Customer satisfaction and loyalty of hyundai Essay

The history of the automobile begins as early as 1769, with the creation of steam engined automobiles capable of human transport. [1] In 1806, the first cars powered by an internal combustion engine running on fuel gas appeared, which led to the introduction in 1885 of the ubiquitous modern gasoline- or petrol-fueled internal combustion engine. The year 1886 is regarded the year of birth of the modern automobile – with the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, by German inventor Carl Benz. Cars powered by electric power briefly appeared at the turn of the 20th century, but largely disappeared from use until the turn of the 21st century. The early history of the automobile can be divided into a number of eras, based on the prevalent means of propulsion. Later periods were defined by trends in exterior styling, and size and utility preferences. 1. 1HISTORY OF CARS Old Engraving depicting the 1771 crash of Nicolas Joseph Cugnot’s steam-powered car into a stone wall. The automobile as we know it was not invented in a single day by a single inventor. The history of the automobile reflects an evolution that took place worldwide. Starting with the first theoretical plans for a motor vehicle that had been drawn up by both Leonardo da Vinci and Isaac Newton. In 1769, the very first self-propelled road vehicle was a military tractor invented by French engineer and mechanic, Nicolas Joseph Cugnot (1725 – 1804). Cugnot used a steam engine to power his vehicle, built under his instructions at the Paris Arsenal by mechanic Brezin. It was used by the French Army to haul artillery at a whopping speed of 2 1/2 mph on only three wheels. The vehicle had to stop every ten to fifteen minutes to build up steam power. The steam engine and boiler were separate from the rest of the vehicle and placed in the front (see engraving above). The following year (1770), Cugnot built a steam-powered tricycle that carried four passengers. Early Electric Cars Steam engines were not the only engines used in early automobiles. Vehicles with electrical engines were also invented. Between 1832 and 1839 (the exact year is uncertain), Robert Anderson of Scotland invented the first electric carriage. Electric cars used rechargeable batteries that powered a small electric motor. The vehicles were heavy, slow, expensive, and needed to stop for recharging frequently. INTRODUCTION TO INDIAN MARKET The present Indian economy is characterized by increasing in the consumption rate. Today Indian market is exposed to a lot of competitions not only from the domestic players but also global players. The competition in the market is driving every manufacturer to cut costs and focus on satisfying the customer which will surely help him retain his market share and also to enhance it. The customers delight in the business world of marketing today. All the marketers are oriented themselves towards it. 1. 2 MARKETING MARKET The term market is derived from the Latin word ‘Marcatus’ which means trade, merchandise or plan of business. It means interaction of the buyers and sellers in the person or through telephone, telegraph, mail etc. MARKETING Marketing is a comprehensive term. It is not a mere exchange of goods and services. It includes all those activities connected with the process of identifying the needs of the customer and then organizing the business accordingly to meet the needs of the consumer. â€Å"Marketing is a social and managerial process by which individuals and group obtain what they need and want through creating, offering and exchanging products of value with others†. Philip Kotler â€Å"Marketing is the total system of interacting business activities designed to plan, price, promote, and distribute wants satisfying products and service, to present and potential customers†. Professor William Stanton. CONSUMER PERCEPTION The term perception refers to the complete act of ‘perceiving’ and involving of the psychological factors. Perception is the process by which the mind receives organizes and interprets a particular thing. It is estimated that 90 percent of the stimuli that the individual perceives come through sight and the rest from learning. Price is another element of marketing mix where perception has its implication. The basis of perception We know that sight perception depends on the flow of photons in through the pupils and absorbed in the retina. Therefore with the operation of our senses we do know there is something there can and is influencing the sensory mechanisms within ourselves but we do not necessarily know what it is that is causing the sense of experience. This gives rise to two levels of perception. The first is called immediate perception and is totally physical the operation of the physical universe following its mechanistic path ways, some of which happen to occur as neural events in our brain. The second level of perception is the interpretative perception where our psychology and attention is implicated in the perceptual act. Immediate perception is direct mediated only by physiology of perceiving species. Moving beyond immediate perception such as when a person attends to what they are perceiving, then all the well known aspects come to the fore. The obvious consequence is that we do not necessarily perceive that which we immediately perceive. The mechanism of immediate perception area set of physical events in the physical universe. The external reality is generating a perpetual field that is influencing the eye, which in turn is influencing the neurons of the visual cortex. The visual cortex is the reacting part. The interaction of the visual cortex with other parts of the brain and central nervous systems represented by the arrows to thought and emotion is the beginning of the analysis of the complete act of perception involving the emotive and interpretative elements. This model of immediate perception says that we immediately perceive reality via the effect a perceptual field has no sensory apparatus of our physiology. The study of consumers helps firm and organizations improve their marketing strategies by understanding issues such as: The psychology of how consumers think, feel, reason, and select between different alternatives ( e. g. brands, products). The psychology of how the consumer is influenced by his or her environment (e. g. , culture, family, signs, media). The behavior of consumers while shopping or making other marketing decisions. Limitations in consumer knowledge or information processing abilities influence decisions and marketing outcome. How consumer motivation and decision strategies differ between products that differ in their level of importance or interest that they entail for the consumer. How marketers can adopt and improve their marketing campaigns and marketing strategies to more effectively reach the consumer. Understanding these issues help us adopt our strategies by taking the consumer into consideration. We also learn that consumer’s will sometimes be persuaded more by logical arguments, but at other times will be persuaded more by emotional or symbolic appeals. By understanding the consumer, we will be able to make a more informed decision as to which strategy to employ. CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR One official definition of consumer behavior is â€Å"The study of individuals groups, or organizations and the processes they use to select, secure, use, dispose of products, services experiences or idea to satisfy needs and the impacts that these processes have on the consumer and society. † This definition brings up some useful points. ?Behavior occurs either for the individual, or in the context of a group (e. g. , friend’s influence what kinds of clothes person wears) or an organization (people on the job make decisions as to which products the firm should use). ?Consumer behaviour involves the use and disposal of products as well as the study of how they are purchased. Product use is often of great interest to the marketer, because this may influence how a product is best positioned or how we can encourage increased consumption. Since many environmental problems result from product disposal (e. g. , motor oil being sent to sewage systems to save the recycling fee, or garbage piling up at landfill) this is also an area of interest. ?Customer behavior involves services and ideas as well as tangible products. ?The impact of consumer behavior on society is also of relevance. For example, aggressive marketing of high fat foods or aggressive marketing of easy credit may be serious repercussions for the national health and economy. There are several units in the market that can be analyzed. The main trust in this course is the consumer. However we will also need to analyze our own firm’s strengths and weaknesses and those of competing firms. Finally, we need to assess the marketing environment although we may have developed a product that offers great appeal for consumers a recession may cut demand dramatically. WHO IS THE CUSTOMER? We all think of customers as the people who sit at our tables and pay for the goods and services purchased. But they are individuals in their own right. They may be business people, tourists, youngsters, retired couples or celebrities. They cannot be looked upon as an amorphous group – their needs are different and your service should reflect that. †¢A customer is the most important person in our business. †¢A customer is a person who comes to us with needs and wants and it is our job to handle them in a manner that is profitable to him/her and ourselves. †¢A customer is not a cold statistic; he/she is a human being with feelings and deserves to be treated with respect. †¢A customer is not an interruption to our work – he is the purpose of it. We are not doing him a favour by serving him, he is doing us a favour by giving us the opportunity to do so. †¢A customer deserves the most courteous attention we can give. Customers are not dependent on us, we are dependent on them ! A Customer is anyone who receives the work you do! CUSTOMER SATISFACTION Winning customers’ hearts and minds is increasingly important to customer acquisition and customer retention. It is no coincidence that customer satisfaction research accounts for much of market research activities. As competitive advantage and differentiation is achieved through product innovation and service performance (rather than competing on cost), it is vital to monitor and manage customer satisfaction levels. Customer satisfaction is not just about service levels or product attributes. It can be seen as a function of two main components: ? perceptions of product and service levels received ?expectation of product and service levels Customer satisfaction is therefore concerned with service delivery/product performance and expectation management. Customer satisfaction research delivers key benefits: †¢understanding the underlying drivers of satisfaction †¢identification of trigger points where satisfaction management is most needed †¢prioritisation of action areas (minimum input for maximum return) †¢Identification of customer-supplier interactions, internal processes and departments most likely to cause satisfaction/dissatisfaction. Impact on loyalty and propensity to recommend; a vital bottom line measurement CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ALSO HELPS YOU TO GET TO GRIPS WITH Customer Expectations Attitude and Behaviour Personal Appearance Maintaining Standards Handling Complaints Getting it Right First Time COMPANY PROFILE 2. 1 ORIGIN OF THE COMPANY HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY The Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) was founded in 1947 as Hyundai Engineering and Construction Co. by the late Ju-Yung Chung. Hyundai Motor Company, established in 1967, is the auto sales leader in the Korean domestic market and exports vehicles to 190 countries worldwide. Hyundai Motor Company operates the world’s largest integrated automobile manufacturing facility in Ulsan, on Korea’s southeast coast. In 1996, Hyundai opened the Namyang Technology Research Center, which includes a complete testing facility with a 2. 8-mile oval test track and a new $40 million aero acoustic wind tunnel. That same year, 1996, HMC began production at its state-of-the-art Asan Plant, located southeast of Seoul. Hyundai now operates eight research centers in Korea along with four international centers, including Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc. in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the Hyundai California Design Center in Irvine, California. Hyundai’s automotive technology centers employ approximately 4,100 researchers with an annual budget of five percent of current revenues. Current research projects include: electric-powered vehicles, low-emission gasoline engines, solar-powered vehicles, hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles and other alternative fuel vehicles. Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company, S. Korea and is the second largest and the fastest growing car manufacturer in India. HMIL presently markets over 18 variants of passenger cars across four models, the Santro in the B segment, the Accent in the C segment, the Sonata in the E segment and the Santa Fe in the SUV segment 2. 2 MARKET SHARE When Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMI) started producing cars at a place called Irrungattukottai near the South Indian city of Chennai in September 1998 Cut to 2004. The integrated manufacturing plant set up at an initial investment of US$ 614 million is now the largest manufacturing facility of Hyundai outside Korea. Hyundai India has a market share of about 20 per cent, and its plant rolls out about 600 – 700 cars per day in two shifts. Hyundai India today sells not two but seven brands – Santro, i10, i20, Verna, Elantra, Sonata and Santa Fe. These cars are sold and serviced by a national network of 300 sales and service outlets. HMI’s Santro and Accent are India’s largest selling brands in the B and C segments. The Santro was rated the â€Å"Best Small Car† in the JD Power Asia Pacific Initial Quality and APEAL studies for three years in a row, and continues to be one of India’s three most preferred compact cars. The same car is now making important inroads in Europe. Hyundai India sold 42,113 cars in 2012-13, and this year, the are planning to target the largest and most competitive market of them all now, with localisation levels of over 90 percent and the capability to produce world-class automobiles, Hyundai has made India its small carhub. Businessworld magazine reported in January this year that Hyundai is upping its annual export capacity so that by 2013 it can export 500,000 small cars from its production base in Chennai. The market shares of leading players for the month of Mar, 2013 is as given below. COMPANYMARKET SHARE Maruti 42. 4 % Hyundai Motors24. 4 % Mahindra09. 9 % Chevrolet11. 5 % Volkswagen03. 9 % Honda02. 1 % Toyota01. 7 % Others04. 1 % TOTAL100 % A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF TRIDENT HYUNDAI Introduction Trident Hyundai started in 1998 at Bangalore with 30 employees and just one Customer Care Centre. Today, Trident Hyundai has over 600 employees spread over Bangalore, Shimoga and Davengere. The philosophy â€Å"Drive Home a Relationship† is a way of work life and is reflected in our deep rooted commitment almost bordering on obsession towards customer satisfaction. This has helped us in setting up new benchmarks in dealership operation and procedures that has been replicated by other automobile dealers in India. We are recipients of many accolades for excellence in the areas of sales, services and finance. We are also an ISO 9001:2000 Company accredited by TUV and have joined the elite group. Trident Hyundai offers a perfect career for those who have the flair to excel at work. Freedom of expression and a conducive work environs foster the employees to exploit their talents to the fullest abilities. Palace Orchard at Bangalore has virtually become a landmark of Country’s few multilevel automobile dealership. Our Customer Care Centres are conveniently spread at Yeshwanthpur, Indira Nagar, JP Nagar, Sheshadripuram and Kalyan Nagar with state-of-the-art equipments and qualified technicians to cater customer needs. Our goal extends beyond customer satisfaction and we are committed in achieving total â€Å"Customer Delight†. BRANCHES Trident Hyundai 46/4, Garvebhavi Palya, Begur Hobli Hosur Road Bangalore – 560068 Tel: 080-43433222 Trident Hyundai No. 9, HAL Airport Road, Kodihalli, Next to Carlton Towers Bangalore-560014 Tel: 080-43431111 Trident Hyundai No. 1, Lower Palace Orchards Sankey Road, Next to Cauvery Theater Bangalore – 560003 Tel: 080-43433333 Trident Hyundai No. 111,122 & 125, B Narayanpura, K. R Puram, Bangalore-560016 Tel: 080-67879191 2. 4 PRODUCT PROFILE A. Hatchbacks SANTRO Xing Santro Xing with it’s new aerodynamic styling, power-assisted brakes, the advanced suspensions, the uniquely responsive technology is as much a magnificent creation of our drive to delight you as much as a benchmark in engineering excellence. Santro is being produced exclusively in India and the Indian Xing will now drive the World. I10 1. The BSIV compliant 1. 2 Kappa2 engine with VTVT achieved a spectacular fuel mileage of 20. 36 km/litre 2. Best in class ARAI-Certified fuel efficiency among petrol cars in India I20 The Winner of the Prestigious ‘Viewer’s Choice Of The Year’ and ‘Desighn Of The Year’ Awards, the i20 is all set to sweep you of your feet once again. Reflecting Hyundai’s design identity, fluidic sculpture, the new i20 boasts more aggressive and stylish design, giving you extra confidence on the road. The New Hyundai i20 is full of clever technology and smart features. Automatic headlamps, Rain Sensing wipers, Cluch lock function, a rear view parking camera and rear parking sensors are standard on Style models EON B. Sedans Verna Fluidic The 1. 6 L VTVT engine is a powerhouse which is refined to deliver best-in-segment 123ps@ 6300 rpm leaving the competition way behind. The engine is tuned to generate optimum efficiency without compromising on power. The new Verna also offers a 1. 4 L VTVT which boasts of similarly unbeatable performance and best-in-segment mileage of 17. 43 Km/L. The Verna features an ABS system and six airbags, including dual front airbags, curtain airbags and side airbags, for better safety ELANTRA The New Elantra comes perfectly handy for all occasions. Speed, agility and power come as standard equipment in Elantra. The design is a culmination of European styling and delightful functionality SONATA Sonata’s sophistication really shines from all angles together with its impressive rear view with its subtle curvature, fine details and unique rear combination lamps. The Sonata is built like a fortress. The car body incorporates numerous structural protection elements like, dual side impact beams, the energy absorbing collapsible steering column, front and rear crumple zones, cross-bar under the dashboard, engine sub-frame and reinforced bumpers together with the ABS (Anti-locking Braking System), TCS (Traction Control System) and the optional SRS airbag which provides maximum C. SUV Santa Fe The Santa Fe’s craftsmanship is inspired by the heart and completed with technology. You will continue to be pleaseantly surprised by the features you discover throughout the vehicle when driving or parked. SAFETY ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM(ABS) All cars come with few variants fitted with the revolutionary ABS, as a standard feature. ABS provides improved braking performance and directional stability on slippery surfaces CRUMPLE ZONE The crumple zones in the new Santro Xing have been further reinforced to conform to the strictest of global safety norms and tested for frontal and offset impact in the most gruelling test track conditions, so that you drive away with complete peace of mind. The steering column is fully collapsible and minimizes risk of chest injuries in the event of a frontal impact The passenger cabin is an original three-box design and is protected by reinforced steel sections in the front and back, dual side-impact bars on all doors and large crumple zones in front and rear. The Accent has been Crash Tested to conform to global safety norms and provides optimum driver and passenger safety Specially designed to protect the passengers in the event of panic braking, these seats prevent the occupants from sliding forward and hurting themselves. The Sonata incorporates numerous structural reinforcements like dual side-impact beams, an energy- absorbing collapsible steering column, front & rear crumple zones, cross-bar under the dashboard, an engine sub-frame and reinforced bumpers that make the car a virtual fortress on wheels. The SRS Driver and Passenger Airbags come as standard on the Sonata V6 and as an option on the Sonata Gold. They come as an exclusive package together with ELR Seat Belts and Seat Belt Pretensioners and Load Limiters and provide maximum protection. Integrated with ABS, the EBD apportions braking power between the front and the rear axles according to the number of passengers and weight of the cargo in the trunk for safer, straight line stops. The handsomely sculptured headlamps cluster with four bulbs & clear lens ensures superior nighttime visibility. The projection type fog lamps comes handy in inclement weather conditions. The science of absolute control. Prevents skidding on a slippery road or during harsh braking, also maintains steer ability. Electronically apportions the brake force between the four wheels for optimum braking performance. Safety Cell Construction The protective safety cell sits between fore and aft crumple zones that absorb impact forces and keep the driver and passengers out of harms way. Side Impact Protection Front and rear doors are reinforced with special high tensile strength steel members that help absorb side impact forces. Seat-Belt Seat belt pretensioner with load limiter reduces the risk of chest injuries. The ultimate in driver and passenger safety. Detects slip in the rear wheel & pulls the vehicle out of difficult & unsafe terrain. The ladder frame chassis constructed of heavy-duty gauge steel is designed to withstand massive twisting & flexing safely. The superbly silent HVAC system in the Accent maintains the most comfortable climate inside the car irrespective of the outside temperature. An ultra-sensitive automatic temperature sensing coupled with a powerful aircon and heating system delivers omni-directional air-flow through specially designed flow control ducts and instantly responds to external temperature changes to keep the cabin climate perfect. The Noise, Vibrations and Harshness dampering is a function of the intelligent design of the Accent. Every single component in this car has been designed to work in perfect harmony so that you can enjoy complete peace and quiet inside your car. This feature makes sure that your driving experience in an Accent is not just effortless, but fun as well. While the steering wheel can be easily ‘Tilted’ at different convenient angles for easy adjustment, the ‘Power steering’ gives you greater control of the vehicle, not only in city driving conditions but also in case of accidents like tyre bursts. The Accent comes equipped with a tilt & a height cushion adjustment along with sliding and reclining controls that ensure perfect posturing and the best back and thigh support for a completely relaxed driving experience. 3. 5 SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Hyundai, as a responsible corporate citizen is committed to sustainable social development and the preservation of the environment. All the company’s key manufacturing units, including the Indian plant have the ISO 14001 certification for its Environment management practices. As a part of its social responsibility programs, the company conducts various campaigns to spread awareness of in-car safety and safe driving practices, particularly targeted against drunken driving, speeding. As a part of its community development projects, the company has adopted a few villages around its factory in Tamilnadu and has been working towards the social and economic development of these villages, assisting them in the areas of primary health care, education, basic amenities and employment opportunities. 3. 6 AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMINTS -SONATA RANKED â€Å"MOST DEPENDABLE MIDSIZE CAR† J. D. POWER AND ASSOCIATES 2013 VEHICLE DEPENDABILITY STUDY -ELANTRA SEDAN EARNS A 2013 ALG’S HIGHEST RESIDUAL VALUE AWARD -SANTA FE RECEIVES A 2013 ALG’S HIGHEST RESIDUAL VALUE AWARD. – ELANTRA – NAMED ONE OF THE 10 BEST GREEN CARS OF 2012 BY KELLEY BLUE BOOK’S KBB. COM. ELANTRA HAS EARNED THIS AWARD FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR 3. 7 FUTURE PROSPECTS The R;D team focuses on the development of new products and technologies that include interior and exterior design changes, development of new generation engines and alternate fuel systems, concept vehicles and advanced passenger safety and comfort systems, in line with evolving customer preferences across the globe. Recent successes of the team include the development of the Hyundai patented Common Rail Direct Injection (CRDi) engine in association with Detroit Diesel and the award winning Fuel Cell Santa FE. EFFORTS Some of the ongoing projects that the Hyundai R;D team is involved in include the development of the ‘World Engine’ in association with Daimler Chrysler and Mitsubishi and the development of Automotive Telematics in association with IBM. That the efforts of the Hyundai R;D team has paid great dividends to the company is evident from the fact that the company’s newly engineered products like the Santa Fe and the Getz have made waves in the global automotive markets and the ‘US Consumer Reports’ magazine has ranked Hyundai cars in level with that of Honda in its recent quality rankings Hyundai Motor India has been awarded the benchmark ISO 14001 certification for its sustainable environment management practices. Living up to its commitment of providing global standards of quality and process management in India, Hyundai had put in place an Environment Management System (EMS)at its manufacturing plant in Chennai right from its project stage. The certification process was completed in a record time of 10 months with ‘Zero NCRs’. The assessment was done by TUV SUDDEUTSCHLAND and covered areas like Awareness Training, Technology Upgradation, Recycling, Waste Management and fulfilling Government Regulations. HMI is also working on a backward integration strategy that will support vendors of the company in implementing EMS. Hyundai Motor Company, S. Korea, the parent of HMI, has been doing considerable work on sustainable Environment Management The company has a well defined framework in place for developing products that reduce pollutant emissions and processes for preservation of natural resources and energy along all the stages of the product lifecycle from production, sales, use to disposal. The company has also been in the forefront of development of environment friendly technologies like Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs), and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) and has been awarded the ISO 14001 certification for all its three major plants in Ulsan, Asan and Jeonju in S. Korea.

Communication Process Essay

1. Briefly describe the misunderstanding, including the setting and the people involved. At my recent job that I was working a situation came about, I was helping my director file some bills with personal information. Well she did not make it clear that each bill went into a certain folder, which made my job a lot difficult and ending up me having to do the whole process over again, when I had to do another project that my other Director had told me to finish up within that day. 2. Complete the following table with information from your described misunderstanding. |Question |Answer | |Who was the sender? |My Director | |Who was the receiver? |Myself | |What was the message? |File these documents | |What channel was used to send the message? |Sound and light waves | |What was the misunderstanding? |How to file the documents | |How could you have avoided the misunderstanding? |It could have been avoided if my director would have told me the correct | | |way to file them instead of me trying to figure out how to file the | | |documents. 3. The perception model in Ch. 2 of Communicating in the Workplace shows that prior knowledge and experiences combine with your psychological state to shape your subjective reality. What was your perception going into the situation? How did your perception of the misunderstanding affect the communication process? My perception of the situation was that there really was not correct way into filing the documents, all she wanted was for them to be filed. It affected the misunderstanding and how the communication process went through my mind was that she should have told me how to correctly do it the proper way, instead of just telling me to finish filing. I just thought that she wanted them out of the way and into the filing cabinet. 4. After reflecting on your misunderstanding and analyzing it with what you have learned this week, what did you learn about the communication process? I have learned that there are a lot of ways in communicating and that when someone tells another person to do something, then that person is listening and taking in information differently, to ask questions when told to do something if you do not understand what that person is wanting from you. The reason why I say this is because not every person is going to be the same, as it stated in the example of the model in Ch. 2 of Communicating in the Workplace, A hog could be a pig but really the person was referring to a motorcycle. For another instance when someone is telling another person to do something, that person receives the message but might take it another way because of how that person encodes the information, that is why it is important to respond back to the person and making a clear understanding of what that person is wanting. I would not want to risk someone else’s life it I did not understand the information correctly because that will affect my job on the line as well. Reference Cheesebro, T., O’Connor, L., & Rios, F. (2010). Communicating in the workplace. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

European History (Gender History) Essay

The history of feminism has developed into a major field in recent years. Scholars from many disciplines and writers in many countries explore the ways in which women’s oppression has been represented, discussed, and resisted in the past few centuries. In Burdens of History: British Feminists, Indian Women, and Imperial Culture, Burton characterizes her book as a history of `discourse`. Antoinette Burton has revealed the intensity, the extent, the duration, and the complexity of the concern to understand significant but neglected historical extent of the relationship between feminism and imperialism. Until quite recently, feminist discussion and debate was seen fragmentary. In her work, Burton argues that it is possible to construct a more or less continuous history of British feminism, recognizing imperial feminist ideologies. Antoinette Burton developed an immense interest in the relationship between feminism and imperialism. Burton discusses the endorsement of the racism and imperialist ideals by many white feminists, and the assumption by British feminists of their own particular version of the ‘white man’s burden’. This interest in the history of feminism and the sense of its expansiveness has come from a number of different fields. The writer explored the ideas, lives, and activities of feminist writers and activists. The novels of Fanny Burney, Mary Hays, Jane Austen and George Eliot, and the poetry of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, have thus been encompassed within recent discussions of the history of feminism alongside the novels of Sarah Grand, Olive Schreiner and Virginia Woolf. The feminist underpinnings, or the implications for feminism of a range of political, social, and philanthropic ideas and activities have also been examined and explored. Burton stressed the need to recognize the relationship between changing ideas about the women’s role. Burton’s book has served not only to expand but also to transform the history of feminism. It made clear both its immense scope and its complexity. On the one hand, it is now clear that feminist ideas and debates have existed and been elaborated more or less constantly over the last two centuries. On the other hand, the question of feminism itself – of what it means and what it encompasses – has become much more complex. Once feminism meant a concern with gaining equal political and legal rights for women. In Burton’s book, feminism is now seen as at best a small part of what the term covers. In recent literature far more emphasis has been placed on feminist concerns with the sexual oppression of women. They were described as objects of male desire rather than as sexual subjects seeking to articulate and express their own desires. Interrogating the meaning of sexual difference and exploring what it means to be and to live as a woman are major writer’s interests. The book establishes a variety of new challenges for anyone seeking to explore feminist ideas and debates. This is not only because of the changing frameworks. It is also because of changes and new developments which have been brought to the study of history from literary theory and from cultural studies. The shift away from authorial intention towards meaning or readings in discussing literary texts has had a significant impact on thinking about feminism. Antoinette Burton writes about mid-Victorian feminism. She argues that as mid-Victorian feminism was specific in its class base and worked with social and sexual ideals derived from that class, so too it was very specific in its sense of both national and imperial identity. Like Mary Wollstonecraft, many mid-Victorian feminists possessed a powerful sense of themselves, not so much as British, but as English women. This period saw the advent of a new form of imperial feminism. The general sense of the superiority of the West, in terms of the status of its women-which was so central for Mary Wollstonecraft and caused a particular form of ‘feminist orientalism’ – gave way to a specific concern with the status of Indian women. These women were seen as being in particular need and were regarded as the special responsibility of their more enlightened and more fortunate English sisters (29). The close relationship between feminism and philanthropy in the mid-nineteenth century established the framework through which feminism expanded to include imperial projects and ideals. The rate and the importance of imperial expansion in the mid-nineteenth century made the needs of the colonies significant. This occurred almost as soon as the widespread involvement of women in philanthropy came to be accepted. As Antoinette Burton has argued, ‘our magnificent colonies’ became the natural ground for the practice of British women’s philanthropy, offering a whole new range of avenues which provided relief from the constraints on their reform activities at home. Philanthropic work within the colonies also became a source of collective national pride (17). Following on concern about the education of Indian women, British feminists planned a scheme with send trained British ‘lady teachers’ to India to preside over a number of girls’ schools. Feminists’ enthusiasm was effective in raising money, and in interesting British women both at home and in India in the reform of girls’ schooling. After an initial emphasis on sending British women to India, scholarships were provided to train Indian women as teachers as well. The concern about education was followed by one about women’s health. There also was concern about the need for the provision of women doctors to Indian women who would not countenance male doctors. Here too, money was raised both in Britain and in India to provide training, initially for British women, but also for Indian women to become doctors. As Antoinette Burton points out, there was throughout all of this some recognition of the abilities and the achievements of specific Indian women. But overall, the schemes directed towards India were seen as ones necessarily begun and mainly carried out by British women on behalf of their less educated and passively suffering Indian sisters. The whole question of British women in India in the nineteenth century has become the subject of increasing discourse. On the one hand, it is clear that the significant numbers of British women who became immensely concerned about the condition of Indian women should to be revised. These women worked, sometimes quite effectively, to keep alive in the public mind their needs and interests. On the other hand, some of these women came to know and appreciate Indian women, and to make themselves mouthpieces for the goals that Indian women set. Other women both in India and in Britain assumed that their own high level of education and development made them the ones best suited to know what Indian women needed. In general, Antoinette Burton argued that the aims and objectives sought by feminists in Britain set the framework for women’s emancipation everywhere. British feminists regarded themselves as experts on India after a visit. Their campaigns simply involved the application of British programs to the Indian situation. The British feminists who learned about these missionary struggles could only be strengthened in their own sense of moral and racial superiority. That consciousness, as Antoinette Burton has demonstrated in the context of India, contributed significantly to the ‘domestic culture of imperialism’. Unfortunately, feminists who responded by embracing imperialism tended to propagate generalized images of backward and oppressed ‘Oriental’ womanhood. Burton has emphasized the dangers for British feminism in the assumption that a supposedly superior elite among women could speak for the less privileged and fortunate (210). In particular, the desire to emancipate women could easily become a desire to control them. Ultimately, for Burton, each new venture served more fully as a means for British feminists to show their own fitness for political rights and responsibilities through their preparedness and capacity to take on their own particular imperial burden.

Information and Systems for Competitive Advantage Research Paper

Information and Systems for Competitive Advantage - Research Paper Example The researcher states that for many organizations, such Web sites are helpful to customers because they are able to acquire resources, as opposed to determining requirements for resources. On the other hand, customers make use of the sites for determination of requirements, as opposed to using them for acquisition purposes. At the same time, the Web helps firms to be in a position to compete in the manner expected. CLRC is advantageous due to the fact that it is able to provide guidance that assists in the search for SIS opportunities by focusing on the needs of customers. Products that are provided by an organization to its customers appear as supporting resources from the point of view of the customers. This is due to the fact that a customer must go through a kind of resource lifecycle to acquire them, and this requires a significant amount of effort and time to manage. The ability of a supplier in assisting a customer to manage this lifecycle enables them to differentiate themsel ves from the competition, thus creating a competitive edge. The differentiation method applied may be in form of enhanced customer service, the introduction of direct cost savings or investing in ICT. The relationship between ICT and the CRLC framework is crucial especially in today’s technologically advanced world due to the fact that enhancement of customer service/ experience is largely dependent on the advancement. Various studies have been carried out to determine the prevalence of ICT in the wine industry; different forms of ICT used in the industry, how they are applied and incorporated in the various operations, what they are used for, their importance in enabling production, as well as the factors that could influence their use.

Dragon in China A Symbol of Empowerment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dragon in China A Symbol of Empowerment - Essay Example By going through the description of ‘Ladle with dragon handle’ on the website of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, it has been observed that the kind of ancient item provided by the museum at their site, demonstrates the creative and philosophical background of ancient Chinese culture. The ladle has been used in the third century for kitchen chores and whisky pouring. The historical object in the museum ladle can be located with a dragon’s head, which is particularly at its handle. A visitor to the museum can observe that the dragon has pointed ears and bulging eyes as the most prominent features. Additionally, its two long horns and attenuated snout are also those elements that serve in drawing the attention of the audience. As per the astrologists, the ladles were unearthed from the land of Kingdom of Wu. This denotes that ladles were of great importance for the Kingdom (The Metropolitan Museum of Art). Considering the historical existence of dragon in Chinese culture, it is evident that the ladle with dragon heads are mere symbol of strength and power for the kingdom. If the history of Yangzi river valley is assessed, dragons are always found serving the kingdom with good luck and blessings (Fiero 14). In Chinese culture, the ladle with dragon head have always been considered as the sign of serenity as it was used in the kitchen; therefore, during the recent period of modernization, the importance of dragons cannot be ignored. It should also be noted that the roots of such symbol go back to the beliefs presented in Confucianism’s content (Visser and Coleman 21-23). On the other hand, the pieces such as ladle with dragon head in China were sustaining the Chinese rise to empire; thus, the support acquired from the dragon and its symbolization had always supported the kingdom with strength and power. The richest culture of the region holds the dragons at every pace of the civil ization; therefore, the presence of dragons over ladles and other widely used utensils can be observed. This gives a clear indication of the worth of the pieces, Ladle, for Emperor  Qianlongs reign of the Qing Dynasty at its best. To be more precis, the era was (220–265), 3rd century. As most of the people are found believing that Chinese Dragon actually symbolizes the evil there is still a certain degree of misconception. Chinese also believed that dragons provide harmony to the patients. In simpler words, the dragons have the ability to help patients heal during sickness. The misconception appeared popular, because the dragon in west is considered as the symbol of Satan, because of the devilish attitudes (Visser and Coleman 71-83). It should be noted that ladle is of great value and kept in the museum because it highlights Chinese cultural heritage. It is observable that ladle 36.8 cm which is over greater cost. The worth of the ladle is noted to be beyond millions for it s make. The beliefs of old Chinese population and empire demonstrate their psychology that a daily using utensil with imprinted or carved dragon head may empower their existence over the world to rule with the domination they want to acquire. The modern Chinese society also believes in the old notions, that greatness, goodness and blessings are indulged with the symbol of dragon that may bless them as their ancestors were blessed. Such worth of ladle with dragon head in Chinese history is due to the fact that the believers deem dragons as the controlling power of the

Cover letter, resume and other assignments Essay

Cover letter, resume and other assignments - Essay Example 2. Practice Reflection Form Name: Jane Smith CNO Registration no: L4T 3P4 Area of practice: Occupational Health Position in nursing: Occupational Nurse Source Of Input My Areas of Strengths My Areas for Improvement Self I am competent with knowledge of needs of patients with long-term conditions. I have strong communication skills, both written and verbal. I am strong in clinical leadership skills. I have an ability to work long hours and under pressure. I am flexible, enthusiastic and strong team player. I have an ability to deliver consistently positive results. Improve confidence to deal with painful and stressful situations in practice. Lack of IT skills related to preparing patient's documents, charts. Peer My peers view is that I'm a strong team player when we are working as a team. They have mentioned that I have a special ability to resolve problems of patients when they are in serious situations. Further my peers mentioned that I can create good patient/nurse relationship with paying attention to each and every individual patient. I need more confidence in the job activities when I'm dealing with my subordinates and patients. I need to improve the techniques on patient care and reducing risk in healthcare delivery level. I need to develop collaborative ways and trustworthiness when dealing with patients. Resources I used to reflect on my practice I used 'changing patients' worlds through nursing practice expertise' online modules. National Council for the Professional Development of Nursing and Midwifery (National Council) Report. I referred Health Professions Act (HPA) & nursing practice standards online report....In this stage skills needed to be wide which is covering all the areas of nursing practice such as clinical skills, communication and consulting skills, IT skills and leadership skills (Donner, & Wheeler, 2000). 3. Thirdly PDP should get approved by the practice manager or an appraiser. In this scenario it is better to give awareness to the healthcare practice manager about the professional development needs. Thus it will support to the management to set the training and development needs as against the existing resources and employees.

Case4 Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Case4 - Article Example This happens even despite the fact that the author made that amount of money in a short period of time. The issue of income averaging does not work in favor of the people who receive payment in large lump sum payout. This is because a tax rate of certain number of years would produce a total tax bill void of present value considerations with more than fifty percent of marginal rates. Introduction of the income splitting with joint returns in 1948 meant that the overall difference between the tax on the lump sum payment in five year distribution with income splitting amounts to over fifty percent of the money to be paid with the lump sum tax of more than two percent the amount of the smaller tax bill. The case is relevant to the American federal income tax system in the sense that it talks about the impacts of high marginal rates with enormous progressivity. Therefore, in order to ensure fairness, the federal income tax system need to introduce income splitting and averaging provisions in the tax policy, and lowering the marginal rates as well as decreasing the number of brackets. Just like my colleague Robert referred to Mikesell’s work that splitting the income in the five year phase would lessen the tax load from $85,092 to $48,213, I agree that this would be a big step in adjusting the federal income tax system operations. For example, altering the dollar amount would act as an effective way of lessening the marginal rate from approximately 84.55% to 56.05%. To revise the tax code, income averaging can be considered to promote compliance with the current tax system, which depends on the corporation of citizens to pay the shares. These measures ensure that individuals a re not taxed heavily since their taxes are calculated on the present value of their

A Study on the Importance of Teaching Empathy in Hong Kong Schools Essay

A Study on the Importance of Teaching Empathy in Hong Kong Schools - Essay Example This essay declares that academicians in most schools believe that student performance in academics and extra curricular activities rely heavily on academic brilliance and intelligent quotient. But studies over the years undertaken in different parts of the world demonstrate that intelligent quotient and academic skills can no longer useful for producing socially responsible citizens. The social skill and humanistic considerations among the students depend, to a great extent, on the degree of empathy they possess and the patience they show in dealing with the mentally oppressed ones. In this context, the present study is relevant to examine the importance of empathy education in Hong Kong. Also the study seeks to measure the relationship between empathy education, social skills and academic performance. This paper makes a conclusion that students become merciless and unkind adults, which ultimately will lead to the development of a society where nobody can have humanitarian considerations. Many studies undertaken across countries have examined and documented the much debated issue of teaching empathy in schools and thereby developing their social skill. The results reveal that empathy is teachable and can be learnt by students. However, educators nowadays focus more on academic content than students’ psychological growth. The result is devastating that schools and colleges develop anti social behaviors of students. This leads many problems arise such as drug abusing, assaulting, sexual offending, etc. Educators neglect the origin of humanistic education. Therefore, it is indispensable to start teaching empathy at school level. At this juncture, the present study is an effort to examine the importance and effectiveness of teaching empathy in Hong Kong schools. This is carried out by studying the impact of teaching empathy on the children from various schools selected at random basis for the purpose of a sample survey. The paper also tries to throw lights on the correlation between empathy and academic outcomes. Research Problem Academicians in most schools believe that student performance in academics and extra curricular activities rely heavily on academic brilliance and intelligent quotient. But studies over the years undertaken in different parts of the world demonstrate that intelligent quotient and academic skills can no longer useful for producing socially responsible citizens. The social skill and humanistic considerations among the students depend, to a great extent, on the degree of empathy they possess and the patience they show in dealing with the mentally oppressed ones. In this context, the present study is relevant to examine the importance of empathy education in Hong Kong. Also the study seeks to

Oral Learning Objective Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Oral Learning Objective - Essay Example The teams were necessary since the company was growing and the work was getting complex. Again, we had to increase the work efficiency for the company, which the only way was teamwork. We organized into a team of about 10 people where we were self-driven in a way that we would make decisions with minimal supervision from the supervisors or the managers. This was the simple structure of the organization as we embraced teamwork. Each team was responsible for its own business. Some of our functional responsibilities were managing inventory, gross margins, labor productivity and product placement decisions. This kind of cooperation with my other employees encouraged and I found the importance of working as a team. As I had learnt from class, I would like to mention that it is true that self-directed teams organize around the work process. In order to complete a whole work piece that requires interdependent tasks, this has a significant autonomy over execution of the tasks. I joined with my colleagues to create a dependant position in order to complete my individual tasks. From our teams, we had a leader who ensured that each of us completes his or her individual tasks and to ensure that everyone does the right thing. We kept independent from other teams, since what we required most is the interdependence amongst ourselves in order to make the best out of our products. I found myself responding very fast and effectively to the demands of our clients and the stakeholders. I did not want to lose any client in being slow or portraying a negative attitude. This is exactly what is required in the organizational behavior that we learnt in class. I felt motivated working with this organization because of the mandate that I could do on my own with minimal interruptions from my supervisors. Actually, communication and technological coordination support was always available which enriched the job increment. It was awe-inspiring

Conclusion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Conclusion - Assignment Example Since the company is fragmented into independently owned restaurants the company does not utilize a universal human resource framework. One of the HR tools the firm utilizes is strategic integration. The utilization of strategic integration creates consistency in the application of HR practices through the organization. The organization applies a combination of ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ human resources approaches. McDonalds is a flexible organization that adapts to the specific market and business condition of the environment. The application of ‘hard’ human resources practices ensures that the each franchise is able to meet its business objectives including achieving a good profit. The ‘soft’ human resource approach within McDonalds is utilized in order to motivate employees and empower them to achieve high levels of performance. McDonalds utilized a combination of both hard and soft HR practices. The adaptability of the company enables to firm to achieve a competitive advantage. As a global organization McDonalds realizes that it is important to attend the needs of all its stakeholders which include the community, environment, and its employees among other groups. The ability of satisfying the stakeholder’s demands has enabled the company gain acceptance from stakeholders groups across most countries in the world. McDonalds is a publicly traded enterprise and one of its primary objectives is to maximize shareholder’s wealth. As we move forward into the second deca de of the 21st century McDonalds will continue to succeed as long as the firm maintains emphasis in the importance of its human

Using the Barack Obamas Health Care Reform Speech to Democratic Essay

Using the Barack Obamas Health Care Reform Speech to Democratic Caucus, decide which comparative ideological models(Political Spectrum,Political Compass,Nolan Model,Ideological Space)the speech represents - Essay Example e considers the intrusiveness in the free market of Medicare, Veteran’s Administration benefits and the massive regulatory apparatus of Health and Human Services (HHS) to envelop the entire health care delivery system in the United States under a Federal framework. â€Å"The director of the Congressional Budget Office said Tuesday that the health care reform legislation would cost, over the next ten years, $115 billion more than previously thought, bringing the total cost to more than $1 trillion. (Tapper)† The government is conducting a wholesale takeover of what was essentially a market provided service. Whatever one may think of the merits of the issue, the Nolan Chart allows the reader to determine with fair precision where the speech lands in the political pedigree on the chart itself. â€Å"Now, there are some who wanted a single-payer government-run system.   That’s not this bill.   The Republicans wanted what I called the â€Å"foxes guard the henhouse approach† in which we further deregulate the insurance companies and let them run wild, the notion being somehow that that was going to lower costs for the American people.   I don’t know a serious health care economist who buys that idea, but that was their concept.† Obama is admitting that an authoritarian model is being employed through the use of increased regulation of the health care providers in the nation. If that were not the case, why would the legislation be necessary in the first place if it were not designed to increase the power of the government to regulate and control the industry? â€Å"The second thing this does is it creates a pool, a marketplace, where individuals and small businesses, who right now are having a terrible time out there getting health insurance, are going to be able to purchase health insurance as part of a big group -- just like federal employees, just like members of Congress.   They are now going to be part of a pool that can negotiate for better rates, better

Albatross Anchor Essay Example for Free

Albatross Anchor Essay Introduction Albatross Anchor is a small, family owned business located in Smalltown, USA that started in 1976. There staff grew from 4 employees to 130 in no time. All of their operations were ran in the same building with the Admin in the front and manufacturing in the back. The plant is antiquated, worn, dirty technology deprived and no longer meets all the USA standard requirements. Question One Carefully review the assignment scenario/case study. From the limited information in the scenario/case study, along with your answers to the unit three written assignment, identify at least three direct and specific long-term and three direct and specific short term operations changes that Albatross Anchor must make to gain a clear and sustainable competitive advantage (provide detailed information to validate and support each recommended change) Long-Term Operational Changes (01) Improved technology to increase efficiency and effectiveness throughout the plant. Without a doubt, old technology makes it harder for the manufacturing process and takes longer to get the products to the end user. A five year plan to update technology would be more cost effective and can address the technology issues on a predetermined plan over the five year term. (02) Purchase new equipment to eliminate sharing manufacturing equipment between the two different types of anchors. The new equipment should be state of the art to assist with the technology upgrades and to get the most for the money. The separate equipment will eliminate the 36 hours of down time necessary to change over the equipment between production runs. (03) Separate manufacturing areas for the snag hook anchor and the bell anchors to increase production. This will tie the technology portion as well as the new equipment portion altogether to create two separate manufacturing areas. Short-Term Operational Changes (01) Update US safety and environmental standards. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the compliance and enforcement division releases the average annual fines collected by the EPA throughout the year. It is imperative that Albatross Anchor update the environmental standards of the plant to bring them up to code. The 2011 annual fees for the EPA as of December 8, 2011 was 3 billion in to clean up hazardous waste and 168 million in fines used to deter pollution (US Environmental Protection Agency, 2011). An investment now will save money in the future. (02) The most effective short term change would be to have a separate location for the administrative offices. The site could be on site but in a secluded area to make the interruptions minimal and to increase productivity. (03) Set specific shipping and receiving schedules for international shipping and incoming raw materials. Albatross Anchor shipping and receiving departments should not have materials coming in and going out at the same time. To eliminate mistakes and increase efficiency, set predetermined days to ship internationally and to receive incoming raw materials or stagger delivery of the goods. Question Two From the list of ten operational issues in the Unit 6 assignment instructions select four operational issues. For each of the four operational issues explain in detail that operational issue will help Albatross Anchor improve; 1) job retention, 2) employee morale, and 3) employee dedication. Operational Issue One: Cross Training Employees that are cross trained are more valuable to the company because they can perform tasks when employees are out ill or if there is a shortage of employees in a particular area (Russell Taylor III, 2011). Cross trained employees are likely to be more involved in their job and are likely to perform better because they have an understanding of many areas of the company. The cross trained employees know they are invaluable because they can do many tasks and they are generally more dedicated because they are willing to learn different aspects of the manufacturing process at Albatross Anchor. Operational Issue Two: Gain sharing and profit sharing Profit sharing is a win situation for the employee and the company. This perk benefits the employees because most profit sharing programs incorporate retirement plans as their vehicle. Employers benefit because profit sharing attracts dedicated employees (Hugh, 1990). Profit sharing and Gain sharing both contribute to employee dedication and increasing morale. The performance of the employees can also be directly related to the employees personal financial objective. Operational Issue Three: Job Design Right person; right role is a common term amongst many companies today. This directly correlates to job design. Not every employee can perform every function within a company. Some employees are better suited to certain roles than others. Frederick Herzberg identified attributes that make a potential job design a good fit (Russell Taylor III, 2011). Employees that are well suited to their jobs are more likely to be happy and stay at their job. They will be happier because they will not be ill suited to handle the task at hand. Operational Issue Four: Ergonomics Play a vital role in production. Recognizing ergonomic risks factors in the work place is an essential first step in correcting hazards and improving worker protection. In an effort to maintain a steady production rate and remain competitive, the company will need to redesign the machinery and implement new practices, Poor machine design, tool, and workplace design or use of improper tools create physical stress on workers bodies, which can lead to injury. Conclusion Albatross Anchors, although a family business still has the potential to turn things around to become a more profitable company. Implementing netter processes and practices along with identifying the Long Term Operational changes needed and the Short Term Operational changes that are needed will result in more efficient and more productive management. US safety and environmental guidelines have to be followed and maintained so the company is never in danger of being shut down. Create a more productive work area for the administrative offices and constructing separate manufacturing areas for production. The company is in need of many required changes so they can be more productive and have better time management. With the new reviews this observation has managed to create, the result will have the required proficient changes that are needed to become a more productive company. References Hugh, L. (1990). Why profit sharing is important Russell, R. S., Taylor III, B. W. (2011). Operations Management: Creating Value along the Supply Chain 7th edition. Retrieved November 18, 2011, from Wiley.com: http://bcs.wiley.com/he-bcs/Books?action=indexitemId=0470525908bcsId=5869 US Environmental Protection Agency. (2011, December 8). Data, Planning and Results. Retrieved December 18, 2011, from US Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/data/results/annual/index.html

Espionage and Intrusion Technology in Russia

Espionage and Intrusion Technology in Russia Neil McGeever Spying and intrusion had been happening years before technology became involved. The increase in technology and the dependency on the internet has made espionage and intrusion simpler and more widespread. Various technology has been developed that allows different ways of collecting unlawful information and spying on enemies. Valuable data is being gathered and stored online, and will continue to increase with an emphasis on technology for performing tasks and operations over the internet. This data can be intercepted to provide priceless information. Spying on the public and hacking sensitive information is certainly breaching the law and new laws are being introduced to protect the government and organisations for partaking in these activities. The public have the right to civil and privacy protection from these actions and should be obeyed, however there are certain cases when this should be permitted, such as against terrorist groups and organisations. This paper will discuss the different technologies being used to collect private information and data. It will also explain the laws that it affects that exist to protect the public and the new laws being introduced to protect the government. Espionage, Intrusion, Technology, Legal, Russia. Russia, and previously the Soviet Union, has long been recognised as a country involved in spying and intrusion on rival countries and organisations since the early 1900s. The Soviet Union employed spies in the Cold War to collect information and secrets about the United States of America and were previously used in World War One. This continues today but very different, as specialised technology has been developed to hack and interfere with information, data and communications associated with their enemies. Different technology enables different ways of gathering and collecting this information and data. This revolutionary technology allows for quick and effective hacking and intrusion, which is nearly impossible to stop when it is happening and difficult to detect who is responsible. It can be performed hundreds and thousands of miles from the intended target so the offender, or offenders, cannot be caught nearby or close to the crime. Most of the technology used for these activities worldwide was developed in Russia, enabling the Russian government and organisations to easily obtain this technology without having to travel overseas. The Russian privacy law, the Personal Data Protection Act, is intended to protect the civil and privacy rights of the Russian people. This should be adhered to by the Russian government, but unfortunately it is not. Russia is a country that enjoys to spy on its own people and it has a mass surveillance system in operation to monitor its citizens every move and communications (Russias Spying Craze, 2013). The people of Russia are not happy with this as they should be given a right of privacy in their lives without having all their movements and phone calls monitored and recorded. This document will describe cyber-attacks performed by Russia on other nations, and their severity. Technology created and developed by Russian companies that are used by the Russian government and organisations to interfere and hack confidential and private information or data on other countries and its own people, will also be explained. The law to protect the privacy of Russian citizens will also be discussed and how it is side-stepped by the Russian government for their own convenience. Russia is regarded as one of the most active and prevalent nations involved in espionage and intrusion. Cyber-espionage is employed by Russia to hack and obtain secret information from top departmental government agencies and buildings for their own intelligence. They are supposedly responsible for hacking and leaking emails from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to WikiLeaks in 2016 and to have violated the network at the White House and the State Department activity (Penn-Hall, 2016). The gains and ease of these cyber-attacks on other nations, and because it is difficult to identify who is involved or responsible for the attacks, allows them to continue with this. James Adams, the CEO and Co-Founder of Infrastructure Defense Inc. (iDefense), regards the Internet as a revolutionary system and declared that Cyberspace has become a new international battlefield (Constantine, 2012). The internet has no governing body or police force, which is perfect for executing such attacks and not be detected. Each country must stand on their own or with their allies, to strengthen their cyber security and defences, and continuously fear that another nation may make a significant breakthrough that poses additional threats to them (Interviews, 2001). This makes each country cautious of new and severe attacks that they may not be able to defend or protect from. Russia has been accused of organising cyber-attacks on many nations. Between 1998 and 2000, a succession of incidents and attacks on the US became known as the Moonlight Maze. This was an attack on hundreds of government databases such as the Pentagon, NASA and other agencies by a group of hackers that used specialised computer equipment (Constantine, 2012). The attacks were apparently traced to a mainframe located in Russia, however, they denied this and the perpetrators are supposedly still unknown. Russia has also been accused of a 3-week long cyber-attack on Estonia in 2008. These attacks started when Russia and Estonia were in dispute over Estonias plans to remove a Soviet Union war memorial in the countrys capital Tallinn. This encouraged Russia to target some of Estonias biggest organisations and corporations such as the president, government ministers, political parties, news organisations and the banks. Russia again denied involvement with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov sta ting that no way could the state be involved in terrorism (Thomas, 2009). Russia are not afraid to attack neighbouring countries, especially when they are much too powerful for lesser nations. More recently in March 2017, two Russian spies were charged with breaching Yahoo in 2014. This was performed with two other computer hackers and it affected over half a billion user accounts. It is regarded as one of the largest data breaches to occur in the United States of America. The Department of Justice have previously charged Russian hackers related to cyber-crime, however this is the first time that a criminal case has been brought against Russian government officials (US charges two Russian spies, 2017). Despite these charges, this will not deter Russian government officials and organisations to ending these activities. Many of the most common and most-used spy and intelligence technology employed today was developed in Russia. This technology was created from ideas the Soviet Union had to learn and uncover information and intelligence from other countries and from their own people. The Soviet Union wanted many ways of gathering knowledge and information in secrecy, so having various technologies to perform this, allowed to plan for every situation and scenario. One technology would be more useful than another in certain circumstances which prevented the attackers from being discovered and exposed. These technologies have only been developed from the late 1980s and upwards after the advancements in computers and other technology such as satellites and wired communication. The following will describe the technology used for collecting this information and data. Voice recognition technology was developed by the Speech Technology Centre (STC) in the city of Saint Petersburg. STCs beginnings started from a secret Soviet Union unit that had the backing of the Committee for State Security (KGB) and was developed during the Gulag system under Stalins rule. The roots of the company grew from a neighbouring prison that housed scientists and engineers, which was called the Sharashka Marfino. These scientists and engineers were forced to work to identify voices that were calling to foreign embassies in Moscow. Speech Technology Centre has also started to develop face recognition technologies along with voice recognition. STC announced in December 2012 that it installed the worlds first biometric identification platform, at a nation-wide level, that combines voice and face identification capabilities. This new system will allow authorities and governments to store images of suspects and criminals on a large database. STC has also claimed that it has invented algorithms that deliver reliable results even when facial characteristics have undergone physical changes, and the systems voice and face modalities can be used together or separately a voice sample or facial image alone is sufficient to make an identification. STC has publicly made it known that its surveillance technology is only used for utilitarianism uses, however they have been made available to strict and dictatorship government states such as Uzbekistan and Belarus. Most people will be unhappy with these developments as they fe ar that they will no longer have the right to privacy as their voice may be recorded without consent and that face recognition technology may mistakenly identify them for doing wrong. Another Russian firm have developed a facial recognition app. This involves submitting photos into the app and the app then searches through Vkontakte, the Russian social network version of Facebook, to find a match for the photo. The app is believed to have a 70% accuracy rate (Russian facial recognition, 2016). While some have no issues with the release of the app, others have concerns about privacy and the potential disclosure of personal information. The company do not have their own privacy policy but they have produced an acceptable use policy and licensing agreement to use on their American customers. The acceptable use policy states that the app can only be used for lawful purposes and the licensing agreement expects the licensee to establish their own privacy expectations (Chiel, 2016). Intercepting and interfering with private communications by the law has different procedures and standards in Russia compared to other countries. MFI-Soft is a Russian company that develops information security and telecommunications products for law enforcement agencies, voice over internet protocol (VoIP) carriers and internet service providers. The company has developed an interception technology capable of storing, detecting and analysing information that travels over the internet. The company also states that it develops products for national security and intelligence agencies and for the military. It is the largest Russian producer of telecommunications traffic interceptors and has developed a deep packet inspection filtering tool called Perimeter-F. Russia has recently implemented a new law that states that companies must store data associated with Russian citizens on Russian soil. This law is an attempt by Russia to gain control of the internet and to eliminate all the data stored on Russian people from other countries. The authorities want superior access to online data by domestic security services and to reduce the access to the data by other countries. Multi-national companies such as Facebook and Google are not happy with this law as they would have to move massive data to servers within Russia borders and to inform Roskomnadzor, the Russian internet watchdog, about their location (Walker, 2015). This is a massive operation for multi-national companies to accomplish as Russia is a huge country with a population of well over 100 million people. Russia has recently blocked LinkedIn because they didnt comply with the new laws and didnt store information about Russian people on servers inside Russia. Roskomnadzor had discovered that LinkedIn had broken their laws on storing data and acted accordingly. President Putins spokesman Peskov again said that the blockage is in strict accordance with the law and that the Kremlin will not intervene or interfere with the banning of LinkedIn (Matthew, 2016). Companies that do not adhere to Russian laws regarding data storage will be punished. The traditional way of listening in on private incoming phone calls is done by monitoring the telecom operator. Due to the massive and continuous increase in mobile phone usage over the years, it is much simpler and effective to intercept phone calls there and then on the spot. Discovery Telecom Technologies (DTT) was established in Moscow and have developed a system that makes this possible. The companys In-Between Interception System operates by imitating a mobile phone tower and draws in the signals that allows the devices operator to secretly listen and record the phone call. It claims to have the Kremlin and the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB) as some of its clients. Some Russian people are evidently not happy with this surveillance. The Russian government were brought before the European Court of Human Rights because of their surveillance and interception of mobile phone communications in accordance with Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (See Appendix A). Roman Zakharov, complained that Russian law did not sufficiently protect against uncertainty and abuse from authorities and that it breached his right to privacy (European Court, 2016). Although this system was aimed at protecting the public and preventing crime, it did not guarantee protecting against abuse. The Court suggested that there was high risk with a system that had direct access to all mobile phone communications. The Court also believed that Russian law did not meet the quality of law requirement and that it was not necessary in a democratic society (Soldatov Borogan, 2013). The Russian government has introduced new laws and amended the Constitution in recent years because of espionage and intrusion, to lessen and prevent these problems in the future. Article 15, paragragh 4 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation outlines that universally-recognized norms of international law, and international treaties and agreements of the Russian Federation shall be a component part of its legal system (Data Protection, 2016). This includes the ratification of the Strasbourg Convention for the Protection of Individuals regarding the Automatic Processing of Personal Data (ETS No. 108) by Russia in 2005. The right to privacy, which includes the privacy of telephone and other communications is recognised in Article 23 of the Constitution, and the collection, use and storage of information about a person without their consent is prohibited in Article 24. The laws and requirements of data protection and privacy are outlined in the Federal Law No. 149-FZ on Information, Information Technologies and Data Protection and the Federal Law No. 152-FZ on Personal Data actions (Data Protection, 2016). These laws and articles of the Constitution are implemented to protect the public from the illegal collection of data and intrusion on their life. Individuals have the right to privacy and to only agree to this by giving consent for those. The Russian government are happy to collect information and spy on the public and this was evident in 1995. The Law on Operative Search and Seizures was legalised that allowed the FSB to operate a legal interception system called SORM, which enabled authorities to receive information from internet providers and phone operators. This technology allowed the Russian Security Service to monitor emails, phone calls and internet searches. Without consent and with improper use, the Russian people could fight for their right to privacy if they feel they are being violated against. Other laws have been established and signed to protect against international intrusion and surveillance. The President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, signed the new Federal Law No. 374 on July 6, 2016, on Amending the Federal Law on Counter Terrorism and Select Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation Concerning the Creation of Additional Measures Aimed at Countering Terrorism and Protecting Public Safety. This recently adopted law contains several conditions that specifically outline the rights of intelligence and secret services when observing private electronic communications and allows law enforcement agencies to collect individual computer information. The law describes the requirements about the identification of users and the safeguarding of metadata that is transmitted across networks by operators of telecommunication networks. This law works in parallel with the Federal Law on Information and Information Technology, which is an obligation of network operators, to keep metadata about all connections, transmissions, and receipts of voice information, written texts, images, sounds, video, and other messages transferred through communications networks for three years. Transmitted messages, telephone communication records and other communication information must be saved by network operators for up to six months. The law also enforces providers of information to report all information required for the description of received, transferred, or delivered electronic communications to the Federal Security Service. Failing to provide this information results in a fine (New Electronic Surveillance, 2017). The Russian government are introducing these laws to protect themselves and other agencies from repercussions and from legal action being taken. However, people can bring their case to the European Court if they feel they have been severely and wrongly victimised. In 2012, Russian President Putin signed another bill into law regarding crimes by espionage and state treason. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSS) proposed the bill to highlight that espionage and revealing state secrets are a form of state treason. The FSS also wanted the new law to emphasise the need to prosecute people or organisations that are involved in helping international organisations engaged in antagonistic activities such as state treason. This new legislation covers the assistance given to an international organisation by a Russian national targeting the security of Russia, in addition to support given to a foreign country or organisation showing aggressive movements against Russia. The support given to foreign countries or organisations that define state treason is explained in Article 2, paragraph 4 of the Law as financial, material, technical, advisory or any other support given to a foreign country or to international or foreign organizations engaged in activities against the security of the Russian Federation (Federal Law No. 190-FZ). Another area of Federal Law No. 190-FZ has been amended to state that any person that gains knowledge of state secrets and discloses such information to a foreign or Russian organisation will be liable for such act, whereas before, it was only persons who had been entrusted with the information that would be liable and prosecuted. This law has also established a new crime for anyone convicted of breaking this law, which may provide a prison term of up to four years or a fine. This new law covers illegal access to state secrets due to theft, violence and other methods. This punishment for this crime may be a prison term of betw een three to eight years if the person or people are convicted of using more specialised techniques of espionage (Espionage and State Treason, 2017). Russia will continue to spy on other nations and hack confidential information as they will constantly be paranoid and in fear that other countries and organisations are planning terrorism or other attacks against the state. They are also aware that enemy countries are engaged in spying and intrusion as most of the super power nations of the East and West are involved in this activity. Russia recognises that information is a valued asset, which needs to be protected, whether at peace or at war. When using this information and data correctly, the enemy can be beaten militarily and politically, and without having to occupy the country. New laws will be introduced in the future and the Constitution will be amended as ambiguities will be exposed in Russian laws as an unhappy Russian society will continue to pursue their protection for civil and privacy rights. Also, large corporations, who can seek powerful legal advice will not be intimidated or afraid to stand against the Russian administration. In recent years, the ban on overseas companies and organisations from storing data about Russian people outside of Russia was introduced, however multi-national companies were causing no harm and only storing the data on databases for their own use. Russia just does not want this data in the hands of other groups and organisations out of fear of the knowledge gained from others from this data. Data is the new oil was phrased by Clive Humby in 2006, a UK Mathematician and architect of Tescos Clubcard scheme (Data is the new oil, 2013), to highlight the massive use of technology and storage of data. Data and information collected legally and illegally is a powerful resource for government bodies and organisations. The increase in the use of technology and the internet has led to a growth in data stored online. For example, data uncovered may have been used to plan and prepare for organised attacks against the state, or for criminal gangs and groups to plan their own attacks. Technology used to collect this data will divide opinions, and if the technology is used unlawfully such as secretly collecting data about Russian people, it will cause discontent among the Russian public. This technology will clearly be a benefit for uncovering and capturing criminals but should not be used widespread to collect information on everybody. The Russian government needs to be careful about crossing this dividing line. References ComputerWeekly. 2017. Russian personal data law set to come into force despite fears. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Russian-personal-data-law-set-to-come-into-force-despite-fears. [Accessed 19 February 2017]. Early Cold War Spies: The Espionage Trials That Shaped American Politics Central Intelligence Agency. 2017. Early Cold War Spies: The Espionage Trials That Shaped American Politics Central Intelligence Agency. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/csi-studies/studies/vol51no2/intelligence-in-recent-public-literature.html. [Accessed 19 February 2017]. The Guardian. 2017. Spies, sleepers and hitmen: how the Soviet Unions KGB never went away | World news | The Guardian. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/19/spies-spooks-hitmen-kgb-never-went-away-russia-putin. [Accessed 19 February 2017]. International Business Times UK. 2017. Russia gets new Putin-approved cybersecurity doctrine following cyberespionage attack fears. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/russia-gets-new-putin-approved-information-security-doctrine-following-cyberespionage-attack-fears-1595050. [Accessed 19 February 2017]. Roland Heickerà ¶. 2010. Emerging Cyber Threats and Russian Views on Information Warfare and Information Operations . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.highseclabs.com/data/foir2970.pdf. [Accessed 19 February 2017]. Chapter 1. The Fundamentals of the Constitutional System | The Constitution of the Russian Federation. 2017. Chapter 1. The Fundamentals of the Constitutional System | The Constitution of the Russian Federation. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.constitution.ru/en/10003000-02.htm. [Accessed 19 February 2017]. Dentons Russias new anti-terrorist law . 2017. Dentons Russias new anti-terrorist law . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.dentons.com/en/insights/alerts/2016/july/19/russias-new-anti-terrorist-law. [Accessed 19 February 2017]. Practical Law . 2017. Practical Law . [ONLINE] Available at: http://uk.practicallaw.com/2-502-2227#a594893. [Accessed 19 February 2017]. History Learning Site. 2017. Spies of the Cold War Era History Learning Site. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/modern-world-history-1918-to-1980/the-cold-war/spies-of-the-cold-war-era/. [Accessed 19 February 2017]. Fox News. 2017. Russian facial recognition app sparks interest, controversy | Fox News. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2016/12/14/russian-facial-recognition-app-sparks-interest-controversy.html. [Accessed 19 February 2017]. Fusion.net. 2017. Hyper-accurate face recognition tech goes global | Fusion. [ONLINE] Available at: http://fusion.net/story/358817/findface-ntechlab-face-recognition-privacy/. [Accessed 19 February 2017]. Mail Online. 2017. Moscow blocks LinkedIn because it does not store data on citizens on Russian servers | Daily Mail Online. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3946982/Moscow-blocks-LinkedIn-latest-clampdown-Internet-freedoms-does-not-store-data-country-s-citizens-Russian-based-servers.html. [Accessed 19 February 2017]. International Justice Resource Center. 2017. European Court: Russian Interception of Mobile Phone Communications Violates Convention | International Justice Resource Center. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.ijrcenter.org/2016/01/14/european-court-russian-interception-of-mobile-phone-communications-violates-convention/. [Accessed 19 February 2017]. WIRED: WIRED. 2017. 5 Russian-Made Surveillance Technologies Used in the West | WIRED. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.wired.com/2013/05/russian-surveillance-technologies/. [Accessed 19 February 2017]. The Cipher Brief. 2017. Russia, China, and Cyber Espionage | The Cipher Brief. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.thecipherbrief.com/article/tech/russia-china-and-cyber-espionage-1092. [Accessed 19 February 2017]. Interviews James Adams | Hackers | FRONTLINE | PBS. 2017. Interviews James Adams | Hackers | FRONTLINE | PBS. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/hackers/interviews/adams.html. [Accessed 19 February 2017]. Russia Data Protection 2016 ICLG International Comparative Legal Guides. 2017. Russia Data Protection 2016  · ICLG International Comparative Legal Guides. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.iclg.co.uk/practice-areas/data-protection/data-protection-2016/russia#chaptercontent1. [Accessed 19 February 2017]. Russia: New Electronic Surveillance Rules | Global Legal Monitor. 2017. Russia: New Electronic Surveillance Rules | Global Legal Monitor. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.loc.gov/law/foreign-news/article/russia-new-electronic-surveillance-rules/. [Accessed 19 February 2017]. Russia: Espionage and State Treason Concepts Revised | Global Legal Monitor. 2017. Russia: Espionage and State Treason Concepts Revised | Global Legal Monitor. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.loc.gov/law/foreign-news/article/russia-espionage-and-state-treason-concepts-revised/. [Accessed 19 February 2017]. Inquiries Journal. 2017. Cyber Terrorism and IR Theory: Realism, Liberalism, and Constructivism in the New Security Threat Inquiries Journal. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/627/cyber-terrorism-and-ir-theory-realism-liberalism-and-constructivism-in-the-new-security-threat. [Accessed 19 February 2017]. Timothy L. Thomas. 2008. Nation -State Cyber Strategies: Examples from China and Russia. [ONLINE] Available at: http://ctnsp.dodlive.mil/files/2014/03/Cyberpower-I-Chap-20.pdf. [Accessed 19 February 2017]. The Guardian. 2017. Russian data law fuels web surveillance fears | World news | The Guardian. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/01/russia-internet-privacy-laws-control-web. [Accessed 19 February 2017]. Russias Spying Craze. 2017. Russias Spying Craze. [ONLINE] Available at: https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/russias-spying-craze-29105. [Accessed 24 February 2017]. Data is the new oil: Tech giants may be huge, but nothing matches big data. 2017. Data is the new oi

Charlie Wilsons War

Charlie Wilsons War Phase II: Synopsis In the year 1979 the Soviet Union took over the Afghan capital city of Kabul and started a war that devastated the people and land of Afghanistan. A congress man of Texas took it upon himself to help the Afghanistan people suffering from the Soviet Union invasion. Congressman Charlie Wilson, with the help of Gust Avrakotos and Joanne Herring, fought with stubborn politicians, nation leaders, and endured career damaging stories in order to give the people of Afghanistan a fighting chance. With the budget for the war effort being only 5 million, Congressman Wilson, with the help of an anonymous donator, raised the fund to more than 1 billion dollars. The Afghan war effort, set on an equal playing field with the Soviet Union, was able to overcome the Soviet Union and take back the Afghanistan peoples homes. Phase III. Analysis The movie Charlie Wilsons War takes place from 1979 to 1989 and tells the story of how the biggest covert operation in America happened. Charlie Wilson, a Texas congressman, who, with help, raised the necessary funds needed in order to give Afghanistan weapons that could help throw out the invading Soviet Union forces. Based on a true story the movie sticks to the facts and realistically portrays the main character, Charlie Wilson, and the events that lead to the freedom of Afghanistan. The film shows the importance of what happened and how it changed future events. Charlie Wilsons War described the proceedings from 19 years ago that shaped the way events have happened today. The movie focused on the funds, and how they were gathered, that gave the Afghan fighters the weapons and training that they needed. Congressman Wilson, with the help of others, raised the governments budget for the Soviet-Afghan war from a few million to 750 million. With a new flood of money and weapons to help in their fight, the Afghanistan people were armed and inspired to fight the invading Soviet Union forces. As a reward for making it possible to defeat the Soviet Union, Congressman Wilson was given the stinger tube that shot down the first enemy aircraft. Something about the events of the film that has to be noted is the impact that the events of the past had on our present. Had America not interfered, Afghanistan would have been taken over by the Soviet Union which could have lead to them eventually controlling Pakistan and the stores of oil. Allowing the Soviet U nion to take control might have prevented the conflict we have with the countries in the Middle East now. However, allowing both Afghanistan and Pakistan to fall into the hands of the Soviet Union would have meant that we would surrender the supply of oil Pakistan held. Charlie Wilsons War is a film of importance, showing scenes of historical events that have come to dictate the way both Afghanistans and Americas people live. Based on a true story, Charlie Wilsons War holds several historical events which should be noted. Inspired to help the refugee situation in Afghanistan after reading an Associated Press report, Congressman Wilson began to help build funds that would allow the Afghan people to fight the invading Soviet Union. Elected to be on the House Appropriations Subcommittee of Defense, Congressman Wilson was able to request, and receive, a doubled budget for the Afghanistan war. With the help of both politicians and private citizens, Congressman Wilson was able to raise enough funds to support the Afghanistan war effort. This covert operation, named Operation Cyclone, was the largest covert operation to ever happen in the history of the CIA. After ten years of fighting the Soviet Union, Afghanistan became the first country to ever defeat the Soviet Union. The Clandestine Services organization gave the Honored Colleague award for the first time to a citizen, Charlie Wilson, for his efforts in the Afghan War. The historic events in this film shaped many peoples opinion about the situation in Afghanistan. The war in Afghanistan 19 years ago resulted in opposing political views in the United States each having valid reason for helping or not helping the situation in Afghanistan. The side I agree with would be the people who were for supporting Afghanistan in their fight against the Soviet Union. Giving The United States a valid reason to support Afghanistan with a covert operation and giving more than 5 million as funding, would hide the fact that we were are in no way friendly towards Russia. Another reason for the U.S. to intervene would have been that we are a nation who stands for justice and the massacres and other atrocities happening in Afghanistan demanded our attention. In helping Afghanistan we also helped ourselves, not only did we get the satisfaction of seeing the Soviet Union beaten, we also kept something far more valuable than, our oil supplies, out of their hands. In the movie the Afghan leader talking to Congressman Wilson said that the only reason the Soviet Union wa s attacking was because of their location relative to Pakistan. By controlling Afghanistan the Soviet Union would have a direct road to Pakistan and where they could control the flow of oil. The Soviet Union had control of the oil it would have led to serious economic problems for the United States. Many people who know how we helped Afghanistan say that by our contributing to their war effort in the past we just gave them weapons to use against us now. Although there may be some truth to our own weapons being used against us, the fact remains that in the past we did not know this and we could not ignore the suffering people of Afghanistan. Helping Afghanistan was to our benefit in the past and I agree with the decisions made by people like Congressman Wilson and Joanne Herring who raised the necessary funds. Every film has good moments and bad moments, although Charlie Wilsons War is not exempt from this, it is one of the movies that almost perfectly shows the true story. Most films that are based off a true story stick to the very basics and add to the movie to make it interesting or dramatic. This movie however, tells the true story with very little the added fiction. Charlie Wilsons War accurately describes the events that occurred in the late 1900s. The meeting with Gust Avrakotos was not how the actual event happened; however, Congressman Wilson did eventually meet with Mr. Avrakotos when he went to the CIA to learn more about weapons for Afghanistan. Although the movie does focus on the serious nature of what is happening, it also adds comedy providing a break from all of the technical names and political scenarios. Though I could have done without the nudity in the movie, it helps to show the reason Congressman Wilson was called Good Time Charlie. Despite some of the flaws in the film I still recommend this film to anyone who wants to watch a great story. Charlie Wilsons War is a fun and historically accurate movie that shows the difference one man can make. The movie has love, conflict, courage, sorrow, and comedy which will keep its viewers captivated until the final scene is finished. I give Charlie Wilsons War four and a half stars for the ability to stick to the truth and still keep the audience involved. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to learn a little more about American history.