Compare and contrast the Virginia and New Jersey plans presented at Essay - 2

Compare and contrast the Virginia and New Jersey plans presented at the Constitutional Convention - Essay Example This paper compares and contrasts the two plans. Virginia plan proposed a congress with two houses or chambers namely lower house and upper house and each state to be represented depending on its size and population. On the other hand, New Jersey plan proposed single chamber legislature (unicameral) where every state represents one vote without considering the size and population. Virginia plan proposed that one chamber of the legislature have a representative elected by the people. It also suggested that the state legislature to nominate members of the second chamber. However, New Jersey Plan did not propose how congress members are selected. Virginia plan proposed that members elected by the people serve for three year terms and the other house elected by state legislatures serve for seven years. On the other hand, New Jersey plan did not propose the length of terms of service for the legislative branch. Virginia plan proposed that state members be based on the population of the states. Hence, bigger states were to have more state members than smaller ones. On the other hand, New Jersey plan proposed that states be treated equally with each having the same number of members. Virginia plan proposed executive and national judiciary to have power to veto legislation that was subject to override and a national veto power over any state legislation. It also gave legislative branch powers to negate state laws, which were incompatible with the articles of the union. On the other hand, New Jersey plan proposed congress to have more powers of making laws and take precedence over state law. It also proposed congress to have more powers of setting and forcing the collection of taxes. In both plans, the federal government and states work together and relates in different aspects. For instance, they both proposed federal government to

Major trends in corrections Essay Example for Free

Major trends in corrections Essay Functions of photography in police investigation: It can be to heal- using of photography, the investigator solved the crime by examining the photograph and identify who is the perpetrator. It can be to inform It can be to record- to record the crime scene itself and to record the evidence. It can be to influence It can be to entertain It can be to transform It can be to preserve- to preserve all the evidence that captured in the crime scene. Even though the crime scene is cleaned there are the photographs to be examined. It can be to decorate It can be to use- used in examining crime scene. And it is used as evidence. It can be to play 2010: The year of the correctional officerIn a year of tightened budges, officer furloughs, and increased media attention, officers stood strong.| By Barry EvertEvery year I am asked to write about the year prior. Quite honestly, I rarely agree to this because it usually has little training value. This year, though, I have made the exception. 2010 was a lot of things to a lot of people. Overall, probably, it was a rough year for most reading this. 2010 was not the year of the dragon, or the year of the dog; it was the year of the Correctional Officer.Budget cuts was the song sung from high at almost every capitol building in the country. Politicians proudly paraded themselves as the saviors of the economy as they slashed public safety budgets to new lows. At the same time new spending programs were put into place for everything from the protection of tree frogs to building bridges to nowhere. At the bottom of this pile was corrections. Many police agencies were able to scream loudly enough to get enough funding to keep their departments running, albeit barely. When Corrections agencies made the same call, we were largely ignored. Many states implemented a â€Å"furlough† program, or something similar, that cut the salaries of the lowest paid employees. On top of this, training was cut to an all time low, while the hiring of new officers was frozen. Simple math tells us that it was also time for a whole generation of officers to retire. They have yet to be replaced, so mandatory overtime is the norm. During the build-up of the popularity of crack cocaine in the early 80’s, crime rose to an all time high. Incarceration rates shot through the roof at the same time. This, along with tougher sentencing laws, led to a wave of prison building and hiring. By the early 90’s, most departments had outgrown themselves, and were desperately hiring as many people as they could. Those officers are now due to retire. Few states took this into consideration, so as we entered this year under budget cuts, we were expected to do more with less much less.So was 2010 a loss? Not exactly. Through all of this, the community has learned an important lesson if they choose to look. In almost any other profession, these reductions in pay, along with an increase in danger at the working environment, would have led to catastrophic work stoppages, or large scale protests. But no one walked away from their duties. No one went on strike. And to the best of my knowledge, there were only a few small scale protests by officers. At the end of the day, feeling underappreciated and underpaid, correctional officers punch the clock after protecting society from those they have incarcerated. With many of the resources cut or gone, we went about our business and did our job. Yes, some mistakes were made. Many were due to a lack of resources or just plain tired officers making mistakes. With fewer resources in place, and with less staff, the average officer worked even harder than usual, and did so at a discounted salary.No walk-outs, no â€Å"blue flu,† no rebellion. I would never have expected less from us as a group, but others are starting to take note. People who have never dealt with corrections are starting to understand our predicament. It was not because we sat on the floor and threw a temper tantrum about our working conditions, but it was through our continued dedication to the safety of the public, regardless of what was thrown at us, that people are starting to take note of us. 2010 was the year of the Correctional Professional. I have never been prouder to be part of a group of people than I am today. I realized this about 6 months ago when I overheard several officers talking. The officers were discussing a major union conference that had just taken place. During this conference, the possibility of striking had come up. It was decided at this conference that the membership of this union could vote to strike if they felt it necessary. The officers were discussing the possibility of a strike. By the time the 5 minute conversation was over, all of the officers walked away agreeing that there was no way they would ever strike, even if it was legal to do so. The reasons ranged from not wanting to leave their brothers and sisters behind, to feeling that they were officers first, union members second. Do you think this conversation would have been the same had it been on the floor of a factory?This sentiment quickly spread throughout the state, and it was made clear to this union that striking is not now, and never will be an option; it would be better to resign. This came out of the mouths of officers who, like me, had suffered a 15% pay reduction, an increase in their medical payments, and an increase in retirement contributions. Many officers have lost their homes, or have had members in their family, or themselves, take on another job. Through it all they are still dedicated.This is why this has been the year of the Correctional Officer. Although this has been a tough year, and things are not looking any better for next year, people on the outside are getting to see us for who we really are. How many times have we said: â€Å"If people only knew what we went through.† The people are listening, so speak wisely and keep your head up. Don’t ever forget why you wear that uniform, and continue to be the proud, dedicated officers we know you can be.So I raise my glass as we pass through the last part of this year, to all of those we lost this year. To all of our brothers and sisters who have made the ultimate sacrifice: You are not forgotten. To all of us who continue to protect, I say: Bravo! The people are finally starting to listen. Make sure you are saying the right things.Be safe out there folks, and party sanely.

Kurt Vonnegut :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kurt Vonnegut has always had a great awareness of the destructive social impact of science and technology. Contraptions that Vonnegut calls â€Å"social transplants† replace real relatives and friends with synthetic ones. Recordings, radio and television are just a few of these devices. They make it possible to bring synthetic relatives and friends right into your home and replace those friends and relatives who are not perfect, nor even consistent, with a better class of people. Vonnegut’s least favorite technology is the computer, because it is a nervous system outside of our own, and it has deprived humans of the experience of becoming. â€Å"All they have to do now is wait for the next program from Microsoft† (Pickering 24). Films, books and plays show us people talking much more entertainingly than people really talk. Singers and musicians show us humans making sounds far lovelier than humans really make (Skaw 568). All of these technological developments have decreased the amount of contact we have with other humans. The first of these â€Å"transplants† took place in the 4th century before Christ. Audiences accepted attractive people who memorized interesting things to say on stage as genuine relatives and friends (Vonnegut 266). We no longer have a need to make conversation with our dreadful real family and friends, not when we have all of these technological and entertaining transplanted friends and family. Vonnegut believes contemporary society is lonely because we have alienated ourselves from each other because of all of the technology in our world. Throughout his many writings Vonnegut shows his fascination with the way technology changes the social environment (Lundquist 88).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   He never abandons his theme of hatred for science and technology and its social impact on society. Vonnegut also believes that we no longer have developed imaginations because of destructive technological developments. We are not born with an imagination; teachers and parents help us to develop it. Imagination was once very important because it was your major source of entertainment. The imagination circuit is built in your head. People can read a book and envision it in their mind. However, this is no longer necessary. Now there are shows, actors, and movies that show us the story instead of letting us use our imagination to envision it. We do not need imagination just like we do not need to know how to ride horses in our society. We have cars that can go much faster than horses so why learn how to ride one? This question can be applied to imagination. Why unleash your imagination to envision an unknown world in a book

Mcdonald’s vs. Wendy’s Essay

In today’s era the low carb diets and obsessive exercise routines, people are more careful with food choices, but also there comes the era where fast food restaurants accommodate the need for cheap food quickly. The fast, quick, and easy foods though are unfortunately aren’t always the healthiest choices for the person. There are two fast food restaurants that are now offering healthy menu choices low in fats and carbs without taking away the taste. McDonald’s and Wendy’s both fall under the same category for fast foods but both provide different characteristics in healthier choice menu items. The two fast food restaurants differ considerably but both Wendy’s and McDonald’s offer numerous salad choices. The most incredible breakthrough for these two fast food restaurants was the introduction of the healthier burger alternatives to their menus. Wendy’s one healthier sandwich to offer which is the Ultimate Chicken Grill which only has 6.5 grams of fat when loaded with toppings. Wendy’s is also the leader in various healthier meals. Wendy’s baked potatoes, minus all the large fatty toppings, are a great choice to a healthy meal. While Wendy’s had a selective healthier menu choices for a while, McDonald’s however has begun to offer healthier meal choices. In today’s era, McDonald’s provides a wide variety of healthy alternatives including fruit yogurt parfaits and green apple slices for the children’s menu. McDonald’s healthier sandwich choices include McVeggie Burger, Chicken Fajitas, and Whole Wheat Chicken McGrill. Wendy’s presentation of healthier menu choices is superior. Wendy’s salads are large and fresh with topping sizes appropriate. McDonald’s fails at establishing a superior presentation of healthier food choices. The McDonald’s salads lack in appearance and freshness; the salads appear just to be thrown together and often look like wilted lettuce. Without a knife, eating salads can be overwhelming. The chicken pieces in the salads are sliced but not separated, and need to be broken down. Generally, the McDonald’s salads lack freshness, and presentation. Wendy’s combination of salads has become a popular menu choice. Wendy’s was the first major fast food chain to offer fast food salad as a meal’s main course. Wendy’s offers four salad choices ranging from possessing 3 grams of fat to 30 grams depending on the salad toppings. The variety and quality of these salads has established an outstanding reputation for this restaurant. Reaction to the popularity of salads, McDonald’s is now offering salads as a main course menu choice. As well, in attempt to boast a healthier image. The fat content of McDonald’s salads is also comparable to that of Wendy’s. It is obvious that McDonald’s effectively boasts a variety of decent tasty salads. Finally, several salad choices, meal variety, and good presentation are all considered when evaluating a fast food restaurant. People now days constantly seek easy ways to gain nourishment, with fast food restaurants such as Wendy’s and McDonald’s, making healthier food choices easier. The need to diet has finally become a key selling point for many restaurants.

The Constructionist Perspective of Obesity

Abstract In this paper I will explore the social construction of obesity and how it formed into a social problem. Recent and growing media attention surrounding obesity in the United States, the so-called obesity epidemic remains a highly debated scientific and social fact. This paper examines the contemporary obesity debate through systematic examination of the claims and claim-makers involved in the controversy.I will not take sides, but merely show and clearly explain each side's views on the obesity epidemic. Social Construction of Global Warming . Social Construction Process: Creating a social problem using the social constructionist approach requires an audience who believes that there is in fact a problem before that topic is considered a social problem. There is a process to creating a social problem starting with â€Å"claims, claims-making, audiences and claims competitions.Regardless of whether claims are verbal, visual, or behavioral, they are the social problems work of claims- makers who want to convince audiences how to think about social problems and how to feel about these problems. † (Lose,2009) In this paper I will discuss the process n which obesity is viewed as an epidemic so therefore is a social problem. We have to ask ourselves, who are the people making this claim, who are they trying to target, and are they being successful? In other words is the targeted audience being persuaded in the belief: obesity is an epidemic?In this process I will compare and contrast two arguments dealing with obesity. One set of views is obesity is a problem of individuals making bad choices and on the other hand there is a belief the food industry has increased portion sizes and markets unhealthy food options with high fat, calories etc. So that obesity is understood as more than Just an individual issue. The sub argument is how should treatment is administered. Do healthcare professionals target individuals and teach them a healthy lifestyle or do y ou target the food industry to make changes in their products? II.Claim-maker of Obesity: The healthcare industry finds the obesity epidemic of great interest due to the strong connection between obesity and obesity related health side effects. Many studies have been done to monitor the increase of obesity with in United States. â€Å"Adult obesity rates increased in 16 states in the past year and did not decline in any state, according to F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America's Future 2011, a report from the Trust for America's Health (TFH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (ROWS). Twelve states now have obesity rates above 30 percent.Four years ago, only one state was above 30 percent. † (â€Å"F as in,† 2011) As a result of these findings augments among health care professionals were establish focusing on the cause of obesity. One group of healthcare professionals believes the problem is an individual person's poor decision making which leads to obesity. I f a person is making bad hoicks in their eating habits and does not exercise then that person will eventually become obese. The other set of professionals would argue it is not in individual choice, but their environment in which they live in.Food companies are targeting their consumers with ads and their increased potion sizes so therefore more and more people are becoming obese. Both sides of the argument believe there is connection between obesity and obesity related health side effects. Each side has different beliefs on how to combat the obesity epidemic. One side of the house is focused on curing obesity while the other side focuses on prevention. A. Individual Problem: Claim-makers who feel obesity is an individual problem use individualism as their targeted moralities.There is a belief system that people embrace individualism, autonomy, and responsibility for their actions. The belief in the importance of individual's freedom to choose the types of food they consume and to h ave a more active lifestyle is embraced by most people. It is estimated that the leading cause of death in the United States is caused by â€Å"lifestyle† such as smoking, diet, exercise and sexual practices. (Adler & Stewart, 2009) Since studies have shown lifestyle is a cause f obesity, medical professionals using the medical model focus on the individual patient for a cure.They not only focus on lifestyles but genetics and family history. To them behavioral choices and therapy is the main target for intervention. Obesity is more than calories in verses calories out. There are other factors that go into this problem. More and more research is indicating that America's obesity crisis cannot be blamed entirely on too much fast food and too little exercise. Genetics plays a factor into which people are becoming obese. There are â€Å"natural and synthetic chemicals known as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (Deeds), or as searchers have begun to call them, obsesses.Obsesses are chemicals that disrupt the function of hormonal systems; many researchers believe they lead to weight gain and, in turn, numerous diseases that curse the American populace. † (Perrine & Warlock, 2010) Other hormone disorders come into effect such at thyroid, adrenal glands, pituitary glands, ovaries which can also contribute to obesity. In many cases of weight loss management requires a balance of behavioral and medical intervention. This balance is created through the guidance of a physician.Another factor in the rise of obesity is parents of young children who have poor dating habits raise children who are obese. â€Å"Today's children are the first generation of Americans projected to have a shorter life span than their parents -? with one out of three at risk of developing Type Two diabetes, a crippling disease once seen only in adults. † (Stone, 2006) Parents instill healthy lifestyles in their children. They do this through family democracies, and beliefs and atti tudes in eating and physical activity.The significant associations between household, parent, and child variables offer a glimpse into the potential processes at work prior to a child's status as obese. For instance, measuring of general parenting and parent attitudes to-ward child eating and nutrition were meaningfully related to the kinds of foods available in the home and to children's activities, both potential risk factors for childhood overweight, Gable & Lutz, (2000) Children's roles in their own physical health and well-being cannot be discounted however, it is the parent who instill these values into their children.B. Public Health â€Å"The public health model differs from the medical model not only in its emphasis on prevention but also in its consideration of a wider range of causative factors. † (Adler Stewart, 2009) These factors focus is mainly on the food industry. Their believe system is the food industry exploits people by targeting lower income families and their environment. They do this through marketing, advertisements. Public health approaches in solving obesity does include health education, they approach the problem through legislative and regulatory means.Examples are nutrition standards for school lunch programs; bans on sugar-sweetened beverages in school's vending machines; requirements for developers of residential subdivisions to include bicycle paths, sidewalks, and parks; and zoning regulations for fast-food outlets. This group is using the moralities of equality of opportunity and equality under the law. Although obesity affects all demographics in the United States, some healthcare professional would argue obesity is target. Racial and ethnic minority adults, and those with less education or who make less money continue to have the highest overall obesity rates† (â€Å"F as in,† 2011) Published finding have reveal companies who produce products such as sodas, candies and alcoholic beverages target minoriti es verses the general audience. These advertisements are found on billboards in communities in predominantly African American and Hispanic. The advertisements are also seen in commercials and magazines that target African American and Hispanic audiences.The environment in which people live directly affects people food choices. Lewis and colleagues (2005) also identified substantially more point-of-sale advertising and promotion of unhealthful foods in restaurants in low-income African American and Latino communities than in more affluent white communities in Los Angels County. (Yankee, Cole, Brown, Williams, Hillier, Kline, Ashes & Beckman, 2009) Opportunities for physical activity, in low income neighborhoods are very low.Parks and walk able areas are scarce. Perceptions of resource quality, safety, and cultural relevance also affect physical activity levels. Research as concluded safety and quality factors in traffic fatalities, crime rates and park size effect obesity rates becau se counter to predictions, subpopulations generally considered vulnerable to obesity (and environmental injustices more generally) are more likely to live in willable neighborhoods and have better walking access to neighborhood parks than other groups.However, crime is highest in willable neighborhoods with large Latino and African-American populations and parks are smaller in areas populated by Latino/as. Given the higher prevalence of obesity and related diseases in lower income and minority populations the results suggest that benefits of built environments may be offset by social characteristics Ill. Audiences: The target audience for awareness of the obesity as a social problem targets every U. S. Citizen. Obesity is becoming a worldwide problem however the United States in the lead globally ranking the highest rates of obesity.Mainly the focuses is on physicians, nurses, dieticians/Dart's, nutritionists, fitness professionals, health educators, public health professionals, soc ial workers, psychologists, physical harpists, occupational therapists, teachers, administrators and school counselors. The other side tries to appeal to lawyers, food companies, and political representatives. These groups of people have the tools to promote change. IV. Power Relationships: As the obesity epidemic continues to intensify, it's becoming clear that there's more to obesity than lifestyle choices.Therefore, endocrinologists carefully examine the genetic and physiological causes and effects of obesity and develop treatment options that can produce concrete results. Endocrinologists are doctors that are facially trained to diagnose and treat diseases related to the body endocrine system – which regulates appetite, metabolism (food burning and waste elimination), and growth through chemicals known as hormones (â€Å"Combating obesity,† 2012) The same lawyers who battle the cigarette makers are now fighting the food companies.Dry, William Jacobs says â€Å"Fro m the days of â€Å"reefer madness,† that old anti- drug movie, the word â€Å"addiction† has conjured images of out-of-control behavior. But today, cutting edge science is shedding new light on addiction and its connection to chemical changes in the brain. If those changes can lead to compulsive behavior, mom scientists wonder if fatty foods and drugs Just might have more in common† (Stone, 2006) While most consumers would say what you eat is your choice. It's a matter of personal responsibility what you eat, but several academics and lawyers are arguing you're far less free to choose what's on your plate than you realize.While each group is made up of professionals who are notable, it is matter of persuading the audience to which solution is correct. V. Conclusion: Targeting obesity has support across the political spectrum. In the US, discussions of the supposed obesity epidemic usually take place within the context of a larger concussion, which assumes that t he increasing weight of the population is a sign of increasing moral laxity and that overweight and obesity are playing a significant role in driving up health care costs.This linkage is attractive for those who are ideologically committed to a focus on ‘individual responsibility, rather than on structural factors that continue to drive health care costs ever upward, and leave one out of every seven Americans without health insurance of any kind. Anxieties about increasing weight resonate with those on the left of the political spectrum as well, ho tend to interpret the ‘obesity epidemic' as both a by-product and a symbol of rampant consumer overcompensation and greedy corporations. Camps, Sashay, Reemerges, Oliver, Greaser, 2005) In this paper I have shown the construction of obesity as a social problem has been made through a series of steps used in the social construction of a social problem. Claims were made by those who feel obesity is problem of individual making b ad lifestyle choices and those who feel is the food industry plays a huge role in why more people are obese today. Both groups validate obesity is an epidemic and therefore a social problem however these groups battle the way we are to combat this problem.

Free Essays on Money Laundering

Financial Accounting For Financial Services Assignment Money Laundering The word money laundering, according to the myth, is derived from Al Capone's practice of using a string of coin-operated launderettes in Chicago to disguise his revenues from gambling, prostitution and protection rackets. It's a nice story but not true, money laundering is so called because it perfectly describes the process of removing the stains and smells which money acquires when criminals earn it. In this report I will go on to discuss the topic of money laundering in the following order; firstly, I will begin by explaining what is money laundering?, why it is done?, and how it is done? I will then go on to explain the effects of money laundering and the institutions/organisations that are at risk from these activities. I will also be discussing the current situation in the UK regarding money laundering and whether anything can be done to prevent or restrict laundering activities, and will then go on to conclude my findings. Money laundering is the process by which criminals attempt to conceal the true origin and ownership of the proceeds of their criminal activities. If they are successful they can then maintain control over the proceeds and, so, provide a legitimate cover for their source of income. J.D. Mclean defined money laundering in the International Judicial Assistance as: "Although the proceeds of crime will be kept as capital for further criminal ventures, the sophisticated offender will wish to use the rest for other purposes. If this is to done without running a risk of detection, the money which represents the proceeds of the original crime must be "laundered"; put into a state in which it appears to have an entirely respectable provenance" It is important to bear in mind that money laundering is a process (often a highly complex one) rather than a single act. In an effort to expose and analyse this phenomenon it has bec... Free Essays on Money Laundering Free Essays on Money Laundering Financial Accounting For Financial Services Assignment Money Laundering The word money laundering, according to the myth, is derived from Al Capone's practice of using a string of coin-operated launderettes in Chicago to disguise his revenues from gambling, prostitution and protection rackets. It's a nice story but not true, money laundering is so called because it perfectly describes the process of removing the stains and smells which money acquires when criminals earn it. In this report I will go on to discuss the topic of money laundering in the following order; firstly, I will begin by explaining what is money laundering?, why it is done?, and how it is done? I will then go on to explain the effects of money laundering and the institutions/organisations that are at risk from these activities. I will also be discussing the current situation in the UK regarding money laundering and whether anything can be done to prevent or restrict laundering activities, and will then go on to conclude my findings. Money laundering is the process by which criminals attempt to conceal the true origin and ownership of the proceeds of their criminal activities. If they are successful they can then maintain control over the proceeds and, so, provide a legitimate cover for their source of income. J.D. Mclean defined money laundering in the International Judicial Assistance as: "Although the proceeds of crime will be kept as capital for further criminal ventures, the sophisticated offender will wish to use the rest for other purposes. If this is to done without running a risk of detection, the money which represents the proceeds of the original crime must be "laundered"; put into a state in which it appears to have an entirely respectable provenance" It is important to bear in mind that money laundering is a process (often a highly complex one) rather than a single act. In an effort to expose and analyse this phenomenon it has bec...

The Strength Of Beatty Essays - Fahrenheit 451, Free Essays

The Strength Of Beatty Essays - Fahrenheit 451, Free Essays The Strength of Beatty The book, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, demonstrates how certain people's opinions can influence an issue in this case, the burning of books. Captain Beatty had the greatest influence on public opinion regarding this issue. Beatty illustrates the ability to confuse and to make a person insane, he can control a community of people, and he can frighten people. Beatty is, clearly, the strongest character in the book Fahrenheit 451. One of his influential talents is Beatty's ability to confuse in his arguments. He used this ability to weaken Montag. He once said, "So! A book is a loaded gun in the house next door. Burn it. Take the shot from the weapon. Breach mean's mind. Who knows who might be the target of the well-read man? Me? I won't stomach them for a minute." (Pg. 62) These short phrases are bewildering, because they have a very unclear meaning. He also said, "And you shrieked, 'Knowledge is power!' and 'A dwarf on a giant's shoulders sees the farthest of the two!' and I summed my side up with rare serenity in, 'The folly of a mistaking a metaphor for a proof, a torrent of verbiage for a spring of capital truths, and oneself as an oracle, is inborn is us, Mr. Valery once said.'" (Pg. 116) This confused Montag to the point that he almost disclosed his passion for reading books. Beatty has mastered the skill of holding people under his power. Beatty, himself, said, "Knowledge is more than equivalent to force." (Pg. 116) He additionally declared, "I don't think you realize how important we are to our world as it stands now." (Pg. 66) He takes his position to rule the people. By depriving people of books he striped the residents of knowledge and therefore withdrew their power. One of the ways that Beatty controls is with fright. He is very proficient at using fear for control. During his speech he said, "What if a fireman accidentally, really not intending anything, takes a book home with him?" When hearing this, Montag stirred with fright. "We're book burners, too. We burnt books, afraid they'd be found."(Pg. 164) The firemen will not only find the books, but also send the offenders to jail. This gave Beatty significant power. Beatty is the strongest character in Fahrenheit 451. He has the ability to confuse, to gain control, and to frighten. Despite being the bad guy, Beatty is a very influential and powerful character. His opinions significantly shape the characters and actions of the book.

The Black Catâ€Plot, Symbols, Themes, and Key Quotes

The Black Cat- Plot, Symbols, Themes, and Key Quotes The  Black Cat, one  of  Edgar Allan Poes  most memorable stories, is a classic example of the gothic  literature genre that debuted in the Saturday Evening Post on August 19, 1843. Written in the form of a first-person narrative, Poe employed multiple themes of insanity, superstition, and alcoholism to impart a palpable sense of horror and foreboding to this tale, while at the same time, deftly advancing his plot and building his characters. Its no surprise that The Black Cat is often linked with The  Tell-Tale Heart, since both of Poes stories share several disturbing plot devices including murder and damning messages from the grave- real or imagined. Plot  Summary The nameless protagonist/narrator begins his story by letting the readers know that he was once a nice, average man. He had a pleasant home, was married to a pleasant wife, and had an abiding love for animals. All that was to change, however, when he fell under the influence of demon alcohol. The first symptom of his descent into addiction and eventual madness manifests with his escalating maltreatment of the family pets. The only creature to escape the mans initial wrath is a beloved black cat named Pluto, but one night after a serious bout of heavy drinking, Pluto angers him for some minor infraction, and in a drunken fury, the man seizes the cat, which promptly bites him. The narrator retaliates by cutting out one of the Plutos eyes. While the cats wound eventually heals, the relationship between the man and his pet has been destroyed. Eventually, the narrator, filled with self-loathing, comes to detest the cat as a symbol of his own weakness, and in a moment of further insanity, hangs the poor creature by the neck from a tree beside the house where its left to perish.  Shortly thereafter, the house burns down. While the narrator, his wife, and a servant escape, the only thing left standing is a single blackened interior wall- on which, to his horror, the man sees the image of a cat hanging by a noose around its neck. Thinking to assuage his guilt, the protagonist begins searching out a second black cat to replace Pluto. One night, in a tavern, he eventually finds just such a cat, which accompanies him to the house he now shares with his wife, albeit under greatly reduced circumstances. Soon enough, the madness- abetted by gin- returns. The narrator begins not only to detest the new cat- which is always underfoot- but to fear it. What remains of his reason keeps him from harming the animal, until the day the mans wife asks him to accompany her on an errand to the cellar. The cat runs ahead, nearly tripping his master on the stairs. The man becomes enraged. He picks up an ax, meaning to murder the animal, but when his wife grabs the handle to stop him, he pivots, killing her with a blow to the head. Rather than break down with remorse, the man hastily hides his wifes body by walling it up with bricks behind a false facade in the cellar. The cat thats been tormenting him seems to have disappeared. Relieved, he begins to think hes gotten away with his crime and all will finally be well–until the police eventually show up to search the house. They find nothing but as theyre headed up the cellar stairs preparing to leave, the narrator stops them, and with false bravado, he boasts how well the house is built, tapping on the wall thats hiding the body of his dead wife. From within comes a sound of unmistakable anguish. Upon hearing the cries, the authorities demolish the false wall, only to find the wifes corpse, and on top of it, the missing cat. I had walled the monster up within the tomb! he wails- not realizing that in fact, he and not the cat, is the actual villain of the story. Symbols Symbols are a key component of Poes dark tale, particularly the following ones. The black cat:  More than just the title character, the black cat is also an important symbol. Like the bad omen of legend, the narrator believes Pluto and his successor have led him down the path toward insanity and immorality.  Alcohol: While the narrator begins to view the black cat as an outward manifestation of everything the narrator views as evil and unholy, blaming the animal for all his woes, it is his addiction to drinking, more than anything else, that seems to be the true reason for the narrators mental decline.House and home: Home sweet home is supposed to be a place of safety and security, however, in this story, it becomes a dark and tragic place of madness and murder. The narrator kills his favorite pet, tries to kill its replacement, and goes on to kill his own wife. Even the relationships that should have been the central focus of his healthy and happy home fall victim to his deteriorating mental  state.  Prison: When the story opens, the narrator is physica lly in prison, however, his mind was already imprisoned by the shackles of madness, paranoia, and alcohol-induced delusions long before he was apprehended for his crimes.   The wife: The wife could have been a grounding force in the narrators life.  He describes her as having that humanity of feeling. Rather than saving him, or at least escaping with her own life, she becomes a horrible example of innocence betrayed. Loyal, faithful, and kind, she never leaves her husband no matter how low he sinks into the depths of depravity. Instead, it is he who is in a sense unfaithful to his marriage vows. His mistress, however, is not another woman, but rather his obsession with drinking and the inner demons his drinking unleashes as symbolically personified by the black cat. He forsakes the woman he loves- and eventually kills her because he cant break the hold of his destructive obsession. Major Themes Love and hate are two key themes in the story.  The narrator at first loves his pets and his wife, but as madness takes hold of him, he comes to loathe or dismiss everything that should be of the utmost importance to him. Other major themes include: Justice and truth:  The narrator tries to hide the truth by walling up his wifes body but the voice of the black cat helps bring him to justice.Superstition:  The black cat is an omen of bad luck, a theme that runs throughout literature.  Murder and death:  Death is the central focus of the entire story. The question is what causes the narrator to become a killer.Illusion versus reality:  Does the alcohol release the narrators inner demons, or is it merely an excuse for his horrendous acts of violence? Is the black cat merely a cat, or something embued with a greater power to bring about justice or exact revenge?Loyalty perverted: A pet is often seen as a loyal and faithful partner in life but the escalating hallucinations the narrator experiences propel him into murderous rages, first with Pluto and then with the cat the replaces him. The pets he once held in highest affection become the thing he most loathes. As the mans sanity unravels, his wife, whom he also purports to love, becomes someone who merely inhabits his home rather than shares his life. She ceases to be a real person, and when she does, she is expendable. When she dies, rather than feel the horror of killing someone he cares for, the mans first response is to hide the evidence of his crime. Key Quotes Poes use of language enhance the storys chilling impact. His stark prose is  the reason this and other of his tales have endured. Key quotes from Poes work echo its themes. On reality vs. illusion: For the  most wild, yet most homely narrative which I am about to pen, I neither expect nor solicit belief.   On loyalty: There is something in the unselfish and self-sacrificing love of a brute, which goes directly to the heart of him who has had frequent occasion to test the paltry friendship and gossamer fidelity of mere Man.   On superstition: In speaking of his intelligence, my wife, who at heart was not a little tinctured with superstition, made frequent allusion to the ancient popular notion, which regarded all black cats as witches in disguise.   On alcoholism: ...my disease grew upon me- for what disease is like Alcohol!- and at  length  even Pluto, who was now becoming old, and consequently somewhat peevish- even Pluto began to experience the effects of my ill temper.   On transformation and descent into insanity: I knew myself no longer. My original soul seemed, at once, to take its flight from my body; and a more than fiendish malevolence, gin-nurtured, thrilled every fiber of my frame.   On murder: This spirit of perverseness, I say, came to my final overthrow. It was this unfathomable longing of the soul to vex itself- to offer violence to its own nature- to do wrong for the wrongs sake only- that urged me to continue and finally to consummate the injury I had inflicted upon the unoffending brute.   On evil: Beneath the pressure of torments such as these, the feeble remnant of the good within me succumbed. Evil thoughts became my sole intimates- the darkest and most evil of thoughts.   Questions for Study and Discussion Once students have read The Black Cat, teachers can use the following questions to spark discussion or as the basis for an exam or written assignment: Why do you think Poe chose The Black Cat as the title for this story?What are the major conflicts? What types of conflict (physical, moral, intellectual, or emotional) do you see in this story?What does Poe do to reveal character in the story?What are some themes in the story?How does Poe employ symbolism?Is the narrator consistent in his actions? Is he a fully developed character?Do you find the narrator likable? Would you want to meet him?Do you find the narrator reliable? Do you trust what he says to be true?How would you describe the narrators relationship with animals? How does it differ from his relationships with people?Does the story end the way you expected it to?What is the central  purpose of the story? Why is this purpose important or meaningful?Why is the story usually considered a work of horror literature?Would you consider this appropriate reading for Halloween?How essential is setting to the story? Could the story have taken place anywhere else?What are some of the controversial elements of the story? Were they necessary? What is the role of women in the text?Would you recommend this story to a friend?If Poe had not ended the story as he did, what do you think might have happened next?How have views on alcoholism, superstition, and insanity changed since this story was written?How might a modern writer approach a similar story?

Many organizations develop strategic plans Assignment

Many organizations develop strategic plans - Assignment Example Since then, this system has been effectively utilized for the purpose of translating an organization’s active business strategies along with its broad mission. In addition, the balanced scorecard has also been used in a few of the most critical drivers that drives the future performance of an organization i.e. business processes, capabilities along with resources. These aspects have been fruitful in ascertaining a greater set of outcomes such as meeting the interests of the consumers along with the development and prosperity of organizations. All these facets of balanced scorecard can prove to be beneficial as it authenticates that the numerous private, public along with not-for-profit organizations have accepted and utilized this particular method. It has also been regarded as a part of their overall strategic management approach. Based on this factor, the authenticity along with the wide applicability of the balanced scorecard in relation to the execution of strategy can be determined. It has also been studied that this particular tool is utilized in order to reduce a lot of operational barriers in a highly professional manner (Claude, 2008). In addition, it has also been learnt that the balanced scorecard can be utilized in a very strategic manner as well. ... Over the years, balanced scorecard has provided great aid to numerous organizations along with suppliers for designing and implementing various strategies. All these factors combined together have been responsible for overcoming the vision barrier to a very large extent. In this regard, Kaplan was able to define the increasing rate of barriers that seem to put the operational capacities of various organizations at stake. In this similar regard, he has also explained that through sustained organizational efforts along with optimum utilization of this particular scorecard, a large number of organizational barriers could be averted. In a different context, Norton, Kaplan and others have delivered weightage on the fact that in order to achieve all round success in an organization, the scorecard needs to be utilized in a tricky manner. They explained that in order to create organizational success, clarity in the communication strategy is needed to be maintained at all levels. This results in the formation of effective strategies as well (Claude, 2008; Niven, 2010). Section 2: A. Critique of the Division’s Use of the Balanced Scorecard The balanced scorecard highlighted upon the most important aspects such as increase undergraduate student retention and engagement, develop students as ethical leaders and agents of positive change among others. All these aspect combined together have proved the authenticity of the balanced scorecard. Other aspects such as increased retention and graduation rates for targeted populations and decreased violations of community standards among others validate the division’s use of the Balanced Scorecard.

Financial Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Financial Analysis - Assignment Example The Verizon Wireless products and services include the â€Å"Wireless Voice and Data Services† and other â€Å"Equipment Sales† all over the United States. The Verizon Wire line includes communication products and services such as the â€Å"Voice, Internet access, Broadband video and data, Internet Protocol Network Services, Network Access and Long Distance† services. Competitor The T-Mobile US, Inc. located in the Bellevue, Washington is chosen as the competitor of Verizon Communication Inc. T-Mobile US, Inc. (TMUS) is a recently launched company that has the potential to grow in the future. The company is working for the better and prompt services regarding the communications and providing the consumers reliable products and services. All the products and Services are of great quality and are working together to provide the customers to stick together with the ones they love. The SIC Code for T-Mobile is 4812. The company also deals in the Wireless and Wire line products and services. T-Mobile provides the â€Å"Wireless Voice, Messaging and data services that are used by over a 293 million people all over America. Comparison The comparison of Version Communication Inc. and the competitor (T-Mobile US, Inc.) and the overall industry (Communication Industry) is done (Beaver, Correia and McNichols; Thomsett). Version communication Inc. is growing as the statistics show the profit margins are expanding at 7.57% yearly (2013). The returns on assets and equity are showing progress. The company is utilizing its assets and equity effectively. The revenues generated per share are 31.98 and the quarterly annual growth is 6.80%.

What are the roots of the Arab-Israeli Conflict Essay

What are the roots of the Arab-Israeli Conflict - Essay Example On the other hand, Iseroff, 2008, mentions that Sykes Picot Agreement of 1916 planned to divide Ottomans holdings between France and Britain after the war. The revolt by Arabs led by T.E. Lawrence led to partial Arab self-determination. However, many feel that Arabs had been short-changed by British promise to give Syria to French and Palestine as Jewish homeland. British denied any such promise that included Palestine in the area promised to Arabs. The conflict thus began. In November 1917, The Balfour Declaration highlighted British support for creation of Jewish homeland in Palestine without disturbing civil and religious rights of non-Jewish communities in the region. The Arabs opposed the idea for fear of dispossession by Zionists or the fear of living under Jewish rules. The British wanted to establish regions of self governing Palestine as well as Israel. However, while Israel feared Arab majority in such councils, Arabs displayed their displeasure by non-participation and instigating pogroms and rioting during 1920s. The violence led to formation of Hagannah Jewish self defence organisation in 1920. Future immigration of Jews into these territories led to protests from the Arabs against Jewish settlers despite direct benefit due to investment and infrastructural development in the region. Religious aspects like false rumours of synagogue on Wailing Wall or Jewish encroachment of Muslim rule over temple mount compound further fuelled rioting leading to evacuation of Jewish people from Hebron. An attempt to resolve situation through 1929 Passfield white paper to stop further immigration by British was however opposed vehemently and immigration of Jewish people continued unabated and in fact swelled during 1930s due to Jewish persecution well...The o wnership, demography and area have greatly fluctuated during this long history. Present Israel extends from Jordan river to the Mediterranean, with Egypt in the south, Lebanon in the north and Jordan in the east. The identified borders are about 78% while the rest is land occupied during operations like 6-day war of 1967 and some autonomous Palestinian regions. Gaza strip is another stretch of 141 square miles south of Israel controlled by Palestinian Authority. (Iseroff, 2008) Historically speaking, Israel came into existence starting from Abraham, 1272 BC and Jews claim their dominion over the land for about 1000 years randomly while continuous presence during past 3300 years. Romans conquered Jerusalem over 2000 years back and expelled the Jewish to Diaspora. The land has thereafter been ruled by the Romans, Islamic and Christian campaigners, by the Ottomans and British Empires. The present crisis involving small land of Israel as described above involves Israel and 24 Arab nations as shown in the map below. The genesis of this modern history can be traced back to massive immigration of Jews from Arab countries and Europe during first 3-4 decades of the 20th century All major countries and particularly UN have to play a supportive role to evolve a consensus. The solution can only be evolved by sitting across a table and talking to each other peacefully.

Experiencing Art in Person Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Experiencing Art in Person - Essay Example Mr. Sprick carefully picked elements in the painting to bring life yet retaining a sense of mortality. Nothing in the artwork seems to be situated I its place in reality. Pins in the skull eyes are weird. The Ross and the plate are suspended which is not natural. How did a broken egg shell get to be suspended on a knife? Why would a soup can and beer bottle be put next to each other for communication? Mr. Sprick’s explanation requests us to try and see his work through his own eyes. Through the piece, he is trying to communicate to us that we need to appreciate imperfections in our daily lives. Things do not always have to work or be the way we are conditioned to see. Flexibility is important if we are to enjoy the beauty in life. Sprick shares with us an inspirational thought which states, when destiny knocks on our door, we need to discard all our plans.2 This is the only way we can fully enjoy the benefit of our calling. Having considered this, I reasonably believe, the sku ll was the centre of the piece but the desire to expand the message, Sprick introduced the other objects which he arranged in a systematic manner to portray unity. The use of linear perspective gives the painting a three dimensional quality that conveys reality.3 The dominant white color has been cleverly used to spread a feeling of peace and calmness in the painting despite its elements of violence depicted by a broken beer bottle, crashed egg shells, spilled red liquid and the dead bugs. My experience with Mr. Sprick’s painting has made me realize the power art has over life and death. When bugs stand still, one cannot differentiate between live ones and the dead ones because the dead ones retain their form unless interfered with physically. Notable is the seemingly happy face of... Mr. Sprick’s explanation requests us to try and see his work through his own eyes. Through the piece, he is trying to communicate to us that we need to appreciate imperfections in our daily lives. Things do not always have to work or be the way we are conditioned to see. Flexibility is important if we are to enjoy the beauty in life. Sprick shares with us an inspirational thought which states, when destiny knocks on our door, we need to discard all our plans. This is the only way we can fully enjoy the benefit of our calling. Having considered this, I reasonably believe, the skull was the centre of the piece but the desire to expand the message, Sprick introduced the other objects which he arranged in a systematic manner to portray unity. The use of linear perspective gives the painting a three dimensional quality that conveys reality. The dominant white color has been cleverly used to spread a feeling of peace and calmness in the painting despite its elements of violence depi cted by a broken beer bottle, crashed egg shells, spilled red liquid and the dead bugs. My experience with Mr. Sprick’s painting has made me realize the power art has over life and death. When bugs stand still, one cannot differentiate between live ones and the dead ones because the dead ones retain their form unless interfered with physically. Notable is the seemingly happy face of the skull and the pins give it a penetrating look.

Why do you want to be a petroleum engineer. As a nigerian student in Essay

Why do you want to be a petroleum engineer. As a nigerian student in Texas A&M University - Essay Example In spite of the economic climate, active recruitment of graduates in the discipline of Petroleum Engineering by oil companies remains buoyant. Job prospects for Petroleum Engineers are abundant both within Nigeria and abroad. My cousins are Petroleum Engineers and have been working in the Gulf States for over a decade. They are a huge source of motivation for me. Having seen them successfully progress professionally as Petroleum Engineers, getting a degree in Petroleum Engineering is not a decision that I have reached in a hurry. I have been learning about Petroleum Engineering by consulting such websites over the Internet as Rigzone and SPE as well as watching university lectures. Once I went to Mount Pilchuck with my friends for climbing and was amazed to see how the rock composition varied from one level to another. Learning how geological variations impact our ability to develop a field would be fascinating. Opportunities for excelling academically in Petroleum Engineering are tremendous. Every year, thousands of scholarships are offered to the qualifying graduates of Petroleum Engineering worldwide. Being an interdisciplinary field, students study a broad range of subjects including thermodynamics, geology, mathematics, chemistry, and fluid mechanics. I can easily specialize in one of these core subjects of Petroleum Engineering after

Indigenous Australians Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Indigenous Australians - Essay Example The constitution grants the rights to all citizens and it is designed to ensure that that equality and equity prevail among all citizens regardless of race disparities. However, it has been realised that the indigenous Australians have been sidelined in the country’s constitution on the basis of racial bias. As such, it has been realized that there is need to achieve full inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Constitution. This can be done through removing the notions of racial bias towards the indigenous people while at the same time recognising their heritage, culture as well as language. On the other hand, it can be noted that Langton (2008) states that people are still disillusioned by the widely held perceptions they have about the aborigines who are often viewed as backward and primitive. In many people’s minds, the indigenous Australians are not equal to other people as a result of their backwardness. Constitutionally, the indigenous people have often been viewed as second class citizens while they are the original people in Australia. This view is also supported by Behrendt (2010) who argues that the constitutional gap between haves and have notes (Indigenous people) is wide hence concerted measures should be taken in order to bridge it. This is mainly as a result of inequality that was created when the Australian constitution was adopted. Poverty is high in reservations which are often home to indigenous people since they are structured in such a way that discourages investment. As noted by Kristof (2012), the level of poverty in reservations like the sprawling Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is high and this can be attributed to factors such as lack of education and alcohol abuse and dysfunctional families. This situation is also resembles the case of indigenous Australians, the aborigines who for a long period of time have been

Why do you want to be a petroleum engineer. As a nigerian student in Essay

Why do you want to be a petroleum engineer. As a nigerian student in Texas A&M University - Essay Example In spite of the economic climate, active recruitment of graduates in the discipline of Petroleum Engineering by oil companies remains buoyant. Job prospects for Petroleum Engineers are abundant both within Nigeria and abroad. My cousins are Petroleum Engineers and have been working in the Gulf States for over a decade. They are a huge source of motivation for me. Having seen them successfully progress professionally as Petroleum Engineers, getting a degree in Petroleum Engineering is not a decision that I have reached in a hurry. I have been learning about Petroleum Engineering by consulting such websites over the Internet as Rigzone and SPE as well as watching university lectures. Once I went to Mount Pilchuck with my friends for climbing and was amazed to see how the rock composition varied from one level to another. Learning how geological variations impact our ability to develop a field would be fascinating. Opportunities for excelling academically in Petroleum Engineering are tremendous. Every year, thousands of scholarships are offered to the qualifying graduates of Petroleum Engineering worldwide. Being an interdisciplinary field, students study a broad range of subjects including thermodynamics, geology, mathematics, chemistry, and fluid mechanics. I can easily specialize in one of these core subjects of Petroleum Engineering after

Descriptive & Inferential Statistics Assignment

Descriptive & Inferential Statistics - Assignment Example Before then, the data for White and Black students included students of Hispanic ethnicity, so the analysis would not have been valid. The stats used to analyze the relationship between high school dropout rates and family income was provided by . The literature we read about school characteristics lead us to focus on the impact of attendance rates and wealth expenditures per pupil on high school dropout rates in the state of Maryland. The data used to analyze the relationship between high school dropout rates and school characteristics came the Maryland State Department of Education’s â€Å"2014 Maryland Report Card.† Since 2003, the Maryland State Department of Education has been collecting and publishing data on each of its schools, kindergarten through 12th grade, in each county in Maryland. Data for 2014 is incomplete, so the most complete statistics are available from 2003 through 2013. These data measure many important school characteristics, as well as calculating and reporting the drop-out rates for schools and counties. Among the most significant measures included in the report card are the number of students who missed 5 or fewer days of school each year, those who missed 90 or more days of school eac h year, the number of days of attendance each year, and wealth expenditures per pupil. Those four characteristics, including the dropout rates, are summarized here. From 1992 til 2012, there were 738,931 high school students of all races between the ages of 16 and 24 years old. Out of the 738,931 students, 469,016 of them identified as white, 106,216 of them identified as black and 120,321 of them identified as Hispanic; which leaves 43,378 students without any racial identification. From 1992 until 2012, 6.5% of White students dropped out of high school. The median was 6.8% and there was no mode present. The minimum amount of dropouts was in 2012 with 4.3% and the maximum

Using the plays of Aristophanes Essay Example for Free

Using the plays of Aristophanes Essay Using the plays of Aristophanes (Lysistrata), Sophocles (Oedipus) and Euripides (Medea), we are able to discuss some major themes and concerns present in Greek Drama, such as women, fate, and other underlying themes. One of the most prominent, and perhaps the most controversial themes present in Greek Drama is the position of women in Greek Society. These three writers have different opinions of women, and this is reflected in their plays. Euripides, in Medea, presents a view of women as sex-crazed creatures. This is emphasised by Jason (569-72), when he says: you women/ Have reached a state where, if alls well with your sex-life,/ Youve everything you wish for; but when that goes wrong,/ At once all that is best and noblest turns to gall. Women in Lysistrata add to this view when they exclaim: Ill walk through fire, or anything but to give up sex, never! (166). Furthermore, women are portrayed as inherently dishonest. This is expressed when Medea tells the Chorus: We were born women useless for honest purposes, / But in all kinds of evil, skilled practitioners (407). Women are also presented as emotional rather than rational in their responses to situations. For all the Chorus protests about Medea killing her children, when they actually heard her murdering them, lamented: the miserable mother , cursed, miserable woman (1278), but are so effectively overcome with their emotions that they do not stop her, as perhaps men would have. This attitude towards women is complemented in Oedipus, when Jocasta, instead of waiting to learn the truth, murders herself at her assumption. Another major concern in Greek Drama is the idea about gods and fate. In Medea, there is little intervention of the gods, let alone fate. Medea makes the decision and is responsible for the tragic end which befalls the characters. In contrast, Sophocles Oedipus, present us with a completely different outlook. In the play, almost every aspect is seen to be controlled, in order for the prophecy to be completed. For example, in the play, Oedipus is rescued by a messenger that same messenger who happens to deliver the news that Oedipuss father is dead. Of countless people, it was the same person. Furthermore, Oedipus kills his father, protected by five men, on a lonely road. Is it not ironic, or least unlucky, the Oedipus happened to travel on the same road, and meet, out of all the people, his father who he does not even realise is his father and kills him? Oedipus then arrives at Thebes, his birth place, and solves a riddle which no person has yet been able to solve; he becomes king and marries his mother. Coincidence surely not. Certainly, these examples prove that fate was an all important factor in Greek drama that once a decision has been fated, it can never be changed. Greek Drama, particularly tragedy, also carries a prominent underlying theme Passion over Reason. In Euripides play, Medea is driven by an overwhelming passion to have her revenge that she does not stop to think what she is actually doing. This idea is exaggerated in Oedipus when he blindly pursues his identity, in defiance of warnings from numerous sources including Teiresias, Jocasta and the shepherd. Eventually, this passion over reason leads to his downfall. The theme is also carried through in Lysistrata, although not to such a prominent extent. In the play, the men are at war because they have refused methods of reasoning, and let their passions take control. However, in the play this idea can also be taken in a different sense. The men can be seen to succumb to their sexual passions, and refuse the reasons of going to war. In conclusion, we can see that the plays of these legendary writers reflect some major themes and concerns of Greek Drama. Concerns such as the position of women, the outlook on the gods and underlying themes are all major issues present in the plays.

Effect of Globalization on IT Service Providers in Europe

Effect of Globalization on IT Service Providers in Europe Opportunities and challenges presented by Globalization: IT Service providers in Continental Europe EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Enterprises within Europe are increasingly trying to seek the advantages of global sourcing. Unlike enterprises in U.S. or U.K., continental European countries have historically been reluctant to engage with offshore providers. The reasons were far stretched, ranging from political sensitivity, labor laws, cultural compatibility and language requirements. Globalization, however, is creating new avenues that European companies can not ignore. A recent report by Gartner shows the potential IT Offshoring market to be in the range of about $ 200 to 240 Billion. The market is expected to register double digit growth for years to come. The current offshore spending by firms amounts to just $17 Billion worldwide. This clearly shows a big gap, a huge market potential which is yet to be exploited. The huge demand has also led to emergence and growth of several new players in the field of IT Outsourcing/ Offshoring services, this is leading to ever increasing competition in the marketplace. In order to cope up with this increased competition and to provide better services, these service providers are increasingly adopting Global delivery models. By selecting an advantageous and cost effective proportion of resources worldwide, Global Delivery Model boosts business performance while also lowering costs. It also helps the supplier deliver requirements that are met on-time, within budget, and with high quality; greater efficiency and responsiveness to their clients. In Europe, nearshore models still dominate the market. But these models are continuously being updated, with more and more providers setting up Offshore Development Centers in locations like India. A framework for building an optimal combination of onsite, nearshore, and offshore delivery capabilities is provided by Capgeminis Rightshore ® model. A recent Gartner report has suggested that, the current US economic slowdown is expected to lead buyers of IT services to consider increasing the percentage of their labor in offshore locations. India will remain the dominant location for IT offshore services for North American and European buyers as a result of its scale, quality of resources and strong presence of local and traditional service providers. INTRODUCTION: EUROPEAN IT MARKET The European market remains a highly complex and competitive market with a large number of providers. Mergers and acquisitions will continue but will be balanced by new market entrants Outsourcing adoption in Europe is increasing for both infrastructure and applications; the widespread lack of well defined sourcing strategies among buyers and the realities of ever-changing business requirements will generate frequent deal negotiations and renegotiations Global delivery and utility services are irreversible trends evolving at different speeds among various European countries. The European multi country, multi language/culture composition increases the evolutionary complexity of these trends Selective outsourcing with multiple providers will remain the preferred model of engagement for European buyers. Governance and end-to-end integration/management of different providers/solutions are the most challenging aspects of it ITO market maturity varies: UK is the most matured IT market in Europe. The other European markets are maturing at different speeds. An acceleration in ITO adoption is now apparent in countries such as France and Germany A focus on achieving service delivery excellence and the best value/quality balance is increasingly driving European organizations (especially those beyond the first generation deal) to consider selecting multiple providers for an outsourcing contract. For example, in the IT Telecom sector, the most common division is by service tower, with customers opting to choose different providers for their network, desktop, data center and application competencies. At the moment, however, providers tend to join forces in an opportunistic manner, as a response to customer demands. This is the cause behind the ever-changing composition of the providers teams; as a consequence, consolidating best practices to manage IT service spin offs between different providers in an effort to guarantee end-to-end service delivery excellence remains challenging. As the number of providers engaged is set to increase, this challenge is likely to intensify. It will also be driven by other market characteristics, which include a persistent tactical use of outsourcing by European customers, insufficient process maturity, and lack of clarity in the definition of roles and responsibilities. As we look at global delivery, it is fair to say that there are two major misconceptions that still exist among the European market: 1) Global delivery is often considered as a synonym of offshore, and 2) IT services delivered through global delivery capabilities are application services. In reality, in the past few years, the European market has witnessed a considerable expansion in terms of both geographical location options (in areas such as Eastern Europe or North Africa, for example) and portfolio of services offered (now including, for example, help desk and remote infrastructure management services). Global delivery and offshore, however, remain the key deal characteristics that need to be treated with extra care in many European geographies, and as a consequence, many deals remain confidential. Traditional providers investment will be directed toward enhancing existing capabilities (especially near shore in Eastern Europe) and ensuring process solidity. Offshore providers inv estment on the other side will be centered on creating front-end capabilities with a focus on specific country and vertical-oriented competencies. While these global delivery models mature and are refined/ optimized, customers satisfaction will remain a challenge. KEY TRENDS SHAPING IT OUTSOURCING MARKET IN EUROPE TRENDS CHARACTERISTICS Selective Outsourcing With Multiple Providers * Embraced by majority of European companies * Objectives: IT excellence and cost optimization * Integration and governance challenges Global Sourcing and Global Delivery Models * Near shore proximity key for European market * Expanding portfolio of outsourcing services * Key area of investment for providers and buyers IT Utility * Industrialization is accelerating * Convergence of IT utility and global delivery * Key drivers: flexibility, efficiency, optimized cost, speed Aggressive ESP Competitive Landscape * National, global and offshore ESPs converging * Mergers, acquisitions and divestitures to continue * Providers are implementing new business models * New offshore market entrants Application Outsourcing to Grow * Drivers: portfolio rationalization, legacy modernization * Global delivery will gain acceptance * Multitude of providers competing Source: Gartner The U.K., Netherlands, Sweden and Finland are examples of countries more attracted by the global delivery model. However, in the meantime, the impact of global competition has started to drive countries such as Germany and France to consider global delivery as a viable option to be considered strategically, rather than when all other options have been exhausted. Despite a slower gestation and the fact that a complete infrastructure utility (IU) offering has not yet been developed, the IU model is continuing to attract new offerings and/or new providers. In the meantime, European customers, attracted by the idea of being able to access IT services in a flexible way, remain cautious as they expect further clarity on issues such as unit definition, pricing mechanisms, integration to existing systems, and security portability In the near future, we expect that the IU for ERP platforms will remain the most common battleground for providers; other providers are expected to instead mask their IU offering behind a package that includes product and support services. The concept of software as a service (SaaS) or ready-to-use applications will continue to generate lot of interest. Expectations for a solid delivery and specific functionalities will drive providers to specialize their offerings. Finally, gains in terms of process efficiency will be seen as crucial to deliver enhanced competitiveness, flexibility, agility and cost optimization. GLOBAL TRENDS: IT OUTSOURCING and OFFSHORING MARKET IT Outsourcing market is showing an average growth of 9% p.a. IT Outsourcing Worldwide forecast (Million $) Source : Gartner Dataquest In terms of volume, North America continues to be the leader in IT outsourcing. Latin America and APAC have shown good growth Europe has fast emerged as a big IT outsourcer Global offshore spending is continuing to register double digit growth. Worldwide Offshore IT Services Spending by Importing Region (million $) Source: Gartner Dataquest, 2004 and Worldwide and U.S. Offshore IT Services 2006-2010 Forecast In terms of volume, the North America continues to be the leader in IT offshoring. Once averse to the idea of outsourcing, Europe is now steadily adopting an IT offshore model to boost the economy Global offshore spending is projected to increase to 29400 $ Million in 2010 The graph on the next page shows the potential market for various types of sourcing options. This clearly depicts that he IT and Business Process offshoring market has grown at a tremendous rate over the past 7 year and the market provides a huge potential which is yet to be exploited. IT and BPO market Source Gartner, Dataquest, Aberdeen Group, McKinsey, Evalueserve, Infosys, IDC and Nasscom strategic review 2008 Currently we are not even exploiting 10% of the potential market size ( IT services off shoring just at $17 Billion, whereas market potential is about $200-240 Billion *) According to a new research by Gartner, the market is likely to grow further after the financial slowdown, as firms will try aggressively to reduce costs and improve efficiency Different Sourcing Models In-sourcing / Shared Services: Sourcing from internal sources or from an affiliated firm in the home economy Onshore Outsourcing: Sourcing from a non-affiliated firm in the home economy Captive Offshoring: Sourcing from an affiliated firm located abroad Offshore Outsourcing: Sourcing from a non-affiliated firm located abroad REGIONAL DYNAMICS ACROSS EUROPE The following section will describe the regional ITO trends and local dynamics across different European locations. UK and IRELAND 2005: â‚ ¬17.2B 2010: â‚ ¬25.7B 2005-2010 CAGR: 8.3% ITO drivers: Improve IT quality for end users, speed/flexibility, access to technical skills, cost reduction Inhibitors: Loss of control, lack of trust, security/privacy, IP Key trends: †¢ Most mature market in Europe with wider number of mega deals (public sector) †¢ Deal sophistication, including government. Increasing interest in new pricing schemes, business enhancement and shared services †¢ More selective sourcing and global delivery †¢ Areas such as Scotland and Ireland feeling pressure of Indian and Eastern European operations †¢ Wide potential for application engagements to mature from project engagements into outsourcing based engagements Despite being the largest and most mature market in Europe, the U.K. remains also one of the fast-growing ones. Here organizations seem to have moved away from the equation of outsourcing = cost reduction. While cost remains a key component, other objectives seem more important, such as improving IT service delivery, gaining specific skills, especially for application outsourcing deals, and becoming a more flexible organization. (See Appendix F) Inhibitions remain related to a general lack of trust in the ability to join forces with the providers to manage security, control over IT operations and IP. The U.K. market is characterized by a large number of mega deals, especially in the public sector. These outsourcing deals often include initiatives that have classically been carried out through project engagements and now are increasingly being performed in the initial phases of an IT outsourcing or BPO deal. This change reflects the growing desire of customers for a tighter link between investment and results (for which the outsourcer is responsible during the duration of the contract) and the important shift in role for the internal IT department. Rather than focusing on assembling and managing all of the necessary skills and capabilities to meet a certain objective, IT organizations, in this scenario, are responsible for coordinating the objectives of the Business Unit and the internal and external providers engaged to support them. Often infrastructure outsourcing is at the core of these complex relationships. At the same time, the U.K. is also the largest market in terms of adoption of IT services delivered through a network of global delivery capabilities (which include nearshore and offshore locations). From this point of view, areas that used to be considered as low cost for outsourcing operations (Scotland and Ireland) continue to feel the pressure of Indian and Eastern European capabilities. Finally, organizations that have engaged for a long period of time in project-based application deals are planning to elevate them into more-strategic, long-term application management engagements. This will allow them to gain a longer-term commitment from the service provider and the relevant support to re-evaluate their application portfolio. NORDIC COUNTRIES 2005: â‚ ¬5.2B 2010: â‚ ¬7.6B 2005-2010 CAGR: 8.2% Drivers: Cost reduction, access to technical skills (especially in application outsourcing engagements), support in global operations, focus on core business Inhibitors: Loss of control, security/privacy, lack of trust Key trends: †¢ Nordic market generally mature. Many large deals are in second or third generation. Some likely to evolve toward multi sourcing †¢ Large corporations see global delivery as a viable option. SMBs see nearshore option more favorably †¢ Consolidation drives specialization by geography, vertical market or horizontal service †¢ Increased competition between regional and global ESPs †¢ Cultural affinity seen as crucial to guarantee deal success/longevity Each of the four country markets that compose the Nordic region has its own distinct characteristics and buying behaviors in IT services. However, if we look at the forecast growth between 2005 and 2010, we expect the region to grow at a similar speed (despite size differences) of about 8%. Denmark: Sometimes seen as the entry point for the global service providers to the Nordics. Expected growth is from â‚ ¬856 million in 2005 to â‚ ¬1.2 billion in 2010 (CAGR of 7.8%). Finland: Unique in the Nordic region as buyers focus much more on business value of an outsourcing deal rather than just cost. Expected growth is from â‚ ¬1 billion in 2005 to â‚ ¬1.45 billion in 2010 (CAGR of 7.5%) Norway: Remains the smallest outsourcing market in the region. Expected growth is from â‚ ¬1.2 billion in 2005 to â‚ ¬1.8 billion in 2010 (CAGR of 8.1%) Sweden: Largest market and very cost-competitive. Probably the Nordic country targeted most by offshore providers currently. Expected growth is from â‚ ¬2 billion in 2005 to â‚ ¬3.1 billion in 2010 (CGR of 8.7%) From a client perspective, the Nordic region market is generally mature, with many large corporations in second- or third-generation outsourcing deals. Global delivery is widely accepted as an option. Competition between regional providers and global providers is increasing; this was initiated by the inability of local providers to support the operations of key Nordic organizations around the globe. However, recent acquisitions and divestitures by both local and international providers prove that the market has still got room for further maturation and consolidation. NETHERLANDS 2005: â‚ ¬3.4B 2010:â‚ ¬5B 2005-2010 CAGR: 8% Drivers: Cost reduction above all, agility/flexibility, improving service to end users Inhibitors: Loss of IP and control, security/privacy, high cost Key trends: Market shows mixed signs of maturity (organizations accept global delivery) and immaturity (sourcing strategy is often neglected) Market split between large global corporations and wide portion of SMBs Increased competition for local/national champions Application under scrutiny for externalization The market in the Netherlands is one of the more modern IT outsourcing environments in Europe, closely following the U.K. in many trends. A focus on global delivery and the expansion of many deals into the application or business process layer points to more market maturity. This maturity is driven primarily by the relatively high proportion of large (and often multinational) enterprises headquartered in the Netherlands and competing in major markets such as financial services. But there are some contradictory characteristics that point to an immature market (cost cutting is by far the major driver, and sourcing strategy is often neglected); this, as a consequence, often inhibits the potential success of outsourcing initiatives. The market remains very challenging and competitive. This is due to the high presence of small and midsize businesses (SMBs), which traditionally tend to consider outsourcing as a threat more than an opportunity and require a higher level of customization, which tests the profitability model of service providers. Competition remains strong for national champions as global and offshore providers continue to target opportunities in the country. Increasingly, application outsourcing opportunities are emerging as organizations look at portfolio rationalization, legacy system transformation, and custom application software development initiatives and accessing application utility solutions. FRANCE 2005: â‚ ¬6.6B 2010: â‚ ¬10B CAGR: 8.4 % Drivers: Cost reduction, refocus internal IT, speed/flexibility Inhibitors: Loss of control, lack of trust, security/privacy Key trends: Beyond its reliance on staff augmentation, Frances outsourcing market shows opportunities in all facets of outsourcing: infrastructure, applications and BPO Selective outsourcing has gained acceptance, and organizations show cautious interest in global service delivery National champions remain under competitive pressure from the global and multinational providers France has long been considered behind in the outsourcing trend. Now, however, the French outsourcing market is consolidating and growing, while the long-standing reliance on staff augmentation is losing strength. The major driver that will support a CAGR of over 8% between 2005 and 2010 is the need for French organizations to reduce cost and enhance their level of competitiveness in the market by refocusing their internal IT skills on more-strategic tasks while gaining flexibility. On the other side, it is interesting to see that challenges related to HR management have lost strength, compared with the traditional fears related to loss of control and security and lack of trust. Large organizations have recently moved toward the adoption of selective outsourcing with multiple providers. This model has gained acceptance as organizations look at maximizing the balance between cost and service delivery excellence. There is also a new focus on application outsourcing. This trend is important not only because it signals an acceleration in the growth of outsourcing in France overall, but because it signals a major change in the way French organizations use different kinds of IT services. Increase in application outsourcing deals also touches on one of the major taboos of IT services in France: offshore outsourcing. As such, although offshore remains a word to be used with extra care in the French market, many organizations would consider that access to global delivery models is an appealing part of outsourcing, especially when delivered by traditional players. In this case, North Africa (Morocco, for example) is emerging as a viable near shore location. National champions, the providers that focus on a specific region or country, remain under competitive pressure from the global and multinational providers. GERMANY 2005: â‚ ¬10.6B 2010: â‚ ¬16B 2005-2010 CAGR: 8.6% Drivers: Cost reduction above all, focus on core business, refocus internal IT Inhibitors: Security/privacy, lack of trust, loss of control Key trends: Global economic pressures have forced many organizations to look at outsourcing as a viable option In the short term, objectives such as flexibility and agility are secondary Pressure to divest internal IT departments or internal shared service organizations remains strong Global delivery gaining ground especially toward Eastern Europe Intensifying competition between strong German players and global ones Legacy system modernization will remain a key objective The German market is â€Å"federated† in several ways: government responsibilities, industrial centers, buying centers within enterprises, and management structures in place. All of this makes doing business in Germany (and negotiating significant IT service deals) unique. Decision processes tend to be longer, require more consensus building and often entail more travel than in other parts of Europe. For a long time, the majority of German organizations have considered IT operations as a key component to maintain or enhance their level of competitiveness in the market. This has, as a consequence, slowed the outsourcing growth. In the past two years, however, economic pressures have forced many organizations to look at outsourcing tactically to cut cost. While in the short term, achieving flexibility is a secondary objective, organizations look at outsourcing as a way to refocus their internal capabilities while focusing on their core business. The traditional inhibitors around security, trust and loss of control apply. While non-German external service providers (ESPs) still find it difficult to position themselves in Germany (exceptions are IBM Germany, which established itself early on as a â€Å"German† ESP, and HP, based on its early SAP hosting business and penetration as a technology provider), German providers maintain strong domestic positions and are starting to focus on expanding their international presence (through T-Systems). In the short term, German organizations will still consider selling their own IT capabilities, while global providers will see these as viable targets to build capabilities as long as they provide financial support through a long-term outsourcing deal. Finally, beyond potential healthy growth for ERP application outsourcing initiatives (especially SAP), as many organizations look at legacy system modernization, it is likely that many projects will evolve and deploy model to include the long-term management of applications. EASTERN EUROPE 2005: â‚ ¬1.1B 2010: â‚ ¬1.6B 2005-2010 CAGR: 7.9% Drivers: Acquisitions made by large Western European organizations, increased competition, need to revamp obsolete IT environments (leap-frog) Inhibitors: Low expertise to manage OS deals, high cost of OS, loss of control Key trends: Slow internal consumption of outsourcing Key nearshore delivery hub for providers supporting operations of European organizations Local Eastern European service providers will remain target for acquisitions Long-term growth will be supported by increasing competition, acquisitions made by Western companies and the penetration of Western ESPs in the region The region has become a strong global delivery hub Recent admission to the European Union has transformed countries such as Poland, Romania and the Czech Republic into attractive locations to establish global delivery capabilities designed to deliver IT services to European or global customers. Eastern Europe has been identified as an ideal region to establish a service delivery hub by U.S.-based providers (IBM, Accenture and EDS), European ones (Atos Origin, Capgemini, T-Systems, SIS and ST) and offshore ones (Ness, TCS, Satyam, Infosys and Wipro). When necessary, providers are openly seeking acquisitions to gain scale; it is the case for SIS, which acquired ELAS, HT Computers in Slovakia, and Ibis-Sys in Serbia (February 2005). Others, like Austrian-based ST, are pursuing a strategy of becoming the provider of choice in Eastern Europe through a combination of organic development and local acquisitions. ST acquired Computacenter Austria to strengthen its product resale capabilities. Although internal consumption of outsourcing has been slow, it is expected to grow rapidly, thanks to increasing competition driven by the fact that private-sector companies and public-sector organizations are now focusing on bringing their systems into line with market standards. This is leading to some â€Å"leapfrogging† effects — the IT utility approach, for example, holds significant appeal without posing the same transition challenges as elsewhere — but because these markets are fairly immature, there is still a strong focus on products and product support services rather than more-sophisticated IT service engagements. Italy and Spain are two other major countries with an expected ITO market size of about 5 Billion $ each by the year 2010. GLOBAL DELIVERY MODEL GDM is a unique approach to outsourcing and off shoring, which offers the best of both worlds by blending onsite, onshore and offshore resources and locations. By using a far-reaching network of onsite, onshore, and offshore resources, GDM aims to cuts across geographies to access the right resources, in the right place, at the right cost. By selecting the most advantageous and cost effective proportion of resources worldwide, Global Delivery Model boosts business performance while also lowering costs. It also helps the supplier deliver requirements that are met on-time, within budget, and with high quality; greater efficiency and responsiveness to their clients. In this section we would discuss in detail, the key drivers to a successful GDM. Source: Capgemini, 2008 KEY DRIVERS OF A SUCCESSFUL GDM STRONG PROCESSES Strong processes are the backbone of a successful Global Delivery Model. There is a strong need for detailed, documented and time-tested processes for all the activities and interfaces. Strong quality and project management processes ensure delivery excellence. World class processes for knowledge management and sharing resources encourage improved learning among teams. Processes for managing talent ensure that the projects get the best and most motivated people. Strong processes for interaction and communication within team make it possible for globally distributed groups to interface and collaborate in an effective manner while delivering excellence on a continuous basis. On the other hand, processes, while strong, should leave ample space for creativity and flexibility. It is only then that the Global Delivery Model (GDM) can create far more value than the traditional sourcing models. Here is what it will translate into: Quicker, seamless transitions, and early project ownership Optimum onsite/ offshore mixes through intelligent allocation of the available resources High degree of predictability through processes, sharing and reuse A strong relationship approach to ensure continuity and business focus Sharing of best practices and tools across the enterprise Depth and quality of resources, continuously trained and retrained to suit project needs Adherence to SLA based pricing models to ensure good Return on Investment (ROI) and drive customer satisfaction PROCESS ARCHITECTURE Companies rely on processes to consistently deliver high quality solutions while executing a number of engagements from multiple locations. According to the policies adopted by a leading IT services provider: values, vision and policies should form the first level of the three-tiered process architecture. These are then implemented through process execution at the next level. These processes are defined with clear ownership and clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Quality System Documentation Quality System Documentation defines clearly all the processes that should be put into place. These documents provide the engineers and consultations with a vast repository of detailed procedures, templates, standards, guidelines and checklists. The comprehensiveness of these documents supports all tasks from higher-level information abstraction and definition to tasks such as coding and documentation. This is crucial to assure clients with the delivery of high quality and predictable IT solutions that meet their business needs. These documents should also be monitored and updated regularly. Knowledge Sharing Employees are given a forum like a website portal, to share knowledge gained from their experience at the organization. It is meant to be a central repository of the knowledge that can be tapped by peers and as sometimes external clients as well. The collection of documents on this portal is reviewed and classified into different areas: Software development life-cycle activities such as requirements specification, design, build and testing documentation. Software-related topics such as tools and quality documentation. Topics of general or operational interest such as travel or HR policies, etc. Process Assets This is a repository to facilitate sharing and giving out of engagement learning across the organization. The user has the facility to submit to the repository, retrieve from the repository and obtain information on the status of the repository. A process asset can be any information ranging from an engagement, which can be re-used by future engagements. Typically these include project plans, configuration management plans, requirements documents, standards, checklists, design documents, test plans, causal analysis reports and utilities used in the engagement, etc. Process Database The Process Database is a software engineering database to study the processes at the organization with respect to productivity and quality. More specifically, its purpose areas are as follows: To aid estimation of effort and project defects To get the productivity and quality data on different types of projects To aid in creating of a process capability baseline Process Capability Baseline (PCB) Process Capability baseline is used to specify, what the performance of the process is, i.e. what a project can expect when following the process. This estimation is done based on the past data. The performance factors of the process are Effect of Globalization on IT Service Providers in Europe Effect of Globalization on IT Service Providers in Europe Opportunities and challenges presented by Globalization: IT Service providers in Continental Europe EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Enterprises within Europe are increasingly trying to seek the advantages of global sourcing. Unlike enterprises in U.S. or U.K., continental European countries have historically been reluctant to engage with offshore providers. The reasons were far stretched, ranging from political sensitivity, labor laws, cultural compatibility and language requirements. Globalization, however, is creating new avenues that European companies can not ignore. A recent report by Gartner shows the potential IT Offshoring market to be in the range of about $ 200 to 240 Billion. The market is expected to register double digit growth for years to come. The current offshore spending by firms amounts to just $17 Billion worldwide. This clearly shows a big gap, a huge market potential which is yet to be exploited. The huge demand has also led to emergence and growth of several new players in the field of IT Outsourcing/ Offshoring services, this is leading to ever increasing competition in the marketplace. In order to cope up with this increased competition and to provide better services, these service providers are increasingly adopting Global delivery models. By selecting an advantageous and cost effective proportion of resources worldwide, Global Delivery Model boosts business performance while also lowering costs. It also helps the supplier deliver requirements that are met on-time, within budget, and with high quality; greater efficiency and responsiveness to their clients. In Europe, nearshore models still dominate the market. But these models are continuously being updated, with more and more providers setting up Offshore Development Centers in locations like India. A framework for building an optimal combination of onsite, nearshore, and offshore delivery capabilities is provided by Capgeminis Rightshore ® model. A recent Gartner report has suggested that, the current US economic slowdown is expected to lead buyers of IT services to consider increasing the percentage of their labor in offshore locations. India will remain the dominant location for IT offshore services for North American and European buyers as a result of its scale, quality of resources and strong presence of local and traditional service providers. INTRODUCTION: EUROPEAN IT MARKET The European market remains a highly complex and competitive market with a large number of providers. Mergers and acquisitions will continue but will be balanced by new market entrants Outsourcing adoption in Europe is increasing for both infrastructure and applications; the widespread lack of well defined sourcing strategies among buyers and the realities of ever-changing business requirements will generate frequent deal negotiations and renegotiations Global delivery and utility services are irreversible trends evolving at different speeds among various European countries. The European multi country, multi language/culture composition increases the evolutionary complexity of these trends Selective outsourcing with multiple providers will remain the preferred model of engagement for European buyers. Governance and end-to-end integration/management of different providers/solutions are the most challenging aspects of it ITO market maturity varies: UK is the most matured IT market in Europe. The other European markets are maturing at different speeds. An acceleration in ITO adoption is now apparent in countries such as France and Germany A focus on achieving service delivery excellence and the best value/quality balance is increasingly driving European organizations (especially those beyond the first generation deal) to consider selecting multiple providers for an outsourcing contract. For example, in the IT Telecom sector, the most common division is by service tower, with customers opting to choose different providers for their network, desktop, data center and application competencies. At the moment, however, providers tend to join forces in an opportunistic manner, as a response to customer demands. This is the cause behind the ever-changing composition of the providers teams; as a consequence, consolidating best practices to manage IT service spin offs between different providers in an effort to guarantee end-to-end service delivery excellence remains challenging. As the number of providers engaged is set to increase, this challenge is likely to intensify. It will also be driven by other market characteristics, which include a persistent tactical use of outsourcing by European customers, insufficient process maturity, and lack of clarity in the definition of roles and responsibilities. As we look at global delivery, it is fair to say that there are two major misconceptions that still exist among the European market: 1) Global delivery is often considered as a synonym of offshore, and 2) IT services delivered through global delivery capabilities are application services. In reality, in the past few years, the European market has witnessed a considerable expansion in terms of both geographical location options (in areas such as Eastern Europe or North Africa, for example) and portfolio of services offered (now including, for example, help desk and remote infrastructure management services). Global delivery and offshore, however, remain the key deal characteristics that need to be treated with extra care in many European geographies, and as a consequence, many deals remain confidential. Traditional providers investment will be directed toward enhancing existing capabilities (especially near shore in Eastern Europe) and ensuring process solidity. Offshore providers inv estment on the other side will be centered on creating front-end capabilities with a focus on specific country and vertical-oriented competencies. While these global delivery models mature and are refined/ optimized, customers satisfaction will remain a challenge. KEY TRENDS SHAPING IT OUTSOURCING MARKET IN EUROPE TRENDS CHARACTERISTICS Selective Outsourcing With Multiple Providers * Embraced by majority of European companies * Objectives: IT excellence and cost optimization * Integration and governance challenges Global Sourcing and Global Delivery Models * Near shore proximity key for European market * Expanding portfolio of outsourcing services * Key area of investment for providers and buyers IT Utility * Industrialization is accelerating * Convergence of IT utility and global delivery * Key drivers: flexibility, efficiency, optimized cost, speed Aggressive ESP Competitive Landscape * National, global and offshore ESPs converging * Mergers, acquisitions and divestitures to continue * Providers are implementing new business models * New offshore market entrants Application Outsourcing to Grow * Drivers: portfolio rationalization, legacy modernization * Global delivery will gain acceptance * Multitude of providers competing Source: Gartner The U.K., Netherlands, Sweden and Finland are examples of countries more attracted by the global delivery model. However, in the meantime, the impact of global competition has started to drive countries such as Germany and France to consider global delivery as a viable option to be considered strategically, rather than when all other options have been exhausted. Despite a slower gestation and the fact that a complete infrastructure utility (IU) offering has not yet been developed, the IU model is continuing to attract new offerings and/or new providers. In the meantime, European customers, attracted by the idea of being able to access IT services in a flexible way, remain cautious as they expect further clarity on issues such as unit definition, pricing mechanisms, integration to existing systems, and security portability In the near future, we expect that the IU for ERP platforms will remain the most common battleground for providers; other providers are expected to instead mask their IU offering behind a package that includes product and support services. The concept of software as a service (SaaS) or ready-to-use applications will continue to generate lot of interest. Expectations for a solid delivery and specific functionalities will drive providers to specialize their offerings. Finally, gains in terms of process efficiency will be seen as crucial to deliver enhanced competitiveness, flexibility, agility and cost optimization. GLOBAL TRENDS: IT OUTSOURCING and OFFSHORING MARKET IT Outsourcing market is showing an average growth of 9% p.a. IT Outsourcing Worldwide forecast (Million $) Source : Gartner Dataquest In terms of volume, North America continues to be the leader in IT outsourcing. Latin America and APAC have shown good growth Europe has fast emerged as a big IT outsourcer Global offshore spending is continuing to register double digit growth. Worldwide Offshore IT Services Spending by Importing Region (million $) Source: Gartner Dataquest, 2004 and Worldwide and U.S. Offshore IT Services 2006-2010 Forecast In terms of volume, the North America continues to be the leader in IT offshoring. Once averse to the idea of outsourcing, Europe is now steadily adopting an IT offshore model to boost the economy Global offshore spending is projected to increase to 29400 $ Million in 2010 The graph on the next page shows the potential market for various types of sourcing options. This clearly depicts that he IT and Business Process offshoring market has grown at a tremendous rate over the past 7 year and the market provides a huge potential which is yet to be exploited. IT and BPO market Source Gartner, Dataquest, Aberdeen Group, McKinsey, Evalueserve, Infosys, IDC and Nasscom strategic review 2008 Currently we are not even exploiting 10% of the potential market size ( IT services off shoring just at $17 Billion, whereas market potential is about $200-240 Billion *) According to a new research by Gartner, the market is likely to grow further after the financial slowdown, as firms will try aggressively to reduce costs and improve efficiency Different Sourcing Models In-sourcing / Shared Services: Sourcing from internal sources or from an affiliated firm in the home economy Onshore Outsourcing: Sourcing from a non-affiliated firm in the home economy Captive Offshoring: Sourcing from an affiliated firm located abroad Offshore Outsourcing: Sourcing from a non-affiliated firm located abroad REGIONAL DYNAMICS ACROSS EUROPE The following section will describe the regional ITO trends and local dynamics across different European locations. UK and IRELAND 2005: â‚ ¬17.2B 2010: â‚ ¬25.7B 2005-2010 CAGR: 8.3% ITO drivers: Improve IT quality for end users, speed/flexibility, access to technical skills, cost reduction Inhibitors: Loss of control, lack of trust, security/privacy, IP Key trends: †¢ Most mature market in Europe with wider number of mega deals (public sector) †¢ Deal sophistication, including government. Increasing interest in new pricing schemes, business enhancement and shared services †¢ More selective sourcing and global delivery †¢ Areas such as Scotland and Ireland feeling pressure of Indian and Eastern European operations †¢ Wide potential for application engagements to mature from project engagements into outsourcing based engagements Despite being the largest and most mature market in Europe, the U.K. remains also one of the fast-growing ones. Here organizations seem to have moved away from the equation of outsourcing = cost reduction. While cost remains a key component, other objectives seem more important, such as improving IT service delivery, gaining specific skills, especially for application outsourcing deals, and becoming a more flexible organization. (See Appendix F) Inhibitions remain related to a general lack of trust in the ability to join forces with the providers to manage security, control over IT operations and IP. The U.K. market is characterized by a large number of mega deals, especially in the public sector. These outsourcing deals often include initiatives that have classically been carried out through project engagements and now are increasingly being performed in the initial phases of an IT outsourcing or BPO deal. This change reflects the growing desire of customers for a tighter link between investment and results (for which the outsourcer is responsible during the duration of the contract) and the important shift in role for the internal IT department. Rather than focusing on assembling and managing all of the necessary skills and capabilities to meet a certain objective, IT organizations, in this scenario, are responsible for coordinating the objectives of the Business Unit and the internal and external providers engaged to support them. Often infrastructure outsourcing is at the core of these complex relationships. At the same time, the U.K. is also the largest market in terms of adoption of IT services delivered through a network of global delivery capabilities (which include nearshore and offshore locations). From this point of view, areas that used to be considered as low cost for outsourcing operations (Scotland and Ireland) continue to feel the pressure of Indian and Eastern European capabilities. Finally, organizations that have engaged for a long period of time in project-based application deals are planning to elevate them into more-strategic, long-term application management engagements. This will allow them to gain a longer-term commitment from the service provider and the relevant support to re-evaluate their application portfolio. NORDIC COUNTRIES 2005: â‚ ¬5.2B 2010: â‚ ¬7.6B 2005-2010 CAGR: 8.2% Drivers: Cost reduction, access to technical skills (especially in application outsourcing engagements), support in global operations, focus on core business Inhibitors: Loss of control, security/privacy, lack of trust Key trends: †¢ Nordic market generally mature. Many large deals are in second or third generation. Some likely to evolve toward multi sourcing †¢ Large corporations see global delivery as a viable option. SMBs see nearshore option more favorably †¢ Consolidation drives specialization by geography, vertical market or horizontal service †¢ Increased competition between regional and global ESPs †¢ Cultural affinity seen as crucial to guarantee deal success/longevity Each of the four country markets that compose the Nordic region has its own distinct characteristics and buying behaviors in IT services. However, if we look at the forecast growth between 2005 and 2010, we expect the region to grow at a similar speed (despite size differences) of about 8%. Denmark: Sometimes seen as the entry point for the global service providers to the Nordics. Expected growth is from â‚ ¬856 million in 2005 to â‚ ¬1.2 billion in 2010 (CAGR of 7.8%). Finland: Unique in the Nordic region as buyers focus much more on business value of an outsourcing deal rather than just cost. Expected growth is from â‚ ¬1 billion in 2005 to â‚ ¬1.45 billion in 2010 (CAGR of 7.5%) Norway: Remains the smallest outsourcing market in the region. Expected growth is from â‚ ¬1.2 billion in 2005 to â‚ ¬1.8 billion in 2010 (CAGR of 8.1%) Sweden: Largest market and very cost-competitive. Probably the Nordic country targeted most by offshore providers currently. Expected growth is from â‚ ¬2 billion in 2005 to â‚ ¬3.1 billion in 2010 (CGR of 8.7%) From a client perspective, the Nordic region market is generally mature, with many large corporations in second- or third-generation outsourcing deals. Global delivery is widely accepted as an option. Competition between regional providers and global providers is increasing; this was initiated by the inability of local providers to support the operations of key Nordic organizations around the globe. However, recent acquisitions and divestitures by both local and international providers prove that the market has still got room for further maturation and consolidation. NETHERLANDS 2005: â‚ ¬3.4B 2010:â‚ ¬5B 2005-2010 CAGR: 8% Drivers: Cost reduction above all, agility/flexibility, improving service to end users Inhibitors: Loss of IP and control, security/privacy, high cost Key trends: Market shows mixed signs of maturity (organizations accept global delivery) and immaturity (sourcing strategy is often neglected) Market split between large global corporations and wide portion of SMBs Increased competition for local/national champions Application under scrutiny for externalization The market in the Netherlands is one of the more modern IT outsourcing environments in Europe, closely following the U.K. in many trends. A focus on global delivery and the expansion of many deals into the application or business process layer points to more market maturity. This maturity is driven primarily by the relatively high proportion of large (and often multinational) enterprises headquartered in the Netherlands and competing in major markets such as financial services. But there are some contradictory characteristics that point to an immature market (cost cutting is by far the major driver, and sourcing strategy is often neglected); this, as a consequence, often inhibits the potential success of outsourcing initiatives. The market remains very challenging and competitive. This is due to the high presence of small and midsize businesses (SMBs), which traditionally tend to consider outsourcing as a threat more than an opportunity and require a higher level of customization, which tests the profitability model of service providers. Competition remains strong for national champions as global and offshore providers continue to target opportunities in the country. Increasingly, application outsourcing opportunities are emerging as organizations look at portfolio rationalization, legacy system transformation, and custom application software development initiatives and accessing application utility solutions. FRANCE 2005: â‚ ¬6.6B 2010: â‚ ¬10B CAGR: 8.4 % Drivers: Cost reduction, refocus internal IT, speed/flexibility Inhibitors: Loss of control, lack of trust, security/privacy Key trends: Beyond its reliance on staff augmentation, Frances outsourcing market shows opportunities in all facets of outsourcing: infrastructure, applications and BPO Selective outsourcing has gained acceptance, and organizations show cautious interest in global service delivery National champions remain under competitive pressure from the global and multinational providers France has long been considered behind in the outsourcing trend. Now, however, the French outsourcing market is consolidating and growing, while the long-standing reliance on staff augmentation is losing strength. The major driver that will support a CAGR of over 8% between 2005 and 2010 is the need for French organizations to reduce cost and enhance their level of competitiveness in the market by refocusing their internal IT skills on more-strategic tasks while gaining flexibility. On the other side, it is interesting to see that challenges related to HR management have lost strength, compared with the traditional fears related to loss of control and security and lack of trust. Large organizations have recently moved toward the adoption of selective outsourcing with multiple providers. This model has gained acceptance as organizations look at maximizing the balance between cost and service delivery excellence. There is also a new focus on application outsourcing. This trend is important not only because it signals an acceleration in the growth of outsourcing in France overall, but because it signals a major change in the way French organizations use different kinds of IT services. Increase in application outsourcing deals also touches on one of the major taboos of IT services in France: offshore outsourcing. As such, although offshore remains a word to be used with extra care in the French market, many organizations would consider that access to global delivery models is an appealing part of outsourcing, especially when delivered by traditional players. In this case, North Africa (Morocco, for example) is emerging as a viable near shore location. National champions, the providers that focus on a specific region or country, remain under competitive pressure from the global and multinational providers. GERMANY 2005: â‚ ¬10.6B 2010: â‚ ¬16B 2005-2010 CAGR: 8.6% Drivers: Cost reduction above all, focus on core business, refocus internal IT Inhibitors: Security/privacy, lack of trust, loss of control Key trends: Global economic pressures have forced many organizations to look at outsourcing as a viable option In the short term, objectives such as flexibility and agility are secondary Pressure to divest internal IT departments or internal shared service organizations remains strong Global delivery gaining ground especially toward Eastern Europe Intensifying competition between strong German players and global ones Legacy system modernization will remain a key objective The German market is â€Å"federated† in several ways: government responsibilities, industrial centers, buying centers within enterprises, and management structures in place. All of this makes doing business in Germany (and negotiating significant IT service deals) unique. Decision processes tend to be longer, require more consensus building and often entail more travel than in other parts of Europe. For a long time, the majority of German organizations have considered IT operations as a key component to maintain or enhance their level of competitiveness in the market. This has, as a consequence, slowed the outsourcing growth. In the past two years, however, economic pressures have forced many organizations to look at outsourcing tactically to cut cost. While in the short term, achieving flexibility is a secondary objective, organizations look at outsourcing as a way to refocus their internal capabilities while focusing on their core business. The traditional inhibitors around security, trust and loss of control apply. While non-German external service providers (ESPs) still find it difficult to position themselves in Germany (exceptions are IBM Germany, which established itself early on as a â€Å"German† ESP, and HP, based on its early SAP hosting business and penetration as a technology provider), German providers maintain strong domestic positions and are starting to focus on expanding their international presence (through T-Systems). In the short term, German organizations will still consider selling their own IT capabilities, while global providers will see these as viable targets to build capabilities as long as they provide financial support through a long-term outsourcing deal. Finally, beyond potential healthy growth for ERP application outsourcing initiatives (especially SAP), as many organizations look at legacy system modernization, it is likely that many projects will evolve and deploy model to include the long-term management of applications. EASTERN EUROPE 2005: â‚ ¬1.1B 2010: â‚ ¬1.6B 2005-2010 CAGR: 7.9% Drivers: Acquisitions made by large Western European organizations, increased competition, need to revamp obsolete IT environments (leap-frog) Inhibitors: Low expertise to manage OS deals, high cost of OS, loss of control Key trends: Slow internal consumption of outsourcing Key nearshore delivery hub for providers supporting operations of European organizations Local Eastern European service providers will remain target for acquisitions Long-term growth will be supported by increasing competition, acquisitions made by Western companies and the penetration of Western ESPs in the region The region has become a strong global delivery hub Recent admission to the European Union has transformed countries such as Poland, Romania and the Czech Republic into attractive locations to establish global delivery capabilities designed to deliver IT services to European or global customers. Eastern Europe has been identified as an ideal region to establish a service delivery hub by U.S.-based providers (IBM, Accenture and EDS), European ones (Atos Origin, Capgemini, T-Systems, SIS and ST) and offshore ones (Ness, TCS, Satyam, Infosys and Wipro). When necessary, providers are openly seeking acquisitions to gain scale; it is the case for SIS, which acquired ELAS, HT Computers in Slovakia, and Ibis-Sys in Serbia (February 2005). Others, like Austrian-based ST, are pursuing a strategy of becoming the provider of choice in Eastern Europe through a combination of organic development and local acquisitions. ST acquired Computacenter Austria to strengthen its product resale capabilities. Although internal consumption of outsourcing has been slow, it is expected to grow rapidly, thanks to increasing competition driven by the fact that private-sector companies and public-sector organizations are now focusing on bringing their systems into line with market standards. This is leading to some â€Å"leapfrogging† effects — the IT utility approach, for example, holds significant appeal without posing the same transition challenges as elsewhere — but because these markets are fairly immature, there is still a strong focus on products and product support services rather than more-sophisticated IT service engagements. Italy and Spain are two other major countries with an expected ITO market size of about 5 Billion $ each by the year 2010. GLOBAL DELIVERY MODEL GDM is a unique approach to outsourcing and off shoring, which offers the best of both worlds by blending onsite, onshore and offshore resources and locations. By using a far-reaching network of onsite, onshore, and offshore resources, GDM aims to cuts across geographies to access the right resources, in the right place, at the right cost. By selecting the most advantageous and cost effective proportion of resources worldwide, Global Delivery Model boosts business performance while also lowering costs. It also helps the supplier deliver requirements that are met on-time, within budget, and with high quality; greater efficiency and responsiveness to their clients. In this section we would discuss in detail, the key drivers to a successful GDM. Source: Capgemini, 2008 KEY DRIVERS OF A SUCCESSFUL GDM STRONG PROCESSES Strong processes are the backbone of a successful Global Delivery Model. There is a strong need for detailed, documented and time-tested processes for all the activities and interfaces. Strong quality and project management processes ensure delivery excellence. World class processes for knowledge management and sharing resources encourage improved learning among teams. Processes for managing talent ensure that the projects get the best and most motivated people. Strong processes for interaction and communication within team make it possible for globally distributed groups to interface and collaborate in an effective manner while delivering excellence on a continuous basis. On the other hand, processes, while strong, should leave ample space for creativity and flexibility. It is only then that the Global Delivery Model (GDM) can create far more value than the traditional sourcing models. Here is what it will translate into: Quicker, seamless transitions, and early project ownership Optimum onsite/ offshore mixes through intelligent allocation of the available resources High degree of predictability through processes, sharing and reuse A strong relationship approach to ensure continuity and business focus Sharing of best practices and tools across the enterprise Depth and quality of resources, continuously trained and retrained to suit project needs Adherence to SLA based pricing models to ensure good Return on Investment (ROI) and drive customer satisfaction PROCESS ARCHITECTURE Companies rely on processes to consistently deliver high quality solutions while executing a number of engagements from multiple locations. According to the policies adopted by a leading IT services provider: values, vision and policies should form the first level of the three-tiered process architecture. These are then implemented through process execution at the next level. These processes are defined with clear ownership and clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Quality System Documentation Quality System Documentation defines clearly all the processes that should be put into place. These documents provide the engineers and consultations with a vast repository of detailed procedures, templates, standards, guidelines and checklists. The comprehensiveness of these documents supports all tasks from higher-level information abstraction and definition to tasks such as coding and documentation. This is crucial to assure clients with the delivery of high quality and predictable IT solutions that meet their business needs. These documents should also be monitored and updated regularly. Knowledge Sharing Employees are given a forum like a website portal, to share knowledge gained from their experience at the organization. It is meant to be a central repository of the knowledge that can be tapped by peers and as sometimes external clients as well. The collection of documents on this portal is reviewed and classified into different areas: Software development life-cycle activities such as requirements specification, design, build and testing documentation. Software-related topics such as tools and quality documentation. Topics of general or operational interest such as travel or HR policies, etc. Process Assets This is a repository to facilitate sharing and giving out of engagement learning across the organization. The user has the facility to submit to the repository, retrieve from the repository and obtain information on the status of the repository. A process asset can be any information ranging from an engagement, which can be re-used by future engagements. Typically these include project plans, configuration management plans, requirements documents, standards, checklists, design documents, test plans, causal analysis reports and utilities used in the engagement, etc. Process Database The Process Database is a software engineering database to study the processes at the organization with respect to productivity and quality. More specifically, its purpose areas are as follows: To aid estimation of effort and project defects To get the productivity and quality data on different types of projects To aid in creating of a process capability baseline Process Capability Baseline (PCB) Process Capability baseline is used to specify, what the performance of the process is, i.e. what a project can expect when following the process. This estimation is done based on the past data. The performance factors of the process are