade as Environmental Influences?. Retrieved April 22, 2009, from http://www.children.smartlibrary.org/NewInterface/segment.cfm?segment=2606Plomin, R. (2004). Genetic and Developmental Psychology. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 50(3), 341-352. Retrieved from http://muse.jhu.edu/login?uri=/journals/merrill-palmer_quarterly/v050/50.3polmin.html

Zara Supply Chain

A network and flow explanation to Zara’ success Angel Diaz and Luis Solis Instituto de Empresa, Maria de Molina 12, 5 °, Madrid 28006, Spain E-mails: angel. [email  protected] edu; luis. [email  protected] edu Abstract Zara is a Spanish fashion manufacturer and retailer that has known swift success. Spaniards have become used to visiting Zara frequently, as there is always a new product. Zara launches 100 different collections every year, with over 11000 models, none lasting more than five weeks in production and with an average lead-time (design to store delivery) of four weeks. Inditex, the group to which the brand Zara belongs owns five brands with over 1000 stores in more than 30 countries. Although its global sales are still one sixth those of Gap, its sales have increased at an average 30% per year over the last three years, with net benefits over sales of close to 12% in the same period. In this paper we examine Zara’ production and distribution systems, looking for clues to its mass-customization capabilities. We argue that the key to Zara’ success is its Supply Chain (network and flows) approach. The production network is made of a tightly integrated net of product specialized factories, intensive in capital and run under Toyota’s principles, and a secondary network of over 400 micro enterprises, tightly controlled by Inditex but independent. All these are located in the same small geographical area, Galicia (northwest Spain). The swift flow is facilitated through advanced automation and logistics systems, with emphasis on postponement. We compare these network and flow approaches to those of Benetton and Gap, and argue that the key to Zara’ success is this combination of a tightly integrated local network coupled to the most advanced flow systems. A final consideration is the sustainability of these orderwinners over time. Keywords: Key words: Zara, logistics network, flow, fashion Introduction Intense competition in the global marketplace is forcing organizations to consider new practices by which they could enhance and sustain their competitive capabilities. Network configurations and alliances is such one option through which an organization can leverage its resources to compete effectively against fast and nimble competitors. Furthermore, the emphasis on supplier integration in supply chain management has contributed to the growing interest on strategic supplier alliances by companies around the world. Strategic network alliances are innovative and interesting forms of relationships between buyers and suppliers, however, successful supplier alliances have proved to be very elusive for the most part (Landeros and Monczka, 1991). Despite that academic and practitioner literatures have devoted considerable attention to supply network alliances issues, its dynamics has yet many unanswered questions. Furthermore, most of the literature has focused on cases in few developed countries like USA. There is a need to expand our understanding about international cases since more and more global supply chain networks are becoming more important. The study of the ZARA supply chain network in Spain is a contribution in this direction. The Spanish integrated manufacturer-retailer of apparel Zara has been defined as the Armani for the masses. Although sales of Zara (close to two billion dollars, comparable to Benetton) are much lower than that of the clothing retailer leader Gap, its financial performance has been bright. Net profits of Inditex in 2001 were 340,4 million â‚ ¬, 31% more than the previous year, out of sales of 3. 249,8 million â‚ ¬, a growth of 24% with respect to 2000. Zara launches over 100 collections per year (11. 00 new garments) and has a total design-to-store cycle time of less than 4 weeks. Every garment will be on sale for a maximum of 5 weeks, after which is removed and sent to discount stores or destroyed. Zara invests close to zero percent of its sales in advertisement (5% of sales for Gap), relying instead on keeping customers perpetually interested in finding new surprises (Zara? s customers visit the conveniently located stores an average 17 times a year). While Gap brands, Zara i ntrigues. We argue in this paper that the success of Zara is explained by a business approach in which a highly automated and largely local production and distribution network facilitates very fast response times as the key competitive advantage, and that this design can be due to cultural and market characteristics of Spain. History The founder of Zara, Amancio Ortega started a small garment factory in La Coruna, Galicia in 1963. In 1975 Ortega integrated downstream by opening his first store, Zara. By the end of the decade six stores with that name were located in Galicia. The eighties saw important changes. Ortega created the parent company of Zara, Inditex (stands for Textile Design Industry) announcing a movement toward integrated designfabrication-retail operations. Also in this period an ex-IBM salesman, Jose Maria Castellano, the actual Vice-president of Inditex, imposed a vision of time-based competition sustained on the intensive use of technology that was to dominate the holding in the future. By the end of this decade Zara had 82 stores in Spain and six abroad. In the nineties the group developed the quick response, integrated logistics network described in this case. An important milestone was the adoption at the beginning of the decade, and well ahead of other Spanish companies, of Just in Time and lean production practices, with knowledge provided by Toyota, Japan. By the end of the century, Inditex added four new brands, each for a different market niche and with their own distribution channels. At the closing of the 2001 exercise the group had 1080 stores (449 of Zara, that represents almost 80% of total sales) in 33 countries, over 20. 00 employees and the impressive profitability and growth figures mentioned in the introduction. Networks and Alliances Researchers have provided some evidence that companies relying on strategic network alliances are more profitable since closer buyer-supplier relationships may offer many technical, financial, and strategic advantages over spot market transactions and vertical integration (Mohr and Spec kman, 1994). Furthermore, strategic alliances provide an effective alternative to improve economies of scale and scope. Different scholars have studied the antecedents that lead to different forms of network alliances. These studies suggest that assets type involved will impact the type of relationships (Dwyer, Schurr, and Oh, 1987). A different stream of research has studied the relationship between environmental uncertainty and resource interdependence with the nature of relationships. Handy, 1995; and Mohr and Spekman, 1994, have conducted empirical exploratory studies on the formation and evolution of inter-organizational elationships. Production and logistics are largely regional at Inditex, with much less outsourcing than is common in this sector. Why the network evolved into this configuration can be due to cultural characteristics of Spain. There exist a rich literature on collaboration. According to this Industry Networks, a set of organizations that have developed recurring ties when serving a particular market, is a variation of the old idea of industrial districts (Ebers & Jarillo, 1998). The drivers for collaboration have been extensively analyzed in the literature and can be synthesized in strategies of coespecialization; the search for mutual learning to support fastest product developments, better information and product flows (resulting in cost and time reductions, a dominating theme in logistics); the creation of virtual scale and scope economies; and in the creation of entry barriers, among others (Cervilla and Lorenzo, 2000). Hofstede characterizes Spain? culture as risk avoidance, hierarchical inclined (Granell, 1997). Solis et al. (2000) show that in Spain companies, integration and closer relationships with local and global suppliers in critical processes are becoming paramount. Strategic network alliances require time and resources to be built and sustained. In getting the benefits of integration and synchronization with suppliers, building trust represents the most critical issue for supply network managers. Important for successful strategic supplier alliances is the communication expected behaviour, particularly the quality of information and participation, and the extent to which relevant information is transparent to suppliers. No less important for alliance success is the existence for a formal purchasing commodity selection process and a formal supplier assessment and selection process. These factors plus a comparatively low degree of outsourcing activity in Spain can explain the formation of this type of network. Factories Inditex owns 25 factories, each dedicated to capital-intensive activities (dye, cutting) and the production of a family items. The large majority of these are located in La Coruna. Inditex has additionally developed a network of external micro-companies, many households, that provide labor-intensive services, mainly sewing, which has proven difficult to automate. According to Mr. Castellano the local work force has higher labor cost but also faster reaction time (than outsourced production in a low-cost area). Distribution Inditex owns a single logistics center in La Coruna. This large facility (400,000 square meters) is largely automated, with 2 carrousels for fold garments (60,000 per hour) and 200 kilometers of elevated tracks. Products are transported directly to stores using outsourced but dedicated carriers (Azkar for land transportation –some 80% of deliveries in 2000, and different airlines for exporting, all taking-off from local Galician airports). Flows Two distinct flows can be appreciated at Inditex. One consists of long-term cycles, i. e. purchasing of raw materials and the other a short-term cycle, i. e. , design, fabrication and distribution. The long cycle starts three to six months before each fashion season and consists in the acquisition of two thirds of the raw materials required, mainly cloth (90% of which is sourced from India, China, Morocco, Mauricio, Korea, Italy Germany and Turkey –the remaining one third is supplied during the season), and of one h alf of all garments (15%-20% is acquired in advance, 50%-60% at the beginning of the season and the rest during the season). These are those items that are thought to be stable, i. e. , basic products for which demand is fairly predictable. The rest of the garments (those thought to have a higher risk) are produced inhouse in the short cycle described bellow. The short cycle start with design. This is totally an in-house affair in which over 200 designer work simultaneously on three season collections, the current one for modifications and improvements and the next two (winter 2002 is being currently worked on in the Spring of 2002). Target pricing and low scale customer acceptance trials are usual practices at this step. Patterns are scanned and sent electronically to the manufacturing plants. Here capitalintensive activities such as dying and cutting are performed, while sewing is manually done by the micro-companies described above. Processes in the plants are kept flexible using lean production principles such as multi-skilled and flexible work forces (with an enviable strike record) and simple Japanese-like control systems. Production is thus pushed into the stores (15% at the beginning of the season, the rest according to demand), where the manager uses hand-held devices (currently Cassiopeia PDAs) to send feedback in close to real time about what moves and what doesn’t (colors, sizes, models), allowing for fast adjustments to the production plan. Replenishment to stores is done twice or three times a week, with a lead-time for existing (or subject to slight design modifications) items of two weeks, and of five weeks for new products. Comments It is interesting to compare the strategy of Zara/Inditex to that of Benetton (a similar sized competitor) and of the market leader Gap. Of the three the more integrated, both upstream and downstream is Zara/Inditex. Benetton produces through a network of mainly regional subcontractors, distributes from a centralized, automated warehouse and retails through franchises. Gap subcontracts production to a network of global producers (over 3000 in more than 70 countries) and has a network of global warehouses and distribution centers. Design Zara Benetton Gap Own- continuous Own-periodic Own-periodic Production Distribution 0% own regional factories Centralized D. C. 50% subcontractors Own stores Regional subcontractors Global subcontractors Centralized D. C. Franchises Decentralized warehouses and D. C Zara/Inditex model is not a fashionable global, outsourced network. It evolved as a probable consequence of limitations in the Spanish market, but has proven that a vertically integrated l ocal network when linked to advanced manufacturing and information technology practices can result in quick response times with little stock or waste, a by-product of the synchronization of offer and demand that the integration nature of the process allows. Postponement of the (in-house) fabrication of fashion items considered of high uncertainty, plus the flexibility and quick response implicit in the lean and automated process results in low levels of stock (40% less than Gap, is proportion to sales) An important question is now whether the organization of Mr. Ortega and Castellano can maintain its characteristics and stellar performance as global growth takes place. Due to European expansion a new distribution center is being built in Zaragoza, close to the French border and facilities for production in Mexico are being considered. Labor shortages in the small Galician area have also been reported. The organization could then decide to play in a niche market position and remain as it is, duplicate the actual local Galician network in other regions (e. g. , Mexico) or move towards a global and more externalized network. If the last, and arguably most probable option is pursuit, the challenge for Zara/Inditex will be to maintain their current flexibility. References Cervilla y Lorenzo (2000): â€Å"Redes de empresas y tecnologias de informacion: copciones para el desarrollo de la PYME†. Debates IESA. Vol. 5. No. 1. Dwyer, F. , Schurr, P. , & Oh, S. (1987). â€Å"Developing buyer-seller relationships† Journal of Marketing, vol. 51 (2), 11-27. Ebers, M. y C. Jarillo (1998). â€Å"The construction, forms, and consequences of industry networks† International Studies of Management & Organization. Vol. 27. No. 4 Granell, E. (1998). Managing cluture for success. Ediciones IESA, 1997. Handy, C. (1995). â€Å"Trust and the virtual organization† Harvard Business Review, vol. 73(3), 40-50. Landeros, R. , & Monczka, R. (1991). â€Å"Cooperative buyer/seller relationships and a firm? competitive posture†. International Journal of Purchasing and Materials Management, vol. 11, 2-8. Mohr, J. , & Spekman, R. (1994). â€Å"Characteristics of partnership success: Partnership attributes, communication behaviour, and conflict resolution techniques†. Strategic Management Journal, vol. 15(2), 135-152. Solis, L, & Escobar, D. , (2000). â€Å"The Management of Successf ul Strategic Alliances in Supply Chain Management Networks: An Empirical Study of Success Factors in Spain† Proceedings of XXXV CLADEA Annual Meeting, September, Barcelona. Zara Supply Chain A network and flow explanation to Zara’ success Angel Diaz and Luis Solis Instituto de Empresa, Maria de Molina 12, 5 °, Madrid 28006, Spain E-mails: angel. [email  protected] edu; luis. [email  protected] edu Abstract Zara is a Spanish fashion manufacturer and retailer that has known swift success. Spaniards have become used to visiting Zara frequently, as there is always a new product. Zara launches 100 different collections every year, with over 11000 models, none lasting more than five weeks in production and with an average lead-time (design to store delivery) of four weeks. Inditex, the group to which the brand Zara belongs owns five brands with over 1000 stores in more than 30 countries. Although its global sales are still one sixth those of Gap, its sales have increased at an average 30% per year over the last three years, with net benefits over sales of close to 12% in the same period. In this paper we examine Zara’ production and distribution systems, looking for clues to its mass-customization capabilities. We argue that the key to Zara’ success is its Supply Chain (network and flows) approach. The production network is made of a tightly integrated net of product specialized factories, intensive in capital and run under Toyota’s principles, and a secondary network of over 400 micro enterprises, tightly controlled by Inditex but independent. All these are located in the same small geographical area, Galicia (northwest Spain). The swift flow is facilitated through advanced automation and logistics systems, with emphasis on postponement. We compare these network and flow approaches to those of Benetton and Gap, and argue that the key to Zara’ success is this combination of a tightly integrated local network coupled to the most advanced flow systems. A final consideration is the sustainability of these orderwinners over time. Keywords: Key words: Zara, logistics network, flow, fashion Introduction Intense competition in the global marketplace is forcing organizations to consider new practices by which they could enhance and sustain their competitive capabilities. Network configurations and alliances is such one option through which an organization can leverage its resources to compete effectively against fast and nimble competitors. Furthermore, the emphasis on supplier integration in supply chain management has contributed to the growing interest on strategic supplier alliances by companies around the world. Strategic network alliances are innovative and interesting forms of relationships between buyers and suppliers, however, successful supplier alliances have proved to be very elusive for the most part (Landeros and Monczka, 1991). Despite that academic and practitioner literatures have devoted considerable attention to supply network alliances issues, its dynamics has yet many unanswered questions. Furthermore, most of the literature has focused on cases in few developed countries like USA. There is a need to expand our understanding about international cases since more and more global supply chain networks are becoming more important. The study of the ZARA supply chain network in Spain is a contribution in this direction. The Spanish integrated manufacturer-retailer of apparel Zara has been defined as the Armani for the masses. Although sales of Zara (close to two billion dollars, comparable to Benetton) are much lower than that of the clothing retailer leader Gap, its financial performance has been bright. Net profits of Inditex in 2001 were 340,4 million â‚ ¬, 31% more than the previous year, out of sales of 3. 249,8 million â‚ ¬, a growth of 24% with respect to 2000. Zara launches over 100 collections per year (11. 00 new garments) and has a total design-to-store cycle time of less than 4 weeks. Every garment will be on sale for a maximum of 5 weeks, after which is removed and sent to discount stores or destroyed. Zara invests close to zero percent of its sales in advertisement (5% of sales for Gap), relying instead on keeping customers perpetually interested in finding new surprises (Zara? s customers visit the conveniently located stores an average 17 times a year). While Gap brands, Zara i ntrigues. We argue in this paper that the success of Zara is explained by a business approach in which a highly automated and largely local production and distribution network facilitates very fast response times as the key competitive advantage, and that this design can be due to cultural and market characteristics of Spain. History The founder of Zara, Amancio Ortega started a small garment factory in La Coruna, Galicia in 1963. In 1975 Ortega integrated downstream by opening his first store, Zara. By the end of the decade six stores with that name were located in Galicia. The eighties saw important changes. Ortega created the parent company of Zara, Inditex (stands for Textile Design Industry) announcing a movement toward integrated designfabrication-retail operations. Also in this period an ex-IBM salesman, Jose Maria Castellano, the actual Vice-president of Inditex, imposed a vision of time-based competition sustained on the intensive use of technology that was to dominate the holding in the future. By the end of this decade Zara had 82 stores in Spain and six abroad. In the nineties the group developed the quick response, integrated logistics network described in this case. An important milestone was the adoption at the beginning of the decade, and well ahead of other Spanish companies, of Just in Time and lean production practices, with knowledge provided by Toyota, Japan. By the end of the century, Inditex added four new brands, each for a different market niche and with their own distribution channels. At the closing of the 2001 exercise the group had 1080 stores (449 of Zara, that represents almost 80% of total sales) in 33 countries, over 20. 00 employees and the impressive profitability and growth figures mentioned in the introduction. Networks and Alliances Researchers have provided some evidence that companies relying on strategic network alliances are more profitable since closer buyer-supplier relationships may offer many technical, financial, and strategic advantages over spot market transactions and vertical integration (Mohr and Spec kman, 1994). Furthermore, strategic alliances provide an effective alternative to improve economies of scale and scope. Different scholars have studied the antecedents that lead to different forms of network alliances. These studies suggest that assets type involved will impact the type of relationships (Dwyer, Schurr, and Oh, 1987). A different stream of research has studied the relationship between environmental uncertainty and resource interdependence with the nature of relationships. Handy, 1995; and Mohr and Spekman, 1994, have conducted empirical exploratory studies on the formation and evolution of inter-organizational elationships. Production and logistics are largely regional at Inditex, with much less outsourcing than is common in this sector. Why the network evolved into this configuration can be due to cultural characteristics of Spain. There exist a rich literature on collaboration. According to this Industry Networks, a set of organizations that have developed recurring ties when serving a particular market, is a variation of the old idea of industrial districts (Ebers & Jarillo, 1998). The drivers for collaboration have been extensively analyzed in the literature and can be synthesized in strategies of coespecialization; the search for mutual learning to support fastest product developments, better information and product flows (resulting in cost and time reductions, a dominating theme in logistics); the creation of virtual scale and scope economies; and in the creation of entry barriers, among others (Cervilla and Lorenzo, 2000). Hofstede characterizes Spain? culture as risk avoidance, hierarchical inclined (Granell, 1997). Solis et al. (2000) show that in Spain companies, integration and closer relationships with local and global suppliers in critical processes are becoming paramount. Strategic network alliances require time and resources to be built and sustained. In getting the benefits of integration and synchronization with suppliers, building trust represents the most critical issue for supply network managers. Important for successful strategic supplier alliances is the communication expected behaviour, particularly the quality of information and participation, and the extent to which relevant information is transparent to suppliers. No less important for alliance success is the existence for a formal purchasing commodity selection process and a formal supplier assessment and selection process. These factors plus a comparatively low degree of outsourcing activity in Spain can explain the formation of this type of network. Factories Inditex owns 25 factories, each dedicated to capital-intensive activities (dye, cutting) and the production of a family items. The large majority of these are located in La Coruna. Inditex has additionally developed a network of external micro-companies, many households, that provide labor-intensive services, mainly sewing, which has proven difficult to automate. According to Mr. Castellano the local work force has higher labor cost but also faster reaction time (than outsourced production in a low-cost area). Distribution Inditex owns a single logistics center in La Coruna. This large facility (400,000 square meters) is largely automated, with 2 carrousels for fold garments (60,000 per hour) and 200 kilometers of elevated tracks. Products are transported directly to stores using outsourced but dedicated carriers (Azkar for land transportation –some 80% of deliveries in 2000, and different airlines for exporting, all taking-off from local Galician airports). Flows Two distinct flows can be appreciated at Inditex. One consists of long-term cycles, i. e. purchasing of raw materials and the other a short-term cycle, i. e. , design, fabrication and distribution. The long cycle starts three to six months before each fashion season and consists in the acquisition of two thirds of the raw materials required, mainly cloth (90% of which is sourced from India, China, Morocco, Mauricio, Korea, Italy Germany and Turkey –the remaining one third is supplied during the season), and of one h alf of all garments (15%-20% is acquired in advance, 50%-60% at the beginning of the season and the rest during the season). These are those items that are thought to be stable, i. e. , basic products for which demand is fairly predictable. The rest of the garments (those thought to have a higher risk) are produced inhouse in the short cycle described bellow. The short cycle start with design. This is totally an in-house affair in which over 200 designer work simultaneously on three season collections, the current one for modifications and improvements and the next two (winter 2002 is being currently worked on in the Spring of 2002). Target pricing and low scale customer acceptance trials are usual practices at this step. Patterns are scanned and sent electronically to the manufacturing plants. Here capitalintensive activities such as dying and cutting are performed, while sewing is manually done by the micro-companies described above. Processes in the plants are kept flexible using lean production principles such as multi-skilled and flexible work forces (with an enviable strike record) and simple Japanese-like control systems. Production is thus pushed into the stores (15% at the beginning of the season, the rest according to demand), where the manager uses hand-held devices (currently Cassiopeia PDAs) to send feedback in close to real time about what moves and what doesn’t (colors, sizes, models), allowing for fast adjustments to the production plan. Replenishment to stores is done twice or three times a week, with a lead-time for existing (or subject to slight design modifications) items of two weeks, and of five weeks for new products. Comments It is interesting to compare the strategy of Zara/Inditex to that of Benetton (a similar sized competitor) and of the market leader Gap. Of the three the more integrated, both upstream and downstream is Zara/Inditex. Benetton produces through a network of mainly regional subcontractors, distributes from a centralized, automated warehouse and retails through franchises. Gap subcontracts production to a network of global producers (over 3000 in more than 70 countries) and has a network of global warehouses and distribution centers. Design Zara Benetton Gap Own- continuous Own-periodic Own-periodic Production Distribution 0% own regional factories Centralized D. C. 50% subcontractors Own stores Regional subcontractors Global subcontractors Centralized D. C. Franchises Decentralized warehouses and D. C Zara/Inditex model is not a fashionable global, outsourced network. It evolved as a probable consequence of limitations in the Spanish market, but has proven that a vertically integrated l ocal network when linked to advanced manufacturing and information technology practices can result in quick response times with little stock or waste, a by-product of the synchronization of offer and demand that the integration nature of the process allows. Postponement of the (in-house) fabrication of fashion items considered of high uncertainty, plus the flexibility and quick response implicit in the lean and automated process results in low levels of stock (40% less than Gap, is proportion to sales) An important question is now whether the organization of Mr. Ortega and Castellano can maintain its characteristics and stellar performance as global growth takes place. Due to European expansion a new distribution center is being built in Zaragoza, close to the French border and facilities for production in Mexico are being considered. Labor shortages in the small Galician area have also been reported. The organization could then decide to play in a niche market position and remain as it is, duplicate the actual local Galician network in other regions (e. g. , Mexico) or move towards a global and more externalized network. If the last, and arguably most probable option is pursuit, the challenge for Zara/Inditex will be to maintain their current flexibility. References Cervilla y Lorenzo (2000): â€Å"Redes de empresas y tecnologias de informacion: copciones para el desarrollo de la PYME†. Debates IESA. Vol. 5. No. 1. Dwyer, F. , Schurr, P. , & Oh, S. (1987). â€Å"Developing buyer-seller relationships† Journal of Marketing, vol. 51 (2), 11-27. Ebers, M. y C. Jarillo (1998). â€Å"The construction, forms, and consequences of industry networks† International Studies of Management & Organization. Vol. 27. No. 4 Granell, E. (1998). Managing cluture for success. Ediciones IESA, 1997. Handy, C. (1995). â€Å"Trust and the virtual organization† Harvard Business Review, vol. 73(3), 40-50. Landeros, R. , & Monczka, R. (1991). â€Å"Cooperative buyer/seller relationships and a firm? competitive posture†. International Journal of Purchasing and Materials Management, vol. 11, 2-8. Mohr, J. , & Spekman, R. (1994). â€Å"Characteristics of partnership success: Partnership attributes, communication behaviour, and conflict resolution techniques†. Strategic Management Journal, vol. 15(2), 135-152. Solis, L, & Escobar, D. , (2000). â€Å"The Management of Successf ul Strategic Alliances in Supply Chain Management Networks: An Empirical Study of Success Factors in Spain† Proceedings of XXXV CLADEA Annual Meeting, September, Barcelona.