Gothic and Romanesque Cathedrals Essay -- Architecture History Essays

Gothic and Romanesque Cathedrals The Romanesque style transformed into the Gothic style during the Middle Ages. This happened for many reasons. The Romanesque period was a time of trial and error while the Gothic period was a time of advancements in inventions. Religion was an important factor in the shift between Romanesque and Gothic. The locations of the two types of cathedrals also contributed toward the change between Romanesque and Gothic, as well as the power of the relics and the community to raise funds for the Gothic cathedrals. There are several reasons the architecture of the cathedral changed from Romanesque to Gothic in the Middle Ages. The Romanesque period lasted from 1000 to 1200 AD. Today's France was the center of Romanesque architecture and the birthplace of one of the most beutiful features of medieval architecture, the ambulatory with radiating chapels. "Romanesque is the name we give to christian architecture in Western Europe from the end of the Roman Empire to about the close of the twelfth century. It is the architecture of a long period of struggle, suffering, and invenion leading to two centuries of glorious achievement." There are many reasons that the Romanesque cathedrals were built. They were built not only as a place of worship, but also to house the shrines of the relics brought back from the Holy Land by the Crusades. The remains of saints and martyrs attracted thousands of pilgrims seeking pardon from sins or miraculous cures or wished simply to pay homage to a favorite saint. The Romanesque period was an age of new and experimental architecture. One advancement in construction was the shift to all-stone structure that replaced the timber ceilings that caused many churches to burn down. One experimental architectural style was the use of stone barrel and groined vaults in the early Romanesque church. The stone vaulting let the architects build on a larger scale than before. The Gothic style emerged out of architectual style of the Romanesque cathedrals. The Gothic style started in northern France and spread throughout medieval Europe. The two styles of architecture were similar in many ways but also "The difference between Gothic and Romanesque architecture is the spiritual approach. In Romanesque,the emphasis was on transcendental and feudalistic systems whereas in the Gothic this approach was humanized and... ...le. They were successful at accomplishing this that not only did the cathedral serve its purpose of providing church services for the people, but also began to symbolize a commanding position in the lives of men and women. In conclusion, the Romanesque period of architecture transformed into the Gothic period of architecture for amny reasons. The shift occurred because of the inventions that the Gothic architects created, the locations of the two different styles of architecture, the raising of money for the cathedrals, and the competitiveness between the communities to havea better, bigger cathedral. Works Cited: Brooks, Chris.The Gothic Revival. London:Phaidon Press Ltd.,1999. Erlande, Alain. The Cathedral:The Social andArchitectual Dynamics of construction.New York:Cambridge University press,1994. Simson von,Otto. The Gothic Cathedral: Origins of Gothic Architecture and the Medieval Concept of Order. Princeton:Princeton University press,1988. Cathedrals. Kristen Schank. 5 dec. 1995. http://www5.palmnet.net/eschank/cathedral.html Gothic Architecture in England:The cathedrals. Amy Johansen. 9 may 1999. http://members.tripod.com/gothic_architecture/index.html

Globalisation and Free Trade Essay

Globalisation, also referred to as global integration is an important economic concept used to understand the economic, structural, political and cultural changes that have occurred in the world today. Globalisation is argued to have shaped the post-war world. Globalisation can be defined as the increase of interconnectedness between countries through international trade. The reduced policy barriers to trade and investment in the public sector and the reduced communication and transportation costs in the private sector are believed to be the main driving force behind globalisation (Frankel, 2006). Due to globalisation, the concept of free trade operates. Free trade is a policy where countries are able to trade freely with each other as there are no tariffs applied to imports and no quotas or subsidies applied to exports. According to the law of comparative advantage, the free trade policy allows both countries to gain mutually from trade – increasing economic growth. The increase in inequality and job losses which is occurring around the world is argued to be as a result of global logic of competitive profit-making management techniques of outsourcing and corporate migrations, atomisation, downsizing and widespread technological progress which all came about as a result of globalisation and free trade (Ukpere and Slabbert, 2007) Due to some consequences of globalisation, movements were formed against it (Krugman et al, 2012). The anti-globalisation movements argue that although globalisation increases the overall income of a country however the benefits are not equally distributed between the citizens. This widens income disparities which brings up social and welfare issues and could also limit the forces which drive economic growth as opportunities brought about as a result of globalisation may not be fully taken advantage of. Maintaining citizens support is important in order to sustain globalisation, however support shown by citizens could largely be influenced by the rising level of inequality (Subir Lall et al, 2012). The Ricardian Model of comparative advantage states that goods are produced competitively using one factor of production; labour, utilising constant-returns-to-scale technologies that vary across countries and goods (Deardorff,2007) . The Ricardian model puts forward that countries would export the good in which they have comparative advantage which is determined by opportunity cost, labour cost and labour productivity. A country has a comparative advantage in the production of a good if the opportunity cost of producing that good in terms of other goods is lower in that country than it is in other countries (Krugman et al, 2012). The Ricardian model illustrates a world with two countries, A and B which both utilise a single factor of production – labour in producing good X and Y respectively. Assuming country A has comparative advantage in producing good X, then country A should specialise in the production of good X and would export it to country B. Since it is more cost effective for country B to import good X , Production of good X would decline in country B leading to a reduction in the demand for labour. As a result workers would lose their jobs leaving them with less disposable income – increasing inequality. As a result of globalisation, the cost of communication between countries is low, reducing the cost of controlling the geographically dispersed parts of an organisation. This allows organisations identify countries which have low production costs and set up branches in such countries in order to exploit the low production costs. This is referred to as outsourcing. Through this fragmentation of industry, the host countries are able to pursue their comparative advantage and maximise the use of their resources. However due to outsourcing, the movement of production to the host country causes people in the foreign country to be laid off their jobs as there is a decline in the demand for labour, increasing job losses and also the inequality gap. The factor-proportions theory stresses the importance of the interaction between the proportions of the factors of production that are utilised by countries in production and the proportion of the factors of production the country possesses (Krugman et al, 2012). The Hecksher- Ohlin model is a version of the factor-proportions theory . The model assumes that the country that is abundant in a factor exports the good whose production is intensive in that factor and can be referred to as â€Å"2 by 2 by 2†: Two factors of production, two goods, two countries (Krugman et al, 2012). Assuming we have two countries, country A and B which utilise two factors of production; labour and land to produce goods X(labour intensive) and Y(land intensive) respectively. The Hecksher-Ohlin model states that If country A has abundance of Labour and country B has abundance of land then country A would be effective in the production of good X and country B would be effective in the production of good Y. The Hecksher-Ohlin model purports that owners of abundant factors benefit from international trade and owners of scarce factor would lose from trade. Owners of the scarce factor would then be forced to lay off some workers – leading to disparities in the distribution of income which increases inequality (Krugman et al, 2012). The Stopler- Samuelson theory describes an interaction between relative factor rewards and the relative prices of goods. The theory purports that under some economic conditions (perfect competition, constant returns, equal number of goods produced to equal number of factors) the rise in market price of a good would result in an rise in the return to that factor that is most intensively utilised in producing that good whereas a reduction in the return to the other factor occurs. Due to free trade, there are reduced tariffs on imports and as a result, there is a decrease in the price of imported goods that are high skill-intensive reducing compensation of limited high-skilled workers. Also, there in as increase in the price of exported goods which the country has abundant factor, that are low skill-intensive and the compensation of low-skilled workers. In a developed country with relatively abundant high-skill factors the opposite would occur with a rise in openness resulting in higher inequality. Inequality is argued to be rising amongst countries. The differences between the global poor and global rich continues to increase (Haines, 2001). The income share of the richest quintile is increasing whilst the income share of the rest of the quintiles is decreasing. Although globalisation is argued to be largely responsible for the increase in job losses and inequality, we can also argue that technological progress has contributed to some extent. Technological progress is responsible for the increasing gap between the skilled and unskilled workforce as it puts greater importance on worker skills. As a result of this, in most countries skilled workers are paid significantly higher wages than unskilled workers as a result leading to differences in income distribution. Also, in most households nowadays, we’ll find that most people use telephones and computers, making it possible for individuals to purchase a wide range of goods and services from a global supply chain. Countries that sell goods and services at a lower price compared to other countries tend to have comparative advantage in producing the good according to the Ricardian Model. As individuals we tend to then purchase goods from the country which sells it at the lowest price when compared to other countries. These current patterns have led to a large section of the labour market withering away, increasing inequality and job losses amongst countries (Martin and Schumann, 1997). Samuelson (2004) indicated that using the Ricardian model, with two goods and two countries with different levels of productivity, technological progress in the lagging country would benefit the latter and the more developed country would end up losing from international trade. This reduces the mutual benefits from international trade – increasing inequality. In order to decrease the rising inequality and job losses the government should make providing easy and free access to education a matter of high importance. This gives unskilled and low income groups an opportunity to take advantage of opportunities which arise from globalisation as a result they would be able to lessen the disparities in income distribution and have more job opportunities (Subir Lall et al, 2012). Globalisation is believed to have significantly contributed to the increase in the overall wealth amongst countries however it has a disequalizing effect as access to wealth between the rich and poor segments of the population is unequal. Government should put in place policy reforms which are aimed at opening up access to finance, developing institutions that encourage lending to the low income groups in order to enhance the general distribution of income, which in turn helps to support the overall growth of the economy.

Anchorman Movie Quotes

Anchorman is a crazy comedy that focuses on important issues that emerged in the 1970s—womens liberation being one of them. The movie is subtitled The Legend of Ron Burgundy. When the movie opens, Ron is the most happening anchorman in San Diego. As the character Bill Lawson says, He was like a god walking among mere mortals. All this changes when Veronica Corningstone enters the scene, wanting to be the top anchorwoman. Ron Burgundy cannot accept it. He is incredulous that a woman could aspire to become an anchorman. There is a constant battle between Ron and Veronica throughout the film. Read these Anchorman movie quotes and get a glimpse into this funny film. Ron Burgundy I love scotch. Scotchy, scotch, scotch. Here it goes down, down into my belly.Im a man who discovered the wheel and built the Eiffel Tower out of metal and brawn. Thats what kind of man I am. Youre just a woman with a small brain. With a brain a third the size of us. Its science.Well, I could be wrong, but I believe, uh, diversity is an old, old wooden ship that was used during the Civil War era.Youre so wise. Youre like a miniature Buddha, covered with hair.Im in a glass case of emotion! Veronica Corningstone Oh, Ron, there are literally thousands of men that I should be with instead, but I am 72 percent sure that I love you! Brian Fantana No, she gets a special cologne ... Its called Sex Panther by Odeon. Its illegal in nine countries.  Yep, its made with bits of real panther, so you know its good. Champ Kind I woke up on the floor of some Japanese familys rec room, and they would NOT stop screaming!  We need you. Hell, I need you. Im a mess without ya. I miss you  so damn much. I miss being with you. I miss being near you! I miss your laugh! I miss your scent. I miss your musk. When this all gets sorted out, I think you and me should get an apartment together. Bill Lawson Bob Dylan once wrote, The times, they are a-changin. Ron Burgundy had never heard that song.  There was a time, a time before cable, when the local anchorman reigned supreme. When people believed everything they heard on TV. This was an age when only men were allowed to read the news. And in San Diego, one anchorman was more man than the rest. His name was Ron Burgundy. He was like a god walking amongst mere mortals. He had a voice that could make a wolverine purr and suits so fine they made Sinatra look like a hobo. In other words, Ron Burgundy was the balls. Brick Tamland Im Brick Tamland. People seem to like me because I am polite and I am rarely late. I like to eat ice cream and I really enjoy a nice pair of slacks. Years later, a doctor will tell me that I have an IQ of 48 and am what some people call mentally retarded. Tino We have a saying in my country: – The coyote of the desert likes to eat the heart of the young and the blood drips down to his children for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Wes Mantooth At the bottom of my gut, with every inch of me, I plain, straight hate you. But dammit, do I respect you!

The Role of Childrens Books in Education Essay - 1573 Words

From the time a child is born, the task of the parents and society is to educate that child. If a child has no learning they will not survive. Parents are responsible for give a child the learning that they need. Since no one parent or person can correctly show children all things and since children need some entertaining people have taken the opportunities to put together books and childrens programs to aid in the education of the children. From parent seminars, to books and movies, to even games consoles, children are not only being taught the basic concepts of the world, shapes, colors, language, but they are also being taught the norms and values of a particular society. This essay will look into what the childrens materials of†¦show more content†¦Most childrens material used Bible stories and life lessons to give children the lessons of life. Books like Aesops Fables2 and Childrens Stories of the Bible3 children are taught things such as perserverance, hard work, patience, and obedience. Aesops Fables teach children important lessons about how to live their lives. The stories vary from The Hare and the Tortoise, to Briar Rabbit, and The Ant and the Grasshopper. each of these stories are presented to children to teach them the lesson of perserverance by seeing how the tortoise never gave up and because of the haughtiness and pride of the hare, the tortoise won the race. The child that hears or reads this st ory may not realize that they are being taught lessons, but they will still begin to learn that pride and haughty attitudes will cause them to lose things that are important, while perseverance will lead to gain. obediences the other stories teach respect for others things, that disobedience will lead to trouble, and that hard work will take you further than laziness. Similarly, the Childrens Stories of the Bible, which used to be a staple in most schools and homes, teaches the stories of the Bible characters, but also teaches the values that are taught in the stories. This book teaches the story of David and Goliath. Not only does it tell about how David did an amazing feat by defeating the giant but also teaches children to stand upShow MoreRelatedClass Dismissed By Meredith Maran1029 Words   |  5 Pagesthe excerpt from a book entitled Class Dismissed, Meredith Maran discusses that students’ parents should spend more time on getting involved in their children’s ed ucation. At first, the author states that if students want to be successful, their parents and schools should play important roles. However, there is a big trouble that parents have different opinion over getting involved in children’s education. Some parents are willing to get involved in their children’s education because they have enoughRead MoreLiterature for Children in the 19th Century909 Words   |  4 PagesLiterature for children in the 19th century Since the view of childhood changes in the nineteenth century, the potential of children’s literature becomes evident. With the reference to the sources of children’s literature, they can be traced back to alterations in translation and in the literature for adults, where a child or childhood are essential concepts; moreover folk literature is concerned to be a wide source for this literary genre. According to Peter Hunt Children before theRead MoreLiterature Is At The Heart Of The Australia English Curriculum And Literacy1180 Words   |  5 Pagesheart of the Australia English Curriculum and is integral to the teaching of language and literacy. Discuss how the children’s literature can be used to develop an understanding of the components of the language? Children’s literature has existed for as long as there have been stories to be told to children. Stories, books, songs, poems are all made for children. Children’s literature does not have a definite definition of what it is; basically, it is anything a child reads (Lerer, 2008)Read MoreLiterature for Children in the 19th Century897 Words   |  4 PagesLiterature for children in the 19th century Since the view of childhood changes in the nineteenth century, the potential of children’s literature becomes evident. With the reference to the sources of children’s literature, they can be traced back to alterations in translation and in the literature for adults, where a child or childhood are essential concepts; moreover folk literature is concerned to be a wide source for this literary genre. According to Peter Hunt Children beforeRead MoreClass Dismissed By Meredith Maran1027 Words   |  5 Pagesadapted from a book entitled Class Dismissed, Meredith Maran argues that parental help and involvement play key roles in students’ success. Both students and schools need their parents’ cooperation to ensure this success. According to the author, the wise ways to invest time and money are important for parents to help their children gain better futures. The author mentions that parents who devote more time and effort are those who believe that schools and education will improve their children’s chancesRead MoreWhen Children Are Young Their Parents Are The Number One1617 Words   |  7 Pages When children are young their parents are the number one teacher and role model in their world. They guide the development of their young children and provide a context in which they will grow from positive and negative experiences that will later shape their development. The home en vironment includes the impact of socioeconomic status (SES), parental beliefs of reading and support (Yeo, Ong Ng, 2014). SES plays a large part in what tools the home environment has to offer to young childrenRead MoreGender, Stereotypes, And Stereotypes Essay1434 Words   |  6 Pagesinfamously known for deviating from the established way of life. Millennials have put gender roles under fire, deeming it a form of segregation and discrimination by gender. Researchers have followed suit. Mimicking millennial interests, numerous studies have been published that detail the relationship between gender, stereotypes, and the effects of the relationship between the two. Furthermore, gender roles have been used as a lens to study socialization; tremendous amounts of interest have promptedRead MoreParental Involvement And Children s Educational Success1564 Words   |  7 PagesInvolvement and Children’s Educational Success Over the past years, most studies on the educational success of a child have focused on the factors that are within the control of the child. They are factors that are directly caused by the child himself such as the level of motivation, discipline level, hard work and the company he keeps. Only a few researchers have focused on the role parents play in the determination of the success that children have in academics. Despite their role being obscure inRead MoreIts Time to STOP Banning Books Essay1383 Words   |  6 Pagesabout; for example, sex education is taught in schools more in depth and at an earlier age today than in the past to make it easier for people to talk about sex in a more mature manner. Banning books that contain sexual content, vulgarity, and violence give children and young adults a reason to snicker about these topics when discussed in class because we are taught that these topics are not appropriate to talk about publicly. There are many factors that play a m ajor role in how an individual perceivesRead MoreParents and Education Essay1172 Words   |  5 PagesParents and Education I am writing primarily to parents who have children in elementary school and high school, but teachers, librarians, and other members of school staff ought to listen as well. My position is that both parents should be closely involved in the school life of all their children. Education is a very important part of all societies and cultures. The education system plays a key role in the early lives of all citizens of the United States of America. The nature and extent

Cars Past Present and Future - 2166 Words

Cars: past, present amp; future Throughout the history of the automobile, there has been one factor that has determined its evolution. That factor, quite simply, is innovation. Every once in a while, there comes along a car that is so revolutionary, and has features so unique that the entire industry soon follows. This paper will help u understand how this process works, but to help you understand better ill take u back to when cars came from thought to reality , then I’ll show u how far we have come sense then and what u can expect to come in the future. Our journey first begins in 1886with a German engineer Karl Benz who produced the world’s first production car, the Benz Motorwagen. In the period from the late 1800s until the early†¦show more content†¦Since then cars have made much progress and we now travel in air-conditioned sedans fitted with gadgets and gizmos like car radios, cigarette lighters and such. Cars today are not just a mode of transport, but also a luxury item, one to be ridden in comfort, one in which one can take a nap in. At last we come to cars in the future. In the next month, the next year, the next millennium, cars will definitely experience significant changes. Hey things dont stay the same through time, and cars dont, either. We cant predict what the future will be like, but i sure can show you what it might be like. Lets start with nitrogen-powered cars. Elemental nitrogen has a very low boiling point. As a result of this, when liquid nitrogen is stored in a pressure controlled environment, it stores a large amount of potential energy. In the LN2000 liquid nitrogen powered concept car, being developed at the University of Washington, the liquid fuel is let out of a pressurized tank, preheated by an economizer which takes heat from the exhaust before it quickly vaporizes, expanding rapidly in an endothermic reaction. This expanding gas is converted into energy that moves the wheels of the converted mail truck by a 15 hp radial air motor. As nitrogen gas is the main element in air, and pure nitro gen gas is the only product of the reaction involved, there is no pollution produced by running this car. The main problem thatShow MoreRelatedEssay on Criminal Justice Trends Evaluation1584 Words   |  7 PagesCriminal Justice Trends Evaluation Paper Jerry J Lynch Jr February 20, 2012 CJA/394 - Contemporary Issues and Futures in Criminal Justice Darren Gil, Faculty University of Phoenix Criminal Justice Trends Evaluation The criminal justice field is an ever evolving field. As today’s technology changes so does the way the criminal justice field interacts with that technology. As our society changes the technology that we use will also be altered to fit the situation. 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According to the statement by Hilliary Clark, â€Å"the process of self – othering†Read MoreThe Final Element Of A Contract1743 Words   |  7 Pagesmust be present / future. Past consideration is not acceptable. For example: A buy a car from B. After they had finished their contract, A asked B for some assurances about the condition of the car given by B, but it comes to false. If A Sued B for the damages, claiming a breach of warranty, still B wins because the contract has already over when the promises were made, and there was no consideration. So, Consideration should be of the present or the future not the past. The present and future considerationRead MoreForensic, Deliberative, and Ceremonial Arguments Essay example1039 Words   |  5 Pagesanything. An argument has two sides, and conveying an opinion is one of those two sides. Arguments sort out the views of others and the support of those arguments represented by those people from past events. These events l et others show their argument about what will happen in the future, and of how the future carries on today. Newspaper articles can be arguments, and laws being passed in Congress have a form of argument associated with them. There are many types of arguments that are presented in manyRead MoreLearning from Others993 Words   |  4 PagesMe! There is something I have observed as I have grown, and that is, if we value our own lives and generations after us, we must learn from others to better our future. There are many things from which we can learn throughout our lives. In particular, we can learn from the past, present, and our future generations. In the past we have had many horrific tragedies including the Holocaust which occurred during World War II in 1945, and the bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. The pain and sufferingRead MoreFuture Of Self Driving Cars Research Papers2095 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿ Future of Cars Sindura Gouni, Sravanthi Jupally Wilmington University ESL203 Suzanne,m. February 23, 2015 In the technology world, the latest advancement is only as good as the next thing coming down the line. The auto industry is constantly bringing us new technologies, whether it be for safety, entertainment, usefulness or simply for pure innovation (Neiger,C.). Unless you re an inveterate walker or a mass-transit rider, you probably spend more time in your car each week thanRead More Environmental Ethics Essay1241 Words   |  5 PagesEnvironmental Ethics   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is a strong belief of mine that the responsibility of protecting the environment is much greater on today’s generation than is was for past generations. 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Research on First Nation People

Question: Discuss about theResearch on First Nation People. Answer: Introduction: First nation people in Canada are the inheritors of the original natives of Canada who used to live three for many hundreds of year before the Europeans arrived to explore. First nation people in Canada were used to be called as Indians as explorers of Europe when landed in North America, they thought that place as India. However, most of the people who misnamed as Indians prefer to be called as First Nations now. The term First nation or Aboriginal involves Metis and Inuit people. There are 617 communities in Canada, who belong to first nation (Simon et al., 2014). First Nation Peoples Contribution: First nation people in Canada always played very crucial role in the development of Canada. In the beginning, the economies of first nations were subsistence and organized around hunting, fishing and gathering activities. However, later, they expanded the prospect for trade and formalization of fur trade. They made a significant contribution towards social assistance and health care followed by trade and retail, construction and administration (Scott, 2013). Name of a First Nation Person: One of the first nation people among others is Abishabis. He was a religious leader in Cree First Nation and led the religious movement of millenarian. The philosophy of that movement was to mix up the Christian belief and Cree belief. References: Scott, T. (2013). Hidden in Plain Sight: Contributions of Aboriginal Peoples to Canadian Identity and Culture.British Journal of Canadian Studies,26(1), 154. Simon, J., Burton, K., Lockhart, E., O'Donnell, S. (2014). Post-secondary distance education in a contemporary colonial context: Experiences of students in a rural First Nation in Canada.The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning,15(1).

Major Trends affecting IBM Australia

Organizations that embrace the needs of a changing environment are more open to the fact that they can react fast to their opportunities and threats. This is why it is normally said that a single external factor will most of the times affect all business aspects within its sector and line of operation.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Major Trends affecting IBM Australia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More But should the management decide that they need to change by perceiving the needs of these external effects, they will outdo the competition and surely come out on top. IBM is a computer manufacturing company that has undergone some changes in its quest to be the leading computer company (IBM n. d). IBM has strived in all aspects to be a major household name but their efforts fall short in a number of ways. Major factors that influence IBM in Australia are environmental and technological. These are referred to as contingency factors. When structuring in Australia, IBM needed to design itself in a way that it would accommodate external and internal factors. This is clearly seen under IBM where the parent company exercised strong control by deploying decentralization in decision making and electing managers who are nationals from the parent’s headquarters. Normally most managers are nationals of the host country. IBM came up with a form of management commonly referred to as geocentric management. The IBM organizational structure is normally in a cosmopolitan with minimum concentration of decision making or employees not bound by geographical location or race. Business and society are closely related to each other (Jain, Trehan Trehan 2009). IBM Australia was affected by a number of external trends. Most of these comprised of pressure for globalization, environmental uncertainty, integration and differentiation, competitors, customers, regulatory agencies, human resource markets, cultur al influences and physical resources. It is almost impossible for an organization to explore the aspects of its environment fully. External environment of a business is the area of the business environment outside the business which affects the growth and the existence of the business (Corry, 2003). When considering the external environment, the most important aspects are:Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Pressure for globalization: This is the pressure on the subsidiary companies to work together in a bid to integrate and connect economically, socially and politically across various geographical regions (Marcic Daft 2011). This was done in a bid to make the employees in these organizations and their countries become interdependent. Environmental uncertainty: This is another aspect that has affected IBM in that the company not in a position to predict the set of forces and conditions outside the organizational boundaries. These forces have played a great role in affecting the way IBM does its operations and has also shaped the organization’s behavior. The need for understanding the external environment is seen to be tied with uncertainty, which highlights that it should not only be understood for security but also to minimize the risk imposed by it (Fitzen 2009). The forces are also seen to change over time depending on the economic, social and political systems across countries, culture and geographical locations. Economics tends to emulate the concept defined as the production, distribution, and allocation of resources in a given geographical location. The organization is under the influence of the various regulatory guidelines that check various institutions. When operating in an economy which enjoys stability, an organization is able to thrive and withstand outside forces. If IBM engages in trade with countries that are not economically or politically stable, it will be engaging in a dangerous form of business in that it risks doing business without assurance of getting returns if at all there are any returns. Competitors: IBM was recognized as the world’s leading computer hardware manufacturer. They focused on hardware development and avoided the software development aspect. Due to this move, they were outshined by Microsoft’s entry into the software market and the coming in of other gadget manufacturing companies who had seen a raw market in the computer hardware. Some of these companies included Toshiba, HP, Apple Inc. and Mackintosh. IBM market share suffered a blow with the entry of new competitors, considering the fact that they had overlooked the software development aspect which by then was really booming and also helped catapult the Microsoft Corporation to being the world’s software giant developer.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Major Trends affecting IBM Austra lia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This type of segmentation (concentrating on one line of production) made their competitive advantage decline. Advanced technology: In a bid to remain in business, IBM had to make machines which were compatible to the Microsoft software since Microsoft had already become a household name and almost all machines in the world were using Microsoft products. This made the IBM Corporation conform to its competitor’s tune thus seeming like they had some form of informal deal. However, by manufacturing machines which were not subjected to one form of software, IBM increased their sales and their revenue started improving. IBM also took to developing machines that were both productive and attractive to the eyes (IBM n.d). This was also a key feature that customers were looking for when buying machines. Corporate companies were offered discounts on large orders and this was seen as a comeback strategy for the IBM Corporation. By offering free samples and after sales services, IBM was sure on its way to regaining the top position. Relationships between trends and strategic approach Factors affecting the external environment may call for intervention by the management team. A clear understanding of these factors is not only vital for security purposes but also for minimizing risks that could have been brought about by the assumptions of these factors. Formulation of strategies to curb the effects of the external environment’s aspect is laid down. At this point, the two are merged: the effects of external aspects and the strategic approaches. IBM was keen to highlight the needs of the changing environment, their implications and reacted more quickly to the opportunities and threats. This is the first of strategy formulation. A single force or condition of an external event affects all the firms within that sector in equal measure (Gorshkov, 2005).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More IBM realized this and reacted to the factors of the external environment and in turn came to the forefront in raising the flag of competitive advantage high. One of the elements of operational excellence is being always ahead of your competitors. IBM in its bid to perform never neglected this factor. Consideration should not only be given to the external events that form the external environment but also to the strategic approaches that go a long way in securing firms from risks and further alteration of the tasks, roles, relationships and organizational structure. Without strategies and goals, it is difficult to make proper decisions that lead to problem solving. Without a problem or a course of action, it is impossible to formulate strategies; therefore, there is a relationship between the factors of the external environment and the strategic approaches that have to be implemented with an intention of gaining competitive advantage. In a bid to restore its declining market share, I BM decided that it was time to restructure the organization. The management went into an in-depth planning and strategizing process where they identified and selected appropriate goals and courses of action. This kind of strategy was vital in attaining organizational goals and ensuring competitive advantage. The IBM incorporated a SWOT analysis, a planning exercise, where they identified their strengths and weakness inside the organization and opportunities and threats in the environment. Top managers at the corporate level made decisions that were in regard to the overall organizational structure and promoted deserving employees to management level in a bid to bring in new innovative ideas while showing their support for the employees. A plan of action to take advantage of favorable opportunities was incorporated hence the long term divisional goals made allowed for disintegration of the sales and marketing department into smaller sub-divisions in order to increase productivity and make it easy to monitor. A functional strategy was put in place to help managers of individual functions add value to IBM’s goods and services. Low cost strategy formulation helped in driving IBM’s total cost of their products down to a level lower than that of its rivals in a bid to restore their market share which was declining. The company restructured the entire sales and marketing department. This change in organizational structure made the company move from its present state towards some desired future state, in a bid to increase its efficiency and effectiveness. An effective sales and marketing department helped in customer retention and acquisition. A good foundation of customer intimacy helps outperform other organizations because it produces desired goods or services more efficiently and effectively than its competitors. The sales and marketing department was a vital organ in IBM’s corporate restructuring. The marketing department was in charge of cre ating new selling ideas and sourcing for new businesses both locally and internationally. The marketing department also had the task of enforcing the company’s brand and image. The marketing department was charged with the duties of conducting studies as to what the customers were looking for when they were buying computers. They extensively created awareness of the existing products and services thus creating a good rapport and customer relationships binding them together. The sales team was solely responsible for driving the company’s sales revenue up in a bid to maximize on the profits. Restructuring the sales and marketing department reinforced synergy. This encouraged team work which in turn enhanced performance, increased responsiveness to customers, increased innovation, motivation and customer satisfaction (building blocks of competitive advantage). These factors pooled together helped IBM gain a competitive advantage against its competitors, taking it a notch higher as it produced goods and services more efficiently and effectively. This strategic approach was able to counter the external forces and conditions curbing the threats and challenges that would have caused IBM’s poor market performance. IBM formed a product creation department that was solely responsible for looking into what the competition had brought into the market and creating something much better and more advanced than their competitors. A creative employee workforce is the key to innovation. Product differentiation is a business level strategy that IBM used to distinguish its products from those of its competitors in one or more dimensions. The overall change in design and quality of products made IBM better placed in the market. They also offered after sales service as a way of acquiring and retaining their customers. IBM’s management focused on outcomes that led to higher motivation and job satisfaction of the staff. Motivation is a key aspect as worker attitude towards managers plays a great role in the level of workers’ performance. A motivated and satisfied workforce known to yield better performance as compared to a coerced and demotivated workforce. The company established task and authority relationships that allowed people to work to achieve organizational goals. The overall job design led to appropriate division of labor resulting to an efficient and effective workforce. The people process was intense also in that they reconsidered when hiring new graduates and had a set a standard of the entry points. Managers engaged in activities to develop a pool of candidates to fill up the open vacancies. Employees were recruited on basis of their qualifications and potential to perform in line with the company’s standards. This special selection of qualified employees is an important strategic approach which IBM’s management used to ensure a rich and effective workforce. Impact on recruitment, selection, trainin g and development Recruitment is the process that managers in their given position engage in to develop a pool of candidates with an intention of filling up open positions (Marcic Daft 2011). Recruitment is vital as it gives qualified people an opportunity to serve and showcase their talent and creative nature in a professional manner. During the time employees perform and deliver, they are doing so in a bid to better the organization they are working for. Selection is the process that managers use or follow to determine the relative qualifications of job seekers or applicants and their potential for performing well in a particular job. This has seen the coming in of new graduates who have new, creative and innovative ideas. This is generally transformed into new products which are readily accepted and available in the market. Innovation is vital in ensuring competitive advantage. IBM realized this and entered into a session of recruiting and selecting based on the graduatesâ€℠¢ qualifications and potential to perform well in the jobs that were assigned to them. This increase in the employee base meant an increase in productivity, which led to increased revenue for the company. IBM had to pay more in terms of salary and wages but it was a sacrifice that was worth making. The IBM’s management had talked about not wanting to downsize the workforce but come up with strategies on how they could restructure without firing. This was supported by the services industry because whether there were sales made or not the service department had jobs because they did not only service the IBM machines but all computer machines in general. Training is a process where organizational members are taught to perform current jobs. They are coached and helped to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to be effective performers. Development compliments training as it involves building the knowledge and skills (acquired through training) of organizational members to en able them take on new responsibilities, challenges and threats. By training the new graduates, IBM was able to experience a revitalized system and they were on the track of competing on a level playing field. The new software and hardware engineers were very vital in determining the next phase of the organization. These were referred to as the â€Å"special ones† for they had new brilliant ideas which were very well embraced and received not only in the organization, but also in the market. Had IBM not specialized on one product, probably they would not have fallen in the kind of predicament they were in. Diversification was of great importance and the then CEO should have known that. The fact that they did not see the competition coming their way can be termed as sheer ignorance by the top management and complete lack of vision for the IBM organization. IBM management department engaged in the above activities to attract and retain employees, ensuring they performed at a hig h level thus contributing to the accomplishment of their goals postulated in its mission and vision statements. After a process of recruiting, selection, training and development, employees were evaluated on their job performance and contributions to the organization (performance appraisal). This process of evaluation helps to keep employees on their toes and ensure that they are ‘hands on’ at work (Daft 2008). In an effort to see positive development take place, change is inevitable. The external environment is highlighted as one of the key elements that influence the day-to-day running of a firm’s operation. It is therefore important to understand this kind of environment so as to minimize the risks, challenges and threats offered by uncertainty created by the external environment. Strategic approaches have to be put in place in cases where implications of this kind of environment occur (Kaswethappa 2010). Changes in the three factors that affect the structure of a country; economic-dependent issues, socially-influenced factors and a politically-determined environment have to be monitored as they play a key role in creating changes in the external environment. The management team was essential in coming up with new structural changes which involved people, process and also technology. This was in turn boosted by the rate at which technology was growing thus an increase in demand for computers. It is however almost impossible for IBM to have the controlling market share that they once enjoyed. This is due to the bad decisions made by the management that was there before the changes were implemented. Also a competitive pension package was one of the motivating things that were introduced in a bid to make the employees feel that they were appreciated. When it came to lying off staff, the old were settled their dues first for it was more difficult for them to get jobs elsewhere compared to the young vibrant generation that had opted to resign in a bid to join the competition and make quick bucks instead. IBM is still a company to reckon with and a force in the IT industry and even though they have suffered a minor setback, they still are as strong as ever. Many graduates dream of working there in a bid to sharpen their skills and learn more from a world class recognized corporation (IBM 2011). Every company’s policy is in many ways affected by its environment because the accomplishment of its objectives depends largely on the degree of interaction of the enterprise and its environment (Saleem, 2006). IBM Australia has therefore been affected by its environment in its operations in Australia as has been describe above. List of References Corry, C. (2003), Becoming emotionally intelligent. Stafford: Network Educational Press. Daft, R. L. (2008), New era of management, second edition. Mason, OH: Thomson Higher Education. Fitzen, L. (2009), Marketing environment: what factors â€Å"internal â€Å"to an organisation can have an influence on the way it perceives and responds to its external. Germany, GRIN Verlag: Norderstedt. Gorshkov, V. G. (2005) Biotic regulation of the environment. Russia: Petersbough Nuclear Institution. IBM. (2011), About IBM. IBM.COM. [Online] Available at: https://www.ibm.com/au-en/about IBM. (n.d.), IMB products. IBM.COM. [Online] Available at: https://www.ibm.com/au-en/about Jain, T. R. Trehan, M. and Trehan, R. (2009), Business environment, second edition. New Delhi: V.K Enterprises. Kaswethappa, G. K. (2010), Management concepts practice and cases. New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill. Marcic, D. Daft, R. L. (2011), Understanding management. Cengage Learning. Saleem, S. (2006), Business environment. India: Doring Kindersley. This report on Major Trends affecting IBM Australia was written and submitted by user Travis Golden to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.