Caribbean studies IA Essay

For much too long Trinidad has been a home to appalling murder rates, gang violence and mass illicit drug and weapon trading. These unlawful activities were starting to take a toll on the country’s economy, international reputation and law abiding citizens. During mid August 2011, the county lost seven persons in the space of 24 hours to murder, driving the murder toll to 263.These allegedly gang related homicides persuaded Prime Minister Kamla Persad- Bissessar to declare a limited state of emergency in the country with an accompanying curfew of 9pm – 5am in designated â€Å"hot spots† for fifteen days on the 21st August, 2011. The state of emergency was further extended until 5th December, 2011. The recent state of emergency in Trinidad (August 21st 2011- 5th December 2011) was chosen in relevance to Caribbean Studies because it was one of the most recent events that had a serious impact on the lives of the citizens. The financial and cultural inconveniences faced by my family during this state of emergency persuaded me to study this event. The researcher is under the opinion that the state of emergency was the government’s â€Å"quick fix† for the crime situation which had no long term worth to the country. It is intriguing that as soon as the curfew was lifted, criminal activities continued whilst the state of emergency continued. This implied that the cultural and financial inconveniences associated with the state of emergency had no value if crime were to continue as normal prior to the state of emergency. The purpose of this study is to access the practicality of state of emergency 2011 to the citizens of Trinidad and the criminal future of the county. This study conducted locally is an attempt to compare the experiences and views of a small cross- section of local businessmen and women with what is reported by economic experts and government officials in the local reports. Educational Value For this study, the researcher hopes to raise awareness on the effects of state of emergencies on the general public and to help others to critically assess other decisions made by their government and determine whether or not they are profitable to them on an individual and societal basis. These evaluations would make for a better educated, developed society. Also, the researcher hopes this study would be helpful to future students conducting research on a similar topic. Problem Statement Was the state of emergency 21st August, 2011- 5th December, 2011 beneficial to the citizens of Trinidad? Research Questions (1)How did the state of emergency impact on the culture of the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago? (2)How did the state of emergency impact on the small local businesses of Trinidad and Tobago? (3) How successful was the state of emergency in its efforts to crack down on crime? Delimitations The questionnaires were given only to persons who owned small businesses in order to research the impact of the state of emergency 2011 (August 21st- December 5th, 2011) on small businesses as well as culture and crime. Also, for the purpose of investigating at the immediate effect of the state of emergency on crime, criminal statistics from February 2011 and February 2012 were compared. Definition of Terms Illegal- forbidden by law. Narcotics- any of a class of substances that blunt the senses. Culture- the ways of life of a people within a society. Homicide- the killing of a human being by another. Legislation- Law enacted by a legislative body Act- A formal decision, law, or the like, by a legislature, ruler, court, or other authority. Curfew- an order establishing a specific time in the evening after which specific regulations apply, especially that no civilians or other specified group of unauthorized persons may be outdoors or that spaces of public assembly must be closed. Economy- the management of the resources of a country. Ammunition- the material fired, scattered, dropped, or denoted from any weapon. Tribunal- court of justice. State of Emergency- a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. Government- the political direction and control exercised over the actions of the members, citizens, or inhabitants of communities, societies, and states; direction of the affairs of a state, community LITERATURE REVIEW The state of emergency 2011 (August 21st- December 5th 2011) was a decision made by the government to halt the spike in gang activity and crime in general in the shortest time possible. However, continuous complaints of regular citizens led investigators to believe that the state of emergency had no noteworthy effect on crime whilst disrupting the natural flow of small businesses and person’s everyday lives. At first the state of emergency had astonishing results, where on September 5th 2011 a reported 1, 356 alleged criminals had been detained, 33 guns and more than 1,700 rounds of ammunition were seized. Prime Minister Kamla Persad- Bissessar declared the state of emergency a success and opted to extend the event until December 5th 2011. However, no detainees had yet been brought before the three-member tribunal established by the Chief Justice Ivor Archie to review their cases (Richards, P. (2011, September 5th) Trinidad: State of emergency in more ways than one. Global Issues. http://www.globalissues.org/news). By 5th December, 2011 a total of 8,118 alleged criminals were arrested, 400 of which were under the Anti- Gang regulations. Since then, all the men arrested under that Anti-Gang Act were freed. During the state of emergency 45 homicides had been recorded, 15 of which occurred after the lifting of the curfew. (Alli, J. (2011, December 5th) State of Emergency Ends. C. News. http://ctntworld.com/LocalArticles). To date, the TTPS (Trinidad and Tobago Police Service) boasts that the state of emergency has allowed them to gather crucial intelligence. (Alli, J, 2011, December 5th). According to the Police Service Serious Crime Statistics, the murder rate has seen a slight decrease from 72 murders in February 2011 to 67 murders in February 2012 whilst there has been even greater success in the narcotics trade with only 56 cases being reported by February 2012 compared to the 69 cases by February 2011. However, the state of emergency seems to have had no effect on â€Å"smaller† crimes such as robberies which have increased by 11% since 2011. (Bhagan, K. (2012) Policed Service Serious Crime Statistics. Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago http://www.ttps.gov.tt/Statistics/). The state of emergency also brought with it some short- term and long term consequences for local businesses with its imposed curfew negatively impacting the entertainment industry. According to economist Indera Sagewan- Alli the extended curfew would â€Å"†¦. damage economic growth and the country’s prospects for growth this year†¦. It will bite into small businesses, restaurants, nightclubs, factories and even hurt Christmas sales†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She went on to say that once a country is under state of emergency, that in itself is a disincentive to foreign investors who will not be inclined to choose Trinidad until the state of emergency is lifted and local investors will follow the trend. During the state of emergency, business in the service industry had felt a significant bite in their revenues, restaurants and nightclubs for example lost approximately 90% of their revenue. The negative impacts on the service industry were to be mainly blamed on the curfew with the state of emergency and once the curfew was lifted, businesses were given a chance to revive themselves. (Bridglal, C. (2011, September 6th) State of Emergency Damaging to the Economy. Trinidad Express Newspapers http://www.trinidadexpress.com/businessmagazine) On the other hand, according to the Governor of the Central Bank, Mr. Ewart Williams â€Å"†¦. If the state of emergency succeeds in significantly reducing the rule of crime then, it should, in the long term, help the business climate. That is what we are hoping for†¦ The big issue is the extent to which the cost you pay is compensated by the benefits that you get down the road and it is only time will tell†¦ potential investors will adopt a wait and see approach on the way forward for business with this country.† (Bridglal, C.) The state of emergency’s success with regards to the local businesses cannot yet be determined until a substantial decrease in crime is seen, in the mean while local businesses especially those involved in night life are still recovering from the mass loss in revenue during the event. A major disruption in the everyday lives of the citizens also accompanied the state of emergency. This interference however was to be totally blamed on the curfew which had both positive and negative effects. According to Prime Minister Kamla Persad- Bissessar’s state of emergency address the curfew would have had a positive effect in promoting family life and in the future, make families feel safer in their own homes. This promotion in family life might have had an impact on the value systems of the people, in turn changing their habits and thus, changing the culture of the people for the better. (Alli, J. (2011, August 21st) Breaking news: State of emergency declared. Trinidad Express Newspapers. http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/BREAKING-NEWS) The state of emergency in Trinidad only lasted for 104 days and so would not have had a permanent impact on the cultural celebrations of the people such as Divali and Eid- Ul- Fitr. The present study is located within this body of both Caribbean and International data and presents survey data on the impacts of the state of emergency on an individual basis to the citizens of Trinidad. It adds to the growing body of work on the success of the state of emergency 2011 (August 21st- December 5th, 2011), as few studies have yet been undertaken specifically on this topic. While survey data provides only a ‘snapshot’, this study could be extended by researchers in the future to obtain more in- depth perspectives. The quantitative data acquired from the total of twenty five respondents determined the beneficial and non- beneficial effects felt by the citizens of Trinidad during the recent state of emergency 21st August- 5th December 2011. According to FIGURE 1.0 a high percentage of the respondents (70%) stated that the state of emergency affected their cultural celebrations whilst only 30% of the interviewed said that the state of emergency had no impact on their cultural celebrations. The common cultural celebrations affected were Divali (25%), Eid- Ul-Fitr(45%), weddings (8%). The most uncommon cultural celebrations were placed into a group called â€Å"other† which held 12% of the interviewed. FIGURE 1.0 answered the first research question, â€Å"How did the state of emergency impact on the on the culture of the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago?† According to this figure, the allocated curfew and the ban of pyrotechnics during the state of emergency were mainly responsible for the cultural interruptions. FIGURE 2.0 described the effects of the state of emergency on family life. 67% of the respondents stated that the state of emergency had some impact on their family life whilst 33% stated that it did not. All of the responses pertaining to this figure dealt with the state of emergency’s associated curfew, even those who said that the state of emergency had no effects on their family life all stated that this was most likely because the curfew did not affect them. The other respondents were further broken up into two groups. Those whose families were affected positively (86%) and those who were affected negatively (14%). familiar problems whilst those who were affected positively said that the state of emergency’s curfew forced them to spend more time together. FIGURE 2.0 aided in answering the problem statement which was whether or not the state of emergency was beneficial to the citizens of Trinidad as well the first research question. FIGURE 3.0 showed the effects on business profits in Trinidad during the 2011 state of emergency. 25% of the interviewed claimed that their profits decreased by 100% while 22% claimed that their profits decreased by 70%. Another 21% claimed that their profits decreased by 50%, 10% said that their profits decreased by 20% and 19% said that their profits remained the same. Only 3% of the interviewed claimed to have an increase in business profits during the state of emergency 2011. These results were most likely due to the curfew and ban on pyrotechnics associated with the state of emergency. The ban on pyrotechnics would have greatly decreased the firework sales during the Divali and Eid seasons. The curfew would have affected the sales of night food vendors and night entertainment industry, decreasing sales. Some businesses probably altered their business hours preventing a drastic decrease in profits. FIGURE 3.0 answered the second research question â€Å"How did the state of emergency impact on the small local businesses in Trinidad?† FIGURE 4.0 showed the reasons for the decrease or increases in business profits during the state of emergency given by the surveyed. A dominating 84% of the interviewed stated that the restricted hours of the state of emergency was responsible for the loss in business. 12% stated that their products or skills were not required during the state of emergency causing a loss in business. On the other hand 4% of the interviewed said people spent less money on socializing during the state of emergency and were able to purchase their products. FIGURE 4.0 aided in answering the second research question. FIGURE 5.0 showed the effects of the state of emergency 2011 on businesses in present day and their opinions of the future. 79% of the interviewed said that their business returned to usual profits after the state of emergency had ended. 69% of these persons stated that the return of usual business profits was due to the return of regular business hours whilst 31% said that it was due to people feeling safer at night after the state of emergency, promoting their business. On the other hand 21% of the interviewed claimed that their business profits did not improve after the state of emergency. All of the interviewed simultaneously said that this was due to persons still recovering from the state of emergency thus, having less money to spend. The diagram also shows that 23% of the surveyed predicted that there would be an improvement in the business sector of Trinidad after the state of emergency, all of whom agreed that foreign companies would tend to invest in the economy since the crime situation has been stabalised by the state of emergency. However, the majority (77%) said that the state of emergency would not improve the business sector of Trinidad. 48% of which stated that the â€Å"drug kings† were released and continue to run the economy whilst 52% stated that the illegal importation of goods still exists making it tough for smaller businesses to make a profit. FIGURE 5.0 helps to answer the second research question. FIGURE 6.0 shows how safe persons felt during the state of emergency and after. During the state of emergency, 70% of the interviewed felt safer whilst 10% felt less safe. 20% said that they felt no change in safety during that state of emergency. This was most likely as a result of persons feeling safer due to the large number or arrests made during the state of emergency and the increase in police patrols. Other persons may have felt targeted and in danger of the police officers. After the state of emergency, 30% of the interviewed claimed that they felt safer, 53% felt no change in their safety whilst 17% felt less safe. Persons may have felt no difference in their safety after the state of emergency since the majority of the detained criminals were released due to a lack of evidence against them. Some may have felt safer due to the continued actions of the protective forces after the state of emergency and some may have felt less safe with the continued increase in gang activitie s after the state of emergency. FIGURE 6.0 aids in answering the third research question â€Å"How effective was the state of emergency in its efforts to crack down on crime?† FIGURE 7.0 shows the view of the interviewed on whether or not the government should have taken other measures to curb Trinidad’s crime problem other that the state of emergency. 42% of the interviewed agreed, 27% strongly agreed, 22% disagreed and 9% strongly disagreed. FIGURE 7.0 aids in answering the problem statement. FIGURE 8.0 shows the percentage of persons who thought the state of emergency was beneficial to them as citizens of Trinidad. 27% of the interviewed thought that the state of emergency was beneficial to them whilst 73% did not. FIGURE 8.0 answered the problem statement. The persons who agreed that state of emergency was not beneficial to them and that other measures should have been taken to cut criminal activity were possibly under the impression that the release of criminals after the state of emergency due to a lack of evidence did not help in eradicating crime but â€Å"bottling† it. The people agreed with the state of emergency and thought that it was beneficial to them were most likely appreciative of the large mass of narcotics and arms seized during the state of emergency as well as the few criminals who were further detained by the police. According to the data obtained, the majority of people were affected by the state of emergency culturally and financially. This was mainly as a result of the ban of pyrotechnics and the imposed curfew. The few exceptions were explained by persons who were obviously not affected by these impositions or those who altered their celebrations and business hours. The majority of people were not in favour of the state of emergency since it seemingly had no long term effect on the crime in Trinidad. A few felt unsafe, stating that they felt targeted by the police, some were indifferent and the others agreed with the state of emergency. They possibly saw the effects of the state of emergency to be successful and were grateful for the efforts taken by the government. DICSUSSION OF FINDINGS As seen from both the results of the questionnaire and the literature articles, the state of emergency in Trinidad (21st August- 5th December 2011) did have both negative and positive impacts on the lives of the citizens. According to FIGURE 1.0, the state of emergency definitely had a negative impact on two of the most popular religious festivals of Eid- Ul- Fitr and Divali which are very vital to the cultural identity of Trinidad. The interruptions were mainly due to the proposed curfew and ban of pyrotechnics. The interruption in such events would however not continue since the state of emergency ended on December 5th, 2011 and should not have a permanent destructive effect on culture. On the other hand FIGURE 2.0 showed that the state of emergency had mostly positive effects on family life as expressed in the Prime Minister’s State of Emergency Address, which could have potential long term positive effects on culture. Hence, if the state of emergency did have a prominent impact on culture, it would be mostly positive. According to FIGURE 3.0, during the state of emergency local business profits mainly decreased with less than 5% portion of the surveyed claiming to see an increase. FIGURE 4.0 explained these decreases in profits to be a result of forced the limited hours of business and the lack of desire for particular products and skills. The surveyed claimed their increase in business was mainly due the restricting curfew encouraging persons to spend less money on socializing and more money on their products. This data is similar to the statements made by economist Indera Sagewan- Alli who predicted that the state of emergency, mainly its curfew, would have a damaging impact on small businesses in Trinidad, harming economic growth. The Governor of the Central Bank, Mr. Ewart Williams however, had a different outlook on the state of emergency. He thought the severe crime situation to be hindering economic growth and saw the state of emergency, if successful, as an avenue to strengthen the business sector of the country. According to FIGURE 5.0 the majority of business profits had returned to normal and in other cases was still suffering from the state of emergency. Not one business saw an increase in business profits. The majority of the surveyed predicted no future increase in business profits since the bulk of alleged criminals had been released back into society. The majority of the obtained data did not support Mr. Williams’ statement. Hence, the state of emergency had a negative impact on the small businesses. The major aim of the state of emergency was to cut down on crime in Trinidad making it a safer home for the citizens. FIGURE 6.0 revealed that the mass of the sample felt safer during the state of emergency, which is most likely a result of mass numbers of alleged criminals detained and weapons seized during the state of emergency. However, after the state of emergency, the greater part of the sample said that they felt no difference in their safety which is most likely a result of the mass of detainees being released back into society. The Police Service Serious Crime Statistics showed no major decrease in criminal activity after the state of emergency nor did the general public feel safer. Hence, at this point in time the state of emergency had not had a major positive impact on crime. FIGURE 7.0 and FIGURE 8.0 showed that majority of the study thought the state of emergency to be non beneficial to them and would have preferred if other measures were taken by the government to curb the crime problem in. To date, there has not been a significant reduction in crime which was the main purpose of the state of emergency. The state of emergency did not only have positive but also negative impacts on the small businesses and culture of the people. In the case of this study, the state of emergency was not truly beneficial to the citizens of Trinidad. The research conducted therefore concludes that the state of emergency was a poor decision made by the government of Trinidad which had no real effect on criminal activities and hindered the financial and cultural lives of the citizens. Hopefully the research conducted would encourage people to take a closer look at the decisions made by their government and encourage the government to be more cautious when making decisions that could potentially disrupt the lives of a large number of people for the worse. Also, the findings may be used by other researchers who may to compare the direct impact of the state of emergency to that of the delayed impact of the state of emergency. CONCLUSION The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not the state of emergency 2011 (August 21st- December 5th) was beneficial to the citizens of Trinidad. The state of emergency negatively affected some of the most popular cultural celebrations in Trinidad. It was however not very lengthy and so its associated repercussions would not have had a permanent effect on culture. On the other hand, the state of emergency did benefit family life in most cases, strengthening the values of the institute family. Hence, the state of emergency 2011 had more of a positive impact on culture. The state of emergency had mainly a negative effect on small businesses which were mainly a result of the curfew. After its end, the majority of small businesses had gone back to their regular turnovers with a few exceptions. Not one business surveyed had an increase in business profits and the majority did not predict an increase since the event did not provide a significant decrease in the crime rate. Hence, the state of emergency was not beneficial to the majority of small businesses of Trinidad. Through my research, it can be concluded that the state of emergency was not beneficial to the majority of the citizens of Trinidad and other efforts such as the implementation of other laws with similar but less harsh repercussions to that of the state of emergency would be more advantageous to the citizens. LIMITATIONS Throughout my research, many limitations were encountered, reducing the accuracy of the study. Firstly, data collected by the means of questionnaires were collected from a sample limited to the town of Marabella a department of the city of San Fernando for easy accessibility. This means that only people in those areas were surveyed, and hence the entire population of San Fernando was not well represented and hence my research may only represent that portion of San Fernando. Also, my sources were very limited due to the fact that the state of emergency 2011 (August 21st- December 5th 2011) was a very recent event and there were not many studies done were present. Hence, the search for appropriate resources was time consuming and difficult. Lastly, my domain was a very large one and could not be properly be represented by my sample size. Hence, the conclusion drawn may not fully represent the entire business community of Trinidad since the sample size was so small, making the conclusio n slightly biased. RECOMMENDATIONS With regard to the topic studied, a number of recommendations can be made: †¢The curfew of the state of emergency seemed to cause the majority of the problems and hence, if one were to occur again it should not be accompanied by a curfew to prevent negative cultural and economic consequences. †¢The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service should conduct more random yet regular patrols and raids, to cut down on the illegal trade of narcotics and murders. †¢The Anti- Gang Act 2011 and Bail Amendment Act 2011 which are both already- enacted legislations should be used more frequently. These legislations allow for the persons for up to 120 days without bail. Hence, it gives the police service more time to gather appropriate evidence to ensure prosecution of criminals. BIBLIOGRAPHY Anonymous. (2011, August 21st) Breaking news: State of emergency declared. Trinidad Express Newspapers. Retrieved January 15th, 2012 from, http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/BREAKING-NEWS-State-of-Emergency-declared-128160123.html Anonymous. (2011, December 5th) State of emergency ends. C. News. Retrieved January 15th, 2012 from, http://ctntworld.com/LocalArticles.aspx?id=35954 Anonymous. (2012) Policed Service Serious Crime Statistics. Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Retrieved March 18th, 2012 from http://www.ttps.gov.tt/Statistics/tabid/141/Default.asp Bridglal, C. (2011, September 6th) State of emergency damaging to the economy. Trinidad Express Newspapers. Retrieved January 15th, 2012 from http://www.trinidadexpress.com/business-magazine/_State_of_emergency__damaging_to_economy_-129350363.html Richards, P. (2011, September 5th) Trinidad: State of emergency in more ways than one. Global Issues. Retrieved January 15th, 2011 from, http://www.globalissues.org/news /2011/09/05/11066 APPENDIX The questionnaire is for a school research project based on the State of Emergency 21st August- 5th December 2011 in Trinidad. All information will be kept in the strictest confidence. The researcher is grateful for the time and effort you take in completing the questionnaire below. Please tick the response most likely to be correct. (1)Did the recent state of emergency affect your usual cultural celebrations? 0 Yes 0 No (Move on to question four if your answer is no) (2)If yes, state the cultural celebration(s) that was/ were affected by the recent state of emergency. (3)How was/ were these celebration(s) affected by the state of emergency? (4)Do you think the state of emergency was worth the interruption in your usual celebrations? 0 Yes 0 No (5)Did the state of emergency have an impact on your family life? 0 Yes, negatively. 0Yes, positively. 0 No. (6)If you chose either â€Å"yes† option in the previous question, in what way did the state of emergency affect your family life? (7)Did the state of emergency have a negative impact on you financially? 0 Yes. 0 No. (8)If you answered yes in the previous question, how did the state of emergency affect you financially? (9) As a business owner, did your usual profits deplete during the state of emergency? 0 Yes (approx. 100%) 0 Yes (approx 20%) 0 Yes (approx. 70%) 0 No. 0 Yes (approx. 50%) 0 No. My profits increased by (9) What do you believe was the cause for your decline/ increase in business profits? (10)Since the end of the state of emergency, has your business returned to its usual profits? 0 Yes. 0 It has improved. 0 No. (11) If there is an improvement in your business, do you think it is due to the state of emergency? State why. 0 Yes. 0 No. (12) Government officials have predicted that there would be an overall improvement in the business sector of the country due to the recent state of emergency. Do you agree? State why. (13) Did you feel safer than usual during the state of emergency? State why. 0 Yes. 0 No. 0 No I felt more unsafe. (14) Do you feel safer now that the state of emergency has ended? 0 Yes I feel safer. 0 No. 0 No I feel more unsafe. (15) Do you think the state of emergency will improve the crime situation in the country in the long term? 0 Yes, it will improve. 0No, there will be no change. 0 No, it will deteriorate. (16)Explain your answer for the previous question? (17) Do you think the state of emergency was a solution to the crime problem of Trinidad? 0 Yes. 0No. (18)The government should have taken other measures to curb the crime problem. 0 I agree. 0 I disagree. 0 I strongly agree. 0 I strongly disagree. (19) Do you think the state of emergency was worth the problems faced by the citizens of Trinidad? 0 Yes. 0 No. (20)Was the state of emergency beneficial to you as a citizen of Trinidad? 0 Yes. 0 No.

Micropresentation Topics- Christ University

MICRO PRESENTATION TOPICS 1 Excellence is not an accomplishment, its a never ending process 39 What is meant to be, will always find a way 2 The pursuit of happiness 40 Its not the load that breaks you down. It is the way you carry it 3 The difference between a leader and boss 41 When all is said and done there is more said than done 3 The difference between a leader and boss 41 When all is said and done there is more said than done 4 Corporate social responsibility 42 Your focus determines your reality 5 Failure is an opportunity to begin again 3 Greenpeace 6 To be or not to be 44 Carbon footprints 7 Freedom and responsibility 45 Marine pollution 8 Knowledge and wisdom go hand in hand 46 Greenhouse effect 9 Democracy and India 47 What is global warming? 10 Leaders must be followers first 48 Genetic engineering 11 Inter-linking of rivers as a solution to water problems 49 You have to know the past to understand the present 12 Inter-linking of rivers – An ecological disaster 50 The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority 13 Pollution and economic development 1 Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world 14 The educated Indian and national commitment 52 Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning. 15 Advertising and the consumer 53 Innovations in education 16 Intellectual bankruptcy in politics 54 We are creatures of our habits 17 Malala Yousafzai – candidate for Nobel Peace prize 55 India is a poor country with rich people. 18 India's preparedness to face terror attacks. 56 How can we contribute to saving the environment 19 Corruption – an epidemic 57 Genetic enginnering 0 India's lopsided development puts pressure on the cities 58 Marine pollution 21 State controlled economy vs liberalised economy 59 Coal mining and its impact on the environment 22 Indian states should be made smaller 60 What is soil conservation 23 Should India change its national game? 61 2013 budget 24 The corrupt efficient politician vs the inefficient honest politician 62 The problems of clinical waste 25 Funding of IIMs and IITs should be stopped 63 Economic development and its impact on the environment 26 Indians and patriotism 64 Kumbh Mela 2013 7 Higher education should be privatised 65 Land degradation 28 Oil prices in India 66 Environmental ethics 29 Success is all about human relations 67 Solutions for sustainable living 30 Are education and success co-related? 68 River contamination in India 31 Does the UN have relevance today 69 Impact of Facebook and Twiiter on youth 32 Happiness is not readymade. It comes from your own actions 70 Inflation and the Indian Economy 33 Is there hope in the darkest of days 71 Impact of decontrol of diesel on the common man 34 The purpose of life is to be happy 2 Haste makes waste 35 Age is an issue of mind over matter 73 The purpose of flashmobs 36 All things are difficult before they are easy 74 Organic farming 37 To live is the rarest t hing in the world. Most people only exist. 75 Impact of Coalition governments on the progress of the nation 38 Sometimes answers are simple to complicated questions †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 1. All candidates are required to participate in the Micro Presentation (Extempore) to test their communication skill and knowledge on the given topics. 2. The Micro Presentation is for 90 seconds per candidate, 3.Each Candidate will be asked to pick a topic on random basis at the Selection Process Venue and present orally on the Topic. 4. Candidates will have a chance to present only ONE topic listed. No second chance will be given to any candidate 5. Candidates should not possess any material related to the Topics during the Selection Process 6. Candidates will not be permitted to present any topic in Power Point (PPT) or Video 7. Cellular Phone, Satellite Phone, Pager, Scientific Calculators, Notebook, Textbooks, Printed Materials etc. , are not allowed into the Selection Process Venue. . The decision of the GD/MP Panel will be final and binding â€Å"Excellence is not an accomplishment. It is a spirit, a never ending process. † ~ What happens when you think you have reached â€Å"excellence†? Most will just stop because they think that they have reached it and there is really no need to go further. Well, have you ever wondered what was on the other side of excellence? How will we ever know unless we take a peak and strive for better? As Mr. Miller stated, it’s a never ending process. We are always looking for ways to improve our own performance so we must take the xtra step and look for ways to improve the organizations excellence. It all starts with you and one small positive action will have a domino effect into more smaller positive actions and eventually into massive positive actions to improving our excellence! Take a look around your own facility and see where you can improve. Maybe it starts wit h you or maybe it starts with improving something in your facility. Always remember to think like our customers. From our customers perspective, what can be done to become even more efficient at what we do and even better than we were yesterday.Taking positive actions in the right direction is certainly one of the easiest ways to make that spirit of excellence soar into other aspects of Family and MWR. We are one big family of the most superb service providers so let's always make we do not just excellent, but beyond that! †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. The Pursuit of Happyness is a 2006 American biographical drama film based on Chris Gardner's nearly one-year struggle with homelessness. Directed by Gabriele Muccino, the film features Will Smith as Gardner, an on-and-off-homeless salesman-turned stockbroker. Smith's son Jaden Smith co-stars, making his film debut as Gardner's son Christopher Jr.The screenplay by Steven Conrad is based on the best-selling memoir written by Gardner with Quinc y Troupe. The film was released on December 15, 2006, by Columbia Pictures. For his performance, Smith, was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Actor. The unusual spelling of the film's title comes from a sign Gardner saw when he was homeless. In the film, â€Å"happiness† is misspelled as â€Å"happyness† outside the daycare facility Gardner's son attends. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. My friend has a saying; Leadership cannot be demanded – only earned and deserved.With that in mind, has anyone ever told you the difference between a boss and a leader? 1. The boss drives people; the leader coaches them. 2. The boss depends upon authority; the leader on good will. 3. The boss inspires fear; the leader inspires enthusiasm. 4. The boss says ‘I’; the leader says ‘we. ’ 5. The boss says ‘Get here on time’; the leader gets there ahead of time. 6. The boss fixes the blame for the breakdown; the leader fixes the br eakdown. 7. The boss knows how it is done; the leader shows how. 8. The boss makes work a drudgery; the leader makes work a game. 9.The boss says ‘Go’; the leader says ‘Let’s go. ’† 10. The boss justifies or lays blame – the leader takes responsibility. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Corporate social responsibility Workers in all industries – including agriculture, technology, furniture, etc. – are still at risk. Today, after years of intense focus on the apparel and footwear industries, people are beginning to realize that urgent action is needed in other sectors, too. A proverbial â€Å"light bulb† has gone off in the minds of consumers and corporate executives alike: no brand is immune to supply chain issues, and the abuse of workers will not be tolerated in any industry.Last month Apple became the first technology company to join FLA as a Participating Company, triggering what we can only hope will be a new wave of corp orate social responsibility; a wave which knows no boundaries and cascades over geographic borders and product lines. Apple’s decision to join FLA sets a new standard for the technology industry, and reinforces that supply chain issues and protecting workers’ rights are not just the responsibility of apparel and footwear brands. It’s time for another generation of brands to join the fold. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..Your focus determines your reality Your focus determines your reality†, this famous line was spoken by Qui-Gonn Jinn of Start Wars-The Phantom Menace fame. Ok, perhaps it is really infamous and you don't remember that quote. Nonetheless, think about it for a moment. Would you agree or disagree? I'm about to show you why I emphatically agree with this certain Jedi Master and not just because it's from Star Wars†¦ well not completely 😉 No I'm going to show you how your focus relates to anything you want to be successful in and then more s pecifically your Christian life.Ready? Let's Go! â€Å"Close or narrow attention; concentration† – so says Mister dictionary. com. When you are focusing on a certain aspect of anything, you generally ignore the rest of the picture. You're concentrating so hard that the rest of it at the very least becomes far less important and occupies less of your mental powers. So what happens? You get more of what you're focusing on. And less of what you're ignoring. You can be successful at what ever it is you are focusing on because you're giving it all your attention.And everything else gets harder to become better at. Whatever is in your focus, you will start to concentrate on it and you will be better conditioned to alter certain aspects of your life which will allow the object of your focus to actually become a true part of your life. Perhaps an example is in order: [Example] Say you are on a diet. You're not allowed to eat any carbohydrates. So what should you focus on? If y ou're gonna focus on the fact that you can't eat donuts and ho hos, what do you think you're gonna be craving all day? That's right–ho hos and donuts!Now instead, lets say you focus on how you can make a great tasting meal out of fresh vegetables and yummy lean meat products, how you're gonna prepare them, cook them and enrich the flavor. What do you think you're gonna be craving that night? The no-carb-lean-meaty meal of course! [end example] See how your focus determines your reality? If you're concentrating on what you shouldn't be doing, you're setting yourself up for failure†¦ are you starting to see how this relates to your Christian walk? What do most Christians focus on? What do most preachers preach on? What you can't do! Am I right?The only result that can come from focusing on what you can't do is you doing exactly that! Most Christians think in terms of what they can't do–the law. The Bible goes so far as to say that we would not even know about sin if it wasn't for the law: â€Å"On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, â€Å"YOU SHALL NOT COVET. But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind† Romans 7:7-8 Likewise we would not even have the desire to do what we're not supposed to do if we weren't focused on not doing it. just read it again, It'll make sense). So it is clear that by fixating our attention on what it is we are trying to avoid, we are actually setting ourselves up for failure. You can't focus on what you don't want and get what you want. But you need to focus on something! And like our diet example, the right way to focus is on what you do want! Just like the diet works if you focus on the good foods, your Christian life will work if you focus on what is good–Jesus Christ and his life that he gave you. Focusing on Christ and allowing him to express himself through you daily is the key to success in your Christian life.Pay no heed to what you're not supposed to do, â€Å"out of sight-out of mind! â€Å". So I guess ole Qui Gonn was right, â€Å"your focus does determine your reality†! †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Greenpeace is a non-governmental[2] environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. [3] Greenpeace states its goal is to â€Å"ensure the ability of the Earth to nurture life in all its diversity†[4] and focuses its campaigning on world wide issues such as global warming, deforestation, overfishing, commercial whaling, genetic engineering, and anti-nuclear issues.Greenpeace uses direct action, lobbying and research to achieve its goals. The global organization does not accept funding from governments, corporations or political parties, relying on 2. 9 million individual supporters and foundation grants. [5][6] Greenpeace has a general consultative status in the United Nations Economic and Social Council[7] and is a founding member[8] of the INGO Accountability Charter; an international non-governmental organization that intends to foster accountability and transparency of non-governmental organizations.Greenpeace evolved from the peace movement and anti-nuclear protests in Vancouver, British Columbia, in the late 1960s and early 1970s. On September 15, 1971, the newly founded Don't Make a Wave Committee sent a chartered ship, Phyllis Cormack, renamed Greenpeace for the protest, from Vancouver to oppose United States testing of nuclear devices in Amchitka, Alaska. The Don't Make a Wave Committee subsequently adopted the name Greenpeace. [9] In a few years, Greenpeace spread to several countries and started to campaign on other environmental issues such as commercial whaling and toxic waste. In the late 1970s, the ifferent regional Greenpeace groups formed Greenpeace International to oversee the goals and operatio ns of the regional organizations globally. [10] Greenpeace received international attention during the 1980s when the French intelligence agency bombed the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland's Waitemata Harbour, one of the most well-known vessels operated by Greenpeace, killing one individual. [11] In the following years, Greenpeace evolved into one of the largest environmental organizations in the world. [12][13] Greenpeace is known for its direct actions[14][15] and has been described as the most visible environmental organization in the world. 16][17] Greenpeace has raised environmental issues to public knowledge,[18][19][20] and influenced both the private and the public sector. [21][22] Greenpeace has also been a source of controversy;[23] its motives and methods have received criticism[24][25] and the organization's direct actions have sparked legal actions against Greenpeace activists. [26][27] †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ â€Å"To Be, Or Not To Be† Meaning [pic] To live or n ot to live, that is the question. Is it better to stay, and suffer all of the ridiculous highs and lows of life? Or to leave, and avoid the trials and tribulations altogether?We cannot answer this. Even after you die you still might dream. And who knows what you'll dream? If it wasn't for that fear who would bear all the evils and humiliations of life? The injustices and oppression? The gloating of the powerful? The pain of loving someone who could care less? The lack of integrity? The abuses of the government? The rejections we all face? Why would we put up with all of this when we could just end our lives so easily? Why burden ourselves by continuing to live? It's the fear of what awaits after death.Death is an undiscovered country, a place from which no one ever returns. The existence of death puzzles us and makes us put up with all the miseries of life. So instead of exploring something we can't we perceive in advance, we continue to put up with our lives here. Our imaginations make us cowards. And our resolutions only turn us into self-compromised human beings. Therefore, we choose to take no action. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. A carbon footprint has historically been defined by Championne as â€Å"the total sets of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by an organization, event, product or person. [1] However, calculating the total carbon footprint is impossible due to the large amount of data required and the fact that carbon dioxide can be produced by natural occurrences. It is for this reason that Wright, Kemp, and Williams, writing in the journal Carbon Management, have suggested a more practicable definition: â€Å"A measure of the total amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) emissions of a defined population, system or activity, considering all relevant sources, sinks and storage within the spatial and temporal boundary of the population, system or activity of interest.Calculated as carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) using the relevant 100-year global warming potential (GWP100). â€Å"[2] Greenhouse gases can be emitted through transport, land clearance, and the production and consumption of food, fuels, manufactured goods, materials, wood, roads, buildings, and services. [3] For simplicity of reporting, it is often expressed in terms of the amount of carbon dioxide, or its equivalent of other GHGs, emitted. Most of the carbon footprint emissions for the average U. S. household come from â€Å"indirect† sources, i. e. uel burned to produce goods far away from the final consumer. These are distinguished from emissions which come from burning fuel directly in one's car or stove, commonly referred to as â€Å"direct† sources of the consumer's carbon footprint. [4] The concept name of the carbon footprint originates from ecological footprint,discussion,[5] which was developed by Rees and Wackernagel in the 1990s which estimates the number of â€Å"earths† that would theoretically be required if e veryone on the planet consumed resources at the same level as the person calculating their ecological footprint.However, carbon footprints are much more specific than ecological footprints since they measure direct emissions of gasses that cause climate change into the atmosphere. Measuring Carbon Footprints An individual's, nation's, or organization's carbon footprint can be measured by undertaking a GHG emissions assessment or other calculative activities denoted as carbon accounting. Once the size of a carbon footprint is known, a strategy can be devised to reduce it, e. g. by technological developments, better process and product management, changed Green Public or Private Procurement (GPP), carbon capture, consumption strategies, and others.Several free online carbon footprint calculators exist, with at least one supported by publicly available peer-reviewed data and calculations from the University of California, Berkeley's CoolClimate Network research consortium. [6][7] The m itigation of carbon footprints through the development of alternative projects, such as solar or wind energy or reforestation, represents one way of reducing a carbon footprint and is often known as Carbon offsetting. The main influences on carbon footprints include population, economic output, and energy and carbon intensity of the economy. 8] These factors are the main targets of individuals and businesses in order to decrease carbon footprints. Scholars suggest the most effective way to decrease a carbon footprint is to either decrease the amount of energy needed for production or to decrease the dependence on carbon emitting fuels. [8] †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Freedom & Responsibility Freedom, from an existential perspective, cannot be separated from responsibility. With freedom comes responsibility. Yet, it is common for many people to seek freedom while trying to avoid responsibility.While, at times, it appears that people may be able to succeed at this, there remai ns a psychological consequence. This consequence is often not very noticeable, but may find expression through guilt, anxiety, depression, or even anger. Existential freedom is not the same things as freedom in the political sense we often think of it in America. In fact, political freedom could be view to be a rather shallow, though not unimportant, type of freedom. A person can be existentially free despite not being politically free, and a person can avoid embracing their existential freedom despite being offered great political freedoms.Frankl (1984), in the story of his experience in the concentration camps, provides a powerful overview of this distinction. While all his political or social freedoms were taken away, he gives credit for his survival to his psychological freedom. This psychological freedom allowed him to find and embrace meaning in the midst of what appeared to be meaningless suffering. Ways of Avoiding Responsibility There are several common examples of how peop le avoid responsibility in American culture. Conformity is one good example. Americans pride themselves on being autonomous individuals to the point of idealizing individualism.However, upon closer analysis, Americans find extremely creative ways of giving up their freedom. Americans conform through blind allegiance to various organizations and institutions including political parties and religious institutions. This is not to say that being dedicated to either of these are bad. In fact, often they can lead to very positive outcomes. The problem comes with blind allegiance where a person gives up their responsibility to critically think through the beliefs, perspectives, and values of the organization.When this happens, the individual's values are no longer authentic. When a person gives their allegiance to an external belief structure, they may go in one of several directions. First, they often will become very rigid in their allegiance to the organization or structure to which the y have committed. This type of conformity can be seen through various forms of fundamentalism — religious, political, psychological systems, etc. Second, they may present as being very committed to a belief systems or organization, but they feel very comfortable bending the rules where it does fit their desires.It becomes easy to bend the rules because they are not really committed to the underlying values system. However, when a person is deeply committed to authentic moral or value principles, they are less willing to act in ways which contradict these principles. The principles are authentic. Another way avoid responsibility can occur through the belief that one is powerless. There can be many factors which are seen to render a person powerless. A person can perceive themselves as a victim of their environment, of various supernatural or spiritual forces, their unconscious, or a victim of their biology/genes.While an existential approach will recognize that all of these fa ctors may influence a person, none of them render a person powerless or completely control them. The Ability to Choose Freedom Otto Rank discusses the issue of freedom beautifully. Essentially, Rank states that the degree to which a person is unaware of those forces which influence us, they are controlled by them. Stated differently, the degree which we are unaware of how our drives, instincts, unconscious, and environment are influencing us, they control us.However, if a person chooses not to be aware of these influences, even if done so passively or unconsciously, a choice has still been made. Self-awareness, in Rank's conceptualization, is a commitment people make which can enhance their freedom. Yet, most people choose to live a life of being unaware. It can be frightening to deeply know who we are and the realities of our existence. Yet, it can be even more rewarding. The movie the Matrix provides a parallel to this understanding of freedom and awareness.While many choose to av oid living in the realities of life, a few choose to live more fully in awareness. The existential question then becomes do you choose the blue pill? Or will you take the red one? Self-Awareness and the Ethical Life If we accept Ranks views on freedom, the unconscious, and the will, then to live a responsible life is to live a life committed to self-awareness. If the choice made is to merely be a product of our biology, our unconscious, and our environment; then the choice has been made to live an inauthentic and irresponsible life.This commitment is not always an easy one, but, again, the rewards can be great. The inauthentic and unaware life limits a person in so many ways. First, it limits a person's ability to live an ethical life. Second, it limits the potential for authenticity. A third loss, which is necessarily connected to the second loss, is that we are limited in our ability for intimacy and relational satisfaction. It is only through knowing ourselves that we can be auth entically in relationship with others. However, the ironic paradox remains that the only way we can come to now ourselves is through relationship with others. In returning to the discussion of ethics, it can be seen that this is profoundly different approach to ethics than the one typically embraced by American society. A close look at America's value system reveals that it typically is based on a) conformity to rules and ethics codes, b) what benefits the individual or their family the most, or c) what is more financially beneficial for the individual. I would maintain that an existential approach to ethics must be counterculture in American society.As existential thought tends to be anti-structural, it will focus on broader principles instead of rules. These principles may be derived from a religious or spiritual system, but not necessarily so. They would embrace a respect for human existence, but also the broader environmental and natural systems (nature) of which human existence is a part. Love, compassion, and a commitment to social justice (not in the punitive or avenging sense, but rather in seeking to change the evils of society) are the principles which are foundational to existential theory.While many individual principles may also be a part of different peoples' values system, I would maintain that these principles are essential to an existential ethics. Self awareness is needed to live in accordance with these principles. However, the lack of self awareness is not an acceptable excuse for a person's behavior. Freedom & Responsibility in Therapy The process of change cannot begin until a person accepts responsibility. This is one of the difficult challenges of growth. In order to grow, a person must accept responsibility for what they have done to contribute to where they are at in life.If they have no responsibility, then they have little ability to change. When applied to therapy, this could be taken to mean that the therapist must break through t he walls of defense in order to help the client take responsibility. This is generally not consistent with the existential approach. Bugental (1987) provides some of the best illustrations of this. With his profound respect for the client, Bugental also shows a respect for the client's defenses. Instead of forcing through defenses, they can be used as a guide to help the therapist know when the client is ready to go deeper into an issue.When the defenses are strong, the therapist respects the need for the defense and does not push on that issue at that time. However, when the defenses are lowered the therapist then can recognize that it is a good time to move deeper. This is not to suggest there is never a time to confront or challenge a client's defenses. Rather it recognizes that before this is done the therapist must recognize the value of the defense. It also suggests that defenses can be challenged or confronted in a softer manner. I like to use the metaphor of the invitation h ere.The job of the therapist is to continuously invite the client to examine the defenses and the issues which the defenses are protecting, yet always respect the client's desire to not accept the invitation. †¦. Marine pollution occurs when harmful, or potentially harmful, effects result from the entry into the ocean of chemicals, particles, industrial, agricultural and residential waste, noise, or the spread of invasive organisms. Most sources of marine pollution are land based. The pollution often comes from nonpoint sources such as agricultural runoff and wind blown debris and dust.Many potentially toxic chemicals adhere to tiny particles which are then taken up by plankton and benthos animals, most of which are either deposit or filter feeders. In this way, the toxins are concentrated upward within ocean food chains. Many particles combine chemically in a manner highly depletive of oxygen, causing estuaries to become anoxic. When pesticides are incorporated into the marine ecosystem, they quickly become absorbed into marine food webs. Once in the food webs, these pesticides can cause mutations, as well as diseases, which can be harmful to humans as well as the entire food web.Toxic metals can also be introduced into marine food webs. These can cause a change to tissue matter, biochemistry, behaviour, reproduction, and suppress growth in marine life. Also, many animal feeds have a high fish meal or fish hydrolysate content. In this way, marine toxins can be transferred to land animals, and appear later in meat and dairy products †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Knowledge and wisdom go hand in hand Best Answer – Chosen by Asker My thought on knowledge is that people learn while as a child through their parents and teachers. Its that learned knowledge that has been passed down rom one generation to the next from one person to the next and then passed on to another. Its the Transfer of Knowledge from person to person. Wisdom is the knowledge a person has gai ned as they have grown and experienced while living life. Its the knowledge that people acquire separate from their parents because they have not been able to for one reason or another inform, educate or teach. Its the knowledge one can only learn from doing and experiencing. Intellectuality comes from high intelligence, coupled with interest in the world around you.If you're curious about things and want to know things, you'll study. It's irrelevant where you study. You can simply read up on your own without getting a tertiary education. Life experience will aid wisdom. But being intellectual doesn't necessarily mean you're wise. Wisdom is the sum of your life experience. It's emotional and experience that you apply to your life. Intellectuality is more abstract. You apply it to problems and questions that don't necessarily have anything to do with life and living. You can be wise without being intellectual, and vise versa. Or you can be both. Or†¦ sometimes†¦ either. :p †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ The greenhouse effect is a process by which thermal radiation from a planetary surface is absorbed by atmospheric greenhouse gases, and is re-radiated in all directions. Since part of this re-radiation is back towards the surface and the lower atmosphere, it results in an elevation of the average surface temperature above what it would be in the absence of the gases. [1][2] Solar radiation at the frequencies of visible light largely passes through the atmosphere to warm the planetary surface, which then emits this energy at the lower frequencies of infrared thermal radiation.Infrared radiation is absorbed by greenhouse gases, which in turn re-radiate much of the energy to the surface and lower atmosphere. The mechanism is named after the effect of solar radiation passing through glass and warming a greenhouse, but the way it retains heat is fundamentally different as a greenhouse works by reducing airflow, isolating the warm air inside the structure so that heat is no t lost by convection. [2][3][4] If an ideal thermally conductive blackbody was the same distance from the Sun as the Earth is, it would have a temperature of about 5.  °C. However, since the Earth reflects about 30%[5] [6] of the incoming sunlight, this idealized planet's effective temperature (the temperature of a blackbody that would emit the same amount of radiation) would be about ? 18  °C. [7][8] The surface temperature of this hypothetical planet is 33  °C below Earth's actual surface temperature of approximately 14  °C. [9] The mechanism that produces this difference between the actual surface temperature and the effective temperature is due to the atmosphere and is known as the greenhouse effect. 10] Earth’s natural greenhouse effect makes life as we know it possible. However, human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels and clearing of forests, have intensified the natural greenhouse effect, causing global warming. [11] †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Democracy and India India is the seventh largest (by area) and the second most populous country in the world, with roughly one-sixth of its population, of about a billion and a quarter. It is the world's largest democracy. It is one of the world's oldest civilizations yet, a very young nation. Elections to its Parliament are held once every 5 years.Currently, Prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh is the head of the government, enjoying a majority in the Parliament, while President Pranab Mukherjee, is the head of state. India is a constitutional republic governed under the world's longest written constitution, federally consisting of 28 states and seven centrally administered union territories, with New Delhi as the nation's capital. The country has four main national parties: the Indian National Congress (INC), Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of India (Marxist).The Indian National Congress has governed the country for 3/4th's of the time si nce independence from Britain in 1947, under the de facto one party system[1] and now, under the Dominant-party system. At the level of its states, many regional parties stand for elections to state legislatures, every five years. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Global warming is the rise in the average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans since the late 19th century and its projected continuation. Since the early 20th century, Earth's mean surface temperature has increased by about 0. 8  °C (1.  °F), with about two-thirds of the increase occurring since 1980. [2] Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, and scientists are more than 90% certain that it is primarily caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases produced by human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. [3][4][5][6] These findings are recognized by the national science academies of all major industrialized nations. [7][A] Climate model projections were summarized in the 2007 F ourth Assessment Report (AR4) by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).They indicated that during the 21st century the global surface temperature is likely to rise a further 1. 1 to 2. 9  °C (2 to 5. 2  °F) for their lowest emissions scenario and 2. 4 to 6. 4  °C (4. 3 to 11. 5  °F) for their highest. [8] The ranges of these estimates arise from the use of models with differing sensitivity to greenhouse gas concentrations. [9][10] Future warming and related changes will vary from region to region around the globe. [11] The effects of an increase in global temperature include a rise in sea levels and a change in the amount and pattern of precipitation, as well a probable expansion of subtropical deserts. 12] Warming is expected to be strongest in the Arctic and would be associated with the continuing retreat of glaciers, permafrost and sea ice. Other likely effects of the warming include a more frequent occurrence of extreme-weather events including heat waves, droughts and heavy rainfall, ocean acidification and species extinctions due to shifting temperature regimes. Effects significant to humans include the threat to food security from decreasing crop yields and the loss of habitat from inundation. 13][14] Proposed policy responses to global warming include mitigation by emissions reduction, adaptation to its effects, and possible future geoengineering. Most countries are parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC),[15] whose ultimate objective is to prevent dangerous anthropogenic (i. e. , human-induced) climate change. [16] Parties to the UNFCCC have adopted a range of policies designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions[17]:10[18][19][20]:9 and to assist in adaptation to global warming. 17]:13[20]:10[21][22] Parties to the UNFCCC have agreed that deep cuts in emissions are required,[23] and that future global warming should be limited to below 2. 0  °C (3. 6  °F) relative to the pre-industrial l evel. [23][B] Reports published in 2011 by the United Nations Environment Programme[24] and the International Energy Agency[25] suggest that efforts as of the early 21st century to reduce emissions may be inadequate to meet the UNFCCC's 2  °C target. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Followers First, Leaders Second. March 15, 2009 | by Randy Willis | Leave a Comment!One morning last week, during my time with God, I was praying for my (and Joleen’s) ministry/leadership, and said †¦ Make us the followers you want us to be so that we can be the leaders you call us to be! I have always believed that leaders must first be followers. Christ-following leaders must first be followers of God; indeed, their leadership flows out of following God! But leaders must also be good followers of others (e. g. , those in authority, other leaders, etc. ). In other words, followership is a prerequisite of leadership.One of the challenges leaders face is knowing when to follow and when to lead. Certainly, lea ders must always follow God. At times, leaders need to know when to follow others as well, particularly, those to whom they delegate responsibility and/or share ministry. Leaders carry the ultimate responsibility of leadership, of course, but there are times when they need to follow, to let others lead. We are followers first (that’s one of the reasons why I like and prefer the term â€Å"Christ-followers†), then leaders.So, are you a good leader? And, just as important for leaders, are you a good follower? †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct manipulation of an organism's genome using biotechnology. New DNA may be inserted in the host genome by first isolating and copying the genetic material of interest using molecular cloning methods to generate a DNA sequence, or by synthesizing the DNA, and then inserting this construct into the host organism. Genes may be removed, or â€Å"knocked out†, using a nuclease.Gene targeting is a different technique that uses homologous recombination to change an endogenous gene, and can be used to delete a gene, remove exons, add a gene, or introduce point mutations. An organism that is generated through genetic engineering is considered to be a genetically modified organism (GMO). The first GMOs were bacteria in 1973; GM mice were generated in 1974. Insulin-producing bacteria were commercialized in 1982 and genetically modified food has been sold since 1994. Genetic engineering techniques have been applied in numerous fields including research, agriculture, industrial biotechnology, and medicine.Enzymes used in laundry detergent and medicines such as insulin and human growth hormone are now manufactured in GM cells, experimental GM cell lines and GM animals such as mice or zebrafish are being used for research purposes, and genetically modified crops have been commercialized. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Inter-linking of rivers as a solution to water problems The India n Rivers Inter-link is a proposed large-scale civil engineering project that aims to join the majority of India's rivers by canals and so reduce persistent water shortages in parts of India. [edit] HistoryIn 1972 the then Minister for Irrigation K. L. Rao proposed a 2640 kilometer long link between the Ganges and Kaveri rivers. In 1974 plans were proposed for the ‘Garland canal'. In 1982 the National Water Development Agency was set up to carry out surveys of the links and prepare feasibility studies. The Garland Canal was proposed by Dinshaw J. Dastur, a consultant Engineer [edit] The Project The Inter-link would consist of two parts, a northern Himalayan River Development component and a southern Peninsular River Development component. [edit] Himalayan developmentThe northern component would consist of a series of dams built along the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers in India, Nepal and Bhutan for the purposes of storage. Canals would be built to transfer surplus water from the eastern tributaries of the Ganga to the west. The Brahmaputra and its tributaries would be linked with the Ganga and the Ganga with the Mahanadi river. This part of the project would provide additional irrigation for about 220,000 square kilometres and generate about 30 gigawatts of electricity. In theory it would provide extra flood control in the Ganga and Brahmaputra river basins.It could also provide excess water for the controversial Farakka Barrage which could be used to flush out the silt at the port of Kolkata. [edit] Peninsular development The main part of the project would send water from the eastern part of India to the south and west. The southern development project would consist of four main parts. First, the Mahanadi, Godavari. Krishna and Kaveri rivers would all be linked by canals. Extra water storage dams would be built along the course of these rivers. The purpose of this would be to transfer surplus water from the Mahanadi and Godavari rivers to the south of Indi a.Second, those rivers that flow west to the north of Mumbai and the south of Tapi would be linked. Due to the irregular fluctuations in water levels in the region, as much storage capacity would be built as possible. The water would be used by the urban areas of Bombay and also to provide irrigation in the coastal areas of Maharashtra. Third the Ken and Chambal rivers would be linked in order to provide better water facilities for Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Finally a number of west-flowing rivers along the Western Ghats simply discharge into the Arabian Sea. As many of these as possible would be diverted for irrigation purposes.The Peninsular part of the project would provide additional irrigation to 130,000 square kilometres and generation an additional 4 gigawatts of power. [edit] Criticism †¢ Critics also point to the enormous costs conservatively estimated at some US$ 140b which India cannot afford to spend. †¢ The change in elevation (a minimum of 100 m, gener ally increases towards the south) from the plains of northern India to the Vindhya and Satpura ranges and the Deccan Plateau beyond them, pose a major challenge to the project; as the water would have to travel upwards in order to reach Maharashtra and southern India. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Inter-linking of rivers – An ecological disaster Less than a month after Rahul Gandhi warned against â€Å"playing with nature†, Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said the idea of interlinking India's rivers was a â€Å"disaster†, putting a question mark on the future of the ambitious project. â€Å"The interlinking of rivers will be a human-ecological-economic disaster. It is easy to do interlinking on paper. Interlinking of rivers has limited basin value, but largescale interlinking would be a disaster,† Ramesh said at a press briefing today.In Chennai last month, Rahul had expressed concern over the environmental fallout of interlinking. â€Å"We should not play with nature on such a massive scale,† he was quoted as saying. The remark drew flak from UPA ally DMK, which reminded Rahul that it was Indira Gandhi who set up the National Water Development Agency in 1982 to study the possibility of water transfers from surplus basins to deficit areas. DMK chief M Karunanidhi pointed out that UPA-I's 2004 National Common Minimum Programme had promised â€Å"a comprehensive assessment of the feasibility of linking of rivers†¦ tarting with south-bound rivers†. Asked about the party's stand on the issue, the Congress remained non-committal. â€Å"It is a larger issue. It is not a magic wand. There is an awesome scale of interlinking. It is a super long term solution, and not a medium or short-term solution,† spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said. â€Å"I don't think anybody is rejecting or accepting it. After 25 years of considerable expenditure, you may still have the same problem. Unless you are s ure, you can't embark on it. It is a project with extremely multifarious aspects and the jury is out,† Singhvi said. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority Managing in a business environment would also entail making the most effective use of that thing or resource whether it is money, machines, material, supply chains, accounting, engineering, people or whatever. Very few managers are unaware of the fact that if we only used the machine and never properly cared for it, the machine's capacity would degrade rather steadily over time and eventually suffer a casualty which would render it useless. To be successful at maintaining machinery or a function like ccounting, one must thoroughly understand that machine or function, how it works and what it needs. Direction, integrity, consistency, and connection create the leadership relationship. That's a first step in building an organization, but it doesn't address the issue of how lea ders make their organizations successful. Leaders can choose to lead in a good direction or a bad one. Actually, a full spectrum exists from exceptionally bad to exceptionally good. Every manager will by his/her actions will lead in some direction within this spectrum.This direction may not be understood or chosen by the manager, but that is irrelevant. This is always the leaderaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s choice, whether or not the leader realizes it. Leadership is not a process any manager can change. It happens inexorably every minute of every day because most people follow more or less. The only choice available to a manager is the standard that employees will follow. Because of these characteristics, â€Å"followership† turns out to be a major force in managing people. Those managers who take advantage of it can become extremely effective at managing their human capital.You cannot build trust without treating people with respect and dignity. It is now all too common to have layoffs in which those let go are immediately escorted off the premises. This process deprives them and those left behind of the opportunity to say good-bye and, more fundamentally, signals distrust and disrespect. Consider instead the New Zealand Post, which, since becoming a state-owned enterprise expected to operate like a private company in 1987, has accomplished amazing things. People laid off were offered generous severance, given parties on their leaving, and recognized for their contributions to the company.Indeed, the Post even let the staff help decide who would go and who would stay — for it turned out that some people the organization intended to keep wanted to leave or retire and others wanted to stay. Clear expectations are critical to building trust. The more clear you are about what others expect from you and what you expect from others, the easier you will find it to build trust. When your supervisor and your employees know that you really care about their personal a nd professional success, and your actions demonstrate this case, they will find you easier to trust.Building trust is not difficult, but it takes time. There may be instant pudding and instant tea; there is no such thing as instant trust. But, if you do what you say youaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re going to do; do even more than is expected; openly communicate often; practice the concept of aâ‚ ¬? no surprises;aâ‚ ¬? be honest, even when it costs you something to be honest; and really care about an individualaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s personal and professional success, you will find it easier to build relationships based on trust.You can get people to do what they are paid to do by using all sorts of manipulative tactics. You could easily tell employees that if they do not get a task done, you will give them a negative performance appraisal, and that, in turn, will make them ineligible for the next round of raises. That may work. Or you may have employees who do aâ‚ ¬? exactly what you tell them to do. aâ‚ ¬? What you will not have is a workforce that is motivated to do whatever it takes to get the job done. Because you do not care about them.Their level of care for you as an individual, or your success as a manager, is lacking because of their limited relationship with you. True leaders understand that success does not depend on their titles, but on the values they uphold and the choices they make on a daily basis. They know that leadership is not achieved through technical expertise, but rather is based on a relationship with their followers. It is our hope that the following insights will help you with the aâ‚ ¬? relationship savvyaâ‚ ¬? ou need to be a great supervisor, and an outstanding leader. †¦.. Pollution and economic development There are many environmental issues in India. Air pollution, water pollution, garbage, and pollution of the natural environment are all challenges for India. The situation was worse between 1947 through 1995. According to d ata collection and environment assessment studies of World Bank experts, between 1995 through 2010, India has made one of the fastest progress in the world, in addressing its environmental issues and improving its environmental quality. 1][2] Still, India has a long way to go to reach environmental quality similar to those enjoyed in developed economies. Pollution remains a major challenge and opportunity for India. Some believe economic development is causing the environmental issues. Others believe economic development is key to improving India's environmental management and preventing pollution in India. It is also suggested that India's growing population is the primary cause of India's environmental degradation. Systematic studies challenge this theory.Empirical evidence from countries such as Japan, England and Singapore, each with population density similar or higher than India, yet each enjoying environmental quality vastly superior than India, suggests population density ma y not be the only factor affecting India's issues. [3] Major environmental issues are forest and agricultural degradation of land, resource depletion (water, mineral, forest, sand, rocks etc. ), environmental degradation, public health, loss of biodiversity, loss of resilience in ecosystems, livelihood security for the poor. 4] The major sources of pollution in India include the rampant burning of fuelwood and biomass such as dried waste from livestock as the primary source of energy,[5] lack of organized garbage and waste removal services, lack of sewage treatment operations, lack of flood control and monsoon water drainage system, diversion of consumer waste into rivers, cremation practices near major rivers, government mandated protection of highly polluting old public transport, and continued operation by Indian government of government owned, high emission plants built between 1950 to 1980. 6][7][8][9][10] India's water supply and sanitation issues are related to many environme ntal issues. Environmental issues are one of the primary causes of disease, health issues and long term livelihood impact for India. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world Nelson Mandela once said that education is the most powerful weapon which can be used to change the world. But when Christo van der Rheede and his team facilitated a leadership and management course for teachers, education as a weapon seemed impossible when it was found that teachers themselves aren’t equipped to enforce this notion.While these teachers have all the commitment and enthusiasm necessary, how is it possible that most of our schools are struggling to deliver quality education Comments By Anonymous Wed 4 Aug, 2010 – 16:58 it is good †¢ reply â€Å"Education is the most powerful weapon, which you can use to change the world. † These are the wise words of former president Nelson Mandela who celebrates his 91st birthday t his month. Indeed prophetic words calling on all South Africans to account for the way in which education is used to ensure the success of South Africa’s nation-building project.Education forms the cornerstone of this project, as it entails the transfer of knowledge, skills and values. If education fails, all the effort up to now will be in vain. Already, a very disconcerting picture is painted by researchers investigating an education system which fails to produce skilled citizens. We, at the Stigting vir Bemagtiging deur Afrikaans (SBA), share the concern over the state of affairs in education. For this reason, SBA recently facilitated a three-day leadership and management course to approximately fifty teachers, under the auspices of the Enkwenkwezi Trust.What struck me was the commitment and enthusiasm of the teachers who sacrificed their winter holidays working through the modules from 9am – 4pm. They clearly thirsted for the knowledge we shared with them. This exp erience has compelled me to critically question not only the nature and extent of support given to teachers but also the role which office-based education officials, specifically appointed for the task, can be expected to play in this regard.If the majority of the teaching personnel at ground level are prepared to perform their daily tasks with such commitment and enthusiasm, how is it possible that most of our schools are struggling to deliver quality education? My observation during all our training sessions is that many of the teachers do not have an adequate grasp of the new curriculum. It was expected of an entire generation of teachers trained during the previous dispensation to undergo a change in mindset from the ‘old’ to the ‘new’ in a matter of weeks.To them it was and still is an uphill battle, as a few weeks’ training in the new curriculum is simply not sufficient and often leaves them more confused and despondent. In contrast, the genera tion of teachers now being trained has a better understanding of the new curriculum after four years of training. It is no wonder, therefore, that they are considered a ray of light by many principals and their senior management. However, making a change of mindset from the ‘old’ to the ‘new’ is possible. With proper guidance and sensible management of these changes teachers will be able to make headway.Unfortunately, we have a chronic shortage of experienced and in some instances indifferent office-based education officials to give teachers step-by-step guidance and top-class support. In some provinces, especially in urban areas, this expertise is readily available. These schools also have access to the internet and resource centres where teachers can get the necessary assistance. There are, however, education district offices in the former homelands, rural as well as urban areas that lack expertise to give teachers the necessary guidance and support.To ma ke matters worse, those schools do not even have access to the internet or to well-equipped resource centres. No wonder most of the schools in our country are struggling to provide quality education to our children. The entire curriculum delivery process is compromised due to a lack of support and this I wish to motivate by means of the following diagram: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning. A customer who complains to you should be valued – many of your dissatisfied customers will take their business elsewhere and not even give you an opportunity to respond.Bill Gates has stated that: â€Å"Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning†. If you want to build long and loving relationships with your customers then: †¢ Always be open to discussing problems with your customers †¢ Listen and empathize – consider the reasons behind the dissatisfaction and hurt †¢ Be personal and ca ring – don’t brush them aside with automated, standard responses †¢ Say sorry and acknowledge the problem – even if you believe you are not in the wrong †¢ Show your affection when you’re in the wrong – but don’t overdo it! Give customers and complaint handlers access to someone who can come in to mediate when a solution cannot be found but a continued relationship is still required †¢ Take time to think about your actions and look at ways to improve the way you do things in future †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Advertising and the consumer Why is it so difficult to introspect on advertising and how it influences us? Because we look for major effects, that’s why! Too often, we look for the ability of an ad to persuade us. We look for a major effect rather than more subtle, minor effects.Big and immediate effects of advertising do occur when the advertiser has something new to say. Then it is easy for us to introspect on its effect. But most effects of advertising fall well short of persuasion. These minor effects are not obvious but they are more characteristic of the way advertising works. To understand advertising we have to understand and measure these effects. When our kids are growing up we don’t notice their physical growth each day but from time to time we become aware that they have grown.Determining how much a child has grown in the last 24 hours is like evaluating the effect of being exposed to a single commercial. In both cases, the changes are too small for us to notice. But even small effects of advertising can influence which brand we choose especially when all other factors are equal and when alternative brands are much the same. Advertising is paid, nonpersonal communication that is designed to communicate in a creative manner, through the use of mass or information-directed media, the nature of products, services, and ideas.It is a form of persuasive communication that offer s information about products, ideas, and services that serves the objectives determined by the advertiser. Advertising may influence consumers in many different ways, but the primary goal of advertising is to increase the probability that consumers exposed to an advertisement will behave or believe as the advertiser wishes. Thus, the ultimate objective of advertising is to sell things persuasively and creatively.Advertising is used by commercial firms trying to sell products and services; by politicians and political interest groups to sell ideas or persuade voters; by not-for-profit organizations to raise funds, solicit volunteers, or influence the actions of viewers; and by governments seeking to encourage or discourage particular activities, such a wearing seatbelts, participating in the census, or ceasing to smoke. The forms that advertising takes and the media in which advertisements appear are as varied as the advertisers themselves and the messages that they wish to deliver. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Innovation in EducationIntroduction Education is the crucible in which Innovations are forged. Promoting creativity and incentivizing innovations through our educational institutions is a first step towards broadening and deepening the impact of innovations in our society and economy. In large scale education systems such as ours, catering to a vast population with relatively limited resources, this is a major challenge. At the same time, with rapid advances in new technologies, changing needs of the economy, and the very presence of the challenges identified above, the sector itself presents a fertile ground for pioneering innovations.Recognising the fundamental role of education in nurturing and fostering an ecosystem of innovation the National Innovation Council is engaged in a series of initiatives to encourage innovations in existing educational institutions – universities, colleges and schools, as well as promoting new educational m odels and innovative platforms for knowledge creation, dissemination and application. Some of the key proposals of the NInc in this domain include: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Intellectual bankruptcy in politicsGujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi launched a fresh attack on the Center on December 27, saying the country was in the grip of pessimism because of â€Å"policy paralysis, intellectual bankruptcy and lack of leadership. † He said the Center’s policies â€Å"lack urgency or seriousness† in tackling economic crises and thus the â€Å"sense of pessimism† in the 12th Plan. â€Å"There is a policy paralysis, intellectual bankruptcy and lack of leadership in the country because of which the country was experiencing stagnancy. We are going on the path of negative growth,† Modi told reporters at the 57th National Development Council (NDC) meeting here.In his speech at the meeting, Modi said, â€Å"It seems that there is no urgency or seriousness in tackling economic crises facing the country. There has been a virtual lack of direction in the macro-economic management of the country. † Modi also called for setting up a National Resources Commission on the lines of the Finance Commission, which discusses the allocation of grants to states every five years. He said the country is facing a demographic opportunity as 65 percent of the population is young and pitched for a youth-centric growth, which focused on skill development. It is unfortunate that the central government has been bereft of any vision or strategy in this regard. This feeling of helplessness in making effective policy interventions has resulted in job creation suffering and the youth of the country becoming disillusioned,† he said in his speech. †¦. We are creatures of our habits This blog will be about habits. I do research on habits and self-change and I've blogged on these topics for almost two years now. Here at Psychology Today, I have a bigger and b etter platform, and I am ever so grateful. But, what to say first?How to set the tone? Perhaps I should begin with the title of my blog, Creatures of Habit. The title says so much about my approach to human psychology in general, and to habits in particular. First off, we are creatures. We are animals. We're very sophisticated and good-looking and all that, but let's never forget that we're made of flesh and blood. In particular, our brains are incredibly complex evolved machines. Our brains govern basic processes such as breathing and food intake, and also enable us to appreciate the finer points of John Cleese's performances in Fawlty Towers.Bottom of Form As creatures, we have needs. We need to eat, and so we eat. As rather intelligent and social creatures, we like to chat with one another, and so we do. We take turns and finish our conversations gracefully. And there

Analysis of Internationalisation Strategy Tesco and Lidl Essay

Question 1: Globalisation has, in the last few decades, been one of the dominant trends in retailing. Retailers around the globe are striving for higher global market shares. The food retailing industry which has an oligopolistic market, especially, has strong competition although, with a few large firms dominating the market. Among them Tesco and Lidl are one of the major European retailers. Tesco is the UK’s largest retailer with 28.7% market share, which is 11% more than its closest rival, ASDA (Statista.com, 2015), and is the 5th largest retailer in the world (Deloitte, 2015). And Lidl is the main retail chain (accounting for more than 70% of its sales) of Schwarz group, which is the 4th largest retailer in the world (Deloitte, 2015). Both of these firms are based in Europe with Tesco being a British firm and Lidl a German. These firms are similar not only in their revenues and market shares but also in the generic strategy they have adopted. In terms of business operation, both firms follow Porter’s cost leadership strategy. However, Tesco also incorporates the differentiation strategy (Baroto et al., 2012), hence pursuing a hybrid strategy combining the two, while Lidl solely follows the no-frills cost leadership strategy (Geppert et al., 2015). Both these firms have internationalized in different countries around the globe. Lidl has mainly focused its internationalisation in the European markets, while Tesco, in addition to expanding in different eastern European countries, has also started its operations in drastically different markets such as South Korea, China, India and The USA. However, they have followed different strategies in their modes of entry into foreign markets, with different levels of success. The decision to and the outcome of internationalisation for these two firms have depended on different factors like government regulation, availability of the factors of production, their business operation strategy and so on. One of the main criteria for internationalisation for firms is to possess some sort of competitive advantage, in order to overcome the threats and difficulties usually associated with entering into a new foreign market (Vernon 1966). Lidl being a discounter has a huge advantage in terms of price compared to other supermarkets and hypermarkets. As a result of its no-frills strategy, Lidl can significantly reduce costs in different stages of its logistics and supply chain. Entering into a new country has a lot of challenges and firm  size is one of the things a firm must consider when choosing a country for internationalisation. If th e firm does not have significant market share in its domestic market, it will find it difficult to maintain its operations in foreign markets. In Lidl’s case, they have built a very strong domestic market and therefore, had a strong foundation for further expansion to foreign markets. From Lidl’s previous Foreign Direct Investments, it is evident that that the firm has adopted both acquisition strategy as well as Greenfield investment. However, it has mostly focused on Greenfield investments (Nayak, 2011). Greenfield investment, which entails starting the operations from scratch, gives firms more freedom in selecting their business strategy in terms of choosing suppliers and managing logistics etc. This market entry strategy allows firms to fully utilize their company-specific advantages (Ando, 2005). One of the reasons Lidl chooses this strategy as their international mode of entry, is because of its consistency with their business model. Lidl, like other hard discounters, follows a global standardised strategy (Bartlett & Ghoshal, 1989), where majority of the decisions are made by the corporate headquarters, in things like variation of product assortment, design of store outlets or policies and procedures and there is very little localisation (Geppert,201 5). This allows Lidl to implement its own strategic model into a new business in a foreign market. However, in addition to centralizing the strategic aspect of the business, they also centralize some physical aspects of it. â€Å"A global retail strategy relies on standardization to achieve economies of scale and of replication. This means that in different countries similar product lines, distribution system, communication, service level and store design are used† (McGoldrick 2002). Lidl’s business strategy includes a standardized supply chain which allows it to efficiently operate its business in different countries and also provides an economies of scale. Upon entering a foreign market, they set up regional distribution centres (RDCs) to service a significant number of their stores in a certain region. They source their products (except perishables) through their headquarters in Germany and those products are distributed through the RDCs to their respective regional stores. Each of the RDC is linked to a regional management headquarters and they supply around 60 a nd 120 stores (Geppert, 2011). Through this kind of horizontal FDI, Lidl operates in its foreign  markets just as it does in its domestic market. Also, the fact that Lidl has expanded into countries that are geographically closer makes this strategy and business model very effective. This strategy is also consistent with the gravity model of bilateral trade which states that volume of trade is inversely proportional to the distance between the countries and directly proportional to the size of the economies. Lidl’s operating countries are geographically closer to each other and they, as a result, incur less transaction costs, which allows a discounter like Lidl, to adhere to its cost leadership strategy in its foreign markets as well. Moreover, Germany’s central location in Europe as well as it being the largest economy in Europe increases the prospect and efficiency of trade. Furthermore, due to Lidl’s choice of internationalisation strategy, factor abundance plays an integral role, especially in terms of land and space. Greenfield investment requires land to build new stores or the availability of already built stores. â€Å"Discounters’ stores are standardized not only in neighbouring markets, but worldwide, which allows for efficient in-store processes† (Warschun, 2011). Therefore, Lidl which follows a similar standardization strategy, requires specific sizes of land and stores in different parts of the country it wants to expand to. An exception in this case is Sweden, which is geographically a bit farther relative to other countries. Lidl, establishing a Greenfield investment, built their own warehouse in South West of Sweden, however, the warehouse was still served by the same logistics firm used by Lidl in Germany, Pape (Nyberg, 2007). This still allowed for the standard distribution process to be implemented, as Pape is already familiar with Lidl’s business model and distribution modes. Government policies, in both domestic and foreign markets, also have a significant effect on food retailers and their decision to internationalise. In 1968, a retail planning policy was devised in Germany in order to protect the small stores by limiting the size of stores outside city centres and special zones (Geppert et.al, 2015). This helped discount stores like Lidl by stopping bigger competitors from introducing huge supermarkets and hypermarkets. As a result, Lidl gained a significant portion of the market share in the German food retailing market. This strong position in their domestic market meant they had the resources and the motivation to expand  into other markets and a strong domestic presence also benefits Lidl’s centralised business model. Since then, Lidl has expanded rapidly, mostly in European markets, and the number of Lidl stores in Lidl’s major operating countries can be seen from the table below. The table above shows that the total number of stores Lidl had in 2011 in its foreign markets is three times its number of stores in Germany, its domestic market. This shows that Lidl’s endeavours in foreign markets have been successful as majority of their international efforts have resulted in a profit. Lidl doesn’t publish country-by country profit figures, although, its turnover in the UK in 2012, which was  £202 million, increasing by around 40% in the five years since the recession hit (Gibb, 2013), shows that it is making a profit. In 2012, Lidl’s overall profits were up by 37% (Kantarretail, 2012). This can partly be attributed to the recession, because of which the demand for cheaper discounted goods increased, however, it can also be attributed to Lidl’s mode of entry into new markets and its business strategy which takes into account the local culture of the community and country in its foreign markets. For example: Lidl locally sources its pe rishable food products in the UK locally and uses it as its marketing strategy to attract local consumers and to create a friendly brand image. Similarly to Lidl, Tesco also has a very strong presence in its domestic market as it is the market leader in the UK. Being among the top five retailers in the world, Tesco has stores in various countries in Asia and Europe. After achieving rapid growth and gaining the highest market share in the UK, the move to enter foreign markets was part of Tesco’s disciplined international growth strategy (Tesco Annual Report, 2014). Tesco has also adopted Horizontal Foreign Direct Investment in most of its international expansions, usually acquiring existing retailers in foreign markets and implementing its own business strategy like undercutting competitors and introducing own brand products and its club card scheme and so on (corporatewatch.org, 2004). For example: Tesco’s acquisition of American company K-mart’s stores in Czech Republic in 1996 (tescoplc.com) and it currently has more than 300 stores there (Tescopoly.org) Tesco’s first  attempts at internationa lisation were not very successful as their acquisitions of relatively small supermarket chains in Ireland and France were divested soon after acquisition (Geppert et al., 2011). Tesco, then changed their strategy in acquisitions by acquiring larger foreign firms rather than smaller ones. In addition to the acquisition of K-mart in 1996, they acquired 26 S-Mart stores in Hungary in 1995, and ventured into the Irish market again in 1997, this time acquiring the market leader Associated British Food (ABF) (Geppert et al. 2011). As they grew Tesco has favoured large hypermarkets for its international stores rather than supermarkets, since in most countries it is easier to get planning permission for these than it is in the UK. (corporatewatch.org, 2004). One of Tesco’s main strategy in internationalisation has been to understand the market and operate in accordance with the local shopping culture to build better relationship with the consumers as well as suppliers. This is much easier to achieve in choosing acquisitions or joint ventures than through Greenfield investments. Through acquisitions, as a result of the knowledge of local customs and associations on part of the acquired firm, the investing firm can take advantage of pre-existing business network with suppliers and distribution chains. It also takes over the brands (in some cases), the reputation and the existing market share of the acquired firm and this can result in a stronger market presence very quickly (Marinescu & Constantin, 2008). Therefore, using an entry strategy suitable with a lot of market research, Tesco has had success in its foreign expansion in European markets. Some examples include its operations in Hungary, where they strongly focus on local suppliers and 85% of their sales are through local products and In India where they operate a scheme to donate to local charities and organisations (tescoplc.com). The following table with Tesco’s number of stores in 2011, shows that unlike Lidl, Tesco has more stores in its home market compared to all of its international inves tments and the proportion of sales is higher in its domestic market as well since it brings in about two thirds of its total revenues from its home market (Thomas et al., 2013). Contrary to its success in the European markets, Tesco has recently suffered some major setbacks in internationalisation in Asian markets like Japan and  China, and the US. Tesco entered the US market in 2007 and instead of using their tried and tested approach of acquisitions or joint ventures, they preferred to adopt a different strategy and entered the market by establishing a new wholly owned subsidiary as a Greenfield investment. This meant that they did not possess the local knowledge about the market and consumer behaviour. In addition, they initially filled their management positions with mostly British expats instead of hiring locally (Silverthorne, 2010). Competing as a new business in a highly oligopolistic market requires a strong strategy and considerable market research and knowledge about the consumer base so, a lack of that meant Tesco could not entice American consumers. Moreover, their timing of internationalisation was also unfortunate as recession had seriously effected Tesco’s chosen states of California, Nevada and Arizona. Tesco is estimated to have made more than  £1 billion in accumulated loss (Finch & Walsh, 2012). Similarly, also in China in 2013, Tesco had to fold its unprofitable business into a state-run company as a minority partner; this was attributed to a difficulty foreign companies like Tesco, have in negotiating with suppliers and regulators in a fast-growing but tricky market. Furthermore, Tesco also withdrew from the Japanese market in 2012 in a â€Å"move that follows decisions to†¦ focus on investing in its British home market† (Thomas et al., 2013). Tesco’s exit from Taiwan can be credited to low factor abundance, as all the most attractive sites for expansion already been developed or were held under future development option by Carrefour, who had been a well-established retailer in the country. In addition, the highly complex land ownership system was a hindrance for Tesco’s as it obstructed the transfer its skills in site location analysis and property development (Lowe & Wrigley, 2010). However, Tesco has had success in Asia, with Thailand, and South Korea, which is its largest foreign market. Tesco outperformed its global rivals Wal-Mart and Carrefour in South Korea and they were forced to exit the market leaving Tesco as the dominant international retailer there (Lowe & Wrigley, 2010). Tesco had entered both South Korea and Thailand through joint ventures rather than acquisition, this key difference helped the firm massively as the partnerships with local firms offered Tesco the knowledge of local business/regulatory conditions and consumer culture, plus it provided the opportunity to build upon the ‘local’ appeal, especially in  South Korea where Tesco had partnered with Samsung and the use of the name, Samsung-Tesco, proved to be vital (Lowe & Wrigley, 2010). Tesco’s failures in internationalization in some of the Asian and the American markets does show to some extent that geographical distance might have played a part even though the size of the economies involved were quite large. The culture of these markets were very different and as per Krug man’s love of variety model, individuals’ tastes are even more diverse, and Tesco could not adapt to these vastly different markets. In these kind of markets, a joint venture, like it adopted in its Korean and Thai markets, seemed to be the preferable option. Comparing and analysing the strategies of Tesco and Lidl’s shows that, in order to have a successful internationalisation and subsequently continue to have a strong foreign market, the firms must be strong in its domestic market. Both firms use different primary strategy to enter into foreign markets but their internationalisation strategy suits their respective business strategy, as Tesco’s opts for quick growth and seeks to be a market leader in all of its markets usually by acquiring large existing retailers, while Lidl opts for greenfield investments in order to maintain its cost leadership and utilize its standardized supply and distribution chains. Both firms use Horizontal FDI, which does decrease international trade as their services are usually aimed at host country, however, individual governments welcome Horizontal FDI as it boosts the local economy by providing jobs as well as increases competition. In Tesco’s case, it has recently turned its focus on its home market, as it has been losing market share in the UK and two thirds of its revenue come from the UK, however Lidl is growing more internationally and plans to open more stores in its already existing international markets like the UK (Butler, 2014). The world is very small now, especially with the ability to replicate technology easily and the power to move freely between countries. However, the strategies these two forms have used and their effectiveness in different countries show that, although there are fewer differences in consumer cultures and market structures, these differences still matter and play an important role in the success and failure of firms. The ability of a firm to understand the consumer culture is key when it comes to internationalisation. Furthermore, the gravity model does hold to an extent even in the case of internationalisation of firms, as evident from Tesco’s  failure to penetrate most Asian markets they entered compared to their successes in most European markets they ventured into. Tesco’s success in Thailand and Korea shows that a Joint venture with a locally established company would be the ideal mode of entry into risky markets. And a firm’s Internationalisation strategy must also be consistent with its business strategy in order to have a consistent growth in the foreign market after a successful entry. Reference: Baroto, M. B., Abdullah, M. M. B. and Wan, H. L. (2012) ‘Hybrid Strategy: A New Strategy for Competitive Advantage’, International Journal of Business and Management, 7. doi: 10.5539/ijbm.v7n20p120. Bartlett C.A., Ghoshal, S. (1989): Managing across Borders. The Transnational Solution. Boston., Mass: Harvard Business School press Butler, S. 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