Friday, January 24, 2020
The Spread of Soviet-Backed Communism Across Eastern Europe after 1945
The Spread of Soviet-Backed Communism Across Eastern Europe after 1945 In seeking to provide an answer to the question, ââ¬Å"Was the spread of Soviet-backed communism inevitable across Eastern Europe after 1945?,â⬠I would like to point to the words of a contemporary specialist. At the end of World War II, R. R. Betts, the Masaryk Professor of Central European History at London University, asserted that much of the ââ¬Å"revolution in central and eastern Europeâ⬠is ââ¬Å"native and due to the efforts of the peoples and their own leaders . . . [making it] ââ¬Å"clear that even if the Soviet Union had not been so near and so powerful, revolutionary changes would have come at the end of so destructive and subversive a war as that which ended in 1945â⬠(Betts 212, in Mazower, 255). Though Betts points simply to the war and native efforts as the essential impetus for radical solutions where many points can be made implicating pre-war issues and outside intervention (or lack thereof) in the same causal fashion, the thrust of his argument is what I would like to echo in my paper. The radical situation following World War II in Eastern Europe was untenable and called almost uniformly for a radical solution. However, that the solution was necessarily Soviet-backed communism is not fully supported by the facts. A radical solution? Yes. Authoritarianism? Quite likely. Soviet-backed communism? Very probable, but by no means inevitable. While there is much evidence and scholarship to support the deterministic viewpoint implied by the principal query, it seems a naà ¯ve view of history to suggest that what happened absolutely could not have happened any other way. To respond in kind to the simplistic discourse of ââ¬Ëin... ...ore or less might not have found a marginally different path at some point along the way. An argument of inevitability is not sufficient to understand the subtleties of history. Works Cited: Betts, R. R. ed. Central and South East Europe, 1945-1948. London, 1949. Lewis, Paul. Central Europe Since 1945. London: Longman, 1994. Mazower, Mark. Dark Continent: Europeââ¬â¢s 20th Century. London: Penguin, 1999. Roberts, Geoffrey. ââ¬Å"Moscow and the Marshall Plan: Politics, Ideology and the Onset of the Cold War, 1947â⬠Europe-Asia Studies 46:8, Soviet and East European History (1994), 1371-1386. Rothschild, Joseph and Nancy M. Wingfield. Return to Diversity: A Political History of East Central Europe since World War II. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000. Swain, Geoffrey and Nigel Swain. Eastern Europe Since 1945. 2nd ed. London: Macmillan, 1998.
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Rachel Carson Environment Essay
ââ¬Å"The Influence and Growth of the Environmental Movementââ¬Å" In todayââ¬â¢s fast-paced society, people seem to ignore one of the most important factors of why we are alive: planet earth! It provides us with water, ââ¬Å"freshâ⬠air, and a limited supply of natural resources. Mother earth has been a gracious host but it seems as if humans might be overstaying their visit. Modern day greedy businessmen try to squeeze every last drop of juice from earth. But soon, the earth will be all dried up with no more juice to offer.Fortunately, thanks to the work of many environmentalists all around the world from the present day, the world may be able to recover from all its injuries caused by the insatiable human race. Rachel Carsonââ¬â¢s book ââ¬Å"Silent Springâ⬠, which spurred the environmental movement, helped raise awareness for the environment, warn humans of the dangers of using pesticides such as DDT, preserve several plant and animal species, and make the atmo sphere cleaner Rachel Carsonââ¬â¢s Silent Spring, which was published in 1962, was undoubtedly a critical turning point in history which prompted attention to environmental issues.Some say that Carsonââ¬â¢s book was a ââ¬Å"marker for the beginning of the modern Americanà environmental movementâ⬠(Geary). Carson was a revolutionary and had an astounding influential power. Silent Spring highlighted many of the damages done to the environment by the use of pesticides (Kelly). This of course, attracted many scientists to begin researching the issue but had other benefits as well. Her work was so intriguing and influential that ââ¬Å"the vibrations ofà [her] work resounded not only in academia but in the mind of the public as wellâ⬠(Kelly).Truly, Carsonââ¬â¢s concerns caught the attention of many people, both scientists and the public. Because of her efforts, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created in 1970 (Kelly). Rachel Carson spearheaded the En vironmental campaign and helped raise awareness about the growing risks of damages caused to the environment. In addition to the growth of awareness during the environmental movement, some dangers to animal life also grew. In her book, Rachel Carson explores the effects of pesticides.The most famous of these was dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT), which had been used to control pest insects, like mosquitoes and lice, in many countries (ââ¬Å"The Environmental Movementâ⬠). Although Carson warned of the dangers of using these long-lasting pesticides, some insisted on the continuation of their usage. Farmers liked DDT because it helped to control insect damage to their crops (ââ¬Å"The Environmental Movementâ⬠). Obviously, there are effects to the use of such pesticides. Carson explains that, overtime, DDT and other long-lasting pesticides had become part of the food chain.This is due to ââ¬Å"the chemicals, remaining on plants andà water after sprayings, were inge sted by small animals, which were then eaten by larger animals, including humansâ⬠(ââ¬Å"The Environmental Movementâ⬠). Carson definitely foresaw the dangers of using pesticides towards animal life and had a kind heart towards the lives of those several animal species that were being affected. She pointed out that these pesticides killed not only harmful insects like mosquitoes but also the ones that were innocent, such as bees, fish, and birds (ââ¬Å"The Environmental Movementâ⬠).The environmental movement helped to preserve numerous species on planet earth. The earth is home to a vast variety of plants and animals. But, even with the slightest change to the environment, can completely devastate an ecosystem (ââ¬Å"The Environmental Movementâ⬠). Protecting and preserving this rich animal life on earth was an important part of the environmental movement. In fact, ââ¬Å"one of the most significant issues of theà environmental movementà has been the fight to protect animal and plant species from becoming extinctâ⬠(ââ¬Å"The Environmental Movementâ⬠).This concern for animal extinction and preservation had several positive effects. For example, Congress passed the Endangered Species Preservation Act in 1966 in hopes of lowering the extinction rate (ââ¬Å"The Environmental Movementâ⬠). This law was a huge improvement for animal extinction rights and preservation. However, this law only applied to fish and wildlife, and only to species native to the United States (ââ¬Å"The Environmental Movementâ⬠). A few years later, another law would be passed to further help the preservation efforts.This law was The Endangered Species Conservation Act, passed in 1969, which broadened coverage to offer greater protection to larger numbers of animals (ââ¬Å"The Environmental Movementâ⬠). Another law passed in 1973, the Endangered Species Act, further strengthened protections for endangered species. This law helped define t he term ââ¬Ëendangered' species as ââ¬Å"one that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its rangeâ⬠(ââ¬Å"The Environmental Movementâ⬠). With the help of many federal agencies, combined with the efforts of other organizations as the World Wildlife Fund, a significant impact was made to elp preserve the lives of several plant and animal species throughout the environmental movement. During the environmental movement, some environmental hazards became the focus of attention and posed a severe threat to planet earthââ¬â¢s well-being. An important focal point of the environmental movement was global warming. Global warming is the warming of the earthââ¬â¢s climate due to the increase of harmful gases caused by human activityââ¬âsuch as carbon dioxide, methane, and CFCs (ââ¬Å"The Environmental Movementâ⬠).One of the ways to decrease greenhouse gases and other harmful emissions is to reduce the world's dependence on fossil f uels. Fossil fuels are oils that are created inside the earth but that are not renewableââ¬â which include coal, natural gas, and oil CFCs (ââ¬Å"The Environmental Movementâ⬠). The process of extracting these fossil fuels can be dangerous and devastating. Mining for coal can have a devastating impact on the landscape, leaving scars like deep holes and mountains with their tops shaved off as well as produce toxic waste that pollutes waterways (ââ¬Å"The Environmental Movementâ⬠).There are drastic results that can occur to the burning of fossil fuels. The danger in burning natural gas results in emissions of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and methane (ââ¬Å"The Environmental Movementâ⬠). Of course, fossil fuels are an important cause in pollution, but another factor comes from the daily life of humans. Humans use their cars as an everyday transportation method but, the truth is, that it also increasing the CO2 levels in the air. Another factor of pollution come s from deforestation. Deforestation is the clearing of forests in order to make room for new development projects.Unfortunately, the logging of forests also results in increases in carbon dioxide (ââ¬Å"The Environmental Movementâ⬠). Clearly, the world would be much cleaner if it werenââ¬â¢t for all these damaging emissions from gasses and fossil fuels. Rachel Carsonââ¬â¢s Silent Spring, helped to spearhead the important environmental movement that would change the way people look at the environment forever. Through her efforts, she was able to give people knowledge about the environment, warn humans of the risks of using harmful pesticides, protect many different plant and animal species, and, most importantly, make the earth a healthier place to live.Maybe if humans work together a little harder, they might be able to keep the earth juicy for just a view more centuries. Environmental activistà Rachel Carsonà speaks in favor of curbing the use of chemical pesticides and the aerial spraying of crops, before a Senate subcommittee on June 4, 1963. AP/WIDE WORLD PHOTOS. REPRODUCED BY PERMISSION. (ââ¬Å"Silent Springâ⬠) A fogger machine sprays the pesticide DDT through residential streets while people watch from their porches in 1949. At one time, people thought that DDT was not harmful to humans, only to disease-causing insects.The Library of Congress. (ââ¬Å"The Environmental Movementâ⬠) Bibliography Durbin, Paul T. ââ¬Å"Conservation and Preservation. â⬠à Encyclopedia of Science, Technology, and Ethics. Ed. Carl Mitcham. Vol. 1. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005. 418- 420. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 3 Nov. 2012. ââ¬Å"The Environmental Movement. â⬠à American Social Reform Movements Reference Library. Ed. Carol Brennan, et al. Vol. 1: Almanac. Detroit: UXL, 2007. 151-190. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 2 Nov. 2012 Geary, Daniel. ââ¬Å"Environmental Movement. à Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol. 3. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 226-231. Gale Virtual Library. Web. 2 Nov. 2012. Kelly, Evelyn B. ââ¬Å"The Rise of Environmental Science. â⬠à Science and Its Times. Ed. Neil Schlager and Josh Lauer. Vol. 7: 1950 to Present. Detroit: Gale, 2001. 83-87. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 3 Nov. 2012. ââ¬Å"Silent Spring. â⬠à American Decades Primary Sources. Ed. Cynthia Rose. Vol. 7: 1960-1969. Detroit: Gale, 2004. 553-556. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 3 Nov. 2012. Silent Spring. â⬠à Literature and Its Times:à Profiles of 300 Notable Literary Works and the Historical Events that Influenced Them. Joyce Moss and George Wilson. Vol. 4: World War II to the Affluent Fifties (1940-1950s). Detroit: Gale, 1997. 337-342. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 3 Nov. 2012. Works Cited ââ¬Å"The Environmental Movement. â⬠à American Social Reform Movements Reference Library. Ed. Carol Brennan, et al. Vol. 1: Al manac. Detroit: UXL, 2007. 151-190. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 2 Nov. 2012. Geary, Daniel. ââ¬Å"Environmental Movement. à Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol. 3. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 226-231. Gale Virtual Library. Web. 2 Nov. 2012. Kelly, Evelyn B. ââ¬Å"The Rise of Environmental Science. â⬠à Science and Its Times. Ed. Neil Schlager and Josh Lauer. Vol. 7: 1950 to Present. Detroit: Gale, 2001. 83-87. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 3 Nov. 2012. ââ¬Å"Silent Spring. â⬠à American Decades Primary Sources. Ed. Cynthia Rose. Vol. 7: 1960-1969. Detroit: Gale, 2004. 553-556. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 3 Nov. 2012.
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
Effects of War Presented in Journeys End Compared with...
Explore the ways in which the effects of war on the individual are presented in ââ¬ËJourneyââ¬â¢s Endââ¬â¢. Then compare the ways in which Sherriff presents the effects of war on the individual with the ways in which Hill shows the impact of war on characters in ââ¬ËStrange Meetingââ¬â¢. The character most obviously affected by the war in ââ¬ËJourneyââ¬â¢s Endââ¬â¢ is Stanhope. We learn early on in the play that Stanhope drinks very heavily when Osborne and Hardy have a conversation about him. ââ¬Å"I never did see a youngster put away the whisky he does.â⬠This is the first we see of the effects that the war has had on an individual and although there are other characters that are also affected, Stanhope appears to be the most prominent. It becomes apparent thatâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦The effects of war on Stanhope are presented both subtly and obviously. His drinking habits are continually referred to throughout and although we learn early on that it is something that the war has forced him into, his hatred for the war or his weak moments arenââ¬â¢t made clear to the reader until now when he admits his loathing to Hibbert. Hillââ¬â¢s character, Colonel Garrett in ââ¬ËStrange Meetingââ¬â¢ is similar to Stanhope in the sense that both characters are driven to excessive drinking by the effects of the war. Colonel Garrett has changed and also turned to drink, we know this as the prose reads that ââ¬Å"Hilliard was appalled; he had not dreamed that this could happen and so quickly to a man like Garrettâ⬠. Despite this scene being the first time we are introduced to Colonel Garrett; Hill manages to present the impact the war has had on him through Hilliardââ¬â¢s reaction to Garrettââ¬â¢s new state of character. In contrast to Hill, Sheriff is less subtle in his presentation of Stanhope and the character himself admits his change. It is interesting to note that Garrett is minor within the novel whereas Stanhope is a major character in the play which shows the different ways in which each author chose to present the effect of alcohol within their text. At the beginning of the play, Rale igh appears to be optimistic and enthusiastic. Even when he is ordered to go on a raid he seems proud to have been chosen and eager to get
Monday, December 30, 2019
Issues and Debate of Anthropogenic Climate Change - 763 Words
In the last few decades, the issue of anthropogenic climate change (ACC)ââ¬âhuman caused climate changeââ¬âhas come to the forefront of public, political, and scientific awareness. There has been much debate regarding the legitimacy of ACC, despite an article from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration stating: Ninety-seven percent of climate scientists agree that climate-warming trends over the past century are very likely due to human activities, and most of the leading scientific organizations worldwide have issued public statements endorsing this position. With this in mind, it is important to examine the rationale behind this seemingly unfounded opposition to ACC. Organized Climate Change Denial by Dunlap and McCright (2011) introduces this rationale and gives a face to this denial. They present the idea of a ââ¬Å"denial machineâ⬠. This machine is made of various different actors including conservative media, fossil fuel industries, and various front groupsââ¬âthese will be discussed in greater detail within the paper. Essentially, the motivations of the various cogs (actors) vary from economic to ideological to personal, yet overall they rally around shared opposition to ââ¬Å"governmental regulatory efforts to ameliorate climate change, such as restrictions to carbon emissions.â⬠(source) A large factor in governmental regulatory efforts is public opinion and, not coincidentally, there were significant declines in public belief of global warming in 2009 and 2010. This spreadShow MoreRelatedCO2 is NOT Pollution Essay example1492 Words à |à 6 Pagesunderstanding of our global climate, most scientists agree that human action s have had a warming effect on the global climate (IPCC, 2010). This idea of anthropogenic global climate change is the general consensus in the scientific community according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). These views were increasingly challenged, mostly by non-scientists, in late 2009 when servers owned by the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) were hacked. Emails between climate scientists and other documentsRead More Climate Change: The Sciences, the Media, and Politics Essay1468 Words à |à 6 Pagesspheres of information and action are invariably linked when discussing complex global issues like climate change. However, the presentation and resolution of disagreement within the three spheres is incredibly independent. The many ways that climate change, specifically the debate on the existence of climate change, is portrayed within these spheres can greatly affect public emotion, knowledge, and policy of such an issue. This is particularly evident in the Un ited States (US) (Boykoff Boykoff, 2007)Read MoreThe Debate On Global Warming1239 Words à |à 5 PagesThere is much controversy concerning global warming. The controversy takes the form of public debate that centers on five issues (Mazo 30). The first issue is whether or not global warming is occurring. The second issue is whether global warming is real and extent it has occurred in the recent decades. The third question relates to the causes of global warming. The fourth question centers on the effects of global warming. The fifth question is whether any action needs to be taken to contain globalRead MoreHuman Induced And Proceeds At A Rate1246 Words à |à 5 Pages It is no surprise to anyone that Earthââ¬â¢s climate has experienced significant changes throughout history. Over the past million years, planet have been through several changes between glacier advance and retreat whereas the last one ended seven thousand years ago followed by the beginning of modern climate er a and rise of human civilization (NASA, 2010). Majority of these changes were caused by relatively small variations in the orbit of the planet that altered the amount of energy that Earth receivedRead MoreWays Of Knowing Essay1086 Words à |à 5 Pagesthe topic of climate change has become a controversial debate between those who support the claim and those who believe it does not exist. Climate change, simply put, is the change in distribution of weather patterns that extend over a longer period of time. One of the major debates is whether global climate change is due primarily to anthropogenic, also known as man-made, causes or it is all part of a natural cycle. This argument introduces bigger topics that are related to the issue, such as theRead MoreThe Debate Over Presidential Debates1079 Words à |à 5 PagesWhat topics are labeled important enough to be talked about during presidential debates? Topics such as terrorism and national security; the economy; jobs and employment; and the Affordable Care Act and Healthcare all managed to be the center of attention during all debates. What topics were almost entirely ignored? Topics such as gun policy; social issues like LGBT rights and abortion; and the environment and climate change were put to the side to instead talk about Hillary Clintonââ¬â¢s email scandal orRead MoreIndirect Scientific Measurements Of Atmospheric Composition Over The Last 10000 Years Have Informed The Climate Change Debate1580 Words à |à 7 Pagesinformed the climate change debateâ⬠. There are both direct and indirect ways of measuring atmospheric composition. Direct scientific measures are used to gain quantitative data which primarily use scientific tools and equipment to measure the actual climatic changes, be it a change in greenhouse gas concentrations or an increase in climatic temperature. Indirect scientific measurements of climate change often measure a separate factor which may provide some evidence of climate change in the past.Read MoreThe Effects Of Fossil Fuels On The Environment1734 Words à |à 7 Pagesgenerations to global catastrophe.â⬠The point of no return metaphorically represents the place in ones journey that must be continued with no alternative routes or ability to make change. In consort with President Obama, many scientists believe the point of no return could occur if significant efforts arenââ¬â¢t made soon. Anthropogenic (human influenced) activities in comparison to natural influences have more of an impact on the environm ent. Since the industrial era carbon concentrations in the atmosphereRead MoreThe Debate On Global Climate Change1605 Words à |à 7 PagesThe debate on global climate change argues that human-generated greenhouse gas emissions are too small to substantially change the earthââ¬â¢s climate and that the planet is capable of absorbing those increases. It is contended that warming over the 20th century resulted primarily from natural processes such as fluctuations in the sun s heat and ocean currents. But the theory of human-caused global climate change is based on questionable measurements, faulty climate models, and misleading science. InRead MoreThe Debate over Global Warming1406 Words à |à 6 PagesKnowing that this isnââ¬â¢t a threat that will peak in our life time or even the next generationââ¬â¢s causes political progression to move slowly. If we misinterpret the climate change now when itââ¬â¢s shifting more noticeably, the time available to effectively respond to the issue could end. In order to react appropriately to the worldââ¬â¢s changing climate, we must educate members of society in the distinct knowledge that humans have direct influence on the warming of the planet. The fundamental disagreement when
Sunday, December 22, 2019
Who Flew Over The Cuckoo s Nest - 2161 Words
A Crazy, Normal Perspective of: One Who Flew Over the Cuckooââ¬â¢s Nest In One Who Flew Over the Cuckooââ¬â¢s Nest by Ken Kesey, the concept of insanity is proven as a state consipred by society, but is represented as an illness that one individual grants on another. Keseyââ¬â¢s writes his novel through the mind of Chief Bromden, a patient in a mental hospital, who becomes inspired to rebel against the ward by a character named McMurphy. Through characters like McMurphy and Chief Bromden, Kesey shows that the men are not mentally ill, instead they are disturbed by the corrupted treatment from Nurse Ratched. McMurphy and Bromden ââ¬Å"are resocialized to play a passive and apathetic role rather than an active one in an effort to change troublesome patternsâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦The Chief fools everyone by playing deaf and dumb, so the patients in the ward talk ââ¬Å"out loud about their hate secrets when I m [Bromden] nearby because they think I m deaf and dumb. Everybody thinks so.â⬠With Bromdenââ¬â¢s intelligence he notes that, ââ¬Å" If somebodyââ¬â¢d of come in and took a look, men watching a blank TV, a fifty-year ââ¬âold woman hollering and squealing at the back of their heads about discipline and order and recriminations, theyââ¬â¢d of thought the whole bunch was crazy as loons.â⬠because he knows that the ward makes the men crazy, not their own minds. Watching a blank TV because Nurse Ratched shouts at you too is a over exaggerated version of reality, and how people like political leaders give the orders while we all obey. In the ward the Chief is taken over by a fog of fear that consequently began in his time in the ward because he fears society in which he has not been able to face in many years. In the fog dreams the reader is able to learn about society through the metaphors of his dreams because they all have the same meaning: society craves conformity. Being a tall Indian man, Bromden feels out of place in the ward, so he steps away from others and becomes deaf and dumb because he feels as though he doesnââ¬â¢t fit. Chief Bromdenââ¬â¢s fog dreams give the reader
Saturday, December 14, 2019
British Architecture Free Essays
Finally, the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, currently known as RCHME was added to this body on April 1st, 1999. English Heritageââ¬â¢s principal role is as the steward of over 400 significant diversified, historical and archaeological sites. Concerning the ownership of these sites, they are principally owned by the body of government or by private that are managed under guardianship contracts. We will write a custom essay sample on British Architecture or any similar topic only for you Order Now Its major missions are to watch the conservation of the buildings, to give advice, to register and to protect the historic environment. Finally, English Heritage owns a public archive: the National Monuments Records better- known as the English Heritage Archive. English Heritage improves its performances year atter year by asking any various groups and members ot the public to take part in consultations and web-based surveys in order to give views on specific issues. 1 1] English Heritage is governed by the Commission which is chaired by Baroness Andrews since 2009. The Commission provides the strategic direction of the organization within the policy and resources framework agreed with Government. The Commission is composed by 17 people who are called commissioners and are appointed by the Secretary of State for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. [1 1] http://www. english-heritage. org. uk/ The Commissionââ¬â¢s role is also to delegate operational management to the Chief Executive, Dr Simon Thurley who is supported by an Executive Board of four directors. Moreover, numerous advisory committees and panels advise the commission and administer specialist areas such as The London Advisory Committee or Battlefields Panel. English Heritage has the status of I-JK Governmentââ¬â¢s adviser and a statutory consultant on all aspects concerning the environment and historic sites. Archeology on land and under water is topics considered by this organization such as historic buildings sites and numerous designated landscapes and their historic elements. English Heritage also has the mission to gather official statistics for the Government by publishing the annual Heritage at Risk survey. Its main goal is to insure the conservation of heritage of England in order to offer future generations the benefit of enjoying this fantastic heritage. English Heritage main precise missions are: Managing the national collection of sites, monuments, archive records and photographs Giving grants national and local organizations for the conservation of historic buildings, monuments and landscapes. Advising central UK government on which English heritage assets are nationally important and should be protected by designation Administering and maintaining the register of Englandââ¬â¢s listed buildings, cheduled monuments, registered battlefields, conservation areas and protected parks and gardens known as ââ¬Å"The National Heritage List for Englandâ⬠. How to cite British Architecture, Papers
Friday, December 6, 2019
Contextual Factors of Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Question: Discuss about theContextual Factors of Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Answer: Introduction: All across the world, enterprises are experiencing a revolution. The international competition has become fierce, costs of materials and energy are rising, new technologies are being developed and there is an increase in the use of computers and automation. All these developments pose serious challenges and demand a positive response from the management as well as the entrepreneur for the enterprise to survive and also prosper. Thus, the need for entrepreneurship and innovation has turned out to be more pressing today than ever before and the rewards for successful processes and products are high. In light of this fact, this essay will give an overview of entrepreneurship and innovation, discussing their significance and how they can enhance the performance of the supermarket retailer Woolworths and find out the practical implications by actually applying it in business settings. Overview of Innovation and Entrepreneurship The past two decades have seen innovation becoming a major driving force for not only the survival of businesses but also in giving shape to competition. It is a process which is responsible for turning the best ideas into reality. Creative ideas are triggered by innovative events resulting in a number of innovative events. Innovation usually occurs at three different levels which are revolution, renewal and resilience (Hamel Vlikangas, 2003). Revolution is the creative destruction path that the other competitors utilise to change the industry fundamentals. Resilience is continuously reconstructing by working on behaviours, processes and values. For staying in businesses today, companies need to be resilient. Renewal on the other hand forms refers to the change with respect to an incumbent in the industry, rethinking along with the business model that exists. Renewal is the key strategy for the firms as they look forward to get past their competitors by introducing new approaches of business by bringing in changes in the way the business is being operated. Ultimately, the company dreams of becoming a revolutionary by changing the entire industrys nature. The nnnovation that follows can be sustaining, disruptive, open or closed. Innovation involves taking risks, providing solutions that are non-standard, unconventional practices of teamwork and all these cannot be managed easily by formal systems of control and hence organisational structure and effective cultural management is crucial for mobilisation of creativity as well as innovation in the organisation (Tushman, Smith, Wood, Westerman, OReilly, 2006). The entrepreneurs are defined more by what they are able to achieve rather than what they are. They make use of innovation for exploiting or for creating changes and opportunities with the aim of making profits (Burns, 2008). It is the foremost mindset for identifying an opportunity and pursuing it for producing economic success or newer values. Executives who are successful possess the learning regarding mastering uncertainty by means of their entrepreneurial leadership skills (McGrath McMillan, 2000). Five main elements are present which include creation of a climate that provides support to constant searching for opportunities, framing, stocking a register of opportunities, focusing, and promotion of adaptive execution. Sound knowledge of the markets along with the products and services that are driven by the customer demands are the best predictors regarding the success of a new business (Garvin, 2004). Assessment of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship and Innovation is important because they lead to the creation of new ideas. The process of innovation also transforms the new ideas into the ones which create value. Innovation is not possible without being creative. Innovation as a process is significant to the organisation as it is able to combine both ideas and knowledge to form a new value. In the absence of innovation and entrepreneurship, the organisation and whatever is provided by it become obsolete rapidly. Entrepreneurial activity is dependent on the innovation process (Thompson, 2001). It is usually said that retail never stops moving. Retailers have always provided services to consumers who have not only craved more but have also provided services that are cheaper and of better quality and they have the willingness to go anywhere in order to get it. Although the retail of today is vastly different from the time it started, the need for being able to differentiate in the face of competition by means of innovation is asimportant today as it was earlier. The growth in the significance of e-commerce led to the creation of a storm for the brick-and-mortar retailers. In order to succeed in such a scenario, the options before the retailers was increasing the number of times the consumers visited the stores, increase their basket size or do both these. This needed innovative strategies by the retailers (European Commission, 2013). Innovation is highly significant wherein the same range of products is offered by all the grocery and mass retailers like Woolworths which makes switching over to the competitors easier for the consumers. Through innovation, Woolworths will be able to gain an edge in price value, shopability, assortment or choice, convenience and also in driving brand equity. Entrepreneurship and innovation capture the attention and interest of the consumers and thus not only bring in the customers who are new but also increase the loyalty of the existing customers. However, competitors can copy innovation quickly and hence in order to stay ahead in the race, continuous innovation is essential. Entrepreneurship and innovation has become all the more significant for Woolworths as recently the group posted a half-year loss of $972.7 million due to the brand challenges and the rise in the levels of competition in the sector of supermarkets from both local as well as international rivals. In such a scenario it is vital for the organisation to recapture its innovation spirit and also maintain its focus on the customers (Cameroon, 2016). The company realises that innovation can be driven by issues related to the environment and society. The reason for this is that customers want to have an increased understanding regarding where the products are coming from so that they are sure that the products are ethically sourced and cannot cause harm to the environment. Innovation is thus also important for integration of sustainability into the day to day activities of the organisation (Woolworths, 2010). Enhancing the Business Practices by Using Entrepreneurship and Innovation Innovation is regarded among the most significant sources as far as sustainable competitive advantage is concerned in an environment that is changing rapidly as it results in the improvements of processes as well as products, helps in making constant advancements which increases the chances of the firms survival, allows the firms to register rapid growth, increases their efficiency and finally attains more profitability in comparison to the forms that do not innovate (Bartel Garud, 2009 ; Jimenez Sanz-Valle, 2011; Standing Kiniti, 2011). In order to be successful in the long term, Woolworths needs to go in for enhancement of business practices with innovations that are sustainable. Sustaining innovations target the high end as well as the demanding customers with performances which are better than the ones that were available prior to it. These innovations are incremental year after year and are developed by all the good organisations and presented to their customers. These innovations might be technologically very difficult but still the organisations divert the resources and provide proper training to the employees for adopting it. For winning the battle of sustaining technology, against the competitors, Woolworths needs such sort of innovations. Such a strategy will involve products which are better and which can be sold to the consumers at profits that are high. This will help the business to bring improvements in its quality, effectiveness and outcomes (Christensen, Raynor, McDonald, 2015). Similarly, the adoption of entrepreneurship and innovation by Woolworths should be in such a manner that it enhances the business practices of the company. It can be used for improving the quality and effectiveness as well as the outcomes of the business. The supermarket retailer can either create new products or bring in qualitative improvements in the products that are already in existence they can develop new sources of procuring the raw materials through innovations in its value chain (Vyas, 2009). It can also go for acquiring and building upon technological competence that is distinct. The transformation of the resources that are possessed by the company can take place by the use of innovative capabilities (Therrien, Doloreux, Chamberlin, 2011). Alternatively, the company can also come up with new ideas which will facilitate the launching of new products (Rubera Kirca, 2012). In recent years there has been a growth in the concept of onmichannel retailing wherein the effort is made to integrate the store channel and the online channel for propelling the growth of business. This innovation has been critical for the creation of customer experiences that are consistent across the different channels. Although Woolworths had started with this innovation, it has to make further progress as along with enhancing the shopping experience of the customers, the availability of the wider variety of products and more discounts can increase the effectiveness of the company (Team, 2015). Shoppers can be persuaded to do something different through entrepreneurship and innovation. They can be persuaded to change, to move, to try or to buy something new. It will enhance the business practices by offering the consumers with new things (Johannessen, 2008 ; Mumford Licuanan, 2004). These are among the various options available to the company for enhancing business practices through entrepreneurship and innovation for keeping its customers happy. Practice or Application of Entrepreneurship and Innovations in Business Settings In order to be applied successfully in business settings and achieve success, the process of innovation needs to be an open one. This means that the firm should be in a position of commercialising external as well as internal ideas by the deployment of both in-house as well as outside pathways to the market. The business should be in a position of commercialising internal ideas by means of the channels which exist outside of the business that they currently have so that they are able to generate value for themselves (Chesbrough, 2003). To apply entrepreneurship and innovation in the settings of business, it is important that a strategy is in place. The strategy in such cases is asset of mutually reinforcing along with coherent policies which are aimed towards the achievement of a particular competitive goal. Alignment is promoted among the organisations diverse groups by means of a good strategy. It also helps in the clarification of priorities and objectives and helping in focusing the efforts surrounding them. It is essential for the company to define its overall strategy of business and also specify the way in which the different functions of RD, finance and operations will provide support to it. In the absence of a proper strategy of innovation, it will be difficult to apply innovation as the various parts of the organisation may end up having priorities which are conflicting even in the case a clear strategy related to business might be present (Pisano, 2015). Conclusion The easy accessibility to the internet along with opportunities it gives for trying things signifies a continued evolution in the market as a result of entrepreneurship and new innovations. The large retail outlets like Woolworths that are well-organised possess a huge headstart as they are already aware of how to understand their customers habits related to shopping and building of trust and also deliver value through the leverage of the buying power of their own. The inclination of a firm towards innovation is of great significance in competitive environments for obtaining high degree of competitive advantage (McAdam and Keogh, 2004). However, the main fact that Woolworths needs to keep in mind is that irrespective of the technological changes that might take place in future, it has to always maintain the focus on the consumers while innovating in order to enhance its business practices. Hence, the focus has to be on the customers and they have to be kept satisfied. References Bartel, C., Garud, R. (2009). The role of narratives in sustaining organizational innovation,. Organization Science , 20(1), 107-117. Burns, P. (2008). Corporate Entrepreneurship: Building the Entrepreneurial Organisation. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Cameroon, N. (2016, February 26). Woolworths' new CEO pitches innovation and customer focus as supermarket posts $972.7m loss. CMO . Chesbrough, H. (2003). The era of open innovation. MIT Sloan Management Review , 35-41. 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