British Poor Law Reform in the Industrial Revolution

British Poor Law Reform in the Industrial Revolution One of the most infamous British laws of the modern age was the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834. It was designed to deal with the rising costs of poor relief, and reform a system from the Elizabethan era unable to cope with the urbanization and industrialization of the Industrial Revolution (more on coal, iron, steam) by sending all able-bodied people in need of poor relief into workhouses where conditions were deliberately harsh. The State of Poverty Relief Before the Nineteenth Century The treatment of the poor in Britain before the major nineteenth-century laws depended on a large element of charity. The middle class paid a Parish poor rate and often saw the increasing poverty of the era merely as a financial worry. They often wanted the cheapest, or most cost-effective, way of treating the poor. There was little engagement with the causes of poverty, which ranged from illness, poor education, disease, disability, underemployment, and poor transport preventing movement to regions with more jobs, to economic changes which removed domestic industry and agricultural changes which left many without jobs. Poor harvests caused grain prices to rise, and high housing prices led to greater debt. Instead, Britain largely viewed the poor as one of two types. The ‘deserving’ poor, those who were old, handicapped, infirm or too young to work, were considered blameless as they obviously couldn’t work, and their numbers stayed more or less even across the eighteenth century. On the other hand, the able-bodied who were without work were considered ‘undeserving’ poor, thought of as lazy drunkards who could have got a job if they needed one. People simply didn’t realize at this point how the changing economy could affect workers. Poverty was also feared. Some worried about deprivation, those in charge worried about the increase in expenditure needed to deal with them, as well as a widely perceived threat of revolution and anarchy. Legal Developments Before the Nineteenth Century The great Elizabethan Poor Law Act was passed at the start of the seventeenth century. This was designed to fit the needs of the static, rural English society of the time, not that of the industrializing centuries afterward. A poor rate was levied to pay for the poor, and the parish was the unit of administration. Unpaid, local Justices of the Peace administered the relief, which was supplemented by local charity. The act was motivated by the need to secure public order. Outdoor relief – giving money or supplies to people on the street – was coupled with indoor relief, where people had to enter a ‘Workhouse’ or similar ‘correctional’ facility, where everything they did was tightly controlled. The 1662 Act of Settlement acted to cover up a loophole in the system, under which parishes were shipping sick and destitute people into other areas. Now you could only receive relief in your area of birth, marriage or long-term living. A certificate was produced, and the poor had to present this if they moved, to say where they came from, impinging on freedom of labor movement. A 1722 act made it easier to set up workhouses into which to funnel your poor, and provided an early ‘test’ to see if people should be forced in. Sixty years later more laws made it cheaper to create a workhouse, allowing parishes to team up to create one. Although the workhouses were meant for the able-bodied, at this point it was mainly the infirm that were sent to them. However, the Act of 1796 removed the 1722 workhouse act when it became clear a period of mass unemployment would fill the workhouses. The Old Poor Law The result was the absence of a real system. As everything was based on the parish, there was a huge amount of regional diversity. Some areas used mainly outdoor relief, some provided work for the poor, others used workhouses. Substantial power over the poor was given to local people, who ranged from honest and interested to dishonest and bigoted. The whole poor law system was unaccountable and unprofessional. Forms of relief could include each rate payer agreeing to support a certain number of workers – depending on their poor rate assessment - or just paying wages. The ‘rounds’ system saw laborers sent round the parish until they found work. An allowance system, where food or money was given out to people on a sliding scale according to family size, was used in some areas, but this was believed to encourage idleness and poor fiscal policy among the (potentially) poor. The Speenhamland System was created in 1795 in Berkshire. A stop-gap system to stave off mass destitution, it was created by the magistrates of Speen and quickly adopted around England. Their motivation was a set of crises which occurred in the 1790s: rising population, enclosure, wartime prices, bad harvests, and fear of a British French Revolution. The results of these systems were that farmers kept wages down as the parish would make up the shortfall, effectively giving employers relief as well as the poor. While many were saved from starvation, others were degraded by doing their work but still needing poor relief to make their earnings economically viable. The Push to Reform Poverty was far from a new problem when steps were taken to reform the poor law in the nineteenth century, but the industrial revolution had changed the way poverty was viewed, and the impact it had. The rapid growth of dense urban areas with their problems of public health, housing, crime, and poverty was clearly not suited to the old system. One pressure to reform the poor relief system came from the rising cost of the poor rate which rapidly increased. Poor-rate payers began to see poor relief as a financial problem, not fully understanding the effects of war, and poor relief grew to 2% of the Gross National Income. This difficulty was not spread evenly over England, and the depressed south, near London, was hit hardest. In addition, influential people were beginning to see the poor law as out of date, wasteful, and a threat to both the economy and the free movement of labor, as well as encouraging large families, idleness, and drinking. The Swing Riots of 1830 further encouraged demands for new, harsher, measures on the poor. The Poor Law Report of 1834 Parliamentary commissions in 1817 and 1824 had criticized the old system  but offered no alternatives. In 1834 this changed with the creation of the Royal Commission of Edwin Chadwick and Nassau Senior, men who wanted to reform the poor law on a utilitarian basis. Critical of amateur organization and desirous for greater uniformity, they aimed for the ‘greatest happiness for the greatest number.’ The resulting Poor Law Report of 1834 had is widely regarded as a classic text in social history. The commission sent out questionnaires to over 15,000 parishes and only heard back from around 10%. Then they send assistant commissioners to roughly a third of all poor law authorities. They were not seeking to end the causes of poverty – it was considered inevitable, and necessary for cheap labor – but to change how the poor was treated. The result was an attack on the old poor law, saying it was costly, badly run, out of date, too regionalized and encouraged indolence and vice. The suggested alternative was the strict implementation of Bentham’s pain-pleasure principle: the destitute would have to balance the pain of the workhouse against getting a job. Relief would be given for the able-bodied only in the workhouse, and abolished outside it, while the state of the workhouse should be lower than that of the poorest, but still employed, laborer. This was ‘less eligibility’. The 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act A direct response to the 1834 report, the PLAA created a new central body to oversee poor law, with Chadwick as secretary. They sent out assistant commissioners to oversee the creation of workhouses and the implementation of the act. Parishes were grouped into unions for better administration – 13,427 parishes into 573 unions – and each had a board of guardians elected by ratepayers. Less eligibility was accepted as a key idea, but outdoor relief for the able-bodied wasn’t abolished after political opposition. New workhouses were built for them, at the expense of the parishes, and a paid matron and master would be in charge of the difficult balance of keeping workhouse life lower than paid labor, but still humane. As the able-bodied could often get outdoor relief, the workhouses filled with the sick and old. It took until 1868 for the entire country to be unionized, but the boards worked hard to provide efficient and occasionally humane services, despite sometimes difficult agglomerations of parishes. Salaried officials replaced volunteers, providing a major development in local government services and the collection of other information for policy changes (e.g. Chadwick’s use of the poor law health officers to reform public health legislation). Education of poor children was begun inside. There was opposition, such as the politician who referred to it as the â€Å"starvation and infanticide act†, and several locations saw violence. However, opposition gradually declined as the economy improved, and after the system became more flexible when Chadwick was removed from power in 1841. Workhouses tended to swing from nearly empty to full depending on the bouts of periodic unemployment, and the conditions depended on the generosity of the staff working there. The events in Andover, which caused a scandal for the poor treatment, were unusual rather than typical, but a select committee was created in 1846 which created a new Poor Law Board with a president who sat in parliament. Criticism of the Act The evidence of the commissioners has been called into question. The poor rate was not necessarily higher in areas making large-scale use of the Speenhamland system and their judgments on what caused poverty were wrong. The idea that high birth rates were connected to allowance systems is now also largely rejected. Poor rate expenditure was already falling by 1818, and the Speenhamland system was able to mostly disappear by 1834, but this was ignored. The nature of unemployment in industrial areas, created by the cyclical employment cycle, was also misidentified. There was criticism at the time, from campaigners who highlighted the inhumanity of the workhouses, to Justices of the Peace upset they had lost power, to radicals concerned with civil liberties. But the act was the first national, monitored central government program for poor relief. Outcome The basic demands of the act weren’t being properly implemented by the 1840s, and in the 1860s the unemployment caused by the American Civil War and the collapse of cotton supplies led to outdoor relief returning. People began to look at the causes of poverty, rather than simply reacting to ideas of unemployment and allowance systems. Ultimately, while the costs of poor relief initially fell, much of this was due to the return of peace in Europe, and the rate rose again as the population rose.

Montague-Capulet Feud in Romeo and Juliet

Montague-Capulet Feud in Romeo and Juliet In Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet, two noble families are at war with each other, a state of affairs which ultimately dooms the young lovers. Romeo is of House Montague and Juliet is a Capulet. We never learn the origin of the feud between the two families, but it pervades the play from the very first scene when servants from each house get into a fight. All of the major events in Romeo and Juliet are driven by the Montague-Capulet dispute. But after the tragic death of their children at the end of the play, both families agree to bury their grievances and acknowledge their losses. Via their tragic deaths, Romeo and Juliet resolve the long-standing conflict between their respective families, but unfortunately, do not live to enjoy the peace. But who’s who in the Montague-Capulet feud? The following list divides the play’s characters by family: House of Montague The House of Montague includes these key players: Montague.  Father to Romeo and married to Lady Montague, he’s concerned about his son at the start of the play and asks Benvolio to help him figure out what’s bothering Romeo.Lady Montague.  Romeo’s mother is less of a presence in the play than Juliet’s mother, but in the few scenes we see her, she appears to love her son deeply. When Romeo is banished, she dies of grief.Romeo. The son, and heir of the Montague house, Romeo is 16 years old and falls in and out of â€Å"love† easily, until meeting Juliet. He kills Tybalt after Tybalt kills Romeo’s friend Mercutio.Benvolio. He is  Montague’s nephew and Romeo’s cousin. Benvolio tries to be a good influence on Romeo, persuading him to forget about the erstwhile Rosaline. He mainly acts as a peacemaker and friend to Romeo.Balthasar.  Romeo’s serving man unintentionally tells Romeo of Juliet’s â€Å"death† (In fact, she’s taken poison to appear dead ). House of Capulet Lord Capulet. Juliet’s father is the family patriarch and tries to control his daughter by arranging a marriage to Paris. When she refuses, he calls her terrible names and threatens to throw her out: Hang thee, young baggage! disobedient wretch!I tell thee what: get thee to church o Thursday,Or never after look me in the faceAnd you be mine, Ill give you to my friend;And you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets! Lady Capulet. Juliet’s mother, while more understanding of her daughter is almost as angered by Juliet’s refusal to marry Paris as Lord Capulet is. She dismisses Juliet outright: Talk not to me, for Ill not speak a word; do as thou wilt, for I am done with thee.Juliet Capulet. At age 13, Juliet is about to be married to Paris and is deeply unhappy about it. But everything changes when she meets Romeo, despite his being from the rival Montague family. The two fall in love and are secretly married, but end up killing themselves when each believes the other to be dead.Juliet’s Nurse. She is more of a mother figure to Juliet than Lady Capulet and knows the young woman better than anyone else in her family. The Nurse’s sense of humor lends some much-needed levity to the play. She’s the only one who helps Juliet in her quest to be with Romeo, even though she doesn’t fully understand the intensity of Juliet’s feelings.Tybalt. Lady Capuletâ₠¬â„¢s nephew and Juliet’s cousin is the main antagonist of Romeo and Juliet, owing to his deep hatred of the Montagues. Short-tempered and vindictive, Tybalt is quick to draw his sword in anger. His killing is a pivotal moment in the play.

What leadership styles dominate the Chinese market Essay

What leadership styles dominate the Chinese market - Essay Example This paper aims to determine which leadership style is the most suitable for companies in China as it is the leadership style of a manager coupled with organizational culture that determines the employee job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Leadership styles are employed by managers to suit the needs of the people and the organization that is being led. It is almost always a mix of the six leadership styles: visionary, coaching, affiliative, democratic, pace-setting and commanding, that today’s leaders practice in successfully leading their teams. These styles are adopted by the leader either individually or as a mix of more than one style, within the context of the people and organizational needs at that moment. The success with which leaders adopt the different styles, to what extent each style has its influence on employee performance and job satisfaction and how the organizational culture affects the job satisfaction and organizational commitment by the employee will be explored. Further, it will also be understood as to the shelf life of each style or if the adopted style is applicable to all situations and sectors in Chinese organizations. Finally, qualitative analysis of available literature in published journals, news articles and websites can help understand the most suitable leadership style for my business in the Chinese region that can have the maximum impact on employee job satisfaction and organizational commitment. ... nies in China as it is the leadership style of a manager coupled with organizational culture that determines the employee job satisfaction and organizational commitment (Lok and Crawford, 2004). Leadership styles are employed by managers to suit the needs of the people and the organization that is being led. It is almost always a mix of the six leadership styles: visionary, coaching, affiliative, democratic, pace-setting and commanding, that today’s leaders practice in successfully leading their teams. These styles are adopted by the leader either individually or as a mix of more than one style, within the context of the people and organizational needs at that moment (Murray, 2012). The success with which leaders adopt the different styles, to what extent each style has its influence on employee performance and job satisfaction and how the organizational culture affects the job satisfaction and organizational commitment by the employee will be explored. Further, it will also b e understood as to the shelf life of each style or if the adopted style is applicable to all situations and sectors in Chinese organizations. Also, it will help to understand how the leaders can effectively determine which leadership style to use under certain circumstances, and how they communicate through their style of leadership. Finally, qualitative analysis of available literature in published journals, news articles and websites can help understand the most suitable leadership style for my business in the Chinese region that can have the maximum impact on employee job satisfaction and organizational commitment. 2. Literature Review a. Introduction Leadership style adopted by managers in Chinese firms has an impact on job satisfaction and commitment and leadership style is influenced by

How does the western model of Internet Banking apply to Russia Literature review

How does the western model of Internet Banking apply to Russia - Literature review Example Recently many banks have adopted online banking. With its boom in the United States and the United Kingdom, online baking has subsequently spread to other areas, Russia included. Victor (2008, p. 724) asserts that although this is the era of internet boom in many regions of the world and that more developed countries are increasingly using the internet for various ways, the reality is that most of the developing countries are yet to fully adopt the internet and embrace it as a way of doing business. The online banking, commonly referred to as the internet banking is one of the newest forms of banking adopted by banks in the developed countries. According to Arnaboldi (2009, p. 1), â€Å"a few pioneering banks started to offer products via the internet in the mid-nineties.† This shows long the service has been on going in the European-banking sector. However, Russia and other Eastern Europe countries are yet to realize the dream of conducting most of their banking operations wi th convenience of their mobile phones and computers. Hopes of these people transforming their banking services and fully going digital are still alive, if the current changes and improvements in the banking sector are anything to go by. More and more, banks in the Russian region have embraced the need to go online, with many customers already subscribing to internet banking. While the previous technologies used in the country were unreliably painful to the customers, current innovative improvements in the sector provide hopes for a full transformation of the entire sector. However, not all western banking models are applicable in the Russian situation. A few modifications are necessary to make it compatible with the Russian customer base. This is because of the differences in customer base between the developed and the developing countries (Jaruwachirathanakul & Fink 2005 p. 302). The slow nature of the internet banking penetration rate of the people constrains the hopes of growing and expanding this sector to robust volumes such as in the United States and on the United Kingdom. Hopes for growing the sector are still high, as 10-12 per cent of the total bankable population are ready and more than willing. This percentage loves the convenience of the internet, as well as its efficiency. The biggest booster of this trend is the adoption of the emoney and the money kiosks industry. Most of the banks offering internet banking in Russia offer payment services. This is however, a misconception about the whole issue about internet banking, a notion held by most of these banks’ customers. Initially, banks offer banks offer iBanking services to their customers, with only the opportunity to make their payments. The biggest advantage for this service is its ability to reduce the transaction costs for the customers. However, banks miss out from making sales, which were potentially available for the banks to exploit. Mols (2000, p. 12) stresses on the important rol e-played by the internet to business organizations in marketing their products and services. according to Mols, (2000, p. 14), the increase in online marketing offers business organizations unlimited opportunities to advertise and sell their products and services. As such, many organizations have introduced online sales that allow customers to search and pay for the ownership of goods. Benefits accrued from online banking cannot be underestimated. In most cases, young men aged between 25

Source G is an extract from a novel about evacuees Essay Example for Free

Source G is an extract from a novel about evacuees Essay Source G is an extract from a novel about evacuees. It is from Carries War, a novel for children written by Nina Bowden in 1973. Source G tells the story of two children entering the home of a host family. The story is from the childrens perspective. From analysing this source, there are certain aspects that make it reliable. Not a speck of dust anywhere. The beginning line immediately gives us the impression of a rich, tidy and prosperous house in the country belonging to an upper middle-class family. I think that Source G give us the common thought in that time of people living in the countryside being wealthy. Certain aspects of this quote is reliable because it was also shown this way in the film , the people that lived in the country had a better, much cleaner lifestyle. Better change into your slippers before I take you to your bedroom also indicates the general thinking in that time; country people thought that children coming from industrialised city areas could not even afford basic necessities, had no education. This was one negative, snobbish attitude that a majority of people in the country lead. From my own knowledge, many children lived in poverty, this certain aspect of the source does reflect reality in WW2, many children lived in over-crowded slums. Furthermore, when Miss Evans says your bedroom portrays that she probably lives in a wealthy big manor that has many individual rooms. Houses in the countryside were a lot more spacious, so this could be reliable to the historian to assess the differences between the lifestyles people in the city and country led. However, the evacuees giggle She thinks were poor children this suggests to the historian that these children may not be poor as Miss Evans assumed, they might also have come from an upper middle-class family, it was very stereotypical view at this time of WW2 where the people in the country used to think that town people were poor. This shows a whole new perspective rather than the general thoughts which give the historian a slightly balanced view now. From my own knowledge, some evacuees enjoyed their time, children could have there own private clean and comfortable, they had more baths, education, these are a positive outcomes out of evacuation. This source is useful as it portrays most evacuees faced the same situation of adapting into a new lifestyle.

The Business Life Of Ancient Athens :: essays research papers

The Business Life of Ancient Athens   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Business Life of Ancient Athens is an informative book about different aspects of Ancient businesses and Ancient ways of dealing with money. This book first starts out by explaining the agricultural aspects of Ancient Athens. Agriculture was not well for Athens, so they had to trade a lot. It is recorded as early as the 6th century BC that grain was a very big part of an average Athenian's diet. Therefore; much grain trade was necessary because Greece land was very bad for agricultural purposes. Athens had grown industrially and commercially within time, and this was also a problem: overpopulation. Also, many Spartan tribes over and over attacked Greece and destroyed any crops that might grow in the soil. Peasants were also sent to work at farms but they lost care in their farms and found it better to live in the city, living off small amounts of money that came from doing state services. During this time, many people learned ways of math because they needed to know how much grain is needed per person. Although these calculations are not totally accurate, they are a start in banking and maybe even other ways of mathematics. The Peloponnesian War also occurred- leaving Greece(Attica) with nothing. Attica was forced by famine to go under Peloponnesian rule. By now, trade had come in an uproar. Many people had found it easy to trade by sea. So many merchants with not enough money would borrow money from rich people and then buy cargo space on a ship. In most cases the merchant went on the ship to get the goods to sell. Then on returning, the merchant would sell the goods, and then pay off the lender, with a 22.5 percent interest rate. In many cases, problems occurred, sometimes a merchant returned late, could not pay all of the money back, or something or other. Therefore the idea of a collateral was invented. Also, courts were established to rule these sorts of fights amongst the people. These courts weren't used in the winter because of stormy weather and so not to interrupt commercial business. Courts were required to solve a case within 30 days, this procedure only applies to cases where and actual legal documented agreement was made between the lender and the merchant. Many merchants did not return, therefore the collateral was the lender's to keep. But often the merchant didn't have anything good to start with so many lenders lost money.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Next, the book talked about Banking and Bankers. Early banking dates back all the way to Sumer and Akkad where many specialized in weighing things The Business Life Of Ancient Athens :: essays research papers The Business Life of Ancient Athens   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Business Life of Ancient Athens is an informative book about different aspects of Ancient businesses and Ancient ways of dealing with money. This book first starts out by explaining the agricultural aspects of Ancient Athens. Agriculture was not well for Athens, so they had to trade a lot. It is recorded as early as the 6th century BC that grain was a very big part of an average Athenian's diet. Therefore; much grain trade was necessary because Greece land was very bad for agricultural purposes. Athens had grown industrially and commercially within time, and this was also a problem: overpopulation. Also, many Spartan tribes over and over attacked Greece and destroyed any crops that might grow in the soil. Peasants were also sent to work at farms but they lost care in their farms and found it better to live in the city, living off small amounts of money that came from doing state services. During this time, many people learned ways of math because they needed to know how much grain is needed per person. Although these calculations are not totally accurate, they are a start in banking and maybe even other ways of mathematics. The Peloponnesian War also occurred- leaving Greece(Attica) with nothing. Attica was forced by famine to go under Peloponnesian rule. By now, trade had come in an uproar. Many people had found it easy to trade by sea. So many merchants with not enough money would borrow money from rich people and then buy cargo space on a ship. In most cases the merchant went on the ship to get the goods to sell. Then on returning, the merchant would sell the goods, and then pay off the lender, with a 22.5 percent interest rate. In many cases, problems occurred, sometimes a merchant returned late, could not pay all of the money back, or something or other. Therefore the idea of a collateral was invented. Also, courts were established to rule these sorts of fights amongst the people. These courts weren't used in the winter because of stormy weather and so not to interrupt commercial business. Courts were required to solve a case within 30 days, this procedure only applies to cases where and actual legal documented agreement was made between the lender and the merchant. Many merchants did not return, therefore the collateral was the lender's to keep. But often the merchant didn't have anything good to start with so many lenders lost money.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Next, the book talked about Banking and Bankers. Early banking dates back all the way to Sumer and Akkad where many specialized in weighing things

The summer holiday

After each term in school pupils have holidays. It Is cool to have holidays. You can do whatever you like and you don't have to get up early. Most of all I like summer holidays because they are the longest ones. Last summer was very interesting for me. I don't go to the seaside or somewhere abroad but I spent a good time with my family and my friends. In June I with my friends watched Euro 201 2 and we didn't miss any match. It was a great event for Ukraine. And I think at that moment everybody believed In the victory.In July I went to my grandmother who lives In the village. I had a very good time there, because I had an active rest. I got up early In the morning and worked In the vegetable garden. I helped my granny to water the vegetables and to take care of the plants. The days In the country passed very quickly. I had a lot of things to do every day. Sometimes I went to the forest. It Is not far from the village. There I picked up berries and mushrooms. In the evening I watched TV and read books.August was not very special but it stuck in my memory because of the trip to the mountains with my father. It was very interesting and exciting. We made our trip on the Independence day. We started early in the morning, took some food and equipments. And in the afternoon we were on the tip of Hoverer. We made friends with a lot of people and made many photos. It was wonderful day. We had a very good time. Now my holidays are over and I am looking forward to the next ones. I suppose they will be much better.

Blackberry Strategy

BlackBerry’s strategy to gain market share in the mainstream market and The use of promotions to achieve its goals Team JMARCS Bozak, Dasgupta, Feng, Kumar, Sharma, Tu SET: 1G  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   MKTG-1102  Ã‚  Ã‚   Instructor: Don Linder  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   October, 22, 09 Introduction: Research In Motion (RIM) is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. (Reseach In Motion) RIM was founded in 1984. RIM now has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. BlackBerry is a line of wireless handheld devices that was introduced in 1999 as a two-way pager. In 2002, BlackBerry was released, which supports push e-mail, mobile telephone, text messaging, internet faxing, web browsing and other wireless information services. It delivers information over the wireless data networks of mobile phone service companies. BlackBerry holds the world's second highest market share in the smart phone platform, capturing 21% of worldwide smart phone sales in Q2, 2009. On 30 May 2009, RIM announced the number of BlackBerry subscribers has reached approximately 28. 5 million. (Wikipedia) BlackBerry’s competitor Apple introduced the iPhone in 2007 which was named the Invention of the Year by Time Magazine. Apple iPhone is growing at a very impressive rate and with introduction of iPhone 3GS, Apple looks all set to overtake RIM by mid of 2010 and become number two player in smart phone market. Analysts were saying that RIM is unlikely to maintain its over 50% share in North America due to growing competition from Apple, Motorola, and Palm, among others. (Wikipedia) Problem: How does RIM gain market share in the consumer smart phone market? Key Findings: Consumer behaviour Two types of users for smart phone customers: ? Enterprise customers- BlackBerry was a â€Å"company decision†. ? Non-Enterprise customers- BlackBerry was a â€Å"personal decision†. †¢ According to Canalys Research, touchscreens became the preferred interface, representing 40% of all shipments. Upon recognizing Apple’s success with the iPhone touch screen interface, R IM introduced its own touch screen device called BlackBerry Storm in end of 2008. (Canalys Research) †¢ According to Canalys Research, Smart phones have been opposing the industry norm, with shipments growing despite the global recession. Canalys Research) Company information †¢ An aggressive â€Å"buy-one-get-one† promotion by Verizon Wireless helped RIM’s BlackBerry Curve move past Apple’s iPhone to become the best-selling consumer smartphone in the U. S. in the first quarter (Q1) of 2009. (NPD Group) †¢ iPhone is exclusive to major carriers such as AT (in US), Rogers and Fido (in Canada) and O2, T-Mobile, Vodaphone (in Europe) and many smaller carriers around the world. †¢ Verizon and Vodafone are heavy promoters of BlackBerry. †¢ Palm exclusive to Sprint until 2010. †¢ RIM has successfully expanded its product portfolio to include a wide election of devices and interfaces that appeal to a range of customers at different price po ints. Market Share †¢ The battle between iPhone and BlackBerry is over the Non-Enterprise market, as the users of smartphones are increasing in this segment. †¢ RIM’s consumer smartphone market share increased 15 percent to nearly 50 percent of the smartphone market in US in Q1 2009 versus the prior quarter, as Apple’s and Palm’s share both declined 10 percent each. (NPD Group) †¢ According to NPD’s â€Å"Smartphone Market Update† report, U. S. consumer sales of smartphone handsets in first-quarter, 2009, ranked in the following order: 1. RIM BlackBerry Curve (all 83XX models); 2. Apple iPhone 3G (all models); 3. RIM BlackBerry Storm; 4. RIM BlackBerry Pearl (all models, except flip); 5. T-Mobile G1. (NPD Group) †¢ According to Gartner’s research, the smartphone sales grew 27 percent during the period. In smartphones Nokia came in top but their market share dropped from 47. 4 percent in Q2 2008 to 45 percent in Q2 2009. RIM saw 1. 4 percent jump in market share, which brought their number to 18. 7 percent. Apple saw the biggest jump from 2. 8 percent in 2008 to 13. 3 percent in Q2 2009. (Gartner) Gartner says â€Å"Apple’s expansion into a larger number of countries in the past year has produced a clear effect on sales volumes, as have the recent price adjustments on 8GB 3G iPhone. † (Gartner) Assumptions: RIM has the necessary financial resources or the means by which to promote its product. RIM also needs to have enough financial reserves to absorb lower profits due to aggressive promotions . SWOT Analysis: We have quotes from our research accompanying the statements below. These quotes are designed to further illustrate the meaning of the statements. Strengths Global prominence and financial stability of the BlackBerry brand in North America provides a strong platform for product innovation. â€Å"Over 35 percent of 2007 revenues were from global sales outside North America. Between 2001 and 2007, the company grew its workforce from about 1250 employees to more than 7000 employees. † (Grewal, 2009) †¢ RIM's BlackBerry offers a varied set of products to identify the needs of the different segments of users. RIM has a strong line up of smart phones such BlackBerry Curve and BlackBerry Pearle with the popular QWERTY keyboard. The new series include clean and sharp BlackBerry Bold and BlackBerry Storm. RIM has also introduced BlackBerry App World where you can download and purchase apps from a smart phone. So far RIM has established a strong base with professional users because of their product's functionality and security. â€Å"Storm, the new BlackBerry is among RIM's strongest moves so far to appeal to the increasing number of consumers opting for multimedia phones, a market that is increasingly turning to touch-screen devices for their ease of use. † (The Wall Street Journal) †¢ BlackBerry carries a range of reasonably priced products which gives their customers the most selection in the smart phone market. Our checks show AT store reps appear poised to recommend BlackBerry to shoppers deterred by iPhone’s $599 (U. S. ) price tag,† (The Globe and Mail) †¢ RIM's strength in the smart phone market is its impressively sized distribution network to provide products and services to the consumer. â€Å"Retail consumers and corporate clients can buy the BlackBerry from more than 500 carriers and distribution partners in about 170 countries around the world. † (Leader-Post) Weaknesses †¢ RIM has a weak entertainment platform for its product compared to its biggest rival: Apple, which specializes in consumer friendly multimedia device. Below, we have a recent quote from BlackBerry CEO Jim Balsille, who emphasizes the company's need to focus on the non-enterprise market. â€Å"As we head into the third quarter we look forward to gaining traction with BlackBerry services in new market segments to drive the next leg of growth for the company,† (Perez) †¢ BlackBerry is weaker brand compared to Apple and Nokia in the consumer sector. They have only recently started to promote their product for the mainstream consumer. †¢ â€Å"The company expects to ship between 9. 2 million and 9. million BlackBerry smartphones next quarter, as it prepares for follow-ups to popular devices such as the Storm and Bold. But some analysts expressed concern over its push to the mainstream because it would mean that RIM would be competing more directly with its consumer-friendly rivals. † (Perez) †¢ Due to the relatively higher prices of BlackBerry products, it has a harder time competing in emerging markets. â⠂¬Å"Nokia has a strong presence in the low-cost part of the market. And it's likely that the company will continue to maintain strength here, leveraging its massive scale to keep costs low. (Reardon) Opportunities †¢ Consumers are more receptive to purchasing media online. This has a created a market that Apple has capitalized on with its services like iTunes and Apple App Store. RIM has recently introduced their own app store which has so far received positive reviews. â€Å"RIM's app storefront will be key to the firm's long-term success. Just as Apple's App Store and iTunes drive sales of the company's hardware, App World—which has received generally positive reviews—must be attractive enough to lure users away from the other smartphones on the market. † (Gibbs) Due to increased globalization and consumer acceptance of new technology, consumers around the world are ordering smart phones from their local carriers. This opens new markets for RIM to expand in. Despite global recession, the demand for smart phones grew as there was a 27 percent increase from Q2 2008 to Q2 2009. Threats †¢ Growing competition from Apple, Nokia, HTC, and Palm among others. Apple is expanding into a large number of countries while lowering their prices which is increasing their sales volume significantly. Nokia is the largest smart phone provider with ample capital to develop their technology and products. But as the iPhone and other rivals expand their reach, RIM could find itself fighting for previously uncontested territory. † (Leader-Post) †¢ The world economy is going through a downturn. This has inevitably changed the consumer behaviour towards higher end devices. â€Å"The current economic climate is negatively impacting sales of higher end devices,† (Gartner) †¢ RIM is susceptible to lawsuits because it holds countless patents for its products and its immense success makes it a target for patent holding companies like N TP. â€Å"On March 3, 2006, RIM announced that it had settled its BlackBerry patent dispute with NTP. Under the terms of the settlement, RIM has agreed to pay NTP US$612. 5 million in a â€Å"full and final settlement of all claims. † (Reardon) Competitive Analysis: In the global smart phone market, Apple is growing exponentially with market share increasing from 2. 8% to 13. 3%. RIM has a gradual increase in market share of 1. 4%, which brought their number to 18. 7%. Nokia, the top manufacturer of smart phone is lagging behind with market share dropping from 47. 4% to 45%. Nokia is more affordable and is very prominent around the world especially in the emerging markets such as India and China. They lso have a strong base with medium to lower income consumers. Because of the lower price point, they provide limited functionality compared to its counterparts. BlackBerry appeals to a vast customer base and its market is separated by products rather than income. The financially sensitive customers are more accepting of products such as BlackBerry Curve and BlackBerry Pearl. In t his segment, RIM competes directly with Nokia’s smart phones. This increases the popularity and brand recognition of RIM. RIM also invests heavily towards Research and Development to create superior products for satisfying the demands of higher end consumers. This customer base is more accepting of higher priced products because of their superior quality. This increases the margin RIM enjoys compared to Nokia. Apple’s iPhone and RIM’s BlackBerry Storm/Bold are in the same price range. However, RIM has a varied portfolio of products that range from $100-$500 US dollars. BlackBerry Storm and iPhone 3G are very similar products that share features such as touch screen interface and 3G software and hardware capabilities. Palm, Motorola, HTC and others are very limited in their market share. Their products are usually cheaper compared to RIM and Apple with inferior quality. Examples of the inferior quality will be no built-in Wi-Fi and low-resolution cameras. Unlike RIM and Apple, these companies use third party software such as Windows Mobile which has garnered negative reviews. According to a survey by CFI group, it showed that Windows Mobile users had a low level of customer satisfaction when compared to users of other smart phones. Out of a possible 100 points, Windows Mobile rated only 66, compared with BlackBerry (73), Google Android (77), and iPhone (83). This corresponds with the decrease in Windows Mobile's share of the Smartphone market by 2. % in 2009. (Wikipedia) Target Market: Our target market for the problem is the entertainment-focused users who range in age from mid-teens to early 30s. They see a mobile device as a lifestyle choice, and they're willing to pay extra for a device that'll help keep them entertained. This group will use the device for things like multimedia entertainment, social messaging, and gaming. Our target group needs to be relatively affluent with disposable income; therefore, they will likely be based in developed continents such as North America, Europe and Australia. RECOMMENDATIONS: Alternative 1: â€Å"We gain market share in the consumer smart phone market by lowering the price of BlackBerry Storm and BlackBerry Bold. The price of the Storm and Bold series will be lowered by $50 in an effort to increase sales by 25%. † Advantages: 1. Lowering the price of BlackBerry Storm and BlackBerry Bold will be a strong incentive for mainstream consumers to choose those products over BlackBerry's competitors. 2. As lowering the price will make the products more affordable, new users and carriers from other countries will adopt BlackBerry products. . Lowering the price of BlackBerry Storm and BlackBerry Bold will not only bring in users from the established mainstream consumer base but also new users who are transitioning to smart phones from handsets. This will create a greater awareness of BlackBerry products. BlackBerry could use this recognition to introduce new products. Disadvantages: 1. A part of the customer base might assume the decrease in price will correlate with a decrease in quality. Therefore, they might avoid buying lower priced BlackBerry products. 2. Competitors might lower their price to compete with BlackBerry which will create minimal additional revenue from new customers. The already decreased profit margin from lowered price combined with minimal increase in revenue will decrease profits. 3. RIM might lose money by over producing BlackBerry Bold and BlackBerry Storm as its sales forecast didn’t meet actual customer demand. They might lose customers and harm their brand by under producing the products as their supply won’t be enough to meet the demands of the customers. This will generate anger and dissatisfaction towards RIM. Alternative 2: We gain market share by offering diverse products targeted to specified segments of consumers (niche marketing). † Advantages: 1. RIM will create new market segments (market segmentation) that will correspond with the needs of specific demographic of consumers. 2. RIM will attract more consumers with the larger line up of products and services. This will be able to exp and their brand name. 3. RIM will have greater margins with these targeted products as customers are willing to pay more for products that are more in sync with their needs. The increased margins will increase the profits. Disadvantages: 1. Introducing new products involves a significant investment in start up for Research and Development. Niche markets are usually much smaller than the mainstream market and therefore it will be harder for RIM to sell enough BlackBerry devices to recuperate its initial investment. 2. Consumers may not be interested in the new products. Keeping in mind the current economic conditions, consumers might delay their purchase of luxury products like a BlackBerry. They might also continue with traditional alternatives like handsets to meet their needs. 3. It will dilute the brand. BlackBerry already has an established brand that their customers identify with. Expanding the product base rapidly will confuse customers about BlackBerry products and negatively affects sales of their bestsellers such as: BlackBerry Storm, Bold, and Curve. Alternative 3: â€Å"We gain market share by increasing advertisements on TV and internet which would increase our brand recognition. † Advantages: 1. With unique and creative marketing campaigns, RIM’s products will be more recognizable compared to its competitors such as Apple and Nokia. RIM will gain market share by getting its competitors customers as well as attracting new customers switching to smart phones. 2. A successful advertising campaign will retain encourage brand loyalty from RIM's existing customers. These customers might choose RIM's product in the future because of their comfort level with the BlackBerry brand. 3. It will attract new customers by detailing the merit of RIM's products over its competitors. Disadvantages: 1. RIM’s campaign might be ineffective because of the oversaturation of advertising campaigns from the different smart phone manufacturers. 2. Increased advertising does not necessarily result in increased sales. RIM might spend excessive amounts on promoting their products which may not be successful and hurt their bottom line. 3. Self-destructive advertising might alienate a portion of their existing customer base. An example would be: RIM's spokesperson (celebrity/athlete) commits a crime. In this case RIM's image might be tarnished by association to the person. Solution: Problem: How does RIM gain market share in the consumer smart phone market? Alternative 3: â€Å"We gain market share by increasing advertisements on TV and internet which would increase our brand recognition. We believe this solution is most likely to succeed and deliver results. For the near term, RIM will follow Apple’s example and attempt to meet the functional and psychological needs of consumers. An example of meeting a psychological need would be to primarily use BlackBerry products as a fashion statement or a status symbol over its inten ded purpose. This is only possible by extensive promotion in order to make the BlackBerry the â€Å"it† brand among the mainstream consumer. BlackBerry has a more diverse selection of products compared to Apple and Nokia. It should capitalize this strength by advertising the benefits of its products to the consumer segments. Promotions will bring in new customers. In future, these new customers might upgrade to other BlackBerry devices. They will also spread the word about BlackBerry creating goodwill and admiration for the brand. Advertising also has a long term goal in mind which is to grow the BlackBerry brand worldwide for years to come. Implementation Plan: Step 1: Divide the consumer base into manageable market segments. Step 2: Target a segment to pursue. Step 3: Determine how BlackBerry would be positioned in the segment. Step 4: Our marketing objective will be to gain share in our segment. Step 5: Communicate the value of the BlackBerry through the use of television, magazines and the Internet. Step 6: We will evaluate our performance and make adjustments for an improved process. Plan B: Problem: How does RIM gain market share in the consumer smart phone market? Alternative 1: â€Å"We gain market share in the consumer smart phone market by lowering the price of BlackBerry Storm and BlackBerry Bold. The price of the Storm and Bold series will be lowered by $50 in an effort to increase sales by 25%. This plan will also increase BlackBerry’s market share. It will bring in new mainstream customers for the very popular BlackBerry Storm and BlackBerry Bold. These products are direct competitors for Apple’s iPhone. The price decrease might lure Apple customers to switch to BlackBerry products as the quality difference between the products is minimal. The likelihood of RIM’s competitor s lowering their price to counteract the decrease in their sales is low, because that will lower the margin of the whole sector rather than just one company (RIM). To avoid these price wars, they will let RIM enjoy the increased market share. Course Concepts: Major concepts used were: a) The Marketing Research Process: We used the format showed in Exhibit 5. 1 in page 122 of the Marketing book. We made a rough copy in class that defined the problem clearly and the objectives. We delegated the objectives to group members. We performed researched on it and collected the secondary data. We then analyzed all the data and wrote this paper. b) The Marketing Environment Analysis Framework: We used this framework extensively throughout our project. We analyzed SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) of RIM in detail. SWOT analysis helped us design solutions based on RIM’s strengths and weaknesses. We also made solutions that let us develop the opportunities and guard us from the threats. We integrated the Macroenvironmental Factors such Competitors, Demographics, Social/Cultural and Economic. c) We identified segmentation, targeting and positioning in our Implementation Plan. This helped us focus on a group of customers and to come up with solutions that will meet our goals concerning this group. References Canalys Research. (n. d. ). Smart phones defy slowdown. Retrieved 10 22, 2009, from Press and Research releases: http://www. canalys. com/pr/2009/r2009081. htm Gartner. (n. d. ). Gartner Says Worldwide Mobile Phone Sales Declined 6 Per Cent and Smartphones Grew 27 Per Cent in Second Quarter of 2009. Retrieved 10 22, 2009, from Press releases: http://www. gartner. com/it/page. jsp? id=1126812 Gibbs. (n. d. ). Why RIM’s App World Is Key to Its Long-term Success. Retrieved 10 22, 2009, from GigaCom: http://gigaom. com/2009/09/28/app-world-will-be-crucial-for-RIM-as-smartphone-space-heats-up/ Grewal, L. P. (2009). In Marketing (Canadian Edition ed. , pp. 3-4). McGraw-Hill. Leader-Post. (n. d. ). Analysts pessimistic about RIM's market share. Retrieved 10 22, 2009, from Business : http://www. leaderpost. com/business/story. html? id=2033215 NPD Group. (n. d. ). RIM Unseats Apple in The NPD Group's Latest Smartphone Ranking . Retrieved 10 22, 2009, from Press release: http://www. npd. com/press/releases/press_090504. html Perez, M. (n. d. ). BlackBerry Maker Pushes For Mainstream. Retrieved 10 22, 2009, from Information Week: http://www. informationweek. om/news/personal_tech/blackberry/showArticle. jhtml? articleID=220200247 Reardon. (n. d. ). Smartphone sales slow amid troubled economy. Retrieved 10 22, 2009, from CNET: http://news. cnet. com/8301-1035_3-10113288-94. html Reardon, M. (n. d. ). Market to be dominated by smartphones and low-cost handsets. Retrieved 10 22, 2009, from CNET Crave: http://asia. cnet. com/crave/2009/08/14/market-to-be-dominated-by-smartphones-an d-low-cost-handsets/ Reseach In Motion. (n. d. ). Company. Retrieved 10 22, 2009, from RIM: http://www. RIM. com/company/index. shtml The Globe and Mail. (n. d. . iPhone price may help BlackBerry. Retrieved 10 22, 2009, from Featured Market Blog: http://www. theglobeandmail. com/blogs/markets/iphone-price-may-help-BlackBerry/article767553/ The Wall Street Journal. (n. d. ). BlackBerry With Touch Screen Planned . Retrieved 10 22, 2009, from Business:: http://online. wsj. com/article/SB121087480469495889. html Wikipedia. (n. d. ). BlackBerry. Retrieved 10 22, 2009, from Wikipedia: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/BlackBerry Wikipedia. (n. d. ). Windows Mobile . Retrieved 10 22, 2009, from Wikipedia: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Windows_Mobile

Biography of Henry V of England

Biography of Henry V of England An icon of chivalry, a conquering hero, an exemplar of kingship and a supreme self-publicist, Henry V is among the triumvirate of the most famous English monarchs. Unlike Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, Henry V forged his legend in a little over nine years, but the long-term effects of his victories were few and many historians find something unpleasant in the arrogantly determined, albeit charismatic, young king. Even without Shakespeares attention, Henry V would still be fascinating modern readers. Birth and Early Life The future Henry V was born Henry of Monmouth at Monmouth Castle into one of Englands most powerful noble families. His parents were Henry Bolingbroke, Earl of Derby, a man who had once tried to curb the ambitions of his cousin, King Richard II, but now acted loyally, and Mary Bohun, heir to a rich chain of estates. His grandfather was John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, third son of Edward III, a staunch supporter of Richard II, and the most powerful English noble of the age. At this point, Henry was not considered an heir to the throne and his birth was thus not recorded formally enough for a definitive date to have survived. Historians cant agree on whether Henry was born on August 9th or September 16th, in 1386 or 1387. The current leading biography, by Allmand, uses 1386; however, the introductory work by Dockray uses 1387. Henry was the oldest of six children and he received the best upbringing an English noble could have, including training in martial skills, riding, and forms of hunting. He also received an education in music, harp, literature, and spoke three languages- Latin, French, and English- making him unusually highly educated. Some sources claim that the young Henry was sickly and puny in childhood, but these descriptions didn’t follow him past puberty. Tensions in Court In 1397 Henry Bolingbroke reported treasonous comments made by the Duke of Norfolk; a court was convened but, as it was one Dukes word against another, trial by battle was arranged. It never took place. Instead, Richard II intervened in 1398 by exiling Bolingbroke for ten years and Norfolk for life. Subsequently, Henry of Monmouth found himself a guest at the royal court. While the word hostage was never used, there was underlying tension behind his presence and the implicit threat to Bolingbroke should he disobey. However, the childless Richard appeared to have a genuine fondness for young Henry and he knighted the boy. Becoming the Heir In 1399, Henrys grandfather, John of Gaunt, died. Bolingbroke should have inherited his fathers estates but Richard II revoked them, kept them for himself and extended Bolingbrokes exile to life. By this time, Richard was already unpopular, seen as an ineffective and increasingly autocratic ruler but his treatment of Bolingbroke cost him the throne. If the most powerful English family could lose their land so arbitrarily and illegally; if the most loyal of all men is rewarded by his heirs disinheritance; what rights did other landowners have against this king? Popular support swung to Bolingbroke, who returned to England where he was met by many who urged him to seize the throne from Richard. This task was completed with little opposition the same year. On October 13th, 1399, Henry Bolingbroke became Henry IV of England, and two days later Henry of Monmouth was accepted by Parliament as heir to the throne, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, and Earl of Chester. Two months later he was given the further titles Duke of Lancaster and Duke of Aquitaine.​ Relationship with Richard II Henrys rise to heir had been sudden and due to factors beyond his control, but his relationship with Richard II, especially during 1399, is unclear. Richard had taken Henry on an expedition to crush rebels in Ireland and, upon hearing of Bolingbrokes invasion, confronted Henry with the fact of his fathers treason. The encounter, allegedly recorded by one chronicler, ends with Richard agreeing that Henry was innocent of his fathers acts. Although he still imprisoned Henry in Ireland when he returned to fight Bolingbroke, Richard made no further threats against him. Furthermore, sources suggest that when Henry was released, he traveled to see Richard rather than return directly to his father. Is it possible that Henry felt more loyalty to Richard- as a king or a father figure- than to Bolingbroke? Prince Henry agreed to Richards imprisonment but it is unclear whether this and Henry IVs decision to have Richard murdered had any effect on later events, such as the younger Henrys impatience to usurp his father or his choice to rebury Richard with full regal honors in Westminster Abbey. We dont know for certain. Experience in Battle Henry Vs reputation as a leader began forming in his teenage years, as he and took on responsibilities in the government of the realm. One example of this is the Welsh uprising led by Owain Glyn DÃ… µr. When the small uprising swiftly grew into a full-scale rebellion against the English crown, Henry, as Prince of Wales, had a responsibility to help fight this treason. Consequently, Henrys household moved to Chester in 1400 with Henry Percy, nicknamed Hotspur, in charge of military affairs. Hotspur was an experienced campaigner from whom the young prince was expected to learn. However, after several years of ineffective cross-border raiding, the Percys rebelled against Henry IV, culminating in the  Battle of Shrewsbury on July 21st, 1403. The prince was wounded in the face by an arrow but refused to leave the fight. In the end, the kings army was victorious, Hotspur was killed, and the younger Henry famed throughout England for his courage. Lessons Learned in Wales Following the Battle of Shrewsbury, Henrys involvement in military strategy increased greatly and he began forcing a change in tactics, away from raids and into the control of land through strong points and garrisons. Any progress was initially hampered by a chronic lack of funding- at one point, Henry was paying for the entire war from his own estates. By 1407, fiscal reforms facilitated the sieging of Glyn DÃ… µr castles, which finally fell by the end of 1408. With the rebellion fatally, Wales was brought back under English control just two years later. Henrys successes as king can be clearly tied to the lessons he learned in Wales, particularly the value of controlling strongpoints, approaches to dealing with the tedium and difficulties of besieging them, and the need for proper supply lines and a reliable source of adequate finances. He also experienced the exercise of royal power. Involvement in Politics From 1406 to 1411, Henry played an ever-increasing role in the Kings Council, the body of men who ran the nations administration. In 1410, Henry took overall command of the council; however, the opinions and policies Henry favored were often counter to those favored by his fater- particularly where France was concerned. In 1411, the king became so irked that he dismissed his son from the council altogether. Parliament, however, were impressed by both the princes energetic rule and his attempts to reform government finances.​ In 1412, the king organized an expedition to France led by Henrys brother, Prince Thomas. Henry- possibly still angry or sulking over his expulsion from the council- refused to go. The campaign was a failure and Henry was accused of staying in England to plot a coup against the king. Henry denied these accusations vigorously, obtaining a promise from Parliament to investigate and personally protesting his innocence to his father. Later in the year, more rumors emerged, this time claiming the Prince had stolen funds earmarked for a siege of Calais. After much protest, Henry was again found innocent. Threat of Civil War and Ascension to the Throne Henry IV had never secured universal support for his seizure of the crown from Richard and by the end of 1412, his familys supporters were drifting into armed and angry factions. Fortunately for the unity of England, people realized Henry IV was terminally ill before these factions were mobilized and efforts were made to obtain peace between father, son, and brother. Henry IV died on March 20th, 1413, but if he had remained healthy, would his son have started an armed conflict to clear his name, or even seize the crown? It is impossible to know. Instead, Henry was proclaimed king on March 21st, 1413, and crowned as Henry V on April 9th. Throughout 1412, the younger Henry seemed to have been acting with righteous confidence, even arrogance and was clearly chafing against the rule of his father, but legends claim that the wild prince turned into a pious and determined man overnight. There may not be much truth in those tales, but Henry probably did appear to change in character as he fully adopted the mantle of King. Finally able to direct his great energy into his chosen policies, Henry began acting with the dignity and authority he believed was his duty and his accession was broadly welcomed. Early Reforms For the first two years of his reign, Henry worked hard to reform and solidify his nation in preparation for war. The dire royal finances were given a thorough overhaul by streamlining and maximizing the existing system. The resulting gains werent enough to fund a campaign overseas, but Parliament was grateful for the effort and Henry built on this to cultivate a strong working relationship with the Commons, resulting in generous grants of taxation from the people to fund a campaign in France. Parliament was also impressed with Henrys drive to tackle the general lawlessness into which vast areas of England had sunk. The peripatetic courts worked much harder than in Henry IVs reign to tackle crime, reducing the number of armed bands and trying to solve the long-term disagreements which fomented local conflict. The chosen methods, however, reveal Henrys continued eye on France, for many criminals were simply pardoned for their crimes in return for military service abroad. The emphasis was less on punishing crime than channeling that energy towards France. Uniting the Nation Perhaps the most important campaign Henry undertook in this phase was to unite the nobles and common people of England behind him. He showed and practiced a willingness to forgive and pardon families who had opposed Henry IV, none more so than the Earl of March, the lord Richard II had designated as his heir. Henry freed March from imprisonment and returned the Earls landed estates. In return, Henry expected absolute obedience and he moved quickly and decisively to stamp out any dissent. In 1415 the Earl of March informed on plans to put him on the throne which, in truth, were merely the grumblings of three disaffected lords who had already abandoned their ideas. Henry acted swiftly to execute the plotters and remove their opposition. Henry also acted against the spreading belief in Lollardy, a pre-Protestant Christian movement, which many nobles felt was a threat to Englands very society and which had previously had sympathizers at court. A commission was created to identify all Lollards and a Lollard-led rebellion was swiftly put down. Henry issued a general pardon to all those who surrendered and repented. Through these acts, Henry made sure the nation saw him as acting decisively to crush both dissent and religious deviance, underlining his position as Englands leader and Christian protector while also binding the nation further around him. Honoring Richard II Henry had Richard IIs body moved and reinterred with full regal honors in Westminster Cathedral. Possibly done out of fondness for the former king, the reburial was a political masterstroke. Henry IV, whose claim to the throne was legally and morally dubious, hadnt dared perform any act which gave legitimacy to the man he usurped. Henry V, on the other hand, demonstrated confidence in himself and his right to rule, as well as a respect for Richard which pleased any of the latters remaining supporters. The codification of a rumor that Richard II once remarked how Henry would be king, most certainly done with Henrys approval, turned him into the heir of both Henry IV and Richard II. Statebuilding Henry actively encouraged the idea of England as a nation separate from others, most importantly when it came to language. When Henry, a tri-lingual king, ordered all government documents to be written in vernacular English (the language of the normal English peasant) it was the first time it had ever happened. The ruling classes of England had used Latin and French for centuries, but Henry encouraged a cross-class use of English that was markedly different from the continent. While the motive for most of Henrys reforms was configuring the nation to fight France, he also fulfilled almost all the criteria by which kings were to be judged: good justice, sound finance, true religion, political harmony, accepting counsel and nobility. Only one remained: success in war. English kings had claimed parts of the European mainland ever since William, Duke of Normandy,  won the throne in 1066, but the size and legitimacy of these holdings varied  through struggles with the competing French crown. Not only did Henry consider it his legal right and duty to recover these lands, but he also believed honestly and utterly in his right to the rival throne, as first claimed by Edward III. At every stage of his French campaigns, Henry went to great lengths to be seen as acting legally and royally. In France, King Charles VI was mad and the French nobility had split into two warring camps: the Armagnacs, formed around Charles son, and the Burgundians, formed around John, Duke of Burgundy. Henry saw a way to take advantage of this situation. As a prince, he had supported the Burgundian faction, but as the king, he played the two against each other simply to claim hed tried to negotiate. In June 1415, Henry broke talks off and on August 11 began what became known as the Agincourt Campaign. Military Victories at Agincourt and Normandy Henrys first target was the port of Harfleur, a French naval base and potential supply point for the English armies. It fell, but only after a protracted siege which saw Henrys army reduced in numbers and affected by illness. With winter approaching, Henry decided to march his force overland to Calais despite being opposed by his commanders. They felt the scheme was too risky, as a major French force was gathering to meet their weakened troops. At Agincourt on October 25th, an army of both French factions blocked the English and forced them to battle. The French should have crushed the English, but a combination of deep mud, social convention, and French mistakes led to an overwhelming English victory. Henry completed his march to Calais, where he was greeted like a hero. In military terms, victory at Agincourt simply allowed Henry to escape catastrophe and deterred the French from further pitched battles, but politically the impact was enormous. The English further united around their conquering king, Henry became one of the most famous men in Europe and the French factions splintered again in shock. Having obtained vague promises of help from John the Fearless in 1416, Henry returned to France in July 1417 with a clear objective: the conquest of Normandy. He maintained his army in France consistently for three years, methodically besieging towns and castles and installing new garrisons. By June 1419 Henry controlled the vast majority of Normandy. Admittedly, warring between the French factions meant little national opposition was organized but it was nonetheless a supreme achievement. Equally notable are the tactics Henry used. This wasnt a plundering  chevauchà ©e  as favored by previous English kings, but a determined attempt to bring Normandy under permanent control. Henry was acting as rightful king and allowing those who accepted him to keep their land. There was still brutality- he destroyed those who opposed him and grew increasingly violent- but he was far more controlled, magnanimous, and answerable to the law than before. The War for France On May 29th, 1418, while Henry and his forces advanced further into France, John the Fearless captured Paris, slaughtered the Armagnac garrison and took command of Charles VI and his court. Negotiations had continued between the three sides throughout this period, but the Armagnacs and Burgundians grew close again in the summer of 1419. A united France would have threatened Henry Vs success, but even in the face of continued defeats at the hands of Henry, the French could not overcome their internal divisions. At a meeting of  the Dauphin  and John the Fearless on September 10th, 1419, John was assassinated. Reeling, the Burgundians reopened negotiations with Henry. By Christmas, an agreement was in place and on 21st May 1420, the Treaty of Troyes signed. Charles VI remained  King of France, but Henry became his heir, married his daughter  Katherine  and acted as de facto ruler of France. Charles son, the Dauphin Charles, was barred from the throne and Henrys line would follow. On June 2nd, Henry married Katherine of Valois and on December 1st, 1420 he entered Paris. Unsurprisingly, the Armagnacs rejected the treaty. Untimely Death In early 1421, Henry returned to England, motivated by the need to acquire more funds and mollify Parliament. He spent the winter besieging Meaux, one of the Dauphins last northern strongholds, before it fell in May 1422. During this time his only child, Henry, had been born, but the king had also fallen ill and had to be literally carried to the next siege. He died on August 31st, 1422 at Bois de Vincennes. Successes and Legacy Henry V perished at the height of his power, only a few months following Charles VIs death and his coronation as King of France. In his nine-year reign, he had demonstrated the ability to manage a nation through hard work and an eye for detail. He had shown a charisma which inspired soldiers and a balance of justice and forgiveness with reward and punishment that united a nation and provided the framework on which he based his strategies. He had proved himself a planner and commander equal to the greatest of his era, keeping an army in the field constantly overseas for three years. While Henry had benefited greatly from the civil war being waged in France, his opportunism and ability to react enabled him to exploit the situation fully. Henry fulfilled every criterion demanded of a good king. Weaknesses It is entirely possible that Henry died just at the right time for his legend to remain, and that another nine years would have tarnished it greatly. The goodwill and support of the English people were definitely wavering by 1422 as the money was drying up and Parliament had mixed feelings towards Henrys seizure of the crown of France. The English people wanted a strong, successful king, but they were concerned about his level of interest in France and they certainly didnt want to pay for a prolonged conflict there. Ultimately, historys view of Henry is colored by the Treaty of Troyes. On the one hand, Troyes established Henry as the heir to France. However, Henrys rival heir, the Dauphin retained strong support and rejected the treaty. Troyes thus committed Henry to a long and expensive war against a faction who still controlled roughly half of France, a war which might take decades before the treaty could be enforced and for which his resources were running out. The task of properly establishing the Lancastrians as dual kings of England and France was probably impossible, but many also consider the dynamic and determined Henry as one of the few people able to do it. Henrys personality undermines his reputation. His confidence was part of an iron will and fanatical determination that hints at a cold, aloof character masked by the glow of victories. Henry seems to have focused on his rights and goals above those of his kingdom. As ​prince, Henry pushed for greater power and, as an ailing king, his last will made no provision for the care of the kingdom after his death. Instead, he spent his energies arranging twenty-thousand masses to be performed in his honor. At the time of his death, Henry had been growing more intolerant of enemies, ordering ever more savage reprisals and forms of war and may have been becoming increasingly autocratic. Conclusion Henry V of England was undoubtedly a gifted man and one of few to shape history to his design, but his self-belief and ability came at the expense of personality. He was one of the great military commanders of his age- acting from a genuine sense of right, not a cynical politician- but his ambition may have committed him to treaties beyond even his ability to enforce. Despite the achievements of his reign, including uniting the nation around him, creating peace between crown and parliament, and winning a throne, Henry left no long-term political or military legacy. The Valois reconquered France and retook the throne within forty years, while the Lancastrian line failed and England collapsed into civil war. What Henry did leave was a legend and a greatly enhanced national consciousness.

Explore How Budget Deficits and Economy Health Relate

Explore How Budget Deficits and Economy Health Relate There is a relationship between budget deficits and the health of the economy, but is certainly not a perfect one. There can be massive budget deficits when the economy is doing quite well, and, though somewhat less likely, surpluses are certainly possible during bad times.   This is because a deficit or surplus depends not only on the tax revenues collected (which can be thought of as proportional to economic activity) but also on the level of government purchases and transfer payments, which is determined by Congress and need not be determined by the level of economic activity. That being said, government budgets tend to go from surplus to deficit (or existing deficits become larger) as the economy goes sour. This typically happens as follows: The economy goes into recession, costing many workers their jobs, and at the same time causing corporate profits to decline. This causes less income tax revenue to flow to the government, along with less corporate income tax revenue. Occasionally the flow of income to the government will still grow, but at a slower rate than inflation, meaning that flow of tax revenue has fallen in real terms.Because many workers have lost their jobs, their  dependency is increased use of government programs, such as unemployment insurance. Government spending rises as more individuals are calling on government services to help them out through tough times.   (Such spending programs are known as automatic stabilizers, since they by their very nature help stabilize economic activity and income over time.)To help push the economy out of recession and to help those who have lost their jobs, governments often create new social programs during times of recession and depression. FDRs New Deal of the 19 30s is a prime example of this. Government spending then rises, not just because of increased use of existing programs, but through the creation of new programs. Because of factor one, the government receives less money from taxpayers due to a  recession, while factors two and three imply that the government spends more money than it would during better times. Money starts flowing out of the government faster than it comes in, causing the governments budget to go into deficit.

CV Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

CV - Essay Example Actively solicit new accounts and relationships in the Steel Industry; negotiate long term contracts, prices, terms and conditions (for Coking Coal, Iron Ore, Manganese Ore + Alloys); research, analyze and assess customer needs, usage levels, budget and supply programs. Utilize superior networking and communications abilities, continually building strong customer relations, achieving outstanding customer satisfaction. Assist senior management in all areas of operations. Researched market conditions in regional and national areas to determine potential sales of consumer products. Evaluated effectiveness of surveys, opinion polls and questionnaires. Assisted in assessing market position and developing guidelines and recommendations. Performed accounting and audit procedures on cash accounts and subsequent events. Monitored routine operations, filing, answering credit statements and memos. Examined invoices for appropriate authorization and classification. Researched, analyzed and summarized a variety of financial transactions and reports. Interacted efficiently as team worker. Effective marketing strategies were developed with my assistance. Analyzed current client needs industry capacity, competitive intelligence and potential positioning. Established research methodology; designed format for data gathering. Statistical data were examined and future marketing trends were forecasted. Gathered data on competitors and analyzed prices, sales and methods of