Psychological Theories of Sophocles Oedipus the King

Psychology and literature are united by a common intent in searching for the universal answers. Philosophy and literature helps to understand the motives of the heroes’ behavior and psychology explains how the poetry affects human emotions.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Psychological Theories of Sophocles’ Oedipus the King specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One of the greatest tragedies of Sophocles, Oedipus the King touches upon a deep psychological theme of the parents-son relations which lately was called the Oedipus complex and the theme of faith as a main key of the human’s life movement. Based a myth, the story begins before Oedipus’ birth when the oracle predicted Laius the King of Thebes the death from the hands of his son in case if he marries with Jocasta. Nevertheless, Laius disobeys the prediction and after the birth of his son, fearing for his life, orders to kill the chil d. Oedipus was left in the mountains but didn’t die. A Corinthian shepherd found the boy and cared about him. He took the boy to the Corinthian king Polybus who gave him the name of Oedipus and cared about him like a father. Suddenly, after many years, Oedipus learns that he was adopted. Asking Oracle about the solution, he is informed about a destiny to kill him father and marry his mother. Trying to avoid the faith, Oedipus leaves his home and goes to another place. However, the destiny can’t be changed. Running away, he travels down a road. He meets a group of people included his real father Laius. Oedipus kills all of them on the road after the arguments. Obviously, Oedipus couldn’t know that one of the men he killed was his real father. Therefore, the first prediction comes true. Oedipus comes to the City of Thebes, marries the queen and becomes a king saying that his â€Å"spirit grieves for the city, for myself and all of you† (Sophocles). Seeing h is responsibility, Oedipus tries to find the king’s murder. He lives happily with his wife for years and has four children. The will of man vs. the will of the Gods as a key characteristic of the whole Greek literature is clearly described by Sophocles. In spite of a will of the protagonist to avoid the prediction, faith is more powerful issue as an instrument of the Gods. Trying to find the murder of Laius, king Oedipus needs to ask the Gods. There is no solution in ancient Greece that can be found without Gods’ help.Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Oedipus asks Oracle from Apollo to help his investigation. And Oracle commands them â€Å"to drive the corruption from the land, and don’t harbor the murderer any longer† (Sophocles). Oedipus learns that he is that murder and his wife, in fact, is his mother. Thereby, the whole prediction has come t rue. Oedipus is a good ruler and honest and decent man. However, according to the ancient Greek literature, nothing can change the faith. King Laius has to be killed by his son and this happens by chance in such random situation. Nobody can prevent this to happen, if there is a faith that Oedipus has to be a murderer of his father. The heroes have no control over their lives. Perhaps, nowadays, an idea of the absolute faith seems quite bizarre, but for the ancient people such attitude was completely reasonable. Segal says that â€Å"the play is a tragedy not only of destiny but also of personal identity: the search for the origins and meaning of our life, our balance between â€Å"one† and â€Å"many† selves† (4). The theme of self-injury and suicide are also connected to the family until the end. Oedipus rightly feels guilty and blinds himself. Sophocles sees only one possible conclusion based on his idea of moral and faith. This physical change also is a symbo l of the internal transformation of the protagonist which comes from the place of king to blinded and abandoned old man. This idea is similar to the biblical story of Samson. The family betrays Oedipus. However, the protagonist accepts this situation just because he is sure of the predictability of his life. It seems that the solution can’t be found and the terrible mistakes of the past will always follow Oedipus’ family. Realizing an impossibility of the change of past, Oedipus can’t achieve other good things, he doesn’t see any perspective. The awful crime of his past destroyed his life forever. Looking back on the life, Oedipus sees that things could be prevented. However, it is the faith and, perhaps, everything would be the same even in case of choosing the way and events.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Psychological Theories of Sophocles’ Oedipus the King specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Obviously, the psychological theory of the Oedipus complex had not been known in the ancient Greece. The psychoanalytical approach of this problem appeared only at the beginning of 20th century. However, such complicated topics and psychological motives of the heroes’ behavior were quite popular among Greek. The conception of the Oedipus complex was produced by the German psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud. He sees Oedipus as a story of the hidden sexual impulses that lead man to dangerous situations (174). Basically, this conception is stated on the sexual attraction to the opposite sex parent and angry attitude to the parent of the same sex. Exploring the psychological stages of personal development, this theory describes a boy’s feelings for his mother and jealously and anger toward his father. A boy sees the life as a competition between him and father for possession of mother. The Oedipus complex represents the universal unconscious sexual attraction t o the child’s parents (Goodrich 182). Nowadays, this conception is a key top of the psychoanalytic theory. Although this theory is called after the tragedy of Sophocles, the main psychological motives of the heroes’ behavior are the hopelessness and conscious subjection to the faith and Gods’ will. If Oedipus has suffered from the complex, he wouldn’t run from his family. He loves his foster father and wants to avoid the prediction. Oedipus’s example is rather a story of the meaningless of life. He lives in a tragic universe where nobody can understand his horrible suffering. Oedipus begins with pride and looses it becoming ashamed and abandoned. He can’t bare his meaningless life and blinds himself. However, Oedipus is the only one who can blame him. He did everything to prevent the tragedy and fatal end. Sophocles clearly defines his protagonist as a hero archetype which starts from the state of knowledge and sacrifices his life in order t o help his family.Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Sophocles doesn’t give us the final answer about a future of the protagonist. The story has no moral lesson. Sophocles’ tragedy Oedipus the King discovers several psychological motives of the human’s behavior where the most acceptable solution is the resignation to the faith and Gods’ will. Works Cited Freud, Sigmund. A General Introduction to Psychoanalysis. Trans. S. Hall. New York: Horace Liveright, 1920. Web. Goodrich, Peter. Oedipus Lex : Psychoanalysis, History, Law. US: University of California Press, 1995. Web. Segal, Charles. Tragic Heroism and the Limits of Knowledge. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001. Web. Sophocles. Oedipus Plays of Sophocles: Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Kolonos, and Antigone. Trans. R. Bagg. Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Press, 2004. Web. This essay on Psychological Theories of Sophocles’ Oedipus the King was written and submitted by user Kyr0n 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.

Christian Ethics - Smart Custom Writing Samples

Christian Ethics - Smart Custom Writing King Henry the FifthHenry’s early life Henry a son of Henry of Bolingbroke† Henry IV† and marry de bohun was born on either 9 august or 16 September 1387. His father was in exile when Richard II took him and treated him with care and kindness. As per the requirement of the treaty of Troyes, Henry married Catherine who was King Charles IV daughter in 1420. Henry became an outstanding soldier when he was young. As early as fourteen, Henry fought the Welsh forces of Owen ap Glendower. He was a commander by the age of sixteen commanding his father’s forces during the battle of Shrewsbury. Shortly after accession to power he brought down a major Lollard uprising and a plotted assassination by nobles who were still royal to Richard II. His proposal to mary Catherine came in 1415 and demanded Plantagenet lands of Normandy and Anjou as part of his dowry. When Catherine’s father refused this proposal Henry declared war which gave birth to another chapter of the ongoing hundred wars. Henry had two missions in his war with French: to conquer land that was lost in the previous battles and to divert attentions away from all his cousins’ loyal ambitions. Henry was very tactful in fighting and by the time he was winning the battle of Agincourt, he had already conquered many towns such as â€Å"Normandy, Picardy and much of the Capetian stronghold of the Ile-de-France†. Due to his defeat which forced a way for the treaty of Troyes in 1420, Charles not only accepted Henry as his son in law but also named him as an heir of France instead of his own son. If only Henry lived two months more he would have been crowned the king of two nations. Due to his hard living as a soldier, Henry prematurely became aged. He became ill and when returning home from another campaign in France he died. He only had one son which Catherine had bore him when he was still away and he died before seeing him. He is praised in many books and plays. Rafael Holinshed a historian termed him as a king of li fe without spot who was loved by all men and women. Who was never passed by an opportunity or chance and whom all his followers obeyed without questioning, (King Henry V 2010). Achievements of King Henry the fifthHenry only died at the peak of his achievements a few months after the death of France king Charles VI and his crowning as a king. He had shown a comprehensive management of the nation through hard work. Henry ruled with a detailed channel of council which helped him improve nationally and internationally. Henry showed a personality which motivated soldiers, balanced justice forgiveness reward and punishment which united the nation and provided a ground for his success and forward movement.   In his era he proved himself as a greatest commander and a planner who would keep his army fighting abroad for three years. Henry benefited greatly from the civil wars which in turn gave way to the signing of treaty of Troyes. This treaty gave him a wife and brought the battle into an end. Henry according to many writers fulfilled every criteria demanded of a good king, (about 1995). Henry V was one of the greatest English warrior kings of the Middle Ages who led England in the early decades of the 15th and conquered what his ancestors had tried for years. He succeeded in uniting thrones of England and France into one. In England when in power, Henry unified the kingdom which was still suffering from civil wars â€Å"the wars of the roses†. He promoted the use of English language in government and became the first king to use the language in his personal correspondence since the Norman conquest of 1006. In an English decisive victory of the Agincourt battle in 1415, King Henry the fifth was the commander of the English forces. For all the hundred years’ wars, this was a crucial one for the England. Henry successfully won the victory over the France following the treaty of Troyes of 1420. At this time France was led by king Charles VI  Ã‚   â€Å"the mad†. The treaty signed stipulated Henry as regent over Charles and heir to the French thron e. To secure his French throne, Henry married Katherine of Valois a daughter of Charles. In Shakespeare play â€Å"Henry the fifth†, Henry is glorified although he was an utterly ruthless man who had no tinge of compassion.Henry began to take a great share of politics in 1408 after his father’s illness. With the help of his uncles, Henry and Thomas the two sons of John of Gaunt he took practical control over the government. By this time he was still a prince but because of his foreign and domestic policies which differed from those of his father, he was discharged from the council by his father. His father, Henry IV died on 20 March 1413 and on the next day Henry V succeeded him and on 9th April, he was crowned the king at Westminster Abbey. During the ceremony, a terrible snow storm happened which confused the common people as to whether it was a bad or a good omen. This man built a wider domestic policy after consolidating all his domestic policies. He made it clear from the beginning that he would rule England as a united nation head. He let the earlier memories be forgotten by honourably reinterring Richard II and took the young Mortimer in his favour. He also took the heirs of those who had suffered in his father’s reign and restored them by giving back their tittles and their estates. To make his position as a ruler secure, he executed Henry’s old friend Sir John Oldcastle. He did this to â€Å"nip the movement in the bud†.After securing his domestic policies, he turned into foreign affairs. He was encouraged by ecclesiastical statesman to involve himself with French war so as he could divert his home problems. Emperor Sigimind however requested Henry to modify his demand against France and made it possible when Henry signed the treaty of Canterbury. Henry may have regarded the assertion of his own claims as part of his royal duty, but in any case, a permanent settlement of the national debate was essential to the succe ss of his foreign policy. Henry with the help of his force captured Harfleur in France on 22 September in 1415. After this, he marched with his forces across the French countryside towards calques ignoring the warnings of his council.   On his route he was intercepted by French army on 25th October 1415. Despite the army being so tired and outnumbered they overcame the French, deafened them and left them with severe losses. It is believed that French soldiers were bogged in the muddy battlefield, left out and rained on by heavy rain. This had negative impacts as it gave the English a way forward. They were hindered from going on many of them hacked to death as they stuck in the mud. This victory is viewed as Henry’s greatest ranking. However, Henry made a decision that tarnished his good reputation during the battle. His order that French prisoners be killed including most that were used as ransom tarnished his good name. It is argued that Henry thought that the prisoners would turn on to their captors when his soldiers were out there repelling a third wave of French troops. The victory of Agincourt is argued that it was a first step in the campaign to recover the possens of the French which initially belonged to them, (shakespear 2008). Henry’s command of the see was secured by driving the Genoese whom were close allies of the French out of his channel. Henry was busy on the ongoing peace negotiations in 1416. French and Genoese took advantage of this and invaded the harbor at English- garrisoned Harfleur. A French army also invaded the city. This made Henry to send his brother â€Å"John of Lancaster, the Duke of Bedford† on 14 august to raise a fleet and set sail from Beach. After a seven hour fight which followed the following day, the French-Genoese soldiers were defeated relieving Harfleur. Use of diplomacy by emperor Sigimund from France paved way to end the schism in church. So, with those two potential enemies gone, and after two years of patient preparation following Agincourt, Henry renewed the war on a larger scale in 1417. Lower Normandy was quickly conquered, and Rouen cut off from Paris and besieged. This siege raised a darker shadow on the reputation of the king than his order to slay th e French prisoners at Agincourt. Rouen, starving and unable to support the women and children of the town forced them out through the gates believing that Henry would allow them to pass through his army unmolested. Henry refused to allow this and the expelled women and children died of starvation in the ditches surrounding the town. The French were paralyzed by the disputes between Burgundians and Armagnacs. Henry skillfully played them off one against the other, without relaxing his warlike approach. In January 1419, Rouen fell. Those Norman French who had resisted were severely punished: Alan Blanchard, who had hanged English prisoners from the walls of Rouen, was summarily executed; Robert de Livet, Canon of Rouen, who had excommunicated the English king, was packed off to England and imprisoned for five years, (Ian 2009). Henry’s Victory As spoken in Shakespeare’s play, English were proud in the memory of the war that they won, that is, the Battle of Agincourt and connected this day with a holy day. This helped them to reinforce their fortunes during this historic war. It was a clash that portrayed divine intervention Henry’s force defeated the French in four times in a row. The hundred year’s war is ranked with the Amanda and the battle of Britain as one of the finest hours. Henry’s force was a threat to the French army than simple numbers would suggest. Following these circumstances the Britons had to win this battle. The battle was fought intermittently from 1337 and 1453 and is connected to the Plantagenet kings' although the French connected it to Edward II's marriage to Isabella, daughter of France's King Philip IV. When Henry got to power, he pressed on this claim through his Army. He conquered much of the France and went ahead to marrying the then kingâ€℠¢s daughter. The most decisive battle as discussed earlier was the one at Agincourt which was catalyzed by the French army who tried to block Henry’s advance. The morning of 25th October 1415 dawned wet and cold following a heavy rain the previous night. Both troops were in a terrible condition. The Britons had moved 270 miles moving in an average of 20 miles a day and had almost captured the Harfleur. Following the heavy rains throughout the month of March many of the troops were suffering from dysentery and also their food was running out. The French on the other hand were trying to cope with the situations though they could not make as good as the English did. The French troops hadn’t had enough sleep as they tried to keep their arms in dry and clean condition. The group started to misbehave and by 11.00 it was disorganized. The French were so confidence and sure that they would win over the small English troop. However poor management and leadership was an advantag e to the English and when all was not well for them they avoided their responsibilities other than restoring it. Henry was too bright to notice their problem and used it as a weapon taking it upon him and moving so fast. He ordered his troop to fire against the French causing chaos and disrupting them. By contrast, Henry's small army could easily deploy, allowing it to fight at full strength. And Henry had the perfect weapon to use against thickly massed enemy soldiersone that more than made up for his numerical disadvantage. Agincourt became famous as the greatest victory of British archers. 600 hundred years before this battle, the Welsh had introduced the longbow but this weapon had wrongly been misused and neglected. Before this battle, most of the fighters held their bows horizontally as they drew their arrows back to the waist. However Henry ordered his men to hold their bows vertically and draw the arrows back to the ears. It took the French by surprise as the English could shoot nine arrows per minute and hit targets at 400 yards. As the archers kept the French ranks away, Henry had time to neutralize the French powerful weapon, cavalry. English planned their weapons well having planted into the ground at an angle, wooden stakes which kept French soldiers off allowing the English troops to do their work unobstructed.   By noon the French army stood in despair as they lost to the English. Within a single hour the French had lost almost half of its troop while the English only suffered 500 casualties. Following good plans and natural factors, Henry won the battle. Even though the French were more in number to Henry this didn’t matter as he had strategies. With the French defeated, Henry moved on to dominate in France. Leadership of HenryHenry king of England made many decisions during his time which show that he is a good leader. He first decided that he had right of ruling in France and would control the land through invading it. After several wars, his troop suffered from injuries’ and lack of morale in fighting but like any other good leader, he continued encouraging them to fight giving them reasons as to why they should continue fighting. In the above discussed battle the English who were outnumbered five times by the French went ahead to win the battle .this was accomplished through his determination and inspiration. His soldiers had to fight in his reign whether willing or not. As a good manager, Henry new that his soldiers would fight well when they were forced other than when they had good reasons. With the perception connected to the king, Henry made it straight that they had to obey him. He used this as a key strategy in making them fight. He therefore managed his soldiers arguin g that his primary objective was the same as theirs as well as for the entire kingdom. To ensure his soldiers loyalty, Henry went in midst of them in disguise to evaluate what they were thinking. He could always put his men’s effort in the same level as his. This aspect motivated the entire force by encouraging them as they compared themselves with the king. Together with his followers he refused defeat and surrender. At the same time Henry ensured that French people were not harassed by his men and injustice from the military were not entertained. He also acted firmly on those who refused to follow his orders. Henry is seen as a leader who had mercy on French people. To him, he was not seeking to conquer France as an outsider but as a rightful king who should be leading the country as he had roots from France. By treating the French fairly even when his men were had not done things right was to show that he would rule the two nations with justice. His good will made him clai m his throne and maintain his reign.   As he died Henry’s last words were wish to rebuild Jerusalem. He is considered as a national king and a hero. His schemes however are seen as if they ended in a failure he died before accomplishing them. He had a constructive idea of a firm central government which would be supported by parliament. He also wanted reforms on the church based on conservative lines, commercial development and the continuation of the national reputation. If only he lived, Henry would have accomplished his aims on medieval lines. His personality was a key value to his success.   Henry could train leaders but at the time of his death, it is believed that nobody could have taken his position as a leader. His guidance led to success of wars, diplomacy and civil administration. It would be right to argue that if Henry was not the main founder of the Britain army, then he is the first to realize its role. If he was not the founder of the English navy he was one of the first to realize its true imp ortance.Henry required everyone below his power to obey him. It is said that he was merciless to anybody who was merciless to him. As a prince, Henry was opposed to harsh policy of Archbishop Arundel although when he was a king he was moderate although was still charged with cruelty as a religious persecutor. Lollard executions which happened when he was in power are more considered as political other than religious. In his personal conduct he was uncorrupted, moderate and genuinely moral. Henry had a good taste of culture, that is, music and art and also participated in games and exercises. Henry was buried in Westminster Abbey, (Shakespear 2008). ConclusionHenry V was one of the gifted men in the world who had a personality that built a self belief and ability to achieve. He is believed to be one of successful army commanders who acted with a sense of right unlike the current politicians. However his ambitions took him to another level of treaties making him forget his ability to achieve such as uniting the nations neighbouring him, initiating harmony and peace between crown and the parliament. Henry left a legacy which cannot be compared to political or military. Within forty years after Henry’s death, Valois re- conquered France and resumed the throne. While England collapsed into civil wars again as Lancastrian line lost their other crown.   Henry is indeed a legend one which the later generations were taught and tried to emu rate. One of the great of all is making Vernacular English into the parliament, (Barker 2020).    Bibliography About.com. â€Å"Medieval History.† historymedren.about.com. 14 may 1995. Barker, Juliet. Conquest: The English Kingdom of France in the Hundred Years War . London: Abacus , 2009. Ian, Mortimer. 1415: Henry V's Year of Glory. London: Bodley Head , 2009. â€Å"King Henry V.† britroyals.com. 19 march 2010. Shakespear, William. Henry V (Oxford World's Classics; the Oxford Shakespeare). Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. Shakespear, William. Henry V: The Life of King Henry the Fift. New Jersey: Forgotten Books , 2008.

Impacts and implications on the performance and growth of small and Dissertation

Impacts and implications on the performance and growth of small and medium-sized enterprises in London - Dissertation Example In this research paper, after a review of the existing literature, new econometric results on the impact and implications on the performance of SMEs, the ongoing evidences of 2009 and forecasts (2010-2013), and drive some key financial and economic policy implications. Financial crises have impacts on all the economic units as is in accordance to the case study of London and SMEs’ structure at micro and macro stages. The main purpose of this study is to determine how SMEs, which are considerably the smallest sections of economics and have a share rate of about 95% (percent) of both developing and developed countries’ economic compositions, have been both negatively and positively been influenced by the effects of financial downturn in London. Small and medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) have been recognized as catalysts to spur the economic advancement of London. In this regards therefore, special focus has been given to the well being of these SMEs in recognition of the f undamental roles they play in economic advancement of the London’s economy. Several research findings indicate that the small business sector has a greater importance for the national economy, the employment and the innovative environment of a country-London. Despite the encouragement and support given to the SMEs, their success and failures compared gives a more picture of frequent failures due to internal and external environmental factors. This study, therefore, gives some recent and final data for the 2009 and forecasts for 2010-2013 on financial and economic downturn impacts on the SMEs’ performance in London. Key words: financial crisis, economic downturn, econometrics, Access to Finance (ATF), small and medium-sized enterprises. TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦.†¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. i 1. CHAPTER ONE: GAP IN THE RESEARCH 1.1. Background of the study†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦. 1 1.2. Competitive Advantage as Determinants of Success†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 1.3. Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in London †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦...†¦.. 4 1.4. Research Problems†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5 1.5. Main Objectives of the Study†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 7 1.6. Specific Objectives of the Study†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦....†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 7 1.7. Research Questions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 7 1.8. Research Hypotheses†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦....†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 8 1.9. Significance of the Study†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦.†¦.. 11 1.10. Scope and limitations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦11 2. CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1. Financial and Economic Crises and Notion of SMEs†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..13 2.2. The Concept of Strategic Management †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 15 2.3. The Effects of Financial and Economic downturn and External Environmental Factors on Performance and growth of SME in London†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 17 2.3.1. Porter’s generic strategies†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦.. 20 2.4. Threats of New Entrants†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦

Individual 3 international trade operation Essay

Individual 3 international trade operation - Essay Example Samson. However, when investing in the international market, Mr. Samson should be prepared to deals with challenge of stiff competition from the international firms (Choudhury, 2012). Therefore, this study will provide an insight of various elements that Mr. Swanson should take into consideration when investing in the international markets. What is portfolio diversification? Explain why are foreign investments effective at diversifying a portfolio? Portfolio diversification entails hedging risk by investing in various assets/portfolios. This means that a diversified portfolio will expose an investor to less risk as compared to a single investment. For example, if one investment is performing poorly in the market the other one might be performing well hence, distributing risk unlike in a situation where one has invested in single portfolio. Therefore, investors are strongly urged to invest wisely by diversifying their portfolio (Hagin, 2004). In above connection, foreign investments h ave been reported to be effective at diversifying a portfolio due to the following reasons. There is well advanced level of information technology that enables investors to track their investments and market trends as well as promotion of idea exchange. International market tends eradicate foreign exchange controls and hence making it quit effective to diversify portfolio, higher growth and proper flow of international capital makes it effective to diversify portfolio in the international market. Development of both multinational and global companies had made it easier and effective to diversify a portfolio in the international market. Trade deregulation in the international market has made it effective for portfolio diversification within the international market (Yavas, 2007). What are the main reasons to invest in international markets? Explain. The main reasons to invest in international market include: risk reduction. For example, if one has investments in Japan and the other o ne in the U.S, economic down town in U.S may only affect an investment that is in the U.S but not the one in Japan. This means that investing in the international market prevent one from incurring greater risk. Secondly, international markets provide an investor with greater investment opportunities. For example, international market provides investors with an opportunity to trade stocks with higher value as compared to those offered in the domestic market and hence, providing an investor with higher returns (Gibley, 2012). Thirdly, an international market has higher growth potential as compared to domestic market. This provides an investor with an opportunity to take advantage of potential growth in the foreign markets. Fourthly, International Markets provides an investor with an added advantage because international companies can help to boost returns especially when there is fluctuation of domestic currencies. For example, an international investor may obtain more returns when th ere is a decline in the value of dollar while on the contrary a domestic investor may obtain losses. Therefore, the above benefits can lead an investor to venture in international market (Gibley, 2012). What are the major risks associated with investing internationally? There are three most common risks that may be experienced when investing in the

Cvs Annual Report Essay Example for Free

Cvs Annual Report Essay Executive Summary/Company History/Products and Services CVS/Pharmacy has shown a consistent growth for the last three years. Three years ago CVS/Pharmacy has merged with Longs Pharmacy and Caremark to form the largest retail pharmacy chain in the United States. CVS/Pharmacy- CVS/Pharmacy began operations in 1963, and added the pharmacy department in 1967. In 2007, CVS merged with Caremark Rx, Inc. Finally, in 2008, CVS bought the Longs Drug Store chain. CVS has over 7000 stores(Cvs.com, 2010). At the end of 9 months of 2010, the company has lost 9. 25% against 2009 net income. However, the company has increased their assets and liabilities by .1% against 2009 figures(Cvs.com, 2010). As the company stands now in trends, Net revenues for this 7,100-store drugstore retailer were $23.9 billion for Q3 2010, down 3.1% from $24.6 billion in the prior years period. Poor performance by the companys Pharmacy Services segment—its revenues dropped 8.5%, to $11.9 billion—was a major contributor to the companys woes. CVS Retail Pharmacy segment revenues actually increased 4.1%, with total same-store sales climbing 2.5%(Trendwatch, 2010). CVS/Pharmacy is in the process of transitioning their leadership at CEO. Tom Ryan will be stepping down at the end of the year as CEO, and Larry Merlo will be promoted to CEO. Tom Ryan has been the CEO of CVS/Pharmacy Inc. since 1994, and it has been the consistency at the top that has lead to the expansion of CVS/Pharmacy as being largest retail pharmacy chain in the United States. Now that Toms tenure is coming to a close, a new dawn is  occurring for the corporation with Larry Merlo taking the helm. Competitor Analysis In the retail pharmacy industry, there are only three pure pharmacy firms: CVS/Pharmacy, Walgreens, and Rite-Aid. Pure pharmacy firms are pharmacy retailers whose business is built around the pharmacy. Wal-Mart, Kroger, and local grocery stores have pharmacies as an extension of their business plan, but it is not the focus of their company. CVS/Pharmacy and Walgreens have been battling over the top position for years, and Rite-Aid has been ranked at a steady third in the market place. Walgreens- Walgreens is CVS/Pharmacys chief competitor. Founded in 1901, Walgreens is considerably older. Unlike CVS/Pharmacy, Walgreens began with the pharmacy department. With 6000 stores, Walgreens is smaller than CVS. In 2010, Walgreens has increased sales against last year by 6.4%, and net earnings by 4.2%(Walgreens.com, 2010). Moreover, they have posted 36 straight years of sales gains, and 35 straight years of dividend payments(Walgreens.com, 2010). Finally, Walgreens has posted net earnings for 5 consecutive years. Despite Walgreens smaller size, it has a bigger market share at 31.2% compared to CVS/Pharmacys 25%(Wikinvest.com, 2010). The last 10 years has been the first decade that a Walgreens family member was not at the helm of the Walgreens Pharmacy chain. Charles Walgreens retired from the CEO position in 1998, but stayed on a member of the board of directors. Mr. Walgreens will officially retire for the company this year. Gregory D. Wasson is the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Wasson has worked with Walgreens for 31 years. In conclusion, Walgreens CVS/Pharmacy are the giants in retail pharmacy. Their strengths, weaknesses, successes, and failures have brought them to a virtual dead heat. The purpose of this research is analyze the financial strength of both to determine which is in the best financial health. Common Size Statements We will first compare CVS/Pharmacy and Walgreens through common size financial statements. Commons size financial statements allow for comparisons to be made between companies of different sizes and volumes in order to see the true performance. CVS/Pharmacy has over 7000 stores, and Walgreens Pharmacy only has 6000 stores. The difference in size will have an  impact on expense, revenue, and income. Every company plans to get the most out of every dollar spent. Consequently, we will be comparing the their financial performance from 2007-2009. From the beginning, Walgreens has yielded a better gross profit by an average of 8% over CVS/Pharmacy. Gross profit is the amount left over after cost of goods sold is taken from revenue. Although, both have been steady with their percentage gross profit, CVS/Pharmacy 21% Walgreens 28%, Walgreens has gained more. However, Walgreens celebration is short lived because the balance statement is more than gross profit. In fact the 8% edge in gross profit they gave back in operating expenses. Walgreens operating expenses took, on average, 22.5% away from their total revenue. CVS/Pharmacy operating expenses took only 14.5% away from their total revenue. Moreover, other indicators of return on investment to the company are higher for CVS/Pharmacy than Walgreens. CVS/Pharmacy has had a higher operating income than Walgreens since 2007. For the last two years CVS/Pharmacy has posted higher income before taxes than Walgreens. Finally, the biggest trend difference between the two firms is that CVS/Pharmacys net income has increased three years in a row, while Walgreens net income has steadily decreased three years in a row. As a company, CVS/Pharmacy received a 20% gross profit margin. The next biggest payment went to operating expenses at 14.12%. After the expenses, income before taxes and operating profit account for 13% and net income accounts for nearly 4%. In 2009 alone, Walgreens gross profit and operating expenses nearly cancel each other out. There is only a 4% variance between gross profit and operating expenses for Walgreens. Operating profit and income before taxes accounts for only 10% of the revenue, while Walgreens net income accounts for barely over 3%. On the key financial statements, Walgreens performance has been diminishing over the last three years, and CVS/Pharmacys performance has risen. The reason behind the growing strength of CVS/Pharmacy has been the general, consistent financial growth. This will be illustrated by the financial ratios. Liquidity is the firms ability to meet its current obligations(Marshall, McManus, Vielle, 2010). Working capital is the excess of a firms current assets over its current liabilities(2010). In this case, Walgreens has higher working capital than CVS/Pharmacy. On other tests of liquidity,  Walgreens out performs CVS/Pharmacy. Walgreens has a higher current ratio, acid test ratio, and they turn over their assets 8 more times a year than CVS/Pharmacy. Although Walgreens has yielded their lowest net income in three years, they have a high comparable liquidity. Moreover, the higher net income for CVS/Pharmacy has not translated into higher liquidity. However, the increased in income has translated into a higher inventory turnover for CVS/Pharmacy. Conclusion The findings of this paper are illustrating the transition in the marketplace between CVS/Pharmacy and Walgreens. For the last 20 years, these retail pharmacy firms have battled for supremacy in the industry. Over the last decade, CVS/Pharmacy has had one Chief Executive Officer, Tom Ryan. However, since Tom Ryan took over in 1999, Walgreens has had 3 CEO changes. The result of inconsistency in their leadership has translated to a lower return on investment. Walgreens has higher liquidity, but they have shown three years of decreasing net income. As a result, they are getting weaker as an organization. However, CVS/Pharmacy has shown consistent growth over the last three years. Their increasing strength has been represented by their purchases of Longs Pharmacy and Caremark. It is my conclusion that this trend will continue

The Great Houdini :: Free Essays Online

The Great Houdini  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The performer known world wide as Harry Houdini was born on March 24, 1874 in Budapest. Although Houdini often claimed to be born in Appleton, Wisconsin, Houdini actually came to the United States when he was four years old. To this day many connected with the small town of Appleton still claim the untruth that Houdini was born there strictly to attract tourists. Houdini's father was Mayer Samuel Weiss. Houdini's father was a Rabbi. His mother's name was Cecilia Steiner Weiss. His parents spoke little English, and the family was quite poor so most of the children began to work at an early age. From the age of eight young Ehrich Weiss sold newspapers and worked as a shoe shine boy. At the age of 12, young Ehrich left home to make his way in the world in an attempt to help support his family. Young Ehrich traveled the country for about a year, always sending money home when he could. Finally he joined up with his father in New York City. The family moved to New York in the hope of find ing a better life there. In New York, Houdini worked as a messenger and as a cutter in a garment center sweat shop, to help support his family. Houdini began performing magic as a teenager first calling himself Eric the Great. Ehrich acquired the name Houdini from a book he read, "The Memoirs of Robert-Houdin," the autobiography of one of the greatest magicians of the day. Influenced by what he read and learned about the internationally known magician Robert Houdin, young Ehrich changed his name to Houdini, hoping to be in some way like his new found mentor. Houdini's first magic shows consisted of card tricks and other simple magic. Soon Houdini began experimenting with hand cuffs and using them in his acts. Houdini performed with another young man who worked with him in the factory in New York. They called themselves the Houdini Brothers. Soon Houdini's younger brother Theo took the place of the boy from the factory. Together with his brother Theo, they tried to succeed as the Houdini Brothers. Their first performances included shows at amusement parks, beer halls, "dime museums," and at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. In 1894, Houdini met Wilhelmina Beatrice Rahner, who was singing and dancing as part of the Floral Sisters.

An Infectious Cure Essay

Part 1 Questions 1. The Europeans poured have poured something into the water which sterilized the water and killed the toxins that become disruptive in the digestive system when they are consumed. They Europeans may have poured what are called oral rehydration salts into the well, which quickly works are combatting the cholera, and will prevent further outbreaks from occurring. 2. Ethical issues that are raised by pouring the treatment into the wells without the consent of others is that people should be entitled to choose whether or not they want to chance their lives by consuming a mystery cure. The villagers have no idea what is being poured into the wells, which further down the line could cause different health issues, and in turn people won’t know where to begin to find a cure if they are unsure of what caused it. Bottom line, it takes away the person’s right to choose whether or not they want to accept the â€Å"cure†. For instance flu vaccines are readily available, but people still choose not to receive one out of fear that it will enhance the likelihood of having the flu that season. The only factor that makes it more ethical is the fact that it worked and nobody else became sick, but that should make people more skeptical knowing that their drinking water is 100 percent accessible and easy to tamper with. 3. The Europeans were not justified in imposing their cure on the villagers. Yes the â€Å"cure† may have worked in Europe, but since it had only happened one time, they may not know if their â€Å"cure† was really what helped in their situation. It could have been something completely different that went unaccounted for. They definitely could have taken other steps beforehand that would have made it more acceptable, such as: informing the people of what they were doing and asking for permission. The elder had every right to drain the well out of fear that the Europeans could have been tampering with it and making the situation worse. 4. It is not appropriate to force a cure on a population. It takes away peoples’ choice. As long as people are educated about the situation and their options, they should be able to choose. Like with the Fluoride situation, the water in the area is not their only source of drinking water, families could very easily buy bottled water in order to  prevent ingesting what they fear to be tampered with water. 5. It is clear that whatever the Europeans poured into the well did help the villagers. Since they isolated the drinking water to only one well, and people stayed away from the dyed water it helped to prove their validity much more, since the people did in fact get better after a few days and no new cases had occurred. The results were not scientifically reliable since there is still an amount of doubt since there was only one other trial. I would say the results are more indicative than anything since there was really nothing formal about the process. Part 2 Questions 1. I would say the villagers would needs to drink from the water repeatedly in order to speed up the production of the bacteriophages killing the harmful bacteria. The basis of my answer is that if a villager already displayed the symptoms of cholera and only drank the water once that it would be ineffective. The symptoms of cholera include vomiting and diarrhea which means the newly ingested water with the cure would quickly be expelled from the body. 2. People could see improvement as quickly as a day. They may not be back to 100 percent, but the symptoms will slowly start to go away. It all depends on how many phages are consumed and their rate of production. Very quickly they can multiply. I would expect the effectiveness to increase over time in an individual and then by the time they are better, the bacteriophages will have no more cholera bacteria to feed off of and then the phages will slowly die off because they rely solely on bacteria in order to survive. 3. Yes the process of viral and bacterial co-evolution will continue indefinitely because both will continue to grow, modify, and adapt to changes that the other has made. 4. No the villagers should not be concerned that this virus will cause damage to their intestines because that is solely what cholera targets, and the purpose of the phages are to combat the cholera bacteria, which would in turn help their intestines. 5. The release of a toxin from the cholera bacteria is what causes people to experience the dreadful symptoms. A negative health concern of killing the cholera at a quick rate is that since the phages will prevent symptoms from increasingly becoming worse, the â€Å"dead† cholera in the intestine may sit  there for a longer amount of time instead of running straight through the person which may do more damage to the intestine. 6. Humans should not be concerned about the bacteriophages infecting other cells because each bacteriophage is particular to a certain bacteria. If the bacterial cell exhibits traits that are desirable to the certain bacteriophage, then the phage will chose to bind and infect it, otherwise people have nothing to worry about. 7. If the bacteria became lysogenic, people would see improvements much faster, because more phages are being produced to combat the cholera bacteria. 8. Eventually the bacteriophages will die in the intestine since there will be no more bacteria to combat and live off of. 9. A risk to phage therapy is that the virus and bacteria both evolve over time. Using this method more frequently may cause the virus’s to evolve more quickly. If that is to happen there will be new problems to solve. 10. The next bacterium that is infected will actually produce more cholera and make the symptoms occur even more quickly. The affected human will become even sicker and could possibly die. 11. Given this information I would still try the phage therapy. The symptoms would be awful, and I would be willing to try anything for a chance for the symptoms to get better. I would say this is a safe and effective form of treatment under monitoring. Part 3 Questions 1. The phage treatment had much quicker and effective results than the antibiotics. 2. Factors of the human body that could alter the effectiveness of the phage treatment would be temperature, acidity, and the strength of the immune system. These factors could have different effects on the phages. The results would be different for each person, since the internal environment is different from person to person given the situation. 3. Advantages to antibiotics are that they still work, just not at the fastest rate. You know exactly what is being put into your body and how it is supposed to work. 4. Advantages to phages is that they work at a faster rate than antibiotics, they invade the cell and get right to work whereas the bacteria often has time to adapt and keep reproducing with an antibiotic. Part 4 Questions 1. Advantages to phage treatment: able to reach parts of the body quicker than antibiotics, the rate at which it kills the bacteria is much faster, phage treatment is very individualized which is better for people. Disadvantages to phage treatment: takes longer to create, which may not be quick enough to combat certain diseases, more expensive, requires more testing. Advantages to antibiotics: they are more universal, can be created quicker, cheaper for the consumer, still effective (just not to the same extent as phage treatment) Disadvantages to antibiotics: they take longer to become effective, cannot access all areas of the body like phages can. 2. Yes there are some diseases that lend themselves more to phage therapy such as salmonella and other types of food poisoning that target specific areas of the body. And yes there are some infections that lend themselves more to antibiotic therapy like a simple cold, or an ear infection. Antibiotics are more than capable of handling something simple like that. It is when infections become more serious and detrimental to a persons’ health that other methods of treatment should be discovered. 3. Yes I think restrictions on phage therapy should be loosened. It may cost more, but there are people willing to pay the price for more effective treatments. As long as the phage therapy is being used for the greater good, then I say why not take advantage of it.