Friday, December 27, 2019

Heptarchy Seven Kingdoms in England

Strictly speaking, a heptarchy is a ruling body composed of seven individuals. However, in English history, the term Heptarchy referred to the seven kingdoms that existed in England from the seventh century to the ninth century. Some authors have muddied the issue by using the term to refer to England as far back as the fifth century, when Roman military forces officially withdrew from the British Isles (in 410), to the 11th century, when William the Conqueror and the Normans invaded (in 1066). But none of the kingdoms were really established until the sixth century at the earliest, and they were eventually united under one government in the early ninth century — only to break apart when the Vikings invaded not long after. To complicate matters further, there were sometimes more than seven kingdoms, and often fewer than seven. And, of course, the term wasnt used during the years the seven kingdoms flourished; its first usage was in the 16th century. (But then, neither the term medieval nor the word feudalism were used during the Middle Ages, either.) Still, the term Heptarchy persists as a convenient reference to England and its fluid political situation in the seventh, eighth and ninth centuries. The seven kingdoms were: East AngliaEssexKentMerciaNorthumbriaSussexWessex Ultimately, Wessex would gain the upper hand over the other six kingdoms. But such an outcome could not have been foreseen in the early years of the Heptarchy, when Mercia appeared to be the most expansive of the seven. East Anglia was under Mercian rule on two separate occasions in the eighth and early ninth centuries, and under Norse rule when the Vikings invaded in the late ninth century. Kent was also under Mercian control, off and on, through much of the late eighth and early ninth centuries. Mercia was subject to Northumbrian rule in the mid-seventh century, to Wessex in the early ninth, and to Norse control in the late ninth century. Northumbria was actually comprised of two other kingdoms — Bernicia and Deira — that were not joined until the 670s. Northumbria, too, was subject to Norse rule when the Vikings invaded — and the kingdom of Deira re-established itself for a while, only to fall under Norse control, as well. And while Sussex did exist, it is so obscure that the names of some of their kings remain unknown. Wessex fell under Mercian rule for a few years in the 640s, but it never truly submitted to any other force. It was King Egbert who helped to make it so indomitable, and for that he has been called the first king of all England. Later, Alfred the Great resisted the Vikings as no other leader could, and he consolidated the remnants of the other six kingdoms under Wessex rule. In 884, the kingdoms of Mercia and Bernicia were reduced to Lordships, and Alfreds consolidation was complete. The Heptarchy had become England. Examples: While the seven kingdoms of the Heptarchy struggled against one another, Charlemagne consolidated much of Europe under one rule.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Case Study Apple Inc. - 1049 Words

Apple Inc. started off as a small computer company and rose to prominence over the following years. They faced great challenges and obstacles to evolve and become one of the top notch corporations today. Having a great CEO, Steve Jobs, is credited for the success of Apple. Under the leadership of Steve Jobs, Apple was able to innovate industry changing technology. Big companies such as Apple Inc. focuses on ethical principles. They have a code of conduct that applies to their four main principles. Also, they have guidelines and codes of conduct that applies to all of their operations even their overseas operations. Even though Apple has different guidelines for their company and manufacturers to follow, doesn’t mean that they’re always going to be followed to the letter. Because of that many different issue has arose and occurred in America as well as in other countries that were associated with Apple Inc. Apple Inc. has had its fair share of ethical issues whether itâ €™s been their company or their manufacturers in other countries. The media is how majority of different issues around the world becomes knowledgeable to people. Companies tend to not want different issues hitting the media and to keep things out of the public eye. But companies keeping issues that occur under wraps in today’s time is hard. People in the world enjoys their privacy but company’s like Apple and others tries to invade the people’s privacy and have tracked consumers. Another issue Apple wasShow MoreRelatedCase Study : Apple Inc.1349 Words   |  6 Pages Case Analysis: APPLE INC.: IPODS AND ITUNES Donna Martinelli TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY September 3, 2014 Table of Contents Executive Summary..................................................................................................3 Introduction†¦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‚¬ ¦..3 Defining the Challenge...............................................................................................3 Analyzing the case data....................Read MoreCase Study : Apple Inc. Essay1422 Words   |  6 PagesCase Study: Apple Apple Inc. focuses on the design, manufacture, and marketing of personal computers, mobile phones, multimedia devices, and portable music players. 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Tuesday, December 10, 2019

International Marketing Billabong International Limited -Example

Question: Describe about the International Marketing for Billabong International Limited. Answer: Introduction Billabong International Limited is an Australian surf company, principally a clothing retailer that also manufactures backpacks, skateboards, watchers under various brand names. Originally founded in the year 1973 in the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia the company primarily traded in the year 2000 on Australian Securities Exchange. The company has been quite prolific and influential in producing various products with significant brands like Element, Von Zipper, Xcel, and Sector 9 (Albaum, 2009). But the company has faced huge decline from late 2012 and it took about 2 years to use significant strategies to turnaround the profitability of the company. Currently the organization is planning to specifically expand and the target market is Italy. Evaluating the specific market opportunity for Billabong International Limited in Italy, significant factors hold the key to determine and analyze the major aspects. For attaining this, a specific market analysis is needed that would enable to understand the key aspects in a strategic way. Spot Signifiers: It is critically important to understand the marketplace Billabong International Limited is planning. Italy being one of the open markets in Europe has huge competition level when it comes to clothing and other products. Billabong needs to prolifically analyze and understand the pass trends and evaluate the basic reasons of the occurrence. This would provide a key evaluation and provide a prolific insight about the market spot signifiers and the major indicators of new trends. Read Widely: Planning to turnaround the deficits and downfall in the Australian market, Billabong has strategically analyzed major plans that has enabled the organization to get back on a stable position. Expanding globally and targeting the market of Italy provides wide opportunities to the organization (Cateora, 2013). The management has to take the full responsibility to acquire significant opportunities that would represent the ability to gather information. Gathering information based on trends, fashion, tastes and preferences can provide conceptual overview about the spot opportunity that the market provides. Analyzing these aspects can help the company to have an impact on the Italian Market. Customer Inquiries from Multiple Channels: With the prolific growth of wide media channels it has provided huge opportunity to multinational companies to gain market analysis and determine the market opportunity. It is quite obvious that most market opportunities will significantly come from the customers (Crane, 2008). Use of various sources like media channels, email addresses, phone numbers, surveys and social media involvement open up various opportunities which enables the organization about the market. Assessing the scenario of Billabong these aforementioned aspects would provide a detailed overview about market in Italy as well as the customer preferences. Situation Analysis Billabong International Limited has to prolifically evaluate the information based on the aspects of macro as well as micro environment. The macro and micro environment will significantly assess relevant opportunity to the organization to understand the market scenario of Italy which is the target market for expansion. PESTLE analysis is the most significant tool that would evaluate the information based on macro and micro environment relevant to this opportunity. Political: The political factor plays the most crucial role which includes the protection laws and environmental regulations. In Italy the taxation policies as well as the nations political situation is the most critical aspects that defines the market opportunity. Italy is the hotspot for foreign Investment and therefore Billabong being multi brand retail will get access to significant profits. Economic: Italy is the hotspot for foreign investment and as already discussed the GDP of the nation is growing at a significant rate along with the people disposable income increasing at a rapid rate (Czinkota Ronkainen, 2008). According to significant analysis the economy will boost in the upcoming years which is actually a good sign for the foreign retailers like Billabong to have their business expanded in Italy. Social: Analyzing the socio-cultural situation of Italy it can be easily claimed that it is quite favourable for retail marketing. The demographic situation of Italy is quite varied and youth has been dominating aspect in Italys population. The nation has highly skilled professionals with significant income to spend well. Italy is also a hub of cultural background and therefore Billabong will have prolific opportunity in diversifying its products (Dutton, 2008). Technological: Italy being a part of the European Union, it has significantly developed to be a technology driven nation. The internet applications and telecommunications industry has increased in the country that would help Billabong to develop its e-commerce channels. Legal: Italy being a developed country, the government takes full responsibility to ascertain the legal rights and regulatory frameworks. The government has prolifically outlined significant frameworks in terms of business operations and foreign business investment (Loth, 2014). It is quite important for Billabong to significantly follow the framework for a better business structure in the new market. Environmental: Italy has been quite influential in terms of assessing environmental frameworks. The government of Italy has taken full initiative for maintaining ecological balance. The regulatory frameworks of environment protection framed by the government are mandatory and needs to be followed effectively. The Go Green initiative taken by the government must be prolifically followed to ascertain the regulative frameworks by the organizations in the retail trade. Business Environment The Recognition off actors about environments is most regularly done by theorizing. However, each environmental component are not for everyone and more people are included, especially in this hidden theorizing. So, more accurate environmental profile are created. Besides, numerous standard structures exist to help in recognizing the business environment. The environmental variables are as frequently utilized. The former one is PESTEL or PEST Analysis which contains political, technological, social, legal, environmental and economic factors. Moreover, SWOT examination is used (Mayrhofer, 2012). This is a structure which is concerned with the opportunities, weaknesses, threat and strengths of an organization and impacts the organization from both externally and internally. Market Analysis The organizations succeed by supplying services and products that encounter the current most-pressing requirements of the customers. Apparently, a business person can accumulate information about customer requirements via coordinating customer plans and requesting up and coming customers what highlights from things or organizations are most vital to them. In addition, the association must have the ability to pass on its things and organizations at the strange condition of worth the customer envisions. The requirement of business division transforms into an opportunity for the business visionary if the organization can make and offer a transcendent response for the need (Piercy, 2014). Moreover, a business visionary should incessantly shelter the business area to recognize when these necessities change and modify the services and products contributing to be a predominant fit with these transformed needs. Competitive Analysis The competitive analysis allows the key coordinators to make structures for spotting unnerved or underserved gaps in the business areas. However, a contender map is a key masterminding device that lays out adversaries to the extent their stand-out organization models. As a result, they perceives where they fit on a network with extremes going from high cost to low esteem, high gauge to low quality and high customization to low customization ("Technology-Driven Online Marketing Performance Measurement:", 2014). An association can manufacture products by beating the competitors, if they know the strategic plans of the opponents regarding manufacture of products. In these exceptionally engaged services, associations can get a massive good position by acknowledging what their oppositions are making or upgrading for future release of products. Organizational Analysis Key portions of doing a definitive examination fuse evaluating external components that can impact the affiliation's execution and likewise purposely looking over the affiliation's own particular resources and potential. Evaluating definitive qualities as a general rule incorporates studying current organization, resources, and work and showcasing targets. Besides, an affiliation's qualities are inside characteristics that can give it inclination over contenders. Moreover, an affiliation's deficiencies are another instance of inside qualities that can impact its operations and level of execution. SWOT Analysis The SWOT analysis is prolifically used as a basic too that analyzes the internal strengths of Billabong International. The evaluation of these aspects significantly assesses the situational analysis that is mentioned above. Strengths: One of the biggest strength of Billabong is the financial backup the organization possesses. The competitors of Billabong are quite strong in financial stability which makes the entire competition level depend on the retailing strength which is based on price leadership. Another quite important aspect which acts as strength of the retail company is products these companies like Billabong offers (Terpstra, 2008). Weakness: Evaluating the significant weakness for retailers like Billabong are the old equipment and plants. Moreover even a narrow product line also acts as a weakness in the retailing business. Unwariness among target consumers is also a significant weakness of the brand as well as the retailing company. Opportunities: In retailing industry opportunities are the most positive aspects to a company. The significant growth in population in major countries can significantly help the organization in expanding globally (Mayrhofer, 2012). Billabong is one of the major example in the retail industry where the organization is expanding on a global basis to have a significant hold on international marketing. Threats: Controlling an economy is such an aspect that hardly can be controlled by anyone. Economic condition tends to change at point of time which acts as a major threat to retailers like Billabong. Another threat in this industry is the cut throat competition. The change in the external environment and culture, habits of the consumers can also become a major threat for retailing. References Dominici, G. (2009). From Marketing Mix to e-Marketing Mix: a literature overview and classification.IJBM, 4(9). Morgan, N., Pritchard, A. and Pride, R. (2004).Destination branding. Oxford [England]: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann. Moscardo, G. and Murphy, L. (2016). Using destination community wellbeing to assess tourist markets: A case study of Magnetic Island, Australia.Journal of Destination Marketing Management, 5(1), pp.55-64. Prior, S. and Beckley, L. (2007). Characteristics of Recreational Anglers in the Blackwood Estuary, a Popular Tourist Destination in Southwestern Australia.Tourism in Marine Environments, 4(1), pp.15-28. Richter, T. (2002).Marketing mix standardisation in international marketing. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang. Scherer, J., Sam, M. and Batty, R. (2005). Sporting sign wars: advertising and the contested terrain of sporting events and venues.IJSMM, 1(1/2), p.17. Shanka, T., Ali-Knight, J. and Pope, J. (2002). Intrastate Travel Experiences of International Students and Their Perceptions of Western Australia as a Tourist Destination.Tourism and Hospitality Research, 3(3), pp.245-256. Sparks, B., Bowen, J. and Wildman, K. (2000).Restaurants as a contributor to tourist destination attractiveness. Gold Coast, Qld.: CRC Tourism. Van der Westhuyzen, B. and Van der Merwe, J. (2001).The marketing mix. Observatory, South Africa: Future Managers. Wall, M., Gausemeier, J., Peitz, C. (2013) Technology push-based product planning - future markets for emerging technologiesInternational Journal Of Technology Marketing,8(1), 61.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Mafia Essays - Transnational Organized Crime, Mexican Drug War

Mafia The Mafia is an organized crime organization that has been around for an extremely long time. The honored society developed back in Western Sicily and Palermo (The Mafia Homepage, www.geocities.com). In the ninth century, the Arab forces occupied the small island of Sicily. The Sicilians were oppressed and took refuge in the hills of there homeland. As they spent time in the hills as refugees, these Sicilians took it upon themselves to form a secret society to unite the Sicilian forces against the Norman's and Arab's. This organization was known better as the Mafia (Omerta, users.aol.com). Mafia is a word that has originated from the Arabic language and its meaning is refuge (Mafia History, mafiasite.8m.com). This society had the intent to create a family based on their ancestry and Sicilian heritage. In the 1700's they distributed pictures of black hands to the wealthy people. This was an unspoken request for an amount of money in return for protection of them and there families. If the money wasn't paid the people in that house could expect violence brought upon them and their family (Omerta, users.aol.com). By the end nineteenth century, the Sicilian Mafia had grown larger, more extensive, powerful, and more criminally oriented than in the past. They were coming down from the hillsides and some of them were even getting involved in politics running for office and ocasionally winning. This was greatly adding to the Mafia's power in Sicily (Mafia History, mafiasite.8m.com). In 1876 Mafia leader Don Rafael Palizzolo ran for office in Sicily. He forced some citizens to vote for him under gunpoint. When he won elected fellow member of the Mafia Don Crispi as Prime Minister. These two put Sicily under control of the Mafia and gave much of the governments funds to the Mafia (Omerta, users.aol.com). By 1900 the Mafia controlled most of the Western third of the island. These ?Mafia men? took control of local government offices and took over management positions in fa ctories and and bought out/took over estates (The Mafia Homepage, www.geocities.com). By 1924 the Mafia had become so powerful it attracted Mussolini's attention He wanted to rid Italy and Sicily of this secret society. This led to migration of the Mafia members to the United States. In its first years in the U.S. the Mafia based itself right in the heart of New Orleans, this was the largest site of Mafia ever. (Mafia History, mafiasite.8m.com). With thousands of members of the Mafia migrating to the United States the Mafia would slowly take control of Major U.S. Cities such as New York, Chicago, Nevada, Havana, and much more of the U.S. (The Mafia Homepage, www.geocities.com). The Mafia formed La Cosa Nostra in the U.S. This was an organization of all the new Mafia families in the U.S. La Cosa Nostra united all the families to try to keep peace between them (Mafia History, mafiasite.8m.com). At the turn of the century the American Mafia was much different from the Sicilian Mafia in many ways. First the European Maria was founded on a sense of loyalty and respect for culture, family, and the Sicilian heritage. The Mafia was to protect its members in return for absolute loyalty to the Mafia family. The Sicilian Mafia valued the code of ?omerta?, which is the code of honor and silence. They were strict to the ruling that this was a secret society that was only open to those of Sicilian blood. The American Mafia is much different. They are a conniving, cold-hearted organization. They have a number of glorified thieves such as pickpockets and murderers. It began with much of the Sicilian Mafia's heritage but evolved into an organization that's just out to make some money illegally. The American Mafia uses extortion, bootlegging, prostitution, gambling, kidnapping, and murder to get what they want (Omerta, users.aol.com). The Mafia has been around for a very long time. They started as an organization to just protect their interests and now their using many illegal methods to make money. My grandmother is Antoinette Cuccia; her father was part of the Sicilian Mafia. Bibliography Bibliography Omerta, The History of the American Mafia, http// users.aol.com/whizkid01/hist.html Mafia History, http//mafiasite.8m.com/cgi-bin/framed/2067/history.htm The Mafia Homepage, http//www.geocites.com/Hollywood/Academy/5854/main.htm Legal Issues