Essay --

The Apostolic Fathers are a group of Early Christian Authors who wrote between the end of the New Testament times and c. 150. J.B. Cotelier created the term â€Å"Apostolic Fathers† in 1672 as he designated five writers as ‘Patres aevi apostolici’, which translates to ‘Fathers of the apostolic age’. These authors didn’t come together on their own to create a group themselves, but were put together because of their writings by scholars. As a group, their writings teach us about early Christian struggles in the early second century when Christianity was still growing. These writings include The Didache, 1 Clement & 2 Clement, The Apology of Quadratus and The Epistle to Diognetus, The Shephard of Hermas, The Epistle of Barnabas, The Epistles of Ignatius of Antioch, the Epistle to the Philippians, and The Martyrdom of Polycarp. The Didache’s date and place of origin are uncertain. Researchers have narrowed it down to areas in western Syria, especially Antioch. They estimated the date to be around the first to second century. The Didache can be divided into four different parts. The first part is the Two Ways: The Way of Life and The Way of Death. The second part is describing rituals of baptisms, Christian prayers, and the Eucharist. The third part is rules on receiving wandering apostles and prophets. The fourth and final part is about electing officials such as bishops and deacons. The next is the 1 Clement and 2 Clement. 1 Clement was a letter from the Church of Rome to the Church of Corinth. Iranaeus dates 1 Clement to have been written around 95-97 AD. Although he doesn’t claim that Clement is the author, some historians name him as the author. 1 Clement was sent because the Church of Corinth had replaced its elders in office with... ... the story of his death in twenty-two chapters as a letter from the church in Smyrna to the congregation of Philomelium. â€Å"The execution of Polycarp is particularly significant in early Christian literature because of the framework that it provided for later depictions of the deaths of faithful followers of Christ† (Jefford 2005, 19). The person who witnessed Polycarp’s martyrdom was Everestus. This letter suggests that Polycarp and Jesus lead similar lives. They both prayed for the safety of their followers, hosted a final meal, and betrayed by someone close to them. The Apostolic Fathers were a group of authors that wrote about what was happening with Christianity at the time of their lives. Some authors are known, and some are still unknown to this day. All of these texts help us to learn about what early Christians went through in different parts of the world.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee :: To Kill a Mockingbird Essays

Scout Finch is not the stereotypical girl from the 1930’s. Agents the wishes of everyone around her, she grows up in overalls instead of dresses. Scout plays in the dirt and sand, instead of in the kitchen. In the novel To Kill a Mocking Bird, by Harper Lee, Scout is the wild spirited narrator, growing up in the small town of Maycomb. As she gets older, she learns mostly from her father Atticus how to interact with people. Scout learns to show dignity and respect to everyone, under any circumstances.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the beginning of the novel, the reader finds that Scout Finch is not the most peaceful girl. She fights boys quite often, and never backs down from a fight. One day Cecil Jacobs approached Scout and was taunting her because her father is â€Å"defending niggers†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I drew a beam on him, remembered what Atticus had said, then dropped my fists and walked away.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It was not until Atticus had told Scout not to fight on his behalf, that Scout found the courage inside her to walk away. Her actions here show her respect for Atticus, and her dignity. She realizes now that fighting is not always the best way for her to solve her problems. Even after all the kids were calling her a coward, she had enough dignity to follow her father’s wishes and not fight.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Boo Radly often became the target of the children’s taunting. Scout had a set image of Boo in her head as a blood stained squirrel eater, even though she had never so much as seen him. That changed as she grew up.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"When we were small, Jem and I confined our activities to the southern neighborhood, but when I was well into the second grade taunting Boo Radly became passà ©.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As Scout grows, she starts to see Boo as a person, as apposed to some sort of an evil creature. By stopping her games, and the tormenting of Boo, she shows respect for him and shows dignity in herself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Near the end of the novel, a mob of men from the town gather in front of the jail to lynch Tom Robinson. To there surprise Atticus is waiting there for them. Later Scout, Jem and Dill joined them. This was a very awkward situation for everyone there, and Scout tried to ease the tension by starting conversation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Atticus had said it was the polite thing to talk to people about what they are interested in, not about what you are interested in.

Fantasy vs. Reality Essay

Blanche is sufficiently self-aware to know that she cannot survive in the world as it is. Reality is too harsh, so she must somehow create illusions that will allow her to maintain her delicate, fragile hold on life. â€Å"A woman’s charm is fifty percent illusion† (scene 2) she acknowledges to Stanley. Later in the story line when Mitch wants to switch the light on so that he can get a realistic look at her, she tells him that she does not want realism, she wants magic. When Mitch turns on the light during that scene it reveals much more to the audience than just what she really looks like, but it shows that all this time she has been living her life in the dark, hiding herself in the murky shadows of her promiscuity. Her ultimate goal was to manipulate reality until her fantasy becomes reality. She wants life to be lived in a permanent romantic glow, like the light that lit up the entire worlds when she first fell in love. But in this play, reality dominates. The realism of the setting, with its down-to-earth characters and the sounds of the busy life of this corner of New Orleans, suggests that Blanche’s illusions are not going to be sufficient. The fact that Blanche is probably aware of this too is what wins her the sympathy of the audience. Eventually, her thin hold on reality disappears altogether and she takes refuge in an illusory world in which she is about to go on a trip with her imaginary rich beau. The more desperate Blanche becomes in her loneliness, the more deeply she digs herself into an alternate reality, where she is the author of her own demise. Fantasy can be a hard mind set to overcome for most people. The more a person repeats a lie—the more that person starts to believe it is reality. This is one of many themes that can be related to everyday life.

Prejudice Can Be Hurtful and Destructive Example.

ROBERT KENNEDY COLLEGE – UNIVERSITY OF CUMBRIA| ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIORS | MID-TERM ASSIGNMENT| 2/18/2013 | Question 1 Understanding Human Behavior is critical to organizations – discuss the benefits of self evaluation/self assessment as it related to leaders today. Self-evaluation or â€Å"self-leadership† (Runn, 2011) forms a critical part of a leaders repertoire and some key blocks of the foundation for this persons leadership. If someone can ultimately say that they fully understand themselves, they will find it much easier to understand others around them.Self-evaluation is an ongoing activity that leaders must use to identify their strength and weakness to work towards of improvement. Kaplan (Kaplan, Robert S. ;, 2007) in his experience has learned that the key characteristic of highly successful leaders is not that they figure out how to always stay on course, but that they recognize a deteriorating situation and get back on track as quick as possible. Sel f-assessment and self-evaluation help managers and leader to get back on track working of the weak area and empowering their strength.Leader often lack to receive feedback, therefore they must find way to evaluate themselves. Holmes (Holmes, 2012) identifies nine areas that a leader should focus and they are critical of a high performance work environment and enables people to perform at their best. The areas are: 1. Providing direction 2. Problem solving/Decision making 3. Support/Reliability 4. Team involvement and Communication 5. Recognition 6. Interpersonal skills 7. Culture building 8. Coach/influencer 9. Personal Power These areas are fundamental in achieving the good results, establish vision and communicate it to the subordinate.In an organization vision and goal are sat and when they are not correctly communicated subordinate becomes demotivated and uncommitted. A leader should always communicate effectively his and organizational vision, give feedback and have continuous coaching. Kaplan (Kaplan, Robert S. ;, 2007) argues that leaders often fail to coach employees in a direct and timely fashion and, instead wait until the year-end review. Leader avoiding coaching and giving effective feedback can have unpleasant surprise and can undermine effective professional development.Robbins & Judge (2010) argue asking whether it is actually possible for individuals to be their own leader. Coveys, in his book the 7 habits of highly effective people, describe the way people can improve their actions to be highly successful. Leaders needs to have a high emotional intelligence and Goleman (Goleman, 2000) defines the emotional intelligence has the ability to manage ourselves and our relationship effectively. In my experience, we often don’t lead but we manage and being driven focusing on the say-to-day jobs.When I was assigned to a project my priority were to have the work done and pushing on subordinates to obtain the results without clearly envision and c oaching them. Being involved in day to day activity, leaders are managed by these activities often becoming the subordinate of their subordinate as explain in monkey management instead of delegating responsibilities. In today organization, leaders are coping with fast changes and they need to adapt and apply them. Self-assessment will drive them to be open to change and also evaluate their weakness to be successful.Most of the Fortune 500 has been implementing the self-assessment and evaluation. The question is the efficacy of the self-assessment and self-evaluation. It is a personal change and often leader are not open to it. Knowing the personal weakness helps in making a paradigm shift but these changes are hard to be applied because they require going out of the comfort zone. People resist changes and struggle with this idea, especially when they are having low esteem, un-secureness. They see these weakness has negative and instead of working out to improve and motivate themselv es in improving.In the history, these factors have been used in the wrong way and against the person. In today organization, these concepts have been changing and researchers have showed the importance of identify and work to improve them but if they resist this change process; they will continue having the same problem. The Leadership Steps Assessment (LSA) (Clawson & McNay, 2000)discusses the importance of identifying six leadership ability, as also discussed above. One of ability is to clarify their own center.Clawson define that clarity of core values is a key leadership characteristic, because if one is not internally clear about priorities, what it is good to do, what it is ethically acceptable, the influence of others may sway one’s behavior away from achieving one’s goals or from ethical means of achieving them. Covey identifies these activities as Emotional Bank Account individual creates in others. If we are not able to recognize our values or we focus in oth er value like money, success that are Personality Characteristic instead of Character values we are easily influenced by them.In conclusion, today leadership must focus on their strength and weakness evaluating themselves and training in improving the Emotional Intelligence. Self-assessment is an on-going process to achieve high successful result that will benefit companies but at the same time work environments. Researches have analyzed many data in different company size. These researchers have identified that leaders being self-aware, self-confident have reduced turn-over, created healthier environment and got from subordinate to work at their max performance.Self-assessment has given to leaders’ better vision and focuses more on organizational goals. They have been improving empathy and coaching of the staffs being accepted as great leader. Whenever we understand ourselves, we are able to share idea and let others accept the changes without many resistance and we create f ollowers. These are beneficial on personal and organizational level. By understanding themselves, they are creating a stable base to work from, and also helping others understand themselves. This is where the significant benefit will arise from.It is not from one leader, but from the vision and leadership they share, and openly distribute among their peers and subordinates. By allowing individuals all around them to gain the same understanding we are forming a cluster of stability, strength, drive, passion and most importantly a culture which feeds on the outcomes. Question 2 Prejudice can be hurtful and destructive – discuss how you can personally reduce prejudice in your workplace – please provide an example. Allport (Allport, 1991) define prejudice as an antipathy based on faulty and inflexible generalization.It may be felt or expressed. It may be directed toward a group or an individual of that group. Clawson (Clawson & Bryan, 1990) affirm Prejudice revolve around strong feelings; prejudices thrive in the context of the past and begin to wilt in the light of new and broader experience. Avoiding address prejudice it’s to ignore a significant factor in the organization’s chance for success. Banaji (Banaji, et al. , 2003) argue that prejudice arises from the ordinary and unconscious tendency to make associations; it is distinct from conscious forms of prejudice, such as overt racism or sexism.Banaji (Banaji, et al. , 2003) identify the prejudice in: * Implicit Prejudice: bias that emerges from unconscious beliefs * In-group favoritism: bias that favor your group * Over-claiming credit: bias that favors you Human are not free from prejudice and they are built during the life. The prejudice is created by the environment, media, parents therefore everybody is biased against a group, developed some stereotyping and difficulties in judging other and make decision that are driven by unconscious biases.These flawed judgments are ethically problematic and undermine managers’ fundamental work to recruit and retain superior talent, boost the performance of individuals and teams, and collaborate effectively with partners (Banaji, et al. , 2003). To reduce biases and prejudice organization must develop strategic learning program that partially helps but especially they must work in favor of prejudice elimination. Prejudice against a group can be removed coaching and mentoring people to work together to better know each other and removing the biases.About prejudice I can give some example from my experience in organization where I worked. When I joined an Italian retail company I was not well accepted by the supervisor and my colleagues. Surely because of my nationality. As Benaji identify, I was victim of an in-group and unconscious bias. There were commenting and talking at my back of what I can contribute with the company, some were curious if I have knowledge appropriate to work in the company so they were keep on asking all about me.Being categorized as part of a group that in majority was making low qualification works, the first year I really had hard time and I had to work more than others to demonstrate my knowledge, skills and remove the prejudice. Besides, I developed a strategy to share more work and project with the colleagues showing them other way to achieve the result and improve the outcome and allow the organization to increase them revenue. In one of the project, I lead and liaised with a Chinese company to get a partnership contract.In that situation, I started highlighting the cultural difference and gathering facts of biases that my colleague were having. Showing them that their beliefs were not true and they were having unconscious biases brought them to see the difference and deal with the biases. In that case making them aware of unconscious biases and beliefs brought them to act in different way and also let them understand the reason of past failure on dealing with Chinese company. In conclusion people are born without biases and prejudice but during the life we develop them based on the environment we are exposed.Prejudices are not easy to be eradicated but an organization must will to change and integrate diversity and remove the prejudice. Bibliography Allport, G. , 1991. The nature of prejudice. Political Psycology, Volume 12, pp. 125-157. Banaji, M. R. , Bazerman, M. H. & Chugh, D. , 2003. How (Un)Ethical Are You?. Harvard Business Review, Issue R0312D, pp. 97-106. Clawson, J. G. & Bryan, S. , 1990. Prejudice in Organizations. university of Virginia Dareen Business Publication, Issue UVA-OB-0381. Clawson, J. & McNay, E. , 2000. Leadership Steps Assessment (LSA). Darden, Issue Rev. 11/01. Goleman, D. , 2000.Leadership That Gets Results. Harvard Business Review, Volume R0024, pp. 78-90. Holmes, S. , 2012. Leadership and Motivation Training. [Online] Available at: http://www. leadership-and-motivation-training. com/leadership-self-assessment . html [Accessed 12 February 2013]. Kaplan, Robert S. ;, 2007. What to ask the person in the mirror. Harvard Business Review. Oncken, W. & Wass, D. , 1999. Management Time – Who's Got the Monkey. Harvard Business Review, Volume 11. Runn, G. , 2011. Self Evaluation in Leadership. [Online] Available at: http://garyrunn. com/2011/08/17/self-evaluation-inleadership/ [Accessed 15 2 2013].

African Americans and Slavery Essay

The American Revolution was a time of great turmoil for all men and women in the United States. Great debates came and went during this time; slavery and the freedom of black men being the main problems in these debates. Slaves were used for a great number of things during the American revolutionary period. The arrival of slavery to the American colonies began in the 1600s and started out in Virginia. As the years passed more and more African-Americans were brought into the colonies to be used as labor workers. The beginning amount of slaves continued to grow and by the beginning of the revolution there were about 273,000 slaves spread throughout the American states. With the coming of the revolution all African-Americans, slave or free, knew something was coming and each had a different response to these comings. There were differences in the responses of slaves and free men during the American Revolution. There were also consequences to their choices. â€Å"Gaining freedom in a land of captivity and wresting equality from a society whose founding documents guarantee it has been the consuming desire and everlasting hope that has kept harrowed bodies and weary souls going. † In the southern states African-American slaves were treated harsher than those in the north. The plantations down south required back –breaking hours of work in the sun that White Americans believed could only be done by those they had bought. There was a reason for them to be there and until they could no longer work they were to do all things imaginable for their owners, no questions asked. Some of these slaves thought it was easier to run away from their owners and that in doing so they would have a chance to fight for their country. Slaves could either flee to the north or they could flee to Spanish owned Florida. In cases where a master was called upon to fight, they would send a slave in their place and if they lived long enough to return home they earned freedom. Many of the slaves decided that if they had a chance to gain their freedom by joining the war effort then they would gladly take their masters place. They also believed that with the beginning to the revolutionary period would bring a new deed to the land and when it was over there would no longer be a need for slaves. The consequences for slaves in the south were innumerable. Like many slaves, they took this time to run from slave masters and plantations. If these southern slaves were caught, depending on the owner, the slave could suffer mild to severe consequences. Depending on the demeanor of the owner a slave could be punished in several different ways. Whipping, branding, slapping, being dunked underwater, and kicking were just some forms of punishment. The most severe punishments were to cut off a body part like an ear in the hopes that the slave would learn and never run again. There were also â€Å"nice† slave owners that chose not to punish their slaves. There justification for not punishing their slaves was so that they would continue to work and so that the owner could buy more slaves with the money that they continued to pool in from the work. Because of some owners that continuously harassed Washington, he stopped allowing slaves into his army. But General Washington, fearing rebellion, created an order that stated that all blacks were not allowed to fight. Later he partially reversed the order and allowed only free black men to fight with him. Some slaves believed that taking a chance to flee towards the north was a far-fetched idea. They were seeking freedom in the quickest possible way. Lord Dunmore sent out a proclamation that stated in exchange for freedom any black that came to him would fight against the patriots and become a loyalist. Dunmore’s promise of freedom fueled black slaves to escape and even some patriots fled to fight as a loyalist. After the war, true to his word, slaves gained their freedom. Some of these newly freed slaves went to Britain but many of them stayed in the Americas. On the other hand free men in the north believed the revolution would bring about change for the better. Their idea of the revolution was that they were being given the chance to gain independence from Great Britain and also for themselves. It was a defining moment in history that they were to be a part of. Fighting with white men gave these free black men a sense of honor and it also gave them a job where they could earn a little money to put towards getting homes and things of that nature. Men from the north gradually began to realize that they could fight with their brethren and bring independence to the land. General Washington passed an order stating that no black man was allowed into his army. This order came about because of general angst from some slave owners. These owners believed that there should not be any blacks fighting for the independence because they were only good for being slaves and they would never have say over anything. After some time Washington, fearing not having enough men to fight against the British, partially reversed this order to allow only free black men. Other than this there were not many consequences that are recorded for free black men. These free men not only fought for the independence of the nation but also for their independence and the independence of other black men and women. African-Americans from the north and south chose to join the continental army because they believed that they should help make the place the lived independent from a tyranny that had no say in the matters of a new country. They felt that this tyranny could take their rights and place them under unfair rule once again. Some of the freemen and slaves that had started out in the continental army decided to run to the British army but were not successful in their plights. Nash called the revolution the ‘greatest slave rebellion in American history’ because it was just that. The revolution opened up new grounds for slaves to rebel against owners because it was the most opportune time for them to do so. â€Å"If any group within America’s diversified people came close to answering John Adams’s plea that ‘we must all be soldiers,’ it was black Americans. No part of revolutionary society responded to the call for arms with anywhere near the enthusiasm of those who were black. Proportionate to their number, African American males— and some females— were more likely to join the fray than white Americans. † According to this excerpt from another one of Nash’s books, African-Americans were much more adept to answering the plea of John Adams. If there were more African-American fighters than white that meant that more black males were subject to put themselves in danger in order to gain freedom. They would rather have one day of freedom, not knowing if they would die in the next second, hour, or day, than be a slave for the rest of their lives. This is one of the reasons why Nash called the revolution the ‘greatest slave rebellion in American history’. â€Å"Desperate to fill the thinned ranks of its regiments, states offered freedom†¦ to serve during the continuance of the present war with Great Britain. Every black enlistee would be ‘immediately discharged from the service of his master or mistress, and be absolutely free, as if he had never been encumbered with any kind of servitude or slavery. † If states were desperate to have more men come into their ranks then there was nothing really stopping slaves from escaping their masters and coming to fight. They all wanted freedom from someone. Slaves wanted freedom from their bonds that were tied to the soil they worked and the Americans wanted freedom from Great Britain. Both groups had their reasons to fight and the only way slaves knew how to become free was to rebel and run to an army. This was a time for large rebellions on all fronts not just from the slaves. It was a rebellion against the British from the former colonists and a rebellion against the men and women that were taken from their homes to somehow create new ones. â€Å"It may have been, as Nash says ‘the greatest slave rebellion in American history,’ but for most of the rebels it ended like the others, in death. Slaves who supported the American side fared better, but not much better. Only with great reluctance did Washington allow some to join his army. Other Virginians had another wartime use for them. In 1780 the state legislature offered salves as a bounty for enlistment in the war against British tyranny. The revolution did see enactment of measures for gradual emancipation in the northern states, but the number who benefited was small. † My view on the American Revolution has changed somewhat because of how the African-Americans were treated during and after the period of war. The Americans act as though they had not been fighting alongside each other and because of this withhold distaste for the blacks. The completely disregard the idea that every man is created equal and has certain unalienable rights. They do not extend these ideas that were written down on the Declaration of Independence to the free black Americans. Men that had fought with and under Washington were not looked as the same because the color of their skin and were not given the same rights. Because of how they were treated I see the Revolution more as a war against Britain to save other whites from tyranny rather than to gain independence for all mankind. ——————————————–.of Revolution (Harvard University: 2006), 1. [ 2 ]. Taymor, . â€Å"US History Documents. † Last modified 2005. Accessed January 27, 2013. http://inside. sfuhs. org/dept/history/US_History_reader/Chapter2/Nashfighting. pdf. [ 3 ]. Taymor, . â€Å"US History Documents. † Last modified 2005. Accessed January 27, 2013. http://inside. sfuhs. org/dept/history/US_History_reader/Chapter2/Nashfighting. pdf. [ 4 ]. Edmund S. Morgan, review of The Unknown American Revolution:  .

Definition of Mergers and Acquisition Essay

One plus one makes three: this equation is the special alchemy of a mergers or an acquisition. The key principle behind buying a company is to create shareholder value over and above that of the sum of the two companies. Two companies together are more valuable than two separate companies – at least, that’s the reasoning behind Mergers and Acquisition. This rationale is particularly alluring to companies when times are tough. Strong companies will act to buy other companies to create a more competitive, cost – efficient company. The companies will come together hoping to gain a greater market share or to achieve greater efficiency. Because of these potential benefits, target companies will often agree to be purchased when they know they cannot survive alone. Distinction between Mergers and Acquisitions Although they are often uttered in the same breath and used as though they were synonymous, the terms mergers and acquisition mean slightly different things. When one company takes over another and clearly established itself as the new owner, the purchase is called an acquisition. From a legal point of view, the target company ceases to exist; the buyer â€Å"swallows† the business and the buyer’s stock continues to be traded. In the pure sense of the term, a mergers happens when two firms, often of about the same size, agree to go forward as a single new company rather than remain separately owned and operated. This kind of action is more precisely referred to as a â€Å"mergers of equals. † Both companies’ stocks are surrendered and new company stock is issued in its place. For example, both Daimler – Benz and Chrysler ceased to exist when the two firms merged, and a new company, DaimlerChrysler, was created. In practice, however, actual mergers of equals don’t happen very often. Usually, one company will buy another and, as part of the deal’s terms, simply allow the acquired firm to proclaim that the action is a merger of equals, even if it’s technically an acquisition. Being bought out often carries negative connotations, therefore, by describing the deal as a merger, deal makers and top managers try to make the takeover more palatable. (Investopedia. com – the resource for investing and personal finance education. http://www. investopedia. com/university/mergers (Page 3 of 15). A purchase deal will also be called a merger when both Chief Executive Officers agree that joining together is in the best interest of both of their companies. But when the deal is unfriendly – that is, when the target company does not want to be purchased – it is always regarded as an acquisition. Whether a purchase is considered a mergers or an acquisition really depends on whether the purchase is friendly or hostile and how it is announced. In other words, the real difference lies in how the purchase is communicated to and received by the target company’s board of directors, employees and shareholders. Garbage (2007) in his thesis paper on International Mergers & Acquisitions, Cooperation and Networks in the e-business’ defines a mergers as â€Å"the combination of two or more companies in which the assets and liabilities of the selling firms are absorbed by the buying firm†. According to Gaughan (2002) â€Å"a mergers is a combination of two companies in which only one company survives and the merged company ceases to exist, whereby the acquiring company assumes the assets and liabilities of the merged company†. An acquisition also known as a takeover? s the buying of a company, the target? by another or the purchase of an asset such as plant or a division of a company. In the case of Vodafone acquisition of GT the acquired company Ghana Telecommunication Company limited still remains the legal name and Vodafone Ghana (VFGH) as the brand name. Rosenbaum and Pearl (2009) describe another form of acquisition known as a consolidation. According to them the terms mergers and consolidation are sometimes used interchangeably. As a general rule of thumb, a merger describes the acquisition of a smaller company by a larger one. If the union is between two corporations of more or less equal size, then the term consolidation is probably applicable. For the purpose of this study, the definition of Rosenbaum will be adopted as the working definition of a merger. Types of Mergers From the perspective of business structures, there are different kinds of mergers. According to Welch, P. and Welch, G. (2007) Economics: Theory and Practice (8th ed. ), economists generally classify mergers into three types: (1) horizontal, (2) vertical and (3) conglomerate. Horizontal mergers This type of mergers takes place when two firms in the same line of business i. . they are in direct competition or they share the same product lines and markets combine. A typical example is the 1999 Exxon Mobil mergers. The merger between Vodafone and Ghana Telecom which is the focus of our study is also a horizontal merger. Anticompetitive effects The vast majority of significant competition issues associated with mergers arises in horizontal mergers. A horizontal merger is one between parties that are competitors at the same level of production and/or distribution of a good or service, i. e. , in the same relevant market. There are two types of anticompetitive effects associated with horizontal mergers: unilateral effects and coordinated effects. Unilateral effects, also known as non-coordinated effects, arise where, as a result of the merger, competition between the products of the merging firms is eliminated, allowing the merged entity to unilaterally exercise market power, for instance by profitably raising the price of one or both merging parties’ products, thus harming consumers. In homogeneous markets, unilateral effects can be pronounced when two significant competitors merge to create a large, dominant player with only a few or no other competitors. In these markets, an important role in the assessment is played by market shares and by the capacity available in the market. In differentiated markets, unilateral effects tend to arise particularly when the two merging companies have highly substitutable goods. Such a price increase does not depend on the merged firm being the dominant player in the market. The likelihood and magnitude of such an increase will instead depend on the substitutability of the products supplied by the two firms – the closer the substitute, the greater the unilateral effects. Coordinated effects arise where, under certain market conditions (e. g. , market transparency, product homogeneity etc. ), the merger increases the probability that, post merger, merging parties and their competitors will successfully be able to coordinate their behaviour in an anti-competitive way, for example, by raising prices. As in the case of unilateral effects, the most common form of coordinated effects is in the case of horizontal mergers, i. e. mergers between firms active on the same market. The main question in analysing coordinated effects should be whether the merger materially increases the likelihood that firms in the market will successfully coordinate their behaviour or strengthen existing coordination. The task is to identify what factors are likely to lead to coordination taking place between firms post-merger. This was a controversial area with which competition authorities and courts have struggled to come to terms over the years, but experience has led to the emergence of some agreement on what conditions are most likely to give rise to coordinated effects. According to the â€Å"Airtours criteria†, coordination is more likely to emerge in markets where it is relatively simple to reach a common understanding on the terms of coordination. In addition, three conditions are necessary for coordination to be sustainable. First, the coordinating firms must be able to monitor to a sufficient degree whether the terms of coordination are being adhered to. Second, discipline requires that there is some form of credible deterrent mechanism that can be activated if deviation is detected. Third, the reactions of outsiders, such as current and future competitors not participating in the coordination, as well as customers, should not be able to jeopardise the results expected from the coordination. Vertical mergers These are mergers between firms that operate at different but complementary levels in the chain of production (e. g. , manufacturing and an upstream market for an input) and/or distribution (e. g. , manufacturing and a downstream market for re-sale to retailers) of the same final product. Another example is the acquisition of ABC television network by Walt Disney to enable Walt Disney air its recent movies to huge audiences. In purely vertical mergers there is no direct loss in competition as in horizontal mergers because the parties’ products did not compete in the same relevant market. As such, there is no change in the level of concentration in either relevant market. Vertical mergers have significant potential to create efficiencies largely because the upstream and downstream products or services complement each other. Even so, vertical integration may sometimes give rise to competition concerns. Anticompetitive effects Vertical effects can produce competitive harm in the form of foreclosure. A merger is said to result in foreclosure where actual or potential rivals’ access to supplies or markets is hampered or eliminated as a result of the merger, thereby reducing these companies’ ability and/or incentive to compete. Two forms of foreclosure can be distinguished. The first is where the merger is likely to raise the costs of downstream rivals by restricting their access to an important input (input foreclosure). The second is where the merger is likely to foreclose upstream rivals by restricting their access to a sufficient customer base (customer foreclosure). However, it should be noted that in general vertical merger concerns are likely to arise only if market power already exists in one or more markets along the supply chain. Conglomerate mergers involve firms that operate in different product markets, without a vertical relationship. They may be product extension mergers, i. e. , mergers between firms that produce different but related products or pure conglomerate mergers, i. e. , mergers between firms operating in entirely different markets. In practice, the focus is on mergers between companies that are active in related or neighbouring markets, e. g. , mergers involving suppliers of complementary products or of products belonging to a range of products that is generally sold to the same set of customers in a manner that lessens competition. This kind of mergers takes place when two firms in unrelated lines of business combine. A merger between a bank and a media house will be an example of a conglomerate merger. One example of a conglomerate merger was the merger between the Walt Disney Company and the American Broadcasting Company (http://www. sk. com/wiki/Conglomerate_merger) Anticompetitive effects Merger review in this area is controversial, as commentators and enforcement agencies disagree on the extent to which one can predict competitive harm resulting from such mergers. Proponents of conglomerate theories of harm argue that in a small number of cases, where the parties to the merger have strong market positions in their respective markets, potential harm may arise when the merging group is likely to foreclose other rivals from the market in a way similar to vertical mergers, particularly by means of tying and bundling their products. When as a result of foreclosure rival companies become less effective competitors, consumer harm may result. However, it should be stressed that in these cases there is a real risk of foregoing efficiency gains that benefits consumer welfare and thus the theory of competitive harm needs to be supported by substantial evidence. Evaluation of the effectiveness of existing regulations aimed to reduce anticompetitive practices of Mergers and Acquisitions in Ghana. Mergers and Acquisitions among companies in Ghana are regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under the Securities Industry Law 1993 (PNDC Law 333) (Ghana Investment Promotion Center, 2008). The law mandates the SEC ‘to review, approve and regulate takeovers, mergers, acquisitions and all forms of business combinations in accordance with any law or code of practice requiring it to do so. Ghanaian law on mergers and acquisitions is an amalgamation of several executive and legislative instruments passed as the corporate finance industry continues to evolve. The need to generate constructive competition among enterprises has been recognized by the government, and monopolies are actively discouraged as a result. The merger in November 2003 of two prominent international mining companies – Ashanti Goldfields and AngloGold (AngloGold succeeded in outbidding Rand Gold in the highly con-tested race with an offering of $1. 4 billion) promises great value to shareholders and the operations of both companies. The Companies Code stipulates the manner in which mergers and amalgamations should be effected. It places emphasis on company resolutions that authorize mergers and amalgamations and on the preservation of affected creditors’ rights. Ghanaian courts frown upon the arbitrary treatment of members or shareholders, and ample provision is made for aggrieved persons to apply to the court for redress at different stages of the merger or acquisition process. Foreign enterprises are guaranteed unconditional transferability of profits and dividends through any bank authorized to deal in freely convertible currency, encouraging and securing foreign investment. The transfer of company shares is exempted from all stamp duties and capital gains resulting from mergers, amalgamations and reorganizations are also tax exempt. Under Ghanaian investment law, preferential treatment is given to foreign and Ghanaian joint ventures by guaranteeing lower minimum capital requirements than those required for wholly foreign-owned enterprises. On the whole, mergers and acquisitions in Ghana continue to evolve as the government secures an attractive environment through executive, legislative and judicial activism to attract direct foreign investment and thus improve the economy. Consequently, the local corporate finance market has began to see increasingly complex financial transactions taking place as more international companies elect Ghana as the regional centre for their operations and its courts for dispute resolution issues.

Analyzing The Outsider An Metamorphosis English Literature Essay

Analyzing The Outsider An Metamorphosis English Literature Essay In The Outsider by Albert Camus and The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, both authors utilize the protagonist’s distinct characteristic and central theme to evoke sympathy in the readers for Gregor Samsa and Meursault, which will be explored in a deeper context in the essay. Both protagonists have their own characters which defines them as a person. Readers will be replete with sympathy knowing that the protagonists’ misfortunes were a result of their characters. Themes are used to express ideas and are employed by authors as a literary device to bring forth basic elements in any story. The main theme in both books bring into light the more significant context of what the story focuses on, hence drawing the readers closer to presiding events which affects the protagonist, and ultimately brings forth the sympathy we feel. When Meursault kills an Arab he is adjudicated not for his murder, but for â€Å"burying his mother like a heartless criminal† (p93) after discove ring he was enjoying and having fun on the day after his mother’s death. As it is common for people to mourn for the loss of a loved one, the lack of concern he has towards his mother’s death differ from the social norms. Meursault was punished for his insensitivity as the Prosecutor talked about Meursault’s attitude towards his mother â€Å"much longer† (p98) than â€Å"about his crime† (p98). He was tried for not expressing regrets or showing emotions during the trial simply because he did not feel any of it, staying truthful throughout even if it affected his fate. Therefore, this elicits sympathy in readers as he in incapable of relating to others, conveying how his nonchalance led to his downfall as the trial placed a sole focus on his character instead of the crime he committed. In The Metamorphosis, Gregor’s altruistic character is illustrated from the very beginning of the novella, portraying how he hates his â€Å"grueling job† (p3) as a travelling salesman, experiencing the â€Å"torture of travelling, worrying about changing trains, eating miserable food at all hours† (p4) when he actually desired to quit a long time ago. Yet, Gregor only has his job in mind as he has no intention of letting his family down. More notably, despite his sufferings he sacrifices his time and freedom of choice profusely by continuing with his job which he loathes so much just to provide his family with â€Å"such a life in so nice an apartment† (p21) and to pay off his parents’ debt. Sadly, when he transforms into a vermin, his family repays his devotion by neglecting him, and â€Å"swallow their disgust and endure him† (p38). His family feels the need put up with the revolting sight of Gregor and bear with his vermin form, thus exposing their ungratefulness. Gregor is no longer of any use â€Å"since his transformation forces him to stay in his room†Ã‚   [ 1 ]   He eventually dies from the guilt of burdening his family because of his inability to provide for them and also because he lost his final link to his family- Grete, his sister and closest family member-when she agrees Gregor is burdensome. Hence, we sympathize for him as Gregor is neither thanked nor appreciated for his selfless acts, but instead shunned by his family- his natural source of love and support.