Check the file i sent Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Check the file i sent - Assignment Example God is real, a truth and exists because he is conceivable to the human mind, he is conceivable to Descartes’ mind. Just as explained in Meditation1 all things that Descartes grew up to believe in was challenged and a new system of beliefs which had no doubt in them were established, here the existence of God is justified through doubtless belief. My thesis builds on Descartes’ primary logic that whatever the mind can conceive and facilitates the propagation of the belief exists. Therefore my understanding states that both God and Evil Demon exist as it can be conceived with distinct attributes and qualities. The Thesis states that God exists, because it is he who is putting these thoughts and it is he who is responsible for the author has come to be, i.e., his birth as a human being, his existence and his life. Similarly as stated in Meditation 1 â€Å"No, surely I must exist if it’s me who is convinced of something. But there is a deceiver supremely powerful ad cunning, whose aim is to see that I am always deceived†. (Descartes, 1641, p.137) This goes to show the authors belief that the Evil Demon exists. Would Descartes think that his having an idea of the Evil Demon proves that the Evil Demon exists?   Descartes states that the Evil Demon exists, as the deceiver, as a sublime thought in a human mind to constantly question the existence of one self, about the realism of one’s physical structure (i.e., eyes, hands, legs, head etc) and natural habitat like land, water, air, wind, earth etc. The Evil Demon exists as a force that tries to disprove that he exists. The author concludes by saying that, thus having fully weighed every consideration, I must finally conclude that the statement â€Å"I am. I exist† (Descartes, 1641, p.138) whenever I state or mentally consider it. Another perspective of Evil Demon’s existence is: based on the premise of Descartes’ system of thoughts and the fact that presentation al reality determines the strength of the case for the existence of an object of thought; the Evil Demon exists because of having a concrete idea with clear presentational reality of the Evil Demon. The fact that Descartes can have a clear idea of the Evil Demon together with all its attributes of evil, malice, loathness, craftiness etc leads to the fact that the Evil Demon exists. It is a thought that comes from within and is clear and distinct. Just like there is a supremely powerful and good power that we call God, who is the source of all truth, there is an evil demon, supremely powerful and cunning who works as hard as he possibly can to deceive the author (Descartes, Knowledge and Reality, Meditation 1, p. 138). Why did Descartes think that his having an idea of God proves God exists? Descartes’ primary approach is to withdraw his senses and empty his mind of thoughts of all physical things that he has seen so far in life like objects, people, things and articles. He ei ther empties his mind from it or writes them off as non-existent and not real. The fact that he can comprehend the concept of God clearly and distinctly is the basis for the argument that God exists. The idea of God is planted in his mind and this idea is clear, distinct and makes him certain. Therefore, according to Descartes, God exists. Descartes believes that whatever he thinks exists due to the connection of the outer reality and its logical conclusions with the inner reality of our imaginations. The very fact that the mind can comprehend God as a super power capable of making anything happen is

Sales management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Sales management - Essay Example This is because the manager desires or wants to recruit the right people, as it is their responsibility to increase sales where they can through supporting their goods and services2. Therefore, selecting and recruiting the right person in an organization has a significant number of benefits. In order to ensure this, the sales people should be in a position to define the culture of the organization, develop detailed description of the task, establish an employment conduct contract, as well as creating screening process. Thus, through an interview, which is one of the approaches employed by managers in selecting and recruiting sales people, the manager gets prospect to have adequate background information on the preferred candidate. Interviews are vital because it leads to benefits such as, it is less expensive, it is easy to carry out, it leads to reduced turnover, and may inhibit stealing or ferocity in an organization. According to studies, even the most competent applicants require training. Nevertheless, an effective recruitment and selection procedure moderates the quantity of time the manager will have to capitalize in the new worker3. On the contrary, by selecting a person who is fits greatly for the position except that he or she lacks some of the practical abilities to perform the task, it is vital for the manager to invest in their training. This is because it will lead top great or significant outcomes in the end. It is always easy to train a person in accomplishing precise works; it is much difficult to train soft skills such as reliability and flexibility. Therefore, the process of recruitment and selecting is quite essential for any organization because it helps in reducing time and resources spend on training the new worker. Recruitment and selection leads to job gratification4. This is especially achieved by the selection of the right sales people for the job because of their capability to work independently. In most cases, workers who are not se lf-inspired or self-organized drain the team, the management, as well as the organization as a whole. In addition, in case the selected individual does not fit the vacant position, may decide to quit, forcing the manager to start again the whole procedure of recruitment and selection. This therefore implies that selecting the right candidate for the job results into greater experience of job gratification and extreme levels of inspiration within an organization. Recruitment and selection of the sales people leads to prevention of problems within an organization. As it is the rule, section process enables the manager to make decision concerning the specific skills he is pursuing in a worker5. This makes it possible for the employer to focus the interviewing and selection procedure to individuals with those abilities or skills. Accordingly, the process of recruitment and selection enables the manager to view some of the strengths his or he present employees are lacking6. This will mak e the manager chose the right candidate for the position of the sales people, thus avoiding problems that may occur because of the wrong decisions. Furthermore, problems could be avoided by giving the current workers an opportunity to recommend individuals suitable for the position. According to statistics, worker recommendations are the most prevalent and

Cultural event report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Cultural event report - Essay Example Indeed it was a beautiful sight as we passed through the garden and entered in to the main hall which was full of visitors. Majority of people present in the hall were renowned artists who were there solely for the sake of praising the art of African Americans. A large number of paintings and sculptures were placed on display. However, the most significant feature of the gallery included paintings gifted by Andrew W. Mellon in 1920. In addition to this I found following two very special pieces of art. It was a wonder work by an American artist Jacob Lawrence (1917-200). This distinctive painting was made using graphite and tempera on wave paper. As the name indicates it was a picture reflecting the streets of crowded busy outdoor Nigerian market. Shops were shown on either side of the street and people were captured busy in making purchases. The colors were used in such an artist manner that the viewer could image himself a part of the crowd, who is able to hear different sounds, buy and sell goods, etc. Additionally a dissonance of primary colors finely tuned the overall sense of upheaval. This was yet another unique painting of its type featuring a tripled image such that the viewer could see one man from three different dimensions as a single captured subject. The Painting was made using oil on canvas and this distinctive piece of art was the creation of Barkley Leonnard Hendricks. The picture clearly reflected the culture and fashion of 1970’s in the era of civil rights. Very few colors were used in the painting and therefore it was giving a complete natural look. We reached there at around 12 pm on a bright sunny day. It was chilly winter and the sunshine was feeling like a blessing. The distance was about 50 kilometers from my residence and we covered it in around 20 minutes. The National Gallery of Art is built upon a very large area with a huge garden of approximately 6 acres.

Is a Government Ban on Human Cloning Wrong Essay

Is a Government Ban on Human Cloning Wrong - Essay Example Human cloning can essentially be beneficial to humanity, as well as to science and technology, if it were guaranteed to be successful every time. However, on the side opposing human cloning, the greatest argument involves the morals and ethics of all human beings involved in the process of cloning a human, which are the cloned child, the egg donor, and the woman carrying the cloned child. Very few cloning experiments involving animals have been successful, and even many of those result in death after some time; as such, there is nothing to suggest that human cloning will be successful since there is more at risk. Attempting to clone a human being involves too many risks, and there is nothing to say that any attempt at human cloning will be a success, which makes any safety risks having been undergone in vain. While trying to clone a human, the cloned child might be born deformed or as a stillborn, and the egg donor and the woman carrying the cloned child might risk future problems wh en trying to naturally conceive children.

The History of Walmart Essay Example for Free

The History of Walmart Essay Since Sam Walton opened his first store in 1962, Walmart has grown into a global retailer with more than 4,000 store in the United States and more than 6,000 internationally. Walmart is comprised of three business segments, Walmart US, Walmart International and Sam’s Club. Walmart Global eCommerce works across all three segments. Walmart’s mission statement â€Å"We save people money so they can live better†, is not indicative of where its strategic focus areas are, but it does sound good for the average customer who has a limited budget. This mission statement leads directly into Walmart Global eCommerce goals which include combining online, social innovations with physical stores to give consumers â€Å"anywhere, anytime shopping experience† in addition to its organizational sustainability goal of creating zero waste, using only sustainable energy and selling products that sustain the environment which is important to all of Walmart’s segments including eCommerce. Walmart’s overall objective is to deliver shareholder value by increasing earnings per share, returns and maintaining strong stable returns on investment. According to Walmart CEO, Mike Duke, Walmart’s strategic focus areas are: †¢Making sure the company has the best retail talent at every level of the organization by recruiting, developing and retaining the best associates; †¢Delivering on the productivity loop that enables Walmart to operate for less so the company can drive prices even lower for its customers †¢Being even more disciplined about operating expenses and capital spending; †¢Investing to serve more customers globally and accelerating the vision of anytime, anywhere access by bringing together best-in-class online, mobile and social capabilities and our more than 10,700 stores; and †¢Benefiting our communities and having a world class compliance organization. Walmart has been a giant of the traditional brick and mortar retailers, having topped the Fortune 500 list on more than one occasion. Walmart is moving from a traditional brick and mortar discount retailer to a click and mortar discount retailer as it tries to capture the growing electronic retailing (etailing) opportunities. According to CNN Money, Walmart plans to become an online juggernaut, but its online business numbers have been disappointing. According to Business Insider, Walmart Global eCommerce has come up with a plan to do eCommerce right by using the following strategies: †¢Walmart began recruiting top Silicon Valley talent and acquiring start-ups last year. †¢Walmart is investing in the social gifting market. †¢The retailer got a better search engine. †¢Walmart is trying to lead the charge in same-day shipping. †¢Walmart is investing like crazy in its mobile app. While Walmart’s strategies have lead them to overall very good profitability in the past, their eCommerce is struggling against Amazon, an eCommerce giant, and other traditional retailers who are moving to capture customers that are turning to online purchases. Walmart appears to be moving in the right direction with its mobile application, with Smartphone sales having outpaced personal computer sales in 2011. Walmart Global eCommerce will need review and tailor its value chains in order to comprehensively differentiate itself from other click and mortar businesses. As 2014 approaches Walmart will face several issues/problems which include: Customers who can access competitor prices online when shopping in Walmart; and finding ways to successfully break into the e-tailing market which is a primarily untapped, rapidly growing market. The SWOT analysis will look at Walmart Global eCommerce as it attempts to move definitely into eCommerce while supporting all Walmart’s traditional brick and mortar businesses. Since Walmart Global eCommerce is responsible for all online and mobile innovation, this SWOT analysis will include issues pertaining to all of Walmart, but will pay particular attention to the eCommerce aspect. Stakeholder Analysis Walmart Stakeholders include the stockholders, executives, employees, suppliers, customers, non-profit groups, non-governmental organization, the communities that Walmart serves, online retailers, brick and mortar retailers, labour unions, and the government (politicians). These stakeholders can be divided into two separate groups: market and non-market stakeholders. Market stakeholder are those who have an economic stake in what and how the company does, whereas non-market stakeholders have a non-economic or political stake. Market Stakeholders Walmart shareholders are a market stakeholder who want a return on their investment in Walmart. Between 2009 and 2013 more than 60 billion dollars was returned to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases. Walmart executives, like shareholders, have an economic stake in what Walmart, since many receive stock options. Although employees may purchase stock options, they are a market stakeholder given that they rely on Walmart for their income. Many of Walmart’s suppliers rely heavily on Walmart as a buyer of their goods, since Walmart is the largest retailer in the US and is growing internationally as well. Customers rely on Walmart to provide â€Å"Every Day Low Prices† which will only continue if Walmart performs well. Non-profit organizations have an economic stake in Walmart as many of these organizations rely on funding provided by the Walmart Foundation (for example the Fighting Hunger Together program). Communities that are served by Walmart are also an important stakeholder: these communities rely on Walmart to employ its citizens and provides goods for purchase at â€Å"Every Day Low Prices†. Online/brick and mortar retailers have a unique stake in how well Walmart does given the potential of Walmart impacting their sales Non-Market Stakeholders Labour Unions play an enormous political role in Walmart. Walmart has been criticized in the news on more than one occasion with regards to fighting with labour unions in their stores and/or mistreating union members. Small retailers and/or labour unions may petition their government politicians to prevent Walmart from moving into their district. Governance Walmart is governed by three basic beliefs that support a business integrity which include: Service to customers; Respect for the individual; and Striving for excellence. Walmart strives to be honest by telling the truth and keeping their word, be fair by using their business influence appropriately and creating an open environment for raising questions and concerns, be objective by making decisions based on Walmart’s interests, rather than personal interests, and by avoiding even the appearance of impropriety. Walmart has a Global Ethics Office which is responsible for promoting Walmart’s culture of integrity. This includes developing and upholding their policies for ethical behavior for all their stakeholders everywhere they operate. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Walmart believes that it has an obligation to lead when it comes to CSR. Walmart is committed to using renewable energy, demonstrated by ensuring 21 percent of its electricity globally comes from renewable energy. Walmart created the Walmart Foundation which is responsible for many of Walmart’s CSR projects. The Walmart Foundation has a program in place to empower women around the world through training and career opportunities. The Walmart Foundation also gives money to support local organizations throughout the world. Value Chain Analysis – Walmart The Figure can of Walmart’s Value Chain Analysis can be found at Annex A. Human Resources (HR) Walmart’s HR practices are based on communication which is clear, concise and relates Walmart’s principles, high expectations and ethics. Walmart provides a comprehensive Health and Well-Being program. There is room to grow from a store associate to manager. These benefits come at a cost, which Walmart has tried to decrease by ensuring more employees are part-time and, therefore, not entitled to the benefits. Technology Technology integration is one of the primary focuses of Walmart, having played a vital role in its success. Walmart was one of the first retailers to use bar codes. Walmart also employs a Point of Sales (POS) system which is used to guide re-stocking. Walmart’s IT systems have been built to integrate prices, costs and sales in order to lower overall cost and increase profit across the world. Technology has permitted Walmart to ensure an effective and efficient supply chain that it leverages to provide products at low prices that it promises to customers. Walmart Global eCommerce is aggressively growing its technology infrastructure to become a leader in eCommerce. Infrastructure Real Estate Walmart makes a concerted effort to opens its stores and warehouses in ideal locations support its â€Å"hub and spoke† arrangement which support its brick and mortar stores. These stores and warehouses are supporting Walmart Global eCommerce, since this infrastructure had not been previously built to support it. Procurement Walmart deals direct with manufacturers to leverage its buying power to obtain the best price possible. Under scrutiny in the past, Walmart has moved quickly to have its suppliers’ manufacturing, subcontracting and packaging facilities follow standards which are outlined in its Standards for Suppliers. These standards include Compliance with Laws, Voluntary Labour (Slave, child, underage, forced, bonded, or indentured labour will not be tolerated. ), Labour Hours, Compensation, Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining, Health and Safety, Dormitories and Canteen, Environment, Gifts and Entertainment, Conflicts of Interest, Anti-Corruption, and Financial Integrity. Walmart has put in place a Supply Chain Capacity Building program (SCCB). The SCCB program components vary from half-day group training sessions to several months of one-on-one engagement with suppliers and factories. Walmart also ensures that the employees of its suppliers have the ability to report violations. All reports are directed to Walmart’s Global Ethics Office, where they are referred for investigation and corrective action if required. Primary Activities Inbound and Outbound Logistics These have been included together from an eCommerce perspective. Walmart has an enhanced inbound and outbound logistics system, although this has been problematic for Walmart Global eCommerce, it is working on resolving this issue so it can leverage Walmart’s brick and mortar capabilities. Walmart has adopted the concepts of distribution centers and â€Å"hub and spoke† arrangements. It is this â€Å"hub and spoke† arrangement which permits stores to effectively keep inventory levels in check while reducing transportation costs in addition to cross-docking. Walmart is always searching for ways to do things cheaper, faster which has more reliable logistics systems by implementing methods such as cross docking systems. Walmart operates their own logistics system, however Walmart Global eCommerce had to use third party warehouses in order to expedite its business. Walmart is remedying the situation by building warehouses to accommodate its eCommerce business. These practices will not only help Walmart reduce expenses, but also give it more control and flexibility. Operations Based on Walmart’s Mission statement, Walmart’s goal is to offer a wide range of products at low prices so people can live better. It carries nationally branded products, its own Great Value brand and other private label products tailored to local demand. Walmart has continuously expanded the brands it offers to meet various customer needs which include popular upscale brands such as Apple, and Sony. Walmart’s operational structure has decentralized store management which permits store managers to make decisions relating to product range and pricing. Marketing and Sales Walmart’s â€Å"Every Day Low Prices† provides appeal to its customers, because it permits customers to know that they can buy products at the lowest price all the time. Once criticized for its ethical sourcing and environmental sustainability, Walmart’s annual report affirms dedication and commitment to ethical sourcing and environmental sustainability. Customer Service Walmart tries to focus on providing customers with the best experience whether they are in store or online. In store, a Walmart associate greets each customer as they arrive, however this type of customer service has not always worked in the past. Walmart strives to have a customer oriented workforce who are motivated and believe in Walmart’s culture. Walmart could not successfully integrate into Germany, since Walmart’s American overtly friendly culture could not be successfully integrated with Germany’s very reserved culture. Summary It is impossible to look at Walmart Global eCommerce without looking at Walmart, since Walmart Global eCommerce leads all online and mobile innovations across all Walmart segments. Although doing well financially, several business news agencies have noted that Walmart is stumbling in eCommerce market as it attempts to adapt its click and mortar business strategies to its eCommerce. It appears that Walmart is attempting to take on Amazon, the king of online businesses, in eCommerce. This means that Walmart. com, started in 2000, is playing catch up, and it is only in the last few years that Walmart has invested heavily in its eCommerce. Walmart Global eCommerce is run as a distinct business, with its own headquarters, CEO and buyers who buy items specifically for its website. Although Walmart is known as pioneering the supply chain, it has not been overly successfully in imitating Amazon’s supply chain management. Walmart has tried to leverage the same supply chain as its retail stores in addition to third party warehouses, which has resulted in additional costs for delivery. Amazon’s supply chain, which uses robotic assistants to help fill orders along with warehouses that are dedicated to filling orders, has permitted Amazon to rule eCommerce with ability to deliver products to home for less. One strategy that Walmart is investing in are lockers which were initially introduced by Bufferbox. Walmart is not alone in adapting this strategy; Amazon is also using this in order to get orders into the hands of its customers more quickly, however Walmart will be able to leverage the over 10,000 stores globally to place lockers which are close to customers. In order to understand Walmart, it is important to look at its review its Value Chain in Annex A, in conjunction with Porter’s Five Forces Analysis in Annex B, PESTEL Analysis in Annex C, SWOT Analysis in Annex D and TOWS in Annex E. Recommendation It is recommended that Walmart Global eCommerce continue on its current path of @Walmartlabs developing new technology which will enhance a customer’s online experience Walmart and Walmart Global eCommerce to be sensitive to the culture of different countries as it expands globally, and the challenges that comes with each country it moves into. It is also recommended that Walmart Global eCommerce continue to leverage Walmart’s strong brand image while continuing to add differentiated products at â€Å"Every Day Low Prices†. It is further recommended that Walmart Global eCommerce continue to lead all online and mobile innovation for Walmart to ensure that no one segment will fall behind. It is essential that Walmart address HR issues that have the potential to impact its bottom line ? Walmart Value Chain Analysis ? Porter’s Five Forces Analysis PESTEL Analysis Political factors: Walmart is currently operates in 27 countries under 69 different banners. Walmart must follow government rules and regulations in each of its host countries. Political conditions that Walmart faces in its host countries include political instability, economic conditions, currency regulations, legal and regulation constraints, tax systems, etc. Economic factors: Economic condition within host countries has the potential to dramatically impact Walmart. Walmart has faced high inflation rates and currency devaluations. In US and Canada, Walmart is dealing with the challenge of higher fuel and energy costs, inflation, high levels of unemployment, excessively high consumer debt, and high tax rates. The global economic slowdown has hit many companies including Walmart. Social factors: Walmart’s international operations must operate according to local culture of its host countries. As the world becomes more conscious of child labour, unsafe working conditions. Consumers are demanding that companies be cognizant of where and how their products are produced. This has been made very evident after recent fire/building collapses in the garment industry. Technological factors: Technology has an enormous impact on many businesses, Walmart included. Walmart must continue to invest in Research Development activities, and automation if it wishes to remain competitive Walmart has recently invested heavily in its eCommerce, so it can compete with the likes of Amazon Ecological factors: Previously criticized for its company’s view on sustainable resources Walmart is moving to become more sustainable. In 2008, Walmart de Mexico opened Plaza Ecologica Ciudad Jardin, located in former Neza 1 dump, in the municipality of Netzahualcoyotl, State of Mexico. The mall has state-of-the-art technology to save energy and water. Legal factors: Walmart Global Compliance Action Steps. Walmart is an international company, therefore it is addressing 14 compliance subject matters in every market. Every country also has compliance subject matters that are specific to it, but the following 14 areas are common everywhere Walmart does business: anti-corruption, food safety, anti-money laundering, antitrust, pharmacy, labor employment, environment, privacy, consumer protection, licenses permits, health safety, trade, product safety, and ethical sourcing. ? SWOT Analysis StrengthsWeaknesses †¢Enormous scale of operations which permits it to leverage its buying power. Operates internationally in 27 countries †¢ Strong brand image †¢Supply chain with integrated technology (inbound and outbound logistics) which enables it to operate effectively and efficiently (i. e. cross docking). In addition Walmart is working closely with its suppliers to maintain an enhanced global standard †¢Walmart Global E-Business leads all online and mobile innovation †¢Provides a diversified range of products and services including high end brands (Apple, Sony, etc) †¢Customer loyalty †¢Strong financial performance even during the global recession †¢Its people – a very strong culture and values that are shared among associates at all levels. A focused human resource management and development strategy which provides benefits. Walmart invests time and money in training its employees †¢Walmart is a market leader with regards to cost leadership which permits to offer products at much lower prices †¢Walmart has changed its store format to include four formats: Supercenters, Discount stores, Neighborhood Markets and Express stores which has allowed Walmart in addition to eCommerce. These smaller format stores have allowed Walmart to penetrate urban centers which it did not have a presence†¢High employee turnover †¢Walmart Global E-Business has not been able to effectively leverage Walmart’s brick and Mortar supply chain †¢Price sensitive customers †¢Unlike shopping in a brick and mortar store, customers must wait to receive their goods, goods can be expensive to ship to customers †¢Security and fraud are common for eCommerce which makes some customers reluctant to use credit cards online †¢Customers still prefer to look at items in a store before purchasing †¢As a global retailer, Walmart has the potential to be weaker in some areas due to its huge span of control †¢It is not focused in one specific area, therefore it is not as focused as some its competitors †¢Although growing internationally, Walmart is very reliant on its US Segment †¢Reputation Negative Publicity (labour related lawsuits). Although Walmart has worked hard to change its reputation on environment sustainability, diversity, labour relations, and its ethical sourcing, but it has been slow to turn around in the media †¢Walmart is lagging behind its competitors in eCommerce †¢Walmart US culture cannot be easily impos ed on other countries. †¢Walmart USA must be careful that its current expansion plans do not begin to cannibalize sales †¢Walmart is trailing its eCommerce competitors ? OpportunitiesThreats †¢Walmart has been slowly moved into developing economies including Mexico, South Africa and Brazil in addition to China, and India. It is expected that customers in these countries will move from manufacturing most of Walmart’s goods to purchasing them. This will permit Walmart’s income to grow as it enters more of these companies both through brick and mortar and eCommerce. †¢@WalmartLabs team has been busy delivering the next generation of commerce combining online, mobile and stores to let customers shop when, where and how they want. †¢@WalmartLabs is expanding their team to continue creating best-in-class eCommerce technologies †¢Walmart Global eCommerce is aggressively growing its technology infrastructure in order to be a leader in eCommerce †¢Social media sites provide free or low-cost promotions †¢Walmart is investing in the social gifting market †¢Walmart is working closely with apple to create a mobile application which will make a customer’s checkout experience much easier†¢Walmart has moved from having full time employees to having many part time employees to get around providing benefits to full time employees †¢There is a big push to increase the minimum wage and benefits available to part time and full time workers †¢Low barriers to entry are a constant threat in eCommerce. Anyone can have an eCommerce business. People can sell items via Facebook or eBay without the need to have their own websites †¢Social media sites provide free or low-cost promotions †¢All eCommerce merchants are competing with Amazon and its successful shipping program. Amazon is the Goliath of eCommerce †¢Walmart offers many of the same products that its competitors do †¢High fuel, currency fluctuations and inflation costs †¢Global recession †¢Cultural barriers TOWS Analysis External Opportunities †¢Walmart has been slowly moved into developing economies including Mexico, South Africa and Brazil in addition to China, and India. It is expected that customers in these countries will move from manufacturing most of Walmart’s goods to purchasing them †¢ECommerce is growing exponentiallyExternal Threats †¢Cultural barriers †¢Same day shipping †¢There is a big push to increase the minimum wage and benefits available to part time and full time workers †¢Security and fraud are common for eCommerce which makes some customers reluctant to use credit cards online Strengths/Opportunities †¢Throughout the economic slowdown disposable income was reduced. Walmart was able to gain/retain customer’s loyalty by offering products at affordable prices †¢As online shopping has grown more prevalent, Walmart has allowed customers to order online using the most current technology †¢Walmart is working to create an application to find appropriate gifts for friends using information found on their social media pages †¢Walmart Global eCommerce must develop software which will prevent fraud and provide online security for customers which will enhance customers online experienceWeakness/Opportunities †¢Customers can look at items in a retail store before purchasing then either purchase in store or via smartphone while in the store †¢All eCommerce merchants are competing with Amazon and its successful shipping program. Walmart retail stores permit customers to order online and pick up in stores reducing shipping costs †¢Security and fraud are common for eCommerce which makes some customers reluctant to use credit cards online @Walmartlabs can develop software to minimize the chances of security and fraud †¢Walmart Global E-Business has not been able to effectively leverage Walmart’s brick and Mortar supply chain. Walmart Global eCommerce must build a supply chain which is comparable to Walmart or find a means to leverage Walmart’s supply chain †¢Walmart US culture cannot be easily imposed on other countries. Walmart should hire local specialists to advise Walmart as it expands into new countries Internal Strengths †¢Walmart Global E-Business leads all online and mobile innovation for Walmart †¢Strong brand image †¢Strong financial performance even during the global recession †¢Customer loyalty and low prices †¢Walmart is investing in the social gifting market †¢@Walmartlabs is developing technology to improve customers online experience †¢Walmart has an enhanced supply chain Internal Weaknesses †¢Walmart is lagging behind its competitors in eCommerce †¢Walmart global eCommerce does not necessarily offer the same products that its retails stores do †¢As a global retailer, Walmart has the potential to be weaker in some areas due to its huge span of control †¢Walmart US culture cannot be easily imposed on other countriesStrengths/Threats †¢Although Walmart has a strong brand image, it faces competition from its rivals. Walmart can avoid this by selling differentiated products at low prices †¢Customers prefer to receive their purchased good quickly. Walmart Global eCommerce can leverage Walmart retail store convenient locations to allow customers to pick up their orders quickly Weaknesses/Threats †¢Walmart has had problems adapting its culture as it enters foreign markets, failing to adapt its culture to match foreign markets could be disastrous †¢As a global retailer, Walmart has the potential to be weaker in some areas due to its huge span of control. Walmart has divided its business into three separate segments. Walmart Global eCommerce works across all three segments

Israeli Targeted Killings against HAMAS: Legality

Israeli Targeted Killings against HAMAS: Legality The Legality and Efficacy of Israeli Targeted Killings against HAMAS Extra-judicial killing is often referred to by the United States in the case of its enemies as â€Å"exporting terrorism,† and has gained special notoriety since its employment by the State of Israel in the years of the two Palestinian intifadas, or â€Å"uprisings.† The political assassinations and recent attempts by the Israeli government, disputed by many in the international community, are argued by Israel and the United States as legally sanctioned by Articles 2 and 51 of the United Nations Charter. Israel claims suicide bombings against its civilians have been curbed significantly by successful assassinations to which it fully admits, albeit each of these assassinations has resulted in â€Å"collateral damage† in the form of innocent bystander casualties. Others, such as Member States of the EU and the Arab League, have denounced Israeli assassinations as illegal. Whether or not the targeted killings were the factor behind the drastic reduction in suicide b omb and other terrorist attacks on Israeli citizenry is a point of major contention; several other factors including HAMAS’ calling of a hudna, or ten-year truce, in hostility and the construction of the separation wall along the UN-recognized â€Å"Green Line† demarcating Israeli from Palestinian land should be taken into consideration. One of Israel’s most impenetrable arguments in favor of the practice of targeted assassination is not deterrence, but rather preemption: â€Å"On November 9, 2000, Fatah leader Hussein Abayat was assassinated by fire from a helicopter, along with two women who were walking nearby. The killing initiated a new Israeli policy of publicly acknowledging assassinations—officially termed ‘targeted killings,’ ‘liquidations,’ and ‘pre-emptive strikes.’ This policy was premised on a set of interconnected justifications: 1) that Palestinians were to blame for the hostilities, which constituted a war of terror against Israel; 2) that the laws of war permit states to kill their enemies; 3) that targeted individuals were ‘ticking bombs’ who had to be killed because they could not be arrested by Israeli soldiers; and 4) that killing terrorists by means of assassination was a lawful form of national defense†[1]. The legality of Israeli targeted killings relies on a fine balance of situational interpretation of international law; while the Israelis never argue the validity of a law in the UN Charter, their political stance on the Palestinian territories often contrasts their approach in dealing with the Palestinians as a sovereign entity. Lisa Hajjar dissects the varied Israeli responses to intifada in her Courting Conflict: The Israeli Military Court System in the West Bank and Gaza, noting Israel’s relative position of morality and transparency in comparison to nations in similarly enduring conflicts. Hajjar notes that â€Å"what distinguishes the Israeli model from many other states embroiled in protracted conflict is that Israel does not repudiate or ignore international law†; â€Å"rather, it ‘domesticates’ international law by forging interpretations of its rights and duties in the West Bank and Gaza to accommodate state practices and domestic agendas†[ 2]. The Israeli government currently administers authority over the West Bank (referred to as â€Å"Judea† and â€Å"Samaria† in Israeli political circles), and since it controls Palestinian air space, borders, natural resources, and collects taxes from the Palestinian people, both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank would erstwhile be considered under Israeli sovereignty. However, the international community (which includes the UN) does not recognize the Israeli occupation, leaving the Palestinian situation somewhat in political limbo. The UN Charter, in Article Two, states â€Å"all members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state†; since â€Å"Palestine† is not a state under international law, this aspect of Article 2 does not apply. However, the simultaneous objections by the UN in the past, including the passing of more than sixty resolutions of which Israel is currently in violation[3], do not apply as according to the same Article, nothing â€Å"shall authorize the United Nations to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state or shall require the Members to submit such matters to settlement,† including the â€Å"application of enforcement measures† taken by any given member state. By these technicalities, Israel is not breach of international law, since few international laws can apply to the occupied territories (OT) which have yet to be recognized as a sovereign state. Article 51 adds that â€Å"nothing in the present charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defense if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security†; moreover, â€Å"measures taken by members in the exercise of this right of self-defense shall be immediately reported to the Security Council† in order to â€Å"maintain or restore international peace and security.† Israel is transparent regarding its attacks and since the Jewish state technically is not attacking the Palestinians as a whole (hence the phrase â€Å"targeted assassinations†), it is not in breach of the UN Charter. Given Israel’s membership in the UN and the absence of sovereignty on behalf of the Palestinians, no claim can be made to the contrary vis-à  -vis international law. According to Hajj ar: â€Å"Many states engage in practices that deviate from and thus challenge prevailing interpretations of international law. However, when powerful and dominant states like the US and Israel do so, this cannot simply be written off or criticized as â€Å"violations† because it produces an alternative legality. Contrary to the claims of both critics who take prevailing interpretations of international law as their point of reference and political realists who disparage the relevance of law, neither state ignores the law. Rather, both use laws and legal discourse to authorize and defend the legality of policies such as military pre-emption, indefinite incommunicado detention, abusive interrogation tactics, assassinations, and targeting of areas dense with civilians†[4]. The efficacy of the targeted killings is disputed from a purely number-oriented statistical study. According to The Alternative Information Center on Palestine/Israel and the Israeli human rights organization B’tselem, Israeli deaths spiked in mid-2002, decreasing steadily through 2006[5]. Three cases of successful targeted assassinations on HAMAS (an acronym for Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya, or â€Å"Islamic Resistance Movement†) to consider are those of former Izzedine al-Qassam (the militant wing of HAMAS) leader Salah Shehade in 2002, HAMAS spiritual founder and figurehead Sheikh Ahmed Ismail Yassin, and HAMAS co-founder Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi, who was killed within months of replacing Sheikh Yassin as the organization’s head. Between the established spike in violence in 2002 and the assassination of both Rantisi and Yassin in 2004, several events transpired. Between the assassinations of Shehade in 2002 and al-Rantisi in 2004, the Israeli army engaged the Palestinians with an incursion into the intifada stronghold of Jenin and began the construction of the West Bank separation barrier. Though the physical number of casualties decreased, the number of attempted attacks did not subside until as recently as December 2006[6]. While the execution of figureheads such as those named above are undoubtedly a positive force in the dissembling of HAMAS and other terrorist organizations’ leadership, the question of whether they are an effective means of deterrence and prevention is another issue, especially given the religious component of suicide bombing in the OT and its culture of martyrdom. To some extent, the system of targeted assassinations has been â€Å"marginalized as extrajudicial executions (i.e. assassinations) have come to vie with prosecutions as means of punishment and deterrence for suicide bombings by Palestinian militants†; both â€Å"suicide bombings and assassinations have a history that predates the second in tifada, and both emanate from human rights claims—dystopian in the extreme—to kill to survive†[7]. Perhaps more contested from a legal standpoint than the act of targeted assassinations is the factor of innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. The area most targeted by Israeli assassinations, especially by aircraft, is the densely-populated Gaza Strip whose population of approximately 1.3 million is estimated by many to be the most densely-populated region in the world. The case of Shehade is one of the more notorious in recent Israeli history, whose death sparked the protests of â€Å"tens of thousands vowing revenge†[8]. According to CNN and other sources, a squadron of F-16 jets dropped an armament of significant magnitude on the apartment building in which Shehade lived; sources claim the armament deployed weighed nearly a metric ton. As a corollary of the attack on the â€Å"three story building in which Shehade lived,† fifteen other people, including women and children, were killed in the residential complex[9]. Justifying the attack that killed the archite ct of attacks that resulted in the murder of â€Å"hundreds of Israelis,† the assassination of Shehade prompted speculation that Israel had to have been cognizant that an attack of such magnitude would certainly result in â€Å"collateral damage†[10]. Active awareness of civilian death as a measured loss in such an action prompts the question as to whether or not Israel should have been held accountable on the same counts as groups like HAMAS, despite the difference in the nature of the attacks. Hajjar, whose writings lean toward the side of the Palestinian cause, nevertheless concedes unconditionally that â€Å"suicide bombings and assassinations can by no means be considered equivalent except in their effects (death)†; while the two are not the â€Å"only forms of violence that characterize the exchanges during the Al-Aqsa Intifada, â€Å"together they illustrate with brutal clarity the human costs of unbearable justice and intractable conflict†[11]. I n order to adequately address Israeli culpability in targeted attacks, one must first put into larger context the timing of such attacks. Unlike the first intifada, the roots of the second are â€Å"entwined in the military court system, which has been a central setting for the conflict†[12]. The second intifada in particular marked the change in Israeli occupation of the OT, an expansion from a predominantly â€Å"law enforcement model to a war model†[13]. Since the attacks on both sides escalated in both nature and cost, the Israeli retaliatory actions also warranted a change in their degree of severity. The deterrent component of Israeli retaliation to the first intifada was surmised to have failed, given the reorganization of additional terrorist organizations that despite their political competition inside the framework of Palestinian government collaborated in their attacks on Israeli citizenry. There existed a perception that â€Å"the duration of the first int ifada had forced the Israeli government to make concessions to Palestinians and that these concessions, namely the redeployment from Palestinian population centers, had weakened the military’s ability to provide for Israeli security, creating a reliance on the Palestinian Authority that was ineffective in preventing suicide bombings and other types of attacks on Israelis†[14]. A low-intensity, small-arms confrontation, the first intifada was dwarfed by the weaponry and frequency of attacks inside Israel proper. Where the first intifada was characterized by stone-throwing at tanks, the second is today notorious for suicide bombs and gruesome lynching of Israeli settlers and soldiers. While deterrence may not have been achieved, the escalation in the degree of Israeli retaliatory measures and those of pre-emption undoubtedly carried with it the intent to assert Israeli military dominance. Targeted assassinations took place long before the Al-Aqsa Intifada in 2000. While the legal ramifications of such assassinations are as yet to be officially disputed, the moral indignation inside Israel and abroad has been considerable. Opinions clash over the morality of such assassinations, even among Israel’s populace. Detailed by Nachman Ben-Yehuda in Political Assassinations by Jews: A Rhetorical Device for Justice, targeted assassinations should hardly be a significant point of contention in the international community. Though assassinations may be equated with executions (albeit doled out without formal trials), targeted attacks are not murder. Ben-Yehuda points out that â€Å"a political assassination event is typically carefully planned and cold bloodedly executed,† despite the large numbers of â€Å"collateral damage† as previously mentioned[15]. Israel has done well in the past to point to its critics the fact that â€Å"at the risk of seeming to provide a ‘justification’ for political assassination events in the form of executions, one must be reminded that selecting the route of political executions was in fact taken by governments in different cultures as a useful and pragmatic tool†[16]. Unlike Syria’s Asad regime, which in 1982 massacred nearly 40,000 members of the Islamic Brothers following an assassination attempt on then-President Hafiz al-Asad, Ben-Yehuda is careful to make note of Israel’s use of targeted assassination in specific cases when no other course of action will spare its soldiers’ lives. He makes a point to note that â€Å"while it is inaccurate to assert that political executions were a major tool used by Israel, it was used whenever the decision makers felt that executions could achieve specific goals like revenge, or in preventing future occurrences of aggres sion and violence against Israel†[17] . Ben-Yehuda also observes how some equate â€Å"a government’s reliance on assassinations to a ‘desperate gambler’s stroke’†; political analysts have speculated that â€Å"assassination is the tactic of the resource-less† and that â€Å"a government which cannot pursue foreign policy by conventional means and uses assassins instead is likely to be a government so vulnerable that its weapons perform like boomerangs in the hands of the inexperienced†[18]. America has recently endeavored to use the Israeli model of late, adopting the tactic of assassination in 2002 â€Å"which had been prohibited by executive orders since 1977†[19]. Studying Israeli legal arguments, the US militarily justified its assassination of suspected al-Qaeda member â€Å"Ali Qaed Sinan al-Harithi and five others (including a US citizen) in Yemen by a pilotless drone†[20]. Unlike, Israel, however, the US violated Yemeni airspace, a questionable act given distinction in its targeting of an American citizen. Targeted assassinations executed by the United States should not be conflated as a purely Israeli export, however; missions that transpired in the Vietnam conflict’s notorious Project Phoenix â€Å"neutralized 8,104 Viet Cong cadres† and was considered so potent a practice that the â€Å"Saigon interior minister set goals for 1969 noting the United States’ hope for 33,000 neutralizations through the rest of the year†[2 1]. While Israel used assassinations as a relatively domestic tool and was met with criticism, the majority of the world remained silent for several reasons in the case of America’s Project Phoenix. First, Israel has yet to officially declare war, as such a declaration would imply the sovereignty of Palestine as a nation. Second, the US was embroiled in a conflict that would later claim in excess of 50,000 soldiers and countless hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese. As a preemptive measure, Phoenix was morally admissible due to the magnitude of the conflict and the fact that Vietnam, official or not, was a multi-national, regional conflict and full-blown war. It should be noted that even in war, however, â€Å"Phoenix had become known and increasingly controversial in the US, a problem that would never cease† and added to the long list of grievances the American public would take with the war in general[22]. Robert Freedman recalls the Israeli public opinion of targeted assassination, stating â€Å"public opinion in Israel is characterized by high levels of knowledge and personal involvement regarding issues of security and by low levels of perceived influence†; â€Å"the public relies on the leadership and is aware of its own ineffectiveness† despite such reliance[23]. An open society, Israel’s actions are not only carried out on behalf of the people, but are approved by the people. As per the international outcry abroad, those who defend Israel’s actions—namely states embroiled in similar conflicts such as Serbia, Cyprus, and Russia—remained staunch allies and knew the endorsement of Israel’s actions would lessen international reaction to their own respective situations. Among Israel’s political adversaries, however, the escalation of the violence in the second intifada, along with well-documented media coverage of bus and cafà © bombings, changed the character of international outcry significantly. Unlike the PLO’s activities in the late 1960s through 1980, HAMAS and its extreme tactics of suicide bombing after 2000 earned the Palestinian cause worldwide antipathy as well as scorn directed at the Israeli state. Such changes in threats, Freedman argues, precipitated changes in responses which varied in intensity. The escalation of targeted assassinations was a two-fold public relations strategy. On the one hand, it showed a change from the popular perception of Israeli indiscriminate fire on the Palestinian population, and on the other, it showed a general concern for IDF soldiers and law enforcement, starkly contrasting the willingness of HAMAS and Islamic Jihad to knowingly detonate and kill its own members. Freedman notes how â€Å"the Israeli response to the threats posed by the PLO, particularly during the height of its armed struggle in the 1968-1971 period, was based on a combination of admin istrative, economic, and military actions†[24]. The military component and predominance of assassinations reflects the difference between PLO secularist attacks and HAMAS-style religious branding, adding more weight to the conflict and another dimension of severity. To date, the Israelis have been able to continue in their targeted assassinations, owing to a combination of brutal Palestinian aggression as well as the language of ambiguity adhered to in the UN Charter. BIBLIOGRAPHY Ben-Yehuda, Nachman. (1993) Political Assassinations by Jews: A Rhetorical Device forJustice. Albany: State U of New York P. Freedman, Robert Owen. (1991) The Intifada: Its Impact on Israel, the Arab World, andthe Superpowers. Miami: U of Florida P. Hajjar, Lisa. (2005) Courting Conflict: The Israeli Military Court System in the WestBank and Gaza. Berkeley: U of California P. Hirst, David. (2004) â€Å"Obituary: Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.† [Online Resource] Available at:http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,1175854,00.html. Prados, John. (2003) Lost Crusader: The Secret Wars of CIA Director William Colby.New York: Oxford U P. Rice, Edward E. (1988) Wars of the Third Kind: Conflict in Underdeveloped Countries.Berkeley: U of California P. Various. (2007) â€Å"Al-Aqsa Intifada Enters Sixth Year.† [Online Resource] Available at:http://www.alternativenews.org/aic-publications/other-publications/al-aqsa intifada-enters-sixth-year-20050929.html. Vause, John. (2002) â€Å"Israel Takes Heat for Gaza Airstrike.† [Online Resource] Availableat: http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/meast/07/23/mideast/index.html. Various. (2004) â€Å"Hamas Chief Killed in Air Strike.† [Online Resource] Available at:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3635755.stm Watson, Geoffrey R. (2000) The Oslo Accords: International Law and the IsraeliPalestinian Peace Agreements. Oxford: Oxford U P. Note: UN Charter available at: www.un.org/aboutun/charter Footnotes [1] Hajjar 2006, p. 238 [2] Hajjar 2006, p. 243 [3] Hajjar 2006, p. ix [4] Hajjar 2006, p. 246 [5] http://www.alternativenews.org/aic-publications/other-publications/al-aqsa-intifada-enters-sixth-year-20050929.html [6] Hajjar 2005, p. 244 [7] Hajjar 2006, p. 236 [8] CNN 2002 [9] Ibid [10] Ibid [11] Hajjar 2006, p. 36 [12] Hajjar 2006, p. 235 [13] Hajjar 2006, p. 236 [14] Hajjar 2006, p .237 [15]s Ben-Yehuda 1993, p. 354 [16] Ben-Yehuda 1993, p. 318 [17] Ben-Yehuda 1993, p. 354 [18] Ibid [19] Hajjar 2006, p. 246 [20] Ibid [21] Prados 2003, p. 210 [22] Prados 2003, p. 214 [23] Freedman 1991, p. 269 [24] Freedman 1991, p. 47

Legitimate Authority in the International System

Legitimate Authority in the International System Researchers and students of international relations are always faced with questions regarding if there is any legitimate authority in the international system. Other questions that these people are always faced with, is whether they can denote that the behavior of states is always motivated by factors such as power or even wealth. Furthermore, questions emerge on whether the interests of states are always the same, over a period of time and space. Mitchell (2012) denotes that this debate about the nature of authority in the international arena is always theoretical, focusing only on the contemporary international system. This paper critically examines the concept that there is no legitimate authority in the international system. In answering this question, the researcher will have to use a variety of theories, such as realism and liberalism. This paper takes the stand that the international system is anarchical in nature, and there is no legitimate authority. This concept of legitimate authority refers to the justification of people to have real power over other people, as well as the decisions they make. Mitchell (2012) further claims that legitimate authority is always exercised by the government, and the government derives justification in the use of such power because the power is given by the laws of the country. Krehoff (2008) agrees on the fact that there is no legitimate authority in the international system. This is because the international system is characterized by the interaction of states, and each state has its own interests and objectives in regard to the interaction (Bromley, Clarke, Hinchliffe and Taylor, 2009). One of the methods in which social scientists use to explain the relations and power in the international system is through the use of liberalism theory (Goldstein, 2912). Liberalism is a political concept that advocates for the freedom and rights of individuals. This theoretical framework recognizes the role of the state, as well as other actors in the international system in promoting democracy, freedom of expression, as well as other rights of individuals within the society (Baylis and Smith, 2001). Karp (2009) observes that this theoretical framework encourages participation in the international system, and for the purposes of promoting peace and stability. On this basis, the international system is characterized by inter-governmental organizations, multi-national companies, and non-governmental organizations. These institutions operating in the international system are responsible for shaping the various policies of states (Bromley, Clarke, Hinchliffe and Taylor, 2009). For instance institutions such as the United Nations, is responsible for discussing various issues that threaten the World Peace and coming up with a resolution that each and every member of the organization needs to follow. For instance in 2011, the UN Security Council passed a resolution that there was a need of intervening in the Libyan civil war, for purposes of preventing president Gaddafi from killing his own people Goldstein, (2012). Members of the Security Council, including the US, Britain, France, as well as other countries such as Canada, etc were able to provide equipments that could be used to enforce the decision by the UN Security council. Cornut (2010) denotes that this is an example of a legitimate authority, and this is because a legitimate authority is always justifiable by the rules guiding the operation of an institution. For example, the charter of the UN establishes the Security Council, with five permanent members who hold veto powers, and other non-permanent members. The charter denotes that the decision of this council are always legitimate, and supported by the laws of the charter in which all UN members are signatories. However, Baylis and Smith (2001) disagrees with the notion that the UN Security Council is a legitimate authority. Basu (2012) denotes that the UN Security council only serves the interests of the major powers holding the veto power. This is because the countries under consideration will always veto a policy developed that is against them. Basu (2012) further explains that the main reason as to why the Security Council attacked the government of Gaddafi was because he had a bad historical relation with western countries such as the United States, Britain, as well as France. On this basis, attacking Libya, and removing the government of Gaddafi would only serve the interests of countries such as the United States, Britain, and France. It is important to understand that these countries hold a veto powers in the UN Security Council. To prove his point, Basu (2012) identifies the structural adjustments policies brought forth by the World Bank, and IMF, during the 1980s, and the 1990s. Basu (2012) explains that these policies forced third world countries to liberalize their economies, even when they w ere not ready for such liberalization. Other demands initiated by World Bank, and IMF included the introduction of austerity measures. These measures forced the target governments to reduce spending on education, health, transport, security, and other important aspects of the economies of these countries. Cornut (2010) denotes that these austerity measures were responsible for the negative growth of these countries, as opposed to an increase in the growth of their economies. Goldstein, (2012) denotes that the World Bank, and the IMF are institutions of liberalism, and on this basis, they failed to promote equality of human rights, in regard to trade and economic stability. Instead, through their structural adjustment policies, IMF and World Bank are responsible for eroding the economies of these states. Furthermore, Goldstein, (2012) believes denotes that IMF and World Bank are controlled by its major donors, which include France, USA, Britain, as well as Japan. On this note, the policies developed by World Bank and IMF a re aimed at protecting the interests of their major financers. Dominese (2010) further denotes that the affairs of World Bank and IMF are always conducted in great secrecy, and there is no transparency while developing their policies. One of the characteristics of a legitimate authority is that it has transparency in the manner in which they develop policies. Calhoun (2002) believes that this transparency lacks in these global institutions. Dominese (2010) further asserts that a legitimate international institution will always seek to serve the interest of the international community, and not only a particular section of the international community. On this basis, institutions such as IMF and World Bank have failed to establish a legitimate international authority. Realism is a theoretical framework that supports the notion that a legitimate international authority does not exist (Goldstein, 2012). One of the principle arguments of realism is that the international system is anarchical in nature. This is because states are the major actors in the international system, and on this basis, there is no actor that has the capability of regulating the affairs of the states. Krehoff (2008) further explains that under realism, states will only relate with other states, in pursuance of their interests, and not the interest of the global good. Dominese (2010) defines international anarchy as a concept whereby the international system does not have a leader, i.e. a sovereign worldwide government does not exist. On this basis, Dominese (2010) denotes that the international system does not have a hierarchical authority which has the capability of enforcing laws, and resolving disputes, just like states in the domestic politics. This observation by Dominese (2010) is correct, and this is because legal international institutions such as the International Criminal Court (ICC) only depends on the goodwill of signatory states to arrest and handover people indicted by the court. On this basis, Goldstein, (2012) denotes that without cooperation from member states, ICC won’t be able to carry out its mandate. Tight (2005) denotes that this lack of an hierarchical structure at the international system, is one of the main reasons as to why institutions formed by the principles of liberalism will always serve the interests of rich states of the world. Basu (2012) further denotes that the accumulation of power and the need for survival are the major factors that influence the behavior of states in the international system. On this note, states will carry out any activity aimed at meeting their objectives. This creates suspicion at the international stage, amongst the various states, and because of these suspicions that exists between various states; it is difficult to create an international legitimate authority. For instance, the League of Nations failed to be a legitimate authority because of suspicions between the various states that formed the League of Nations. Based on these arguments of realism, Goldstein, (2012) explains that a legitimate international authority does not exist. In conclusion, realism is the major theory that recognizes the fact that a legitimate international authority does not exist. This is because the major arguments contained under realism, is that the international system is anarchic in nature, and the relations that occurs at the international system, are always aimed at protecting the self interests of the state under consideration. Due to this nature of states in the international arena, there is a lot of suspicion regarding the activities of states, and this makes the international system to be anarchic in nature. Because of this anarchic nature in the international system, it is very difficult for a legitimate authority to exist. To create a legitimate authority therefore, it is important to create a single interest that states should pursue in the international arena. This is a concept that is very difficult, and impossible to achieve. There are two conflicting perspective on this concept of a legitimate international authority. This is because the principles of liberalism supports this notion that there is a legitimate authority and this is in form of the various institutions formed by the states, and other international bodies. Bibliography: Basu, R. (2012). International politics concepts, theories and issues. New Delhi: SAGE  Publications. Baylis, J., Smith, S. (2001). The globalization of world politics: an introduction to  international relations (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. Bromley, S., Clarke, J., Hinchliffe, S., Taylor, S. (2009). Exploring social lives. Milton  Keynes: Open University. Calhoun, L. (2002). Legitimate Authority and Just War in the Modern World. Peace Change,  27(1), 37-62.   Cornut, J. (2010). David A. BALDWIN (dir.), 2008, Theories of International Relations, coll.  The Library of Essays in International Relations, Farnham, Ashgate, 725 p.. Etudes  Internationales , 41(1), 98.   Dominese, G. (2010). Theories of International Relations: from an American Science Towards a  Pluralism of Thought. Transition Studies Review, 16(4), 813-828. Goldstein, J. S. (2012). International relations (10. ed.). Boston: Pearson/Longman. Karp, D. J. (2009). Transnational corporations in ‘bad states’: human rights duties, legitimate  authority and the rule of law in international political theory. International Theory, 1(01),  87. Krehoff, B. (2008). Legitimate Political Authority and Sovereignty: Why States Cannot be the  Whole Story. Res Publica, 14(4), 283-297. Mitchell, S. M. (2012). Guide to the scientific study of international processes. Hoboken, N.J.:  Wiley. Tight, M. (2005). International relations. Amsterdam: Elsevier JAI.