Born Global Firm

.- What are some of the managerial characteristics of a Born Global firm? How are distinguishable from those of a traditional firm that seek to expand with a more traditional evolutionary process? The Born Global firm phenomenon refers to those special firms that adopt an international approach right from their birth The general characteristics of Born Global firms differentiate themselves from other multinationals in their growth stages. Born Global firms typically operate in a narrowly defined market niche, which makes it harder to grow in a small home market. A high degree of specialization requires internationalization if the firm wants to achieve substantial growth. Born Global firms often possess unique resources and capabilities such as entrepreneurial orientation of the founders, innovation behind products and technology, accumulated knowledge of the founders and managers from previous work experience, and networking capabilities. Managers with a previous background of international strong activity will give to the company a more sure address to its business expansion, for this reason a high level of entrepreneurial orientation supports the firm? ability to recognize and create opportunities at an early stage. It can be argued that Born Global firms are typically found in niche business areas where products are unique, and require high amount of research and development like the high tech business area. It is very important to invest in products with a short life cycle and high technology sectors are characterized by this necessity o f a continued innovation which can protect those firms and products from any imitation. As for geographic locations of these Born Global firms, their headquarters can be found in various countries, such as the United States, United Kingdom, Switzerland†¦ Rich and large countries give birth to Born Global firms, as these countries have potential demand for unique products, plenty marketing professionals and financial support. Foreign demands for unique products then often pull these firms to globalize quickly.

What does Eliza consider to be her real education

The play is an adaptation of the Greek myth of Pygmalion who fell in love with a statue as it was more real in the understanding of its own composition than the actual women he had observed and grown despondent to. It is a work that closely follows the relationship between society and linguistics, wherein the women is real, but has yet to have her manners sculptured. In particular, it highlights the role of convention and articulation in relation to identities, depicting this through the subject of Eliza.In this paper the author will be addressing the subject of the play and its central character, whilst examining the effects that learning the speech of, what was considered, correct English had on her. Main Body When first completing the text, it is clear that there is an irony in the play that brings forth the now famed social and political points to the surface. However, one may be forgiven for considering these points relevant in today’s society, though in a more fractured sense. This is because they relate to speech and language use in relation to social standing.// Although social standing in today’s liberal society is becoming an ever more redundant concept, using someone’s speech as an indication of someone‘s identity is still in evidence. This notion is apparent in the main plot line in which Eliza becomes entrapped to the perspective of a new language system. When adopting the role of the speaker, Eliza adopts a slowly differing identity that emerges with child like astonishment before she changes into what is essentially a different person. It does not continue to be a liberating and learning experience.Rather, the liberation of a woman hiding behind the veil of civility in a bid to expose it, perhaps showing the power of the human spirit over class in the process, is lost. That is to say, that on speaking the language through the conventions of class Eliza loses sight of the world through her former eyes and comes to view i t through her new language that cannot be escaped. Essentially, it is through this change in persona that the play delivers its moral warning and cutting implication in that the core of the human being cannot escape from the language that it uses to identify itself with.The language and convention used by those of high society is responsible for each of their perspectives and it is not the person or people‘s speaking the language. Essentially, if you are to change the person’s language, language use and perspective then they themselves will come to define themselves and their being according to the structural meaning inherent to the language that is used by that society. This is indicated throughout Eliza’s discussions and becomes the main rationale for all that she does.For example, in one part of the play she states that ‘’you know I can't go back to the gutter, as you call it, and that I have no real friends in the world but you and the Colonelâ⠂¬â„¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Shaw, 1998). This short extract shows the great division based upon the language being used and the fact that it is represented by a social reality, in this case being social standing. What is interesting about the use of language in relation to others is the way in which Eliza is accepted and rejected at different times during the play.For example, it first appears that Eliza is rejected from society as her language does not denote the correct social grouping, stock and/ or class. This is first justified as being because of her use of language, accent and the incorrect convention. However, it appears on later reading that the convention is of little consequence as she uses the same convention, but put to a different context. Rather, it is the response from others alone that make it something of note.At one point during the play she makes the assertion that speaking properly (meaning without a cockney accent) is simply learning to dance in a fashionable way, which acc entuates this point even further. Essentially, the assertion that she puts forward here relates to the realisation of the superficiality of language in its conventional format as both languages mean exactly the same thing from a pragmatic perspective.At this stage she is learning the meaning of language and the convention of getting from one thing to another via language use. She realises that the only difference is a superficial one as the functional meaning (cause and effect) is the same whichever language is spoken. Essentially, the only different in the language is the significance of the source of referents, which dictate a different context to convention.Therefore, her conclusion is that it is merely a state of fashion in which the dancer dances the same, but where one dancer adopts the fashionable style, the other is overlooked as being able to dance (Baudrillard, 1968). This conclusion relates to the elements of high society that come with the speakers of proper English and that are not afforded to those of a poorer language, such as cockney. Those that do not speak the language are simply those that do not speak of anything meaningful, when in reality there is simply a clash over the source of referential meaning.

Elements of Poetry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Elements of Poetry - Essay Example However, a closer reading demonstrates several similarities in the poems. Both the narrators are young boys who describe a small incident in their childhood. These little vignettes mirror the entire father-son relationship of the two pairs. Although the point of view, image and diction used in â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† and â€Å"Those Winter Sundays† depict contrasts in character, scene and mood, both poems are similar in highlighting the deep love which characterizes the father-son relationship. The point of view in the poems shows the contrasting characters of the fathers. Both â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† and â€Å"Those Winter Sundays† are narrated from the point of view of the little boys. The poems are seen through the lens of memory, when the narrators look back on childhood scenes from the perspective of adults. Although the poems are superficially plain to understand, there is a hidden complexity in the voice of the speakers. Roethke’s little boy portrays his father as a large man, living life to the full and exuding a joie-de-vivre which is captivating to a child. His father dances, romps with gay abandon and keeps time with the rhythm of the waltz by beating time on his son’s head. ... The reticence of the father results in the child â€Å"speaking indifferently to him† (Hayden, 9). However, the adult narrator is deeply aware of â€Å"the great hurt of the recollection† (Gallagher, 245) of his cruel indifference and the entire poem is suffused with the voice of regret. The image of the poems depicts completely different scenes. â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† is set in the kitchen and there is an impression of intimate warmth. The room is filled with family: the father, the mother and the child. The image is that of a home in which there is close interaction among the members. The picture of kitchen shelves stacked with pots and pans suggests the comfort of food. The image of the father carrying the little boy to bed conveys the impression that the child is accustomed to being put to sleep by the father – an expression of parental concern and time spent together. In contrast, the image of â€Å"Those Winter Sundays† is one of uncomp romising cold. The house appears to be empty; there is no sign of the mother. Even when the father â€Å"made banked fires blaze,† (Hayden, ---4/5), the cold persists as â€Å"The warmth of the fire does not penetrate the atmosphere† (Gallgher, 245). The all-pervasive cold is not only physical but also extends to the cold indifference of the little boy to his father. The diction used in â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz† and â€Å"Those Winter Sundays† effectively portrays the mood of the poems. In â€Å"My Papa’s Waltz,† â€Å"the rollicking rhythms of the poem; the playfulness of a rime like dizzy and easy; the joyful suggestions of the words waltz, waltzing, and romped† (Fong, 78), all indicate a little boy’s joy in this play with his

Sustainability of the Clients Investments Assignment

Sustainability of the Clients Investments - Assignment Example The company's broad product line is comprised of wall and floor tiles, natural stone, and laminate and solid wood flooring. Toops Tiles also offers underfloor heating, tools, adhesives, grouts, accessories, and cleaning products to complement the major product lines. These additional offerings enable each customer to finish any job involving tile installation. Through this memo, the medium and long term sustainability of Toops Tiles PLC will be assessed through an analysis of its financial statements. I will also provide a SWOT analysis to get a deeper insight on the company's internal performance and external environment. Table 1 shows a two-year comparative report on the Toops Tiles PLC's major accounts. During the fiscal year 2005, the company recorded total sales of 175.64 million compared to the previous years' 159.43 million. It can be noted that the company's revenue ballooned by 10% despite the weak consumer environment in the United Kingdom. Profit before taxes also leaped by 16% to 39, 232 and net income totaled 30, 189. Toops Tiles' resources also expanded by almost 3% which is due to the growth in tangible fixed asset, and short term receivables. The company was able to pay off a huge portion of its debts as evidenced by the 6.15% drop in total liabilities. Toops Tiles' preference for low risk financing is also indicated by the growth in equity by 17.10% (Annual Report 2005). As a minority shareho... As we know, an investor gains in stock investments through capital gains and dividends. Table 2 shows the company's dividend for its common stockholders is escalating throughout the five-year-period of 2001-2005. Dividends increased almost tenfold from 1.00p to 9.50p. This growth in dividend per share indicates company's profitability as it is capable of paying its stockholders from the company's net income and still sustains its operation through its retained earnings. The company's stock price is volatile indicated by periods of ups and downs which indicate the investor's perception of the company's profitability. Toops Tiles PLC has experienced an annual 3.85% slump in stock prices during 2005. However, the five-year-period covered in the analysis indicates a generally positive perception of the company's stocks as price rose by 160%. SWOT Analysis Strengths: Toops Tiles capitalizes on its strong brand equity as it is the largest tile and wood flooring specialist group. The company's operation is also supported by its wide distribution channel which provides accessibility to their customers. This also enables Toops Tiles to cover a larger geographical area. Offering products which complements to their major product line is also a plus as it provides more value to the customers. Weaknesses: The major weakness of the company is its inability to create a better image to its investors like its stockholders. This is mirrored by the drop of the Toops Tiles' stock price amidst its good financial position. The company should consider launching a marketing program which will highlight the company's accomplishments. Another weakness lies in the company's supply chain. Toops Tiles' delivers inventory to its distribution facilities twice in a week.

Communications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Communications - Essay Example They note that simulation and virtual interaction largely address the â€Å"communication challenges.† On the other hand, the research study performed by Salend, Duhaney, and Montgomery (2002) emphasizes the importance and impact of cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the persons involved in and/or during the communication process. In contrast to Salend et al. (2002), the study and findings of Meirovich, Galante, and Kanat-Maymon (2006) reveal that perception of the sender towards the receiver, and vice-versa, affects the act of communication. Here, the literary review -- concerning the nature, and ways of studying the peculiar character, of communication process -- is essentially premised on the vitality of correct communication act within the organization/group in particular and the society in general. On the other hand of the scale, Manchester United (MU) defender Rio Ferdinand â€Å"forgot† to participate in the random and routine drug test activity slated on 23rd of September, 2003. The British football star was moving house at the time of drug testing. As a result, the Football Association (FA) made a drastic decision to leave out Ferdinand from the England squad bound to Turkey for the 2004 European Championship. The FA’s verdict is grounded on the misconduct of the football athlete: not showing up in the scheduled drug testing. On the other hand, the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) and the MU team deciphered the FA’s decision as an insinuation that Ferdinand is guilty of being a drug dependent. By and large, the football star’s â€Å"forgot† reasoning and the eventual verdict reached by the FA spawned a massive controversy both for Ferdinand in particular and the British football game in general. Ferdinand’s case i s a battle essentially dealing with communication processes and the barriers inherent in an ineffective communication. This essay examines the elements and varieties of

Full Quantitative Critique (Sucrose Decreases Infant Biohavioral Pain Essay

Full Quantitative Critique (Sucrose Decreases Infant Biohavioral Pain Response to Immunizations) - Essay Example Some of the research studies used in the literature review is not current; some are over 5 years old. They are appropriate researches which are very much related to the effect of sucrose on pain responses of infants. They are logically organized from studies on pain response in infants, immunizations, sucrose and then other relevant researches vital to the topic. They are also primary sources. The research design is randomized, prospective, and is a clinical trial. This method studied the research subjects in a much more specific and controlled set-up, and helped answer the research question accurately. Threats to validity are addressed through the randomized process of choosing subjects for the paper. There is enough data given in order to replicate this research. The gate-control theory of pain was used for this research. It fits this research because it helps explain the perception of pain in infants, the pain response, and the body’s reaction to pain. The subject selection for this research is random sampling, which is appropriate because it gives every member of the population a chance to be part of the research. The study also explains how subjects and the sample population were chosen for this research. The data gathering methods were well-explained in the research. The author described how each sample would be chosen. The process of data collection from each research subject was also described specifically in the research. Pain scales were used to measure the results. Measures of variance were repeated in order to verify results. The methods used are very much appropriate for this research because they produced measurable results. This research made use of the Statistical Analysis Systems in order to analyze behavioral response to pain. Descriptive analysis through measures of variance was used in order to compare the control and treatment groups. The methods chosen were able to answer the research question in

Musical analysis of Carmen Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Musical analysis of Carmen - Essay Example There is no issue in conceiving certain thing new, not nobles were easily seeking to recreate the heyday of classic Greek theater. The first arranging of the Opera were the very old Greek performances, with music supplemented, (the initial drama was encompassed music). It was a short step from reading the play with music for vocalizing, not long before composers started composing music for plays. (Ernest Reyer 1983) Comique, where it was conceived in 1875. Toned-down condemnation of the renewal in April 1883 and a reprise of the initial Carmen in October of that year supply fascinating insights into the dynamics of greeting annals in Paris, the management of the influential controller Leon Carvalho, and the power of bewitching vocalist / player Celestine Galli-Marie. While numerous understood the 1875 greeting, the complexity and worth of 1,883 answers have been less studied. (Ernest Reyer 1983) Musically, "Carmen" is preceded by a short orchestral introduction, a very free pattern and did not complicated sufficient to be worthy of the name of the overture. It is nearly a literal transcription of festive music to broadcast the bullfight in the last proceed, encompassing a short saying in F pointed secondary designated childrens chorus and the chorus Toreador in the second act. As (Ernest Reyer 1983) states: This is a "festive disturbance is restored by a short action, Andante Moderato, giving a hitting topic of only two bars, which the whole Opera is certainly connected with Carmen herself. Theme got its hitting result, both theoretical musician will notify us, from Bizets use of odd musical gap -. "Extra seconds" This gap is attribute of well-liked melodies Gipsy tribe, thus, it is worth here. When abruptly there is a woman: â€Å"But not today, it is definitely" With this sense of fast change, which is especially, distinguished her, Carmen proceeds from one feeling to another, abruptly, without transition, from the

Unfairly or illegally obtained evidence should always be excluded to Essay

Unfairly or illegally obtained evidence should always be excluded to uphold the integrity of the criminal justice system. Discuss - Essay Example s and jurists alike argue that if evidence is obtained unfairly or illegally it is suspect and undermines not only the integrity of the evidence but the integrity of the criminal justice system as well. This discussion examines these safeguards and whether or not they sufficiently maintain the integrity of the criminal justice system. Section 78 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act as interpreted by the courts has a double agenda. It seeks to ensure that a defendant is afforded his Convention right to a fair trial as contained in Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights.1 Its second purpose is to ensure that all relevant evidence is admitted where ever possible and at the same time provide for the defendant’s right to a fair trial. Section 78 provides as follows: â€Å"In any proceedings the court may refuse to allow evidence on which the prosecution proposes to rely to be given if it appears to the court that, having regard to all the circumstances, including the circumstances in which the evidence was obtained, the admission of the evidence would have such an adverse effect on the fairness of the proceedings that the court ought not to admit it."2 In interpreting Section 78 the courts have taken a position entirely geared toward an element of fairness and in this way the discretion to include unfairly or illegally obtained evidence does not compromise the integrity of the criminal justice system. While Section 78 of the 1984 Act has given rise to a plethora of case law decisions, Professor Richard Stone maintains that the underlying approach by the courts is one of â€Å"fairness as fair play.†3 The judiciary has consistently displayed a propensity to remain loyal to the House of Lords decision in R v Sang [1980] AC 402 in its reading and interpretation of Section 78 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. The cumulative value of the Lords’ position on the admission into evidence of unfairly or illegally obtained evidence is

Jack Kerouacs on the Road - a Biography Essay Example for Free

Jack Kerouacs on the Road a Biography Essay On the Road was published in 1957 by Viking Press. Apart from criticism by traditional conservatives, Jack Kerouac’s novel gained huge popularity with a younger generation of rebels (point to Sam’s pencilcase). Commonly viewed as an autobiography combined with a biography of Neal Cassady, it is considered a testament to the Beat legend. Fascinated by the myth of the King of the Beatniks, I examined the authenticity of On the Road and found several issues: the method in which it was written, spontaneous prose; lack of primary sources; and the author’s intention. Jean Louis Lebris de Kerouac was born on the 12 March 1922 in Lowell, Massachusetts. He gained a football scholarship to Columbia University in New York, where he met Allen Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs, who together form the three literary musketeers of the Beat Generation. The Beat Gen were a stalwart literary movement active during the 50s, whose iconoclastic texts dissented formalist constriction of expression, experimentation and individualism, and viewed post-war prosperity, and materialism as antithetical to social equality. Their works pushed the boundaries of censorship, including underground elements sinister to the establishment such as homosexuality, drugs, bop jazz, impulsive desire, preference for marginalised cultures, like Buddhist and Native American, and unconformity to the typically American dream of white picket fence within which your three cherub children can safely frolic. The traditional conservatives called it unrefined and anti-intellectual, and politicians labelled aspects of the Beat Gen psyche as Communist. The popularity and resonance Beat Gen lit had with the youth rebellion generation made it a prominently influential movement in American literature. The Beat Gen members, being life long friends, shared these views and were inspired by figures of the counterculture, in the case of On the Road, Neal Cassady, who was the Beat beliefs personified, â€Å"the holy con-man with the shining mind† (p11). On the Road is about Sal Paradise, an amateur writer struggling with inspiration when he is introduced to Dean Moriarty, a walking legend, the epitome of a Beat man. The novel marks distinct stages of Sal’s growth and development, and his relationship with Dean as he â€Å"shambled after as I’ve been doing † Narrated by Sal, he meets and travels with other characters, bumming and hitchhiking across America. Kerouac developed spontaneous prose, inspired by improvisation in jazz and passionate excitement, its highly confessional, immediate, producing a raw, liberal and intense stream of consciousness, establishing spiritual and personal connections with the narrator. This convinces the reader of a high degree of honesty and vulnerability, and authenticity. Also, there’s an infamous story that adds to the legend of Kerouac and On the Road: the manuscript was typed in 2 weeks fuelled by coffee and Benzedrine, on a seriously lengthy scroll, of teletype paper taped together so that changing the roll wouldn’t disrupt his writing. Tim Hunt wrote in Kerouac’s Crooked Road that Kerouac â€Å"hoped that drafting Although it’s important that there is a high connection between the writer and the reader, it’s also important to note that this sort of spontaneity compromises the detail and accuracy of Sal’s accounts, which brings into questions the subtleties and chronology of small-scale action. Also, his emotional investment makes his narration highly opinionated and being so influenced by Cassady as to travel across the country, Kerouac’s opinions transferred into Sal the persona are influenced heavily by De an. The authenticity and honesty that spontaneous prose conceptualises is undermined by the deliberation and large revision of the manuscript. The published edition was the fourth, and he had been working on On the Road for 2 and a half years, within which he was experimenting with his writing style. He loathed and complained when his editor, who he called a â€Å"crass idiot†, forced several revisions of contextually pornographic sections. In Essentials of spontaneous Prose, released in 1958, he claims that the conscious critical mind might censor richness of imagination. And I think richness of imagination is a euphemism for â€Å"high†, considering the evidence, fictional and factual, of drugs like Benzedrine and weed that reduce clarity of mind, but stimulate the inventive senses. The high levels of intimacy of the actions, events, dialogue and lives of the characters and their real life counterparts means that we cannot satisfactorily negate or authenticate a large amo unt of content, considering the verbose and opportunistic nature of the characters, in particular Dean, and the introverted thoughtfulness of Kerouac. For instance, after his time with Remi Bonceour, an old friend of Sal’s, he sees â€Å"the cutest little Mexican girl in slacks† and he says: â€Å"I wished I was on her bus. A pain stabbed my heart, as it did every time I saw a girl I loved who was going the opposite direction in this too-big world. † Then lo and behold, he gets on his bus to LA and there she is sitting alone, he befriends/propositions/seduces in the proper gentlemanly way of the 50s as you would a â€Å"strange girl†, offering her his jacket for a pillow. Terry and Sal spend fifteen days together, Sal experiencing the Mexican labourer’s life, and at the end, he leaves with an empty promise of New York together. The truthfulness of this encounter is intimate to Kerouac and the girl that is dubbed Terry if she even exists. On the bus from St Louis to Pittsburgh, days after his parting with Terry, he â€Å"made the acquaintance of a girl and we necked all the way to Indianapolis. She was nearsighted. † He had just described his parting with Terry with â€Å"love is a duel, and looked at each other for the last time. Still, we have dates that correlate with the chronology of On the Road, but this doesn’t really authenticate the text, because the majority of it is thoughts, words, actions, affairs of people and these are not things that would have been recorded by the public or the media or any historically interested people. The limit on primary sources thanks to the Kerouac estate closing most of his original manuscripts and letters, means that even his biographies are dependent on very little, written post-mortem and supplemented by his friends who were close to his work, like John Clellon Holmes and Allen Ginsberg. Still, other publications that overlap time periods with On the Road include Vanity of Duluoz and Visions of Cody. Visions of Cody was intended as a sequel and replacement of On the Road, and the obscure structure and style seeming dependent on pure recollection, contrasts with the narrative style of On the Road. Kerouac struggled with the rejection of his first novel, The Town and the City, so in order to appeal to more people and find success, On the Road’s surprisingly conventional narrative structure furthers it away from biography and autobiography. The separation of four different trips emphasises the stages of plot development. It has a protagonist, Dean, who solicits the narrator, Sal, throughout their time together on the road. In fact every part begins revolving around Dean. So it’s understandable to think of On the Road as a biography of Neal Cassady, however, it’s highly biased, considering the obvious love, admiration and dedication Dean’s disciple shows, which then means that the biography would undoubtedly contain bias, hyperbole, neglect, forgiveness, and judgement. There are also motifs and allusions to great American stories – influenced by writers such as Melville, Hemingway, Saroyan and Twain, he makes reference to their work: â€Å"here came a melancholy Armenian youth along the red box-cars, and just at that moment a locomotive howled, and I said to myself, Yes, yes, Saroyan’s town† (p78). He had even planned to write in a black man to draw stronger connections to Huckleberry Finn, but decided against it. This is evidence of thematic concern, deliberation and careful consideration, which further undermines the whole spontaneous prose thing. It might be because I’m an avid fan of Kerouac, I just think he’s beautiful and beautifully written, but I think that the mysteriousness of the veracity of On the Road contributes to the aura that has accumulated throughout its time, and doesn’t degrade it as a milestone in literature and America. I think the authenticity of On the Road shouldn’t be brought to light in the first place because it wasn’t meant to be a biography of anyone, and it should just be read to marvel at the wondrousness of words and their meanings, just like any literature, and I really recommend you read it Sam because it’s totally cliche but it changed my life.

Women and Politics Essay Example for Free

Women and Politics Essay There is no doubt that over the years, men have been dominating politics of most countries in the world. But it doesn’t mean they did splendid job in what they are suppose to do? Politics has never been an easy place for any man who supposedly can’t even handle political landscape at home. Family of course. Today, most countries in the world face problems of democracy, justice, equality, social problems arising from bad governance of those in corridor of power who are mostly men. Having failed to provide good governance, when come to think of it, there is nothing wrong if women who are noted to be caring, concern, and responsible are given more chances in government for possible change in the ‘status quo. Should a woman involve in politics have always been subject of controversy over the years. But among other political posts today few women are already presidents of countries and senators, assembly members, and councilors . Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (Argentina), Dilma Rousseff (Brazil) and Joyce Banda (Malawi)- presidents of representative countries have proven that woman can own a place on the top of political settings. Woman have been viewed weak and are less interested or less knowledgeable about politics than men. Perhaps this is why women feel removed from the current political process. If women see that politics remains a men-only club then they are far less likely to participate and to put themselves forward. If they see a women leader in the political settings, it encourages them to vote, to campaign and to engage in politics. Many women cannot participate in politics because they are held back by factors such as violence, poverty, lack of access to quality education and health care, the double burden of paid and unpaid work. And because of these obstacles, we are losing a lot of good women leaders and countries and people are suffering from their absence. This is why it is so important to actively promote women’s political participation, including through affirmative measures, as appropriatee. Women’s participation is fundamental to democracy and essential to the achievement of sustainable development and peace. To show that countries with women’s leadership in the corporate sector results in improved business performance. And we know that countries with more women in parliament tend to have more equitable laws and social programmes and budgets that benefit women and children and families. In 1911, women were allowed to vote in just two countries in the world. Today, a century later, that right is virtually universal. All over the world, the cries for democracy are being amplified through new technology. With mobile phones, thanks to companies like Nokia and others, and twitter and facebook, women are making their voices heard, and there can be no real democracy without women’s full and equal participation. In every country and in every region, women want their voices to be heard. Given the challenges that we face today, we need the best leaders we can find, and many of these leaders are women. Women bring their own insights and perspectives, and diversity improves decision-making. Women tend not to be so concerned by institutional arrangements and big numbers, and focus instead on particular issues and how they affect their families. But one thing politicians know for certain is that we can only win elections if we win the support of female voters. If we look at the policy changes in paid maternity leave and family-friendly working hours, the huge increases in spending on health care and education, and the minimum wage, we can see radical change benefiting women.