The Decline Of The 16th Century Reformation Essay

The 16th century reformation (from the Latin word reforma, meaning change) was a revolt against the excessive power wielded by the Catholic Church throughout Europe in the 16th century, and lead to the eventual founding of Protestantism. The reformation ended the dominance of Europe by the Catholic church, separating Christians into Protestants and Catholics, and was a turning point in religious and European history. At the beginning of the 16th Century, Europe was dominantly Catholic. The Catholic Church not only controlled vast economic resources, but wielded enormous political and social power. Reformers believed that the Catholic church had overstepped their jurisdiction in overseeing people’s faith, for example by limiting the printing of bibles to languages that only priests could read, and that the Church had become corrupted by practices such as the sale of indulgences. For centuries, Popes had ruled Europe more like Kings than religious leaders. Hugely political, they had alliances and enemies, commanding armies and waging war. Whilst the church was a religious group, it had enormous influence in areas of politics and economics, the Pope often allowing a marriage to be broken so that kings and powerful lords could better their political standing. People saw the unnecessary power that the papacy wielded, the power to make or break nations. For over a century, early reformers such as John Wyclif and Jan Hus had expressed doubts about the honesty andShow MoreRelated Protestant Reformation Essay804 Words   |  4 Pages PROTESTANT REFORMATION: A MENTOR TO CHRISTIAN CIVILIZATION nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;When we talk about Protestant Reformation, what usually comes to our mind is a movement that brought about negative effects not just in Europe but also in the whole Catholic Church, which are still being felt and experienced even today. Although it may be true that the Protestant Reformation had been one of the causes of the gradual decline of the Catholic Church during the 16th century, it also brought aboutRead MoreThe Religious Authority Of The Catholic Church917 Words   |  4 PagesMartin Luther, named the father of Protestantism, dramatically changed Christianity through his force of will and new ideas. In 16th century Europe, Catholicism was undeniably the most powerful and influential religions in Europe. Moreover, the church had become greatly involved in the political and social life of Western Europe. This was until the Protestant Reformation began, which challenged the Church not only in it’s hierarchy, practices, and biblical interpretati ons, but also the widespreadRead MoreThe English Civil War Essay1733 Words   |  7 Pagesrights to Amerindians, essentially making them slaves. Amerindians were forced to provide labor and goods to keep their land and in return the Spanish gave them protection and taught them Christianity. A combination of abuse and disease led to a huge decline in Amerindians, forcing Europeans to look elsewhere for labor. Europeans used existing trade routes in the Atlantic Circuit to bring slaves from Africa to replace Amerindian labor. 4. Atlantic Circuit (or System): The Atlantic CircuitRead MoreEssay about The Historical Impacts of the Protestant Reformation946 Words   |  4 PagesThe Protestant Reformation and European expansion have both left political, social and economic impacts throughout history. The Protestant Reformation which was started in the 1500’s, by a Catholic man named Martin Luther caused political instability and fragmented the Holy Roman Empire. It economically caused the church to go bankrupt and socially allowed for the rise of individualism among the people; Luther gave the people of Europe the long needed reason to break free of the church. The ProtestantRead More Henry VIIIs Reformation Essay1025 Words   |  5 Pages Henry VIIIs Reformation In 1529 Henry VIII started to reform the Catholic Church in England, however there are different opinions as to why he began these controversial changes. The orthodox view concurs that there was a vast anti-clerical feeling in 16th century England; the corrupt church was unpopular with the masses. However the revisionist view claims that the reformation was actually due to politics. Henry needed a male heir and therefore needed a divorce.Read MoreEuropean Witch Hunt Essay897 Words   |  4 Pagesunderstanding three different interpretations will be presented. These interpretations which involve Brian Levack’s â€Å"The Witch-Hunt in Early Modern Europe,† Eric Boss’s â€Å"Syphilis, Misogyny, and Witchcraft in 16th-Century Europe,† and Nachman Ben-Yehuda’s â€Å"The European Witch Craze of the 14th to 17th centuries: A Sociologist’s Perspective,† share various opinions while developing their own theories. The comparison of these observations will focus upon why the witch trials occurred when they did, why did theyRead MoreCauses Of The Protestant Reformation1635 Words   |  7 PagesThe Protestant Reformation was the 16th-century religious movement that took place in the Western church. Having far-reaching political, economic, and social effect, the Reformation became the basis for the founding of Protestantism, one of the three major branches of Christianity. Without the changes caused by the Renaissance during the fifteenth century, the Reformation would not have been possible (Haigh). Reformers like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Henry VIII challenged the Catholic churchRead MoreCrictical Examination of the Main Features Renaissance Humanism1817 Words   |  8 PagesEXAMINATION OF THE MAIN FEATURES OF THE RENAISANCE HUMANISM OUTLINE -BRIEF INTRODUCTION -RENAISANCE -HUMANISM -THE SIGNIF ICANT EVENTS IN THE RENAISANSE PERIOD -THE CHAMPIONS OF RENAISANCE HUMANISM -RENAISANCE HUMANISM AND THE REFORMATION -EVALUATION AND CONCLUSION BRIEF INTRODUCTION In the history of the world, many remarkable periods have been referred to most often due to perhaps great events that have led to a turn-around in the thoughts and generalRead MoreThe Death Of The Black Death1487 Words   |  6 Pagesover the rest of Europe because its geography made it the natural gateway between east and west. The city-states had wealth from commerce and that that were present in the Middle Ages. 3.Charles vIII’s march through Italy led to Italy’s political decline: The French invasions (1494-1527): The French king Louis XI had resisted the temptations to invade Italy while nonetheless keeping French dynastic claims in Italy alive. Its successor, Charles VIII, a young boy in his twenties, responded to theRead MoreThe Renaissance and Italys Decline1592 Words   |  7 PagesThe Renaissance and Italys Decline Definition: The period in European civilization immediately following the Middle Ages, conventionally held to have been characterized by a surge of interest in classical learning and values. Set in the city-states of Italy in the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the constant uncertainty, both economic and political, and extreme volatility of the historical situation provided the material for new intellectual, cultural, and social experiments

Research on Music Piracy Free Essays

Research on music piracy A Proposal Submitted to Ms. Rupal Khambhati Faculty (S. R. We will write a custom essay sample on Research on Music Piracy or any similar topic only for you Order Now Luthra Institute Of Management) BY Farhan 14 Divyesh 23 Huzefa 15 Pratik 31 Bhaumik 58 Hardik 05 November 13, 2011 Executive Summary: In today’s technological era, the music industry is in a crisis. Music is being downloaded illegally more than ever . Rising costs for music coupled with a lack of guilt for pirating music has caused music piracy rates to skyrocket. Be it classical, typical , rock and roll or pop. The research is also about that every student has the ability to access free music through music piracy because of the wide variety of sites offering it. The problem: The real problem in the music industry is the fact that music costs more than what people want to pay for it. The problem of piracy has arisen with the rapid advance of technology. There are various sites offering free music to people so why pay for the thing which you are already getting it free of cost. The lack of proper patent laws or more correctly, the enforcement of these laws allow the perpetrators of this crime to get away scott-free. Due to this rampant piracy, the government is deprived of tax revenues, jobs are lost and research and innovation never take place. The maximum amount of illegal downloading is done by youngsters in the age group of 20 -25 years. As long as this group does not take note of the losses suffered by the artists, music companies and the government due to this menace, no concrete step can be taken to counter the loss. Research objective: Our research objective is to collect information from students that why do they prefer downloading music illegally rather than purchasing it or what would induce them to obtain music legally. We believe that most students in questionnaire will say that they have downloaded music illegally and a significant amount of their music is pirated. The interesting part of our research will be the part about guilt and which alternative method they prefer. Another very interesting result will be the final question, which method of distributing music would cause people to be more likely to purchase music legally. .Literature review: One study conducted by Alejandro Zentner found that because of the easy accessibility to free illegal music, the likelihood for someone to legally purchase music decreases between 35-65% (Zentner 2005). Music piracy is relevant to students because it is found in that illegal music pirating is highest in College and High School Students. There is also an almost peer pressure to pirate music because it seems as if everyone else is doing it and there are virtually no consequences. (Ingram 2008) (Mallin 2009). Boorstin (2004) collected data from the Census in three different years from various cities and regresses the CD sales on each city on the number of people with internet access finding that people who are under 24 with internet access tend to decrease their CD consumption. Peitz and Waelbroeck (2004) build their data from 16countries and they try to figure the effects of digital downloading on physical music sales. In their findings they conclude that among the factors that influence sales is the GDP growth, Mp3 downloads and the availability of broadband. Levi, Dato-on and Rhee (2004) try to identify how consumer ethics are connected to music piracy by conducting both qualitative and quantitative research to a sample of college students. Their findings prove that people who download have little ethical concern and they also believe that their action will harm neither the record company nor the artist. Benefits Of Study: ? To increase public education and awareness regarding piracy. ? Finding various alternatives to curb piracy such as creation of separate music websites which will reduce the operating cost for distributing and can make very large profits by putting advertisements on the website. ? To get opinions and ideas from people as what steps they think should be taken to stop piracy and design a suitable system to curb piracy on the basis of that. The items that counterfeiters and pirates produce are often substandard, sometimes endangering the lives of those who purchase them. These illicit activities steal market share from legitimate businesses and undermine innovation, with negative implications for economic growth. ? This research is important because when finally proposing a solution, the approval of the populations that download music at the highest rates, which is college students, should be taken into serious consideration. Also since there is so little research as to the correlation between different demographics besides age done, my research can help to find if there is a correlation and if there is, it can be useful to target certain methods for eradicating piracy within a population. Research design: †¢ Data collection design: ? Type of study Informative study It helps us to find solutions to the problem through various suggestions and answers obtained through questionnaire ? Data type Primary data The data which we are going to obtain is fresh as various students will share their suggestions and answers through questionnaire prepared by us. ? Data collection tool Questionnaire †¢ Sampling design: ? Sampling frame As the survey is related to music piracy, so mainly students from college background are surveyed ? Sample size In sample size we would like to take 50 students Bibliography: Frost, R. L. (2007). Rearchitecting the music business: Mitigating music piracy by cutting out the record companies. First Monday, 12(8). Retrieved from http://firstmonday. org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index. php/fm/article/view/1†¦ Ingram, J. R. Hinduja, S. (2008). Neutralizing Music Piracy: An Empirical Examination. DevianBehavior,29(4), Kusek, D. , Leonhard, G. (2005). The future of music: Manifesto for the digital music revolution. Boston: Berklee Press. Malin, J. , Fowers, B. J. (2009). Adolescent self-control and music and movie piracy. Computers in Human Behavior, 718-722. Retrieved from http://www. sciencedirect. com/science? _ob=ArticleURL_udi=B6VDC-4VHXDV8-1†¦ How to cite Research on Music Piracy, Essays

Northern vs Southern States, Education Essay Example For Students

Northern vs Southern States, Education Essay It seems important to understand the similarities of the colonial regions in order to comprehend the implications they had. By comparing the Middle Colonies and New England, and by contrasting the future North to the South, it becomes relatively easy to draw patterns. In 1760, the population in New England counts 16,000 Africans, 29,000 for the Middle Colonies whereas the South populates 205,000 Africans. Slavery is then mainly concentrated in the South, involving more agrarian activities and land farmers. Life expectancy in New England and the Middle Colonies were higher while death rates were superior in the South. The cities mainly initiated in New England and then followed by the Middle Colonies. South colonies had smaller towns, more fields. Nevertheless, cities involve more social problems such as crime and vice. The rural exodus of poor people to the cities explains the reason Revolutionary crisis started in the cities. New England and the Middle Colonies (to a smaller degree) symbolized the industrial power where industries such as metal manufacturing, lumbering, mining and fishing were predominant in these regions. For the most part, they were white workers (artisans, crafters, silver working) and the trades would take place between the colonies. To the contrary of these two regions, the South would focus more on massive slaves work to grow tobacco and rice that they would sell to England. As we can notice, the two trading systems have different markets. New England and the Middle colonies would trade more internally, helping merchants with the Act of Navigation, whereas the South targets England as a market for more commercial trades. Concerning religion and education, New England primary had universities based on a religious belief (i.e., Harvard and Yale) but progressively went to a religious liberalism. The Middle Colonies were famous for their religious pluralism, one of the first universities was Princeton in New Jersey. New England and the Middle Colonies had smaller families but more stable whereas the South had just the opposite with higher death rates. As a general statement, the two fundamental movements of the Great Awakening and the Enlightenment help people open up their mind and think more critically. All these factors contributed for New England and the Middle Colonies to become the North.

the attitude of Jesus towards outcasts as presented in Lukes Gospel Essay Example

the attitude of Jesus towards outcasts as presented in Lukes Gospel Paper Jewish religion and culture created many distinctions in society and there were many categories of people who were considered as outcasts, such as, lepers, Romans, foreigners, the sick and the poor. People who belonged to any of these categories were considered unclean and therefore were avoided. Jesus consistently breaks these conventions and interacts with outcasts. Jesus demonstrates equality and compassion whilst dealing with outcasts. In Luke 16:19-31, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. The Rich Man gave the beggar nothing, not even the scraps from the table passed over by those who had plenty. This lack of generosity certainly had its consequences in the afterlife. His misuse of his riches has excluded him from eternal reward. He has enjoyed his reward on earth in full, spending it all on himself, with no care for the beggar at his gate. Riches may have been a gift from God, a reward even, but even the Torah would reveal that the responsibility to be generous came with power and money. However,1 Jeremias has pointed out that Jesus audience may well have associated the rich man in His parable with tax collector, so the Rich Man in Jesus story ending up in torment, separated from the good, would not, perhaps have been surprising. We will write a custom essay sample on the attitude of Jesus towards outcasts as presented in Lukes Gospel specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on the attitude of Jesus towards outcasts as presented in Lukes Gospel specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on the attitude of Jesus towards outcasts as presented in Lukes Gospel specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer On the other hand, its important to appreciate that from a Jewish perspective, many of Jesus listeners would perceive Lazarus as a sinner because of his miserable position, which was a judgement from God. Hence the sequel must have been wholly unexpected by the audience. Jesus listeners would have been shocked to learn that Lazarus was spending the afterlife in the intimate company of the great patriarch Abraham. He has enjoyed a complete reversal of fortune as suggested by 2Hendrikesen, after all the Rich man had several opportunities to help the beggar ut did not do so. It is also suggested by 3Drury that the Rich Man may, perhaps, have been of the Sadducee party. The Sadducees, a small but powerful group within Judaism, from whose ranks the top officials in the Temple. This elite often were the richest and the most powerful people who believed in preserving their traditions and would have kept In Luke 10:25-35 we have the Parable of the Good Samaritan, one of the most famous stories of Jesus and outcasts. The parable itself talks of how a man is beaten and robbed and left for dead by the roadside. A priest and a Levite walk by, ignoring him. The only one who stops and helps is a Samaritan. The Jews hated Samaritans at this time, and they wouldnt have liked that teaching. Jesus was saying that our neighbours might be the people we least expect. In that last parable, Jesus would have caused great offence by hinting that a Samaritan, a foreigner, and so an outcast, could reach the kingdom of heaven. Jews had the belief that they were Gods chosen people, and so were the only people who would enter heaven. Jewish law told that some groups should be ostracised and so they became outcasts. Jesus open welcoming of outcasts would have provoked hostile reactions among Jews as He was clearly breaking laws. Jesus himself was made an outcast for associating with other outcasts, which even helped his teachings. Jesus, however, welcomed and helped these people. He openly broke down the barriers that society had placed between themselves and these outcasts. Jesus touched lepers, talked with tax collectors and ate with sinners. One of the many examples of this is told in Luke 19:1-10. It is the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus, in which Zacchaeus is a chief tax collector who wanted to see Jesus. As he was small he climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus. Jesus called him down and said he would stay in his house. The people were shocked that Jesus was going to and outcasts home. Zacchaeus promised to give half his belongings to the poor, and pay all he had cheated back four times as much. Jesus said that salvation had come to him and used a Messianic title talking of himself. This story is one of conversion, where the people were shocked that Jesus was actually calling a sinner and associating with him. How far does a social and historical background of first century Palestine contribute to an understanding of these events? In the time of Jesus, many people were marginalized; meaning that they were ostracised, or separated from the rest of the community. These outcasts included lepers, Romans, tax collectors, women (especially widows), sinners and foreigners. It was thought that these people deserved to be in treated like this as it was there own fault and that their sickness was a punishment from God. Jesus obviously did not agree with this opinion and showed that everyone was equal and deserved respect and care just like everyone else. The Jewish teachers of law would have been enraged by Jesus actions. He was going against major teachings of the law. On the Sermon on the Mount, he had taken it upon himself to, in the Jews eyes, to rewrite what had been passed down form generation to generation from Mosses and others. Although not completely changing them, some would have found that the new laws were much harder as they required real commitment to God. They considered that if you gave money to the church, you were a good person. Now they were shown that they must have the spirit and the faith, which was much more important. In many of Jesus miracles he did them because of the strong faith of those who received. Jews saw the Romans as an occupying army and the fact that they were foreigners and so in the Jews eyes wouldnt enter heaven. Jews would have believed that these were second-class citizens and anyone who worked for them were disloyal to the Jews. Also many Jews felt that tax collectors charged much more than was required. This was immensely irritating to the Jews and therefore tax collectors were considered unclean spiritually and morally.

What Is the Average SAT Score for Colleges

What Is the Average SAT Score for Colleges SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you're preparing for the SAT or have received your SAT scores, you may be wondering what score you need to get into college. What's an average SAT score for colleges? In this article, I'll explain average SAT scores and what they mean for you. Find out how to calculate the score you need to help reach your college goals. What Is the Average SAT Score for Colleges? Each year, the College Board reports the average SAT scores for college-bound high school seniors who take the SAT. Generally, the mean section score is around a 500. These are the most recent national SAT averages for the SAT in 2018: Evidence-BasedReading and Writing:536 Math:531 Total:1068 If you score a 1100 or better, you'll have a higher score than more than 50% of college-bound high school seniors. How to Find the Average SAT Score of a Specific College While you may want to know how your SAT score stacks up against others who take the test, what really matters is how your score compares to other applicants of the colleges you apply to. Even though a 1350 will be well above the national average, a 1350 is significantly below the average SAT for Ivy League schools. So although a 1350 is a very good score, you’ll be at a competitive disadvantage if you apply to any Ivy League school with a 1350. Conversely, if you apply to Cal States, a 1350 will exceed the average of any California State University campus, and you’ll improve your chances of getting accepted if you get that score. You can find the average SAT scores of different colleges in the PrepScholar database.Just google â€Å"prepscholar (name of school) SAT† to find a school’s profile. On the school profile, you can check out its average GPA, average SAT score, and acceptance rate. Scroll down to look for thenewSAT score- we've calculated it for you! According to the PrepScholar database, the average new SAT score for Princeton is 1520. For Ohio state, the average SAT score is 1330. Mark Kesling/Flickr What Does the Average SAT Score of a College Mean to You? If you want to get into a certain school, your SAT score should be comparable to the average score for the college’s admits. To give yourself the best chance of gaining admission to a specific school, we recommend that your goal should be to get at least a 75th percentile score for that college. The 75th percentile score for Princeton is 1590. Therefore, if you want to go to Princeton, your target score should be a 1590. Because Princeton's acceptance rate is only around 7%, you should try to comfortably exceed its average score to gain admission. Similarly, the 75th percentile score for Ohio State is a 1440. If you want to be an Ohio State Buckeye, you should be aiming for at least a 1440. What If You Don’t Get Your Target Score? If you don’t get the 75th percentile score or even the average SAT score for a specific college, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you have no chance to get admitted. However, if you still have time to reach your target score, it’s probably in your best interest to study and attempt to improve your score. You can compensate for lower test scores with a higher GPA. Generally, schools place a greater emphasis on your transcript than on your standardized test scores. On each school’s profile in the PrepScholar database, you can use our admissions calculator by entering your GPA and SAT score to get a rough estimate of your chances of gaining admission to that school. Also, keep in mind that colleges tend to use holistic admissions, meaning that everything is considered when colleges determine whom to accept. They’ll evaluate your transcript, test scores, extracurricular activities, recommendations, application essays, and any other factors that admissions officers deem relevant. If you've faced any significant obstacles, colleges will also take this into account. Just because you don’t reach your target score doesn’t necessarily mean that you have no chance to get admitted. However, while most colleges don't claim to have a minimum SAT score, if your score isn't close to the average score for a particular school, you may have virtually no chance of getting accepted. Even if you have great grades and stellar extracurricular accomplishments, you probably don't have a realistic shot of getting into Harvard if your SAT score is lower than 1080 (the average for college-bound seniors). While standardized tests aren't the only determining factor in college admissions, most colleges use the SAT to ensure that you're capable of succeeding academically. Do your best to get your target score! What's Next? Not sure where you want to apply to for college? Read our handy guide to help narrow down your college choices. Now that you're familiar with the average SAT score for colleges, learn more about minimum SAT scores for colleges. How do things look different if you're thinking of taking the ACT? Find out the average ACT scores for college here. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today!

Adjectives Synonymous with Best

Adjectives Synonymous with Best Adjectives Synonymous with Best Adjectives Synonymous with Best By Mark Nichol A recent post discussed nouns employed to refer to ultimate achievement. Here, you’ll find details about adjectives that describe something that is the best, highest, or most important. Cardinal is from the Latin term cardinalis, meaning â€Å"essential† or â€Å"principal.† Chief, meaning â€Å"highest in authority† or â€Å"most important†- by way of the Anglo-French word chef, still used in French and English as the title for a professional cook in charge of a kitchen- comes from the Latin word caput, whence capital and captain as well. Foremost, interestingly, is not a compound of fore and most; its derivation is the Old English term fyrmest or formest, meaning (and related to) â€Å"first.† (The -est ending is the same superlative suffix seen in highest, smartest, and so on; see below for a mention of superlative.) Paramount, ultimately derived from the Latin phrase per ad montem (â€Å"to the hill†), means â€Å"superior to all others.† Preeminent, from the Latin adjective praeeminere, meaning â€Å"to be outstanding,† means â€Å"better than others† (eminent, the word without the prefix, means simply â€Å"respected† and â€Å"successful†); the root is also seen in prominent, and all three words are distantly related to mount and mountain. Premier and primary both come from Latin primarius, meaning â€Å"excellent, of the first rank,† which in turn is derived from primus, meaning â€Å"first.† From that word we also get prime, which, among other things, means â€Å"first-rate†; the Italian and Spanish adjective primo is sometimes used in informal English to denote something excellent. Premium, distantly related, means â€Å"high† or â€Å"higher than normal†; it stems from the Latin noun praemium, meaning â€Å"reward,† which is the meaning of the noun form. (The adjectival form, which developed less than a hundred years ago, was originally applied to a better grade of butter.) Superior, meaning â€Å"higher,† comes directly from Latin and stems ultimately from the Latin word super; supreme, from the Latin word supremus, meaning â€Å"highest,† is related. Another related word is superlative, ultimately from superlativus, meaning â€Å"exaggerated† or â€Å"extravagant.† (A superlative is also the ultimate form of an adjective, such as largest, the superlative of large; larger is the intermediate comparative form.) Best is itself a superlative; its comparative is better, but oddly, they are intensifications not of a word beginning with be- but of good (to make up for the lack of gooder and goodest as options); the base adjective was originally bot, which survives only in the form of boot in the idiomatic phrase â€Å"to boot,† which roughly means â€Å"in addition.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Using "a" and "an" Before WordsAmong vs. AmongstEducational vs. Educative

Dual Leadership in UK organizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Dual Leadership in UK organizations - Essay Example The dynamics of the CEO-Chairman interrelationship and the effects of this on the enterprise have been studied by Kakabadse et al (2006) who adopted a qualitative methodology and provided in-depth interviews of chairmen, CEOs and non-executive directors. The chairman-CEO interactions and their effects were also studied and the findings of the paper have been based on the chairman's role and contribution, nature of the relationship between the chairman and CEO, the attributes or traits of an effective chairman and the impact of the chairman-CEO relationship on board effectiveness (Kakadabse et al, 2006). The study provides a clearer picture of the chairman-CEO dyad and the influence of the dyadic interaction on the formative context of the enterprise. Using data from 2180 Chairmanships from 460 UK firms over a period of 8 years, Florou (2005) suggested that there is a link between the Chairman and CEO in many ways as when a CEO is dismissed, the Chairman is also replaced. The data on dismissal events also suggest that replacement of a Chairman is associated with restructuring of the board and with restructuring, new skills are brought in which might facilitate future corporate decisions. However Florou (2005) claims that the Chairman's previous position does not affect the Chairman removal or the CEO dismissal process although if the Chairman has been responsible for the appointment of the failing CEO, during CEO departure, the dismissal of the Chairman is also likely because they tend to work as a team and one's failure mirrors the other's failure as well. This in turn would suggest effective governance within an enterprise. Sora et al (2004) discuss some resultant problems when the role of the chief executive officer and role of the chairman are merged and when person takes up both the roles. There are controversies to this sort of responsibility as when the responsibilities of the CEO and Chairman are given to one person, there can be a decrease of vigilance and flaws in accountability and operations of the company. As the power for the company centers around one leader, the CEO/Chairman can use this power for his personal gain at the expense of other stakeholders in the company (Sora te al, 2004). Thus a unitary leadership structure with no distribution of power can lead to an environment of greed and corruption resulting in mistrust towards the company and its people. This suggests that the regulation of leadership and distribution of power should be done considering the benefits to the company and the credibility that the company can gain with it governance and management structure. There have been several pressures on US companies to separate the roles of CEO and Chairman because a unitary leadership can lead to too much power given to one person. Shareholder activists and regulators maintain that US firms should separate the titles of CEO and Chairman of the Board as separate titles could reduce agency costs in corporation and improve performance. According to shareholders and regulators, separation of the role of CEO and Chairman has potential costs and benefits and Brickley et al (1997) suggest that costs of such separation would be larger than benefits for most firms. So how can the one man show or unitary leadership

Proposing a solution Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Proposing a solution - Research Paper Example This may appear to wash away all the essentials of competition in education. In essence, questions would emerge as to the importance of exams anyway as individuals who have not met passing grades will still proceed to the next level. Nevertheless, varied strategies may be devised to curb against this problem. It is noteworthy that this problem would only be solved through a state or federal policy (Kelly, 2006). In solving this problem, students should be taken through English proficiency courses. These courses would not only aim at increasing the proficiency of students in English but also categorize them into either proficient or non-proficient. In essence, the non-proficient students would continue with English lessons even when they are moved to other grade levels while proficient students would stop taking English-proficiency classes. However, it should be clear to the non-proficient students that they cannot go past a certain grade without a certain level of proficiency. Such proficiency programs may resemble ESOL program. ESOL, an acronym for English for Speakers of Other Languages, is offered to individuals whose main language is not English as a way of improving their language. The course covers vocabularies, reading and writing, speaking and listening, as well as punctuation and grammar. Unfortunately, most ESOL have been subjected to FCAT programs, which essentially resemble the proposed solution, only that if the students do not attain the required grades. FCAT, an acronym for Traditionally, ESOL students have Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, is almost reasonably tied to an individual’s success in high school, as well as achievement in life. In the State of Florida, students and public schools are evaluated every year on their performance. They are routinely sanctioned if they do not show sufficient progress (Kelly, 2006). In

Default and Disputes Essay Example for Free

Default and Disputes Essay In this paper I will discuss the reasoning and methodology behind government contract defaults and disputes. I will also give recommendation to acquisition and cost containment. The standard contract clause which gives a customer the right to unilaterally terminate the contractor if the contractor fails to perform according to the specified terms. The contractor is generally not entitled to any payment for the unfinished part of the contract and, instead, may be liable for (1) repayment of monies advanced, (2) liquidated and other damages, and (3) excess cost incurred by the customer in completing the contract under a new contractor. Two primary types of terminations can arise under government contracts: â€Å"termination for default† and â€Å"termination for the government’s convenience†. Besides a criminal conviction or debarment or suspension for default is undoubtedly the most severe agency sanction that a termination can befall a government contactor. Terminations for default are much more common in supply contracts than in construction contracts. The standard clause used in supply and service contracts recites that the government has the right terminate for default if the contractor fails to (1) deliver the contract supplies or perform the services on time, (2) make progress so as to endanger performance of the contract. The â€Å"Termination for Cause† term also names three bases for terminating a commercial item contract for default: (a) â€Å"any default† by the contractor, (b) failure by the contractor â€Å"to comply with any contact terms or conditions,† and (c) failure by the contractor to provide the government on request, with â€Å"adequate assurances of future performance. The government’s right to terminate is not limited by standard inspection clauses, because they permit the government to exercise any other rights and remedies allowed by the contract. â€Å"Default terminations are provided for in government contracts under standard clauses set forth in the FAR. 52. 249–8 Def ault (Fixed-Price Supply and Service). As prescribed in 49. 04(a)(1), insert the following clause: DEFAULT (FIXED-PRICE SUPPLY AND SERVICE) (APR 1984) (a)(1) The Government may, subject to paragraphs (c) and (d) below, by written notice of default to the Contractor, terminate this contract in whole or in part if the Con- tractor fails to—(i) Deliver the supplies or to perform the services within the time specified in this contract or any extension; (ii) Make progress, so as to endanger performance of this contract (but see subparagraph (a)(2) below); or (iii) Perform any of the other provisions of this contract (but see subparagraph (a)(2) below). 2) The Government’s right to terminate this contract under subdivisions (1)(ii) and (1)(iii) above, may be exercised if the Con- tractor does not cure such failure within 10 days (or more if authorized in writing by the Contracting Officer) after receipt of the no- tice from the Contracting Officer specifying the failure. (b) If the Government terminates this contr act in whole or in part, it may acquire, under the terms and in the manner the Contracting Officer considers appropriate, supplies or services similar to those terminated, and the Contractor will be liable to the Government for any excess costs for those sup- plies or services. However, the Contractor shall continue the work not terminated. (c) Except for defaults of subcontractors at any tier, the Contractor shall not be liable for any excess costs if the failure to perform the contract arises from causes beyond the control and without the fault or negligence of the Contractor. Examples of such causes include (1) acts of God or of the public enemy, (2) acts of the Government in either its sovereign or contractual capacity, (3) fires, (4) floods, (5) epidemics, (6) quarantine restrictions (7) strikes, (8) freight embargoes, and (9) unusually severe weather. In each instance the failure to perform must be beyond the control and without the fault or negligence of the Contractor. (d) If the failure to perform is caused by the default of a subcontractor at any tier, and if the cause of the default is beyond the control of both the Contractor and subcontractor, and without the fault or negligence of either, the Contractor shall not be liable for any excess costs for failure to perform, unless the subcontracted supplies or services were obtainable from other sources in sufficient time for the Contractor to meet the required delivery schedule. e) If this contract is terminated for de- fault, the Government may require the Con- tractor to transfer title and deliver to the Government, as directed by the Contracting Officer, any (1) completed supplies, and (2) partially completed supplies and materials, parts, tools, dies, jigs, fixtures, plans, drawings, information, and contract rights (collectively referred to as manufacturing materials in thi s clause) that the Contractor has specifically produced or acquired for the terminated portion of this contract. Upon direction of the Contracting Officer, the Con- tractor shall also protect and preserve property in its possession in which the Government has an interest. (f) The Government shall pay contract price for completed supplies delivered and accepted. The Contractor and Contracting Officer shall agree on the amount of payment for manufacturing materials delivered and accepted and for the protection and preservation of the property. Failure to agree will be a dispute under the Disputes clause. The Government may withhold from these amounts any sum the Contracting Officer determines to be necessary to protect the Government against loss because of outstanding liens or claims of former lien holders. (g) If, after termination, it is determined that the Contractor was not in default, or that the default was excusable, the rights and obligations of the parties shall be the same as if the termination had been issued for the convenience of the Government. (h) The rights and remedies of the Government in this clause are in addition to any other rights and remedies provided by law or nder this contract. FAR 52. 249-10 â€Å"Default (Fixed-Price Construction)† Clause (a) If the contractor refuses or fails to prosecute the work or any separable part, with the diligence what will insure it’s completion within the time specified in this contract including any extension, or fails to complete the work within this time, the government may, by written notice to the contractor , terminate the right to proceed with the work (or the separable part of the work) that has been delayed. In this event, the government may take over the work and complete it by contract or otherwise, may take over the work and complete it by contract or otherwise, and may take possession of and use any material, appliances, and plant on the work site necessary for completing the work. Although the â€Å"Termination for Cause† term in commercial item contracts does not contain a â€Å"cure notice† requirement, the FAR termination procedures for commercial item contracts require the Contracting Officer to send a standard cure notice ‘prior to terminating a contract for a reason other than late delivery. Consequences And Remedies Of â€Å"Termination For Default† And â€Å"Termination For Convenience† If a board or court determines that the contractor was not actually in default or the default was excusable, the termination for default will be converted into a termination for convenience. Similarly, before the appeal is even decided, the Contracting Office r can convert the termination for default into one for the government’s convenience. The Contractor’s recovery under a convenience termination may be significant. For example, under a convenience termination, the contractor is eligible to recover its costs of performance, some â€Å"continuing costs,† settlement expenses, and a reasonable profit on completed work. Should the contractor be unsuccessful in contesting the propriety of the default termination itself, it may still be able to challenge the excess costs assessment and achieve a reduction or elimination of those costs. The Fulford doctrine permits contractors to challenge the government’s imposition of excess re-procurement costs even if the time has expired for appealing the underlying default termination, but does not trump the Contract Disputes Act election doctrine. Remedy of â€Å"Excess Cost of Re-procurement† and â€Å"Liquidated Damages† The standard measures of excess costs is the difference between the contract price of the terminated contract and the price the government is required to pay to the re-procurement contractor for quantity f supplies or services called for under the terminated contract or for completion of unfinished work remaining under the terminated contract. To assess excess costs against the defaulted contractor, the government must show that the re-procurement contract has been performed and that complete payment has been made. The government may not obtain re-procurement costs for work that the government prevented the contractor from performing. If the default-terminated contract contains a â€Å"Liquidated Damages† clause, those damages may be assessed against the contractor until the government obtains completion of the contract work. Liquidated damages are in addition to the excess costs of re-procurement The Liquidated Damages† clause used in fixed-price supply and service contracts provides that, in the case of a termination for default, the contractor shall be liable for liquidated damages (as well as excess costs) â€Å"until the time the government may reasonably obtain delivery or performance of similar supplies or services. The â€Å"Liquidated Damages† clause requires the contractor to pay the government a specific amount for each calendar day of delay. The stipulated amount of the liquidated damages is set at the time the contract is entered into and is the parties’ estimate of the extent of loss that one party’s breach of the contract would cause to the other. Government policy is to use a â€Å"Liquidated Damages† clause in a contract when both (1)the time of delivery or performance is such an important factor that the government may reasonably expect to suffer damages if the delivery or performance is delinquent, and (2) the extent or amount or actual damages would be difficult or impossible to ascertain or prove. Contract Disputes Act The Contract Disputes Act of 1978 (â€Å"CDA†), which became effective on March 1, 1979, establishes the procedures for handling claims relating to United States Federal Government contracts. All claims by the contractor against the Federal Government must be submitted in writing to the Governments Contracting Officer for a decision. All claims by the Federal Government against the contractor must be the subject of a decision by the Contracting Officer. Apart from claims by the Federal Government alleging fraud in connection with a claim by the contractor, all claims by either the Federal Government or the contractor must be submitted within six years after the accrual of the claim. Claims by the contractor that exceed $100,000 must be accompanied by a certification that (i) the claim is made in good faith, (ii) the supporting data are accurate and complete to the best of the contractors knowledge and belief, (iii) the amount requested represents the contract adjustment for which the contractor believes the Federal Government is liable, and (iv) the certifier is authorized to submit the certification on behalf of the contractor. There are procedures in the statute for remedying certifications that do not exactly mimic the required certification language. For claims of $100,000 or less, the Contracting Officer is required to issue a decision within 60 days of receipt of the claim provided the contractor requests a decision within that time period. For claims in excess of $100,000, the Contracting Officer is required, within 60 days, either to issue a decision or notify the contractor when a decision will be issued. All decisions should be issued within a reasonable time, taking into account the nature of the claim, and, if they are not, the contractor may either request a tribunal to direct the Contracting Officer to issue a decision within a specified time or treat the failure to issue a decision as an appealable deemed denial of the claim. If the contractor is dissatisfied with the Contracting Officers decision on a claim, the contractor may (i) appeal that decision to the cognizant agency board of contractor appeals within 90 days of receipt of the decision or (ii) bring suit on the claim in the United States Court of Federal Claims within 12 months. Decisions not appealed within one of these time periods become final and conclusive. There are procedures in the statute authorizing the use of mutually agreeable alternative dispute resolution techniques for handling disputes and well as for the use of streamlined and accelerated litigation procedures for smaller claims at the boards of contract appeals. The losing party may appeal a decision by either a board of contract appeals or the United States Court of Federal Claims to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. A contractor is entitled to interest on the amount found due on its claim running from the date the Contracting Officer received the claim until the claim is paid. Good acquisition planning is crucial to the overall project objective, government spending, tailored to objectives and constraints, and is flexible enough to allow innovation and modification as the project evolves. The strategy balances cost and effectiveness through development of technological options, exploration of design concepts, and planning and conduct of acquisition activities. These elements are directed toward either a planned Initial Operational Capability or retention for possible future use, while adhering to a program budget. The strategy should be structured to achieve program stability by minimizing technical, schedule, and cost risks. Thus the criteria of realism, stability, balance, flexibility, and managed risk should be used to guide the development and execution of an acquisition strategy and to evaluate its effectiveness. The acquisition strategy must reflect the interrelationships and schedule of acquisition phases and events based on a logical sequence of demonstrated accomplishments, not on fiscal or calendar expediency.

Kansas-Nebraska Act Essay -- essays research papers

The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska, and opened new lands for settlement. Because there was millions of acres of arable farmland, it was necessary to create a territorial infrastructure that would allow settlement. The people living in the Kansas-Nebraska area also wanted a railroad system for transportation. The railroad workers wanted to expand their railroad there as well, because they needed farmers for customers. The Kansas-Nebraska Act was created and proposed by Democratic Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois, who greatly supported the railroad system. Douglas was excited to have a railroad system that reached from his home city, Chicago, all the way to California. However, the Southerners felt differently about the railroad. The Southerners wanted a transcontinental railroad that began in New Orleans and extended to Southern California. Their different views about the railroads brought conflict between Douglas and the Southern Senators, so Douglas decided to make a compromise with them. Instead of having the railroad run throu...

Improvement of the Road Safety

A car accident is part of a list of problems on the road. Car accidents can happen to drivers anytime, anywhere, and even with those who are careful. This essay will deal with the road safety problem. I will discuss about main causes of the car accidents, and possible solutions for this problem. Now let’s look at the problem more closely. Every year the number of car accidents increase, due to increasing the number of cars on the road. Preston, 2007) The main causes of the car accidents are driver distractions, drunken drivers, driver fatigue, using cellular phones while driving, speeding, aggressive driving, mechanical failure, road conditions and weather. (Morris, n/d) (Unknown 1, 2005)Usually the most affected in car accident is driver, but passengers and pedestrians also are affected by the road accident. Brown, 2007) In general, about 1. 2 million people die due to car accidents each year nationwide andOne of the possible solutions of this problem could be car safety, whi ch include active and passive safety. Active safety means that this system helps driver to avoid an accident. Passive safety serves to save alive for driver, passengers in case of accident. Unknown 2, n/d) Nowadays some of the active and passive safety features already installed in majority of cars for example such systems as Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) which helps to stop car more effective and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) which stabilize a car on the road by correcting oversteering or understeering, improving traction on slippery or icy roads. (Unknown 2, n/d) There are such systems as proximity monitors which shows how close is your car to the vehicle ahead and drifting monitors which alert driver when car drifts.

A Resource-Based View of International Human Resources: Toward a Framework of Integrative and Creative Capabilities

Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies (CAHRS) CAHRS Working Paper Series Cornell University ILR School Year 2005 A Resource-Based View Of International Human Resources: Toward A Framework of Integrative and Creative Capabilities Shad S. Morris Cornell University Scott A. Snell Cornell University Patrick M. Wright Cornell University This paper is posted at [email  protected] http://digitalcommons. ilr. cornell. edu/cahrswp/284 CAHRS at Cornell University 187 Ives Hall Ithaca, NY 14853-3901 USA Tel. 607 255-9358 www. ilr. cornell. edu/CAHRS WORKING PAPER SERIES A Resource-Based View of International Human Resources: Toward a Framework of Integrative and Creative Capabilities Shad S. Morris Scott A. Snell Patrick M. Wright Working Paper 05 – 16 International Human Resources CAHRS WP05-16 A Resource-Based View Of International Human Resources: Toward A Framework of Integrative and Creative Capabilities Shad S. Morris Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations 393 Ives Hall Ithaca, NY 14853 (607) 255-7622 [email  protected] edu Scott A. Snell Cornell University Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies (CAHRS) 393 Ives Hall Ithaca, NY 14853 (607) 255-4112 scott. [email  protected] edu Patrick M. Wright Cornell University Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies (CAHRS) 393 Ives Hall Ithaca, NY 14853 (607) 255-3429 [email  protected] edu http://www. ilr. cornell. edu/cahrs This paper has not undergone formal review or approval of the faculty of the ILR School. It is intended to make results of Center research av ailable to others interested in preliminary form to encourage discussion and suggestions. Most (if not all) of the CAHRS Working Papers are available for reading at the Catherwood Library. For information on what’s available link to the Cornell Library Catalog: http://catalog. library. cornell. edu if you wish. Page 2 International Human Resources Abstract CAHRS WP05-16 Drawing on organizational learning and MNC perspectives, we extend the resourcebased view to address how international human resource management provides sustainable competitive advantage. We develop a framework that emphasizes and extends traditional assumptions of the resource-based view by identifying the learning capabilities necessary for a complex and changing global environment. These capabilities address how MNCs might both create new HR practices in response to local environments and integrate existing HR practices from other parts of the firm (affiliates, regional headquarters, and global headquarters). In an effort to understand the nature of such capabilities, we discuss aspects of human capital, social capital, and organizational capital that might be linked to their development. Page 3 International Human Resources Introduction CAHRS WP05-16 Few will argue against the importance of international human resource management (IHRM) in today’s multinational corporation (MNC). A wide range of issues—that varies from global sourcing and off-shoring to regional trade agreements and labor standards to strategic alliances and innovation—all point to the vital nature of IHRM in today’s global economy. In fact, some observers have suggested that how firms manage their work forces is among the strongest predictors of successful versus unsuccessful MNCs (cf. , Bartlett & Ghoshal, 1989; Doz & Prahalad, 1986; Hedlund, 1986). Researchers have adopted a number of different theoretical approaches for studying IHRM. Not surprisingly, the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm has emerged as perhaps the predominant perspective (Wright, Dunford, and Snell, 2002). RBV is particularly attractive to IHRM researchers in that it focuses directly on the potential value of a firm’s internal asset stocks for conceiving and executing various strategies. This perspective departs from traditional I/O economic models of competitive advantage that focus on the structure of markets as the primary determinant of firm performance (Barney, 1991; Wernerfelt, 1984). Also in contrast with I/O economic models, the RBV is based on the assumption that resources are (1) distributed heterogeneously across firms and (2) remain imperfectly mobile over time. Because these asset stocks are unequal, there is the potential for comparative advantage. And when the resources are immobile, that advantage may be difficult to appropriate or imitate, thereby conferring a sustainable advantage In the context of MNCs, the premises of resource heterogeneity and immobility have particular relevance. While the RBV typically focuses on resource heterogeneity across firms, MNCs are unique in that they possess heterogeneity within their asset stocks as well. Because they operate in multiple environments, MNCs are likely to possess variations in both their people and practices that reflect local requirements, laws, and cultures. This variation is a potential source of advantage at a local level, and can provide a global advantage to the MNC as a whole if the knowledge, skills, and capabilities can be leveraged appropriately. Page 4 International Human Resources CAHRS WP05-16 However, while heterogeneous resources are potentially immobile across firms, they may also be immobile within firms (MNCs). Given that scholars have consistently noted the difficulties of integrating people and practices within MNCs (e. g. , Szulanski, 1996; McWilliams, Van Fleet, & Wright, 2001), the challenge of integration remains one of the more perplexing organizational and strategic issues. It is therefore somewhat surprising that IHRM researchers have not addressed this issue more directly. The purpose of this chapter is to summarize the literature on RBV and IHRM by addressing the ways in which resource heterogeneity and immobility provide potential advantages to MNCs. However, we also hope to extend the RBV in this context by addressing some of the primary challenges of—and capabilities needed to—create resources and integrate them across business units within the MNC. In this sense, we draw upon the knowledge-based view of the firm (KBV) and organizational learning perspectives to look at how practices are created and integrated on a global scale (Grant, 1996; Teece, Pisano, & Shuen, 1997). To organize this discussion, we break the chapter down into three parts: First, we review how the RBV has been applied to IHRM issues to date and discuss the underlying assumptions of this research. Second, we extend the RBV logic to more appropriately deal with issues of practice integration and creation within a globally dynamic environment by turning focus to aspects of learning capabilities. Finally, we discuss the implications for future research and where this extended view of RBV might improve research on a firm’s human resources. IHM, People, Practices, And Competitive Advantage Discussions of IHRM within the RBV framework focus on both the workforce (i. e. , the people) as well as the HR function (i. e. , the structures, policies and practices) (e. g. , Evans, Pucik, & Basoux, 2002; Fey & Bjorkman, 2001; MacDuffie, 1995; Schuler, Dowling, & De Cieri, 1993). To have a sustainable competitive advantage a firm must first possess people with different and better skills and knowledge than its competitors or it must possess HR practices that allow for differentiation from competitors. Second, these practices or skills and abilities should not be easy for competitors to duplicate or imitate (Wright, Dunford, & Snell, 2001). Page 5 International Human Resources Managing Global Workforces CAHRS WP05-16 Building on the assumptions of heterogeneity and immobility, scholars systematically stress the strategic contributions of people’s knowledge and skills to the performance of firms and sustained competitive advantage (Boxall, 1996). In fact, Barney (1991) developed a model to show how specific assets can be strategically identified to lead to sustainable competitive advantage. Building on this model, McWilliams, Van Fleet, and Wright (2001) argue that human resources, defined as the entire pool of employees, present a unique source of advantage in comparison to domestic labor pools in terms of value, rarity, inimitability, and nonsubstitutability (VRIN). Given the VRIN framework, McWilliams et al. (2001) argued that firms can benefit from a global workforce in two ways: (1) capitalizing on the global labor pools, and (2) exploiting the cultural synergies of a diverse workforce. First, global (heterogeneous) labor pools potentially provide superior human capital. This is because firms can draw from different labor pools to match the different needs of the firm (Bartlett & Ghoshal, 1989). For example, some labor pools may have workers who, on average, have higher cognitive ability or have had greater access to education and training. An MNC could potentially draw from the highest quality labor pools for those functions that require high cognitive ability and education and training (McWilliams et al. , 2001). Second, the use of heterogeneous labor pools potentially increases the quality of global business decision making. When an MNC draws from its multiple labor pools it has the potential to a build diverse and flexible cadre of managers that are better able to bring different perspectives to a decision than a management group based solely from the parent country (Ricks, 1993). That diversity also enables management to be flexible in applying their skills throughout the different parts of the firm. Wright and Snell (1998) discussed theses advantages in terms of resource flexibility and coordination flexibility. While McWilliams et al. (2001) highlighted the benefits of human resource heterogeneity and immobility; they also point out the difficulty in transferring and integrating these resources Page 6 International Human Resources CAHRS WP05-16 within the MNC. Drawing on Szulanski’s (1996) concept of stickiness, they note that the exchanges are made more difficult by â€Å"the lack of absorptive capacity of the recipient, causal ambiguity, and an arduous relationship between the source and the recipient† (Szulanski, 1996: 36). Yet, little research exists discussing how internal stickiness can be overcome in order to maximize the benefits of a global workforce while overcoming the challenges of integration and coordination. Managing Global HR Functions Placing people as the source of sustainable competitive advantage moves us to the dilemma of how best to manage their knowledge, skills, and abilities. Within the RBV literature, issues of resource heterogeneity and immobility underlie the inevitable tension between local responsiveness and global integration in MNCs (cf. Bae & Lawler, 2000; Brewster, 1999; Fey & Bjorkman, 2001; Sparrow, Schuler & Jackson, 1994). Local responsiveness and the value derived from customization implies variation—i. e. , heterogeneity—within the MNC. Global efficiency, on the other hand, requires integration across business units. However, given the assumption of resource immobility, this integration is not always easy to achieve. Schuler et al. (1993) captured the e ssence of these tradeoffs by highlighting the relationships between internal operations and interunit linkages. From the standpoint of internal operations, each overseas affiliate must operate as effectively as possible relative to the competitive strategy of the MNC. This means that these affiliates can offer advantages to the MNC by recognizing and developing HR practices that are appropriate for their local markets, employment laws, cultural traditions, and the like. While internal operations at the local level are important, the MNC must also establish interunit linkages to gain efficiencies of scale and scope across several different countries. This suggests that while overseas affiliates can generate advantages locally, there are also substantial advantages that can be gained globally through integrated HR practices. Each is important, but each carries with it a different set of organizational requirements. These requirements point directly to issues relevant for HRM. Page 7 International Human Resources CAHRS WP05-16 Extending these ideas, Taylor, Beechler, and Napier (1996) describe how MNCs might develop a more integrative approach to HRM. The objective of this strategy is to share best practices from all parts of the firm (not just corporate) to create a worldwide system. While there are allowances for local differentiation, the focus is on substantial global integration. Differentiation provides both the potential for local response and customization, as well as the variety of ideas and practices needed for innovation at the global level. However, integration through coordination, communication, and learning is not always easily achieved in this context. Ironically, the very characteristics that provide resource-based advantage at the local level actually complicate integration at the global level. The ability of firms to gain efficiencies of scope and scale at a global level is made more difficult by resource heterogeneity, and this challenge is exacerbated by resource immobility. The challenge then for the transnational firm is to identify how firms can preserve variety (and local customization) while simultaneously establishing a foundation for integration and efficiency. As mentioned by McWilliams et al. (2001) very few scholars have addressed the â€Å"stickiness† issue involved in balancing the global and local tension. Taylor et al. 1996) allude to such integration difficulties when they note: â€Å"The reason firms move toward an exportive rather than an integrative SIHRM orientation†¦is that the mechanism to identify and transfer the best HRM practices in their overseas affiliates are not in place. Such mechanisms as having regional or global meetings of affiliate HR directors, transferring HRM materials (e. g. , performance appraisal forms to affiliates) or posting of the HR director of the affiliates to the HQs of the firm were not developed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 972). These same capability issues are raised by McWilliams et al. 2001) when they discuss the major causes of internal stickiness being lack of absorptive capacity, causal ambiguity, and arduous relationships between the source and recipient. In both examples, barriers to global practice integration are raised and discussed, but not resolved. This issue is addressed more fully below. Page 8 International Human Resources IHM And Capabilities CAHRS WP05-16 Given the importance—and difficulty—of integrating human resources at a global level, while preserving the uniqueness and heterogeneity at the local level, it seems reasonable to discuss these issues in the context of competitive capabilities. Based on the knowledge based view (KBV) of firms, that emphasizes the need to acquire and integrate knowledge, we suggest two such capabilities (see Figure 1). First, knowledge integration capability refers to a firm’s ability to transfer and coordinate human resources across affiliates in a way that utilizes economies of scale and scope while allowing and promoting responsiveness to the local environment. Second, knowledge creation capability refers to a firms’ ability to create new and potentially innovative practices at the local level. Figure 1 IHRM: People, Practices, and Capabilities Focus Theories RBV: Focus on individual resources of knowledge, skills, and abilities RBV and Competencies: Focus on combined resources of HR practices Strategic Question Workforce: What are the knowledge, skills, and abilities that are heterogeneous and immobile? HR Practices and Systems: What are the HR practices and systems that are heterogeneous and immobile? Learning Capabilities: How can HR practices and systems be created and integrated to preserve heterogeneity and immobility? Sources McWilliams, Van Fleet, & Wright, 2001 People Practices Taylor, Beechler, & Napier, 1996 KBV and Organizational Capabilities: Capabilities Focus on learning processes and capabilities Chadwick & Cappelli, 1999 Knowledge Integration Capability Ironically, while learning capability is one of the key dimensions of the Bartlett and Ghoshal (1989) framework of transnational organizations, most IHRM researchers have made only passing mention of how firms share and integrate best practice within the MNC. Snell, Youndt, and Wright (1996) argued that, particularly in dynamic environments, organizational learning may be the only way to ensure that resources sustain their value and uniqueness over Page 9 International Human Resources CAHRS WP05-16 time. In essence, the capability to integrate HR practices better than competitors may be a key source of sustainable competitive advantage (cf. , Kogut & Zander, 1992). In the sections below, we frame the key factors underlying knowledge integration capability in terms of organizational capital, social capital, and human capital. Organizational Capital. Youndt, Subramaniam, and Snell (2004) define organizational capital as the institutionalized knowledge and codified experiences residing within an organization. Artifacts of organizational capital include an organization’s reliance on manuals and databases to preserve knowledge, along with the establishment of structures, processes, and routines that encourage repeated use of this knowledge (Hansen, Hohria, & Tierney, 1999). As an integration mechanism, organizational capital allows the firm to preserve knowledge as incoming employees replace those leaving. An example of such an artifact might be a â€Å"lessons learned† database to ensure that lessons learned by one group can be made accessible for all groups. Based on MNC research, in order to improve the integration of knowledge within an MNC relative to the speed of its diffusion or imitation by competitors, firms invest in ways to make knowledge explicit by encoding its use and replicating it in rules and documentation (Kogut & Zander, 1993). Other forms of organizational capital are likely to represent detailed, company-wide routines on how new HR practices should be integrated by all affiliates. These routines may detail how practices should be shared to reduce the variance and time it takes to implement each new approach, and thereby, improve the overall efficiency of knowledge integration (March, 1991). Similarly, organizations typically implement information systems to provide affiliates with a common platform for HR processes and practices (Snell, Stueber & Lepak, 2002). These systems, processes, and routines ensure that: (1) practices are implemented routinely through established data collection procedures and (2) practices are rapidly disseminated throughout the entire MNC with minimal costs (Daft & Weick, 1984). In terms of integration capability, then, organizational capital provides a basis for sharing and Page 10 International Human Resources CAHRS WP05-16 institutionalizing knowledge across affiliates. However, it may work against efforts to preserve heterogeneity at the sub-unit level. Social Capital. Social capital—defined as the knowledge embedded within social networks—also plays a potentially valuable role in the integration capability of MNCs (Nahapiet & Ghoshal, 1998). For example, Szulanski (1995) found that one of the biggest obstacles to transfer knowledge in MNCs is the poor relationship between sources and recipients of information. Along this line, Ghoshal and Bartlett (1989) empirically showed that knowledge sharing and integration could not occur without the existence of strong social connections. The importance of social capital for integration capability is found in research by Kostova and Roth (2002), who concluded that successful practice adoption is largely dependent upon relationships based on trust and shared identity. Trust provides the motive to interact with others, while shared identity provides an overlapping understanding of what is important to share. Both of these elements of social capital would seem vital for integration capability. And importantly, neither of them would de facto require the loss of local autonomy. Human Capital. While organizational and social capital are both potentially important resources underlying a firm’s integration capability, Teece (1977) argued that one of the principle obstacles to transfer and integration is lack of prior experience and knowledge (i. e. , human capital). Research by Szulanski (1996) and Tsai (2002), for example, has shown that knowledge sharing and integration is facilitated when respective parties have the absorptive capacity or prior experience to understand related ideas (Szulansk, 1996; Tsai, 2002). In the context of MNCs, Haas (2004) showed that groups with large amounts of international experience are more likely to integrate knowledge from other parts of the organization than those that do not. Similarly, Gregersen and Black (1992) found that not only is international experience important for integration, but when it is coupled with experience in corporate headquarters affiliates are more likely to maintain allegiance to the overall goals of the firm. These international and corporate skills and knowledge are often gained through transfers and rotational assignments that enable the HR function to develop a more complex Page 11 International Human Resources CAHRS WP05-16 and global orientation. This provides them with the ability to more systematically manage the integration process (Kedia & Bhagat, 1988). Such forms of human capital can also correct any tendency of HR subunits to assume that the situation in the host country is unique; thus avoiding the not-invented-here syndrome. The upshot of this discussion s is that a firm’s integration capability likely depends on a combination of human, social, and organizational capital. Social and organizational capital are alternative—and potentially complementary—resources for knowledge and practice sharing. Human capital, in turn, is important for absorbing or acquiring that knowledge. As firms develop the capability to integrate existing practices they potentially can achieve economies of scale and scope through HRM. And when these integrative mechanisms preserve resource heterogeneity at a local level, it may lead to a more rapid response to a global environment and greater potential for competitive advantage. Figure 2 Capabilities: Creative and Integrative Focus Market Assumption Value Proposition Sources Integrative Capabilities Stable Market: Resources must be combined and integrated to maintain an advantage Combining resources in ways that others cannot copy creates benefits arising from scarcity Taylor, Beechler, & Napier, 1996; McWilliams, Van Fleet, & Wright, 2001 Creative Capabilities Dynamic Market: Resources must be reconfigured and created to maintain an advantage Developing new resources that competitors don’t yet have creates benefits arising from innovation Chadwick & Cappelli, 1999; Snell, Youndt, and Wright; 1996 Page 12 International Human Resources Knowledge Creation Capability CAHRS WP05-16 In the context of organizational learning and the KBV, it is important to distinguish knowledge integration capability from knowledge creation capability. Just because a firm is able to integrate practices across affiliates does not mean that it will be able to create new practices as well (See Figure 2). Creation capabilities allow the MNC to develop new practices that lead to resource heterogeneity in the first place. While few HRM researchers have mentioned the importance of integration mechanisms, fewer still have discussed the importance of creation mechanisms that renew a firm’s stock of HR practices. This is despite the fact that as firms continually integrate practices, it is imperative that new practices are created and developed that allows for innovation and continuous improvement in a changing environment. Therefore, in global environments characterized by rapid change and increasing competition, static concepts of heterogeneity may no longer be sufficient to explain (and sustain) a competitive advantage. An ongoing debate in strategy is whether any static view of resources can really explain a competitive advantage that is sustainable over time (Lippman & Rumelt, 1982). For example, Grant (1996) argues that idiosyncratic advantages naturally erode over time. This debate is especially relevant in the global environment where what might create a competitive advantage at one point in time or in one location, may not at another point in time or location. Hence, it is vital that MNCs develop the capability to create and renew HR practices in order to maintain a competitive advantage. Ghoshal & Bartlett (1988) stated that MNCs â€Å"create† new products, practices, or systems locally, using specific mechanisms to respond to local circumstances. Creating local HR practices lies at the heart of an MNC’s capability to be responsive to the unique and changing opportunities of different environments. Below, we discuss how human capital, social capital, and organizational capital might influence the knowledge creation capability of new HR practices. (See Figure 3 for an overview of mechanisms that influence knowledge integration and creation capabilities). Page 13 International Human Resources CAHRS WP05-16 Figure 3 Capabilities: Human Capital, Social Capital, Organizational Capital Human Capital Social Capital Organizational Capital Creative Capability †¢In-depth local experience †¢International experience outside of corporate †¢Broad internal network range †¢Broad external network range †¢Local Market Relationships †¢Localized routines †¢Creative processes and systems †¢Norms of informality †¢Overarching principles or guidelines Increasing Influence on Creative Capability Integrative Capability Increasing Influence on Integrative Capability †¢Absorptive capacity †¢International and corporate experience †¢Internal Social connections †¢Shared perceptions and identity †¢Internal Trust †¢Company-wide rules and routines †¢Corporate culture of sharing †¢Interactive technologies †¢Data collection system Human Capital. The knowledge and experience—i. e. , human capital—of the people within the HR function is a key factor in new HR practice creation—whether of new practice ideas, or of improvements in the practices (Lepak & Snell, 1999). For example, HR functions possessing large amounts of local knowledge and experience should be able to effectively create practices on their own in response to the various, changing environments. This localized experience helps them to understand the needs of local clients and suppliers, which allows them to develop practices that are unique to each region or country, and hence, heterogeneous across the firm. Page 14 International Human Resources CAHRS WP05-16 International experiences are also important for creating new HR practices. For example, because international experience is often highly valued in MNCs (e. g. , Mendenhall & Stahl, 2000), people with international skills and knowledge are more likely to be seen by others as being confident and willing to share divergent opinions and advocate for their own position (Stasser, Stewart, & Wittenbaum, 1995). Moreover, Gregersen & Black (1992) showed that people with strong experience in many international settings and limited experience in corporate are more likely to make changes based on local demands rather than pressures from central parts of the firm. This is most likely due to the people’s array of international experiences that have detached them from an allegiance with the company as a whole. Social Capital. Specific aspects of social capital have been argued to play a role in knowledge creation. For example, while Hansen (2002) argued that social networks provide an important conduit for the sharing of knowledge, he also argued that such networks play a role in knowledge creation because they inform network members about the existence, location, and significance of new knowledge. Burt (1982) found that networks comprising a broader range of contacts will have a more heterogeneous base of information and knowledge to draw from. While such wide networks may not always facilitate a deep flow of knowledge, they offer different reference points for HR members to make comparisons and explore new ideas. A firm’s ability to find new opportunities is likely to be a function of multiple local contacts. HR affiliates often have critical links with local vendors and, perhaps, competing HR groups that allow them to pursue local opportunities (Bartlett & Ghoshal, 1989; Hedlund, 1986). Birkinshaw (1997) refers to these as relationships within the ‘local market’. Within the local market an affiliate is likely to be embedded in different types of relationships (Ghoshal & Bartlett, 1990; Ghoshal & Nohria, 1989). McEvily and Zaheer (1999) argue that because each part of the MNC maintains different local patterns of network linkages, they are exposed to new knowledge, ideas, and opportunities. Organizational Capital. In many cases, organizational capital may actually hinder knowledge creation capability. The formalized processes, systems, structures, etc. ave a Page 15 International Human Resources CAHRS WP05-16 tendency to reinforce existing routines and obviate against variation and change that engender creativity. However, in some instances, organizational capital may facilitate flexibility in the course of actions that allow a firm to attend to environmental cues. This is especially true when employees are encouraged to take action that supersede compan y-wide, standardized routines in favor of localized response that allows knowledge assimilation from the local environment (Daft & Weick, 1984). For example, parts of the firm may develop creative processes and systems to identify problems, develop hypotheses, communicate ideas to others, and contradict what would normally be expected (Torrence, 1988). Grant (1996) argued that such creative routines and processes offer an efficient framework for people to create new, situation-specific practices by utilizing local perspectives in developing practices for the firm. Though potentially problematic for the integrative capability, localized routines and creative processes help affiliates relate better with local vendors, clients, and competitors by providing a set of expectations and processes that encourage HR groups to turn to the surrounding environment. For example, an HR affiliate may have developed a simple manual or informal norm of what to do when developing a new practice. Such a routine is likely to leave many gaps in exact steps to follow, but provide an overview or value to help the HR group be innovative. This simple routine allows the local HR group to assimilate knowledge more quickly from its employees and develop practices to meet their needs. In summary, these aspects of human capital, social capital, and organizational capital help us identify how the knowledge integration and creation capabilities might occur within an MNC. Some of these forms of capital are more useful depending upon the capability it is supporting, and ironically, some of these mechanisms that influence integration might actually hinder knowledge creation and vice versa. For example, firms heavy in local knowledge and experiences and weak in international experiences might have a negative affect on a firm’s ability to integrate practices across the various parts of the firm. Such strong human capital is likely to promote the not-invented-here syndrome through the affiliate’s strong belief and experience base dealing exclusively with the local environment. Similarly, rigid forms of Page 16 International Human Resources CAHRS WP05-16 organizational capital, in terms of standardized routines and shared electronic databases, might deter the various parts of HR to develop and create practices on their own. This could largely stem from the fact that so much structure and support for integration is in place that HR groups fail to find time to bring about new practices or adapt existing practices to the local environment. Implications For Research And Theory The unique complexities and challenges faced by today’s global firms present different implications for the RBV and its application to strategic IHRM. For example, because a large amount of the international management literature focuses on variances in cultural, geographical, and institutional pressures; the implications for applying the RBV become more complex. As MNCs struggle to create and integrate their practices across borders, they are faced with unique challenges that either push for global efficiency or local responsiveness. These challenges open the discussion for ways to actually manage both the creation and integration of knowledge on a global scale. This means that the questions typically asked by strategic IHRM scholars (e. g. , HR practices and performance) should be augmented with questions of how HR practices are created and integrated in ways that lead toward resource heterogeneity and immobility. To create a sustainable competitive advantage firms must not only be able to respond to their local environments or standardize their practices across the firm. They must be able to balance a tension of practice heterogeneity through local practice creation and immobility of those practices through their integration across the firm. One theoretical implication of this discussion calls for a greater understanding of the rents found through the creation and integration of HR practices. As Chadwick and Dabu (2004) explain, a marriage of rent concepts with theories of the firm (i. e. RBV) is essential to describing firm’s competitive advantages and particularly in understanding how actors within firms can take conscious steps to toward a sustainable competitive advantage. The current strategic IHRM literature strongly alludes to the importance of integration and being able to Page 17 International Human Resources CAHRS WP05-16 organize heterogeneous resources in a way that is diff icult for competitors to imitate. The assumption here is that heterogeneity and immobility of resources creates greater performance or rents arising from scarcity—Ricardian rents (cf. , Carpenter, Sanders, Gregersen, 2001). In essence, Ricardian rents can be rooted in the cross-border integration of various HR practices. The integration of such practices not only assures that some of them will be unique to the firm, but that they will be difficult for others to imitate—making them scarce in the market. The advantages that come from constant creation of HR practices operates under a different principle than traditional resources leading to Ricardian rents. Rather than rents arising from scarcity, the creation capability perspective emphasizes rents arising from market discontinuities—Schumpeterian rents (cf. Carpenter et al. , 2001). Schumpeterian rents derive from a firm’s ability to exploit or leverage resources to address changing environments (Teece et al. , 1997; Amit & Schoemaker, 1993). Based on Schumpeterian rents, a focus on the continuous creation of resources can enable a firm to achieve competitive advantage on a sustainable basis by developing new practices that lead to practice heterogeneity across a complex and ambiguous global network. Hence, as mentioned by Lado and Wilson (1994) and Teece et al. 1997), turning to these dynamic capabilities as an extended approach to the RBV offers a closer understanding of the actual sources of competitive advantage in a changing global environment. While we discuss the main mechanisms driving knowledge creation and integration (Grant, 1996), aspects of integration tend to focus on a broad array of learning processes, including knowledge sharing, transfer, codification, adoption, and/or institutionalization. Further research should look at how different aspects of the integration process might be influenced by specific human, social, and organizational capital mechanisms. For example, Hansen and Haas (2001) showed that many firms have little difficulty in sharing knowledge across various units of the firm, but that the actual application or institutionalization of this knowledge is a completely different matter. While other scholars such as Kogut and Zander (1992) and Schulz (2001) have theoretically separated integration to include transfer and integration (or combination), very Page 18 International Human Resources CAHRS WP05-16 little practical research has been done on what factors might influence the transfer and what factors might influence the integration of knowledge. Clearly, there must be differences since research such as Hansen and Haas’ (2001) notice the disparity in knowledge that is shared and knowledge that is actually applied. Also, while the ideas presented in this chapter are rooted in theory, empirical research is needed to determine the impact of human, social,, and organizational capital on knowledge creation and integration capabilities. While theory suggests that aspects of all three of these factors will influence both capabilities, it is most probable that aspects of human capital will more strongly influence the creative capability. This is largely due to the fact that people and their knowledge and skills are what allows the different HR affiliates the ability to develop local practices on their own, without interference or supervision from regional or corporate headquarters. Similarly, social and organizational capital should have their strongest influences on the integrative capability. This is due, in part, to the conduits and repositories created from aspects of social capital and organizational capital, respectively. In fact, as we mentioned earlier, some aspects of organizational capital might have a negative effect on the firm’s ability to create new practices (knowledge), while some aspects of human capital may have a negative effect on the firm’s ability to integrate those practices across affiliates. Conclusion The purpose of this chapter has been to summarize the literature on RBV and IHRM in multinational firms by addressing the ways in which resource heterogeneity and immobility provide potential advantages to MNCs. However, we have also attempted to extend the RBV in this context by addressing some of the primary challenges of—and capabilities needed to— integrate resources across business units within the MNC. The solution frequently used by firms has been to standardize HR practices and policies at a global level, but this solves the integration problem while destroying the advantages of local Page 19 International Human Resources CAHRS WP05-16 variety. The challenge as we see it is identifying how firms can preserve variety (and local customization) while simultaneously establishing a foundation for integration and efficiency. The ability for HR managers to balance this tension lies in the development of capabilities to create and integrate practices across the global HR function. We extended traditional views of RBV to include aspects of practice integration and creation. Such capabilities allow firms to constantly renew their HR practices in a way that allows them to respond to multiple external pressures while being coordinated and integrated to ensure that these practices drive the firm’s sustainable competitive advantage. Page 20 International Human Resources References CAHRS WP05-16 Amit, R. , & Schoemaker, P. J. H. 993. Strategic assets and organizational rent. Strategic Management Journal, 14: 33-46. Bae, J. , & Lawler, J. J. 2000. Organizational and HRM strategies in Korea: Impact on firm performance in an emerging economy. Academy of Management Journal, 43: 502-517. Barney, J. B. 1991. Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17: 99-120. Barney, J. 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