Google Case Study Analysis

Introduction Larry Page and Sergey Brin created Google in 1998 during their college days at Stanford University. Over the last one decade, Google has grown into a globally acknowledged market force for its service provision, business model, efforts in development of technology, and human life influence.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Google Case Study Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Since inception of internet and development of information technology, Google’s record is impressive in the way it has charmed people regardless of their ethnic, religious, and political affiliations. The company has also reached out to different social and economic classes across the world through its numerous products. Google identifies among the leading search engines available in the world market. Its reliability in terms of matching results and simple design of their website has attracted a respectable frac tion of global population, which is increasingly warming up to the contemporary world of internet. Some of the main competitors of Google are Yahoo, Amazon, MSN and Bing. Google has managed to fight off competition from these companies to command close to 85% of internet searches. In 2005, Google’s search engine was the best performing product from the company ahead of email services. Other products by Google include Google profiles, Google maps, Google talk, Google gadgets and Google trends. This essay will analyze Google’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. It will also identify and discuss Google’s business strategy and organizational culture.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Google’s Business Strategy and Culture Google has demonstrated how fast a business can grow if it develops an effective operational strategy, and an inc lusive corporate culture. In 2000, a company that started with two individuals grew fast to include a workforce of 60 workers. Google has a business strategy that aims to help penetrate major global economies by providing products and services that meet primary needs of their customers. Google provides its services in America, Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world through ten other languages apart from English. Google’s corporate values and business strategy help to promote innovation within its workforce, thus the company’s rapid growth. Through innovations such as Google toolbar browser, keyword-targeted advertising, and expansion of search capabilities to include 28 languages, the company earned a annual revenue of $86 million for the 2001 fiscal year. This figure was very high compared to their annual revenue of $220,000 two years earlier. The company’s Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, Eric Schmidt was definitely doing his job effectively. He ma naged to build a corporate culture for Google, which has made it a striking, favorable, fitting, and exquisite place to work. It promotes cultural and talent diversity in its workforce. It also nurtures a spirit of togetherness among workers.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Google Case Study Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The inclusive nature of the work environment at Google motivates employees towards achieving organizational goals, as they develop a certain level of attachment to activities and processes within the company. Google has developed its business model along this culture, thus the reason it stands out from its competitors. The focus of their business model is to improve access to information by providing quality, reliable and effective means of doing so. SWOT Analysis This is a management tool used by organizations to make decisions through assessment of organizational structure and corporate culture. It entails identifying internal strengths and weaknesses of an organization, as well as external opportunities and threats. The cardinal focus of applying SWOT analysis in an organization is to build on strengths, do away with weaknesses, take hold of available opportunities, and respond to possible threats. Google has several internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as opportunities and threats from the external environment. Strengths A strength that has enhanced Google’s fast growth is an effective market strategy. The market strategy applied by Google entails innovation, a large portfolio of products, broad market coverage, and effective marketing. Google has created a global customer base covering various types of customers of varied age, social and economic class, as well as political and religious affiliations.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The second strength is good human resource planning and management strategies. Google has demonstrated strong ability to create a cohesive and inclusive work environment that helps maintain high employee morale. They have effective employee motivation and retention strategies that include good remuneration packages and workplace benefits. The third strength is effective change management strategies. Innovation creates need for regular change implementation at Google, and it has effectively managed to introduce without compromising its corporate culture. Other notable strengths of Google include effective leadership and management strategies, financial stability, customer goodwill, and a strong corporate culture. Weaknesses The first weakness is poor recruitment strategies. The human resource department at Google receives numerous applications from potential employees from various parts of the world. Google ignores these applications because its owners prefer to hire graduates from S tanford University, their alma mater. This strategy locks out very qualified and competent individuals who could bring a new dimension into Google’s way of conducting business. The second weakness is poor implementation of employee retention strategies. Although the company has developed strategies for reducing employee turnover, poor implementation has forced some top managers to leave and join their competitors. When employees leave and join a competitor, the competitor most likely counters their efforts in the market. The third weakness is unreliable partnerships. Google formed numerous partnerships with many companies in a bid to increase its market share. Some of these partnerships failed to fulfill their desired potential, leading to poor management of some portfolios. Opportunities The outside environment offers Google numerous opportunities that can be exploited to improve stability in the market. The first opportunity is to integrate its services with computer softwa re in order to attract more users. This means that Google can form partnerships with computer software developers like Microsoft to have their products integrated during production. Google plans to launch an operating system called chrome that will enable it compete effectively with companies such as Microsoft. Although it will be challenging to convince people to try out a new operating system for their personal computers, Google can look up to its operating system for smart phones that has been a huge success. This will motivate them to go ahead with the launch. The operating system is cost effective, reliable and its usability suits needs of many internet users. This is an opportunity Google can exploit and stamp its control of the internet service market. Other opportunities include expansion of global market presence, integration of research and development skill in its activities, as well as development of new business partnerships for growth of its brand. Threats The first th reat is Google’s inability to provide enough motivation to part time employees who work on various projects. Many of these employees do not receive allowances and this might derail their human resource development strategies. The second threat is court battles instigated by its major competitors. Yahoo, Amazon, and Microsoft among other companies have filed a case to stop Google from digitizing and getting exclusive rights for the concept of online advertising. The third threat faced by Google is the dynamic nature of competition in the industry. There is need for increased innovation to ensure that the company does not lose its market leadership to emerging competitors. Recommendations Google needs to apply certain approaches to ensure that it makes the best out of its strengths, do away with weaknesses, seize available opportunities, and eliminate all threats from the external environment. The first recommendation is need for Google to further reflect on its mission stateme nt and develop it. It is important for Google to know that all their competitors are seeking to provide the best services on the market. Thus, it needs to rethink how it can maintain its market leadership. The second recommendation is that Google needs to reorient its organizational structure and culture to promote development of its brand. Google needs to develop effective strategies for change management, which is an effective tool for organizational success. Thirdly, Google needs to revise its recruitment strategy to include graduates from other institutions who can provide an extra dimension to its organizational development. Google currently applies a strategy that its founders started, of picking their employees from Stanford University, as they believe its graduates have the essential competencies. Maintaining market leadership is a function of human resource management that involves applying effective recruitment strategies. Employee recruitment entails developing an attract ive remuneration and benefits package for all workers. This helps to reduce employee turnover because they will be satisfied and motivated to work. This case study on Google Case Study Analysis was written and submitted by user Cayson Nolan to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Themes Of Louisa May Alcott

Themes often help to create a whole story line. Writers tend to use the same themes in their writing. During their careers the themes they use may change due to how the writers have changed. Some writers use the same themes in all of their writing, but others tend to use many different themes. In her writing, Louisa May Alcott touched upon various different themes. The early writings of Louisa May Alcott were rarely recognized. In the first phase of her writing, 1840’s-1860’s, she wrote some short stories. Most of them featured a mysterious, vengeful woman bent on manipulation and destruction (Schafer 1). Common themes that Louisa often used included self-sacrifice, duty, charity, self-reliance, and patients. She also touched the surfaces of jealousies, fears and frivolities (Durbin 1). A lot of the stories Louisa wrote early on she never really put her name too. She also wrote children’s stories and was mostly know for these. â€Å"Flower Fables, the first volume that she put her name on, were stories and poems that were moral fables, rather windy and obvious but emotionally revealing† (Saxton 192). Most of Louisa’s early works touched upon these themes along with domestic life in the nineteenth-century and maturing adolescent. These themes are what Louisa’s early writings were based around. In the early writings the themes used tend to come from 2 some point of Louisa’s. â€Å"Louisa’s world works with clocklike moral regularity† (Saxton 4). With Louisa’s father being very critical of her work, she tried her hardest to write to his approval. She used her own life experiences for her writing. She took what she knew and what she likes and used them to write, which showed in the themes. Her stori... Free Essays on Themes Of Louisa May Alcott Free Essays on Themes Of Louisa May Alcott Themes often help to create a whole story line. Writers tend to use the same themes in their writing. During their careers the themes they use may change due to how the writers have changed. Some writers use the same themes in all of their writing, but others tend to use many different themes. In her writing, Louisa May Alcott touched upon various different themes. The early writings of Louisa May Alcott were rarely recognized. In the first phase of her writing, 1840’s-1860’s, she wrote some short stories. Most of them featured a mysterious, vengeful woman bent on manipulation and destruction (Schafer 1). Common themes that Louisa often used included self-sacrifice, duty, charity, self-reliance, and patients. She also touched the surfaces of jealousies, fears and frivolities (Durbin 1). A lot of the stories Louisa wrote early on she never really put her name too. She also wrote children’s stories and was mostly know for these. â€Å"Flower Fables, the first volume that she put her name on, were stories and poems that were moral fables, rather windy and obvious but emotionally revealing† (Saxton 192). Most of Louisa’s early works touched upon these themes along with domestic life in the nineteenth-century and maturing adolescent. These themes are what Louisa’s early writings were based around. In the early writings the themes used tend to come from 2 some point of Louisa’s. â€Å"Louisa’s world works with clocklike moral regularity† (Saxton 4). With Louisa’s father being very critical of her work, she tried her hardest to write to his approval. She used her own life experiences for her writing. She took what she knew and what she likes and used them to write, which showed in the themes. Her stori...

Documentary Credit Transaction Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Documentary Credit Transaction - Case Study Example As there is a risk of non payment by the importer, sellers can enter into an agreement with the importer's bank through a letter of credit ( lc).When there is a "documentary credit clause" in the agreement between the buyer and the seller, a letter of credit is issued by the buyer and the bank makes the payment to the seller.An lc is issued by the customer's bank naming the seller as the beneficiary, and as soon as the conditions mentioned in the lc are met by the seller, the payment is made by the bank. A bank in the country of the buyer issues the LC and is referred to as the Issuing Bank. A bank that advises the LC to the Seller is called the Advising Bank and is generally in the country of the Seller. While lcs are a safe, speedy and convenient method of payment for exporters, there might be a few pitfalls that the seller might have to consider before signing the contract.The risk shifts from the actual buyer to the bank.Since presentation of documents to the bank within the stripulated time frame is the only criteria for payment, the buyer runs the risk of not getting the goods in good condition, while the payment would already have been made through the issuing bank. A seller might run the risk of not being able to present the LC before the stipulated date. There could be delays in delivery and the LC migth expire before the issuing bank gets a confirmation from the buyer about the proper delivery of goods.A signature from the buyer's side migth also be required to honour the LC, but it might not be possible to obtain it before the expiry of the LC.The document itself might have some discrepencies which could render the document invalid, thus putting the exporter to risk of non payment for his goods. References 1. GERTRUDE NIMAKO BOATENG, ONUG, Documentary Credit Transactions : A Case Of Double Standards, accessed on 01-03-09. http://www.unspecial.org/UNS671/t41.html 2.EPASS International, Documentary Credit Transactions , accessed on 01-03-09. http://www.epassinternational.com/topics4.html 3. CreditGuru.com , Letter of Credit, accessed on 01-03-09 http://www.creditguru.com/guestarticleLC.htm Major Journals: - Journal of World Trade - Journal of International Economic Law - Journal of Business Law 4.Websites of Interest Name of Organization Web Site Address International Organizations United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) http://www.uncitral.org/ World Trade Organization (WTO) http://www.wto.org Int'l Trade Center (ITC) (UNCTAD/WTO) http://www.intracen.org Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation http://www.apecsec.org.sg Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) http://www.cec.org Commission for Labor Cooperation (CLC) http://www.naalc.org Int'l Court of Justice (ICJ) http://www.law.cornell.edu/icj/ Int'l Monetary Fund (IMF) http://www.imf.org/ MERCOSUR http://www.americasnet.com/mauritz/mercosur/ Org. for Econ. Cooperation and Dev. (OECD)

To what extent is religious fundamentalism an anti-modern ideology Coursework

To what extent is religious fundamentalism an anti-modern ideology - Coursework Example Within such a way, a person who ascribes to a modernist theory or interpretation is of the belief that situational factors as well as the development of knowledge have a powerful impact on determining the norms and mores of whatever world view they may hold (Eccleshall, 1994). This is not to say that a person who ascribes to a modernist approach is entirely and/or completely tossed by the winds of change. Rather, it merely indicates a worldview that is more cognizant and places a higher level of importance upon the way in which current definitions and understandings can impact upon the way in which their worldview is constrained and develops. Conversely, an individual who ascribes to something of a fundamentalist viewpoint is one who is something of a literalist. Within such a way, fundamentalism, by its very nature, is a separatist doctrine that seeks to separate itself from the mainstream and hearken back to a prior interpretation of the doctrines or teachings of a particular world view/faith. As such, it will be the express intent of this brief analysis to discuss the means by which fundamentalism is by very nature an anti-modern philosophy/approach to any given world view. One of the primary definitions of fundamentalism that is referenced throughout many of the belief systems in the world is the fact that they invariably ascribe to the belief that the â€Å"truth† has become adulterated within the modern era and it is necessary to hearken back to a time of prior truth and purity in order to fulfill whatever directive a deity or group of deities might have set forth for them in a simpler and more pure time. This is true regardless of whether one examines an Islamic fundamentalist group or whether one examines a Hindu or Christian fundamentalist group. As such, a further appreciation and definition of the word â€Å"fundamentalist† leads one to realize that the fundamentals of a given faith or worldview are the prized possession that these indi viduals are fully unwilling to part with (Zizek, 1989). Those that ascribe to the fundamentals, those who define what are they based upon a narrow and historical interpretation of a key set of beliefs, question the means by which society and/or culture of the times can help to better them or the faith to which they ascribe. As such, fundamentalists, regardless of their particular variety, are inherently and entirely anti-modern. However, another key element of the fundamentalist worldview is not only the fact that they seek to disengage with modern society and return/recluse back to a prior interpretation of the mores and beliefs of a particular faith. Such a pattern of behavior would not make them anti modern and would not ensure that they came into any level of conflict with those within society that did not ascribe to a limited view of reality (Ball, 2010). Rather, they are invariably interested in alerting others to the ills of modernity and instructing them that the best means of assuring a further level of happiness and/or salvation is to disengage with the modern society and revert back to a literal or figurative interpretation of the means by which a given belief system was understood within the distant or not so distant past. It is this very attitude of disengagement and seeking to encourage or demand that others disengage that is perhaps the strongest argument for the fact that these individuals are invariably anti-modern in their interpretation o

Kandariya Mahadeva Temple Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Kandariya Mahadeva Temple - Essay Example The major subject of the art work is the sexuality and growth of the Indian women. The sculptures are designed stylistically to show the growth in women and to represent their beauty. The erotic sculptures also show the passionate interactions between humans along with changes that occur in human bodies. The artwork also represents the cultural influence of the Indians by using ornaments on the sculptures thus, showing how Indian women value ornaments. The artwork also applies religious styles by positioning the erotic sculptures in such a way that they appease evil spirits. Stylistic influences used in the sculptures include the use of good positioning and use of imagery. The artwork has applied imagery in the sculptures by using symbolism where different meanings can be derived from each of the sculptures. The religious style has a significant influence on the art since; it determines the major positioning of the erotic sculptures. This is a portrait which was done by anonymous cou rt artists during the Kangxi period, which was around the year 1662-1795. The portrait mainly represents one of the royal rulers of the Qing Dynasty. The medium used is mainly paint and silk, with paint being made on the silk. The subject matter of the artwork is mainly to convey messages about the countries strong dynasties and the religious views. Thus, a lot of symbolism has been used in the artwork to convey different messages. Thus, from the colors used and the pattern of art, different meanings. can be derived from the artifact (Kleiner, 43). The major cultural context of the relic is the glorification of the Chinese art and to uphold their religion and the political ideologies. The artwork is also symbolic and metaphoric in producing its message. For instance; the colors used on the robes are bright signifying the peace in the dynasty of the emperor. In addition, the artwork also embraces the use of different patterns

The Failure Of Unamid In Darfur Politics Essay

The Failure Of Unamid In Darfur Politics Essay Darfur has been called the worst humanitarian crisis of the 21st century. Since the Rwandan genocide in 1994, the world has not seen such a campaign of killing, refugees, rape and destruction. The crisis caused the death of 300  000 people and over 2.5 million displaced Sudanese since February 2003. This crisis attracted the attention of many humanitarian and human rights organizations, various states policy makers, and a number of regional and international organizations such as the African Union, the United Nations and the International Criminal Court. In 2004, the African Union established the Darfur Integrated Taskforce (DITF). In 2007, the continuing hazardous situation required the creation of a joined AU-UN operation to intervene in Darfur, which was called United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID). After three years of functioning of the UNAMID, the situation in Darfur still depicts a lot of human suffering and deprivation  [3]  . This suggests that the UNAMID was not effective in dealing with the crisis. To understand this, the paper will investigate the reasons behind the missions failure in achieving its objectives and goals. Hence, the study will try to answer the following question: why did UNAMID fail in Darfur? In other words, what are the reasons behind UNAMIDs ineffectiveness in Darfur? In fact, there are various reasons that can be investigated ranging from domestic to international, organizational to financial ones. However, given the limited time and knowledge, we will focus on two major reasons that we think created obstacles to the missions success. Thus, the hypothesis that we are willing to test is that UNAMID was not effective in Darfur because the Khartoum government didnt cooperate and the mission lacked resources. Before answering the question and testing the hypothesis, it is important to understand the conflict and its roots. For this purpose, we are going to divide the paper into three major parts. The first one will deal with defining the concepts, literature review and the theoretical framework. The second part will focus of the conflict. That is to say, it will give a background of the Darfurian situation before and after the 2003 conflict, explaining the origins of this latter and its key actors. The last part will deal with the UNAMID intervention. It will give an overview of the creation of the mission, an assessment of its work, and then a brief analysis of the causes of its ineffectiveness. Theoretical Framework Concepts Before analyzing UN peacekeeping operation (PKO) Darfur, we should first define the concept of peacekeeping and understand its role in order to be able to reflect on the UNAMID mission and its success or failure. Peacekeeping, as defined by the Cambridge dictionary, is the activity of preventing war and violence, especially the use of armed forces not involved in a disagreement to prevent fighting in an area. This definition is broad, and it does not specify the conditions under which the intervention can occur, nor the procedures that should be taken before that. For this purpose, we will take the definition of the UN and which defines peacekeeping as the deployment of international military and civilian personnel to a conflict area with the consent of the parties to the conflict in order to: stop or contain hostilities or supervise the carrying out of a peace agreement  [4]  . This definition adds two important points: the first one is that the interveners are international act ors, both military and civilians; and the second point stresses the agreement of the parties involved. It also exposes the role of these operations. This latter was further clarified by the International Peace Academy. It stated that the roles of the PKO are: the prevention, containment, moderation and termination of hostilities between and within states, through the medium of a peaceful third party intervention, using a multinational force of soldiers, police and civilians to restore and maintain peace. Hence, the developments in the practices and operations of peacekeeping resulted to the emergence of a set of concepts and terms that describe the different natures of the operations and tasks they undertake.  That is to say, peacekeeping has become a general concept which requires details of the selected sub-show style of operation that is intended in each particular case. These sub-divisions are defined in Boutous Ghalis Agenda for Peace. In this latter, he mentioned three conce pts: peacemaking, peace-keeping, and preventive diplomacy. The first one is defined as an action to prevent disputes from arising between parties, to prevent existing disputes from escalating into conflicts and to limit the spread of the latter when they occur, the second one as an action to bring hostile parties to agreement, essentially through such peaceful means as those foreseen in Chapter VI of the Charter of the United Nations, and the third as a technique that expands the possibilities for both the prevention of conflict and the making of peace. It is noted that some operations may combine the properties of more than one type of peacekeeping operation. That is to say, the mission may begin according to one of the patterns but the developments on the ground may drive it to shift to another type of operation.  It is further noted that the different sub-divisions of the peacekeeping operations run in parallel, meaning that they did not cancel each other since the world is still witnessing all of these processes in different parts of it, depending on the situation and the circumstances that require one operation over the others. Literature review During the Cold War, the United Nations Charter put an integrated system for collective security. Theoretically, the system has the necessary components to ensure its effectiveness, which are general principles and rules agreed on and shared, namely: a device responsible for making sure the states respect these principles, and giving it the resources and capabilities so that it can do  the task of deterrence or punishment for states that cross the limits agreed upon.  However, the implementation of this system was conditioned by the acceptance of the permanent members of the UN Security Council, which was impossible to achieve in most cases under the conditions of the cold war  [5]  . This created an obstacle for the implementation of the collective security system. In this case of polarization, the UN tried to find alternative mechanisms to deal with events of international violence and conflicts that arise in different areas throughout the world.  One of these mechanisms is the creation of peacekeeping operations. The creation of this latter was justified by the need to adopt methods designed to stop or contain conflicts that have turned into armed conflicts  [6]  . Besides, the PKOs would serve to deepen the gap that emerged between the arrangements set out in the Charter concerning reaching a peaceful settlement of disputes and contained in articles 28-33 (which gave the Security Council the main role in assisting States to resolve problems among themselves)  [7]  as well as the arrangements set out in articles 39   51 (under which the UN Security Council has the right to use force to impose peace)  [8]  on the one hand, and the possibilities for the actual implementation of these arrangements on the other hand. Thus, the UN interventions rose from only 14 between 1947 and 1987, to 32 between 1988 and 1997  [9]  . Particularly, UN intervention in Africa in extensive regarding the number of peacekeeping operations which are 27 in Africa compared to 39 in the rest of the world  [10]  . This can be explained by the various wars that occurred and occur in Africa, both inter and intra-states conflicts that differ in this severity, and that range from the dispute over land like the case of Benin, to the ethnic cleansing and genocide such as Rwanda. In 2003, the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA) was created. Its goals are as follows: enhance international support for Africas development and security through its advocacy and analytical work,  assist the Secretary General in improving coherence and coordination of the UN system support to Africa, andfacilitate inter-governmental deliberations on Africa at the global level, in particular relating to the New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD)  [11]  . Moreover, the outcomes of the UN intervention in Africa are different, depending on the situation and the circumstances. Some of them manage to achieve the missions goals and hence are successful, others fail to implement the goals or part of them. Rhazaoui illustrates this idea by giving examples. He said: while Somalia and Rwanda illustrated the limitations of indecisive action by the Security Council, UN intervention in Mozambique succeeded in consolidating peace and mobilising adequate resources for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of that war-torn country  [12]  . Thus, UN is heavily interested in stabilizing and developing the African countries through various missions which have different goals depending on the situations. Nevertheless, these operations are not always successful due to a range of reasons related either to the state cooperation, or to the UNs organization and resources, and sometimes both. Conflict Theory The crisis in Darfur is a multidimensional conflict that can be explained in various ways be it ethnic, religious, ecologicalà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ In order to understand the crisis, we will use conflict theory as a theoretical framework. This theory analyses conflicts economically. That is to say, the causes of conflicts, according to this theory, are the desire to redistribute scare sources, to in act incompatible roles, or to pursue incompatible value  [13]  . Society is composed of groups that are unequal in terms of wealth, distribution of resources and power, and hence, the disadvantaged struggle to ensure a kind of equality and defend their interests. So, using conflict theory as a theoretical framework, we will analyze the economic causes of conflict in Darfur both within the region (between the Darfurian tribes) and between the region and the government. Understanding the Crisis of Darfur Sudan, in northeast Africa, is the largest country in the continent measuring about one fourth the size of the USA. It neighbors nine countries (see map1 in appendix). Sudan is an authoritarian Republic because all power is in the hands of President Umar El-Bashir who has controlled government since military led coup in 1989. Sudan is a very fragmented nation with 400 languages and dialects and 600 cultural and ethnic groups  [14]  . Pre-conflict Situation The Darfur region is located in the western part of Sudan (see map2 in appendix). It is roughly the size of Texas  [15]  and has a pre-conflict population of approximately 6 million. It borders Libya, Chad and the Central African Republic. Darfur is known throughout history, as an independent state. It was colonized 18years after Sudan  [16]  . It has an ethnic, economic and political situation different from that of the north or the south in Sudan. The Arabic word Dar roughly means homeland and the population of Darfur is divided into several Dars, not only the Fur as its name suggests, but also in several other communities (see map3 in Appendix) determined by livelihood as much as ethnicity. However, this latter is not itself clear-cut, given the long history of racial mixing between indigenous non-Arab peoples and Arabs, who are now distinguished by cultural-linguistic attachment rather than race  [17]  . The Fur are peasant people and they occupy the central part of the region which is the richest and most stable area  [18]  in terms of land fertility and water resources. Also in its central zone are the non-Arab Masalit, Berti and Bergid peoples who are all sedentary farmers. The northern zone is Dar Zaghawa which is inherited by camel nomads, principally the Zaghawa who are non-Arab in origin, and the Arab Beni Hussein, Mahamid, Mahariya and Irayqat  [19]  . It is the most ecologically fragile of the three main zones and affected by drought. The eastern and southern zone of Darfur is occupied by the Arab nomads. They comprise Rezeigat, Habbaniya, Beni Halba and Taaisha. The area is severely affected by drought than the northern zone. economics Throughout history, the population of Darfur suffered from marginalization and neglect. This idea is stressed by Saleh who said that what can be deduced from 18th and 19th century Darfur is that government and elite alike have never treated the people of Darfur kindly  [20]  . He added that they were suffering from all kinds of injustice including slavery and high taxation  [21]  . Since Darfur was annexed by the British to Sudan, the former was excluded and abandoned by the successive governments  [22]  . Moreover, most Darfurians voted for the NIF, but once in power, they showed bias to the Arabs and neglected Darfur  [23]  . So, politically speaking, Darfur was not fully integrated in the dynamics of Sudan. Political system Key Actors In order to fully understand the conflict of Darfur and its dynamics, we need to know the actors involved, their background and their goals. Hence, we are going to discuss the Janjaweed as a government sponsored militias, the government as a double role actor in the conflict, and the two Darfurian rebel groups: the Sudanese Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement. In fact, we should mention that there are various other groups that are included in the conflict such as National Movement for Reform and Development (NMRD), Sudan Federal Democratic Alliance (SFDA)  [24]  , but they are not as important as SLM and JEM and hence we will focus on the two latter for their importance in Darfur Politics. The Janjaweed are Arab militias that are responsible for most of the damages in Darfur, in terms both of blood and treasure. To know who they are and how they emerged, we should go back in history. From the time of the Sultans, the camel-herding Abbala Reizeigat, to which belong the Janjaweed, had been a headache to the rule In the1980s, s of Darfur  [25]  . In the 1980s, the Popular Defence Forces (PDF) law was created with an objective of training men and women in civil and military tasks, to raise their level of security consciousness, and instill military discipline so that they can cooperate with the regular armed forces and security services  [26]  . Janjaweed became part of the PDF, the state paramilitary force  [27]  . The government, on the other hand, is government The Darfur Liberation Movement (DLM) was created during the late 1980, as a response to the activities of the Sudan government sponsored militias in Darfur, but became Sudanese Liberation Movement/ Army (SLM/A) in 2003 and an alliance of the tribal groups that oppose the government and their para-military militia groups  [28]  . The creation of SLA marked a formidable ideological shift from Darfur Liberation Front which was a secessionist movement premised on establishing a separate Darfur state, to a movement that aspires to create a democratic and more equitable Sudan. The SLA/SLM position on the unity of the Sudan is stated in its Political Declaration as follows: The Sudan Liberation Movement/Army is of the view that Sudans unity is of paramount importance, but it should not be maintained and cannot be viable unless it is based on justice and equality for all the Sudanese peoples. Sudans unity must be anchored on a new basis that is predicated on full acknowledgement of Sudans ethnic, cultural, social and political diversity. Viable unity must therefore ultimately be based on the right of self-determination and the free will of the various peoples of Sudan. The fundamental imperatives of a viable unity are an economy and political system that address the uneven development and marginalization that have plagued the country since independence, so that the interests of the marginalized majority are adequately catered for and they are brought to the same level of development of the ruling minority. The SLM/A shall work with all political forces that ascribe to this view.  [29]   The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) JEM The 2003 Crisis The conflict of Darfur turned out to be a humanitarian crisis, described by some as genocide and by others as the worst humanitarian crisis. As any conflict, it has various reasons varying from political, economic, ecological, and ethnic. However, we will deal with the economic ones as conflict theory considers the struggle over resources is the main cause of conflicts. Causes West Darfur has a population of approximately 1,7 million, most of them are African farmers from the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa tribes. The rest of the population of Darfur consists of Arab nomadic groups. Although both the black African and Arab tribes are all Muslim, they have a long history of clashes over land, crops and resources  [30]  . The fighting in Darfur is usually described as racially motivated, pitting mounted Arabs against black rebels and civilians; but the conflict has its causes in another dimension, between settled farmers and nomadic over failing lands. Until the rains began to fail, the nomads lived amicably with the settled farmers. The nomads were welcome passers. The farmers would share their wells, and the herders would feed their stock on the leavings from the harvest. However, with the drought, farmers who had once hosted the tribes and their camels were now blocking their migration because the land could no longer support both herder and farmer. Few tri bes drifted elsewhere or took up farming, but the Arab herders stuck to their lifestyle as part of their Arab identity  [31]  . Fertile land continued to decrease as desertification became more of a problem. Tensions between nomadic Arab tribes and African farming communities began a struggle over controlling an environment that can no longer support all the people who must live on it  [32]  . Another economic dimension to the conflict is between the Darfurians and the government. Darfur is the poorest state in Sudan. It has been neglected, abused, and underdeveloped and all tribes, Arab and African alike, suffered greatly from this. Even if Sudan became an oil exporter country with700 million barrel oil reserves, Darfur people suffer from hunger and frustration. more Consequences In 2000, pastoralists moved towards the south and disputed over the fertile region, so clashes were renewed, which resulted in violence that led to the deaths of more than three thousand people, displaced a million people and burned thousands of villages in two years. In 2003, the conflict entered a dangerous turn when rebels from the two groups (SLM and JEM) attacked government targets in Darfur, destroying aircraft on the runway and the occupying El Fasher for hours and then withdrawing to their positions, accusing the government of marginalization of the region, which lacks development. Thus, the government intervened military to stop the rebels. consequences UN intervention in Darfur The Creation of the UNAMID Did it fail? Reasons behind its failure Lack of Government Cooperation Lack of UN Resources

Voodoo :: essays research papers fc

Voodoo Fon is spoken by over half the people of Benin and it is the mother tongue of voodoo. In Fon the root word for voodoo is vodoun that means spirit or god. Voodoo had its origins over 350 years ago in West Africa. In fact Allada, a small town in Benin, is often called the 'cradle of voodoo'. In 1996, January 10th became National Voodoo Day in honor of its followers that make up 65% of Benin population. The religion Vodoun was a by-product of the slave trade. This Yoruban religion was carried to Haiti in a slave trade from Dahomey, which is currently called Benin. Once in Haiti, the slaves were forced to adopt Catholicism. Desiring to keep their native practices, the slaves continued to perform their rituals in private. They transposed Catholic saints onto the tribal deities, called loa, to please their owners. Instead of hindering the faith of the slaves, the incorporation of the saints added something new to their religion. Because of this they included into their rituals statues of the saints, candles, and other Christian relics. It is combinations like this that form religions such as Santeria, a blend of Voodoo and Spanish Catholicism, that proves what a malleable religion it is. Voodoo has spread throughout the world into major communities on Rio de Janeiro, New Orleans, Miami, and New York city. Vodoun has as many as 50 million followers throughout the world now.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although varieties of this religion occur in different regions there are some basic tenets common among them. They all believe that the pulse of life resides in nature's elements like fire or wind. This force is also in union with the dead and thus fosters a belief that they should be respected through rituals. They believe that all things are the creation of the loa, and at the same time part of the lao and are to be servants to them. The loa take part in our world and act as intermediaries between human being and the higher god, Bodye. The practitioners of Vodoun believe that when a soul dies it become a sprit or loa. These spirits often 'posses' the living during rituals. When 'possessed' the believer dances, offers animal sacrifices, falls into a trance, or may even disappear. When these rituals are performed a group (societe) come together in a sanctuary (hounfort) where they are revolved around a priest (hougan) or priestess (mamba). These societes are crucial in the structure within small Haitian villages. They are positive forces in establishing communal cohesion and over-riding gender barriers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For whatever good is served, Voodoo can also bring evil.