Spain Essays (1185 words) - Autonomous Communities Of Spain, Spain

Spain The country of Spain lies on the continent of Europe. It is located forty degrees north and four degrees west. The capital of Spain, Madrid, is located in the central region known as the Centro-Meseta. The country of Spain is made up of four regions: El norte, El este, El sur, and Centro-Meseta. Spain's large area of 195,988 square miles covers about five sixths of the Iberian Peninsula. It is one of the largest countries in Western Europe. At its widest point, Spain stretches 635 miles from east to west. It stretches about 550 miles north to south. Spain's longest coastline lies along the Mediterranean Sea and stretches for almost 1700 miles from the eastern end of the Pyrenees mountain chain to the strait of Gibraltar. The Pyrenees, one of Europe's largest mountain chains, is 270 miles long. They are practically impassable to humans because are formed from only steep gorges that lead higher summits.Spain is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean called the Gulf of Cadiz. The Huelva, Rota, and Cadiz ports lie on this coast and further up the Guadalquivir River is the ancient transportation center Seville. Some other major rivers in Spain are the Douro, Tagus, and Ebro rivers. Spain's currency is the peseta and is currently equal to one hundred centimos. The exchange rate has one U. S. Dollar for 134.61 pesetas. More that thirty-nine million people reside in the country of Spain. That is because it is made up of a large ethnic diversity. Its location between Europe and Africa has resulted in a great mixing of races and cultures. The only distinct minority group generally recognized as outside the racial-cultural mainstream of Spanish society is made up of Gypsies, many of whom still follow nomadic life-style along the roads and highways. Fairly large communities of settled Gypsies are found in the cities of Mucia, Granada, Barcelona, and Madrid. Spain is overwhelmingly urban, with seventy-six percent of its people living in towns and cities. This concentration of Spain's people heightens the impression of emptiness that so often is commented on by the travelers, specially those who cross the Meseta. Most of the Spanish portion of the Iberian Peninsula is very thinly populated. In the Centro-Meseta region only the areas around Madrid and Saragossa have dense settlement. There are many different kinds of languages spoken in Spain. Modern Spanish also referred to as Castilian, is spoken throughout Spain and is the official language. Castilian is often a second language, not a mother tongue. In el norte two regional languages are widely spoken. One, the language of Basque people, is called Euskara. It is on of Europe's oldest languages but is different from the Indo-European and Uralic languages spoken across the rest of Europe. The constitution of 1978 made Euskara an official local language and afforded increased political autonomy to the Basque provinces. In the region of Galicia a language known as Gallego is widely used, and also since 1978 it too has been recognized as an official language to be taught in schools. Modern Portuguese evolved from Gallego, which resembles a cross between Portuguese and Spanish. From eighty to eighty five percent of Galicia's three million inhabitants speak Gallego. Attempt have been made to standardize the spelling and grammar, but they have not been entirely successful. A kind of common Galician language is beginning to emerge as a spoken tongue in the province's larger towns.Catalan is another language that enjoys a special status under Spain's constitution. It is a "romance" language with highly developed literature. Most of the seven million people who speak Catalan are located in El este. It is the official language in the three communities Catalonia, Valencia, and Balearics. Catalan Speakers also live in the eastern fringe of Aragon, Andorra, southwestern France, and part of Sardinia. Catalonia's government promotes its official language both at home and in other countries. Religion is very important to most Spaniards. Many Spanish people are baptized, married and buried as members of the Roman Catholic church. Under the 1978 constitution the church is no longer Spain's official or established faith, though financial support is still provided by the state. As a result, the church's influence in Spanish society has declined sharply, though officially more than ninety four percent of the population is reported as being Roman Catholic. The church supported the democratic movement and so helped foster the new attitude of tolerance and personal freedom found in present-day Spain. Many of Spain's non-Catholic citizens are members of some Protestant Church. Small Eastern Orthodox congregations are found along with Muslim and Jewish

Chromosome Function and Mutation

Chromosome Function and Mutation A chromosome is a long, stringy aggregate of genes that carries heredity information and is formed from condensed chromatin. Chromatin is composed of DNA and proteins that are tightly packed together to form  chromatin fibers. Condensed chromatin fibers form chromosomes. Chromosomes are located within the nucleus of our cells. They are paired together (one from the mother and one from the father) and are known as homologous chromosomes. During cell division, chromosomes are replicated and distributed equally among each new daughter cell. Key Takeaways: Chromosomes Chromosomes are composed of DNA and proteins packed tightly to form long chromatin fibers. Chromosomes house genes responsible for the inheritance of traits and guidance of life processes.Chromosome structure consists of a long arm region and a short arm region connected at a central region known as a centromere. The ends of a chromosome are called telomeres.Duplicated or replicated chromosomes have the familiar X-shape and are composed of identical sister chromatids.During cell division, sister chromatids separate and are incorporated into new daughter cells.Chromosomes contain the genetic codes for protein production. Proteins regulate vital cellular processes and provide structural support for cells and tissues.Chromosome mutations result in changes in chromosome structure or changes in cellular chromosome numbers. Mutations most often have harmful consequences. Chromosome Structure A telomere is a region of the DNA sequence at the end of a chromosome. Their function is to protect the ends of the chromosome from degradation. Here they are visible as highlights at the tips of the chromosomes. Credit: Science Picture Co/Subjects/Getty Images A non-duplicated chromosome is single-stranded and consists of a centromere region that connects two arm regions. The short arm region is called the p arm and the long arm region is called the ​q arm. The end region of a chromosome is called a telomere. Telomeres consist of repeating non-coding DNA  sequences that get shorter as a cell divides. Chromosome Duplication Chromosome duplication occurs prior to the division processes of mitosis and meiosis. DNA replication processes allow correct chromosome numbers to be preserved after the original cell divides. A duplicated chromosome is comprised of two identical chromosomes called sister chromatids that are connected at the centromere region. Sister chromatids remain together until the end of the division process where they are separated by spindle fibers and enclosed within separate cells. Once the paired chromatids separate from one another, each is known as a daughter chromosome. Chromosomes and Cell Division Chromosomes are threadlike structures composed of DNA and proteins. During cell division, chromosomes consist of two arms, or chromatids, which are joined by a centromere. Joined chromatids are called sister chromatids. Credit: Adrian T Sumner/The Image Bank/Getty Images One of the most important elements of successful cell division is the correct distribution of chromosomes. In mitosis, this means that chromosomes must be distributed between two daughter cells. In meiosis, chromosomes must be distributed among four daughter cells. The cells spindle apparatus is responsible for moving chromosomes during cell division. This type of cell movement is due to interactions between spindle microtubules and motor proteins, which work together to manipulate and separate chromosomes. It is vitally important that a correct number of chromosomes be preserved in dividing cells. Errors that occur during cell division may result in individuals with unbalanced chromosome numbers. Their cells may have either too many or not enough chromosomes. This type of occurrence is known as aneuploidy and may happen in autosomal chromosomes during mitosis or in sex chromosomes during meiosis. Anomalies in chromosome numbers can result in birth defects, developmental disabilities, and death. Chromosomes and Protein Production DNA is transcribed and translated to produce proteins. Reverse transcription converts RNA to DNA. ttsz/iStock/Getty Images Plus   Protein production is a vital cell process that is dependent upon chromosomes and DNA. Proteins are important molecules that are necessary for almost all cell functions. Chromosomal DNA contains segments called genes that code for proteins. During protein production, the DNA unwinds and its coding segments are transcribed into an RNA transcript. This copy of the DNA message is exported from the nucleus and then translated to form a protein. Ribosomes and another RNA molecule, called transfer RNA, work together to bind to the RNA transcript and convert the coded message into a protein. Chromosome Mutation Genetic Mutation. BlackJack3D/E/Getty Images Chromosome mutations are changes that occur in chromosomes and are typically the result of either errors that happen during meiosis or by exposure to mutagens such as chemicals or radiation. Chromosome breakage and duplications can cause several types of chromosome structural changes that are typically harmful to the individual. These types of mutations result in chromosomes with extra genes, not enough genes, or genes that are in the wrong sequence. Mutations can also produce cells that have abnormal numbers of chromosomes. Abnormal chromosome numbers typically occur as a result of nondisjunction or the failure of homologous chromosomes to separate properly during meiosis.

University of Mary Washington Costs and Admissions Data

University of Mary Washington Costs and Admissions Data The University of Mary Washington has an acceptance rate of 74  percent, making it   accessible to the majority of applicants. Those interested in attending Mary Washington will need to submit an application (the school accepts the Common Application), along with scores from the ACT or SAT, high school transcripts, and a letter of recommendation.   Admissions Data (2016) University of Mary Washington Acceptance Rate: 74%GPA, SAT and ACT graph for UMWTest Scores 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 510 / 620SAT Math: 500 / 590SAT Writing: - / -What these SAT numbers meanTop Virginia colleges SAT comparisonSAT scores for public Virginia collegesACT Composite: 22 / 27ACT English: 21 / 28ACT Math: 21  / 26What these ACT numbers meanTop Virginia colleges ACT comparisonACT scores for public Virginia colleges University of Mary Washington Description Named after the mother of George Washington, the University of Mary Washington was the womens college of the University of Virginia before going co-ed in 1970. The University of Mary Washington is one of the rare  public liberal arts colleges  in the country, and it provides students with the access to faculty one would expect at a small private college, but the cost is significantly less. The primary campus is located in Fredericksburg, Virginia, midway between Richmond and Washington, D.C. UMW also has a branch campus for its graduate programs located in Stafford, Virginia. In athletics, popular sports include basketball, equestrian, volleyball, soccer, field hockey, and lacrosse. Enrollment (2016) Total Enrollment: 4,726 (4,357 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 36% Male / 64% Female89% Full-time Costs (2016 - 17) Tuition and Fees: $11,630  (in-state); $26,220  (out-of-state)Books: $1,200 (why so much?)Room and Board: $10,104Other Expenses: $2,892Total Cost: $25,826  (in-state); $40,416 (out-of-state) University of Mary Washington Financial Aid (2015  - 16) Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 87%Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 80%Loans: 50%Average Amount of AidGrants: $5,363Loans: $7,410 Academic Programs Most Popular Majors:  Biology, Business Administration, English, History, Interdisciplinary Studies, Liberal Arts, Political Science, Psychology. Graduation, Retention and Transfer Rates First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 83%Transfer-out Rate: 24%4-Year Graduation Rate: 62%6-Year Graduation Rate: 72% Intercollegiate Athletic Programs Mens Sports:  Baseball, Basketball, Riding, Lacrosse, Swimming, TennisWomens Sports:  Field Hockey, Riding, Tennis, Volleyball, Soccer Data Source National Center for Educational Statistics If You Like UMW, You May Also Like These Schools: Christopher Newport University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphJames Madison University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphRoanoke College:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphFerrum College:  Profile  Marymount University:  Profile  College of William Mary:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphGeorge Mason University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphSweet Briar College:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphVirginia Wesleyan College:  Profile  Radford University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT Graph Mary Washington and the Common Application The University of Mary Washington uses the  Common Application. These articles can help guide you: Common Application essay tips and samplesShort answer tips and samplesSupplemental essay tips and samples

Business Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Business Ethics - Essay Example The organization is headquartered at Canary Wharf, London, United Kingdom. HSBC Holdings Plc was founded by Sir Thomas Sutherland in the year 1865. Officially HSBC Holdings Plc was established during the year 1991. Forbes magazine has announced HSBC as 6th largest publicly traded organization. Intraday market capitalization of the company is $122.65 billion (Yahoo Finance, 2012). Product & Service Mix HSBC focuses on delivering various services like investment banking services, retail banking services, global private banking and wealth management. The company has emerged as one of the leading banking service provider internationally. Company products comprises of long term and short term loans, current and savings account, insurance schemes, credit cards, fixed deposits and advisory services. Brief SWOT Analysis Strength Weakness The bank has established global scale operation and prolonged international network. The company has created strong cash reserve ratio which helps them to d iversify business operation HSBC has reduced volatility of cash flow by using diversified revenue mix. Strong financial muscles of HSBC have helped them to create sustainable corporate strategy. The bank has experienced not only asset quality deterioration but profit margin shrinkage also. Market capitalization of HSBC has declined due to poor performance of SBUs. HSBC has low control over unlawful activities like money laundering in the currency trading process Opportunities Threat HSBC has the opportunity to increase enterprise value by controlling existing portfolio. HSBC can expand business in emerging market such as Asia and Latin America. They can increase market share by focusing on low interest mortgage business. Entering emerging market will not be easy for HSBC due to strict regulatory framework of countries like India (Reserve bank of India) and China. Retail deposit might increase funding cost for HSBC in near future (Source: HSBC, 2011) Business Ethics Business ethics h as evolved as a significant management concern for organizations in present time. Many organizations in USA have understood the importance of business ethics and have therefore designed ethical assistance lines for employees to report business and ethical concern to top level management. Following diagram can be used to understand importance of ethical assistance lines for organizations. (Source: Ferrell, Fraedrich, and Ferrell, 2012, p.222) Academic scholars have dissected business ethics into two parts like Descriptive Business Ethics (morality of a business is justified by ethical rules for fair trade policy in this model) and Normative Business Ethics (this is a supportive model which specifies after work required decreasing or discouraging unfair trade practices). Business ethics covers variety of issues like political situation, legal framework of the system, economic responsibility and moral values of business organization (Brenkert, 2004, p. 188). Research scholars have poin ted out that business ethics can work in multidimensional manner in order to fulfil various organizational issues. Hooker has underpinned following guidelines for business ethics. Organizations need to establish a transparent and fair incentive and remuneration structure for top level executives. Organizations need to follow government rule in order to discourage stakeholders from doing illegal activities Leading companies should encourage healthy competition by allowing small firms to enter in business environment.

The Startups. Ability to be organized, communication and self Assignment

The Startups. Ability to be organized, communication and self awareness - Assignment Example One of the commonest animate expectations of organizations and business is what has been referred to in management as organizational traits and characteristics. These organizational traits and characteristics have been found to be very important in the organization, growth and development of businesses. Indeed, as much as it is important for organizations to possess organizational traits and characteristics during all aspects of the growth cycle, one stage of growth that this these organizational traits and characteristics affect organizations most is at the early and startup stages (Goedhuys & Sleuwaegen, 2009). Generally, the organization’s traits and characteristics can make or unmake its subsequent growth fortunes. In this paper, four important organizational traits and characteristics that can help the new business in Brazil growth and succeed in the competitive market are discussed. Ability to be organized The startup company assumes the description and name of an Ã¢â‚¬Ë œorganization’ perhaps because it is expected to be well organized. By organization, reference is being made to the ability of all structures within the organization to be well laid and accurately assigned. The structures of the organization would best be described as the various responsibilities that are expected to be delivered within the organization and the people who are expected to deliver them (Batjargal, 2006). For startup companies, managers and entrepreneurs should have the ability of knowing all the roles that are expected to be played within the organization and the people who can best play these roles if assigned to. Another component and aspect of ability to organize has also been identified to be the organization of organizational needs. Generally, it is when the needs of the organization are well organized that the best structural organizations needed to bring about the achievement of the needs will be identified (Capelleras et al, 2010). As to how this trait and characteristic of ability to be organized is more likely to bring about success, it will be said that without a good organizational skill, it is likely no one would be comfortable doing business with the new company. This is because in order for investors and other stakeholders to trust their affairs with an organization, they must have a level of guarantee that the organization itself is well organized. As the maxim goes, a blind man cannot lead a blind man. Effective communication with people around Communication is an important aspect of startup companies. It has been said that entrepreneurs and investors who start up businesses newly must be in the position to effectively communicate with those around (Benzing, Chu & Callanan, 2005). Generally, the ability to effectively communicate the visions, needs, dreams, and ideas of the new business to people around represents the degree to which the visions, needs, dreams, and ideas will be supported by those around. Meanwhile, no si ngle person is able to singlehandedly man any serious organization into growth and supported. It is therefore important that entrepreneurs will have the capacity of rightly communicating to others to gain support. It must be noted that support for an organization’s growth and development comes in many different forms including financial, logistics, and human resource. Even in cases where the head of the business is not able to rightly let his human resource base know what is expected of them in the growth and development of the company, the human resource will not be empowered much enough to do the

The Citibank Strategy Using Ebusiness Marketing Essay

The Citibank Strategy Using Ebusiness Marketing Essay Introduction The Citibank started in 1812 in the city of New York in the United States of America, the bank started with very limited funds selling mostly insurance policies and investments, the bank was one of the first national bank in the US, developed very early in the late 19th century, the bank expanded fast and gain customers confidence quickly which made other banks fear the fast growing Citibank, later became called the Citigroup which involved other financial sectors and joined the integration business operations with other companies. The bank created new business opportunities, for many business by offering loans and shares, the company has created the business cards which made it easy to deal with the money transactions and other payment methods, the credit cards use to be fast for that period of time, but with the fast growing use of the cards, the business boomed and other method for money transactions being required, the Citibank was one of the first banks to create the online e-business solutions to ease the work load on their employees, reduce the cost of papers with paperless statements to customers, and increase the speed of communications. The banks competition has increase in the past few years, the invention of the e-business and software solution has took the banks systems and advanced it for the befits of both the banks and their customers, the innovation resulted in the increase in competition using any methods to win and control the markets, the competition has two ways of competitions, the perfect and the monopolistic, the Citibank used both of them, shared benefits with perfects competition using integrated business plans with other banks and business partners and used the monopolistic to introduce cheaper prices and shared investments with overseas beneficiaries without the concern of the impact on the US markets. The Citibank used many strategies in their plans, using the strategy to compete in the market needs plan to monitor the financial market and the stock market very closely, the bank introduce the prices very carefully when it comes to use the monopolistic approach which gives them the lead in the price manipulation, the other strategy is the marketing which is the most important factor in increasing sales margin in the tangible assets and improving the companys image in the intangible assets, using the e-business for marketing has advanced very much and the online marketing has proofed of its capabilities and worth, using the e-business for marketing needed analysis from the Citibank to evaluate the situation from time to time to manage their marketing operations and strategy. The Citibank after researching, analysing, and deciding to use their plan for all the strategies mentioned which helped them for a century of financial products and services, the company realise that any business will do anything to survive the unexpected, using the perfect theory or monopolistic are the same it does not make them evil or unethical bank, the appearance in the market and the competition comes from nowhere, are the bomb shill of the financial market and any market, the Citibank working according the stock and financial market changes and the variability of the market is controlled by no one except the fear or the stable characters that manage and operate in the markets. E-Business services strategy The computer age, came and change businesses how they functions and run, the invention of the software and other computer solutions made the business life easier and intruded speed at the work place, the new invention has two sides, the first is an advantage for the business around the world for the reason mentioned, the disadvantage is the increasing in unemployment, the more software invented the more people lay back of work and the machines taking over, lots of machinery will be controlled and operated by one employee. The whole software process done automatically, the only time is the bank human resources interfere in human contact when the situation get out of hand and investigation is a must, the bank will launch private investigation for each case, the website of the bank has many features and facilities that allow the clients and customers to brows into their products and services. (Bodily, 2004) Citibank one of many companies who are responsible for making much redundancy around the world and trusted the new world innovation in e-business and its functions, for example in the past anything get to do with bills, paper work, transactions authorisation, companys editing, needs many processor employees to deal with the requirements and the time spending on that job will take months to complete especially if there is mistakes or error by human touch, the new innovation in the software computing system the two most advantages that mentioned, the speed of the process will take few minutes for applications to be filled and the completion of a task will take few days instead of months, if any mistakes occur, the software automatically will fix the error and issue a report for that matter, Citibank has a website that uses very strong encryption database which includes all the work needs and security for protection from any unexpected hackers attack, or competitors trying to invade the Citibank privacy which is common in the monopolistic competition. (Bodily, 2004) Figure 1 the diagram illustrated the e-business operation between individual and the bank / the source Google image. The diagram gives the idea of how the data and information transfer between customers and the bank, the data will go through many authentication procedures before reach the other end with seconds or minutes, the strong and secure database needs more bit encryption codes, the software solutions has only agreed user names and pass words for the companys employees to identify them and allow them to inter the main domain software to be able to manipulate the database and do the work in a safest way, the combinations of the system is very complicated and has millions of different codes and has countless numbers, the other security and safety for the Citibank online services that have been innovated and made dealing with the bank with more confidence is that Citibank introduce the secure online personal accounts for customers which allow individuals to go online and need to put the password then put the various numbers in different page and then ask for the account holder some questions, t hen when all this done in just few seconds the bank account page gives you information of the last time you visited the page, if the user sees it was not him/ her visited, then the bank ask customers to be informed immediately and the bank will freeze the account till further investigation done. (Smart Computing, 1999) The bank also provide credit cards products, the cards would be partnership contract with the VISA, MASTER CARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS, and DINNER, the bank provide these cards to customers through contract done between the Citibank and the cards companies, contract between the customer and the cards companies, and the Citibank and customers, the bank will fill automated application through the safe their database and the cards companies database, the application takes few minutes and the answer will be approved or declined, if its approved, the bank will fill automated application to part that is designed for the bank in the application confirm the authorisations of money and the card, the bank then will issue another automated application between them and the customer for a contract that guarantee the customer will agree to their policies and receive the cash with guaranteed safety, the bank then will try to sell the customer their favourite product which is the insurance for the loan j ust in case of unemployment, sickness, or other reason that will be related to the customer un able to pay the loan back, the card issuer will take few days to process the card and transaction of the cash will be automatically processed, this process in the past would take months to complete. (Daft, 2008) The Citibank products and services, promise that the new innovation way of the bank functions are simple, fast, and secure, so the bank when provide online process of application the promise to ensure the customers service and support through the period which the customer requires, the bank provided claims facilitation for the online support that was designed for communication between the bank and customers, the products such as insurance has various style and designed to different segments, there is life insurance just in case of any deaths in the family, health insurance that designed for reduce the hassle of GBs and hospitals and give peace of mind just in case of health emergency, travel insurance for families or individual just in case flights cancelled or trouble in the process of the airport or anything related to travel, insurance on property includes business and private properties which the bank made it compulsory if the customer took the loan from the Citibank, in some ins urance the Citibank require customers to fill application and provide all the personal data then the insurance will be immediately effective, and other insurance needs to be investigated after filling the online application such as home insurance. (Robbins, 2001) The Citibank with all these e-business products and services, the software companies didnt stop on providing the online services at this point but gone much far than that, the database between them and customers, the use of the mobile phones has increase comparing to the 90s when its first used, in that time such use only for calls and maybe some companies give the customers privilege of SMS in the old encryption data, the calls were too noisy and the and the online or internet werent invented yet, the banks customers would be advised to visit the bank very often to ensure of his/her bank account running smoothly. (Earl, 1999) The software companies has created a system similar to the online on the internet on computers, the use of the internet on mobiles phones has topped the chart for businessmen, students on the go, businessmen needs the internet handy when they travelling and some data to be sent right away and this data sometimes contain important contents, other important use is that sometime some money transactions to be confirmed before deadlines, so some deals to be completed, Citibank asked the software solution company to use their latest innovation in mobiles technology with their bank services by contacting and facilitate the online services with mobile online personal accounts, the contracts set again with two parties, the first one is the bank with data transferred securely online on the mobile, second is the mobile company such as Vodafone, Orange, and T-Mobile and others, the contract will allow the bank to use and manipulate their database online through different encryption that designed solely for the mobile use only and allow Citibank customers only to process their online personal bank, in return for this service the bank will encore little charges that will go to the mobile phones company for their allowing the bank and the bank customers through their technology. In the past the needs for data transfer, information feed, on the go messages between the bank and the customers were not even a dream, people wouldnt believe the idea or someday some technological advancement would get to the point where SMS messages will reach the internet mobile services, but now in the use of the mobile services has reached customers that wouldnt be possible before, the bank provided SMS services that will allow customers to go through their bank accounts online on their mobile phones and check their messages from the bank to inform them of the balance and their statements, they even give a code to short SMS messages with 52484 which allow the customer to go direct to the page as this code being published on the Citibank website, the other thing that resulted from the contract between the bank and the phone companies is that both companies will have shared advertising, the bank using the phone companies will recommends the contracted phone companies to their cust omers and the phone companies will advertise for free in their phones pages for the bank, in this way both companies using each other customers, the diagram structure illustrated in the next diagram shows the e-mobile new invention of how data and information being used and what structures involved in the data transfer through only mobiles encrypted codes. (Earl, 1999) Figure 2 the diagram illustrates the e-mobile operation structure / the source: Google image. The Citibank also provides online services such as paying the utilities bills such as gas bill, electricity bill, the services will be encrypted to suit the transactions between banks, for example the customers go online and choose the feature that say mange your bills, the page will identify the codes encrypted when password inserted, the page then appears and the customer will be required by the bank to fill some form online, then after the page completed the software automatically asks from the customer to wait for the application process, the page then will appear to confirm the transactions form the bank page to the company that issued the bill and sending email confirm the payments. (Earl, 1999) The bank even invented a saving system plans for their customers using the automatic savings accounts, for example the technology software designed for customers, to deposit a certain amount of money let say $500, the cash in two year will automatically work through very complicated data allow the number work itself through some investments, the calculation data would be inserted in advance into the system so the money will be calculated each month automatically, taking certain percentage from the investments cut despite the investments success or fail, the calculation set to have the cut from the investments automatically to the customers bank accounts, the procedures through the e-business are very complicated, so no one allowed to altered or changed it, other investments that the customer will share the data designed to allow the customers share the loss of some investments if they decline and the contract is very clear about this on the online application, the clients on the othe r hand have different shares and different applications that only allowed clients or companies to enter private domains on the software solution main page. (Handy, 1997) Figure 3 the diagram illustrates the Oracle application server which allow only secure data transfer / the source: Google image. The diagram illustrates the type of server that they use which carry strong bits and security software to enhance the protection of their customers, the software also give customers other benefits such as input and output information without the system break down. One of the biggest Citibank investments products is, the mutual fund investments which the software give customers the challenge to compare their prices online, through their own URL and websites to guarantee the customers the promise of fairness and give customers the taste of the investments that will change their life forever, the bank realise that advertising for their products is not enough, they had to take the challenge with the help of the technology through comparison with other banks or building societies offers online, the offer includes the extra benefits that Citibank willing to give up for their customers for the benefits of both the bank and their customers, the Citibank already researched the use of the comp arison software and understood its methods, the more benefits to customers the more the software will put them on the top of the comparison list, and that how the software has been designed not for specific bank, its mutual contract for the benefit of everybody involved in this equation of cat and mouse, the strategies of the Citibank are differ from country to country and region to the region, the websites are so many and each one has different language and different approach even though the target is the same to increase profit and inter new markets, the use of the online banking has the same benefits for any nationality or culture, and the Citibank has designed many websites for their bank all over the world. (Handy, 1997) Citibank Strategic Methods The Citibank operates using two theories, using the perfect theory and the monopolistic theory, the perfect competition theory when the market is deciding and have prices control, and all companies are happy with it, no one has the power in controlling the prices function, the Citibank perfect competition allow other companies to share the competition, in the other side of the competition theory is the Monopolistic competition which apply its hard line attack on prices, companies who are ready to take this road has opportunities to use the market in an odd way to gain profits dealing in this kind of competition and selling products, the market easy to use one way enter and the other way exit and no obligations, there are many products and consumers in this market but no business has total control as the prices sometimes change according to circumstances such as financial market changing. (Borden, 2009) Since the beginning of the world financial problems few years the Far East governments have a contingency plan to protect their economy by not depending on one sector or one business as they formed a plan of Diversification in both the government and private sector in which made them pass the credit crunch that happened in the US market regarding the Citibank business in which show that the overseas branch has survived the decline stage comparing to the other banks in the US market because of the freedom of ability to change some regulations overseas that depends on the circumstances. (Carr, 2003) Figure 4 the table illustrates the bank balance sheet for internal use by the Company/ the source: Google image The table above illustrates the basic known balance sheets for bank and building societies; the balance sheet help the bank determine the revenue and expenditures for the company annual statements. The Citibank starts to follow the plan in which suits all their market audience mostly new segments and new markets, The banks move was to educate employees, and provide proper training and understanding about the culture of each region, and understanding the laws and legislations of each government separately and make sure that the managers have the right management equipments and tools for running the company overseas. (Carr, 2003) The good strategic move Citibank is to change the image that developed lately about company abroad, the first one is the use an ethical way of supporting some takeaway business with loans that use food processing with chemicals seeds to grow a paltry, without realising that the bank movement has been calculated and monitored from different ethical groups. So Citibank try to change this image by come close to the community and show them how they follow the right way, they only support those who are following the right ethical path, especially the local religion and culture in some Far East countries such as Indonesia about following the ethical ways, introducing HALAL bank account which does not charge interests on any bank account in the Islamic way, on the other side of the world, in the US the plans didnt work the way Citibank hoped, the ethical groups are fiercely attacking the bank plans of supporting companies that uses chemicals and damaging the environments, which resulted in controversy and debates, and that wasnt the only case. (Borden, 2009) The Citibank get involved in many unethical cases such as relying on foreign investments that depends on cash and not involved the concern of the ethical side, the case involved allowing overseas investors who are involved or suspected in wrong doing in the banks shares, and other cases such as running from paying taxes on some secret investments overseas that not has been registered in the US tax department. (Borden, 2009) Marketing Strategies The most aspect of the banks business, or any business for that matter, the company abilities to sell their products and services, the way of represent themselves and how a company can promote themselves with careful approach to the other businesses and the public, the most important thing for the Citibank using the marketing techniques is the use of the HR to control the damage that has been a headache all these years. (Kotler, Keller, Brady, and Goodman, 2009) The Citibank used the strategies such as the four Peas, the strategy which proofed success in the market because of its accurate analysis to identify their assets such as tangible and intangible, the assets have great power impact on any business, when identify what the company as place, product, price, promotion, the company can determine the immediate situation of what they have and compare it to the market and their competitors, the bank will find where they stand in the market, using other analysis such as the market the BCG which means the product life cycle, any company use this matrix can determine their products or service if its worth selling it in the market or its waste of investments in new product or service. (Kotler, Keller, Brady, and Goodman, 2009) Figure 5 the diagram illustrates the 4Ps matrix for the marketing mix/ the source: Google image. The 4Ps in this diagram explain the basic 4Ps matrix and its marketing mix, the Citibank uses this matrix all the time to determine their own marketing mix, start with the products, the bank provided the world with the finest banks services and products which adding new various extra every time the market require the change such as the e-business and update and renewal of the computer systems, if the bank does not use these techniques they wouldnt know that the markets needs the changes and the products will be the same and nothing extra or no variation in products will be added, products and services innovation coming in the same category of the variation which products and services needed to be inspired by the old ones, the inspiration comes also form the customers needs such as the customer easy to use a bank account and the ability to manipulate his/her own bank account which came possible with the e-business. The place or the locations in the marketing mix, suppose to be the first choice for any business the distribution channels which is favourite by any bank around the world to be able to connect with their customers, the Citibank has many locations around the world that enable them to sell direct to customers and increase communications with their clients as well as the public, when talking about the place in the past, someone will understand is only the locations , but with todays technology advancement age, the concept has changed and place in the marketing mix also means the online services which include all the features that are available on sites, everything customers needs it will be on their websites, including choosing of any language, data, design that suit individuals, business 2 business communications, data and cash transfer, and many more. (Li, 2007) The price of the Citibank always using the price elasticity to compete in the market, the hard line prices which force customers to buy the products without compromise is out of the question, the plan of the bank always have variations as well as the products, the prices are different targeting different segments such as students cards which has a different price charges than adults or pensioners, the Citibank uses the penetration price techniques which allow them to set a price for a market solely for the penetrate the market, for example a basic bank service or product cost a certain amount in the market, to penetrate that market the Citibank as a large experience company set challenging and competitive price known that other banks will not try to do the same, in this case the Citibank penetrate that market in that specific product or service knowing that they won that product or service. Finally the promotion, a technique in the marketing mix that give a chance to the bank to identify the present promotion techniques and what are the new competitive techniques, the first thing this technique depend on is the mass communications, the communication will be between the Citibank and their marketing company that has a complete management system designed especially for this kind of function, for example when the Citibank faced all that unethical fiasco and the controversy that came with it, the marketing team and the PR of the company unit with the marketing company to do damage control and set the right criteria for releasing statement right away, and didnt stop in that, the PR of the company kept appearing in different media channels, a newspapers, magazines and TV shows to calm the press down and proof that the bank actions are ethical and responsible. (Poter, 1998) Conclusion The Citibank as a large corporation, started as an effort of ambitious individuals who saw the future in something that became multinational company later, the company has offered the world many great products and services, created many opportunities and jobs for the public, helped the yearly capitalism to evolve with a system that proofed its success for over a hundred years, the company helped the world of how to create management system, increase communications techniques, helped in many researches and projects that contributed to the world of business of today, each individual in the leading senior management throughout the history of Citibank has created something new for the companys systems functions, walking with the changes and the obstacles that have occurred in the last 100 years has made the company stronger and wiser and that is why the company deserve the praise for success even though their main target is the cash. The company technological advancement and co-ordination in communication, helped the company to maintain the lead in the banking business, when the technology of online business came about in the middle of the twenty century by many Microsoft companies, the computer appears in many companies offices and start to be part of the business, the public then has no idea who information and cash being transferred or market works. The Microsoft companies start to challenge each other in the software technology which transferred the business function forever with the e-business and working online, the future of the e-business the way Microsoft sees it, it depend on the customers demand because the world markets today are leading positions on any business or functions is the (demand word), the businesses realise that the demand age is here and depends on the future customer imaginations and liking, the Microsoft predictions are creating software that calculate for the customer all the banking options and give them the best deals not only what is going on today which present the customers with choice of best deals on comparison sites, the future calculation is counting the person best interest of the charges and the system in the future will force bank system to change to concentrate on the customers interest rather than the cash and sales that generated by venerable customers who are being charged with lots of m oney and they have been cornered by greed of the banks. The Citibank plan is to create a new management system that can monitor changes in the unexpected events that force immediate actions; the plan will includes the increase in partnerships with feared competitors who are causing Citibank money and effort to keep them out of bay, these companies not only in the bank business but also in the other business functions using the help of the US governments senators and other congress Politians power to force laws and regulations to be adjusted or removed to suit few rival companies, the Citibank has their own share in the equation of power but to illuminate the surprises, their plan to come closer to the rival its one of their priorities. The Citibank uses a software system that connect them straight to the financial and the stock markets, using the online e-business has helped them to monitor changes in the rate of exchange and the stock market share, as the Citibank corporation operates overseas, their actions depending on the rate of exchange and enhance their profits and revenues, the bank trying to regulate the e-business system with their overseas rivals in the banking business and create rate exchange monitoring system that will be specialised in the movements of the transactions, rather than the present system that only depends on the market movements and the price that would lead them to follow the market price regardless of their rate exchange concern, even though the Citibank used their tricks in the past, the company fears from the consequences that leading to the media scandals and public mistrust. Finally the Citibank is the company that has contribute for many years, delivered to the public great bank system, introducing e-business cost money, time, and effort to research it and implemented, the future for the bank business is bright and looking rather well, the bank system always will put the revenue ahead of their customers and that is the way business world functions.

Leadership of Richard Branson Essay

Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Group has been a household name in the United Kingdom for over twenty years. He is well respected in the business world. He is the founder of the Virgin Group, which is known for many different things such as cell phones, record labels, airlines and many more. â€Å"Branson is also known for his unique character and leadership styles, one who is not afraid to take risks, and believes that people are the foundation to his company’s success. If I were to first characterize his leadership style I would say he is definitely a democratic leader. He truly feels that getting other peoples input and listening to what people have to say are a core value to him. He carries a notebook in his pocket all the time just in case he hears something interesting from people that he interacts with on any level. Whether it be an employee, friend, business partner or complete stranger, for him he knows that good ideas can come from anywhere and anytime (Leade rship Styles, 2006).† According to Psychologist Kurt Lewin, democratic leaders make the final decisions, but they include team members in the decision-making process. They encourage creativity, and people are often highly engaged in projects and decisions. As a result, team members tend to have high job satisfaction and high productivity. This is not always an effective style to use, though, when you need to make a quick decision. The business dictionary website corresponds in its meaning of a democratic leadership style stating that the style involves a team where all persons are included in the decision-making process as well as the procedural course of action. According to an article in Entrepreneur, there is almost nothing Richard Branson won’t do to promote his company. As eccentric as this plights may be, they have made Virgin one of the best-known and most popular brand names in the world. The article goes on to explain how his strange business and managerial strategies have created a $5 billion empire. Richard Branson has also been referred to as a visionary leader. The visionary leadership style is described as â€Å"a big-picture thinker who sets clear standards and inspires with a sense of shared mission, the visionary leader can be overbearing (Blustein, 2013).† When asked about his  leadership style, Richard Branson says he makes sure he is surrounded by team builders who can make sure that the needs of individual employees do not get lost in the pursuit of a grand vision. He also says to think twice before showing the smart people who work for you how much smarter you are (Blustein, 2013).† Emotional Intelligence is defined as â€Å"skill in perceiving, understanding, and managing emotions and feelings, awareness of one’s own emotions and moods and those of others, especially in managing people, an awareness of and ability to manage emotions and create motivation (Dictionary.com, 2014).† Richard Branson is an example of emotional intelligence in practice. In 2003, the commercial successes in the highly competitive and volatile Australian Aviation Industry, with the launch of Virgin Blue’s corporate existence, the company has achieved 30% market share of the Australian domestic air travel market and is due to fl oat on the Australian stock exchange at a capitalization of billions. Branson’s leadership capability characterized by emotional intelligence, has been evident through his ability to relate to motivate and unify staff from this industry at a time when many airline employees were disillusioned and skeptical in a third airline’s ability to successfully operate in the Australian market (Carlson, Voola,& West, 2004).† This shows how the unique aspects of Richard Branson’s leadership style mesh successfully with the particular attributes of the multifaceted organization that is Virgin. Richard Branson is known to motivate employees by encouraging all employees to apply for jobs at other Virgin companies that they find interesting. In recent years, a few Virgin companies have provoked as a result; we often refer to them as our â€Å"shot in the arm† companies. They show customers and employees what our business stands for, and often inspire our teams at other businesses to try new challenges. Another way Branson keeps employees engaged is by inviting them to take part in company events, like the Virgin Mobile Live Free fest, a free music festival held every year to raise money (through donations) for homeless young people. Along with giving employees a chance to give something back to the community, the festival allows an opportunity to say thank you to customers and staff by providing them with the chance to enjoy themselves for free. The sense of fun unites the businesses reminds employees of what the company stands for. In some ways it’s easier for a large organization like Virgin to embark on such projects,  but with a little inventiveness and resourceful thinking, other business owners might come up with shot-in-the-arm schemes of their own (Entrepreneur, 2012). Maintaining a focused and motivated staff can be a difficult task for employers to master, especially during harsh economic times and with stretched resources. Branson recently held a series of talks for employees, where they were encouraged to engage and debate different subjects. The exercises were held on a tropical island in the Caribbean. Every company does not have the luxury of taking their employees off to a tropical island, that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to get minds focused and engaged. If one is trying to grow a diverse, creative team, it is not necessary to take employees to the Caribbean to keep them learning. Branson has suggested inviting guest speakers to the office. â€Å"Go to events focusing on topics that are not strictly related to your industry and bring some of your employees along. He advises, one of the best ways to learn is by taking team members out of their comfort zone and embracing new ideas, results will yield. Focusing on a topic ou t of the norm can bring renewed vigor to everyday activities (Preston, 2013). My assessment of Richard Branson’s ability to articulate and communicate his vision for his company to employees and other stakeholders in the traditional sense of writing a mission statement, he has failed. However, I believe that actions speak louder than words, and with that said, Richard Branson has done an outstanding job in showing his mission statement. In an interview with Entrepreneur Branson says, â€Å"Many business management experts would argue that a mission statement should be your company’s cornerstone, inspiring and informing your employees in the years ahead. I can’t agree. The Virgin Group does have a mission statement — one that is brief and to the point. In general, there is too much importance being placed on such statements, but it is interesting to see how they reflect common missteps in business, for example Enron. Before the giant energy company went bankrupt in 2001, ruining the lives of tens of thousands of employees and investors, its vision and values statement was â€Å"Respect, integrity, communication and excellence.† While some mission statements consist of one vague statement, others are too long, which may reflect management’s lack of understanding of what a company really does. Branson goes on to say that if Virgin had to put their mission statement on a coat of arms, it would probably say something  like, â€Å"Ipsum sine timore, consector,† which very loosely translated from the Latin means, â€Å"Screw it, let’s do it (Entrepreneur, 2013)!† There are four steps to evaluate whether Richard Branson’s leadership style is a good fit for me as a manager: Determine my leadership style Assess the organization’s culture Define my expectations in a leader Learn about Richard Branson’s leadership style and whether or not it meshes. Asking the following questions about the organizational culture can help clarify what type of work environment the organization offers: Work style: How does our work done? Collaboratively? Independently? A combination? How are decisions made? Consensus-driven? Authoritatively? How is communication? Verbally or in written form? Directly or indirectly? Voicemail, email, or in person? What are meetings like? Serious? Lighthearted? Tightly or loosely structured? Professional opportunities and advancement: What types of people tend to do well here? Individual contributors? Team players? People who are proactive or more responsive? How is the structure? Hierarchical or flat? Centralized or decentralized authority? Clear reporting structures or matrix? How people who do well rewarded? What happens when people don’t perform well? I conclude that I would be successful working under this type of leader. William George, a Professor of Management Practice, Henry B. Arthur Fellow of Ethics, at Harvard Business School says the most successful leaders will not necessarily be those with the highest IQ. He says they will need to be intelligent, cultured, and emotionally intelligent. â€Å"According to George, additional characteristics of a successful global leader include: An intellectual understanding of the global business context. The capacity to simultaneously develop a global and local perspective. Being able to overcome the dominant thinking at headquarters. A knack for cross-boundary partnering. A self-awareness and self-assurance when it comes to one’s values and sense of purpose The ability to develop networks that are internal and external to the organization. George goes on to say, â€Å"Ultimately, a global organization is measured by how well the diversity of its leadership reflects the diversity of its customer base and well that leadership can leverage the skills of teams working around the world (Hanna, 2012).† In my opinion, Richard Branson fits the bill as a global leader. â€Å"Sir Richard Branson is among the latest crop of billionaires who have promised to donate at least half their fortune to charity. The Virgin Group founder, who is worth more than $4bn, has added his name to the Giving Pledge campaign set up by U.S. investor Warren Buffett and Microsoft founder Bill Gates. In their pledge letter, Sir Richard and his wife Joan said they wanted to use cash from the company to create ‘a healthy, equitable and peaceful world for future gener ations to enjoy (Tomlinson, 2013).† My prediction is Richard Branson will be an even bigger success than he is now. He has pledged to give away half his Virgin fortune to make a difference in the world. It takes a real leader to make such a sacrifice for others. References (2006, 05). Leadership Styles: Richard Branson. StudyMode.com. Retrieved 05, 2006, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Leadership-Styles-Richard-Branson-88459.htmlBlustein, A. (2013). What kind of leader are you?. Inc, 35(8), 58-59. Carlson, J. Ranjui, V. & West, A. (2004). Emotional intelligence and competitive advantage: examining the relationship from a resource-based view. Retrieved September 6, 2014 from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jsc.664/abstract Hanna, J. (2012). Developing the global leader. Working knowledge the thinking that leads. Harvard Business School. Retrieved September 6, 2014 from http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/6967.html Kets de Vries, M.R. (1998). Charisma in action: the transformational abilities of Virgin’s Richard Branson and ABB’s Percy Barnevik. Organizational Dynamics, 26(3), 7-21 Tomlinson, S. (2013). Stuff does not bring happiness’: Sir Richard Branson pledges to give away half his Virgin fortune to make a difference in the world. Retrieved September 6, 2014 from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2281792/Sir-Richard-Branson-pledges-a way-half-Virgin-fortune-make-difference-world.html#ixzz3CmVyTGEc