Multinational Corporations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Multinational Corporations - Essay Example The company is in over 220 countries and has more than one million employees. Multinational corporations are provides an important force for the dynamics of the world economy. For instance, the Coca cola Company has been a driving force for the developing world economy as far as jobs creation is concerned Chong(1983,p.130). In global context, Coca Cola Company exhibits certain roles and behaviours.The Multinational corporations are involved in social corporate responsibilities across the globe. For instance, the Coca cola Company supports the sports activities. The company has major sporting events internationally. The coca cola company has sponsored such sports as football in developing nations by providing the teams with uniforms, painting stadiums e.t.c As Multinational corporations operate in many different countries, they are subject many tax jurisdictions. They are thus suppose to pay taxes in the countries that they operates. The tax systems usually differ between nations and thus the process is usually complex. These differences among the tax systems have affects the managers' decisions of the multinational corporations. The U.S government usually does not differentiate between that income which is earned at home and that which is earned abroad.

Public and Private Mental Health Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Public and Private Mental Health Services - Essay Example This essay discusses that  more than 10 percent of the American adults experienced noticeable mental health issues because of recession alone due to the economic confusion. The observation was made between early 2006 and early 2009 as the significant periods in the recent history. This number is regardless of the millions of children demanding similar mental concerns and the new developments after that. In essence, there is a greater demand of mental concerns that have also been increasing with time and with significant margins.As the discussion highlights that  there is a significant contrast in quality delivered between the self-sponsored facilities and those financed by the government. The two are in the same industry with a similar specialization and line of operation yet they are never a similar thing albeit. Individuals who are capable of paying for their psychological healthcare services receive better services as compared to those who rely on government sponsored services in Virginia Beach. The government services have proved to have insufficient insurance or funds in a number of occasions. The self-paid services have no financial limitations and the patients can receive full treatment which is contrary to the alternate public services with cut-off points of halting the services.  The number of patients is also a concern in the facilities.

Business Law Essay Example for Free

Business Law Essay Introduction At the course of Business Law, we got the knowledge about the contract. In addition we have an assignment that provides a contract analysis. This evaluation of the contract will be reviewed in accordance with the following requirements: 1. What specifically makes this contract enforceable? 2. What are the responsibilities of both parties? 3. What are the possible damages and liabilities? 4. What impact does a potential breach of contract have on the business? 5. Summarize, by reflecting in general on the impact legal issues can have in both small and large businesses. So, a contract is any voluntary legally binding agreement between two or more people or businesses. In our case the two parties will be represented by The State of Oregon, and by Pro DX, who will provide services and goods to the first one. 1. What specifically makes this contract enforceable? Based on the English Statute of Frauds, not every contract has to be in writing to be valid and enforceable, but some contracts should be. This agreement between State of Oregon and Pro DX, should be in writing because this contract involving the providing of services (repairs, replacements, maintenances, and others) exceeding a big amount of money. To avoid misunderstandings and disagreements and to reduce the possibility of perjury by one party or the other, this contract should be in writing. Furthermore, because it can be performed in less than one year, this kind of contract can be in oral form, and it requires involving the third party (a witness) who in case of the trial will bring a reasonable and effective evidences, otherwise one of the party might deny that the contract ever existed or might disagree on the terms of the contract. Besides that this contract is a service contract, it is also a good contract because it requires implementation of goods components in modernizat ion of the software. (Article 2 of the UCC) This contract, like all contracts become enforceable if all the elements of the contract have been fulfilled without fail. First that prove that the contract is enforceable is the offer. * The offer is a proposal made by one person to another person for the sale and purchase of goods, to engage in a job, action participation, and provision of services. So this contract offers software system design and programming services, in the future is valued at $ 52,800.00 for the state of Oregon. * Another element mentioned in the contract is acceptance. In general acceptance of an offer is a manifestation of assent to the terms thereof made by the offeree in a manner invited or required by the offer. Acceptance in this case is described that contractor, herein Pro DX, agrees to perform the work in accordance with the terms and conditions of this contract. * Another important element found in this agreement is the legal consideration; this means that each party must provide something of value. In our contract this means that one party (Pro DX) will provide a service (such as maintenance, programming services, software), or a product, in exchange for money (from the State of Oregon, therein represented by the DHS). * If talking about a Professional Data Exchange Company and State of Oregon, we automatically can say that another element of contract is automatically respected. This is capacity to create a contract such means that each party must have the legal capacity to enter a contract. In most jurisdictions that means that they must be at least a certain age and of sound mind. For this mentioned companies it may mean that the individual is given express authority to enter a contract in the company’s bylaws or other formal documents, such is State of Oregon that is acting by and trough its Department of Human Services, Office of Information Services, hereinafter referred to as DHS. * An element with the biggest importance is that this contract has a legal purpose. And it is, because this agreement refers just to providing of services and not illegal things. * The last element that should make enforceable this contract is that both parties should be mentally competent. In special this contract, has all this requirements but it is still unenforceable because it doesn’t have so little elements that also make a contract enforceable. These are: the commencement date of the contract, party’s rights written in and not only the responsibilities, and party’s signatures and stamps. 2. What are the responsibilities of both parties? The important responsibilities of the contractor (therein as Pro DX) are: * To provide system design and programming services, including COBOL II, Easytrieve Plus, CICS, CA Intertest and VSAM and DB2 file structures, and make corrections approved by DHS Project Manager. * To construct or modify and implement programs/ files that will control the processing of rates on the JD/CBC system, based on DHS supplied Project Design document and criteria. * To perform design changes, programming, acceptance testing or implementation to address unforeseen error(s), newly discovered bugs and/or interfacing issues. * To demonstrate successful implementation of the production system content with the requirements of Statement of Work to DHS Project Manager. * All these services should be provided in specific limit of time and cost. While the DHS Project Manager responsibilities are: * To provide the necessary methodologies and standards that conforms to documentation standards. * To promote the rules for completing each task within time frame and approval of every task. * To define and document what testing data is needed for the CBC/512 rate structure project. * To pay for services provided by contractor herein as Professional Data Exchange (ProDX). 3. What are the possible damages and liabilities? If Pro DX breaches the contract, the possible damages can be: * The DHS might sue the party for a remedies under the law; * The Pro DX will be enforced to pay the caused damages, that can be compensatory, liquidated, nominal, and/or punitive damages. * The Pro DX can be enforced to a specific performance. Basically a decree requiring the breaching party to perform their part of the bargain in the contract. * Pro DX might meet with the terms such -Cancellation and Restitution. A non-breaching party may cancel the contract and sue for restitution if the non-breaching party has given a benefit to the breaching party. The former contract which is the subject of dispute is â€Å"rescinded† (cancelled), and a new one may be formed to meet the parties’ needs. * Pro DX will have to pay the attorney’s fees and cost. (in case of litigation). If we will look from the DHS’s side, the possible damages that can appear are: * To waste time waiting for the performance; * To lose the work that should be provided after the implementation; * Damage also includes the costs of hiring another company to finish the job. The liabilities that can be provided by Pro DX are: * To provide the programs and software that will satisfy the State of Oregon; * To complete all maintenance work within time frame; * To not to exceed the cost and work hours. The liabilities that should be provided by DHS are: * To establish the criteria and methodologies necessaries to accept the new right implemented programs and software; * To make corrections (if needed) in the supplied services; * To pay money for successful implemented system. 4. What impact does a potential breach of contract have on the business? So in the case of non-fulfillment of a contract by one party (for example by Pro DX), as a result the other party (DHS) suffers losses. Breach of a contract has negative effects, and has wide ranging consequences both legal and practical to the parties to the contract: * Loss of money – (if, for example, Pro DX refuses to form his side of the bargain on the due date or performs incompletely, in result the second party, DHS, will lose their money for this implementation and also will lose their time spend on waiting for, and somehow will lose the profit that can be made further). * Loss of time (if, for example, Pro DX’s programs and software will not be accepted by the DHS’s side, the first will result that lost their time, and some files or programs, for doing this job). * Loss of a financial partner- it can be lose a potential investor or/and the business with who you are dealing. * Loss of trust- it is bad for any business, because no one will have pleasure to make business with an entity that lost trust in the market. * Loss of markets- insufficiently active or successful business means a loss of competitiveness and loss of market. * Injury to reputation It is not good for a business reputation if word gets out that they have not honored their part of the contract. Other companies will be reluctant to do business with an entity which has previously defaulted on other contracts. 5. Summarize, by reflecting in general on the impact legal issues can have in both small and large businesses. Although some recent studies have looked at the impact of regulations on the relationship between government and private business in general, the attention has been directed toward understanding precisely how government regulations have affected small businesses. There is good reason to believe that size matters. Precisely because of their smaller size, small businesses are likely to be less diversified and less able to leverage economies of scale or to access capital markets. As a result, small businesses might be more risk-averse and less able to react to unexpected events compared to larger businesses. Large firms with deep pockets might be more frequent targets of employee discrimination, wrongful discharge and other suits. Large firms might also have a stronger incentive to spend substantial resources aggressively defending any one suit so as to deter future suits. On the other hand, small firms may be more vulnerable to breach of a non-compete agreement or violation of trade secrets rules as the entire business may depend on that trade secret. As a result, they may be more likely to prosecute, in spite of the costs and the risks of bankruptcy. (http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/smallbus.html, Source: U.S. Census Bureau.) Also as an owner of a small business or a large business, the common danger of crippling litigation should also be at the top of your priorities. Disgruntled Employees, Discrimination/Harassment Cases, Immigration Audits – any business should make sure that all its company’s employees can legally work in the United States. Unsatisfied Customers Customers who are unsatisfied can file class action lawsuits against the company, in which they gather in large consumer groups and attack the company over faulty products, services or promises. With enough unsatisfied customers, class action lawsuits can do more damage than any individual or corporation and irreparably tarnish your brand’s image. Other Legal Issues These are only some of the most common legal issues facing small and large businesses today. Good communication in the workplace and a hands-on approach to management is the best deterrent to legal issues. Of course the big companies that are facing with these issues, the damage (financial risks, or company image) are higher and have a more sever reflection, than a small company could have. 6. What are the implications this project has for your chosen career? At the end of this evaluation of the contract, as a future accountant, I understood that the contract is the safer way to make an exchange of goods and/or services. I got the knowledge what is a valid contract, what it makes enforceable, what are the elements of the contract, what are the risks and liabilities. This big source of information will help me to be more capable and to feel free while signing a contract. Those skills will help me to manage my business or my job as accountant without breaking the law. Everyone in his life has deals with the contracts, even if this is unwritten or is written one. Even in the supermarket, or when we are buying clothes, we are doing the exchange of money and a product. So the rules of the contract is that one party is offering something, when another party is considering your offer and decides to have a relationship with you or not. Also, as an accountant or a business woman, an important thing is to know how, to behave in unexpected situation. In activity of businesses can appear the situations called Force Majeure- this is an emergency, do not depend on the participation of the parties. (For example: fire, earthquakes, hurricanes, and others.). In this case, none of the parties is legally responsible for its obligations. Further, to that contract, is made an additional agreement, which specifies other conditions. So knowing what is legal and what are the criteria that make a contract valid and enforceable will help me to succeed in my accountant ca reer. Conclusion Business law courses were often overlooked in high school, or college. It’s not an education required strictly for attorneys that represent and defend businesses, in fact it’s pretty much for almost anyone. Contracts are written or oral agreement between two or more parties. The parties can be individuals, companies, non-profits or government agencies. With a contract, two or more parties agree to exchange services or promises. Many parts of our daily lives involve contracts. When we buy an insurance policy for the home or the car, for example, we are entering into an agreement. Many people have employment contracts. Even when we go to a doctor these days we have to sign a contract agreeing to receive medical treatment. If speaking in special about this analysis of a contract, about knowing how and when we enter into a contract to be safer, more convenient and profitable. So business law through information and specific examples will help us to get more information sought. In analysis of such a contract, we are able to focus on the elements and requirements so, that we do not overlook anything. This practice will develop in the future to have a professional behavior in the process of concluding a contract.

HR Department Is Playing A More Significant Role Commerce Essay

HR Department Is Playing A More Significant Role Commerce Essay It is said that the HR department is playing a more significant role in organizational strategic planning processes today than it did 20 years ago, how do you explain this? In a company, what difficulties would an HRM executive face in assessing and then communicating to other department heads, the contribution of his or her area to the company profit margin? It is said that the HR department is playing a more significant role in organization strategic planning process today than it did 20 years ago because of these reasons as following: First, today environment business have been changing, companies have reinforced by global competition, technical changing, opportunities difficulty, global employment. By thus, human resource management takes more challenge, classical human management likes order, force and consider employee as other tools that conception is not appreciated. Human resources management is toward to promote and develop human ability accordance with development of organization. Second, today strategy business cannot separate human resource strategy, human resources management supports other departments get their objectives. By thus, roles of human resources department have been changing from it did. It has to invest in human resource for long term, coordinate closely with function departments, human resource appreciation is basement to promote and develop. However, in a company an HRM executive often face in assessing and then communicating to other department heads relevant to salary, reward, promotion, and discipline. Therefore, human resource executive should be professional knowledge about human resource management, building a good communicate with employee, and becomes a bridge between employee and owner to satisfy their objectives. In brief, human resources management connects closely with all activities of organization and it is become a part of strategy management. Question II: Historically, HRM activities and tools were developed and implemented by a department or functional unit. Today, however, operating managers are in the forefront in applying and modifying HRM tools and activities. Why has this shift in application occurred? How is the work of operating managers similar to that of physicians who must conduct a diagnosis before treating a patient? Answer: Historically, human resource management activities and tools were developed and implemented by a department or functional unit. Recently, roles of human resource management have been changing from administration to embedded qualify performance. Strategy of human resource management focuses and integrates into organization strategy. By thus, human resource management is in the forefront of overall strategy organization. Individuals in organization should have responsibilities with all issues of human resource management. Its activities is not limited in labor arrangement, operation manager should take participant into activities of human resources department to ensure that human resources is used most efficient accordance with organization objectives. Human resources management modern uses ARDM model, it is method for operation managers appreciate effective elements to human resource. The ARDM model includes four steps such as diagnosis, prescription, implementation, and evaluation. Similar with a doctor have to define what is reason lead to illness, operation manager have to define status job performance in connection with internal and external elements of ARDM, then they issue prescription, it is activities and remedy to deal with illness status. After that, doctor has to re-test, follow-up examination, operation manager also should re-appreciate influences of prescription. Question III: Sexual harassment is often found in our society. How does EEOC explain sexual harassment? What can managers do to minimize their chance of litigation and being found negligent with regard to sexual harassment? Answer: Sexual harassment is considered a type of sex discrimination provided by EEO of United States. There are two type of sexual harassment, which are quid pro quo and hostile work environment. Quid pro quo is the exchange of sexual favors for job benefits such as increase salary, promotion, or other benefits. Meanwhile, hostile work environment is creation of an offensive working environment. In order to minimize chance of litigation and being found negligent with regard to sexual harassment, organization should apply measurements to eliminate sexual harassment. Companies have to setting up a policy to prevent from sexual harassment, and inform to all staffs to element absolutely. Besides that, companies have to investigate carefully and strictly to deal with accuse of sexual harassment. Difference from the U.S, Vietnamese impacted on oriental and traditional culture, so people are not opened and very shy to talk about sexual especially women. Therefore, in Vietnam organization, sexual harassment issues are difficult to exposing. However, sexual harassment likes as artesian waters flows in all companies and become pervasive. This actual motivates managers who focus on educating and establishing the rules comprises disciplined for acts of sexual harassment. In my opinion, starting with Vietnamese experience is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“prevention is better than againstà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , I think that every individual should try your best to protection yourself from sexual harassment in the workplace. Question IV: Where would you place yourself on each of the five work-related cultural dimensions identified by Hofstede (e.g., high on individualism)? Why? Explain the Sullivan Principles? How have these principles helped organizations understand the ethical issues they face when conducting business in foreign cultures? Answer: According to Hefstede, there are five aspects culture to evaluation a culture, and compare among different cultures, which includes such as individualism versus collectivism, power distance, avoidance of uncertainty, masculinity, and long term versus short term orientation. These examinations can list out knowledge about various cultures, this study is very useful to working in multi-national company. The result of research about dimensions culture of Vietnam and compare with several cultures is show as following: Country Power distance Individual versus collectivism Masculinity Avoidance of uncertainty Long-term versus short term orientation Vietnam 70 20 40 30 80 China 80 20 66 30 118 Japan 54 46 95 92 80 The U.S 40 91 62 46 29 Cultural nations are different from dependence on natural culture, education, and system of law. Sullivan listed out six principles to deal with cultural differences in multi cultural working environment. Despite, these principles give in Appartheid period but it can apply in many countries because its aims toward to person, services for human and human rights. These principles is similar with a guidance for companies to protect human rights, create an equal opportunities, ensure a good working condition, good heath, increase standard of living and so on. Question V: As a current (or future) manager, how will you communicate the requirements of an entry-level customer service representative to a candidate who just arrived at your office for an interview? Will you describe the job in terms of competencies? Knowledge, skills, or abilities? Explain your answer. Answer: As a current manager, when a candidate arrived at my office for an interview, I will indicate to applicant my organization requirement of an entry-level customer service representative. These requirements are detailed as job description and specifications which was carefully studied by candidates. Therefore, interviewer just only talks to interviewee about advance requirement for future requirement of organization, accompany with firm strategy. Today, candidates often consider about ability to development and promotion, it is important element to attract candidate joining to our organization. By thus, this information is very useful and helps candidates imagine about their career, prepare knowledge, change study to accordance with firm strategy, changing business environment. By thus, candidates who are distance from traditional requirement need satisfy KSAO for entry-level customer service representative responsibility. However, organizations often prefer candidates who can competencies for several assignment even other position. Manager should give program in order to supporting of staffs implement competencies, throughout they can become flexibility. As a result, human arrangement becomes more elastic. For example, an entry-level customer service representative is not only welcome customer in the first step but also he or she can move to other step to continuing with customer requirement Question VI: Recently some companies began to use temporary employees? Do you know why? Assume your company wants you to make a recruitment advertising for hiring temporary employees, what guidelines will you follow to make sure that recruitment advertising does not violate equal employment laws? Answer: During twenty years ago, using temporary is become pervasive trend. There are several reasons to explaining for this trend as follow: Business competition is getting more challenge, technical development influences on doing business, which leads that companies always face re-organized, by thus, human resource management have to enthusiastic to match on the challenges, environment changing very fast. Beside on building a competencies human resource, organizations often use temporary employee to deal with shortage of human resources, and this method can find employee quickly. Moreover, there are server advantages when company can use temporary such as low expenditures, reducing social benefits, do not training, can find fit candidates in short time, and using temporary is not effect to re-organized. In Vietnam, using temporary is more common in manufacture, production than others, and temporary are often with low qualification, and worker mainly. There is a notice that organization should study carefully law, stipulation or regulations especially EEO law before building an advertisement for recruiting temporary employee. In order to braking out law or stipulation, advertisement has to execute several principles such as avoiding preference or priority for any race, sexual, religions, nation, skin color and so on

John Dereks Tarzan the Ape Man Essay -- Film Movies

John Derek's Tarzan the Ape Man For the last one hundred years, Tarzan has graced movie screens all around the world. Edgar Rice Burroughs’ creation has caught the eye of entertainment in a major way. While movies of Tarzan have come and gone, a unique 1981 version of Tarzan the Ape Man stuck out. This controversial film uses the book from Jane Porter’s (Bo Derek, who is also the producer) point of view. It is a sexy film, where fantasies are fulfilled and dreams come true. The motion picture primarily focuses on Jane’s take of her relationship with Tarzan (Miles O’Keeffe). This modern version of Burroughs’ Tarzan of the Apes has a distinctively romantic theme throughout. Jane Porter’s role as damsel in distress is shown through her first interaction with Tarzan. A quick dip in the water turns into a battle with an enormous boa constrictor. Fulfilling his role as heroic savage, Tarzan swings into the water from the treetops and wrestles the snake off of Jane. Interesting enough, he does so without his infamous knife. The knife was a symbol of his civilization in Burroughs’ book. Derek takes away this civilization in order to create the perfect primitive savage. A person, particularly a woman, would not see a man thrashing at an animal with blood flying everywhere, as an attractive scene. Since this film is a woman’s fantasy, Derek leaves out the knife for it is an impurity to Tarzan’s appealing role. At the conclusion of the fight with the snake, Tarzan carries Jane into the jungle to safety where Tarzan himself passes out. The first sign of Jane’s infatuation with Tarzan is revealed as she comfo rts him. While Tarzan is unconscious, Jane strokes his body, everywhere. She makes it ... ... Tarzan runs off. In the final epic rescue of Jane, Tarzan attacks the tribe which has abducted her and her father. After killing the tribe’s greatest warrior, Tarzan frees Jane, and runs off with her to the jungle. Jane sees the nighttime as an opportunity to carry out her fantasy with the Great White Ape. They gaze into each other’s eyes and proceed to spend the rest of the night intertwined. Throughout the film, Jane’s fixation with Tarzan is apparent. It takes a contrasting perspective compared to Burroughs’ Tarzan, where Tarzan has the fixation with Jane. Bo Derek transforms the â€Å"innocent Victorian† Jane into a powerful, demanding woman. Initially hearing â€Å"there is much to fear† about Tarzan, Jane decides against common thought. Tarzan’s primitive savagery appeals greatly to Jane. Her passion for the noblest of savages is everlasting.

Judgment Time :: Personal Narrative Essay

Judgment Time "Congratulations, you have a new baby boy!" my child-development teacher said as she handed over the 10-pound bundle. Last year in my high school child-development class, each student had to take the "Think-It-Over" baby home for a night to get a taste of parenthood. Even before I received the baby, I knew I was not ready to be a parent as a senior in high school. I could still remember when my brother and sister were little and I would have to take care of them all the time. At least the doll had no dirty diapers I would have to change. It was a Friday night when my turn came to take the 10-pound plastic doll home. The doll really did look like a live baby from a distance. It even had a pleasant baby powder smell. After I took the baby home in his car seat, I changed him into some really cute clothes because my friends and I were going out that night. I then decided to name him Tyler. Inside the body of this doll was a computer that was programmed to make periodic crying sounds. I was the only person who could stop the crying because I had the key. This key, tied to my wrist, could be inserted in the doll's back to stop the crying. So far, so good. The doll had not cried, yet. My friends came over, and we all piled into the car. It was kind of squished because we had the baby's seat in there, too. I had to treat the doll like a real baby because the computer inside also measured any abuse to the doll, such as shaking or neglect. The hour-long drive to the restaurant was uneventful. It was rather chilly, so I decided to wrap Tyler in a blanket and carry him in that way. I also had a diaper bag with diapers, a bottle, and an extra set of clothes hanging on my arm. Because it was Friday night, there were a lot of people waiting in line to get a table. When I walked into that crowded entryway, I got some very weird looks and quite a few raised eyebrows. My friends also noticed the glares and stares, so we decided to make a game out of the whole situation. I stood in the corner pretending to rock Tyler to sleep.

The Causes of World War One

‘World War One was the result of a series of unintended and disconnected events. ’ Does this opinion adequately explain the causes of World War One? It is understandable that historians ponder on what exactly caused a war that destroyed Europe’s economy, cost the lives of 37 million men and involved a country from every region of the world (from the Americas to Asia). The opinion this essay will discuss implies that the events that led to this major conflict were unintended and disconnected; and in order to emit a judgement that would agree or disagree with this view it is important to first identify the causes of world war one.Therefore this essay will first discuss the different types of causes (long, mid and short terms), respectively nationalism, imperialism/militarism and the ‘blank cheque’. Hence this essay will evaluate whether these were ‘disconnected and unintended events’ or if there is a connection between the causes. The main sources used in this essay are Coles’ general notes on world history and historian Martin Gilbert’s book entitled ‘First World War’. The long term causes prepared the ground for the war.Nationalism can be categorized into the long term causes because it had influenced Europe prior to 1914, and as French writer Guy de Maupassant argues, ‘it is the eldest cause of any war’. Quite a popular phenomenon in the late 19th century and beginning of the 20th, nationalism produced pride in one’s country’s achievements. The world war one themes paper observed that this ‘led to xenophobia and ideas of racial superiority’; but what it fails to mention is that as much as nationalism could provide feelings of superiority it could also provide feelings of equality.For example, minorities that previously were dominated by larger powers were now swept with waves of nationalism. This could be observed in the Balkans in the prelude of th e world war; where small states were experimenting Pan-Slavism, ‘a nationalistic movement for political and cultural solidity of all Slavic people’ thus a threat to the Austrian Empire who dominated the South Slavs.One could argue that this form of nationalism led to Franz Ferdinand’s assassination by an extreme Serb nationalist group, or that it was the Austrian’s nationalism (their pride in their achievement of an empire) that pressured them into keeping all minorities within the empire at all costs; this leading to the Austro-Hungarian ‘impossible’ ultimatum to Serbia on the 23rd of July 1914.Nationalist mood in Europe could also be seen in France; more than 30 years after the French were defeated in the Franco-Prussian war a black cloth still veiled the statue of Strasbourg in the Place de la Concorde and it was a symbol, a constant reminder of the loss of the two eastern provinces, Alsace and Lorraine. The French still remembered the defe at and often spoke of ‘La Revanche’ (the revenge).As historian Gilbert argues, ‘War, if it came, would be an irresistible opportunity to fulfil long harboured desires or to avenge long-nurtured hatreds’. Historian Martin Kelly also argues that ‘it was nationalism, that manifested itself in the pan-Slav feeling of the Russian population, that tied Russia and Serbia together whilst Austria declared war, and thereby triggering what would have been a limited local conflict into world war’.When the Russian tsar signed the order commanding full mobilisation of Russian troops because ‘Russia could not remain indifferent to a declaration of war on Serbia’ and as the ultimate proof of the stimulating effects of Nationalism, editor Alex Bein remembered that ‘the Russian popular sentiment applauded the fullest possible solidarity with the beleaguered fellow Slavs of Serbia’. In this particular case it is difficult to determine wh ether these events occurred under the ‘Nationalism’ potential cause or the ‘Alliances’.Without dropping into philosophical or anthropological arguments, this essay will assume that alliances themselves were generated because of nationalism, as countries really wanted to increase their power by allying themselves with other powers, which in the end is motivated by a nationalist feeling. It is often observed in general history that events sometimes only occur because they are in a specific context. ‘Mid-term’ causes, if it the events that occurred slightly prior to the commencement of the war (between 1970 and 1914) can be labelled so, could be held responsible for creating a context specific to that time.In this case, militarism and imperialism greatly shaped the relations between the powers and consequently the political shape of pre-war Europe. Imperialism was a symbol of power that allowed the European powers to expand their overseas territor ies and therefore ‘gain new markets, raw materials and fields of investment’. The movement of ‘the Scramble for Africa’ left most of the African continent occupied by Europeans, notably colonies of Britain, France, Portugal, Spain and Belgium; Germany did have some overseas territories, but as historian Gilbert remarks ‘The Kaiser did not make ffective use of its colonies, and owned them by name rather than by practice’. This observation shows that the Kaiser attached a symbolic importance to colonies. The ambitious German king wished that his recently united Germany (the German unification had only occurred in 1971, not even half a century before the war) would possess more overseas territories. Unfortunately most of the African continent was already ‘occupied’; leaving the Kaiser with a bitter feeling of rivalry with Britain and France.This led to the dangerous Agadir crisis, in which the Kaiser had ordered a fleet to establish a port at Agadir, on the Atlantic coast of Morocco. The British feared this would give the Germans an undesired strong grip in Northern Africa, and thus threatened them to respond in ‘a hostile manner’ if the German gunboat did not depart immediately. ‘The threat was effective, but the rancour which left it was equally strong’, noted Gilbert. At the Reichstag, a few weeks after the event, a social democrat commented in a worried tone that tensions could lead to a war, to which a parliamentarian responded: ‘After every war things are better! The imperialistic tendencies of Europeans unavoidably led to tensions within Europe itself, generating mutual suspicions and fear. This could explain why the European powers felt the need to invest in the military: in the 1870s, all six major European powers had adopted compulsory military training, which resulted in some 4 ? million men under arms by 1914. Each power’s General army staffs had well-drawn batt le plans in readiness: the French had ‘Plan 17’, the Germans had ‘Schlieffen plan’ and Russians had ‘Plan A’. By the beginning of the conflict a total amount of $2 billion a year was spent on armament (all powers combined).It can only be logically concluded that if the powers were investing so much time and money in military they were intending to use it. Finally, it was the ‘short term’ causes led to critical events that escalated into the war. A general historical view observes that it all began when Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo, on the 28th of June 2014. The Italian foreign minister at the time observed that ‘The telegram indicated that the assassination of the Archduke was the occasion rather than the cause of Austria’s ultimatum to Serbia, and it reveals the reason for Austria’s action [invading Serbia]’.This view can also be supported by the fact that ‘between 1906 and 1914 the Austrian Chief of Staff General Hotzendorf had asked more than 25 times for a ‘surprise’ war on Serbia’. The Austro-Hungarians wanted to reduce Serbia’s power by attacking her. When they were provided with an excuse to do so (Ferdinand’s assassination) ‘They were not fully confident to attack immediately for fear of Russian retaliation,’ argues Gilbert: ‘but the fact that they had unconditional German support if ever the conflict widened gave them confidence’.It is argued that the Germans had given their full support because the Austro-Hungarians were their most precious allies, and they could not afford losing the cooperation of the other central power when they were encircled by the Triple Entente (Russia, Britain and France). Therefore, to some extent, it can be argued that it is this unconditional support that pushed Austria to declare war on Serbia, without considering the Russian factor. The main issue with identifyi ng causes of the world war is that there are several and none that can be granted full prominence because opinions vary.It is also difficult to establish a cause and effect relationship, because there is no precision and again, it is subjective. This considered, a link can still be noticed in the causes enumerated above: Nationalism made European powers want to achieve more for them, leading to prestigious and expensive colonization. Unfortunately these imperialist tendencies created conflicts between the powers, creating mutual suspicions and alliances. The tensions gave the powers a feeling of insecurity, and led way to intense militarisation which meant that the powers could be ready in a matter of weeks in the event of a war.The Germans were so prepared for a war they could afford giving their unconditional support to Austria, who then attacked Serbia, and triggered the alliance system. It is a way to explain how the causes are linked; but it is not necessarily pertinent in the sense that these events could have been simply events; they only became causes because of the war. For example, if we use counterfactual history and assume that Austria would have never attacked Serbia, perhaps the war would have broken out over Britain and Germany fighting for an access to the Suez Canal, which at that time would have been likely.Perhaps the war would have never happened if the Europeans did not see war as an acceptable method to solve conflicts: as the German parliamentarian had pointed out, ‘after a war all things are better! ’ and the view that most historians believe that actually the war ‘had long been in the making’. 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