Peer Evaluation

BARS Instructions For Evaluator: ? Circle a score of 1 through 5 in each category based on the team member’s performance below. ? Average the scores provided by your team members by adding them together and dividing by 4 and place it in the space below. Evaluator’s Total: 20 Final Grade for BARS: __ Evaluation Ratings Scale Please indicate your views on each individual member by scoring them on the scale provided. We understand that some of the descriptions of the member may coincide with one another; but, from the descriptions listed below, we will put best possible number that best fits the efforts of the member.Contributing To Team Success: Actively participating as a member of a team to move the team toward the completion of goals. 1 = No Effort Given No effort was put into helping the team at all, let others volunteer their time and efforts No effort or ideas given Puts down other members ideas 2 = A Little More Than Nothing Completed one assignment give Gave just enough effort to slide by Gave 1 idea, while shutting down others ideas 3 = Needs Help †¢ Tasks assigned though some completed were usually left for other members to ick up †¢ Ignores team and organizational goals expected of them such as: completing tasks, researching, giving the ideas, and so forth. †¢ Does not give input in meetings; avoids sharing thoughts/input. Says just enough to get in and out as soon as possible. 4 = Meets Expectations Completes fair share of responsibilities by doing just the required amount of work instead of going above and beyond to help others and their tasks. Helps others perform tasks and reach goals only if it doesn’t inconvenience them.Subordinates own personal goals for the good of the team. 5 = High Performing Always comes ready with ideas and the initiative to get the job done for the group. Helps other achieve without expectation of recognition and does the work at hand without waiting on others to ask for help. Assists fe llow team members and takes on added responsibility without being asked. Communication: Clearly conveying and receiving information and ideas through a variety of outlets to group members. 1 = No Effort GivenDid not come prepared for discussions, never gave ideas, just sat there and gave no effort No participation in class was reached, whether in sending in question or answering them for the class assignments Did not inform members of their absence or being late to class 2 = A Little More Than Nothing Responded to at least 2 to 3 emails, text, or other forms of communication but was always late Gave at least 2 ideas during the entire course’s group meetings and gave at least two discussions points for projects Informed only one member of their absence or tardiness at least once. 3 = Needs ImprovementResponded to at least half of all emails, text, or other forms of communication but was usually late Gave 3 ideas during the entire course’s group meetings and at gave at l east 4 discussion points for projects. Informed all members of their absence or tardiness at least once 4 = Meets Expectations Responded to a majority of the emails, text, or other forms of communication in a descent time manner. Effort was put forth in communicating ideas for group meetings, gave at least 4 ideas during the entire course’s group meetings, and gave at least 4 discussions points for projects.Informed all members of their absence and tardiness 5 = High Performing Responded to every email, text, or other form of communication on time. Came prepared for every group discussion, gave others their chance to speak, gave at least 6 ideas during the entire course’s group meetings, and gave at least 6 discussion points as well. Informed all members of their absence and tardiness. Initiating Action: Taking prompt action to accomplish team assignments; taking action to achieve goals beyond what is required; being proactive. 1 = No Effort GivenNo action or effort in achieving a goal as a group was met. Always waited for others to step up and volunteer for work. If a project was given to them another member had to come behind and clean up their work or do the work 2 = A Little More Than Nothing Accomplished one task given to them Waits for others to tell he or she what to do All work given was appeared to be done right before class with minimal effort in citing, grammar, spelling, and so forth. 3 = Needs Improvement Does not take appropriate action to accomplish tasks.Completes 7 out of 10 assignments. Is not proactive; but reactive; avoids work. Fails to follow through on projects/processes. Always waits for others to review his or her work. 4 = Meets Expectations Takes appropriate action to accomplish tasks. Completes 9 out of 10 assignments Takes action when appropriate; does not wait for others to take action. This member is more of a pusher for the group instead of one that has to be pulled. Always completes projects in a timely manner to complete objectives and achieve goals for the team 5 = High PerformingAction is taken to achieve goals ahead of schedule; anxious to complete high-quality, professional work in a timely manner. Anticipates setting new goals as experience and knowledge increases. Encourages others to do their part in performing and helping the group achieve their goal of getting an A. Managing Work: Effectively managing one’s time and resources to ensure that work is completed efficiently; makes timely notice of not being in class/meeting or tardiness. 1 = No Effort Given Work was never turned in Never completed his or her own work but left it for other to do Without other group members they would be lost. = A Little More than Nothing Work came in late every time, that is if it made it Would complete half of the work given to him or her but another member would have to come behind their work and clean it up or redo the work for it to be expectable. Highly dependable on others. 3 = Needs Improv ement Work is not completed in a timely manner or completed Completed all the work given to them but other members had to help polish the work before it could be turned Depended on others after their share of work was completed in order to reach a polished project = Meets Expectations †¢ Work completed in a timely manner †¢ Completed all work given on time and without the need of others help †¢ Only depended on other members when other members were required to help complete the project. 5 = High Performing Work is always completed on time or ahead of schedule and needs no help from others, unless required Encourages others to do their part in performing and helping the group achieve their goal of getting an A.Only depended on other member when other members were required to help complete the project We understand the course credit is earned at each meeting. Meetings and preparation may be changed with majority agreement – if the change is possible for all parti es. Report changes to the instructor. Signed and Dated Team Members 1. _______________________________________ 2. _________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________ 4. __________________________________________

Perceptions of Organized Crime Groups Essay

The United States is run by a democratic government that has laws in place to ensure order and organization. However, there are certain people and groups that wish to compromise and profit personally from breaking these laws. According to Understanding Organized Crime (2007), organized crime can be defined by the members and the activities of a group. There are many crimes in which organized crime might be involved, but what separates individual crime from crimes committed by groups of people is the term organized or organization. Organization has been described as a group of people who cooperate to accomplish objectives or goals. Organized crime has been around for centuries; from Outlaw gangs in the western days that robbed stage coaches, the pony express, and passengers of trains to today’s Blood and Crip gangs that dominate public streets for power over territories and drug sales. Gangs have been around for a long time imposing on the lives and liberties of law abiding cit izens that wish to obey laws. Law abiding citizens have to live in imminent fear that their lives are not disrupted by the actions of these criminal organizations that wish to indulge in crime. In this paper, we will explore the various definitions, perception, characteristics of organized crime, and explore some high profile groups that indulge in different types of crimes. Perception of Organized Crime A University of Phoenix student named ————– was asked how she defined organized crime. ———–’s perception of organized crime has some of the dynamics right such as profit, power, and hatred, but the reading further states that organized crime has no real black and white meaning, besides a group of people uniting for a common goal. Her answer was simple; she stated that organized crime is when a group of people break laws and/or violate others in order to gain power, profit, or promote hatred. Organized crime groups incarcerated within the prison system such as Nuestra Familia and Mexican Mafia, break laws to gain power that lead to some form of profit; depending on what they need such as drugs, cigarettes, or privileges from others. Drug Cartels as the Shower Posse and Spangler Posse of Jamaica, involved themselves in organize crime to profit from illegal drug activity, and groups like the Ku Klux Klan and Aryan Bro therhood are driven by hatred. Author’s Perception Compare to the Definitions in the Readings The author’s perception of the definition in the reading is similar in the meaning of criminal organization, but the book states that crime can be defined by the members and the activities of a group. This means that crime is what each club sees it to be. This is an interesting point, but very true. Many people (e.g. club members) in society commit crimes for different reasons. Some feel it is necessary to break laws due to their limited necessities in life. It does, in no means make it right, but it is the perception of many. The prisons are filled with individuals/criminals that feel they were doing what they needed to do to defend themselves, take care of themselves, or just was presented with opportunity. Some of them sit in prison for years and still feel that their actions of breaking the law were justified. This is the mentality of most organized crime gangs. All they care about is what they want at the time, and not what the implications of breaking the law ca n lead to, until it hits home. ———has personal knowledge of different biker groups and 2 Outlaw Motorcycle Gang’s (OMG’s) and was raised in and around the biker atmosphere, but none of those groups that are mentioned in the book. She has heard the mentality of the OMG’s as opposed to regular Biker Clubs. The 1% clubs run their clubs totally different with no regard for breaking the law, indulging in violence, or starting trouble. 1% Outlaw Biker Gangs One of the clubs that she knows of is called the Chosen Few. The Chosen Few is a 1% motorcycle gang that ———-has first-hand knowledge of. She has known some of their members for a long time and has witnessed how their club is run, aside from other biker clubs that do charitable work in and around their communities, such as toy runs, mentorships, feeding, and clothing the homeless and disable children. In a recent article, from 2010, the Chosen Few M.C. was involved in 3 murders. After this incident, law enforcement officials began to keep a close eye on them and found even more illegal affiliations. The article by Chris Vogel (2011), points out several incidents with Chosen Few members that had negitive run-ins with the law. The article states that agents used confidential informants to buy drugs and guns from members, a member was arrested with more than a kilo of coke, police discovered that a DMV worker was making fake identifications for club members to use i n order to buy guns, and a member was arrested with a gallon of PCP – which led federal agents to Detroit, where another six gallons of PCP were seized. (Feds Catch Chosen Few Motorcycle Club Members Selling Guns & PCP, 2011) According to the characteristics of organized crime with Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMG’s) the Chosen Few, fits the criteria. Characteristics Associated with Organized Criminal Behavior There are certain characteristics of organized criminal behaviors that range from commitment to eminent structure. Commitment is an oath and allegiance to what these clubs, good or bad stand for. It is needed to protect and serve the honor of the organization and all its secrets. Along with this it comes with a sense of power, pride, and protection. Survival is a trait that many organized crime member’s exhibit. It is sometimes used to partake in illegal activities to sustain the worldly goods that obtained. For OMG’s, it may consist of the clubhouse, due paying members, and motorcycles. Punishment is a characteristic that is prevalent in discouraging members from disloyalty, disobedience, or dishonor. These punishments can be in the form of death, beat downs, or in the case of OMG’s fines or snatching of colors. Structure is the final characteristic that needed for an organize crime group to be successful. Like a business is run with a CEO, CFO, and other people in place to ensure order, organized crime groups are ran alike. With a chief officer in place and other members in position to handle different aspects of business to make sure there is no breakdown in with members. In conclusion, organize crime has unique characteristics that has been in place for centuries, and although law enforcement has been investigating the structures of this organizations, it is too many to stop. They are intricate organizations with different reasons as to why they chose to break the law. This is why there is no clear cut definition of organize crime. Mallory, S. (2007). Understanding Organized Crime. Retrieved from University of Phoenix. Vogel, C. (2011). Feds Catch Chosen Few Motorcycle Club Members Selling Guns & PCP. Retrieved from http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2011/07/black_biker_gang_chosen_few.php

Nursing Process-Evaluation Essay

The nurse requires an extensive knowledge base in order to accurately evaluate the effectiveness of the goals set forth in a nursing care plan. The knowledge a nurse gains is not solely based on the extent of her or his education. In addition, the experience and ability to recognize changes which require intervention are imperative to the development and expansion of a nurse’s knowledge base. The process by which a nurse is able to demonstrate his or her ability to effectively evaluate a patient is â€Å"generated by observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication as a guide to belief and action† (Alligood, 2010). The nurse’s knowledge is imperative in each step of the nursing process. The nurse must be able to gather information related to the patients physiological, psychological and sociological conditions in order to develop effective nursing diagnosis and the appropriate plan of action to implement for each. The nurse continually evaluates the patient’s condition, revises nursing diagnosis, makes changes to the plan of action, and implements new tasks or interventions as necessary. Alligood noted (as cited in Andrews & Roy, 1999), in the evaluation phase, the nurse judges the effectiveness of the nursing interventions that have been implemented and determines to what degree the mutually agreed upon goals have been achieved†. Reference Alligood, M. R. (2010). Nursing theory: utilization & application . (4th ed., pp. 294-315). Maryland Heights, MO: Mosby Elsevier. â€Å"Evaluation is ongoing and encompasses a repetition of the appraisal process. Emphasis is placed on the identifying perceptions of dissonance with respect to the initial pattern appraisal. The evaluation process is ongoing and fluid as the nurse reflects on his or her intuitive knowing. P298 Manifestations of pain, fear, and tension with family members are appraised. The nurse intuitively evaluates the amount of dissonance that is manifested.p302 Evaluation requires that the analysis and judgment be made to determine whether those behavioral changes stated in the goal statement have, or have not, been achieved by the recipient of nursing care (Andrews & Roy, 1991b). P315

Pixar and Disney Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Pixar and Disney - Essay Example The success of Pixar and decline of Disney may be traced to how these organizations responded to the changes in their social and technical environments. Upon cursory reading, Pixar appeared to have made a name for itself primarily through the use of digital technology in animation, to which it owes its commercial success, while Disney remained dedicated to the traditional method which no longer found strong following in the market. Closer inspection shows that there was a fundamental difference in the way the organizations functioned that was separate from the technology each used. Organizations may be seen to operate as open systems which interact with their environments in a complex and dynamic way. According to Ingols, Cawsey & Deszca (2011), open systems are called so because they are not isolated from their environment, but freely exchange information, materials, and energy with them. They are comprised of interdependent parts connected by a complex set of interrelationships. They move towards equilibrium, and once in equilibrium, will not change unless some energy is introduced. Individuals within a system would have a different perspective of the system’s function and purpose than those outside of it. Looking at organizations as open systems enables managers to better identify areas of misalignment and risk. The Nadler-Tushman Congruence Model is comprised of inputs that shape the strategy. The strategy drives the transformative processes box which eventually leads to the outputs. Feedback loops flow back to earlier stages to complete the model. The transformative work process includes four categories, namely informal organization, formal organizational arrangements, individual, and task. (people), and task (work). The Congruence Model states that these four categories in the work transformation area should be congruent (i.e., should fit) with each other (Jones, Brazzel, & ITL, 2006, p. 196). Pixar is an example of an open system which takes full advantage of the dynamics within the organization itself, and between the organization and the environment. Within Pixar, the informal organization is as important as, if not more than, the formal structure. Pixar has developed a â€Å"culture of collective creativity† that â€Å"values people above ideas,† and tasks are boldly add ressed because of the empowerment of employees. Feedback is swift because lines of communication are open; everyone feels safe to offer ideas, and innovation is highly prized (Catmull, 2008). Strong long-term friendships are forged, and as a result, the organization feels competent to take risks. This makes the external influences welcome within the company, thus it takes advantage of inputs from the academic community, the technical and artistic fields, and of course the demand from the market. In contrast, Disney is a highly traditionalist organization which emphasized hierarchy and centralization. Eisner insisted on maintaining strict control even over creative processes and roundly criticized ideas not in line with his own, thereby discouraging people from taking initiatives for fear of reproach. Regard for people took a back seat to revenues and stock performance. In other words, corporate Disney did not promote openness among its employees, lacked congruity or â€Å"fit† among its component parts, and discouraged open feedback and communication. It was unreceptive to outside influences, preferring to stick to its â€Å"proven† traditions harking back to early Disney years. It felt it has found its equilibrium, and resisted any risk that may disrupt it. In short, Pixar has taken full advantage of

Management organisational learning knowledge MOLK Essay

Management organisational learning knowledge MOLK - Essay Example On the basis of neo-classists, the last two hundred years have witnessed the replacement of the two known factors of production, labour and capital. Information and knowledge have arisen to replace the above two factors. It is at this stage that the economy has come to be referred to as a knowledge economy. In addition to this, the present technological advancements have revolutionised the economic world. The move has been characterised by the shift from physicality to knowledge based (Dolfsma 2006). To offer support to the knowledge economy has been the developments in the mobility of both information and human expertise. This implies that technological developments can in a very easy way be transmitted across country borders in an instance. Of note here is also the ability to move expertise from place to place, an attribute that narrows the development gap between companies. So the advantage that could be gained by a researching company is washed away as such knowledge can easily be replicated elsewhere within a very short period of time. The only enjoyment of a company in this era could only emanate from the activities of innovations within the company. Through the combination of knowledge and market know-how, a company would be in a position to derive a competitive status. Equally important would be the ability of a company to gather and act on meaningful information. This reflects the economic environment as one that is basically driven by knowledge, hence the reference to the knowledge economy (Debra, M 1997). The need to be in possession of better skills and qualifications underlie the sustainability of employment status. This is the basic work ingredient that ensures that individuals secure employment and most importantly retain the jobs or enjoy the likelihood of shifting to better opportunities when they arise. Once people have secured work, the learning process does not need to end there. This is so because the global economic

My useful psychology book Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

My useful psychology book - Essay Example In relation to this, the paper will be discussed from my perspective, which is how exactly this book has been a helping hand; this includes meditation, how to manage stress and managing myself in time. Meditation has been preferred for one’s peace and healthiness, however this was not included in my normal routine, but introduction of this book has been a very great help as the text introduced and somehow persuaded me to try out meditation. Once I started this exercise, I couldn’t help but notice the positive changes it started to bring in my life. For instance, it reduces tension related problem such as anxiety, joint and muscles issues and headaches. Not only this, the feeling of boundless energy and to be creative, being emotionally stable and feeling unusually happy and healthy are some of the perks of meditating. Moving to the next help that has been extended to me by reading and examining this book is the different ways and procedures through which I can manage stress. The initial step that is needed to be taken to ensure stress management is the very core from which this problem is erupting. If the original reason behind this issue is external that one should try to eliminate this factor, or if tit is internal that one should produce ways to deal with it. Another way to control stress is keep doing what you love such as painting, reading, go for outing, sharing with your parent, sibling or friend, because the more you indulge yourself in your favorite activities, the less you ponder over the issues that generates stress. Interestingly, stress is also sometime caused when you do something which you shouldn’t have done, so sometimes confessing helps too in reducing stress. Likewise, one should always try to look at the bright side or do things the right way. Exploring the third benefit which I have extracted from the book; the initial and the most important thing when managing yourself in time is to set achievable and realistic goal, because if

Video games Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Video games - Essay Example Infamous events have created widespread debates regarding the negative consequences of video game violence. For example, a national discussion began regarding what connection video games may have had to the 1999 Columbine High School massacre. Though many motivations were likely involved, it is not reasonable to identify precisely what motivated these teenagers to shoot their schoolmates and teachers but violent video games were mentioned as a contributing reason. With enhanced realism and the increasing tendency towards greater amounts of graphic aggression in games, people who play violent video games should be educated to the possible consequences. When video games first appeared around 35 years ago, they were simple and seemingly harmless. Atari introduced Pong during the 1970’s, a video game version of table tennis. Arcade games such as Pac-Man and Asteroids were popular in the 1980’s. The seemingly harmless nature of video games noticeably evolved to cartoon-like ghost chomping to blatant violence in the 1990’s. Mortal Kombat, the most popular game of 1993, featured accurate portrayals of human-like characters fighting bloody battles. The purpose of the player in the game, as the name suggests, was to kill the enemy. Violent games even more brutal than Mortal Kombat dominate the video game market today. Near the end of that 1980’s, a study tested 33 of Sega and Nintendo’s most popular video games determined nearly 80 percent were violent. (Dietz, 1998). The study also revealed that a troubling one-fifth of the games portrayed violence towards women. It has also been demonstrated that playing violent video games encourages the tendency of experiencing hostile thought patterns by means of the ‘semantic priming process.’ Current studies reveal that hostile behaviors occur during controlled studies using independent scientific methods and in daily life circumstances as well. The playing of violent video games un questionably was associated with an increase of violent behavior. Other studies were conducted which considered the video game patterns of university students throughout their four year career which demonstrated that when in a normal, dorm-room surroundings, playing violent video games over a four year period was the initiating factor in incidences of aggressive behavior. This increase happened, not just when playing of the game but during other aspects of their lives too. Both studies revealed that violent video games negatively affected a person’s current emotional condition and increases feelings of hostility. The similar findings of these studies give added credibility to the contention that exposure to violent video games promotes aggressive behavior. Though the inclination for increased violent behaviors cannot be scientifically proven on the basis of two studies, this evidence corroborates the results of similar research. (Calvert & Tan, 1994). When playing a video gam e that uses ‘first person’ interaction, the player typically chooses a character whose personality the player identifies with. By manipulating the action of their character a player usually tries to visualize the game from their character’s perspective. The player ‘becomes’ that character, which enhances the players enjoyment of the game. Anyone who has seen two teen boys, or their fathers, playing video games has witnessed them envisioning they are the character that they are controlling. The second rationale entails the

Market analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Market analysis - Essay Example The present study would analyze the case of Nintendo Corporation and analyze its elements of marketing mix. Nintendo is a Japanese game console manufacturing and marketing company that is engaged in the production of gaming consoles. The company was established in the year 1889 and since then has been credited with being one of the pioneers in the industry segment. Some of its innovations like Mario are still quite popular among the target market audience. The company presently has subsidiaries across many nations of the world including manufacturing units that help it to make it one of the best known brands in its category (Nintendo, â€Å"Company History†). Discussion In order to analyze the business strategies of Nintendo it is very important to analyze its elements of marketing mix. The elements of marketing mix for product category firms like Nintendo include the aspects of Product, Price, Place and Promotions. Product The new Wii product launched by Nintendo has somewhat helped generate profit margins for the company since the failure of game cube. The company faced stiff competition from competitors like Sony and X Box who used flashy designs and fast technology to generate innovations. Nintendo however did not follow the same strategy; instead it chose to maintain its focus on gaming consoles. The main reason behind this aspect of strategy was to create a distinction between Wii and the other consoles available in the market and follow a differentiation strategy. The company is of the view that this differentiation strategy would help generate a distinct identity and a unique positioning of the brand in the minds of the target market audience. The company also thinks that blindly following their competitor’s moves would not help in the long run as Nintendo is of the opinion that fast technology based innovations are likely to have a fad effect and tend to dissolve very quickly. Nintendo is of the faith that a firm using such core competenc e has to constantly upgrade their innovations and that their positioning in the minds of the customers can easily change considering the fact that their demands are constantly fluctuating. Instead of giving fast technologies the company would emphasize on providing greater values to its customers. One of the essential features of the Wii is its small size that makes it easier to carry and use. The company is of the faith that this would provide greater mobility and flexibility to the product and that such features were not present with any of the competitors of the company. The new controller of the console introduced by Nintendo in its product Wii has helped introduced movements and mobility in the product. This was a completely new feature in the market and has been largely done in order to use innovations to segregate their product offerings in the market. Nintendo also believed in creating a product design that would not only fascinate kinds but would be attractive to all the fa mily members across various age groups. It is because of this reason that the company chose to focus on design rather than high end software and complex hardwires as done by all its competitors in the market. The company’s strategy of keeping a small design has helped it to reposition the product and showcase it as a fun device rather than another innovation in the existing product line. Nintendo’s main intention of keeping the size small was perhaps its most important and vital competitive edge as Nintendo was able to position the product as a modified form of toy appealing to all age groups rather than another addition to the existing product line. The design of the product that constitutes its core competence also includes easy handling and greater maneuverability that

Marketing Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marketing Strategy - Essay Example Firstly, it presents the current situation of the world of luxury watch brands. This primarily comprises of the market share of the luxury brands of the world. Then it makes an analysis of the various product lines of the brand. A discussion of the way in which the market is segmented by the brand and the purpose of such segmentation have been presented. The environmental analysis of the brand presents the nature of external environment in which the company operates. Then a competitive analysis has been provided to identify the brands which have been posing threat to the brand. This has been done using the contemporary tools and techniques of marketing. Having done this the project proposes suitable recommendations or changes in its marketing strategies. This includes the market segment that the brand should target, the introduction of new styles and designs, the use of technology and the use of best price. This has been done keeping in view the future welfare of the company and the ensuring the welfare of the stakeholders. The World Watch Market The number of millionaires in the world has doubled since 1996. The increase in spending of the customers has resulted in the rise in prices of all kinds of commodities. The luxurious consumer demonstrates a high growth in their propensity of spending. â€Å"In 2006 the typical consumer's spending on luxury items rose 6.6% to reach $56,065, following an increase of 3.8% in spending in 2005† (Aginsky, 2008). USA comprises of a major portion of the market for luxury brands and is expected to expand even further. The following figure shows the market shares of the premium brands of watches in the world. Figure 1: Market Share of the luxury brands of watches of the world (Source: Europa Star, 2005) The number of watches sold in Shanghai amounts to 1.5 million approximately in a year. The sale amounts to 55 million euro. However, 45% of the sales comprises of imports. Although Shanghai’s production of watches remain high, even then the city’s demand for foreign watches remain substantially high. This reflects the reason for the growth of the watch markets in the world. The people’s growing concern for design, style and image constitutes the main reason behind the success of the luxury watch brands of the world. Watches are considered to be fashion accessories and style symbols (Europa Star, 2005). Omega is one of the most popular brands among the high income individuals of the world. â€Å"In the mid-range, Longines, Titoni and Oris lead the field† (Europa Star, 2005). Domestic brands like Casio and Swatch have also grown in demand recently. Another place where the watch market has progressed considerably is Russia. The rise in sales of luxury watches was 39% in the year 2007. This time was considered to be most valuable time for the progress of the watch market. In fact the sale of Swiss watches had increased considerably during the same time. Research reveals that the market conditions of the world was phenomenal and served as the most promising factor towards the flourish of the luxury brands market. The demand for luxury watches rose substantially in Russia, Asia, Middle East, and in America (Aginsky, 2008). Investigation and Analysis Portfolio Analysis Launching of new product lines at different points of time have been the key strategic moves made by the brand. In 2009, Rolex launched a

Management Process Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Management Process Analysis - Essay Example Change management is best defined as the process of continuous reviewing and renewing of the direction, structure and capabilities of the organization in order to meet the ever-changing needs and demands of internal and external customers (Todnem, 2005). Organizational change is a very important element of the organizational strategy. It is very important for an organization to have the ability to identify where it needs to be in the future and then manage the change management process in order to get there. The business environment is constantly changing with increased globalization, technological innovation, deregulation, dynamic workforce, shift in demographic and social trends, etc (Todnem, 2005). This makes the change management process even more important. For any organization, to sustain growth and remain successful it is very important that it effectively manages its change management process. One of the best examples of effective change management in modern day businesses is Apple. Apple Inc. Founded in 1976, Apple has become the most valuable company on the planet today. Started as a computer company, Apple has revolutionised the personal computer industry. Apple started with a personal computer, but today its products range from music (iPod) to phones (iPhones). Chief Architect of Apple’s success story is Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple (Royston, 2009). Apple’s journey to the top has not been a smooth one. It has had failures along the way and at one stage was on the verge of being shut down. Apple has adapted to changing environment and the industry needs and demands to become the most successful and valuable company on the planet. Apple’s products include iMac, iPod, iPhone, iPad and iTunes (Apple, 2011). Apple is also developing cloud computing products and services which are not commercially available at. Apple – Change Management Apple is one of the best examples for effective organizational change management. It can be said that Apple has mastered the art of change management. Apple has been successful in understanding the changing needs and demands, and at same time adapt to those changes and needs. It has been able to build a loyal customer base, build new technologies, products and services. Leadership The most important element of Apple’s change management is Steve Jobs, i.e. his leadership. Apple’s nightmarish run started with the exit of Steve Jobs in 1985 and ended with his return in 1996. With the return of Steve Jobs in 1996, there was a major change in the organization’s leadership. The bureaucratic management style that had replaced the creative and entrepreneurial culture (organizational culture that Steve Jobs had infused into Apple in the beginning) had to undergo a major change. Steve Jobs along with him brought back the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants entrepreneurial culture back to Apple (Anderson & Anderson, 2010). He redefined the organization’s DNA and ensured its effective implementation. The original culture and the mindset were welcomed by the workforce and they responded with creativity and innovation. With the change in leadership, the management structure was now redefined with only very few management layers. This was vital in order to accommodate the change in the leadership and organizational cul

1950's sitcom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

1950's sitcom - Essay Example In the 1950s, America experienced real effects of post wars and one such effect was the speedy economic growth. The effects emerged as a result of the wars that they were involved in and the wars included the cold war and World War 2. The war involved the United States nations and the Soviet Union. The wars were as a result of the nations struggling to gain power and be on the leading. These two wars, through unfolding events deteriorated, that is, after World War 2, America started experiencing a remarkable economic expansion (May, 2008). The level of employment went up. Before, women were major providers for their homes; this is because their partners left to fight for the nations. The post war period brought about the reoccurrence of prosperity and the American states, formerly known as the United States of American, acquired a position of the wealthiest nation in the world. The economic growth of the United States was due to several outnumbered sources. The Americans attained mor tgages in their new suburbs, they got new cars and they used their leisure and talents to the maximum. Due to this, the population in several districts in the United States increased incredibly. Rise in the United States economy after the post war boom led to discrimination, segregation and conflicts to the non-whites. The non-whites were discriminated in job positions, education and housing. The rights that were being granted to the white Americans were denied to them (May, 2008). The white Americans had privileges, they included; voting rights, immigration, getting loans and land acquisition. This discrimination made the Africans to be treated as slaves. The immigrants to the America suffered xenophobic segregations and ethnicity. This discrimination and racism was beyond comprehension, furthermore, no one was in authority to forward their grievances.

Discussion of Literature Set in Dystopian Societies Essay Example for Free

Discussion of Literature Set in Dystopian Societies Essay This paper takes a look at three renowned dystopian authors; George Orwell, Anthony Burgess and Aldous Huxley and compares the dystopian societies that are described in their respective novels 1984, A Clockwork Orange and Brave New World. The ways in which the rights and freedoms of the citizens in each of their novels are suppressed and controlled is described with particular reference to the use of propaganda, language, sexual relationships and violence. The paper will progress to consider the ways in which the protagonists attempt to rebel from their situation and overcome cruel and unfair laws in order to escape the society. In discussing the ability of characters to overcome the unjust constraints of their society, it is worthwhile considering in some detail what a dystopian society is and how it is manifested. The concept of dystopia is inextricably related to the idea of Utopia, a theory that was developed originally by Plato in Republic and further explored by St Thomas More in Utopia. Whereas Utopia is envisaged as a perfect society where subjects live peacefully side-by-side, dystopia is the antithesis of this; â€Å"dystopia was invented to denote a bad place. Utopia expresses desire, dystopia fear† (Aldridge, 53). Quite often a dystopian society is one that is believed to have formed as a direct result of unsavory actions that were taken in order to achieve a utopian society; the methods used to solve problems and assert control lead to undesirable outcomes. In literature a dystopian society often has a number of distinct characteristics. One of which is the manipulation of one group of people by another. A Clockwork Orange, 1984 and Brave New World (BNW) are all examples of novels that depict such a society. In all three novels a minority group of people have acquired the power to control the citizens and they utilize this to command and dictate every element of their subject’s lives. Psychological oppression is in evidence in all three novels and the characters are limited in their thoughts and expressions. In both 1984 and A Clockwork Orange, the dystopian society is represented by violent and disturbing images. Fear and hate is utilized as a means of controlling the population and, as described by O’Brien in 1984, a strong correlation is formed between mental and physical being, â€Å"We control matter because we control the mind. Reality is inside the skull† (Orwell, 331). The prime emotion that is encouraged in the population is that of fear and the threat of brutality and torture the protagonists face entail that they are able to suspend even their own thoughts in order to evade punishment. Winston permits himself to think only of those subjects and issues that he has permission to think of, whereas Alex specifically avoids thoughts of violence in order to eliminate the chance he will become violently ill as a result of the side effects of the Ludivico he experienced at the government’s hands. In both cases the protagonists are no longer able to freely express themselves, their fear psychologically controls them and their entire mental thought processes altered as a direct result of this. Whilst A Brave New World, also describes a society where people’s thought processes and actions are controlled, this control is achieved in a very different way; through drugs and sex. Immediately form birth, the citizens are physically, chemically and psychologically encouraged to be happy and content. Where, in 1984 and A Clockwork Orange, the characters are punished for rebelling against the constraints of the society in which they are placed, in A Brave New World the people are provided with rewards for following the doctrines of their leaders. In this novel the subjects are conditioned from an early age to accept the values of the ten world leaders and they are indoctrinated to a value system that is based on superficial pleasures. The leaders thus control their society by limiting their aspirations and desires; the people accept simple things and are thus unlikely to rebel against their leaders. In all three novels, the ways in which the dystopian society is controlled is physically and visually represented by the use of propaganda. In 1984 the government literature, videos and advertisements are aimed at enforcing the state of fear that they have created. Reality is purposely altered in order to inspire feelings in the nation, feelings that can ultimately be used by the government to assert control and prevent rebellion. Clearly the propaganda utilized in 1984 is very effective and stirs strong emotions in Winston and the people in his social group and he describes the effects as they watch a film and experience, â€Å"a desire to kill, to smash faces in with a sledgehammer seemed to flow through the whole group of people,† (Orwell, 16). In A Clockwork Orange propaganda is also of immense significance and is utilized to control the feelings and emotions of the subjects. In this novel, two main forms of propaganda exist. The Ludivico Technique represents an outright propaganda, where the subject takes drugs and observes negative images in order to form associations with such images. In Alex’s case watching the repetition of violent images causes him to feel physical pain at the thought of violence and thus the propaganda serves to stem his aggression. Mass media is also utilized, as in 1984, and subliminal messages are utilized to encourage the populace to obey the state. Propaganda is observed in the posters in Alex’s home and the effectiveness of this is evidenced by impact that the images have upon him both prior to, and post, his Ludivico treatment at the state’s hands. Prior to his experience he seems unable to associate with the graffiti ridden images in the poster and he cannot recognize the significance of the visuals. However, after his treatment the poster appears clean and renewed and is able to fully recognize their message. A Brave New World also features the use of propaganda as a means of controlling the emotions and free will of the citizens. Fordisms are used to assert the supremacy of their leader and the inhabitants of society are fed subliminal messages as they sleep. They have no free will and thus become dehumanized. A further means by which the dystopian society engendered and controlled within the three novels in through the encouragement, or discouragement, of social interaction. In 1984 the subjects of society are sexually repressed and sex is permitted for procreation purposes only, â€Å"to beget children for the service of the Party (Orwell, 69). Sex is no longer associated as being pleasurable and natural but instead becomes an unemotional procedure. In A Clockwork Orange Alex is unable to accommodate thoughts of sexual pleasure as his treatment entails that he now associates this with violence and thus experiences pain at the thought of partaking in a sexual act. His inability to behave as a normal man transpose him into the â€Å"clockwork orange† (Burgess, 96), he is a machine incapable of experiencing and fulfilling his natural urges. In both 1984 and A Clockwork Orange the mechanical, unemotional feelings attributed to sex and lust serve to dehumanize the characters and thus prevent them from feelings and emotions that could place the rule of the governments at risk. In Brave New World the government openly encourages sex as it is recognized as a means by which sexual desire can conquer and eliminate all other emotions. In this novel babies are artificially created in laboratories and sex therefore serves the purpose of pleasure alone. Family units cannot be formed as babies are without parents and thus the subjects do not form bonds and have become promiscuous. Although the use of sex as a control mechanism is different, like 1984 and A Clockwork Orange the intention is the same, to remove emotions from the subjects. A crucial characteristic of the regimes in place within the dystopian societies concerns language and communication. Language, as a means of communicating and forming relationships with others in society, is suppressed and with it is the extent of human interaction. The limit on language in all three books serves to limit free thought. In 1984 Newspeak is utilized as a means of brainwashing members of society and forcing them to think in a predetermined manner. In both Brave New World and 1984 the government’s intention to diminish the vocabulary reflects their plans to further diminish the thoughts of their public; without the words to communicate they are unable the commit thought crime, â€Å"In the end we shall make thought crime literally impossible (†¦) there will be no words in which to express it†. (Orwell, 200-201). In A Clockwork Orange Alex’s use of language acts as a means by which he can rebel from society. Nadsat allows him to communicate with the members of his gang and thus achieve the human interaction that the government attempts to suppress. In addition to this it serves as a means by which the unwelcome behaviors exhibited by Alex can be separated from the rest of the society, who, as with 1984, do not have a vocabulary capable of expressing such words. A further commonality between all three novels is that of rebellion, with the main characters in all three books actively rebelling against the system into which they have been indoctrinated. Winston, Alex and John all begin to question the merits of their society and, in all three cases they utilize a past reference as a means against which they can assess their current situation. For Winston this is his diary (which allows him to record the past and therefore have a term of reference), for Alex it is his meeting with Pete and for John it is Shakespeare’s Othello that acts as a significant prompt. Winston’s rebellion is manifested in three main ways. He commits the crime of keeping a diary, he partakes in a sexual affair and he joins a brotherhood. His actions reveal that he has realized the ills of the society and is trying to actively prevent himself from being fully indoctrinated. However, his efforts are not entirely successful. Through his capture and punishment in room 101 he is ultimately forced to love Big Brother and he rejoins the society as a fully integrated member. John too is not entirely successful in his rebellion against the repressive society in which he has been born. He attempts to rebel by refusing to partake in sexual contact, discourages the use of the drug soma and eventually causes a riot. The violence his actions engender causes a frenzied orgy which he himself takes part in. Such an orgy is a manifestation of the very society against which he is trying to rebel and he takes the only action that he feels remains, he kills himself. Finally, in the case of Alex, the effects of his treatment entail that he is forever changed and his attempts at violent behavior and rebellion are put to an immediate halt. However, unlike Winston, there are indications at the end of the novel that he is beginning to free himself and his ability to think and behave as an individual is being renewed. His reaction to the appearance of his friend Pete alert Alex to the changes he needs to make in his own life. However, his use of the Nadsat when speaking of his hope for the future, â€Å"Tomorrow is all like sweet flowers and the turning vonny earth and the stars and the old Luna up there (Burgess 191), indicates that he is beginning to break from his control. Whilst rebellion against doctrine is present in all three of these novels, so is the reality that the rebellion has failed. In every case there is no real evidence that the dystopian society has been changed as a result of the protagonist’s actions and the characters appear to have been largely isolated in their ability to recognize the ill merits of the way in which they are being ruled. The efforts to overcome the cruel society are short-lived and the message portrayed is that members of a society cannot overturn their conditions alone; to truly escape the unfair laws citizens need to act as a collective whole. Works Referenced: Aldridge, Alan. Consumption (Key Concepts). University Park, PA: Polity, 2003. Burgess, Anthony. A Clockwork Orange. New York: W. W. Norton Company, 1986. More, Thomas. Utopia (Penguin Classics). London: Penguin Classics, 2003. Orwell, George. Nineteen Eighty-Four. New York: Plume, 2003. Plato. Plato: The Republic (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought). New York: Cambridge University Press, 2000.

The Introduction And Background Of Sime Darby Finance Essay

The Introduction And Background Of Sime Darby Finance Essay The Sime Darby in 1910 got the name from two European business partners by name; William Sime and Henry Darby. William Sime, a traveler and adventurer from Scotland, ventured to Malaysia when he was in his late 30s. Sime Darby Berhad is the largest conglomerate in Malaysia and one of the largest in Southeast Asia . Within its territory are more than 270 operating companies in 23 countries, while foreign operations in Hong Kong of which account for 25% of revenues, Singapore (14 %), and Australia (11%). The company generates 38 percent of its revenues domestically. Its broadly diversified activities include a wide range of industries, with the core businesses being plantations including oil palm and the companys original business, rubber, tire manufacturing, heavy equipment and motor vehicle distribution, property development, power generation, and engineering services. Natural rubber synthetic rubber was still being developed and had just been introduced to the country from Brazil. Sime and other entrepreneurs at the time recognized that the climate of Malaysias jungle region was similar to that of Brazils. Therefore, rubber could just as easily be grown in that country and sold not only in Malaysia but throughout Southeast Asia and the world. However, Sime Darby encountered opposition to its venture from locals, who were wary of outsiders coming in to operate a plantation in Malacca, in order to overcome this, Sime and Darby forged friendships with several members of the Chinese business community. The company expanded, becoming a manager for owners of other plantations and then moving into the trading end of the industry. Sime set up a branch office in Singapore in 1915 and shortly thereafter established a marketing office in London. Demand for rubber eventually outstripped Sime Darbys production capacity, and by the late 1920s the company found it necessary to clear more jungle. To do so, Sime Darby purchased Sarawak Trading Company in 1929. Sarawak (later renamed Tractors Malaysia) held the franchise for Caterpillar heavy earthmoving equipment. That important purchase signaled Sime Darbys expansion into the heavy equipment business, which would eventually become a major component of its expansive network. In 1936 the companys head office was relocated from Malacca to Singapore. Sime Darby made a fortune in the global rubber industry during the 1920s and 1930s. Growth in the industry began to fade, however, as natural rubber was gradually supplanted by synthetic rubber. Sales of natural rubber boomed during World War II as warring nations purchased all available supplies. The war, however, also led to significant advancements in synthetic rubber technology. A good deal of it was used to acquire other companies, thereby expanding Sime Darbys reach into several other industries. Much of Sime Darbys success during that period was attributable to its acquisition of the giant Seafield Estate in 1971 and the establishment of Consolidated Plantations Berhad that same year. Through Consolidated Plantations, which became the companys main plantation subsidiary, Sime Darby became a leading force in the regions thriving agricultural sector. In addition to growing the oil palms and cocoa, the company began processing the crops into finished products for sale throughout the world. As its sales and profits spiraled upward during the early and mid-1970s, Sime Darby became a shiny feather in Britains cap. To the surprise and chagrin of the British stockholders, however, the company was wrested from their control by the Malaysian government late in 1976. The intriguing events leading up to the takeover began in the early 1970s. During that time, Sime Darbys chief executive, Denis Pinder, began investing the companys cash in new subsidiaries throughout the world. The companys stock price soared as Sime Darbys sales spiraled upward. At the same time, some observers charged that Sime Darby was engaged in corrupt business practices (with critics coining the phrase Slime Darby). Allegations of corruption were confirmed in the eyes of some detractors when, in 1973, Darbys outside auditor was found stabbed to death in his bathtub. The Singapore police ruled the death a suicide, but Pinder still ended up in prison on misdemeanor charges. Pinders successor took up where he left off, investing in numerous ventures, most of which were located in Europe. Unfortunately, many of those investments quickly soured. Some Malaysians felt that Sime Darby was taking profits from its successful domestic operations and investing them unwisely overseas. So, in 1976 the Malaysian government trading office bought up Sime Darby shares on the London stock exchange. It effectively gained control of the company and installed a board made up mostly of Asians. Also in 1976, Asian and British board members were able to agree that Tun Tan Chen Locks son, Tun Tan Siew Sin, would be an acceptable replacement as chairman of Sime Darbys board. In 1978 Sime Darby was reincorporated in Malaysia as Sime Darby Berhad. Its headquarters was moved to Kuala Lumpur the following year. Staggering in the Early 1980s; Rebounding in the Late 1980s and Early 1990s Sime Darby jettisoned some of its poorly performing assets during the late 1970s and early 1980s under Locks leadership. But it also continued investing in new ventures. It purchased the tire-making operations of B.F. Goodrich Philippines in 1981, for example, and secured the franchise rights to sell Apple Computers in southeast Asia in 1982. The addition of B.F. Goodrich Philippines marked the companys entrance into the tire manufacturing sector; also in 1981 came the establishment of Sime Darby International Tire Company, which in 1988 was renamed Sime Darby Pilipinas, Inc. In 1984 the company purchased a large stake in a Malaysian real estate development company, United Estates Berhad, and used it to begin developing plantation lands. This company later was renamed Sime UEP Properties Berhad. In Malaysia, Sime Darby acquired the franchises for BMW, Ford, and Land Rover vehicles. By the early 1980s Sime Darbys push to diversify had given it a place in almost every industry, from agricultural and manufacturing to finance and real estate. Although it did diversify into heavy equipment, real estate, and insurance businesses, new management also plowed significant amounts of cash into the companys traditional commodity and plantation operations. Sime Darby became a favorite of investors looking for a safe bet. Indeed, the mammoth enterprise tended to minimize risks after the investment mistakes of the early 1970s and seemed content to operate as a slow-growth multinational behemoth that could withstand any market downturns. Even if something did go wrong, the company had a war chest of nearly a half billion U.S. dollars from which it could draw. Unfortunately, Sime Darbys staid strategy negatively impacted its bottom line. Sales dipped to M $2.78 billion in 1992 before plunging to M$2.17 billion in 1983. Sime Darby lumbered through the mid-1980s with annual sales of less than M$2.5 billion, and net income skidded from about M$100 million in the early 1980s to a low M$59 million in 1987. To turn things around, Sime Darbys board promoted Tunku Ahmad Yahaya to chief executive. Ahmad was a veteran of the companys executive ranks and was a favorite nephew of Malaysias first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman. Under Ahmads direction, the giant corporation began a slow turnaround. Significantly, Ahmad was instrumental in luring Tun Ismail to Sime Darbys board. Ismail was a highly influential central bank governor and the chairman of Sime Darbys biggest shareholder. Ismail became nonexecutive chairman of the company following the death of Tun Tan Siew Sin in 1988. During the late 1980s and early 1990s Ahmad invested much of Sime Darbys cash hoard into a bevy of new companies and ventures. Sime became a relatively big player in the global reinsurance business, for example, and tried to boost its activities related to heavy equipment and vehicle manufacturing. Most notably, Sime began pouring millions of dollars into property and tourism in key growth areas of Malaysia in an effort to get in on the development and tourism boom that began in that nation in the late 1980s. The success of that division prompted the company to invest as well in tourism overseas. Through its UEP subsidiary, for instance, Sime Darby bought a full-service resort with condominiums in Florida (Sandestin Resorts) and a hotel in Australia, among other enterprises. As the company dumped its cash into expansion and diversification, sales and profits bolted. Revenues climbed from M$2.53 billion in 1987 to M$4.98 billion in 1990 to M$6.20 billion in 1992. During the same perio d, net income soared from M$85 million to M$353 million. Sime Darby realized a stunning 65 percent average annual growth in earnings during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Despite its gains, though, critics charged that the company had concentrated too heavily on traditional commodity industries and had failed to move into the 1990s with the rest of Malaysia. In fact, Sime Darby continued to garner about 43 percent of its sales from commodity trading activities in 1993 and only 18 percent from manufacturing. The rest came from heavy equipment distribution, insurance, and its property/tourism holdings. Although building strength in those businesses had added to the companys sales and profits during the late 1980s and early 1990s, the strategy had caused Sime Darby to fall behind more progressive holding companies in the region that were participating in booming high-tech, gaming, brokering, and manufacturing sectors. Many company insiders believed that Sime Darby would have to eliminate its heavy reliance on commodity industries if it wante d to sustain long-term growth. The Crisis The companys stock price began to fall in 1993 and its rapid revenue and profit growth began to subside in comparison with late 1980s levels. In 1993 Ahmad stepped back from control of the company when he named Nik Mohamed Nik Yaacob to serve under him as chief executive. Among Mohameds first moves was to initiate the merger of the companys plantation assets, organized as Consolidated Plantations, and the parent company, The company also bolstered its regional insurance business in 1993 by joining forces with AXA of France for its insurance operations in Malaysia and Singapore. These efforts signaled an end to the companys historical emphasis on commodities and reflected Mohameds desires to increase activity in manufacturing, high-tech, financial services, and other fast-growth businesses and reduce Sime Darbys bureaucracy. The turn around after the crisis The company began increasing investments in businesses such as power generation, oil and gas, and heavy equipment exporting. In heavy equipment, Sime Darby bought the Australian distributor of Caterpillar equipment, Hastings Deering (Australia) Ltd., in 1993. In power generation, a key move came in 1994 when Sime Darby took a 40 percent interest in Port Dickson Power Sdn. Bhd., an independent power producer in Malaysia. That same year, the company acquired U.K.-based Lec Refrigeration plc, which was involved in the manufacturing, marketing, and servicing of refrigeration equipment and related products. At the same time, Mohamed worked to absorb the flurry of acquisitions conducted during the previous several years and streamline the company into some sort of cohesive whole. Despite restructuring activities, Sime Darby managed to boost sales to US$3.15 billion in 1994, about US$186 million of which was netted as income. In 1995 Sime Darby stepped up its acquisition drive through the purchase of a controlling 60.4 percent interest in United Malayan Banking Corporation from Datuk Keramat Holdings Berhad. The US$520 million purchase deepened the companys involvement in the countrys fast-growing financial services sector. United Malayan, which was the fourth largest bank in Malaysia in terms of assets, soon was reorganized as Sime Bank Berhad, with the companys brokerage arm becoming a subsidiary of Sime Bank under the name Sime Securities Sdn. Bhd. For the fiscal year ending in June 1997 Sime Darby posted record net income of M$835.8 million (US$322.9 million) on record revenues of M$13.24 billion (US$4.35 billion). Sime Bank and SimeSecurities played a key role in these stellar results (accounting for 30 percent of pretax earnings), but the eruption of the Asian financial crisis in July 1997 quickly proved that the acquisition of United Malayan had been ill-timed, if not also ill-advised. The severity of the crisis in Malaysia, which included a steep decline in the Malaysian stock market and a sharp depreciation of the ringgit (the nations currency), led Sime Bank to post the largest loss in Malaysian banking historyM$1.6 billion (US$431 million) for the six months to December 1997. In turn, Sime Darby posted its first loss in decades for the same six-month period, a loss of M$676.2 million ($172.7 million). With other Sime Darby units being hit hard by the crisis as well, the company posted the first full-year loss in its clo se to 90-year history in the 1998 fiscal year, a net loss of M$540.9 million (US$131 million). Subsequently ,it beat a hasty retreat from its aggressive expansion, determining that the prudent course would be a return to the companys core areas: plantations, property development, tire manufacturing, heavy equipment and motor vehicle distribution, and power generation. In June 1999 Sime Darby sold Sime Bank and its SimeSecurities subsidiary to Rashid Hussain, who merged it with RHB Bank to form the second largest commercial bank in Malaysia. During the 1999 fiscal year, the company also sold Sandestin Resorts for US$131 million. In 1999,it returned to the black with net earnings of M$821.8 million (US$216.3 million) on revenues of M$9.91 billion (US$2.61 billion). A further pull-back from the financial services sector came in March 2000 when Sime Darby sold its interest in Sime AXA, its insurance joint venture with AXA of France. Meantime, an area of growing interest was emerging at the turn of the millennium as Sime Darby increased its interest in Port Dickson Power to 60 percent, giving it majority control and turning Port Dickson into a company subsidiary. Flush with cash from the sale of its financial services units, Sime Darby appeared poised to make additional forays into the power generation sector. Given the near disaster of its aggressive moves into financial services, however, the company was likely to proceed with much caution in all of its future expansionary endeavors in a return to its traditional style of conservative management. Business activities: Plantation: Plantation is Sime Darby largest revenue generator with about 70% of the conglomerate profits come from this segment. The company operates palm oil and rubber plantations in Malaysia and Indonesian islands of Sumatera, Kalimantan and Sulawesi. With a land bank of over 633,000 hectares, including 300,000 hectares in Indonesia, it is one of the largest plantation company in the world. Property: The company is involved in the property development business in eight countries, namely Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, PeopleHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peoples_Republic_of_ChinaHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peoples_Republic_of_Chinas Republic of China, Australia and United Kingdom. Industrial and Monitoring :The company is involved in the purchasing, leasing and selling of industrial equipment such as Caterpillar Inc. heavy duty trucks and tractors.. it has partnership with Ford, it sells Fords cars and trucks together with the Land Rover brand. It is also a major BMW dealer in Singapore, Australia and Thailand. In Southern China, the company sells BMW and Rolls-Royce. In addition, Sime Darby co-owns Inokom Corp Bhd, a joint-venture with Hyundai Motor Company which assembles and sells Hyundai vehicles in Malaysia. Energy Utilities: The company is an Oil and Gas services company which provides equipment for exploring oil and gas assets in the South East Asia region. The company is also an independent power provider in Malaysia and Thailand. The company also provides engineering services in the system integration and sales sectors, security and oil gas sectors. Healthcare: The company owns hospital named Sime Darby Medical Centre Subang Jaya Sdn. Bhd ,SDMC Formerly known as Subang Jaya Medical Centre, and college formerly known as SJMC Academy of Nursing and Health Sciences which was established in 1995 and now is known as Sime Darby Nursing and Health Sciences College. Other businesses: The company has a port utility company named Weifang Sime Darby Port Co Ltd. Other businesses that the company is involved in include healthcare, aerospace (divested from Asian Composites Manufacturing (ACM) in 2009), bedding, consumer and industrial products, logistics and packing.The company also owns the 30% of the Malaysian arm of Tesco stores. Sustainable Practices: Sime Darby plantations implemented Zero Burning Planting Techniques Techniques (ZBPT), a practical and environmentally sound technique of replanting, in 1989. The Board of director and audit committee profile: Company Profile Bhg Dato Mohd Bakke, was chosen on13th May 2010 as the new president and group chief executive (PGCE) and formerly group president/CEO of Felda Global ventures Holdings SDN Bhd, he has necessary experience in corporate restructuring exercises as well as in management expertise in the plantation. Dato Azhar Abdul Hamid, Chairman,board of Directors and Managing Director of Sime Darby Plantation Sdn Bhd. He is head of the Sime Darby Groups Plantation and Agri-business Division Internal and External Audit Duties and comments To say that the group had processes in place its just that they had not been implemented properly certainly laughable because it is all too  familiar. If one was to seriously respond to this excuse, it would be that is why you have internal and external auditors. And when the internal auditors raised the red flag in August 2008, it was conveniently swept under the carpet! If the excuse was that, the non-executive independent directors were obliged to give the benefit of the doubt to management, the external auditors, Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC) certainly had no such obligation or professional reason to do so! This was their red flag to delve into the issue of cost over-runs including its recovery of such costs. This is no more an ordinary run of the mill statutory audit. PWC had been put on enquiry and were obliged to look into the concern meticulously. The question to be answered is that, what did PWC do? They signed off the accounts of Sime Darby for 2008 and 2009 with a clean audit report! Not even an emphasis of matter especially on the possible cost over-runs and its recoverability! The fact that official media had highlighted these matters, besides the media report prior to the finalization of the 2008 and 2009 accounts speak volumes about the role (or lack of it) of PWC The official media currently has been quite polite about this latest incident .yes, they have been polite relatively speaking, but if you read in between the lines, the insinuation is the total collapse in the check and balance roles of the other parties involved with Sime Darby notably the auditors and members of the Audit Committee headed by the ex-chairman of PWC. Andrew Sheng, a proponent of strong corporate governance is unfortunately embroiled in this mess as director and he cannot easily extricate himself out of this especially when he was appointed in 2007.He has to regain credibility by insisting massive and fundamental changes to the way things are done in the Malaysian corporate world in general and Sime Darby in particular. The audit committee In April 2008, for example, there were news reports that Sime Darby Engineering Sdn Bhd had incurred cost overruns of between RM120mil and RM150mil in its offshore engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning project for Maersk Oil Qatar (MOQ). In February 2009, a report also alleged that there had been costs overruns in the same project, but this time, the figure mentioned was far bigger. At a media briefing on Feb 4, Zubir dismissed this: Theres no such thing as the RM800mil losses. The Minority Watchdog Group (MSWG) wrote to Sime Darby chairman Tun Musa Hitam in March 2009 on issues in the energy and utilities division. At the companys AGM last November, the MSWG also raised questions about the divisions shrinking bottom-line. Moreover, it has been reported that Sime Darbys internal auditor has come up with reports highlighting the divisions losses and that longtime independent auditors PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) had delayed signing off Sime Engineerings 2008 accounts. Boardroom strength: The former executive director of a Big Four firm says When PwC does not sign off the accounts of a significant subsidiary of listed company and yet signs off the parent companys accounts. It is understood that the auditors could issue an unqualified audit opinion on the Sime Darby accounts despite not doing so for Sime Engineering because the issue in dispute at the Sime Engineering level was not material on a group basis. The current public discussions about accountability and the suggestions that more heads must roll at Sime Darby are making the headlines, but the core underlying issue is quite different: How could this mess have happened in spite of the conglomerates governance structure and controls? Going by the information in the annual report 2009, Sime Darbys system of checks and balances at the boardroom and top management level is sturdy and robust, befitting its status as a sprawling multinational corporation. Beside Ahmad Zubir, Sime Darby has 12 directors. Half of these are independent directors and all 12 are non-executive directors. Together, they form a team with deep and varied experience and knowledge. Among the independent board members are stalwarts such as Musa, Raja Tan Sri Arshad Raja Tun Uda, Datuk Seri Panglima Andrew Sheng and Tan Sri Dr Ahmad Tajuddin Ali.You cant accuse the board of being sleepy. There are some heavyweights there, says the research head of a foreign investment house. Yet, the directors have missed the extent of Sime Darbys project woes until, reportedly, PwC went to Musa last year to express its concerns over the energy and utilities division. In the financial year 2009, there were 12 board meetings. Not many listed companies in Malaysia hold these meetings this frequently. In addition, there are seven board committees and they each meet several times a year. Above all, Sime Darby has supervisory committees that were set up to assist the board in the oversight of the respective divisions (of the company). The board has identified certain non-executive directors to sit on these committees. Definitely, this is not a case of the directors having limited exposure to the companys management and affairs. So how is it that the many warning signs had not prompted the board to initiate a probe until October last year, when it established a board work group to review the energy and utilities divisions operations? The boards defenders say the management convinced the directors that in spite of the auditors concerns and the rumors, the situation was under control. The argument here is that the board has to constantly maintain a balance between objectivity and the ability to work well with the management. In other words, in the absence of strong evidence to the contrary, the board saw no reason to doubt the information provided by the management. That is why, it took a bit of time for the Sime Darby board to get into full swing once it became clear that it must investigate the corporate governance and performance of the division. The directors have to shift from a position of trus t to skepticism to disbelief and finally, to outrage, says a corporate insider Rajawas executive chairman and senior partner for 18 years, retired from PwC in June 30, 2005. Raja Arshad was appointed to the board of the pre-merger Sime Darby on July 1, 2007 exactly two years later, thus fulfilling the criterion for boardroom independence at Sime Darby. Raja Arshad was not necessarily the best choice to head Sime Darbys audit committee, PwC insisted that his position in the audit committee does not change how the firm conducts its audit of Sime Darby. Therefore, what is PwCs part in the Sime Darby fiasco? The four key findings disclosed by Sime Darby on May 13 was that , only one decision to reverse revenue of RM200mil for the Qatar Petroleum project relates to a matter taken up in accounts already audited. The other three relate to items that have only surfaced in the current financial year. This means PwC could not have known about these figures until it begins auditing Sime Darbys 2010 accounts. Nevertheless, some in the accounting fraternity say this may be a test case for the newly constituted Audit Oversight Board.

Why Did Britain Vote to Leave the EU?

Why Did Britain Vote to Leave the EU? Introduction On the 23rd June 2016, in a nationwide referendum, British voters were asked the question: Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union? After a bitterly fought election campaign, the electorates of Great Britain chose to leave the European Union (EU).. The ballot was extremely close, with 51.9% of the electoral population voting to leave and 48.1% wanting to remain. At 72%, turnout was higher than for any UK-wide vote since the 1992 General Election. The promise of a referendum was first announced by Prime Minister David Cameron on 23rd January 2013. He vowed that if the Conservative Party was elected to power in the General Election of 2015, they would hold a national referendum on the UK’s membership in the EU. After the election was successfully won, the new Conservative Government introduced the European Union Referendum Bill 2015-16. This ensured that the referendum must be held before the end of 2017.In February 2016, regulations set the official date. The referendum campaign was split into two groups. Firstly, there was Britain Stronger in Europe, aiming to persuade the nation that Britain will be stronger and far more successful as an active member of the European Union. On the other hand, there was Vote Leave, led by Gisela Stuart and Michael Gove. This campaign group successfully encouraged 51.9% of the British electorate to vote out, meaning Britain would withdraw its membership with the European Union. The Chief Counting Officer, Jenny Watson, who is the Chair of the Electoral Commission, declared the national result from the national referendum count event held in Manchester on Friday 24 June at 07:51 (Uberoi, 2016, p4). This result triggered ‘Brexit’. This term became the famous tagline of the referendum result and is an abbreviation of ‘British exit’ out of the European Union. Through researching the referendum’s result, there was limited analytic material on why 51.9% of the British electorate decided to vote to leave the EU. The majority of the literature focused on the consequences of Brexit and the immediate impact it had on Britain. Hence, this triggered interest regarding the question why did Britain decide to support Vote Leave. The purpose of my study is to analyse why the referendum on the 23rd June 2016, resulted in a decision for Britain to leave the European Union. The analysis will be split into three fundamental chapters. Firstly, who voted for Brexit, examining the social and geographical aspects of voting to leave. Secondly, examining what the main reasons were for wanting the UK to withdraw from the European Union, including motives such as controlling immigration and regaining national identity. Lastly, exploring why Vote Leave won. This involves analysing the effects of electoral turnout and other factors such as, the support of the national press and the actions of the campaigns figurehead politicians. The objective of this research is to come to an assertive conclusion on what the most important reasons were 51.9% of the electorate that voted on the 23rd June 2016 wanted to leave the European and factors that contributed to why Vote Leave won. Reliable research needs to be developed to analyse why 51.9% of voters wanted to leave the EU, and only then can it be understood what people want from the result. Literature Review Recognising why Britain decided to vote to leave the European Union in the 2016 referendum is important because it is essential to understand what changes in politics the British electorate want. It is imperative to analyse who voted to leave the EU and reasons behind this choice. As soon as the referendum results were announced, masses of data was evaluated showing how the electorate voted, significantly regarding geographical areas and social class. This included polls from sources such as Lord Ashcroft, which was used by many of the national newspapers. Other sources such as YouGov, further support this data by getting similar results in polls they also ran. However, there is a gap in the theoretical data, as there is limited material questioning the empirical reasons why the British electorate voted leave and why the Vote Leave campaign won. Furthermore, the information being produced regarding the referendum quickly moved onto the consequences of voting to leave the European Union. Thus, why it is important research is developed regarding why the 2016 Referendum resulted in a vote for Britain leaving the European Union, as the current observations are limited. As it is an extremely current topic, thorough analysis is still being developed, therefore the limitations in the research are understood.      Who voted for Brexit In order to analyse the reasons why 51.9% of the British voting population wanted to leave the European Union, it is important to recognise who exactly voted this way in June 2016. Within hours of the result being confirmed, there was significant amounts of data being produced regarding how the public voted. Most this information was made public through newspaper articles. The Daily Mail and The Guardian, both produced articles showing the full results of analysis of the EU referendum results. This allowed the reader to see how each constituency voted and then further breaks down the data into significant topics such as age, education and annual income. The resemblances between the two newspapers analysis indicates that the examination of the data must be based on fact and the papers different political bias is not reflected within the analysis, therefore demonstrating the sources credible. Most of the national press gained their EU referendum results data from YouGov or Lord Ashcroft’s Poll. YouGov is an internet-based market research firm and their methodology involves obtaining responses from an invited group of internet users, and then weighting these responses in line with demographic information. This organisation similarly splits its analysis of the EU results into socio-economic groups, however the go further by also including factors such as ‘political attention’. YouGov has claimed that its opinion polls are most precise when compared to its opponents and that its online approach is more accurate than traditional polling methods (YouGov, n.d.). However, not every member of the voting population has access to the internet and internet polls could be argued as mainly aimed at the younger generation. Therefore, it is claimed online samples cannot accurately reflect the views of the population. On the other hand, Lord Ashcroft Poll conducted a survey, online and by telephone, after voters can casted their vote (Ashcroft, 2016). The additional method of telephone surveying adds reliability to the results. This is because most people have access to a telephone, increasing representativeness. Furthermore, as the results were collected on the same day people had voted, their opinions and thoughts about the referendum were still fresh. Thus, concluding Lord Ashcroft’s poll as more credible. Overall, the literature regarding who voted for Brexit, significantly shows a trend concerning which socio-economic groups are thought to be the most important to analyse. This includes age, levels of education and annual income. On the other hand, the literature didn’t indicate the significance of other social groups, for example different types of trade and ethnicity. Hence why my analysis will look further into these different issues.   Reasons for Voting to Leave It is important to understand why 51.9% of the British voting population voted to leave the European Union on the 23rd June 2016. Lord Ashcroft poll’s state that the three most important reasons for people choosing Vote Leave were;   The principle that decisions about the UK should be taken in the UK.Voting to the leave offered the best chance for the UK to regain control over immigration and its own borders.Remaining meant little or no choice about how the EU expanded its membership or powers. These three reasons were also the top three reasons for Conservative and Labour voters, showing that the explanations are not completely politically swayed (Ashcroft, 2016). Consequentially, it is clear that Lord Ashcroft concludes the main argument for voting to leave was the want to regain control over choices that impacted Great Britain. This is also reflected in Clarke, Goodwin and Whiteley’s research paper ‘Why Britain Voted for Brexit’. National identity and sovereignty is key in their research to find out why Britain voted to leave. However, their research is extremely strengthened by their used of models and equations to further prove the impact of factors such as ‘explanatory powers’ and ‘predictor variables’ (Clarke, Goodwin and Whiteley, 2016, p16). The combined use of polling and mathematical models, reinforces the credibility of their results.   National newspapers are argued to be the most significant source of information that influenced people’s vote. The Sun and the Daily Mail were dominant Vote Leave supporters, stating immigration and taking back control of the United Kingdom as their most important reasons for why Britain should leave the European Union. This could have significantly influenced certain socio-economic groups vote, considerably less academic people, who are the tabloid newspapers majority readers. However, the bias nature of national newspapers, decreases their credibility. The political opinions expressed by these newspapers regarding why Britain voted to leave the European Union are not totally reliable, due to their expressed support of the Leave Campaign. This is where a gap is research is demonstrated. It has proven difficult to find previous credible research to why specific groups, such as older people and low income households, decided to vote to leave the European Union.   Why did Vote Leave Win? Certain literature does recognise the importance of factors allowing Vote Leave to win, such as the impact of voter turnout. There has been substantial debate regarding the relationship between turnout and age. The House of Commons EU Referendum Briefing paper argues that ‘there was no significant relationship between higher turnout levels and higher levels of support for leave’ (Uberoi, 2016, p26). However, The Telegraph recognise that there was an important trend between age and voter turnout (Kirk and Dunford, 2016). Older voters had a high percentage turnout, compared to young voters. As strong Vote Leave supporters, the high turnout level for the over sixty-fives is argued to have given Brexit a greater chance to win. Furthermore, as a result of poor turnout levels from young people, who were strong Remain supports, this is argued to have reduced the Remain campaign’s chance at winning. Therefore, denouncing The House of Commons EU Referendum Briefing paper argument that the trend between age and turnout was weak. Conclusions Due to the lack of research, analysing which are the most important factors that resulted in a vote for Britain to leave the European Union, it is important further studies are developed. Furthermore, due to much of the accessible materials being newspaper articles, the credibility of the information available is weak. This is due to the significant political biasness of the national press. Substantial amounts of data about who voted for Brexit was released in under 24 hours of the result being confirmed. However, research regarding what reasons voters had for voting to leave and why the Leave campaign won, has been proven hard to find. Moreover, as the issue of ‘why the result of the 2016 referendum resulted in a vote for Britain to leave the European Union’ is still recent, it is important to recognise that data is still being analysed.   Who voted for Brexit? It is important to firstly outline who in the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. Throughout the campaign, it was clear that particular social groups would be strong Vote Leave supporters, such as older citizens and people who work in certain trades such as the fishing industry. However, as the results came in on the night of 23 June 2016, votes to leave had higher shares than expected. This chapter will give a focused quantitative analysis regarding who voted to leave the European Union in June 2016. The study will focus on core demographics such as age, gender and ethnicity. Furthermore, it is important to look at how education and party allegiance impacted on people’s decision to vote the leave the EU. A breakdown of how the regions within the United Kingdom will also be conducted, analysing if geographical differences presented a relationship with voters’ decisions.   A later chapter will build on the following considerations, examining why people voted in this manner. Regions The United Kingdom became a divided nation when the results began to come in on the night of 23 June 2016. The earliest returns, from Newcastle and Sunderland, showed higher shares for leave than had been anticipated. The trend persisted – Scotland, Northern Ireland and London were the only three regions in which a majority voted to remain – and by four oclock in the morning the broadcasters were ready to announce that the country had voted for Brexit (Ashcroft and Culwick, 2016, p166). The vote to Remain in Scotland was considerably higher than anywhere else, at 62% of the vote. However, in England and Wales the vote to Leave won, with England having the highest percentage of support for the Vote Leave campaign, but still very narrow at 53.2%. Nine out of the twelve regions of the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. The large Brexit votes in the North of England were the first signals of what was to come in the referendum. In the North East, 58% of voters supported leaving the EU. According to the Daily Telegraph, more than one in three people along the coast north of Hartlepool regard themselves in the DE social-class in the last census. This can be seen a sign of Leave’s Victory of successfully appealing to working-class voters (Coles, Kirk and Krol, 2016). The most Eurosceptic part of the United Kingdom was the West Midlands, totalling the highest percentage vote to leave, at 59.2%. UKIP did not gain a significant foothold in the General Election, so Vote Leave might have been surprised that the electorate of the West Midlands strongly voted out of the EU. The only region in England to vote Remain was London. The cosmopolitan city had polled as the most Europhilic part of England before the referendum. Furthermore, it is home to the financial City of London, whose businesses and banks had mainly backed the professed stability of voting to remain. Thus, the result of 59.9% of the London electorate voting to stay in the European Union was expected. However, this result left the Capital city surrounded by pro-Brexit regional neighbours (Coles, Kirk and Krol, 2016) Percentage of Votes to Leave (Swales, 2016, p9) Age A strong Vote Leave supporter from the beginning of the campaign was voters over the age of 65. According to statistics 60% of over 65 year olds voted to leave the European Union. This is closely followed by over 56% of 45 to 64 year olds also coming to the decision the United Kingdom is better out of the EU (Ashcroft, 2016). The Daily Telegraph provides further analysis showing that the East coast areas that scored the highest anti-EU  votes were also the areas with the highest pensioner populace. Just two of the top 30 areas for over 65s voted to Remain South Lakeland in the North West and South Hams in the South West (Boult, 2016). This is supported by Ashcroft and Culwick’s findings, showing that â€Å"more than half of those on a private pension voted to leave, as did two thirds of those retired with only a state pension† (Ashcroft and Culwick, 2016, p167). By contrast, the younger generations of Britain have a contrasting view. Statistics show that 73% of 18 to 24 year olds voted to remain (Ashcroft, 2016). The Sun newspaper called this divide â€Å"The Generation Gap†, analysing how age significantly showed a trend in how different people voted in the referendum. The age divide is shown clearly by Ashcroft and Culwick’s discovery that â€Å"most of those with children aged ten or under voted to remain; most of those whose children were aged eleven or older voted to leave† (Ashcroft and Culwick, 2016, p167). This illustrates how there was a clear correlation between the age of voters and their decision to vote ‘Remain’ or ‘Leave’ in the 2016 Referendum. It is evident that the older the voter is, the more likely they would have voted to leave the European Union, even though some of them won’t live long enough to experience the consequences. Education Recent findings show that people with fewer qualifications and lower standards of education, were more likely to have voted to leave the European Union. The tables in the European Union Referendum Briefing paper clearly show that there is obvious correlation between the number of non-graduates and the percentage of people who voted to leave. The opposite is reciprocated on the graph regarding graduates, showing strong correspondence between holding a degree and voting to remain (Uberoi, 2016, p21). This evidence is parallel with Lord Ashcroft’s findings, stating â€Å"a majority (57%) of those with a university degree voted to remain, as did 64% of those with a higher degree†¦Among those whose formal education ended at secondary school or earlier, a large majority voted to leave† (Ashcroft, 2016). Therefore, it is evident that voters with fewer qualifications voted to enforce Brexit. (Uberoi, 2016, p21) Social Class (Uberoi, 2016, p22). The clear relationship between level of education and voting to leave the European Union is very closely linked to the similar correlation regarding social classes and level of income. â€Å"Professionals and managers (often described as the ‘ABs’) were the only social group among which a majority (57%) voted to remain†, stated Ashcroft and Culwick. However, â€Å"nearly two thirds of skilled manual workers (‘C2s’), and of unskilled manual workers and those dependent on state benefits, voted for Brexit† (Ashcroft and Culwick, 2016, p168). In contrast to this, the Commons Library Briefing Paper argues there is little correlation between socio-economic indicators and the proportion of people voting to leave. There is an arguably weaker relationship between the median weekly earning in local authorities and the amount of people voting to leave. Furthermore, there is no obvious correlation between the rank of a local authority in terms of deprivation and vote shares to leave. (Uberoi, 2016, p22). Therefore, this suggests that votes for Leave and Remain are not as strongly related to social class as initially thought. However, considering various information, it is evident that there is a correlation between social class and people’s opinions regarding the EU referendum. Thus, voters in lower social classes were more likely to have voted to leave the European Union. Industries Certain trades, such as the fishing industry, were huge supporters of the Vote Leave campaign. When the United Kingdom joined what became the European Union, fishermen’s quotas and rights were cut dramatically, causing a steady decline of the industry’s previous success. Many of the current quotas give large shares of catches to other fishermen within the EU. Thus, when the opportunity came to have an impact on the UK’s decision on its EU membership, fishermen became a key touchstone for Brexit. It is argued that they voted Leave to give the industry a chance to regain control. However, there is some argument over whether it will be as beneficial for fishermen as the leave campaign promised. Because pursuing Article 50 could take years, the UK is still a member of the EU. Furthermore, if new arrangements are negotiated after Brexit, they may not be necessarily more generous as the fishing industry will still be tied to international agreements. However, due to the attractive opportunity arising to regain control, the fishing industry was a strong supporter of leaving the EU. Furthermore, many post industrial areas of the UK, that receive a lot of EU funding, had a greater support for Brexit than initially expected. For example, the Valleys in South Wales are historically industrial and strong Labour supporters, so it was assumed they were secure remain enthusiasts. Thus, it came as a shock when these strongholds voted in favour of Brexit, with areas such as Neath Port Talbot and Caerphilly voting to leave by over 56%. Therefore, it is evident that industrial areas weren’t as supportive of the EU as originally thought. Ethnicity Lord Ashcroft’s poll conducted on the day of the referendum found significant correlation between a vote to Leave the European Union and a voter’s ethnicity and religion. It is argued that 53% of White voters supported the decision to withdraw the United Kingdom’s membership with the EU. This was the only ethnicity group to have a majority backing for the Vote Leave campaign. Other ethnicities such as, Mixed, Asian or Black, their amount of votes to Leave did not go higher than 33% (Ashcroft, 2016). This shows that people with White ethnicity were more likely to have voted for Brexit, but only by a narrow majority. Furthermore, it can be argued that there is a relationship between ethnicity and national identity. People from ethnic minorities are more likely to identify as ‘British only’, while white respondents are more likely to identify as ‘English only’ according to the 2011 Census. The tables from the Electoral Commission show that English local authorities with higher proportions of people who gave their national identity as ‘British only’ in the 2011 Census were more likely to record lower vote shares for Leave. (Uberoi, 2016) English local authorities with higher proportions of people who classified their national identity as ‘English only’ were more likely to record higher vote shares for Leave (Uberoi, 2016). This tells us that white voters were more likely to have voted for Brexit, and it could be explained due to their views regarding national identity. Regarding religion, support for Brexit is more mixed. Christians were found to have the highest percentage vote to leave the European Union, with the greatest majority at 58%. This is followed by 54% of the Jewish electorate and 52% of Sikh’s also voting for the decision to leave. This was in stark contrast to other religions, such as Muslim or Hindu, whose support to leave did not go above 30% (Ashcroft, 2016). Party Allegiance It is important to analyse who voted for Brexit through the perspective of party allegiance. Many political parties were divided over the question, â€Å"Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?†, with UKIP being one of the only significant parties providing a united front on the issue. For example, 58% of those who voted Conservative in the 2015 General Election voted to leave the EU. While 63% of the Opposition Party Labour supporters voted to remain in the EU, as did seven out of ten Liberal Democrats and 75% of Green voters. Conservative voters constituted just over three out of every ten Remain supporters, and four in ten leavers. Labour voters made up four in every ten Remain supporters, and two in ten leavers. Scottish National Party voters backed the Remain campaign by nearly two to one, with 64% voting for the United Kingdom to remain within the EU (Ashcroft, 2016). Ashcroft and Culwick analyse this result further stating, â€Å"since Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, would use Scotland’s support for EU membership as the basis to seek a second referendum on Scottish independence, nearly half (44%) of Scottish support for Brexit came from her own SNP supporters† (Ashcroft and Culwick, 2016, p169).   UKIP was the only party with a significant majority, with 96% of people who voted for them in the 2015 General Election voting to leave the European Union. Therefore, regarding party allegiance, the picture was quite mixed. However, Conservative supporters were more likely to vote to leave and without a need for explanation, UKIP enthusiasts were solid supporters of Brexit. Was there a Vote Leave Stereotype? Throughout the referendum campaign, it could be argued that there was a stereotype created regarding the type of person that would have voted to leave the European Union. Whilst there was no gender gap, the issue divides the population according to age, political learnings and education as the key deciding issues. A significant event that portrayed the use of stereotypes during the referendum was the publication of the Operation Black Vote poster. The poster was created to encourage black people to vote, however many condemned the Saatchi and Saatchi devised image of an Asian woman balanced on a see-saw with a shaven-headed white man, which was portrayed as a ‘thug’. It creates an implication that all Brexit voters are of white ethnicity, who do not welcome ethnic minorities, thus some would argue encouraging sectarian politics. The London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, expressed his concern over the image due to it reinforcing stereotypes (Proto, 2016). This is significant because he was a Britain Stronger in Europe campaign supporter, who is also from an ethnic minority in Britain. Therefore, there is strong evidence to support the argument that there was a stereotype created around who voted for Brexit. From the research conducted, the most significant perceptions can be concluded as white ethnicity, older and of lower education. What are the reasons for voting to leave the EU? Building from the previous considerations regarding who voted for Brexit, it is important is understand what reasons voters had for wanting to leave the European Union. A focal point for the Vote Leave campaign was the amount of money the United Kingdom contributed to the EU. They claimed the UK pays  £350 million a week into the EU budget and implied it could be spent on the NHS instead. This shocked many voters and it could be argued the claim helped swing the vote towards Brexit. Other key arguments supporting the decision to vote to leave the European Union are that decisions about the UK should be made in the UK, control over immigration and the fear that remaining in the EU meant little choice about how the EU can expand its powers. These reasons were the top three most important reasons for people who voted to leave the EU according to Lord Ashcroft’s Poll (Ashcroft, 2016). This chapter will analyse the reasons why 51.9% of the electorate who voted in the 2016 referendum wanted to leave the European Union. National Identity and Sovereignty National identity was a key issue causing many voters to choose to support Brexit and the freedom for Britain to run its own affairs was at the centre of the leave campaign. This was established in its slogan, ‘Vote Leave, Take Control’. A pre-referendum survey found that 51% of people indicated that they thought EU membership eroded British sovereignty (Clarke, Goodwin and Whitely, 2016, p12). This relates to Lord Ashcroft’s findings that the most important reasons for voting Leave was the principle that decisions about the UK should be taken in the UK (Ashcroft, 2016). Britain has a particular notion of sovereignty enshrined in one intuition, rather than shared among several. When what was then known as the European Economic Community was created in 1957, its aim was to avoid another destructive war in Europe by making its countries economically interdependent. However, what began as a purely monetary union has now expanded and become accountable for many different areas of policy, from agriculture to transport. When arranging the deal regarding the UK’s membership with the EEC, then Prime Minister, Edward Heath promised that â€Å"there is no question of any erosion of essential national sovereignty†. However, The Economist argues this is only true in the sense that Parliament can repeal the 1972 European Communities Act, ignoring the reality that EU membership meant that European Law undermines national law (The Economist, 2016). This could explain why the older generation were strong Vote Leave supporters, as they remember the times before the UK became a member of the EU. It is argued that before the UK joined the EU they were considered a significant global power, and since then their impact has declined. On the other hand, Britain is signed up to over 700 international treaties that encroach on sovereignty. Although the EU has the greatest impact, others are also significant, such as NATO. However, as Lord Ashcroft found, Brexit was successful because of people’s fear that remaining in the EU meant little choice about how it expanded its powers and encroached upon British sovereignty (Ashcroft, 2016). The British Election Study Team argue that Vote Leave’s slogan, ‘Vote Leave, Take Control’, had a more significant impact on some people’s lives than originally thought, due to it affecting their ‘locus of control’ (Election Study Team, 2016). It represents the extent that people think they are in control over what happens to them. ‘People with an internal locus of control think they are themselves largely responsible for the things that happen to them, whilst those with an external locus of control tend to believe things are controlled by outside forces they cannot influence, such as other people, fate, or chance’, (Election Study Team, 2016). Their research helps explain people’s attitudes regarding losing their national identity and sovereignty. Those with an external locus of control are more likely to blame others, such as immigrants, for any hardship they may come by. They found that those with an external locus of con trol were much more likely to vote Leave (and take control) than those with an internal locus of control, as shown in the graph (Election Study Team, 2016). Thus concluding national identity had a significant impact on deciding to vote Leave. (Election Study Team, 2016) Immigration It is argued that national identity is further threatened by the issue of immigration. This was made a defining issue by the Vote Leave campaign that fuelled a lot of voter’s passions. Additionally, Lord Ashcroft’s poll declared ‘voting to Leave offered the best chance for the UK to regain control over immigration and its own borders’ the second most important reason to leave the European Union (Ashcroft, 2016). The issue of immigration became more important when Poland and Romania joined the EU, in 2004 and 2007 respectively. The EU’s principle of the ‘free movement of labour’ made immigration a concern for Britain, fuelled by tabloid reports of migrants taking jobs and driving down wages. EU migrants were often blamed for exacerbating public services, such as NHS waiting lists. These claims were increased significantly in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis; the subsequent austerity, involving cuts in public spending and thus cuts in public services, led to even more blame and hostility towards EU migrant workers. This was significantly felt amongst older people and those living in poorer areas. (Clarke, Goodwin and Whitely, 2016, p31) Further events helped the leave campaign in their efforts to gain support. Oxford University’s Migration Observatory reported that the Eurozone crisis of 2015 was encouraging more southern European migrants to travel to the UK than ever before, joining those from Eastern Europe (University of Oxford, 2016). Furthermore, the Office of National Statistics published figures stating that 1.2 million more EU migrants have been given National Insurance numbers in the last five years than had shown up in the immigration figures. Vote Leave used these examples to show how the UK had lost control of its immigration system, allowing for immigration to become one of the most significant explanatory powers in the likelihood of voting Leave. Clarke, Goodwin and Whitely calculated that as benefit-cost calculations regarding immigration moved from negative to positive, the likelihood of voting Leave increased by 0.75 points (on a 0-1 scale) (Clarke, Goodwin and Whitely, 2016, p17). Immigration had the second strongest effect on the electorate’s vote in the referendum. This aligns with Lord Ashcroft’s poll, where immigration was also said to be the second most important reason for voting Leave (Ashcroft, 2016). Ashcroft and Culwick found that immigration was a constant concern amongst the undecided voters in the focus groups they conducted. They found that the worry for many concentrated around competition for school places and public services. A member of the group stated â€Å"Yesterday, my boss, when her child didn’t get into the school she wanted, she said, ‘That’s it, I’m out.’† (Ashcroft and Culwick, 2016, p125). Due to increased UK population, it is argued that it is becoming increasingly competitive to get children into schools and difficult to use public services, such as booking appointments to see your GP. The increased pressure on public services is suggested to be decreasing its quality, which many would blame on immigration and more specifically the open door policy of the EU. This is important to the argument to why people no longer wanted to be a member of the European Union. Other events that helped the leave campaign make immigration a successful focus point of encouraging people to vote for Brexit, was the suggestion that Turkey was about to join the EU. Thus, increasing the European Union’s population and therefore the number eligible to come into the U.K. In focus groups, Ashcroft and Culwick found that some had the impression that Turkish membership was impending and were concerned, stating â€Å"The immigration thing will explode. If we stay in and Turkey joins the EU, there are millions of Turks who want to come to the UK. It really worries me. Will they have jobs? Will they have their own money? Will they have private health care?† (Ashcroft and Culwick, 2016, p127). This worry links to the previous point about added strain to public services, showing that is a significant concern for people. Due to its importance, it is possible it may have swayed the undecided voters in the focus group to vote to Leave. In a survey I conducted in March 2017, I found that 64% of people believed that immigration had become a bigger issue in the UK since 2015, when David Cameron announced the EU referendum. Furthermore, 40% of respondents felt that immigration had had a negative/extremely negative impact on terrorism, which could have been higher if the survey was conducted a few days later, when the Westminster attack took place. Finally, 66% of respondents did not want immigration to increase, proving that most people want more control over immigration. (Questionnaire information available in appendix). Costs of EU Membership A key focal point of the Vote Leave campaign was their calculation that the UK sent  £350 million a week to the European Union and the country did not receive an equal amount back, thus they argued the costs of being a member outweighed the benefits. If the UK left the EU, it is believed that billions of pounds would become available for other priorities, causing many people to support Brexit. Furthermore, leaving the EU would give the UK government the power to decide where to spend the money. The Vote Leave campaign websites states, ‘We can spend our money on our priorities like the NHS, schools and housing’.   Relating back to sovereignty, those who believe strongly in their national identity want to be able to spend their money on home grounds, thus causing them to vote Leave. However, the Vote Leave campaign were criticised for their statement that the UK sent the EU  £350 million a week. It is argued this calculation is not true. It ignores the rebate negotiated by Margaret Thatcher, agricultural subsidies and developmental subsidies for poorer areas. This leaves the net contribution of  £161 million a week. Ashcroft and Culwick found in their focus groups that probably because of the controversy, the  £350 million number stuck in voters’ minds and even if they could not remember the specific number, they knew it was still huge. One participant stated, â€Å"It’s the amount it costs that worries me. It is something like ten billion a day? Or is it ten million? Or seven million. Anyway, I was shocked when I heard.† (Ashcroft and Culwick, 2016, p133). Thus, the cost of EU membership became an important issue for many voters and Vote Leave were successful in making their point clear and believable, therefore causing many people to vote Leave. Conclusions National identity, immigration and the costs of EU membership are the most significant reasons for why 52% of voters wanted to leave the EU. National identity is an issue that is deep rooted for most and important for older voters due to them understanding how the UK worked before becoming a member of the European Union. Anti-immigration attitudes were fuelled by events such as Romania and Poland joining the EU, followed by the 2008 economic recession. This was especially felt amongst older voters and those living in impoverished towns. Immigration and the costs of EU membership were extremely current issues, that gained a lot of importance during the referendum campaign. They pushed a lot of undecided voters to support Vote Leave. Since the campaigns have ended these issues have had a lot less media attention, thus reducing their significance on public opinion. However, regaining control and national identity will always be significant when processing Brexit. Why did Vote Leave Win? In addition to understanding what reasons voters had for wanting to leave the European Union, it is important to consider other factors as to why Vote Leave was successful. This analysis will broadly discuss issues such as voter turnout and party divisions which were significant to the Leave campaign’s triumph. It will examine why the Vote Leave campaign is considered to have been more effective than the Stronger in Europe campaign, due to the factors of having a clear message and gaining the support of the mainstream press. Turnout A decisive element to why Brexit won was the issue of turnout. The Electoral Commission confirmed that 72.2% of registered voters casted their ballots on the 24th June 2016. This verified a total of 33,568,184 ballot papers counted, narrowly missing the record mark of participation in recent elections, where in the 1992 General Election 33,614,074 people went to the ballot box, accounting for 72.3% of the electorate. According to the NatCen Panel, 54% of those who did not vote in the 2015 General Election voted in the EU referendum. This helps explain why turnout was higher than the most recent General Election, 72.2% compared to 66.1%, due to a surge of ‘new voters’ (Swales, 2016, p19). The British voting population turned out in huge numbers. However, the levels of turnout from specific groups is argued to have had a significant impact on the referendum result. Before the referendum, campaigners for Remain were concerned that the younger generation would cost Britain its future within the EU, due to them not turning out to vote on the day. They were classed as Remains’ most secure voters and these concerns became reality on voting day. Moreover, the impact of the secure Leave campaign supporters, the older generation, assured to turn out in high numbers, significantly effecting why it resulted in a vote for Brexit. The Guardian states, ‘the median age in an area was the strongest predictor of turnout and showed a familiar pattern – the older the median age in an area, the more likely it was to have had a high turnout’ (Elgot, 2016). For example, Eastbourne, which has a median age of 71.5 years old, had a turnout of 74.7%. Conversely, Newham had one of the lowest turnouts and its medium age is much lower at 29. There were early cries after the referendum result was announced that the older voters had betrayed the younger generation, however this was countered by the argument that they did not vote in sufficient numbers. It is a constant trend in UK elections that under 25 year olds have the lowest turnout compared to other age groups. This could be due to low political engagement and a decreasing sense of duty to vote. Recent evidence suggests that more young voters turned out to vote than initially estimated. The new findings based on detailed surveying after the referendum by Opinium and analysed by London School of Economics suggests that turnout levels for 18-24 year olds was significantly higher than the initial figures, as shown in the table below. (Helm, 2016). This contradicts the argument that Brexit was mainly attained through the unconcern of young voters. Therefore, the low turnout of young voters may not be as significant as first thought, however this turnout level is still low in comparison to their findings of turnout levels of over 65s. The Campaigns It is argued that the Vote Leave campaign, further promoted by alternative campaigns such as Leave.EU and Grassroots Out, was much more effective than the Remain campaign. Firstly, they had a very well-defined and stronger message of ‘Take Back Control’. However, Remain failed to create a message to compete with this populist slogan. Their key message was the warnings of economic risks of leaving the EU, but this lacked simplicity and were often dismissed as scare-mongering, therefore failing to move enough voters. The messages that the pubic seemed to most remember were those of the Leave campaign, such as the claim that the UK contributed  £350 million a week to the EU, which could be spent on the NHS and the claim that Turkey was close to joining the EU. Subsequently, establishing that Vote Leave were more successful at portraying their message to the public, hence gaining more votes. An additional factor that allowed the Vote Leave campaign to gain more support was the significant backing of the press, especially the two most read newspapers, The Daily Mail and The Sun. Data from the British Election Study found that some 70% of Sun readers voted Leave in the referendum, followed by 66% of Daily Mail readers. Despite the issues of declining readership and lack of trust in the press, it is argued the press still sets the agenda, ‘Where the newspapers lead on issues, far more trusted broadcasters follow’ (Martinson, 2016). Loughborough University’s centre for research in communication and culture found that subjects that dominated the press often led television news. Thus, explaining why numerous stories about immigration, a key Vote Leave issue, continued unrelenting during the last few weeks of the campaign, whilst those about the economy, a key Remain issue, declined (Martinson, 2016). Furthermore, a report by NatCen interestingly found that regarding the EU referendum vote, people were more likely to follow the position of the newspaper they read, rather than the political party they identified with (Swales, 2016, p27). Due to the support of the most widely read national newspapers, it is argued that this was a significant reason why the Leave campaign gained more votes. The Politicians Throughout the campaign certain figurehead politicians arose, whilst others fell. Vote Leave campaign leaders, such as Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson, created enthusiasm amongst supporters. However, even though the Remain campaign had the support of the Prime Minister and most of Parliament, they failed to connect with voters, especially the Labour Party. The passion amongst the Leave campaign and the lack of within Remain, motivated many voters to go to the polls and vote to leave the EU. A key issue was that the public stopped listening to then Prime Minister, David Cameron. Promising the referendum is argued to have been vital to his success in the 2015 General Election and by putting himself at the front of the Remain campaign, he put his political future at stake. He assured the public of his ability to secure fundamental change in the UK’s relationship with the EU through reforms; thus when he came back after nine months of negotiations with only modest change, it was inevitable his concessions would not persuade many floating voters to give him the benefit of the doubt and vote remain (BBC News, 2016). Furthermore, the populist aspect of the Leave campaign appealed to voters who felt most politicians, including the Prime Minister, where out of touch with the ordinary people. Brexit could be described as a backlash against ‘the establishment’ and those cocooned in their ‘Westminster bubble’. (Swales, 2016, p21) Labour was more united on the issue of UK membership in comparison to the Conservative Party, with only a minority of MPs such as Gisela Stuart supporting Brexit. However, another failure of the Remain campaign was Labour’s inability to connect with its voters. They misjudged the mood of their voters, this was shown by their stronghold constituencies voting to Leave. For example, North East areas such as Sunderland, resulted in a 61% to 39% who voted to Leave. It is argued that Labour was sending mixed messages to the voters, and it is blamed on unpopular leader, Jeremy Corbyn’s ‘lukewarm endorsement of continued EU membership’ (Clarke, Goodwin and Whitely, 2016, p10). NatCen have evidence to support the claim that Labour were sending mixed message and thus people did not know where the party stood regarding EU membership. ‘Just over half of the people thought that Labour MPs mainly backed remain, with a quarter saying they were fairly evenly divided, and nearly two-fifths answering, ‘don’t know’’ (Swales, 2016, p21). Only just over half of Labour supporters knew the actual position of Labour MPs, proving that Labour failed to connect with their voters and thus did not enthuse supporters to vote Remain with them.   The enthusiasm for Vote Leave created by figures such as Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage influenced a lot of people to follow and support their campaign. The Leave campaign was described as more passionate than its Remain opponents, as people such as Nigel Farage had been fighting their whole political career for this outcome. Furthermore, the BBC states ‘the justice secretary brought intellectual heft and strategic nous to the table while the former mayor of London, after a bout of soul-searching, brought star appeal and ability to appeal across the party divide’, regarding Michael Gove and Boris Johnson (BBC News, 2016). This further emphasises the appeal towards the ‘populist’ aspect of the Leave campaign, who were argued to be on the side of ordinary people. Recent models found that the leader image cues provided by Farage and Johnson were influential on emotions about EU membership. ‘Feelings about these two figures moved from negative to positive along the 0-10 ‘likeability’ scale, the probability of voting Leave increased by 0.44 points’ (Clarke, Goodwin and Whitely, 2016, p18). Therefore, likeability of the Leave campaigns figureheads was significant to their success. Changes since 1975 In 1975, the UK electorate was asked ‘Do you think the United Kingdom should stay in the European Community?’ and ‘Yes’ won by 67.2%. In comparison, regarding modern day politics, there are lower levels of deference to mainstream, centrist politicians. As stated above, people are less willing to listen to the political elites, such as the Prime Minister. Explaining why populist figureheads like Boris Johnson were so successful in the campaign, as they appealed to the everyday working class, which were Vote Leave’s strongest supporters. In 1975, new Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher got the Conservative Party enthused about European membership, however the fact that  Cameron was unable to  find a common binding chord within his own party, remains the single largest difference to the 1975 referendum (Acharya, 2016). Previously, the main parties of England were united that we should not leave the Community, further strengthened by the support of the press. Presently, it is argued the coherence and the ability to drive a nation is missing drastically among politicians (Acharya, 2016). This allowed Vote Leave to take advantage, thus allowing them to effectively gain more support than the Stronger in Europe campaign, using their enthusiasm and significant support of the press to motivate more people to go to the polls and vote to leave the European Union. Conclusions Vote Leave won the referendum due to having a more efficient and appealing campaign. They had an engaging slogan, compared to Britain Stronger in Europe and most significantly had the support of the mainstream press. Their campaign leaders became very popular, whilst Remain struggled to get people to listen and remember what they were saying. The Remain campaign was further weakened by the disunity of the Labour party, and thus failed to understand the mood of many Labour voters. This allowed the Leave campaign to gain the support of the ‘ordinary man’, and increased the ‘populist’ aspect of their campaign.    An important factor contributing to their success was turnout. Due to older people turning out in high numbers and younger people not going to the polls, it gave Leave an advantage. As the result was so close, 48% to 52%, if more younger people voted, Vote Leave may not have been successful. However, due to recent polls, such as Opinium, turnout may not have been as a significant factor as first thought. Conclusion Why did the 2016 Referendum result in a vote for Britain leaving the EU? The objective of this research was to come to an assertive conclusion on what the most important reasons were 51.9% of the electorate that voted on the 23rd June 2016 wanted to leave the European and understand factors that contributed to why Vote Leave won. This was done through examining who voted for Brexit, what are the reasons for voting to leave the EU and why did Vote Leave win? By answering these key questions, I have come to the following conclusions. According to the research, England was the most Eurosceptic country of the United Kingdom, where the only region who voted to remain in the European Union was London. The more deprived areas of the country were more likely to support Brexit, contributing to the fact that those with fewer qualifications and â€Å"nearly two thirds of skilled manual workers (‘C2s’), and of unskilled manual workers and those dependent on state benefits, voted for Brexit† (Ashcroft and Culwick, 2016, p168). A voter’s age, ethnicity and party allegiance significantly showed a trend in Vote Leave support. Over 65s were a constant supporter of Leave throughout the campaign. Furthermore, people with White ethnicity and Conservative supporters were more likely to have voted for Brexit. As a consequence, there was a stereotype created around who voted for Brexit. From the research conducted, the most significant perceptions can be concluded as White ethnicity, older and of lower education. National identity, immigration and the costs of EU membership are the most significant reasons for why 51.9% of voters wanted to leave the EU. Each issue had constant media attention throughout the campaign, causing them to become salient issues. However, since the campaigns have ended, the attention dedicated to immigration and the costs of EU membership has declined. National identity and sovereignty however have stayed at the forefront of the Brexit process. The importance of a nation’s power will never decline, hence why national identity and taking back control will always be significant when processing Brexit. Vote Leave won due to running a more efficient campaign. Significantly, their simple slogan, ‘Vote Leave, Take Control’ was memorable to voters, alongside their key issues such as immigration and the  £350 million weekly EU fee. The passions of their campaign figureheads got voters listening, compared to the failed attempts by the Prime Minister. Turnout was also important and as the final result was so close, if more younger people voted, Vote Leave may not have been successful, but recent polls, such as Opinium, have suggested turnout may not have been as significant as originally thought. This research is important as it gives a clear quantitative and qualitative analysis of why the 2016 referendum resulted in a vote for Britain leaving the European Union. There was limited credible research on the topic, due to the main publishing being newspapers articles, where political bias is high. Furthermore, other papers such as The House of Commons EU Referendum Briefing paper discredited certain significant trends, such as the correlation between age and turnout, additionally socio-economic indicators and voting to leave. Therefore, reliable research needed to be developed to analyse why 51.9% of voters wanted to leave the EU, and only then can it be understood what people want from the result. Appendix Immigration Questionnaire What is your age?What is your gender?What race/ethnicity best describes you?Current UK residency? What is your greatest source of information regarding news and current affairs?Which one of these is the biggest issue facing the UK right now?EconomyHealthcareImmigrationTerrorismEducationOtherDo you think immigration has become a bigger issue in the UK in the past 2 years?On a scale from 1-5 how concerned are you about EU immigration? (1= no concern, 5= concerned)On a scale from 1-5 how concerned are you about EU immigration? 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