Cuba Essay - 796 Words

According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2010), the population of Miami- Dade County, Florida is 2,496,435.In 2010 the total number of Hispanic or Latino residing in Miami-Dade County is 1,623,859, which makes 65 percent of the total population (U.S. Census Bureau 2010). Cubans’ makes up for 34 percent of the total population, totaled to 856,007 (U.S. Census Bureau 2010). Miami is a majority Latino city -- 70 percent of its population is Hispanic. And while Cuban-Americans still comprise over half of the citys population -- 54 percent -- the citys Hispanic composition is changing. History The origin of Cuba started, when Christopher Columbus arrived in the island in 1492. In 1511 Cuba was colonized by the Spanish. Before the Spanish, the†¦show more content†¦Deplorable conditions in the islands sugar plantations caused many slave rebellions in this period of Cuba history. In 1868, Cuban landowners also began to resist the status quo, launching the first Cuban War of Independence. Many great Cuban national heroes rose to prominence during this period of Cuba history: Carlos Manuel de Cespedes, Maximo Gomez, Antonio Maceo, and Jose Marti. Memorials to these figures from history on Cuba are commonplace. The Ten Years War against Spain ended in 1878 with the Pact of Zanjon, which granted concessions to the Cuban rebels. Nevertheless, Marti and other revolutionaries continued their resistance to the Spanish authorities, some of them from exile in the United States. In April 1895, Maceo, Marti, and Gomez landed in Cuba to begin the second War of Independence. In 1898, with the rebels largely in control of the island, the United States used the explosion of the USS Maine in the Havana harbor to begin hostilities against Spain, starting the Spanish-American War. In December 1898, Spain ceded control of the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Cuba to the United States. The next sixty years of history on Cuba featured a strong U.S. presence. The U.S. Navy established the base at Guantanamo Bay, American tourists flocked to the casinos, hotels, and brothels of Havana, and U.S. interference in internal Cuban politics was the norm. In the 1950s, Cuba was ruled by an unpopular military dictatorship led by FulgencioShow MoreRelatedEssay on Cuba1685 Words   |  7 PagesCuba In the past fifty years we have witnessed the end of the cold war, the end of communism in a vast majority of nations as well as the rise of the United States to being the sole world power. But while the world has greatly changed over the past half-a-century, there has been little change in the Cuban-American relationship. Since the rise of Fidel Castro to power in the early nineteen fifties, the United States has all but cut off all relations with the Cuban government. It has now beenRead MoreEssay on Cuba580 Words   |  3 Pages Cuba Cuba has been under a dictator named Fidel Castro since 1959 when his army took over the communist party that was running the country. Cuba’s main source of economic growth comes from agriculture and exports to and from Europe. Since America has had an embargo on Cuba since 1962 neither countries trade with each other because of many disagreements about governing techniques and Fidels unwillingness to comply with U.S. instructions. Cuba’s long history and culture has contributed toRead More Cuba and Tourism Essay3446 Words   |  14 PagesCuba and Tourism Ernest Hemingway was no tourist, but his attraction to Cuba was much like that of the rest of America. The beautiful beaches and tropical climate helped him write novels, but he also loved the daiquiris at the Floridita, the fishing, and the adventurous bootleggers from Florida. Cuba has its beautiful beaches and fish-filled waters, but part of the attraction as well has historically been the plentiful rum and the anything goes atmosphere. The casinos and nightclubs frequentedRead MoreSpanish Essay - Cuba647 Words   |  3 PagesCuba Cuba is an island nation that was adopted in 1902. One third of it consists of mountains and rolling hills. It lies in the West Indies, and is said to be a beautiful island. Havana is Cuba’s capital, and the center of government for Cuba. Some important cities are Santiago de Cuba and Camagà ¼ey. Santiago de Cuba is near the south-eastern area of Cuba, and has a population of about half a million people. It’s considered the second most important city in Cuba, probably because it’s an importantRead MoreEssay on Cuba: Then and Now2279 Words   |  10 PagesCuba: Then and Now In the Treaty of Paris of 1898, Spain relinquished all sovereignty over Cuba. For a time, the policy of the United States toward Cuba was somewhat ambivalent. The Teller Amendment at the beginning of the Spanish-American War had pledged the restoration of Cuba to the Cubans. However, at the same time the United States was determined that it would not be placed after the war with Spain in a worse position in regard to its vital interests in Cuba than it had been when CubaRead More Free Cuba Essay2355 Words   |  10 PagesFree Cuba I. Introduction: Cuban history, like many other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean which have experienced colonial subjugation and imperial interference, is highlighted by tumultuous rebellions. Ever since the revolt of Carlos Manuel de Cespedes in 1868, who took up arms with his slaves to liberate Cuba from Spain’s colonial grasp, the existence of insurrectionists and adamant government opposition in Cuba has flourished. Social revolution and a strong willRead More The Effect of Slavery on the Identity of Cuba Essay2124 Words   |  9 PagesThe Effect of Slavery on the Identity of Cuba The Caribbean is a diverse region with a unique history. The progress and advancement of each island complied with the European country in control of it at the time. The Caribbean was conquered and colonized soon after Columbus’ discovery in 1492. A similar aspect of the heterogeneous region has been its plantations. The plantations were an important aspect of the cultural history of the Caribbean. Mintz believed that the plantations tied the coloniesRead More Geography of Cuba Essay605 Words   |  3 PagesGeography of Cuba The geography of Cuba is very diverse, with large mountain ranges spanning the western and south central regions, and a beautiful 2,320 mile coastline that boasts white, sandy beaches to the north. The semitropical climate of Cuba supports lush, agricultural fields in which many species of plants and animals thrive. The main island of Cuba is about 40,543 sq. miles, and Cubas Isla de laRead MoreCuba: A Profile Essay example1092 Words   |  5 PagesKnown for its beauty, extravagant tourist’s attractions, and quality cigars, the Caribbean island of Cuba, a totalitarian communist state, is a multiracial society with a population of mainly Spanish and African origin. The nation is officially known as the Republic of Cuba; it consists of the Island of Cuba, the Isle of Youth and some adjacent small islands. Cuba lies just ninety miles south of Key West, Florida; therefore its climate is subtropical or temperate. The average minimum temperatureRead MoreCuba Essay1692 Words   |  7 Pagesnormalization with Cuba in order to make up for its economic loss. As US has been putting economic sanctions on Cuba including bank restrictions, export restriction and tourism for approximately sixty years (Harrell 2016, pp. 6-7), the development of Cuba is entirely limited. However, US also suffers from not only a loss of the trade gain but also a loss of commercial reputation which makes it unreliable in the world, said by US International Trade Commission (2011). Therefore, Cuba is essential to

The, Gender, And Gender Equality - 974 Words

Transgender is a relatively new term; it refers to a person that believes that their gender identity doesn’t correspond with his or her biological sex. Doctors diagnosis this uneasy feeling about one’s gender as Gender Dysphoria. Often time’s he or she might undergo sex reassignment surgery to physically become his or her desired gender. Like every other citizen in the United States, transgenders are entitled to a series of rights. However, a transgender’s inconsistency in the presentation between biological sex and gender expression is usually not tolerated by others† (D’Augellia and Grossman). Intolerance leads to gender discrimination and harassment. Transgenders are targeted because they do not fulfill the societal norms or gender roles in a given community. In every culture, children learn the behaviors associated with males and female through gender stereotypes. When someone doesn’t fit the standards for a given gender, he or she is deemed an outcaste. The idea of being outcasted is not a recent concept. â€Å" One of the first recorded examples involved a servant in the Virginia colony in the 1620s who claimed to be both a man and a woman† (Erickson-Schroth). The servant went by two names Thomas and Thomasine Hall, and was facing persecution for being socially deviant. The judicial system punished hall by â€Å"denying him/her the freedom to switch between male and female identities† (Erickson-Schroth). Hall was denied the right to choose his or her gender; instead, theShow MoreRelatedGender, Gender And Gender Equality1391 Words   |  6 PagesTh is essay will look at Gender discrimination in an Australian prospective with some overseas perspectives overlapping this essay will look at gender deference’s in pay in Australia and discuss the ideas and arguments surrounding gender equality in the work place. Gender equity in work place is still a heavily understudied in Australia and as is more or less worldwide. In Australia a country of so called â€Å"equality† which is still, even in the 21st century is an ambiguous and questionable ideal asRead MoreGender And Gender Equality866 Words   |  4 Pages Gender Equality Through the analytical lens of women’s rights, gender equality is ever-present in modern day society. Formally, women’s rights can be defined as the rights that promote a position of legal and social equality of women in relation to men. This inconsistency remains a monumental barrier to human development. Females are discriminated against in many facets of life. For instance, it can be found within the fields of health, politics, business, and education. Gender Equality withRead MoreGender, Gender And Gender Equality2685 Words   |  11 Pages Not Quite to Equality In Regards to Race and Gender Communication Thesis Brooke Campo University of Colorado Denver Abstract In this paper I am going to show how Gloria Anzaldua has impacted racial and gender equality in her lifetime and, even though there is still as much inequality today as there was when Anzaldua was alive, her works are very useful in acquiring the tools to combat America’s social standards on race and gender. I am going to elaborate on how Americans can stopRead MoreGender And Gender Equality746 Words   |  3 Pagesâ€Å"Behind every great man, there is a great woman.† Gender discrimination is portrayed negatively toward a person, especially of a woman because of her sexual identity. It differentiates from workplace, such as getting less paid for the same profession, to violent crime being committed. On a worldly scale, women are still victims of abuse, rape and violence in modern day societies. Even though there are laws against the discrimination of women, it is really a concerning issue and everyone should beRead MoreGender, Gender And Gender Equality866 Words   |   4 PagesGender is what shapes an individual s experience in his or hers own life s, and it is also in a way, what determines their future weather they wanted it to or not. Many cultures indeed favor a gender versus another. For example, in china if a couple first born is a baby boy than it is foretold that the family will have good luck and wealth since the boy can take over the father s place in the future and continue to provide for his family. The boy will also carry their maiden name versus femalesRead MoreGender Equality2201 Words   |  9 PagesGender Equality between Pros and Cons Who has not heard about â€Å"Gender Equality†? Among the mushrooming current issues or topics, there is always demand for open spaces. Actually, it is really a good thing and also a kind of proof that shows a particular result after a period of time, the way of considering something, or opinions of people nowadays become more and more open-minded, willing to consider ideas and opinions that are new or different to be their own. Even, most of the time, you may seeRead MoreGender Inequality And Gender Equality1685 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Gender inequality refers to unequal treatment or perceptions of individuals based on their gender.† According to united nations population fund â€Å"gender equality is a human right. Men and Women are entitled to live with dignity and with freedom from want and from fear. Gender equality is also a precondition for advancing development and reducing poverty: Empowered women contribute to the health and productivity of whole families and communities, and they improve prospects for the next generation†Read MoreGender Inequality And Gender Equality1667 Words   |  7 PagesGender inequality is the state in which access to rights or opportunities is affected by gender. Gender inequality is an issue not just nationally but globally. This issue is portrayed by the mistreating of individuals, mainly women, and not valuing everyone as one. This presentation will illustrate the exploration of gender equality, propose a solution and why that solution will produce a better future for a better world. Gender inequality is a very important issue common in our world today thatRead MoreGender Equality719 Words   |  3 Pages What is gender equality inequality? An easy question to answer really. Gender equality means that both men women have the same opportunities rights, but gender inequality is different. Gender inequality is when men women don’t have the same opportunities or rights. Back in Ancient Egypt/Greek 1960s society, there was gender inequality. Ancient Egypt Greek society, women were just seen as object, made to be slaves. They were only used for cooking, cleaning, farming, etc. In the 1960sRead MoreGender Inequality And Gender Equality1725 Words   |  7 Pagesdifferent shades of green, with copious amounts of peace and tranquility. Gender equality, however, is something that seems to be left out of the typical picture of the ‘perfect society’. It is ironic that in the nation where ‘all men are created equal’, there are so many r estricting gender roles woven intricately into society, and from those restrictions come discriminations based solely on the gender of another human being. Gender roles have been suffocating seven billion people since the beginnings

Art Analysis Claude Monet Essay Example For Students

Art Analysis: Claude Monet Essay This painting was awe inspiring and brought my mind to deeply fathom the pursuit of knowledge ND power. In order to fully describe this painting I will use the formal elements of paint: texture, color, line and lastly composition. Lets start with composition: the placement or arrangement of visual elements or ingredients in a work of art, as distinct from the subject of a work. It can also be thought of as the organization of the elements of art according to the principles of art, The composition of the painting was very unique and helps to create an image that burns in your mind. The shapes of the painting are not very structured. Its impossible to look over that objects in the paining were close to real-life scale wrought eye perception thus being somewhat realistic. Another factor that made the painting close to realistic was the movement shown in the painting made by brush strokes to give an impression of wind through the field of grass that also went through the bushes and the tree. There is depth in the painting that is created by shadowing and balance of lighter areas. The bushes are asymmetrical and the tree is off to one side more specifically the middle right. There is big open space of green field to the middle left , top middle and bottom right and on the bottom of the middle left is where the bushes reside, furthermore the top left is here the blurred castle is placed and horizontal to that is What seems to be a Classified that drifts to the ocean. Throughout the painting there is green everywhere Which unifies the painting. It more predominately is unified With color in juxtaposition with shapes. Furthermore the red saturation that is presented in the shrubbery or bushes provides variety Another element to the painting is the texture which is very sloppy but it is an impressionist painting so that is expected which doesnt mean its a beautiful and high skilled painting. The Sense provided leaves for the paint to be blended but also has many brush tropes which gives uniqueness to the texture. Most objects are barely visible but can he somewhat recognized. Other areas of the painting are smooth in order to provide rest to the eyes. Paintings cannot exist without color whether there is any color or none at all. In this painting we see more warm and complimentary colors. The very limited analogous colors helped to created subtlety in the painting which played off the complimentary colors very well. Some of the colors used most included: red, orange, blue, and purple, green, yellow. The colors were also very natural and consistent with being realistic. The colors blended very well and contrasted making a very alive background that made you feel as if you were there in this big field and wind blowing in your face and the ocean being close off of the Classified. Lastly one element that brings in the painting together is line which provides many things to help create peace, action, and variety. In the painting the balance of having visible and implied lines help to truly evoke the emotion Of the painting and as well as the representation that this is semi realistic but just an impression and not a duplicate of the exact scene seen. The painting is not only painted but created by shapes that tie in the picture in that all at oneness a painting possesses. There are diagonal lines leading to the saturated red shrubbery creating action. Islamic Art And Architecture Essay ThesisThe vertical line that the tree presents counteracts the horizontal line of the Classified and horizon. This creates for an amazing painting that is pleasant to ones eye. The painting contains numerous amounts of blurred lines. The horizontal line helps to create the horizon which further creates depth and evokes the gradation presented which is the dark yellow sun setting and playing of the white of the sky and the sun disappearing . This also creates the distinctive path from the castle to the ocean and a depth perception that there is a beach off of the Classified. The horizontal lines in the ocean portray its mistiness. Open lines all blended in together. Lastly though we must consider line plays an important role in paintings, because this is a impressionist painting, color is placed in a higher role. All in all we must take in the culture of the world through art and history and anything else that helps understand each other and further evolve society maybe one day we will create or further improve the tools that help us describe paintings or anything else.

ERP implementation Critical Success Factors

Question: Do some research on ERP implementation. Identify other factors which may account for the success of ERP implementation? Answer: Introduction ERP or Enterprise Resource Planning software are getting used in almost all enterprises around the world. Those have become useful because that helps the businesses to tie their business process around information technology application. They get an integrated business process that is faster and have lesser degree of redundancy. But implementation of ERP is a critical project. There are lots of CSF or Critical Success Factor running behind the ERP implementation projects. These success factors play pivotal roles behind the success or failure of some project. But studies have shown that controlling the critical success factors may drop down the success curve initially but it may rise again. However, there is no one rules for deciding the changes in the CSF for any ERP implementation project. Still there are some CSFs that are very common and inherent to either the organization or the ERP projects. (Akkermans Helden, 2002) In previous works, some works have identified some shallow clichs behind successful ERP implementation, in reality there are many more CSFs than these clichs. In this report we will find stronger CSFs that can decide success or failure of an ERP implementation. ERP ERP is not just and information systems, it is a process of integrating different business processes across an organization. The business processes may range from SCM or Supply Chain Management, Procurement, HRM or Human Resource Management, Sales, CRM or Customer Relationship Management to business intelligence and analytics, accounts, finance etc. All these business processes are tied by a centralized information system and database. Thus the integration among those processes are improved. The data is stored and retrieved from one place, so there is reduced redundancy, there are almost no or very little compatibility issues among data evolving from different business processes. An ERP system has various modules for different business processes. These modules are closely coupled. This coupling enhances the integration. Organization can have various benefits from a successful ERP implementation. For example, it may require lesser effort, more sales, better management, better decision making activities and generation of more revenue. On the contrary, failure of ERP implementation will cost significantly and there will be significant loss of cost and effort from this failure. ERP implementation: Critical Success Factors Studies on the social enablers in ERP implementation has pointed out the following factors as key factors behind the success or failure of ERP implementations. Commitment and strong leadership of the top level management in the ERP implementation project. An honest, clear and open communication plan across the organization. There should be a stronger, focused and balanced team. However, more studies on the CSFs of ERP implementation reveals there are more stringent CSFs than these key factors. Those CSFs are, Business plan and Revisions ERP implementation are closely connected to the requirement of the business processes. Thus business plans are needed to be understood very clearly before implementing an ERP for the business. There are various kind of issues related to this CSF at the very first place. In many cases, it have been seen that the businesses dont evaluate and review the business requirements and selects some ERP system prototype. Now, every business have some uniqueness in their business processes, there may be similarity of business processes of two organization. But the requirements from the ERP implementation may not be the same. Vendors generally offer some prototype and that is very generic in nature. The prototype is customized around the business requirements. (Nah Delgado., 2006) Business process Reengineering and Customization An ERP implementation can be either in house or some vendor and consultancy is hired for the same. In case of in house solution, it is built for the organization only and there is almost no scope of customization as it is built from scratch. But this is a very costly solution and not used very much in reality. For the customized ERP solutions, there are two options. Either he ERP will be customized around the business processes or the business processes will be reengineered around the ERP solution. Each of these approaches have their own set of advantages and challenges. The bottom line is, heavy customization is not good for any option. Heavy customization of the ERP solution may create issues with internal module structure of the ERP solution. In that case, the integration and coupling among the modules may breakdown. As a result, the ERP system may not work properly. On the other hand, business processes includes, systems and people. It is more about the organization. There are another set of critical factors and challenges for business process reengineering and this is more complex than customization of an ERP solution. Here are also huge risks of ERP implementation failure.(Moohebat Asemi, 2010) Better Project management Project management is important for any project. There should be participation from all levels of management, developer and other stakeholders. The project plan should consider different aspects related to the project. There should be proper risk management and if necessary then there should be proper change control management. Without these factors of project management, there may be risks of various kinds that can creep into the project anytime, there may be resistance and challenges in the ERP implementation etc. Legacy information systems Few information technology were introduced in almost all businesses. Then there were separate information systems for different business processes. These legacy information systems have compatibility issues, integration problems etc. And this is the area, where ERP is the game changer. But it is difficult for ERP implementation to work properly, if there are too many legacy systems with different working processes, different data format etc. For example, it is easier to work with legacy system of the same vendor rather than different vendors. (Moohebat Asemi, 2010) Project management Team and communication Project management depends on the qualities of the project management team, their roles and responsibilities, abilities, skills, expertise etc. also there should be enough communication among the team members, and otherwise the project will not run properly in spite of having skilled and experienced member. ERPs software development, testing etc. The development, testing and implementation phase of ERP implementation is very important. The testing process before implementation should check and validate the solution. It should also verify whether all business requirements have been full filled or not. Post implementation monitoring Post implementation phase of ERP is also changing. There are chances that bugs will be identified more during this phase as users will tend to use the system more and more. But studies shows that, users take time to get accustomed with the system and after some time of the implementation, the actual post implementation issues start to come up. So, monitoring and troubleshooting is very much necessary during this phase. These issues are more important than the key factors as these covers up wider domain of CSFs rerated to ERP implementation. The consideration of these CSFs covers up the key factors also. The aim is to consider as much CSF as possible and fine tuning those towards success. (Ram, et al., 2013) Conclusion In this report, there is a discussion on critical success factors for ERP implementation. The report extends the results from another study on the related topic, social enablers of ERP implementation success or failure. This report shows, beyond the social enablers there are several other critical success factors for an ERP implementation and the impact of these CSFs can change the whole scenario from failure to success. References Akkermans, H. Helden, K. v., 2002. Vicious and virtuous cycles in ERP implementation: a case study of interrelations between critical success factors. European Journal of Information Systems, Volume 11, p. 3546. Harwood, S., 2003. ERP: The Implementation Cycle. s.l.:Butterworth-Heinemann. Moohebat, M. Asemi, A., 2010. A comparative study of critical success factors (CSFs) in implementation of ERP in developed and developing countries., s.l.: s.n. Musaji, Y., 2005. ERP Postimplementation Problems. s.l.:Information Systems Audit and Control Association. Nah, F.-H. Delgado., S., 2006. Critical success factors for enterprise resource planning implementation and upgrade. Journal of Computer Information Systems, 46(5), p. 99. Ram, J., Corkindale, D. Wu, M.-L., 2013. Implementation critical success factors (CSFs) for ERP: Do they contribute to implementation success and post-implementation performance?.. International Journal of Production Economics, 144(1), pp. 157-174.

The Walt Disney Company free essay sample

The Walt Disney Company: Its Diversification Strategy in 2012 Xavier Lila (MGM 3800) KEY ISSUES Availability of alternatives and substitutes intensifies competition in Walt Disney media network division. Customers have a variety of choices on media entertainment: DVD, Internet and video games. Rapidly changing technologies: Walt Disney is required to stay on the front foot and the company has to either develop or acquire new technologies for better customer satisfaction and competitive advantage.Unpopular parks and resorts: Walt Disney has to embark on advertisements as well as install costly attractions in less favorable destinations such as Disney California Adventure so as to lure more customers. Losses incurred in interactive media: Acquisition of Playroom to feature as the gaming hardware and software arm of interactive media proved futile with heavy competition from established gaming consoles. Costly acquisitions in unproven foreign markets: India, China, Russia and Turkey off er expansion opportunities, but require billions of dollars in a high-risk investment. We will write a custom essay sample on The Walt Disney Company or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page ANALYSIS The Media Nervous division at Walt Disney is the highest revenue earner and also the division that faces the highest level of competition in the media industry. Competition is intensified by the fact that media network sells a preference to a customer and not an actual tangible commodity. A customers preference might be influenced by multiple factors such as genre of content that is aired, time of day and moods. Customers also have a variety of substitute choices for entertainment and can opt to play video games, watch a movie on DVD or browse the internet.As a result Disney is affected by diminishing advertisement revenues that directly impact finances. Disney counters alternate and substitute competition in an aggressive approach that involves acquisition and adoption of new technologies. Information Technology is a huge component in facilitating competitive advantage at Walt Disney. Robert Alger, the CEO reveals an aggressive acquisition policy that buys Intellectual Property that is either underused or under-exploited. While the policy has proved fruitful in the acquisition of Paxar and Marvel, it has the downside of high-risk acquisitions.The acquisition of gaming company Playroom is presented as a valid example. The company aggressively qua aired Playroom in efforts to exploit the already saturated and highly competitive games and console industry. Playroom would offer product development in online games for social websites thereby creating a gateway for a powerful renowned brand in Walt Disney. The approach resulted in annual operating losses averaging $300 million from 2009 to 2012. The company has continued to hugely invest in information technology so as to better reach customers as well as carter for customer needs using the internet. The latest technological investment in media networks offers Walt Disney a mobile phone application that allows subscribed users to watch content at anytime, anywhere on their smart phones. The approach might rove to be a success similar to Paxar or Marvel, or might prove to a costly venture that annually operates in loses similar to Playroom. Walt Disney assumes an aggressive acquisition policy that is consistently high risk. While the media networks are Walt Disney s highest earner, the companys identity is embedded in its Parks and Resorts.As a result Disney has heavily invested in its themed parks and resorts. However, there are multiple issues that reflect on Walt Disney strategic planning. The opening of Disney California Adventure was to ease the congestion at Disney World which had exulted in counter-productivity as Customers rejected Disney World due to congestion. Disney California Adventure proved to be a costly investment as customers complained that it lacked night time appeal and would instead go back to Disney World further compounding the issue of congestion.Disney California Adventure failed to serve its purpose in easing congestion; rather it became a point of comparison and represented lower expectations. Walt Disney proceeded to improve the situation through further heavy investments in attraction additions World of color water for $75 million and 200 million worth of race tracks in car lands, both of which are located in Disney California Adventure. The costly additions to rectify a previous failed plan indicate that there are multiple strategic planning issues at Walt Disney.The financial books indicate that Walt Disney has continued to be profitable and realized incremental every year for the past 3 years (2009 ; 2011). The financial progress experienced at Walt Disney is attributed to the capable and exemplary management leader ship of the CEO Robert Alger. Since his appointment at the helm Walt Disney has acquired Paxar and Marvel, and the many has increased global activity with Disney cacheable showing in over 100 countries compared to the 9 countries when Alger took over. However, there are various issues in lagers management style. Since taking over the company had exponentially expanded in its operations globally. Reeve uses have increased from $35. 5 billion in 2007 to $40. 9 billion in 201 1; however, this increase in revenue is significantly accounted for by successful movie productions of The Avengers grossing $1. 3 billion and the pirates of the Caribbean, Disneys most successful movie. lagers global exploits are yet to legalize significant profit returns. Despite accessing over 75% of China viewers and showing in an additional 91 countries, Walt Disney under Alger has struggled to show a directly proportional growth of acquired viewers and markets to earned revenues. Alger has admittedly stated to strategic issues in the acquisition of Disney Shanghai which the company has invested 43% of the $4. 5 billion venture. This raises multiple issues of concern with the simultaneously costly investments that Disney has undertaken in India, China, Russia, and Turkey, bearing that the investments are high risks to political and economic factors.Furthermore, Alger dismisses the operating losses incurred by interactive media as sufficiently covered by other revenues generated by the media networks. While Alger makes a valid point, it does not negate the fact that a critical division in Walt Disneys organizational structure has been operating losses in the millions of dollars for the past three years. SOOT STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES Diversification in s trategic organization Exploitation of intellectual property across media networks Brand Recognition High quality content in media networks Cohesive organizational structureAbility to adopt new technologies and Intellectual property Global alliances Acquisition strategies Licensing Media Networks Creativity High costs in market acquisition High operation costs Lack Of sufficient returns on investments in parks and resorts Interactive media operating on losses High risk investments Costly upgrades Simultaneous global expansions New parks lack appeal factor OPPORTUNITIES THREATS Growth of Marvel and Paxar International markets Further growth of media networks Better strategic planning Reducing operation costs Better evaluation of aggressive acquisition strategyBetter strategic plan for interactive media Better understanding of target market Extensive use of the internet as a medium for entertainment Strong competition in alternates and substitutes Changes in customers preferences and b ehaviors Rapidly changing technologies Operating losses from bad acquisitions Unstable global economy Demanding market on content and quality Heavy global investments #1 SOOT Analysis Walt Disney is a world leading brand and a major competitor and is strongly positioned in the entertainment market place. The company enjoys significant strengths in brand recognition and media networks.The media networks division acquisition of marvel studios offered the company a competitive advantage while the companys creativity ensured marvels studios success. The production of The Avengers highlights the success and strengths of Walt Disney as the movie grossed over $1. 3 billion in gross revenue. In 201 1 , the company was the largest licensor of merchandise products in the world indicating dominance in the licensing industry. While the company experienced successes in media networks division, multiple internal factors affected revenue earnings and highlighted the company s weaknesses.Costly upgrades and high costs of operations indicated that the company lacked an effective strategic plan. Poor management decisions also reflected in the acquisition of Playroom, as the acquisition operated in losses for three consecutive years. External factors also affected the company, as strong competition from substitutes and alternatives resulted in additional operational costs as the company countered competition through adoption of new technologies and acquisition of companies and intellectual properties.Changes in customer preferences and behavior also resulted in the adoption f the internet as a channel for entertainment and introduction of smart phone applications that offer on-the-go entertainment to customers. Walt Disneys organizational strategies are reflected in strategic business units: Media Networks, Interactive Media, Parks and Resorts, Consumer products and Studio Entertainment. The company operates on a cohesive organization strategy and is able to remain profitable despite one of its divisions Interactive media operating on losses.The organizational structure also allows for diversification of products and offers the opportunity of expansion n emerging global market. However, organizational strategies dictate for high risk investments in all strategic businesses units. Walt Disney adopts high risk investments in construction and renovation of its parks and resorts, in its aggressive acquisition strategies, in its efforts towards global expansions and in its strategies to obtain competitive advantage and accommodate consumer demands.PORTERS FIVE FORCES Intensity in competitive Rivalry (High) Competition is high in the entertainment industry, with multiple companies offering similar high quality, high content entertainment. Competition is specially high in media networks as companies compete for consumers attention. Competition in the console and online gaming market is also very high and Walt Disney Playroom has failed to be profitable. Threat of Us busiest (High) Rapidly changing technology ensures that customers have a variety of choices and availability of substitutes.Customers can choose to play games on phones, watch DVDs, play console video games, or listen to music at the expense of watching Walt Disney content. As a result, Walt Disney is t urning to the internet as a source of entertainment for its customers. Threat of New Entrants (Medium) Entry levels might require significant investments, however advancements in technologies enable smaller companies to enter into the market and offer high quality content. However, small companies might be discouraged by lack of brand recognition and customer loyalty.As a result the threat is medium as a new entrant might have the potential but lack economies of scale and appropriate strategies Bargaining Power of Suppliers (Low) Walt Disneys aggressive acquisition policies have ensured a strong presence Of vertical integrations and horizontal integrations which negates the arraigning power of suppliers. Walt Disney acquires strategic companies that offer competitive advantage or possesses vital Intellectual Property that Walt Disney considers of value.Bargaining Power of Buyers (High) Buyers have high bargaining power due to availability of substitutes and the fact that entertainment sells desire and preference compared to actual tangible commodities. Therefore, buyers have the opportunity of deciding on what to pay for a medium of entertainment given that a consumer can get entertainment elsewhere for lesser costs. Buyers also have a choice of parks and resorts that charge less. 2 Porters Five Forces Analysis Internal and external factors affecting the company contribute to the high threat of substitutes and high intensity in competitive rivalry.Walt Disney strives to offer high quality, high Content entertainment to its consumers through innovation and creativity. However, the entertainment market is saturated with competition that offers similar services and products at comparable quality. Therefore, Walt Disney has to sustain competitive advantage through its acquisition strategies. The company acquired Paxar and Marvel so as to gain competitive advantage in movie and animation reduction. Despite acquisitions competition remains extremely high as entertainment companies adopt innovative technologies.Buyers have a higher bargain power due to availability of substitutes and decisions that are based on preference. Walt Disney customers preferred Disney Land to Disney California Adventure despite the fact that Walt Disney had invested millions of dollars in attractions at Disney California Adventure. The organizations position in the market place lowers the bargaining power of suppliers as well as lowers the threat of new entrants into the industry. New entrants would quire large capital to compete with an established market leader such as Walt Disney.Walt Disney also has the advantage of product diversification, a strategy that many new entrants lack. Walt Disneys aggressive acquisition strategy has enabled the company to implement horizontal integration and acquire competing companies so as to supplement one of its strategic business units. Walt Disneys organizational strategies are dictated by the levels of competition and desire to retain competitive advantage. As a result Disney looks to acquire emerging technologies and companies that own unique intellectual properties. UPDATE ON CASE STUDY Disney retains the five strategic business units and recorded an increase in revenues for Parks and Resorts by 10% at the end of fiscal year 2014. The company appointed a new COO, Tom Stags to manage the operations at the company. Stags is credited with profitability in Parks and Resorts an area that had strained to reach perceived potential (Huddles, 2015). In Disneys laid of 700 employees in its Interactive Media division all of whom worked for Playroom.Playroom continues to be unprofitable and continues to operate in losses thereby necessitating the need to layoff employees Burgess, 2014). Walt Disney continues in its aggressive acquisition strategy, Lucas films for $4 billion in 201 2 and Marker Studios for $500 million with potential performance contract that could increase the total to $950 million (Fixer, 2014). The $4. 5 billion Disney Shanghai resort is yet to be completed and completion dates have been pushed to 2016. CONCLUSIONS Walt Disney is a company that seeks to dominate in each of its distinctive strategic business units.The entertainment industry is an extremely competitive industry that relies on innovations, creativity, content and advancements in technology. Walt Disney is limited in the levels of innovativeness in its media networks. As a result the company solely relies on an aggressive acquisition strategy. While the acquisition strategy has proven effective and profitable with the notable acquisitions of Marvel and Paxar, it also leaves the company vulnerable in acquisition of fools gold. Rapid changes in technology have also contributed to the added emphasis in Walt Disneys acquisition strategy. The acquisition of Playroom highlights the dangers of an aggressive acquisition; the company had been operational for here years before Disney decided to acquire the online gaming company. The company has operated in losses since it acquisition and impacted revenues as customer preferences shifted from backbone games to smart phone games. In an industry that is highly competitive Disney aims to make quick decisions on acquisition of new companies that own unique Intellectual Property.The updated case study findings indicate that the aggressive acquisition strategy is a core principle at Walt Disney with the acquisition of Lucas Films; Disney buys a competitor and adds a subsidiary to its media networks. Walt Disney heavily relies on its diversification strategy so as to remain profitable and participate in an aggressive acquisition strategy. Diversification has allowed Disney to operate losses in its interactive media unit and still remain profitable as a company with media networks earning substantial profits to cover for losses experienced in other departments.While diversification offers profitability it also results in high operating costs and market acquisition costs. Walt Disney lacks effective strategic planning in some of its diversified units, in an industry where consumers demands are a rarity, Walt Disney appears to anticipate consumer demands rather than inquire. Walt Disney portrays good decision making in building Disney California Adventure to ease the congestion at Disneyland and offer more variety in additional resorts. However, the company fails to consult with its customer base on their preferences and on new attractions at the new resort.As a result Disney proceeded to build a resort that lacked in night appeal forcing customers to go back to Disneyland and leave Disney California Adventure. Disney reverts to more spending in excess of $275 million to add ore attractions that improve attendances. I think that Walt Disney perceives itself as a too big to fail as it extensively participates in high risk ventures. Walt Disney relies on its brand image to expand its businesses, but the company has adopted an aggressive expansion policy in abroad markets. The company has decided to open theme parks and launch Disney media networks in China, Japan, India, Turkey and Russia. The approach might prove to be successes if the plans go according to plan, but might prove to be costly should the new ventures fail to return investments and operate on losses. Again, Disney relies on its diversification strategy and relies on it policy that should one of the expansions abroad fail, the other expansions in the rest of the countries abroad would cover the costs of the failed venture. Walt Disney should review its operations and access the high risks that accompany such Ventures.RECOMMENDATIONS General recommendations Reduce the rate of acquisitions and concentrate on diversification of owned products Listen to customers before building parks and resorts that lack in appeal Company should concentrate on becoming a leader in technological innovations rather than an aggressive acquisition strategy. Review the role of interactive media and shutdown the strategic unit Reduce operational costs: Encourage better strategic plans Specific recommendations Adopt a gradual foreign market ace question strategy: The Company should refrain from simultaneous expansions in multiple markets.Adopt a cautious acquisition strategy: Analyze and evaluate profitability and competition before acquisitions. The company should sell Playroom as soon as possible as it has never been a profitable venture and has operated on losses for past six ears. The company should invest on innovations: Should have an innovation department that looks to improve open source ideas LESSONS LEARNED learned that diversification is an important strategy that can assure a company of revenues and profits.I learned that big companies and corporations might be better positioned to benefit through diversification of products and services due to financial capability compared to small companies. Also learned that an aggressive acquisition strategy has its benefits and disadvantages. Therefore, it is important to analyze the risk associated with an acquisition to ensure that losses suffered by a new acquisition do not adversely affect the revenues or bankrupt the company.

Three similar cultures in Nigeria essays

Three similar cultures in Nigeria essays As we all know that traveling is part of education; getting out of ones comfort zone and knowing what goes on around does not only keep one well informed, but, also makes one comfortable enough to participate in an intellectual discussion and to interact at any environment. Nigeria is located in the West of Africa. It is the most populous Black Country in the world. It gained independence from the British in 1960. It is divided into 3 main regions ethnic groups that is, the Hausas, Ibos, and the Yorubas. Each is named after its language and each has its own characteristic culture. Culture as generally known is the peoples way of life, belief and practices. Most often, it goes along with the style of dressing of the society in question. The Hausas are the northerners. They are mostly Moslems; and are conservatively dressed with head and body covered. The Ibos are located in the southeast area of Nigeria, and are mostly Christians. They dress in a more westernized way. The Yorubas are located in the southwest part of Nigeria and are mixture of Muslims and Christians, they people dress according to religion affiliation. As an outsider one will wonder what these 3 groups have in common. There are a lot of cultures they share but for the sake of time I will just inform you about three of the cultures. One culture is education; Because Nigeria is a mixed society there are over 250 different languages spoken but English is the official language and that is the only way everyone communicate. There is a 6-3-3-4 system of education. 6 years in elementary school, 3 years each in junior and senior secondary schools, and 4 years in college/university. A year of work outside ones ethic region to serve the country is observed after the college degree, the purpose of this is for one to know about another ethnic group and to break culture shock; it also unites all graduates (youths) ...

Read either document 22-1President Woodrow Wilson Asks Congress for a Essay

Read either document 22-1President Woodrow Wilson Asks Congress for a Declaration of War or Eugene V. Debs Attacks Capitalist Warmongers - Essay Example It was the war between Central Powers consisting of Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria and the Triple Entente composed of the Russian Empire, France and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, which had become the World War I with the decision of the USA to support the Triple Entente. In this essay I will analyze the reasons behind such a decision of the American government within the context of similar decisions in favor of war that the USA waged in historical retrospective of a couple of decades preceding American participation in the World War I. After the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America announced on July 4, 1776 and final settlement of controversies between the States during the American Civil War that took place from 1861 to 1865, the American government started to work more closely on such issues as foreign policy. The geopolitical strategy of the United States was marked with expansionist aspirations at the end of the 19th century. These aspirations gained considerable popularity within the American society after the victory of the United States in Spanish-American War in 1898, which resulted in the decision of Spain to cede Philippines, which had once been Spanish colonies in the Pacific Ocean, to the United States. Neglecting the will of the nation of Philippines for independence from any foreign rule, the leaders of Spain and the USA signed the agreement that made Philippines a part of American sphere of influence, which led to Philippine-American war. It is important to understand the reas ons why the U. S. government decided to wage this war in foreign land and how the President of the USA justified this decision because, in my opinion, it was somewhat aligned with the reasons behind the decision of the American government to enter the World War I. When the Philippine-American war broke out, the public opinion in the USA as to the necessity to send American troops to Philippines was