First Battle of El Alamein in World War II

First Battle of El Alamein in World War II The First Battle of El Alamein was fought July 1-27, 1942, during World War II (1939-1945). Having been badly defeated by Axis forces at Gazala in June 1942, the British Eighth Army retreated east into Egypt and assumed a defensive position near El Alamein. Pursued by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, the British constructed an elaborate array of defenses. Commencing attacks on July 1, Axis forces proved unable to break through Eighth Army. Subsequent British counterattacks failed to dislodge the enemy and by late July a stalemate ensued. In the wake of the fighting, command of Eighth Army passed to Lieutenant General Bernard Montgomery who would lead it to victory at the Second Battle of El Alamein that fall. Fast Facts: First Battle of El Alamein Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)Dates: July 1-27, 1942Armies Commanders:AlliesGeneral Claude Auchinleckapprox. 150,000 menAxisField Marshal Erwin Rommelapprox. 96,000 menCasualties:Axis: approx. 10,000 killed and wounded, 7,000 capturedAllies: approx. 13,250 casualties Background Following its crushing defeat at the Battle of Gazala in June 1942, the British Eighth Army retreated east towards Egypt. Reaching the border, its commander, Lieutenant General Neil Ritchie, elected not to make a stand but to continue falling back to Mersa Matruh approximately 100 miles to the east. Establishing a defensive position based on fortified boxes that were linked by minefields, Ritchie prepared to receive Field Marshal Erwin Rommels approaching forces. On June 25, Ritchie was relieved as the Commander-in-Chief, Middle East Command, General Claude Auchinleck, elected to take personal control Eighth Army. Concerned that the Mersa Matruh line could be outflanked to the south, Auchinleck decided to retreat another 100 miles east to El Alamein. General Claude Auchinleck.   Public Domain Auchinleck Digs In Though it meant conceding additional territory, Auchinleck felt El Alamein presented a stronger position as his left flank could be anchored on the impassible Qattara Depression. The withdrawal to this new line was somewhat disorganized by rearguard actions at Mersa Matruh and Fuka between June 26-28. To hold the territory between the Mediterranean Sea and the depression, Eighth Army constructed three large boxes with the first and strongest centered on El Alamein on the coast. The next was situated 20 miles south at Bab el Qattara, just southwest of Ruweisat Ridge, while the third was located on the edge of the Qattara Depression at Naq Abu Dweis. The distance between the boxes was connected by minefields and barbed wire. Deploying to the new line, Auchinleck placed XXX Corps on the coast while the New Zealand 2nd and Indian 5th Divisions from XIII Corps were deployed inland. To the rear, he held the battered remnants of the 1st and 7th Armoured Divisions in reserve. It was Auchinlecks goal to funnel Axis attacks between the boxes where their flanks could be assaulted by the mobile reserve. Pushing east, Rommel increasingly began to suffer from severe supply shortages. Though the El Alamein position was strong, he hoped that the momentum of his advance would see him reach Alexandria. This view was shared by several in the British rear as many began preparing to defend Alexandria and Cairo as well as readied for a retreat further east. Rommel Strikes Approaching El Alamein, Rommel ordered the German 90th Light, 15th Panzer, and 21st Panzer Divisions to attack between the coast and Deir el Abyad. While the 90th Light was to drive forward before turning north to cut the coast road, the panzers were to swing south into the rear of XIII Corps. In the north, an Italian division was to support the 90th Light by attacking El Alamein, while in the south the Italian XX Corps was to move behind the panzers and eliminate the Qattara box. Rolling forward at 3:00 AM on July 1, the 90th Light advanced too far north and became in entangled in the 1st South African Divisions (XXX Corps) defenses. Their compatriots in the 15th and 21st Panzer Divisions were delayed getting started by a sandstorm and soon came under heavy air attack. Finally advancing, the panzers soon encountered heavy resistance from the 18th Indian Infantry Brigade near Deir el Shein. Mounting a tenacious defense, the Indians held through the day allowing Auchinleck to shift forces to the western end of Ruweisat Ridge. Along the coast, the 90th Light was able to resume their advance but was stopped by South African artillery and forced to halt. On July 2, the 90th Light attempted to renew their advance but to no avail. In an effort to cut the coast road, Rommel directed the panzers to attack east towards Ruweisat Ridge before turning north. Supported by the Desert Air Force, ad hoc British formations succeeded in holding the ridge despite strong German efforts. The next two days saw German and Italian troops unsuccessfully continue their offensive while also turning back a counterattack by the New Zealanders. July 12, 1942 - 25-pounder guns of the 2/8th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, in action on the coastal sector near El Alamein, Egypt.   Public Domain Auchinleck Hits Back With his men exhausted and his panzer strength badly depleted, Rommel elected to end his offensive. Pausing, he hoped to reinforce and resupply before attacking again. Across the lines, Auchinlecks command was bolstered by the arrival of the 9th Australian Division and two Indian Infantry Brigades. Seeking to take the initiative, Auchinleck directed XXX Corps commander Lieutenant General William Ramsden to strike west against Tel el Eisa and Tel el Makh Khad using the 9th Australian and 1st South African Divisions respectively. Supported by British armor, both divisions made their attacks on July 10. In two days of fighting, they succeeded in capturing their objectives and turned back numerous German counterattacks through July 16. With Germans forces pulled north, Auchinleck commenced Operation Bacon on July 14. This saw the New Zealanders and Indian 5th Infantry Brigade strike the Italian Pavia and Brescia Divisions at Ruweisat Ridge. Attacking, they made gains on the ridge in three days of fighting and turned back substantial counterattacks from elements of the 15th and 21st Panzer Divisions. As fighting began to quiet, Auchinleck directed the Australians and the 44th Royal Tank Regiment to attack Miteirya Ridge in the north to relieve pressure on Ruweisat. Striking early on July 17, they inflicted heavy losses on the Italian Trento and Trieste Divisions before being forced back by German armor. Final Efforts Utilizing his short supply lines, Auchinleck was able to build a 2-to-1 advantage in armor. Seeking to utilize this advantage, he planned to renew the fighting at Ruweisat on July 21. While Indian forces were to attack west along the ridge, the New Zealanders were to strike towards the El Mreir depression. Their combined effort was to open a gap through which the 2nd and 23rd Armoured Brigades could strike. Advancing to El Mreir, the New Zealanders were left exposed when their tank support failed to arrive. Counterattacked by German armor, they were overrun. The Indians fared somewhat better in that they captured the western end of the ridge but were unable to take Deir el Shein. Elsewhere, the 23rd Armoured Brigade took heavy losses after becoming mired in a minefield. To the north, the Australians renewed their efforts around Tel el Eisa and Tel el Makh Khad on July 22. Both objectives fell in heavy fighting. Eager to destroy Rommel, Auchinleck conceived Operation Manhood which called for additional attacks in the north. Reinforcing XXX Corps, he intended for it to break through at Miteirya before proceeding to Deir el Dhib and El Wishka with the goal of cutting Rommels supply lines. Moving forward on the night of July 26/27, the complex plan, which called for opening several routes through minefields, quickly began to fall apart. Though some gains were made, they were quickly lost to German counterattacks. Aftermath Having failed to destroy Rommel, Auchinleck ended offensive operations on July 31 and began digging in and fortifying his position against an expected Axis assault. Though a stalemate, Auchinleck had won an important strategic victory in halting Rommels advance east. Despite his efforts, he was relieved in August and replaced as Commander-in-Chief, Middle East Command by General Sir Harold Alexander. General Sir Harold Alexander. Public Domain   Command of Eighth Army ultimately passed to Lieutenant General Bernard Montgomery. Attacking in late August, Rommel was repulsed at the Battle of Alam Halfa. With his forces spent, he switched to the defensive. After building Eighth Armys strength, Montgomery commenced the Second Battle of El Alamein in late October. Shattering Rommels lines, he sent Axis forced reeling west.

How to Sex Pet Millipedes

How to Sex Pet Millipedes Because millipedes breed easily in captivity, its a good idea to know the gender of any millipedes you keep together in one terrarium. If you dont want a large number of millipedes to care for, choose millipedes of just one gender, or dont mix males and females together. Its fairly easy to tell the difference, if you know how to sex pet millipedes. Male millipedes have gonopods in place of their legs, usually on their 7th body segment from the head. The gonopods are modified legs used for transferring the spermatophore to the female. In some millipede species, the gonopods are visible, while in others they are hidden. In either case, you should be able to identify a millipede as male by examining the underside of the 7th segment. For species in which the male gonopods are visible, you will see two small stumps in place of a pair of legs. If the gonopods are hidden, you should notice a gap where the legs would be, as compared to any other segment on the body. In females, the 7th segment will look just like all the others, with two pairs of legs. For more on keeping millipedes as pets, read my Guide to Caring for Pet Millipedes.

Colima and Maya's Cultures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Colima and Maya's Cultures - Essay Example A vessel in form of a dog that considered being an exemplar of Colima culture and vessel with palace scene that determines a Maua culture are fallen under analysis. What should be mentioned is that these works of art have a lot in common, still cultural specialties are visible.  Colima culture or co-called Capacha refers to the territory of West Mexico and â€Å"dated there to the early to middle Formative period† that is 200 BCE-300 AD (Evans and Webster, 95). Death was regarded as a transfer to another world, and burials have attracted special attention in ancient times. â€Å"Ancient West Mexicans used a unique shaft-chamber tomb, an underground series of rooms reached by a narrow, vertical opening, or shaft† (IMA, n.p.). Such vessels have been surrounded the deceased and have put there with a special aim. Dogs have remained to be servants as guides to assist the dead person in his/her trip to the underworld (IMA, n.p.).   In addition, dogs are considered to be a source of food for Colima people that is why such vessel has been of great significance according to the beliefs of that population. The vessel has a dark brown color and rather and size a really small dog. The example of Maya culture belongs to the Late Classic Period in the existence of discussed culture, more exactly 600-900 AD (Foster, 17). â€Å"The culture reaches its artistic zenith† in those times (Foster, 18). That is why the vessel with palace scene is regarded as an important example of Maya culture. This is considered to a vessel for a drink with a painting scene showing â€Å"a ruler sitting on a throne, wearing a jade necklace and a headdress with exotic feathers† (IMA, n.p.). Such vessels also have buried with the people they belong to, usually that have been rich residents of those territories. The vessel is in the different tones of brown and beige color with the size of normal pot or mug.

HRM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

HRM - Essay Example Both organizations are based in Yorkshire and provide financial services. In order to recruit the right workforce, both organizations are in direct competition with each other. For this purpose, both of them recruit graduates for their trainee programs. In order to place them on management or professional posts, both organizations have training programs. For the recruitment of graduates, both Goldstan and Hodell use visits and advertisements within universities in Yorkshire. Whereas, Goldstan further utilizes local newspapers and recruitment consultants in this regard, while Hodell utilizes professional journals and it also takes help from advertising. The Goldstan asks it applicants to submit the application form that is filled in by hand, not type written or printed. On the contrary, Hodell has adopted a very catchy technique to attract the graduates since the 1970’s. The company provides brochures to graduates that talk about the advantages of working with the organization and the prestige of the company. It requires Curriculum Vitae of the candidate with a covering letter. The selection process at Goldstan undergoes a single panel interview. The Head of the Department or Human Resource Manager conducts the interview where the recruit is required. The interviewee is asked to give a fifteen minutes presentation on a specific issue following the interview. If the candidate is found satisfactory with his performance and capabilities, then the employment offers are made. On the other hand, Hodell holds two interviews with the candidates. The first interview is conducted by the Human Resource Manager while the second one is conducted by the Head of the Department or with the senior employee / staff member of the department where the vacancy is available. Following successful interviews, the candidate is then supposed to complete personality and intelligence tests. Once the candidate passes these

The Role of Human Activities in Causing Climate Change Essay Example for Free

The Role of Human Activities in Causing Climate Change Essay To begin with, climate change is a tangible problem and its existence can no longer be denied. It would be self-deception to believe that humans had nothing to do with it. Human activities along with natural influences continuously alter the climate of the Earth. However, the fact that near-surface temperature has rapidly increased on the global scale in the past few decades can hardly be accounted for by natural processes. In reality global warming is to a great extent caused by human activity, which has been proven by extensive scientific research (UN Environment Program). By burning coal, natural gas and oil, introducing harmful agricultural practices and destroying forests people make a significant negative impact on the state of the atmosphere, altering its composition irreparably. Reckless and irrational human activities caused the increase in the concentration of the so-called greenhouse gases, such as methane, carbon dioxide, ozone, chlorofluorocarbons and nitrous oxide, in the atmosphere (AGU Statement). Nowadays, the humanity fully depends on the energy provided by fossil fuels, such as oil, natural gas and coal. This energy feeds the industries, the transportation, generates electricity. However, obsequious use of fossil fuel leads to substantial emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Agricultural needs condition changes in the landscape, deforestation, which in its turn leads to more carbon dioxide being emitted, as dead vegetation is never replaced by new growth that would counteract the emission. Currently deforestation is mostly characteristic of the tropical regions whereas re-growth in the northern hemisphere decreases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (UN Environment Program). There is reliable evidence of the fact that carbon dioxide buildup is due to human influences. Naturally emitted carbon dioxide differs in the nuclei structure from that produced by burning natural gas, oil and coal. Moreover, non-radioactive carbon dioxide emitted as a result of burning fossil fuels dilutes radioactive carbon dioxide naturally present in the atmosphere. Scientific research clearly shows that total carbon dioxide emission has increased steadily each year and is in direct relation with the human activities. The fact that the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is greater in the Northern hemisphere can serve as evidence of it being human-induced, as most of the activities involving carbon dioxide emission are conducted in the Northern hemisphere. The fact that a certain amount of carbon dioxide has been added into the atmosphere every year has led to its present concentration, which exceeds pre-industrial level by 30% (AGU Climate Change Position). Besides carbon dioxide, human activities lead to the emission of another greenhouse gas – methane. Its emission results from cattle ranching, rice cultivation and decay in the landfills. An alarming 145% increase of methane content in the atmosphere was caused by human activities. The emission of chlorofluorocarbons used to be triggered by air conditioning and refrigeration, but since it was proved that these gases deplete the ozone layer of the stratosphere, their usage was nearly eliminated. Industrial and agricultural activities lead to the production of nitrous oxide, the concentration of which is currently 15% over the norm. Tropospheric ozone, formed naturally as a reaction to the greenhouse gas emissions, enhances the greenhouse effect dramatically (BBC News). The abovementioned human activities are extremely detrimental to the atmosphere as they create a multitude of tiny airborne particles, which change the energy absorbing and reflecting properties of the atmosphere. Unfortunately, according to the scientific research the increased concentration of carbon dioxide is likely to stay in the atmosphere for many years or even centuries.   Human-induced climate change is reality and the predictions of the scientists are such that it will produce a substantial impact on the climate system, being reflected in the melting of polar ice, changing of the sea levels as well as drought patterns (UN Environment Program). Anthropogenic interference seems to have reached unprecedented extent in the past few decades. According to AGU, the increasing concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere enhanced by negative influence of other human activities presents serious grounds for concern (AGU Statement). The positive tendency nowadays is such that climate scientists possess deeper knowledge of the climate system, which allows to take more effective climate policy decisions.   Profound climate research, objective observations, improved modeling and computation have led to tangible progress in addressing the problem of climate change. The communication of scientific discoveries to organizations authorized to make decisions regarding climate change and their wise implementation are sure to decrease the adverse effects of human-induced disaster. In conclusion, there’s no denying the fact that climate change is largely due to human influences. The following human activities have contributed greatly to the alternation of the climate: air pollution, usage of fossil fuels and land alteration. However, now that the problem is obvious and so is its detrimental effect on the humanity, various measures are taken in order to decrease negative impact produced on nature and alleviate its harmful consequences. It is within the human powers to mitigate the climate change effects by cutting emissions of greenhouse gases, introducing rational land management and environmentally friendly technology. Works Cited How Do We Know that the Atmospheric Build-up of Greenhouse Gases Is Due to Human Activity? Common Questions about Climate Change. United Nations Environment Program World Meteorological Organization, 1997 http://www.gcrio.org/ipcc/qa/05.html Human Impacts on Climate. Adopted by Council December, 2003 http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/policy/climate_change_position.html Statement supporting AGU statement on human-induced climate change, American Astronomical Society, 2004 http://www.aas.org/governance/council/resolutions.php#climate Warming â€Å"very likely† human made. BBC News, BBC, 2007 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6321351.stm What Human Activities Contribute to Climate Change? Common Questions about Climate Change. United Nations Environment Program World Meteorological Organization, 1997 http://www.gcrio.org/ipcc/qa/04.html

Sexual Education in High School Essay examples -- Education, Teenagers

High school is a time for teenagers to discover themselves, explore their futures, meet new people, try new activities, and become more independent. Along with the new opportunities comes peer pressure and tough decisions. Most of the decisions are basic like choosing to go shopping with friends instead of studying for a math test or skipping soccer practice to go on a date with a crush. The consequences of simple work or friends decisions are minor. The teenager may get a bad grade on the math test and have to run extra laps at practice the next day but his life will not be significantly altered. Some decisions, however, are more complicated. In high school teenagers begin to date and engage in physical contact such as kissing. As relationships become more serious, pressure to perform other sexual acts increases. In order to make the best choice on an important decision requires information and knowledge on the subject, risks, consequences, and options available. Without proper information in regards to sexual intercourse and the risks associated with such actions, teenagers cannot be expected to make the best decision when it comes to performing sexual acts. Comprehensive sexual education needs to be taught in American high schools to increase the knowledge of teenagers on the risks of sexual intercourse and the preventative measures available to reduce the risks so teenagers can make informed decisions. The risks associated with the performance of sexual acts include pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and sexually transmitted infections. When the risks become reality, the lives of the affected teenager are changed negatively. Teen pregnancies inhibit the education of women with only â€Å"about half (51%) of [them rece... ...ple do not support teaching about or providing contraceptives to teenagers. In the article â€Å"Distributing Condoms in Schools Encourages Teen Sex†, John D. Hartigan wrote, â€Å"†¦ supplying teenagers with condoms inevitably produces a marked increase in their sexual activity† (11). Regardless of the availability of condoms and other forms of contraceptives, teenagers will still engage in sexual intercourse. The article â€Å"Effective Sex Education† by Brigid McKeon for the Advocates for Youth states the information, such as contraception use and availability, taught in â€Å"comprehensive sex education†¦ [does] not increase rates of sexual initiation† (12) The only difference between making contraceptives easily available to teenagers and preventing teenagers access to contraceptives is the number of teenagers who are unprotected from pregnancy and sexually transmitted illnesses.

British American Tobacco

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Any organization regardless of the fact of its size, age needs to run smoothly and achieve the goals and objectives which it has set forth. And thus the organization needs to manage Human Resource Management effectively and efficiently. For it develops and implements its own Human Resource Management concepts. British American Tobacco Bangladesh is one of the oldest and largest multinational companies operating in Bangladesh. At British American Tobacco Bangladesh, the key factor to their sustainable growth is human resource. BAT Bangladesh is a leading business organization in the industrial sector employing more than 1,300 employees directly and a further 40,000 indirectly as farmers, distributors and suppliers. It has always been committed to good employment practices and has set out the framework of its Employment Principles on workplace practices, employee relations and employee human rights. BATB employs more than 852 people directly and about 40,000 people indirectly as farmers, distributers and local suppliers. BATB is one of the most preferred employers in the country. It is their pool of talented people who give this place the wonderful and pleasant working environment that takes the company forward every day. It is a team of different people, different cultures and backgrounds, coming together to form something new, something remarkable everyday. In this report, we have tried our best to exemplify how the basic functions of HRM are exercised in British American Tobacco Bangladesh. We have analyzed BATB’s several functions: planning, recruiting and selection, training and development, performance appraisal and employee. We also discussed the BATB’s goals, mission and vision. BATB wants to attract, develop and retain high caliber talent. It also wants an organization that is constantly learning. This learning culture shares knowledge quickly, learns from its mistakes and replicates success formulas quickly. BATB’s Employment Principles set out BATB’s commitment to good employment practices and workplace related human rights. BATB invests time in these forums because it is committed to developing employees’ career and because in business, individual performance matters. BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO History : The  British American Tobacco  Company (BAT or BATCO) is the second largest listed tobacco company in the world, with a market capitalization of over ? 30 billion (U. S. $44 billion). It is based in London in the United Kingdom. It began operating in 1902 as a joint venture of the  Imperial Tobacco  Company and James Duke's  American Tobacco Company, and grew to be the major cigarette company in many countries – but not in the USA or in the UK, where each of the partner organizations had agreed not to compete with the other. During the trust-busting era of President Theodore Roosevelt, the American Tobacco Company was forced to divest its interest, and in the years that followed. Imperial Tobacco also reduced its shareholdings. Eventually BAT became a relatively independent organization that out-grew its parent. BAT Industries : The international remnants of the original company were reorganized into a holding company called BAT Industries in 1976, and it acquired what was left of the American Tobacco Co. after the anti-trust split-up. BAT later acquired  Brown ; Williamson  (B;W) which, at that time, was the largest cigarette company in the USA. BAT's US subsidiary retained a degree of independence from the UK, although clearly it must report to the London office — and occasionally they exerted their own pressure. BAT is based in London and has subsidiaries in the UK, Europe, Asia and the old British colonies. In 1999 it acquired the South African-based company of  Rothmans International  after a long battle with Philip Morris  for control. The company has also diversified into many other industries – owning, for instance, a major life insurance company, food and beverage companies, etc. The acronym BATCO is often used when referring to this larger conglomerate. BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO BANGLADESH Beginning the journey as Imperial Tobacco 100 years ago, the company set up its first depotat Armanitola in Dhaka Bangladesh. After the partition of India in 1947, Pakistan Tobacco Company was established in 1949. Then it became Bangladesh Tobacco Company Limited in 1972 immediately after Bangladesh’s independence. In 1998, the company changed its name and identity to British American Tobacco Bangladesh aligning the corporate identity with other operating companies in the British American Tobacco Group. Address : British American Tobacco Bangladesh New DOHS Road Mohakhali PO Box 6069 Dhaka – 1206 Bangladesh Tel: (+880) 2 882 2791 Tel: (+880) 2 882 2786 BATB’S SHAREHOLDERS BATB is among the first companies to be listed on the Dhaka and Chittagong Stock Exchanges and currently rank amongst the top 20 companies in terms of market capitalization. British American Tobacco Group holds 65. 91% of our shares; 18. 76% is owned by investment Corporation of Bangladesh; Shadharan Bima Corporation, Bangladesh Shilpa Rin Shangstha, Government of People’s republic of Bangladesh, Sena Kallyan Sangstha owns 4. 73% and further 10. 609% is owned by other shareholders. BATB’S OPERATIONS BATB grows tobacco leaves through its registered farmers in Kushtia, Chittagong, Manikganj and Rangpur zones. Both its head office and cigarette manufacturing plant are located in Mohakhali, Dhaka. It has one Green Leaf thrashing plant in Kushtia and a Redrying Plant in Manikganj. RESPONSIBILITIES BATB aims to ensure that it only purchases leaf from responsible and sustainable sources. Its Social Responsibility in Tobacco Production program addresses the social and environmental issues associated with tobacco growing and processing, and reaches more than 300,000 farmers who supply all the leaf it buys. The program covers good agricultural practices for improving soil and water conservation, appropriate use of agrochemicals, environmental best practice and occupational health and safety. It is also active in eliminating exploitative child labor and promoting forestation initiatives for the farmers who need wood for tobacco curing. As part of the program, it provides direct agronomy support and training to some 250,000 of its grower suppliers where it is not otherwise available. BATB’s VISION BATB’s vision is â€Å"to achieve leadership of the global tobacco industry in order to create long term shareholder value. Leadership is not an end in itself, but a company that leads its industry, is the preferred partner for key stakeholders and is seen to have a sustainable business, should be valued more highly. † BATB defines leadership in both a quantitative and qualitative sense. Quantitively, it seeks volume leadership among its international competitors and in the longer term, value leadership. It recognizes that its success will depend on adult consumers and that, therefore, it must be consumer driven. But the hard, quantitative measures do not in themselves address all the things it must do as a company. It takes a long term view, focusing on the quality of its business and how it works. As a result, qualitatively, it seeks to be recognized as industry leaders and to be the partner of first choice for governments, NGOs, investors and potential employees. It will do this by continuing to demonstrate that it is a responsible tobacco Group, with a sustainable business, outstanding people and superior products. In order to deliver its vision, its strategy for creating shareholder value has four elements around which all our efforts revolve – Growth, Productivity, Responsibility and Winning Organization. HR MISSION Embedding winning culture where people always strive to excel. How BATB Works To Achieve Its Organizational And HR Vision : To develop the most vital element of the organization which is the human resource BATB has put in a lot of efforts in responding to various changes and problems through effective formulation and implementation of human resource strategies through the HR department. A key part of BATB’s work is helping nurture an open, confident and winning culture, where all are aligned in delivering consumer satisfaction. It ensures that people have the opportunity to release their energies in a constructive and focused way. It wants its employees to have a clear vision for the business and to foster enthusiasm to drive superior performance. Furthermore, BATB expect its leaders to engage with their teams and to develop their people. BATB’s culture also encourages ongoing development, so its role includes optimizing personal and organizational learning in order to leverage the capability of both the business and the individual to establish the company vision. BATB strives to match the needs of the organization and individual aspirations and encourage personal fulfillments. Therefore, success is recognized in ways which are relevant to the individual. Strategic Human Resource Management The company clearly identified that a strategic approach to human resource management, development and administration was the primary requirement for dealing with the critical issues that it faced, and has been following such an approach since 1996. Under this approach, it has set out to achieve the following objectives: * Create an environment within which all parties could engage each other, build trust and produce satisfactory results. Ensure a stable working environment in which the unions and the workers would become partners in achieving the company’s overall objectives. * Develop leadership among workers and create an innovative environment; * Ensure the virtual absence of disruptive industrial relations issues; * Upgrade the base level of education and skill of all employees; * Achieve significant increases in productivity even while there has been a reduc tion in employment levels; * Create the cultural change from a manufacturing orientation to a service orientation; * Manage the separations that were required; Develop an environment at work that focuses on worker health and welfare, on safety and on the hazards of smoking; * Improve the focus on customer service and product quality; * Develop and maintain a reputation as an employer of choice HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING practiced by BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO BANGLADESH Employment Planning : Human resource planning is a process of determining an organization’s human resource needs through ensuring that it has the right number and kinds of people at the right place, at the right time in order to achieving the organization’s overall objective. Like every other organization BAT also has its own employment planning. This planning includes determining the demands and supplies of labor in their organization. Determination of Demand of Labor : The management of BAT forecasts the company’s employees’ personnel needs based on its mission, strategic goals & objectives & technological and other changes resulting in increased productivity. Although there are several methods to predict personnel needs, but they use managerial judgment because it gives them more real world scenario for personnel needs. They think that the other methods cannot give the accurate situation of the personnel needs. These are basically graphical methods, which cannot measure the actual personnel needs. But managerial judgment method depends upon the change in productivity, market conditions etc. Determination of Supply of Labor : Internal Supply- Increase in Internal Supply – * New hires * Contingent workers * Transfers-in * Individuals returning from leaves Decrease in internal Supply – * Transfers * Layoffs * Voluntary Quits * Dismissals External Supply – BAT searches for fresh graduates among the business schools and other universities for fulfilling the demand of labor. It also targets the experienced workforce who is already working in different organizations. Besides, it offers contractual jobs to the people among who most are students. It also goes through the â€Å"Battle of Mind† competition through which they bring out the best promising faces from the crowd. BAT has recruited 37 fresh students judged through this competition since 2004. Job Analysis of British American Tobacco Bangladesh JOB ANALYSIS A job analysis is a systematic exploration of the activities within a job that provides information about the jobs currently being done and the knowledge, skills and abilities that individuals need to perform the jobs adequately. A thorough Job Analysis can enhance the effectiveness of regular or recurring HR processes like Recruitment and Selection, Training and Development, Performance Appraisals etc to long-range areas like HR Planning, Succession Planning etc. British American Tobacco Bangladesh does not follow any specific type of method to do the job analysis. Rather it uses a combination of different type of methods. The methods are based on the principles of modern management and of organizational psychology. Purpose of Job Analysis : The purpose of Job Analysis is to establish and document the ‘job relatedness' of employment procedures. A job analysis helps to determine the * Training Needs * Compensation of the employees * Selection Procedures Performance Review Job Analysis Process A job analysis process has three outcomes: Job Description: Job description is a statement indicating what a job entails. It includes what the job holder does, how it is done, under what conditions and why. BATB is comprised by experienced human resources executives who at a first level, with the help of managers; define the needs of the organization assessing the characteristics and obligations of each job post, as well as the organization's cultur e and structure. The focus of BATB lies on preparing a job description accurately, rapidly and in a scientific and effective way. The job description includes information such as the job title, a short job description, the job's place within the organization chart, the immediate supervisor, coactive departments, obligations and authorities, degree of freedom to make decisions and proceed to initiatives, degree of blame in several circumstances, objectives etc. Job specification: Job specification states the minimum acceptable qualifications that incumbents must possess to perform the job successfully. Based on information acquired through job analysis, the job specification identifies prerequisite qualifications such as knowledge, skills, education, experience, certification, necessary personality traits and abilities. BATB’s experienced and specialized collaborators prepare job descriptions for different posts based on a structured guide and specified methodology. Job Evaluation: Job evaluation is a method of determining on a systematic basis the relative importance of a number of different jobs. By sector and size, job evaluation is far more prevalent in the public and private sectors and among larger employers. In BATB it's a useful process because job titles can often be misleading – either unclear or unspecific. IN BATB it's impossible for those in HR to know each job in detail. As a rough guide, job evaluation is very much essential for a huge organization like BATB. Job evaluation is counted as an ongoing process in BATB. According to the company a job evaluation should be transparent, and reviewed regularly to ensure business needs continue to be met. Recruitment Recruitment is a process of seeking sources for job candidates. Recruitment process aims at getting responses from job seekers and avoiding applications from unqualified candidates. BAT searches for fresh graduates among the business schools and other universities for fulfilling the demand of labor. It also targets the experienced workforce who is already working in different organizations. Besides, it offers contractual jobs to the people among who most are students. It also goes through the â€Å"Battle of Mind† competition through which they bring out the best promising faces from the crowd. BAT has recruited 37 fresh students judged through this competition since 2004. Recruitment Policy British American Tobacco Bangladesh has been in e-resourcing since 2002. It focuses on e-based advertisement for more visibility and transparency beside the conventional print media. All recruitment related notices are posted on the www. bdjobs. com website. Candidates are required to fill up the blank resume format provided in the website. A well-structured and systematic selection procedure is followed to get the most suitable candidate. Following the selection procedure, pre-employment medical examination and reference checks are done. * BATB asks for applications from recognized universities from home and abroad. * Applicant must be a citizen of Bangladesh. BATB encourages students with good academic track record to apply. * BATB is not prejudiced against race, sex, religion, age etc. Positions are offered to the candidate on the basis of his/her ability and the requirement of the company. If an application is successful, the applicant is invited to a preliminary interview  which will be taken by a member from the function to which he has applied an d a member of the Human Resource team. This is a chance for him to find out more about BATB, as it is for the company to find out whether he has the competencies BATB is looking for. BATB is committed to keep the applicant informed of the progress through every step of the selection process. BATB now outsources the recruitment process to People Scape. Mid Careers : â€Å"Whatever stage of your career, we can offer new challenges† Talented people join BATB at all points of their career and for many reasons. Some seek a new challenge or an environment where they can prove themselves and where their current skills will be appreciated. Others want to reinvigorate their career or achieve a better work-life balance. And most want to improve their rewards package. BATB doesn’t just offer a dynamic, diverse environment laden with opportunity – people find the company a truly exciting and fulfilling place to work. They enjoy being part of a high profile company with a strong corporate culture that promotes individual and personal flair, while encouraging teamwork and delegation. They're proud of BATB’s commitment to corporate responsibility in a controversial industry. The nature of the tobacco industry contributes to the challenges of our work – and to job satisfaction. Our people need a broadness of vision and understanding not always necessary in other sectors. They need people skills to communicate with diverse and multicultural audiences. They need the intellectual curiosity to try out new ideas and the imagination to ensure our story is told, even when under serious constraint. Selection The selection process of BATB consists of the following steps: * If the application is successful, candidates are invited to a preliminary interview which is taken by members from the functional department for which the candidates have applied and a member of the Human Resource team. The candidates who selected in this interview are invited to a specifically designed British American Tobacco assessment centre. This provides them with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and suitability through their performance in a number of participative and individual exercises. They also have the opportunity to meet managers and to gain firsthand experience of what i t is like to work for British American Tobacco Bangladesh. * If they get through the Assessment Centre, they will be recommended to the respective Heads of Functions for a final Interview. And if a candidate is can prove he is suitable for the job in this interview s/he is selected. British American Tobacco has put in a lot of efforts in responding to various changes and problems through effective formulation and implementation of human resource strategies through the HR department to successfully utilize this large number of employees. BATB has proved that it is functioning very well and that it will continue its operations and will become the trendsetter of the Human Resource Management practices of Bangladesh. Managing performance While managing performance BATB focuses on: * Measuring ; aligning performance * Rewarding performance * Managing ; administering benefits * Managing organizational learning and development * Managing change * Designing ; developing the organization * Managing organizational climate * Learning in the organization Managing careers  and development include: * Assessing competencies and potential * Career development systems * Coaching and mentoring * Training and development Managing employment relations includes: Managing employment legislation * Managing workplace relations * Managing HR customer services BATB’s employment beliefs and principles BATB’s people are its business and its Guiding Principles represent the common values at the heart of its success, shared by employees across the world. Its Employment Principles set out BATB’s commitment to good employment practices and workplace related human rights. Guiding Principles * Strength from Diversity * Open Minded * Freedom through Responsibility * Enterprising Spirit Strength from Diversity  reflects its cultural mix and a working environment that respects employees’ individual differences. BATB embraces different people, cultures, viewpoints, brands, markets and ideas – to create opportunities and strengthen performance. In short, we are interested in what makes you unique. Open Minded  reflects BATB’s openness to change, to identify opportunities and to consider new ideas, including ways of addressing regulatory issues and changing social expectations. People seek to listen without prejudice, actively and enthusiastically considering other viewpoints. Freedom through Responsibility  helps our people to get on with their jobs – BATB believes they should be free to make their own decisions, accept responsibility for them and not be hampered by unnecessary bureaucracy. Employment Principles Like all major international companies, BATB takes its employment policies and procedures very seriously. BATB’s Employment Principles cover topics such as: * Equality of opportunity and non-discrimination; * Internal communications and the free flow of ideas; * Worker representation and freedom of association; Fairness at work and the unacceptability of harassment and bullying; * That we do not condone or employ child labor; * That forced or bonded labor is completely unacceptable; * Performance responsibility; * Health, safety and environmental responsibility; * Community contributions and skills development for employees and communities in markets where our companies operate; * Personal development and learning; * Reasonable wor king hours and family friendly policies; * Fair, clear and competitive remuneration and benefits. Training and development * We recognize that getting the right start is crucial to building a successful career. This is how we approach your early training and career development. * The  Challenge Initiative is structured around the following components: INDUCTION| FUNCTIONAL DEVELOPMENT| MANAGERIAL DEVELOPMENT| BUSINESS AWARENESS| PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL| The induction gives you the opportunity to learn about our company, objectives, products and markets. | Developing a base of excellence in the function into which you have been recruited. Developing managerial competencies needed in your future roles. | Gaining an understanding of the overall business and appreciating the role played by each function. | Giving you regular and constructive feedback, both formally (every 6 months) and informally (every 6 weeks) to ensure that you achieve the defined standards for the  Challenge Initi ative. | * The  induction  gives the opportunity to learn about BATB’s Group objectives, products and markets. It introduces the corporate guiding principles and culture, the role of each function, and industry issues in your country. It also introduces to the product – and how the company markets it. * The Challenge Initiative programmer includes employees’ functional development  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ development of a base of excellence in chosen function. BATB will clearly explain what it expects from employees. Then, with support from employees coach and mentor, they set their objectives and work towards achieving them in order to meet the needs of the business and their personal development objectives. * Employees will develop the  management skills  they need in their future roles with both formal training and on-the-job experience. And they will have the opportunity to put these skills into practice in preparation for the move into their first management role. * BATB also expects them to develop  business awareness, an understanding of the overall business and the role played by each function. In other words, BATB wants them to understand the business beyond their own functional and geographical area of responsibility. It wants them to question its existing ways of working and to bring positive change to the business. BATB will provide them with opportunities to challenge its practices, a receptive audience and the feedback they will need to build their knowledge. BATB monitors their success through regular  performance appraisal. It gives regular and constructive feedback, formally every 6 months and informally every 6 weeks. This ensures that employees are aware of the standards they should aim for, and also that it can tailor their development to its needs. Training Training is a learning experience that seeks a relatively permanent change in an individual that will improve his or her ability to perform a job. To make training a success, a BATB takes care of the following points: * Make learning meaningful * Make skills transfer easy and Motivate the learner Employee Training Method followed in BATB ON-THE-JOB TRAINING It means having a person learn a job by actually doing it. Advantages: * Relatively inexpensive * Trainees learn while producing * No need off-site facilities Drawbacks: * Low productivity while the employees develop their skills * The errors made by the trainees while they learn. Apprenticeship Training: It traditionally involves having the learner study under the tutelage of a master craftsperson. Informal Learning: This learning process is not determined or designed by the organization. But the organization may ensure it by creating a learning environment in the organization. Job Instruction Training: Listing each jobs basic task, along with key points, in order to provide step-by-step training for employees. Lectures: The most simple and quick way to provide knowledge to large groups of trainees. Simulated Training: It places the trainee in an artificial environment that closely mirrors actual working conditions. OFF-THE-JOB TRAINING †¢The Case Study Method: Here the manager is presented with a written description of an organizational problem to solve in a discussion with other trainees. Management Game: The manager presented with a computerized decisions regarding but simulated situations. †¢Outside Seminars: Many organizations now are using this popular method on various aspects of business and management. Employee Development BATB’s approach to personal development is based on a simple belief – that the person who best knows your ambition s and aspirations is you. BATB aims to support its development. People will find that BATB invests strongly in people to increase their skills, improve their performance and stimulate them with new ideas. BATB is committed to motivating people so they can also motivate others. But BATB also believes that you're the best person to map out your own evelopment. BATB expects employees to drive regular career discussions. It encourages to assess their strengths and weaknesses honestly and to seek feedback from colleagues. BATB counts on them to make continuous learning and the quest for improvement a part of your personality – to be hungry for new ideas, skills and assignments. Managers play a key role in this and employees play a key role in developing the careers of people reporting to them. The managers assess individual capabilities and place a high priority on development planning. They set stretching performance goals, which are regularly reviewed. The discussions focus not just on what employees have achieved, but how they achieved it and what they've learned along the way. Career development tools Career planning benefits both the employees and the company. It helps build succession that mesh with employees’ own aspirations – making them more accurate, reliable and robust. BATB encourages them to spend quality time thinking about their career and it has highly developed tools to help them. BATB is prepared to invest significant time reviewing their career and meeting their development needs to ensure that their potential is fully realized. BATB holds annual Talent Review Meetings which are chaired by Board members, for all regions and functions around the world. These meetings aim to ensure that BATB has good succession plans in place that take account both of individuals' needs and of the future shape of the organization. BATB invests time in these forums because it is committed to developing employees’ career and because in business, individual performance matters. CONCLUSION British American Tobacco has put in a lot of efforts in responding to various changes and problems through effective formulation and implementation of human resource strategies through the HR department to successfully utilize this large number of employees. BATB has proved that it is functioning very well and that it will continue its operations and will become the trendsetter of the Human Resource Management practices of Bangladesh. Bibliography www. bat. com www. batb. bd-servers. com www. wikipedia. org

The Context of Social, Cultural and Consumer Behaviour – Article Review

Gordon A. Haaland Summary People often behave differently. And since these behaviours are not identical, they are construed to parallel constructs such as learning, attitudes, influence and reference groups. The author has presented certain levels of analysis that provide for the source for interpreting and recognising the theory of social, cultural and consumer behaviour. Social behaviour can be appropriately conceptualized through these varying levels of analysis, which at different points of time, have been suggested by several social theorists. The problems encountered at various levels of analysis, has been illustrated by taking the example of the author’s experience of living in Norway for a year. In addition, the experience of being considered a ‘cultural stereotype’ has also been illustrated through the same example. To investigate the causes of such cross-cultural behavioural patters existing in a society that is moving towards rapid industralisation such as Norway and to conduct a research on the changes in the patterns of the interpersonal behaviour, the author has offered 11 propositions in order to address these issues. These propositions are centered on the varying levels of analysis that was put forth to study the different constructs of social, cultural and consumer behaviour. And the propositions do present a context for the analysis with a special concern for the type of culture that is being taken into consideration. Review The article suggests the context for studying the theory and the rationale of social and consumer behaviour. In doing so, the author has identified certain constructs that are perceived to govern social and consumer behaviour. He further suggests levels of analysis that would provide for an understanding into the inter-disciplinary factors of cross-culture and culture-specific behaviour. When the author cites the reference made by Kuhn (1962) regarding ‘paradigm’, i. e. social sciences needs a paradigm like that of natural science, it holds true when all of social behaviour is abridged to a set of related phenomenon. In that context, the author’s contention that when social behaviour is assumed a unitary phenomenon, then any of the given disciplines (disciplines often followed by social and behavioural scientists) can be paradigmatic also holds good. Various concepts suggested by various theorists, for the levels of analysis have been given importance for the insinuations provided for understanding social behaviour. Triandis, Malpass and Davidson (1973) argument that behaviour is a function of a person’s abilities, subjective culture, personal dispositions, physical environment, social structure and so on, most of the variables as pointed out by the author are prevalent in a contemporary set up. Hansen (1972)* says that an individual is also driven by ‘perceived individuality and value importance’ which also help affect decision making. More often than not, the effect depends on the degree of positive and negative reward that was previously associated with the value. It can therefore, be assumed that these two variables can also be considered as behavioural constructs. The issue of ‘culture stereotyping’ has been brilliantly explained by the author, by taking the example of no other that his own. The cross-cultural references had been drawn from his own experiences of his stay in Norway for nearly one year. But considering the social, economic, cultural and demographic arrangement in Norway, the example of being treated as a culture stereotype limits the study of interpersonal behaviour and crossculture between the Norwegians and the Americans. Similar constructs for analysis in different geographic locations may not hold significance, as the behavioural patterns and culture-specific stereotypes may be different. The propositions set out by the author have been arrived at after the research that was carried out by him during his stay in Norway. Though hypothetical, these propositions are meant to cut down the levels of analysis into ‘singular set of statements’ that would present a view on the concept from a broader perspective. Most of the propositions mentioned by the author, concentrate on the idea of social and consumer behaviour within the confines of a set up. A set up such as a workplace, a group of people sharing similar attributes (by interlocking normative behaviour of people within an organisation) or people who belong to a culture that has evolved for centuries with little or less change. The author also talks about the existence of ‘meaningful boundaries’, wherein he assumes cohesiveness in a group as a system. Group cohesiveness, by and large, is determined by the attributes of persons forming that group and the interests they share among one another. Boundaries as the author has pointed out refers to the units measured being naturally related and not the place or structure. Taking into account Berrien’s (1968) inferences about boundaries, it should be considered that boundaries transcend beyond natural levels. Certain other propositions that pertain to ‘time and place’ define the necessity of studying culture across various generational as well as geographic differences. Studies which are limited to only one time and place would also result in a single time and place analysis. The idea to study multiple levels of analysis across cultures by remaining within the constructs of a particular level of analysis is apt. Cross-cultural phenomenon that explain similarities in cultures as ‘etic’ and dissimilarities as ‘emic’ proves the importance of digressing from various levels of time and place and study social behaviour by delineating conditions of interaction with time and place. The other propositions that deal with selection of methodology and design questions for the level of analysis and the use of multivariate analysis and preparation of theoretical statements for a particular level follow suit. Propositions seven, eight, nine and ten provide with the details at each level, thereby giving a meaningful insight into the levels of analysis. The author talks about there being no ‘apriori’ basis for selecting a level for social analysis centered on consumer behaviour. This can be considered a valid statement since consumer problems are diverse and assume proportions of complexities when encountered in different scenarios and culture set ups. The propositions as put forth by the author do provide an insight into the varying levels of complexities in social, cultural and consumer behaviour, but these propositions could fall vulnerable to deeper investigation into the context of social behaviour. All the views and opinions expressed by the author may pertain to a particular generation, but the relevance of these propositions remain to be the same. It is all a matter of time, so to say, when cross-cultural insinuations and study of social behavioural patterns across different cultures could indeed present revealing analysis of consumer behaviour.

WW2 effctes on the world essays

WW2 effctes on the world essays effects of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki: The Atomic bomb was created using the scientific discovery of Albert Einstein that E=MC2 . When it was dropped, little was known about the actual power in which it contained. During World War Two, two of them were dropped in Japan in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The damage was so drastic, it ended World War Two and they have never been used in a war since. The short and long term effects were also very drastic and caused many major changes in the world. From the creation of a new Japan to the Anti-nuclear war pacts still around today, it had many effects. In 1941, Japan felt it was time to conquer China and to fortify itself for any counter attacks that were to take place after their major attack. The major attack was on Pearl Harbor in America. The spurred America into joining World War two on the side of the Allied forces which led to the eventual downfall of Japan and Germany. One of the major factors that made America such a large factor in the winning of the Allied forces was the creation of the atomic bomb. Albert Eienstein, an acentric scientist who escaped Germany to America before the concentration camps were started, invented the theory which was the major factor in creating the atomic bomb. Energy equals mass times the speed of light squared or E=MC2. Meanwhile in Cambridge, England, the reverse process was seen. John Cockcroft and E. T. S. Walton broke apart an atom. The fragments had slightly less mass in total than the original atom, but they flew apart with great energy. It seemed like their was going to be no end to the bloodshed that was taking place during World War Two. America was faring very well against Japan, but the more men that were killed, the more men that appeared. The death count was rising steadily and rising fast. Something needed to be done to end the war. Noone was sure of the power of the atomic bomb, but thy were sure it was g...

Battle of Chapultepec in the Mexican-American War

Battle of Chapultepec in the Mexican-American War The Battle of Chapultepec was fought September 12-13, 1847, during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). With the start of the war in May 1846, American troops led by Major General Zachary Taylor scored quick victories at the Battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma before crossing the Rio Grande to strike the fortress city of Monterrey. Assaulting Monterrey in September 1846, Taylor captured the city after a costly battle. After the Monterreys capitulation, he annoyed President James K. Polk when he gave the Mexicans an eight-week armistice and permitted Monterreys defeated garrison to go free.   With Taylor and his army holding Monterrey, debate commenced in Washington regarding American strategy moving forward. Following these conversations, it was decided that a campaign against the Mexican capital at Mexico City would be critical to winning the war. As a 500-mile march from Monterrey over difficult terrain was recognized as impractical, the decision was made to land an army on the coast near Veracruz and march inland. This choice made, Polk was next required to select a commander for the campaign. Scotts Army Though popular with his men, Taylor was an ardent Whig who had publicly criticized Polk on several occasions. Polk, a Democrat, would have preferred a member of his own party, but lacking a qualified candidate, he chose Major General Winfield Scott.   A Whig, Scott was seen as posing less of a political threat. To create Scotts army, the bulk of Taylors veteran units were directed to the coast. Left south of Monterrey with a small force, Taylor successfully defeated a much larger Mexican force at the Battle of Buena Vista in February 1847. Landing near Veracruz in March 1847, Scott captured the city and began marching inland. Routing the Mexicans at Cerro Gordo the following month, he drove towards Mexico City winning battles at Contreras and Churubusco in the process. Nearing the edge of the city, Scott attacked the Molino del Rey (Kings Mills) on September 8, 1847, believing there to be a cannon foundry there. After hours of heavy fighting, he captured the mills and destroyed the foundry equipment. The battle was one of the bloodiest of conflict with the Americans suffering 780 killed and wounded and the Mexicans 2,200. Next Steps Having taken Molino del Rey, American forces had effectively cleared many of the Mexican defenses on the western side of the city with the exception of Chapultepec Castle. Situated atop a 200-foot hill, the castle was a strong position and served as the Mexican Military Academy. It was garrisoned by fewer than 1,000 men, including the corps of cadets, led by General Nicols Bravo. While a formidable position, the castle could be approached via a long slope from Molino del Rey. Debating his course of action, Scott called a council of war to discuss the armys next steps. Meeting with his officers, Scott favored assaulting the castle and moving against the city from the west. This was initially resisted as the majority of those present, including Major Robert E. Lee, desired to attack from the south. In the course of the debate, Captain Pierre G.T. Beauregard offered an eloquent argument in favor of the western approach which swung many of the officers into Scotts camp. The decision made, Scott began planning for the assault on the castle. For the attack, he intended to strike from two directions with one column approaching from the west while the other struck from the southeast. Armies Commanders United States Major General Winfield Scott7,180 men Mexico General Antonio Lopez de Santa AnnaGeneral Nicholas Bravoaround 1,000 men near Chapultepec The Assault At dawn on September 12, American artillery began firing on the castle. Firing through the day, it halted at nightfall only to resume the next morning. At 8:00 AM, Scott ordered the firing to stop and directed the attack to move forward. Advancing east from Molino del Rey, Major General Gideon Pillows division pushed up the slope spearheaded by an advance party led by Captain Samuel Mackenzie. Advancing north from Tacubaya, Major General John Quitmans division moved against Chapultepec with Captain Silas Casey leading the advance party. Pushing up the slope, Pillows advance successfully reached the walls of the castle but soon stalled as Mackenzies men had to wait for the storming ladders to be brought forward. To the southeast, Quitmans division encountered a dug-in Mexican brigade at the intersection with the road leading east into the city. Ordering Major General Persifor Smith to swing his brigade east around the Mexican line, he directed Brigadier General James Shields to take his brigade northwest against Chapultepec. Reaching the base of the walls, Caseys men also had to wait for ladders to arrive. Ladders soon arrived on both fronts in large numbers allowing the Americans to storm over the walls and into the castle. The first over the top was Lieutenant George Pickett. Though his men mounted a spirited defense, Bravo was soon overwhelmed as the enemy attacked on both fronts. Pressing the assault, Shields was severely wounded, but his men succeeded in pulling down the Mexican flag and replacing it with the American flag. Seeing little choice, Bravo ordered his men to retreat back to the city but was captured before he could join them (Map). Exploiting the Success Arriving on the scene, Scott moved to exploit the capture of Chapultepec. Ordering Major General William Worths division forward, Scott directed it and elements of Pillows division to move north along the La Verà ³nica Causeway then east to assault the San Cosmà © Gate. As these men moved out, Quitman re-formed his command and was tasked with moving east down the Belà ©n Causeway to conduct a secondary attack against the Belà ©n Gate. Pursuing the retreating Chapultepec garrison, Quitmans men soon encountered Mexican defenders under General Andrà ©s Terrà ©s. Using a stone aqueduct for cover, Quitmans men slowly drove the Mexicans back to the Belà ©n Gate. Under heavy pressure, the Mexicans began to flee and Quitmans men breached the gate around 1:20 PM. Guided by Lee, Worths men did not reach the intersection of the La Verà ³nica and San Cosmà © Causeways until 4:00 PM. Beating back a counterattack by Mexican cavalry, they pushed towards the San Cosmà © Gate but took heavy losses from the Mexican defenders. Fighting up the causeway, American troops knocked holes in the walls between buildings to advance while avoiding Mexican fire. To cover the advance, Lieutenant Ulysses S. Grant hoisted a howitzer to the bell tower of the San Cosmà © church and began firing on the Mexicans. This approach was repeated to the north by US Navy Lieutenant Raphael Semmes. The tide turned when Captain George Terrett and a group of US Marines were able to attack the Mexican defenders from the rear. Pushing forward, Worth secured the gate around 6:00 PM. Aftermath In the course of the fighting at the Battle of Chapultepec, Scott suffered around 860 casualties while Mexican losses are estimated at around 1,800 with an additional 823 captured. With the citys defenses breached, Mexican commander General Antonio Là ³pez de Santa Anna elected to abandon the capital that night. The following morning, American forces entered the city. Though Santa Anna conducted a failed siege of Puebla shortly thereafter, large-scale fighting effectively ended with Mexico Citys fall. Entering into negotiations, the conflict was ended by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in early 1848. The active participation in the fighting by the US Marine Corps led to the opening line of the Marines Hymn, From the Halls of Montezuma...

Ethical issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ethical issues - Essay Example onted by Don Marquis in his ‘Future-like-ours argument with regards the morality of abortion, an assertion which was later on opposed by Bonnie Steinbock in his ‘Interest View’ argument. While Marquis argues that abortion is immoral as killing deprives the fetus of its future and Steinbock believes that abortion is not wrong based on the moral status of the unborn and its lack of consciousness, their arguments continue to confound rather than illuminate the morality or immorality of the issue. Marquis contends that abortion is seriously immoral as taking another person’s life, as for instance, an adult’s, as it dispossesses him of his future. This is akin to the killing of a fetus. Marquis asserts that fetuses are in the same category as adults with regards moral value. Thus, the immorality of abortion rests on strong presumptions such as on the dogma that killing is wrong. The concept that killing is brutal and thus, it is wrong does not explain the depravity of the act. For Marquis, what makes killing unacceptable is its consequences on the victim as the loss of one’s life is considered the greatest loss. This loss constitutes loss of activities and gratifications which make up the valuable future of the victim. As death divests a human being of the ‘value of his future,’ the most justifiable reason against killing an adult individual is the consideration of the ‘loss of his future.’ In addition, Marquis argues that other l iving entities and species have similar ‘future’ like our and believes that it is likewise wrong to kill animals. Although he does not support active euthanasia, he admits that killing the ‘very ill or the dying’ cause no wrong. The heart of Marquis’ arguments, however, lies on his contention that killing an infant or fetuses amounts to immorality as they have acquired ‘futures of value.’ As the personhood theory does not put to light the immorality of killing, this notion should be replaced by the idea that

Service marketing mangement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Service marketing mangement - Essay Example In turn more competition will stimulate innovation, not least through the application of new and improved technologies. Customer needs and behaviour evolves, too, in response to changing demographics and values, as well as new options. Both individually and in combination, these developments will require managers of services organizations to focus more sharply on marketing strategy. The dynamic environment of services today places a premium on effective marketing. Among the keys to competing effectively in this continually evolving and challenging environment are skills in marketing strategy and execution, area in which many services firms have traditionally been weak. But Christian Gronroos (2001) argues that  services marketing function is much broader than the activities and output of the traditional marketing department, requiring close cooperation between marketers and those managers responsible for operations and human resources. In the area of services marketing employees must be customer service oriented in addition to being concerned about efficiency. The service product must be tailored to customer needs, price, realistically distributed through convenient channels and actively promoted to customers. There are the basic differences that can help us to distinguish the tasks associated with marketing services from those involved with marketing physica l goods. *Customers do not obtain ownership of service * Service products are ephemeral and cannot be inventoried * Intangible elements dominate value creation * Customers may be involved in the production process * Other people may form part of the product * there is greater variability in operational inputs and outputs * Many service are difficult for customers to evaluate *The time factor assumes great important to recognize and identify these differences carefully and marketing practices must be suitably modified. As we know that banking industries, intangible