Battle for Political Power Politicians and Bureaucrats Essay Example

Battle for Political Power: Politicians and Bureaucrats Essay Central to politics around the world is the concept of power. Power is commonly acknowldged as excercised in   modern states by the poltical class. There is the usual adage that it is the politician who wields political power and is the real authority making centre. Along side the political class has emerged the bureaucrat. This is evident to anyone who has watched the BBC’s serial ‘Yes Minister’ and ‘Yes Prime Minister’. Though political satire, it effectively denotes that in nine out of ten cases of decision making on a matter affecting government, it was the bureaucrat who made the final decision, leaving the Minister to only sign on the dotted line.(Yes Minister, 2003). In governments of modern states there are two components. First is the political part, with its elected leaders, members of parliaments and the like and second is the civil service that actually administers. Normally, the political system makes the policy and the civil service, or the bureaucracy, implements them. Of course, there is a need to distinguish the political system in democracies and in dictatorships. The rise of bureaucracy is associated by some with Fabian institutions such as the London School of Economics which are believed to have led to promoting the power of bureaucracy. (Micklethwait, 2000). In the US, the politician wields a lot of power, both through Congress and the individual post that he or she holds. But the bureaucrat retains his traditional powers to nullify decisions of the politician if he thinks it will impinge on the interests of the bureaucracy. Perrow (2002) has indicated that American society has been shaped more by bureaucracies than by other attributes of Americanism. This bureaucracy is also seen to pervade all sectors of American society thereby making it all powerful. In Japan it is said that till 1993, the Liberal Democratic Party took all the major decisions. Thereafter weak governments has led to some transfer of power to the bureaucrat. This is an ongoing process and has interesting implications for other countries also. We will write a custom essay sample on Battle for Political Power: Politicians and Bureaucrats specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Battle for Political Power: Politicians and Bureaucrats specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Battle for Political Power: Politicians and Bureaucrats specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer There are several ways of defining political power. The most simplistic view would see it as power used by politicians to institutionalize social control. If one were to dissect the various aspects of political power there would emerge three dimensions of power. These include decision-making, agenda-setting, and preference-shaping. The first advocates the idea that the formal political arena with its elections and voting brings forth the politician who controls or takes decisions. A broader sociological view would inform us that in fact decisions are often controlled in democracies by the elite, whether intellectual, bureaucratic or administrative. The other view is that of the politician acting as the agenda setter. This involves both the formal political arena and elites deciding the agenda for the Government or its departments. Vested interests within and outside the Government who will set the agenda may often have hidden agendas which the public may not know of. Of course, there can be a combination of both political processes and agenda setting. Another perspective takes the route of civil society dealing with the government. And how the latter tend to shape the preferences for society by propaganda or by disinformation. To this end political power can be exercised for narrow ends without the general public knowing what decisions are actually taken and how these may affect the people. There is thus a possibility of a distortion in the perceptions of the people about the Government. There may be variance as to who is seen to be the real centre of power. There is one view that holds that most Americans see the preservation of bureaucracy as being the main goal of American society. It is claimed that bureaucrats are not liked by the general public in America. This is a historical fact also. Because bureaucracies are inherently power hungry and very conservative they do tend to operate at a level where self-preservation is all pervasive. The US President heads the Executive Branch and is independent of the Legislature. The bureaucracy in the US is distinctive in that political authority over it, is dispersed among several institutions. And secondly, the bureaucracy itself in turn shares its functions with state and local agencies. Historically, patronage was the main means by which people could get federal jobs. But the modern bureaucracy in the US can be traced to the 1930s and the Second World War. The bureaucratic machinery in America is huge, but more important than size is the fact that those in office wield inordinate discretionary power to take decisions. The US government today employs over 2.7 million employees. And to just mention a historical fact, the government began with just three agencies in 1789. One must be aware that some aspects of political power within the bureaucracy are universal. We know that each time a new President is elected in the US, there are positions in the government waiting to be filled. Most of these positions often go to political â€Å"friends† and some others who possibly made huge contributions to the political campaign of the President in office. What happens is that these appointees who become bureaucrats are often ignorant of what they are supposed to do. So the bureaucrat trains the political bureaucrat on what to do and how to do it. This is how it happens everywhere around the world in democracies. Historically we can trace three phases in the development of American bureaucracy. First there was the government by gentlemen from 1787-1829. Then came the spoils system from 1829 to 1883. The modern civil service system can be traced to 1883 and continues to be in place with modifications till date. In the American system, the manner in which bureaucrats are appointed and kept in their jobs determines their power quotient. Additionally, the type of people who are recruited, does not reflect the broad social strata of society. Unlike the UK, where the civil servant is hired through an examination system and is permanently employed, in the US a federal employee can be politically appointed. But in the US too federal employees who are non-bureaucrats can last a lifetime in service. The key issue is command and control of the Federal Executive. The US Congress has a range of powers to tackle the issue. To start with Congressional statues will sometimes determine the very nature and character of an agency. Being able to control the purse strings makes the Congress important in more ways than one. But if there is a problem between the executive and the president then negotiations are the way to find a solution. There are often tensions between the US Department of State, Department of Defense and the National Security Council on foreign policy issues. The State Department has its own bureaucratic set up, and has closer links with Congress, and the NSC staff tends to serve the political needs of the American President. In the UK the civil service has a very important role to play in decision-making. Political power is vested in a strong executive and is backed by disciplined political parties. The UK also has a strong and insulated civil service, and centralizes power in the national government, leaving localities to implement diktats from London. In America, federal power is de-centralized from the President downwards and the bureaucracy is not so strong. The states tend to make their own decisions on a range of issues in the decentralized federal system. The UK has a more welfare state oriented government while in America there exists a stronger and more intrusive set of civil rights laws. The civil service in the United Kingdom supports the Government in power regardless of which political party is in office. Senior civil servants will remain in the post even upon a change of Government. This ensures continuity in policy. But it has also led to institutionalization of power within the bureaucracy, which can influence even things like a political broadcast on the BBC. But because of the institutionalization of power in the hands of the bureaucrats and the problem of red tapism it became necessary for the UK to find ways to reduce bureaucracy. This led to the privatization drive by prime minister Thatcher in the 1980s. In the case of large democracies like India (as is the case elsewhere too), the bureaucracy is answerable to the political establishment. But given the nature of power informally held by bureaucrats, it is often seen that they can take decisions that even the politician may find difficult to overrule. The civil servant in the Indian context can become a compliant tool of the politician, if he or she accepts political patronage. This is probably true even in the US. In the US today the war on terror provides the best   examlpe of how interests within the establishment, gives political power a new meaning. Both the political elite and   the bureaucracy have become accustomed to enjoying international power. As a result they want more. As seen above, in the US, cabinet officers are politically appointed. The executive often regards the bureaucracy as obstructionist, but it is really the bureaucracy that provides long-term stability and ensures the implementation of government policies. One can cite numerous examples of how individuals with strong personalities can overshadow bureaucrats and vice versa. A strong NSC Chairman can sometimes overshadow the Secretary of State, as in the case of Henry Kissinger and William Rogers. In most democracies, political control over the bureaucracy means having an elected assembly and an executive head of government. The UK system provides a kind of fusion of powers, which enables it to manage a powerful bureaucracy. In the American presidential system the decentralized nature of power tends to often create problems. The unity of authority principle that is applicable to the UK cabinet model of government tends to make control over the bureaucracy more effective than does the presidential system. While the details can be debated, in actual fact, in the Cabinet system in the UK it is the bureaucrat who actually makes the rules. From a bureaucratic perspective, a de-centralized system of functioning tends to create problems of decision-making and undermines the coordination of work. How does this system actually work? Keeping the bureaucracy relatively weak to ensure it does not usurp powers but can administer well does this. There are two variables that explain this phenomenon. One is experience and the other is the ability to coordinate. In the American system, most appointees are tenured and stay in office long enough to know how to solve problems. They also have enough powers to take decisions that may not be questioned. By coordination, it is meant that officials have sufficient movement within the national and local government to maintain a meaningful grasp of the issues that concern the nation and manage to work effectively. Actually an interesting analogy can be drawn from India where the civil servants at the top are generalists who tend to broadening their horizons while working and this in turn increases their capacity to exercise power in all fields. Therefore, it is not easy to find an answer to the question to who wields real political power in the US or in other democracies. Some of the most powerful bureaucracies today are in states which were the first to espouse democracy and freedom. France is perhaps the most significant example where the President and the French bureaucracy remain the most powerful. (Silveira, 1998). The President and the Congress actually wield power, but the bureaucracy also holds a lot of power in its hands. This is apparently more so on the foreign policy front than in domestic affairs. The real issue here is not who controls the reins of power, but the answer seems to depend on the system of government in place in a democracy. It also depends on the element of political power the bureaucrat can leverage within the existing rules and those outside it. Discretionary power can create disproportionate authority in the hands of bureaucrats as seen in the US. This is the key to understanding whether the b ureaucrat rules supreme or does his political master.

Maya Angelou essays

Maya Angelou essays The great dancer, playwright, songwriter, poet, author, historian, director, performer, and civil rights activist known as Maya Angelou was born on April 4, 1928 her childbirth name being Marguerite Johnson. Growing up she underwent many hardships, including her parents divorcing and being sent to live with her grandma. Upon turning eight she was sexually assaulted, the man that did this was soon murdered. This being a traumatizing event it silenced her. For four entire years she refused to talk to anyone except her brother, Bailey. After graduation she become a single mother of a son, Guy. Seven years later she married, and adopted the stage name Maya Angelou, Maya is what Bailey called her, and Angelou her new married name. Going through so much at such a young age is unimaginable. In 1954, Maya begun touring with a chorus know as Everyman's Opera Company. This interested her in writing lyrics; these lyrics she writes soonturn into poetry and short stories. This is when her career really starts to develop. Next she moves back to Brooklyn, New York, to join the Harlem Writers Guild. Maya directs her first play, "Cabaret for Freedom" over these years she struggles with her husband and remarries to Vusumi Make, a freedom fighter of South Africa. The next year her and her son Guy move to Africa where she continues her craft of writing sharing her knowledge in Cairo, Egypt, becoming the editor of the Arab Observer. Next she starts educating in a more serious way, in a classroom. Maya serves as assistant administrator at the School of Music and Drama, University of Ghana. Students loved her. She had a natural way of communicating with and teaching these young adults. In 1963 two years later she becomes a feature editor for the African Review; and contributor to the Ghanaian Times and Ghanaian Broadcasting Company. 1970 is one of her most famous years, she authors "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" a autobiographical no...

Factors behind the Growth and Increasing Globalization of Ted Baker Essay

Factors behind the Growth and Increasing Globalization of Ted Baker Retail Brand - Essay Example The present research has identified that in recent years, Ted Baker retail has introduced the variety of items rather than men’s wear that includes women wear, children wear, sleepwear and same accessories such as shoes. The retail has divided the store into different departments to enhance the accessibility of the items in the store. The retail has created its good reputation by providing better quality and services to a customer. Good reputation brings about the increased selling of product through word of mouth to different consumers located in different geographical areas. The selling of retail products across the globe has led to a collection of large revenue for the company, which in turn increases the retails profit. High profit lead to the expansion of the retail sector to other areas since the retail has saved that provides capital to start another store. By the end of the paper, the learner should know the factors underpinning the growth and increased globalization o f Ted Baker retail sector. Ted Baker retail mainly focuses on quality improvement for the products that they sell to the customer. The retail emphasizes better quality and better design in order for them to attract large potential buyers willing to make purchases. Kelvin, the founder of Ted Baker states that better products and better design form the key success for his retail store. He says that the retail focuses on design, tailoring, and pattern since they know that it will command higher prices than that of their competitor. In contrary, the high price worth the quality of product sold and the customer is prepared to pay the extra bit for the product as compared to those sold by the competitor.

Marketing Module Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Marketing Module - Assignment Example The organisation selected for this report is Vodafone, a UK based Telecommunications Company that is one of the top players in the global telecommunications market. This report details the macro environment factors, analysis of competitors, customers, markets and type of segmentations Vodafone used in the international arena. Further, it critically evaluates the strategies by using Porter’s five forces competitive model over Vodafone. Macro Environment – PEST Analysis PEST analysis is an important tool for every company because it can provide an outline of the external environment where the company’s business is positioned. It can also help in developing the value of the company and form a business strategy. Political Political aspects can affect a company’s business in various ways. Every company must abide by the rules and regulations of the country where it operates. The regulations can be the country’s law and anti–trust law, which is app licable to all actions of a company. Vodafone’s major business operations are situated in EU countries. The EU countries passed the ‘EU Regulatory Framework’ for telecommunications companies in the year 2002. The main objective of this law is to support fair competition in the telecommunications market. Vodafone also has to abide by the ‘EU Regulatory Framework,’ which has had great impact on the business of Vodafone. For example, Vodafone was compelled to decrease the ‘mobile termination rate’ because of the law of EU nations (Saplitsa, 2008). Another key aspect of the political environment was the spectrum regulation. The modernisation of spectrum regulations of EU had affected Vodafone’s business. In 2005, the EU Commission passed a scheme that permits holders to buy and sell spectrum within the telecommunications market and develop coordination among different brands. Due to the new spectrum policy, Vodafone faced risks relate d to the price of spectrum, risk of restitution of existing spectrum and difficulties in licensing (Saplitsa, 2008). Economic Adverse economic changes – i.e. a slowdown or recession – in any country can result in less demand for existing and new business services. Difficult financial conditions often lead customers to delay any purchasing decisions including those related to telecommunications services. Decreasing their optional spending, people tend to make fewer calls and avoid extras such as data or broadband services. Such decisions in a tough economic environment can severely impact company sales. A country's economic condition as well as people’s purchasing power can be measured by the rate of GDP (Vodafone Limited, 2010). In the year 2009, the economic troubles of three major EU nations (Spain, Italy and Greece) resulted in poor performance of Vodafone and also led to reduction of the termination rates. On the other hand, the financial recovery of norther n EU market helped to reduce the revenue loss of Vodafone from -3.8% in the

Classroom Management Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Classroom Management - Research Paper Example When an instructor loses control of his/her classroom, it is usually extremely difficult to get back that control. This instructor, consequently, has to adopt correct demeanour control measures if classroom administration techniques prove to be poor and inadequate. Inappropriate demeanour results in a reduced rate of academic involvement in the classroom. With regard to scholar’s viewpoints, efficient classroom administration encompasses patent communication of behavioural and educational expectations. This also includes creating a collaborative learning environment. Classroom supervision is intimately connected to matters of inspiration and discipline, as well as respect. All these techniques are issues of fervent debate among instructors. As a result, instructors’ approaches differ depending on the convictions an instructor holds with regard to educational psychology. An enormous part of conventional classroom administration encompasses behaviour alteration, though, v aried instructors see utilizing behavioural techniques alone as extremely simplistic. Varied teachers institute regulations and processes at the outset of the school year which delineate correct demeanour. These rules provide scholars with solid direction to make sure that their prospects become an actuality. These instructors, however, have to be dependable in fostering these regulations and processes. Many individuals assert that, constructive results are evident when rules are adhered to and unconstructive when rules are ignored. There are novel concepts with regard to classroom administration that try to be holistic. For instance, affirmation teaching, which tries to direct scholars toward success by assisting them see how effort is crucial in a classroom. This concept depends on developing an environment where scholars are successful as a consequence of their individual efforts. Creating this milieu is vital for scholars to perform well. This alters a classroom into a society o f well-behaved as well as self-motivated scholars (Angela, 1993). According to professionals in the field of learning, classroom administration aims at persuading and instituting scholar self-control throughout a procedure of enhancing positive scholar achievement and demeanour. Consequently, academic achievement, instructor efficiency, and instructor and scholar demeanour are directly connected with the conception of school and classroom administration. Classroom supervision emphasizes on three crucial elements. These elements are content administration, conduct administration as well as covenant administration. All these concepts are described and offered with facts in a list of evident elements in efficient teaching practices. Research indicates that a high occurrence of classroom disciplinary quandaries has a massive influence on the efficacy of teaching as well as learning. As a result, instructors who encounter such matters are usually unable to plan and develop suitable instr uctional duties. These instructors also tend to ignore diversity in lesson plans and seldom prompt scholars to confer and assess the materials that they learn. Additionally, scholar understanding or seat tasks are not scrutinized on a normal basis. However, strong and reliable supervision and organizational techniques have been described as resulting in limited classroom discipline quandaries. This implies that content administr

Benefits of Wi-Fi | Essay

Benefits of Wi-Fi | Essay Wi-fi and the Development of Multimedia 1. Introduction In early 1990s, the development of telecommunication technology enter new era, as Internet becomes attractive services that help users or customers to obtain information that stored in a computer in any part of the world. In Telecommunications and Computers, James Martin explains there is close relationship between computer and telecommunication. While telecommunication technology emphasizes the role of infrastructure or hardware in communications, the development of computer deals with contents that play a significant role in todays advanced communications in all human activities like banking, manufacturing plan, and also at home. The use of telecommunication and computers immediately develops into the term information technology that becomes a famous jargon in todays sophisticated information era. In corporations, the use of information technology is mandatory since it simplifies jobs accomplishment and eliminates unnecessary costs (Ferguson, 2000). One of invention in telecommunication technology that attracts attention is Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity). This refers to wireless technology standards that support high-speed wireless networking or WLAN that stands for Wireless Local Area Network. The technology standard is based on the design recommended by IEEE 802.11. The current development has been on 802.16 g standard. The development of each standard improves the coverage and data rate (Stuart, 2007). The first development of Wi-Fi technology intends to provide alternative for Local Area Network (LAN) but current development Wi-Fi is also popular media for accessing Internet content from various kinds of Wi-Fi enabled gadgets. Concerning information technology uses, this paper will discuss the impact of Wi-Fi on multimedia. The discussion includes the reasoning like costs considerations of Wi-Fi implementation, faster access, and extensive geographical coverage. In order to provide practical information, this paper will use the design WLAN that connect to multiple kinds of multimedia contents and devices. 2. Multimedia By definition, multimedia (Lat. Multum + Medium) refers to variety forms of information (video, audio, images, text, interactivity, and animation) that developed in order to inform or entertain audience. Nowadays, gadgets that have multimedia capability mean that they can store or plays the above forms of information such as some types of cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), desktop PC etcetera. 3. Advantages of Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) 3.1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cheaper than other internet devices Unlike other transmission options (cable, satellite, and microwave radio), Wi-Fi is less expensive bases on price of Wi-Fi enabled products/terminal, network set up, and expandability. In terms of setting Wi-Fi network, for instances, a user merely place the Wi-Fi access point then set up the terminals as long as it covers by the Wi-Fi signals. This Wi-Fi implementation is therefore much more cheaper since it does not requires extensive works unlike happens in setting cable-based or satellite-base networks (Stuart, 2007). In addition, price of Wi-Fi enabled terminals is lower than microwave radio or satellite CPE (customer premise equipment). For instances, price of WLAN adapter is less than $35 each while microwave radio may costs $5,00 for one hoop of point-to-multipoint (PTMP) radio. Meanwhile, costs of ground segment of satellite system that composes of antenna dish, modem, electrical equipments (power amplifier, rectifier, and cabling) and civil works may reach $20,000. The cheaper implementation of Wi-Fi service is supported by many kinds of Wi-Fi enabled terminals like printers, PCs, and laptop computers that driven the economies of scale of producing such Wi-Fi technology (Figure 1). Figure 1 Wi-Fi enabled terminals Source: http://www.npwireless.com/i/elip/elip-wifi.jpg 3.2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Faster than most wireless devices/system Another benefit of implementing Wi-Fi service is that it offers users faster speed than cable -based system (twisted pair or coaxial cable). For WLAN and internet access purpose, the use of Wi-Fi is also faster than DSL (digital subscriber line) connection (Stuart, 2007). Figure 1 Data Rate Comparison of Some Wireless Acces Technology Source: http://ethernet.industrial-networking.com/images/art_images/ieb34wirelessnet4.gif Typical ADSL (asynchronous digital subscribe line) service can offer data rate up to 384 Kbps while Wi-FI can provide up to 54 Mbps and 100 Mbps depending on standards as shown in the Figure 1. The fast data rate of Wi-Fi enables the faster transmission of multimedia contents. Figure 2 shows typical speed requirement of some applications. It means that Wi-Fi with speed up to 100 Mbps can deliver all types of multimedia contents like video conferencing and even Digital TV. This benefit underlies several network providers/telecommunication companies to deliver their services by using Wi-Fi. Figure 2 Multimedia Applications and Data Rate Requirement Source: http://www.plannedapproach.com/images/image002.gif 3.3  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Better geographical coverage The benefit of any wireless services is it can reach any location as long as within the signal coverage regardless the landscape and building model. Interestingly, the simple set up of Wi-Fi network (called hot spots) causes the technology is widely available in almost place of interests like malls, restaurants, airports, bookstores, cafÃÆ' ©, fast-food restaurants, etcetera. In the U.S. alone, according to IDC research in 2003, the growth of Wi-Fi hotspots were about 57% annually within the next five year till 2008 (Stuart, 2007). The vast availability of Wi-Fi hotspots is also backed up by the coverage that wireless access point can reach. Typically, in outdoor area, Wi-Fi can reach as long as a few hundreds meters while in indoor area, it can reach 25 to 50 meters depending on concrete materials, power, radio frequency, Wi-Fi gadgets sensitivity, and other obstructions. 4. Conclusion This paper has discussed the definition, benefits, and implementation of Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity). The three benefits of Wi-Fi technology (cheaper costs of implementation, faster data rate, and better geographical coverage) become the underlying reasons behind the extensive use of Wi-Fi for delivering multimedia contents. This is because multimedia contents like video conferencing, e-mails, video streaming, and multiplayer games that delivered through Internet require high-speed data transmission that Wi-Fi can provide. References: Dennis, A. (2002). Networking in the Internet age. John Wiley Sons, New York Ferguson, Roger W. (2000). Information Technology in Banking and Supervision. Retrieved November 23, 2007 from http://www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/speeches/2000/20001020.htm Harris, Michael P. (2000). Internetworking Technologies. Retrieved November 23, 2007 from http://www.delmar.edu/Courses/ITSC1391/Sem3/4LANdesign.htm Stuart, Anne. (2007). Technofile: Why Wi-Fi? Retrieved November 23, 2007 from http://www.inc.com/articles/2003/09/wifi.html

Womens Sinister Roles in Shakespeares Macbeth :: Free Essay Writer

Women's Sinister Roles in Macbeth      Ã‚  Ã‚   In reading Shakespeare's tragic drama Macbeth, one meets only one good woman - Lady Macduff. The remaining female characters are basically evil. Let's consider mainly Lady Macduff and only briefly the three witches.    Blanche Coles states in Shakespeare's Four Giants that Macbeth's wife had considerable leverage over her husband's mind:    This was her opportunity to do as she had promised herself she would do after she had read the letter - to pour her spirits into his ear, to chasten with the valor of her tongue all that might impede him from the golden crown. We may be sure she took this opportunity to use all her monstrous powers of persuasion. Thus he goaded himself, or was goaded by his wife, into searing the terrible oath, whether he had any clear purpose of keeping it or not. (48-49)    In his book, On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy, H. S. Wilson mentions the very wife-like manner in which the queen fulfilled her essential role in the tragedy:    It requires an extraordinary exertion of will and persuasion from Lady Macbeth to strengthen his wavering purpose. Professor Kittredge used to point out to his classes that Lady Macbeth, in urging Macbeth to act, uses the three arguments that every wife, some time or other, uses to every husband: "You promised me you'd do it!" "You'd do it if you loved me!" "If I were a man, I'd do it myself!" But Macbeth's mind is made up by her assurance that they may do it safely by fixing the guilt upon Duncan's chamberlains. (72)    In Fools of Time: Studies in Shakespearean Tragedy, Northrop Frye shows that a lady is the actual driving force in the play:    That Macbeth is being hurried into a premature act by his wife is a point unlikely to escape the most listless member of the audience, but Macbeth comes to regret the instant of fatal delay in murdering Macduff, and draws the moral that    The flighty purpose never is o'ertook Unless the deed go with it. From this moment The very firstlings of my heart shall be The firstlings of my hand.    That is, in future he will try to attain the successful ruler's spontaneous rhythm of action. (91)    L.C. Knights in the essay "Macbeth" describes the unnaturalness in the thoughts and words of the plays dominant female force, Lady Macbeth:

Acquisition of Reebok by Adidas, M&a Deal in the Sports Industry

This report presents a brief summary of the M&A deal and the performance of the Adidas-Salmon Group and the Reebok International which are the top players after Nike, in sportswear market. Mergers and Acquisitions is an extreme matter of concern in the corporate world since last few decades. M&A can also be considered as a main vehicle which drives towards direct investments, either domestic or foreign. With motives of achieving greater efficiency and effective strategies, most of the companies had gone through at least one M&A activity at least once in a lifetime.This report contains theories regarding Mergers and Acquisition and is focused on the Cross-border M&A (Adidas- A German company and Reebok- an American company). It includes the acquisition process and presents the motives behind the acquisition of Reebok by Adidas. The report also includes the analysis to identify whether synergy (Value of (Adidas+ Reebok) > Value of Adidas+ Value of Reebok) has been achieved or not. I t can be identified through performance measurement and evaluation.The analysis of the company’s annual reports and the reviews in various websites contributed to determine whether the company is able to achieve its target objectives. Table of Contents S. N. Title Page No. 1. Introduction1 2. Literature Review2 a. The need of Merger2 b. Due diligence3 2. 2. 1 Legal and regulatory issues3 2. 2. 2 Tender offer3 2. 2. 3 Empirical Evidence4 2. 2. 4 Strategies of Adidas & Reebok 4 3. Methodology5 4. Discussion5 a. Synergies achieved5 4. 2 Financial Analysis6 4. 3 Targets and Achievements: Post merger evaluation7 . Conclusion and Recommendations9 References10 1. Introduction Corporate Restructuring is the process of reconstructing the operational, financial, legal and other structures of an organization in order to achieve the organizational efficiency, technological advancement, market expansion, profit maximization and obtain the competitive advantage over others. Mergers and Acq uisitions (M&A), which is one of the major corporate restructuring methods and started in US, has become a global practice for over 100 years.With the increase in globalization concept, most of the companies around the world have undergone through one among the following three types of M&A. Vertical merger which includes the combination of the forms operating in the different levels of the same industry differs from the Horizontal merger where the two combined firms operate in the same business activity. Conglomerate, the third type is rather unique as it involves the combination of firms of different industry. For a detailed analysis of M&A activity, I have chosen an acquisition ofReebok (an American sportswear company) by Adidas (a German sportswear company) and evaluating its performance and the various stages of the M&A activity. Adidas-Reebok acquisition is categorized under horizontal Cross-Border M&A whose main objective is to present the group as a market leader in the field of sportswear. The rate of M&A activities seem to be increasing day by day. However, the success rate of these mergers is very low. This is because of the lack of ability to achieve the synergy, which is obtained as a result of increased competitive advantage.So, the report is based on evaluating the various aspects of Adidas-Reebok performance to draw the conclusion whether the integration is successful to meet the target objectives or not. 2. Literature Review With an aim to drive competition and growth in the sports market, there was significant presence of the M&A activities since late 1990s. In 1997, Adidas acquired the Salomon Group for $1. 4 billion. In 2003, Nike acquired Converse for $305 million and in 2004 Reebok acquired The Hockey Company for $330 million. In 2005, the Adidas-Salmon Group acquired Reebok for $3. billion and in 2008; Nike acquired Umbro Plc for 285 million.Many analysts have identified that the companies major objectives and targets of M&A activities ha ve not successfully achieved in most of the cases. Timothy and Mark (2007) point out the major of failure as cultural aspects of mergers that are poorly dealt with and mention that successful mergers are based as much on emotional reactions and energized behavior. Bjorkman, Stahl, and Vaara (2007) also discussed the role of cultural differences on the capability transfer for cross-border acquisitions. . 1 The need of Merger According to the data obtained by Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association International in 2004, Nike was the leader in American sportswear with market share of 36% leaving Reebok and Adidas the second and third position with 12. 2% and 8. 9% respectively. And America alone counts for almost 50% of the total global sportswear market. So, it was an important opportunity for Adidas and Reebok to have a combined competitive strength over the leader Nike, a famous brand in its fashion, status, colours and combinations.Besides that, Adidas was facing a tough competit ion with the fourth largest sports brand Puma, which compelled it to take the growth strategy through acquisition with Reebok. Puma had already disclosed expansion plans through acquisitions and entry into new sportswear categories So, for a successful merger, the challenge was to integrate Adidas's German culture of control, engineering, and production and Reebok's U. S. marketing- driven culture. Also, the core competencies of the combined companies seem a major strength than the individual competencies. Adidas Core Competencies |Reebok Core Competencies |Combined Core Competencies | |–Technology |– Trend Identification |– Adidas technology with Reebok design | |– Customer focus |– Ability to market to a niche segment |– Adidas sports with Reebok women’s market | |– Brand recognition |– Women’s shoe design |– Adidas shoes with Reebok apparel | |– Supply chain |– Design expertise |– Ad idas global strength & Reebok US strength | |– Collaboratively competitive |– Celebrity relationships | | 2. Due diligence 2. 2. 1 Legal and regulatory issues: Any M&A process should face through the regulatory bodies before they are granted the permission. There are various antitrust authorities which will examine and restrict the merger activities that create the monopoly in a particular market. Some of these authorities are the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in USA, the Competition Commission in the UK, the European Commission in EU and the Federal Cartel Office in Germany. Adidas, being the German company had successfully passed the regulatory check and was approved by both the Federal Cartel Office and the European Commission to acquire Reebok on $3. 8 bn.As Reebok was targeting mainly in the American youths where as Adidas was targeting the European professionals and these brands had different pricing positions, EU concluded that this integration would not signif icantly affect the competition in the sports market. 2. 2. 2 Tender offer Tender offer in M&A is a general offer made by any acquirer company to a target company either publicly or directly to the shareholders to grant their stocks in the price which is higher than the present market price. After analyzing the market value of Reebok, Adidas has offered the buying of Reebok’s share with 34. 2 percent share premium. A written consent between Adidas and Reebok was established mentioning all the legal obligations. 2. 2. 3 Empirical Evidence The once in a lifetime opportunity’, as mentioned by Adidas-Salomon AG Chairman and CEO Herbert Hainer, came into reality after the deal was closed on Jan 31, 2006, which provided the new Adidas group with an increased Capital of around â‚ ¬9. 5 billion ($11. 8 billion) in the global athletic footwear, apparel and hardware markets. Adidas-Salmon group paid $ 3. 527 bn to Reebok as total value of the Reebok shares calculated at the ra te of $59. 0 per share. They had paid 34. 2 % share premium. The share price of Reebok had rose by 30% after the acquisition.Hainer added, â€Å"The brands will be kept separate because each brand has a lot of value and it would be stupid to bring them together. The companies would continue selling products under respective brand names and labels. This is considered as the major strategy to keep the existing brand values and customers safe, protecting their brand loyalty. 2. 2. 4 Strategies of Adidas & Reebok The two companies came to the M&A deal with some of the very important strategies that lead to the growth and expansion of the market and the product portfolio along with the shared technology. The acquisition helped the new group to double the sales in America (U. S. $3. 9 billion) and also Reebok to increase its sales in Europe from the Adidas’s strong brand recognition and market expertise. Both the groups are creating the greater job opportunities with the well expe rienced and world class employees. They are selecting their top most employees into a new group for more effective business operation.This will help them to establish themselves as top most global brand from their strength (improved R&D systems with award winning cutting-edge technology, trend-setting street wear and classic design) with a strong presence as qualitative and wide ranged sports products. The combined group showed stronger presence among various teams and athletes such as David Beckham, Allen Iverson, Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady and also the top sports events like FIFA World Cup 2006 and Olympics 2008 to increase the global visibility of both the brands. 3. Methodology The report is based on academic knowledge gained during the course and the further research done on various websites.This includes the company’s website, various reviews and other academic sources available in the internet. After introducing about the M&A process, the literature review was done from t he past papers about Cross-border M&A and the management report on Adidas-Reebok M&A. The official website of Adidas group was used as the major source of annual financial report and performance measurement report, which helped to analyze the success of the integration in terms of sales revenue and other performance measurement indicators. After the detailed study of the case, the report contains few recommendations which might help the company to increase its profit and ultimately achieve its target objectives. 4. DiscussionThe success and failure of the M&A can be accessed from the perspectives of shareholders, managers and employees as the interests of these groups do not coincide (Sudarsanam, 2003). The report below contains analysis from different perspectives. 4. 1 Synergies achieved: The combined group had achieved the synergies based on each other’s competitive strength. Operating synergies affect the operations of the combined firm and include economies of scale, inc reased pricing power, and higher growth potential (Damodaran, 2006). As a geographical and demographical category, Reebok got chance to benefit from its partner Adidas which has expertise in European market.Similarly, Adidas benefited from Reebok expertise in American and Asian markets especially the youths and women. The new group had the wide range of products with continuous brand development by sharing R&D technologies. The synergy in distribution channel can be obtained through distribution and operation efficiencies. They have obtained 40% synergies in marketing, sales and distribution through selective diversification of channels and the optimum utilization of distribution capacity. Hadfield (2006), in his article quotes the statement of Steve Bonomo, the head of recruitment of Adidas, who says that the Adidas-Reebok acquisition has reduced the global recruitment cost by 30-50 percent.This reduction in expenses will help to increase the profit to some extent. Through global s ourcing and using economies of scale, they have been able to achieve 20% operations synergies. 4. 2 Financial Analysis: After the integration the management structure was reformed with the reduction of unnecessary branches and departments. They also agreed to share the cost incurred in production technology, distribution and back operations. The Reebok switching from pre-order in bulk amount to pay as you go system results the instant cash and uniform production and distribution of goods. The Annual financial report of Adidas group shows the sharp increase of sales revenue after the acquisition process.As the official deal was signed in Jan 2006, there is the dramatic rise in the sales from Dec 2005 to Dec 2006 resulting very high sales revenue of the combined group than it used to get during the individual sells. There is a continuous increase in sales even though the market was hit by the economic crisis during past few years (shown in the graph). The fact that the Adidas group fa ced serious decrease in sales of Reebok goods in Europe because the company decided to shut down some of the retail branches was very noticeable. But there was huge increase of the sales of Adidas products in America, which ultimately offset the losses, incurred in the group and ultimately led the company towards profit. [pic] Source: Adidas-group. com/ annual report 4.3 Targets and Achievements: Post merger evaluation Targets |Achievement | Description | |Environmental |75% |The environmental targets and strategy for climate change and carbon emissions | |sustainability-Group achievement| |have been developed as a whole but the group-wide strategy covering the entire | | | |value chain has remained. | |Environmental sustainability- |50% |The cross- brand group was formed to support all the Adidas brands but the full | |Product | |implementation of the prepared guidelines is in due. |Environmental |100% |Launched the internal Company Initiatives to promote environmental assessments | |Sustainability-Properties | |and awareness, reviewed the in-house ‘Think Green Guide’, established the | | | |environmental management systems but still remained to get ISO 14001 | | | |certification by the end of 2010. | |Supply Chain Systems |75% |As a member of Fair Factories Clearinghouse Compliance, Adidas group fully | | | |review the integrity of the data. Also, launched new Environmental guidelines to| | | |provide health and safety guidelines to the employees.But remained due about | | | |50% of the task to implement upgraded Key Performance Indicator to measure the | | | |company’s performance and also the sustainable compliance monitoring | | | |methodology. | |Global Economic Crisis |100% |Provided several updates on company’s website about risk and supply chain | | | |consolidation. Also provided guidelines on managing employees’ redundancies and | | | |layoffs in appropriate manner. |Stakeholder Engagements- |50% |Highly accepted th e concept of marketing and sourcing strategy but couldn’t | |Internal | |obtain better cotton materials for quality and performance testing. | |Stakeholder Engagements- |100% |Broad engagement with the governments and key stakeholders which assist in | |External | |decision making and also collaboration with different brands, suppliers and | | | |other industry actors. | Source: – Adidas. com, annual report, 2009 5. Conclusion and Recommendations The M&A itself is a complex and risky process both in terms of making a deal and in achieving the target objectives. It is also difficult to identify the exact determinants of the success or failure of the M&A.So, the conclusions are met on the basis of the grounds that a researcher considers, but this might be insufficient to other researchers who consider the broader areas. The analysis carried out under the case of Reebok acquisition by Adidas group shows that the new group is able to increase its sells through the restruct uring process. But even performance measurement report of the company highlights some of the issues where the company was unable to achieve the target objectives. The major target to lead the market ruler, Nike has not yet been achieved. The market positions of these two brands have remained constant. In contrast, it has a biggest threat of its following competitor, Puma to have integration with Nike and drop down the market share of Adidas group.

The eNotes Blog Ruh Roh, JK Rowling Upsets Middle England and SikhCommunity

Ruh Roh, JK Rowling Upsets Middle England and SikhCommunity It seems that when beloved Harry Potter author JK Rowling departed Hogwarts with her latest novel, she strayed a little far from her adoring public, too. The new book, A Casual Vacancy, has been published for all of a week and is already shrouded in controversy. Though it  was never intended to be for a young audience, its mature content was the first apparent no-no that sent some readers over the edge. Next, she offended her home county of Gloucestershire by depicting its inhabitants as snobby bigots.  Now, the author battles allegations that her novel is offensive to Sikhs, and may actually face a nation-wide ban in India. Deary me. Before were all caught up in the sensationalism of these allegations, here are the straight facts of the book: 1. This is NOT Harry Potter and the Casual Vacancy, people. Anyone expecting this book to be a follow-up to the Harry Potter series, or even in the same vein, has quite the shock coming. Clearly, when she wrote The Casual Vacancy Rowling was looking to her next project as a departure from the world of fantasy that she dwelt in before. I think I would be too if I had been writing in the same world for nearly two decades. She has been quite clear from the start that this is not one for the kiddies. Unfortunately, the writer will have a hard time shaking the identity associated with her name, as parents now have the tough task of explaining to their kids that they cant read the latest Jo Rowling creation. For one thing, her self-described rural comedy of manners has some quite mature content. While the most deplorable word uttered in Harry Potter was b****, in this one Rowling gets a little more, um, creative In fact, some of the scenarios and colorful vocab seem to have been heightened by the sheer fact that Rowling couldnt write them in her first seven published novels. She explains her need to write the rude bits in an interview with The New Yorker: She was ready for a change of genre. â€Å"I had a lot of real-world material in me, believe you me,† Rowling said. â€Å"The thing about fantasy- there are certain things you just don’t do in fantasy. You don’t have sex near unicorns. It’s an ironclad rule. It’s tacky. Quite right. In any case, youve been forewarnedthis one is rated R. 2. This book should be placed under the Fiction section. Rowling comes from a small village in the English countryside called Tutshil. While she probably used the quaint Gloucestershire surroundings as inspiration for the backdrop of her story, I doubt the plot of a parish council election gone haywire is anything but the figment of her imagination. However, the books fictional town of Pagford, a hotbed of cruelty and snobbery,  has tongues wagging all over Middle England, saying Rowling has shed an unflattering light on her home county, probably for the novels  bleak subject matter, which includes child abuse, prostitution and drugs. Does nobody read that fine-print reminder that everything and everyone contained in the book is a work of fiction, and not based on facts or real people? I suppose that message flies out the window when your hometowns feelings are hurt. Still, this is a little blown out of proportion. 3. The characters thoughts do not reflect the authors. This goes for any book. One doesnt read American Psycho and assume Bret Easton Ellis shares the views of deranged serial killer Patrick Bateman. But for some reason, perhaps because of the grand scale that this novel has debuted on, readers are offended by the derogatory views expressed by a select group of unsavory characters in The Casual Vacancy. In particular, the language used in reference to an Indian girl in the novel has members of the Sikh community in an uproar. In the novel, Sukhvinder is a young Sikh girl who is bullied by some of her peers. In the dialogue (NOT in the third-person objective narration) she is meanly called the Great Hermaphrodite, a hairy man-woman, and finally mustachioed yet large-mammaried. Its these descriptions of her that out of context have Sikh spokesman Avtar Singh Makkar  calling for a widespread ban of the novel. Note: the important words to reiterate there are  out of context. From The Telegraph, Rowling has said she included Sukhvinder’s experiences as an example of â€Å"corrosive racism†. She has spoken of her admiration for the Sikh faith and said she was fascinated by a religion in which men and women are â€Å"explicitly described as equal in the holy book†. A spokesman for Hachette, Rowling’s publisher, said the remarks were made by a character bullying Sukhvinder. â€Å"It is quite clear in the text of the book that negative thoughts, actions and remarks made by a character, Fats, who is bullying Sukhvinder, are his alone. When described in the narrative voice, the depiction of Sukhvinder is quite different to this,† the spokesman said. However, Rowlings statement of defense may not be enough to prevent a country-wide boycott of The Casual Vacancy in India, if the members of the  Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee deem it derogatory once theyve finished reading it.                                                                                          Ã‚   The whole controversy surrounding this novel has obviously been brought on by the massive expectations set for Rowling. She certainly wouldnt have had to face such scrutiny had this novel been published before her famed fantasy series. I cant help but think that its not really fair for her to be accused of such things; its as though everyone holds Rowling to a higher standard than other fiction writers. Is it possible for her to shake the Harry Potter image and create a new fan base? Mixed reviews for the content of the book aside, do you feel this criticism is warranted or not?

Life of Francis Crick, Co-Discoverer of DNAs Structure

Life of Francis Crick, Co-Discoverer of DNA's Structure Francis Crick (June 8, 1916–July 28, 2004) was the co-discoverer of the structure of the DNA molecule. With James Watson, he discovered the double helical structure of DNA. Along with Sydney Brenner and others, he demonstrated that the genetic code is composed of three base codons for reading the genetic material. Fast Facts: Francis Crick Full Name: Francis Harry Compton CrickKnown for: Co-discovered the double helical structure of DNABorn: June 8, 1916 in Northampton, EnglandDied: July 28, 2004 in La Jolla, California, United StatesEducation: University of Cambridge, Ph.D.Key Accomplishments: Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine (1962)Spouses Names: Ruth Doreen Dodd (1940–1947) and Odile Speed (1949–2004)Childrens Names: Michael Francis Compton, Gabrielle Anne, Jacqueline Marie-Therese Early Years Francis Harry Compton Crick was born on June 8, 1916 in the English town of Northampton. He was the eldest of two children. Crick began his formal education at the Northampton Grammar School, then attended Mill Hill School in London. He had a natural inquisitiveness for the sciences and enjoyed conducting chemical experiments under the tutelage of one of his uncles. Crick earned his Bachelor of Science degree in physics from the University College London (UCL). He then started his Ph.D. work in physics at UCL, but was unable to finish due to the start of World War II. During the war, Crick worked for the Admiralty Research Laboratory, conducting research on the design of acoustic and magnetic mines. After the war, Crick moved from studying physics to studying biology. He very much enjoyed pondering the new discoveries that were being made in the life sciences at the time. In 1950, he was accepted as a student at Caius College, Cambridge. He was awarded his Ph.D. in 1954 for his study of the X-ray crystallography of proteins. Research Career Cricks transition from physics to biology was critical to his work in biology. It has been said that his approach to biology was refined by the simplicity of physics, as well as his belief that there were still big discoveries to be made in biology. Crick met James Watson in 1951. They had a common interest in discerning how the genetic information for an organism could be stored in the organisms DNA. Their work together built upon the work of other scientists such as Rosalind Franklin, Maurice Wilkins, Raymond Gosling, and Erwin Chargaff. The partnership proved fortuitous to their discovery of DNAs double helix structure. For the majority of his career, Crick worked for the Medical Research Council at Cambridge in England. Later in life, he worked for the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California, in the United States. The Structure of DNA Crick and Watson proposed a number of significant features in their model of the structure of DNA, including: DNA is a double-stranded helix.The DNA helix is typically right-handed.The helix is anti-parallel.The outside edges of the DNA bases are available for hydrogen bonding. The model consisted of a sugar-phosphate backbone on the outside and pairs of nitrogenous bases, held together by hydrogen bonds, on the inside. Crick and Watson published their paper detailing the structure of DNA in the science journal Nature in 1953. The illustration in the article was drawn by Cricks wife Odile, who was an artist. Crick, Watson, and Maurice Wilkins (one of the researchers whose work Crick and Watson had built upon) were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology for Medicine in 1962. Their discoveries furthered the understanding of how the genetic information from one organism is passed down to its progeny from generation to generation. Later Life and Legacy Crick continued to study other aspects of DNA and protein synthesis after the discovery of the double helical nature of DNA. He collaborated with Sydney Brenner and others to demonstrate that the genetic code is made up of three base codons for amino acids. The research demonstrated that, since there are four bases, there are 64 possible codons, and the same amino acid can have multiple codons. In 1977, Crick left England and relocated to the United States, where he served as the J.W. Kieckhefer Distinguished Research Professor at the Salk Institute. He continued to research in biology, focusing on neurobiology and human consciousness. Francis Crick died in 2004 at the age of 88. He is remembered for the significance of his role in the discovery of DNAs structure. The discovery was pivotal to many later advances in science and technology, including screening for genetic diseases, DNA fingerprinting, and genetic engineering. Sources The Francis Crick Papers: Biographical Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, profiles.nlm.nih.gov/ps/retrieve/Narrative/SC/p-nid/141.  Francis Crick - Biographical. Nobelprize.org, www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1962/crick/biographical/.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"About Dr Francis Crick.† Crick, www.crick.ac.uk/about-us/our-history/about-dr-francis-crick.  Watson, James D. The Double Helix: a Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA. New American Library, 1968.

Google's Culture is Truly Unique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Google's Culture is Truly Unique - Essay Example 2. Using the competing values framework, Google’s culture can be analyzed. The company possesses characteristics of a clan, but minimally and non invasively so. In terms of adhocracy, this is something that the company may now be too large to handle. From a market framework, Google is best viewed from the international perspective. â€Å"Googles hiring policy is aggressively non-discriminatory and favors ability over experience. The result is a staff that reflects the global audience the search engine serves† (Google, 2009). Despite its framework of easygoingness, Google is a hierarchical culture. 3. Google’s stated mission is simple, and only takes one line of company documents. â€Å"Googles mission is to organize the worlds information and make it universally accessible and useful† (Google, 2009). The culture type most associated with out of the options from the previous question, is market. This is not a hierarchical statement, but one that is centered on the resource that the company presents to the market as its primary service. The statement also shows how Google, after achieving similarly staggering growth with Microsoft, did more of a one-hundred-eighty degree turn in its internal culture: though still aggressive, the company realized that once it was an eight-hundred-pound gorilla, doing parlor tricks was more threatening than amusing. The company needs to retain its edge. 4. In terms of techniques for changing organizational culture, Google has used various methods to form its culture. Market research is important, and socio cultural considerations include how the customer perceives a large company with expensive stock like Google. Related factors of differentiation and switching costs are, as in the bargaining power of suppliers, related to this relationship. This shows how many of the forces in competition that the public sees have a symbiotic or integrated function

Australian-Indian Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Australian-Indian Relations - Essay Example n this very arc of instability. As a result, Australia may be out of touch with the majority of issues in Southeast Asia, and because it has intervened but failed to cultivate these island nations toward a lasting peace, may have no bridge into the politics of South Asia or even the wonted East Asia region. From this perspective it may appear that Australia's relations with India and Pakistan are limited to the maximum. For decades, the reality has been just that, as the Cold War and Australia's association with the US have kept it at a distance from India. When India began testing nuclear weapons, it seems that Australia became even more opposed to deepening its relations with India due to India's failure to sign the non-proliferation treaty. However, India's relations with India at the present time due run much deeper than may be expected. For a brief period, the Australian government had agreed to supply India with uranium, which was an excellent deal for India considering Austral ia's vast holdings of uranium. Beyond simply cricket and uranium, the nations also shared a naval presence in the Indian Ocean as well as a shared diplomatic, economic, and political interest in the bulk of the Asian continent that lies to the east of India and to the northwest of Australia? region that neither country had given much attention to in decades past. Today, India's relationship with Australia falls into several areas. The first and foremost is a history of association with the British Empire, which in many ways paved the way for other aspects of the relationship. The English language is spoken in Australia, and probably spoken by even more people in India than the entire population of Australia combined. Furthermore, the two countries are the two largest democracies in the region surrounding East Asia, and particularly China as well as the Indian Ocean. Both have had growing ties with the United States during the years of the Bush administration and the War on Terror, a nd thus share many common military and defense goals? precursor for Australians brief increase of uranium supply for India. India and Australia are also economic partners, as both have strong and quickly developing economies. India, with its especially fast development, relies on Australia for the supply of raw materials, while Australia profits from such a supply and thus finds that its economy is strengthened by trade with India more than it is by other countries in South and Southeast Asia. Finally, India offers a democratic and secure alternative to trading with China, which has been known for nuclear proliferation. India and Australia also share an educational exchange, as many Indians look to Australia for English-speaking institutions of study, while Australians have sought to expand the existence of South Asian studies programs that focus on India. Indeed, the evidence exists to show that the relationship between India and Australia is one of note and great potential. The tw o countries recognize many common interests, and while they do not directly benefit one another's top agendas, they do have a mutually beneficial existence in regards to regional security, trade, immigration, education, and politics. Although these may be many aspects of an overall largely