The Crucible Quotes

â€Å"He believed he was being persecuted wherever he went, despite his best efforts to win people and God to his side† Miller about Parris and how he doesn’t belong to the community but belongs to religion pg13 â€Å"To the European world the whole province was a barbaric frontier inhabited by a sect of fanatics† Belonging to a place – Miller says this about Salem 13 â€Å"Their creed forbade anything resembling a theatre or ‘vain enjoyment’. † Miller says what belonging to a community/group can lead people to feel/do 14 A holiday from work meant only that they must concentrate even more upon prayer† Miller tells us about what THEOCRATIC society required 14 â€Å"This predilection for minding other people’s business was time-honoured among the people of Salem† Miller explains what it meant when people belonged to a community 14 â€Å"The edge of the wilderness was close by†¦and it was full of mystery for them. † Miller states that belonging to such a wild place may be reason for the witch hunts 14 â€Å"†¦the Salem folk believed that the virgin forest was the Devil’s last preserve, his home base and the citadel of his final stand†.This again shows that Miller believes that the location played a role in their beliefs. Highlights also their strong beliefs in religion and how theocracy ruled their society. 15 â€Å"†¦their church found it necessary to deny any other sect its freedom† Miller highlights that you either belonged with their church or didn’t belong at all. 15 â€Å"†¦the people of Salem developed a theocracy, a combine of state and religious power whose function was to keep the community together† Miller informs us, in the introduction, that Salem was theocratic and their intentions in it 16 †¦the people of Salem†¦[wanted] to prevent any kind of disunity that might open it to destruction by material or ideological enemies† This is, as Miller points out, the purpose of their theocratic society, but also gives reasons for what happened when people didn’t belong. 16 â€Å"when one rises above the individual villainy displayed, one can only pity them all, just as we shall be pitied one day† This is a clear link that Miller makes between the witch hunts of Salem and the communist witch hunts in mid century America 16 â€Å"a sense of confusion hangs about him†Stage directions that paint Parris as someone who doesn’t belong, from the very beginning 17 â€Å"trouble in this house usually lands on her back† Stage directions of act one tell us that Tituba, a slave from Barbados, does not belong in this community because she is different. 17 â€Å"Go directly home and speak nothing of unnatural causes† Parris says this to Susanna, highlighting his fear of being accused of not protecting their community, thereby not belonging to the community. 18 â€Å"U ncle, the rumour of witchcraft is all about; I think you best go down and deny it yourself† Abigail pleads with Parris to make amends.This also shows that she has great power, or at least thinks she does. Parris, terrified of not being accepted in his relatively new community decides against it. 18 â€Å"And what shall I say to them? That my daughter and my niece I discovered dancing like heathen in the forest? † Parris highlights his fear of not being accepted but also the fact that his own family are shunning accepted protocol, thereby not belonging. 19 â€Å"But if you trafficked with spirits in the forest I must know it, for surely my enemies will, and they will ruin be with it. † Parris is once again worried about never being accepted. 9 â€Å"There is a faction that is sworn to drive me from my pulpit† Parris is clear that he feels an outsider in his own community. The community he should effectively be head of seeing as it is theocratic and he is a reverend. 19 â€Å"I saw Tituba waving her arms over the fire when I came on you. Why was she doing that? † Parris questions the power Tituba has to change the girls because she isn’t trusted and is an outsider. 19 â€Å"She were swaying like a dumb beast over that fire! † Parris exclaims that not only is Tituba an outsider, she is also now compared to being an animal. 20 She always sings her Barbados songs, and we dance. † Abigail catches on quickly and realises that Tituba can easily be blamed for any indiscretions because she is already considered an outsider. Also shows that Abigail is manipulative and that she is the leader of the peer group of girls. 20 â€Å"I pray you feel the weight of truth upon you, for now my ministry’s at stake, my ministry and perhaps your cousin’s life. † Parris appeals to religion, the only thing he belongs to truly, and then fears not only for his daughter’s life but also him losing face in the community. 20 I have fought here three long years to bend these stiff-necked people to me, and now, just now when some good respect is rising for me in the parish, you compromise my character. † Parris is clear that the only thing that truly concerns him is reputation, name and being in charge. Not even his daughter’s life seems important. 20 â€Å"I would not be her slave†¦I will not black my face for any of them! † The juxtapositioning of colour here highlights that Tituba is an outsider in this community. 20 â€Å"†¦the Devil’s touch is heavier than sick. It’s death, y’know, it’s death drivin’ into them, forked and hoofed. Mrs Putnam prays on people’s fears of the devil 21 â€Å"Thomas, I pray you, leap not to witchcraft. I know that you – you least of all, Thomas, would ever wish so disastrous a charge laid upon me. † Parris, petrified that the Putnams, people with great influence, will ruin h im. 22 â€Å"They will howl me out of Salem for such corruption in my house. † Again, Parris is worried about being an outsider and losing face. 22 â€Å"Thomas Putnam felt that his own name and the honour of his family had been smirched by the village, and he meant to right matters however he could. Miller interjects in the drama and states that even Putnam worried about being an outsider 23 â€Å"So it is not surprising to find that many accusations against people are in the handwriting of Thomas Putnam†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Putnam, as Miller explains, decided to fight out first rather than have any suspicions land on him, against his name. 23 â€Å"Tituba knows how to speak to the dead, Mr Parris. † Mrs Putnam, also along with Abigail, knows to put blame on the one true outsider – Tituba. 23 â€Å"Oh Abigail, what proper payment for my charity! Now I am undone. Parris, not worried solely about his daughter’s life/death but that his reputation is done. 24 â €Å"They will topple me with this! † Again, Parris is worried about being finally cast out of the society/community 24 â€Å"I have no answer for that crowd. † Use of exclusive language â€Å"that† separates Parris from the rest of the community 24 â€Å"Let you strike out against the Devil, and the village will bless you for it! They’re thirsty for your word, Mister! † Putnam, using his influence, pleads with Parris to say something to the community. He is also astute enough to realise he should pray on Parris’ fear of exclusion. 4/25 â€Å"I’ll lead them in a psalm, but let you say nothing of witchcraft yet. I will not discuss it. † Parris as head of the theocratic society. 25 â€Å"Listen, now; if they be questioning us, tell them we danced – I told him as much already. † Abigail is now leading the peer group – calling the shots. 25 â€Å"What’ll we do? The village is out! The whole countryâ€⠄¢s talkin’ witchcraft! They’ll be callin’ us witches, Abby! † Mary Warren shows that she is frightened of the consequences of going outside of the community’s main traditions/culture and that she is trying to go against Abigail, unsuccessfully 25 Abby we’ve got to tell†¦witchery’s a hangin’ error†¦you’ll only be whipped for dancin’† Mary Warren tries to use high modal language to make a stand against the head of the peer group, again highlighting her fear. 26 â€Å"Oh, you’re a great one for lookin’ aren’t you Mary Warren? What a great peeping courage you have! † Conflict between Abigail and Mary Warren – putting her down and trying to cast her out of her peer group. Makes Mary Warren want to please her/win her over again, to stay with them. It’s safer that way. 26 â€Å"BETTY: You drank blood, Abby! You didn’t tell him that! ABIGAIL: Betty, you nev er say that again! You will never – BETTY: †¦you drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor. † The conflict in the peer group 26 â€Å"Now look you. All of you. We danced. And Tituba conjured Ruth Putnam’s dead sisters. And that is all. And mark this. Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. † The main threat that Abigail uses to stay in charge of the peer group and have people fear being an outsider. 26 I can make you wish you had never seen the sun go down! † Again, Abigail threatens to achieve her purpose, and have people fear going against her. 27 â€Å"He need not have been a partisan of any faction in the town†¦he was the kind of man – powerful of body, even-tempered and not easily led†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Miller introduces Proctor as someone who was able to stay outside of the peer gr oup and community and had the strength to remain true to his own convictions. 27 â€Å"Abby, I never give you hope to wait for me. † Proctor softly tells Abigail that their relationship is done and that he hasn’t wanted any more. 8 â€Å"Or did I dream that? It’s she put me out, you cannot pretend it were you. I saw your face when she put me out, and you loved me then and you do now! † Abigail pleads with Proctor showing what is driving her actions. Also highlights that Proctor has gone outside of his marriage. 29 â€Å"I have hardly stepped off my farm this seven-month†. Proctor makes it clear he is physically outside of his community and as a result can also be removed otherwise. 29 â€Å"She is blackening my name in the village! She is telling lies about me! She is a cold, snivelling woman, and you bend to her! Abigail’s tension/conflict with Goody Proctor. Worried about her name and reputation in the community. 30 â€Å"Francis had ori ginally rented the land, and one theory has it that, as he gradually paid for it and raised his social status, there were those who resented his rise. † Miller highlights that land ownership meant a lot for the community at the time 31 â€Å"I am sick of meetings; cannot the man turn his head without he have a meeting? † Proctor is discontent with the community and the way they must belong 33 â€Å"This will set us all to arguin’ again in the society, and we thought to have peace this year. Rebecca, the voice of reason, tries to placate the community; to make them all belong. 33 â€Å"We vote by name in this society, not by acreage. † Proctor, another voice of reason, says this about how they should belong in the community 33 â€Å"I never heard you worried so on this society, Mr Proctor. I do not think I saw you at Sabbath meeting since snow flew. † Putnam accuses Proctor of being an outsider because he doesn’t participate in the religious aspect of their theocratic society. 33 â€Å"There are many others who stay away from church these days because you hardly ever mention God any more. Proctor claims that there is no purpose in church since Parris arrived. He makes it unhappy and all about hell 34 â€Å"I regard that six pound a year as part of my salary. I am paid little enough without I spend six pound on firewood. † Parris is materialistic – doesn’t want to do anything unless it benefits him financially 34 â€Å"I do not fathom it, why am I persecuted here? I cannot offer one proposition but there be howling riot of argument. I have often wondered if the Devil be in it somewhere; I cannot understand you people otherwise. Parris using repeated personal pronoun to show that he feels persecuted in the society 34 â€Å"I do not wish to be put out like the cat whenever some majority feels the whim. † Parris uses simile to prove how he feels a complete outsider and the power of the communit y when someone does not belong. 35 â€Å"There is either obedience or the church will burn like Hell is burning! † Parris is clear in his mentality that you are either with the church or you are not 35 â€Å"†¦while there were no witches then, there are Communists and capitalists now†¦[who believe] that each side are at work undermining the other. Miller draws a direct parallel with the happenings in Salem and the communist fear in USA 39 â€Å"They must be; they are weighted with authority. † Hale uses this metaphor early on to show that he has great authority and even though an outsider is granted respect almost immediately. 40 â€Å"How can it be the Devil? Why would he choose my house to strike? We have all manner of licentious people in the village! † Parris wants to find himself a part of the community, particularly because he is the religious leader, but he does so by separating himself from the rest. 44 I never called him! Tituba, Tituba†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Abigail making the first of her allegations against Tituba and in doing so proving her strength in the peer group. People see what she is capable of. 45 â€Å"She made me do it! She made Betty do it! † High modal accusation towards Tituba. 45 â€Å"You beg me to conjure! She beg me make charm†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Tituba tries to fight against the allegations but is already an outsider and hasn’t got the chance to win. 46 â€Å"Sometimes I wake and find myself standing in the open doorway and not a stitch on my body! I always hear her laughing in my sleep.I hear her singing her Barbados songs and tempting me with†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Abigail again reinforces her position and shows how strong she is in terms of leading the peer group; sways the community against Tituba. 46 â€Å"You will confess yourself or I will take you out and whip you to your death, Tituba! † Parris gives Tituba a fairly unfair ultimatum and shows again that being an outsider is bad. He also imp lies that you need to be a strong person to stand by your own name and convictions in this community. 46 â€Å"No, no, don’t hang Tituba! I tell him I don’t desire to work for him, sir. Tituba realises she must go against the truth and convictions to stay alive. She goes along with Abigail’s stories and makes it seem as though she wants to stop. 46 HALE: You have confessed yourself to witchcraft, and that speaks a wish to come to Heaven’s side. TITUBA: Oh, God bless you, Mr Hale! HALE: †¦You are God’s instrument put in our hands to†¦cleanse our village. Hale uses the metaphor to prove that people within the community believe Abigail, but also that Tituba has the opportunity to belong for the first time. 48 â€Å"I want the light of God, I want the sweet love of Jesus!†¦ I saw Sarah Good with the Devil!I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil! † The calling out – Abigail starts accusing and setting people as outsiders for nothing. 49 â€Å"A fireplace is at the left, and behind it a stairway leading upstairs†¦he swings a pot out of the fire and smells it. † Miller paints a domestic picture and then juxtaposes it with the frosty portrayal of marriage 51 â€Å"It’s as warm as blood beneath the clods. † An interesting description of the unseasonably warm ground Proctor provides his wife. 52 PROCTOR: If the crop is good I’ll buy George Jacob’s heifer. How would that please you?ELIZABETH: Aye, it would. PROCTOR: [with a grin] I mean to please you, Elizabeth. ELIZABETH: [it is hard to say] I know it, John. Highlights both Proctor’s need to belong in the marriage and Elizabeth’s difficulty 52 Her back is turned to him. He turns to her and watches her. A sense of their separation rises. The stage directions highlights the distance between Proctor and his wife. 52 â€Å"She frightened all my strength away†¦it is a mou se no more†¦ she says to me ‘I must go to Salem†¦I am an official of the court! ’† Elizabeth talks about how Mary Warren has changed as a result of her being a part of the group 53 Aye, it is a proper court they have now†¦there be fourteen people in jail now†¦and they’ll be tried, and the court have power to hang them too, she says. † Elizabeth recounts what Mary Warren has told her about the court and the exclusion of women from society 53 â€Å"The town’s gone wild, I think. She speak of Abigail, and I thought she were a saint, to hear her. Abigail brings the other girls into the court, and where she walks the crowd will part†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Repetition of Abigail’s name in Elizabeth’s recount of Mary’s story highlights that the focus is all around her at the moment. 53 â€Å"Oh, it is a black mischief. Proctor uses this metaphor to describe what influence Abigail has on this society, and how others are flocking to â€Å"belong† 53 â€Å"John, if it were not Abigail that you must go to hurt, would you falter now? I think not. † Elizabeth has not forgiven Proctor for his indiscretion and questions him about who and what he might belong to now. 55 â€Å"You will not judge me more, Elizabeth†¦you forget nothin’ and forgive nothin’. † Proctor attempts to use high modal language to demand Elizabeth’s respect but again, he is honest in showing that he no longer truly feels as though he belongs in his marriage. 5 â€Å"I come into a court when I come into this house! † Darkly comical metaphor used by Proctor to indicate he feels judged which limits his feelings of belonging in the marriage. 55 â€Å"Let you look sometimes for the goodness in me, and judge me not. † Again, focussing on the judgement he feels rather than belonging. 55 â€Å"I do not judge you. The magistrate sits in your heart that judges you. I never thought yo u but a good man, John. † Elizabeth tries to set Proctor right and uses the â€Å"heart† metaphor to imply he is the only one judging his actions and that he is limiting himself from belonging. 5 As though to compensate, Mary Warren goes to Elizabeth with a small rag doll. Miller makes it clear that the symbol used as Goody Proctor’s downfall is made known early on 56 â€Å"We must all love each other now, Goody Proctor. † Mary Warren says this in reaction to the strange situations they are now faced with 56 â€Å"I never knew it before, I never knew anything before. When she come into the court I say to myself, I must not accuse this woman†¦but then†¦I feel a misty coldness climbin’ up my back†¦and all at once I remembered everything she done to me! Mary Warren highlights the feelings that can overtake them during the court 57 â€Å"But the proof, the proof! † Proctor wants to be practical here. 58 â€Å"You must see it, sir , it’s God’s work we do. † Hale, and Mary Warren both proclaim this, referring to religion and what this society is based on. 58 â€Å"The Devil’s loose in Salem, Mr Proctor; we must discover where he’s hiding! † Hale, again referring to religion and the society 59 â€Å"There is a promise made in any bed – and she may dote on it now – I am sure she does – and thinks to kill me, then to take my place. Elizabeth points out to Proctor that his indiscretion led to a false sense of belonging for Abigail 60 â€Å"This is a strange time, Mister. No man may longer doubt the powers of the dark are gathered in monstrous attack upon this village. † Hale makes it clear that there is some â€Å"powers of the dark† but doesn’t say Devil – maybe understanding Abigail’s power? 62 â€Å"I note that you are rarely in the church on Sabbath Day. † A small detail noted by Hale ensures that Proctor i s seen as an outsider because of his lack of conforming to religious norms. 62 †¦and it [the bible] tells me that a minister may pray to God without he have golden candlesticks upon the altar. † Proctor complaining about Parris’ need to belong to objects/materialism 63 â€Å"I like it not that Mr Parris should lay his hand upon my baby. I see no light of God in that man. † Even for Proctor, Parris is an outsider 63 â€Å"There be no mark of blame upon my life, Mr Hale. I am a covenanted Christian woman. † Elizabeth states that she is trustworthy and honest because she is a good Christian woman – the basis of their society. 64 â€Å"Theology, sir, is a fortress; no crack in a fortress may be accounted small. Hale uses this metaphor to highlight the strength of religion; that you either belong to and with it or against it. But also implies in a way, that it is weak if compromised. 65 â€Å"And why not, if they must hang for denyin’ it? T here are them that will swear to anything before they’ll hang; have you never thought of that? † Proctor questions the very confessions the women keep making. 66 â€Å"My wife is the very brick and mortar of the church, Mr Hale. † Giles Corey uses this metaphor to highlight the insanity of his wife’s arrest 67 â€Å"Man, remember, until an hour before the Devil fell, God thought him beautiful in heaven. Hale’s powerful statement about the fall of good into evil. The way that even those that belong can then become isolated or alienated. 68 â€Å"†¦the Williams girl, Abigail Williams, sir. She sat to dinner in Reverend Parris’s house tonight, and without a word nor warnin’; she falls to the floor. Like a stuck beast, he says†¦stuck two inches in the flesh of her belly, he draw a needle out. † Cheever seemingly confused and alarmed by the discovery of the needle in the poppet. It highlights the lack of proof or manipulat ion of evidence. 70 â€Å"Why, she done it herself!I hope you’re not takin’ this for proof, Mister! † Proctor, again practical, and denying â€Å"proof† 70 â€Å"’Tis hard proof! † Cheever exclaims this. Shows the craziness of the situation; the way the beliefs of the majority can cause hysteria. 70 â€Å"I’ll tell you what’s walking Salem – vengeance is walking Salem. † 72 â€Å"I cannot charge murder on Abigail†¦she’ll kill me for sayin’ that! † 74 â€Å"I cannot†¦they’ll turn on me†¦I cannot do it, I cannot! † 74 As the curtain rises, the room is empty, but for the sunlight pouring through two high windows in the back wall. 77

Impact of US Dollar on Canadian Economy Essay

The Canadian Economy is strong. According to the 2001 Canada Yearbook, factors contributing to the country’s economic health are: natural resources; manufacturing and construction industries; financial and service sectors; the ability to span distances using communications and transportation technologies; dynamic trade relationships with other nations; and the ability to compete in a global marketplace (2004). Being the 2nd largest country in the world, Canada’s natural resources accounts for 12. 6% of its GDP growth in 2003. The Energy Sector, Forestry, Mineral Sector as well as Geomatics Sciences are responsible for this growth. Exportation of natural gas, timber and wood products, potash, uranium and other minerals make up for the growth. Geomatics is the science and technology of gathering, analyzing, interpreting, distributing and using geographic information. Since 2002, when the Canadian Government initiated the focus on understanding and mapping its land resources, it became one of the leading suppliers of information, technology and equipment in Geomatics. Today, Geomatics is a $10 to $20 billion dollar industry growing at a 20% rate, and thus is a potential growth area for the Canadian natural resources sector. According to Industry Canada, the Manufacturing and Construction Industries contribute to about 40% of Canada’s GDP, with an actual gross approximately $25 billion in December 2005. The two industries combined showed growth near single digit levels, (manufacturing at 1% GDP and construction at 0. 7% in Dec. 2005) which propelled the 0. 4 over-all GDP, making up for the loss in the Agriculture section at -1. 6% GDP in December 2005 (2006). The services sector in general is boosting the economy. Canada Yearbook states that the sector employs three out of four Canadians in the 21st Century (2004). Though their output is not as tangible as manufactured or natural goods, the services sector is everywhere and serve as the backbone of every economic sector. From the driver of a courier van to the company financial analyst to the service providers in Civil Defense, all the roles belong to the services sector. Together with advances in information technology, the services sector is transforming Canadian Economy into a knowledge-based economy (2006), as claimed by the Canadian Yearbook, where-in its modern products are efficient back-end services, professional consultancy and breakthrough technologies and equipment. Despite the economic transformation, trade is still the main means of business for Canada. As such, relationships with trade partners play a vital role. Among the countries in the world, four markets are in constant and significant trade relations with Canada: United States, United Kingdom, Japan and more recently, China. Among the four, its close neighbor, the United States takes about 75 – 80% of Canada’s trading business. Thus, changes in the Unites States economy, particularly of the US dollar impacts Canadian economy. State of Canada-US Trade Geography and history have provided opportunities for the United States and Canada to be in close business relations. In the natural order of things, free trade between the two nations would be beneficial in toto. However, political and social ramifications have prevented the successful pact since the mid 1800s until such time when, despite the disagreement of Canada’s Conservative Party, the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between US and Canada was effected in October of 1987. The over-all provision is to minimize tariffs of all goods traded between the two countries to a maximum of 1%. With the FTA in effect, trade between the two countries rose to 40% from a pre-FTA level of 25%. However, there is strong opposition from Canada about violations of the United States in the provisions of FTA, to the disadvantage of Canada’s agricultural business. However, seeing the benefits of a free trade zone, Prime Minister elect Jean Chretien improved the FTA and broadened the extend of the free trade to Mexico. Thus, in January of 1994, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between the United States, Canada and Mexico, took effect. Such Agreement involves an immediate and phased release of tariffs and trade barriers for agricultural products traded between the three countries. A macro benefit of NAFTA is a systematic conduct of business within North America because of the creation of an impartial, rules-based system to resolve dispute among the countries. Significant increases in trade activity were observed among the three countries in the first seven years of NAFTA implementation as compared to agricultural trade activities with other markets outside of North America. Canadian agricultural and agri-food exports to the United States and Mexico have increased by 95 percent, reaching $14. 8 billion in 2000. In comparison, Canadian exports of agricultural products to non-NAFTA countries grew by 45 percent during the same period, according to Agriculture and Agri-food Department of Canada (2006). Prior to NAFTA, agricultural import-export activities between Canada and the United States was only at $13. 7 billion. However, this increased $25. 1 billion in 2000, 82% higher, since 1993. Because 61% of Canada’s farming produce are exported to the United States, agricultural exports for the same period grew 92% to reach $14. 1 billion. As a result, Canada’s agricultural trade surplus with the United States has more than tripled since 1993. As summarized by the Agricultural Department of Canada, Horticultural crops: volume exports of tomatoes increased twenty-fold while exports of peppers and lettuce increased seven-fold, and exports of cucumbers increased six-fold. Oilseeds products: soybean oil volume exports increased seven-fold, exports of sunflower oil quadrupled, and canola oil exports increased by 44 percent. Specialty crops: dried beans volume exports nearly tripled. Red meats: beef volume exports more than doubled while pork exports increased by 87 percent. Processed products: roasted coffee volume exports increased nearly seventeen-fold, malt exports increased nearly five-fold, exports of frozen French fries increased four-fold, and pasta exports more than tripled. Following the success of NAFTA and its predecessors from other continents of the world, Canada together with thirty-three other countries belonging to the American Continent are drafting a free trade agreement called Free Trade Agreement Among the Americas (FTAA). With its complex participation, the agreement is still under negotiations. Factors that Influence the Rise of the Canadian Dollar (against the US Dollar) With the rise of the United States as an Economic super power, it naturally assumed a role of having the US dollar as a worldwide currency. Significant markets such as Canada are always compared to the dollar. Moreover, being a majority trade partner of the US, the exchange rate of the Canadian dollar matters significantly over the US dollar. Since 2003, Statistics Canada has plotted the rise of the Canadian dollar against the US dollar and indicated its significant rise against the greenback. There are three factors that may have contributed to this growth: first, the weakening of the US economy brought about by increasing current account deficits; secondly, the worldwide increase in commodity prices; and thirdly, the improved performance of the Canadian economy resulting in trade surplus. Since 2001, there has been a common phenomenon in most major currencies in the world: they appreciated against the US dollar. The Euro and Canadian dollar were two of the strongest performers. When the Euro surpassed the greenback in 2003 analysts predicted that there was no turning back. While the loonie has seen significant appreciation at the rate of 25% since 2001 until 2005, surpassing historical performance by the US dollar. Such appreciation has been driven by the increasing trade deficits of the US. Since 2001, the US has been buying more goods and a service than the country is able to sell. More oil, gas, metals and services were bought with US dollars than were sold outside of the US. Some analysts believe that the on-going War on Terror has been the main source of the deficit. While the country is still figuring out how to address the deficits, major trade partners such as Canada are reaping the benefits of a weakening dollar. At the mercy (or because) of commodity supply, the Canadian economy remained resilient despite the volatility of oil, gas, metals and wood. Being a major supplier of such commodities, precarious world prices came at an advantage. Despite some internal losses as a crude oil refiner, the bottom line effect of this factor remained positive and contributed to GDP. Thus, the increase of the Canadian dollar. Last factor that weakened the dollar from Canada’s point of view is the initiative of its government to attract more businesses through higher interest rates (vs. that of the United States). The over-all effect therefore, of the three factors above is the weakening of the US dollar against the Canadian dollar. Today, the exchange rate of the Canadian dollar is rising and reaching its peak in 2001, at C$ 0. 846 vs. the US$. With such growth, the general assessment of Canadian economists, businesses and external analysts is that this is positive for the Canadian economy, now more than ever. The next sections will have full discussion of the different sectors in the Canadian economy as impacted by the weakening (or strength) of the US dollar. Impact of the US Dollar on Canadian Industries Exports Apart from agriculture and agri-products, steel is another commodity that Canada heavily trades with the United States. Canada’s steel production accounts for approximately two percent of the world’s total supply. This is very small as compared to the Asian producers (Japan, North Korea and Taiwan), which accounts for nearly 40%. Nevertheless, 89% of Canada’s steel export go to the United States while 58% of Canada’s imported steel come from the US. Trade barriers, transportation costs prevent small Canadian steel producers from competing outside of North America. North America’s open market is ideal for small and big steel manufacturers from Canada. Just by its size and high demand, the opportunity for supply is wide. In addition, proximity to such a large market allows for low transportation cost. Just-in-time supply is immediately served without much impact on delivery cost. Furthermore, inventory can be kept low unless preparing for construction peak. Steel pricing in North America is also higher than other export markets by as much as 40% when compared to Japan, where steel importation is minimal due to its own supply. In North America, particularly the United States, steel trade is predicted to continue growth. In this light, sustained and open access to the U. S. market is key to the Canadian steel industry. A slight fallback in the market, for example, experienced in 1995 posed a threat to the industry. Whenever such a slow-down happens, issues related to anti-dumping and government subsidies arise, without any proper venue for address under NAFTA. Unfair trade practice is an issue commonly raised by the US against Canada when market conditions appear to favor Canada’s steel industry. In the same manner, weakening of the US dollar may initiate such a condition when Canada’s steel industry continues to maintain a surplus against the US. Once again is likely to be subject to charges of unfair trading practices by U. S. steelmakers. In 1993, according to Industry Canada, the country had a global steel trade surplus of $580 million and a steel trade surplus with the U. S. of $909 million. While the trade surplus was maintained with the U. S. , the surge in steel demand in 1994 resulted in a dramatic rise in imports and produced an overall international trade deficit of $207 million. The total trade balance deficit increased in 1995 to $349 million as Canadian imports again exceeded exports. However, the steel trade surplus with the U. S. was $1. 0 billion in 1995. Over the period from 1989 to 1995, steel imports have increased from 18. 6 percent of apparent domestic consumption in Canada to 29. 9 percent in 1995. Meanwhile the import share held by the U. S. increased from 8. 6 percent to 17. 5 percent. In the U. S. market, imports increased from 17. 9 percent of apparent domestic consumption in 1989 to 21. 4 percent in 1995, with Canada’s import share increasing from 3. 1 percent to 4. 0 percent. With such steel trade dynamics between the two countries, the weakening of the US dollar means the increase in Canada’s export price. Either more US dollars are needed to purchase the same Canadian product in the 21st century, than during the slump 1990s; or less Canadian dollars are earned for every sale of a Canadian export. At the other end, when Canada imports from the US, the commodities and services become cheaper. Either way, both impacts sales and profits. When sales and profits are volatile, vulnerable small businesses tend to closedown and contribute to unemployment. In order to maintain profit margins, Canadian export companies will need to improve efficiencies. Improvement may come in three ways: production streamlining, outsourcing and amortization gains. When the US dollar is low, it is the best time for companies to reevaluate tools and machinery throughput. Technology improvements will present more-efficient, more-automated processes, which can be useful in improving production efficiency. Since most equipment are bought from the US or are priced in US dollars, lower dollar exchange rates mean cheaper equipment. This is one way that exports companies to maintain profit margins by reducing production cost through efficient machines. In the same line of thinking importing services also come cheaper than when the US dollar is strong. Whether obtaining services from the US, or from East Asia, where intelligent and skilled labor is cheap, outsourcing back-end process in export production always contribute to efficiency. Though this may result to redundancies, macro effects of outsourcing prove to be positive to the bottom line. Lastly, for businesses that amortize US dollar-denominated loans, there will be gains in the amortization payment because of the weakened dollar. Furthermore, during a round-table public forum in 2004, businessmen have suggested that the Canadian government consider lowering interests rates to match that of the US. Doing so will minimize the impact of loans on Canadian dollar-based denominations despite its appreciation. Imports The stronger currency benefits importers. Consumers and businesses benefit from a better Canada-U. S. exchange rate through less expensive imports from the U. S. The depreciation of the dollar lowers import costs and, more specifically, offers cheaper capital goods, making investment in new machinery and equipment in Canada cheaper. Canadian businesses import 80% of equipment and machinery, and with these imports now more affordable, a boost to business investment can be expected. However, some argue that with the loss of revenue, investments in new machinery and equipment would not be substantial.

Article Comparison Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Article Comparison - Research Paper Example but their approaches markedly differ from each other; the first article to be mentioned here more or less is theoretical in its treatment of the subject while the second article is more on application. Along this vein, I find the article written by Professor Barry Boehm to be complete and comprehensive on this topic. It presents a solid background on the underpinnings and history on the progressive development of software engineering over the years. The said article presents the subject matter in a clear, precise and simple way for both experts and non-experts to understand. The methodology is better and the conclusion sounder compared to the next article in this paper. This is because the writing style appeals to a much broader audience of readers but still was able to present enough technical details for people to grasp the significance of future developments. People are rightly concerned what effects if ever a large-scale malfunction or a system collapse that is software-induced will have on the entire world (Barry, 2006, p. 20) between now and the year 2025. Utter chaos will surely ensue and the consequences border on the nightmarish. Barry has very wide views of the entire hi story and the theory behind each major milestone in software development; solid grounding in theory is a prerequisite before one attempts something. It is like how the atomic bomb got invented from the earlier theories developed by theoretical physicists. Prof. Barry further enlivened his essay with a prognosis of a world â€Å"flattened† by software. On the other hand, the second article by authors M. Brambilla et al. would appeal more to the technically-oriented people like software engineers and software programmers than ordinary people. It is an excellent paper but is highly technical; it can be compared to looking at the trees rather than the forest and concerned more with the aspect of practical applications. In a sense, the article by M. Brambilla et al. is written in a more

Economic Environment of Saudi Arabia Assignment - 1

Economic Environment of Saudi Arabia - Assignment Example However, the high share of consumption occurs in the high-income countries (Doing Business 2013: Smarter Regulations for Small and Medium-Size Enterprises, 23). An estimate of 1 billion residents are accounted for more than 80% of the global consumption. In Saudi Arabia, an estimate of 4.5 percent of the global population benefits, although it accounts for more than 30% of the global consumption. It is worth noting that developing countries, exhibit accelerating growth and excellent market potentials. In sheer sizes, the developing countries home 80% for the entire world’s population. Based on the needs, 5.5 billion of the national citizens usually aspire to live improved lives. However, the consumptions increase drastically in developing countries, than in the already developed countries. This means that the consumption rate of Saudi Arabia has outpaced high and low income countries in many products groups. Their motor fuel, meat consumption has doubled, and fish consumption has increased drastically since the year 1990. The global credit crisis usually improves the differences ranges. The economies of the huge and low indebted developing nations such as China, and India in contrast to Saudi Arabia and they are improving strongly while developed countries usually struggle with a slow growth of their economic (Doing Business 2013: Smarter Regulations for Small and Medium-Size Enterprises, 33). The gap between the emerging growth of Asian markets and Saudi Arabia has never increased. However, basing the experience from below the pyramid, the trend signals the developing opportunity for fulfilling the requirements and basic wants of many low-income consumers in the entire world. However, the economy of the Arabian Peninsula has been determined through various contributions of individuals living near the wells and oases. However, through such prospects, it is evident that the slight development is usually presented by the bottom region of the pyramid since it is minimal to be sufficiently profitable for most of the MNEs. The profits are usually constrained considering the need to design and develop low-cost products. These products usually require innovations that blend the old and new technology. The poor countries are the high developing, and they share global consumption that results to the countries occupying the small base. The country's economy dilemma is imposed on how accurately managers estimate the countries potential. The definite resources require that the companies’ invest markets with high potential for profitable performances. Understanding the risk-return tension of global investment option encourages the managers to refine the analysis of economic environments. Managers usually shift analysis from individual level to a collective involvement within the systematic context of the country’s economic environment. In this case, attention is averted from studying the features of individuals understanding of th eir configuration in terms of overall forest. The managers engage in diverse perspectives, and the first focuses on the level of economic systems of Saudi Arabia. This also emphasizes on current policies and practices shape activity (Doing Business 2013: Smarter Regulations for Small and Medium-Size Enterprises, 38). The second perspective usually entails of dynamic

AIS and the training issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

AIS and the training issues - Essay Example Information is provided to the operator in the form of complex iconic plots so the comprehension of display is crucial. He should have sufficient training that supports him in making the interpretation of the various elements.So, the display settings of the ship and its better understanding could play a better role in effective use of AIS (Sands, 2004). The mariner has to go through a lot of data and make interpretations of such data presented to him in the form of a certain display. It is therefore necessary to refine their ability of mariners to scan information sources and extract data. "The marine environment presents a challenge in that data displays are not at all standard in presentation or location. Despite this difficulty, the mariner can, for a given configuration, develop effective techniques to extract needed data" (Bronaugh Jr). Familiarity with source: Mariners should be trained with respect to the data and various elements related to it but most importantly they should have knowledge of the sources of such data. If the mariner could understand the source from where the data stream is generating then he could identify problems and errors earlier. (Spalding et al., 2002) Training related to errors: Training should impart the need for caution and care among the learners.

The Development of Organisation Theory Assignment

The Development of Organisation Theory - Assignment Example In most organizations, the leading forces impinging on role performance are social or symbolic rather than economic. Although the social significance of the workgroup to individual workers was first reported in the studies of factory workers, recent research shows that the significance of informal work groups is much greater for individuals in high-status positions than those in low-status positions. Management-level employees are more likely to go through social and geographical mobility, which cuts them off from their parents, their place of birth and their friends. As a result, they are inclined to depend greatly on social relationships established at their workplace (Henderson 1996). To the extent that co-workers have become an important reference group for employees, one would expect them to support one another. Abraham Maslow’s (1950) theory of a hierarchy of human needs suggests needs categorized in the following ascending order; (1) physiological, (2) safety, (3) love, (4) esteem, and (5) self-actualization. Under this theory, the type and level of need for work-group appreciation are influenced by the type and level of which the needs are being satisfied by individuals external to the workplace. However, a certain amount of safety and esteem from one’s colleagues, managers and subordinates are crucial for successful functioning within any organization. For this reason, the major focus of managers should be on creating and maintaining good human relations in the workplace (Luthans 2010). Due to the recent technological progress, there is generally a shortage of significant interaction among culturally diverse employees. There is also a deficiency of affection in a number of the homes of workers. Human relations demand employers develop closer personal relationships in their organizations.  

Strategic planning and development ( tourism perspective) Essay

Strategic planning and development ( tourism perspective) - Essay Example The company’s operations diversify in two broad categories of renewable energy and sustainable technology. Thereby the company requires abiding by the ethical issues with great concern in order to attain the efficacy of its operations. Masdar, in this regard, functions through five incorporated divisions such as the graduate university which primarily focuses on researches related to the renewable energy production and other components of the sustainable technologies industry. It is noteworthy that the company, being controlled by the Abu Dhabi government, has noticeably confirmed its position as a catalyst to accelerate the economic diversification of the country (Masdar, n.d.). 2. Purpose of the Organization The organization, being associated with the renewable energy and sustainable technologies industry, must abide by the issues related to the environmental aspects of the economy such as the natural resources, the socio-cultural factors and others. Considering the fact it can be stated that the purpose of the organization is highly depended on the industrial growth and its future prospect. In this milieu, the vision and mission statements of the company focus on the overall development of the economy in the global perspective in terms of knowledge, implementation and expansion of the renewable energy and sustainable technologies industry (Masdar, n.d.). Apart from these, the company also aims to contribute to the economic diversification through the expansion of its export base, stimulating entrepreneurship in the private-sector, investing in educational and research initiatives in order to encourage innovative ideas, generate skilled knowledge workers and others. The key purpose of the company also includes increasing the economy’s non-oil share in the global market. With this purpose, the company is concentrated on the prioritized sectors of the economy such as media, tourism, transportation & logistics and aviation & aerospace (Masdar, n.d. ). 3. Identified Problem of the Company and the Opportunity of the Strategic Plan The core values of Masdar have been defined by emphasizing on various attributes active in its micro and macro environment, such as the organizational objectives and the nature of the industry. These values demonstrate one of the major problems of the company, i.e. to market the clean technology products as commercially viable in order to reward a swift and sustainable growth to the economy (Masdar, n.d.). Therefore, the strategic plan that is to be illustrated in this paper is aimed to the purpose of the organization with a significant concern on the challenging factors most likely to be witnessed by the company. In this regard, the planning will be based upon the travel and tourism sector of the economy. It is basically due to the fact that the travel and tourism industry in the current phenomenon is highly prioritized by the economy. Additionally, the growth prospect of the industry is termed to be substantial in the near future which can ensure a sustainable growth to the company in marketing its products. Furthermore, the industry is recorded to grow with rapidity with an increased demand of technology which again enhances the growth perspective of the company and the economy at large. Hence, the plan shall reward the company with opportunities related to its expansion and the growth of the economy in the near future. 4. Goals of the Plan To be precise, the

Exploring the Universe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Exploring the Universe - Essay Example This essay demonstrates that I found the data that assisted in the exploration of the universe overwhelming with the help of imagery. I could not even describe the images used for this unit coupled with the imagination I formed after exploring the data. For instance, galaxies can measure from hundreds of thousands to even tens of millions of light-years across. This means the light from those galaxies left their stars millions of years ago to collect on the cameras and lenses of telescopes like The Hubble. I found this information and images that accompanied it fascinating to the degree of revising them when I am stressed. Astronomy 1001 enabled me to come up with a therapy routine for when I am stressed from schoolwork. This therapy entails reading the class text or simply recalling the images and related data to calm down and feel relaxed. Astronomy 1001 made me realize the immense resources and potential human beings can harness from the cosmos. While focusing on the moon, human beings can benefit tremendously from the vast resources that nearby celestial bodies contain. After traveling to the moon during the Apollo mission, the enthusiasm that came along with the mission died gradually over the years. The United States, and even the EU and Russia, no longer expressed interest to return to the moon. This disinterest contributes greatly to the deteriorating investment in space programs that agencies like NASA and ESA have experienced for the few decades. Colonizing our natural satellite and nearly planets has become a phenomenon for Hollywood and other fiction writers to exploit. Astronomy 1001 made me realize that investments in space and technology research on the moon are near mandatory for a species that often considers itself the most intelligent on earth.

The relation between globalisation and the hospitality industry Essay

The relation between globalisation and the hospitality industry - Essay Example This has ensured that business activities are carried out without the limitation of boundaries between nations since numerous currencies are utilised while people travel across the world while coping up with varied political and social systems that are present in different societies. Hospitality, on the other hand, is a service based industry that integrates hotel, tourism, tour and airline industries. Unlike products where the impression attracts potential clients the hospitality industry is based on the service or experience that clients get after experiencing service the level of satisfaction is the one that will influence whether to come for the same service or not. Globalisation and tourism have integrated to a large extent especially in the 21st century as a need for business firms to venture into international markets has increased (Go and Pine, 2005). Globalisation is all about integrating the economic aspects of an industry. For instance, in the hospitality industry it has experienced massive changes that are aimed at positioning the industry to cater for the global market rather than the local or regional markets, which most establishments are meant for. The hospitality industry is fundamentally dependent on tourism be it domestic or international; thus, the players in the hospitality industry are competing with each other to market their countries as the best holiday destination whereby they can experience cutting edge hospitality that is offered by their firms. This has led to hotels partnering with airlines and local tour companies to provide all-inclusive packages for their clients to experience all services under a single package; thus, making it more lucrative and attractive for the clients to be enticed by the deals. That notwithstanding, branding of hotels and lodges has been a significant trend over the years, it is evident that some brands have an international

Information report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Information report - Essay Example There are several languages used by the Indians such as Hindi and English. However, Hindi is the official and national language of the people (Manian 238). English is just a language of the few elites from other nations like the UK or the US. It, thus, became quite challenging for us to communicate with most people whom we required their labor. We needed workers who could handle some parts of our projects like removing dike from the construction sites to various landfills. India is also a place where hierarchy is considered an important political element. It plays a key role in governing the behaviors of people in India, as well as, the responsibility of every person in the Indian society. Hinduism and caste system in the region outline the roles of every person. I managed to notice that in our company, manual labor could only done by a â€Å"peon.† An absence of the peon will mean no manual work done. This is a waste of time for most construction firms in India, including ours. Carrying out a business activity in India, including engineering, requires one to know the basic etiquettes in greeting and meeting. Indians are well known with the use of Namaste in their greetings. In this case, people bring their palms together, mainly at the chest level with a slight head bow (Waters 109). Indians are also popular by modification and changing of names for individuals whom they consider their guests or visitors from abroad. Any guest bearing the name, Singh will be called Sikh (Bose 53). In addition to that, receiving and issue of any material in an Indian community must be done using the right hand; using the left hand is a show of disrespect to the other party. Generally doing business in India requires certain important considerations before and few days after the entry into the country. Since English is the international language used in commerce, it is recommended that translation service be

Business Research Ethics Essay Example for Free

Business Research Ethics Essay The accounting world is changing constantly and so are the rules that are being set up to protect companies and their assets. There are codes of conduct that accounting offices and their personnel must adhere to and when they are not followed, there can be an ethical challenges that you have to deal with. Users of accounting information perform different types of creative accounting. Some of these practices are ethical and legal and other are not. It is important for a company to set up procedures that check and double check everyone in the accounting department from the clerks to the Controller. There is never a time in any business that someone is allowed to do things without having someone else check on their work. When there is no follow up or checks set in place is when the company finds themselves in trouble. As accountants, we are required to make sure that the work that we produce is accurate, credible and true information. This information is used to help investors and banks to make a good business decision in regard to their credit and investment opportunities. Many times, an accountant will get â€Å"creative† with the numbers to assure just that outcome. The numbers are inflated to show a better financial picture and this will help the company get more money and have the bank invest more in their future. Sometimes, this can go on for a long time without anyone knowing it is all false. Other times, companies get caught. May I remind you of Enron? Over the years stockholders and investors have lost large amounts of money due to false reporting or â€Å"creative† accounting. It is for this reason that the need for restrictions on those practices and find a solution to this problem became necessary. A company that I worked for in the past had to eventually file for bankruptcy because the Executive Board was unaware of what the Controller was doing. Many of us were aware of the incorrect numbers and were not sure how to handle it because we could not really prove that the numbers that he was  reporting were actually wrong. There are procedures in effect that prevent accountants from doing this, but not all companies follow them. This is why auditors are used with many companies. Auditors are there to make sure that all numbers and documents are proven to be correct and that there is no creative accounting or inflated numbers when looking at financial statements. Auditors can also be a deterrent for theft. If there is never a check and balance with an accountant in a company, there can be a greater chance of theft. I know of a company that I worked for suffered a loss of over $50,000 because the Controller was not required to get a second signature on checks under $5,000, so he issued himself eleven checks in the amount of $4,000. He would take the check and record that the check went to a vendor or supplier. When the bank statement was sent to our office, he would do the bank reconciliation, so no one saw the actual cancelled check because he destroyed it. Had there been an auditor that would be checking his work, this never would have continued to happen, they would have found it after the first check. It is important accountants to maintain integrity and avoid questionable situations. There are many things that can be seen as inappropriate. Many times over the years, I have been offered tickets to baseball games, dinners, gift baskets, etc. to use a particular company as a major supplier or to use a certain bank. I never thought much of accepting a gift basket, but I was told by an auditor for our firm that can be misunderstood and never to do that. This is a small scale, many companies have been known to get government contracts or big jobs because of making certain promises. Research has proven to our executives and investors that the only way to make sure that there is no inappropriate behavior by having internal and external auditors to examine the books on a regular basis. Knowing that there are audits completed on a random basis and knowing that those audits are being audited by external companies prevents mishaps, theft and misappropriation of funds. Having a clear set of policies and procedures in place and also having a clear plan of action for employees that do not follow these procedures is a sure way to insure that your company is protected. GAAP (generally accepted accounting practices) defines what is and is not permissible, but it is not infallible. GAAP can be manipulated and subject to interpretation and accountants can commit fraud any time. Eventually, we have to count on good accounting  procedures, our auditors and most importantly, employee ethics and morals to keep everything and everyone in line. REFERENCES Al Momani, M. A., Obeidat, M. I. (2013). The effect of auditors ethics on their detection of creative accounting practices: A field study. International Journal of Business and Management, 8(13), 118-136. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1418426106?accountid=458 Leung, E. C. (2004). Accounting ethics. Business and Society, 43(2), 226-226+. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/199387513?accountid=458

The Traditional Narrative Structure Of Thomas Hardy English Literature Essay

The Traditional Narrative Structure Of Thomas Hardy English Literature Essay In order to assess the validity or otherwise of Thomas Hardys assertion, we first need to consider whether or not any such construct as traditional narrative structure can properly be said to exist and, assuming that it does, provide a definition of what this structure might be. This is not as straightforward as it may appear. For one thing, there are many different traditions in world literature and therefore many different concepts of traditional narrative structure. It would be unwise, for instance, to attempt to assert that the storytelling devices employed by the anonymous authors of the stories later compiled as The 1,001 Nights or The Arabian Nights Entertainments complied in all respects with the narrative strategies pursued by Dickens, Trollope, Defoe, Austen and the other writers of the novel form as it has been understood and developed over the past two hundred years within Western society. It is possible to understand from Hardys statement the kind of narrative structure that he had in mind, the progression from event A to B to C suggested by the regular formulation of beginning, middle and end. That Hardys statement should exhibit a strong implied attachment to this sort of narrative structure is in no way surprising, for it was an important aspect of his writing. However, there had already been changes to what Hardy considered the traditional narrative style. Narrative trickery of one kind or another had been apparent in many authors works. Experimentation with form began very early on in the novels development. Indeed, it is arguable that such experimentalism had been present in the English novel since its earliest days. Samuel Richardsons Pamela or Virtue Rewarded , for instance, arguably one of the first novels written in English, may conform to the beginning-middle-end formula looked upon so fondly by Hardy one hundred years later, but it is far from being a standard third party text. The book is an epistolary novel, which is to say that it consists of a series of interlinked texts, purporting to be letters written by the novels protagonist and no fewer than five other correspondents, each of whom has his or her unique literary style, psychology and point of view. Richardson was not the first novelist to adopt this epistolary approach. Other writers, both in France and England, had preceded him. Yet there is no doubt that Richardson displayed a profound and unprecedented facility with the form. In Margaret Drabbles words, he raised the form to a level hitherto unknown and transformed it to display his own particular skills.  [1]  And Richardson was not the only English novelist to have departed sharply from Hardys norm during the English novels formative years. His inventiveness and willingness to experiment with form had been equalled by several other writers, most importantly Lawrence Sterne. The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, published in several parts between 1759 and 1767, stands out as a paragon of unconventionality even today. Its many stylistic novelties and tricks of form include flashbacks, typographical eccentricities, missing pages and multiple perspectives. Not for nothing has it been referred to as the progenitor of th e twentieth century stream-of consciousness novel  [2]   The traditional narrative structure that Hardy had in mind had, therefore, been altered and subverted from within for many years prior to the start of his own literary career. It is, nonetheless, true that the notion of a novel having to possess a beginning, middle and end had become firmly embedded in the psyche of most readers and writers by the late Victorian era. Hardy suspected that the dominance of the traditional narrative structure was under threat by the time he abandoned novel writing around the beginning of the twentieth century. The Age of Realism, in many ways the last great affirmation of the Enlightenment, with its impressively self-confident faith in reason and in reasons access to the real, drew to an end as the nineteenth century began to spill into the twentieth,  [3]  writes Andrà © Brink in his overview of the novels long development as a form: In a turmoil of uncertainty prefiguring Eliots later wry conviction that human kind/ Cannot bear very much reality, Modernism was born. A remarkable revolution swept through all the arts. The faith in representation, which for so long had shaped Western culture, was wavering; and, in Santayanas famous phrase, mankind was starting to dream in a different key  [4]   Both novels, Italo Calvinos If on a Winters Night aTraveller and One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez are arguably experimentations into a different style of traditional narrative fictions, that are far removed from what Hardy had in mind. If on a Winters Night a Traveller is probably Calvinos best known novel, published in Italian in 1979 and translated into English by William Weaver in 1981. Since then it has become firmly established as a classic of post-modern fiction. An examination of the books form quickly explains why. Far from being a conventional narrative, in which events are described from the outside by an omniscient narrator and everything proceeds smoothly from an initiating incident to a denouement, the novel has a bewitching and playful form. It is self-reflexive, in that it is a book about a reader who is trying to read a book called If on a Winters Night a Traveller. The first chapter and each subsequent alternate chapter are written in the second person. They form a linking narrative between the intervening, even-numbered, chapters, which all purport to be extracts from various books which the reader tries, at different times, to read: You are about to begin reading Italo Calvinos new novel, If on a Winters Night a Traveller. Relax. Concentrate. Dispel every other thought. Let the world around you fade. Best to close the door; the TV is always on in the next room.  [5]   One prominent way in which If on a Winters Night a Traveller resists traditional narrative structure is by violating boundaries of the structure. These are the boundaries comprised by the inside and the outside of the novel. If on a Winters Night a Traveller resists these boundaries because its premise is a readers attempt to read a work entitled If on a Winters Night a Traveller, whilst being aware that the narrative is instructing the reader to read and how to. This external, authoritative narration in the narrative has the effect of rupturing any traditional narrative sequence in further ways. It causes there to be various acts of reading, both within and without the text, which are out of synch with each other. A key example of this is Calvinos statement that, You are about to begin reading Italo Calvinos new novel If on a Winters Night a Traveller.  [6]  Not only is the readers identity destabilised by the fact that the you may refer to the reader outside or the reader insid e the text in a way not common in traditional narrative, but also the acts of reading are temporally disrupted: You are about to begin reading Italo Calvinos new novel If on a Winters Night a Traveller, the boundary of narrative, narrator and reader is broken, the reader is being instructed by the narrative to read. Another key example of the boundaries, set out by traditional narrative is the set of short orders, orders directed at us, the reader, to physically move our body: Stretch your legs, go ahead and put your feet on a cushion, or two cushions, on the arms of the sofa, on the wings of the chair, on the coffee table, on the desk, on the piano, on the globe. Take your shoes off first. If you want to, put your feet up; if not, put them back. Now dont stand there with your shoes in one hand and the book in the other.  [7]   This address to the reader has the effect of pulling the reader into work. This is very much a departure from Hardys view of the traditional narrative form. However, this is not to say that there is not a traditional narrative thread binding the work together. As the book continues, a clear, if unconventional, story begins to take shape. The reader, who is referred to and addressed throughout the novel becomes the protagonist in a convoluted narrative that revolves around an international conspiracy involving fraud, a mischievous translator, sinister government agents and a number of other elements. There may not be a traditional plot embedded in the book, but there is definitely a plot and it is one that has enough narrative muscle to keep a reader enthralled. There is a clear sense, throughout the book, that the author is solicitous to the reader and eager to retain his or her interest. This desire to aid the reader is borne out by something Calvino once wrote: My working method has more often than not involved the subtraction of weight. I have tried to remove weight, sometimes from people, sometimes from heavenly bodies, sometimes from cities; above all I have tried to remove weight from the structure of stories and from language.  [8]   If on a Winters Night a Traveller also highlights the problems of the one dimensional aspect of traditional narrative structures. If on a Winters Night a Traveller resists linearity. Traditional narrative structures are mentioned only in the context of their non-appearance, complaints such as that of chapters interrupted right at the climaxà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦lets hope we get to the end satisfactorily.  [9]  Here the vocabulary of traditional narrative climax and satisfying ending, though present is subverted. Calvino comments on his own narrative throughout and his most clear comment on this particular form of resistance to traditional narrative structures occurs when, making explicit the sexualised connotations of interrupted climax, and satisfying ending, he describes how Lovers reading of each others bodiesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ differs from the reading of written pages in that it is not linear. It starts at any point, skips, repeat itself, goes backward, insists, ramifies in simultaneous and divergent messages, converges again, has moments of irritation, turns the page, finds its place, gets lost. A direction can be recognized in it, a route to an end, since it tends toward a climax, and with this end in view it arranges rhythmic phases, metrical scansions, recurrence of motives. But is the climax really the end? Or is the race toward that end opposed by another drive which works in the opposite direction, swimming against moments, recovering time?  [10]   One Hundred Years of Solitude could loosely be described as a family saga. It deals with the varying fates of numerous individuals drawn from seven generations of one South American family, but it is in not a type of narrative. The book includes multiple time-frames and numerous supernatural elements, including ghosts and prophecies, all of which are treated in a matter-of-fact fashion by the novels many characters. This makes it a clear embodiment of magic realism and it has, indeed, been identified by many critics as the quintessential magic realist text.  [11]   The American science fiction and fantasy author Gene Wolf, for instance, has said that Magic realism is fantasy written by people who speak Spanish,  [12]  while the British fantasy author Terry Pratchett has said that it is like a polite way of saying you write fantasy  [13]  . Despite the difficulty many have experienced in pointing out its exact nature, however, the term continues to have resonance for many readers and One Hundred Years of Solitude continues to be seen as its most characteristic text. What is it about this book that qualifies it as magic realism and in what way is its narrative distinguishable from Hardys cherished mode of traditionalist storytelling? The books difference is undoubtedly the mythic and timeless quality Marquez brings to bear in his treatment of the fictional town of Macondo and its multi-layered connection with the Buendà ­a family, whose patriarch, Josà © Arcadio Buendà ­a, is also Macondos founder. Macondo is, in a way, a leading character in the novel and yet its geography and character remain remarkably opaque throughout. As Ian Johnston has pointed out: There is something clearly magical about the world of Macondo; it is a state of mind as much as, or even more than, a real geographical place (we learn very little about its actual physical layout, for example). And once in it, we must be prepared to meet whatever the imagination of the author presents to us.  [14]   The capacity of the imagination to which Johnson alludes is immense, and so the ability to enforce a willing suspension of disbelief in the mind of the reader that co-exists with it  [15]  . It is Marquezs ability to make the reader accept and even fail to question events that could not possibly take place in the real world that give One Hundred Years of Solitude its unique flavour. An excellent example of the kind of trick Marquez plays repeatedly, comes early on in the novel when an act of suicide is followed by a physically impossible perambulation by a trail of blood: A trickle of blood came out under the door, crossed the living room, went out into the street, continued on in a straight line across the uneven terraces, went down steps and climbed over curbs, passed along the Street of the Turks, turned a corner to the right and another to the left, made a right angle at the Buendà ­a house, went in under the closed door, crossed through the parlour, hugging the walls so as not to stain the rugs, went on to the other living room, made a wide curve to avoid the dining-room table, went along the porch with the begonias, and passed without being seen under Amarantas chair as she gave an arithmetic lesson to Aureliano Josà ©, and went through the pantry and came out in the kitchen [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦]  [16]   The blending together of the real with the imagined, the plausible with the impossible, is what characterises the book throughout. Time becomes a blur, characters reflect the personalities of long dead ancestors or unborn descendants, history and chronology are obscured by the interplay of broadly similar events (invasion after invasion, birth after birth, death after death). Only Macondo seems stable, in the end, and yet even Macondo blows away to nothingness in the final, apocalyptic chapter, leaving the reader uncertain regarding the status of everything that has happened. And yet, all of this has to be set alongside the extremely detailed and persuasive nature of Mà ¡rquezs writing. He may be concerned with the fantastical and the fabulous but he also a sharp-eyed literary observer. The translator Edith Grossman made exactly this point when she gave the keynote speech at an event held in New York in 2003. Focusing on the quality of his prose and on his approach to narrative, Grossman said of Mà ¡rquez: He is a master of physical observation: Surfaces, appearances, external realities, spoken words everything that a truly observant observer can observe. He makes almost no allusion to states-of-mind, motivations, emotions, internal responses: Those are left to the inferential skills and deductive interests of the reader. In other words, Garcà ­a Mà ¡rquez has turned the fly-on-the-wall point of view into a crucial aspect of his narrative style in both fiction and non-fiction, and it is a strategy that he uses to stunning effect.  [17]   One Hundred Years of Solitude also resists traditional narrative structures with its relation to traditional boundaries of, and within, narrative. If on a Winters Night a Traveller contravenes boundaries; One Hundred Years of Solitude goes further by collapsing these traditional boundaries. A very significant way in which this is affected is through the names in the novel. Spread over several generations, there are three women with a forename Remedios, five male characters with the forename Aureliano, and five characters sharing both a forename and a surname: Josà © Arcadio. What should be a straightforward, linear piece of historiography is made more complex and convoluted by Marquez. It becomes unclear exactly which characters of the names Aureliano, Remedia or Josà © Arcadio are interacting at certain points in the narrative. One such example is that of Aureliano and Amaranta Ursula, in the rooms where Colonel Aureliano had also made love, made mad love on the floor of the porch à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦they were awakened by a torrent of carnivorous ants who were ready to eat them alive.  [18]   One Hundred Years of Solitude often resists traditional narrative structures at the same time as drawing attention to them. One key example of this is the flashback with which the novel begins. As a traditional narrative structure, the flashback has a very definite sense of the present through which the past is framed. However, Marquez resists this traditional structure by destabilising this present tense, and the presence of the character having the flashback: Many years later as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendia was to remember[à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦]  [19]  The suggestion of a traditional flashback is preserved in the act of remembering, yet Marquez resists the traditional structure of the flashback by locating it into the future , Many years later, was to remember, a ruptured linearity which is, in a further resistance to traditional narrative structures, explained only at the end of the novel, when Aureliano finally realises that the parchments he discovered are a prophecy of the novels events: at that prodigious instant Melquiades final keys were revealed to him and he saw the epigraph of the parchments perfectly placed in the order of mans time and space.  [20]   Both One Hundred Years of Solitude and If on a Winters Night a Traveller depart quite radically from the traditional narrative structure utilised by Thomas Hardy and yet neither Marquez nor Calvino is willing to jettison the idea of narrative or deny their readers a satisfying encounter with the elemental power of storytelling. These texts resist traditional narrative but they do not reject or repudiate narrative itself. On the contrary, they provide meaning and pleasure by taking the novel further and beyond the structure in which Hardy worked in. Both writers resist traditional narrative structure by rupturing the linearity of the narrative and creating problems of time and engagement of the reader. Bibliography

Heinz Business Strategy

Heinz Business Strategy Heinz Company is a marketer and manufacturer of branded foods in the industry of global food. The company is recognized for its ketchup with a comprehensive presence in condiments, tuna, baby foods, soup and ready meals. Heinz is the US-based global food company, with a world-class portfolio of powerful brands holding no-1 and no-2 market positions in more than 50 countries. The Heinz brand has an estimated value of $20 billion with Heinzs top-15 power brands accounting for two-thirds of annual sales.The company has no-1 or no-2 brands in 200 countries around the world, showcased by Heinz Ketchup. Other brands in the companys portfolio include Classico pasta sauce, Ore-Ida frozen potato products, Heinz weight watchers, Plasmon baby food, and John West tuna. Heinz also uses the famous names Weight Watchers, Boston Market, T.G.I. Fridays, Jack Daniels, and Linda McCartney under license. Due to potential loss in manufacturers brand equity, large public food manufacturers face the greate st threat from the expansion of private retailer brands and the increased power of the retail sector. The H.J. Heinz Company has a long tradition in the US market of being a number one brand, retaining a dominant position in the US and the world market. Ketchup is a case in point. However, as with many large food manufacturers, the growing share of private labels is creating a challenge . In response, rather than relying solely on its long held brand image, Heinz has made a strategic decision to invest heavily in differentiating itself further from private label offerings by improving the quality of its product to attract more quality-conscious consumers, Heinz might easily be viewed as a company with a dominate product-orientation based on its Chairmans statement I am convinced that quality and innovation are the way forward for Heinz. Traill and Grunert (1997) 2-PRODUCT INNOVATION ACTIVITY Much of the innovation has been focus on what is considered core products where it has strong existing competencies and expertise. New product development constitutes an vital part of Heinzs growth strategy. Product introductions are focus on meeting consumers demand for convenience, health, improved taste, and lifestyle changes. The company has made attractive consumer products by offering packaging innovations and the promotion of the health benefits of its existing products. The health dimension is critical factor in its product differentiation strategy for Heinz.There are no of examples of recent product innovations. The company introduced a new range of soups, offering nutritious contents with alternative ingredients with less salt, sugar, and fat particles. Various specialty soups were introduced in the UK, such as Spicy Butternut Squash and Mediterranean Tomato and Bacon. Other examples are the first microwaveable French fries tasting like restaurant fries. This product is a s trong complement to its ketchup. The most successful package innovation in the US was the Heinz Easy Squeeze ketchup designed in an upside down ketchup bottle for faster and less messy dispensing. This packaging was successfully launched in 19 European countries as well as in the US and the Canadian food service. In recent years, the company has also made substantial packaging innovations in other food products with a conversion from traditional cans to more convenient solutions in single-serve microwavable packaging. Traill and Grunert (1997) 3-PROCESS INNOVATION ACTIVITY Heinz created four imperatives to gain better performance, drive profitable growth, remove the clutter, squeeze out costs, and measure and recognized performance. By removing the clutter, Heinz seeks to remove inefficiencies and reduce complexities of product portfolio and supply chain. The company execute a major restructuring initiative named Streamline aimed at reducing overhead costs. Heinz has also made a series of divestitures in an effort to refocus its business more closely on its core products. The company is focusing on its top 15 power brands, which account for 60 percent of total sales. The squeeze out the cost initiative has mainly concentrate on promotional expenditure as new systems have been execute to better track promotional spending. Through a new global procurement initiative led from World headquarters in Pittsburgh, Heinz is aiming to cut costs in both direct and indirect sourcing activities. Traill and Grunert (1997) MARKETING STRATEGY OF HEINZ COMPANY The company launch its first national foodservice advertising campaign, using the slogan Insist on Heinz. The objective of this advertisement is to attract consumers to insist on Heinz Ketchup, when it is not available in fast food restaurants or other food service establishments. Furthermore, to take full advantage of its strong position in the foodservice market, the company has created Group 57, a culinary expert team that supplies customers with new ideas and support. Heinz invests in consumer education by promoting the health benefits of lycopene in tomatoes. Heinzs advertising expenses have also increased in recent years, mainly due to the launching of a new product, Ore-Ida extra crispy fries in the US. In response to increasing competition, especially from private labels, Heinz introduced a every day low pricing initiative across many product groups. The aim of this initiative is to fight off competition by creating a positive value impression among consumers. Traill and Grun ert (1997) CORPORATE STRATEGY OF FONTERRA COOPERATIVE GROUP 1-USING RD AND INTERNATIONAL VENTURES The Fonterra Cooperative Group was formed by the merger of New Zealand Dairy Group, Kiwi Co-operative Dairies and the New Zealand Dairy Board in late 2001. It is owned by its nearly 12,000 dairy farming shareholders. Fonterra has sales of $2.15 billion and is organized in three divisions; New Zealand Milk Products (NZMP), New Zealand Milk, and Fonterra Enterprises. NZMP is the worlds largest dairy ingredients company which focuses on separating milk to its various components and then marketing these components. New Zealand Milk is the business unit manufacturing dairy based consumer and branded food products, while Fonterra Enterprises comprises an innovative venture and growth businesses supporting Fonterras core business activities. Since the merger there have been a number of acquisitions. Fonterra has a 50 percent stake in Australian dairy producer, Bonlac Foods Ltd, and has undertaken the formal merger of both companies consumer products operations in Australia and New Zealand. Other acquisitions and strategic alliances include joint ventures with Nestlà © through Dairy Partners Americas in South and Central America, Dairy Farmers of America with DairiConcepts in the US, Britannia Industries Ltd in India, and Arla Foods in the UK. A handicap of traditional cooperatives is their orientation toward producers and lack of consumer awareness. However, this is changing as cooperatives discover more suitable market-oriented strategies and increasingly operate in global markets. Although capital constraints have been a primary barrier to internationalization, risk aversion is one of the most important factors discouraging the extent of internationalization (Buccola  et al., 2001). The Fonterra Cooperative Group has successfully internationalized, breaking away from most models of traditional cooperatives. Its two distinct businesses structure, specialty ingredients and consumer milk products provides a hedge against fluctuating international dairy prices. Fonterra is a supplier of both consumer product and dairy ingredients. The consumer business, New Zealand Milk, was renamed in 2005 becoming Fonterra Brands. The name change was made to better reflect the companys core brand business. Fonterra is now pursuing a strategy called Winning Through Brands where the Fonterra name and product brand will appear on packaging as an endorsement and its worldwide reputation as a leader in dairy. Fonterra uses its expertise in dairy technology for creating value from milk as both ingredients and consumer dairy products. It is a leader in several country markets for branded consumer products such as milk, cheese, powder milk, butter and yogurt. Fonterra is ranked as the sixth largest dairy company in the world with more than two-thirds of its sales in dairy ingredients, and accounts for more than a third of international trade in dairy (Rabobank International, 2008;  Fonterra, 2007). In addition, Fonterra supplements its New Zealand product s with milk supplies from foreign affiliates to assure a stable supply of products for its customers. 2- FONTERRA PRODUCT INNOVATION ACTIVITY Fonterra views milk with sophistication, seeking to lead the race to develop its nutritional potential by meeting the needs of an increasingly health-conscious world. Science and biology underpins the dairy industry both in on-farm production and in dairy product manufacturing. Biotechnology is the technology that allows Fonterra to modify biological systems, either using natural means or more advanced tools.To develop specialized products, Fonterra uses a health and nutrition team that focus on the unique health benefits of milk-derived bioactives. This team targets specific areas in response to global consumer health concerns namely: immune health, gastrointestinal health, infant nutrition, dermatology, sports health, therapeutics, bone health and animal health. Fonterras concentration on the development of new products to drive growth is evident in both the consumer products and the ingredient business. It established new research and development facilities in 2004 to expand its p otential of new products. Fonterra also established a number of joint research projects with pioneering German vitamin producer BASF. This agreement includes developing dairy-based products for the health ingredients market, and a collaboration to develop customized, instantly-vended convenience foods for a variety of dietary needs, which will be marketed as or point-of-sale individualized foods. 3-FONTERRA PROCESS INNOVATION ACTIVITY Fonterras management states that operational excellence has to be embedded in our culture[3]. An important part of Fonterras global business operations is procurement of raw milk and gaining access to product markets. Fresh milk products, by their perishable and bulky nature, cannot be economically transported across long distances. Furthermore, high trade barriers on dairy products restrain global product movements. Fonterra established several strategic alliances and partners to increase efficiency and flexibility in its global supply chain. Fonterra and Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), the largest milk-collecting cooperative in the US, formed a joint venture company called DairiConcepts which combines DFAs manufacturing sites with Fonterras technological expertise and innovations. DairiConcepts both strengthened Fonterras position in the US market and offered the cooperative the ability to better exploit its new opportunities.In addition to improving efficiencies in its South Ameri can operations, Fonterra established a joint venture with Nestlà © to form Dairy Partners Americas. Comprising over 13 plants in Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and the Americas, with more than two thirds of them ex-Nestlà © staff, Dairy Partners Americas has been successfully implemented in Argentina, Brazil, and Venezuela (Datamonitor, 2008). These and other partnerships provide alternative sources of raw milk for its ingredients business, enable optimization of Fonterras production plan and inventory levels, and ultimately facilitate meeting customer demand in all regional markets MARKETING ACTIVITIES OF FONTERRA COOPERATIVE GROUP Fonterra focuses on conveying the message that it has high quality products stemming from research and development activity, which use healthy, natural and ecologically responsible products that are consistent with Fonterras rural roots. The company takes a science-based approach to developing and promoting these products by employing scientific results found in research studies and commissioning research papers and clinical studies to support its claims. In 2004, a report was published illustrating the positive benefit of feeding fortified milk powders to children. Fonterra aims to establish the image of its products in the minds of young consumers, viewing them as potential life-long consumers. For example, its website for children, (www.milkzone.com), offers interactive games, fun information, contests and links to other milk-related sites. TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT CRITICALLY ANALYSE According to SLACK,N.CHAMBERS,S.JOHNSTON,R.2007 it refers to the listening to customers, indentifying what they want and striving to meet their requirement get it right first time-every time, with zero defects. Peter Drucker writes that The purpose of business lies outside itself-that is creating and satisfying customer. The decision process is central, and structure has to follow strategy and management has to be management by objectives and self control. The search for the genuine keys to success in TQM implementation has become a matter of deep concern to management of companies in the world. Organizational lack of information and data on the critical factors is an obstacle to implementing TQM effectively. So, research studies on the critical factors of TQM implementation are needed. In other words, more data are required so that industries can avoid and prevent the same problems from occurring (companies which adopted TQM ended up failing or dropping the system initiative before it could really take hold), (Lau and Idris, 2001).  Idris and Zairi (2006)  also stated that there is a need for more empirical research to clarify how the TQM evolutionary path is related to critical success conditions within an economic sector, industry, and era. With more empirical proof, an approach to a sustainable quality strategy could be established. More research in the form of a longitudinal approach is also needed since a snapshot d esign alone would not be sufficient to capture success conditions holistically (Idris and Zairi, 2006). However, the success of the TQM research depends on the development of valid and reliable measures which replicate actual TQM practices companies adopt in the real world. Not only should the measurement be consistent within a certain study, but also across many studies (Jitpaiboon and Rao, 2007)   TQM can be studied from three different approaches, contributions from quality leaders, formal evaluation models and empirical research.  Deming (1982,  1986). The use of statistical techniques for quality control, and proposed his 14 principles to improve quality in organizations, based on the following idea- leadership an improvement philosophy, the right production from the beginning, training for managers and employees, internal communication aimed at the elimination of obstacles for cooperation and the suppression of quantitative objectives.  Juran (1986)  pointed out the importance of both technical and managerial aspects, and identified the three basic functions of the quality management process: planning, organization and control, as the stages for quality improvement; he indicated that the aim of the management is to reduce the cost of mistakes, reaching a point where the total costs of quality are minimal improvement.  Crosby (197 9)  defined 14 steps for quality improvement, including top and intermediate management commitment, quality measurement, evaluation of quality costs, corrective action, training, a zero-defect philosophy, objective setting and employee recognition. The research by all these authors shows both strengths and weaknesses, for none of them offers the solutions to all the problems encountered by firms (Dale, 1999), although some common issues can be observed, such as management leadership, training, employees participation, process management, planning and quality measures for continuous improvement. These ideas have exerted an influence upon later studies, in such a way that the literature on TQM has progressively developed from these initial contributions, identifying various elements for effective quality management. Taking the initial research as a basis, the critical factors of TQM found in the literature vary from one author to another, although there is a common core, formed by the following requirements (Claver  et al., 2003),customer focus, leadership, quality planning, management based on facts, continuous improvement, human resource management (involvement of all members, training, work teams and communication systems), learning, process management, cooperation with suppliers and organizational awareness and concern for the social and environmental context. Alongside these factors, identified both in theoretical and empirical studies, there are standardized quality models used by firms in practice as a guide for their implementation, or in order to carry out self-evaluations of their quality practices. The main models are the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award model in the USA, the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) model in Europe and the Deming Application Prize model in Japan. The USA model lists in seven categories the main concepts and values in quality management: leadership, strategic planning, human resources orientation, process management, information and analysis, customer and market focus and business results. The EFQM model consists of the following principles: leadership, employee management, policy and strategy, alliances and resources, process management, people results, customer results, society results and key results (EFQM, 2000). The Japanese model is grouped into ten chapters, which are in turn divided, as in the two previous models, into a number of subcriteria, in the following way- policies, organization, information, standardization, development and usage of human resources, activities ensuring quality, activities for maintenance and control, activities for improvement, results and future plans. These principles, in general, summarize the aspects defined in the literature. Thus, issues related to the participation of employees, staff, work teams and communication, amongst others, may be included within the factor of human resource management. EVALUATE THE MIX OF CONCEPT Impact of supply chain management The maximization of firm value is an accepted goal of all publicly held firms. Value however is not a term well understood by all managers. In his book  The Power of Now, the CEO of Tibco Software, Vivek  Ranadive (1999)  explains that many business executives confuse value with profit. Ranadive makes the distinction by saying profit is a consequence of creating value. Ranadive emphasizes that creating customer value is one of the few existing differentiators that can create competitive advantage while the other classic differentiators outlined by Michael Porter and others cost leadership, quality, focus and speed have themselves become commodities. They are simply the price of market entry (Ranadive, 1999). Thus, firms must seek other avenues to build value for their customers. Many firms have turned to supply chain management (SCM) to give them a competitive advantage in the twenty-first century. A supply chain includes all the activities, functions and facilities involved (either directly or indirectly) in the flow and transformation of goods and services from the material stage to the end-user (Russell and Taylor, 2000, p. 373;  Handfield and Nichols, 1999, p. 2). SCM aims to integrate the various structures and processes of the supply chain, facilitating and coordinating the flow of goods and services and the flow of information necessary to provide the value that customers demand. The need for such coordination grows out of several trends in the marketplace. Globalization has led to the availability of a vast set of alternative sources of materials and other inputs as well as a wider array of potential customers. Customers changing expectations regarding value of goods and services, combined with advances in technology and the availability of information, have driven the formation of new forms of inter-organizational relationships (Handfield and Nichols, 1999, p. 5 ). Such factors have stimulated changes in the nature of organizations supply chains and have led to an emphasis on coordination and integration of supply chain activities.