Boston Tea Party Essays - British East India Company,

Boston Tea Party The Boston Tea Party was the key-event for the Revolutionary War. With this act, the colonists started the violent part of the revolution. It was the first try of the colonists, to rebel with violence against their own government. The following events were created by the snowball effect. There, all the colonists realized the first time, which they were treated wrong by the British government. It was an important step towards the independence dream, which was resting in the head of each colonist. They all flew from their mother country to start a new life in a new world, but the British government didn't gine them the possibility by controlling them. The events leading to the Boston Tea Party began already ten years before (1763), when the English won the French-and-Indian War. The king of Britain passed taxes on the colonies to make up for the loss of money because of the war. He did it in a line of acts, called the Sugar Act (tax to protect and secure the colonists) and the Stamp Act ( tax on all licences, newspapers and business papers ). The colonists reacted with protests against those acts, what made the British Parliament to repeal the taxes within 5 months. Then they (the government) passed taxes on lead, paint, paper and tea. These acts were called the Townshed Duties, but the colonists called them the "Insidious Acts". Mass meetings were held and people tried to influence others not to buy English imported goods anymore. In the end the parliament removed all the taxes except for tea. Actually the colonists easily didn't want to accept, to pay taxes to a government, they don't really belong to anymore. Although this tax on the tea cost a colonial family just pennies a year. Sam Adams, a kind of leader of the colonists, figured out, that the tax could be raised or lowered by the parliament at will. (Sam Adams: "The power to tax is the power to destroy!" ).He also pointed out, that the colonists had no representation in the Parliament, and that they can't be taxed without having a representation in there, to care for their interests and wills. However, most people drank tea smuggled in from the Netherlands, so they didn't care very much whether the parliament raises or lowers the taxes. When the East India Tea company realized, that the colonists were drinking cheap, smuggled tea, the Parliament gave them ( the company ) the monopoly to export tea without paying duties. That way the tea could be much cheaper than the holland tea, even with the taxes. This act was called the Tea Act, which was of great importance for the following Boston Tea Party. The colonists reacted to this act by holding meetings to discuss it. Supporter of the revolution (just to name some of them: John Adams, John Hancock, Dr. Joseph Warren) wrote letters of protest to the government's officials, but they didn't achieve anything. The tea ships arriving in Boston still had to pay the full British tax. In September, 1773, a radical group of colonists found out, that three East India tea cargo ships, laden full with tea, were heading for Boston under full sail. They knew, that if the ships got unloaded and the tax would be paid, it would be a crushing defeat. The same radical group wanted to make the agents of the East India Company resign from their job in front of a big crowd, but this part didn't work. Over the following weeks speeches in form of propaganda were made, to get all colonists informed about the events. People even quitted drinking tea (what they did for their whole life ) and started drinking coffee. The actual event On November 18th, 1773, the ships arrived. Pamphlets were posted to arrange a meeting between the citizens and the governor ( Hutchison ), called the "Committee of Correspondence". They wanted him to call the ships back to Britain. When he didn't agree, a bunch of men, disguised as Indians, went and stormed towards the harbor, planning to throw the tea into the bay. They divided in three groups, each of them with one leader. After they made the captain and his crew getting down below, they grabbed all the boxes of tea, opened them and threw them overboard. Even some members of the crew helped them to destroy the tea. A big crowed was created in the harbor, some of them even tried to steal some tea. Altogether they destroyed 340 chests. At

Recovery-watch - Emphasis

Recovery-watch Recovery-watch Last month we announced the launch of our index tracking the use of the words green shoots and recovery in the newspapers. So where are the press putting us now? Junes references to recovery actually topped Mays (1323 compared to 1185), while green shoots held steady. Merely counting these key words wont give you the entire story, of course. The articles focuses have largely switched, from the general publics need to put faith into the markets and their restoration to the Governments failure to do what they must. The push for positive attitudes is making way for renewed caution and uncertainty, though the Independent (arguably the most optimistic paper) whisper[s] about forecasts of mild global recovery in 2010. In fact, according to the Times, optimism itself may now be a taboo word (and attitude) for public figures to admit to. The paper reminded us early this month about the derision faced by Treasury Minister Baroness Vadera for claiming she believed green shoots were visible back in January. (To be fair though, she walked straight into a trap laid by Sky News, who fed her the term and asked her to respond.) This might go some way towards explaining the Governments cautious attitude of late.

Baroque and Rococo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Baroque and Rococo - Essay Example It is typified by bold, curving forms and elaborate decoration and ornamentation. Rococo is an architectural design characterized by simplicity, the variant colour shade, frivolity and freedom of brushwork. The rococo architecture style is characterized by elaborate curves and scrolls, intricate patterns, delicate details, ornaments, asymmetrical shapes and light colours. Although, and pride of the owner they differ in some aspects, these two styles share some similarities. The baroque and rococo were two stylistic periods that conveyed tow entirely different sensibilities; while one was heavy-handed and complex, the other conveyed simplicity and fanciness and pride of the owner. Thus, the difference between the two styles can be summed up in terms of function, mood and method or design. Architectural style involves some collective aspects that distinguish a building from the rest of the architecture. These details transform an ordinary building to a unique piece of art that is satis factory to the eye. Baroque and rococo were developed at a time when customers demanded luxury design that was magnificent. It would glorify their power and pride of the owner. Thus, was preferred by nobles, monarchs and churches. Both styles attempt to reveal and arouse highly emotional effects in their designs. Baroque designs are magnificent and appealing and appear amazing as do rococo designs. They excite all primarily due to their luxury and outlook of their ample space and imposing dà ©cor.

Review the theoretical relationship between market structure and bank Coursework

Review the theoretical relationship between market structure and bank performance - Coursework Example The relationship between the structure of the market and performance of the bank exists due to various reasons. For instance, there is the advice that company executives (specifically, the chief executive officers) acquaint the government and bank officials. Such advice is vital for establishing better pricing strategies and focusing on the income within a certain period. It is vital for the Chief Executive Officer’s undertake their usual duties considering the relation established between the market and performance of the bank. The main concern of this paper is to portray the relationship between the market structure and bank performance. Theoretical relationship between market structure and bank performance Market structure is a commonly used marketing term that gives a description of the level of competition that various business organizations lie under. There are two named variables of the market structure responsible for ascertaining a good relation between banks and mark et structures. To begin with, there is market awareness, used when measuring the assets of the banks in relation to the liabilities (Gelos & Roldos 2004, p. 41). They help ensure that the liabilities do not outweigh the assets. This is significant as it helps maintain the profits and financial statement of the banks. Market share is the second variable and acts as an element measuring the deposit of banks within certain periods. The performance of the bank brings about accomplishing banking activities, which are necessary especially when bank executives aim at creating better relations with the outside market. Since long time, people have had the urge to acquire more knowledge on operating business entities. They have also had concerns about the relationship between their businesses and the government. This is evident through the collapse of the privatised banks in Mexico (Graf 2013, p. 165). Top most leaders in any business industry should aim at ensuring that their businesses oper ate smoothly without much loss on the finance department. This is necessary in enhancing the relationship between them and banks. This is due the fact that hindering losses denotes a business operating in a situation where the activities generate more profits, necessary to be deposited in the banks. Individuals dealing with banking operations need to evaluate the performance of the activities undertaken within and outside the bank. Scrutiny of the external and internal banking factors is necessary. This is because it enables executive employees of a particular bank to acquire vital knowledge about overall bank performance. The relationship may also exist through an assessment the operations of business industries. This is crucial especially in a case where the executives demand to know what other businesses contribute to the banking sector. Effects of market structures on bank performance The existence of a good relationship between market structure and banks is an essential element in setting strategies for dealing with the action involving the setting of prices. The relationship has resulted in positive effects on banks. For instance, well-established market structures play the role of increasing finance due to the reason that the individuals operate through to accomplish set objectives. This then leads to an increase in bank finance as the business partners have to increase general savings. The reason why banks opt to relate to

Pre-Negotiation Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Pre-Negotiation Planning - Essay Example If I can't meet the deal with IAAPA, I will find the second-hand machines from the Chinese exhibition that is going to be held the next month after IAAPA exhibition. Nevertheless, attending the Chinese exhibition, I need to inspect the machine carefully if I want to purchase the machines from the Chinese exhibition. It is because the second-hand machines are vulnerable.This is the long-term relationship because IAAPA is an annual event. It is held every year and we frequently buy previous gaming machines from them. So I will try to make a deal with them since it is going to have a positive impact on Mr. Games and IAAPA relationship, but I still need to consider the cost of the machines. If it is too high then I will politely reject their offer, but I still need to maintain the relationships.Possible conflicts:- IAAPA sets up a price more than $150,000, it is because this machine is highly demanded by gamers around the world, so they will not sell this machine for the cheap price. - W e are not going to meet at our target price, and we are having conflict to meet our target price.- As a marketing chair of the Mr.Games Company, I am having a responsibility to give the rational answer on why we are purchasing their product, or why we are not meet the deal. I will tell them that IAAPA has a good standard, and the quality of the gaming machines so we will be satisfied if we can reach deal with them. Mr.Games is going to have 10 additional Maximum Tunes for their arcades gaming station. We also are going to tell IAAPA where we are going to purchase the products if we are not meet a deal with them. I believe by being open for both sides we are going to maintain the trust. It is going to be not ethical, if finally they know we are not buying the machines from them because the price is too high, and buy from Chinese dealers instead. *QUESTIONS Is there any discount for buying 10 gaming machines? How does the maintenance of the Maximum Tune 3? *OFFERS -Anchor 10 Maximum T une 3 for $ 155,000 -Re-anchor We are Mr. Games company, a loyal customer since 1994. We have bought a lot of gaming machines from IAAPA. I hope that this can be a consideration to get a cheaper price, and we will purchase 10 gaming machines directly. Furthermore, we always provide the payment on time, and pay the whole sum in cash. We will not take a credit to pay for the Maximum Tune 3 gaming machines. *Priorities on purchasing gaming machines (based on cost) 10 Gaming Machines with cheap price *The end of meeting As the ending, I should thank them for their time. No matter reaching a deal or not I should thank

Influence of culture on fashion

Influence of culture on fashion â€Å"The more we learn about culture the greater our understanding of the future of global consumerism in Fashion.† Fashion industry is all about making fashion statements. The industry runs on the motto to be different, stylish, edgy as well as continuous changes in every season of every year. Fashion to customers is being different from the crowd or making a statement by using clothing and accessories that set them apart. Fashion industry is getting more expensive with passing time. In the United States, around 250 billion dollars is spent on fashion and accessories like bag, shoe, etc. (Anon., 2012) When fashion industry is concerned, culture is an integral part of it. Fashion and culture goes hand in hand. Our clothes are a source of non-verbal communication which send messages about who we are, where we come from, what we do and etc. Overall, fashion is a way of expressing ourselves through our clothing and accessories. People try to stay â€Å"in fashion† and they are mostly influenced by popular culture which is reflection of cultural forces as well as social factors. Global consumerism: Widespread use of the internet and communications are changing how and on what people spend their money. This phenomenon has led to emergence of the global citizens who participate in the global marketplace through multinational corporations offering brands which meet their ever changing needs. (Byrnes, 2007, p. 1) This combination of global culture and global connectivity can be defined as globalization. Globalization has created a market with no border and as a result culture is running free in this new era. Now a day, we can see Indian food in every city of the globe or people living in Western countries are wearing ethnic clothes. Consumption is an action that varies from culture to culture. (Byrnes, 2007, p. 2) The result of adopting consumption related values on a worldwide scale has been referred to as a ‘global consumer culture’. Global consumer culture is â€Å"shared sets of consumption-related symbols such as product categories, brands, and common consumption activities†. (Lee, 2006) Global fashion consumerism: The global fashion industry is growing and changing at an incredible rate. According to a study in 2010, Dubai was supposed to reach $655 billion in textile and apparel trade which is 6% of global exports. The data indicates how fashion is evolving in the era of globalization. UAE was the biggest market for Swiss watches in 2013 and had increased 23% year-on-year to $835 million. (Wyne, 2013) This data shows the shift it global fashion consumerism. Meaning, now the Middle East has started emerging as the fashion hub though New York and Paris are still considered as fashion cities of the world. This change has been possible because of UAE’s vast amount of disposable income and also the influence of western culture in the people’s mind. Cultural influence on fashion: It is important to know the influence of culture on fashion industry and to foresee cultural and social movements in order to comprehend the fashion environment. Fashion is not an isolated factor of clothing or accessories but it is connected to our life in every aspect and among them culture is the most significant. Fashion goes further than clothing and into the manner we desire to live our lives.Meaning, fashion influences our lifestyle. Fashion is influenced by cultural changes, such as modernization, art and even technological innovation. There is an apparent interaction of shifts in consumer lifestyle, fashion and culture.It is essential to realize that fashion is made by people living in different cultures and different locations. If we want to understand fashion and its trend then it is necessary to understand what surround us in terms of the way we live. It is our society and culture which is our surrounding and they are the ones which influence our lifestyle. Development of new fashions has mainly three sources in terms of culture. They are: High culture, low culture and pop culture. (Anon., 2010) 1. High culture means elite activities like visual art, auditory art, and applied art like photography, design and architecture. In terms of influencing fashion inspiration, these sources bring new types of ideas and concepts to the designers. How art impacts fashion can be seen in the Louis Vuitton partnership with quite a few contemporary artists, like Takeshi Murakami or Stephen Sprouse, who had embellished Louis Vuitton Monogram bags in the past. 2. Pop culture or popular culture, is a cultural segment, which is followed, appreciated and understood by a larger portion of the world audience. Usually it is highly influenced by movie or music celebrities. This type of culture is seen as a mercantile culture which is produced at a mass level for mass consumption.An example of how pop culture influences our lifestyle and our fashion can be seen by taking into account the most fashionable TV shows, like ‘Sex and the City’ and how everybody wanted to wear clothes like the central characters of the serial.With the progress of globalization, common trends of fashion are seen all around the globe (i.e. Levi’s jeans). 3. Low culture includes local street activities like graffiti or Hip Hop. The power of subculture to fashion can be seen clearly skateboard culture from the 70s to present day.It can be difficult to distinguish certain styles as subcultures because they are quickly (predominantly clothing and music) adopted by mass culture. For example, the Japanese Harajuko girls, who are teenagers, originally from Tokyo’s Harajuko district, who dress in a particular way. American singer Gwen Stefani named her 2005 world tour as well as her clothing line after these girls.In this way, a subculture or local culture has become a part of the global fashion and has been adopted by the global fashion market. (Anon., 2010) Macro and micro trends in fashion: Macro trends are drivers for 5-10 years whereas micro trends are drivers for 1-3 years. (Sheppard, 2014) Like most industries fashion industry is also shaped by macro and micro trends. Macro trend is a larger behavioral group and a micro trend is the mini fashion craze. Currently the micro trend is undoubtedly the skinny jeans, which is closely followed by leggings and footless tights. But a larger macro-trend for a while in the fashion has been ethical and environment friendly clothing and accessories. Trends come and go because of the impact of media in our lives. The hit US TV drama Mad Men, which is set in the early 1960s, has had a big influence on high street fashion. Actress Christina Hendricks has helped to bring back full skirts, longer hemlines, and cropped cardigans as well as almost single-handedly brought back the curvy fit in the fashion market. The micro trends are also changing because of the internet.(Anon., n.d.) Culture is made of factors like society, education, values, and norms and so on. Since, fashion deals with how we look and what we wear; it is largely influenced and controlled by culture. In the past, fashion was segmented and local culture influenced but with the emergence of globalization we are turning towards a more global fashion consumerism. This is why brands like Chanel, Burberry are seen in India, Thailand, and Dubai and so on. To understand the future of global fashion consumerism, we need to understand how people interpret fashion these days and whether they are influenced more by their own culture or popular culture. Though in countries like India, local culture plays a bigger influence on consumerism but still common people are seen wearing trendy clothes matching current global fashion. This shows the cultural difference among the people in the country. Thus, understanding the culture is very important for global fashion consumerism. Bibliography Anon., 2010. Cultural influences on trend forecasting. [Online] Available at: http://www.intothefashion.com/2010/01/cultural-influences-on-trend.html [Accessed 22 February 2015]. Anon., 2012. Fashion and Consumerism. [Online] Available at: http://fashionormassconsumerism.blogspot.com/ [Accessed 21 February 2015]. Anon., n.d. BUDGET STYLE TIPS: FASHION CYCLES. [Online] Available at: http://www.bargainshopper.com.au/Fashion-cycles [Accessed 22 February 2015]. Byrnes, K., 2007. The Sharing of Culture: Global Consumerism. UW-L Journal of Undergraduate Research. ght.com/tools/porters-five-forces.html Lee, J.-W., 2006. Young consumers peceptions of multinational firms and they acculturation channels towards western products in transition economies. International Journal of Emerging Markets. Sheppard, S., 2014. FORECASTING THE FUTURE. [Online] Available at: http://global-influences.com/interview/forecasting-the-future/ [Accessed 22 February 2015]. Wyne, H., 2013. Consumerism, affluence fan UAEs fashion flames. [Online] Available at: https://www.zawya.com/story/UAE_puts_shine_on_fashion-ZAWYA20131013094850/ [Accessed 21 February 2015].

Angelic Overview :: social issues

Angelic Overview ANGELIC OVERVIEW: "Angels are spirits," proclaimed St. Augustine! St. Thomas Aquinas believed that angels were pure spirit, having no matter or mass, and taking up no space; but Thomas believed angels could assume bodies at will. The purpose of angels is the same as mankind: to love and serve the Lord. However, being that angels are not material beings, and possibly from a different dimension, they can serve the Lord in many different ways. Angels have far greater will and intellect than we have. Whereas mankind must sift through and experiment with natural laws, angels can grasp all natural laws with a single thought. Eventually we find that angels cannot work miracles per se, but they can perform many special effects that appear miraculous, such as protecting Daniel from the lions in Daniel 6. When angels appear to man, they usually appear with wings, but the wings are not the method of loco- motion. The angels seem to slip in and out of the fourth dimension; thus travel is more or less instantaneous. If you have access to a Catholic Bible (it MUST be Catholic), check out Daniel ch. 14, to read how the prophet Habakkuk was instantly carried, via angel, from Judea to Babylon, a distance of 600 miles. The primary general duty of angels is as messengers of God. (The word "angel" means messenger in Greek.) But angels can do God's chores, such as busting Peter out of jail in Acts 5, or destroying Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19. But some angels obey only the devil, and those angels are known as "demons", as is Satan himself. Satan had been an angel, but decided to do his own thing. Angels can see all aspects of a situation instantly, since they are so very wise. Angels, and the dimensions they live in, were apparently created before our visible world and universe. (The Bible tells us in Genesis ch.1-2 that mankind was created (or evolved) last.) The number of angels are countless. One reason they are count- less is that the Bible holds that each person who is or has lived, in the universe, has a guardian angel (Matthew 18:10). Additionally, some people who have died may have been transformed into lower angels. Many people witness "small miracles", and attribute them to God, when, in fact, angels may likely author the event. Speaking of miracles, some people believe that the reason more asteroids don't hit and damage planets is because each planet also has a guardian

Competitor Analysis- Boeing

Competitor Analysis – Product These two companies Boeing and Airbus in the Aviation Industry, there have always been various airframe producers which were competing against each other. Throughout the years, two of them gained the majority of the market share. The American company Boeing has been the market leader for a very long period of time, until Airbus outturned them for the first time in 2002. In recent years, Airbus has put itself at the top of the aircraft-building world with the A380, the whale of a plane that is the largest passenger jet in the world.In year 2011 Boeing has introduced the 747-8 International, the revamped version of the class 747 it calls the â€Å"Queen of the Skies. † We broke down the numbers in categories, based on size, power, capacity, luxury, availability, and more to compare this two aircraft. By comparing the capacity, Boeing’s 747-8I has a maximum capacity of 467 passengers. The Airbus A380 usually holds around 500 passengers, but has room for as many as 853. The Boeing’s wing span is 224. 6 feet. The A380 spreads out over 261. 7 feet.The 747-8I is more than 250 feet long, the A380 measures 238 feet. In fact, the 747-8I is the world’s longest passenger aircraft. By comparing weight and power, the 737-8I can take off with a weight of 987,000 pounds, and produces 66,500 pounds of thrust, the A380’s maximum takeoff weight is 1,235,000 pounds, and it produces up to 70,000 pounds of thrust. That gives the 747-8I more power per pound. Boeing’s jet can go 11,443 miles in the air, for A380 can only do 9,756 miles. The difference mean the 747-9I can fly New York to Sydney without stopping, but the A380 cannot.Next, comparing the availability, so far, Lufthansa, Cathay Pacific, Korea Air, and a few other airlines have placed orders with Boeing. The A380 has been around longer, and is flown by Air France, Emirates, Qantas, Lufthansa, British Airways, Korea Air, Virgin Atlantic, and more. Because the A380 has been around longer, it's easier to get on board. About 1st class luxury, First class on a Lufthansa 747-8I includes a personal locker and an especially wide seat that goes fully flat for comfortable sleeping, in the other way Emirate's A380's first class includes two lounges, private suites, and a shower spa.For travelers looking for top of the line luxury, there are better choices offered by airlines flying the A380. By comparing the price, Boeing sells the â€Å"Queen of the Skies† for $351. 4 million. A new Airbus A380 is more expensive, at $389. 9 million. The Boeing 747-8I is new and the A380 has been in service for several years, which accounts for some of the differences. Boeing's jet has a lot going for it, especially the fact that it is the newer aircraft.But for those looking to get in the air today, the Airbus A380 is bigger, more luxurious, and more available. Competitor Analysis – Company Technology Airbus sought to compete with the w ell-established Boeing in the 1970s through its introduction of advanced technology. For example, the A300 made the most extensive use of composite materials yet seen in an aircraft of that era, and by automating the flight engineer's functions, was the first large commercial jet to have a two-man flight crew.In the 1980s Airbus was the first to introduce digital fly-by-wire controls into an airliner (the A320). With Airbus now an established competitor to Boeing, both companies use advanced technology to seek performance advantages in their products. For example, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is the first large airliner to use composites for most of its construction. Currency Boeing's production costs are mostly in United States dollars, whereas Airbus' production costs are mostly in euros.When the dollar appreciates against the euro the cost of producing a Boeing aircraft rises relatively to the cost of producing an Airbus aircraft, and conversely when the dollar falls relative to the euro it is an advantage for Boeing. There are also possible currency risks and benefits involved in the way aircraft are sold. Boeing typically prices its aircraft only in dollars, while Airbus, although pricing most aircraft sales in dollars, has been known to be more flexible and has priced some aircraft sales in Asia and the Middle East in multiple currencies.Depending on currency fluctuations between the acceptance of the order and the delivery of the aircraft this can result in an extra profit or extra expense — or, if Airbus has purchased insurance against such fluctuations, an additional cost regardless. Safety Both aircraft manufacturers have good safety records on recently manufactured aircraft. By convention, both companies tend to avoid safety comparisons when selling their aircraft to airlines. Most aircraft dominating the companies' current sales, the Boeing 737-NG and Airbus A320 families and both companies' wide-body offerings, have good safety records.Older m odel aircraft such as the Boeing 727, the original Boeing 737s and 747s, Airbus A300 and Airbus A310, which were respectively first flown during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, have had higher rates of fatal accidents. According to Airbus' John Leahy, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner battery problems will not cause customers to switch airplane supplier. Also, Boeing has recently re-designed the battery system for the Dreamliner so that it is impossible for it to catch fire. Flight testing is underway, and the 787 should soon return to flight.The world's safest commercial jetliner is the Boeing 777, with no fatalities. The A380 closely follows, but has made less flight so far, and has only been in service for a recent number of years. Outsourcing Because many of the world's airlines are wholly or partially government owned, aircraft procurement decisions are often taken according to political criteria in addition to commercial ones. Boeing and Airbus seek to exploit this by subcontracting prod uction of aircraft components or assemblies to manufacturers in countries of strategic importance in order to gain a competitive advantage.For example, Boeing has maintained longstanding relationships with Japanese suppliers including Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy Industries by which these companies have had increasing involvement on successive Boeing jet programs, a process which has helped Boeing achieve almost total dominance of the Japanese market for commercial jets. Outsourcing was extended on the 787 to the extent that Boeing's own involvement was reduced to little more than project management, design, assembly and test operation, outsourcing most of the actual manufacturing all around the world.Boeing has since stated that it â€Å"outsourced too much† and that future airplane projects will depend far more on its own engineering and production personnel. Partly because of its origins as a consortium of European companies, Airbus has had fewer opportun ities to outsource significant parts of its production beyond its own European plants. However, in 2009 Airbus opened an assembly plant in Tianjin, China for production of its A320 series airliners.

Research proposal and literature review The WritePass Journal

Research proposal and literature review Part 1: Introduction and Background Research proposal and literature review ). It can be indicated that the combination of talent management and knowledge management is beneficial for the operations present at companies (Aiman-Smith et al., 2006; Analoui, 2007). Talent management has been found useful to motivate employees to demonstrate their skills, as this would be possible through raising awareness about the importance of knowledge management. Different knowledge management concepts can be identified as directly related to talent management initiatives in organisations (Analoui, 2007). Such concepts are related to recognising the potential of knowledge employees, presenting adequate orientation to create and share knowledge as well as demonstrate activities pertaining to the retention of solid knowledge. For that reason, the purpose of the study is to demonstrate the relationship between talent management and knowledge management. This issue has been adequately explored in the literature in an attempt to find out essential aspects pertaining to each of the two concepts (Armstrong, 2007). Yet it is expected that the present study can provide significant insights into different methods and strategies that relate to using the advantages of talent management and knowledge management in practice (Ingham, 2006). Three main research questions are identified for the present study: Research Question 1: What is the relationship between talent management and knowledge management in the context of contemporary organisations? Research Question 2: How can knowledge management contribute to extending the impact of talent management initiatives across organisations? Research Question 3: How can organisations improve the aspect of learning among employees as well as empower them? Such research questions are considered helpful and thus will be covered in the study by providing adequate answers. Specific objectives are identified for the study: To assess and enhance the impact of both talent management and knowledge management initiatives across organisations; To determine employee contribution and attitude towards the functioning of the organisation and outline of specific strategic goals; To include a series of recommendations on how the relationship between talent management and knowledge management can be enhanced to achieve optimal results Part 2: Literature Review Introduction This section of the study outlines major points related to the connection between talent management and knowledge management as outlined in the literature. The introduction of knowledge management programs is found beneficial to develop and enhance mechanisms of talent management initiatives. This in turn will result in more empowered employees who tend to be more satisfied with their job and thus more productive in the long term. A substantial part of the literature review section refers to exploring the link between talent management and knowledge management. The emphasis is on the attitude demonstrated by employees regarding the combination of these two essential concepts of the HR field. The Link between Talent Management and Knowledge Management It has been argued that talent management is mostly associated with enhancing the potential of new employees as well as recruiting and retaining existing ones. In the process of retaining employees, the focus is on the most competent and qualified workers in the organisation. Other elements emphasised by talent management include educational and training opportunities, progression planning, and organisational expansion (De Wit and Meyer, 2005). The benefits of talent management have been recognised in the literature (Aiman-Smith et al., 2006). Such an activity is subject to control by the HR department. Researchers have focused on the optimal ways that can be used to expand the skills of their employees, which would be possible through the development of relevant strategic objectives (Analoui, 2007). Organisations should be adequately prepared to correspond to any changes or aspects of financial performance. The contribution of talented employees should be considered in the process o f organising adequate talent management and knowledge management initiatives. In addition, researchers have argued that the interrelation of knowledge management and talent management is mostly maintained for the accomplishment of particular strategic goals (Aiman-Smith et al., 2006). As a specific area in the HR field, talent management requires significant attention in order to utilise the optimal potential of employees in the workplace. On the other hand, knowledge management has been perceived as introducing regulatory mechanisms that can facilitate or motivate employees to achieve their full potential. This can be done through the creation, accumulation and application of solid knowledge mechanisms in the organisational context (Aiman-Smith et al., 2006; De Wit and Meyer, 2005). It has been identified that knowledge connection management is a specific field within the broad domain of knowledge management, as it has been considered such differentiation is important to expand the knowledge in modern organisations. The focus of employee performance has been emphasised in the literature especially in a direction of recruiting talented employees and advancing the possibilities of information technology (Evans et al., 2007). As a result, companies would be able to use and share knowledge in an efficient manner. The idea is to enhance organisational performance at all possible levels (Haesli and Boxall, 2005). The effective execution of talent management and knowledge management in organisations requires an adequately constructed process, which is related with the identification of talented employees, creating solid knowledge base, and sharing such knowledge efficiently. In addition, it is important to motivate employees to practice such knowledge in the best possible manner by demonstrating creativity and innovation. According to research, knowledge management mechanisms can be rather effective if they are combined with models of talent management and thus focused on the capabilities and structure of organisations (Green, 2000). It can be argued that knowledge management mostly relates to essential aspects of technology development and organisation, with the utmost goal to create adequate knowledge procedures across organisations. It is significant to note that successful knowledge management can be achieved if companies ensure efforts to combine these two areas of the HR field (Frank and Taylor, 2004). Knowledge management application can help organisations manage their knowledge base properly, while talent management application can reinforce the talent of employees and supervise them accordingly (Evans et al., 2007). In this context, it is important to differentiate some of the most viable knowledge management competencies to include dimensions of organisational behaviour, structure and empowerment of knowledgeable employees. Knowledge Management and Organisational Capabilities Knowledge management is a dynamic area of the HR field pertaining to the identification of essential capabilities and dimensions of organisational performance (Frank and Taylor, 2004; Green, 2000). The most relevant idea is to generate knowledge principles continuously, which would contribute to better functioning of organisations. The HR department is usually responsible for raising awareness regarding the importance of knowledge management and knowledge creation at all levels of the organisation (Evans et al., 2007). Therefore, it would be possible to identify knowledge management mechanisms as rather structured in nature as well as controlled by managers with the purpose to manage and control knowledge effectively. The process of accepting certain knowledge forms may be challenging, but the combination of knowledge management and talent management can significantly facilitate the performance of organisations (Evans et al., 2007). Knowledge management indicates the necessity to ens ure constant reinforcement of certain HRM activities. Researchers have argued about the importance of measuring the performance of each employee especially through feedback, which has been found effective not only for the organisation but also for the professional development of employees (Frank and Taylor, 2004). In terms of performance, it has become important to implement a relevant strategy and present a strong vision; hence, companies are expected to introduce clear strategic goals for future initiatives that can combine successfully talent management and knowledge management. As a result, this would improve both the external and internal capabilities of the organisation, as shown in the literature (Green, 2000). However, short-term and past-oriented financial pointers cannot become distinctive indicators that can appraise the overall company’s performance anymore. In this context, intangible assets such as knowledge management and talent management rather than tangible financial assets are a measure of a companys strategic value (Smart, 1999). As a result, knowledge management has emerged as a quite important branch of management in the sense of developing intangible asset monitor systems to evaluate performance indicators of the workforce as well as provide certain details about financial performance (Sewell, 2005). The intangible asset monitor is a system consisting of performance pointers that can link such intangible assets in a relevant manner. Moreover, the classification of intellectual capital has become a priority to many organisations in an attempt to enhance their internal structure and acceptance of certain criteria for employee performance, which may contribute to extensive growth (Frank and Taylor, 2004). For that reason, researchers have proposed the implementation of Benefit Cost Analysis (BCA) emerging as a strategic management parameter that includes both financial pointers and nonfinancial indicators (Green, 2000; Sewell, 2005). Such a strategic learning system is able to modify a particular business theory through the implementation of strict monitoring mechanisms. The goal is to assess an organisation’s knowledge management and talent management initiatives. At the same time, knowledge management emerges with significant objectives related to the improvement of all parameters of organisational knowledge, introduction of innovative mechanisms that support knowledge and motivation of employees (Evans et al., 2007). The combination of knowledge management and talent management activities is useful for enhancing organisations to achieve essential strategic objectives through a clearly defined path of possibilities (Redman and Wilkinson, 2006). Yet, it can be indicated that knowledge management has not significantly contributed to the actual organisational performance. Its combination with talent management activities has been found a preferable option to enhance organisational performance (Green, 2000). The cost-effective parameters of such a combination of activities should be considered as well. Researchers have indicated that the BCA can realistically measure knowledge management and talent management performance through the method of cost analysis (Nonaka, 1994). In this sense, knowledge management refers to an entire philosophy of training employees in order to enhance their collaboration and integration within the organisation. Therefore, researchers have suggested the method of knowledge management scorecard (KMSC) as a relevant way to evaluate performance through the lens of knowledge management (Evans et al., 2007). Effective Combination of Talent Management and Knowledge Management The conceptualisation of the link between talent management and knowledge management is required in order to expand the potential of employees to bring greater value to the organisation. Talent management has been found important in eliciting a sufficient amount of intellectual knowledge (Nonaka, 1994). In addition, the notion of talent management clearly adheres to the principles outlined by strategic management. It aims to strengthen the dimensions of knowledge in organisations through the identification and reinforcement of talented employees, as the leading point made in the literature is that once these employees have been recognised, they should be retained in the long term (Sewell, 2005). The concept of talent management also refers to the affective domain of the HR department especially in terms of facilitating a proper vision for emotional intelligence. Various examples can be also found in relation to how talent management and knowledge management can be adequately combined to create the south positive impact and retain qualified and experienced employees in the long run (Sewell, 2005). It appears that there are plenty of successful companies that have demonstrated their aim to combine these two branches of management in an effective way. For instance, Igus, which is a leading manufacturer of energy systems in Germany, is a clear example of such successful organisations (Igus Official Website, 2014). The company is noted for its commitment to arranging all aspects of management in a clear and efficient way by reinforcing the potential of employees so that they can contribute to optimal organisational performance. Conclusion It has been argued that the necessity of including both talent management and knowledge management in contemporary organisations can contribute to improved performance, productivity and adequate employer-employee relationships. The focus is on the formation and implementation of a clear HR strategy for organisations to operate in particular markets or industry sectors (Green, 2000). As illustrated in the literature review, the concept of combining talent management and knowledge management has been subject to extensive discussions among management scholars. It has been identified that both systems should be carefully considered upon the implementation of a particular organisational strategy. Scholars have focused on the necessity to direct the HR department in a proper direction by taking advantage of the strong aspects of both talent management and knowledge management (Evans et al., 2007). Yet, greater emphasis is put on exploring the effects of different knowledge management frame works that could further lead to the accomplishment of various strategic management goals. This literature review also emphasised that the combination of talent management and knowledge management initiatives is associated with rather positive effects on employee performance and productivity as well as job motivation.   The adoption of a positive attitude among employees is a clear sign of the effectiveness of the mentioned combination of management approaches. An extensive focus on the talent management and knowledge management initiative has been outlined in the research literature. Despite the usefulness of training and development programs, the mentioned initiative has been considered more important in relation to specifying long-term implications. In addition, different recommendations have been introduced of how to expand the positive effect of talent management and knowledge management activities in today’s organisations (Evans et al., 2007). The improvement of organisational control mechanisms has been extensively discussed in the literature. As a result, researchers have indicated the importance of extending employee learning and empowering them to succeed as professionals in a particular area of expertise (Green, 2000). Therefore, the presented literature review fulfilled the objective of enabling individuals to understand the complexity of the talent management and knowledge management initiative. Part 3: Research Methodology Prior to proposing the most viable research method to be used in this study, it is important to clarify that focusing on research philosophy is inseparable part of the entire research process. Quantitative research methodology is considered most appropriate to answer the presented research questions and achieve the stated objectives. In this way, the researcher needs to focus on collecting a substantial amount of numerical information that would be sufficient to explain particular research phenomena (Balnaves and Caputi, 2001). In terms of presenting a clear paradigm of research philosophy, the emphasis is on the use of positivist research philosophy, in the sense of providing an adequate explanation for human behavioural patterns from the perspective of cause and effect. The social environment has been identified as an optimal place to collect the information necessary for presenting research findings (Nonaka, 1994). Moreover, the possibility to achieve a high level of generalisabil ity of findings is a relevant way to ensure greater objectivity of the obtained information. to generalise the findings to the wider population. Advantages and Limitations of Quantitative Research Methodology The basic aspect underlying the specificity of quantitative method is its focus on retrieving sufficient numerical information, which would allow the researcher to conduct an in-depth statistical analysis (Balnaves and Caputi, 2001). The retrieval of quantitative data is statistically dominated and thus emerges with substantial accuracy considering that it is not open to various interpretations as in qualitative research design. One of the benefits of adopting quantitative research methodology is that it contributes to the easy collection of data, as it can be visually presented with charts and figures. Another benefit of this type of methodology is associated with the possibility to carry out a research at a large scale due to inclusion of extensive statistical details (Green, 2000). A disadvantage of the research method selected for this study is that it may represent a rather costly option compared to qualitative research design (Vogt, 2006). A second disadvantage of quantitative research methodology relates to changing numbers as a result of specific operations and calculations, as this may have a negative impact on the overall results obtained in the study (Nonaka, 1994). Sampling Procedure The sampling procedure used to construct a relevant sample of participants is random sampling, which refers to selecting individuals on a random principle (Balnaves and Caputi, 2001). There is a sense of unpredictability associated with this sampling procedure, as the intention of the researcher is to ensure optimal objectivity of results. It can be stated that all people from a particular segment have the equal chance to participate in the study. The simple technique pertaining to random sampling is the availability of random number tables, which serve a notification purpose in the sense of informing the researcher to select study subjects at a particular defined period and thus participants are generated on a random principle (Vogt, 2006). However, it should be noted that the use of randomisation devices may be also considered in this study, as it has been found to produce effective results in terms of avoiding bias in research (Maxim, 1999). The application of random sampling is a proper way to produce legitimate results as well as adequate findings and implications for long-term practice. It is important to indicate that the results obtained from randomly selected participants are perceived as credible and accurate and thus such a sampling technique should be preferred in the research process (Balnaves and Caputi, 2001). However, there is a significant challenge associated with the selected sampling technique. It obviously cannot include all representatives of the general population, which may result in the formation of sampling errors. There is an aspect of uncertainty, but this usually emerges with any method and thus the researcher should be prepared to address similar concerns (Maxim, 1999). In order to accomplish the research objectives outlined in this study, the researcher considers the formation of a sample that consists of 250 senior managers employed in a UK based financial institution. Validity The aspect of internal validity is important in research, as it relates to evaluating whether the study can assess what it was initially outlined. In addition, validity refers to determining whether the obtained results can be considered truthful. There is also an aspect of external validity, which is associated with achieving a high level of comprehensive research results in the sense that they find a broad application in various research settings (Vogt, 2006). Thus, it is assumed that the present study has an adequately high level of internal validity because of the lack of insufficient knowledge on the topic or improperly introduced arguments. However, it should be considered that data insufficiency may pose a significant risk to ensuring validity of data. It is important to avoid situations leading to the generation of low internal validity from research findings (Carmines and Zeller, 1980). In addition, certain instrumentation issues in relation to the data collection tool may c reate additional challenges in the process of ensuring internal validity. The possibility to generate invalid scores is also clear and similar situations should be apparently decreased in the organisational context. The issue of order unfairness is a concern which is also considered in the present study, as the focus is on the order of particular involvement conditions that should not be removed from the precise effect of those conditions (Carmines and Zeller, 1980). Other threats considered in the present research include particular errors in statistical analysis testing, improperly constructed correlations and the emergence of causal errors, which are most likely to appear in the data analysis process. In terms of exploring the dimensions of external validity, it is important to consider its important role in determining outcomes in quantitative research. External validity refers to drawing more general inferences in relation to the collection of data among participants. Specific time periods and settings are important in determining the study results, b ut there are problems in relation to external validity that should be adequately considered. The major problematic issue is related to survey population, which is followed by time and attempts to ensure a sufficient level of environmental validity (Balnaves and Caputi, 2001). In terms of testing survey population validity, the researcher is concerned with the idea of whether specific inferences can be obtained from a particular population segment. In case bias is demonstrated throughout the research process, it is clear that external validity is subjected to substantial threat. Furthermore, in case the sample size is considered insufficient or lacking characteristics of randomness, it may appear that the respective calculations are irrelevant. The process of achieving greater generalisation of results to the wider population may be problematic. The concept of time validity may emerge in order to demonstrate the degree to which obtained research findings can be comprehensive as related to other time periods (Carmines and Zeller, 1980). There may be certain changes occurring in the connection between variables, implying that the perceived level of time validity in this case would be rather low. The notion of environmental validity shows that the retrieved results can be comprehensive across a variety of settings. Despite the assumed high reliability and accuracy of the selected research methodology, it should be noted that achieving proper international generalisability may be a problem especially when it refers to small surveys and case studies (Carmines and Zeller, 1980). In conclusion, it can be argued that the notions of validity and reliability are more applicable to quantitative research than qualitative research. Part 4: Data Analysis The process of conducting an in-depth data analysis is fundamental to achieve the research objectives of the study. Considering that the proposed data collection tool is survey is important to implement statistical analysis, which is properly constructed. Yet, it should be considered that the researcher may provide various alternative ideas in terms of analysing the information obtained from research participants (Vogt, 2006). It is important to adhere to a properly constructed strategy of data analysis considering that extensive knowledge of working with survey data is essential throughout all stages of the data analysis process. There are different paths of analysis that can be followed by the researcher in this study, as the most important aspect is to recognise the specific audience and research objectives, and thus the implementation of an appropriate analysis tool to interpret the data would be possible (Maxim, 1999). The initial stage of data analysis is represented by Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA), which indicates that the researcher initially looks into the data set in order to determine specific categories that will be later grouped for analysis. It is a preliminary form of data analysis (Vogt, 2006), but the essential part of the process is to derive the main findings from the collected survey data. It is important to make sure at this stage that analysis files are adequately consistent with one another because the issue of data analysis inconsistencies may be quite problematic in the long term (Maxim, 1999). It is also important to mention that the survey results can be analysed with specific software applications, which are intended for similar purposes. Other basic aspects to be considered during the data analysis process include filtering, comparing and showing rules as well as using saved views of the data set. Once the researcher prepares a summary of the retrieved data, the next step would be to focus on individual responses and exporting charts. As mentioned in the research literature, the use of charts and figures significantly facilitates the visual presentation of the research findings (Vogt, 2006). References Aiman-Smith, L., Bergey, P., Cantwell, A. R., and Doran, M. (2006). ‘The Coming Knowledge and Capability Shortage’. Research-Technology Management, pp. 15-23. Analoui, F. (2007). Strategic Human Resource Management. London: Thomson Learning. Armstrong, M. (2007). A Handbook of Employee Reward Management and Practice. New York: Kogan Page. Arthur, D. (2012). Recruiting, Interviewing, Selecting Orienting New Employees. New York: AMACOM. Balnaves, M. and Caputi, P. (2001). Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods: An Investigative Approach. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishing. Carmines, E. G. and Zeller, R. A. (1980). Reliability and Validity Assessment. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishing. De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (2005). Strategy Synthesis. London: Thomson Learning. Evans, W. R., Novicevic, M. M., and Davis, W. D. (2007). ‘Resource-Based Foundations of Strategic Human Resource Management: A Review and Extension’. International Journal of Learning and Intellectual Capital, vol. 4(1-2), pp. 75-91. Frank, F. D. and Taylor, C. R. (2004). ‘Talent Management: Trends That Will Shape the Future’. Human Resource Planning, vol. 27(1), pp. 33-41. Green, M. (2000). ‘Beware and Prepare: The Government Workforce of the Future’. Public Personnel Management, vol. 29(4), pp. 435-443. Haesli, A. and Boxall, P. (2005). ‘When Knowledge Management Meets HR Strategy: An Exploration of Personalization-Retention and Codification-Recruitment Configurations’.   International Journal of Human Resource Management, vol. 16(11), pp. 1955-1975. Igus Official Website (2014). About Igus [online]. Available at: igus.com/AboutIgus [Accessed on: 20 Oct. 2014]. Ingham, J. (2006). ‘Closing the Talent Management Gap’. Strategic HR Review, vol. 5(3), pp. 20-23. Maxim, P. S. (1999). Quantitative Research Methods in the Social Sciences. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Nonaka, I. (1994). ‘A Dynamic Theory of Organizational Knowledge Creation’. Organization Science, vol. 5(1), pp. 14-37. Redman, T. and Wilkinson, A. (2006). Contemporary Human Resource Management-Text and Cases. Harlow: Pearson Education. Sewell, G. (2005). ‘Nice Work? Rethinking Managerial Control in an Era of Knowledge Work’. Organization, vol. 12(5), pp. 685-704. Smart, B. D. (1999). Top Grading: How Leading Companies Win by Hiring, Coaching, and Keeping the Best People. Paramus: Prentice Hall Press. Vogt, W. P. (2006). Quantitative Research Methods for Professionals in Education and Other Fields. New York: Allyn Bacon.

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